Chapter 25
THOUGH MENG QIANSHAN desperately wanted to cry out in warning, he dared not disobey Madam Huo. He nervously pushed the wheelchair forward, with Sun Yuan on his heels.
Madam Xu, run! Meng Qianshan thought as hard as he could.
Unfortunately, it seemed neither madam received the telepathic signal he sent. Hearing the sound of the wheelchair, the two men looked up, their expressions calm as they waited for them to approach.
Huo Wujiu coldly scanned both concubines before him.
He had some impression of the one in red—handsy, with an effeminate appearance. During their first meeting, he’d even reached out to touch his face.
His gaze turned colder when it landed on the second man.
Wasn’t he the one who’d mediated last time? When Huo Wujiu had twisted the red-clad man’s wrist, the other one had placidly stepped forward to intervene before sending someone to fetch the doctor.
…So this was the Prince of Jing’s type?
Huo Wujiu withdrew his gaze, a hint of disapproving disdain in his eyes.
With his extensive military background, Huo Wujiu had little patience for these indecisive scholarly types. Most soldiers despised such wishy-washy, peacemaking cowards. Just listening to them speak was enough to give him a headache. Then again, what did he expect from the Prince of Jing? Of course a man of such poor character had even worse taste in men. How utterly unsurprising that he only liked good-for-nothings.
Consumed with his internal barrage of criticisms, Huo Wujiu failed to realize that he had also unwittingly included himself on that list, as a man whom the Prince of Jing had allegedly “admired for years.”
He glanced at the men once, then withdrew his gaze, his expression cold and aloof. He had no intention of greeting either of them.
However, the smiling Gu Changyun decided to break the ice.
“It’s been a while since we last saw our Madam Huo, hasn’t it?” he said, his fox-like eyes soft as silk as he looked Huo Wujiu up and down thoroughly. “The feng shui of the Prince of Jing’s residence is truly rejuvenating. Just look at Madam Huo—his complexion has improved remarkably.”
Xu Du shot a look at Gu Changyun. He knew that before his family’s downfall, Gu Changyun’s father had had multiple concubines. As someone raised in such an environment, he was well-versed in the schemes and intrigues of the rear courtyard. After arriving at the Prince of Jing’s residence, he took particular pleasure in performing this bitter act before outsiders.
Usually, Xu Du didn’t engage in such performances, and he figured Huo Wujiu wouldn’t either.
Sure enough, Huo Wujiu remained silent, while Meng Qianshan bowed politely behind him.
“Of course! Since Madam Huo arrived at the residence, everything has been going well,” said Meng Qianshan cheerily. “Thank you for your concern, Madam Gu!”
He turned slightly and subtly elbowed Sun Yuan before continuing with a smile.
“We didn’t know the two madams were playing a game here. This servant has foolishly disturbed your leisure… Sun Yuan, why aren’t you bidding farewell to the two madams?”
Sun Yuan quickly obeyed and bowed to them as ordered.
However, before he could finish his farewell, Gu Changyun interrupted.
“What’s the rush?” he asked, his tone relaxed and playful. “You just arrived, and now you’re leaving. Meng Qianshan, do I look like a man-eating tiger to you?”
Xu Du glanced at him.
He had advised Gu Changyun many times not to stir up trouble, but he also knew that the strife in Gu Changyun’s formative years had culminated in a stubborn and fearless mischievous streak that resisted all logic.
Noting Meng Qianshan’s awkward, forced smile, Xu Du stepped in to smooth things over.
“Unless there’s some urgent matter, there’s no need to rush off. Does Madam Huo know how to play weiqi?” he asked lightly, turning to Huo Wujiu. “Changyun and I were just in the middle of a game. If you’re familiar with it, perhaps you could take a look and advise us on how to break this stalemate?”
Huo Wujiu glanced at him impassively.
He hated weiqi.
His father was a terrible player, but his military advisor happened to be a national master. Because they were stationed in Yangguan, his father wouldn’t let any opportunity to educate him go to waste. Because of this, Huo Wujiu had been forced to learn weiqi strategies from that sly, smiling advisor.
Huo Wujiu found the black and white pieces boring and frequently made mischief instead. His father had been so infuriated that he’d confiscated his favorite Ferghana horse, using that as leverage to force him to learn.
So learn he did, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed it.
Huo Wujiu coldly scanned Xu Du in front of him.
An indecisive peacemaker, a tedious board game… At last, the things that annoyed him the most had all come together as one.
At Xu Du’s invitation, Sun Yuan seemed conflicted. He looked left and right, unsure whom to listen to. But Huo Wujiu raised his hand, signaling him to stay put.
Sun Yuan stepped back obediently. Huo Wujiu gripped the wooden wheels of his wheelchair and moved himself over to the board.
Xu Du watched Huo Wujiu calmly look over the game, then reach out in one decisive movement. He picked up a black piece and placed it on the board.
Xu Du gazed down at it, stunned.
But Huo Wujiu didn’t give him a chance to speak. After setting down the piece, he pulled back his hand and placed it on the wooden wheel. With a firm push, he swiftly wheeled himself away.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Sun Yuan hurriedly stepped forward to push him, and Meng Qianshan hastily bowed to the two before following.
Gu Changyun watched until they disappeared into the distance. Then he turned to Xu Du with an expression of astonishment.
“Just look at that—he’s truly a general through and through,” Gu Changyun remarked. “Even when confined to the rear courtyard, he remains wild and unruly, with no regard for anyone.”
When Xu Du offered no response, Gu Changyun turned to look at him. Xu Du was staring intently at the weiqi board, expressionless and silent. Gu Changyun followed his gaze and chuckled.
“What’s so interesting about the board?” he teased. “It’s just—”
He stopped speaking abruptly.
On the chessboard, Xu Du’s white pieces had nearly driven Gu Changyun’s black pieces into a corner. But in a single move, Huo Wujiu had transformed the situation entirely. Now the black pieces had become cornered beasts, poised to launch a counterattack. They had risen from certain defeat to sink their teeth into the enemy’s throat, and their momentum would soon prove overwhelming.
Gu Changyun analyzed the board in awe for a moment. Then he laughed.
“He’s quite good at weiqi, isn’t he?” he said.
But Xu Du shook his head. That was irrelevant to what had shaken him so badly.
Just now, when Huo Wujiu placed that piece and withdrew his hand, he’d glanced up at him. It was brief, but it was enough to chill Xu Du to the bone. There was something terrible and ruthless behind those fierce, dark eyes.
When he met Huo Wujiu’s gaze, a shiver ran down his spine. Somehow, he had the distinct impression that Huo Wujiu wanted to annihilate more than just the white pieces on the board.
After a moment, he smiled and shook his head again, as if to clear it.
“What are you thinking about?” asked Gu Changyun.
“Nothing,” Xu Du replied. “I just wonder… When did I offend General Huo?”