All Hail Cousin Brother

195 Stinking Chess Piece

Yu Youyao was excited. “It’s not difficult to play chess. Cousin, I’ll play chess with you.”

Seeing that she was happy, Zhou Linghuai did not want to discourage her. He nodded. “Okay!”

The two of them played chess back and forth. The scene looked quite beautiful.

“Cousin, is it here?” The little girl was holding a white chess piece. The jade piece was transparent and flawless. When it was pinched using her fingertips, it made her look delicate and exquisite.

The smile on Zhou Linghuai’s lips was a little forced, and he gave up on continuing to guide her. “It’s good that you think it’s good!”

He probably did not expect that although the young lady was good at everything, she did not have any talent in chess. He had even guided her through a game of chess, but she only had the ability to turn a good game of chess into a lousy one. During this period, he had saved countless times before he managed to revive this game of chess. He had barely managed to play it. Otherwise, the young lady would have died countless times.

He actually thought of someone who was not good but interested in chess.

Yu Youyao scratched her cheek and bit her lip. She couldn’t make up her mind, so she started to act shamelessly. “I don’t care. Cousin, you’re not allowed to eat my piece.”

Zhou Linghuai nodded weakly. “Alright, I won’t eat it.”

The little girl smiled and put down the chess piece. She looked up at her cousin with sparkling eyes and reminded him, “Cousin, it’s your turn.”

Zhou Linghuai looked at this chess move that had just come to life. After seeing the little girl’s move and how she was on the verge of courting death, he felt very weak. Her ability to court death was not for show.

Not only that…

After taking a few steps, the little girl regretted it. Her tender little fingers took down the white chess piece and hid it behind her back shamelessly. “Cousin, Cousin, I played wrongly just now. This doesn’t count. Let’s start over…”

Zhou Linghuai reminded, “A gentleman has no regrets playing chess.”

This was the first time the little girl had learned how to play chess. She didn’t care about any chess skills or rules. She pouted. “Oh, I forgot. I’ll definitely remember it next time.”

So, this time, forget it.

After a while, the little girl regretted making a move again. No matter how well Zhou Linghuai had been raised, the veins on his forehead couldn’t help but throb. “Cousin, gentlemen can’t have regrets playing chess…”

Before he could finish speaking, he heard the little girl’s cheerful voice. “What gentleman! I’m not a gentleman. I’m a woman, and a child at that. Therefore, it’s fine to go back on my word.”

As the little girl regretted her move, she looked at her cousin. Her eyes were bright, as if there were stars shining in them. Zhou Linghuai was instantly speechless.

That was what this person said, but that wasn’t how logic worked.

Forget it. This young lady had just learned how to play chess, so it was normal for her to not know the rules. He would just teach her slowly in the future.

After that, Zhou Linghuai realized that he had been too naive. Chess required innate talent and wasn’t something that could be trained easily.

“Cousin, I’ll change my position…”

Zhou Linghuai reminded her again, “Cousin, nothing changes!”

The little girl picked up the white piece and said confidently, “This doesn’t count. My hand is still on the piece, so it’s not fixed. I can change it.”

That was one thing…

In the time it took for Zhou Linghuai to take a sip of tea, he had already seen the little girl’s fair fingers. He quickly picked up a few black pieces from the chessboard and hid them under it. He even sat up straight guiltily, his eyes no longer darting around. He was focused on the chessboard, as if he was really watching the game seriously.

It was ridiculous.

Not long after, Yu Youyao lost miserably.

The little girl pouted and raised her mouth high. “Cousin, you’re too much. It’s my first time learning how to play chess today. Don’t you know how to make way for me and let me win?”

Zhou Linghuai did not want to speak anymore.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to win. It was just that the young lady was too stubborn. In a game of chess, he had given her countless ways out, but the young lady always courted death.

However, this game was over.

The little girl was only annoyed for a short while before saying, “Cousin, it turns out that playing chess is so interesting. Let’s play again…”

Zhou Linghuai had just picked up his teacup to drink when he heard the little girl’s words. He almost choked on his tea and swallowed it. However, he choked on his tea and his face turned red. It took him a long time to catch his breath.

It turned out that not only had he taught a lousy chess player, but she was also a chess idiot.

Hence, for a long time, Zhou Linghuai was deeply troubled playing chess with his little cousin until he suggested that the little girl teach Chun Xiao how to play chess.

The young lady boasted that she was good at chess, mainly because her cousin had given her this illusion. When she heard that she could teach others how to play chess, how could she not be happy? She immediately abandoned her cousin and pulled Chun Xiao to the study to play chess. From then on, the person who played chess with the young lady would become Chun Xiao, and he would be free.

Yu Youyao stayed in the meditation room for more than an hour before happily bringing Chun Xiao in.

Chun Xiao had more or less heard the commotion in the outer room. Although she was puzzled as to why Young Master had come to the Precious Peace Temple and why he had not gone to greet Old Madam but had instead met Young Miss alone,

Young Miss clearly knew that Young Master was in Master Hui Ji’s meditation room, but she did not say anything and only said that she wanted to come and listen to the meditation.

No matter how she looked at it, it was strange.

Yu Youyao said calmly, “There’s no need to tell anyone that Cousin has come to the Precious Peace Temple. If anyone asks, just say that I came to Master Hui Ji’s meditation room to listen to the meditation and pray for Grandmother.”

Chun Xiao did not think too much about it and did not ask further. “Don’t worry, Miss.”

Among the maidservants, Chun Xiao and Dong Mei were both born into the family. Chun Xiao had been serving her since she was young. Dong Mei had always been by her grandmother’s side. Although she wasn’t in front of her, she had always helped to take care of her. It was also because of their relationship since they were young.

Qiu Xing had been selected from the manor and had served her for many years. Xia Tao had been bought from outside the residence. She was not as trained as the others, but she still served her to the best of her abilities.

Chun Xiaoxin was the most honest and her most trusted person. Wherever she went, she had to bring Chun Xiao along. Dong Mei was smart and steady, and she relied on her the most. She was in charge of all the matters in the Jade Courtyard. Xia Tao was smart, so she had to bring her along too. Qiu Xing was cautious and quiet. She was also very capable.

As soon as she left, the meditation room fell silent.

In the quiet room, Zhou Linghuai said calmly, “Come out!”

The man in black suddenly flew down from the beam and knelt on one knee in front of Zhou Linghuai. He cupped his fists. “Young Master.”

“When will King Ping enter the capital?” Zhou Huai frowned and picked up the messy chess pieces on the chessboard one by one.

The man in black replied in a low voice, “He will set off at the end of March. However, King Ping was seriously injured by a sneak attack during the war with the Southern Barbarians years ago. I heard that he almost lost his life, and it took him a month to recover. However, his new injuries have implicated the old ailment in his body, and his body hasn’t recovered yet. The southern border is a little far from the north, so he’s been moving slowly. I reckon he’ll only reach the capital after the palace examination.”

Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “He can really afford it.”