In the main hall of Taiping Medical Hall, Old Man Yao leisurely wrote out a prescription, then handed it to Chen Ji to prepare the medicine.

Chen Ji weighed the herbs slowly and quietly, his eyes fixed intently on the markings of the bronze scale, almost crossing them. He wouldn’t glance anywhere else, fearing Prince Jing’s anger might spill over onto him.

Bai Li stood with her head bowed next to the Crown Prince, secretly nudging him with her foot, urging him to apologize quickly.

However, Prince Jing no longer looked at the Crown Prince; he turned to Chen Ji instead. “Stop weighing the medicine for now,” he said. “It’s rare to encounter someone with such a unique talent for Go. Come, let’s play a few more games!”

“Oh…”

Chen Ji, with downcast eyes, came to the counter and picked up the Go pieces, placing them into the basket.

Prince Jing smiled. “This time, I won’t give you a two-stone handicap. Giving you two stones, I can’t win against you!”

Bai Li widened her eyes from the side. Her father voluntarily saying he wouldn’t give a handicap when playing against a junior? This was truly a rare occurrence!

She slowly moved closer to peek at their game, but after only two steps, Prince Jing’s sidelong glance made her obediently retreat. She could only secretly stand on tiptoe to glimpse over.

Chen Ji’s Go skill was far inferior to Prince Jing’s. However, relying on the fact that Prince Jing had never seen such a tenacious strategy for saving isolated groups, Chen Ji launched desperate counterattacks again and again.

Prince Jing praised him, “You’re clearly an intelligent person, so why don’t you follow the conventional path of Go? Why do you prefer only this unconventional, unorthodox way of playing? Doesn’t it limit your skill?”

Chen Ji calmly placed a stone. “Greed leads to defeat.”

Prince Jing paused, startled.

“Greed leads to defeat” was indeed one of the essential maxims in Go.

Chen Ji meant that this was simply his nature; he excelled only at this specific strategy of defending isolated groups and capturing large ones. If he were to try and emulate others, focusing on overall board control and cautious moves, he would, ironically, be unable to win.

Prince Jing picked up a Go stone and mused, “With a personality like yours, you can’t be a Go player. If you can only be a Go piece, are you willing?”

Chen Ji was puzzled. Was this a question a prince should ask a medical apprentice?

A medical apprentice was merely one among the countless common people, living like wild grass, without the status of the heavens. How could they speak of being a player or a piece?

He pondered for a moment, then, puzzled, asked in return, “Must one live within this Go board?”

Prince Jing laughed heartily. “You can also live outside the board; that’s another way of living.”

The Crown Prince, still kneeling, quietly raised his head and exchanged a glance with Bai Li. Both noticed that their father’s mood had gradually improved after playing Go with Chen Ji.

The Crown Prince winked at Bai Li, who understood immediately. She quickly took Prince Jing’s empty teacup and refilled it.

At this moment, while playing Go with Chen Ji, Prince Jing could still chat with Old Man Yao. “Imperial Physician Yao,” he said, “have Bai Li and Zhu Yunxi caused any trouble lately?”

The Crown Prince and Bai Li immediately felt their hearts leap to their throats, looking expectantly at Old Man Yao.

Old Man Yao stood in front of the medicine cabinet, his back to the mahogany counter. As he prepared the medicine, he stated blandly, “No major troubles, but they do go out almost every night to have fun. They leave around *hai shi* (9-11 PM) every day, and we really don’t know where in Luo City there is to play at such a late hour.”

Prince Jing calmly said, “Naturally, they go to Baiyi Lane and Hongyi Lane.”

The Crown Prince and Bai Li’s suspended hopes finally died.

Prince Jing slowly continued, “Zhu Yunxi’s monthly allowance was already reduced previously, so he had no money to go to those places. I suppose Bai Li must have paid for him. From this month onwards, Bai Li’s monthly allowance will also be reduced.”

The Crown Prince immediately panicked. “It’s over!”

Bai Li whispered, “Father, I won’t give my brother money anymore. Can you please not reduce my allowance?”

Prince Jing did not reply. He simply picked up a Go piece, ready to play another game with Chen Ji.

He looked up at Chen Ji. “When Yunxi and Bai Li went to Baiyi Lane and Hongyi Lane, were you with them?”

Chen Ji earnestly replied, “Reporting to Your Highness, this commoner has been diligently studying medicine and his lessons. How could I have time to go to such places?”

The Crown Prince: “Huh?”

Bai Li: “Huh?”

Prince Jing glanced at the Crown Prince and Bai Li. “You two should learn more from Chen Ji.”

The Crown Prince suddenly blurted out, “This kid went with us!”

Chen Ji: “No one’s getting away with this…”

Prince Jing chuckled as he looked at Chen Ji. “You went too?”

Chen Ji: “…”

Prince Jing put the Go pieces into the basket and asked with a smile, “So, ‘If life were only like our first meeting, what then would autumn winds bring sorrow to painted fans?'”

“‘Withered vine, old tree, evening crows; a small bridge, flowing water, a few homes.'”

“Did you write these?”

“I know Yunxi’s capabilities very well; he couldn’t write such things.”

Chen Ji was astonished.

It turned out Prince Jing knew everything. He not only knew that the Crown Prince and others had gone to Baiyi Lane and Hongyi Lane, but also knew every poem the Crown Prince had used in the brothels.

Indeed.

How could a powerful regional prince be ignorant of anything in Luo City!

The Crown Prince was even more astonished.

How come he had to kneel here for going to Baiyi Lane, while Chen Ji was treated so kindly for doing the same?

What injustice!

The game continued.

Prince Jing lost three consecutive games to Chen Ji’s tricky ‘isolated group’ strategy, yet there was no trace of resentment or anger on his face. Instead, his eyes showed increased curiosity and interest.

They continued to play game after game.

The more Chen Ji played, the more difficult it became, until Prince Jing blocked all his unorthodox moves, making it impossible for him to employ his ‘isolated group survival and capture’ strategy again.

He lost.

Chen Ji was merely a second-prize winner in a Luo City Go competition; in the entire Go world, he was not considered significant.

Losing was inevitable sooner or later, but he hadn’t expected to lose so quickly.

Prince Jing smiled, looking at Chen Ji, and asked, “Young man, what do you think of my Go skill?”

Chen Ji took a deep breath. “Impressive!”

“If you had to describe it with one word, what would it be?”

Chen Ji thought for a moment. “Patience. Prince Jing is truly very patient.”

The opponent proceeded cautiously, step by step, able to plan dozens of moves ahead for the overall situation.

During the opening, it seemed as though the desire to win was superfluous, a mere distraction.

But upon closer inspection, it became clear that everything the opponent did was to win.

At this moment, Prince Jing looked at Old Man Yao. “Imperial Physician Yao, you once saved Jianzhou Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Ma Yiming’s mother. Nine years ago, if you hadn’t treated her, she would likely have passed away by now. Currently, there’s still some sticky rice in Jianzhou’s granary. Could you write him a letter? I want to requisition that sticky rice to address an urgent need. In our Ning Dynasty, civil officials prioritize filial piety above all else, so a letter from you will surely be effective.”

Old Man Yao nodded. “Yes, I can. I’ll write it tonight. Your Highness can send someone to collect it tomorrow.”

“Please write it soon; there’s not a moment to lose.”

Prince Jing’s expression softened slightly, but he still wasn’t completely at ease.

“That Provincial Surveillance Commissioner in Jianzhou has been unwilling to release this batch of sticky rice because he’s considering the livelihood of the entire prefecture. Now that I’m requisitioning this sticky rice, I’ll have to find a way for him to replenish the granary with other crops, lest the common people starve.”

Chen Ji suddenly fell into deep thought. Sticky rice mortar, in his original world, was used until the late 18th century.

It was only gradually replaced when foreign cement technology was introduced into the country.

At that time, cement was called ‘foreign ash’ by the common people.

Was sticky rice mortar effective?

Yes, it was!

The Great Wall of China, for instance, used sticky rice mortar as a binder and has stood for thousands of years.

To some extent, it was even stronger and more durable than ordinary cement.

However, the crucial point was that sticky rice mortar appeared in an era of low productivity, inherently creating conflict with the people’s livelihoods.

Furthermore, sticky rice mortar required three years to calcify and reach standard strength, whereas cement only needed twenty days to achieve standard strength and was extremely low in cost.

Once cement appeared, it brought a complete revolution to the entire field of construction.

Chen Ji pondered, recalling, “How was cement made again?”

Just as he was thinking, it grew lively outside Taiping Medical Hall again.

Everyone looked out and saw sedan chairs, each carrying an official, being carried by bearers towards Prince Jing’s residence.

A rough estimate suggested thirty to forty officials, who had collectively come to visit Prince Jing.

Chen Ji looked up and saw Prince Jing seemingly oblivious to these people, calmly placing a Go stone. He even reminded Chen Ji, “It’s your turn. Yunxi, stop kneeling there and embarrassing yourself. Get up.”

“Oh!”

The Crown Prince stood up joyfully, bending over to rub his aching knees.

A short while later, those officials returned from Prince Jing’s residence without success. It seemed they had been informed that Prince Jing was not at home, and could only return to their own residences.

As they passed Taiping Medical Hall, an official inside one of the sedan chairs inadvertently lifted the curtain and caught sight of a familiar figure by the medical hall’s counter.

“Stop, stop, stop.”

The official called for the sedan bearers to stop. He gazed intently, confirming he hadn’t mistaken the person.

It wasn’t that he was intimately familiar with Prince Jing, but rather that Prince Jing’s clothing had been worn for so many years that it was etched into the officials’ memories.

The sedan chairs were lowered. A group of officials, dressed in green and blue robes with embroidered squares featuring white cranes, golden pheasants, and mandarin ducks on their chests, leather belts at their waists, and black boots on their feet, disembarked.

They gathered in front of Taiping Medical Hall, hesitating for a moment, unsure whether they should enter. They began to whisper amongst themselves.

The next moment, everyone looked at the two leading officials. One of them, with a long beard and a ruddy complexion, thought for a moment and said, “Let’s wait until His Highness wins this game of Go, then we’ll go in.”

The crowd fell silent, stamping their feet and rubbing their hands in the cold weather, their noses red from the chill.

A moment later, the leading official let out a soft ‘Eh?’ “His Highness’s Go skill is exquisite. Why would he have the leisure today to play against a young apprentice? What enjoyment could there be in that? …Wait, Chen Liqin, that young man looks familiar. Haven’t I seen him somewhere before!”

Luo City Assistant Prefect Chen Liqin looked up at the remark and, gazing intently, suddenly realized that the young man playing Go with Prince Jing was none other than his own youngest son, whom he hadn’t seen for over half a year.

It was then that he remembered he had sent Chen Ji to Taiping Medical Hall as an apprentice.

Zhang Zhuo turned to Chen Liqin. “I remember now, I’ve seen him at your residence. I recall the Lantern Festival the year before last, when I went to your home for drinks, he was sitting in the very last seat on the right-hand side…”

Zhang Zhuo passed the imperial examination at the county level at twelve, and at fifteen, his name was announced outside Donghua Gate, making him the youngest top scholar in the Ning Dynasty. He possessed excellent calligraphy and a photographic memory.

This man’s first wife passed away when he was nineteen, and at twenty-two, he married the niece of Grand Tutor Xu Gong, a high-ranking official of the current dynasty. From then on, he rose rapidly through the ranks, completing a career path in fifteen years that others might never finish in a lifetime.

In a short time, it would be only a matter of time before he entered the cabinet. However, Zhang Zhuo lacked the steady composure of a prefect. He playfully nudged Chen Liqin with his elbow, “How is your son playing Go with Prince Jing? Well, well, Chen Liqin, you secretly found a way into the Prince’s household but didn’t tell me! No wonder you sent your son to be an apprentice!”

Chen Liqin frowned, not replying. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to answer, but that he didn’t know how.

Zhang Zhuo’s question was also his own.

Why could Chen Ji play Go with Prince Jing?

Moreover, at that moment, wasn’t Prince Jing’s hearty laughter still echoing from within Taiping Medical Hall? His own son seemed to be enjoying a pleasant conversation with Prince Jing!

Just then, with a clatter, Chen Ji picked up the black Go pieces and put them into the basket inside the medical hall. A game had ended.

Zhang Zhuo tugged Chen Liqin’s sleeve. “Quickly, let’s go in.”

The two stepped over the threshold and approached Prince Jing from behind. Chen Liqin simply bowed with clasped hands, but Zhang Zhuo bowed deeply to the ground with a fawning smile. “Greetings, Your Highness Prince Jing. You must have worked hard on your southern trip to procure military provisions.”

Prince Jing slowly turned around. “You two have also worked hard. I heard that when it snowed, you even went to the river embankment to comfort the river workers. Such an act of compassion for the people truly makes you worthy of being the parents of this city.”

Zhang Zhuo was quick to reply with a laugh, “Oh, no, no, it’s merely our duty. It’s just that the flood a few months ago in our Yunan region submerged many fields. Now, a large number of refugees are homeless and have no land to cultivate, and they are currently fleeing to our Luo City. We must quickly find a way to build houses and settle them.”

“You truly care for the people of this prefecture.”

Prince Jing slowly said, “Tell me, what difficulties are there?”

“Building houses now might be too late.”

As Zhang Zhuo conversed with Prince Jing, Chen Liqin’s gaze kept darting towards Chen Ji.

But strangely, his youngest son was focused on tidying the Go board and didn’t spare him a single glance.

When his youngest son finished tidying the board and finally looked up, their eyes met, but Chen Ji only offered a polite smile and greeted him, as if looking at a stranger.

Chen Liqin’s brows gradually furrowed. He had originally sent this son to Taiping Medical Hall as an apprentice because Chen Ji was fond of gambling.

He asked himself if he had mistreated Chen Ji. Being an apprentice at Taiping Medical Hall was a good path, and he had instructed his steward to send the monthly apprentice fee.

But now, his son wouldn’t even return home from the medical hall, treating his own father like a stranger. Was he merely acting out in anger and breaking ties with the Chen household?

How thoughtless!

Leaving Chen Liqin’s confusion aside, Chen Ji was also feeling a bit uncomfortable.

With so many officials present, he felt awkward standing by the Go board—he couldn’t leave, nor could he stay. And an official kept looking at him intently, though he couldn’t tell why.

Chen Ji looked down at his clothes; there were no holes or anything amiss.

Old Man Yao noticed his discomfort and lightly said, “Chen Ji, go pour two cups of tea for the two sirs to warm their hands.”

“Aye, alright!”

Chen Ji returned from the back courtyard with a tray and politely offered a cup to Chen Liqin. “Sir, please have some tea.”

On Chen Liqin’s square-shaped face, his brows were almost twisted together. “You call me sir?”

Chen Ji was startled. If not ‘sir,’ then what should he call him?

Before he could react, Zhang Zhuo picked up a warm earthenware cup, warming his hands with it as he said with a smile, “Your Highness, this year’s autumn imperial examination in Yuzhou is garnering much attention. Master Chen Wenzong, Assistant Prefect Chen’s son, was highly praised by his teachers at Donglin Academy, who said he had the talent of a top scholar. Many scholars from Jiangnan are unconvinced and have vowed to compete with him in next year’s palace examination!”

Prince Jing glanced at Chen Ji, then praised Chen Liqin with a smile, “Assistant Prefect Chen, you certainly know how to raise children! Not only is your eldest son well-taught, but your youngest son, Chen Ji, is also excellent. Just now, in our Go game, he won quite a few rounds against me!”

Chen Ji’s heart jolted in surprise.