Tang Dynasty Meng Jiao has a poem "Rotten Ke Shi", poem cloud:

In the fairy world, within one day, the world is poor for a thousand years.

The double chess game is not complete, and everyone is empty.

The woodcutter returns home, and the axe rots from the wind.

Only the stone bridge is there, Ling Danhong alone.

This poem is about a legend recorded in the "Narrative of Differences" of Ren ● (day + Fang) of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, saying that there was a woodcutter called Wang Hostage in the Jin Dynasty who went into the stone room mountain to cut wood, and occasionally saw two boys playing chess, so the king went forward to watch, and a boy gave Wang a thing like a jujube, and the king did not feel hungry and thirsty after eating, so he abandoned the axe and watched the chess still. However, before the game of chess was finished, the axe was rotten. By the time the king returned home, the characters had been separated for a hundred years. This is the most expressive, and it also gives the art of Go the reputation of "Rotten Ke". A game of chess has been unsuccessful for a hundred years, how can it not make people feel the ethereal world of immortals and the shortness of life. Chess is a "heavenly skill", or an art practiced by the immortals, and people learn it, and it also adds a trace of the elegance of imitating the immortals, and the realm of other lives.

That Xu Jing saw that Fang Guolian understood chess, and immediately said happily: "Since Fang Gongzi walks with chess equipment at home, he must be a good chess player, but the old man has not known about it in the past ten days, it's a pity!" Pity! Fang Guohuan was surprised: "Why did Steward Xu say this? ”

Xu Jing said: "Fang Gongzi doesn't know, my master is especially good at Go, but in the remote wilderness of this mountain village, don't talk about opponents, even those who can play chess are hard to find, although there are a few talents in the township who can play idle chess, the master is not eye-catching." Only thirteen miles away from the south of the village, Mr. Chang Lianyi, a hermit on Yuding Mountain, plays three games with the master on time every month. Since Fang Gongzi was blocked by the rain in the village, how about a few rounds with my master? ”

Fang Guochuan said with a smile: "Since the master of your mansion is so Yaxing, he must be a master in chess, and he is willing to ask for advice, I don't know where Mr. Qi Xianzhou is?" Thank you for your hospitality these days. Xu Jing said with a smile: "Gongzi Fang and the master have already met, and the master has also instructed that the prince should be entertained in the next few days." ”

Fang Guohuan was surprised: "When did you meet Mr. Qi in Xia?" Suddenly remembered that the middle-aged Confucian scholar he had seen outside a low wall in the house, and immediately realized: "It turns out that that person is Mr. Qi, what a shame!" I have lived in your house for more than ten days, and when I met the master, I never thanked him. Xu Jing said: "My master thought that the son was just a scholar, but I didn't expect that he was still a chess player who walked with chess, and when the old man returned to the master, he inadvertently found a chess player for him, and the master was already itching his hands these days." After speaking, Xu Jing went in a hurry.

There was not much time, Xu Jing and Liu Ku came over together, and Xu Jing said happily: "The master is happy to hear that Gongzi Fang is good at chess!" I sent the two of us to invite, so let's ask my son to come over. Fang Guochuan said: "Don't dare to be." He got up and followed Xu Jing and Liu Ku out of the room and turned to a living room.

Qi Xianzhou greeted him at this time, hugged his fists and said with a smile: "I don't know that Fang Gongzi is good at chess, and he has wasted more than ten days of opportunities, please forgive me for my neglect." Fang Guolian returned the salute and said: "Passers-by, thanks to your warm hospitality, I am really grateful, and I thank Mr. Qi here." Qi Xianzhou said with a smile: "Fang Gongzi is not polite, I once looked at Gongzi at noon, and I felt that my face was kind, but I didn't expect that they were all good chess people." Then he invited Fang Guolian into the hall and sat down.

The servant offered tea, Qi Xianzhou invited Fang Guolian to use it, and then said: "I heard Steward Xu say that Fang Gongzi carries chess sets with him and walks with chess, and he must be a master in this." Qi is not talented, living here, in addition to reading, it is best to be a chess player, but this place is remote, the chess style is not prosperous, it is rare to find a good player to play chess, although there are people who understand chess in the township, they are not the same. Today is also a coincidence, Yu left the son at home, if you don't dislike Qi's skills, how about giving me a plate? Fang Guochuan said: "Don't dare, I'm willing to learn from Mr." Qi Xianzhou said happily: "Fang Gongzi is really refreshing." ”

Xu Jing has already placed a sandalwood chessboard and two clay pots of high-quality Yunnan kiln chess pieces. Qi Xianzhou invited Fang Guolian to sit at the chess table, stretched out his hand and said, "Fang Gongzi is a guest, please go first." ”

Fang Guohuan said in his heart: "This public face is hospitable and doesn't know the level of chess strength, but deal with it with the usual momentum of a chess player, don't be too ahead, so as not to spoil people's interest in chess." So the black went first, and responded with the usual law, but followed Qi Xianzhou's chess path, and tried to make the advantages and disadvantages of the two sides not much different. After dozens of chess moves, it was found that Qi Xianzhou's chess strength was not weak, and each piece was suitable for the right place.

In the middle of the game, Qi Xianzhou was surprised in his heart: "This person is young, but his chess strength is so high, it is rare." In addition to admiration, he knew that he was a master, so he dealt with it cautiously.

As a result, at the end of the game, Fang Guohuan only led with one son, this is Fang Guolian's tolerance, although he did not deceive himself and feigned defeat of the opponent, and won the opponent's joy, but he did not make the opponent defeated, but slightly ahead, so that the opponent's fighting spirit still exists, the higher the chess interest, and he can appreciate the fun of winning and losing, this is the realm of Tianyuan Transformation Realm as he wants.

Qi Xianzhou lost a son, and the other party was amazed by Guolian, but his interest was not exhausted, and it was also the nature of a chess player, thinking that there was still the possibility of winning chess, so he said: "Fang Gongziguo is a rare master, how about another game?" ”

Fang Guohuan smiled: "The guest is as good as the host." As a result, in the second game, Fang Guolian led by half a son. Qi Xianzhou didn't know that Fang Guolian secretly let him play chess, and sighed to himself: "Fang Gongzi's chess is so high, it is really rare, and he doesn't let me be a real chess player because of the guest, Qi admires it very much!" Then he said boldly: "If you fight again tomorrow, Qi Mou should let Gongzi win chess." "It is obvious that Fang Guolian did not exert all his strength, which made Qi Xianzhou's chess flourish greatly.

Fang Guochuan respected his pride, so he smiled: "Great! Anyway, I can't go these days, so let Mr. Qi do his best. Qi Xianzhou was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately set up a banquet to entertain him, and the other party Guolian lived at home for more than ten days, and failed to meet in time, which made Qi Xianzhou regret. The housekeeper Xu Jing couldn't help but be surprised when he saw that Fang Guo had won Qi Xianzhou in two battles in chess.

After the banquet, Fang Guolian and Qi Xianzhou talked about chess and art, and they got along, and Qi Xianzhou felt that it was too late to see each other. In the middle of the night, Fang Guochuan resigned from Qi Xianzhou and was sent back to the room by Liu Ku. That Liu Ku said with great admiration: "I didn't expect that Fang Gongzi would have such a big trick as a chess master to win the favor of my master, and in the future, the tea and dinner will have its own master to replace it with a banquet, which is the benefit of your ability." Fang Guochuan laughed.

The next day, Fang Guochuan was invited by Qi Xianzhou early. On this day, there were three more rounds, and at the end of each game, Fang Guolian led with one son and two sons, which made Qi Xianzhou convincing. The housekeeper Xu Jing saw that Fang Guolian won every game of chess easily, talked and laughed freely, and still had spare strength, unlike the master who thought about chess for a long time before losing a son, and it was difficult to deal with it, and he was puzzled. In this way, after three days and eight rounds of fighting, Qi Xianzhou was only one and a half years behind in each game and lost. After a long time, Qi Xianzhou is also a smart person, and under the prompting of the housekeeper Xu Jing, he seems to have understood.

On this day, Qi Xianzhou invited Fang Guochuan to sit in the hall, Fang Guochuan thought it was still a game of chess, and just sat down, Qi Xianzhou bowed and said: "Qi has eyes and doesn't know Mount Tai, I didn't expect that Fang Gongzi is a first-class master in the chess family, and I ask Gongzi to forgive me for my previous neglect." ”

Seeing this, Fang Guochuan knew that Qi Xianzhou had already understood, so he hurriedly got up and said, "Sir, don't want this, you can't afford to accept such a big gift." Qi Xianzhou said: "Three days of playing with Gongzi, so that Qi benefited a lot, today I know that Gongzi is a real master in chess, and I let it in private, Qi has a fate, it is an honor, dare to ask Gongzi to stay for a few more days, point out one or two, and all Qi has a good chess heart." ”

Fang Guochuan said: "Mr. Qi is serious, everyone is just discussing, if you don't dare to advise, Mr. Cheng will treat you kindly, and it doesn't hurt to stay for a few more days." Qi Xianzhou was overjoyed when he heard it. On this day, every time the two played against each other, Fang Guolian pointed out on the chessboard, which was the inappropriate thing that Qi Xianzhou had taken in chess three days ago. Qi Xianzhou was stunned, but he was greatly convinced, and under Fang Guolian's point, the previous chess incomprehension was immediately solved, and the chess strength was invisibly improved, and he was excited.

That night, after sending Fang Guolian back to the room to rest, Qi Xianzhou said to the housekeeper Xu Jing: "Fang Gongzi's chess strength is unfathomable, rare in the world, and it seems that he is the person entrusted by the ancestors." Xu Jing nodded and said: "This Fang Gongzi, regardless of his character and chess quality, is extremely difficult to encounter, and it should not be bad to hand over this thing to this person." However, Mr. Chang Lianyi should be invited to come and see what his opinion is, this thing is valuable, and the person entrusted to it should not be careless. Qi Xianzhou nodded and said: "It makes sense, it's more secure, if it weren't for the heavy rain for days and the road was blocked, Mr. Chang should have come." Xu Jing said: "Send someone to invite tomorrow." ”

Fang Guohuan was accompanied by Liu Ku on this day, and went to the entrance of the village to see the road washed out by the rain, and the road surface had been repaired by the villagers at this time, and it was open to cars and horses. Liu Ku stepped forward to talk to the villagers, and when he came back, Fang Guojian said: "Fang Gongzi, let's wait a few more days, although this road has been repaired, but the road ahead is more than 100 meters away from the road, and a landslide blocks the road to the road. According to the villagers, it will take three or four days to clean up. ”

Liu Ku then said: "I just heard Daddy Wang, who was building the road, said that the mountains and rivers were big a few days ago, which led to the landslide in front of you, guess what? A large group of snakes rushed out of the rock cave, and I wonder how those snakes gathered together and hid in the mountain? Now it is washed out by the water, and it is said that there are balls of balls, large and small, colorful and green, and I don't know how many. When Fang Guohuan heard this, he was surprised and said: "Rushing out of so many snakes, this is worth it!" ”

Liu Kudao: "I heard that there were snakes for several days, otherwise the road would have been opened long ago." "Catch the snake?" Fang Guohuan was surprised: "Where to rush?" Liu Ku said: "Naturally, rush to the mountains, so as not to block the road and hurt people." There are a lot of strange snakes coming out, and there are a few people who are good eaters of snake meat, but this time they don't dare to catch them and eat them, and they all avoid them from afar, as if they are very afraid. Fang Guochuan was stunned and said: "It is a strange thing that the snakes came out of the mountain and rushed back. Remembering that he would have to study chess with Qi Xianzhou for a while, he turned around with Liu Ku and returned to Qi's house.