"It's just a meal, you guys are taking it so seriously. I don't think you're craving my food, but rather my liquor."
Xia Mingzhong chuckled, a smile forming on his lips. These old brothers were indeed close friends.
"What can we do? My blood pressure is high, and my wife forbids me from drinking. You know, if we old brothers don't drink, we'll surely suffocate."
"Indeed, we're counting on you for this drink. You're the head of the Xia family, you can't be stingy! I want a full table."
"Hahahaha, what's a full table? We definitely have to let this old fellow bleed a bit. We want a whole banquet!"
They all burst into laughter. Ye Longlin smiled slightly and made the first move with a white stone.
Xia Mingzhong looked at Ye Longlin's placement, also perplexed. Logically, the central position should have been fiercely contested. Why was he playing unconventionally?
However, it wasn't that important. What mattered was that he had secured the best spot.
As they placed stone after stone, the onlookers were stunned into silence, at a loss for words.
The act of conceding was too blatant!
The crowd was speechless.
"Young man, there's no need for this. While I'm not a professional player, I wouldn't expect you to go so easy on me."
Xia Mingzhong said with a hint of helplessness. The outcome, naturally, was Xia Mingzhong's victory.
The old men watching were all rendered speechless.
Ye Longlin grinned, "I heard that Elder Xia has a calligraphy and painting exhibition tomorrow. How about we consider this game as an exchange for two entry tickets?"
This... As everyone knew, tomorrow's exhibition was free for all. His proposal was rather amusing.
"Hahaha, welcome, welcome! But from now on, no more going easy, or this old man will get angry."
Ye Longlin smiled, a smile appearing on his lips. He then started another game. In this game, Ye Longlin showed no mercy, making Xia Mingzhong feel the pressure of a grandmaster.
After one minute, Xia Mingzhong felt the pressure.
After two minutes, Xia Mingzhong's pieces were completely surrounded, doubling the pressure.
After three minutes, sweat beaded on Xia Mingzhong's forehead, the pressure mounting.
At the five-minute mark, Xia Mingzhong conceded, admitting defeat.
"Young friend, you are indeed a grandmaster."
Xia Mingzhong couldn't help but marvel at Ye Longlin's skill. Although an amateur, he was still above professional players. After all, Xia Mingzhong had nothing else to do but play chess, drink tea, write, and paint, having plenty of free time.
It was the first time he had lost so decisively and cleanly.
"You're not local, are you, young friend? Just here on vacation?"
Xia Mingzhong asked out of curiosity. It was the first time he had taken an interest in a young person.
Ye Longlin shook his head, "Not exactly. I'm looking for relatives."
Looking for relatives?
This made the people around him pause for a moment, but they all nodded. "Do you have any information about your relatives, young friend? We can help. While we old fellows don't know many people, our acquaintances know many others, and we can assist."
"That's right, Chang'an isn't that big. As long as they aren't from some remote village, anyone within this city, we can help find them."
"Why don't you tell us, young friend? Perhaps we know them."
Ye Longlin cupped his hands towards them, "Your kindness is appreciated, seniors. But I have already found them. Perhaps they don't know, but I have found them."
Yes, the relative he was looking for was none other than the master of the Xia family present. Although he hadn't expected to meet him so quickly, now that they had met, there was no need to say more.
It would be fine to reveal their relationship after tomorrow's matters were settled.
"Since that's the case, we old fellows won't intrude further, lest we spoil your surprise, hahaha."
"Young friend, the Xia family welcomes you as a guest."
Xia Mingzhong extended an invitation, but Ye Longlin shook his head and declined, "It might be a bit inconvenient. I'm with my wife and child. If I were alone, I wouldn't mind, but my wife..."
"Patriarch Xia, you don't need to call me 'young friend.' You can call me 'Little Ye.' My surname is Ye."
Upon hearing this, Xia Mingzhong's expression stiffened. He nodded slightly, unsure of what to say for a moment. His daughter had married into a family surnamed Ye.
This matter was perhaps a scar on his heart. He had only seen his grandson once when he was a child and had never seen him again. But then again, his grandson had no ability to react at that time; he probably thought his grandson was dead.
Xia Mingzhong sighed, his mood dampened.
The other old men were aware of this matter and sighed upon seeing Xia Mingzhong's demeanor.
"Elder Xia, one must maintain hope. Although I don't know what you've been through, tomorrow will be better."
After thanking them, Xia Mingzhong walked home alone.
Cheng Yi lamented, "Little Ye, you don't know, Old Xia's daughter died young. It was precisely because she married into the Ye family of the capital. The Ye family of the capital had experienced internal strife, and Old Xia's daughter also died in a car accident. His grandson, he's probably dead too. This is why this matter is an unhealable wound in Old Xia's heart.
Even now, Old Xia hasn't let go, and they don't have the ability to avenge Shu Meng. This is the scar of his life."
Ye Longlin fell silent. He was Xia Shu Meng's son, and Xia Mingzhong's grandson.
"What kind of woman was Xia Shu Meng?"
He wanted to hear about his mother from someone else's mouth. It was somewhat ironic, needing others to tell him what kind of person his mother was.
"Xia Shu Meng was a cultured, gentle, and elegant woman, proficient in everything from qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting to music and singing."
"We thought time would help Old Xia move on, but the longer it gets, the more he can't. Xia Shu Meng was Old Xia's darling daughter when she was young. She was also very kind, always seen helping the poor and donating to charity. A wonderful woman."
Cheng Yi said with emotion. How could such a wonderful woman have died?
"Then, is her tomb in the capital or in Chang'an?"
In the capital, he had never heard anything about Xia Shu Meng's tomb.
"South of Chang'an, there's a peach blossom forest. Old Xia planted it specifically for Xia Shu Meng. When the news of Xia Shu Meng's death arrived, Old Xia went to the capital and retrieved her body, burying her in the peach blossom forest."
"Every year, when the peach blossoms bloom, many people visit this peach blossom forest to pay their respects."
"Peach blossom tomb in the peach blossom forest, the dreaming person within the peach blossom tomb."