Song in the Clouds Chapter 27 Part2

Update: CHAPTER COMPLETE!

Livejournal refused to let me post it together with the rest of it because they said it was too long so I've had no choice but to separate this chapter. At 10,892 words, it is no wonder my post was rejected for being too long.

Realize that in every book, Tong Hua will add an exciting banquet scene with people from other tribes in attendance? Ruo Xi in BBJX planned one, Yu'er danced for Huo Qu Bing in one, and now this. It'll be very interesting to see how the drama will tackle this chapter cause I think it can either turn out really tacky or very beautiful.

That year, Third Brother was recuperating in bed because of an illness, so he would play by himself during his free time. This was also the time when Yun Ge really learnt how to play weiqi; previously she hated playing it as she felt it involved too much thinking but because she wanted to relieve Third Brother’s boredom, so started really learning how to play it, playing it properly.

A year ago, Third Brother had promised Ah Zhu to spar with her and Ah Zhu had already practiced for many years in order to spar with him. Alas, just when her wish was about to be fulfilled, Third Brother couldn’t get out of bed. Yun Ge thought that their duel would either be cancelled or postponed, but Third Brother was someone who would be true to his word, and Ah Zhu was a weird person too, so they agreed to spar, but only a comparison of moves, not strength. Third Brother would make his move from his pallet, Ah Zhu made her move standing at one side.

At first, Ah Zhu countered his moves speedily, but got progressively slower, sometimes only making her move only after Yun Ge and Third Brother finished a round of weiqi. The move that Ah Zhu came up with after much thought, shortly after she made her move, Third Brother already seemed to have antic.i.p.ated it, he didn’t even look at her before making his next move and Ah Zhu’s face only got whiter as she watched.

As a spectator, Yun Ge felt that her brother was being too heartless and Ah Zhu was very pitiful. Third Brother was playing weiqi with her as he ate the food she made, drinking the You Tan wine Second Brother sent people to bring for him; but Ah Zhu spent close to one day thinking without taking in any food or water. Yet the move she thought of was so easily countered by Third Brother in one stroke, Yun Ge wanted to scream “Third Brother, please at least take into consideration that she is a woman! And at least pretend to think before making your move.” The end result was, after Ah Zhu made her move after spending three whole days thinking, and was so easily countered once again by Third Brother, she admitted defeat. After she admitted defeat, Third Brother asked Ah Zhu, “When do you think you should have conceded defeat? Do you know how much of my time you wasted?” Ah Zhu replied “Ten days ago, when master made his fortieth move.” Third Brother looked at Ah Zhu coldly. “Eleven days ago. When you made your ninth move, you should have conceded defeat, and this was because I let you make the first move. If I made the first move, the stage for defeat would have been set in three moves.”

Ah Zhu stared at Third Brother, dumbfounded.

Third Brother ignored Ah Zhu, commanding Yun Ge to make her move. He then stated “Moves are like chess, if I have set the trap, of course I’ll be able to guess my opponent’s moves. ‘Tempt’ and ‘trap’. Revealing my flaws to ‘tempt’ my opponent into moving according to my will, or setting all other ways to be dead ends, only secretly hiding an exit, ‘forcing’ my opponent to move according to my will. Using both ‘tempt’ and ‘force’ together, no matter what move I want my opponent to make, he will do so accordingly. He would think he saw through my plan, but in reality, he has only entered the trap.”

Yun Ge refused to concede, placing her piece on the chess board. “You make ‘tempting’ sound easy, but you’re actually releasing a sheep to feed the wolf, your sheep might get eaten by the wolf, allowing the wolf to conquer the sheep pen. As for ‘force’, no matter how smart you are, you can’t exactly seal all roads when you first start.” Third Brother looked at Ah Zhu as he made his reply. “If I don’t even have the ability to protect my sheep, then I should die instead of trying to fight! In front of an expert, it is indeed hard to seal all roads into dead ends, but I just need to make my opponent think that they are all dead ends. Furthermore….” Third Brother hit Yun Ge’s forehead with a loud smack, staring impatiently at her. “When I eat, do I have to make myself full in just one mouthful? Can’t I just leave four exits at first? Then when he chooses one of the four, I’ll leave three, then when he chooses one out of three exits, I’ll leave two….”

“……” Yun Ge rubbed her forehead, glaring angrily at her Third Brother.

She still remembered asking her Third Brother gloomily. “Since you’ve already antic.i.p.ated all my moves, why do you still play with me?” Third Brother’s answer made her even more depressed. “Because you’re dumber. Whether I ‘tempt’ or ‘force’, you somehow have this skill to ignore everything, trying to do things according to your own way, giving up all your land, or just rus.h.i.+ng in to your death. The only entertainment I get out of playing with you is to see exactly how stupid one person can be!”

Yun Ge got very indignant, but as Ah Zhu looked at Yun Ge’s pieces, realization seemed to dawn on her face. After that, Ah Zhu complied all of Third Brother’s moves into a set of knife skills. This was how the moves Yun Ge dubbed “18 moves of Chinese Chess” came about.

Yun Ge didn’t have the ability like Third Brother to lure her opponent into her trap within nine moves, so she could only make the first move, taking the initiative to set her trap. Aliya raised her hand to make a ‘please’ gesture, mentioning for Yun Ge to make her move.

Yun Ge really wanted to unsheathe her knife as gracefully as Ah Zhu, but….in order not to reveal her inapt.i.tude; she decided to pretend to be an expert returning to back to the basics!

Yun Ge drew her knife like any other normal person, and made the first move of ’18 moves of Chinese Chess’: Inviting a gentleman to enter the trap. Shortly after Yun Ge made her move, Aliya’s eyes almost bugged out, thankful for the cowardly Yun Ge’s suggestion of a civil fight.

The knife’s shadow filled the whole sky.

Aliya cracked her whip and entered Yun Ge’s trap. Wrong! It should be Yun Ge’s Third Brother’s trap.

On stage, Aliya felt like she had entered the enemy’s ambush. Her previous move met a dead end; her next move couldn’t be made. A wolf on her left, a tiger on her right. She started to take a longer time to make her moves. Yun Ge just calmly, coolly made her next move, with a smile still on her face.

Unknowingly, Aliya had already pa.s.sed the time limit of three water droplets, but she was trapped, only feeling like death was looming over her, unable to care about anything else.

Yu An, Liu Bing Yi, Meng Jue, all the warriors seated below were completely absorbed in Yun Ge’s moves, or on the edge of their seats. They only felt that Yun Ge’s moves got more brilliant than the last, just when they thought it would be hard for her to top that, her next move blew everyone away, then they just wanted to clap and cheer. As they waited with bated breath for Yun Ge’s next brilliant move, they couldn’t be bothered with who won or lost.

Aliya was forced into a dead end by the knife, she felt like she was about to be killed, her body growing cold, as she stood there terrified. With a scream, her whip fell out of her hands. Her face was as white as a sheet, cold sweat dripping down her forehead, her body swaying like it was about to topple.

Everyone was still completely engrossed in this battle, the thought to cheer and celebrate Yun Ge’s win didn’t even cross their minds. Yu An even drew a long sigh, disappointed that Aliya couldn’t hang on longer, cutting Yun Ge’s impressive display short. Many people who loved martial arts would issue a challenge even in the face of death just for a glimpse of this set of knife skills. He could only count himself lucky to be a spectator, watching without any fear for his life. Just as he was still lamenting, Yu An suddenly remembered that Yun Ge stayed in Xuan s.h.i.+ Hall, and his eyes brightened once more.

Ke’er Dada was very dispirited after his duel with Meng Jue, and couldn’t be bothered with his sister’s duel with Yun Ge. Later on, he did realize that Yun Ge’s moves were unusual, but he felt contented to have witnessed such an amazing display of skill.

As he a.s.sisted Aliya off the stage, he bowed deeply to Liu Fu Ling, saying respectfully. “Respectable Emperor of Heaven, please forgive this ignorant hunter! An eagle only folds its wings so as to soar even higher next time; a strong horse rests so as to run even further next time. Thank you, my Han brothers, for treating us so cordially, we will sing of your heroism and magnanimity across every corner of the gra.s.slands, praying that our friends.h.i.+p will be as sacred as the snow on the celestial mountain.”

Ke’er Dada presented with both hands the curved knife his father had given to Liu Fu Ling, and Liu Fu Ling presented a precious sword in return, as well as many fine silk, tea leaves and salt. Liu Fu Ling then praised the bravery of Liu Fu Ling and Meng Jue, bestowing 300 taels of gold to Liu Bing Yi, 100 taels of gold to Meng Jue, specially adding a “should be raised to an important position” at the end; but Yun Ge was hastily brushed off after Liu Bing Yi and Meng Jue were commended.

This unexpected interlude ended with much fanfare, then the scheduled dance performance continued as planned. Everything was just like before, except that amba.s.sadors from neighbouring countries regarded the Han with a lot more respect, more careful in their words than ever.

After kowtowing to thank this majesty for his grace, Liu Bing Yi, Meng Jue and Yun Ge slowly walked down the stairs of the stage. Once they got off the stage, they were just about to return to their seats when Ke’er Dada suddenly came out from a side corridor, telling Meng Jue “I wish to speak to you in private.” Meng Jue didn’t even lift his eyes, still minding his own way. “Your highness, please return to your seat” His face not revealing an ounce of interest in what Ke’er Dada had to say.

Ke’er Dada hesitated before moving to block Meng Jue’s way. “I just want to know why you spared my life, risking your own?” “I don’t know what your highness is talking about.” As he said that, Meng Jue moved to step around Ke’er Dada’s side. Ke’er Dada wanted to block him, but when he saw Meng Jue’s icy cold eyes, staring coldly at him, he s.h.i.+vered, thinking he looked like a dead creature in Meng Jue’s ice and slowly lowered his arm, allowing Meng Jue to walk away from his side.

When Liu Bing Yi and Yun Ge pa.s.sed Ke’er Dada, they both smiled and bowed. All sorts of thoughts were running through Yun Ge’s head, her confusion no less than Ke’er Dada. Meng Jue definitely isn’t such a person. But Ke’er Dada wouldn’t talk nonsense either………

Suddenly Ke’er Dada’s voice rang out from behind her. “Meng Jue, when I become the King of central Qiang in future, as long as you serve Han, central Qiang will not touch any part of Han.”

Liu Bing Yi stopped abruptly, and turned to look at Ke’er Dada, but Meng Jue only froze for a bit before continuing to move forward.

Ke’er Dada continued, talking to Meng Jue’s back. “Although you have spared my life, this is just between you and me. I wouldn’t use my tribe to repay your kindness. I’m only making this promise because as the king of central Qiang, I am sent by the G.o.ds to protect my people; therefore I cannot send them to you, allowing you to ma.s.sacre them. If you ever come to the gra.s.slands to play, please remember there is a Ke’er Dada who owes you his life.”

Once he finished, he bowed to Meng Jue’s back and strode off. Meng Jue was already far away, back in his seat.

Liu Bing Yi was deep in thought, not even noticing when Yun Ge said goodbye to him, only nodding absent mindedly.