Chapter 678 - 209: Looking at Each Other_4
Within her words, there seemed to be other implications. Yin Zhili looked at Jiang Li, who maintained a calm expression. After pondering for a moment and saying nothing more, they arrived at the courtyard’s stone table during this timing. A chessboard and pieces were laid out on the stone table, and Yin Zhili asked, "Second Miss, would you like to play a game of chess?"
"Sure," Jiang Li said.
They sat down at the stone table. The table was under a tree, and between the leaves, fine sunlight scattered on the board, turning into a random pattern of gold.
Yin Zhili gestured for Jiang Li to go first. She chose the black pieces. So, Yin Zhili took the white ones.
The black pieces had the first move.
Jiang Li, in fact, might not have played chess with anyone for a long time. Xue Zhao didn’t enjoy it, but Xue Huaiyuan loved it. In their youth, Xue Huaiyuan would drag Xue Fangfei to accompany her in chess, turning a complete novice into an expert. In the first few years after marrying into the Shen family, Shen Yurong also liked to play chess with her. There had been times of gentle grace, like "Gambling books to dispel the aroma of spilt tea", but these were worn away by more and more trivial matters over time.
Latterly, she became Jiang Li, focused solely on revenge, with no one to match wits with her in chess. Ji Heng seemed not to like chess, at least she never played with Jiang Li. Thus, Yin Zhili could be considered the first since she became Jiang Li to engage in a game of chess with her during her leisure time.
Yin Zhili’s style of chess was very gentle, but he played each piece with firm resolution. In contrast, Jiang Li’s chess moves appeared somewhat disorganized, as if she were unskilled. However, the person who excelled in the Six Arts couldn’t possibly be utterly clueless about chess. Yin Zhili sighed, "Second Miss’s way of playing chess is indeed quite unique."
"It’s just a little cleverness," while speaking, Jiang Li quickly placed another piece casually, saying, "The Princely Heir surely knows that Prince Cheng’s soldiers have recently arrived outside the city, getting ready to rebel?"
Yin Zhili paused, seemingly taken aback by Jiang Li’s sudden mention of this matter, but still responded warmly, "I am aware of this; my father has returned to the capital to capture the traitorous forces by imperial command."