Chapter 34: Playing Chess

Inside the Great Hall of the Demon Suppression Bureau, muffled thuds and the roars of beasts echoed through the chamber, accompanied by intermittent tremors. The hall was packed, and the younger, less experienced officers of the Bureau huddled together. Every time a roar shook the building, a chorus of startled cries erupted.

"Look at yourselves!" a junior officer bellowed. "As members of the Demon Suppression Bureau, you should be out there slaying demons, yet here you are, trembling and shrieking like cowards. It is a disgrace to the Bureau."

After delivering this rebuke, he sat cross-legged, clutching his demon-slaying sword, and ignored everyone else. His words had some effect; the panicked cries in the hall ceased. The officials from the Ministry of Personnel, who understood nothing of cultivation, were, ironically, the most composed. They were mere mortals; if a demon beast were to break in, they would be wiped out in an instant. Since death was inevitable regardless of the outcome, they simply remained focused on their work.

The chief examiner sat in his chair, silent. This bizarre situation had occurred just as the inspection began. He did not believe that Superintendent Xu would take such a reckless gamble just to avoid scrutiny.

Xiao Kui, however, suspected otherwise. She leaned in and whispered, "My lord, could this be a targeted attempt to disrupt our investigation?"

Pei Hu shook his head, offering no reply. The lineage of the Taizong Emperor, in order to consolidate their throne, had secretly established an intelligence agency to monitor all activities both inside and outside the palace. A spy could be a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, a commander in the Imperial Guard, or even your most trusted brother. A single wrong word could reach the Emperor’s ears, leading to a secret investigation. Even if you survived the inquiry, your political career would be effectively over.

The Ministry of Personnel had dispatched its entire elite team to audit the Jinnan County Demon Suppression Bureau precisely because intelligence suggested that Jinnan County was colluding with the lineage of the founding Emperor to plot a rebellion. Pei Hu bore a heavy responsibility to secure concrete evidence. The enemy was overt, while he operated in the shadows. If Superintendent Xu wanted to cover something up, he could simply burn the Bureau to the ground and perish in the fire. Creating such a massive disturbance—was he not just advertising his own guilt?

Suddenly, Pei Hu’s gaze fell upon a child of about seven years old—the little girl who had been following Chu Chen. Unlike the others, there was no trace of fear on her face. She remained indifferent to the thunderous roars of the beasts and the violent shaking of the hall. She squatted on the ground, head bowed, drawing something on the stone floor with her finger.

"Xiao Kui, bring that little girl here."

"Yes, sir."

Xiao Kui looked in the direction he indicated and recognized the child as well. She walked over quickly, crouched down, and asked, "Where is Chu Chen?"

"My master and his wife are outside fighting the demon beast."

"Is there no one looking after you?"

"I can take care of myself," Wu Xingyao replied with complete confidence.

Xiao Kui looked down at the grid drawn on the floor. "What are you drawing?"

"It’s a chessboard. I’m playing against myself."

Intrigued, Xiao Kui took a closer look. It was a grid of five horizontal and five vertical lines, intersecting. Xiao Kui had been an orphan picked up off the street by the Minister of Rites when she was barely four. Having been raised within the Ministry of Personnel, she had watched the officials play many games and knew a thing or two about board games. Go was the fashion in the official circles of Great Ning, but this was the first time she had seen such a small grid. Suppressing her curiosity, she said, "Come with me. My master has some questions for you."

"All right," Xiao Yao replied. She rose and followed the elegant young woman.

When the child met Pei Hu, she remained as calm as before; there was no tension or anxiety. Pei Hu initially thought this was an innate talent, but after learning a bit about her, he understood why. Growing up in such a harsh environment, with no one to rely on, she had learned to swallow her grievances and pick herself up whenever she fell. That was the source of her poise.

"So, you are saying that Chu Chen saved you and brought you to the Jinnan County Demon Suppression Bureau?"

"Yes, and he even took me as his apprentice."

Xiao Kui frowned slightly. The officials of the Ministry of Personnel were experts at making mountains out of molehills. While the man Chu Chen had killed certainly deserved to die, he had undoubtedly violated the laws of Great Ning. If Master Pei intended to use this against him, no one in the Demon Suppression Bureau would be able to save him. The little girl did not realize that her words were casting her benefactor into the fire.

Pei Hu shifted the conversation. "What were you drawing on the floor earlier?"

"A chessboard."

"Oh? Would you teach me?"

Upon hearing that someone wanted to play with her, Xiao Yao’s face lit up with the joy of a typical child. She pulled a stone broken into two pieces from her sleeve and drew the five-by-five grid on the hall floor. Once the board was set, she began to explain the rules. Each player had thirteen pieces to place on the intersection points. The first player placed thirteen, the second player placed twelve and held the right to make the first capture. The game was a battle of positioning, aiming to form specific patterns—a "well," a "three-slant," a "four-slant," a "five-fortune," or a "sky-road"—while blocking the opponent from doing the same.

Once the initial placements were finished, the second player moved first. Whoever was left with only two pieces lost the game.

Pei Hu listened intently, genuinely interested. This tiny board balanced offensive and defensive positioning with the strategy of military maneuvers. He couldn't help but ask, "Who taught you this?"

"My mother..."

"Is your mother also at the Demon Suppression Bureau?"

"She isn't. She died."

Pei Hu was shocked once again. Such a cold, blunt statement coming from a child. "My deepest apologies."

"No need to apologize. Let's play."

The pieces were divided, and the two players, separated by forty years, began their layout. Pei Hu was extremely confident; throughout the Ministry of Personnel, no one dared to challenge his claim to being the best player. As he expected, with a little bit of calculation, he formed a "well" and two "three-slants," successfully capturing three of the girl's pieces and gaining the advantage. He looked at the girl with a triumphant expression, but she remained expressionless, her eyes fixed on the board.

Pei Hu smiled helplessly. What was he expecting? For the girl to panic, or to shower him with praise? Clearly, neither would happen.

Xiao Yao extended a finger and moved a piece one square to the right. Pei Hu, a man of deep schemes, relied on his numerical advantage to plan a decisive strike. He had moved his own piece to set up a "sky-road" maneuver, intending to capture five pieces in one go. Xiao Yao moved her piece again, forming a "three-slant" and capturing one of his. Pei Hu’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly calmed himself—the captured piece did not affect his overall strategy.