Chen Fan followed his father to the study. In his sleeve pocket was the "Nineteenth Path Theory" that he had prepared long ago. He was not in a hurry to show it to his father, but started talking with his father. The chessboard they used was still seventeen-way. Chen's father's level was between the sixth and seventh levels. Chen Fan's self-assessed level was between the fifth and sixth levels. Through the game with his father, Chen Fan's previous conjecture seemed to be verified. The victory There is no doubt about it.
"Fasheng, your chess skills have improved again. You used to beg your father to give up your son, but now you can win and become your father. Not bad." Although Chen's father lost the game, he still felt very relieved and said.
"Thanks to my father for your teaching. I have been studying chess records during this period, and I have gained something occasionally. A few days ago, I met Master Han and Master Li at the teahouse with my classmates. I also played a game of chess with Master Han, and I won by luck." Chen Fan said this not to show off, but to make his father have confidence in himself and make early plans to go to the capital to compete. Who knew that the "Zuo Forgetting Sutra" had extraordinary appeal to Chen Fan. Before Chen's father could express his opinion, Chen Fan continued: "I found that the reason why I was able to win was related to my research on increasing the chessboard lines from seventeen to nineteen during this period. Father, look at it." After finishing, Chen Fan took out "Nineteen Paths" from his pocket and handed it to his father.
"Yes, the article is easy to understand and the discussion is sufficient, but some parts use vernacular. Why?"
"Firstly, it is so that most people can understand it; secondly, it is to use vernacular to attract attention, and a controversial article is often easier to spread; thirdly, when most people oppose vernacular, they often It is easy to overlook that opposing the 19th Route itself can reduce the resistance to the promotion of the 19th Route." Chen Fan feels that in this matter, it is nothing to reflect a little cleverness. There are many smart people in this era.
"Very good, what can I do for you as a father?"
"There are three things I want to ask my father for help with."
"Oh, there are so many three? Tell me."
"The first thing is to find someone to spread the article "Nineteen Paths". The key point is that this article was written by a fifteen-year-old boy. Although the article has flaws, it is commendable and has good intentions. I have asked Ma Bo to send "Nineteen Roads Theory" to Tianshui College to see if Tianshui College can try to use the Nineteen Roads to play chess. Another person named Liang Xiu also agreed to spread it in Suzhou, but I still have to ask My father helped to expand the scope, especially in the capital."
"Okay, that's no problem. Where's the second one?"
"The second thing is to find someone to make some 19-way chessboards. It's best to start with merchants. When they sell chess, let them sell 19-way chessboards. Make some more and give them to some chess academies to expand the "19th-way" chess board. The influence of "Road Theory"."
"This is fine, I promise you."
"Thank you, Father. This third thing is the most difficult. Last time I heard from my father that this chess match was commissioned by His Majesty the Emperor to be held by Master Liu Hui. I think Master Liu Hui must be a very famous person and is deeply favored by His Majesty the Emperor. trust."
"Wait a minute, you don't want Master Liu Hui to help you implement the Nineteen Ways Theory, do you?"
"How could that happen? Father, where are you thinking of?" Chen Fan glanced at his father, thinking about this. Then he continued: "We just need to let Master Liu Hui know that this is written by your son and me. If we go to the capital to participate in the finals, Master Liu Hui will know that there are two of us."
Father Chen nodded and asked, "What do you want to do?"
"My father is more familiar with the officialdom than me. Is there any way?" Chen Fan decided to inspire his father to think for himself first, and then improve upon his father's plan. It would be better than telling his own plan directly.
"This is a bit difficult. You can't let my father go to the capital and take "Nineteen Paths" to Master Liu Hui and say that it was written by my son. Please give me some advice, right?"
This really left Chen Fan speechless. His father was a sixth-rank official. Chen Fan decided not to say anything, but stared at his father to see what else he was going to say.
Seeing his son staring directly at him, Chen's father probably couldn't find a way out, so he continued: "However, I can write a letter to your uncle and ask them to convey it to you."
"How to convey it?"
"Just say that they have a nephew who has written a "Nineteen Paths Theory" and asked Mr. Liu to evaluate it."
"Then why doesn't father write a letter directly to Master Liu?"
"My father's level is not high enough. Anyone who writes a letter can get it into Master Liu's hands."
This is true, it seems that this is indeed a trouble.
"Father, has Master Liu Hui ever practiced chess? Has he reached the innate realm?"
"The way of chess must have been practiced, but it is not clear whether it has reached the innate state. The innate state is not so easy to achieve, especially through the way of chess."
"Why is it not easy to pass the chess path?"
"It is said that the reason is because chess is a minor path and only focuses on spiritual cultivation. Only through feedback of spiritual power to the physical body can one enter the innate world. However, no one can tell the reason for the feedback. Unlike martial arts, which cultivates the physical body and condenses the spirit at the same time, both The two combine to enter the innate, so there are only a few people who can reach the innate through the way of chess."
"Father, I want to find someone to make a chessboard first. This chessboard should be expensive and made of the best silk. The lines on the chessboard should be sewn with gold thread. I wonder how much it will cost to make?"
"If you want to use gold thread, it will cost at least twenty taels of silver. And this is not something ordinary people can do."
Very good. This is the effect we want. The price of things should not be too expensive. Twenty taels is just right. The key is to be clever. If you give a chessboard as a gift, it won't be a big deal if others find out. Chen Fan thought to himself. Then he said: "My father wrote a letter to Master Liu Hui, saying that since the start of the Go competition, there have been an overwhelming number of applicants in our county, and everyone's love for Go has been unprecedentedly high. My son is fifteen years old and loves Go very much. After passing the county competition and county competition , was fortunate to be able to participate in the finals in Beijing. During this period, he also proposed the idea of increasing the chessboard to nineteen ways, which aroused heated discussions among the people. I am not very happy to be a father for the rest of my life. I am attaching Gou'er's "Nineteen Ways Theory" "And a chessboard. I hope the master can consider using the 19-way chessboard as the rules of the competition. I would be very grateful! The main content is written like this, and my father will consider the specific aspects."
"Did you pass the county competition?"
"Father, prepare this letter first. If I pass the county competition, I will send it out. If I don't pass the county competition, then don't mention it. But in the meantime, father can contact my uncle and listen to my uncle. Regarding the idea of sending this letter, the county competition will not start for some time, but we need to start preparing now.”
"That's fine. If you send it after the county competition, it's still too late. I'll discuss it with your mother to see what we can do and try to get it done."
"Okay, thank you father." Opportunities are sometimes earned by oneself rather than given by others. You must plan as early as possible, Chen Fan sighed in his heart.
The busy time is quick. On the third day after the Go match, on the morning of August 13th, the 17th year of Tianjian, Master Jia came. This time Master Jia was not the only one who came. There was also a swarthy man accompanying him. The man was about eighteen or nineteen years old. Master Jia only said that he was the son of an old friend. His surname was Tie, and he was named Tietang. Although he looked dull, he was powerful and powerful.
When Master Jia arrived this time, he did not stay too long in the Chen Mansion. After lunch, Master Jia was about to leave. Father Chen invited Master Jia to stay one night before leaving, but Master Jia said that he had already made an appointment with someone and they were going on the road together. Waiting at the city gate, there will be no further delay. Chen's father did not force him to stay. Fortunately, the boat was ready and ready to leave at any time.
Chen Fan listened and secretly wondered. It turned out that Master Jia had already planned to return to Gusu and had already made arrangements. Could it be to avoid something? But since we have taken precautions, I think there is no problem with safety.
Due to his responsibilities, Chen's father could not leave the area without permission. This time he did not accompany him. Instead, he sent Chen Fasheng's eldest brother to accompany him. Xiao Qing and Master Huang followed. Chen Fan and Hou Feng naturally wanted to go. Master and Tietang, The salutes carried out by the few people were simple. Only the eldest brother had a lot. Fortunately, he brought four followers, each carrying a burden. Most of them were the apprenticeship ceremony prepared by Chen's father, which he had to bring.
The group of people left the Chen Mansion. Four carriages were prepared in front of the door. They boarded the carriage and went straight to the dock. The eldest brother, Chen Fan and Hou Feng rode in a carriage together. After getting on the carriage, Chen Fan couldn't help but asked: "Brother, why don't you take the carriage?" Can the carriage go directly to Suzhou?"
"This is what Master Jia said to his father before, to go faster by water. If we go by land, we have brought so many salutes, the carriage cannot go fast, and it is easy to encounter bandits. If we bring too many followers, there will not be so many horses. If you rely on walking, you can't cover more than two hundred miles in one or two days. If you travel by boat, you can arrive in three or four hours, and you won't be tired." The eldest brother explained.
If you rely on walking, it will definitely be slow and it will take a day or two. Chen Fan can understand this. Normal people walk ten miles in one hour without rest. That two hundred miles requires more than twenty hours of non-stop walking. Rest is definitely needed in the middle. It does take a long time. If you are just sailing, it will be It takes seven or eight hours, which doesn’t seem very fast. Think about the distance of more than 200 miles. In modern society, it takes more than an hour to get there by driving. In comparison, the time on the road is indeed slow enough.
"Hou Feng, the last time you went to Gusu to report a message, how long did it take you to walk there?" Chen Fan suddenly remembered the last time Hou Feng went to Gusu, and wanted to know Hou Feng's speed, and also to learn about this incident by the way. I asked immediately if there was any secret technique for walking in the era.
"It took about two hours." Hou Feng replied.
"Two hours, that is, four hours, more than fifty miles in one hour, which is equivalent to 25,000 meters per hour, which is similar to the speed of a modern long-distance running champion." Chen Fan thought to himself, as far as Chen Fan knew, long-distance running champions , 10,000 meters, in less than half an hour, Hou Feng's speed is also achievable in human history.
"It's pretty fast. Do you have any secrets? You can go really fast." Chen Fan asked curiously.
"Many people can achieve this. Yan Hai is faster than me. There is no secret. Just run more and practice more." Hou Feng, an honest man, replied.
Chen Fan was a little disappointed after hearing Hou Feng's answer, not because he didn't hear the training plan, but because of Hou Feng's emotional intelligence. This question actually gives Hou Feng an opportunity to show himself. A wise person can tell his thoughts by running more and practicing more. A mediocre person can say the second half, "There is no secret, just run more and practice more." In Chen Fan's view, The last thing you do is add the first half of the sentence, which not only demeans the person asking the question, but also demeans yourself. Fortunately, Chen Fan knew who he was and didn't take it seriously. Just when he was about to say something more, the carriage suddenly stopped.
