The car parked at the back hill of Zhao's house, and it was Lao Zhou who opened the door. After he and Zhao Ling smiled and exchanged greetings, Zhao Ling asked, "Where's grandpa?"
"In the house."
"I'll go take a look." Zhao Ling strode into the house. The moment he entered the house, he slowed down, but his speed did not slow down.
When he walked into the back room, he saw Mr. Zhao staring at the chessboard in a daze, as if he was considering the next step. Zhao Ling felt a little sad. No matter how big the house was, he could only sleep on a three-foot bed.
No matter how much food there is, it is just three meals a day. When a person gets old, the honor, wealth and power he gained when he was young gradually fade away. At that time, a healthy body and the filial piety of his children and grandchildren are what they really rely on.
.
Mr. Zhao holds a high position, but after retirement he only has a chessboard for company. Is it possible to live a happy life like this?
"Grandpa..." Zhao Ling called out respectfully.
"Sit down." Mr. Zhao didn't even look at Zhao Ling, and kept staring at the chessboard.
Zhao Ling sat down respectfully and remained silent. He looked at the chessboard with his grandfather... Originally, he was very anxious, but now, he is not anxious at all. Since grandpa likes this, let's consider it with him.
How much time can be wasted? The old man is happy, everything will be solved easily.
After watching for a while, thinking for a while, and hesitating for a while, Zhao Ling picked up a chess piece and gently dropped it on a certain point on the chessboard. When Mr. Zhao saw this, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he finally raised his head and looked directly at Zhao Ling.
face, asked: "Can you play chess?"
"I know a little bit about it." Zhao Ling replied cautiously.
"When you came here last time, you didn't know how to play chess."
Zhao Ling felt even worse. The last time he came here was last summer. Even during the Chinese New Year, it was only Zhao Lianghong who took Mr. Zhao down the mountain. Zhao Ling answered respectfully.
He said: "I have nothing to do, so I did some research."
"Why?" Mr. Zhao asked. "Why do you want to study chess?"
Zhao Ling was stunned for a moment and said casually: "Urban life is too noisy. Only this thing can make my heart quiet."
"That's it?"
"..."
"You are not as good as your brother." Mr. Zhao shook his head and sighed. He picked up a black stone and landed it next to the white stone that Zhao Ling had just placed. He said, "Your brother can see that this is a game, and he can also design one."
Bureau."
"I am indeed not as good as my brother." Zhao Ling laughed at himself.
"You are better than him." Mr. Zhao didn't know why, but he suddenly changed the subject. Just now he said that Zhao Ling was not as good as Zhao Qiang, and now he said that Zhao Ling was better than Zhao Qiang. Not many people could understand the meaning of Mr. Zhao's words. Mr. Zhao died
Staring at Zhao Ling, those cloudy eyes seemed to want to see through Zhao Ling, and Zhao Ling didn't know if he couldn't stand Mr. Zhao's gaze anymore, so he lowered his head involuntarily. It was only at this moment that Mr. Zhao said
: "Your brother's game will involve you. If you don't play the game, you can stay out of it."
"The situation is too big to get involved easily," Zhao Ling said with a bitter smile.
"Are you serious?" Mr. Zhao asked.
"..." Zhao Ling fell silent again.
"Play chess!"
"Okay!" Zhao Ling nodded, helped recover the black and white chess pieces, and then started playing in silence with Mr. Zhao. I don't know how long it took, maybe a minute, maybe an hour. Zhao Ling was completely
Integrated into this chessboard, it is like an iron horse, or like a mountain and flowing water. In the end, Zhao Qiang missed half a move, and Zhao Ling's voice became more respectful and said: "Grandpa, I have learned a lesson."
"The subject is wrong."
"What?"
"You should say, brother, you have learned a lesson."
"..."
"The chessboard is the world, the white stones are you, the black stones are Zhao Qiang... The way I play chess is based on Zhao Qiang's routine." Mr. Zhao said. "Before he left, I came here once and talked once...
…”
"..." Zhao Ling remained silent, with his head lowered, as if he was willing to be taught.
Mr. Zhao looked at the chessboard for a while, then raised his head, looked at Zhao Ling and asked: "In the end, you will be like this chessboard, with half a move missing. Do you believe it or not?"
Zhao Ling took a deep breath, looked directly into Mr. Zhao's eyes, and said firmly: "I don't believe it!"
"Why?"
"If a person does not experience failure, then that person will never believe that failure is coming." Zhao Ling said in a calm voice. "I have not failed yet, so I don't believe in failure."
"Okay!" Mr. Zhao held his arm and smiled, and said: "If you really think so as you said, then you will be honored even if you lose."
"..." Zhao Ling fell silent again. Deep in his bones, he did not believe that he would fail.
Mr. Zhao asked: "You have been playing chess with me for a long time as an old man. You must have come to see me for something?"
"It's okay..." Zhao Ling smiled dryly. "I just miss you, come here to stay with you..."
"Nonsense!" Mr. Zhao glared and said, "If you don't tell the truth, then get out!"
"Uh... Grandpa, do you know about the alliance between the Qi family and the Han family to fight against the Gongsun family?" Zhao Ling asked cautiously.
Mr. Zhao looked sharply and asked, "Do you want to get involved?"
"It's my brother who wants to get involved..." Zhao Ling said with a bitter smile. "But my brother went out in a hurry and didn't take care of anything, so I can only do these things."
Mr. Zhao's expression returned to calmness and he said, "Tell me, what do you think?"
"My brother said..."
"I'm asking you what you think!" Mr. Zhao glared and said, "Your brother came here a few days ago and told all these things. I'm asking you, not him!"
"...I want to join." Zhao Ling broke out in a cold sweat, feeling on pins and needles, and said: "First, it's because my brother has joined. Since my brother has joined, there is no way for us to stay out of it. What's more, the Gongsun family
The head of the family is Gongsun Ziyu, who is also my future sister-in-law. My brother doesn’t want him to lose, and naturally I won’t either.”
"Because of a woman?"
"Because of an extraordinary woman."
"continue."
"The second reason is because of our Zhao family..." Zhao Ling said cautiously. "I know, and you should also know, grandpa, that in my father's generation, the Zhao family will never reach the same height as you did.
, the one in the highest position now is my dad... sailing against the current, if you don't advance, you will retreat. If you can't climb to your position, then it will be difficult for the Zhao family to maintain its current position, and even in the end, it may become someone.
A vassal of one party..."
Having said this, Zhao Ling paused and took a careful look at Mr. Zhao's face, only to find that Mr. Zhao's face was calm and there was nothing visible. Mr. Zhao glanced at Zhao Ling and asked, "Are you done?"
"...Not yet." Zhao Ling hurriedly lowered his head and continued: "Behind grandpa, there is only my dad. Several uncles are not up to par, and my dad has only made great achievements in the military. I
Brother is playing in the world, and I am only interested in business, so we can only use external forces to help the Zhao family improve to a higher level... My dad needs political achievements in the military, and I also need achievements in the shopping mall, so we need a big motivation...
…This time, I just want to take a gamble!”
"Why are you siding with the Gongsun family?" Mr. Zhao asked.
"Grandpa, do you think the Gongsun family will lose?" Zhao Ling asked.
"Without the participation of the Zhao family, the Gongsun family will definitely lose!" Mr. Zhao said bluntly. "Originally, the Zhao family and the Han family were on an equal footing, and the Gongsun family and the Qi family were on an equal footing. No one on either side could do anything to the other. If Old Man Gongsun returned,
Sober, even the Han family cannot swallow up the Gongsun family in one go. But now... old man Gongsun has fallen ill, and the Gongsun family is leaderless. Even if the little girl is a genius, she can still hold the place for the time being.
, but can those who follow old man Gongsun conquer the world really be convinced? Will the network of connections her grandfather has made all over the world still be effective at the most critical moment? These are still unknown internal worries.
With foreign aggression, family instability, and insufficient foreign aid, why should they fight against the Qi family and the Han family, who have a well-organized lineup and are so powerful?"
"What grandpa said makes sense..." Zhao Ling flattered a little and said, "However, it is precisely because of this that we have to break in and share a piece of cake."
"What if we lose? Then we have to wait for others to share our cake?"
"They don't dare!"
Mr. Zhao did not speak, but sat expressionless, but in his eyes, there was a sense of domination. Because... they really didn't dare! If the Zhao family participated and won, then
They can devour the Qi family and Han family's properties like tigers and wolves. If they lose, the losers will only be some of the business forces instigated by the Zhao family. The Qi family and the Han family are not so bold as to dare to be on top of the Zhao family.
Use the knife. Compared with the big business families, the military family always has some advantages. However... the Han family is involved in politics. If it really gets out of hand by then, it will be hard to say!
"If your brother's factor does not exist, even if the Zhao family takes action, they will still side with the Han and Qi families." Mr. Zhao said lightly. "But, since you have made it so clear,
Then our Zhao family has no choice...either we don't get involved, or if we want to get involved, we have to side with the Gongsun family!"
"So...Grandpa, are you agreeing?" Zhao Ling asked excitedly.
Mr. Zhao shook his head and said, "I am old and not suitable to participate in these things."
Zhao Ling's eyes lit up and he said respectfully to Mr. Zhao: "Thank you, grandpa."
Mr. Zhao also laughed and said, "Here, let's play another set."
"Okay!" Zhao Ling responded respectfully, then reached out and twisted a white piece...