Nan Hua looked at Feng Ao Kuai. "I'm using the gaps. As long as they're still there, there's still hope."
As long as they're still there?
Indeed, while he had essentially 'eat' the stones, they were still on the board. It naturally meant that Nan Hua would be able to figure out a method to use them. While some were taken, most of them stayed behind and it only served as a 'dead' corner.
Normally, it could only be abandoned, but Nan Hua was implying that even the dead ones could be revived as long as one knew the right method.
Feng Ao Kuai was silent for a while before he sighed. "I lost. Hua'er, shall we play another game?"
"It's late."
"Eh?"
Turning to look outside, it was clear that the sky had turned dark unknowingly. They had been playing for a long time that they missed the time for dinner.
"You're finally done?" Feng Ao Si turned his head up. He was punished by Nan Si Qiao to copy some poetry book and couldn't possibly leave it behind. "Come on, it's time to eat! I'm already hungry."
"Hua'er, let's go."
"Mhm."
The four children quickly ate and rested. They would be going to Heng Xing City tomorrow, so they better had enough rest.
The next day, Nan Hua woke up early.
"Miss, the outside world is dangerous, please be careful," Mu Yan reminded when she noticed that they were going out.
Xiao Yun nodded. "I'll protect you, Miss."
"Mhm."
Nan Hua didn't necessarily need their protection, but it would be needed if she wanted to make sure that she didn't show anything on the outside. When they were going out, she shouldn't have any chance to meet with the other noble ladies, right?
"Hua'er, let's go."
"Ok."
Nan Hua would be going in the same carriage as the other three children. Since they were all still young, there shouldn't be any problem for them to share the same carriages. Besides, Feng Ao Kuai was still indignant about the game and insisted on playing another game.
Thus, Nan Hua and Feng Ao Kuai were both playing Go when they were in the carriage.
"Ugh, I can't understand anything." Feng Ao Si was frustrated when he saw the pieces on the board. He felt that he would need to read the manual once more if he wanted to understand.
Nan Luo passed a look at Feng Ao Si. "Didn't you learn how to play the game?"
"I did, but I always lose." Feng Ao Si's mood was downcast when he talked about this matter. He knew that his intelligence has always been lower, but this made him even more dispirited. After all, he was practically the oldest in the group.
"Maybe you just need to change your opponent." Nan Luo's lips twitched. When he was playing with Nan Hua, she would always hold back and allowed him to win from time to time. However, most of the time, she would win against him with small differences.
Even now, he could see that Nan Hua was controlling the score.
Feng Ao Kuai seemed to sense it too since Nan Hua only won with small margin and even lost this game. He fell in deep thought as he looked at Nan Hua. "Why don't you crush your opponent right now?"
"Should I?" Nan Hua asked and tilted her head.
Well, no.
Feng Ao Kuai felt that he couldn't understand this little cousin of his. She clearly had excellent skill, but the way she played seemed to show that her level of skill was only around the same as her opponent. Was there any need for her to limit herself to her opponent's level?
"Hmm, the carriage stopped?" Nan Luo glanced out.
"We're reaching the gate," Feng Ao Si noticed that they were near the gate and replied first. He arched his eyebrows. "We're not the first one who's going out of the Capital City today."
Nan Hua raised her head and saw another procession from another side. There were several people there and the person who stood at the front was precisely a familiar youth. This time, Long Qian Xing donned on armor with his sword on his back because it was easier to carry it like that with his current height.
"Young Commander Long," Old Master Nan greeted.
Long Qian Xing glanced to the side. He smiled politely. "Good day, General Nan. Are you going out?"
"This old bone is tired after staying in the Capital City for a long time and need some break time so that I can stay healthy. The air around the Capital City is more fresh, so I took my family members to come with me," Old Master Nan quipped.
Hearing that, Long Qian Xing arched his eyebrows. From what he knew, Old Master Nan was not one to do things pointlessly. He could guess that Old Master Nan was going out for some other reasons that he couldn't divulge.
"In that case, I hope you'll stay healthy and live a long life, General Nan," Long Qian Xing greeted with a smile.
Old Master Nan nodded. He looked at the carriages behind Long Qian Xing. "Are you on mission?"
"I'm heading to Guang Xing City to escort some officials."
"Oh, I thought that you'll return to the frontline."
"My father didn't think it's a good idea. He arranged for me to stay in the Capital City and cleaned up the mess first." Long Qian Xing maintained his smiled as he shrugged.
Old Master Nan could understand that General Long might not want his son to go to the battlefield too early again. After that one experience, it was clear that Long Qian Xing required more time to polish his skill, thus he told Long Qian Xing to stay in the Capital City and learned more.
Besides, there were rebellions and some other problems around here. The young Long Qian Xing would be able to use his skill to the fullest this way rather than blindly going to the battlefield.
"Since we're going through the same way, do you mind if this old man tag along?"
"Please don't joke around, General Nan. How could I possibly reject you?" Long Qian Xing replied.
"Then that's settled it."
Long Qian Xing looked at Old Master Nan and shook his head lightly. He could easily reject other people if they wanted to tag along with him because they would only be excess baggage. But towards Old Master Nan, who would be his grandfather in law in the future, he couldn't bring himself to reject the other party.
'Or am I too mature…? Forget it.'
He might be only 13 years old but his mental age was already above 20 years old. How could he treat the other party as if he was truly only 13 years old? That was practically impossible for him.
Meanwhile, Nan Luo was speechless.
"We're going with that annoying man?"
"You don't like him?" Feng Ao Si asked with arched eyebrows. In his eyes, Long Qian Xing was someone with great achievement and hard to dislike. He also put the young man as his goal because he felt that he shouldn't have been lagging behind the other party so much like this.
"Of course not! He'll take Hua'er away from me!"
Feng Ao Si patted Nan Luo. "In that case, I'll help you out."
He didn't like Long Qian Xing because he was always compared to the other party. Thus, it made him wanted to get stronger and strive even more so that he would be able to surpass the expectation of those around him.
Nan Luo didn't like Long Qian Xing on the basis that he would marry Nan Hua in the future. He didn't want his little twin sister to be taken away from him, thus he naturally grew to dislike Long Qian Xing.
Feng Ao Kuai finished the third game with Nan Hua, which he lost. He looked at Nan Luo. "She'll not stay with you forever."
"But…" Nan Luo gritted his teeth. "I don't like him!"
"He's a great man. What's more do you want from your sister's partner?" Feng Ao Kuai cleaned the board and prepared to place again. This time, he would play first.
Nan Luo was speechless. But Feng Ao Kuai was right. Since Long Qian Xing was an accomplished man, it meant that his sister would be paired with a great person, right?
However, it still left a distaste in his mouth.
Nan Hua was even more speechless.
"I'm only 9 years old."
There were at least 6 more years before she could even get married. Why were these brats already worry so much?
"Right…"
Nan Luo noticed Nan Hua's confused eyes and chose not to dwell on the matter any longer. Since she would be staying with him for such a long period of time, he had to make sure that he spent his time wisely with his twin sister!