Our Time: Unswerving until Death

Chapter 22 Notoriously Fast!
The Shaoxing Guild Hall outside Xuanwu Gate was originally built to provide board and lodging for students from all over the country who came to Beijing to take the exam. Those who are officials in Beijing from all over the country choose sites to buy land and build guild halls.

In the Qing Dynasty, the division of banners and people was implemented, and the people living in Beijing and all local guild halls were moved to the outer city. As a result, a unique guild hall culture was formed in the south of Xuanwumen. The local guild halls not only retained the local food, customs and Residential culture has also become a gathering place for "North Drifters" from all over the world.

Therefore, there are many guild halls built in various places in this generation, Shaoxing guild hall is just an inconspicuous one, located in the half of the alley outside Nanwai, Liulichang is outside Zhengyangmen, and to the west is Xuanwumen, which is very close, so However, He Qi and Qian Xuan came very quickly.

On the north side of Nanwai Half Hutong is Beiwai Jie Hutong. At the end is an old vegetable market. The Ming and Qing dynasties killed many people here. It was almost noon. There were no people at the moment. One after another, he passed by the vegetable market with a glimpse, but He Qi still covered his mouth and nose with the rotten and stench that had been in the air for hundreds of years.

The main entrance of the Shaoxing Guild Hall is very inconspicuous, hidden in a khaki-colored wall, and the wall is full of scars, so the door painted in bright red is particularly prominent. There is a wooden plaque inscribed by Wei Longchang on the door, which reads "Shaoxing Guild Hall "Four words, there is a thin shadow standing under the door, wearing a gray cloth gown, holding a cigarette in his hand, looking at the entrance of the alley from time to time, whether it is Brother Xun or someone else.

When the two got out of the car, Qian Xuan paid the fare first, and Brother Xun came up to meet him. After the three of them saluted, Qian Xuan was about to take He Qi in. Brother Xun was not in a hurry, and took another sip, leisurely. He said: "Go in later, the two of them are evenly matched, and I'm afraid we won't be able to tell the winner for a while, let's go to Guanghe Residence first, and order the dishes. .”

He Qi hadn't figured out what this "making money" was all about until now, so she heard Qian Xuan jokingly said: "Both of them are big businessmen, they travel all over the world, what kind of food have you never seen? According to me Look, it's better to have some home-cooked dishes, and save brother Qi some.

He Qi was in a hurry, she already had little money on her body, and she wished to split one cent into two cents, and besides, there was no sign of making money, so she hurriedly interjected: "I haven't found a job yet, and renting a house costs money. Let me take it easy, take it easy."

But Qian Xuan twisted his orchid finger, and said with a godlike stick, "I'll count with my fingers, brother Qi will definitely make money today, so I can't get away with this meal."

He Qi scratched her head, the more she listened, the more confused she became.

On the way to Guangheju, Brother Xun briefly talked about what will happen later, and He Qi finally understood, how did he "make money"?
To be precise, it is to help Brother Xun, and "making money" is secondary.

When Brother Xun was studying in Japan, he met two fellow villagers. One was Xi Zique, who ran a raw silk business, and the other Gu Weixian, who ran a weaving business. I came to Pingjin to discuss business, and then I came to Peiping to pay a special visit. Brother Xun should treat me as a host.

As far as these two people are concerned, they are serious rich second generations with a well-to-do family. Not to mention ordinary entertainment, they seem to be born out of place, and they have wasted money and things for nothing. Besides, Brother Xun still lives in a free club, so there is no money left. To entertain these two?

However, brother Xun thought of a good idea. These two are complete chess players. When they were in Japan, they didn’t have classes every day and were obsessed with Go. After returning to China, they also established a chess club together. It is said that the two spent a lot of money to invite the Japanese professional four-level chess player Kobe Dohei, who has played invincible players all over China, to come to Shaoxing to play against the famous Fengjing player Gu Shuiru in order to justify the name of the national chess, but unfortunately Gu Rushui lost all three games .

For this matter, the two complained for a long time in the letter.

Just yesterday, Qian Xuan came to talk to Brother Xun about the article written by Yang Chengzan. During the chat, Brother Xun talked about friends visiting and entertaining him. A student who is very good at chess, that is, Zhao Ruyi, an apprentice of the national player Wang Yunfeng, came to play chess.

When Qian Xuan heard it, he laughed at that time, and then mentioned that He Qi lived in his student's house, and his student Ruyi said that he was no match for He Qi in chess, so if He Qi was invited directly, He Qi's lack of money could be postponed dilemma.

Brother Xun immediately agreed.

Guangheju is one of the "Eight Great Residences" in Beiping. It is separated from the Shaoxing Guild Hall by a wall. When Brother Xun first came to Peiping, he would come to Guangheju several times a month to beat teeth. The shop assistants are very familiar with it. After ordering a table of dishes, the three of them turned around and went back to the hall.

The Shaoxing Guild Hall occupies a huge area, with many yards inside and 84 large and small houses. The front hall is called Yangji Hall, which enshrines the sage tablets that Shaoxing people are proud of. In addition, there are Jiayin Hall, Xiuxi Hall, Tenghua Hall, Bushu Bookstore, Xian Pavilion, Huaixu Zhai, Yizhi Nest and other halls in the museum. Most of these names are related to Shaoxing anecdotes or the scenery in the courtyard.

However, the names of these courtyards sound elegant, but the actual situation is another matter. They are all old-fashioned houses with cobwebs on the eaves, latticed paper on the top and bottom of the windows, no glass, and some blue bricks on the ground , Some are not paved, if it is sunny, it is okay, but on rainy days, you have to enjoy the rain inside the house.

It is said that on the first night that Brother Xun lived in the Fujihua House, he was attacked by thirty or forty cockroaches, so that he had to move to the table to sleep, and the environment around the Fujihua House was very noisy, which often made Brother Xun feel ashamed. Unable to work and rest with peace of mind, he complained in his diary more than once: "Night, there was a fuss from Fujianese in the next room."

"A Fujian guest came from the next room, and at midnight Judah howled like a wild dog. He came out and scolded him, don't worry."

As for Bushu Bookstore, no one dares to live there. There is a big locust tree in the yard. Although the green leaves are green, it always makes people feel gloomy and desolate. The room is dark and depressing. Once hanged an aunt.

After entering through the Dahongmen, pass through the hall and walk to the left. The southward courtyard at the beginning is called Fujihua Pavilion. of a room.

The courtyard of the Vine Flower Pavilion is not big, and it can be seen at a glance. The gray-yellow room, the gray-yellow walls, and the withered yellow layer are the wisterias in September, with a lot of dead leaves, placed under the wisteria trellis. On a chessboard, there are fat and thin people sitting opposite, the thin one is Xi Zique, and the fat one is Gu Weixian, both of them are wearing Western-style clothes, with oily back hair, and a middle-aged man is kneeling on the side, watching chess from the sidelines, It's brother Xun's friend, fellow villager and colleague, named Xu Shoushang, named Jifu, who also lives in the guild hall.

Under the wisteria trellis, everyone bowed and saluted each other. Brother Xun looked at He Qi and introduced, "This is He Qi. He just came back from the west today."

Looking at Xi Zique and Gu Weixian again, he said with a smile: "Brother Qi is my helper today, Zifu and Shaomei, if you lose in the future, don't be angry."

"Chess, self-cultivation, don't talk about winning or losing." Although Xi Zique is a businessman, his conversation is full of literati. He smiled slightly at He Qi and said, "I don't know, Brother Qi, where did you learn from?"

Unlike later generations who learn piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, there are so many training institutions on the street. In this era, the ancient etiquette system is still followed, and teachers need to teach in person. For example, Zhao Ruyi’s teacher is Wang Yunfeng, and Wang Yunfeng is from the north. The student of the famous player Liu Yunfeng, he was also one of the two sons that Zhou Xiaosong entrusted in his later years. Zhou Xiaosong was a famous national player in the late Qing Dynasty.

It is said that a famous teacher produces a high-level apprentice, and if one knows the name of the teacher, then one can know a little about the chess skills of his disciples. This is also a relatively common way for unfamiliar chess players to meet each other.

But He Qi blurted out: "I have never been taught by a teacher."

Qian Xuan and Brother Xun believed this, because they knew the details of He Qi. They were born in Nanyang since they were young, and then went to Western countries. There is no chance for a famous teacher to learn chess.

But Xi Zique and Gu Weixian didn't believe it, they just thought they were underestimated, they couldn't help feeling sullen, but it wasn't easy to get angry, so they made up their minds and saw the truth on the chessboard.

Brother Xun didn't think too much about it. Seeing that it was noon, he said, "Let's go to dinner first, and we'll talk about it later."

After looking at each other, Xi Zique and Gu Weixian nodded, Xi Zique said: "Yucai, you can eat at any time, but you can't play chess at any time. You know that the two of us are good at chess all our lives. When we meet an expert this time, When Jubi encounters delicious delicacies, don't waste a moment."

Then he clasped his hands to He Qi and said, "Brother Qi, please do your best to finish the battle quickly, don't starve them anymore."

He Qi didn't realize the meaning of Xi Zique's words, she just thought that she must do Brother Xun this favor, treat these two guests well, naturally she would respond to every request, and simply replied: "Okay!"

Fast chess?
He Qi has long been used to it. Those who often play chess at Yehu know that the time can be set, and if the time passes and the chess is not made, it will be counted as a loss.

So, this chess game was really fast, unexpectedly fast, after half an hour, Xi Zique raised his head, glanced at He Qi complicatedly, placed a sunspot in the corner, and surrendered voluntarily.

At this moment, He Qi was still muttering in her heart!

Xi Zique doesn't seem to be what Brother Xun said, it's not as good as Yi in theory, at least like Yi's game can last until the middle game, and in this game, the middle game is only half, there is still a big gap in the middle of the chessboard. One piece is empty.

Although Qian Xuan and Brother Xun are not masters, they also know how to play chess. After looking at each other, their eyes are communicating, but their brows are furrowed, both of them are a little unbelievable.

(End of this chapter)