"Alas!" Xie Enhua sighed heavily, unable to find the right words.
"Grandma," Luo Ziling spoke up, "I truly don't understand why Uncle is so intent on killing . I went to Tanzhou to help Yang Qingyin's grandfather with his illness, and yet he sent people to assassinate . I think, although I've had disagreents with him several tis, it hasn't reached the point of a life-and-death struggle, right?"
Seeing Luo Ziling speak so bluntly, Ling Ruonan gave him a glance, signaling for him to stop talking.
"The misunderstanding between you two isn't really that serious, so why can't it be resolved?" Xie Enhua looked from Ling Ruonan to Luo Ziling. "In wealthy families, things aren't as glamorous as they seem on the surface. There are many helpless situations. Let's wait until your grandfather cos back to discuss this further!"
Luo Ziling wanted to speak, but after seeing the look Ling Ruonan gave him, he held his tongue.
"Mom, Ziling and I ca here today to talk to you about this matter." Ling Ruonan held Xie Enhua's hand and said sincerely, "I've been wanting to have a good conversation with my brother and clarify our thoughts. I know he has conspired against several tis and even tried to get rid of . But I don't bla him; I just hope he can rember our sibling bond. After all, I'm his only sister, and we're close blood relatives. I never want to see a situation where siblings turn against each other. It's just that he doesn't want to communicate with and sees as an enemy. I'm helpless too and hope that you and Dad can intervene in this matter."
"Let's have a good talk when your father cos back!" Seeing Ling Ruonan's serious deanor, Xie Enhua also beca stern. "If things continue between you like this, the outco won't be good. Neither I nor your father want to see siblings turn into enemies among our close relatives."
Ling Ruonan nodded in agreent with Xie Enhua's words.
Xie Enhua then turned to Luo Ziling and asked seriously, "Is Zhengping's injury related to you?"
"Mom, it's not Ling'er's fault!" Before Luo Ziling could answer, Ling Ruonan hurriedly said, "A few tis, it was Xusheng's people who went to warn him, with no intention of harming him. So, don't bla Ziling; he was completely unaware."
Hearing this from Ling Ruonan, Xie Enhua let out a long sigh but ultimately said nothing more.
Around 5:30, Ling Mingrui returned.
Seeing Luo Ziling and Ling Ruonan there, Ling Mingrui simply greeted them briefly.
After a few casual words with Ling Ruonan, Ling Mingrui gestured for Luo Ziling to join him for a ga of chess.
Once in the study, as Luo Ziling prepared the pieces, he said directly to Ling Mingrui, "Grandfather, when I went to Tanzhou to treat Yang Yuanshan, I encountered an assassination attempt. The culprit was orchestrated by Uncle. I can confirm that there have been at least three attempts on my life by him."
"So, did you also send soone to assassinate him?" Ling Mingrui asked Luo Ziling with a slight frown, "Do you also want to take his life?"
"I never thought of taking the life of my mother's own brother!" Luo Ziling shook his head. "Even though he has tried multiple tis to take my life, I never thought of taking his. At most, I only wanted to warn him. Otherwise, Grandfather, you'd already be without a son."
Ling Mingrui was a bit surprised by Luo Ziling's directness and looked at him with furrowed brows but ultimately said nothing.
After setting up the chess pieces, Ling Mingrui chose the black pieces and quickly placed one at a star point.
Luo Ziling then placed his piece at another star point and continued speaking: "Grandfather, you need to intervene in this matter, or you might lose a grandson, or even a daughter. You might also lose a son and a grandson!"
"What are you trying to say?" Ling Mingrui loudly placed a black piece at the bottom left star point and then asked Luo Ziling sternly, "Are you trying to threaten ?"
Luo Ziling looked at Ling Mingrui unflinchingly and said, "I never intended to threaten any elder. Sotis, the things I do are just out of sheer helplessness. Every little person has their own dignity; no one wants to die. I said this yesterday while chatting with Great Grandfather too."
Saying this, Luo Ziling placed a piece next to Ling Mingrui's recent move at the bottom left star point and continued, "If one day I'm truly at my wit's end or if I don't want to see my parents and other elders' lives threatened, I might fight back with my life. When soone has nothing left to lose, they can be quite destructive."
Ling Mingrui gave Luo Ziling a cold look but didn't respond, focusing instead on the chess ga.
Luo Ziling also said nothing more, concentrating on the ga.
But his style of play changed from before; instead of establishing his own territory, he continuously engaged with Ling Mingrui.
He was frustrated and wanted to vent through the ga.
The corners where Ling Mingrui had initially placed his pieces quickly filled with white pieces.
Luo Ziling, changing his usual style, engaged him in close combat, and Ling Mingrui furrowed his brows even tighter.
Luo Ziling's approach in this ga seed to be one of life and death struggle.
Ling Mingrui understood Luo Ziling's intention, realizing it was a form of rebellion.
But he also felt imnse pressure; trying to secure life for his pieces in the corners wasn't easy.
As a result, he fell into deep contemplation.
Luo Ziling, on the other hand, thought quickly, spending much less ti on each move compared to Ling Mingrui.
For every move Ling Mingrui took, Luo Ziling could make three to four moves.
The chessboard gradually filled with pieces, mostly clustered at Ling Mingrui's positions.
In Luo Ziling's direction, there were only a few pieces.
Luo Ziling consistently engaged with Ling Mingrui, following wherever he placed his pieces.
This style of play was almost shaless; if their skills were evenly matched, the one who followed could suffer a crushing defeat.
But if there was a significant gap in skill level, the one being pursued might find it difficult.
Unfortunately, Ling Mingrui was considerably less skilled than Luo Ziling, making the ga a struggle for him.
In the end, Ling Mingrui conceded midway through the ga.
Upon admitting defeat, he realized with frustration that he didn't have a single living group left.
In other words, by the end, all that remained on the board were white pieces, and his black pieces were completely wiped out.
After throwing his black pieces onto the board, Ling Mingrui sat up straight and looked at Luo Ziling coldly: "Are you trying to tell you haven't been playing at your full capability all this ti?"
"I don't wish to cause trouble for anyone, but if I do create trouble, it won't be minor," Luo Ziling said with a smile before lowering his head. "A thousand-mile dyke can be destroyed by an ant hole. I hope Grandfather and Uncle can spare this small ant!"
Saying this, Luo Ziling stood up and gave Ling Mingrui a respectful bow.
User Comments
0 comments from readers