546: Chapter 546 Wang Jian's Social Skills

General Wang Jian's eyes were fixed on the chessboard, his whole being immersed in the charm of Xiangqi, watching with great relish.

On the board, the circuitous leaps of the horses and the straight, sweeping charges of the chariots made him feel as if he were on a battlefield of clashing weapons and armored horses, with grand scenes of chariots and infantry fighting in coordination appearing before his eyes.

Each move felt like commanding thousands of troops into battle; not only did one need to skillfully employ various tactics, but one also had to precisely predict the opponent's tactical layout and psychological state. This Xiangqi was simply a brilliant miniature of military formations on a chessboard.

"This Xiangqi is marvelous! Truly marvelous!"

General Wang Jian couldn't help but exclaim repeatedly, his eyes filled with love and admiration for the infinite wisdom contained within this small chessboard.

He pondered to himself that this Xiangqi must have been cleverly evolved from military formations, and the strategic and tactical thinking it contained was truly profound.

As the game between Zhao Fusu and Tian Feng concluded, Qin Shi Huang and General Wang Jian had already grasped the basic rules of playing Xiangqi.

Qin Shi Huang said to General Wang Jian with great interest, "I quite like this Xiangqi. How about you and I play a game? What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, General Wang Jian hurriedly cupped his hands respectfully and replied, "Since the Manor Lord has this elegant interest, I would be more than happy to oblige. I will certainly do my utmost to accompany the Manor Lord in a proper game."

The First Emperor was residing at Jiyun Manor in Xianyang City. While away from home, to avoid exposing his identity, General Wang Jian always addressed the First Emperor as "Manor Lord."

The Huaxia Pioneer Group had a large number of craftsmen, so crafting a few chessboards was not a difficult task.

After having people craft the chessboards, the First Emperor and General Wang Jian took their seats before the board, and a game began.

The First Emperor was new to Xiangqi; although he had mastered the basic rules, he was still unfamiliar with the complex and ever-changing tactical applications.

General Wang Jian, relying on his keen insight and rich military experience, quickly seized control of the game.

His pieces were like well-trained soldiers, cleverly arranged on the board, pressing forward step by step.

Before long, the First Emperor fell into a difficult position. He furrowed his brows, eyes fixed tightly on the chessboard, pondering hard for a countermeasure.

General Wang Jian looked at the First Emperor; he knew very well that, given the First Emperor's skill, he was no match for him.

However, he could not let the First Emperor lose.

Thinking of this, General Wang Jian intentionally left an opening and made a wrong move, giving the First Emperor a chance to catch his breath.

The First Emperor's eyes lit up. He seized this opening and launched a counterattack, and the situation instantly became deadlocked.

While responding to the First Emperor's attacks, General Wang Jian subtly guided the direction of the game, keeping both sides in a delicate balance.

"This move of yours, Manor Lord, is like the descent of divine troops; it truly has me a bit overwhelmed."

General Wang Jian praised him at the opportune moment, a respectful smile on his face.

He had single-handedly destroyed five states, which could be described as achievements so great they overshadowed the sovereign.

Yet he had never faced any mortal danger. Aside from the First Emperor's broad-mindedness, it was also because General Wang Jian was very adept at assessing the situation.

He was even more proficient in the ways of the world.

Upon hearing this, the First Emperor slightly raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a look of smug satisfaction: "Haha, it seems I am gradually getting the hang of this Xiangqi."

However, General Wang Jian knew well that if he let the First Emperor win too easily, it would inevitably make the First Emperor feel that he was holding back too much.

Therefore, he cleverly adjusted his tactics, once again bringing the game back to a state of evenly matched competition.

In the end, both sides went back and forth, neither able to break through the other's defensive line, and the game ended in a draw.