For many, this night was a sleepless one.
Yuan Wei had dismissed all his servants and was sitting alone in his study, setting up a Go board. He slowly placed the stones, and soon a complex endgame scenario emerged on the board.
During the Han Dynasty, the "Eight Methods of Cultivating Qi" had not yet been formally proposed, but the Confucian practice of calming the mind and cultivating inner peace was already a fundamental part of every scholar's life. Go, or "hand talk," had gradually gained popularity among the scholar-official class as a means of cultivating qi. Ban Gu even wrote a treatise titled *The Essence of Go*, solidifying the game's status among the elite.
Yuan Wei, influenced by his elder brother Yuan Feng, had also developed a fondness for the game. In the past, the two brothers would often sit across from each other, playing Go, not caring about winning or losing, but simply enjoying the bond between them.
As Yuan Wei stared at the unfinished game, his aged eyes glistened with tears.
This was the last game he had played with his brother Yuan Feng, and today he was finally going to complete it.
That night, coinciding with the outbreak of the Partisan Prohibitions, the entire city of Luoyang was ablaze with fire, and the streets echoed with the clamor of soldiers. Countless scholars and officials met tragic ends, their families destroyed and their lives cut short.
That night, Yuan Wei and Yuan Feng sat in their hall, trembling with fear but forcing themselves to remain calm as they played Go, awaiting an uncertain fate. Fortunately, Emperor Ling did not agree to the eunuchs' proposal to punish Yuan Feng, and the Yuan family was spared. However, Yuan Feng, though not dismissed from his post, was implicated in the turmoil and never recovered, eventually dying of illness.
From that moment on, Yuan Wei harbored a deep hatred for the eunuchs. But at the time, the eunuchs held immense power, and Yuan Wei could only bide his time and wait.
Tonight, like that night long ago, Luoyang was lit by flames, and soldiers roamed the streets. But this time, it was the eunuchs who were meeting their end.
Years of planning had finally reached their conclusion.
Yuan Wei bore no personal grudge against He Jin. Strictly speaking, the scholar-official class often criticized the imperial in-laws, but few truly saw them as mortal enemies.
The scholar-officials knew that imperial in-laws were transient, enjoying their glory for a few years at most. Once the imperial favorite aged and lost their charm, even the most powerful in-laws would fall from grace.
But the eunuchs were different. While imperial favorites came and went, the eunuchs remained.
Yuan Wei had waited patiently for his opportunity. With the ascension of a new emperor and the old eunuchs not yet able to establish close ties with him, Yuan Wei stoked the conflict between the imperial in-laws and the eunuchs, fanning the flames until all his enemies were dragged into the abyss of death.
He Jin, the imperial in-law and General-in-Chief, was dead.
The eunuchs, including Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and others, were dead.
Yuan Wei reached out and picked up the black stones representing the dead dragon on the Go board, tossing them onto the ground one by one. He raised his head high, looking down with disdain as the black stones scattered and rolled across the floor.
A cold smile played on Yuan Wei's lips.
"A pity it couldn't be a complete victory..." Yuan Wei tapped two small black stones in the corner of the board that were struggling to survive. "But then again, the Dao gives fifty, and heaven leaves one out. Let these two live for now..."
"However... in the next game, will they still be so lucky?"
************
A majestic procession of troops wound its way forward—the army of Dong Zhuo from Xiliang.
Inside a carriage, Li Ru, also known as Li Wenyou, sat by the light of a lantern, setting up a Go board. Black and white stones clashed on the board, intertwined in a complex struggle, ultimately forming a situation where both sides were locked in a life-and-death battle.
Was it a fifty-fifty chance of victory?
Li Ru held a stone, carefully examining the board. Seeing that the game had reached an impasse, he snorted and swept the stones aside.
Since the old game could no longer be played, it was time to start a new one!
Li Ru lifted the carriage curtain and barked an order: "Pass on my command! Spread the left and right flanks twenty miles apart, light more torches, and raise more banners to amplify our presence! The entire army will accelerate toward Luoyang! We must reach the city by breakfast time tomorrow! Anyone who fails to keep up will be executed!"
Instantly, Dong Zhuo's army expanded like a great net, swiftly closing in on Luoyang.
************
Fei Qian and Cui Hou were also sitting in a small hall, playing a game of Go.
Although the commotion in the city had gradually subsided, neither of them felt like sleeping after the night's events. They decided to pass the time by playing Go.
"Those two young men you brought back seem to be from wealthy or noble families. I wonder which family they belong to, ending up in such a state..." Cui Hou placed a stone on the board and casually asked. Cui Hou didn't pay much attention to the two boys, assuming they were just young nobles who had fled in panic after a fire in the city.
Fei Qian also replied casually, "I'm not sure either. They're young and still shaken, so I didn't press them for details. We can ask more in the morning."
Cui Hou chuckled and joked, "You say they're young, but may I ask how old you are, brother?"
"I may look young, but I'm actually sixty-five!" Fei Qian replied with a straight face, playing along.
Cui Hou burst into laughter and tossed a handful of stones onto the board. "Alright, alright, I concede. You win..." He then dismissed the maids to prepare fresh tea and snacks.
Once the maids were out of earshot, Cui Hou wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and stood up, bowing solemnly to Fei Qian. "On behalf of my father, I thank you, young master! The Cui family will forever remember this kindness. If you ever need anything, the Cui family will be at your service!"
Fei Qian quickly helped Cui Hou up. "How can I accept such a gesture from you?"
"You deserve it! To be honest, your formula is like rain after a long drought for our family," Cui Hou said with a bitter smile, gesturing around. "Though things may look prosperous now, the Cui family is actually on the brink of collapse."
"How did this happen?"
Cui Hou nodded and began to explain.
Every family has its struggles.
The Cui family originated from the Jiang surname, with their ancestor said to be Jiang Taigong and their earliest forebear being Emperor Yan, the Divine Farmer. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the eldest son of Duke Ding of the Qi state was granted the fief of Cui, and his descendants took Cui as their surname. Thus, the Cui family's roots were in Shandong's Linzi.
However, as the Cui family branched out, the lineage of Cui Lie excelled in commerce, accumulating wealth over generations and gradually expanding from Shandong to the Heluo region, eventually settling in Luoyang.
By the time of Cui Lie, the Shandong branch of the Cui family had declined, and the position of family head fell to Cui Lie's line.
Of course, there had been fierce competition for this position, though the details were unknown.
Cui Lie, who had initially been immensely wealthy, transitioned from commerce to officialdom and became the Minister of Works. For a time, the Cui family flourished, but their fortunes quickly declined. Cui Lie was ousted by the eunuchs, stripped of his position, and had his property confiscated, losing eighty percent of the family's wealth. He fell ill and eventually passed away.
Although Cui Lie had passed the position of family head to Cui Yi before his death, the position had become a hot potato. Other branches of the family were eyeing the role.
The family head held immense power within the clan, controlling the family records and ancestral temple. They also wielded the authority to expel members from the family—a power akin to life and death for ancient aristocratic families.
Thus, having already lost their official position and wealth, if Cui Yi and Cui Hou were to lose the position of family head, their branch of the Cui family would be completely ruined, with no hope of recovery.
Fortunately, Cui Lie had left behind many connections in the court, allowing Cui Yi to temporarily retain the position of family head. But favors and connections would eventually fade, and the Cui family had been spending lavishly to maintain their status—paying for the upkeep of their estate, bribing court officials, and more. Over the years, they had nearly exhausted their resources.
However, the high-ranking officials and nobles of the court were not interested in ordinary gold and silver. They coveted rare treasures, which were not easy to come by.
Desperate, the Cui family had been scouring the land for such treasures, often presenting them to powerful officials as gifts.
Fei Qian nodded inwardly. So that was the reason behind the rumors that the Cui family had schemed to obtain rare treasures.
Now, with Fei Qian's improved glass-making formula, the Cui family had gained a golden goose. They no longer needed to frantically search for treasures, as their own glass products could serve as such. Moreover, this opened up a new source of income, reversing the Cui family's financial decline and helping to solidify their position as family heads.
Perhaps Fei Qian had other secrets, but for the Cui family, consolidating what they had and securing their current position were the most important and correct actions. After their craftsmen confirmed that Fei Qian's formula significantly improved the color and brightness of glass, Cui Yi decisively decided to befriend Fei Qian.
This was in line with the unspoken rule of aristocratic families—family comes first.
If Fei Qian had been a member of the main Fei family branch, Cui Yi himself would have come to express his gratitude. By explaining the Cui family's situation to Fei Qian without probing into how he had obtained the formula or whether he had other secrets, Cui Hou conveyed two messages: first, that the Cui family would no longer guard against Fei Qian and would treat him with sincerity; and second, that they would not greedily seek out his secrets and would keep them confidential.
As for what Fei Qian might need from the Cui family in the future, they would naturally reciprocate based on the value of the formula, offering equivalent or greater rewards.
Of course, the standards for such reciprocity would depend on Fei Qian's future status and the Cui family's position. For example, a meal would hold different significance for a starving beggar and a wealthy man who dined lavishly every day.
At that moment, a maid entered with freshly brewed tea and some pastries, informing them that it was almost dawn and asking if they needed anything prepared for washing up.
Fei Qian and Cui Hou realized that the long night had quietly passed, and a new day had arrived. Fei Qian raised his teacup and toasted Cui Hou, "Brother Cui, let us use this tea to bid farewell to the old days and welcome the new beginning. What do you say?"
Cui Hou immediately understood and raised his own cup. "Brother, you are truly a man of wit! Let us bid farewell to the old and welcome the new!"