The Xiangqi Gambit
While I stood speechless, Xinling Jun abruptly withdrew his outstretched hand. "Hahaha, the conversation grew far too heavy. I have no intention of rejecting you because of Ying Zheng. After all, unlike my brother-in-law, I am not directly sponsoring you as a patron."
"Indeed, that is true." Unlike Pingyuan Jun, who had even taken on the role of my political guardian, Xinling Jun was merely a business partner. Moreover, our collaboration was not overt. In operating the merchant company, neither Xinling Jun nor I would be directly involved. The position of visible manager would be entrusted to No Gu-cheon. I would be the actual owner, and Xinling Jun the largest shareholder and representative model.
'It is a case of covering one's eyes while pretending to see, but a little formality should suffice.' Those in the know would realize that I was the true master behind No Gu-cheon's company and that the profits flowed to both Xinling Jun and me, but what could be done? It was Xinling Jun, after all. If anyone was displeased, they could go complain directly to the benefactor who had saved their country.
"Ahem, then let us return to the matter of the merchant company. Since we have agreed to partner, it is time to coordinate the finer details."
"Of course. First, after deducting expenses from revenue, I would like half of the net profit to be reinvested for the company's growth."
The proportion of net profit reinvested is called the reinvestment rate, or sometimes the retention ratio. The higher the reinvestment rate, the smaller the share returned to the shareholders. Naturally, the profits accruing to Xinling Jun and me, the actual owners, would decrease.
"Once the company is properly launched and achieves success, imitators will inevitably appear. We must expand aggressively and secure as much market share as possible before those latecomers catch up."
"Latecomers? Market share? In other words, you mean to firmly establish our company before imitators arise?"
"Precisely." Though these were terms he had never heard before, Xinling Jun broke down the characters and offered a remarkably accurate interpretation. Thereafter, he listened attentively to my explanations. Whenever unfamiliar words appeared, he asked for clarification, and I found myself repeatedly impressed by how swiftly he absorbed even novel concepts. What I was teaching was nothing extraordinarily profound—merely undergraduate-level fundamentals of economics and management—yet Xinling Jun's learning ability was exceptional. His innate intuition and comprehension, combined with the broad knowledge gained from interacting with many people and the deep insight into the world accumulated through varied experiences, were remarkable. Now I understood why teachers always wished to instruct gifted students further.
Since our time was limited, we sketched out a rough framework and reached an agreement. The resulting distribution was as follows: fifty percent of net profit for reinvestment, ten percent to No Gu-cheon, ten percent to me, and thirty percent to Xinling Jun. Though it might seem that Xinling Jun received a disproportionately large share given that No Gu-cheon handled operations and I set the company's direction, there was sound justification. I provided the ideas and No Gu-cheon the labor, so it was only natural that our portions be set separately. Xinling Jun, however, had invested far more than either of us. Chiefly, there was the prestige he commanded. Beyond that, his network of connections extended not only throughout Zhao but across all the states, greatly facilitating entry into foreign markets. The intangible assets embodied by Xinling Jun far exceeded the value of my ideas or No Gu-cheon's labor, so a higher dividend ratio was only logical.
When our negotiations concluded, Xinling Jun's gaze shifted to the bundle I had placed beside me. "Then, may I now examine the secret commodity you cherish so greatly?"
"Yes. I was thinking we ought to play at least one game before I depart."
"Play a game?"
"You will understand once you see it." As I untied the cloth, I asked, "Do you enjoy weiqi or liubo, my lord?"
"I play them on occasion. Among my retainers is a man named Mo Gong who is a master of liubo. Come to think of it, he once mentioned wishing to play liubo with you someday."
"Haha, so you heard that I played liubo with No Gu-cheon, who is to become the company's manager?"
"It was quite the famous incident. They say it was your first time. Is that true?"
"Yes, it was my first. I have played weiqi, however. And this is..." The item I had brought was rather heavy, so I lifted it with both hands and set it between us. It was a square wooden board marked with straight lines, resembling an enlarged weiqi board.
"A new game I have created."
"It resembles weiqi."
"Correct. I have blended elements of weiqi and liubo and refined them."
Following the board, I produced the pieces—sixteen per side, thirty-two in total. The largest pieces, one per side, were inscribed with General (將) and Commander (帥). There were eight medium-sized pieces and seven smaller ones per side.
"Minister, Horse, Chariot, Cannon, Advisor, Soldier... These are military units."
Minister, cavalry, chariot soldiers, crossbowmen, strategists, and infantry. For the Minister piece, I had used the character for "minister" (相) rather than "elephant" (象) from my previous life, as elephant soldiers felt incongruous.
"Indeed. Each piece moves differently, like in liubo, yet players alternate turns as in weiqi."
"Intriguing. Have you given it a name?"
"I have called it Xiangqi (將棋)."
"The generals' weiqi. Since it is a miniature war with each military type, the name suits it well."
I had deliberately unified all characters in the Zhao script. Originally, I had considered distinguishing the sides as Qin and Zhao like the Xiangqi of my past life, but that risked offending those who would play as Qin. Given the prevailing attitudes toward Qin and the near-fanatical hostility Zhao people harbored toward it, such a choice seemed unwise.
The rules were simple and the movement patterns uncomplicated, so with only a brief explanation Xinling Jun mastered the game. "I shall take the Commander (帥)."
"Then I shall command the General (將)."
Some time later, the match ended in my victory. No matter how gifted Xinling Jun might be, the outcome had been predetermined from the start. I had enjoyed Xiangqi since my previous life, where professionals existed, whereas this was Xinling Jun's very first game.
"What are your impressions of Xiangqi?"
"It is entertaining. It does not rely on luck like liubo, nor does a single game require an inordinate amount of time like weiqi. Moreover, it captures the distinct characteristics of each military type even better than a mock battle, so scholars of military strategy and generals will surely take an interest."
Xinling Jun lifted the piece marked Commander (帥) and examined it. "And these pieces. They are made of wood now, but if the material were changed, their price could soar to astronomical heights."
"Of course. Once we have accumulated sufficient capital, I thought we might craft them from ivory and silver."
"Excellent. In that case, the boards should be made of fine hardwood as well, with decorative embellishments. The wealthy will pay any price for items that enhance their prestige."
The nature of luxury goods Xinling Jun described was one of the reasons I had chosen Xiangqi as a flagship product among many possibilities. It was simple to produce, yet the materials could be varied endlessly to appeal to every stratum of demand.
"Leave this set with me. I can play it with the next guest who calls."
It was an offer to promote the game himself. "That is precisely what I had hoped to request."
If Xinling Jun enjoyed the game, its success was virtually assured. Those seeking to connect with him would purchase Xiangqi sets and, if possible, seek out the same merchant company from which he had bought his. Customers drawn by Xiangqi would transact in other goods while visiting the company, eventually becoming loyal patrons.
'Even by my own standards, it is flawless.' As I dreamed of the golden future ahead, Xinling Jun's next words pulled me back to the present.
"I would also like to place one of my own people within the company."
"Pardon? Of course I understand your desire to station someone to oversee the company. To allay such concerns, I have prepared something separately, so if you would..."
"Ah, there is no need for worry. The person is not someone whose name is widely known."
If the individual had no visible connection to Xinling Jun, there was no reason to refuse. Seeing that I had fallen silent and was listening attentively, Xinling Jun continued.
"Do you recall the delegation that arrived from Wei? One of them secretly followed along, hoping to meet me. Quite the audacious fellow. Since he is completely unknown to the public, even if we take him in, no one will suspect any link to me."
So he was a completely new retainer who had come from Wei specifically to see Xinling Jun? 'No—if he has not been formally accepted yet, then he has not even become an official retainer.'
"In that case, I understand. If you provide his name and a brief background, I shall inform No Gu-cheon separately."
"He is just past twenty years of age, hails from Daliang, and his name is Zhang Er (張耳)."
Zhang Er? The name sounded familiar. An elusive sense that I had heard it somewhere made me unconsciously repeat it several times. "Zhang Er... Zhang Er..."
It definitely seemed familiar, yet I could not recall who he was. Forcing the memory would be futile. For now, I focused on concluding my conversation with Xinling Jun. 'I will remember something when I meet him in person.'
While Ji Dan and Xinling Jun were deep in preparations for launching the merchant company and playing Xiangqi, elsewhere in Handan others were weaving schemes of their own.
"Jianxin Jun's influence is considerable. I never expected Pingyuan Jun to be pushed back."
"The discord between Chu Yan and Gongsun Long at Oun Guest Lodge played a major role. The Three Talents Society also boasts formidable talent. In particular, Xi Shi, having once served as Pingyuan Jun's retainer, is well versed in the dynamics of Oun Guest Lodge. The counterattack through the Yan hostage and the discord between Chu Yan and Gongsun Long both bear traces of Xi Shi's involvement."
"At this rate, Jianxin Jun may well prevail."
The man spoke as though the prospect displeased him. From his position, it would have been preferable for Jianxin Jun and Pingyuan Jun to inflict greater damage upon each other. Seeing Pingyuan Jun falter so easily was not the outcome he had desired. The man seated opposite him understood this as well. To advance his master's ambitions, the retainer proposed an extremely drastic measure.
"His Majesty seems quite fond of the Wei general."
"Indeed. Perhaps weary of the political strife between Jianxin Jun and Pingyuan Jun, he even suggested making the general his minister."
Of course, the general had refused. He knew full well that accepting the post would turn both Jianxin Jun and Pingyuan Jun into enemies, leaving him walking a tightrope where even the king's favor might not guarantee his survival. Yet the King of Zhao appeared to have taken a strong liking to the general and was still detaining him, preventing his return to Wei—having offered the ministerial post no fewer than three times.
But what if the general were to die? How would the king react then?
"For your sake, I shall kill the general."