Chapter 147: Clue to the Demonic Emperor Old Man! (1/2)

Even until the very end, Su Zhengchen didn’t eat the peanuts that Wang Chong brought. Even so, the fact that he allowed Wang Chong to bring it to the chessboard was already a huge improvement.

Once it had started, there was no stopping it anymore!

Ever since Su Zhengchen chose not to stop Wang Chong, the entire matter spiraled out of control.

The second day, Wang Chong brought a plate of braised beef.

The third day, Wang Chong brought a few plates of side dishes.

And on the fourth, Wang Chong finally brought… a bottle of wine!

“What’s this?”

Su Zhengchen finally came to the limit of his tolerance. A deep crease sat on his forehead, indicating his displeasure. He seemed to abhor alcohol a lot.

Su Zhengchen had seen many powerful figures in his life, be it Emperor Taizong, the monk living in the great snowy mountains in the western Ü-Tsang, the Northern Turkic Khan of the Sacred Lands of the Sun, as well as the various generals and powerful officials from Gogouryeo, Abbasid Caliphate, Charax Spasinu, and many other countries.

But none of them dared to act so rowdily before him. At the very least, none of them was as carefree as Wang Chong.

The peanut on the first day was one thing, and he could still overlook the braised beef on the second day. However, what he brought afterward was getting more and more overboard.

Putting aside the various side dishes, he even brought alcohol here today.

What that should have been a tranquil and refined chess match suddenly changed in tone due to Wang Chong’s actions!

“It’s wine!”

Seemingly oblivious to Su Zhengchen’s displeasure, Wang Chong replied casually. As he said so, he placed a wine cup right before Su Zhengchen and poured some wine into it.

“I don’t drink!”

Su Zhengchen frowned, not even sparing a glance at the cup of wine Wang Chong offered him.

“Drinking causes inefficiency. As the offspring of a clan of generals, shouldn’t you understand this logic?”

Su Zhengchen’s eyes were cold.

Even though it had been several decades since he had handed over the military right of the empire and stepped away from the center of authority, he still persisted on the habits he had cultivated in the military during the former half of his life.

He didn’t mind Wang Chong bringing peanuts and braised beef, but alcohol was a huge taboo.

“Hehe, elder, you are jesting with me again. I am just a child, and you aren’t a general in the battlefield either. Why would there be any inefficiencies?”

Wang Chong replied casually.

Su Zhengchen’s eyes were extremely cold. The authority he exerted came from his years of commanding troops, and it wasn’t something that an ordinary person could withstand.

If it was anyone else, he would have already shuddered in fear. However, Wang Chong seemed to be completely impervious to it. On top of that, he even drank his a cup of wine in the midst of his words.

It was refreshing and light.

After drinking his cup, he grabbed a piece of fleshy braised beef and slowly chewed on it in his mouth.

Su Zhengchen froze a moment, and he suddenly came to a realization.

Indeed!

It had been such a long time that he had already forgotten. He was no longer the ‘Grand Marshal’ of the military, and he didn’t have anything to do with it anymore.

What efficiency did the current him have to worry about?

Suddenly, Su Zhengchen fell into a daze.

Until now, he could still remember the orders Emperor Taizong issued for him to strip his armor and hand over his military authority. It had become a sharp thorn lodged deeply within his heart.

“Elder, it’s fine if you don’t wish to drink it.”

At this moment, Wang Chong suddenly spoke up.

“If you lose three fewer points than yesterday, I’ll let you off. Otherwise, you’ll have to drink a cup. What do you think about it?”

“Atrocious!”

Su Zhengchen’s face changed, and the authority of an ex-war god instinctively flowed out from him. Even though the times had changed, how could he change a habit he had cultivated over dozens of years all of the sudden?

“Grandfather, you’re playing cheat… If you lose, you should take your punishment willingly!”

At this moment, a childish voice sounded from the side. A chubby boy ran out from behind, grabbed Su Zhengchen’s arms, and swung it with all of his might relentlessly.

The authority that leaked out from Su Zhengchen immediately collapsed.

For some reason, when he first met this child several months ago, he felt connected with him. Since then, this child had also brought him some joy in life.

Before this child, he couldn’t pull his weight at all.

“Alright, I agree to it, alright?”

With his hands swung vigorously, Su Zhengchen could only agree to it helplessly. He was exceptionally fond of ‘Dai Jianjian’, and as for Wang Chong… This child’s aptitude in warfare truly impressed him.

In his entire life, he had never seen anyone as talented as Wang Chong. It was to the point that he wasn’t a match for this child at all.

Toward these two children, he couldn’t toughen up his heart.

Setting out the chessboard, the stones clashed with one another. A few hours later, the white stones, as usual, were forced to a corner. For the past few days, Su Zhengchen had lost tragically to Wang Chong consecutively, and it was of no exception today.

Looking at the board, Su Zhengchen’s face paled, and eventually, he sighed deeply. Grabbing the wine cup on the table, he gulped it down.

Perhaps it was because he had abstained from alcohol for the past few decades, he choked on this mouthful. His entire face turned red, and he coughed several times.

Upon seeing this sight, little Jianjian burst into laughter. He felt that this big brother was an interesting person.

Wang Chong couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

Once the gears had started turning, it couldn’t be stopped anymore. Even though Wang Chong had brought many snacks the past few days, the ex-war god didn’t touch them at all.