Ep. 31: Household managers recruit Xun Zi via chess match to cure Duanmu Rong

31

Yan Lu and Zhang Liang, household managers of the Confucius School, seek the skills of reclusive apprentice uncle Xun Zi to cure Duanmu Rong. They introduce him to Tianming, convincing Xun Zi that Ziming is a chess master. A match is arranged where the loser must fulfill a request. Although Ziming makes an initial mistake, his playing style unsettles the old master. With Zifang’s tutoring and assistance by reflecting light onto the window grid, Ziming wins. Consequently, Xun Zi agrees to help revive Duanmu. This sequence reveals the strategic planning behind the managers' decision to involve the reclusive expert in resolving Duanmu’s condition through the arranged competition.