Talking about Isabelle, when she started to stay in the Imperial Palace, Matthias arranged for her to stay at the Pearl Courtyard, one of the courtyards inside the Imperial Palace that was built specifically for the Empress and her maids.
Now that she was recognized as the Empress Consort, even though it is not formal yet, her authority over the servants and the soldiers inside the palace has slowly soared. She could move inside the palace freely and could be considered the ruler of everyone in the palace second to the Emperor, Matthias, himself.
As because Matthias didn't really want to, but as it was seen by her to be necessary, she appointed Consorts and Concubines for him herself, baffling him when he heard of the matter.
"I told you, I'm not interested in polygamy." Inside the Throne Room, Matthias complained to Isabelle with an annoyed tone.
"It's just in name, husband. Don't take it to heart. As a powerful figure, you ought to have some women and a lot of children." Isabelle persuaded with pouty lips.
Hearing her reason, Matthias couldn't help but sigh. 'This woman is treating me like other lofty Emperors.' He thought.
After a lot more persuasion from Isabelle, Matthias relented and said yes. Isabelle was joyous and left the palace, starting her quest to find suitable women for Matthias.
After Isabelle left, Matthias was then visited by his son. "You cannot stop Mother, do you?" Alexander smirked.
Hearing his teasing voice, Matthias was annoyed and amused at the same time, "Wait for it. By the time she returns here with those women that she had chosen, I will also find and elect a Crowned Princess for you." He sneered and laughed triumphantly.
Alexander gawked at his father's pettiness and turned to leave. Matthias laughed and stopped him, "Wait."
"What?" Alexander turned around with annoyance. Matthias chuckled and pointed at the chair, "Move that chair here and let's chat." He said
Although Alexander was still mad, he moved and lifted the chair that Matthias was pointing at, and moved it beside the Emperor's table, facing the throne.
"So, how are you with the lectures?" Matthias first asked.
"It's fine. I'm learning many things." Alexander replied perfunctorily.
"Your fighting skills?" "Did not decline." Alexander answered.
"Your ability to lead?" "Improving."
"Then, should we play Go?" The side of Matthias' lips lifted as he invited his son in a game of Go. He bent down and picked up a huge chest below his table. He took it out and walked down the throne. Still absentminded, Alexander just gazed at Matthias and followed him unwittingly.
A servant from the Dynastic Guards that stayed silent at the side moved forward and moved a wide, low table below and placed two red kneeling cushions at its side. After doing so, the servant returned to the side and stayed silent once more.
Matthias sat on one of the pillows and placed down the chest at the side and opened it, revealing a four-piece 16x16 board made from a special wood called Illusory Sandalwood that Matthias created from the laws and his godcraft, specially crafted with the intention of playing Go. Beside the boards were two wide black clay pots with golden intricate carved runes on its cover and exterior walls. No one could see or even use their Spiritual Senses to peek at what's inside.
Matthias took out the four boards and placed them down. He attached them together by putting the parts side by side on its proper placing. As soon as all the four pieces were close to each other, a circle of light shone at the middle of the board and the four pieces attached together like a strong magnet, forming a 64x64 Go board, which overwhelmed Alexander due to its ridiculous size. Matthias also took the two pots and placed them on two different sides.
Matthias turned to him and smiled, "Sit, my child." He said as he pointed at the other cushion. At this time, Alexander woke up from his stupor and had his face become solemn.
Recognizing what his father wanted to achieve by doing this, it was natural for him to become one. His teacher Cane introduced the game of Go to him before teaching him strategies and mindsets to have in a battlefield. As they played Go, Cane took advantage of opportunities to teach him formations and strategies while defeating him consecutively.
Cane once told him to see the world and the battlefield as a board of Go and imagine the board of Go as the world and battlefield. Every time they played, Alexander took his pieces as the army under him. He saw them be devoured by the overwhelming yet balanced attacks of his teacher.
Cane taught him that although Go is but a board game that two can play if they're bored or wanted to do something, the Dao of Go is deeper than just that.
He taught Alexander that if the two players of the game were experts or generals or rulers, the game turns from being only a board game to becoming a clash between empires and its armies. Cane made him realize that that could even be the case in real battlefields, having the armies become mere stones in a Go board, relying on its general or ruler to lead them to victory.
Now that Matthias was challenging him in a match of Go, that could only mean that his father was testing his skills in leadership in warfare.
From having a mischievous fatherly aura, in front of the board, Matthias' transformed into a Heavenly Emperor casting his eyes over the Celestial Battlefield. The oppressive aura frightened Alexander and even the Dynastic Guard at the side, causing them to palpitate and perspire.
Calming himself, Alexander steeled himself and sat down, facing Matthias in front of the huge Go board. Now that Alexander has sat himself down at his side, Matthias smiled with approval but returned to becoming indifferent. Now, he wasn't Alexander's father but an enemy general that this man had to defeat using his army.
Alexander breathed in and extended his hand to uncover the pot. Alexander looked at it and sighed; It was white stones.
Matthias' lips curled up on the side and opened his and revealed the black stones.
Looking at it closely, Alexander discovered that the stones were made from jade because of its shine. But apart from that, Alexander sensed a mysterious power inside the stones but he didn't ask about it.
Alexander's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Matthias spoke, "Hold your clay pot and understand your army."
"What?" Alexander asked confusedly.
Matthias laughed as if he heard the best joke ever, "You can't go to war without fully understanding your army, can you? Surely a general must know that." He replied.
Trying to understand what his father meant by that, Alexander narrowed his eyes and analyzed the board. He suddenly made a baffling assumption. "This game.." He uttered.
Realizing that his son has already got it, Matthias smirked with satisfaction, "Why? Would I use such mystical things and pieces just so I can play a normal Go game?" Matthias chuckled mysteriously as he finally started to make his move.
He reached forward and held his pot while not letting his eyes leave Alexander's. His face turned serious for a while and suddenly smiled. He reached inside the clay pot, taking out a black jade piece.
Ppak! The stone landed on the board with a loud smack. After it landed, an image of a thousand-man black-armored army suddenly appeared above the board, shocking the Prince. The image was so vivid, with the faces of the men clear to be seen. Flags and banners fluttered as if there was wind.
"Father.." Alexander gasped. "Do you think you have time to chat? Make your move." Matthias said indifferently.
Alexander flinched and looked at the board then to the pot. Not having any choice, he extended his hand and held the pot. Inside his mind, information surged up, letting him see his "army" and the rules of the field. He became solemn and, after a while, took a stone from the pot and, after much consideration, placed it at his chosen position.
From the depths of the board, another white army of a thousand marched forward and faced the enemy. Matthias then took another stone and slapped it down with his two fingers.
Soon, a sound of marching could be heard from the board. Another black force emerged from the battlefield with a strong momentum. Alexander analyzed the board and took a long time. Suddenly, Matthias moved once again by placing another stone on the board, which made Alexander shocked and raise his head to look indignantly at Matthias.
Seeing his reaction, Matthias sneered, "What? Haven't you understood the rules enough? This isn't any ordinary Go where I would just wait for you to move. This is a game where if you took long enough to decide, I would've already formed an army to destroy your lines."
Matthias talked as another black force entered the field. "This isn't just Go, Alexander. This is war, a battlefield of armies. As a commander, you know that you have to be decisive when it comes to leading your army to battle. No sane commander would wait and let the enemy strike first if the opponent's commander is incompetent and couldn't decide what to do." Matthias reprimanded.
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