just had a little revelation in regards to ningguang’s three secretaries Baiwen (百闻) Baixiao (百晓) and Baishi (百识) because i play with english subtitles and completely missed this little easter egg.
So, the Bai (百) in each name means “hundred”, which is why I’ve been jokingly referring to them as Ningguang’s “three hundreds“ in my head, lika call back towards the “three whites” of taihu (a lake in china), but as a friend reminded me on discord 百 can also, in this context, mean all or many.
Then, 闻, 晓, and 识 are all forms of “knowing”.
闻 being more of knowing by hearing/hearing of, 晓 being understanding(?) or some form of it, and 识 being knowing as in understanding/seeing the truth of an individual, or a more person-orientated knowing.
(Please note my cn is still rather flawed, so i may be missing some points)
So, Ningguang has her three secretaries, Lady Tianquan who’s information network probably spans all of teyvat or something has three secretaries basically all named some variation of all-knowing.
...imagine having triplets and naming them this tho lmao
Diluc: (abruptly sets a chessboard down on a table) I have a proposition for you.
Ningguang: (looks at the board and then back up at him) Oh? And what would that be? Another game of chess?
Diluc: (nods expectantly as he sits across from her and sets up the usual chess pieces)
Ningguang: Hmm. (smirks) After you lost the last four we played the other month? How uncharacteristically persistent of you, Master Diluc, to want to be beaten by me again.
Diluc: Hmm, I thought you would say that. Which is why I have these (pushes custom chess pieces forward)
Ningguang: (raises a single eyebrow and clinks her golden phalangeal features together in intrigue)
Diluc: This (holds up a custom piece that looks like a fatter pawn) is the politician. This (holds up a custom piece that looks like a skinnier rook) is the bureaucrat. And these (pushes ten six-sided die) are filibusters.
(on a couch on the other side of the room)
Beidou: (in giddy shock) By the Archons.
Childe: (raises eyebrows) You did goad him into playing with her the first time, comrade.
Beidou: (rolls eye) I gave him a few warnings before he accepted the invitation she sent and has been doing so himself after that, so technically, I didn't do shit.
Childe: (sniggers) Sure you didn't.
Beidou: (shrugs as she leans back and takes a swig out of her flask) Ehhh, he would've done it even if I didn't tell him.
Childe: Uh huh. Even without telling him about how she specifically changes the rules in-game?
Beidou: (shrugs) Look, if he wanted to play some kind of pseudo-chess with her, he needs to learn the hard way that he will not win. Then again, I didn't know he would make his own version of chess just to prove a point. (chugs another swig out of her flask)
(back at the table)
Ningguang: So essentially, these pieces hinder a good portion of any actual moves that the player can make, much like some legislative decisions in reality.
Diluc: Precisely. (hands her the corresponding colored die) So would you accept my proposal?
Ningguang: (looks him in the eyes, interest sparking them) I do. Pray that you don't disappoint me.
Diluc: (nods in acknowledgment) Believe me, I most certainly won't. (gestures to Ningguang) White gets the first move.
Ningguang: (chuckles lightly and makes her move)
(back at the couch)
Childe: This game makes no sense to me at all.
Beidou: It doesn't make sense to me either and I've tried playing with him at least ten times.
Childe: (contemplatively) I feel like this has unleashed some sort of monster deep inside of him and I don't know if we're gonna be able to kill it.
Beidou: (shrugs) At least he's not nearly as brutal as Ning when he absolutely wastes me in less than half an hour. (swishes the liquid in an expensive-looking bottle) Anyway, want some brandy? It's the good stuff that got imported from Natlan.
Childe: Don't mind if I do. (grabs two glasses from the shelf behind him and tosses one to Beidou) To watching the Uncrowned King of Mondstadt trying to beat the Tianquan at her own game.
Beidou: (chuckles) Hell yeah, I'll cheer to that. (clinks glass and drinks)
(meanwhile on the ground next to the couch)
Zhongli: (discards a card into a select pile and sets one down) My turn is finished now.
Itto: HA! (slams down a card on top of one of Zhongli's) Now that unit's stunned until the next turn.
Zhongli: I wouldn't say so, as you have triggered this effect card (flips a card over) and have applied 'Poison' to your frontline units.
Itto: Hah?! (looks it over) Oh, come on! How did I not see that coming? (immediately perks up at something in his hand) But I do have this! (swaps one card with another card) 150% of the damage inflicted on my units gets reflected back at you!
Zhongli: Hmm. (frowns slightly as he looks for a certain card in his hand) Let me see here . . . ah! (turns a card over) Since my units are resistant to poison, they can activate the effect of taking half the damage.
Itto: (genuinely impressed) Damn, Gramps! I gotta say you're pretty good at this game!
Zhongli: You are quite the player yourself, as you have given me an excellent refresher on how the game was played to begin with. (laughs warmly) I was afraid that my deck would simply collect dust and never see proper use again, so I thank you for the opportunity to ensure that that didn't happen.
Itto: (grins and laughs) Any time! I still can't believe that you have the first edition deck and the extension packs though! Those cards are super rare now and you hardly see em' anywhere anymore. (turns the focus back to the game) Anyway, let's get back to it! I've still got some tricks left up my sleeve!
(back at the table)
Diluc: (deadpanned) Your move.
Ningguang: (calculated) Indeed. (thinks a bit before moving a piece, then rolling two die) (under her breath) Dammit.
Diluc: Hmm. (rolls three die) (tries not to cringe too hard) Oof.
Ningguang: (drums the table with irritation and frustration as she looks at the board) (moves a piece over to the further side of the board and moves another piece with it)
Diluc: (trying not to sweat as he rolls a single die) (exhales as he moves a rook) (as nonchalantly as possible) Check.
Ningguang: (moves one piece before rolling all five die) Heh. (decisively moves her queen) Check.
Baiwen: (coming in with the third pitcher of chilled juice) Holy fuck.
(at the couch)
Beidou: (drunkenly shakes Childe with her free hand) Ginger, redhead, whatever the fuck your hair color is, look!
Childe: (blearily blinks) Hmmm? (turns to the chess game to see Diluc and Ningguang staring each other down) Holy Tsarista.
Beidou: (staring at the floor, slack-jawed and bug-eyed in drunken shock) What the fuuuuck?
Childe: (slumps into Beidou's lap) (slurs) Why hasn't anyone won yet? I'm bored.
Beidou: (stares at Childe) I don't fuckin' know. (tries to drink from an empty flask) Where'd the brandy go?
Childe: (giggles as he shakes an empty bottle) Down my throat hehe.
Beidou: (glares and shoves him off her lap) Asshole.
Childe: (slumps into a pile on the floor) Owie . . .
(on the floor next to the couch)
Itto: (triumphantly slaps a final card onto the ground) Woo! I won! I'm still the champion!
Zhongli: (gaily) It was truly riveting. (holds out his hand as to shake it)
Itto: (clasps his entire arm and pulls him into a side hug) Hell yeah it was! I don't remember the last time I had to fight that hard for a win! Refreshing stuff, I tell ya. (laughs heartily)
Zhongli: (laughs along and pats Itto's arm) Yes, it was quite a good game.
Childe: (groaning on the ground a few feet away from the cards) Yay, good game . . .
(back at the table)
Diluc: . . .
Ningguang: . . .
Diluc: (throws his hands in the air and slumps into his chair) Well, there we go, I can't make any more moves.
Ningguang: (leans back into her chair and crosses her arms in exasperation) Neither can I.
Diluc: So it's a draw then.
Ningguang: So it is.
Diluc: (hums in contemplative thought) Shall we play another game to break the tie?
Ningguang: (nods in reply) Perhaps we should.
Childe: (loudly from the other side of the room) Noooo. It's been over six hours and I'm going to kill something if you do, Firefly.
Beidou: (groans) Ning, just take the goddamn draw (saunters up to her and looks her in the eyes) and admit you didn't win.
Ningguang: (scoffs) I've never let myself settle for that in my life, so there is no reason to start now doing so now. I'm going to win this next game.
Diluc: (deadpans) Besides, a draw isn't a win in any regard.
Beidou: (turns to Diluc and clasps a hand on his shoulder) You've just gotten into a draw with the woman (gestures at Ningguang) who created a completely broken version of chess with your own other broken version that she couldn't manipulate in her favor. Take the fucking draw.
Diluc and Ningguang: No, I don't think I will.
Beidou: (sighs deeply and puts a hand to her face) Well, have fun with that, 'cause I don't have it in me to stick around for that.
Childe: (peels himself from the floor more soberly) Well, I'm leaving too. (turning to Zhongli and Itto) I'll pay for dinner and drinks after we clear some hoarders or something-
Zhongli & Itto: (on the floor completely entranced by talking about their decks)
Childe: . . . (turns to Beidou) Wanna head to the Dragon's Roost? Happy Hour ends at eight and they have an all-you-can-eat dumpling bar.
Beidou: (trods in his direction) I'm down. (waves to the rest and she slings her free arm around Childe's shoulders) I'll see you around. (walks out the archway)
Zhongli: (perks up at the mention of the Dragon's Roost) Wait, you're going over there? (turns to Itto) I believe that the menu of the Dragon's Roost has a large selection of food that is free of any soybeans.
Itto: (stomach growls at the mention of food) Really? Well, what are we waiting around here for? (already packed their cards away) Let's go, I'm starving! (yanks Zhongli onto his feet and out the archway)
Zhongli: (loudly from out the archway) Thank you for your hospitality-
Itto: Come on, go-go-go! The sun's already starting to go down!
(back at the table)
Ningguang: (crosses fingers together) To make things more interesting, why don't we add a twenty-sided die for the filibuster system? Evens are pluses and odds are minuses.
Diluc: (nods) I'll take it.
Ningguang: Well, white goes first.
Diluc: (cracks knuckles and extends his hand) May the best player win, Lady Tianquan.
Ningguang: (takes his hand and shakes it firmly) Likewise, Master Diluc.
---
The next day, Chongyun and Xingqiu came across a chessboard, scattered game pieces, and one rather unusual-looking twenty-sided die that seemed to have been thrown from the Jade Chamber. No one besides the two players knows who won or what happened during that second round of chess, as not even the secretaries were there to bear witness to it.
If you ask the Captain of the Crux Fleet Beidou, she swears with certainty that the Tianquan threw the board first, but if you ask Tartaglia of the Fatui Harbingers, he will say that it was Diluc Ragnvindr from Mondstadt in a rare but characteristic fit of frustration. The visitor from Inazuma will say that they both contributed to it and his companion, Zhongli from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor simply replied that it would not surprise him if that was indeed the case
However, if you ask the two players in question, they will only tell you that it was the most exciting and challenging game of chess they had ever had the pleasure of playing, much to the consternation of those who know them.
