The Way of Arithmetic

"Third Brother's poetic talent is truly... truly like the Poet Sage has possessed him. Every time he writes, it's a Seven-Colored Poem. The Seven-Colored Realm, which millions seek their entire lives, appears as a matter of course under his pen..."

"Read it aloud for Mother, slowly. Mother will write it down!"

"Xiling's fine wine, tulips bright, in jade bowls, amber light..."

Looking at the poem manuscript before her, reading the soul-stirring, eternal masterpiece, Madam Lin's face radiated with joy...

"Mother, Third Brother has made an appointment with someone. He's participating in the Provincial Examination this year."

"Good..." Madam Lin's gaze remained fixed on the poem manuscript, her mind wandering. Suddenly, she jolted: "This year?"

"Yes!" Lin Jialiang said, "Third Brother told me he has already thoroughly studied the Four Books and Five Classics, and the Masters, Philosophers, and Historians. He asked that before this year's Provincial Examination, we not pressure him to study. If he fails the exam, he will obediently study as Mother arranges."

"Nonsense, he... when has he ever studied the Four Books and Five Classics?" Madam Lin rebuked. "He's just being playful. I thought his months in Immortal Sect Enlightenment had changed him, but as soon as we mention doing something serious, he reverts to his old ways..."

"But Mother, he never wrote poetry before. Did you ever imagine he could write three Seven-Colored Poems in a row?"

Madam Lin fell silent. Her eyes slowly brightened...

"For this year's Provincial Examination, neither Mother nor your son had any great expectations. Why not just let it go? Even if he doesn't succeed, it's only two months. There will be three years until the next Provincial Examination. With Third Brother's talent, how could he not achieve something?"

Madam Lin's heart wavered.

People are always like this. Before yesterday, she would never have forced San Lang to study because, in her heart, San Lang was simply not cut out for it. But San Lang's two Seven-Colored Poems gave her immense hope, and thus her expectations grew. Yesterday, before the Ancestors and her deceased husband, she had prayed, promising to use all the Lin Family's strength to help her son embark on the Literary Way...

Suddenly, a loud cry came from the back room. It was Xiao Tao.

With a splash, something spilled all over the floor. Xiao Tao rushed out from inside, her face flushed red: "Madam, Second Young Master, Third Young Master was right! He... he was right!"

"What?" Madam Lin and Lin Jialiang were both stunned.

Xiao Tao grabbed Madam's sleeve and exclaimed, "That Mr. Zhang from the Capital City posed an extremely difficult arithmetic problem, and Third Young Master answered it offhand, and it was correct!"

"Ah?" Lin Jialiang remembered. The Chicken and Rabbit in a Cage problem? Third Brother didn't even use counting rods and gave the correct answer just like that?

Yes! Xiao Tao stated firmly. She had verified it; Third Young Master was correct...

When the whole story was explained, Madam was dumbfounded.

How could this be? Arithmetic is so profound and vast! The arithmetic problem that scholars from the Capital City considered difficult was child's play for San Lang?

Where did he learn all these skills?

Why was he so amazing at everything?

"Xiao Tao, let's go. Let's go see Third Brother."

They arrived at the west courtyard. Lin Su was sitting on the bed, gazing forlornly at the moon. Xiao Yao came out of the room carrying a washbasin, nearly splashing Xiao Tao with water...

"Young Master, Young Master, your answer is correct... That difficult Chicken and Rabbit in a Cage problem, you solved it correctly..." Xiao Tao became excited again, even jumping up and down.

Lin Su, however, remained unfazed: "Of course, it's correct. What's wrong?"

"Young Master, you didn't even use counting rods, how... how did you figure it out?"

"..." Lin Su was speechless.

Never mind, it's feudal society...

"I'll teach you a simple way to solve this Chicken and Rabbit in a Cage problem..."

How to solve it? Let's play a game...

We have 30 heads and 88 legs, right? Let's not worry about whether these 30 heads belong to rabbits or chickens for now. Let's just call them all animals. 30 animals, 88 legs, correct?

Let's all shout "One, two, three!" All animals, listen to my command, lift up two legs each!

30 animals, each lifting two legs, how many legs are lifted in total?

The courtyard fell silent, into a terrifying stillness.

The counting rods in Xiao Tao's hands clacked, and after three minutes, she gave the answer: 60!

"Good, very good! From the 88 legs, remove the 60 legs that were lifted. How many are left?"

Another round of clacking, and the result was 28.

Are these remaining 28 legs chicken legs or rabbit legs?

Xiao Yao's mouth started to water: "Chicken legs!"

Lin Su tapped Xiao Yao on the forehead: "Didn't I say earlier? All animals lifted two legs. Chickens only have two legs. What happens when they lift them?"

"They sit on their butts on the ground..." Xiao Yao finally snapped back from her thoughts of food.

"Exactly!" Lin Su said. "Chickens only have two legs. When they lift both legs, they sit down. There are no chicken legs left on the ground. The remaining 28 legs are all rabbit legs. Each rabbit had already lifted two legs earlier, and the remaining legs are also only two per rabbit. With 28 legs, how many rabbits are there?"

Xiao Yao pondered the question of how the chicken legs disappeared, feeling quite sad.

Xiao Tao started clacking her counting rods again. After ten minutes, she reached a conclusion: 14!

That's right. Out of 30 animals, subtract the 14 rabbits. How many chickens are there?

Another round of clacking, and the answer was 16!

Perfect!

Lin Jialiang pondered for a long time and cheered. Xiao Tao's eyes sparkled with excitement. Xiao Yao's mouth watered; she was hungry and wanted chicken legs...

Xiao Tao stood up gracefully and bowed, "Young Master, your calculation skills are superb, truly divine. Could you teach this servant the way of arithmetic..."

Lin Su grabbed her shoulders directly, "I can teach you, but you have to promise me one thing."

"Please instruct me, Young Master, this servant..."

"Stop talking to me in that pretentious, scholarly tone."

Huh? Xiao Tao's eyes turned red. What was the point of her pretending to be cultured? Wasn't it so she could qualify to be your bed warmer? Didn't you know how hard I tried?

"Just be like you were before. Call me if you need anything, speak your mind, say whatever comes to mind, and speak in your usual tone. I prefer that."

Xiao Tao's worries vanished, her inner gloom transforming into a seven-colored rainbow, complete with lace trim...

The second young master said that without education, she couldn't warm the third young master's bed. But the third young master didn't care about education; he made the final decision...

Her ultimate plan was now unobstructed, but... Madam couldn't be left alone. How could she warm the young master's bed?

The next morning, Xiao Tao opened the courtyard gate and her eyes lit up. A woman was kneeling outside the gate, lying prostrate on the ground...

"Xiao Xue!"

Xiao Xue had returned. She entered Madam's room and came out a long time later. Her eyes were red, but her expression was filled with joy.

Xiao Tao was the happiest. The Lin family was so short-handed, and she felt it more than anyone. Now that Xiao Xue was back, her best friend with whom she used to share everything.

Moreover, it perfectly coincided with her current thoughts.

She wanted to get closer to the young master. Originally, Madam couldn't do without her, but now with Xiao Xue here, she would have more time.

Lin Su had just woken up when he received a visitor.

It was Ding Hai, the owner of Haining Tower.

Ding Hai brought a package. When it was opened, a large pile of white, gleaming silver was revealed – three hundred taels in total.

"Third Young Master, you are a man of high cultivation and refined taste. I should not defile you with such worldly wealth, but the Lin residence may require these mundane things at present. I hope you will not refuse."

Lin Su's eyes flickered, "Worldly wealth? How come I only see white? Where's the yellow?"

Ding Hai's face turned the color of pig liver...

Lin Su burst into laughter, "Just kidding! Boss Ding, being able to make up for it after things are settled shows you have foresight. For the sake of this conscience in business, how about I give you an opportunity?"

The pig liver color on Ding Hai's face suddenly became oily and radiant, "What do you mean, Third Young Master?"

"A batch of peerless good wine!"

Ding Hai's eyes lit up, "Could it be that old fellow Bao Shan... did Mr. Bao Shan mention the origin of some wine to you?"

Mr. Bao Shan's status in the Literary Realm was a matter of opinion, but in the world of wine, he was an absolute big shot. Just think, this old man had drunk his way through the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, and the Nine Countries and Thirteen Provinces. He dared to venture into the Demon Race's sacred land for a drink, and even ascended to the Jade Pool Immortal Palace...

This old man loved wine but never liked to talk about it. Ding Hai had known him for twenty years and had tried countless times to pry wine-related business information out of him, but the old man wouldn't say a word, directly calling Ding Hai vulgar and saying he was desecrating the beauty of wine, which made Ding Hai furious.

Now, an opportunity seemed to have arrived. The young man in front of him had a special relationship with Mr. Bao Shan, was a fellow traveler who "wanted yellow when he saw white," and was also a shrewd operator...

Lin Su rolled his eyes, "What information could he provide? He's counting on my wine to help him break through to the Literary Heart Extreme Realm."

Ding Hai's breathing suddenly stopped...

Mr. Bao Shan was counting on his wine to break through to the Literary Heart Extreme Realm?

Setting aside whether such a fantastical feat could actually be achieved.

The key point was that the young man in front of him actually knew the crux of Mr. Bao Shan's bottleneck in the Literary Heart Extreme Realm. This in itself was no small matter.

The small door to the west courtyard opened, and Xiao Tao entered with a plate, "Young Master, are you hungry? Freshly steamed buns, and side dishes made according to your instructions. Please taste them to see if the flavor is right... Ah, a guest?"

She saw another person in the west courtyard, Ding Hai, of course. She didn't recognize him.

Lin Su said, "It's fine! Put it down, I'll try it!"

On the plate were four plump, white steamed buns, a bowl of white rice porridge, and five small dishes containing fragrant home-style dishes.

Lin Su picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of each dish, "Mmm, not bad! That's the taste. Did you send it to my mother?"

"Not yet, I wanted to check the taste first. Since you say it's right, I'll send it to Madam now!"

She withdrew.

Lin Su sat down to eat his breakfast, completely oblivious to Ding Hai's gaze. He stared at the steamed buns, his eyes unblinking.

"Third Young Master, are these made from flour?"

"Yes!"

"May I have one?"

"Boss Ding, didn't you have breakfast? If you don't mind the Lin family's simple breakfast, I'll have them bring you a portion too?"

"Thank you, Third Young Master..."

Lin Su called out, and Xiao Yao leaped in from outside, holding a bun in each hand. Her cheeks were puffed out like a hamster's. It was a mystery how she managed to fit the buns in her mouth without a third hand.

"Xiao Yao, bring me another breakfast."

"Mmm!" Xiao Yao grunted and turned to run.

Soon, Xiao Yao returned with a new portion, identical to Lin Su's.

Ding Hai immediately grabbed a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth. His eyes suddenly lit up. He reached for several dishes with his chopsticks, his eyes equally bright. He started by tasting, then swallowing, and soon all the bowls and plates were empty.

Ding Hai stared at Lin Su, his gaze shining.

Lin Su's heart stirred slightly, as if he saw something.

"Third Young Master, I own a restaurant!"

"I know!"

"This steamed bun... the secret recipe... and the secret recipes for these side dishes, could you share them with me? We can split the profits..."

Lin Su smiled, "The stir-frying of the side dishes doesn't involve any secret recipes at all. I can tell you right now, and you can try it when you get back. As for the steamed bun technique... it has some technical difficulty, and you won't understand it in a short while. How about this, I'll prepare the 'starter mother' at the manor, and you can take it and mix it with flour to make these steamed buns."

About half an hour later, Ding Hai excitedly returned to Haining Tower.

This trip to the Lin manor had been incredibly rewarding. He learned for the first time that stir-frying in an iron wok made food more fragrant. He learned for the first time that adding a certain magical "starter mother" to flour resulted in steamed buns that were plump, large, and refreshing...

Stir-frying in an iron wok was just a thin veil of paper; once broken, anyone could replicate it.

But that "starter mother" was a secret recipe.

How could he get this secret recipe into his own hands?

Haining Tower was only a short walk from the Lin manor. It wasn't impossible to get the starter mother from the Lin manor every day, but the problem was that the capital headquarters, the branch in Haizhou, and the branches in other countries couldn't use the starter mother. Moreover, as the business grew in the future, having the core technology controlled by this young man long-term was always unsettling. What if he decided to cut them off?

Ding Hai started scratching his head.

Suddenly, his hand stopped. He thought of something else.

This kid had mentioned a type of wine so miraculous that even Mr. Bao Shan was incredibly eager for it, even linking it to his Literary Heart Extreme Realm...

Initially, he naturally didn't believe such nonsense.

But now, his thoughts began to drift. Could it be true?

If such a wine truly existed, what would his Haining Tower become?

Ding Hai's blood began to burn...

In the following period, several major events occurred in Haining.

First, Haining Tower posted a Seven-Colored Poem, attracting scholars from Great Cang in droves.

Second, Haining Tower introduced a delicacy called steamed buns, elevating flour from a staple food to a high-end delicacy.

Third, Haining Tower's flavors suddenly changed, becoming incredibly fragrant and delicious.

At Qiankun Academy, Mr. Bao Shan sat atop the mountain for seven full days and nights, observing a Seven-Colored Poem day and night. The Literary Heart Extreme Realm he sought did not arrive, but he looked towards Haining with eyes still full of anticipation. This kid had promised him to create an unparalleled wine. Ten days had passed; had the wine been made?

The wine pot he carried with him was finally empty. A drunkard without wine couldn't endure even a minute. He was tempted to embark on the path to the Demon Race's sacred land, but it was this kid who made him hesitate again and again.

He wanted to soar into the sky and head straight to the Lin manor in Haining, but he worried that the moment he stepped inside, he would see the kid's embarrassed face and a meaningless apology...

He would wait a few more days. If the kid dared not send him a message, he would strangle him!

In the Ancient Nanyang Kingdom, on Baiji Plain!

Deng Xianchu and the Five Peaks Mountain Dweller descended like gods, landing before a thatched hut. The inside was empty. The two old men exchanged glances and simultaneously stepped into the hut. With a great rumble, the air stirred, and a phantom image of an old man with black hair and a white beard appeared in front of the thatched hut – this was the hermit's residual imprint of his world.

The mysterious hermit faced the void and slowly recited:

"Crimson fades, young apricots small, As swallows fly, green waters wind around homes, On branches, willow catkins blow, and fewer remain, Where in the world are fragrant grasses not found..."

Deng Xianchu and the Five Peaks Mountain Dweller looked at each other, then sighed in unison, "It really is him! Ancient Nanyang Kingdom, after all, has a profound literary foundation. We are impressed!"

They both bowed to the ground and pierced through the void.

They left. The phantom image continued to sigh, "Such a masterpiece, why wasn't it written by me? I have touched this level, I have touched it! I'm just missing a bit of mystery. Who took the step before me to create it? Making my ten years of arduous cultivation go to waste? Pfft..."

A mouthful of blood sprayed towards the sky, and the old man's phantom image slowly disappeared.

At the Lin manor, Lin Su closed his doors to guests. Of course, there weren't many guests to begin with.

Although he was famous in Haining, he had also offended the Minister of War and countless literary elites. There were taboos in literary circles; if you befriended someone you shouldn't have, you might face disaster later without even knowing why.

Therefore, the local literary circles in Haining kept a respectful distance from Mr. Lin.

Lin Su also found it convenient to handle some matters in peace.

What matters?

Regarding Haining Tower, he had his first stable income. Xiao Tao, Xiao Xue, and Xiao Yao would make a basin of starter mother every evening. The next morning, a carriage would quietly arrive and take the starter mother away. This basin of starter mother was worth thirty taels of silver.

What was its cost? Half a tael!

A pure profit of thirty taels a day, higher than the normal rank of the Marquis of Dingnan's Estate back then.

The entire Lin family was so stimulated that they were beside themselves. Madam Lin once again embodied her nature of "achieving success and helping the world," sending money, rice, and supplies to neighbors and those who had previously left the Lin family, causing people to kowtow at the Lin family's doorstep daily.

Some people returned.

Old He, Mei Niang, Old Zhou, Xiao Wu...

Fortunately, the old lady also had her principles and didn't bring back all sorts of trash. She only re-accepted those who had no ill intentions when they left and had valid reasons for doing so. As for those who were purely malicious, she would absolutely not keep them, even if they kowtowed outside.

This was good.

With more people around, things became easier to handle.

Lin Su divided the tasks.

Old He, along with Xiao Wu, was responsible for security and odd jobs.

Mei Niang was in charge of cooking.

Xiao Tao was responsible for managing the accounts.

Xiao Xue was responsible for taking care of Madam Lin.

Yu Lou was responsible for taking care of Lin Jialiang.

Xiao Yao was responsible for... being cute.