Father and Son Meet for the First Time

Having gotten her answer, Song Ninger hummed as she walked away, quite pleased with herself.

Song Mu'er sat in the pavilion with her arms crossed, her back to Li Nuo. Her little pout could have held a whole jug of oil.

She was genuinely angry. Song Ninger wouldn't even let Brother Li Nuo play with the rattan ball, while she had played shuttlecock with him and given him little biscuits. He clearly knew that she and Song Ninger didn't get along, yet he had gone behind her back to play with Song Ninger. At such a young age, the little girl had already tasted the bitterness of betrayal.

Actually, although Li Nuo liked Mu'er better, he wasn't petty enough to hold a grudge against Song Ninger just because she hadn't let him play with the ball last time. He had only explained a math problem to her; he didn't think it was a big deal.

But seeing Song Mu'er in such a temper, Li Nuo could only explain helplessly, "You two look exactly alike. I mistook her for you."

Mostly because Song Ninger had kept pretending to be the older sister just now. Li Nuo hadn't suspected a thing.

Who knew a six-year-old could be so cunning?

Song Mu'er finally turned around and glanced at Li Nuo, then asked in a quiet voice, "Really?"

Li Nuo held up his palm and said, "I'll be a puppy if I'm lying."

To Song Mu'er, that was a very serious oath. A smile appeared on her face again, and she ran over to Li Nuo. "All right, I don't blame you anymore. It's all Song Ninger's fault..."

Li Nuo thought that little girls were so easy to placate, while Song Mu'er seriously considered how to stop Song Ninger from impersonating her again.

After thinking for a while, her eyes lit up. Looking at Li Nuo, she said, "Let's come up with a secret password. Only the two of us will know it. If someone can't say it, then they're Song Ninger..."

Faced with her proposal, Li Nuo had no choice but to agree.

After discussing it together, they finally settled on "One, two, three, four, five; up the mountain to fight a tiger." Only whoever could say it correctly would be Song Mu'er. Otherwise, it would be Song Ninger.

As it turned out, this really was a good way to tell twins apart.

Even though he had only been explaining a problem and it made no difference which twin he was talking to, Li Nuo still didn't want to keep getting mixed up.

Song Mu'er had also come to ask Li Nuo about a problem. He took a look and saw that it was exactly the same one Song Ninger had asked about. Since he had already explained it once, going over it again was a piece of cake.

Song Jiaren looked at the problem on the paper and felt a headache coming on again.

Those equations awakened painful memories from ten years ago.

She remembered that the hardest thing she had studied in arithmetic was putting chickens and rabbits in the same cage. But here were all these millet, wheat, beans, adzuki beans, and broomcorn millet—the problem alone took up a whole page. Did children have to learn such difficult arithmetic now?

On the second explanation, with the first one as a foundation, Li Nuo could readily come up with examples that grew progressively more difficult.

The sisters were twins, after all. Not only did they look alike, but their ability to understand things was about the same, too. If Song Ninger could understand something, then Song Mu'er could understand it as well. She worked through the calculations step by step and soon got the answer.

Song Mu'er looked at the result she had calculated, unable to believe it. "So this problem was that easy..."

Even a hint of surprise appeared in Song Jiaren's eyes.

She had listened while Li Nuo explained the problem to Mu'er just now. As she listened, she realized that the arithmetic problem covering an entire page of paper didn't seem all that difficult. Not only had Mu'er understood it, but she had, too...

Once she realized this, she felt a little annoyed.

If Li Nuo, rather than that old man, had taught her arithmetic when she was young, she wouldn't have been so bad at it.

At that moment, a thought came to Song Jiaren for no apparent reason.

If only she had met him sooner...

After finishing the problem, Li Nuo stood up and stretched.

A system of five linear equations in five unknowns might sound intimidating, but solving it only involved some of the most basic rules of arithmetic. With their current level of math, they could handle it just fine.

Of course, that was mainly because Li Nuo was there to guide them.

To help her apply what she had learned, Li Nuo had Song Mu'er use the method he had just taught her to solve yesterday's chicken-and-rabbit problem again. She quickly found the answer, clearly showing that she really had understood it.

While Song Mu'er reviewed what she had just learned, Li Nuo went back to his room. When he came out, he was carrying a thick book.

The book was called the Calculations Classic and contained the entirety of Great Xia's mathematical knowledge.

Every math problem in Great Xia—and, indeed, in the whole world as it was now—was covered in this one book.

That showed just how advanced mathematics had become in this era.

In later generations, mathematics had developed at a breakneck pace in modern times, branching out from ancient arithmetic into number theory, algebra, geometry, topology, mathematical analysis, and more. Let alone one book, even a hundred or a thousand couldn't contain all of mathematical knowledge.

The Calculations Classic was divided into nine sections, collectively called the Nine Calculations: Square Fields, Grains, Proportional Division, Less Than and More Than, Volume Calculation, Fair Transport, Surplus and Deficit, Equations, and the Gougu Theorem. Each section studied a different class of related problems.

For example, the "Square Fields" chapter focused on calculating the area of farmland. It gave formulas for the areas of various polygons, circles, and bow-shaped segments, as well as methods for finding common denominators, reducing fractions, and adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing them. It also laid out the complete rules for the four basic operations.

"Volume Calculation" dealt with measuring volume. It gave formulas for the volumes of various three-dimensional shapes, which could be used to calculate the amount of earth and labor needed to build city walls or dig ditches.

The "Fair Transport" chapter explained in detail how to distribute taxes fairly and how to resolve the burden of corvée and other levies. The other sections each had their own uses, too. In short, mathematics in this era was highly practical, with nearly every topic corresponding to a real-world problem.

Yesterday's chicken-and-rabbit problem and today's five-grain problem belonged to the "Equations" section of the Calculations Classic.

But the "Equations" section here wasn't about equations in the modern sense. Modern mathematics used the term for equalities containing unknowns, whereas the "Equations" section of the Calculations Classic dealt with what modern mathematics called systems of linear equations.

After reading for a while, Li Nuo had a general idea of what the book contained.

The Calculations Classic covered roughly part of the mathematics taught in middle and high school in later generations. Most of its problems could be solved with high school knowledge. A prospective university student who had just taken the college entrance exam would have an overwhelming advantage over the people of Great Xia—though perhaps not over university students...

Song Mu'er had thoroughly figured out the problem her teacher had assigned. Seeing Li Nuo reading, she didn't disturb him. Instead, she ran out into the courtyard and said to Song Jiaren, "Sister Jiaren, see if my kung fu has improved..."

Li Nuo was engrossed in his book when a series of sounds suddenly reached his ears.

He turned to look and saw Song Mu'er practicing in the courtyard. Every swing of her tiny fists sent the air whistling. She struck a tree as thick as a bowl, making its sturdy trunk sway violently. Li Nuo even felt as if the ground beneath his feet had trembled.

The sight left Li Nuo dumbfounded.

Was this really a six-year-old child?

So when she had said she would protect him last time, she hadn't just been saying it...

She really had the strength to do it!

As Li Nuo stared in shock, wondering how such a small body could contain such incredible strength, footsteps came from the gate of the little courtyard.

Two figures slowly entered the courtyard.

The one behind, wearing a broad smile, was Steward Wu.

The man walking in front was a refined-looking, middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man stood straight and was about six feet tall. His features were sharply defined, with three long strands of beard on his chin. He walked at an unhurried pace, carrying an indescribable air about him.

If he had to sum the man up in a single word,

it would be handsome.

Damn, was he handsome.

Li Nuo had been dealing with Magistrate Pei Zhe of Chang'an County these past few days. Magistrate Pei was handsome enough, but his air was a little sleazy. He couldn't hold a candle to this middle-aged man in looks, and his bearing was utterly outclassed.

If Li Nuo had this kind of bearing when he was in his late thirties, wouldn't he drive countless married women wild?

Steward Wu, who usually barked orders at the servants in Li Manor, now followed the middle-aged man with deference. It wasn't hard to guess who the newcomer was.

Clearly, this refined, handsome, and distinguished middle-aged man was the Minister of Justice, the master of Li Manor, and the father of the body Li Nuo now inhabited.

Li Nuo had been in this world for several days, but this was the first time he had met him.

Steward Wu hurried over with a smile. "Young master, the master is back..."

In Li Nuo's previous life, his parents had died when he was very young, and his grandmother had raised him. The word "father" felt distant to him; facing this stranger he was meeting for the first time, he found the word impossible to say.

The middle-aged man walked over to Li Nuo and asked softly, "Has your injury gotten better?"

Li Nuo came to his senses and lowered his head. "At the Old Madam's birthday banquet the day before yesterday, she gave me a Longevity Peach from the Agricultural school... I've fully recovered."

The middle-aged man asked again, "You can't remember what happened before?"

Li Nuo nodded. "I can't remember a thing."

The middle-aged man said, "It doesn't matter. If you can't remember, then let it be. If you need anything, just tell Steward Wu..."

After exchanging only a couple of words with Li Nuo and patting him gently on the shoulder, the middle-aged man turned and left.

Li Nuo could tell that this high-ranking official didn't seem very good at talking with his son.

As it happened, Li Nuo wasn't good at it either. This peaceful way of getting along as father and son actually made him feel more at ease.

As the middle-aged man left, he gave Song Jiaren, who was standing in the courtyard, a slight nod.

Song Mu'er hid behind Song Jiaren, seemingly a little afraid. She gripped Song Jiaren's clothes tightly with both hands, showing only her head.

Li Nuo came over and ruffled Song Mu'er's hair. "Are you afraid of him?"

She had stood up to Song Yu and the others, puffing out her little chest as she declared she would protect Li Nuo. Who would have thought that fearless Song Mu'er could be afraid of anyone?

Song Mu'er nodded. "They said Uncle Li is very ruthless. Lots and lots of people have died at his hands."

Li Nuo asked, "Who said that?"

Song Mu'er replied, "Brother Yu and the others."

The Court of Judicial Review handled criminal cases. In Great Xia, local officials had limited authority; every sentence of penal exile or worse, including the death penalty, had to be reviewed and signed off on by the Minister of Justice. So what they said wasn't exactly wrong.

Li Nuo smiled. "He only kills bad people. Mu'er is a good person, so you don't need to be afraid of him."

"Of course I'm a good person. Song Ninger is the bad one..."

Hearing Li Nuo say that, Song Mu'er finally relaxed and ran off to torment the poor tree again.

Song Jiaren looked at Li Nuo with a strange expression, her gaze carrying something she couldn't quite put into words. Li Nuo noticed her staring, touched his face, and asked uncertainly, "Is there something dirty on my face?"

Song Jiaren shook her head. "No."

Li Nuo muttered under his breath, "Then why are you staring at me..."

Song Jiaren's gaze fell on him again.

As Li Nuo walked toward Mu'er, he said, "Go ahead and look. It's not like I'll lose a chunk of flesh if you do. What's the big deal..."

I'll post one chapter during the day today, then probably two more around eleven or almost midnight tonight. I'm going to push for next week's reading-time ranking and see if I can make the new-book list. The extra chapter still won't count as a reward for the league master.