Father and Son Meet for the First Time

After getting the answer to the problem, Song Ninger hummed a tune and walked away proudly.

Song Mu'er sat in the pavilion, arms crossed, her back to Li Nuo, her pouting lips capable of hanging an oil pot.

She was truly angry. Song Ninger hadn't even let Li Nuo play shuttlecock with her, but instead played with him, kicking a shuttlecock and giving him biscuits. He clearly knew she and Song Ninger didn't get along, yet he played with Song Ninger behind her back. The little girl, at such a young age, tasted betrayal.

Actually, although Li Nuo preferred Mu'er, he wouldn't be so petty as to argue with Song Ninger just because she didn't let him play ball last time. It was just explaining a problem, and Li Nuo didn't think it was a big deal.

But seeing the angry Song Mu'er, Li Nuo could only explain helplessly, "You look exactly alike, I thought she was you."

The main reason was that Song Ninger had been pretending to be her sister the whole time, and Li Nuo hadn't suspected a thing.

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

Song Mu'er finally turned around, glanced at Li Nuo, and asked softly, "Really?"

Li Nuo held out his palm and said, "If I lie to you, I'm a dog."

To Song Mu'er, this was already a very serious oath. A smile reappeared on her face, and she ran to Li Nuo's side, saying, "Okay, I don't blame you anymore. It's all Song Ninger's fault..."

Li Nuo thought to himself that little girls were easy to appease. Song Mu'er, however, was seriously thinking about how to prevent Song Ninger from impersonating her again.

After thinking for a while, her eyes lit up, and she looked at Li Nuo, saying, "Let's agree on a secret code, one that only we two know. Whoever can't answer the secret code is Song Ninger..."

Li Nuo could only agree to her proposal.

After much discussion, they finally settled on the secret code: "One, two, three, four, five, go up the mountain to fight a tiger." Only those who could answer correctly were Song Mu'er; otherwise, it was Song Ninger.

It had to be said, this was indeed a good way to distinguish twins.

Although it was just explaining a problem, and distinguishing them didn't really matter, Li Nuo still didn't want to be confused.

Song Mu'er also came to ask Li Nuo a question. Li Nuo glanced at it; it was the same problem as Song Ninger's. He had already explained it once, so explaining it again was naturally a piece of cake.

Song Jiaren looked at the problem on the paper and felt her head start to ache again.

Those equations brought back ten years of painful memories.

She remembered that when she used to study mathematics, the hardest part was putting chickens and rabbits in the same cage. What was this ma, mai, shu, da, shu? Just the problem description took up a page. Did children nowadays have to learn such difficult mathematics?

When explaining for the second time, with the foundation from the first explanation, Li Nuo effortlessly handled the examples that progressed from simple to complex.

The sisters were indeed twins; not only did they look alike, but their comprehension abilities were also similar. What Song Ninger could understand, Song Mu'er could also understand. She calculated step by step and quickly arrived at the answer.

Song Mu'er looked at the result she had calculated, somewhat incredulously, and murmured, "So this problem is that simple..."

Even Song Jiaren's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

She had been listening by the side when Li Nuo was explaining to Mu'er. As she listened, she realized that the page full of mathematical problems didn't seem so difficult anymore. Not only did Mu'er understand, but she did too...

Upon realizing this, she felt a little annoyed.

If, when she was young, Li Nuo had taught her mathematics instead of that old man, her math skills wouldn't be so poor.

At this moment, a thought inexplicably arose in Song Jiaren's heart.

If only she had met him sooner...

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

A system of five linear equations, though intimidating in name, only involved some basic operational rules when solved. At their current level of mathematics, they could master it well.

Of course, the main reason was Li Nuo's guidance.

Applying the principle of learning by analogy, Li Nuo had Song Mu'er recalculate yesterday's chicken and rabbit problem using the method he had just taught. She quickly found the answer, clearly having understood it.

While Song Mu'er was reviewing what she had just learned, Li Nuo walked back into the room and emerged holding a thick book.

The book was titled The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, encompassing all of Great Xia's mathematics.

All mathematical problems in Great Xia, and even in the world today, were contained within this single book.

This illustrated the mathematical level of the era.

In later generations, mathematics began to develop rapidly after the modern era. Building upon ancient mathematics, new branches continuously emerged: number theory, algebra, geometry, topology, mathematical analysis... Forget one book; even a hundred or a thousand books couldn't encompass all mathematical knowledge.

Within The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, there were nine sections, known as the "Nine Chapters," namely Square Fields, Grains, Proportional Division, Less Than and More Than, Volume Calculation, Fair Transport, Surplus and Deficit, Equation, and Gougu Theorem. Each section studied a category of similar problems.

For instance, the "Square Fields" chapter specifically studied the calculation of land area, providing area formulas for various polygons, circles, and segments. Additionally, it covered fraction simplification, reduction, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and complete rules for the four basic operations.

"Volume Calculation" dealt with the calculation of volumes, providing volume formulas for various solids, which could be used to calculate earthwork and labor when constructing city walls or digging canals.

The "Fair Transport" chapter detailed how to reasonably allocate taxes and address the burden of corvée labor. The other smaller categories also had their uses. In short, mathematics of this era was highly purposeful, with almost every aspect corresponding to various real-world problems.

Yesterday's chicken and rabbit problem, and today's grain problem, belonged to "Equation" problems in The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.

However, this "Equation" was not the same as the modern concept. Modern mathematical equations refer to equalities containing unknowns. The "Equation" in The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art refers to what modern mathematics calls systems of linear equations.

Li Nuo read for a while and had a general understanding.

The content of The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art roughly covered a portion of junior high and high school mathematics from later generations. Most of the problems could be solved using high school knowledge. For people in Great Xia, a prospective university student who had just passed the college entrance examination would undoubtedly possess a level of mathematical ability that was a "dimensionality reduction attack." Of course, the same might not be true for university students...

Song Mu'er had completely understood the problem assigned by her teacher. Seeing Li Nuo reading, she didn't disturb him and went to the courtyard to say to Song Jiaren, "Sister Jiaren, see if my skills have improved..."

Li Nuo was engrossed in his reading when he suddenly heard sounds.

He turned his head and saw Song Mu'er practicing in the courtyard. Each swing of her small fists stirred the air with a whistling sound. When she struck a tree trunk as thick as a bowl, the sturdy trunk swayed violently. Li Nuo even felt the ground beneath his feet tremble.

Li Nuo was dumbfounded by the scene.

Is this a six-year-old child?

After all this time, her saying she wanted to protect herself last time wasn't just casual talk...

She genuinely had the strength!

As Li Nuo was shocked by how such immense power could be contained within her small body, footsteps echoed from the entrance of the small courtyard.

Two figures slowly walked into the courtyard.

The one behind, with a smile on his face, was Steward Wu.

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

The middle-aged man had a tall, straight physique, likely around 1.8 meters tall. His face was angular with clearly defined features, and he had a three-pronged beard on his chin. He walked at an unhurried pace, exuding an indescribable aura.

If he had to be described with just one word.

It would be handsome.

Damn, he was handsome.

Li Nuo had been dealing with Magistrate Pei Zhe of Chang'an for the past few days. Magistrate Pei was considered somewhat handsome, but his demeanor was a bit sleazy. In terms of looks, he was inferior to this middle-aged man, and his aura was completely blown away.

If he had this kind of aura when he was in his thirties or approaching forty, wouldn't he drive countless married women wild?

Steward Wu, who usually bossed around the servants in the Li Manor, was now respectfully following behind the middle-aged man. The man's identity was not hard to guess.

It was obvious that this refined, handsome, and extraordinary middle-aged man was the Minister of Justice of the current dynasty, the master of the Li Manor, and the father of the body he now inhabited.

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

Steward Wu trotted over, smiling, and said, "Young Master, Master has returned..."

In his previous life, Li Nuo's parents had passed away when he was very young. He was raised by his grandmother. The word "father" was somewhat distant to him. Facing this stranger he was meeting for the first time, he couldn't bring himself to say those two words.

The middle-aged man walked slowly to Li Nuo's side and asked softly, "Are you feeling better?"

Li Nuo snapped back to attention, lowered his head, and said, "At the Longevity Peach banquet the day before yesterday, Old Madam bestowed a Longevity Peach from the Agricultural school... I've completely recovered."

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

Li Nuo nodded and said, "I can't remember anything at all."

The middle-aged man said, "It's alright. If you can't remember, then forget it. If you need anything, just tell Steward Wu..."

After only a few words with Li Nuo and a gentle pat on his shoulder, the middle-aged man turned to leave.

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

Since Li Nuo wasn't good at it either, this peaceful way of interacting between father and son actually made him feel more relaxed.

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

Song Mu'er hid behind Song Jiaren, seemingly a little scared, clutching Song Jiaren's clothes tightly with both hands, only her head peeking out.

Li Nuo walked over, ruffled Song Mu'er's hair, and asked, "Are you very afraid of him?"

When facing Song Yu and the others, she dared to puff out her chest and stand up to say she would protect Li Nuo. He didn't expect that the fearless Song Mu'er would also be afraid of someone.

Song Mu'er nodded and said, "They say Uncle Li's methods are very powerful, and many, many people have died by his hand."

Li Nuo asked, "Who said that?"

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

The Court of Judicial Review was responsible for criminal cases. In Great Xia, the power of local government offices was limited. Sentences above exile, including the death penalty, had to be reviewed and signed by the Minister of Justice. So, what she said wasn't entirely wrong.

Li Nuo smiled and said, "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 this, Song Mu'er finally relaxed and ran off to torment the poor tree nearby.

Song Jiaren looked at Li Nuo, her gaze a little strange, containing some indescribable meaning. Li Nuo noticed her gaze, touched his face, and asked uncertainly, "Is there something dirty on my face?"

Song Jiaren shook her head: "No."

Li Nuo muttered quietly, "If there's nothing, why are you looking at me..."

Song Jiaren's gaze shifted back to him.

As Li Nuo walked towards Mu'er, he said, "It's fine to look. It won't cost you a piece of flesh to look, what's the big deal..."

I'll update one chapter this afternoon, and then two more around 11 PM to midnight. I'm trying to boost my reading time for next week to see if I can get into the new book rankings. The extra chapter will still not count towards the alliance leader's bonus chapters.