Master Song's astonishment!

"Two thousand eight hundred?"

When Li Zhiwei heard Jiang Xiaobai give another answer, a fresh surge of barely contained astonishment crossed her face.

Indeed, Jiang Xiaobai had clearly answered even faster this time.

To her, it felt as though he had simply tossed the number out.

Could it really be right?

Standing before the desk, Master Song's gaze had also visibly frozen.

After a moment, he slowly raised his hand and moved aside the sheet covering the answer, little by little.

As the sheet slid away, the actual result beneath it was fully revealed.

Two thousand eight hundred!

It really was two thousand eight hundred?

Right again!

And without the slightest discrepancy!

This time, Li Zhiwei even felt her scalp tingle.

Once could still be called a coincidence.

But twice in succession, with such outrageous accuracy... could that still be a coincidence?

Li Zhiwei could not help raising her head to look at Jiang Xiaobai again, an indescribable sense of unfamiliarity entering her gaze.

This fellow...

How on earth had he done it?

Zhang Xinnian also gave Jiang Xiaobai an astonished look. He had never expected his young lord to possess such an ability!

At that moment, however, the most shaken of them all was naturally Master Song himself.

After all, in the art of calculation, there was no such thing as a lucky fluke.

Especially with accounts requiring layer upon layer of calculations, guessing the answer out of thin air was simply impossible.

If the first time could still be chalked up to luck, the second was enough to settle the matter.

The young man before him had genuinely completed the calculations in an extremely short time, simply by looking!

Such an ability... he had never even heard of it!

For a moment, even Master Song's ordinarily composed face showed unmistakable shock.

After a long while, Master Song stared straight at Jiang Xiaobai and asked, "How did you see the answer?"

"It's actually not difficult."

Jiang Xiaobai smiled faintly at the question. "If you'd like to learn, I can teach you some of the basics first."

"If nothing else, they'll at least help you improve your efficiency in a short time."

Oh?

At those words, Master Song's already unsettled gaze flickered once more.

Beside him, Li Zhiwei was also visibly stunned by Jiang Xiaobai's words.

Indeed.

The man standing before her was no ordinary person.

He was one of the Imperial College's finest mathematicians!

He even served as an official in the Ministry of Revenue, overseeing the national treasury!

Yet now, Jiang Xiaobai had actually opened his mouth and offered to teach Master Song the basics?

Had anyone else said that, it would have sounded like boundless arrogance.

But those two answers were right there before them.

That made it impossible to dismiss Jiang Xiaobai's words as a joke.

While both of them were still reeling, Jiang Xiaobai had already stepped forward and casually picked up the brush from Master Song's desk.

"These numbers, for instance, can actually be replaced with a much simpler notation."

With that, Jiang Xiaobai lowered the brush to the paper and began writing.

Soon, a row of Arabic numerals from one to ten appeared on the sheet.

These symbols were clearly entirely different from the characters customarily used in this world.

Yet precisely because they were different, they appeared all the more concise and intuitive.

Until then, Master Song had merely been astonished.

But when he actually saw the numbers Jiang Xiaobai had written, his eyes widened a little.

For he had recognized it almost at a glance.

These things...

Were so much more concise than writing numbers out in characters!

"The formal character for one is '1.'"

"The formal character for two is '2.'"

"The formal character for three is '3.'"

Jiang Xiaobai explained casually as he wrote, then jotted down some of the most basic addition and subtraction relationships.

"For example, one plus one equals two."

"Two minus one equals one. It may look like nothing more than a change in notation, but when you actually calculate with it, it's much simpler."

"If you're calculating with two-digit numbers, you do it like this..."

As Jiang Xiaobai explained, Master Song stood there, his expression gradually shifting from his initial astonishment to concentration.

Indeed.

He was already an expert in this field.

And precisely for that reason, Jiang Xiaobai did not need to explain many of these things in great depth.

A brief hint from Jiang Xiaobai was enough for him to grasp their ingenuity instantly.

Above all, the intuitive clarity of turning complexity into simplicity sent a powerful tremor through his heart.

A short while later, Jiang Xiaobai finished his explanation, put down the brush, and said, "These are all simple calculations. I'm sure they're not difficult for you to understand, Master!"

"Indeed, they aren't!"

Master Song nodded, his voice trembling slightly. Finally, he looked at Jiang Xiaobai and said, "These..."

"Did you develop all of them yourself?"

At that question,

Li Zhiwei's clear eyes immediately settled on Jiang Xiaobai as well.

Clearly, she wanted to know the answer too.

Standing there, Jiang Xiaobai paused briefly.

To be honest,

claiming he had developed them himself would have been rather shameless.

The problem was that these things genuinely did not exist in this world.

And sometimes, taking credit for something when the opportunity arose could produce better results.

With that thought, Jiang Xiaobai finally nodded awkwardly. "I worked them out casually in my spare time."

As those words fell,

Master Song visibly shuddered.

In his spare time?

And casually, at that?

He had immersed himself in the art of calculation for so many years, yet he had never encountered anything so revolutionary!

But this young man before him actually claimed to have developed it in his spare time?

At that moment, even Master Song could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

When he looked at Jiang Xiaobai again, his gaze held more than astonishment.

He wore an expression almost as though he were looking at a monster. "A genius! An absolute genius!"

At that moment, a trace of excitement could even be heard in Master Song's voice.

"You're simply a genius in the art of calculation!"

By this point, Master Song had even forgotten his usual composure. He stared at Jiang Xiaobai with burning eyes and continued, "Right, I still don't know your name. I wonder... would you be interested in joining our Ministry of Revenue?"

"I can personally recommend you to the minister!"

"With your abilities, if you joined the Ministry of Revenue, you would surely have a great future!"

At those words,

even Li Zhiwei was briefly taken aback.

Although she had already realized that Jiang Xiaobai's display of calculation would certainly shake Master Song,

she had still not expected him to immediately consider recruiting Jiang Xiaobai.

And he was even offering a direct recommendation to the Ministry of Revenue!

That carried considerable weight.

"Oh, I'm from the Northern Guardian Marquis's Estate. Jiang Jingcheng is my father!"

As he spoke, Jiang Xiaobai looked at the startled Master Song and added, "Besides, there's no need for you to recommend me. My ambitions... lie elsewhere!"

What a joke.

Have him join the Ministry of Revenue?

Bury himself in ledgers and money every day?

Quite apart from never having intended to do so, even if he had some interest, he could not possibly go now.

After all, the matters currently on his hands were far more complicated than anything in the Ministry of Revenue.

Once Master Song recovered, he looked Jiang Xiaobai over in surprise.

So Jiang Xiaobai was that fellow infamous for being a wastrel?

He found it inconceivable.

How could someone so proficient in calculation be a wastrel?

And it was little wonder he had refused so decisively. With the Marquis's Residence behind him, he already enjoyed wealth and status.

Still, Master Song felt somewhat unwilling to let it go.

It would be such a pity to miss out on a prodigy in calculation like this.

Yet Jiang Xiaobai's refusal had been so firm that, for the moment, Master Song could only sigh inwardly.

Finally, he shook his head, and his gaze could not help returning to the Arabic numerals on the desk.

His expression remained full of admiration.

Indeed.

These things seemed simple.

But only those who truly understood their significance would know just how formidable they were.

This was no longer merely a question of convenience, but a revolution in the entire system of calculation!

If they could truly be adopted widely, efficiency would improve enormously, whether in checking accounts or managing the national treasury!

At the thought, Master Song felt increasingly shaken.

Just as he was about to look at Jiang Xiaobai and say something more, a soft knock suddenly came from outside.

Knock, knock...

Immediately afterward, a cool yet pleasant voice drifted slowly in from beyond the door.

"Master, it's time for your lesson."

Hearing that voice, Master Song first came back to himself.

Jiang Xiaobai's eyebrows rose.

For that voice... was very familiar to him.

Lin Qinrou?