The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 115

"Prince, why didn't you answer me?"

Zhu Youtang didn't look good towards his son, "I see that your figures are clearly counting the money looted from your two uncles, how much is left?"

"what?"

Zhu Houzhao was taken aback.

How could he be known by his father for being so secretive?

This is how to do?
rely!
Just say that there is no such thing, anyway, the father has no evidence of guilt, and the money is kept outside the palace.

"Father, do you have evidence?"

Before Zhu Houzhao denied it, of course he had to ask for proof first.

He remembered that he had sworn in front of his father earlier that he would be a decent boy in the future.

Zhu Youtang said: "Do you think I don't know about the silver hidden outside the palace? Hmph! It's just right, you figured it out yourself, more than 900 taels, right? It's confiscated!"

Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt that he was digging his own grave.

He dug a hole and jumped in.

If I knew it earlier, why did I show off so much and talk so much to my father just now?

That's good, before the money is confiscated, I will settle the accounts for my father.

Zhu Houzhao hurriedly complained: "Father, that is the money I earned with my ability! This is the first time I have earned money, so you can keep it for my son to fill the expenses of the East Palace."

Zhu Youtang said coldly: "Did I ever treat you badly? What did you want, but I didn't give it to you? Or did you lose your food and clothing? What do you want to make up for?"

Zhu Houzhao was speechless for a while.

As the prince, it seems that there is really no need to make up for it.

I didn't say that I was too poor to eat.

But his mind was flexible, and he immediately thought: "But if I want to buy people's hearts, for example, I need to use some money. Besides, this money is not bestowed by the father, why should the father confiscate it? Father The emperor is unreasonable, and the son is not convinced!"

"you……"

Zhu Youtang was about to die of anger.

this kid!
The tricks of cheating and abducting were calculated very quickly, and he could directly extort more than 6000 taels of silver from his two uncles, but the problem is that the more than 6000 taels were squeezed out of my teeth?

Your two uncles cheated me first, then you cheated your two uncles, and others cheated you...

I'm going to confiscate it from you when it's over, and you're still not convinced, right?

"Okay, don't say I didn't give you a chance. Didn't you say you learned arithmetic? Then I will give you a debut question. If you can calculate faster than Chen Kuan, I will let you keep the money."

"Father, this is unreasonable. No matter how fast my son does the calculations, can he be faster than the one who often does the calculations?"

Of course Zhu Houzhao dare not compare.

He didn't know whether he was fast or slow.

Chen Kuan, who was next to the emperor, had always had good accounts, but whenever there were memorials related to auditing and other matters, Chen Kuan would do the last audit with the abacus beads.

Your son, I am a fledgling child who has just learned arithmetic, let me compete with an old accountant... You, a father, still think this is fair?

"If you don't want to compare, then there's nothing to say! I just asked someone to give away the batch of silver... 500 taels, and in just over a month, it took just over 3000 taels...You really... "

In the tone of the emperor, if you spend more slowly, or if the people around you cheat you more lightly, maybe I will keep this batch of money for you.

It turned out that you were fine.

An ordinary official, who has been an official for 30 years after passing the Jinshi examination, may not earn 500 taels of silver in his lifetime, and you are almost halfway through in just over a month!
You actually have the nerve to say that this batch of money will be kept for you?

You don't feel bad, I still feel bad!

Although this money was greedy by Li Guang and Bing Kuan got it back for me, but before giving it to your two uncles, how could it not be your father's private money?
It is not bad to give you a chance now, what more do you want?

"Comparison, I still don't believe it. Is Chen Kuan quick to settle accounts? I have the arithmetic method given by Zhang Zhou, and I will definitely win." Zhu Houzhao is now willing to fight.

Some things cannot be hidden.

Extending the head is a knife, and retracting the head is also a knife.

Anyway, it's a big deal to lose, and a child doesn't want dignity?
……

……

Chen Kuan was originally helping to sort out the memorials of the Ministry of Accounts related to Jingcang and Beijing Reserve, and was doing an audit outside the Ministry of Accounts. He was notified shortly and went to the Wenhua Hall with an abacus to face the saint.

Chen Kuan didn't know what to do.

When they got to the Wenhua Hall, they saw Zhu Houzhao sitting there with a feather in his hand, staring at him with menacing, almost murderous eyes.

Chen Kuan's heart skipped a beat.

I haven't offended the prince recently, why would the prince look at me like this?

"That's right, I'm asking an arithmetic problem, Prince, didn't you use the number of barn and millet as an analogy? That's it, but the number is bigger. If you can calculate faster than Chen Kuan, the batch of money will be reserved for you." with..."

When the emperor finished speaking.

Chen Kuan knew that he was representing the emperor to compete with the prince.

The comparison is settling accounts, which is his specialty.

He didn't figure out the way, such an unequal competition, the prince didn't even have an abacus in front of him, he didn't even have a writing brush, he just sat there with something like a goose feather, and then asked me to use the abacus to compare with him...

If I win... there is no honor, the prince must hate me to the bone.

If you lose...

Impossible to lose.

Why did the emperor order such a strange contest?
Zhu Youtang said: "Prince, if you lose, don't try to mess around."

Zhu Houzhao snorted softly and said, "Who does the emperor look down on? But the emperor, let's say what I said earlier, if the son accidentally wins, besides the three thousand and nine hundred taels of silver, you have to give him something else." Bar?"

"you……"

Zhu Youtang was so angry that his hands were shaking.

How dare this kid bargain with me?Was it broken by who?Bing Kuan?

"Okay, if you win, I won't care about you until the end of the year. You can learn whatever you want, don't you want to go out of the palace? I'll let you go out! Just let someone follow you by then! "

"It's a deal, let's make a question!"

Zhu Houzhao is full of confidence.

This is not only a battle to defend one's own small treasury, but also a competition involving whether to study hard or be happy in the next 20 days, so there is no room for slack.

Zhu Youtang said: "120 six barns, one barn has 230 three stones of millet, how much is it in total!"

Chen Kuan had already prepared his posture.

After hearing this, when I think about it, this is a fucking competition.

What's the matter with the prince?

Actually wrote it on paper?Then don't I have to hurry?
Multiplication with abacus is actually a variant of summation. It is equivalent to multiplication at the back and addition on the other side of the abacus. It is essentially the same as the multiplication rule. Using formulas, etc., first calculate the numbers in batches, and then superimpose ... The head and tail of the abacus are counted separately.

The multiplication of three-digit numbers would not take much effort if it were replaced by ordinary daily calculations.

But the problem is that Chen Kuan is used to auditing numbers on paper. No one asked him to calculate quickly, but now it is the emperor who gives the question verbally. For two or three-digit numbers, under such a hasty and tense situation, he can’t It may not be possible to memorize it all at once, but to calculate it immediately, it seems to be at a loss.

But seeing Zhu Houzhao's side seems to be flying like a pen.

Because the emperor said two multiplied numbers, he directly used a few Arabic numerals to record, and then immediately started the calculation without stopping.

More importantly, he used a hollow quill pen, which is very useful when writing small characters and Arabic numerals. This kind of thing, which is almost like a dip pen, was also a "gift" from Zhang Zhou. ...

He is almost using his whole life to complete an arithmetic test.

"I figured it out, twenty-nine thousand three hundred and fifty-eight!"

After Zhu Houzhao finished the calculation, he immediately raised his hand and told his father the correct answer.

Looking sideways at Chen Kuan again, he saw that Chen Kuan was still pulling the abacus beads.

"Ok?"

Zhu Youtang didn't have any expectations for his son's arithmetic level.

Obviously, how could the son settle accounts faster than the old accountant Chen Kuan?

He frowned even more when he saw his son call out the numbers not long after the competition started.

Where's Humon?
How could it be right in such a short period of time?

Even if I don't know how to use abacus, I can still calculate it logically. You must have miscalculated.

"Okay!" Zhu Youtang didn't deny the result, "Just wait!"

It means, since you only want to be quick but not accurate, then it is you who are blinded by a treasure, and maybe you are lucky enough to be fooled by you?

There are about tens of thousands of numbers, you take one, and the rest are all mine, and there is almost no possibility of losing.

But after a while, Chen Kuan finished pulling the abacus beads in his hand and raised his head to look at him.

Even Zhu Youtang felt that there was something wrong with Chen Kuan's expression.

"What's going on? How much?" Zhu Youtang asked.

Chen Kuan faltered and said: "It seems...it should be...the prince is not wrong."

"what?"

Zhu Youzhang was still sitting there as a referee, but when he heard the words, he immediately stood up.

Zhu Houzhao sat there and continued to yawn, seemingly casually saying: "Chen Kuan, you are too slow to calculate, I have already calculated it once, and found that the number is correct, you actually only finished the first calculation? Father If I entrust the accounting to you, it is better to entrust it to Bengong, you are not doing well in this job."

After hearing this, Zhu Youtang almost vomited blood this time.

Not only did this kid win, but he was still talking sarcasticly after winning? !That sharp-tongued look really deserves a beating.

But why did I hit him this time?
Zhu Houzhao said: "Father, you came up with the question, and the competition was carried out at the same time. You personally witnessed that the minister did not rely on others, but relied on his own calculations to win the beauty, right?"

Zhu Youtang's face was dark, and he said coldly: "Are you sure there is no problem?"

Xiao Jing, who was also helping to count together, came over and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, it is indeed... this number."

"he……"

Zhu Youtang originally wanted to say, are you incompetent?
Will it be slower than this kid?

But I thought about it again, when the boy said the number, I didn't believe that he could calculate it so quickly. Besides, Chen Kuan's calculation was not slow, so the boy actually calculated it once and then did it again?
It means that the boy's calculation speed is twice that of Chen Kuan?
Zhu Youtang said with a stern face: "Prince, did Zhang Qing's family predict the topic that I will ask in advance, gave you the number, and then asked you to say it today?"

"what?"

The emperor's brain circuit not only stunned Zhu Houzhao.

Even the eunuchs next to him were beyond surprised.

Your majesty is still wise.

Can you think of any reason for denying and not admitting defeat?

Is Zhang Bingkuan really a fairy?Even if it is a god, I'm afraid it can only be calculated to the will of heaven, not the heart of the people, right?

"Father, son... I don't quite understand, what are you talking about?"

Zhu Houzhao also looked confused.

"bring here!"

Zhu Youtang was still unwilling to admit his failure, and asked the prince to bring the calculation process to him.

Zhu Youtang saw only a calculation formula on the paper, on the left and right sides. Although he couldn't understand it, it still looked good.

"Prince, don't think that I can talk nonsense because I don't know much about it. Tell Chen Kuan and the others the principle. If it is indeed calculated by you, I will definitely make no jokes!" Zhu Youtang said.

Zhu Houzhao was a little impatient.

Just now I told my father the meaning of those Arabic numerals, this time not only I have to explain it again, but also how to calculate it.

He is perfunctory.

"This is two, this is six... If you don't understand, I will write it down, and you can compare it yourself!"

"The algorithm is the number on the top and the number on the bottom. You know the multiplication formula, right? Every ten counts to one... Do you understand it?"

Chen Kuan said: "Prince, please continue."

Zhu Houzhao said: "After the calculation, add up these numbers, add up and down, you see, is this palace talking nonsense? Is it necessary for Zhang Zhou to calculate for this palace in advance? I really don't know if the emperor is there What are you thinking?"

Speaking of the latter, Zhu Houzhao was complaining.

Zhu Youtang's face was turning green with anger, but he was still patient and pretended to be a city man, because he was afraid that his son would feel that he couldn't afford to lose.

After his son finished speaking, he saw Chen Kuan and the others were making up their minds, and finally calculated with an abacus...

"How?" Zhu Youtang was also curious.

Chen Kuan bowed his head and said: "Your Majesty, the prince is right. It is indeed the prince...calculated on the spot. The handwriting cannot be faked. The numbers...although they are not in the correct form, but...can be matched one by one."

When Zhu Youtang heard this, he wanted to find a hole in the ground.

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "Father, you are not joking, are you?"

"Cough cough..."

Zhu Youtang coughed twice.

This time it wasn't a real cough, but a fake cough to cover up the embarrassment in my heart.

Xiao Jing who was on the side smiled and said: "Your Majesty, this is a good thing. Mr. Zhang is not only superior in secrets and knowledge, he is also so exquisite in teaching the prince's arithmetic. Mr. Zhang is a low-key person. If His Majesty hadn't found out today, he would have He didn't even report the matter to gain fame, with such good talents, the country will be prosperous and the people will be safe in the future."

Seeing that the emperor was not happy, of course Xiao Jing wanted to coax the emperor.

Zhu Youtang was very depressed when he lost.

But think again.

It's not that he competed with his son on the field. His son won the old accountant Chen Kuan in arithmetic, and he won under his nose.

The numbers were made up by him on the spot, and the numbers were calculated by his son on the spot. It is fair and just without any falsehood.

Good thing!

Depressed what?
"Hehe." Zhu Youtang smiled, "Bingkuan is also true. During those ten days by the prince's side, he not only taught the four scriptures, but also taught arithmetic. He is a caring person. Prince, you must learn from him in the future."

Zhu Houzhao flattened his mouth: "I haven't seen him for a long time!"

Zhu Youtang said helplessly: "Prince, don't worry. Occasionally, when he enters the palace, he will come over to have a look. You have time to ask him for advice."

After speaking, Zhu Youtang got up to leave.

"Father, don't rush to leave, you promised my son..."

Zhu Youtang was thinking, leave quickly, maybe his son just forgot?
If you forget about yourself, you can renege on it.

but now……

"Will I lie to you as a child? You can keep the money, but don't publicize it to the outside world, especially don't let your mother know about it. In addition... save some money, I always talk about frugality. Besides, when you go out of the palace Avoid going to crowded places, you were only allowed to leave the palace twice a year ago, and each time you reported to the police three days in advance!"

"Oh! It was Bingkuan who missed me!"

While complaining that Zhang Zhou made him lose, he was laughing there.

It probably means that even if I lose this time, I will be happy to lose.

(End of this chapter)