Xu Qin's trap is called wheat grains on the chessboard. It's actually a math question, which is extremely deceptive. It looked inconspicuous at first, but it really fell apart in the end.
The wheat grains on the chessboard are made of international chess pieces, and the same goes for Chinese chess pieces. Excluding the Chu, He and Han realms, there are exactly sixty-four grids.
The rule is, put one wheat grain in the first grid, two in the second grid, four in the third…
By analogy, each grid is twice the size of the previous grid until all sixty-four grids are filled, and then the sum is calculated.
It may not seem like much, but later generations will count it. It would take more than 400 billion tons of wheat grains to fill the chessboard.
In later generations, China's wheat production was approximately 1.3 billion tons per year. Xu Qin didn't know the output of the Ming Dynasty at this time.
But without the blessing of chemical fertilizers, breeding, and mechanization, the production of 200 million tons would be thanks to God's good weather.
Four hundred billion versus two hundred million, it would take more than two thousand years. The Ming Dynasty seemed to be just over two hundred years old.
Xu Miaojin didn't believe it when she heard about using a chessboard. He reached out and grabbed Xu Qin's ears and twisted them hard.
"Boy, is it fun to play with your aunt? How many steamed buns can this hold?" Xu Miaojin asked with force.
In future generations, my aunt's temper will be likened to that of a domineering female CEO with unparalleled beauty. But it’s not good to treat yourself like a child and twist your ears.
"Aunt, please stop screwing me. I am the only one in the Xu family. If you screw me, you won't be able to get a wife, and your relationship will be cut off." Xu Qin begged for mercy while enjoying his aunt's light abuse.
"You're full of nonsense, let's see if you still dare." Xu Miaojin let go of Xu Qin's ears angrily.
"Auntie, if I don't believe you can do it yourself, if you only have a few steamed buns, I will enter the palace for you." Xu Qin promised, patting his chest.
"You? Are you willing to cut yourself?" Xu Miaojin looked at Xu Qin with a smile and said. After saying that, my face turned a little red.
Xu Qin is embarrassed, this aunt is a bit unruly.
Xu Miaojin tentatively believed him, but she became confused halfway through the calculation, and her pretty little face was full of shock and confusion. Finally, I feel a little bit cute like a woman.
Xu Qin also understood from his aunt's face the level of mathematics in the Ming Dynasty, and that his aunt's arithmetic skills were not even as good as those of primary school students.
But one thing Xu Miaojin understood was that this small chessboard could hold a vast ocean. Perhaps thinking of making Zhu Di feel defeated, Xu Miaojin smiled proudly.
She touched Xu Qin's head tenderly and immediately changed her clothes and entered the palace.
As the queen's sister, she has the palace card and can enter the palace at any time. Besides, everyone in the palace knows what His Majesty the Emperor is thinking.
Hearing that Xu Miaojin took the initiative to ask for a meeting, Zhu Dile's beard almost straightened. He immediately stopped what he was doing and changed his clothes to receive his sister-in-law.
He really likes this sister-in-law.
She is very much like her queen, but now the queen has passed away and the harem has no owner, and she doesn't even have anyone to talk to.
The master of the harem must be her.
Regardless of her knowledge, courage, or magnanimity, she is exactly the same as her sister, and even better in some aspects.
Compared with their sisters, the vulgar fans in the harem only know how to compete for favors and flattery, which is no fun.
"Greetings to Your Majesty..." Xu Miaojin's gentle voice interrupted Zhu Di's thoughts.
"Miaojin, you are different from others, you don't have to be so polite. What do you want to do when you enter the palace today?" Zhu Di's attitude was gentle, but he did not lose the courage and majesty of the emperor.
After five years of conquering the world, he has gradually settled into the throne, and naturally has the bearing of an emperor.
"I heard that Your Majesty is busy with state affairs, so I came here to play chess with His Majesty to relieve his boredom. Brother-in-law, do you have time?" Xu Miaojin smiled softly, which made Zhu Di happy. This situation is rare.
In the past, his eldest grandson, Zhu Zhanji, was responsible for alleviating boredom. However, an eight-year-old child is not as happy as a sister-in-law, and he can have half a day of leisure today.
Zhu Di immediately asked someone to get the chessboard.
"Hold on, brother-in-law, we are not playing Go today. My brother-in-law is a victorious general who has been on the battlefield for a long time, and he is also an invincible emperor. Only playing chess is enjoyable."
Xu Miaojin said softly, and skillfully patted her brother-in-law's fart.
Sure enough, the photoshoot made Zhu Di feel relaxed physically and mentally. She couldn't help but sigh, my sister-in-law understands me. A word of brother-in-law is more caring than a thousand words of majesty.
"Come here, let's change chess." Zhu Di commanded boldly.
The two men set up their chariots, horses and artillery and began to fight. Xu Miaojin's clever move fell out of the way and refused to give in. Zhu Di had both offense and defense, which was a perfect match. The two men went back and forth to kill each other.
"Miaojin, you can still play chess with me. Without Miaoyun, the harem is too chaotic. There is not even a leader." Zhu Di jumped a horse and started to attack.
The meaning of this sentence is very clear. When will you come to my bowl?
Xu Miaojin smiled brightly. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Zhu Di looked at his sister-in-law who looked a bit like a queen and smiled, feeling a little lost.
"Brother-in-law, please step aside. I have something to say." Xu Miaojin took this opportunity to say.
When Zhu Di heard this, he was excited. With a look, all the eunuchs and maids on the left and right filed out, leaving only two people in the room.
"How can I not know my brother-in-law's wishes? The Xu family is lucky to have two women favored by the emperor. However, my brother-in-law cannot let me enter the palace just based on an imperial edict. Then I, Xu Miaojin, am too worthless."
Xu Miaojin actually mentioned it on his own initiative. Zhu Di was very excited and a little wary at the same time.
"Miaojin, do you want to be like that ordinary woman and ask for some betrothal gifts?" Zhu Di asked suspiciously.
"Miaojin, I am just an ordinary woman who is favored by His Majesty. Since I am favored by Your Majesty, I dare to ask for some dowry. Are you willing to give it to me?" Xu Miaojin said with a hint of coquettishness.
Zhu Di was very pleased with this act of coquettishness, but he was also murmuring in his heart. The decision is to be cautious.
"Miaojin, although I am an emperor, there are some things I can't do. I can't even play tricks on the princes and make beautiful people smile. It's too much and I can't afford it."
Zhu Di said it all, this sister-in-law is far more ambitious than a man, so don't agree easily.
"How can my brother-in-law think of me as a concubine who brings disaster to the country and the people? How can I be that kind of woman? What I want is very simple, just wheat grains or rice."
Xu Miaojin gently threw out her trap, waiting for the arrogant emperor to get in.
Zhu Di laughed loudly, thinking that this was just a woman trying to save face. Rice and wheat grains are fundamental to people's livelihood, but they are also unique.
"What do I want? It's just rice and grain. I am not a rich emperor, but I can still afford this. One hundred thousand shi, or one million shi?" Zhu Di said grandly, at worst, I will give you everything in the granary.
After you enter the palace, what’s yours won’t be mine? Zhu Di thought proudly.
You are such a child asking for something from the emperor, you have been deceived by my sister-in-law. He felt even more proud when he thought of this.
"Brother-in-law, I don't regret what I said. I won't get married unless these grains of wheat and rice enter my house." Xu Miaojin locked the trap.
"Okay, my Hao Miao Jin is settled, tell me how much it will cost?" Zhu Di agreed.
"Not much, just this chessboard." Xu Miaojin tapped the chessboard with her slender and handsome fingers and said with a smile.
"Oh? What does this mean? How many bowls of rice can a chessboard of wheat grains bring?" Zhu Di didn't understand.
Xu Miaojin immediately stated the request, sixty-four grids, one grain in the first grid, and each subsequent grid would double the previous grid. Until sixty-four grids are filled.
When the wheat grains on the chessboard arrived at the Xu family, she got married.
Zhu Dixin said that this can hold several bushels of wheat. My sister-in-law is really naughty. She wants to marry her and she wants to do all these tricks.
The two made an agreement, and Xu Miaojin left the palace with brisk steps, almost unable to restrain herself from jumping with joy.
Zhu Di also picked up the tea bowl happily. The thought of my sister-in-law entering the palace soon made me even more itchy.
It happened that Xia Yuanji, the new Minister of Household Affairs, asked to see him. After the two of them chatted about business, Zhu Di played a game of chess with Xia Yuanji while he was in a good mood.
"Weizhe, you are the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and you can help me prepare a chessboard of wheat grains." Zhu Di pointed at the chessboard jokingly.
Xia Yuanji, courtesy name Wei Zhe. After looking at the chessboard and feeling confused, Zhu Di relayed the request to Xia Yuanji.
Xia Yuanji looked at the chessboard and frowned for a while. He was the Minister of the Ministry of Finance and was very sensitive to numbers. But I didn’t take it seriously.
After all, it was just one pill from the beginning. Did Your Majesty ask me to count the grains of wheat? What have I not done well recently?
"Yes..." Xia Yuanji agreed cautiously.
"Well, take this chessboard and bring it back to me when it's full." Zhu Di said casually.
Xia Yuanji left the palace with the chessboard under his arm. When he returned to the Ministry of Household Affairs, he handed it over to a clerk without taking it seriously.
I thought it was a casual joke made by the emperor, but I didn't think it had any deep meaning.
When Xu Miaojin entered the palace, Xu Qin stopped watching the singing and dancing and wanted to play poker with the beautiful woman. The loser took off his clothes and relied on his ability to win millions of Happy Beans.
Just thinking about it makes me think what a wonderful day it is. Just finished poker, the beauties just learned it.
As a result, the housekeeper Xu Fu slowly moved over and said that someone asked to see him.
"No, you didn't look at me. I'm busy, sir. If you have anything to do, I'll see you." Xu Qin looked at the cards in his hand and didn't even think about moving.
"My young father-in-law, I have been ill for two months and really can't cope with it. Moreover, this person is here to ask for debts." Butler Xu Fu said with a troubled expression on his old face.
"Just say I'm sick too. Let them wait and wait." Xu Qin said irresponsibly. The uncle will be the one who owes the debt in future generations, so it still depends on the mood of the uncle.
This gave him a good card, and Chisu would definitely lose all his clothes, revealing his devilishly proportioned figure with slender branches and fruit hanging on them.
"Young Master, you can't do this! The people who came to ask for the debt are Duke Qi and the housekeepers of the Marquis of Wuyang, Marquis of Baoding and Marquis of Wu'an. We can't handle it." The butler Xu Fu said with a sad face.
Xu Qinxin said that this was outrageous. Who would dare to go to the Duke of Wei's palace to cause trouble except the emperor.
But it’s wrong to think about it. These four families are all responsible for Jingnan. Especially Qi Guogong Qiu Fu, who was the first contributor to Jingnan and the emperor's favorite.
The current situation of the Wei Guogong Mansion is indeed a bit untouchable.
"It's really annoying, so that's it. I won't waste my expenses after paying it off, right?" Xu Qin asked, staring at Xu Fu.
He came here to eat, drink and have fun with beautiful women, not as a pillar of support. I have been suffering for half my life, and in this life I have been chasing three wives and four concubines, not four hundred concubines.
It's okay to repay debts, but you can't delay your enjoyment of your life. You must know that raising beautiful women and being a playboy is very expensive.
"The old slave has done the math. The four families owe a total of more than 400,000 taels. After repayment, it will be enough for the young man." Xu Fu, the old housekeeper, said.
"So much money, four hundred thousand taels?" Xu Qin was surprised. I thought that this would be converted into money for future generations. Isn’t it appropriate for me to become a billionaire?
Then I felt that I was too small-farmer-minded. Who is I? I am now a small prince and only have 400,000 taels.
Don't you still have half of your wealth? It's enough to spend.
The Duke of Wei's family has a great business, and there is still income every year. In an infinite cycle, he can spend as much time as he wants.
"Okay, let's return it to them." Xu Qin waved his hand to continue playing cards.
"Young Master, we don't have that much cash. The silks, jewelry, gold and silver utensils in the warehouse, as well as the items given by the royal family have to be discounted. We have to mortgage two houses to get the money. And the family There are other expenses..."
Xu Fu's voice became softer and softer because the young master's face became increasingly ugly.
"This damn thing is forcing me to sell my property. What will be left after all this is sold? Don't the people below want to be paid? Don't the beauties want to buy clothes? Also, how can I survive in the future if you do this?"
Xu Qin was a little angry, but also understood. In this era, wealth and money are two different concepts. Just like listed companies, market value and what is actually received are two different things.
The Duke of Wei must have a great family and a great business, but the expenses are also greater.
To pay off the debt, you need to sell off your property and eliminate all necessary expenses in the future. He also spent a lot of time drinking and drinking.
How can I sell my land today to pay my debts, but tomorrow I have to sell my maidservants?
