"Prince, why don't you answer me?"
Zhu Youtang had a bad look on his son, "Looking at these numbers, you are clearly counting the money collected from your two uncles. How much is left, right?"
"ah?"
Zhu Houzhao was shocked.
How could his father know that he was doing things so secretly?
This is how to do?
rely!
Just say that there is no such thing. Anyway, my father has no evidence of guilt and the money is kept outside the palace.
"Father, do you have any evidence?"
Zhu Houzhao, of course, had to verify it before denying it.
He remembered that he had promised his father that he would be a good boy in the future.
Zhu Youtang said: "You think I don't know about the money hidden outside the palace? Humph! It just so happens that you have already calculated it yourself. It's more than three thousand nine hundred taels, right? It's confiscated!"
Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt that he was digging his own grave.
I dug a hole and jumped into it myself.
If I had known earlier, why were you so show off just now and talking so much to dad?
That's good. Before the money is confiscated, dad can settle the accounts.
Zhu Houzhao quickly complained: "Father, that's the money I earned with my own ability! It's my first time making money. You can keep it for me to cover the expenses of the East Palace."
Zhu Youtang said coldly: "Have I ever treated you badly? What did you want, but I didn't give it to you? Or did I miss your food and clothing? What do you want to make up for?"
Zhu Houzhao was speechless for a moment.
As a prince, it seems that there is really no need to supplement the expenses.
It’s not like he’s too poor to eat.
But his mind was quick, and he immediately thought: "But if you want to win people's hearts, for example, to give people something, you always need some money. Besides, this money was not given by the father, so why should the father confiscate it? The emperor is unreasonable and my sons and ministers will not obey!"
"you……"
Zhu Youtang was almost furious.
This kid!
He is very fast at cheating and abducting, and he was able to extort more than 6,000 taels of silver from his two uncles. But the problem is, didn't these more than 6,000 taels of silver come out from my teeth?
Your two uncles cheated me first, then you cheated your two uncles, and then others cheated you...
I'm going to confiscate it from you after it's over, and you won't accept it, 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 quick my son is in calculating, can he be faster than someone who always settles accounts?"
Of course Zhu Houzhao didn't dare to compare.
He didn't know whether he was fast or slow.
Chen Kuan, who was beside the emperor, always kept good accounts. Whenever there were memorials involving auditing and other matters, Chen Kuan would do the final audit by pulling the abacus beads.
Your son, I am a fledgling child who has just learned arithmetic. Let me compete with an old accountant... How come you, a father, think this is fair?
"If you don't want to compete, then there is nothing to say! I asked someone to give me that batch of silver... 6,500 taels. In more than a month, I spent it until there was only more than 3,000 taels left... You are really …”
From the emperor's point of view, if you spend it more slowly, or if the people around you cheat you more easily, maybe I will keep this batch of money for you.
The result is good for you.
An ordinary official who serves as an official for 30 years after passing the Jinshi examination may not earn 6,500 taels of silver in his lifetime. You have only done half of it in just over a month!
You actually have the nerve to say that I will keep this batch of money for you?
If you don’t feel distressed, I still feel distressed!
Although this money was stolen by Li Guang and recovered by Bingkuan for me, before it was given to your two uncles, how could this not be your father's and my own private money?
It’s good to give you a chance now, what else do you want to demand?
"After all the competition, I still don't believe it. So, can Chen Kuan settle accounts quickly? I have the arithmetic method given by Zhang Zhou, so I can definitely win." Zhu Houzhao is now willing to take the risk.
Some things cannot be hidden.
Extending one's head is a sword, and shrinking one's head is also a sword.
Anyway, the worst is to lose, so a childish person doesn’t want dignity?
…
…
Chen Kuan was originally helping to sort out the Ministry of Revenue's memorials on the Beijing Cangcang and the Treasury, and was doing an audit outside the Ministry of Revenue, when he was notified at short notice and took an abacus to the Wenhua Hall to see the saint.
Chen Kuan didn't know what to do.
When they arrived at the Wenhua Hall, they saw Zhu Houzhao sitting there with a feather in his hand, staring at him with a menacing and almost murderous look.
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 it. I'm asking you an arithmetic question. Prince, didn't you use the analogy between the number of barns and millet? That's it, but the number is larger. If you can calculate faster than Chen Kuan, that batch of silver 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 competition was about settling accounts, which was his specialty.
He didn't know the ropes either. In such an unequal competition, the prince didn't even have an abacus or a brush in front of him. He just sat there with something like a goose feather, and then asked me to compare with him with an abacus...
If I win... there will be no glory. The prince will definitely hate me to the core.
If you lose...
It's impossible to lose.
Why did the emperor set such a strange competition?
Zhu Youtang said: "Prince, if you lose, don't even think about messing around."
Zhu Houzhao hummed and said: "Who do you despise, father? But father, let me say it before. If I accidentally win, in addition to the three thousand nine hundred taels of silver, you must give me something else." Sir?"
"you……"
Zhu Youtang was so angry that his hands were shaking.
This guy actually dares to bargain with me? Who led him astray? Bing Kuan?
"Okay, if you win, I won't care about you until the end of the year. You like to study or not, it doesn't matter to you. If you want to go to the palace, right? I will let you go out! Then just let someone follow you!" "
"It's a deal, let's come up with the question!"
Zhu Houzhao is full of confidence.
This is not only a battle to defend my own small treasury, but also a competition that involves whether to spend the next 20 days studying or being free and happy, and there is no room for slacking off.
Zhu Youtang said: "One hundred and twenty-six barns, one barn contains two hundred and thirty-three stones of millet, how much is the total!"
Chen Kuan had already set his posture.
After hearing this, I remembered that this was actually a competition.
What happened to the prince?
Actually started writing it on paper? Then don’t I have to hurry?
Multiplication with the abacus is actually a variant of summation. It means multiplication at the back and addition on the other side of the abacus. Essentially, it is similar to the multiplication rules. Use formulas, etc. to calculate the numbers in batches first, and then superimpose them. ...The head and tail of the abacus are counted separately.
The multiplication of three-digit numbers does not take much time if we switch to ordinary daily calculations.
But the problem is that Chen Kuan is usually used to auditing the numbers on paper. No one asked him to calculate how quickly. But now the emperor asked the question orally, two three-digit numbers. In such a hasty and nervous situation, he couldn't figure it out. You may not be able to write it down at once, and you have to calculate it immediately, which seems to be a constraint.
But I saw that Zhu Houzhao seemed to be writing like flying.
Because the emperor said two numbers to be multiplied, he directly recorded them with a few Arabic numerals, and then immediately started calculating without stopping.
More importantly, he used a hollow quill pen, which is very useful for writing small characters and Arabic numerals. This thing, which is almost like a dip pen, was also a "gift" given to him by Zhang Zhou, and then …
He spent almost his whole life to complete an arithmetic test.
"It's calculated, twenty-nine thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight!"
After Zhu Houzhao finished calculating, he immediately raised his hand and told his father the correct answer.
He looked sideways at Chen Kuan again, only to see that Chen Kuan was still pulling the abacus beads.
"Um?"
Zhu Youtang originally had no expectations for his son's arithmetic skills.
It was obvious, how could his son settle accounts faster than his old accountant Chen Kuan?
He frowned even more when he saw his son calling out the numbers shortly after the competition started.
Where is Hu Meng?
How could such a short time be calculated correctly?
Even if I'm not very good at using an abacus, I can still reason out that you must have made a mistake.
"Okay!" Zhu Youtang did not deny the result, "Wait!"
What I mean is, since you only seek speed and not accuracy, then just treat it as if you are trying to get a good deal. Maybe you will be lucky enough to get it?
There are probably tens of thousands of numbers, you take one, and the rest of the numbers are all mine, and I have almost no chance of losing.
But after a while, Chen Kuan finished pulling out the abacus beads in his hand and raised his head to look at him.
Even Zhu Youtang felt that something was wrong with Chen Kuan's expression.
"What's going on? How much?" Zhu Youtang asked.
Chen Kuan hesitated and said: "It seems... it should be... the prince is right."
"What?"
Zhu Youtang was originally sitting there as the referee, but he stood up immediately after hearing this.
Zhu Houzhao sat there and continued to yawn, and said nonchalantly: "Chen Kuan, your calculation is too slow. I have already done the calculation once and found that the number is correct. You have just finished the first calculation? Father?" If I leave the settlement of accounts to you, it would be better to leave it to me, and you won’t do a good job at it.”
Zhu Youtang almost vomited blood after hearing this.
Not only did this kid win, he also made sarcastic remarks 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 held at the same time. You personally witnessed that I did not rely on others, but relied on my own calculations. Isn't it beautiful?"
Zhu Youtang's face was dark and he said coldly: "Are you sure there is no problem?"
Xiao Jing, who was also helping with the calculation, came over and whispered: "Your Majesty, it is indeed...this number."
"he……"
Zhu Youtang originally wanted to say, are you incompetent?
Will it be slower than this guy?
But then I thought about it, when that kid said the numbers, I didn't believe that he could calculate them so quickly. Besides, Chen Kuan was not too slow when he calculated, so that kid actually calculated it again after finishing it once?
Does that mean that guy's calculation speed is twice that of Chen Kuan?
Zhu Youtang said with a straight face: "Prince, did the Zhang Qing family predict the question I was going to give you in advance, gave you the numbers, and asked you to tell it today?"
"ah?"
The emperor's brain circuit not only stunned Zhu Houzhao.
Even the eunuchs nearby were extremely surprised.
Your Majesty, you are still smart.
Can you think of any reason for denying this and not admitting defeat?
Do you really think Zhang Bingkuan is a god? Even if you are a god, you can probably only estimate the will of God, but not the human heart, 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 in front of him.
Zhu Youtang saw only a calculation formula listed on the left and right sides of the paper. Although he couldn't understand it, it still looked pretty.
"Prince, don't think that I can talk nonsense just because I don't understand these things. Tell me the principle and let Chen Kuan and the others review it. If it is indeed you who calculated it, I will definitely do it without making any jokes!" Zhu Youtang said.
Zhu Houzhao was a little impatient.
Just now I told my father the meaning of those Arabic numerals. This time I not only have to explain them again, but also how to calculate them.
He was very perfunctory.
"This is two, this is six... If you don't understand, I can write it down and you can compare it yourself!"
"The algorithm is just one number above and one number below. If they are even, you can do the multiplication tables, right? Add ten to one... Do you understand?"
Chen Kuan said: "Prince, please continue."
Zhu Houzhao said: "After you finish the calculation, add these numbers up and down. Do you think I am talking nonsense? Is it necessary for Zhang Zhou to do the calculation for me in advance? I don't know if my father is here. What are you thinking about?"
Speaking of the latter part, Zhu Houzhao was complaining.
Zhu Youtang's face almost turned green with anger, but he remained patient and pretended to be a wealthy man because he was afraid that his son would feel that he could not afford to lose.
After his son finished speaking, he saw Chen Kuan and others summing up, and finally used an abacus to calculate...
"How?" Zhu Youtang was also curious.
Chen Kuan lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, the prince is right, it is indeed the prince... he calculated it on the spot. The handwriting must not be fake. The numbers and so on... although they are not in the correct form, they... can be matched one by one."
When Zhu Youtang heard this, he wanted to find a drill in the ground.
Zhu Houzhao smiled and said: "Father, you have no joke, right?"
"Ahem..."
Zhu Youtang coughed twice.
This time he didn't really cough, he just pretended to cough twice to cover up his inner embarrassment.
Xiao Jing on the side smiled and said: "Your Majesty, this is a good thing. Not only is Mr. Zhang superior in knowledge and knowledge, he even teaches the prince arithmetic so exquisitely. Mr. Zhang is a low-key person. If His Majesty hadn't found out today, he would have I didn’t even report this matter to gain fame. With such good talents, the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe tomorrow."
Seeing that the emperor was unhappy, Xiao Jing naturally wanted to coax the emperor.
Zhu Youtang was very depressed after losing.
But think again.
It's not like he competed with his son on the stage. His son defeated the old accountant Chen Kuan in arithmetic, but he still won under his nose.
He compiled the numbers on the spot, and his son calculated the numbers on the spot. They are fair and impartial and cannot be mixed with any lies.
Good thing!
What are you depressed about?
"Haha." Zhu Youtang said with a smile, "The same goes for Bingkuan. He stayed by the prince's side for those ten days and taught not only the Four Books but also arithmetic. He is a thoughtful person. Prince, you must learn from him in the future."
Zhu Houzhao pursed his lips: "I haven't seen him for a long time!"
Zhu Youtang said helplessly: "Prince, don't be anxious. Occasionally when he enters the palace, he will be asked to come and have a look. You have time to ask him for advice."
After saying that, Zhu Youtang stood up and left.
"Father, don't leave in a hurry. You promised me..."
Zhu Youtang originally thought, leave quickly, maybe his son will forget?
If you forget, you can default on your debt.
but now……
"Would I lie to you about a child? You can keep the money, but you must not publicize it to the outside world, especially your mother. The other thing is...save some flowers, I have always been frugal. Besides, when you leave the palace, Avoid going to crowded places, you are only allowed to leave the palace twice before the year, and you must report three days in advance each time!"
"Alas! Bingkuan missed me!"
He was complaining that Zhang Zhou made him lose, but he was laughing at the same time.
The general meaning is that even if I lose this time, I will lose happily.
(End of chapter)
