Qi Jingshan saw it clearly.
The moment Zhang Shou casually recited that unimaginably enormous number, his old friend Chu Ying’s face was filled with undisguised astonishment.
Qi Jingshan had originally intended to introduce Zhang Shou—the disciple Ge Yong was so proud of—to his friend.
Unexpectedly, after only a brief moment of surprise, the old man simply smiled and stroked his beard.
“Young man, don’t go making claims so lightly.”
“I’ll personally verify that calculation later.”
Zhang Shou dismounted calmly and nodded with a smile.
“Please do, Elder. I guarantee it won’t be wrong.”
“Heh.”
“I’ll remember those words.”
Chu Ying narrowed his eyes.
“But can the capital really have that many people?”
“Forget the capital—even throughout all of history, there probably has never been that many people.”
Zhang Shou laughed.
“Please don’t laugh at me, Elder. I only saw how packed Shuntian Street was just now, so I casually made up a question for these two boys.”
Seeing the clean-cut young man speaking with such composure, possessing refined manners, handsome features, and an exceptionally approachable smile, Chu Ying’s heart stirred.
He immediately invited him.
“Young man, are you also here to watch Wang Datou publicly try those Linhai Camp rebels?”
“I’ve reserved a private room on the third floor.”
“If you don’t mind, why not squeeze in with us?”
Zhang Shou noticed Qi Jingshan freeze briefly before smiling at him without saying a word.
Clearly…
The old man had no intention of introducing either side.
Unable to help finding it amusing, Zhang Shou readily agreed.
“Since you’ve kindly invited me, I’d be honored to accept.”
“A trivial matter.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Chu Ying proudly lifted his chin and tugged at his beard.
Solid fundamentals. Excellent bearing.
Now I just need to find out whether the boy already has a teacher…
Otherwise Ge Yong keeps waving his final disciple in everyone’s face every single day.
If he can have a final disciple…why can’t I find one too?
Although this was Yang Hao’s and Qiao Hu’s first visit to the capital and they knew very little about proper etiquette, seeing how respectfully Zhang Shou treated the two elderly gentlemen naturally made them behave with extreme caution.
Once they reached the elegantly furnished private room on the third floor, they scarcely dared move.
Then they noticed…
The window overlooked the Shuntian Prefecture.
Their eyes immediately lit up.
Before long, seeing Zhang Shou occupied chatting with the two old men—and noticing that even the servants had drifted toward the window—they quietly tiptoed over themselves.
Soon enough…
They were leaning over the railing, completely absorbed in the spectacle below.
“This window seat offers a perfect view of the courtroom inside the Shuntian Prefecture.”
Chu Ying smiled.
“Of course, hearing what’s being said isn’t so easy.”
He deliberately paused.
“Ordinarily, an important government office shouldn’t have teahouses or taverns nearby that overlook its courtroom.”
Seeing Zhang Shou immediately smiling as he poured him another cup of tea, Chu Ying nodded in satisfaction before continuing.
“However…”
“The Founding Emperor once declared that certain court cases ought to be open for public observation.”
“After all, making trials public helps ensure justice.”
“And even judges may sometimes make mistakes.”
“People of learning should hear the proceedings as well.”
“Therefore…”
“The Founding Emperor ordered this teahouse built directly opposite the Shuntian Prefecture.”
He chuckled.
“You probably didn’t notice the sign outside.”
“It’s called…”
“Zhigong Tower.”
Having already heard countless stories about the Founding Emperor’s teachings, Zhang Shou wasn’t particularly surprised.
Instead, he smiled and praised the emperor’s wisdom a few times.
The compliments clearly pleased Chu Ying.
Still…
The old man had invited him without revealing his own identity.
Zhang Shou likewise found no suitable opportunity to ask.
And Qi Jingshan…continued pretending nothing was amiss.
So Zhang Shou simply played along.
Just then—
A thunderous roar erupted from below.
“Silence!”
“His Excellency the Prefect is opening court!”
The shout echoed three consecutive times.
Almost instantly…
The deafening chatter inside and outside the teahouse quieted considerably.
It wasn’t completely silent.
Whispers remained.
But cries of “Mighty!” echoed continuously from the courtroom.
From their excellent vantage point beside the window…
They watched as dozens of shackled men were escorted into the court.
Having personally helped capture those rebels, Zhang Shou couldn’t help asking, “Elder, there’s something I don’t understand.”
“Ordinarily, the rebellious officers and soldiers of Linhai Camp shouldn’t fall under the Ministry of War.”
“So shouldn’t the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, or the Censorate be handling this case?”
“Why is it being tried by the Shuntian Prefecture instead?”
Chu Ying grinned.
“You’ve asked exactly the right person.”
“This matter…”
“…has something to do with Minister Lu of the Ministry of War.”
His eyebrows rose proudly.
“But…”
“I can’t tell you.”
Zhang Shou almost laughed out loud.
Then why mention the first half at all?
If you weren’t going to explain it, couldn’t you simply have stopped there?
That’s not how you build suspense!
Just as he was silently complaining…
Chu Ying smiled pleasantly again.
“Naturally, I can’t tell outsiders.”
“But…”
“If you’re one of our own…”
“…that’s another matter.”
For absolutely no reason…
A familiar advertising slogan from his previous life popped into Zhang Shou’s mind.
“I wouldn’t tell just anybody.”
He was momentarily speechless.
Glancing toward Qi Jingshan—who remained completely absorbed in watching the trial below—Zhang Shou finally decided to follow the script the old man had obviously prepared.
“May I ask, Elder…”
“…what qualifies someone as ‘one of our own’?”
“Heh!”
Seeing the fish take the bait, Chu Ying’s eyes sparkled.
Fixing Zhang Shou with an intense stare, he solemnly declared, “If you can answer a few questions for me…”
“…then I’ll tell you.”
What kind of development was this?
Zhang Shou blinked.
A heartbeat later…
He realized…
He was being tested.
Unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, he glanced helplessly toward Qi Jingshan.
The old man continued pretending to be deaf.
Left with no alternative, Zhang Shou sighed.
“Then please set your questions, Elder.”
Thinking back to the clever puzzle Zhang Shou had casually posed to his two young attendants earlier, Chu Ying coughed lightly.
He was just about to select a couple of particularly difficult problems from his treasured collection…
When a voice suddenly sounded from outside the room.
“Elder Chu.”
“Elder Qi.”
“I have an extremely difficult problem I’d like to ask you both in person.”
“I wonder if you might grant me an audience.”
The instant he heard the voice…
Zhang Shou’s expression became extraordinarily strange.
That voice…
Probably…
Perhaps…
Maybe…
No.
Forget all those uncertain words.
After all…
He had spoken with the man just last night.
It was unmistakably…
Minister of War Lu Wan.
Chu Ying was equally caught off guard.
The moment you discussed someone behind their back…they appeared at your door.
He wanted to refuse.
Yet Lu Wan had specifically said he wished to seek guidance regarding an exceptionally difficult problem.
If Chu Ying refused…
People might accuse him of avoiding a challenge.
Besides…
If Lu Wan couldn’t see him…
He might simply go ask Ge Yong instead.
That absolutely would not do.
With an irritated snort, Chu Ying replied, “How would I dare accept Minister Lu’s ‘request for guidance’?”
“Xiao Kang.”
“Go fetch the problem inside.”
Clearly…
He intended to see only the problem—not Lu Wan himself.
Realizing this, Zhang Shou couldn’t help smiling.
When the young servant lifted the curtain…
Lu Wan, dressed in plain clothes, stood outside.
The moment his eyes inadvertently met Zhang Shou’s…
Zhang Shou watched the minister’s expression change several times in rapid succession.
The thin sheet of paper in Lu Wan’s hand suddenly seemed to weigh a thousand catties.
Even the hand holding it trembled slightly.
Seeing Zhang Shou smiling faintly at him…
Lu Wan wanted—more than anything—to turn around and leave.
Yet…
His feet refused to move.
Last night, he’d summoned one of the Ministry of War’s clerks who excelled at mathematics.
Together…
They successfully converted those so-called binary numbers.
But after changing them into ordinary decimal numbers…
He was left staring blankly at the endless strings of figures.
What was he supposed to do with all these numbers?
What came next?
Zhang Shou had never said!
In a fit of frustration…
He hadn’t even bothered questioning his youngest son.
After morning court, learning that Qi Jingshan had arranged to meet Chu Ying, he’d rushed over immediately.
After all…
Aside from Ge Yong and his disciple…
Qi Jingshan and Chu Ying were the capital’s greatest mathematical experts.
After hesitating again and again…
He finally handed the paper to the young servant.
Watching the boy nod politely before disappearing inside…
Lu Wan suddenly reached out and caught the curtain before it could fall.
He simply stood there in the doorway.
The next moment—
Chu Ying didn’t even glance at the problem Lu Wan had painstakingly brought.
Instead…
He pointed directly at Zhang Shou.
“Xiao Kang.”
“Give it to this young gentleman.”
Turning toward Zhang Shou, he smiled broadly.
“Young man…”
“If you solve this problem…”
“…I’ll gladly explain that matter we discussed earlier.”
At that instant…
Zhang Shou could almost physically feel Lu Wan’s gaze boring into him.
He even suspected…
The Minister of War desperately wanted to storm into the room, snatch back the tiny sheet of paper, and leave in furious humiliation.
Feeling entirely innocent, Zhang Shou merely shrugged apologetically toward him.
Then he calmly unfolded the paper.
Sure enough…
The first four numbers were exactly the ones he’d quoted to Zhu Ying the night before.
353.
150.
305.
558…
He barely glanced at the remaining decoded numbers before smiling at Chu Ying.
“Elder…”
“Minister Lu has come here with complete sincerity.”
“I think you should invite him inside.”
“As for the numbers written on this paper…”
He smiled helplessly.
“It was my own fault.”
“Last night…”
“…I failed to explain the method to him completely.”
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