Chapter 46 I also have a question

  "This is the second question, please take a look, Master Liu."

  Taking the answer sheet handed over by Zhang Chuwen, Liu Yitiao saw that it was written: "Yesterday I heard that the neighbor divided silver, but I don't know how much silver and people; only know that each person has seven taels less than seven taels, and each person has half a catty more than half a catty. Ask Mr. Liu, how many people are dividing how much silver?"

  "Arithmetic?" Liu Yitiao was somewhat surprised, someone actually studied such an obscure subject? Compared to poetry and elegant odes, these were all minor subjects, even some of the greatest talents of their time might not be proficient in them, how could a young girl like her be so interested in this?

  This problem is nothing more than a system of two linear equations, which was mentioned in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art as early as the Warring States period and can't be considered a difficult problem.

  Liu Yitiao picked up his pen and wrote on the paper with x and y as unknown numbers, listing a system of two linear equations. He further solved it to get the result that six people shared thirty-five taels of silver. He handed the paper to Zhang Chuheng and said, "Thanks for your trouble, Brother Chuheng!"

  Zhang Chu heard, took a glance and handed it in. He didn't know much about arithmetic, even if he looked at it, he couldn't understand it. He was only surprised by the speed of Liu Yitiao's answers. In the past, Zhang Chuchu had also done arithmetic problems with others, but no one could get the answer so quickly. Many people even walked away after seeing the question.

  Zhang Chuchu took the answer sheet and didn't respond for half a day. Liu Yitia knew that she must not understand the equations he listed on paper, and was too ashamed to come out and ask for instructions, so she hesitated to give out the next question.

  Liu Yitiao sat down leisurely, picked up the tea on the table and took a light sip, without any intention of explaining to others.

  As a man from modern times, although he had some ideas about gender equality in his mind, being repeatedly tested by a woman for no reason made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

  Zhang Chuchu didn't ask in the end, but instead gave Liu Yitiao another math problem, possibly to see through his strange calculation method.

  Liu took the paper and saw that it was written: "At home, there are: 3 bundles of superior grain, 2 bundles of medium grain, and 1 bundle of inferior grain, totaling 39 dou; 2 bundles of superior grain, 3 bundles of medium grain, and 1 bundle of inferior grain, totaling 34 dou; 1 bundle of superior grain, 2 bundles of medium grain, and 3 bundles of inferior grain, totaling 26 dou. Please ask Liu Gongzi, how many dou are in each bundle of superior, medium, and inferior grain?"

  From binary to ternary, it seems much more complicated, but in fact, the difficulty has not changed much. It just introduced another unknown number Z. Liu Yitiaoxiao smiled and listed the three equations on paper, then multiplied and divided the coefficients, added and subtracted, and eliminated the variables. Then he handed over the resulting result.

  This time, the person behind the curtain responded quickly. The curtain was lifted, and Zhang Liu walked out from inside. She smiled and looked at Liu Yitiao for a while, then nodded to Zhang Pao, three questions were answered correctly, after waiting for so long, finally someone passed the test.

  Liu Yitiao saw the woman walking out from inside and knew she was Zhang Chuheng's mother, so he stood up and went forward to pay his respects, saying: "Junior Liu Yitiao pays his respects to Aunt."

  "Alright, alright," Zhang Liu smiled and said with a pleased expression, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Liu Yitiao: "Nephew is too polite. Please sit down quickly." Then she also said to Liu Laoshi on the side: "Brother-in-law, you have given birth to a good son ah."

  "Father-in-law?" Hearing this title, Old Liu burst out laughing. He knew that this matter was settled. He stood up and said: "Then what about the betrothal gift? And when is the wedding date?"

  "We naturally accepted the betrothal gifts. As for the wedding date, we can discuss it further." Zhang Liang smiled and stood up, saying: "From now on, the Zhang and Liu families are one family."

  "Slow down!" Yiliu spoke up at this time, "I also have a question!", saying that he stood up and walked to Zhang's side, bowed and said: "Uncle Zhang, Auntie Zhang, the betrothal gift can be left behind, but the wedding date is not urgent either. Miss Chuchu wants to enter my Liu family's gate, she must answer one of my questions first."

  "Huh...?" The four people present were all stunned, apparently none of them had expected that Liu Yitiao still had this trick up his sleeve. Old Liu's face fell at the time, but he didn't blow up. Firstly, he wanted to leave some face for Liu Yitiao in front of everyone, and secondly, seeing his son being examined by a woman earlier made him feel somewhat stifled. If such a daughter-in-law were to be brought home, who knows what would happen in the future? Now it's good to let his son take her down a peg.

  Zhang Woliang and his family looked very embarrassed, looking around and changing the subject, not knowing how to respond.

  Liu Yitiao bowed his hands to Zhang Chu and said: "Trouble Brother Chu again to get a piece of paper for me."

  Zhang Chu hesitated and said to Liu Yitiao: "Yitiao brother, this..."

  "Big brother, please let Master Liu give the question!" Zhang Chuchu's voice came out from inside again. The voice sounded quite confident, but Liu Yitiao heard that this girl was speaking with her teeth clenched.

  Are you angry?

  Liu Yitiao's mouth corners hooked up a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

  When Zhang Chu heard that the paper was taken out, Liu Yitiao took up his pen and said to the inner room: "In a few days, it will be the Lantern Festival. I'll write down a riddle here!"

  Insect two.

  Only these two words were left on the paper.

  Liu Yitiao put down his pen, picked up the paper on the table and lightly blew it, handing it to Zhang Chuhuan, saying: "When Miss Chu guesses the answer, please have someone inform me, and I will definitely come again at that time."

  After finishing speaking, Liu Yitiao pulled Old Liu out of Zhang's family gate.

  Liu Yitiao had just left when Zhang Chuchu walked out of the inner room. She was holding Liu Yitiao's three answer sheets and walked to Zhang Chuhuai's side. After taking over the puzzle left by Liu Yitiao, she became stunned for a moment when she saw the two characters "Chong Er" written on it.

  "Little sister, do you know what this means?" Zhang Chu asked in a low voice as he leaned forward.

  "Chóng èr, chóng èr, fēng yuè wú biān ěr..." Zhang Chuchu seemed to have remembered something, and her eyes turned red.

  "The wind and moon are boundless, the wind and moon are boundless..." Zhang Chu heard and said with a smile: "Wonderful! It's really hard to get Brother Liu to come up with such a riddle, but little sister you are even more formidable. You actually figured out the key to this riddle in one go. I admire you!"

  Zhang Chuchu said in a low voice, "This is the answer to a riddle that my father used to give me. The riddle was 'Wind and Moon are endless'. I only suddenly thought of this when I saw these two words 'Chong Er'. This person is very similar to my father."

  "It's Shibo..." Zhang Chu's voice also lowered.

  "All right, Chuchu, let's not mention the past, go in with your mother." Zhang Liu walked up and pulled Zhang Chuchu back into the inner chamber.