Chapter 23: The Head of the Family

  Ever since Wu Ji came, Niu Yang and the others had been convinced that Wu Ji was just lucky to have gained Zheng Tai's favor, and they were resentful in their hearts, wanting to make things difficult for Wu Ji, which is why they acted this way.

  Just as the two were shocked, Wu Ji's voice with a hint of sarcasm rang out: "Two seniors, I don't know if I lost or won?"

  "This, this..." Yang Yuan's mouth made a grinding sound, but he couldn't say anything. To make him admit defeat with his own mouth was a very humiliating thing, and if he didn't admit defeat, in this situation, could he still win?

  "Who knows if you're right or wrong?" Niu Qi Qing rolled her eyes and started being stubborn.

  "Cough! Cough!" Huang Fu looked at the two of them with a hint of humility in his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

  I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as this. Wu Ji had a bad impression of Niu Qi Qing from the start. However, upon hearing his words, he didn't get angry at all and instead smiled slightly, saying: "Alright then! I'll have to trouble you two to verify it for me. How much time do you need? Seven days or ten days?"

  The seven-day saying originated from the two men's teasing, Wu Ji returned the original words, and the two men's faces flushed with embarrassment, their faces turned blue and green, unable to find words to say.

  "Two of you don't agree, does that mean what's below is considered correct? Alright then, I'll take the bet and call you big brother!" Wu Ji picked up his tea cup, took a sip, and sized up the two of them with a relaxed expression.

  "Hum! How old are you, my son is even older than you! What virtue do you have, dare to be my elder brother?" Niu Qingqing was really shameless, and his trickery had reached this extent.

  Huang Fu gazed at Niu Qi Qing for a moment, twitching the corner of his mouth, but adhered to the principle of "not my business" and didn't say much.

  "What virtue, what ability? Well said!" Wu Jie loudly applauded: "Just because I can calculate so many accounts in a short time, and you can't, I'm more capable than you, you have to call me big brother. The capable one is the teacher, I'm capable, you're not! Hurry up and call me!"

  Puff out chest, raise head, just waiting for two people to call big brother.

  The two of them are really shameless, this advantage must be taken.

  Niu Yang and Wu Jie stared at each other in dismay, but couldn't find anything to say. The whole thing was perfectly reasonable from Wu Jie's point of view, and no matter how eloquent they were, they couldn't argue their way out of it.

  "If you two can calculate it in such a short time, I'd be willing to call you Big Brother." Wu Ji's mouth curled up in disdain.

  "I won't call you, what can you do to me? Can you even eat me?" Niu Qi Qing had thoroughly acted shamelessly, not even wanting a fig leaf to cover himself.

  Shameless people are invincible, Wu Ji has put these two into the category of those who are not worthy to work with.

  Huangfu Song looked at the two of them, shaking his head repeatedly, with a regretful expression, but he didn't say anything.

  "You either admit defeat or roll away! Zheng Taishou's voice rang out, one head rushed in from outside, a pair of eyes shining brightly, sizing up Niu Yang and the other, with a face full of disdain: "This official is an imperial officer, not supposed to intervene in your disputes. But you two are really shameless, this official can't bear it, had to step out. Are you going to give up being the head clerk or admit defeat?"

  "Pay your respects!" The four of them bowed in unison. Zheng Tai waved her hand and stared fixedly at Niu Yang and the other two.

  Niu Yang's faces turned redder than a monkey's buttocks, and they stuttered: "Lord Zheng, this matter...this matter has not been settled yet! It's also possible that he made a mistake."

  "Haha!"

  Zheng Tai looked up at the sky, burst out laughing, and quickly walked over to Wu Ji's table. He picked up the abacus in his hand, shook it slightly, and said: "You two are really frogs at the bottom of a well, you don't know what this thing is? I'll tell you! This is called an abacus, the mathematicians of the Imperial Academy are studying its calculation methods with all their might. I've learned a bit about it before, but I'm far inferior to Wu Zhongshu. With Wu Zhongshu's skill in bead arithmetic, even if he goes to the Imperial Academy to lecture, he will be extremely popular. Even if he wants to see the Emperor and receive an official title from him, there won't be any problem."

  "Ah!" Niu Yang and two people were shocked.

  A small abacus, unexpectedly so popular, two people with shallow knowledge, no matter what, can't think of it.

  "Really?" Wu Ji was also slightly surprised. He had learned the abacus, and unexpectedly, he could see the emperor and even receive an official title from the emperor's grace. Wu Ji really hadn't expected it.

  Thinking carefully, it makes sense. The way of abacus is outdated for modern people, we should learn computers instead of abacus. However, in the Song Dynasty, the way of abacus was still in its research stage and had not been widely practiced. If Wu Jingzong's method were to be promoted among the people, it would inevitably bring about a huge social change, and being granted a noble title is not unexpected at all.

  The abacus was replaced by the calculator, and the computer replaced the abacus. The significance is roughly the same, it's a social revolution with far-reaching impact.

  "If you admit defeat, then do so quickly. If not, I'll have the bailiffs throw you out!" Zheng Ta glared coldly at the two: "As soon as Wu Xiulang arrived, you started making things difficult for him. This is a matter between you two, and although this official has long been aware of it, he hasn't intervened. Now that Wu Xiulang is a pillar of the state, this official must uphold the law!"

  Newcomers giving trouble to the elderly, it's everywhere. Zheng Tai knew long ago, but he wanted to see how Wu Ji would respond, so he didn't bother. Who would have thought that Wu Ji gave him such a big surprise? The abacus method that Guozijian was still studying turned out to be extremely familiar in Wu Ji's hands!

  "We admit defeat!" Niu Yang and the other man were extremely unwilling, but had to lower their heads. Face was important, but rice bowls were even more important, so they stammered: "Big brother! Wu big brother! It's our fault, please forgive us and spare our lives!"

  The voice became softer and softer as it was spoken, until it was almost inaudible at the end, similar to the humming of a mosquito.

  "Louder, I can't hear!" Wu Jicai wouldn't let the two off easily, after all they were too shameless.

  "Big brother, we admit defeat, it's our fault, please forgive us!" The two of them gritted their teeth and raised their voices so that everyone could hear.

  Wu Jia walked up to Niu Qi Qing, his eyes gleaming with spirit, and measured him as he spoke: "Niu Qi Qing, do you still remember what I told you this morning? One should not be too arrogant, one should leave some room for maneuver. You are too arrogant, it's self-inflicted suffering! From now on, I am your big brother, if I tell you to go east, you cannot go west, if I tell you to stand, you cannot sit. Niu Qi Qing, especially you, I want you to chase dogs, you cannot catch chickens, do you understand?"

  "You're treating me like a hunting dog?" Niu Qiqing scolded Wu Ji with a phrase that meant "chasing dogs can't catch chickens", and in his haste, he blurted it out.

  "That's what you said yourself!" Wu Jie shrugged his shoulders.

  "Haha!" Zheng Tai and Huang Fu couldn't help it anymore, looking at Niu Qiqing's embarrassed expression, they burst out laughing.

  "Mr. Wu... Sir Wu!" Zheng Tai turned his head, addressing Wu Ji with a changed tone: "Do you know how to perform multiplication and division calculations? The abacus method has been around for some time, but it can only do addition and subtraction. As for multiplication and division, the Imperial Academy is still researching it. If we could perform multiplication and division calculations, we could replace the counting rods, which would save a lot of trouble and effort."

  "It's nothing!" Wu Jie said modestly.

  "Really?" Zheng Tai was slightly surprised and immediately came up with a few multiplication and division problems. Wu Ji calculated them on the spot, and after a series of slapping sounds, the results were out, making Zheng Tai even more delighted.

  Zheng Tai's eyebrows rose, and he came up with a few more complex multiplication and division problems. Wu Ji calculated them out again, and Zheng Tai couldn't stop patting Wu Ji's shoulder: "Prodigy! Prodigy! You're truly a prodigy! Lord Wu, making you the chief accountant is wasting your talent! I'll write a letter right now to recommend you to lecture at the Imperial Academy!"

  The Imperial Academy was the highest institution of learning in the Song Dynasty. It's not just about going to lecture, but also a great honor to go there to study. As soon as this was said, Huangfu and Niu Yang had admiration in their eyes.

  "With Mr. Wu's skill in abacus calculation, it will surely cause a sensation at the Imperial Academy!" Zheng Tai was in high spirits and was about to take up his brush to write a letter of recommendation.

  "Lord Zheng, wait!" Wu Ji didn't have the intention of teaching the abacus method, and hastily stopped Zheng Tai, saying: "Lord Zheng, I'm still young and my body is not good. If I went to the Imperial Academy, first it would be hard to convince everyone, second this body wouldn't be able to take it."

  "In the Imperial Academy, those who are capable become teachers. With your abacus skills, you can make people convinced and satisfied, don't worry." Zheng Tai didn't care at all, but looking at Wu Ji, she felt a little regret: "Your body is really weak. If it weren't for this, after some time, when your body gets better, I'll write a letter to recommend you. Don't worry, as a graduate of the Imperial Academy, recommending you will not be a problem."

  "Thanks, Lord Zheng!" Wu Ji thought of doing was gunpowder, this is just a delaying excuse.

  "Hmm! From now on, Lord Wu, this chief accountant's position is yours!" Zheng Tai looked at Wu Ji with great appreciation and casually uttered a sentence that promoted Wu Ji to a higher rank.

  "Ah!" Niu Yang and his partner never expected that their obstruction would instead help Wu Ji, who became their superior.

  Huang Fu Su still had that air of being unaffected, hanging high up, without any emotional fluctuations.

  "This is a promotion?" Wu Ji was quite surprised. Being good at abacus can lead to a promotion, what about being good at computers? Oh, times are different!

  PS: Rushing to the top of the chart, seeking collection, recommendation and clicks. Thank you!