fake gentry

Xie Hong was naturally unaware that this was a classic mathematical problem that was currently unsolvable.

More than a hundred years later, it will be included in a mathematical work called "Sunzi Suanjing" (The Mathematical Classic of Sun Tzu), which contains an even more classic problem called "Chicken and Rabbit in the Same Cage".

In Xie Hong's view, wasn't Wang Ying's problem just a linear equation with three variables? Something a middle school student would learn.

But no one can solve this problem right now.

The problem that Lu Wan and a group of renowned scholars had been trying to solve for over a month with counting rods, Xie Hong solved in just a few breaths.

Two breaths or three breaths?

Was he really that terrifying in mathematics?

No wonder he was able to write "Xie's Calculation Rules" and invent Xie's Numbers.

Is this child really only sixteen years old?

After a moment of complete silence, someone started laughing along with Wang Dun. Wen Qiao also laughed, thinking to himself, "Well done, Xie Youyu! You've been hiding such a gem and you're unwilling to show it to anyone."

No, Xie Zi is not some rough gem. He is clearly the most dazzling jade.

With such extraordinary talent, the Xie family of Chen Commandery is destined for great things.

Wang Dun was also filled with astonishment.

His most admired person in his life was Cao Cao. He often recited Cao Cao's poems, such as "Though the tortoise lives long, and the old steed in its stall still aspires to gallop a thousand miles," and said them every day. In his heart, he looked down on everyone. Even Emperor Sima Rui was intimidated by him and surrendered obediently.

Although Xie Hong was arrogant, for some reason, he always felt that Xie Hong was extremely to his liking, giving him an indescribable sense of pleasure.

How could it not suit one's taste? In the history of the Wei and Jin dynasties, Wang Dun was definitely a major figure. Xie Hong had already memorized all the official and unofficial histories about him.

Soon a waiter brought over a tray with wine, and Shen Chong said with a smile, "Thank you, young master. This is Ling wine, a tribute wine. Aren't you going to thank the Prime Minister?"

Xie Hong gracefully bowed slightly to Wang Dun, who was seated high above him, picked up the wine cup, smelled it first, and then drank it all in one gulp. He then turned to ask, "Is it rather stingy of the Duke to bestow wine upon me?"

Wang Dun was even more pleased and looked at Xie Hong, asking, "Young man, can you drink?"

Xie Hong chuckled: "A mere cup of wine, nothing to boast about."

Everyone in the main hall was immediately impressed. Wang Dun slammed his jade ruyi on the table and said, "Guards, set this boy up for a seat and bring him some wine. Let him drink to his heart's content."

A flicker of jealousy flashed in Wang Ying's eyes, and his face darkened.

Xie Hong pretended not to see it and sat down in the hall. Soon, wine and various exquisite snacks were placed in front of him, just like the other famous scholars. He was also served a beautiful singing girl.

There was no need for the songstress to pour the wine; he drank three cups in a row to show that he was thirsty. This tribute wine was actually just rice wine and fermented rice water, only with a higher alcohol content than other fermented rice water, but it was still far from reaching the alcohol content of distilled spirits in later generations.

Calling it beer is a bit of an understatement; it's more like wine in terms of alcohol content. Xie Hongneng can drink this stuff all the time.

Seeing Xie Hong drinking heartily, Wang Dun's murderous intent diminished even more. He just felt that this kid was so pleasing to his eye.

This scene reminded him of the banquet he attended with his father-in-law, Sima Yan, years ago. His situation was very similar to Xie Hong's, and he finally won applause by playing the drum.

Xie Youyu has this nephew, should I kill him or not? A vague and inexplicable feeling flashed through Wang Dun's mind.

The whole world knew he was arrogant and domineering, but few knew that he truly intended to usurp the throne. Only Qian Feng, Shen Chong, and Xie Kun knew a part of it.

He originally regarded Xie Kun as a trusted confidant, but Xie Kun tried his best to stop him when he sent troops to Jiankang at the beginning of the year, which angered him. At that time, he wanted to kill Xie Kun as a sacrifice to the flag.

Wang Ahei never cared about what others thought; he even dared to kill his own cousin, let alone a mere Xie Youyu.

But in the end, he wasn't killed, while Xie Kun's friends Dai Yuan and Zhou Yi became ghosts, which may well have been Wang Dun's warning to Xie Kun.

When news of the Huangshiyan gathering reached Wuchang, Wang Dun dismissed it entirely. What difference did it make if Xie Hong turned around and gave him a huge surprise?

That is the phrase "敦非相，乃逆也".

Wang Dun's first reaction was to kill; he had to kill this Xie family son, and even Xie Kun as well. That's why he directly ordered Shen Chong to capture Xie Hong and publicly humiliate him, actually to ruin the reputation of the Chen Commandery Xie family, so that he could then take action against Xie Kun.

But Xie Hong was someone he couldn't bear to kill.

Although Wang Dun was arrogant and conceited, he was not a brainless fool. Otherwise, would he really have believed that he could hold onto the position of Grand General and have so many famous scholars under his command?

Cao Mengde once released Guan Yu out of righteousness; I, Wang Ahei, may very well leave behind a beautiful story as well.

When I finally rule the world and win over the hearts of the Xie family, the Xie family of Chen Commandery will surely become my allies.

Xie Hong was unaware that Wang Dun didn't even want to kill Xie Kun; his actions today had changed history.

After a few cups of fermented rice wine, Xie Hong glanced at Wang Ying and noticed that the other man had a gloomy expression and was staring at him with hidden anger. Xie Hong felt a surge of anger.

"Your Highness, have I overcome this ordeal?"

Wang Ying nearly choked on his words, coldly replying, "Your knowledge is nothing more than miscellaneous studies."

The atmosphere in the hall instantly changed, and Wang Dun couldn't help but shout, "Shut up and get out!"

Wang Ying was taken aback when Wang Dun reprimanded him. He was immediately terrified by the murderous aura emanating from Wang Dun and prostrated himself on the ground, saying, "Father, I was wrong."

"Get out of here."

Wang Ying scrambled out of the main hall, giving Xie Hong one last look, his eyes filled with nothing but resentment.

Xie Hong sensed it but didn't care at all. "We'll talk about it when you're old enough to take your revenge on me."

He smiled at Wang Dun and said, "Your Highness, the heir is young, why bother with such a formality?"

Lu Wan and the others' expressions immediately became subtle, while Wang Ying's biological father, Wang Han, almost crushed the wine bottle.

Those Xie brats!

Wang Ying is almost thirty years old, is he still young?

You, Xie, are only sixteen years old. What kind of tone are you using to say that?

However, Wang Ying deserved to be criticized.

You should know that you were the one who set the question, and Xie's son solved it in no time; that's because he's capable.

How dare you say that mathematics is a miscellaneous subject? Where do you place us renowned scholars?

During the Jin Dynasty, the government had a clear set of academic disciplines, with the Five Classics (the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals) as the main body, and the Analects and the Classic of Filial Piety as basic compulsory content. These were the core assessment standards for aristocratic sons to enter officialdom, and belonged to the absolutely orthodox and prominent schools of thought.

The auxiliary disciplines are mathematics, law, and history.

To be honest, metaphysics is only half a miscellaneous discipline.

Now that Xie Hong has won, Wang Ying still publicly humiliates him, showing absolutely no scholarly demeanor. It's truly lamentable that such a person is the heir to the shogunate.

Wang Dun immediately shouted, "Xie Fengzhi, you've won the first challenge, but I have two more challenges to face. Are you ready?"

Xie Hong knew that Wang Dun was going to personally intervene, so he spoke ambiguously: "Your Highness, I am young, please don't make things difficult for me."

Wang Dun laughed heartily, picked up his jade ruyi scepter, and banged it repeatedly: "Where is Yi Ji? Quickly bring me the third item on the east side of my secret chamber!"

Not long after, Xie Hong heard a very light and delicate tinkling sound of jade pendants behind him, and then a figure gracefully walked in.

Xie Hong turned his head and was taken aback.

She was a girl of similar age to him.

The woman was slender and tall, dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the hem of which trailed on the ground, rippling like waves on water as she moved. Her hair was styled in a topknot, adorned with a hairpin that tinkled softly.

Xie Hong had seen countless beautiful women in modern times, including those who were artificially enhanced, natural, transgender, and semi-transgender, so he was only momentarily stunned.

However, the scholars in the hall were all caught in a strange state, especially Wang Han, who, as the governor, stared intently at the girl as if he wanted to devour her whole.

The girl had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, a small and straight nose, and lips that were red without any makeup. She held a long tray in her hands, covered with a cloth, and it was unclear what was placed underneath.

A long flute hung from her waist. The flute was much longer than a modern bamboo flute, at least eighty centimeters long. The body of the flute gleamed with a faint light and was made of spotted bamboo. A green silk ribbon was tied to the end of the flute, and a small jade ring was hanging from the end of the ribbon.

Xie Hong guessed the girl's identity and the flute at her waist almost immediately.

Yi Ji?

Isn't it Song Yi?

She was a courtesan in the household of Shi Chong, a wealthy man in the Western Jin Dynasty. She was Shi Chong's favorite maid and was as famous as Shi Chong's beloved concubine, Lü Zhu. She was known for her skill in playing the flute.

After Shi Chong died, she was taken into Wang Dun's household and became his concubine. After Wang Dun's rebellion failed, she changed hands several times before finally ending up in Xie Shang's hands. She died in Xie's household.

The flute at her waist is historically famous.

That was the Ke Ting flute, which was as famous as the Jiao Wei Qin (焦尾琴), both made by Cai Yong.

Cai Yong saw that the sixteenth rafter of a bamboo house in Keting, Kuaiji, was made of the finest bamboo, so he took it and made this flute. Later, all the Keting flutes fell into the hands of Shi Chong, and this flute was passed on to Lü Zhu. After Lü Zhu died, it was passed on to her disciple Song Yi.

It is unknown how the Ke Ting flute came into the hands of Huan Yi, the master flute maker. Huan Yi cherished it greatly and created a flute score called "Three Variations on Plum Blossom," which was later adapted into a guqin piece.

Wang Dun had been observing Xie Hong, and when he saw that Xie Hong only glanced at his beloved concubine before fixing his gaze on the flute, he couldn't help but find it amusing.

I was too young to appreciate beauty.

"Xie Fengzhi, is my beloved Ji beautiful?"

Xie Hong withdrew his gaze, silently praying for Dong Ge's forgiveness: "Your Highness, I am face-blind and do not recognize Ji Mei."

A burst of laughter erupted in the hall. Wang Dun laughed so hard he was shaking, and then asked, "Do you recognize this flute?"

Xie Hong smiled enigmatically: "If I recognize it, would the Duke wish to gift it to me?"

Wang Dun's laughter abruptly stopped.

Xie Hong scoffed, "The Jiao Wei Qin and the Ke Ting Di—who in the world doesn't know them?"

Wen Qiao and Lu Wan exchanged another glance, their eyes revealing undisguised smiles.

Is there really such a strange thing as Xie's son in this world?

The next time I see Xie Youyu, I'll definitely drink him to death.