Chapter 65: Chicken and Rabbit in the Same Cage

Sun Shi watched everything happening in the room silently from outside, a cold sneer hanging on the corner of her mouth.

Seeing the Old Man give in, she felt a bit of anger in her heart. It was one thing for Li Shoucai to act foolishly, but why did even the Old Man not believe that Shou De could pass the budding talent examination?

Hmph, just wait. Wait until Shou De passes the budding talent examination and returns this year, and see what you all have to say then!

Sun Shi withdrew her gaze, turned around, and returned to the East Room.

……

Time quickly arrived at the next day. Li Shoucai, having received the assurance, got up early, shouldered the family's hoe, and prepared to head up the mountain.

Seeing this, Li Family Old Woman hurriedly urged him before he left the house: "You didn't go yesterday. The Li Zheng gave two jin of wild boar meat to the families who dug the ditches. Since you're going today, remember to ask him to make it up to you."

"Wild boar meat?" Upon hearing this, Li Shoucai's eyes lit up, and he asked directly: "Where do I collect the wild boar meat? I'll go right now!"

Li Family Old Woman's expression was somewhat unnatural; she only said: "Just go directly and ask the Li Zheng."

"Fine." Li Shoucai shouldered his hoe and left the house.

When he arrived at the mountain, he discovered that the villagers had arrived even earlier than him, and everyone had already started digging the ditches.

He walked up somewhat sheepishly, tugged on someone he had a decent relationship with, and whispered: "Hey, I heard you all had wild boar meat to collect yesterday. Where did you collect it?"

That person glanced at him and only replied with one sentence: "The Jiang family."

The Jiang family?

Li Shoucai was stunned for a moment. There were very few families surnamed Jiang in the village; could it be the Third Sister-in-law's family?

How could there be wild boar meat at her house?

Forget it, I'll just go ask the Li Zheng for it later.

The villagers began another day of hard labor, and Jiang Wei had also arrived in town.

Today, the mother and daughter got up early and arrived in front of Yuelai Restaurant by the end of the Chen hour.

Seeing the Shop Assistant still sweeping and watering the ground in front of the door, Jiang Xiaoxiao raised her hand and waved at him.

Seeing this, the Shop Assistant didn't wait for the mother and daughter to speak; he turned around and went into the restaurant to call Shopkeeper Zhou himself.

Recently, some distinguished guests had come to Yuelai Restaurant to host a banquet, so the mother and daughter didn't follow him in and just waited outside the restaurant.

Shopkeeper Zhou didn't know what had delayed him, but he didn't come out for a long time.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was getting bored waiting, so she turned her head to look around and suddenly caught sight of a group of people not far away, surrounding something and pointing.

It was still early, and there weren't many people on the street, so those people gathered there looked very conspicuous. Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but walk over to take a look.

It turned out to be an iron cage, tightly covered with a piece of oilcloth; no one knew what was inside the cage.

At this moment, a man beside Jiang Xiaoxiao, dressed in a long gown and wearing a square headcloth like a scholar, shook his head and spoke: "These long-haired rabbits and reed-flower chickens are locked in the same cage, and we are asked to guess how many chickens and how many rabbits there are respectively. Who could guess that?"

The person beside him chimed in: "Exactly. This Jiang Family Young Master is really good at coming up with difficult problems. He only said there are thirty-five chickens and rabbits locked inside in total, and there are ninety-four feet in total. Who can guess how many chickens and rabbits there are..."

Jiang Xiaoxiao, who was listening from the side: "……"

Isn't this the "Chicken and Rabbit in the Same Cage" math problem that even elementary school students know? How can people in this era not know it?

But thinking about it, this is a world in a novel; perhaps it doesn't have things like the "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art" like her world did...

At this time, Jiang Wei walked over, followed by Shopkeeper Zhou.

Jiang Xiaoxiao turned her head to look and asked with a smile: "Mother, look, there is a cage here, and people are being asked to guess how many chickens and rabbits are inside."

Jiang Wei looked in the direction of her gaze, and at the right moment, a few "cluck-cluck" sounds came from the cage.

Shopkeeper Zhou couldn't help but laugh: "This cage has been here since yesterday, and still no one has been able to guess how many chickens and rabbits are inside."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao's gaze fell on Shopkeeper Zhou. How did he know?

The Jiang Family Young Master they mentioned just now—could it be that the one who came to Yuelai Restaurant to host a banquet yesterday was the Jiang Family Young Master?

"This was arranged yesterday by the Jiang Family Young Master of the Fu'an Trading House. There are thirty-five chickens and rabbits in this cage in total," Shopkeeper Zhou explained. "He said that as long as someone guesses how many chickens and rabbits there are respectively, all thirty-five chickens and rabbits in this cage will be given to that person for free."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up. All thirty-five chickens and rabbits for free!?

Why wait to fleece this sheep!

She hurriedly tugged on Jiang Wei's sleeve and pleaded in a soft voice: "Mother, I want the little rabbits..."

This kind of linear equation problem is something even elementary school students know; her mother surely wouldn't have any trouble with it!

Jiang Wei looked at her helplessly and walked straight up. The cage was completely covered by the oilcloth, and one could only hear the sounds of chickens and rabbits.

But just by listening to the sounds, it was impossible to tell how many chickens were in the cage.

The crowd surrounded the area, looking distressed.

Jiang Wei stood in front of the cage, pondered for a moment, and then said: "There are twenty-three chickens and twelve rabbits in this cage."

Her voice was calm, but it attracted everyone's attention.

"Hey, how do you know?"

"Hmph, I think it's just a wild guess!"

"Go, go, go. What is a woman who doesn't know a single character doing here meddling?"

……

Facing the answer Jiang Wei gave, the crowd clearly didn't believe it.

Not only did they not believe it, but they were also very disdainful.

They, a group of scholars, had been surrounding this for two days and hadn't guessed how many rabbits and chickens were inside. How could a woman easily come up with the answer after just one look?

Shopkeeper Zhou, who was watching from the side, turned around silently and returned to his restaurant. Before long, he came out with a young master dressed in splendid clothing.

"Everyone make way, the Jiang Family Young Master is here!"

The Shop Assistant cleared the way in front, and upon seeing this, the crowd gave way one after another, and the disdainful faces from just a moment ago immediately became sycophantic.

"Young Master Jiang, the problem you posed is too difficult. Why not give us a few more hints?"

"That's right, we only know the total number of rabbits and chickens and the total number of feet in the cage. This problem is too hard..."

……

Facing the noisy discussion of the crowd, the Jiang Family Young Master ignored them and only fixed his gaze on Jiang Wei, who was standing to the side, saying: "Was the answer just now given by you?"

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao turned her head to look at the person who had arrived.

The Jiang Family Young Master brought out by Shopkeeper Zhou was actually much younger than she had imagined, looking about seventeen or eighteen years old. He wore a feather crown, a violet silk long gown, and had a jade pendant and a fragrant sachet hanging from his waist. In his hand, he held a paper fan, affecting the air of a man of letters.

"There are twenty-three chickens and twelve rabbits in this cage," Jiang Wei repeated the answer from just now. "Is it correct?"

Jiang Yu looked at the woman in front of him. She looked to be in her early twenties, dressed in ordinary cotton and hemp clothes, with a calm expression. Even upon seeing him, she didn't show the sycophantic expression that the people around them did.

He couldn't help but show a bit of interest on his face and asked with a smile: "May I ask how the Little Lady arrived at this answer?"

Jiang Wei crossed her arms, clearly having no interest in engaging with him, and only said: "If my answer is correct, please keep your promise, Young Master Jiang, and gift the rabbits and chickens to me."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 66 =====