Chapter 0009: The Initial Emergence of Brilliance
However, Luo Yu, not wanting to dwell on this issue, turned to the Nine Palace Diagram to deduce the chess game of "Longzhong Dui" given to him by Uncle Mad. The current Longzhong Dui chess game was no longer as complex for Luo Yu; he could roughly sort out the ideas, with only a few variations needing repeated contemplation to confirm. Gradually, Luo Yu became immersed in the chess score, slowly forgetting the passage of time
Luo Yu pondered for a moment, then ran to the old man's accounting table and began to calculate earnestly. Initially, Luo Yu encountered some difficulties; the variety of goods was too numerous and bizarre, with some items being repeated multiple times. For instance, a certain type of goods was purchased several times in the morning, and after calculating for a long time, it was discovered that all of these goods had been distributed in the afternoon, rendering the calculations pointless. Thus, the process of calculation was quite troublesome.
In less than half an hour, Luo Yu had completed the calculations, respectfully handing the results to the astonished old man. At this moment, Luo Yu also secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as his calculations matched the old man's results perfectly.
Not long after, a knock on the door was heard. Luo Yu initially thought it was someone delivering a birthday gift. He quickly opened the door, only to find the elderly man from the first floor, holding a thick blue quilt in his hands, smiling as he stood outside the door. Upon seeing Luo Yu, he said, "You need to stay here tonight. It will be cold in the evening, so I brought you a quilt. Otherwise, you might catch a cold, which could lead to problems." His voice carried a hint of concern, suggesting that he had recognized Luo Yu's talent and understood that Luo Yu's future was boundless, prompting him to seek a connection.
The elder is being too polite; in the future, just feel free to ask this young man for anything, there is no need to bring gifts
Alright, it is settled then. It seems that in the future, the old man can take it a bit easier. I have one more thing to remind you about: when receiving gifts tomorrow, be sure to pay attention and avoid accepting precious jewelry, gold, silver notes, and the like. You must carefully inspect the gifts. As the Minister of Rites, even during a birthday celebration, the master must present an image of integrity and cleanliness, leaving no room for any criticism. Therefore, you must be particularly cautious when receiving gifts. However, there is no need to worry too much, as all gifts must undergo thorough inspection by the stewards before they reach you, so there generally should not be any issues by the time they arrive in your hands.
"No... you actually considered the number of people coming and going, which shows that you are a meticulous person. Since you have passed my assessment, you may go to the second floor to manage the longevity food brought by others. Here is the warehouse key; remember to take it with you." The old man was startled by Luo Yu's words and only then realized his own lapse in composure, hurriedly responding.
At this moment, the elderly man who had been intently studying the account book noticed the expression on Luo Yu's face and nodded with a sense of satisfaction. It seemed that, regardless of the outcome of his calculations, this child was genuinely serious in his attitude and not merely putting on a show.
Moreover, Luo Yu was still so young, and he was unaware of the profound impact he had on that elderly man. At this moment, he had arrived at the longevity food warehouse, where he curiously looked around the storage filled with longevity food. Inside were various rare items, including bowl-sized bright red longevity peaches, colorful exotic fruits, and an array of exquisite foods, all dazzling to the eye. Luo Yu felt a surge of appetite, but these items were for viewing only, not for touching, which indeed whetted one's appetite. If it were an ordinary child, they would likely be so enchanted that they would lose track of their surroundings. After checking the list item by item and finding no issues, Luo Yu sat down to rest.
Of course, no problem. As long as the old gentleman needs it, I will definitely help. Luo Yu said in a crisp voice; these accounts are truly not difficult for him, and there is compensation, so it is worth doing.
Uncertain how much time had passed, the sounds of shouting and the creaking of goods being moved outside reached Luo Yu's ears. Out of curiosity, he looked out the window and was instantly astonished by the scene before him. It was not yet time for the warehouse to open, yet the area outside was already filled with people and mountains of goods. There were all sorts of items, and some even included rare animals that were restlessly jumping around, creating a chaotic scene in the already disordered square. Nevertheless, it was undeniably a lively spectacle. From his vantage point above, Luo Yu could clearly see that the more precious the gifts, the closer they were to the front. The gifts of lesser value were lined up further back, and almost everyone adhered to this unspoken rule, as the level of gift-giving could subtly reflect one's status.
At this moment, Luo Yu saw the large gate below slowly opening, and the old gentleman from yesterday walked out slowly, accompanied by several guards, his expression extremely serious. The old man wore a green hairpin and a wide white robe, and he walked to the center of the doorway with a stern face. Clearing his throat, he spoke loudly: "Today marks the fiftieth birthday of my esteemed master. I would like to thank everyone for coming to celebrate this occasion. On behalf of the Luo family, I express my gratitude to all of you. The Luo family appreciates your kind intentions. After we tally the gifts, I will distribute a red envelope to each person as a token of thanks. Now, please begin handing over the gift lists and gifts to the guards beside me, who will verify them one by one." After he finished speaking, several beautifully dressed maidens came out from behind, each carrying trays of fruits and pastries in an orderly manner. The servants delivering the gifts seemed to have never seen so many beautiful women, their eyes wide open in astonishment, and one could even hear the sound of some swallowing hard. The old man seated on the high platform appeared to relish the feeling of being in a position of power, his eyes scanning around, while he held a piece of pastry just delivered by a maid, savoring it slowly.
Only Luo Yu realized that the number of people entering and exiting should be increased by one, as he should also be counted. He wondered if this was the place where the old man wanted to test him
"That young man has left, take care, old sir." After saying this, Luo Yu bowed to the old man, took the key, and walked upstairs. At that moment, the old man kept his eyes fixed on Luo Yu's back until it disappeared from view before he looked away. He glanced at the white paper in his hand, still unable to suppress his astonishment: "There is actually someone who can mentally calculate forty-five sets of data in one breath. This young man is truly exceptionally intelligent; he will certainly not be an ordinary person in the future!" This truly startled the old man. Generally, a person who can mentally calculate ten to fifteen sets of data is considered smart, while those who can calculate twenty to thirty sets are regarded as extraordinary talents. Those who can exceed forty are extremely rare throughout history. At least in his more than half a century of life, he had never encountered such a person.
However, in an instant, Luo Yu calmed down and thought of the "Classification Method" in the Nine Palace Bureau, categorizing the goods first and then calculating the total incoming goods minus the total outgoing goods. This way, the calculation became much quicker, and the expression on Luo Yu's face gradually relaxed.
Luo Yu had long been aware of the complexities of human relationships within the residence, and did not take these concerns to heart; however, he still respectfully guided the elderly man inside and had him take a seat
On the morning of the second day, Luo Yu got up early, cleaned the warehouse thoroughly, and then moved a table to the entrance. After placing pens and paper on it, he sat down and reflected on the Nine Palaces Primordial Arrangement, also known as the Chess Path "Luo Shu." Each time he deduced it, his understanding of this chess score deepened, and he increasingly felt that his comprehension of the Nine Palaces Arrangement was still quite superficial. He sensed that the Primordial Nine Palaces Bagua seemed to contain something, yet he could not discern what it was.
Hehe, I didn't expect you to be so well-mannered, young man. The old man actually wants you to help me sort out the accounts when you have some free time. You wouldn't want to see the old man working so hard, would you? I know that for you, it won't take much time to calculate these things. The old man won't let you work for nothing; he will give you some compensation. What do you think?
At this moment, the old man was filled with immense shock. Initially, he thought that if the calculations were completed within three hours, it would be a compliment to the young man, considering he had never received an education and was quite young. Having managed accounts for so many years, he was naturally very skilled. Unexpectedly, this young man completed the calculations in merely half an hour, a speed that was truly astonishing! Could it be that he is hiding his true abilities?
I understand, I will definitely pay attention when receiving gifts. Luo Yu nodded thoughtfully and said, "That old man won't disturb you any longer, I will go down to get busy now, you should rest early, tomorrow is likely to be very busy." After the old man finished speaking, he stood up and walked out. Luo Yu hurriedly accompanied the old man and saw him off. After returning to the room, he quietly sat alone on the small bed in the warehouse, deep in thought, secretly reminding himself to be cautious tomorrow.
"Old man, is there any mistake in my calculations?" Luo Yu realized that he had frightened the elderly man, and couldn't help but show a hint of childishness.