Chapter 6: The Elements (2)

Having finished speaking, the second steward turned and left, not leaving a single word for Gao Shiliu

Although Cheng Jinzhu himself said he wanted to laugh, the second steward could no longer stand. If such words were to be learned by several ladies, he would have to face punishment. He knelt down in his entire outfit and said, "Third Brother, this old servant is at fault; I did not teach this young man well."

Having mentioned such a trivial matter twice, Cheng Jinzhou then remarked: "The distinction among our own people lies here; someone like you, a doorkeeper, handles matters carelessly"

"What does that have to do with you? Do you expect me to report to you before I do anything?" With this remark from Cheng Jinzhou, those with a bit of intelligence quickly realized that this master was dissatisfied with the leaks regarding the affairs of the family.

Cheng Jinzhu immediately interrupted him, saying: "First, registration is not a report, and spreading my actions everywhere is even less appropriate. If this were a military campaign, you would be risking your head for this."

"Why is it still mathematics? Moreover... it is still elementary mathematics." Cheng Jinzhu felt a deep-seated frustration, and the spirit of the smallholder was unmistakably revealed.

The side courtyard occupied both sides of a street, yet it was considerably smaller than the ancestral home. After getting into the carriage outside the second gate, they soon arrived at the main entrance. Cheng Jinzhou suddenly pulled the bell in the carriage, and once the carriage came to a stop, he called through the curtain: "Shiyan, please bring out that tall one, number sixteen. And also the second steward."

Upon hearing the term "family member," the second steward immediately felt a sense of exhilaration akin to being intoxicated. His greatest aversion was his humble origins; due to the fact that the Cheng surname had only been passed down for two generations, many people resented his rise in status. At that moment, the pot began to tremble, and he excitedly said, "Thank you, Third Brother, for your understanding"

Since it is random, it is possible to randomly select any book. Customer service 010 explained briefly: "Do you wish to continue with the purchase?"

This elementary school mathematics, no matter how absurd it may be, he is still prepared to copy it down and discuss it further

In order to reduce the burden on the server, this is possible. Customer service 010 is an easy way.

"Third Brother, the carriage is ready," the young servant said softly from outside the door

Cheng Jinzhu slightly opened the curtain on the car window, squinting his eyes as he looked at the second steward who was bowing in greeting. In his heart, he praised the wicked old society while speaking in the tone commonly used by landlords and wealthy merchants: "Second steward, do you also share the surname Cheng?"

5.6 Xingyuan? Cheng Jinzhou responded with a hint of concern.

Gao Shiliu also understood, grimacing as he looked at the second steward and then at Cheng Jinzhou. He simply knelt on the ground and said: "Third Brother, the rules of the residence require that everyone who arrives must be registered..."

Cheng Jinzhou pressed the ring with his right hand, turning off the display while saying to customer service: "Let's leave it at this for now, we will discuss it later"

"Family members are indeed different; they are efficient and diligent in their work." Cheng Jinzhou spoke while sitting in the carriage, adopting the tone of his mother. As the legitimate wife of the Cheng family heir, Cheng's mother embodied the qualities of all noblewomen of this era, exuding a blend of grace and shrewdness, with an air of luxury that revealed her thoughtful nature

10 stones of grain, which is merely the weight of 10 bags of flour, is just too easily spent. As a result, it feels almost like winning the lottery, which left Cheng Jinzhou somewhat unaccustomed to it

"Bring me another book, something similar to the last time, but not too lengthy, and make it something useful." Cheng Jinzhou whispered to 010, feeling a sense of joy akin to that of an underground party.

The elder of the Cheng family is the Southern Envoy of the Daxia Town, a second-rank civil official holding a military position, deeply favored by two generations of emperors. However, he has spent most of his time away from home, which is managed by his wife. He has five sons, among whom the eldest, fourth, and fifth are all born of concubines, lacking status and not favored by the matriarch. The third generation of grandchildren is even less significant. The second son serves as an official in the capital, taking his family with him. Cheng Jinzhou has no brothers; in other words, he is the only legitimate son and grandson of the Cheng family branch remaining in Shaonan City.

He pointed at Gao Shiliu, who was standing far away, while speaking in a stern tone: "Someone is coming, and you don't say a word."

Gao Shiliu, in his thirties or forties, wore a face full of forced smiles and said, somewhat confused, "Third Brother, I was just watching you talk to the second steward..."

As the coachman cracked the whip, the hooves of the horse in front rose up. Cheng Jinzhou leaned comfortably against the back of the chair. Although his words sounded like a tantrum, it was likely that if he were to do anything in the other courtyard, the servants would have to tread carefully, and at most, they would probably want to keep their distance.

"You are a capable person. The grain has just been delivered and has already been stored. Well done." Cheng Jinzhou exaggeratedly praised the second steward. Regardless of how others felt about the excessive flattery, the steward himself was beaming with joy.

Cheng Jinzhu let out a "humph," but he was not prepared to continue exchanging. At his young age, it was not easy for him to acquire money. If he were to burn it carelessly without yielding anything in return, he would truly find himself in a crisis

With several thousand characters to copy, it would take quite a while to finish. As the sky gradually darkened, Cheng Jinzhou showed no intention of returning home. Shi Mo began to feel anxious, desperately signaling to Shi Yan.

"Master Ming, regardless of which brother comes to the courtyard, this is the rule. I am only worried about Third Brother, which is why I specifically sent someone to the ancestral home to inform him". Gao Shiliu's face was full of grievance, and he began to feel afraid.

The second steward knew that Cheng Jinzhu was testing his subordinates. While he sighed inwardly, "Third Brother has grown up," he alertly pointed outside and said, "Starting tomorrow, you will report to the estate outside. A good position will be arranged for you. Cheng Qizhong, you will go to the gatehouse; pay more attention from now on."

The second steward, hunched over with a slightly noticeable hunchback, replied formally: "Yes. My ancestors have served since the 27th generation, and in my father's generation, we were granted the surname Cheng."

The attitude is one of infinite respect

"It has nothing to do with you. Alright, let's leave it at that." Cheng Jinzhou did not utter a word of reprimand, lowered the curtains again, and gently rang the bell

In the third volume of the six-year primary school mathematics textbook, Cheng Jinzhu's eyes widened in disbelief. No matter how one puts it, "Elements of Geometry" is still a classic, yet this material is utterly useless.

Similar to the ancestral home, the servants of the side residence also managed the books for public use. The second steward hurried over, bowing from a distance towards the carriage and calling out, "Good morning, Third Brother!"

He used a voice and tone unique to youth, deliberately exaggerating his words, yet none of the people below dared to laugh. On the contrary, each of them felt a chill run down their spines. For the legitimate son and grandson of the Cheng family to speak this way about a second-class Ding, even if it was just for the sake of the Cheng family's reputation, Gao Shiliu would still find it impossible to continue.

In the other courtyard, the positions related to the gatekeeping are among the most lucrative. Just the gatekeeper's position alone can yield more benefits than the three managers in the outer estate combined. Losing such a good job left Gao Shili feeling despondent, and he secretly felt alarmed upon seeing others.

The great-grandfather of Cheng, who was a sickly child at the age of 27, passed away while in office

The brush is not something I am accustomed to using, and the efficiency of the homemade goose quill is nothing to be proud of. Cheng Jinzhou simply copied part of it himself, allowing two young scribes to assist him with the rest. The content of the entire book was mixed up, making it exceptionally difficult for him to comprehend.

When it was time to light the lamps, the maid sent by Cheng's mother for the third time had arrived. Only then did Cheng Jinzhu, feeling satisfied, instruct Shimo to prepare the carriage and sneak back into the storeroom.

Cheng Jinzhu found it amusing and pretended to be mature as he put down the goose feather in his hand, saying: "What are you squinting for?"

What if it is still mathematics

Cheng Jinzhu had not finished speaking and continued: "Secondly, whether you like it or not, I am the master here. Have you even greeted me? The sycophants rush to report to me, and once they finish, they remain silent. Do you look down on me?"

However, when the title of the book was opened, Cheng Jinzhou's discomfort quickly intensified.

The sound of the carriage wheels faded away, and the second steward slapped his knee, standing up with the support of two servants. Shaking his hand, he pointed at the high sixteen and angrily said: "What on earth have you done?"

As for arranging a better position and so forth, it doesn't even qualify as nonsense

What is there to be afraid of? Cheng Jinzhou glanced at the contents of the ring and thought, You all should speed up a bit; just a few more chapters and it will be over

Turning off the display, Cheng Jinzhou pushed the door open and said with a look of disappointment: "Go home."

The old lady's favoritism is naturally clear to the servants

The customer service seemed to be online all day, quickly responding: "A book was randomly found, 2.8 thousand words"

In the past, the sickly Cheng had poor health. Apart from following the ancestral rules to attend the private school, he hardly stepped out of the main door or even the second door, being raised in seclusion with his daughter. He had rarely visited the side courtyard, and the more this was the case, the more the second steward was careful in his service. The high-ranking servants were still servants, and the young master was still quite young. If any carelessness led to a complaint, it would always result in an uncomfortable situation.

Despite the use of simple words in "Elements," the two scribes still found their hands and feet numb from copying. Cheng Jinzhou copied the key sections, and after reading the remaining parts aloud twice, he was unwilling to continue working by himself

Gao Sixteen is essentially a gatekeeper, also considered a second-class Ding, with four or five aides under his command

He appeared to be a 12-year-old child, feigning reprimand, though lacking some authority. However, Shi Mo was also not very old and had been scolded several times; at this moment, he lowered his head and said, feeling wronged: "Third Brother, the Young Madam must be waiting anxiously."