The strongest eldest son of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 89: I sent you on a blind date, and you ended up studying for half a month?!

Xu Da's eyes lit up, and he was about to ask about the details of the past half month, but he stopped abruptly.

He was meticulous and mindful of the people present. He quickly stepped forward, pulled Xu Miaoyun aside, and whispered, "Come back to the room with me."

Deng Yu understood immediately and, without saying a word, pulled Deng Shengnan toward the other guest room.

Seeing the two pairs of fathers and daughters hurriedly chatting away from others, Zong Yonghe immediately shook his head and chuckled, his eyes full of understanding.

Inside the closed guest room, Xu Da looked anxious and couldn't wait to ask about what had happened in the past half month.

Xu Miaoyun slowly recounted the whole story of her entry into the mansion, from disguising herself as a maid, to reading aloud every morning, and studying mathematics and mathematics.

After listening to his daughter for half a month, burying herself in studying new knowledge and not making any moves to go on blind dates, Xu Da froze on the spot.

His eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment and blankness. He was completely dumbfounded, never expecting such an outcome.

In the next room, Deng Yu was equally bewildered after hearing his daughter's story; his carefully prepared marriage proposal had completely fallen flat.

Xu Miaoyun's eyes were clear and bright, and her tone was sincere as she sincerely praised Zhu Yao.

"Young Master Zhu is no ordinary scion of a prominent family. His vision, perspective, and insights far surpass those of ordinary people, making him extremely unique."

"What I learned at the manor was all practical new knowledge, and I benefited greatly. If I have the opportunity, I would like to return to the Liu manor to study again."

Deng Shengnan nodded repeatedly, her face full of agreement, and her tone was exceptionally sincere.

"That's right! Studying with Young Master Zhu is a hundred times more useful than being confined to the inner courtyard learning those outdated rules. I want to go back too!"

Xu Da and Deng Yu exchanged a glance, both seeing deep regret and disappointment in each other's eyes.

The two secretly speculated that Zhu Yao must have high standards and didn't even look at their daughter, which was why he only talked about her studies and not marriage.

After a moment of helpless sighs, the two composed themselves and decided not to linger any longer. They immediately ordered their belongings to be prepared and set off to return to the capital.

After the group finished packing, they went to the inn counter to settle their bill. The innkeeper smiled and skillfully manipulated the abacus beads.

"The total cost for half a month's food, lodging, tea, and miscellaneous expenses for all guests is 237 taels, 4 mace, and 7 fen."

The shopkeeper's fingers flew across the page, the abacus clicked and clacked, and he checked the accounts twice before finally reporting the total.

Before Xu Da could take out his money, Xu Miaoyun, who was standing beside him, casually recited the number in a low voice, several times faster than the abacus.

"The innkeeper is right. Half a month's room fee is 180 taels, food is 54 taels, and tea and miscellaneous expenses are 3 taels, 4 mace and 7 fen, totaling 237 taels, 4 mace and 7 fen."

"In addition, the extra charcoal and toiletries we purchased yesterday totaled two taels and one mace, bringing the total to two hundred and thirty-nine taels, five mace, and eight fen."

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper's fingers, which were manipulating the abacus, suddenly stopped, and he looked astonished. He immediately rushed to verify the information.

A moment later, the shopkeeper, his face filled with astonishment, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and exclaimed, "Young lady, your calculations are absolutely accurate! Not a single error! Even more precise and faster than my old abacus!"

Xu Da, Deng Yu, Zong Yong, and the others who accompanied her were all astonished and stared blankly at Xu Miaoyun.

Xu Miaoyun remained calm and smiled slightly: "It's just simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Once you memorize the algorithms, it's extremely easy."

Everyone was shocked. The once gentle and quiet young lady from a noble family now possessed such skillful and precise abilities.

After paying the bill, the group immediately set off. As they traveled along a desolate mountain path in the suburbs, the sky suddenly darkened.

Suddenly a strong wind arose, dark clouds loomed overhead, the mountain road became slippery and muddy, and the road ahead was shrouded in fog, making it impossible to see the way forward.

The accompanying guards immediately reined in the carriage, their faces grave, and stepped forward to report.

"My lord, the fog ahead is too thick and the humidity is extremely high. There is a risk of flash floods and rockfalls. Should we rest here and wait for the fog to clear before continuing?"

While everyone was hesitating, Deng Shengnan immediately lifted the carriage curtain and peered out to observe the sky and the terrain.

With a confident expression, she began to explain, her words clear and logical, each sentence aligned with the encyclopedic knowledge she had acquired.

"This is water vapor rising from the mountains during the day, not rain, fog, or cumulonimbus clouds. It looks dense, but it actually dissipates three feet above the ground."

"Look around, the vegetation in the mountains is dry, the soil is not soaked or waterlogged, and the wind direction is stable. There will be no rockfalls or flash floods."

"Just walk slowly along the ridge, and you can get out of the fog in half an hour without stopping or waiting."

The group was skeptical, but followed their instructions and drove slowly along the high mountain ridge.

Just as Deng Shengnan had predicted, the thick fog dissipated completely after a short while, the sky cleared, and the road ahead was smooth and safe.

Having safely traversed the perilous terrain, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes filled with shock as they looked at Deng Shengnan.

Deng Yu looked incredulous. His daughter had only ever played the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. How could she have ever known how to observe the sky, assess the situation, or identify mountains and avoid dangers?

Xu Da was also filled with emotion, his heart trembling.

In just half a month, the two pampered young women underwent a complete transformation, with their minds, knowledge, vision, and skills all changing dramatically.

This trip to the Liu family to study was far from fruitless; on the contrary, he clearly acquired a set of skills that others could not match!

.....

Rolling wheels rolled over the bluestone official road, carrying a group of people and horses slowly into the heavy city gate of Jinling.

The ten-mile-long street of Nanjing, the imperial capital, was bustling with traffic, towering buildings, and merchants coming and going in an endless stream, presenting a scene of prosperity and grandeur.

After a two-week trip to Chenzhou, Xu Da returned to the Duke of Wei's mansion. Shedding the dust of his journey, he lived a quiet life in the mansion, silently observing his daughter Xu Miaoyun's every move.

The more he looked, the more he was filled with emotion and genuine joy.

Upon returning from Chenzhou, Xu Miaoyun seemed to have undergone a complete transformation, shedding the childishness of a pampered young lady.

In the past, she was gentle and graceful but slightly shy, acting softly and gently, and always showing some girlish hesitation and timidity when faced with problems.

But nowadays, Xu Miaoyun is efficient and capable, handling household affairs in a clear and orderly manner, and managing matters large and small in an orderly fashion.

Her every move exudes composure and poise; she is intelligent and reserved, and her eyes reveal a clarity and certainty far beyond that of women her age.

The former demureness and shyness had completely vanished, replaced by an upright posture and radiant spirit. Her eyes and brows exuded a refreshing energy that was truly captivating.

One afternoon, Xu Da watched as his daughter calmly and efficiently tallied the accounts in the mansion, making no mistakes and at an astonishing speed. He couldn't help but step forward and whisper his praise.

"Miaoyun, you have truly made great progress during this trip to Chenzhou. Your temperament and skills are far superior to what they used to be."

Upon hearing this, Xu Miaoyun bowed slightly, her expression calm, and replied in a gentle voice, "Father, you flatter me. I have only learned some practical principles outside and have a superficial understanding of them."

Seeing his daughter's humble yet insightful demeanor, Xu Da was overjoyed and secretly glad that he had agreed to let her disguise herself and enter the mansion.

This long trip did not hinder my daughter in the slightest; on the contrary, it broadened her horizons, taught her real skills, and led to an amazing transformation.

As time went on, Xu Da gradually noticed something out of place, and whenever he saw it, he felt quite depressed.

Xu Miaoyun, who used to enjoy playing the zither, reading, and laughing and joking with her sisters in her spare time, now often spends her time alone.

Every evening when she had nothing to do, she would sit alone by the window, quietly watching the clouds drift across the sky, remaining silent and still for a long time.

Her clear eyes were empty, with a faint tenderness and melancholy hidden in them. Her lips were slightly pursed, carrying a trace of lingering affection that no one could detect.

That appearance clearly showed a young girl in love, with a tender and wistful expression, unable to hide even a hint of her feelings.

Xu Da saw all this and knew perfectly well that the person his daughter was thinking about was Zhu Yao from Chenzhou!