Chapter 138: This Dame Looks Awfully Familiar

Datong, Regional Commander's Yamun.

Wang Pu was currently teaching Nenniang the Arabic numerals.

After spending a considerable amount of time with Nenniang, Wang Pu discovered that this little girl was exceptionally intelligent, grasping everything instantly and learning with remarkable ease. Wang Pu thus conceived the idea of having her learn arithmetic so she could take on the responsibilities of managing the household accounts. After all, the vast affairs of the official treasury and grain reserves were far too much for Zhen Youcai to handle alone.

Moreover, Zhen Youcai was currently shouldering the concurrent duties of overseeing the weaponry workshop and the gunpowder bureau, leaving him with even less energy to manage the treasury and provisions.

When Wang Pu intended to begin teaching, he realized that the counting methods of the Ming dynasty were extremely backward; the complex, formal characters used for numbers were neither intuitive nor practical for calculations. While counting rods were more visual, they were cumbersome for complex operations. Consequently, he decided to introduce the universally used Arabic numerals of later generations to Nenniang first.

Wang Pu first wrote the formal Chinese numbers from one to nine on a piece of paper, and directly beneath each of them, he wrote the corresponding digits from 1 to 9. Supporting her chin with her hand, Nenniang leaned over the desk to look at them, then suddenly raised her small head and asked, "General, the top row has nine characters which this humble maid recognizes, but what are those written underneath?"

Wang Pu smiled and asked, "Take a guess."

"Hmm..." Nenniang tilted her head slightly, thought for a moment, and suddenly said, "This humble maid understands! Are these nine symbols at the bottom supposed to mean the exact same things as the nine numbers above?"

"Clever girl."

Wang Pu could not resist hooking his finger to gently flick Nenniang's delicate nose. Nenniang crinkled her cute little nose in an adorable manner and giggled softly at Wang Pu. That charming and pretty look was truly delightful. If she were to exchange her military uniform for traditional feminine attire and restyle her hair into double buns, she would be the quintessential pretty maiden.

"However, General, these symbols are so strange. How come this humble maid has never seen them before?"

Strictly speaking, Arabic numerals had actually been introduced to the Central Plains as early as the Tang and Wei dynasties. However, counting rods were overwhelmingly popular in the Central Plains at that time and were extremely convenient, preventing Arabic numerals from gaining widespread adoption. It was entirely natural that Nenniang had never laid eyes on them.

"Didn't you just see them today?" Wang Pu's mood was naturally wonderful as he rubbed shoulders and shared intimate moments with such a charming maid. He smiled and said, "Look closely, Nenniang. This is 1. This is 2. One plus one makes two. For example, you are one person, and I am also one person, but when the two of us are added together, it becomes two people."

Nenniang said, "And that symbol behind that looks like an ear must be 3, right? Two people plus one more person makes three people?"

"Correct, truly clever." Wang Pu smiled faintly. "Nenniang, memorize these nine symbols firmly today. Tomorrow, the General will give you a test. If you cannot answer or get it wrong by then, the General is going to spank your bottom."

As he spoke, Wang Pu cast a teasing, predatory glance at Nenniang's backside. Encased in riding trousers, the little girl's hips appeared taut, rounded, and pert.

Nenniang's fair face flushed crimson in an instant, the blush spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. With her beautiful, large