Chapter 160 – Teaching a Lesson (2)
A year passed quickly.
Mo Linyuan did the math problems that were only available in the post-modern era, exclaiming in wonder at the magic of multiplication, subtraction, and division.
In this era, there were calculations, but they were too troublesome. If numbers can be manipulated as easy as this, then he believed addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division would bring great convenience to the people.
“The Imperial Tutor previously always said that he wanted to reform the imperial examinations and depose of the myriad of family techniques so that only one standard will be left. I felt that it wasn’t appropriate and never agreed. But now, the idea seems wise. Regardless of whether these techniques are supreme and came from the top hundred, their practicality is too low. Although the study of character is essential, one still has to emphasize learning to use it to learn.”
His eyes lit up slightly. “It’s like arithmetic. For it to be used in every way, I believe we should include it in the next imperial examinations.”
Ye Mu, of course, had no objections to this reform! She nodded and smiled, “This thing is simple; I can write textbooks for it.”
In this era, there were both paper-making and printing techniques.
Writing books is still very convenient, but…
Ye Mu touched her chin and said, “It’s just that the existing papermaking techniques are either too expensive or too troublesome. Furthermore, they are too fragile and are not suitable for writing. How about this, I’ll try to improve the papermaking techniques when I have time!”
Mo Linyuan raised his eyebrows and smiled. “May I ask Master Ye if there is anything she doesn’t know?”
Ye Mu had a headache as she pointed at the paper on the table. “My brain is quite straight-forward. I can’t read between the lines, but I do know quite a lot about practical techniques!”
Mo Linyuan chuckled. This little thing was not modest at all.
He said, “Arithmetic is good, but I feel that physics doesn’t seem to be of much use. You don’t believe it’s necessary to involve in the Imperial examinations, do you?”
To study how water forms into the air and then condensing to frost–what use was there to it when people mostly relied on their physical strength and martial arts?
Ye Mu was like a knowledge shell. In her era, everyone wanted to learn from her, so naturally, she was able to teach him a little this time.
Seeing Mo Linyuan looking at her, she let out a snort and said the next sentence profoundly, “Remember, no matter what it is, learning it will be useful.”
This sentence made Mo Linyuan’s heart skip a beat. “Learning anything is useful?”
He suddenly understood, as if he had recognized a new logic.
“Of course!” Ye Mu took out the wheel that she had prepared earlier and waved it in front of him, “I’ll show you the power of physics today! Just observe how handy this little thing is!”
Just as the two were about to delve into the matter, someone came to report.
“Your Majesty, something bad happened! The Father Emperor ran away from the Hall of Virtue!”
Over the past year, Mo Shiwen had tried to regain his power many times. He had once sat in the emperor’s seat and experienced a kind of glory no one could easily attain, and after being fiercely bullied for five years, he became even more eager to reclaim it the moment he came out. Besides, there were people from powerful families to add oil to the fire, making Mo Shiwen, even more, daring to run away.
Even if the empress dowager had always wanted to capture Mo Shiwen, Mo Linyuan had never so much as spared an effort to protect him. However, could he let such a person become another trouble?
Chapter 122 – Consumed by Madness (1)
Seeing the culprit finally appear before him, Ye Li’s heart ached with hatred! All his years of planning had been ruined at the most vital point, and the youth in front of him had truly contributed to its catastrophe greatly!
He sneered before suddenly rushing forward to attack Mo Linyuan in rage.
When Yan Xu naturally saw this, he was taken aback. If something were to happen to Mo Linyuan in the Yue Country, it naturally won’t be a good thing if they were to ally the two countries. Yan Xu hurriedly shouted when he saw ye Li rush blindly, “Ye Li! If you resist any further, I’ll have to give the order to kill you!”
Slaughter them all?
It was a frightening command, yet Yan Xu’s words did not faze the irrational Ye Li one bit. Nevertheless, his hasty attack was futile as he was blocked by the expert guarding Mo Linyuan. So, he took two steps back and suddenly sniggered.
Afterwards, without preamble for all the arrows pointed at them, he amplified his voice with his inner strength, giving the chilling command, “Ye army, listen up! Kill him! Even if we die, we will not be cowards!”
He completely disregarded Yan Xu’s threat, even if he clearly knew he was no match for him; that his defeat was looming just around the corner. In his unacceptance of everything, did Ye Li want everyone to die here together with him?
Seeing that the other party was stubbornly adamant to resist, Yan xu could not give the order to shoot. Despite, he had shouted earlier that if Ye Li left him with no choice, he would be forced to rain the arrows on them all. At the growing complicated situation, the Second Prince finally intervened, raising his voice to exclaim, “Every one of you, listen! You have already lost this battle. Surrender and refrain from killing! What I want is Ye Li’s head! I, Qi Lian, swear upon the will of the gods and spirits that I will let you surrender without bloodshed!”
The Second Orince’s words were like a clap of thunder that fell on the people’s ears, causing the hearts of the Ye family army, who were originally determined to die for a cause, to waver. At this moment, the expansive battlefield suddenly quieted down, and other than Ye Li’s loyal old subordinates, no one else became willing to follow Ye Li’s command to a fight to death—rather, it was suicide at this point.
As expected, after those people stopped their attacks, Ye Li’s taut nerves finally broke…these people were once attached to him, his cause, and now, they actually dared to disobey his orders?
With a single slash of Ye Li’s sword, a few of his retreating soldiers were killed on the spot. As his fellow comrade’s blood splashed across the ground, the surrounding people could only see Ye Li finally succumbing to insanity. Everyone instantly avoided him like plagued, more convinced to leave.
But although they had finally refrained from attacking, they also didn’t dare to retreat completely…
“Stop! General, please stop!” An old general with a scarred face instantly cried out and rushed towards Ye Li.
“For us to have reached this point, we no longer have any regrets left… General, so what if we lose? These old comrades of yours will forever serve you; the rest—just let them live…”
The outcome of the current battle was clear as day; they had soundly lost. Rather than commit an act of genocide, it would be better if they committed suicide willingly so that the remaining people could have a chance of survival.
Ye Li clenched his fists and looked at him maliciously, “You mean you want me to die so that these cowards can live?”
The veteran shook his head multiple times, wiping away the tears that fell from his eyes, and seriously said, “These former comrades will cross the River Styx with you. We will all go with you!”
After he finished speaking, over a hundred people behind Ye Li kneeled down, and they all proclaimed one promise: “We are willing to die for the general!”
Ye Li’s cursory glance brushed among them and then towards the thousands of Black Army soldiers beside him. They didn’t kneel, and it was obvious that they refused to die for his cause anymore.
“Alright, alright…!”
Ye Li’s tall body staggered, as his face had a strange expression. “Good! You are willing to die for me—want me to commit suicide…”
Just when everyone thought that Ye Li was swayed and will finally follow the moral path, letting his other soldiers go, he suddenly stretched forth a muscly hand and grabbed the neck of the soldier closest to him.
“Since…you are not willing to die for me, then to the underworld you go!”
This unexpected twist in the battlefield stunned everyone present! Ye Li’s entire face abnormally grew red, as if he was sucking the life out of the soldier he had caught. The soldier’s entire body shook like a leaf, his eyes wide open in horror and disbelief.