In Zhuge Liang's tailor-made plan for Wei Ba, getting close to Xiahou Mao is a very important link. Xiahou Mao is the general of Anxi and the governor of Guanzhong. When Cao Zhen, the top leader of Cao Wei's western theater, is recovering in Luoyang, Xiahou Mao is
The most important part of the Western Theater Command, having him command the entire Yongzhou campaign would be much more beneficial to the Shu Han than having Cao Zhen command it. Therefore, one of Wei Ba's tasks is to encourage Chief Xiahou Mao as much as possible to delay Cao Zhen's entry
Guanzhong's speed.
Zhuge Liang was very troubled about how to approach Xiahou Mao. Xiahou Mao was interested in maintaining his health, and Wei Ba's shortcoming was that he read few books, not to mention those Taoist books, which is the most common Taoist classic "Laozi's Five Thousand Words"
He knew nothing about the Book of Changes, so if he was asked to talk to Xiahou Mao about this, he would be sure to reveal the truth in just two sentences.
Fortunately, Wei Ba is not useless, he has his strengths. First, his arithmetic is unparalleled in the contemporary era. Since he can make Yang Yi vomit blood, he can almost do whatever he wants in Cao Wei. Second, his thinking is different from ordinary people.
Different, in Zhuge Liang's words, he has a unique vision and can see extraordinary things in places that others think are normal.
In Taoist terms, this is called understanding and wisdom.
Zhuge Liang actually didn't know that it wasn't called understanding, nor was it called wisdom, it was called science. These unique insights that are very different from common sense are the result of thousands of years - especially the hundreds of years of development of modern science.
It doesn't matter if Zhuge Liang doesn't know, he can still make the most of Wei Ba's strengths. Using mathematics to "study" Taoism is one of the important contents. Zhuge Liang proposed the direction, but Wei Ba took care of the specific content himself.
Organized.
In the eyes of some scientists, the world is a world of mathematics. In the eyes of some pseudo-scientists, the world is also full of amazing numbers. When it comes to Wei Ba, whether he is a scientist with true insights or a pseudo-scientist
All the nonsense was melted into one furnace, with only one purpose, to make Xiahou Mao look at him with admiration.
"General, man is one of the three talents of heaven and earth. He is the spirit of all things, so he is also the most brilliant in numbers. People often say that nine is the supreme number. In fact, nine is the number of heaven and earth. It is absolutely impossible for man. With me
My humble opinion. Five is the ultimate number for people."
Xia Houmao also had a burning heart for gossip. When he heard these strange rumors, he immediately became energetic. "Where do you start talking about this?"
"General, think about it, is there any animal in the world with more than five fingers?"
Xiahou Mao scratched his hair and thought for a long time: "Does centipede count?"
"The centipede is said to have a hundred legs, but how can it have two fingers on each of its legs? The spirit is in the details, and only by observing the details can you see the difference." Wei Ba said seriously: "General, many animals have this
There is not much difference in the limbs, but the number of fingers is very different. Only humans have five fingers, and the others either only have three or four, or only one or two. Only humans have five. Then I will
I wonder if a person has five fingers and all five elements, so he is the spirit of all things?"
Wei Ba also smiled and said: "Indeed, these are just some questions of mine. In fact, there is no knowledge at all. However, from then on, I found that everything in the world is full of various numbers. Because of this, I
I developed a strong interest in mathematics.”
Wei Ba can be said to be talking nonsense. Even with Xiahou Mao's knowledge, there are many far-fetched points. However, it is precisely because of this that this has further weakened Xiahou Mao's defensive mentality. If Zhuge Liang really wants to send someone to do something,
It was a counter-intuitive plan to get close to him by relying on Taoism. Why would you send such a young man with little knowledge? Bashu was originally the base of Tianshi Taoism, and there were countless skilled Taoist priests. Who could be better than Wei Ba, a dabbler?
Out of this mentality, Xia Houmao put down his psychological guard and started laughing with Wei Ba, both as entertainment and as a joke. Wei Ba didn't care about this. His purpose was just to get close to Xia Houmao, not to do scientific research or cause trouble.
It doesn't matter if you make some jokes.
Not only did Xiahou Mao relax his guard, but also Xiahou Hui, who had been hiding behind the screen silently, relaxed his guard because of this. Unknowingly, she also pricked up her ears and listened to Wei Ba's nonsense. If it weren't for the fact that she was a woman and couldn't show her face,
Wei Ba was an outsider, so she might run to the front to find fault. Listening to Wei Ba's far-fetched explanations, she found it interesting, but also couldn't help but want to correct him. This complex psychology was like
The two rivals were fighting repeatedly in her heart.
Wei Ba talked nonsense and went back to the post house to rest. The more Xiahou Mao thought about it, the more he felt happy. He couldn't help but invite Xia Houhui out and expressed his own opinions on Wei Ba's opinions just now. Xiahou Hui could bear it.
He was a little cruel. At this moment, he didn't bother to analyze whether Wei Ba was sincerely surrendering, so he criticized his distorted interpretation for a while.
However, even Xia Houhui had to admit that although most of the so-called opinions mentioned by Wei Ba were nonsense, there were also some real insights, some of which even Xia Houhui had not noticed. For example, Wei Ba said, why does Lao Tzu say that the best is like water?
?Not only because the characteristics of water are soft and weak, which is in line with the Taoist tendency to value softness and the inferior, but also because water embodies a deeper truth.
For example, a drop of water will shrink into a round droplet when it falls on the surface of an object that cannot be wetted. And when a drop of rain falls on the ground, it will be almost spherical. Why? From a mathematical point of view, circles have the same volume.
Bottom, the shape with the smallest surface area. This is like a person who has certain abilities and abilities, but if he wants to preserve himself and follow the Taoist philosophy of nobleness and softness, he will try to be as low-key as possible to reduce other people's attention to him.
Xia Houhui did not fully agree with the extension of those meanings, but she was attracted by Wei Ba's mathematical explanation.
"Uncle, is the circle really the smallest on the surface?"
Xia Houmao was stunned, thought for a moment, and said with a wry smile: "I have never thought of such a question, but it sounds reasonable."
Xia Houhui nodded: "Uncle, next time you talk to him, ask him how to use arithmetic to calculate."
Xia Houmao looked at Xia Houhui in surprise, hesitated for a while, and couldn't help asking: "Yuanrong, are you interested in these?"
Xia Houhui laughed softly: "Uncle, I do have some interest, but what I am more interested in is not these, but that if this person is really unique in arithmetic, then he can be used by my uncle.
"
Xia Houmao looked at Xia Houhui with piercing eyes. He was very interested in this question. So far, he has had a strong interest in Wei Ba. Regardless of whether this person is the young man who defeated Sima Yi, just because he is so
Being able to speak makes him a good candidate to be a guest. Compared with Wei Ba's witty talk, he is not optimistic about Wei Ba's military ability. After all, Wei Ba's father Wei Yan is a general of the Shu Han Dynasty. How could he let Wei Ba go?
Lead troops in battle.
If you want to use him, you can only use his skills other than military. It is impossible for him to command troops no matter what. Although Xiahou Mao is not knowledgeable in military affairs, he does not lack this bit of common sense.
"I have sent people to Hanzhong to inquire about the news, but the journey is far away. It will probably take a month or two before the news comes back. Besides, the craftsmen are not mobile enough and may not be able to inquire thoroughly." Xiahou Mao rubbed his temples and calculated.
How to maximize the value of Wei Ba's rare item? He felt a little regretful at the same time. He had paid so little attention to this information before that he now knew very little about Wei Ba and didn't even know what he was good at.
"It's been too long to wait until Xizuo comes back." Xia Houhui shook his head and said, "He will definitely refuse to say anything at the moment, but uncle, don't forget that he also has a servant by his side. Since he can escape with him, I think it's right
The most considerate person, he knows more about Wei Ba than a craftsman can. Why doesn't uncle start with him?"
Xia Houmao's eyes lit up and he patted his thigh: "Yes, how could I forget about him? Yuanrong, you are really my good strategist."
"What is your good military advisor? She is also your lucky star." Princess Qinghe came over from the back hall, looked at Xiahou Mao who was inexplicably excited, and snorted unhappily. Xiahou Mao's face suddenly stiffened, and he quickly stood up and saluted.
Princess Qinghe didn't even look at him. She walked straight to the chair and sat down. She glanced at Xiahou Hui and said half-truthfully: "Yuanrong, after all, you are all named Xiahou. As soon as you arrive in Chang'an, you will take me."
This guy named Cao forgot about it, he only knew how to help your uncle Xiahou, but you didn’t even mention the things I told him."
Xia Houhui pursed his lips and smiled and said: "Princess, how can I afford it if you say so? It's not that I don't mention it, it's because my uncle has been worrying about the military for the past two days and has no time, so it's hard for me to mention it now. Uncle, what do you mean?
Yes or no?"
Xiahou Mao knew very well that he had not slept with the princess after so many days since her arrival. Xiahou Hui reminded him twice, but he really had no interest in the old woman, the princess, and kept refusing to answer the call on the pretext that he had something to do.
Now the princess couldn't bear it anymore, so she came out from the back hall to ask questions. Even Xia Houhui was vaguely blamed. How could he not be nervous? As soon as he heard the words handed over by Xia Houhui, he immediately grabbed it tightly.
"Princess, although Yuanrong's surname is Xiahou, she has the blood of the Cao family. After all, she is also half of the Cao family. What's more, although she is not born to the princess, she is very much loved by the princess. In her heart,
The princess is just like her mother, but my uncle is far away."
Xiahou Mao pretended to laugh heartily to cover up his guilty conscience. Princess Qinghe did not answer his question, and asked Xiahou Hui with a smile. She also knew what Xiahou Mao had been busy with in the past two days. If Wei Ba was really Wei Yan's
She could roughly guess how important her son was to Xia Houmao. Of course she hoped that her husband would make great achievements and stop being looked down upon by others. No matter how strong her desire was, she could still clearly distinguish the importance of it.
"So you have been busy these past few days, but have you made any progress?"
"Princess, there has been some progress." Xia Houhui said obediently: "Uncle just tested that person and got some very important information. Now it seems that this person should be of benefit to uncle."
Xia Houmao echoed incessantly and relayed the interesting part of what Wei Ba just said to Princess Qinghe. Princess Qinghe is a standard womanly family. When she heard these strange talks, she was both novel and surprised, and she was happier than hearing a joke. .Unconsciously, I developed a strong interest in Wei Ba.
"Call him here sometime and tell me."
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The second update is here, please give me monthly votes, recommendations, and motivation, and I’m ready to go to the third update. (To be continued. Please search Piao Tian Literature, the novel will be better and updated faster!)