A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 102 The Mysterious Study (6)

Zhang, the registrar, and Jiang, their legs went weak, and they knelt down before Song Shuyu in unison, their faces crestfallen, saying, "We know we were wrong, we will never dare to slander you again, please forgive us!"

Song Shuyu raised an eyebrow and let out a cold snort, "Knowing it's slander, yet still knowingly committing it, the crime should be compounded!"

"grown ups……"

"Alright, follow Miss Bai and cooperate well."

"Yes, my lord!"

Registrar Zhang hurriedly got up and presented the previously recorded figures to Bai Zhizhi in a very amiable tone, "Miss Bai, my surname is Zhang, and I am the registrar of the Jingzhao Prefecture. These figures were recorded in chronological order according to the materials used in the abacus. Please take a look and see if they are of any use."

Bai Zhizhi adheres to the principle of "I will not offend others unless they offend me." Since Song Shuyu has taken the initiative to make amends, she will no longer hold a grudge against him out of pettiness.

After all, Mu Qingcheng is in between.

Bai Zhizhi took the case file, examined it carefully, and exclaimed in admiration, "Excellent! This is the correct order! Each group of three numbers forms one path, and there are four paths in total. Sort and combine them, which is usually the most time-consuming part, but this saves me a lot of trouble! Registrar Zhang, you are truly clever!"

"I'm ashamed to say that recording the numbers in this order was my master's decision, and I was merely following orders." Zhang, the registrar, chuckled sheepishly, taking the opportunity to say a few good words for his master, hoping to make amends for his mistake.

Sure enough, Bai Zhizhi looked at Song Shuyu with obvious appreciation. "I didn't expect Lord Song to be such a talented and handsome man!"

Song Shuyu smiled, "Miss Bai is too kind."

In order to solve the case, he was too lazy to argue with the girl anymore.

Mu Qingcheng urged impatiently, "Zhizhi, don't waste time, hurry up and decipher the code."

Bai Zhizhi instructed Zhang, the registrar, to prepare Xuan paper and a writing brush.

With curiosity and a desire to learn, everyone gathered around. They saw Bai Zhizhi holding a brush and drawing four squares on a piece of rice paper. Then, she wrote numbers in columns in the first square: 6721, 1591, 8341. She then crossed out the "1" after each number and wrote "fifteen" next to it.

Everyone fell silent, afraid of disturbing Bai Zhizhi, and even their breathing was carefully controlled.

Bai Zhizhi then wrote down three sets of numbers in the second box: 4922, 3572, and 8162. She then crossed out the "2" after each number and wrote "15" next to it.

The third box contains the following columns: "4, 9, 8, 1", "11, 7, 3", and "6, 5, 10". Then, the extra "1" in "4, 9, 8, 1" is crossed out, and "21" is written next to it.

The numbers in the fourth box are the most complicated: "5, 22, 18", "28, 15, 2", "12, 8, 25", and then "45" is written next to it.

Finally, Bai Zhizhi did some calculations and wrote down a new set of numbers on the paper: five, five, seven, fifteen.

Bai Zhizhi picked up the Xuan paper covered with numbers, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Alright, we can start making moves now."

"Zhizhi, how... how was this calculated?" Mu Qingcheng asked on behalf of everyone. Facing Sister Mu, Bai Zhizhi was naturally patient and gentle, "The numbers in the first box come from the three abacuses that Sister Mu mentioned represent the deceased's entire family. The last digit of each set of numbers is 'one,' which is the serial number specified by the deceased. Therefore, these three sets of numbers should be placed in the first box."

"Li Mu's arrangement was indeed for a specific purpose," Song Shuyu sighed.

Bai Zhizhi continued, "So, after removing 'one,' the sum of each remaining column of numbers is fifteen, which is the Nine Palaces Calculation. The 'Records of Mathematical Arts' records the following passage: 'The Nine Palaces Calculation uses the five elements as parameters, which are like a cycle. The Nine Palaces are: two and four on the shoulders, six and eight on the feet, three on the left and seven on the right, nine on the head and one on the feet, with five in the center.' This is the same as our three numbers, which together make up fifteen in the Nine Palaces Calculation."

"Similarly, the reason why these three sets of numbers were selected in the second box is because each set of numbers has a 'two' after it, which is the number two indicated by the deceased. After removing the 'two', the sum of the remaining numbers in each column is also fifteen. The numbers in the third and fourth boxes are more complicated and need to be split. They cannot be calculated directly. After splitting, the sum of the numbers in each column is twenty-one and forty-five. Finally, the sum of these four numbers is simplified simultaneously to get five, five, seven, and fifteen, which is the move of the red and black pieces."

Song Shuyu and Mu Qingcheng understood about 80%, Zhang Zhubu only half understood, and Jiang Zhan was completely confused, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

Mathematics is too profound to be mastered quickly.

Therefore, Song Shuyu did not ask any further questions, but said, "Miss Bai, the chessboard is in the inner room, please continue."

The group entered the inner room and watched as Bai Zhizhi picked up the red chess piece again. This time, the chessboard did not shake. Bai Zhizhi moved forward five squares along the black lines, then picked up a black chess piece and moved it forward five squares as well. She then picked up another red chess piece and moved it forward seven squares, and finally moved the other black chess piece forward fifteen squares.

After she finished, she dusted her hands off and said, "Alright, let's go outside and take a look."

Jiang Zhan charged ahead of Lu Ban Lock, but dared not move rashly.

One by one, everyone came out. Bai Zhizhi placed her hand on the Luban lock, and the thing that she couldn't lift before was now easily lifted with a gentle touch!

She smiled mischievously, "Sister Mu, would you like to untie it?"

Mu Qingcheng held it in her hand, turning it over and over, her delicate brows furrowed.

Jiang Zhan said, "Is it that hard to solve this? If not, just cleave it in two with one stroke!"

"Don't forcibly disassemble it, otherwise the contents inside will be damaged," Song Shuyu reminded him, but he couldn't help but feel puzzled. "The mortise and tenon structure of this Luban lock is very ingenious. From the outside, it looks like a perfect fit. There's no way there could be anything inside."

Bai Zhizhi laughed and said, "Lord Song, you are blinded by a leaf. Does the hollow sheep's eye of the Four-Sheep Bronze Zun require an eyeball to be inserted to activate it?"

“Miss Bai means…” Song Shuyu paused for a moment, then focused her gaze on the Luban lock. After a moment, she suddenly understood. “I understand. As long as the Luban lock is disassembled, its wooden strips are the eyes of the Four-Sheep Bronze Zun!”

Bai Zhizhi turned to look at Mu Qingcheng and exclaimed, "Sister Mu, your boss is quite smart. It's no wonder you've worked so hard for him!"

"Ahem." Song Shuyu was speechless. "Miss Bai, stop talking nonsense and hurry up and unlock it."

In the midst of their bickering, Mu Qingcheng's hands were already moving quickly, and in no time, with a "click," the Luban lock was unlocked!
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(End of this chapter)