Zheng Ye withdrew with a belly full of doubts. Before leaving, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the Empress Dowager's kang table, racked his brain but couldn't figure out what method she had used to calculate the accounts. She simply drew some strange symbols on a piece of paper and worked out a thick ledger of accounts; it was truly incredible!
If Cai Wei knew what was on Zheng Ye's mind, she would kindly tell him her method of calculating accounts was very simple—the arithmetic of Arabic numerals!
After dinner, Nangong Yi suggested taking Cai Wei to the Imperial Garden for a walk, saying it would help digest the meal. Cai Wei harbored no suspicions and, pleased, followed him to the Imperial Garden.
