Jingming

Chapter 196 Combination of Chinese and Western...

After more than a year, there are more than one hundred people of all kinds in Wanfa Hall.

The current curator is Taihe Bowen Zhengming, and he already knows what kind of existence this Ten Thousand Laws Museum is—an unprecedented academy.

The Four Books and Five Classics are not taught here for the time being, and scholars have not yet started to recruit, mainly people who have studied various miscellaneous subjects, such as Wang Wensu, the dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences.

Most of the people who come here to study are artisans and officials from various yamen.

The emperor brought a western clock and put it at the Qiaoqi Academy, and asked Wang Wensu to study it together.

Wen Zhengming was here with him, only to hear the emperor ask them to take apart the back cover and said in a decent manner: "This is quite similar to the water transport instrument platform in the Southern Song Dynasty that you mentioned earlier. Su Song's skills in the past It was made together with Han Gonglian, and now it is just a thorough study of the principle of the pendulum swing, and there are many small gears in it."

Zhu Houcong pointed to a small place and said: "I don't know what kind of steel some of the iron pieces here are. The reason for the elasticity and curling can also be tried."

"Your Majesty, this seems to be a set of escapement too." A skillful craftsman looked at it first with fascination.

"The same principle is the best." Zhu Houcong said to Wang Wensu after a compliment, "Mr. Wang, there should be a lot of mathematical principles in it. Its ingenuity requires you to bring someone to measure it carefully and calculate the mystery. "

Daming uses twelve hours to count time, but no matter whether it is the east or the west, a day is always so long.There is a circle on the sundial, and the dial of this western clock prototype is also a circle.

Wang Wensu nodded seriously.

Zhu Houcong said again: "I don't need to measure the sun shadow or hourglass when I look at the western clock. After I make it, I can take it around. With the craftsmanship of the Ming Dynasty, if it can be improved and made smaller, it will be of great use in the future."

The importance of accurate timing cannot be overemphasized.If the timing tool can be made smaller than this, at least it will be of great use on the battlefield in the future.

"Your Majesty, these gears are so small, if you want to measure them accurately, you may need to carve out the set of steel rulers that Your Majesty mentioned first."

Measurement is the basis of craftsmanship, and Zhu Houcong also arranged for this work.

The imitation and improvement of this western clock may help Daming establish a set of more accurate measurement tools and systems.

After staying in the Qiaoqi Academy for a while, he went to Taisu Hall with Wen Zhengming.

Wen Zhengming didn't slow down after listening to him talking about the mechanical principle for a while. When he saw Alfonso who had been "guarded" here in Taisu Hall, he heard Zhu Houcong sit down and said: "This Wanfa Pavilion , you might as well regard him as the Athens Academy of the East."

After listening to the translation, Alfonso's mouth opened.

Seeing his reaction, Wen Zhengming knew that His Majesty had mentioned another well-known Western existence.

After Zhu Houcong set up a mysterious Jinyiwei to travel around and visit the internal and external inspection factories, he can already say things that others don't know without any scruple.

Every time I say it, people feel more unfathomable about Jinyiwei and Neiwaichang.

"...Your Majesty the Emperor, I am not a scholar."

"There are some people you brought here. As for you..." Zhu Houcong said with a smile, "You know the ocean, and you have experience in naval warfare, don't you?"

After a moment of silence, Alfonso asked: "My daughter Carolina..."

"I have already met her. If you can sincerely serve me, you will have a noble status in Daming in the future. The world is very big. In my study, didn't you also see that there is a vast new continent to the south of the Spice Islands?" I can tell you that apart from Ming Dynasty, no country in the world has discovered it. Its radius is as large as 1 Portugal, and it is full of precious mineral deposits and new species that have never been seen before, and it still stays in very primitive technology. era."

Zhu Houcong looked at Alfonso's suspicious eyes, and said again: "Carolina will become my woman. If you are willing to be loyal to me, after I get back Manga in the future, you can also lead the fleet to serve me again. Conquer the land I call Nan'aolu, and your grandson can become the king there. The premise is that you prove your loyalty here first."

Wen Zhengming and others looked at Zhu Houcong in shock: Wang?Your Majesty wants to have a baby with a Western woman?

Zhu Houcong didn't have those pedantic ideas, he just needed Alfonso to unreservedly bring out the Portuguese's sailing skills, naval combat experience, and warship gun technology.

If in the future the Ming navy can be used to roam the world, and if it is possible to advance technology to the industrial level, then Australia has good iron that is extremely easy to mine.

The ones at home can be buried in the ground more often.

Even if the cost is a little higher, it doesn't matter, the early usage is not big anyway.

Alfonso stood there silent after listening to Zhu Houcong's cake painting.

According to him, it is a land isolated from the world, and it is not difficult to conquer.

Is it more tempting to be a Portuguese viceroy of India, or is it more tempting for a descendant to be a king of a vast country?
"Your Majesty the Emperor, since your empire has already discovered it, why didn't it conquer it?"

Zhu Houcong replied calmly: "There are powerful grassland people in the north of Ming Dynasty. Their ancestors once attacked the Danube River. In the past, Ming Dynasty did not pay too much attention to the ocean. It is far away, and Ming Dynasty does not need to actually occupy it. But now If Portugal and Spain are ambitious to carve up the world, then Ming will tell Europa that the east belongs to Ming. When they no longer bring warships, but only send merchant ships, there will be peace and trade."

Hearing about the prairie people who once made Europe fearful, Alfonso's expression changed.

With such a powerful enemy in the north of the Eastern Empire, can it still confront Portugal and Spain on the sea?
"Your Majesty, I admire your ambition. You are still so young, and you really have a long time to realize your ideal." Alfonso said frankly, "When you control Managa, you need to defend the north at the same time." The border and the south. Portugal and Spain are now very dependent on the wealth from the sea, and will not give up such an important sea throat easily."

Zhu Houcong just said: "In the city you are in, there are more than 100 million people. The population of Daming is more than [-] million, and it may exceed [-] million in the near future. No one can defeat Daming at the gate of Daming. "

He doesn't know how many people there are in Europe at this time, but he believes that this number is enough to shock Alfonso.

Population is a very important manifestation of national strength, and it is directly related to war potential.

Alfonso was really shocked: Portugal's current total population is only over 100 million.Even if the population of all overseas territories is counted, it is only about 2000 to [-] million.

He didn't know the authenticity of this number, but when he entered the city before, he saw the prosperity and dense population of the imperial capital.

"Da Ming also wants the wealth of the ocean. As for Portugal and Spain, earning less through trade is their best choice in the east. Otherwise, it will completely cut off the wealth that can be obtained from the east. As for you, in the future you will It is possible to be their representative, to make the merchants of Portugal and Spain prostrate before you, and beg you to give them a chance to trade."

Hearing this, Alfonso knew that he didn't have to hesitate any longer.

Now that his daughter has been brought into the emperor's palace, it is very difficult to come out again.

Now, the fate arranged for him by the emperor of the East is much better than he imagined—even though it still hasn't come true.

But does he have a choice?If she didn't express her attitude here, then when the emperor returned to the palace, Carolina didn't know what kind of abuse she would receive.

So Alfonso knelt on the ground, while Wen Zhengming and the others were stunned, he took the corner of the emperor's dragon robe with both hands and kissed: "Your Majesty, Martin Alfonso is willing to be loyal to you and become a part of your huge empire." General."

Zhu Houcong looked at it and smiled: "A knight salute? Lu Song, give me the knife."

After listening to the translation, Alfonso looked very surprised.

Although the knight is translated into cavalry.

But the emperor actually knew that this etiquette was also related to swords.

Zhu Houcong drew out the knife, and put it on his shoulder under the puzzled eyes of everyone: "I heard that it should be a sword. However, since we are in Daming, let's express something first."

After putting away his smile, he tapped his shoulders with a knife, learned some pictures he had seen on TV, and said seriously: "I accept your allegiance, and I hope you can make contributions to me in the future." , then you can also become my lord. In Daming, there are no viscounts or barons, only dukes, marquises, and uncles."

"I admire your understanding of Europa!" Seeing that he had really completed the knight ceremony, Alfonso said convincingly, "I will definitely work hard."

"Learn the oriental language well, I believe this is not difficult for a nobleman."

After Zhu Houcong gave the knife to Lu Song, he pointed to Wen Zhengming and said, "This is the earl of Daming, the curator of Wanfa Museum. His daughter is my concubine, and he himself is a very famous poet and artist in Daming. Taihebo, you should work with Tongshi to teach him the language and etiquette of Ming Dynasty. Alfonso, you should feel honored to join a great empire that has lasted thousands of years of civilization."

After saying this, Zhu Houcong left.

If Alfonso is not allowed to have a new expectation for the future, he is only forced to cooperate instead of actively cooperating.

Compared with the West at this time, the Ming Dynasty is only a little behind in some technologies.On other levels, Daming has enough soft and hard power.

Since you can't go back, people can convince themselves.

Is it not good to live?Not to mention the possibility of becoming a master.

Wen Zhengming stared blankly at the Portuguese and saluted him: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Honorable Earl, may I have the honor to know your name?"

...I have never experienced this before!How to deal with him?
……

Zhu Houcong heard about the situation after returning to the palace, so he had no choice but to go to Qingning Palace.

"Nine concubines and you are not lucky enough, how could you be fascinated by the western vixen?" Empress Dowager Jiang blamed her grandson who had just turned one month old, and Lin Qingping was also sitting beside her.

Zhu Houcong was amused by the term Western vixen, and sat down and said: "Does the mother think that the son has been fascinated? The son just came back from the Wanfa Pavilion, and he kept her because he wanted to use her father."

Empress Dowager Jiang understood a little: "Is it related to state affairs?"

Zhu Houcong nodded: "Her father is a general who is very good at naval warfare. The warships, guns and many things of the Westerners are worthwhile. After capturing some the year before last, the Bureau of Military Warfare and the Military Weapons Bureau are imitating , Improvement. If he takes the initiative to help, then the warships and guns will be more convenient."

"Then do you want to canonize that Western vixen?" Empress Dowager Jiang shook her head again and again, "How decent is this..."

"It's not necessary to be canonized. Besides, it's not a big deal. Isn't there a precedent for North Korea and other feudal states to offer the canonization of princes and daughters? It's just that there are no Westerners."

Zhu Houcong just made Alfonso feel at ease, after all, his daughter is the emperor's woman.

If we really want to reach that point, I'm afraid that Da Ming has already changed a little bit, and Alfonso will have to make some contributions to Da Ming.

In Carolina, she can only be as precious as a daughter according to her father.After all, the starting point is too low, and the identity is a prisoner.

Zhu Houcong explained a few sentences before asking: "Is the toy I arranged to make ready?"

Wen Jingyi, who was arranged by the Empress Dowager Jiang in the Qingning Palace, bent down and said, "The servants are rushing to do it."

Empress Dowager Jiang asked suspiciously: "Wrapping wooden blocks of various shapes with silk cloth of various colors can really make children smart?"

"The child has just been able to see clearly, now let him see some colorful things and listen to some sounds." Anyway, Zhu Houcong only needs to make arrangements with one more sentence, so why not do it?
Lin Qingping watched with a smile as he teased her son's little face, and felt that he was very attentive to the child.

Zhu Houcong got up after staying here for a while: "I will go back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation first."

Compared with Qianqing Palace, Yangxin Palace is indeed more livable.

Now that the palace has been firmly controlled, there is no need to worry about safety. Zhu Houcong is really too lazy to randomly choose a dragon couch to sleep in every day.

Back in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Caroline had already learned a few simple vocabulary, and when she saw him, she knelt down numbly: "Your Majesty..."

It's just that the accent is very strange, and the first sound of the word "bi" made Zhu Houcong wake up after listening to it, and couldn't help but glance at her.

The emperor glanced over, and Carolina was suddenly uneasy.

Wen Suyun also saw it, and looked at Zhu Houcong with his mouth wide open: "Your Majesty, don't you want your concubine to sleep with you today?"

Zhu Houcong coughed and said, "According to the time, it's not appropriate for you to be in bed today."

There is no need to blush, anyway, there are already precedents of Lin Qingping and Sun Ming, and the concubines in the palace have already firmly believed in the emperor's way of farming.

Wen Suyun was no stranger to the emperor for a long time, and the girl who had tasted it for the first time pursed her mouth: It is only four days after the moon event, what His Majesty said, what is the first seven and the last eight!
It's just greedy and fresh!That being the case, didn't Concubine Jiu not touch any of them?
But as a concubine, even if she was unhappy, she could only hold back.

Seeing that she was unwilling to go back to Changle Palace, Zhu Houcong said, "I'll take you to Xiyuan in a few days and call your parents."

Only then did Wen Suyun turn anger into joy, and thanked him.

Only then did Zhu Houcong look at Carolina, while Qumei stood aside.

This is the joy of the emperor, the whole world is accustomed to respect and inferiority.

"Your father has already pledged allegiance to me, and you will become my woman. I believe that you will know what your fate will be when you come here."

After Karolina finished listening, Qu Mei spoke intermittently, "She asked Your Majesty, are her parents okay? What did you do to them?"

Zhu Houcong replied with a smile: "It's just outside the palace wall to the west, in a college next to the palace. They all have a comfortable living environment. I asked Alfonso to be a teacher first and pass on his experience in naval warfare."

After hearing this, Caroline looked relieved, and then looked at the emperor with her green emerald eyes: "Your Majesty the Emperor, if I become your woman, will I be able to see them in the future?"

"I'll see you." Zhu Houcong nodded, "I'll wait until I can trust his and your loyalty."

"...I will be loyal." Carolina nodded after hearing the translation.

"You can prove your obedience today first." Zhu Houcong's mouth curled up playfully, "Qumei, you take her to take a bath, and you too."

Qu Mei was stunned, a little at a loss: "Your Majesty... the servants are also with me?"

Zhu Houcong looked at Zhang Zuo who picked her out with a little care. She was not selected into the 50 people but stayed in the palace. How could her beauty be so bad?It's nothing more than a little inferior in terms of talent and so on.

If it weren't for the other people who were not selected as concubines to have some noble status, Zhang Zuo would have picked those.

Although I don't know what the emperor wants to do in the palace to train a Portuguese officer, but in the end it was arranged by His Majesty himself, and Zhang Zuo was very attentive.

Now Zhu Houcong said with a smile: "After all, she is still a prisoner of the enemy country. If you hold a grudge against me, you can help me hold her down. Besides, I can't understand what she said. Why, don't you want to?"

Qu Mei's pretty face flushed red: "Slave...of course I am willing."

Although... the first time was so out of line...

Huang Jin, who was at the side, saw them go to take a bath, and asked after a while, "Your Majesty, should the servant prepare some soup first?"

Zhu Houcong nodded: "Let's prepare first, and remember their menstruation time later. For today, it's just to subdue her first, so that her father can work for me with peace of mind."

After some preparations, Zhu Houcong finished his bath and sat on a chair in the bedroom to read a book.

After a while, Qu Mei's voice sounded timidly outside the bedroom door: "Your Majesty, I and her have finished bathing."

Zhu Houcong put down the book: "Come in."

It can be seen that Qu Mei is shy and happy, while Carolina is obviously more nervous.

Zhu Houcong pointed to the larger dragon couch in the bedroom of the Hall of Mental Cultivation: "Come on, let me take a look at my figure first."

Qu Mei tugged at the corner of Carolina's clothes, and walked to the front of the dragon couch in small steps.

Zhu Houcong looked at them and nodded, so Qu Mei lowered her head and blushed, and took the lead in unbuttoning them, and said something to Carolina.

It was already a hot day in July, so I changed into loose and simple clothes after bathing.

As soon as the outer clothes were taken off, Zhu Houcong saw that Carolina was still wearing a bellyband.As expected of a noble lady, she has good nutrition.

He stood up with a smile and walked over, stretching out his hands from left to right to pick up their chins.

Qu Mei closed her eyes, while Carolina bit her lip and looked at him.

Then, the noble Eastern Emperor lifted her last veil.

So did Qu Mei.

Zhu Houcong lowered his hands apart, felt it indulgently, and then pushed forward.

Then, he began to untie his clothes, looking at the two subconsciously hiding in front of him: "Where do you put your hands? Qu Mei, grab her hands."

Qu Mei didn't grab, but pulled, and the two unconsciously stood sideways and moved closer together.

Zhu Houcong said with emotion: The combination of Chinese and Western is the right thing.

(End of this chapter)