Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 1236 Postscript : International Edition of Ming Weekly

Five days have passed since we drank wine in Lanruoyuan.

The Ministry of Industry finally sent people to make more professional rubber vulcanization experimental equipment. The experimental location was also changed from the East Palace Food Bureau to the headquarters of the Royal Society's Chemical Branch.

Xie Yan threw the teaching task to the teaching assistant and went back to study rubber with the four brothers.

In fact, there is no need for so many chemists to keep an eye on it.

They jointly determined the content of the experiment, and then one person took turns to lead the assistant, while the remaining four chatted and watched the fun on the side.

"Did Xiao Lu go to see Zhao Jingjing again the day before yesterday?" Shi Huai asked.

Lu Churen was a little embarrassed. "I went to have two drinks. There were other distinguished guests at the time. When they heard that I was the Rose Scholar, they invited me to drink and listen to music. Those distinguished guests were all wealthy businessmen. They also left me their business cards and told me to keep in touch with them in the future."

Zeng Xing said, "Don't take women in pleasure places so seriously. My dear brother, please remember this."

Lu Churen said: "Miss Jingjing is very different from ordinary prostitutes. You may not know that Miss Jingjing actually knows chemistry, and she knows the latest 'molecular-atomic theory'."

"Famous prostitutes must read the Daming Weekly. They know a little bit about everything," Zhu Shirong said with a smile. "This summer, the newspaper's education section reported extensively on the molecular theory. If Zhao Jingjing reads the latest issue of a chemistry journal, she will easily get a general idea of ​​the molecular theory."

Zeng Xing pointed at Xie Yan who was leading the experiment and said, "Four days ago, Zhao Jingjing didn't even talk about chemistry. When you went there the day before yesterday, she was already dabbling in molecular theory. I'm afraid she was reading journals for the sake of her husband."

Zhu Shirong said, "It's not entirely for Brother Chaozong. The molecular theory is now widely circulated among the people. After Zhao Jingjing has learned a little bit about it, she can talk about it with any guest."

"If she just read some journals casually, how could she scare me, a chemist?" Lu Churen was stubborn.

Shi Huai said, "The fortune tellers in the folk can tell the family situation of the person asking the fortune clearly. Zhao Jingjing doesn't need to know much about chemistry, she only needs to know a little bit to make you tell it yourself. Think carefully, was she listening while you were talking?"

Lu Churen began to recall, but he couldn't remember clearly.

He only remembered that they had a very pleasant chat the night before. Miss Jingjing understood him very well, and those wealthy businessmen also respected him very much.

After a feast and drinking, he was not even asked to pay, and the rich businessmen just asked him to pay the bill.

"Oh, right, those wealthy businessmen asked me about young Master Xie," Lu Churen finally recalled the useful information, "One of them is from Zhejiang and wants to buy out the cement patent licenses in Nanjing and Zhejiang."

Zhu Shirong asked, "Why don't they talk to Chaozong directly about the patent?"

Lu Churen said: "It seems that they have gone to the princess's house to pay their respects, but the princess accepted the invitation but did not let them in."

Zeng Heng said, "This is deliberately leaving the merchants out in the cold. The more anxious the merchants are, the better the price of Qin's cement patent can be sold. If you meet those merchants again, don't take on too much responsibility and say you can help introduce them."

"I'm not stupid, why should I get involved in those things?" Lu Churen actually felt a little guilty. He no longer remembered what he said after he got drunk.

Xie Yan finished a group of experiments and recorded the data before coming over: "It's your turn."

"I'll go." Zeng Heng said.

Xie Yan poured the cold tea again and asked with a smile, "What were you talking about just now? I seemed to hear Qin Cement."

Zhu Shirong then recounted the story of Lu Churen's experience.

Xie Yan said: "Those merchants have very sharp noses. In the past two or three months, more than a dozen groups have come. Some people want to buy out patents from several provinces on their own. Some people plan to be middlemen and buy patent licenses and then sell them. Take your time, I'm not in a hurry anyway."

Lu Churen quickly assured: "No matter who comes to get close to me, I will ignore them!"

"Dear scholars, here are today's newspapers."

"let it go."

In addition to the "Da Ming Weekly", there are also two commercial weekly newspapers.

Today is September 11th (Lunar Calendar). Monthly, semi-monthly, bimonthly, etc. magazines were published at the beginning of the month.

Zhu Shirong picked up the Ming Xunbao and read the headlines on the front page. "Wow, the court is making a big move. Several factories of the Dongwu Trading Company in Zhejiang concealed their land area and falsely reported the number and model of factory chimneys. They were fined 200,000 guan, ordered to rectify within a time limit, and investigated for tax evasion. Four officials who helped cover up the case have been arrested. Thirty-nine officials involved in the case have been arrested. The Zhejiang provincial councilor in charge of industry and commerce was demoted and transferred to Liaoning as a leisurely councilor. This person's career should be ruined."

"Officials and businessmen collude, and they are caught and punished well!" Lu Churen praised immediately. He is still a middle-aged angry young man.

Shi Huai said: "The court levied factory and land taxes and chimney taxes to pave the way for the reform of industrial and commercial taxes, which is equivalent to the land inventory of the industrial and commercial circles. After so much trouble, the local areas are still in a mess, so the ministers of the cabinet and the government will naturally take ruthless measures. It's nothing more than killing a chicken to scare the monkeys."

Zhu Shirong read the second headline on the front page again: "Taifeng Trading Company in Nanjing Jinling Prefecture has illegally occupied more than 14,000 acres of farmland, forests, and riverbanks in the name of purchasing land to build a factory. Haha, the area of ​​the factory reported this time doesn't match. Because the data is too different, it was investigated by the censor. Not only did they find collusion between officials and businessmen, but also a murder case was involved. If the murder case is confirmed, it will probably be on the front page one day."

"It's on the front page even though there's no murder," Shi Huai said. "This is just a preliminary determination, the specific case is still under investigation, and it's already on the front page!"

Xie Yan, who was listening nearby, also felt relieved.

Those capitalists deserve to be hung on street lamps!

Although I also built a cement factory, I operate it legally and I am not a black-hearted capitalist.

Xie Yan took one of the newspapers from Zhu Shirong's hand. It turned out to be the "Fan State Strange News" section that was published every six months. The first news:
The King of Nanyu was extremely tyrannical, causing unrest among the people in his country and rebellions everywhere.

The Ming Emperor issued an edict to abolish the tyrannical king and establish a virtuous and wise king. He also sent reinforcements to suppress the rebellion, and had won two great victories. The rebels who were forced to rebel by the tyrannical king defected one after another.

The article praises the emperor of the Ming Dynasty for his benevolent rule and love for the people, and praises the bravery of the Ming Dynasty soldiers. It condemns the tyrannical king of the Southern Yu Kingdom, and emphasizes that the king should rule the world with benevolence and justice. It also reiterates the Ming Dynasty's sovereignty over the Southern Yu Kingdom, and the emperor of the Ming Dynasty has the right to depose and enthrone the king of the vassal state.

Second news:
The Japanese nobles rose up in rebellion, pretending to be the king and overthrowing the shogunate, causing great suffering to the people of Japan. Fortunately, the shogun commanded well and quickly suppressed the rebellion.

The King of Japan felt deeply guilty about this and abdicated to become the Supreme King.

The abdication was three times requested and declined, which was quite in line with the tradition of the Three Dynasties. The Ming Emperor praised the virtues of the Japanese King Taishang and sent envoys to Japan to enthrone the new king.

After reading this news about Japan, Xie Yan was in tears.

The Ming Dynasty newspapers are really good at confusing right and wrong!

It was obvious that the King of Japan wanted to seize power, so he brought together a group of cronies to launch an overthrow movement. However, he was easily defeated by the shogunate forces, and was forced to abdicate.

The third news:
The King of Kalinga in India, disregarding the diplomatic friendship between the Ming Dynasty and Kalinga, condoned the rioters and mobs to kill the Han people as soon as he ascended the throne.

The loyal and courageous Governor-General of India of the Ming Dynasty had to destroy the Kalinga Kingdom in order to protect overseas Han people.

The article emphasized that overseas Han people were also citizens of the Ming Dynasty. As long as they did not commit crimes, the Ming Emperor would certainly protect their lives and property. Any brutal acts against the citizens of the Ming Dynasty would be regarded as a provocation to the Ming Dynasty!
This type of overseas news is published every six months, in March and September.

The fourth piece of news is related to Myanmar.

The article condemned the King of Pagan for his tyranny and cruelty, and for luring and killing an old friend of the Ming court (a royal family member who controlled the Pagan Privy Council).

Fifth news:
Congratulations to Dayuan for defeating the Zengi Sultanate.

Congratulations to the Kingdom of Dayuan for joining forces with the Eastern Roman Empire and Georgia to attack Shirvan (Azerbaijan) from the east and west and destroy it, thus opening up a Silk Road that bypasses the Ayyubid Dynasty.

By the way, congratulations to the prince of Dayuan on marrying a Georgian princess as his concubine.

Xie Yan was delighted by this news.

Zhuge's descendants actually married a Georgian princess as their concubine.

What's even more ridiculous is that Shirvan, which was destroyed by Dayuan, was a vassal ally of the Ayyubid Dynasty. And Eastern Rome was also an ally of the Ayyubid Dynasty.

This meant that Dayuan was pulling together one of the Ayyubid dynasty's allies and destroying its other ally and nominal vassal state.

Just to open up the Silk Road across the Caspian Sea!

If this continues, the Eastern Roman Empire will probably break its alliance with the Ayyubid Dynasty ahead of schedule.

Of course, the Eastern Roman Empire was definitely not afraid of breaking the alliance, because it could turn around and form an alliance with the Dayuan Kingdom.

Xie Yan had made a bet with the little emperor some time ago about reading books, and had some understanding of the basic situation of the various kingdoms of Mecca. So when he saw the news at this moment, he became happier and happier.

A larger-scale war is about to break out in the Middle East!

Xie Yan didn't know that the Han Kingdom in northwest Africa had also joined the game and had destroyed the Caliph entrenched in North Africa, and its territory officially bordered the Ayyubid Dynasty.

In the future, Dayuan, the Han Dynasty, and Eastern Rome will attack the Ayyubid Dynasty from three directions.

The Kingdom of Dayuan wanted to seize the Persian region.

The Han Empire attempted to encroach on Egypt.

The Eastern Roman Empire planned to eliminate the Sultanate of Rum and completely recover its homeland that had been lost for hundreds of years.

After reading the newspaper, we chatted and took turns to host the experiments.

After working until the evening, Xie Yan politely declined the invitations from several brothers and went home obediently in the carriage.

"Sister, I'm back." Xie Yan was responsible for providing emotional value, and even shouting when he returned home seemed to have a sense of ritual.

Zhu Tangxi sat in the hall with a smile, with a young Hu girl standing beside him.

"Are you that... Alan?" Xie Yan was extremely surprised.

Zhu Tangxi said: "Women outside are not clean. Since Liu Lang likes Hu Ji, he should keep one since he was young. I just tested her talent and etiquette, and she is not bad. It won't be embarrassing to take her out."

Alan stepped forward and timidly bowed: "Hello, my dear."

Xie Yan didn't know how to respond to the princess's behavior.

(End of this chapter)