The Ming Dynasty: My sister, Empress Ma

Ma Wenyuan took a semi-transparent glass cup, which was already in the room. The material was fairly clear.

Pour in water, then pinch a pinch of flour and drop it in.

The flour is finely ground flour.

Ma Wenyuan sprinkled the water very lightly and stirred it. Countless tiny white dots immediately floated to the surface.

Ma Wenyuan let the sunlight into the cup.

"Look at her from the side." Ma Wenyuan grabbed Xu Miaoyun and brought her to a position perpendicular to the light.

"It's blue."

Xu Miaoyun blinked, finding it somewhat unbelievable.

Ma Wenyuan then placed the white paper opposite the cup to receive the light that passed through.

Xu Miaoyun sighed,

"It's red again."

It was actually orange-red, but Ma Wenyuan didn't correct him; he just smiled and told them that this was light scattering.

For the next hour, Ma Wenyuan explained this part.

They didn't stop until both of them understood.

As for Zeng Qing?

That silly boy should practice military formations first.

"Reading should be done with method; you can't believe everything you read. If you believe everything you read, you might as well not read at all."

Ma Wenyuan's last sentence was this.

Xu Miaoyun nodded in deep agreement.

This made Ma Wenyuan feel that the young man was teachable.

……

It was still early in the morning.

Ma Wenyuan continued to guide the two in their investigation of things and their pursuit of knowledge.

"Which do you think will hit the ground first, this big rock or this small rock, if they were at the same height?"

Ma Wenyuan held the two stones to his chest and asked with a smile.

"Yes, it's all about priorities!" Zeng Xiu replied immediately.

Xu Miaoyun felt that Ma Wenyuan would never ask such a simple question; there must be something fishy about it.

Xu Miaoyun pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, "The younger one?"

It was only said that way.

Xu Miaoyun shook her head, denying her own words.

How could that be? How could the smaller one land before the larger one?

"So you also think it's big?"

Ma Wenyuan did not let go of the stone, but said with a smile, "Then here is a problem. What if I tie the big stone and the small stone together and then throw them down?"

"Do you think it will be faster than a big rock, faster than a small rock, or somewhere in between?"

"If it's heavy, it should land on the ground first," Ma Wenyuan said with a bright smile.

Zeng Xiu and Xu Miaoyun realized the truth almost simultaneously, and before Ma Wenyuan could finish speaking, they figured it out on their own.

"Bundling them together will slow down the falling of the small stones, as they will 'drag down' the large stones. So, binding them together should make them fall slower than the large stones falling alone."

"But the whole thing tied together is heavier than the original big rock. According to the principle of 'heavier falls first,' it should fall faster than the big rock. The idea that heavier falls first is illogical."

Seeing that the two of them could think for themselves, Ma Wenyuan felt very gratified.

At the same time, let go.

thump—

Two stones landed at the same height.

After that, Xu Miaoyun and Zeng Xiu spent the entire morning immersed in Ma Wenyuan's scientific world.

Immerse yourself in the pursuit of knowledge through investigation.

Xu Miaoyun didn't even go home for lunch; she was still doing experiments with Zeng Xiu and asking Ma Wenyuan questions.

From free fall experiments, Xu Miaoyun and Zeng Xiu extended their work to inertial experiments.

Finally, it extends to thermal expansion and contraction.

Why is it said to be the last?

The main reason is that Ma Wenyuan doesn't have that much time; he can't be a teacher forever.

He also needs to go to Wudewei to inspect his troops.

Teaching students is important, but dealing with war is just as important.

……

After lunch.

Ma Wenyuan arrived at the Wudewei garrison by horse-drawn carriage.

He didn't bring anyone else, only his student Zeng Qing.

The Wude Guard has been established for many years, from the time of the King of Wu to the present.

Furthermore, he was the head of the Seventeen Guards of the Imperial Guard, and was now under the jurisdiction of the newly reorganized Grand General's Office.

It is worth mentioning that Lan Yu also came from the Wudewei (Martial Virtue Guard) and had served as a chiliarch (military commander) and a commander.

His starting point was significantly higher than Ma Wenyuan's current position.

This shows how strict Empress Ma was with her relatives.

"Who goes there?"

Before even entering the Wudewei garrison, they were stopped at the gate by two soldiers.

Before Ma Wenyuan could speak, one of the soldiers' attitudes immediately changed drastically.

"So it's the Emperor's brother-in-law. The Commander had already instructed that there was no need to announce the arrival of the Emperor's brother-in-law."

Ma Wenyuan was not surprised. He got off the carriage and followed Zeng Qing on foot into the camp with the soldier.

Along the way, you can see many soldiers training; their fierceness and bravery clearly indicate that they have fought in battles.

The Imperial Guard at this time should be no less capable than the border troops.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor's Brother-in-Law."

The journey was smooth and unobstructed. As soon as Ma Wenyuan arrived at the commander's location, he saw a middle-aged man respectfully bowing to him.

This was probably the first time a garrison commander had ever bowed to a centurion like him.

Only now does Ma Wenyuan truly understand how easy it is to get things done when you have connections in the court.

However, he couldn't just accept the courtesy without doing so. After thinking for a moment, Ma Wenyuan immediately returned the courtesy.

"This humble general, Ma Wenyuan, pays his respects to the Commander."

The two bowed to each other.

Using "paying respects" in both cases seemed somewhat inappropriate.

Finally, the commander was the first to stand up, smiling as he said, "The emperor's brother-in-law is of such high status, how could he bow to me?"

"You should pay your respects; I am merely a centurion."

"Quickly, quick, Your Excellency, you must be tired from your journey. Come in, have some tea, and rest for a while."

The commander quickly changed the subject.

Ma Wenyuan did not move.

"I want to go to my centurion's quarters first."

"Yes, yes, yes, important matters come first. The Emperor's brother-in-law always keeps the affairs of the country in mind; he is truly a role model for us all."

After giving a wink to the soldiers below, the commander immediately led Ma Wenyuan toward the centurion's garrison.

As they walked, the commander continued to introduce things to Ma Wenyuan.

"The centurion that His Majesty assigned to the Imperial Brother-in-law is an elite soldier of our Wude Guard. Among him are not only fierce soldiers who can draw a two-stone bow, but also many excellent soldiers transferred from other guards."

Ma Wenyuan remained a listener throughout, rarely interrupting.

He was clear about his own position and also understood Lao Zhu's personality.

One should always be cautious and prudent, and avoid involving personal relationships if possible.

"These arrogant and unruly soldiers are difficult to manage. If the Emperor's brother-in-law ever encounters any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to me."

They arrived at the entrance of the 300th household, which was the 100 households that Ma Wenyuan was to lead.

Ma Wenyuan then saw the two low-ranking officers who seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

"Meng Chong, Right Banner Commander of the 300th Household".

"He Tao, Zuo Zongqi."

After introducing themselves, the two bowed in unison.

The two men's attitudes were not much different, but to someone like Ma Wenyuan who was good at finding fault, it was a big difference.

The latter was clearly much more perfunctory than the former.

"This He Tao is the warrior I mentioned who can draw a two-stone bow."

The commander was clearly not one to nitpick, and at this moment he said cheerfully, "He Tao, go, go show off your skills and let the Imperial Brother-in-law see what you're capable of."

Ma Wenyuan was also a little surprised. This He Tao was not tall or strong, so how could he draw a two-stone bow?

During the Hongwu era, ordinary soldiers were considered qualified only if they could draw a half-stone bow.

If you can draw a bow with 1 stone of force, then you are considered excellent.

Tiger's strength is such that it can draw a bow with a force of more than 1 stone, which is extremely rare.

If someone can draw a two-stone bow, they are among the elite of the elite. Even someone without a background could become a captain or even a centurion simply by relying on that skill.

He Tao bowed slightly, giving a forced smile,

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency, but I caught a cold yesterday and am too weak to draw the bow today."