Chapter 231: The Sky Is Too Difficult to Stop and Hope for a Long Time (1)
The guards came forward, took the boxes one by one solemnly, and opened them in front of Zhao Si.
The first box is a stack of nautical charts, with routes, islands and a new, uncharted continent drawn on it.
"Star board, is the sextant easy to use?" Zhao Si looked at the sea charts drawn with his life, and was filled with emotion. He took a deep breath, calmed down his agitated mood, and asked.
"Your Majesty, it's very useful. I really don't know who discovered such a powerful tool. It helps us not lose our way in the sea. It can also be used as a basis for drawing sea charts."
Zhao Si smiled and did not answer.
The star board is developed on the basis of the star-crossing technique. The star-crossing technique is a secret technique passed down from generation to generation by experienced old boatmen on the coast, but they don't know the principle and only know how to apply it mechanically.
Zhao Si knew its basic principles, and then asked the Taishi Bureau to sort out the astrological knowledge, and then asked Su Xie, who was proficient in mechanics, to lead a group of skilled craftsmen to make the star board based on the simple star board passed down from the shipwrights' ancestors.
On this basis, Zhao Si asked Su Xie to make a sextant, and at the same time, he made a special navigation compass based on the water floating needle and magnetic needle declination in "Meng Xi Bi Tan".
The New Continent Expedition was not scheduled to set off until four years after Tianqi. First, it was waiting for the successful trial of a sturdy ship capable of going to the ocean. Second, it was to train a group of talents. Understand mathematics and astrology, and know how to use a star board, sextant, and compass to measure the stars and determine
Position; know how to use a ruler and compass to make a chart on paper...
"Where's that mysterious map?" Zhao Si asked.
Wang Zhi took out a parchment roll from his arms and carefully held it to Zhao Si with both hands.
"Your Majesty, these rare treasures were regarded as life by the previous king and commander. Before he died of illness, he solemnly handed them over to his subordinates."
Zhao Si sighed inwardly. What a rare treasure. It was nothing more than a simple map that he recalled from his middle school world geography knowledge and roughly sketched the outlines of northern Asia, the Bering Strait, Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, and North America to Central America.
Although I scored ninety-seven points on the world geography test, I didn’t have the detailed longitude and latitude. I can only say that the drawings are very similar, so I’ll make do with it. Then I solemnly handed it over to the leader of the expedition team in the name of a stranger from Zhongnan Mountain.
They actually regard it as a treasure.
Maybe they didn't take it seriously at first, but as they sailed, they found that the general direction was correct. They were definitely surprised and happy, and regarded it as a treasure.
Zhao Si opened the second box, which contained pieces of gold.
"Your Majesty, the natives in these places are rich in gold." Wang Zhi pointed to a chart and said.
Zhao Si compared it in his mind with the world map in his memory. These places were California, the United States, and the west coast of Mexico.
The third box is pearls and coral.
Zhao seemed noncommittal and opened the fourth box, which contained grains of golden grain.
corn!
"Your Majesty, this is what we got in exchange with the indigenous people in this area. It is their staple food. We enclosed a piece of land here as a temporary residence and then cultivated there. These two bags were given by the indigenous people.
, these two bags were grown by us.”
Wang Zhi pointed at the map and said.
"These are treasures! Keep them well and hand them over to the Agricultural Research Institute of the Gewuyuan." Zhao Si said solemnly, "This thing is crystal clear, like oil topaz, so let's call it corn."
Open the fifth box, sweet potatoes! Darling, this is good luck!
"Your Majesty, this is also local food, we got it here." Wang Zhi pointed to a certain place and said.
Didn’t that go to Colombia in Central and South America?
"You actually ran that far?"
"The commander and the deputy commander said that before setting off, the officials told us to go all the way south along this coastline. The main goal is to find food for the local indigenous people. Before they died, they handed over this task to us."
I see.
"This thing has red skin and is quite big. "Beishan Sutra" says, 'Jingshan, there are many yam on it'. Let's call it sweet potato. It's best to keep it alive and hand it over to the Agricultural Research Institute."
Opening the sixth box, there were actually a few potatoes inside. Oh my god, with these three items, my ocean adventure was really worth it.
I originally thought that as long as I could bring back one piece, I would be satisfied. Unexpectedly, I brought them all back at once. I am indeed a son of the plane, and God has given me some respect.
"Your Majesty, this thing was obtained by our advance team who went south again with favorable winds last year to these places, found the indigenous people, and exchanged it with them."
Wang Zhi pointed to the chart and said.
Darling, they all ran here.
Where is this place? Well, it should be Chile. So, the silver and copper mines here have fallen into their own bowl.
Zhao Si thought for a moment that he could learn from the Spaniards and mine silver mines in Chile, then follow the wind westward to Luzon Island, and then return to Shanghai from there.
Yes, there is also saltpeter... hair, this is not an ordinary hair, but a big hair!
"This thing is like a bell on a horse, so let's call it a potato. It's best to keep it and give it to the Agricultural Research Institute."
After reading these six boxes, Zhao Si was in a good mood.
He said to Wang Zhi and the other five people: "You have made great contributions to the Song Dynasty! And it is a great contribution for generations to come! I will award you medals and honors. Together with the deceased warriors, I will award them to you.
Home Volume."
Wang Zhi quickly gave in and said humbly: "I just made a small contribution..."
Zhao Si waved his hand, interrupted Wang Zhi's words, and continued: "You don't know the benefits of these three improved grains now. They are God's way of saving hundreds of millions of people in the Song Dynasty from hunger through your hands. Wait three
In five years, when the Agricultural Research Institute can breed them well and then spread them to all states and counties, you will know that I am not exaggerating in rewarding them so highly!"
In Bohai City, John and Yin Sak were reminiscing about their experiences along the way. They were already deeply impressed by the prosperity and vastness of the Song Dynasty.
It's just that the two of them have not seen the legendary power and military power with their own eyes, so they are not sure yet.
"Under normal circumstances, the army around the emperor is the most elite. The army that escorted us here is called the Xiaoqi Army. It is said that together with the bodyguard army, it is the bodyguard of His Majesty the Emperor of Song Dynasty. The Xiaoqi Army looks very powerful, but
I just don’t know how many such cavalry there are in Song Dynasty?”
Yin Sak sighed, feeling a little regretful.
"Yes. The strength of the Turks lies in their cavalry. Together with the servants of cavalry from Persia, Khorasan and other places, they suppressed our Roman Empire and then swept away the Saracens. To deal with cavalry, cavalry must be used."
John replied.
"Our Roman Empire spent countless manpower and material resources to develop a heavy cavalry, but there was no mobile light cavalry to cover it. That's why we were defeated by the Turkic light cavalry and heavy cavalry. I really wish that the Song Dynasty had 100,000 cavalry.
, so that they can hope to go on an expedition, defeat the Turks from the east, and help our Roman Empire resolve the crisis."
"Yes, I hope so too. But John, along the way we have been going, the Song Dynasty is full of rich lands. Can such a place produce such a tough and brave cavalry?"
"I don't know. But I saw something different in the official family of Song Dynasty."
"What's different?"
"The official palace of the Song Dynasty is in Kaifeng City. You and I both know what kind of city it is! Such a luxurious place, no matter how hard the bones are, will be soaked here. Their Emperor, however, is willing to run around
, for the welfare of his subjects. I heard that he once personally led troops to fight on the northwest front."
Speaking of this, John's eyes were full of hope, "Such a different emperor, I hope he can bring us different surprises." This chapter has been completed!
