Zhu Hao was sitting on a small bench in the corner of the yard, reading in the sun. The sound of Jinghong's reading came from the classroom. As for Zhu San, Zhu Si and Lu Bing, they were completing the "killing game" in the sun, using Zhu Hao to give them
Magnifying glass focuses on sunlight roasting ants.
Children are not only playful but also very imaginative.
Zhu Hao just told them that convex lenses can focus light, and then the three children began to point the mirrors at the ants in the yard who were moving and stocking up on winter food. From time to time, they could hear cries as if they had discovered a new world.
Yuan Zonggao has not shown up yet, and Tang Yin came to the school in the morning and then left after a while. It seems that a drastic change is brewing in the palace.
"Why don't you give it to me? How long have you been playing? If you don't give it to me... I will dismantle your telescope, and there will be a piece on it."
Zhu San had a good time, but after the things fell into her brother's hands, they never came back to her. In desperation, she threatened to dismantle her brother's telescope.
Zhu Si looked proud: "I know you might steal my good treasure, and you have hidden it for a long time. If you have the ability, go look for it, but I don't believe you can find it."
"Shameless, really shameless!"
Zhu San said angrily.
Zhu Si handed the magnifying glass to Lu Bing: "Come and play, don't give it to this crazy woman!"
"Who are you calling a crazy woman?"
"What's wrong with scolding you? You called me short yesterday... I scolded you just to be polite!" Zhu Si looked like he was at odds with his sister.
Lu Bing quickly took the opportunity to level the magnifying glass and focus the sunlight on a single point. Then an unlucky ant was tracked by the strong light... After struggling a few times, it died.
"Yeah, it's really fun."
Lu Bing looked proud.
But the next second, the magnifying glass was snatched away by Zhu San.
There was another burst of madness.
…
…
The hustle and bustle in the yard didn't seem to have much to do with Zhu Hao. He didn't like those boring games. The process of accompanying Zhu Si growing up was so boring, but he had to endure it.
Since I have traveled through time and become a child, I can only treat hardship as enjoyment. Otherwise, what can I do after leaving the palace?
"Mr. Yuan is here!"
Zhu Si said something.
Zhu San raised the magnifying glass so high that even his younger brother couldn't reach it even if he jumped. She looked proud: "Who are you kidding? I won't be fooled."
Unexpectedly, Yuan Zonggao really came.
Yuan Zonggao did not have any entourage with him. He stood at the entrance of the academy, looking at the children playing in the yard with a smile, his eyes full of kindness.
"Mr. Yuan."
Although the children were afraid of seeing Yuan Zonggao, they still had the proper etiquette and they all went over and bowed politely.
Yuan Zonggao smiled and pressed his hands: "Okay, it's getting late, it's time to go in and study. Today I want to test your knowledge... I haven't seen you for half a year, let's see how far your studies have progressed."
"yes!"
Several children were about to walk into the classroom when Yuan Zonggao pointed at Zhu Hao: "Zhu Hao is a head taller than last year, isn't he? You stay here first, I want to test you alone."
Taking the exam alone?
Zhu Hao felt that Yuan Zonggao's arrival was unkind.
If it was really a test of the knowledge of school children, why would they bring Mr. Tang Yin here? Now that Yuan Zonggao appears alone, the purpose is worth pondering.
"gentlemen."
Zhu Hao stayed and made a sign of respectful listening.
When Zhu San and the others entered the classroom, they were still fighting over the possession of the magnifying glass, and finally Zhu San's eyes quickly snatched it away.
…
…
"Zhu Hao, I heard that you will take the county examination next year?" Yuan Zonggao asked with a smile.
Zhu Hao nodded.
I thought that Yuan Zonggao was still the same as before, first beating around the bush to dissuade others... When talking to him, he could never go straight to the point.
Yuan Zonggao said: "Then how are you preparing for the exam?"
Zhu Hao gave an overview of his study progress, and then explained his recent preparations for the exam.
"...I have been writing articles for Mr. Lu to check. In addition, I have recently been reading reading materials other than the Four Books and Five Classics. I have read a lot of classics and history. Mr. Lu said that this can increase my experience and will be of great help in participating in the imperial examination."
"Um."
Yuan Zonggao nodded, "Read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles. Mr. Lu is right to teach you this. But in fact, the four essays are the most important for children to pass the exam. Often the quality of the four essays directly determines whether a person will pass the exam.
...You still need to write more four-part essays."
This is a kind reminder and can be regarded as the experience of people who have experienced it.
Yuan Zonggao seemed to be instructing Zhu Hao seriously, but what he said was the simplest truth. Until the general examination, including the provincial examination, the four essays were the key to success or failure, but do you need to say this?
"I'll give you a few questions later. You write carefully and don't have to go too fast. Just turn in one article a day. In addition... read the historical volumes, draw lessons from history by borrowing ancient theories and present the present, and then read the model essays."
Zhu Hao saluted respectfully, knowing that Yuan Zonggao would get to the point next.
as expected.
Just when Zhu Hao was about to say goodbye and return to the classroom, Yuan Zonggao said: "Zhu Hao, I heard that the imperial court purchased a batch of mirrors from the local area that can see things in the distance... It seems that the things called telescopes were purchased from you, right?
"
Zhu Hao nodded: "Yes."
As Zhu Hao expected, after Yuan Zonggao returned to the palace, he dropped a pebble in a seemingly calm pool of water, and first brought up the matter of the palace's purchase of telescopes.
It’s not easy to ask Zhang Zuo, so he can directly ask Zhu Hao to start...
The target is accurate.
"I don't ask you where you learned how to make telescopes, I only ask you about the cost... I heard that the palace gave your family two thousand taels of silver at a time to make a hundred of them? In other words, the cost of a telescope is as high as twenty taels?"
After Yuan Zonggao finished speaking, he looked at Zhu Hao with bright eyes.
I don't care how you made the telescope. Even if I asked you, you might not be able to tell me. After all, it's your family's money-making business.
I don't covet it.
But my goal is to find out the accounting problems in the telescope business, and use this as a breakthrough point to complete my three goals of returning to the palace to resume my duties.
"It cost twenty taels, but my family only took fifteen taels of it. For each telescope, five taels of silver were used for copper pipes and decorations, and perhaps part of it was used for transportation... The five hundred taels of silver came directly from
It was debited from the account without passing through my hands."
Zhu Hao made no secret.
Yuan Zonggao spoke crisply and clearly, but Yuan Zonggao didn't expect Zhu Hao to be so "honest".
"hehe."
Yuan Zonggao thought it would be difficult, but before he asked carefully, Zhu Hao actually told the truth.
"Isn't the cost of fifteen taels of silver too high? As far as I know, apart from the outer body of the telescope, what you supply is just two glass lenses, one in front and one in the back."
Yuan Zonggao began to settle small accounts.
Zhu Hao's answer was still very direct: "Yuan Changshi, if you understand the structure of the telescope, you can probably realize that the manufacturing process of the glass lens of the telescope is very delicate, and the scrap rate is extremely high... that is to say, making a thousand ordinary lenses
Glass lenses may not necessarily be a suitable telescope lens. Therefore, the final lens cost should not be measured only by the price of one lens."
Zhu Hao also said this to Zhang Zuo.
Zhang Zuo took advantage of Zhu Hao and did not go into details. But Yuan Zonggao just wanted to make a fuss about this matter. Will he accept such rhetoric?
"Yeah?"
Yuan Zonggao narrowed his eyes and stared at Zhu Hao as sharply as lightning, with a scheming look, as if he wanted to see through Zhu Hao completely.
Zhu Hao said: "Actually, I didn't set this price, but I learned from past mistakes."
"Um?"
Yuan Zonggao was stunned.
He didn't expect this.
You kid makes telescopes. Even if you have never heard of that thing before, you can't make a pair of twenty taels, right? Those two lenses are worth more than gold. If you sell glass as gold, how can I not settle the account with you?
?
Now you actually tell me that there is a precedent?
"It's like this. The predecessor of telescopes was glass mirrors and glasses. My family did business with a local businessman named Su Xigui from Huguang. The price we supplied him was fifteen taels of silver for a pair of glasses, which also had two lenses.
, and the lenses I use on the telescope are larger and of better quality... The cost of fifteen taels of silver was agreed upon after many considerations, and it has been traded many times. There is no doubt that if Yuan Changshi does not believe it, he can send someone
Go ask Dongzhu Su."
Zhu Hao had already prepared.
If I set a high price for something, even if you don't trouble me at the time, you may regret it later.
Then I need to keep the price consistent. I can't say that the price I sell to you is this, but the price I sell to others is different.
The people who can buy my "epoch-making product" are either rich or expensive. The price of buying and selling is just like dividing the spoils. There is no fear of scarcity but of inequality.
Do you think it’s my first day doing business?
"The merchant named Su you are talking about is a brother-in-law of Huangfantai in Huguang?"
Yuan Zonggao did not expect this.
The price of a telescope can actually be compared horizontally?
Zhu Hao nodded: "Dongzhu Su has been doing the glass lens business with us for more than half a year. I had some leftover lenses, so I assembled them. When I showed them to the prince to play with, King Xing happened to notice them, and that's how the following came about.
thing."
Yuan Zonggao was helpless.
Yuan Zonggao had a general understanding of the ins and outs of using the telescope as a tribute, and learned that it was indeed an accident. If Zhu Hao had deliberately planned to use the telescope as a tribute for the court to purchase...
That would be too much nonsense!
King Xing just made an impromptu idea, and no one could have predicted in advance that the court would approve it and issue an appropriation.
"Then I'll go back and ask Dongzhu Su to see if it's true!" Yuan Zonggao looked cautious.
He was originally going to compare Zhang Zuo and Zhu Hao's troops over the issue of cost, but Zhu Hao actually took out two objects for comparison, which made him feel that he was unable to use them.
But Yuan Zonggao still had a backup plan: "Since the cost of the lens is fifteen taels, then the other five taels... why did you give it to Zhang Fengzheng? Did you take the initiative or did he propose it?"
Zhu Hao gave the answer directly again.
"Although Zhang Fengzheng didn't take the initiative, he gave a hint. In addition, I didn't want to take advantage of the palace in this business, so I paid back the five hundred taels of silver in full early."