Chapter 302 The person who controls the temperature
Chapter 302 The person who controls the temperature
The Gongshi of the fifth year of Jiajing period were greatly shocked by the material analysis questions from the essay-type.
In the third month of the lunar calendar, the sun is not strong, but many people are sweating on their foreheads and bodies.
At the entrance of the main hall in front, there was the emperor standing in front looking down at them, and the twenty-four counselors behind the emperor.
That's another pressure.
Come on, you guys, it's just out of courtesy that you come here to take a look.
Otherwise, it would be like trying to show off to Guan Gong.
In fact, many people still don’t know how to play it.
They can’t answer this question, it’s too difficult!
Now for the question review process, the first material roughly summarizes the taxation and corvee system of the Ming Dynasty, and also gives the three major troubles that the emperor considered. Official land, preferential exemptions, and silver. The emperor decided that these are troubles. You must at least know them.
What do they refer to, what are the specific situations, and why are they a disaster?
The second material is too down-to-earth. What is a friend's name and a sole name? What is dumping and dripping? What are the hardships of weighing and exchanging, fire consumption, and who is suffering? Many people are ignorant of things outside the window, and encounter
The tributes, who could still make decent arguments about the current affairs policy, were dumbfounded at this moment: Who am I? Where am I? What am I going to do?
The third piece of material just presents a point of view: Some people believe that silver has made corruption worse. Silver blocks the circulation of copper coins, allowing officials to use them as treasures, and making the people hate it.
Well, expropriation of silver is one of the three major problems of taxation and corvee. Expropriation of silver will cause a lot of procedural troubles and is also suspected of exacerbating corruption. But why is the problem not just about the disadvantages, but the pros and cons? What are the pros?
Gong Yongqing looked at the palace examination questions with some fear in his eyes.
With his intelligence and logic, he subconsciously sensed a pitfall.
There is a huge pit like an abyss buried in the test questions of this palace!
There is also material other than the policy topic, which is a rumor that many people usually discuss: I heard that the imperial court was going to abolish banknotes.
No wind, no wave!
Who knows that the imperial court does not really have this intention? Let’s release some news first to see how the people react?
Don’t you see that the third question suddenly rose to the height of the current pros and cons of money law?
But if the imperial court really wants to bank, why does this imperial examination question focus on the shortcomings of silver?
Sitting under the sun, the new ministers of Jiajing's fifth year saw the questions planned for the imperial examination at this moment. They couldn't help but burst into tears when they thought about the new questions they would be tested in three years from now.
Finally! Finally, I have seized the only opportunity in this life this year. I luckily passed the examination and became a glorious Jinshi!
Still want to enter after three years? It will be difficult!
At this moment, Tang Shunzhi raised his head strangely and secretly looked at the emperor and important ministers.
Judging from Wang Sima's "Examination of Practical Studies and Dialectics", one of the viewpoints is that everything has pros and cons, and in its changes, danger may turn into opportunity.
The truth is that misfortune lies ahead of you.
This is a question for the imperial examination... Now it seems that if you don't have a thorough understanding of practical studies and dialectics, you may miss the point and fall into a trap.
You must know that although there are words of moderation in the classics of sages, Confucian disciples are often too clear-eyed about what is wrong and what is right and what is wrong. If you don't see the king in the court, you will either be loyal, righteous, talented, or virtuous, or you will be a traitor.
A great evil, a great greed, a great fallacy?
So, how do you solve such a complicated question?
Tang Shunzhi gently closed his eyes and slowly rubbed his own ink with his hand.
... This question requires the history of the Ming Dynasty, and it is necessary to understand how the treasure banknotes in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China became like this step by step, and why taxes began to be converted into silver.
Things will not become like this for no reason. The word "profit" among the pros and cons of this bank is probably hidden in it.
Since everything always has advantages and disadvantages, I am afraid it is impossible to eliminate the disadvantages. We can only find ways to maximize the advantages and prevent the disadvantages.
Tang Shunzhi opened his eyes and was the first to write and write:
【I am right:】
[I heard that misfortunes and blessings depend on each other, and the wise know the trend; the cause and effect, the wise king observes the trend and guides it. The trend of the Tao cannot be implemented in the ups and downs; the guidance of the trend, it is easy to go over without pros and cons, and it is impossible to disobey it. The sage
To govern the world, we should observe the ups and downs, understand the cause and effect, and then take advantage of the situation, turn danger into misfortune, and bring blessing out of misfortune...]
After breaking the title, what follows is a routine of praise for Emperor Taizu and the current emperor. Everyone had already thought about how to write these contents in advance, so Tang Shunzhi wrote more and more smoothly.
Entering this stage, Zhu Houcong looked at the candidates with different expressions and looked at a few people in particular, and then left first.
Let them answer.
When they arrived at the Yangxin Hall, Empress Dowager Jiang stepped forward and asked, "How is it?"
Zhu Houcong was helpless: "...those people are indeed very handsome."
Yes, there is another task today. Empress Dowager Jiang specially told him that he must take a good look at a few well-known talents reported by Zhang Zuo.
His younger sister was in love and wanted to get married, so Zhu Houcong was too lazy to worry about it.
It's weird to stop anything. Sending his sister's prince-in-law out on business for two years also made Zhu Houcong's words in front of his mother and sister unconvincing: What do you call being a sister?
All I can say is respect the fate of others and get married if you want.
Empress Dowager Jiang was overjoyed when she heard Zhu Houcong's words: "Since a prince-in-law can also be an official, that's it. After the palace examination, the emperor will remember this matter and make a decision as soon as possible to avoid being snatched away."
The matter of catching a son-in-law under the rankings occurs in every subject.
My younger sister, Zhu Qingyi, is a beauty. In the few years when her personality started to develop, she grew up to be a princess in the palace. She is much more daring to express herself than Zhu Houcong's elder sister.
There is nothing wrong with facial control, Zhu Houcong also has facial control.
It's just that re-employing a prince-in-law will make his sister's family life less happy, so it would be better for his sister's prince-in-law to have a job in Beijing in the future.
In this case, it is strongly recommended that the mother choose someone with weaker talents.
Zhu Houcong first agreed to his mother's words, and then said: "Mother, my son is going to Qin'an Palace."
Just like on the day of the examination, Zhu Houcong was going to see Tao Zhongwen again to discuss how to refine elixirs.
"I heard that Master Shao is also in the capital?"
"...Mother wants to meet him?"
Empress Dowager Jiang lamented: "In the past, your father respected Taoist Shao very much. I also received Taoist Shao's talisman when I was young, and then grew up safely and inherited this great power. Due to emotion and reason, I should fulfill my wish."
"
Zhu Houcong thought for a while, and with his current attitude towards Taoist priests, it would not cause anything to happen if both mother and son showed their "reverence for Taoism". The Queen Mother only paid homage to the temple and respected the spiritual life of the elderly.
"Then my son will make arrangements later. Mother, please choose an auspicious day to go and offer incense."
After arriving at Qin'an Hall, this is where the real business begins.
There are no better tools. Tao Zhongwen's "laboratory" is a set of alchemy equipment that he is familiar with: Danjing, altar, furnace, sacred chamber, kiln, cauldron, ancient mirror, pure sword, incense burner, tripod, trachea, basin,
Now, there are still a few young Taoist priests working in the Qin'an Palace, and there are also several disciples who "became" Tao Zhongwen's disciples under Zhu Houcong's order-their identities are the first batch of children adopted from the Salesian Home in Huangzhuang.
Those who have grown into their teens.
Tao Zhongwen was getting more and more strange: now the emperor did come to see him every day and chatted for half an hour. But he neither talked about Taoism nor asked for advice on alchemy, nor did he mention much about the golden fertilization.
At least what Tao Zhongwen did every day could not see anything related to fertilizer production.
The emperor did not regard him as a moral master, as Tao Zhongwen now knew.
He is just a subject who has the abilities the emperor needs.
But to achieve the status and reputation he wants, he also needs to be able to make the contributions he wants for the emperor. Nowadays, when trying various things, the raw materials can be easily obtained, and this convenience also requires the emperor's support.
"Your Majesty, what I have been refining for more than ten days is colored glaze, right?"
Tao Zhongwen knew how to refine things, and the way he was doing it these days seemed to be similar to the method of refining colored glaze.
Zhu Houcong couldn't help but admire when he heard him ask today: "What a great idea. It's just that it's not colored glaze, but glass."
"Glass?"
"Its quality is colorless and translucent."
From the beginning, the simplest telescope was made of relatively transparent colored glass. To this day, no truly good transparent glass can be produced.
The people under Alfonso all knew about glass, but they didn't know how to make it. After a few words and some comparisons, it seemed that they finally settled on alkali - one person mentioned that it seemed that the glassmakers used a lot of straw ash.
Resources vary from place to place. Zhu Houcong ordered people to ask a lot. It seems that there is no place in the Ming Dynasty where a large amount of trona ore similar to that alkali powder is found. Or there may be, but because of impurities and other properties, no one cares about these, so
Not found.
In short, alkali is now related to a lot: if glass is made, then telescopes, magnifying glasses, thermometers, measuring cups... are both practical things and allow many studies to start quantitative experiments.
Likewise, alkali is also related to fertilizers.
Even if there is no way to produce fertilizer, it would be good to smelt alkali with higher purity and use it as a standard to find alkali mines.
Tao Zhongwen confirmed that he was indeed burning colored glaze, and he looked at the emperor with a complicated expression.
Zhu Houcong said seriously: "Master Tao, don't think that I treat you as a craftsman. Now, several supervisory bureaus have received orders to trial-produce this glass. Does Master Tao know how long this order has been in place?"
Of course Tao Zhongwen didn't know, Zhu Houcong held out three fingers: "It's been three years. In the past three years, I only know that sand, lime, alkali powder and other materials should be fired together, but I still can't do it. Now, I will bake this glass
The reward set for this achievement has been upgraded to a county title."
"...Is it so difficult?"
Tao Zhongwen said it was difficult, but in fact he was shocked by the emperor's emphasis on this thing.
Even if the colored glaze is used, isn't it just for decoration? Previous Taoist friends have already proven that colored glaze clothing is ineffective.
With the emperor attaching so much importance and having clear raw materials, he actually found nothing in three years?
"It's not that everything is nothing." Zhu Houcong shook his head, "I occasionally get it, but the next batch is different. Similarly, how to slowly cool down the hot glass water without bubbling or cracking is a difficult problem.
There are many reasons. There are only three reasons why."
"...I want to ask for advice."
"First, it is the same sand, lime, and alkali powder. Even if you know how much of each should be taken, it may contain more impurities and have different purity. In fact, the proportion will change again and you cannot control it. Second, even if you know how much of each should be taken,
No matter how much you take, there is still a slight difference in measuring and weighing it. Thirdly, how hot it is to burn and how hot it is to remove the heat is the best for shaping. Now it is all based on experience and it is impossible to measure that temperature."
"...How to measure the temperature if you don't distinguish colors?" Tao Zhongwen asked a professional question.
The so-called mastery of skills, craftsmen smelting, Taoist priests refining elixirs, observing the color of flames and the color changes of various other things in the fire, that is the basic skill, which is the so-called mastering of fire.
How can this temperature be measured like a ruler?
"Isn't the real person very familiar with mercury?"
Tao Zhongwen expressed that he was very familiar with it: "The Golden Pill of Baopuzi" says: The cinnabar is refined into mercury, its color is white and turbid, and its sinister poison is serious. It cannot be entered into the abdomen unless it is forged by secret methods. However, after the poison is gone, it is actually superior.
Such as elixirs. There is also clear evidence in "Zhang Zhenren's Theory of Gold, Stone and Spiritual Sand": immortality in the world must be based on mercury. Mix yellow and white, and fly to form elixirs. The transformations of immortals are all like mercury."
After speaking, he looked at Zhu Houcong, and Zhu Houcong looked at him.
The eyes of the two people changed from being serious at the beginning to later:
Tao Zhongwen lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Zhu Houcong, on the other hand, went from carefully confirming what he meant to now looking at him with deep meaning until he raised his head again: "I have said that I don't want to live forever. You are a wise man and there will be no next time."
Tao Zhongwen once again confirmed the emperor's attitude and his own value to the emperor. As a wise man, he became humble: "I will keep this in mind. I wonder what this mercury has to do with measuring the temperature?"
"It has something to do with glass." Zhu Houxun said concisely and comprehensively, "If a real person can figure out how to measure the purity of sand, lime, and alkali powder, how much heat to burn, and how long to burn, and then burn glass, then you can use glass to make chopsticks.
It is an ordinary thin tube with mercury sealed inside it. Based on the real person's familiarity with the habits of mercury, you should know that it expands when exposed to heat, and boils when it is extremely hot and becomes gas, right?"
Tao Zhongwen nodded: "The smoke is poisonous and cannot be smelled."
He understood: "Based on the principle that mercury expands when exposed to heat, how can we measure the temperature?"
"There are still many ways to go, and how uniform the pores left is also a problem. But there will be no mistakes in this way. The first thing here is a very important point: from my perspective, all things should have three states, which are solid
, said liquid, said gas. If the solid becomes liquid, the temperature is the melting point; if the liquid becomes gas, the temperature is the boiling point. If you want to measure the temperature, you can use the most common things, the melting point and boiling point of water as the basis to measure it.
.”
Zhu Houcong talked about physics to the "chemist who has gone astray", but for the sake of his subsequent research: "Just think about it, if the temperature of the fire in the furnace could be measured, wouldn't it be easier to control the temperature of the fire? What are the different things?
If the temperature of the smelting has changed, wouldn't it be easier to master the know-how? If a worker wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen his tools. What do you think? This glass is transparent and clear, and the mercury sealed inside can be seen at a glance. Then, like a ruler, the outside is engraved with measurements.
, won’t we be able to know whether it’s cold or hot at any time in the future?”
Tao Zhongwen was shocked: This is the truth.
Let’s take a look at the various tools in this alchemy room. In fact, they don’t reject tools.
However, the same reason why it feels like the Tianling Cap has been lifted today is that the emperor has such a clear idea on how to measure the temperature.
The reason is very clear, the design is too reasonable, Tao Zhongwen feels that all he has to do now is to bake the glass, and he can become a pioneer in measuring the temperature of fire and a person who controls the temperature.
Our ancestors used flint to make fire. For countless thousands of years, they were just making fire.
But if this is done, it will be like a mile and a mile, and in the future you will be able to know very clearly: How warm is the fire in the furnace at this moment? How cold is it outside at this moment?
Farming, doesn’t it also involve weather conditions?
How many things do you need to know how hot or cold it is?
His eyes lit up and his heart was filled with enthusiasm: "I understand! I admire your Majesty's ingenuity so much! I know the habits of mercury, but I have never thought of this!"
Zhu Houcong knew that he had seen the historical reputation and the importance of this matter. He smiled and asked: "Tell me, what were the results of yesterday's test? Let me take a look at the records..."
In the northernmost part of the Forbidden City, the emperor and Taoist priests continued to study things that were both physics and chemistry, and continued to look for solutions from Taoist priests who were experienced in "refining" them.
At the palace examination site, Yang Shen, who had been demoted to become the invigilator of the palace examination, only saw one candidate scratching the hat off his head.
The No. 1 Scholar made a sad expression for his junior candidates.
Although the palace examination is not deposed, and although everyone is already a quasi-official, this is after all the highest stage to prove one's talents.
It was precisely because he was not deposed in the palace examination that the emperor asked such a difficult question after the number of tributes increased to 500 and the number of first-level officials increased to 24.
He and the tributes below have figured out the actual situation.
At this level of difficulty, only that one can truly be called a first-class talent.
Unless they are ranked at the top, there is not much difference between them and those who are on the deputy list and are the same as the Jinshi. They will all start as low-level officials and slowly climb up against the turbulent current.
As for the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 students in the first grade, the emperor was obviously selecting the talents of the prime minister.
It is not the kind of prime minister's talent that you brag about, but you must have a deep understanding and understanding of state governance and practical practices before becoming an official.
Near the end of the palace examination, many people looked up resentfully at the emperor who appeared here again.
To be fair, we were all students before.
Doing things one stage at a time, everyone used to just indulge in studying.
There must always be an opportunity to gradually develop your abilities step by step! How can anyone be so solid in the exam right after they get there?
Zhu Houcong looked at the tributes with relatively calm expressions: "In the entire Ming Dynasty, there were still some people who were confident in themselves."
Some people are resentful, but this can only illustrate a cruel fact: even though they are all tributes, the gap between tributes may be greater than the gap between pigs and humans.
How could a true genius monster be afraid of such a challenge?
"The ceremony is over! All the tributes are leaving the palace in formation, waiting for the grand ceremony of passing on the emperor."
The imperial examination was finally over. As soon as he left Chengtianmen, Tang Shunzhi was surrounded.