In an apartment in Bianjing.
Shen Kuo, who was now the Prince Zhongyun, the Jixian School Manager, and promoted to the Si Tianjian, was leaning on the table and staring at a large celadon bowl in front of him.
The bowl is filled with water, and a sewing needle lies on top of the water.
Shen Kuo observed the needle for a long time, and then said to himself: "The magnetic needle can guide the guide, but it is slightly to the east."
After saying this, Shen Kuo walked to the desk and wrote it down with a pen.
After Shen Kuo finished writing, he heard a roar from the bedroom, which seemed to be his wife Zhang scolding someone again.
When Shen Kuo heard Zhang's roar, he shrunk subconsciously, touched the black spots on his right face and arm and said, "Only villains and women are difficult to raise."
Shen Kuo put cloth strips in his ears to block the sound outside the door, and then said to himself: "The ancients all said that Sinan's magnetic spoons are guides. However, today I used a magnet to grind a needle and saw that it was not due south, but the position of Bingwu. ."
Shen Kuo was so absorbed in his thoughts that he unknowingly became the first person in the world to discover the declination of the magnetic field.
Shen Kuo wrote everything he thought in the book, completely forgetting himself.
Just then, Shen Kuo, who was concentrating, was suddenly startled when he heard a loud bang on the door and looked up.
The other party was a young woman, staring at Shen Kuo with her hands on her hips.
Shen Kuo looked at her and was immediately frightened. Then he saw the woman grabbing Shen Kuo's hair, tearing off the cloth in his ear and saying, "Officer! What? Are my words that hard to hear by you?"
Shen Kuo cried out in his heart, and he didn't know what to say as he was not good at words: "Madam, this piece of cloth got into my ears somehow. It's strange."
The other party became even more angry and said: "Okay, if you lie in front of me, let me take the blame! If you spill it, you will be the only one to ask questions."
After saying this, the other party placed Shen Kuo's bowl filled with water and a magnetic needle on top of the other party's head. Shen Kuo looked like he was about to cry but had no tears. He remained motionless for fear of spilling the water.
Just then, someone outside reported that his son-in-law Huang Lu and his nephew Li Kui were here.
When Shen Kuo heard this, he immediately said anxiously: "Madam, my son-in-law is here, how can I let him see me like this?"
Zhang said: "So what?"
Shen Kuo said in embarrassment: "Madam, please allow me some room for dignity, okay?"
…
Shen Kuo walked to the living room and heard Huang Lu and Li Kui talking outside, so he cleared his throat heavily before walking to the door.
Seeing Shen Kuo and his wife Zhang, Huang Lu and Li Kui quickly saluted.
Mr. Zhang was younger than Huang Lu, but he still greeted her warmly and said that he had prepared several exquisite side dishes. Shen Kuo nodded blankly and said, "Don't prepare it yet. Treat your son-in-law well."
Mrs. Zhang sneered in her heart and cursed, "What are you pretending to be?" But she still smiled on her face and said: "It's an official, I'll go get ready right now."
After saying this, Zhang left.
Shen Kuo actually liked Huang Lu very much as his son-in-law, but he always had to show the dignity of his father-in-law. Shen Kuo said to Huang Lu, "What's the matter with my dear son-in-law?"
Huang Lu was about to speak when he saw a black spot on the right side of Shen Kuo's face and couldn't help but ask: "Old Taishan, on your face..."
When Huang Lu pointed it out, Shen Kuo immediately looked embarrassed and said hurriedly: "I accidentally fell down yesterday, it's okay, it's okay."
Afraid of being perfunctory, Shen Kuo hurriedly said: "Drink tea, drink tea!"
Reentering the topic, Huang Lu said: "This time my son-in-law is entrusted by Duzhi to ask Lao Taishan to help."
"oh?"
Shen Kuo was very surprised at first when he heard this, and then he was ecstatic. The news of Zhang Yuexin's visit to Xihe Road to appease the envoy yesterday came out, which shocked the government and the public.
Because the officials gave him two powers that border officials have not had since this dynasty.
One is to arbitrarily reward and punish any official in Xihe Road.
Another item is that for generals below the horizontal level, you can kill them first and then show them off.
These two handles are very terrifying. If Zhang Yue is determined to operate in Xihe for two or three years, he can divide the territory into different territories.
The imperial court's method of restricting official military officers was only two-tiered, one was financial power and the other was personnel power, both of which were now given to Zhang Yue.
Nowadays, everyone knows that the officials place great trust in Zhang Yue, or that the court puts all its chips on this person, actively or forced to bet on the fate of the entire country.
The rise and fall of the world can be said to be borne by this.
Now Zhang Yue thought of himself the day after accepting the appointment as the military envoy of Xihe Road and asked Shen Kuo to come out. This was really very honorable.
What man doesn't yearn to make achievements and leave his name in history? Isn't this what Shen Kuo has been pursuing all his life?
At this moment, Shen Kuo's face almost blossomed with joy, but he still said with full airs: "Since it is Du's invitation, why doesn't he come to visit?"
His son-in-law Huang Lu was Zhang Yue's best friend, and Shen Kuo seemed to regard himself as an elder.
Li Kui on the side said: "Teacher is leaving Beijing tomorrow. He is in a hurry and doesn't have time to visit, so he asked my uncle and I to make this trip on his behalf."
Shen Kuo knew that Li Kui was Zhang Yue's chief disciple, so he was very satisfied that he could come in person, but as an elder, he still had to put on this air.
Shen Kuo heard the words and said: "That's fine, I'll do my best to help them out! I know everything about military strategy, astronomy and geography, managing people and managing finances, and even water conservancy, medicine, and farming."
"This knowledge is not shallow knowledge, but deep knowledge!"
Of course Huang Lu knew that his father-in-law was an all-rounder, otherwise Zhang Yue would not recruit him.
That night, Shen Kuo made an exception and had three bowls of rice. Shen Kuo and Zhang talked about this with pride on their faces. It was finally time for the worthy husband to show his prominence.
Zhang sneered three times, then brought another bowl of water and placed it on Shen Kuo's head.
Shen Kuo laughed awkwardly, put the bowl on his head steadily to prevent any spillage, and laughed at himself, "Now I have another skill."
Shen Kuo immediately thought of going to the northwest, and inevitably had a sleepless night.
There was another person who also had a sleepless night, tossing and turning, and that was Xu Xi.
For Xu Xi, the experience of these two days was from humble beginnings to becoming an official.
At this time, there was an official in the capital named Huang Shu. He and Xu Xi were both from Jiangxi. Unlike Xu Xi, who was born in a poor family, Huang Shu's Huang family was a prominent family in Jiangxi. Ten of his thirteen father and brothers were from the capital. Won the Jinshi.
On this day, Huang Shu said to his son Huang Tingjian: "I have long seen that Xu Xi's appearance is extraordinary and he will rise to great heights in the future, so I have been paying attention to him. Now he is heading to the northwest under Zhang Du's curtain. He will definitely achieve great achievements this time. His achievements in the future are limitless.”
Huang Tingjian said: "My child used to think that this person was just a big talker and had no real ability, but I didn't expect that he would win Zhang Du's favor."
Huang Shu smiled and said: "Yes, it is easy to see the misfortune and wealth of a person. Isn't it rare that he was a farmer in the morning and ascended to the emperor's hall in the evening? Xu Xi is very lucky now, but fortunately in the past, he You still owe me a few favors."
Speaking of this, Huang Shu said to Huang Tingjian: "Now go and ask him if he is willing to marry our family?"
Huang Tingjian was a little surprised when he heard that his father actually wanted to marry his sister to the other party.
He had never thought that his Huang family would marry a penniless boy like Xu Xi.
When the emperor of the Song Dynasty put the fate of the country on the table, the fate of countless people changed in just one day and night.
(End of chapter)
