After lighting a stick of incense, the representatives of the group of craftsmen who were responsible for studying the principles of change of all things took the props Bai Sheng asked them to prepare, and in front of Bai Sheng, Emperor Jianyuan, as well as the palace guards, alchemists and magicians present, All kinds of magical arts began to be performed directly in the main hall.
Make money from the oil pan, fetch water from the bamboo basket, and slay demons with the sword.
Resurrecting souls and summoning ghosts, refining copper into gold, and smelting alum into copper.
Swallow clouds and spit out mist, turn water into ice, and create fire in the void.
The performance was extremely exciting, and everyone waiting to see it was amazed. Emperor Jianyuan even thought that the immortal alchemists might be controlled by his imperial grandmother, so he took it for granted that the guys who came to him were all liars, and even... Maybe his imperial grandmother could live for so long because of these guys.
In addition, a few people knelt down and worshiped directly.
I really think of them as gods.
But then, the turning point came. After a series of performances, the craftsmen began to repeat the performances one after another, and slowed down when repeating the performances, explaining what materials they used, the specific principles, etc.
Of course, there are not many people who really understand or understand it thoroughly. Emperor Jianyuan only roughly understood that those magical arts just now were not magical arts, but something called chemistry, the principle of change of all things.
The oil pan is filled with vinegar, but the actual temperature is not very high. The bamboo basket is coated with a layer of vegetable glue. The sword is used to slay demons. The juice of a certain plant is spread on paper and dried in the sun. It will appear after spraying water. The bright red color and the reviving of ghosts are small hole imaging combined with shadow puppetry. The gold that is smelted into gold from copper is not gold, but brass, and the vitriolized copper is not ironized copper, but it is just a replacement reaction.
All strange changes have specific principles.
During the process, Bai Sheng also asked the shocked Emperor Jianyuan to try it himself, and tried it under the guidance of those craftsmen to confirm that no matter who he was, as long as he mastered the principles and corresponding raw materials, he could perform magical magic.
"Those so-called magical arts are just that they accidentally discovered some kind of change between all things, but they don't know the specific principle, and they still think it's magical, so they either keep pretending to be ghosts and gods. Or they really think they have mastered something amazing. His ability is comparable to that of immortals, but once he reveals it, it just feels ridiculous.
Your Majesty still thinks they are really capable?
Can I really help you seek immortality? "
Bai Sheng didn't want to see his great-granddaughter get married to a liar, so of course he had to attack directly from the source. It would be best to make Emperor Jianyuan completely despair.
Absolutely no desire to seek immortality.
"Take it off."
Emperor Jianyuan's mind was a little clearer at this time. Although he probably still hadn't completely given up on seeking immortality, at least he wouldn't be deceived by some tricks full of loopholes.
As for those alchemists and magicians who were dragged down, their faces were basically pale at this time. At the same time, no one dared to beg for mercy or refute, because compared to the performances of these craftsmen, their tricks were much simpler, especially the smelting of copper into gold. It still only exists in the illusory pie they painted for Emperor Jianyuan, and is still far from being realized.
People here have already begun to apply it in practice.
How can this be compared? There is no way to compare. I can only accept my fate.
Immediately afterwards, Emperor Jianyuan took the initiative to ask Bai Sheng for the books he had previously said he would give to him, and even asked for the craftsman. Bai Sheng gave it to him directly, but the craftsman did not give it to him. He only said that if he was curious, he could send someone to learn from it.
These craftsmen are all geniuses who have successfully produced many research results with only a few words and a little guidance provided by Bai Sheng. This kind of research-oriented talents are different from people who have simply learned certain knowledge.
So of course Bai Sheng couldn't bear to let go.
Emperor Jianyuan couldn't force him, so he could only leave with the book with some pity, and less than an hour later he sent many people he thought were smart to study there.
He felt that these miraculous principles of change in all things might be related to immortality and gods. Maybe with in-depth research, he could satisfy his dream of seeking immortality, such as turning copper into gold. Although at present he could only point out something similar to Golden brass, but that kind of brass is very similar to gold. With in-depth research, there should undoubtedly be a high probability of enlightening real gold.
Those other magical powers.
It should be pretty much the same.
Isn't the so-called principle just the method of cultivating different arts?
Bai Sheng was indeed unaware of Emperor Jianyuan's misunderstanding for the time being. She thought her grandson had completely understood that chemistry was not a divine art!
…
Changxin Palace, inner hall.
As soon as Emperor Jianyuan left, Bai Sheng curiously asked some of the female officials around him. Are there many alchemists among the people nowadays, and are there many deceivers? Are there many people who have these superstitions?
Following the descriptions of those female officials.
The current status of superstitious folk customs in Daqian.
It was finally revealed in front of Bai Sheng.
Only then did she understand that the transition from theory to religion in Huang-Lao theory did not happen overnight, but there were already signs in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Taoism with a hint of metaphysics and the Yellow Emperor who was said to ascend to heaven on a yellow dragon made Huang-Lao theory have its own immortality. The combination of the divine background and Chu people's fondness for witchcraft directly led to the entire Daqian believing in the theory of ghosts, gods, and gods.
Sacrifices, divination, and the ideas of witchcraft and alchemists were prevalent.
Rather than saying that Emperor Jianyuan was more superstitious about immortals and gods, it is better to say that most people in Daqian were very superstitious about it. However, ordinary people could only believe in the witch at the east end of the village, the holy man at the west end of the village, and the officials and princes could only believe in Chu Fu. Wu Zhu, and Emperor Jianyuan could directly issue an edict and ask all the alchemists in the world who feel capable to come to see him.
Some of these guys may know some medical skills, and some may know how to read the weather. They can barely rely on their few real skills to earn a living, which is regarded as hard work.
But it is more likely that they will rely on their own ability to deceive others, and even do evil and harm people's lives.
After understanding this information, although Bai Sheng wanted to directly order the elimination of these positions, he even sent people to arrest all these guys and interrogate them one by one.
Those who are guilty must be convicted immediately.
But she didn't do this, because she knew very well that there were still more ignorant people in the world now. If she took action here, there would be a natural disaster somewhere else, and Wu Zhu would tell it privately that it was because of her action.
By then, there might even be civil unrest.
In short, it is definitely a troublesome thing.
So after thinking about it again and again, Bai Sheng could only decide to stand still for the time being and prepare to publicize it in newspapers first and publish some common tricks and principles.
and other literati officials accepted these theories.
Then he ordered them to help punish the evil-doing witch and goddess, and explain it to the people.
This may be a bit slower though.
But at least it's more gentle and harmless.
