"Although this 'stand high and see far' is just the most common cognition, it also contains heavenly principles! This person's eyes can actually see very far away. For example, the bright moon in the sky and the stars in the sky are all counted. One hundred thousand, millions, tens of millions, or even tens of thousands of miles away, we can see it when we look up tonight. But looking forward on the ground or on the sea, even if there is no obstruction in front, and using a telescope, How far can you see? Does anyone know?"
In the Star Observation Tower of the Jinling Palace, there is a bright moon in the sky tonight, and the sky is filled with stars. It is a good time to drink wine, admire the moon, and discuss the principles of nature.
So Zhao Kai held a banquet at the Star Observation Tower tonight, drinking wine together with dozens of close ministers and Confucian masters, and talking about heaven and earth! The sky is astronomy, and the earth is the theory of a round earth. This realm is beyond reciting poems and writing poems.
"The official family, my brother knows!" The great scholar Yue Fei immediately took over Zhao Kai's question, "Looking from the ground, if you look at the city and hills from a distance, you can see forty or fifty miles away. If you climb a ten-foot-high pavilion, there will be no obstruction in front of you. If the weather is fine, and you use a thousand-mile mirror, you can also see the castle hills three to four hundred miles away. However, the people and horses in action are not so clear. The target is too small and can be easily obscured."
Li Bao, the commander of the navy, also nodded repeatedly and said, "Guan, what the King of Zhongshan said is right. I often lead my fleet on the sea, and I have to use the coast to determine the direction. The limit of observation with the naked eye is only tens of miles, even with a telescope." Not much. If you want to see farther, you have to climb the mast."
Zhao Kai nodded repeatedly, this is the "empirical inquiry method"!
Thinking of this, he continued with the example given by the two men and said, "The reason why this situation occurs is because the earth under our feet is round and curved, not straight, but our line of sight is It’s straight. But the ground beneath our feet is too big, so we can’t feel the curvature of the ground. We can only deduce it by climbing up and looking far.”
"Guan Jia," Hu Quan, the master of the Confucian Zongting, put forward a different point of view at this time, "climbing high and looking into the distance can only prove that the earth is not flat, but it does not prove that the earth is round. I think the earth is probably semicircular, just like It’s almost like an upside-down sea bowl.”
Hey, this view is quite imaginative!
Zhao Kai smiled and nodded, "Maybe." At this moment, he suddenly saw Yu Yunwen frowning, looking thoughtful, "Father Bin, what are you thinking about?"
"Guan Jia," Yu Yunwen said, "I am thinking that if the earth is a sphere, then only the upper half must be inhabited, and the lower half must be barren because everything is upside down and will fall."
Yes, that makes sense! Can't it fall with its head upside down? If it doesn’t fall out, it must be because the earth is suctioning!
The ministers and scholars who were chatting on the Star Observation Tower nodded repeatedly, and the conversation started.
"Yes, if the earth were a ball, then only the upper half could be inhabited, and the lower half must be bare! Because if the things in the lower half do not grow in the ground, they will definitely fall out."
Falling into space? Zhao Kai smiled and thought that he could write this issue into the textbook in the future and let everyone study it together.
"That's not right. If the earth were a ball, the ball would roll! What if it rolls and we all rush down?"
Zhao Kaixin said that he would fall out.
Someone here used their imagination again and said, "Where does the ball of earth roll?"
"I think the ground under our feet should be in the shape of a sea bowl, buckled on a vast flat land. Only in this way can it be stable!"
After Zhao Kai heard this idea, he immediately thought that if the braised pork earth was a bowl, it couldn't be empty, right?
Here comes a more brilliant theory, "That's not true. If the earth is a bowl-shaped sea and it lies on a large flat land, how can it store so much water? The water stays in the lower areas! Doesn't it all have to flow away?"
Zhao Kai glanced at the man, it was Niu Gao. It seems there is no need to hit Newton with an apple! It’s up to you, Niu Gao, to discover the force of gravity!
"That's right! The water flows downwards! How can the earth be a round ball or an upside-down sea bowl? If you ask me, the earth is still flat."
"Then how do you explain climbing up and looking far?"
"The Gu family thinks that the earth is roughly flat, but it is not completely flat. It has ups and downs!"
"It makes sense, what King Lingwu said makes sense!"
The person who proposed the "theory of the ups and downs of the earth" was Zhao Lun, the king of Lingwu County. Zhao Kai's eldest son was already in his early 20s. He had just graduated from the Naval Academy. His knowledge was not bad. He could probably be at the level of a "third grade junior high school student", right? Now he is an official at the Jinling Shipyard under the jurisdiction of the Naval Capital Control Department, and he was granted the title of County King two years ago.
But he was not an officer leading troops, but a technical officer. The professional courses he learned in the artillery school were all related to gun casting and shipbuilding.
Now he can put forward the "theory of the ups and downs of the earth", which shows that his knowledge is still good.
"Yes, yes, the earth must be flat!"
"That's what I think too"
"The king is indeed wise, and I admire him!"
"The king's words make sense, my lord."
As soon as Zhao Lun's theory came out, everyone immediately agreed with it.
So far, Zhao Kai has not officially registered his legitimate son Zhao Ping as the crown prince, and has not allowed Zhao Ping to receive the education that a prince should have. Instead, like Zhao Lun, he was asked to attend the Imperial Academy first, and then the Imperial College (equivalent to middle school). After graduating from the academy, he was allowed to enter the artillery school.
Looking at this meaning, it is not certain that the Song Dynasty was originally a "discussion" or a "comment"!
Moreover, Zhao Lun had been promoted to the position of "remaining behind" as early as when Zhao Kai served as the general marshal of the Hebei army. Before Zhao Ping was born, he had been the de facto crown prince.
In addition, Zhao Lun also married Han Xiaozhou's granddaughter Han Xiaozhou, who was the patriarch of the Han family in Xiangzhou, and many of the military leaders of Xiangzhou headed by Yue Fei were Han family's retainers (not the ones who killed people, but the clients who farmed the land) )born. Because the Han family has always been kind to their customers, the military leaders of the Xiangzhou faction, including Yue Fei, were very grateful for the Han family's care.
After some of them became successful, they even tried their best to marry Han sect concubines as their wives - those girls were the goddesses in the hearts of a bunch of Xiangzhou warriors!
Zhao Lun married the direct daughter of the Han clan, which would certainly help win over Xiangzhou military leaders, and since he was a naval officer himself, he had to be caught by sea!
However, these ministers who support the "Lun" faction do not know Zhao Kai's true thoughts - Zhao Kai has many sons, among whom there are currently eighteen who have grown up vigorously, and the eldest son Zhao Lun is Zhao Kai's least favorite son!
And his legitimate son Zhao Ping is Zhao Kai’s favorite son!
But Zhao Kai behaves relatively coldly towards his children, so it is difficult for others to guess his thoughts.
At this time, Zhao Kai suddenly coughed and spoke, "The earth is round, flat, or a bowl. We can't just talk about it here! We have to test it with practice! Which of you is willing to accept this assignment?"
Practice is the only criterion for testing the roundness of the earth!
"Father," Zhao Lun said excitedly, "I am willing to verify the shape of the earth for my father."
Zhao Kai nodded, smiled and said to his eldest son, "Lun'er, do you know how to verify it?"
"I know," Zhao Lun said with a smile, "The way to verify the terrain is to send a ship to the east to search for the west coast of the Roman land of the West. If you can find it, then you can prove that the earth is bowl-shaped or round.
Then send a ship south to find the far north of the Liao Kingdom. If you can find it, you will be able to see that the earth is round. "
OK!
Zhao Kaixin said that the threshold of the Age of Discovery has been reached!
He thought for a while and then said, "Lun'er, your idea is very good, but you are rich in wealth, and the sea is dangerous, so you can't take risks lightly."
"I know," Zhao Lun said, "I want to build several giant boats suitable for long voyages. Each giant boat must be able to carry enough food and drink for the entire crew for one year. At the same time, I will spend a lot of money to recruit sailors on the bow. , first train them rigorously, and then make them go to sea on a giant ship, first to Japan, and finally set sail eastward for four months. If they can't find Western Rome, they will return."
You should be able to reach America after traveling east for 4 months!
Zhao Kai was quite satisfied with Zhao Lun's plan, and immediately nodded and said, "Then I will entrust you with this matter. No matter how much money you need, it will be taken from the internal funds. You must work hard for it and don't let me down." .”
Zhao Lun was so happy when he said this!
If the errand this time can be done well, will the prince take over for him? Zhao Lun and Pan Cailian have been thinking about it for so many years, and now they finally have the chance.
Thinking of this, Zhao Lun immediately stood up and bowed to his father Zhao Kai, "Father, please rest assured, I will do my best!"
Zhao Kai was also quite satisfied with his son's attitude. Although he didn't like Zhao Lun, he had to admit that he was somewhat capable.
It is always not a good thing if the eldest son of an emperor's family is too capable. If he could be sent to America to become an American, no, it would be good to be the commander-in-chief of Zhao Lijian!
"Officials, how are we going to deal with the King of Rome?" Chen Ji, the Prime Minister of Zuo, suddenly turned the issue to national affairs at this time, "Should we let him work with King Lingwu?"
"No need," Zhao Kai immediately shook his head, "We can't let outsiders interfere in this matter!"
Of course, when it comes to the discovery of the New World, Europeans cannot be allowed to interfere. The New World must have a surname of Zhao!
He pondered for a moment, "You can also go to the West via the Western Ocean. You can send the King of Rome Yiyi Jianjian to Zhao Chen and ask the Southern Guangdong Kingdom to help him find a route to Rome via the Western Ocean."
In fact, going to Europe by taking the Western Ocean, that is, the Indian Ocean, regardless of whether you can cross the Suez Canal, is faster than going by land! Traveling by land would take years. By sea, it will only take a few months.
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