"Since we are going to talk about astronomy, we need to first talk about the operation of the solar system. Generally speaking, it can be seen that the moon revolves around the earth, and then the earth carries the moon around the sun."
Li Yu Balabala first talked about some views of heliocentric theory. These will be common sense for future generations, but now we have to start from the basics.
Yikuang nodded slightly: "I have heard all of this before, but as soon as I opened my mouth, the man was beheaded."
Li Yu just took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and almost spit out: "Behead, behead?"
Yikuang said: "Yes, that's Zhang Zhidong's disciple, Yang Rui."
Li Yu was immediately ashamed! It turned out to be Yang Rui from The Six Gentlemen of 1898.
In fact, Yang Rui's death was somewhat unjust. He was a member of Zhang Zhidong. With Zhang Zhidong's feelings for Cixi, how could he be allowed to assassinate the Queen Mother.
Li Yu thought he was going to be Bruno, and after a false alarm, he continued: "It seems that the prince also accepts the heliocentric theory, so we can continue."
He tried to use the most everyday expressions to avoid Yi Kuang not understanding.
"The earth's revolution is one year, and the calendar determined by this is the solar calendar. Correspondingly, the moon's revolution around the earth is one month, and the calendar determined by this is the lunar calendar."
Yikuang interrupted: "Are you talking about the Western calendar? The one we use is called the lunar calendar."
Li Yu said: "Your Majesty is a wise judge. Because both the solar calendar and the lunar calendar have some minor flaws, the beginning and end of each month in the solar calendar do not correspond to the full moon and the waning moon. In the lunar calendar, although each month exactly corresponds to the full and waning moon, there are only 354 days, which is 11 days different from the solar calendar.
"Only our lunar calendar, to be precise, should be called the lunisolar calendar, which combines the advantages of both. One year is exactly the year of the sun, and the first and fifteenth day of each month perfectly corresponds to the moon phase."
Yikuang clapped his hands and said loudly: "Awesome, I didn't expect that we also have something better than foreigners!"
Li Yu suddenly felt that he was quite suitable to be a teacher, which suddenly aroused Yi Kuang's interest.
They have lived in the shadow of Western powers for a long time, and they must be very excited to suddenly hear that they are better than foreigners in a certain field.
Li Yu told him a lot about the most basic astronomical knowledge in the solar system, but Yi Kuang could not accept that the earth is a ball and gravity.
Yi Kuang said: "That is to say, there is actually a ball under our feet? Isn't that funny! I remember the American minister also told me that they are just on the other side of the ball. Is it possible that they eat and sleep hanging upside down every day? ?”
Li Yu couldn't laugh or cry: "Because of gravity and inertia, we can't feel it."
Yikuang slapped the table and said, "What's the gravity? How strong can it pull so many people to hang upside down?"
Li Yu said: "According to what you say, the Americans must also feel that we are hanging upside down every day."
Yikuang calmed down for a moment, but still didn't quite understand: "Eh... it makes sense! Then who is hanging?"
"No one is hanging! The earth is too big, and we are firmly attracted to the surface by the earth's gravity. Otherwise, wouldn't it be even more terrifying if the water in the rivers, lakes and seas pours out?"
Yikuang said: "Oh, yes! If that happens, my palace will be flooded, and so will the Queen Mother!"
I didn't expect that this guy was still thinking about the Empress Dowager Cixi. He was really loyal.
Li Yu said: "Of course not! You just wonder why you fall when you jump up a little. It's the force you didn't realize is grabbing you. This is the gravity of the earth."
Yikuang suddenly realized: "I see, if you say that, I kind of understand."
Li Yu spent most of the day explaining gravity to him, and even found an apple, and then demonstrated to him the experiment of "Apple smashing Yi Kuang".
After struggling all night, Yikuang finally understood what gravity is.
Yikuang suddenly felt that he was capable and seemed to understand everything!
When I went to the palace the next day, I saw Ronglu, the chief military officer, and immediately grabbed Ronglu.
"Come on, come on! Rongzhongtang, let me tell you why the earth is a ball."
Ronglu was two years older than Yikuang and asked curiously: "Prince Qing, when did you become interested in studying foreign knowledge?"
"That's natural. I've always been studious. Besides, I'm the minister in charge of foreign affairs, so of course I have to understand foreign things."
Ronglu smiled and said, "Then I'm all ears."
Yikuang raised his beard and said, "Do you know why Americans on the other side of the world are not hanging upside down?"
Ronglu was a little stunned when he asked: "Why?"
Yikuang said mysteriously: "Because of gravity!"
"Oh? Gravity?"
Yi Kuang said: "Exactly, the earth under our feet is also revolving around the sun because of this!"
Ronglu touched his beard: "Since they are attracted to each other, why didn't they collide with each other?"
"this……"
Ronglu's questions suddenly went too far. Yikuang had only scratched the surface and could only say, "I'm going to go back and ask the young gentleman about this."
"What problem can still be difficult for the prince?"
A loud voice came over, it was Yuan Shikai who was returning to Beijing to report on his work.
Ronglu greeted first: "Weiting (Yuan Shikai's name) is back."
Yuan Shikai immediately greeted the two central ministers: "Weiting has seen Rong Zhongtang and Prince Qing."
Yikuang said: "I heard that you are setting up a university in Weiting. I am also stepping up my study of Western learning."
Yuan Shikai is now the Governor-General of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, which is Li Hongzhang's position at the beginning, which can be said to be a high-power position.
Yuan Shikai cupped his hands and said, "Oh? Western learning is extremely complicated. Your Majesty is really admirable."
He just petitioned to found Shandong University last year, which is the predecessor of Shandong University. Now in Tianjin, Zhili Province, he also attaches great importance to the construction of Beiyang University, the original Tianjin University.
Yuan Shikai was in a high position, but he did something practical to some extent, which was also the general trend at that time.
Yikuang said: "Isn't that right? I just learned something yesterday and let Rong Zhongtang stump me. Wait for me to go back home to study tonight and answer your questions tomorrow."
Yuan Shikai was a little curious about their conversation and asked in a low voice: "Did the prince find a foreigner in the mansion?"
Yikuang immediately waved his hand: "Of course he is not a foreigner. Yesterday, the former chief teacher of Tongwen Hall, Ding Taoliang, recommended a person to me, claiming that his level is no less than that of their university professors."
Yuan Shikai had run a school, and he understood the difficulty: "Not a foreigner? Are you Chinese?"
Yi Kuang said: "Yes, and he is very young, only in his early twenties."
Yuan Shikai immediately said: "There is still such a talent, then I must pay a visit."
Yi Kuang and Yuan Shikai are both smart people. Yuan Shikai's meaning is not just that he wants to get to know Li Yu, he also wants to enter the palace to give Yi Kuang some gifts.
Although the Governor of Zhili is the head of the feudal officials, he is not a Beijing official after all. The relationship between the DPRK and China needs to be managed regularly.
Yikuan smiled slightly: "Then you should have learned a lot."
