Li Yu has been watching the stars at night these days. To be more precise, he should be stargazing.
Unfortunately, the diameter of the telescope given by Yikuang was a bit small, only 10 centimeters. It was fine for amateur use, but it was still far behind for serious astronomical observation.
Fortunately, air pollution is not serious now. There is no haze or sandstorms. Clear skies are more common, and the field of vision is still relatively clear for observation.
Zai Zhen is now convinced by Li Yu and comes to him to play with the telescope at every turn. Then the two of them watch the stars together at night...
Well, that seems a little weird to say.
A few days later, Carlos and Purland, the managers of American Victory Records, also found Li Yu. They were holding a small black box. Needless to say, it must be the recorded record.
The three of them tried it out, and Li Yu felt that the sound was hoarse and hoarse. It was not comparable to modern electronic music, but it was already very advanced for this era.
Carlos said: "Mr. Li Yu, what do you think? In addition, I also have a few piano music records. If possible, I will also dedicate them to the Queen Mother of your country."
"The recording is very good, but it's the first time. It's better to just let the Queen Mother listen to the opera." Li Yu said, after all, it is difficult to see pianos in China now, and it is not necessarily possible that Cixi can appreciate Beethoven.
Pulande is a veteran and completely agrees with Li Yu's statement: "The Empress Dowager loves to listen to operas. The most important thing is to make her like listening to the gramophone first. When you develop new products, you won't have to worry about lack of sales."
After a few people agreed, they went to the Prime Minister's Yamen to find Yi Kuang. Foreigners who want to apply to see the Queen Mother generally need the approval of the Prime Minister's Yamen.
Yikuang was also very interested in the gramophone. After playing a few pieces of music, he praised it and then asked a very profound question: "How does this foreign thing produce sound?"
Photographers had already taken some photos of him, but this was indeed the first time I saw a gramophone.
Li Yu gave him a general explanation. Sound is actually a kind of wave. As long as the wave trajectory is recorded, the sound will be restored again with the vibration.
Yikuang actually understood it a little bit, at least he didn't think it was a magic box.
"It's very good. Such a fresh thing, the Queen Mother will definitely like it!"
At this time, in Xiyuan, Qin Tian Supervisor Zhou Yuqing was reporting to the Queen Mother on the compilation of the calendar and the good and bad fortunes of the celestial phenomena.
Unfortunately, the Qin Tian Jian, which Tang Ruowang, Nan Huairen and others worked hard to establish with some modern astronomical enlightenment, has now returned to an institution that only compiles calendars and observes good and bad luck.
The Qintian Supervisors in the early and middle Qing Dynasty were almost all Westerners. The most famous ones were Tang Ruowang during the Shunzhi period and Nan Huairen during the Kangxi period.
However, after Gao Shouqian resigned and returned to Brazil in 1827 (Brazil had broken away from Portuguese rule and established an independent country at this time), the Qintian Supervisor was never held by a Westerner again.
And Qin Tianjian also quickly and inexplicably declined.
After the report, Supervisor Zhou Yuqing also said: "The Queen Mother, last month a meteorite fell from the sky in Shengjing, and in a few days there will be an eclipse of the Tengu. Wei Chen suggested that the curfew should be slightly relaxed that day, and let the people go to the streets to beat gongs and drums to drive away the Tengu."
A few years ago, a French diplomat was sleeping in his official residence when he suddenly heard the sound of cannons and loud gongs and drums in the middle of the night. He was shocked and thought he was being attacked. When I got dressed and went out, I discovered that there was a lunar eclipse. The people in the city were setting off firecrackers and beating gongs and drums to drive away the moon-devouring heavenly dogs.
Cixi frowned: "Is it good or bad?"
Supervisor Zhou Yuqing did not dare to answer directly: "It is good luck to drive away the Tengu."
While they were talking, Li Lianying came over and said, "Old Buddha, Prince Qing Yikuang is asking for an audience, as well as the British Purland, the American Carlos, and Li Yu."
Cixi was a little unhappy: "Purland? He still dares to come back to see me."
Even though several years had passed since Puland helped Kang Youwei escape, Cixi still felt a little resentful. The main reason was that Kang Youwei was such a loudmouth that he risked his life by scolding her abroad.
Li Lianying quickly smoothed things over: "Lafayette, what happened is in the past, and it was the intention of the former British Minister Bi Linan. Purland was just a slave, just doing business. This time he said he brought good things to you. I'm sure you will like it. .”
"Okay, for the sake of Prince Qing, let them come in."
"twitter!"
Li Lianying walked out of Yiluan Hall and said to Yikuang: "Your Majesty, please." Then he added in a low voice: "The Queen Mother is in a good mood today."
"Thank you, father-in-law!"
The person who knew Cixi best was Li Lianying, and Yikuang wanted to know the Empress Dowager's happiness and anger from him. Of course, Li Lianying couldn't tell everyone these details, and Prince Qing had to be proud of them.
"Your Majesty, Queen Mother Jin'an!" Several people entered the door and bowed first.
"Excuse me." Cixi said, and then said to Zhou Yuqing, the eunuch of Qintian Supervisor, "You go down first."
Zhou Yuqing said: "Queen Mother, have you received the decree to order the people and palace supervisors to prepare to drive away the Tengu?"
Yikuang next to him pricked up his ears: "Tiangu, is there going to be another lunar eclipse?"
"My lord, that's right." Zhou Yuqing said.
Yikuang smiled and said: "Queen Mother, there is no Tiangu at all! In fact, it is the earth under our feet that has circled behind the moon."
Li Yu reminded in a low voice from behind: "Your Majesty, it's the moon that has gone behind the earth. That's the opposite."
"Oh, yes, yes! Anyway, we are the ones blocking the sun."
Yikuang recently got an astronomical telescope and looked at the stars for a few days. When he saw the moon's surface clearly under Li Yu's guidance and found that the stars actually moved, he completely believed what Li Yu had told him before. Knowledge of the operation of the solar system.
But, it’s just common sense.
Cixi asked: "The sun? Is it blocked?"
Yikuang suddenly became interested and started talking to the Queen Mother about his rough knowledge of astronomy. After that, he said to Li Yu: "Are you right?"
Cixi now also knew Li Yu's abilities very well and cast a look at him.
Li Yu said: "Queen Mother, it is indeed true. You will be able to observe the wonderful lunar eclipse phenomenon with a telescope."
Li Yu thought, I can't explain it to you for a while, but seeing is believing!
Puland and Carlos were also helping out: "That's true."
There were two foreigners talking together. Although Cixi was still dubious, she decided to take a look in a few days.
She was a little dissatisfied and said to Zhou Yuqing: "You should study more, how come a Qintian Supervisor can't even understand the things in heaven!"
Zhou Yuqing was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat: "I will definitely ask the prince for advice when I go back."
After Zhou Yuqing retired, Yi Kuang asked Carlos and Puland to put on the gramophone.
Cixi said: "Xiao Lizi said you brought good things, is this box?"
Puland said respectfully: "Dear Queen Mother, this machine is called a gramophone. It is the latest model from the American Victory Company. It can play recorded operas."
Cixi was a little rude to him and said casually: "Let the Ai family take a look."
Puland put the record into the gramophone, and the singing voices of Yang Xiaolou and Jia Honglin immediately rang along with the speakers.
Cixi almost knocked over the tea bowl in her hand and exclaimed in surprise: "How come foreign machines can also sing opera!"
Li Yu almost stumbled over after hearing this. I was dizzy. How could I not ask this question as well as Yi Kuang!
