"My dear friends, I remember that when Jin Yiwei invited you, he asked you to find your colleagues who are proficient in firearms. Is there any news about this matter?"
The three of them looked at each other, and Bi Maokang said: "Your Majesty, I know two people, namely Jiao Xu and Tang Ruowang. I and Tang Ruowang were introduced to each other through Jiao Xu. Tang Ruowang is Jiao Xu's leader in Western learning."
Chongzhen frowned slightly. Jiao Xu had no impression of him, but since Bi Maokang recognized it, he must be a capable person.
Next is Tang Ruowang, but he knows Tang Ruowang's name because he wrote "Fire Attack and Key Points", the most authoritative book on Western artillery in the late Ming Dynasty.
"Where are the two of you?"
"Mission in Xi'an!"
"Preach?"
Hearing the word "preaching", Chongzhen was speechless. He stopped doing business and went to preach. He didn't know what he was thinking.
But preaching is someone's belief, and he can't interfere.
"Thank you for your hard work, Aiqing. When Xu Aiqing and I finish talking, we can discuss how to invite them together!"
After Chongzhen finished speaking, he looked at Xu Guangqi and Sun Yuanhua. Xu Guangqi said first: "Your Majesty, the Matteo Ricci you asked me to invite has passed away in the thirty-eighth year of Wanli!"
Chongzhen was stunned. He remembered such a person because he was Xu Guangqi's leader, but he didn't remember that he had passed away at this point in time.
"It's a pity that you can't use it for me!"
"Your Majesty, don't be disappointed. I still have a few people here. During the Tianqi period, I asked Li Zhizao, Zhang Tao, and Sun Xueshi to go to Haojing (Macau) to buy cannons from the Portuguese. These three people are also experts.
Li Zhizao is particularly good at mathematics and is the author of "Tongwen Suanzhi".
Zhang Tao and Sun Xueshi collaborated on "Pictures of Western Fire Attacks" and are also very proficient in firearms.
I have already written a letter asking them to come to Beijing, and they are expected to arrive in Beijing by the end of the year. "
"Thank you for your hard work, my dear!"
After Chongzhen was overjoyed, he looked at Sun Yuanhua again: "Where is Sun Aiqing?"
"Your Majesty, although I don't know a firearms expert, I do know a strange person - Wang Zheng."
"Wang Zheng?"
Chongzhen frowned slightly, then repeated Wang Zheng's name again and fell into deep thought.
After a while, Chongzhen's expression changed.
He remembered that among the scientific tycoons in the late Ming Dynasty, there was Xu Guangqi in the south, and Wang Zheng in the north should be Wang Zheng.
"Your Majesty, Wang Zheng is an absolutely extraordinary person. His father teaches economics in his hometown. He is the author of "Arithmetic Songs" and "Song of Hubei Mountain Wengxunzi". He is an expert in economics.
Influenced by his father and uncle, he loved ancient utensils and machinery when he was young. He studied water, wind, etc. before becoming an official. He wrote "Pictures of Newly Made Utensils".
At the beginning of this year, the missionary Deng Yuhan dictated and Wang Zheng translated and drew "Pictures of Strange Weapons of the Far West", which contains monographs on modern European mechanical engineering and physics.
These two ministers have been brought here for your majesty to take a look at! "
After Sun Yuanhua finished speaking, he took out two thick books from the package at the door and presented them to Chongzhen.
Chongzhen took it and read it slowly. After a while, Chongzhen closed the book.
The book discusses the content of Western mechanics, such as the center of gravity, specific gravity and other mechanical principles.
There are also various mechanical instruments such as levers, pulleys, axles, and inclined planes. Finally, there are 54 mechanical sample drawings with explanations.
In the feudal agricultural era of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen was shocked to see these contents.
Although many of them are used in daily life, there are absolutely none that have been published in books.
After reading this, he remembered a legend that there was a steam engine in the Ming Dynasty.
According to records, someone invented a machine called a "fire boat", a boat that can move freely in the water and is powered by fire. Isn't this the prototype of a steam engine?
Judging from the two books just mentioned, Wang Zheng is most likely to be the person who invented the fire boat.
If the steam engine can be miniaturized, it may not be possible to build a steam locomotive when other technologies mature in the future.
Such an important figure can directly affect the future industrial revolution of Ming Dynasty, so he must be invited back.
Chongzhen said with a serious face: "Where is Wang Zheng now?"
Mentioning this, Sun Yuanhua smiled bitterly and said: "I am atoneing for my sins in my hometown in Jingyang County, Xi'an Prefecture!"
"what's the situation?"
The ministers in Dongnuan Pavilion suddenly became interested.
Sun Yuanhua said: "He was originally an official in the Guangping Prefecture of Zhili. In the third year of the Apocalypse, without making it public, he married the fifteen-year-old Shen family as his concubine. He wanted to continue his incest.
But taking a concubine is a serious crime in Catholic China. He felt that his sin was serious and went home to forgive his sin. In September this year, his father died of illness, and he was worried about it at home! "
Hearing this, Chongzhen felt very sick, and he was so Catholic.
Xu Guangqi and Sun Yuanhua were like this, Li Zhizao and Zhang Tao were like that, and now Wang Zheng is like that too. He couldn't figure out why he didn't have to become a Catholic if he studied Western learning?
The big guys at the Firearms Research Institute are all Catholics. If something new is developed in the future, will it be spread to the West?
Without them, it would be very slow to find other people to study, and if they were used, they would be afraid of leaks. Chongzhen's face was full of confusion.
According to historical records, Chongzhen was also a Catholic.
Xu Guangqi became the Minister of Rites and the Bachelor of Dongge University. He recommended Italian missionary Long Huamin, German missionary Tang Ruowang and others to enter the palace.
Xu Guangqi, Tang Ruowang and others brainwashed Chongzhen all day long. Chongzhen also believed in Catholicism under the repeated defeats of the border troops.
"Your Majesty, what's the problem?"
Facing Sun Chengzong's concern, Chongzhen waved his hand, looked at Xu Guangqi and the others with a solemn expression.
"Xu Aiqing, I would like to reiterate a few points to you. Let's put gentlemen first and then villains."
"First, what sect you believe in is personal freedom. I will not stop you. Even if you go to preach, I won't say anything. But you must not preach in the Firearms Research Institute.
And if you dare to use some crooked means, then don't blame me for not caring about the righteousness of the king and his subjects. "
"Second, I know that you have many connections with the West. You have introduced Western science and technology to the Ming Dynasty. I am very grateful to you.
But I want to ask you, if you develop new technology that is ahead of the West at the Daming Firearms Research Institute, will you spread it to the West? "
"No! Those who are not of my race must have different minds!"
After Chongzhen finished speaking, Bi Maokang gave a categorical response: "In the 30th year of Wanli, the Netherlands invaded Penghu Island (today's Penghu Islands). After being defeated, they turned to invade Taiwan. This clearly shows that the foreigners coveted the Ming Dynasty.
If the items from the Firearms Research Institute were given to them, it would be the navy officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty and the people along the coast who would be harmed.
If I leak the secret, I will not be able to enter the ancestral tomb and ancestral hall after death, and my descendants will be stabbed in the spine. "
"Okay, very good! Aiqing's sincerity and sincerity should be a role model for all ministers!"
After Chongzhen praised them, he looked at Xu Guangqi and Sun Yuanhua, waiting for their answers.
After the two of them looked at each other, they both knelt down and said, "I can't do that either!"
"very good!"
"Get up!"
Chongzhen said lightly: "Maybe you will think that the flow and collision of technology will produce greater sparks, but I have two sentences for you, you can think about it!"
