"Your Majesty, all I know about Italy is from Matteo Ricci. I made a record based on his dictation at that time."
After Xu Guangqi finished speaking, he opened a book with yellowed paper: "Your Majesty, at the same time as the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the Renaissance movement occurred in Italy.
It involves various aspects such as art, architecture, philosophy, literature, music, science and technology, life and religion, and a large number of outstanding figures have emerged.
Such as literary giant Shakespeare, artists Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, etc.;
In mathematics, there is Cardano, who published solutions to cubic and quartic equations. In physics, there is Galileo, who discovered the three laws of free fall, running objects and oscillation, and invented the thermometer based on the principle of thermal expansion and contraction. Unfortunately, he merged with him. Never seen a thermometer...
Your Majesty, the Renaissance movement did not only happen in Italy, but in the whole of Europe. They have made great progress in all aspects, especially mathematics, physics, etc., which are far ahead of us...
Moreover, because of the Renaissance, it triggered the great voyages of various countries. "
In a full quarter of an hour, Xu Guangqi told what he knew.
The four cabinet members were dumbfounded.
They knew some things in the West, but they had never understood it as systematically as they do today, although what Xu Guangqi said was not necessarily systematic.
Chongzhen looked at the shocked four cabinet members and shook his head slightly in his heart. They were shocked that the outside world was wonderful, but they did not realize what the outside world would bring to the entire world.
"Everyone, what do you think about what Xu Aiqing said?"
"Your Majesty, I am engaged in firearms and mechanical research, and I am not interested in the culture, medical skills, art, etc. of the Italian Renaissance.
But I am interested in them in mathematics, physics, and mechanics. If we can have richer knowledge, perhaps our firearms can have greater development! "
"Your Majesty, my thoughts are consistent with Mr. Bi's. We are engaged in technology, and technology is inseparable from mathematics, physics and other knowledge. For now, the mathematics and physics knowledge in Italy is more systematic and clear than ours. "
The first to speak out were Bi Maokang and Sun Yuanhua from the Firearms Research Institute. They were interested in mathematics and physics there, which made Chongzhen very pleased.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the reason why they have made great progress in all aspects is because of the emancipation of the environment and ideology.
For example, what Dean Xu just said about Galileo's heliocentric theory and religious events, etc., are contrary to our imperial power and heavenly right. We are currently bound by many rules and regulations, and the court does not support it, let alone scholars to learn it! "
"Your Majesty, what Mr. Sun Ge said is right. Firearms, machinery, etc. have always been considered to be exotic skills that cannot be used in elegant halls. Especially scholars look down upon them. They think that all things are inferior and only those who are good at reading are allowed to do it. This is really difficult.”
"The other thing is that our foundation is too weak, and we are extremely lacking in the theories that Dean Xu just said. In other words, we have some, but they have not been systematically formed. We only know what they are but don't know why."
"Your Majesty, this is a series of questions. How to break the rules and regulations, how to liberate the mind, what is the use after learning, and what benefits can it bring to them. These are all things that need to be considered."
…
The four cabinet members expressed their opinions. They considered the entire political situation of the Ming Dynasty from the perspective of the overall situation.
This is the difference between people who are engaged in technology and those who are engaged in politics.
After a while, Yuan Keli looked at Xu Guangqi and asked curiously: "Dean Xu, what did you mean by the great voyage at the end?"
"Mr. Yuan Ge, to put it simply, fleets from various countries appear on the ocean, looking for new trade routes and trading partners in the hope of gaining more benefits.
This is similar to Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas during the reign of Emperor Chengzu, but what Zheng He went to is known, but the great voyage is unknown.
After discovering the New World, they were like bandits, shooting, looting, occupying other people's territories, and making them their slaves to work for themselves.
Or just transport the aborigines of the New World back to China on cargo ships and sell them as goods. They stay in small cages like animals. Those who dare to resist are killed directly. Those who die of starvation and disease are thrown into the sea to feed the fish.
It is said that for every ten slaves transported, at least nine would die.
Matteo Ricci once made a joke with his boss, which can be summed up as follows: if you can beat them, then rob, occupy, and enslave them; if you can't beat them, do business and make money. "
"Isn't this aggression?"
"This is the essence!"
The conversation between the two made everyone's expressions change dramatically, as they were shocked by the inhumanity of the invaders and the high death rate of slaves.
According to their understanding, in terms of wealth, there is no one else in this world except the Ming Dynasty. If those countries from the Age of Discovery came over, war would immediately start.
"Dear dear friends, those countries on the great voyage will definitely discover the Ming Dynasty. It is just a matter of time. If that day comes, how should we deal with it?
You have also seen that the development of firearms, machinery, etc. all relies on knowledge of mathematics, physics, etc. This is what we lack, and this is their strength.
When they come, will there be weapons unknown to us that are stronger than us? What should we do then? Burned, killed, looted, enslaved, and sold?
No, this is the shame of my Ming Dynasty. "
As he spoke, Chongzhen's originally plain voice gradually became louder, and by the end it was full of murderous intent.
Chongzhen thought of the modern history of China in later generations, and it was always inseparable from the four words of humiliation and resistance.
From the beginning of the First and Second Opium Wars, to the Sino-Japanese War of 1894, to the invasion of the Eight-Power Allied Forces, and then to the Russo-Japanese War, the battlefield was set in China, and countless soldiers and civilians died tragically.
These humiliations must never happen again, he would never allow it.
Everyone was shocked by the emperor's fierce murderous intention, and subconsciously sat up straight. The emperor's assumption would definitely happen.
"If we want these tragic situations not to happen to me, Ming Dynasty, we can only work hard to develop. But what is the prerequisite for development? It is knowledge.
Maybe they are all barbarians in your eyes, but barbarians have their own strengths. Confucius once said that when three people walk together, there must be me as a teacher, so let’s learn from them.
Learn from the barbarians and learn skills to control the barbarians, learn from the barbarians to learn skills to strengthen yourself, use them based on their strengths, that is, control them based on their strengths!
If you want to control barbarian troubles, you must raise barbarian sentiments! "
Everyone was instantly struck by the emperor's last four words. This was a proper pattern and mind.
They seemed to understand the emperor's intention of asking Xu Guangqi to learn about Matteo Ricci and Italy. This was to alert them and make arrangements in advance.
In the meeting hall, seven people stood up in unison and said in a deep voice: "Please give me your Majesty's instructions!"
