Chongzhen Chat Group

Emperor Chongzhen looked at the ministers below and asked loudly: "Who else among you thinks this is a strange skill?"

After all, who dares to say that this is a miraculous skill? For a moment, most of the courtiers lowered their heads, not daring to meet the emperor's eyes.

But what surprised Emperor Chongzhen was that suddenly, a man stepped out of the queue. Did he think it was a strange skill?

When Emperor Chongzhen saw this man clearly, he couldn't help but be a little surprised. The visitor is Xu Guangqi, a representative figure who opened the world in the late Ming Dynasty. Would he insist that this is a miraculous skill?

"Your Majesty, I would like to recommend a book that may contribute a little bit to the science and technology mentioned by Your Majesty!" Xu Guangqi bowed excitedly.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he realized that he was overthinking it. No matter how many people would think that it was a miraculous skill, this old Xu would not!

As soon as Xu Guangqi opened his mouth, he almost knew what he was talking about, so he nodded and said, "It's accurate!"

"Your Majesty, I translated "Elements of Geometry" in the thirty-fifth year of Wanli. This book is of great use and is especially urgently needed at this time. It can enable scholars to get rid of their impetuousness and practice their meticulousness; scholars can use it to establish their own methods. , use his ingenuity, so there is no one in the world who cannot learn from it." Xu Guangqi said loudly, "Therefore, the old minister believes that we, the Ming Dynasty, should learn from it widely and protect science and technology!"

"It's accurate!" Emperor Chongzhen agreed immediately without even thinking about it. Although this was not something he had arranged in advance, when an opportunity arose, he naturally could not miss it.

Who knows that this is not over yet, Sun Yuanhua, a student of Xu Guangqi, also came out and said: "The three basics of mathematics, physics and chemistry passed down by your Majesty, I believe that it is the most important thing in science and technology, and everyone in the world should learn it!"

What's going on? Many ministers were surprised by this. They looked at Sun Yuanhua and Emperor Chongzhen with suspicion in their eyes.

"Old minister seconded the proposal!" At this time, Xu Guangqi came back to his senses and remembered that the knowledge passed down by the emperor seemed to be more solid than the "Elements of Geometry" he translated, and he couldn't help but express his position quickly.

After Emperor Chongzhen expelled the missionaries, he was sorting out the basic knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry. At that time, Xu Guangqi left the capital to promote sweet potatoes and other high-yielding crops, and Sun Yuanhua was in charge of the connection. But after Xu Guangqi returned to Beijing, he naturally got it from Sun Yuanhua. It was just that at that time, the book had not yet been completed. After all, Emperor Chongzhen had many things to do. Therefore, Xu Guangqi did not recommend this book immediately.

After hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen smiled and said, "Leave it to the Minister of Rites to arrange this matter!"

Xu Guangqi was the Minister of Rites, and it happened to be his duty. After receiving the emperor's oral instructions, he immediately bowed and accepted the order. The other ministers were shocked by the technology the emperor talked about, although some of them felt keenly that the emperor was about to start taking up the imperial examination. But at this moment, they didn't see any objection from the chief minister, so they didn't come forward.

So, the matter was naturally settled. Of course, Emperor Chongzhen never thought that this matter would be smooth sailing. No matter what, it would be good to open the door first.

Emperor Chongzhen was in a good mood at this time. Seeing that it was still early, he whispered a few instructions to Gao Shiyue, the eunuch on duty, and then said to his ministers: "The technology of thermal expansion and contraction can also be applied to other aspects. In the past, I have already shown it to some of my ministers. Now that there are improvements, I will show it to all my dear friends."

Upon hearing this, the six ministers and cabinet ministers immediately understood that the emperor was talking about the steam engine! After watching it last time, I heard the emperor said that he would continue to improve, but there has been no news. Unexpectedly, I heard good news today. Thinking like this, they all couldn't help but look forward to it. They wondered how the steam engine would be improved by the emperor.

And those lower-ranking officials, who had not visited that day, were all very curious. This time the emperor was able to come up with something ready-made. They didn't know what it would be, what kind of ability he had, and whether it would be possible. Will it take people to fly into the sky?

Amidst the whispers of the courtiers below, a group of chamberlains pulled the steam engine over on a flatbed truck. It was in the middle of the court meeting square, where they were loading, unloading, settling, and making preliminary preparations.

Most of the civil servants and generals saw that what they were about to see turned out to be a big lump made of iron. There's something like a barrel and a stove? And what is that wheel...

Judging from the appearance, except for those who have heard the explanation before, no one knows what it is used for? But one day they were sure that this thing couldn't fly into the sky!

When everything was ready, the craftsmen of the Military War Bureau and the assistant chamberlain stood aside, the quiet whip sounded, and everyone fell silent. Emperor Chongzhen introduced with a smile: "This thing is actually what I call a technological artifact. Of course. , this is one of the technological artifacts, a guy built with the concept of technology, used to change every aspect of our Ming Dynasty."

Seeing that the ministers below were all paying attention to the steam engine, Emperor Chongzhen continued to introduce: "This thing, I call it a steam engine. The main principle is to burn coal and use the principle of thermal expansion and contraction to increase the energy generated by combustion. , can be used as kinetic energy for other things!”

At this point, he paused and then said: "I know that you may not understand what I am saying, nor do you understand the benefits of this steam engine. Therefore, please read it first!"

After he finished speaking, he nodded, and the craftsmen of the war bureau began to operate on the spot.

After a year of improvement, the thermal energy utilization efficiency of this steam engine has improved a lot. Although the thermal energy utilization efficiency is still lower than that of later generations of steam engines, it is still barely usable.

The civil and military officials at the meeting watched the craftsmen add coal to the belly of the steam engine and burn it, and then fiddled with it here and there. They discovered that the hand of the steam engine began to move very regularly. The ground was moving.

"Huh???" Many civil servants and military generals couldn't understand. What does this mean? What's the use?

Emperor Chongzhen knew that these unsophisticated people did not have much association ability, so he took the initiative to introduce: "My lords, please see, if this extended lever is connected to the water well puller, it can lift water at a constant speed. And this lifting force is very strong and can lift a large amount of water. More importantly, as long as the coal continues, no matter day or night, windy or rainy, it will always tirelessly lift water. Of course, you may think I don’t take things like lifting water seriously. But do you know, sir, what will happen if this method of lifting water is applied to mines? What will happen if it is applied to irrigation in arid areas?”

His words started a new round of jumping, forcing these civil servants and military generals to follow his train of thought and start jumping again. If they would sneer at the issue of pumping water from wells, then irrigation in dry areas would be taken seriously by them. Some officials who know about the mine are also very concerned about the water extraction from the mine. The reason why many mines have to be abandoned after being dug is because of underground water. But if there is such a thing that keeps pumping water day and night, do we still need to worry about the water in the mine?

Thinking of this, many civil servants and generals began to pay attention to this strange steam engine in front of them.

But this was not over yet. Emperor Chongzhen continued to introduce: "Also, what if this lever is connected to the hammer? Just like a blacksmith hitting iron, manpower is sometimes poor, but this steam engine can work tirelessly. In this way, how difficult can it be to make steel into something similar? What if you attach a drill to drill things? I can tell you that this steam engine is already being used in the war to build flintlock guns and so on. .The quality of the flintlock guns created is also a step higher than before, and the speed is also much faster..."

These words surprised the remaining civil servants and generals who had not taken it seriously before. The flintlock gun is an important military weapon. Now that the thing in front of you can be used to make military weapons, and it can make better military weapons, then this role cannot be ignored!

"...Also, what if this lever is connected to a spinning machine? Will the situation of spinning with human feet be greatly changed? How many spinning machines can this steam engine drive? If this lever is connected to a carriage As for the wheel, can this wheel keep turning and keep moving forward as long as the coal is not burned out? If this lever is connected to the oar of the ship, will the ship no longer need manpower? What if it automatically advances? What if..."

As Emperor Chongzhen cited one example after another, and as these examples became incredible one after another, even those ministers who had already understood the steam engine in advance, such as Wen Tiren and others, had surprise on their faces and wide-eyed eyes. I stared blankly at the steam engine in front of me. If all the examples given by the emperor could be realized, they all couldn't imagine what the world would be like.

Even Wen Tiren and the others were very surprised, not to mention the civil servants and military officers who heard about it for the first time. They did not expect that this steam engine had so many benefits! At this time, there was no doubt in their minds that this was the technological artifact that the emperor had mentioned!

However, although they had agreed, Emperor Chongzhen was still saying, and continued to open up their imagination: "Technology is never-ending, it can make our Ming Dynasty's national power leap to one level after another, and it can make our Ming Dynasty's people Life is getting better and better. I can tell you again that this is just an example of the heat energy generated by coal burning being converted into kinetic energy. And the heat energy generated by coal burning is actually limited. If one day in the future, there is a kind of fuel that is easier to burn. If the heat energy generated by things is reduced, will this steam engine become very small? Also, the kinetic energy converted by this steam engine is actually limited, and most of the heat energy has actually been wasted. But think about it, if this heat is One day in the future, all the energy can be converted into kinetic energy? Does that mean that by burning a piece of coal, the car can go very far? I can tell you that as long as we in Ming Dynasty continue to study, with the wisdom of our people in Ming Dynasty, what I said will definitely It will happen!”

"I can tell you that with the help of technology, our Ming Dynasty's houses will be built higher and higher in the future, and our Ming Dynasty's output will be more and more. We will no longer be able to eat all the food, and we will no longer be able to wear all the clothes. Thousands of miles is just a small thing, and one day in the future, we will be able to soar in the sky, and even go to the moon to see..."

The hobby of most civil servants and generals is to be an official, but after all, some people have other hobbies, such as Xu Guangqi, Sun Yuanhua, etc. They listened to the vision described by Emperor Chongzhen and imagined what the emperor said. One day in the future, if everything can be realized one by one, it will be an unimaginable Ming Dynasty. Thinking of the excitement, I couldn't help but burst into tears. At this time, Xu Guangqi suddenly really regretted that he had been born so many years earlier. At his age, he was afraid that he would not be able to wait until that day!

Emperor Chongzhen's words were to lay out specific things and then elaborate step by step. They were well-founded and factual. They were not just talking nonsense. All the civil servants and generals in the court meeting were from the Ming Dynasty. Well, except for a few people, most people can know that the scenes described by the emperor will probably come true one day in the future as long as they think along the emperor's train of thought!

With this thought in mind, who would dare to say that this thing is a miraculous skill? Who doesn’t envy the steam engine that can bring about huge changes? How many people will become interested in the technology mentioned by the emperor from this moment on? And after the contents of the recent North Korea meeting are spread, how many people will be driven to study and research technology?

This court meeting was of great significance in the history of the Ming Dynasty and even in the history of China. In fact, there was no shortage of scholar-officials in the Ming Dynasty who loved research. In the late Ming Dynasty, an era when hundreds of flowers were blooming, the explosion of ideas and the superior living conditions prompted many scholar-officials to engage in various researches. For this reason, the technology in the late Ming Dynasty was actually very brilliant. It was just because of the demise of the dynasty, the killings after the Manchus took over the Central Plains, and the various restrictive measures adopted by their rulers for fear of the Han rebellion that they abruptly killed this good phenomenon.

The civil and military officials were surprised and then awed. Then, regardless of the etiquette before the king, they whispered to their colleagues around them in low voices. They couldn't help but speak out the thoughts that burst out in their hearts at the same time, and at the same time pointed at the steam engine. .

Emperor Chongzhen didn't care about this. He just looked at the ancients who had opened their eyes and asked them to discuss it more and get excited.

After waiting for a long time, Emperor Chongzhen said again: "I have had this steam engine registered with the Copyright and Patent Office. Production will begin next year, and its application will also be gradually expanded. Of course, I In fact, I am still not satisfied with this steam engine, and will continue to improve it at the same time. If someone in my country can improve the steam engine and make it more complete, I will not hesitate to reward you! But I can tell you, I want to To master technological artifacts, it’s best to understand the basics of technology first!”