Great Song

Because of the "earth's rotation" that was so uproar before, Zhao Xu inevitably paid more attention to the celestial phenomena, and ordered the memorial handed in by Si Tianjian to go directly to the Imperial Palace without going through the Second Mansion.It's just that he didn't expect that Shen Kuo's memorial would come so soon.Is this the "geocentric theory" finally has evidence?

When opening the memorial, Zhao Xu was still full of anticipation.However, when he saw half of it, his face was already ashen, as if his eyes had been stabbed, and he threw the memorial on the table.

"Call me Shen Kuo!" Zhao Xu gritted his teeth and shouted loudly, "And Wang Xianggong, call me too!"

Seeing that the emperor was furious, the servant was taken aback, and hurried to summon him.

The third division was in the palace, and it didn't take much effort for Wang Anshi to enter the Chuigong Palace.Zhao Xu didn't wait for him to see the ceremony, stretched out his trembling hand, and said sharply: "Wang Qing, take this memorial and have a look!"

Wang Anshi hadn't seen the emperor like this for a long time, so he hurried forward and took the memorial from the servant.There are really not many memorials sent directly to the imperial court without the hands of the ministers. Looking at the emperor's expression, one knows that there must be something big.However, even with mental preparation, Wang Anshi was taken aback by the content of the memorial.Is Shen Kuo crazy?He even said that the earth revolves around the sun!This, this is completely opposite to the "Earth Center Theory", and it can be said to shake the foundation of Mingjiao!Even Wang Anshi, who is as strong as Wang Anshi, felt chills down his spine and dizzy.

Seeing Wang Anshi's expression, Zhao Xu finally felt relieved, and said coldly: "Wang Qing thinks, how should this person who speaks lies be dealt with?"

The emperor moved to kill!Wang Anshi's heart is like a mirror.Such nonsense is enough to ruin a person's life.But he also remembered Shen Kuo's contribution to water control, his restructuring in Sitianjian, and his support for the new law.How could such a useful person be killed so easily?What's more, if someone uses Shen Kuo's words to attack the new law, can he still resist?

Gathering his mind, Wang Anshi raised his head: "The matter is of great importance, so I should ask Shen Kuo first."

Zhao Xu frowned, but before he could say anything, the servant came to report that Shen Kuo was waiting outside the palace.Zhao Xu's face darkened again: "Show him in!"

What should this daring, nonsense person look like now?Trepidation?Lawlessness?

Contrary to Zhao Xu's expectation, Shen Kuo, who was about to enter the palace, looked extremely calm. The little yellow gate following him was still holding a thick stack of books, obviously preparing to present himself to the emperor.How dare he bring something? !

When he came to the Imperial Palace, Shen Kuo stood still, bowed and said, "Shen Kuo, I pay my respects to the official family."

This attitude made Zhao Xu even more angry, and he opened his mouth and asked, "Shen Kuo, are you guilty?!"

The emperor's anger was enough to make the two generals fight, but Shen Kuo didn't change his expression, he just said: "I don't know."

"Your memorial is purely demonic. If I let you prove the 'Earth's Center', what did you give?" Zhao Xu couldn't hold back any longer, and said through gritted teeth.

Hearing this, Shen Kuo sighed softly: "Officials have orders, how dare I deceive the emperor? For the past year, I have watched the sky every night, and now I know the rotation of the earth, so I can draw conclusions based on the ecliptic trajectory. The earth travels, but the earth travels around the sun, just like the five stars in the sky travel around the sun."

Zhao Xu only felt a buzzing in his ears, what did he hear?Five stars also go around the sun? !

Shen Kuo did not stop talking: "Ruochen's calculation is not bad. Chenxing (Mercury) is the closest to the sun, and it takes less than a hundred days to orbit the sun. Taibai (Venus) is next, and it takes more than 240 days to orbit the sun. Yinghuo (Mars) Thirdly, it takes more than 600 days to go around the sun, so it is farther away from the sun than the earth. The Jupiter (Jupiter) takes [-] years to go around the sun, and the Zhenxing (Saturn) takes [-] years to go around the sun, so we can also know its distance .These five stars, together with the earth, are all orbiting the sun."

Zhao Xu's head became dizzy again: "Absurd! Don't the five stars all go around the earth? The armillary sphere has been built for a thousand years. Is it possible that no one else can see it, but you can see it?"

"The officials forgot that the earth's rotation was discovered only recently? The ancestors did not have a sky-viewing mirror, and they only observed the sky with the naked eye, so how could everything be accurate..."

Before Shen Kuo finished speaking, Zhao Xu said angrily: "Shut up! How can you refute the first sage?!"

This is already the fury of thunder, but Shen Kuo raised his head in response to the fury: "I once watched Taibai at night for three consecutive months. Its stars are like the moon, and there are also gains and losses, and there are changes in the phases of the moon. But in three months, It's just changing from the first string to the new moon (new moon), and then from the new moon to the last string, but the cycle of looking (full moon) is longer than before. If Taibai travels around the earth, this will never happen, only around the sun But the line can explain it. Officials and ministers have also read sage books since childhood. How can they not be ignorant of the teachings of sages? But this matter is obvious at a glance, and anyone can see it like this. How can a minister deceive the emperor? This is a year of ministers. I implore the officials to take a look at the income from stargazing."

In those eyes, there is no fear, no retreat, only persistence and determination.Zhao Xu's hand shook again.Looking at the little yellow door holding the book tremblingly behind Shen Kuo.In the man's arms, there was a huge stack of books, and he did not know how many celestial phenomena and words that shocked the world.It stands to reason that, as the Son of Heaven, I only need to find a few people and pick out the mistakes from them.But Zhao Xu couldn't speak, and didn't even dare to take the stack of books and take a look at them.

Does the earth really go around the sun?Do even five stars go around the sun?What is that "day"?What is he, the "son of heaven"?

Thinking of this, the fear in his chest also turned into anger, and Zhao Xu opened his mouth again: "Ridiculous!"

The two words full of anger made Shen Kuo lower his head suddenly.However, this thunderous fury did not make him terrified.Shen Kuo had already expected it in his heart, but Shen Kuo just let out a low sigh.Regardless of whether the emperor believed it or not, at least he told the truth and never deceived the emperor.He deserves his conscience.

"This son is bewitching everyone with his demonic words, he should be killed! Someone, drag him out..." Zhao Xu no longer hesitated.This "heliocentric theory" must not be known to others, and he must not allow people to touch his foundation!

However, before the Son of Heaven finished speaking, Wang Anshi suddenly took a step forward: "Officials, how can those who talk about things kill themselves?"

This is the national policy of the Song Dynasty. Criminals can be exiled, but they must not be killed.Zhao Xu didn't expect Wang Anshi to stand up suddenly, and he felt annoyed in his chest: "Why can't you kill him? Is Wang Qing going to let this ridiculous rumor spread all over the world?"

Facing the emperor's anger, Wang Anshi shook his head: "Killing an important court official must be announced to the world. Don't the officials want everyone in the world to know why they were convicted?"

Zhao Xu was stunned.Yes, even if the Son of Heaven kills someone, he still needs a reason.But what reason could he use to kill Shen Kuo?Is it possible to make this "heliocentric theory" known to the world?Of course he didn't dare.

But if he didn't kill Shen Kuo, he felt uneasy in his heart, trembling all over, as if even the ground under his feet was shaking.

Seeing the expression on the emperor's face, Wang Anshi also sighed: "How is the way of heaven, how can ordinary people talk about it. As a supervisor of heaven, Shen Kuo should resign if he utters lies. But he dares to do things and does not hide Selfish, but not a pure minister."

These words are admonishing, wanting to save Shen Kuo's life.But it is not a warning to the emperor that Shen Kuo, who can risk such a risk to speak out, is not a sycophant.If it is a courtier, he can naturally hide this pile of records and give the emperor the answer he wants.What is it that is not a pure minister who can desperately advise?Killing him must be the emperor's fault, and it is a stain that can be recorded in the history books.

Zhao Xu was determined to be a sage, and these words inevitably calmed him down a little.Looking at Shen Kuo who was still bowing his head silently, and Wang Anshi who was standing motionless in front of him, Zhao Xu suddenly felt that something was messed up in his heart.

After a long silence, he spoke, "Could it be that what Confucius and Dong Zi said were all wrong?"

This question, both Shen Kuo and Wang Anshi knew what they were asking, and they also knew the danger.Shen Kuo pondered for a long time before he finally said: "The heaven and the earth have their own ways, and they will not be changed by people's words."

Wang Anshi's answer was much more tactful than him: "The sky is boundless, and there are billions of stars, not only the sun and the moon. Officials are the son of heaven, so they should not worry about the sun and the moon. Besides, there are definite numbers of yin and yang, and heaven and earth have their own reasons."

He did not deny the "relationship between heaven and man", but expanded the concept of "heaven".What if the earth really goes around the sun?The Son of Heaven is the "son of heaven", not the "son of earth" or "son of the sun".Worrying about this change, isn't it unfounded?

Furthermore, the sun is yang, the moon is yin, and the earth goes around the sun, isn't it facing the sun?The moon goes around the earth, isn't it the shadow?In addition, the earth is still rotating non-stop, isn't this also a combination of yin and yang, and an endless cycle?The way of heaven has its own laws, and it is far more ingenious than ordinary people imagine.

Zhao Xu was not stupid, and understood what Wang Anshi was saying.This Zaifu, whom he trusted, was also not sure whether the "heliocentric theory" was true.But he doesn't care.Because the Son of Heaven is "Heaven", not "Earth".

The fear in my heart seemed to dissipate a little.Zhao Xu looked at the two people in front of him, and said after a while: "Shen Kuo spoke nonsense about celestial phenomena, so he should be resigned from his position and take up another post. Does Wang Qing have any advice?"

This was a way out for Shen Kuo. As for where to be exiled, he has not yet made up his mind.

However, Wang Anshi did not follow the emperor's will, but instead said: "I remember that Shen Kuo used to control the water in the south of the Yangtze River and obtained seven thousand hectares of fertile land. He also built Wanchun Wei and wrote "Five Theories of Wei Tian". He is a rare talent in water control. You might as well send him to control the river and calm the flood for the court."

River governance, of course, refers to the Yellow River.When Yingzong was in power, the Yellow River broke its embankment and diverted its course, causing disasters for thousands of miles.The princes of the imperial court have been arguing for several years about how to control the river, and they have not yet decided whether to strengthen the river course or allow it to divert to the north.And entrusting this task to Shen Kuo is to give him a burden that is almost impossible to complete.Calming down the Yellow River's disaster is enough to become a lifelong career, and it may also be the end of his official career.

This is not exile, but it is better than exile.Although he was not very satisfied with this suggestion, Zhao Xu thought about it and nodded: "That's fine. It's just that the affairs of the Sitianjian are imperial secrets, and you are not allowed to disclose the forbidden Chinese language in the future. If there is any violation, I will definitely Kill it!"

These words are still somewhat murderous.Shen Kuo breathed a sigh of relief, and leaned over to thank you again.

Once the performance was correct, in exchange for the job of a capital water supervisor, it seemed flat, but in fact it was a secret surrender.After exiting the main hall, Shen Kuo walked slowly to the corridor, the slight autumn wind blowing on his body made him feel his back was sticky and his clothes were wet with sweat.Just now, he walked before the gate of hell, and the emperor had already put the blade on his neck.If you say you're not afraid, that's a lie.However, he has no regrets in his heart.

After all, he still spoke out and made it clear to the emperor himself.There is no deception, no retreat.With his precedent, no matter who discovers "the earth goes around the sun" in the future, there will be no danger of death.And the Son of Heaven also saw those notes, knew everything he saw in the sky-gazing mirror, and the seed of doubt had also been planted.

Maybe in his lifetime, he can no longer enter the center, and can only run on the banks of the Yellow River for thousands of miles.But he once said "truth" and did not let his hard work go to waste.After three to five years, his "Twelve Qi Calendar" will be gradually perfected.After one or two generations, when the world knows that the sun is the center of the sky, some people may agree with the "Gregorian calendar" he compiled, and use it to guide the farming time, eliminating the trouble of calculating the calendar.

With a clear conscience, there are even officials who can go to control the river and find a way of life for thousands of people. What can I ask for?

With the warm sun shining on his face, Shen Kuo narrowed his eyes, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

When Wang Anshi walked out of the Chuigong Hall, he felt that his shoulders were a little heavy.Today's unreasonable disaster is really shocking. He couldn't tell whether the "heliocentric theory" was true or not, and he was even vaguely unwilling to believe it.This is contrary to what he has learned, enough to make people at a loss.

But this encounter was not necessarily a bad thing for him.

After all, only a few people heard this shocking statement, and no one could use it to attack the new law.Shen Kuo will also be released. With his talent for water control, he may also benefit the people along the Yellow River.More importantly, the emperor became suspicious of the statement of "interaction between heaven and man".Although this remark was a bit outrageous, Wang Anshi didn't think it was a bad thing.

The emperor attaches too much importance to the "relationship between heaven and man". Any changes in the sky or disasters will make him shake and want to give up the great cause of reform.

So what if the "interaction between heaven and man" cannot be counted in the first place?What if the sages' interpretation of this was originally wrong?Will the sudden change in the world still make the emperor timid and make him shrink back?Without this shackle, it is true that tyrants may be born, but for virtuous monarchs, it is also a good opportunity to urge them to take a step forward.It is always people, not heaven, that can change this dynasty.There are ways to prevent and control any disaster, and there are means to deal with it. What's the use of being afraid?If it can cheer up the emperor, it would not be in vain for him to risk his life to remonstrate today.

But, is the "heliocentric theory" really true?Wang Anshi also raised his head, looking at the shining sun on the zenith.The blazing sun soon burned his eyes, forcing him to lower his head and look sideways, as if facing a king.The emperor who can control the life and death of the world must be admired by all people.It is not incomprehensible that the sun, which can govern the life of all living things, forces the earth to go around.

But if the heaven and the earth have their reasons and laws, even those visions of the heaven and the earth are just a sign of it.How can we be afraid of changes in the sky?

The author has something to say: I found that some people don't understand the lunar calendar, and I will explain it briefly

Lunar calendar = solar calendar + lunar calendar

The 24 solar terms are the Gregorian calendar, which is determined by the distance between the sun and the earth, and it is only related to the sun.

The first and fifteenth day of the lunar calendar is the lunar calendar, which represents the orbit of the moon, that is, the full moon and the waxing and waning (synopsis), and it is only related to the moon.

The problem with the mixing of lunar and solar calendars is that the revolution period of the moon is less than 30 days. If the moon is used to count the months, then twelve months must not be 365 days, and there will be some days left, which will disrupt the year's solar terms and even seasons in the long run For the division, a "leap month" must be set to make up and adjust.But this is troublesome and complicated, and it is bound to require constant calculations to guide the farming time.Before 2000, this system may have been scientific enough.But when science advances, it becomes a hindrance.If there is no Gregorian calendar in today's society, and you have to buy an almanac every year, you need to have two identical months every year to adjust the time. I'm afraid everyone will find it inconvenient.

The problem with the current Gregorian calendar is that it does not fully follow the solar terms, and the distribution of months is uneven, with only 28 days in February.If it is replaced by Shen Kuo's twelve solar calendar, with Lichun as the first day of the new year, then the twelve solar terms he selected are basically at the beginning or middle of the month, taking into account timing and solar terms, which is also a reasonable arrangement.

Not everything is old is better, sometimes old is just conformity, it is commonplace.The biggest problem with Confucianism is also its "legal and ancient" characteristics.The three generations of sage kings are the most perfect, and they must be learned and imitated by future generations. Is this scientific?

Fortunately, there are people in the Shenzong Dynasty who understand this truth.

Zhang Zai: Learning is valuable, but keeping the old is useless.

Shen Kuo: The method of intercalation is left behind by the sage kings, and it is certainly inappropriate, but there are things that the ancients did not come and wait for later generations.

Wang Anshi: Changes in the sky are not enough to fear, ancestors are not enough to follow the law, and human words are not enough to be compassionate.