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Chapter 35: Late Ming, Hell and Heaven Coexist

  Chapter 35: Late Ming Dynasty, Hell and Heaven Coexist

  Chongzhen 1st Year

  February 23rd.

  In the early morning, there was nothing to do. After the Ji Yan event, the officials' impression of the emperor changed greatly. They expressed incomprehension, fear and hope that such incidents would not happen again. As for the emperor's practice of frequently exposing "palace scandals", they felt it was unacceptable.

  It ended in an eerie atmosphere early this morning.

  Yang Reform said to Wang Chengen: "Grand Companion, remember that Li Zubai from the Imperial Observatory last time? He's a talent, call him in for me. I'll discuss some math problems with him." Yang Reform suddenly remembered the talented person he had discovered at the early court meeting, Li Zubai, who was good at arithmetic.

  "Yes, Your Majesty, I will dispatch someone to proclaim it." King Cheng En responded.

  Li Zubai was half-joyful and half-worried at home, having waited for several days in agony, just like a writer waiting for an A-sign or the Three Rivers. The joyful part was that the Emperor had a very good impression of him and was preparing to promote him. Unfortunately, he was stuck in the Imperial Observatory and it was difficult to transfer to another department. His worries were all about this. Every day, he would think about why the Emperor hadn't summoned him yet! And every day, he would think about what to prepare for when the Emperor finally summons him, something that would make the Emperor feel surprised and moved, so that his own future would be bright. Even if he couldn't become an official in another place, this Imperial Observatory was still a government office, wasn't it? He could still get promoted here.

  Today, Li Zubai finally waited for his lucky star, a small eunuch.

  "Is this the residence of Li Zubai, the Imperial Astronomer, and the home of Master Li?" The little eunuch asked. His words seemed to still hold a great deal of respect for Li Zubai.

  Li Zubai's gatekeeper was surprised and replied: "That's right. May I ask, sir, are you looking for my master?"

  "Quickly call out your family's Li gentleman, the Emperor has summoned him to enter the palace." The small eunuch shouted.

  "Old master, old master, someone has come from the palace, saying that Old Master is summoned to the palace...... Old master......" This gatekeeper rushed off to report to his own master. The master was going to prosper and it would bring honor to his subordinates, who could then enjoy good fortune along with him. In ancient society, this was a typical case of "when one man gets the Way, all his chickens and dogs rise to heaven".

  Before long, Li Zubai came out. He opened the middle gate and welcomed him with great courtesy, saying to the little eunuch: "Please ask your master to sit inside and have a cup of tea."

  The little eunuch said with a smile and a sharp voice: "Congratulations, Lord Li, congratulations, Lord Li. No need to bother, the Emperor is waiting for you in the palace. Lord Li should hurry up and follow me to see the Emperor." The little eunuch was quite direct - the Emperor was the most important one, the Emperor's matters had to be prioritized, as for visiting your home for tea, how could that compare to the Emperor's affairs?

  "I obey your orders, sir. Please wait for a moment while I change my clothes and fetch some things. Please take a seat in the hall." Li Zubai was no fool, so he first handed the little eunuch a packet of silver, then went to get his own "things", the new and curious objects he had prepared to present to the Emperor, and told the little fellow to wait at home.

  "All right, all right. Lord Li, please hurry back and forth. We'll just wait here for a moment." The little eunuch smiled and took the silver letter, weighed it in his hand, and then tucked it into his sleeve.

  Before long, Li Zubai followed the little eunuch and rushed straight to the imperial palace.

  ……

  Inside Wenyuan Pavilion. Although it's already spring, the fire in the stove is still burning strongly, and the room is warm and cozy.

  "Your humble servant Li Zubai pays his respects to Your Majesty, may you live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, and ten million years." Li Zubai solemnly kowtowed to Yang Reform.

  "Rise, Li Zubai. I have a deep impression of you! Take a seat." Yang Reform looked at this talented individual with great pleasure.

  "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty, I don't dare to accept it." Li Zubai was very humble.

  "Hmm, talk about your insights or extraordinary views on mathematics." Yang was ready to discuss this mathematical aspect with Li Zubai. Mathematics is the source of all science and technology! Without mathematics, everything else is rubbish!

  "I dare not say that I have high insight in mathematics, but only that I am good at calculations. It's just a matter of being skilled through practice." Li Zubai was very humble: "If you really want to talk about having high insight and achievements, then you should count Xu Zixian and Xu Shaobao."

  "Is Li Aiqing referring to Xu Guangqi?"

  "Replying to Your Majesty, yes, the humble official is referring to Xu Shao-bao. Xu Shao-bao has made great achievements and has a profound understanding in mathematics. The official dare not claim any credit for himself."

  "I know that Xu Guangqi has been summoned back to the capital, and he should have just received my imperial edict. After a while, Li Aiqing will be able to meet Xu Guangqi, and at that time, you can ask Xu Aiqing to exchange skills with him." Yang Reform would not let go of the great talent Xu Guangqi from the late Ming dynasty, this great man who was a scientist, agricultural expert, scholar, Christian, mathematician, military strategist, and weapons expert all in one. Yang Reform planned to use him as a living advertisement, making good use of him.

  As he spoke, Yang Reform himself fell into deep thought. Leaving Li Zubai sitting there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

  ……

  After a moment of silence, Li Zubai plucked up the courage and memorialized: "I beg to report to Your Majesty, your humble minister has an extraordinary book to present to you today."

  Yang Gaizhang came back to his senses and curiously asked, "What's this 'strange book'?" Yang Gaizhang thought to himself, could it be those "health preservation" kinds of things? He remembered that in the Ming dynasty history, many people presented these kinds of things to the emperor. If so, then he had indeed misjudged the situation.

  "Your Majesty, please look at this one." Li Zubai held up a thread-bound book above his head and respectfully "presented" it to the emperor.

  Wang Chengen had passed on the book and placed it in front of Yang Gao's face.

  "The Telescope Sutra"!!! Yang Gaizhi's heart suddenly surged with a huge wave. He was still working on glass, preparing to make mirrors, and preparing to make telescopes for money, but now "The Telescope Sutra" was right in front of him. Yang Gaizhi had only one feeling, that is collapse.

  Half a response, Yang Gaizhi picked up "Yu Jing Shuo" and flipped through it, asking: "Li Ai, who wrote this book and what is it about?" Yang Gaizhi was prepared to ask in detail.

  "I humbly report to Your Majesty, this book introduces the artificial telescope of the Western countries for observing the moon. It includes an introduction on how to make a telescope. I think that this mirror can be used in battle arrays..." Li Zubai found that the emperor seemed very interested in this book, and the emperor appeared to be shocked by it. With confidence that this book could move the emperor, he began to boldly "promote" his own book.

  BOOM!!! This time Yang's reform has completely collapsed. Telescopes, astronomical telescopes, selling rice cakes... What's wrong with this world? How can there be telescopes now, and even astronomical ones that observe the moon? According to the speed of transportation between East and West, books have already been transmitted to the East, so shouldn't they have been used for many years in the West?

  Yang thought his blood pressure was at least over 300, and his heart was racing non-stop. This news is really shocking. He had planned to climb the technological tree in the Ming Dynasty, but many things have already appeared in the West. It seems that introducing technology from the West can no longer be delayed. He really is a small white and a house man.

  "Li Ai Qing, who wrote this book?" Yang was eager for reform.

  "I humbly report to Your Majesty, this book was written in collaboration with Tang Ruowang and myself. Of course, Tang Ruowang is the main author, I just assisted with translation on the side." Li Zubai noticed that the Emperor had a crazed expression when looking at this book, and immediately knew he had made the right bet. The Emperor had a "special" fondness for these "novel" things. Just like other members of the old Zhu family, some loved carpentry, some loved playing, some didn't love attending court, and so on.

  Rumble, rumble!! Another thunderous clap resounded in Yang Reform's ears. Tang Ruowang, this awesome figure is also in my era? It seems he appeared in the Qing Dynasty as well, and was quite an impressive character, his image still visible in many operas. Yang Reform's heart rate and blood pressure accelerated to nearly 400 this time.

  "Tan Ruowang? A Westerner?" Yang Reform blurted out uncontrollably.

  "Replying to Your Majesty, yes, Tang Ruowang is a person from Taisi, which is what Your Majesty refers to as a Westerner." Li Zubai was very excited. Even a fool can now see the extent of the Emperor's fondness for these things.

  "This, I am very curious about this person, does Li Ai know where he is now? I wish to see him immediately." Yang reform that is a late meeting! Such a powerful figure, not bringing him under his own command, is really unforgivable for this crossing. Will be struck by thunder.

  Li Zubai was overjoyed and stuttered: "Your Majesty, Tang Ruowang is now in Xi'an." The emperor only looked at the title of this book, flipped through it casually, and showed such admiration for Tang Ruowang. Li Zubai guessed that he had grasped the emperor's hobby, which was these "novel" things, and thought to himself that his future promotion would be easy.

  "Immediately summon Tang Ruowang back to the capital, I want to see him." Yang Gaizhang exclaimed with joy.

  "Yes, Your Majesty. I have taken note of it and will dispatch the edict immediately." Wang Chengen also noticed that since the Emperor's serious illness, he had not been so agitated before, which showed that this person was very important to the Emperor. Therefore, Wang Chengen decided to summon this person back at the fastest speed.

  ……

  Yang's reform gradually calmed down, Tang Ruowang was still in Xi'an, and it would take some time to come back. He asked Li Zubai again if he knew any other powerful figures, hoping to find more people like Xu Guangqi and Tang Ruowang who were well-versed in Western technology, so that he wouldn't be fighting alone at the end of the Ming dynasty.

  "Does your lordship still recognize those people? And these... these..." Yang Reform didn't know how to describe this thing called science.

  "Is Your Majesty referring to the novel technologies of the Western world?" Li Zu-White thought he had already grasped the Emperor's "pulse", liking novel and curious things, seeing that the Emperor could not describe specific things, so he supplemented for the Emperor.

  "Right, right, right. You still know those people, you're familiar with those novel techniques and events, come on, tell me about them. To be honest, I'm stuck in this palace all day and am quite curious about the outside world. Come on, tell me." Yang's reform was getting impatient and restless. He had lost all semblance of being an emperor and had revealed his true form as an eighteen-year-old otaku.

  ……

  The sky gradually darkens. Night falls.

  ……

  The conversation with Li Zubai is still ongoing.

  ……

  Those pig-like elites of the Ming dynasty presented a picture of hell on earth to Yang Reform, and personally directed the play that pushed Yang Reform, Chongzhen Emperor, and his empire into the abyss. And when chatting with Li Zubai, talking about people and things, another side of the late Ming Dynasty was revealed to Yang Reform - a golden highway leading to heaven, a group of people facing the world, broad-minded, progressive, extraordinary vision, thriving, full of passion and ideals.

  Heaven and hell, two different worlds in the same world, yet not in the same world. At the same time, one group of people is directing their own apocalypse, while another group is showing a vibrant scene of reform, full of vitality, passion, progress, striving, seeking truth, and hope.

  At the end of the Ming dynasty, heaven and hell blended together.

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