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Chapter 127 "Half Moon Talk"

The weather in Beijing has been extremely hot since the onset of winter. The bright sun has been shining on the earth from morning to night, and not a single drop of rain has fallen for more than 20 consecutive days.

As hot as the weather was the "New Disaster Relief Law" promulgated by the imperial court. This time the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were surprisingly consistent, and it took less than half a year to complete a set of management measures in detail.It cannot be said that there were no quarrels during this period, but there was definitely no delay. The quarrels were just to improve the specific details faster, and the general direction has not changed.

The voice of the people became more unified, and everyone praised the emperor's holy heart and kindness.If you can use your small treasury to help the victims, even if it is just a loan, you must be able to stand with Yao, Shun, and Yu.If taxes could be reduced even more, he would basically be the emperor for eternity.

So how did the people know the detailed content and background of a new law so quickly?At this time, we have to go to Tongzhou. There is a Ma family there. The current head of the family was once an official in the court, named Ma Jinglun.

He used his store in Zhoucheng to run a newspaper called "Half Moon Talk". Every half month, whenever something major happened, he would write down the causes and consequences in detail on hemp paper, plus analysis and comments, and then write it down in a not-too-distant way. The expensive price is sold to Beijing and Tianjin.

In the beginning, newspapers were free of charge and could be obtained for free at any restaurant or tea shop.Many people regard this kind of stuff with unknown origins as an anonymous post. Not only do they not buy it, but they also drive people away for fear of getting into trouble.

Some brave people tried to get a few copies, and the results were shocking. "Ban Yue Tan" not only contains vernacular stories and poems, but also has an entire section devoted to the movements of the imperial court.For example, who was promoted and who was demoted, why they were promoted, and why they were convicted.

From ancient times to the present, there are only two things that ordinary people like to know: who is in trouble in their neighbor's family, and what changes are happening in the court.The former can be seen with one's own eyes and gain happiness, while the latter can be seen through association.Whoever thinks reasonably and brilliantly can become the center of the crowd.

Within half a year, "Half Moon Talk" transformed from a despised weirdo into a hot favorite.Don’t even think about watching it for free. You may not be able to buy it if you pay for it. The quantity is limited and sold out.

Every time a child wearing short clothes and carrying a blue cloth bag appears on the street, traders along the street will send people out to buy it.If you are late one day, there will be a bunch of waiters standing on the whole street, eagerly waiting for the man like a silly wife.

No problem, the shop owner may not have such a strong sense of gossip, but the customers do.If there is no literate person in the house to help read "Half Moon Talk", then the business of that house is either not a drug store, or it is about to collapse and there are no customers at all.

Not only was this the case in Beijing, the influence of "Half Moon Talk" also spread rapidly southward along with the boats on the Grand Canal, and it appeared in Hangzhou in less than half a year.Although due to the long distance, the local sighting time is about a month later than that in the capital, this has not stopped people from pursuing new things.

Compared with the chorus of praise from both the government and the public, the palace seemed unusually calm.The emperor was neither overjoyed nor adding fuel to the flames. On the contrary, he rarely showed up and almost disappeared except for the morning court when he had to appear.

"Fuck you! When did I ever say that COSt is a latitude? Yes, it's an hour angle... Let's see what I do. Keep counting! Let's count together. Which team will eat the watermelon first? One of them will count. If it’s not right, the whole team will accompany you to bask in the sun!”

At noon, by the Taiye Pond, there was a little eunuch named No. [-] wearing shorts and a waistcoat, and a dozen people gathered together. In each circle, someone held up a metal object and stared at the sun with one eye closed.While watching, he reported the numbers loudly, while his companions listened and recorded them on the wooden board. They were so busy that sweat dripped from their necks.

Even though my hair was dry in the sun, I didn't dare to go to the shade to hide. Some of the mistakes were even scolded by the emperor.There was nothing they could do about it, but it was really painful and joyful for the little eunuchs to meet such a long-lived man whose mind was full of strange things.A month ago, all the Cuju team members passed the junior high school algebra and trigonometry exams. Just when they were about to breathe a sigh of relief, each team was stuffed with a small gadget made of brass and transparent glass, and new training began.

In the past, reciting awkward formulas and calculating deliberately difficult algebraic geometry problems were the most painful things in the world. As soon as the new training began, the young eunuchs began to miss the previous days.

No matter how difficult the problem is, you are still sitting in the room, out of the wind and out of the sun.It's good now. We have to observe and calculate while facing the bright sun, and we also look for the moment when the sun is high.Even if you have the formula in your head, you will almost forget it after being exposed to the sun for a few quarters of an hour.

But no matter whether they remember it or forget it, no one dares to be lazy and idle.If one person fails to complete the question, the whole team will be punished, and students from other teams will watch helplessly as they go to eat big watermelons just fished out of the well under the shade of a tree.Anyone who becomes a rat must think about how to live his life in the future.

"Long live my lord, the sun is getting higher, and I'm here to keep an eye on you. You can go and have a rest in the shade!"

Not only were the young eunuchs unable to spare their companions who miscalculated the questions, but Wang An, who was holding an umbrella, was also furious.Seeing that the emperor's cotton waistcoat was mostly soaked through, he couldn't help but offer words of advice.

"Are you staring? Do you know trigonometric functions or can you calculate equations? I told you to learn more and you won't be in trouble, but you didn't listen. Now it's better! Do you understand if you open your eyes? How old will they be when they grow up? He's just blind. Go, go, take the umbrella aside to block the wind!"

Instead of being pleased with Wang An's thoughtfulness, Hong Tao started scolding him again.The first person to come into contact with the basic algebraic geometry textbook was not the young eunuch, but the chief ceremonial officer.Unfortunately, Wang An's progress in learning has almost stalled. More than two years later, he is still at the level of a primary school graduate.

Hong Tao shouldn't push him too hard. After all, Wang An doesn't study completely off-duty. He has endless things to do all day long. In addition, he is old and has passed the best stage of learning new things. Slow down.But when you need to scold, you must be strict. People are light and relaxed without pressure. Many things are not done but forced.

"My slave is so stupid, I'm an embarrassment to Lord Long Live..." This was not the first time he had been scolded like this. Wang An's answer was sincere and perfunctory.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to learn, it’s just that he can’t learn.Every time I pick up the teaching materials written by Long Live Master, I feel like I have taken sweat medicine. My upper eyelids are fighting with my lower eyelids within a minute of tea. The insomnia that cannot be cured by imperial doctors is cured in less than three months!

"Embarrassing me? You have learned to follow yourself, and it has nothing to do with me...Wang Chengen, slingshot! This damn thing is called Futian, it's so cruel!"

It's a pity that he didn't get through this time. The emperor not only scolded him but also kicked him.Fortunately, it only took one kick to divert the attention. He used a slingshot and a clay ball, and in two strokes he knocked down a howling cicada that was lying on a branch of a tree more than ten meters high.

(End of this chapter)