Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Alchemists, also found in China, are generally called alchemists or warlocks.

Alchemists are the general term for practitioners of astrology, medicine, and divination, and many of them practice alchemy.

When the two Song Dynasties alternated, the war once spread to Jiangxi, and then bandits broke out everywhere. Even the Zhang family was robbed and thousands of books were burned.

Zhang Jinping's brother Zhang Tao found the fragments of "The Essentials of Copper-leaching" from the ashes, repaired them, and presented them to the court again. Only then did the Southern Song Dynasty send officials to restore the wet copper smelting field in Jiangxi, which became an important source of copper materials in the Southern Song Dynasty.

When Zhang Tao wrote the preface to this book, he wrote: "According to "Shen Nong's Materia Medica", Shi Gu said that gods can transform iron and copper into gold and silver. Therefore, alchemists competed to do this, but Without exploring the reason, all kinds of people are looking for it in the fire, thinking that it is the use of elixirs..."

These alchemists went to alchemy after reading "Shen Nong's Materia Medica".

Some alchemists also believe that the gold, silver, copper and iron in the book allude to certain materials for alchemy, which can be refined with stone gall (gall vitriol).

At this moment, among the Taoist priests who were watching the emperor's experiment, there were those who used alchemy furnaces to refine stone gallbladder.

"Princess, you can read the preface of "The Essentials of Copper Dipping"," Zhu Guoxiang said.

Zhang Jinping was quite excited. This preface was the first edition and was written by her great-uncle Zhang Jia.

Zhang Jinping opened the title page and read: "The principles of all things can only be mastered by saints; the uses of all things cannot be mastered by saints. If they are restrained and restrained, their nature will be exhausted. Therefore, "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" contains: "Stone gall can turn iron into Bronze. 'This is the most wonderful magical power, believe it! All the works were done by saints, but their sayings exist, and the techniques for their transformation have lasted for thousands of years..."

After reading, Zhu Guoxiang started to talk about the topic: "Is it true that only saints can do all kinds of things? Is it true that only saints can be poor in the principles of all things? Is it true that only saints can control the use of all things? No! "

Zhang Jinping was stunned. The emperor's words actually completely refuted her great-uncle.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "Ordinary people can also study the principles of all things. Ordinary people can also control the uses of all things. Ordinary people can also do hundreds of things. If only saints can do these, then all of you in front of you can do this. , as long as you study agriculture, chemistry, and physics seriously, you can also become a saint in this world!"

Leaving aside the important ministers of the cabinet, the few people present who were unsuccessful candidates were filled with passion by the emperor's words.

Zhu Guoxiang pointed to his son who was watching the fun: "The prince insists on inviting Cai Lun into the Confucian Temple, even if the scholars in the world oppose it. Why? Inspire the talented people in the world to do hundreds of things. Those who can do hundreds of things. Those whose deeds have been passed down for thousands of years and can still benefit all people can be called saints. Although Cai Lun has poor conduct, he improved the art of papermaking, so he deserves to be worshiped by future generations."

As soon as this statement came out, many ministers wanted to refute it.

But before speaking, they all turned to look at Prince Zhu. Then they all stopped, because they knew that even if he committed suicide here today, the prince would not be able to change anything.

Zhu Guoxiang said to his daughter-in-law: "The princess can write a letter home and print the "Copper Dipping Synopsis" next time and change the author's name to your great-grandfather."

"Yes!" Zhang Jinping saluted and accepted the order.

When Zhang Qian wrote the book "Synopsis of Copper Dipping", he was too embarrassed to sign it himself and asked his son who had an official status to sign it before dedicating it to the Northern Song Dynasty court.

Because only saints can "do all the work", even if the technology is improved and written down in books, it is just a restoration of the lost skills of the saints.

What qualifications does a white person have? It must be a son with official status to write the book.

Zhu Guoxiang added: "The Tongzhengyuan issued an edict to inform all the people of the world. From now on, everyone can write a book about Baigong's work, regardless of whether he has a reputation or not. The cabinet issued official documents to officials in various places to let them encounter Baigong's works. Books should be commended and rewarded. The best among them can be recommended to the imperial court!"

"yes!"

The Tongzhengyuan and cabinet officials agreed together.

Zhu Guoxiang asked those who failed the exam: "Are you willing to become a saint in this world?"

These guys were planning to resign and go home, but now they were provoked by the emperor, and most of them actually said: "I don't dare to be a saint, but I am willing to work for a saint!"

Including Wang Zhongfu, they also wanted to study chemistry.

Chemistry master Wang Chongyang?

Zhu Guoxiang continued: "Mathematics, agriculture, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and geography, these six subjects will be taught in Taixue. In Taixue's annual examination, ten people were originally scheduled to be admitted as Jinshi. It will be decided today. According to the rules, among the ten Jinshi, six should be outstanding students from these six subjects."

The officials were a little confused, but they were ecstatic after failing the exam.

In ancient times, it was difficult to promote natural sciences. Mathematics was considered the simplest. Unlike Confucian classics, just study hard.

For the time being, basic knowledge of natural sciences can only be added to official county and government textbooks. Then let those elites study through Taixue, and motivate students through Taixue exams.

In the future, Tai students should study both Confucian classics and natural sciences.

Moreover, as long as one of the natural sciences can take the first place in the examination, they will be awarded the status of Jinshi.

Six of the ten places were occupied!

The remaining four are the ones who have learned Confucian classics well.

Tai students who cannot graduate smoothly are actually not at a loss. They understand Confucian classics and have all studied natural sciences. They will be capable no matter what they do when they return home.

Moreover, they don’t all have to return to their hometowns.

You can enter the planetarium, enter the Agriculture Department, and serve as a magic officer in the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of War, and the Hanlin Academy.

Perhaps, medicine can be added in the future.

Li Bangyan's mind was full of thoughts at the moment. It was too late for him to learn these things himself, and even his eldest son and second son couldn't learn them. But you can let your younger son learn it, and then arrange to enter the Imperial College, and then take a shortcut to obtain the title of Jinshi.

Qin Hui was even more proud. He had already learned mathematics very well, and he was slowly learning physics. He even dabbled in the astronomy of the New Dynasty.

Among the various thoughts of the ministers, Zhu Guoxiang picked up a lump of gallbladder and said: "This is stone gallbladder. It is as blue as bile, hence the name. The Zhang family's copper immersion technique is refined with bile water, which is similar to that in Jiangxi. Bian can extract bile water on the spot. In fact, whether it is smelting copper from stone gallbladder or using bile water to smelt copper, the chemical principles are the same."

"We divide the same substance until it cannot be divided any more. If it is divided again, its properties will change. Then the smallest part is called a molecule. For example, copper molecules, iron molecules..."

Zhu Guoxiang could only explain it in this way. The more vivid and simple the better, but even so he was afraid that people would not understand.

The experiment of making copper from bile vitriol took a little time. While the chemical reaction was slowly progressing, Zhu Guoxiang kept talking about various theories.

One by one, except for Zhu Ming, everyone was confused.

Since the emperor does not want to make elixirs, there is no need to stay. Zhai Ruwen bowed and said: "Your Majesty, there are still official documents in the cabinet that have not been processed. Please leave first."

"Let's all get busy." Zhu Guoxiang said.

As if they were pardoned, all the ministers said their goodbyes and left one after another. Even Qin Hui ran away. He knew that this thing was not easy to learn.

Only Li Bangyan stayed and volunteered to help the emperor.

After a long time, Zhu Guoxiang said: "It's getting late, so this experiment will be terminated."

Asking Li Bangyan to pick up the iron piece soaked in the solution, Zhu Guoxiang said: "What is attached to the surface of the iron piece is copper filings."

Li Bangyan took the order to scrape off the copper shavings, and everyone quickly came to watch.

Several Taoist priests looked bitter. They read "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" but threw the gall alum into the alchemy furnace to make gold or elixir.

Now it seems that it is a bit off track.

Zhu Guoxiang said to the Taoist priests: "You can slowly recall and write down any strange phenomena you encounter in your daily alchemy making. We will analyze the experiments one by one in the future to see how these phenomena are caused."

"Yes!" The Taoist priests accepted the order.

It is too outrageous to teach the "Periodic Table of Elements" directly, and it is impossible to explain it. Even if you force it to be explained, there is no way to prove it to students.

At most, it will teach about basic oxides and common metals, so that students can have the concepts of elements and molecules. There is no need to teach atoms and ions.

When Taoist priests were refining elixirs, they encountered many messy situations.

They can be used as objects of observation and experiments to analyze and study these conditions. This is the purpose of Zhu Guoxiang's convening of Taoist priests.

Zhu Guoxiang also wants to build a hand-cranked generator specially used for experiments.

Unfortunately, I only remembered the principle, so I asked someone to get a magnet, and then wound the coil. After several attempts, they all failed, and I don’t know what went wrong.

It was getting dark and the royal family members left.

Juren, whose brain was heated for a moment and wanted to study chemistry, suddenly became calm again.

Is this thing really reliable?

Wang Zhongfu was also in a nervous mood. On the way back to his residence, he kept recalling what happened today. It turned out that except for some experimental phenomena, he had forgotten all the rest of the theory.

Compared to those who failed the exam, the remaining Taoist priests were in high spirits.

They even thought about it carefully and felt that many Taoist techniques in the past were most likely some kind of chemical or physical phenomenon.

Of course, more of it is magic...

Sa Shoujian's jujube spelling skills were particularly impressive. He said that by chanting a spell on jujube, he could cure all kinds of diseases, and he said he could get copper coins.

Master Sa decided to stay in Beijing to study chemistry and improve his attainments in Shenxiao Thunder Technique.

He has also traveled in the north in the past two years and heard about the Ming Dynasty's muskets and artillery. Every time I think about it, I really want to see it for myself, but I'm afraid that my Shenxiao Thunder Technique will still be at a disadvantage against guns and artillery.

Back at his residence, Sa Shoujian asked, "What does my teacher think of chemistry?"

Wang Wenqing sighed: "Well, the officials are well versed in the creation of heaven and earth, and the various Taoist methods we practice are really not comparable to those of the officials. It is better to use those spells less in the future, and everything should be focused on cultivating the body and nature. The art of inner elixir , it can still be practiced and can prolong life.”

Sa Shoujian nodded and said: "Inner Alchemy is the foundation of Thunder Method, and it should be practiced diligently. I heard that Zhenren Xue, who also practices Inner Alchemy, was given the Jiangnan Dojo by the prince, and last year he set sail to search for gold and silver."

"We found a lot of gold and silver, and the imperial court appointed a third-grade governor specifically for this purpose," Wang Wenqing said.

Sa Shoujian sighed: "Zhen Xue is really a role model for our generation, and ascetics should also share the worries of the imperial court."

(No, no.)