The strong and fresh wind howled by, blowing the white snow that had fallen all night long. Regardless of the situation in the outer court, the situation in the inner court was very stable.

"Your Majesty, the Yongwei Battalion led by the Senior General's School Class and the West Factory led by Eunuch Fang have successfully left the capital." Han Zanzhou bowed slightly and reported to Emperor Chongzhen: "According to His Majesty's decree, the War Bureau has allocated cotton armor and other armor to keep out the cold.

thing.”

"Um."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said: "This march to Zhangjiakou will be a big test for the dispatched Yongwei Battalion and Xichang."

As a powerful army created by Emperor Chongzhen, its fighting will is much stronger than that of the ordinary Ming army. However, it is indeed not an easy task to set off on the march in the middle of winter and arrive at Zhangjiakou within the specified time.

For generals like Zhou Yuji and Chen Jisheng, this long march would face many problems, but Emperor Chongzhen had full confidence in them.

If even such an operational test cannot be completed satisfactorily, then how can we reuse them in the future and how can we rely on them to expand the size of the new army?

"Have Xu Qing and the others come over?"

Emperor Chongzhen knocked on the dragon case and said to Han Zanzhou: "Since the preparations for the Military Academy, we have summoned some talents to Beijing. I want to meet them."

Han Zanzhou lowered his head and said: "Go back to the Emperor, there is no news from the Qianqing Gate, otherwise I would like to make a trip to..."

"Your Majesty, Xu Shufu has led all the Military Academy to ask for an audience." Before Han Zanzhou finished speaking, the eunuch outside the palace hurriedly walked into Dongnuan Pavilion and reported to Emperor Chongzhen.

"Xuan!"

For Emperor Chongzhen, it was what he had to do to gradually check and balance the court, and it was what he had to do to change the framework of the inner court. In the same way, it was also what he had to do to cultivate the Ming Dynasty's scientific system.

If you want to change the corrupt situation of the Ming Dynasty, you must gain real military power and expand the new army that Emperor Chongzhen wanted, not the current corrupt Ming army.

According to Emperor Chongzhen's vision, the new army he spent huge sums of money to create must be equipped with various firearms of high quality and high performance to become an army that can crush this era.

However, the ideal is very full, and the reality is very skinny. Regarding the development process of firearms and artillery, Emperor Chongzhen knew a little bit about the development process of firearms and artillery, such as rifled guns, flintlock guns, breech-loaded flintlock guns, etc., as well as more powerful yellow gunpowder, etc.

, Emperor Chongzhen knew all these names, but he didn’t know the secret of how to develop them.

The significance of the establishment of the Armed Forces Academy is clearly highlighted. The development of various firearms and artillery is their primary goal. On this basis, subjects such as astronomy, geography, etc. can be expanded.

Scientific research is extremely expensive, but Emperor Chongzhen also knew that without progress, the Ming Dynasty would be unable to escape the fate of decline.

"Your Majesty...Xu Guangqi, pay homage to Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty...Li Zhizao, pay homage to Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty...Xiong Mingyu, pay homage to Your Majesty!"

"Student...Song Yingxing, pay homage to His Majesty!"

"Student...Jiao Xu, pay homage to Your Majesty!"

"Deng Yuhan/Luo Yagu/Tang Ruowang/Long Huamin, meet the Ming Emperor!"

The sounds of salutes interrupted Emperor Chongzhen's thoughts. Looking at the group of people in front of him, Emperor Chongzhen showed a bit of a smile on his face.

Although the Ming Dynasty was influenced by Confucianism and labeled the fields of firearms as so-called inferior, there were still some enlightened people who were willing to study these.

If Emperor Chongzhen didn't know clearly that the future would be an era of thermal weapons and the truth would be within the range of cannons, then he would not waste precious money and destroy the time-consuming and labor-intensive scientific research faced with the mess in front of him.

superior.

"Everyone is free of charge."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled, stretched out his hand and said: "Come here, give Xu Qing and Li Qing a seat. How is Li Qing's condition recently?"

I have been busy with government affairs these days and have not noticed Li Qing's condition. Han Zanzhou, please go to the Imperial Hospital later and send someone to diagnose and treat Li Qing."

Li Zhizao was a great scientific figure in the late Ming Dynasty. He was very close to Matteo Ricci. He advocated Western methods and was proficient in astronomy, mathematics and other fields.

Along with Xu Guangqi, Song Yingxing, Sun Yuanhua, etc., they are all famous beings.

In fact, if we really want to talk about it, the Ming Dynasty did not lag behind the world in the research of firearms. However, due to the corruption of the Ming Dynasty officials, in the actual production process, they cut corners and shoddy materials, and the forged firearms were not fired.

Two shots and the fucking chamber exploded, so who can bear it?

Emperor Chongzhen felt that it was a pity that these local talents of the Ming Dynasty who were proficient in the field of firearms and did not reject Western civilization were not reused in a real sense.

If they can get together, they don't have to worry about research funding, and they can collide more with Western scientists in various fields, then the fire of science will surely burn brightly in the Ming Dynasty!

Professional matters were left to Xu Guangqi and the others, and other matters were left to him, the great emperor of the Ming Dynasty, to solve. Emperor Chongzhen did not believe it, and there would be no breakthrough in the Armed Forces Academy.

The sick Li Zhizao must be protected, and he cannot be allowed to die in the third year of Chongzhen. It will be good for the Ming Dynasty if a talent like this can live for one more year.

"I think Xu Qing told you all about the Military Academy before you come back."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled, looked at Li Zhizao and the others and said: "I established the Armed Forces Academy to improve our Ming Dynasty's research in the field of firearms. At the same time, I also strongly support research in other fields.

I think the compilation of the new calendar, which was forced to stop due to the Jianlu invasion, can be restarted. I wonder if you have any thoughts on the future development of the Armed Forces Academy?"

Since we must attach great importance to scientific research, we should not be arbitrary when communicating with Xu Guangqi and others. We should listen more to the opinions of scientists on scientific matters.

"Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty really has too few talents in the fields of firearms, astronomy, geography and other fields." Li Zhizao looked a little pale, stood up, and said with cupped hands: "If your Majesty really wants to make the Military Academy better, please also

Your Majesty can recruit more missionaries and allow them to preach in the capital.

At the same time, we can recruit some students who are not interested in official careers, gather them here at the Armed Forces Academy, and assign them to various subject groups assigned by His Majesty to learn knowledge in the corresponding fields."

Xu Guangqi looked at Li Zhizao with a worried look on his face. He did not expect that Li Zhizao would mention the matter of preaching. This was a relatively difficult matter for the Ming Dynasty.

Thinking back to the Nanjing Mission Incident in the 44th year of Wanli Period, the suppression and destruction of Catholicism was not insignificant.
Chapter completed!