After the Fang Mansion screened the wall, the heroic Fang Yizhi strode out and faced the waiting Prime Minister Zhou Xian.
"My father is going out today. If Mr. Zhou has anything important to do, please let me know first."
Zhou Xiancheng said anxiously, "Oh, what a coincidence, but Yang Tangzun deliberately told him to find Mr. Fang and tell him face to face."
Fang Yizhi asked in surprise, "Does the county magistrate have urgent matters?"
Zhou Xiancheng clapped his hands gently, "Wang Gongbi ignored the obstruction of Yang Tangzun and Master Pi and led his troops across the river. Now the Chizhou soldiers have crossed the Tongcheng County boundary and are stationed outside Liantan Town today."
"Chizhou soldiers have arrived at Liantan!" Fang Yizhi's expression changed drastically. Liantan Town is an important town in the south of Tongcheng. It is on the official road from Anqing to Tongcheng and is only more than sixty miles away from Tongcheng County.
The official roads from Anqing to Tongcheng are in good condition and are all paved stone roads. This means that if Chizhou soldiers are willing, they can reach Tongcheng County within one day. Wang Gongbi secretly changed a concept here, replacing not entering Tongcheng with
He did not enter Tongcheng County, so as not to overly irritate the gentry and rioters in Tongcheng, but the distance was very close, so that if the thieves made trouble, he would not be unable to react in time. When reporting to Zhang Guowei, he would write that he had entered Tongcheng, so that he could give an explanation to the governor.
, if someone impeaches someone in the future, he can also have some excuse.
Wang Gongbi's move put tremendous pressure on both the officials and the bandits in Tongcheng. When the news came that Chizhou soldiers had entered Liantan Town, the Tongcheng County government office was in chaos again, and there were not many Zaoli writers left.
Most of them were lost, and some of the people who stayed behind also fled back to the countryside. At the same time, Pang Yu felt very urgent. If the Chizhou soldiers succeeded in quelling the rebellion, the thieves' tens of thousands of taels of silver would have nothing to do with Pang Yu.
"The news came from the scholar of Liantan. Mr. Yang asked me to discuss it with the gentry immediately. I first came to find Mr. Fang and asked Mr. Fang to come forward to convene. The squires must come forward and send a few people to Liantan.
If we fight hard, we will definitely not be able to let the Chizhou soldiers move forward."
Pang Yu, who was following the county magistrate, observed Fang Yizhi carefully and found that Fang Yizhi was a little flustered. He turned around and then stopped, as if he was still having trouble making up his mind. It seemed that he was indeed frightened by the Chizhou soldiers.
At this time, the feeling of the army to the common people was not much different from that of the local bandits, especially the guest troops from other places. They were all outsiders, and they did not need to consider whether they would meet each other in the future, so their attacks were particularly vicious.
Fang Yizhi thought for a moment and finally said, "It is true that my father is not here today, but Wansheng knows where he is, so he can immediately send someone to inform my father and ask him to come back."
Zhouxian Cheng said anxiously, "It is better for me to go to Mr. Fang and discuss it with Mr. Fang on the way back."
Fang Yizhi had a look of embarrassment on his face and hesitantly said, "But the place where my father is going is really inconvenient. I'd better ask Mr. Zhou to stay in the study for a while, and Wansheng will send someone to invite him immediately."
After Zhouxian Cheng heard what he said, he had no choice but to agree. Fang Yizhi hurriedly found a servant, and after whispering a few instructions to the man, the servant rode skillfully and galloped away.
The task that Yang Fangqian gave to Zhou Xiancheng was to find Fang Kongzhen as soon as possible. Although the Tongcheng gentry had an unpleasant quarrel last time, and some people were also dissatisfied with Fang Kongzhen, when it came time to make a big decision, everyone still wanted to do it first
Thinking of the Fang family.
Zhouxian Cheng followed Fang Yizhi to his study, and Pang Yu and Mr. Yu naturally had no choice but to follow behind. The Fang family's deep courtyard was grand but not luxurious. The courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, water and rocks. Pang Yu only looked at this courtyard.
, then we know that the Fang family belongs to a rich and noble family.
Pang Yu and Mr. Yu were originally not qualified to enter the study, but Fang Yizhi's study was divided into an outer room and an inner room. The sun was a bit fierce today, so Fang Yizhi let them enter the outer room and asked the maid to give them a room each.
Fan the ball.
Arriving at Fang Yizhi's study, Pang Yu glanced around and saw a jujube incense table made of natural jujube roots placed beside it, an official table in the middle, and two tables behind it.
There is a long sword, and behind it is a high-quality Lingnan brocade stone cloud screen. In addition to pens, inks, paper and inkstones, there is also a glazed lamp on the official table, and a lamp with a gorgeous lampshade. The lampshade is colorful and crystal clear.
It was something Pang Yu had never seen before in the Ming Dynasty, and it was also the most eye-catching item in the study.
When Mr. Yu saw Pang Yu staring at the lampshade, he covered half of his face and whispered to Pang Yu, "On the table is a filament lamp from Yunnan. The material is amethyst quartz and agate. After it is boiled until soft, it is sprinkled with small cauliflower.
The silk is then embroidered on the silk to make it so dazzling and moving, but at this price, we can’t even afford one with two years of work and food money.”
Pang Yu glanced at Mr. Yu in surprise, and when he saw Mr. Yu nodded affirmatively, he couldn't help but be impressed by the wealth of his family. If all the gentry families in Tongcheng had this living standard, then Huang Wending would have sold the Emperor's Fire Flag for more than a thousand taels.
The price is really fair too.
After Fang Yizhi served tea to the county magistrate, he complained again. He and the county magistrate had nothing to talk about, so Fang Yizhi had to find something to do by himself, so as not to appear too cold, so he cleared the table and Pang Yu glanced at it.
I came across a book with the word "physics" written on the cover.
"Strange, what did the ancients learn in physics classes?" Pang Yu secretly wondered in her heart.
At this time, there was a sound of footsteps outside, and a young man jumped over the threshold of the study room, sweating profusely. Before he could stop, he yelled out wisely, "Brother, what is written in the water scroll about the Dead Sea is, 'It tastes alkaline.
If the nature is condensed, it will not produce waves, nor will it sink, nor will it produce aquatic creatures.' (Note 1) Who did you hear this from, how could it be so strange? It doesn't sound true. Can you take me to see it?"
Fang Yizhi said solemnly, "Brother, we have a distinguished guest today. This is Mr. Zhou, the county magistrate. You must not be rude."
After he finished speaking, he said to Zhou Xian Cheng, "This is Fang Qiyi who is giving up his brother. His temperament is a little out of control. Please don't care about it."
Zhou Xiancheng did not dare to care about it. A young man from such a wealthy family might become a Jinshi one day, and then become his Shangguan. This was something he could never offend.
At that time, the county magistrate Zhou said politely, "I heard that I know literature and history at the age of six, can learn literature at the age of nine, and master the six classics at the age of twelve. I am also proficient in swordsmanship. I can be said to be a versatile man in both civil and military affairs. My younger brother must also be a heroic young man."
Fang Yizhi hurriedly said a few words of humility, but Fang Qiyi said reluctantly, "I just want to ask one question. Brother, please tell me and I will leave. Is the Dead Sea you wrote about true?"
Fang Yizhi said impatiently, "It was also said by the Jesuits and I know it, so it should probably be true."
Fang Qiyi let out a somewhat disappointed sound, and was about to go out when he heard a loud reply from outside.
"There is indeed such a sea. It is actually a salt lake. On the western shore of the Mediterranean Sea, it is the lowest lake in the world."
Everyone in the room looked outside in surprise, and saw Pang Yu fanning himself and saying calmly, "And Mr. Fang can make a small Dead Sea at home."
Before Fang Qiyi could speak, Fang Yizhi actually left the county magistrate and walked a few steps outside and said excitedly, "I heard them say that it is indeed a salt lake not far from the sea. How do you know that? Have you ever been there?"
Pang Yu almost blurted out, but then remembered his current identity, bowed respectfully and said, "The villain Pang Yu once studied under an expert from outside the world, and it was he who informed the villain."
"I see, is it true that you just said you could make a small Dead Sea? How can you do it?"
"It is very clear from Mr. Fang's records that it is not sinkable and does not breed aquatic animals because it tastes alkaline. The salt content in the Dead Sea is eight times that of ordinary seawater, and its specific gravity exceeds that of the human body. People who do not know how to swim can also float.
On top of it, because the salt content is too high, fish and shrimps cannot survive in it, so it is called the Dead Sea. If Mr. Fang wants to do it, he only needs to put a pool of water and add a lot of salt to dissolve it."
Fang Yizhi didn't understand the meaning of specific gravity, but he understood that the conclusion was to add more salt. He immediately looked stunned. He took two steps outside in a hurry, and suddenly stopped to look at Zhou Xian Cheng inside. Pang Yu looked at him.
It seems that if the county magistrate hadn't been here, he would have gone to the experiment immediately.
Fang Qiyi immediately came over and pulled Pang Yu to ask for details. The county magistrate was not interested in these things and said to Pang Yu, "Then Pang Yu will chat with Young Master Fang, and I will discuss with Mi Zhi the matter of quelling the chaos."
Pang Yu quickly agreed. The young man with Fang Qiyi's temperament was inexplicably excited and took Pang Yu out of the study. He sat outside by the pond and corridor, holding a book and asking questions.
"Pang Gongze, have you ever seen what is described in this sentence, 'The river of Yanyan flows with fat day and night, which is Yan'an oil. It is thought that the smoke and ink are not as good as the rosin."
"This should be petroleum. It was formed by the decay and decomposition of animals, grass and trees in the ground at least a million years ago. After burning, it can produce energy. In a few hundred years, it will become something that powerful countries will compete for."
"Does an expert outside the world know what will happen hundreds of years later? Then look at this sentence again, Ongaheiya, there is water spurting out of the ground, which is the one who condenses the stone."
"It sounds like a volcanic eruption. The water is called magma because the high-temperature fossils turn into water. It is actually liquid deep underground. This brings us to the plate theory..."
The two of them asked and answered questions, and Fang Qiyi seemed to have discovered a huge treasure house. He was so focused that he didn't notice the passage of time.
The corridor was like a steamer under the sun, and Pang Yu's fan had almost no effect. After talking for half an hour, Pang Yu felt his mouth was dry and he was forced to terminate the first popular science teaching in the Ming Dynasty.
Fang Qiyi looked at this Zaoli with admiration and said in praise, "I didn't expect that I, Tongcheng, would have such a great talent as Pang Gongzhao, and he was still a Zaoli. It's really a shame. It's a pity that my brother didn't have the opportunity to attend today. I'll have to attend some time later."
Please ask Mr. Pang to make up for him."
Pang Yu's eyes rolled. The Fang family's population was extremely tight. Pang Yu never knew where Fang Kongzhen's manpower came from, let alone the progress of Fang Kongzhen's preparations.
His strength is incomparable to that of any other party, especially the sudden appearance of Chizhou soldiers, which is an uncertain factor. Both Fang Kongzhen and Huang Wending may make new moves at any time. If you want to seize millet from the fire, the timing must be very precise.
, so Pang Yu has always hoped to master more information about the Fang family.
Seeing the excited young man in front of him, who was completely off guard, Pang Yu tentatively said, "I'm afraid I have to wait until the civil commotion subsides before I have time to visit the two young masters again, but the thieves are still wreaking havoc now. I don't know how.
What year and month has it been?"
Sure enough, Fang Qiyi laughed and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Pang, it won't be long."
Pang Yu deliberately made his face serious, "I am telling the truth. Young Master Fang can't fool me with lies."
Fang Qiyi came over and whispered seriously, "Really, my second uncle brought back a few servants, and my father hired dozens of gangsters. That thief won't be able to stay alive for long."
"How do you, a young man, know that?"
"Of course I know. Because many gangsters have already come to Tongcheng and live in Longmian Mountain, occupying the Zeyuan where my brother and I study on weekdays. Otherwise, if it is such a hot summer and I don't spend the summer in Zeyuan, why would I suffer the consequences of coming to my old house in Tongcheng."
Pang Yu opened his mouth in surprise, and then guessed that the place Fang Kongzheng went to today was Zeyuan in Longmian Mountain, so Fang Yizheng did not want Zhou Xiancheng to discover Zeyuan's men.
Seeing that he could finally surprise the omniscient Mr. Pang, Fang Qiyi stared at Pang Yu and smiled proudly.
…
Note 1: There is water in Volume 2 of "Little Knowledge of Physics" written by Fang Yizhi, "There is a sea with an alkaline taste, a solid nature, no waves, no sinking, and no aquatic life. It is called the Dead Sea. If the water properties are different, it will be strange. I don’t believe it." This book was spread to Japan after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. Influenced by this book, modern Japan translated Western Physics into physics.