Hearing his eldest brother talking about lanterns, Qi Dian immediately smiled confidently and said: "Brother, you must have underestimated me. Why have I been working in the manufacturing department for so many years? I have skilled craftsmen under my command, and my skills are vast.
, Don’t worry, this matter will be taken care of by me, no matter how the emperor likes it."
"Well" Qi Zhenming nodded with satisfaction. It seems that this cousin is not useless.
As for Liu Ziguang, Peng Jingwei wanted to go to the palace. In fact, it was not because there was anything fun in the palace, but because her little sister Xu Yuanhui was now the head of the Sixth Palace and the current queen. Even if Liu Ziguang didn't take her there, she would go there on her own.
There is a way to enter the palace and play.
"You have to be good. You are not allowed to take things you like when you see them. You are not allowed to scratch or scratch people. Otherwise, my sister will not take you." Peng Jingwei said to Liu Mao Mao, pretending to be a sister.
"Meow" Liu Maomao squatted on the chair and nodded, as if she understood. She was wearing a newly bought water-red armor, her face was smeared with makeup and powder, and she was colorfully painted, and she was also wearing a pair of
Green embroidered shoes. Of course, these are all the work of Peng Jingwei. The two of them have not known each other since the last ice cream incident. They have made friends and often play together. Peng Jingwei looked at her masterpiece and nodded with satisfaction.
Said: "Okay, we can set off."
Three carriages drove out of the Zhenwu Uncle Mansion, with Liu Ziguang, Song Yingxing and Addison sitting on them, as well as the female relatives. The last carriage pulled a generator, wires, lights and other items. With this thing dedicated to the emperor, why
I worry that Song Yingxing's official position will not be more secure.
After arriving at the palace, a group of female relatives went to chat. Liu Ziguang took Song Ai to the Qianqing Palace. The little emperor was reviewing the memorials with a sad face. When he saw Liu Ziguang coming, he immediately dropped his ink pen and said: "Liu Aiqing came just in time. This time
Reviewing memorials is too boring, what fun things will the Qing family bring?"
"Your Majesty, the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and I specially brought generators and lanterns designed and produced by Song Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry to add some joy to the palace." Liu Ziguang said.
"Lantern?" Zhu Youxiao's eyes lit up and he quickly brought it up for me to take a look at.
Eight young eunuchs lifted the generator off the carriage. After Song Yingxing and Addison presented themselves to the emperor, they took out a large bottle of alcohol and poured it into the machine. Hundreds of special small light bulbs were strung into a long string with wires, and then sent to hang them up.
Go to the eaves of the Qianqing Palace and use the crank to turn on the machine to generate electric current. The electric lamps light up. The outside of the bulbs are coated with a thin layer of colored paint, which emits colorful light in the night sky. The Qianqing Palace is
It is decorated like a beautiful palace.
"It's so beautiful, dear, is this all done by Song Shangshu?" Zhu Youxiao clapped his hands and praised.
"Yes, Your Majesty, the two nephews and uncles of the Minister of Song Dynasty made this specially for the Emperor." As expected, Zhu Youxiao, who is most interested in novelty gadgets, has been completely conquered by this set of lanterns.
"These two Aiqings are really geniuses, please come and give me a reward." Zhu Youxiao glanced at Song Ai and Song Ai with admiration, then patted Liu Ziguang on the shoulder and said, "Aiqing recommended these good talents.
"
"Thank you for your praise. I have heard for a long time that the emperor is proficient in physics and chemistry. I would also like to ask the emperor to point out the shortcomings and give this lamp a name." Addison knelt down and said, this move was arranged by Liu Ziguang in order to satisfy him.
Zhu Youxiao’s vanity.
"Okay! Let me tell you, this light bulb is still a bit big. It would be better if it could be smaller. Also, if the current can be controlled, it will cause the light bulb to flicker, making it look like stars. In general, isn't it beautiful?" Zhu Youxiao thought for a while and said.
"The emperor is a wise man." Liu Ziguang took the lead in praising. This was not to flatter the emperor. Zhu Youxiao's suggestion was still very reliable. What he said next made Liu Ziguang even more admirable.
"I will give this lamp the name Neon."
Unfortunately, it turns out that the name of neon lights started from this.
After admiring the neon lights, Zhu Youxiao asked people to put all the things away, saying that he would put them out until the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival to surprise the officials. Then he took Liu Ziguang into the Qianqing Palace to discuss state affairs.
"My dear, do you think the Zheng family can agree to the conditions?" Zhu Youxiao asked Wei Zhongxian to hand a memorial to Liu Ziguang. Although Wei Zhongxian was in charge of Dongchang, he was still serving the emperor. First of all, he was the emperor. After getting used to him, Eunuch Wei also knew the importance of the holy family, and staying with the emperor was more powerful than any other official.
Liu Ziguang read the memorial in ten lines at a glance. It was written about the affairs of the Zheng family in Fujian. Zheng Zhilong in Taiwan was originally an island. Later, he gradually became rich. He also had thousands of warships and more than 100,000 armored men. Half of the country, Taiwan Island, the Penghu Islands and other places are quite powerful. However, they have recently been at odds with the Netherlands and the Japanese, and wars have been frequent. Overseas trade has been greatly affected. In desperation, they thought of relying on the Ming Dynasty to change the situation of being attacked from three sides to two. Moreover, by relying on the Ming Dynasty, they could recruit sufficient soldiers from the mainland and buy cheaper porcelain and silk from the mainland.
This was originally a good thing, but the conditions offered by the Zheng family were too high. Zheng Zhilong wanted to follow the Korean rules and divide Xiamen, Kinmen, Penghu, and Taiwan into the Zheng Kingdom. He would accept the canonization of the Ming Emperor as Prince Zheng, and then seek to seize a Ming Dynasty. The position of governor of Fujian was given to his younger brother Zheng Zhibao.
"It's simply blackmail!" Zhu Youxiao said angrily.
Liu Ziguang remembered that on the day of the Fengtian Palace battle, the young man who fought alongside them was Zheng Zhilong's son Zheng Sen. They took the opportunity to congratulate the emperor on his wedding and came to negotiate, but no one dared to agree to such conditions. , the cabinet, the Ministry of War kicked it around, and finally pushed it to the emperor. The emperor also felt that it was difficult, so let's fight. The imperial navy was simply vulnerable. The Fujian guards were weak and had never gained the upper hand in many years of fighting with the Zheng family.
;Don’t fight, such harsh conditions would be too much.
"How dare the Zheng family think that our Ming Dynasty has no one?" Liu Ziguang said angrily, "I am willing to bring heavenly troops to destroy the Zheng family."
"Okay! I still love you passionately, but... the Ministry of Revenue said that there is not much money left to fight the war. I didn't know that the treasury was so empty before, and that the large sums of taxes from the imperial court went to individual people. It went into their pockets, huh, sooner or later, they will spit it out with profits!" Zhu Youxiao didn't know how valuable food and rice were before he was an emperor. Only now that he has truly become the emperor with real power, he realizes that this battle is not easy to fight.
"My dear...the Zheng family's affairs...we still focus on appeasement." Zhu Youxiao was also helpless.
"Your Majesty's kindness is really a blessing to all people." In fact, Liu Ziguang was not willing to go to war with the Zheng family, not because of anything else, but mainly because he felt that everyone was Han, and there were eager foreigners to the north and west, so even if he fought, he should Let’s start with those aliens.
"At most, give him the position of governor of Taiwan. Want to establish a country? No way! Since they have come to seek peace on their own initiative, it shows that they are under pressure. This is just the lion's mouth. The so-called asking for high prices and sitting on the ground to pay back the money. Let's slowly drag it out with them.
That’s it, when they can’t afford it, they will naturally lower the price,” Liu Ziguang said.
"Okay, just Yi Aiqing, let them wait and see how long the Zheng family can last." Zhu Youxiao nodded.
After discussing state affairs, it was time for Liu Ziguang to go back. Before leaving, Zhu Youxiao seemed to suddenly remember something and asked: "Ai Qing, how much silver does it cost to make this set of neon lights?"
Liu Ziguang knew that Zhu Youxiao had a poor background. In the past, pocket money was severely restricted. Therefore, unlike other wealthy emperors, he paid great attention to cost-effectiveness. He would rather not use anything that was too expensive than add it to the palace.
"The raw materials plus handwork are only three hundred taels of silver." Liu Ziguang replied. This is indeed the cost price of the neon lights, but the huge initial research expenses have not been taken into account.
"Yes, the palace will be illuminated with this thing from now on." Zhu Youxiao was very satisfied.
Over at Kunning Palace, Peng Jingwei and Liu Xiaomao were also sent out respectfully. Gong E walked slowly behind holding a large number of gifts given by the emperor. It seemed that these two people had gained a lot.
"Don't worry, brother-in-law, I have taken good care of her and she has not stolen anything from the Queen." Peng Jingwei proudly asked Liu Ziguang for credit, then turned around and wanted to imitate Liu Ziguang and pat Liu Mao Mao on the head, Liu Mao Mao whooshed.
She ducked away with a squeak, and no one except Liu Ziguang could pat her on the head. Peng Jingwei smiled awkwardly and asked: Kitten has never seen such a magnificent palace. "
"Meow" Liu Mao Mao called noncommittally, and Liu Ziguang thought to himself: "I'm afraid Liu Mao Mao is more familiar with the palace than the Emperor. The snitching for so many years was not in vain." Of course, he couldn't say this out loud.
, he just smiled: "Okay, let's go home."
The Mid-Autumn Festival was coming soon, and Qi Zhenming went to the palace to recommend the lanterns made by his cousin.
"Qi Dian? Is he the one who went to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to mention the assistant minister? It turns out he is from the Manufacturing Department of the Ministry of Industry? The lanterns he made must be good. Bring them to me for a look." In Zhu Youxiao's heart, the workman
The manufacturing department is the cradle of new technology, and the gadgets produced there can only be more advanced and beautiful than Song Yingxing's neon lights.
"Your Majesty, I'm sorry, the lanterns are still being worked on urgently, and they will definitely be available for the Mid-Autumn Festival." Qi Zhenming said that since he handed over the task, Qi Dian has summoned a group of skilled craftsmen to work overtime to produce. There is indeed no finished product yet.
Take out your hands.
"You still want to give me a surprise, haha." Zhu Youxiao was very happy. The Ministry of Industry is really full of talents. Not only is there a highly talented minister, but even the future minister is also so talented. It seems that Ming Dynasty is here