"I'm asking you now! Is what is written in the memorial true?" Zhu Youxiao stared into Liu Ziguang's eyes and asked. The young emperor was a little excited. They said that the power of God is unpredictable. Could it be that the young emperor has begun to learn to be a king?
The way?
What a big deal, isn't it just killing an old woman? If it's an excuse, it's not bad. Since the emperor asked this, it proves that he believed 80% of the memorial. Liu Ziguang answered with all his heart: "This old woman
He did indeed die at the hands of my ministers, and everything stated in the memorial is true."
"Good kill!" Zhu Youxiao slapped the dragon bookcase and shouted, "I have heard from the imperial sister about what happened yesterday. A second-rate unruly citizen dared to bully the eldest princess. Where is the dignity of the royal family if she is not killed?
If you ask me, Aiqing is too merciful. For such a heinous crime, at least she should be sentenced to death."
Liu Ziguang said in his heart that Your Majesty, you are so cruel, but he said: "Your Majesty is wise."
"Guo Yushi confuses right and wrong and oversteps his authority. I think he is not suitable for this position. On the contrary, Xu Fuyin of Yingtian Mansion is a sensible man. I think he has done a good job as the governor." Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said, sixteen
The young man is very proud of his ability to distinguish. He can tell the abilities of two officials from a memorial. I am afraid that not many young emperors can do this.
"I'll say hello to Xiao Weizi later and ask him to draft an edict to dismiss Guo Zheng as an official. What do you think, Ai Qing?" Zhu Youxiao asked with a smile.
"This seems inappropriate. Guo Yushi is young and vigorous, and it is understandable that he wants to gain a position. What's more, Yushi is in the business of offending people. If he is dismissed from office because he is one of His Majesty's favorites, then
Which official from the Metropolitan Procuratorate will dare to run errands for the emperor in the future?" Liu Ziguang said to himself that it doesn't matter if you remove Guo Zheng. I'm afraid the Metropolitan Procuratorate will have trouble with me in the future. The emperor's intentions are good, but it is purely a disservice.
Zhu Youxiao thought for a moment and smiled: "Aiqing is still thoughtful. Forget it, ignore Guo Zheng. I have recently made a new gadget. Aiqing, come and take a look."
In fact, this was the main purpose of Zhu Youxiao recruiting Liu Ziguang. He built a four-wheeled light vehicle based on the internal combustion engine drawings provided by the iron factory. The workmanship and materials were very exquisite. The engine was purely handmade and tightly integrated.
The operation is good, the car body is made of steel frame, the carriage is made of red wooden boards, carved with dragons and phoenixes, painted with varnish on the outside, and the corners are wrapped with bright brass. The car is open-top, with a foldable awning at the back.
The material of the shed is made of bamboo bones from Jiangnan oil umbrellas and oil-brushed silk cloth. It looks like a strange aesthetic that mixes classical beauty with mechanical beauty.
"Not bad, right? I will ride on this thing when I go out to play in the palace. My dear, sit on it and I will take you for a ride." Zhu Youxiao stroked his big toy, his face was full of excitement, Xiao Weizi didn't understand
Qian Qianyi is not interested in these high technologies. The only person who can share the fun of high technologies with him is Liu Ziguang.
"What a wonderful work!" Liu Ziguang was overjoyed. He was different from the ancient people who liked music, chess, calligraphy and painting. As a modern person, machinery and technology attracted his interest more. Liu Ziguang was sincerely excited to see the cars of the medieval era.
, there is no element of fraud at all.
"I'm approving memorials and researching gadgets, so I don't have much time to sleep every day..." Zhu Youxiao was nagging, while he asked Liu Ziguang to get in the car, he took out the crank handle to start the car, and then jumped into the driver's seat. room, driving this primitive car in a circle in front of the Qianqing Palace.
After showing off for a while, Zhu Youxiao taught Liu Ziguang how to drive step by step. The two had a great time and drove until lunch time. The engine broke down several times during the process. Zhu Youxiao opened the cover to repair it in person, while Liu Ziguang stood by. Handed a tool or something, both of them got their faces covered in grease.
"My beloved, come and have dinner with me at noon. By the way, tell me the advantages and disadvantages of this Fenghuo four-wheeled vehicle. Don't just flatter me. I know your level." Zhu Youxiao jumped out of the car and took the hand towel offered by the eunuch to wipe it. Face, invite Liu Ziguang to have lunch.
Eating with the emperor is a great favor, but for Liu Ziguang, it is commonplace. He has lunch with the emperor at least ten days a month. Lunch time is also a time for the emperor and his ministers to discuss technology and government affairs. Liu Ziguang first praised several pioneering advantages of the "Fenghuo Quadricycle", such as the use of four wheels, the invention of the steering wheel, and the ingenious folding awning; Zhu Youxiao was very excited when he heard that, and then he put forward some more Improvement plan: install electric lights, air horns, use pneumatic tires with better shock absorption performance, etc.
"Ai Qing is really an expert! Why didn't I think of that?" Zhu Youxiao clapped his thigh happily, turned to the little eunuch waiting on the side and said, "Have you written everything down?"
The little eunuch was dedicated to following the emperor to record his whims and whims that popped up at any time. Now he was holding a small book and writing rapidly, and he was still writing with his wrist hanging. It seemed that he was a eunuch who had been systematically trained.
"Your Majesty, I think this wind and fire four-wheeled vehicle has great potential in the military. Both the Manchu and Xixia are good at cavalry. The Sichuan horses used by our cavalry are difficult to compete with the Yunnan horses. The horses in the northwest and north are produced by the enemy. In our hands, we have mainly focused on defense in recent years. With this wind and fire four-wheeled vehicle, it is different. The enemy's horse is faster, and our vehicle is faster, and we don't need to eat fodder or get plague, plus the high-altitude reconnaissance of the airship , it is not difficult to encircle and annihilate those nomadic cavalry." Liu Ziguang talked eloquently, drawing Zhu Youxiao's attention from cars to the war.
"Yes, I have thought of this too, but now the internal combustion engine technology is not yet mature, and malfunctions are difficult to avoid. It would be tragic if it broke down on the battlefield, and the terrain in the wild is no better than the bluestone ground in the palace, and in the wilderness. The river turns into hills, and if it rains a little more, it turns into a swamp, and the four-wheeled vehicle cannot compare with the war horse." Zhu Youxiao shook his head regretfully.
"But this is the development trend of history. Sooner or later, all cavalry will be replaced by four-wheeled vehicles. If they cannot adapt to complex terrain, we can install tracks. If the internal combustion engine technology is not mature, we can use steam engines."
"Steam engine..." Zhu Youxiao put down his chopsticks, squinted his eyes, and looked thoughtfully at the huge dish on the table, which was the turkey presented by the Luzon Kingdom. "The steam engine is too heavy, and the battle will go anywhere. , the rails must be laid wherever they are, roads must be built across mountains, and bridges must be built over water. This cost is too high.”
"These railway tracks are not only for war service, but also for the wealth left to future generations. With railways extending in all directions, the transportation of food and troops is no longer a problem. Although the steam engine is large, it has great benefits. The technology is mature and the load capacity is also large. , not to mention installing all kinds of sharp weapons, even crushing the Tatar cavalry to death, the cost problem is also easy to deal with, our Ming Dynasty does not have no money, but the money has been stolen by corrupt officials, as long as we take salt, iron , Weaving surgery, why don’t you have a lot of money? The court has tolerated these corrupt officials for so many years, and now it’s time to settle the general account.” After going around and around, Liu Ziguang finally turned the topic to his own purpose.
"Silver... The Ministry of Finance has also said that it will start from these aspects to increase the court's taxes. I don't care about this. You can go ahead and do it. As long as it can enhance the national power of the Ming Dynasty, anything can be done." Zhu Youxiao
It was okay to discuss some scientific and technological issues, but when it came to government affairs, I suddenly lost interest.
"Let's do this. Aiqing will investigate those corrupt officials. The Qiange Department is mainly responsible for the reform. You two-pronged approach. Later I will give you the Shangfang Sword. First, investigate Jiangnan Weaving nearby. Recently, the silk donated by the Weaving House is getting worse and worse.
, I really don’t know what they do for food.”
What he was waiting for was this sentence. Liu Ziguang hurriedly patted his chest and promised to help the emperor get money. Then the monarch and his ministers discussed some scientific and technological matters. It was planned that the Ministry of Industry would take the lead in organizing craftsmen across the country to establish an academy of science to unify all kinds of science.
Industrial standards, technical terms, operating specifications, etc.
"The president of this Academy of Sciences must be your Majesty." Liu Ziguang's last flattery made Zhu Youxiao feel very comfortable. He ended the lunch happily, found a sword and gave it to Liu Ziguang, and then Liu Ziguang took his leave.
The little emperor continued to play with the Wind and Fire Four-Wheeler.
After Liu Ziguang returned to the Nanchang Yamen, he immediately summoned Sun Gang and said: "Check the files of Guo Zheng, the censor of the city, in detail, including family background, who is the disciple, what are his political achievements, who are his enemies, who are his relatives and friends, and who are his family members.
I want to know everything about Guo Zheng, what he usually likes to do, I want him to be invisible in front of me, I want a completely transparent Guo Zheng."
Sun Gang is very good at intelligence work. He seems to have a talent for being self-taught. Under his training, a bunch of gangsters and poor rickshaw drivers in the past have become qualified intelligence personnel, snooping for information, tracking and spreading rumors.
Surveillance and control, assassination and silence are commonplace. If Mrs. Xu's affairs were left to him yesterday, at least her body would not be left on the street.
Sun Gang went to accept the order. Thanks to the old Dongchang, the database of Nanchang was very complete, and the details of officials at all levels were recorded. Although Guo Zheng's file was only one page, it contained a lot of useful information. In addition,
After some investigation by the spies sent by Sun Gang, early the next morning, a comprehensive and detailed file of Guo Yushi was placed on Liu Ziguang's case.
Liu Ziguang read the information at a glance, closed the case file with a snap, and said to Sun Gang, who was waiting at the side: "I didn't expect that the censor, who seemed to be upright on the surface, turned out to be such a person. He was really pornographic and violent.
"
Although he didn't know what "very pornographic" meant, he could still understand the word "violent." Sun Gang nodded seriously and agreed, "Yes, sir, Guo Yushi is really pornographic and violent."