After hearing this, Zheng Zhilong responded seriously: "Your Majesty, since this matter is so important, we will arrange for the fifth brother of the last general, Zheng Zhibao, to go to America!"
Once he heard that he asked his brother to go, it was enough to show that he took this matter very seriously.
You must know that no matter how well prepared you are, there is a high probability that you will encounter various unexpected things when crossing the Pacific Ocean. It is not easy to say whether you can come back.
Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen said seriously: "Okay, please go and make arrangements. Before leaving, let him come to the capital again, and I will show him what the things he needs to bring back look like."
After hearing this, Zheng Zhilong asked Emperor Chongzhen for an order: "Your Majesty, I will eventually go to Haojing'ao and ask for a letter from the Folangji people there. After arriving in South America, let the people there
If Fo Langji can cooperate, things will be much easier!"
"That's no problem. Just go and represent the court!" Emperor Chongzhen heard this and said without thinking, "If they dare not agree, they don't have to stay in the Ming Dynasty!"
With this decree, Zheng Zhilong became more confident. Seeing that Emperor Chongzhen had no other instructions, he reluctantly looked at the world map before saying goodbye.
Emperor Chongzhen watched him leave and suddenly sighed.
Although just now, he seemed to be talking eloquently, as if everything in the future was under control. But in fact, he had to worry about money again.
Everything is empty talk without the support of money and food.
When he was talking to Zheng Zhilong just now, Emperor Chongzhen had several impulses, wondering if you could take some out of the money you made.
Fortunately, in the end, he suppressed this idea. If you want to use Zheng Zhilong, you can't squeeze him too much.
Forget it, let’s find another way!
Emperor Chongzhen didn't know that Zheng Zhilong actually had a bottom line.
If he had just coveted Zheng Zhilong's money and food, and wanted Zheng Zhilong to take out all the money he earned, he might really be able to force Zheng Zhilong to rebel against him.
………………
The weather was getting colder and colder, and when the sixteenth year of Chongzhen was about to pass, the heavy snow finally fell, and the capital was suddenly covered with snow.
Suddenly, the wilderness was covered in silver and completely white.
The snow on the road was also so thick that it could even cover people's ankles, resulting in the disappearance of pedestrians and cars on the road.
Under such circumstances, in previous years, no one would brave such heavy snow to travel unless there was something very important.
However, this year is different from previous years.
This kind of snow can affect carriage travel, but it cannot affect the operation of steam trains.
Generally speaking, the main impact of snow on trains is the switches, that is, the different scheduling of train tracks.
However, at this time in the Ming Dynasty, the railway was just two lines, one way and one way. There were no other complicated lines at all, so there was no such thing as a switch.
On ordinary railways, whether it is snow or ice, due to the weight of the train and the slow speed of the trains at this time, it will not have any impact at all.
As a result, the train station became lively.
All those who wanted to travel, as long as they could take a train, gathered at the train station, and train tickets were extremely hard to come by.
So, naturally, those who had money would add money to buy; those who had connections would seek connections. The Railways Corporation suddenly became the most popular government office.
Emperor Chongzhen was naturally very happy when he got his reward.
Because this railway company has not existed since ancient times, and he was the first to create it.
For this reason, he made a decision to build several more steel plants in various places next year, and at the same time supply the railway track needs of surrounding states. Each state will be responsible for connecting the railways to the capital as soon as possible.
The construction of the railway had already started before. However, a lot of prisoners had been used up, and the common people could not use them to death, as they would rebel. Therefore, the progress of the project was not as fast as that of the railway from Tongzhou to Tianjin.
!
However, no matter what, by next year, there will definitely be more than one. It should be feasible to follow the official road to Ludi, as well as the Central Plains, that is, Kaifeng, and Luoyang.
But there is nothing you can do about the Yellow River. You have to get off the bus to cross the river, and then continue taking the train on the other side.
If the wealthy people of Ming Dynasty were only enthusiastic about the railway before, then after experiencing the snowy weather and seeing the advantages of the railway, they became fanatical about the railway.
It can be expected that when the railway construction starts next year, the speed will definitely accelerate.
However, there are some people who are very repulsive to this new thing.
It’s not that they think the railway is inconvenient, but that this new thing, the railway, represents a new concept and new knowledge!
Why is it rejected? There is no other reason, it’s just a conflict of interest!
Starting from the capital, new ideas and new knowledge spread in all directions.
At the beginning, no one may have paid much attention to it. However, under Emperor Chongzhen’s persistent promotion, the Royal Academy of Ming Dynasty was established and various new gadgets were launched;
Nowadays, in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty and at various folk banquets, if you don't know what science is, you will definitely be behind the times.
Needless to say, this trend has the greatest influence on the Kong family in Qufu!
At first, the contemporary Yanshenggong Kong Yinzhi didn't care.
The Kong family has been through ups and downs for so many years, even though they have experienced changes in dynasties, they have come out differently!
Anyway, as long as there are scholars who read Confucianism, their status in the Confucian family will be unshakable!
However, later on, this scientific method became more and more intense, and finally attracted Kong Yinzhi's attention and attention. Later, he even began to feel restless!
What is the foundation of the Kong family?
Confucianism! The Tao of Confucius and Mencius, even in the Ming Dynasty, only Confucius was followed!
Although at the beginning, it was said that the way of science was the study of physical studies, it still originated from Confucianism.
However, if this is the case, why not call it Gewu? What kind of science must it be called?
Emperor Chongzhen probably didn't know that the name he had been calling from Liu Weichao didn't think much about it, and he changed it to a geophysics that adapted to the common sense of the Ming Dynasty. The result was a great panic for the Kong family.
For this kind of thing, if Emperor Chongzhen was not the emperor, he might consider a name that is more suitable for the current situation; however, he is the Emperor of Ming Dynasty! There are so many things to consider!
Moreover, in the eyes of Emperor Chongzhen, he was actually very envious of Liu Weichao's world. Therefore, in the eyes of Emperor Chongzhen, he felt that everyone in Liu Weichao's world was good.
So, naturally, he followed Liu Weichao and said it was science!
Science, Confucianism!
When he thought of this name, Kong Yinzhi guessed that the meaning of Dang Tianzi was to pay equal attention to these two, right?
You see, the names are all the same!
And according to the current trend, this science has the potential to replace Confucianism. How can this be possible?
If it were an ordinary person, Kong Yinzhi wouldn’t be so worried!
After all, scholars all over the world have followed Confucianism for thousands of years. Who has such great ability, how can they create a new knowledge to replace Confucianism?
That is simply impossible!
Even if you are the emperor, that is impossible!
First, the emperor simply didn’t have the time and energy to learn, so what kind of knowledge could he produce?
Second, there is no need for the emperor to become a new scholar at all!
Third, Confucianism can be said to have been perfected by the sages of the past dynasties. Why does your emperor have a higher level of learning than the sages of the past dynasties? This is impossible!
Anyway, with all these things, even the emperor would not be able to do anything to replace Confucianism!
However, today, science was suddenly invented and used in practice, which really brought about earth-shaking changes in the world! Everyone in the government and the public was talking about science.
Moreover, this year there is a decree to add scientific examinations to the imperial examinations, and to set up women's subjects, etc. These things all have an impact on the status of Confucianism. In other words, they have an impact on the future of the Confucian family!
For Kong Yinzhi, or the Kong family, even if the world is in chaos, even if the dynasty changes, it will not prevent the Kong family from continuing to enjoy glory and wealth!
Because they know very well that if any dynasty wants to win the hearts of scholars all over the world, it must treat the Confucius family well. Of course, the premise is that the Confucius family recognizes the new dynasty.
As for whether it is difficult to recognize the new dynasty? It is not difficult at all, as long as a "statement" is issued.
Who should be the emperor?
However, today's chaos and scientific practices have seriously affected the interests of the Confucius family. How can this be allowed?
However, at this time, this science was newly created by the emperor, which troubled Kong Yinzhi.
If an ordinary person wants to object, there are many ways.
However, this is the emperor, so it is very difficult!
However, this is a matter that touches the fundamental interests of the Kong family and cannot be compromised. If there is no other way, just find a way!
At the beginning, Kong Yinzhi gathered the core members of the clan, smart and talented people, and looked for books on this science, trying to find some problems in them, and then refuted this science.
However, it makes my head hurt to see it, but I can’t think of anything to refute this kind of science!
When they think about it, it's all people's words anyway, and the touch of upper and lower lips can reverse right and wrong.
But this scientific thing does not talk about the big road. Its conclusions are all deduced from the facts.
Seeing is believing, so how can you confuse right and wrong?
This era is not an era where they can do whatever they want and call a deer a horse!
All of a sudden, these Kong family members were dumbfounded!
Under normal circumstances, they might have backed down!
However, as mentioned before, in their view, science and Confucianism are two different doctrines, and they are a battle of fundamental interests.
If science is allowed to rise and the status of Confucianism is shaken, the status of the Confucius family since the Song Dynasty may not be guaranteed, and there is no way out!