Chen Shuren's courtesy to Song Yingxing not only made Song Yingxing feel quite ashamed, but could even be described as "flattered".
Even the wives, children, and relatives of the Song family were terrified.
The oldest of Song Yingxing's sons are already in their thirties, and the youngest is a little older than Shen Shuren. They looked at their father, who had just been promoted from the seventh-rank official position, to sitting in a carriage, while the imperial ministers were all Shi, the soldiers were preparing for the road, but they were riding by the car window. They always felt on tenterhooks, and it was a bit unreal.
Along the way, Shen Shuren chatted and laughed happily, and the scope of the topics was quite open-minded. They talked about physical and chemical topics that both parties were interested in but were general, and they did not urgently ask the other party to solve any specific technical problems immediately.
This attitude made Song Yingxing burst into tears even more, and he deeply felt the kindness of his encounter.
However, as he was talking, Chen Shuren suddenly became abrupt and said some words that were not in tune with the atmosphere.
The two of them had just talked about "Tiangong Kaiwu" when Shen Shuren suddenly said: "Mr. Song, this junior is going to point out a shortcoming in your book."
Song Yingxing was stunned for a moment, thinking that the other party had some insights into specific machinery or agriculture and wanted to find technical errors in the book. At that moment, he was mentally prepared to cooperate modestly:
"Oh? I don't know if it's a lower official... Is there any mistake or omission in my book?"
Chen Shuren: "The biggest mistake is in the preface! In the last paragraph of the preface of this book, you actually said that "Tiangong Kaiwu" is a useless book. , not relevant at all'.
Isn’t this a big fallacy? I, Shen, am also a Jinshi in the second rank after all, and my reputation is spread all over the world. Didn’t I read this book carefully before I took the Jinshi exam?
Not only did I read it, I also applied what I learned. Inspired by some of these ingenious mechanisms, I combined Chinese and Western skills to create a new crane, which was also used in the imperial court's water transportation reform, which greatly reduced the loss of repeated loading and unloading of grain!
At that time, I was just a student of the Imperial Academy, and I was appointed as an official directly purchased from the imperial examination. Although I was only an eighth-rank minor official, I did not forget to serve the country with practical knowledge of the world! As for being admitted to the Jinshi, it was because of my meritorious service in the Hedao Yamen to assist in water transportation. I only took the exam after I was promoted to seventh rank.
Even if I don’t take the exam, I can still be an official with such a practical talent! How can I say that a book that has been so helpful to me in becoming an official has ‘nothing to do with fame and progress’?”
Song Yingxing was already prepared to be criticized, but he didn't expect that Chen Shuren said such words in the end, which really moved him to tears.
When he first wrote the preface to "Tiangong Kaiwu", he said this in the end, and it was also an angry statement, hating iron but not steel. He knew that his book would have to be stamped with money, no one would share it, and it would be impossible to sell it.
He has feelings for all the other words in the book, but for this sentence, he has been eager for someone to slap him in the face in recent years, to prove that he is wrong, and to prove that this book "is not useless for progress."
Now, a second-ranked Jinshi who had gained a good reputation in front of the emperor was slapped in the face. Song Yingxing was so happy that he wanted to be slapped a few more times.
He sighed sincerely and sincerely: "Shen Daotai's lesson is right! I was really ignorant and short-sighted back then. Because I lost many years of savings in carving manuscripts, I was angry and said these cynical words.
How can there be scholars in the world who are obsessed with wealth and wealth? No, four years after the publication of this book, there is finally the first exception in the world! Shen Daotai, you are this exceptional sage!"
When Shen Shuren heard him mention the sad past of losing money, he also asked:
"Sir, you actually lost many years of savings for this book. This book has fine illustrations, and the cost of engraving and printing should be more expensive than other books with only text, right? I have also printed many books, and I have an understanding of the market. , such a large book probably cost two to three thousand taels of silver?"
Song Yingxing nodded: "It actually cost nearly three thousand taels. At that time, each volume was first printed with 500 volumes, but in the end, I couldn't even give it away for free."
Chen Shuren recalled it thoughtfully, and suddenly realized: "No wonder, I saw in your preface that this book originally had five volumes, but the audience, the two volumes of music and rhythm, the way is too precise, I can't guess what I am doing." "Things, so Linzi deleted them".
Now that I think about it, I'm afraid it's not that the two volumes were poorly written and lacked the essence, but that I ran out of money, right? Do you still have the manuscripts of those two volumes? I have other great uses, so I might as well have them printed.
I don’t take your money for nothing. In the past two years, I have benefited a lot from "Tiangong Kaiwu". I have also reprinted and reprinted many of them, and gave them to my staff, officials, and craftsmen to study.
You originally lost three thousand taels, plus these two unprinted volumes, the total is five thousand taels. I will double it for you and give you ten thousand taels. From now on, I will continue to reprint "Tiangong Kaiwu" ,how?"
It was impossible for the ancients to discuss copyright sharing, so Shen Shuren was more cheerful and directly bought out the system. He did not say that it was copyright, but just regarded it as polishing his pen and making up for Song Yingxing's previous losses.
Chen Shuren mentioned the two volumes of "Audience and Rhythm" in the preface to "Tiangong Kaiwu". Historically, Song Yingxing lacked money and had no engravings, so they were lost.
However, there are sporadic fragments that were quoted in other later books. Based on archaeological research, it can be roughly inferred that
These two volumes respectively study the acoustic principles of musical instruments, as well as some analysis of the principles of stage performance technology, prop technology, shadow puppet show, kaleidoscope and so on in the late Ming Dynasty.
Among them, the "Temperature" volume is more valuable because it involves the acoustic part of physics. For example, we can see from the leaked fragments that Song Yingxing wrote "After the taut length of a string is shortened by a certain proportion, the pitch It can be increased by five degrees (one round of Gongshangjiao Zhengyu corresponds to one octave in the West)", and there are many other simple acoustic studies.
Of course, it must be admitted that the ancient Chinese civilization did not have an advantage in this regard. This is because the ancients did not like to use mathematical tools to accurately and quantitatively study art, and only liked to talk about Taoism in a broad and general way without regard to art.
In contrast, the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras summed up the mathematical ratio between string length changes and pitch changes in the 6th century BC. (The skills of ancient Chinese tuners were very good, even better Good, but just based on experience and feel, no one summarizes the mathematical principles of acoustics)
Although Song Yingxing was two thousand years later than Pythagoras, he at least made up for this shortcoming that was not taken seriously. Part of his content was also borrowed from the Western mathematical thoughts translated by Xu Guangqi.
To put it bluntly, the industries and handicrafts covered in these two volumes are more informal than the first three volumes. They are purely entertainment industries, similar to the service and soundtrack technology in the later film industry, which is why they are so disliked.
Therefore, if the first three volumes of "Tiangong Kaiwu" will only be criticized as "strange techniques and obscene techniques" by a very few very rigid defenders, then if the last two volumes were printed, according to the degree of social openness at that time, I am afraid that Even enlightened people would call it "strange and obscene".
After all, in the 21st century, there are still many people who complain that entertainment technology "serves actors", let alone the 17th century?
They all serve to promote actors and actresses. If this is not "obscene" skill, what else is "obscene" skill?
However, no matter what psychological burden others may have, these do not exist for an upright gentleman like Shen Shuren.
What’s wrong with studying the techniques used by actors and actresses? Who among those scholar-bureaucrats who are “all upright and prosperous” doesn’t go to the land of Qinhuai fireworks?
Listening to music every day, people are no longer allowed to study acoustic physics?
Song Yingxing was moved to tears, but he also reminded Shen Shuren of this: "Shen Daotai, I agree to all the prices you offer. I know that you are promoting me. But this skill of promoting actors and actresses is due to If you promote it, I'm afraid it will cause some inconvenience to your reputation..."
Chen Shuren responded domineeringly: "Am I afraid of a bird? I was successful at a young age and achieved fame. I have all the honors that I should take, and I have no fear for a long time. At the right time, I can save two volumes of scientific works that should have been lost. Who else can I do? Reply When you get to Daye, ask someone to bring you some money, and leave the rest to me."
Song Yingxing's family was so pinched that they had a deeper understanding of Shen Daotai's righteousness and uprightness.
…
The group soon returned to Daye Tieshan. Shen Shuren gave the Song family very preferential treatment and found a large house for Song Yingxing to retire in. He was allowed to draw drawings, do calculations and conduct research every day, without having to go to the mines and iron plants to inspect in person. After all, I am getting older.
The "royalty fee" of 10,000 taels of silver was also given as promised. On the day after he moved in, Chen Shuren directly asked his servant to send over the white cash.
After Song Yingxing had been an official for six years, he had only saved three thousand taels of books. Now he suddenly received ten thousand taels. With his original official style of being corruption-free, he probably would have needed to be an official for twenty years to save so much money.
With the money in place and the respect fully felt, the Song family quickly devoted themselves to serving Shen Daotai as if they had been given a shot of blood.
In just a few days after that, Shen Shuren was still worrying about some technical details such as blast furnace refractory brick materials and charred carbon technology. After Song Yingxing arrived, although he couldn't give him the answer directly, he could help us study together. It also provides many detailed ideas.
Shen Shuren could provide general direction, but could not provide detailed principles. He conspired with Song Yingxing to make up for his shortcomings, and his work efficiency suddenly increased several times.
In just ten days, Song Yingxing came up with the first technological innovation that made him worth his money——
Shen Shuren was not very good at chemistry in his previous life. The mainstream history of science and technology books he read in his previous life only mentioned that he wanted to "study refractory bricks." However, Shen Shuren did not know the specific chemical composition ratio of refractory bricks.
Song Yingxing is from Jiangxi, and after following him for a few days to ponder and tinker with the firing, he suddenly had an idea. He suggested that Shen Shuren spend some more money and spend a lot of money to go to his hometown in Jiangxi and find some craftsmen in Jingdezhen who are good at firing high-temperature kilns. Let's sum up together. Check.
"Shen Daotai, I have lived in Jiangxi for most of my life and have studied and observed kilns. Some porcelain clay can be mixed into ordinary brick-making clay to make the kiln more fire-resistant. How about we continue along this line of thinking? Match."
After being reminded like this, Shen Shuren also realized that some burnt brick soil containing aluminate and bauxite seemed to have better high-temperature resistance.
Once he had the details and the way forward, he approved the money with a stroke of his pen and asked Song Yingxing to build a laboratory if he wanted to. Buy whatever machines and materials he wanted, and just leave the accounts. He would go to Jingdezhen and ask the kiln master to do it. Experiment and spend whatever you want, don't be afraid of spending money.
Song Yingxing was greatly encouraged. In the following December, within one month, he helped Shen Shuren figure out several technical difficulties.