At this time, hearing Emperor Chongzhen's words, the crown prince Zhu Cihong hung his head and did not dare to answer.

Not to mention that the son is naturally afraid of his father, and not to say that his father is the Ninety-Five, just Emperor Chongzhen's current wisdom and martial arts is enough to make him weak.

Seeing him like this, Emperor Chongzhen did not get angry, but said lightly: "I will teach you a lesson today, what is a small way, what is a great way?" Listen up! ”

Hearing that there was no stern reprimand, Zhu Cihong's heart was relieved, and he hurriedly responded: "Erchen obeys the will!" ”

Emperor Chongzhen turned his head to look around, and saw that everyone else was very curious, so he stood up, walked to the courtyard, came to the side of the general's cannon, and after standing still, he turned to look at Zhu Cihong who was following behind him and said, "Tell me, why is this cannon so powerful?" ”

"Back to my father, it was caused by burning gunpowder!" When Zhu Cihong heard this, this question was not difficult, so he immediately answered.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he immediately asked, "Why?" ”

Zhu Cihong was still not in a hurry, but his chest was a little straighter, and he looked at Emperor Chongzhen with his eyes and said: "Gunpowder is mainly saltpeter and sulfur, supplemented by plant ash. Nitrate to yin, sulfur to yang, yin and yang two gods meet in a seamless tolerable. It is also out, the characters are stunned, and the soul is scattered and shocked. ”

On the side, Song Yingxing listened and couldn't help nodding slightly. This passage that the prince replied was taught by him and recorded in "Heavenly Creations".

The others couldn't help but glance at Song Yingxing, could it be, the emperor's lecture this time was actually to support the two of them, right? Is it to study the content of the two of them? If this is the case, why does the emperor say that there is a difference between a small road and a great road?

Only Zheng Zhilong felt that this was probably just an introduction, and with the emperor's unbridled ideas, it was definitely more than that.

Sure enough, I heard Emperor Chongzhen continue to ask the prince: "Why can the mixture of sulfur, saltpeter and plant ash have such an effect, but sulfur, mud, and bricks will not have such power?" ”

"......" When Zhu Cihong heard this, he was immediately stupid, this question seems to have never been taught! Subconsciously, he turned his head to look at Song Yingxing.

"Huh?" When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he couldn't help but make a sound in his nose and snorted, which frightened Zhu Cihong and hurriedly turned his head, "I asked you, what you know is what you know, and what you don't know is what you don't know!" ”

"Erchen...... Ignorance! When Zhu Cihong heard this, he hurriedly lowered his head and replied, his voice was much quieter than before.

Zheng Zhilong, who was on the side, heard this, and secretly said in his heart, look, strange ideas are coming!

Emperor Chongzhen did not explain, but continued to ask: "I ask you again, when gunpowder burns, it must be in a confined space to produce great power, but it is not possible in an open space, why is this?" ”

"This ......" Zhu Cihong wanted to answer this question, but he found that he didn't know what was going on, so he had to change his words and say, "Erchen doesn't know!" ”

"Then I'll ask you again!" Emperor Chongzhen threw out another question and said, "Will there be something similar to gunpowder, after mixing with each other, under certain conditions, the power it produces will be ten or a hundred times greater than this gunpowder?" ”

Zhu Cihong was stunned by the question again, and seeing that his father had been staring at him, he guessed: "Erchen thinks that there should be no such divine objects in the world!" ”

The people who were listening around were also surprised by this series of questions from Emperor Chongzhen. The answer in their hearts is basically the same as that of the prince. Even Song Yingxing himself is the same.

In his book "Heavenly Creations", he recorded more phenomena than clarified the causes.

However, at this time, the emperor was giving a lecture to the crown prince, and the others only listened, and no one dared to interject. In fact, there is no way to interject.

Hearing the crown prince's answer, Emperor Chongzhen showed disappointment, shook his head and said: "The ancients had clouds, knew what it was, and knew why it was. You don't understand why gunpowder is so powerful, why do you dare to conclude that there is no more powerful explosive in the world? ”

Seeing Zhu Cihong bow his head, Emperor Chongzhen continued to teach him: "Gunpowder has existed for thousands of years, but it has always been this power, and the power is different due to different mixing ratios at most, but it will not be too different. Why is that? It is because since ancient times, no one has thought about the problem I have said, to explore its essence, but only to return to yin and yang. ”

After hearing this, many people around them couldn't help but start thinking deeply about this question, if they really found out its essence, they could find something more powerful than gunpowder?

After Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking, he saw Zhu Cihong with his head down, looking at his feet, silent. I guessed a thing or two in my heart, and said to Zhu Cihong: "You are the prince, so naturally you don't have to explore the essence yourself." However, you will be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the future. What the future of the Ming Dynasty will be depends largely on your perception of everything. ”

"If you have an inquiring heart, you will inevitably lead your people to explore the unknown; If you just want to live forever, I won't talk about this, there are already examples in the first dynasty. When Emperor Chongzhen said this, he said earnestly, "The emperor's preference will inevitably have a significant impact on the Ming Dynasty." Do you say, does this matter concern you? ”

Hearing this, Zhu Cihong raised his head and looked at Emperor Chongzhen, with a hint of sudden realization in his eyes, understanding why his father wanted to say this to him, and hurriedly replied: "Erchen understands!" ”

Emperor Chongzhen looked at him and said in a firm tone, "I can tell you unequivocally that what I said must exist. It's just that it hasn't been discovered by anyone who cares about it now. You must know that if this kind of thing is discovered by the hostile countries of the Ming Dynasty first, and then used against the Ming Dynasty, do you think the Ming Dynasty can resist it? Plan ahead, everything must be ahead of the enemy in order to be invincible! ”

Hearing this, Zhu Cihong was first surprised, then nodded, and finally said with a little doubt: "Father is wise and martial, and he is fighting in the east and west, isn't it going to be peaceful in the world soon?" ”

Indeed, as far as the people of Jingshi are concerned, the military disasters they suffered were basically the Mongols, and later they were brought by Jianlu. Now Emperor Chongzhen has wiped out all the Mongolian tribes near the Ming Dynasty, and even the fierce Jianjiao is just surviving. For them, the next thing is that the world is peaceful.

Therefore, the prince's words resonated with many people in the courtyard! They all felt that the emperor's meaning of teaching the crown prince was good, but it was a bit alarmist.

However, there are also some old courtiers, thinking that maybe there will be another Jianyu in the future, although the emperor is a bit exaggerated, but he still has to be vigilant.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched, revealing a sneer, and he suddenly named him: "Where is Zheng Zhilong?" ”

"The last general!" Zheng Zhilong was coldly named, startled, and immediately stood up, clasped his hands into fists and replied.

When the others heard this, they all looked at Zheng Zhilong, wondering why the emperor named this southern barbarian who had been removed from the post of chief soldier of the Denglai Navy Division at this time?

I heard Emperor Chongzhen say to Zheng Zhilong: "I ask you, if Xiyi had the amazing power of the new gunpowder I said, what would they do?" ”

For Xiyi's understanding, among the people present, Zheng Zhilong definitely knows the most.

There have been businesses, there have been wars, and there have been alliances.

At this time, hearing the emperor's question, Zheng Zhilong understood the intention of the emperor's question, so he said in a categorical tone: "The last general is sure that whether it is the Franco, or Hongyi, or the Spaniards in Luzon, they are all eyeing me. In the past, I wanted to occupy the territory of my Daming, but I was repulsed and couldn't beat me before I listened to my Daming. ”

Grasping the emperor's intention to speak by himself, he felt that it was not enough to say this, so he added: "These Xiyi, all wolf ambitions, want to take anything good for themselves. Not to mention anything else, many places in Nanyang alone have actually fallen into their hands, enslaving the local people and making them cattle and horses! ”

Hearing this, most of the people in the courtyard were shocked. As for the understanding of Xiyi, most of them are actually only in the impression of Xiyi missionaries. At this time, when they heard that Xiyi was so vicious, they felt that their cognition was refreshed.

At this moment, someone suddenly shouted: "Hugh is talking nonsense! ”

Who is this, so bold, that he dares to scold Zheng Zhilong in front of the emperor? Most of the people thought so, and they turned their heads to look at the sound one after another.

After this look, they suddenly realized that it was Chen Zilong, one of the two most favored officials. After seeing him clearly, it is not surprising that there are many of them.

Chen Zilong is a student of Xu Guangqi, if you want to talk about the friendship with Xiyi, it is naturally the best, and it is not surprising to reprimand Zheng Zhilong, a military general.

When Zheng Zhilong heard it and saw that it was him, he wanted to wither at first, but he was not offended by dealing with the prince's lecturer and the emperor's favored minister. But when he came back to his senses, he was not afraid again. You know, this is what the emperor meant, he Chen Zilong is just a courtier, and he can be bigger than the emperor.

So, he glanced at Emperor Chongzhen, and sure enough, he saw that the emperor encouraged him with his eyes. In this way, he was relieved, turned his head to Chen Zilong and said, "I don't know what the outsider has to say?" ”

For Chen Zilong, Zheng Zhilong is a military general and has been dismissed, so he doesn't have many scruples, and he reprimands him on impulse. But after this reprimand, when he saw Zheng Zhilong glancing at Emperor Chongzhen and then asking him, he came back to his senses, is this the emperor teaching the prince, does he have his own presumptuous position?

Thinking about it like this, his back was sweating, for fear that the emperor would think that he was pampered and arrogant, so he immediately sorted out his thoughts, and his attitude was not so aggressive, just stared at Zheng Zhilong and said: "As far as this official knows, Xiyi is not as you say, but a vicious person. They are all erudite and talented, and a lot of knowledge is something I have never seen. And they are all polite, although they are Xiyi, they have the style of ancient gentlemen! Don't be generalized and alarmist! ”

Hearing his words, he was much more polite than before, and Zheng Zhilong knew that this was because of the emperor's presence. He was even more calm in his heart. I think that back then, he was also mixed up from the pirate group, and he didn't know how much he had experienced, so he kept calm and asked: "Chen Yuanwailang, do you know that these people in your mouth, when they first came to my Ming Dynasty, how did they do it in Fujian and Guangdong and other places?" ”

Chen Zilong was stunned when he asked this, he really didn't understand this.

And Zheng Zhilong didn't wait for him to answer, he raised his voice, straightened his waist and continued: "What Wailang saw is true, but this is only after Fujian and Guangdong were taught a lesson by my Ming Dynasty. This is not different from what Ben said before. The weak ones were bullied by them. Only if they are as strong as my Da Ming, they will do things according to my Da Ming's rules! ”

Chen Zilong frowned, and was thinking about how to refute it, when suddenly, he heard Emperor Chongzhen speak: "Chen Qing thinks that they are erudite and talented, and they have a lot of knowledge for me to see?" ”

Hearing this, Chen Zilong suddenly came back to his senses, and those Xiyi's knowledge seemed to be not very brilliant when they came to the emperor. At least the emperor produced those books, and some of the revised knowledge, even those Xiyi were very surprised.

Thinking about it like this, he found that he had ignored the emperor's point, and he couldn't help but be dumbfounded, and he was speechless for a while.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Emperor Chongzhen didn't get angry, and continued to say to him: "Then Chen Qing thinks that in terms of knowing what it is and why it is true, is Xiyi doing a better job?" ”

Seeing that the emperor did not dwell on what he had just said, Chen Zilong breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. However, at this time, although he is a little more of a technical official, his head is not stupid, and he knows that he does not like the emperor when he speaks, so he doesn't know whether to say it or not.

"Answer truthfully!" When Emperor Chongzhen saw this, he didn't know what he was afraid of, so he said directly, "One is one and two is two, the prince is listening, don't scruple!" ”

Hearing this, Chen Zilong felt a little more relieved, and immediately bowed down and replied: "Weichen thinks, but also!" ”

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he immediately asked: "What I just said, ten or a hundred times more powerful than today's gunpowder, if it really exists under their kind of exploration knowledge, is it possible for them to discover it first?" ”

As soon as he finished saying this, combined with what Zheng Zhilong said before, not only Chen Zilong, but everyone else couldn't help but be surprised.

Could such a thing really happen?

No matter how good Chen Zilong's personal relationship with Xiyi is, first of all, he is a Daming person and an official of Daming, so after all, his ass is sitting on Daming's side, and after estimating it in his heart, it is such a cold day, and his forehead is faintly sweaty. remembered that the emperor said that he wanted to tell the truth, so he had to answer truthfully: "Weichen thinks that there is such a possibility!" ”

Hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen ignored Chen Zilong, but turned his head to look at the prince and said: "For the way of the king, you can not study the details, but the general trend must be understood." Otherwise, you won't be able to recognize the future, and you will be beaten if you fall behind, understand? ”