Xu Guangqi of Shanghai County was recalled to Beijing and reinstated without much resistance, and of course, the replacement of Lai Zongdao was promoted to the secretary of the Ministry of Rites many times earlier than in history, and Xiao Xuan was not too eager under Xiao Xuan's consideration. In history, Chongzhen paid attention to Xu Guangqi, Tang Ruowang and others because of the astronomical calendar, Xiao Xuan didn't mind this, and felt that maybe Xu Guangqi and others could help more in the Ministry of Industry.

The experience of the past few months has given Xiao Xuan a general understanding of the craftsman ability and manufacturing capacity system of the Ming Dynasty, even if those top-level craftsmen in the capital have a perfect incentive mechanism and are in the army, I am afraid that they will not be able to manufacture a large number of advanced ordnance in a short period of time, according to many overheads and beyond the level of European armies. But there is no doubt that even if it was possible to produce some armaments or equipment, which was no longer how advanced Europe was in this era, or to raise the level of some manufacturing tools, it would be a huge improvement for the Guards at that time. The practice of not being too short has already lowered Xiao Xuan's psychological expectations a lot compared to before.

Although John Tang is not a "China expert" and has not been in China for too long, it is not the time when he first arrived five or six years ago, and the Chinese accent with a Beijing accent has reached the level of being able to communicate with people freely. Of course, he also understood what a great honor it was for the emperor to be personally summoned in person shortly after his accession to the throne in a monarchy like China. He felt that he might have met a different kind of emperor, especially after learning about the many changes in the capital on the way here: this was an emperor who was extremely wary of Confucian scholars and even various interest groups, and did not stick to rules and dogmas, and it was very likely that the status of Catholicism in China would gradually change fundamentally.

"Long live the Emperor... At this time, John Tang did not have the attitude of Macartney when he came to China, and in order to achieve his own goals, he did not care about giving heavy salutes when he saw the newly enthroned master of the East in the temporary living room of the imperial horse supervisor.

"It doesn't have to be that way, you are a subject of the Lord, not a subject of mine. I don't represent any country, but I grant you, like many in the Imperial Prison, not to follow these red tapes. I have heard that God is against idolatry ... ”

Your Majesty laughed and said that not all the admiration and love in the world are idolatry that the Lord opposes. Children honor their parents and elders, and express nostalgia for their ancestors; The courtier's admiration for the benevolent monarch is as beautiful as the love and love of the world... Of course, John Tong knew that in the East, not sacrificing ancestors and being supreme was the most dirty point of the Taixi religion. Therefore, he also said in advance as if he had been vaccinated.

Xiao Xuan was silent for a moment, but said unexpectedly: "I know that Your Excellency has come to China thousands of miles away, and like the ideals of many missionaries, you want to make the whole of China, and even the whole of the East, become... The faith of God, like in the Catholic countries of Tessie, became a country of universal faith in which the people were pious. But I have to tell you the truth that although I am still young, I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to do this in my lifetime. As for why, I have heard that it is not the first year that Your Excellency has come to my Ming Dynasty, and I should be able to know a thing or two about this: it is impossible for the gentry to give up their control of the lower ranks, and it is impossible for the secular officials and nobles to hand over their great benefits to the church. Freezing three feet is not a day's cold, and this huge interest group is still an unbreakable system, at least today... Even I am worried that if that happens, the future subjects and officials will listen to me or the church... ”

Of course, Xiao Xuan's words were also well thought out, and if he had something to ask for outsiders, of course it was necessary to throw some bait.

John Tang was not stupid, and from these words, of course, he heard that this king was wary and dissatisfied with various interest groups in the court, so he intended to support the great development of Catholicism in the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, of course, John does not have the intention of making China the territory of the Church in a hundred years, and he may not be able to do these things even in a few hundred years. The Ming Dynasty is a great country, with hundreds of millions of people, as long as there are 100,000 followers, John... ”

Hearing this, Xiao Xuan was silent for a moment and then smiled: "After coming to Daming for a few years, I don't think you can also learn that set of 'you only say three points when you meet people, but you can't throw away all your hearts?" "Are you worried that if you say that your ideal is to develop millions or even millions of followers in the Ming Dynasty in your lifetime, it will make me feel fearful, right? The Buddhists say that the family does not speak, I don't know if you God has this rule... ”

"This... John was guilty of deceitful and prayed for His Majesty's forgiveness. But God doesn't seem to have a Buddhist precept of not scribbling... Hearing this, John Tang was also in a cold sweat.

"Ming people don't say secret words: if you have made a proper contribution to my Ming Dynasty, I will give the necessary feedback. As long as it doesn't violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty, even if it's millions or even tens of millions of followers? Okay, let's not talk about that, let's talk about something light-hearted. I heard that Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi translated a book called Geometry Originals, and I borrowed this book from me. I have long heard that the ancient Greek civilization was a great civilization with all kinds of amazing legends. For those, to be honest, I didn't believe it before. Chinese historians have a tradition of writing about right and wrong, and I am afraid that it is difficult to avoid the suspicion of expansion or falsification outside the region. However, even if this "Geometric Original" was made by later generations, it is really amazing in today's view. At least, it's you in the West, not in the East. First of all, in the field of natural science, a set of argumentation and logic systems based on theorems and formulas were proposed, which went beyond empirical and actual measurements. ”

Hearing Xiao Xuan's words of praise made John Tang feel even more excited, and there are some people who have been exposed to geometry in China, but there are very few people who can have this kind of understanding except Xu Guangqi.

In this way, Xiao Xuan started from this "Geometric Original" and re-studied a lot of things that he had learned, remembered, or forgotten in elementary and middle school. In particular, some of the argumentative processes of the spherical volume.

Since the emperor is interested in this area, I am afraid that it is a bit of a foundation, which is what Tang Ruowang once thought of, but what Tang Ruowang did not expect is that this is why the Eastern Emperor not only studied this book deeply, but also had many unique insights in physics, even Europe at this time may not be able to realize it.

(End of chapter)