Xu Guangqi's health was not very good at that time, but he still read the book quite seriously. He wrote "Fun" and then sent a letter to Zheng Zhilong through John Tang www.biquge.info discussing some of the academic aspects involved in the book. Of course, Xu Guangqi would not write directly to Zheng Zhilong. That could be a lot of political trouble. Although Xu Gelao's own plan has always been to wait for the new calendar to be completed, and then he will retire honorably and go home to retire. But it's hard to say whether people see it that way. Maybe someone wants him to retire quickly so that he can make a slate. Therefore, it is better to be cautious about communicating with a local military attaché, especially a military attache who has been recruited.

However, Tang Ruowang did not have any scruples in these aspects, he was originally a foreign missionary, and Qin Tianjian was not a really important department, and he had a bit of correspondence with Zheng Zhilong, which was nothing. So Xu Guangqi's questions were sent to Zheng Zhilong through Tang Ruowang's letter.

The letter was signed by John Tang, but Zheng Zhilong knew very well that many of the problems in it were Xu Guangqi's. It's just that Zheng Zhilong can't figure out these questions at all. And he didn't have time to figure it out now, because the Dutch seemed to be a little bit of a fumbler again.

A few years ago, the Dutch once landed in Penghu to build a city, and later the Daming Water Master (at that time, it was still the most authentic Daming Water Master, led by Yu Dayou's son. Repelled the Dutch and recaptured Penghu. Now these Dutchmen seem to be hooking up with Liu Xiang and them, although Liu Xiang is now mainly haunting the sea over Guangdong, but to say that he has no ambition for Fujian, Zheng Zhilong will never believe it, because he is too familiar with his sworn brother. Moreover, the Dutch did have a reason to turn to Liu Xiang.

First of all, I have become closer to Spain in recent years, and the Netherlands is naturally a little dissatisfied. And now the entire West and the main trade of the Ming Dynasty have to pass through the hands of the Zheng family, and they have to be plucked by the Zheng family once, and the interests involved are very, very big, Zheng Zhilong feels that if he is Dutch, most of them will be very tempted.

In the past few months, the Dutch have asked Zheng Zhilong more than once to allow them to go ashore on their own to trade with the Ming Dynasty. Of course, such a request was rejected by Zheng Zhilong without hesitation. Just kidding, you trade on your own, so isn't my money less for nothing? On this issue, there is no possibility of compromise, so Zheng Zhilong estimates that a new battle is inevitable. So during this time, he stayed in the sailor almost every day, checking the training and preparing for future battles.

However, it is also a very important thing to cheat reputation and win over some readers, and this matter must not be relaxed. Therefore, Zheng Zhilong sent the letter directly to Zheng Sen and asked him to reply. Of course, he also sent a master to Zheng Sen to help him draft a reply letter, so that Zheng Sen would not make any etiquette mistakes because he didn't understand the rules.

So Zheng Sen put his so-called notes in the reply letter, and as a result, John Tang wrote back, saying that after the Chinese New Year, several interested parishioners would like to come to Fujian to visit Zheng Zhilong and ask him some mathematical problems.

Zheng Zhilong estimated that Zheng Sen happened to be at home at this time, and he decided that when these people came, they would be handed over to Zheng Sen to receive them.

"Ah Cai," Zheng Zhilong called Zheng Cai over, "I have something to do with you." ”

"Big brother, if you have any orders, just say it." Zheng Cai hurriedly said.

"That's right, after the Chinese New Year, a few people will come to me, these people are Jesuit believers, people who like Western studies, and one or two of them are students of Xu Ge Lao. When the time comes, you cooperate with Assen to receive people. Zheng Zhilong explained.

"Old student Xu Ge!" Zheng Cai was taken aback. Although he has followed Zheng Zhilong over the years, Zheng Cai has seen a lot of big scenes, but he was still surprised by the fact that a student from the elder pavilion came to visit Zheng's house. He knew that those scholars had never taken these military attaches seriously, let alone the military attaches of Zhao'an. The last time Zheng Cai accompanied Zheng Zhilong to Fuzhou on a business trip, some Xiucai despised them in front of them, and they were just "Haikou Kou". Those scholars who have made a name for themselves are very arrogant, where are they willing to take them in their eyes, and now there are students from the old sect who come to visit Zheng Zhilong, which is really beyond his expectations.

"Big brother, don't you see them? And although Ah Sen is smart, he is still a child, so how can he ...... him?" asked Zheng Cai.

"See what." Zheng Zhilong said, "They are here to talk about Western studies, about what triangle and coordinate axis. Who else can explain this thing here except Asen? I want to see them as soon as I don't leak the bottom line! It's better to go hide first, and let Assen talk to them. Well, Hong Family Studies should have been suspended yesterday, right? Asen will be back the day after tomorrow at most. Then you will discuss it with him in detail. Also, when Asen returns, let Ado and them follow Asen to learn Western studies, especially the learning triangle, after all, our family is begging for a living at sea, and these things can be used at sea. ”

"Okay, big brother, I got it." Zheng Cai replied that he understood that although Zheng Sen was not at home for half a year, his position at home was more consolidated. And in the end, Zheng Zhilong's order was actually to establish Zheng Sen's prestige and status among his brothers.

……

"It's cold!" Sitting by the brazier, Chen Hongshou tightened the cotton robe on his body a little tighter, and then shouted to the person standing by the window of the painting boat looking at the scenery: "Zhang Zongzi, if you close the window, I will freeze to death!" ”

"You're so boring!" The man standing at the window laughed and scolded, "I thought you were a gentleman, so I invited you to come to the lake to see the snow, but you only hid over there to the fire." I really don't know how you drew those beautiful pictures? ”

"You! When you arrived here, you had already drunk a pot of wine for half a day, and naturally it was not cold. I've braved the wind all the way, and I haven't warmed up yet! Chen Hongshou also scolded with a smile.

Zhang Zongzi, that is, the later quite famous literary scholar Zhang Dai. This person was born in a famous family, and their family has been a jinshi for generations since his ancestors. My great-grandfather was even the winner. And Zhang Dai himself has been intelligent since he was a child and has the name of a prodigy. When he was six years old, his grandfather took him to Hangzhou, and he really met his grandfather's friend Chen Jiru (Chen Meigong), who rode a big-horned deer to Qiantang. Chen Meigong had long heard that Zhang Dai was good at pairing, so he pointed to Li Bai's cross-whale picture on the painting screen and said: "Taibai rides a whale and quarries the night moon by the river." Zhang Dai immediately replied: "Meigong crosses the deer, and the autumn wind is blowing in Qiantang County." "The time has come to an end. When it was the turn of the pair or something, Zheng Sen couldn't catch up with Zhang Dai.

Zhang Dai has a good background, his family is rich, and he is very smart, so he is naturally loved by everyone, but as a result, he has developed an elegant gentleman. In his own words, he is a "good house, good maid, good child, good fresh clothes, good food, good horses, good lanterns, good fireworks, good pear orchards, good advocacy, good antiques, good flowers and birds".

Zhang Dai listened to Chen Hongshou's words, just smiled, closed the window, turned around and walked to Chen Hongshou's side and said with a smile: "I was recently in Qingyunguan, and I saw Zhang Hou's newly painted statue of the Great God of the Three Altars of the Sea Society, and I knew that you were also in this area. Your Nezha is heroic and extraordinary! Better than all the gods you've painted before. I'll toast you! As he spoke, he picked up the wine jug that was hot in the soup barrel, poured a glass of wine for Chen Hongshou, and filled himself with another glass. The two of them each picked up their glasses and drank each.

Chen Hongshou also warmed up at this time, and smiled at Zhang Dai: "It's not unusual for this Nezha to draw well, because there is a template." ”

When Zhang Dai heard this, he immediately became interested, and hurriedly said: "Tell me, where did you see such a child?" ”

"A few months ago, I traveled to Kaiyuan Temple with Hong Yanhao in Quanzhou, and met Zheng Sen, the son of Zheng Zhilong, the chief soldier. It's just that the portrait drawn in my hand is always quite different from what I remember in my heart. What I thought in my heart, my subordinates couldn't draw it. Chen Hongshou sighed and poured himself another glass of wine.

"There is always a difference between the painting of the hand and the painting of the heart." Zhang Dai said, "But listening to your feelings, it seems that the Nezha statue of Qingyunguan is ...... with the one you met."

"Zheng Sen, the son of the chief soldier Zheng Zhilong." Chen Hongshou said.

"I listen to what you mean, it seems that this child is even more outstanding than the Nezha you painted, isn't it?" Zhang Dai asked curiously.

"Yes, that child was born very handsome, that's all, it's just that the drum is heroic, straight like Mo Ye Tai'a unsheathed, unstoppable, it is really not something Danqing can describe." Chen Hongshou shook his head as he spoke.

Zhang Dai became more and more interested, and hurriedly said: "Zhang Hou, tell me the story quickly." ”

Chen Hongshou smiled, and told Zhang Dai about meeting Zheng Sen that day. Zhang Dai stroked his palm and said with a smile: "This son is quite Chen. The wind of the Yuanfang! Interesting! Interesting! Especially the lessons, as well as the few words on belief and unbelief, should be revealed! ”

"You man! When I look foreign, you will be happy! Chen Hongshou scolded with a smile.

"It's okay, it's okay, when I look foreign in the future, you can just be happy to come back. Oh, by the way, who was the father of this son? ”

"Xiamen guerrilla general Zheng Zhilong, it is said that this person was originally a giant coward who crisscrossed the sea, and later he was recruited and swept away other pirates, so he became this guerrilla general." Chen Hongshou replied.

"Zheng Zhilong?" Zhang Dai seemed to remember something, "By the way, I met Zhou Bofu a few days ago, according to him, after the Chinese New Year, he will go to Fujian, that is, to find this Zheng Zhilong to discuss some Western studies." According to him, this Zheng Zhilong is proficient in Western geometry and astronomy. It seems that although this person is from Haikou, he is not uneducated. It is not surprising to have such a son. ”

"Zhou Bofu?" Chen Hongshou said with a smile, "Isn't it the one who saved up more than a year of powder money and quietly ran to Wanhualou, but was blocked by his wife at the door of Wanhualou and lost his private money in vain?" ”

"It's this catfish!" Zhang Dai laughed.