Looking at Xie Qian, who was pressing his neck with one hand and an incredulous expression on his face, Zhang Weizhao asked, "Does Taifu feel better?" ”

Xie Qian stood up and shook Zhang Weizhao to the ground: "The queen mother is really amazing, and the medicine can cure the disease." Weichen is very respectful! ”

Xie Qian had heard all kinds of rumors about Zhang Weizhao's miraculous medical skills. Before today, Xie Qian felt that Zhang Weizhao's medical skills should indeed be good, but these rumors must also be exaggerated. Because Zhang Weizhao was a Zhaoming real person valued by the first emperor and the empress dowager in his early years, and later became the queen of Dayan, people were happy to put all kinds of halos on her head. Whether it is the common people or the princes and nobles, they all like legendary stories, and the more exaggerated and bizarre the better.

However, after Xie Qian's personal experience today, he felt that those rumors were true. Xie Qian couldn't help but feel a sense of awe from within.

Zhang Weizhao smiled and said, "Lord Xie doesn't have to be polite. You will now feel the pain disappear because of the analgesic ingredient in the medicine you just injected. When the drug is over, the pain will come back. For a complete cure, more courses of treatment are needed. I will prescribe a few more doses of the internal medication to you. If you wish, you can also ask Nanxing to come to your home regularly to inject your injections. ”

Nanxing, whose name was mentioned, immediately stepped forward and blessed himself.

How can Xie Qian be unwilling? I sincerely thanked Zhang Weizhao for giving me medicine and thanked Nanxing.

Zhang Weizhao said: "In fact, the extraction of this medicine is also thanks to the improvement of the glass process. ”

Xie Qian said: "Weichen is stupid, and I ask the queen to explain in detail." ”

"That's nature. Please wait a moment. As he spoke, he turned back and called, "Mint ......."

Mint made a blessing and turned away, but in a few moments, a wooden cart was pushed.

As soon as this small cart was pushed over, Xie Qian immediately discovered that it was different from all kinds of vehicles he had seen before: the four small iron wheels under the body could change direction at will, and they were extremely flexible.

Looking further up, the body is a small rectangular cabinet. The roof of the car is surrounded by railings, and enclosed by the railings are all kinds of glassware, half of which are cylindrical glasses, some thick and some thin, some long and some short, with thin lines engraved on them, marked with strange symbols; The remaining half is in a variety of bizarre shapes: conical, spherical, teardrop-shaped and funnel-shaped, to name a few. There are also some thin, curved glass tubes that hold some of the cups together.

When Xie Qian carefully looked at these utensils, Zhang Weizhao said: "The liquid medicine that was just used to inject you under the skin is made from these bottles and jars. The liquor you drink is also distilled in similar vessels, just a little larger than these. ”

"Why does it have to be made in glassware? Isn't it okay to ceramic? Xie Qian asked, he felt that Da Yan's ceramic craftsmanship had been perfected, and these shaped vessels were not difficult to fire, and they were definitely stronger than these glasses.

"To be exact, it has to be made in clear glassware. Because only in this way can you see what these liquids gradually become in each process. If you can't observe the details, you can't do anything. Originally, what you wanted to do was a life-saving remedy, but if you make a mistake, it may become a deadly poison. Zhang Weizhao explained.

In fact, in the history of pharmaceutical development, the emergence and popularization of transparent glassware has indeed played a very key role in promoting. The older type of cloudy glass with various colors and lusters is lead barium glass. The clear and transparent one is the soda-lime glass that appeared lately.

When the manufacturing process of soda-lime glass matured and the price continued to decrease, ordinary alchemists could afford to buy it and use it in experiments, so the ancient alchemy was transformed into modern chemistry, laying the foundation for the pharmaceutical industry. All of this happens because through the glassware, the various reaction characteristics can be seen well, and then controlled and utilized.

When Xie Qian heard Zhang Weizhao's words, he suddenly realized that all these amazing things that the empress and emperor showed him today were actually related to the new glass manufacturing process. And the reason why this new glass-making process can appear in Dayan is because a Jiazi ago, the eunuchs of Sanbao brought back a few glassmakers from the West. Therefore, the emperor wanted to prove to him in this way that sailing to the West could bring many unexpected benefits to Dayan?

When thinking like this, Xie Qian also asked like this: "The queen's explanation has benefited Weichen a lot. Today, Wechen has indeed felt that the improvement of glass technology has brought about all kinds of miraculous changes, from vegetables, to winemaking, to medicine. It is true that these things can appear because of the Three Treasures Eunuch's westward journey to the sea. However, what Wechen wants to ask is, can all these miraculous things, fresh vegetables and vegetables in winter, mellow wine, and miracle medicine to treat Wechen's illness be able to offset the expenses of six million taels of silver in the treasury and tens of thousands of people who have left their homes for more than 20 years? ”

After saying this, Xie Qian's eyes looked at Chen Youcong and Zhang Weizhao intently.

I have to say that Xie Qian's question is very sharp. Zhang Weizhao and Chen Youcong glanced at each other, and Chen Youcong smiled at Zhang Weizhao: "You said it more clearly, you should tell Mrs. Xie." When Chen Youcong and Xie Qian spoke, they couldn't help but use a lot of honorifics, and what they wanted to say was elegant and polite, not as direct and straightforward as Zhang Weizhao.

"Okay." Zhang Weizhao nodded, then turned to Xie Qian.

"Lord Xie's question hit the nail on the head. If the cost of six million taels of silver, and the hard work of tens of thousands of people for more than 20 years, only in exchange for the improvement of the glass process, I also think it is very unworthy. However, many of the benefits brought by the westward journey of the Three Treasure Eunuchs have not yet been tapped. Once these hidden benefits are unearthed, it becomes worthwhile. ”

"What does this mean? Please also ask the queen to make it clear. Xie Qiandao.

"The eunuchs of the Three Treasures went to the West and brought back many rare treasures, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, golden greens, many exotic beasts, leopards, lions, camels, ostriches, and unicorns (actually giraffes), as well as spices and dyes. But these things, except for some of them, were sent to the treasury, and the rest were scattered into the princely and wealthy families, and the common people did not benefit from them. ”

Xie Qian nodded.

"Wherever the fleets went, more advanced farming, weaving, and medicine were disseminated, and the nations were subjugated, and fleets were frequently sent to pay tribute, bringing spices and timber worth thousands of gold, while the court was to give them silk, rice, and porcelain, worth ten thousand gold. So the tribute is nominally to send things to Dayan, but in fact, he has to go more. It also added a lot of burdens to the people of Dayan. ”

"The queen is like watching the fire."

"Therefore, Lord Xie is worried that if he forms another fleet and re-enters the Western Ocean, it will only greatly damage the vitality of the Great Yan, but will not bring much actual benefit."

"That's what Weichen really thinks."

"Maybe we can go in a different direction."

"How do I change directions?" Xie Qian asked.

"First, the treasures brought back by the eunuchs of the Three Treasures back then can be taken out and exchanged for money. The glass bowls and fresh vegetables that Master Xie saw just now can also be exchanged for money. This glass manufacturing process will not be easily learned for the time being, so it can still be sold at a good price. Including the medicine that has just been given to adults, it can also be sold at a good price, and I have other new drugs launched. Although only the rich and noble can afford these things, the money earned from them can be invested in the construction of the fleet and reduce the pressure of taxation. ”

"Queen Mother, I'm afraid this is far from enough." Xie Qiandao.

"Yes, but we don't need as much as six million taels of silver. The leading treasure ships can be built at the expense of the imperial court, and other ships needed in the fleet can be recruited from maritime merchants. ”

"Because the imperial court wanted to clear the southeast coast and avoid the invasion of pirates and pirates, it has always strictly controlled maritime merchants. Isn't it a contradiction to recruit sea vessels from them now? ”

"As far as I know, Dayan has strict control over maritime merchants, and every time a maritime merchant goes to sea, he has to buy a boat guide. Buying a boat from the government costs dozens of silver. But on the black market, boats can be sold for hundreds or thousands of taels of silver. It can be seen how lucrative overseas trade is. If we were to sell our qualifications to the seamen and allow them to trade with them, how much money do you think they would be willing to pay? ”

Xie Qian frowned: "These businessmen, cunning and sleek, act like good citizens on the surface, smuggle contraband behind their backs, collude with pirates, and do everything. How can you be trusted? ”

"They pay protection money to pirates because Great Yan does not have a sea guard to ensure their safety, so they will turn to pirates for protection, if the official ships can allow them to trade safely, they will not go to deal with pirates." Zhang Weizhao said.

"In this way, wouldn't these official ships be equipped with more sophisticated weapons and good soldiers?" Xie Qian cross-examined.

"I just took this opportunity to develop coastal defense, so I was not afraid of pirates and fankou harassment." Zhang Weizhao said calmly.

Zhang Weizhao's suggestion, one link after another, is obviously the result of careful consideration. Xie Qian lowered his head and pondered. Then he looked up and asked directly:

"Actually, I've always had a question. What is the real purpose of His Majesty and his mother wanting to get the ship out to sea? If it is said that the prestige of our country has been raised, Chengzu and the eunuchs of the Three Treasures have already done it, and it has only been sixty years, and all the countries of the four fields have been convinced, and they have been paying tribute endlessly, and there is no need to add deterrence. If you want to learn new skills, Da Yan's skills are truly unparalleled in the world. Although we are slightly inferior to glass manufacturing, manufacturing, engineering, agriculture and medicine, all of which are far superior to the surrounding countries, even those places where the Three Treasure Eunuchs went to the West in those years, it is difficult to find a place that is stronger and richer than Dayan. ”