Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 242 The End of Metaphysics is Science

Chapter 242 The End of Metaphysics is Science
"Ha...Ha Qiu! Who's thinking about me?"

Li Ming huddled by the stove, warming himself with two pieces of cloth stuffed in his nose.

Entering December, Dongbai is getting colder and colder.

Xiao Li, who came from the south, got frostbite and has been sneezing non-stop for the past two days.

He found that he had still underestimated the northern winter and overestimated the power of the interglacial period.

There is probably no essential difference between -40 degrees Celsius and -30 degrees Celsius for a hairless naked ape...

"Ming Ge... Wow, what's that smell?"

Zhang Sun Yanxing rushed into the study and was almost fainted by the pungent smell.

"What's that smell? Oh, the stove is burning coal."

Li Ming sniffed again.

"I didn't feel anything at first, but now that you reminded me, it seems like I do..."

"It's more than just one thing. You've been in the abalone shop for so long that you don't know how smelly it is..." Chang Sun Yan couldn't help but complain.

In order to promote "green new energy" - that is, coal - Li Ming set an example by replacing the charcoal stove in the room with a coal stove to burn coal.

However, as a liberal arts student who lacked life experience, he took things for granted.

Coal contains impurities.

Due to limited technology, the mined coal will not undergo any processing techniques such as coal screening and flotation.

It will remain the same as it was when buried in the soil and put into the furnace, highlighting its original flavor.

Then, Student Li spent the whole day in the study room filled with sulfide and various "colorful" exhaust gases.

"Brother Ming, why don't we just forget about it?" Chang Sunyan couldn't help but persuade:
"I feel like this coal is even more...what's the saying, it's not environmentally friendly than charcoal."

"That won't work. Developing coal is an established national policy and cannot be changed." Li Ming shook his head.

The tone was calm, as if stating the axiom that "sunset is a natural law" and that there can be no doubt about it.

"That's because there were no heavy rainstorms in the fall and winter. If Pingzhou and Yingzhou continue to cut down trees indiscriminately, when the rainy season arrives next year, the heavy rain will wash the soil into the sea, and we won't be able to grow anything on the land."

Looking at his unconvinced friends, Li Ming patiently explained:

"By then, it will be too late to regret."

Chang Sunyan still did not give up, and took a step back and said:

"Then at least don't use it yourself. The smoke from this thing always feels... not very good."

Li Ming still refused stubbornly:
"I let the common people burn coal while I hide away and burn charcoal? What kind of thing is this? No, no, absolutely not!"

"But……"

Just when the two were in a stalemate, Fang Yize, with a pale face, walked in with unsteady steps.

Being in my own territory in Liaodong makes me feel more comfortable than being in the palace.

When brothers meet, there is no need for the eunuchs to act as middlemen.

"Excuse me, please stop for a moment, we have a new discovery." Fang Yize said expressionlessly.

He is now becoming more and more bureaucratic, just like his father with expressionless face.

Anyone who swims in the ocean of account books every day will inevitably be marinated by the bureaucratic atmosphere.

"What did you find?" Li Ming and Chang Sun Yan asked in unison.

"A non-phase-change morphological change based on known biomass combustibles."

Fang Yi recited a series of sutras smoothly.

Xiao Li and A Yan looked at each other. They felt that they knew every word, but they were not familiar with it when they spelled it out.

"Ahem." Fang Yizhe expressionlessly said something different for the two illiterate people:
"Yuan Tiangang discovered a way to make coal purer."

"What?!"

Chang Sunyan almost took off from the spot, shaking Fang Yize's shoulders excitedly:

"Is this serious?"

"Really... Can you please stop shaking? I feel dizzy." Fang Yize complained expressionlessly.

Fang Yize holds the financial power, which means that any unit that spends money has to deal with him.

This naturally includes scientific research, which is very expensive.

"This is what Lao Yuan secretly revealed to me when he asked me for funding."

Fang Yize explained, patting his collar that was wrinkled by Chang Sun Yan.

Because Yuan Tiangang was annoying him all the time, Fang Yize changed the way he addressed him from "Master Yuan" to "Old Yuan".

"really?"

I do not believe……

Li Ming had one part belief and nine parts doubt about this just-right good news.

He suspected that Lao Yuan was deceiving the naive and ignorant Xiao Fang classmate in order to extort more funds.

Although he handed over the "Technical and Technological Committee" to Yuan Tiangang.

But what is valued is his ability to use Feng Shui to find minerals.

I didn't expect this senior "metaphysics" practitioner to really make any "scientific" achievements.

Therefore, Fang Yize's news made him feel that there was a lot of mystery in this matter.

"Seeing is believing. Let's go and have a look. This room stinks of coal. I can't stay here."

Chang Sunyan pulled Li Ming out of the door.

…………

Chairman Li Ming came to Sanqing Temple for inspection and was warmly received by a staff member - a little Taoist boy.

"Master is refining the elixir, please wait." The little Taoist boy greeted three peers for tea with a simple and indifferent attitude, and then went to report.

Li Ming looked around suspiciously.

The Taoist temple was very deserted and there were few pilgrims.

This superstitious place turned out to be the scientific research center of the great empire. Li Ming had a very mysterious feeling.

After a long time, Yuan Tiangang finally came out of the alchemy room. His hair was messy, his face was black, and his clothes were covered with dirty black spots.

"What is it, Your Highness?"

He greeted them impatiently, then sat barefoot and casually in front of the three leaders.

This charlatan actually developed the temperament of a science and engineering geek.

This made Li Ming feel more and more confused.

"Fang Yize said that you researched...you refined some kind of purer coal?" He went straight to the point.

"What?" Yuan Tiangang frowned.

"A non-phase change morphological change based on known biomass combustibles." Fang Yi added.

"Oh, that?" Yuan Tiangang curled his lips:

"I am researching, please come in."

After saying that, he walked towards the depths of the Taoist temple.

Li Ming and his three companions looked at each other, then hurriedly stood up and followed.

"The Taoist priest doesn't seem very happy?" Li Ming asked puzzledly.

"Maybe we didn't produce the ideal pure coal?" Chang Sunyan shrugged and asked Fang Yize:

"What do you think?"

How can I see it? You let a Taoist priest who wants to establish a sect do technical research. How can he be happy? How can I see it?

"You're right." Fang Yize suppressed the endless desire to complain in his heart and responded with a blank expression.

The group walked into the alchemy room, and the choking smoke made them cough uncontrollably.

"Master Yuan, where is the... biomass, the combustible... thing you mentioned?"

Li Ming asked, waving his hand to disperse the thick smoke.

Yuan Tiangang reached into the alchemy furnace, rummaged around for a while, and pulled out a black object:

"Is this what Your Highness wants?"

The three of them took a closer look.

There was only a piece of coal lying in the sloppy old Taoist's palm.

A closer look reveals that this "coal" is very different from ordinary raw coal.

It has more holes, has a smooth sheen, and looks a bit slimy.

The stains all over Old Yuan's body were probably from this thing.

"This stuff burns very cleanly, like charcoal, without any strange smell, and it burns very fiercely, almost burning through my furnace."

As Yuan Tiangang spoke, he lit the strange "coal" and threw it into the alchemy furnace.

The flame color is visibly purer than ordinary coal, a bright orange, and the smoke produced is not as choking.

Moreover, the burning temperature of this thing is higher than that of charcoal and coal. After only a while, bubbles appeared on the body of Lao Yuan's cast iron alchemy furnace.

Oh!

Yuan Tiangang quickly poured a large basin of water into the furnace.

There was a loud bang in the furnace, and after a slight water-gas explosion, the furnace finally cooled down.

"How can such a small piece of coal burn so vigorously?" Chang Sunyan was amazed.

Fang Yize couldn't help but open his eyes wide.

The corner of Li Ming's mouth twitched.

Fewer impurities, higher burning temperature, sticky...

Could this piece of pure coal be coke?

As a liberal arts student, Li Ming knew that in the original timeline, coke was invented during the Song Dynasty and used on a large scale for smelting steel.

In other words, industrial coking can indeed be achieved by utilizing ancient technology without any additional steps.

The key point is, how did Comrade Lao Yuan discover the secret of coking hundreds of years in advance?

"Master Yuan, this coke...how did you make it?" Li Ming's eyebrows were twisted into a "川" shape.

Coke? Yes, burnt coal, that's a pretty good description...

Chang Sunyan and Fang Yize nodded secretly, thinking that Brother Ming was a genius at naming.

"Oh, stop talking about this!"

Yuan Tiangang gets angry when this topic is brought up.

"Your Highness, didn't you call on the whole country to develop coal resources? I was wondering if this coal has any magical effect, otherwise why do you care so much about it?

"So, I want to put it into the alchemy furnace and refine it."

When in doubt, refining an elixir is indeed a typical charlatan's thinking.

Little do people know that alchemy requires isolation from the air, and the same goes for coke making; alchemy requires heating and distillation, and the same goes for coke making.

Alchemy = coking, the formula is valid!
"I didn't expect that the refined pills are not edible at all, and have no miraculous effects. Moreover, they are dirty and stained everywhere. Apart from making the fire stronger and purer, they have no other effect at all!"

Yuan Tiangang said angrily.

After listening to the whole thing, Li Ming felt like holding his forehead with his hands, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

As expected of a Taoist priest, the truth is simple, and everything depends on fate. Unexpectedly, refining the elixir not only solved the problem of impure coal, but also improved the efficiency of coal combustion and steelmaking.

If coke is used on a large scale, it will not only improve the efficiency of steelmaking and reduce impurities in the finished product, but also take environmental protection into consideration, completely solving the pain points that charcoal requires cutting down trees and coal is choking.

Win-win!

Is it possible that the end of metaphysics is actually science?

However, as the inventor of the traditional method of coking, Yuan Tiangang himself was not very excited.

Every time he wanted to practice some feudal superstition, he always ended up with the result that things went in a direction he had never expected.

As a result, he was unable to refine the magic elixir and could not establish his sect.

Although his series of contributions brought him fame and fortune, they also resulted in his own Taoist temple becoming deserted.

After all, everyone is interested in feudal superstition in their spare time, but they definitely have no interest in learning mathematics, physics and chemistry.

"From coal mine location to coking, the development of environmental protection and new energy technology is inseparable from the outstanding contribution of the Taoist priest."

Li Ming patted Yuan Laodao on the shoulder.

The corners of Yuan Tiangang's mouth twitched, and he felt like he was the opposite of Tiangang.

…………

Luan River Valley.

The team has stayed where it is for several days and nights without moving an inch.

"Your Majesty is still the same?"

Outside the main tent, Qibi Heli was worried.

Li Chengqian's expression was a little distorted, and he nodded slightly.

"Alas." Qibi Heli sighed:
"The tragic news of His Royal Highness the Regent's passing is a huge blow to Your Majesty.

"The pain of losing a child is understandable, but it is not a good idea for Your Majesty to continue like this! It will harm your health!"

He paced back and forth in front of the tent anxiously, with his hands behind his back.

After hearing the fake news from Ashina She'er that "Li Ming was killed by Li Tai", the tearful emperor Li Shimin did not cry.

Silence is much more terrifying than crying and making a fuss.

During these days, Li Shimin ate and slept as usual.

But he does nothing except eating and sleeping.

Not to mention giving orders, he doesn't even have the desire to communicate with others.

He wandered around aimlessly all day long, like a puppet who had lost his soul.

Without a backbone, the fleeing team stopped fleeing.

"This can't go on like this!"

Ashina She'er seemed to have made up his mind and was about to break into the main tent.

Although he was the one who spread the false news, it was not his fault.

He also believed the rumors spread by Li Zhi and Li Tai.

After all, although the two rebel kings had been arguing with each other for a long time, they had a high degree of tacit understanding on one fact -

That means Li Ming is dead.

Moreover, based on common sense, Chang'an has been occupied by the rebel king, and it is unlikely that the regent will have any chance of survival.

If he wasn't dead, how could there be no movement at all?

It's impossible that he fled to Liaodong in advance and planned to make a comeback, right? No way, no way?
"Hey, hey, hey, don't! How can your majesty trespass without permission!"

Qibi Heli hurriedly stopped the rude foreign general.

"If we keep delaying like this, we will be discovered by Xueyantuo's army sooner or later! They have not given up on this big fish of ours!"

Ashina She'er argued:
"What's more, even if there are no Xueyantuo people, the snow is getting heavier and heavier. It will be a dead end if we continue to stay here!"

Qibi Heli raised his voice:
"Hey, hey, hey! How can you call His Majesty a big fish? His Majesty must have his reasons for staying here!"

Sheer's throat was also clattering:

"Tian Khan is not in good shape at all, and you are still playing big chess there?"

The two got into a big fight.

"You two, you two, please be patient."

A cold voice made both of them pause at the same time.

Li Chengqian limped over.

"I will go in and persuade the emperor to listen to what he wants to tell me."

The two retreated almost at the same time:

"I will follow your Highness's arrangements."

In every sense, they were both outsiders.

There are some family matters that are difficult for outsiders to interfere in.

If you want to persuade someone, it has to be the eldest son.

Alas... Li Chengqian stood in front of the big tent, with his back to everyone, and his expression became distorted in an instant.

He was not much affected by the news of Li Ming's death.

Li Chengqian is the eldest prince, and Li Ming is the youngest. They have had little interaction since childhood, let alone feelings.

As political enemies, the two men did have many clashes, but both still maintained their bottom line and did not resort to despicable means such as assassination.

"Hmm? Mei Niang, what are you talking about? Is Li Ming such a despicable person? Ha, what do you know as a woman?"

Therefore, Li Chengqian's attitude towards Li Ming has always been: I don't care whether he lives or dies, as long as he doesn't dirty my hands.

However, Li Chengqian was very concerned about Li Shimin's attitude towards Li Ming.

This man was not so distraught even when his mother, Queen Zhangsun, passed away.

If he died alone, would he still be like this...

A sour feeling of jealousy surged into Li Chengqian's heart, making his expression even more ferocious.

"Your Highness?"

Seeing Li Chengqian stopped at the door and hesitated to move forward, Qibi Heli couldn't help but ask.

Li Chengqian was shocked, then shook his head and said in a light tone:
"I'm fine, just sorting out my thoughts. I'll ask my father about this and decide on a strategy from now on."

After saying this, he lifted the thick bearskin curtain.

"No... you are right, Mei Niang, not now. I still have to be patient..."

He muttered silently and went into the tent.

There was no heat coming out of the warm tent as expected, and it was almost as cold inside as outside.

In the center of the tent, the brazier had long been extinguished.

Beside the brazier, Li Shimin stared blankly at the ashes in the brazier, his eyes sunken.

Haha... Li Chengqian curled his lips slightly and immediately said loudly:

"Alas, those rough pieces are just adding fuel to your fire."

Li Shimin did not react, nor did he even move his eyes. He was still staring at the brazier blankly, like a sculpture.

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes, turned around and walked out.

Then I heard a hoarse voice behind me.

"I don't know what to do."

Li Chengqian paused, turned around, his face full of melancholy and sadness.

"Father, you... you can't go on like this! He is gone, you can't be too..."

"I don't know what to do."

Li Shimin murmured and repeated, interrupting Li Chengqian's advice.

He slowly raised his head and looked steadily at his eldest son, his voice so hoarse that it was almost unrecognizable:

“I thought about it for a long time.

"Liaodong has always had rebellious intentions. After Li Ming... is gone, they will definitely rise up.

"Whether it's Xijing Chang'an or Dongjing Luoyang, they have both been occupied by two rebellious sons. They are doing such rebellious things and will definitely go all the way to the end without any mercy for me.

"As for other prefectures and counties in the Tang Dynasty, Hebei has always been unsubmissive to me.

"The Central Plains and Guanzhong are occupied by various vassal kings. They are also involved in the civil war. They are blinded by greed and may not be willing to take me in."

Li Shimin spoke faster and faster. His eyes were still dull, but his thoughts were very clear.

"I have been granted few fiefs south of the Yangtze River. Jiangnan, Minyue, Huguang, Lingnan, Bashu... these places may be loyal to me, and may also be able to avoid the war.

"But we are trapped here. How can we jump over the rebel-ruled north and reach the south?"

This question left Li Chengqian unable to answer for a while.

Li Shimin stared at his eldest son, his eyes full of confusion.

"Cheng Qian, you and I, father and son, have nowhere to go.

"Once Li Ming dies, there will be no place for us in the world!"

Li Chengqian was speechless for a moment.

He subconsciously wanted to persuade his father not to be so pessimistic, as there is always a way out.

But, I couldn't open my mouth.

Because Li Shimin's worries are real.

Once the emperor falls off the throne and loses power, he becomes just a dictator.

No one wants to let this dictator climb over their head again.

Even one's own son cannot be trusted completely...