Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

"Human breathing is the process of inhaling useful air and exhaling useless air."

He then pointed to the glass bottle covered by the candle:

"What this bottle contains is the gas needed for firewood to burn, and it is also the gas that humans rely on for survival."

"It can nourish people; I call it nourishing qi."

"While doing research, write about oxygen."

Zhao Yuan picked up the stick and wrote the word "oxygen" on the ground.

The Taoists suddenly realized that "oxygen" was the "spiritual energy of heaven and earth," and that this was what they were breathing in and absorbing every day.

I wonder if the teaching will give rise to a "carbon monoxide-absorbing faction," because accidentally inhaling the carbon monoxide mixed in would be a serious problem.

Zhao Yuan simply sat cross-legged in the courtyard, and everyone else, no longer daring to stand, followed suit and sat down as well.

Zhao Yuan said, "The people in the capital mostly use coal for cooking and heating."

“Sometimes, when people are using the heating system in winter, they close the doors and windows too tightly, resulting in people dying from carbon monoxide poisoning.”

"What is carbon monoxide poisoning? It is also a kind of gas, a toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of coal."

Those who came were all high-ranking officials of the Cabinet, and they all lived in Tokyo.

Although he bought charcoal at a high price, his servants mostly used coal for heating.

Hearing the emperor's explanation, the crowd was skeptical, yet unable to resist believing it.

Zhao Yuan then looked at Zhang Ping: "Your ancestors improved the wet copper smelting technique, bringing countless copper materials to the court every year. Do you know the principles behind it?"

Zhang Ping said, "Your Majesty, I know how to smelt copper, but I don't know why it has to be done that way."

Zhao Yuan asked the crowd with a smile, "Would you like to see it?"

"We would love to see it!" the crowd quickly replied.

I'm not going to talk about anything profound today; I'm just trying to pique your interest.

Zhao Yuan walked back into the house, saying as he went:

"The path of chemistry benefits the country and its people, and wet copper smelting is one such example."

“A deep study of this subject may bring countless riches to the nation.”

Everyone thought, "That's right, if we can use wet methods to smelt copper, why can't we smelt gold and silver?"

The emperor was a complete fraud.

Alchemists also existed in China, and were generally called magicians or sorcerers.

"Masters of magic arts" is a general term for practitioners of astrology, medicine, and divination, many of whom are involved in alchemy.

During the transition between the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, the flames of war spread to Jiangxi, followed by widespread banditry. Even the Zhang family was plundered, and their vast collection of books was burned to ashes.

Zhang Jinping's elder brother, Zhang Tao, found fragments of "Essentials of Copper Impregnation" in the ashes, completed them, and presented them to the court again.

It was only then that the Southern Song Dynasty dispatched officials to restore the wet copper smelting workshops in Jiangxi, which became an important source of copper for the Southern Song Dynasty.

In his preface to this book, Zhang Tao wrote: "According to the Shennong Materia Medica, stone gall is said to be able to transform iron and copper into gold and silver by immortals."

"Therefore, practitioners of esoteric arts devote themselves to this, but without exploring its principles, they all seek it in the furnace and fire, hoping to use it for elixirs..."

Chapter 3281 Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica

These alchemists, after reading the "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica," went on to practice alchemy.

Some alchemists believe that the gold, silver, copper, and iron mentioned in the book refer to certain materials used in alchemy, which can be refined from chalcanthite (copper sulfate).

At this very moment, among the Taoist priests watching the emperor's experiment were those who used an alchemy furnace to refine gallstones.

"Your Majesty's consort, you may read the preface to 'Essentials of Copper Impregnation'," Zhao Yuan said.

Zhang Ping was quite excited. This preface was the first edition, written by her great-uncle Zhang Jia.

Zhang Ping opened the title page and read aloud: "The principles of all things cannot be fully understood without a sage; the uses of all things cannot be controlled without a sage."

"When impoverished, control them to the fullest extent, thus revealing their true nature."

"Therefore, the Shennong Materia Medica states: 'Gentianite can transform iron into copper.' Such wondrous and miraculous powers are truly remarkable!"

"All crafts were created by sages, yet their explanations remain, and the methods they employed have endured for thousands of years..."

After reading it aloud, Zhao Yuan got to the point: "Are the tasks of the hundred crafts truly only capable of being performed by sages?"

"Can only a sage truly fathom the principles governing all things?"

"Is it truly only sages who can control the uses of all things? No!"

Zhang Ping was taken aback; the emperor's words were a complete rebuttal to her great-uncle.

Zhao Yuan said, "Even ordinary people can understand the principles of all things."

"Even ordinary people can make use of all things."

"Even ordinary people can do all kinds of work."

"If only sages can do these things, then you all, as long as you diligently study and research agronomy, chemistry, and physics, can also become sages of our time!"

Leaving aside the high-ranking officials in the cabinet and the academy, the few unsuccessful candidates present were stirred by the emperor's words.

Zhao Yuan added, "I insist on inviting Cai Lun into the Confucian Temple, even if scholars throughout the land oppose it."

"Why? To inspire talented people from all over the world to engage in the work of various crafts."

“A person who can perform all kinds of crafts, whose skills have been passed down for thousands of years, and who can still benefit all people today, can be called a sage.”

"Although Cai Lun was of low character, he improved the papermaking technique, so he deserves to be worshipped by later generations."

Upon hearing this, many ministers wanted to refute it.

But before they spoke, they all turned to look at the emperor.

Then they all went silent, because they knew that even if they committed suicide here today, His Majesty could not change anything.

Zhao Yuan said to Zhang Ping, "You can write home and ask that when you reprint 'Essentials of Copper Impregnation' next time, you change the author's name to your great-grandfather."

"Yes!" Zhang Jinping bowed and accepted the order.

When Zhang Qian wrote the book "Essentials of Copper Soaking", he was too embarrassed to sign it himself, so he had his son, who held an official position, sign it before presenting it to the Northern Song court.

Because only sages can "do all the work of craftsmen," even if the techniques are improved and written into books, it is merely restoring the lost skills of the sages.

What qualifications does a commoner have? Only the son of an official can write a book.

Zhao Yuan then said, "The Tongzheng Yuan issued an edict to inform all the people of the world."

"From now on, anyone who writes a book can do so, regardless of whether they have an official title or not."

"The Cabinet has issued an official document to local officials, instructing them to commend and reward those who encounter books on various crafts. The most outstanding among them may be recommended to the court!"

"Yes!"

The Ministry of State Affairs and cabinet officials agreed together.

Zhao Yuan asked the few candidates who had failed the imperial examination, "Would you like to become sages of our time?"

These men had originally planned to resign and go home, but after being provoked by the emperor, more than half of them said, "We dare not be saints, but we are willing to do the things of saints!"

Wang Zhongfu and others also got carried away and wanted to study chemistry.

Wang Chongyang, the master chemist?

Zhao Yuan continued, "The six subjects of mathematics, agronomy, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and geography will be taught at the Imperial Academy."

"The Imperial Academy originally planned to admit ten people each year through its annual examinations and grant them the title of Jinshi."

"Let us set a rule today: among these ten successful candidates, six shall be outstanding students from these six disciplines."

The officials were a bit bewildered, but the candidates who failed the exam were overjoyed.

It was very difficult to promote natural sciences in ancient times. Mathematics was considered the simplest subject, unlike Confucian classics which could be learned through arduous study.

For the time being, basic knowledge of natural sciences can only be added to the official county and prefectural school textbooks.

Then, through the Imperial Academy, elites were allowed to study, and the Imperial Academy Examinations were used to motivate students.

In the future, students of the Imperial Academy will study both Confucian classics and natural sciences.

Moreover, as long as one can rank first in one of the natural sciences in the examination, one can be granted the status of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

Six out of ten spots were taken!

The remaining four are those who have truly mastered the Confucian classics.

Those students who couldn't graduate weren't actually at a disadvantage.

They understand Confucian classics and have all studied natural sciences, so they will be capable of whatever they do when they return to their hometown.

Moreover, they don't all have to go back to their hometowns.

They could enter the planetarium, the agricultural promotion office, or serve as a technical official in the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of War, or the Hanlin Academy.

Perhaps, medicine can be added in the future.

Li Bangyan's mind was racing. He realized it was too late for him to learn these things, and even his eldest and second sons couldn't grasp them.

Chapter 3282 Copper Refining Techniques

But we can let the younger son study, and then arrange for him to enter the Imperial Academy, so that he can take a shortcut to obtain the title of Jinshi in the future.

Qin Hui was even more pleased with himself. He had already mastered mathematics, was slowly learning physics, and had even dabbled in the astronomy of the new dynasty.

Amidst the various thoughts of the ministers, Zhao Yuan picked up a lump of copper sulfate:

"This is gallstone, which is blue like bile, hence its name."

"The Zhang family's copper immersion technique uses bile for refining, and bile can be extracted locally in Jiangxi."

"In fact, whether it's using gallstone to refine copper or using gall water to refine copper, it's all based on the same chemical principle."

"If we divide the same substance into its smallest possible form, its properties will change if we divide it further."

"The smallest part is called a molecule."

"For example, copper molecules, iron molecules..."

Zhao Yuanzhen could only explain it this way, the more vivid and simple the better, even so he was afraid that people would not understand.

The experiment of producing copper from copper sulfate pentahydrate took a while, and Zhao Yuan kept explaining various theories while the chemical reaction was slowly progressing.

Everyone except Zhao Yuan was completely confused.

Since the emperor isn't interested in alchemy, there's no need for him to stay.

Zhai Ruwen bowed and said, "Your Majesty, there are still official documents in the cabinet that have not been processed. I would like to take my leave now."

"Go ahead and get busy," Zhao Yuan said.

The officials felt as if they had been granted a pardon and took their leave one after another. Even Qin Hui ran away, knowing that this kind of thing was not easy to learn.

Only Li Bangyan remained, volunteering to assist the emperor.

After a long silence, Zhao Yuan said, "It's getting late, so this experiment will have to end here."

Zhao Yuan asked Li Bangyan to pick up the iron sheet soaked in the solution and said, "The copper shavings are attached to the surface of the iron sheet."

Li Bangyan obeyed the order and scraped off the copper shavings, and everyone rushed over to watch.

Several Taoist priests looked bitter. They had read the "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica," but they threw copper sulfate into the alchemy furnace to refine gold or elixirs.

In retrospect, it seems we've gone a bit astray.

Zhao Yuan said to the Taoists, "When you are refining elixirs, you can slowly recall and write down any strange phenomena you have encountered."

"We will analyze the experiments one by one to see how these phenomena are caused."

"Yes!"

The Taoist priests bowed and accepted the order.

Directly presenting the periodic table is too absurd, and it's impossible to explain. Even if we forced it out, there's no way to prove it to the students.

At most, we'll talk about basic oxides and common metals to give students the concepts of elements and molecules; we won't teach atoms and ions.