Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

Ok?

Zhang Shikang frowned when he heard this.

What the hell is going on? I'm clearly thinking about the Ming Dynasty and hope that this guy knows more about important military affairs.

How can everything be linked to the handing over of military power?

"You are the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty."

The emperor may not be in charge of military affairs, but he must understand them.

It was because my brother met a time traveler like him who was indifferent to fame and fortune. Otherwise, in such an era where authoritarianism prevails, with military power entrusted to one person, who could resist the temptation of power?

"I think you just want to be lazy. You are so young, and it is enough for me to have you alone to look after the military affairs of the court."

After Emperor Chongzhen said this, he felt relieved and started swinging the hoe again.

He was convinced that he was somewhat lacking in his ability to govern the country.

But he was even more convinced that if a genius was sent from heaven, he should be used well, and as long as he could be used to death, he should be used to death.

I'm crazy.

Zhang Shikang's face was full of black lines. He felt that he had heard this sentence many times and it had almost become Chongzhen's catchphrase.

“I would like to let your majesty know that the matter of Zheng Zhilong is not so easy to resolve, and perhaps a more serious conflict may break out as a result.

Coastal defense, like the threat from the north, is not a big deal. You cannot always focus on the threat from the north and neglect coastal defense.

Your Majesty, if this happens again, please consult with me before you issue an edict."

If my brother just gives an order casually, he may have to be busy for a long time, which is too hasty.

Emperor Chongzhen was not vague either. His expression was exceptionally calm. While loosening the soil in the vegetable garden, he said without turning his head:

"Oh."

Then Zhang Shikang left the palace in boredom.

After returning, he wrote a conciliatory letter to Zheng Zhilong, hoping that Zheng could stay in peace for a while and not cause trouble.

In the next few days, Zhang Shikang's life was dull. He had a wife and children at home every day. He would occasionally go to various government offices to check in and handle affairs, and then leave work on time.

On the third day of April, the last day of the Spring Examination, students from science, engineering and agriculture also received their test papers for the final exam.

However, the questions on this test paper made many candidates who came from a craftsman background look surprised.

first question.

What do you think the craftsmen's studies have to do with the rise of our Ming Dynasty?

Question two.

Do you agree with the saying that teaching your apprentice will eventually starve you to death? Why?

Question 3.

What do you think is the fundamental reason that prevents the development of the Ming Dynasty's artisan studies? How can we solve it?

Question 4.

Do you think it is necessary to establish a complete system for Daming Science and Engineering and other subjects, and how to establish it?

Question 5.

How can we ensure that the new technologies of the Ming Dynasty court do not leak out while they are circulated throughout the country to benefit the people of the Ming Dynasty?

Question 6.

Do you think there are gods in heaven?

Question 7.

Do you think it is correct that the earth is round?

How far do you think the stars are from us?

Do you know why the sun shines and emits heat?

Question 8.

Do you think humans can go to space? If so, how should we go?

There are eight questions in total, each of which is required to be completed within 500 words, and is shared by science and engineering and agricultural sciences.

Originally, questions should be set separately for science and engineering and agriculture, after all, they are different subjects.

But Zhang Shikang thought it was too troublesome. Anyway, the questions he raised had nothing to do with the art of craftsmanship, so he shared the questions.

Actually, he is just too lazy.

And starting from the sixth question, from the perspective of the ancients, the questions asked became increasingly outrageous.

The first five questions were more or less related to the art of craftsmanship. There were a few questions that Zhang Shikang wanted to solve, but he had no idea where to start at the moment, so he gave the questions to the candidates to see if any of them were smart enough in this area.

He originally only wanted to come up with these five questions, but Song Yingxing and Bi Maokang thought they were too few, so Zhang Shikang had no choice but to reluctantly make up three more.

Zhang Shikang also refused to let Song Yingxing and others see the test questions on the grounds of confidentiality. As a result, Song Yingxing's brows were never relaxed when the test papers were distributed on the day of the exam.

Can humans still go to heaven? This is ridiculous. In what way? In the way of death. If you die, then you can go to heaven.

As a student majoring in science and engineering, the eldest brother also got the test paper. He guessed at a glance that this test paper must be related to the adult who had accompanied him to take the exam in the past few days.

Although they had only been together for a few days, the boss already understood why the General Administration of Manufacturing was able to create such good conditions for craftsmen all over the world in such a short period of time.

Because we attach enough importance to it, because we respect it enough, and of course, because of the long-term vision of the president.

He answered the first five questions on the test paper very seriously. As for the last three questions which seemed a bit absurd, he thought about them for a while before he started writing.

In answer to question 6, he believed that there were no gods and even gave examples.

If gods really existed, the Ming Dynasty would not have suffered so much. If gods sat back and did nothing, then they did not deserve to be called gods.

The answer to question 7 is very concise, just three words: I don’t know.

This question is clearly beyond the scope of the question.

The eighth question is the one that the boss has been thinking about for the longest time. This question may seem absurd to ordinary people, but for some people who have their own pursuits in scientific research, it is worth thinking about.

He solemnly wrote down the affirmative answer on the answer sheet and even listed a number of examples.

He believed that as long as the Ming court attached enough importance to science and engineering, sooner or later people would be able to break through the nine heavens.

It may be like a flying bird, like a Kongming lantern, or like a kite.

He believed that nature has its own rules, and as long as people could understand and master those rules, they could do everything that is unimaginable now.

After finishing the test paper, the eldest brother felt that this spring examination was really worthwhile. He became more and more optimistic about the court and his own future.

The eldest brother’s experience is just a microcosm of the countless science and engineering candidates in the entire examination hall.

Craftsmen who can pass the imperial court's rating and obtain the qualification to participate in the Spring Examination are all people who have aspirations and sufficient abilities in their craft.

For those who are well versed in science and engineering, they will not write beautiful parallel sentences like those literati to sing the praises of those soaring ideals.

They will only think rationally about how to achieve it if it is really possible.

In any case, the spring examination of the 14th year of Chongzhen ended on the third day of April.

In the next ten days, the pressure was once again on the examiner, but Zhang Shikang felt no pressure at all. He immediately slipped away on the pretext of dealing with urgent military affairs at the border.

Li Zicheng's Zui Camp submitted a battle report. In a month, Li Zicheng won victory after victory. Cooperating with Omubu of Guihua City outside the Great Wall, he defeated seven Mongolian tribes in succession.

In addition to killing the enemies, the number of horses captured alone exceeded 40,000.

Among these horses, 16,000 were suitable for direct use as war horses, and were transferred by Li Zicheng to Lu Xiangsheng who was stationed in Shanxi.

Zhang Shikang directly wrote a commendation order and told Li Zicheng in the letter that the pensions and rewards they deserved would be recorded in the account and would be paid in one lump sum once they returned to the interior.

He also told Li Zicheng to be careful of Huang Taiji. If this old Deng was really so easy to get along with, he would have died long ago.

……