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

"The Book of Answers?"

Everyone looked confused, and Song Yingxing and Bi Maokang were also bewildered.

"This is the work of my painstaking efforts! With this book, many of your doubts will be answered. Therefore, I have named it the Book of Answers."

Zhang Shikang explained again with some pride on his face.

He is not bragging. This book took up a lot of his energy and recorded almost everything he learned in later generations.

Of course, Zhang Shikang knew most of the items but didn't know why they were there.

But none of this matters. He just needs to make these Ming Dynasty craftsmen understand that as long as they study according to the answers above, most of their doubts can be solved.

As for how to prove it and how to apply it, this is not what Zhang Shikang wants to do.

After saying that, Zhang Shikang solemnly handed the thick book to Song Yingxing.

Song Yingxing didn't know what was going on, so he opened the book and started reading. Bi Maokang, who was standing next to him, also came over out of curiosity.

This book has no table of contents at all because Zhang Shikang basically asked his wife to write whatever he thought of. The previous sentence might be about astronomy, and the next sentence might be about medicine.

So when Song Yingxing opened the first page, the first sentence he wrote was, the planet we live on is called the Earth, and the moon we see is also a sphere, which I call the Moon.

The earth and the moon, like the stars we see, are floating in the universe.

The average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 380,000 kilometers.

Note: One kilometer = one thousand meters.

Note: One meter is equal to ten decimeters, and one decimeter is equal to ten centimeters.

Note: One inch is approximately equal to 3.333 centimeters. Please convert it by yourself.

Song Yingxing was full of questions, and Bi Maokang beside him was also confused.

The moon is a sphere? They live on a sphere? And they float in the air?

They have never heard of concepts like kilometers and kilometres.

As for the second one, it directly crosses disciplines.

It is said that water is composed of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen, and its chemical formula is H·O. It can be reduced to hydrogen and oxygen through electricity.

Note: Hydrogen is flammable, while oxygen is the air we breathe into our lungs.

Note: Electricity is a type of energy. For example, lightning is a type of electricity. Electricity is a very powerful energy. Lightning can kill people. If we can generate enough electricity, electricity can be used as a weapon to kill the enemy.

Song Yingxing and Bi Maokang looked at each other, both confused.

Water is just water. How can it be decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen? And can hydrogen burn?

Is electricity energy? Isn't lightning the wrath of a god?

The third one again crosses disciplines.

When soldiers are said to be infected after being slashed, it is actually because the wounds are eroded by a variety of bacteria. As long as these bacteria are killed, the mortality rate of trauma can be greatly reduced.

The most effective drug for killing bacteria in common injuries is something called penicillin.

This thing is widely found in moist environments rich in organic matter, such as moldy fruits, steamed buns, vegetables or soil.

There is also a secondary drug that can kill bacteria in external injuries, which is the allicin that I have previously developed.

Allicin is not easy to preserve, so you must find a way to extract penicillin as soon as possible.

Whoever can make it, I ask Your Majesty to reward him with a thousand gold coins, confer him the title of marquis, and grant him a red seal and an iron certificate.

Note: Bacteria is a general term. There are many bacteria in the air and in the human body.

Note: In addition to bacteria, there is also fungus, such as various mushrooms.

Turning the pages further, there are entries such as gunpowder and fulminate of mercury, and there are also many items related to improving the survival rate of soldiers and the power of weapons, with rewards and titles being given, and hereditary succession.

The more Song Yingxing read, the more frightened he became. When Johann Adam Schall von Bell, who was standing next to him, wanted to go over and take a look, Song Yingxing immediately closed the book.

Several senior officials of the General Administration of Manufacturing, such as Song Yingxing, Bi Maokang, Mao Yuanyi, Wang Zheng and others, had all received training in confidentiality from Zhang Shikang, and more than once.

At first they thought Zhang Shikang was too narrow-minded. After all, more communication with outsiders could also promote mutual improvement.

But later they gradually changed their views and firmly believed that what Zhang Shikang said was right.

Zhang Shikang's example was also very simple. Since the Ming Dynasty's bird gun was backward, the court introduced and imitated the Rumi gun from the Ottoman Empire.

At Zhang Shikang's suggestion, the new black powder formulated by the General Administration of Manufacturing increased its combustion efficiency by 30%.

If all technologies are shared with outsiders, then sooner or later, the surrounding enemies will learn them and use them to invade the Ming Dynasty.

This principle is actually easy to understand, but most officials have been too deeply influenced by Confucianism and believe that a country of etiquette should not be so narrow-minded. They believe that as long as they treat others with courtesy, foreign vassals will also treat them with courtesy.

Although Song Yingxing, Bi Maokang and others were also familiar with Confucian classics, science and engineering talents were relatively more pragmatic after all, and they quickly implemented Zhang Shikang's requirements.

So even though Johann Adam Schall von Bell had been staying in the General Manufacturing Bureau, he still didn't know the latest formula of Ming Dynasty's black gunpowder.

All kinds of workshops within the General Manufacturing Bureau are guarded by guards, and different workshops are not allowed to visit each other.

For some core projects, screening begins when selecting participants. Not only the participants themselves need to be checked, but even their parents' and wives' families need to be checked.

Seeing this, Zhang Shikang was very satisfied with Song Yingxing's defense against Johann Adam Schall von Bell. In fact, the Manufacturing General Administration treated Johann Adam Schall von Bell and the foreign missionaries he called over very well.

Not only was food and accommodation provided, but a generous salary was also given. Tang Ruowang was also awarded the Military Medal for overcoming the difficulties in casting artillery with Wang Zheng.

In short, the Ming Dynasty treats foreign vassals, especially those who have made contributions to the Ming Dynasty, with courtesy and gives you everything you deserve.

But don’t even think about what you’re not supposed to know.

Zhang Shikang once again looked at the craftsmen of the General Manufacturing Bureau and the prospective students of various schools around him and said:

"The Book of Answers contains numerous items. If someone conquers each item, the minimum reward is several thousand taels of silver.

In addition, the current Book of Answers also includes more than 20 titles of varying degrees, including some hereditary titles.

As long as you can conquer these tasks, the title and bounty will be yours."

Zhang Shikang said this lightly, but he was not exaggerating.

Every breakthrough in the items he set will have a profound impact on the Ming Dynasty.

For example, penicillin. Once it can be extracted in large quantities, the casualty rate on the battlefield can be reduced by at least several times.

What is this concept? No one knows better than the imperial court how much it costs to train an excellent soldier.

If penicillin is used among the people, it will benefit all the people in the world. For such an achievement, it is not an exaggeration to give him a hereditary marquisate.

Moreover, Zhang Shikang was completely sure that Brother Chongzhen would not object. This was a great thing that would benefit the country and the people, and it would certainly make him famous in history.

A reward of millions of gold, a title of nobility, and hereditary succession, once these words spread among the people around, they instantly ignited the whole place.

In these days, nothing is more attractive than money and status.

A nearby craftsman almost trembled with excitement as he confirmed to Zhang Shikang:

"Your Highness, you mean that the court will provide money and equipment for us to conduct research and pay us salaries.

Once you conquer the puzzle in that book, will you still be able to earn a knighthood?"

……