Chapter 30: This World is Too Dangerous (Part 2)

  "It's bold!" was not said by Liu Gonggong, but by Zhao Pu.

  Song Jiuzhen glanced at Zhao Pu, patted a willow tree by the street, and said, "The greening of the Eastern Capital is well done. The main roads are lined with peach trees and willows." But what Song Jiuzhen was talking about wasn't greening: "Your Majesty, if you put soil in a large tub, move a willow tree into it, fertilize and water it moderately, it won't grow as sturdy as one on the ground, but it will still grow. However, the amount of soil in the tub hasn't decreased much. Why can adding a small amount of nutrient-rich soil to water make a sapling grow into a towering tree? What changes occurred in between? This is the study of material boundaries. Some people research it for entertainment and create magic tricks and other entertaining projects. Magic isn't all bad, commoners also need happiness. But there are those who dare to study and use it to deceive emperors, making them indulge in pleasure, so from ancient times, righteous gentlemen have detested it, calling it a strange skill and cunning trickery. I don't understand, though - can playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting cultivate one's character? Can poetry and songs inspire moral improvement? Aren't they also unconventional paths? If an emperor becomes infatuated with them, human energy is limited, and even the smartest person will drop the melon while picking up the sesame seeds. How much energy does an emperor have to spare for state affairs? Like that one...

  He nodded southward.

  That person is truly a scholar, and his writing is excellent. But as an emperor, he leaves me speechless.

  "I think that the Way has its great and small aspects, but it's difficult to distinguish them as orthodox or heretical. If used in an orthodox way, it's orthodox; if used in a heretical way, it's heretical. For example, take the art of illusion: if one doesn't use it to deceive kings, nor even to entertain people, can it still be called a strange skill?"

  Zhao Kuangyin did not respond and could not respond.

  "When looking at things, wanting to see a thousand miles away, go up another floor, stand high and look far, why the higher you stand, the farther you can see?"

  "It's great to have a good view from up high!" Pan Weide said loudly from a short distance away.

  Zhao Kuangyin walked out of the teahouse, and his guards cleared a path. Clearing a path didn't mean chasing away all the common people, leaving only a desolate street with one person walking on it. Rather, it meant clearing a safe road for passage, keeping a certain distance to prevent villains from harming the emperor. Not just the emperor, but also officials on official business would have yamen clear the way. These people were at some distance from Zhao Kuangyin, not too far away, and many commoners came out of their homes to watch when they heard that the emperor was there. This group of second-generation rich kids also walked out of the Pan family home, including Pan Lian'er.

  It's been a long time, Pan Lian'er had already washed away her tears and reapplied her makeup, seeing Song Jiu looking at her with a dazed expression, she raised her small fist in warning.

  Zhao Kuangyi thought to himself that it wouldn't be good if that happened, so he decided to let his wife Fu Shi and Pan Mei's wife Tian Shi have a chat the next day. Otherwise, when the time came, Pan's little daughter would really hook up with this young man, and they would end up in bed together, turning raw rice into cooked rice, which would be a disaster.

  Song Jiu glanced at Pan Lian'er's face and said to Zhao Kuangyin, "Pan Langjun is wrong, there must be a reason for this."

  "Is it inside this paper?"

  "Well, on the first sheet of paper."

  "Open it."

  "Your Majesty, it was painted long ago. I originally intended to use it to teach my students about the principles of composition, but it is too shocking and unconventional, so I dare not show it."

  "Your Majesty, if you want me to open it, I'll open it. What's the point of stalling?" Zhao Pu said with great displeasure, this kid is obviously teasing the Emperor!

  "I obey your orders." Song Jiu opened the first sheet of white paper.

  "What is this?" Zhao Kuangyi asked discontentedly. Not only was he dissatisfied, but also the large white paper laid out on the road surface had been seen by the common people behind him, who were equally dissatisfied.

  The white paper is large, but the drawing on it is very simple. A circle, very round, drawn with a large compass, and two points on the circle, one close to the circle and one far from it. Two straight lines are drawn from each point, extending all the way to the edge of the circle. One circle, two points, four lines!

  "Two great kings, you see, if we draw a line from this point to the circle, there are countless possibilities, but only two lines perfectly intersect with the edge of the circle. Any line drawn within these two lines will intersect with the circle, but any line drawn outside of these two lines will be outside the circle. The closer the point is to the circle, the smaller the range; the farther the point is from the circle, the larger the range."

  In this era, it's a bit hard to understand when one's brain is not being utilized enough. However, several people in the scene had exceptionally good brains. Zhao Kuangyi said, "What does that have to do with anything?"

  "Two kings, if this point is the human eye, the point closer to the circle is the human eye standing on the ground, and the point farther from the circle is the human eye standing on a high building, what would it be like?"

  "What will that be like... What is it!" Zhao Kuangyi suddenly jumped up, then pointed at Song Jiu with his hand, stuttering: "You, you're saying, saying the sky is round and the earth is square?"

  There are still many ordinary people who don't understand, but one round heaven and square earth is enough. Since ancient times, the common people have always thought that the heaven is round and the earth is square, and now they all burst into laughter.

  "Two great kings, I was just making a metaphor, nothing has been said."

  "Then I ask you..." Zhao Kuangyi ran into the teahouse and brought out a tea cup, placing it on the ground, saying: "If it's round, why doesn't it roll in other directions?"

  "This, this..." Song Jiu gazed at the remaining two sheets of paper, the answer was in those two papers, but should he open them or not. Zhao Pu said that he himself was a master of extraordinary skills and had brought these three sheets of paper, but opening the three sheets of paper would not lead to his own downfall like Galileo's, but it would also cause great controversy.

  "What's inside?"

  "It's better if those two aren't opened."

  Song Jiu asked if it would work? Zhao Kuangyi pulled Song Jiu to one side and unfolded the second blueprint, laying it on the ground.

  Boom!

  The commotion grew bigger, and some onlookers wanted to get a closer look, but the guards desperately blocked their way.

  This paper is twice as large as the previous one, and it has a diagram of the solar system. Not only does it have a diagram of the solar system, but also the orbit of the Earth's four seasons, and through the changes in the orbit and the direct and oblique rays of sunlight, it explains the reasons for the changes in spring warmth, summer heat, autumn coolness, and winter coldness. Moreover, the four seasons are divided into four regions. The first region is simple, with a large Earth, but Song Yu did not draw a more detailed world map, which cannot be explained clearly. However, it has drawn the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, and written a character "Song", which can be seen as the position of the Earth during the Song Dynasty. One is daytime, and one is nighttime.

  The second section is about the relationship between the Earth and the Moon, clearly depicting a four-month period with an orbit marked in red. The Earth moves along this orbit, and three Earths are drawn, all on the back side, as well as the Moon. To make it clear to viewers, the drawing also shows the light reflected by the Moon, using the beginning, middle, and end of the month to explain the full moon and crescent moon.

  The third area is also sensational, using diagrams to explain the reason for solar eclipses.

  The fourth region uses diagrams to explain the cause of a lunar eclipse.

  The earth is not only round but also constantly rotating.

  Those with low IQ only see this point, but in the arena, there are those with high IQ. Zhao Kuangyi's face changed greatly and said: "You're saying that the earth not only rotates, but can also rotate to the bottom."

  If it's really like this, then this world is simply too dangerous.

  Zhao Pu angrily said: "Seditious words deceive the masses!"

  Just as a scholar finished his test, Song Jiu beckoned: "Qin Wa Zi, come here."

  Only seventeen years old, but very clever, one of Song Jiu's most valued students. Qin Wawa walked over with a quiver, first kneeling: "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

  At that time, it was not popular to kneel down, generally people would just bow, the lower they bowed, the more respectful. Kneeling was only for parents, but even if there was, Song Jiu wouldn't expect Qin Wa Zi to have any dignity. Zhao Kuangyin let Qin Wa Zi stand up straight, Song Jiu asked: "What's the result of the competition?"

  "Mr. Nine, won by luck."

  Zhao brothers and Zhao Pu let Song Jiu scare them, almost forgetting the matter. Zhao Kuangyin said: "You won?"

  "Your Majesty, they won by luck, and their method of accounting is incorrect, prone to errors. Their accounts for last month were calculated incorrectly, I pointed it out to them, but they didn't accept it, I didn't argue with them, let them recalculate themselves."

  Zhao Kuangyin looked at Song Jiu with a profound gaze, and Song Jiu bowed: "Your Majesty, when I opened the school, I taught five subjects. The first was Confucian classics, and the others were mathematics, physical science, accounting, and practical skills. Practical skills refer to cultivating hands-on ability and applying what one has learned, rather than just letting students read books passively. That accounting course is about teaching students how to keep accounts and calculate."

  "What's different?"

  "Your Majesty, ask Qin Wa Zi."

  "Qin Wanzi, you come and answer me."

  "Yes, Mr. Jiu also mentioned this matter. Now the common method of single-entry bookkeeping is prone to errors, and that store is one of them. He taught us double-entry bookkeeping. The calculation method was also incorrect, Mr. Jiu said that the most advanced algorithm in our dynasty is the Four Pillars Clearing Method, but most people are still using the backward Single Pillar Settlement Method. That store used the Single Pillar Settlement Method. So even if I only learned a little bit, I'm better than them."

  "What is single-entry bookkeeping method, double-entry bookkeeping method, and what are the columnar settlement method and four-column clearing method?"

  Qin Wanzi explained that these terms were originally very professional, and he had only studied for two months, so it was impossible to remember them one by one. Adding to the tension, his explanation was vague and unclear. Zhao Kuangyin couldn't understand him either, and with a wave of his hand, he stopped him from continuing and asked: "Which family did you go to?"

  Qin Wanzi pointed to a store on the east side, which was quite far away, more than 200 meters. However, Zhao Kuangyin had a good memory and saw that store on his way here, it was a fur shop with a large scale. Zhao Kuangyin said coldly: "You haven't even learned about furs, how can you win?"

  Qin Wanzi didn't know whether it was a good or bad thing, and didn't dare to answer. Song Jiu replied on the side: "Your Majesty, Han Yu said that learning is endless and bitter, like being in a boat at sea. The scope of knowledge is too vast, don't mention him, I, your humble minister, have been pondering over accounting for several years, and still need to be pointed out by others, and dare not say that I have learned even the surface."

  "It's this kind of worthless knowledge that actually won over a well-established company's accountant!"

  "Your Majesty, it is inevitable that the advanced will replace the backward."

  "So you're saying that even the accountants in our imperial court are also backward?"

  "I dare not, I was just a commoner before, and all I knew were some shops and how they were managed in the government offices, I don't know. I don't know, so how can I dare to evaluate?"

  "You dare to draw this picture?" Zhao Kuangyin was also annoyed, the big ball rotates once a day, every day it rotates downwards, don't even think about it, with one rotation, even staying in the palace is not safe.