Chapter 311: Imperial Authority Is Supreme

"What is his name? Why is he taking the imperial examinations at such an advanced age?" Zhu Youxiao turned to look at Shen Tingyun and asked.

"Your Majesty, his name is Wang Zheng." Shen Tingyun said hurriedly.

It was clear that Xu Guangqi using his own carriage to send Wang Zheng had aroused some suspicion in His Majesty, so Shen Tingyun did not hesitate and decided to tell His Majesty everything about Wang Zheng.

But upon hearing this name, Zhu Youxiao was stunned.

Anyone with some knowledge of late-Ming history should have heard the name Wang Zheng. It was a name that could not be bypassed. Though not as famous as Lu Xiangsheng or Sun Chuanting, this man's role was great and very important.

"Your Majesty, Wang Zheng's father was a private school teacher skilled in mathematics; his maternal uncle was versed in military strategy and skilled at making instruments; Wang Zheng's own scholarship was also excellent—he passed the juren examination at the age of twenty-four."

Shen Tingyun kept speaking, but Zhu Youxiao was no longer listening, because the information about this Wang Zheng kept surfacing in his mind, and the more he thought, the clearer it became.

Wang Zheng, like Xu Guangqi, was a leader of Western learning. The two were called by later generations "Xu of the South and Wang of the North," which was very high praise for both men.

The reason Wang Zheng had failed the imperial examinations for so many years was that he had devoted most of his energy to science.

Moreover, Wang Zheng had very strong opinions on ideology, believing that the thinking of the Great Ming had gone wrong, that the academic atmosphere had serious problems, that corruption ran rampant in officialdom, that the armies across the realm had no will to fight—this country had problems.

Wang Zheng had once sought help from Buddhism, then later converted to Daoism, giving himself the Daoist name "Liaoyi Daoren."

After discovering that Daoism could not save the country, Wang Zheng turned to Catholicism.

After the Battle of Sarhu, Wang Zheng had submitted a memorial to the court, vigorously advocating practical learning, hoping thereby to enrich the state and strengthen the military.

When Wang Zheng came to the capital for the metropolitan examination, he submitted a memorial to the Emperor in his capacity as a juren, expressing his willingness to "serve in the army as a commoner" to repay the country, actively training troops and preparing for war.

Later, Wang Zheng consulted various ancient military texts and wrote the book Military Covenant; not long after, he wrote another book, Questions from a Guest, in which he concretely proposed strategies for defeating the enemy.

This was a man who still had ideas in his heart for serving the country, just like Xu Guangqi; he was also torn between the Great Ming and Western learning, and after converting to Catholicism, he lived in great anguish over the matter of taking a concubine because he had no son.

At the same time, he had very deep research in mechanics and wind-powered machinery manufacturing. Wang Zheng compiled a book of illustrations for new instruments, elucidating many of his ideas.

It could be said that this man was one of the most accomplished scientists of the Ming dynasty, with very high talent in both mechanics and machinery manufacturing.

At the same time, he also harbored deep concern for the country and its people—he could truly be called a remarkable man.

Wang Zheng entered officialdom in his fifties, serving successively as Judge of Guangping Prefecture in Zhili, Judge of Yangzhou Prefecture in Southern Zhili, and Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of the Shandong Surveillance Commission—he never reached a high position, nor did he ever have the opportunity to put his ideals into practice.

He was also extremely skilled in mathematics, with very high attainments in both mathematics and geometry.

Zhu Youxiao let out a gentle breath, turned to look at Shen Tingyun beside him, and asked: "Why did you stop?"

Shen Tingyun felt somewhat helpless.

I've been talking for this long and you haven't reacted at all—how am I supposed to continue?

But of course he dared not say such a thing, so Shen Tingyun could only say: "Your Majesty, your servant has finished. I do not know much about the rest. If Your Majesty wishes to know more, you may ask Grand Secretary Xu."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said: "That's fine, no need to ask."

After saying this, Zhu Youxiao no longer had the inclination to keep looking, turned and walked back, saying at the same time: "Return to the palace!"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The others dared not be negligent and hurriedly followed Zhu Youxiao back.

After Zhu Youxiao descended the building, he turned and instructed Chen Hong: "Send someone to find Xu Guangqi and have him come to the palace immediately. I have matters to discuss with him."

"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will arrange it at once." Chen Hong said hurriedly.

By the time Zhu Youxiao returned to the Western Park, Xu Guangqi had already arrived.

Seeing Zhu Youxiao walk in from outside in plain clothes, Xu Guangqi was startled, then hurriedly bowed and said: "Your servant Xu Guangqi pays respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Youxiao gestured for him to dispense with formalities and said: "Alright, let's just talk here."

After Xu Guangqi sat down, Zhu Youxiao asked: "Wang Zheng—are you very familiar with him?"

"Your Majesty, not very familiar." Xu Guangqi said.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao furrowed his brow and asked directly: "Today I went to the examination hall and saw your carriage sending him to the examination grounds. And you say you're not familiar with him?"

"Your Majesty, we merely share the same aspirations." Xu Guangqi said hurriedly.

Zhu Youxiao nodded.

Zhu Youxiao believed Xu Guangqi's words, because there was no reason for him to hide anything.

That these men formed factions at court was something he knew well, so there was simply no need to conceal such matters from him.

"Then tell me about him." Zhu Youxiao nodded and said.

Upon hearing Zhu Youxiao's words, Xu Guangqi hurriedly said: "I first learned of Wang Zheng because I read a book he wrote, titled Illustrations and Descriptions of Extraordinary Machines from the Far West."

"Illustrations and Descriptions of Extraordinary Machines from the Far West is divided into three volumes. The first volume discusses various principles of mechanics such as center of gravity and specific gravity. Because 'its methods can move great things with small force, it is therefore called weight, also called the art of force. The general principle is that heaven and earth produce things with number, with measure, with weight—number is calculation, measure is surveying, and weight is this art of force. All mutually support one another, so it first discusses the nature of weight itself, to clarify the rationale behind the laws.'"

"The second volume discusses various mechanical instruments such as levers, pulleys, axles, and inclined planes;"

"The third volume contains fifty-four illustrations of machines with explanations, including eleven diagrams for lifting weights (transporting heavy objects upward), four diagrams for pulling weights (horizontally towing heavy objects), two diagrams for turning weights (using winch principles to extract heavy objects), four diagrams for sawing wood (cutting giant logs), one diagram for cutting stone (splitting giant boulders), one diagram for a rotary pestle (a rice-husking machine), one diagram for a water sundial (a water-powered timekeeping device), one diagram for an ox-replacing plow (a mechanical plow for farming), four diagrams for water jets (high-pressure water guns for firefighting), as well as nine diagrams for drawing water and fifteen diagrams for rotary mills."

"Most of these machines are agricultural implements, all beneficial to the people's livelihood, and exquisitely crafted. After I examined them, I found them quite useful, so I invited Wang Zheng to the capital."

"His participation in this imperial examination is also with the intention of serving the court. If he does not pass this examination, then I was also thinking of recommending Wang Zheng to Your Majesty—talent like his should not be buried in the countryside. I simply did not expect that Your Majesty would encounter him first."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded and said: "Where did he learn all these things?"

"Your Majesty, I once asked Wang Zheng about this. In the fourth month of the forty-sixth year of Wanli, Nicolas Trigault, Johann Schreck, and twenty-two other Jesuits came to the Great Ming, bringing over seven thousand books, some of which recorded this knowledge."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded.

"In fact, Wang Zheng's translated and illustrated Illustrations and Descriptions of Extraordinary Machines from the Far West originated from three books brought over on that occasion."

"These three books were: the work Mathematical Collections (1608) by the Dutch mathematician and engineer Simon Stevin (1548–1630), which was the latest publication in Europe at the time;"

"the epoch-making masterpiece De Re Metallica (1556) by the German mining and metallurgy scholar Georg Bauer (1494–1555);"

"and the Italian engineering technician Agostino Ramelli's work Le Diverse et Artificiose Machine."

Upon hearing Xu Guangqi's words, Zhu Youxiao said: "There is a matter I would like you to handle."

"Your Majesty, please speak freely." Xu Guangqi said hurriedly.

"It's actually quite simple. I want to collect more of these books, then have them translated into the language of the Great Ming. This task can be entrusted to you." Zhu Youxiao said after a moment's thought.

Upon hearing this, Xu Guangqi was overjoyed.

In fact, long ago, Xu Guangqi had hoped that His Majesty would accept his ideas, and even the Catholicism he believed in. In his view, that was an ideal state.

Now His Majesty had finally come around to such thinking—though he did not know the reason, it was enough to make Xu Guangqi happy.

So Xu Guangqi hurriedly stood up and said, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, your servant will handle it immediately."

"How do you plan to handle it?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Xu Guangqi and said directly.

"Your servant will immediately write to those missionaries in various places, telling them all to come to the capital and bring all the books they carry with them. These people understand the Great Ming language, can write the Great Ming script, and some of them even already have translated books in their hands."

Xu Guangqi said with excitement in his tone, "As long as Your Majesty allows them to preach, they will certainly come gladly."

In fact, in the capital at present, there were quite a few Catholics as well. This result was owed to Matteo Ricci, who had tried countless times to preach on this land, and had also stumbled along the way, with the path never running smoothly — but after he later entered Beijing, his circumstances changed greatly.

According to the convention of the time, Western missionaries who died should have been reburied in Macau, but through the mediation of Chief Grand Secretary Ye Xianggao and others, the Wanli Emperor made an exception and permitted Matteo Ricci to be buried at the Vine Trellis Fence in the western suburbs of Beijing, making him the first Western missionary to be buried in Beijing.

When Matteo Ricci first arrived in Beijing, he stayed at the guesthouse specially designated for receiving foreign envoys; afterwards, he was permitted to select a civilian residence within the city for long-term lodging, and was allowed to carry out missionary activities.

Matteo Ricci selected a plot of land inside Xuanwu Gate, where he built a church — this was the famous South Church, the oldest surviving Catholic church in the Beijing area.

Zhu Youxiao was very clear on all these matters in his heart, but he had no intention of accepting Catholic doctrine.

The power of religious authority and the power of the emperor were inherently in conflict with each other.

Zhu Youxiao did not want a religious state, and even less did he want religion to participate in politics.

On this land of Cathay, religious power had never reached the summit; it had always been the dominion of imperial authority.

Zhu Youxiao did not want foreigners to get involved, so he would not accept their doctrine, nor did he believe that Catholic doctrine could save the Great Ming.

But judging by Xu Guangqi's appearance, he was clearly preparing to preach — this naturally would not do.