Chapter 154: An Apple Falls

Ever since I bound up my hair and began to study, I have never seen anyone so utterly shameless! Xu Guangqi felt his mind in complete disarray.

Was the Emperor's demand excessive? From the perspective of a man of the Great Ming, it was not excessive in the slightest.

Thunder and rain, all are the sovereign's grace; life and death alike rest in the monarch's hands. To demand your knowledge serve the nation and yet still haggle over terms?

This is the height of having neither sovereign nor father!

But from the perspective of those on the side of the Jesus-buddy faith, this demand was indeed quite excessive. You won't allow us to preach, yet you still want us to labor for you — isn't this plainly refusing the donkey its carrot while still making it turn the millstone?

This is simply bullying people past all endurance!

Of course, Xu Guangqi felt no concern either way. Barbarians, after all, have neither sovereign nor father — akin to beasts and birds.

They fear force but do not cherish virtue; when strong they are sure to plunder, when weak they grovel in submission, heedless of grace or duty — such is their inborn nature. Selling out these fellows, he felt not the slightest psychological pressure whatsoever.

After mulling it over, Xu Guangqi bowed and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, among the Western barbarians now in the capital who excel in calendrical science and firearms, there is one named Johann Adam Schall von Bell.

He is a Jesuit missionary from the Holy Roman Empire of the West — a brother and priest of the Catholic Jesuit order. This man is skilled in calendrical methods, firearms, and various miscellaneous arts.

This minister had originally thought to bring him into the Royal Academy, but refrained from doing so on account of his status as a Western barbarian."

Chongzhen, however, asked with curiosity: "What does it matter, Western barbarian or not? If he is useful, that is good. Summon him in, let him take part in the firearms and calendar projects."

Xu Guangqi bowed once more in salute and said: "Your Majesty, it must not be. Within this Royal Academy there are many secrets unique to our Great Ming.

Should he come to know them, I fear the risk of their leaking out. If those barbarians were to learn them and carry them away, it would be to the Great Ming's detriment."

Chongzhen merely gave a cold laugh and said: "He's just one barbarian. Let him come by all means. Even if he learns and wishes to carry it out, he must first be able to leave this land of the Great Ming alive! The Great Ming is vast — where in this land is there no soil to bury a man?"

... Xu Guangqi was utterly at a loss for words.

This Emperor being shameless was one thing, but he was also so brazenly righteous about treating these foreign barbarians as beneath notice. A human life — possibly even the life of a man who had labored and bled in his service — to bury it just like that, on a whim.

Truly, utterly shameless!

Of course, whether Chongzhen was shameless or not, Xu Guangqi felt it mattered little. Throughout history, virtually all the more famous emperors were basically shameless sorts.

Look at Emperor Jing of Han, who smashed the Crown Prince of Wu to death with a chessboard. Li Shimin slaughtered his brothers and took pleasure in it, then swaggeringly had it written into the histories.

Zhao Kuangyin draped himself in the yellow robe at Chenqiao Post Station. Among these enlightened lords and sage sovereigns, which one had any shame?

On the contrary, those emperors who did care for face — like the Zhengde Emperor and the late Tianqi Emperor — all met their ends in murky, unexplained ways.

"That being the case, Your Majesty might perhaps lure him with generous sums.

Western barbarians are by nature keen on profit. If Your Majesty promises rich rewards, even if he cannot preach, I imagine there will be no objection."

Although Xu Guangqi felt that the Chongzhen Emperor's treatment of the barbarians was underhanded, when it came to selling out his own Jesus-buddies, he sold them out just as thoroughly.

Chongzhen grunted an acknowledgment and said to Xu Guangqi: "That is no obstacle. If it is a problem that silver can solve, then it is no problem at all."

He turned and said to Wang Cheng'en, who stood in attendance at his side: "Note it down. Remind Us once We return to the palace."

After Wang Cheng'en bowed and acknowledged the order, Chongzhen then continued: "And how goes the matter of the flintlock firelocks?"

At these words, Xu Guangqi's old face fell.

He had known the Emperor would not come all the way here for no reason — sure enough, it was for this matter: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the firelocks produced according to Your Majesty's instructions are indeed convenient and effective, unafraid of rain and damp.

So long as the powder and shot are not wet, their use is unimpaired."

"However, the barrels burst far too quickly.

Some burst after a mere twenty-odd shots. Even the better ones last no more than thirty to fifty rounds.

If they were to be used in the eastern campaign against the Jianzhou barbarians, I estimate each soldier would need to carry over ten firelocks and rotate through them. Otherwise, after a single battle, they would have no choice but to resort to blade and sword."

Bought a watch! Chongzhen cursed inwardly. What the hell kind of firing line is this? Gun down my ass! Before I can shoot anyone, I'll probably get my own men blown to pieces first — and when the time comes, I'll still end up hanging from that crooked-neck tree!

Just as Chongzhen was stewing in displeasure, he heard Xu Guangqi continue: "If we forgo the rifling, however, things become much easier. Not only does output increase, but the barrel-bursting problem is also greatly reduced.

A single gun can fire several hundred or even up to a thousand rounds without bursting."

Damn, those later-generation what, AK-whatevers? No, this still won't do! Mother's mother be damned!

Still, it was a turn for the better. Having smoothbore guns that could be used was at least some good news — far better than having the smoothbores bursting too. Smoothbores might not be ideal, but if we can't play at designated sniping, we can at least still give line-formation volley fire a go.

But as for this whole business, Chongzhen wanting peace of mind was impossible — peace of mind was probably impossible for the rest of his life. Only a cycle of being happy for a while and then vexed for a while — that was the eternal loop of Chongzhen's existence.

Sure enough, Xu Guangqi went on: "In truth, the root cause is that the steel is not up to standard. If we had good steel, this minister is confident he could push the firelocks a step further. Additionally, regarding the steam engine Your Majesty spoke of previously..."

Seeing Xu Guangqi's face full of wry bitterness as he trailed off, Chongzhen asked with curiosity: "What about that one? Also a problem with the steel?"

Xu Guangqi bowed and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, that one, by contrast, does not demand much of the steel. This minister followed the experiment Your Majesty performed that day.

If the seal is not tight, steam constantly leaks out, and the rod inside cannot be pushed into motion. If it is sealed too tightly, then as on that day, either the rod is shot out with violent force, or an explosion occurs.

It has already blown one craftsman to death."

Hearing this, Chongzhen was also cast into gloom. Such things were always unavoidable.

He was no science-and-engineering dog; knowing about a steam engine and a seal was already no small feat. As for the rest — how to make it work — how could he possibly know?

After pondering for a long while with no clue, Chongzhen could only speak in a somber tone: "Enough. Provide generous compensation and support to that craftsman's family.

If he has a son, grant the son enrollment in the academy by hereditary privilege. We cannot let their sacrifice go without proper recompense.

For such sacrifice in service to the nation, no posthumous honor, however grand, would be excessive."

Xu Guangqi, hearing this, was also moved to sighs and lamentation, and then said: "Your Majesty's grace is profound. On behalf of that craftsman's family, this minister thanks Your Majesty."

Chongzhen was just about to return to the palace to ease his mind when, as he braced one hand on the armrest of his chair, a thing from the later age suddenly sprang to mind.

Instantly excited, he said to Xu Guangqi: "Minister Xu, We have an idea, but it will require much testing and verification from you."

Xu Guangqi, seeing the Emperor's dragon countenance now beaming with delight after having been so downcast moments before, had no idea what Chongzhen had thought of. He could only bow in salute and say: "Your Majesty, please speak."

Chongzhen excitedly extended his arm and gestured: "Minister Xu, observe. This arm moves back and forth. Once it is extended, what motion is required to draw it back again?"

Xu Guangqi watched Chongzhen gesturing with his arm like a little child and inwardly found it rather amusing.

Yet with the Son of Heaven posing a question, he had no choice but to answer: "Reporting to Your Majesty, one bends the elbow and pulls inward — thus the arm naturally retracts." As he spoke, he too made a motion of bending his elbow and drawing it back.

This retraction, however, was no small thing. Just like that apple which happened to fall upon Newton's head, Xu Guangqi suddenly saw the light and exclaimed: "Your Majesty is divinely wise!"

Seeing Xu Guangqi's face also alight with excitement, Chongzhen said: "Minister Xu, have you grasped it?"

Xu Guangqi, heedless now of the fact that laughing before the Emperor's face constituted a breach of decorum, let out a great laugh and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, within the steam engine, that rod which is pushed outward — that is this minister's arm.

If one wishes it to retract, one needs an elbow joint."

Chongzhen also laughed heartily: "Exactly! This elbow joint — after the arm is pushed out, with one revolution of the return motion, it draws back in again.

If within this mechanism we set a circular ring, and upon that ring find a point to attach that arm, then in the back-and-forth motion, does it not extend and then retract?

Let the steam drive the disc in continuous rotation, then connect that disc to an axle — is that not motive power? And then use that to drive other machinery — would it be feasible?"

Xu Guangqi, hearing this, pondered for a long while, and then raised his own arm, moving it back and forth many times. Only then did he suddenly comprehend and say: "Your Majesty is divinely wise!

In the past, when this minister heard of men endowed with heaven-granted brilliance, he always thought it was mistaken lore. But now Your Majesty has provided solid, tangible proof of innate divine genius.

This minister prostrates himself in awe!"

Having perfectly executed a bout of showing off, Chongzhen merely smiled and said nothing. If he had not braced his arm on the chair's armrest to stand up, he would never have thought of those old-fashioned "chug-chug" trains of the later age.

Accustomed to high-speed rail and airplanes, Chongzhen had simply never, in the moment, recalled these contraptions known as dogfish-head locomotives.

In ordinary life in the later world, apart from the Railway Museum in the capital, where else could one ever see such a wondrous device?

Though he had seen plenty of them in those anti-Japanese war dramas — didn't the Flying Tigers or Mobile Corps Commander units often tear up these trains or their rails to give the little devils trouble?

This dogfish locomotive burned coal.

One great steam engine, transmitting power through crankshaft and connecting rod, chugging and crawling slowly along the iron rails, not even as fast as a fine horse could run — but this damn thing never knew fatigue, ate no beans or fodder, and hauled a vast amount of cargo.

Even at its slowest, half a month's time would always be enough to trundle from the capital to Liaodong, wouldn't it?

And when the time came, the Great Ming soldiers, having rested and gathered their strength on the train, would have energy to spare to play line-formation volley fire with the Jianzhou barbarians at their leisure!

The more he thought, the more delighted he became. Chongzhen said to Xu Guangqi: "Minister Xu, you must continue to experiment and build, striving to produce this steam engine at the earliest date. When the time comes, We shall certainly bestow a heavy reward!"

Before Xu Guangqi could reply, Chongzhen, suddenly recalling that Yi Xingzhi, continued: "Ah, yes — there is also an Imperial Academy student who has returned from overseas study. We shall send him to you one of these days."

(End of Chapter)