Chapter 14: All of Them Are Talents

At Adam Schall's invitation, Zhu Cilang came to the residence behind the church where Adam Schall lived.

The moment he stepped inside, his eyes brightened — this place was practically a laboratory, with instruments set up everywhere, most of them astronomical devices.

On the desk where Adam Schall worked, Zhu Cilang also spotted a book titled the *Chongzhen Calendar*.

It was a fairly comprehensive work introducing European astronomical knowledge, the fruit of five years of research and compilation by Xu Guangqi, Li Zhizao, Li Tianjing, Adam Schall, and others.

The book contained astronomical theory, mathematical astronomy, and descriptions of astronomical instruments, and it extensively introduced the concept of the Earth from Copernicus's *On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres*, including the motions of solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, Jupiter, Mercury, and Mars. It also presented spherical and plane trigonometry, and introduced the ecliptic coordinate system among coordinate systems.

It had been formally completed two years earlier, in the seventh year of Chongzhen — the painstaking work of Adam Schall and his colleagues.

Yet historically, after the book was finished, it was mired in ten years of disputes and obstruction from conservative opponents, and it was not until the eighth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen that the Chongzhen Emperor overrode all objections and resolved to promulgate the new calendar — but before the order to issue the *Chongzhen Calendar* could be carried out, the Ming dynasty had already fallen.

Seeing the Crown Prince leafing through the book, Adam Schall's heart stirred — he very much hoped that this future master of the Great Ming might take an interest in it.

Though he did not know whether the boy could even read the characters, the book contained many geometric diagrams, and he hoped they might at least catch the Crown Prince's attention.

Feeling Adam Schall's eager gaze, Zhu Cilang closed the book, looked at him, and said, "A work of such magnitude should serve the nation."

Looking at the somewhat agitated Adam Schall, Zhu Cilang continued, "I would not see a bright pearl left to gather dust, but I also hope that you, sir, will do your utmost for my Great Ming."

"May I ask what Your Highness wishes me to do?" Adam Schall asked very directly.

Seeing how forthright the other man was, Zhu Cilang wasted no words and said, "I know you are versed in the methods of casting Western artillery. I wonder whether you could cast some cannons for my Great Ming — ones like the red barbarian cannon."

Although the Ming dynasty's firearms development was not poor, by the late Ming it had already fallen somewhat behind the West.

By this time, the armies of many European nations had already universally equipped flintlock muskets, and their cannon research technology was also a notch ahead of China's. The Great Ming had several times purchased cannons from the Portuguese in Macau.

"No problem. As long as there is a cannon foundry, I will teach them to cast the newest cannons."

Adam Schall was very agreeable. As the head of the Catholic mission in China, proselytizing was also his primary work, and to spread the faith smoothly, he had to cultivate connections with the powerful and eminent of the Great Ming.

And the Crown Prince before him, as the future emperor of the Great Ming Empire, was someone worth cultivating now — it would be enormously beneficial to his missionary career.

"Good. I will ask His Majesty my father to issue an edict to establish a new foundry, with you presiding over cannon casting. You will not be subject to anyone's interference."

Zhu Cilang was well aware that he had not yet taken control of the Armory Bureau, and expecting a foreigner like Adam Schall to manage those old slick operators was unrealistic — it would be a miracle if he weren't swindled to death.

Next, Zhu Cilang toured Adam Schall's laboratory and noticed a firearm hanging on one wall — from its appearance, it was different from the firearms used by Ming soldiers.

"What kind of firearm is this?" Zhu Cilang said, pointing at the unusual gun.

Adam Schall explained, "Reporting to Your Highness, this is called a flintlock musket. It is a new type of firearm that uses a flint striking to ignite the gunpowder, produced at the Bocarro Foundry in Macau."

"Are you saying the Bocarro Foundry in Macau is already producing flintlock muskets?" Zhu Cilang felt a surge of excitement inside.

The Bocarro Foundry was a cannon foundry of considerable scale — it produced not only cannons, but also cannonballs, gunpowder, and even church bells. After the court learned of this, it had sent people to Macau on several occasions to purchase cannons.

At this time, Macau was not occupied by the Portuguese — the Portuguese merely paid a fee to lease some land, obtaining the right to survive in Macau, and many of their activities were subject to restrictions by the Great Ming.

It was only in the late Qing that the Portuguese truly established a foothold, planted their flag, and occupied Macau.

"Of course — the Bocarro Foundry also has the newest model of flintlock musket," Adam Schall replied. He did not know why the Crown Prince of the Great Ming had such a great interest in firearms.

Zhu Cilang said joyfully, "I wonder whether you, sir, could produce one?"

Adam Schall shook his head and said, "Your Highness, I regret to say that even the Bocarro Foundry has only recently managed to reverse-engineer the newest flintlock musket. I have obtained only one specimen, and although I am still studying it, I cannot yet reproduce it."

Zhu Cilang nodded, indicating understanding. He had only held out a tentative hope anyway — if even the older-style flintlock could be produced, he would already be quite satisfied. So he said, "Then you can produce the ordinary flintlock musket, can't you?"

"I am very sorry, Your Highness, but I cannot produce even the ordinary flintlock musket. After all, I normally have little time to research this kind of firearm."

Zhu Cilang was deeply disappointed to hear this. Although he had the drawings made by Bi Maokang in his hands, producing a flintlock musket from drawings alone would be extremely difficult and would require a great deal of time.

Seeing the disappointment that was hard to conceal in the Crown Prince's eyes, Adam Schall continued, "However, Your Highness, I have a friend who can produce them."

"Who is it? Please introduce him to me!" Zhu Cilang was somewhat curious — could there be another master craftsman in the Great Ming?

"Your Highness, please wait a moment." Adam Schall whispered a few words to one of his assistants, and the assistant quickly left, as if going to fetch someone.

Before long, a man of about thirty years of age walked in, led by Adam Schall's assistant.

The moment he entered, the man said, "Father, I was in the middle of studying that firearm — why were you in such a hurry to call me over?"

Adam Schall hurriedly said, "Heding, this is His Highness the Crown Prince. Come quickly and pay your respects."

The man was greatly startled — he had not expected the Crown Prince himself to grace this place.

Yet although he was surprised, he did not show much sign of being flustered. He hurriedly bowed deeply to Zhu Cilang and said, "This humble commoner pays his respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Cilang hurriedly said, "Sir, no need for such ceremony. May I ask whether your late father was the former Chief Censor and former Governor of Denglai, Lord Sun Yuanhua?"

The man was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said, "That is correct — he was my late father."

Only then did Zhu Cilang confirm that the friend Adam Schall had said could produce flintlock muskets was Sun Heding, the eldest son of Sun Yuanhua.

Sun Yuanhua's several sons had been steeped in his influence since childhood and were also proficient in firearms manufacture, with Sun Heding being the most skilled of them all. Because Sun Yuanhua had been unjustly executed by the court, it was no wonder Sun Heding showed little emotional reaction upon seeing him.

Hearing Sun Heding's answer, Zhu Cilang continued, "I have heard from Master Tang that you, sir, are expert in the art of firearm manufacture. My Great Ming happens to need a batch of firearms cast to resist the Tartars beyond the passes, and so I wish to engage your assistance."

But to his surprise, upon hearing Zhu Cilang's words, Sun Heding immediately shook his head and said, "My late father left a dying command that we brothers must never serve as officials for the rest of our lives. I truly dare not violate my late father's command, and so I cannot comply. I beg Your Highness the Crown Prince to forgive me."

Because Sun Yuanhua had joined the Catholic faith during his lifetime, Adam Schall had administered the last rites to the dying Sun Yuanhua. In those final moments, Sun Yuanhua asked Adam Schall to convey to his three sons that they should not resent the court for his unjust execution, that they should not become officials, and that they should compile his posthumous works and pass them on to later generations.

The protagonist is just using the foreigner's technology — the two are using each other. Catholicism will not develop later on; at the very least, the protagonist will not help Adam Schall much.