My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 164 This is true learning!
The ship's captain was named He Zhen, who was originally a battalion commander at the Laizhou Coast Guard.

After the establishment of the Dengzhou-Laizhou Maritime Trade Office, He Zhen was recruited by the garrison eunuch because of his familiarity with maritime affairs and became a captain of the Maritime Trade Office's fleet.

He Zhen was originally going to Korea with the fleet of the Maritime Trade Office, but unexpectedly encountered a storm at sea and deviated from the original route.

Although He Zhen had a nautical chart and a compass, and he also knew how to use celestial navigation to measure latitude, he concluded after observing the Big Dipper that he was far north of his original sea route, but he did not know exactly where.

Unfortunately, astronomy can only determine north and south, but not longitude, making accurate positioning impossible.

The further north they went, the colder it got. The food on the ship in Hezhen was almost gone, and the wood for repairing the cabin was also exhausted. Just when they were at their wits' end, they discovered this large island.

Upon hearing that the ship was surrounded by natives, He Zhen was overjoyed. As long as there were people on the island, he could recruit manpower to help repair the ship.

"Archery squad, follow me! No firing is permitted without my captain's orders!"

"Where is the teacher? Please invite Teacher Liu over!"

Master Liu, whose real name is Liu Changzhi, is a down-on-his-luck scholar from the local area.

He was also recruited by the Maritime Trade Office to work on the ship, where he was responsible for the ship's accounts and also had to provide medical care for the crew.

Although Liu Changzhi spoke in classical Chinese and was jokingly called "Master," the crew still respected the only ship's doctor and never went without food, even during days when rations were scarce on board.

He Zhen and Liu Changzhi went to the deck at the stern of the boat. The natives' birchwood boat approached, and one of them spoke to He Zhen in a rapid-fire manner. Liu Changzhi, with a helpless expression, said:
"Boss, I don't understand either."

Just then, a small boat that had just set sail from the shore rowed up to the side of the Ming Dynasty ship. An old man stood up on the boat and said in broken Chinese:

"Is the captain an envoy from the Celestial Empire?!"

Liu Changzhi quickly said:
"We are ships of the Ming Dynasty!"

Upon hearing the words "Ming Dynasty," the old man became excited. He immediately ordered the natives' boats to move aside and shouted:

"We are Kuwu people appointed by the Ming Dynasty, and I am the hereditary commander of the Kuwu Nanghar Guard!"

Upon hearing the words "bitter and desolate," Liu Changzhi immediately said to He Zhen:

"Commander, this is the North Strait, east of the East China Sea! This is Kuwu Island!"

He Zhen had never heard of Ku Wu before, but upon hearing the other person's words, he asked:

"Could it be that the Kuwu are also vassals of our Great Ming?"

Before setting sail, Liu Changzhi had read some of the books in the Maritime Trade Office's collection. He said:

"Kuwu is a vassal state of our Great Ming. Our Great Ming established the Nanghar Guard, which pays tribute of sable once every three years."

“Kuwu Island is an extremely cold place north of Japan, and it stopped paying tribute after the Japanese invasion.”

"So that's how it is," He Zhen suddenly realized. No wonder he had never heard of the Kuwu paying tribute in Laizhou.

But when He Zhen heard that the Kuwu people were paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty, his eyes lit up even more! Moreover, if the Kuwu people could come to the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute, they must have had nautical charts to sail to the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, the island has a large area of ​​fir trees, which are all top-quality materials for repairing and building ships!
When the ship docked, the old chieftain of the Kuwu tribe, who had just been there, embraced He Zhen and said:

"May the ancestral spirits protect me! I was able to see the envoy from the superior nation before I died!"

He Zhen didn't expect the old man here to be even more excited than himself. Fearing that the only old man who understood Chinese might suddenly die, he quickly turned around and comforted him.

Upon hearing that Hezhen needed supplies and to repair his ship, the old man immediately summoned the strong men of his tribe to serve Hezhen, and had the women bring out a large quantity of fresh and plump fish to entertain the crew.

He Zhen and Liu Changzhi smiled when they saw how hospitable the locals were. As long as the hull could be repaired, they would be able to return to port soon.
-
April 6th.

Just after the Qingming Festival, the Su family's new mistress oversaw the completion of the ancestral worship ceremony.

Starting from the Ming Dynasty, the customs of Qingming Festival became no different from those of later generations. Ancestor worship and spring outings were the main activities, and even the royal family would worship at the ancestral temple on this day.

After completing the family memorial service, Su Ze took his wife out of the city for a spring outing.

Qingming is a good time for spring outings. Su Ze also invited his friends, Shen Shixing, Shen Yiguan, Luo Wanhua and others, to enjoy the spring scenery outside the city with their families. The women were led by Shen Shixing's wife, Wu, to prepare a picnic, while the men gathered by the river and talked about matters of the court.

Shen Shixing stretched out a big yawn and said:
"This year's festival is finally over."

The royal family's Qingming Festival rites were to be organized by the Ministry of Rites. Shin Si-haeng was still brought back to the Ministry of Rites by Jo Jung-gil to be in charge of the preparations for this rite.

Shen Yiguan gossiped:

"Brother Rumo, I heard that this time it was Duke Dingguo, Xu Wenbi, who offered sacrifices on behalf of the emperor?"

Shen Shixing nodded and said:

"His Majesty is unwell, so he sent the Duke to perform the sacrifice in his place. However, the Duke of Cheng's health has been failing since the New Year, and it is said that he is unable to get out of bed."

Everyone sighed. Duke Zhu Xizhong of Chengguo was the most powerful nobleman in the country, and he had always been the one to handle these sacrificial rites on behalf of others.

Wang Xijue, who also served in the Ministry of Rites, participated in the spring outing at Shen Shixing's invitation. He also said:

"His Majesty has already bestowed medicine, but the Duke of Cheng is too old, and I'm afraid he won't make it through the year."

Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat somber, Shen Yiguan continued:

"By the way, I heard that the heir of the Marquis of Wuqing caught a whale in Laizhou Port and obtained ambergris from its belly."

The story of the Marquis of Wuqing's son's serendipitous discovery of ambergris in Laizhou has already spread throughout the capital.

This story combines elements of the sea, treasures, and the intertwining of fortune and misfortune, making it a naturally easy news story to spread.

Wang Xijue nodded and said:
"I heard that His Majesty personally opened the Imperial Treasury and compared it with the ambergris left by Emperor Shizong, confirming that the ambergris presented by the Marquis of Wuqing was indeed ambergris."

"Because of this, His Majesty was overjoyed and rewarded the Marquis of Wuqing with fifty gold coins!"

Everyone gasped. Fifty gold coins was a considerable reward, which showed how generous the reward was for the Earl of Wuqing's son's offering of ambergris.

Wang Xijue then said:

"The ambergris presented by the heir of the Marquis of Wuqing this time weighs a full pound, which is equivalent to half of what Emperor Shizong collected over twenty years."

Wang Xijue then said:

"Back then, Emperor Shizong once ordered officials from the Ministry of Revenue to search for ambergris in the South China Sea. Eight hundred taels of silver were spent on just eight taels of ambergris."

Upon hearing this number, everyone clicked their tongues in astonishment; fifty gold coins didn't seem like much at all.

Shen Yiguan then added, based on some unverified rumor, that he said:

"The discovery of ambergris from the belly of a whale is also considered an auspicious omen, and it is said that many noble sons in the capital are preparing to go to Laizhou to hunt whales."

All those present were civil officials, and they were all somewhat startled upon hearing the word "auspicious omen." Luo Wanhua spoke first:

"The opening of ports in Dengzhou and Laizhou was originally a good thing, but doesn't it go against the court's original intention? Isn't whaling for incense a violation of the natural order? After Qingming Festival, I will submit a memorial to Your Majesty, requesting that you ban whaling in Dengzhou and Laizhou."

Everyone nodded in agreement; the civil officials instinctively disliked "auspicious omens."

But Su Ze said:
"I don't think there's anything wrong with whaling in Denpasar and Laiwu."

"Brother Zilin?"

Everyone looked at Su Ze, not expecting him to say such a thing.

The most surprised was Wang Xijue. He didn't have much contact with Su Ze, and he basically heard about Su Ze's deeds from Shen Shixing. He didn't expect that Su Ze would support such a thing. Could Su Ze really be a sycophant who flatters the emperor?

Su Ze said:
"I heard that the heir of the Marquis of Wuqing not only organized a fleet to hunt whales, but also built a whale oil factory in Laizhou to make soap from whale oil." Upon hearing this, Shen Yiguan and the others changed their expressions slightly.

Everyone knew that Su Ze had given the Crown Prince a recipe for making cottonseed soap. Although Su Ze had published a popular science article in the newspaper about how cottonseed causes infertility, the wealthier families in the capital were still reluctant to use cottonseed soap and continued to use soap pods for washing.

However, cottonseed soap has become common in ordinary households.

I've heard that whale oil can be used to make soap, so whaling must be something that benefits the people.

Su Ze continued:

"Besides using whale oil to make soap, there is an oil in whale brain that shines very brightly when lit. It is said that once lit, this oil is as bright as day and can be used to read at night without hurting the eyes."

Everyone present was a scholar and a lover of books. Upon hearing this, their eyes lit up, and they couldn't wait to get some whale brain oil to try it out.

Ordinary oil lamps are dim, and reading or writing for a long time can cause eye strain and damage.

If this whale brain oil really is as Su Ze said, turning the night as bright as day when lit, wouldn't that just give us extra time to read at night?
Su Ze continued:

"Actually, reading by lamplight is only one use. In the future, we can also build a lighthouse in Laizhou Port and burn whale brain oil to guide ships back to port."

Can you do this?

Wang Xijue felt that Su Ze's thinking was wildly imaginative, coming up with so many applications all at once. Could this be the essence of practical learning?
Should I also study practical knowledge?
Su Ze never expected that this chance encounter of Li Guojiu would actually start the whaling industry in the Ming Dynasty.

Whaling, an industry that sounds sinful, environmentally unfriendly, and cruel to later generations, was actually a very important industry in the early industrial age.

Whale blubber can be used to make soap. A whale has a lot of blubber in its body, and before the advent of modern pig farming, whale blubber was the main raw material for making soap.

Besides its use in lighting, whale oil was also the most important source of lubricant before the advent of petrochemicals.

Brighter lighting tools actually increased people's disposable time, and inexpensive and efficient lighting improved literacy rates and popularized urban literature.

Furthermore, people will increase their investment in seafaring in order to chase whales.

Su Ze never expected that Li Wenquan, the heir of the Marquis of Wuqing, would become the pioneer of the whaling industry.

Before the whaling ship sets sail in the future, should we burn some incense for him to pray for a safe journey?
Just as Su Ze was lost in thought, Shen Yiguan changed the subject again.

"Brother Zilin, my uncle is about to arrive in the capital, and he wants to see you."

"Master Juzhang is coming to the capital? I must pay him a visit!"

Shen Mingchen, one of the Ten Talents of Yuezhong, was also a friend of Xu Wei and once served in Hu Zongxian's staff to fight against Japanese pirates.

As a senior relative of his friend, Su Ze naturally had to pay him a visit.

Shen Yiguan said happily:

"My dear friends, please come visit my Shen family when you have time."

Everyone quickly said they would definitely go as guests, and Shen Yiguan added:

"Speaking of which, my uncle's trip to the capital this time was largely thanks to Brother Zilin's initiative to hold the Lingji Palace Conference."

"His Majesty invited virtuous and talented scholars from all over the country to the capital. My uncle was also recruited to the capital by the local government because of his reputation for poetry in Yuezhong."

Then everyone remembered that the capital had indeed been much more lively these days, because it was for the Lingji Palace Assembly.

Wang Xijue also said:

"The Ministry of Rites' Sifangguan is already half full. I heard that the people from the Protocol Department even contacted Grand Secretary Zhao to find a place to accommodate these virtuous and learned scholars. It seems that even several imperial temples in the city have been offered to entertain them."

Shen Shixing said:
“The temples outside the city were also full, and those scholars who were not invited to the capital also stayed in these temples.”

Luo Wanhua suddenly stood up, and everyone looked at him in confusion. They then heard Luo Wanhua say:

"With so many scholars in the capital, I must hurry back to the publishing house and increase the print run of the *Yuefu Xinbao*!"

Even Shen Yiguan was surprised. How did Luo Wanhua, the top scholar, suddenly become so enlightened? Could it be that he was influenced by his surroundings?

However, considering that Su Ze has now handed over the daily work of the newspaper office to Luo Wanhua, and that Luo Wanhua's "Illustrated Explanation of Imperial Admonitions" seems to have completed its first draft, with several cabinet ministers being very satisfied with his book, it will be ready for publication after a little proofreading.

Thinking of the progress his friends from the same year had made, Shen Yiguan also thought about himself during this period, feeling that he really hadn't accomplished anything substantial, and couldn't help but feel anxious.

In fact, as a Hanlin official, Shen Yiguan had made rapid progress, and Su Ze was an exception after all; most Hanlin officials spent their entire lives toiling away.

However, it is only among peers that there is competitive anxiety. Before the spring outing ended, Shen Yiguan found Su Ze and told him about his anxiety.

"So, Brother Jianwu, you want to do something practical?"

Shen Yiguan nodded repeatedly.

Su Ze, thinking of the memorial he was drafting, looked at Shen Yiguan and said:
"Brother Jianwu, there is something that might be suitable for you, but it is extremely dangerous and even life-threatening. Are you willing to go?"

When Shen Yiguan heard Su Ze say that his life was in danger, he initially wanted to back down, but then he remembered Luo Wanhua's appearance just now, and gritted his teeth and said:

“Brother Zilin, even if it means risking my life, I am willing to do it as long as it benefits the court and the common people.”

Su Ze nodded and said:

"If this matter is handled well, it can save many lives."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yiguan quickly said, "Then Brother Lin must let me participate in this matter!"

Su Ze smiled and said:

"This matter is still unresolved. It requires His Majesty and the Grand Secretaries to discuss it. I, Su, am merely offering a suggestion in my memorial."

When Shen Yiguan heard that Su Ze was going to submit a memorial, he became even more determined to seize the opportunity. He only let Su Ze go after Su Ze promised to recommend him to the Grand Secretary.
-
On April 8th, Su Ze arrived at the Ministry of Works' workshop outside the city. Looking at the new iron furnace supervised by Fu Shun, Su Ze directed the craftsmen to put the coked coke into the combustion chamber and then began to heat the coke.

As the coke reacts with the air, carbon monoxide begins to rise from above the furnace.

Su Ze then ordered the fire to be lit. The craftsmen held up long wooden poles and extended them over the iron furnace. As the carbon monoxide was ignited, a raging fire began to burn.

Su Ze hadn't expected that Fu Shun's craftsmanship was so good that he could create a boiler with a reflective cover for open-hearth steelmaking in one go.

Although this is just a small boiler, the super-large steel mills of the early industrial era actually operated on the same principle.

In this race to achieve higher temperatures, the bellows was the first to appear, raising the temperature of coal combustion.

When burning coal failed to reach the appropriate temperature, the craftsmen devised a new method: adding a reflector cover to the boiler to reduce heat loss.

When the reflector cover could not reach the required temperature, the craftsmen came up with the idea of ​​using carbon monoxide produced by burning coal to heat the molten iron directly above it.

Of course, this is not the complete open-hearth steelmaking process. The complete open-hearth steelmaking process requires heating the combustion engine and air to reach the highest temperature.

The design of the heating furnace was beyond the comprehension of Su Ze, a layman.

But having a prototype furnace is enough; the rest can be left to the Ministry of Industry for improvement.

Fu Shun pulled Su Ze aside and asked:

"Brother Zilin, is the fire without fuel a magical technique?"

Su Ze shook his head and said:

"Brother Fu, this is true learning."

(End of this chapter)