The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

The brass cylinder felt heavy in my palm.

Jiang Lin ran his thumb along the intricate cloud and thunder patterns on the outer shell.

It is well-made and the joints fit together perfectly.

He held the cylinder up to his eyes and closed one eye.

Shen Kuo stood to one side.

This usually unkempt, obsessive enthusiast was now gripping the hem of his clothes tightly with both hands.

The knuckles are turning white.

A few fine beads of sweat still clung to his forehead.

Jiang Lin turned the adjusting ring at the front end of the copper cylinder.

The blurry light and shadow in the field of vision began to stretch and distort.

The final frame is captured.

Outside the window, the academy gate is a hundred paces away.

The stone lion, which could only be seen in outline before, now has even the patterns on its mane clearly visible.

My gaze shifted slightly upwards.

Further away, at a street corner, a vendor sells steamed buns.

The mole on his face, and even the missing tooth he showed when he opened his mouth to shout, were clearly visible to Jiang Lin's retina.

Jiang Lin put down the copper tube.

He didn't speak, but just quietly looked at Shen Kuo.

Shen Kuo's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Headmaster, how is it?"

His voice was somewhat hoarse.

Jiang Lin handed the copper tube back to him.

"It's better than I expected."

This is not good at all.

He added a sentence in his mind.

Based solely on the principle of "thick in the middle and thin at the edges," coupled with the existing polishing technology of the Song Dynasty, Shen Kuo actually managed to create the first telescope.

How does this guy's brain work?

Shen Kuo breathed a sigh of relief.

His tense shoulders instantly slumped.

"The students tried more than 30 kinds of crystals before finally finding the one with the best light transmission among a batch of tributes sent from the East China Sea."

He carefully wiped the fingerprints off the copper tube with his sleeve.

"If the glass were fired to be even purer, the effect would be even better."

Jiang Lin patted him on the shoulder.

"Walk."

"Let's go to the back mountain."

……

The viewing platform on the back hill of the academy.

The mountain wind was howling.

The wind caused everyone's robes to flutter.

Wang Shao stood half a step behind Jiang Lin, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Su Shi and several other core disciples formed a circle, craning their necks.

Jiang Lin stood at the edge of the stage.

He raised his binoculars and pointed them at the lone pine tree three miles away.

To the naked eye, it was just a blurry mass of dark green.

But behind the lens.

The pine needles are clearly distinguishable.

You can even see a grayish-brown squirrel, holding a pine cone, hopping around on a branch.

Jiang Lin adjusted his posture.

The field of vision is clear, but the range is too narrow.

With the slightest tremor of the hand, the target disappeared from sight.

Furthermore, there is a noticeable rainbow halo around the edge of the lens, which is a color difference issue that current technology may find difficult to resolve.

He handed the telescope to Wang Shao behind him.

"have a look."

Wang Shao accepted it.

The movements are swift and precise, achieved with a single hand.

He imitated Jiang Lin, bringing his eyes closer to the lens.

After a while.

This man, who usually remained calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain, suddenly tightened his grip on the copper tube.

The veins on the back of his hand were bulging.

"this……"

Wang Shao put down the telescope, then raised it again.

I checked it twice.

He turned his head, a glint of almost greed in his eyes.

"Headmaster."

"If two armies are facing off, with this item in hand, the enemy's movements can be seen clearly."

"Whether it's ambushes, supply lines, or the location of the commander's banner..."

Wang Shao's voice was deep, yet it revealed an undisguised heat.

"This is practically cheating."

Su Shi was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks.

"Brother Zichun, have you finished reading? Let me see it too!"

Wang Shao ignored him.

He returned the telescope to Jiang Lin with both hands.

His expression was solemn.

"This item is a vital military and national asset."

"Not a single step of this must be allowed to leave the academy."

Jiang Lin took the telescope and nodded.

"There are indeed still flaws."

He pointed to the lens.

"The field of view is too narrow, making it difficult to see large-scale marching formations."

"and……"

He breathed on his glasses.

The white mist instantly covered the mirror surface.

"It fogs up easily."

"In bright light, the glare can hurt your eyes."

Shen Kuo took out a small notebook that he always carried with him.

The charcoal pencil flew across the paper as it took notes.

"Narrow field of vision...fog...bright light..."

He was muttering to himself.

After finishing his notes, Shen Kuo raised his head, his eyes filled with fervor.

"Dean, I have an idea."

"If we make the lens bigger and the barrel longer..."

"Can you see clearly ten miles, or even twenty miles away?"

Jiang Lin smiled.

"Theoretically, yes."

"However, the requirements for polishing precision will increase exponentially."

"You can give it a try, but there's no rush."

Shen Kuo showed no sign of stopping.

He turned to a page and pointed to a sketch drawn on it.

"Furthermore, the students discovered this while polishing the lenses."

"These lenses, which are thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges, can focus light."

"But if we reverse it, using a concave bronze mirror..."

He made an arc in the air.

"Perhaps we can focus the sunlight on one point."

"The students have tried it, and that little bit of heat is enough to ignite the hay."

Jiang Lin raised an eyebrow.

Concave mirrors focus light.

Solar cooker?

Or... Archimedes' Death Ray?

This kid's thinking is frighteningly unfocused.

"This direction is very interesting."

Jiang Lin looked at Shen Kuo.

"You can study this in more detail."

"Maybe in the future, our academy will rely on it for heating in winter."

The crowd burst into good-natured laughter.

Test complete.

The students crowded around Shen Kuo as he descended the mountain, eager to touch the magical bronze cylinder again.

Only Wang Shao remained.

He stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the outline of the imperial city in the distance.

"Headmaster."

"I know you want to strive for perfection."

"But the border situation probably can't wait for Shen Cunzhong to slowly work things out."

Jiang Lin suppressed his smile.

He walked over to Wang Shao and followed his gaze.

"How so?"

Wang Shao pressed his hand against the hilt of the knife at his waist.

"Although Han Zhang has fallen, the Liao people's hidden agents are still there."

"That wolf has a tough mouth; it can only spew out so much stuff."

"and……"

Wang Shao paused.

"Xiao Hui, the Southern King of Liao, is a man who holds grudges and seeks revenge."

"We extracted his teeth in Beijing; he's bound to make a move."

Jiang Lin remained silent for a moment.

My fingers tapped lightly on the cool outer shell of the copper tube.

"you're right."

Jiang Lin turned around.

"I will have Shen Kuo prioritize the production of a batch of 'military versions'."

"It doesn't need to be too refined; even a rougher outer shell is fine."

"As long as you can see the people and horses three miles away, it's durable and resilient."

A hint of joy flashed in Wang Shao's eyes.

He bowed deeply in respect.

"Thank you, Headmaster."

dusk.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the white walls and black tiles of the academy a dark red.

Jiang Lin sat alone in his study, the telescope on his desk. He picked it up almost unconsciously.

There was no specific goal.

He simply peered aimlessly through the window at the street outside the academy.

The camera pans across a tea stall on a street corner.

We passed a silk shop that was about to close.

We passed by several vendors who were packing up their stalls.

Sudden.

Jiang Lin stopped.

The camera focuses on an alleyway diagonally opposite the academy.

There were three people standing there.

Dressed in ordinary short khakis, he looked at first glance like a porter who had just finished work.

But their posture was incorrect.

Too straightforward.

Moreover, their eyes were not on the road, nor on the pedestrians around them.

Instead, he stared intently at the academy's gate.

Jiang Lin rotated the adjusting ring.

The focal length is reduced.

The faces of the three people became clearly visible.

High cheekbones.

Deep-set eyes.

Although he deliberately kept a beard in the style of the Song Dynasty, the wildness that emanated from his bones could not be concealed.

One of them seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on the window where Jiang Lin was.

Jiang Lin didn't hide; he stood behind the camera, coldly staring back at the man.

The man grinned, revealing a set of slightly yellow teeth, and made a throat-slitting gesture.

Extremely arrogant.

Jiang Lin put down the telescope, his expression calm as still water.

"Wang Shao".

The door was pushed open, and Wang Shao walked in silently.

"Headmaster."

Jiang Lin pointed out the window.

"Those three people at the alley entrance. Did you see them?"

Wang Shao walked to the window and glanced sideways.

His eyes instantly turned cold.

"I saw it."

"Should I take care of it now?"

"No."

Jiang Lin shook his head.

He stood up and walked to the map.

"That last wolf hid like a ground rat. But these few..."

"They never intended to hide."

Wang Shao frowned.

"A demonstration? Or a trap?"

Jiang Lin's finger lightly traced across the map.

"They're telling us: We're here, right under your nose. This blatant provocation usually has only two purposes."

"First, provoke us and throw us off balance."

"second……"

Jiang Lin turned his head and looked out the window at the street that was gradually being swallowed by the night.

"Feint to the east while attacking in the west."

"This draws our attention to the open, so we can cover up our real, big move."

Wang Shao's fingers slowly caressed the hilt of the knife.

"Whatever they want to do. Now that they're here, they're not leaving."

Jiang Lin tossed the telescope to Wang Shao.

"That's why I asked you to increase security, especially around the student dormitories. Those Liaoning people are capable of anything when they go crazy."

Wang Shao took the copper tube.

"Disciple understands. Tonight, I will personally keep watch."

Wang Shao left, and the door closed again.

Jiang Lin walked to the window.

A night breeze suddenly rose, rustling the bamboo grove in the courtyard.

The last glimmer of light on the horizon vanished completely, and darkness enveloped the entire city of Bianjing.

Jiang Lin looked at the bottomless darkness of the night.

"A storm is brewing..."

He murmured softly.

Since you want to play.

Then I'll play with you guys for a while.

Look how fast your knives are.

My understanding of the principles of things is still more solid.