The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

The entire square was silent, with only the occasional rumble of the gloomy sky.

All the renowned scholars and Confucianists present were now completely dumbfounded.

How the hell are they supposed to argue this?

They're already making lightning with their bare hands.

If we go up now, won't the Prince of Jiyang chop us up?

There was a full thirty breaths of silence.

The electric light disappeared only after Zhu Zhanjun put down the insulating rod.

Zhu Zhanjun then looked around with a smile.

"Since no one is stepping forward to argue..."

"This concludes our discussion for today."

"The way of investigating things is not some strange skill or trick; who agrees, who disagrees?"

The entire platform fell silent.

Everyone fell into a deathly silence.

They all came here today with the intention of engaging in heated debates.

However, Zhu Zhanjun did not give them that opportunity at all.

Let's get straight to the intensity!

The way of investigating things can draw upon thunder and lightning for one's own use.

They could never achieve such divine power, no matter how many books they read.

Zhu Zhanji's eyes were wide open like copper bells, completely unaware that his fingernails were about to pierce his palm.

Jealousy gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

How exactly did they do that?

Could the gap between him and this kid really be that big?

"Hahahaha! Excellent! What a wonderful way to investigate things!"

A loud laugh suddenly broke the almost frozen atmosphere.

Zhu Di said with a smile.

"Today, Zhu Zhanjun, the Prince of Jiyang, has used the principles of investigating things to summon thunder from the heavens, holding it firmly in his palm!"

"This is the real skill that can be displayed after thoroughly investigating the principles of all things and understanding the workings of heaven and earth!"

"A few days ago, in the imperial court, someone impeached Zhan Jun, saying that he was promoting fallacies and heresies and undermining the foundation of sacred learning..."

"They spoke with such conviction and deep concern, as if the entire Ming Dynasty was about to be destroyed by a mere child!"

He snorted coldly and continued:

"Zhan Jun, relying on the principles of investigating things, developed a new type of loom that was dozens of times more efficient than the old method, resulting in a dramatic increase in output. It was also inexpensive and of high quality, benefiting many more ordinary people who couldn't afford nice clothes!"

"As a prince, Zhanjun personally took charge of exploring new paths that benefit the country and its people. I am deeply gratified by his courage and pragmatism!"

"It is clear that, regardless of the path taken, only the path that benefits the country and its people is a good path."

Zhu Di's voice fell.

Yang Rong, Hu Guang, Yang Shiqi, and others bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Huang Guangyun, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, who was in the distance, also led a group of students from the Imperial Academy to bow in greeting.

The renowned scholars and Confucianists gathered there also quickly followed suit and bowed.

The emperor has already made his decision; what else can they say?

Moreover, the Prince of Jiyang's ability to control lightning is right before our eyes.

Even the most stubborn person has to admit defeat now.

Zhu Zhanji's face was grim.

The people who impeached Zhu Zhanjun a few days ago were officials who were close to the Crown Prince.

This idea, of course, also came from him.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Zhanjun resolved the situation so easily.

And they really stole the show!

Zhu Zhanji clenched his fist tighter and tighter.

Jealousy distorted him beyond recognition.

A bunch of old men, usually very sharp-tongued.

Why are you silent now?

Go and take him down!

Just then, a Buddhist chant rang out.

"Amitabha!"

Everyone was taken aback, and then they saw Yao Guangxiao, dressed in black, slowly walk out.

Zhu Zhanji's eyes lit up.

The Junior Tutor is still the most reliable.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Yao Guangxiao stepped forward slowly, clasped his hands together, and looked intently.

"Your Highness's supernatural abilities are truly awe-inspiring."

"Buddhist scriptures say that thunder and fire are the anger of heavenly dragons and the power of gods, which ordinary people cannot control."

"Yet Your Highness, with a wooden kite, copper wire, porcelain jar, and wax rod, was able to draw the power of the heavens into the mortal realm. Is this not a miracle, but magic?"

"This old monk is foolish and ignorant; I humbly beg Your Highness to enlighten the world."

"How could this kite attract lightning?"

"Could the key to this truly lie, as Your Highness has said, in the principle of 'investigating things'?"

As soon as he said this, all eyes in the room once again focused on Zhu Zhanjun.

Although still in shock, Duke Yansheng Kong Yanjin, Kong E, Cao Duan, Hu Juren and others managed to concentrate and listen attentively.

They were so eager to know why.

Zhu Di also looked at Zhu Zhanjun with curiosity.

Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaochi, Yu Qian, Zhu Yi, and others were no exception.

Zhu Zhan said loudly, "That's a good question, old monk."

"This is neither a supernatural power nor a magical technique, but a kind of 'force' that already exists in the world. I will call it 'electricity' for now."

"Electricity?" Yao Guangxiao frowned slightly, completely bewildered.

The word has existed since ancient times, but to propose it as a universally existing "force" is unheard of.

"That's right." Zhu Zhanjun nodded, pointing to the gloomy sky, "The lightning you all saw is essentially the same thing as the tiny electric arc I just generated, only differing in size."

"When water vapor rubs and collides within the dark clouds, it generates a large amount of this kind of 'electricity.' And my kite, flying into the clouds, can draw down this 'electricity' from the clouds along this wax-soaked hemp rope."

He walked to the porcelain jar and pointed to the copper wire on the side of the jar and the copper sheet on the outside: "The inner and outer walls of this jar are covered with tin foil, and beeswax is used to separate them."

"The electricity descends along the rope and is stored in this container."

"When I use this cypress pole with its top copper-plated and its shaft waxed for insulation..."

"When the copper needle at the tip of the rod is brought close to the copper sheet outside the can, the electricity accumulated inside the can will find a gap and be released, leaping over the tiny gap to form the electric arc that you see."

The explanation included novel terms such as "frictional electricity generation," "storage," "insulation," and "release."

The audience was completely bewildered, and most of them had question marks on their faces.

They understood every word the King of Jiyang said.

If you put them together, you can't understand them?

Yao Guangxiao was well-versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and even had some knowledge of astronomy, geography, yin and yang numerology. Yet, at this moment, he felt his thoughts were stuck.

he mused.

"Your Highness means... that the lightning in the clouds is actually... electricity generated by the friction of water vapor? This electricity can be guided like flowing water, stored in a container like cargo, and then released like an arrow?"

"That's roughly it." Zhu Zhanjun nodded. "In fact, everything contains more or less 'electricity,' but it's not usually visible."

"Rubbing amber with fur can attract small, light objects, which is a subtle manifestation of the power of 'electricity'."

"Our purpose in investigating things is to explore the true principles and forces hidden beneath the appearance of all things, to know not only what they are, but also why they are so."

"Rubbing amber...attracts light objects..." Yao Guangxiao murmured repeatedly. He knew about this phenomenon, which was recorded in ancient books, but no one had ever associated it with earth-shattering lightning, let alone thought that it could be actively guided, stored, and controlled.

He tried to connect Zhu Zhanjun's concepts of "electricity," "stored in a tank," and "insulated guidance" with his own known theories of Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the primordial energy of heaven and earth, but found that they were difficult to correspond directly. It was as if he had opened a narrow door to a completely new world, where light and shadow flickered but he could not see clearly.

Many renowned scholars and students in the audience reacted in a similar way to Yao Guangxiao.

Zhu Zhanji, sitting below the stage, watched as Yao Guangxiao was rendered speechless and lost in thought, and saw the faces of the other scholars filled with confusion. He felt annoyed that Zhu Zhanjun had stolen the limelight.

He gritted his teeth, thinking to himself, "It's nothing but tricks and incomprehensible jargon! How can governing a country and bringing peace to the world rely on such magic tricks!"

After a while, Yao Guangxiao took a deep breath and looked at Zhu Zhanjun.

"His Highness Prince Jiyang's method of investigating things seems like a mirage, like a flower in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water. Is there any actual theoretical basis to support it?"

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled and pulled out several books from his pocket.

"Old monk, I see you have extraordinary talent, a rare genius in the field of natural science. The task of maintaining world peace rests on your shoulders."

"Here are a few secret manuals. I think they are destined to be yours, so I'm giving them to you."

Yao Guangxiao was taken aback and glanced at it subconsciously.

The books were titled "Advanced Mathematics," "University Physics," and "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy."