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

Zhu Zhanjun glanced at Zhu Zhanji, thinking to himself, "What are you talking to me about propriety?"

Didn't you see your face was about to be swollen from being beaten?

He ignored Zhu Zhanji and addressed Wulubo.

"It's very simple to tell whether a gold Buddha statue has been mixed with silver."

Ulugh Beg glanced at the child carefully, his heart filled with disdain, and said casually.

"Please enlighten me."

He emphasized the word "Your Excellency".

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled.

"Then I'll give you some pointers."

[Ding! You have obtained a silver treasure chest!]

Ulugh Beg's eyelids twitched.

That kid is really arrogant.

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

Although gold and silver look similar, "gold sinks while silver floats," which is a difference in their properties.

"Gold is always heavier than silver of the same size."

"Gold of equal weight must have a smaller volume than silver."

As soon as Zhu Zhanjun finished speaking, before Wulubo could react, he turned to Zhu Di, cupped his hands, and said, "Grandfather, my method requires a few things."

"A large vat filled with clean water, two precise balances, a ruler, and several containers with precise graduations for measuring water."

"We also need to take two, no, three items from the inner treasury: one piece of pure gold and one piece of fine silver, each weighing at least one pound."

"Take another piece of pure gold with a weight similar to the estimated weight of the gold Buddha to be examined, and keep it as a backup."

Although Zhu Di was somewhat worried, seeing Zhu Zhanjun's resolute expression, he nodded slightly and said to Meng Ji beside him, "Meng Ji, do as Zhanjun says and quickly go and make preparations."

Meng Ji, who was standing next to him, nodded quickly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Before long, two strong eunuchs carried in a bronze vat that was half a person tall and three feet square, placed it in the open space in the center of the hall, and filled it with clear well water until it was about an inch from the rim.

Another eunuch brought over two brass balances, as well as several bamboo measuring cylinders with fine graduations, wooden rulers, and other items.

Finally, three eunuchs each carried a tray into the hall.

The first plate contained a golden ingot with a subtle, understated luster.

The second plate contained a shiny silver ingot.

The third dish was a golden Buddha statue, about a foot tall, with a kind and benevolent face, which was the one brought by Ulugh Beg.

Zhu Zhanjun first ordered people to weigh the gold ingots and silver ingots separately.

"Grandfather, Your Excellencies, and Prince Ulugh, please look carefully."

He gestured to the eunuch to adjust the balance.

Ultimately, the weights of the gold and silver ingots were precisely adjusted to be exactly the same, each being one jin (approximately 500 grams) in the Ming Dynasty.

The eunuch announced loudly, "One pound of gold ingots! One pound of silver ingots!"

Next, Zhu Zhanjun had someone bring the largest empty measuring cylinder and place it beside the vat.

"Now, let's test the water flow of pure gold."

He personally tied the one-pound gold ingot with a thin rope and slowly immersed it into the already full water vat.

Clear water immediately overflowed from the rim of the tank and flowed into the empty container placed below.

Once the gold ingots were completely submerged and the water had calmed down and stopped overflowing, Zhu Zhanjun signaled to stop collecting water.

The eunuchs carefully lifted the container full of overflowing water and poured it into a graduated bamboo measuring cylinder.

All eyes were focused on the slowly rising water surface.

The markings on the bamboo tube are clearly visible: the water level eventually stops at the 30 cubic inch mark.

The eunuch in charge of recording announced loudly: "One pound of pure gold, enough to drain thirty square inches of water!"

Zhu Zhanjun nodded, and had someone take out the gold ingot, wipe it dry, and then tie up the one-pound silver ingot in the same way.

"Now test for pure silver." The silver ingot is placed in water, and the same procedure is repeated.

Collect the water and pour it into another identical bamboo measuring cylinder.

This time, the water level rose significantly higher than before. After carefully reading the numbers, the eunuch's voice held a hint of surprise: "One pound of pure silver, displacing... forty-five square inches!"

A murmur of surprise and discussion immediately filled the hall.

"A difference of fifteen square inches!"

"Weighing the same pound, gold is indeed much more 'solid' and takes up less space!"

"Excellent! This principle is very clear!"

"Your Highness is truly observant."

"..."

Zhu Di stroked his beard, feeling more at ease with a sense of security.

Zhu Gaoxu breathed a sigh of relief.

This kid's got some skills!

Zhu Zhanji's face was grim, his eyes fixed on Zhu Zhanjun in the hall, wishing he could take his place.

Zhu Zhanjun looked at Wulubo and said loudly, "Prince, please look! This is the difference between gold and silver! For the same weight, gold is denser than silver; gold has a smaller volume and therefore displaces less water, while silver has a larger volume and therefore displaces more water. This is the natural order of things, and casting it into a Buddha statue will not change its fundamental nature!"

Ulugh Beg's expression changed slightly. He stared intently at the two graduated cylinders with vastly different water volumes, yet still said, "What you say makes sense... but how will you verify my golden Buddha?"

"Simple." Zhu Zhanjun pointed to the golden Buddha statue. "Please have the prince personally supervise the weighing of the golden Buddha statue first."

The eunuch placed the golden Buddha on the balance scale.

After careful weighing, the golden Buddha weighed 21.8 jin (approximately 14.4 kg).

"Alright, the golden Buddha weighs twenty-one catties and eight taels," Zhu Zhanjun said. "Now, immerse it in water and measure its displaced volume." He paused, "But before that, we need to take another piece of pure gold from the inner treasury, weighing exactly twenty-one catties and eight taels, which we will call the 'control group'."

Soon, another eunuch brought over a gold ingot that had been cut and precisely weighed to be 21.8 jin (approximately 14.4 kg).

Zhu Zhanjun first instructed the eunuchs to immerse the gold from the "control group" into a vat that had been refilled with water.

The process remains the same: collect the overflow and pour it into a measuring cylinder.

The eunuch loudly announced the reading: "Twenty-one catties and eight taels of pure gold, water displacement... 645 square inches!"

The next step is crucial.

The golden Buddha was slowly immersed in the water.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats, especially Ulugh Beg, who stared intently.

The water overflowed again, was caught, and poured into a third clean bamboo measuring cylinder.

The water level rose slowly and eventually came to a stop.

The eunuch carefully examined the markings, his voice echoing clearly in the silent hall: "Golden Buddha, weighing twenty-one catties and eight taels, water displacement... 682 square inches!"

"Six hundred and eighty-two square inches?!" The hall erupted in uproar!

It is 37 square inches larger than the 645 square inches of "reference pure gold" of the same weight!

Zhu Zhanjun turned to Wulubo and said with a grin.

"Your Highness, the result is clear."

"Your golden Buddha statue isn't quite pure."

"If this Buddha were cast in pure gold, its volume of water displacement would be almost the same as that of the 21.8-pound pure gold comparison piece."

"The current discrepancy is so significant, it's clear that there was fraud involved!"

"This method does not harm the golden Buddha in the slightest; it merely uses water power for comparison. The data is here, and the evidence is irrefutable!"

"Prince, do you have any further questions?"

Ulugh Beg's face flushed red and then paled as he looked at the three graduated cylinders with vastly different water levels, especially the one with the golden Buddha which had a significantly higher water level. All his doubts were shattered by this direct data.

He opened his mouth, but under the gaze of the entire Ming court, he bowed dejectedly and said in a dry voice, "Your Excellency... your brilliant ideas... I admire you."

"I...have nothing to say."

"It was my fault for not supervising the craftsmen properly, which led to this embarrassing situation. I'm ashamed, truly ashamed!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was immediately invigorated and smiled.

How dare a bunch of barbarians make things difficult for the Great Ming Dynasty?

Many people looked at Zhu Zhanjun with admiration in their hearts.

This Prince Jiyang is simply a genius!

Zhu Di could barely suppress the urge to smile.

It has to be his beloved grandson.

Zhu Gaoxu grinned and laughed loudly.

Damn!

That son of a man really knows how to save face!

Zhu Gaochi forced a smile.

Although Zhu Zhanjun brought honor to the Ming Dynasty, it was not a good thing for him and Zhu Zhanji.

Zhu Zhanji's face was gloomy, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms.

He roared inwardly, "How can this kid know everything?"

Wulubo took a deep breath and bowed to Zhu Zhanjun again.

"The Ming Dynasty was indeed full of hidden talents."

"Although you are young, I never expected you to have such attainments."

"May I ask who you are...?"

Although he could roughly deduce from Zhu Zhanjun's way of addressing Zhu Di that he might be a grandson of the emperor.

But I have never heard of such an outstanding child prodigy in the Ming Dynasty.

The eldest grandson of the emperor, Zhu Zhanji, seems to be older than that.

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled to himself.

You could ask any high school student in the future and they could answer that question.

Of course, don't ask college students; they'll only ask what to eat for lunch.

He met Ulugh Beg's gaze and shook his head.

"Why must we have known each other before we meet?"

"You don't need to know my name."

Ulugh Beg was taken aback, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"How should I address you, sir?"

Zhu Zhanjun said solemnly.

Just call me a handsome and upright person.

Ulugh Beg: "..."

Zhu Di: "..."

Civil and military officials: "..."