Chapter 264 The Honorable Ming Dynasty Returns from a Global Voyage
Zhu Houzhao did not expect that he originally wanted to do a good deed for the two brothers Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling in front of his sister, the Queen Mother, but in the end he cheated the two brothers. He couldn't help but said hurriedly: "What the Queen Mother said is that these two uncles are still very ignorant. But this is also their intention, so you should accept it, at least this statue of the Virgin must be accepted.”
"Is this the Holy Mother of Xiyi? She looks very kind, so let the Ai family accept it." Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and nodded. At this time, Gao Feng, the eunuch, hurried in: "Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, please accept it." Changhou has returned to Beijing!”
……
Zhang Yanling, the Marquis of Jianchang, has indeed returned to Beijing.
However, because his fleet that sails around the world is under the control of the Ministry of War, he still has to come to the Ministry of War to deliver it now.
Although Zhang Yanling lost a lot of people during this round-the-world voyage, Zhang Yanling still only felt excited after calming down.
"Wang Butang, I really didn't lie to you! This land is indeed a sphere, and the place we live in should indeed be called the earth! Really, I am completely convinced now!"
Zhang Yanling stamped his foot and started walking in the main hall of the Ministry of War: "No, I have to tell your majesty this. I don't just tell your majesty, I want to tell everyone in the world that the earth is indeed a ball. We live in a On the ball, it’s really the earth!”
Wang Shouren, the Minister of War, saw that Zhang Yanling was like a man suffering from madness, so he had to persuade him: "Marquis Jianchang, please take a sip of tea first, don't be anxious, did your fleet really go straight forward and then come back?" ”
"I really didn't lie to you. Wang Butang, you must believe me. I didn't expect this result, but it is indeed like this. I have worked hard and discovered many new things. Continent, but after crossing a vast sea, we did reach our Daming Sea (Southern Ocean is called Daming Sea in the Kunyu Wanguo Complete Map, so it is written like this here) ”
"I didn't expect such a thing to happen, but it is the fact. This earth is indeed a round ball. If I hadn't made such a trip myself, I wouldn't have believed it!"
Zhang Yanling sat down and kept shaking his head.
Wang Shouren was so influenced by Zhang Yanling that he became a little skeptical, but he still couldn't help asking: "Jianchang Hou, even if what you said is true, why did we not fall off the ball when we walked on it, especially on the ball?" People or other things on the other side, why didn’t they fall?”
"I am also puzzled! I don't understand what is going on, why the people under the ball will not fall, and why the sea water will not flow out. Many of me can't figure it out, but I can be sure of it. Yes, the earth is a sphere! ”
As Zhang Yanling was talking, Xia Yan also walked in. When he saw Zhang Yanling, he threw the Ministry of War documents on the ground in surprise: "Marquis Jianchang, when did you come back? Didn't you continue sailing forward?"< br>
"No way! Shirou Xia! You came just in time. I have something to say to you. Since I parted from you in Ceuta, I have been moving forward. First I crossed a sea (Atlantic) and wandered After a long time, sixteen or seventeen people died of illness, but we finally discovered a new continent, found the sweet potatoes that His Majesty mentioned, and brought back many spices. Then we continued sailing, this time with another voyage. The whole sea, and I wandered for a longer time (South Pacific). Even I became seriously ill. But just when I thought that my group of people were going to die at sea, I discovered my Ming Dynasty's ship. At that time, I was I am happy and shocked at the same time. I am happy that I finally have the opportunity to return to China. I am shocked that this earth is really a round ball. You can really walk back from one place by walking straight ahead! ”
When Zhang Yanling said this, Xia Yan, who had sailed with Zhang Yanling for a period of time, was naturally convinced, and couldn't help but said in shock: "It seems that the earth is indeed a sphere, and the place we live in should indeed be called the earth!"
"Excuse me!"
Xia Yan said and ran out.
Seeing this, Wang Shouren hurriedly shouted: "Xia Shilang, where are you going?"
"Go to Capital University! If the place we live in is really the earth, then the earth model made by His Majesty is real! I have to go and have a look again!"
As Xia Yan spoke, he hurriedly ordered an official from the Ministry of War: "Take the sailing information of Eunuch Sanbao and follow me to the Capital University!"
Zhang Yanling became interested when he saw this and hurriedly followed him: "Shilang Xia, wait for me, I will go with you!"
……
An hour later.
In front of a wooden globe, Xia Yan, Zhang Yanling and Wang Wensu all stared at the globe intently.
"Marquis Jianchang, is it true that we live on earth?" Wang Wensu, the current wine minister of Capital University, asked Zhang Yanling.
Zhang Yanling nodded: "It's true! I just don't know if the sea and land are really consistent with the ones on the globe."
"It's consistent. The combination of Sanbao's voyage record and my own voyage record, coupled with your record of Jianchang Marquis, shows that the place we experienced is exactly the same as the land and sea mark on your majesty's globe. We first crossed Manchuria from the Daming Sea. After Laca (Malacca), you should enter the Indian Ocean, then around Cape Verde, and enter the Atlantic Ocean. You see, the sea that Jianchang Hou first crossed alone should be the Atlantic Ocean. Then you The place where we landed should be America, and the sea that Marquis Jianchang passed through should be the Pacific Ocean!" Xia Yan said and slammed the table with great excitement: "If we are really on the earth, if these are true, then Your Majesty! What is said is true, so there are still so many lands in the world that have not been discovered by our Ming Dynasty, and what does the Antarctic and the Arctic look like? Is it true that there are polar days and polar nights as your Majesty said? "
"Your Majesty is a true god!" Zhang Yanling couldn't help but say.
"The ancients said that the earth resides in the sky, and its body is round to match the sky. China should be located north of the equator, so the North Pole is always visible and the South Pole is always hidden. Traveling two hundred and fifty miles south, the North Pole is one degree lower, and the land of the Yuan people The theory of Yuan is indeed true! But, we are on the earth, why don’t we fall?” Wang Wensu couldn’t help but read a few ancient words, and then asked again.
"That's exactly what I said. Since you and I are on the ball, why don't we fall off? Why doesn't the sea water overflow?" Xia Yan couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Zhang Yanling said: "Maybe only your Majesty knows that your Majesty is the emperor, and his knowledge is bestowed by heaven!"
"Then shall we ask to see His Majesty?" the three asked in unison.
……
Zhu Houzhao had also just received the news that Zhang Yanling, the Marquis of Jianchang, had returned to Beijing. He just smiled lightly and thought to himself: "Is this Zhang Yanling really coming back from his voyage around the world? In history, Magellan began his voyage around the world from 1519 AD to 1 AD. Completed in 522, that is, in Zhengde The voyage was completed between the 14th year and the first year of Jiajing, and now Zhang Yanling completed the circumnavigation in the 12th year of Zhengde, only five years earlier than Magellan! The gap between Portugal and the Ming Dynasty is not big, and the Ming Dynasty has to speed up global colonization. The pace!”
While Zhu Houzhao was thinking this, the eunuch Liu Jin came to report: "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Jianchang, Xia Yan, the right minister of the Ministry of War, and Wang Wensu, the wine minister of the Capital University, want to see you."
"Let them come in," Zhu Houzhao said and met Zhang Yanling and others directly at Cining Palace.
As soon as Zhu Houzhao saw Zhang Yanling, he asked directly: "Marquis Jianchang, now do you believe that the earth is a round ball?"
"Your Majesty, I am now completely convinced that the earth is indeed a round ball!" Zhang Yanling nodded, as he said, now he no longer dares to question the sacred knowledge proposed by Zhu Houzhao.
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao just smiled slightly and asked Xia Yan and Wang Wensu: "Why are you following along? Do you believe that the earth is indeed a round ball?"
"I believe it, but what I don't know is that since the earth is a round ball, why don't people fall into it and the sea water doesn't overflow?"
Xia Yan replied.
Wang Wensu also nodded: "So, I came here to ask your Majesty for advice."
When Zhu Houzhao saw an apple placed next to the desk, he took the apple in his hand, stood up, threw the apple to the ground and asked, "Do you understand now?"
Zhang Yanling, Xia Yan, Wang Wensu and others were a little confused. They didn't know what Zhu Houzhao wanted to tell them by doing this.
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao could only continue to inspire: "If an apple falls, it will fall to the ground. People will fall after jumping from a high place, but they will not fly up or even go up. Have you never thought about the reason for this?"
"Is it attracting? Is the earth attracting us and all things?" Xia Yan suddenly realized and asked first.
Zhu Houzhao nodded.
"Your Majesty is truly a god. I haven't thought about such an obvious truth. Your Majesty's holy doctrine states that all things move because of the action of force. Then, the earth makes objects fall because of the force of attraction. Because there is the force of attraction. , so it won’t fall.”
At this time, Wang Wensu also suddenly realized it. He was so happy that he couldn't help laughing as if he had eaten candy. He hurriedly cupped his hands to Zhu Houzhao and said: "Thank you for your Majesty's advice. I understand in a daze. I will leave."
Zhu Houzhao nodded: "Go."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Wensu just wanted to go back quickly and study and think about the natural science knowledge written by Zhu Houzhao. He suddenly felt that he was going to discover new natural laws, so he ran out of the Forbidden City excitedly. .
But here, after Xia Yan asked, he had no intention of rushing back to the Capital University for research. He was different from Wang Wensu. He only needed to know that everything did not fall on the earth because the earth had a gravitational pull on everything. For studying this kind of The earth's gravitational pull that attracts all things is not of much interest. He is now more concerned about how Ming Dynasty responds to this new discovery.
Zhang Yanling, like Xia Yan, did not think about studying the attraction after hearing that Zhu Houzhao did not fall because of the gravity of the earth. He only said: "According to what Your Majesty said, The earth has gravity, so we will not fall, but in any case, the earth is a round ball, and it is right to call it the earth.”
(End of chapter)