Xu Guangqi was a wonderful man. He was the scholar whom Chu Qing admired most when he was a student. He was a scholar with a good balance in liberal arts and science.

Sometimes Chu Qing would think that if she could be classmates with Xu Guangqi, she would be able to become a study partner, and she would no longer feel bored or lonely when studying.

In Chu Qing's opinion, this man's contribution to the research, application, and even promotion of practical science was unparalleled, and he played a great role in promoting mathematics, agriculture, politics, military and other fields.

Just the translation of "Elements of Geometry" fascinated Chu Qing.

You must know that Chinese terminology such as "parallel lines", "triangle", "diagonal", "right angle", "acute angle", "obtuse angle", "similarity", etc. were all determined through his painstaking efforts.

of.

Of course, what Chu Qing plagiarized today was not his mathematical work, but "Removing Locusts".

In her work notes, Chu Qing mentioned that she was worried that the drought might trigger a locust plague, and also mentioned that she should tell the people she could tell, such as the "old leaders" in the area where her household registration is.

"Old leader?" The emperor laughed a little at this word: "Song Tingshan? Xu Guangze? Where are you old? They are all in their prime! Then have you told them?"

While waiting for several ministers, the emperor read the second letter.

This letter has few words and is not Chu Qing’s work notes.

The content of the letter cannot be ignored:

1. Chu Qing suggested and encouraged local farmers to raise chickens and ducks in preparation for locust plagues;

Second, chickens and ducks can be grazed in the field ridges, which can eliminate locusts and other pests;

Third, under the guise of Chu Qing, local officials ordered the people to breed and specified the quantity, which made the people resentful;

Fourth, local officials hoped that Chuqing would approve the planting of cotton in the areas designated by them;

Fifth, because Chu Qing was afraid of exceeding the scope of authority, he was timid in giving disaster warnings to officials in various places.

"Overstepping? Who said she can only manage cotton? Farm officials, reminding people about farming matters, who dares to say she overstepped?!" The emperor was a little angry. This was obviously something the local officials had done.

Seeing the third article, it is not difficult for the emperor to think of Chu Qing's situation.

The letter ended with the words: "Please return the first letter to avoid being discovered."

It's really stealing other people's things.

When the emperor read both letters in detail, several ministers also arrived.

"minister……"

"Sit down!" The emperor directly interrupted the ministers' greetings and gave them seats.

Several ministers immediately tensed up their nerves.

Although he was given a seat to express His Majesty's mercy, he was not allowed to salute. It seemed like something serious had happened!

"Xu Qing, did it snow on the first day of December last year?" the emperor asked Tai Shiling when he came up.

Taishi Ling was stunned for a moment, December last year? Where can I remember?

Taishi Ling looked at Taishi Cheng and said in his heart, hurry up!

Tai Shi Cheng thought for a while, but was not sure about the accuracy of his memory, so he took out a small notebook from his sleeve pocket: "Back to the emperor, there was no snowfall in Kyoto on the first day of December last year."

Xu Taishi Ling immediately responded: "Yes, Your Majesty, it happened once before the Spring Festival last year."

The emperor glanced at "Farmer Proverbs of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms" calmly and asked: "On the first day of December last year, where did it snow?"

Xu Taishi Ling wanted to curse. If the emperor hadn't asked this, he would have cursed. Daxuan is so big, who knows where it snowed on the first day of the new year a few months ago?!

I had to look at the small notebook in Tai Shi Cheng's hand again.

Tai Shi Cheng is a considerate person and carries a small notebook with him, which is really a good helper!

Taishi Chengfu immediately turned over the small notebook: "Your Majesty, it didn't snow in Kyoto on the first day of the new year, but there was snow in the nearby Shaanxihui Prefecture and Youzhou Prefecture. It is said that the snow was not heavy;

If the snowfall is heavy, there were two snowfalls in central and southern Jizhou, Jishun Prefecture, Yibin Prefecture and central Xinlun Prefecture in December last year, with the largest one falling on the first day of December."

Rainfall and snowfall in various places will be reported to Kyoto, and the Taishi Bureau will summarize it.

Tai Shiling's back was sweating. He quietly moved his shoulders and shook off the inner clothes stuck to his back. Fortunately, the official robe was wide enough, otherwise this posture would be too inelegant and would be out of order in front of the palace!

It’s not that he was eating nothing with his corpse, nor that he was eating wine and food.

Instead, his main energy was focused on recasting the armillary sphere, and the rest of the matters were left to Tai Shi Cheng.

The emperor rubbed his forehead. He had called the wrong person. He just wanted to find the person in charge of the weather. He could just call Tai Shi Cheng. Why did he call Tai Shi Ling here?

Astronomers from the Hanlin Astronomical Academy also came forward and began to report on the changes in the celestial phenomena throughout last year.

But the emperor's focus was not on the causes of celestial phenomena. He directly asked about the weather in various places from the first lunar month to April, especially in areas that had snowed in the early twelfth lunar month last year.

Except for Youzhou Prefecture, Chu Qing had visited all these areas.

After some questioning, the emperor found out what Chu Qing's crosses on these months meant - all bad predictions were correct!

December: On the first day of the lunar month, there will be east wind and six livestock disasters. If there is heavy snow and drought year - it snowed at this time last year;

The first month of the year: The sky is dark all around and there is heavy snow in the year of drought. It snows on the first night of the first lunar month;

February: On the day of Jingzhe, there is no thunder and no rain;

March: Wind and rain coincide with the first day of the lunar month, and people in the villages are worried about the plague. If the Qingming wind blows from the south, it is predicted that there will be a good harvest - there is no rain in March, and there is no southerly wind during the Qingming Festival;

April: The thunder sounds on the Jiazi and Gengchen days, which is determined to be caused by locusts damaging the rice crops. If the spring thunder rings on the Jiazi and Gengchen days, there will definitely be a locust plague that year and the crops will be damaged. This is not certain, but at least it is clear where it is.

There has been thunder in the past two days.

Taishi Lingzhuo thought about the celestial phenomena in the past few months and said: "Your Majesty, half a month ago, Venus, Jupiter and the lunar star were aligned; the next time they will be aligned will be half a month later."

The lunar star is the moon. These three stars are connected in a line, which is called "double stars accompanying the moon" or "Venus and Jupiter combined with the moon".

"Lord what?" the emperor asked.

In fact, as an emperor, astronomy and calendar were all necessary subjects for him to learn in his youth. He knew that "double stars accompany the moon", but he still hoped that Tai Shiling could say something else.

"Lord... severe drought!" Tai Shiling said, and then swallowed another sentence: "The moon and the stars of the year shine together, and there will be famine and death."

"If the moon and the stars shine together, there will be famine and death." The emperor said these words.

Liu Ju, the Minister of Revenue, who was standing aside waiting for the emperor's instructions, finally understood why he was called to listen to their discussion of celestial phenomena.

This is not a discussion about celestial phenomena, but a discussion about drought!

Liu Ju began to make calculations in his mind. This year, droughts have been reported in various places, but it has not yet become a disaster. The report only said that there is a lack of water and it is difficult to irrigate farmland.

Of course, in Liu Ju's view, such reports from officials from various places were setting the stage for an ambush.

Droughts and floods occur every year in various places, but the degree is different.

Now, not long after the spring sowing in the north has begun, the early reports only mention the drought but not disasters, which is paving the way for a reduction in tax revenue after autumn: it is not that my political performance is not good, it is God's failure.

If the drought turns into a disaster, it would be a good time to ask the court for disaster relief funds.

As for "if the moon and the stars shine together, there will be famine and death", Liu Ju shook his head in his heart, he was already suffering from a "severe drought", how could there be no "famine and death"!

Is the emperor planning to ask me to pay? Huh, no!

Day by day, from top to bottom, when you meet me, you feel like you are meeting someone who owes you a debt. The first thing you say when you meet me is: "Have you eaten?" The second thing you say is: "Get the money!"

If you encounter someone with whom you have a bad relationship, you can only use the second sentence.

You all think you see me as a debtor? Bah!

I see you all like ghosts, debt collectors!

Including the person sitting in front, I am taking care of your wallet! Can you correct your attitude? I don’t know how much you put in it?

If you pretend to be a penny and then ask for ten, how can I conjure it up for you?!

*Note: The year star is Jupiter.


Chapter completed!