The Hall of Heavenly Favor, Western Side Hall.
Zhu Yuanzhang finished reading all the records of public opinion Mao Xiang had submitted. His gaze left the last few sheets, which recorded the words and conduct of the Imperial College's teachers and students, and he gave a soft chuckle.
"Nie Xuan certainly lives up to being one of Great Ming's first successful metropolitan examination candidates. He understood the intent behind my decree. As for this Zhang Jiushao, hmph! Fishing for fame and praise-a pedantic scholar!"
After muttering a few words to himself, Zhu Yuanzhang stopped dwelling on the discussion between Bei Qiong, Zhang Jiushao, and Nie Xuan.
Over the past few years, he had used the Imperial Guard to establish more and more eyes and ears in government offices, among the common people, and throughout the army. The intelligence he received had grown accordingly, and there was no shortage of people criticizing him behind his back.
If he dealt with or even punished every one of them, he would have his hands full and never get anything else done.
Thus, as long as their remarks did not interfere with what he intended to do or particularly anger him, he simply pretended not to know.
He understood perfectly well that the private secrets and incriminating information he held on certain people were like arrows on a drawn bow. Only by holding them ready without releasing them could they prove useful at a critical moment. If he revealed them the moment he learned of them, they would become useless instead.
There were other matters he only needed to know about so his ministers could not deceive or hoodwink him.
For instance, almost everyone in the capital and even throughout Yingtian Prefecture had applauded the lifting of the alcohol ban this time. Clearly, the move had won considerable public support.
After all, when the glutinous rice cultivation ban and alcohol prohibition had previously been imposed together, ordinary people might not have had glutinous rice, wine qu, or other brewing ingredients even if they wanted to brew alcohol.
Now that the bans had been lifted, the people could openly grow glutinous rice and brew alcohol. Those in the capital could buy a drink whenever they pleased, so naturally they were delighted.
Still, he had to instruct the various Provincial Administration Commissions to watch the scale of glutinous rice cultivation in their regions-if too many people grew it to sell to wine merchants for profit, leaving the population short of staple grain, that would be trouble.
As for the Medical Academy, most ordinary people discussed it as though watching a spectacle, though quite a few in the capital supported it. After all, if the realm's renowned physicians gathered there, these people would find it very convenient to consult several of them.
Scholars and people in the provinces, especially the local gentry, however, had plenty of criticism for it.
Just as Zhang Jiushao had said, gathering the realm's renowned physicians in the capital would indeed deprive the provinces of a number of famous doctors, making it somewhat harder for the people to seek treatment.
Calling it a contest between the capital and the provinces for renowned physicians would not be an exaggeration.
Yet Nie Xuan's argument made more sense-once the realm's renowned physicians had gathered in the capital for a few years, they could train more capable and renowned doctors through the Medical Academy. Those doctors could then be sent to the provinces to fill the vacancies left behind.
Moreover, the longer the Medical Academy's system endured, the more capable and renowned physicians it would train, benefiting the people of the realm for generations.
What was wrong with sacrificing a short-term benefit for the people in exchange for the realm's lasting good?
Of course, he did have selfish motives in doing this-he absolutely could not watch Xiongying, his wife, and Biao'er die young from illness again!
At that thought, Zhu Yuanzhang reworked the few remarks Nie Xuan had used to rebut Zhang Jiushao, making them sound more like the everyday speech of common people, then sent someone to summon Mao Xiang.
Once Mao Xiang came in and saluted, Zhu Yuanzhang handed him several sheets of paper and said, "Arrange for some quick-witted, eloquent men to spread these words throughout Yingtian Prefecture and even the prefectures and departments of Zhili."
"Yes!"
After Mao Xiang left, Zhu Yuanzhang continued reviewing memorials.
Shortly after the beginning of the hour of the rooster, Zhu Biao arrived in high spirits.
Although Zhu Biao was only twenty-three, he had always been rather steady and composed. Such an expression was a rare sight on him.
Once he had saluted, Zhu Yuanzhang asked with a smile, "Biao'er, what has made you so happy?"
Zhu Biao smiled and said, "Father, we have a lead on the microscope!"
Zhu Biao had previously been responsible for "gathering the realm's renowned physicians to compile medical texts and a pharmacopoeia." Now that this undertaking had been incorporated into establishing the Medical Academy, he naturally remained in charge.
Because Zhu Yuanzhang had specifically instructed him to find out what things such as the microscope and spectrometer meant so they could be manufactured as soon as possible, Zhu Biao had paid considerable attention to the matter.
Pleasantly surprised, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "What lead? Tell me at once."
Zhu Biao said, "Over the past two days, I questioned several renowned physicians, consulted some learned and well-informed scholars, and made inquiries among craftsmen. In the end, I concluded that the microscope is very likely related to this object."
As he spoke, Zhu Biao took a peculiar gold-mounted object with a handle from his sleeve pouch.
Zhu Yuanzhang recognized it and exclaimed in surprise, "A crystal magnifier?"
A crystal magnifier was ground from pure, transparent crystal, with a frame and handle made of tortoiseshell or fine wood. Some were also mounted with gold and inlaid with jade. When scholars grew old and their eyesight weakened until they could no longer make out small writing, they could hold this object over the words to magnify them.
Not only did Zhu Yuanzhang recognize it, but his private treasury held several. He had no use for them himself, though he occasionally took one out to bestow upon an elderly minister who needed it.
Zhu Biao explained, "Although no one has heard of a microscope, its name suggests its meaning-'revealing the minute' most likely means making tiny things visible, while 'mirror' originally referred to a bronze mirror, an object used to view the images of people, things, and the like."
"Although this crystal magnifier is made of crystal, it can still be considered a kind of mirror, and it happens to be used to examine tiny things such as small writing. I wondered whether 'microscope' might be a colloquial name for a crystal magnifier used by the person who advised you."
After a moment's thought, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "It probably isn't a crystal magnifier-if it were, why insist on calling it a microscope? And why ask us to develop it? If it needs developing, it must be something Great Ming does not yet possess."
"Still, from what you've said, even if the microscope isn't a crystal magnifier, the two must be closely related."
Zhu Biao was young, after all, and quick of mind. Something occurred to him, and he said, "Father, I hear that crystal magnifiers vary in their ability to show tiny things. Most can only make writing the size of sesame seeds legible, but a very few exceptional pieces can reveal engraved characters as small as specks of dust."
"Could this microscope mean a crystal magnifier capable of viewing extremely tiny things?"
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "That is indeed possible-have someone find craftsmen who make crystal magnifiers and see if they can grind an exceptionally fine one."
"Yes."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, "Have you found any leads on the chromatograph?"
Zhu Biao shook his head. "Its name is even stranger than the microscope's. I have asked many people, but none has offered a convincing explanation."
Zhu Yuanzhang turned to the Medical Academy. "How many renowned physicians does the Medical Academy have now? How skilled are they?"
Zhu Biao said, "Since I received your command in mid-February to summon the realm's renowned physicians to the capital, a few have failed to arrive for various reasons, but most have come. Twenty-seven are now registered with the Medical Academy."
"Judging by their reputations back home, twenty-one were renowned throughout their prefectures, and six throughout their provinces (the provincial administration system was not abolished until the ninth year of Hongwu, so people still used the term 'province' in conversation)."
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. "That is still too few-the physicians who rank among the best in a county can also be summoned to the capital. If their skills prove ordinary, we need not admit them to the Medical Academy. Let them exchange medical knowledge, then send them home."
Zhu Biao nodded. "I understand."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, "How do you intend to award these renowned physicians the three ranks of Academician, Professor, and Doctor?"
Zhu Biao was about to answer when he saw Zhu Yuanzhang's expression suddenly change. His brow relaxed, and a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, as though he had suddenly learned something delightful.
"All right, that will do for the Medical Academy today. We'll discuss the rest tomorrow-go back to the Eastern Side Hall."
Hearing this and seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was clearly in a hurry to send him away, Zhu Biao felt puzzled, but he still saluted and withdrew.
Zhu Yuanzhang then told the eunuch attending him in the hall, "Yunqi, stand guard at the entrance. No one may enter without my permission."
"Yes."
Yunqi seemed accustomed to this scene and obediently went to stand guard a few paces outside the side hall's entrance.
Looking at the Rebel Army Group that had appeared before his eyes once more, Zhu Yuanzhang was considering what to say when he saw that Liu Bang had, as usual, been the first to enter a message.
[Liu Bang: Another long month has passed on your old man's side. How much time has passed for you two?] [Zhu Yuanzhang: About another two months on my side... Could the interval between openings of this Rebel Army Group have settled into a steady pattern?]
After entering his message, Zhu Yuanzhang waited for Zhang Jiao, wanting to know how much time had passed on his side.
Liu Bang was thinking the same thing.
But they waited several breaths without seeing any message from Zhang Jiao appear in the group.
An ominous suspicion immediately arose in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.
Every time this Rebel Army Group opens, that strange notification sounds. In principle, even someone fast asleep should be woken by it.
Yet Zhang Jiao has shown no sign of activity after all this time. Has something delayed him, or...
Zhu Yuanzhang thought of Zhang Jiao's death from illness in the original course of history, as well as his premonition of death before their previous group chat closed. His suspicion that something had happened to Zhang Jiao deepened.
[Liu Bang: Zhang Jiao, are you there?]
Liu Bang directly entered a message in the group to ask.
Another two or three breaths passed. Just as Zhu Yuanzhang could no longer hold back from "saying" something, Zhang Jiao finally appeared.
[Zhang Jiao: I'm here.]