Zhu Yuanzhang was delighted to hear that the Microscope had been built.
He asked instinctively, "Really?"
Zhu Biao said, "How would I dare deceive you, Father?"
"Where is the Microscope? Didn't you bring it?"
As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang looked behind Zhu Biao, as though he might find the Microscope there.
Zhu Biao explained with a smile, "The Microscope has been completed, but it still has a few minor flaws. The craftsmen are correcting them. Tomorrow, it can be brought into the palace for you to see for yourself."
Zhu Yuanzhang had obtained instructions for a "hand-built Microscope," complete with diagrams, from the group. They clearly detailed the materials needed, how each component should be made and polished, and how to adjust and test the finished instrument.
Great Ming had no shortage of skilled craftsmen. Had it been something simple, they would have finished it long ago.
But a Microscope was, after all, far too complicated for Great Ming at this time, with extremely demanding requirements for both materials and components. The requirements for the lenses, in particular, were so exacting that the lens grinders had thought them impossible to meet.
Fortunately, the hand-building instructions also provided detailed guidance on making the lenses. With the pressure of an imperial command behind them, several skilled lens grinders had spent more than two months producing crystal lenses that barely passed muster.
Of course, they also owed their success to the imperial treasury of Great Ming happening to contain crystal of sufficient purity and transparency. Otherwise, even beating the craftsmen to death would not have made them produce a working Microscope.
Recalling the description of the Microscope's capabilities in the instructions, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Biao'er, you must have tried that Microscope already, haven't you? Can it truly reveal tiny things invisible to the naked eye?"
"I have tried it, and I did indeed see tiny things invisible to the naked eye." As Zhu Biao answered, his expression changed involuntarily. Amid his wonder and shock, there was even a trace of lingering fear.
"Following the instructions, I took a drop of water that looked clean and examined it through the Microscope. To my astonishment, I saw countless tiny things in it. Some could even move-they were clearly minuscule creatures invisible to the naked eye!"
"A Buddhist scripture says that when the Buddha beholds a bowl of water, he sees eighty-four thousand creatures. I had thought it an exaggeration, or perhaps a reference to something else. Only now do I know that the scripture spoke the truth."
Though Zhu Yuanzhang had not seen it himself, Zhu Biao's description still struck him as frightening.
Once he recovered, he could not help marveling, "No wonder people often say drinking unboiled water makes you ill. So there are actually all those creatures in the water."
In fact, the Chinese had known from very early on that drinking unboiled water could cause illness, and that boiled water was better to drink.
But people did not know just how harmful unboiled water could be to their health, much less that it contained vast numbers of bacteria and other microorganisms.
Moreover, boiling water required equipment, firewood, and time, so many people simply drank well water when they were thirsty, or even water from rivers, lakes, and streams.
Indeed, even modern people, despite knowing that drinking unboiled water was bad for their health, would still give in and drink it when thirsty, let alone people in ancient times.
While Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking that he would never drink unboiled water again, and that he should have the soldiers drink boiled water whenever possible, Zhu Biao brought up some bad news.
"Father, the Microscope demands crystal of extremely high quality. We have used up almost all the crystal in the treasury that was barely suitable for making lenses. The little that remains is not enough to build another Microscope."
"I was thinking that, since the 'Recommendations' you gave me stated that development medicine requires Microscopes, one would probably not be enough. We must find a way to build several more."
Zhu Yuanzhang swept his broad hand through the air. "Then issue an edict ordering local authorities everywhere to search for crystal suitable for making Microscopes. I refuse to believe that, with Great Ming so vast, we cannot find a few pieces of good crystal!"
Zhu Biao said, "Father, if the local authorities search for crystal, I fear they will exhaust the people and squander resources. Corrupt officials might even seize the opportunity to extort the common people. Since these Microscopes are not urgently needed, why not send some disguised members of the Imperial Guard among the people to make inquiries and search at their leisure?"
"You're right." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "Do as you suggest."
The next day.
Zhu Biao brought men to carry the corrected Microscope into the Western Side Hall of the Hall of Heavenly Favor.
"Carry" was the right word, because this hand-built Microscope made by Great Ming's craftsmen had considerable magnifying power-otherwise, it could not have revealed microorganisms in water-and was therefore rather bulky.
Moreover, the craftsmen regarded it as a precious treasure. Worried that someone might pick it up and drop it, they had secured it to a solid copper base, bringing the weight of Great Ming's first Microscope to several dozen jin!
Although a member of the Imperial Guard could lift something weighing several dozen jin, having two men carry it was certainly easier and safer.
Once the Microscope had been placed on the imperial desk, Zhu Biao taught Zhu Yuanzhang how to use it. Only after seeing with his own eyes how many "tiny creatures" a single drop of water contained did he truly appreciate its wondrous capabilities.
Then, on a sudden whim, he secured a cricket beneath the Microscope and took a look, immediately crying out in shock.
"Heavens! Why are there so many tiny creatures on this cricket too?!"
There were tiny creatures on the cricket too?
After Zhu Yuanzhang moved aside, Zhu Biao took a curious look and was equally astonished.
Could these tiny creatures be everywhere in the world, only too small for human eyes to distinguish?
The thought rose unbidden in Zhu Biao's mind.
Then he removed the cricket and examined his own finger. To his shock, he discovered plenty of tiny things invisible to the naked eye on it too. A few even moved-they were unmistakably "tiny creatures"!
Frightened, Zhu Biao hastily pulled his hand back and had someone bring a basin of water. He washed his hands over and over, even using Bathing Beans.
Seeing that Zhu Biao had rubbed his hands red yet still would not stop, Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly asked, "Biao'er, what's wrong?"
Still scrubbing his hands, Zhu Biao said, "I just saw quite a few tiny things and creatures on my hands too."
Zhu Yuanzhang was startled at first. Then he frowned in thought and said, "Silly child, the water you're washing with contains plenty of tiny creatures itself. What use is washing over and over?"
Only then did Zhu Biao come to his senses. He quickly dried his hands and placed one beneath the Microscope again. Sure enough, some tiny things and creatures remained, though there were clearly far fewer than before.
This showed that washing one's hands did have an effect; it was simply difficult to wash away every tiny thing and creature.
Zhu Biao immediately told Zhu Yuanzhang of this discovery.
Without anyone teaching him, Zhu Yuanzhang drew the conclusion himself. "It seems that washing our hands and bathing frequently can also reduce the tiny creatures on our bodies, and thus reduce illness."
Zhu Biao said thoughtfully, "Physician Xia once said that before operating on someone, the instruments must be placed in boiling water and boiled for at least three rounds, and the hands cleaned repeatedly. Only then can the likelihood of sores developing after the operation be reduced."
"But he had merely compiled the experience of his predecessors, without knowing the underlying reason. Presumably, these measures are necessary because tiny creatures invisible to the naked eye exist everywhere-boiling water kills those on the instruments, while cleaning the hands washes away most of those on them. Naturally, far fewer then contaminate the wound."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled at this. "Biao'er, your insight is much like mine. Very good indeed. Later, you can tell Xia Quan about this and have him verify it with the Microscope."
Zhu Biao smiled as well. "That was precisely my intention."
Having personally experienced the Microscope's remarkable uses, father and son became even more determined to build several more.
After Zhu Biao left, Zhu Yuanzhang could not resist playing with his fighting crickets again.
But after watching the crickets fight for a while, his thoughts inexplicably drifted.
We've built a Microscope here, but I wonder whether Liu Bang has built one on his end.
And Zhang Jiao-I sent him a Spacetime Letter, but he hasn't replied. I wonder whether he's recovered from his illness.
"This is a Microscope?" Liu Bang stared doubtfully at the peculiar copper tube Xiao He had brought. "Xiao He, the instructions I gave you included diagrams. The Microscope in them looked nothing like this. Don't tell me you let the craftsmen throw together some random thing to fool me!"
"Please do not be angry, Your Majesty," Xiao He explained with a smile. "The crystal the palace could provide the craftsmen was simply not pure enough. After grinding it according to the instructions, they found it utterly impossible to achieve the stated goal of magnifying tiny things invisible to the naked eye."
"Those craftsmen all had training passed down from the Mohist tradition, so they wanted to modify the method. One young craftsman had a sudden inspiration and ground a discarded lens thinner toward its center. While experimenting haphazardly with two different lenses, he made another discovery, and so produced this."
Liu Bang picked up the copper tube and examined it closely. "What use is this thing?"
Xiao He said, "Please take it outside the hall, Your Majesty, and look at the distant scenery."
"I'll see just what mystery you're making such a show of."
With that, Liu Bang took the copper tube and went outside the hall with Xiao He.