My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 46 What the world looks like

Zhu Yuanzhang took three or two steps forward and came to the Buddhist table.

When he got closer and took a look, he discovered that there were some things he was familiar with among the pile.

Looking at those piles of radio handheld stations, his face suddenly broke into a smile. Hehe, it turns out that the one who understands my heart is you, Old Li!

With so many walkie-talkies, the plan to use the post stations to establish information contact points can be implemented.

However, the Northern Expedition must be satisfied first.

In addition to the walkie-talkies, there are also things that have a stand with two frames, with two transparent glass pieces stuck in the frames.

What the hell is this?
Zhu Yuanzhang was very curious. Although the shape of this object was strange, it was also exquisite in a unique way.

The shelf feels slender and cool in the hand, and it seems to be made of tortoise shell, but tortoise shell doesn't seem to be so delicate, right?
It must be a more precious material than tortoise shell.

And those two pieces of colored glass are crystal clear and extremely translucent. I wonder what kind of supernatural skill it took to polish them into this state.

In the whole world, perhaps only Lao Li has such magical skills?

There was another object next to it that made Zhu Yuanzhang even more confused.

This object is square and has an extremely smooth surface, but when you touch it, you can feel a subtle sandy feeling on your fingers. It is even more smooth than a jade ruyi.

Old Li always gives us some inexplicable magical things.

Zhu Yuanzhang grinned and looked at the two rolls of paper next to him.

Could it be that Lao Li sent us a painting?
Hehe, I knew that Lao Li and Lao Zhu were both elegant people who liked refinement.

Later, I will find the best craftsman to frame the painting and hang it in the bedroom. Only Old Zhu can appreciate it alone!

Let’s read the letter first and see what kind of cool stuff Lao Li sent us.

"Old Zhu, how are you these days?
As for your eye problem, I got you a good thing called glasses..."

Glasses?

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the strange thing with a frame and two frames. Is this thing called glasses?

Can these glasses help us see things clearly?
Zhu Yuanzhang's mood suddenly became excited.

We knew that Lao Li had a way!

It turns out that Lao Li sent me such a large batch so that I could try them one by one.

Zhu Yuanzhang picked one at random and pointed it in front of his eyes for a long time. Finally, he understood how to use the glasses.

Just put the two ends of the glasses on your ears, and then put the middle of the two glass pieces on the bridge of your nose. It's very simple.

These glasses are light and comfortable to wear, but why do my vision become more blurry after I put them on?
I quickly took it off, replaced it with another one, and put it on again.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuanzhang felt that everything in front of him became clear, and the whole world seemed to become bright and clear in this moment!
He quickly picked up the letter and took a look. He found that the words on it were extremely clear no matter how far or near they were!

Great, my eyes are finally back to normal!
But what would I look like if I put on these glasses?

Zhu Yuanzhang found a mirror and looked at himself.

Oops, is this person in the mirror me?
As soon as he put on these glasses, he seemed like a different person, less majestic and domineering, but more elegant.

Who said that we, Old Zhu, don’t understand Confucianism and elegance?
If anyone says this again, I will wear glasses in front of him, so that he can see what it means to be dignified and elegant, domineering and easy-going!
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but be amused by his own thoughts. He was already in his fifties and was still thinking about these trivial things.

Alas, it’s all Lao Li’s fault. Ever since I started communicating with him, my mentality has become younger!

Well, it should be called free and easy!

I put on my glasses, calmed myself down, and continued reading.

"You are worried that the princes and nobles will become a shackle that affects the Ming Dynasty. In the long run, there is indeed such a hidden danger.

But not all problems can be solved once and for all. Moreover, everything has two sides, a positive side and a negative side..."

Zhu Yuanzhang read and pondered, savoring it carefully. Li Han's words gave him some insights.

Princes and nobles are like a double-edged sword, which can kill the enemy but also hurt yourself.

So Lao Li proposed checks and balances again!
Zhu Yuanzhang recalled at this time that Li Han's letters seemed to have always mentioned the concept of "checks and balances".

Use princes and nobles to check and balance the gentry, and at the same time princes and nobles also need to be checked and balanced. Could this be Lao Li's way?

The way of checks and balances!

This Tao seems to contain the principles of the two poles of yin and yang. The two poles of yin and yang restrict each other and depend on each other. When yin is strong, yang is weak, and when yang is strong, yin is weak. One grows while the other declines, and the other grows while the other declines.

Only by achieving a balance between yin and yang can they restrain each other and achieve stable development.

Is this the "Tao" that Lao Li taught me?

It seems that, as Lao Li said, there is no need to worry too much about whether the princes and nobles will become a shackle for the Ming Dynasty.

Just use the method of checks and balances to control it.

Of course, Lao Li, your attitude of speaking halfway is very bad. As your friend, Lao Zhu has to criticize you.

What does "We will talk about it in detail when the ocean trade is officially opened" mean?
I wonder if when Old Zhu listens to storytelling now, he feels uncomfortable as soon as he hears the words "will be discussed next time"?
He smiled helplessly. Of course he would not really say anything about Li Han, so he continued reading.

Then, he shuddered all over and instantly became alert.

Those two rolls of paper, are they maps?

Is it a map that can help us understand the world?
Zhu Yuanzhang had a hunch that this was something that could change himself and even the entire Ming Dynasty!
Carefully rolling up one of the maps, I saw the words "World Nautical Chart" one by one.

Then he was stunned.

Is this... what this world looks like?
The colorful ones are entire stretches of land, and the vast expanses of blue are the ocean!
It turns out that our world is surrounded by the ocean!

At this moment, Lao Li, I finally understand why we should develop maritime trade!
This world is a world of ocean.

So, where is the Ming Dynasty?

Zhu Yuanzhang searched carefully on the map, and soon he saw the words "Ming Dynasty" in a prominent position.

It turns out that the territory of my Ming Dynasty is only a small part of this world!

Not big enough!

To the east of the Ming Dynasty is Japan, and beyond Japan is a whole ocean. Is this ocean originally called the Pacific Ocean?
When I was at the beach, I looked at the vast ocean and thought that was all the ocean was. Unexpectedly, my vision was still too narrow!
So, how vast is the scenery we see across the vast Pacific Ocean?
Just imagining it can make your scalp tingle.

Further east of the Pacific Ocean is another piece of land called the American continent?
It is divided into two parts, north and south.

I don’t know what the local customs and culture are like, and whether it is a powerful dynasty like the Ming Dynasty.

However, no matter how powerful it is, it is not as powerful as our Ming Dynasty. As Lao Li said, today's Ming Dynasty is the most powerful country in the world!
But we really want to go and take a look.

In addition to the Pacific Ocean, there is also the Indian Ocean. Is it because this entire ocean belongs to India?

Master Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty recorded in "A Record of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty": There are many objections and disputes about the name of Tianzhu. It was formerly called Shendu or Xiandou. Now, according to the correct pronunciation, it should be called India.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang knew that India was Tianzhu.

But, such a vast sea area actually belongs to India, why can’t it belong to the Ming Dynasty?

Just call him Damingyang!

Pacific Ocean, Daming Ocean, how smooth and domineering they sound!
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(End of this chapter)