The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Xie Mansion,

Xie Pi packed his things and was about to go to Zhongguancun in Liangxiang. Xie Xiangling opened the door and said angrily: "Where are you going? Dad will be back soon."

"Sister, please stop Dad for a while while I leave through the back door." Xie Pi simply put his clothes into the package and prepared to leave.

This way, he won't run into his father.

Xie Pi put his baggage on his back and was about to rush out of the door, but he stood at the door, not daring to move. He saw Xie Qian appearing here at some unknown time.

There are all kinds of luxurious things in the room.

A Song Astronomical Telescope poked out of the window, facing the sky.

This amount of money was nothing to the Xie family, and it inadvertently cultivated Xie Pi's strong interest in science.

"Where do you want to go!"

Xie Pi took a few steps back and said, "I want to go out for a trip and increase my knowledge."

"Huh! Autumn is coming soon, and scholars all over the world are working hard to study. You go out to travel, you want to make your father angry to death!" Xie Qian scolded: "Someone, please move these things out of the house."

Xie Pi took a few steps back and saw the window on the side. When his father wasn't paying attention, he jumped out of the window and said, "I will definitely pass the exam. Sister, help me stop dad!"

When I chased him out, I couldn't see anyone.

"You brats, all of you are disobedient." Xie Qian was angry and helpless, so he had to send people to find Xie Pi's whereabouts.

…

Liangxiang,

Song Jing led six engineers into the usual tool-making workshop, where several craftsmen were cutting wood.

"Master Xiao Song, what is this?"

"The printer hasn't been made yet."

Song Jing continued: "The top priority is shipbuilding. Look at this."

When the tarpaulin was lifted, it was revealed to be an exquisite treasure ship, painted with tung oil, but this ship was only as long as an arm.

"This is a large treasure ship that can go south to sea. You guys, take a closer look."

This large treasure ship was carefully built according to the proportions of the drawings, as the craftsmen were afraid of wasting the wood from Liangxiang.

Xie Pi looked at it for a long time. The wood used in the hull and floor of this ship were different, and they were the same as those used in the Dabao ship.

Yan Chengjin walked to

Look at the list of candidates for the first batch of engineers, Xie Pi? Isn't this Xie Qian's son?

"Who is Xie Pi?"

Six people stood in a row, and one of them with delicate features stood up, bowed his hands and said with a smile, "The student is Xie Pi."

"You are eliminated, go back."

"Why...why? The student got first place in the exam." Xie Pi's face turned petrified.

"You are too good. Engineers only need mediocre people."

Too good and lost?

Xie Pi didn't react for a long time, and the five of them secretly rejoiced that they were not the first.

The establishment of a science school was originally opposed by ministers, and Xie Qian was involved, making it difficult for science to continue.

Xie Qian was a scholar, so how could he tolerate his son not taking the imperial examination?

To be cautious, Yan Chengjin eliminated Xie Pi before he came.

"But... but my father coerced Mr. Yan?" Xie Pi couldn't help guessing that my father was the elder of the imperial court and had more power than Mr. Yan.

"Let's go."

Xie Pi saw deep disappointment on his face and insisted: "It took a lot of effort for students to get here, how can they leave because of a word from an adult!"

Yan Chengjin suddenly asked: "What is your dream?"

"???" Xie Pi's eyes suddenly lit up with hope.

"May I ask, sir...what is a dream?"

Yan Chengjin looked at Song Jing aside and asked the same thing: "Yixian, what is your dream?"

"Don't do it for fame and fortune, but use what you have learned in your life to benefit the people of the world." Song Jing replied.

Miraculous artifacts were made from his hands, and Song Jing had a new understanding of cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world.

It is not only the Four Books and Five Classics that can cultivate one's self.

In addition to the principles of the saints, there are many more principles waiting for future generations to explore.

Science is one of them. With the principles of science, one can govern the country and bring peace to the world without reading the Four Books and Five Classics.

The telescope helped the court win the war, and the workshops in Liangxiang fed tens of thousands of refugees. This is to use principles other than those of saints to govern the country and bring peace to the world.

Song Jing became increasingly convinced of science.

"Students don't...have no dreams." Xie Pi bowed his head in shame. He didn't understand the life and death of the refugees, and it had nothing to do with him. He took the science subject just because he felt that science could make interesting crafts.

After Xie Pi left, Song Jing said: "You have to go through a lot of hard work to pass the exam. If you want to persuade him to quit, will you..."

"From now on, he is not allowed to come to Liangxiang Workshop again."

Yan Chengjin couldn't bear to trick him, so he focused on science, but there was no guarantee that he would not fail the provincial examination.

…

Xie Mansion,

Xie Qian asked for leave for two days, feeling worried.

Pier ran away from home without even taking the package. He had no money, how to eat and stay... Thinking of this, he burst into tears...

"If Pi'er doesn't come back, my father will be shameless and will send the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division to investigate."

Xie Xiangling regretted deeply and said softly: "My brother is just going out for a trip, and my father is too strict on weekdays..." Seeing his father's face, he knew he was in trouble and did not dare to continue.

Xie Qian snorted coldly, and the housekeeper hurriedly walked in and said, "Sir, we have searched all over the east and west districts of the city, but we can't find the whereabouts of the second young master. It seems that he is not in the capital."

"father……"

Xie Qian's eyes turned white and he almost fainted. At this moment, a soulless figure walked in.

"Master, the second young master is back!"

Xie Qian raised his hand, as if to strike, but he felt something was wrong. His son's eyes were dull, and the boots under his feet had holes, exposing his toes.

How far has this child walked to wear out his shoes?

"Pi'er, where have you been?"

All his sons are good at speaking. Seeing his son's lost look, Xie Qian felt strange.

"My son went back to his room to study." Xie Pi returned to his room woodenly and closed the door.

Xie Qian followed him in and saw the science formula on the table and asked, "Did you go to Liangxiang?"

Seeing that his son did not answer, Xie Qian did not use his mouth cannon and walked out silently.

Half an hour later, Xie Qian appeared in the Censorate, looking haggard, and asked Yan Chengjin, "My son Xie Pi, why did his temperament change so much after taking the science exam?"

"Xie Pi took the first place, and I cancelled his score."

After hearing this, Xie Qian did not get angry immediately, but asked, "What's wrong with it?"

"The knowledge of science is more vast and huge than Confucianism. You can't have both. If you enter the door of science, you may fail the provincial examination. I am also thinking about Xie Pi." Song Jing often indulged in research and didn't know the time passed.

Xie Qian sighed and turned away.

…

After the beginning of spring, the ice on the canal melted, and merchant ships headed north to Liangxiang.

The merchants found that there was a fork in the Lugou River in the Tongzhou section, and a huge wooden sign stood on the shore: This road leads to Liangxiang.

In just one short winter, the waterway to Liangxiang was opened?

In the past, merchants had to go north to the dock in Tongzhou and then rush to Liangxiang. Now that the waterway is open, they can go directly west to Liangxiang.

Yan Chengjin stood at the Liangxiang dock, and many canal boats were docked by the shore. This bay area was large enough to accommodate more than 50 canal boats at the same time.

A new profession appeared at the dock, the sailors and laborers who unloaded the cargo.

The refugees who could work gathered here.

In the Liangxiang Yahang, Xie Yu listed the prices of canal boats, small yellow boats, miscellaneous boats, stilt boats, full-shed boats, etc. in the Yahang.

The merchants who wanted to buy boats lined up in a long line.

Ships from Liangxiang only need to pay two banknote taxes, and they can travel from south to north, which is more cost-effective than renting ships from other shipyards.

"Sir, the corn from Hainan has been shipped back and will arrive at Tongzhou Warehouse today." Just now, the Jinyiwei came to the yamen, and Zhang Xian came to the dock to inform Yan Chengjin.

The corn is back?

Yan Chengjin ordered someone to find a fast horse and went to Tongzhou Warehouse in person. Most of the rice and grain shipped from various prefectures would be stored here.