No palace servant knew why the emperor suddenly became depressed. Even when there was an urgent military report or financial shortage, the emperor had never frowned and pondered like this.

"Your Majesty, when you left the palace, did you meet any people or things outside?" Wang Tigan reported two good news to the emperor, but the emperor was only happy temporarily. He didn't understand why, so he secretly called Fan Xiaohui out to ask.

Fan Xiaohui was also puzzled. She tilted her head and frowned, thinking for a moment before saying, "I was chatting and laughing with those students at the Academy, and then I went back to the palace. I didn't encounter anything!"

"Think about it carefully." Wang Tigan continued, "The emperor will probably sleep in the warm room tonight. You should serve him. If you don't make the emperor happy, you will be punished."

Fan Xiaohui blushed. The emperor’s punishment was so embarrassing!

The girl pondered and finally came up with the trivial matter of the mouse catching the rat. It sounded insignificant, but the emperor seemed to be unhappy from that moment on.

Wang Tigan rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then randomly guessed, "Could it be that the Emperor is worried about Lady Bai and the cats eating mice, and feels sick about it?"

As he spoke, Old Wang turned his gaze to Fan Xiaohui and ordered, "Go and bring over the emperor's favorite mistress, the third or fifth, and see if this is the reason."

"What if the emperor is really angry?" Fan Xiaohui widened her eyes, very reluctant.

Wang Tigan acted in a dignified manner, and Fan Xiaohui had no choice but to admit defeat and walked away with a pout.

After a while, Fan Xiaohui walked into the hall reluctantly with the cat in her arms. When she saw the emperor's gaze turning to her, she immediately stood still, not daring to move forward.

If a cat eats mice, will it get the plague? I haven't heard of such a thing. Why?

Zhu Youxiao's eyes were filled with scrutiny and doubt. He beckoned, waiting for Fan Xiaohui to come closer. He reached out and picked up the cat, looking at it and stroking it thoughtfully.

Oh, it turns out it wasn't because the cat ate the mice. Fan Xiaohui breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "The cat is very well behaved and keeps everything clean."

The emperor smiled, feeling a little bitter and helpless.

He certainly knew that good hygiene habits could reduce the breeding of mosquitoes, flies, bedbugs and rats, and reduce the occurrence of various infectious diseases.

But most people in the Ming Dynasty were not wealthy enough to bathe or change clothes frequently. Urban garbage disposal was not standardized, and contamination of drinking water was inevitable.

Of course, compared to the poverty, filth, and stench of medieval Europe, the Ming Dynasty was still good, although it was still far from Zhu Youxiao's standards.

Personal hygiene habits depend on the level of wealth. One should at least have a few sets of clothes to change into and be able to afford soap.

Public health requires government investment to continuously improve urban systems, such as sanitation, epidemic prevention, etc. Building them from scratch will require continuous and huge funding.

The emperor held the cat up to his eyes, a smile on his face, and asked jokingly, "Why do cats eat mice? Why aren't you afraid of getting sick?"

Although the emperor was not particularly clear about it, he knew that eating mice was definitely good for the cat's body, and it should be a supplement for some element that it was lacking.

Moreover, he also knew that cats' immune systems were probably resistant to the plague bacteria, just like scavengers would not get sick from eating rotten food.

"Meow!" The cat called out obediently and licked the emperor's hand with its tongue.

The emperor laughed, and his happy look made Fan Xiaohui and Wang Tigan, who had been standing respectfully beside the hall, feel relieved.

The emperor played with the cat for a while, then handed it to Fan Xiaohui again. He turned around and ordered, "Summon the missionaries in Beijing to the palace tomorrow."

Foreign devils?! Fan Xiaohui blinked her eyes, her heart filled with anticipation. She had heard of them, but never seen them in person. This time, she could see something new.

How was the Black Death stopped in Europe?

Although Zhu Youxiao had his own guesses and judgments, he still wanted to know more so that he could prepare and prevent it in advance.

This is no small matter; it concerns the lives of tens of millions. Historical records show that the plague killed over ten million people in the late Ming Dynasty. Ten million, by any measure, is the population of a medium-sized country.

…………………….

To pacify the Liao and eliminate the slaves with the whole nation's strength has been the main theme of the recent "Da Ming Forum" and the most frequently appearing word.

But no one would have thought that the emperor was still worried about mice, and even if he said it out loud, no one would understand.

The Jiannu could be destroyed without repeating the tragic history. Even if we couldn't achieve complete success this time, it would only delay it for another year or two. Even if it was a few more years, the emperor was confident.

But the emperor knew he could not prevent the plague, much less eradicate it. Like the catastrophe of the Little Ice Age, it was inevitable and certain to come.

Since this is the case, the emperor has come to his senses and tried his best to reduce the harm. This is the only way.

Alas, knowing too much is the main reason for my own exhaustion. And the little carpenter in history, although he died young, should have been happier than me, right?

Maybe that's what life is like, a journey through constant problem-solving. So, let's just follow the steps, handle them one by one, and solve them one by one!

"Five hundred rockets were produced in such a short time?" The emperor was slightly surprised, but mostly in admiration. "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Sun."

Sun Yuanhua quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. This is my humble duty, and I dare not say that it is hard work."

The emperor smiled and said, "If the operators are not fully equipped, the rocket's power cannot be fully utilized!"

"Long live the song," Sun Yuanhua replied. "Rocket launch is simple, requiring only a small crew. It's nothing more than measuring the distance and roughly adjusting the direction."

The launcher is a triangular iron frame with an iron pipe on top. After inserting the rocket, the only adjustment is the elevation angle. To change the direction, the entire launcher must move.

Simple to manufacture and easy to operate, these are the advantages of rockets.

As for accuracy, it is certainly not as good as artillery, but the maximum range can reach more than two thousand meters, which is nearly twice as far as the Red Cannon.

The emperor thought about it and felt that it was necessary to instruct the front-line generals to make full use of the rocket's ultra-long range and use it at critical moments to achieve the greatest effect.

After making up his mind, the emperor raised his head and asked amiably, "Lord Xu is concentrating on agricultural research and has resigned as president of the Academy of Sciences. Would Sun Qing be willing to take the position?"

The first president of the Academy of Sciences was Xu Guangqi, who was appointed by the emperor, a well-deserved appointment.

However, while Xu Guangqi was compiling the calendar, he was also guiding Chen Zilong and others in agricultural research. The dean was just a figurehead and had no time to manage and provide guidance.

Sun Yuanhua bowed and said, "I am willing to go."

After a pause, he added, "But I feel the work of the Gunpowder and Weapons Bureau is more important."

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