Chapter 619 A Dream of Youth 151
The next day, before Xie Ning even reported to the pharmacy, Xie Wangzhi led him to the Imperial Observatory. As it was Xie Ning's first time serving as an official, his father naturally had to guide him, at least to prevent him from being bullied.
Unexpectedly, Xie Ning was pulled aside by the supervisor who had been waiting inside as soon as he entered. "Young Master Xie, I have some questions about this matter. I wonder if you could enlighten me?"
The junior eunuch coughed lightly, and seeing that the unshaven supervisor wasn't giving him a second glance, he smiled somewhat awkwardly at Xie Wangzhi, "Lord Xie, Supervisor Bai... well... he's quite diligent..."
Xie Wangzhi smiled and then pulled the junior supervisor aside to inquire about matters within the Imperial Observatory, while also trying to build a relationship.
The group had barely finished chatting when Bai Jianzheng pulled Xie Ning to see their armillary sphere and water clock. The armillary sphere wasn't indoors; it was built on a high platform, requiring them to climb stairs to see it.
The platform was not hollow inside; it contained something resembling a waterwheel, and the top level had a compartment filled with books, mostly astronomical calendars and star charts.
Xie Ning listened intently as Bai Jianzheng introduced the armillary sphere to her. She was really just good at arithmetic, and in this aspect, she could only be considered a complete novice with some basic knowledge.
But faced with Bai Jianzheng's excited face and eyes that seemed to sparkle like stars, Xie Ning slowly calmed down.
She can start over. In such times, people's livelihood depends on fate. If people could make more accurate predictions about the weather and disasters, their living standards could be greatly improved.
Although she doesn't know much about astronomy, she has mastered advanced calculations. She has never walked this path alone; what she has mastered can make this path smoother.
Bai Jianzheng talked to Xie Ning in detail for a long time, so long that the junior supervisors below were getting restless.
The professors who had followed them up were somewhat embarrassed. They hadn't expected Xie Ning to listen patiently to Bai Jianzheng's lecture for so long, and judging from her occasional questions, Xie Ning was genuinely listening attentively.
Seeing that Bai Jianzheng had stopped talking, Xie Ning glanced at the sky outside and smiled, "I still have many questions about the structure of the armillary sphere. I wonder if Bai Jianzheng has any related books? I would like to take them back and study them."
"Alright, the book introductions here aren't very comprehensive. I have a book of my own writings that I'll have someone send to Master Xie when I get back."
The other professors stared silently at Bai Jianzheng. Wasn't this stingy old man supposed to be very protective of his books? He'd only shown them to His Majesty, yet now he was so generous as to let this young girl see them.
Xie Ning nodded slightly and, in return, showed Bai Jianzheng his own writings on timeliness, power devices, transmission systems, and timing mechanisms.
“Yesterday my father said that Bai Jianzheng seemed to have some doubts about the mechanical clock. Here is a more detailed explanation. Bai Jianzheng and the professors can take a look. If there are no problems, we can start to have the craftsmen make it.”
We'll compare it with the time recorded by the water clock later.
Bai Jianzheng and several professors looked through it. Although Xie Ning had replaced many of the terms with words that were easier for them to understand, it was still somewhat difficult for them, who had never encountered this kind of thing before.
"Young Master Xie, if you have time, could you please tell us about it in detail?"
"Alright, but I have to go to the palace and see patients tomorrow, so let's talk about it the day after tomorrow. You gentlemen can try to understand it yourselves in the next two days, and write down anything you don't understand. We'll discuss it again the day after tomorrow."
Bai Jianzheng and the others reluctantly saw Xie Ning off. If Xie Ning hadn't held two official positions, which he held concurrently with them and was only responsible for revising the calendar with them, they would have really kept the boy here to work overtime.
"I don't know how this girl's brain works, she can come up with such a brilliant design."
"Yes, yes, and his medical skills are also quite good. He even cured Princess Yanxi."
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