While Fusu was dealing with the pile of government affairs in the past few days, Li Rongrong decided to walk out of the Xianyang Palace and go to the newly built school.
Her heart was full of anticipation, because that place was not only a palace of knowledge, but also the starting point of her and Fusu's common dream.
The sunlight gently shines on the bluestone slabs of the school, making it look particularly peaceful and solemn.
At the entrance of the school, a huge plaque stands out, engraved with 16 characters written by Qin Shihuang himself: "Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, inherit the lost knowledge of the past, and create peace for all ages."
These sixteen words, like an invisible force, inspire everyone who passes by here.
Li Rongrong looked up at the vigorous handwriting, and an indescribable sense of pride surged in her heart.
She knew that this was not only Qin Shihuang's expectation for students all over the world, but also the ideal that she and Fusu pursued together.
It is said that once this inscription was announced, the whole world was shocked.
Chunyu Yue and other Confucian scholars were so excited that their eyes filled with tears. They seemed to see the hope of the great development of Confucianism.
Li Rongrong smiled slightly, secretly glad that she could be a witness to all of this.
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...
Just as she was about to step into the school, a burst of laughter broke the silence around her.
It turned out that the children in the school were playing and fighting in the open space outside the gate during the break. They were chasing each other, playing hide-and-seek, or playing games in a circle in groups of three or five.
The children's laughter and joy echoed in the air, adding a bit of vitality and vigor to this solemn school.
Li Rongrong stopped and looked at these innocent children with tender eyes. She seemed to see the shadow of her own childhood, a carefree and happy time. She couldn't help but smile, and a warm feeling surged in her heart. However, at this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps interrupted her thoughts.
A few children accidentally bumped into a man walking from a distance while chasing each other. The man was tall and dressed simply, but his extraordinary temperament could not be concealed. He stood firmly on his feet, without any anger, but asked the children with concern whether they were injured. Seeing how amiable he was, the children shook their heads to indicate that they were fine, and then ran away.
The man then turned to look at Li Rongrong, and asked with a smile: "Excuse me, is this the school? Can I go in and pay a visit?" His voice was gentle and magnetic, making people feel like they were in the spring breeze.
Li Rongrong then noticed the man in front of her. She looked at him carefully and found that he was wise and calm. She was secretly curious about who this man was and why he suddenly appeared here.
"Yes, this is a school." Li Rongrong replied with a smile, "But now is the children's break time, and no one is teaching in the school. If you want to visit, I'm afraid you will have to wait a while."
The man nodded slightly to show his understanding. He introduced himself, "My name is Xiao He, and I came here from another place because of its reputation. I heard that Xianyang City has been completely renovated under the governance of His Majesty the First Emperor, and this school in particular is famous all over the world. Therefore, I came here specially, hoping to see its charm with my own eyes."
Li Rongrong was a little surprised after hearing this. She had not expected that the man in front of her was a visitor who came here because of her reputation. After a little thought, she said, "Mr. Xiao, since you have come from afar, why don't I take you to visit other places in Xianyang City."
Xiao He's eyes flashed with joy when he heard this. He responded gratefully: "That's great! I have always been yearning for the changes in Xianyang City in recent years, but I have never had the opportunity to come. Now I am honored to receive your guidance!"
Li Rongrong smiled and nodded, saying, "Then let's go."
She had naturally heard of Xiao He's name. He was a rare wise man in the world, and it was a blessing for Xianyang to be favored by him.
She decided to take Xiao He to a place that she thought best reflected the changes in Xianyang - the Iron Smelting Workshop.
The moment you step into the iron smelter, a hot breath hits you in the face. Even the coolness of autumn cannot resist the heat here.
Li Rongrong looked at the blazing iron smelting furnace and couldn't help but feel a little emotional. Xiao He, on the other hand, had a sharp gaze, and was obviously shocked by the high temperature and craftsmanship. He exclaimed softly: "This kind of furnace fire can surpass ordinary flames. It is really amazing."
Afterwards, Li Rongrong led Xiao He to the carpenters' workshop. Here, the models of the new farm tool, the curved plow, had been assembled and were quietly placed there, waiting for their mission. Li Rongrong personally explained to Xiao He how to use the new farm tool, and found an open space for the craftsmen to demonstrate on the spot. Xiao He was amazed at the high efficiency of the curved plow moving flexibly in the fields.
At this time, Mu Nong, the official in charge of wood structure affairs, heard that a distinguished guest had arrived, and hurried out of the house. After bowing respectfully, he excitedly reported: "Recently, our irrigation wheel for farmland irrigation has been improved. The lever principle is used at the water intake point, and it is now more labor-saving to use."
Li Rongrong was delighted after hearing this. She knew that there were many rivers nearby, and if these irrigation tools could be replaced with waterwheels, agricultural production efficiency would be greatly improved.
So, she immediately decided: "There are many rivers near Xianyang City. I decided to start there and gradually promote the drum wheel. Mu Nong, you need to put aside your research temporarily, lead the craftsmen to the riverside, and cooperate with the soldiers to carry out the construction."
Mu Nong took the order and left, while Li Rongrong brought Xiao He to a miniature drum cart in the yard.
Although there is no real river here, the wood farmers cleverly enclosed an artificial stream with wood to simulate the operating principle of the drum wheel.
As the stream flows, the water wheel slowly turns and the bucket on it begins to draw water. The whole process is smooth and efficient, and no human intervention is required.
Xiao He watched with fascination and praised the wisdom and innovation of Xianyang City.
Finally, Li Rongrong brought Xiao He to a place for academic research.
Here, a scholar is explaining the principles of nature, especially the refraction of light, to a group of carpenters.
In his hand he held a special ice lens, which was made using the power of nature.
The ice lens not only keeps the coolness of the ice, but also has the function of a lens. Scholars are demonstrating how to use the ice lens to focus sunlight and ignite paper.
As the lens moved, the spot of light gradually shrank, eventually focusing on the paper, igniting it.
"It's really on fire!" the students exclaimed, and even Xiao He couldn't help but lean forward to see more clearly.
However, when he saw the thin paper turned into ashes in the flames, he couldn't help but feel sad: "How can such a good thing be burned so easily?"
His words caused a chuckle from the carpenters around him, as they knew that although papermaking was time-consuming, the materials were not precious.
Li Rongrong couldn't help laughing when she saw this. She decided to take Xiao He to visit the papermaking place and let him witness the paper production process with his own eyes.
Inside the paper mill, craftsmen are busy working. Various raw materials are soaking in large vats and the air is filled with a faint scent of plants and wood.
Li Rongrong brought Xiao He to the drying area, where sheets of paper that were about to take shape were lying quietly on wooden racks, basking in the sunlight.
Xiao He looked at these papers and felt a lot of emotions in his heart.
He realized that the transformation of Xianyang City was not only reflected in the technical level, but also in the respect and inheritance of knowledge.
When leaving the paper mill, Xiao He's steps seemed a little heavy.
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