The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the Forbidden City was already bustling with activity.
Outside the Qianqing Palace, civil and military officials lined up early to wait, their eyes glancing at the Eighth Prince and his entourage from time to time, their whispers rising and falling like the tide.
"I heard that the things Eighth Prince and his men brought back filled the entire dock. The Ministry of Revenue people worked through the night to count them, and they still haven't figured it out!" an official in a scarlet robe whispered to his colleague.
"That's right. My nephew works in the Ministry of Revenue. He didn't even have a sip of water last night. He broke three pens just from registering those Western artifacts."
The crowd's curiosity grew even stronger, and they all eagerly awaited the Emperor's announcement of the details.
As the eunuch's shrill announcement rang out, the ministers quickly straightened their clothes and filed into the main hall.
Emperor Yongzheng sat high on the dragon throne, his face calm, but his gaze swept over everyone like a sharp sword.
Yinzhi, Yinzhi, and Lan Dingyuan stood solemnly below the imperial steps. Ninth Prince Yuntang had also come to court today.
"Rise, my lords." Emperor Yongzheng raised his hand to signal, his voice steady. "Yesterday, the fleet returned from the sea, bringing back a great deal of goods. I have summoned you all here, firstly to discuss state affairs, and secondly to encourage open discussion."
The hall fell silent, and all eyes were on Yunsi.
Yongzheng nodded slightly: "Eighth brother, tell me in detail what you have seen and heard on this trip."
Yinzhi stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your subject obeys the decree." He took a deep breath and began to recount his experiences along the way, starting from when the fleet left Brunei.
When he spoke of the Western warships, his tone suddenly became serious: "Those warships were entirely black, with hulls cast from fine iron, and cannons mounted on their decks, with a range of several miles. A single cannonball could sink one of our medium-sized warships; their power was terrifying."
A commotion erupted in the hall. Minister of War Li Xianfu's expression changed drastically, and he couldn't help but step forward to ask, "Is what Eighth Prince said true? Is there really such a powerful weapon in the world?"
Yinzhi nodded solemnly: "It is absolutely true. I saw it with my own eyes. Their cannons not only have a long range, but they are also quick to load, far surpassing the cannons of our dynasty."
He paused, then added, "What's even more alarming is that the Westerners have equipped all their warships with these weapons, and their navy is probably stronger than ours."
Li Xianfu frowned and said in a deep voice, "If their navy is already so powerful, their land weapons are probably even more advanced. The Western countries are ambitious, and if one day they come to the East..."
He hadn't finished speaking, but everyone understood the deeper meaning. The atmosphere in the hall instantly became as heavy as iron.
Yongzheng's gaze turned cold, and he suddenly pulled something out of his sleeve—the flintlock pistol that Yinzhi had brought back the day before.
He raised it high above his head and said loudly, "Do any of you recognize this object?"
The ministers craned their necks and saw that the pistol was exquisitely designed, with a cold gleam throughout, and was completely different from the muskets commonly used by the Qing army.
Yongzheng pulled the trigger, and with a loud "bang," a blue-and-white porcelain vase in the farthest corner of the hall shattered.
The courtiers were horrified and retreated in disarray.
"This thing is called a flintlock musket. It does not require a match, can be used in all weather conditions, and has a range and accuracy far superior to a musket."
Yongzheng's voice was as cold as ice: "Westerners have long since equipped their entire armies with modern weaponry, while our dynasty still clings to outdated equipment. If this continues, how will we defend against enemies?"
This pistol, while not as well-designed as Yun'er's, is still far more advanced than the flintlock musket. He did not intend to arm the entire army; today's purpose was merely to intimidate the imperial court.
The hall was completely silent, save for the heavy breathing that filled the room.
Minister of Works Ortai said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, if this item could be replicated..."
"Imitations?" Yongzheng sneered, signaling the eunuchs to pass several Western books to the officials. "Take another look at these."
The ministers took the book and saw that it was filled with densely packed tadpole-like characters, accompanied by detailed illustrations depicting steam engines, astronomical instruments, and even more complex mechanical structures.
Zhang Tingyu turned to one of the pages and suddenly exclaimed, "This...this is the method of steelmaking! Westerners can actually smelt refined iron at such a low cost!"
The other ministers gathered around, eagerly passing the book around, their exclamations rising and falling.
Wu Xiuyuan, the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy, held a book on mathematics, his hands trembling: "Their mathematics has reached such a level, no wonder they can create those amazing artifacts!"
The atmosphere inside the hall gradually shifted from shock to worry.
Wang Wenkui, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty, although Western technology is advanced, China is founded on benevolence and righteousness. How can we imitate the barbarians' techniques? If we rashly introduce them, we fear it will shake the foundation of our nation!"
"Absurd!" Yunqi couldn't help but retort sharply, "They've already put a knife to our throats, what are you talking about benevolence and righteousness for? Do we have to wait for the Westerners to come knocking on our door before we realize our mistakes?"
Wang Wenkui blushed and continued to argue.
Emperor Yongzheng waved his hand, interrupting him, and said, "My dear Wang, I ask you, if the Westerners invade our coastal areas with their powerful ships and cannons, will you try to win them over with benevolence and righteousness, or will you meet them with firearms?"
Wang Wenkui was speechless.
Emperor Yongzheng looked around at his ministers and said firmly, "My mind is made up. I will establish Western schools in the coastal areas of each province to teach mathematics, physics, shipbuilding, firearms manufacturing and other skills."
Western studies subjects were added annually to select specialists. Those who achieved academic success could be employed in the Ministry of Works or the Ministry of War without having to take the imperial examinations.
These words caused a stir in the imperial court.
Conservative ministers stepped forward to oppose the move, pleading with the ministers, citing reasons such as "the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed" and "Western learning corrupts people's minds," and speaking with tears in their eyes.
Some even knelt down and kowtowed, shouting, "If Your Majesty insists on this, this old minister has no choice but to remonstrate with your death!"
Yongzheng's gaze turned icy, and he was about to erupt when Zhang Tingyu suddenly stepped forward and said loudly, "Fellow colleagues, do you still remember the disaster caused by Wang Anshi's reforms in the Northern Song Dynasty?"
The hall fell silent.
Zhang Tingyu continued: "Back then, the conservatives used the 'ancestral laws' to obstruct the new policies, which ultimately led to the decline of national strength and the humiliation of Jingkang."
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