Zhang Juzheng slowly put down his chopsticks and looked at Zhao Hao seriously.

Qi Jiguang also regained his hawk-like gaze, and instantly seemed like a different person.

"Don't be nervous, it's not that someone poisoned the fish, it's just that there's something wrong with the fish itself."

"What's wrong with this fish?" Zhang Juzheng's expression eased a little.

"Do you know how it was transported here?"

"I just said, use an ice boat."

"When I was in Jinling, I went to see how they kept the fish fresh." Zhao Hao said slowly, "I found that in order to keep the fish fresh, they had to put it in a large lead box, put solidified lard in the box, and then freeze it with layers of ice."

"Yes, that's right." Zhang Juzheng nodded and asked, "Any questions?"

"The problem lies with the lead box," Zhao Hao said after a moment of organizing his words. "In science, there is a branch of chemistry that specializes in studying various materials. In chemistry, lead is called a heavy metal. It is very dangerous to store food in a lead box."

"Because free lead ions can contaminate food. In mild cases, it can cause dizziness, fatigue, and loss of appetite; in moderate cases, it can cause anemia; in severe cases, it can cause toxic encephalopathy, leading to insanity and early death."

"Is it so serious?" Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard subconsciously and said, "I have been eating Bu Gu for many years, but I don't feel anything?"

"It will be too late when you feel it, my husband." Zhao Hao sighed. This was not an exaggeration.

There is a consensus in the historical community that ancient Rome was destroyed by severe lead poisoning.

Various notes by Ming Dynasty people said that Zhang Juzheng was fond of eating shad and ate hundreds of them every year.

Therefore, many researchers in later generations believed that Zhang Juzheng’s many outrageous behaviors in his later years and his early death might be related to the serious excess of lead in his blood.

Of course, there is another theory that points to Qi Jiguang...

No matter which one it is, Zhao Hao hopes to avoid it as much as possible. If Zhang Juzheng can live one more year, it will be a great help to the Ming Dynasty and himself.

"A son of a rich family would not sit in the hall." He then clasped his hands and advised solemnly: "Sir, your life is linked to the whole world. You should cherish your life for the Ming Dynasty. It is better to believe it exists than to believe it does not exist."

Qi Jiguang was a very cautious person. He nodded and agreed, "Yes, sir. The fine-scaled fish from Yongding River is also delicious. Since Mr. Zhao said so, there is really no need to take any more risks."

"Yeah." Zhang Juzheng nodded silently, took a reluctant look at the three fresh dishes from the Yangtze River, and waved his hand for people to leave.

Zhao Hao asked him how much he had eaten in Beijing.

Fortunately, Zhang Juzheng was only a fifth-rank official during the Jiajing period, so the emperor's rewards were not his. He could only try to get two pieces every year to try something new.

Even though his wealth suddenly increased last year, because Emperor Jiajing had just passed away and Emperor Longqing did not give him a large reward, he only ate about ten of them.

It seems that the problem should not be too big.

He told Zhang Juzheng to eat garlic, milk and eggs regularly, and to eat more apples, oranges, kiwis... These things are all helpful in excreting lead poison from the body.

Zhang Juzheng wrote it down very carefully, and bowed to Zhao Hao, saying, "Thank you for the reminder. Bu Gu will not touch these tributes from afar in the future."

Zhao Hao breathed a sigh of relief. He was really worried that Zhang Juzheng didn't care at all and wouldn't listen to his one-sided opinion at all.

Fortunately, Mr. Zhang is still afraid of death.

Moreover, when Zhang Juzheng read the history books, he found that emperors who made elixirs and took medicine basically did not live long, or like the previous emperor, they became crazy in their later years...

He had read the medical records of the late emperor in the Imperial Hospital and knew that the late emperor's symptoms were very similar to the lead poisoning that Zhao Hao had described.

Lead and mercury are the two main ingredients that all alchemists cannot avoid when making elixirs.

Considering this, it is simply a miracle that the late emperor could live to be sixty years old despite taking drugs day after day.

Of course, this is just speculation, but there is really no need to be stubborn when it comes to matters of life and death...

~~

After a while, the cook changed the table of food and wine.

But after the commotion just now, everyone had lost their appetite, so they focused on talking.

During the dinner, Zhang Juzheng wanted to ask Zhao Hao to tutor his sons.

Zhao Hao hurriedly explained it to him, so as not to be considered a fraud by his idol. "To be honest with you, Mr. Zhang, science is not a subject for the imperial examinations. I am not good at the imperial examinations either."

"Oh?" Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang were both a little surprised. It was hard to imagine that the teacher of the five Jinshi scholars was not good at the imperial examinations.

"My disciples were already excellent at the imperial examinations. Many of them were already successful candidates when they became my disciples." Zhao Hao explained half-truthfully, "It's because science helps train thinking and strengthen logic that it helped them improve their grades."

Well. It's not because I have the skill to guess the questions 100%.

"Is that so..." Zhang Juzheng did not look down on Zhao Hao because of this. Instead, he became even more happy and said, "Good, very good. What did they say? Oh, yes, science means seeking truth from facts."

Zhao Hao didn't blush and thought to himself, it's a pity that scientists can lie.

However, Zhang Juzheng still hoped that Zhao Hao could spare some time to teach them science...

I guess it’s because Zhao Hao said science can improve the results of the imperial examinations?

Zhao Hao couldn't refuse, so he agreed with Prime Minister Zhang to spare one afternoon every five days to give a science class to his sons.

For this purpose, Zhang Juzheng solemnly asked his five sons to come out and meet the newly invited teacher.

Unfortunately, there was no mention of how the tuition was calculated, and Zhao Hao didn't dare to ask.

Well, it’s a great honor to be able to serve my idol, so what does it matter whether I get paid or not?

When the five boys heard that they would have one afternoon every five days without studying with Mr. Cheng, their mouths stretched to the back of their heads.

When he heard that he was going to study science with Zhao Hao, even Jingxiu, who was the most calm, couldn't help but cheer.

Because those little science toys are so fun...

They naively thought that learning science was also a very happy thing.

hehe……

~~

After lunch, Zhao Hao and Qi Jiguang tactfully said goodbye.

Before leaving, Zhang Juzheng deliberately pulled Zhao Hao aside and whispered to him: "Don't hold out too much hope for your three disciples in the selection of the Imperial Academy the day after tomorrow."

"Oh?" Zhao Hao knew what was going on and pretended to be surprised. "They are all among the top 36 in the second class."

"That's just an established rule. Now that Your Majesty has broken the rules of the palace examination, you can't blame Lord Xu for breaking the rules of selecting scholars." Zhang Juzheng sighed and briefly introduced the situation of the palace examination marking to Zhao Hao.

Zhao Hao was stunned when he heard this. He thought to himself, isn't Emperor Longqing a little bee? How can he sting people?

"Bugu can only help you secure one spot." Zhang Juzheng asked in a low voice, "Who do you think should go?"

"We need to go back and ask about this." Zhao Hao whispered, "Their fate should be decided by themselves."

"Alright." Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "Tomorrow Bu Gu will be on duty. Once you have made your decision, just let You Qi know."

"Thank you, my husband." Zhao Hao bowed deeply.

"Bu Gu is doing this to promote science," Zhang Juzheng said calmly.

Zhao Hao was stunned when he heard this. He never expected that a lecture at Lingji Palace would actually help their sect attract a great golden ally...

ps. The fourth update, 10060 votes plus more, continue to ask for monthly votes and recommendation votes~~