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Song Qin was dumbfounded when he heard that, well, he made a big circle and returned to Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism.

Li Sixiao said: "Qi and reason are inseparable. To be unreasonable is to have no mind, to be incapable of thinking, and unable to understand the rules of all things in the world. Without Qi, people and things do not exist. Qi and reason, according to Descartes, are reason. Existence first. Since God existed first, there are all things and human beings only when there is God.”

"Is it true that Descartes' God can be understood as Zhu Zi's Wuji or Taiji. The heart is the principle. Qi is the world. We have a heart, a conscience, and can think and study the world. Those who are born to know are sages, and we If you are not a saint, you need to study things to gain knowledge. To study the world and study knowledge is to develop conscience and explore everything in the universe. Knowing has obstacles, so you have to doubt, so you have to put aside your prejudices."

"The existence of intellectual disabilities and ignorance of the mind requires what you call epistemology and methodology."

Song Qin didn't know much about psychology, and even only superficially knew about Neo Confucianism. He was not interested in traditional things, and he was devoted to scientific research.

However, it is possible to layer skins.

Li Sixiao continued: "There is actually no essential difference between the worldviews of Confucianism and Xinxue. We don't need to overthrow it, but we can use it."

"Therefore, there is a world view for doing research. First there is Wuji or Taiji, which is the god that Descartes said. Taiji is divided into two forms, which breeds Qi and Li, and derives all things in the world. Li is the heart, conscience, and the rules of heaven and earth. It is also the thinking ability of human beings. Qi is everything in the world, and it is the object of our research.”

"And epistemology is also available. We are not saints, and we cannot be born to know it. Confucius and Meng Yasheng are only the most holy teachers, not real saints. What they say may not be correct. So we have to doubt and rationally study The world. We have to doubt any principles and rules that cannot be clearly proved. Even what Confucius said, we should doubt it. To study everything with doubts is what Yangming Gong said. Put effort into things. To do good and to eliminate evil is Investigating things, goodness is truth, and evil is falsehood.”

"So there is also a methodology, which is what Descartes said!"

Song Qin just doesn't care about vulgar things, but he is not a real fool.

He knows that natural science research is still a by-path.The current emperor supports it, but the future emperor may not necessarily, and may even suppress and oppose it.If you want natural science to be recognized and become the academic mainstream, you cannot abandon everything traditional.

Suddenly, Song Qin smiled and said, "You and my brother, how about doing this together?"

Li Sixiao said happily: "That's what I mean! It's a pity that there are no real great Confucians among the envoys. The two of us can only make a rough outline first. When we return to Nanjing, we will visit famous Confucians. We need to find those enlightened Confucian scholars , such as Huang Zongxi, Gu Yanwu and the like. Whether they criticize or encourage them, I invite them to criticize mistakes and omissions. Then I call on the scholars of Qintian Academy to enrich this theory. Given time, it will surely achieve positive results!"

In a word, the two wanted to borrow the cover of Confucianism and use the old bottle of Confucianism to hold the new wine of science.

This kind of thing is perfectly normal, especially at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when the Chinese intellectual world was full of demons dancing around, and there were a lot of different thoughts.Even Neo Confucianism and Psychology, which are incompatible with water and fire, have been improved and put together to form various new schools.

Among countless new ideas, Li Sixiao's theory does not seem too outrageous, because there are many people who are even more outrageous.

Now is not the traditional Neo Confucianism monopolizing the academic world, it is the best period for the birth of new ideas, and it is also the best period for the formation of natural science theories.

Their core point of view is that what Confucius said may not be right, that is, the spirit of scientific skepticism.This kind of thinking is also out of the ordinary. In the late Ming Dynasty, there were not a few people who were not Confucians, and many Confucian scholars wanted to break out of the cage of Confucianism and Mencius.It's just that it was interrupted by the Qing Dynasty in history.In order to establish legitimacy, the Manchu Qing erected Confucius, and all active and advanced thoughts died under the power.

"Cheng Zhu has Confucianism, Lu Wang has heart, what should we call this?" Song Qin asked.

Li Sixiao smiled and said: "When we study the world, the worldview is basically the same as Neo-Confucianism. The key is to study things, and to study things is to doubt, and to find the truth of things in doubt. How about calling it 'Gewu Xue'? Maybe a hundred years later, someone will use you and me Surname, call Gewuxue 'Song Li Zhixue'."

Mathematics, astronomy, and geography are all traditional miscellaneous studies.

As for physics, there is no need for Zhao Han to name it. It already existed in the late Ming Dynasty, and it was taken from "Gewu Zhili".

Li Sixiao has great ambitions. He wants to unify all miscellaneous studies, that is, natural sciences, into "gewuxue".

The reason behind Gewu must be verified.Doubt everything, what cannot stand the test is false, and what can stand the test is the truth.In the future, there will be no authority in academics, but doubt and rationality will be the authority.There are no saints, only scholars who keep studying things to gain conscience.

Confucius is still that Confucius, but not that Confucius.

At this moment, far away in Paris, the Queen Mother Anne ordered scholars and artists to be summoned.The main conveners are young celebrities from the French Academy, or disciples of older scholars, and ten people will be sent to China for exchanges.

Of course, it is not to exchange natural sciences, but to learn Chinese theory of loyalty to the monarch, music, painting, architecture, sculpture, etc.

Blaise Pascal, who is only 30 years old, has just completed the "Essays on Liquid Equilibrium and Air Weight".As early as the age of 16, he completed "On Conic Sections", leaving "Pascal's Theorem".He invented the calculator, studied vacuum and atmospheric pressure, improved the mercury barometer, and used the barometer for weather forecasting.Even Leibniz, who invented calculus, borrowed from Pascal's research manuscripts.

According to the historical trajectory, next year, such a scientific genius will turn to theological research in an all-round way.

Starting from skepticism, this gentleman came to a religious conclusion: perceptual and rational knowledge are unreliable, so faith is above all else!

Later, when he was studying theology, he took time off to recuperate due to illness, and when he was in a panic, he also did some scientific research.For example, he communicated with the mathematician Fermat and laid the foundation of modern probability together.

His name is Pascal, and the unit of pressure is referred to as "Pa".

"Can I go to China? When I corresponded with Mr. Descartes, he said that China's mathematics research is very advanced." Pascal asked.

The official said disgustedly: "We only recruit scholars from the academic academy, or students of scholars. You are just a peripheral member of the academic academy. What qualifications do you have to go to China?"

Pascal said: "The emperor of China is a mathematician. Mr. Descartes, he once corresponded with the priests of the Jesuits. His Majesty the Chinese emperor, like Mr. Descartes, invented analytic geometry very early. If the envoys There are mathematicians here, and I think we can have a common language with the Chinese emperor."

When the officials heard it, it seemed reasonable, and Pascal was also very famous.So no longer refused, just said: "I'm going to ask the Prime Minister for instructions."

Pascal added: "I have a friend named Pierre de Fermat. Although he is a lawyer, he also has a lot of research on mathematics. From different angles, he also has analytic geometry ideas, which have existed before Mr. Descartes. Maybe, he can go to China too."

"Lawyer?" the official laughed, "Is he going to China to study law? What about Fermat, forget it. Even you, you have to ask the Prime Minister for instructions."

Chapter 765 [British travel style]

The Chinese mission stayed in a manor outside London.

On this day, two young men came.

They all rode horses, with long swords hanging from their belts.His identity seems to be aristocratic, but he has no retinues. Although the clothes are not cheap, they definitely do not look extravagant.

Those in charge of guarding the manor were soldiers sent by Cromwell.

An officer asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The leading teenager said: "We are from the countryside twenty miles away. I heard that the Chinese envoys have arrived in London, so we want to travel with them to China."

It was obvious that both young men came from the country gentry class!

In 17th-century France, society was undergoing drastic changes, and so was Britain.

The traditional British aristocracy is declining day by day, with huge expenses, extravagance, and land sales, while the gentry class is rising rapidly.

The squire is a general term, including barons, knights, gentry (non-noble officials), and gentlemen (wealthy farmers).

For example, the House of Commons in the United Kingdom was established by the country gentry.

In addition, the British middle class is also rising, including citizens, businessmen and farmers.

A large number of emerging classes in the UK are in a period of vigorous growth.They don't have the decadence and extravagance of traditional nobles, they are relatively simple, and they are daring to fight and break through, with the characteristics of vigor and vitality.

And the wind of traveling with a sword also appeared at this time.

A large number of rich British gentry supported their children and grandchildren to go out and meet the world.

The initial travel goal was limited to Italy, to visit the birthplace of the Renaissance, and later gradually expanded to France, Spain, the Netherlands and other places.

After the trend of traveling became popular, the great British aristocrats also joined in, which caused the travel activities to gradually change.

The young masters of these great noble families will hug each other when they go out, and they will also bring the luxury carriages of the family.There was more than one luxury carriage, and all of them were shipped away, and the cost was extremely staggering.

The trend of traveling began in the 17th century and lasted until the 19th century.

These young people are all elites. They have seen the situation of various countries, and they have also felt the essence and shortcomings of each country.When they return to the country to inherit the family business, they will have an international perspective and lead the family to continue to expand and grow. Britain's ability to become an empire on which the sun never sets has something to do with this group of elites who travel around the world.

"You wait, I'm going to report."

Many of Cromwell's soldiers came from the middle class.They can't understand the traditional big aristocrats, but they are friendly to the gentry class, and they cooperated with each other during the revolution.

Why do you say that what Cromwell is doing is a bourgeois revolution?Because the emerging class has made great efforts!

Not long after, the two teenagers were interviewed.

One named John, one named Thomas, very common names.The father of the former was a country knight, and the father of the latter was a farmer, both of very humble origins, who became rich because of social changes.

The teenagers stood up straight, without much knowledge, but with a lot of vigor.

Zhang Ruifeng asked about their identities and learned their thoughts, so he couldn't help but wondered: "Going to China, crossing the sea for thousands of miles, if you don't pay attention, you will be buried in the belly of a fish. Why do you follow all the way?"

John replied: "I was originally going to Rome, where there are great thinkers and artists. My father said that Britain is too small, and men must go out to broaden their horizons. Since it is to broaden their horizons, why not go further? China's exquisite The goods have been sold to the UK, so China must be very powerful. I will travel to China, learn more skills, and lead the family to grow stronger. My father is just a country knight now, but one day, I will become a real nobleman with Your own private manor!"

Thomas said: "My father used to be a Yeoman (yeoman), and now he has a large farm. I studied in a church school, and I know some Latin. I was expelled from the school because I fought with noble children. Although the family I’m not very rich, but my father supports me to travel. When I arrive in China, if I don’t have enough money, I will go to work as an apprentice and earn living expenses by myself. When I return to the UK, I will definitely be more capable. I want to make the family farm more Big, if given the chance, I will strive to be a knight!"

Zhang Ruifeng was quite emotional: "Young people travel far away with swords, which is a relic of the past. I also traveled away from home in my teens and followed my father to do business. You two have commendable ambitions, much better than those big nobles."

John said: "The nobles are all blood-sucking bugs, they are the guys lying on the gold waiting to die!"

Hard work can make you rich, but it is absolutely impossible to cross the class with hard work alone.

Like Thomas' father, he was just a yeoman before.The land was purchased with a small amount of money by currying favor with the noble lords.What's more, the purchase is public land, and the behavior is extremely bad: one is to squeeze the king's wool, and the other is that there are farmers on the public land, who directly enclose the land after purchasing it.Some farmers were forced to be homeless, and some farmers were left as tenants, which was part of the enclosure movement.

Thomas, a seemingly simple and vigorous young man, was able to travel to China thanks to the blood and tears of farmers on his father's hands.

Of course Zhang Ruifeng didn't know this, he just felt that the two young men were very ambitious, and immediately said: "You can go to China with the boat, and your boat fare will not be charged. However, you need to pay for the food expenses along the way. When you arrive in China , I will recommend you to study at Jinling University, provided that you can afford the tuition fees. I will ask someone to calculate an account, and after a few years, you must have an account of the money spent in China.”

Two young English country boys were overjoyed. After getting the account of their cross-sea travel, they immediately rode home to ask their parents for money.

The expenses are extremely expensive, and the boy from a knight family can barely afford it because his family has a lot of land and is doing business.As for Thomas, who came from a farming family, not to mention going to college at his own expense, even living in China for a few years is enough.

But they still chose to go to sea. Thomas's idea has not changed. He went to China to work and earn money.

After dismissing the two teenagers, Zhang Ruifeng was called by Lu Tianxiang.

Lu Tianxiang said with a serious expression: "When returning to the voyage, you can't dock in Portugal, and you don't want the sheep you bought there. Just came the news that smallpox broke out in Lisbon. The king's eldest son and second daughter all died of smallpox. "

"There is such a thing!" Zhang Ruifeng was shocked.

Although the Portuguese prince invited Lu Tianxiang to dance, it is not a crime if the customs of the two parties are different.As for the Portuguese princess, she was very quiet and beautiful.It's only been two or three months since I saw her, and she was taken away by a plague.

Lu Tianxiang said again: "I don't know how to treat diseases either. You go and order the Chinese doctors in the army to check all the people on board. See who is sick, and strictly isolate them."

Zhang Ruifeng took the order immediately, and at the same time comforted: "We have been away from Portugal for a long time, no one should be infected, otherwise we would have symptoms already."

"No matter what, let the doctor check it first," Lu Tianxiang said, "Also, we can't stay in Europe, who knows if smallpox will spread to England."

They came early, if they came ten years later, the plague would break out in London, directly taking away one-tenth of the population here.

A thorough investigation was conducted by all members of the mission, and many of them were sick.But most of them belong to normal diseases, most of which are acclimatized to the soil and water, and no plague phenomenon has been found for the time being.

Main members, collective meeting.

Fan Chao asked: "I haven't been to Rome or Ottoman yet, nor have I been to Northern Europe. After visiting the UK, I will return directly to the voyage? How can the emperor's order be fulfilled?"

Zhang Ruifeng said: "It is rumored that all the big and small states in Italy do not allow Jesuit priests to go ashore. The Pope has broken with the Jesuits. The reason is that the Jesuits allow Chinese believers to worship their ancestors and worship Confucius. Let's go to Rome I’m afraid I won’t be able to see the Pope either. As for Ottoman, although his land is adjacent to Persia, his capital is far away in Europe, and he is fighting naval battles with European countries. Ottoman’s merchant ships rarely sail to Southeast Asia, and it doesn’t matter whether they visit or not.”

"Since your Majesty has an order, it must be completed," Fan Chao said, "Well, I will lead the fleet and take a few civil servants to Rome and Ottoman. You stay in England, and I will come back in a month at most. As for the Netherlands and Northern Europe, there is no need to go. I inquired and found that Britain and the Netherlands are still at war, and it will not be very peaceful to continue going north.”

The next day, Fan Chao left with the fleet, and the rest stayed in London, waiting to meet Cromwell.

Cromwell has a big air and has never shown his face.But there is a reason for this. He has to wait for the outcome of the Anglo-Dutch negotiations before discussing diplomatic matters with the Chinese.

What did Cromwell want?

I want to learn from Spain and Portugal at the beginning, draw a line on the globe, and from then on, Britain and the Netherlands will divide the world.Even, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are united, and the United Kingdom dominates the world.

Although whimsical, it was really Cromwell's idea, and it was clearly stated during the negotiations.

Whether it is the British or the Dutch, they all think that Cromwell is crazy.

At the negotiating table, the two countries once again collapsed.

Back in his office, Cromwell unbuttoned his collar and asked, "Are the Chinese getting impatient?"

General Lan Bai said: "No, the food and drink are served. But their fleet has left, saying that they are going to visit Rome and Ottoman."

Cromwell said: "China is very powerful and has defeated the Netherlands many times in Asia. If the Netherlands still does not agree to the negotiation conditions, we will pretend to be an alliance with China and pull out all the Dutch colonies in the East!"

"I'm afraid it won't frighten the Dutch," said General Lambayt. "Both sides understand that Britain is going to die, and Holland is going to die. The Dutch are just delaying until our military expenditures are exhausted, and then Obtain more favorable negotiating terms."

"Damn it!" Cromwell cursed depressingly.

The United Kingdom can't fight anymore because the military expenditure has already been spent, and it is currently looking for businessmen everywhere for loans.

The Netherlands can't fight anymore, because businessmen are chasing profit, and the war has caused too much damage to the economy.In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, due to being blocked for several months, prices have skyrocketed, and the trade of the East India Company has shrunk.

General Lan Bai said: "The United Kingdom and the Netherlands are united. This proposal is too unrealistic. Let's give it up. It is impossible for the Netherlands to agree."

The successful dissolution of Parliament in the UK made Cromwell a little bit adrift.

He subconsciously believed that the Anglo-Dutch Union could do it.There is no king to rule everyone. After the union, the Netherlands will be given sufficient autonomy, and the overseas forces of the two sides can also be united.This is not bad for the Netherlands, why don't the Dutch agree?

Neuropathy!

The ignorant Dutchman made Cromwell calm down a little. He frowned and said, "Then give up the union and establish an Anglo-Dutch offensive and defensive alliance."

General Lan Bai also said: "It is impractical for the Netherlands to give up its overseas interests. They are a group of businessmen who block their way of getting money and will force them to really work hard. If they are forced hard, maybe the Dutch businessmen will return to China." Get together instead of falling apart like now."

The two carefully planned and basically established the next negotiation plan.

It is nothing more than asking for the cession of the colony and demanding reparations from the Netherlands.There are also many prestige clauses, such as Dutch ships passing through British waters must stop and salute British ships.

Of course, the lion has to continue to open his mouth, such as forcing the Netherlands to recognize the "Navigation Regulations".

In the following negotiation process, the atmosphere was much more relaxed, and it was only a matter of time before the negotiation was successful.

Under such circumstances, Cromwell finally met with the Chinese mission.In order to show sincerity, I went to visit the manor in person, but due to financial constraints, I didn't bring any decent meeting gifts.

Chapter 766 [On Politics]

The Chinese diplomatic mission was invited to participate in Cromwell's "enthronement" ceremony.