novelSusiti Chapter 74 Foucault's Lullaby, and the...
Chapter 74 Foucault's Lullaby, and the...
Seven days later, at Xianyang Palace, a court assembly was held.
The atmosphere at today's court assembly was somewhat unusual.
In the past, the ministers would stand in their fixed positions, eyes downcast, waiting for Ying Zheng to speak. But today, everyone's gaze was drawn to the huge, slightly swaying bronze sphere in the center of the hall.
It was a huge bronze sphere, about half a person's height, its surface polished smooth as a mirror, gleaming with a dark golden luster under the candlelight in the hall. A three-zhang-long iron chain hung down from the dome of the hall, firmly attached to a ring at the top of the bronze sphere.
Most surprisingly, the bronze ball is not suspended in mid-air, but rather only a foot above the ground, hovering above a huge circular sand table covered with fine sand.
The sand table is black, while the fine sand is white, creating a striking contrast.
"My beloved ministers," Ying Zheng said, seated on the dragon throne, his voice calm, but a barely perceptible excitement flickering in his eyes, "I have summoned you here today to show you something."
"What is it?" an old minister couldn't help but ask.
Ying Zheng stood up, walked to the bronze ball, and gently pushed it.
The bronze ball began to swing.
Draw a graceful arc above the sand table from left to right and from right to left.
"This...this isn't an ordinary ornament?" Li Si walked closer, examining it carefully. "Your Majesty, what's so special about this?"
"Special?" Ying Zheng laughed. "Li Si, do you think this pendulum will keep swinging like this?"
"Of course it will," Li Si answered without hesitation. "Unless some external force stops it, it will keep swinging like this until friction slowly brings it to a stop."
"You're right," Ying Zheng nodded, "but what I want you to see isn't whether it will stop, but whether its direction of swing will change."
"Swing direction?" Li Si was taken aback. "Isn't this just a left-right swing? How could the direction change?"
"That's right!" another minister chimed in, "Unless someone pushes it, how could its swinging direction possibly change?"
"That's not necessarily true." Ying Zheng looked at Wang Jianguo, who had been standing silently to the side. "Mr. Wang, could you explain?"
Wang Jianguo stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"My lords," he said, "this pendulum is called the 'Foucault pendulum.' Its principle is very simple: when a pendulum swings without external interference, its plane of oscillation should remain unchanged."
"However, if the Earth were stationary, then the plane of oscillation would indeed not change. But if the Earth were rotating..."
Wang Jianguo paused for a moment and looked around at everyone.
"Therefore, the oscillating plane will be deflected due to the Earth's rotation."
"What?" An elderly scholar with white hair suddenly stood up. "Mr. Wang, what do you mean by that?"
He is Chunyu Yue, a former scholar from the State of Qi, and now the Grand Master of the Afang Palace in the Qin Dynasty.
"What do you mean?" Wang Jianguo looked at him. "Mr. Chunyu, have you ever heard of 'a round heaven and a square earth'?"
"Of course I've heard of it!" Chunyu Yue answered without hesitation. "The idea that heaven is round and earth is square is the word of sages! It's common knowledge since ancient times!"
"Alright." Wang Jianguo nodded. "Since you believe in the 'flat earth' theory, you must also believe that the earth is stationary, right?"
"Of course!" Chunyu Yue puffed out his chest. "If the earth could rotate, wouldn't people be flung out of the air? Wouldn't birds in the sky fall down?"
"Exactly!" the other old scholars chimed in. "If the earth could rotate, wouldn't the seas flow backward? Wouldn't mountains and rivers collapse?"
"If the earth rotates, why don't we feel it?" a military officer questioned. "When I'm riding a horse, if the horse is running fast, I can feel the wind. But why can't I feel the earth rotating when I'm standing on the ground?"
The audience erupted in skepticism.
Ying Zheng stood aside with a faint smile on his face, and did not stop him.
He knew these doubts were normal. Even in his time, the concept of Earth's rotation needed to be proven experimentally.
"Gentlemen, please be quiet," Wang Jianguo raised his voice. "I understand your questions. But please observe this arrangement carefully."
He pointed to the still-swaying bronze ball.
"Right now, it's swinging east-west. Please remember this direction. Then, we'll wait a while to see if its swing direction changes."
"If the Earth were stationary, then the direction of its swaying wouldn't change."
"But what if the Earth rotates..."
Wang Jianguo paused for a moment.
"Then, the direction of the swing will deflect."
"Moreover, the speed of this deflection can be calculated. At the latitude of Xianyang, it deflects approximately nine degrees per hour."
"Nine degrees?" Li Si frowned. "Doesn't that mean it will complete one rotation in a day?"
"Theoretically, yes," Wang Jianguo nodded. "But in reality, due to various factors, such as air resistance and chain friction, the deflection speed might be slower. However, the direction will definitely change."
"Absurd!" Chunyu Yue exclaimed, his beard trembling with rage. "This is utterly absurd!"
"Mr. Wang, are you playing us for fools?" one of the military officers couldn't help but ask. "What's the point of leaving us here to wait and watch a broken ball swing back and forth?"
"What is the significance?" Ying Zheng suddenly asked.
His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly drowned out all the noise.
Everyone fell silent and looked at the emperor.
"The significance is," Ying Zheng said slowly, "that if this experiment proves that the Earth does indeed rotate, then what you just said, those so-called 'common sense' statements, are wrong."
"If the Earth rotates, then the idea that 'the sky is flat and the earth is square' is wrong."
"If the Earth rotates, then the idea that 'the Earth is stationary' is wrong."
"If the Earth rotates, then those 'saintly words' you've upheld your whole lives are wrong."
The audience was completely silent.
No one dared to speak.
Because Ying Zheng's words were too direct.
It's direct and leaves no room for argument.
"So, gentlemen," Ying Zheng looked around, "please wait quietly. I will give you two hours. After two hours, we will see if the direction of the pendulum's swing has changed."
"If changes have occurred, then it proves that the Earth does indeed rotate."
"If nothing changes, then I will admit that you are right."
"but--"
Ying Zheng's voice suddenly turned cold.
"If it is proven that the Earth rotates, then from now on, whoever dares to say 'the heavens are flat and the earth is square' in court, whoever dares to use 'the words of sages' to question science, then don't blame me for being impolite."
"Understood?"
"Understood." All the ministers bowed in unison.
"Then let's wait." Ying Zheng sat back on the dragon throne. "I will wait with you."
……
Time passed by, second by second.
Inside the main hall, there was complete silence.
Everyone stared intently at the still-swaying bronze ball.
It was still swaying back and forth, moving from left to right and from right to left, never stopping.
The most amazing thing is that Wang Jianguo installed a sharp needle at the bottom of the bronze ball. Every time it is swung to the lowest point, the tip of the needle will leave a shallow mark on the sand table.
As time went on, more and more marks appeared on the sand table, forming fine lines.
But all these lines are parallel.
They all point in the same direction—east-west.
It seems that nothing has really changed.
"See, I told you so!" an old scholar muttered under his breath, "The direction it's facing hasn't changed at all! How could the Earth possibly be rotating?"
"Exactly!" another chimed in. "It's been almost an hour, and we're still going in the same direction!"
"Mr. Wang, is there a problem with your theory?" Li Si couldn't help but look at Wang Jianguo.
Wang Jianguo didn't speak, but simply shook his head, indicating that they should continue to wait.
Another half hour passed.
The marks on the sand table are now densely packed, covering the entire disc.
But upon closer inspection, these marks appear to be parallel.
"Your Majesty," Chunyu Yue couldn't help but step forward, "it's been almost two hours. The direction in which they're placed doesn't seem to have changed."
Does this prove that the Earth is indeed stationary?
Ying Zheng did not speak, but looked at Wang Jianguo.
"Wait a little longer," Wang Jianguo said. "Deflection is a slow process. Moreover, since we're indoors, airflow, slight vibrations in the building, and other factors will affect the observation results."
"However, if you carefully compare the initial traces with these current traces..."
Wang Jianguo walked to the sand table, squatted down, and carefully compared the two.
"Look here," he said, pointing to the earliest lines drawn on the sand table. "These were drawn at the very beginning."
"Look here," he said, pointing to the most recent marks. "These were just made."
"Look closely, are there any subtle differences in the direction of these two sets of marks?"
All the ministers gathered around, staring intently at the scene.
"It seems..." Li Si frowned, "...it really does seem a little different?"
"Yes!" another minister exclaimed, noticing, "The first few routes were slightly northward. These current routes are slightly southward!"
"Really?" Chunyu Yue squeezed in and pulled out a magnifying glass from his sleeve—a tool newly invented by the Academy of Sciences—to carefully compare the two.
After watching for a while, his expression gradually changed.
Because there are indeed differences.
Although the difference is very small, so small as to be almost negligible, it does exist.
"This...how is this possible?" Chunyu Yue muttered to himself, "Could it be that the Earth is really rotating?"
"If the Earth is rotating, why don't we feel it?" a military general still didn't believe it. "Why don't birds fall down? Why doesn't the sea flow backward?"
"Because the Earth rotates at a constant speed," Wang Jianguo explained. "Moreover, due to inertia, we rotate along with the Earth, so we don't feel it."
"It's like sitting in a carriage moving at a constant speed; if you don't look outside, you won't feel the carriage moving."
"Birds are the same. They rotate with the Earth, so they don't fall down."
"The same applies to seawater. Due to gravity, seawater is attracted to the Earth and rotates with it, so it doesn't flow backwards."
"This..." The general opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately kept it closed.
Because, although he still didn't quite understand, at least this explanation sounded much more scientific than the "round sky and square earth" theory.
"Gentlemen," Ying Zheng suddenly stood up and walked to the sand table, "the experiment has been going on for an hour and a half. Although it hasn't been long enough, we have already seen preliminary results."
"The direction of the pendulum's swing has indeed changed."
"Although the angle of deflection is small, it is indeed deflecting."
This proves that the Earth does indeed rotate.
The audience was completely silent.
No one speaks.
Because this conclusion is so shocking.
If the Earth really does rotate, then all the concepts and "sayings of sages" they've been taught since childhood are wrong.
"But!" Chunyu Yue suddenly shouted, his voice trembling, "Your Majesty! Even if the earth rotates, so what?"
"So what if the earth is round?"
"Does this mean that the words of sages are all wrong?"
"Does this mean that imperial power is not divinely ordained?"
Ying Zheng turned around and looked at him.
A hint of pity appeared in his eyes.
"Chunyu Yue, you've lived all these years, why don't you understand?"
"I have never said that the words of sages are all wrong. I have only said that those words of sages that have been proven wrong by facts should be corrected."
"As for imperial power..."
Ying Zheng paused for a moment.
"Imperial power has never been 'given by heaven.' Imperial power is earned through force."
"It is maintained by the ability to govern the country."
"Only by improving the lives of the people and making the country stronger can we achieve lasting prosperity."
"If I cannot do these things, then even if I possess 'divinely granted' imperial power, I will be overthrown sooner or later."
"But if I can do these things, then even without a divine mandate, the people will still support me."
"This is the truth."
"There's no need to rely on the 'round sky and square earth' theory to prove it."
"It doesn't need to rely on 'divine right of kings' to maintain its authority."
"It's all about strength."
The audience fell silent once again.
Everyone was shocked by Ying Zheng's words.
Because these words completely overturned their understanding.
Is imperial power not divinely ordained?
Or did they earn their success through skill?
Is it maintained by governance capabilities?
How...how is this possible?
But upon closer reflection, it seems to make a lot of sense.
Weren't all six states destroyed by the Qin Dynasty?
Haven't their "divinely granted" imperial power all disappeared?
If imperial power was truly "divinely granted," then why did Heaven allow the Qin Dynasty to unify the six kingdoms?
"Gentlemen," Ying Zheng continued, "today's experiment is not merely to prove that the Earth rotates."
"Moreover, it is to tell you, and to all the people of the world: truth is not defined by the 'words of sages.'"
"Truth is discovered through experimentation, observation, and verification."
"From now on, anyone who dares to use the 'words of sages' to question science will face my wrath."
"Do you understand?"
"Understood!" All the ministers bowed in unison.
"That's good." Ying Zheng nodded. "Wang Jianguo, continue this experiment. I want you to conduct a long-term observation, recording the pendulum's swing direction and its daily changes."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Jianguo bowed and accepted the order.
"Li Si."
"Your subject is here." Li Si stepped forward.
"Compile the process and results of this experiment into a document and distribute it throughout the country. Let people all over the world know about the results of this experiment."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Si bowed and accepted the order.
"Alright." Ying Zheng waved his hand. "That concludes today's court session. Court adjourned."
"We take our leave!" All the ministers bowed in unison and then left the hall in turn.
But a few old scholars couldn't help but look back at the still-swaying bronze ball before leaving.
Their eyes were filled with confusion and fear.
What's puzzling is, why does the Earth rotate?
What's frightening is that if even the concept of a flat earth and a round sky is wrong, then what is real?
……
An hour later, at the Epang Palace University, in the study of the chief priest.
Chunyu Yue sat in the chair, holding a copy of "The Foundation of Natural Science of the Great Qin" in his hand, his eyes glazed over, and he remained motionless.
He had been sitting like this for half an hour.
He was still replaying the scene he had just witnessed in the imperial court in his mind.
That Foucault pendulum.
That Foucault pendulum proved that the Earth rotates.
That Foucault pendulum, which broke the concept of "a round heaven and a square earth".
"How could this happen?" he muttered to himself.
"Does the Earth really rotate?"
"Then...the idea that 'heaven is round and earth is square' is really wrong?"
"Then...could the words of a sage really be wrong?"
The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.
The more I think about it, the more terrified I become.
Because if even these most basic common sense principles are wrong, then what use are these educated people?
If they spend their whole lives studying the "words of sages," and they are all wrong, then what is their value?
"Something's not right!" Chunyu Yue suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the room. "Something's not right!"
"The Earth's rotation doesn't mean the words of sages are wrong!"
"The words of the sages speak of principles of conduct, strategies for governing a country, and more..."
He couldn't continue.
Because he suddenly realized that if even the most basic common sense, such as "heaven is round and earth is square," is wrong, then could the descriptions of nature and the world in the words of the sages also be wrong?
For example, what about the discourses on "Mandate of Heaven," "The Way of Heaven," and "The Divine Right of Emperors"?
If these things can all go wrong, then what is the point of the words of a sage?
"No! We can't think like that!" Chunyu Yue shook his head vigorously. "The words of a sage must have their significance!"
Even if the Earth rotates, even if the Earth is round, even if…
He stopped and looked out the window.
Outside the window is the construction site of the Epang Palace.
There, countless craftsmen were busy building structures he had never seen before.
Those buildings constructed with cement and steel bars.
Those buildings that completely violate traditional architectural concepts.
But those buildings were indeed more robust and practical.
Just like how science can indeed explain the workings of the world better than the words of sages.
"Perhaps..." Chunyu Yue slowly sat down, looking at the book "Fundamentals of Natural Science in the Great Qin Dynasty" in his hand, "Perhaps, this old man really should study this new knowledge properly."
"At the very least, we need to understand how this world actually works."
"At the very least, we must understand which of the sages' words are right and which are wrong."
"At the very least, we must understand how we, as intellectuals, should conduct ourselves in this new era."
He turned the pages of the book.
The first page had a sentence written on it:
Truth is not defined by the words of sages. Truth is discovered through experimentation, observation, and verification.
This sentence was written by Ying Zheng himself.
Upon seeing these words, a complex light flashed in Chunyu Yue's eyes.
Learning new knowledge does not mean betraying the words of sages.
Perhaps he can find a balance between the two.
……
At the same time, in the study of Xianyang Palace.
Ying Zheng stood by the window, looking at the Shaofu workshop in the distance that was still emitting smoke, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"Little G," he asked in his mind, "how many people do you think this Foucault pendulum experiment can convince them that the Earth rotates?"
[Your Majesty, based on historical experience, it takes time for everyone to accept a new idea.]
However, as long as the experimental results are true, the logic is clear, and the evidence is sufficient, more and more people will accept it.
Furthermore, with the advancement of science education and the growth of the new generation, the concept of Earth's rotation will be accepted by more and more people.
Ultimately, it will become the new common sense.
"New common sense..." Ying Zheng murmured to himself, "The old common sense has been replaced by new common sense."
Is this progress?
Yes, Your Majesty. This is progress.
Knowledge is being updated, ideas are changing, and times are progressing.
This is the natural law governing the development of human civilization.
Ying Zheng remained silent for a while.
"Little G, tell me, without your help and this knowledge of the future, could I have unified the six kingdoms?"
Your Majesty, your question is difficult to answer.
History has no "what ifs."
However, one thing is certain: even without my help, you would still be a great emperor throughout history.
Your courage, your wisdom, and your determination were all top-notch for that era.
However, the pace of development might not have been as fast as it is now.
"Then tell me, if I die, will this new knowledge and these new ideas continue to spread?"
Your Majesty, this problem is even more complicated.
The dissemination of knowledge requires systems, frameworks, and education.
As long as the education system you established exists, as long as the Academy of Sciences exists, and as long as these teachers exist, knowledge will continue to be disseminated.
However, if successors do not value it, or if someone deliberately sabotages it, then this knowledge may be forgotten.
Therefore, what you need to do is not only disseminate knowledge, but also establish systems.
Let knowledge become a tradition.
Let science become a belief.
"Faith..." Ying Zheng mused.
Has science become a belief?
This sounds a bit contradictory.
Because science itself is opposed to faith.
Science demands verification, skepticism, and rationality.
Instead of blindly following or being superstitious.
But what if we take "scientific spirit" itself as a belief?
Trust experiments, trust evidence, trust reason.
Isn't this also a kind of faith?
Moreover, this kind of belief is much more reliable than those vague notions of "destiny" and "the way of heaven".
"Little G, you're right," Ying Zheng said slowly. "I not only want to spread knowledge, but also to establish systems."
"Let the spirit of science become a belief."
"In this way, even after I die, this knowledge can continue to be passed down."
[Your Majesty, the fact that you think this way shows that you have begun to consider the longer-term future.]
This is a good sign.
However, you should also note that rules are rigid, but people are flexible.
A good system needs constant maintenance and updating.
Just like scientific knowledge, it needs to be constantly updated.
"I understand." Ying Zheng nodded. "Therefore, I want this system to have the ability to self-renew."
"In this way, even without me, even without you, it can continue to function."
Your Majesty, your ideas are very close to the core concepts of modern science.
That is: openness, questioning, verification, and improvement.
This kind of system is truly sustainable.