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Reporting on the results
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Chapter Ninety-Eight: Who is the God? (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Merchants were the first to notice the allure of this book, "An Introduction to Mathematics." The multiplication table alone was enough to make all the shopkeepers treasure it. As for the algebraic equations and such that followed, they lost all interest.
It may be harsh, but that's the truth. In daily life, the most frequently used method is the multiplication table... If you don't believe me, think about it carefully. How many times in your life have you encountered problems that require equations to solve?
Of course, Lu Xuan's actions also sparked huge controversy. A large number of scholars and intellectuals emerged, opposing Lu Xuan's practice of indiscriminately disseminating knowledge.
"The Way should not be lightly bestowed, the Law should not be lightly transmitted..." Some even went to Lu Xuan's door to debate, trying to persuade him to stop this indiscriminate dissemination of knowledge. This was because such behavior would cause certain ancient groups to lose their very foundation for survival. However, the debater had barely begun his argument when he was dragged away by a group of fierce-looking soldiers.
Only then did people remember the author of "An Introduction to Mathematics." He was the Grand General Protector of the Nation, a top-ranking figure commanding over 20,000 imperial guards inside and outside Chang'an. He was not someone an ordinary person could speak to.
Throughout history, the reason why various schools of thought and established families have been able to endure, besides having chosen the right side and having a large number of members, is that their greatest advantage lies in their mastery of various kinds of knowledge and the right to interpret various classical doctrines. Simply put, they have the power to disseminate knowledge.
When knowledge is disseminated, to whom it is disseminated, and how it is explained are all decided by them. But now, some unsettling signs are emerging. First, movable type printing significantly reduced the cost of books. Many children from impoverished families who previously relied on them to access education can now afford books on their own.
Before they could even figure out how to deal with the situation, Lu Xuan began spreading all sorts of dangerous knowledge for free, even more unreasonably. This was an even more dangerous sign. Although he was only spreading some mathematical problems now, who knew what would happen next? They couldn't afford not to be vigilant.
Unfortunately, Lu Xuan was a military general with a large army, and he never liked to reason with intellectuals like them. The saying "a rogue with culture" perfectly describes him.
Lu Xuan had no intention of paying attention to the debates outside. He devoted all his energy to organizing his creative work.
After completing "An Introduction to Mathematics", Lu Xuan began compiling basic physics, which he gave a brilliant title: "The Principles of All Things".
Book 1: The Forms of Matter
Take water as an example. When it's cold, it becomes ice, which is a solid. When it's warm, it becomes water, which is a liquid. When it's hot, it becomes fog, which is a gas.
Water is the source of all things in the world; therefore, it can be inferred that all things in the world exist in the above three forms...
If "An Introduction to Mathematics" only caused a sensation among merchants, then "The Principles of All Things" caused a tsunami-like uproar.
The book is divided into seven volumes. Volume One: The State of Matter; Volume Two: The Properties of Matter; Volume Three: The Motion of Matter; Volume Four: Sound; Volume Five: Light; Volume Six: Fundamental Mechanics; Volume Seven: Buoyancy and Density. Lu Xuan could only recall these at the moment; the rest would be added or revised as needed.
The book "The Principles of All Things" caused a huge stir in the world. The main reason was that the book offered a simple yet terrifying explanation for various natural disasters and strange phenomena in the world.
'Wind, frost, rain, and snow are the three states of water. Steel can also be melted into a liquid state, but if heated to an extreme temperature, can it turn into a gaseous state? Does everything in the world undergo changes between these three states? This awaits confirmation from future generations...'
'If you shout in a valley, you will hear the same sound a moment later. This shows that sound is reflected back by the mountains. If we know the distance between the mountains, could we determine the speed of sound? What exactly is the speed of sound? This awaits verification by future generations…'
'Light......'
Lu Xuan didn't provide answers to many questions; he merely raised them. But humans are inherently curious creatures, and as long as these questions exist in the world, someone will inevitably spare no effort to solve them.
The release of "The Principles of All Things" caused an uproar throughout Chang'an. The principles that existed in every aspect of life, yet had never been truly understood, were suddenly peeled back, broken down, and thrown before the world.
As human beings, we are bound to have questions. But before, those questions were vague. Now, everything is laid out clearly before us, pointing out the path. Even if many things only offer a direction, the clarity and impact are still unprecedentedly awe-inspiring.
With the publication of "The Principles of All Things," a noticeable change occurred in Chang'an. No one called Lu Xuan a barbarian from the Western Regions anymore. Now, the discussion revolved around which star deity Lu Xuan had descended to earth...
"Lu Lang, are you really not a god descended to earth?" Xu Hezi and Wu'er were looking at him expectantly, hoping he would say yes.
"Gods? What do you imagine gods to be like?"
"I know, I know, it's the kind that can grant immortality, control the wind and rain, and subdue demons. Just like the story that the son-in-law told Wu'er."
"Really? Then the son-in-law really can't do that."
"But the son-in-law knows so many things that others don't. What else could he be but a god? Everyone is eating better, dressing better, and even babies aren't dying so easily. Isn't this what a god should do?"
The reason why babies don't die is because Lu Xuan tried to promote sterilization procedures during childbirth. To be honest, this was actually the most difficult thing Lu Xuan did after coming into this world.
You have no idea how deeply ingrained the taboos, prejudices, and unlucky beliefs surrounding childbirth were in ancient times. Even something as simple as sterilizing with boiling water and alcohol was met with resistance. Lu Xuan had no choice but to begin promoting alcohol-boiling water sterilization within the army. He wanted the military to see the benefits of this method, and then, with the court's help, to begin its wider adoption.
Even so, outside of Chang'an, these things still hadn't truly circulated. Lu Xuan didn't care. He couldn't force people to believe him with a knife in his hand. But time would tell. Time would gradually make everyone realize that this method was right, and then they would make their choices.
"Wu'er, Lu Lang isn't some kind of god who can summon wind and rain. But he can make sure the people eat better and dress warmer. He's a god to the people of this world, a god to the Tang Dynasty..."
Lu Xuan nimbly stopped Xu Hezi and pulled her into his arms.
"Do you know? Sometimes, being a god on earth is harder than being a god in heaven!"
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Chapter Ninety-Nine: The New Emperor Ascends the Throne (Second Update, Please Subscribe)
After "An Introduction to Mathematics" and "The Principles of All Things," Lu Xuan continued to push his brain to its limits, producing "An Introduction to the Human Body."
Thanks to his decent biology grades from high school—he even participated in a competition (though he was eliminated in the preliminary rounds...)—Lu Xuan gave a simple explanation and made some guesses about the functions of blood vessels, the heart and lungs, and other organs. He also introduced the concept of blood types for the first time.
The knowledge presented in "An Introduction to the Human Body" is somewhat alarming to people of this era. Furthermore, the human body is a taboo subject in this time. Therefore, it didn't cause a significant sensation.
However, the significance it represents is unimaginable. This advancement in our understanding of the human body represents a tremendous leap forward in medical development.
A century later, an obscure barefoot doctor stumbled upon a copy of the First Commentary on Anthropology. Perhaps it was fate, but he began a frenzied quest to steal corpses and study everything described in the book.
He was quickly captivated by the world depicted in the book. He felt that corpses alone could not satisfy his desires. Then something even more bloody and horrific happened. Soon after, he was arrested and sentenced to immediate execution.
However, his research manuscripts had already been circulated. Reality is often more fantastical than it seems, and this is a perfect example. Lu Xuan left behind *An Introduction to Medicine* to increase people's understanding of the human body and promote medical progress. But ultimately, it was a crazed serial killer who popularized and verified all of this… But that's a story for another time.