Chapter 43

In the Xu family’s residence, Xia Hongsheng was holding a bowl, which contained crushed ice and a mixture of fruit that had been blended into a sauce. He added some sugar water to the mix, and thus a simple icy fruit drink was made. The afternoon was hot, and taking a sip of the icy fruit drink, a cool sensation flowed down his throat, instantly making him feel relieved, his body feeling more relaxed and his spirit refreshed.

"Jingshi, could it be that there really is such a thing as magic in this world? Drawing water from the soil is already beyond comprehension, let alone making ice out of thin air... This has truly broadened my horizons!" After drinking a mouthful of the icy fruit drink, Xu Xiaode, feeling comfortable all over, took a deep breath and then smiled as he asked Xia Hongsheng, who was sitting below.

"There is no such thing as magic; it’s just a minor skill, utilizing some principles of physics. It seems very mysterious if you don’t know the principles, but once you understand the reasons behind it, you’ll see it’s just a small trick," Xia Hongsheng replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qixian immediately became interested and asked in quick succession, "Brother Xia, what’s the secret behind it? I’m really curious, please tell me quickly."

Xia Hongsheng smiled, nodded, and said, "Let’s start with drawing water from the soil. The principle is actually very simple. Before I explain the principle, let me ask everyone a question: If you leave a pot of boiling water for some time without touching it, will it eventually dry up, right?"

Xia Hongsheng, accustomed to teaching, couldn’t help but fall into the habit of lecturing, not directly giving the answer but guiding them step by step.

"Indeed, the water in the pot will dry up," Xu Qixian’s father nodded, stroking his beard.

Xia Hongsheng continued, "Then the question is, where does the water go?"

Everyone was taken aback, scratching their heads and looking at each other, but then Xia Hongsheng gave a hint, "Do you remember, when water boils, it produces steam..."

"The water turns into steam and runs away!" Xu Hui, upon hearing Xia Hongsheng’s hint, immediately reacted, jumping up and saying, "The steam is very wet and can wet paper, it must be water!"

"Very smart! Correct!" Xia Hongsheng gave Xu Hui a thumbs up, "Xu Hui is right, the water turns into steam and floats away. Actually, it’s not smoke, but a gas formed by water at high temperatures, which I call water vapor. Besides the water in the pot, think about other places, like water spilled on a table. If you don’t wipe it, will it disappear after some time?"

Everyone’s thoughts were guided by Xia Hongsheng, and they all nodded in agreement.

"Then where does the water go?" Xia Hongsheng smiled.

"It also turns into steam... water vapor and floats away?" Xu Hui answered again.

Xia Hongsheng nodded approvingly, giving a thumbs up, "Xu Hui, well done! Water turns into water vapor and floats away, whether it’s in a pot, on a table, or in rivers and lakes. The water vapor rises to the sky and then turns back into rain, falling to the ground. Xu Hui mentioned that the steam from the pot can wet paper. I used the same principle to draw water from the soil. The soil near the pond is moist, and I poured water directly onto it, making it very wet. I dug up the wet soil and exposed it to the sun, and the water in the soil turned into water vapor and rose. When it hit the lotus leaves, it turned back into water, just like the steam from the pot hitting paper. I placed the bowl so that the lotus leaf directly above it was pressed down with a bit of soil. The water that hit the lotus leaf and turned back into water would flow down the inclined leaf into the bowl. This is a simple trick, and you can try it yourself to draw water from the soil. However, the soil must be moist; dry soil won’t work. This method is simple but very practical. For example, if you get lost in the desert or the Gobi without water, you can dig into the ground until you reach wet sand, and then use this method to get water, even if it’s not much, it can save your life in the desert."

"Brother Xia, you mean... anyone can bury a bowl in the soil and draw water from it just like you did?" Xu Qixian was somewhat stunned, as the seemingly magical act of drawing water from the soil was now said to be achievable by anyone following the method.

"Yes, anyone can draw water from the soil by following my method," Xia Hongsheng nodded with a smile, then continued, "As for making ice from the soil, well, I played a little trick there. The soil in the bag is just a cover. The real ice-making material is below the soil. The bag only has a layer of soil, and below it is all wall frost, which should be called nitre. When nitre dissolves in water, it absorbs a lot of heat, cooling the water and causing it to freeze. I used soil to cover it to prevent people from discovering the ice-making method, as this method is very simple and nitre is easy to obtain... Uncle Xu, Uncle Xu, the tea shop in Luoyang is about to open. Why don’t we add another business as the weather gets hotter?"

Xu Qixian’s uncle and father exchanged glances, looking at Xia Hongsheng with surprise. Xu Qixian’s father then asked, "Jingshi, you mean... you want to do the ice-making business?"

"Yes. I’ve learned that in our dynasty, ice is stored in ice cellars during winter, and ordinary people can’t afford it. Even those who can afford to build ice cellars don’t get much ice by the time it gets hot. If I can make ice on the spot, wouldn’t it be much more convenient than ice cellars?" Xia Hongsheng smiled and said to them, "The method for making ice is very simple, and the materials are easy to obtain. If we want to do this business, we need to find trustworthy and discreet people."

"Simple?... Ha, if it were so simple, why hasn’t anyone in the world been able to make ice in summer?" Xu Qixian’s uncle laughed and shook his head, sighing, "The principles of physics are truly profound, broadening my horizons and leaving me in awe!"

"That’s right. Many things seem complex and hard to understand, but once the principles are explained, they become very simple. Physics is about studying and utilizing the principles that already exist in nature. Mastering these principles, whether it’s drawing water from the soil, making ice in summer, or the tricks of itinerant Taoists, such as extracting grains from oil and fire from water, are just small tricks. Even withstanding lightning and controlling it, or splitting mountains and reversing rivers, are not beyond reach. Knowing when it will rain or be sunny is also clear in one’s mind. The power of physics can, on a large scale, understand the laws of nature, and on a small scale, enrich the country and strengthen the army, bringing peace to the world. It’s something that people can hardly imagine. For example, the salt-making technique from a few days ago, which can solve the problem of salt shortage for the people, is just a small trick in the realm of physics."

Hearing Xia Hongsheng’s words, everyone in the room showed different expressions. Xu Qixian’s father looked at Xia Hongsheng with interest, while his uncle was deep in thought. Xu Hui and the others were filled with admiration, and Xu Qixian was surprised.

"Brother Xia, could it be that the interest group you proposed in the academy, aiming to emulate Qu Yuan’s questioning of heaven, is meant to teach these principles?!" Xu Qixian asked in shock. Goodness, withstanding lightning, controlling it, splitting mountains, reversing rivers, and predicting the weather... Could these not be the powers of the gods? Can ordinary people possess such powers?

Xu Qixian’s mind was like a turbulent sea, and for the first time, he began to doubt the holy books and the way of the gentleman that he was learning in the academy.

"Qixian, although the principles of physics are wondrous, they are external things. Without inner cultivation, even if one has the power of the gods, how can an ordinary person bear it?" Xu Qixian’s uncle suddenly shouted loudly, startling Xu Qixian.

Xia Hongsheng nodded, bowed to Xu Xiaode, and then said to Xu Qixian, "Brother, what Uncle Xu said is very true. The principles of physics are like spears and halberds, which can be used for defense or to kill. Spears and halberds have no will of their own; they do not defend or kill. It is people who defend or kill, not the spears and halberds. The same applies to the principles of physics. A gentleman can benefit the people, while a villain can harm others and himself, ultimately causing great disasters. To understand the principles of physics, one must first cultivate a noble spirit and use it righteously to benefit the world."

Hearing Xia Hongsheng’s words, Xu Qixian’s expression gradually calmed down, the previous conflict and confusion disappeared, and he resumed his calm smile. He turned to Xia Hongsheng and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Brother Xia, for your reminder. I almost fell into a delusion. Today, hearing your words, I realize that the principles of physics are wondrous and powerful. Whether they bring blessings or disasters, whether they are divine or demonic, depends not on the principles themselves but on the person who understands them. Like a knife or a sword, a good person can use it to protect others, while a bad person can use it to cause bloodshed. Without a noble spirit, one should not, and does not deserve, to know these principles."

"Indeed! Indeed!" Xu Qixian’s uncle stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze filled with satisfaction as he looked at Xia Hongsheng.