On the day the royal glass workshop was completed, Du Heng personally brought 10 fine pieces into the palace. When the first morning light shone, the waves of the Qujiang River shimmered; he wore a plain light-blue cloth robe and held a sandalwood box in his hands, his steps as steady as a bell. Princess Changle had long been waiting outside Lizheng Hall. She wore a pale green palace dress, with a newly made glass hairpin in her bun; its flowing radiance reflected the morning sun, making her seem like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world.
“Father Emperor has already taken his seat in Liangyi Hall and ordered all officials of 5th rank and above to watch together,” she said softly, her eyes filled with both pride and worry. “Zhangsun Wuji is there as well.”
Du Heng nodded, his gaze calm. “I intend for him to see it.”
Inside Liangyi Hall, Li Shimin sat high upon the dragon throne, with civil and military officials arrayed to either side. Zhangsun Wuji stood to his right, his face dark as iron, while Cheng Yaojin, Li Jing, Yuchi Gong, and the other meritorious officials wore expectant expressions, their eyes blazing. The hall was solemn and silent, and only the light smoke from the incense burners curled upward.
Du Heng entered the hall holding the wooden box, performed the proper salute, and spoke in a voice clear as a chime: “Commoner Du Heng offers 10 glass vessels to manifest the merits of gewu, the investigation of things.”
Li Shimin ordered an attendant to open the box.
When the box was opened, 10 objects lay quietly on the brocade, each one astonishingly exquisite:
– glass cup: as translucent as water, with walls thin as paper; when held up to the sun it shone with brilliance;
– glass lampshade: when placed over a candle, the light more than doubled, there was no smoke or odor, and reading at night did not harm the eyes;
– glass mirror: it reflected people with crystal clarity, every brow and hair visible, far surpassing a millennium-old bronze mirror;
– glass telescope tube: with 2 lenses set together, one could see the characters on banners a hundred paces away;
– glass vase: carved with peony patterns, with light passing through the floral shadows so that it seemed as if real flowers were blooming;
– The remaining pieces were plates, bowls, medicine bottles, brush washers, and paperweights, all crafted with meticulous skill, without a single flaw.
Li Shimin took a cup, poured wine into it, and raised it before the window… the wine was limpid, the cup without a single blemish, and the play of light and shadow made it seem as if it held a pool of autumn water.
“It is 10 times better than that of the Western Regions!” He clapped his hands in praise, his voice shaking the hall.
Li Jing picked up the telescope, aimed it at the willows beyond the palace walls, and cried out in amazement: “The leaf veins are clear! If this is used on the Shuofang frontier, we can observe the movements of the Turks 10 li away!”
Cheng Yaojin, holding the lampshade, laughed loudly: “When this old man reads the Book of Han at night, he will no longer strain his eyes! This item should be bestowed upon the poor scholars of all under heaven!”
Only Zhangsun Wuji let out a cold snort. “Trifling tricks of carving insects, hardly worth mentioning. The foundation of a nation lies in agriculture, sericulture, and ritual propriety, not in such frivolous and decadent curiosities.”
The entire hall suddenly fell silent.
Du Heng neither humbled himself too much nor acted arrogantly; he cupped his hands and said, “In reply to My Lord, glass is not meant as a plaything. The lampshade can help poor scholars read at night, the telescope can safeguard the safety of border troops, and the medicine bottles can keep penicillin from spoiling… these are all instruments that benefit the state and the people. The art of gewu, the investigation of things, is not about flaunting novelty, but about practicality.”
Li Shimin nodded, his gaze like a torch. “What Du Heng says is entirely correct. The art of gewu values practicality and values benefiting the people.”
He suddenly asked, “What is the cost of these items?”
“A cup or goblet for common use can be had for 100 wen,” Du Heng replied. “If mass-produced, the price can be lowered to 80 wen, and the common people will be able to afford it.”
“Good!” Li Shimin rose abruptly to his feet, his voice resounding to the Ninth Heaven. “We grant you 50 mu of fertile land by the Qujiang to establish the Gezhi Institute yourself. You may employ 100 craftsmen, raise their salaries on your own, and enjoy tax exemption for 10 years!”
The entire hall erupted in astonishment.
Fifty mu of land, 100 craftsmen, and 10 years of tax exemption… this was the greatest favor ever granted to a commoner since the founding of the dynasty. Even Wei Zheng nodded slightly, a look of approval appearing in his eyes.
Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly memorialized, “Your Majesty, this youth is only 16 years old. To suddenly place such power in his hands may breed arrogance and recklessness and shake the very foundations of the state!”
Li Shimin’s gaze was like lightning and his voice cold as iron. “From what We have observed of his conduct, he values substance over fame and worries for the state and the people. You should assist him, not obstruct him. If there are any more slanderous words, it will be judged as deceiving your sovereign!”
The imperial edict was issued that very day, personally written with the vermilion brush:
> “Bestow upon Du Heng 50 mu of fertile land at Qujiang to build the Gezhi Institute. > Authorize the establishment of 4 institutes: Glass, Agriculture & Crafts, Medicine, and Machinery. > Recruitment of craftsmen shall be at their own discretion; all results are to be submitted for review, to benefit the state and the people. > Anything produced by the Gezhi Institute may not be copied by the Armaments Directorate or the Directorate of Imperial Works; violators are to be judged as stealing state instruments.”
When leaving the palace, Li Jing personally summoned Du Heng to a side hall.
“Little friend,” the old general patted his shoulder, his gaze like a torch. “The army urgently needs telescopes, penicillin medicine bottles, and shock-absorbing saddles. Can you supply 500 sets within 1 month?”
Du Heng cupped his hands. “2 months will be enough. If the Armaments Directorate cooperates with the supply of saltpeter, I can deliver in 1 and a half months.”
Li Jing laughed heartily. “Good! This old man will personally oversee the supply!”
Changle escorted him to the palace gate.
The autumn wind was slightly chilly, and she said softly, “Today, you have truly stepped into the court.”
Du Heng gazed toward the direction of the Qujiang, his eyes deep. “The Gezhi Institute is my true court. Here there will be no struggle for power, only the crafting of instruments; no seeking of private gain, only benefiting the people.”
On the way back, Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaiyu rode up to meet him.
“Brother Du! Since Your Majesty has granted you land, we are willing to help you build the institute!” Cheng Chumo laughed, snapping his riding whip. “The old Cheng family will provide 100 laborers to work for free!”
Qin Huaiyu handed over a drawing. “I have already sketched the layout of the Gezhi Institute: Agriculture & Crafts in the east, Medicine in the west, Machinery in the south, Glass in the north, and a lecture hall in the center with roads leading in all directions.”
Du Heng felt his heart burning as he took the plans. Seeing the detailed annotations on them… even the direction of the irrigation channels and considerations of the wind direction were marked… he could not help but be moved. “With all of you to help, what could possibly fail?”
That night, Du Heng stood upon the newly granted land.
Fifty mu of fertile land lay by the Qujiang and close to the official road, with excellent feng shui. Moonlight, clear as water, spilled over the open plain, as if Heaven and Earth had spread out a blank sheet of paper just for him.
He spread out the plans drawn by Qin Huaiyu and used a charcoal stick to revise them:
– Institute of Agriculture and Industry: to have experimental plots, compost pits, seed warehouses, and pens for poultry and livestock, promoting biological pest control;
– Institute of Medicine: to build sterile rooms (sterilized with steam), distillation towers, and medicinal herb gardens, and to mass-produce penicillin;
– Institute of Machinery: to set up water-powered workshops, smithies, and drawing pavilions, and to research paddle steamers and steam engines;
– Glass Institute: to expand the kilns to 10, divide production into 3 lines… civilian, military, and fine wares… and set up quality inspection stations;
– Central Lecture Hall: to hold 300 people and teach the study of gewu, the investigation of things, admitting both men and women.
“This is not merely a workshop; it is the cradle of Great Tang industry,” he murmured, his voice as firm as iron.
In Zhangsun Wuji’s residence, a secret meeting was convened once again.
“This youth has land and men; if we do not suppress him, he will surely become a state within a state!” a confidant said.
Zhangsun Wuji sneered. “The Gezhi Institute needs money, manpower, and time. If I cut off its craftsmen, I can destroy its very foundation.”
He took up a brush to write letters, ordering trusted aides to go to Lantian and Zhongnan and poach glassworkers, blacksmiths, and carpenters with double wages.
However, Du Heng had already made preparations.
Through Zheng Liwan, he established a “craftsman profit-sharing system”:
– A basic monthly wage of 300 wen (50% higher than market rates);
– For technological innovations, a share of profits for 3 years;
– Family members could work at Xiaoyao Tower, and children could enter the gewu academy free of charge to study mathematics, gewu, and medical principles.
“What the human heart truly yearns for cannot be stolen away with money,” he said to Old Zhou. “The Gezhi Institute is a home, not a factory.”
Within 3 days, the envoys of the Zhangsun family returned empty-handed. The craftsmen all said, “Young master Du treats me like a son; how could I bear to betray him?”
3 days later, the Gezhi Institute held its groundbreaking ceremony.
At the auspicious hour, drums and music sounded in unison.
Li Shimin personally sent an attendant to bestow a “gewu zhizhi” (“Investigate Things to Attain Knowledge”) plaque, its gold lacquer shining brilliantly;
Princess Changle presented a complete copy of Qimin Yaoshu (from the palace collection) with her own inscription: “May you take agriculture as the foundation and use skills to benefit the people”;
Cheng Yaojin gifted a horizontal saber, drove it into the stone foundation at the courtyard gate, and proclaimed in a voice like a great bell, “Whoever offends the Gezhi Institute is as if offending old Cheng!”
Sixteen-year-old Du Heng stood on the high platform and said to the 100 craftsmen:
“Gentlemen, this place is not for creating strange devices, but for benefiting the myriad commoners. A single good seed can save the starving; a single bottle of penicillin can save soldiers; a single steam engine can replace the labor of 10,000 men. The great path of gewu is not about flaunting skill, but about saving the world. Today we lay the foundation; tomorrow we will ignite a prairie fire!”
The craftsmen shouted in unison, their voices shaking the Qujiang: “We are willing to follow young master Du, investigate things to attain knowledge, and bring benefit to all under heaven!”
In the distance, the lights of 10,000 homes in Chang’an City flickered.
By the riverside of the Qujiang, a new flame was quietly kindling…
This was not the flame of political intrigue, but the light of civilization.
Those 50 mu of fertile land would eventually become the first cornerstone of Great Tang’s industrial civilization.
And the 16-year-old youth was already standing on the threshold of history, pushing open a door that led to the future.