A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 106 Review
Li Yushi taught Zhang Xinwu and Luo Jianqiu the core technology of Western safety matches, allowing them to master the production technology of safety matches 20 years in advance.

After a few people worked hard in the laboratory to produce results, they went out and saw a middle-aged man in his 40s rushing over, "Xinwu, I heard that you have invited a senior person, is there any progress?"

Zhang Xinwu took a semi-finished match made in the laboratory, rubbed it lightly, and the flame ignited stubbornly, "Principal Yan, it's done!"

Principal Yan said excitedly: "I haven't seen you for two days, so it's over?"

Zhang Xinwu laughed, pointed at Li Yu behind him and said, "Thanks to Tang Daotai's introduction of Mr. Li Yu, we were able to tide over the difficulties."

Principal Yan sized Li Yu up: "So you are Li Yu, it's true that seeing a hundred things is worth seeing, a hero is born out of a young man!"

Zhang Xinwu almost forgot to introduce him, so he hurriedly said to Li Yu: "This is Mr. Yan Xiu, whose name is Fansun. He is now building a new-style school in Tianjin, Zhili, so we call him Principal Yan."

Li Yu was taken aback, Yan Fansun!
Isn't this the "Father of Nankai University" who founded Nankai University?

Yan Fansun was also a Jinshi, an editor in the Imperial Academy, and a scholar in Guizhou.

On the eve of the Reform Movement of [-], he took the risk of beheading and asked Emperor Guangxu to abolish the imperial examinations and set up a new discipline to teach modern technology and cultural knowledge-"Special Economics".

His proposition was called "the origin of the Reform Movement of [-]" by Liang Qichao.

Although Emperor Guangxu was allowed to play the next year, he angered the diehards in the court, and Yan Fansun was dismissed from all part-time jobs except for editorial jobs.

So Yan Fansun resigned directly in anger, and returned to Tianjin to concentrate on establishing new education.

Of course, at present, all he runs are primary schools, and it will take another two years to start establishing Nankai University.

Li Yu cupped his hands and said, "I've seen Principal Yan!"

Zhang Xinwu couldn't hide his excitement, and said to Yan Fansun, "Principal Yan, come in and have a look, this time it's not a joke, we have mastered the craft from beginning to end!"

"Oh?!" Yan Fansun lifted his robe and walked into the laboratory.

He has always appreciated Zhang Xinwu very much, and he is also extremely supportive of what Zhang Xinwu has done.

It's just that Yan Fansun can't help in the industry, so he can only support him financially and spiritually.

——Yan Fansun is not a person short of money, his family is a giant merchant in the late Qing Dynasty.

Seeing a table of bottles, cans, and notebooks, Yan Fansun expressed his admiration: "It's really not easy to understand these things!"

Yan Fansun saw a cylindrical white phosphorus in a large basin, and wanted to pick it up to have a look. Zhang Xinwu hurriedly stopped him: "Principal Yan, don't touch it, it will catch fire when you take it out!"

Yan Fansun clicked his tongue: "I heard that Taoists in ancient times used this thing to make alchemy, but I didn't expect that it can be used to make matches today. It's really wonderful Western learning."

Zhang Xinwu proudly said: "Alchemy is unnecessary, but the matches we produce can bring real light."

Yan Fansun said thoughtfully: "You are right. This kind of thing that can really feel the temperature is what we need. In the future, we must set up more Western schools as soon as possible. How can we always fall behind?"

Then he said to Li Yu: "I heard that the Imperial University has opened, and the rules and regulations are learned from Japan. I plan to travel east to Japan like Abe Nakamaro, who went to the Tang Dynasty in the past, and learn from them how to open a school."

Yan Fansun dared to let go of the old concept of "the kingdom of heaven" and learn from "Dongying Fusang". This point was still very patterned in the late Qing Dynasty.

Li Yu said with admiration: "Education is the country's major plan. Principal Yan will put in a lot of hard work in the future. It must be very hard."

"Hard work is nothing! I hope to cultivate more great talents like you, so that we can save the country from danger." Yan Fansun said.

At noon, Tang Shaoyi personally hosted a banquet to reward Li Yu, Zhang Xinwu and others. He was in a good mood and said, "Thank you, Mr. Li, for helping me to boost my industry in Zhili. Although it is just such a small matter as a match, it will definitely inspire people. More people will devote themselves to our own industry, and gradually get rid of the control of foreigners, which will also allow local governments to collect due taxes.”

Li Yu said: "I don't think matches are a trivial matter, maybe they can ignite the anger of future lions."

Tang Shaoyi raised his wine glass: "Well said, let's drink to 'Rage'!"

Li Yu finished the work here and was about to return to the capital. Before leaving, he had to take some containers and test tubes, as well as white phosphorus and carbon disulfide solutions, saying that he would also do experiments in the Imperial University Hall.Of course Zhang Xinwu and the others would not refuse, they would give as much as they wanted.

Tang Shaoyi, Zhang Xinwu, and Luo Jianqiu sent Li Yu all the way to the train station, and returned after the train had left.

The sound of the siren slowly faded away.

In distant Sweden, the Royal Academy of Sciences finally received the paper sent by Li Yu.

This time, Leeffler, the royal mathematics consultant, became more serious when he saw the letter from the Qing Dynasty. After reading the thick manuscript, he felt restless.

"It's wonderful! It's so ahead of its time!"

The next day he came to the palace to find Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, and presented Li Yu's mathematics paper.

"Your Majesty, I just received the paper from Li Yu yesterday. After I reviewed it, it is indeed brilliant. It can be called a revolutionary breakthrough in the field of mathematics."

Oscar II couldn't believe it: "Is it so powerful?"

Leeffler said: "It's simply amazing! There are many new mathematical theories mentioned in it. After my preliminary discussion, they are all very advanced and very interesting new things. Especially the concept of 'fractal and chaos' mentioned in the article , can be called the most insightful mathematical discovery in recent years!"

Oscar II looked at the thick paper, roughly flipped through it, and said: "If this is the case, we should indeed publish it first this time. You should immediately find several outstanding mathematicians to review the manuscript together, and after giving review opinions , we will officially release it. If you can’t raise any questions, we will award him the mathematics award this time.”

Leeffler already had several plans in mind. After receiving the order from Oscar II, he quickly asked the staff of the Academy of Sciences to transcribe several papers, one of which was directly sent to the national mathematician Koch, and the other to the Italian mathematician. Piano.

Leeffler still understands it very well. Both Koch and Peano were mathematicians who studied fractals in the early days.

Koch is the one who mentioned the Koch snowflake.

And Peano is the person who proposed the "Natural Number Axiom", also known as the "Piano Axiom". Two years ago, he also created the Interlingua.

Peano also discovered a "Piano curve" 12 years ago, in 1890: a square, divided into nine parts, and then draw a line from the lower left corner through all the small squares to the upper right corner.

Then each small square is infinitely subdivided into nine small squares.

The curve will gradually spread over the entire square, so this curve actually has an area.

Peano curve is also a very typical fractal structure.

Many similar fractal problems are discussed in detail and completely in Li Yu's mathematical paper, so Koch and Peano are very familiar with it, and they can see at a glance that this mathematical paper is by no means trivial.

According to international practice, at least three mathematicians are required for the review.

Leeffler sent the third paper to the University of Göttingen.

The recipient of the letter is one of the most prestigious mathematicians in today's mathematics world, Professor David Hilbert!
(End of this chapter)