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

Chapter 204
Rong Qing left aggressively.

Although Rong Qing was also listed as one of the "Three Talents under his banner", he was a very conservative person, completely different from Zhang Baixi, another Minister of Management.

Rong Qing summoned several other senior officials of the university, and spoke out indignantly about Li Yu's behavior of cutting off the braid, and finally concluded: "Such things that ignore tradition and violate the state system are really hard to forgive, and if you don't expel them There is no way to straighten the rules!"

Weiliang Ding was stunned. He hadn't had time to see Li Yu yet, but the Minister of Education wanted to expel him for the mere reason of cutting his hair, which was totally unacceptable to him.So he reasoned and said: "Minister of Management, please listen to me. Li Yu is very talented, and he is also honored as a foreign academician of the Royal Society and a member of the American Astronomical Society. It is extremely rare. You can imagine that if you want to integrate into the world In the academic field, braid cutting should be flexible."

Rong Qing knew that Weiliang Ding would definitely protect Li Yu, because he was an American himself, and Li Yu had his braids cut off in the United States.

But Martin's official rank was not low, so Rong Qing had no choice but to ask: "Can't you be a scholar without cutting your braids?"

The deputy head teacher of the middle school, Xi Gu Hongming, also stood on Rongqing's side. He said: "Of course the braids cannot be cut off. This is a Chinese tradition. If the tradition is lost, the country will be ruined."

After listening to Gu Hongming's words, Yan Fu, the general manager of the Institute of Translation and Translation, shook his head and said, "We shouldn't make trivial things big. After all, Li Yu is one of the best students in our school. You can all see his achievements over the past year." In your eyes, do you have the heart to expel him?"

Gu Hongming said: "Without Li Yu, we will have other equally talented people in the future. We can't live without him."

Wu Rulun, the head teacher of the middle school, stroked his beard and said, "If you are only studying Confucian classics, this sentence makes sense. But we are too short of talents in Western learning. Maybe we can learn from Confucius and teach students in accordance with their aptitude."

Zhang Baixi replied bluntly: "No."

Rong Qing said submissively: "This servant knows, what this servant thinks is that he, Li Yu, is the emperor's teacher. This way of doing it is really..."

Rong Qing said: "No matter what it is, it's an act of disobedience."

While talking, Li Lianying walked in and said to Cixi: "Lafayette, Lord Rong Qingrong, please see me."

Of course, Yuan Shikai and Tang Shaoyi have also figured out Yikuang's love for money, and Yikuang does things with money.

Li Yu smiled and said, "No way! Don't you also have the idea of ​​going abroad to study?"

Tang Shaoyi is also a member of Yuan Shikai, so I will help you with the small favors that should be done.This kind of good thing that you can get 8000 taels with a few words, it is not impossible to add a few more.

Cixi said: "In the future, don't come to me for such trivial matters. Isn't there Zhang Baixi and Mr. Zhang? You can come after discussing it."

Rong Qing said: "That's right! It's really treasonous, such acts of disregarding the family law of the ancestors will really tarnish the reputation of the University."

Cixi said: "It seems that the foreigners keep saying that they are civilized, but it is not any better. We bind our feet, and they tie their waists."

Rongqing is not a Manchu, but he is from the Zhenghuang Banner of Mongolia, and he is very close to the royal family of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties.Except for him, all the people present were Han Chinese. Rong Qing obviously felt some faint hostility, so he turned to Zhang Baixi, the Minister of Management, and said, "Master Zhang, what do you think?"

Among the people present, only he and Gu Hongming disagreed with Li Yu's braid cutting. Rong Qing knew that he couldn't win against them, so he went to the queen mother directly.

Yu Deling said: "Back to Lafayette, the Royal Society is the highest and most authoritative scientific institution in the UK."

Rong Qing said: "I think he should be severely punished!"

Rong Qing said: "But, Empress Dowager, cutting hair is a matter of disobeying the family law of the ancestors!"

He Yujie said: "If you are really expelled, it means that the university has changed, and it is no different from going to an old private school. We will definitely go with you!"

Zhang Baixi did not answer him directly, but said: "Our university has been modeled after Japan since its establishment, and various systems have also been learned from Japan. Many Japanese mocked our students because of the braid. If you want to really learn For an advanced system, I think the university hall should be used as a pilot to integrate with Japan and even European countries in a more comprehensive way.”

Seeing this, Yikuang also heaved a sigh of relief.

Yikuang said: "Empress Dowager, I have been in the Prime Minister's Office of State Affairs for a long time, and I know that there are indeed such scientific institutions among foreigners, and their status is indeed not low. In addition to the reply letter from Liang Cheng, the Minister to the United States, in Li With the help of the decree, the United States has agreed to continue sending overseas students, and may even agree to reduce or exempt compensation, which is a great achievement.”

Rong Qing shook his head, "You can throw away everything, except your braids!"

Fan Xiren laughed and said, "I thought you were going to say something, of course you have to share your blessings!"

Zhang Baixi said: "I personally awarded Li Yu the medal, and I know that he has contributed a lot to my university. Even if he made a mistake, his contribution outweighed his fault. If he is expelled just because of this incident, it may cause other students I am dissatisfied. Besides, I also heard that many students in schools in the South have cut off their braids, but they have not forgotten our benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faith."

Cixi was quite satisfied with his answer, "I don't think it's a big deal. There are not many of us who understand foreign knowledge. It's not that I haven't seen a talented person with a bit of a personality. Just do what you said. No reward or punishment." .”

Li Lianying on the side coughed very lightly, Rong Qing suddenly realized that he had repeatedly said that he disobeyed the family law of the ancestors, but Cixi was also disobeying the family law of the ancestors while listening to the government behind the curtain, those who didn't know thought he was alluding to Cixi.

What Li Yu didn't know was that Zai Zhen had already accepted Tang Shaoyi's consignor's silver in advance, a total of 8000 taels, and asked him and Prince Qing Yikuang to help him speak a few words.

No wonder it is said that there are three kinds of relationships that are the strongest among men: being in the same room together, carrying guns together, and going whoring together.

Rong Qing snorted coldly: "Master Zhang, you mean that cutting hair is not a big deal?"

Yan Fu agreed: "What Mr. Wu said is very true, this is what a university should look like."

Rong Qing didn't dare to speak any more, so he could only agree: "I understand."

Rong Qing said: "That Li Yu actually cut off the braid!"

Rong Qing had no choice but to leave resentfully.

Rong Qing stood up, but Ci Xi asked him to stand up, but did not give him a seat like Yi Qiang who was present.

"It scared me to death," Feng Zuxun said, "Without you, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stay in this university."

Li Yu said: "It was a false alarm today, I invite everyone to Dongxing Building for dinner! By the way, try the whiskey I brought back from America!"

Yu Deling said: "Back to Lafayette, it's like this, some young ladies can't even breathe because of it."

Li Yu said gratefully: "I will not let you share my troubles."

Cixi is a political veteran, how could she follow the meaning of other people's words completely.

Cixi is learning Western etiquette with Yu Deling, and she plans to drink tea and chat with ambassadors and wives from various countries on a regular basis, to show her attitude as the lord of a country, and also learn about current affairs and repair relations with foreigners by the way.

"It's about sharing blessings!" Li Yu added.

Lin Shu, deputy general manager of the Institute of Translation, said: "You must have seen foreigners, especially the Japanese around you. They are also very clear on the two roads of tradition and the West. It can be seen that even if you study hard In the West, some things can’t be thrown away. So whether the braids are cut or not, it will not affect the overall situation.”

Cixi said: "Is that like our Imperial Academy?"

Rong Qing quickly replied: "Because he got a foreign academician of the Royal Society in the UK, and he didn't know what kind of official it was, so he was so crazy that he cut off his braid."

Yikuang deliberately did not mention the family law of his ancestors, but brought out the laws of the Qing Dynasty.

Xiyuan.

Cixi snorted, "That's right, it's not that simple. Speaking of it, it's like our university?"

Now that Rong Lu has passed away, Yuan Shikai knows that the next minister of military aircraft will basically be Yikuang, so he has secretly sent several 10 taels of silver to Yikuang, which is really generous.

Cixi frowned and said, "Look at your panic! Stand up and talk."

Yu Deling said: "I think its status is even higher."

As soon as the news came out, Li Yu was not punished. Feng Zuxun, Fan Xiren and others were all very happy for Li Yu.

Cixi said, "Let him in."

No wonder she was unhappy just now.

Cixi thought about it, "In this way, it is really a great achievement, he has given us a good face."

"Anyway, Master Zhang doesn't think Li Yu should be fired?" Rong Qing asked directly.

Cixi asked Xiang Yikuang again: "What do you think?"

Cixi asked: "Why did he cut off the braid?"

Cixi said: "You answer my question first."

Li Yu still lacks consideration in handling affairs, but fortunately Tang Shaoyi is a person who has always been in the officialdom, and she has the heart to protect him.

"The Royal Society?" Cixi asked Yu Deling next to her, "What department is this?"

Li Yu didn't expect them to be so loyal, but he still said: "No matter what, sometimes temporarily swallowing one's anger is just for a greater pursuit."

Yu Deling nodded: "Yes, Lafayette, the status of the Royal Society is very high in the scientific community all over the world."

Cixi clicked her tongue and said: "You still talk about big things every now and then, what big things can happen in a mere university hall?"

Cixi said: "All right, all right, don't make a fuss all the time."

Fan Xiren said: "What you said..."

"Although it's not very appropriate, it can be understood in this way." Yu Deling knew that as long as he spoke in the best possible direction, it would be beneficial to Li Yu.

Cixi said to Yu Deling: "The etiquette of foreigners seems to be much simpler than ours. Also, I heard that the ladies of foreigners wear waists?"

Empress Dowager Cixi also opposed footbinding, a tradition that the Manchus have never had.

In his eyes, cutting braids is by no means a trivial matter.

Cixi said: "Then what do you mean?"

Fan Xiren said: "We all regard you as a classmate and a brother, so naturally we have the same difficulties."

"Cut the braid?" Cixi asked in surprise.

"The tallest one?" Cixi pondered, "It also has the word 'royal', and has something to do with the British royal family?"

After Rong Qing entered the door and knelt down to Ci Xi, he said, "Queen Dowager Lafayette, something serious happened in the university hall."

Yikuang continued: "Cutting off the braids violates the laws of the Qing Dynasty and should be punished. It's just considering the special status of the students, who have to learn from the West, so the slave thinks that the merits and demerits can be offset, and there is no reward or punishment. .”

Feng Zuxun frowned: "Drinking is not good..."

Li Yu put his arms around his neck: "Just have a drink, don't worry."

Fan Xiren also laughed and said, "Don't read too much. Only by relaxing your mind can you hold more things."

Only then did Feng Zuxun feel relieved and said, "What I'm saying is, anyway, even if I ride a thousand-mile horse, I can't catch up with Li Yu. Let's go and drink!"

(End of this chapter)