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

Seeing Gu Hongming leave, Yan Fu laughed loudly: "I said Li Yu, looking at the whole capital, there are not many people who can win a word from Mr. Gu."

If Li Yu hadn't had more than 100 years of experience, it would have been really difficult to argue with Gu Hongming. After all, 20 years later, he would still be able to fight against a lot of New Culture Movement activists by himself—although he also relied on his sophistry at that time.

As long as Gu Hongming let go, there would be no resistance, and Li Yu also successfully obtained his degree.

It's a pity that he is the only one graduating now, and the joy of throwing a bachelor's cap together with a lot of classmates is missing.

Zhang Baixi was finally able to hand over his graduation certificate to Li Yu again.

Li Yu took it solemnly.

The graduation certificate more than 100 years ago is very distinctive, decorated with a dragon frame around it, signifying that this is the highest level of public university in the Qing court.

The four-corner script on the frame has the words "Jingshi Datang", and the content is also in accordance with ancient standards, with the text arranged from top to bottom and from right to left.

On the far right is the imperial decree of running a school by imperial edict, including the purpose, method, and system of running a school.

Then there are some personal information of Li Yu, and then the scores of each subject are listed, as well as the average score. There are a total of ten subjects, nine of which are 100 points, and Confucian classics are only 20 points.

And it is emphasized that the average score is 92, which is already extremely high.

Finally, Zhang Baixi's signature, as well as the time and date.

Anyway, the dragon pattern alone is domineering enough.

This thing must be well bound, although it is not the first university diploma in Chinese history (the first university diploma was issued to Wang Chonghui in 1899 by the Beiyang University Hall, majoring in law, that is, "Qin Zi No. [-] Examination Certificate") , Li Yu's one can be regarded as the first one in the history of Jingshi University Hall, and its symbolic and commemorative significance is very great.

Zhang Baixi, the Minister of Management, also conferred graduation certificates to others for the first time, and only said: "I wish you a bright future in the future."

Knowing that Zhang Baixi is an excellent principal, Li Yu was a little moved and said, "I will definitely repay the university!"

Zhang Baixi smiled slightly: "The better you are, the more you will be rewarded."

Martin also highly praised Li Yu: "Your performance today gave me a new understanding of you. Not to mention science subjects, it seems that even though I have studied Chinese for so many years, I can't match you in literature."

Then he asked again: "What are your plans from now on? Do you want to be an official? Now that you have a diploma, it is not difficult to enter the officialdom. It must be no problem at the fourth or fifth rank."

Li Yu said, "I don't have such plans yet. I plan to do some research work, and then I should be able to do some business."

Yan Fu understood somewhat, he said: "This is not an easy road, much more difficult than being an official. Or being an official and a businessman at the same time, wouldn't it be wonderful?"

In the late Qing Dynasty, the political arena had been rotten to the root. In fact, there was no future for being an official. Even if you had a good vision, what could you do in a dying court.What's more, the political arena in the late Qing Dynasty basically didn't look at how much talent they had. First of all, they had to be able to have both sides and money.

People like Zhang Zhidong are rare at all.

Li Yu said with a smile: "Let's take a step and see, at least there is no hindrance to doing research."

Yan Fu stroked his beard and thought for a while and said: "You graduated relatively hastily and early, but I think that the imperial court will issue a policy on the treatment of graduates of the Imperial University in a short time. For you, the Minister of Management, Professor Ding And I can at least recommend, so at least I will be awarded a Jinshi background."

In the imperial examination system of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were three people in the first class, that is, the number one scholar, the second place in the list, and Tanhua, who were awarded Jinshi and rank.

A few of the top two are given the background of Jinshi.

There are a few of the top three, and they are given the same background as Jinshi.

These are Jinshi status.

That is to say, Li Yu may be awarded the second class and become a Jinshi.

However, even if it is awarded Jinshi's background, it is actually a false name and does not have much meaning.

Li Yu didn't even care about Jinshi or not, he didn't pay attention at all.

At most, dealing with officials may be of little use.

After several great teachers left, Feng Zuxun, Fan Xiren, He Yujie and others immediately surrounded them: "Yes! Li Yu, I never thought you were so good at debate."

Ouyang Mouyuan said: "It's even better than the great monks I saw debating scriptures in the temple!"

Fan Xiren corrected: "What is the debate! In my opinion, Li Yu, you should also study law in the future. With such a good tongue, you must be a barrister."

Li Yu said with a smile: "You are more suitable for the law."

After that, Fan Xiren studied in Japan and graduated from the law department of Kyoto University.

Li Yu said: "You should also pay more attention to your studies. I think it won't be long before the university will select foreign students. This is a good opportunity, don't miss it."

Feng Zuxun was a little worried: "Politics and law subjects are easy to learn, I am determined to study mathematics, and I am afraid that I will not be able to keep up with their progress after going abroad."

Li Yu encouraged: "Take more time. Time is like water in a sponge. There will always be crowds. Chinese people are the most hardworking in the world. Even if you feel that you are currently behind in your studies, you can always catch up in a short time." .”

At this time, there are few people like Feng Zuxun and He Yujie who are engaged in mathematics and science, and they must be cared for more, and then more will be cultivated.

Li Yu was going home to frame the certificate properly.Before leaving the school, Lu Bicheng was the last to come over, and he couldn't hide his joy and said, "I didn't expect you to come up with so many brilliant theories to refute Mr. Gu in one night."

Li Yu said with a smile: "I just dreamed all night, so I didn't think of any brilliant theory."

Lu Bicheng said: "You really look relaxed, I...ah, Mr. Yan is really worried!"

Li Yuman said nonchalantly: "It's a trivial matter, otherwise I would have told you to come and eat melons yesterday."

"I wrote down everything you said today in my notebook, and I will send a press release to Ta Kung Pao later." Lu Bicheng said.

Most of the time Lu Bicheng works for Ta Kung Pao mainly writes some poems and women's rights articles. I have never heard of her writing a press release.

Li Yu said with a smile: "It seems that you also want to be a big reporter."

But Lu Bicheng said: "Reporters need to move around. It's not suitable for a woman like me. I can only write editorials. But today it is rare to see it with my own eyes. It is the first university graduate in Beijing. It is definitely a big news. Others When the reporters weren't there, I was able to try and play."

"Then you have to write me in a chic and handsome way," Li Yu joked, "By the way, Fengtai Photo Studio should have developed the photos, and I will give them to you after I get them, and send them out together."

Today's readers are definitely very keen on photos, and graphic information is far more attractive than ordinary text news.

Lu Bicheng said happily: "In this way, maybe my news article will also be on the front page."

Even in later generations, if one's own manuscript can make headlines, it is something worth celebrating.

When Li Yu came to Fengtai Photo Studio, he happened to meet Tan Xinpei, Yang Xiaolou and others.

Ren Qingtai, the curator of photography, and Liu Zhonglun, the photographer, are discussing shooting matters with them.

Tan Xinpei did take pictures, but he didn't believe that he could be recorded like a shadow puppet show, "Curator Ren, you can't make fun of me."

Ren Qingtai said: "How could it be! Team leader Tan, you are the biggest famous actor in the opera garden in Beijing now, and the famous person in front of the Queen Mother Lafayette, how could I lie to you?"

Actors are generally not taken seriously, but Tan Xinpei and the others are all Cixi's favorite roles. Even if Ren Qingtai is a fourth-rank top performer, he will not really be regarded as a top performer.

Tan Xinpei said, "What do you want me to do?"

Ren Qingtai took out his photography equipment and said, "It's simple, you only need to perform a few moves on stage and then sing a few tunes."

"Then this machine can be released like a shadow play?" Tan Xinpei asked.

Ren Qingtai explained: "It's not a shadow puppet show, it's called a camera, and it's a movie."

Tan Xinpei took a closer look: "The foreigner's stuff is amazing, but I still have a question."

Ren Qingtai said: "Leader, please tell me."

Tan Xinpei said: "Since it's a foreigner's thing, shouldn't they use it to learn our work?"

Li Yu listened from behind, laughed and said: "Team leader Tan, don't worry, your unique skills cannot be learned by foreigners."

After seeing Li Yu, Yang Xiaolou said happily, "Mr. Li! You are here!"

Then he introduced Li Yu to Tan Xinpei: "This is Li Yu, who I have told you many times and who is famous all over the West."

Tan Xinpei said: "It was he who helped record the gramophone, making the queen mother so happy?"

Yang Xiaolou said, "It's him!"

Tan Xinpei cupped his hands and said, "I have admired you for a long time, Mr. is a person who has been kind to our celebration class."

Li Yu said with a smile: "It's easy to do with a little effort."

Ren Qingtai knew that Li Yu must understand these things about photography, and it happened that he knew Tan Xinpei, "Leader Tan, the emperor has already spoken, you should believe it, right?"

Tan Xinpei doesn't understand the principles of photography technology, and he is still skeptical: "The recording is gone, why can't we let foreigners learn?"

Li Yu said: "Mr. Tan, Beijing opera is a child's skill. Even if a movie is two to three ten minutes long, what can foreigners learn?"

"Twenty-three ten minutes?" Tan Xinpei asked.

Li Yu explained: "Two quarters of an hour, or the time for two bowls of tea."

"So it's so short." Tan Xinpei felt relieved.

Yang Xiaolou also said: "It won't last, foster father, the last time Li Yu recorded me on the phonograph, it was only a few minutes."

Tan Xinpei had concerns again: "I'm afraid I won't have enough fun."

Ren Qingtai said: "So Mr. Tan must come up with the most exciting aria later. We not only have to show it to Lafayette, but also show it in theaters."

"There are theaters?" Tan Xinpei really refreshed his horizons today.

Li Yu said: "It can be understood as a theater, but instead of playing movies."

Ren Qingtai said: "I have already opened a movie theater in Dashilan, Qianmen. When Banzhu Tan's movie is released, it will definitely shock everyone."

With the help of popularity, the popularity of the Tongqing class will definitely be louder. Tan Xinpei finally made up his mind: "Okay, I will show my shame when the time comes, and I will study and come up with an aria when I go back today."

Ren Qingtai said to Li Yu: "Master Emperor, don't forget to come and record the sound tomorrow."

Li Yu smiled and said, "Don't worry."

In fact, as early as 1900, there were already so-called sound films, and the method was very simple. Some had live performances, and some were simultaneously screened using gramophones.

As for Edison's subsequent invention of the sound film, in fact, in a strict sense, it should be said that Edison invented the sound film machine, which is to integrate the camera and the phonograph.

Li Yu added: "There are still my photos."

Ren Qingtai quickly took it out: "Of course I didn't forget, a total of five photos were developed. If there are not enough negatives, I will keep them and they can be washed at any time."

Li Yu said, "Enough is enough."

Later, he took the photos to the Imperial University Hall and Lu Bicheng.

Lu Bicheng also wrote a press release about Li Yu, and he happened to show it to Li Yu:
"...Times are changing! In the deafening rhetoric and debate, even the old masters who are rich in learning have admitted that the new learning is unstoppable. Science has become the rolling waves of the surging sea, and will wash away the imperial examination together with the new academic system. Huge abscess..."

Li Yu said, "It seems a bit too intense."

Lu Bicheng said: "This is the general trend. In everyone's eyes, you seem to have come from a new era."

I'm dizzy, but luckily she doesn't know that she is a time traveler.

"If you write this, Mr. Gu will be furious, and if you speak bluntly about the decline of the imperial examination, I don't think those old scholars will stand it." Li Yu said.

"What we want is a deafening impact. Otherwise, if we think about them every day, how will the new learning develop?" Lu Bicheng said.

"Okay, this is a photo, let's publish it in the newspaper together." Anyway, Li Yu was not afraid of being pushed to the forefront, and then said, "I'm going to buy some tomatoes and sugar. I can try it today."

Lu Bicheng was in a good mood, "I want to see how good it is."

The two of them came to Dong'an Market to buy some tomatoes, but there are still not many of them for sale, and it took a while to buy them.

There is no technical content in making cold tomatoes, but it is a pity that the taste of today's tomatoes is still not as good as the varieties that have been improved many times in later generations, so we can only add more sugar.

Take a bite, the sweet and sour taste is the favorite of girls.

Lu Bicheng was full of praise: "I've never eaten anything like this!"

Li Yu said proudly, "I'll just say it's delicious."

Zhao Qian was almost drooling watching outside the house, "Sir, can you let me have a taste too?"

Feng Ling slapped him on the head, "Why don't you have any eyesight?"

But Lu Bicheng greeted: "It's okay, let's eat together."

Li Yu also said, "Come in, we usually have dinner together."

He never had any airs, that's why Zhao Qian was so casual.

Fengling sighed helplessly, so she had no choice but to call Uncle Wang over as well.