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

After Li Yu stopped the car, he jumped out of the car, "Mr. Planck, Mr. Karl Siemens, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

Carl Siemens looked at Planck, then at Li Yu, and said, "Your Excellency really refreshes my eyes."

Li Yu said with a smile: "Mr. Planck has been busy with quantum theory recently, and his slovenly appearance must be due to lack of time."

Plank didn't care at all. After all, he was a handsome man. He said: "Youth is full of energy, and girls like it. It's really enviable."

Lu Bicheng: "I...we just happened to travel together along the way."

Planck said: "Oriental women really have a kind of subtle beauty, and their reputation is well-deserved."

Lu Bicheng asked: "Are you praising me?"

Planck said: "Of course, since I knew that Mr. Li Yu was coming, I went to the library to read some books about the East. What are the four beauties, such as fish and geese?"

Lu Bicheng said: "Sinking fish and falling geese, closing the moon makes flowers shameful."

Lu Bicheng said these eight characters in Chinese instead of English. Planck was a little stunned because he didn't understand Chinese.

Li Yu explained: "That is to say, these four beauties can make the fish in the river forget to swim and sink to the bottom of the water; Close the moon, shame the flower."

Plank was amazed: "Chinese culture is really intoxicating. There is another sentence about Iraqis."

Li Yu said: "The so-called Yiren is on the side of the water, and this story is also very beautiful... Wait!"

Li Yu felt something was wrong.

Planck urged, "You haven't explained what you mean."

Li Yu said: "Mr. Plank, why do you pay attention to all the content involving beauties?"

"Is there?" Planck said. "I just happened to see it."

The corner of Lu Bicheng's mouth twitched: "What a coincidence."

Plank laughed loudly, "There is another sentence, I remember," he paused for a while, and then said, "Everyone has the desire for beauty."

Lu Bicheng said: "You are finally right about this sentence."

Li Yu said: "When I was passing through St. Petersburg, I met Mr. Tolstoy. I'm afraid he can't speak so many ancient Chinese sentences."

Plank proudly said: "If I were to write, I might have been a best-selling author. By the way, when it comes to best-selling books, your "Star Wars" really made me unable to put it down. I read it again on the weekend. , still unresolved.”

Li Yu said: "If Mr. Plank likes it, I can write three more prequel stories."

"Prequel?" Planck became more interested.

Li Yu also didn't realize that the topics they had just met turned out to be ancient poems about ancient Chinese beauties and "Star Wars".

But this is also the daily life of great scientists. Thinking about quantum mechanics every day, it is estimated that the CPU in the brain has already burned out.

Many famous scientists have artistic interests.

Li Yu nodded: "Yes, the prequel. It is mainly about how Darth Vader grew from a Jedi knight to a dark leader in the era of the Galactic Republic. There will be many members of the Jedi Order."

"Will there be a lot of dashing fighters who can wield a lightsaber?" Plank asked.

"Yes," Li Yu said, "the huge background story will also be unfolded."

"So exciting! When are you going to start writing?" Plank asked.

Li Yu smiled and said, "I'm still thinking about the plot, but I've been a little busy recently..."

"Hey!" Planck said, "You are so young and naturally full of energy. Let this beautiful oriental girl take care of you. Hurry up and write!"

Lu Bicheng blushed: "Why should I take care of him?"

Planck said: "It's been a long time since I saw such a wonderful story with such a complete structure, such a magnificent story, and revealed the direction of scientific development everywhere. In any case, you must encourage him a lot, beautiful oriental girl. There is an old Chinese saying How should I say it, Tim Zhu?"

After all, it is a product of more than 70 years later. Although the setting is nothing in the eyes of later generations, everyone pays more attention to the story itself.But these settings are simply apocalyptic for the early twentieth century, and the imagination is too strong.

"It's the red sleeves that add fragrance..." Lu Bicheng realized something, and quickly stopped talking.

Li Yu said with a smile: "Mr. Planck really did a good job of homework."

Planck said: "During this period, I also consulted several sinologists in the university, as well as envoys who have been to your country."

"No wonder so." Li Yu said.

He really didn't expect Planck to attach so much importance to it.

But he didn't expect Plank to continue to emphasize: "I also want you to write a sequel as soon as possible."

The purpose turned out to be a press release!Li Yu couldn't laugh or cry: "I see, Mr. Planck, since you want to see the sequel so much, I will definitely hurry up. But this work is not made by me alone, and..."

"I know," Planck said, "and the beautiful Bicheng girl whose name is on the cover of the book."

Lu Bicheng asked curiously, "Is it very popular in Europe?"

Carl Siemens said: "It is very popular, and almost every edition will sell out quickly. I don't think it will be long before German, French, and Italian publishers will approach you and translate into more languages."

Lu Bicheng never thought that he already had a reputation abroad, and the feeling in his heart was still very sweet.

Planck went on to say: "I have read several physics papers by Mr. Li Yu, as well as "Fractal and Chaos", "Game Theory", etc., and the writing level in them is not at the same level as "Star Wars". Miss Bicheng You have done a great job!"

Lu Bicheng pouted: "The translator is also very important, she is also a beautiful oriental girl."

"Oh?!" Plank opened his mouth wide and looked at Li Yu in disbelief, "You really are like this!"

He gave a thumbs up.

Li Yu said awkwardly, "It's not what you think."

Plank spread his hands: "What am I thinking?"

Li Yu changed the subject and said, "Well, isn't lunch about to start?"

Karl Siemens said: "It's ready, let's eat and talk."

Several people came to the restaurant, and Li Yu didn't have any hope for German food at all.

It seems that the stronger countries in Europe have a relatively low food culture, and there are not so many beautiful girls in comparison.

On the contrary, southern Europe, which has a slightly poorer economy, is rich in beautiful women and delicious food.

It is estimated that this is the reason why countries like Germany are more focused on research?

After thinking wildly for a while, the food was served quickly.

really!No wonder everyone says that German food is "Europe's version of Northeast food": roast pork knuckle, sausages, potatoes, sauerkraut and, of course, bread.

I really don't know why the Germans like these things so much, and they can't get tired of eating them.

It is said that when German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Shenyang in 2016, she ate two servings of sauerkraut and white meat alone!
Well, sure enough, Chinese people know how to cook. Germans have been making sauerkraut for hundreds of years, but they can’t do it as well as Chinese people.

The proportion of meat in the German diet is indeed high. If you don't eat sauerkraut, it will be easy to get tired.

So no matter what the occasion is, it seems that sauerkraut is indispensable for the diet.

Compared with roasted pork knuckle and sausages, sauerkraut should be a veritable "German national dish"!

Even when *** visited Germany, Merkel entertained him with sauerkraut.

Anyway, sauerkraut has become synonymous with the Germans, and even the British, who were on the opposite side of the two world wars, directly called the Germans "sauerkraut (Kraut)".

Not sure if the Germans would call the Brits "fish and chips".

Karl Siemens saw Li Yu frown and asked, "Do you need chopsticks?"

Li Yu hurriedly said, "No need, a knife and fork will do."

Planck said: "If you don't have enough, you can ask for more. Our German pork knuckle is the best in the world!"

Li Yu said: "If the professor has the opportunity to come to China, I will definitely show you what a real pork knuckle is."

Planck's interest was aroused again: "Do Chinese people have better pork knuckles?"

Li Yu said with a smile: "Of course, and there are so many delicious things in China, you will definitely like them very much."

Planck suddenly said: "I must go to China!"

This is the reason!
Li Yu felt that the real Planck was too interesting, completely different from his impression. Although he was a little conservative in scientific research, he was still very good at communicating in life.

Perhaps it was because he knew that Li Yu was also proficient in mathematics and science, and was willing to chat with him; and the West was still somewhat interested in the mysteries of the East.

Plank suddenly thought: "Yes, you two are Chinese, you should know how to cook Chinese food?"

Li Yu said, "I can only cook a few simple dishes. Miss Bicheng must be a master of cooking."

"Great!" Plank said, "You guys will show your skills tonight. I haven't eaten Chinese food yet. Um, isn't my request a bit too much? I want you to hurry up and write a manuscript and cook food again. Or else, I'll give you something in exchange, what do you need?"

Li Yu thought for a while and said, "If possible, I am more interested in some original manuscripts of Mr. Planck's published papers at that time."

"It's a deal!" Planck was very straightforward, "I thought it was something, but a pile of used draft paper, which has been published anyway, and it is of little use to me."

Planck and Li Yu chatted for a while about some Chinese culture, and then Carl Siemens got back to the topic: "Mr. Li Yu, I have opened a laboratory for you, which is next to the Imperial Institute of Physics. It is more complete. I think that if the theory of the two of you on black body radiation goes a step further, it will be an unparalleled achievement in today's scientific community."

Li Yu said: "I don't know how long I can stay in Germany, I'm afraid I'm wasting such a good laboratory."

Carl Siemens said: "There will be no waste. Mr. Planck is always in Berlin, and he will still preside over the work."

"I'm not very good at experimenting," Planck said.

As a theoretical physicist, the experimental aspect was really not his forte.

Karl Siemens said: "It's all right, I'll send someone from the Imperial Institute of Physics to help you."

Planck said: "Imperial Institute of Physics experiments on black body radiation have been done so comprehensively over the years that I can't think of anything to add."

Carl waved his hand: "I don't understand the specific experimental content and mathematics, but you are all top scientists, I think the laboratory will be useful after all. Now with the help of Li Yu, a foreign academician of the Royal Society, General Professor Langk, you also need to be more firm in your theory."

Planck said: "I still have many difficult problems to figure out. I am still studying black body radiation through thermodynamics, and looking for a more reasonable explanation from this aspect."

In fact, after proposing quantum, Planck himself was a bit unacceptable, and he still tried to use classical physics to explain black body radiation many years later.

But the dark cloud has been pushed away by him, and he can't hide even if he wants to hide.

It's just that quantum theory is indeed like a ghost, and there are so many unknown things that even Planck himself dared not think about it.

Li Yu said: "Professor's quantum point of view is more worthy of perfection, and there is no reasonable explanation in thermodynamics."

Planck knew that Li Yu was also very accomplished in thermodynamics. His previous proposals of the second law of thermodynamics, the principle of entropy increase, and the third law of thermodynamics, were all ceiling-level capping operations on thermodynamics.

Planck asked: "You also agree with the quantum explanation?"

Li Yu nodded vigorously: "The professor's theory is an epoch-making product, but it is really hard to accept new things for a while."

Planck said: "Although in theory, your derivation has made the result perfect and seems beyond doubt, but I still can't believe that the world is not continuous."

Li Yu said: "I don't think there is anything wrong with it. There is no particular contradiction between continuity and quantum theory."

Planck said: "No, no, the contradiction is simply too great. Don't you think it's even a little too weird?"

Li Yu pondered for a while, and said: "There are too many unimaginable things in the microscopic field, but this is what makes it interesting. I also did a very unimaginable experiment and got preliminary results. I have been working with Mr. Karl Siemens for a few days. The completion of the newly established laboratory can also be regarded as a thank you to the laboratory sponsored by Karl Siemens."

Karl Siemens said happily: "I knew that your arrival would not disappoint me!"

Planck was more interested in the content, curiously asked: "What is so unbelievable?"

Li Yu said, "Interfering with the experiment."

"Interference experiment?" Planck wondered, "Double-slit interference experiment? It was done 100 years ago, and all university students would do it."

"No," Li Yu said seriously, "What I want to do is a single-photon double-slit interference experiment."

"Single...photon?" Planck still couldn't accept this concept, he suddenly reacted, "Could it be! What do you mean!"

Li Yu frowned: "That's right, I want to convince the world again that light is not just a wave, but a particle."

Plank opened his mouth wide: "You—this!"

Although Karl Siemens was not as familiar with mathematical sciences as his elder brother Werner Siemens, the founder of Siemens AG, he was educated no matter what, and couldn't believe this seemingly absurd theory at all.

In western textbooks, since Young's double-slit interference experiment was done, and the theory of electromagnetic waves was proposed, after the birth of the great Maxwell's equations, the conclusion of the wave nature of light has been confirmed.

The "Particle Theory" has been sidelined for many years. If it weren't for the great god Newton who was also a staunch supporter of the "Particle Theory", no one would remember that there is such a theory.

Li Yu looked at the astonished expressions of the two of them, and said with a smile, "This is the only way to have a sensational effect."