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

Chapter 280 Continue South
Li Yu was already familiar with going to Wuhan, and he still traveled upstream along the Yangtze River by inland waterway.

To be honest, it is quite troublesome, but the situation will improve soon, and the Beijing-Hanzhou Railway will be fully open to traffic in two years.

But I have to say that due to many major incidents, the speed of repair is indeed a bit slow.

In fact, even within the Qing court, even the diehards such as Cixi, who once hated railways very much, understood the importance of connecting the north and the south with the Beijing-Han Railway and the Wuhan-Guangzhou Yue-Han Railway.

At that time, except for the Yangtze River in the middle, it was impossible to build a bridge across the river. Beijing could be directly connected to Guangzhou by railway, passing through several large provinces in the middle.

But the Qing court could not live to the day when the Guangdong-Han Railway was repaired.

Due to the importance of inland shipping, there are quite a few ports on both sides of the Yangtze River, especially Hankou, which has a concession and is quite prosperous.

After the opening of the Beijing-Hankou Railway and the demolition of the city wall of Hankou, the development of Hankou will be even faster.

The person who came to meet Li Yu at the pier was Liang Dingfen, the current prefect of Wuchang. He is also the general manager of the Wenhua School in charge of the Education Affairs Office of Hubei Province.

He has always been favored by Zhang Zhidong and is one of Zhang Zhidong's most important staff.

Liang Dingfen played a key role in many nodes in Zhang Zhidong's life as an official.

Hubei is the place where Zhang Zhidong managed it carefully. From 1889 when he served as the governor of Huguang until 1907 when he entered Beijing, Zhang Zhidong supervised Hubei for nearly 18 years. Among them, he made the most outstanding achievements in education, and Liang Dingfen was his most powerful assistant.

Next year, Zhang Zhidong will directly appoint Liang Dingfen as the general manager of the Academic Affairs Office to thoroughly manage the academic affairs of Hubei province.

What Liang Dingfen is most proud of in his life is the great cause of education that he and Zhang Zhidong jointly created, and even raised a pair of curtains:
"Chu materials must be useful, teach 6000 people to be gentlemen."

Li Yu got off the steamship, Liang Dingfen greeted him and said, "It's really an honor for the emperor to visit again."

Li Yu said: "Master Liang is being polite."

Then I introduced Xie Yuxi next to him: "This is Ms. Xie Yuxi from the United States, who manages an education fund."

At this time, the Chinese people's attitude towards the United States is relatively good. After all, the Americans have not engaged in any aggressive activities.

Liang Dingfen cupped his fists and said, "Thousands of miles away, hard work!"

Li Yudao: "The foundation wants to set up a school in Wuchang, so that we can continue to study in the future and have the opportunity to study in the United States."

Liang Dingfen has recommended many people to study in Japan before, and of course he knows the benefits of studying abroad, "This is a great thing! The current situation is full of waste, and there is a shortage of talents. If more talents can be trained, it will be a major event for the country. .”

Li Yu said: "As for the selection of the land, we..."

Liang Dingfen didn't wait for him to finish, and interrupted: "When the emperor just went south, I already got the news. I discussed with Governor Zhang Zhidong, and he chose a good place for you. There is no need for the emperor to pay for the silver."

Li Yu said with a smile: "There is another good thing."

Liang Dingfen said: "Master Zhang is in a hurry to find outstanding western learning talents, and the emperor's teacher can be said to be a timely help. But the condition is that at least some of the students trained must return to the province."

"This is a reasonable request." Of course Li Yu and Xie Yuxi had to agree, after all they saved tens of thousands of taels of silver.

Liang Dingfen beckoned his men to lead the carriage over: "Let's go check it out first."

On the way, Liang Dingfen took out a map and showed it to Li Yu: "The location is next to the Lianghu University Hall, next to the beautiful Dusi Lake."

Lianghu University Hall is the former Lianghu College.

Li Yu saw that the area in the picture was indeed not small, exceeding 200 mu, directly exceeding expectations.

Moreover, this place is very close to the Xinhai Revolution Memorial Hall and Shouyi Park.

The position is quite meaningful, and one can almost imagine that future students will inevitably be affected by the Revolution of [-] and even participate in it.

Liang Dingfen had already ordered the yamen servants to draw up the lot, and looking around, it was extremely flat.

And looking to the west, 600 meters is the rolling Yangtze River.

"It's a wonderful place that makes people feel relaxed and happy. Master Zhang and Master Liang are really generous." Li Yu said with emotion.

Liang Dingfen smiled and said, "Where is this? In the future, we will also contribute to the construction of the school to ensure that Master Emperor's school will open as soon as possible."

Li Yu laughed and said, "My lord has done a little too much."

Liang Dingfen said: "The funds are all allocated from the funds. It happens that there is a balance this year. It is not in vain. It is just that we only know the method of civil engineering, but not the way of Western learning. The real soul of the school still needs to be taught by the emperor in the future. Come in."

Li Yu clasped his fists and said, "I will definitely not disappoint Master Zhang and Master Liang."

Liang Dingfen said: "We have great confidence in the emperor."

Li Yu said: "Everyone is an emperor... ah, they are all people who are willing to educate, and each other."

Li Yu almost slipped the tongue, after which Liang Dingfen served as the teacher of the last emperor Puyi.

Liang Dingfen was also considered an outlier in the political arena in the late Qing Dynasty. He impeached Li Hongzhang when he was only a seventh-rank official before, and almost dismissed him.

In a few years, Yikuang and Yuan Shikai will continue to be impeached...

In the end, he was dismissed anyway.

After seeing the construction site, Liang Dingfen took Li Yu and his wife to the mansion for a banquet.

While they were eating Zhenghuan, Huang Xing found Xiong Xiling in Changsha.

Xiong Xiling was an important figure in the period of the Republic of China, but at this time he had no official status and was running education in Hunan.

Before that, he was a strong supporter of the reform movement, and he also ran a current affairs school with Tan Sitong.

Guangxu personally summoned Xiong Xiling to Beijing for an audience, but he ate carelessly on the way and suffered from dysentery, so he had to return to Hengyang to recuperate, and finally did not go to Beijing.

Then the Reform Movement of [-] failed. Tan Sitong and other six gentlemen who participated in the reform in Beijing were killed at the same time. Xiong Xiling escaped the disaster due to illness, but he was also ordered to be "dismissed from office and never to be employed, and handed over to local officials for strict control". punishment.

So now he can only engage in education in a few areas in Hunan.

In fact, the development of Hunan today is relatively rapid across the country.

After all, the Hunan Army was the first to develop in modern history. Zeng Guofan brought wealth from all over the country to Hunan, and he also attached great importance to education. With such a huge dividend, Hunan has been full of talents for more than half a century.

And not appearing one by one, but a large group after a large group.

The rise of the Hunan system, and the railway passing through Hunan at the same time, caused Jiangxi, which was once a north-south transshipment hub, to plummet.

Of course, the Guangdong-Han Railway can only go through Hunan.

Because of the mountains in southern Jiangxi, the technology at this time could not solve the engineering problems at all.

Although there are many mountains in the west of Hunan, due to the action of several large rivers, the north and south plains are connected, so it is very suitable to build a railway.

Before that, Chen Baozhen, the governor of Hunan, who was also strongly in favor of the Guangdong-Han Railway going to Hunan, was even a native of Jiangxi himself.

——Even since the end of the Qing Dynasty, the pattern of "circling Jiangxi" began.

In fact, Jiangxi has been sitting for a long time in history. The reasons are firstly water transportation, secondly porcelain, thirdly people in the court, and fourthly the wealth of the people.

But the Englishman himself learned how to make porcelain, and cut off part of his financial resources; he shaved his head and looted Jiangxi, and his family was empty;

All four are gone...

Huang Xing came to Xiong Xiling's residence and said to him: "Academician Li Yu, who is famous all over the world, has arrived in Wuchang, and he is here for education. Why don't you invite him over to talk about it?"

With the current traffic conditions, Xiong Xiling understood that it was impossible for Li Yu to run to Hunan without moving, and immediately agreed: "I will tell the governor that he is very concerned about education."

Huang Xing said: "It's not too late. Only the governor's yamen has a telegram and can quickly get in touch with Wuchang."

Anyway, Xiong Xiling has nothing else to do now, the only thing he can do is education, so he immediately found Hunan Governor Zhao Erxun for this, and informed him of Li Yu's situation.

Zhao Erxun really cares about the New Deal, and now the most important thing in the local New Deal is to set up new schools.

Zhao Erxun heard the name of "Li Yu" and quickly made a decision: "Changsha must also vigorously develop Western education, and we must not fall behind! He must be invited over."

Xiong Xiling said: "This subordinate will prepare the telegram."

Xiong Xiling was about to draw a pen, but was blocked by a person.

"My lord, please think twice!"

It was Wang Xianqian who spoke. Not many people know his name, but his position is quite famous: the head of Yuelu Academy.

That is, the dean of Yuelu Academy.

And it happened to be the last mountain chief.

As one of the four famous academies in history, Yuelu Academy had produced Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang in the late Qing Dynasty, and its status is still detached.

Since ancient times, we have the habit of respecting teachers, so the social status of the head of Yuelu Academy has always been very high.

Zhao Erxun asked: "Master Wang Shan, I don't know where I need to think twice?"

Wang Xianqian said: "The governor first came to Hunan to take charge, but has he forgotten the revolutionary bad things that happened there?"

Just after Tang Caichang's self-reliant army uprising failed, Wang Xianqian and his protégé Ye Dehui reported to Yu Liansan, the then governor of Hunan, resulting in the killing of more than a hundred reformers in Hunan.

Wang Xianqian is a typical conservative who is very against the so-called "Western Learning" and "Reformation".

Xiong Xiling was implicated in the reform incident at the beginning, and she always held a grudge against Wang Xianqian's whistleblowing, and said angrily, "Did the mountain chief forget the strong ships and guns of the British and French? I don't know who is forgetful!"

Wang Xianqian said unhurriedly: "Internal troubles are more serious than external troubles. I have been in charge of the school for many years, and I have met many students who tried to revolutionize the reform, but their fate is terrible. The new style of school will only encourage the spirit of revolution, and it will do more harm than good to our Qing Dynasty as a whole. .”

Xiong Xiling asked back: "The head of the mountain has a strategy to retreat from the enemy?"

But Wang Xianqian said: "Haven't the enemy already retreated now?"

Xiong Xiling was stunned: "Shan Zhang, you don't know that it is all at the price of land cession and indemnity! Is this also a strategy to retreat from the enemy? No one in the world can accept it!"

Wang Xianqian didn't take it seriously: "It's just a matter of time, why not endure humiliation and seek perfection?"

"Even if we endure humiliation and ask for perfection, what can the head of the mountain do to make Gou Jian the king again?"

Wang Xianqian was at a loss for words for a moment: "There must be a way..."

Zhao Erxun was also a little upset, and said to Xiong Xiling: "Bingsan (Xiong Xiling's character), go to the telegraph room to prepare a report."

Wang Xianqian stood up and said, "My lord, you must think twice!"

Zhao Erxun pointed to his head: "I've already thought four times and five times!"

-

Li Yu, who was in Wuchang, saw Xiong Xiling's telegram, and thought of the previous meeting with Huang Xing and Chen Tianhua, which was not far away anyway, so he decided to go there.

As mentioned above, education in Hunan is not weak now.

Of course, relying on Zhang Zhidong's management, Hubei is not bad.

Since it is connected by the Yangtze River and the Xiangjiang River, even if there is no railway, it is not troublesome to travel from Wuhan to Changsha by water.

Xiong Xiling even went directly to Yueyang to wait for Li Yu.

After Xiong Xiling boarded the ship, he searched around and saw Li Yu with his hair shaved.

"Master Emperor, you are really easy to find!"

Li Yu asked in surprise, "Your Excellency?"

"I'm Xiong Xiling, named Bingsan."

Li Yu quickly shook hands with him: "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Of course Li Yu had heard of Xiong Xiling. After all, he was the prime minister of the Beiyang government, and he formed a cabinet with Liang Qichao, Zhang Jian and others.

Xiong Xiling said: "After learning from my fellow villager Huang Xingchu that you are coming to Changsha, I can't wait to see you."

Li Yu smiled and said, "It's not a few days away."

"Among the [-] million people today, it is not easy to find someone who is as proficient in Western learning as the emperor's teacher!" Xiong Xiling was in a good mood, and said, "I wonder if the emperor's teacher has ever been to Hunan, and should you stop by the famous Yueyang Tower?" look?"

Yueyang Tower was repeatedly damaged, and a reconstruction was just completed in the late Qing Dynasty.

Li Yu had been to the three famous buildings in the south of the Yangtze River before crossing, so he said: "No need, just remember that Fan Wenzheng's spirit of 'worrying about the world's worries first, and enjoying the world's joys' is enough. Let's build it as soon as possible. It is important for the school to stand on the ground together with Yueyang Tower."

Xiong Xiling was in awe, and then mentioned the situation encountered when drafting the telegram: "In Changsha Mansion, there is still some resistance to building a new school, and it comes from the head of Yuelu Academy, who is well-known in Hunan's education circle. But the matter of the new school, I I think the new governor, Mr. Zhao, should agree."

Li Yu wondered, "What's there to obstruct this kind of thing?"

Xiong Xiling said: "If there are fewer students in the academy, of course we will not agree."

Li Yu thought about it, and immediately came up with a bad idea: "It's easy to say! At that time, you can give the governor a direct suggestion. Now that the imperial court has ordered that the academy be changed into a school, and Yuelu Academy will be directly enlisted as a higher school. If he is not willing to continue to be a mountain Long, just resign."

Xiong Xiling slapped the railing: "The emperor's teacher is the emperor's teacher, this method is great!"

Li Yu is also pushing the boat along the way. Anyway, according to the historical process, Yuelu Academy will definitely be merged into the new school and eventually become a part of Hunan University.

Xiong Xiling went on to say: "When we arrive in Changsha, I will call the head of the Yuelu Academy to the governor's office, and you will be in charge. I see what objections Wang Xianqian can have!"

Li Yu: "..."

Halo, didn't I ask you to speak up, why did you just get me out of it.

And once the mountain leader Wang Xianqian knew that he was the one who proposed to change his Yuelu Academy into a new school, he would definitely not let it go.

Thinking that this diehard will be on par with Kong Lingyi in Qufu, it is really a headache.

(End of this chapter)