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

Among the foreign students, Jiang Baili was a high-achieving student at the Army Non-commissioned Officer Academy (later he even won No.1 and received a sword bestowed by the emperor). Li Yu asked him: "What tactics do you think Japan and Russia will use?"

Jiang Baili said: "I don't know the specific situation on the front line, but according to what I learned in the Japanese military academy, the only certainty is that the Japanese army will attack the Russian defenders in Lushun Port at all costs. Once the army cannot achieve a breakthrough, the navy will will be passive, and the war will fall into a stalemate."

Li Yu asked a key question: "Do you think the Japanese navy and army can achieve coordinated operations?"

Jiang Baili shook his head: "I'm afraid it will be difficult."

The Japanese army and navy have had a long-standing grudge, calling each other "red deer".

Between the lines and in the tone of voice, Li Yu could hear that the foreign students hoped that Japan would win.

Li Yu turned to Lu Xun, "Student Shuren, what do you think?"

Lu Xun was noncommittal: "I don't particularly care about the war between the two empires on our territory, and I don't know anything about military affairs at all, and I don't even know what to do with muzzle-loading guns and breech-loading guns, so I don't care about this matter." Stand in line."

Brother Xun is still relatively sober in the world.

This year he will watch the beheading documentary in school.

During the Russo-Japanese War, Japan released a lot of similar promotional videos in various schools. The purpose can be guessed without saying much, of course it is propaganda and conscription.

Brother Xun later wrote a very famous passage in "Scream Preface". It was about the period of the Russo-Japanese War. When he was studying at Sendai Medical College, he saw a documentary in which a Chinese was regarded as a Russian soldier. The spies were arrested and beheaded, but the onlookers applauded.

insensitive.

This incident had a great influence on Brother Xun's abandonment of medicine and literature.

Lu Xun asked, "Sir, what do you think?"

Li Yu recalled the advice he had given to Russian commander Maklov, and wondered how well he implemented it. If Lushun's defenders were really strengthened, it would really bring tens of thousands more casualties to both sides.

I can't help but still have heart palpitations: one sentence can make tens of thousands of souls go to the west, how can it be possible for people who grew up in a peaceful environment not to have any psychological disturbances.

Fortunately, Li Yu didn't have a good impression of Japan and Russia at this time. Thinking about the fact that they killed and injured more Chinese people, he was comforted.

Seeing that Li Yu was stunned, Liang Qichao patted him and said, "Brother Shucai."

Li Yu came back to his senses, "I'm sorry, I was a little distracted. I agree with what Shuren said. No matter who wins, it is a shame for us if it happens on our own territory."

Li Yu's words calmed down the frenzied mood of the international students a little. Think about it, winning or losing is their business and has nothing to do with them.

Li Yu temporarily settled the students and Chinese laborers in the guild hall and the nearby hotel.

Since he couldn't return to the country and had nothing to do for the time being, he went to the newspaper office to drink tea and chat with Liang Qichao.

Not long after, Koyata Iwasaki of the Mitsubishi Group came to find Li Yu with a few Japanese.

"Mr. Li Yu, it's really great to meet you in Tokyo!" said Iwasaki Koyata.

Li Yu said casually, "Why are you so happy to see me?"

Iwasaki Koyata pointed to a person next to him and said, "Mr. Nagao Ariga is the military's legal adviser, and I'm here to ask you for advice."

"Military?" Li Yu's eyes froze.

Nagao Ariga said: "Mr. Li Yu, after using it, we found that the radio equipment you provided is indeed excellent. Now that the frontline battle is tight, there is an urgent need for faster communication so that the emperor can command the battle with the base camp. Therefore, we urgently need more from you. radio equipment."

Li Yu cursed inwardly, and then said, "I've already said that the difficulty of production is not low, and the production line is in the United States. I'm afraid the water far away will not quench the thirst of the near."

Ariga Changxiong said: "There is no equipment, but you are here! Maybe you can go to the military headquarters to provide us with radio combat guidance."

Li Yu flatly refused: "Unfortunately, I am a Chinese, and I have no obligation to serve you."

Ariga Nagao turned to say: "So, can you guide the production of radios? Mitsubishi and other companies are already preparing to produce radio equipment by themselves."

Li Yu said: "The products I develop are all public. With the authorization of my LY company, any company can produce them, but they need to pay patent fees, and we need to provide the core triode."

Youhe Changxiong said: "Please authorize as soon as possible!"

Li Yu took his time and said, "But the company is in the United States."

Youhe Changxiong said anxiously: "The company is yours, can't you authorize it with a word?"

Li Yu smiled and said: "Sir, you are a member of the military and a legal adviser. It is impossible not to understand that there is a process for things. Your country even has a noble house and a parliament. As a person from a large company, Mr. Iwasaki certainly understands There are decision-makers in the company, and it’s not just me who can just say a word.”

Iwasaki Koyata was also obsessed with obtaining Li Yu's technology, because it had too much influence on the military, so he said, "Mr. Li Yu, as an enterprise, you alone have the final say."

Li Yu said: "It was indeed possible before, but unfortunately, I just happened to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange in the United States. Now every major decision needs to be voted by the board of directors."

"Listed? New York Stock Exchange?" Iwasaki was a little stunned.

"Moreover, Mr. Morgan is the major shareholder behind it." Li Yu said lazily.

"Morgan...Morgan!" Iwasaki is engaged in business, and of course he has heard the name of the New York Stock Exchange and Morgan.

Li Yu spread his hands: "So, after the listing, I can't make major decisions alone."

Japan also had stock exchanges in Tokyo and Nagoya at this time, and Koya Iwasaki knew something about it.However, due to the influence of the system in Japan's early years, the stock market was not active.

Li Yu hid the fact that he had absolute voting rights, but Koyata Iwasaki didn't know about it.

Moreover, even if one has absolute voting rights, the procedures that should be followed still have to be followed.

Nagao Ariga didn't know much about the stock market, so he looked at Koyata Iwasaki: "Mr. Iwasaki, what do you say?"

Iwasaki Koyata gritted his teeth and said, "We have to wait!" Then he said to Li Yu, "Mr. Li Yu, I hope you can increase production as soon as possible to supply the imperial market."

Li Yu cursed again in his heart, go to your sister's "empire".

You He Changxiong did not give up: "Mr. Li Yu, according to Darwinism, this is a survival of the fittest. It is related to the desperate struggle between us Orientals and Caucasians. You must quickly accommodate!"

Li Yu said, "Darwinism? What kind of Darwinism is this?"

Nagao Ariga said: "Survival of the fittest, survival of the fittest. Isn't that the law of today's world?"

Li Yu sneered: "This is not Mr. Darwin's original intention. His old man has never applied this set of evolutionary ideas to the social or even national level."

Nagao Ariga is a typical supporter of "Social Darwinism".

But everyone in later generations understands that this is completely rote, and not all natural sciences can be copied to social sciences at will.

Social Darwinism is a very ridiculous theory, but it is sought after by many people at this time.

In fact, it is known in China that "survival of the fittest and survival of the fittest" is earlier than the true theory of evolution.

Yan Fu's original translation of Evolution and Evolution itself was an excerpt from Thomas Huxley's Theory of Evolution and Ethics.

However, compared to being faithful to the original work, Yan Fu also absorbed a lot of Herbert Spencer's views and added his own understanding, thus emphasizing the will of the Chinese nation as a whole group as a necessary condition for survival.

It must be explained here:
Thomas Huxley was an orthodox follower of Darwin and a supporter of materialist science.

And Herbert Spencer is a supporter of social Darwinism, which is more absurd.

The reason why social science is called "science" is that it has a rigorous research process.Social Darwinism, on the other hand, is really an overinterpretation.

And it is a very dangerous interpretation.

For example, Hitler with a mustache later massacred the Jews, using this set of theories, believing that the Jews are an inferior nation and should be "eliminated".

Darwin himself also refuted this view very much, because those who advocate the so-called "social Darwinism" have basically never read Darwin's evolution theory seriously.

Youhe Changxiong argued strongly: "From a historical point of view, the world has been like this since ancient times. Is there something wrong?"

Li Yu said: "History is not wrong, but people have never stopped making mistakes. Excuse me, sir, do you know what evolution is and what is natural selection?"

Nagao Ariga said: "It's still the same sentence, survival of the fittest."

Li Yu said: "If you say this, your understanding is too superficial. The evolution described by Mr. Darwin is full of chance, emphasizing the reproductive advantage of the same species due to accidental changes in the natural environment, rather than relying on subjective adaptation. The environment has changed. If you don’t even understand the causal relationship, don’t involve Mr. Darwin!”

These people probably understand this too, which is why they use the name "social Darwinism" instead of "social evolution".

After all, Darwin's name is more attractive.

This set of theories is very harmful. In human society, there is nothing wrong with competition if it is said to be competition, but it cannot rely on Darwin's theory of evolution.

But it is not easy to learn Darwin's theory of evolution, but it is very simple to simply apply "social Darwinism", because it is enough to use the phrase "survival of the fittest and survival of the fittest".

Even Darwin's cousin proposed the so-called "eugenics": the survival of the fittest, the disadvantaged can live, so don't have children.What kind of charitable relief does the government do? Doesn’t this give people who shouldn’t live in this world a chance to live?Isn't this a violation of nature's principle of survival of the fittest?

This theory sounds fine at first, but when it is developed to the extreme, it is the tragedy of the extinction of the "inferior groups" by the mustaches.

I mentioned Mr. Bo Shining's sentence before, "Humanities without science are promiscuous; science without humanities is arrogant."

The so-called social Darwinism is neither humanistic nor scientific, but it is arrogant, sentimental, provocative, and ignorant at the same time.

Youhe Changxiong did not quite understand what Li Yu said, but he still insisted: "No matter what, history has proved that only the 'fittest' can survive. The same is true for countries. Not every country can survive, and the law of survival of the fittest must be followed. .”

Mad, this guy is getting more and more nonsense, and immediately mentioned the "National Darwinism" that is even more nonsense than the "Co-Prosperity Sphere" since then.

But Japan is really superstitious about these two theories, so it has done so many inhumane things.

Li Yu sneered and said, "Mr. Youhe, I want to correct you. What you said is not 'survival of the fittest', but 'survival of the winner'. The two are far from each other, so don't switch concepts."

If he used his old law to argue with Li Yu, Li Yu would not be able to speak against him at all; but when it comes to science, he is not even worthy to carry Li Yu's shoes.

Youhe Changxiong really couldn't say anything, so he paused and said forcefully: "You know natural science, but you don't necessarily know social science. I can't agree."

Li Yu said: "Since it doesn't make sense, let's leave."

I don't want to expose the huge loopholes in his words at all. After all, the so-called "social Darwin" is not forcibly linked to natural science.

Iwasaki Koyata was a little embarrassed. Before leaving, he said: "Mr. Li Yu, I hope you will think deeply about it. After all, China and Japan are neighbors of the same race, religion, culture and customs. They should unite together to fight against Tsarist Russia."

Li Yu was unwilling to answer his more nonsensical words, and just said: "The company has company rules, otherwise, you should go to the New York Stock Exchange and talk about it face-to-face."

Iwasaki Koya saw that Li Yu wouldn't move, so he had to leave angrily.

Liang Qichao on the side felt that he had watched a good show: "Brother Shucai, no wonder you can refute Gu Hongming and Kong Lingyi. You really have two tricks. But I think there seems to be nothing wrong with the so-called 'natural selection, survival of the fittest'. "

From now on, it was Liang Qichao who began to radically use the slogan of social Darwinism to oppose the Manchu rule and call for revolution.

Li Yu said: "If it is used as a means, it can be used, but it is a double-edged sword. After achieving the goal, it should be discarded as soon as possible, because it is not a good sword."

In this regard, Mr. Sun Yat-sen has done a good job, keeping pace with the times, and many early ideas were quickly improved after the success of the [-] Revolution.

For example, "expelling the Tartars", such as "social Darwinism", were all abandoned after the founding of the Republic of China.

Because at that time the former Manchu Qing Dynasty also became part of the Republic of China, and the emperors became citizens of the Republic of China, so it is obviously inappropriate to use the slogan of "expelling the Tartars".

Social Darwinism is more of a theory of national self-awareness and revolution. With the Qing Dynasty gone, there is naturally no need for it to continue to exist.

Liang Qichao was a smart man, and he understood the meaning of Li Yu's words: "Brother Shucai, although you only spoke a few words, you have a thorough understanding of the current situation. Could it be that you were influenced by Mr. Zhongshan on the ship?"

He had seen Li Yu disembark with Zhongshan before.

Li Yu smiled and said, "It's just a little personal opinion."

Liang Qichao added: "I still want to remind you one more thing, Brother Shucai, you must remember to 'be pregnant with the jade'. Now that Japan is going to war with Russia, and you have important technologies, it is inevitable that you will not Missed by some people."

Li Yu cupped his hands and said, "Thank you brother Zhuo Ru for reminding me."

He was previously listed in the United States because of this consideration.

It can be regarded as a trick to leverage strength and let the Americans go into the water, so that the Japanese will have scruples about themselves.