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

Chapter 38
The next day, Li Yu came to the noodle stall in Ding Deshan again, and just finished eating half a bowl of noodles when the voices of Eunuch Wei and another eunuch came from behind:
"Hey, have you heard that Prince Qing actually said that the Queen Mother is a monkey yesterday!"

"It's more than that, Xiao Sanzi from Zhongcui Palace even told me that they even came out of stones!"

"Tsk tsk tsk!"

"Prince Qing said that it was said by a teacher of western learning in his house. This is all a mess, and he really dares to say anything!"

Bang!

The chopsticks in Li Yu's hand fell directly to the ground, and the mutton in his mouth tasted instantly stale.

What the hell!This is all about what, if it is passed on, it will change 72 times!

People in the late Qing Dynasty knew nothing about the theory of evolution, and it must have spread more and more outrageously.

Li Yu didn't bother to eat noodles, so he threw down a few copper coins and hurried to the Prime Minister's State Affairs Office.

"My lord! I haven't finished explaining the theory of biological evolution to you, why did you just start telling the queen mother!"

Yikuang put down the document in his hand, "The king still wants to find you. I really couldn't explain it to the queen mother yesterday, and I couldn't figure out the details. But I just thought about it. Today, when the queen mother meets with you in Xiyuan, I will ask you to come in person." Tell the Queen Mother!"

what!Li Yu was taken aback, didn't this push him into the fire pit?If there is no scientific literacy, no one will believe in the theory of evolution!

What's more, the theory of evolution was not particularly complete at that time, and there were still some controversies in the West, such as Lord Kelvin and others.

"The Queen Mother...Has the Queen Mother had any experience with Western learning?" Li Yu asked tentatively.

"Western learning, there is no teaching of Western learning in the palace, so you probably don't know much about it. But the empress dowager's wisdom is far beyond that of tens of millions of people, and any knowledge can be mastered at a single point."

Yikuang is really Cixi's own person, and he doesn't forget to fart behind his back.

But Li Yu is too clear about Cixi's skills, and there are a lot of typos in every memorial. I hope she knows some science!
Li Yu felt numb all over.

When he was at a loss, Rui Zheng came in and announced: "My lord, Timothy Li is asking to see you."

Yikuang immediately said: "Please invite him in, it happens that he also wants to see the queen mother today, please cooperate and make the queen mother believe that this king will never dare to deceive her old man."

Li Yu was also so excited that tears were about to flow down, feeling like he had grasped at straws.

Who is Timothy Lee? Among the Westerners who came to China at that time, his influence definitely ranked first in the late Qing Dynasty.

He came to China in 1870 and had a good relationship with Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong, the four famous ZTE ministers in the late Qing Dynasty. He also served as an English teacher for Zeng Guofan's son.

Timothy Lee mainly served as a missionary in Shandong in his early years. Up to now, there is a church commemorating him in Qingzhou, Shandong, and it is the largest local Baptist church.

Later, with the support of Li Hongzhang, he did a lot of work in disaster relief, giving lectures, and writing books.

Timothy Lee also had a great influence on the Reformation. His translation of "New History of Taixi" was an important reference book on the desk of Emperor Guangxu.Reformers such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao regarded him as a spiritual leader, and they were extremely enthusiastic about the "Wan Guo Gazette" he issued. Most of the reform plans of the reformers also absorbed Timothy Richard's suggestions.

Moreover, he is keen on education. He published "Seven Kingdoms New Learning Essentials" more than ten years ago, which introduced the education situation in Western countries in detail, and suggested that the Qing government spend 100 million taels of silver every year as funds for educational reform.

This time I came to the capital to apply for the establishment of Shanxi University.It is the third of the earliest three national universities in China, the first two being the famous Beijing Normal University and Beiyang University.

Of course, many of this person's views still have great limitations, but they are limited by the times after all: not only his concept of the times, but also the concept of the times of the Qing Dynasty at that time was too backward.

"Meet the Prime Minister!"

Timothy Lee made a bow to Yikuang. He is a British man who knows diplomatic tact. He learns from Matteo Ricci in dealing with many daily affairs and adopts the way Chinese people like to communicate.

"The bishop came from Shanxi, and he worked hard!"

Yikuang asked Timothy Li to enter the hall and take a seat, and ordered the left and right to look at the tea, "I have already read your memorial. In view of your previous handling of the teaching case and Governor Cen's memorial, the Queen Mother must agree."

In the Shanxi religious case last year, Yuxian, the governor of Shanxi at that time, led the boxers to kill hundreds of missionaries, and also killed more than 1 Chinese religious people and their family members and children. It was the most serious religious case in China at that time.

Timothy Lee contributed a lot to the follow-up of this matter, mediating left and right, which made Cixi very satisfied.

"Your Excellency is far-sighted, and education is of great importance to rejuvenate the country and the people." Timothy Li knows how to add a sentence at the right time.

Yikuang said: "The Empress Dowager is sympathetic to all people, I just try my best to help her old man share her worries."

After the two of them had a few official courteous words, Yikuang introduced Li Yu to him, but Timothy Li had never thought that he had even heard of him.

"So you are Li Yu! I read the newspapers, and I never thought that a Chinese who is proficient in Western learning is so young."

Li Yudao: "Mr. is too famous, and I can't say I'm proficient in it."

Timothy Lee was very interested in him: "Although I haven't seen the paper you wrote in the newspaper, I was very surprised to hear that Sir Huggins, the president of the Royal Society of England, praised you very much. "

As a native of England, Timothy Lee must know the weight of the Royal Society.

"I don't know which famous school you graduated from, and which professor you studied under?"

Li Yu said embarrassingly: "I don't have a diploma yet, and I am preparing to apply for a degree at the Imperial University."

"No diploma? It's unbelievable! With your level, I'm afraid it will take a few months for Mr. Ding to issue you a certificate of completion," Timothy Li laughed. Daxuetang, I will send it to you! I have the final say on this matter."

Timothy Lee is about to start poaching.

Li Yu smiled and said, "Thank you sir for your concern."

"Okay, okay, you have plenty of time to chat in the future," Yi Kuang interrupted them, "Go to Xiyuan today, you must explain to the Queen Mother in detail why she was transformed from a monkey, otherwise the old man will really be ashamed to see the Queen Mother."

Timothy Lee was stunned: "What monkey changed?"

Li Yu explained from the side: "Yesterday, the prince wanted to explain the theory of evolution to the queen mother, but it seemed that he was not very thorough."

Timothy Lee laughed loudly: "Don't worry, my lord, what you said is not wrong, the theory of evolution can still be false."

Li Yu was secretly happy that there was a foreigner talking with him, and he was a foreigner with a prominent status, so he might not be able to coax Cixi away!
Yikuang stroked his beard and was satisfied with his arrangement.When Rong Lu left yesterday, although he endured it, when he turned to leave, his whole body trembled immediately, he must be laughing.

Today is bound to save face!
(End of this chapter)