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

Chapter 412
Li Yu felt more and more that Li Hongzhang's phrase "great changes unseen in 3000 years" summed it up too well. The various trends of thought in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China were very complicated, diverse, and even contradictory.

In terms of culture alone, there are those who are extremely xenophobic, and those who are extremely conservative and xenophobic.

Some people think that Li Yu is a pioneer of Western learning, so naturally some people think that he is a yellow-skinned banana man, and some even think that he is a court eagle dog.

Hey, it's all because the basic education is not in place.

If it weren't for Yan Fu's left hand to call the police today, it would really not end well.

To be precise, people in the city prefer to call the newly established police department "patrol police", which is influenced by the word "patrol and arrest" in the past. ——In fact, the police in the concession were still called patrolling during the Republic of China.

The arrival of the patrolmen quickly calmed down the scene. Fortunately, the train staff did not open the door, and the troublemaker just smashed the train window.

Li Yu sat back in the car and saw that Yan Fu and Gu Hongming also had egg liquid and rotten vegetable leaves more or less on their bodies, and said, "The fire at the city gate caused the fish in the pond. My lords, I'm sorry."

Yan Fu didn't take it seriously: "Brother Shucai is very courageous, and seeing my old bones is full of passion."

Gu Hongming said: "I observed it, and they didn't seem to come spontaneously, but premeditated and organized."

Li Yu asked: "Master Gu is referring to these troublemakers?"

Gu Hongming nodded: "Look at the direction they left. They didn't disperse, but headed in the same general direction. But who organized it needs follow-up investigation."

Li Yu said: "Forget it, the conservative forces have always been strong. At this moment when the imperial examination has just been abolished, it is even more difficult to find out which princes and nobles are not allowed to be found. Anyway, it is not that we have nothing to rely on. Now we just need to be ourselves. The thing is."

Yan Fu agreed: "Brother Shucai sees things clearly. Fighting with them will only drain your energy, and maybe you will fall into the urn set by the other party in advance."

Li Yu said: "It's all helpless. Even if they are used by people with good intentions, the original intention of boycotting American goods is still good."

Gu Hongming asked in surprise: "Could it be that you are not angry at all?"

"What's there to be angry about? It's just that the boycott methods still need to be broadened. Our national industry is progressing, and we have a trade surplus, so we still need to worry about American goods?" Li Yu said.

Yan Fu understood some economic aspects, and replied: "A surplus is not easy, we don't have so many things to sell."

Li Yu took the time to start the car, and said while driving, "Master Yan, don't worry."

-

After returning home and taking a shower, Li Yu saw Lu Bicheng and Konoe Zhaoxue playing with the piano brought over from Austria.

Lu Bicheng said: "It's such an exquisite musical instrument, but I don't know where to start to learn it."

Konoe Zhaoxue came up with an idea: "I heard that there is a very good piano teacher in Beijing, who is from France."

Li Yu asked curiously, "Could it be that the French embassy in Dongjiaomin Lane invited you here? Why haven't I heard of it?"

Konoe Zhaoxue said: "This piano teacher is now an ordinary person, married to a Chinese."

"French piano teacher, married to a Chinese?" Li Yu wondered.

Konoe Zhaoxue said: "And you may have heard of this person, because she married Yu Geng's other son, Yu Xinling."

Sure enough, it is more timely to engage in intelligence information.

Several of Yu Geng's children actually have names and surnames in history.

Li Yu said, "It turned out to be the Yu family!"

"They got married four years ago, and the French lady was Genevieve," Konoe said. "At that time, this cross-border marriage was a sensation."

Li Yu did the math, four years ago, that is to say, they got married in France, which is indeed a bit of a novelty.

"In that case, it's still a Western-style wedding," Li Yu said.

Konoe Zhaoyuki nodded, "They got married in a cathedral in France, and it made headlines in French newspapers."

Transnational marriages in later generations are no longer a rare occurrence, but today's cultural differences are the real differences, and they are vastly different.

Li Yu has a good relationship with Yu's family, and after finding out the address, he took Lu Bicheng to visit.

After Yu Xinling got married with her French wife and returned to China, she lived alone in a small house.

As soon as Li Yu and the two arrived at the door, they heard arguing from inside.

"You can no longer be a piano teacher in public!" It was Yu Xinling who spoke.

"Why! I was a piano teacher when I was in France. This is my hobby and my profession." French Mrs. Genevieve retorted.

"But this is China, a married woman cannot come to be a piano teacher." Yu Xinling raised her voice a few degrees.

"Even if I can't go out to be a piano teacher, why can't I go to the cultural salon?" French lady Geneviève continued to refute.

"It's no different from being public!" Yu Xinling's voice was still high.

"You are restricting my freedom!" Genevieve's voice was already crying.

"No matter what you think, you must do what I say. Taking good care of your children is your greatest duty." Yu Xinling said.

Li Yu has already heard the clues, and the life after marriage seems to be different from Genevieve's fantasy when she was in love.

Li Yu coughed and knocked on the door.

Yu Xinling in the room said: "Keep your voice down, after the guests come, you should still follow my instructions, learn to do the things on the scene first."

Genevieve said angrily: "You want to save face, don't you care about me?"

"We'll discuss this matter later!" Yu Xinling put down a sentence, walked to the door and opened it.

The door opened, Yu Xinling said in surprise: "It turned out to be the emperor, please come in."

Li Yu said, "Excuse me."

Li Yu walked in and looked around. This house is not a courtyard in the traditional sense, it only has houses on three sides.

Yu Xinling came to the main hall and said to Genevieve, "Look at the tea!"

Geneviève was not very willing. Seeing that Yu Xinling was about to lose her temper, Li Yu quickly said: "No need, actually we are here this time to invite Mrs. Zun to be a piano teacher in my house. Of course, students It is my wife, Your Excellency can be understood as a communication between the ladies."

Genevieve's eyes lit up.

Previously, Geneviève had been thinking of opening a piano class by herself, and Yu Xinling disagreed. If it was to exchange piano skills with the wife of a big celebrity, it would be fine.

Yu Xinling also thought that she could use this to alleviate the conflict between husband and wife, so she said, "Okay, I agree."

Genevieve was overjoyed. She hadn't touched the piano for a long time, and she was going to visit Li Yu's mansion right now.

Before leaving, Yu Xinling said: "Be sure to go home before dark, this is a woman's way."

Genevieve felt dizzy when she heard these words, and when she got in Li Yu's car, she urged her to leave quickly.

Li Yu naturally didn't have time to learn the piano, but he could take this opportunity to learn French.

Genevieve was shocked when she saw the piano in Li Yu's home: "This is...the Bösendorfer of Austria! My God, I read it right, it's actually in Beijing!"

Li Yu said: "It was given to me by Crown Prince Ferdinand of Austria. I don't know how good it is."

"I was even worried that my fingers would desecrate this sacred work of art," Geneviève said.

Li Yu said with a smile: "If it is placed here quietly, no one will play it, it will be truly blasphemy."

Both Lu Bicheng and Jinwei Zhaoxue are very interested in the piano and want to learn it together.

Geneviève's professionalism is still good, but Li Yu is not very interested in music theory, and piano is too difficult to learn, so I went to Liang Dunyan to study the downstream aesthetic affairs office, that is, Tsinghua School.

Since Tsinghua School is backed by Boxer indemnity, there is no need to worry about funds.

The only thing to note is that there are now two universities in the capital, and the other Beijing Normal University is run by the imperial court, and its appeal must be very strong.

To set up another university in the capital would have to compete directly with the Imperial University. Yuan Shikai’s Beiyang side intended to cultivate more of its own power, so it tried every means to at least keep pace with the Imperial University.

Well, there was competition from the start.

When they came to Liang Dunyan's office, Tang Guoan was already here, and there was also Fan Yuanlian, the head of the department.

——They are all people who have contributed to the founding of Tsinghua University.

Liang Dunyan pointed to the seat and said, "Brother Shucai, please sit down."

Then he went on to say: "Guolu (Tang Guoan) has drawn up a general plan, mainly considering how to recruit students. Brother Shucai will take a look at it first."

Li Yu took the document, flipped through it roughly, and said, "I don't have much opinion. The only suggestion is that while focusing on the selection of students studying in the United States, we can consider offering four-year secondary education and four-year higher education. Higher education Naturally, it is what a university should look like, but everyone must be very clear about the current student source situation, which is not enough to support university enrollment. Therefore, it is better to ask for others than to ask for ourselves, and we can train ourselves at the same time."

Tang Guoan said: "Brother Shucai's suggestions are very valuable. I have inspected the education in Japan over the past 30 years, and it is also that university education and primary and secondary education are advancing at the same time, and even universities are several years behind. We can use the first four to eight years as a During the transition period, after the first batch of students return to China, things will get better."

Liang Dunyan asked: "Is the eight-year schooling system too long?"

Li Yu said: "It's not long, and there is Gengzi money, so you don't have to worry about tuition fees at all. The most important thing is to train your own students well."

"Since the supervisor and the general office have the same opinion, I have nothing to say, so let's do it this way," Liang Dunyan then turned to Fan Yuanlian, "Jingsheng (Fan Yuanlian's word) drafted a recruitment notice today and distributed it to various places. Select outstanding scholars from all over the country."

Fan Yuanlian cupped his hands and said, "Jingsheng will definitely fulfill her mission."

Liang Dunyan said again: "Guolu and Shucai, you two are proficient in Western learning, so you have to worry about the selection."

The two replied: "Don't worry, my lord."

It is estimated that it will take several months for the recruits to come from all over the country.

But Li Yu couldn't stay idle, so he had to go to Yingtai to "make up lessons" for Guangxu.

In fact, it is not possible to say that there are supplementary classes, because Guangxu's courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and chemistry are basically just popular science, and his learning is very superficial.

After class, Li Yu didn't have time to leave, and Li Lianying, who was routinely monitored, called to Cixi's place in Yiluan Hall in Xiyuan.

Yan Fu was waiting outside the hall.

Li Yu asked, "Master Yan, what's the matter?"

Yan Fu said: "From Mr. Zhang Baixi, it seems to be about the examination for foreign students."

"Examination for foreign students?" Li Yu wondered, "Didn't we just finish it a while ago?"

Yan Fu shook his head: "It's an exam for foreign students returning home."

"Returning to the country for an exam?" This was the first time Li Yu had heard of it.

Yan Fu said: "I am also quite puzzled, but I think it is because after the abolition of the imperial examination, the imperial court needs to open up new channels to acquire talents."

Li Lianying went in for a while and then came out and said, "You two please."

Li Yu saw Cixi in the palace talking with a Chinese man in a suit from a distance.

Yan Fu whispered to him: "That person is Mr. Zhou Ziqi, the right counselor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Li Yu knew that Zhou Ziqi was also a hero in the founding of Tsinghua University. He was a leader in the Beiyang government and had a great influence.

Cixi said to Zhou Ziqi: "The movie machine you donated will not break down again, will it?"

On Empress Dowager Cixi's [-]th birthday two years ago, the British Minister presented a movie projector and several films, which were screened in the palace to cheer for the birthday.Unexpectedly, the screening did not go well. Just after three films were screened, the generator suddenly exploded unexpectedly, nearly injuring people.

Cixi was frightened and furious, so she regarded the film as an ominous thing, and it was not allowed to be shown in the palace after that.

Zhou Ziqi said: "The machine is the latest production in the United States, and I bought it from New York."

Cixi still had lingering fears: "You need to find someone who is more professional."

At this time, Li Yu and Yan Fu had already approached, and Cixi said to them: "You know everything, Aijia will conduct an examination for the students who have returned from studying in Japan. In the first examination of their professional courses, the questions and grades will be determined by the students." The two of you are in charge. The second palace test will still be held in the Palace of Preserving Harmony, and the emperor and Ai's family will be present in person."

Li Yu cursed inwardly, wouldn't this nima still know how to try and then go to the imperial examination?

Yan Fu also frowned, never expecting Cixi to come up with such a bad idea.

But this time she didn't even ask and said it directly, obviously she had already made a decision.

Everyone knew about Cixi, and she was very stubborn. The two had no choice but to follow suit: "Your servant must handle the errand well."

Cixi seemed very satisfied with her decision: "In the past, after returning to China, overseas students could not become Jinshi and then become officials. Aijia opened the door for them. They must be very grateful."

Prince Qing Yikuang at the side quickly flattered him: "Under the great grace of Lafayette, the morale of all the students in the world must be high."

"Well," Cixi was very pleased with Yikuang's words, "It's better to call them into the court's use than these people in Japan to join Kang Liang and that annoying Sun Wen and then fight against the court."

Yikuang said: "Lafayette is wise and powerful!"

Li Yu looked at Yuan Shikai, who also had a smile on his lips.

Li Yu could fully guess what he was thinking: After these people returned to China, they would return to Beiyang sooner or later.

In her later years, Cixi made many foolish tricks, and it can be said that she dug the grave for Daqing herself.

Even if these students who had studied abroad entered the imperial court, they became Yuan Shikai's people.And those overseas students who did not enter the imperial court were the majority, and almost all of them were the main force against the Qing Dynasty.

Therefore, it is inevitable to develop new-style education, and new-style education is a heavy hammer that smashed the Qing Dynasty.There is no way to avoid it.

　The next chapter will be released tomorrow, the morning of the 14th~~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)