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

Li Yu said to Cai Yuanpei: "Maybe Yuan Xiangcheng will also like this book about the French Revolution."

Cai Yuanpei has been in Europe for so many years, so of course he knows what is happening in France.

There are so many revolutions taking place in Europe right now, and the one that can be called "big" is the one in France, because the impact was really quite big.

The process, to put it simply, was that Louis XVI and Princess Marie spent too much money and wanted to ask for money from the bourgeoisie. As a result, they quit at the Estates-General meeting held for this purpose and wanted to overthrow Louis XVI.

In the beginning, there were also constitutional monarchists in France, but the revolutionaries were more vocal.

At that time, other European countries looked at France's momentum and thought, that's not going to work!

If France succeeds, what will we kings do? Don’t everyone want to overthrow us?
So various countries organized an anti-French alliance, and even Britain participated. At that time, Britain had completed the bourgeois revolution and was just a constitutional monarchy, but their demand was only to prevent France from becoming stronger.

Louis XVI also really wanted to die. The French army was fighting with the anti-French alliance, and he also informed the enemy.

After the battle was over, the French would naturally push him to the guillotine.

Later, the relatively soft Girondins came to power, but they couldn't win the war and were overthrown.

Then the tough Jacobins came to power and killed all the disobedient people, killing tens of thousands of people.Later he was also overthrown, and the leader Robespierre was also killed.

Then the soldier Napoleon launched the Brutal Moon Coup and was crowned emperor.

The Great Revolution lasted for more than ten years, and finally a soldier became the emperor.

Now that Li Yu thinks about it carefully, some of the plots in it are really similar to those in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.

But the imperial system is definitely not good. Even if it is as strong as Napoleon, it fights foreign wars so vigorously that it will be completely unstoppable if it loses one.

After the fall of Napoleon, France jumped back and forth between the empire and the republic several times, and the names were randomly chosen: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth Republic...

Cai Yuanpei said: "Shucai is worried that Yuan Shikai will pull the same trick as Napoleon when he proclaimed himself emperor?"

Li Yu said: "It is said that power has an invisible magic power, not to mention a person who comes from the old bureaucracy."

"I will tell Mr. Sun and Mr. Li Yuanhong about your concerns," Cai Yuanpei said, "but there may not be much harm in letting Yuan Shikai know more about the Great Revolution in France. It can at least deter the Qing royal family."

Li Yu said: "If you don't use it well, it is a double-edged sword."

After the train arrived in Harbin, it turned south.

Compared with the revolutionary momentum in the south, the north is relatively more restrained. After all, the power of the Beiyang Army is here.

The train arrives in Shenyang and goes through customs as it goes south. Due to the special situation, a round of inspection is required here.

"Mom, please come down as soon as you are told. If a revolutionary party sneaks in, what will I do to you?!"

Li Yu actually heard Zhang Zuolin's cursing voice again.

During the Xinhai period, Zhang Zuolin captured many revolutionaries and received the attention of the Qing government. He was appointed as the general office of the Fengtian Patrol Battalion, and he has since controlled the military and political power of Fengtian Province.

"Hey, it's Grand Scholar Li!" Zhang Zuolin's sharp eyes saw Li Yu at a glance.

Li Yu said: "General Zhang, you are fine."

Zhang Zuolin said cheerfully: "I'm fine, I'm fine! Haha, thanks to me fighting the plague in Harbin with you last time, I got promoted by the way. You are my big lucky star!"

"I don't dare to take it anymore." Li Yu said.

Zhang Zuolin asked: "Why did Academician Li come from Harbin?"

Li Yu said: "It's not Harbin. I came back from Europe."

"Ah! I know!" Zhang Zuolin said carelessly, "Is it the Nobel Prize? That's very impressive. Now I admire Academician Li far more than those half-hearted scholars who can only write nonsense articles."

Li Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Scholars were only at a very low level in the imperial examination. I really don't know if he was praising himself.

Li Yu said: "Everyone has his own strengths..."

"That's not true!" Zhang Zuolin said, "I have met some people from the world. I was responsible for the security of the International Plague Conference held in Fengtian a few months ago. I have never seen so many foreigners before. Look at the attitudes of foreigners. , this is really the science you are doing that makes us confused!"

Zhang Zuolin stretched out his hand and gave a thumbs up.

Li Yu said: "Science is indeed necessary to rejuvenate the country."

"Grandmaster Li is so right!" Zhang Zuolin said.

Although these old warlords in the early years of the Republic of China were basically rough and tumble, they were actually quite interested in new schools and science.

"Who is this one?" Zhang Zuolin looked at Cai Yuanpei again.

Li Yu explained: "I came back from studying in Germany."

Zhang Zuolin wondered: "Master Li, I can tell you the truth. Nowadays, every time we see someone who has returned from studying abroad, we feel like a revolutionary party."

Li Yu wanted to say in his heart, "You are really good at judging people," but he still explained: "Mr. Cai was a Jinshi in the Guangxu Dynasty."

"Disrespectful, disrespectful!" Zhang Zuolin said, and then asked, "Can't it be the revolutionary party?"

Li Yu said: "If it's a revolutionary party, how come it doesn't carry a gun? What do you scholars have to be afraid of?"

Zhang Zuolin laughed loudly: "It's a joke to University Scholar Li. We are all soldiers now. We are afraid! The entire south has been taken over by the revolutionary party. There are many provinces north of the Yangtze River that have rebelled, and there are not many left. So the court treats us. Double the emphasis here.”

Li Yu suddenly asked: "General Zhang, where did your order come from?"

Zhang Zuolin said: "Of course it is the cabinet."

"New cabinet?" Li Yu said.

Zhang Zuolin nodded: "Yes."

Li Yu said: "The new cabinet is all from Yuan Xiangcheng. Now Mr. Yuan is preparing to negotiate peace with the south. You don't know that, right?"

Zhang Zuolin was surprised: "Negotiating peace?"

"General Zhang is not a direct descendant of Beiyang, let alone a member of the Southern Revolutionary Party. If after the peace talks between the North and the South, General..." Li Yu deliberately prolonged his tone.

Zhang Zuolin suddenly broke into a cold sweat: "Grand Scholar Li, what should I do?"

This was what Li Yu was waiting for, and he said slowly: "General Zhang, even Lord Yuan has stopped attacking the revolutionaries, and even asked Empress Dowager Longyu to pardon the Wuhan revolutionaries. You'd better stop now, otherwise I’m afraid I’ll become cannon fodder by then.”

"Thank you, University Scholar Li, for reminding me!" Zhang Zuolin said, "What a fool, I have never calculated that I missed such a thing, but who would have thought that these revolutionary parties would progress so fast!"

Li Yu said, "Can we go?"

"Of course!" Zhang Zuolin said, "But the train needs to be repaired for a day, and we have to wait for instructions from the capital to release it. Academician Li can only stay in Fengtian for one more day."

In troubled times, it is normal to have more procedures, so Li Yu can only accept it.

Zhang Zuolin added: "There happens to be a great scholar in Fengtian. Bachelor Li may want to meet him." "A great scholar?" Li Yu asked.

Zhang Zuolin said: "Liang Qichao arrived in Fengtian a few days ago. He has been waiting for news from the capital and did not enter the capital immediately."

-

Liang Qichao returned to Beijing briefly this time, but the situation changed so quickly that everything was not what he expected. Many plans were no longer applicable even after they had just begun to take shape.

But Liang Qichao currently has full confidence in Yuan Shikai.

His teacher, the "Great Sage" Kang Youwei, was a staunch royalist and regarded Emperor Guangxu as his son; and Yuan Shikai was the culprit that caused Guangxu's house arrest. There were even rumors that he was afraid that Guangxu would be disadvantageous to him if he took office. Yuan Shikai also participated in the conspiracy to murder Guangxu. .

In short, the royalist party should hate Yuan Shikai with all his heart.

But Liang Qichao, like Yang Du, is not a static person. His thoughts keep pace with the times. He now increasingly feels that Yuan Shikai is the savior of China.

Li Yu met Liang Qichao at the residence of Zhao Erxun, the governor of the three eastern provinces.

Cai Yuanpei, as a member of the alliance, has not come forward to meet Liang Qichao for the time being.

Zhao Erxun has mentioned before that of his other achievements, needless to say, the most famous one is the compilation of the "Manuscript of the History of the Qing Dynasty".

He is not in a good mood now because his brother Zhao Erfeng, the governor of Sichuan, was caught by the revolutionary party and had his head chopped off. He was one of the highest-ranking officials in the Qing Dynasty who died during the Revolution of [-].

"Brother Shucai," Liang Qichao said, "you are back too."

Li Yu said: "In these troubled times, I really don't feel relieved if I don't come back for a visit. Brother Zhuo Ru has been wandering in Japan for more than ten years and has not returned to his hometown."

Liang Qichao said: "I have not been back for more than ten years, and when I first set foot on the land of China, I felt quite emotional. After so many years, I finally got what I insisted on."

Li Yu asked: "Brother Zhuo Ru is preparing to join Yuan Shikai's cabinet?"

Liang Qichao said: "Master Yuan invited me, but the situation is still unclear, so I did not agree."

Li Yu asked again: "Brother Zhuo Ru agrees that Yuan Shikai can turn things around?"

"No one can do it except him," Liang Qichao said, "but the reason why I declined Yuan Xiangcheng's invitation is because only among the people can I use my greatest strength to help."

Li Yu asked: "What are you referring to?"

Liang Qichao said: "Xiang Cheng sits on top of the court, manages finances and manages the army, this is his specialty. Below, he uses speech to divert the people's psychology, making most people move from agitation to neutrality, and from neutrality to mildness. This is his specialty. Also. Only by controlling public opinion can I influence the people. If I hold a vacant position in the cabinet, I will not be able to give full play to my strengths. Only among the people can I learn from Yuan Xiangcheng's strengths and offset our weaknesses."

Liang Qichao still thinks very highly of himself.

Li Yu said: "The ancients said that it is better to defend the people's mouth than to defend the river. Public opinion is not something that can be controlled."

"No!" Liang Qichao said, "Those who are good at politics must secretly be the masters of public opinion, and pretend to be the servants of public opinion on the surface. This is how they can succeed."

This sentence is also the original words of Liang Qichao.

Literally, Liang Qichao wanted Yuan Shikai to secretly control public opinion, but pretend to be a servant of public opinion on the surface. Only in this way can big things happen.

Although there is nothing wrong with it at first glance, it is indeed taken too much for granted. Anyone who has thought this way since ancient times has suffered a big setback.

There are thousands of news newspapers and countless channels. The biggest fear is that the upper class thinks they are extremely smart, but at the same time they think the people are stupid.

Li Yu said: "Brother Zhuo Ru, I have also studied the Enlightenment and the Great Revolution in France recently. As an intellectual and an Enlightenment person, under this great change that has not happened in 3000 years, what I want to think about is not to control public opinion, but to control public opinion. How to enlighten people’s wisdom.”

Liang Qichao said: "So the enlightener needs to put on the mask of the people, pretend to be a member of the masses, and secretly lead the ignorant and chaotic masses."

Li Yu said: "I have other ideas about enlightenment."

Liang Qichao said: "What we lack most at the moment is science and politics. As the leader of science, I am willing to listen attentively."

Li Yu said: "I once heard such a story. A group of people were chained in a cave, facing the stone wall. The source of the light was behind them and they could not see it. They only cared about what the light reflected on the stone wall. images and try to figure out their relationship with each other.

Finally, one of them succeeded in breaking his shackles, turned around, and saw the sun.

Dazed, he stammered out what he saw.

But others said he was crazy.

Gradually, he became accustomed to looking at the light with his eyes, and knew that his mission was to return to the prisoners in the cave and lead them towards the light.

The man is an initiate, and the sun represents learning and truth. "

The story was actually first told by a German scholar after World War I. At that time, he interpreted it based on the cave story in Plato's "The Republic".

It is equally appropriate to place it in China at the beginning of the twentieth century.

"This is the best metaphor I've heard this year! It's true that the name of a scientific giant has no water at all!" Liang Qichao praised, "In my opinion, the light in the story you told is the West."

Not only Liang Qichao thinks so, but most domestic intellectuals currently hold this idea, and we cannot say that they are wrong.

At least for the first time, these elites in China no longer think of resorting to the rule of the Three Generations and ancient scriptures when facing real problems.

Li Yu could only say: "It is natural to learn more. Even if you fall behind for a while, you may become someone who stands on the shoulders of those who came before you and can see further in the future."

Liang Qichao said: "The words of Shucai strengthened my idea of ​​taming the people with the pen in my hand. I am also a newspaperman. One word can make a country prosperous and one word can destroy it. Scholars' discussion of politics may no longer be about talking about military affairs on paper, but Political commentators who supervise the government and the opposition.”

"One word can prosper a country, and one word can destroy a country" was a concept adhered to by many intellectuals during the Republic of China.

They know in their hearts the right path. Simple upper-level reforms are far from enough. Science and democracy must be promoted.

However, the time of newspapers in China is still a bit short after all, and many newspaper people are still too subjective.

Li Yu reminded: "I think Brother Zhuo Ru's statement of 'taming the people' is inappropriate."

"What's wrong?" Liang Qichao asked.

Li Yu said: "Education is not about spreading prejudices or indoctrinating doctrines, but about liberating the minds of the masses and developing their own judgment. In other words, education is not about giving people insights, but about helping people gain insights. Therefore, in teaching social studies "Teachers should only make scientific and objective statements without any biased opinions; they should pay considerable attention to all aspects of each issue and should not prioritize it based on personal likes and dislikes."

Liang Qichao said: "That is too slow and cannot quickly complete the rise."

Li Yu didn't know what to say, and any further words would be the limitations of history.

But from a modern perspective, many social elites and intellectuals in the early Republic of China did go a little too hasty in the matter of enlightenment.

Many newspapers are completely one-sided and try their best to make the public believe their opinions.

Li Yu couldn't even comment on them.

It can only be said that history itself does not make mistakes, it is always just people in the long history who made mistakes at a certain period.

Fortunately, China is big enough and has a deep enough culture that we can finally cross the river by feeling the stones while struggling.

(End of this chapter)