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

After Rutherford left, Li Yu sent the English manuscript of "Alien" to Collins Publishing House in the United States.

Although "Alien" is a horror film, the world view is set very grandly. Especially after adding the prequel "Prometheus", it directly raises the level.

The most important thing is that it created the interesting category of science fiction horror films.

Due to the outbreak of World War I, Britain and France temporarily had no time to publish such entertainment novels. Fortunately, the market in the United States became even larger. The wartime prosperity of the United States during World War I was terrible, almost like inflation. Huge amounts of public debt from Britain and France were invested in the United States, and the consumer market became extremely hot.

From God's perspective, if Britain, France, and Germany had known that World War I had severely damaged their own vitality, allowed the United States to rise strongly, and at the same time cultivated the red giant Soviet Union, I wonder if those politicians would still dare.

Collins Press is short of good works to release, and Li Yu's "Alien" is like rain.

This horror theme is very suitable for the current war situation and is very relevant. The publishing house immediately offered Li Yu the same royalty terms as "Star Wars", and the first printing was as high as 30 copies, which shows his confidence.

Collins Publishing also drew on previous experience and asked an illustrator to create a special-shaped cover based on Li Yu's poorly drawn manuscript.

The response from the market was really enthusiastic, and all the products were sold out in less than a month.

——Another income of more than 10 US dollars.

When all the Alien series are written in the future, it is estimated that the total amount will exceed one million US dollars.

All major newspapers in the United States spoke highly of this book, and the New York Times published an editorial:
"After many years of waiting, Academician Li Yu from the East has once again presented a book that ordinary people can understand.

The story naturally deserves full marks for its attractiveness.

But what surprised me the most was that the previous Star Wars series showed a grand cosmic perspective, while this one was suddenly condensed into a small spaceship. Mr. Li Yu’s ability to control literary techniques is amazing , - Oh, by the way, this book should be thanked in terms of literature from his wife, Ms. Bicheng.

Another thing that is different from Star Wars is that the "Alien" series allows us to once again realize the vastness and horror of the universe. I think it is also quite high on a philosophical level..."

This editorial falls within the normal category.

However, there are many popular stories, and the biggest fear in entertainment novels is over-interpretation.

"Alien" was so popular that it quickly triggered many people to dismantle it in many aspects.

For example, someone suddenly analyzed "Alien" from a feminist perspective - could it be because Lu Bicheng was involved?
He said this: "This book is a metaphor for feminism. The terrifying alien is like a penis, and the weak humans are women who have been raped. The only survivor on the spacecraft is also a woman. Victory It has surpassed the power of men’s strong aggression. This is not only the Eastern idea of ​​using softness to overcome strength, but also the promotion of women’s rights!”

Li Yu felt his scalp numb.

I’m sorry, this is an ordinary popcorn-style entertainment novel, but why does it involve women’s rights?

Your reading comprehension skills are perfect!

Why didn’t I know that I had thought of this connotation at that time?
Fortunately, this kind of evaluation does not have a large audience, so there is no need to worry too much.

-

It's rare for Li Yu to have some leisure time recently, so Cai E came to see him and listen to a play with him.

Cai E invited: "The popular actor Mei Lanfang returned to Beijing from Shanghai, and his partner Shuangqingshe performed in Jixiangyuan. Brother Shucai, do you want to go and see it together?"

Li Yu called Zhao Qian directly: "Let's drive there."

After arriving at the place, as soon as the two got out of the car, a group of policemen suddenly came over and pinned a vendor who was selling cigarettes and handing out flyers to the ground.

The hawker was shocked: "Master, Master! Why are you arresting me!"

The police leader said: "You are bold and cunning! You are printing and distributing leaflets to boycott Japanese goods without permission! Shangfeng has clearly issued a ban. Any matters related to Sino-Japanese negotiations will not be printed in a private capacity, otherwise you will be severely punished!"

Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs circulated the Twenty-One Points proposed by the Japanese, a nationwide boycott of Japanese goods has emerged.

China is Japan's largest import and export market. If China really does not use Japanese goods at all, the days when Japan's industry and commerce will collapse can be counted by the number of days.

Of course they were panicked, so the Japanese immediately put pressure on Yuan Shikai and asked him to issue an order prohibiting boycotts of Japanese goods.

However, this order seems to be limited to some areas of the capital.

After all, no matter how many police there are, they can't control so many vendors.

"Master, please be gentle!" The hawker's face turned pale, "I just wanted to distribute flyers to sell more cigarettes. I didn't do it on purpose, and I don't know how to print!"

"Fart!" the leader scolded, "Even if you don't know how to print, you are still seeking personal gain by distributing leaflets."

The hawker said: "Sir, I don't get angry every day, please spare me this time!"

"Spare you?" the team leader sneered, "I'm going to take you back to prison and give you a severe punishment as a warning to others! Let's see who dares to cause me trouble in the future!"

"Don't go!" The vendor was frightened and cried, begging, "I have an old man and a young kid below me. If you take me away, who will take care of my mother and baby!"

"Then you shouldn't know the law and break it!" the team leader ordered, "Catch him back!"

"Wait a minute," Cai E walked over and stopped him. "It's a small matter, no need to make a fuss about it, right?"

The team leader saw that Cai E was wearing a military uniform and asked, "Who are you and why are you delaying our case investigation?"

Cai E laughed and said, "This is not handling a case. Isn't this just arresting people randomly?"

"You said I arrested people randomly?!" the team leader refused and retorted, "This vendor secretly printed and distributed leaflets boycotting Japanese goods, violating the ban of the Presidential Palace. Why did I arrest people randomly?"

Li Yu asked: "In what form is the ban issued? Why didn't I see it?"

"If you can't see it, that means you don't have it?" the team leader said confidently.

Li Yu said: "You said there is one? If you can't see it, isn't it just arresting people without any evidence?"

The team leader said: "All merchants have been notified!"

"Oh! It turns out to be a storefront," Li Yu pointed at the hawker and said, "How did they know?"

The team leader said: "I use punishment to let these unruly people know the prohibition from above! Otherwise they will never remember it!"

Li Yu snorted coldly: "It's so majestic, holding a chicken feather as a command arrow?"

"What did you say?" the team leader said angrily, "If you slander the police and affect the handling of the case, I can arrest you!"

"I told you to wait!" Cai E raised his voice, coughed twice, and said to the team leader, "I have some friendship with Director Wu Bingxiang of the Capital Police Department."

The team leader was shocked: "Do you know Director Wu?" For the sake of convenience, Cai E directly stated his name: "I am Cai E."

"You... oops, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it turns out to be General Cai!" The team leader immediately changed his face, "I'm so sorry to disturb your enjoyment!"

Cai E said: "What Mr. Li Yu just meant is that those who don't know are not guilty. Since this hawker doesn't know how to print, and secondly, he just did it by chance. He didn't specifically distribute leaflets, so he turned a blind eye and passed by. "

"I understand, I understand!" The team leader understood, turned around and said to his subordinates, "Let him go!"

Li Yu winked at Zhao Qian and took two pieces of ocean. Zhao Qian whispered to him: "Nothing happened today."

The leader pocketed the money and said, "I know! Without disturbing the music, let's take our leave!"

The hawker burst into tears of gratitude: "Two gentlemen of Qingtian, thank you for saving me! I don't have anything, so I'll give you two boxes of cigarettes as a thank you!"

Li Yu waved his hand: "It's okay, I don't smoke."

Cai E took it and gave him a silver dollar: "I bought it."

"I can't accept this money!" the vendor said quickly.

"You think I look like a person who is short of money?" Cai E said, "Let's go, don't do such dangerous things in the future."

After the vendor left, Li Yu said: "You want to hide it! The more you do this, the more the president's idea of ​​​​an imperial system will become known to the world?"

Cai E said: "So now I can only keep pretending, otherwise I may be put under house arrest like Mr. Taiyan. Director Wu Bingxiang is the one who formulated the detailed rules for house arrest of Mr. Taiyan, and he is quite capable."

Wu Bingxiang acted according to orders, and he himself did a pretty good job in public security in the capital.

The impact of Yuan Shikai's house arrest of Zhang Taiyan was inherently bad, and Zhang Taiyan was famous for his bad temper, so Yuan asked Wu Bingxiang, the director of the Capital Police Department, to handle it properly.

Wu Bingxiang took matters into his own hands and changed the police officers into plainclothes to avoid irritating Zhang Taiyan. He also specially formulated the "Twelve Rules for the Protection of Zhang Taiyan's Residence", the "Rules for Meeting with Zhang Taiyan" and the "Convention to Protect Mr. Taiyan". Later, even the servants and chefs around Zhang Taiyan were They were all replaced by plainclothes police.

Zhang Taiyan planned "escape" twice, but Wu Bingxiang easily saw through it and resolved it.

Cai E probably knew Director Wu's ability to handle cases, so he could only superficially follow Yuan Shikai, not wanting to be put under house arrest.

Yuan Shikai himself also valued Cai E's ability very much and wanted to use him for his own purposes by convincing others with virtue.

Otherwise, it would be difficult for Cai E to fly.

Li Yu leaned over and picked up the flyer on the ground. It was divided into several pages to promote the boycott of Japanese goods, and listed the store locations of several major Japanese goods merchants in the capital. But the most eye-catching thing is the middle part where dozens of fireworks women in the eight major alleys united to close business for a day and hung the words "Don't forget the national humiliation" on the door of the brothel.

Li Yu said to Cai E: "This prostitute's words are quite sharp, you see."

Cai E took the flyer, which contained the statement of the promiscuous woman:
"It's time for China to perish! The reason why China is still surviving now depends entirely on the ambition of the people. Since the news of the diplomatic failure came, patriotic students first initiated the campaign to punish the police for selling slaves and boycott Japanese goods. Not many In Japan, all walks of life in the country were united, and even the small workers and cart drivers refused to work with the Japanese. It can be seen that the undying of people's hearts is the first line of life for our country."

Very backbone.

"Business girls don't know the hatred for the country's subjugation, and they still sing the flowers in the backyard across the river. But I think it is these fireworks women who remember the hatred for the country's subjugation now!" Cai E couldn't help but feel a hint of respect in his heart, and then saw the introduction about the fireworks women later. , "Xiao Fengxian, Shanxi Yunji Ban, is a small Qingyin class that specializes in entertaining high-class people."

Li Yu saw Cai E's expression of wanting to go shopping, and smiled and said, "Let's visit later?"

Cai E said: "If you want it, you must get it!"

The two entered the theater first to listen to Mei Lanfang's performance. Today he sang several new plays, such as "Chang'e Flying to the Moon", "Daiyu Buries Flowers", and "A Thousand Gold Smile".

At this time, Mei Lanfang was becoming more and more popular, and he almost became the leader of Peking Opera. In just a few years, he reached the height that others had achieved in ten or twenty years.

Mei Lanfang recognized Li Yu from the audience when he was on stage. After the performance, he came to him and said, "Mr. Academician, how did you listen today?"

Li Yu said: "Great, Boss Mei's skills are becoming more and more proficient."

Mei Lanfang said: "Mr. Qi Rushan is hosting a banquet tonight. Would you like to go with us?"

"I can't go today," Li Yu pointed to Cai E beside him, "I want to go to Yunji Ban with General Cai."

"Eight alleys?" Mei Lanfang looked at Li Yu with strange eyes.

Li Yu quickly showed him the flyer, "General Cai admires this kind of promiscuous woman who lives in a brothel and cares about the country very much, and wants to meet him. And I heard that they have raised more than a thousand yuan to donate to boycott Japanese goods. student body.”

Mei Lanfang said with emotion: "The actors are also low-class. The fireworks woman in the Bada Hutong donated it, and I donated it too!"

After saying that, he took dozens of yuan from behind the scenes and cashed it in the ocean: "I don't have much money, so tomorrow I will donate another 200 yuan, and I will call on my fellow Liyuan colleagues to hold a charity performance to support them!"

Cai E cupped his hands and said, "I appreciate Boss Mei more and more!"

Mei Lanfang said: "I don't understand the important matters of my family and country, but I will never regret it until I can only sing for the Japanese."

After leaving the theater, Li Yu asked Zhao Qian to drive him and Cai E to Yunjiban to see with his own eyes one of the most famous fireworks women in the Republic of China.

Zhao Qian said: "It would be better if we bring Fengling with us. She shouldn't be too familiar with the Bada Hutong."

Li Yu laughed and scolded: "Am I going to visit a brothel? I'm just accompanying General Cai to see the heroines."

Zhao Qian said: "If those women knew that you two were called so, they would be willing to die."

Li Yu didn't know much about the brothel business, "There's no need to die."

Zhao Qian said: "Feng Ling told me that most women in brothels are destined to be homeless for the rest of their lives. If anyone has a respect for them beyond just having fun, they will be totally messed up. But there are few who are like Mr. Cai and General Cai. People in high positions will look at a prostitute differently."

Cai E praised: "One of Brother Shucai's drivers has this kind of insight."

Zhao Qian said while driving: "General Cai, I am also a small person, so I don't need to praise you."

Cai E saw that Zhao Qian was driving very fast and knew the roads very well, so he teased Li Yu beside him: "Brother Shucai seems to go there often?"

Li Yu said: "Don't get me wrong. My telegraph operator and housekeeper used to come from Bada Hutong. She is married to Zhao Qian. He may go there often."

Cai E said: "Brother Shucai is a first-rate intellectual, but his servant's background is so low?"

Li Yu said: "We can't even call them servants, they are all family members."

Li Yu had nothing to say to Uncle Wang, Zhao Qian, and Fengling who had been with him from the very beginning. They respected Li Yu from the bottom of their hearts. If someone shot at Li Yu, the three of them would block the gun without hesitation.