The moon turns and the stars move, and the seasons are gone. In the blink of an eye, summer turns to autumn, and the sky over the capital becomes less white clouds and more gray clouds.

The Empire Daily reported endlessly about the emperor's tour of Europe, but not many people really cared about where the emperor went, who he met, what he drank and other nonsense. Their own lives were always the subject of ordinary people. The Imperial Government

'The forced land reform entered its second year. Former big landowners poured into counties, provincial capitals, capitals, and ports in droves, and began to try to invest in new industries and commerce. What followed was like swarms of ants.

The former tenant farmers who gathered together began to work for the former landlords again, becoming workers at the machines, clerks in shops, and servants in mansions. At that time, not many people were willing to pay attention to workers' working hours, labor intensity, and wages.

benefits, as well as medical and unemployment insurance, most investors are trying their best to reduce labor expenditures and obtain maximum returns. As a result, high-intensity labor of twelve to fourteen hours a day has become a common phenomenon in new factories.

The average salary of adult male workers in 1897 was only one imperial silver dollar per month, which could buy eighty kilograms of rice and barely support the family, while the wages of female workers and child workers were even meager. The wealthy emerging industrial and commercial class were trying their best to make profits.

At the same time, they also made a huge contribution to the empire's tax revenue. Many rich people were awarded merchant medals and titles by the imperial government because of their huge tax payments. The imperial government also did not forget to give their children a new era.

The best education, some of the new universities with expensive tuition fees, such as the Imperial University in the capital and the Imperial Feifeng Women's College, were originally ultra-luxury schools where children of old and new aristocrats gathered. Absolutely first-class teaching facilities and teachers are the most popular in provincial cities.

It is beyond the reach of ordinary universities.

On this day, the Imperial Prime Minister, Duke Wen Yi of Zhide, accompanied by the Minister of Culture and Education Tan Sitong, came to the Imperial University in Haidian District of the capital for an inspection. President Chen Cihu led dozens of administrators and teachers to greet him under the European-style arch at the school gate, and presented the Imperial University

The Prime Minister and his entourage were introduced to the school to introduce the situation.

"That's the School of Physics over there. The Imperial Institute of Industrial Physics is located behind the school building. The current dean is..."

"This is the School of Biochemistry, which has a close cooperative relationship with the Imperial Institute of Microbiology and the Imperial Institute of Industrial Chemistry. Last year, more than 50 junior college students were provided to the above two institutes. Now undergraduate students in the college have to study in

Internship within the institute, the foreign teachers of the college are from..."

"This is the Chinese College. In the past two years, this college has produced many new literature writers. Several new literature magazines run by the college have a strong influence in major provincial cities. For example..."

Under the red walls and blue tiles of the School of History, the Imperial Prime Minister, wearing a black top hat and a black tuxedo, stopped by the willow green pond and asked the principal Yang Cihu: "I heard that the tuition of this university is more expensive than that of ordinary universities.

Much more.”

Principal Chen, who was in his early forties, nodded and replied: "Yes, the annual tuition for a four-year undergraduate degree is thirty-eight imperial silver dollars, plus room and board. Ordinary workers and farmers cannot support their children to study in this school.

"

Wen Yi sighed, remembering that when he was in college, his family was not well off. His father was a low-level civil servant in a poor county, and his mother was a kindergarten teacher in the county. Their wages were meager and were often owed, withheld, and various donations were allocated.

I was forced to subscribe to government-run newspapers and magazines, and I couldn't save much money in a year. As soon as I entered my third year of high school, my parents began to worry about college tuition fees and raised funds everywhere. Fortunately, my grandfather had a savings saved through frugality, and he was the only one.

The grandson who lives with his grandfather was able to solve the problem. In order to reduce the burden on his family, when he filled in his application before the college entrance examination, he chose the normal major with the lowest tuition fee, and then entered the history department of the province's normal university. Even so, his family

They often struggled to pay for tuition fees. In my time, regardless of whether public schools or private schools, as long as they had sufficient resources, they all increased fees for various purposes under the banner of marketization of education. The education industry ranked among the top ten huge profits.

At the forefront of the industry, even if children from poor families get into prestigious schools, it is difficult to pay the expensive tuition fees. Although the 'government' nominally provides student loans, in fact it is difficult for one out of ten applicants to be approved.

"Prime Minister?" Chen Cihu saw Wen Yi in a daze and couldn't help but remind him.

"Oh," Wen Yi put away his thoughts for a moment, straightened his expression and continued the topic, "Is there any way to lower the tuition fee?"

Chen Cihu looked troubled: "The 'government' subsidies for our school are very limited. To maintain high-level teaching facilities and hire first-class teachers at home and abroad with high salaries, 'government' subsidies alone are far from enough."

"Thank you for your candor. However, the highest-level universities in the empire are shutting out a large number of potential first-class talents because of the tuition fee issue. This is really a tragedy for the empire. Well, you can compare the expenditure and development of the imperial universities.

Make a report based on the plan and submit it to Sir Tan's Ministry of Education, and I will take care of it in the budget. In addition, candidates who are at the top of the entrance examination should receive tuition exemptions."

"Yes, I will do it immediately."

Wen Yi glanced at him, then looked at the colorful and detailed carvings under the eaves of the History School: "Go to the History School and have a look. I want to talk to the students. Is there a class going on?"

"Indeed."

"Then please excuse me."

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, is too modest. Your visit to our school is truly a great blessing to all the teachers and students of the school, and the whole school is illuminated by it..."

"Go in." Wen Yi said coldly.

Chen Cihu shut his mouth knowingly, and Tan Sitong quickly leaned into his ear: "The Prime Minister hates listening to nonsense. Also, I mentioned in the document I issued that the Prime Minister advocates inclusiveness in education and focuses on cultivating the ability to think for oneself.

student, I don’t know if you have noticed that if the Prime Minister sees that your student is a mouthpiece for everyone, I am afraid you will be in some trouble."

"I will never forget what Mr. Tan said. The students in our school will be educated according to the ideas of Mr. Prime Minister and will never dare to act arbitrarily."

"That's good, hurry up and follow the Prime Minister."

The two-story wooden building of the School of History is actually a courtyard surrounded by corridors. There is a small pool in the middle, with Suzhou-style rockery and vegetation. Wen Yi walked into a classroom to the east of the pool and the teacher who was giving a class said

Seeing so many big shots coming in, he was panicked and at a loss. Chen Cihu stepped forward and whispered a few words to him. The teacher announced to the students: "The Imperial Prime Minister Mr. Wen has come to inspect. Everyone stands up and applauds to welcome him."

Wen Yi only waved at the door, but did not go to the podium. He only called the teacher and asked him what class he was taking.

"My lord, I am teaching modern Western history."

"Got it." Wen Yi finished speaking and walked towards the students.

Although the propaganda of gender equality has been carried out for many years, and the Western lifestyle has gradually become popular in the upper class of the empire, the traditional concept of men and women not being intimate with each other still has deep remnants in the empire. Therefore, the Imperial University temporarily only accepts male students, and women must

In order to receive the highest level of higher education, I had no choice but to apply for Bibong Women's University.

So, in front of Wen Yi, there were all boys of the same color, all wearing pure black Western-style school uniforms, with long hems, high collars, and a silvery-white Yunlong Tengkong metal school emblem inlaid on the left chest. Most of them wore

They had short hair parted in the middle or on the side, a few had Tan Sitong-style shawl long hair, and two or three had ponytails.

Wen Yi walked up to a student with a ponytail spinning a pen on his finger: "What's your name?"

"Huang Hao."

"What major?"

"Western History, Level 95."

"Where did you just go?"

"The American Civil War."

"Which part?"

"At the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate Army was defeated and never recovered."

Wen Yi was very satisfied with Huang Hao's concise answer, and then asked: "So, what do you think of the American Civil War?"

"The fundamental cause of the war is the conflict between centralization and state rights. It is the result of the contradiction between centralization and decentralization. Judging from the motivations of both sides in participating in the war, they are basically for the destiny and future of the country. The difference only lies in the direction of the road. It does not matter.

Justice and injustice. The result of the war was a compromise between the two sides, the central 'government' power was expanded, and the autonomy of the states was also guaranteed to a certain extent..."

"Did the teacher teach you?" Wen Yi asked.

"My own ideas may not be comprehensive enough..."

"Very good. Being able to think for yourself is the most valuable thing in the learning process, especially for liberal arts students. Most of what you see in books is original information. You need to use your own brains to analyze and think about it, and draw your own conclusions.

At most, teachers and books can teach you methods of analysis and thinking. If you can only recite teachers and books, you are not considered a real college student, and there is no fundamental difference from a parrot."

Wen Yi added another question: "How old are you? Where are you from?"

"I am nineteen years old and from Guilin, Guangxi."

The teacher came over and said, "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I am the second son of Huang Linhong, the Speaker of the Guangxi Provincial Assembly."

"I know," Wen Yi didn't care about this, and reached out to pat Huang Hao on the shoulder, "There is a great future, there is a great future, the empire's plan, education is the basis, talent is the priority, both arts and sciences, science students are 'good'

To maintain science and technology, liberal arts students 'practice' political and legal culture, which is more needed by the country. Science and technology are easy to learn, but people's hearts are difficult to cultivate. Our country has been deeply harmed by the old pseudo-Confucianism, and now it is creating a new Confucianism, with the concept of inclusiveness, blending

It conforms to the ideological and cultural trends of the world at all times and at home and abroad, cultivates a new generation of intellectuals with independent thinking ability, fundamentally changes the vulgar habits and pedantic old knowledge of the Chinese people, and revives the civilized and enlightened trend of the Tang Dynasty."

Wen Yi was about to have a casual chat with a few students when an attendant hurriedly walked in from the door and whispered in Wen Yi's ear: "Sir, the Japanese ambassador asked to see him and said that he had special urgent matters and that he had to speak with him.

The adults will discuss it in person."

"I got it." Wen Yi felt very disappointed, but had no choice but to tell Tan Sitong the truth and let him continue the inspection alone. He rushed back to the Prime Minister's Office first to meet with the newly sent Japanese ambassador at the end of last year, named Sanio Hayata.

Something like that.

Chen Cihu felt uneasy when he saw the Prime Minister leaving so quickly. When the Prime Minister left, he quietly asked Tan Sitong: "Master Tan, is the Prime Minister dissatisfied? The student's answer seems inappropriate..."

"Don't worry, the Prime Minister is very satisfied, I can see it." Tan Sitong said, raising his chin to signal Chen Cihu to continue leading the introduction to the officials.

In the reception room of the Prime Minister's Office, Wen Yi changed into a long hem suit in a brown color, shook hands with Ambassador Hayata, and each sat down on the sharkskin sofa next to a crystal coffee table. Two translators sat down behind the coffee table, and three records

The officials also put on a posture, but were not accompanied by other officials. This was an arrangement due to the "secret interview" requested by Ambassador Hayata.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, His Majesty the Emperor of our country sends greetings to His Majesty the Great Emperor of your country."

"The Emperor of our country is visiting Europe, so I cannot say hello to His Majesty the Emperor of your country on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of our country. Please allow me to pay my respects to His Majesty the Emperor of your country as the Prime Minister of the Empire." Although Wen Yi hates nonsense such as politeness, he is very good at diplomatic etiquette.

However, we must abide by international practices and cannot do whatever we want. The prime minister cannot get tired of official duties.

After a few words of diplomatic rhetoric passed, Ambassador Hayata explained the purpose of his visit: "This ambassador, entrusted by Prime Minister Ito of our country, urgently seeks to see the Prime Minister for matters related to Hokkaido."

"As for Hokkaido, didn't Country E withdraw most of its troops since last summer? Didn't Britain, France, Germany, and the United States form a mediation committee to mediate and organize negotiations?"

"Negotiations have been going on for nearly a year, but no substantive results have been achieved. Recently, Britain, France, and Germany proposed a plan that is beneficial to country e, allowing country e to choose one or two ports on the Hokkaido islands to build military ports. A fortress can be built near the military port, and an army force of less than 10,000 people can be stationed near the fortress. The administrative power in other areas of Hokkaido will be returned to our country, but our country is not allowed to station any standing army troops in the entire territory of Hokkaido. The treaty is valid for fifty years.e The country expressed full agreement with the plan. Britain, France, and Germany coerced my country and country e to sign a peace treaty based on the draft. The United Kingdom also proposed that as long as our country agreed to the plan, it would provide military support to our country when our country was attacked by country e. Support. Our country, from the emperor, the cabinet to the parliament, could not accept this plan. However, all the plans we proposed were rejected by country e, and were also accused by the mediation committee of being insincere. For a while, they were unable to completely reject this plan. The mediation committee also threatened This is the last chance for peace, and our country must make a clear answer. In view of this critical situation, Prime Minister Ito would like to know what the attitude of the Greater China Empire, as an ally, towards country e is, and whether it can provide our country with effective military support. ."

Wen Yi sipped his tea and replied unhurriedly: "Our country's attitude towards country e is based on country e's attitude towards our country. As long as country e has not endangered our basic interests, our country will not treat country e."

country to take any unfriendly actions. As for the military support for your country, the alliance treaty has clearly stipulated that when either contracting party is invaded by a third country, the other party shall support it with all its strength. If your country is invaded by

If there is further attack on country e, for example, if the Russian army invades Honshu, or any territory of your country outside the Hokkaido area, our country will immediately launch mobilization to provide military and economic support to your country, and jointly fight against country e. In addition,

Apart from this, our country will not make any commitments beyond those stipulated in the treaty."

"I understand, doesn't your country support our country's measures to regain Hokkaido?"
To be continued...