In another time and space, the streets of Paris were spacious and beautiful. In fact, it was the masterpiece of Haussmann, the mayor of Paris in the mid-19th century. He spent more than ten years completely transforming the entire city from top to bottom.
The prototype of future generations.
As for Paris at this time, it is still a traditional city left over from the Middle Ages. Old wooden sheds can be seen everywhere, and they are dilapidated; the streets are narrow and crowded, sewage flows across the floor, human and animal excrement is all over the floor, and there is a stench everywhere.
So much so that the king did not want to live in the city.
Where does the old saying come from? If you enter an abalone shop, you will not smell the smell for a long time.
From the moment he landed in Le Havre, an indescribable smell lingered around Zhao Xin; after attending a dinner attended by the mayor, councilors and gorgeous women,
, his nasal cavity was filled with the strong smell of perfume again. When he got up on the third day, the allergic rhinitis that had not occurred for many years finally came to the door.
Okay, I can’t smell anything now, I’m so happy!
When the long carriage convoy entered the city of Paris, it was welcomed by countless citizens who came after hearing the news. The "sans-culottes" in Paris looked curiously at the "sans-culottes" from the East. When they saw
The Chinese people sitting in the covered carriage waving to them were actually wearing straight trousers, and they immediately burst into enthusiastic cheers. Only some well-informed businessmen were surprised because of the dress and even the mental outlook of the Chinese people in front of them.
, completely different from the Chinese people on those porcelain and picture albums; the most important thing is that they don’t have that little braid!
Among the people in Beihai Town, except for Zhao Xin and Deng Fei, everyone else including Jiao Xun, Huang Chengji, and Elu looked indifferent to the excitement in front of them. You must know that they had already been in Le Havre before.
I have experienced a scene with nearly ten thousand people watching, but now it is just a small thing.
"Mr. Jiao, this place is really dirty, far worse than our Beihai Town!"
After listening to Elu's words, Huang Chengji deeply agreed with this, nodded and said: "Every house here looks unique in style, but I don't know what it is like on the inside."
Elu said: "I think they are all the same, almost like the one in Le Havre."
Huang Chengji retorted: "Commander Er, this place is the capital of a country, how can it be the same as a port! Cousin Li, don't you think so?"
At this time, Jiao Xun's mind was not at all on the scenery outside the carriage. The reason why he was willing to travel thousands of miles to the West was not only to see the scenery, but also to meet the European mathematicians of this era. If Euler had not been there nine years ago
After his death, he really wanted to visit him personally.
Ever since he was framed by his relatives and rescued by Zhao Xin and Wang Yuanfang, Jiao Xun's views on human nature have become increasingly pessimistic. Since then, he has plunged into books and ignored everything. During the two years in Beihai Town, he has devoted himself to mathematics.
Jiao Xun has almost finished reading the few mathematics books in the library, and the teachers in the primary school are not enough to teach him.
Before the start of the Outer Mongolian campaign, Zhao Xin had an in-depth talk with Jiao Xun. He said that since you have no intention of pursuing an official career, then help me do something big. It will take two years to prepare the first higher education college in Beihai Town. You can do it.
When you are the principal, you must know that Beihai Town currently has primary schools all over the villages and various technical schools, but there is not yet a university that teaches advanced knowledge.
Running a school is something that Jiao Xun is very happy to do. The ancients said that "establishing one's words, establishing one's virtues, and one's merits" are the three immortal things. Even if one is not an official, one can still achieve this by educating people's hearts.
There is no need to worry about the liberal arts and history department of the college. Except for the young Zhong Huai and Huang Chengji, the "Eight Eccentrics of New Yangzhou" are all great Confucian scholars of this era. However, the science and engineering department is too weak. Whether it is Wang Zhenyi or Jiao Xun, their level is at best
In later generations, high school mathematics was even at the junior high school level in some aspects. Those hired by the steel factory were fine, but their main job was not teaching.
Just when Zhao Xin was thinking about whether to recruit more people from another time and space, Degeine happened to go to Bacheng to ask for help. In this way, Zhao Xin's eyes naturally fell on those European mathematicians of this era.
, Jiao Xun and Huang Chengji also followed.
When he was in Senegal, when Jiao Xun learned from Zhao Xin that the situation in France was turbulent, he was a little anxious and didn't know if he would be able to meet the math masters Zhao Xin mentioned.
It is said that there are six most famous mathematicians during the "French Revolution", and they are also called the "Six Heroes of Mathematics" by later generations. Lagrange, who was just married, and Condorcet, who was a member of the National Convention, is currently the Minister of the Navy and
Monge, who later advocated the founding of the Ecole Polytechnique, Lacroix, who later served as the director of the mathematics department of the Collège de France, Lazar Carnot, who was known as the "organizer of victory", and Rapp, who was the first to predict black holes in the universe.
Lars.
Oh, by the way! There was another person, that was the person Fang Hua came to Zhao Xin personally before leaving and strongly urged him to save him, the "Father of Chemistry" Lavoisier.
Although they were all from the eighteenth century, their achievements were first-rate even in later generations; it was the research and theories of these people that laid the foundation of modern mathematics.
We must know that the three industrial revolutions in human history would not have been possible without the participation of mathematicians and the application of mathematical theories. If Beihai Town wants to build an industrial country, it must have a large number of mathematical talents.
Zhao Xin, who was waving to the crowds on both sides of the road, looked at the faces and dilapidated streets outside the window, and suddenly the passage from Dickens at the beginning of "A Tale of Two Cities" came to his mind:
"The times are holy and the times are evil. This is also the world of ignorance, this is also the world of wisdom. This is also the season of light, this is also the season of darkness. This is also the year of faith, this is also the year of great confusion. This is also the year of great beauty.
In the spring of spring, this is also the winter of despair. People may have everything, but people may not achieve anything. I will see the blue clouds soaring up, and I will see the yellow springs fall forever."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Deng Fei, who was sitting opposite him, listened and said: "I found that since you became a disciple of Wang Zhong, your speech has become more and more formal. You are mumbling again.
what?"
Zhao Xin asked: "Have you not read the opening paragraph of "A Tale of Two Cities"?"
"I think I read it when I was in middle school. It was like that episode about 'The Best of the Worst of Times'?"
Degenie on the side asked curiously: "Mr. Zhao, are you reading poetry? Can General Deng translate it into French so that I can appreciate it?"
Zhao Xin thought for a moment, and then repeated it in English stumblingly. Before Deng Fei could finish the translation, Degenie was stunned. After a while, he looked at the scene outside the carriage and recalled what happened before.
Those things that happened in Paris, I repeatedly muttered words such as "ignorant wisdom" and "dim light", and my eyes became increasingly bleak...
The accommodation for the group from Beihai Town was arranged by the Paris City Council in a unit building in the southeast corner of Place des Vosges. The two buildings are adjacent to each other, with a total of four floors including the attic, with red and white exterior walls.
Coupled with the dark blue roof and rococo-style decoration, it looks very good from the outside. This is a wealthy area in the city, with good security, surrounded by green trees, and a beautiful environment. What Zhao Xin and the others saw before
Those shabby neighborhoods are completely different.
After everyone got off the bus, the special envoy who made a special trip to Le Havre to greet the Beihai Town delegation, Henry Tundu, the secretary of the current Minister of Foreign Affairs and Military Affairs Pierre Le Brun, introduced diligently: "Gentlemen
, this place used to be the residence of a certain count, but he had fled to Brussels in disgrace with the Count of Provence, so the National Assembly confiscated the place and classified it as public property. Before my departure, the mayor, Mr. Villeneuve, welcomed me
Since everyone has arrived, I have ordered people to clean this place up."
After Henry Tondu said this, he called to the row of people standing in line at the door to introduce him.
In order to welcome the God of Wealth who came from afar... ahem, it was a friendly delegation. The mayor of Paris actually arranged for two full-time butlers who had served the nobles - wearing wigs, knee-length shorts and stockings.
A dozen handy servants, several cooks and four coachmen.
Zhao Xin and Deng Fei glanced at each other, and then nodded pretendingly. The two looked at each other, and Deng Fei took Henry Tongdu aside and whispered. After a while, Henry Tongdu rushed to Deng Fei.
Fei bowed slightly, walked up to the two housekeepers and gave instructions, so one housekeeper, the cook, and half of the servants were immediately unemployed.
Zhao Xin walked up to the remaining housekeeper and asked in English: "Can you speak English?"
"Know a little, sir."
"what is it call?"
"Auguste Bouvet, sir."
"Hmm?! Have you ever been a painter before?"
"Sir, you really know how to joke." Buwei covered up his embarrassment with a smile and thought to himself: How did this person know that my ancestor was a painter? Could it be Mr. Tondu who said it? He couldn't possibly know!
"Okay. I don't care whether you have been a painter or not. In fact, I don't care about this either." After Zhao Xin said this, he took out a leather bag containing more than fifty half-thaler silver coins from his shoulder bag and handed it to
He said to Buwei: "Go, give all this money to those unemployed guys, don't let them rejoice in vain."
Buwei took the money bag in surprise and thought it was really heavy. He walked up to the servants who were watching eagerly and refused to leave, and said: "The Chinese are really rich! Look, this is what they reward you for."
Yeah, I said I can’t let everyone’s work go in vain.”
After hearing this, the frustrated unemployed people immediately gathered around. Buwei gave two silver coins to each servant, three to the cook, and five to the housekeeper.
Everyone who received the money smiled happily. At least they and their families would not have to go hungry for a week. And those who stayed saw that the "Chinese Master" was so generous to everyone who left, so they would definitely be given more than enough.
There are less people, so I have to work harder to carry things.
Zhao Xin did this intentionally. In addition to maintaining the mystery of the Orientals, he also wanted to give the Parisians an impression through small things. They are a group of good-natured people who will not suspect anything strange happens in the city in the future.
onto their heads.
Later, under the guidance of Bu Wei, Zhao Xin and his party walked into the house and found that the furniture inside was very gorgeous. The corridors and the walls of the living rooms in various rooms were covered with Chinese-style flower and bird wallpapers. Zhao Xin reached out and touched it
, and found that it was actually made of satin.
Bu Wei on the side introduced: "Sir, these wallpapers are all shipped back from Guangzhou. They are the same in other rooms, but the patterns are different."
Zhao Xinxin said, "Be a good boy, how much will it cost?" At this moment, he thought of the low-class civilians in ragged clothes on the street, and couldn't help but shook his head.
Bu Wei thought Zhao Xin didn't like them, so he hurriedly said: "Sir, if you don't like these, I can find someone to replace them."
"No need. That's it."
When Zhao Xin was taken upstairs and downstairs by Bu Wei, the thing that worried him most happened. There was only one bathtub in the whole house. The most terrible thing was that there was no toilet, only a few wooden boxes.
Toilet! Taking into account the public health level of Europeans in the 18th century and the certain diseases caused by the chaotic private lives of nobles, Zhao Xin decided not to use this thing even if he died!
Although I didn’t come to Paris specifically to go to the toilet, eating, drinking, and defecating for dozens of people every day is really not a small problem...
"Buwei, I have a small question I want to ask."
"Please give me your orders, sir."
"How do you deal with this toilet every day?"
"Sir, this is not something you should worry about. But since you asked... someone will come to collect it every morning."
"Oh! Then that thing... you understand, how will you deal with it?"
Buwei turned his head and looked behind him, and whispered to Zhao Xin: "Usually they are transported to a place outside the city and dumped. If no one pays attention, those people will secretly dump it into the Seine River."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Okay, I understand!"
Before leaving, Henry Tundu told Deng Fei that a carriage would pick them up at seven o'clock in the evening, and Eliguardet, the chairman of the National Convention, would host a dinner to welcome these guests from China, which would include many members of the National Convention.
Important people will be present.
After the group of people settled down after a long time of tossing, Zhao Xin immediately asked Elu to invite Deng Fei and Dejine to come to his room for a meeting. In addition, two soldiers were placed on guard at the stairs to prevent the housekeeper or servants from arriving uninvited.
Deguigne's home was in Paris, and his father had been the director of the Syriac Department of the French Academy before the Great Revolution. The first thing he had to do at this moment was to go home and have a look, and by the way, inquire about the situation of the Temple Castle where the king's family was imprisoned.
Zhao Xindao: "It's best to find the floor plan inside and outside the castle. Money is not an issue, you must be careful."
Degene thought for a while and said: "Actually, the Temple Castle is not far from here. It only takes ten minutes to walk. I can take a carriage and pretend to pass by and take a look first. As for the map, there must be one in the Royal Library. This is the one I need.
Let my father figure it out. He used to be a secretary and translator in the Department of Oriental Languages."
Deng Fei added: "The city of Paris is too chaotic. You'd better bring a gun when you go out, just in case."
During the days when we came by boat, the people in the special operations battalion practiced marksmanship on targets in the sea every day. Sometimes Degeine would come to the deck and shoot two shots. Over time, he became very good at using the Beihai Town revolver.
skilled.
"Okay. I will definitely be back before seven o'clock in the evening to attend the dinner with you."
Zhao Xin frowned and said, "Is your noble status okay?"
Degene said: "What's the problem? My family doesn't even have a fiefdom. Besides, I'm the one who facilitated your visit. Those guys from the National Convention won't touch me!"
Zhao Xin nodded, and asked someone to take two large cans of tea and two bolts of silk from the package he had brought, and gave them to Degene to take home. At the same time, he privately gave him one hundred thalers of gold coins.
Used as activity funds.
At the same time, an old friend came to the home of Georges Jacques Danton, who had just resigned as Minister of Justice. This man was very young, less than thirty years old, but he was already a core figure in the Jacobins. Because Jacob
The Bin faction would sit together high in the conference hall when the National Convention met, so they were also called the "Mountain faction".
The two chatted for a while about the Beihai Town mission that had just arrived in Paris and expressed their respective opinions. Zhao Xin's move of paying the dismissed servants more than half an hour ago had already reached Dandong's ears.
Dandong took a sip of wine and sighed: "It seems those Chinese people are quite rich."
Robespierre said: "I am more concerned about the food on that big white ship they parked on the sea."
"Food?" Dandong's eyes suddenly widened. "How do you know? How much is there?"
"They just made a business of three thousand pounds of wheat (1360 kilograms) in Le Havre before. Don't ask me how I knew about it." Robespierre took a sip of wine and continued: "According to them
According to the customs declaration, there are at least five thousand pounds of wheat on that ship."
Dandong raised his glass and said: "Then let's each show our talents tonight and buy all the Chinese people's grain, and we can make a good fortune."
Robespierre smiled and waited for the other party to drink the wine, and suddenly said: "George, frankly speaking, as a friend, I have to remind you. You are powerful, rich, and quite popular with everyone, but in my opinion
Come on, you are slipping into danger step by step without knowing it."
Danton looked at the other party in confusion, only to hear Robespierre continue: "The rich are afraid of your power and prestige, and try to find opportunities to defeat you; although the poor will forgive you for your wealth, but only if you use it."
Wealth brings them revolutionary justice, rather than making a fortune at this time."
"The justice of the revolution... After going in such a big circle, what you actually want to say is for me to support the execution of the king, right?" Dandong was leaning on the sofa, looking at the fair-faced man in front of him with a sneer.
The thin companion in a gray wig.
Robespierre pursed his lips and said in a deep voice: "I don't want to hurt the king or his family. What good does this do to me? But the war is not over yet, and we will reach a point where we cannot have both.
We can only choose between saving the king and saving the fruits of the revolution. If that day comes, we need to know how to choose, don't we?"
Danton smiled slightly and said nothing. He knew what Robespierre said was right, but for some reason, at this moment he had the urge to break the other man's neck.
This guy is so cold-blooded that it chills you from the bottom of your heart!