Li Yu still doesn't know the news from Sweden. He is still writing papers on chaos theory every day. This is a big project, and once it is published, it will make waves.
Of course, it may just be a shocking wave in the field of mathematics.
After all, the development of mathematics is ahead of other disciplines. It is a purely abstract content and cannot cause as great a sensation as the discoveries in physics and astronomy.
Totally understandable.
In addition, he gave lessons to Emperor Guangxu.
Emperor Guangxu now really aroused a lot of enthusiasm for Western learning, especially geometry and chemistry. He actually liked geometric drawing and various experiments in chemistry very much.
It’s easy to understand why you like chemistry. On the one hand, experiments are indeed interesting and fun, but the most important reason may be that it is a common problem of emperors in the past dynasties: they always think about refining elixirs and so on, and even dream that maybe they can actually make the elixir of immortality by randomly experimenting.
However, Emperor Guangxu also had some selfish motives of his own, and he wanted to learn about the principles of chemical toxicity.
Although Guangxu never said it, he was really afraid that he would die early.
As for how to die, what he fears most is poisoning.
Standing 100 years later, Li Yu knew clearly that he indeed died of arsenic poisoning, but who was poisoned to death has remained an eternal mystery.
And even if he really becomes a top chemist, there is no way he can guarantee that he will not be poisoned.
After all, it is impossible to guard against a domestic thief. If you can avoid it past the first day of junior high school, can you always avoid it past the fifteenth day?
The King of Hell tells you to die at the third watch, who dares to leave anyone alive until the fifth watch!
For Guangxu, the King of Hell is not any poison at all, but Cixi herself!
Therefore, even if he becomes a master of chemistry, he cannot escape the disaster.
This is all doomed. Whoever told him to be in the emperor's house would be in a dead end, as unsolvable as the N-body problem.
As for his preference for geometry, it was because Guangxu was indeed not sensitive enough to numbers, and algebra was difficult for him and not as intuitive as geometry.
Moreover, Emperor Yongzheng's plan of allocating people into acres was very effective, and geometric measurements were often used. This is also one of the reasons.
Although Li Yu hated all the emperors of the Qing Dynasty, he only had a favorable impression of Yongzheng.
Yongzheng's historical evaluation has always been greatly underestimated.
All the talk about the prosperous era of Kangxi and Qianlong is bullshit. Originally, the Qing Dynasty was almost on the verge of death in the last years of Kangxi. Yongzheng was forced to bring it back. It is not an exaggeration to say that he extended the life of the Qing Dynasty.
Qianlong, including his own descendants, basically enjoyed the happiness left by his father, but Qianlong was completely ruined in one day.
Guangxu may have wanted to revive Chao Gang like Emperor Yongzheng, but unfortunately he did not have Yongzheng's skill and courage.
So even if he can take charge personally, the Qing Dynasty will definitely end, and it will end the same as Chongzhen. At best, it may be at the level of Jiaqing, and after a struggle, he finally chooses to lie down.
But Guangxu wanted to learn, so Li Yu naturally taught him more. Geometry was indeed easier to teach.
Guangxu was an adult after all, and Li Yu did not completely follow the elementary school textbooks.
When Guangxu first learned English, he really couldn't find a suitable one, so he actually used English teaching materials that a foreigner brought from abroad for his daughter.
Li Yu's thinking has always been from a high level, and it is by no means just teaching Guangxu cramming content such as 1+2=3.
Li Yu has met many good teachers. Although he is not a normal school student, he still has a deep understanding of the core of education.
He knows very well that "knowing" and "knowing to teach" are two different things.
Basically, any adult can learn primary school mathematics, but if you really want to teach your children well, it is not an easy task.
Moreover, Li Yu was a modern man who was proficient in Western learning after all. Humanity has developed so much in the past hundred years, so the depth of his insights was much higher than that of his contemporaries.
Guangxu studied very hard, and he even asked Li Yu for geometry questions that day. In fact, Li Yu gave him several elementary school geometry questions about calculating the shadow area, which were all relatively elementary questions about adding auxiliary lines.
But when too many auxiliary lines were used, Guangxu felt that it was difficult to calculate. He complained: "Professor Li, is it useful to do this kind of problem? I just want to prevent officials from deceiving me when measuring land in the future."
Li Yu said: "If it is limited to this, then there is really no need to study anymore, but if your Majesty wants to further understand Western learning, it is just the beginning."
He will not be used to Guangxu.
Guangxu said: "Of course I want to know Western learning, but it's too difficult to learn like this. Isn't there a quick way?"
Li Yu smiled and said: "Of course not."
"After all, I am the emperor," Guangxu said, "I must be smarter than ordinary people, right?"
Li Yu didn't know where Guangxu's confidence came from, so he said: "Your Majesty, do you know Alexander the Great?"
Guangxu nodded: "I know, he is a talented and strategic monarch."
Li Yu said: "Yes, as one of the four great military commanders in Western history, he once looked for a shortcut to learning mathematics, but his teacher told him that there was no path to imperial power in front of geometry."
After hearing this, Guangxu immediately stood in awe. Compared to Alexander, he was really far behind. Since such a powerful monarch had to learn humbly, there was no need to be lazy.
As usual, Li Yu gave him a few more questions on paper. Cui Yugui took a look at them outside the door. They were no different from the previous few days. They were all inexplicable square and round figures.
Cui Yugui kept muttering in his heart: "Is this Western learning? It doesn't look like much."
Cixi now has little interest in what Guangxu learned. When she was studying the classics, Cixi had a basic understanding of what Weng Tonghe taught, but she really didn't understand them when she saw these numerical symbols.
After reading today's teaching content, she said to Ronglu on the side: "I really don't know what foreigners do with these stupid things!"
Ronglu didn't understand much, so he just said: "Foreigners are so powerful. I heard that they learn it from childhood, so it must be useful."
"I don't believe it," Cixi pointed at the graphics, "it's impossible to draw those powerful warship and cannon drawings just by relying on these."
"I don't understand, I can't figure it out either. Otherwise, I'd better ask someone who understands directly." Rong Lu replied helplessly.
Cixi said: "What are you talking about? Nowadays, in the civil and military affairs of the entire dynasty, in addition to one Yuan Shikai, there are also a few people who understand Westernization, and he himself says he does not understand science."
"Then there is nothing we can do, or the Queen Mother can ask Li Yu directly?" Ronglu said.
Cixi waved her hand: "Forget it, he is just a man with a little knowledge of Western learning. I can't understand the strength of ships and artillery on the battlefield."
Anyway, Cixi only thought that foreigners were powerful in fighting, but she didn't want to ask for details as to why they were so powerful.
Cixi then said: "Let's talk about your business. I plan to betroth your daughter Youlan to Zaifeng. What do you think?"
"Ouch!" Ronglu knelt on the ground with a thud, "The Queen Mother appoints a matchmaker, which is a great blessing for this servant's family."
Although Cixi just said it as a question, Ronglu heard it as an affirmative sentence.
Cixi said: "Get up, the matter is settled."
Zaifeng and Zai Zhen were both favored by Cixi among the royal family. Cixi directly designated the marriage, which would definitely be of great benefit to the Ronglu family in the future.
"Dong dong dong!"
There was a knock on the door of Li Yu's house, and it was Ding Haoliang who came.
Li Yu was surprised and said: "General Teacher, why did you come to me in person?"
Ding Haoliang held a telegram in his hand and said, "In the future, can you also install a telegraph machine yourself? I will send you all the telegrams."
"Telegram? Where did it come from?" Li Yu asked.
"You won the prize!" Ding Haoliang said happily, "It's the math reward in the newspaper I showed you last time. You really won the prize, 2,500 kronor!"
Li Yu was not too surprised, but what Ding Haoliang said next really shocked him: "The telegram was sent in the name of the King of Sweden and Norway, and I solemnly invite you to write a mathematics paper again to explain your previous answer."
Ding Haoliang didn't know much about the three-body problem, so he just gave a general introduction.
It seems that the introduction Li Yu dropped before really worked.
Ding Haoliang continued: "The king also mentioned that if your paper can pass professional review, you will receive a reward of up to 150,000 kroner."
"Ah? 15...ten thousand kronor!"
Li Yu really didn't expect that the King of Sweden would be so generous. He felt a bit like buying a horse with a thousand gold during the Warring States Period. He seemed to have become a seducer.
Ding Haoliang patted Li Yu on the shoulder: "Well done! I firmly believe you can do it!"
Li Yu originally didn't think it was too complicated, but after spending so much money, he must pay more attention to it.
We need to speed up the progress in the following period. Fortunately, we have relatively free time now. It is best to get a rough idea before the university starts.
In addition, Li Yu should really consider the problem of the telegraph machine. Communication is really inconvenient now.