Although Rongqing is also one of the "Three Talents", he is a very conservative person, completely different from Zhang Baixi, another minister of management and education.
Rongqing summoned several other high-level officials from the university and spoke angrily about Li Yu's behavior of cutting off his pigtails. He finally concluded: "Such a disregard for tradition and disobedience to the national system is really hard to forgive and we should not expel him."
There is no way to correct the rules and regulations!"
Ding Haoliang was stunned. Before he could see Li Yu, why did the Minister of Management and Education want to fire him? The reason was just to cut his hair, which was unacceptable to him. So he argued with reason: "Minister of Management and Education, please listen to me.
It is said that Li Yu is very talented and has been awarded the honor of being a foreign academician of the Royal Society and a member of the American Astronomical Society, which is extremely rare. As you can imagine, if you want to integrate into the academic field of the world, you should be flexible in cutting your hair."
Rongqing knew that Ding Taoliang would definitely protect Li Yu, because he himself was an American, and Li Yu had his braids cut off in the United States.
But Ding Haoliang's official rank was not low, so Rongqing had to ask: "Can't you learn without cutting off your braids?"
Vice President of the middle school Xi Gu Hongming also stood on Rongqing's side. He said: "Of course, the braids cannot be cut off. This is a Chinese tradition. If the tradition is lost, the country will not be a country."
After hearing what Gu Hongming said, Yan Fu, the general manager of the Institute of Translation Studies, shook his head and said: "We should not make a big deal out of a small matter. After all, Li Yu is one of the best students in our school. You can all see his achievements in the past year or so."
In your eyes, do you have the heart to expel him?"
Gu Hongming said: "Without Li Yu, we will have other equally talented people in the future, so we can't do without him."
Wu Rulun, the head teacher of the middle school, stroked his beard and said: "If we are just studying Confucian classics, this statement makes sense. But we are too short of talents for Western studies. Maybe we can learn from Confucius and teach students in accordance with their aptitude."
Yan Fu agreed: "What Mr. Wu said is absolutely true. This is what a university should look like."
Lin Shu, deputy director-general of the Institute of Translation Studies, said: "You must have seen foreigners, especially Japanese people around you. They are also walking clearly on the two paths of tradition and the West. It can be seen that no matter how hard they study,
In the West, some things cannot be thrown away. So whether you cut your braids or not, it won’t affect the overall situation."
But Rongqing shook his head: "You can throw away anything, but you can't throw away your braids!"
Rongqing was not a Manchu, but he was from the Zhenghuang Banner of Mongolia, and he was very close to the Manchu and Qing royal families. Except for him, everyone present was Han Chinese. Rongqing clearly felt some vague hostility, and he turned to Guan
Zhang Baixi, the Minister of Education, said: "Master Zhang, what do you think?"
Zhang Baixi said: "I have personally awarded Li Yu the medal, and I know that he has made great contributions to our university. Even if he has made mistakes, the merits outweigh the faults. If he is expelled just because of this incident, it may cause trouble for other students."
I am dissatisfied. Besides, I have also heard that many students of Zhuxi School in the South have cut off their braids, but they have not forgotten our benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom and trust."
Rongqing snorted coldly: "Master Zhang, you mean that cutting your hair is not a big deal?"
Zhang Baixi did not answer him directly, but said: "Our university has imitated Japan from the beginning, and various systems have also learned from Japan. Many Japanese mocked our students because of their braids. If you want to truly learn
As an advanced system, I think the university should be used as a pilot project to more fully integrate with Japan and even European countries."
"In short, Mr. Zhang doesn't think Li Yu should be fired?" Rong Qing asked directly.
Zhang Baixi replied bluntly: "No."
Among the people present, he and Gu Hongming were the only ones who disagreed with Li Yu's decision to cut his braids. They were single and weak. Rong Qing knew he couldn't defeat them, so he went directly to find the Queen Mother.
In his eyes, cutting braids is no small matter.
Xiyuan.
Cixi is learning Western etiquette from Yu Deling. She plans to have tea and chat with the wives of ambassadors from various countries on a regular basis to show her attitude as the head of a country. She will also learn about current events and repair relations with foreigners.
Cixi said to Yu Deling: "The etiquette of foreigners seems to be much simpler than ours. Also, I heard that foreign ladies wear girdle?"
Yu Deling said: "Back at Lafayette, it's like this. Some young ladies can't even breathe because of it."
Cixi said: "It seems that foreigners keep talking about civilization, but it is no better. We bind our feet, and they girdle their waists."
Cixi actually opposed foot binding, as the Manchu people have never had this tradition.
While they were talking, Li Lianying walked in and said to Cixi: "Old Buddha, Lord Rong Qingrong would like to see you."
Cixi said: "Let him come in."
After Rongqing entered and knelt down to Cixi, he said: "Queen Mother Lafayette, something big has happened in the university hall."
Cixi clicked her tongue and said, "You still talk about big things. What big things can happen in a mere university?"
Rongqing said: "That Li Yu actually cut off his braids!"
"Cut off the braids?" Cixi asked in surprise.
Rongqing said: "That's right! It's really treasonous. This kind of disregard for the family law of the ancestors has really ruined the reputation of the university."
Cixi frowned and said, "Look at how panicked you are! Stand up and talk."
Rongqing stood up, but Cixi asked him to stand up, but did not offer him a seat like Yi Kuang who was present.
Rongqing said: "I think he should be severely punished!"
Cixi asked: "Why did he cut off his braids?"
Rongqing said: "No matter what the reason is, it is an act of disobedience."
Cixi said: "You answer my question first."
Cixi is a political veteran, how could she follow what others say?
Rongqing quickly replied: "Because he got a foreign academician from some Royal Society in the UK, and I don't know what kind of official he is, so he was so arrogant that he cut off his pigtails."
"The Royal Society?" Cixi asked Yudeling next to her, "What department is this?"
Yudeling said: "Going back to Lafayette, the Royal Society is the highest and most authoritative scientific institution in the UK."
"The highest?" Cixi pondered for a moment, "It also contains the word 'royal'. Does it have anything to do with the British royal family?"
Yu Deling nodded: "Yes, Lafayette, the status of the Royal Society is very high in the scientific community around the world."
Cixi exclaimed, "Is that so? It's not simple. Does it look like our university?"
Yu Deling said: "I think its status is even higher."
Cixi said: "Is that like our Hanlin Academy?"
"Although it's not very appropriate, it can be understood this way." Yu Deling knew that as long as he said it in the best possible direction, it would be beneficial to Li Yu.
Cixi thought about it and said, "In this case, it is a great achievement. He has given us the face of the Qing Dynasty."
Rongqing said: "But, Queen Mother, cutting your hair is against the family law after all!"
Li Lianying on the side coughed very lightly, and Rongqing suddenly realized that he had repeatedly said that he was disobeying the ancestral family law several times, but Cixi was also disobeying the ancestral family law by listening behind the curtain, and those who didn't know thought he was insinuating Cixi.
No wonder she was unhappy just now.
Cixi asked Xiang Yikuang again: "What do you think?"
Yikuang said: "The Queen Mother, I have been in the Prime Minister's Office for Foreign Affairs for a long time. I know that there are indeed such scientific institutions among foreigners, and their status is indeed not low. In addition, coupled with the reply from Liang Cheng, the Minister to the United States some time ago, in Li
With the help of the edict, the United States agreed to continue sending overseas students and may even agree to reduce or reduce the compensation, which is a great contribution."
Cixi said: "What do you mean?"
Yikuang continued: "Cutting off braids violates the laws of the Qing Dynasty and should be punished. However, considering the special status of the students, there is an element of learning from the West, so the slave thought that the merits and demerits can be offset, and there will be no reward or punishment.
."
Yikuang deliberately did not mention the family law of his ancestors, but brought out the laws of the Qing Dynasty.
Cixi was quite satisfied with his answer, "I don't think it's a big deal. There aren't many of us who understand foreign knowledge. It's not like I haven't seen talented people with a bit of character. Just as you said, no reward or punishment."
."
Rongqing no longer dared to speak, so he could only agree: "I understand."
Cixi said: "Don't come to me for such trivial matters in the future. There is also Mr. Zhang Baixi and Mr. Zhang. You can come after discussing it."
Rongqing said solemnly: "I know this. What I'm thinking about is why Li Yu is the emperor's master. This is really true..."
Cixi said: "Okay, okay, don't make a fuss all the time."
Rongqing had no choice but to leave in anger.
Yikuang breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this.
What Li Yu didn't know was that Zai Zhen had already received a total of 8,000 taels of silver sent by Tang Shaoyi's entrustment in advance, and asked him and Prince Qing Yikuang to help him speak a few words.
Li Yu still acted without consideration. Fortunately, Tang Shaoyi was someone who had always been involved in officialdom and was willing to protect him.
Now that Ronglu has passed away, Yuan Shikai knows that the next minister of military aircraft is basically Yi Kuang, so he has secretly sent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to Yi Kuang, which is really a big deal.
Tang Shaoyi is Yuan Shikai's man, so I will help him as much as possible. For this kind of good thing, you can get 8,000 taels by just saying a few words, so it is not impossible to get a few more.
Of course, Yuan Shikai and Tang Shaoyi also understood Yi Kuang's love for money, and Yi Kuang did things with money.
When the news came out, Li Yu was indeed not punished. Feng Zuxun, Fan Xiren and others were very happy for Li Yu.
"It scares me to death," Feng Zuxun said. "Without you, I probably wouldn't be able to stay in this university."
Li Yu smiled and said: "No, no! Don't you also have the idea of going abroad to study?"
He Yujie said: "If you are really expelled, it means that the university has changed. It will be no different from attending the old private school. We will definitely follow you!"
Li Yu didn't expect them to be so loyal, but he still said: "No matter what, sometimes swallowing one's anger temporarily is just for a greater pursuit."
Fan Xiren said: "We all regard you as a classmate and a brother, so naturally we have difficulties."
No wonder it is said that there are three most powerful relationships among men: living together in the same room, carrying a gun together, and having sex together.
Li Yu said gratefully: "I won't let you share the same difficulties as me."
Fan Xiren said: "What you said..."
"It's about sharing the blessings together!" Li Yu added.
Fan Xiren laughed and said: "I thought you wanted to say something, of course we have to share the blessing!"
Li Yu said: "Today is a false alarm. I invite everyone to go to Dongxing Tower for dinner! By the way, try the whiskey I brought back from the United States!"
Feng Zuxun frowned: "It's not good to drink alcohol..."
Li Yu hugged his neck: "Just have a drink, don't worry."
Fan Xiren also smiled and said: "Don't study all the time. Relax your mind so that you can hold more things."
Feng Zuxun said with relief: "That's right. Even if I ride a thousand-mile horse, I can't catch up with Li Yu. Let's go drink!"