Yan Fansun had experienced the reform and the abolition and re-establishment of the Eight-legged Essay, and finally saw clearly the Qing government's attitude towards the imperial examination, and then returned to Tianjin and devoted himself to setting up modern education.
Li Yu didn't know why Yan Fansun mentioned economic special subjects to him, so he asked: "What does Mr. Yan want to say?"
Yan Fansun said: "I think you can participate. As the person who knows the most about Western learning, it is very suitable. I can contact Tang Daotai and let him recommend it."
Those who can participate in the Economic Special Course must be recommended by the minister.
Li Yu smiled and said: "Forget it, I'm not interested in fame."
Yan Fansun said: "It's not a bad thing, because I know that you are the one who really understands Western learning, and only by letting people who understand Western learning manage education can the country have a future."
Yan Fansun's thinking this way is a bit like what Fang Zheng and Taoist Chongxu in Swordsman wanted Linghu Chong to be the head of the Five Mountains Sword Sect.
What Yan Fansun had in mind was education, but the Qing court did not necessarily think so on this matter.
After all these years, education and imperial examinations have never been synonymous.
Yan Fansun also recognized him: "Yifu, why are you here?"
Li Yu said: "The matter has reached this point and cannot be undone."
During the Qing Dynasty, people who came to Beijing to take exams often stayed in the provincial halls outside Xuanwu Gate.
"This is not easy to handle," Yan Fansun stroked his beard, "You really shouldn't have offended Mr. Rong."
Yan Fansun said: "After all, this matter started because of my suggestion. I can't just sit idly by."
"Of course it's him." Yan Fansun said.
Another topic is: "In "Zhou Li", agriculture, industry, and commerce each have their own specialist officials."
He became a Jinshi one year later than Yan Fansun. Their situations were quite similar and they both realized the disadvantages of the imperial examination.
Liang Shiyi was a well-known representative of the transportation department in the Beiyang government. He founded the Bank of Communications. He made great contributions to the early railway industry.
Yan Fansun said: "The country needs political and legal talents as well as scientific talents. The imperial court has established Enke, which will not be as rigid as the previous major exams. I think people like you who understand science have a good chance."
Yan Fansun was very confident in Liang Shiyi: "There are not many people studying Western learning nowadays. Plus your foundation is definitely better than ordinary people, and you may become the number one scholar in high school."
When Lu Bicheng heard this, she immediately became motivated, "I'm not afraid."
With Li Yu's calligraphy ability, he would never appear on stage.
Li Yu saw in the museum the articles written by the top imperial examination candidates in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The calligraphy level was really very high, almost the same as printed calligraphy.
Liang Shiyi was actually selected as the number one scholar, but when the results were passed on to the Empress Dowager Cixi as usual, she thought Liang Shiyi's name was really unlucky: the last name was the same as Liang Qichao, and they were classmates; the last character of the name was the same as Kang Youwei (
Kang Youwei's original name was Kang Zuyi), "Liangtou is well-off, and his character can be known".
"I'll do my best," Liang Shiyi looked at Li Yu, "Who is this?"
Even the relatively easy to understand and very useful political and legal systems cannot be accepted, let alone brain-consuming science and technology.
Liang Shiyi said: "When I was in Guangdong, I saw several reports about the Imperial Master in newspapers. Your achievements in science are extremely commendable. Even if you are directly listed as a Jinshi or even the number one scholar, I think it is not an exaggeration.
."
Lu Bicheng said: "As a woman, am I inappropriate?"
Li Yuwen: "I don't know all the fields of Western learning. If it's about politics and law, I don't understand either."
"What are you afraid of?" Li Yu didn't care. "Are you afraid that your talent is not as good as theirs?"
Liang Shiyi sighed: "If there is another group of rotten scholars, I'm afraid there will be no chance at all."
Li Yu asked: "What's the difference? I've heard that if you don't write well in the imperial examination, you won't have a chance."
So after all, the imperial examination is still an imperial examination. It would be impossible for Li Yu to adapt to the situation without changing the medicine.
Generally speaking, the examination questions in the economic special subject still belong to the category of policy theory, but the questions have a bit of an "economic" flavor, such as "Huan Kuan said that if foreign goods flow out but the benefits are not leaked, then the state will spare the people for use. Now I want to
"What should we do if the foreign matter flows inside but does not leak out?" In fact, what we are discussing is the matter of import and export trade.
Now Li Yu is mainly engaged in theoretical science. If he built a few specific machines, he would probably be regarded as a craftsman.
Yan Fansun had been in academic administration for many years and knew the situation of the imperial examination very well. He said: "Although I have written to explain it many times, the imperial court still only regards the school as a place to train people. In their eyes, only the imperial examination is the real selection
The way of talent. If this concept does not change, I am afraid it will still not be able to develop the school."
Yan Fansun introduced him: "He is the famous Li Yu."
Li Yu said: "It would be better if I could use a hard pen to calligraphy, but I really can't get my hands on a brush."
Even if Li Yu could write calligraphy, it would be too difficult for him to write in regular script.
Liang Shi was surprised and said: "It turns out to be Mr. Li Yu! Li Yu, the emperor's mentor and a famous scientific genius throughout Europe!"
"You? You don't have a good relationship with him?" Yan Fansun said in surprise, "He is the Minister of Management and Education, and he will definitely be promoted in the future. How come you don't have a good relationship with him?!"
Li Yu waved his hand: "I will not take the special economics exam."
Liang Shiyi smiled and said, "It's still something we can't say for sure."
Yan Fansun cupped his hands and said with a smile: "I will definitely try my best."
Liang Shiyi said: "If the Imperial Master also wants to refer to it, I'm afraid it would be better for me to give up."
Lu Bicheng said helplessly: "This scientific giant has offended many people."
Li Yu spread his hands: "Then there's nothing we can do, my relationship with him is not good."
Therefore, even though the Qing government had been beaten for so many years since the Opium War, it still only focused on foreigners' strength in weapons and warships.
Yan Fansun said: "I heard that the grading minister, Mr. Rong, is the minister of management of the Capital University. You will get extra points if you are from the Capital University."
Yan Fansun said: "With your talent, it will not be difficult to win the Jinshi again. Such a feat of being a Jinshi twice is really something I am looking forward to."
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, calligraphy skills were crucial to whether one could win the first prize, and one had to be able to write in a very standard Guange style.
As soon as a few people arrived at the guild hall, someone stopped Yan Fansun: "Master Yan! Long time no see."
Li Yu said to Lu Bicheng again: "Let's go together?"
"It's still a bit too early to say we're catching up. It would be great if we could learn and understand it now," Li Yu said. "But as you two said, if we don't build a new school, we will never have a chance. Only by taking a few steps in a down-to-earth manner can we consider it."
From now on, it’s called catching up.”
Liang Shiyi said: "Nowadays, everything is waiting for improvement. Only with more practical talents can we save the country from crisis."
Liang Shiyi said: "I have studied water conservancy and transportation with great concentration in the past few years, and then I realized that there is so much knowledge in it. Just like foreign railways and trains, they contain countless knowledge and principles. If only those who understand these knowledge are
It is no longer enough for a person to be a craftsman."
Yan Fansun said: "This exam does not deliberately pursue calligraphy. It doesn't matter even if it is corrected; and the names will no longer be concealed during the exam and will be transcribed exclusively."
But we still look for examples from the ancients. Huan Kuan was the author of "Salt and Iron Theory" in the Han Dynasty.
Liang Shiyi was from Guangdong, and Guangdong was the hometown of the Revolutionary Party. At that time, he was a classmate of Liang Qichao, so he was very receptive to the new-style schools, and he could see that the things taught in the new-style schools were more useful knowledge.
Liang Shiyi said: "Over the years, I have been obsessed with issues such as finance, canals, roads, etc. In addition, I have studied the imperial examination for many years, and I have long understood that 'learning should be put into practical use'. The status of a Jinshi at that time is no longer of much use."
"You?" Yan Fansun couldn't believe it, "You've already been admitted to high school, why are you here to join in the fun?"
Li Yu said: "Since Mr. Yan is ready to devote himself to Western education, why is he still obsessed with the imperial examination?"
He was born in a modern society. If he really took the economics exam, he would be able to cover the surface. But he has never read "The Rites of Zhou", let alone "Salt and Iron Theory". If he takes the exam, he will write about the real economics.
Regarding the import and export related content, if I write about the World Trade Organization (WTO) for him, I am afraid that Rongqing, who is marking the papers, must think he is a lunatic.
Yifu is Liang Shiyi's character.
Liang Shiyi then said to Li Yu: "I heard that the emperor has been to several great powers, and even took a train to Europe via Russia, which broadened his horizons. Do you think we can catch up with the great powers on the road of science and technology?"
Li Yu sighed: "It's a long story, but this is indeed the case."
Liang Shiyi said: "I am preparing to take the special economics exam."
Li Yu said: "Since Mr. Yan has arrived in the capital, I will accompany you to the guild hall."
Li Yu smiled and said: "Hello, Mr. Liang."
Yan Fansun encouraged: "That's why I hope Yifu can go to high school! The economic special subject is set up just for the purpose of new learning. In the future, if you are the top student in high school, you can promote the new learning."
"Master Rong? Master Rong Qingrong?" Li Yu asked.
Yan Fansun said: "What Yifu said is absolutely true, but I don't know if the imperial court can recruit practical talents for this special economic department."
Li Yu said: "As you just said, what can Jinshi do? If there is an Academy of Sciences, I might still be interested, but the possibility is almost zero."
Liang Shiyi said: "What you said is true."
Yan Fansun said: "In this case, we can only find someone else. I really don't want to let the successful special economic section be held again because of the failure of the candidate."
Li Yu definitely couldn't answer.
It's just that this time Liang Shiyi not only didn't get the top prize in high school, he didn't even pass the Jinshi exam.
Because theoretical science, whether it is mathematics or physics, the ministers will not understand no matter how they explain it;
But the manufactured machinery is different. No matter how sophisticated it is, as long as the real thing is in front of them, they will feel that it is nothing more than that.
As a result, Liang Shiyi's qualification as the top scholar was cancelled.
The person who finally won the top prize was Yunnan native Yuan Jiagu, who later became a professor in a modern university.
He is also the only number one scholar in Yunnan in the history of imperial examinations.
The title of the article he wrote when he won the first prize is very interesting: "On Defending the People is Like Defending Sichuan".