1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 133: Guangxu's Secret Order, New Ambassador to the UK

Just as Li Qiwei was preparing for his doctoral graduation, he suddenly received a Chinese invitation.

Open it and take a look.

Hey!
The inviter turned out to be the Qing Dynasty’s newly appointed ambassador to the UK, named Zhang Deyi (pronounced [Yi]).

This person's information also appeared in Li Qiwei's mind.

In real history, Zhang Deyi can be regarded as a legendary figure in the late Qing Dynasty. As a diplomat, he went abroad eight times in his life and spent 27 years abroad.

And every time he went abroad, he would write a detailed diary.

It was edited successively into "Narrative of a Voyage", "Another Narrative of a Voyage", "A Third Narrative of a Voyage", "A Fourth Narrative of a Voyage" and finally "A Eighth Narrative of a Voyage", with a total of about 200 million words.

It records in detail the culture, technology, politics, finance, education, etc. of Western countries at that time.

It could be regarded as an encyclopedia introducing Western things at that time.

Unfortunately, these works of his have not received much attention until nearly a hundred years later, when they were sporadically unearthed and compiled into a book.

He also translated scientific and technological terms such as "telegraph", "bicycle", and "screw".

He also introduced steam engines, elevators, cutting machines, chocolate, etc. to the country, and was an official of the late Qing Dynasty who truly understood Western modern scientific and technological civilization.

He served as Emperor Guangxu's foreign language teacher and was deeply trusted by Guangxu.

Because of his humble background, he never fought for power in officialdom, but devoted himself to diplomacy, serving as a balancing figure among various forces.

Therefore, when Luo Fuyu was transferred back to China after his term expired, the Qing court sent Zhang Deyi, a professional diplomat, to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom.

It turns out that only those with strong abilities can keep themselves safe.

Zhang Deyi is very good at foreign languages ​​and can communicate with people from various European countries without any obstacles. He is also easy-going and calm, a modest gentleman.

When someone asked him about English, he just smiled and didn't answer, thinking that he only knew English and was uneducated.

Faced with such a person, Li Qiwei was still very interested in meeting him.

The other party is one of the few domestic talents of this era who has a deep understanding of the West.
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Seven days later, Li Qiwei accepted the invitation and arrived at the Qing Embassy in the UK on time.

This was his second time here, and he felt a little emotional for a moment.

If he stays in the UK for another ten years, I wonder how many ambassadors he will outlast.
At this time, a cheerful voice sounded, "This must be my nephew Qiwei, please come in quickly."

Li Qiwei looked up and saw an old man in his 50s. He was full of energy, with a ruddy complexion, and between his brows one could vaguely see the handsomeness of his youth.

He is the new ambassador to the UK, Zhang Deyi, who was awarded the second-rank official title.

"I've long heard that you, Qiwei, are a genius. Seeing you today, I can see that you are indeed extraordinary."

"He is a man of great bearing and walks like a dragon and a tiger. He is truly a great man of the Qing Dynasty."

Li Qiwei smiled and said, "You are too kind, Ambassador."

"Thank you for the invitation, Ambassador. I am flattered."

Afterwards, Zhang Deyi pulled Li Qiwei into the main hall of the embassy and asked the servants to make tea, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Zhang Deyi looked at Li Qiwei in front of him and felt that the other party was younger than the rumors and his imagination.

At such a young age, he has achieved such a tremendous career, which can be called a rare genius.

He first asked Li Qiwei some simple questions to bring the two closer together.

Li Qiwei also had a good impression of him. This man was completely different from Luo Fuyu. He did not have that kind of ambition or official style that made people uncomfortable.

This has something to do with the other person's personality. Of course, it is also possible that Zhang Deyi feels that he has no hope of promotion, so he behaves in a casual and unrestrained manner.

People are complicated. In this era, Li Qiwei never treats the people around him as NPCs.

They are all living people, with their own thoughts and demands, and they will change.

Zhang Deyi was in high spirits, not at all self-conscious, and acted very superior in front of Li Qiwei, more like an elder chatting with a junior.

"Last year, I followed Lord Natong on a diplomatic mission to Fusang Country, and I was deeply moved."

"This is a small country, but the whole nation is united in its efforts to introduce Western technology and even completely Westernize."

"Now its national strength is growing day by day. Looking around, the steel, chemical, and textile industries are huge and are running day and night."

"Moreover, a new school was established to teach Western knowledge, and many of the students were sent by our Qing Dynasty to study abroad."

"Fuso country, your plan is very big."

Li Qiwei also echoed a few words. He certainly knew the changes in Fuso, and these were all accumulating strength for the subsequent invasion.

"The ambassador really hit the nail on the head."

"The Fusang country has a small land area and a large population, and its natural resources are limited. Therefore, it has been coveting China for a long time. Its wolfish ambitions are known to the world."

"It's ridiculous that the imperial court had such a huge navy, but due to corruption and poor use of personnel, it was defeated miserably. It's really a shame."

Zhang Deyi was frightened by these words. "Qiwei, be careful with your words. You should know that the mouth can bring disaster."

“Don’t talk about national affairs recklessly.”

Li Qiwei shrugged his shoulders and acted indifferent, he just felt that Zhang Deyi was a little timid.

Suddenly, Zhang Deyi changed the subject, looked at Li Qiwei and said, "But none of these impressed me."

"It was something else that struck me so deeply, nephew. Can you guess what it was?"

Li Qiwei shook his head and thought to himself, I guess you are a ghost.

Zhang Deyi laughed and said, "This matter is also related to you."

Li Qiwei was even more confused. When had he ever been to Fuso?

Zhang Deyi said: "I heard the news that you won the Nobel Prize in Physics in Fusang."

"At that time, almost everyone in Fuso was talking about you."

"They copied everything from the West to China, so they naturally knew the importance of the Nobel Prize in Physics."

"Even their emperor ordered the cabinet that Fuso must produce a Nobel Prize winner in physics within ten years."

“That’s the sense of crisis you bring to them.”

"Fuso is also afraid that our Qing dynasty will follow the West and attach importance to science and technology." "Given the size of our Qing dynasty, once the reform is launched, it will be a huge momentum, far exceeding Fuso's a hundred times."

"They only narrowly won one round before. Once the Qing Dynasty comes to its senses, it will be unstoppable."

"The tiny Fusang can be destroyed in a snap of a finger."

Speaking of this, Zhang Deyi clapped his thigh excitedly, looking like a man of temperament.

Li Qiwei was also shocked by what Zhang Deyi had seen and heard. His name had already spread to Fuso?

Damn, I don’t think the Japanese would have any bad intentions and try to assassinate me.

Those perverts, their thought processes cannot be thought of according to common sense.

It seems that I have to be more careful when I return to China next time.

Li Qiwei asked: "Ambassador, does Japan really care so much about the Nobel Prize in Physics?"

Zhang Deyi said: "Of course, the current Fusang country attaches great importance to Western-educated scientific and technological talents, and all treatments are the best."

"We in the Qing Dynasty call them craftsmen, but in their place, they are already scientists."

"Fuso also sends students to powerful countries such as the United States and Europe."

"It's a pity that our Qing Dynasty sends the most students to Fuso. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse?"

"No matter how powerful Fuso is, it is not as powerful as the British Empire."

Li Qiwei nodded and suddenly asked, "Ambassador Zhang, you asked me to come here today, didn't you, just to tell me this interesting story?"

As expected, Zhang Deyi's expression became serious, and he put away his intense emotions. He said solemnly: "I invite you here today because of the secret order of His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty."

Li Qiwei was stunned. Guangxu brought him a letter?
At this moment, Zhang Deyi's expression suddenly became strange, "Li Qiwei, why don't you kneel down and listen to my order?"

As Guangxu's foreign language teacher, in the eyes of others, Zhang Deyi was naturally Guangxu's man.

If he wasn't so low-key by nature, he would have been impeached long ago and no one knows where he would have been exiled to.

Before he took office, he was summoned alone by Guangxu.

During the conversation, Guangxu praised Li Qiwei highly and called him a loyal and faithful minister.

He asked Zhang Deyi to convey his importance to Li Qiwei and hoped that he would serve the Qing Dynasty after returning to China.

This shocked Zhang Deyi, but at the same time he felt a little happy and even burst into tears of gratitude.

Being so trusted by the emperor, isn't this the secret edict in ancient times?

Zhang Deyi felt that as a subject, being blessed with such divine grace in this life was enough for him to die without regrets.

Although he was only helping Guangxu convey a few words, it was far from being a conspiracy.

This is Zhang Deyi's blind loyalty. Perhaps it is this pedantry that makes other interest groups feel at ease with him.

So, when he saw that Li Qiwei remained indifferent when he heard the name of the Son of Heaven, he felt it was incredible.

Even in Western countries, ministers would kneel on one knee when they saw their monarch.

Li Qiwei was speechless. He thought Zhang Deyi was an enlightened person, but it seemed that he was overthinking.

Even if officials of this era open their eyes to the world, they still cannot escape the limitations of the times.

In Zhang Deyi's eyes, the Qing Dynasty could still develop science and technology and surpass the Western powers without changing its own system.

From this point of view, he is a bit like the so-called "royalists".

They all thought that they could retain the monarch, educate the monarch, and implement new policies.

It's all unrealistic idealism.

In Zhang Deyi's mind, kneeling down and listening to the emperor's decree was a natural thing to do.

But there is absolutely no way Li Qiwei could accept this.

In his life, he would only kneel to heaven and earth, to his parents, and never to anyone else.

He has been working hard to improve his fame and strength in order to transcend the constraints of this world.

"Ambassador Zhang, I have a British title, so I cannot kneel down."

Zhang Deyi was shocked, but then he was relieved.

"You... Well, never mind. Anyway, no one cares about you and me in this remote place."

He also thought of what Guangxu had warned himself before leaving, that if Li Qiwei had a very different temperament, he should not be criticized according to the etiquette of the Qing Dynasty.

The emperor's grace was so great that it made him cry. He promised on the spot that he would influence Li Qiwei and make him serve the Qing Dynasty.

"I have traveled to many countries over the years and met many young people like you."

"They shaved their heads, changed their clothes, and learned Western ways. They no longer had any etiquette in their hearts."

"The court can only turn a blind eye."

"I didn't expect that you, Qiwei, are also one of these people."

"I am amazed at your talent, but I sincerely advise you not to go to extremes, as that will lead to death."

Li Qiwei did not argue, but just nodded and smiled, thanking the other party for the kind reminder.

He knew that if he debated with the other party at this time about whether he should kneel down, he would definitely lose miserably.

Zhang Deyi could definitely find countless words from ancient sages in the Four Books and Five Classics and the Collection of Classics to prove the legitimacy of kneeling to the emperor.

Moreover, one must kneel three times a day to be in accordance with the etiquette of saints.

There is no winner in a debate; only guns and cannons can shut people up.

At this time, Zhang Deyi finally told the reason why he invited Li Qiwei.

As the other party continued to speak, Li Qiwei also felt a little surprised.

He seemed to smell something unusual.

(End of this chapter)