1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 134 As long as you ask, you will be given a deputy minister of education
The Boxer Rebellion in 1900 dealt a heavy blow to the Qing Dynasty and also triggered internal conflicts among the rulers.

With the political situation corrupt and the fiscal deficit, the Qing Dynasty rulers felt that the foundation of their rule had been shaken.

In addition, the great powers such as Britain and France continued to put pressure on the Qing government, demanding that it quickly change the current state of disorder and protect the interests of Britain and France.

The leaders of the Westernization Movement, including Liu Kunyi, Zhang Zhidong, and Yuan Shikai, jointly submitted a memorial requesting the court to implement the New Deal.

As the biggest obstacle to reform in the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi had to accept the overwhelming pressure.

Even the conservatives who supported her at the time demanded reform, so Cixi had no choice.

On January 1901, 1, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an edict in the name of Emperor Guangxu, officially announcing the implementation of the New Deal.

Its main content is basically similar to the reforms a few years ago. How ironic!

At that time, Empress Dowager Cixi obstructed the reform in every possible way and was furious, killing people indiscriminately.

Now that they have been beaten up by the foreigners, they have become obedient and taken the initiative to change their ways.

Therefore, you must never play tricks on people like the old witch Cixi.

Either beat her until she's scared, or beat her to death.

Guangxu was too cowardly at that time. If he wanted to rule the country himself, he could just make up his mind to kill Cixi.

Now, after being forced to implement the New Deal, Cixi still controls the government, and Guangxu is still a puppet.

She ordered ministers above the rank of governor-general to make detailed discussions on issues such as court rules and state affairs, civil service administration and people's livelihood, schools, imperial examinations, military system and finance.

On April 1901, 4, Cixi ordered the establishment of the Office of Supervision of Government Affairs headed by Prince Qing Yixin (pronounced [frame]).

This is a specialized agency responsible for planning and implementing new policies, and is responsible for handling affairs such as education, official system, civil service, finance, commerce, military and politics.

Among them, Li Hongzhang, Ronglu, Kungang, Wang Wenshao, Lu Chuanlin and Qu Hongji were appointed as ministers in charge of government affairs.

Liu Kunyi, Zhang Zhidong and Yuan Shikai were appointed as ministers participating in government affairs.

The above people are in charge of all new policy matters.

The Office of Supervising Government Affairs has two supervisors and several secretaries.

Today, although the Office of Supervision of Government Affairs has been established for more than a year, it is still just a mere decoration given the Qing Dynasty's woeful efficiency.

Moreover, the bigwigs in charge of the new policies did not dare to push forward rashly, for fear that Cixi would change her mind again one day, which would be too late for regret.

However, no matter how bad the situation is, as long as the state machinery is functioning, there will still be some results.

In the field of education, the main focus was on setting up schools, sending students abroad, and abolishing the imperial examination system.

On September 1901, 9, the Supervisory Office ordered that academies in provincial capitals be converted into universities, prefectures and autonomous prefectures be converted into middle schools, counties be converted into primary schools, and more kindergartens be set up.

In fact, it is the prototype of primary schools, middle schools and universities in later generations.

On February 1902, 2, measures to promote the establishment of schools were announced.

On August 1902, 8, the "Imperially-Decreed School Regulations" were promulgated, forming a complete school system.

Cixi was afraid that the new education policy would affect people's thinking, so she appointed Zhang Baixi as the Minister of Education and asked him to formulate a charter that suited her wishes.

This is the origin of the word "Qin Ding" in "Qin Ding School Regulations", which was promulgated by Empress Dowager Cixi.

The charter stipulates that the purpose of the school is clearly defined as "inspiring loyalty and love, opening up wisdom, and revitalizing industry" and "correcting trends and cultivating generalists."

The first word is the most important. To whom should we be loyal? Of course, we should be loyal to the Qing Dynasty and Empress Dowager Cixi. This is the foundation of the school.

I have to say that the old witch has a very thorough understanding of the problem and knows how to mix sand into the new policy.

The Imperial School Regulations divide the education age from low to high into the following stages:
Elementary school (four years);
Ordinary primary school (three years);
The Higher Primary School (three years), parallel to which is the Simple Industrial School (similar to the later technical school);

Middle school (four years), parallel to which is the secondary industrial school;

Higher School or University Preparatory School (three years), parallel to which is the Higher Industrial School;

University Hall (three years);
Graduate school (variable duration, similar to later graduate schools)

The entire course of study lasts 20 years in total.

It can be seen that the school system proposed by Zhang Baixi is basically the same as that of later generations.

Of course, he also referred to the education systems of European and American countries at that time.

This academic system has several notable features.

First, it focuses on industrial education, and the contents taught are basically the so-called dry goods, which are very practical.

Second, it retains strong traces of the imperial examination system.

Because the Qing government stipulated that graduates of primary schools, middle schools, higher schools, and universities would be given the titles of "fusheng", "gongsheng", "juren", and "jinshi" respectively.

So in name it was a communication between schools and the imperial examinations, but in reality it was the imperial examinations that influenced the schools.

It was not until September 1905, 9 that the Qing Dynasty officially abolished the imperial examination system, and the imperial examination system was completely decoupled from school education.

This "Charter" has not yet been implemented, and in real history, it has never been implemented for various reasons.

Maybe it was just made to hand in to the superiors to see.

However, now that Li Qiwei is here, everything will be different.

That’s right, the so-called secret decree that Guangxu gave himself was actually a promise in advance to give him a position as deputy minister in charge of education.

As long as he is willing to assist the Qing Dynasty in implementing the new policy after returning to China, he will be allowed to participate in education reform.

This was also the result of Guangxu's careful consideration.

Li Qiwei didn't even need to think about getting into the powerful and lucrative departments in the new policy regarding the new army, diplomacy, official system and other reforms. It would not be his turn.

Moreover, Guangxu believed that Li Qiwei was a scientist, so he was most suitable for carrying out educational reform.

In his secret decree, Guangxu praised Li Qiwei highly, feeling that he had met him too late.

Guangxu also mentioned that when he summoned the British envoy, the other party publicly said that Ridgwell was a great scholar in the West.

Such people would be treated with courtesy and valued in any Western country.

Therefore, Guangxu thought that Li Qiwei was the person he was looking for.

This made Li Qiwei smell a hint of conspiracy.

Are the British guys bored? They are whispering in Guangxu's ear, trying to elevate themselves to a high position. Li Qiwei knew clearly that although Guangxu was the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, he was probably the one that all officials in China wanted to avoid.

The beheading scene a few years ago is still vivid in my mind.

No one dared to get too close to Guangxu.

Now that Cixi agreed to the reform policy, Guangxu felt that he was on his way again and his chance had come, so he seemed impatient.

His idea was a good one, which was to get as many people as possible into the new policy, cultivate his own power, and accumulate strength for real personal rule.

However, at home, under the tyranny of Cixi, almost no officials would sincerely assist Guangxu.

Therefore, he turned his attention outside the court, hoping to find special talents among the people.

And Li Qiwei is one of the promising talents he chose.

He is young, has a clean background, is well versed in Western studies, and has great fame.

Such a person made Guangxu feel very reassured and was not easily criticized in the court.

By then, if he uses some tricks and moves him with his true feelings, Li Qiwei will bow down and serve him wholeheartedly until his death.

Therefore, he gave the secret order to Zhang Deyi with a smile, and he was impressed by his own wisdom.

After Li Qiwei sorted out the interests involved, he suddenly became clear-headed and smiled gently.

He doesn't care how many big guys are gambling, fighting for power, and plotting behind the new policy.

He was also not worried that Britain would interfere, have bad intentions, or plot something.

Everything depends on strength.

This Deputy Minister of Education meets Li Qiwei's requirements very well.

Not only is he outside the power of the court and not arousing envy, he can also promote educational reform in a reasonable and legal manner.

It's a position tailor-made for me.

He was originally worried that if he returned to China and established a university without authorization, he would be threatened by the Qing government.

Now I realize that I was overthinking it.

As long as you are willing to contribute money and effort, the Qing Dynasty will not bother with you, as long as you do not publicly promote certain ideas.

He also suspected that Zhang Baixi would be happy to be his deputy, and he would be the hands-off boss.

After all, it is not easy to achieve results in the field of education, and it is not easy to get promoted.

Even if you do too well and make Empress Dowager Cixi unhappy, you will be in tears.

In today's Qing Dynasty, there is only one saying for being an official: flatter Empress Dowager Cixi. Everything else is empty talk.

Li Qiwei, who suddenly heard the good news, made a rare joke and asked Zhang Deyi: "Ambassador Zhang, how high is the position of the Deputy Minister of Education?"

Zhang Deyi thought that Li Qiwei had been persuaded, and thought that young people really couldn't keep their temper.

No matter how much Western knowledge you have, even if you win the Nobel Prize in Physics, when it comes to being an official, you are still just a novice.

At the same time, he also lamented that Guangxu was so cunning that he was able to recruit Li Qiwei for his own use with just a few words.

"Your Majesty is truly a genius."

"Li Qiwei's knowledge of physics is just a small matter. Your Majesty's ability to employ people and his broad mind are the real deal."

After flattering the emperor in his heart, Zhang Deyi smiled and said, "Now that the new policy has just been established, the positions are roughly set up, which is very different from before."

“Many positions cannot be classified using the previous hierarchy.”

"But the Deputy Minister of Education is in a low position with great power. If we compare him, I'm afraid he is at least at the level of a Yuanwailang."

"My dear nephew Qiwei, please do not underestimate this position."

"At your age now, you have been promoted by the Emperor's grace."

Li Qiwei pretended to smile, but he understood.

To put it bluntly, this new policy was just the result of a compromise between Cixi and many forces.

I'm afraid that from top to bottom, not many people really care about what it can do.

It might be cancelled someday.

Today, the orthodox decision-making bodies of the Qing Dynasty are still the Grand Council and the Cabinet, and the administrative agencies below them are the Six Ministries.

Shangshu, Shilang, Langzhong, Yuanwailang, Zhushi, and Bitesi, these are the ranks within a department.

In real history, the Qing Dynasty established the Ministry of Education in 1905, which was in charge of school affairs across the country and its rank was on par with the Six Ministries.

There is one Minister of the Ministry of Education and two Vice Ministers on the left and right who are responsible for managing the work of the Ministry of Education.

Under the faculty, there are 5 departments and 12 departments.

The so-called Minister of Education is probably the head of the Reform Department under the Ministry of Education.

Analogous to other departments, it should be at the doctor level.

As a deputy position, the Deputy Minister of Education is naturally at the level of Yuanwailang.

The heads of each department are at the principal level.

Now, as long as Li Qiwei returns to China, he can be promoted directly from a commoner to a fifth-rank Yuanwailang.

In Zhang Deyi's view, this was simply a step to heaven.

As for Li Qiwei's own identity as a British knight, it was naturally ignored by them.

The rulers of the Qing Dynasty all had an ostrich mentality.

Although you, Li Qiwei, are a British knight, we dare not touch you openly, but we will never recognize you.

Li Qiwei smiled. He didn't care about the size of the official position anyway.

He is now looking forward to life after returning home.

When the time comes, let’s see how he, with his small position as Deputy Minister of Education, can stir up the situation in the Qing Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)