1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 166: Different Ways, Don’t Conspire with Each Other
After Li Bokai led Li Qiwei to Yuan Shikai's office, he left according to military regulations.

Without the order from his superiors, he, a captain, could not enter the Marshal's tent at will.

Li Qiwei didn't care about that and walked in with a swagger.

The guard at the door knew his identity through Li Bokai and did not stop him.

Li Qiwei looked at the central military tent curiously. Unlike what he had imagined, it looked extremely simple and crude.

He doesn't have the air of a dignified Governor-General of Zhili at all.

It is said that when Yuan Shikai was training troops in Xiaozhan, he often ate and lived with the soldiers in order to win their love.

It seems that the other party has kept this habit.

Li Qiwei had no objection to this. He believed that it was acceptable to stay close to the soldiers or to keep a distance from them.

As long as you can win the battle.

At this time, a middle-aged man wearing the new army uniform walked out from behind the screen. He was short and honest, but had an extremely strong aura.

Li Qiwei knew at a glance that this was Yuan Shikai.

"Haha, you must be Li Qiwei, you are indeed a great man of the Han ethnicity."

Li Qiwei said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Junior greets Master Yuan."

Yuan Shikai walked up to him, looked at him carefully, then took his hand and said with a smile: "I once met your father."

"Bo Kai is your elder brother. You don't have to be restrained when you come to my place. Come and sit down."

At Yuan Shikai's invitation, Li Qiwei sat at the lower left.

I thought to myself, no wonder my eldest brother was able to be promoted so quickly, it turns out my father was a factor.

It seems that even after his death, Li Hongzhang's influence still remains.

Of course, it may also be that Yuan Shikai felt that the Li family was his own family and he could use them with confidence.

"Qiwei, do you know why I came to you today?"

"I don't know, please give me some advice, sir."

Yuan Shikai stroked his short beard and said with a smile: "At the imperial court meeting a month ago, your outline for education reform was a sensation."

"Not only were the Queen Mother and the Emperor satisfied, but even the officials praised it highly."

"You really deserve the title of Grand Master of Western Learning."

Li Qiwei was helpless as he was given another high hat: the grand master of Western learning, what a great title.

"Your Excellency is too kind. Qiwei has been wandering overseas for six years and has not learned much. I am afraid that the suggestions I make will be laughed at."

Yuan Shikai smiled and said, "Qiwei, don't be modest. I still recognize your strength."

"However, with your talent, it's a bit unfair for you to be just a deputy minister in charge of education."

Li Qiwei said quickly: "I am just a commoner. I am flattered to be appreciated by His Majesty. I dare not ask for more."

Yuan Shikai did not say anything, but looked at Li Qiwei again and exclaimed in admiration.

"I thought you were a proud and arrogant person before, Qiwei, but I didn't expect you to be so slippery."

Li Qiwei complained, it was all because of you guys that I was forced to do this.

"I'm short on time, so I won't exchange pleasantries with you."

"I asked you to come here today because I want you to be my chief consultant on Western studies. Are you willing?"

Li Qiwei was shocked. He didn't expect Yuan Shikai to value him so much.

Although this so-called consultant position is a nominal one, being able to directly serve a provincial governor is an opportunity that many people dream of but cannot obtain.

However, Li Qiwei is obviously not among them. He has no interest in Lao Yuan at all.

Moreover, Lao Yuan's tone was firm and direct, and he seemed determined to win. He believed that Li Qiwei had no reason to refuse.

"Thank you for your kindness, sir. I am a junior with limited knowledge and am afraid that I cannot handle this important task."

"I would still prefer to do some minor work in the field of education."

"Hmm?" Yuan Shikai suddenly frowned slightly and his face became serious.

If his subordinates saw this, they would definitely be scared to death.

However, Li Qiwei was fearless and looked directly at Yuan Shikai after he finished speaking.

For things like this, you should either agree directly or firmly refuse. Don't be ambiguous and ask for both.

Li Qiwei was not afraid of offending Yuan Shikai. He and Yuan Shikai had no overlap in their official duties, so there was no need for him to flatter the other.

Moreover, he would definitely not serve as an aide to anyone, not even Emperor Guangxu.

However, in Yuan Shikai's view, his behavior was a bit arrogant.

Who is Yuan Shikai?

The Governor-General of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang had an elite division under his command, the Wuwei Right Army.

It can be said that in the entire Qing Dynasty, few people dared to offend him like this. Even if Li Qiwei was a so-called Cambridge doctor, a Nobel Prize winner in physics, or a British knight, he was not good enough in front of Yuan Shikai.

So he couldn't understand why Li Qiwei rejected him so straightforwardly.

"It seems Qiwi has a lot of personality. I like it very much."

"All of you who have returned from studying abroad in the West have great ambitions in your hearts."

"I guess you don't think highly of my little piece of land."

Although there was no displeasure on Yuan Shikai's face, Li Qiwei could immediately hear the strangeness in his tone.

"I dare not think so. I know I am incapable and I am afraid of disappointing your trust."

"What I learned in the UK is all knowledge of the natural world, which is only suitable for teaching and educating people, not for marching and fighting."

Translated it means people with different ideals cannot work together.

Li Qiwei was unwilling to be a subordinate to a big shot.

Yuan Shikai was a little bored. He lowered his head to deal with government affairs and ignored Li Qiwei.

In his mind, this was just a trivial matter. He didn't expect that a young man would dare to reject him.

In this era, the status of scholars is always inferior to that of warriors.

No matter how much knowledge you have, you can be knocked down by just one bullet.

Yuan Shikai wanted to recruit Li Qiwei only on a whim.

Wouldn't it be convenient to expand your own staff team in case you need them someday?

Even if the other party disagrees, it will have no effect on him.

Therefore, he didn't even have the mind to be polite.

He is no longer the Yuan Shikai who shared the hardships with the soldiers during the military training at Xiaozhan.

Instead, he was a great general who commanded tens of thousands of troops and was feared by all the people.

Even the imperial court did not dare to use force against him.

So, Yuan Shikai changed. What he needed now was not to respect the wise and humble, but to establish his authority.

Li Qiwei will not indulge him. If his plan goes well, maybe Old Yuan will come to lick him in the future.

So he said goodbye, and quietly left the tent.

When he met Li Bokai again, he couldn't wait to ask, "Third brother, what did the Marshal say to you?"

Li Qiwei mourned for his elder brother for three seconds: I'm afraid he can only be a captain forever and forget about promotion.

But Yuan Shikai shouldn't be that petty, right?

He couldn't bear to hit Li Bokai, so he said, "Nothing, just asking me about my recent situation and encouraging me to reform the education of the Qing Dynasty."

Li Bokai patted Li Qiwei's shoulder heavily and said with a smile: "Then you have to work hard, third brother."

"One of us is a scholar and the other is a warrior. Let's do our best for China in the future!"

"Okay!" Two pairs of big hands clasped together.

In the evening, in the Dongxing Building of the Eighth Building, Li Qiwei and Li Bokai drank to their heart's content, with Li San accompanying them.

I don’t know if it’s because of the time travel, but Li Qiwei can drink an unusually high amount of alcohol.

Even with a military master like Li Bokai, he could fight without being defeated, and there were bottles of good wine on the ground.

Soon, the three of them felt dizzy from working.

Li Qiwei asked his elder brother to learn how to lead troops in the army, which might be of great use in the future.

Although Li Bokai was a little drunk, he still took his brother's words to heart.

"Don't worry, Third Brother. No matter what you want to do in the future, I will always support you."

"The three of us brothers must work together to create a better future."

He was not a fool, so he naturally knew that his younger brother was no ordinary person and was bound to achieve great success.

Maybe there will be a chance for the two brothers to join forces in the future.

Finally, Li San sent the two of them to their accommodation in the capital.

Li Bokai took a short vacation tonight and can go to the military camp tomorrow.

The next morning, before Li Qiwei woke up, Li Bokai had already left.

Li Qiwei also gathered his spirits and prepared to deal with the various things that were to come.

Soon, a few days later, an official from the inner court came to him and told him to pack his luggage on the 15th and be escorted by guards to the palace to meet the emperor.

Emperor Guangxu would summon him alone in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Li Qiwei was also a little excited. He was about to meet the most enviable existence in the thousands of years of feudal era, the emperor.

Although this emperor was in a miserable state.
(End of this chapter)