Training the Heavens

Chapter 395 Study Conversation
"Mr. Zhang, it's been thirty years since we last met. I still owe you a large sum of money, but unfortunately I can't pay it back right now. Can you give me some time and pay it back later?"

"Come to think of it, I also owed Mr. Zhang money. When I was in France, a friend who worked and studied with me fell ill and had no money for treatment. So I quickly went to the Chinese Student Center near the Sorbonne University, and they gave me the money without even saying a word!"

"This money was originally intended to help young students. As long as they can learn something, I will be satisfied. There is no need to mention paying back the money, right?" Zhang Xingjiu accompanied them into the yard.

"You don't have to return his money, but you can't return mine. I borrowed it from you, Mr. Zhang, in my personal name, so I have to return it. I will definitely find a way to pay it back." Zhang Xingjiu didn't care much, but he always kept it in mind.

First, we went to the living room and met Zhang Xingjiu's family. They praised the brothers Zhang Guosheng and Zhang Guowei. "Guosheng won the Nobel Prize and is already a world-renowned scientist. Guowei helped us a lot in Hong Kong back then and has been providing us with assistance through various channels since then. This time, so many democratic figures, patriotic overseas Chinese, and cultural celebrities can come to Beijing for a meeting, which is also inseparable from Guowei's help."

"You've omitted one thing. Over the years, the United Bank's business in Hong Kong has been growing stronger and stronger, and Guowei has made great contributions. From the initial site selection and opening to the subsequent operations, Guowei has been helping us from beginning to end."

"These are what I should do. My father taught us since childhood to work hard for the rise of China. I am just doing a small part now." Even a carefree person like Zhang Guowei became serious when he saw them. There was no way, their aura was too strong.

After chatting for a while, feeling that they had important matters to discuss, Zhang Xingjiu invited them to the study. Apart from him, only Zhang Guoqiang was there to accompany them.

As soon as they sat down, the man asked, "Mr. Zhang, you've experienced the changes of the times from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China and then to the present day. You must have many ideas about how to build a brand new country. We are here to seek your advice today. I hope you can give us some advice."

These words brought Zhang Xingjiu back to distant memories. "Mr. Yixian said something similar to me back then. Unfortunately, most of his ideas were never realized. Fortunately, you have inherited his legacy and finally put China on the right path."

They also recalled their past with Mr. Yixian, and for a moment they were quite emotional. "Mr. Yixian overthrew the feudal system that had lasted for thousands of years in China. He made great contributions to the Chinese nation. It's a pity that he passed away too early."

After reviewing Mr. Yixian's contributions, they brought up the matter of suggestions. This time, Zhang Xingjiu didn't refuse. "I've been on university campuses my entire life, either teaching or doing research. My understanding of China is far less profound than yours. What I'm about to say may have some omissions. I hope you won't mind. I hope my words can serve as a catalyst for discussion and help you find a more correct path."

"Based on my experience, I'm naturally most concerned about issues in education and scientific research. The Republic of China has lasted for more than 30 years since its founding, and the achievements in education are still unsatisfactory!"

"Those who can afford to go to school are still the children of wealthy families. It is extremely difficult for poor families to send their children to school. The talent cultivated over the years is far from meeting the needs of building the country."

"So I hope to increase investment in education and lower the threshold for poor families to send their children to school, so that we can cultivate more talents to build our new country."

There was another point Zhang Xingjiu hesitated to address directly: if only the children of the wealthy were eligible for education, what would become of the country when these children grew up? The abolition of the college entrance examination and its replacement with recommendation-based admissions were closely related to this phenomenon. "Yes, that's a fair point. Times have changed. Even farming requires scientific research. Without a good education system, how can ordinary people enjoy the benefits of scientific progress?" They all agreed.

"So, Mr. Zhang, how do you think we should plan the key development directions of science and technology? We certainly want to catch up with developed countries in Europe and America in all aspects, but as you know, our foundation is too weak. We really can't afford to do a large-scale flood irrigation. Right now, we only have a handful of seeds. It's simply unrealistic to spread them across more than ten acres of land. We can only select the most important ones."

"You are a leading figure in the global scientific community. Your understanding of the laws governing scientific development is undoubtedly deeper than ours, so we would like to hear your suggestions."

"That's true. With the development of science, it's no longer possible for one or two geniuses to drive national technological advancement. Significant investment is required to reap rewards. With our country's current strength, we can only follow the footsteps of developed countries for now. We must first lay a solid foundation, then find the right opportunity to overtake others and ultimately achieve global leadership in science and technology."

"So I think that for a long time to come, we should focus on application. Theoretical research is necessary but not too extensive. Only a few top universities should be allowed to conduct this research. The majority of universities should still focus on applied teaching and research. When the country becomes more affluent in the future, we can increase investment in theoretical research."

"As for application, we should also prioritize agricultural and military technology. Our country has a large population, and we must first address the issue of food security before we can spare the energy for other things. Agricultural development involves water conservancy, meteorology, seed breeding, pesticides, fertilizers, chemicals, machinery, logistics, food processing, and other fields that must all be given priority."

"Yes, everyone needs to eat, and this issue should indeed be put first." Several people nodded repeatedly.

"Then there's the military. If we want to develop our country with peace of mind, we must have an army that can deter our enemies. Technology is an important part of military strength, so we must have our own strategic deterrent weapons."

"Oh? Mr. Zhang, are you talking about the atomic bomb?"

"Not only that, the atomic bomb is only a nuclear fission weapon, and the Americans have already begun researching nuclear fusion weapons. Although the atomic bomb is extremely powerful, it usually only reaches tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of tons of TNT equivalent. The power of nuclear fusion weapons is much greater, reaching millions or tens of millions of tons of TNT equivalent, and even hundreds of millions of tons is not impossible."

Zhang Xingjiu thought of the Russians' Tsar Bomb. Probably only they could make such a heaven-defying weapon.

"Can we build it?"

(End of this chapter)