North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 132 What did you do to her?
Victoria took the small note, about two fingers wide: "The sandgrouse flew to the valley in ten days to peck at insects...!"

"It seems their target really is our model village?"

Faced with Victoria's question, Azu nodded slightly: "I can only say that Model Village is more likely! After all, our Model Village, located in the Central Valley, is only a few dozen miles away from the mining base of Elephant Mountain."

"They could very well change their target and attack Giant Elephant Mountain!"

Azu pondered for a moment and said, "Feng Zicai, Shi Dakai, and Zuo Zongtang have been here for several days now, haven't they? Has any news come from them?"

“Whether it’s Giant Elephant Mountain or Model Village, news comes back every day!”

Victoria replied, "If we don't hear back anytime soon, it probably means something bad has happened!"

"The latest news that came yesterday is that they are all prepared and are working overtime to strengthen their defenses, while also training diligently."

"The enemy is pushing forward with more than 3,000 regular troops, fully equipped with infantry, cavalry and artillery!" Azu said, "Giant Elephant Mountain is alright, it has the advantage of terrain, and what we need to defend is just a mining base. The original 300 miners, plus Feng Zicai's battalion, more than 700 people, should not be a big problem."

"However, the model village is built on a flat central valley, with virtually no natural defenses. Moreover, the area that needs to be defended is simply too large!"

Victoria replied, "We have eight thousand militiamen from eight villages, plus a core militia battalion of over four hundred men. Eight thousand men against three thousand men...!"

"No, no, no!" Azu shook his head: "That can't be calculated like that!"

"Most of the 8,000 militiamen are rookies who have only started training in the last month or two!"

"Even if those three villages had three thousand people, none of them had ever been on the battlefield or seen blood, so their fighting strength was questionable!"

Victoria asked, "So, does the BOSS mean we need to send more troops?"

"Increasing troop numbers is necessary! But how to increase troop numbers is a complex issue... It can't be done too early, nor too late!"

Azu continued, "Mobilize the Second Militia Regiment and have them make all the necessary preparations! Also, prepare our armed fleet to set sail at any time!"

Feng Zicai took away the core battalion of the Third Militia Regiment, Shi Dakai and Zuo Zongtang, and the core battalion of the Fourth Militia Regiment.

The remaining First and Second Regiments are the two regiments that have been established the longest and have the strongest combat power.

The First Regiment was mainly composed of White militiamen, along with the non-professional militiamen from the Third and Fourth Regiments. Azu left them behind and had Edgar Allan Poe, Vic, old Jason, and Harley lead them to defend the base and prevent it from being raided.

“And…!” Victoria asked, “That girl Youma is still in Model Village, should we bring her back?”

Azu thought for a moment and said, "Arrange for a supply ship to pick her up. Whether she comes back or not is her own choice."

"You're such a heartless person!"

Azu said with a hint of guilt, "It's not that I'm heartless! It's just that Youma's responsibilities will become heavier and heavier in the future. Millions of Native Americans on this continent may all depend on her for communication. It's good for her to gain some experience."

"I believe that Mr. Zuo and Shi Dakai will protect her!"

Huamei Industry mobilized very efficiently; the second regiment of over 1,500 people was fully prepared on the same day.

Its ever-growing armed fleet is also ready to set sail at any time.

However, Azu did not rush to send the Second Regiment and the armed fleet, which were fully prepared, off. That night, he even had the leisure to inspect the night school.

At the beginning of recruiting Chinese laborers, Ah Zu set up a night school in the base camp.

Whether in the workshop, factory, warehouse or dormitory, the evening school starts at 7 p.m.

All Chinese laborers had to attend night school, and they could only graduate from night school if they mastered more than 1,500 characters and could read and write them.

Only by obtaining a diploma from night school can one be promoted within Huamei Company and take on more important, higher-paying positions.

Besides learning Chinese, learning English is equally important.

As long as you get your night school diploma, even if you don't get a promotion, your base salary will immediately increase by five dollars.

If you also learn some English and can communicate and read and write normally, your basic salary can increase by another five dollars.

Therefore, the students at the South China University of Technology were very enthusiastic about attending night school!
Especially male workers!
Since the night school was established, about two thousand students from South China University of Technology have obtained their night school diplomas and successfully completed their literacy campaigns.

Of these two thousand people, at least half have mastered basic English and can handle daily communication and reading/writing with foreigners without any problems.

Among the more than 1,000 Chinese laborers who were proficient in English, there were more than 300 intelligent and talented young people. Azu also sent them to Huamei High School, where they could study full-time.

Ah Zu personally served as the principal of Hua Mei High School. Here, more than 300 carefully selected talented young people not only furthered their studies in Chinese and English, but also studied natural subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and geography.

Apart from Chinese, all the teachers at Hua Mei High School are professional teachers hired by Aju at high salaries. These teachers all have at least a university degree in their respective fields.

As for Chinese language instruction, when time allowed, Ah Zu personally taught them, along with Wu Qingfeng, Zuo Zongtang, and others, who were all part-time teachers.

After these 300-plus young students graduate from Huamei High School, Azu plans to select some of them and recommend them to top universities in the United States for further study.

These people are the backbone and essence of Huamei's future!

There are still seven or eight thousand Chinese laborers studying in night schools. Anyone who isn't stupid can see the value of a night school diploma.

Perhaps in a few more months, after these seven or eight thousand Chinese laborers graduate from night school, a large number of talented individuals will emerge from among them.

Compared to the remarkable success of training male workers, the results of night schools for female workers were rather lackluster!
Firstly, the proportion of female Chinese laborers was already very low; among the more than 10,000 Chinese laborers under Azu's command, there were only a little over 1,000 female laborers.

Secondly, Chinese women of this era were severely bound and poisoned by feudal ethics.

The idea that "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent" is not only held by men, but also by the vast majority of women.

The female workers were not enthusiastic about attending night school, and their families, who had come across the sea with them, also had considerable resistance to the idea of ​​women attending night school.

If it weren't for the fact that the graduation certificate was worth five dollars a month, the night school for female factory workers might never have been established.

That evening, Azu, along with Vivian, Daisy, Victoria, and Monica, personally inspected the women's night school.

"At birth, people are inherently good; their natures are similar, but their habits differ greatly..."

Confucius said, “To learn something and then practice it regularly, is that not a pleasure?”

"The pheasants cry 'guan guan' on the river islet; a fair maiden is the object of a gentleman's affections…!"

……

In a large, empty warehouse, the lights were on, and hundreds of female workers were attending classes. They were divided into several classes according to their learning progress, and were reciting classics with their teachers, swaying their heads.

Many female workers were also secretly dozing off with their heads down!
Even the female factory workers who tried to read aloud did so listlessly and perfunctorily!

Some female workers even secretly took out their needlework and, while sewing shoe soles, would chant scriptures aloud...!
Azu stood outside the window, looking at the female workers inside and Fu Shanxiang leading the reading on the platform, and his brows furrowed tightly.

"What? Grandfather, could it be that Teacher Fu didn't teach correctly?"

Seeing that Azu had a long face and a frown, Vivian couldn't help but ask.

Ah Zu shook his head slightly: "Of course I didn't teach it correctly... Alas, it was my oversight!"

What was overlooked?

“I thought that a talented woman like Fu Shanxiang would surely have an extraordinary way to help these female workers become literate as soon as possible.”

Ah Zu sighed softly, "It was my oversight. Even someone like Fu Shanxiang was, after all, educated in that kind of feudal environment."

"Even if it were her, all she could do was make these female workers walk the same path she did!"

"However, most of these female workers are just ordinary people, and their attitude towards learning is not very proactive. How many of them can be as talented as her?"

Having seen this clearly, Azu didn't linger. He simply said to Vivian, "Have Mr. Fu come to see me after class."

"Yes, Grandfather!"

Back in the study at headquarters, Ah Zu didn't have to wait long before he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

Fu Shanxiang, who had changed into her daughter's clothes, walked into the study wearing a lotus-colored silk cheongsam produced by Huamei Industry and mid-heeled shoes.

This lotus-colored cheongsam, modified and tailored by Azu, perfectly accentuates Fu Shanxiang's beautiful figure!
At eighteen, Fu Shanxiang was at the most beautiful age of her life, with her curves in all the right places and her figure perfectly proportioned!

Under Azu's piercing gaze, Fu Shanxiang blushed slightly and almost instinctively reached out to cover her most important body parts.

"Boss...you were looking for me?"

“Miss Fu, please sit down!” Azu gestured for Fu Shanxiang to sit down, and then poured her a glass of Macallan whiskey.

Fu Shanxiang quickly declined, "Boss, I... I don't drink!"

Azu still handed her the wine glass: "Whether you drink it or not is not important. This is a foreigner's etiquette, just like a cup of hot tea that we Chinese use to entertain guests!"

"So that's how it is!" Fu Shanxiang then took the wine glass. "I understand now!"

Ah Zu took a sip of Macallan whiskey before asking, "Miss Fu, how's your night school for factory workers going?"

Fu Shanxiang thought for a moment, then said without mincing words, "Boss, if I may be frank, most of these female workers come from poor backgrounds and don't have much enthusiasm for studying! Most of them just want to get a night school diploma and a five-dollar raise!"

"Because they had almost no motivation, the night school for female workers was far from achieving the expected results!"

Azu nodded: "I saw it all! Miss Fu was lecturing up there, while the female workers below were either being perfunctory, secretly dozing off, or secretly doing needlework. The learning effect was very poor."

"Alas...!" Fu Shanxiang sighed softly, "I may have to disappoint the boss's trust!"

"Hehe!" Azu laughed, "What? You're already giving up after encountering such a small difficulty?"

"It's not that we're giving up, it's just... it's just that if we don't address their lack of enthusiasm for learning, it will be really difficult for them to achieve anything."

Ah Zu chimed in, "The issue of enthusiasm for learning is easy to solve!"

“Every day, all female workers are checked on the spot during the lessons. They must pass the test by reciting and writing from memory.”

"Any female worker who can pass the test in class will be rewarded with a meat pie! Those who fail will stay after class to study until they pass!"

Upon hearing Azu's suggestion, Fu Shanxiang was stunned: "An on-the-spot examination, a meat pie as a reward for passing, detention for failing...? This...!"

"What? Is there a problem?" Azu asked with a smile.

A wry smile appeared on Fu Shanxiang's pretty face: "No problem! Boss, your method is really... really too honest."

"Besides on-site inspections, there will be weekly and monthly quizzes and major tests! Those who pass the tests will be rewarded with meat and fish; those who fail, you'll be responsible for reporting their names, and I'll be responsible for deducting their wages!"

"Hehe...!" Fu Shanxiang couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, "Boss, you...you're really too ruthless!"

Ah Zu smiled and shook his head: "It's not that I'm ruthless, but I want to find ways to encourage them to succeed as soon as possible!"

“Boss…!” Upon hearing this, Fu Shanxiang’s beautiful eyes sparkled with excitement. “Boss, you’ve really gone to great lengths for them!”

"It has to be taken seriously!" Azu sighed. "I hope that all the Chinese people who come to the other side of the ocean can live a good life as soon as possible! Since they are my employees, I have to be responsible for each and every one of them!"

Fu Shanxiang stood up and bowed deeply to Azu: "On behalf of all the women, I thank the boss for his painstaking efforts!"

Azu reached out and helped her up, then said, "Now that we've solved the problem of her motivation to learn, there's an even bigger problem."

"what is the problem?"

"Miss Fu, the problem is... you!"

"Me...?" Fu Shanxiang exclaimed in surprise, "Boss, do you perhaps think that Shanxiang isn't dedicated enough to teaching? Not attentive enough?"

"No, no, no!" Azu shook his head and said, "It's not that Miss Fu isn't attentive or careful enough! It's the teaching methods and content that are the problem!"

“Teaching methods and content…?” Fu Shanxiang stared at Azu with bright eyes, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Miss Fu, the methods of educating and nurturing people that existed in the Qing Dynasty won't work here!"

Azu said, "In the Qing Dynasty, teaching and educating people and studying the teachings of Confucius and Mencius were mostly for the purpose of passing the imperial examinations."

"They're on this side of the ocean, and they can't pass the imperial examinations, so why bother teaching them all that stuff?"

“This…!” Fu Shanxiang had never thought of this before. Suddenly awakened by Azu, he felt a sense of bewilderment.

"If we don't teach the Qing Dynasty's ways, then what should we teach?"

Azu took out three books from under his desk and placed them in front of Fu Shanxiang.

“Miss Fu, this is a set of Chinese teaching materials that I compiled in my spare time.”

"This set of teaching materials consists of three parts: the first book is for enlightenment, the second for understanding principles, and the third for knowing the world!"

"Enlightenment, understanding, knowledge of the world...!" Fu Shanxiang took the three books and eagerly began to read them.

The three books compiled by Azu are basically compilations of excerpts from the textbooks for grades one through six in later elementary schools.

Among them are some contents from junior high school and even high school Chinese textbooks.

After all, he mainly needs to educate adults, and if it's all elementary school content, it's clearly not enough.

After studying these three books, you will not only master at least 1,500 characters, but you will also learn the moral ethics to adapt to this era and this new world, as well as the basic worldview to open your eyes to the world.

With Fu Shanxiang's abilities, she could read ten lines at a glance and had a photographic memory, so she quickly read through all three books.

"call……!"

After reading it, Fu Shanxiang felt that her worldview had been subjected to an unprecedented and enormous shock!
"Boss, is this...this world really as described in the books?"

"Our world is called Earth. Is Earth round? Earth revolves around the sun, so there are four seasons and day and night? The moon revolves around the Earth, so there are waxing and waning moons and tides?"

"Philosophy, logic, science... is this the truth of the world?"

“Yes!” Azu nodded emphatically: “That’s right, this is the truth of the world!”

“Miss Fu, you’ve only been on the other side for half a month. If you stay here longer, you will gradually overturn your original worldview!”

Azu continued, "Miss Fu, you not only need to understand and adapt to this completely new world, but also to pass on this concept to your students."

"We can't keep clinging to Confucianism and Mencius' teachings!" Azu added, "Confucianism and Mencius' teachings certainly have many merits! But we must discard the dross and retain the essence, after all, they are the roots of us Chinese!"

"Miss Fu, perhaps these three books are enough for you to teach to the female workers!"

Ah Zu then pulled out a large stack of books from under the table and said, "But Miss Fu, you yourself still need to delve deeper into the truth of this world!"

Azu patted a thick stack of books on the table and said, "These books contain philosophy, physics, chemistry, geography, biology, English, French, Spanish, and more. The essence of Western learning is almost entirely contained in these books!"

These books were mostly written by Xu Kaiping, who was assigned to work at the newspaper and specializes in translating Western books.

"Ms. Fu, if you want to cultivate talents who can adapt to this new era, then you yourself must adapt to this new era!"

"With Miss Fu's exceptional intelligence, I think there's no need to send you to an American university for further studies. You should be able to grasp the essence of these books even through self-study."

Ah Zu pushed the thick stack of books in front of Fu Shanxiang: "Perhaps soon, Miss Fu will be completely transformed, inside and out!"

"At that time, I should and will have to address you respectfully as Mr. Fu!"

"I dare not accept the title of 'sir'!" Fu Shanxiang stood up again and bowed deeply to Azu: "Boss, Shanxiang will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Watching Fu Shanxiang leave with a heavy stack of books, Azu suddenly felt a pang of self-reproach.

"Was I putting too much pressure on this girl?"

"After all, she's only eighteen! In her previous life, she would have just graduated from high school and would still be nestled in her parents' arms!"

Ah Zu thought for a moment and said, "There's nothing I can do! I have too few people I can use! Especially someone like Fu Shanxiang, it seems like she's the only one!"

Even with Zuo Zongtang, Feng Zicai, Shi Dakai, and Zou Boqi, Azu did not push them this hard.

Although I have given them many books so that they can study on their own and learn from each other, this is the first time I have put pressure on them in such a serious and earnest way!
At that moment, Vivian walked in.

"Grandpa, what did you do to Miss Fu?"

Ah Zu said speechlessly, "Nothing happened! I absolutely didn't do anything!"

"Didn't do anything?"

Vivian asked suspiciously, "If you didn't do anything to her, then why did I see her carrying a huge stack of books, walking and crying?"

"Uh……!"

(End of this chapter)