The Count of Savoy was a hereditary count, not a technocratic bureaucrat. He can only listen to the judgment of professionals on the topics of this exam.

"What is the difficulty of this exam?"

"There are at least three questions, which are academician-level. The rest is all about gunnery, navigation, navigation, trade, etc. ”

The Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg has only been open for four years, but the group of academicians can be described as a group of heroes, except for such up-and-coming juniors as Euler and Goldbach, who have not yet become famous in the world, the rest have been famous for a long time.

The Count of Savoy was greatly astonished by the men sent by the Academy of Sciences to make such an assessment.

I asked about the various questions carefully, and after considering them, I laughed.

"Can the Chinese warships fly to Siberia?"

The representative of the Academy of Sciences shook his head, thinking to himself that no warship, no matter what kind of warship, could not have sailed to Siberia.

"If Russia had Canton, would it choose to open up Siberia?"

The representative of the Academy of Sciences still shook his head, thinking to himself that Peter the Great had fought for twenty years for access to the sea, and if Russia had Guangdong, of course it would not have the heart to open up Siberia.

The Count of Savoy did not know much about the technical stuff, but he was clear about the diplomatic situation.

After asking about the exam questions again, he had already made a rough judgment.

Thirty years ago, the Russian navy was still a small sampan and a man-powered oar, but now, the Russian navy has a three-deck Inglemann land, and has a force that can try to compete with the Swedish and Turkish navies.

Constrained by ports, talent, and money, it is far from being comparable to Britain, France, and the Netherlands, but it has also risen to become a navy that can control regional waters.

The reform of Russia had many problems, the rights of the nobility, the constraints of the Privy Council, and the struggle for the Tsar's throne...... All this, Dashun does not exist.

Sava was convinced that even a duke, in front of the Chinese emperor, was only a courtier, and had no power to resist.

The seizure of power by the Privy Council, as it is now in Russia, is almost impossible here.

He didn't know that every family had a scripture that was difficult to read.

There was resistance to change in Russia, in the great aristocracy, in the Privy Council.

And Dashun actually had a heavier resistance to change than in Russia.

It's just that Sava will not understand and it is difficult to imagine.

At least for a few months, he could not know that Dashun faced a much more difficult problem than Russia.

What he could see was only the imperial examination bureaucracy for selecting talents, just the aristocrats like the duke bowing down in front of the emperor, just the rich people and the overwhelming goods, just the long outlet to the sea, just the monopoly of porcelain, tea and silk and the wealth of tens of millions of dollars a year......

Therefore, in his opinion, it seems that Dashun wants to change, and only needs to think of a figure like Peter the Great.

Give it a gentle push.

For the rest, nothing is missing.

This exam highlights Dashun's attitude of change.

The questions in these exams, even if not the average of the Dashun officers, are enough to prove that the emperor of China seems to be a man of change.

There are money, there are people, there are hearts, there are no powerful nobles, there are no religious conflicts...... Sava was convinced that it seemed that the Great Shun's transformation was much simpler than that of Peter the Great. If Peter had been able to earn 10 million a year at the time of his reform, I am afraid that now that Russia has come to Berlin, the whole of Europe will tremble. And 10 million years of income, in Savawa's view, it seems that the Chinese only need to sell porcelain and silk tea, and they can easily get it.

Tea, rhubarb, silk, furs, etc., in Russia, are all officially franchised. It was easy for him to think about how much money Dashun could earn a year if he made these things an official franchise.

Looking at the excitement from the layman's point of view, it is impossible for Sava to know how much resistance there is to change within Dashun, let alone know that the annual income of 30 million a year is too small compared to the huge empire, and it is impossible to know that Dashun does not have real power aristocrats, but there is a group of privileged forces that are almost the same as the real power aristocrats and control the entire grassroots.

So the Count of Savoy was first afraid, and then fearful began to rejoice.

Judging from these topics, the Chinese are preparing to build a navy, otherwise it would not be possible to have four of the ten topics on naval navigation, mapping and trade.

After more than a year of negotiations and contacts, he gradually learned the "implicitness" of Chinese characteristics, and vaguely felt that this seemed to be another signal from the Chinese emperor to him: China's future strategic direction is the sea, and a place like Siberia can maintain peace.

Perhaps, this is an ally that can keep peace for the time being.

Once Dashun goes to sea, he will inevitably face the forces of Britain, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal. And Russia, not to mention Southeast Asia, it will take some time to even get out of the Baltic Sea, so naturally there will be no conflict with Dashun on the issue of the South Seas.

Sava is happy to see the disputes between China and Western European countries in Southeast Asia, at least for the time being, which is advantageous.

…………

On the second day, the answers to the exam were sent out.

The emperor also hosted a banquet for the Rakshasas who participated in the examination, and went to the banquet together with the ministers.

As soon as the banquet began, Count Sava and the Rakshasa students who had taken the exam stood up to pay homage to the emperor.

This has nothing to do with knowledge, but only because Count Savie believed that Russia's foreign policy would have to be more considerate of China in the future, and that he "tactfully and implicitly" expressed his diplomatic goodwill towards the sea rather than the bitter cold of Siberia.

After chattering and talking, they all bowed.

Liu Yu translated: "Your Majesty's learning and love for science, from Ireland to Japan, there is no monarch who can compare with His Majesty's learning. May Your Majesty's country be forever. ”

The translated taste of the words of the dedication is not so important.

Liu Yu translated loudly, and when the ministers of the court heard this, they all knelt down together to congratulate: "Your Majesty's name is spread far and wide. Long live my emperor, the country will be forever! ”

A group of people knelt there, and Liu Yu and the guards beside the emperor were standing.

Li Gan listened to these sycophants, and he was really very useful.

It's just a matter of the courtiers to shoot two sentences, and these Rakshasa people can actually shoot such words, then the feeling is very different, and there is really a sense of fame spread far and wide.

For Liu Yu, who really came up with the question, Li Gan also remembered one more point in his heart. He has naturally read those questions, has a certain foundation in geometry and algebra, and there are a few questions that he can do, but there are a few questions that he really can't.

He trusted Liu Yu, so he didn't show the questions to the missionaries before the assessment. But as soon as the exam was over, he found Bai Jin and others, even if Bai Jin could only solve a few of these questions, and he couldn't do the rest.

At this time, listening to a burst of sycophant praise, Li Gan's heart was secretly refreshed, but he had a pinched attitude on his lips, and said lightly: "You and others are all Rakshasa Junjie, you should read more books and study in the future to solve these problems." I won't solve the first question, it's just a conjecture. You can bring that conjecture back to the West, and if you can solve it, you will be rewarded. ”

After finishing speaking, the Rakshasa people said to the courtiers who were kneeling on the ground and shouting long live: "In the past, Taizong emphasized practical learning, and the six arts of the gentleman had a few subjects. I should study more in the future. ”

"Let's be flat."

After hearing this, the courtiers thought to themselves what Your Majesty meant...... I'm afraid that it needs to be banned, but this Western practice should not be cut off, so in the future, it will be the good family of the six counties in Wude Palace......

After the courtiers were calm, Li Gan rewarded some purses to the Rakshasa students who answered two or three questions as encouragement.

Then there was a banquet and a drink, and everyone smiled, Li Gan thought to himself that this Liu Yu was quite capable of making some tricks.

At first, it was just because Liu Yu said all day long that Dashun's military system was backward, and the big parade exposed himself and was self-defeating.

Li Gan was thinking about how to show his strength in front of outsiders, and Liu Yu offered such a strategy.

It is a refreshing feeling that he is now being praised as "the most learned monarch from Ireland to Japan".

When you become an emperor, you can pretend to be a beep, the key is to have the opportunity to pretend, and you have to pretend to be stylish. There are many sycophants who listen to it every day, and the threshold is getting higher and higher, and it is often not refreshing to the depths of the soul.

That day, the siege on the banks of the Ergun River in northern Xinjiang was quite successful, and now it is comfortable again, and my heart is really happy.

He had learned some outside geography from those missionaries, and knew that Ireland was the Hipernia in the "Kunyu Wanguo Quantu" of the previous dynasty, but Byzantium had fallen for three hundred years, and there was no more Nia or Nia in Roman times except for the group of missionaries who still used Latin.

Liu Yu already had a unified translation of the names in that brief examination of the Western countries, and the names of the various Roman countries were replaced by simpler names.

Although these Rakshasas even counted the king of Japan in the comparison when they compared him, it was unseemly and a fly in the ointment, but thinking that this group of people couldn't tell too much, this fly in the ointment was still acceptable.

I also heard Liu Yu say that in the countries of Europa now, all those who aspire to become Ming monarchs have an academy of sciences, which seems to have become the standard, and it is said that even some dukedoms have an academy of sciences, and Li Gan does have the heart to get one. Westerners have to continue to communicate in order to spread their fame far and wide, otherwise this beep can only be installed at home, which is quite insufficient.

The so-called: the wife of the minister, the concubine of the minister, the concubine of the minister, the guest of the minister, the desire of the minister, all to the beauty of the Duke of Xu. Jinshun dominates the country, two trillion people, the palace women are not selfish, the ministers of the court are not afraid of the king, and there is no need to ask for the king in the four realms: from this point of view, the king's coercion needs to be installed in the four seas before he can enter the depths of the soul.

As soon as the banquet dispersed, with the refreshment just now, Li Gan asked Liu Yu with a smile.

"Qing's ability can really be regarded as better than blue. Even Bai Mingyuan has no such arithmetic. In this case, if I really build an academy of sciences in the future, Da Keqing will preside over it. ”

This is just a joke, Liu Yu hurriedly said: "The minister has the ambition of the marquis, and he is willing to find a way to be a marquis." The minister is not modest, and in the matter of this academy, Your Majesty should ask for another master. ”

Li Gan showed a playful smile, stared at Liu Yu for a long time, and said slowly: "What you said is a half-truth. Looking for the marquis, looking for the marquis, if you just want to find the marquis, it is not true. ”

I can hear that the emperor is in a good mood, it seems that this sycophant is in the right place, although he said so, Liu Yu was not afraid, and said busily: "Your Majesty, the minister is naturally happy to see that our dynasty also founded the Academy of Sciences." However, the Academy of Sciences is like a fruit tree, and if it wants to bear fruit, it will take ten or twenty years to say the least. Science is science, technology is technology, that is, the people who know arithmetic and geometry the most, let them operate guns and drive ships, and they may not be as good as sailors and gunners who do not understand. ”

"I hope that I will have the opportunity to show my strengths and let the world know the ingenuity of practical learning, so that more people in the country can learn this kind of knowledge that can bear fruit in the past few decades. His Majesty has red lips and white teeth, even if His Majesty Shengming can know about it, how can the rest of the people see the beauty of this? ”

Li Gan just smiled and didn't answer.

Liu Yu performed very well today, which made him quite face-saving. The attitude of the Rakshasa mission also proved that the Rakshasa country intended to get married, and the settlement of the Dzungar affair made Li Gan look at Liu Yugao a few times.

He was loyal and well-behaved enough before, even so, Li Gan probably knew what Liu Yu wanted, and ordinary rewards were afraid that they would not be able to catch their eyes, but if they were not rewarded, they would really make the courtiers feel cold.

After a moment of silence, he said, "You're right, we need to let more people see the benefits of this science." Since you have this ambition, I ask you, if you train a battalion of 7,005 soldiers, all of which are conducted by the Western military, how long will it take? ”

Liu Yu's heart thumped for a while, thinking of the famous slogan of "five years of Pingliao" in the previous dynasty, and said: "It can be achieved in five years." ”

"Hmmm......"

Five years is a good year.

The Khalkha Mongols were newly served, post stations were built, cavalry were trained, and grain and grass were prepared, and it took about five years to start a war against the Dzungaria.

"Do you think, how much does it cost?"

This question is difficult for Liu Yu to answer.

A completely European-style army is indeed very expensive.

In order to stimulate the sense of honor of the soldiers, the military uniforms in Europe were more gorgeous than one another, and a few decades later, the cheapest private in France, a set of uniforms cost about 200 francs, according to the exchange rate of 1 franc and 0.3 grams of gold, about one or two more gold, ten taels of silver.

As for the more ornate chasseurs, hussars, cuirassiers, etc., the military uniform alone has to be spent according to one person, one Chinese New Year's Eve two taels of silver, and this money ...... Dashun definitely can't afford it, at least not now.

If the clothes are not gorgeous, and the battalion uniforms such as blue burqas and red tasseled felt hats are not required, this money can not be counted.

The remaining big heads are flintlock pistols and bayonets, and this Dashun cannot be mass-produced for the time being, so it has to be bought from foreign countries. Especially Liu Yu has finished the slogan of becoming an army in five years, even more so.

After roughly calculating, Liu Yu said tentatively: "If Your Majesty is not suspicious of employing people, it will take 300,000 taels in the first year." Don't give armor to the government, and don't want all kinds of weapons, but enough. After that, the military salary is sufficient, and there will be a controlled army in five years. ”

The offer price of 300,000 taels was not only not high, but also quite low, which was much higher than Li Gan expected.

Without armor and other weapons, this is also a sum of money in itself, and the armament weapon only needs 300,000 taels, and if you think about it, if you don't drift and embezzle, it seems to be enough.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Qing talked about immigration and trade with Japan that day. In five years, I have to train the army and immigrate 30,000 to the slave Gandusi, a total of 1 million taels in five years, is it enough? ”

Liu Yu's heart was hot, and he hurriedly said: "Enough!" If His Majesty can promise one more thing, the minister will not only be able to train a strong army in five years, but also get a part of the copper from Japan every year for the imperial court to mint money. What's more, after five years, when it can break even. And there are dry shares, either to His Majesty's internal funds, or to the treasury of the Duzhi Prefecture, and dividends are distributed every year. It can also ensure that the coastal line, from North Korea to Heilongjiang, gradually has villages to implement the border. ”

Li Gan didn't ask what Liu Yu was asking for, and after thinking about it, he said, "Do you want to compete with the people?" ”

Liu Yu said in his heart, this is definitely not competing with the people.

If you can get a war horse and an instructor who is proficient in riding and archery to Japan, can you call it a citizen? Without relying on these few things, it is indeed impossible to extract the already fixed amount of trade from the hands of Japan, which is closed to the rest of the country.

"The minister assures that this matter will definitely not compete with the people. Five years! If Your Majesty can be trusted, there will be a battalion of usable soldiers in five years, and 20,000 immigrants will be sent to Nu'er Gandusi, and there will gradually be a surplus. Moreover, the surplus can be checked in the accounts, and even if there is a replacement, no one will be killed, and it can be easily taken over. And at least 20,000 catties of copper can be obtained every year to solve the disadvantage of copper coinage. ”

He said the most critical thing is that "the replacement will not be lost, and it will be easy to take over", Li Gan didn't think about what Liu Yu said in his heart, and it shouldn't be too difficult to think about it.

Liu Yu said this very well-behaved, not only made a guarantee, but also said that he could change people at any time to show that he had no deep-rooted heart, so he could give it a try.

The emperor still trusts the loyalty of the noble children, mainly because hundreds of members of the family are hostages in the capital. Yi Guogong is an old turtle again, and he has not interfered in military and political affairs in recent years, so he can rest assured that he can use Liu Yulai.

Military training and immigration, these two things, if they only consume one million in five years, are worth trying.

It can also be regarded as a reward for these two sycophants, and it can also be regarded as a reward for three thousand miles in the north.

Some people love money, some people love fame, some people love profit, and the monarch rewards people for the right way. Liu Yu couldn't see what he wanted for a while, but he kept begging for military training and trade, both of which were beneficial to national affairs.

Li Gan looked at Liu Yu, who was full of ambition there, and said with a smile: "It is necessary to train soldiers, recruit migrant slaves from disaster victims, and trade, and it must start in Shandong." If it does, I've come up with a good name. ”

"Qingzhou soldiers, how's that?"

The three words scared Liu Yu's cold hair up at once.