Cai Tinghan was walking towards his paintings at this time, and they were the first things he had to pack. He stood there, staring at the wide picture in front of him, picked up one of them, picked up another, then put it down, and picked up another.

These pictures are precious memories of his study in the United States as a self-financed student, and they belong only to Cai Tinghan himself.

After the Daqian Imperial Court made up its mind to "clearly define the country's is" to learn from the West, and asked all localities to do foreign affairs on a large scale and cultivate foreign affairs talents, as the "first to gain the atmosphere", Guangdong Province sent the first batch of self-funded (self-funded axes to study abroad, the state gave a certain subsidy, and after returning to China, they were assessed in their majors and awarded official positions), Cai Tinghan and many children crossed the ocean and came to the United States to study machinery, mining, surveying, construction and other disciplines, "seeking the skills that the West is good at, and the map of self-improvement for Middle-earth." ”

They came to a foreign country with good intentions, but what they didn't expect was that just a few years later, they would become outcasts in their mother country.

Adhering to the will of the imperial court, Guangdong Province originally hoped to revive the glory of the Great Qian Empire and Confucianism by encouraging the people to send students to learn the first-hand technology of Western countries,...... Recently, more students from abroad have joined the Jesus Church, and the assistant translator and others have secretly lured the students to teach, and the assistant of the general office and others have not been in the bureau for more than ten days, and the students have no control, and they have abandoned their own business. The imperial court spared no expense to set up foreign affairs and encourage private students to go abroad, so as to learn the skills of foreigners and achieve talents for practical purposes. If all the evils are played as they are, what kind of thing will they become! ”

Soon, someone played the "status quo" of the imperial court's foreign students, and suggested withdrawing the students studying in the United States: "...... There are many evils in foreign customs, and the students have few Confucian books, their moral character is not strong, and they have not yet studied their skills, so they are easy to get into their bad habits, even if they try their best to rectify them, they also feel that it is difficult to prevent them, and they should be abolished urgently, but there are many people who are dismissed, and there are those who do not want to return to China, so they will escape halfway, and do not have branches...... With this discussion, I am afraid that there will be fewer advantages and more disadvantages in the future. ”

The attitude of the imperial court towards them gradually changed.

Due to the "apprentice abandoned middle school" severe. The imperial court issued a special edict asking the prime minister's yamen to send letters to ministers of various countries, asking foreigners to take charge of foreign studies and not to mix with the education of foreign students in secondary schools. Qianting hoped that the international students would be able to learn Western science and technology to meet the needs of Western affairs, and at the same time not abandon the traditional Confucian education. According to the meaning of the imperial court, international students must adhere to the principle of "taking middle school as the body, Western learning as the use, and not neglecting it", otherwise, no matter how good the cultivation of Western studies is, it will not be beneficial to the country.

In this regard, there is a clear provision in the tailor-made "Matters Concerning Overseas Students Going Abroad": "After going abroad, students still study Western studies and teach middle school, and the lessons are based on books such as the Book of Filial Piety, Primary School, the Five Classics and the laws of the National Dynasty. Every time there is a room, void, pleiades, stars and other days, the chairman and deputy committee members gather all the children and preach the "Holy Oracle", showing the righteousness of respecting the monarch and his own superiors, so that he will not be confined to different studies. ”

The purpose of this is that Prime Minister Yamen once said quite clearly: "The civil and military system of China and Turkey is far above the Westerners, and firearms alone cannot reach it." "The strategy of the country, there is the whole, there is the end, there is the beginning, there is the end," Western learning is the "partial", and the middle school is the "whole". The purpose of learning from the West is: "to take the Ethics of Middle-earth as the original, supplemented by the art of prosperity and strength of the countries", in other words, "to learn from the number of Western people, to Wei Wu Yao Shun Yu Tang Wenwu Zhou Rite way." ”

This is not the opinion of one or two people, but the opinion of the vast majority of scholars and doctors of this era - even Zheng Guanying, who began to call for parliamentary politics in Middle-earth at an early stage, has to describe it this way when talking about learning from the West: "The study of the number of names and objects of the ancients migrated to Taixi, and the essence of its craftsmanship was far beyond the reach of Middle-earth", which is similar to the argument preached by conservative scholars that the so-called Western strength is due to learning from Middle-earth, although conservatives are bent on embracing Confucianism and Taoism. And Zheng Guan should be obsessed with parliamentary politics. The inability to abandon the "cultural-centric view" of the empire was a common feature of all intellectuals, whether conservative or radical, of that era.

There is no problem for international students to learn Chinese, because the founders hope that they will return to China in the future to create a new country for teenagers, and learning Chinese well is a must. But what the court was dissatisfied with was that the students changed to Western clothes, cut off their long hair, and even joined Christianity. But more dissatisfaction actually comes from the details: in 9079, a study abroad supervisor recruited international students to the embassy in Washington to teach a lesson, and when the students met them, they did not bow and bow, which turned out to be a serious incident: "(The bureaucratic Jin) was furious, saying that each student forgot his roots, and had no teacher, and no matter how difficult his studies were completed, he could not be used by Middle-earth." Gu Ju, please dismiss international students. The modern education received by the international students made it impossible for them to understand the etiquette norms of medieval Confucian education.

Even the most enlightened gentry in Canton could not forgive the students for not bowing down, which was a betrayal of the imperial manifestation. Gradually, everyone knew what was needed for the reform of foreign affairs:

"Western-style affairs run by Middle-earth,...... Because of its outline, there are no two ends: one is called military ...... 2. Business ...... During this period, there were cases of Xingxue sending students to study abroad, most of which were for the sake of military affairs, otherwise they were used for negotiation and translation. The skills of the Westerners seen in Middle-earth are just that. ”

What the imperial court needed was pure technical talents; In the United States, international students are gradually transforming into new human beings who are opening a new era; Wearing colored glasses in the form of traditional symbolism, the doctors of the Middle Earth can neither see the superiority of the new era, nor can they recognize the new human beings created by the new era.

Eventually, the imperial court suspended this plan to study abroad at its own expense and asked the students to withdraw to the country.

The international students are deeply regretful and painful that they were forced to return to China halfway, but what is even more painful is that when they return after many years of absence, what awaits them is not glory and hugs, but shame and rejection.

In a letter to his American friends, Cai Tinghan described his imaginary happiness of being embraced by the motherland:

"When we traced the river and looked at our homeland, we imagined that a warm welcome was waiting for us, the familiar crowd, and the motherland stretched out a warm arm to embrace us! …… The imaginary welcome makes us more and more excited. ”

However, the reality is:

"The bow of the boat scratches the calm and yellow waves of the river, and when we dock at the pier, the loud sound of the ship's side hitting the shore awakens our 'utopian' dreams."

"There was a crowd of people, but there was not a single family or friend, and there was no smile to greet us who were disappointed. …… In order to prevent us from escaping, a team of heavily armed soldiers escorted us to the 'Seeking Knowledge Academy' behind the Daotai Yamen.

"The Academy of Knowledge has been closed for ten years, and superstitious people believe that ghosts often appear here, and the frightened compatriots of this province have told me that the gates have not been opened for ten years, the walls are peeling, the floors are dirty, the stone steps are covered with moss, and the doors and windows are damp and rotten.

"When you step on the threshold, you immediately smell musty, and these glooms seem to symbolize our fate. At night, we could clearly see the dampness rising from the cracks in the bricks of the ground, making us drenched, and a drowsiness enveloping us, an insult that pierced everyone's heart. And the most terrifying thing is the absurd thoughts in the minds of the study abroad supervisors, which make us forced to return to our hometowns before we can complete our studies.

"Like a dog barking at the moon, there is nothing we can do. Looking at the cobweb-covered walls makes you drowsy. And the dampness that comes into contact with our arms is our bedding. Our bed consisted of two benches with a plank on top of it, a humble arrangement that was called a treat. ”

From the moment they set foot on the land of the motherland, the international students were charged with "traitors", they betrayed the culture of the empire, betrayed the traditional form of the empire, they were "thought criminals", "foreign devils", "harmful to society" and "people who are not beneficial to the country". They are dangerous seeds, must suffer, must be regulated by the government.

Financially, most international students only had a monthly salary of four taels of silver, while the annual salary of a Taoist platform at that time could reach 10,000 to 15,000 taels of silver. The meagre salaries make life difficult for international students. "This treatment saved us from starvation," Cai said. Whether we are hungry or cold, the government is indifferent, at least we feel it. As for our family's previous expenses, whether the subsidies were according to the previous agreement, the government even ignored them. ”

Politically, international students are also "abused" by the government and have no social status to speak of. In addition, international students must also accept strict supervision by the government, and some international students have fled to Shanghai to make a living because their salaries are not enough to make ends meet, and they are wanted by the imperial court. The "Declaration" once described the situation of the international students as follows: "Their salaries are not as good as those of Western merchants, and their supervision is stricter than that of prisoners." With such an employment of people, Ande has good materials and great tools to do foreign affairs for the country! ”

An American named Robert observed at the time the same as the description in the "Declaration": "I once saw a foreign student named Huang Kaijia on the street, because he was allowed to go out because he was in tolerance. Somehow, they were treated as criminals by the officials of the Qianguo, and they were all indignant at this insult. During their stay in the United States, they have a deep understanding of civilized society. Perhaps, if the Qianguo government summons them to return to China, it is planning to uproot the seedlings of enlightenment, which is really a self-defeating move......"

The international students lamented: "We are easily destroyed, we have no natural patience, we are like new saplings, transplanted from fertile soil and mild climate to the desert of ignorance and superstition, we will not grow, we will gradually wither......"

But Cai Tinghan, who has a fiery temperament, is not willing to accept such a fate.

With the help of an Italian missionary, he came to Genoa to continue his studies.

Although his actions did not attract much attention from the government, he was no longer able to receive financial support from his family.

And now, it has come to an end.

An hour after that, he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" He shouted loudly, his hands not stopping.

"Mr. Cai Tinghan!" Mrs. Theresa was a little out of breath and glared at him through the threshold, "What the hell are you doing?" ”

He turned to look at her, as if trying to remember who she was.

"What about the head of the department? He's been waiting for you! She lamented.

"Oh, yes, I forgot."

"What? You...... Forgot? ”

"yes." There was confusion in his tone, but he was surprised by her fuss.

"Hey! All I can say is that you deserve it! She said excitedly, "You're to blame!" The graduation ceremony is about to start at half past four, how do you think the director will have time to meet you? ”

"I'll go at once, Mrs. Theresa." The real reason for her to do so wasn't just curiosity. That's a piece of her heart: she worries that the school committee will revoke the decision to deal with Cai Tinghan.

He walked into the bathroom at the end of the hall, and she stood and watched. He washed his hands, straightened his fluffy straight hair, and walked out and up the stairs. That's when she realized he was leaving.

"Mr. Cai Tinghan! You're not going to go out like this, are you? She pointed to his clothes and gasped.

"Why not?"

"He's the head of your department!"

"Mrs. Theresa, he's no longer my department chair." She was astonished, and he spoke as if he were happy.

The Genoa Polytechnic Institute stands on a hill, and its round-toothed lace pheasant walls seem to put a crown on the city that stretches down the hill. The college resembles a medieval fortress, with a Gothic cathedral grafted on its back. It was a fortress, and it lived up to its name: a sturdy brick wall with a few slits wide enough to house a sentry post, behind the walls there was a place for the archers defending the city to hide, and on the corner towers could be poured boiling oil down - to attack the invading enemy, if such an emergency arose. The cathedral sparkles like a ribbon of light on top of it, like a fragile line of defense against its two enemies: the sun and the air.

The chair's office resembles a chapel, with sunlight streaming in through the stained glass windows. Faintly poured over the stiff garments of the saints, their elbows bent. Two red and purple halos shone on the strangely shaped creature-shaped dripping spouts at the corners of the fireplace, and they never came in handy. A green light resides in the center of the Parthenon picture hanging above the fireplace. When Cai Tinghan walked into the office, he could vaguely see the head of the department sitting behind his desk, his figure blurred, and the desk was carved like a martyr's altar. The director was a short, fat gentleman, whose fat seemed to have been wrapped in his irresistible dignity.

"Ah, yes, Cai Tinghan. Have a seat. The head of the department greeted him with a smile.

Cai Tinghan sat down. The head of the department crossed his fingers on his chest, ready to listen to Cai Tinghan's defense. But Cai Tinghan didn't say anything. The head of the department cleared his throat and broke the silence first: "I don't need to regret what happened this morning. For I have no doubt that you are well aware that I have always sincerely acted out for your vital interests. ”

"It's not necessary at all." Cai Tinghan replied.

The head of the department looked at him in disbelief, but continued: "Needless to say, at today's school committee meeting, I did not vote against you. I abstained. But you may be happy to know that you also have a small group of fairly committed supporters at the conference. There are not many people, but they are resolute. Your mechanical engineering professor has been defending you, and so has your math professor. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people believe that it is their duty to vote for you to be fired. The vice president protested, even to the point of threatening us. He said that if you are not fired, he will resign. You have to admit that your actions have greatly annoyed him. ”

"That's true."

"You see, that's exactly the problem. I would like to talk about your attitude towards your classmates. You never gave them the attention they deserved. Although you are excellent in all subjects. ”

"They always ridiculed my origins, my country, the color of my skin, my dress." "I can't tolerate such insults endlessly. ”

"So you stopped them with your fists?"

"I heard that His Majesty the King has issued an order forbidding dueling, otherwise I will let them go to another world to repent of their actions."

"You've scared me, Mr. Cai Tinghan."

"Aren't you redundant?"

Cai Tinghan looked at the head of the department, "This matter has passed. There is no point in discussing it now. ”

"I'm trying to help you, Mr. Chua Tinghan. You have to have a conscience about it. You can't say you didn't get a warning before you were disciplined. ”

"Yes, I was warned."

The head of the department shifted his chair. Cai Tinghan's eyes stared at him politely.

"You must know that the Kingdom of Italy is a tolerant country and does not discriminate against Orientals. Of course, the incident of the assassination of the special envoy of the Mazzini Party, Mr. Hayashi Yoshi-cheol, caused great tension between the Kingdom of Italy and your homeland, but with the joint efforts of the two great countries, the obstacles to the relations between the two countries have been removed. Now, as you know, another envoy of the Emperor of Qianguo, who happened to be the brother of Mr. Lin Yizhe, was visiting Italy, and it was indeed a bit inappropriate to let you leave the academy at this time, but I have no other way but to try to help you, do you know what I mean? ”

Cai Tinghan nodded.

"We all think that if someone reports the news of your departure from the academy to the envoy of Qianguo, it will affect his mood to some extent, so we plan to give you a compensation so that you can leave here with dignity."

"Okay."

Seeing Cai Tinghan so happily, he agreed, and the head of the department was more and less surprised.

"Can you tell us about your plans for the future?"

"I would consider leaving Italy and going to another country, finding a good university and continuing my studies."

"Oh."

The head of the department didn't expect that Cai Tinghan didn't tell him the real decision in his heart.

After learning of Lin Yiqing's arrival, he had already made a decision. (To be continued.) )