At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Beijing was so cold that Sun Yuanqi, who was accustomed to a heated and air-conditioned life, could be choked by the cold. ruthlessly, I bought two mattresses and two quilts, and I will still wake up from freezing at night. As a last resort, he begged Lao Tong to ask someone to plate the kang and make two braziers at the same time, so he barely survived.

On December 20th, Chongshi Middle School had some European and American styles, and then the winter vacation began. Sun Yuanqi thought to himself: In this way, you can be in the house all day long. Looking at the three textbooks on the desk, I felt a sense of accomplishment in my heart. This is the result of Sun Yuanqi's dictation and students' transcription.

Picking up a copy casually, you can see that the cover is neatly written in small block letters: "Elementary Physics Textbook - Optics Fascicle." Turning the cover, the title page clearly reads: "Written by Mr. Sun Yuanqi Baixi, transcribed by the senior class of Chongshi Middle School." The students left Sun Yuanqi with a total of two sets, a total of six books. Although each book is only more than 100 pages, it embodies the hard work of teachers and students, and every time I hold it in my hand, I feel heavy.

Sun Yuanqi reclined on the bed, because it was almost Christmas, and was thinking about when to meet Ding Yunliang and Mr. Conger, when he suddenly heard footsteps outside, thinking that it was a student coming, he quickly turned over and got up, and walked to the door with his cotton shoes, but saw Lao Tong leading a person into the courtyard. Looking closely, the man seemed to have seen it vaguely.

When Lao Tong saw it, he shouted in a straight voice: "Mr. Sun, Lord Ding's mansion has sent someone to invite you!" ”

Sun Yuanqi suddenly remembered that that person had come to give him a letter of appointment from Chongshi Middle School. He hurriedly greeted him and said, "Thank you, I don't know what Lord Ding told me to do?" ”

The man stepped forward and replied, "Mr. Sun, our master told you to hurry over, saying that there was an emergency, and the little one didn't know what it was." ”

When Sun Yuanqi heard this, he hurriedly turned around and put on a cotton robe, changed into a pair of cotton shoes, thought about it, and took another set of "Elementary Physics Textbooks" and 10 taels of silver, and stuffed them into the package. Picking up the package, he turned back to the man and said, "Then let's go, don't let Master Ding wait for a long time." Then he said to Lao Tong: "Please help me take care of it, the student came, and said that I was out." ”

Lao Tong was also polite: "Look at you!" ”

Then he followed behind the Ding family and left in a hurry. When they arrived at the gate of the Horse Temple, a rickshaw was parked, and the family said, "Mr. Sun, this is sent by Lord Ding, please hurry up!" ”

"Huh! What is the matter with Ding Yunliang looking for me? Sun Yuanqi pondered in his heart.

Soon, he arrived at the gate of Ding's mansion, and after Sun Yuanqi got out of the car, he casually rewarded the coachman with a few big coins, and then walked to Ding's mansion. Before entering the mansion, he saw Ding Yunliang wandering at the door, and as soon as he raised his eyes and saw Sun Yuanqi, he walked up quickly: "God forbid, you are finally here." ”

"I'm sorry, dear sir." Sun Yuanqi stepped forward to shake hands, "What happened?" ”

"Oh, Lord Sun wants to see you, now." Ding Yunliang took Sun Yuanqi's hand and walked out, and the rickshaw outside the door was still there, so they got into the car together. Then he continued, "Haven't you visited Master Sun since that time at the Temple of the Horse?" ”

"I think so, sir." Sun Yuan scratched his head, "You know, as a scholar or a teacher, you are often not good at dealing with government officials. ”

"Yes, you are absolutely right! But this is China, and you have to learn how to deal with officials, especially the insatiable, inefficient bureaucrats, even if you are a hermit! Ding Yunliang has been in China for so many years, and it can be said that "nothing has happened".

Sun Yuanqi knew that what Ding Yunliang said was right, and he didn't refute it, so he provoked another question: "Sir, do you know what Lord Sun is looking for me for?" ”

"The Jingshi University Hall is about to open!" Ding Yunliang, who speaks quite complicated on weekdays, is very condensed this time.

The rickshaw soon arrived at Sun's mansion, although there were not a few tiger-wolf-like guards in front of the door, Sun Yuanqi still felt that there was a kind of majesty of the Xiangfu, perhaps it was a psychological effect.

Ding Yunliang walked in front, and Sun Yuanqi followed behind with great interest. When the doorman saw Ding Yunliang, he hurriedly stepped forward to call Qian'er: "Hello Lord Ding!" "It is estimated that this foreign old man often comes, and besides, he is easy to remember.

"Is Master Sun here?" Ding Yunliang's official language is absolutely standard, "If you go to report it, you will say that Ding Yunliang wants to see him." ”

The doorman got up and stood aside, stretched out his hand and made a "please" gesture: "Lord Sun has been waiting for you, please hurry up." Then lead the way. Ding Yunliang didn't let it go, just walked away. Sun Yuanqi followed suit, cautiously following, and when he bypassed the shadow wall, he peeked at the layout of the mansion, and there was no fancy carving of beams and paintings, but more of a simple solemnity.

When he arrived at the main hall, Sun Jianai was sitting on the Taishi chair on the left and drinking tea, and when he saw the two coming, he stood up and greeted: "Brother Guanxi, you are finally here!" Sit down, sit down! Baixi, you also sit. ”

Sun Yuanqi didn't dare to be sloppy, bowed in a proper manner, and then sat down under Ding Yunliang.

Sun Jianai first greeted Ding Yunliang for a while, and then said to Sun Yuanqi: "Baixi, why don't you come to see the old man for so many days?" ”

Sun Yuanqi was looking at the middle hall and the couplet, and after listening to his question, he hurriedly stood up: "I...... Adults have a lot of opportunities every day, and there is nothing important in their late life, so they don't dare to come and bother. Sun Yuanqi felt that it was really awkward to talk like this, so it was easier to talk to Ding Yunliang.

"Oh——, that's right." Sun Jianai groaned.

But Ding Yunliang interjected next to him: "He has been in the United States for a long time, immersed in academics, but he won't socialize with others!" ”

Sun Jianai was noncommittal, pondered for a while, and then said: "Yesterday, the Queen Mother issued a decree to try her best to prepare for the University Hall, and the school will start on a certain day in the near future. He looked at the two of them with his eyes, and then continued: "According to the "Statutes of the University Hall" drawn up before, the University Hall will open Pu General School first. There are a total of 10 courses in Putongxue, and the books that should be read are all compiled by the Shanghai Compilation and Translation Bureau, and no matter what kind of students, they must complete all the books compiled by the bureau within three years before they can receive a diploma. ”

Sun Yuanqi couldn't understand what he didn't understand, so he simply sat down and listened to what he said.

Sun Jianai glanced at him and continued: "Baixi, do you know which ten Putongxue are? ”

Sun Yuanqi had to stand up again: "I'...... Late life is not clear......"

Sun Jianai didn't expect him to answer at all, and continued to say to himself: "The achievement of students depends entirely on teaching and learning. The establishment of the university hall is only in seeking truth from facts, it is necessary not to teach the story of the study of the Jishi, the priest of the country, etc., and it is advisable to take those who are excellent in character and learning, and who are well-versed in China and foreign countries, regardless of official rank, regardless of age, and must be the main winner of people, or those who can be appointed to this post under the sponsorship of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Yamen, please be promoted...... The old man's recommended Gezhi teaching is you! ”

Sun Yuanqi immediately bowed to him: "Thank you, sir!" ”

"Don't say thank you just yet." Sun Jianai raised his hand and said slowly: "The ten courses of Putongxue are classics, science, Chinese and foreign history, Zhuzi studies, elementary arithmetic, elementary Gezhixue, primary political science, elementary geography, literature, and gymnastics, which are required to enter the university. After graduating from the general school, each student will occupy one or two specialized courses. ”

Sun Yuanqi now understands that the general study of feelings is a compulsory course for the whole school, and the specialized course is a professional course.

"Textbooks for scripture and science are readily available." Sun Jianai took a sip of tea and continued: "Only this elementary style learning, due to the changes in the previous paragraph, the Shanghai Compilation and Translation Bureau has not yet opened the translation, so there is no suitable teaching material. The Queen Mother ordered the school to open recently, and there were no teaching materials for the opening of the school, as the teaching of Gezhixue, I don't know how Baixi taught and solved the doubts? ”

Sun Yuanqi now knows that these two old men are in a hurry to find themselves, it turns out that the old witch Cixi suddenly urged to open a university hall, and for a while, everyone was a little caught off guard. No, Gezhixue has no textbooks, so he grabs himself.

Fortunately, Sun Yuanqi had a set of teaching materials with him, which was placed in the package on the chair behind him. Originally, it was a gift for former physics teacher Ding Yunliang, but now he has to borrow flowers to offer Buddha. Then he took out three books from the package: "Lord Huiyu, I brought a set of textbooks with me in my late life, and I was about to present ......"

"Ha——, you made up a set of teaching materials yourself? Take it for me to see. Ding Yunliang was more interested in this, and reached out to take it. First look at the table of contents, then open a few pages casually. Soon, he flipped through the three books before he excitedly said to Sun Yuanqi: "Johnson, you made these up?" It's awesome! It can be seen that your understanding of physics is systematic and profound! ”

Then he said to Sun Jianai: "Master Sun, you don't have to worry, this set of textbooks is the best Gezhixue textbook that can be seen in China, systematic and interesting, very easy to learn, and it is also rare in Taixi." ”

"Oh? Are you sure? Sun Jianai took the book and saw the cover, "Physics? Isn't it Gezhi? ”

Sun Yuanqi encountered this kind of question more than once in Chongshi Middle School, and he answered it with ease: "Back to my lord, physics is the fundamental principle of all things. Gezhi is research, a means, and a way to discover the truth of all things, so it is translated as 'physics' in Japanese. ”

"Physics, the principle of all things? Well. Sun Jianai opened the title page again, "You wrote this book yourself?" ”

"Yes, sir." There's nothing to lie about.

After turning the two pages carefully, and seeing that there was no awkward or forbidden content, he put the book on the table and said slowly, "This is very good." Baixi left the book here, I asked someone to take it and print it, if I print one book first, I think I can catch up with the start of school. ”

This matter was solved, Sun Jianai remembered one more thing and asked Sun Yuanqi: "I heard that you are my nephew, and you still occupy a set of courtyards in the Horse Temple?" ”

Sun Yuanqi was scared enough, these are two crimes, the former is Lao Tong's nonsense, in the end, Lao Tong is for his own good; The latter forced Lao Tong by himself, but he couldn't complain about others, and he said hard-headed at the moment: "When I first came to Beijing in my late life, I was helpless, and after seeing the adults that day, I had nowhere to stay, and when I saw that the horse temple was empty, I begged the gatekeeper to leave me behind, and I stayed in the courtyard." As for saying that Wansheng is the nephew of an adult, Wansheng has never spit out this crazy talk, thinking that it is a rumor from outsiders, it is purely fabricated! ”

"Hmm." Sun Jianai nodded slightly after hearing this, but he was noncommittal, "You have been in Beijing for a few months, and you either go to the school every day to attend classes or study behind closed doors, but there are no bad deeds...... Living in a house with a horse temple is not an option. Of course, you are now a Putong credit teacher in the Beijing Normal University Hall, and there is no problem in borrowing it for a while. ”

After thinking about it, he said, "By the way, in July, the old man will play you as a teacher." Because it is rumored that you are the nephew of the old man, the yamen will send your employment voucher and monthly salary to the old man's house, and there are 300 taels of silver before and after. As he spoke, he asked the servant to take out the employment voucher and 300 taels of silver tickets and hand them to Sun Yuanqi.

Sun Yuanqi looked at Sun Jianai, who was over the age of gray and gray-haired, no longer a high-ranking official and dignitary, but a kind and kind old man, so he knelt down sincerely and kowtowed to him three times.

Sun Jianai was a little satisfied: "Get up!" The university hall will open on November 19 (December 31), so be sure to go then! ”

Out of the gate of Sun's mansion, Ding Yunliang patted Sun Yuanqi's shoulder and said with a smile: "Lord Sun admires you very much!" ”

"Is there one? Like you, Lord Sun is a kind old man, isn't he? Sun Yuanqi replied.

Ding Yunliang laughed.

Sun Yuanqi said again: "Christmas is coming, that set of teaching materials was originally a holiday gift for you, but it was taken away by Lord Sun, what a pity." ”

"A Christmas present for me? I haven't received a Christmas gift from the Chinese yet. If you take that set of physics textbooks as a gift, it will be very memorable. Ding Yunliang said.

Sun Yuanqi took out the 10 taels of silver from the package and handed it to Ding Yunliang with both hands: "Thank you very much for helping me when I needed it most, now I don't need it anymore, please use it to help those who need help!" ”

Ding Yunliang was not polite, and took the silver: "Okay, you are also worry-free now." ”

"Thank you again for your help!" Sun Yuanqi said sincerely.

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