Facing this old man in the age of sixtieth year, Cheng Nuo was really not sure who he was at first, after all, he had only seen photos in history textbooks in his previous life, and there was still a big gap compared with real people in reality.

When he learned that the person in front of him was Zhang Jian, a champion industrialist, and the purpose was to pick him up, Cheng Nuo was both surprised and moved.

For this figure, the great man once commented: "When it comes to China's national industry, there are four people who can't forget, and when it comes to heavy industry, we can't forget Zhang Xiangshuai; When it comes to light industry, we can't forget Zhang Jian; When it comes to the chemical industry, we can't forget Fan Xudong; When it comes to the transportation industry, we can't forget about Lu Zuofu. ”

Zhang Jian's ancestor was just a flat-headed commoner, and later his grandfather slowly got better when he entered the family, adhering to the idea of "China's Xuxing industry, its responsibility must be the doctor first", and chose to leave the officialdom and set up an industry after obtaining the first class and a jinshi (champion) fame.

From the completion of the Dasheng Yarn Factory he founded in May 1899 to the end of 1921, the total capital of the enterprises operated by Zhang Jian reached 34 million yuan, which was second to none in that era.

In order to increase the source of cotton, in 1900, the Tonghai Reclamation and Animal Husbandry Company was established; In order to solve the problem of cottonseed, Guangsheng Oil Factory was established in 1902; In order to solve the problem of transportation of raw materials and products, in 1904, Shanghai Dada Waijiang Lunbu Company and Tianshenggang Lunbu Company were established; In order to repair and manufacture machinery and equipment, in 1906, the Shiran Iron Smelting Plant was established.

It can be said that he has contracted the entire industrial chain of the cotton textile industry with his own strength, and is a well-deserved industrialist.

Seeing me, Cheng Nuo put down his suitcase and stepped forward to say: "Elder Zhang came in person, I am really flattered." ”

Zhang Jian smiled, asked the entourage to put down the sign with the word "Cheng Nuo" written on it, and said politely: "I heard the magpie chirping at the door early in the morning, and I said that something good must happen. Hurry up and hurry up to finally come to the station to pick you up, and it's not in vain that I walked this way. ”

Respect is respect, when he couldn't figure out the other party's intentions, Cheng Nuo smiled and asked tentatively: "Haha, Mr. Zhang is joking, I don't know if you came this time for the purpose of the China Vocational Education Society?" ”

"Yes, but not exactly." Zhang Jian smiled and instructed his entourage to pick up Cheng Nuo's luggage: "There are a lot of people here, it's not a good place to talk, let's talk about it on the road." ”

Cheng Nuo originally wanted to come by himself, but he couldn't compete with the entourage, and the suitcase was put in the trunk of the car.

However, it has to be Shanghai, this can be regarded as the first time Cheng Nuo returned to China to take a car, although the overall comfort cannot be compared with the previous life, but I still can't help but observe carefully.

The cars that passed by from time to time made him a little curious, but after seeing a few of them, he lost interest, because he was so simple.

In terms of car lights, the National Police Agency requires all vehicles to turn on their lights at night, but after all, this is still the early Republic of China, and car indicator devices have not been popularized, and some car owners have installed two candles in front of their cars to light up in order to cope with inspections.

Let's say he has no money, people have cars; Say he's rich, and the candle is the headlight.

That is, Zhang Jian's "square sedan Ford car" is well configured, and two calcium carbide lamps are installed in front of the car, but the driver still needs to stretch his hand out of the car when crossing the road and parking, and gesture to the passers-by and vehicles next to him.

Zhang Jian didn't pay attention to his performance, but after keenly catching a trace of disappointment in Cheng Nuo's eyes, he couldn't help asking: "Why did Professor Cheng sigh, is it that I Zhang is not well entertained?" ”

Cheng Nuo waved his hand again and again: "Elder Zhang invited me as a distinguished guest, and I am naturally grateful." I just sighed and remembered that the development of our country, especially the industrial industry, is still too far behind the United States on the other side of the Pacific, and although the cars on the road are not the most advanced, they are all imported, and we still have a long way to catch up. ”

"Professor Cheng's words are conclusive, and I have a deep understanding." Zhang Jian retracted his gaze and sighed: "The people born in heaven are no different from plants and trees, if one or two useful careers are left, they will live with plants and trees, that is, they will not rot with plants and trees." Taking advantage of the fact that his body is barely feasible, Zhang also wants to develop our own industry and commerce without being held hostage by foreign countries. ”

"So, Mr. Zhang, you are here for industry?" Cheng Nuo thought for a moment and understood Zhang Jian's purpose, believing that with his many years of business vision, he also saw the crisis behind the prosperity of the domestic cotton textile industry.

Zhang Jian smiled and nodded: "However, with Professor Cheng's talent, it is just that the industry is a bit overkill, and I also need your help in terms of new education." ”

After talking all the way, he also roughly understood what Zhang Jian meant, that is, he wanted to take advantage of the time when the China Vocational Education Society had not yet opened, and pull Cheng Nuo to the local area to guide the work.

It covers agriculture (cotton planting), industry and education, which happen to be the three aspects that Cheng Nuo focuses on, and the compatibility between the two sides can be said to be 100%.

On the Tongzhou side, the Minli Tongzhou Normal School.

A group of teachers and students were busy preparing for the welcome ceremony, and the banner that was pulled up also said that they welcomed Cheng Nuo.

Student A prepares the ribbon in his hand: "Hey, if I'm not mistaken, our school is the first private normal school, and compared with those national schools, isn't the gap too big." ”

Student B frowned and thought about it, a little unsure: "It shouldn't be bad, the first batch of students of Zhang Laozhao were all selected from the tribute students and prison students, and they are not bad compared to public schools, but we are the only one in the kingdom in terms of powerful teachers, and there is still a gap." ”

"Nonsense, have you forgotten Professor Zhang Binglan, and in terms of Chinese studies, it is not bad at all compared with Peking University." Student A was not convinced, but after speaking, he was a little lacking in confidence: "But this time, after all, Mr. Zhang invited Professor Cheng Nuo, the first person in arithmetic today. Alas. ”

Classmate C, who was quietly watching them talk, stood up and babbled something.

Classmate A couldn't understand it, so he bumped his elbow into classmate B and asked, "Look what Lao Li is talking about, help me take a look." ”

"This, Lao Li said that he looked at our lips just now, and knew what we were talking about, and wanted to say that our school has the first teacher department of the blind and dumb school, and other schools have never heard of it, although Professor Cheng is amazing, but we are also very good."

With the help of this deaf-mute classmate, several people instantly calmed down a lot.

When Cheng Nuo came to the private Tongzhou Normal School by car, he was welcomed like never before.

A couplet at the gate welcomes visitors to the school.

Shanglian "Extreme East and West all countries are respected as educating everyone, and the ancestors are also clouds: I never get tired of learning and never tire of teaching." ”

The next link "The contract is for all the sons to be cut into a mad one, and the future has ambitions: each obeys what he hears, and does what he knows." ”

"Professor Cheng, I still have this couplet I wrote." Zhang Jian was also unable to hide his pride on the side: "Fu China's normal school, since the 28th year of Guangxu, the private independent normal school, since Tongzhou. ”

In the twenty-eighth year of Guangxu, it was the day when Zhang Jian founded the private Tongzhou Normal School in 1902.

Later, during the visit to the school, Cheng Nuo also learned that in addition to the normal department, there are also practical majors such as surveying and mapping, agriculture, civil engineering, and silkworm science, and the school environment is much stronger than that of Peking University at this time.

Cheng Nuo did not hesitate to praise this: "Elder Zhang, you have hidden things in this normal school, I guess that the development of the past ten years has contributed a lot to the local area of Tongzhou." ”

Zhang Jian smiled: "There are too few students, and there are fewer and fewer students who graduate, so I have no choice but to cover the surrounding areas, and other places can only sigh with admiration, and it is far from enough." ”

Although that being said, Cheng Nuo is only humble as a person, and the process of visiting is also a process of learning, and when it comes to founding his own school in the future, there is a high probability that he will come to study.

Later, at the welcome ceremony, Zhang Jian made a solemn speech in front of many teachers and students.

Nowadays, the development of overseas science is changing with each passing day, we are still standing still, and we feel anxious every time we think about it, so we sincerely invite Professor Cheng to come today, set up arithmetic, and exhaust our coursework. The sages should remember the great difficulties of the country in the future, and strive to educate the fundamentals, they must have the heart of continuous improvement, and then they can become things, and there must be magnificent and infinite amounts, and then they can concentrate, and they will not be content with self-sufficiency, and they will not be confined to a corner since childhood! ”

Then Cheng Nuo walked to the stage in a warm applause: "Mr. Zhang invited, Cheng felt honored, and I also felt everyone's enthusiasm here, so I will talk about the importance of arithmetic." In my opinion, if Chinese civilization is to be comparable to Western civilization, it is necessary to directly explore the spirit of science, and the progress of science and the improvement of technology are closely related to arithmetic, and even arithmetic is the foundation."

In a simple speech, Cheng Nuo described the situation of arithmetic on science, society and humanities, and inserted some interesting examples from time to time, so that the students in the audience who had never heard these theories were fascinated.

The students who originally wanted to listen and memorize while also slowly became fascinated, and by the time they reacted, most of them had not had time to copy it, and they were anxious and regretful.

I simply put down the pen in my hand and listened to the lecture with peace of mind.

When Cheng Nuo finished speaking and was about to come down amid warm applause, many students were still holding on.

"Professor Cheng, we haven't heard enough, let's talk about it again."

"Yes, arithmetic is so attractive, you should talk more about it, this is much more exciting than Mr. Storyteller."

"It's not enough to talk about such a wonderful thing for so long."

Cheng Nuo just smiled and waved his hand, and did not continue.

"Students, mathematics can show people the right rules of truth, enlighten the freedom and richness of thought, and is not only the foundation of natural science, but also the guide of all knowledge about the soul, and leave the charm of it for everyone to explore."

Looking to the side, Zhang Jian was waiting for him with a smile.

(End of chapter)