Qiao Zhiqing and Feng Guifen had a very happy conversation, and they had a lot of sympathy for each other, and they hated each other.Although Feng Guifen is a great Confucian, he is not a person who sticks to ancient laws, and he agrees with many of Qiao Zhiqing's bizarre ideas, and the two also tentatively draw up some charters of the academy, such as adding Western studies on the basis of Confucianism, setting up basic courses such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and translation, hiring foreigners as teachers, and funding the selection of outstanding students to study abroad.The academy was renovated on the basis of the Chung Wang's Mansion and was divided into two parts: teaching area and living area.Qiao Zhiqing only left the backyard for the Suzhou government and soldiers to live, spent 5,000 taels of silver and built the house and courtyard wall, half a month to transform the Zhongwang Mansion into a garden academy comparable to a modern university, the name of the academy was inscribed by Qiao Zhiqing himself, named "Huaxing Academy", meaning the revival of China, for which Qiao Zhiqing also specially found Yan Yuting to learn a week of block letters.Feng Guifen is worthy of a generation of great Confucianism, although the disaster of war is still unsettled everywhere, he still relied on his prestige to gather a large number of wise men gathered in Suzhou.Most of these people were open-minded and hated the backward system of the Qing Dynasty, but they had been excluded from the court because of their heretical thoughts.Qiao Zhiqing also did not refuse, whether it was Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, or Wang Yangming's psychology, they could start classes and teach, and Qiao Zhiqing would provide financial support.Every lecturer was full of joy and couldn't wait to instill his thoughts into the minds of his students at once.The news spread throughout the country, attracting a large number of scholars to apply for lectures and become a national cultural gathering place.After the political situation in Suzhou gradually stabilized, Qiao Zhiqing sent Ma Xun to Shanghai to contact Gordon, and used the Anhua brick tea hoarded in the Jin Chamber of Commerce and the millions of silver taels looted from Junshanzhai and Qibao and Jiading City, all of which were exchanged for arms with Gordon, with 30,000 rifles, 3 million rounds of ammunition, 100 field guns of various calibers, plus 1,000 shells, and ordered a complete set of mechanical production lines, and ten steam engines were delivered to the Suzhou Ordnance Institute.Gordon did not disappoint Qiao Zhiqing, it only took a week to complete all the purchases, and hired a steamer to personally escort the weapons to Suzhou.Since the fall of Jiading, all the Taiping strongholds on the waterway from Shanghai to Suzhou have been taken by Qiao Zhiqing, so Gordon also arrived at the port of Suzhou all the way safely.Qiao Zhiqing held a grand welcome ceremony to welcome this old friend, the pro-military camp was fully armed, standing neatly on the dock, and the military uniform was no longer the tattered black coat that he used to wear when he started the army.Qiao Zhiqing personally designed a complete set of military uniforms and military dresses according to the dress of the modern army, and asked Pan Qiaoyu to be responsible for convening people to customize them.Suzhou's handicraft industry is developed, printing and dyeing, cutting, sewing is not a problem, soon the first batch of more than 500 sets of military uniforms are all distributed to the pro-military camp, all camouflage military uniforms, wearing camouflage berets, feet wearing yellow cowhide boots, completely modern military dress, standing on all sides to watch the people of Suzhou, just like the army that has traveled through time and space.Because the current situation has not been able to make bulletproof steel helmets of the same specifications, it still makes Qiao Zhiqing have a little regret.After Gu Yunfei surrendered, he brought more than 20,000 horses, plus more than 5,000 people from the Qingzi regiment, and the stragglers recruited by Suzhou one after another, the total strength reached 30,000, which was twice as much as Li Hongzhang's newly compiled Huai army.On the basis of the regimental level, Qiao Zhiqing has set up additional units at the brigade level, division level, and army level.Qiao Zhiqing served as the commander of the army, with three divisions on the left, the middle and the right, Gu Yunfei continued to lead the old brother in the past to serve as the commander of the right division, Wang Shimao led the old foundation of the Qingzi regiment to serve as the commander of the left division, and Ma Xun led the recruits to serve as the commander of the middle division.Wang Shijie was adjusted out separately, selected strong soldiers, set up a special operations brigade, and carried over more than 3,000 people from the artillery regiment, the sailor regiment, and the cavalry regiment.After the ten field guns rang out in turn, Gordon and the group stepped down from the cargo ship in surprise, and looked at everything in front of them with wide eyes and incredulity.This is also the effect that Qiao Zhiqing deliberately wants to cause, that is, to convey a signal to the foreign devils through Gordon that a change is taking place in the land of this ancient empire, and it will not be long before the lion will wake up again and send out its roar to the whole world."
Oh God, Joe, how did you do it, did I go to the wrong country" Gordon exclaimed again and again, looking up and down at the pro-military camp in front of him, there seemed to be a blood boiling in his veins, Qiao Zhiqing's army was not inferior to any country in Europe in terms of momentum."
Old friend, welcome to Suzhou."
Qiao Zhiqing squinted and smiled and stepped forward to hug Gordon."
Joe, this is too hard to believe, your military uniforms are a century ahead of the world, tell me quickly, who designed them" Gordon still looked surprised, and couldn't calm down for a long time."
Old friend, these are all designed by me, there is really nothing, I believe that the whole world will adopt this design in the future."
Qiao Zhiqing shrugged his shoulders indifferently, led Gordon and his party, got into a sedan chair and returned to Suzhou Mansion.This time, Gordon not only brought arms and machines to Qiao Zhiqing, but also brought more than 20 scientists proficient in physical chemistry from Britain and all over Europe according to Qiao Zhiqing's request.Qiao Zhiqing set up a banquet for everyone, and specially invited representatives from all walks of life in Suzhou to accompany him.After the foreign devils were all seated, Qiao Zhiqing raised his glass and welcomed in a pure London accent, "Welcome to all the distinguished guests who have come from afar, everyone cheers." ”Everyone stood up politely and toasted to greet each other, and all the foreign devils looked at this Qing Dynasty official with some surprise, but they didn't expect him to speak his native language.One of the foreign devils looked at Qiao Zhiqing with a serious face and asked, "Sir, I want to know if Colonel Gordon's promise to us is true" The other foreign devils also looked at Qiao Zhiqing with great concern, Gordon laughed secretly, he didn't discuss the commission with Qiao Zhiqing, so he made his own decisions and deceived the Europeans of these materials to China with lies.Gordon was promoted to colonel by He Bo for his meritorious service in exterminating the Taiping Army.Qiao Zhiqing chuckled lightly, and asked gentlemanly, "This gentleman, what should I call you?"
The foreign devil still replied with a cold face, "My name is Nobel, sir." ”"Nobel" Qiao Zhiqing's heart beat violently, and he continued to ask calmly, "Is Mr.
Swede?"
"Oh, yes, that's right, I'm Swede." ”Nobel replied slowly."
It's really him, the inventor of yellow explosives, Nobel."
Qiao Zhiqing was silent, secretly restraining his constantly beating heart, as excited as picking up five million for nothing on the ground."
Mr.
Nobel, what Captain Gordon said is true, and on the basis of his promise, I will give you double the commission."
Qiao Zhiqing didn't know how many taels of silver Gordon promised, and Qiao Zhiqing didn't know if these scientists really had the ability, but Nobel alone was worth so much silver."
Oh God."
The foreign devils opened their eyes wide and exclaimed, and even Gordon's heart jumped secretly, and his heart said Bad Bad, God, this Qiao Zhiqing is really crazy, why didn't he ask me.Nobel asked Qiao Zhiqing with a distrustful expression, "Mr.
Qiao, Colonel Gordon promised a commission of five hundred taels per month. ”Qiao Zhiqing replied with confidence on his face, "Yes, the commission given to everyone by this official is set at 1,000 taels, and provides a very comfortable environment for everyone to invent and create with special scientific research funds."
If you have a new invention, you will be rewarded with other things. ”"Mr.
Qiao is such a bold person and a pleasure to work with."
Nobel raised his glass and drank a full glass, although he didn't like the taste of the wine in the glass, but he continued happily, "Dear sir, I happen to have a research project in my hand, and I ask him to support me." ”Qiao Zhiqing chuckled and replied, "Then there is Mr.
Rao Nobel, when the banquet is over, the official will come to your room to find you in person." ”Nobel smiled heartily, he was very satisfied with Qiao Zhiqing's gentlemanly demeanor, and secretly said in his heart that he had not come to China in vain.Everyone had a very pleasant meal, and after the banquet, Qiao Zhiqing personally took the foreign devils into the lecturer's accommodation area of Huaxing Academy, and Feng Guifen had prepared rooms for everyone, all of which were small courtyards with gardens.When the foreign devils saw the Chinese garden design for the first time, they were all amazed and admired, and after putting down their luggage in the room, they couldn't help but play in the academy together.Qiao Zhiqing and Nobel chatted while walking, entered the room with a smile, turned around and closed the door.Nobel took out a stack of design drafts from the suitcase, handed them to Qiao Zhiqing, and introduced, "Mr.
Qiao, please see, this draft is about a liquid explosive, which is different from the traditional black gunpowder, the scientific name is "Xiao Acid Glycerin", its power can be dozens of times greater than that of black explosives, but it is very unstable, and it will explode if you are not careful, and I am trying to find a way to make it safer recently. ”Qiao Zhiqing looked at the full English discourse, although he also passed the fourth level of English, but he was still ignorant of the professional terms involving chemistry, physics, and biology, but there was a chemical term that he did see clearly, that is, "Xiao Acid Glycerin." ”"Xiao acid glycerin" is the core part of yellow explosives, Qiao Zhiqing wanted to get this thing out for a long time, but the chemistry of liberal arts students really can't do it, and he doesn't know how to refine these chemicals.Qiao Zhiqing still knows a little bit about "Xiao acid glycerin", and it also needs to be mixed with "diatomaceous earth" to maintain stability."
Mr.
Nobel, why don't you try to mix this liquid with diatomaceous earth, so that it can become a solid state" Qiao Zhiqing couldn't wait to remind Nobel, although he knew that this sentence could change the course of the entire history."
Is it okay to diatomaceous earth" Nobel frowned, picked up the pen and hurriedly checked it on the straw paper, and was even more impressed by Qiao Zhiqing in his heart, in his impression, the officials of the Qing Dynasty were all barbarians dragging whips, but he didn't expect that there were officials who knew chemistry."
Yes sir, I'm just guessing, you can try it."
Qiao Zhiqing smiled slightly."
Very good, very good, this idea is so important to me, I didn't think of it before, I can turn "glycerin" into solids, solids are much more stable than liquids. ”Nobel lowered his head and his face was full of excitement, constantly calculating the chemical equation on the paper, and he didn't care about Qiao Zhiqing anymore.Qiao Zhiqing shook his head with a smile, retreated gently, and helped him close the door
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