The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 503 Taiping University Hall - This school does not teach people to cultivate immortality (ask for subscription and votes)

The cool river breeze blew in the porthole with the smell of coal smoke. Feng Yunshan held the summary of the True Covenant Sect sent to him on Mount Lushan by the Tianjing headquarters, and read it carefully page by page: "Ninth brother, I didn't expect that the True Covenant Sect has so many followers in foreign countries, and there are many white foreigners who believe in it. I don't know why they don't believe in Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodoxy, but believe in our True Covenant Sect?"

Luo Yaoguo was leaning over a teak table, writing a letter to Zuo Zongtang, who was far away in Vladivostok, informing him that the "Little Ming King" of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had passed away, and that the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had now become a monarchy without an actual monarch. So he hoped that Zuo Zongtang could lead his troops to "revolt" before leaving Vladivostok for the Kamchatka Peninsula, and take over Vladivostok.

Hearing Feng Yunshan's question, Luo Yaoguo put down his brush and was considering how to answer when the cabin door creaked. Maria pushed the door open with a tray on which was a pot of freshly brewed coffee. "Your Highness, your coffee is ready." Maria bent down and placed the coffee pot on the teak table in front of Luo Yaoguo. "What would you like for lunch? We have fresh fish just caught from the Yangtze River."

Hong Xuanjiao, who was fiddling with Luo Yaoguo's "Tongtian Mirror", suddenly asked Maria: "Maria, why don't you, a white foreign girl, believe in Catholicism and convert to True Testamentism?"

Maria blinked her misty blue eyes and said to Luo Yaoguo with admiration: "I believe in you, Your Highness the Angel."

The "emotional value" she could provide was simply beyond words. Luo Yaoguo was coaxed into laughing and asked again: "Anything else? Why do you believe that I am an angel?"

"Because the Book of Prophets and Theory of Heaven," Maria said solemnly, "The Book of Prophets predicts some major events that will happen in the next one to two years, while Theory of Heaven is, well."

She tilted her head, as if weighing her words.

"It is a future that is both real and beautiful!" Luo Yaoguo turned around and told Feng Yunshan before Maria could think of what to say, "Heaven should not be unknowable and unattainable, but should be something that can be built through the efforts of all mankind. What I described in "The Theory of Heaven" is a paradise that can be realized by mankind through more than a hundred years of efforts."

"A hundred or so years is too long," Feng Yunshan shook his head. "How can a mortal live that long?"

Luo Yaoguo smiled: "Some of the things that appear in "Theory of Heaven", maybe we will be able to see them in their original state in a few decades!"

"A few decades later?" Feng Yunshan pondered for a moment, "A few decades later, will there be a magic weapon that can carry people to the sky?"

"It shouldn't take more than fifty years!" Luo Yaoguo waved at Hong Xuanjiao, "Give me the Tongtian Mirror."

The latter pouted and reluctantly handed the "Tiantian Mirror" to Luo Yaoguo. Luo Yaoguo took the "Tiantian Mirror" and quickly found a photo of the "Flyer One" made by the Wright brothers from the gallery, and then showed the photo to Feng Yunshan, "If some foreign scientists see this, maybe within fifty years, the magic weapon that can carry people to fly will be made!"

"Should we let foreign scientists see this?" Feng Yunshan made the sign of the cross on his chest.

"That depends on where they see it?" Luo Yaoguo fiddled with the "Tongtian Mirror" for a few more times, and then placed the "Tongtian Mirror" with the screen facing up on the teak table. Feng Yunshan stretched his neck to take a look and found that the five indigo fluorescent seal characters "Taiping University Hall" appeared on the surface of the "Tongtian Mirror", and along with these five seal characters, there was also an antique Chinese-style building.

"Your Highness, do you want to open a university to teach magic?" Maria looked at Luo Yaoguo with anticipation. If there was anyone who could be the first to learn real magic from Luo Yaoguo, that person should undoubtedly be her!

Luo Yaoguo shook his head slightly and slid his finger lightly across the surface of the "Tongtian Mirror". The picture on it changed instantly, and the seven seal characters "Our school does not teach people to cultivate immortality" emerged.

"If we don't teach people how to cultivate immortality, what else can we teach them?" Hong Xuanjiao asked with blinking eyes.

"Teach scientific knowledge!" Luo Yaoguo suddenly sneered, "The students of Suzhou No. 1 Middle School will soon be promoted to university, and we need a truly high-level university.

Compared to sending them to study abroad, it is obviously more cost-effective to run a university of our own. To run a good university, we need a group of first-class professors, especially professors in science and engineering. But why do the truly first-class science and engineering professors want to come to China? What can attract them in China? More money? Or predictions that can help them make research breakthroughs? "

"Your Highness, can your predictions help scientists with their research?" Maria looked at Luo Yaoguo expectantly, "This is amazing!"

"Of course," Luo Yaoguo said confidently, "I can predict some correct research directions! Maybe some Western scientists will come to China to find real magic." He smiled slightly, "I welcome them too!"

As he was talking, Luo Yaoguo suddenly picked up the "Telescope" and brought up the picture of "Flyer No. 1", then gave the "Telescope" to Maria: "Draw it and use it as the cover picture of the new edition of "Paradise". And then help me translate the new edition of "Paradise" into English, French and German." In the meeting hall of All Souls College, Oxford University, the light of the gold thread embroidery on the twelve high-backed chairs was flickering with the sunset. When Wu Chongyao followed Mr. Hacker from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs into the copper-clad gate, several gentlemen in black robes with silver coiled dragon badges on their chests were waiting for him in the hall.

"You are all..." The brocade robe of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's envoy swept across the ancient floor tiles inlaid three hundred years ago. Although he didn't understand what these people in front of him were doing, Wu Chongyao still bowed.

The second Duke of Wellington, the chairman of the British Magic Committee, bowed in return, showing a fake smile that is unique to British gentlemen: "Dear Envoy, we are members of the British Magic Committee. I heard that your Prime Minister is a messenger from heaven and possesses supernatural powers?"

Wu Chongyao from the British Magic Committee looked back at the secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harker, and said, "Mr. Harker, you brought me to Oxford University just to meet them? Are they really magicians?"

Harker shrugged and said with a wry smile, "In fact, this committee is under the British Cabinet! It is in charge of the magical affairs of Britain."

"In charge of magic affairs?" Wu Chongyao was stunned again and again, "Okay, then... then what will we talk about today?"

"Of course it's a friendly exchange between the two countries' wizarding communities." The second Duke of Wellington said seriously. Like his father, he was an old man who had spent his whole life in the army and had developed a habit of being serious, old-fashioned and unsmiling. Although what he was doing now was very funny, he could hold it in.

"Well, then, let's communicate!" Wu Chongyao had already learned how to use the prophecy of interests and was prepared to communicate with the British charlatans. "But let me make it clear that I don't know magic."

"Please sit down." The second Duke of Wellington took out a "magic wand" and pointed to a high-back chair.

The two parties quickly took their seats as host and guest. As soon as Wu Chongyao sat down, he took out his enamel tobacco box and pipe and began to slowly fill his pipe with tobacco.

"I heard that your Prime Minister is an angel who descended from heaven?" The second Duke of Wellington asked seriously, "He also has the ability to predict the future and curse?"

Wu Chongyao struck a yellow phosphorus match, lit his pipe, took a puff, and then blew out a cloud of smoke: "There is such a legend about the Prime Minister descending from the sky, but I didn't see it with my own eyes." He had already discovered that Wenxian was at the scene, so he pointed at Wenxian with his pipe and said, "I knew the Prime Minister later than Wenxian knew him. As for his predictive ability, I believe you have already seen it."

The second Duke of Wellington asked again: "What about the curse? Was Tsar Nicholas cursed to death by your Prime Minister?"

"I don't know," Wu Chongyao shook his head. "But why did the Prime Minister do this? According to his prophecy, Alexander II who ascended the throne is far better than his father! Your war with the Russian Empire will surely become longer and more brutal because of his accession to the throne!"

As an officer of the British Army, he certainly knew how cruel the war on the Crimean Peninsula was. When he heard "longer and more cruel", he couldn't help but frown. However, he did not meet Wu Chongyao as a representative of the British Army or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was now the chairman of the Magic Committee.

"But the Russian Tsar did die suddenly after your Prime Minister predicted his death," the 2nd Duke of Wellington pointed out seriously, "We need a reasonable explanation! Because this matter is a threat to everyone."

"Oh" Wu Chongyao remembered what Luo Yaoguo had said to him: When they say you are a devil, you'd better really be one!

"So what?" The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's envoy puffed out smoke again and asked in a serious tone, "Do you want to eliminate the person who is a threat to everyone?"

"No, of course not." The second Duke of Wellington immediately sensed the danger, and his tone immediately became gentle. "We just want to send a delegation to China to meet with the Prime Minister."

"Delegation? Who are they?" Wu Chongyao looked at the Duke in front of him while smoking.

"There are several respected scholars," said the second Duke of Wellington, "and two Anglican priests. The leader will be Lord Bonham, an old friend of the Prime Minister."

Wu Chongyao played with the enamel tobacco box, and the meeting room fell into an eerie silence. After a long while, he slowly said: "If the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and Britain can become allies, then the Prime Minister welcomes friends from the British magic world. In addition, he has a prophecy as a gift for Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Albert."

(End of this chapter)