The arrogance started from Chinatown

Chapter 762 Welcome to Los Angeles

"What a nice weather here!" As soon as they got off the train, the group immediately felt the huge difference in weather between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

It's foggy every morning in San Francisco, it's wet everywhere, and it rains every other day.

There is a musty smell in the air.

It's completely the opposite here in Los Angeles. The air is warm and dry, the sky is clear with only a few white clouds, and the sun makes people feel warm.

There is a sign at the train station.

"What's written on it?" Yuan Shikai asked.

"Welcome to Los Angeles, welcome to the City of Sunshine!" said Comprador Huang.

"Uncle Mei, what are you thinking about?" Kang Youwei noticed that Zhang Xuecheng had been silent for a long time, so he patted him and asked.

"It's over 600 miles, and we can get there in one day by train!"

"Yuhang County is only half the distance from Shanghai, more than 300 miles. Do you know how long it took me to walk?" Zhang Xuecheng looked up and asked everyone.

"Two days!" Yuan Shikai said immediately.

"Yes, it took two days to cover half the distance. If it was more than 600 miles, it would take at least four days! But here it only takes one day." Zhang Xuecheng nodded. "It's just like traveling. The difference between what I've seen and heard in San Francisco these days is beyond reason. One day of development here is equivalent to several days of development for us. As time goes by, the gap will only get bigger!"

Everyone fell silent after hearing this. Although it could not be calculated in this way, what Zhang Xuecheng said was correct.

Although we are talking about traveling, it is not just about traveling.

Traveling is faster, saving time on the road, and the same is true in other aspects.

For example, the electric lights seen in San Francisco can make the night as bright as day.

And the telephone…they had the lights outside the club, and the telephone was only used by others.

It was comprador Huang who took them to a cafe at the port to see it. It was said that this thing could be used to communicate directly with places far away, which was more convenient than the telegraph.

Huang the comprador couldn't explain the principle clearly. Zhang Xuecheng once thought that there was a little man on the phone. After listening to it, he ran along the phone line to the other end to tell the other party.

In every aspect, this place is much more developed than the Qing Dynasty.

"Let's not talk about those disturbing things! It's rare for us to get out, so we should relax and have a good sightseeing!" Yuan Shikai quickly calmed down and comforted everyone.

After the group left the train station, comprador Huang took them to a station to wait.

"Why are there railroad tracks on the ground?" Yuan Shikai asked curiously as he looked at the ground in front of him.

"This is where you can take the tram! You will see it in a moment. In the city, you can reach many places by tram, so you don't have to take a horse-drawn carriage everywhere!" Comprador Huang explained.

After a while, the sound of bells continued to be heard in the distance, and a tram that looked a bit like a train slowly came over.

Yuan Shikai and others were amazed again.

"After coming here, I feel like my eyes have been broadened every day. I feel like a country bumpkin!" Yuan Shikai said self-deprecatingly.

"I wonder how much it costs to take this tram?" Zhang Xuecheng asked again.

"5 cents! No matter how long the distance is! There are seats on it, but it's rare to get one! Sometimes there are too many people and you can't squeeze in and have to wait for the next one!" Comprador Huang introduced on the side.

Several people calculated that the income here was about $1 a day, and ordinary people could earn 10 cents for two tram rides in the morning and evening, which was acceptable even to ordinary workers.

When a few people got on the tram, they saw a group of Chinese young men in gentlemen's suits. They looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old. Their temperament was very different from those of ordinary laborers. They had a lot more scholarly air, but they were still different from the scholars in the Qing Dynasty.

Kang Youwei noticed it immediately and went up to start a conversation.

The other party stared at the hats on their heads and asked, "Are you from the Qing Dynasty?"

"That's right!" Kang Youwei bowed.

These people are students like Tang Shaoyi, Zhong Wenyao and Rong Kui.

They arrived in Los Angeles just last night and got up this morning to take a tram tour.

Upon learning that Kang Youwei was from the Qing Dynasty, these students did not reveal their identities and just chatted with them casually.

From the way they talk, you can tell they are well-educated.

Zhang Xuecheng thought they were Chinese from the Malay Peninsula, but these students avoided talking about their origins, and this exposure of timidity was noticed by several people.

Yuan Shikai and Xu Shichang both remembered one thing and immediately guessed the origins of these people, but did not say it out loud.

But Kang Youwei suddenly asked, "You are the children who went to America back then, right?"

After hearing this, the students fell silent.

"I saw you guys returning to China in the newspaper a while ago, but I didn't expect you guys to come back again!"

Rong Kui bowed and said, "Yes! It's us!"

Then I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

Except for Rong Kui, Zhong Wenyao and a few others, the others did not want Da Qing to know that they were back, so as not to affect their families.

After a few more stops, the students got off the tram.

Then Yuan Shikai said to Kang Youwei: "Since Guangsha has guessed their identities, why should he tell them out?"

"The imperial court has funded them for many years, but they have no intention of repaying the imperial court. After returning to the Qing Dynasty, they sneak back. This is shameful!" Kang Youwei just said.

Xu Shichang said, "I heard that they were called back before they finished their studies. Many of them have just started college... How can they serve the court? What can they do?"

Kang Youwei smiled and said nothing more.

However, because of this incident, several people had some opinions about each other and some grudges arose.

Yuan Shikai and Xu Shichang thought that Kang Youwei was loyal to the Qing Dynasty. Although they had some resentment in their hearts, they pretended nothing had happened.

However, neither of them expected that Kang Youwei was planning to write a letter to Chen Zhengwei.

"The Chinese have been overcrowded for a long time. Since America doesn't forbid our people to go there, we can move our people there and build a new China..."

That’s right, Kang Youwei wanted to write a letter to Chen Zhengwei, asking Chen Zhengwei to rebuild a new China in America.

He also felt that Chen Zhengwei had great ambitions, and that there were very few talented Chinese people in the United States.

This letter not only expresses one's own political views, but also caters to the other party's interests and gains some benefits.

Kang Youwei was not loyal to the Qing Dynasty. He just liked power, but he failed repeatedly. This time he saw an opportunity.

As for those students, he simply didn't like them. ...

"Senior brother, those students are coming to Los Angeles to celebrate the New Year. Do you want to meet them this year?" Li Xiwen asked Chen Zhengwei.

"Let's do it after the New Year! On the fourth or fifth day, find some time to have a meal!" Chen Zhengwei still cares a lot about those students.

After graduation, some of these people should be able to become the backbone of the Chinese people.

It is impossible for everyone to be a great talent, but at least everyone is a talent.

At least he knew two of the people in there.

One is Zhan Tianyou and the other is Tang Shaoyi.

Even if Zhan Tianyou hadn't gone to build railways, he should have been a technical talent.

Tang Shaoyi, he seemed to remember that he was related to the Beiyang government? Or the Republic of China?

Chen Zhengwei thought that maybe the memories in his brain were eaten by a dog when he traveled through time.

After all, he graduated from a decent university.

Never mind what university it is!
After all, it's college and I've graduated.

In addition to these two people, there may be other talented people.

After all, those who are selected to study in the United States and are admitted to university are not stupid people. As long as you give them a chance, they may give you some surprises.

"Have you arranged the banquet? Has the car arrived?" Chen Zhengwei asked again.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and James Garfield will also arrive tomorrow.

There was a banquet on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

The governor and some members of California's congress will also come, as well as some Chinese businessmen invited by the state.

"Everything has been arranged! The car has arrived. I told you last night!" Li Xiwen reminded.

Without even thinking, Chen Zhengwei raised his hand and slapped him on the back of the head: "You told me, and I'm still asking you, think about it, is this your problem!"

Li Xiwen's eyes were filled with resentment. He felt that Chen Zhengwei had forgotten and was taking his anger out on him.

I kept repeating to myself “Silence is golden” “Silence is golden”.

The next morning, which was New Year's Eve, the train station was first under martial law, and James Garfield and his security team arrived in Los Angeles.

Since the assassination, the security around James Garfield has been increased by more than one level.

After all, several American presidents have been assassinated, and he was almost shot to death in the back.

The group went directly to Chen Zhengwei's mansion in the city center. Along the way, James Garfield was carefully looking at the scenery outside.

The streets are almost entirely filled with Chinese people, with only occasional sightings of people of other ethnicities.

As many people have said, coming here is like leaving the United States.

And the streetcar also made James Garfield look twice.

Even New York now has horse-drawn trams...

Only Los Angeles has this type of streetcar.

But I heard that New York has also started preparations. As the financial center of the United States, this big city in the East will definitely not lag behind in this regard.

When they arrived at the gate of the manor, Chen Zhengwei came out and gave James Garfield a hug with a big laugh.

"James, welcome to Los Angeles! You look good now!"

"Are you alright?"

"Thank you for your help!" James Garfield thanked.

"It's a cloudy day now, but the wound still hurts!" James Garfield complained again and quickly got closer to Chen Zhengwei.

"But compared to losing my life, this is the best situation now! No matter what, I am very grateful for your help! The people you sent saved my life!"

"We Chinese have a saying, 'A drop of kindness must be repaid with a spring! How do you plan to repay the kindness of saving your life?" Chen Zhengwei asked with a smile. He was never polite in such matters.

He had never learned this kind of politeness since he was a child.

He only knew that if he was owed a drop of kindness, he must repay it with a spring. He had to repay it.

"I will always be your friend, Mr. Chen!" James Garfield said solemnly.

Chen Zhengwei laughed and let the matter go.

Given his personality, if he owes someone a big favor and cannot repay it... the most likely thing he would do is to kill the other person, so he doesn't have to repay it and doesn't feel inferior every time he meets someone.

Fortunately, James Garfield doesn't have this idea, and he doesn't have the ability to do so.

"Then you must like the weather in Los Angeles!" Chen Zhengwei said with a smile, turning around and greeting James' wife: "Good afternoon, Lucretia. To be honest, I like your name!"

"Thank you!" Lucretia smiled.

"Are these your and James' children? Hello, kids!" Chen Zhengwei turned his gaze to Garfield's children, five in total.

The oldest is an 18-year-old youth and the youngest is only 10 years old.

"Hello, Mr. Chen!"

One of the 14-year-old girls stared at Chen Zhengwei intently, her eyes full of curiosity: "Mr. Chen, you are so tall! Like a giant!"

"You're right, so everyone looks dwarf to me!" Chen Zhengwei laughed loudly, then took James in his arms and walked into the manor: "Now that you're here, I just want to take you for a ride! Let you appreciate the scenery of Los Angeles!"

James really enjoys Chen Zhengwei's attitude towards him, treating him like a friend.

After all, as the President of the United States, not many people can treat him like this.

Moreover, Chen Zhengwei exudes endless energy and vitality, making him feel like he is with his friends when he was young.

The only problem was that Chen Zhengwei's hand was on his shoulder as he walked inside, and the huge size difference between them made him feel like a child.

This made him somewhat embarrassed.

(End of this chapter)