Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 40: The students don’t respond? Try to be the first in the world! [Please read more]

After hearing Liu Song's words, the expressions of Liu Yan, Zheng Zhiliang and Zhao Wenyuan behind him suddenly became quite ugly.

Liu Kuan was shocked.

He knew that some people looked down on clerks at that time, but he did not expect that Liu Song would say in front of several people that clerks were lowly and that they were insulting the students of the Imperial Academy by recruiting clerks.

Su Quan was also surprised by Liu Song's rebuke. He frowned, put away his smile, and said, "I'm here on official business. Doesn't Liu Siye think it's rude to interrupt me like this?"

Liu Song said coldly, "You want to humiliate the students of the Imperial College, why should I be polite to you?!"

Su Quan's eyes turned cold. "It seems that Liu Siye intends to disregard the imperial edict and obstruct our official duties?"

Liu Song was about to say something when Li Jing stopped him, "Liu Siye, please step back and listen to Doctor Su finish his words before making a final decision."

Liu Song did not retreat just like that.

He snorted, "I'd like to hear what they have to say. They actually want to recruit students from the Imperial College as clerks."

"Even though I cannot stop you due to the Imperial Decree, I believe that not a single student would agree to become a clerk in the Science and Technology Department."

"Unless you have no shame, go and ask His Majesty for permission to forcibly recruit all the students as officials."

"But I believe that His Majesty is wise and powerful, and will never allow you to act so recklessly!"

After saying this, Liu Song pretended to take a step back and shut up.

Su Quan did not argue with Liu Song any further, but said to Li Jing: "The people recruited by our Science and Technology Department this time will all be the clerks listed in the Ministry of Personnel."

"Once these officials are familiar with the affairs of our Science and Technology Department, we will select some of them who have made contributions or have outstanding abilities and promote them to official positions."

"Although our Science and Technology Department is newly established, it is responsible for many important tasks such as building trains, and has a bright future. If you have talent, joining the Science and Technology Department is no worse than being recommended for a career in government."

"I implore the chief priest to summon all the students and explain these matters so that they can make their own choices."

Li Jingwei frowned, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "Since the imperial edict is here, I can recruit students for the Department of Science and Technology. However, it would be better for Doctor Su to speak with them about recruiting them as clerks."

Su Quan had never expected Li Jing to really help the Science and Technology Department speak well of the students. He had made that request just now only to prevent Li Jing from procrastinating and to leave room for negotiation.

So he nodded and said, "Okay, I'll tell it myself."

"Mr. Feng, send someone to gather all the students in front of Minglun Pavilion and tell them that the court needs their assistance."

"Yes."

Unlike Liu Song, the academician Feng Liang did not say much. He just responded and went to find someone to do the job.

Li Jing added, "It only takes half an hour to gather the students, but it's not too short. Doctor Su, why don't you come sit down in the hall and have a cup of tea?"

"Okay." Su Quan nodded in agreement.

Although they had just had an argument with the Dean Liu Song, it would take so long to summon the students that they couldn't just stand in the yard. Sitting down and having a cup of tea was a good option.

The rules of the Imperial College during the Hongwu Dynasty were quite strict. Except for local students in the capital, all other students lived in the Imperial College and were not allowed to go out unless necessary.

As for going to a brothel to drink and have fun like what happened later, if you are found out, you will be severely punished.

It was for this reason that Li Jingcai said that it would only take half an hour to gather all the students - if the students were no longer in the Imperial College, but had sneaked away to play in various places in the city, or simply traveled outside the capital, it would be impossible to gather them all in a short time.

Liu Kuan, however, complained a lot about the past half hour.

"If this happened in a university in the future, a single announcement would gather all the teachers and students in half an hour at most."

"If it were a boarding school, all the teachers and students could be gathered in ten minutes."

"This Imperial College takes an hour. It seems that there is no military training course for students when they enter the school."

Coupled with the indifference of Li Jing, the chief academic officer, and the angry resistance of Liu Song, the deputy director of the Imperial Academy, Liu Kuan no longer had much hope of recruiting suitable officials from the Imperial College.

After sitting there awkwardly for nearly an hour, the academician Feng Liang finally came in and said, "Master, except for a dozen or so students who have taken leave and are not at the Imperial College, all the other students have gathered outside Minglun Pavilion."

Li Jing nodded and said to Su Quan, "Doctor Su, please come in."

"please."

Then, the group came to Minglun Pavilion.

This pavilion is three stories high, and there is nothing else on the ground floor except eight pillars.

There is a large open space around it. In addition to the normal green space, there are only a few small pavilions. It is considered the most suitable place for large-scale gatherings in the Imperial College.

When Liu Kuan and others arrived, the students were gathering into small groups, chatting about other things or discussing this grand gathering.

"Brother Ma, do you know why you summoned us?"

"I actually know that. I heard someone from the Ministry of Works is here to recruit officials."

"Oh? In the past, weren't the teachers at the school always directly recommending candidates for such matters? Why did you gather all of us together this time?"

"I don't know about that."

"···"

Even though the Minglun Pavilion was on the ground floor, it was several feet higher than the surrounding area. Therefore, when Liu Kuan stood inside, he could get a general view of all the students of the Imperial Academy around him.

Seeing these students coming from far and near, randomly gathering into small groups with no discipline at all, and only some academic principals, registrars and professors patrolling to avoid chaos, Liu Kuan couldn't help but shake his head secretly.

He felt that it would be difficult for Su Quan to speak in a while.

Unexpectedly, Su Quan patted his shoulder at this moment.

Liu Kuan turned his head in confusion.

Su Quan smiled and said, "How about having Deputy Liu explain the recruitment to these students?"

"Me?" Liu Kuan was surprised, then quickly shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't."

Su Quan said, "The officials we are recruiting this time will all follow Deputy Liu's orders. Deputy Liu knows best what they will accomplish. If Deputy Liu can't explain things well, who can?"

What Su Quan said makes sense.

Liu Kuan was embarrassed to push all the difficult tasks onto this superior, so he nodded and said, "Well, I'll just say a few words. Whether I can recruit a few people depends on fate."

After saying this, Liu Kuan walked in front of Li Jing, Su Quan and the others. Seeing that the students outside were still making a lot of noise, he had an idea and said to Wang Guangyue who was following him, "Tell your soldiers to shout 'Silence' together."

"Yes." Wang Guangyue responded and gave instructions to a few of his flags. Soon, fifty Yiluansi officers and soldiers shouted together: "Silence!"

"Silence! Silence!"

Although there were only fifty people shouting in unison, it instantly drowned out the noisy chatter of the other students.

After three calls, all the students around Minglun Pavilion quieted down.

Then Liu Kuan spoke loudly.

"Everyone, I am Liu Kuan, a deputy minister of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry. I have come to the Imperial College to recruit officials."

Liu Kuan also knew some speaking skills. He said he was recruiting officials instead of directly saying they were clerks, so as to prevent the students from making a fuss at the beginning and let him continue speaking.

"Some people might wonder what the Science and Technology Department does. Well, it was established because of the sudden appearance of a cross-river bridge and railway outside the city a few days ago."

"And the first task of the Science and Technology Department after its establishment was to build trains and have them run on the railways."

"As for what railways and trains are, I can't go into detail at this time. If you're willing to work in the Science and Technology Department, you'll learn about the relevant matters."

Having said that, Liu Kuan paused before saying the last sentence.

"This time, our Science and Technology Department plans to recruit five to fifteen people from the Imperial College. They will initially serve as clerks. If they demonstrate their talents or make contributions, they can be promoted to officials."

"There are nearly two thousand students in the Imperial College now, all waiting to be recommended for official positions. How small is their chance?"

"But if you want to join our Science and Technology Department, all you need to do is come to Minglun Pavilion and apply for a position. You'll have a great chance. Everyone, don't miss this opportunity! It's not to be missed!"

Liu Kuan breathed a sigh of relief after he finished speaking.

Fortunately, the students of the Imperial College did not make a fuss while he was speaking, otherwise he would have been embarrassed.

Even after he finished speaking, the students began to buzz about it.

"When did the Ministry of Industry establish the new Science and Technology Department?"

"Isn't it said to be related to the cross-river bridge? It should have been a few days ago."

"If it's conscription, I would consider it, but you're asking us to be clerks. Aren't you looking down on us?"

"We were recommended by the local government to study in Beijing. If we were to serve only as officials, we would surely disappoint our teachers and be looked down upon by our classmates."

"···"

The students were discussing the matter a lot. Although they were all curious about the cross-river bridge and the railway, almost none of them wanted to be an official.

These people are all outstanding scholars recommended from all over the Ming Dynasty. Even if they leave the Imperial College after a few years and cannot become officials, they will become gentry when they return to their hometowns and have considerable influence on the local area.

With such an identity, if he becomes a minor official, even if he can be promoted to an official in the future, he will be ridiculed by his colleagues and classmates, and disappoint his teachers and fellow villagers.

If you cannot become an official in the end and remain a minor official, it is like falling into a pit and it will be too late to regret.

Therefore, the students discussed for nearly a quarter of an hour, but no one entered Minglun Pavilion to register and recommend themselves.

As time passed, Su Quan and Liu Kuan both looked disappointed, while Zhao Wenyuan and Zheng Zhiliang lowered their heads, feeling extremely embarrassed and ashamed.

Although Liu Yan looked better, he still lowered his head.

Chief Li Jing's expression remained calm, as if he had expected this.

Dean Liu Song laughed heartily. "Haha, what did I say before? The students of our country's academy are the pillars of the country. How could they be content to be clerks? Today you can't recruit a single person. As expected!"

Hearing Liu Song's ridicule, Liu Kuan, Su Quan and others looked even uglier.

Su Quan sighed and said, "Vice-Law Liu, it seems that the Imperial College really doesn't have the people my Science and Technology Department needs. You should find the young officials you want elsewhere."

In fact, Liu Kuan didn't care much about whether he could recruit officials at the Imperial College. After all, he had already thought of a backup plan.

But now he really couldn't recruit anyone, and was even laughed at by Liu Song, an old and corrupt scholar. However, this aroused his fighting spirit - he had the pride of a modern man in his bones, and he was unwilling to admit defeat!
So he stepped forward again and said loudly: "Everyone, please listen to me again!"

Because Minglun Pavilion was being noticed by the students at this time, there was no need for the Yiluansi officers and soldiers to shout "Silence" this time, and the students gradually quieted down.

They wanted to hear what else this Science and Technology Department Assistant Director had to say.

Facing the scrutiny and even mocking gazes of the students, Liu Kuan stood tall.

"You are all students of the Imperial Academy. I believe you are here not only to become officials, but also to seek knowledge and truth!"

"And the reason why our Science and Technology Department is recruiting students as officials is not just to employ people, but also to cultivate talents in science and technology!"

"What is science?"

"Why do the sun and moon rise in the east and set in the west? Why do the tides rise and fall? Is the earth square or round? Why do boats float on water? Why do plants wither and flourish?"

“Science has the answer!”

“What is technology?”

"How can we make guns and cannons fire farther and more accurately? How can we make carts move without oxen and horses? How can we build that bridge across the river? How can we make people soar like birds? How can we ensure a good harvest and a full flock of livestock?"

“Technology can do it!”

"If any of you are interested in this, please join the Science and Technology Department today. You will be able to learn about science and technology sooner rather than later, and be among the first in the world!"

Liu Kuan was not a very eloquent person, which could be seen from the time when he was telling Old Zhu and Little Zhu about the things that happened in later generations.

Therefore, he really put all his heart and brain into what he said today.

As for whether it would be effective, he didn't know.

Therefore, after he finished speaking, although he still looked excited, he felt a little uneasy in his heart, worried that the verbal battle would end up making him lose face even more and be even more disappointed.

After he finished speaking, there was silence inside and outside Minglun Pavilion, with only the faint sound of leaves rustling in the autumn wind.

I don’t know how long it was, but it was Liu Song in the pavilion who spoke first and broke the silence.

"Science, technology? To me, it's clearly just some fancy tricks, yet they're presumptuously calling it the Great Dao, attempting to rival Confucianism. Really..."

However, before Liu Song could finish his mocking words, a young man's loud shout came from outside the pavilion.

"Sir! I would like to recommend myself to the Science and Technology Department!"

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(End of this chapter)