Seeing that Xiao Letian was a little angry, Wang Huaiyuan hurriedly came out to smooth things over, "Actually, it's not that everyone is opposed to your policy, the head of state. Those people just think that we Chinese, our career has just started, there are many places where we need money, and we should first ensure national security. First priority!”
"We Chinese people are not yet at ease. There are Western powers on the outside who are eyeing us, and there are stubborn Manchus on the inside who are unwilling to admit defeat. The country has not yet been unified. At this time, it is reasonable to invest more in military and industry. "
Sima Yun quickly said, "Yes! The situation is difficult, and we have to take care of the important end first. Those brothers are not saying that compulsory education is a useless policy, but they are asking whether it can... they just ask whether it can be slowed down a bit."
Xiao Letian sneered and said, "The times are difficult? Are the times really difficult? No matter how many difficulties we Chinese face, how many difficulties does anyone have like what Prussia encountered back then?"
“In 1701, Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg supported the Austrian Habsburgs in declaring war on the French Bourbons in exchange for the title of king.”
"Frederick III was crowned King Frederick I of Prussia in Königsberg, and from then on began the nearly 200-year struggle history of the Kingdom of Prussia."
"Nearly 200 years ago! What kind of life do you think Prussia lived? Is it really better than us Chinese people are living now?"
"Don't forget, before Prussia was founded, Europe had just finished the Thirty Years' War. It was a world war fought under the guise of religion."
"In this war, the entire German Empire was completely divided*, and they were the country most severely traumatized by the war. 60% of the entire population of Germany was wiped out. You can imagine what a tragic war this was."
But the bad luck wasn't quite over.
"In 1708, a plague killed another third of Prussia's population. God was kind and only killed one-third of Prussia's population, not all of them. In contrast, Norway was once robbed by plague. Go nine-tenths of the population!”
"Furthermore, Prussia's geographical location couldn't be worse. Not only is its territory divided into several pieces, making it extremely difficult to defend, but it is also surrounded by powerful countries with ulterior motives such as Poland, Austria, Sweden, Saxony, and Hanover."
"Of course, don't forget France, the old enemy. On October 27, 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte captured Berlin, and the entire Prussia was occupied by French troops."
"Besieged on all sides! Precarious! This is the reality that the Kingdom of Prussia has faced for nearly 200 years. If you think about it carefully, do we really have more difficulties than the Prussians?"
"Under such harsh conditions, the Prussians did two things that ultimately made them stronger."
"First, among all the countries in Europe, it was the first to comprehensively and thoroughly popularize compulsory education. This is compulsory education based on Martin Luther's Protestant ideas and modern scientific and cultural knowledge. Even the Enlightenment thinkers in Western Europe were not allowed to No regrets, enlightened people have been clamoring for universal compulsory education for decades, but it was first implemented in Prussia, which was regarded as an extremely conservative barbarian!"
"Second, transform the Junker landowner class into a proud, calm, and well-trained officer class. When the French aristocrats are immersed in the ball at the Palace of Versailles, the Polish aristocrats have nothing to do but quarrel. , almost all the Prussian nobles became officers. In the subsequent Seven Years' War, the Junker landowners reached the point where they were homeless and unfilial. If it were not for the huge sacrifices they made, Prussia would definitely be wiped out in 1762."
"To put it bluntly, there are two things. The first is education, and the second is military training."
"Let me be more straightforward! If you are a poor loser in this world, how can you change your destiny?"
"Learn from Prussia! First, you must read more, and second, you must practice martial arts diligently! Only these two things are the fundamentals that can change your destiny."
"Knowledge can arm our brains, and training can arm our bodies. Only when your body and soul are strong can you counterattack!"
"Listen to me clearly, understand! It is precisely because our Chinese race is too weak now, and it is precisely because we are in a cruel and precarious environment that we should engage in education and military training. !”
"Education and the militarization of the Chinese race must go hand in hand, and neither leg can be missing. Now do you understand the importance of compulsory education? This is related to the rise of the nation and the fate of the country!"
"Now some people mistakenly believe that we should wait until the country is at peace before introducing compulsory education. This is putting the cart before the horse!"
"Listen to me, we should first carry out compulsory education for all and improve the quality of the entire nation. Only then will the country be strong and peaceful!"
"I've figured out all the causal relationships! I've figured out which ones are the antecedents and which ones are the consequences!"
Listening to the angry roar of the head of state, everyone present lowered their heads! Wang Junlan's pen rustled across the paper. He knew that the words recorded this time would definitely change the pattern of Chinese officialdom.
With the head of state's remark, countless official titles within the Chinese community are destined to be knocked to the ground, and countless new officials will ascend to high positions.
All the officials on the special train heard clearly the determination of the head of state!
Everyone stood up, stood at attention and saluted! Shout to the head of state in the neatest voice, "Resolutely carry out the orders of the head of state!"
Xiao Letian also felt that his tone just now was a bit serious. He waved his hand and motioned for everyone to sit down.
"My attitude just now may have been too harsh. Don't take it too seriously. I just want to make it clear to you. The rise of a country is accompanied by the hard work of generations of people."
"If you want to pursue pleasure and comfort, you will end up like a fat pig and be killed for meat!"
"Of course, if you'd rather be carved up like Poland, or eventually annexed like Hannover or Saxony, then there's actually nothing wrong with being a person who eats and sleeps."
The sun was setting in the west, and the train was speeding towards Berlin in the sunset. In the night, a long line of dark smoke was drawn out. Amidst the curling smoke, Prussia entered a quiet and peaceful night.
In the last half hour of the journey, Xiao Letian and all the officials present reached an agreement that the compulsory education policy for the Chinese people would immediately change from the previous propaganda-based policy to a punishment-based policy.
In other words, in the past, the Chinese education department established schools in various industrial zones and Chinese-controlled territories, and then tried their best to persuade parents to send their children to school.
But starting from this year, the policy has quietly changed! From now on, there will be disciplinary measures for compulsory education. Any parent who dares not to send school-age children to school will be severely punished!
The first warning, the second fine, and if it is not changed the third time, you will be completely expelled from the Chinese territory and deprived of the status of a Chinese citizen.
As soon as the special train stopped on the Berlin train platform, the messenger received the cipher paper from Wang Bureau. He quickly ran to the telegraph office and sent this top-secret telegram to the distant Ryukyus.
