The mage in the late Qing Dynasty

Nikola Tesla looked at the couplet on the door and couldn't help but read it: "Knowledge of worldly affairs is knowledge, and understanding of human relations is article... In the Qing Dynasty, is sophistication also considered wisdom?"

He couldn't understand it.

Inventions and creations definitely count as wisdom, and science counts as wisdom. In the West, even if you run a business, you can do it if it works, and you can't if it doesn't. You have sophistication, but sophistication is by no means the key factor that determines the success or failure of a business, so being able to make money is also considered wisdom.

But it seems that in the Qing Dynasty, human nature and sophistication represented all worldly wisdom. Can this not be backward?

Zhao Chuanxin immediately said: "Benjamin, change the couplet. I want the one that says, 'Bao from three rivers will bring prosperity to all industries, and wealth from all over the world will bring good fortune'."

Benjamin Goldberg frowned: "Master, it's too tacky."

"Nonsense, who would appreciate your elegance without money?"

In terms of observed social phenomena, Benjamin Goldberg was surprisingly unable to refute it.

At night, the crowds of people outside Bagong Tongzi Tower dispersed.

Liu Huaqiang was able to breathe and returned upstairs.

Zhao Chuanxin commanded: "Dumpling fillings, don't chop the shrimps until they become sticky, the eggs must not be too old, the meat fillings must be present, the leeks..."

Both women were very quick with their hands and feet, but Zhao Chuanxin still asked Liu Huaqiang to help.

There were firecrackers outside, and the smell of gunpowder smoke was the smell of the New Year.

Zhao Chuanxin took out a few more copper coins and handed them to his apprentice: "Go and clean them and wrap them in dumplings."

Nikola Tesla was puzzled: "Why wrap it in a dumpling?"

Zhao Chuanxin took it for granted: "Not only the money is included, but also candied fruits. Those who get the money will make a fortune next year. Those who get the candied fruits will have a sweet next year."

Nikola Tesla: "..."

After making the dumplings, Liu Huaqiang washed his hands, came over and said to Zhao Chuanxin: "Dean, I heard that Japan's temporary consul Eiji Asabuki became angry because of shame."

"Oh?" Zhao Chuanxin was puzzled: "Why is he so embarrassed? Is it possible that he is so embarrassed that he can't afford a meal of dumplings during the Chinese New Year?"

"..." Liu Huaqiang said: "No, he was angry because of the rumors."

"Oh, the so-called lack of envy is mediocrity. You don't have to envy him."

"When did I...envy him?"

…

The night is quiet.

Chinese people stay up late on New Year's Eve, and foreigners are not idle either.

The residence of Wilden, the illustrator of the American "Naughty Illustrated", welcomed a rich French man.

This man's name is Albert Kahn.

He was a Jew who made his fortune investing in gold and gem mines in South Africa.

This guy has a big nose, small eyes, a bald head, and very deep forehead lines.

He is an idealist, peace-loving, and philanthropic. He travels around the world and sends a large number of photographers to various countries to capture human geography.

Wilden received the rich man warmly: "Kahn, I'm glad you can visit me."

"Just call me Albert."

"Albert, are you here to pass on Zhao's salary?"

Albert Kahn nodded: "What I saw when I came to the Qing Dynasty was that people's expressions were very strange, as if they had lost their joy, anger, sorrow, and joy, and were very dull. But I heard that Zhao Chuanxin was different. He was a special Chinese. You know, I brought the latest color photography technology this time, and I wanted to record the content about Zhao Chuanxin."

After hearing this, Weldon couldn't wait to take out his drawing and handed it to Albert Kahn to read: "I was at the scene when the Treaty of Hankou was negotiated. This is what I drew."

Albert Kahn took it and looked at it, his brows furrowed involuntarily.

In the center of the painting is a negotiation table. Standing at the head of the negotiation table is a bald Chinese man with a big nose, small eyes, and deep forehead wrinkles. Most importantly, he has a bald head, which makes him look very ugly.

The Chinese man pushed sideways with his left and right arms, pushing away the handsome-looking Fales and Du Lifang on both sides...

Albert Kahn said displeased: "I feel offended..."

Wilden was a little confused. Just as he was about to speak, he discovered that the man in the painting was somewhat similar to Albert Kahn, only uglier.

Wilden: "..."

He hurriedly explained: "Mr. Kahn, you misunderstood, I painted Zhao Chuanxin!"

Albert Kahn was even more unhappy: "Is this what Zhao Chuanxin has? As far as I know, he is a tall, handsome Chinese!"

"this……"

Vilifying the Chinese people has always been the specialty of Naughty Pictorial.

Ugly, vulgar, conservative, ignorant... and even demonized images of Chinese people began in various American pictorials at this time.

The "Mandarin" in the back is just a combination of masters.

Of course, Weldon couldn't say that he deliberately tried to vilify it, he could only say vaguely: "Maybe it's a bit exaggerated, but not too much."

Albert Kahn was an idealist. Beginning in 1908, he spent countless hours and spent 20 years taking more than 72,000 color photos and 100 hours of black-and-white and color film to record. It has touched the lives of people in more than fifty countries and is the most important image material of the early twentieth century.

He likes truth and hates this kind of distorted and deliberate ugliness.

So he said with displeasure: "I heard that Zhao Chuanxin is passionate about charity and founded the Lugang Town Charity Association, which has countless people alive. It's rude for you to vilify him like this!"

Zhao Chuanxin did charity work, but was ridiculed that his behavior was too "holy".

Anyone who says this basically means that there is no loser among losers, and there are only more losers among losers.

During this period of the late Qing Dynasty, among those who had some real ability and were famous for future generations, who did not engage in education or charity? And this kind of thing does not distinguish between China and foreign countries.

Regardless of whether these philanthropists truly intended to do good or not.

Therefore, some people get a lot of infamy, and in the end they can get the reputation of "extremely complicated", which makes people have mixed praise and criticism, rather than being evil to the end.

Wilden was also a little annoyed. I'm treating you so warmly, and you're going to fall out right now?

Neither can the rich.

He retorted in a deep voice: "I must correct you. Zhao Chuanxin is a butcher, a cold-blooded executioner. He is not a hero! Only ignorant Chinese will worship him!"

The implication is that you are also a blind person who does not distinguish between good and bad.

Albert Kahn stood up and left: "We don't agree with each other, so I'll say goodbye."

As soon as he left, Wilden cursed.

After scolding him, he angrily picked up the drawing on the table and looked at it, with a sneer on his face: "Zhao Chuanxin deserves to be infamy for all eternity. I want to paint him even uglier!"

…

Lugang Town.

Miao Cuihua, Jiang Mingxin, Liu Jiahui, Samuel Goldberg, and Rachel Kervis spend the New Year together.

Miao Cuihua is always lost in thought when making dumplings and cooking.

Jiang Mingxin said strangely: "Mom, what are you thinking about?"

Miao Cui's bright cheeks turned red: "You will understand when you grow up."

"Oh..." Jiang Mingxin's big black and white eyes rolled around: "Mom, I know, you think I'm too big."

Next to her, Rachel Kervis couldn't help but snicker. After laughing, she felt a little annoyed and gritted her teeth.

Miao Cuihua: "Go, go, get out of here."

Jiang Mingxin ran out with a smile.

When they were about to eat dumplings, Jiang Mingxin had one on the left and one on the right. It was obvious that the appetite was much larger than usual.

Samuel Goldberg liked this little girl very much. He said that she was quirky and easy-going. She had been a beauty since she was a child, and she was much better than my rebellious son.

He said gently: "If you eat too much, your stomach will feel uncomfortable. Please eat again tomorrow."

Jiang Mingxin didn't listen at all. She ate till she was full and didn't even get out the last penny. She couldn't eat anymore and said in frustration: "Dada said you won't get rich if you don't have money."

It's okay not to mention it, but when she mentioned Zhao Chuanxin, Miao Cuihua's thoughts overflowed. She suddenly didn't think about tea and food, she put down her chopsticks and just accompanied him.

Liu Jiahui smiled half-heartedly: "Sister Hua, do you want to go out on the first day of the new year?"

The two of them got along very well, they joked about everything, and even said a few naughty words in private. Miao Cuihua said angrily: "Look, you eat dumplings during the Chinese New Year and put on makeup, it's like putting frost on your eggs with donkey dung." What’s easy to draw!”

Liu Jiahui smiled with a teasing look on her face and pointedly said: "If I were as beautiful as Sister Hua, I wouldn't need to apply makeup or powder."

"Pooh……"

Before the meal here was finished, a group of snot-nosed kids came to the door as usual.

They came excitedly, and suddenly found that Zhao Chuanxin was not in Lugang Town this year, and their little faces that were red from the cold suddenly collapsed.

Uncle is not here, no one takes them to cut the ice sculpture lamps, no one buys them food, and no one should give them wallets during the Chinese New Year, right?

Even the Chinese New Year is a little less colorful.

Miao Cuihua stood up with a smile and took out a thick stack of red envelopes: "Kowtow, and you will get red envelopes when you kowtow."

Zhao Hongzhi did his part and knocked: "Aunt Zhao, happy New Year!"

In the past, anyone could kowtow, but Zhao Chuanxin would not let him kowtow. Zhao Hongzhi had long complained about this.

Haha, I eavesdropped on my parents' private conversation. They said that the young widow Miao Cuihua of Lugang Town was having an affair with Zhao Chuanxin. Isn't that his Aunt Zhao?

Miao Cuihua's cheeks fluttered, and then she was stunned. She suddenly thought of something, and she gave up her body in time.

Zhao Hongzhi did knock, but not in the right direction...