The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

"200 years ago!"

Ivanova asked in surprise: "How could that rebellion have anything to do with Peter the Great?"

In the salon held by Marion today, about 20 guests were invited, and several couches were not enough to sit on, so some chairs and benches were brought in. Before, everyone didn't take Zhou Hexuan seriously. It wasn't until he expressed his views on Picasso that he attracted a little attention, but they basically believed that Zhou Hexuan was grandstanding.

The October Revolution in Russia has been successful for nearly ten years, causing great panic in Western society, but relevant research has only remained on the surface, because even the Soviet Union itself is still exploring.

Zhou Hexuan's entry point was completely beyond everyone's expectations. He actually brought in Peter the Great 200 years ago.

Linard, the deputy editor of The Beijing-Tianjin Times, asked: "Does Mr. Zhou think that Peter the Great planted the root of the disaster?"

"Don't worry, let's analyze it slowly," Zhou Hexuan asked Pu Yi with a smile, "Mr. Pu (that's what he's called), do you know Peter the Great well?"

Puyi nodded and said, "That is a talented and generous monarch."

During the Reform Movement of 1898, the Reformers highly praised Peter the Great and Emperor Meiji, and hoped that Emperor Guangxu would take those two monarchs as examples. Nine years ago when Zhang Xun was restored, Puyi was also preparing to do a big job, and he had studied and understood the reform monarchs of various countries.

"Two hundred years ago, the young Peter the Great concealed his status as a monarch, went to the Netherlands to study shipbuilding, went to England to study architecture, and went to Sweden to study infantry tactics...Prussia, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, he traveled to almost all advanced countries in Europe. country," Zhou Hexuan said, "he wants to complete Russia's modernization reforms by himself, and from this point of view, Peter the Great is indeed a talented and generous monarch."

Everyone nodded involuntarily, wanting to hear Zhou Hexuan continue.

"However," Zhou Hexuan changed his tone, "Emperor Peter's reform, like the reform of the former Qing Dynasty, was doomed to fail from the very beginning."

"Why?" Pu Yi couldn't help asking.

Amid everyone's questioning eyes, Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "Russia was a big country at that time, but its system was very backward. The domestic economy was completely dependent on agriculture. There were only dozens of handicraft workshops in the country. Even in the capital Moscow, one hundred people could read and write. There were no more than three. Because of the vast land and sparse population and extremely low productivity, Russian farmers simply could not reclaim enough land, resulting in a large amount of cultivated land being idle and barren. So the nobles came up with a way to capture farmers as slaves and keep them in captivity , first satisfying the cultivation of one's own fiefdom, and then the Russian serfdom was born."

Russian serfdom is well known to everyone, but Zhou Hexuan's analysis is simple, clear and thorough, which caught the eyes of journalists such as Leonard, Peter Pan and others.

Zhou Hexuan also said: "Peter the Great's industrialization and modernization reforms will inevitably release a large number of serfs from the land, which touches the fundamental interests of the nobles. Therefore, during the reform process, the noble group opposed him and the church forces hated him. Even his son was determined to rebel. Peter the Great was very tough. He suppressed the nobles, executed the rebels, and even killed his own son. Mr. Pu, if you come to be the emperor, you may not be able to do this. ?”

Pu Yi smiled wryly and shook his head, not to mention that he has no real power, even if he has power, he can't be so fierce.

"Under the insistence of Peter the Great, Russia's reforms finally had some improvement. In order to get rid of the old-fashioned forces, he spared no effort to defeat Sweden and take the estuary, and moved the capital to the newly occupied land," Zhou Hexuan laughed mockingly. "But when Peter the Great died, his reforms were wiped out, and everything returned to the original point. It's a pity."

Ivanova felt the same way: "It is indeed a pity. If Peter the Great's reforms can be successful, then Russia may still be under the rule of the Tsar."

Peter Pan asked, "Mr. Zhou, what does this have to do with the October Revolution in Russia?"

"Don't worry, let's take our time," Zhou Hexuan said with a smile, "Let's talk about Catherine II."

Everyone was even more confused, why did it involve the Russian Empress Catherine II?

Zhou Hexuan narrated slowly: "It's ridiculous to say that after the death of Peter the Great, it was a woman who inherited his great cause of reform, and it was a German woman, a German woman who was educated by the French Enlightenment. She is Ekaterina II!"

Empress Wanrong studied in an American missionary school in Tianjin when she was young, and she could understand English, so she couldn't help asking: "Isn't Catherine II the Russian empress? How did she become a German woman again?"

The British consul's wife Catherine explained: "European royal families have a tradition of marriage, and Catherine II was indeed born in a German nobleman."

"That's right," Zhou Hexuan said, "Ekaterina II was deeply influenced by the French Enlightenment when she was in Germany. After she married in Russia, her mind was full of freedom, equality, democracy, and the rule of law. She sees herself as the successor of Peter the Great, and when she becomes a queen, she resolutely sets off a wave of reform in Russia."

Lu Jingyan praised and said: "Ye Huang is really a role model for women."

Other women in the living room also praised Catherine II as a representative of advanced women.

Zhou Hexuan poured cold water on them: "However, Catherine II herself betrayed herself. She took the initiative to terminate the reform and became the leader of the conservative forces in Russia."

"How is it possible?" The women exclaimed in unison.

"Because Catherine II encountered the same problem as Peter the Great," Zhou Hexuan explained, "During the reform process, she discovered that her power came from the nobility. Her own life. She was afraid. In order to consolidate her position and pass on domestic conflicts, she resolutely launched a foreign war and expanded a large area of ​​​​Russia. In order to rule a larger empire, she turned more civilians into serfs. She is driving history backwards!"

The women in the living room looked at each other, what about the promised heroine, how did she become a female demon?

Zhou Hexuan continued: "Although the reforms of Peter the Great and Catherine II were not successful, they also achieved some results: first, the territory of Russia expanded rapidly in their hands; second, the nobles got more freedom, Industry has also been developed to a certain extent; third, the literacy rate of Russians is improving, and people's minds have been liberated to a limited extent; fourth, the large area of ​​land has caused the complexity of Russia's domestic ethnic groups, and the intensification of socialism; Fifth, the number of serfs has increased, and their conditions have become even more miserable."

Speaking of this, Zhou Hexuan suddenly said loudly: "These all planted the seeds for the October Revolution!"

Everyone looked at Zhou Hexuan in surprise and did not interrupt him again. The whole salon seemed to be Zhou Hexuan's personal display stage.

"Why do you say that the reform results of Peter the Great and Catherine II planted the seeds for the October Revolution? Let's analyze them one by one..." Zhou Hexuan talked more and more smoothly. What he said is not uncommon for future generations. , but for people at the beginning of the 20th century, it was particularly novel and profound, like enlightenment, which made people suddenly enlightened.