With curiosity, I followed the servant girl to the backyard of the Tang family. I really deserve to be a wealthy family with generations of inheritance. The backyard is covered with water pavilions and stone bridges. The small lake that is several acres is clear and clear, with pavilions and terraces by the lake, and the reflections are in the waves. The study is right by the lake.

When entering the study, Shi Yiwen couldn't help but be surprised. This was not a study room, but a book building. The two-story building was filled with bookshelf and was filled with books.

"This Miss Tang is a book lover."

I thought so much in my heart. Under the guidance of the servant girl, I arrived at the second floor. Next to the window was a drooping curtain. Under the wind, the veil curtain swung slightly. In the half-closed curtain, the lake view in the courtyard was reflected.

There is a desk in front of the curtain, a desk with paper, pen, ink and inkstone. On each side of the desk, there is a young girl of fifteen or sixteen years old. The lower bunk is a thick scarlet carpet, which is soft and soft when stepped on.

"Young Master, wait for a moment, and my lady will come here."

Because there was no one in the study, Shi Yiwen looked around inside and out, and finally his eyes fell on the bookshelf beside him.

Hey!

Suddenly, the books on the bookshelf attracted his attention. Unlike the common thread-bound books, many of the books on the bookshelf are hard-shell books, and what is even more surprising is the words on the books.

"It's actually... a foreign document!"

He picked up a book in surprise, and Shi Yiwen found that he couldn't understand it at all.

“Not English?”

Frowning tightly, Shi Yiwen looked through the bookshelf of foreign books, which had as many as a hundred. This discovery surprised him so much. After all, as far as he knew, Western learning spread to the east seemed to be something Xu Guangqi had at that time, so why did foreign books have been passed here?

Perhaps because of his too focused, Shi Yiwen didn't hear the footsteps behind him at all.

"Young Master, are you interested in Western learning?"

The voice behind him made Shi Yiwen hurriedly turn back.

"Miss Tang."

"Mr. Shi."

Tang Ziqi squatted for a blessing.

"If the young master likes it, he can borrow it home and study it carefully. Some parts of Western learning are indeed very exquisite."

"That's true, why are there so many Western books here?"

Compared with the Western learning in the books, Shi Yiwen is more curious about the origin of these books.

"When my father was alive, he often traveled with merchants from Guangdong and went to Guangdong. He had contacted some Fulangji people in Macau. These books were mostly bought back at that time. He was not afraid of the young master's jokes. The way to make soap in my family was learned from these books, but I didn't know them at all in the past."

"Ah, fortunately, the lady didn't know at all, otherwise how could I have something to do with me? Thank you for your mercy."

Shi Yiwen joked casually, and suddenly realized in his mind that the woman in front of him must have grapes... Fulang Jiyu, and he admired her in his heart, so he asked again.

"The lady can also speak with her?"

"Well, when I was a child, I saw my father often sending letters with Fulang Jiren from Macau to discuss various knowledge. As the slave followed me and learned, I could do it."

The memory of learning from his father appeared in his mind, and Tang Ziqi felt melancholy in his heart.

"It is rare that Ling Zun is so interested in Western learning."

"rare?"

Tang Ziqi said casually.

"Is this rare? Most of the other people are the same. My father said that when he was in Guangdong, he saw many Guangdong gentry going to Macau just to learn about the Western things."

"ah?"

Tang Ziqi's words caused a stir in Shi Yiwen. He immediately thought of Matteo Ricci's book he had read. In the book, he recorded the Chinese people's strong "curiosity" and "it seemed crazy". There were endless visitors, just to understand Western affairs. Those who could not meet him communicated through letters. He received many letters, some of whom did not know them at all, but he was willing to discuss topics such as Catholicism and technology with him in the letters.

It is the most valuable thing for a nation to have such a strong curiosity. Looking at the panic, hostility, and ignorant rejection of Chinese people in the late Qing Dynasty when facing foreigners, trains, telegraphs and other new things, they made people wonder why they were so?

In the eyes of Westerners in the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese people valued their clothes, gracefulness and courteousness. The entire Ming Dynasty looked like a big garden, quiet and peaceful. But one hundred and fifty years later, compatriots who were once happy, clean, tidy and healthy in nature became malnourished, timid and dirty, and were extremely poor and dirty places at all.

Thinking of all this and what he has seen recently, Shi Yiwen's heart was inevitably touched. The common method used by later literary and historical circles was to use the Ming Dynasty to recitize the evil policies of the Qing Dynasty. For example, when you mention literary inquisition, you would say "Ming and Qing literary inquisition", and then you would also be close to the country. It was also mentioned in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It implies that the Qing Dynasty's close to the country was a continuation of the Ming Dynasty's policy, and that incredible "praise the Qing Dynasty and criticize the Ming Dynasty" phenomenon completely ignored the fact that the Ming and Qing Dynasties were completely different dynasties.

Even so, many people actually believe that, just as they believe that the Ming Dynasty's people were dirty and unclean, and believed that the Ming Dynasty's streets were full of stench and feces everywhere, and completely ignored the country almost heaven written by Westerners, and even the records of the survivors turned a blind eye. Instead, they closed their eyes and believed that Ming is Qing, Qing is Ming, Qing is Ming, Qing is conservative, Ming is naturally conservative, the Qing Dynasty is poverty everywhere, Ming is naturally beggars all over the ground...

While sighing at the absurdity of those people, Shi Yiwen, who came to his senses, said.

"I have too little experience, so I can make the lady laugh."

"The young master just returned from the West. He said that he had too little knowledge and was really humble, but he didn't know much about the Heavenly Dynasty."

"Miss has won the award. Actually, I'm here to thank the lady for her help last time."

No matter what, this thank you always has to say, so Shi Yiwen specially prepared a gift to thank you. When he thanked him, Tang Ziqi smiled casually.

"Young Master, are you polite. I heard that you are going to the capital?"

"Well, I'm afraid I don't know when it will be when I go to Beijing and go back to Nanjing."

Speaking of this, Shi Yiwen couldn't help feeling a little sad. After all, he was used to Nanjing and even to that home.

"I wonder what arrangements are made for Nanjing?"

Hesitating, Tang Ziqi spoke.

"If the young master is interested, maybe..."

Looking at Tang Ziqi with a smile, Shi Yiwen shook his head and said.

"Ms. Tang is not allowed to speak out about this matter. I have other plans."

"Oh? You guessed what the I am going to say?"

"Miss Tang, after all, I can barely be considered a businessman."

After looking at Tang Ziqi, Shi Yiwen shook his head and said.

"After leaving, Nanjing's industry is indeed beyond reach, and there is no trust in it, so naturally it has to have some plans."

"Then I wonder what the young master has to plan?"

Looking at Shi Yiwen with a smile, Tang Ziqi took out a bill of exchange.

"This is a "title" of 200,000 taels of tickets. The young master can get 200,000 taels of cash from the capital with the ticket. The me only needs 60% of the soap factory. The young master will pay dividends every year. The me guarantees that the money will be fine and will be sent to the capital at the end of the year. I wonder if the young master thinks that my wife's proposal is good?"

"The conditions for the lady to offer are really great."

Looking at the bill of exchange, Shi Yiwen had to admit that the conditions for her is indeed very good. But he still shook his head and said.

"But I have indeed made other plans!"

Faced with Shi Yiwen's rejection, Tang Ziqi frowned slightly, and after a moment she suddenly exclaimed.

"Young Master, you might be thinking..."

Before she could speak, she said annoyed again.
Chapter completed!