Chapter 41: The Wedding

  "Master, this is the material you asked me to find. I've brought almost all of it back, but these are academic papers published by German scientists and they're very difficult to understand..." Shen Jing walked into Tan Yanqing's office in Mufang Hall with a thick stack of materials in her hand.

  Tan Yan stood up, first pouring a cup of tea for Shen Jing and handing it over, before picking up the stack of documents and casually flipping through them. "Wen Yuan, do you know what the most powerful force in this world is?"

  "Faced with Tan Yanqing's question, Shen Jing was stunned for a moment and said: 'The Western powers' strong ships and sharp guns!'"

  Tan Yanke shook his head, putting aside the materials in his hand and said: "Wenyuan brother, you are wrong! In this world, the power of knowledge is the strongest. Without knowledge, there would be no strong ships and powerful cannons. The Western powers all value scientific knowledge, which is different from us China. Our Confucianism has always regarded these things as trivial, never taking them seriously. The powers can use science and technology to build strong ships and powerful cannons, and so can we Chinese. We are also human beings, there is no reason why we cannot do it! From now on, I plan to open a special column in the "Strong Learning Digest" to introduce the biographies of famous scientists from various countries and their achievements. And through some simple articles, I will also introduce some ordinary and simple scientific knowledge to the people, so that they can understand science!"

  Shen Jing, although a xiucai by birth, had not had his brain ruined by "zhi hou zhe ye" (a phrase used to describe the rigid and outdated thinking of some scholars), otherwise he would not have failed the imperial examination and transferred to studying foreign languages, and even became a clerk in a foreign firm. He still understood some science and technology, let alone that Shanghai was the most open city in China at that time, where one could see the latest inventions from various Western countries, such as electric lights and automobiles. Tan Yanke's proposal did not contradict him.

  "Gongzi's idea of opening a column in 'Qiang Xue Wen Zhai' is very good. In fact, Kou Qing and others have also translated some materials, but they were all mixed together and published at the same time. If it becomes a regular column in the future, I think Kou Qing would be more suitable for this aspect. I can translate ordinary articles, but when it comes to scientific and technological terms, they are really too difficult to translate... These German materials were obtained from Hong Kong through British intermediaries, and they are all about physics. Moreover, I heard that they are the most advanced electromagnetic physics in Europe today. They asked me to collect the papers of a German physicist named Hertz. Zuan An, what do you want to use these for? Even if we translate them, no one will be able to understand them. And those devices you asked me to order from foreigners will arrive in Guangzhou in half a month." Shen Jing said.

  Tan Yan raised the materials in his hand and smiled mysteriously, saying: "Wen Yuan brother, this is a secret, but I can tell you. I am making something very interesting, from small to big, this thing will bring me countless wealth, and it's enough to make Tan Yan famous all over the world. Even leaving a name in history is not impossible!"

  Shen Jing listened quietly and was thoroughly stunned. Leaving a name in history is the highest goal for a scholar, although he is no longer considered an orthodox scholar...

  After that, Shen Jing found that Tan Yankai locked himself in the study, even Mu You Tang came less often. Half a month later, some equipment ordered from abroad arrived in Guangzhou and was moved into the backyard of the Governor's Mansion of Guangdong and Guangxi. After seeing these devices, Tan Yankai went out even less frequently, not even caring about his own wedding day in March, leaving everything to be arranged by the people in the mansion, while he himself became a groom who simply went through the motions.

  For the wedding on March 3rd, Tan Yanqing himself had no hope. He didn't have the capital to resist this marriage, and he couldn't go against his father's will. When those boring TV plotlines that people in later generations were used to seeing really happened to him, he chose silence and obedience. He still had a crush on love, although this political marriage disrupted his plans, but he wouldn't give up pursuing love. He also chose two paths: one was to get married first and then fall in love, which wasn't a bad thing if both parties were compatible; however, this possibility seemed very slim to him. The other path was to wait, wait for the old man to pass away, wait for the social atmosphere to become more open-minded, and then find his own love again. However, choosing this path required long-term patience, and perhaps he would never get what he wanted in this lifetime...

  It's a rare leisure time now, and Tan Yanqing is hiding in his own study. Except for completing the homework set by his father every day, he puts all his thoughts on several small inventions, among which the most important and difficult one is the research of wireless telegraphy. Before that, Tan Yanqing had already given a small thing to Kou Qing, letting him go to Britain and other European countries to register patents. Although the thing Kou Qing took away was very simple, it was a very practical small item - zipper (this article delayed the invention time of the zipper, please don't pursue it).

  Wireless telegraphy is a great invention that greatly improved the quality of communication and the speed of information transmission. In Tan's time, Marconi had not yet started his research on this aspect on the other side of the globe, but Tan seized the opportunity to take the lead. Although it was a pioneering effort, Tan had a strong foundation in mathematics and physics from his high school days, having scored almost full marks in these two subjects during the college entrance examination.

  Li knew it was a return, but if he were to make it a reality, it would be a huge blow to Tan Yanqian.

  Here is the translation:

  Wait quietly for a while to come regarding Hertz's experiments on electromagnetic waves, all of which were published by Hertz himself in scientific journals, especially "On the Propagation Speed of Electromagnetic Effects" which finally proved the correctness of the electromagnetic theory founded by Faraday and summarized by Maxwell through experimentation. These materials are the theoretical foundation for wireless applications, and at Tan's level they are not considered profound. In fact, Tan only needed Hertz's experimental process, and in a certain sense he was even clearer than Hertz on the theoretical part.

  "Could a high school student of the next generation possibly manufacture a wireless telegraph machine now?" This was not a small challenge for Tan Yanqin. If it were put in later generations, it would be like someone studying and manufacturing supercomputers at a high-tech level. Fortunately, Shen Jing had collected materials according to his requirements, which introduced various devices used in Hertz's experiment. This was also the habit of scientists in this era when publishing papers - their important discoveries must be confirmed by others before they can be recognized, one of which is to repeat the experiments they have done, so these materials recorded the equipment and operation steps in the experimental process very detailed. This was exactly what Tan Yanqin needed.

  Apart from various treatments and experimental equipment for electromagnetic theory collected from Europe, there is also a set of telegraph equipment purchased by Beiyang. Tan Yunxian dismantled the device in the shortest time and understood its working principle. With these accumulations, he finally began to assemble his wireless telegraph machine with the components on hand. At this time, there were only three days left before his wedding. On that day, a group of people disembarked at Guangzhou Wharf, Tan Yunxian's brother Tan Enxian represented his brother to greet - she was from Jiangxi Nanchang, and she came to marry Tan Yunxian.

  Tan Yanxin saw the Guangdong Governor's mansion decorated with lanterns and streamers, and he also felt a little melancholy. Although he had already resigned himself to this fate, when it came down to it, he still had some strange feelings in his heart. It was as if he were an outsider watching someone else get married. Unfortunately, the people coming and going to congratulate him on his new marriage made Tan Yanxin realize that this wedding being prepared was actually his own!

  "Congratulations, congratulations!" A group of people walked into the living room, all members of the board of directors of the wool textile mill had come to congratulate him.

  —

  Tan Yanqun wore a flower on his chest. He threw away some thoughts in his mind and perked up to entertain the guests in front of him. With a smile, he clasped his hands together and said: "I thank you all for coming to attend the ceremony, thank you!"

  Twenty-eight directors of the Rongxian Textile Mill filed in, followed by attendants carrying a row of gift boxes adorned with red cloth or flowers. The gift list was personally received by Tan Yankai, who didn't even glance at it before handing it over to an attendant beside him. He could imagine that these wealthy merchants, who were already quite influential in Guangdong, would not be stingy, especially since he was the patron of the Rongxian Textile Mill. The gifts must have been extremely generous.

  Tan Yanxin was born into a family of high-ranking officials in the Qing court, so this wedding could not be taken lightly. As the future heir of the Tan family, this wedding was even more grand and extraordinary. Today, those who can come to the Guangdong Governor's Mansion to congratulate are either rich or noble. Even Zeng Guofan's grandson, Zeng Guangjun, who is currently serving as a county magistrate in Guangxi, has arrived. Although Zeng Guangjun's current official rank is still low, Tan Yanxin personally received him with great respect and then sent him to the old man before it was over. This treatment is not something that the officials in the living room can enjoy.

  Apart from Zeng Guangjun, what Tan Yankai did not expect was that Wang Zhichun, the governor of Guangdong, not only presented his own thick gift but also represented Zhang Zhidong in Hubei to present another thick gift. It can be seen that a grand wedding is not just a personal matter, but also an opportunity for various forces to get together after Tan Yankai entered politics. Tan Yankai was secretly bitter about this, but on the surface he was very respectful and chatted with Wang Zhichun in the side hall for a while before personally sending him off.

  Just as Tang Yankei thought the guests had arrived, he was about to proceed with the next part of the ceremony when he heard the doorman loudly announce: "Tang Gong, the General Manager of Tianjin Machinery Bureau has arrived!"

  No need to think twice, Tan Yanqing also knew that the Director Tang of Tianjin Machine Bureau must be the same Tang Bowen he met a few months ago. He didn't expect this Tang Bowen to have such a big face, and actually said that he got the position of Director of Tianjin Machine Bureau from Li Hongzhang's hands. This is enough to explain that Tang Bowen's family should have a deep relationship with Li Hongzhang. According to Tan Yanqing's understanding of Li Hongzhang, at least one person in Tang Bowen's family is an important figure in the Huai Army. However, the old man didn't have this impression - this Tang Bowen is really mysterious!

  "Brother Ji Meng, it's been several months since we last met, how have you been?!" Tan Yanqin took the initiative to walk up and ask, regardless of Tang Bowen's background, this young man's demeanor and way of doing things were very much appreciated by Tan Yanqin, and before he knew it, the two had become quite close. Moreover, Tang Bowen had brought many conveniences to Tan Yanqin's work, so it was necessary for him to maintain a good relationship with him both in public and private life.

  "Within a year, the textile mill has risen to prominence in Guangdong Province, making a name for itself throughout the Qing Empire. It's truly inspiring! Now that we've encountered this opportunity,"

  Good day! Tang Bowen said with a smile, "Tang Bowen is far away in Tianjin, but he has been eagerly waiting for your wedding invitation. Having no choice, I had to come personally to ask for a cup of wedding wine!"

  Tan Yanqian clasped his fists and bowed his head, saying: "This is a place where I have not thought carefully. It's really a sin! Later at the wine table, I will punish myself with three cups, absolutely no excuses! However, Brother Ji Meng's arrival is also timely. Here, Yanqian has something extraordinary. I suppose it must be what Brother Ji Meng has been dreaming of. Since you've come here, why not stay for a few more days? Wait until I tidy up the miscellaneous things in front of me, and then we can have a good discussion!"

  Tang Bowen's eyes lit up with a smile and said, "The strange thing that Zu An said will not be bad. I'll wait with bated breath for my brother to see it. However, my brother also came to convey the congratulations of Master Zhongtang. This humble gift is not enough to show respect, please accept it with a smile!" After finishing speaking, he waved his hand and the dozens of people behind him carrying gifts followed the guide from the gatehouse to one side.

  Tan Yanqin smiled and said, "This is indeed a crime of the younger brother. Brother Ji Meng came from afar to congratulate me, and I am already ashamed to accept it. Now you give such a generous gift, how can I show my face in the future?!"

  Tan Yankai's reputation as "Little Governor-General" had already spread to Guangdong when he was the governor-general of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, and now as the top official of the Liangguang Governor-General's office. Tan Yankai's wedding was undoubtedly a grand celebration for that era, but for Tan himself, who was half of the main characters in this wedding, it was extremely depressing - he had not even seen what his bride looked like yet? Without any emotional foundation, relying solely on their childhood encounter, he had no confidence in this future marriage.

  "It's really true that the couple hadn't met before marriage, as recorded in the books of later generations. I wonder how they spent their whole lives together?! Tan Yanqin was toasting everywhere at the wedding banquet. Unexpectedly, after coming to this time and space, his alcohol tolerance was incredibly high, knocking down a bunch of people, but he was still sober. Helplessly, he could only hold his wine glass and "chase" those guests with fearful faces, trying to get drunk and get through this night that was originally described as exceptionally romantic in the book."

  Tan Yanqian's goal was achieved, and he finally got to the point where he was dragged into the bridal chamber by the old man who had been forced to drink with him at the spinning mill, under the "mechanical manipulation" of Yiniang, he vaguely drank the cross-cup wine with the bride, lifted the bride's red veil, and his last thought in his mind was: "The bride is really beautiful!"

  Inside the bridal chamber, Fang Rongqing, who had changed into a white silk nightgown, used all her strength to undress her extremely drunk husband and neatly arranged his clothes on the bed. Looking at Tan Yannian, who was still murmuring softly "Come... let's have another drink!", Fang Rongqing slightly furrowed her brow. She hadn't expected that the wedding night she had fantasized about countless times would be spent like this, and she couldn't help but feel a little disheartened. According to what she had observed of Tan Yannian, he should be a man with great self-control, so why was he so out of control today? Hearing her maid say that the groom was chasing after guests in the main hall to toast them made her feel even more disappointed.

  Tan Yanqin slowly opened his eyes, and the lingering smell of alcohol on his body reminded him that he must have drunk a lot last night.

  "Why did I drink so much?! Tan Yanqin thought to himself, suddenly his heart skipped a beat - "But yesterday was my wedding day!"

  After a moment of reaction, the first feeling he had when he reached out was touching extremely soft and smooth skin - "I'm done for!" He knew that the sensation transmitted from his hand belonged to someone else, and he couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. However, his mouth soon curled up in a self-mocking smile as he thought to himself: "In my previous life, I once saw a comedy where a man was taken advantage of by a female bandit... afterwards, the male actor lay on the bed hugging a willow branch and cried: '... fallen flowers and withered willows...' The female bandit replied: 'Don't cry! I'll take responsibility for you!'".

  Of course, what was in front of Tan Yanqing was a reality that made him somewhat laugh and cry - he was already a man with a wife. This wasn't some melodramatic plot from a later dynasty's drama, but a cruel reality for him. Tan Yanqing took a closer look at the woman beside him, and under the faint light of dawn, he couldn't help but admire his wife's beauty. A line of poetry suddenly floated into his mind: "Autumn water is like divine jade, her bones are like jade; her face is like a lotus flower, her eyebrows are like willows."

  Fang Qiong was really beautiful, and Tan Yanqing had seen women of this era before. Although her clothes were not perfect, she was still a sight to behold. But all the others paled in comparison to the girl sleeping soundly before him - even though this woman was Tan Yanqing's wife, in his eyes, this heavenly beauty was still just a child.

  "With this appearance, it would be absolutely no problem to become a star sister even after a hundred years!" Tan Yanqin thought to himself secretly. However, he didn't gaze at the girl beside him for too long, after all, his experience in interacting with the opposite sex was very limited, if he accidentally startled her awake, both of them would be very embarrassed.

  "He's indeed a real gentleman!" Fang Rongyi slightly opened his eyes, saw Tan Yanqing fleeing in disarray, and thought to himself with a hint of sweetness.