In early 1923, 55-year-old Cai Yuanpei went to Europe due to the "Luo Wengan case".

The so-called "Luo Wengan case" is a trick Cao Kun made by forcibly revoking the charges in order to overthrow the cabinet at that time. The judicial authorities sentenced Luo Wengan to not guilty again and again, and Cao Kun instructed his subordinates to appeal again and again. Judicial officials were unwilling to pronounce the verdict, so Cao Kun simply removed all the prosecutors in charge and replaced them with another batch, but the result was that Luo Wengan was not guilty.

Speaking of which, there was no shortage of officials who adhered to principles during the Republic of China, such as the two groups of prosecutors who maintained judicial justice under tremendous pressure.

Unfortunately, it was useless, so Cao Kun finally forced the prosecutor general to prosecute Luo Wengan.

Cai Yuanpei left at that time. He was completely disappointed with the Beiyang government and simply went to Europe to travel to study.

The Ministry of Education was short of money and could not afford the salary. It was entirely due to Cai Yuanpei's maintenance and in the turbulent situation, he tried his best to shelter all the teachers and students of the school. As soon as he left like this, Peking University would be even more sad, and he hoped that Principal Cai would come back soon.

At the end of 1924, when the election of President Cao Kun was bribed, the teacher and student of Peking University called Cai Yuanpei: "Principal, come back quickly, that bastard president has run away!"

In early 1925, Duan Qirui held a aftermath meeting, and Peking University teachers and students called Cai Yuanpei: "Principal, come back quickly, Lao Duan is a reasonable and good person!"

In April 1925, the Beiyang government signed a contract with France, and Peking University teachers and students called Cai Yuanpei: "Principal, come back quickly. The Boxer Indemnity has been settled, this time it is a golden franc!"

In early 1926, Cai Yuanpei finally returned to China, but he stayed in Shanghai and refused to go north. The teachers and students of Peking University called again and said, "Principal, come back quickly. The country can have no president, and Peking University can't have no president!"

In April 1926, Zhang Zuolin sent troops to surround Peking University. Peking University teachers and students called Cai Yuanpei: "Principal, come back quickly, these soldiers are afraid of being a soldier!"

Cai Yuanpei didn't dare to go back, because he was afraid of being killed by Wu Peifu.

In an interview with an English newspaper a while ago, Marshal Wu said: "China has radicalism, which begins with Sun Yat-sen... There is Cai Yuanpei in the north... The young Chinese people are poisoned by them, and if they are curbed, the government will be uneasy."

Although Wu Peifu compromised with Zhang Zuolin, he was still very powerful in Peking. He believed that the students were instigated by Cai Yuanpei. How dare Cai Yuanpei go back in this situation? What's more, Cai Yuanpei actively built momentum for the Northern Expedition and was wanted by Sun Chuanfang.

Peking University is almost crying. Because the government does not pay wages, teachers are living a hard life. The authorities have arrested and murdered scholars and celebrities, and are often shot to death on the charge of red elements. Now many professors are running south, and if this continues, the school will be left with nothing left.

So - Principal, come back soon, we can't hold on!

...

Shanghai Concession.

His beloved wife Zhou Jun brought three letters and a newspaper and said with a wry smile: "There is another letter from the north, and one of them is an open letter published in the newspaper."

"Oh, at this moment, what can I do?" Cai Yuanpei took the newspaper first and looked at it.

The open letter in the newspaper was written by Zhou Zuoren. He first eliminated Cai Yuanpei's political concerns about reinstatement, and then cited the difficulties faced by Peking University in the past, explained it with emotion and reason, and summed up thousands of words into one sentence: "Principal, come back quickly!"

Cai Yuanpei glanced a few times before putting the newspaper aside, and then opened the other two letters, all of which advised him to return to Peking University as the principal as soon as possible.

It was not until the third letter was opened that Cai Yuanpei read it carefully. It was the theory of education saving the country written by Liang Suming, and he hoped that he would take the lead in rebuilding the China Education Association.

Cai Yuanpei has been engaged in education for many years and is well aware of the hardships.

At the beginning of the founding of the Republic of China, the Ministry of Education clearly stipulated that tuition fees for primary schools, normal schools and higher normal schools are exempted.

The Education Constitution also stipulates that the funding for education, science and culture shall not be less than 15% of the total budget in the central government, shall not be less than 25% of the total budget in each province, and shall not be less than 35% of the total budget in cities and counties.

Yet!

Even famous institutions like Peking University cannot afford wages, let alone those small schools in remote areas. The various laws and regulations of the Republic of China look beautiful, but they are all castles in the air and cannot be realized at all.

Liang Suming wrote in the letter that he hopes to bypass the government and warlords, run schools through social fundraising, concentrate funds on primary school basic education, and build one school, as long as you can cultivate a few more literate citizens, it will be considered a great merit.

Most literati in the Republic of China shouted loud slogans, but did not take any practical actions. Liang Suming was a pragmatic person. He thought of it and went to study and do things. Later, he wrote a couplet: If you don’t be a sage, you will be a beast, don’t ask about the harvest but ask about the hard work.

Cai Yuanpei was quite moved after reading this letter. His academic research in recent years has come to an end. In Shanghai, there is no other important thing to do except promote the Northern Expedition, and there is still great potential to rebuild the China Education Association.

As for Zhou Hexuan and "The Rise of a Great Power" mentioned in the letter, Cai Yuanpei said to his wife: "I'll go out."

Cai Yuanpei naturally went out to find the Beijing-Tianjin Times. His friends were full of faces and soon obtained the last twenty or thirty issues of the newspaper.

After reading one article after another, Cai Yuanpei couldn't help but be shocked. He traveled to the West all year round and knew a lot about the situation in the European and American academic circles. There is really no Western scholar who can study the rise and fall of major powers in the world so clearly and thoroughly.

Such high-end history academic talent can easily hold a professorship position whenever he goes to any university in Europe.

But what crack of Zhou Hexuan jumped out of? Why haven’t you heard of it before?

Cai Yuanpei read "The Rise of a Great Power" overnight. He first wrote back to Liang Suming, and then wrote to Jing Hengyi, Chairman of the Education Committee of the National Government and Acting President of Sun Yat-sen University: "My disciple Yuan Huijian: I recently got a book called "The Rise of a Great Power". It has recorded the rise and fall of the world's powers, and has written all the words of gold and stone. I looked at it like a enlightenment and benefited a lot..."

Cai Yuanpei's letter was recommended to Jing Hengyi, hoping that he would invite Zhou Hexuan to teach in Guangzhou and not let this talent go. Even if he couldn't invite anyone, he could use the content of "The Rise of Great Power" as extracurricular reading materials for students.

Jing Hengyi was also a legend in the education industry of the Republic of China. Six years ago, when he was transferred from Zhejiang No. 1 Normal School, all students in the school spontaneously made a strike and were shot and injured by military and police. A classmate named Zhu Zantang was so sad that he snatched the knife from the police and committed suicide on the spot.

The student would rather use his life to keep the principal, which shows how respected Jing Hengyi is. The supporters around him have been: Feng Zikai, Zhu Guangqian, Zhu Ziqing, Xia Yizun...

Cai Yuanpei sent the collected newspapers to Guangzhou together with the letters. After reading "The Rise of the Great Power", Jing Hengyi frantically inquired about Zhou Hexuan's whereabouts. Finally, he received news from a reporter from "Zi Linxi Daily" and immediately called a friend from Tianjin to invite him, hoping that Zhou Hexuan could go to Sun Yat-sen University to serve as a professor.

At the same time, "The Rise of a Great Power" was also circulated rapidly in Guangzhou, a major revolutionary area. It is difficult to find a newspaper for "Zi Linxi Daily" and "Beijing-Tianjin Times". Young students compiled and compiled books by hand, and various versions of handwritten copies were circulated in schools.

Students majoring in economics regard the Netherlands as a role model, believing that business finance can also enrich the country and strengthen the people; students at the military academy believe that China should learn Germany, and only the unity of iron blood can achieve national rejuvenation; students majoring in mechanochemistry respect the UK, pursue the route of strengthening the country through science and technology, and saving the country through industry...
Chapter completed!