Chapter 43

Please collect, please recommend.

In a spacious room inside Windsor Castle, where the walls were adorned with oil paintings and the entire ceiling was covered with magnificent murals, a sofa carved with intricate patterns sat a couple. The man was extremely handsome and dashing, wearing a bright red military uniform with white trousers, none other than Prince Albert. The woman was a plump pregnant woman, very short, with a large and round belly, looking about seven or eight months along, and of course, she was the Empress of the British Empire, Queen Victoria. At that moment, the royal couple was looking at Zhu Jishi, who was sitting respectfully opposite them, with curious eyes, as if they were observing some rare species in the London Zoo.

"Mr. Zhu, you said that you received Western education in your father's clinic under his guidance and studied university-level medicine and chemistry on your own?"

Hearing Prince Albert's question in German, Zhu Jishi was truly in a bind. Today, it was supposed to be a private audience with the Prince, but who knew that upon entering this gilded reception hall, he would see Queen Victoria sitting beside the Prince. Well, if you have to kneel, you have to kneel, who are you to refuse the Queen?

However, this Queen was a curious baby who loved to pry into others' privacy. From the start of the audience, one question after another, all aimed at probing the depths of Zhu Jishi's background.

What could Zhu Jishi say in response? Could he tell Queen Victoria that he had come from the 21st century? That was definitely not possible, so he had to lie! Fortunately, Zhu Jishi was well-prepared and had fabricated a story that could not be verified.

He claimed that his family had fled China during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties to escape the persecution of the Tartar dynasty and its lackeys. They had wandered in the South Seas, constantly changing their names to avoid persecution. By the time he was born, the family had dwindled to just his father, mother, and a few loyal servants. His father had received a complete Western education and was a famous doctor in the South Seas, well-versed in both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. Many of his current inventions and discoveries were based on his father's years of research. Under his father's guidance, he had learned English and German and studied chemistry, medicine, and microbiology on his own. Unfortunately, his father, a learned and talented doctor named Zhu Xiansheng (a name Zhu Jishi had chosen, symbolizing ancestors and sages, which later caused him some unexpected trouble), and his wife, died in a shipwreck. After his parents' death, Zhu Jishi sold their property and traveled to Europe to study and explore...

"Your Highness, I would have very much liked to receive formal Western education, but unfortunately, there were no such conditions in the East."

Zhu Jishi quickly tried to shift the topic away from himself. He thought, "Although there are many Western schools in Singapore, Borneo, and Java, their standards are generally low, with only basic science courses and too much theology, as these schools are run by the church and primarily aim to train priests. It is almost impossible to learn the essence of Western science and humanities there. This is one of the main reasons I left the South Seas to travel in Europe. I hope to understand and learn European-style education and then introduce it to the East, opening schools in the South Seas and Hong Kong that truly impart scientific knowledge. If possible, I would even like to establish a university."

"You want to establish a university in the East? That is a grand ideal, but it won't be easy to achieve," Prince Albert said with great interest.

Queen Victoria, however, yawned. She had not received formal school education but was educated by private tutors, with limited knowledge compared to Prince Albert, who had received higher education at the University of Bonn. She did not understand that universities, like churches, could be tools for invading a backward country.

"Yes, I do indeed want to establish a university in Hong Kong," Zhu Jishi said solemnly to Prince Albert, thinking, "This really seems like a good idea! There is probably no true university in all of Asia right now. The first modern university in China in history did not appear until about 50 years later. If I can establish a university in Hong Kong in a few years, its significance for China's progress cannot be overstated!

At least it would be more meaningful than simply rebelling and overthrowing the Qing dynasty. After all, without a large number of elites who understand Western science and have a modern mindset to lead the Chinese nation, even if the Qing dynasty were overthrown and the dragon throne in the Forbidden City occupied, how much would it really contribute to the progress of the country and the nation?

Moreover, my knowledge and way of thinking are completely different from those of the Chinese of this era, so much so that they can be described as worlds apart. Without educating a new generation of Chinese youth with a modern mindset, it would be impossible to communicate effectively with the Confucian elites of this era."

"Mr. Zhu, establishing a university is not easy, it's not just a matter of money... I think you understand this, don't you?" Prince Albert asked with a smile.

Zhu Jishi smiled bitterly. He had been to university and knew how difficult it was to establish one, especially in the East in the 1840s. It was not something that could be accomplished with money alone. He nodded and said, "Your Highness, I certainly know how difficult it is to establish a university, but I will strive to realize this ideal."

Prince Albert looked at Zhu Jishi and suddenly felt that his image had grown. This man's contributions to the advancement of human medicine were already enough to make him famous in history, but compared to establishing a university that could transform a nation's thinking and introduce European knowledge and ideas to the leading empire of the East, his medical contributions seemed insignificant.

A thought suddenly popped into the Prince's mind: "A hundred or two hundred years from now, the most powerful monarchs or ministers of Europe will be forgotten in the vast river of history. But the name of Zhu Jishi will be remembered forever because of 'blood transfusion therapy,' 'bacteriology,' the various new drugs he invented, and the first university in the East. And through this university, Zhu Jishi will likely be quickly discovered and heavily used by the Emperor of the Qing dynasty. If the Emperor of the Qing dynasty had even a third of the wisdom of Peter the Great..."

Thinking this, Prince Albert nodded slightly and smiled at Zhu Jishi, saying, "Jason, may I call you that?"

Zhu Jishi, along with the Queen and Sir Reed, were taken aback. Did this mean the Prince was ready to treat Zhu Jishi as a friend?

"Your Highness, you may call me whatever you like..."

"Still, call me Albert," Prince Albert said, looking at Zhu Jishi. "Jason, to be honest, I originally intended to invite you to serve as the court physician because of your expertise in obstetric surgery, which could ensure Victoria's safe delivery. But now, I know you are working on a significant project that will benefit the entire world, and your time is very precious and should not be wasted."

Zhu Jishi waved his hand and smiled, "Albert, establishing a university is just an idea for now, and I don't have the financial means yet. My pharmaceutical company and rubber products company are already managed by professionals." He stood up and said seriously, "I can spend a month setting up a small, specialized obstetric hospital in Windsor Castle and teach all the knowledge I have about obstetrics to the Queen's physicians."

Although he knew little about European history, he was aware of some facts about Queen Victoria, as she and her descendants were famous cases in the study of hemophilia in later medical research. He knew that the Queen lived a long life and all nine of her children grew up. Therefore, this short service to the British court was risk-free and could help curry favor with Prince Albert, making it a good deal.

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