The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

   "200 years ago!"

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

  The salon held by Marion today invited about 20 guests. There were not enough long sofas to sit on, and some chairs and benches were also brought in. Everyone didn't take Zhou Hexuan seriously before, until he said his opinion on Picasso, which attracted a little attention, but basically thought that Zhou Hexuan was grandstanding.

  The Russian October Revolution has been successful for nearly ten years, causing great panic in Western society, but related research is only on the surface, because even the Soviet Union itself is still advancing in exploration.

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

   "Beijing-Tianjin Times" deputy editor Leonard asked: "Does Mr. Zhou think it is Peter the Great's curse?"

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

   Puyi nodded and said, "That's a monarch with great talent and strategy."

  During the reform of the 1980s, the reformers highly respected Peter the Great and Emperor Meiji, and hoped that Emperor Guangxu would follow the example of those two monarchs. Nine years ago, when Zhang Xun was restored, Puyi was also preparing for a big fight. He specialized in learning about the reform monarchs of various countries.

"200 years ago, the young Peter the Great concealed his identity as a monarch and went to the Netherlands to study shipbuilding, to England to study architecture, and to Sweden to study infantry tactics... Prussia, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, he traveled almost all advanced countries in Europe. ," Zhou Hexuan said, "He wants to complete the modernization and reform of Russia by himself. From this point of view, Peter the Great is indeed a monarch with great talent and strategy."

   Everyone nodded involuntarily, wanting to hear Zhou Hexuan continue.

   "But," Zhou Hexuan's tone changed, "Peter the Great's reform, like the reform of the Qing Dynasty, was doomed to fail from the very beginning."

   "Why?" Puyi couldn't help but ask.

In the eyes of everyone looking into the doubts, Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "At that time, Russia was a large territory, but the system was very backward, the domestic economy completely relied on agriculture, and there were only dozens of handicraft workshops in the country. Even in the capital Moscow, among 100 people were literate. There are no more than three of them. Because of the vast land and sparse population and extremely low productivity, Russian peasants simply cannot cultivate enough land, resulting in a large amount of arable land lying idle and barren. So the nobles came up with a way to capture peasants as slaves and keep them in captivity. , first to satisfy the cultivation of one's own fiefs, and then Russian serfdom came into being."

  Russian serfdom knows everything, but Zhou Hexuan's analysis is simple, clear and thorough, which makes Leonard, Peter Pan and other journalists shine.

Zhou Hexuan added: "Peter the Great's industrialization and modernization reforms inevitably released a large number of serfs from the land, which touched the fundamental interests of the nobility. Therefore, during the reform process, the nobility group opposed him, and the church forces hated him. Even his son was determined to rebel. Peter the Great was very tough. He suppressed nobles, executed rebels, and even killed his own son. Mr. Pu, if you come to be emperor, I am afraid you can't do it. ?"

  Puyi shook his head with a wry smile, not to mention that he has no real power, even if he has power, he can't be so bloody.

"Under the insistence of Peter the Great, Russia's reforms have finally picked up a little bit. In order to get rid of the old-fashioned forces, he fought hard to defeat Sweden to win the sea and move the capital to the newly occupied land," Zhou Hexuan laughed mockingly. "But when Peter the Great died, the fruits of his reforms went to waste, and everything went back to where it started. It's a pity."

  Ivanova felt the same way: "It's really 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 your time," Zhou Hexuan said with a smile, "Let's talk about Catherine II."

  Everyone is even more confused, why is it related to the Russian Empress Catherine II again?

Zhou Hexuan narrated slowly: "It's ridiculous to say that after Peter the Great died, the person who inherited his reform career was actually a woman, and she was also a German woman, a German woman who was educated by the French enlightenment. She is Ekaterina. Second World!"

  Empress Wanrong studied in an American mission school in Tianjin when she was a child. She also understood English and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't Catherine II the Empress of Russia? Why is she a German woman again?"

   Catherine, wife of the British consul, explained: "The European royal family has a tradition of marriage, and Catherine II was indeed born in a German nobleman."

"Yes," 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 all about 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: "Ye Huangzhen is a role model for women."

  The 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 betrayed herself. She took the initiative to terminate the reform and became the leader of the conservative forces in Russia."

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

"Because Catherine II encountered the same problem as Peter the Great," Zhou Hexuan explained, "she discovered during the reform process that her power came from the aristocracy, and the reform was to remove the life of the aristocracy, and ultimately to remove the aristocracy. Her own life. She was afraid. In order to consolidate her position and transfer domestic conflicts, she resolutely launched a foreign war and expanded a large territory for Russia. In order to rule a larger empire, she turned more civilians into serfs, She's reversing history!"

  The women in the living room looked at each other, how did the heroine who they said become a female demon?

Zhou Hexuan continued: "Although the reforms of Peter the Great and Catherine II were not successful, they did have some results: first, the territory of Russia expanded rapidly in their hands; second, the nobles gained more freedom, Industry has also developed to a certain extent; third, the literacy rate of the Russians is increasing, and people's minds have been liberated to a limited extent; fourth, the large territory has made Russia's domestic ethnic complex, and the **** is increasingly intensified; third Fifth, the number of serfs has increased, and the situation has become even more miserable."

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

   Everyone looked at Zhou Hexuan in disbelief and didn't interrupt him any more. The whole salon seemed to be Zhou Hexuan's personal display stage.

"Why do you say that the reform achievements of Peter the Great and Catherine II will sow the seeds for the October Revolution? Let's analyze them one by one..." The more Zhou Hexuan spoke, the smoother he said. It is not uncommon for him to say these things in later generations. But for people in the early 20th century, it was particularly novel and profound, as if enlightening, making people feel stunned.