Chapter 411: To the pioneer

Tan Zhenhua hurriedly opened the door and asked people inside to say: "Old Li, why are you here? I'm already up. If you have anything to do, please tell me to go directly to your room. How can you let you go in person? trip."
Li Shuxiong has the most special status in the "Ningbo-Hong Kong Association". He is always the eldest among all the members of the "Hong Kong-Hong Kong Association". He was born in the last century and is 91 years old this year. Most of the time I spend my days at home, and there will be real big things in it, and this "big brother" will be invited to take a seat.
However, it is precisely for this reason that he is also the most active about returning to Yonggang to "ancestors" to visit relatives this time. I want to come because of his advanced age and fewer days to move around.
Tan Zhenhua sat down with the old man and asked the waiter for a pot of boiling water. He made a cup of tea for Li Shuxiong with the tea prepared in the guest house, and then poured himself a cup. Then he sat opposite the old man and asked: "Old Li, do you have anything to do with the kid?"
Li Shuxiong did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Tan Zhenhua carefully with a smile for a moment. Only after seeing Tan Zhenhua's heart grow fuzzy, he slowly said, "Zhenhua, you said you want to build an airplane. Is this true?"
Tan Zhenhua touched the back of his head and laughed embarrassedly before repliing: "Old Li, of course it is true, or else I would fiddle with a few old people all over the world to fly to Xijing, but there is still some There are a lot of things to do, and I don’t conceal from your old man. I don’t know how far this thing can be done.

Li Shuxiong nodded and said: "I know that although I don't understand aviation, I probably know how difficult it is to build an airplane. It is rare that you can make this determination at a young age. There will be many difficulties you will face in the future. I am old. I can’t help much, but there is still a little thing that can be done. I don’t know how much it will cost you to build such a plane, and I can’t help you much. Here are 5 One million dollars, you can take it first, and treat it as a little donation for China’s aviation industry."
After all, he took out a cheque already written and put it on the table.
Tan Zhenhua asked in amazement: "Old Li, what are you?"
Li Shuxiong sighed: "Zhenhua, don't think this money is too small. Actually, I also know that for building an airplane, this little money is really a drop in the bucket, and it won't make much difference. I asked Ma on the way here. Chief Master, he said that the country has spent more than 500 million yuan to get the "Yun Ten" to the sky. If it is really required to comply with the standards of an operational aircraft, I am afraid that the same amount of money will not be enough, but I'm old and retired a long time ago, so I don't have much savings. Zhenhua, there is only this I can do, but I really want to see China build its own big plane!"
Tan Zhenhua hurriedly waved his hand and said: "Grandpa Li, you are in good health. Don't say those unlucky words. I just want to know, why?"
Li Shuxiong smiled slightly: "The body and everything are fake. When I am my age, I have already seen everything, but there is one thing I have not let go of. Zhenhua, you want to ask me why Donate to you? Do you want to hear me tell you a story?"
Tan Zhenhua nodded.
Li Shuxiong began to speak slowly, his low voice spanning the long river of time.
"My Li family is a heir to poetry and books, great ancestor Li Zhi, Zi Xinfu, Haegu, also known as Baihuashanren, Baihuajushi, under the pen name Jingyang, and author of "Baihuashanren Poems", "True Poems, Calligraphy and Paintings of Baihua Mountain People" stay alive; grandfather Li Xuechao, written by Muhan, served as the prefects of Jingxi, Huating, Yuanhe, quite popular, and later promoted to Changzhou prefect; father Li Yukui, written by Yuqing, named Juchen, Qing Guangxu In Ding You's year, that is, in 1897 in the Gregorian calendar, he participated in the selection of students in the province and won the first place, and he was awarded the baton to enter the Imperial College. Unfortunately, Tian was jealous of talents, and died prematurely at the age of 33."
"My mother, Zhao, is the third daughter of Mr. Pu Zhai, the leader of the Shanghai bank, Zhao Licheng. My grandfather, Mr. Pu Zhai, was born in Yin County, Ningbo, Hong Kong, and he is a hometown with you. He was one of the earliest sponsors of the Chinese National Revolution. Sixth uncle Zhao Jiafan and eighth uncle Zhao Jiayi traveled to the country to study economics. During the period, they met Mr. Zhongshan and got acquainted with each other and became the first members of the "Tongmenghui."
"My mother has 8 brothers and sisters of mine. Among them, my third brother is the closest to me. My third brother Li Ruyan, Zi Yizhi, was born in 1888 and was three years older than me. My father gave him this name and character, and he was also destined Life."
"In 1905, my sixth uncle, Zhao Jiafan, was doing business in Europe and had a lot of surplus money, so he intended to sponsor my brother Ruyan to study in Britain. Ruyan lived up to expectations and was admitted to London Nassenbutun Technical School with excellent grades. It was in Europe at that time. On the occasion of the aviation exhibition, Ru Yan deeply felt the importance of China's aviation development, and determined to engage in aviation industry. She has written to urge the Qing government to attach importance to aviation."
"In 1910, he finally mobilized the Qing government's overseas students in Britain to supervise Qian Wenxuan. He called to the Qing government's Ministry of the Army to say that aviation is important to the country. Later, with the approval of the Regent King Zaifeng, he allocated two hundred pounds to the Ruyan Army. He received the treatment of a publicly-funded student in order to continue his studies. Therefore, after graduating from London Nassenbutun Technical School, he was able to enter the British Bristol Flying School to learn aircraft manufacturing and driving skills at public expense. So far, my brother Li Ruyan became China's first military aviation student to be officially sent abroad to study at public expense."
"Ruyan has excellent academic performance. After graduating in 1911, he passed the Royal British Aviation Club examination, obtained the No. 148 pilot certificate, obtained the pilot license, and became the first Chinese pilot to obtain a pilot license. Xuantong three years, that is, early September 1911 Qian Wenxuan personally sent Li Ruyan to the Bristol Aircraft Factory for an internship, and submitted a report to the Faculty of the above-mentioned process. At the same time, he sent back the various regulations and aircraft drawings he learned, but at this time the Qing government was already shaky and there was no one at all. Pay attention to this little thing again."
"In this year, the revolutionary martyr Chen Yingshi called Ruyan to return to China to participate in the National Revolution through my sixth uncle Zhao Jiafan. Ruyan mobilized overseas Chinese to actively donate money and raised funds to purchase two Aitraqi pigeon aircraft. Shipped to China, and arrived in Shanghai in December of that year. The Qing court had been overthrown and therefore failed to catch up to participate in the war; Ru Yanxuan was appointed as the aviation captain of the Revolutionary Governor's Office of the Shanghai Army. On the 5th, an air show and flyers were distributed at the Madu Jiangwan Racecourse, which was warmly welcomed by the public. This was the first flight show over the Madu. In June of the same year, the Transportation Group of the Third Division of the Ningdu Army was established. The heads of the regiment, Li Ruyan and Liu Zuo became regiments."
"In March of the Republic of China, when Yuan usurped the presidency, he immediately ordered that the second aircraft be transferred to Beijing and assigned to the 3rd Division of the Nanyuan Army, along with an accompanying flight instructor class. Ru Yan served as the head teacher and factory director, and Liu Zuocheng In September of the same year, Nanyuan Aviation School was established, and Qin Guoyong was appointed as the principal and Li Ruyan as the chief instructor. This was the earliest aviation school in China. In the seventh year of the Republic of China, that is, in 1918, Qin Guoyong resigned and Ruyan So he took the post of principal."
"While Ruyan was engaged in flying at Nanyuan Aviation School, she worked closely with Pan Shizhong, the director of the aviation school repair shop. Together, they designed and manufactured China’s first seaplane. But after all, she failed because there was no suitable ground plane. Test flight."
"Ruyan doesn't understand politics and only wants to serve the country by air. However, Huaxia is now in turmoil, how can he accommodate his ideals? As a soldier, he must always raise butcher knives against his compatriots. Although he is an official at least the rank of general He was finally overwhelmed. In the end, he printed and left in 1931, bidding farewell to his beloved flying business, and was invited by Zhao Zhiyou, the cousin of the mayor of Hangzhou at the time, to become the director of the Hangzhou Waterworks."
"Withdrawing from the military, of course, also means completely bidding farewell to his beloved aviation career. He is depressed for this. Although he has written "The Evolution of World Aviation in the Last 12 Years", "The General Idea of ​​Aviation", "The Evolution of World Aviation" In order to carry on his ambitions, but the dream of flying in the blue sky was finally in vain. Therefore, he died of illness early in 1944."
"I remember that when Ruyan was dying, he took my hand and said that the biggest regret in this life is that after all, we never flew our own plane to fly into the sky!"
After hearing this story, Tan Zhenhua meditated for a moment before asking, "So, Mr. Li wants to put this burden on my shoulders? But China has actually been able to build our own airplane many years ago..."
Li Shuxiong interrupted him and said, "No, Zhenhua, although his brother Ruyan was once a soldier, he has long hated those fighting and killing. This is one of the reasons why he retired from the military when he was in his prime. He has always believed that the planes flying above the blue sky should be planes that serve the people of China, not just those weapons."
Tan Zhenhua fell into silence, and for a long time, he raised the teacup in his hand to Li Shuxiong in one fell swoop:
"To the pioneer!"