Empire Rising: Spain

Chapter 82: Chapter 80: Return to the Homeland

The matters of funds and talent have been mostly resolved, and Carlo’s diplomatic visit to Italy is also coming to an end.

With the escort of his brother Crown Prince Umberto and Italian Prime Minister Giovanni, Carlo boarded the cruise ship returning to Spain, accompanied by 10 million Lira in interest-free loans and hundreds of talented individuals.

Only a few scientists were arranged on the accompanying ships, while the others would take different vessels to Spain at staggered times.

On the ship, Carlo also met one of the key talents he focused on, a future Nobel Prize winner, Camilo Golgi.

No matter how many outstanding achievements Camilo Golgi would later attain in the medical field, he is currently just a 27-year-old doctor who graduated from university only a few years ago.

When meeting Carlo, Camilo Golgi appeared very nervous, even afraid to face Carlo directly.

“Don’t be nervous, Mr. Golgi,” Carlo said with a smile. “Did you graduate from Pavia University Medical School?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. After graduation, I worked at San Mateo Hospital and devoted myself to researching neurological diseases,” Camilo Golgi nodded and answered with great respect.

“Excellent, Mr. Golgi,” Carlo smiled, as Spain doesn’t have many medical professionals engaged in neurological research; this time he’s found a treasure.

“Spain also has corresponding medical schools, and if you don’t mind, you can serve as a visiting professor in these medical schools first,” Carlo thought for a moment and arranged Golgi’s work:

Once the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences is completed, you can also apply to join the Royal Academy, focusing on medical research.

Any researcher joining the Royal Academy can apply for a project research fund from the Academy to assist your studies.

I will have someone arrange your accommodations as close to your workplace as possible. Mr. Golgi, welcome to Spain.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. It is an honor to come to Spain, and I will wholeheartedly dedicate myself to research to repay Your Majesty’s trust,” Camilo Golgi nodded quickly, expressing his gratitude to Carlo.

Although Camilo Golgi displayed extraordinary talent during his studies at medical school, Italy doesn’t emphasize medical talent as much.

For Camilo Golgi to become a professor at his alma mater, University of Pavia, he must make some breakthroughs in his research projects and gain a certain reputation.

And Carlo initially allowing him to be a professor at the Spanish medical school, and further to apply to an esteemed research organization like the Royal Academy of Sciences, shows his remarkable trust.

“Of course, Mr. Golgi, if you have friends at Pavia University, you can also extend an invitation for them to come to Spain.

I am quite welcoming to talents in medical research like yourself, and they can also enjoy similar treatment as yours.

Rest assured, as long as you all have sufficient capabilities, I will provide ample research funding for your medical studies and will not excessively interfere.

Medical advancement benefits the entire world; I hope we can jointly promote human progress in medicine so that people worldwide can enjoy advanced medical standards to treat previously terminal diseases.” The University of Pavia is quite renowned in Italy, and friends acquainted with Camilo Golgi are at least not ordinary people.

Even if they are just good-level medical practitioners, attracting them to Spain is not a loss. After all, good doctors are scarce in this era, and even the system for training doctors is not yet complete.

“I can give it a try, Your Majesty,” Camilo Golgi nodded but was afraid of being blamed by Kano if he couldn’t bring people, so he quickly added, “Although I’m not sure if anyone would be willing to travel all the way to Spain, I will try my best.”

Carlo smiled. The relationships among these researchers are not that complex, and perhaps Camilo Golgi could indeed call upon some people.

After all, the conditions Carlo offers are quite top-notch across Europe, perhaps not so enticing for elite scientists but quite appealing to ordinary ones.

The fleet’s docking point is in Valencia, and you can return to the capital Madrid by train.

As for not choosing Barcelona in Catalonia, it’s only because the independence factions there are unsettled, prioritizing safety, Carlo preferred to dock in Valencia.

After experiencing the lengthy train ride, Carlo finally returned to the capital Madrid.

Although this era already has relatively complete railways and trains, the speed of trains is just too lamentable.

Currently, the mainstream train speeds maintain between 20 to 30 kilometers per hour, only on particularly flat straight railways can it sustain around 30 kilometers per hour.

Even though Carlo’s carriage is specially modified, featuring not only luxurious and comfortable large sofas but also a kitchen and bedroom, including areas like the meeting room and office.

But at such speeds, it takes more than ten hours to travel from Valencia to Madrid, not to mention slightly further distances.

Currently, Spain’s railways basically connect several major cities and key areas, and circling around these cities takes at least several days.

This is also why Carlo has been quite hesitant to travel. Whether on land or at sea, hundreds of kilometers take too long, making it highly inconvenient.

Carlo is eagerly anticipating the advent of automobiles and airplanes. Once these technologies achieve true commercial availability, only then will transportation be thoroughly reformed, and traveling can simultaneously be comfortable and convenient.

This visit to Italy took only over half a month, and Madrid hasn’t changed much.

From Valencia to Madrid, you can see many factories outside of Madrid constantly expanding, and large farmlands between cities gleaming with golden hues, indicating a year of dual harvests in industry and agriculture.

Carlo’s mood is quite splendid. Currently, Spain’s development seems quite smooth, and though it doesn’t immediately greatly enhance the overall national strength, this stable improvement brings joy nonetheless.

Throughout the journey, you can see the Spaniards showing smiles, enjoying life from the heart. With diverse heavy taxes reduced, many Spanish farmers can finally catch their breath.

Although not quite a good life yet, compared to before, it’s relatively better. At least the majority of Spanish farmers’ grain can remain in their hands, whether sold for income or kept as food supplies, bringing peace of mind.