Training the Heavens

Chapter 292 Returning to China
At the farewell dinner, all of Zhang Xingjiu's friends came. Lippmann held his hand reluctantly and said, "Time flies so fast. Thinking back to when you first came to the Sorbonne, it seems like it happened just yesterday."

Zhang Xingjiu gave him part of the disposal rights of the wireless telegraph patent. Professor Lippmann's character was trustworthy, so he could make decisions on small matters himself, but major matters required communication by telegram.

The principal came very politely. He knew very well that Zhang Xingjiu's achievements definitely reached the standard of the Nobel Prize. Such a student, even if he was Chinese, was a valuable asset to the Sorbonne University. So on behalf of the Sorbonne University, he awarded Zhang Xingjiu the position of visiting professor.

Even so, he still felt it was a pity to let him return home. "The door of the Sorbonne is always open to you. If you are willing to come back, the position of professor in the Department of Physics will belong to you. When Professor Lippmann retires in the future, you can even succeed him as the head of the Department of Physics."

"Thank you for your kindness." Zhang Xingjiu thanked him politely, but he didn't agree in his heart. Marie Curie also won the Nobel Prize in the future, and more than once, when she was promoted, she still encountered many obstacles due to her identity issues.

She is a white person and she feels this way, let alone herself, a yellow person. If she really believed it, the Sorbonne University might not keep its promise.

"I just came back and you are leaving. What a pity." Lang Zhiwan's face was full of reluctance. He had recently completed his studies at the Cavendish Laboratory and now returned to Paris to pursue a doctorate under Pierre Curie.

"I will definitely come back. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. You are also welcome to visit China when you have time." Holding his hand, Zhang Xingjiu suddenly thought of something interesting.

Lang Zhiwan was a member of the French Communist Party. After World War I, if those Chinese students living in his apartment met Lang Zhiwan, I wonder what kind of sparks would be created?

So he simply handed him the keys and management rights to the apartment. "I'll leave my house to you. You can still hold salons here and communicate with other scientists. I'll ask you to help rent out the remaining rooms. The cafe and restaurant on the first floor will remain, and the second and third floors will be used by Chinese students studying in Paris. If they're struggling financially, I'll reduce or waive their rent."

"If they can't afford the tuition and other expenses, they can use the proceeds from Pirates of the Caribbean to pay for it. I will sign an agreement later granting you the authority to handle these royalties."

Zhang Xingjiu has previously established a foundation to manage his income in Europe. Most of these income will be used to support international students in Europe so that they can concentrate more on their studies without worrying about money.

"You are a true patriot." Lang Zhiwan was in awe.

"I have a vague feeling that those radioactive elements may be harmful to the human body, so you and Mary must pay attention to protection when doing experiments in the future." Facing Pierre, Zhang Xingjiu could only give a subtle reminder.

On the other side of the banquet, Ma Zongwen was also saying goodbye to her classmates. Everyone's face was full of reluctance, because they all knew that with the current transportation conditions and international environment, after this farewell, it would be unknown how long it would take for them to meet again.

The next day, Zhang Xingjiu and his wife boarded a train to Marseille Port with the farewell of everyone, and then changed to a passenger ferry. His status as a visiting professor at the Sorbonne University allowed him to easily get a first-class cabin.

Now that Ma Zongwen had earned his degree and matured, Zhang Xingjiu could finally abandon those simple contraceptive methods and start having children. Thinking of the major events that would happen in the future, Zhang Xingjiu hoped to have more children so that they could be assigned to different jobs. When the passenger ship arrived in Hong Kong, Zhang Xingjiu got off directly and stayed there for two days. Because Yixian had also heard the news and arrived in Hong Kong, the two of them took this opportunity to have a good talk.

Before parting, Zhang Xingjiu gave him another sum of money and asked him to use it to engage in revolutionary work.

Then they changed another ship and continued to head north, finally arriving in Shanghai. Ma Zongwen also returned to her long-lost home. The brothers Ma Xiangbo and Ma Jianzhong were very happy to see her.

After dinner, Ma Xiangbo asked about Zhang Xingjiu's plans. "Zhou Ping has returned from his studies. I wonder what plans he has for the future? If he wants to teach at a university, I have some friends at the Imperial University of Peking and the Beiyang University. I can write to recommend him!"

Zhang Xingjiu shook his head. He was somewhat interested in going to the Imperial University of Peking, but not right now. "I just want to teach and educate quietly and continue my research. The situation in the north is so turbulent right now, so I'm afraid it's not a good time to do that."

Thinking about the recent situation, with the reform and the Boxer Rebellion going on in the capital, it was indeed not a good time. Ma Xiangbo temporarily put aside his thoughts in this regard and turned to talk about his own recent plans.

"The path to self-strengthening is based on cultivating talent, and the path to saving talent is particularly important through establishing schools. Now that I have resigned from my official position and returned home, I intend to donate my entire estate—three thousand acres of land in Songjiang, Qingpu, and other places—to the Catholic Church in Jiangnan for management, as the foundation for establishing a Sino-Western school. If Zhouping doesn't mind, why not join me in running this school?"

This is truly ruining the family's education. Zhang Xingjiu was filled with admiration and immediately stated, "Establishing a university is also my dream. Since my father-in-law has this plan, I will definitely do my best to help! However, I have some different ideas about the concept of running a school."

"Father-in-law, you come from a church background, so it's understandable that you want to ask the church for help in running the school. However, if you do that, the church will have a certain influence on the school, which goes against the spirit of university independence. So, I think it's better for us to run the school ourselves."

"My son-in-law has earned some money in Europe over the years, which can be used to purchase land, build school buildings, and purchase teaching and experimental equipment. If there are any talented students among these students, I can help them lay a solid foundation before sending them to study abroad in Europe and the United States."

"These students are like sparks. After a few years, they may become a prairie fire."

Ma Xiangbo felt that what Zhang Xingjiu said made some sense, but he had grown up in the church since he was a child, and he could not make up his mind to let him break away from the church and start a school. He then decided to discuss it with his friends first.

Zhang Xingjiu was not in a hurry. He visited acquaintances such as Fu Lan-ya and Jiang Yixu one after another, presented his thank-you gifts, and then took Ma Zongwen back home.

As the ship approached Shaoxing, he couldn't help but feel excited. What was happening with A Zhang, Xu Xilin, Wang Ziyu and the others recently?

(End of this chapter)