Training the Heavens

Chapter 302 Nobel Prize
A luxurious carriage with a coat of arms printed on its side arrived at the entrance of Aurora University. A foreigner in a suit and tie alighted and announced his identity. "Please inform us that Mr. Bo Guwen, Consul General of the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway in Shanghai, is visiting us. He has something very important to convey to Professor Zhang Xingjiu."

In the autumn of 1812, taking advantage of Napoleon's defeat by Russia, Sweden defeated Napoleon's ally Denmark and occupied Schleswig-Holstein. On January 1814, 1, Sweden and Denmark signed the Treaty of Kiel, deciding to cede Norway (excluding Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands) to Sweden. Norway thus became a vassal state of Sweden, so now the full name of Sweden is the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway.

As early as more than 1884 years ago, Sweden established a consulate in Shanghai. It was initially an honorary consulate general, mainly responsible for trade and shipping affairs. It was not until that the consulate officially became a consulate.

Upon hearing this, the doorman did not dare to delay and immediately invited the carriage in and hurried over to report.

After a while, Ma Xiangbo came out in person to receive Consul Bai Guwen. He was proficient in many languages ​​including French and Latin, and would be able to communicate smoothly with Bai Guwen.

After inviting Bai Guwen to sit in the reception room, Ma Xiangbo asked about his preferences, served coffee and snacks, and then asked, "Mr. Consul, what exactly brings you to Zhou Ping?"

Ma Xiangbo was actually very surprised. Zhang Xingjiu was studying in France, and in terms of relations, he was closer to Britain, the United States, and Germany, and had very little dealings with Sweden. So what on earth did he want from Zhang Xingjiu?

Bai Guwen looked a little anxious. He didn't even bother to drink his coffee and kept urging, "I have something very important to inform Professor Zhang. Please ask Mr. Zhang to come over quickly!"

"Zhou Ping is in class now. For him, nothing is more important than teaching and educating." Ma Xiangbo did not immediately send someone to call Zhang Xingjiu. This was also the rule of Aurora College. Unless there was a major event such as an earthquake or fire that might threaten the comfort of students, no matter what happened, it could not affect the normal teaching order of the school.

Bai Guwen was helpless. He couldn't tell him the purpose of his trip right now, so he could only continue to urge him. Ma Xiangbo was unmoved and insisted on waiting until Zhang Xingjiu finished class.

Finally, the bell rang for the end of get out of class, and Zhang Xingjiu was invited to the reception room. As soon as Bai Guwen saw him, he quickly stepped forward and extended his right hand. "Dear Professor Zhang, I have something very important to tell you!"

Zhang Xingjiu raised his wrist to check the time. "Break time is only fifteen minutes. I still have ten minutes to talk to you, so let's make it short!"

Bai Guwen was speechless again. "Professor Zhang, when you saw me coming, didn't you have any premonition? This is a very important matter. You can definitely move the next class to tomorrow!"

"For me, teaching students is the most important thing. You have nine minutes." Zhang Xingjiu pointed to his Breguet watch again.

In 1810, Abraham-Louis Breguet was commissioned by the Queen of Naples to create the first wristwatch. Since then, wristwatches have gradually become popular in Paris. After Zhang Xingjiu and Ma Zongwen arrived in Paris, they bought a pair of couple watches as a souvenir of their wedding, and have been wearing them ever since.

Bai Guwen was completely at his wit's end. Seeing it was pointless to dwell on it any longer, he could only clear his throat and solemnly announce, "Dear Professor Zhang Xingjiu, I have just received a telegram from the Royal Swedish-Norwegian Academy of Sciences. I am honored to inform you that you have made outstanding contributions to the fields of cathode rays, blackbody radiation, and wireless telegraphy."

"The Nobel Prize in Physics selection committee has decided to award you the 1901 Nobel Prize in Physics in recognition of your groundbreaking breakthrough in the field of physics! You will receive the inaugural Nobel Prize in Physics and a prize of 25 Swedish kronor!" "I'm deeply honored to receive this award," Zhang Xingjiu replied modestly, then asked, "Am I the only one to receive the Physics Prize this year?"

This is also his judgment based on the amount of prize money. According to the rules, the Nobel Prize prize money is different every year, and the distribution method will also vary according to the number of winners.

If one person wins, that winner can enjoy the prize money alone; if two people win, the prize money will be divided equally between the two winners; if three people win, it is more complicated, and the prize money is usually distributed according to a certain ratio. There have been cases where the prize money is distributed according to a ratio of 2:1:1, and there have also been cases where the prize money is divided equally among three people.

Zhang Xingjiu remembered that the single prize money for the first Nobel Prize was 25 Swedish kronor. Since Bo Guwen said that he would receive a prize of 25, it meant that he would enjoy this honor alone.

"Yes! The first Nobel Prize in Physics will be yours alone." Bo Guwen's reply confirmed his suspicion. "The award ceremony will be held on December 12th in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Please leave as early as possible to avoid missing the ceremony."

Zhang Xingjiu secretly complained in his heart. Although he replaced Roentgen and became the first Nobel Prize winner in Physics, the achievements that Bo Guwen just mentioned were worth at least four or five Nobel Prizes. Now it was equivalent to using one award to offset several of his important achievements. This was a bit unreasonable. If it were a European scholar, he would probably not be treated like this.

"Okay, I will apply for leave from school. If approved, I will go to Stockholm to receive the award." Zhang Xingjiu replied. If the Nobel Selection Committee is unwilling to give him more awards, it is not up to them. In the future, Zhang Xingjiu will continue to show his important achievements to see whether they will give him the award or not.

Since I was able to force them to award me the first Nobel Prize in Physics, I will definitely be able to force them to award me a few more times in the future.

"Haha, Zhouping, congratulations!" Ma Xiangbo understood their conversation and immediately laughed and stepped forward to congratulate him. He usually read foreign newspapers and knew a little about the influence of the Nobel Prize. The 25 kronor prize money also moved him very much.

Currently, the exchange rate of Swedish kronor to US dollar is around 0.8, and 25 kronor is equivalent to 20 US dollars. According to the relevant documents on the Boxer Indemnity, one tael of customs silver is approximately equal to 0.742 US dollars. By this calculation, the bonus received by Zhang Xingjiu is equivalent to 27 taels of silver.

"Congratulations, everyone! What makes me most happy about this award isn't the huge prize money, but the fact that it proves to the world that the Chinese are just as smart and talented as any other race."

"Mr. Zhang, according to the requirements of the award ceremony, you..." Bai Guwen continued to discuss various details with Zhang Xingjiu.

Unfortunately, he was interrupted before he could finish his words. "Excuse me, I have to get back to class."

(End of this chapter)