Training the Heavens

Chapter 329 C position

As soon as he got off the train, he saw several people coming to greet him, including Marie Curie, who had won the Nobel Prize, Lang Zhiwan, who became a professor at the French Academy two years ago, and Li Shizeng, who had cut off his braids and had short hair. Except for Pierre-Liu Cheng and Professor Lippmann, all the people Zhang Xingjiu was most familiar with in France came.

Professor Lippmann would be able to see her soon, but Pierre would never be able to see her. He had died in a car accident five years ago, so Zhang Xingjiu was the first to greet Marie Curie. "I'm sorry, it's too far from Asia to Paris, and I couldn't attend Pierre's funeral."

"It's really far. You haven't been to Paris for ten years. I am very grateful to receive your telegram." Madame Curie expressed her understanding.

Lang Zhiwan gave him a big hug. "Although you're not in Paris, your name is on the lips of the physics community there almost every day. No, it's the same in every physics center around the world! Even beyond the physics community, your precise measurement of atomic weight has shocked the chemistry community. Many people are discussing whether it's only a matter of time before you win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry!"

"Mr. Zhou Ping, I originally planned to return to China to participate in the revolution, but I postponed my return because I heard that you were coming. I thought I must see you before I leave!" Li Shizeng has been in France for nine years.

Returning to Zhang Xingjiu's old residence, his house has not changed much from the past. Everyone regards it as a gathering salon for the physics community or international students, and it has been maintained relatively well.

Lang Zhiwan, Madame Curie and Professor Lippmann talked to him about the trends in the Parisian academic circles in recent years, and invited him to give a lecture at the Sorbonne University tomorrow. Then they said goodbye and left. Li Shizeng stayed and continued to talk about himself and other students studying in France.

After arriving in Paris, he first studied at the Mondaton Agricultural School. After graduation, he entered the Pasteur Institute and the University of Paris to study biology. A few years later, he and Zhang Jingjiang, Wu Zhihui and others organized the "World Society" in Paris to promote anarchism. In the same year, introduced by Zhang Jingjiang, Li Shizeng joined the Paris branch of the Tongmenghui.

Two years ago, he founded the Chinese Tofu Company in the western suburbs of Paris. He made tofu using a new machine method, and thus earned the nickname "Dr. Tofu". At the same time, thanks to Zhang Xingjiu's reputation, his tofu company became much larger than in the original history. Many Chinese students studying in France earned money to study and live in Paris by working in the tofu company. Many of them have returned to China after completing their studies and are seeking ways to strengthen the country.

"Shi Monk, you have done a lot over the years." Zhang Xingjiu was quite moved after hearing this.

"Compared to you, sir, I'm still far behind. When I was in China, I knew you were famous overseas, but when I arrived in France, I realized your reputation was even greater than I had anticipated!" Li Shizeng sighed. "Alas, those mediocre people in China only know how to fight for power and gain all day long. They don't even know how to cherish a world-class talent like you. I really don't know what to say."

"When China starts to value talents like you, perhaps China will become prosperous and strong. After meeting you today, my wish has been fulfilled. Tomorrow I will return to my country to join the revolution." After saying this, Li Shizeng stood up, bowed deeply, and went back to his residence downstairs to sleep.

The next day, Zhang Xingjiu sent Li Shizeng and his companions to the train station and watched them leave. He felt quite emotional in his heart. They were all passionate young people at that time, but he wondered how many of them could always keep their original aspirations in the tide of history?

In the afternoon, Zhang Xingjiu arrived at the Sorbonne University as scheduled and received a warm welcome from the entire university. After all, a Nobel Prize winner and foreign member of the Collège de France, who had been trained by their own university, naturally stood out from other scholars. Furthermore, Zhang Xingjiu had not given up on exploring the cutting-edge of academia since returning to China, producing high-quality articles annually. Given his current achievements, it's no exaggeration to call him a leading figure in physics. How could the faculty and students not be excited to have such a scholar give a speech at their alma mater?

In his speech, Zhang Xingjiu reviewed his study experience at the Sorbonne University more than ten years ago, and emphasized his gratitude to Professor Lippmann, Pierre, Madame Curie, Lang Zhiwan and others for their help. He called this time the most carefree period in his life.

Then he talked about his recent research results, such as his study of atomic models. Most students didn't quite understand what he was saying, but Lippmann, Marie Curie, Lang Zhiwan, Becquerel and others immediately pricked up their ears. They all knew that if these contents were compiled into a paper and published, it would definitely cause a sensation in the physics world again, just like the many heavyweight papers published by Zhang Xingjiu before.

After the speech, Zhang Xingjiu stayed in Paris for a while, attending a meeting at the French Academy, giving speeches and exchanges at other universities or research institutions, meeting with international students, asking about their difficulties, providing them with help, etc.

After working for more than ten days, Zhang Xingjiu finally boarded a train to Brussels, Belgium with Madame Curie and Lang Zhiwan. Also accompanying them was French mathematician Henri Poincaré, an old acquaintance whom they had never met.

Poincaré made outstanding contributions in many fields including number theory, algebra, geometry, topology, celestial mechanics, mathematical physics, multi-complex function theory, and philosophy of science. He is best known for proposing the Poincaré conjecture.

In the world of "People in the Alley", Zhang Xingjiu published his paper on solving the Poincaré conjecture at the World Congress of Mathematicians held in Beijing. So on this train, Zhang Xingjiu and Poincaré talked a lot about the Poincaré conjecture, but due to the times, he did not reveal the results of his solution.

Despite this, Poincaré was amazed. "I remember your first paper published in Nature was on number theory. At the time, many mathematicians predicted that a new star in mathematics would soon rise. Unfortunately, you shifted your academic focus to physics, causing the mathematical world to miss out on a genius."

"Of course, you've published quite a few mathematical papers in recent years, which put you among the top mathematicians. But if you focus all your energy on mathematics, you will surely become a great mathematician like Newton, Gauss, or Riemann, who led the development of the times."

Otherwise, why would we say Sir Niu is so bad? He is not only one of the top two physicists in the history of physics, but also one of the best in mathematics.

When they arrived in Brussels, Solvay had already sent people to greet them at the train station. A luxury car took them to a large estate in the suburbs. Soon after, all the attending physicists arrived.

Before the meeting started, everyone took a group photo together, and Zhang Xingjiu unsurprisingly took the center position.

(End of this chapter)