Chapter 302 Nobel Prize
A luxurious carriage with a coat of arms printed on the wall arrived at the entrance of Aurora College. A foreigner in a suit and leather shoes got out of the carriage and announced the identity of the carriage owner at the entrance. "Please inform that Mr. Bo Guwen, the Consul General of the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway in Shanghai, is visiting. 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 14, 1814, 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 30 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 1884 that the consulate officially became a consulate.
Upon hearing this, the doorman did not dare to delay and immediately asked the carriage to come in and hurried over to report.
After a while, Ma Xiangbo came out personally to receive Consul Bo Guwen. He was proficient in many languages including French and Spanish, and would be able to communicate smoothly with Bo Guwen.
After inviting Bai Guwen to sit in the reception room, Ma Xiangbo asked about his preferences, served coffee and snacks, and then asked, "May I ask what the consul wants to see Zhou Ping about?"
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 to see Zhang Xingjiu about?
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!"
"Zhou Ping is in class now. For him, nothing is more important than teaching and educating." Ma Xiangbo did not immediately ask 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 not moved at all 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. When Bai Guwen saw him, he 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 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 wedding commemoration and have been wearing them ever since.
Bo Guwen was completely at his wit's end. It was not appropriate to continue to dwell on it, so he could only clear his throat and solemnly announce, "Dear Professor Zhang Xingjiu, I have just received a telegram from the Royal Academy of Sciences of the United Kingdom of Sweden and Norway. I am honored to inform you that you have made outstanding contributions in 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 first Nobel Prize in Physics and a prize of 250,000 Swedish kronor!"
"I am very honored to receive this award." Zhang Xingjiu replied modestly, and then asked, "Am I the only one to receive the Physics Award 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 depending on 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 equally divided 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 it is divided equally among three people.
Zhang Xingjiu remembered that the single prize money for the first Nobel Prize was 250,000 Swedish kronor. Since Bo Guwen said that he would receive a prize of 250,000, it meant that he would enjoy this honor alone.
"Yes! The first Nobel Prize in Physics will be yours alone." Bo Guwen's answer confirmed his guess. "The award ceremony will be held on December 10th in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Please leave as early as possible to avoid missing the award ceremony."
Zhang Xingjiu secretly complained in his heart. Although he replaced Roentgen and became the first winner of the Nobel Prize 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 a 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, that 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 could force them to award me the first Nobel Prize in Physics, I will certainly 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 prize money of 250,000 kronor also moved him very much.
Currently, the exchange rate of Swedish kronor to US dollar is about 0.8, and 250,000 kronor is equivalent to 200,000 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 270,000 taels of silver.
"I am very happy. What makes me most happy about this award is not the huge amount of money, but the fact that it proves to the whole world that the intelligence and talent of Chinese people are not inferior to those of other races."
"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 sentence, "Sorry, I have to get back to class."
(End of this chapter)
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