Chapter 413 Becoming the First Scientist in China

“I heard that someone from Minyue came to look for Qingshan?”

As Tian Gang asked, he began to fiddle with the portable tea set that he now carried with him every day on Zhou Qifeng’s desk.

Zhou Qifeng looked a little unnatural as he looked at Tian Gang’s skillful movements.

“Yes, Wu Minsheng. I don’t know if you know him. I guess you don’t. When you returned to China, he had almost left Huaqing. I did have some dealings with him back then.”

Zhou Qifeng reached out and picked up the boiling water beside him, placed it on the table, and then continued.

“But when did you start this habit of drinking tea? I remember you didn’t seem to like tea before.”

As he spoke, he looked up and down at Tian Gang, who was very skilled at playing with tea sets, and asked jokingly.

“You didn’t start learning to drink tea because of Qingshan, and became addicted as you learned?”

“Hey, you’re right, it’s true. I didn’t like drinking tea before, and I thought it tasted weird. But after drinking it several times in Qingshan’s office, I found that I was really used to it. The more I drank it, the more addicted I became. Now I feel uncomfortable if I don’t drink tea twice a day, and I can’t sleep well.”

Tian Gang had a smiling face, and seemed not to be affected by the incident at all.

“You’re still laughing. Since you’re asking me, don’t you know that Minyue’s actions are meant to get Qingshan back?”

Zhou Qifeng took the scissors from the table and handed them to Tian Gang, watching him skillfully use the scissors to cut open the tea package.

With this attitude in Min Yue, he would definitely be a big tea drinker.

“Why can’t I laugh? What can I worry about? Isn’t this something you should worry about? You are the president and I am an academician. No matter where Qingshan goes, I will still be his teacher. This is what Qingshan said himself. Who knows if he really goes back, I will accompany him to retire. As for you, you still have to guard this piece of land in Beijing University, hehe.”

When Tian Gang said this, he laughed like a live loach.

Zhou Qifeng curled his lips and his face turned dark.

“Do you think everyone is like you? After Wu Minsheng left yesterday, Qingshan came to talk to me about this matter. I thought about it and found his idea quite interesting. I support him.”

“Tell me more about it.”

When Tian Gang heard Zhou Qifeng say this, he pretended to be indifferent on his face, but there was a sour taste in his voice.

“Aren’t you his teacher? Didn’t he tell you?”

Now it was Zhou Qifeng’s turn to laugh. Are you pretending again? Are you pretending again?
“What do you know? He just wants me to worry. This is for my own good.”

Tian Gang continued to be stubborn.

“Then I won’t say anything? Wait, I’ve ruined his filial piety and made you unhappy, right?”

Zhou Qifeng naturally has his own way of dealing with people who are stubborn.

Tian Gang could no longer maintain his stubbornness when he saw this situation, so he quickly waved his hand, brought the pot of hot water over, started to heat the tea set, and prepared to make tea.

The two old men of extraordinary status were sitting in the office drinking tea and talking in a relaxed manner.

Seeing that Tian Gang had given in, Zhou Qifeng slowly repeated what Xu Qingshan had said to him last night.

“When we signed the new contract with Qingshan, we already knew that he was planning to build a new school in his hometown. He has enough funds and the society also has enough support in this regard. We at Beijing University cannot help him in any way.”

“and many more.”

Tian Gang suddenly stretched out his hand, looking puzzled.

“You’re not sad at all, why are you still thinking about helping him build a school? Aren’t you afraid that he’ll run away after seeing the school?”

“Look, you’re in a hurry.”

Zhou Qifeng smiled and picked up a cup of tea poured by Tian Gang. He looked at Tian Gang’s curious and anxious expression and sipped the tea slowly. He just wanted to wear out his patience.

“You old boy.”

Tian Gang also picked up the tea and drank it with dissatisfaction.

“It’s like this. Qingshan did tell me that he plans to build a school, but he will not give up the discipline construction at Beijing University. Because the school he built is a social academic research university, so even if he serves as the president of the school, it does not conflict with his other positions at Jinda University. The situation is different from our directly-administered colleges.”

“Then he has created a new model in the country.”

Tian Gang nodded and commented.

“Previously, private universities in China were mostly full of miscellaneous things. This is the first time that a university like this one specializes in academic research and basic discipline construction.”

“Of course not. You have no idea how excited Shi Yigong and his friends next door were when they heard about Xu Qingshan’s situation. I think when this school is really built, not to mention our Beijing University, even Huaqing next door will have many people willing to go there. Qingshan has really done something revolutionary this time.”

“Don’t go off topic for now. Tell me the situation in detail.”

Tian Gang interrupted Zhou Qifeng’s sigh, he was eager to know the inside story.

“Qingshan promised me that he would sign a supplementary contract for tenure with us. Although we have to make concessions for him in terms of actual working hours, he will indeed be tied to us at Kyoto University and stand on the same front.”

“In addition, the Qingshan University that Qingshan wants to build will initially be centered around the Qingshan Institute for Advanced Studies. The conditions he negotiated with the provincial government include many clauses that allow for the admission of high-level academic talents. As you know, many of our students majoring in basic sciences are very qualified, but even at Beijing University, they are more or less restricted by some horizontal projects, and only a small number of people can truly devote themselves to academics.”

“If Qingshan can do well, it will provide us with a new path and exit.”

“For a school like ours, there are still many restrictions if we want to apply to run a school in another place because of our strong strength. But if Qingshan is built, wouldn’t it be equivalent to running a school in another place for us? Our students who graduated from Beijing University can be given priority admission, and there is also a channel for guaranteed admission to graduate school. Young teachers can also have an additional place to gain experience.”

Zhou Qifeng briefly talked to Tian Gang about the important projects that Xu Qingshan had discussed with him last night.

“You mean Qingshan plans to build that university into something like Princeton? The main source of teachers and students will come from our Peking University, Huaqing University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology? The reason you agreed is because Qingshan can create more scientific research positions and opportunities outside of our institutional rules?”

Tian Gang briefly summarized Zhou Qifeng’s meaning.

“correct.”

Zhou Qifeng nodded.

“Huaqing and Huake have always wanted to establish a deeper relationship with Qingshan through various means, so they will definitely not be absent from the establishment of Qingshan University this time. But for us, as long as we join, given our relationship with Qingshan, the two of them can only eat our leftovers.”

Zhou Qifeng’s face was full of pride, then he looked at Tian Gang and smiled.

“And haven’t you noticed? Since Qingshan can hold positions at both Kyoto University and Qingshan University, doesn’t that mean we have one more place to go?”

Tian Gang thought about it and found that it really made sense.

Even if the university built by Xu Qingshan would cooperate with the government, the government would not be able to completely intervene in the internal management of the school. To some extent, Xu Qingshan also built an academic nursing home.

Although there are schools everywhere willing to support big names like them at the academician level, even if they have passed the stage of producing academic achievements.

But the problem is that with Xu Qingshan’s level and the students attracted by his reputation, if they go to Qingshan University to retire, they will still have a chance to make use of their remaining talents in the later stages of their careers.

“And to be honest, if we can put aside some of the requirements of indicators, it may be easier to produce some results that are meaningful for change.”

Zhou Qifeng suddenly sighed and said.

“Even our Peking University and our neighboring Huaqing University are sometimes not immune to this.”

“I am still the president of Kyoto University. I can focus on scientific research. But I will retire or leave in the future. I don’t know what my successor will choose at that time, but I believe that Qingshan’s eyes will always be on scientific research.”

“The most important thing is that he is still young and has plenty of time.”

Tian Gang nodded.

Although Zhou Qifeng’s words were a little obscure, he understood what he meant instantly.

An institution that can be completely dominated by scientific research does not have to worry about any indicators or assessments. As long as it has a sufficiently strong and clear-headed leader, its future development is still promising.

What’s more, Xu Qingshan himself is a huge gold mine. Being able to own such a business empire is still very convincing to the old guys in Peking University.

In their opinion, there is no possibility of failure as long as Xu Qingshan runs this university.

After all, among the top scholars in the country at this time, no one is younger than Xu Qingshan. Even if their ages are cut in half, they are still older than Xu Qingshan.

In terms of personal strength, Xu Qingshan is also one of the top ones in China.

Finally, there is economic strength. At present, there is no scholar in China who can make money like Xu Qingshan.

“Since the young people are willing to give it a try, we, as the elders, should naturally show our sincerity and give our full support. Who knows, Qingshan may become a figure like Mr. Qian in the future.”

Zhou Qifeng said, his words full of praise.

He looked at Tian Gang, his expression slightly serious, and spoke in a low voice.

“I am not the only one who has such expectations for Qingshan. Huaqing also has them, as does Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Even the higher-ups have the same idea.”

You know, in terms of scientific research and technology, the most respected scientist in China is not those who have won some awards, but Mr. Qian Xuesen, who is known as the “backbone of the Chinese nation.”

While other scientists were still obsessed with personal achievements, Mr. Qian had already devoted all his life’s learning to China, a country that was in a state of disrepair.

Most people’s impression of Qian may still be that he was the core leader of the two bombs and one satellite project.

Most people believe that Mr. Qian only supports China’s military-industrial system, including atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs, rockets, missiles, etc. In fact, if China did not have Mr. Qian, it might not be able to develop to its current level, or even become a world superpower in the future.

Mr. Qian can be said to have achieved the pinnacle of applied science.

His predictions about the future direction of scientific development are almost correct, including new energy vehicles, the Internet metaverse, and artificial intelligence in a few decades.

The book “Engineering Cybernetics” he published in 1954 introduced cybernetics into the field of engineering technology for the first time, laying the theoretical foundation for automation technology and becoming the core pillar for China’s development into an industrial power.

Not only did he lead the training of China’s first batch of system science researchers, laying the foundation for China’s entire discipline methodology education system, he also promoted system engineering ideas into the daily lives of people across the country, providing fertile soil for economic development during the country’s most difficult period. For this alone, he saved China tens of billions of dollars in expenses that year.

In an era when the average worker’s salary was only a dozen yuan, the value of the tens of billions of yuan at that time was difficult to estimate.

What he did was truly “cultivating a healthy flower in the desert.”

In the eyes of Chinese researchers, Mr. Qian, as a scientist, strategist, and educator, completely reconstructed China’s modern scientific and technological system and personally painted a picture of China’s prosperous future.

Zhou Qifeng could say such words to Tian Gang at this time.

It also represents his expectations for Xu Qingshan.

What he saw in Xu Qingshan was not the future of a single great scientist like that of Tian Gang and others.

But it is the real possibility of “becoming the number one scientist in China”.

If China could once again have a figure like Mr. Qian Xuesen, Zhou Qifeng could boldly predict that China would surely stand at the top of the world’s powers in the future and would be able to maintain such a prosperous situation even a hundred years later.

At this time, Xu Qingshan’s role has completely transcended the scope of a scientist and will become a figure of China’s national destiny.

He is looking forward to seeing that day.

This is also why Zhou Qifeng will do his best to support what Xu Qingshan wants to do.

After hearing Zhou Qifeng’s comments, Tian Gang did not joke with Zhou Qifeng as he usually did, but instead buried his head in drinking tea. He drank several cups of tea in a row, not even feeling it was too hot.

“But if you all think this way, I’m worried that the pressure on him will be too great.”

After being silent for a while, Tian Gangxian slowly spoke.

“He’s only nineteen.”

“Because he’s only nineteen.”

Zhou Qifeng put down the cup in his hand, stars twinkling in his eyes.

“He can do these things at this age, so he is qualified to carry the expectations of us old guys from the old times.”

“Don’t underestimate him. He is not an ordinary young man. He is even stronger than you and me.”

Tian Gang was silent for a while and poured another cup of tea for Zhou Qifeng.

No one knows how much the two old men talked about in the principal’s office, and no one knows what kind of changes are happening in Chinese scientific research at this moment because of a certain young man.

But for Xu Qingshan.

He has more and more work on his hands and is becoming busier and busier.

He even forgot that there was a documentary team around him doing daily filming, and he was spending day and night in the office and laboratory pushing the project forward.

Many times, Jiang Huanxi came over and took him home to sleep before he would give up.

In just a few months, the documentary team has accumulated enough material.

(End of this chapter)