British writer

Chapter 224 Two Invitations

PS:

In the previous chapter, "Oscar I" was actually "Oscar II" and has been modified.

——

The scientists left.

"Huh~"

Lu Shi couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally..."

This farce is finally over.

Tolstoy came over on crutches, smiling,

"Lu, you are a great writer."

Probably because the Nobel Prize in Literature matter has been settled, Toon has been living more comfortably recently, and he looks much younger.

Moreover, his body seems to be stronger,

Lu Shi couldn't help but think of Victoria.

Because of herself, the queen lived a little longer,

I hope this law also applies to Tolstoy.

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"Toon, when others praise me, I accept it, but if you say that, I dare not accept it."

Tolstoy laughed and patted Lu Shi on the shoulder, his eyes full of support and love for his younger generation.

He said: "Lu, I say you are great because you have a special group of readers that you can influence. Look at those scientists just now~ They reacted like that, which shows that your "Chao Wen Dao" really has the power to move people's hearts."

Lu Shi was speechless,

"Based on the subject matter."

At the beginning of the 20th century, the genre of science fiction was still a wild land, and people were looking at it freshly.

After that, it will not be easy to write sensational works.

Tolstoy pondered for a moment,

"Lu, have you ever thought about writing some serious works?"

Lu Shi was silent,

In Toon's eyes, writing so many best-sellers and writing whatever is popular would make him appear to be a bit of a philistine.

Tolstoy saw through his thoughts,

"You... I feel a little pity. I hope that one day in the future, you can also win the Nobel Prize for Literature."

After speaking, he waved his hand,

"Forget it, it's unnecessary for me to say this. Judging from your attitude, you probably don't care about the Nobel Prize. Hahaha..."

Toon laughed again.

Just then, someone came over,

"Toon, I don't want to say this."

Everyone looked over.

The speaker was Ronner Solman.

He shook hands with Lu Shi warmly,

"Professor Lu."

Lu Shi responded: "Mr. Solman."

The people around them left knowingly, leaving space for the two of them.

Solman smiled bitterly: "Professor Lu, you have done me a lot of harm. Because of what happened before, our first Nobel Prize almost failed to be awarded smoothly."

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"Let him go by the past."

He really didn't want to waste any time on this matter.

The two walked slowly through the garden,

The grass is withered,

Those once bright and dazzling flowers are now left with only bare branches, standing feebly in the cold wind.

Solman whispered: "You really can't blame the Committee for that matter. We have to consider some practical considerations... Well... By the way, you mentioned some literary giants when you were 'chatting' with Professor Monson before. , including the French writer Emile Zola, right?”

Lu Shi nodded,

"yes."

Solman explained: "Actually, we considered him."

Lu Shi asked: "Then?"

Solman sighed,

"You should know that Mr. Zola is currently on the run in the United States...er...I mean, living in the United States. He is living in the United States. Considering the geographical factors, we have difficultly crossed him from the candidate list."

Lu Shi pondered,

In my impression, there seems to be such a thing.

In 1898, Zola devoted himself to the struggle for justice for the wronged Jewish officer Dreyfus, which led to persecution and exile in the United States.

Solman superficially used Zola as an example, but in fact he was talking about Tolstoy.

He means,

Toon was far away in Russia, and his personal freedom was restricted by the Tsar, so he was not considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

This explanation is quite reasonable.

At this time, the two came to the door,

Solman helped Lu Shi open the door very shamelessly.

"please."

Lu Shi looked at the other party and whispered: "Mr. Solman, you should say this to Toon."

Solman was embarrassed,

"Of course, of course..."

They entered the restaurant chatting.

Because of the "Chao Wen Dao" incident, everyone almost didn't have breakfast, and it was almost noon, so everyone got hot food and ate very much.

Solman once again showed his dog-leg characteristics,

"Professor Lu, haven't you had your meal yet?"

He first helped Lu Shi scoop up a bowl of corn soup, and then piled food on the plate.

Lu Shi's head was full of black lines,

￣□￣｜｜

Because the other party actually got Swedish herring for him.

The strong smell permeates the air.

Lu Shi said, "Mr. Solman, if you have anything to say, just tell me."

The other party explained and served.

With such a low profile, it is obvious that he is seeking for himself.

Solman smiled and said,

"Sit down and talk."

They came to a dining table in a corner and took their seats.

Lu Shi said: "Please be honest."

Solman nodded,

"Professor Lu, you seem to know Emperor William?"

Lu Shi said "hmm\

,""On the Isle of White, I had a chance meeting with His Majesty the Emperor."

This is the truth and it is also a lie,

Lu Shi was the first to know William II because of his famous views——

Gelbe Gefahr.

This is German and translates to "yellow peril".

Therefore, Lu Shi did not have any good impression of the emperor.

Seeing Lu Shi's indifference, Solman couldn't help but feel dizzy and scolded William II a hundred times in his heart.

But he could only bite the bullet,

"Professor Lu, His Majesty the Emperor wants to... um... want to meet you after the dinner."

Lu Shi raised his eyebrows,

"If I remember correctly, Stockholm is under the rule of King Oscar, right?"

This statement does not match the preface and the follower.

Solman was confused,

"Wha...what?"

Lu Shi said, "Just answer."

Solman replied helplessly: "Yes, Stockholm is of course under the rule of King Oscar. At the same time, he is also the King of Norway. He is the most powerful person in Scandinavia, for that matter."

Lu Shi smiled and said,

"The most powerful...If that's the case, then why is Emperor William allowed to give orders in Stockholm?"

The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.

Lu Shi looked calm on the surface, but in reality he was like a frozen lake on a cold winter night, bitingly cold.

Others can't see it, but Solman, sitting opposite him, knows it best.

The invisible pressure made him feel overwhelmed.

He said, "No... I meant... that... I didn't say that was an order."

Lu Shi showed a surprised expression,

"That's an invitation~"

Solman nodded,

"Yes! Yes, yes! It's an invitation! It's an invitation!"

Lu Shi said, "Then I refuse."

"..."

An eerie silence lay between the two of them.

Solman wanted to cry but had no tears.

Lu Shi, why should he be so difficult to deal with? ?

He advised: "Professor Lu, I know what you are disgusted with, but His Majesty the Emperor really invites you sincerely, so please consider it for my sake..."

I wanted to say,

"Please look at my face."

But thinking about it carefully, it seemed that he had no face at all in front of Lu Shi.

Solman added: "For Mr. Tolstoy's sake..."

Lu Shi interrupted,

"Are you familiar with Toon?"

"Ah this..."

Solman was speechless again.

Lu Shi continued: "Besides, if Tuo Weng were replaced by me, he would definitely not accept the invitation."

Tolstoy was always oppressed by Tsar Nicholas II,

Nicholas II and William II were just rats in a stinking ditch. Since 1895, they had been communicating and communicating about the so-called "Yellow Peril".

Solman slapped himself deep in his heart.

Who is bad to say?

Let’s talk about Tolstoy!

What this old man despises the most is some bastard emperor...

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"Let's end this matter."

In order not to say anything more to the other party, he picked up a piece of food with his fork and put it into his mouth.

I didn't expect it to be a herring, and my face suddenly turned green.

Solman was helpless;

"Then, I'm sorry to bother you."

He got up and left the restaurant, thinking about how to deal with William II.

Surprisingly, neither William II nor Oscar II left, but were waiting outside.

William II asked: "What was the result?"

"scare!"

Solman was startled.

William II frowned and said, "Why were you so surprised? What was the result?"

Solman murmured, not knowing how to answer.

Seeing him hesitating, William II still doesn't know the result.

He looked towards the restaurant,

His eyes were locked on Lu Shi, his eyes full of complexity.

Oscar II said: "Emperor William, there are some things that cannot be forced."

This is advice,

Of course, it also means admonition.

William II frowned and looked at the "most powerful man in Scandinavia" beside him.

Oscar II seems to have changed,

He looked like a simple and harmless person before, but now, he showed the temperament of a superior.

Under this king's rule, Sweden achieved industrialization and science and technology developed rapidly.

Even if he seems to be a nice guy, how could he be a weakling?

William II pondered,

"King Oscar means..."

Oscar II did not answer directly, but instead said, "Emperor William, you know that the Nobel Prize also has a Peace Prize, right? During the award ceremony, I don't want anything to happen that goes against Mr. Nobel's last wish."

After a pause, he added: "I can't control other places. But in Sweden, in Stockholm... hum..."

There is no need to say anything else.

"Um……"

William II took a deep breath,

Again, he looked at Lu Shi in the restaurant and said after a long time: "King Oscar is right. During the award ceremony, nothing should go against Mr. Nobel's last wishes. This is respect for the deceased."

He stretched himself,

"The invitation should still be sincere. I know how to handle it."

Solman and Oscar II looked at each other,

Both of them felt relaxed.

This time the Nobel Prize was really full of twists and turns.

Solman whispered: "Your Majesty, shall we leave now?"

The place where William II stayed was not at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, but at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

Most of the kings in Europe are related by blood, so William II's visit is regarded as a visiting relative, and it is normal to stay in Oscar II's home.

The three of them walked towards the door.

William II said: "I think you mentioned the Peace Prize just now?"

Solman said: "Yes, this time we plan to award the award to Mr. Frederic Passy of France, who is the founder of the Alliance of Parliaments for Arbitration and Peace."

William II frowned,

"IPU?"

Although this international organization has only been established for less than three years, it has caused a lot of trouble for Germany.

Solman quickly changed the subject.

"And Mr. Henry Dunant of Switzerland."

William II nodded,

"I know that person, the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, right?"

…

inside the restaurant,

Lu Shi was worried about the herring in front of him.

At this time, someone's voice came: "The smell of Swedish herring is very unique. But once you get used to this smell, you will find that it has a charming charm."

Lu Shi turned around,

In front of me are two bearded men,

One of them was older, and his beard was like a waterfall, covering his neck and hanging down to his chest.

Lu Shi recognized him at a glance.

Somewhere in Zurich, Switzerland, among the green pines and cypresses, stands a white marble monument.

The relief on the front of the monument shows a soldier kneeling down to give water to a wounded soldier who was on the verge of death.

On the back of the monument are engraved a few lines of words:

Jean Henri Dunant,

1828~1910,

Founder of the Red Cross.

Lu Shi stretched out his hand,

"Mr. Dunant."

Du Nan smiled and shook hands with him and said, "Professor Lu really knows me."

As for the other guy with a shorter beard, Lu Shi also had some impressions, but he couldn't remember who it was.

The other person introduced himself: "Frederick Passy."

Lu Shi suddenly realized,

Passy was the founder of the International Peace League,

The League of Nations was the predecessor of the United Nations established after World War II.

Of course, the League of Nations was the "outcome" of World War I, and Passy was now one of the three presidents of the Parliamentary League for Arbitration and Peace.

Both men won the first Nobel Peace Prize.

Lu Shi couldn't help but think of Philip.

Patek Philippe had prepared a pocket watch, and Philip was afraid that he would have a headache.

Patsy asked: "Professor Lu, can we sit down?"

Lu Shi nodded repeatedly,

"certainly."

He had great respect for these pioneers with a humanitarian spirit.

Especially Dunant, although he was a businessman, he started a great cause that was famous all over the world and benefited all mankind. He was honored as the "Father of the Red Cross".

Passy and Dunant took their seats respectively.

Dunant glanced at Herring,

"Professor Lu, you can eat it with yogurt or oatmeal to reduce its smell."

There’s no way around this gag.

Lu Shi pushed the dinner plate aside and changed the topic.

"Mr. Dunant, you just said that I know you. Why?"

Dunan chuckled,

"Did you forget this?"

He pulled out a clipping from the Mirror and handed it over.

——

So far, the Boer War has been going on for two full years.

In Mafeking and Kimberley, in Ladysmith and Dundee, on the Swaziland border, on the Basotho border in the Caledon Valley...

We lost over seven thousand people.

…

At this time, this newspaper thought of an organization——

British Red Cross.

So, we organized an international business summit, which was also a charity meeting, hoping that kind people would donate generously.

And they are indeed not stingy people.

——

Lu Shi suddenly realized.

This was the first time the Mirror held a "tender" for advertising space.

Dunan said: "Professor Lu, thousands of pounds is not a small amount of money."

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"The Chinese Confucian classic - "Mencius", in one of the "Exerting Heart Chapters", says, 'If you are poor, you can be good for yourself; if you are prosperous, you can help the world.' There is also an ancient proverb in India, 'Giving someone the hand of roses will still have a lingering fragrance after a long time.' .I am also happy to be able to help others.”

Dunan chewed these two sentences over and over again.

My heart said,

As expected of a great writer, he can quote scriptures as soon as he opens his mouth.

He smiled and said: "Professor Lu, you are too humble."

Lu Shi shook his head,

"In terms of humility, who can be better than you?"

In order to avoid the troubles of the world, Dunan shut himself into an isolated life.

It was not until 1895 that Dunant was discovered by reporters near a sanatorium where Hayden was staying that belated accolades came in from around the world, including his nomination as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dunan was very happy to be praised by the young people.

"Hahaha... I'm not as good as you said."

He took a sip of water as if to cover it up,

The water flowed down his beard and made a small patch of wetness on his chest.

After a long time, he stopped smiling,

"Professor Lu, I came to you this time mainly to express my gratitude. It's just that you were surrounded by those 'madmen' just now, and I really couldn't get a word in."

The “madmen” are scientists.

Among the Nobel Prizes, the Peace Prize is slightly different from other awards.

Selection agencies for other awards,

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences,

Karolinska Institutet,

Swedish Academy.

All three are professional institutions.

Only the Peace Prize is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, so the candidates are somewhat incompatible with others.

Dunan took out a box from his arms.

"This is a compliment to Professor Lu."

As he spoke, he slowly opened the box while facing the land.

There is a medal lying inside,

The body of the chapter is a white enamel gold-rimmed equal-arm cross. In the center of the cross is a small disk, and in the middle of the disk is a red enamel cross on a white background.

There is a gold ring at the top of the badge, a hanging ring and a flat triangular horizontal edge pendant fixed to the ribbon.

Lu Shi pondered,

"It doesn't belong to me personally, it's a badge of honor for the Mirror."

Dunan waved his hand,

"Professor Lu, "Mirror" is you, and you are "Mirror". This is something that everyone knows."

With that said, he closed the lid of the box and stuffed it into Lu Shi's hand.

"Take it! You must accept it!"

It would be rude to push back any further.

Lu Shi accepted it.

After that, he looked at Patsy next to him and asked, "Mr. Patsy, are you looking for me?"

Percy took a deep breath.

"Professor Lu, are you willing to work part-time in the Alliance for Arbitration and Peace among the National Parliaments?"