Chapter 564: Didn’t I say to not let me give the speech!
Downstairs, the scolding came like a condemning wave!
Upstairs, the people were utterly discomfited!
Bai Yi slapped his hands heavily onto the chair’s arms. “Unforgivable!”
Professor Yan nearly blew his top. “That Zhang Ye! I’d said earlier that he should never have been allowed to step into Peking University! As a teacher of the people, he’s leading people to scold others? Leading so many of our students to scold people? He’s going to rebel!”
Matsumoto: “$%^&*:(!”
An official who was with the delegation: “$%^&*:(!”
The Japanese translator declared loudly, “We will lodge a stern protest! All of your actions are undermining the relationship between our countries and negatively affecting our bilateral cooperation in many areas!”
A leader of Peking University immediately turned solemn and said, “That is the view of one of the teachers from our school, but his view does not represent Peking University’s view! Nor does it represent China’s!”
An individual’s view?
He even felt guilty when he tried explained it that way.
Your sister! With so many people downstairs scolding them, this individual’s view…does indeed seem much more than just one individual. But with what happened until now, what else could he say? He could only explain it that way!
Besides, he also knew that this political delegation led by Matsumoto was only one of several that involved the education sector. His words couldn’t represent those of the other political delegates nor could it represent Japan. However, this incident today was really too serious and tricky to handle. It was something that had never happened before in Peking University, but if you said that it would really affect many areas of their countries bilateral cooperation, then that would be too farfetched. Multiple projects worth billions of dollars and the ties between the countries, oh, just because a commoner from a certain place scolded you all, just because some students from a certain school scolded you all, you can just stop all cooperation at the snap of your fingers? Can you just sever ties so easily? That would be a bit too trifling and wouldn’t be that easy!
After wrangling for a bit, Matsumoto and his team could not bear to stay around any longer. Their eardrums were nearly bursting from the incessant, raucous din. He swung his arm as he turned around to leave, the other delegates following behind and busily whispering. Only the university delegation was left behind now, and with no more cooperation on the books, they left as well! Cooperation? What cooperation! With so many angry voices in close proximity, if they stayed behind, God knows what would happen. They might even get beaten up by the students. After all, they had been late to the ceremony by more than two hours!
All of the them left together!
Or rather, they left with their tails tucked between their legs!
Although the delegation left in an imposing manner, speaking ruthlessly and sternly protesting, in actual fact, they were feeling very nervous and afraid. With over a thousand students in the hall and even more gathering outside it, if each one of them spat at the delegation, they might even drown. They knew they had to leave immediately!
The Japanese reporters observed for a little longer before deciding they could no longer stay around. They then hurriedly took their leave. They had come here today with pride and a sense of superiority, knowing that as foreign reporters, at a time when the Japanese Prime Minister was visiting China, they would be treated like honored guests. Some groups had even begged them to report about them in a more positive light. But none of them could have expected that at this Peking University stop, in this country’s best educational institution where the teachers and students were of the highest standards, they would be scolded. They were even scolded in the most direct way that the Chinese would scold with—being called “idiots”! This was truly an unpredictable outcome no one could have taken precautions against!
This was too unreasonable!
This was really too unreasonable!
Some of these Japanese reporters nearly fainted from anger!
Only the Chinese reporters looked like they were on steroids as they stayed behind to capture everything that was happening with their cameras. They even managed to get the footage of the moment when the political delegation and Japanese reporters were chased away by the scolding!
“That’s fascinating!”
“This is big news!”
“Before I came here today, I thought that, since this was political coverage, there wouldn’t be much to look forward to. But now that we are looking at all that is happening, it seems like all of this will be headed for the headlines! And it won’t just be the headlines for a day! This is at least two or three days’ worth of headlines to deal with!”
“Can this footage be broadcast?”
“I don’t know. It might be dangerous!”
“We still have to record it. This footage is too powerful because of the students’ bravery. It’s the first time I’m experiencing something like this. I never knew that these straight-A students could be so courageous and upright?”
“Ai, it’s because Zhang Ye’s speech was too powerful. I seriously listened to it just now. When it was finished, even a person my age felt like joining together with the students and scolding! The main point is that I’m not a nationalist!”
“Pfft! It’s Zhang Ye again!”
“With his talents, why doesn’t he do anything the right way!”
“Yeah, it’s as if the best steel is never used to make the knife’s edge!”
“This person is too good at attracting trouble. This time, it’s no small issue of just scolding some other celebrities. This is him leading a group of people to scold a political delegation. This surely won’t end well!”
“He’s gotten himself into big trouble now!”
“Why is Teacher Zhang’s temper so terrible!”
The Chinese reporters were relatively more objective about the situation due to the nature of their job. They were some of the few in the hall who had maintained their calm during this incident. Of course, there were a few male and female reporters who had joined the students to shout out “idiots” after the speech moved them, but they were very quickly stopped and talked down by some of the older and more experienced seniors. They did not want create any potential trouble for their employers. The students might have already scolded the Japanese, but as people of the media, they definitely ought not partake in such scoldings, especially when it was such a big event!
The main leads walked off. At the end, the Peking University students scolded in chorus another two more times before gradually stopping. Some of them had scolded so hard they nearly got hypoxia at the end! They had to sit down to rest to catch their breath! Some others scolded until their voices went hoarse and had to get some mineral water from their friends before gulping down the whole bottle.
After more than ten seconds of silence.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, people started applauding. It grew louder and louder!
“Oh!”
“They’ve been chased away by our scolding!”
“Dammit, what have we done?”
“We chased away the political delegates with our scolding!”
“My god, we’re too cruel!”
“What a great feeling!”
“That was too damn fun!”
“I didn’t even know that I could scold people!”
Many Peking University students were cheering as they applauded hard, not for anyone but themselves! They clapped for their long suppressed and silent selves!
That they could actually scold others with no standards!
That they could…be so bold to do something like that!
Suddenly, a head of the school shouted from upstairs, “All of you, stay where you are! No one leaves this place! Wait until your teachers or your parents come to bail you out!”
“Ah?”
“What do we do?”
“What else can we do? Everyone, on my signal…comrades! Let’s run!!!”
When the signal was given, all the Peking University students in the hall roared a battle cry and dispersed. Some of those who could not react in time were stunned for a second before quickly joining the others in escaping!
“Run!”
“Don’t get caught!”
“Everyone, it’s every man for himself!”
“Battle comrades, we’ll meet up again when we get out of here!”
As they ran, they laughed like they were having fun. There was no chaos when the doors opened. Even though the exit was not that big, everyone did not squeeze to the front to try to get out. Instead, they gave way to each other, the freshmen going first, followed by the second year students, and then the third year students It was very organized. After having gone through a battle together in the hall, everyone had become comrades and were feeling very united!
Under the screams of the heads of the school, the security guards had wanted to take control of the situation, but since there were too many people, there was nothing they could do. They did not even dare do anything since they were the smallest group around!
Eventually, they could only look on as all the students left the hall!
Informing parents about misdeeds in university was a rare occurrence. It was unlike primary or secondary schools, and hardly even heard of in a university. But today’s incident had clearly become too big. Even if the students were expelled from the school, it would not seem like a heavy punishment. Of course, Peking University could easily expel one student if he or she dared to point and scold at foreign guests-of-honor. No one could raise an objection to that. But today’s situation was clearly very different, as almost 2,000 people had scolded the guests-of-honor. Do you know what the enrollment figure of Peking University was for this year? Expel all of them? That was impossible! Unless they wanted Peking University to close down! Unless they wanted the angry parents of a few thousand students to descend onto the campus of the university!
“The law does not punish numerous offenders.” That saying was a fine example of what was happening here!
Expel? That was not a realistic action to take! What about other kinds of punishments? A little less than 2,000 people were involved in this incident. Even if it was just filling in the procedures, it would take the teachers three days and three nights to complete. Yes, they wouldn’t be able to finish writing! And so, it seemed they had no options they could consider. After thinking about it for a long time, the Peking University heads finally thought of something!
Zhang Ye!
It was all because of Zhang Ye!
The students could run, but surely you cannot run!
At once, the school heads upstairs and the teachers downstairs gathered together and stood below the stage, staring at Zhang Ye who was still standing at the rostrum!
The school heads were full of wrath!
Su Na had a look of worry.
Professor Zeng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he kept taking deep breaths.
Dean Pan also held his head in his hands helplessly.
Xin Ya looked at Zhang Ye, totally rendered speechless by his actions!
Faced with more than a dozen Peking University teachers and leaders who all had different expressions, Zhang Ye knew he was in big trouble this time. He slowly left the rostrum. Sensing they were going to judge him and make him responsible for everything, Zhang Ye did not wait for them to say anything and just slapped his hand on his thigh very forcefully, while saying loudly, “Aiya! Why didn’t any of you stop me! Why didn’t you all stop me! Dean Pan!” He looked at Dean Pan of the School of Mathematical Sciences. “I’d already told you that I did not wish to get on stage to do this speech! I’d already said it! And yet you kept telling me that I had to do it, no matter what! Look, now we’re in trouble!”
Dean Pan was dumbfounded and could only reply with an “Ah?”
Zhang Ye looked at the staff member from the Office of School Leadership who had passed him the message to make some script amendments and said, “I’d already told you when we were backstage that we ought to find someone else to do this! Why didn’t you listen to me! You just did not want to listen! Look at what happened now! Someone even got scolded now. Hai, what do we do now? What do we do about Peking University’s reputation now!”
That staff member nearly cursed at his mom! Dammit!
Does this even make sense?
Does this even make any sense?
The ones in the wrong now were us? We did not stop you!?
Zhang Ye also admitted his faults by saying, “Of course, I have some responsibility in this matter as well. Hai, my temper is really bad, I couldn’t suppress the rage in me anymore when I picked up the microphone.”
Some responsibility?
Is that all you think there is to it?
The school heads: “……….”
Xin Ya: “…………”
The foreign mathematicians: “……….”
The Chinese reporters: “……….”
When they were faced with Zhang Ye’s impromptu admission of his responsibilities, the head of the school was so angry that he no longer knew what to say. He could only point at him, looking exasperated but unable to find any words to say. His arms trembled with rage. Very quickly, he turned to leave as well, afraid that if he were to hear Zhang Ye speak any further, he would blow his top and die right there!
…….
…….