Chapter 43: A Major Gift Delivered Early
1960 Governor’s Mansion
On the second floor of the west wing of the Governor’s Mansion main building, Victoria Crown Hall, with a mix of Gothic pointed arch windows and Eastern flying eaves, fully showcasing Hong Kong Island temperament.
Lin Ran walked into the banquet hall under the Governor’s invitation, gazing at the portrait oil painting on the wall.
The Governor smiled and introduced: “Professor Lin, this is the portrait of George VI’s coronation ceremony presented to the Governor’s Mansion by the Prince of Wales in 1911. The frame is made of Chaozhou gold-lacquered wood carving.”
The other party’s Mandarin Chinese was not standard, but he had a fairly complete grasp of vocabulary, Lin Ran thought. However, he didn’t know how many times the other party had hosted here; these were just basic vocabulary for him.
“George VI is indeed a talented man.” Lin Ran complimented.
He didn’t know much history, but he also remembered that Louis XVI had his head chopped off by the public. George VI had no influence, so he probably wasn’t beheaded.
Lin Ran was very afraid the other party would say something like, “His Highness George VI was beheaded and died,” that kind of black humor unique to future old Chinese.
“George VI is the father of the current Queen, and he served in the England Air Force.”
White marble specially supplied from Jharkhand Province, India, is spliced into rose patterns, trodden under their feet, with pure tin lines extracted from Malaysian tin mines embedded in the joints.
Victoria-era copper-gilded chandelier hangs from the ceiling. Before being converted to electric lights in 1948, it was originally a gas lamp, and the glass lampshade still bears the etched inscription “Lancashire Gas Co. 1889”.
The cloisonné enamel Western palace lamp standing in the corner was presented by Empress Dowager Cixi to Sir Bowell in 1902.
(The above specific details come from the “Governor’s Mansion Reception Records”)
Even if Lin Ran was unclear about where these materials came from around the world, it did not hinder him from sensing England’s vast colonial accumulation in the past.
Then thinking of 2020, America was the same, and he felt it wouldn’t be smooth in his heart without finding some facts.
Fortunately, what he was going to do this time was a big deal, a big deal in the true sense.
The big deal he was going to do this time was a big deal in the true sense, which would completely change all future visions.
The entire timeline would be transformed beyond recognition by him.
In the 2020 timeline, countless science fiction works told everyone about the power of the Butterfly Effect: any casual action of yours could profoundly change the future timeline.
At the same time, in Simplified Chinese web novels, there is also the theory of causal convergence: no matter how much traversers or rebirths do, they will eventually converge within a reasonable range.
Lin Ran didn’t know which theory was correct, nor could he judge.
But regardless of whether it would cause a Butterfly Effect, Lin Ran deeply knew that he couldn’t do nothing after coming to 1960. Since he had to do something anyway, had to influence this spacetime’s timeline, why not simply do it bigger and make the influence more intense?
Lin Ran had been holding this purpose before coming to Hong Kong.
The main purpose of establishing connections with China was to leave a kindling for China to access Western science.
The purpose of coming to this place in Hong Kong was to bring a epoch-making gift to Hong Kong’s shipowners of this era.
The previously mentioned Xu Aizhou and Dong Haoyun were both Shipping Kings of this era.
Among them, Xu Aizhou’s grandson is Xu Jinheng, who married Li Jiaxin.
Dong Haoyun’s son is even more famous, the renowned Mr. Dong.
The future world’s Shipping King Pao Yue-kong was still just a small player with a few ships at this time, unable to enter the Governor’s Mansion gate.
Lin Ran wanted to deliver in advance to them the great gift that established sea power greater than land power.
The appearance of this great gift would bring changes to the global vision.
The Rust Belt would appear at least twenty years earlier, and economic globalization within the America system would officially begin today.
He could strengthen America’s strength at NASA, but with a sharp drop in shipping costs, Wall Street’s big shots would actively hollow out America.
This was the truly earth-shattering change.
“.
Snow dyes thousands of lights, bell shapes Buddha niches
Going hence covered in dust to the feast of joy
Youth fades, how no see cave paintings’ former brilliant
Yet wake to be a bystander”
After Gu Zhengqiu, specially invited, sang a song, the guests present applauded thunderously, and Lin Ran also lightly clapped along.
“Next, let us invite Sir Bailiji to present the England Empire Medal to Professor Lin on behalf of Queen Elizabeth, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of mathematics.”
Applause thundered for a moment, as guests in suits, dressed up meticulously, smiled.
Li Huiling sat beside her father Li Fushu, excitedly clapping hard, her hands turning red.
Li Fushu’s status absolutely allowed him to attend this occasion; he was a three-term councilman in Hong Kong’s municipal, legislative, and executive bureaus, unprecedented in Hong Kong’s history.
He was also clapping lightly, while pondering inwardly that the street rumors might indeed have some truth.
At Li Fushu’s level, he could already get some news from London; his “street” was not the alleys’ street talk.
He could tell at a glance that Lin Ran was wearing a custom suit from London’s tailoring master Savile Row, the favorite of Morgan family founder Old Morgan.
In Li Fushu’s view, this was evidence of the other’s deep relationship with the Morgan family. East Asia Bank was certainly famous, but compared to Morgan, it was like the gap between Hong Kong and America.
“You remember to perform well. If you can win Professor Lin’s favor, I won’t arrange a marriage for you.” Li Fushu whispered softly in his daughter’s ear.
After the award ceremony ended, the banquet officially began, and host and guests enjoyed themselves fully for a time.
“Professor Lin, I am Li Fushu, Chairman of East Asia Bank. This is my daughter Li Huiling; she is your fan and insisted I bring her to meet you.”
Among the guests present, Li Fushu was among the first batch to meet Lin Ran.
Lin Ran looked at the other party, retrieving information about East Asia Bank in his mind. The other party could stand firm in Hong Kong, estimated to have some ability. In any case, forming a good relationship wouldn’t be wrong, and Li Huiling did have some beauty.
“Mr. Li, hello. Miss Li, hello.” Lin Ran shook hands with the two respectively.
When shaking hands with Li Huiling, Lin Ran could feel her deliberately squeezing his hand a bit.
“Professor Lin, the Governor really values you.” Li Fushu said.
Lin Ran took out the England Empire Medal from his pocket and gestured: “Of course.”
To show his identity as a local snake, Li Fushu explained: “Not just the medal.”
He lightly knocked on the table:
“The detachable rosewood inlaid mother-of-pearl long table in Victoria Crown Hall was custom-ordered from Jardine Matheson in 1860 and can be assembled into a U-shape for 36 people or an E-shape for 72 people according to the number of guests.
And today, to welcome Professor Lin and considering your fondness for Chinese traditional culture, it was assembled into a Taiji Bagua shape for the first time.”
Lin Ran stroked the rosewood long table with his hand, saying: “Thank you to the Governor. This trip to Hong Kong has profoundly felt the enthusiasm of Hong Kong people.
Hong Kong is a good place. In the future, I hope to come more often, frequently.”
Unfortunately, Lin Ran knew very well that he probably couldn’t come next year, so he must settle all matters in this one trip.
Early month begging for monthly tickets!
