Ultimate Scholar

"The country looks forward to you."

When this sentence entered Li Mu's ears, Li Mu didn't know what to think.

But perhaps, this sentence in this phone call will make people all over China have a strange feeling when the secret is revealed in the future. What this feeling will be like cannot be described for the time being, but it can be simply To describe it, it would probably be a touch of pride.

On the phone, Li Mu was silent for a moment.

Zhang Liangwei didn't make any sound, but quietly waited for Li Mu's response.

It wasn't until a moment later that Li Mu finally spoke: "Of course I will respond to the country's expectations. Of course, as everyone knows, I am just a theoretical scholar and I probably can't bring much help."

Zhang Liangwei smiled: "Mr. Li Mu doesn't need to worry about such things. The theory of basic science is the foundation of all sciences. Just as it is called 'basic science', we also attach great importance to the research of theoretical science."

"Of course, we also need the help of scholars like you as our leaders in theoretical research."

"As for the specific implementation plan, we already have some plans here, and now we hope to have further communication with you."

Li Mu thought for a moment, then said with a smile: "Of course, I am very willing."

"That's great!" Zhang Liangwei was obviously a little excited: "So when will you be free? In fact, I have already booked a flight to the UK and it will take off tomorrow."

Li Mu was stunned, but he didn't expect that Director Zhang was already ready to come.

Of course, Zhang Liangwei was actually prepared to come directly to Li Mu for a face-to-face interview if the negotiation was not successful over the phone. If the negotiation was successful over the phone, he would just come directly to discuss some follow-up details with Li Mu.

Obviously, the current result is very good. Li Mu directly agreed to him without asking him to explain too much.

Immediately, Li Mu said: "When you arrive, we will discuss the time depending on the situation. I will be here waiting for your arrival."

"Okay, of course, we will arrange the specific location of the conversation at the embassy, ​​and you may need to go to London."

"Of course there is no problem."

Li Mu replied.

Oxford and London are not that far away anyway. If you drive, you can get there in more than an hour, which is not a big problem.

After all, judging from the map, Britain and his hometown Qin Province are almost like twin brothers. They are also very different in area. It won't take him long to get to the next city by car, unless he has to cross the Qinling Mountains.

The time was set and the phone call ended.

Putting down his cell phone, Li Mu sat in front of the window and looked at the scenery outside the window.

The window was not closed, but wide open. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in from the outside at this moment, bringing a bit of chill and a bit of desolation.

He couldn't help but sigh, "Autumn has arrived."

Turning his head, he returned to his desk to continue his research.

Research on superconductors is very difficult, and research on material synthesis is equally difficult. Therefore, there is a high probability that Li Mu's current project will continue for a long time.

…

Suddenly, three days passed.

Another morning.

Li Mu, who put on a black windbreaker, walked out of the one-pound house and came to the door.

At this time, a Hongqi car was already parked at the door.

Although it is not a car like the Hongqi L5, it can be regarded as a very distinctive Hongqi H9 among Hongqi. It has two colors of white on top and black on the bottom, and it looks very grand.

Of course, all cars in the UK are right-hand drive, so the driver's seat is also designed to be on the right.

This red flag car was the car of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, and it was arranged to pick him up and take him to the embassy.

After getting in the car, the driver nodded to him: "Hello, Mr. Li Mu, my name is Wei Genshen. According to Ambassador Ying's arrangement, I will be responsible for picking you up and taking you to the embassy. Just call me Xiao Wei."

Li Mu smiled and nodded: "Hello, I think you are older than me, so I'll call you Wei."

Wei Genshen was stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly: "I almost forgot, you are younger than me."

Li Mu laughed.

Just like that, while the two were chatting, the vehicle started and started heading towards their destination.

On the way, Li Mu also learned the specific situation of Wei Genshen. He is 27 years old and a special forces soldier who retired from the Snow Leopard Commando.

In addition, he can speak English and arrange a job after retirement, so he came here.

As we chatted, time passed quickly.

About two hours later, they finally arrived at the door of the Chinese Embassy in the UK.

Following the guard's confirmation, their car was let in and finally stopped at the entrance of the embassy.

Several people were already waiting at the door.

"Mr. Li, we're here, you can get off the car."

"Thanks a lot."

Li Mu nodded slightly, and at this time, a person outside opened the door for him.

"Thanks."

After thanking him, he also got out of the car and looked at the people in front of him.

"Hello, Mr. Li, hello, finally I see you." One of them first extended his hand to Li Mu, greeted with a smile, and introduced himself at the same time: "I am the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Ying Quansheng. .”

"Hello, Ambassador Ying." Li Mu smiled and nodded.

Ying Quansheng nodded, and then introduced the person next to him: "This is Director Zhang Liangwei who flew here specially from our country to invite you over."

Li Mu looked at the middle-aged man next to him and shook hands with him: "Hello, Director Zhang."

Zhang Liangwei also smiled and said: "Hello Mr. Li, you are younger in real life than you look in the photos."

Li Mu smiled and said: "Probably, after all, I always look more mature in the photo."

Everyone laughed.

And then, they didn't stay at the door any longer.

"Then let's go in first. There are quite a lot of people at the gate."

Ying Quansheng said, and then several people entered the embassy together without talking nonsense. \b

The conversation between Li Mu and Zhang Liangwei was also arranged in a small room.

Conversations abroad are not private enough anywhere, so only in the embassy can there be sufficient protection.

"Mr. Li, then -" Zhang Liangwei put his hands on the table in the middle and said, "Let's start our conversation. "

"As the director of the National High-level Talent Introduction Department, my task is to select high-level talents overseas, provide corresponding support plans, and then bring them back to China to provide assistance for our domestic science and technology development."

"It's probably similar to the Thousand Talents Plan. Of course, compared to some of these plans, our company will be more professional and more systematic. There won't be the situation of one team and two brands."

"At the same time, since our company has only been established not long ago, you are the only one of our current talent introduction candidates. Our company now has 12 people, and now they will all serve you full-time."

"In addition, we have a lot of funds, so you can also put forward sufficient conditions, as long as you are satisfied."

Speaking of this, Zhang Liangwei also smiled. His words were no longer a hint, but a clear statement.

However, Li Mu raised his eyebrows, and was actually interested in Zhang Liangwei's last sentence: "Your company only chooses me now?"

"Yes." Zhang Liangwei nodded.

Li Mu asked curiously: "Then I would like to know how your company defines the category of high-level talents?"

"Uh..." Zhang Liangwei reached out and pinched his eyebrows, and finally replied: "For the time being, our standards refer to talents who have won the Nobel Prize, Fields Medal, Wolf Medal and other such awards. "

Li Mu: "..."

If that's the case, isn't he basically the only one?

"Okay, let me tell you honestly." Zhang Liangwei spread his hands and said: "The main reason for the establishment of our company is for you. Of course, we will also develop in other directions according to the situation in the future. Your standards will be lowered, and there will be corresponding support standards. Of course, no matter what, your standards will always be guaranteed to be the highest."

Li Mu nodded slightly.

"The country's regard for me is really high."

He couldn't help but sigh.

Zhang Liangwei smiled and said: "As I told you at the beginning, the country is looking forward to you."

Li Mu nodded slightly.

Most people have feelings for their family and country in their hearts, and he is certainly no exception. \b

"So, today I mainly want to find out with you, if you return to China, what would you like the country to provide you?"

"A research institute? Sufficiently advanced experimental equipment? Funding, etc., or anything else - you can mention these." Zhang Liangwei said: "Even if you want to directly build a research institute, you can. Even if it exceeds the limits of our department, we can still propose it to the superiors, and there is a high probability that it will be approved."

"Or if you have any ideas of your own, you can tell them. Of course, as long as you don't want to build another Chinese Academy of Sciences." Zhang Liangwei smiled: "There will be great resistance to this kind of thing, and the funding is estimated to be just There will be too many.”

The Chinese Academy of Sciences can be regarded as one of the largest scientific research institutions in the world, just like the Max Planck Society in Germany.

Rebuilding the Chinese Academy of Sciences is almost equivalent to building a new scientific research institution system for the entire country.

Li Mu smiled and said, "Of course I won't make such a condition."

He thought for a moment and rubbed his chin.

Zhang Liangwei said nothing more and quietly waited for Li Mu's response.

Until the end, Li Mu said: "Scientific research requires a sufficiently pure environment. No idea is as important as a pure environment."

"However, whether an environment can be pure enough ultimately depends on the people."

"So what I want to know is, if I want to build a research institute, apart from me being the chief leader within the institute, who will be influenced, or... constrained, by people outside the institute? ?”

"Please rest assured on this point." Zhang Liangwei said: "On this point, in our plan, as long as you decide to establish this research institute, only you will have the right to make the decision, and others will only have the right to intervene or The right to make suggestions will only have the right to cancel the institute.”

"Of course, the decision-making power I am talking about includes power in all senses, such as personnel power, financial power, etc."

Li Mu showed a surprised expression when he heard the conditions given by Zhang Liangwei.

How much power does this have?

Li Mu didn't know how to describe it.

Even Oppenheimer, who was the leader of the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, did not have such power. Even Oppenheimer was selected by another general named Groves. became the head of the Manhattan Project.

"This...is your plan? Can the higher-ups agree?"

Li Mu asked in surprise.

"Haha, the fact that we can offer such conditions naturally comes from the permission from above." Zhang Liangwei said with a smile: "All the plans in the plan have been authorized by above."

Li Mu nodded, "If that's the case, then I won't be polite. Let's talk about the details."

Later, he discussed the future details of his institute with Zhang Liangwei.

This discussion lasted for a long time.

When they came out, the sky had darkened, and they were also hungry.

After a simple meal in the embassy restaurant, Li Mu said, "I have to rush back. I should be home before nine o'clock."

"Okay, Mr. Li, walk slowly, Xiao Wei will take you back." Ying Quansheng said.

Li Mu nodded, and then got into the red flag car that brought him here, and the driver was Wei Genshen.

"goodbye."

Li Mu waved goodbye to Ying Quansheng and Zhang Liangwei.

Both of them waved at him.

Watching the car leave, Ying Quansheng and Zhang Liangwei also returned to the embassy.

"Director Zhang, what are you talking about? Why have you been talking for so long?"

Ying Quansheng was very curious. Li Mu arrived in the morning, and they talked for the whole day. He was naturally curious.

Of course, he quickly waved his hand and said: "Of course, if it involves confidentiality, you don't need to tell me."

Zhang Liangwei smiled and said, "There are no secrets."

"Perhaps you will find out soon."

"According to Mr. Li Mu's request, we will build a new research institute in China, a research institute parallel to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Even, to some extent, this research institute will be of a higher level."

Ying Quansheng was a little surprised: "How much will it cost?"

"More, but at least not more than the Chinese Academy of Sciences."

Ying Quansheng nodded: "However, people from the Chinese Academy of Sciences should object, right?"

"It doesn't matter whether they object or not. The decision has already been made. The higher-ups also want to see what changes will be brought to us after handing over science to an undoubted genius. It can also be regarded as an introduction to another path. Let’s try it.”

Ying Quansheng nodded, "I understand."

The domestic scientific research environment has become a well-known shortcoming. This new path is probably a new attempt.

And the leader of this path is still Li Mu.

"Hopefully it can bring about some changes."

Zhang Liangwei smiled and said, "I think so."

This is also the main reason why the country is willing to put such effort into Li Mu, a theoretical scholar.

However, is Li Mu really just a theoretical scholar?