Chapter 36

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

The dispute between foreigners and Westerners can be called a clash of pride. This is the simplest yet most troublesome matter.

The Westerners want to uphold their Church's dignity, while the two foreign friends are unwilling to compromise easily.

Fortunately, everyone is civilized; aside from the slightly louder voices of the dispute, it does not affect others' viewing.

However, everyone's thoughts are not on the artwork either.

A few simple lines of translation, coupled with rich imagination, gave everyone a pleasure far surpassing the artwork. Many people ignored antiques worth tens of millions of dollars to wholeheartedly study this high-class monkey show, making one saddened for the legendary artistic edification……

After a string of light invisible to anyone, the mark at the tiger's mouth of his left hand indicated the Perception Scroll had taken effect.

Chen Yi advanced half a step without hesitation, then another half step, using the Giant Cylinder as cover to focus his gaze.

Unlike casually observing Small Things before, a stone pillar thick enough for two adults to embrace made his eyes swim continuously.

The effect is…… rather indistinct.

"Element Composition Time: 36.52 million years"

Chen Yi was instantly dumbfounded; what was being judged now was actually the age the stone formed.

Fortunately there is no time limit; he has plenty of time to try slowly. Overall judgment fails, so he will work on the carving traces, and then further examine the crack interiors.

At least a thousand years of wind and rain have made even the famous Samothrace Column unable to bear it, revealing a sorry state. However, its external damage is not deep; otherwise it would not have earned the Pope's regard.

Yet, looking down along the cracks, Chen Yi spotted the problem. The carving traces on the outer layer date from 2,230 years ago, but some places inside, though uncarved, clearly show origin from 1,700 years ago, and the material has become a Natural Mixture — in other words, a cylinder with a 500-year gap between inside and outside, and the inside isn't even stone.

He looked again, and it was still the same.

This is almost impossible!

Such a famous Roman column should be carved from a whole piece of stone; moreover, as a treasure collected by the Pope, who would have hollowed out the inside 1,700 years ago and filled it with some "Natural Mixture"?

Chen Yi grew more and more absorbed, and in a moment had walked to the pillar's side. Thus the scene in the hall appeared rather strange: two foreign old men and a rather handsome Western old man, plus a head-shaking youth stood in the center, while countless dignified gentlemen and ladies surrounded them stupidly, like chicks ready to peck grain.

"What's wrong?" Han Jie tugged his sleeve.

"A bit strange." Chen Yi also realized he was the focus of countless eyes, stepped back a few steps, turned and asked Professor Lang: "They say this pillar was left by the Pope? Which term?"

Professor Lang recalled that bottle Tang Linze faked, and looked at him with somewhat higher regard, so after a brief calculation he said: "Actually it was the thirtieth Pope, Saint Maurice I; he only served one year, around AD 300."

Good thing he graduated from the Archaeology Department; an ordinary Catholic might not know this clearly.

Chen Yi's eyes lit up: "That means 1,700 years ago?"

"That's correct." Professor Lang nodded.

Chen Yi let out an "Oh," unknown what he was thinking.

The handsome Westerner pricked his ears listening for half a day, but there was no follow-up, his face twisted.

After a few more minutes, the two German old men and one Swiss old man finally tired; they waved for waiters to bring red wine, drank in large gulps, then studied the cylinder while preparing their next wording.

Another priest hurried over; he looked around, then pulled Stanik aside and asked: "What exactly happened?"

"The two guests believe the Samothrace Column is a forgery, and are commenting on it extensively; Alphonse is arguing with them very seriously……"

"Somewhat too serious." The priest spoke English, but at a not-fast pace.

"But you know, Alphonse is just that kind of person……" The handsome Westerner shrugged indifferently.

"They are affecting other guests; please ask them to discuss upstairs." The priest used a commanding tone, finished speaking and turned to leave.

Professor Lang couldn't stand it; he was old enough to rely on his age, so he said without hesitation: "Priest, I think we have the right to discuss here, and also the right to question the Samothrace Column's authenticity."

The priest stopped: "The Samothrace Column has been collected by successive Popes……"

"That is your faith, not ours." Professor Lang snorted: "I believe in science; we can write papers for each other and let the world judge."

The professor's body was plump, but his tone was direct and firm.

Chen Yi listened and felt greatly encouraged, involuntarily cheering: "The two German gentlemen merely pointed out flaws in your cylinder; this is fact; why can't it be said?"

The two Chinese intervened, using Mandarin, instantly drawing everyone's attention; those who love excitement, ignoring the situation entirely, immediately shouted: "Aren't foreigners all about freedom of speech? Say it, what's so great?"

Bystanders heard this and were speechless; freedom of speech is Americans' business; the Church has never cared about that.

The priest felt it was tricky; they came to propagate doctrine and develop believers, not to fight. Facing Professor Lang's serious expression, he had to persuade his own: "Alphonse, the Samothrace Column matter, solving it tomorrow isn't too late."

"They cannot comment on the Pope's collection; this has been passed down for a thousand years……" Alphonse is likewise a stubborn old man, gripping the Bible tightly.

The Church and School most produce stubborn people, both in the name of righteousness. Just as they spoke, the two German professors had fully absorbed the red wine's energy and began a new round of battle.

Unknown what they said, Alphonse forgot the priest's earlier words and again rambled in German; the handsome Westerner's face turned purple.

The audience in the room grew more and more; comparatively, the Chinese trust the professor over the believer, so the verbal wind blows entirely one way.

All present are guests invited by the Church for future development; if this creates negative effects, it would infuriate a whole crowd.

Seeing the situation about to escalate, the priest decisively said: "Enough; ask them to discuss outside."

His imperious manner well reflected his status as Vatican senior management.

Discussing outside means expulsion; Professor Lang stood up to oppose, to no effect; watching the tall security and the handsome Stanik already stepping forward, Chen Yi suddenly shouted: "The Samothrace Column is fake; facts are present; you cannot cover it up; we can invite media to witness."

Since childhood he feared neither heaven nor earth; now having truly perceived the cylinder's interior, his confidence was as mighty as an ox.

Before media, the Church only ever gets scandals; the priest made no sound, only waved his hand hard, wanting to end it quickly.

For some unknown purpose, the handsome Westerner stopped and asked in Chinese: "You say facts are present; then you have evidence?"

"Of course." For Professor Lang's sake, Chen Yi steeled himself: "The Samothrace Column, inside and out are not one body; after being collected by Saint Maurice I, the pillar core was hollowed out and filled with other things, so it is not the original Roman column; the two professors pointing out its flaws is precisely respecting facts."

After Alphonse heard the translation, he understood what was said; this devout believer said in disbelief: "Do you know what you're saying? You're accusing the Pope of forgery? You simply……"

His fingers even trembled. The Church's translation was learned vividly.

Professor Lang blocked everyone with his huge body, turned his head slightly, and asked Chen Yi: "How many tenths of certainty do you have?"

The previously shattered porcelain had left him an excellent impression; otherwise, he absolutely would not have asked a single question.

"The interior and exterior of the column are carvings from different eras, differing by at least several hundred years," Chen Yi said with certainty.

Professor Lang looked at him deeply, did not ask why, but walked to the front and said slowly: "It's not that serious. We can use a simple method to test it. If the density of the stone pillar's interior is equivalent to the exterior density, then it proves it is the same kind of stone; conversely, it must be separately filled, thereby proving Mr. Cheng's conjecture."

The priest froze for a moment, then shook his head and said: "This is impossible, gentlemen, I must ask you to leave."

Professor Lang translated the words just now to the other two German friends, who nodded repeatedly.

The people present listened with greatly increased interest; they were all fear-nothing masters, and someone shouted: "Test it on the spot."

Someone who understood a bit said: "Like Archimedes testing the crown?"

At this moment, almost the entire banquet's people had gathered here; the priest was caught off guard for a time, but he knew clearly in his heart that simply driving people out again could no longer solve the problem. If he did so, then the entire delegation's purpose in coming to China would not only fail to be achieved, but would also have quite a few aftereffects.

He looked at Alphonse and asked a question similar to what Professor Lang had just asked: "The Samothrace Column is carved in one piece, are you sure?"

"Quite sure," Alphonse said, filled with religious sentiment.

The priest continued pondering, then, amid the urging voices of a crowd, decided: "If everyone truly wishes to test, then in the spirit of openness, we will do it once, inviting neutral experts to conduct verification. In fact, everyone has always had a misunderstanding about us, believing the Church is closed, is conservative, but in fact it is not so; we also apply new technology, believe in new ideas. The earliest explorers, the earliest artists, the earliest scientists, all came from the Holy See. We have always contributed strength to the world, and hope more people can struggle together with us..."

Besides the first two sentences, he mainly used them to promote and propagandize.

The red-nosed German old man waited for him to finish a section, then spoke slowly in English: "Who are these so-called neutral experts of yours?"

"The Holy See has not encountered questioners like you for the first time, and we have not made explanations for the first time either. There will be experts to conduct the test you hope for; we will make it as simple as possible, and will not waste too much time."

In fact, he still harbored the intention of delaying for time.

Chen Yi unconsciously interjected: "Actually it doesn't need to be that troublesome; just pry open a bit from the stone pillar's crack, take a bit of stone from inside, then compare it with the outside stone, and measure the density."

"Pry open the Samothrace Column?" Alphonse had a look of mortal enmity.

Chen Yi innocently shrugged and said: "Isn't this the simplest method?"

Among those present, quite a few actually nodded in agreement; masters who don't manage the household don't know the price of firewood and rice — there wasn't just him alone.