Morning.
Peking University.
Chinese department. A small lecture theater.
When Zhang Ye came over, the scene was still very chaotic. Many reporters were squeezing outside, trying to get in, but were stopped by the security guards. Some Peking University students from other faculties wanted to come over to listen to the lecture, but were blocked by some teachers. They tried their best to persuade everyone to leave, but there were still some students who did not leave.
"Everyone, go back to class!"
"Teacher, I don't have class today!"
"Can't we just listen from outside the windows?"
"There are still seats in the classroom. Teacher Kong, let me in!"
"Everyone, quickly go back. There's no room for discussion today. President Wu has already spoken!"
Finally, there was still a large group of students who did not leave. Some were leaning against the windows, while others were standing outside. The teachers had no choice but to stop persuading them. As for the reporters, none of them left. They moved to the windows and did not care if the security guards stopped them. They just stood there and filmed.
Zhang Ye walked into the classroom. The students for his elective class were all present. To him, this class was no different from a public class. Anyway, the video of the lecture would be posted online. Anyone who wanted to see it would be able to see it. In a small classroom, it was quieter. Without people with ulterior motives causing trouble, he could speak more freely. "Everyone, quiet down. I'll do the roll call. Li Chengan."
A boy raised his hand, "Here."
Zhang Ye said, "Yao Cui."
"Here!" Yao Cui giggled.
"Li Li …" Zhang Ye checked the attendance.
"Here." Li Li raised his hand high.
After the roll call, the attendance rate was 100%.
Zhang Ye smiled in satisfaction. The students had given him face, "Alright, everyone is here. Let's begin today's class."
Be it the students sitting in class or those leaning against the windows, they all pricked up their ears. The reporters also perked up. They were all waiting to hear how Zhang Ye would begin. In the past two classes, everything that needed to be said had been said. Teacher Zhang Ye did not intend to continue repeating the evidence that supported his argument. Then, there was nothing left to say, so how could he carry on with the lecture? This was something everyone did not understand!
Chang Kaige also came.
And the department's host, Zhen Shuquan. They were all sitting in the last row of the classroom.
Today, quite a number of Peking University's Chinese department teachers had come. Su Na and Professor Zeng were among them. They were all very concerned about Zhang Ye's third class. The results of the nationwide department evaluation would be released at any time in the next few days. Peking University's Chinese department had already lost all hope and many of them did not hold out much hope for it. However, Zhang Ye's public lecture had rekindled everyone's hopes, so the department leaders naturally placed great importance on Zhang Ye's lecture.
The reporters were the same. Now, many people in society were discussing the truth behind "Dream of the Red Chamber". They were discussing Zhang Ye's shocking views, so they naturally wanted to obtain first-hand information.
Zhang Ye held onto the lectern and smiled at the students, "Everyone should have thought about the things that I've taught you in the last two classes. Do you all agree?"
Yao Mi was the first to say, "Agreed! Of course! "
Senior Song also nodded. "There is indeed a problem after the eightieth chapter."
Senior Zhou also agreed, "What you said is very reasonable, I have no choice but to believe it."
Zhang Ye said, "It looks like a majority of the students have expressed their agreement. Then, there might be some people who have doubts. Since the eightieth chapter of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' was not written by Mr Cao Xueqin, and the lost manuscript is temporarily lost, can we only sit and wait? Is there nothing we can do? " He paused and smiled, "It's not like that. There are still things we can do. In today's class, I will talk to everyone about a new academic topic of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' that I personally named." Saying that, he picked up a pen and wrote three words on the blackboard.
Vestige Forensics!
The students were stunned!
Chang Kaige and Professor Zeng also looked at each other suspiciously. What was that?
The reporters outside the window were all excited. This Zhang Ye was indeed getting more and more interesting by the day. They knew that he would not sit still. He was definitely going to throw out something new!
Senior Song raised her hand, "Teacher, what topic and subject is this?"
"Vestige Forensics?" Senior Zhou stared, "Why haven't I heard of it before?"
Actually, you should be able to understand once I explain it. The Vestige Forensics of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' refers to the loss of the manuscript after the first 80 chapters of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. It is an academic field that I have researched. Vestige Forensics is not a random guess, nor is it a fabrication. It is to use the first 80 chapters on the whole and the ancient manuscripts, as well as some relevant historical records and textual research to infer what Cao Xueqin's original intended story after the first 80 chapters was like. This field of study and research can help us find the original development and plot of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' as Cao Xueqin intended it to be! It can let us figure out how Cao Xueqin wrote the original manuscript of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' 108 chapters! "
Senior Zhou was dumbfounded, "Can, can this be done?"
Li Ying was also dumbfounded, "That's right, can this be done?"
Su Na and Professor Zeng gasped. Zhang Ye could restore 'Dream of the Red Chamber'?
In this world, no one had previously believed that 'Dream of the Red Chamber' had been continued, so there was no research on Vestige Forensics. However, in Zhang Ye's world, the Vestige Forensics of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' was already very mature. Many Redologists were immersed in it, spending their entire lives into this research.
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "A lot of you don't seem to believe me, but I can tell you that it's possible. For the next few lessons, I will be talking about this. Of course, I'll still say the same thing. This is my personal analysis and research. If anyone has any doubts or disagreements, feel free to discuss it during or after class."
Everyone's appetites were whetted!
After Zhang Ye's lecture, many people already believed that 'Dream of the Red Chamber' had been continued. Didn't they see those experts from the literary world not saying a word? Hence, everyone was naturally very curious about the true plot after the eightieth chapter. Zhang Ye had boasted that he could use Vestige Forensics to infer it. Although everyone found it unbelievable, they were very curious and looked forward to it!
"Teacher Zhang, quickly say it!"
"That's right, don't keep us guessing!"
"If 'Dream of the Red Chamber' can really be restored, that would be too amazing!"
The students began to chime in one after another.
However, Zhang Ye laughed, "Hur Hur, does everyone find it amazing? Actually, it's not amazing at all. Many of the plot developments and the fates of the characters were foreshadowed in the first 80 chapters. According to my Vestige Forensics, Cao Xueqin's 81 chapters began from chapter 73. It was the chapter that ended the ninth unit of the book. From chapter 82 onwards, another plot unit would begin. This is what I mentioned before. Then, from chapter 73 onwards, the plot unit would focus on the internal and external conflicts of the Jia residence. They would interweave together and explode. It would be a tall building that was already creaking and about to collapse. Because Silly Big Sis picked up an embroidered spring sack, it led to a search of the Grand View Garden. The search of the Grand View Garden was originally a matter for the Rongguo residence, but in the end, Madam Xing's concubine, Wang Shanbao's family, got involved. It caused an uproar and was out of place. After the search reached Tanchun, what was Tanchun's performance … "
"Among them, the most tragic was Qingwen. She died. Qingwen was one of the most important women in the Twelve Beauties of Jinling. In the first 80 chapters, Qin Keqing, who was in the 'main book', died in chapter 13. When the story developed to this plot unit, people started dying again. As a result, the family's misfortune developed step by step, slipping down step by step. "
"Then by the 78th, 79th, and 80th chapters, some of the female members of the family would be at the brink of death. Yingchun had mistakenly married a Zhongshan wolf. Wolves eat people. When Xue Pan married Xia Jingui, Xiangling would soon die. According to Cao Xueqin's writing plan for the entire tragedy, by this plot unit, people would die in the main book again. Qin Keqing died in the beginning, and now, Jia Yingchun would die. People would also die in the secondary book. Hence, Cao Xueqin's 81st chapter would follow the trajectory of the 73rd chapter and end in a great tragedy. After people die in the secondary book, there would also be people dying in the main book and the secondary book. The people who would die would be Jia Yingchun and Xiangling. Hence, according to Cao Xueqin's text structure, I believe that the 81 chapters of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' should be something like this: 'The Zhongshan wolf devours the beautiful woman, the Hedong lion's roar breaks the unlucky soul'. "
Everyone thought that even if Zhang Ye were to talk about it, he would not go into too much detail, and would just vaguely mention it. They never expected that Zhang Ye's so-called unique Vestige Forensics had been studied in such detail. The deductions he made were also very detailed. He had even guessed the title of the 81st chapter. This made Chang Kaige and Professor Zeng very surprised!
Zhang Ye explained bit by bit.
Everyone listened in a daze. At times, they were amazed, and at times, they were thinking!
The class quickly ended. This time, there was no extension. Zhang Ye followed his own pace. After he finished explaining this part, he collected the materials, "Alright, today's class is over. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me after class. Class dismissed."
After listening to this class, the Chinese department's Leaders and professors no longer had any doubts. Zhang Ye might not be talking about the author of 'Dream of the Red Chamber', but it did not mean that he had nothing else to talk about. This was great. He had directly opened up a new topic in Redology! It was still extremely exciting! Furthermore, everything was going according to a logical trajectory! Maybe what Zhang Ye said was not necessarily correct, but you had to admit that this was a pioneer in Redology research!
Following Zhang Ye's previous point of view, he had once again walked at the forefront of Redology research. He had shattered everyone's inherent understanding bit by bit!
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