Chapter 305 - The Later Parts of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ were not written by Cao Xueqin? (1/2)
The auditorium erupted into chaos!
Many people began to discuss!
A female reporter, who was sitting by the temporary chairs along the aisle, said in a shocked manner, “I thought Zhang Ye was going to lecture about the ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’? I thought someone said that he would rather die than dare to lecture on ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’? What’s going on? Is he really teaching it!? And to teach for a whole semester? Which means the cla.s.ses for the next ten days and more from today will all be about ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’? F**k! How can it be! If ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ was so easily lectured, others would have long had such public lectures about it!”
Another male reporter said, “And to lecture about it in detail? Ruminating on every syllable and word?”
An old reporter wiped his sweat. “There will be big news today!”
“That’s right. This lecture of his will definitely be filled with all sorts of errors!” A young reporter, who had quite an appreciation and liking for Zhang Ye, said in a speechless manner.
The other side.
Professor Yan Jiantao said with a gloomy face, “President Wu!”
Wu Zeqing pretended not to hear him as she lowered her head to play with her cellphone.
Yan Jiantao said, “…Zhang Ye thinks too much of himself! No matter how you teach ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, it will be all wrong! The logical errors in it cannot be redeemed!”
“Dean Chang, this!” Another teacher from the department said.
Chang Kaige remained speechless with his breath held in for a long time!
Zhen Shuquan was furious, “What is this Little Zhang doing!? If we knew he was going to lecture on ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, then we shouldn’t have made it a public lecture! Won’t this be too shameful!?”
Professor Zeng was also dumbfounded. He never expected Zhang Ye to actually lecture on ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’.
A female teacher from the Chinese department sitting beside him nearly fainted, “This Zhang Ye really catches you off guard!”
The Peking University students were also equally shocked!
Yao Mi covered her face. “I bought a big golden watch last year! Senior Song! Didn’t you say Teacher Zhang wouldn’t be dumb enough to lecture on ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’!?”
Senior Song was also speechless. “Who knows what Teacher Zhang is teaching? Ignoring the Four Great Cla.s.sical Novels, ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ is the hardest to digest amongst all the ancient cla.s.sical texts. Why must he…he start from ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’? Even those Redology experts, who have studied it for decades, can’t explain it, so how can Teacher Zhang do so? And to talk about it in detail?” She was also stunned by Zhang Ye’s ambitious words. “And that ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ has a huge shocking secret?”
Li Ying was trembling with excitement as he said, “I’d like to hear how Teacher Zhang shall teach it! I’m looking forward to it!”
Li Li said, “That’s right. What huge secret is there? Why haven’t I heard of it before?”
Senior Zhou wiped his sweat. “He sure is bold to say such things. Zhang Ye is doomed. If he teaches something wrongly, his glorious reputation will be ruined!”
Yao Mi was almost about to cry, “That can’t be? It’s all my fault. Why did I mention ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ to Teacher Zhang!?”
Upon seeing everyone’s expressions, Zhang Ye was not surprised. He said with a smile, “I believe almost everyone present has read ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, right? Has anyone not read it?”
The moment he spoke, everyone turned quiet.
There were seven or eight people who raised their hands.
Zhang Ye acknowledged. “There should be a few who lack the nerve to raise their hands. However, it seems a large majority of people here have read ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, or have at least seen the television dramas. They are all very familiar with this novel. So despite there being a lot of so-called logical errors or plot points that didn’t make sense, many people still like ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ greatly. Is this not the case?”
The students below nodded their heads.
Zhang Ye chuckled, “Then, we shall discuss ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ in detail from the beginning. I want to announce something, which is also that shocking secret within ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’. Everyone believes that Cao Xueqin was not in a good condition to perfect this masterpiece due to a serious illness near the end of his life, resulting in many plotholes and flaws? But, now I want to tell you something. Maybe many will find it unacceptable, but I still have to say it. And I can very definitely tell you…” Zhang Ye wasn’t himself if he did not let them die from his shocking words. The next sentence of his was like an atomic bomb to them, blasting everyone present into oblivion, “The truth is, for the 120 circulated chapters of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, the last 40 chapters were not written by Mr. Cao Xueqin at all!”
The moment he said this, the entire lecture hall went silent!
Including the Peking University workers, the more than one thousand strong crowd in the auditorium immediately became silent. Everyone stared with their eyes popping out. They were all completely dumbfounded!
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
Finally, a female reporter, who looked shy, suddenly stood up, “F**k” A vulgarity came out of her mouth without any concealment!
Then, there were shouts!
“Holy motherf**king sh*t!
“What did Zhang Ye just say?”
“Who can repeat that to me once again? I think I didn’t hear it clearly!”
“The later parts of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ were not written by Cao Xueqin? Is he mad? This Teacher Zhang Ye wants to send the literary world into an upheaval! How does he dare to say that!?”
“If it was not Cao Xueqin who wrote it, then who wrote it!?”
“Can you not be so stimulating?”