Chapter 404 – Making a scene (1/2)

Tokyo National Museum, Asian Gallery.

To avoid suspicions and being recorded by the CCTV for too long, Dong Xuebing took a short glance at the Tianlong Sandstone Buddha statue and move on to other artifacts on display. After that, he made his way to the entrance while remembering the shortest route out of the museum.

Ok!

Everything is ready.

Just when Dong Xuebing was about to go and have lunch and think about the minor details of his plan, he heard a commotion. Someone is shouting in Japanese, and a middle-aged man is pointing his camera at that Buddha statue. A Museum staff had gone up to stop him from taking pictures, and they started arguing.

Huh? What’s going on?

Dong Xuebing paused and watched from a distance.

Li Li shouted. “Where is the museum’s Curator? I want to speak to him! This is our country’s cultural relic! It was smuggled out of China! Who gave you all the rights to display it?!”

The Japanese staff coldly replied. “Who are you to question us? How dare you come and create trouble here?”

Li Li took out an ID and flashed it. “I am Xin Hua News Agency’s reporter! I want to speak to your Curator!”

Although Dong Xuebing cannot understand what they are saying, he understood what was going on when he saw the reporter’s ID. This reporter is sent by Xie Jing!

The museum staff shouted angrily. “Are you all mad? Since yesterday, you all had been creating a scene here! The embassy staff and Xin Hua News Agency, and you all are back again today?! Our Curator had said this Buddha Statue is donated to us by a Japanese! It is legal! Smuggled out of China?! It’s all your words! Get lost! Our Curator is not accepting any interviews!”

This commotion had attracted a crowd.

After a while, a middle-aged man in a suit and a group of security guards walks over. He is the Museum’s Curator, Tojo Shinji. He overheard his staff shouting, and stopped him, and asked him to step aside. He is very concerned about this statue, as he received lots of calls yesterday regarding it. Xin Hua News Agency and China’s Embassy had sent many people over to meet him. This concerns the diplomatic relations between both nations.

Li Li saw the Curator and immediately question him. “Mr. Tojo, I am a reporter with Xin Hua News Agency. I demand an explanation on why this smuggled Buddha statue is displayed in your museum!” He took out a recording pen and started recording.

The museum staff cleared an area for them, and Dong Xuebing remained in the crowd to watch them.

Tojo Shinji smiled. “I had answered this question to Xin Hua News Agency yesterday. This relic is donated by a Japanese and has all the paperwork and had shown them to your Embassy staff. As for why are we displaying it? Haha… This is our Museum’s property, why can’t we display it? Do we need to seek permission to display it?”

Tojo Shinji interrupted. “I don’t know about this, and it is not within my power to question this. You can check with other departments, but for our side, we got all the legal documents.”

Li Li retorted. “This donation is not legal in the first place! The documents are also…”

“You should go to other departments as this is not part of our Museum’s procedures.” Tojo Shinji started to push the responsibility to others.

“If it’s not your museum, which department is responsible for it?!”

Tojo Shinji did not reply and walks away.

Many of the visitors in the Asian Gallery are Chinese overseas students and tourists. Many of them understand Japanese. When they heard this statue was smuggled to Japan from China, and the Museum refused to return it, some Chinese youth started scolding!

“Bastards! These Japanese dogs!”

“You all had stolen this relic and yet refuse to return it?! What upbring do you all have? Ah?!”

The security guards immediately went over to those scolding visitors and point to the exit while shouting at them.

An old Chinese woman pointed at Tojo Shinji and cursed him!

The few security guards immediately grabbed the few Chinese youths and an older woman by their arms. They were about to ‘invite’ them out!

Tojo Shinji ignored them and went upstairs with a few staff. Although this matter is sensitive, it is also a small issue. Many Chinese relics had been smuggled to Japan these few years, but how many of them were returned? Although he did not say this in front of the reporter, he knew that it belongs to Japan once the relic entered Japan. How can it be returned?! Even if he agrees to return it, the higher-ups will not agree. He knows the Chinese will use the media to pressure him, but people will soon forget it. That’s why this statue will not be returned, and there’s nothing China can do about it.

It was chaotic.

Dong Xuebing saw a man that looks Chinese and asked. “Bro, sorry to disturb you.”

That young man looks at Dong Xuebing. “What is it?” He replied with a Shandong accent.