The recovery of cultural relics is a global problem.

It is a systematic project involving many complex factors such as law, economy, culture, and diplomacy, and under the current Western-dominated international convention system, it is destined to be a difficult process for the ancient civilization to recover the looted cultural relics.

In Egypt, for example, it took nearly 200 years to recover the beard of the Sphinx from the British Museum's collection.

The situation in China is even more special than that of Egypt, because the loss of cultural relics is large, but the value of cultural relics is higher, and the historical and political factors make it more difficult to recover.

Li Yuan has a very clear understanding of this.

In fact, he didn't expect a few lottery companies to be able to facilitate this matter, not to mention that these businessmen didn't have that much energy, and there was no good way to change it to the British government.

It is important to know that the British Museum is an independent institution from the government, and the government does not have the right to claim the artefacts in its collection. It is precisely because of the particularity of the British Museum that for a long time afterward, China and many countries reached an agreement on the return of cultural relics, but Britain has not made much progress.

It's an incredibly hard bone.

……

"Actually, it's not as difficult as you think. ”

Li Yuan said to Brandon: "I can understand your difficulties, so I am willing to take a step back, I don't need you to directly facilitate this matter, as long as you provide some help within your ability." ”

"What helps?"

"I'm going to meet with Mr. Murdoch. ”

"Rupert Murdoch?"

"Yes. ”

Brandon said, "It's not easy to see him......"

Li Yuan said directly: "Everyone knows that your relationship with the media is so good that you wear a pair of pants, Mr. Brandon won't even be able to make such a simple request, right?"

"Just introduce you to each other, I can still do it. ”

Brandon's implication was that he should not be expected to help Li Yuan speak.

Li Yuan shook his head: "You should understand what I mean." If it's just a meeting, I don't need your introduction. Of course, you don't need to worry too much, as I said, you just need to provide help 'within your ability'. In fact, it's good for you and me. ”

"What's the benefit?"

"You'll know when the time comes. ”

……

Raised high and gently lowered, this is the whole process of negotiations between Li Yuan and Brandon. It seems that the step by step concession is just a common trick in negotiations.

……

"You're going to England?"

Chen Chen was a little surprised by Li Yuan's sudden decision. After Li Shilin's matter was resolved, she didn't follow Li Yuan all the time, and she didn't know what Li Yuan had done in the past two days.

Li Yuan concisely told Chen Chen about the cause and effect.

Chen Chen was dumbfounded when he heard this, and he couldn't imagine that he was just not paying attention, and Li Yuan made another big move.

"This, you ......"

Chen Chen opened his mouth and was speechless.

Chen Chen's reaction made Li Yuan feel very interesting, and he had the intention to tease him, but after thinking about it, it was better not to add trouble.

“…… Anyway, that's what it is. Li Yuan said: "After deducting gambling taxes and commissions, I can probably get 60 million pounds, you better contact the above as soon as possible to see how the money should be distributed." ”

Chen Chen had a strange expression.

"Don't look at me like that, I can't and don't intend to take it for myself. It was originally an ill-deserved gain, and if it weren't for the state supporting me, I wouldn't have gotten this money at all.

I don't want to lose my future for a fortune...... Of course, I hope you can discuss with the above and leave me some soup to drink, my hometown company is going to die of drought now......"

"Oh......" Chen Chen came back to his senses and said, "I will report this matter to the higher authorities as soon as possible." ”

After speaking, she couldn't hide her curiosity and asked, "How did you guess the result?"

"It's just a calculation. Li Yuan said incomprehensibly: "If you don't understand the world of genius, don't ask more." ”

In order to prevent Chen Chen from continuing to entangle this issue, Li Yuan quickly diverted the topic: "I plan to go to the UK and try my best to recover cultural relics, this matter requires the cooperation of many people, and the task of persuading the above will be handed over to you." ”

"It's too messy!"

Chen Chen said: "This kind of diplomatic activity involving countries between countries, you are not afraid of poking out a big basket? impossible, it is impossible for the above to agree!"

"You just have to report, the above disagrees, I personally still have to go on a trip, the horizontal and vertical words have been released, it is impossible not to do nothing. ”

"I don't understand why you're so stubborn. ”

Chen Chen said angrily: "This kind of thing is also something you can worry about? Besides, that painting is really that important?"

"It's a shame that you're a diplomat to ask such a question. ”

Li Yuan glanced at Chen Chen with disdain and said, "The Female History is more than just a painting. ”

Chen Chen said sarcastically: "It's not a painting, could it be a treasure map?"

"If you knew the story behind the painting, you wouldn't say that......"

Li Yuan lit a cigarette and unhurriedly explained the reason why he liked this painting.

……

Since the end of the Qing Dynasty, China has been humiliated by foreign powers and has lost too many cultural relics, according to incomplete statistics, about 70,000 pieces, most of which are in Britain, accounting for about half of all lost cultural relics.

Among these tens of thousands of cultural relics, "The Female Historian" is a very special one.

Its special lies not only in its historical value, but also in its special political color.

"Few people now know that during World War II, Britain offered to return this artifact, but the Nationalist government at that time refused. ”

"You say Britain offered to return it?"

Chen Chen felt incredible.

Li Yuan said: "At that time, the Nationalist Government sent an expeditionary force into Southeast Asia to fight against Japan, which helped Britain stabilize its rule in Southeast Asia to a certain extent. ”

"Then why did the Nationalist Government refuse?"

"The British are not at ease. Li Yuan pouted and said: "The British took out two thank-you gifts and let the national government choose one of the two." One is "The Female Historian", and the other is a submarine, which do you think the Nationalist Government will choose?"

"It's definitely a submarine. ”

"That's right. ”

Li Yuan sighed and said: "When the national crisis is at hand, the choice of the national government cannot be wrong...... However, this incident has also had a bad impact, and it objectively affirms the legitimacy of the British Museum's possession of the "Female Historian", and I don't think I need to explain much about this, because you are a diplomat, you should know that giving away and returning are two different things...... In fact, Taiwan has been trying to get this painting for years, but it has not made progress. ”

"Taiwan ......"

When Chen Chen heard this, he completely understood.

Li Yuan said: "Welcoming back this painting can not only boost the national spirit, but also negate the legitimacy of the Taiwan authorities from the side

Sexuality, which has a lot of significance. ”

"Having said that, it's hard to do it, because our country's national strength is not strong enough......"

"Stop. ”

Li Yuan raised his head to stop Chen Chen from continuing, and said unceremoniously: "It is true that national strength affects diplomacy, but the theory of national strength itself is an insult to the efforts of many people......

……

In the matter of recovering cultural relics, national strength is only an important factor, but it is not the only factor, and the key depends on the degree of importance that the state attaches to this matter.

There is a good example of this in reality.

In the 19th century, the British invaded Ethiopia and plundered a large number of valuable artifacts after raiding the fortress of Merkdra.

Ethiopia has been actively pursuing these artifacts for many years. In addition to official efforts, prominent Ethiopian social figures have set up special associations, with offices in Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, as well as a special website to call on Ethiopians at home and abroad to participate in the recovery work.

In 2007, Gabriel, an Ethiopian boy living in London, wrote a letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, citing a large amount of evidence that Merkdra's artifacts in Britain were looted from Ethiopia by the British ** team.

"Ethiopian children have the right to see these artifacts and learn about Ethiopia's cultural heritage through them," the letter reads. ”

The Prime Minister's Office immediately sent Gabriel a letter back, informing him that the matter had been referred to the British Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Subsequently, the ministry also replied that although the government did not have the authority to claim the antiquities, the British Museum had promised to lend some of the Ethiopian antiquities in its collection to an Ethiopian church in the United Kingdom.

In this way, although the artifact is still in the UK, it is in the church in Ethiopia after all.

Although the method is debatable and the final result is not satisfactory, the perseverance of the Ethiopian people is worth learning from the Chinese.

Li Yuan blurred the time of this matter and told Chen Chen in a different way.

"The country has done a good job of communication at the top, but the problem now is that there is a lack of civil participation, especially the voices of people with enough influence. I am going to the UK this time to make some articles in the media, and if possible, I hope that some influential Chinese and overseas Chinese in China can speak out together, and I think China's national strength is always much stronger than that of a small African country......"

……

Bombardment of public opinion, this is the only way Li Yuan can think of.

For capitalist countries, the power of the media is powerful, especially when it is used effectively.

This may not directly lead to the repatriation of cultural relics, but at least it can attract widespread attention from the international community. More importantly, public opinion will not have much influence on official diplomacy.

Li Yuan thought to himself: "At the very least, I hope to win the opportunity to return to China for exhibition......

He looked out the window quietly, a little distracted.

In fact, he still had some things to say to Chen Chen.

There was another reason why he wanted to get the painting back.

When he was in college, Li Yuan once talked about a girlfriend.

The girl studied art, and the story of "The Female History of Zhentu" was told to Li Yuan.

The girl once said to Li Yuan that she hoped to go to the British Museum to see this painting, but unfortunately Li Yuan was a complete poor bastard at that time, and until the two broke up, she failed to realize her dream.

In this life, the two may not intersect again, and the old agreement has become clearer.

If this painting were to be exhibited in China, would you go?

Li Yuan thought so and shook his head.