Zhuang Rui paused for a moment upon hearing this, placed the agreement in his hand on the table, and without standing up, said while still seated, "Vice Minister Yu, I did not agree to participate in this salvage operation. I've been preparing for the salvage of a shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean for the past two months, so I'm afraid I won't be able to participate in the Awa Maru salvage operation..."
Zhuang Rui knew that he couldn't bargain or say the agreement was unfair in this situation. If he opened his mouth, he would immediately be accused of disregarding the overall situation, and no matter what Ouyang Lei said, Zhuang Rui would be in the wrong.
Therefore, Zhuang Rui never mentioned the agreement, and simply said that he was too busy. Zhuang Rui's Dingguang Museum is a private property and is not subject to state jurisdiction, so administrative orders are invalid against him.
Zhuang Rui was unhappy with the agreement. Since we can't bring it up, we can just not participate, right? I'm not playing with you guys anymore. There are plenty of people who want to curry favor with the Ministry of Transport these days. You can go find someone else.
"Little...Little Zhuang, you..."
Vice Minister Yu almost spat out the mouthful of hot tea he had just taken a sip of. He had thought that Zhuang Rui would mention some difficulties, and then he would allocate some funds, so that everyone could save face and he could also give Ouyang Lei a satisfactory explanation.
Unexpectedly, Zhuang Rui immediately announced his intention to quit the game, which disrupted his plans. There were no salvage ships of this size in China, and if he were to cooperate with foreign companies, he would lose face big time.
"Young comrade, your thinking is wrong. The country needs your salvage ship right now. Personal matters can be put aside for now. You have made a contribution to the salvage of the sunken ship, and the country will not forget you..."
Before the vice minister could come up with a solution, another vice minister, Jiang, spoke up. As someone who was used to being a leader, he couldn't stand having his opinions contradicted. This agreement was the result of negotiations among the three of them.
Moreover, Vice Minister Jiang's words implicitly threatened Zhuang Rui: the country will not forget those who make contributions, but if they do not, the country will keep a closer eye on them. The Ministry of Transport is responsible for salvaging sunken ships in the sea, so he is not afraid that Zhuang Rui will not back down.
Zhuang Rui sneered. This vice minister's competence? He immediately said, "Heh, I apologize to everyone. We've been preparing for the Pacific salvage operation for several months, with initial investments exceeding 100 million yuan. Moreover, my ship is primarily designed for offshore salvage; we won't take advantage of the country..."
Zhuang Rui was furious. If he had known that this leader was like this, he would not have signed the Ministry of Transport's name on the salvage of the Song Dynasty shipwreck a while ago, even though the leader said he wouldn't do anything.
"You...you, this...this is outrageous!"
Vice Minister Jiang was taken aback by Zhuang Rui's tough stance and was momentarily dumbfounded. When had he ever been refuted so directly to someone's face?
"Old Jiang, don't worry, he is..."
Just as Vice Minister Jiang was about to further criticize Zhuang Rui, Vice Minister Yu stopped him and whispered a few words in his ear.
"Hey Lao Yu, why didn't you say so sooner?"
After hearing Minister Yu explain Zhuang Rui's background, Vice Minister Jiang immediately regretted his earlier bureaucratic tone.
"Yeah, Lao Yu, you didn't mention this when we talked to each other before, did you?"
The Vice Minister Zhao, who was sitting next to Minister Jiang, also heard what Minister Yu said, and his face turned slightly ugly. Although all citizens of the country are equal, social classes still objectively exist.
Given Zhuang Rui's background, as long as he doesn't violate national laws and regulations, no one can do anything about him. Moreover, there are no provisions in relevant national laws that require private individuals to sacrifice their own interests to do things for the country.
Moreover, they all knew that since it was a joint effort between the state and the private sector to salvage the ship, their agreement was indeed a bit excessive. All the benefits went to the state, and all the political achievements went to them. Why should others contribute money and effort to work for them for nothing?
"Alright, everyone, please continue your discussion. I still have matters to attend to regarding the sea voyage, so I'll take my leave now..."
The demeanor of these leaders disgusted Zhuang Rui. After saying this, Zhuang Rui stood up and prepared to leave the meeting.
Chapter 1014 Negotiation (Part 2)
Zhuang Rui's actions stunned everyone present. Without Zhuang Rui's large-tonnage salvage vessel, their meeting, no matter how well-organized, would be completely useless. They couldn't very well expect these leaders to put on diving suits and go into the sea to salvage the items themselves, could they?
Moreover, Zhuang Rui's attitude was very firm. He turned around and left without saying a word, leaving the leaders feeling very embarrassed and unable to save face.
"Xiao Zhuang, wait a minute..."
Just as Zhuang Rui opened the conference room door, Professor Meng couldn't sit still any longer and stood up to stop Zhuang Rui.
Professor Meng is a pure scholar who doesn't want to get involved in those backstabbing and intrigue, but he genuinely wants to bring the treasures from the "Awa Maru" back to light.
More importantly, Professor Meng wanted to determine whether there were any Peking Man skull fossils in the remains of the "Awa Maru". If there were, he also wanted to use this to comfort the spirits of the predecessors in the scientific research community.
"Teacher, I really do have a plan. I mentioned it at the research institute that day. We can't just force someone to do something they don't want to do."
Zhuang Rui stopped in his tracks, looked at Professor Meng and gave a wry smile. Whether or not there was a skull fossil inside the Awa Maru, Zhuang Rui didn't want to get involved in this mess.
The ocean is vast and boundless. Over thousands of years, countless ships carrying treasures of unimaginable wealth have sunk. While the Peking Man skull fossil is certainly precious, Zhuang Rui is not without options. There are plenty of treasures waiting for him to retrieve from the sea.
Professor Meng was well aware of his student's thoughts. He immediately said, "Xiao Zhuang, this salvage operation... will play an extremely important role in our country's scientific research and cultural development, as well as in uncovering the truth of that historical event. It will also benefit you..."
"Would it be good for me?"
Zhuang Rui raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and said, "Teacher, even if the wreckage of the Awa Maru is salvaged, the political achievement belongs to the leaders present, and the property naturally belongs to the country. What does it have to do with me?"
Zhuang Rui's words made the three vice ministers, who had long since developed impenetrable skin, feel their faces slightly burning. Since the previous discussion was about cooperation, it must be mutually beneficial. They couldn't just take all the benefits and let others suffer losses for nothing, could they?
"Xiao Zhuang, you can raise any requests you have. The purpose of this meeting is to eliminate differences, achieve unity, and strive to salvage the shipwreck wreckage as soon as possible..."
Professor Meng's conversation with Zhuang Rui gave Vice Minister Yu a way out, and Vice Minister Yu naturally took the opportunity to back down. Giving up some benefits was fine, since it didn't cost him a penny; it all belonged to the country anyway.
"Yes, Xiao Zhuang, come back and sit down. There's no rush. Let's hear what the leaders have to say..."
Professor Meng could tell that Zhuang Rui really didn't want to get involved in this matter, so he had to get up and pull Zhuang Rui back.
"That's right. I heard that you, Xiao Zhuang, are a standing director of the Jade Association, which means you're part of the system..."
Vice Minister Yu's words made Zhuang Rui both laugh and cry. It's true that the older people get, the thicker their skin becomes. My brother's permanent member has nothing to do with you bureaucrats, so how can he be considered a member of the system?
"Hmm, Xiao Zhuang, tell us your opinion. If there are any problems, we can discuss and solve them together..."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui's expression was not good, Vice Minister Yu quickly changed the subject to the shipwreck salvage. In fact, he was also very unhappy at the moment. Even if you have a powerful background, the people present are not made of clay. They can be considered high-ranking officials of the Republic, right? They should at least give you some face.
However, the ministry had already submitted a report on salvaging the wreckage of the Awa Maru to the State Council some time ago, and it had been approved. So the salvage operation was a must. Otherwise, these three ministers would have already stormed off and wouldn't have bothered with Zhuang Rui.
"Sigh, I also want to support the country's salvage operation, but the Pacific salvage project I've been planning for the past few months has already cost hundreds of millions of RMB. If we stop, the losses will be huge..."
Zhuang Rui hasn't been wasting his time all these years. He never mentions what conditions he has, but keeps emphasizing the difficulties. Moreover, what he just said about 100 million has now immediately become several hundred million.
"Damn, this kid's here to rip us off?"
Zhuang Rui's words left the three vice ministers exchanging bewildered glances. Judging from Zhuang Rui's words, he was willing to participate in the salvage operation, but the organization would have to provide an explanation for the money he lost.
Moreover, the ministers simply couldn't understand how Zhuang Rui had spent hundreds of millions of yuan before the salvage operation had even begun. Even if the drilling platform and floating crane were included, it still wasn't as extravagant as Zhuang Rui claimed.
Of course, given the status and magnanimity of the ministers, they would not argue with Zhuang Rui. This matter was simply an excuse Zhuang Rui made up, the real reason being that he did not want to participate in their organization's "Awa Maru" salvage operation.
"Yes, this salvage operation is a very difficult and massive project, but we still hope that Xiao Zhuang can prioritize the country and carry out the salvage operation of the Awa Maru first..."
Vice Minister Yu nodded repeatedly, echoing Zhuang Rui's words. This was unprecedented; a young man had managed to embarrass a group of old men.
"this……"
Zhuang Rui frowned and remained silent. Wanting the horse to run… no problem, but you have to feed it, right? It's true I'm rich, but that didn't come out of thin air. Why should I pave the way for your political achievements?
Even though Zhuang Rui agreed to participate in the salvage, his eyes were still on the batch of "Peking Man skull fossils." However, whether the object actually existed was still uncertain, and the possibility of working for nothing was extremely high. Therefore, Zhuang Rui looked down on the agreement even more.
Of all the people present, only Professor Meng knew what Zhuang Rui was thinking. He immediately spoke up, "Xiao Zhuang, don't you have a museum? How about this... I suggest that if any artifacts are salvaged from the shipwreck, they should be handed over to Xiao Zhuang's museum for safekeeping. What do you all think?"
"Professor Meng, but Xiao Zhuang's museum is privately owned. What if it contains a national first-class protected cultural relic? Wouldn't that be a bit inappropriate?"
One of the paleoanthropologists present immediately raised a different opinion: the "Awa Maru" is the last hope for the Peking Man skull fossil, and if it is indeed salvaged, it should absolutely not be owned by a private individual.
"Yes, all items salvaged from China's inland waters belong to the state. This precedent is hard to break..."
Vice Minister Yu frowned upon hearing this. Although he looked down on those antiques, this was a matter of principle. If Zhuang Rui were to handle it, there would inevitably be gossip and accusations, and at that point, a good thing might turn into a bad thing.
"Uh, esteemed leaders and experts, the items in this shipwreck certainly belong to the state. If I had the time, I would definitely support this salvage operation free of charge, but... I'm just too busy and can't find the time..."
Zhuang Rui stood up and first affirmed Vice Minister Yu's words, which made everyone present nod in agreement. However, his last two sentences made everyone so angry that they almost cursed.
After this righteous and eloquent statement, he still insisted that he was too busy. Wasn't this just blatantly setting conditions and asking for benefits? However, Zhuang Rui's meaning was expressed rather subtly, and no one could refute it.
In fact, Zhuang Rui didn't want money, nor was he the kind of person who was only interested in money. More than a year ago, he had Huangfu Yun establish a charitable foundation, which is now managed by his college classmate Bi Yuntao. The foundation donates tens of millions of yuan almost every year, which is Zhuang Rui's way of giving back to society.
However, donating money and helping these bureaucrats gain political achievements for free are two different things. Zhuang Rui was confident that the cultural relics unearthed from the water would be far more valuable in his hands than if they were kept in the deep palace or underground warehouses.
"Ahem, Xiao Zhuang, the ownership of this thing certainly belongs to the state. However, if we can really salvage some precious national protected cultural relics, they will eventually have to be displayed to the public. It's not that things belonging to the state can't be kept in private museums..."
Professor Meng's words caused a stir among the audience. Some nodded in agreement, while others shook their heads in disagreement. However, most people were carefully considering and reflecting on Professor Meng's words.
Upon closer examination, Professor Meng's words make sense. The items belong to the state, and after a set period, handing them over to private individuals for exhibition and safekeeping does not seem to be entirely unacceptable.
A few years ago, some scholars suggested that the hundreds of thousands or even millions of precious cultural relics in the Palace Museum be transferred to local and private museums for safekeeping and exhibition.
This will alleviate the pressure on the Palace Museum in preserving its cultural relics, and at the same time, allow the general public to appreciate the rich variety of national treasures and the splendid culture left by our ancestors.
For safety reasons, large-scale relocation of cultural relics is absolutely not feasible, and this suggestion was rejected. However, this has broadened the thinking of the national cultural relics preservation department.
It now seems that as long as Zhuang Rui can promise to properly preserve the unearthed cultural relics and return them to the state within the stipulated time limit, this is not a bad solution.
After all, cultural relics are older than people. Even if they are lent to Zhuang Rui for a hundred years or more, as long as they are properly preserved, their cultural value will not be lost.
Of course, none of this can be decided by the Ministry of Transport; it must be decided by the relevant cultural departments. In particular, for cultural relics like the Peking Man skull fossil, it may even require the approval of certain core leaders before they can be exhibited in a private museum.
After the ministers whispered among themselves for a while, Vice Minister Yu stood up and said, "We can't make a decision on this matter on our own. We need to consult with the relevant departments. Let's meet again in three days..."
Chapter 1015 Finding a Needle in a Haystack (1)
"boom!"
Silver streaks danced wildly in the pitch-black sky, flashes of lightning piercing the sea, followed by deafening thunder that seemed to explode right next to one's ears, making one's heart tremble at the sound.
Zhuang Rui's 10,000-ton cruise ship appeared so small under the power of the heavens. Waves more than ten meters high made the ship sway from side to side, making it look like a lone boat on the vast sea.
"King Kong, come, put it on..."
Zhuang Rui tore a quilt, took out some cotton wool, and stuffed it into Fang Fang and Yuan Yuan's ears. The usually mighty Vajra appeared fragile under the thunder and lightning, squatting in a corner of the room, having lost its usual spirit.
Just as the storm began, the golden eagle, soaked to the bone, burst into the room through the window, cawing incessantly!
It was calling out, seemingly complaining to Zhuang Rui.
At the meeting organized by the Ministry of Transport three days ago, an agreement was finally reached that the salvage of the "Awa Maru" would be led by the Ministry of Transport and carried out jointly by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Institute of Advanced Studies at Peking University, and the Dingguang Museum.
The agreement states that the salvage operation was conducted through a combination of state-organized efforts and private fundraising, and that all salvaged property belongs to the state.
As the funder and main force in the salvage operation, Zhuang Rui received the following promise: all the cultural relics salvaged from the water will be handed over to the Dingguang Museum for exclusive exhibition after being identified and verified by relevant departments, provided that their safety is guaranteed.
The deadline is five years. After five years, the Dingguang Museum must hand over the relevant cultural relics to the state. Although this result is somewhat different from his expectations, Zhuang Rui still agreed.
After all, Zhuang Rui may have spoken toughly, but deep down he still wanted to contribute to the country. If all the wreckage of the Awa Maru could be recovered, it would be of great benefit to the country, both economically and in terms of international influence.
Moreover, if any precious cultural relics are indeed unearthed, five years is enough time for Huangfu Yun to make a fortune. He can definitely turn the reputation of the relics into profits in a short period of time, bringing substantial revenue to Dingguang Museum.
Zhuang Rui had thought it would be a relaxing trip, so for the salvage operation of the Awa Maru in the waters off Fujian, he not only brought his wife and children, but also his pets, except for the two white lions who didn't like water.
Zhuang Rui never expected that his first night at sea would be hit by a storm.
Zhuang Rui was unaware that September and October were typhoon season in the Fujian sea area. If it weren't for this, Vice Minister Yu wouldn't have specifically targeted his "luxury salvage ship." It should be noted that although there are no salvage ships in China with a capacity of tens of thousands of tons, there are still medium-sized salvage ships with a capacity of several thousand tons. If it weren't for the need to consider the ability to withstand storms, ordinary salvage ships could easily handle the tens of meters of water depth in this area.
"Xuanbing, tomorrow during the day, let the helicopter take you and the children back to shore..."