The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1245: Chapter 151: God Said: Let There Be Light

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

God said, ”Let there be light!”

And there was light.

——”Genesis from the Old Testament”

With just a simple tremor, burst laughter arose from the audience below.

However, the meaning behind the laughter was varied.

The German scholars seated behind Alexander von Humboldt, President of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, all cast cold eyes on Ohm.

Georg von Pohl, who had once been with Ohm, even wanted to stand and leave upon seeing Ohm, but fortunately, his friend beside him pulled him back just as he rose.

It wasn’t hard to discern their words from their lip movements.

”Giving the opening report to a fraud, this is utterly absurd!”

”Why rush things now, fool’s gold will never turn into real gold, Faraday, Ampere, and Oersted are all here, and everyone will have their verdict. Georg, leaving now is not a courteous act.”

As for the other German scholars, though not as intense as Po’er, there were still few who gave Ohm any friendly looks.

Almost everyone had a stern expression, for these scholars believed that allowing Ohm to deliver the opening address at such an important occasion would not only affect Ohm’s personal academic reputation but might also cause all of Europe to look down on the entire German academic community.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the scholars were restless and whispering, occasionally glancing at Ohm on the stage, pointing at him, discussing his academic integrity with their friends.

In this scenario, though not pointed at by a thousand fingers, it could be said that he was frequently scorned.

The invisible pressure loomed over Ohm’s heart, past failures surged up in his mind, forcing Ohm to involuntarily take a step back.

Seeing Ohm retreat, the German scholars also showed no intention of letting him off, merely giving a contemptuous snort.

In their view, perhaps Ohm was not only an academic fraud but also an academic coward.

Just as Ohm contemplated withdrawing, suddenly, his evasive gaze met a very familiar face.

”That... that is Professor von Langendorff? And beside him is... Martin?”

Heidelberg University mathematics professor Von Langendorff, Berlin University mathematics professor Martin Ohm.

One was Ohm’s mentor during his studies at Erlangen University, the other a fellow student sharing the same teacher and a blood brother.

Professor Langendorff looked at Ohm, noticing Ohm’s glance as well.

This former mentor did not smile but calmly nodded at the student he had always been proud of, patting Martin Ohm beside him, gently moving his lips: ”Come, let me see if things are really as I predicted back then, that another pair of Bernoulli brothers would rise from the Locksmith’s House.”

Ohm’s brother Martin was evidently more nervous than his brother, the esteemed Berlin University mathematics professor was so tense he dared not utter a word, merely continually nodding to his brother.

But for Ohm, that was enough. He understood the meaning of the nodding was: George, go for it!

Then, inside and outside the agitated conference hall, there erupted another wave of laughter, cheers, and applause.

The applause came not from scholars, nor from students, but from the citizens of Gottingen.

To these simple Gottingen citizens, who knew nothing of electromagnetism research or academic grievances, laughter did not signify mockery, cheers did not signify jeers, but applause was indeed genuine praise, a way for them to express goodwill.

With smiles on their faces, some citizens even held children while watching from afar this old-looking doctoral candidate.

The citizens might not understand academics, theses, or reports. But they understood nerves and even more so understood tolerance, as human emotions are mutually perceptive.

The people living in this city had witnessed too many similar scenes, for many of them had livelihoods closely tied to this university, born and raised here.

Among them were suburban farmers supplying goods to the school cafeteria, cooks assisting in the canteen, sanitation workers responsible for cleaning, and others whose ancestors had even directly participated in the construction of the Gottingen Library...

To them, in events similar to this doctoral defense, everyone might have encountered one or two instances during their work.

They envied these doctoral candidates but would not feel jealous. The people of Gottingen always regarded them as role models for educating their children; when a new doctor walked out of Gottingen’s campus, it was not merely the individual’s honor but an honor for all of Gottingen.

In the small city of Gottingen, countless prominent figures had emerged, including prime ministers of the empire, princes and nobles, top politicians, revolutionary poets, great bankers, and top scholars.

Although these individuals may not always remember their life in Gottingen, the citizens clearly remembered them. Whenever outsiders came to drink in the tavern, someone would always boast of having served Metternich, run errands for Heine, and that Lionel Rothschild, a member of one of the wealthiest families in Europe, the Rothschild Family, would also respectfully call him ”Sir” upon meeting him.