Chapter 518 - 246: Bosses Gather (Part 3)

"Among you, nearly 59% are the first in your family to attend university or graduate school, and nine of you are veterans. On behalf of the University of Cambridge, I welcome you!"

"As our motto suggests, the University of Cambridge is a place of enlightenment, a source of knowledge, and the most profound temple of truth in the world...."

"The University of Cambridge has fostered countless renowned alumni, such as the greatest scientist Isaac Newton, the epoch-making artist Byron, and the novice fisherman who promises to update 30,000 daily next time....."

"...We believe you will find your path, and also your friends. Rest assured, the University of Cambridge will change you, and in turn, you will change all of us..."

William Whewell, indeed living up to his reputation as one of the philosophers capable of establishing a school of thought, has prepared his speech flawlessly.

Even Xu Yun, a transmigrator from the future, was listening with great interest, not finding it dull at all.

As William Whewell’s speech progressed, the atmosphere of the entire ceremony gradually reached a climax.

"...Every student present is a genius among thousands, and your growth might even influence the course of human history. Thus, in terms of faculty, the university will naturally do its utmost to provide the best."

After saying this.

William Whewell adjusted his position slightly.

Like an auctioneer, he extended his left hand, palm facing flatly towards the audience, and said:

"Therefore, please allow me to take some time to introduce the strongest leadership and teaching lineup from our four colleges."

He took a deep breath and raised his voice by a few degrees:

"The first person I must introduce is our spiritual pillar, the President of the University of Cambridge, the esteemed Prince Albert!"

As soon as he finished speaking.

Prince Albert, seated in the front row, stood up accordingly, placing his right hand on his chest, nodding to the students.

Clap clap clap!

Immediately, enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the audience, and some even shed tears of excitement.

Prince Albert wielded real power around 1845 or so, and at this timeline, the First Opium War had yet to break out, so public vision still focused on the United Kingdom... or rather Europe.

Therefore, Albert’s attention within the UK was somewhat higher than in original history.

Additionally, the love between Albert and Victoria, in the eyes of these newly inducted university students, was essentially a fairy tale come true, comparable to the Eastern tale of Liangshanbo and Zhu Yingtai.

In this context.

Nine out of ten students were fans of Prince Albert, and the remaining one secretly admired Queen Victoria.

Some girls’ expressions...

How to put it, Xu Yun even wondered if Albert was a walking aphrodisiac.

If those brainless fans from future generations had a chance to visit someone in prison, the display could be something like this.....

After Prince Albert sat down.

William Whewell gestured with his hand to quiet everyone down.

He continued introducing:

"The second person I want to introduce to you is the current dean of Emmanuel College, Mr. Abu Teldorek!"

Compared to Prince Albert, the applause this time was noticeably sparser.

The largest area of applause came from Xu Yun’s right side, which should have been Emmanuel College’s section.

William Whewell’s expression remained unchanged as he continued introducing other leaders:

"Milton Sierra.... Dean of Jesus College....."

"Trist Hope... Dean of Peter College....."

"Harvey Begi... Director of Student Affairs....."

When it came to college leadership, Xu Yun didn’t personally know any of them, yet one thing surprised him:

Trist Hope, who should have been dismissed around 1847, was still in office.

To tell the truth.

He was considered a relatively rare honest man of this era.

Like Wheat, he opposed the invasion of Huaxia’s mainland, although his reasons for opposition were somewhat unique.

Trist Hope was a typical devout believer, a thoroughly genuine one:

He believed that invading Huaxia was an extremely despicable act that did not conform to the scripture, and would surely be judged after death.

Thus, he erased all the students from Peter College who participated in the First Opium War from the student records, and clearly stated that Peter College students were not allowed to participate in any invasion actions.

In the end, this brother only held on for less than a year before being dismissed.

So his actions may be evaluated with some subtlety.

To say he was friendly towards Huaxia might not be entirely true, since his motivation was based on his own religious beliefs.

Were the invaded target another country, he would have done the same.

To actually define it, he might not even qualify strictly as an international friend.

But leaving aside political definitions, the word "honest" certainly fits him well.

This could be considered one of the complexities of religion.

In both Eastern and Western sects, someone who truly believes to such a devout degree is indeed hardly harmful.

But people like that are way too few, as most today are pretenders causing trouble.

Returning our attention to reality.

The leaders of the four colleges are typically administrative staff, so Xu Yun’s limited knowledge is understandable.

However, when William Whewell introduced the professors, something unexpected occurred for Xu Yun.

........