While Professor Li remained completely unaware of what had transpired.
He stepped away from the venue to a secluded spot and respectfully connected his phone. "Mr. Ying, you were looking for me?"
From the other end of the line, Ying Chen's voice emerged, "Yes. I will arrive in Yanjing at eight tonight. I have something important to discuss with you. Please make arrangements for your schedule in advance."
"Tonight? Very well, I will arrange my schedule and the hotel immediately."
Professor Li asked no further questions, directly ending the call.
Since Ying Chen hadn't explicitly stated the matter over the phone, it implied that this important issue required a face-to-face discussion and was not suitable for a phone call.
What would be the point of Professor Li inquiring further?
After hanging up, Professor Li returned to the venue.
However, he found it strange that as soon as he re-entered, the gazes of everyone present shifted dramatically.
Previously, everyone had looked at him with respect and politeness.
Even if someone disliked him, they would suppress their negative feelings and not let it show.
But now, people no longer concealed their emotions, looking at him with unmistakable expressions, as if to say: You're in trouble!
Professor Li frowned. He was not adept at social interactions and disliked them.
He decided to disregard these trivial matters and quickly finish his speech, so he could prepare for his meeting with Ying Chen that evening.
Just as Professor Li was about to continue his speech, someone stood up from the audience.
This person was Professor Li's arch-nemesis.
Unlike Elder Dong, whom Professor Li had offended out of necessity to excavate Bai Qi's tomb, this sworn enemy had no such reason. Their animosity dated back to their school days, with this individual repeatedly thwarting and causing trouble for Professor Li!
In reality, many people have a sworn enemy during their school years. However, as time passes and they enter society, their paths diverge, and this antagonism gradually fades.
But Professor Li and this person were different. After graduating from university, this individual also entered the archaeology circle and even joined the same archaeological institute as Professor Li!
For years, this person had successfully climbed the ranks through sycophancy, holding a position that continuously suppressed Professor Li for over a decade.
Unexpectedly, Professor Li had made a dramatic comeback by excavating Bai Qi's tomb, shattering his suppression!
He was even subtly gaining the upper hand and on the verge of suppressing him!
This immediately sent him into a panic.
Unfortunately, he had been unable to find an opportunity and could only suppress his jealousy, feigning goodwill towards Professor Li.
Professor Li, not dwelling on the past decade of oppression, chose to let bygones be bygones.
They appeared to have reconciled and were now on amicable terms.
"Liu Bin, do you have any new insights?" Professor Li, assuming the man wanted to share some thoughts, asked.
To his surprise, the person named Liu Bin revealed a sneer. "I do have some insights, but they are not related to the speech, rather..."
"They are directed at you!"
"You have been deceiving everyone for so long, and it is time for you to face the consequences! I didn't speak up before because I lacked evidence, and second, I was concerned about our classmate bond, hoping you would confess voluntarily."
"But after so many days, you have shown no signs of voluntary confession. Therefore, I must seize this opportunity, with everyone present, to confess for you!"
Professor Li was startled, his face showing confusion.
"Liu Bin, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Liu Bin chuckled, "Old Li, Old Li, don't you think your statement sounds exactly like a villain in a TV drama? Those villains, when denying guilt, always put up a fight like you."
"It's alright, if you don't understand, I'll explain it to you!"
With that, Liu Bin walked onto the stage, pushed Professor Li aside, and snatched the microphone.
"Everyone, please forgive my coarse behavior towards him. After you hear my revelations, you will wish you could treat him in the same manner."
Hearing Liu Bin's words, Professor Li frowned.
He had no idea what revelations Liu Bin was about to make, and in fact, he had nothing to reveal.
Unless he was going to expose the fact that he wet his pants in primary school.
But what effect would that have?
It would only elicit roaring laughter from the crowd!
The people present also looked at Liu Bin with puzzlement.
They couldn't understand what dirt Liu Bin could possibly dig up on Professor Li.
Professor Li, although stubborn as a rock in a toilet, was generally a decent person.
Logically, there were no scandals to expose.
But Liu Bin sounded so confident, it didn't seem like he was lying.
So everyone remained silent, quietly awaiting Liu Bin's exposé.
"To make a long story short, I'm not one for rambling. The revelation I am about to make is..."
"Professor Li Chengzhi's so-called excavation plan for Bai Qi's tomb was not his own work, but plagiarism of someone else's labor!"
"Whoosh!"
Liu Bin's words caused everyone in the room to change their expressions.
Including Professor Li.
Professor Li never imagined that Liu Bin would fabricate such a scandal to frame him!
Professor Li trembled with anger and pointed at Liu Bin, "You... you... you are utterly shameless!"
Liu Bin scoffed and turned to Professor Li, "Shouldn't those words be applied more fittingly to you?"
"I know you want to argue. But I have ample evidence to prove that long before you, someone had already proposed an excavation plan for Bai Qi's tomb!"
With that, Liu Bin gestured towards the large screen in the venue.
"Swipe!"
The screen's image changed, displaying a scanned document.
The scanned document, upon opening, clearly contained an excavation plan for Bai Qi's tomb!
It also proposed the idea that Bai Qi's tomb consisted of both a true and a false tomb, suggesting that the excavation conditions for the true tomb were insufficient and it could be excavated twenty years later.
And the name at the bottom of the scanned document shocked everyone present!
Elder Dong!
The renowned archaeological master whom Professor Li had previously surpassed!
Suddenly, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.
Professor Li's eyes widened in disbelief, only managing to utter a choked whisper, "How is this possible? How is this possible?"
Liu Bin's face was filled with triumph. "This scan is from a handwritten original draft by Elder Dong twenty years ago. The original document also bears an official seal, so its authenticity is beyond doubt."
"The time difference between the two is twenty years. Who plagiarized whom, I think I don't need to remind you, do I?"
"As for how Li Chengzhi plagiarized the original draft from Elder Dong, that remains unknown."
"Li Chengzhi, Professor Li, perhaps you can enlighten everyone?"
Faced with Liu Bin's inquiry, Professor Li could only tremble and respond, "Utter nonsense! Utter nonsense! I have never seen Elder Dong's original draft, nor did I plagiarize it!"
"Liu Bin, this is slander! Despicable and vile!"
However, Professor Li's words were perceived by everyone as the desperate outburst of someone caught red-handed, flustered and enraged.
After all, Professor Li could not produce any evidence to prove his innocence.
Yet, Liu Bin held a real and compelling piece of evidence!
"Alas, I didn't expect Professor Li to be this kind of person."
"You never know what a person is truly like! So we were all fooled!"
"In the field of archaeology, it still comes down to Elder Dong! He was visionary twenty years ago and had already prepared the excavation plan for the true tomb of Bai Qi! All I can say is—amazing!"
The audience members engaged in a lively discussion, implicitly accepting the fact that Professor Li had plagiarized.