The Amazing son in law Chapter 6450
Despite the strength of the Po Qing Society weighing heavily on his mind, Howard couldn’t shake off the fear that gripped him. He even considered leaving the United States to find a safer place away from the spotlight.
As he wrestled with his unease, his youngest son, David Rothschild, knocked on the door with urgency. “Father, there is urgent news!” he called out anxiously from the other side.
Hearing the urgency in David’s voice, Howard quickly replied, “Come in and tell me!”
David entered and made his way from the outer hall to the bedroom. He found Howard half-reclined on the bed, looking distressed. “Father! Something significant has happened!” he said, his voice tinged with sadness.
Nervously, Howard asked, “What is it? What’s the big deal?!”
With a heavy heart, David revealed, “The Sifang Baozhuan has returned to China…”
“What?!” The news hit Howard like a thunderbolt, causing a buzzing sensation in his head. It took him more than ten seconds to process the shock. Suddenly, he bolted upright in bed, demanding, “What did you just say? Repeat that!”
Noticing his father’s distress, David quickly moved closer to support him. With caution, he explained, “Father, according to official news from China, the Sifang Baozhuan was secretly donated back. The Chinese government has announced that this national treasure, which has been lost overseas for two centuries, has officially returned…”
Howard’s mind raced, and in a fit of rage, he threw the quilt and pillows off the bed, shouting, “What is happening?! How can this be?! I’ve locked down New York, inspecting everyone leaving the city, especially at the airport! How did Sifang Baozhuang manage to return to China right under my nose?! What is going on?!”
In a fit of anger, he pointed a trembling finger at David and scolded, “Useless! All of you are completely useless!”
David, looking nervous, replied, “Father, I just received this information. It comes from an official report in China. We only became aware of it after it was released on American media, and the report didn’t provide any details on how the Sifang Baozhuan got back. I don’t know how it returned, but it has indeed made its way back…”
Howard, still fuming, shouted, “Go! File a protest at the Chinese Embassy in the United States! Tell them that the Sifang Baozhuan is personal property of the Rothschild family and demand its immediate return!”
He continued, “Don’t wait for their reply! Call your eldest brother right now and have him organize a team to go to China. Get the best lawyers in the United States involved, and negotiate with them when you arrive. If that doesn’t work, sue them! I don’t care what it takes; the Sifang Baozhuang must come back to me!”
David, looking embarrassed, responded, “Father… China has revealed the history of the Sifang Baozhuang, discussing the First Opium War, the Second Opium War, and the Eight-Power Allied Forces. The whole world knows that it was taken back by the Western world along with millions of Chinese cultural treasures. If we try to negotiate with China now, demanding the return of the Sifang Pagoda, it won’t hold up legally or ethically…”
“Public opinion?” Howard retorted angrily. “What does public opinion matter? It’s been two hundred years! When Queen Victoria declared it was ‘for the benefit of Britain’, the British army invaded to control opium sellers. We merely followed their lead to recover remnants, and she faced no consequences. What public opinion are you talking about? If someone were to rob the British Museum and return the items to their origin, Britain would shamelessly demand them back!”
As his tirade continued, Howard pointed out, “The diamond on the British King’s scepter was cut from the Star of Africa! That diamond originated from South Africa! Edward VII took it, sliced it into dozens of pieces, and incorporated them into his own jewels. How can he justify that? Why can’t he return the diamonds to South Africa? They pillaged entire museums and palaces, yet it’s perfectly fine. Our ancestors fought hard to bring back the Sifang Baozhuang from China, and after keeping it for two centuries, you think they can just return it? Did I ever agree to that?!”
David, steeling himself, explained, “Father, South Africa was a British colony at that time. According to the international legal standards, anything in the colony belonged to the mother country. Even the people were considered the property of the mother country. So, even if Edward VII took all the diamonds from South Africa, he technically broke no laws. It’s a matter of historical context.”
He added, “Our situation is different! While China was invaded by the West, it was never a colony. What belonged to them was rightfully theirs. To be blunt, our ancestors took it. If we approach them now to negotiate, we’ll have no standing. We won’t just fail to retrieve the items, but we’ll also face a global backlash on social media. Isn’t that just a case of losing everything while trying to steal a little?”