Come Back
Yenching University Mathematics Building.
Shen Qi had a cordial conversation with Dean Wang, Professor Nian Ruiming, Professor Sun Erxiong, Professor Lu Guozhen, and others.
Nian Ruiming, the former editor-in-chief and now a key member of the School of Mathematical Sciences, laughed and said, "Shen Qi, when you were studying at Yenching University, I published two papers in the Top Four Journals. After you returned to Yenching University with your PhD from Princeton, I still published two papers in the Top Four Journals. But you have already published four papers in the Top Four Journals, one in each, treating everyone equally."
"Professor Nian, you know how addictive it is to study the Big Four accounting firms." Shen Qi used to admire Nian Ruiming, but now the two are on equal footing.
Shen Qi's mentor, Sun Erxiong, looked at Dean Wang and said, "Dean Wang, one paper published in one of the Top Four Journals can get you an Associate Professor at Yenching University, two papers can get you a professorship. Shen Qi has published four papers, what kind of title can we give him?"
Dean Wang immediately made the decision. "If Shen Qi returns to work at the Big Mathematics Department at Yenching University, he won't need to go through the lecturer and Associate Professor; he'll be promoted directly to professor."
Professor Lu particularly agreed, "Shen Qi, if you return to China through the 'Thousand Talents Program,' the country will provide housing and funding to solve all your problems. With your tremendous achievements, you'll immediately become an 'Outstanding Youth,' and you'll be directly in charge of major national science and technology projects, the 863 Program, the 973 Program, and National Science Foundation Project."
Professor Nian suggested, "The country attaches great importance to high-end scientific research talents and offers them very preferential policies. Shen Qi, don't hesitate, hurry back to Yanda University."
"I will definitely go back to China; my roots are in China," Shen Qi said confidently, adding, "But not so soon, at least two or three years from now."
"That's true. Princeton's math professors have prestigious titles and Shen Qi reputations. If you become a professor at Princeton and are then recruited back to China, your status will be completely different. Yenching University welcomes you back anytime and will offer you the best possible treatment. Of course, the choice is yours; follow your heart." Dean Wang hoped that Shen Qi could return to his alma mater, Yenching University, to make the most of his talents.
Shen Qi either stays abroad indefinitely, or if he returns to China but doesn't teach or conduct research at Yenching University, Yenching University will sever ties with him.
A special academic seminar on "Riemann Hypothesis and the RT Third Expression" was held later. Elite scholars from the Big Mathematics Department at Yenching University came out in droves to discuss with Shen Qi how to solve the follow-up problem of the RT Third Expression.
After the main conference, a smaller meeting was held. The four academicians of the School of the Big Mathematics Department —Wang, Lin, He, and Shang—gathered in one room. Their average age was over sixty. The four academicians were discussing important matters with a 22-year-old young man.
Only Academician Lin specializes in number theory, but Academicians Wang, He, and Shang are also mathematical masters of their generation. They offered valuable opinions and suggestions from their respective perspectives.
"Shen Qi, ever since you proved the Riemann Hypothesis and introduced the concept of the RT Third Expression, I have been studying your twin matching method and the theoretically existing third expression of RT." Academician Lin did not hold any specific position at Yenching University. The old man rode a broken bicycle around the Zhongguancun area all day. He loved playing chess, but this academician of mathematics was only so-so at chess, losing more often than winning.
"Academician Lin, I would like to hear more about it." Shen Qi humbly asked for advice. He believed that Academician Lin must have valuable experience in number theory.
Academician Lin wrote an expression on the blackboard and said, "I derived this expression, where s is a variable, and a complex variable. We can clearly know that at the zero point, this expression is obtained entirely through the transformation of the entire function ξ(s), and it is still an entire function in form."
Shen Qi was skeptical. "According to Academician Lin's derivation, does the variable's' in this formula still have the right to traverse any position on the complex plane?"
"Shen Qi is indeed a prodigy." Academician Lin was quite pleased. At his level, there weren't many people who could understand him. "So we can imagine that, during the traversal of the complex plane, s happens to be exactly at a non-obvious zero point, that is, it coincides with that non-obvious zero point. It's not hard to deduce that the value of this expression is 0, and the RT Third Expression is proved."
"This... this is proof?" Shen Qi could hardly believe it. The problem that had troubled him for months had been solved so easily by Academician Lin?
"Old Lin, even I, a layman in number theory, can see that there are flaws in your logic." Dean Wang specializes in Harmonic Analysis, and his self-deprecating claim of being a layman in number theory is just that—a self-deprecating remark. He taught number theory when he was a lecturer.
"Old Wang, you really are a complete novice when it comes to number theory," Academician Lin, displeased.
"Old Lin, in the field of number theory in China, you and Old Wu are the top experts, the two giants of number theory in China, the Hua Luogeng and Chen Jingrun of our time. But are you getting senile? Stop playing chess with those amateurs under the overpass all day long. If you're going to play chess, then play chess. Old Lin, you are an academician, the most authoritative mathematical master. How come you can't beat them?" Dean Wang and Academician Lin have a very close personal relationship. These two old brothers have known each other since they were teenagers and have been dealing with each other their whole lives.
"When I play chess with ordinary people, I never use mathematical techniques. Playing chess is just a hobby of mine. What are you interfering with, Old Wang?"
"Playing chess with ordinary people has almost become your main job, Old Lin!"
Old Wang and Old Lin started bickering, and Shen Qi was getting impatient. "Dean Wang, Academician Lin, can we stop arguing? I think Academician Lin still has something to say about the RT Third Expression."
"Shen Qi, I love talking to you about serious matters. You're the smartest." Academician Lin ignored Dean Wang and said to Shen Qi with a kind expression, "Let's get back to the point. Continuing from last time, let's assume that the point belongs to the set {the non-obvious zeros of the ξ function}. According to the principle of 'Shen's twin matching method', then naturally the overall product value of this set must be 0."
"Academician Lin, but the problem is, since s has traversed to the two zeros of the k-th twin pair, then I and II are contradictory! That is to say, x equals βk, γ=γk, and x=1-βk, γ=-γk are difficult to rewrite as ordinary equations. The RT Third Expression has not been proven... Moreover, I don't think that the formula you wrote on the blackboard is the theoretical RT Third Expression." Shen Qi stared at the blackboard, his eyes fixed on it. "It's more like a... Lindelöf Hypothesis?"
"Shen Qi, your skepticism is commendable; these days, there aren't many young people who dare to question academicians." Academician Lin greatly admired Shen Qi, his wrinkles smoothing out with delight. "Yes, it is a variant of the Lindelöf Hypothesis. Personally, I believe that to obtain and prove the RT Third Expression, we must start with the variant of the Lindelöf Hypothesis. The RT Third Expression is no longer just a problem for you, Shen Qi; all of us mathematicians need to contribute our ideas. This is just my personal opinion for your reference."