When Xu Mo took out the ancient small box from the safe, the Redology experts in the office were completely exhilarated.
"This carving, this craftsmanship—it’s unmistakably from the late Ming to early Qing dynasty!"
"Young friend, open it quickly! Let me see it right away!"
"I never thought these old bones of mine would live to see the content of the last forty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber*... It’s worth it, this lifetime is worth it!"
"Hahaha, I can die in peace now!"
Although these Redology experts were all thinking that they might have the chance to see this undoubted cultural treasure in their lifetime, and even if they died, they could rest in peace, their faces visibly brightened, as if they had regained a decade of youth.
In front of the experts, Xu Mo opened the quaint little box, put on gloves, and carefully took out a stack of slightly yellowed rice paper, placing it gently on the coffee table.
Even though Xu Mo handled these century-old treasures with such care, the experts still held their breath, fearing that any rough movement might damage this priceless artifact.
After Xu Mo brought out the rice paper, the experts quickly put on gloves and reading glasses, crowding around to examine it closely.
They had already seen the content of the rice paper in photographs, but now they wanted to experience the treasure up close and personally verify its authenticity.
After a thorough appraisal, they reached a conclusion: the content of the last forty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber* in Xu Mo’s possession was genuine!
For a long time, Redology had been divided into several schools of thought, each holding its own theories and speculations about the missing final forty chapters. But now, with the content revealed, there was nothing left to argue about.
Redology was about to undergo a major reshuffle!
The experts immediately launched into a heated discussion about how to make the content of the last forty chapters public.
"What are we waiting for? Contact the publishers right away and get it published! At the same time, hold a press conference and invite Xu Mo to join us in announcing this great news to the nation."
"No, no, I don’t think that’s appropriate. I’ve read part of the content on my way here, and some of it isn’t suitable for public release."
"Not suitable? This is a literary work, and literature has always been controversial. I don’t think it’s a big deal!"
"Exactly, and this is a cultural treasure that belongs to all people. I think it’s essential to make it public!"
"..."
At that moment, Han Fei’s father-in-law stepped forward.
"Stop arguing... Whether or not to make it public isn’t up to us. I think we should ask Xu Mo for his opinion. After all, this is his family heirloom."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone’s eyes turned to Xu Mo.
As for whether to make it public, Xu Mo didn’t mind either way, but he leaned more toward sharing this cultural treasure with the world.
"I agree with making it public. Something good shouldn’t be buried."
"Right! That’s exactly what I think!" an elderly man with white hair exclaimed excitedly. "However, some parts of the last forty chapters aren’t suitable for public release. I think we need to revise and discuss the final version before publishing."
This suggestion was almost unanimously agreed upon by the experts.
Making it public was a must.
After all, this was a cultural treasure that belonged to all people.
As for the parts of the last forty chapters that weren’t suitable for public release, they could be slightly modified—it wasn’t a big deal.
Literary works often need revisions; it’s normal for them not to be published in their raw form.
As for who would handle the revisions, it would naturally be these experts. They had spent their entire lives studying *Dream of the Red Chamber*, and no one understood it better than they did. It was only fitting that they would discuss and revise the final version for publication.
The group decided to announce the joyous news of the discovery of the last forty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber* to the nation as soon as possible.
However, the content wouldn’t be published immediately. The experts needed time to discuss, organize, and revise it before contacting publishers for release.
Of course, before that, they had to ensure that the original content of *Dream of the Red Chamber* wouldn’t be leaked.
The content of the last forty chapters hadn’t been widely disseminated.
Although Xu Mo had already displayed it in his private museum, only the box containing the rice paper and the first page of the content had been shown. The rest of the content hadn’t been revealed.
The only people who knew the full content of the last forty chapters were Xu Mo, Han Fei, and the experts present.
Leakage was impossible.
Xu Mo and Han Fei were police officers, and they were tight-lipped. They wouldn’t spread the information carelessly. As for the experts, they were even more reliable.
At that moment, their minds were entirely focused on *Dream of the Red Chamber*. If conditions allowed, they wouldn’t even leave the office, nor would they waste time checking their phones. There was no chance of the information leaking.
After finalizing their plans, the group immediately contacted major media platforms and held a press conference.
When the news of the discovery of the last forty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber* broke, the media world exploded. Reporters from all over rushed to the private museum.
Even state media was stirred by the news.
...
That evening, led by state media, outlets of all sizes published the earth-shattering news.
"Breaking News! The Original Content of the Last Forty Chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber* Has Been Discovered!"
Under the overwhelming coverage of the media, the news instantly went viral.
"Holy cow! The original last forty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber* have been found? I thought they were lost forever! Who’s the genius behind this discovery?"
"What *Dream of the Red Chamber*? The last forty chapters were lost? I remember reading the ending. Am I misremembering?"
"You read the ending, but it wasn’t the original one. It was Gao E’s continuation. That’s not the same!"
"When will the original content be released? I can’t wait to read it!"
"..."
After the news had time to spread, the press conference took place as scheduled.
Major media platforms livestreamed the event.
The most popular was the official livestream.
The number of viewers in the livestream changed almost every second.
Within less than a minute, the viewership soared to ten million and continued to climb.
At the press conference, Xu Mo, alongside a group of Redology experts, presented the ancient wooden box containing the last forty chapters of *Dream of the Red Chamber* in front of the cameras, confirming the news to the public.
Once again, the entire internet erupted in excitement...