Chapter 180 If someone treats me with respect, I will treat them with even greater respect.

The unfinished porcelain was half-dried, and a faint, earthy smell lingered in the nostrils. The wrist bones were slightly taut, like a bowstring poised to unleash its power.

"Shh...shh..."

With a soft sound, the copper-tipped knife emitted a faint light, carving out wispy, winding lines on the clay model.

Lin Sicheng was very casual, without any background or design, he just picked up the knife and started scribbling. Like a child's scribbles, he scribbled freely.

But the lines drawn by Goujin are incredibly neat.

The semi-dry clay dust fell off with a "rustling" sound, and the pattern on the porcelain blank gradually took shape: one petal, two petals, three petals... flowers bloom in wealth and prosperity, splendid peonies!

A true expert's skill is immediately apparent.

Judging by this engraving skill alone, how does it compare to Wang Hong, who graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts and is a professional artist?

The key is that it is exactly the same as measured with a ruler: in the four sets of patterns, every petal and leaf is the same size, and every stem is the same thickness and shade.

And it looks so familiar?

Several sculptors paused, then slowly turned around and stared at the test firing workshop separated by a wall: wasn't this the plum vase with peony scroll pattern that they had been carving for almost three days and had just sent into the electric kiln?

Even if you use a computer to copy or a laser scanner, this is probably the best you can do.

How long did they hook up back then?

Half a day.

How long did it take Lin Sicheng?

At this speed, it probably won't even take half an hour...

Liu Dong put down his teacup, his face gradually darkening. Wang Hong looked on with curiosity, her eyes blinking.

Sometimes I glance at Lin Sicheng's face, sometimes at the carving knife in his hand, and sometimes at the porcelain body: a man of profound wisdom, pretending to be weak while actually being strong.

I misjudged it...

Before I knew it, the four peony scrolls had taken shape, and the banana leaf patterns on the shoulder and bottom of the bottle were even faster, taking less than five minutes.

Lin Sicheng held the knife between his fingers and turned the base of the knife again: "The double-outline method in traditional Chinese painting involves two steps: outlining and filling, which means filling the lines with ink... But when applied to carving, it is the opposite, namely, removing the background and leaving only the outline of the decoration..."

"This technique originated from the Yue kiln (Zhejiang), which began carving the body of kilns during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Later, the Yue kiln technique spread northward, leading to the Xing kiln in Hebei, the Yaozhou kiln in Shaanxi, and the Ding kiln, which inherited from the Xing kiln... Therefore, the line engraving knife of the Ding kiln, the deep carving of the Yue kiln, and the double-knife method of the Yaozhou kiln are actually of the same lineage..."

“We’ll start with the Ding kiln’s engraving knife… The process of this knife technique is relatively complex, but it also has many limitations: the initial body is extremely thick, and the knife goes very deep… First, we carve a high relief, then we trim the body, and then refine it to create a low relief effect.”

"This is because the Ding kiln's steamed bun kiln has a small capacity. In order to increase firing efficiency and quantity, the overlay firing method was invented: the high temperature causes the gas generated inside to be unable to escape, which will cause the cavity to expand. Therefore, the depth of the knife is required to be extremely precise, otherwise cracking will occur..."

“But our Yaozhou porcelain uses horseshoe kilns, which have enough internal space to avoid the overlay firing method, so we don’t need such a complicated carving technique. If you insist on using it, then it’s unnecessary…”

"Ha ha……"

Someone chuckled, and Liu Dong glared at them fiercely.

Doesn't he know it's unnecessary?

Of course he knew, and he knew Lin Sicheng knew too. So, having already done it, why be afraid of what others might say?

Liu Dong snorted.

"Of course, everything that exists has its reason: the overall carving style of Ding kiln workers is not applicable to Yaozhou kiln, but the details can be referenced: for example, the combination of carving and incising, and the combination of main and auxiliary lines..."

"Secondly, the gradual changes in the depth of the carved body of Ding ware, resulting in light and shadow contrasts caused by the glaze accumulation at the tool marks, as well as the filling of patterns by combining printing and carving, are all of great reference value..."

Lin Sicheng proceeded methodically, explaining as he carved.

At first, many people were joking, thinking that this kid was really brave. But then they corrected them: "He's only been watching for three days, and he dares to show off to them?"

If you're only talking about Ding ware, that's fine, although I have some systematic understanding, it's relatively limited. But if you're talking about Yaozhou ware, isn't that like showing off your limited skills before an expert?

But gradually, their smiles faded: they didn't know how deep Lin Sicheng's understanding of Yaozhou porcelain was. But at this moment, his use of the Ding kiln knife was truly excellent.

First, it's fast, and not just fast, but even faster than when drawing patterns: one cut produces a layer of mud, there's never a missed cut.

It remains extremely accurate; with a simple, effortless cut, the depth is controlled to the millimeter level, with a perfect accuracy of 0.1 mm.

The key point is that he remained as casual as ever, showing no signs of seriousness or focus. He even spoke while carving, yet still did it effortlessly and with ease.

Are you no longer a master or not? Are you no longer showing off your limited skills?

Come on, if you're so capable, come and teach me a class...

Liu Dong was the same; although he didn't look too good at first, he was basically in a "let's see what tricks you can pull" mentality.

But as Lin Sicheng's cuts became faster and more precise, his dark face gradually froze: the line engraving technique of Ding ware.

I only saw him engraving... lines.

Throughout the entire process, Lin Sicheng used only one knife: this knife was used to carve the background, to cut the lace, and to draw the veins and petals of the leaves.

And what did they use the day before yesterday?

Besides knives, there are needles, and even bamboo skewers and bamboo brushes.

So this is a knife, not a pen... Not only does he not know how to carve like this, even Director Meng has never used it before.

To use an analogy, it's like Lin Sicheng hugging a tree stump to write in the "Slender Gold" style of calligraphy, making the characters as thick or as thin as he wanted...

Just as he was wondering what was going on, Lin Sicheng stopped cutting and turned the chassis around.

At first glance, the patterns are angular, rugged, strong, heavy, and sturdy. But in the details, the branches intertwine, with a good balance of density and sparseness, and the patterns are dense yet orderly, full but not chaotic.

Especially the leaf veins and petals drawn with the tip of a knife, as fine as hair, with varying shades and distinct layers.

Is it finished engraving?

A group of sculptors stared at the wall clock, speechless with astonishment: an hour of carving and engraving?

The day before yesterday, they carved for a whole day.

If we disregard speed and compare the finished product's style and artistic effect... how the hell can we even compare them?

Wang Hong felt the most pain, as if her face had been burned.

For three days in total, Lin Sicheng stood in front of her control panel. He seemed carefree and leisurely, and often drifted off into daydreams.

Occasionally, she would even pout.

At the time, she thought: With this mentality, how can you learn the skills? Let alone if it's fake, even if you showed a real Yaozhou craft, how much could you learn?

But looking back now, he's more capable than I am of anything.

Honestly, even if she put her heart into it, she could only carve about a third of the time it took Lin Sicheng to carve a single unglazed piece. And speed was secondary: if you took out the plum vase she had just sent into the kiln, anyone with a little knowledge could tell the difference in quality.

Upon closer reflection, those few times he pursed his lips were clearly because he was momentarily distracted and unconsciously used the Yaozhou porcelain double-knife technique.

Taking Yaozhou-style Ding kiln porcelain and carving it is just a mishmash, neither fish nor fowl.

Wang Hong could understand it, and Liu Dong understood it even better. Therefore, Lin Sicheng wasn't there to give a summary, but rather to teach him a lesson.

If Lin Sicheng doesn't understand, or doesn't understand much, then it doesn't matter. But what if he doesn't just understand in a normal way?

Liu Dong felt that his behavior over the past twenty days had made him look like a clown.

But it doesn't matter, as long as the technology isn't leaked, the clown is the clown.

He exhaled and watched coldly.

But suddenly, Lin Sicheng went down.

The blade plunged into the mud with a "whoosh," as if a painting had been torn in half, revealing a long, exquisite piece of the peony scroll.

Then, one cut after another, one cut after another.

The group of people looked at each other in bewilderment: It was carved so well, why cut it off?

As if knowing what they were thinking, Lin Sicheng even went out of his way to explain: "Regardless of whether the carving is good or not, a body that is a full centimeter thick will definitely not turn into a bottle when fired, but into a vat."

"So on the second day, the teachers started refining the shape again, which was like carving it all over again... Actually, it didn't have to be that complicated. Even if three millimeters were shaved off for every centimeter, there were still seven millimeters left, which meant it could be recarved at least twice more..."

Suddenly, it wasn't just Wang Hong who felt her face burning; everyone except Liu Dong felt embarrassed.

His words were not harsh, his tone was gentle, and his expression was calm; Lin Sicheng even had a smile on his face. But every word felt like a knife stabbing into the hearts of the group of sculptors.

Didn't they know that it's easier to cut and recarve than to make adjustments on an already carved blank?

Of course I know, but who else can say, like Lin Sicheng, that if the knife is three millimeters deep, then the design must be three millimeters deep? And that if he says he can cut off only three millimeters with one stroke, then he can cut off exactly three millimeters?

So this isn't a summary, it's a show of force directed at their faces.

But I can't get angry: it doesn't matter if my skills are inferior to others, I can only blame myself for not being quick to understand and not being proficient enough.

But if you're less skilled than others, and you try to show off your mediocre skills in front of experts, don't blame them for cursing you without using any vulgar language: "Dear teachers, it doesn't have to be so complicated. Seven millimeters is enough to re-carve at least twice..."

But what am I supposed to carve? If I had that skill, would I be sitting here?

They could even imagine what Lin Sicheng would do next: show them how to carve the deep carvings of Yue ware.

As expected, Lin Sicheng stabilized the situation and made another move.

The process remains the same: first outline, then carve, explaining as one goes.

"Carving the deep carvings of Yue ware onto the base of Dingzhou ware is actually quite difficult. So I sincerely admire all the teachers... but it's not very practical, so I'll skip it and just look at the deep carvings..."

The faces of all the sculptors burned even more, but in a short while, Lin Sicheng had already finished drawing the outline.

It's still peony, still the intertwined vine pattern, still the banana leaf border.

But faster, faster than before. It was as if there were countless invisible lines on the empty vessel, and Lin Sicheng was simply tracing them.

The pattern gradually took shape, and upon closer comparison, it seemed to be no different from the layer that had been shaved off before.

Whether it's Wang Hong, who has superior skills, or the others whose skills are just average, they don't know how to complain anymore: anyway, even if you add them all up, they're not as good as Lin Sicheng.

After a few quick strokes, Lin Sicheng began carving, still making a scratching sound, the clay residue on the turntable growing thicker and thicker:

"The deep carving technique of Yue ware originated from the gold and silver inlay of the pre-Qin and Warring States periods: that is, using a vertical deep knife to remove the clay outside the decoration to form a sloping surface... The characteristics are deep and sharp knife work and strong three-dimensional effect."

Later, it was inherited from Ding kiln, giving rise to the line engraving technique, characterized by the use of both carving and drawing, with gradual changes in depth. Simultaneously, it was inherited from Yaozhou kiln, giving rise to the double-knife technique… its characteristics became even more pronounced: shallow relief gradually changing layers to form deep relief, with strong and sharp lines…

"Therefore, in terms of lineage, Yaozhou ware is closer to Yue ware: both are thin-walled, both are deeply carved, both use straight knives to carve deep, and both carve the ground at an angle..."

"But the differences are also significant: Yue ware is high relief, with sharp edges and corners, which, while giving it a stronger three-dimensional feel, lacks roundness. Yaozhou ware, on the other hand, is deep relief, which involves first making a single side cut (45-degree angled cut), then making two straight cuts (vertical cut)..."

To put it simply: based on the shallow relief of Dingzhou porcelain, the high relief technique of Yue ware, which involves carving the ground at an angle, is used to create a gradual layering: that is, the new Yaozhou porcelain deep relief...

Because the engravings vary in depth: deeper areas accumulate more glaze, resulting in a darker color, while shallower areas accumulate less glaze, resulting in a lighter color... It is precisely this color-changing effect that creates the unique gloss and shadow effect of Yaozhou celadon..."

Lin Sicheng spoke calmly and casually, but the brows of the group of people furrowed more and more deeply.

The previous shock, astonishment, and embarrassment all turned into doubt: they certainly understood the principle, but not too much, because that was exactly what they were studying.

Even Wang Hong, who has been studying for the shortest time, has been studying for seven years.

But the question is, why does Lin Sicheng know so much about this?

Single-blade side entry, double-blade front entry, carving at an angle, shallow relief with subtle variations in layers, thus becoming deep relief... These few words encapsulate the essence and core of Yaozhou kiln carving.

The effects of light and shadow, such as those created by the depth of the glaze, are hardly secret; they are mentioned in ancient texts.

Knowing is one thing, but even if you tell him to his face what the core technology of Yaozhou porcelain is, he'll at most know the "what" but not the "why." And if you ask him to carve it, he might as well not even be able to carve a hammer.

But they felt that Lin Sicheng would.

Because the core technology of the new Yaozhou porcelain created by Director Meng, namely the carving method, is based on the Yue kiln's method of carving the ground at an angle and incorporates the Ding kiln's method of varying depths.

Just those eight words he said: "Single-handed side entry, double-handed front entry."

However, fewer words do not mean that the craftsmanship is not complicated: you can either learn the Yaozhou craft directly from Director Meng, or learn the Ding kiln craft and the Yue kiln craft, and then integrate them.

The problem is, how easy is it to learn?

As for the Ding kiln, that's fine; the technology has been restored, the kiln has been rebuilt, there's available documentation, and materials are available. Even if it costs a little more, there should be someone to teach them.

But Yue ware only involves techniques; if you want to learn, you have to figure it out yourself. This isn't like a subject you can memorize by rote, where a good memory is enough. It's a craft; you have to practice again and again, trying and failing repeatedly.

Moreover, since there are no modern imitations, we can only use genuine Yue glaze celadon as samples and materials, and slowly explore by comparison.

But those things cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars each; even a shard of porcelain can fetch tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram. So, it's not just a matter of extremely high comprehension and how much time it takes, but also a massive amount of money.

How did Lin Sicheng learn it?

I don't know. But at least they know that if they can learn the craft of Ding kiln workers, and even Yue kiln workers, then learning the craft of Yaozhou kiln workers will be a natural progression.

At least, there are plenty of sample materials, and they're incredibly cheap: a cheap one costs a little over a hundred yuan, while a good one only costs a little over a thousand yuan...

For a moment, the group of people looked at each other, some even at a loss.

Liu Dong's face looked as if it had been painted, turning red, then green, then white.

But then again, if he already knows how, why bother spending time and money to come all the way here to learn?

He even suffered twenty days of humiliation.

So, it definitely won't happen yet...

Lost in random guesses, another hour passed without me even realizing it.

It's still that same unglazed vessel, still with the peony vine pattern, still in the same position, and with the same shape.

However, the visual experience is completely different: the patterns are angular and more three-dimensional... Yue ware is deeply carved and high-relief.

Upon closer comparison, what are the differences between this batch and the batch that was just sent into the kiln?

Besides being better carved, the lines are also smoother...

While they remained silent, Lin Sicheng took a step back, examined them briefly, and nodded again: "Not bad!"

Then, he moved forward again and made a "whoosh" cut... just like before, as if a piece of exquisite paper had been torn off.

But a group of sculptors' eyelids twitched simultaneously: Why did he cut it?

Of course, it needs to be re-engraved.

But if he were to recarve it, what else could he carve besides the Yaozhou style?

In a moment of surprise and doubt, Lin Sicheng made dozens of cuts in the blink of an eye, and then slightly adjusted them to smooth out the bottle body.

Then he sprayed some water to soften the slightly dry tire, and then picked up the two swords.

The tip of the left knife pierced the clay body, and with a "sizzle," an arc was cut into the clay. With another "sizzle," the arc transformed into a crescent-shaped groove.

Two more cuts on the other side, and then two more cuts in the middle, and a lifelike peony flower and leaf came into view.

Liu Dong's face stopped changing, but it was deathly pale. His mind was completely blank, as if it had been licked by a dog.

There was only one thought in my mind: Why does he know that? Who did he learn it from? Who did he learn it from?

If you already know how, then why the hell are you even learning it?

At first, Shang Yan was completely confused: because Lin Sicheng had clearly stated that due to the scarcity of documents, Director Meng's restoration of Yaozhou porcelain techniques could not be considered a complete restoration, at least the engraving was not perfect.

It was only half restored, but innovative techniques were incorporated. However, the effect was excellent, perfectly restoring the visual effect of Yaozhou ancient celadon, which uses "different shades of glaze to create color differences and present a contrast of light and dark."

But Lin Sicheng didn't know which law was being restored, which part was being innovated, or what the key technologies were.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have made a special trip and stayed for twenty days.

Since you don't know, then of course you won't. But you've carved it into a plain piece; what are you trying to carve?

But when Shang Yan saw Lin Sicheng holding two knives and naturally carving out the first flower petal, then taking a step back and examining it with his chin in his hand, she was both surprised and doubtful, and also full of admiration.

Do you think he's admiring you?

With just the first cut, what can he appreciate? He's comparing: whether the depth of the cut is appropriate, whether the angle is off, the layers revealed by the variations in the depth of the cut, and whether it can create color differences in the glaze.

In layman's terms: He's learning this on the spot.

Therefore, Lin Sicheng really did summarize on the spot: since the laboratory had already been handed over, if he didn't summarize here, he would have to go back to Xi'an to summarize.

But a day can go by in a day, so how much will you remember when you get back?

Even now, as he's engraving, he's explaining it all to reinforce his memory. The reason for recording the video and having Li Zhen and Sun Le record it simultaneously is also to prevent the memory from becoming blurred if it drags on for too long.

Therefore, it was not at all what Liu Dong and the others thought, that "Lin Sicheng was lecturing them," "broadening their horizons," "teaching them a lesson," "showing them off," etc.

Of course, this effect did occur, but it was only incidental and not Lin Sicheng's intention.

Looking at Liu Dong's grief-stricken face, Shang Yan was 99% certain that Lin Sicheng was using the same technique that Director Meng had partially restored and innovated, which was then used to apply for intangible cultural heritage status.

Otherwise, his face wouldn't look so terrible, like he'd eaten shit.

But why am I so happy?

Shang Yan grinned, a silent laugh. After laughing for a while, she suddenly realized: last night, when Lin Sicheng was reviewing the events, he was still carving Yue kiln craftsmen.

While carving, he muttered to himself: "Why would a sculptor of Yaozhou porcelain learn the carving techniques of Ding kiln and Yue kiln, and yet carve so well?"

Just one night later, he suddenly broke through the barrier: Director Meng's innovative technique was to combine the two.

How was it broken?

Nine times out of ten, it was when these technicians were repairing the tire again in the morning that Lin Sicheng had a flash of inspiration, and the clouds parted to reveal the sky.

It could be something else, but it doesn't matter.

The important thing is that this trip wasn't in vain, and the humiliation I endured for the past twenty days wasn't for nothing—that's enough...

Shang Yan grinned again.

Overjoyed and unable to contain his excitement, Lin Sicheng sped up.

It was slower than the previous two times, and I would stop every now and then to examine it or to recall something.

But compared to the other sculptors present, they were still much faster.

The knife cuts were still steady and precise, in the same position as before, still with the same peony scroll pattern.

Gradually, the rustling sound became more frequent, and the bottle gradually took shape.

The tire debris on the turntable accumulated thicker and thicker. As the moisture evaporated, it became increasingly white, just like the complexions of the people present.

My mood has been like a rollercoaster ride. In just half a day, I went from initial disdain to astonishment, then to extreme shock, then to extreme doubt, and now to despair.

After so many years of research, they wouldn't lie through their teeth: this is a genuine Yaozhou artifact.

If a comparison must be made: even Wang Hong, who has the highest technical skill level among them, is still far behind. At least Wang Hong cannot carve a one-centimeter-long unglazed piece three times and then carve it three times.

If we compare him to Director Meng, even if he's a little less capable, it doesn't seem like there's much difference.

Therefore, Liu Dong's scheming was almost malicious and despicable, just like performing a monkey show.

But that doesn't make sense: if you already know it, why are you learning it?

The more crucial question is: how did this happen?

He had never even met Director Meng...

They couldn't understand it, and Liu Dong was even more baffled. His brain seemed to have turned into a broken record: who did he learn it from? How did he learn it… He thought about it over and over again, repeating it over and over…

He was even somewhat delirious: this was something he was proud of, something he considered his lifelong pride.

He cherished it like a treasure, guarded it with utmost care, and kept it under strict surveillance... But then one day, someone effortlessly produced a piece, its skill almost comparable to that of his idolized teacher? And, this person was only in their early twenties...

Even more shockingly, in front of everyone in the hall, the core technology of Yaozhou porcelain was revealed. How will he understand, accept, and protect it in the future?

What does twenty years of hard work amount to?

I'm so upset...

For a moment, the research lab was eerily quiet. Apart from the sharp sound of the blade cutting through the mud, there was no other noise.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Sicheng turned the chassis and took a step back.

Everyone was stunned: It's finished?

It's definitely finished. It's a plum vase with a double-knife carving technique from Yaozhou porcelain, featuring a scrolling floral pattern.

Simply apply a glaze, then put it in the kiln, and a masterpiece is born...

Liu Dong suddenly snapped out of his daze and asked, "Where did you learn that from?"

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment, and was about to say something when Shang Yan shouted angrily, "Bullshit!"

Liu Dong's previously pale face suddenly flushed red, his lips moved as if he was about to retort, but Shang Yan's mouth fired like a machine gun:

"I've taught for half my life and studied porcelain for the other half. What kind of people haven't I seen? But I've never seen anyone as disgusting as you. You can only copy when you're looking up some ordinary information, and then you have to check it after you're done?"

"They call it observation and learning, but all you can do is watch; you can't even ask questions... Minister Liu, could you be any more disgusting? How can you learn anything like this... Come on, show me something!"

"And another thing, are you blind? What did Lin Sicheng carve first? Ding kiln craftsman? And what did he carve next? Yue kiln craftsman... Isn't this also your innovation? As long as someone can carve, it's like they stole it from you?"

"Lin Sicheng even explained it to you very clearly: on the basis of Dingzhou shallow relief, the Yue kiln high relief technique of carving the ground at an angle is used to form a gradual layer: that is, the new Yaozhou porcelain deep relief..."

"So, are you deaf or just pretending not to understand? Your so-called innovative technologies are nothing more than integration technologies. Are you the only ones who can integrate, and others can't?"

Like a sudden gust of wind, the words came crashing down on him. Liu Dong couldn't even find a moment to interrupt, let alone retaliate.

Everyone, including Lin Sicheng, Li Zhen, and Zhang Feng, who had been hiding in the corner and pretending to be invisible, was dumbfounded.

This mouth... is this the teacher's mouth?

Liu Dong's face turned as red as a pig's liver. It took him a long time to come to his senses. Just as he was about to say something, Lin Sicheng tapped the table: "Minister Liu, the Northern Song Dynasty's 'Stele of Marquis Deying' records:"

(Yaozhou porcelain) The straight cuts are deep and the slanted cuts are sharp, as skillful as casting gold and as exquisite as carving jade... The patterns are carved as if they were cut, which is called "two-cut clay" or "half-cut clay"... What is "two-cut"? One straight and one slanted. What is "half-cut"? The blade is halfway in, and every cut reveals the clay...

"Lu You of the Southern Song Dynasty wrote in his 'Notes from the Old Study': Yaozhou produces celadon ware, called Yue ware, which seems to be similar to the secret-color ware of Yuyao..."

"Minister Liu, think back carefully... So, it's really not a matter of stealing knowledge!"

Liu Dong was shocked and leaned back violently.

What are we reminiscing about?

Of course, it refers to the carving technique Lin Sicheng used on his last attempt: a straight cut to deeply penetrate, a slanted cut to shave the ground, the tip of the blade halfway in, and every cut reaching the mud.

More importantly, the Porcelain Research Institute is still in the research and restoration stage, and has only completed half of the research...

His eyes suddenly turned red, and Liu Dong's voice was hoarse: "Where did you learn that?"

No...isn't that clear enough?

Lin Sicheng sighed: "The Stele of the Marquis of Deying, Notes from the Old Study..."

In fact, Lu You also said: "However, it looks extremely rough and unsightly, but restaurants use it because it is durable."

It means that it wasn't aesthetically pleasing and was only used by those at the bottom of society. However, this was because years of war had caused many old kiln workers to die or flee, resulting in the loss of the Yao porcelain technique from the Jin Dynasty and a break in the lineage of personnel.

After that, when the kiln was reopened for firing, we had to start from scratch and trace back to the source: based on the Yue kiln technique, we imitated instead of researched.

But technology isn't something you can trace back to its source just by looking at it, which is why the finished product is of poor quality.

Just then, that morning, Minister Liu recited the glaze he had mixed, and it was this very type.

Lin Sicheng thought: It's one thing to know how to carve Yue ware, but why do they also know so thoroughly about the celadon glaze of Yao kiln from the Jin and Yuan periods that imitated Yue ware but ended up with a mess?

Then, a flash of inspiration...

With a sigh, Lin Sicheng took off his gloves, took the towel Li Zhen handed him, and carefully wiped his hands.

"Minister Liu, do you remember when we first met, I handed over the study tour plan, which included a part about subsequent technical exchanges?"

Liu Dong didn't speak, but his expression changed slightly.

"You surely remember that I wrote it very clearly above: As an exchange, after this study is completed, Xida... well, let me be more precise: after this study is completed, our studio can jointly study Yaozhou porcelain's secret-color glaze: tea dust glaze with the Porcelain Research Institute..."

"But you kept it so secret that I had no idea you had only just started trying it out, and hadn't even made any progress... So you assumed I was just spouting nonsense and that I could brag without paying taxes... That's why you thought I was here to steal your technology..."

Lin Sicheng paused, then laughed self-deprecatingly: "It's my fault, the background check wasn't thorough enough... But Minister Liu, even the most core technology shouldn't be so low as to be stolen..."

Liu Dong finally couldn't hold back: "How did you know we've only just started trying it?"

"Black clay, kaolin, potassium feldspar, quartz, red clay, agate powder, wood ash... even tea water..."

Lin Sicheng pointed to the glaze materials on the long table, and when he mentioned tea, he suddenly smiled: "To believe everything in books is worse than having no books at all... Well then, let's give it a try!"

As he spoke, he walked over.

Liu Dong was taken aback, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty.

Will he be able to make tea dust glaze?

The other sculptors' eyes lit up, and they all swarmed around it.

Shang Yan's expression changed, and she was about to say something when she subconsciously stopped. Involuntarily, she recalled Wang Qizhi's words:

Professor Shang, calm down... Lin Sicheng is my student, don't I know his personality?

If someone treats me with respect, I will treat them with even greater respect... In Lin Sicheng's dictionary, there is absolutely no reason to swallow one's anger after suffering a loss.

Thinking to herself, Shang Yan took a breath: Okay, I'll stay calm...