Chapter 193 Two Broken Cups

As usual, the bonsai were placed in the exhibition hall, and Hao Jun accompanied the Chen siblings to the reception room.

Through the glass, the jade petals, as thin as cicada wings, shimmered with a cool, ethereal light. The bronze branches, gnarled and twisted, were arranged in a staggered pattern, while the enamel-painted porcelain basin was covered with distinctive ice-like patterns and delicate wisps.

The huge office, with about a dozen people, was unusually quiet.

Having studied cultural relics for half their lives, Lin Changqing and Shang Yan had never seen such an object before.

But they knew their stuff: it was a Qing Dynasty imperial collection, a royal artifact.

Wang Qizhi had seen it before, but this was the first time he had ever seen it in person, right in front of him, and able to touch it.

Shan Wangshu and Ye Anning had seen more of these, so they were even more shocked: what was the difference between this pot and the one displayed in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City?

The same base, the same bronze branches, the same petals. Including the two flowers under the tree, a few blades of grass, and three artificial stones.

Even the shape, size, color, and position of the ornaments are exactly the same... Is it really a case of one piece from the Palace Museum being my own?

Despite their extensive experience, Shan Wangshu and Ye Anning still found it somewhat unbelievable: this thing was no longer just valuable, nor was it a question of whether it was worth four or five million or six or seven million.

It is a rare find, something that can only be encountered by chance.

The two finally understood Jiang Yanfei and Lin Chengzhi's feelings: What did Lin Sicheng do to send such an expensive gift?

Instinctively, several pairs of eyes swept over Lin Sicheng before fixing on Wang Qizhi's face.

Forget about asking Lin Sicheng, because you simply won't get the truth from him. Even if you know he's lying with a straight face, you won't be able to find any evidence.

But the case isn't closed yet, so how could Wang Qizhi possibly tell the truth?

As the saying goes, "When you have too much debt, you don't have to worry," and "A dead pig isn't afraid of boiling water." He cleared his throat and said, "The fathers of those two are mine owners in Yulin. They are very rich and also love collecting things. Lin Sicheng has helped them look at their items a few times!"

Shan Wangshu and Ye Anning both curled their lips in unison: Another serious-sounding piece of nonsense?

That's a mine owner, not the emperor. He only looked at a few items, yet he's giving away such a treasure.

They discovered that Wang Qizhi hadn't taught Lin Sicheng much in a proper way, but he had picked up quite a few bad habits from him.

The two didn't ask any more questions, turned around and began to study the bonsai, and then whispered something to Jiang Yanfei and Lin Chengzhi.

The couple were stunned: This one piece is worth four of the previous pieces, and there might even be some left over.

Let's do the math. In just this short time, how much money has Lin Sicheng received in gifts? It's almost ten million.

They really didn't know what else to compare it to, and they felt completely dizzy.

As the group of people were stunned, another car drove in.

Lin Sicheng hadn't even settled into his seat, and had just picked up his teacup, when he had to stand up again.

Wang Qizhi also stood up, peering at the license plate through the window: "Passat, Xi'an license plate, who else did you invite?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: He basically didn't invite anyone, just Guan Xingmin and Hao Jun.

You can't not invite them: given the relationship, if you dare not invite these two, they'll curse you out.

But inexplicably, unexpected guests kept coming in waves.

As he was pondering this, Wang Qizhi paused for a moment, then exclaimed, "These two, are they here to cause trouble? How dare they bring just a flower basket?"

Lin Sicheng glanced over and was suddenly taken aback: Chen Peng and He Zhigang got out of the car, each carrying a flower basket, and walked over lightly and leisurely. Upon closer inspection, they realized that they didn't have any extra flowers in their hands.

But the issue wasn't whether or not they brought gifts, but rather what Wang Qizhi said: "Are these two here to cause trouble?"

It's no exaggeration, because those who cut the ribbon and spoke on stage today were only district-level leaders. These two are not only one level higher, but also the leading officials from the municipal bureau. If they just stood there in the audience, what would the higher-ups say?

We'll definitely have to invite them on stage, and we'll definitely need to add a couple more pairs of scissors, but all the procedures will be disrupted at once, and it'll definitely be a huge mess.

But it doesn't matter, as long as these two are in the town, no one will complain no matter how chaotic things get.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Let it be chaotic!"

To put it bluntly, these two came here to support him.

To put it bluntly: getting things done at the district or even city level usually requires seven-tenths of your effort. But just because these two people came and made their way around today, they probably won't even need five-tenths of your effort.

That saves a lot of trouble.

On the other hand, their arrival was indeed unexpected. But upon closer reflection, it makes perfect sense, and their reasons are far more compelling than those of Fang Jingxian, Gu Ming's prospective father-in-law, and Chen Daoqing and his sister.

Regarding Zhang Anshi's tomb robbery case, Lin Sicheng worked day and night for two whole months, neglecting sleep and meals, without complaint... If it weren't for him, He Zhigang might be looking after a cemetery somewhere now.

Chen Peng was even worse; Lin Sicheng took the fall for him so many times he couldn't be counted on one hand. Otherwise, he would have been sent to prison to watch over prisoners long ago.

If we make a comparison, Lin Sicheng's help to these two was no less than Guan Xingmin's...

While pondering this, the teacher and student went out to greet them.

The two men did not ask the receptionist for help; they personally placed the flower basket at the door and then came over to shake hands with Wang Qizhi.

Then, Chen Peng hugged Lin Sicheng and punched him: "If Zhang Feng hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known you were hosting a banquet... Lin Sicheng, you didn't even say a word to your Uncle Chen, how can you be so shameless?"

"You didn't even invite me, fine, but you didn't even invite your Uncle He? Lin Sicheng, do you still have any sense of decency? Are you going to handle things in the future?"

He Zhigang joined in the joke, his tone tinged with a hint of reproach yet also a touch of warmth: "Such a joyous occasion, and you're keeping it all so quiet? I mean, our relationship isn't that bad, is it? So, Xiao Lin, forget about the monetary gift. Just two flower baskets, take it or leave it..."

"Director He, it was just a simple ribbon-cutting ceremony, we barely invited anyone!" Lin Sicheng laughed along. "Of course, as your uncle, I can't just freeload off the meal, I'll have to go on stage later!"

Of course, that's why they came...

Instead of going to the reception room on the third floor, he went to the lounge next to the office. He figured there wouldn't be any more guests, so Lin Sicheng sat with him for a while.

The office, however, felt frozen solid.

From top to bottom, from Lin Changqing to Lin Chengzhi, then to Jiang Yanfei, and finally to Shang Yan, their expressions were indescribably strange.

Lin Changqing studies cultural relics and is also an advisor to the Municipal Bureau's Authentication Center. Although he is not familiar with these two people, he has met them before.

Lin Chengzhi works at a funeral home under the Civil Affairs Bureau, while Shan Wangshu works at the Tourism Bureau; they can be seen from time to time.

Fearing they might have mistaken someone for someone else, the three of them checked each other's identities. Then, the other three realized that the two were the leading officials from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau and the Public Security Bureau.

At first, everyone assumed that Wang Qizhi had invited them, but when the teacher and student went out to greet them, they realized something was amiss: when they shook hands with Wang Qizhi, the two were quite polite and formal. It was just a light handshake, followed by a few polite words.

But when it was Lin Sicheng's turn, the two of them hugged and punched him, laughing and babbling on and on... How was it any different from when Hao Jun and Guan Xingmin came before?

The key is Lin Sicheng's attitude: familiar yet casual, friendly yet natural... isn't that how you treat a friend?

But it just doesn't make sense: how could a student like him make friends like that and get along so well?

Shan Wangshu and Ye Anning were also quite shocked: Lin Sicheng could not have known such a person for no reason, let alone become such a close friend overnight, like brothers.

Subconsciously, the two recalled the two months Lin Sicheng had suddenly disappeared, during which Wang Qizhi told a string of lies, his stories so convincing they were almost unbelievable. Then, the moment he reappeared, he ran into Li Chunnan, the director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, at the hotel.

At that time, Director Li looked at Lin Sicheng as if he were looking at a close junior.

And today, Chen Peng is doing the same thing again, calling him "uncle" the moment they meet.

Therefore, Lin Sicheng must have done something. And then there's Wang Qizhi; he'll lie if he can, and if he can't, he'll play dead—it must have been something serious.

The question is, what did Lin Sicheng do?

Just as they were making wild guesses, a commotion came from the hallway. All the guests who had been brought to the reception room earlier had come downstairs, and Wang Qizhi and Lin Sicheng also came out of the lounge.

It would have been fine if they hadn't come, but since these two were here, they definitely had to make an appearance. So Wang Qizhi called Hao Jun and asked all the guests upstairs to come down.

Furthermore, the ceremony is at 3 PM, and it's already 2 PM. The leaders will arrive in half an hour at most, which will be a good opportunity for them to get to know each other.

It was a coincidence that Gu Kaishan arrived just then. As soon as he entered, he ran to Lin Changqing to apologize, then greeted Lin Chengzhi and Jiang Yanfei, before heading to the exhibition hall.

When he first came in, he was very outgoing, praising Lin Sicheng enthusiastically. He said that when he was his age, he led a group of teenagers to fight in the streets. But as he was praising him, his eyes suddenly bulged, and he suddenly fell silent.

Good heavens... Who is this?

Deputy Director Chen...

It's not surprising that Guan Xingmin is there; he knows that Guan Xingmin has a good relationship with his godfather and also with Lin Sicheng.

But Deputy Director Chen Peng... seems completely unrelated. He doesn't know the old man at all, and he probably doesn't know Lin Sicheng either. What is he doing here?

Muttering to himself, Gu Kaishan snapped to attention and raised his hand to salute. Chen Peng, both amused and exasperated, preemptively pressed his hand back down.

"Old Gu, we're both dressed casually, don't make a fool of yourself!"

Gu Kaishan paused for a moment, then smiled awkwardly: We've met occasionally, but never spoken. How did Chen Peng know him?

They certainly knew: Lin Sicheng's information had already been deposited in the municipal bureau's archives. His family background and social connections were recorded clearly...

A group of people gathered in the exhibition hall, those who knew each other greeted each other, and those who didn't introduce themselves to each other.

When Chen Peng and He Zhigang were introduced, the group of people were taken aback at first, and then their expressions gradually became strange. This was especially true for Fang Jingxian, Li Guojun, and his partner.

Don't be fooled by the fact that they are only two deputy directors. People like them, who are neither fair-weather friends nor clean-handed, have to be all smiles and bows and scrapes when they see a section chief. They are as humble as can be.

Let alone someone like Lin Sicheng, who gets along with them like brothers. Just being able to strike up a conversation with either of these two, and even get them to leave, means money is flowing into your pocket like water.

Suddenly, the group looked at Lin Sicheng, their minds racing again: This gift today was definitely worth it...

As he pondered this, a squeak sounded as a car braked outside the door.

Everyone looked up at the same time: a van had pulled up in front of the showroom.

For a moment, everyone was a little confused: Wait... where did this truck come from?

Lin Sicheng and Wang Qizhi were even more confused: security guards were stationed at both ends of the road to prevent students from watching, so how did this car get in?

They rushed out as fast as they could. Just outside the exhibition hall, Zhao Xiuneng pushed open the truck door and jumped out.

Then there's Zhao Da, Zhao Er... wait... where did these three come from?

The day before yesterday, on the afternoon Wang Qizhi informed Lin Sicheng, upon hearing that the unveiling ceremony would be held on Monday, Zhao Xiuneng, for some unknown reason, threw down his chopsticks halfway through his meal and left, saying he was going back to Beijing.

Thinking he was going to pick up the old lady, Lin Sicheng tried to dissuade him, saying that this was only at the district level, and besides, it was too cold, so there was no need to trouble the old lady.

But Zhao Xiu could say it was something else, and it was urgent, so he had to leave. Lin Sicheng thought it was just a minor matter; it would be good if his partner were there, but if he wasn't, the impact wouldn't be too great.

Seeing how anxious he was, I didn't ask any further questions.

But in less than forty-eight hours, he actually rushed back?

Upon closer inspection, isn't that a Beijing license plate?

Zhao Xiuneng slammed open the cabinet door and beckoned, "Professor Wang, Junior Brother Lin, come and take a look..."

The two rushed forward and were stunned when they saw what was inside the container.

What kind of container is this?

Instead, it is a soft-pack, temperature-controlled vehicle specifically designed for transporting cultural relics.

Inside, tall and short, long and square, the cabinet was piled high with boxes (boxes specifically used for transporting cultural relics).

The kiln also bears markings in pen: Ding kiln, Yue kiln, Xing kiln, Qiong kiln (Sichuan), Longquan kiln, Cizhou kiln (Shanxi), Liling kiln (Hunan), Echeng kiln (Hubei)...

There were all sorts of things, big and small, and there were at least sixty or seventy bags and boxes, if not a hundred.

With the slightest movement, a soft "clattering" sound came from inside, clearly indicating that it was broken porcelain.

The teacher and student looked at each other in bewilderment: "Mr. Zhao, Mr. Zhao, why did you leave the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the sign-off, and disappear like a ghost, just to go to Beijing to pick up porcelain shards?"

It was obvious what these two were thinking. Zhao Xiuneng retorted confidently, "Don't you two think our center is missing something?"

The two were stunned and speechless.

It is indeed a bit lacking: it is normal for such a large restoration center to have few complete pieces, but there are also very few damaged pieces.

But this wasn't anyone's fault; it was just too sudden: the renovations were completed, the equipment had just arrived, and the district's cultural and tourism bureaus and the school met for the first time and set a date.

Even Lin Sicheng, the person in charge, only found out a week in advance. More than half of the honors displayed on the wall were added at the last minute…

But in urgent situations, it's best to be flexible. If there's a little space, then so be it; if there's nothing, then so be it. There's no need to make a round trip from the capital in just two days and two nights.

In this freezing cold, what if something unexpected happens?

Lin Sicheng understood why Zhao Xiu could evade the question, only saying that he had urgent business to return to the capital, but not what it was.

If Lin Sicheng had known he was doing this, he would never have let him go, even if it meant his own death.

He thought for a moment and said, "Let's move them in first, and then we'll set them up!"

"No!" Zhao Xiuneng hurriedly waved his hand, "I've been chasing them like dogs these past two days, wouldn't that be a waste of time? Now that we've brought them back, we have to make an appearance to show that our center has substance..."

Besides, if I don't display something, I always feel like I'm just a decoration... Don't worry, junior brother, I had someone wash and clean the boxes before packing them. It's quick and easy to unpack and arrange everything..."

No... Senior Brother Zhao, do you really have to show off?

Lin Sicheng was both amused and exasperated, and could only call for help. Security guards, receptionists from the event planning company, students offering assistance, and researchers from his studio.

They moved some parts and dismantled others; some were put into the exhibition hall, and some were moved up to the second-floor laboratory. The whole process took less than ten minutes.

It's really not troublesome. Inside the pouch is a small, completely transparent glass box, which you just place on top. You only need to open the small box when you need to use it.

The items were displayed here and there, and a group of customers were commenting and discussing them with great enthusiasm, their voices growing louder and louder, just like a vegetable market.

At first, Lin Sicheng and Wang Qizhi were puzzled, wondering what was there to discuss about a few boxes of broken porcelain shards?

After watching the unloading process outside, the two entered the exhibition hall. Upon closer inspection, they were at a loss for words.

They were indeed broken porcelain shards, but Mr. Zhao had managed to collect all five major folk kilns and six major kiln systems:

Song Dynasty official kiln celadon glaze fish roe pattern (crackled) tea saucer, Jun kiln rose purple glaze kiln-transformed cup, Ge kiln gold wire iron coin double-eared jar, Ding Yao white glaze carved dragon pattern plate.

And seven or eight pieces of porcelain that appear to be celadon-glazed gall-shaped bottles from the Ru kiln.

They're not big; the largest piece is about three fingers wide and one finger long, while the smallest is only the size of an egg. But if you take just three pieces out, you could at least exchange them for a house in Xi'an.

The price was secondary; the key was its rarity. Apart from Lin Sicheng, Wang Qizhi, and Zhao Xiuneng, none of those present had ever seen what Ru porcelain looked like.

When a group of people gather together, do they really broaden their horizons and gain new knowledge?

As the discussion was in full swing, Zhao Xiuneng opened the last box and took things out one by one.

Every time they pulled out an item, the eyelids of the group of people would twitch; then they would pull out another item, and their eyelids would twitch again.

As he personally arranged the items in the display case, Zhao Xiuneng clapped his hands and said slowly and deliberately, "I originally intended to pick out a few rarer pieces for you, but my mother said: 'Auspicious beginnings bring immediate success,' so she had me bring four pieces of red glaze..."

My mother also said: "You are exceptionally talented, and the eldest and second eldest will only benefit from your success. I am only so-so, and can't be of much help, just doing odd jobs, so please don't feel awkward..."

Just as Lin Sicheng was about to say something, he took out a small box and handed it forward: "My mother also said, if it can be repaired, then repair it; if it can't be repaired, then consider it practice..."

Looking at the chicken cup in the box, Lin Sicheng was momentarily moved and didn't know how to respond.

Wang Qizhi sighed inwardly: "President Zhao, with so many people here, how could you just say such a thing?"

You just took this out like that?

If you can talk, then talk more... How can Lin Sicheng feel comfortable giving you a gift like this?

Let's take a look at those pieces in the display case: they are indeed red glaze, but these are the pinnacle works of the four imperial kilns of the Qing Dynasty.

The Zang kiln peach-bloom glazed seal box was created by Zang Yingxuan, the first supervisor of porcelain production in the Qing Dynasty. The "Jingdezhen Pottery Records" states: "The imperial kiln porcelain has a wide variety of glazes, covering almost every color, with bright red (peach-bloom red) being the most famous."

Therefore, in terms of craftsmanship, artistic level, and influence, it is the best among the imperial porcelains supplied during the early Kangxi period.

The second item is a Lang red glazed covered bowl, created by Lang Tingji, the second supervisor of ceramics during the Kangxi era and governor of Jiangxi. It was also known as ruby ​​red in the Qing Dynasty and was exported to countries such as England and France, where it was called oxblood red.

The firing principle is very complex. Copper oxide is used as a colorant, and the reducing flame atmosphere above 1300℃ needs to be precisely controlled. The glaze presents a rich oxblood red color, and the glaze layer slowly flows down to the foot, thus forming the "Lang Bu Liu" phenomenon.

The success rate was extremely low, and there was a folk saying at the time: "If you want to be poor, burn Langhong..."

The third item is a rouge-red pressure cup created by Nian Xiyao, the third supervisor of ceramics in the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu of the Yongzheng Emperor (also known as Consort Nian and the brother of Nian Gengyao).

The Jingdezhen Pottery Record states: "The materials selected and crafted are extremely refined, with exquisite and ingenious designs, imitating the ancients while innovating, truly embodying this… The rouge-colored glaze is the most outstanding, with a very thin body and an extremely white inner glaze that, when reflected by the outer glaze, appears pink, delicate and luscious…"

The fourth item is a Yuhuchun vase with a red glaze, created by Tang Ying, the fourth kiln supervisor. And when discussing imperial porcelain during the Qianlong reign, one cannot ignore the Tang kiln.

The Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Biography of Tang Ying: From the Song Dynasty's Daguan period, to the official kilns of the Ming Dynasty's Yongle, Xuande, Chenghua, Jiajing, and Wanli periods, as well as the Ge kiln, Ding kiln, Jun kiln, Longquan kiln, Yixing kiln, and Western and Japanese wares, all were imitated.

Its glaze colors include: pale green, dark green, beige, rose purple, begonia red, eggplant purple, plum green, sky blue, and sky blue... It gathers the best of the famous kiln glaze colors of all dynasties, with sky red being the most outstanding.

Whether it's truly the best or not, the market and collectors will vote with their feet:

These four pieces, whether the largest Yuhuchun vase, the smallest Yashou cup, or the middle seal box and covered bowl, are absolutely among the finest of the finest among imperial kiln red-glazed porcelains of the same period.

If Lin Sicheng and Zhao Xiuneng were to offer two million for a single item right now, everyone present would fight tooth and nail to get it.

What, you want to buy four items together? Sorry, that'll cost an extra 20%. If it's less than a whole number, don't even think about it.

While sighing, Wang Qizhi did some calculations: even this set alone probably couldn't outweigh all the gifts sent before.

But that's secondary.

Let's take another look at the box that Zhao Xiuneng finally handed to Lin Sicheng.

What is this? A chicken cup.

Even if they are both broken.

With just these two broken cups, Boss Zhao really gave Lin Sicheng a lot of face: Come on, everyone take a look, there are only about ten chicken cups in the world, have you ever seen one before?

My junior brother can fix it...

Therefore, if Zhao Xiuneng hadn't arrived right on time, Wang Qizhi would have dared to take his surname.