Chapter 78 From Adversity to Fortune, From Misfortune to Blessing

So-called "laundering" is essentially the same as money laundering: it involves cleaning up stolen goods to the point where they can circulate normally and be traded freely.

For example, this bronze censer: just by looking at the rust on the shiny side, you can tell that it was unearthed no more than ten years ago, definitely a stolen artifact.

Forget about trading; if we get caught, not only will the items be confiscated, but if the purchase was made more than seven years ago, the price will double for any items dug up.

But what if you want to sell and get rich?

wash.

First, find a way to smuggle the items out of the country, then change hands several times, simultaneously forging collection and transaction records.

Then it goes on to the auction, or even enters the country and goes on to the auction.

With an entry record, this thing becomes a "cultural relic returned from overseas"... even if it's just been unearthed, it's still a "cultural relic returned from overseas" that has just been unearthed.

The relevant departments actually tacitly approve of this.

So after being washed back and forth like this, the stolen goods were openly transformed into genuine items that could be traded at will.

But there is one difficulty: how to smuggle the stolen goods out of the country?

The best way is this: first, make the real thing look fake, then find a way to make it look like stolen goods involved in a case, and have it authenticated by an authoritative institution.

Then, once the case is decided, we'll find a way to get our hands on the documents and the report at the same time.

Believe it or not, this step is not difficult and will not violate any laws or regulations: think about judicial auctions today!

When the time comes, once you see the authentication reports from the municipal bureau and the provincial department, believe it or not, customs won't even bother to process it through their machines.

Haha, a perfectly closed logical loop!

In an instant, Guan Xingmin felt so excited he wanted to shake it off; every pore on his body seemed to want to laugh.

The items are indeed genuine, and the fraud case definitely needs to be overturned.

But compared to that, fraud cases are nothing.

How audacious are they to dare to set up provincial and municipal public security agencies?

Why would these people go to such great lengths and rack their brains just for this one bronze incense burner?

It's possible that we could uncover a large-scale criminal syndicate with a well-organized structure, clear division of labor, and connections between domestic excavation gangs, counterfeit gangs, and overseas smuggling gangs.

What does it mean to go from bitter to sweet, or to experience both extremes of life?

In a flash, Guan Xingmin seemed to see honors, banners, and even greater responsibilities beckoning to him.

Subconsciously, the corners of my mouth curled up.

Lin Sicheng shook his head helplessly: "Your eyes aren't even closed, and you're already daydreaming again?"

He tapped the table with his fingers: "Director Guan, please don't laugh!"

This idiot, is it that line again?

Guan Xingmin suddenly straightened his face: "Nonsense, how am I happy?"

Still not happy? That smile is harder to suppress than an AK.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Director Guan, I reckon this case won't be easy to investigate!"

Guan Xingmin certainly knew that it would be difficult to investigate.

If the mouse dared to set a trap for the cat, and with such a meticulous plan, it's easy to imagine that all possible unforeseen circumstances and necessary precautions had already been taken into account.

For example, the middleman, who is detained in a detention center as a "fraud suspect," has no idea of ​​the seller's true identity.

There's no need to guess; the seller is definitely an international friend, holding a foreign passport, which you can't verify.

The victim, the antique company that bought the bronze censer for four million, was simply an innocent victim: they were deliberately lured into the trap by the seller.

If something worth six million is only sold for four million, who wouldn't be tempted?

Apart from this bronze incense burner, there are basically no clues. How are you going to investigate?

But whether or not to investigate is another matter entirely.

As the saying goes, "A wild goose leaves its cry as it flies past, and the wind leaves its mark as it passes by..."

Guan Xingmin let out a sharp breath, his eyes sweeping over Lin Sicheng before settling on Wang Qi's face: "Secretary Wang, please help me!"

Wang Qizhi immediately chuckled: "It was Lin Sicheng who did the work, Director Guan, you're asking me?"

Guan Xingmin smiled and said, "You're his teacher?"

Hey, why do I love hearing that?

He nodded with a chuckle, "Director Guan, I'm not kidding you, if Lin Sicheng hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't have remembered this was a method of smuggling goods. You'll have to ask him for the specifics of how to proceed..."

Lin Sicheng didn't keep him in suspense any longer, and picked up the bronze furnace again to examine its interior: "The rust layer transplanted into the interior is quite thick, and it's stuck on so firmly, just to prevent the buyer or authentication agency from discovering it... So, there must be something else inside..."

Furthermore, since it's a sutra-pressing furnace, there's not a single sutra text visible inside or outside the furnace. Therefore, I suspect that, most likely, Buddhist scriptures are engraved beneath the rust layer inside the furnace… If this can be confirmed, it will further prove that the forger's purpose in creating a fake from a genuine one was indeed to launder the goods…”

Guan Xingmin shared the same idea: after all, relying solely on visual inspection and inference is not a very convincing argument; evidence is also required.

But he didn't know how to find the evidence.

Upon hearing "there's more to it than meets the eye," Guan Xingmin's spirits lifted. "How do we do that?"

“It’s simple, just heat it!” Lin Sicheng examined it again with a magnifying glass. “The rust and adhesive residue inside the cavity is probably a mixture of epoxy resin and rosin. In an aerobic environment, when the temperature reaches 180°C, the ester molecules will undergo oxidation and dissolution…”

Guan Xingmin was an expert and understood immediately: 180 degrees, not to mention damaging the bronze furnace itself, it wouldn't even cause any copper rust.

When the transplanted rust falls off, the fake will naturally become the real thing.

The substitution and deception were absolutely perfect...

He took a deep breath: "Section Chief Shen, preheat the furnace!"

The section chief put down the folder and hurriedly turned on the machine.

One hundred and eighty degrees, it will be ready soon. The section chief used pliers to put the bronze furnace in.

There was an observation point, and five heads crowded around it.

But the window was only so big, it was incredibly crowded; the policewoman's ear was practically touching his face. Lin Sicheng had no choice but to back out.

He had just taken two steps back when Guan Xingmin exclaimed, "Lin Sicheng, come quick!"

Left with no other option, Lin Sicheng leaned closer again, then his pupils contracted:

Pieces of patina fell off, revealing the Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures engraved in intaglio.

Looking at the text again: the Tantric Rebirth Mantra, and it's engraved in such detail?

This sutra originated in India and is officially called the "Cundi Dharani Sutra," also known as the Dharani Sutra. It has only one characteristic: liberation and rebirth in the Pure Land.

Therefore, any artifacts inscribed with this scripture must have been burial objects of Yuan or Qing dynasty nobles or Tibetan and Mongol nobles.

Furthermore, there are strict hierarchical restrictions: the length of the scriptures varies depending on one's status, and the decorative patterns interspersed within the scriptures are also different.

Lin Sicheng was certain that this was the entire scripture. Looking at the decorations: at the center of the bottom of the furnace was a pagoda, with thirteen layers from top to bottom, including a crown, canopy, crescent moon pearl, and lotus finial.

The border is decorated with ten vajras. Surrounding them are eight auspicious symbols: coral, rhinoceros horn, knotted lotus leaf, jewel, ruyi scepter, ancient coins, gold ingots, and silver ingots!

Upon seeing this, Lin Sicheng couldn't help but gasp: It's like, all that's missing is a Buddha statue?

Therefore, it is certain that he was not the emperor.

But everything else is there?

Therefore, if it is a boy, he will either be the crown prince or a prince. If it is a girl, she will either be the empress or an imperial concubine.

Based on this, this furnace only costs four million? It could easily double that price!

Lin Sicheng gave a brief explanation, and there were four people in total, all of whom seemed frozen in place.

What does it mean to turn adversity into fortune, or to turn misfortune into blessing?