Chapter 90 is a bit mystical (4K: Bonus chapter for Alliance Leader "Fun Games Plus")

Before he even arrived, Hao Jun kept apologizing: "Professor Wang, I'm late... It's just bad timing: the head office leaders are here for an inspection, and I really couldn't get away!"

Wang Qizhi had already explained it over the phone, so he naturally didn't mind and quickly stood up to offer his seat: "It's not late, it's just in time!"

Hao Jun then introduced the man accompanying him: "The man's surname is Wu, and he is the head of the miscellaneous items department at Rongbaozhai."

It was quite a coincidence that he happened to be in Xi'an with the delegation for an inspection, and he and Wang Qizhi happened to be alumni of Peking University. Wang Qizhi was both Hao Jun's superior and his senior: during his time at university, Hao Jun majored in Hindi languages ​​and Dunhuang Buddhist classic manuscripts, while also studying Chinese and foreign Buddhist cultural exchanges.

Upon hearing "Dunhuang Buddhist classic manuscripts," Lin Sicheng's heart skipped a beat: Indian languages ​​were one thing, but as long as research didn't go beyond the Middle Ages, they were basically unrelated to Brahmi Sanskrit.

The key lies in the Dunhuang Buddhist scriptures: this major has a specific research direction: ancient Sanskrit.

And what had he said before: to translate these two Sanskrit texts clearly, he would have to go to Peking University and the two academies? And just a few minutes after he finished speaking, Hao Jun found him someone?

Seriously, he was speechless: "Senior Brother Hao, why did you have to come at this time?"

It's one thing to come, but to bring a master along? Even more outrageous, you brought that Teacher Ma back too?

After a few quiet words and pleasantries, the group took their seats. Hao Jun then looked with slight curiosity at the boxes and chests on the coffee table:

"What a coincidence, I ran into Ma Lan as soon as I got off the bus: she said there was a super rich and generous young man upstairs who sold her two things for a lot of money... and said his surname was Lin... I guessed it was you!"

The mention of "puppy" made Hao Jun want to laugh: "I heard it sold for a full 1.5 million?"

Suddenly, Teacher Ma raised her chin, a smug look on her face.

Lin Sicheng knew immediately: having made over a million in one go, this woman must be extremely smug. And then, she happened to run into an acquaintance, and couldn't resist bragging for a while:

Secretary-General Hao, you don't know this, do you? I ran into a complete idiot, a total fool, who sold two things that had been stuck with me for seven or eight years for 1.5 million...

Are you stupid? You think you're so tough? Fine, you'll regret it someday.

Cursing under his breath, Lin Sicheng nodded: "More or less!"

"Almost what? The invoice is still on the table: 1.65 million."

Hao Jun glanced at it, pointed at the box, and said, "Open it and take a look!"

Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "There's nothing to see."

Wait, something's not right.

Given his relationship with Lin Sicheng, when did this kid become so impolite?

There's something fishy going on here, and it's not a small thing...

In the blink of an eye, Hao Jun had a pretty good idea: Haha, Ma Lan missed out?

Lin Sicheng is shrewd enough to be a fool, so how could he possibly be taken advantage of?

Hao Jun tried to open his eyes wide, and they sparkled.

Lin Sicheng immediately understood: "I'll arrange it for tonight. Tang Le Palace or Xi'an Restaurant, take your pick. Moutai is all you can get!"

Haha... I knew this was no small matter?

But there wasn't time.

"The leader is still at the hotel; we have to go back to entertain him tonight!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Then let's do it another day!"

"Okay, another day!"

Hao Jun replied cheerfully and took the coffee from the receptionist.

Perhaps he was genuinely busy, or perhaps he was impatient, but the supervisor smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, please check this so that the finance department can enter it into the books!"

As he spoke, he casually lifted the lid of the box.

Hao Jun glanced at it, and his smile froze on his face. Then, as if pricked by a needle, he leaned back.

The coffee in the cup swirled twice, spilling a few drops onto the pristine white shirt. But Hao Jun was completely oblivious, staring at the broken scroll for several moments.

What did I just say: Ma Lan missed out? She missed out my ass... Lin Sicheng, Lin Sicheng, you've been completely fooled!

Hao Jun suddenly turned his head: "An anonymous imitation of the Sanskrit Heart Sutra?"

Lin Sicheng didn't know what to say: if he were Bao Li's boss, this supervisor would have been fired eight hundred times over.

He nodded: "Have you met Senior Brother Hao?"

Not only have I seen them, but Lao Guan and your grandfather have also seen them.

Hao Jun put down his coffee cup and glanced at it a few more times: Yes, it was that one. The key thing was, there was a small box next to it?

The inscription and seal were two separate sets; if this weren't the real iron seal, Hao Jun would have dared to eat it. The problem was, Lin Sicheng had not only paid the money but also signed the contract, leaving him no room for backing out.

Thinking of this, Hao Jun was so angry that his liver hurt: He had worked hard for half a year, only to be wiped out overnight... If only he had arrived ten minutes earlier!

He gritted his teeth: "President Ding, do you remember? That time at the Cultural Relics Center meeting, when he said, 'Is Professor Lin crazy for an 800-yuan red envelope?' That was him!"

Hao Jun cut to the chase, pointing at Ma Lan, "They're good friends!"

The words "good friend" were emphasized very heavily.

Lin Sicheng suddenly realized: "And then?"

"Then one day, Chairman Ding brought this calligraphy and an iron seal to Lao Guan for his opinion... Lao Guan said: I can't tell!"

Seeing Lin Sicheng remain unmoved, Hao Jun looked at him with exasperation: "Don't you believe me? In the city, Lao Guan's appreciation of calligraphy and painting is absolutely top-notch, and he's even ranked among the best in the province... Besides, your grandpa has seen it too!"

Lin Sicheng believed it, of course. Guan Xingmin was a graduate of the China Academy of Art, specializing in calligraphy and painting, so his skills must be high. His grandfather, being knowledgeable in other areas as well, was also quite skilled.

He also understood what Hao Jun meant: Lin Sicheng, you've been deceived by this woman.

However, unlike himself, these two were not like him; they had never seen Zhao Mengfu's original Sanskrit Heart Sutra. Nor were they like Ye Anning, who had practically lived in the Forbidden City and was intimately familiar with Dong Qichang's calligraphic styles from various periods.

So even if you told them the answer—that it was a forgery by Dong Qichang—Guan Xingmin and his grandfather wouldn't believe it. Just like the appraiser at Baoli, and Teacher Ma, who was still completely bewildered and confused.

Seeing Hao Jun's self-reproachful expression, as if he wanted to slap himself, Lin Sicheng felt a warmth in his heart and gestured again: "Senior brother, look!"

What are you looking at? The lesson you paid 1.5 million for?

Cursing under his breath, Hao Jun turned his head: "Hey, what is Teacher Wu doing?"

At some point, Wu Jun moved to the other side, put on his reading glasses, pointed at the Sanskrit on the scroll, and muttered something under his breath.

Hao Jun sighed: "Teacher Wu, this is the Heart Sutra!"

"I didn't know this was the Heart Sutra? Don't speak yet..."

Soon, in the time it took to reply, Wu Jun had already finished reading the scripture and turned to study the two or three seals.

He glanced at it briefly, then looked up at Lin Sicheng: "Is this a copy of Zhao Mengfu's Heart Sutra?"

Lin Sicheng was taken aback: "Teacher Wu has seen the original?"

“I’ve never seen it before, but it’s written here!” Wu Jun pointed to the imitation seal of Zhao Mengfu, “The emperor’s advisor Zhao Zi’ang, I must say, the transliteration of his name is quite accurate!”

Hao Jun was completely bewildered: Where did Zhao Mengfu come from again?

Wu Jun started studying the second method again, but suddenly, it was as if he was frozen.

He stared at them for a while, then looked up, glancing left and then right. Everyone present was thoroughly examined by him.

Then, his gaze fell on Lin Sicheng's face. His eyes seemed to hold needles, piercing straight at him.

Lin Sicheng's heart skipped a beat: Had he met an expert?

Just as he was wondering, Wu Jun smiled and said, "Not bad, young man. Where did you learn Sanskrit?"

No... why are you so sure that you're praising me right away?

Most people would probably ask first: "Young man, have you studied Sanskrit?"

Lin Sicheng paused slightly: "In the book!"

"Impressive!" he complimented, then asked with a smile, "Which books?"

Lin Sicheng replied without hesitation: "Mr. Ji Xianlin's *Shakuntala*, *Ramayana*, *Collected Essays on Ancient Indian Languages*... and Mr. Huang Baosheng's *Mahabharata*, *The Genealogy of Rahu*..."

"Oh, that's great... You've read Huang Baosheng's works too?"

Wu Jun's eyes lit up, "My teacher is Ji Xianlin!"

Lin Sicheng's eyelids twitched slightly: More than an expert, this is a true master.

Wu Jun only glanced at it briefly and did not ask any further questions, instead turning his attention to studying the seal.

The longer he looked, the brighter his eyes became. After about five or six minutes, he suddenly straightened up and clapped his hands loudly: "Not bad!"

What's so great about it? Of course, it's that collection of scriptures from the Supreme Yoga Tantra.

Lin Sicheng smiled but didn't say anything.

Everyone else was completely confused: Wasn't this supposed to be an anonymous copy of the Heart Sutra? Why is this Teacher Wu taking it so seriously?

And then there was applause, and more "not bad, not bad"?

Only Hao Jun's eyes darted around, sometimes looking at Wu Jun, sometimes landing on Lin Sicheng's face.

When did Lin Sicheng learn Sanskrit? How come I don't know?

And those few treatises he mentioned: he studied Indian Buddhist artifacts as well, but he didn't really learn them.

Hao Jun blinked and squinted, feeling increasingly uneasy: the key was Wu Jun's attitude; he hadn't seen him so serious in years.

We can't let this broken character... actually become a leak?

Amidst his surprise and doubt, Wu Jun began to mutter to himself:

"Heavenly King? Heavenly God? Hmm, it should be a Heavenly God..."

"Rude, Miaoxiang, Miaojixiang... No, this is Jiangbaiyang (the Tibetan name of Manjushri Bodhisattva)!"

"Is it the Holy King of Wheels, or the Great King? It must be the Great King... wait..."

With a soft gasp, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes fixed intently on Lin Sicheng's face, just as before.

No, it's sharper than before.

Lin Sicheng smiled again.

He chuckled along, then suddenly chuckled and said, "Don't worry, they won't understand!"

Lin Sicheng was stunned and didn't know how to answer.

Then, Wu Jun pointed to the small box and asked, "What is this?"

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Print!"

Wu Jun's eyes lit up: "Can I take a look?"

It's gotten this far already?

Lin Sicheng opened the box and handed it over.

Wu Jun didn't take it, he just glanced at it, and then his lips twitched involuntarily. It was as if he was saying: I knew it would be like this!

Then, his lips were pressed tightly together, his eyes widened, the corners of his eyes trembled slightly, and his eyes were bright and piercing.

That look was exactly like the expression on Xiao Yang's face in the TV show: standing at the door, watching Xiao Shenyang making dumplings with his bare bottom: he seemed to want to laugh but was holding it in, mixed with a few traces of admiration and envy.

"Put it away!"

Wu Jun nodded, then changed the subject, "You haven't graduated yet, have you? What's your major?"

"Cultural Heritage Protection, Senior!"

"Good!"

Wu Jun's words, "Pretty good," made Wang Qizhi's heart skip a beat: that look in his eyes was exactly like the way the police chief looked at Lin Sicheng, truly, exactly the same.

But he didn't say anything more, and took the towel to wipe his hands.

Hao Jun couldn't help but ask, "Teacher Wu, what are these two items?"

Wu Jun's tone was calm: "Just an ordinary Sanskrit Heart Sutra, an ordinary iron seal!"

impossible?

Hao Jun puffed out his cheeks: Old Wu, do you think I'm blind?

But precisely because he wasn't blind, he didn't ask any further questions. His heart was in turmoil: he had previously regretted arriving too late, but now he should be glad he hadn't arrived too early.

If it had happened any earlier, and if Wu Jun had accidentally blurted something out, Lin Sicheng's deal might have fallen through.

Thank goodness!

Originally, I came to see a joke, but unfortunately I didn't get to see it. Fearing that Lin Sicheng might change his mind, Teacher Ma decided to slip away first.

Lin Sicheng had finished everything that needed to be done and there was no need to linger here. He packed his things away.

Afterwards, the group went downstairs.

As they parted, they exchanged polite words, but without exception, their eyes were all fixed on the box in Lin Sicheng's hands... It was quite funny.

Anyway, it's been dragging on for quite a while, and he's been quite busy. Otherwise, Hao Jun would definitely have made Lin Sicheng take out the seal and inscription so he could see them clearly and ask him questions.

Finally, Hao Jun and Wu Jun left first.

Ye Anning still had to go to work, so Lin Sicheng and Wang Qizhi went back first.

Once in the car, Wang Qizhi looked suspicious: "So you recognized him? You've already signed the contract and paid. Even if Teacher Ma goes back on his word, he can go to Baoli. But you seemed to be treating me like a thief?"

What Lin Sicheng was guarding against wasn't this, but rather that Teacher Wu.

Among those in China who study ancient Sanskrit and dare to claim to have made significant achievements, the number of people like him and Wang Qizhi can be counted on one hand and one foot.

If we trace it back further, there are four figures: Gang Hetai, Chen Yinque, Ji Xianlin, and Jin Keming from the Republican era. Everyone who studies this subject is a student of these four.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the two factions split into two: Peking University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and they were intertwined. For example, both Mr. Chen Yinque and Mr. Ji Xianlin first taught at Peking University, and then went to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, respectively.

The circle is only so big, and there are so few people, yet everyone knows each other very well. They know exactly how many students each person has and what their research interests are.

Therefore, if Lin Sicheng dared to open his mouth, Wu Jun would know whether he was self-taught or taught by someone...

"I definitely can't tell Wang Qizhi this," Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "It's mainly because that Teacher Ma is too difficult to deal with!"

"That's true!"

Just thinking about it gives Wang Qizhi goosebumps.

He started the car easily and asked, "Being so impressed by this Mr. Wu means I don't have to rush to Beijing. But I must say, Mr. Wu's judgment is truly remarkable!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: Indeed, it's high.

And a bit mystical...

...

On the other side, the eccentric Teacher Wu had an eccentric expression, sometimes baring his teeth, sometimes grinning, and sometimes laughing like a madman.

Hao Jun glanced at the rearview mirror, a chill running down his spine: "Wait... Senior Brother Wu, what are you doing?"

Wu Jun sighed, "He taught himself ancient Sanskrit, and he's learned it so well! This kid's got something!"

He's more than just a little bit good.

But Hao Jun had to admire Lin Sicheng for being so idle: whether ancient Sanskrit was difficult to learn was secondary; the key issue was that there were too few application scenarios. Just ask me, where would you use this knowledge?

Aside from staying at Peking University, the only other options were to enter one of the two academies, but these three places were not easy to get into.

Like Wu Jun, like him, they only studied Sanskrit and ultimately had to make a living on their own.

"By the way, I haven't asked you yet, what exactly are those two items?"

Wu Jun said slowly and deliberately, "I don't know the characters, but I do know the seal—that iron seal!"

Hao Jun's spirits lifted: "What is it?"

"The Imperial Treasure of Emperor Qianlong!"

"What the heck?"

Thinking he hadn't heard him clearly, Wu Jun raised his voice: "The Qianlong Emperor's seal of appreciation!"

With a screech of brakes, Hao Jun slammed on the brakes and crashed headfirst into the steering wheel...