Chapter 40

"In terms of shape, most Tang Dynasty jade artifacts are characterized by roundness and fullness. Take the Feitian figurine, for example. Its shape is very agile, yet it also possesses a voluptuous beauty. This unique artistic style is also related to the social environment of the time. The Tang Dynasty was a prosperous era, and it was open to all. Therefore, the edges of Tang Dynasty jade bi were polished to be extremely smooth. Because the craftsmanship was up to par in all aspects, this smoothness was not achieved in previous dynasties and is almost rare. You can also check Tang Dynasty jade artifacts online. Their outer diameters are very moderate and the proportions are very harmonious, giving people a sense of naturalness."

"And the jades of the Tang Dynasty all liked to use shallow relief techniques. So what kind of shallow relief technique is it?" The anchor took a sip of water, took the tablet handed to him by the assistant, and enlarged the picture on the tablet. "This is a shallow relief work. We see a kind of sculpture that carves out undulating images on the east-west plane, but it is only carved in the shallow layer. Its pattern only protrudes slightly from the surface, and the depth of the carving generally does not exceed 5 mm. The relief process is very demanding. How to make the transition between the relief part and the surface natural requires a long time of experience for the craftsman. Let's take the jade article that the young lady just showed as an example. When expressing the floral pattern, the ups and downs of the petals themselves, the forming part of the stamens, and the entire delicate Chengdu all need to be completed with shallow relief technology."

"I understand, thanks to the host for the popularization."

"I just checked Baidu, and it's the same as what the anchor said."

The supervisor was directing the operations staff nearby. Dozens of mobile phones were simultaneously sending out messages of approval in the live broadcast room. The comments scrolling forward overshadowed the questions that were still in doubt.

Seeing the popularity, the supervisor excitedly gave the anchor a thumbs up and asked him to talk more about it.

The wind in the livestream had settled within their control. The host cleared her throat and was about to say something when Yang Ye nodded across the screen. She put down the jade artifact she was holding and faced the screen. Her smile was calm, but her words sent a chill through the host. "That's not right. The carving method you just mentioned doesn't seem to have been fully utilized until the Song Dynasty. It existed in the Tang Dynasty, but the craftsmanship at that time was more focused on the nobility, resulting in most of the products being luxurious and exquisite. And as you mentioned, the Tang Dynasty's craftsmanship was grand and full, while the Song Dynasty's was more fresh and elegant."

"The carving skills of the Song Dynasty have been further developed on the basis of inheriting the craftsmanship of the Tang Dynasty. The lines are softer and there are no longer any connection marks when grinding. The techniques of engraving patterns with intaglio are exquisite and combined with the openwork technique, making the whole picture vivid and lively, just like the one in my hand. Don't you think so?" Yang Ye asked deliberately.

The host's expression changed significantly, and panic flashed in his eyes, but the fill light shining directly down on him and the burning forehead made him quickly regain his composure. He tried to smooth things over vaguely, "There are many controversies in the field of antique identification. Besides, we are separated by a phone. As for the appearance of the jade you took out, to be honest, I can't see it very clearly. Besides, this is just my opinion, and you might hear a different version somewhere else."

Yang Ye would not let go of such a cover-up. "But didn't you do the appraisal through your phone before? How come it's so unclear when it comes to me? It's just one person's opinion?"

"And the ancient painting you mentioned in the live broadcast room yesterday, you said it was from the Ming Dynasty, but I see the degree of fading of the paint in the middle of the picture, and the roughness of the paper used to mount the painting. It doesn't look like Ming Dynasty craftsmanship at all. Instead, it feels a bit like a modern imitation." As she spoke, she slowly picked up the mobile phone next to her, slid her finger across the screen, and soon found the photo of the ancient painting in his live broadcast room yesterday.

"Boss, you have this idea." Xiao Xiao raised his head and looked at Zhou Yiheng, Xu Jingzhe and others who were sitting next to him in surprise.

Zhou Yiheng suddenly realized, "No wonder she didn't respond when I told her this morning, it turns out there's already a solution."

The live broadcast room suddenly became lively, and the comments that were already scrolling non-stop became even more intense.

"No wonder I felt something was wrong yesterday, I thought it was my phone."

"Maybe I saw it wrongly."

"You can't say so much even if you saw it wrongly."

"Don't fool us, will we still be able to watch this live broadcast seriously in the future?"

"Just treat the previous one as a joke. If you take it seriously, you will lose."

Various questions, mixed with comments of agreement, kept flashing across the screen.

"That" anchor was choked and couldn't think of any excuse for a moment.

The supervisor's face darkened, his eyes fixed on the computer screen. He glared at the anchor, who looked guilty, and pulled out a piece of paper from under the monitor, quickly writing a message and showing it to the anchor.

"Just say no and change the subject."

The host's eyes swept over the words, his heart sinking, his face clearly panicked. He knew the meaning of this sentence all too well. What Yang Ye had just said was like a bomb ready to go off at any moment. If he responded, the popularity of the live broadcast room, his image, and even his future life could be significantly affected.

The host forced a smile and said to the camera, "Family members, I have asked our operations team to look into what the young lady mentioned, and I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer later. Your time is very precious. Do you have any other questions, young lady? If not, we will connect with the next person."

He tried to divert the attention of the audience in the live broadcast room, but the comment section was not what he expected.

"Sir, don't be vague, give a direct answer."

"Are you feeling guilty and afraid to tell the truth?"

Looking at the comments that kept coming up, the host's hands on his knees trembled a few times, and cold sweat broke out on his palms. His eyes kept moving back and forth between the supervisor and the display screen, as if asking for help.

Seeing these comments being posted in a rhythmic manner, the operator impatiently grabbed a handful of hair, grabbed the seat next to him, and quickly tapped away at the keyboard. The comment section was immediately flooded with a series of unfamiliar and newly posted messages.

"Family members, don't be led by the rhythm"

"Nothing happened during the live broadcast before, why did the young lady start arguing?"

"Is it brought from another live broadcast room?"

"Anchors, don't be misled by useless things"

"Don't worry, I actually have quite a lot of stuff." Yang Ye's calm reaction contrasted with the host's slightly anxious voice. "I have another thing here. My father brought it back from the countryside years ago. Could you please take another three or five minutes to help me take a look? I don't need you to tell me what it is this time, just help me check whether it's real or not."

When the anchor heard this, his heart skipped a beat. Although he maintained a smile on his face, he couldn't hide the panic and hesitation in his eyes. He looked at his supervisor nervously, but the supervisor shook his head, his eyes full of warning.

"The host doesn't dare to answer it."

"Are you scared? Was everything I said before a lie?"

The comments section was already moving in a direction beyond their control. The assistant was also reminding the supervisor to check the current comment trends and live broadcast data. The anchor looked at the supervisor again for help. The supervisor put down the assistant's tablet, gritted his teeth, and wrote on the same board, "Quick decision, no mistakes."

The host's energy was clearly struggling to keep up with the changes that had taken place that night. Exhausted, he let out a long breath, closed his eyes a few times, and looked at the comments on the screen, the girl across from him, and the supervisor standing opposite him with his hands on his hips and a sullen expression. The host took a sip of his nearly cold tea and said, "Let me take a look."

"Wait a moment." Yang Ye stood up and walked around the three people sitting opposite her. She opened the French door, walked into the yard, and took the schoolbag that was placed in the corner into the house.

The three of them kept their eyes glued to her until they saw her open the door and then saw the familiar schoolbag in her hand. Their expressions suddenly changed, and they glanced at each other, each with confusion and puzzlement in their eyes. They stared blankly at Yang Ye coming over and sitting down in front of them.

Zhou Yi glanced at Yang Ye and saw Xiao Xiao. "Isn't that Teacher Fang's schoolbag? When did you get it?"

"I don't know either." Xiao Xiao was puzzled. He had been here all day and had never gone out. So when was the schoolbag taken away?

Unzipping his schoolbag, Yang Ye took out the porcelain bottle.

She placed the porcelain vase in front of the camera and slowly rotated it for display. The host's mood was completely disrupted by the chaos just now. He pretended to look at it for a while and then said, "This porcelain vase looks quite old. Judging from the shape and the patterns on it, it should be from the late Qing Dynasty. If it is authentic, the price should be quite high. Miss, you really don't show off your talents."

Yang Ye didn't say anything, she just looked at the host on the screen.

The host didn't hear her and thought the connection was stuck, so he called her several times.

After a moment of silence, she asked, "Why are you so sure this time?"

"I've been looking at porcelain vases for so many years, how could I not recognize it?" The host answered with all his strength, but he still felt uneasy. The few words he said just now were meant to get rid of the man quickly, but he never expected that this man would be so serious.

Yang Ye said again: "Would you like to take another closer look?"

The host didn't react for a moment. He glanced at Yang Ye. His head was already a mess because of the tone of the comments section, and his face was a little impatient. He looked at the screen, and suddenly, he seemed to recognize something. He frowned and stared at the porcelain bottle that Yang Ye had just picked up, with a flash of shock and disbelief in his eyes.

The supervisor was rubbing his hands together anxiously. He glared at the anchor, as if blaming him for not saying anything for so long. He frantically wrote on the board, "Find a way to cover it up and put the blame on her, saying she's deliberately causing trouble."

'Speak quickly, I'll cover for you'

Yang Ye looked at the host calmly and asked with a smile, "Can't you see it?"

Zhou Yi sat on the ground in a daze. He had never seen Yang Ye like this before.

The corners of her lips curled up slightly, a faint smile. Within that calm smile lay an unquestionable seriousness. While it wasn't cold, and even held a hint of gentleness, it still made people afraid to approach. Her gaze remained fixed on the phone screen, watching the anchor across from her. She didn't raise her voice, and even her every word was delivered with the steady tone of her everyday conversation. Yet, it was this voice that spoke, not as a threat or a command, but as a matter-of-fact command, as if her words were unbreakable rules.

It was like the TV show Xiao Xiao had watched the other day. In that strange, hierarchical era, those in power remained impassive, while those below them trembled in fear. It was an innate fear, ingrained in their bones. They felt as insignificant as ants, and even breathing could become an act of usurpation.

Some people struggled, resisting desperately, shouting cries of blood and tears. But before these voices could reach far, they were crushed by the majesty descending from higher up, their cries drowned out by boos, like dust trying to resist a hurricane, a futile and laughable effort. In a world ruled from above, humans are the most insignificant ants.