Chapter 150 Don’t turn off your phone, don’t lose contact, don’t ignore me
Qin Tian's gaze shifted from the gilded plate to Zhuang Beiyao. Under the soft, smooth exhibition light, his eyes were moist with nostalgia.
"Yi Zhang, it wasn't until I entered the Shanghai Museum that I realized my connection with cultural relics began when I met Teacher Qin. Over the years, Teacher Qin taught me everything he had learned throughout his life without reservation. In my heart, he's both a friend and a brother. Whenever there's something delicious, I always want him to try it, and whenever there's something new and interesting, I want him to see it. I know Teacher Qin doesn't just see me as a colleague, so... he told me about his search for the heirloom."
Zhuang Beiyao smiled bitterly. "A large gilded bronze plate from the Han Dynasty. His master and father-in-law was the owner of the gilded plate, Han Yehua. The heirloom he had been searching for was in my home. For those two years, I didn't dare face him. I kept avoiding him. Yet, he treated me the same as always. It was from that day that I realized what my father had done. That night, his greed gave rise to my grand dream. I don't deserve to work at the Shanghai Museum, but what else can I do?"
Zhuang Beiyao's gaze fell into Qin Tian's eyes.
"Given Mr. Qin's personality, he probably never told you about that. But I think you already know. I was the one who reported the Hexian Gu Grand Town Coin incident. Perhaps no one will believe it, but I didn't report Mr. Qin out of jealousy or any grudge. Between us, I was the only one who felt sorry for him. Back then, I even lied to myself, thinking I reported him for his own good. To prevent him from falling deeper into depravity, from becoming... like my father. In reality, I did it for myself. I just wanted to prove that I'm different from my father. I'm an upright person, someone who would never violate principles! I thought the leaders would give Mr. Qin a warning, but I didn't expect the consequences to be so severe. After Mr. Qin left, I couldn't sleep or eat. But I didn't have the courage to apologize to him. The most ironic thing is..."
Zhuang Beiyao's voice stopped. His eyes returned to the gilded plate, looking at it as if it were a treasure or a mere blade of grass.
"After my father passed away, he passed on the gilded plate he had treasured to me. All these years have passed, and I'm no longer the same person I was back then. From the inscriptions on the figures, I'm certain this isn't a Han Dynasty gilded plate at all. It's a Qing Dynasty imitation of a Han Dynasty forgery."
My father, a man completely ignorant of cultural relics, accepted the large copper coin out of legend and greed. He never dared to take it out, never told anyone, and simply kept it in a box. He lived the rest of his life on thin ice. In the end, it was just a replica.
I was too embarrassed to stay at the Shanghai Museum. I came to Japan under the pretext of furthering my studies, and later, at the invitation of the Datang Museum, I brought my family and stayed to work there. As for the gilded plate, a fake wouldn't be worthy of admission to a museum in China, but in Japan, it's perfectly acceptable. I donated it to the Datang Museum free of charge. It's a blessing to be able to see such an exquisite Han Dynasty replica in Japan.
The quiet lights of the exhibition illuminated Zhuang Beiyao's dejected face. After a moment, he forced a smile.
"I've finished my explanation. I know I'm not qualified, but..." He looked at the gilded plate in the glass case, "I want to say sorry to Teacher Qin before I die."
Qin Tian didn't answer Zhuang Beiyao until she was called out of the exhibition hall. He hurriedly handed her a business card and said, "If you don't have plans today, just look around. I'll come see you later. If you're busy, we can arrange another time."
Qin Tian watched him leave until he walked out of the exhibition hall. As the security guard bowed to him, the museum opened. Security pulled up the cordon, and visitors entered in groups of three or four, in an orderly and quiet manner.
Against the backlight, a tall, familiar figure approached. It felt like déjà vu. That day, he'd come from the end of the airport corridor, pushing his luggage, and had walked into her life. That unpleasant encounter, after repeated arguments, adjustments, and mutual understanding, had passed through the filter of time, etched in the vault of memory, becoming an unforgettable scene, instantly eternal.
He walked up to her, with undercurrents surging in the depths of his dark pupils.
"Why don't you answer the phone again?" The voice was calm and gentle.
She stared into his eyes. How could she not see his restraint, his affection, his fear? He never hid them.
"How did you know I was here?"
"Guess."
"How did you guess?"
In the quiet exhibition hall, warm and peaceful light from the exhibition spread across the gilded panels. A pair of silhouettes were reflected on the floor-to-ceiling glass. His warm hand caressed her upturned face, bringing her favorite scent to her lips. His fingers tangled with her flowing hair, and he answered her with a passionate, lingering kiss.
He held her in his arms and sighed in her ear.
"Don't make me guess anymore..."
Qin Tian touched her burning face. She had a lot to say to him, but not now. Right now, there was only one thing she wanted to say. She took his hand and walked over to the gilded plate.
"I came looking for it. And we found it. Here it is."
Only then did Tong Zhongyuan see what was inside the glass cover, and surprise flashed in his eyes.
"How did he bring it out?"
Qin Tian's eyes darkened, and he whispered, "Because it's not from the Han Dynasty, it's a Qing Dynasty imitation. Before the new Cultural Relics Law was introduced 20 years ago, Qing Dynasty cultural relics could be exported."
Qin Tian briefly told Tong Zhongyuan what had happened. Tong Zhongyuan felt a little disappointed. He hadn't expected this result. The treasure they had spent so much effort searching for turned out to be a Qing Dynasty replica.
"However, apart from the inscriptions on the sides of the figures, the rest of the patterns are completely consistent with those on Han Dynasty wall paintings, and even show traces of silk screens."
Qin Tian nodded. "Indeed. That's why my grandfather bought it as the real thing. I heard he viewed it three times, adding 1,000 taels of silver each time as a sample fee. Perhaps the dispute over this point made him undecided. Judging by current technology, the silk screen marks could have been artificially added."
Tong Zhongyuan frowned, remaining silent. Could Han Yehua, with his skill, really have made a mistake? But the gilded plate was right before his eyes. After all, while cultural relic identification used to rely solely on the naked eye, now there are many scientific methods.
The two of them were discussing the details of the characters' costumes and the characteristics of the mythical beasts in the Classic of Mountains and Seas around the gilded plate, completely unaware that an old Japanese woman in a kimono was observing them from a distance.
Seeing that their discussion had come to an end, the old woman walked over with small steps, bowed and smiled at the two of them.
"Excuse me, are you experts in Chinese cultural relics?"
Qin Tian was stunned. The woman spoke Chinese with a Japanese accent. She returned the greeting and said, "I work as an appraiser in a museum in China."
"Ah~" the old woman clapped her hands slightly. "As expected, I just heard you discussing this Chinese cultural relic. I think only professionals can understand it so well~"
"Thank you for the compliment. Your Chinese is very good."
"Really?" The woman smiled knowingly. "Because my ancestors were monks, it's a tradition in my family to learn Chinese."
Monks? Qin Tian was stunned. Then he thought, Japanese monks can get married.
Seeing her doubtful expression, the woman clapped her hands and smiled, "Legend has it that my ancestor, a monk, went to China to cultivate and returned. Ah, but that's just a legend. After all, it was so long ago. Maybe it was just something Grandpa made up."
After saying this, she covered her mouth and smiled, her temperament elegant. She turned to Tong Zhongyuan, admiration in her eyes, and asked politely, "Are you also an expert in Chinese museums?"
Tong Zhongyuan was too lazy to explain and evaded the question, saying, "I'm a cultural relic restorer."
The woman smiled and said, "So that's how it is. Are the experts in Chinese museums selected based on appearance?"
Qin Tian smiled politely. He thought this woman didn't look like she was just chatting casually, but rather had something to say. But the Japanese were very tactful in their speech, so he was afraid it would take a while before he could figure out what she was trying to say.
The woman opened her handbag, took out a color photo, and handed it to Qin Tian with both hands.
"In that case, could you two please help me identify an artifact? I will pay the corresponding fees."
Qin Tian took the photo and, after a single glance, his expression changed slightly. Tong Zhongyuan, who had been watching her, shifted his gaze to the photo, a hint of surprise evident. He caught sight of the old woman watching them from the corner of his eye, and immediately calmed down his expression, saying abruptly, "Very nice cups and plates."
Qin Tian was interrupted by his voice and came back to his senses.
"Do you mean to appraise this cup?"
"This one was handed down from my ancestors. I heard it was originally brought from China. Because of its beautiful colors, I've kept it as a decorative ornament. Now that I'm old, it's time to pass it on to my children. I want to know its value before I do. After all, I have three children." The old woman chuckled again. "If it's just beautiful, I can give it to the child who likes it the most. But if it's very valuable, then we'll have to discuss it carefully. I came to the Tang Museum to find out its origins, and I didn't expect to meet such a beautiful and handsome Chinese expert by chance."
What Qin Tian hated most was her uncontrollable heartbeat. After seeing so many treasures over the years, she should have grown indifferent. Yet, her heart still beat wildly with the unveiling of each national treasure. And this one, if it were genuine...it wasn't a national treasure; there wouldn't be another cup like it in the vast land of China. It was a world-class treasure from China, but it didn't belong to China—the Tianmu!
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