Chapter 182 Apology
In the midst of a wide valley, a colossal stone statue stands before the temple gate. Sunlight streams down, making the three large characters gleam: Medicine King Temple.
A red carpet was laid on the ground, and a huge stage stood in the middle, with several rows of drummers wearing red coats and headscarves.
"Dong!" The deep sound of the drum reverberated through the mountains and fields. "Wu'er~" The high-pitched and melodious sound of the suona soared into the sky.
Then, drums and music resounded.
The host, dressed in Hanfu, stood on the stage, speaking with great emotion: "Mount Yao, towering and majestic, a sacred and immortal mountain, vast and awe-inspiring... Fuwei Zhenren, the Medicine King of the Tang Dynasty, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), a man of unparalleled literary talent... proficient in poetry and literature, renowned for his medical skills, he cured tigers and dragons with miraculous remedies..."
The audience was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder.
On the second day of the second lunar month, people worship the Medicine King at the Medicine King Temple.
It's only December, so the time isn't quite right yet. But last October (2007), the Yaowangshan Temple Fair in Yaozhou District, Tongchuan, had already entered the preliminary review stage for being a "National Intangible Cultural Heritage Project." Relevant departments needed to conduct an on-site preliminary verification before the end of the year, so this year it was brought forward a little.
If approved, Tongchuan, and even Yaozhou District, will have two "national intangible cultural heritage projects." Local leaders attach great importance to this, as do higher-level departments.
Although it was very cold, the judging panel required on-site observation, and many city leaders came and accompanied the audience, providing one-on-one reception.
But halfway through the ceremony, while the ancient music ensemble on stage was singing "The Great Physician's Sincerity," Director Tian's phone suddenly buzzed.
He glanced at it and saw it was a call from Deputy Director Song. Thinking it was a normal work report, Director Tian hung up.
But then, it started vibrating again with a "buzzing" sound.
Tian Chengming frowned.
Everyone in the city knew that today was a special day for the city to receive the World Heritage application review team from Beijing. Not only were all the heads of various departments present, but city leaders were also accompanying them throughout the visit. But Old Song wasn't satisfied with just calling once; he resolutely called a second time?
There must be something important to report, but the drumming was so loud that I couldn't even hear the people next to me talking, let alone answer the phone.
After thinking for a moment, Tian Chengming smiled at one of the review experts he was responsible for receiving, then hung up again and sent a text message: Lao Song, it's too noisy, text me if you need anything.
As if Deputy Director Song had anticipated this, a text message came in just as he pressed send.
Tian Chengming casually clicked on it, and then his eyes widened little by little, a look of surprise and anger appearing on his face.
Core technologies are being patented by others... Song Jingxian, what are you good for?
Meng Shufeng has been researching this for over twenty years. How did he conduct his research?
Just as he was burning with anger, the drums and music suddenly stopped, and the third procedure began: the offering of three sacrificial animals.
With his ears much quieter, Tian Chengming quickly found a corner and dialed the number.
The more he listened, the angrier he became. Song Jingxian wasn't around, otherwise he would have definitely pinned that bastard down and given him a good beating.
How many troublemakers do you have to cause to make such a mess at this crucial moment?
But what good would it do to stab Song Jingxian, Du Liangzhi of the Porcelain Research Institute, and that Liu Dong a few times?
The key is how to remedy the situation.
After hanging up the phone, Tian Chengming glanced at his watch, took a few deep breaths, and then calmly returned to the stage.
He was even chatting and laughing with the expert next to him...
The ceremony began at three o'clock, including bell music, speeches, music and dance, sacrifices, and so on—a total of five or six items, lasting about an hour.
Around 4:30, a group of city leaders saw the review team off to their cars, saying that they wanted the leaders and experts to rest for a while and that a small banquet had been prepared at the city hotel...
As soon as the convoy started moving, Director Tian hurriedly invited the Party Secretary, Mayor, Deputy Party Secretary, Executive Deputy Mayor, and the Deputy Mayor in charge of industry to the scenic area office.
In just a few words, the five leaders were stunned: without realizing it, without a sound, their subordinates had made a huge mess of things.
The core technology of Yaozhou porcelain has been patented by someone else? And they're even planning to reapply for UNESCO World Heritage status for this technology?
What exactly did Yaozhou porcelain achieve in its previous application for World Heritage status? It was a joke.
What's worse, this year happens to be the final review period for the second batch of World Heritage nominations, and the time for the third batch of applications. Without a doubt, once the application materials are submitted, they will be reviewed and evaluated by the same people.
And then, what will happen?
It's absolutely impossible that this won't affect the final review of the "Yaowangshan Temple Fair's" application for intangible cultural heritage status.
Because the review panel will first question the city's organizational, leadership, and supervisory capabilities, as well as its level of attention to the subsequent protection and research and development of the World Heritage application project.
Furthermore, doubts will arise regarding the professional competence and protective capabilities of Director Meng and the Municipal Porcelain Research Institute, the inheritors and protectors of intangible cultural heritage.
After more than 20 years of research, the most core and representative technology has been snatched away by others. How did you conduct your research? And how will you protect it afterward?
Therefore, it's not just a matter of whether the second item will pass the final review, but also involves the first item, namely whether Yaozhou porcelain will be revoked.
What? Impossible?
It's not like they haven't been removed before: just last year, in 2007, three national-level intangible cultural heritage projects were removed from the heritage list due to inadequate performance of duties, failure to take effective measures to carry out protection and inheritance work, and insufficient research capabilities.
Even more entities had their inheritance and protection qualifications revoked or adjusted, totaling twelve.
You think it's just a matter of canceling it?
For organizations and even individuals, this is a political incident: a mark is added to their personnel files, a stain is added to their resumes...
While it wouldn't make my scalp tingle, the faces of the leaders were all incredibly dark.
More importantly, the cause and process of this incident: someone kindly offered to exchange the technology they needed most, and you treated them like a thief.
Not only are they unwilling to communicate, but they also treat people like monkeys to be teased.
And the result? They tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead; they lifted a rock only to drop it on their own foot… It's no exaggeration: if they were disqualified, and word got out, their neighboring units would laugh their heads off.
After copying the materials, they had to be checked; during the observation and learning, no questions were allowed... After studying for twenty days, not only did I not learn anything, but I also had to pay all the fees in full.
Northwest University is one of the top key universities in the province (ranked fourth). To be so short-sighted and petty is something you can hardly find anywhere else in the country…
That's fucking ridiculous!
The mayor, his face grim, asked, "Old Tian, where's Liu Dong?"
Tian Chengming lowered his head and said, "I've had him taken into custody!"
"What's the point of keeping him under control? He's caused such a huge mess, and you think he can just hide away and be done with it? Old Tian, you go yourself, right now: take Song Jingxian and that Liu Dong to Xijing..."
The mayor gritted his teeth and glared at him: "Tian Chengming, can't you understand me?"
Tian Chengming nodded vigorously: "Mayor, I understand. I'll contact Xida University right now..."
"What's the point of contacting Northwest University? What good would it do? Do you think Northwest University is made of clay? And look at the garbage that your Porcelain Research Institute has done... Even clay figures have some temper, right?"
The mayor is a retired soldier who has fought in real battles, and quite a few at that. So his temper is exceptionally volatile.
Upon hearing Tian Chengming mention contacting Xida University, a surge of anger instantly welled up inside him. He immediately unleashed a torrent of profanity, swearing furiously: "I'm telling you to take people to apologize!"
Despite being reprimanded like this, Tian Chengming kept his head down, not daring to utter a single extra word, only nodding repeatedly: "Yes, Mayor, I understand..."
Was he wronged? Yes!
A delegation from Northwest University came to learn from our experience. Although a vice dean was present, they only contacted the Institute of Porcelain Research and left that same day. The person in charge of the actual coordination was just a professor.
Therefore, if the level were even slightly higher, or if the Institute of Porcelain Research paid even a little more attention, such a thing would not have happened.
But should he take responsibility?
He's the director, and the Porcelain Research Institute is a unit directly under the Industry Bureau. He shouldn't be so unreasonable!
And there's no excuse to be found: copying materials requires checking, and no questions are allowed during observation and learning... It's disgusting and despicable. Is this something a human being could do?
Tian Chengming wished he could chop Liu Dong into mincemeat.
He gritted his teeth secretly, but nodded his head like a chick pecking at rice.
The deputy mayor was extremely uncomfortable and it took him a long time to calm down before he finally said, "Mayor, shall I lead the team?"
The mayor glared at him: You're in charge of industry and scientific research, if you don't go, who will?
Seriously, if the deputy mayor keeps pretending not to say anything, he'll start yelling...
He nodded, then turned to the secretary and asked, "Secretary, what are your thoughts on how to arrange this?"
In the past, after the mayor finished his tirade, the Party Secretary would try to ease the tension and set a positive tone for the mayor. But this time, he skipped all the intervening steps, and his face was even darker than the mayor's.
At this critical juncture, what the hell are these bastards doing?
“Mayor Wang (Deputy Mayor), call Meng Shufeng and tell him to come back today. Then you can go together… At the same time, ask him: Is the Municipal Porcelain Research Institute still a research institution under the leadership of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government?”
In a flash, sweat beaded on Tian Chengming's forehead.
The deputy mayor's face suddenly changed, and he forced a smile: "Yes, Secretary..."
Did they think they could escape to the capital and be done with it?
impossible.
Even a fool could guess: how did this bizarre and outrageous thing happen?
The Industrial Bureau's control over the Ceramic Research Institute, or at least this research and development center, is practically zero...
With a cold expression, the Party Secretary added, "The one who tied the knot must untie it, Mayor Wang. I suggest that after you arrive in Xi'an, you first visit that Teacher Lin, that overly young successor. But you must address the root cause: before your visit, you must thoroughly understand..."
After a slight pause, the secretary tapped the table again: "Mayor Wang, it's about understanding, not investigating, that's the first point. Secondly, spare no expense: as long as you can offer conditions, you can confidently continue the negotiations... Do you understand?"
The person is from Xida University, but the technology belongs to Lin Sicheng. Once we get this guy on our side, all the difficulties will be resolved…
The vice mayor nodded emphatically: "Secretary, I understand!"
"Good!" The secretary smiled slightly. "Thank you for your hard work!"
The mayor snorted coldly.
If we spare no expense, what will be the ultimate price we pay?
If you had shown even a little respect at the beginning, things wouldn't have come to this.
This is absolutely outrageous...
...
Unbeknownst to the leaders, Lin Sicheng, whom they were determined to win over at any cost, was less than 200 meters away.
As the sun set behind the mountaintop, the drums and gongs continued to resound, and the crowd not only didn't decrease, but actually increased.
The crowd was so large it seemed to stretch endlessly.
Red lanterns hung from the temple eaves, the ox horn blew a low, mournful sound, and all sorts of fragrances wafted into the nostrils.
The folk performance procession wound its way around the temple wall. In the dead of winter, the lead drummer had half his arm bare. With each beat of the drum, the muscles on his hands gleamed with a bronze-like light, and a red silk ribbon wrapped around his waist fluttered in the cold wind.
Qin Qiong, walking on stilts, suddenly stumbled, eliciting short gasps from the crowd. But in an instant, with a nimble twist of his ankle, he extended the other wooden leg backward, the two legs forming a V-shape, and his figure in golden armor bent into an iron bridge.
As soon as it quieted down, cheers erupted...
No... If he hadn't practiced, Lin Sicheng would have dared to chew and eat those two wooden legs.
He put the dough flower in his mouth and clapped his hands vigorously.
Then, several small trucks drove up: the truck beds were made of bamboo and wood frames, with colorful lanterns in the shape of animals made of Xuan paper in the middle, and little girls dressed in Hanfu standing on the backs of the animals.
Tongchuan folk custom, provincial intangible cultural heritage: Yaozhou Fire Pavilion.
Lin Sicheng took even more photos.
Shang Yan tilted her head and looked at it for a long time: "Is it that good-looking?"
Li Zhen paused, then nodded: "It is quite beautiful!"
That doesn't seem right... You're from the South, how can you empathize?
She secretly wondered, then looked at the dough flower that Lin Sicheng had in his mouth: Was it really that delicious?
It was just a steamed bun with a few dough flowers shaped into it and dyed, and it even looked like a wreath. Lin Sicheng ate it with relish, nibbling as he walked, and soon only a small half was left.
Li Zhen looked at it and said, "Lin Sicheng said this is Yintai Mianhua (Yintai District, Tongchuan), and it's quite delicious!"
Shang Yan glanced at her sideways: "Then why aren't you eating?"
Li Zhen smiled, pursing her lips, "I'm not used to it."
Shang Yan pouted: "Isn't it still not tasty?"
While chatting and watching, the crowd thinned out after the folk performance troupe passed, revealing the booths and food stalls on both sides.
Yaozhou paper-cutting, Yaozhou clay sculpture, Yaozhou lanterns, Yaozhou steamed dumplings, Yaozhou steamed noodles, Chenlu vinegar (town, belonging to Yaozhou District)... and of course, Yaozhou porcelain.
Judging from these folk customs that have been inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Yaozhou has a very profound traditional cultural heritage.
The food was quite delicious.
After finishing a piece of dough, Lin Sicheng ate a bowl of steamed buns and then ordered a box of steamed dumplings.
Thin skin, generous filling; every bite is bursting with meat.
Lin Sicheng ate as he walked, his mouth dripping with oil.
As he walked, he stopped again.
The stall was quite large, with nine long tables arranged in a square. Countless medicinal herbs were piled up on the tables, one stack after another.
Seven or eight traditional Chinese medicine practitioners sat at their desks, some taking pulses, others examining tongue coatings. Long queues formed in front of each of them.
In the middle, more than a dozen doctors were washing, cutting, pounding, or grinding. All sorts of medicinal smells filled the air.
This is one of the unique features of the Yaowangshan Temple Fair: on-site diagnosis, prescription writing, preparation, and cooking.
You can imagine what the smell was like there.
Shang Yan sneezed, and Li Zhen covered her nose.
Lin Sicheng was completely unaware. He glanced around and walked to a long table.
But instead of queuing up or going to the doctor's side, he craned his neck to look inside from across the long table.
There were two earthenware pots, one for stir-frying herbs and the other for stewing chicken. There was also a large clay pot for stewing herbs and chicken.
No, it should be called a sauce: the broth was so thick it was stringy, like a medicinal ointment.
It's not easy to identify which herbs were added, but I can recognize the broken red goji berries and thin slices of ginger.
It had a very strong medicinal smell, yet it also had a unique fragrance.
Finally, they added salt?
Ge Xu was a little confused and craned his neck: "Teacher Lin, is this medicine, ointment, or medicinal cuisine?"
"medicine!"
After replying, seeing that the old Chinese medicine doctor had turned off the stove, Lin Sicheng hurriedly waved and said, "Doctor, doctor, I'd like a serving!"
The old doctor glanced at him: "They've already distributed the portions over there, they're handing them out now, go line up..."
"I don't want anything free, I want the whole pot!" Lin Sicheng pointed, "I want it all, chicken and medicine!"
The old Chinese medicine doctor was stunned: "They do sell medicine, but this is the first time I've seen someone even take chickens."
Besides, it's such a big pot, can you even finish it?
Lin Sicheng took out his wallet: "Doctor, don't worry, there are seven or eight of us."
A group of people stared wide-eyed: No... when did we say we wanted to drink Chinese medicine?
While paying the doctor, Lin Sicheng looked at Ge Xu and said, "Brother Xu, this medicine is really good... it will definitely work for you..."
Ge Xu stared blankly, mouth agape: With that look in his eyes and that phrase, "It'll definitely work after you drink it," what else could this rascal mean?
But what good person has kidney deficiency?
He really wanted to spit in Lin Sicheng's face, but he held back and shook his head vigorously: "I don't need it!"
Lin Sicheng gave a strange smile. "Brother Xu, this medicine is called Yaowang Anshen Tang (Medicine King's Tranquilizing Soup), which comes from Sun Simiao's 'Qianjin Fang' (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold)... Do you know why salt is added at the end? The prescription says: 'Light salt guides the medicine to the kidneys...'"
"Look, when the medicine drips down the spoon, doesn't it look like beads? This is called 'dripping medicine into beads,' which means that the medicine was prepared exactly according to the ancient method, and the heat and efficacy were just right..."
Ge Xu was skeptical: "Really?"
"Trust me, you won't go wrong!" Lin Sicheng patted his chest, then pointed at Sun Le, "Senior Brother Sun, have some too, watch less movies tonight..."
Sun Le blushed and his eyes darted around.
Lin Sicheng then looked at Shang Yan: "Liver stagnation and spleen weakness, chest and rib distension, and poor Qi circulation (due to prolonged suppressed anger)... Professor Shang, have some too."
Lin Sicheng then pointed at Li Zhen: "His spirit is low, his mind is confused, his liver is depressed and his lungs are weak, and he is saddened by worry..."
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, lowered his head, and paused for a moment: "Senior Sister Li, you'd like some too!"
When she was told that she had liver stagnation and spleen deficiency, Shang Yan didn't think much of it. But when Li Zhen was mentioned, her eyelids twitched: Li Zhen had been feeling listless and confused lately.
In plain terms: He didn't have Lin Daiyu's life, but he caused Lin Daiyu's illness.
But Lin Sicheng was able to diagnose the symptoms with just one glance, isn't that a method of judging a person by their aura?
Wasn't that the time at the school gate when he said Fang Jingxian was very difficult to deal with, just like that?
With a "Huh?", the old Chinese medicine doctor's eyes lit up, and he looked the doctor up and down. "A student from the Chinese Medicine Hospital, right? You're so good at observing qi? Who's your teacher?"
What teachers are there?
"Doctor, I'm not..." Lin Sicheng smiled, "I'm studying cultural relics and just did some random research with my teacher..."
The old Chinese medicine doctor was stunned: What the heck, cultural relics and museums... isn't that just doing archaeology?
But even those two simple diagnostic techniques, demonstrated by observing qi, are something nearly half the attending physicians at the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine wouldn't be able to do...
He stared at Lin Sicheng for a long time, looking at his face and his hands, then suddenly smiled: "After saying so much, are you getting hungry?"
Wow, this old man has a sharp eye!
Actually, Lin Sicheng just wanted to eat that chicken...
He smiled and said, "The old gentleman is parting with his money!"
It's truly a shame: the chicken was cooked to perfection today, and the old Chinese medicine doctor was originally planning to take it home to enjoy with his drinks.
"It's yours!"
The old Chinese medicine doctor waved his hand and smiled again: "Remember you owe me a chicken!"
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: "May I ask your surname, sir?"
"His surname is Hou, Hou Jinquan!"
Lin Sicheng was stunned for a long time before he finally said, "Thank you, Dean Hou!"
The old Chinese medicine doctor waved his hand again.
Several disciples came to help, quickly packed the medicine and chicken, and then said goodbye to the old man.
After walking quite a distance, Ge Xu suddenly stopped: Hou Jinquan... Dean Hou of the Air Force Medical University (whose TCM department ranks first in the province)?
You just remembered?
Lin Sicheng nodded.
"A master of traditional Chinese medicine, honorary president of the Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from Tongchuan. However, he retired several years ago..."
Ge Xu glanced at Lin Sicheng, then at the medicine in his hand.
And, just now, Dean Ge looked at Lin Sicheng and said, "You're so good at observing qi?"
So, does that mean Lin Sicheng... really knows how to treat illnesses?
Lin Sicheng scoffed: "You still don't believe me even now?"
He pursed his lips and lowered his voice: "Brother Xu, how often do you go home?"
Ge Xu was stunned.
It's no exaggeration: the man in his forties blushed all the way to the roots of his neck.
Lin Sicheng sensed something was wrong and moved a little further away...
Seeing this, Zhang Feng leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Teacher Lin, would you like some too?"
"You're wasting your time if you don't use it!"
Lin Sicheng shook his head, then looked the child up and down, his gaze growing increasingly strange: "Brother Zhang, how old is your baby?"
How do you know it's "month" and not "year"?
Zhang Feng's eyelids twitched: "Ten and a half months!"
Lin Sicheng sighed, his voice still low: "No... Brother Zhang, you're even stealing the baby's milk?"
Suddenly, Zhang Feng's face turned even redder, a deep, almost purplish red.
"Damn it, the baby's being suckled..."
He roared and clenched his fist, causing Lin Sicheng to retreat even further.
Ge Xu, Shang Yan, Li Zhen, Xu Gaolan, and Sun Le were all stunned: Lin Sicheng's voice was very low, and if Zhang Feng hadn't shouted, they wouldn't have known what the two were talking about.
But that's not the point. The point is, Lin Sicheng could even see that?
Just as he was in shock, his phone beeped a few times. Lin Sicheng took it out and saw: Wang Qizhi.
The call connected, and Wang Qizhi's voice came through, somewhat languid and even a little carefree: "When are you guys coming back?"
"Stay for one night, how about tomorrow?"
Hearing Wang Qizhi's slightly smug tone, Lin Sicheng thought for a moment and asked, "Teacher, is there something wrong?"
"It's nothing!" Wang Qizhi took a sip of tea and smacked his lips. "Tongchuan reacted quickly. Before you even got back, they had already come to the school, saying they came specifically to apologize..."
Apologize?
That batch of tea dust glaze should have been fired around noon, right?
The reaction was indeed quite fast.
Just as he was thinking about it, Wang Qisheng chuckled again: "Everyone who was supposed to come has arrived: the deputy director of the Porcelain Research Institute, the director and deputy director of the Industry Bureau... and they said that Director Meng would also be coming from Beijing by tomorrow at the latest..."
After a brief pause, Wang Qizhi seemed to remember something else: "Oh right, the delegation was quite high-profile, led by the vice mayor..."
The specifications are indeed quite high.
But Lin Sicheng just listened quietly, without saying a word from beginning to end.
Wang Qizhi suddenly understood: Sure enough, Lin Sicheng was still the same Lin Sicheng.
"I heard there's some kind of temple fair going on over there. Let's take advantage of the fun and have a few more days!" He chuckled again. "Leave this to me!"
Lin Sicheng breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, teacher!"
Wang Qizhi laughed again: "You've already called me teacher, why are you thanking me?"
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