Chapter 88 The Emperor Qianlong's Imperial Treasure (First 4K Chapter, Requesting Monthly Tickets)
The floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the light, sculpting cold, hard angles on my face.
The knuckles of his fingers, which were holding the coffee cup, turned white, and then he slammed the cup down on the coffee table with a "bang".
Just as Wang Qizhi was about to ask something, Lin Sicheng quickly reminded him, "Teacher, there are security cameras!"
He suddenly realized: the contract hadn't been signed yet, the formalities weren't completed, and the goods hadn't arrived; anything could change at any moment.
But what about the Qing imperial collection?
He had seen many Qing court secrets, but he never imagined that they would be presented in this way or on this occasion.
The seller is selling Qing Dynasty imperial artifacts as fakes, and you can't refuse them... This is truly eye-opening!
This is what surprised Wang Qizhi.
He composed himself: "Which side?"
"The top left corner of the painting!"
Wang Qizhi recalled: He did have an impression, but it was useless, as it was all Sanskrit and he didn't recognize a single word.
Instinctively, he also had some doubts: after all, it was a seal made of metal and stone, not porcelain, which Lin Sicheng was most skilled at, or even bronze.
The key point is that Lin Sicheng has never mentioned anything about this before... Has he figured it out?
"What other supporting evidence is there?"
"And Xiang Molin's 'human' character seal, that round one!"
Wang Qizhi was taken aback: No wonder he was so sure?
Before Shan Wangshu accompanied him to Xi'an, he worked at the Palace Museum's calligraphy and painting gallery. Wang Qizhi had never seen what Xiang Molin's seal looked like, but he had at least heard that there were nearly five thousand calligraphy and paintings in the Palace Museum bearing Xiang Molin's collector's seal.
Lin Sicheng deduced from this that the calligraphy came from the Qing court's collection.
"Ye Anning knows about it too? I'm referring to this 'human' character seal..."
"Yes, teacher!"
Suddenly, Wang Qizhi was 90% convinced: because Ye Anning had grown up in the Forbidden City since childhood, his knowledge of seals and inscriptions should be deeper than Lin Sicheng's.
But it's strange that I could find such an object in such a place.
If it's true, the price would be at least three times higher based on just these two seals: three million.
This kid is good, and so is Ye Anning...
Silently praising himself, Wang Qizhi picked up his coffee cup.
But before he could even take a sip, Lin Sicheng spoke again. He still covered his mouth with the coffee cup, his voice still extremely low, as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
But to Wang Qizhi, it was like a thunderclap: "Teacher, there's another one: Emperor Qianlong's Buddhist scriptures!"
What is that?
Wang Qizhi's hand trembled involuntarily, spilling a few drops of coffee onto the coffee table.
Qianlong, the Sutra Repository... isn't that the imperial seal?
The question is, what were his and Ye Anning's expressions at that time?
The more Wang Qizhi thought about it, the more he felt like an idiot...
Lin Sicheng hurriedly pulled out a piece of paper and handed it forward, saying, "Teacher...Teacher!"
Wang Qizhi suddenly realized: "Lin Sicheng, I'm impressed!"
Lin Sicheng didn't say anything, but his expression was a little strange: "Going to the Forbidden City is like coming home for you. What kind of treasures haven't you seen?"
This isn't an authentic imperial seal, it's just one of Emperor Qianlong's seals, so why are you so shocked?
The teacher and student had an amazing understanding of each other; Wang Qizhi could tell what Lin Sicheng was thinking just by looking at his expression.
He glared at him and yelled, "What the hell do you know?"
Lin Sicheng chuckled and said, "Yes, yes!"
Wang Qizhi glared at him again.
Honestly, Wang Qizhi couldn't express his feelings without swearing. He felt like his chest was about to explode if he didn't curse.
"Is it the seal and the calligraphy that startled me? I'm startled by you and Ye Anning..."
Wang Qizhi's gaze was extremely strange as he stared at Lin Sicheng, as if he were looking at an alien creature. "When you two were exchanging glances, were you thinking: These three people are fucking pigs?"
Think back to the question and answer between Lin Sicheng and Ye Anning: Yuan Dynasty paper-making, Ming Dynasty paper imitation, and it was actually the paper from the Ming Rendian Hall.
And even those who imitated the brush clearly stated: Dong Qichang.
What does this mean? It means that the two of them have clearly and openly explained the results of the investigation.
And the result... haha, nobody believed it? Ye Anning's superiors didn't believe it, and the sellers didn't believe it either.
If you don't believe it, fine, but that woman just forced it on you and sold the calligraphy to Lin Sicheng.
It's no exaggeration to say that Wang Qizhi has heard countless stories of finding bargains in his life, but finding one like this is unheard of.
That's fucking amazing...
Lin Sicheng modestly replied, "I'm not 100% sure either. When we have time, I can have Sister Anning take it to Beijing for comparison!"
Wang Qizhi nodded vigorously: Of course we have to compare.
But he already believed it to be 90%.
First, there's Xiang Molin's "人" (human-shaped) seal: not only is it obscure, but it's also a professional anti-counterfeiting coded seal. Forget about authentication, very few people even know what it looks like.
Secondly, there are Sanskrit texts: this is even less common, and I've never heard of any texts recording them. Before this, Wang Qizhi had absolutely no idea that Emperor Qianlong had actually engraved Sanskrit texts.
What kind of person would be capable of researching to the point of being able to replicate them? With that kind of skill and energy, wouldn't it be better to replicate two of Emperor Qianlong's Chinese seals?
Thinking about it this way, Wang Qizhi felt even more suffocated: "Lin Sicheng, if I asked you, you would definitely say: I learned it from books... But have you realized what that means?"
He paused, loosened the buttons on his collar, and took a deep breath.
"Ye Anning was able to authenticate that calligraphy with a high degree of accuracy, which is to be expected: since I got married, she has spent all her holidays at the Forbidden City, working when Wangshu goes to work and finishing when Wangshu goes off work..."
She spent ten years immersed in it, until she graduated from university, and she had probably looked through the calligraphy and paintings in the gallery countless times. If she didn't have such a discerning eye, she might as well have drowned herself in a latrine…”
Wang Qizhi gave a thumbs up, "But you, learned it from books? The teacher can only say: You are this!"
They are indeed very excellent and deserve praise, but they should still be humble when necessary.
"You flatter me, teacher!"
Wang Qizhi waved his hand: "Whether I'm being too kind or not, I know myself!"
Lin Sicheng didn't say anything more.
Why is Ye Anning so close to her teacher's wife? It's like she was raised by her teacher's wife alone...
No wonder she has such high skills in appraising calligraphy and paintings; she knows about Mingren Hall paper and even recognizes the Xiang family's "human" seal.
It turns out it was all thanks to Professor Wang.
Amidst his sigh, Wang Qizhi sneered again: "That calligraphy, Ye Anning made you buy it, didn't she?"
Lin Sicheng nodded.
"Hehe, quite tolerant, no wonder you're my second sister's biological daughter!"
Lin Sicheng didn't say anything, but he mentally gave it a thumbs up: Indeed, if you don't do anything, you don't do anything at all, but if you do, you'll strike at the root of the problem.
Steady, accurate, ruthless... and incredibly patient!
Then consider Ye Anning's age: tsk tsk, only in her early twenties.
It's not that Lin Sicheng is being self-deprecating: in his previous life, when he was twenty, he probably would have been played to death by Ye Anning...
Fearing that the walls might be overheard, the teacher and student didn't dare to talk much. Lin Sicheng took out a tissue and wiped the coffee off the coffee table.
Just as I finished wiping it clean, I heard rustling footsteps behind me.
They were two employees of Baoli, seemingly just passing by. But they walked very slowly, their eyes constantly glancing at Lin Sicheng.
It was just a few steps, but it took them almost a minute to walk. The two of them crawled past the reception area like snails.
Just as I entered the restroom, several more people came over from across the street.
The same gaze, the same speed, the same expression.
Then came the second group, the third group... Ha, are they coming in groups to watch the fun?
If before it was mockery, disdain, and schadenfreude, now it's envy and jealousy.
This is 800,000, not 80,000, 8,000, or even 800.
Eight hundred thousand yuan could buy three apartments in the city center, or even a shop of over 100 square meters on Xi'an's most bustling commercial street. Like the clock tower downstairs…
It is said that a man might be so angry for a woman that he would risk everything, but in this materialistic and materialistic age, how many men are willing to make such sacrifices for a woman?
Let alone a girlfriend, I'd probably have to think twice before even considering a wife.
Of course, many people were envious and jealous, and quite a few mocked: "Spending 800,000 yuan to pick up girls? Did a donkey kick your brain?"
How many fools and suckers like this are there in this society?
Strangely, the girls' eyes grew increasingly intense, their hands gripping their phones, looking eager to try.
What is he trying to do? Is he planning to ask Lin Sicheng for his phone number?
Wang Qizhi frowned and leaned forward unconsciously.
Just as I was wondering whether I should remind Lin Sicheng to stay away from these kinds of people, Teacher Ma returned and sat down opposite Lin Sicheng.
His eyes were strange... no, they were equally intense.
She was even more attractive than those young girls.
Wang Qizhi's eyes widened: No... big sister, how old are you?
After staring for a while, the woman shook her head and said, "Tsk tsk... cute little puppy, so handsome!"
Lin Sicheng remained relatively calm, though he frowned slightly.
Wang Qizhi was enraged and even had an impulse to throw coffee in the woman's face.
He hesitated for a moment, then tapped the coffee table: "Teacher Ma, has the money arrived?"
"We've arrived, and I've signed my contract with Paul. But they said there's some trouble with your contract, and it needs to be renegotiated!"
Upon hearing this, both the teacher and student felt relieved.
Wang Qizhi directly ordered him to leave: "Do you have anything else to say?"
"That's ridiculous: can't I sit here for a while if there's nothing wrong? This isn't your home."
Wang Qizhi opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
The woman glared at him, then pulled out a business card and handed it to him with a smile.
Her captivating eyes stared intently at Lin Sicheng, as if drawing silk: "Little brother, if you ever need anything in the future, just give your big sister a call... Hmm, I have many treasures like genuine works by Dong Qichang..."
Afraid that Lin Sicheng wouldn't believe her, she patted her chest hard and shook it vigorously twice: "Really, I'm not lying to you!"
Lin Sicheng felt uneasy.
He knew exactly what this woman was after: she was a bastard who had spent 800,000 yuan to pick up girls, and he would really be letting her down if he didn't take advantage of her.
They don't care how they fleece people, as long as they get the money. But lady, even if you want to fleece people, you can't do it like this!
How strong do my tastes have to be?
Seeing that Lin Sicheng remained silent, the woman thought he didn't believe her, so she blinked and said, "Little brother, don't be so skeptical. I really have something good here: Dong Qichang's Sanskrit seal. Have you ever seen it?"
Lin Sicheng was taken aback: What did you say?
With a hint of suspicion, the woman took out a small box, opened it, and placed it on the coffee table.
Lin Sicheng glanced at it, his eyes narrowing slightly: Lion-shaped iron seal?
It's not big, only about five centimeters tall, with a button and a seal each on its own, each about three centimeters in diameter, and a relatively rough design.
At first glance, the button resembles a crouching lion, but upon closer inspection, the lion's mouth holds a golden pearl, and its front paws, like human hands, each grasp a dragon.
This is a "spiritual seal" from Tantric Buddhism, often depicted as a lion, a guardian deity. The iron used for casting is not ordinary iron, but meteorite iron, also known as celestial iron.
Full name: Zhizha Beast Heaven Iron Seal. The holder of this seal must be a Rinpoche (a leader of Tantric Buddhism). In Qinghai and Tibet, among Tantric believers, it is even more highly regarded than the golden book and golden seal bestowed by the Qing Dynasty emperor.
The latter only represents identity, while the former symbolizes divinely bestowed supreme power that can communicate with heaven and earth, making the difference in their status immediately apparent.
As for which Rinpoche it is, you need to look at the inscription and the markings around the seal.
Lin Sicheng first looked around: Mahakala, Vaishravana, Yama, Palden Lhamo, Vishnu, Garuda... the guardian deities of Tantric Buddhism, not a single one was missing.
He had some doubts: If this is printed for Rinpoche, would he dare to use it?
The key point is that it's quite authentic.
The inkstone is dark gray with a brownish tinge. The main material is copper, but the iron content is at least 40%.
Where the gilding layer is missing, snowflake-like patterns can be seen: these are traces left after the blank is forged using the typical high-altitude and Nepalese hammering process of "melting in clay crucibles, casting into blocks, and then cold forging".
The relief layer has a bold style and unrestrained carving technique, while the flat carving layer has intricate and precise lines... It is no surprise that this is the "Tibetan-style engraving system" technique that flourished in the LS and Shigatse regions during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
There's no doubt about whether it's new or old; compared to paper, ceramics, and metal artifacts, the sense of age is much harder to fake. Experts like Lin Sicheng and Wang Qizhi can tell the difference at a glance.
Judging from this, it can't really be the Dharma seal of some great lama, can it?
With a hint of suspicion, Lin Sicheng reached out his hand, but before he could reach the seal, he paused and asked, "Teacher Ma, you just said whose seal this is?"
The woman replied matter-of-factly, "Dong Qichang?"
"impossible!"
Dong Qichang was indeed a Buddhist, but he believed in Zen Buddhism...
“Why would I lie to you? I bought this seal and that calligraphy together, and I still have the receipts…” the woman said confidently. “Besides, I’ve compared them repeatedly: the seal on this one is exactly the same as the seal on the center of the painting!”
What is that?
Lin Sicheng's heart skipped a beat. He grabbed the button and picked up the seal.
I only glanced at it, just for a moment, and both eyes felt like they were blind:
What is the difference between the seal on this and the seal on the broken scroll?
They are the same size, the same frame, and even the arrangement and order of the Sanskrit letters are exactly the same.
In an instant, my heart started pounding, my pupils contracted rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, my palms were sweaty.
In all honesty, having lived two lives, Lin Sicheng has seen countless treasures, but this is the first time he has ever encountered one that is only a matter of "swiping a card once and the treasure is in his hands."
Fearing he might have misjudged something in his excitement, Lin Sicheng slowly exhaled, his mood gradually calming down.
Then he picked up the magnifying glass again.
Wang Qizhi reacted and grabbed the high-powered flashlight.
The teacher and student stood head to head, examining the object inch by inch.
The material and the pattern are correct.
The inscription, as well as the casting and engraving techniques, are also correct.
The period characteristics are more accurate.
Moreover, no traces of artificial forgery or aging were found from beginning to end.
For nearly ten minutes, they searched and searched, but Wang Qizhi and Lin Sicheng couldn't find a single flaw.
Then, the teacher and student looked at each other face to face and eye to eye: Oh my god!
Emperor Qianlong's Imperial Treasure?
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