Chapter 85 Why is the fictional wine jug in VR...?
Wow, I'm in Qinghe Ancient Town right now, and it feels like there are a hundred million people here. Is the entire city of Qinghe here?
[Together.]
[Together +1]
[You should be grateful; at least Qinghe Ancient Town has vehicle restrictions. I'm by West Lake now, and it's packed with people everywhere. I'm terrified of being pushed into the lake. Now I can't get out, I'm stuck in a dilemma.]
[West Lake can't implement traffic restrictions either, since it's free and doesn't have walls. By the way, I want to express my appreciation and respect to scenic spots that still implement traffic restrictions during the Spring Festival.]
I should have gone to Qinghe City; I was too late and couldn't get a ticket.
【I'm different! Not only did I manage to snag a ticket, but I also arrived at 6:30 AM to queue, successfully becoming the first person to open Qinghe Ancient Town in the new year. I feel like I'll have great luck this year. (Smug) (Smug)】
"Wow, are you trying to be the first to offer incense at a temple?"
[It was almost as intense as scrambling to be the first to offer incense; everyone was rushing forward. The scene was... wow, you'll see if you watch the video.]
[My sister and I are amazing! We started queuing at 6:30 am. I was in the first wave of people entering town, and I even saw the morning mist! Absolutely stunning! I managed to take a memorable photo; a perfect start to the new year.]
The morning mist was absolutely stunning; I almost thought the world was about to experience a spiritual awakening.
[This northerner is completely satisfied. This is the misty, rainy Jiangnan I've always longed for, even more beautiful than I imagined. I'm even thinking of buying a house in Anping County so I can come and stay here from time to time.]
[Wow, the super-rich!]
[A little girl who couldn't get a ticket saw your discussion and her heart broke.]
[Don't worry if you didn't manage to snag tickets! As a valued annual pass holder, let me tell you, Qinghe Ancient Town gets foggy quite often, sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night—each with its own beauty. You might encounter it next time! Be sure to come on a weekday when it's less crowded; during the Spring Festival, it's too crowded, and the photos won't turn out as well.]
[Waaaaah, sister, you're an angel.]
But looking at the comments, I feel like Qinghe Ancient Town will never be less crowded again... (smile) (smile)
Long queues formed at the ticket gates as countless tourists entered by scanning their faces or ID cards, beginning their day's sightseeing.
The number of ticket inspectors standing nearby has increased from two to six, keeping a close eye on order. There are also announcements reminding tourists not to crowd and to show their identification first.
"My goodness, before, there was basically no need to queue after 9:30..." The ticket checker felt her face was about to freeze from smiling, and she talked to her colleague next to her with a forced grin. She looked at her watch; it was already 10:30 in the morning, but the entrance was still packed with people.
The parking lot was even more chaotic; many people who drove there couldn't find a parking space and had to leave disappointed.
"Don't even mention the parking lot," another ticket inspector whispered, "the group chat says the cars are already lined up for miles outside Anping County Street, and all the traffic police have been called back to work."
Aside from the tough battle at the entrance, the battle inside the ancient town is equally fierce.
Fortunately, Qinghe Ancient Town is quite large and has a vehicle limit of 30,000, so apart from some popular attractions and photo spots, there hasn't been a situation where people can't move around.
Not only ticket inspectors, but also the cleaning staff have been increased by half today, paying close attention to the cleanliness of the venue at all times.
Zone 2.
"Sorry there'll be a wait. Please take a number first. There are already eight numbers ahead of us." In the rice noodle shop, Grandpa Feng's daughter was busy handing out waiting number slips to tourists. "It might take about twenty minutes... Yes, yes, we'll call your number. You can also go and wander around the side first."
As soon as winter vacation started, her parents called her over to help out at the store.
The young woman didn't complain; she just felt incredibly good counting money every day. Whenever she was tired, hearing the notification on her phone that the money had been deposited into her account immediately gave her renewed energy.
Besides their daughter, Mr. Feng and his wife also asked their distant niece to help out, and the overall situation is currently under control.
They weren't the only ones; the fried mochi, pastry, beef offal, and steamed bun shops next door were all packed with tourists, and everyone was incredibly busy.
Mr. Zheng, the owner of the steamed bun shop, didn't stop for a moment, his hands almost blurring as he grabbed buns. He asked the waiting tourists curiously, "It's past ten o'clock, haven't you had breakfast yet?"
The tourist replied with a grin, "We had heard that Qinghe Ancient Town had lots of delicious food that wasn't expensive, so we just woke up and came straight here."
Boss Zheng silently gave a thumbs up: "Then you really came to the right place."
Although staff were maintaining order, the scene was not chaotic, but with so many people and the sound of people calling out numbers, it was quite noisy compared to the usual quietness.
Besides the food area, all the performance venues were packed, and those requiring advance reservations were already sold out. Song Sao Fish Restaurant, which only opens at 10 AM, already had a long queue of tourists waiting to get their numbers.
Wang Wei originally wanted to come out and experience the lively atmosphere of the Spring Festival in later generations, but after standing for a while, he got a headache from the noise and went straight back to Zone 4.
It's still quieter at home!
Yang Qingning walked through Qinghe Ancient Town, constantly taking pictures with her phone.
"I didn't expect the promotional video to be true; the scenery here is exactly the same as in the video." She looked at the beautiful scenery in front of her, her eyes filled with amazement.
Yang Qingning is from Beijing, and she had already seen the promotional video for Qinghe Ancient Town when it was all over the internet. However, in her experience, these promotional videos usually only capture the most essential parts of the scenic spot, and with filters and angles, they are often much more beautiful than the actual scenic spot.
In addition, she is from the capital city, which is quite far from Qinghe City, so she just laughed it off when she saw it and didn't really think about making a special trip to visit.
But then her grandfather suddenly insisted on coming to Qinghe Ancient Town, saying he wanted to see their state-of-the-art VR experience. So after New Year's Eve, she had no choice but to fly over with the old man, booking tickets for the fourth to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.
Before they even set off, photos and videos of Qinghe Ancient Town's Spring Festival activities had already flooded the internet. Various performances, temple fairs, new VR experiences, special fireworks displays at night, and different themed activities every day from the first to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.
It has received a high number of likes and comments, making it stand out from other scenic spots of the same type.
Yang Qingning even saw many tourists offering high prices for tickets:
[Who has booked tickets for the fourth day of the Lunar New Year? Looking for two tickets, price negotiable, acceptable price not exceeding four figures per ticket.]
A thousand for a ticket? I'm totally confused. The ticket price is only a little over a hundred! If you have too much money and don't want it, you might as well give it to me.
[Dude, you can't buy it no matter how much money you offer. Tickets are now registered with your real name. Don't believe those scalpers who say they can get you in; they're all scammers.]
[I cried, I'm so angry! I just went today, I should have bought a two-day ticket, I wanted to go again. But when I checked, all the tickets before the Lantern Festival were already sold out.]
[While playing inside, I thought the limit on the number of people was great, but when I wanted to go back afterward, I was so annoyed that it had to limit the number of people! Hahaha, such a big place, couldn't it even fit a tiny me? So mad!]
Is it really that fun? Is it the same as in the videos?
[This is genuinely fun! And the daily activities change from the first to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, so you can play repeatedly without getting bored. I was most interested in the activities on the fourth, fifth, and seventh days: the fourth was a grand parade of deities, the fifth was welcoming the God of Wealth, and the seventh was sending away poverty and releasing river lanterns.]
[Once you're inside, you absolutely must see the puppet show, and the fireworks display at night is also a must-see—it's spectacular!]
There were so many performances, and every single one was fantastic. There were simply too many to see them all; one day was definitely not enough.
[We made plans for the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, and I'm so happy I could spin around in circles.]
[I can understand from the first to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, but aren't we supposed to be working on the eighth? Why is it still fully booked? Doesn't anyone else want to work?!]
Yang Qingning was on her way to the VR virtual experience center. After watching it, she couldn't help but complain in her heart. She also wanted to know.
She originally wanted to book a few more days or upgrade to an annual pass, but even if she upgraded, she couldn't book a time slot before the Lantern Festival.
As for why we stayed in Qinghe Ancient Town during the Spring Festival?
That story begins with her grandfather.
Yang Qingning's grandfather was an archaeology professor at a university in Beijing. Before the Lunar New Year, a professor from the same department suddenly approached him, and after some discussion, the old man became very interested in the scenic area. If he hadn't been too busy before the New Year, he probably would have flown over long ago.
Professor Yang was interested in the VR experience in the ancient town. Although Yang Qingning didn't know why her grandfather, who studied history and archaeology, would go to the ancient town to experience VR, she could only accompany him since he had said so.
In the first year of junior high school, a new "Fast Pass" was launched on the Qinghe Ancient Town app. It was limited in number every day, but it wasn't cheap, costing 680 yuan per person. It allowed priority reservations for six times or six activities.
It was a bit pricey, but Yang Qingning resolutely and painfully bought three days' worth of FMCG.
I hate endless queues; I'd rather pay for the experience.
She was grateful for the hand speed she honed while playing games—after buying it, she discovered that the fast pass during the Chinese New Year period sold out very quickly, proving that there are still too many wealthy people in China.
Yang Qingning was also wondering to herself, only a handful of established zoos and amusement parks in China dared to sell such expensive Fastpass cards. The fact that Qinghe Ancient Town had also jumped on the bandwagon meant they must have some real skills.
However, once Yang Qingning arrived at Qinghe Ancient Town, she understood why everyone was so enthusiastic about it.
It's really beautiful.
Moreover, it's not the kind of beauty that can only focus on a few details, and whose flaws will be exposed if the scene is widened. Crossing a bridge, turning into an alley, or entering a house is all beautiful; it's not picky about photography skills.
You can create videos simply by opening your phone.
The only downside is that there are a lot of people.
Yang Qingning heard the boy next to her, Tian Fan, say, "There weren't this many people when it opened. Luckily I came early. Next time, I'll get up early and rush in as soon as it opens."
Tian Fan, an enthusiast of ancient architecture, is actually a professionally trained architect. His postgraduate major was cultural relic protection, but he later became passionate about ancient architecture photography. Since he didn't have much job pressure, he didn't go to work for a related institution.
His mentor was a close friend of Professor Yang, Yang Qingning's grandfather.
Professor Yang specializes in the study of Qin Dynasty culture.
Tian Fan never expected that his casual remark would actually lead his mentor and Professor Yang to travel thousands of miles to Qinghe Ancient Town during the Chinese New Year.
Here's what happened.
At the time, Tian Fan was having a great time in the holographic virtual experience hall. He queued up several times over two days and played through each of Li Bing's memories twice.
On his second viewing of the dialogue between Li Bing and King Zhaoxiang of Qin, he had a sudden inspiration. Ignoring the plot, he began to experiment with the boundaries of the VR game to see how large the VR modeling scene could be.
Then he discovered that it was much bigger than he had imagined.
Tian Fan first took a walk around the inside of the palace.
He first noticed the intricate dragon pattern on the bronze lamp in the corner of the palace and nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad. This pattern is exactly the same as the fragments unearthed from the Qin capital Yongcheng site. It seems that this manufacturing company really put a lot of thought into it."
Looking down, he noticed an extremely inconspicuous indentation at the bottom of the lamppost. Tian Fan squatted down and was surprised to find a row of extremely tiny, raised marks.
"Temple craftsman, Chengjiao, craftsman's subordinate Ao, fiftieth year, Yisi year." Tian Fan struggled to decipher the inscription on the stamp, muttering, "Wow... was it really necessary to be this meticulous?"
This is a craftsman's stamp!
The style and location of this stamp are exactly the same as the craftsman's markings on some bronze weapons and chariots unearthed from the Qin Mausoleum!
The mark on the lamp means that this bronze lamp was made by the temple workshop, supervised by the official named Jiao, craftsman named Lichen Ao, and cast in the fiftieth year of King Zhaoxiang, the year of Yisi.
Seriously, would any tourist really notice such a tiny detail? Is it really necessary for a VR company to go to this level of detail? Are they just throwing money away?
Moreover, this is not something that can be solved simply by having more money; it also requires an extremely strong and in-depth understanding of Qin Dynasty culture... Tian Fan wanted to immediately ask his senior and mentor if anyone in academia had collaborated with a VR company before.
"Wait a minute, wasn't the sexagenary cycle system only popularized in the Eastern Han Dynasty?" A thought flashed through Tian Fan's mind. "How come there's a dual labeling of the sexagenary cycle and the sexagenary cycle here all of a sudden?"
His first reaction was that the VR company had made a mistake.
This conclusion made him feel relieved—it seemed that the VR company wasn't so scary after all.
But Tian Fan was a very smart person; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to get into one of the top universities in the country. He immediately realized that it wasn't hard to find out that the sexagenary cycle only became widespread in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Given the VR company's level of detail and understanding of Qin Dynasty culture, it was impossible for them to make such a basic mistake.
He thought about it for a while but couldn't come up with a solution, so he simply put it aside and started studying other things.
Tian Fan left the palace; he had been wanting to see if there was a map outside.
And it really works!
He left the palace smoothly, passing through the walls, like suddenly switching to a higher-dimensional perspective while playing a game, and then successfully arrived outside the palace.
Tian Fan saw the guards standing outside the palace gate.
These guards are not the glamorous props from movies and TV shows. Their leather armor shows signs of wear and repair, their temples beneath their bronze helmets are stained with sweat, and their sharp eyes carry a hint of weariness from long journeys or long shifts.
"It's so realistic..." After another exclamation, Tian Fan continued walking forward, and everything remained the same.
He had already descended the steps and arrived at the small square in front of the palace, where he saw the many palaces behind him. Unfortunately, when he tried to pass through the palace gate, he was blocked by an invisible wall.
Tian Fan knew that this was probably the limit of VR maps.
He was a little disappointed, sighed, and then found a high spot to climb up and take a look. And he actually made it up there!
Tian Fan originally thought he would see a gray and white landscape, but he did not expect to see layers of palaces, and even the city outside the palace gates, indistinctly.
He gasped, "This is Xianyang Palace... and Xianyang City?"
Although the view wasn't very clear at night, everything seemed to have stepped out of a history book, incredibly lifelike. Tian Fan, drawing on his professional background and his passion for ancient architecture, swore he couldn't find any flaws in these models.
Just as he was about to take a closer look, his time was up, and he was ejected.
He really wanted to stay in Qinghe Ancient Town to experience VR a few more times, but unfortunately the queues kept getting longer and longer, and there were other places he hadn't finished exploring, so he had to leave with regret.
Two weeks later, he went to the capital for personal reasons, and of course he had to visit his mentor, Professor Jin.
Professor Jin is a leading authority in the field of cultural relic protection and restoration in China. He was very pleased to see Tian Fan and invited him to stay for dinner.
"You're talented, but you can't stand being alone. Otherwise, you could have achieved more than your senior classmates." Professor Jin said to Tian Fan with great disappointment, "All you do is hold that old camera and take pictures all day long. Why didn't you go to the archaeology and architecture department for graduate studies?"
Tian Fan grinned and said, "Teacher, this camera of mine costs tens of thousands of yuan, it's not broken."
Professor Jin raised his hand as if he wanted to tap him, but ultimately refrained from doing so.
After finishing his meal, he said to Tian Fan, "I'm going to Shaanxi Province soon. Why don't you come with me? You're just sitting at home anyway, so you might as well come and help me out."
Tian Fan asked curiously, "Shaanxi Province? Is there some project that needs support?"
Professor Jin took off his glasses: "Yes, some more things have been unearthed at the Qin Yongcheng site. I have to go and take a look."
A large archaeological site project can last for many years. For example, the Qin Yongcheng site has been under excavation and restoration for almost forty years since its discovery.
Tian Fan followed Professor Jin into the study and saw some materials that had been sent over, all about newly discovered artifacts.
"The quality of this product is quite high," Tian Fan said, somewhat surprised.
This batch mainly consists of bronze objects.
Professor Jin nodded: "Unfortunately, most of them are damaged parts, so we must treat them with even more care."
Tian Fan turned the pages one by one. When he turned to one of the pages, he suddenly stopped, and his hand holding the document trembled a few times.
Professor Jin frowned: "What's wrong?"
Tian Fan looked up, his face showing some surprise: "Teacher, was this just dug out from the Yongcheng ruins?"
Professor Jin looked at the page he had stopped on and saw a broken bronze wine vessel. The image was very clear, showing that the belly and the spout for pouring wine were severely damaged, but the remaining handle and part of the vessel were relatively well preserved.
“Yes.” He nodded. “It was just unearthed not long ago, numbered YXC-2028-037. The photos were just sent over the day before yesterday. The actual artifact is still in the restoration room of the Yongcheng Archaeological Team. This bronze wine vessel is quite interesting.”
Professor Jin became very enthusiastic when he talked about these things and couldn't stop: "Look, the pattern on its body is not like the common Taotie pattern, Panchi pattern or Kui dragon pattern. The way this deformed dragon pattern is combined with the clouds, as well as the treatment of the 'eye-dotting', is very unique."
Tian Fan frowned, his expression shifting unpredictably.
He had just seen a wine vessel with a similar pattern not long ago. It was complete and without any defects. He had even touched it, though he hadn't actually touched it; his hand had simply passed right through it.
Because he met her in VR.
A fictional wine vessel in a commercial VR project has the same pattern as a real wine vessel unearthed from the ruins of Yongcheng, the ancient capital of Qin, which dates back to the time of King Zhaoxiang of Qin or even earlier.
In fact, this wine vessel has not yet been exhibited to the public.
Is it a coincidence? A strong sense of disbelief welled up in Tian Fan's mind.
He asked cautiously, "Is it possible that this pattern was actually a common pattern at the time?"
"That's impossible." Professor Jin shook his head, his tone very certain, and said in an annoyed tone, "Look at you, you've only been out of school for a few years, and you've already forgotten everything you learned."
Professor Jin got up, opened the drawer, took out a thick stack of picture books, and quickly flipped to the section marked "Compilation of Patterns of Bronze Artifacts Unearthed in Yongcheng Over the Years".
“Look, Yongcheng, as the early capital of Qin, has yielded thousands of bronze artifacts. Taotie, Panchi, Kui dragon, Qiequ, Chonghuan... these mainstream patterns account for the vast majority. But this kind,” he tapped the photo heavily, “this kind of pattern that deforms the dragon so much, combines it so closely with the clouds, and has this unique eye-catching recessed design is very rare.”
Tian Fan smiled wryly; it wasn't that he had forgotten all his knowledge.
In fact, the reason he could still remember the wine vessel in the VR was because he thought the pattern was unique and that the maker had come up with a great idea.
Professor Jin put down the magnifying glass and looked sharply at Tian Fan. "And look where the dragon pattern appears! It's on the handle of the bronze wine vessel!"
Tian Fan immediately understood what his teacher meant.
What is the handle? It's where the user holds it. This means that during feasts or rituals, the holder can clearly touch it!
Therefore, this was by no means a mere decoration, but rather a declaration of status, a mark of power. This wine vessel should have belonged to the Qin royal family.
No problem!
Tian Fan tapped his forehead. When he saw it in VR, it was indeed on King Zhaoxiang of Qin's desk.
Professor Jin looked at him suspiciously: "Xiao Tian, there's something wrong with your reaction."
Tian Fan licked his slightly chapped lips and smiled wryly: "Teacher, if I told you that I saw a wine vessel with the same design a few days ago, but it was complete and without any damage, would you believe me?"
"Where?" Professor Jin pressed, leaning forward slightly, his eyes piercing.
Tian Fan let out a long sigh of relief: "I can't believe it myself, it's in a small VR experience project, just an experience project in a scenic spot."
He recounted his recent experiences to his teacher.
After listening, Professor Jin asked him, "Are you really exactly the same?"
"It's remarkably similar. Although this piece is incomplete, the style, lines, and the finishing touch are all the same, making it feel like it was made by the same craftsman." Tian Fan nodded emphatically.
He also mentioned that the VR was made very realistically, with various details adhering to historical accuracy, and it was a perfect restoration of history.
“Although it’s rare, a few fragments have been unearthed before. Perhaps they hired someone in the industry to be their consultant?” Professor Jin pondered for a moment: “...But since you put it that way, it seems I’ll have to experience it myself.”
This is why Professor Jin, Tian Fan, Professor Yang, and Yang Qingning appeared in Qinghe Ancient Town during the Chinese New Year.
Professor Jin said to Professor Yang with great dissatisfaction, "Old Yang, it's all because you've been dragging your feet. Otherwise, we would have come much earlier. Why would we have to come during the Spring Festival and squeeze into the crowds?"
Professor Yang snorted: "Did I insist on dragging you along?"
Like playful old children, the two arrived at the holographic VR virtual experience hall below Qinghe Tower while bickering and arguing.
Tian Fan's eyes widened, his hands trembling: "There are just too many people today!!"
Why are there so many people?
The queue is several times longer than during the opening period. If they go to queue now, they'll have to wait at least two hours!
Yang Qingning didn't take it seriously: "This is a must-visit place when you come to Qinghe Ancient Town. It would be abnormal if there weren't many people."
She didn't care how many people there were, she had a fast pass!
Yang Qingning proudly took it out: "Ta-da! I have this, it can be used to cheat. Grandpa Jin, if you don't have this, you and my grandpa can go in first."
This card can be used six times.
Unexpectedly, Tian Fan also pulled out two cards from his pocket and rubbed his nose: "Actually, I have some too."
He was simply shocked by the sheer number of people.
He chuckled, "My teacher reimbursed me. I definitely wouldn't have bought it myself."
This time, Yang Qingning's eyes widened: "You can actually get reimbursed?!"
She lost!
She looked at Professor Yang, who smiled and said, "Okay, Grandpa will reimburse you too."
The group chatted and laughed as they passed through the payment channel, and entered the venue after only fifteen minutes, leaving behind a host of envious glances.
The awe-inspiring experience of passing through the Nine Dragons Corridor goes without saying. Tian Fan was already quite familiar with it, but he enjoyed seeing his companions' amazed expressions, feeling that he had long since seen the world and was finally no longer a country bumpkin!
Yang Qingning murmured, "So the videos online are actually real..."
She had always been deeply skeptical. How could a tourist attraction in a third-tier city possibly have the world's most advanced VR technology? Any such cutting-edge technology should first appear in major first-tier cities. It was clearly just marketing hype, or perhaps the person making this claim had never actually seen anything truly good.
But now, she admits it.
Yang Qingning comes from a wealthy family and has been to the Las Vegas Big Sphere. The technology of the Big Sphere is also amazing, with different scenes switching between them, making her feel like she was sometimes underwater and sometimes in outer space.
But! At that time, she knew very well that she was a viewer, and it was just a visual illusion caused by being surrounded by the screen.
Now, however, she can no longer distinguish between reality and illusion.
She didn't even see the screen...
Her entire being seemed to be immersed in the illusion created by VR.
The dragon was real, and she was indeed floating in space.
Hearing Tian Fan say that this was just an appetizer, Yang Qingning couldn't wait to experience the "main course" to come.
Putting on their helmets, Professor Jin and Professor Yang naturally chose the passage Tian Fan had mentioned, which originated from Li Bing's "appointment."
Tian Fan and Yang Qingning discovered that there were other options besides the Qin Dynasty.
Tian Fan was incredibly excited. There was actually new content? This trip was definitely worthwhile!
Of course, he would choose to experience the new content.
The helmet's system voice provides a gentle prompt:
"These three videos are set in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties and are based on the experiences of the historical figure Huang Daopo. Please select: A. Escape; B. Learning a skill; C. Songjiang."
Yang Qingning raised an eyebrow. Escape? There's such a thrilling option?
She clicked on it without hesitation.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
