Chapter 91 Will Master Zhang and the others be able to burn it...?
Lu Xiaoqi tapped the tablet in her hand and projected it onto the large projector in the conference room.
The video features a marketing account with a decent number of followers and traffic. A man, probably in his twenties or thirties, appears wearing a hood.
"You all know that super popular tourist spot in a city in southern China lately, right? We won't say the name, it's that ancient town that was all over the trending topics during the Spring Festival. I won't say the specific name. According to rumors, and don't worry about where I got this information from, I definitely have my own sources."
"Let's continue. They've gotten themselves into trouble these past few days! They received a lawyer's letter from Kyōgyō in Japan."
"Actually, this is quite an interesting story. I don't know if you remember, but before this scenic area opened, they were always doing live streams and stuff. Once, they were firing kilns, firing glazed tiles. The person in charge pointed at the Japanese company Kyōgyō and made some criticisms, saying that the peacock blue glazed tiles that Kyōgyō had been researching for many years were not authentic, and that their own two masters had the ancestral craftsmanship and could fire truly good things."
"You might not be familiar with Jingye, but they are actually a very well-known name in the industry. Although they're not exactly living the high life, they're a truly down-to-earth company that has been making roof tiles for hundreds of years. Many top-tier construction projects specifically request Jingye's glazed tiles."
"Take their R&D team, for example. They're all top experts. They poured so much effort into restoring the peacock blue glazed tiles. This technique had been lost to us for a long time. Even though outsiders have restored it, their skill is undeniable, right?!"
"If you think that what others have restored is not peacock blue glaze, then you can fire the authentic one yourself!"
"The problem is, they didn't even manage to burn it, and their previous live stream went wrong. That's ridiculous. You can't just make baseless accusations and say that Jingye's products are fake or inauthentic without even having any actual product, right? They at least have experts endorsing them."
"Now look what's happened. Jingye probably couldn't take it anymore and sent a lawyer's letter demanding a public apology from the scenic area, which they'll keep pinned to the top of the search results for three months. What a mess! Why couldn't they just run the scenic area peacefully? They had to drag this on, and now they've got themselves into trouble. I think they should apologize quickly. Otherwise, if it really goes to court, they'll not only lose the case but also have to pay a huge sum of money—that would be a huge loss. Jingye is being reasonable; they haven't asked for compensation yet. If they were truly in the wrong, they wouldn't have been so assertive as to send a lawyer's letter..."
Lu Xiaoqi casually opened the comments section; the video already had seventy or eighty thousand likes and over two thousand comments.
[I know, I know which one, Qinghe Ancient Town, hehe.]
[I knew something was off about that tourist attraction. Before it even opened, they were constantly creating hype online to attract traffic. Now look what happened!]
[Those who watched that live stream, please chime in. It was exactly as the blogger said; those two craftsmen directly told the camera that Jingye's peacock blue porcelain wasn't authentic, that their ancestors had made tiles for the Forbidden City, and that they would produce the genuine article to show everyone. Wow, the atmosphere in the live stream was incredibly excited; they almost idolized those two craftsmen.]
[I remember that too, hahaha. Turns out it backfired and didn't even burn properly, it's hilarious to think about. He's good at nothing else, but he's a master at creating a persona and stirring up nationalistic sentiments.]
[Nationality is nationality, and technology is technology. They genuinely spent a lot of time and money to restore it; they have the real thing. You domestic companies boast all you want but can't produce the actual artifact—that's slander! Support Jingye's rights protection!]
The blogger is right. If you don't have the ability, don't spout nonsense. Now look what happened—they received a lawyer's letter and embarrassed themselves internationally.
I know about the tiles from Kyoto, Japan; the quality is indeed excellent. Their craftsmen honestly make bricks, without the fancy tricks you see online, which is why their craft has been passed down for centuries. Domestically, they don't learn the good stuff, but instead do things that are beneath them.
[I'm a fan of Qinghe Ancient Town, but in this case, I can only stand with Jingye. @QingheAncientTown, if you did something wrong, there's nothing shameful about it; just apologize honestly.]
Upon seeing these comments, everyone present wore a solemn expression.
Fortunately, the comments section wasn't entirely one-sided; some people spoke up for Qinghe Ancient Town, though they weren't at the top of the list.
Let's not jump to conclusions too quickly. The two Master Zhangs are indeed skilled. Although the peacock blue hasn't been fired yet, once you've been to Qinghe Ancient Town, you'll know that their emerald green glazed tiles will definitely be perfect.
[Is the person upstairs a shill? How can the craftsmen from that small town compare to the top-notch technical team at Jingye? Jingye's glazed tiles are the result of countless experiments; they're not just something you fire randomly.]
Anyway, I support Qinghe Ancient Town. I've been following them from the beginning. They're not just hype and traffic-grabbing as you say; they're doing solid work and actually getting things done. I'm waiting for Master Zhang to fire genuine peacock blue glazed tiles to prove you wrong.
[+1! Looking forward to the true Chinese peacock blue!]
[Speaking of which, this blogger is really stirring things up. Were they paid to do this? They keep praising how amazing Jingye is, but do they know how much they've secretly and openly stolen from China? They keep spreading and proclaiming things like 'After the Battle of Yamen, there was no more China,' and 'The true Tang Dynasty was in Kyoto!' That's exactly the kind of perception and reaction they want from you—the belief that many of China's traditions have been lost in China and only exist there!]
[Agreed. Just look at the comments section to see how many people are paid to do this. A normal Chinese person would want their country to revive lost traditions, not mock their own craftsmen and then praise one while belittling another.]
The comments section was in an uproar, with fierce clashes between those supporting and mocking Qinghe Ancient Town, ranging from technology and heritage to national sentiment.
Lu Xiaoqi turned off the projector, and the conference room fell silent.
Liu Chan was furious: "I've already inquired. The other side hired an online army of trolls, and these bloggers they hired were all paid. You can tell from their words that they seem very fair on the surface, but in reality, they're all targeting us."
He was originally scheduled to take a holiday at home after the Lantern Festival, but this sudden incident interrupted his vacation, which was ruined, so he had to rush back home.
Liu Chan's face was filled with exhaustion and frustration, and her mood suddenly plummeted: "This matter... in the end, it's my fault. I should have been more careful during the live broadcast."
Lu Xiaoqi waved her hand: "No need for a self-criticism. According to this logic, I was also present at the time, so we share the responsibility."
Back then, their company had only been established for a short time, and they could be considered amateur MCN agencies. They weren't very particular about many things, and they were quite rough around the edges and lacked any keen insight.
“Moreover,” she raised her head, her gaze calm, “were Master Zhang and the others telling the truth?”
Liu Chan was taken aback, then nodded subconsciously: "Yes."
Lu Xiaoqi shrugged: "Then that settles it. Does the law stipulate that people can't tell the truth when they're live streaming or in public?"
Master Zhang and the others aren't talking nonsense!
Jingye's peacock blue glazed tiles are indeed not authentic!
She turned to the general counsel present: "Attorney Wang, what should we do next?"
Attorney Wang is a capable and energetic female lawyer in her forties, and also a professor at the Law School of Qinghe University, with extremely rich experience. When Chen Yingying was recruiting her legal team, both Ren Zhijiao and Professor Lin recommended her.
Attorney Wang calmly began:
"Mr. Lu, there's no need to worry too much. Legally speaking, if Jingye were to sue us, their chances of winning aren't high. First, I reviewed the live stream; while Master Zhang's expression was a bit direct, it can be categorized as his technical opinion, and technical disputes in professional fields often don't constitute defamation. Especially..."
She paused for a moment and asked, "Shouldn't Master Zhang have a professional certificate?"
Lu Xiaoqi hesitated slightly: "Well... not really yet. But we applied for them to be municipal-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors before the new year, so the qualifications should be approved soon."
The Xiangjia Village group, along with other artisans, have all been nominated for intangible cultural heritage certification by Qinghe Ancient Town. This also benefits Qinghe City, and the Culture and Tourism Bureau is very pleased. If all else fails, we should urge them; they should be able to expedite the process.
Attorney Wang nodded: "That's no problem. The comments at the time were actually just a technical dispute, not a subjective and malicious denigration. In addition, when I came here, I also looked at some clauses on intangible cultural heritage and cultural protection. Glazed tiles are a unique cultural heritage of our country, and local craftsmen have the right to comment on foreign techniques. Even if it goes to court, the judge will have to consider cultural sovereignty."
After hearing her analysis, everyone present finally felt relieved.
Especially Liu Chan.
He felt deeply guilty for causing such trouble for the ancient town due to his lack of awareness. Now, hearing from Lawyer Wang that things weren't actually that serious, he felt fortunate to have survived.
Su Jun tapped the table with his knuckles, pointing out the question: "Jingye cannot possibly be without its own lawyers; they should be well aware of the points Lawyer Wang made. So why did they do this? And why did they specifically hire marketing accounts to stir up trouble online?"
There must be a purpose behind it.
What benefit would they gain from doing this?
Lu Xiaoqi frowned, then instantly realized: "They actually want to use this opportunity to create hype?"
“Highly likely.” Liu Chan also realized this: “So, in fact, many people in the marketing accounts and comment sections are trying to steer the trend toward Japanese craftsmanship and Kyōgyo’s own heritage and reputation.”
Su Jun: "But there's actually a huge risk in doing this. That is..."
Lu Xiaoqi blurted out, "If Master Zhang and his team successfully fire the peacock blue glazed tiles, then Jingye's accusations will fall apart on their own, and might even backfire!"
Su Jun nodded: "So, they must have been watching us for a long time. They not only know that Master Zhang has not yet mastered the peacock blue glaze, but they are also certain that they have no chance of succeeding in the short term."
Lu Xiaoqi shivered in disgust, as if she were being watched by a cold, venomous snake in the shadows, and a feeling of nausea and discomfort arose spontaneously.
Attorney Wang agreed with their deduction. She adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes sharp.
“You’re right. The most important thing about this is whether Master Zhang and his team can actually fire genuine peacock blue glazed tiles. That’s also what most of the online discussion is about. If they can, then it’s purely a battle of technology or even a battle for cultural sovereignty. If they can’t, then even if we win the lawsuit, our image in people’s minds may be lowered.”
Lu Xiaoqi understood.
The other party took advantage of Mr. Zhang's temporary technical bottleneck to launch a ruthless attack, hoping to take advantage of this opportunity to promote their own brand, eliminate potential competitors, and avenge their previous defeat.
Killing three birds with one stone is a brilliant tactic.
The key now indeed lies with the two Master Zhangs.
Unconsciously, she lightly scratched her temple with the tip of her pen, feeling a bit awkward herself, and turned to Liu Chan: "Have there been any progress between Master Zhang and Master Xiao Zhang?"
She had previously said that they could just burn it slowly, since it wasn't something they needed urgently, and that she shouldn't put too much pressure on them. Now, it seems she'll have to ask them to put everything else aside and focus on this first.
Liu Chan was also bewildered: "There was no progress before the Spring Festival, and I guess it's still the same now?"
Surely they can't resolve this issue in just half a month?
......
Meanwhile, Yamada was asking Lin Rong the same question.
He was in a very good mood at the moment.
The decision to issue the lawyer's letter only after the Spring Festival now seems absolutely brilliant—it brought this precise blow to Qinghe Ancient Town at its most prosperous and bustling moment, and the shock and panic of falling from the clouds must have been a particularly wonderful experience, leaving a deep impression on the parties involved.
He wanted to thank the other party for buying those trending topics during the Spring Festival, which added fuel to the fire of this storm in advance. Now the topic is spreading much faster than he expected, achieving twice the result with half the effort, how wonderful!
However, despite the pleasure, caution was Yamada's instinct. There was one more crucial thing that needed to be checked repeatedly to ensure everything was perfect.
"Mr. Lin," Yamada's voice came through the receiver, carrying a hint of barely perceptible pressure, "Are you sure... those two Master Zhangs haven't made a move yet?"
Lin Rong cursed Yamada in his heart several times. During the Spring Festival holiday, he had asked himself this question many times: why couldn't he even let himself have a peaceful New Year? Oh, he forgot that ordinary people don't celebrate the New Year. After the Meiji Restoration, they embraced Western culture in all aspects and abandoned this "tradition".
However, no matter how much Lin Rong grumbled inwardly, he had to put on a respectful demeanor: "Mr. Yamada, rest assured, I have already had people keeping an eye on Meishan Village. I will report to you immediately if there is any disturbance there. It's just after the Spring Festival. Although many companies start work on the seventh or eighth day of the new year, places like factories are still more traditional and don't start work until after the Lantern Festival."
"The brick kiln in Meishan Village has only been in operation for a day or two, and it still needs to be cleaned up. There's no time to do anything new."
Yamada agreed with him. Before the Spring Festival, Lin Rong had sent a message that Meishan Village had failed again in its attempt to create peacock blue glaze. Now that work had only resumed for a day or two, there wouldn't be any new news.
He felt even more relaxed.
He spoke with a gentle tone, even carrying a hint of insincere praise: "Mr. Lin, you've done a very thorough job. Your caution and meticulousness are qualities I've always greatly admired. You played a crucial role in coordinating this matter, and your contribution is invaluable. Please continue to keep a close eye on everything that happens in Meishan Village."
“Any progress, however small, is crucial to us. As long as we ensure they can't break through in the short term, we can maintain firm control and make Jingye's name even more renowned. At that point, your compensation and future cooperation opportunities will only be more substantial.”
Hearing these high-sounding words, Lin Rong forced a smile, but his voice remained that of a senior: "Yes, yes, Mr. Yamada, you flatter me. Please rest assured, I will keep a close eye on things and will not let you down!"
"Very well, then I'll leave it to you." Yamada ended the call with satisfaction.
Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Lin Rong's fawning expression vanished instantly, replaced by exhaustion and impatience.
He muttered a curse under his breath: "Narrive, nag, nag! All you do is nag! You can't even give me a break during the New Year! Do you think I'm made of iron?" He tossed his phone onto the coffee table, slumped heavily into the sofa, and just wanted some peace and quiet.
However, just a few seconds after he closed his eyes, his phone, which he had tossed on the table, suddenly pinged and the screen lit up.
Lin Rong didn't even lift his eyelids, assuming it was some late New Year's greeting text message, or some unimportant confirmation message from Yamada.
He impatiently reached for his phone and casually swiped his thumb to unlock the screen.
When his gaze swept over the sender and the first few words of the new message, his hand, which was rubbing his temples, suddenly stopped. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning and instantly sprang straight from the back of his chair!
......
Meishan Village.
When Lu Xiaoqi and Liu Chan drove here, they found everything calm and peaceful. The online discussions seemed to have no effect on this place at all.
The worker who led them inside to find Master Zhang whispered to the two men, "We haven't told Master Zhang and Master Zhang about this yet. That's how people on the internet are; they're always criticizing this person and that person. Just ignore them!"
Anyway, Master Zhang and Master Xiao uninstalled those apps a few months ago and focused on firing the kiln.
Lu Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and praised them: "You did a good job. Don't tell them. It won't do anything except affect your mood."
Zhang Dalang and Zhang Erlang had never experienced such a large-scale online propaganda war or cyberbullying. If they knew, they would definitely be anxious and guilty. Not everyone can calmly face the onslaught of criticism and ridicule.
Even someone like Lu Xiaoqi, who comes from a self-media background, feels suffocated just thinking about this scenario.
The workers nodded hurriedly: "That's what we think too. Both of the foremen are good people. What do those people on the internet know? They just know how to spread rumors."
He was a resident of Meishan Village and had been working in a neighboring city. He had to return to take care of his elderly parents, and coincidentally, the brick kiln opened and was hiring. The boss was generous, the work location was right near his home, and the two Zhang masters were easy to get along with; he had absolutely nothing to complain about.
The workers already knew about what had happened in the past few days, but they had all agreed privately not to tell anyone for the time being. They would wait until people from the ancient town came to tell them.
"What are Master Zhang and the others doing?" Liu Chan asked.
Worker: "We're waiting to open the kiln!"
"Oh," Liu Chan responded, then her voice suddenly rose an octave, "Opening the kiln? Didn't you just start working a few days ago?"
He has visited Meishan Village many times to film this documentary and knows the process of glazed tile firing very well. Glazed tiles need to be fired twice. The first firing is a bisque firing, which takes seven days. After cooling for a few days, they are taken out and glazed. Then they are fired a second time for three days, and then cooled and opened in the kiln.
So, although more than half a year has passed since that live stream, Master Zhang and his team haven't actually failed that many times—only four or five times. Isn't it normal to fail four or five times when restoring something lost to time?
He had previously explained the situation on his official account, and netizens had calmed down and expressed their understanding. However, this time, someone stirred up trouble, and a bunch of complete newbies came to watch the drama, making random accusations without understanding anything.
Back to the main point. Liu Chan couldn't understand why the kiln had to be opened all at once today.
The worker laughed and said, "I only found out a couple of days ago when I started work. Apparently, Master Zhang and Master Xiao Zhang had already come over on the third and fourth days of the Lunar New Year. They said they had figured out a problem at home during the holiday, so they wanted to come and try it out right away."
When they came to the kiln, they didn't bother anyone else; the two of them did all the work.
Lu Xiaoqi and Liu Chan finally met Zhang Dalang and Zhang Erlang.
Zhang Dalang laughed heartily: "Actually, there's not as much work as you think. We'll just try firing a few tiles; it's not that tiring."
The main problem was that they were still preoccupied with the question they had just figured out and couldn't wait to try the new formula. Even during the Spring Festival, they couldn't stay at home properly and were eventually kicked out by their families: "Alright, alright, we know you want to go back to Meishan Village. You're all so distracted. Hurry up and leave."
So, touching their noses, the two of them flew to Meishan Village.
Selecting soil, preparing clay, hand-molding blanks, loading the kiln... all done in one go.
Lu Xiaoqi and Liu Chan had only come today to check on the progress and didn't have high expectations. They were even thinking that if they found out, they could comfort them to avoid being discouraged. Who knew that these two would give them such a big surprise!
Liu Chan wailed, "You should have notified me! I would have sent someone to film us."
"We just wanted you to have a good New Year at home," Zhang Erlang said with a smile. "Don't worry, we just took a quick note with our phones and will send it to you later to see if there are any usable shots."
Although they still don't quite understand how to use these modern facilities, they can still manage to stand there with their phones and take pictures.
Liu Chan was overjoyed: "Oh my, this is wonderful!"
The kiln door was opened, and a wave of heat rushed out. After the workers took out the unglazed tiles, it was time to glaze them.
Zhang Dalang: "We mixed four or five color formulas and fired them together to see what the final result would be."
This was the most confidential part of the whole process, and some of the chemicals used in the process were toxic. Everyone consciously dispersed, leaving only Zhang Dalang and Zhang Erlang, who were fully armed, behind.
Zhang Erlang put on a protective mask, somewhat saddened: "If we had these things before, Father wouldn't have died so young."
Ever since I thought of my father during the Chinese New Year, fragments of memories have frequently surfaced.
Their father died in his prime. Looking back now, it's very likely that he contracted many illnesses due to frequent contact with these things and inadequate protection, ultimately leading to his death. Also, because their father died young, their skills weren't fully mastered, and they didn't become great craftsmen; otherwise, they would have figured out the secret formula long ago.
Zhang Dalang responded sullenly, still feeling somewhat unpleasant when he thought of the past: "Don't think about it anymore, let's look forward."
After the glaze is applied, it needs to dry for two or three days, and then be fired for another three days. The results for this batch will take at least seven days. Lu Xiaoqi and Liu Chan could only leave reluctantly.
During the second firing, netizens discovered that Qinghe Ancient Town had posted a pinned announcement regarding the lawyer's letter from Jingye.
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