Chapter 10: Family Academic Heritage

"Master Hao!"

Following the voice, a man of about fifty years old came downstairs.

"Master Liu, please take a look at this!"

"A chicken feather duster? That is quite rare! Oh? Liu-style semi-cursive script, this calligraphy is not bad, is it?"

His eyes fixed on that line of characters, his fingers tracing them in the air incessantly. After nearly two minutes, Master Liu's eyes lit up: "Pu Xinshe!"

Lin Sicheng wore an expression of admiration: "Master Liu has a sharp eye!"

"I've just been at this for a long time, so I've gained a bit of experience!"

Master Liu smiled. "It is easy to write semi-cursive script well, but to carve it well, one must be a master of the painting world. And to be able to maintain such strength and fluidity, with a sense of grace and elegance, one must be a master who combines painting, calligraphy, and carving..."

"Looking further at the feathers and the bamboo handle, they are at least sixty or seventy years old. Counting them up, there are only a few masters from that era who could have such skill..."

"It just so happens that the inscription reads 'Gifted to Mr. Qiuming.' Forgive my ignorance, but I only know that at that time, only Mr. Shen Yinmo used the pseudonym Qiuming. And the only master who was on good terms with him and combined painting, calligraphy, and carving was Pu Xinshe..."

"Impressive!"

Lin Sicheng gave a thumbs up. Master Liu smiled modestly, but Master Hao curled his lip.

At first, he had been listening quite seriously, but seeing Lin Sicheng's look of shock and worship, he realized something was wrong: what was the difference between what he said and what you just said?

Then what the hell are you worshipping for?

Thinking about it again, if he knows so much, why bring it here for appraisal? Could it be that he has too much money to burn?

Therefore, the appraisal is fake; coming to sell the item is the truth.

And the result: spending a thousand, plus a not-too-heavy compliment, made old Liu happy enough to spill everything. Isn't that just giving him an endorsement?

Sure enough, after saying a few words of thanks, Lin Sicheng looked at Hao Jun with a smile: "Manager Hao, are you buying?"

Nonsense, why would I have my computer out if I wasn't buying?

"Young, but quite cunning, aren't you?"

Making a feint to the east while attacking in the west, borrowing a chicken to lay eggs... just selling an antique, and he even used the Art of War?

Lin Sicheng just took it as a compliment.

Sighing, Hao Jun opened his computer and pulled up several sets of photos.

There were Liu-style calligraphy rubbings, as well as bamboo and wood carvings—all works by Pu Xinshe that had been auctioned in recent years.

The two masters picked up the duster and carefully compared it.

The calligraphy and handwriting matched, the engraving was correct, and there were no issues with the aging of the feathers and the bamboo handle.

But even so, the two of them still looked at it for over ten minutes. Confirming there were no errors, Hao Jun pushed the computer over: "Come, see for yourself!"

Lin Sicheng glanced at it: a 4-square-foot piece of Liu-style regular script, Artron auction, sold for 52,000. Another 3-square-foot piece, Beijing Chengxuan auction, 43,000.

There was also a small bamboo-yellow carved brush pot with a withered tree pattern, Xiling Seal Art Society auction, sold for 36,000.

"That's low!" Lin Sicheng said unhurriedly. "This is a relic of Mr. Shen!"

Hao Jun glared at Master Liu: I let you talk too fast, look at this mess now?

Master Liu realized too late that this young man was too crafty; two compliments had made him leak the bottom line.

He gave an awkward smile: "I wasn't entirely sure, I only said it was possible!"

Lin Sicheng thought about it: from beginning to end, Master Liu had indeed never said words like "certain" or "absolute."

"That's true!" He nodded. "But it is still the first antique-grade chicken feather duster to appear on the market in the country, right?"

Hao Jun was stunned: "You really dare to brag!"

This thing is indeed rare, but there must be some in the Forbidden City, and there are likely collectors in Beijing, though none have flowed onto the market.

But conversely: this is indeed the first antique-grade chicken feather duster to appear in Xijing to date.

For cultural relics and antiques, no matter the category, the fear is being associated with being "the first."

Furthermore, the words came from old Liu's own mouth. No matter how thick-skinned Hao Jun was, he couldn't say things like "it has nothing to do with Mr. Shen."

With the two combined, he definitely had to offer a fair price.

He thought for a moment: "Eighty thousand, no higher!"

Lin Sicheng's eyes lit up: "Deal!"

Hao Jun choked: Did I offer too much?

It wasn't that the item wasn't worth that much, but that this kid's psychological expectation hadn't been that high at all.

But since the words were already out, could he go back on them?

He rolled his eyes, asked for the card number, and handed it to the cashier: "Eighty thousand, after tax!"

Quite professional.

In no time, the text message arrived confirming the deposit. Hao Jun handed back the card and personally saw him to the door.

He must have had a good impression of Lin Sicheng, as he handed him a business card upon parting: "Next time you find something, feel free to bring it over!"

"Of course!"

Lin Sicheng took it and glanced at it:

General Manager of Xijing Rongbaozhai.

Secretary-General of the SX Province Folk Traditional Art Research Association.

Researcher at the Xijing Training Base of the Beidawenbowuxueyuan.

Lin Sicheng was startled: not only a manager, but half-official and half-commercial?

The key was the last line: although this college was a commercial training institution similar to an MBA, it was spearheaded by the Peking University Cultural Heritage and established in conjunction with the Palace Museum and the GuojiaBowuguan.

The so-called researchers were professors giving lectures, and they must have come from one of those institutions.

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment and tentatively greeted him: "Senior Brother Hao?"

Who is your senior brother?

Hao Jun was both angry and amused: "Is this how you play tricks on a Senior Brother?"

Haha, so he really is from Peking University?

If one were to rank the domestic colleges of archaeology and Cultural Relics Protection, Peking University would naturally be first, and Xida would certainly be second. Since the late eighties, the two schools have cooperated and exchanged with each other, so this "Senior Brother" title really isn't just an attempt to get close.

Although this Senior Brother is a bit old.

"That was just because I didn't know, right?" Lin Sicheng climbed up the pole as the snake followed, taking out the naked female Buddha statue, "Senior Brother has extensive knowledge and broad connections; could you please ask someone to take a look at it?"

"You really are shameless, aren't you?"

Hao Jun let out a laugh, took the Buddha statue, and squinted his eyes: "A Shannayejia of the Sakya school?"

"No... how did you know?"

Seeing the look of shock on Lin Sicheng's face, as if he had never seen the world, Hao Jun felt incredibly satisfied: "Isn't it written right here on the ribbon?"

It was indeed written there, but that was Bashibawen from the Mongol Yuan period; hadn't it long since become a dead script?

With a turn of his thoughts, Lin Sicheng instantly guessed seven or eight out of ten: this Senior Brother Hao must have majored in Buddhist Cultural Relics when he was in university; placed in the classification of antiques, isn't that just "miscellaneous items"?

And when it comes to the study of ancient scripts, no college can compare to Peking University.

What a coincidence, a lucky strike?

He let out a breath: "Then I'll leave it to you, Senior Brother!"

"It's a simple matter, but it still has to go through the machine; it might take two or three days. I'll write you a receipt first!"

Hao Jun took another look, "I reckon it's at least from the early Ming, or even the Yuan dynasty. It's a pity the size is too small and it's a damaged piece. So don't get your hopes up too high: if you sell it, at most three hundred thousand!"

That's not a small amount.

Lin Sicheng estimated that even if he asked his grandfather to step in, it would probably only be two hundred and fifty thousand.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"No need!" Hao Jun waved his hand, "As per the rules, I have to ask: where did this item come from?"

Not daring to say he picked it up, Lin Sicheng blurted out: "I found it while treasure hunting with my grandfather, Lin Zhangqing!"

Hao Jun was stunned for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief.

That's what I thought; Xida is quite impressive, but it's impossible for a student still in school to suddenly appear with an eye for antiques sharper than his own, after he has been immersed in the field for over twenty years, right?

Now he felt comfortable: so it was a family heritage?