Chapter 100: You Really Are Quite Difficult

Shang Yan's face was almost splitting from her grin.

What was it she had said to Fang Jingxian the day before yesterday: Don't look at how young he is; if even he can't see through it, you won't find anyone else in Xi'an who can.

That was a bit of an exaggeration, but Shang Yan was certain: when it came to Buddhist Cultural Relics, especially knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism Cultural Relics, there was no one in the entire school higher than Lin Sicheng.

This was what Wang Qi Zhi had told her personally when she called him last night.

But Shang Yan hadn't expected that Lin Sicheng could be this high-level?

Material, style, carving technique, era, religion, faith... and even Southern Buddhism, foreign history?

Never mind students, and never mind foreigners; just look at the school's professors: aside from the historical scope involved in their own Artifact Research, who would dare claim to have an understanding of the history of other dynasties?

Let alone foreign countries?

What Shang Yan found most incomprehensible was: Palm-leaf Scripture, Ancient Sanskrit, Four-Part Vinaya!

The school had an archaeology major for foreign countries, specifically Silk Road archaeology, with a research focus on the Buddhist culture of Central Asia.

Just like the Bamiyan Buddha Caves (in Afghanistan, the earliest and largest Indian Buddhist architectural complex remaining in the world today), which Tang Sanzang traveled thousands of miles to worship, even if it meant taking a detour, the school organized professors to study there at least once a year.

As for the Library Cave in Dunhuang, the principal probably couldn't even count how many times they had observed it in a year or how many people had gone.

But if you took the list and asked them one by one, which professor could recognize the content of the scriptures on this?

Shang Yan was like this, and the three siblings were the same.

Thinking back just now, she felt he had been swaying here and there, perfunctory and sloppy.

Now thinking about it again: it was precisely because he knew it, and knew it by heart, that he only needed one glance to see through it.

To say what he said was wrong would be nonsense: if you removed the Pali and Sanskrit content and the parts about Southern Buddhism that Lin Sicheng mentioned, the rest was no different from what the five Experts invited previously had said.

Look again at the expressions of the boss and his wife:

The man was holding a paper cup, his palm slowly clenching; the tea rose bit by bit, spilled over the rim, and dripped onto the floor tiles, drip, drip.

The woman was gripping the sofa armrest, her fingertips digging into the leather, her fingernails turning pale. Her neck stretched forward, taut with pale green veins, as if a thorn were stuck in her throat, wheezing as she drew breath.

If Lin Sicheng had been wrong about even one thing, the two would have jumped up long ago. The reason they were motionless, with this "ghost-seeing" expression on their faces, meant that this couple knew exactly what Lin Sicheng was talking about.

Suddenly, a wave of anger rushed to her head; Fang Jingxian's face turned pale, and her eyes grew red.

But inadvertently, Lin Sicheng glanced at her faintly, as if to say: Since you work in this line of business, you only have this much composure?

Like a bucket of ice water poured over her head, the anger gradually dissipated, and Fang Jingxian recited to herself twice: A calm heart is called stillness, a harmonious spirit is called leisure...

Calming her mood, she sighed again: In this line of work, hasn't it always been like this?

Even when she herself was the seller shipping goods, wasn't it the same?

If your eyes are sharp and your appraisal level is high, then you deserve to get rich. If your eye is poor, your level is only half-full, and you are still self-righteous, then sorry: if you don't lose your fortune, even Heaven can't bear to watch.

Compared to that, this couple was already considered kind; at least they didn't pat their chests and guarantee: absolutely a Ming Dynasty Buddha Statue, Imperial Court Statue, Royal Imperial Tribute...

Fang Jingxian slowly exhaled a breath and was just about to say something when the boss stood up with a "thump": "I'm sorry, General Manager Fang, I really didn't see all this when I acquired it... blame my poor eyes..."

Fang Jingxian narrowed her eyes, speaking with double meaning: "So, General Manager Zhao, you were fooled?"

"Yes, fooled!" the boss said straightforwardly, "Fortunately, I didn't spend much, just 300,000!"

Stunned for a moment, Fang Jingxian broke out in a cold sweat: 300,000, and you dare to buy a Ming Court Buddha Statue?

So she hadn't guessed wrong: this bastard knew exactly what it was.

She didn't even need to guess; if she had dared to ask the price, he would have dared to add a zero to the end of that 300,000.

But as the saying goes, it depends on one's own ability; even if she had been cheated, she could only blame her own poor eyes.

She snorted and stood up: "Then, General Manager Zhao, you go ahead and get busy!"

"General Manager Fang, don't be in such a hurry to leave..." the boss smiled, "I thought this Buddha statue might not be to your taste, otherwise you wouldn't have come six or seven times without making up your mind. So, I have prepared another piece for you, General Manager..."

Fang Jingxian was silent: It wasn't that it wasn't to her taste, but that she had just taken a big fall. If she didn't learn a lesson, she might as well just buy a block of tofu and bash her head in.

Therefore, she had to thank Shang Yan, and his student: truly, she had already decided that if Shang Yan saw no problems with it, she would be prepared to buy it.

Fortunately...

Secretly feeling lingering fear, she raised her eyelids: "What is it?"

"It is a Jade Guanyin of the Ice Variety..." General Manager Zhao raised his palm, first vertically, then horizontally, "This tall, this big!"

Fang Jingxian paused, her eyelids twitching: two palms high, at least over forty centimeters. One palm wide, at least ten centimeters.

The key was, Ice Variety, and a Jade Guanyin?

Such an item was truly rare; using it as a birthday gift would be no worse than a Ming Dynasty Buddha statue.

She nodded: "Where is the item?"

"In the Treasury on the second basement level; if General Manager Fang wants to see it, I will go get it now!"

"Let's see it!"

"Then please wait a moment!"

General Manager Zhao called his wife, took the keys, and went out the door.

Fang Jingxian thought for a moment, took out her phone, and dialed a number.

Just by listening, it was clear she was calling an Expert; they probably weren't far away and said they would be there immediately.

Since it was a new piece of Jade, it had nothing to do with antiques, so Lin Sicheng wanted to go back.

Shang Yan didn't really want to leave: "A half-meter-tall Jade Guanyin, it must weigh at least ten pounds or so, aren't you going to take a look?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "It is quite rare!"

In fact, it was only rare now.

In his past life, he had seen fifty-ton Jade Guanyins, and there were two of them. One was in Shaoguan, Guangdong, and one was in Huludao, Liaoning, though they hadn't started carving yet.

"It's quite rare and you're still shaking your head?" Shang Yan was between laughter and tears, "What kind of love potion did that Wang fellow feed you that you're in such a rush to go back?"

Lin Sicheng smiled without answering: "Then Professor Shang, you take your time looking, I'll hail a taxi back!"

How could she possibly let Lin Sicheng hail a taxi?

"Student Lin, wait a moment, I will have Fang Jingyuan drive you!"

Giving her younger brother a look, Fang Jingxian picked up her bag, took out a small notebook, and scribbled a few strokes.

Then she tore it off gently and handed it forward: "Student Lin, sorry to trouble you today!"

What is this, a check?

Counting it again: a 3 in the front, followed by... ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands.

Shang Yan's eyes widened with a "whoosh": Fang Jingxian, you are really willing to part with this?

Although they hadn't chatted about it before, based on her understanding, Fang Jingxian was not stingy; a few thousand would have been expected.

But thirty thousand... that's enough for a year of her salary plus bonuses.

Lin Sicheng was also startled.

Don't think it's a small amount, because this wasn't picking up a bargain, and it certainly wasn't a transaction; it was an appraisal.

According to market rates, it would be at most two or three percent of the transaction price: for example, that Imitation Xuande Censer at the appraisal Center, the Bronze Expert who is still locked up in the detention center: the bronze censer sold for four million, but he only got eight thousand, and that was only after the transaction was successful.

Usually, for cases like this where the deal didn't go through in the end, one would just treat the person to a meal, or if being polite, provide some travel expenses—one or two thousand at the very most.

But thirty thousand?

Lin Sicheng narrowed his eyes: "General Manager Fang, thank you!"

While saying thank you, Lin Sicheng didn't even reach out his hand: "When the teacher has a task, the student performs the labor!"

What does that mean?

The reason he came today, and the reason he was so dedicated, was only because of Professor Shang, not for money.

Therefore, just this one sentence made Shang Yan feel as if she had eaten honey: this kid, besides having a sweet mouth, is even more forthright in his actions.

Imagine: reach out a hand, and thirty thousand could be in your pocket; who wouldn't be tempted?

Thinking he was just making a polite refusal, Fang Jingxian smiled: "It's not really that much: if you hadn't helped today, wouldn't I have had to pay several million?"

The logic is indeed that logic, but accounts aren't calculated that way; if it were three or five thousand, Lin Sicheng would definitely have taken it.

But thirty thousand?

Lin Sicheng felt that the current Fang Jingxian was like someone who had fallen into the water and was about to drown, looking at everyone like a life-saving straw. Regardless of what it was, as long as she could grab it, she would hold on tight and never let go.

It wasn't exactly a risk, but such a person is very troublesome; from a certain perspective, even harder to deal with than Ma Lan.

Lin Sicheng still smiled and nodded again: "General Manager Fang, thank you!"

Fang Jingxian froze, her already pale face turning even paler: So smart?

A sick person seeking medical advice in a panic, looking at everyone like a savior... this is her most genuine state of mind right now.

The key is, the person before her really does look like a savior.

But why does he have to be so smart?

A few traces of embarrassment appeared on her face, she forced a smile and put away the check: "You make me look ridiculous!"

"You're too kind!"

After replying, Lin Sicheng stood up: "Professor Shang, then I will be going first!"

"Alright!"

Fang Jingyuan took the car keys and followed behind.

Looking at Lin Sicheng's back, then looking at the check on the table, Shang Yan realized belatedly: "What did you do?"

It's not what I did, but what I wanted to do.

As a result, the moment a thought popped up, it was pressed back down?

Fang Jingxian stared unblinkingly, watching Lin Sicheng exit the shop door: "Do you have his eye for this?"

"Nonsense!"

Of course not.

Shang Yan thought quickly, "I am a teacher, professionally teaching books, not professionally doing appraisals?"

"Then he is still professionally studying books!"

One sentence made Shang Yan choke on her breath.

Fang Jingxian sighed leisurely again: "At the age of twenty-something, his eyes are so sharp; knowledge of Ming history, foreign history, Southern Buddhism, Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and the like, he just rattles off. He is even proficient in Sanskrit... your school couldn't have taught him that, right?"

"Although you didn't say it, I can guess that he must have a family heritage. Then I thought: if I could invite him or his elders to part with one piece, wouldn't I be able to stop running around aimlessly like a headless fly?

Even if he didn't agree, but with his eye for things placed right here, if I asked him to take a look, wouldn't my success rate be higher even if I were running around?"

"But perhaps I was too anxious, and acted too eagerly, making him feel that I am quite troublesome, so he doesn't want to get involved at all..."

Fang Jingxian rambled on, while Shang Yan's eyes opened wider and wider: Lin Sicheng said you were difficult to deal with, and I didn't believe it?

So you really are quite difficult to deal with...