Chapter 115: This Person is Quite Something

The Supervisor entered the shop and leaned lazily against the sofa. The greeter diligently brought over a cup of tea: "Here to ask about Master Liu again?"

The Supervisor nodded: "What else?"

If they were tourists or collectors, who would act like they had a swollen brain and spend hundreds of thousands to buy a fake?

But don't say that; it is precisely because of Master Liu's items that the shop's business is so good, with several large orders every month.

With this thought in mind, he took out his phone, pulled up the boss's number, and dialed:

"General Manager Sun, business is booming... Three Guerrillas just came in with Raw Pit Goods, and they spent 350,000!"

The voice on the phone was a bit groggy, as if just woken up: "What did they buy?"

"A gold thread crown!"

After a slight pause, the voice on the phone suddenly rose: "What crown?"

"An imitation Ming Dynasty gold thread crown, the one with the pearl flower glued to the top of the forehead..."

"Clang~"

A crisp sound, as if something had been knocked over. Immediately after, a roar came through: "Fuck your mother, that's the real thing... why aren't you chasing them yet?"

The Supervisor was stunned for a moment, stood up abruptly, and ran outside.

But it was the city Center, and it was just after work, right at dinner time. The vast crowd of people was endless; heaven knows which way they went.

He looked for the slip of paper again, but the ground was clean, long since trampled into oblivion.

A fierce roar came from the phone again: "Did you catch them!"

How could he possibly catch them? He didn't even know which way to chase...

With a "whoosh," the Supervisor's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat seeped from his forehead: "Sun... General Manager Sun, I didn't catch them..."

"Fuck your mother..."

Half an hour later, a lean man rushed into the shop and slapped the Supervisor across the face: "They left a phone number, and you lost it for me?"

The Supervisor's face was pale: Every month, several groups of such "Guerrillas (who specialize in selling Raw Pit Goods)" would come by; hadn't they always been handled this way?

Besides, who the fuck knew it was the real thing?

"General Manager Sun, you didn't give instructions..."

Before he could finish, he was slapped again: "I'll give you instructions, you hammer!"

For things being smuggled abroad, who the fuck would I dare give instructions to?

But it was also hellish: to be safe, he had deliberately glued the pearl flower on to make it look fake.

He was afraid someone would buy it, but also afraid the price would be too high and eye-catching, so he marked it at 350,000, neither too high nor too low.

So, among the one or two hundred imitations in the shop, which one wasn't more realistic than this?

Just look at those two over there, one Eagle Top Gold Crown, one Pearl Crown with Dragon, Phoenix, Lion Pattern and Gemstones—they were all made of 99 pure gold, why didn't he buy those?

Secretly suspicious, General Manager Sun glared at the Supervisor: "Did you look closely? Are they really Guerrillas?"

If they were, that would be easy to handle: it would mean this group was just buying a stepping stone to build a connection, and the item might not be impossible to get back.

If they weren't, then it's all over...

The Supervisor stammered: "They looked like it: the one asking the price was too young, looking like someone who specializes in buying and selling goods. The one checking the goods (Wang Qi Zhi) was in his thirties, his hands were covered in rust, looking like someone who goes down into pits...

They even specifically asked about the Tang Female Crown and the Gold and Silver Flat Inlay Copper Mirror, and asked if they could meet Master Liu, so I thought they were Guerrillas..."

Isn't that just an expert?

The boss's heart sank: "What else did they say?"

The Supervisor tried hard to recall: "It seems... they didn't say anything else?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a shop assistant weakly raised a hand: "When leaving the phone number, the older one said: He is a teacher at Xida... Oh right, his surname is Wang!"

The boss's vision went black: A Guerrilla, my ass!

A professor from Xida who can check goods—that's either someone who teaches appraisal or archaeology.

Whichever it is, it's all over: it means they recognized it was the real thing before they bought it.

But human effort can change things; how would he know without trying?

He gritted his teeth and slapped the Supervisor again: "I fuck your mother..."

They found a nearby restaurant and asked for a private room.

It was exactly dinner time, and there were many customers, so the dishes were coming out a bit slowly, but the noodles came out quickly.

In the blink of an eye, a bowl of pulled noodles had gone down into Lin Sicheng's stomach.

The box was placed on the table, and the lid was opened again; reflecting the overhead light, the gold crown shone brilliantly.

Both Wang Qi Zhi and Ye Anning had noodle bowls in front of them, but how could they care about that?

The two stared intently at the gold crown, their eyes filled with a look of intoxication.

Only one thing was bad: the noise Lin Sicheng made while eating was too loud, feeling exceptionally discordant, even a bit eerie.

Seeing the bottom of his bowl empty, Wang Qi Zhi passed his own bowl over. Immediately, his features wrinkled, his eyes, eyebrows, and nose bunching together: "Lin Sicheng, how can you still eat?"

Lin Sicheng was concise: "Hungry!"

Nonsense, I'm hungry too.

But to be honest, let alone pulled noodles, even if a table of delicacies were laid out for him now, Wang Qi Zhi wouldn't bother to look at it.

"Ming Dynasty Gold Thread Crown, Song Dynasty Prince Crown Pearl... Lin Sicheng, can these two items enter the Provincial Museum?"

"Teacher, I know!" Lin Sicheng nodded while scarfing down noodles, "But I'm hungry!"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned, not knowing what was good to say.

With this state of mind, he couldn't catch up even if he were riding a horse.

If you don't believe it, look at Ye Anning beside you.

Wang Qi Zhi turned his head: "Anning, are you hungry?"

Ye Ning'an nodded honestly: "Hungry!"

"Then why aren't you eating?"

Ye Anning stared at the gold crown: "No appetite!"

Look, this is the most correct attitude.

"Ding-dong~" A knock came from outside the door, "Hello, waiter!"

Wang Qi Zhi closed the box lid and called out, "Come in."

The dishes were brought in one after another; Wang Qi Zhi gave a one-hundred tip and waved his hand.

Then, he picked at his food distractedly: "Is it Wash Goods?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Should be about right!"

It is roughly similar to that Incense Burner at the Appraisal Center: passing through Customs under the name of "handicraft imitation."

"Not" imitating it wouldn't work, because both of these pieces belong to ancient artworks that "reflect the ancient imperial system" and "represent the peak of ancient handicraft technology"; if the relevant departments were to get serious, they would definitely be First-Class Cultural Relics.

Therefore, private collection is fine, and private transfers are basically ignored, but wanting to take them out of the country: that is trafficking and Smuggling state-controlled Cultural Relics.

However, there is one advantage: neither of these two pieces are Raw Pit Goods; at least they have been dug up for long enough that they aren't too eye-catching, so the methods aren't as extreme as the Imitation Xuande Censer.

It is roughly just placing them in the shop for a few days to create the illusion of "public sale," and then having them "sold" to a "customer" inadvertently.

The benefit of this operation is one thing: in case it is eventually investigated, the crime might be lighter when tracing the source. It is not impossible for the items to be confiscated and a fine to be imposed.

Because they were indeed bought as imitations, and indeed sold as imitations.

But unfortunately, they were intercepted by Lin Sicheng.

"If so, that's good!" Wang Qi Zhi's spirits lifted, "I was just afraid he wouldn't come knocking!"

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "Teacher, it is probably not easy to handle!"

Wang Qi Zhi paused.

Indeed.

Like these two pieces, even if smuggled out of the country, they would fetch at most a few million.

But if one possesses lost unique skills, millions can be earned in three to five years. Which is more, which is less?

The key is that nine out of ten shops like this are involved in gray areas: what is sold is an imitation, but after going through a circle of Guerrilla, it becomes a freshly dug Raw Pit Good. If the relevant departments were to get serious, the shop being sealed ten times wouldn't be enough.

Therefore, as long as the boss hears even a little bit of Information regarding Wang Qi Zhi's identity, they would be scared off; how would they dare to deal with him?

Besides, even if the shop owner were willing to tell you, what could you do even if you found the person who imitated these items?

Would they just teach you their unique skills for nothing?

Thinking of this, Wang Qi Zhi was exceptionally worried.

Lin Sicheng spoke unhurriedly: "Teacher, don't be anxious. Even if the shop owner isn't cooperative and the masters who know these two crafts ignore us, it doesn't mean we can't find clues to those two lost unique skills!"

Wang Qi Zhi cheered up a little: "Tell me!"

"Investigate, investigate the Agate Cup!"

Lin Sicheng explained in detail: "Those who have seen the Agate Cup must be Researchers at the Shaanxi History Museum. To be able to imitate it so well, and to know Beading and Welding, how high must their gold-working skills be? Go to the Provincial Museum, and one check will reveal who it is..."

Of course, he has probably already resigned, otherwise he wouldn't have the time to imitate so many fine pieces. And even if we find him, it's useless; after all, it is a skill to make a living, and no one is willing to leak it.

But the same point remains: he was able to imitate the Agate Cup so well, so he must have studied it at the Provincial Museum for long enough, and it must have been public research.

I don't believe there are no relevant materials left behind? Then, by researching based on the materials, we might not necessarily be unable to restore it..."

Wang Qi Zhi listened carefully, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

If anyone else dared to say this, he would surely spit in their face: what kind of dreams are you having?

But if it were Lin Sicheng?

Think about the "Iron Cultural Relic Protection" technology that the National Museum of China and Peking University have just started researching: just relying on a few Theses, Lin Sicheng cracked it seven or eight-tenths for him...

He let out a sharp breath: "After eating, I will go to the Provincial Museum!"

"Don't!" Lin Sicheng was startled, "Wait until tomorrow, I will go with you. Today you should sleep first... if not, I'll have a drink with you."

Not closing his eyes all last night was secondary; the key was that Wang Qi Zhi had been in a state of extreme mental tension, and even an iron man couldn't withstand such strain.

If you don't believe it, measure his blood pressure.

Wang Qi Zhi was very obedient; he ordered a bottle of wine, and Lin Sicheng poured only a small cup of about one liang.

The two drank and chatted, and in less than half an hour, more than half the bottle was in Wang Qi Zhi's stomach.

Just as they were drinking happily, the phone rang, and Wang Qi Zhi answered it:

"Hello Professor Wang, this is Sun Shaojie, I run a small shop, Sheng Tang Xuan!"

Huh, he really came knocking?

That was fast?

But the tone was quite polite and humble.

Wang Qi Zhi and Lin Sicheng looked at each other and turned on the speakerphone: "Boss Sun, go ahead!"

"My subordinates were blind and didn't recognize your greatness... see if you can raise your hand and show mercy, can you part with it: for that gold crown you just bought, you name the price!"

Wang Qi Zhi laughed "Hehehe": what kind of good thing are you thinking of?

Although compared to the Qianlong Imperial Treasure, the historical value of the gold crown is slightly inferior. But in terms of craftsmanship, it is even better.

Therefore, it is impossible to sell, no matter how much money.

If Lin Sicheng dared to sell it, he would surely slap him back.

After laughing a few times, Wang Qi Zhi's face stiffened: "Not for sale, not for sale at any price!"

"Alright, Professor Wang, you go ahead!"

His tone was filled with respect; Wang Qi Zhi even suspected that he might have been bowing and scraping while saying those words.

After hanging up the phone, the teacher and student looked at each other.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "This person is quite formidable!"

Wang Qi Zhi nodded: "Indeed quite formidable!"