Chapter 146: Coffin Boards of the Han Dynasty

The old Santana drove over slowly; it was neither new nor old, its paint graying, and it had been driven for at least eight or nine years.

One had to admit, Professor Lin was truly frugal.

Soon, the car stopped at the entrance, and Lin Zhangqing stepped out with a man and a woman in their early thirties.

Wang Qi Zhi and Shang Yan went up to meet them.

"Professor Lin!"

Lin Zhangqing was startled, half-jokingly saying, "Professor Wang, Professor Shang, why so formal?"

"Of course!"

Amidst the banter, the three entered the office.

Li Zhen had already brewed tea, and after they sat for a short while, Wang Qi Zhi took Lin Zhangqing to the room next door. He even joked that he was inviting him to tour Lin Sicheng's foundation.

The space was large, nearly two hundred square meters, divided into two rooms. The studio side had long been put into use, and several of Shang Yan's students were washing ceramic shards.

It was quite tidy, and the equipped facilities were also quite complete.

After looking around roughly, the group went to the next room, where the director of the school's equipment department was leading people in designing the layout. They all knew Lin Zhangqing, so they greeted him in passing.

At first, Lin Zhangqing was still a bit suspicious: it was just a personal studio, how many instruments could it possibly need? It wasn't worth having the equipment department design it specifically, was it?

But after walking a circle, the more Lin Zhangqing looked, the more surprised he became.

The area against the east wall must be the high-end cleaning equipment zone; it required at least one dual-wavelength Laser Cleaning Machine and one low-temperature plasma processing device.

These two things could only be imported; the cheapest German-made ones would cost two hundred thousand US dollars for the pair.

The middle area must be the micro-operation zone, requiring a laser positioning instrument, a stereo microscope, and a micro-manipulator arm.

The microscope was fine—a research-grade Zeiss lens only cost seventy or eighty thousand RMB. But the positioning instrument, the cheapest one, cost around one hundred thousand US dollars.

Just these few items already totaled nearly three million, and that wasn't even counting the Spectrum analyzer, X-ray, and other testing and analysis instruments.

It didn't feel like a studio at all; it felt more like a small-to-medium precision laboratory.

The problem was, didn't the school already have these devices?

Guessing what he was thinking, Wang Qi Zhi explained, "The school's equipment is all teaching-grade; it excels in practicality and durability. But when it comes to the reliability of research data, it's still a bit lacking."

Lin Zhangqing was stunned for a moment: it was just repairing ceramics, were teaching-grade ones not enough?

Wang Qi Zhi sighed inwardly: if it were just repairing ceramics, of course it would be enough. But if it were used for researching techniques, restoring craftsmanship, and restoring Gold Craftsmanship, then it was definitely not enough.

For example, when handling special bodies: ceramics involve clay bodies and Glaze Material, while gold and silver wares involve metal and welding slag. If the power is too low, it simply won't work.

More importantly, once work begins, Lin Sicheng would need to use them at any time, and the school couldn't just lend them out whenever asked.

What, would the students stop learning?

Therefore, the teacher and student discussed it: it is better to rely on oneself than on others.

And this was the result of Lin Sicheng trying his best to reduce the models and functions; according to Wang Qi Zhi's vision, the budget would at least have to double...

Seeing Wang Qi Zhi remain silent, Lin Zhangqing misunderstood: was Wang Qi Zhi worried about the issue of patent ownership?

Using the school's venue and the school's equipment—if a technology were researched, how should it be calculated?

Based on this point, it did indeed need to be considered in advance. The problem was, with such high investment costs, could it be earned back?

Amidst his suspicions, the group returned to the office, and Wang Qi Zhi took out all the relevant materials.

He gave a rough explanation: "Professor Lin, I won't hide it from you: before the eleventh, I made a special trip to Beijing. I originally wanted to cut in line, but I couldn't get in. Later, I asked someone for guidance: they said to try not to skip levels, otherwise there would be too many variables..."

"After returning, I discussed it with the school leaders: we finally decided to start the application from the District Level... Professor Lin, you have wide connections and are well-acquainted, so I will have to trouble you with this part."

Were they really going to apply for World Heritage status?

Lin Zhangqing was secretly suspicious as he took the materials.

When Lin Sicheng told him about it, he only said the main subject of the application was "Blue and White Porcelain Restoration," and the core technology came from the "Palace Museum Porcelain Restoration Group."

But Lin Zhangqing was very skeptical: this wasn't a question of whether or not there was core technology and data, but rather that it required sufficient time for research and study.

Even if he and Shang Yan were given nothing else to do but focus solely on researching this, they wouldn't dare say they could handle it without three to five years of effort.

And that was based on their decades of professional study and accumulated experience. If it were Lin Sicheng, wouldn't it take ten years?

By the time he learned it, the opportunity would have passed; what kind of heritage would they be applying for then?

Turning his thoughts, he opened the Folder.

A photo was pasted on the material, showing a restored Matte Glaze Plum Vase: the golden branches were brilliant, and the glaze was lustrous.

It was repaired truly well; even if he were to repair it, he could only reach this level.

Looking further down: Restorer, Lin Sicheng!

Lin Sicheng?

Lin Zhangqing paused and looked at Shang Yan.

Shang Yan just smiled but said nothing.

Lin Zhangqing misunderstood again: it was indeed repaired by Lin Sicheng, but it must have been guided by Shang Yan.

Looking closely again, sure enough: in the instructor column, Shang Yan's name was signed.

Immediately, he remembered: "Is this the one that Secretary Hao sold?"

Wang Qi Zhi nodded: "Yes, it sold for three hundred thousand!"

Lin Zhangqing was stunned: he had even made an offer at the time...

Continuing to flip down, he turned to that "Soy Glaze Sprinkled Gold Bowl," and Lin Zhangqing couldn't help but be startled: Lacquer?

With such a large piece missing, after it was repaired, the lacquer body and the ceramic body were actually seamless, forming a perfect whole?

The restorer was still Lin Sicheng, and looking at the instructor column, it was still Shang Yan.

Lin Sicheng definitely didn't have this skill. Even Shang Yan didn't have this skill.

Did Wang Qi Zhi hire outside help?

Secretly suspicious, he flipped down again, and his eyes lit up:

Two sets of photos; one set is before Artifact Restoration: dirty and broken, a perfectly good Blue and White Dragon Pattern Large Jar shattered into dozens of pieces.

One set is during restoration: Lin Sicheng holds a tray of Glaze Material in one hand and a rat-tail brush in the other, currently touching up the blue and white.

Lin Zhangqing feels as if his eyes are playing tricks on him: No way... is Lin Sicheng really touching up blue and white?

But how is that possible?

Seeming to guess what Lin Zhangqing is thinking, Wang Qi Zhi helps him flip to the next page: "It took five days to finish the touch-ups, with synchronized video recording, so these photos and notes were all filled in later by following the footage... but the over one hundred hours of audiovisual material were filmed in real-time, in a single continuous take..."

Lin Zhangqing is suddenly stunned: In the final set of photos, the members of the Restoration Group are posing for a group photo in front of the restored large jar, and Lin Sicheng is unexpectedly standing right in the middle.

Looking further down, there are over ten full pages of recorded data: from the initial cleaning and photography, to the intermediate drawing and modeling, and finally to the splicing, restoration, and touch-ups... the records are crystal clear and extremely detailed.

It took five days to finish the touch-ups, and it wasn't until the fourth day that Shang Yan participated, helping with some auxiliary work.

Looking at the guidance column again: it is actually empty?

Wang Qi Zhi smiles: "Professor Lin, you might not believe me if I say it: there really was no guidance. The only technical guidance was a few documents. Even the previous Plum Vase and Sprinkled Gold Bowl were things Lin Sicheng learned while restoring. It was only to pass the review that Professor Shang's name was filled in..."

Lin Zhangqing points to a photo: "What about this large jar?"

Wang Qi Zhi nods: "Of course, he learned while restoring that too!"

Lin Zhangqing is full of astonishment and slowly lifts his head.

Subconsciously, he recalls the night before the eleventh, the day Lin Sicheng returned home: Grandfather, my teacher got some core technical data from the Forbidden City and asked me to study it, preparing to apply for World Heritage Application under the name of "Blue and White Porcelain Restoration"...

At the time, Lin Zhangqing was still puzzled: How could Blue and White Porcelain Restoration technology be so easy to learn?

He figured this Professor Wang and Lin Sicheng had hit it off and were planning to push it through using personal connections.

He even suspected: Was Lin Sicheng planning to live off a woman?

And now, Wang Qi Zhi is telling him with absolute certainty: Lin Sicheng really learned how to touch up blue and white porcelain?

If you don't believe me, Professor Lin, I'll play the recording for you...

Lin Zhangqing is dazed for a long while: "How long did he study?"

"About a month!"

Looking at the data in his hands, Lin Zhangqing's eyelids cannot stop twitching.

Honestly, if this weren't his own grandson, he would absolutely have to ask Wang Qi Zhi and Shang Yan: in just over a month, by just relying on reading documents for self-study?

Professor Wang, Professor Shang, do you believe it?

He lets out a long breath: "Professor Wang, where is Lin Sicheng, is he in class?"

Why would Lin Sicheng still need to attend class? He stopped going long ago.

"Secretary-General Hao is looking for him for something, he went to Rongbaozhai."

Hao Jun does indeed have something, saying he is inviting Lin Sicheng to look at an item. Incidentally, Lin Sicheng can also find some money...

Lin Sicheng sits in the sofa with a receipt placed in front of him. The item name is written as "Song Dynasty Three Preceptors Official Crown Bead Flower," and the amount column has a long string of zeros: 1,200,000!

Adding the seventeen percent commission, it means this item sold for a full 1.4 million.

"Keep the ticket safe, the funds will arrive tomorrow!" Hao Jun pushes it forward and rolls his eyes, "Just having the bead flower, what about that crown?"

"It's still at the Provincial Museum." Lin Sicheng puts away the receipt, "Besides, even if I sell it, it has to go to auction!"

Hao Jun is stunned: He was just testing the waters, is Lin Sicheng actually going to sell it?

"Are you really going to sell it?"

Lin Sicheng sighs: "Could this be fake?"

He has to sell it.

Just for the material reserve funds of the "Gold and Silver Studio," each item costs in the "hundreds of thousands." Not to mention there are so many pieces of equipment?

But it has to go to auction: Hao Jun's way is fast, but the price would have to be discounted somewhat.

Just like the item that was just sold, if it went to an auction house, it could sell for at least ten percent more, and twenty percent is not impossible.

Upon hearing it would go to auction, Hao Jun skips the topic and doesn't mention it again. He looks at his watch: "The car won't arrive for another half hour, let's have a cup of tea first."

Lin Sicheng nods and picks up his Tea Cup: "Forgot to ask you, what exactly are we looking at?"

"They are likely things from the Han Dynasty: one stone inkstone, two lacquer tables!"

Lacquer tables from the Han Dynasty?

Since it is a table, it must be wood coated with lacquer; being able to be preserved for about two thousand years, it is absolutely a treasure.

Lin Sicheng is startled: "What do they look like roughly?"

"About two meters long, half a meter wide, the base is lacquered in black, and the patterns are the Big Dipper and the Twenty-Eight Mansions painted in vermilion lacquer!"

Hao Jun speaks while gesturing: "Very symmetrical, they look like a pair of door panels to me!"

Lin Sicheng is suddenly stunned: Door panels, my foot!

Base lacquered in black, Big Dipper and Twenty-Eight Mansions painted in vermilion... could this be a Han Dynasty coffin lid?