Chapter 147: Jade Pig-Dragon

Hao Jun drove the car, heading straight east.

He passed the Drum Tower, then the Bell Tower, and then headed south.

The Dayan Pagoda was covered in a layer of dust, looking hazy and gray. The Datang Ever-Bright City had only just begun construction, the foundation for Zhenguan Square was still being laid, and the outer city wall was only just a circle of stones.

Dump trucks ran back and forth, and the excavators rumbled loudly. The sun seemed to be covered by a layer of frosted glass; there was dirt and dust everywhere.

Continuing south, passing by the lakeside, the roar of the machinery grew quieter, and the air became much better.

Across the lake embankment, Furong Garden was lush and green, and the crescent-shaped Furong Lake was shimmering with light.

Lin Sicheng was looking carefully when the Audi stopped for a moment, then drove into a palace-style gate.

Lawns, tree-lined paths, fountains, and rockeries slid past his eyes one by one. Soon, several courtyard-style villas appeared.

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment and subconsciously looked back: the top of the palace-style gate they had just driven through was inlaid with four large seal-script characters: Qujiang Mansion.

In 2007, if you asked where the city center of Xijing was, it was definitely the Drum Tower, the Bell Tower, and Kaiyuan.

But if you asked which houses were the most expensive: Qujiang Mansion by Furong Lake.

Property near the Drum Tower only sold for about 4,000 per square meter, while the villas here were at least 15,000 per square meter, with the smallest unit being 300 square meters.

Sales opened in 2005, and in just one year, all 120 units of the first phase were sold out.

One could only say, there really are a lot of rich people.

A golf cart led the way in front, with the Audi following behind, slowly driving up to a detached villa.

The iron gate opened automatically, the golf cart entered the courtyard, and Hao Jun parked the car on the side of the road and got out with Lin Sicheng.

As they walked inside, Lin Sicheng tilted his chin: "Big boss?"

Hao Jun nodded: "Of course, he mines in Shenfu; he has both coal and iron."

Impressive?

This is a real big shot.

Hao Jun lowered his voice again: "This man's surname is Chen, and he's considered a fairly famous collector in the circle of the wealthy. He has a bit of an eye, but his hobby is a bit strange: the older the item, the more he likes it, and he collects everything. So, you know..."

Lin Sicheng certainly knew: as the saying goes, there is a specialty in every trade. Take the old man, for example, who has studied Cultural Relics for most of his life and worked in archaeology for most of his life—professional enough, right?

Even he would occasionally make a mistake, just like those two pieces of Russian jade still sitting in the bank. Let alone ordinary collectors?

Therefore, collecting everything also means it is extremely easy to make a mistake.

Furthermore, the older an item is, the fewer relevant documents remain, and naturally, there is even less research data and evidence for authentication.

If your experience isn't enough, you'll make a mistake every time.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "So what about this time, is it for authentication or selling?"

"Selling! No matter how rich he is, he can't just buy and never sell..." Hao Jun made a gesture, "Including this time, this is my fourth trip, and I even specially invited a master from the headquarters to take a look once, but I'm still not quite sure..."

"What are you not sure about?" Lin Sicheng's heart stirred, "Those two writing desks?"

"Those are even more uncertain, so we aren't buying them for now! I'm talking about that inkstone..." Hao Jun paused slightly, "There's a dragon on the lid, with deer antlers and five claws!"

Five claws, a true dragon?

Last time in Qishan, he saw a Fish-shaped Inkstone of the Ming Dynasty, and Lin Sicheng was amazed. This time it was even more incredible: a five-clawed, deer-antlered dragon-patterned inkstone from the Han Dynasty had appeared?

To put it simply: if the item were real, it could only be a Heavenly Son Inkstone; only an emperor could use it.

The key was that, in Lin Sicheng's impression, this type of item had never been unearthed at all?

There were plenty of Chi Dragon Inkstones used by feudal lords.

He was stunned for a moment: "A Great Han Heavenly Son Inkstone?"

Hao Jun nodded: "It looks very much like one to me, and the master sent by the headquarters also said it looks very much like one!"

"Then why not buy it?"

"Nonsense, four million plus—that's enough to buy a villa here!"

Hao Jun let out a breath: "If you also think it looks like one, then I'll find someone else to take a look!"

Lin Sicheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Actually, this is the right way to do it: without absolute certainty, who would dare to buy a unique item worth millions?

The two of them muttered to each other as they entered the main gate.

Standing on the steps was an old man in his fifties, followed by a man and a woman.

Their features were sixty or seventy percent similar; at a glance, it was a father with his son and daughter.

While still seven or eight steps away, the three of them came down the steps, and the old man shook hands while looking behind them: "Professor Hao, didn't you bring an Expert today?"

"This is him." Hao Jun pointed at Lin Sicheng, "General Manager Chen, don't look at how young he is; his eye is absolutely good enough!"

Really or fake?

The old man looked suspicious for a moment, then reached out his hand: "Young and promising!"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "You flatter me!"

The two must have been very familiar, almost half-joking; Hao Jun did not introduce Lin Sicheng too much, only saying he was a friend.

General Manager Chen did not ask further, exchanged a few pleasantries, and led them into the living room.

It was decorated very elegantly and with great taste.

The conversation was also very refined, and he did not ignore Lin Sicheng because of his youth. Even the son and daughter were very well-mannered, which did not fit the usual temperament of a coal boss in his impression.

After tea was poured and they chatted for a few more sentences, General Manager Chen had his son go get the item.

The younger General Manager Chen left the living room, and after about five or six minutes, he carried a box in.

It was not small in size, and his footsteps were heavy, so it was probably quite heavy.

He placed it on the coffee table, opened the lid, and a blue-stone lidded inkstone came into view.

It was very large, about twenty centimeters in diameter, and about fourteen or fifteen centimeters in total height.

The stone was brownish-blue, and the lid of the inkstone featured six flying dragons intertwined, with the six dragon heads facing the center, all playing with a single pearl in the middle of the lid.

The bottom has three feet, the lid edge is inscribed with Chi Dragons, and the edge of the inkstone is decorated with cloud patterns.

Hao Jun took it out, placed it in front of Lin Sicheng, and after lifting the inkstone lid, he took out a Magnifying Glass.

Lin Sicheng took it and casually shone a light on it. Suddenly, the stone surface presented a "brown with a reddish tint" visual effect.

Then, he flipped the inkstone pool over, placed it flat on a soft cloth, and took the Magnifying Glass to compare it carefully.

Hao Jun was unhurried and calm, but General Manager Chen's expression became increasingly strange: was he really going to let this young man take a look?

Before, he had truly thought Hao Jun was joking.

Surprise was surprise, but it was not enough to cause a scene; the four people were quiet and said nothing.

This inspection lasted for more than ten minutes.

Lin Sicheng straightened his back and shone the light onto the inkstone lid again: "The stone quality is sandstone-based limestone, which is usually blue-gray. But the stone contains Feldspar and Quartz crystals, and after being carved and carefully polished, it almost reached the level of a 'mirror effect,' so when it encounters strong light, it produces a color difference effect!"

"The top of the lid has six dragons intertwined, and the dragon bodies are three-dimensional round carvings. The dragon scales are like comb patterns, and the carving method is the layered relief-reduction technique. The edges and base are decorated with Chi Dragons and cloud vapors; this is High Relief combined with line engraving..."

"The base has three feet, and the inkstone pool is composite: the bottom is for grinding ink, and the side groove is for storing water... The inkstone lid and the inkstone body use Mortise and Tenon joints..."

Lin Sicheng turned off the Flashlight and pulled back a little: "A late Eastern Han Dynasty Luoyang blue mudstone inkstone!"

"Right, Teacher Wu from the company also said it was late Eastern Han..." Hao Jun nodded vigorously, "And then?"

What "and then" could there be?

Lin Sicheng paused: "No horns, three claws!"

Hao Jun was stunned and subconsciously leaned forward: was his own vision failing, or did Lin Sicheng not know how to count?

Count the toes: one, two, three, four, five!

Look at the horns again: they branch out into many prongs, shaped like palms...

General Manager Chen, including the two junior General Managers Chen, all widened their eyes. They looked at Lin Sicheng, then at the inkstone lid, then at Lin Sicheng, and then at the inkstone lid again.

Lin Sicheng didn't speak; he rummaged through Hao Jun's bag and took out a Probe Needle and a lighter.

Then he handed them forward: "General Manager Chen, who is going to do it?"

Hao Jun was stunned for a moment, and the other three stared at the needle, their expressions changing slightly: had the dragon horns and dragon claws both been tampered with?

After a long while, General Manager Chen took the needle: "Where?"

Lin Sicheng pointed at the inkstone lid: "The twelve dragon horns are all added later. And any dragon claw that extends outward and has obvious claw patterns is also entirely added later!"

Added later... one can't tell, can one?

Hao Jun lowered his head again: the horn patterns were very natural, and the claw patterns were even more natural. Including the patina in the carved lines of the horns and claws, it was no different from the rest.

Just as he was suspicious, General Manager Chen pinched the needle and pried hard along the carved lines of the dragon horn.

But it didn't budge?

"General Manager Chen, you have to heat it up; it's glued with Epoxy Resin, it's not just ordinarily firm!"

Lin Sicheng handed over the lighter, "But don't worry, it's stone, it won't burn!"

Presumably because their relationship was truly good, Hao Jun took the lighter and asked for the needle as well: "I'll do it!"

With a "pop," a flame emerged, and Hao Jun burned the dragon horn.

Suddenly, an oily sheen appeared on the stone surface.

After heating for roughly seven or eight seconds, Hao Jun pried hard along the carved lines of the dragon horn.

With a light "clink," yellow grime like a silk thread hung onto the tip of the needle.

It wasn't long, just about one centimeter.

But for something nearly two thousand years old, the patina would have long since rusted into the stone material; how could it be pried off just like that?

Look closely again: the layer on the surface looked like yellow soil, and underneath the yellow soil, there was unexpectedly bright, shiny glue.

Look at the carved groove again; it was a full two millimeters deep. The key was that the carved marks were brand new. Moreover, the edges and depth were not ordinarily neat; at a glance, this was machine-carved.

As if unable to believe it, General Manager Chen took the needle and the lighter, then pried one, then pried another.

Hao Jun's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

If Lin Sicheng hadn't come, he definitely would have invited someone else to look at it. But the problem was, what if the person he invited also didn't see it?

This was over four million...

Hao Jun gritted his teeth: "How was this done?"

Lin Sicheng gestured: "Laser engraving on tombstones, you've seen it... computer-replicated drawings, then laser etching... it was probably lifted from the patterns of some Eastern Han Dynasty Cultural Relics, which is why at first glance, one would feel the patterns were very natural!"

"Fuck his mother..."

Halfway through the curse, Hao Jun realized: "General Manager Chen, I'm not cursing you!"

"I know!" General Manager Chen sighed and looked at Lin Sicheng, "So they first used a laser to carve the grooves, and then filled it with glue?"

"Right, after filling it with glue, they applied the patina layer by layer, letting the glue slowly permeate. But it wasn't yellow soil that was applied..." Lin Sicheng pinched a bit and rubbed it, "It should be the grime scraped off from the base, which is why no flaws could be seen!"

The method was very simple, but the effect was remarkably good; most of the jade-gambling sites at the Ruili border crossing used this method to create "half-opened" raw stones.

One trick after another, and even by 2025, people were still being fooled one after another...

General Manager Chen took the lid again: "A Chi Dragon is also a dragon; which Level does it represent?"

"Marquis!" Lin Sicheng replied without hesitation, "The 'Book of Han: Treatise on Carriages and Clothing': Feudal Lords, Marquis... their vessels and clothing could be decorated with dragons, but the Feudal Lords were one rank below the Emperor, and the Marquis were one rank lower again."

"That is, the Emperor had the five-clawed, deer-horned True Dragon, the Feudal Lords had the four-clawed, hornless Chi Dragon, and the Marquis had the three-clawed Chi Dragon, or perhaps it was downgraded to a Chi Tiger (tiger head and dragon body)..."

Lin Sicheng pointed again at the semi-convex stone bead on the top of the inkstone lid: "The 'Han Old Rituals' also records: Feudal Lords shall not use gold or jade... If it were a Heavenly Son Inkstone, it should be inlaid with a jade bead here, or at least Turquoise!"

"Marquis Inkstone?" General Manager Chen gave a "heh" sound, "Then does it still count as a Marquis Inkstone now?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head.

Of course it didn't count; it had already been ruined by the carving.

General Manager Chen suddenly understood, let out a long sigh, and picked up the teapot again: "Teacher Lin has worked hard, drink a cup of tea first!"

Lin Sicheng had a strange expression: he had become a teacher too?

He hurriedly replied: "General Manager Chen, you are too kind!"

Hao Jun, however, did not think so: this title of 'teacher' had saved Chen Yangyan four million. If it were him, never mind calling him teacher, he would even call him dad!

The elder General Manager Chen poured it himself, the younger General Manager Chen held it with both hands, and Lin Sicheng hurriedly stood up to receive it.

"Teacher Lin, don't be so formal!" Chen Yangyan smiled, "There are a few more pieces at home that I have always felt weren't quite right; could I trouble you to take another look?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Certainly!"

Since he was already here, why not?

Furthermore, someone of General Manager Chen's status would certainly not let him appraise them for nothing.

In a flash, the brother and sister left the living room. They were gone for quite a while this time, nearly a quarter of an hour, before the two returned, each carrying a box.

Opening them one by one, Lin Sicheng took a glance.

He was immediately stunned: what is this, a Jade Pig Dragon?

He had learned something new today...