Chapter 183: Just Wash Up and Go to Sleep

The semi-old Coaster bus only had eight or nine passengers, making the cabin appear slightly empty.

Shang Yan leaned against her seat, holding a small mirror, looking at herself over and over.

During this period, she had been angered quite a bit by that Liu Dong, unable to sleep for half the night, so naturally, her complexion was not good.

But last night, in order to get her to eat that chicken, Lin Sicheng had used a mix of coaxing and trickery, almost like hoodwinking her, to make her drink half a bowl of sticky, thick, bitter medicinal paste that could make one's eyes roll back.

Then, she didn't even dream all night and slept in one go until nine o'clock in the morning. What was even more miraculous was that her complexion had visibly improved a lot, and her energy was surprisingly vigorous.

She had only drunk one dose, and it was bought from a street stall?

Was this the first time she realized that the curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine was this good?

After turning to look for a long time, she put down the mirror: "Lin Sicheng, that Dean Hou is quite impressive, isn't she?"

"That goes without saying!"

Without sufficient ability, it would be impossible to become the honorary Dean of the Provincial Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

"But this medicine shouldn't be taken too much. Dean Hou still occasionally sees patients at the Air Force Hospital. If you feel uncomfortable, Professor Shang, you can go find her for a check-up then..."

Shang Yan didn't make a sound: for this kind of top-tier expert appointment, even leaders of a slightly lower rank couldn't get in line, let alone her.

She figured she would still have to find Lin Sicheng when the time came.

Come to think of it, it was strange: he always knew some odd and bizarre things, and then, inexplicably, he would be noticed by some odd and bizarre experts.

Just like Zhao Laotai from Qishan, and like this Dean Hou...

"Lin Sicheng, where did you learn it?" Shang Yan put away the mirror and gestured, "That ability to know the condition just by taking one look?"

"From ancient books!" Lin Sicheng smiled: "The medical books of Qin Yueren!"

What was that?

Qin Yueren, wasn't that Bian Que?

Shang Yan naturally didn't believe it. And it wasn't just her; including the driver, not a single person in the car believed it.

Bian Que, that was from the Warring States period, two thousand four or five hundred years ago. Except for the mention of this person in History Books, no relevant medical treatises had been left behind, so where would the medical books come from?

Thinking Lin Sicheng didn't want to talk about it, Shang Yan didn't ask again. She just dragged out her tone with a "tsk": "Lin Sicheng, are you getting better at making things up?"

Lin Sicheng didn't explain, just smiled.

He really wasn't talking nonsense; he had truly learned it from the Bian Que Medical Slips, also known as the Tianhui Medical Slips.

That was in 2012, the second year after he had just arrived at the Forbidden City, when a Western Han Dynasty tomb was discovered at Chengdu Laoguanshan. Old Lady Wang had a sudden whim and said she would take him to broaden his horizons.

As it turned out, the moment they broadened their horizons, they excavated the Bian Que Medical Slips.

There were over eighty scrolls, totaling nearly thirty thousand characters: including Pulse Book: Upper Classic, Pulse Book: Lower Classic, "Testing Spirit through the Five-Colored Pulses of Yin and Yang," Method of Decoction for Treating Sixty Diseases, Needling Numbers, Fa Li, Meridians... and so on and so forth.

Then, the magical part came: comparisons revealed that the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, revered as the holy scripture of traditional Chinese medicine, was merely an annotation of parts of the Bian Que Medical Slips. Moreover, many of the dialectical methods and prescriptions within it were recorded incorrectly, including many compatibility prescriptions still used by modern traditional Chinese medicine.

Naturally, they had to step up the Artifact Research, and then, one after another, the prescription records of major traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and colleges began to be adjusted, and new prescriptions were gradually added.

Not to mention anything else, just from the Method of Decoction for Treating Sixty Diseases, they researched over a hundred Hernia Treatment Prescriptions (for pediatric hernia) that were later included in the Prescription Record of major medical colleges.

And this was just one disease; there were fifty-nine others... miraculous enough, right?

Things that could prolong life and, even more, save lives—who wouldn't value them, who wouldn't be curious?

At that time, there were several retired old experts in the Forbidden City nearing a hundred years old, and a whole bunch over eighty, all of whom were quite interested in this. So, they resolutely put their remaining energy to use, formed a small group, and conducted joint research with several national-level institutions for a period of time.

Lin Sicheng also followed the research intermittently, and even when he transmigrated here, he was still researching it on and off.

The set of Qi-Observing Technique he used yesterday was the "Observing Qi and Examining Spirit" restored by the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine based on the medical slips.

It was the same set from the story in the History Books, "Bian Que Meets Cai Huangong": Bian Que met Cai Huangong, stood there for a short while, and said: "My Lord, you have a disease in the skin and pores; if not treated, I fear it will go deeper..."

Miraculous enough, right?

But it wasn't an exaggeration; an ordinary person really couldn't learn it.

In order to learn it, Lin Sicheng painstakingly studied Zhang Zhongjing's Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases, Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet... because of this, his medical skills increased greatly...

So, even thinking about it now, he felt that he really was a bit neglectful of his proper work...

While his thoughts were wandering aimlessly, the minibus drove out of the city and was about to get on the highway when his phone started "buzzing."

Glancing at it, Lin Sicheng straightened his back.

The note was "Dean," a number he had saved for a long time, but this was truly the first time he had received a call personally made by the Dean.

After connecting and offering a greeting, the others also straightened their backs and pricked up their ears: the Dean calling Lin Sicheng's phone, what else could it be?

The Dean got straight to the point: "Little Lin, this morning we received a letter from Yaozhou saying they want to visit and learn from our World Heritage Application project, with the time tentatively set for one week... The Principal has arranged for me and your teacher to be responsible for the reception..."

"Although the other party didn't mention it to my face, I have heard some things... I asked for your teacher's opinion, but he was like a greased tongue, repeating the same empty words, just refusing to give a straight answer. So I'm calling to ask for your opinion..."

"Dean, I have no opinion!" Lin Sicheng didn't hesitate for even half a second, "I listen to my teacher!"

At first listen, it seemed like he had pushed the difficult problem back, but the Dean let out a laugh, "Good, I know! When are you coming back?"

"Dean, we can arrive at noon, and if possible, we can be at the school in the afternoon!"

"No need to be that rushed!" the Dean said unhurriedly, "It's fine to go home and rest for a few days!"

"Okay, thank you, Dean!"

After he hung up, Shang Yan turned her head: "What does the school mean?"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Just asking when we'll be back!"

Shang Yan understood in a second: You want to visit, then visit; you want to learn, that's fine too.

What, Tea Dust Glaze... sorry, never even heard of it... that was exactly what the school meant.

Before, Shang Yan had been worried that the school, out of consideration for political influence, would let Lin Sicheng consider the big picture or something.

But now, looking at it: the school leaders were probably also fuming with anger, but were afraid that Lin Sicheng would be soft-hearted and, after being subjected to a whole bunch of roundabout ideological work, would be the first to raise a white flag and surrender.

So the Dean made a special call to give a reminder: listening to your teacher is the right thing to do.

At the same time, it clarified Lin Sicheng's attitude: specifically having your teacher handle the reception means that no matter who comes to plead or who tries to pull strings, it will be completely useless.

Shang Yan let out a sharp sigh of relief...

……

At 3:00 PM, the sunlight was intense, and the snow accumulated on the lawn reflected sparkling specks of light.

A group of people stood at the entrance of the Experimental Center, and bright red characters scrolled across the light board behind them: Welcome the TC City Intangible Cultural Heritage Inspection and Study Delegation to our institution……

One has to say, this reaction speed was fast enough: the incident happened yesterday at noon, it was reported to the city leaders in the afternoon, and the group arrived in Xijing by the evening.

Then, early the next morning, they visited the school's main leaders.

Perhaps sensing that the school leaders' attitude was not quite right and feeling that this path would not work, they adjusted their strategy simultaneously. They had just finished visiting the leaders in the morning, and before they had even walked into the restaurant, the official letter had already been sent to the school.

Then, just past noon, the inspection delegation was on-site and ready, able to arrive at the school and conduct their inspection and study.

With this reaction speed and this efficiency, it absolutely exceeded more than eighty percent of institutions at the same level.

But thinking again about why they came, it felt absurd beyond measure: just from this contingency mechanism and organizational ability, one could see the level of the two leadership teams at the city level.

Then how did the previous matter happen?

Thinking secretly to himself, Wang Qi Zhi frowned: "Dean, I estimate this will be hard to handle!"

The Dean glanced at him and smiled again: "Secretary Wang, broaden your perspective: brothers from the prefecture and state units have come to inspect, so we must certainly host them well. We must also certainly satisfy requests within the scope of our capabilities…… how can this be 'handling'?"

Wang Qi Zhi curled his lips: This tone, this cadence, was it as if his second sister were standing right in front of him?

But speaking of the scope of capabilities: before this, Lin Sicheng had never mentioned any Tea Dust Glaze at all; let alone the school, even Wang Qi Zhi, a teacher, didn't know about it. How were we supposed to satisfy them?

Therefore, a leader is indeed a leader; their way of speaking is truly on a high level.

He nodded, and immediately, three cars drove into the school.

As soon as the cars stopped, the Dean stepped down from the stairs first to shake hands with Deputy Mayor Wang.

He also concurrently held the position of Executive Vice Principal (deputy department level); the Deputy Directors below him and Wang Qi Zhi (a low-ranking official in a high-ranking position) were all division-level, so the reception protocol could absolutely not be considered low.

Moreover, it was very enthusiastic, and everyone had smiles on their faces.

Yet Deputy Mayor Wang's heart sank straight down: based on his experience, if the other party carried even a little bit of emotion, the matter would be easy to handle. It would be nothing more than offering an apology and then negotiating terms.

If they were polite and hosted with enthusiasm, then it meant only one thing: official business would be handled strictly by the book.

There would be no need to waste breath; a few sets of official jargon would be enough to send you out the door.

But fortunately, he had made several contingency plans; if the east side didn't light up, the west side would. In any case, this troublesome matter had to be resolved as quickly as possible.

Pondering secretly, Deputy Mayor Wang continued to talk and laugh, shaking hands one by one.

Then, the group arrived at the studio.

The signs were very eye-catching, two of them side by side: Lin Sicheng Cultural Relic Protection and Artifact Restoration Research Studio, and Northwest University World Heritage Application Project Preparatory Center.

When the letter was sent before going to Tongchuan, wasn't it still the "Lin Sicheng Ancient Porcelain Restoration Studio"? How did it become "Cultural Relics" on the sign at this moment?

They were just curious for a moment, and the group filed in.

The place was very large, and the equipment was also very complete; Wang Qi Zhi was responsible for the introduction.

The crowd was absent-minded; after touring for about half an hour, they were led to the Training Center.

It was a newly renovated two-story space with brand-new tables and chairs, equipped with the most advanced multimedia teaching system and a large LED screen.

What was this for? A meeting, or perhaps a negotiation?

From Deputy Mayor Wang downward, everyone's spirits suddenly lifted.

As long as there was something to talk about, the only fear was having nothing to talk about……

But immediately, Wang Qi Zhi picked up his notebook and went onto the stage.

"Because time is too tight, the preparation is not very sufficient, so please forgive us, everyone……"

As he spoke, Wang Qi Zhi opened the computer and plugged in a mobile hard drive, "At the same time, we also welcome corrections from all leaders and teachers……"

As he spoke, he clicked the keyboard, and images appeared on the large screen.

The inspection delegation was stunned: we said we came for inspection and study, but that was only in name. You clearly knew what we came for, but as it turned out, you really wanted us to study?

It couldn't be that they were really like what Liu Dong did, keeping you on a hook until all your patience was exhausted.

Just as they were suspicious, the video began to play. It seemed to be in a laboratory; Lin Sicheng was wearing a white coat, and an enamel basin was placed on the operation table in front of him.

It was very old and very broken, with the porcelain fallen off in many places. At first glance, it looked like something picked up from a trash heap.

"In mid-September, the Lin Sicheng Ancient Porcelain Studio was established. Because of funding issues, the equipment had not yet arrived at that time. Therefore, more professional Cultural Relic Restoration could only be done by borrowing the school's research rooms and laboratories…… This piece, a Qing Dynasty Yongzheng Enamel Sunflower Plate, was restored in Professor Shang Yan's porcelain laboratory……"

Wang Qi Zhi pressed the screen, and the footage began to play.

"Base Glaze: natural mineral materials…… oxidizing agents…… key points: melt at a furnace temperature of 900 degrees, water-quench into granules, grind to over 200 mesh……"

"Coloring Glaze, one, deep green, temperature 800, oxygen-rich firing, grind granules to 200 mesh…… two, light pink…… three, golden yellow…… four, Jiang red…… five, bright silver……"

Lin Sicheng stood on the stage, arranging things unhurriedly, while two research assistants worked in an orderly manner.

Off-stage stood Wang Qi Zhi, who was explaining at the moment, Shang Yan, whom they had met in Tongchuan, and several graduate students.

Subsequently, the preparation work finished, and Lin Sicheng began to repair the copper base of the basin: composition, pattern, wire-clamping, adhesion, welding, correction……

Many people watched without understanding, such as Deputy Bureau Chief Song, Bureau Chief Tian, and Deputy Mayor Wang.

Invited temporarily to serve as the deputy leader of this inspection delegation, Museum Curator Xu of the TC City Museum introduced in a low voice: "This is Cloisonné Enamel, invented during the Jingtai period of the Ming Dynasty, also known as Jingtai Blue…… During both the Qing and Ming dynasties, it was Imperial Palace Ware……"

Deputy Mayor Wang was startled for a moment: "Enamel on copper, isn't that just bronze?"

"It is indeed bronze; for a porcelain restorer, this absolutely belongs to a different trade…… but this Teacher Lin's wire-clamping technical level seems very high……"

Just as he finished half the sentence, Museum Curator Xu was suddenly stunned: Wang Qi Zhi pressed fast-forward, and on the screen, Lin Sicheng began Blue Pointing.

Filling the glaze, entering the furnace, firing, cooling, taking it out of the furnace…… There was a bit more blue glaze among the previously repaired wire-clamping.

At first glance, it was very ordinary: use copper wire to fill the damaged parts, apply glaze again, and re-fire.

But the problem was, this was enamel.

From the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, porcelain was fired in every dynasty. Except for Tibet and Mongolia, basically every province had kilns.

There were many craftsmen who knew how to fire, and there were also many artisans who knew how to patch and restore; the remaining documentary materials were also quite numerous.

But enamel was only fired during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and only the Imperial Porcelain Factory fired it.

Not only did it exist for a very short time, but it was also limited to Beijing, so even among Imperial Palace Ware, this item is considered the most obscure of the obscure.

Therefore, before this, Museum Curator Xu had assumed that after Lin Sicheng finished the filigree, he would use dyed resin to secure it.

He had never even considered that Lin Sicheng would actually know Blue Pointing?

And that he did it over and over, repeatedly, firing it six times?

He stared with wide eyes, not knowing how to explain it.

It wasn't just Museum Curator Xu; there were also Deputy Institute Director Du and Institute Director Meng.

It is true that they were from the Porcelain Research Institute under the Industrial Bureau, but that was because Yaozhou Porcelain had already been industrialized for mass production, and the focus of research at the current stage and in the future was technical innovation and new product development.

But at their core, what they first studied was still ancient porcelain. Not to say how knowledgeable they were, but at least they had basic common sense regarding Cultural Relics.

Someone who repairs porcelain knowing Blue Pointing feels like a pig butcher knowing how to fly a plane... The key is the Six Point Six Burn: the fusion of color systems across six stages, and the final coloration... If you gave this to a professional painter, could they achieve such vivid, bright, yet harmonious colors without a single correction?

So, Lin Sicheng's level is far beyond just filigree work? This level of craftsmanship is more than enough to enter the Forbidden City...

The inspection team suddenly realized: there was no "playing hard to get," the person was playing his trump card right from the start.

The meaning was simple: Was Lin Sicheng, whom you treated with near-despicable means, really the incompetent, resume-padding connection hire you thought he was?

And was the so-called core technology you treated as a treasure and guarded strictly really worth us stealing?

Asking themselves honestly: Bronze Enamel is, after all, Imperial Palace Ware; in terms of technical level, craftsmanship, and difficulty, it does seem to be just a little bit higher than Yaozhou Porcelain...

The group looked at each other, each with different thoughts.

But Wang Qi Zhi didn't care what they were thinking and continued playing the video.

It was still the laboratory, though it had changed from the commercial research lab to Wang Qi Zhi's laboratory; in between, it had also been moved to a studio that had recently added some equipment.

Lin Sicheng didn't switch fields again; he started repairing porcelain, and he kept repairing porcelain the whole time.

But the things he repaired, and the techniques he demonstrated, made the eyelids of the inspection team twitch:

First, the late Qing Dynasty Matte Glaze Plum Vase, then the Ming Dynasty Xuande Sprinkled Gold Bowl, and then the Dehua Pork Lard White Bowl...

From stapling, to gold stapling, to gold repair, and then to lacquer...

When they saw the final Blue and White Dragon Pattern Large Jar, everyone from Deputy Mayor Wang to Deputy Institute Director Du was too shocked to speak.

They had thought that although Lin Sicheng was young, he must have had ability and technique. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to grind for twenty days and rely solely on studying samples to deduce the core technology of Yaozhou Porcelain.

But they hadn't thought that Lin Sicheng could even repair blue and white porcelain this well?

Even Mayor Wang, who knew nothing about the trade, knew how difficult it was to repair blue and white porcelain, and how difficult it was to re-fire it.

It can be said that as long as one knows how to repair blue and white porcelain from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, there is no porcelain from the Han Dynasty to the Republic of China that he cannot learn or repair.

So, why would he need to steal any technology?

The so-called "need to learn Yaozhou Porcelain firing technology" and "systematic research on repair technology" were just polite words. Because if you didn't teach him, Lin Sicheng could truly deduce it himself.

In the end, Lin Sicheng did indeed deduce it.

Secretly stunned, the Dean and Wang Qi Zhi led them to the Experimental Center again...

They were already somewhat numb from the shock, but they were still puzzled: regardless of the ultimate goal of their trip—whether it was inspection, learning, negotiation, or even just to see Lin Sicheng—there was only one goal: to get their hands on the Tea Dust Glaze technology.

But what was the point of leading them to the Experimental Center: to recall Lin Sicheng's achievements and reflect on the process of Lin Sicheng's research?

Looking at the sign again: That's right, Northwest University School of Cultural Heritage Metal Cultural Relic Research Center.

But immediately, they understood: it really had nothing to do with the World Heritage Application, but it did have to do with Lin Sicheng—he was the specific Person in Charge of two projects already established in this laboratory.

Wang Qi Zhi gave a detailed introduction, and at the same time, documents were distributed to the group.

Most people couldn't understand it: for example, Institute Director Du, for example, Meng Shufeng, and even more so, Deputy Mayor Wang.

But some could understand, for example, Deputy Bureau Chief Song, for example, Bureau Chief Tian; these two were models of applying what they learned: they were genuinely from engineering backgrounds.

And even more so, Museum Curator Xu. He was an old hand at cultural relics; he wouldn't dare call himself an all-rounder, but he had knowledge of everything within the basic scope of Cultural Relics.

But looking at the title: Research on the Alloy Composition of Bronze unearthed from the Banpo Site, that is, an exploration of the indigenous origin of metallurgy in China.

Corrosion mechanism and intervention measures for Bronze, namely the application of plant extracts and amino acid derivatives in the desalination, slow release, and protection of metal Cultural Relics.

That's right, it was indeed a Cultural Relics protection research project, but the ultimate goal of the research was boundlessly large:

The origin of metallurgy in China, rust prevention using plant extracts... Is this just a Cultural Relics protection project?

This is an industrial chemistry and biology research project... and it belongs to those two extremely advanced categories...

Flipping to the end, that's right, a school-level project, only established at the provincial Education Department level. But this title, let alone school-level, even city-level or provincial-level wouldn't be enough to cover it.

Looking at the content again, the few of them didn't know what else to say: the person was truly working hard in the direction of the title, and had already achieved considerable results and progress.

The key is that the project initiator, the specific Person in Charge, and the Academic Advisor were all Lin Sicheng.

His teacher, that is, the Person in Charge of the laboratory, Wang Qi Zhi, was only the lead.

From porcelain restoration to industrial metals, and then to biotechnology research, how could this span be anything but huge?

But that is not the point; the point is why Northwest University led them here: you thought Lin Sicheng was just a student, someone who only knew a little porcelain technique, and an inheritor planning a World Heritage Application?

No, he can also repair Enamel, he can also repair blue and white, and he is also the initiator, Person in Charge, and advisor of two quasi-national scientific research projects.

Just speaking of the first two, given time, it is not impossible for the Northwest University School of Cultural Heritage to add two more related majors.

Speaking of the latter two, the so-called university comprehensive rankings and the level of disciplines, the A+ and B+, how do they come about?

They rely on research projects, and they rely on scientific research achievements.

So, what kind of price can you pay to make Northwest University grit its teeth, risk talent loss, and the risk of turning to competitors, just to help you, to let Lin Sicheng consider the big picture and compromise for once?

You had better go back where you came from... Northwest University is telling you plainly that this is exactly what they mean...

The group looked at each other.

They had communicated with city leaders by phone last night and discussed the rhetoric for a whole night, yet they couldn't say a single word of it?

But the matter had to be resolved...

Deputy Mayor Wang gritted his teeth, squeezed out a smile, and said a whole lot of words of gratitude.

The Dean responded with a smile, while Wang Qi Zhi watched coldly: What, if the straight approach doesn't work, you want to try the crooked one?

As for Lin Sicheng's personality... hehe, dear, hurry up and wash up for bed...

Really, there is no need for a teacher like him to even make a move...