Chapter 190: The Long Road of the Great Pass, Starting Over from the Beginning

The man picked them up one by one and packed them back into the box.

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Master, move them over here, let us take another look!"

Zhao Xiuneng was stunned for a moment: Teacher Lin, didn't you just say that the wooden beads weren't worth looking at?

They were indeed not worth looking at; Lin Sicheng just felt they were like Bodhi seeds or olive pits—things that could be grown in the fields and were extremely easy to turn into material. But drill a hole, thread them with a string, and sell them for thousands or tens of thousands—isn't that just an IQ tax?

This includes relatively precious materials like yellow rosewood, Red Sandalwood, Agarwood, and so on. They are neither carved nor polished, possessing no technical content or artistic value to speak of, yet they sell for five or six times, or even more than ten times, the price of the wood itself. If that isn't an IQ tax, what is?

That was why Lin Sicheng had only glanced at them earlier, assuming they were ordinary Agarwood and paying them no mind. It wasn't until the man accidentally spilled them onto the floor that he noticed the sound they made didn't seem quite right...

Weighing them in his hand and bringing them to his nose to sniff, Lin Sicheng's heart couldn't help but leap: a top-grade Agarwood, Hainan Chenshui White Qinan.

How strange, to actually see this kind of thing in Xijing?

The Agarwood referred to in the Antique Trade is not what he held in his hand, but a general term for fragrant Rui-fragrance Wood. One wouldn't dare call it common, but it isn't exactly precious either.

It can be grown in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, and Yunnan; it can be turned into material in a few years, ready to be made into beads or carved objects. The carved ornaments, bead bracelets, necklaces, and furniture on the market are all of this type.

In the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine, only the tissue that produces a rich fragrance—formed when the heartwood of the Agarwood tree is injured or infected by fungi, stimulating it to secrete large amounts of resin to aid in healing—is called Agarwood.

To put it simply, it is the knots or scabs formed in the heartwood of the Agarwood tree.

"Compendium of Materia Medica": The heart knot of the wood, which sinks when placed in water, is therefore called 'sinking water' (Chenshui). There are four grades: those that do not sink are Yellow Ripe Fragrance, those that half-sink are Stack Fragrance, and those that sink are Ripe Knot Fragrance.

Those produced on the island (Hainan), shaped like stone pestles, elbows, fists, phoenixes, sparrows, tortoises, snakes, clouds, or human figures... are Penglai Fragrance, also known as Qinan, the superior grade.

How expensive is it?

For example: in 2008, the price of gold was around 150 per gram; the lowest grade of Yellow Ripe Fragrance was about three times the price of gold, around 500 per gram.

The half-sinking Stack Fragrance doubles that, to twelve or thirteen hundred. The Ripe Knot Fragrance that sinks to the bottom doubles again, to twenty-five or twenty-six hundred per gram.

Something like this, which looks grey and unremarkable and has no scent at room temperature (not 'exposing its energy'), but when lit and inhaled, can make a person feel as if they are on drugs, is Qinan.

The price doubles again: five or six thousand per gram.

Don't look at this small string; the bead diameter is over two centimeters. Weighing it again, it is about one tael. But just parked at the door, the Mercedes-Benz GL450 that General Manager Zhao bought last year could be bought at least twice over with this.

The reason it is so expensive is simply because the higher the density of this material, the higher the oil content, and the stronger the medicinal effect.

Another example: the rhinoceros horn in an Angong Niuhuang Pill can save a life, while the Agarwood in a Suhexiang Pill can allow a patient who is deeply comatose to wake up for a brief moment to leave their final words...

So, to use something like this to carve a bracelet... Lin Sicheng hadn't just never seen it; he hadn't even imagined it...

After looking it over twice, he set it aside nonchalantly and picked up a string of yellow rosewood Prayer Beads at random: "Secretary Gao, what is the price for these two strings?"

"Yellow Flower Ghost Eye; the beads on this string are smaller, so it's cheaper, twenty thousand..."

Gao Jing pointed to the Qinan, "This one is slightly higher, Yazhuang Agarwood (produced in Vietnam), bead diameter of seven fen, five thousand!"

Sure enough, they were selling Qinan as ordinary Vietnamese Agarwood?

But it wasn't strange: the string in his hand had absolutely no scent, and even a TCM doctor from a general hospital might not recognize it; could one expect an antique peddler to recognize Qinan?

In fact, eighty out of a hundred people don't even know the specific difference between non-sinking Agarwood and sinking Agarwood knots.

Sighing inwardly, Lin Sicheng smiled: "Fine, I'll take them!"

It was Zhao Xiuneng who swiped the card again. Watching the beads being packed into the box, Lin Sicheng felt a slight sense of relief.

After finishing a cup of tea and exchanging some pleasantries, the three of them stood up.

They left the villa, got into the car, and after about half an hour, returned to the school.

The car stopped at the entrance, and Zhao Xiuneng called for Zhao Da and Zhao Er to move the items out one by one.

Shang Yan looked curious and came out to greet them.

Throwing his meal card to Sun Le and telling him to order food at the cafeteria, Lin Sicheng helped move the items into the office.

Hearing the commotion, Wang Qi Zhi came downstairs, not without surprise: "Why did you buy so much?"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Ran into a big dealer who was in a hurry to offload stock!"

Hearing 'big dealer', Wang Qi Zhi didn't know what to say.

It was as if Lin Sicheng was born with some kind of attribute; he loved finding these shady characters, and could run into one the moment he stepped out?

But with two Police officers following, there couldn't possibly be any danger. It seemed he had managed to pick up quite a few good things?

Thinking this to himself, Wang Qi Zhi helped move the items inside, and he and Shang Yan examined them one by one.

"Song Dynasty Jizhou Kiln Applique Porcelain? This is rare..."

"Ivory Brush Pot, Ivory Brocade Pattern Box; the quality is good, and the Engraving is also fine..."

"Eh... there are even whole tusks?"

Looking closely, Wang Qi Zhi raised his head, "Who bought these, General Manager Zhao?"

Zhao Xiuneng nodded: "Yes, Professor Wang."

"How much?"

"Twenty-five thousand per kilogram!"

Tsk, at this price?

And this quality... hmm, something doesn't seem right?

At current market prices, given the condition of these two tusks, they should be at least over thirty thousand. Twenty-five thousand per kilogram was equivalent to a twenty percent discount.

But this wasn't a question of the discount; it was that Zhao Xiu specialized in Artifact Restoration and was quite proficient in porcelain, and understood some miscellaneous items too. But for him, ivory and horn were basically outside his expertise.

If he had lucked out and picked up one or two finished pieces, that would be possible. But to buy whole tusks?

It wasn't that Wang Qi Zhi looked down on him, but General Manager Zhao couldn't even tell the difference between Mammoth Ivory, African ivory, and Asian ivory.

So, it must have been Lin Sicheng who instigated it.

Thinking this to himself, Wang Qi Zhi rested his chin on his hand: but how could it be such a coincidence?

If nothing went wrong, the relevant policies would likely be announced around May Day. So in at most three months, these few pieces of ivory Zhao Xiuneng bought could double in value.

Weighing them again, two of them were over a hundred kilograms; just from these two whole tusks, he would make three million?

Seeing him squinting, Lin Sicheng explained: "The other party was in a hurry to sell; it was just a coincidence!"

Given Lin Sicheng's depth of character, Wang Qi Zhi naturally could not see anything. Thinking it was truly a coincidence, he couldn't help but sigh: Zhao Xiuneng actually picked up such a bargain?

He didn't even know himself that Lin Sicheng had helped him pick up a huge bargain: just these two pieces of Ivory were enough to earn back everything he had invested into the studio...

Amidst the sighs, Fang Jingxian unwrapped the bronze tripod, and Wang Qi Zhi's eyes lit up: "Who bought this one, General Manager Fang?"

Fang Jingxian hurriedly nodded: "Yes, Professor Wang, Teacher Lin helped me look at it; it cost two hundred thousand."

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned: "How much?"

Fang Jingxian was instead bewildered by the question, and only after a long while did she say: "Professor Wang, two hundred thousand!"

Two hundred thousand; could five times two hundred thousand buy it back?

Secretly astonished, and after looking at it carefully twice more, Wang Qi Zhi stared at Lin Sicheng, his expression indescribably strange.

"Partnering on goods, partnering on goods," one must certainly let the partner earn a little too. But to let a partner earn over a million on the first move... Lin Sicheng, are you a Wealth-Spreading Boy?

Zhao Xiuneng earned even more; even by a conservative estimate, it would be over three million... Adding the two together, it was around five million.

How much is a first-prize lottery ticket? Asking himself, if it were Wang Qi Zhi, he would have to hesitate.

Weighing it in his hand to confirm there was no mistake, Wang Qi Zhi looked at Fang Jingxian: "A Ming Dynasty Carved Bronze Tripod, it must be of the status of a Marquis..."

Fang Jingxian was suddenly stunned: "An Imperial Gift?"

"Of course it is an Imperial Gift, otherwise it would be a violation of protocol!"

Wang Qi Zhi put down the bronze tripod and sighed slowly: "General Manager Fang, you have picked up a huge bargain: it is worth at least six or seven times two hundred thousand!"

Suddenly, Fang Jingxian's heart began to thump: did she pick it up?

It was Lin Sicheng who let her pick it up...

When she was at the villa, Fang Jingxian had thought this bronze tripod might have some history and would certainly earn a little. But she never thought it could earn this much?

Having been in this line of work for nearly twenty years, this was the first time she had picked up such a huge bargain. Not to mention earning five or six times the profit, she could count on her two hands the number of deals where the profit exceeded one hundred percent...

Just as she was dazed, Shang Yan gave him a wink, and Fang Jingxian woke up as if from a dream: "Partnering on goods, partnering on goods," how could there be any reason to swallow the profit alone?

She took a sharp breath: "Teacher Lin..."

Lin Sicheng understood her meaning; before she could finish speaking, he waved his hand to interrupt: "General Manager Fang, no need to be polite. Even middlemen get a referral fee, let alone a partnership. You just keep it..."

Not to mention, he earned even more himself!

While thinking this, he opened the box and took out the three pieces of porcelain.

At first, Wang Qi Zhi and Shang Yan were both a bit suspicious: one vase, one plate; at first glance, they were quite eye-catching.

But looking closely, were they all from a Folk Kiln?

Most Folk Kiln items from the Qing Dynasty were just like that; a piece in good condition would only be worth thirty, fifty, or eighty thousand...

Just as they were suspicious, Lin Sicheng took out the Famille Rose cup. Shang Yan squinted and looked, her spirit suddenly lifted. As soon as the box landed on the table, she snatched it into her hands:

"Official Kiln Famille Rose, the body is slightly thick, it looks like craftsmanship from after the Qianlong era... Cobalt Material for the edges, hmm, it should be from the Jiaqing-Daoguang Period... Eh, a Gold Tracing red mark?"

As if talking to herself, Shang Yan muttered, her two eyes fixed on the "Zhanjing" on the bottom of the cup:

"It must be Jiaqing-Daoguang Famille Rose, but Zhanjing... Zhanjing... is this a person's name, or a place name?"

Having spent half a lifetime on Artifact Research, Shang Yan could recognize at a glance that this was Famille Rose from the mid or late Qing Dynasty, and could even narrow it down to the Jiaqing-Daoguang Period.

Looking at the Gold Tracing red mark on the bottom of the cup, she could basically conclude that this porcelain cup was definitely Imperial Palace Ware, not ordinary decorative porcelain.

But she couldn't for the life of her remember what the two characters "Zhanjing" referred to, or if they had any symbolic meaning.

"General Manager Zhao, do you have any impression?"

Zhao Xiuneng was stunned for a moment and shook his head.

At the time Lin Sicheng picked this cup, he had a guess: this was not export Famille Rose, but Qing Dynasty Imperial Palace Ware; Lin Sicheng must have picked up a bargain.

He could also guess that "Zhanjing" should be some palace or hall in the Forbidden City. But to be honest, the Forbidden City has "over seventy large and small palaces," "supplemented by over nine thousand rooms." Add to that the Old Summer Palace and Xihe Garden, and there are more than fifteen or sixteen thousand, and every single one has a name, and sometimes they were changed back and forth; who could remember them so clearly?

Shang Yan paused: "Professor Wang, do you know?"

You specialize in researching porcelain, and you are asking me?

Shang Yan, are you trying to pull me onto the same starting line as you?

"I don't know!" Wang Qi Zhi glanced at it: "Why don't you ask Lin Sicheng?"

Shang Yan certainly knew to ask Lin Sicheng; she just wanted to see if her memory was deteriorating or if Lin Sicheng was too strong.

"Professor Shang, this is the Zhanjing Studio of the Old Summer Palace!"

Lin Sicheng was direct and straightforward, "After the Daoguang Emperor ascended the throne, he bestowed the Old Summer Palace sleeping quarters upon the Quan Concubine, naming the hall 'Zhanjing Studio.' Afterward, it remained the Quan Concubine's outer palace sleeping quarters.

The Xianfeng Emperor was born here, and when the Quan Concubine was promoted to Empress Xiaoquancheng, she was enfeoffed right here. When the Xianfeng Emperor was about ten years old, Empress Xiaoquan passed away here. The 'Veritable Records of the Qing Dynasty' states: 'The Emperor served the Empress Dowager on a visit to the Tongle Garden; after the meal was finished, he visited the Zhanjing Studio to check on the Empress's illness, and escorted the Empress Dowager back to the Qichun Garden...'"

"After the Xianfeng Emperor succeeded to the throne, it was changed to Jifu Hall, the sleeping quarters for Empress Xiaozhenxian (Cian)... It was later destroyed by the Eight-Nation Alliance, so it did not exist for long..."

The group was collectively stunned: is this a question of how long it existed?

Empress Xiaoquancheng was enfeoffed here and gave birth to the Xianfeng Emperor here, which means the Xianfeng Emperor was born and raised here. Empress Xiaoquan also passed away here.

Even the Xianfeng Emperor's Empress Xiaozhenxian lived here?

Empress Xiaoquan was the Xianfeng Emperor's biological mother, so when Empress Xiaozhen lived here, the items certainly wouldn't have been changed; does that mean this cup served two Empresses?

It's even possible that a nanny used this cup to feed the Xianfeng Emperor porridge, and the Daoguang Emperor used this cup to feed Empress Xiaoquan medicine...

Of course, the latter two points are pure speculation. But according to Lin Sicheng's account, this Zhanjing Studio is the only outer palace in the Qing Dynasty where an emperor was born, and the Xianfeng Emperor grew up here until he was ten; this part cannot be fake, right?

They say Imperial Palace Ware, Imperial Palace Ware, how many pieces were actually used by emperors and empresses?

Wang Qi Zhi let out a breath: "How much did it cost?"

"Twenty-two thousand for the three pieces!"

His gaze faltered, Wang Qi Zhi opened his mouth, but could not speak.

Just a moment ago, he said Lin Sicheng was a Wealth-Spreading Boy, having spent the whole morning taking Zhao Xiuneng and Fang Jingxian around, letting these two earn nearly five million without blinking.

But in the blink of an eye, he had earned it back with ease?

If managed properly, this cup could be worth more than Fang Jingxian's two bronze tripods. Compared to Zhao Xiuneng's two pieces of Ivory, it was only more, not less...

In astonishment, the cup passed from Shang Yan's hands to Wang Qi Zhi's, then to Zhao Xiuneng's, and finally back to Wang Qi Zhi's.

He thought for a moment and made the final decision: "Give it to Anning, put it up for auction; it can just make it in time for the Poly Spring Auction!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Teacher, I plan to find an expert from the Forbidden City to take a look first!"

"Don't worry, she knows how to handle it," Wang Qi Zhi replied, then looked at the remaining two items: "What about these two?"

Lin Sicheng was concise: "Bought them at random!"

Understood; things meant to deceive, to pass off fish eyes as pearls, nothing worth looking at.

With a casual glance, Wang Qi Zhi picked up the two wooden bead strings.

At first, he didn't pay much attention, thinking they were ordinary yellow rosewood and agarwood. But as soon as he picked them up, his hand involuntarily sank: so heavy?

Weighing them carefully again, they were actually nearly one tael?

But be clear, this is wood, not jade. If it were ordinary agarwood, at most it would be ten or twenty grams...

Secretly surprised and suspicious, he weighed them each again, then Wang Qi Zhi put down the yellow rosewood and stared intently at the smaller string.

He put it under his nose to smell it, but there was no fragrance... but if there's no fragrance, why call it agarwood?

He scraped it hard with his fingernail, and Wang Qi Zhi's heart couldn't help but jump: this isn't agarwood, this is agarwood knot...

No, is this Qinan?

As if unable to believe it, Wang Qi Zhi looked at it meticulously, smelled it repeatedly, and kept scraping it with his fingernail.

But it was useless; it was as hard as a stone, and he couldn't even pinch a trace of a mark? The key is, how high must the oil content be to not smell even a hint of scent?

But it's hellish; in the hands of a Cultural Relics peddler, where would such a thing come from?

After a long time, he finally raised his head, his eyes blinking: "How much did it cost!"

"Fifty thousand!"

Wang Qi Zhi froze, his lips twitching: fifty thousand, picking one bead might be worth that much. This string has twelve in total, so how much is that?

Lin Sicheng is something else; as soon as he goes out, he can run into such an extremely niche, extremely rare, yet ridiculously expensive, and even unheard-of strange thing to ordinary people?

Just like the Rhino Horn Cup from Zhejiang, the Xinglin Glaze...

Calculating again, just in half a day out, he earned six or seven million... even robbing a bank isn't this fast.

Secretly amazed, Wang Qi Zhi handed the bead string to Lin Sicheng: "It's best to sell them separately!"

The meaning was not to sell them as cultural playthings, but to sell them as medicine.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Teacher, I know!"

Wang Qi Zhi thought for a moment: "Leave one for me when the time comes!"

Why wait until then?

Lin Sicheng didn't hesitate and immediately dismantled the string.

Wang Qi Zhi instinctively wanted to stop him, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them back.

The old man is advanced in years; he really needs to be prepared.

Besides, the two of them, teacher and student, a lifetime, it was long since impossible to calculate clearly...

Lin Sicheng picked the largest one; he didn't decline, pulled out a napkin to wrap it up, and solemnly put it into his jacket pocket.

Shang Yan and Fang Jingxian watched, completely confused: perfectly good agarwood strings, why dismantle them to sell?

Looking at Wang Qi Zhi again, what hasn't he seen, yet he has such a sighing expression?

Only Zhao Xiuneng had his eyeballs rolling around.

He didn't recognize it, but he had heard of it. Looking at Wang Qi Zhi's expression again... in an instant, his pupils lit up: this thing, is it Qinan?

Suddenly, he remembered his mother, who was over eighty and wintering in Beijing...

Zhao Xiuneng's gaze was burning, his lips twitching, but he dared not make a sound: such a thing is no longer a question of how much it's worth; even with money, you probably can't buy it.

Otherwise, Wang Qi Zhi wouldn't have that expression.

But then again, Wang Qi Zhi is Lin Sicheng's teacher, but he is not. Unless he waits until after the apprenticeship, and lets the old lady or the eldest or second eldest speak...

Just as he was secretly turning his thoughts, Lin Sicheng dismantled another one and handed it forward: "Don't use it indiscriminately, ask a doctor first, it's best to find a famous physician..."

Zhao Xiuneng's heart shook, and he hurriedly took it into his hands. Before the "thank you" could leave his mouth, Lin Sicheng thought again: "Forget it, don't look for one. After the Qingming Festival when it gets warmer, let the old lady come to Xijing.

When the time comes, after setting up the incense table, if you trust me, I will take the old lady's pulse... If it's possible, I will prepare a cup of wine for her to help the old lady improve her blood circulation..."

Zhao Xiuneng was stunned for a moment, but instantly, a flush appeared on his face, and he bent his waist down hard.

Was what Lin Sicheng said just about the toast for the apprenticeship? That cup of wine Lin Sicheng mentioned for later... that would be prepared using a Rhino Horn Cup?

For a moment, Zhao Xiuneng didn't know what to say, his lips twitching: "Teacher Lin..."

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Don't call me teacher in the future, call me Junior Brother..."

Zhao Xiuneng's throat moved, and he nodded hard.

Wang Qi Zhi stood by and watched, but was happy to see it happen.

"Righteousness is often found among the dog-butchers," that refers to rough fellows like Zhao Xiuneng. Before anything was even set in stone, he dared to dump millions into Lin Sicheng's studio?

Giving a peach and receiving a plum; if the incense table is set, the two will be fellow disciples, and Lin Sicheng certainly won't let him suffer a loss.

Giving a peach and receiving a plum, Zhao Xiuneng would never take this bead for nothing, nor would he let the old lady drink that cup of wine for nothing. Even when those two pieces of Ivory make money, Zhao Xiuneng certainly won't play deaf and dumb...

While secretly pondering, Sun Le and Li Zhen came in carrying lunch boxes. Lin Sicheng had long been so hungry his chest was sticking to his back; he tidied up briefly and picked up his chopsticks to start eating.

Fang Jingxian was so excited he couldn't spare the time to eat and left first.

Shang Yan and Wang Qi Zhi still had classes in the afternoon, so in the reception room, there was only Lin Sicheng, Zhao Xiuneng, and Zhang Feng and Xu Gaolan, who were posing as the driver and Assistant.

Halfway through the meal, he seemed to suddenly remember: "Brother Zhang, later you report to Bureau Chief Chen: that Secretary Gao today should be Miao Taiyue's glove..."

Zhang Feng and Xu Gaolan were suddenly stunned: "Teacher Lin, who did you say!"

"Miao Taiyue of the North Great Mountain; isn't there a mnemonic in the Grave Robbing trade: South (Shaannan) for Dahai (Yu Dahai), North (Shaanbei) for Great Mountain, and in Guanzhong look for Yang San (Yang Bin)..."

Of the four people at the table, three were dumbfounded.

Beida Mountain, Miao Taiyue... Shan Shu?

When Yang Bin was arrested, he had already gone abroad, hadn't he?

But that is not the point; what they find astonishing is, how did Lin Sicheng know?

Recall this again: that Secretary Gao never once mentioned whose secretary she was from start to finish.

Fang Jingxian should know a little, but likewise, she never mentioned who Secretary Gao's boss was from start to finish.

Even when they arrived at the location, Zhang Feng still made a call to check on that villa. But it was useless; he didn't find a single thing.

Lin Sicheng did not speak, lowering his head to eat.

He couldn't exactly tell Zhang Feng that in the entire Shaanxi Province, they were the only ones smuggling ivory, could he?

Zhang Feng couldn't care about eating; he picked up his phone and walked outside, returning only after nearly a quarter of an hour.

But it seemed the call hadn't been hung up; after coming in, he handed it to Lin Sicheng: "Teacher Lin, it's Bureau Chief Chen!"

Lin Sicheng sighed, took the phone, and said only six words: "Uncle Chen, I don't have time!"

Having said that, with a "beep," he hung up.

The unveiling is next week, and after that, he has to report to the Youth League Committee, then organize the data on the tea-dust glaze as soon as possible, and after that, there is urgent training.

To be honest, he is already struggling enough just dealing with Yu Dahai; where would he find the energy to go after some Miao Dashan?

Being able to give a reminder is already quite enough...

Zhang Feng and Xu Gaolan stared with wide eyes, their lips twitching.

"Don't look at me, even if you look at me, I don't have time!" Lin Sicheng pointed at Zhao Xiuneng again, "And don't look at him either; he is a Scavenger of Broken Pieces, why would he take in so much leftover stock? Do you believe he'd be exposed the moment he went?"

The two Police officers looked at each other, speechless.

Zhao Xiuneng grinned, baring his teeth.

The logic is indeed sound, but if Lin Sicheng didn't emphasize it, these two would definitely force him into service as a conscript.

My senior sister was right after all: recognizing this junior brother was not a loss...

Just as he was secretly amused, Wang Qi Zhi pushed the door open and entered, holding his phone as if he had just finished a call.

After coming in, he sat down next to Lin Sicheng: "The Dean just called; the time is set, Monday afternoon!"

Lin Sicheng nodded and let out a breath: the unveiling is coming?

It is equivalent to stepping in the footprints of his past life and walking the old path once more. But a strange feeling still welled up in his heart:

The mighty pass is like iron, yet now we step over it from the beginning.