Chapter 230: A Preemptive Precaution

The old locust tree sprouted tender buds, and the wild vegetables that had just emerged at the base of the wall were curled with soft fuzz.

It had just rained yesterday, and the wind was laden with the scent of damp earth, drifting into the car window in wisps.

With a "creak," a Santana with a Jin M license plate pulled up under the Hejin City Cultural Relics Bureau building.

Liu Ming got out of the car, and Zhuang Zijing and Zhao Xiuneng came down the steps to greet him.

"Director Liu, this is General Manager Zhao; you two should have met before!"

Of course they had met.

More than half a month ago, the Yuncheng Municipal Museum rented them a laboratory, and it was Wang Qi Zhi and Zhao Xiuneng who negotiated it.

Liu Ming reached out to shake hands, his tone tinged with banter: "General Manager Zhao, welcome to contribute to the development of our Yuncheng cultural relics and museums. Thank you for your hard work!"

Zhao Xiuneng didn't mind, smiling as he replied: "Shaanxi and Shanxi are one big family, after all!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhuang Zijing led the group into the Reception Room, and Zhao Xiuneng withdrew his smile.

Doing a good deed and still getting mocked for it?

Damn it all...

They had arrived a bit early, so there were only a few people from the Hejin Culture Bureau and Cultural Relics Bureau in the Reception Room. They were all old acquaintances, and the group greeted each other one by one.

Once Zhuang Zijing walked away, the Deputy Bureau Chief of the Cultural Relics Bureau said half-jokingly: "Director Liu, since the city sent you, it seems the leadership's support is quite strong?"

Liu Ming nodded with a smile: "Of course!"

A bunch of old Shaanxi folks, running all the way to Shanxi to look for what kiln site?

Not to mention anything else, just look at the expenses: a total of over ten people, food and lodging, fuel costs, laboratory, materials, consumables, as well as collecting Cultural Relics and ceramic shard samples... and so on and so forth.

Liu Ming roughly calculated for them: in less than a month, these people had already spent over a million. That was about the annual budget of the Yuncheng Municipal Museum.

Even more extreme: this time they had invited an Archaeology Team from Xijing to conduct a large-scale, extensive survey. And they were still paying out of their own pockets?

When the city leaders heard this, they thought: What, there's such a good deal?

Support, of course they had to support it. Even if just to put on a show, they had to send people over to take a look...

"Director Liu, what are they doing? What are they after, going to such great lengths?"

Liu Ming leaned back: "They say they are from the Artifact Restoration Center under the Xida Cultural Heritage Protection College, specializing in Porcelain Restoration. It is said they have already applied for District Level intangible heritage and are preparing to apply for City Level, so they came specifically to study our city's Clear Inkstone Craft. But because the Ministry of Culture only announced the selection catalog in June, the city leaders didn't agree..."

"After that, I don't know how they managed it, but they found a few pieces of Fine White Porcelain shards, claiming they were Song Porcelain fired at the Puzhou Ancient Kiln. Then they ran to negotiate with the city, saying they could help us find the kiln site."

Then, these people started running around everywhere: first they came to Hejin, didn't find anything in Hejin, then went to Xiangning, after that went to Yongji, and finally returned to Hejin..."

"Only District Level, and our Clear Inkstone is National Level?"

Liu Ming nodded: "That's why they said they were looking for some Song and Jin Dynasty kiln sites and wanted to restore the porcelain-making craft! When the time comes, they'll use that to trade with us."

"The leaders agreed?"

"Why wouldn't they agree?"

Liu Ming took it for granted:

"Ever since Xipo was partitioned to Xiangning (under LF City), our city's history of porcelain making has become a blank slate. If they can really find some kiln site, never mind the Song or Jin Dynasty, even if they could find one from the Ming Dynasty, it would be unprecedented. By then, the public notice period would have long passed, so trading with Clear Inkstone technology is no loss!"

After a brief pause, he sighed again: "But I reckon it's not very reliable."

The group nodded in unison: It really didn't seem very reliable.

Over these years, in order to find the Fahua Ware kiln site, Yongji had searched every place in the city that could be searched; if it were that easy to find, it would have been found long ago.

The only possible place was Xipo Town. But that place now belonged to LF City, and that area was full of clay mines, Purple Clay Ware factories, and even Coal Mines; they were all pillar industries of the county. It was impossible to stop all production just for one porcelain kiln.

So in Liu Ming's view, this group of Shaanxi folks was simply throwing money away, wasting their time.

Just as he was thinking this, Lin Sicheng entered the Reception Room, followed by Wang Qi Zhi and Shang Yan.

"Thank you, leaders, thank you very much..."

After introductions, the newcomers were all a bit confused: the man and woman behind him were both professors from Xida, and also key discipline leaders at Xida.

Yet the Person in Charge of the Restoration Center was this young man. Did that mean this young man was also in charge of this archaeological survey?

Looking closer: his face was fair, his features handsome, and there was still soft fuzz on his face that hadn't fully shed.

Isn't this just a student?

After the introduction: Good heavens... he wouldn't graduate until July, so he really was just a student?

The group suddenly realized: Why did Director Liu say it wasn't very reliable?

But it didn't matter; it wasn't their own money being spent anyway, and there was no loss if nothing was found...

Unknowingly, their attitudes shifted. Even Wang Qi Zhi and Shang Yan could feel the contempt, casualness, and skepticism these people were displaying.

The two looked at Lin Sicheng, recalling what he had said a few days ago: Don't expect these people to help much, as long as they don't trip us up.

To put it more bluntly: the less the locals cared, the more it benefited them...

After the introductions, the group sat down, and the conference room door was pushed open again.

A large, bustling crowd entered, at least ten or so people.

But it was a bit strange: they were all rough-looking men, with dark, weathered faces and rough skin, looking just like a group of migrant workers.

What were they here for?

While he was suspicious, Liu Ming was stunned for a moment.

He didn't recognize the others, but he had a very deep impression of the two leading them.

He hurriedly stood up, and without waiting for Lin Sicheng to introduce them, he took two steps forward and proactively reached out his hand: "Director Tian, Captain Gao, my surname is Liu, I work at the Yuncheng Municipal Museum... I had the honor of visiting the archaeological achievements of you two at the Archaeological Institute during a study tour to Xijing the year before last..."

Tian Jie and Gao Zhangyi recalled for a moment, but had no memory of it. However, they were very polite and shook hands with a smile.

After the people left, the ones nearby stretched their necks to look: "Director Liu, who were those two?"

Liu Ming lowered his voice: "The shorter, thinner one is Gao Zhangyi, Captain of the Field Archaeology Team of the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology. The tall, sturdy one, who looks like an iron tower, is Tian Jie, Director of the Field Archaeology Research Institute of the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology."

At first glance, one is a captain, one is a director. But one had to understand: the institutions these two were in charge of were all provincial-level.

The crowd was stunned: Does that mean these people are actually here to find the porcelain kiln site?

The problem is, as a center merely subordinate to a secondary college at Xida, how did it manage to invite a Provincial Level archaeological institution?

Even stranger is that these two and that young man seem very familiar with each other, chatting and laughing?

Especially the shorter one, who smiles before speaking—no matter how you look at it, it reeks of a bit of deference.

Looking again at Lin Sicheng's age, the group couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild. They just felt that this young man's background must be absolutely massive.

In fact, they didn't yet know that Gao Zhangyi was no longer Captain Gao, but Deputy Director Gao.

The reason he was able to be promoted a level was entirely thanks to Lin Sicheng: in order to find the Zhang Anshi Family Tomb Group, Lin Sicheng had incidentally found three Ming Dynasty Junwang Tombs, and the ones leading the team at that time were Tian Jie and Gao Zhangyi.

Because the Zhang Anshi Family Tomb Group provided the foundation, the credit was considered to have reached the maximum, so Lin Sicheng did not sign his name on the report documents for these three tombs, leaving it to Tian Jie and Gao Zhangyi instead.

Seeing him, it would be strange if Gao Zhangyi wasn't deferential...

Led by Shang Yan, the group sat in the second row. Just as they sat down, another crowd came in, dark and dense.

There were men and women, another dozen or so people.

Liu Ming glanced over, a trace of suspicion rising in his heart: he felt that the person in the lead also looked somewhat familiar?

Thinking he didn't know them, Lin Sicheng didn't introduce them, leading them straight to the front row.

Passing by Tian Jie and Gao Zhangyi, the group stopped for a moment, greeting each other. When they heard someone address him as "Group Leader Huang," Liu Ming suddenly realized: no wonder he looked so familiar!

This person was a Researcher at the Shaanxi Provincial Museum and an Expert at the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and the Cultural Relics Protection Institute, Huang Zhifeng. He didn't know exactly which group he was in charge of, but when Liu Ming went to Xijing for training, he had heard Huang Zhifeng's lecture at the Cultural Relics Protection Institute.

He knew even better that in Shaanxi, this man was absolutely one of the authorities in the fields of archaeology and Cultural Relics Protection.

Cocking his ear to listen further: the dozen or so people behind him were actually all members of the laboratory he was in charge of?

To put it bluntly, Huang Zhifeng had brought an entire archaeology laboratory from the Provincial Museum.

They weren't far away, and the voices weren't low, so everything was heard clearly. The group looked at each other in dismay: Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology for detection, Shaanxi Provincial Archaeology Team for survey, and Shaanxi Provincial Museum Laboratory for analysis.

What kind of configuration is this?

Just to find a porcelain kiln site?

If it were within the province, it could be understood to some extent. The problem is, this is outside the province; for a group of "Old Shaanxi" folks to put on such a display and go to such great lengths, what are they after?

Even if they find it, wouldn't it just be making wedding clothes for outsiders?

In a flash of thought, someone whispered: "Look, Mayor Wu is here too?"

Mayor Wu? Where would Hejin City get a Mayor Wu?

Everyone turned their heads instinctively, and then they all froze in unison.

It wasn't Hejin City; this was the Mayor of YC City...

Instinctively, everyone stood up.

Seven or eight men and women went up to the rostrum.

The Secretary-General presided, and after a general introduction, the people below looked at one another:

Wasn't this a coordination meeting for Xida's Porcelain Restoration Center to find a kiln site? How did it become a welcome meeting for "Director He of the Xijing City Cultural Bureau and Cultural Relics Bureau, along with a delegation from the Shaanxi Provincial Field Research Institute, Provincial Archaeology Team, and Provincial Museum Archaeology Research Group visiting our city for inspection and exchange"?

The locals were confused and looked at each other, while those who came from Xijing to help sighed inwardly.

Director He Zhigang was indeed here for inspection and exchange, and including those sitting in the conference room, as long as they were from Shaanxi, they were all members of the inspection delegation.

But after arriving in Yuncheng, they met with city leaders and then headed straight to Hejin without even eating a meal—so what exactly did you inspect when you came to Yuncheng to inspect?

Look at the rows below: the Director of the Provincial Field Research Institute, the Captain of the Provincial Archaeology Team, the Person in Charge of the Provincial Museum Laboratory—it is normal for these people to come for an inspection. But what is not normal is, who brings their entire team when going to another province for inspection and exchange?

Anyone with eyes could see: this inspection and exchange could be entirely said to be a pretext specifically found for the kiln site Lin Sicheng was looking for, and this inspection delegation was established for that purpose.

Including He Zhigang.

Not to mention locals like Museum Curator Liu Ming, even Shang Yan and Dean Su felt it was absolutely incredible: at first glance, they were all Lin Sicheng's acquaintances. And one by one, they all owed Lin Sicheng no small favor.

If these people had come to help in their personal capacity, that would certainly be fine. But the problem is, for Lin Sicheng's personal project, he had gathered almost all of the most authoritative archaeological research departments in Shaanxi.

Even the main leaders of a sub-provincial city and deputy-department-level units came to help coordinate—just ask, does Wang Qi Zhi have that kind of ability?

And how did Lin Sicheng manage to do it?

They kept pondering, and until the meeting ended and the banquet began, they still hadn't figured it out.

It wasn't just them who hadn't figured it out; the local leaders hadn't either: just looking at the units present and the level of this inspection delegation, let alone finding a porcelain kiln, no one would doubt it even if they said they were looking for an imperial tomb.

The problem is, this is Shanxi, not Shaanxi. Even if they found it, no matter how large the site or how many discoveries, they couldn't move it away, could they?

So, what are they after?

Suspicious, several leaders probed He Zhigang. He Zhigang was blunt: the goal is simple, World Heritage Application.

But the leaders always felt that Director He wasn't telling the truth: it's just a research institution subordinate to a secondary college at Xida, not a municipal-level agency?

Since the other party wouldn't say, it wasn't easy to keep asking. Furthermore, no matter how you think about it, it only benefits the locality and does no harm, so they were extremely enthusiastic.

Cups were passed and toasts exchanged, and both host and guest were happy.

Starting at six-thirty, it didn't end until nearly nine; He Zhigang kept his drinking in check, only drinking to fifty percent capacity.

As soon as the banquet dispersed, he personally made calls, summoning several Persons in Charge to his room.

The secretary poured tea, Wang Qi Zhi handed out cigarettes, and He Zhigang explained personally.

Only then did everyone know why Director He had called them over: a confidential meeting.

"The Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, the Cultural Bureau, as well as the Industrial Bureau and Xida, all attach great importance to this project. The leaders put their heads together and specifically delegated me to come and coordinate and communicate with the local authorities, and by the way, bring everyone here and hand them over to Lin Sicheng, which is why this inspection and exchange took place..."

"Secondly, I will emphasize confidentiality again: keep your lips sealed, and be sparing with your words!"

You haven't said anything yet, so what are we supposed to keep confidential?

Just as they were suspicious, Wang Qi Zhi handed over several documents.

Flipping them open, Dean Su and Shang Yan were stunned: Feasibility Report on "Song Dynasty Luanbai Jade Porcelain Craft Restoration Research."

Looking at the signature again, it was Lin Sicheng.

No... what is all this?

Lin Sicheng came to Shanxi to learn the inspection techniques for Chengni Inkstones, right?

The techniques haven't even been learned yet, and he's already started looking for some porcelain kiln ruins, even going so far as to make such a big scene and specifically organize an inspection team?

But in the end, he wants to propose the restoration of ancient porcelain techniques, and it's "Luan Bai Yu Ci"?

What kind of nonsense is this...

While they were still astonished, with a "creak," Lin Sicheng opened a padded box and took out a bowl.

Wang Qi Zhi was concise and to the point: "Come, everyone take a look, but there's no need to doubt the era; I had it tested in Beijing: Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Renzong's reign."

At just one glance, several people's eyes widened in unison.

Not reading the document would be one thing, but they had just read it, so what was this?

Luan Bai Yu Ci?

Looking closer: thin, not much thicker than an eggshell.

Bright, moist, white, and translucent, like cream or grease; at first glance, it looked just like a boiled egg white with the shell peeled off.

Combined with what Wang Qi Zhi just said: Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Renzong's reign?

In the Northern Song Dynasty, several major kilns could fire such white porcelain, including the Ding Kiln and the Official Kiln.

But there was only one kind that could be fired this thin, like devitrified porcelain: Luan Bai Yu Ci.

The group looked at each other: even the "King of Porcelain," the Ru Porcelain, had fine pieces preserved. But this thing had never had a single physical specimen unearthed to date; it was only seen in historical records.

In other words, this is the only one in the world. To put it bluntly: a unique piece.

Want to guess how much it's worth?

At the very least, several million. So, even if Lin Sicheng hadn't learned anything, this trip to Shanxi was definitely not in vain.

But that wasn't the point; what surprised them was: just relying on this one bowl, he wanted to restore a lost technique?

It wasn't that they looked down on Lin Sicheng, but with just this one bowl, even if they invited all the notable research institutions and scientific research centers in the country, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, they would all have to sigh at the bowl in despair...

But immediately, the group froze again: Lin Sicheng opened another padded box, and it was full, entirely of porcelain shards.

Looking closely, some were slightly thinner, some slightly thicker, but the glaze color and porcelain body were exactly the same.

They were all experts and could tell: whether it was the intact white glazed bowl or the porcelain shards, they all used porcelain clay from the same origin and were fired using the same technique.

What was said just now: sighing at the bowl in despair... are they still sighing now?

How likely the restoration is, no one can say for sure. But at least they knew: didn't Lin Sicheng go to Yaozhou and, by relying on research samples, manage to restore the techniques for Tea Dust Glaze and the Inverted Pot?

"These were all collected during this period in Yongji and Hejin: the ones with the thinnest body and best glaze color are from the Northern Song Dynasty, followed by the Jin Dynasty, and then the Yuan Dynasty... I haven't found any after the Yuan Dynasty yet; I estimate the technique has already been lost... Now look at this..."

As he spoke, Wang Qi Zhi took out another test report: "It's all Hejin porcelain clay!"

The crowd stared and suddenly realized:

The place of origin for Luan Bai Yu Ci is in Hejin, so Lin Sicheng wants to find the kiln site to find more samples and see if he can deduce the technique.

The problem is, it's not like no one has tried before?

Ru Kiln, Jun Kiln, Ding Kiln, Xing Kiln, Dehua Kiln, Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln, and so on—among all the famous kilns that reopened after the founding of the country, which one hasn't been restored, but what was the result?

Including the Light Industry Ministry and the National Porcelain Research Institute, they had been trying since the founding of the country, but because the difficulty was too great, they eventually had to give up.

So, if this technique could really be restored, who would still need a Chengni Inkstone?

They would immediately bid, apply on the spot, and if they didn't secure a National Level scientific research project, it would be because the relevant provincial departments and city leaders were being inactive and derelict in their duties.

They finally understood why Lin Sicheng was just looking for a porcelain kiln and yet caused such a big scene, and why He Zhigang was leading the team personally?

Because several units in the city and Xida wanted to stir up trouble and steal food from their neighbor's plate.

That was why He Zhigang specifically called them over and emphasized: keep it confidential.

Never mind whether the restoration could succeed; if even a hint of news leaked out, it would be like poking a hornet's nest...

Instinctively, several people looked at Lin Sicheng, but just as they raised their heads, He Zhigang's gaze pierced over first.

The group looked away in unison.

He Zhigang smiled and looked at the silent Lin Sicheng: "Don't have any psychological burden; you just focus on the research, and leave the rest to us!"

"And don't feel like you're taking food out of someone else's bowl. You should think of it this way: if it weren't for you, wouldn't it take many more years for the locals to discover the kiln site, or perhaps they would never discover it at all? As for any lost techniques, that's not even worth mentioning."

"But because of you, Shanxi not only has famous porcelain but even Song Dynasty Tribute Porcelain. From the perspective of filling historical gaps, completing the regional technological development chain, and increasing cultural depth, the local government should thank you!"

"Think about it from another angle: this isn't the source of the Luan Bai Yu Ci technique anyway. We are restoring the lost techniques of the Official, Ru, Ge, Ding, and Jun kilns, so what is there to bicker about?"

Lin Sicheng still didn't speak: he dared to snatch projects from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Cultural Heritage Administration, so what psychological burden could he have?

It wasn't that he was arrogant or self-righteous: if they were researching simultaneously, he estimated that he would have already built a factory while the local side might not even have a clue.

The reason is simple: although the complete technique for Luan Bai Yu Ci is lost, he has studied the Yongle Sweet White Glaze Semi-translucent Ware, the Xuande and Chenghua Eggshell Cups, and the Chicken Cup at the Forbidden City.

But the local side doesn't know that the Forbidden City has the relevant technology and enough samples; even the Forbidden City itself doesn't know.

Even if they knew, and even if the Forbidden City were willing to share the technology and take out national treasure-level Cultural Relics to use as research Consumables, the local side would still have to start from scratch.

One way or another, no matter how fast they research, they would be at least three to five years behind Lin Sicheng.

Based on this point, and based on having the lost technique reappear a few years earlier, he wouldn't have any psychological burden.

What Lin Sicheng was hesitant about was whether he was making too big a deal out of it?

But who could have guessed that he was just doing a normal periodic report and mentioned Luan Bai Yu Ci in the report, and the Cultural Bureau acted like they had been injected with adrenaline.

They first contacted the school, then contacted the Industrial Bureau and the Cultural Relics Bureau; after the several parties put their heads together, they urged Lin Sicheng to write a feasibility report first, and then, a massive inspection team was freshly baked.

What if... just say what if, it doesn't end up being restored successfully?

Lin Sicheng sighed and pointed to the "Feasibility Report": "Leaders, have you actually read the document? I wrote it very clearly inside: the current scope of the porcelain kiln ruins is only a rough estimate!"

It's not even certain if it can be found in the end, and even if it is found, who can guarantee that there will definitely be enough Luan Bai Yu Ci? And even if there are enough samples, the success rate is less than thirty percent!"

He Zhigang didn't care at all: "It's fine, isn't there still thirty percent? What if?"

It's not like it's the first time they've dealt with each other?

Just like when looking for the Zhang Anshi Tomb, what did Lin Sicheng say: Leader, I'm not very confident, maybe twenty or thirty percent, I'll try to look for it.

And in the end?

Strike directly at the heart of the enemy.

In the words of Chen Peng: that kid has eight hundred schemes in his head; you have to double what he says, then add a little more. If he says thirty percent, he has at least seventy percent certainty...

Turning these thoughts over, He Zhigang smiled again: "Even if the restoration isn't successful, it doesn't matter; the kiln site can definitely be found, right?"

A new discovery, a new craft, a new technique—with such a major archaeological achievement, would the local authorities really let us pay out of our own pockets? Believe it or not, when the time comes, they will be begging us to let them reimburse us, and might even pay us back double."

Lin Sicheng certainly believed it.

If word got out that the largest porcelain kiln site in Shanxi was found by Shaanxi, from top to bottom, which department or leader even remotely connected to culture and heritage would be able to save face?

Actually, in all honesty, the probability of successfully restoring the Luanbai Jade is quite high, but nothing is absolute; to be safe, a Needle must be administered in advance.

In a flash of thought, Lin Sicheng nodded: "Fine, then let's find the kiln site first!"

(End of this chapter)