Chapter 272: Striking First to Gain the Advantage

The scorching sun hung high, casting a gleam of gold upon the glass curtain wall.

Heat waves billowed from the asphalt road, carrying exhaust fumes toward the sidewalk.

Cicadas chirped in waves amidst the dense foliage; four men stood in the shade of the trees, reluctant to part.

Wu Hui said earnestly, "Professor Wang, Xiao Lin, why not stay a few more days?"

Wang Qi Zhi shook his head, "We've been here a week already, and there's a mountain of things to attend to back in Xijing. Besides, it's not easy to get out, so I want to take Lin Sicheng around to see the sights."

Wu Hui fell silent.

Having finally stumbled upon such a rare treasure, it was in Wang Qi Zhi's nature to show him off. Just visiting all the relatives in his family would take a week.

Huh, thinking about it this way, Lin Sicheng wasn't leaving immediately. If there were any problems, he could be invited over at any time...

With this thought, Wu Hui said half-jokingly, "Xiao Lin, make sure you save my number; don't you dare not answer!"

Lin Sicheng smiled, "Department Head Wu, how could I!"

The two said their goodbyes and shook hands once more.

Director Ma stood to the side, looking dejected.

Lin Sicheng had only listed a title on the screen before the lecture ended, leaving absolutely no time for the experts to ask questions.

Therefore, Director Ma had taken the initiative to follow them down.

But even with a belly full of questions while coming downstairs, when the moment arrived, he didn't know where to begin.

After a long silence, he sighed dejectedly and was just about to give up when Lin Sicheng took the initiative to reach out his hand:

"Director Ma, if I said how much I admire you, you certainly wouldn't believe me. But no matter how you look at it, you are a senior. If there is anything incorrect, please feel free to correct me..."

Correct him?

The other party's research progress was eight streets ahead of his own; how could he correct him?

With this thought, Ma Qinglin reached out and shook his hand, "Teacher Lin..."

"Don't!" Lin Sicheng quickly smiled, "Just call me Xiao Lin!"

"Alright, Xiao Lin, I do indeed have a few questions I would like to consult you on!"

"You are too kind; 'consult' is too formal, let's just discuss things together!"

"Thank you!" Director Ma nodded, "I would like to ask, is there really no future for BTA-based solvents?"

Lin Sicheng paused, feeling it was better to be direct.

"Director Ma, I speak plainly, please don't mind... First point: if we only talk about the corrosion inhibition rate, a 100mg/L concentration of BTA aqueous solvent can achieve a 28% inhibition rate, but why does no one use it? Because this stuff is toxic."

"It enters the human body through the respiratory tract and skin. Long-term chronic exposure or high-dose intake leads to multi-organ dysfunction. Most importantly, this stuff volatilizes, and due to its strong chemical stability, it is difficult to degrade, causing immense environmental impact..."

"Not to mention the harm to researchers and storage staff, just consider exhibitions: you can't have tourists put on masks the moment they enter the hall, right? Therefore, the main research direction for all institutions is to first reduce toxicity, then discuss how to improve inhibition efficiency. If we continue researching basic solvents, we can only focus on environmentally friendly compound systems..."

Ma Qinglin nodded.

The direction was certainly correct; including the Cultural Relics Research Institute's Metal Research Institute, the National Museum of China, and even Northwest University, all had previously targeted this, with only the focus and research monomers differing.

But that was before; now, this track had basically been blocked off by Lin Sicheng:

BTA + inorganic salt, BTA + organic resin, BTA + plant/animal sources, and even the organic resin + graphite molecule sealing and protection system.

Thinking about it now, Dean Zhang's words were truly not wrong: the problem wasn't how far behind we were, but that we were a whole dimension apart.

Therefore, the old Dean hadn't hesitated at all and stopped the project right there.

But regardless, this was a national key scientific and technological support project; it couldn't just be stopped without a reason. You had to have an explanation.

Yet Ma Qinglin truly didn't know how he was supposed to account for it.

Seeing his hesitant and bewildered expression, Wu Hui felt a fire burning in his heart.

Old Ma, oh Old Ma, when you conduct research, why is your brain so fast? But when it comes to social nuances, why can't your brain turn a corner?

Lin Sicheng's research results had been out for so long, why hadn't he published a thesis?

And today's lecture—the lecture on the origins of porcelain craftsmanship was going well, so why did he suddenly put up a slide title for "Iron Cultural Relic Protection" at the end, and even leave behind materials?

This was Jiang Taigong fishing—the willing jump into the net.

Just as he was thinking about whether to give a hint, Lin Sicheng smiled, "Director Ma, I have some other findings, I wonder if you have encountered them: when large appraisal institutions appraise cultural relics, they often use ultraviolet fluorescence or ultraviolet imaging instruments to determine the authenticity of the relics and whether there are traces of restoration..."

"But do metal artifacts, especially bronze and ironware, change color after ultraviolet testing?"

Ma Qinglin nodded, "Because ultraviolet light promotes the oxidation of the metal rust layer... hmm?"

Halfway through his sentence, he stopped abruptly.

Being able to be in charge of a key laboratory at Northwest University, how could Lin Sicheng not understand such a simple principle?

Ma Qinglin looked suspicious, "And then?"

"Then, we conducted research and found that ultraviolet irradiation of ironware causes the most oxidatively active β-FeOOH (iron oxyhydroxide) in the rust layer to convert into the more stable Fe3O4. If copperware is irradiated, it stimulates the tin element to form an SnO (tin dioxide) protective film..."

Director Ma's spirits lifted.

The biggest culprit causing the corrosion of iron artifacts is β-FeOOH: after iron artifacts are unearthed or salvaged and come into contact with air, FeCl2 or basic ferrous chloride undergoes a series of oxidation reactions, and the final product is always β-FeOOH.

This stuff itself doesn't contain Cl-, but it adsorbs Cl- on the surface, and can even accommodate Cl- within its crystal structure, thereby causing a chain of electrochemical corrosion. If β-FeOOH is converted into Fe3O4, how could it still accommodate Cl-, and how could it still corrode?

It was equivalent to blocking the corrosion chain at the root.

Copperware was even more amazing: the so-called SnO passivation film is the layer of silver or black film often seen covering the surface of bronze ware in museums.

Commonly known as mercury-like ancient, also called Black Lacquer Ancient, it can keep bronze ware from decaying for a thousand years...

Deputy Director Ma became more and more excited as he thought about it, "Xiao Lin, what is the highest achievable corrosion inhibition rate?"

"91% for iron, 93% for copper!"

Seeing his eyes shining, Lin Sicheng quickly reminded him, "But there is one point: one irradiation is not enough; it requires regular replenishment. More importantly: ultraviolet light will cause chemical changes to the material of the cultural relic, which is what we often call aging. If we are to study this in depth, we must first solve this problem..."

At first glance, it sounded so simple: just use a UV lamp to shine on it from time to time to solve the problem of corrosion in unearthed copper and iron artifacts. And the effect was good: zero introduction of foreign substances, minimal intervention, non-destructive and efficient.

But first, you have to solve the impact of ultraviolet penetration on the metal.

In a flash of thought, Lin Sicheng sighed, "Director Ma, I feel it is very difficult!"

Of course it is difficult.

But then again: if it weren't difficult, what would research institutions be for?

What Dean Ma cares about is not whether it is difficult, but whether there is a direction forward...

He reaches out his hand again: "Thank you... Lin, thank you so much..."

"You are too kind!"

After thanking him for a good while, the two sides bid farewell. Wang Qi Zhi waves his hand, and Zhao Da drives the Mercedes-Benz over and stops at the intersection.

Once in the car, Wang Qi Zhi looks at the rearview mirror, his eyes full of suspicion: "Why do I feel that this ultraviolet rust prevention project you just mentioned shouldn't be small?"

More than just not small?

In his past life, this project was a sub-project of the "14th Five-Year" National Key R&D Program, Key Technologies and Application Demonstration for Cultural Relics Protection (2023YFF0906400), full name: Photo-induced passivation technology in the field of iron cultural relic β-FeOOH inhibition.

It was led by the Archaeological Research Center of the National Cultural Heritage Administration and researched jointly with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

But it is not just ordinarily difficult; until the time he traveled back, they still hadn't made any headway.

Seeing him not speak, Wang Qi Zhi suddenly understands that he guessed right.

Suddenly, he frowns: "No... Lin Sicheng, such a huge project, you just give it away to others for nothing?"

What is the hardest part of doing research? It is not the process, nor the technology, but the direction and the train of thought.

Therefore, what the vast majority of scientific research institutions worry about is not whether they have results, but whether they have projects. To put it bluntly, as long as they can bid and as long as they can establish a project, it represents a huge amount of research funding and research positions.

As for whether it can be researched through to the end and whether there will be results, that is a matter to be considered only at the very end.

And Lin Sicheng, giving it away for nothing?

Lin Sicheng smiles: "Teacher, don't worry, that won't happen."

How much heart and blood did Director Ma spend on just a BTA compounding system? Yet it was taken and used by him so openly; if things went wrong, it could sentence Director Ma's research career to death.

So even if he really gave it away for nothing, Lin Sicheng would not regret it.

What's more, Director Ma is just not good at expressing himself, not truly ignorant of worldly wisdom; even if given for free, he could not possibly take it for nothing.

Furthermore, let alone the Restoration Center, even looking at the entirety of Xida, with its current scale and research capabilities, it is not enough to support this project.

If one were to bite the bullet and go for it, it would only be throwing money into a bottomless pit endlessly...

He does not know where Lin Sicheng's confidence comes from, but Wang Qi Zhi only ever offers suggestions and never interferes.

He changes the subject: "Which day are you returning to Xijing?"

"Next week. Cousin Ye said the Xiling Spring Auction starts the day after tomorrow and asked me to accompany her to take a look."

"It's always her business!"

Wang Qi Zhi mutters, then suddenly feels something is wrong, "Wait, what auction did you say?"

The Xiling Spring Auction is usually held in August; he knows this. But it was always in Hangzhou before, why is it in Beijing this time?

"I heard they want to take advantage of the Olympics, so they changed it to a special session in Beijing this year!"

"Oh, oh..."

Wang Qi Zhi nods vigorously twice.

After the New Year, he went to Shanxi, either busy running connections or following Lin Sicheng to find kilns, and he actually forgot about the Olympics?

"Good, next week it is!"

Wang Qi Zhi looks regretful, "It's a pity the old man and my dad went to Guangzhou, and the eldest brother, second sister, and the third one aren't here, otherwise we could have taken the opportunity to gather!"

Lin Sicheng also finds it quite a pity: when the Center was inaugurated last year, the old man specially wrote a piece of calligraphy, and he was thinking of coming to thank him this time.

As his thoughts turn, he suddenly remembers: "I remember Cousin Ye saying her father seems to be on a business trip too?"

Why wouldn't he be?

And he is on a business trip in Shaanxi.

Lin Sicheng does not even know yet that the brother-in-law has been to the school and met with him.

Wang Qi Zhi is noncommittal: "Right, he's on a business trip."

The air conditioning is on full blast, and cool wind blows over in waves.

Arriving at the elevator entrance, both elevators are going up. Ma Qinglin looks at his watch: "It's one-fifty now... Director Wu, the meeting this afternoon is at two-thirty, right?"

Wu Hui nods and takes another look.

Ma Qinglin stares at the indicator light, wishing the elevator would drop down immediately.

His brows are slightly furrowed, his expression slightly anxious, yet his eyes reveal a few traces of excitement.

Wu Hui sighs: "Old Ma, no matter how anxious you are, you can't finish a day's work, calm your heart first!"

It sounds slightly preachy, but Ma Qinglin takes it to heart: he is indeed a bit anxious.

But a National Level Project being stopped just like that—as the Person in Charge, anyone would be anxious.

He exhales: "The project Lin just mentioned shouldn't be easy to research."

It must be difficult, otherwise Lin Sicheng would have done it himself.

Just like BTA, difficult enough, right? From beginning to end, Lin Sicheng only used a year.

But then again: just by virtue of the corrosion inhibition rate reaching over ninety percent, and just by these three points—harmless, non-destructive, and non-interventional—even if it were as difficult as ascending to heaven, this is a highly feasible major project with a complete research direction, and its value is no lower than the previous research projects of the Metal Institute of the Cultural Relics Research Institute.

Given to a second-tier research institution, it would be enough to sustain them from top to bottom for at least two or three years. Even if they don't produce any results in the end, the Person in Charge can get two provincial-level awards, and the core Researchers can get a promotion in professional title, easily.

Given to the Metal Institute of the Cultural Relics Research Institute, to Old Ma, this is a life-saving straw: as it is also an Iron Cultural Relics Protection Project and also corrosion inhibition research, there is no need to report upward. A sub-project can be opened directly under the original project.

To put it bluntly: the "Comprehensive Iron Cultural Relics Project" that Old Ma was originally responsible for doesn't need to be stopped at all, let alone changing equipment or reorganizing personnel; the research can be launched right there.

This is no less than saving Old Ma's career for the rest of his life; what a huge favor this is?

Thinking secretly, Wu Hui hesitates to speak, just as he is about to say something, Ma Qinglin nods heavily: "Director Wu, I understand!"

Wu Hui is stunned for a moment, then says nothing more.

Even if Lao Ma didn't understand, Zhang would understand...

With a "creak," the elevator door opened, and the two of them entered the cabin together.

Upon reaching the sixteenth floor, the two went their separate ways, one to the left and one to the right.

The secretary was waiting in the stairwell; seeing Wu Hui, he handed over a briefcase.

Wu Hui took out a box and returned the bag: "Where is Lao Sun? Has he not come yet?"

"He has come, but about five minutes ago, he was called in by the Department Head!"

It seems the Department Head is also very curious?

But then again: surveying five kiln sites in four months and confirming the craftsmanship connections of six dynasties and over a dozen types of famous porcelain—that would make anyone curious.

With these thoughts, he carried the box toward the Department Head's office...

The office was very quiet, with a faint "rustling" sound coming from within.

The Dean was flipping through documents, pausing at times, frowning at times, and at times his eyes would light up.

With two "clack-clack" sounds, the door was pushed open.

Deputy Director Ma walked with a light step, excitement and joy almost overflowing from his face...

The Dean put down the document and pinched the bridge of his nose: "Did you find money?"

"I didn't find money!"

Ma Qinglin picked up the Tea Cup to refill it for him and sat down opposite him, "I found a project!"

What kind of thing?

The Dean sat up straight.

After finishing the lecture and resting for a while, they went to the cafeteria to eat. Just a little past one o'clock, Wang Qi Zhi and his students said their goodbyes.

He and Department Head Liu saw them to the elevator entrance, and Lao Wu and Lao Ma saw them downstairs.

In the span of half an hour, where could Lao Ma have found a project?

Even if he did find one, it could only be from the hands of Wang Qi Zhi and his students.

Subconsciously, the Dean looked at the Folder on the table: it certainly wasn't this, otherwise what Lao Ma said wouldn't be "found a project," but "found a pile of projects!"

He leaned back: "Tell me in detail!"

"It was proposed by Lin Sicheng: photo-induced passivation treatment, which is the β-FeOOH inhibition technology for Iron Artifacts..."

Director Ma was glowing, his mouth like a sluice gate that had been opened, pouring out words incessantly.

The more the Dean listened, the stranger he felt: non-toxic, harmless, non-destructive, zero introduction of foreign substances, zero intervention?

The key is that it is applicable to both copper and iron artifacts, and the corrosion inhibition rate reaches over ninety percent... no matter how you look at it, this is a major subject that doesn't lose to the BTA project?

Involuntarily, the young face of Lin Sicheng appeared in his mind, and the Dean was both shocked and amazed: how is this kid's brain wired?

While he was feeling emotional, Ma Qinglin waved his hand excitedly: "Dean, with this project, the Metal Institute's project won't need to be terminated. Even the previous framework, and even the materials and Consumables can be used directly; we don't even need to change the personnel..."

"Terminate? Who told you it was going to be terminated? Neither I nor the Bureau Chief said that; we said it was a suspension..."

The Dean gave a "pfft" sound and pushed the Folder forward, "See for yourself!"

Director Ma was confused and took it.

At first, he didn't pay much attention, thinking, isn't this just the data and information on the "BTA compound system" that Lin Sicheng was researching?

After the lecture, he was the first to get a copy from Wu Hui, and it was at that moment that he had completely given up hope.

But he didn't expect that just when he thought there was no way out, he would find a new path: defeated by Lin Sicheng, and successful because of Lin Sicheng...

Just as he was secretly turning these thoughts over, Director Ma was suddenly stunned: wait... this isn't the previous one?

It was much thicker, and the content and data were much more extensive...

Director Ma's pupils constricted, and two rays of light shot from his eyes: "Dean, is... is the data in this volume complete?"

"Nonsense, if it weren't complete, why would I show it to you?"

The Dean tapped the table, "Inorganic Salt, organic resin, and Graphene molecular Sealing and Protection—all the data and information for these three technologies are here. You can go back and verify them, and publish the report simultaneously..."

Before he could finish speaking, Director Ma suddenly shivered.

When he was downstairs, it wasn't that he hadn't thought about whether he could buy Lin Sicheng's research results, but when the words reached his lips, he ultimately didn't say them.

Because he felt he was too shameless: if he sold it to him, what would Lin Sicheng do?

But as soon as he turned around, the complete version of the data was delivered to his hands?

It felt just like a dream...

After he had digested it a bit, the Dean spoke slowly: "But there is one point: the lead and undertaking unit can be the Cultural Relics Research Institute, but the main body and core of the research must be the Xida Cultural Relics Research Center..."

Ma Qinglin nodded solemnly: "Dean, I understand!"

Iron Artifact Protection Technology is a public project, and there were only two bidders for the project: the Cultural Relics Research Institute and the National Museum of China.

But there were several others that commissioned the project, including Peking University and Beijing University of Technology.

Once Lin Sicheng's Thesis is published, the projects of these institutions will all have to be terminated. Accountability is secondary; as national-level research institutions and top domestic universities, can they afford to lose face like this?

Weighing the two, someone will definitely rack their brains. Since that's the case, it's better to strike first...

Things are all negotiated; it's just a matter of how to talk. Moreover, the Dean is not only a fellow townsman and alumnus of Lin Sicheng, but he was also in the same class as his grandfather, Lin Zhangqing, for eight years and shared a dormitory for eight years.

Afterward, both of them stayed in Xijing to work, which amounts to how many years of friendship from the age of twenty to sixty?

And then, logically, this information ended up in the hands of Dean Zhang...