Chapter 423: Why Is It So Light?

The weather was very clear, and the sunlight cast pale white spots of light onto the carpet.

The three-room suite had just been cleaned, and a faint scent of air freshener drifted in the air.

The Assistant opened the door, and a group of people filed in one after another. Chen Weihua took a few looks around: "The specifications are very high?"

Liu Zhaoting nodded: Indeed, they are quite high.

Dean Yang was formerly a Deputy Director of the Palace Museum; even though he is retired now, he is still a member of the National Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee under the National Cultural Relics Administration, and furthermore, the Honorary Chairman of the Jade Professional Committee of the China Cultural Relics Society, as well as a premier scholar and Expert in the domestic jade and jewelry field. Since this event is an academic seminar, the organizers would certainly provide super-standard hospitality. Even though Dean Yang would not be staying here overnight and was only resting for the noon break, a large suite was still arranged.

After inviting the few to sit on the sofa, the Assistant brought over tea. Chen Weihua checked his watch: there were still about ten minutes until the meeting adjourned.

He was a bit uneasy: "Mr. Liu, should Dean Yang be able to invite those few?"

Liu Zhaoting replied without hesitation: "Of course!"

There is no need to mention Teacher Cai and Teacher Dong: both of them had their professional titles evaluated when Dean Yang had not yet retired, and he had provided them with many conveniences and much help. If Dean Yang asked them for a favor, they would certainly not offer the slightest refusal.

As for Director Lv and Director Ye, they are indeed not easy to invite. But this "not easy to invite" refers to commercial-style appraisals outside the Forbidden City. However, this time Chen Weihua provided ample fees, and today Dean Yang is not simply introducing him to a few experts, but rather acting as a seller and buyer. Chen Weihua is acting as the seller, and as for the buyer, it is of course Deputy Director Yang.

It is equivalent to the roles being completely swapped: with Dean Yang's ability and connections, if he asks juniors and former subordinates like Lv Chenglong and Ye Peilan to help him vet the item, these two will certainly not refuse.

Furthermore, it won't take much time; with the discerning eyes of these two, it will take at most half an hour.

Just as he was thinking this, his mobile phone screen lit up, displaying a text message, and the sender was none other than Dean Yang.

Liu Zhaoting hurriedly tapped it open: "Mr. Chen, the experts are coming over right away!"

Chen Weihua nodded: "Everyone, perk up..."

The staff member turned off the screen, and a line of large characters flashed and vanished: Intelligent Monitoring of Cultural Relics and Application of New Materials.

The experts inside the venue rose one after another. Several staff members stood guard in the aisles, ready to offer an arm to any elderly expert with limited mobility. Yang Bosuan had graying hair, but his body was still quite sturdy; he stood up while holding onto the armrest.

Beside him was Ye Peilan, ten years his junior, but when the two stood together, it was basically impossible to tell who was older or younger.

Just as she stood up, Yang Boba walked to her side, "Peilan, wait a moment!"

Ye Peilan stopped in her tracks: "Dean, is something the matter?"

"There is indeed a little something!" Yang Boba smiled, "A couple of days ago, a student introduced a collector from Hong Kong who said he had a piece of Ming Imitation Ru Porcelain to sell, and it's an extremely rare Sky Blue Glaze Brush Washer. I was curious for a moment, so I called him over to take a look. It looked quite good, so I wanted to acquire it. But I was a bit unsure, so I wanted to ask you to help me take a look..."

Ye Peilan agreed without even thinking.

The two were former colleagues, both having entered the Forbidden City in 1956.

After entering the Forbidden City, Yang Boba served as Deputy Director of the Display Department, Director of the Business Department, and Director of the Display Department. It wasn't until 1984 that he was promoted to Deputy Director. As for Ye Peilan, she was in the Display Department as soon as she entered the Forbidden City, first as a Custodian, then as an Appraiser, then as Deputy Group Leader, Group Leader... until Yang Bozhu was promoted to Deputy Director, and she succeeded him as Deputy Director of the Display Department.

It can be said that the two were not only old colleagues of a full forty years, but also superior and subordinate for forty years; one wouldn't dare say their relationship was excellent, but it was definitely not bad. Ye Peilan would certainly help with such a small favor.

She was just a bit suspicious: "You're already buried up to your neck in yellow earth, and you're still stirring up trouble?"

"What else can I do?" Yang Boba sighed, "I'm not like you, with children who are all worry-free!"

That was true.

Whenever she thought of the old leader's children, Ye Peilan wanted to sigh: they were likely enemies in a past life, coming to collect a debt.

She nodded: "Where is the item?"

"I had it sent over; it's in the guest room! But we have to wait a bit, let's call little Lv over too!"

Ye Peilan looked toward the stage: on one side of the podium, Lv Chenglong was talking to Deputy Director Ma of the Cultural Relics Research Institute.

"He probably won't go, right?"

Lv Chenglong is different from them; although he is also a top-tier appraisal expert, he focuses more on academic research.

The Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee has invited him several times, wanting him to serve as a member, but he has refused every time. The same goes for his time at the Forbidden City; he rarely participated in appraisal work.

Let alone external commercial appraisals?

But Yang Bocha was exceptionally certain: "He is closer to you; you help me persuade him later, and he should go!"

That was true.

Although there was an age gap of over twenty years, they were, after all, taught by the same master—they were close Senior Sister and Junior Brother.

After waiting for quite a while longer, the two finished their conversation and walked over side by side.

"Director Ma, are you going to Little Lin's place later?"

"I don't know how to look at porcelain?"

"I heard from Little Lin that it's quite rare?"

"Director Lv, look at me; where do I look like someone with the leisure time to look at rarities?" Ma Qinglin pointed to his own dark circles, "When he's done, if he invites you all to dinner, then call me."

Lv Chenglong was stunned: "Old Ma, you don't put in a bit of effort, but you never miss out on any benefits!"

"Nonsense, who wouldn't take advantage of a bargain?"

The two joked as they walked to the door of the conference room.

Ma Qinglin offered a polite greeting: "Dean Yang, Director Ye!"

But as soon as Lv Chenglong saw them, he knew these two must have been waiting for him.

Before he could even ask, Ye Peilan spoke first: "Junior Brother, the old Dean acquired a brush washer and asked me to help him vet it. I'm getting on in years and am afraid I might not see it accurately, so you should go take a look too!"

Yang Boba chimed in from the side: "Little Lv, I'll give you a big Red Envelope when we're done!"

Lv Chenglong smiled and declined: "Dean Yang, my eyesight isn't good enough!"

"Junior Brother, it's just one item, it won't take long, ten minutes at most!"

Lv Chenglong still shook his head: this wasn't a matter of how many items there were or how long it would take at all.

"Senior Sister, I have an appointment with a friend and still have things to do; I really don't have the time!"

It was indeed as Ye Peilan said; he rarely participated in external commercial appraisals. More importantly, he was a bit wary of Yang Boguan.

A former Deputy Director of the Palace Museum, a member of the Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee of the National Cultural Relics Administration, Honorary Chairman of the Jade Professional Committee of the China Cultural Relics Society, recipient of a special government allowance... this rank and this honor are high enough, right?

Born in 1927, he is a full eighty-one years old this year... this age is old enough, right?

But Dean Yang is still tireless, especially regarding commercial appraisal activities; there isn't one he doesn't love to attend. To put it bluntly, this has already become a bit of a situation where he is disregarding everything for the sake of money.

Therefore, the item is easy to appraise, but the problem is, after the appraisal, will it lead to unnecessary trouble?

Ye Peilan could also roughly guess what Lv Chenglong was worried about, but since Dean Yang had asked for her help, she certainly had to do her best.

Because after retiring, she also held positions at several private appraisal institutions. Usually, she would ask Yang Boba for help at the drop of a hat... "Junior Brother, Dean Yang says it is a piece of Ming Imitation Ru Porcelain Sky Blue Glaze, extremely rare, and I am truly afraid I might misjudge it... So you just go and take a look, I definitely won't make you sign anything."

As she spoke, she pointed to the side: "Dean Yang has also invited Little Cai and Little Dong..."

Lv Chenglong instinctively wanted to refuse, but upon hearing "Imitation Ru Porcelain Sky Blue Glaze," he suddenly paused: What was the item Lin Sicheng had asked him to look at? Seemed to be an imitation Ru Porcelain Sky Blue Glaze as well?

And, it was also a brush washer... Isn't this a bit too coincidental?

Furthermore, he had also invited Teacher Tang and Teacher Dong along, but those two had been intercepted by Dean Yang; he couldn't very well go alone, could he? While pondering, Lv Chenglong looked to the side; a man and a woman, two Researchers from the Forbidden City, stood in the corridor, flashing him a helpless smile. Dean Yang had shown them kindness in the past, and it was truly hard to refuse when asked to help with a small favor.

Lv Chenglong thought for a moment: "Fine, then I'll go take a look."

At worst, he would just look and not speak.

Yang Bochi was in a great mood.

Actually, for just one Ming Imitation brush washer, Ye Peilan was more than enough. She didn't even need to go; Little Cai and Little Dong could handle it.

But this old Hong Konger was stubborn: if they were just ordinary Researchers from the Forbidden City, then at most ten thousand per person. If they were disciples of Commissioner Geng, for every additional person, he would add thirty thousand.

It was just that most of old Geng's disciples were not in Beijing, otherwise he could have invited at least seven or eight...

With that thought, the group entered the elevator and arrived at the guest room.

Since they were all top-tier Experts in the industry, Chen Weihua dared not be negligent and had Liu Zhaoting and the secretary wait at the elevator entrance.

In Beijing, those who do porcelain appraisal are not exactly many, but not exactly few either. If it were someone else, Lv Chenglong might not necessarily know them.

But because of good publicity, these few from Zhongboya were quite famous, and plus they were often with Dean Yang, so Lv Chenglong had seen Liu Zhaoting several times. Therefore, just as he stepped out of the elevator and saw Liu Zhaoting, Lv Chenglong guessed seven or eight-tenths of it: it wasn't at all what Deputy Dean Yang had said—that he had seen something he liked and wanted to buy a brush washer—but rather that someone had paid him to help.

So, should he appraise this item today or not?

Sighing, Lv Chenglong followed Liu Zhaoting into the suite.

Chen Weihua was posing as the seller, but he didn't dare to be arrogant and waited early at the suite door, with Yang Boba in the middle making introductions.

There was no need to brag too hard, because Chen Weihua was already a famous antique dealer in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The reason he was famous was not because his business was particularly large, but because he was adept at social networking and had a good reputation in the circle.

Secondly, his father worked in this trade, so it could be considered a family business, and he had some foundation.

But Lv Chenglong's expression was indifferent, and he shook hands in an almost perfunctory manner.

Once everyone was seated, Yang Boba didn't beat around the bush and directly had Liu Zhaoting take out the brush washer.

Lv Chenglong was not very interested and said to let Senior Sister Ye look first. Ye Peilan had been famous for many years, so naturally, she had to be reserved, and then the brush washer reached the hands of the two Researcher teachers.

The two Researchers could basically guess how today's situation had come about. But it was hard to reject Dean Yang's face, so the two didn't decline and took the brush washer.

They didn't perfunctorily look either; instead, they were very serious, turning it over and over, examining it meticulously.

They didn't hide anything either, saying whatever they saw:

"First, let's talk about the body: it's an imitation Ru Porcelain incense-ash body, but the Kaolin Clay used is too white, and the body quality is too stiff, almost like dead ash! Secondly, the spur marks: real Ru is a Sesame Nail, shallow like an eyebrow, but this brush washer has round nails, sunken deep like pockmarks..."

Teacher Dong tapped the bottom of the basin, emitting a crisp "Dang" sound: "The porcelainization transition is clear like a Chime. It feels too light in the hand, floating like a feather..." As he spoke, Teacher Cai flipped the brush washer over and looked at the glaze surface: "The vitrification is too transparent, the 'thief light' is blinding. The color was adjusted with Cobalt Material, sky blue with a pale white tint. The Glaze Layer is too uniform, with no dripping or accumulated glaze..."

"Look at the crackle: the Crab Claw Pattern floats on the glaze surface, the seams are sharp like knife carvings, and there is no oxidative gradient in the fissures... If nothing goes wrong, it should be artificially cracked..." He puffed a breath of air onto the brush washer and looked carefully again: "If it were real Ru, one puff of mist would make the crackle patterns instantly disappear..." But for this piece, it looked the same before the puff as it did after.

The two picked up the Magnifying Glass again: "The bubbles are arranged too neatly, the single layer is too dense, and occasionally there are ruptures, with sharp edges..."

After a slight pause, the two looked at each other: "Teacher Dong, it looks a bit like... Ming Imitation?"

"It really does look a bit like it!" The other nodded, "The sky blue has a bit of Duck Egg Blue, the Ice Crackle is stained with ochre, it looks a bit like... the Chenghua era?" Hearing this "Ming Imitation" and "Chenghua era," Chen Weihua and Liu Zhaoting both let out a sigh of relief.

At first listen, the content was not the same, at least it was very different from the claims Liu Zhaoting had made during his appraisal. In fact, it was just two ways of stating the same conclusion. Whether it was the dead ash body, the Cobalt Blue tint, or the honeycomb bubbles, as well as the Duck Egg Blue, these were all unique characteristics of Ming Imitation Ru Porcelain. What's more, the two saw "Ming Imitation" and "Chenghua Imitation" at the end. Since the Forbidden City Experts said so, it was likely ninety-nine percent certain. But strangely, Yang Boba and Ye Peilan frowned.

Since Cai Yi and Dong Jianli were able to come and look so carefully, they certainly wouldn't hide anything.

If they were sure, no matter the percentage, they would say it directly. Instead of being hesitant and indecisive like this.

Besides, having been colleagues for so many years, it wasn't as if they didn't know the habits of these two.

"A bit...", "Looks like..."—just hearing these two phrases, they knew these two clearly had doubts.

Ye Peilan tapped the coffee table: "Little Cai, Little Dong, if you have anything to say, feel free to say it!"

The two looked at each other: there was nothing they couldn't feel free about.

The reason they hadn't spoken directly was just that they were a bit uncertain and also a bit puzzled.

Because no matter how they looked at it, this was an Imitation Ru Ware from the Ming Dynasty Chenghua era: the body was correct, the glaze was relatively correct, and the crackle was also correct. Including the texture, the tactile feel, and the sound.

But there was one point: it was too light.

For a Kui Mouth Washer like this, with such a large diameter and such thick walls, if it were a Ming Imitation, it should weigh at least half a jin. But the one in their hands was at most three point seven or eight taels.

It was more than twenty percent lighter than a normal body weight?

To be honest, they had really never seen anything like this.

Neither of them spoke, they just exchanged a look and handed the brush washer over: "Teacher Ye, would you like to take a look?"

Ye Peilan looked suspicious and took it. But the moment it was in her hand, her eyelids twitched: Why is it so light?