Chapter 501: Your People, You Ask Me?

Song Jingqiu did not hide it at all, surprise showing in his eyes.

Xiao Heng smiled: "The leadership gave temporary instructions to come over and take a look."

Which leadership? The leadership of the Ministry of Culture?

Song Jingqiu was lost in thought.

The Cultural Heritage Department had nothing to do with today's matter, but it did have a connection with the Palace Museum.

The Forbidden City is the palace of cultural heritage in China with the largest area, the most complete preservation, the most comprehensive variety, and the most precious Cultural Relics.

Look again at the full name of the Cultural Heritage Department: Ministry of Culture Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The two not only both belong to the Ministry of Culture, but their business connections are also very frequent.

For example, Artifact Research on protection technology, Artifact Research on the restoration of traditional techniques, Artifact Research on Cultural Relic Restoration technology, etc. —as long as it is a project involving intangible heritage, it must be declared by the Palace Museum to the Cultural Heritage Department, and can only be established after the Cultural Heritage Department approves it.

To be more specific, for example, the Pottery Research Institute and Director Lu: if they declare ten projects in a year, at least six are reviewed and established by the Cultural Heritage Department, which also approves the funding.

The remaining four are the responsibility of the Department of Science and Education and the Cultural Relics Bureau.

It couldn't be that, just because of this layer of relationship, the leadership asked him to come, could it?

But why was there no prior notice?

While pondering secretly, Song Jingqiu glanced to the side; Chen Feng gave an imperceptible shake of his head.

It meant that he didn't know either.

But since they were already here?

No sooner said than done; after these thoughts finished, only a little over ten seconds had passed.

It was more like Xiao Heng had come too suddenly, and Song Jingqiu was overly surprised, causing him to be dazed for a moment.

After introducing Deputy Dean Ma of the Cultural Heritage Research Institute, Song Jingqiu led the way, and the group entered the hall.

Level One received Level One; everyone was arranged with a dedicated person to receive them. For a time, it was bustling with noise and excitement, and a large crowd gathered at the entrance.

Song Jingqiu accompanied several Department Heads; this was the first echelon.

Although Director Lu was the petitioner, he was already a famous scholar and held a position, so he accompanied Deputy Dean Ma, placing him roughly in the second echelon. Wang Qi Zhi and Lin Sicheng had no rank or grade, and in fact, on the surface, this matter had nothing to do with them at all. Therefore, the two followed at the very back. A very young man accompanied them. As the three stepped onto the stairs, with a "bang," the sound of a car door closing came from behind. Several people turned their heads in unison: a Honda commercial vehicle had stopped at the foot of the stairs, and five or six people got out of the car. Afterward, they also followed up. Lin Sicheng glanced at them and subconsciously stopped. When he stopped, Wang Qi Zhi also stopped.

The young man accompanying them had no choice but to stop.

He didn't recognize the others, but he certainly recognized Department Head Chen's secretary. The young man straightened his back: "Director Liu!"

Liu Zhenyi nodded and reminded the several Experts beside him: "Teachers, watch the steps!"

The leader of the group said politely: "Thank you, Secretary Liu!"

As they spoke, several people passed in front of them.

Lin Sicheng stood on the side, squinting his eyes, staring fixedly at two of them.

After the people passed, Wang Qi Zhi lowered his voice: "You know them?"

Of course he knew them, but that was in his previous life.

He shook his head: "Just curious!"

Wang Qi Zhi didn't understand: What was there to be curious about?

There were quite a few people who came today, and Wang Qi Zhi didn't recognize many of them either; he just muttered a bit and didn't pay it any mind.

The teacher and student remained at the very back.

"Lin Sicheng, the lineup today is quite big, isn't it?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: Big? That's an understatement.

There were three ministries alone: the General Administration of Customs, the Ministry of Culture, and the Cultural Relics Bureau.

There were four leaders at the Director-General level: Department Head Chen and Director Li from Customs, Department Head Xiao from the Ministry of Culture, and Department Head Wu from the Cultural Relics Bureau.

Plus a whole bunch of scholars and Experts famous in the industry.

And that wasn't counting the few who had just passed by. If he knew where those people came from and who they were, Wang Qi Zhi's scalp would go numb.

He sighed: "Thanks to you, Teacher!"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned, rolled his eyes, and wanted to retort, but didn't know how to retort.

If one really had to analyze it, today's matter really had to be blamed on him.

Ye Anqi called and said that Deputy Department Head Song asked him to investigate why the petition materials for the Hu Hai case were submitted so quickly and approved so quickly. After Wang Qi Zhi found out, he specifically instructed Ye Anqi: try not to mention Director Lu; if you really have to mention him, just touch upon it. The key content must highlight the focus—the focus here, of course, referred to him.

With a red-blooded background, as red as it could possibly be, he was a famous troublemaker in Beijing back in the day.

Although he had been forcibly reformed by his older sister and brother-in-law over the years and had restrained himself a lot, he was still a reckless person at his core.

Coupled with Ye Anning's father and Youjian's maternal grandfather, it made Deputy Department Head Song feel as if he were facing a formidable enemy.

That was one reason; the second: Director Lu was too anxious, exerted too much force, and the procedures moved too quickly.

According to normal processes, it might take half a year or even longer to complete the procedures, but Director Lu had used less than a week.

The two combined made Deputy Department Head Song and the leaders of Customs misunderstand even more deeply: Why did it seem more and more like Wang Qi Zhi, this Red Third Generation, wanted to challenge Customs?

If a tiger doesn't show its might, you treat me like a sick cat; I'll let you be red, my foot...

And then, there was the lineup today.

But the matter had reached this point.

Wang Qi Zhi hesitated: "Is it hard to handle?"

Lin Sicheng nodded lightly: "Speak with facts!"

The words were very vague, but Wang Qi Zhi understood and subconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

Fake is fake; no matter how real a replica is, it cannot become real...

Deputy Section Chief Wei hadn't guessed wrong; the Provincial Museum had indeed arranged the laboratory from this morning.

The place was very large, with more than twenty men and women; there were places to sit, and places to watch.

The twelve-person Expert group had six inspection personnel, all of whom were top hands transferred from the Cultural Relics Research Institute and the National Museum of China, four of whom were associate-level Associate Researchers.

The Provincial Museum arranged six more assistants here; the twelve people coordinated tacitly and worked in an orderly manner.

Half an hour later, the first test report was fresh off the press: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

This instrument mainly tests the body and glaze structure. The test materials came from three pieces of Blue and White Porcelain, and the data was very detailed; if summarized, the conclusion consisted of only two sentences:

The body is a porcelain stone body, with dense bubbles in a pearl-gathering shape, with a diameter distribution of 0.02-0.08mm. It conforms to the body characteristics of Jingdezhen Folk Kiln porcelain from the Wanli Period.

The anorthite structure appears in a needle-like interweaving, with characteristic peaks of cobalt spinel appearing at 510cm-1, and the "Iron Rust Spot" is a hematite (α-Fe2O3) peak (1310cm-1)...

All conform to the glaze characteristics of Jingdezhen Folk Kiln blue and white porcelain from the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty.

It was very clear, and also very certain.

The report was first handed to Deputy Director Ma of the leading expert group; Deputy Director Ma checked it once and then handed it to Department Head Wu Hui.

This process was definitely correct: the Cultural Relics Bureau is the adjudicating unit, and this appraisal was organized by the Cultural Relics Bureau, which drew ceramic experts from the Cultural Relics Research Institute and the National Museum of China to form an expert group.

As the leader of the expert group, Deputy Director Ma was certainly responsible to Department Head Wu.

Wu Hui also checked it once, confirmed there were no problems, and handed it to Song Jingqiu. Song Jingqiu did not look at it, but instead handed it to Department Head Chen Feng.

Department Head Chen also did not look at it, and handed it to Department Head Xiao Heng.

Xiao Heng was stunned for a moment, his expression very innocent, as if saying: No... why are you giving this to me?

I am not getting involved, I am just here to take a look...

Chen Feng seemed not to see his hint, with a very serious expression: "Department Head Xiao, please take a look!"

Xiao Heng sighed, took it into his hands, and scanned it roughly: "Hmm, not bad!"

Saying this, he handed it back.

But Chen Feng did not take it, and instead looked behind him: "Director Lu, you take a look too!"

Director Lu was dazed for a moment: "Department Head Chen, can I look too?"

He was the appellant; according to normal procedures, he would only be able to see this report at the final argumentation stage.

But then again: who has ever seen an expert group let the appellant look along with them during testing and appraisal?

Let alone looking, they wouldn't even be able to get in.

But how could Director Lu think so much?

If you don't stop me, then of course I will enter.

Since you are letting me look, then I will certainly look.

Seeing Chen Feng nod slightly, he took the report.

He not only looked, but also looked together with Peng Yanzhi and the two assistants.

Wang Qi Zhi poked his chin, meaning: Lin Sicheng, look, is Director Lu acting foolish again?

Lin Sicheng was noncommittal: those who do Artifact Research, the better their technique, the simpler their minds; how would they care about so many twists and turns?

In his past life, he was also like this...

The four people were head-to-head, whispering around that paper.

The sound was very low, and what they were saying could not be heard, but one could see: the expressions on the faces of several people were all very strange.

Surprise, astonishment, admiration... all were present.

And from time to time, they would glance toward the corner.

Song Jingqiu had been observing, and seeing Director Lu's actions, he also took a look.

That corner was in a place further back, relatively far from the instruments, so there were very few people, only two.

One was thirty-five or thirty-six, the other was in his early twenties.

Suddenly, Song Jingqiu had a guess: "Director Ma, that is Professor Wang from Northwest University!"

"Right, Wang Qi Zhi, he used to be at our Cultural Relics Research Institute, responsible for the research work of the Cultural Relics Group!" Ma Qinglin nodded, "Beside him is his student, Lin Sicheng!"

Hearing the three words "Wang Qi Zhi," Song Jingqiu no longer bothered to listen to what followed, but turned his head and looked at Director Lu again.

Sure enough, these two people were in cahoots.

Otherwise, why would you be winking at Wang Qi Zhi?

Thinking about it, Director Lu was a bit at a loss, not knowing what to do next, and was asking Wang Qi Zhi.

But why was he so surprised?

Although the report issued by the port previously was not this detailed and the data was not this precise, the conclusion was more or less the same: Ming Dynasty folk kiln porcelain. It couldn't be that he thought: the first appraisal report was wrong?

Deputy Department Head Song guessed wildly, but only guessed half right.

Director Lu was indeed very surprised, but what he was surprised by was not the authenticity. Lin Sicheng had long ago said: the simulation craftsmanship of these few pieces of porcelain was extremely high, similar to real Jingdezhen folk kiln porcelain by over ninety percent.

What he was shocked by was: it could actually be so real that even existing instruments could not detect any problems?

There was something even more surprising: the specific age.

The previous report did not specify which emperor, only giving a rough interval, the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty.

It was Lin Sicheng who told him that these few pieces of porcelain were all fired during the Wanli Period of the Ming Dynasty.

And he gave a more precise time interval: the 28th year of Wanli to the 35th year of Wanli (1600-1607). Looking at this report again: Ming Dynasty Wanli.

Therefore, Director Lu was especially unable to figure it out: Lin Sicheng had only taken a few looks, and from start to finish it was no more than ten minutes. Why was the conclusion he gave faster than the most advanced appraisal instruments?

And it was even possible that it was more precise than the data given by the machines?

Just as he was surprised and suspicious, the second report also came out.

This time it was Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), with the detection target being the trace element spectrum.

To put it simply: analyze the rare earth element distribution pattern to lock in the Kaolin mineral source.

The conclusion was no surprise: it was consistent with the fetal clay composition of Wanli folk kiln porcelain.

Then came the third, Three-dimensional Morphology. The fourth, X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy. The fifth, Age Determination.

The conclusions were without exception, all pointing to Wanli Period folk kiln porcelain.

Report after report was passed from the hands of the testing personnel to Deputy Director Ma, then to Department Head Wu, and then to the other leaders. Finally, they were passed to Institute Director Lu.

The leaders before him were all very calm; at least, nothing could be discerned from their facial expressions. But Institute Director Lu, Director Peng, and the two Researchers were becoming more astonished the more they read.

Previously, Lin Sicheng had said that the authenticity of this batch of porcelain was very high, and they had been somewhat skeptical.

No matter how much like the original a fake is, it is still a fake, and there must be flaws to be found.

One place might not be discernible, but it is impossible for all places to be indiscernible.

They had never expected that someone could actually manage to create a fake that could deceive all the machines to such a degree? But compared to that, this was only secondary.

What they found most unacceptable was: what difference was there between today's test reports and the diagrams and analyses Lin Sicheng had made in the hotel after returning from Luohu Port half a month ago?

There was a difference, of course: Lin Sicheng had not labeled so much data.

But all the conclusions were no different: from the era, to the Fetal Clay composition, Glaze Material composition, to the vessel shape structure, and even the crystal imaging. Lin Sicheng had even summarized more than this: spur marks, sand-pad marks, natural melting marks, hydrological inferences of the burial site, corrosion processes... these required a combination of visual appraisal and analysis; relying on machines alone could not produce them.

Then again, these fifty-plus pages before them had been produced by six Experts from the expert group, assisted by six research assistants sent by the Provincial Museum, using six machines, for a full two and a half hours.

And Lin Sicheng's work had been done after merely looking at them for ten minutes or so in the storage room of the port inspection office?

To tell the truth, shock was shock, but the feeling at the time had not been very deep. Even Institute Director Lu had felt that Lin Sicheng's inferences might not be accurate. But when these reports were released and compared, it gave him a feeling that he couldn't put into words.

Could Lin Sicheng's eyes be even more powerful than machines?

And so, the four of them would flip a page of the report and glance toward the corner. Then they would flip another page and glance toward the corner again.

Looking was one thing, but the key was that the expressions on the four people's faces were like they had been cast from the same mold:

Incredulous, inconceivable, as if they had seen a ghost.

Xiao Heng had arrived late and had received the notice on short notice, so he did not understand the situation very well.

But he understood Institute Director Lu: having known him for so many years, he had truly never seen Institute Director Lu like this before.

He was confused and looked at Wu Hui: "Department Head Wu, what is going on with Old Lu? Why does he keep looking at Wang Qi Zhi?"

Wu Hui blinked: He is your person, and you are asking me?