Chapter 506: That Is Not the Point

Lin Sicheng went up, connected his laptop, and opened the large screen.

"Respected leaders, respected Experts, I will now act as the representative for the appellant to elaborate on the qualifications of the Northwest University Cultural Heritage Research Center. It may take some time, and I hope you teachers will be understanding."

"Of course, I will try to be brief and stick as close to the facts as possible, so that you teachers don't think I'm bragging..."

"Hahaha..." A roar of laughter erupted in the conference hall.

Those laughing were basically Experts from the National Museum of China and the Cultural Relics Research Institute. Because they knew who Lin Sicheng was and what he had done. If it were all laid out one by one, it would indeed sound a bit like bragging.

Others, however, felt baffled—for instance, the four Experts, and Song Jingqiu: What was there to laugh about?

But it had to be said, this kid's mental fortitude was truly impressive: facing so many leaders and so many big names in the industry, he wasn't the least bit stage-frightened? While thinking this, Lin Sicheng clicked the mouse, the large screen flashed, and a building appeared.

It wasn't large, but it wasn't small either; it should cover over a thousand square meters, with three floors.

On the roof was the Northwest University emblem; this must be a school teaching building. The exterior was very ordinary, with white porcelain tiles on the walls and window after window. Lin Sicheng scrolled the mouse, zoomed in, and magnified the plaque at the entrance.

The few Experts stared intently: What is this?

Three plaques?

Director Chen squinted his eyes and looked again: That's right, it was indeed three plaques.

The first one: Northwest University Cultural Heritage Research Center.

This kid had just said they were applying for World Heritage status, so it was normal to hang such a plaque at the entrance.

Furthermore, the archaeology major was Northwest University's ace program, and since they were applying for an archaeology-related intangible cultural heritage project, it was perfectly reasonable for the school to provide a larger space.

But the problem was, why was it so big?

For example, the Shanghai Museum was also applying for World Heritage status, and they were applying for the same project: Ancient Ceramic Restoration Technology.

But the research space for the World Heritage project team wasn't even one-tenth the size of the one in the photo.

It was just one research room and one laboratory, and it wasn't even exclusive; they had to coordinate with the Ancient Ceramics Research Department at every turn.

Now look at this building, three floors, at least three or four thousand square meters—a proper experimental building.

But that was only secondary; what surprised Director Chen were the remaining two plaques: Xijing City Cultural Heritage Protection Center.

This meant that this Cultural Heritage project center, as well as the project they were applying for, was led and guided by the Municipal Committee and the City Government, with technical support provided by Xida.

As for the Shanghai Museum's project, let alone "City" level, it didn't even have a District Level plaque.

Others might not know, but Director Chen was very clear: having government support and not having it were two completely different concepts.

To hang such a plaque, one must have relevant units dispatch specialists to supervise and guide, and to coordinate with related work.

Not to mention anything else, whenever applying to a higher level—for instance, applying from the city level to the provincial level—is it faster if the Municipal Committee and City Government help you coordinate and send a specialist to take you through it, or is it faster if you go charging in blindly, bumping into walls everywhere?

Therefore, Director Chen was particularly unable to understand: it was just a World Heritage application project, why could it make the Xijing government departments value and care about it so much? Was it because Xijing's historical and cultural foundation was relatively deep?

Looking at the third plaque, Director Chen was no longer just unable to understand, but unable to fathom it: Northwest University Lin Sicheng Cultural Relic Restoration and Protection Research Center? Director Chen had seen many research rooms and laboratories named after individuals; they existed in every university.

But this was the first time he had seen one named after a student, and such a large building at that?

Take Fudan, for example; any research room or laboratory bearing an individual's name, which one wasn't a titan in the industry, which one didn't have groundbreaking contributions and extremely outstanding academic achievements?

At the very least, they were a leader in a certain discipline.

And this one, surprisingly, was just a student?

What he couldn't fathom even more was that it was brazenly hung underneath the "Northwest University Cultural Heritage Research Center" and the "Xijing City Cultural Heritage Protection Center"?

This meant that the "enterprise" in the school-enterprise cooperation the kid mentioned earlier referred to this center named after him. It further meant that not only had this center of his been recognized by the school and government departments, but these two units had given it the greatest possible support. Director Chen really wanted to ask: On what grounds?

The Fudan Ancient Ceramic Composition Analysis Laboratory he was in charge of was not only a Ministry of Education Key Laboratory, but also a quasi-National Level Natural Science Laboratory. He himself was a National Distinguished Youth and a Ministry of Education Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor. He had presided over National Level projects many times and had been awarded by the National Natural Science Foundation many times.

He had dreamed countless times that one day, there could be one more plaque at the entrance of the laboratory with his name on it. But for so many years, he had only dared to think about it in his heart.

And this one before his eyes, the owner was actually just a student, and hadn't even graduated yet?

If this weren't the scene of a cross-examination meeting, with so many leaders and Experts present, Director Chen would even suspect that this photo was Photoshopped. It wasn't just him who couldn't fathom it; the other three Experts beside him were the same.

They were all leading figures in the industry; they wouldn't dare say they were number one, but they definitely belonged to the top tier in the field.

Precisely because they were professional, they knew very well how difficult this was: having groundbreaking technical breakthroughs, having major scientific research contributions, having National Level academic achievements.

The three were indispensable.

Look at this kid on the screen again; he was even younger than the graduate students under them. If it were true that he had achieved these accomplishments and honors, when did he start his research?

In the womb?

The four of them looked at each other, feeling shocked, absurd, and even a kind of feeling that couldn't be expressed in words.

Compared to them, the Customs leaders were certainly not as professional as the Experts, but they understood the relevant systems and knew the entry qualifications required to reach such conditions.

A discipline leader in his early twenties, a prominent contributor in his early twenties?

They had not only never seen it, they had never even heard of it.

It was no exaggeration: for a moment, it was as if a pause button had been pressed in the hall; not a single sound could be heard.

It seemed as if everyone had been stunned into silence.

But the strange thing was, no one questioned it?

Including those four Experts, and even more so the few Customs leaders.

Because they had eyes, and even more so, brains. No matter how shocked they were, they wouldn't reach the point of losing their basic ability to judge.

The moment he saw the photo and saw clearly what was written on that plaque, Chen Feng was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously turned his head.

He had thought that Wu Hui and Xiao Heng would definitely be very dramatic. Because starting from the industry, the Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Relics Bureau were closer.

Furthermore, it was written so clearly on the plaque: Cultural Heritage project research, Cultural Relic protection and restoration research. The former was under the jurisdiction of the Cultural Heritage Department, and the latter was under the jurisdiction of the Archaeology Department.

These two definitely knew more than he did and understood more than he did. So, they should definitely be more surprised than he was.

However, Chen Feng discovered that whether it was Wu Hui or Xiao Heng, there was no expression on their faces?

Their expressions were calm and composed, unruffled.

It was as if they had known all along, and there was even a hint of "What's so strange about this?"

Song Jingqiu was much the same.

However, he was not looking at the two Department Heads, but at Wang Qi Zhi, Director Lu, and those Experts from the Cultural Relics Bureau.

The logic is the same: compared to Wang Qi Zhi, Director Lu could leave him in the dust by several blocks, so what if one compares him to Wang Qi Zhi's student?

Even Director Lu didn't dare to hang such a sign at the entrance of his laboratory; why would Wang Qi Zhi's student dare to?

Compared to Director Lu, Deputy Director Ma has more academic achievements and higher fame; did he hang such a plaque?

But the strange thing is, these three didn't show a hint of surprise, as if it were only natural, or even as if they shared in the honor.

Wang Qi Zhi and Director Lu are easy to understand; the former is the teacher, and the latter is the Partner. If Lin Sicheng could truly reach such a height, it would be perfectly reasonable for them to be proud.

But Deputy Director Ma, what are you proud of? You and this kid are not even remotely related...

Even stranger is the group of Experts behind Deputy Director Ma. There are over ten of them in total, all professors and Researcher-level Experts, yet not only were they not surprised, they were actually somewhat gloating.

It was as if they were waiting to watch a good show?

At this point, even a fool could see that something was wrong: they are all of a certain age, old enough to be this kid's father, so even if Lin Sicheng made a fool of himself, what would they have to gloat about?

Then, besides this kid, whose joke are they prepared to watch?

Therefore, even though they were shocked to death inside, the few Experts pursed their lips tightly and didn't utter a single word.

Subsequently, the screen flashed again, the photo of the building disappeared, and was replaced by several certificates.

Business license, original resolution of the Xida Academic Committee, and the approval documents from Xijing City, the Shaanxi Province Culture Department, and the Cultural Relics Bureau.

As well as the approval documents for establishment from the Ministry of Education and the Cultural Relics Bureau.

Especially the last two, the three characters "Lin Sicheng" in front of "Cultural Relic Restoration and Protection Technology Research Center" seemed bright enough to blind one's eyes. Not only was there an approval from the Education Department, but there was even an approval from the Cultural Relics Bureau?

And it was approved by two Ministries?

The eyes of the four Experts were wide enough to scare people, but their mouths were pursed even tighter.

Could these two documents possibly be fake?

Lin Sicheng scrolled the mouse and clicked on the last two documents:

"Time is limited, I won't talk about the previous ones, I will mainly talk about the source of these two approval documents..."

"Early last year, roughly after the New Year, in March of the new calendar. Dean Su of the college, along with Professor Wang and Professor Shang, took us to Yuncheng, Shanxi to investigate the firing technology of the Chengni Inkstone."

"The purpose was to understand the craftsmanship characteristics of the Chengni Inkstone and to study its protection and restoration technology. Secondly, to deepen the expansion of the ancient ceramic restoration technology for the World Heritage Application project already declared by the Center..."

"After arriving in Yuncheng, it happened to be the time of the Guandu Temple Fair in Yuncheng. We visited it and also went to the Guwancheng inside the Guandu Temple to look for research materials..." "We were quite lucky: at that time, we found more than a dozen pieces of Blue and White Porcelain from the Tianshun period of the Ming Dynasty..."

Lin Sicheng clicked the mouse, and several porcelain shards appeared on the screen:

"Teacher, this needs to be submitted to the Expert group; it will be used later!"

Wang Qi Zhi didn't understand; he didn't know what the porcelain shards found in Shanxi had to do with today's verification. But he was fast, plugged in the U-disk, and started downloading. Lin Sicheng clicked the mouse again, the Blue and White Porcelain shards disappeared, and several Celadon-White Porcelain shards and Carved Flower Porcelain shards were displayed:

"Afterwards, based on the clues provided by the antique shop owner, we searched within YC City and finally found several pieces of Celadon-White Porcelain and Carved Flower Porcelain from the Northern Song Dynasty and Jin Dynasty..."

"Every teacher should be able to see the craftsmanship level and artistic components of these two pieces of porcelain. After later appraisal, it can be confirmed as palace Tribute Porcelain from the Northern Song and Jin Dynasties..."

"But it is very strange: after composition analysis, these two porcelain shards were not fired in the main production areas of Song and Jin dynasty porcelain, the various kilns of Henan. Instead, they were produced north of the Yellow River, along the Yellow River..."

"We suspected at the time that during the Song and Jin dynasties, there might have been kilns of an Official Kiln nature in Shaanbei, Shanxi, and even within the territory of Neimenggu north of the Yellow River. There is a high possibility that they were in YC City."

"Afterwards, we reported to the school, the school reported to the competent department, and then, the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau took charge, and together with the Provincial Museum and the Provincial Archaeology Research Institute, formed an Archaeology Team to survey within the territory of Yuncheng..."

"Wait, Student Lin, let me interrupt for a moment..."

Just as Lin Sicheng was halfway through, Professor Yu, who was sitting next to Director Chen, raised his hand.

"The school you mentioned must be Northwest University, and the competent department of Northwest University must be the Shaanxi Sheng Education Department, right?"

"Yes!"

"Then the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, Provincial Museum, and Provincial Archaeology Research Institute you mentioned later, which city and which province are they referring to?"

Lin Sicheng looked at this Professor Yu: as expected of an Expert, he hit the most critical point immediately.

He originally didn't want to talk about this part, so he deliberately kept it vague. But he didn't expect this person's reaction to be so fast.

He paused: "Xijing City Cultural Relics Bureau, Shaanxi Provincial Museum, Shaanxi Provincial Archaeology Research Institute!"

"Buzz"—a wave of sound rippled through the venue.

Xijing City Cultural Relics Bureau and Shaanxi Provincial Museum surveying kiln sites in SX Province?

Do they have too much money to spend, or too many people with nothing to do?

You have to be clear, this is the territory of another province.

If nothing was found, it would be one thing, but if there were a discovery, would Shanxi still let you study the site?

The reason is simple: anyone who works in archaeology and Cultural Relics knows that ancient ceramic culture is basically a blank slate in Shanxi.

For so many years, I don't know how many Experts and teams have gone to Shanxi to investigate, and they haven't even found a slightly larger Folk Kiln site, let alone Official Kiln or Tribute Porcelain?

Therefore, Professor Yu couldn't figure it out: what kind of consideration led the Xijing City Cultural Relics Bureau and the SX Provincial Museum to form this Archaeology Team? But at least he knew that for this Shaanxi Archaeology Team to successfully carry out survey work in Shanxi, they must have received approval from the relevant departments of SX Province. He suddenly thought of a possibility: "Student Lin, is it because the leaders in Shanxi didn't pay attention to it?"

"Professor Yu, it's not that the relevant units in Shanxi didn't pay attention, but that their personnel and technical strength were limited. As a brother province, and with Northwest University being a leading archaeology institution in the country, it is not strange for Shaanxi to help with the survey."

Professor Yu was stunned and let out a "Heh": You little brat, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?

You're not very old, yet you have a whole set of official jargon?

He had guessed right!

He was interested: "It's fine, go ahead and tell me!"

Lin Sicheng gritted his teeth: "Professor Yu, that is not the point!"