Chapter 524: When Will We See Results?

Once the New Year holidays passed, the weather slowly began to warm up.

The construction team worked in two shifts, and in one month, they had finished smashing and tearing down everything that needed to be.

The doors, windows, and fresh air system were being installed in an orderly fashion; once the weather warmed up a bit more, they could proceed with reinforcing the walls and floors.

Most of the equipment had already arrived and could be moved in at any time.

According to Wang Qi Zhi's plan, in about two more months, at the latest around the Qingming Festival, the work would basically be finished.

Taking advantage of the workers' lunch break, Lin Sicheng went up to take a look around.

Wang Qi Zhi followed behind him, full of ambition: "After the installation is finished and it airs out, we can open for business by May Day at the latest."

"Teacher, there's no need to be too anxious; June or July is fine, and August wouldn't be too late either."

"The sooner we open, the sooner we make money!" Wang Qi Zhi shook his head. "This money is being spent like flowing water; my head aches every time I look at the accounts!"

Lin Sicheng laughed: It was indeed costing quite a lot. Based on the current construction progress, it was already exceeding the initial budget by at least thirty percent, an extra five or six million. But to do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools; if they wanted long-term development and to grow big and strong, not a single cent of this money could be saved.

"Next month, the Ceramics Research Center will apply for the stage-one acceptance of the Sweet White Glaze Restoration Project, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Department will allocate some research funding. The leaders of the institute (Palace Museum) mean for it to be transferred entirely to our account."

Wang Qi Zhi was indifferent: Isn't that how it should be?

Lin Sicheng had restored the complete craft and even trial-fired the finished products before he ever went to the Ceramics Research Center.

There was no need to buy experimental materials, no need to waste consumables, and not even a need to arrange for too many people; they just had to copy it once, which was equivalent to academic results falling from the sky.

How shameless and lacking in integrity would one have to be to split the funding with Lin Sicheng?

"But how much money is that?" Wang Qi Zhi said, as if he had a toothache. "At most a few hundred thousand; it's not even enough to cover the fraction of the renovation costs!"

"It's only the stage-one funding; there will definitely be more later!" Lin Sicheng smiled. "Besides, our costs aren't high!"

It wasn't that they weren't high; they were low to an outrageous degree. Therefore, they would definitely be able to make a profit.

But that was only for Lin Sicheng; if given to the Ceramics Research Center, even two or three times the research funding might not be enough.

Moreover, this was the norm; social science research is asset-heavy and investment-heavy, with slow returns, and only a very small number of units can turn a profit.

Furthermore, most of those are just hanging up a sheep's head to sell dog meat. Wang Qi Zhi didn't expect Lin Sicheng to completely imitate his peers, but at least he had to ensure they broke even. He thought for a long while: "I am increasingly finding that General Manager Zhao's suggestion is quite pertinent: we cannot keep walking on one leg; we should expand the businesses that need to be expanded as soon as possible."

Lin Sicheng was noncommittal: Even if they were to do it as soon as possible, they still had to wait for the release of some of the results regarding the Palace Porcelain in cooperation with the Palace Museum Ceramics Research Center.

Without influence and without name recognition, being anxious was useless.

"Teacher, don't worry, it won't be affected! The Ceramics Research Center releases academic results in May, and the Poly autumn auction is in June. It will happen to coincide with our opening; whether it's appraisal or restoration, we can catch up."

"I know!" Wang Qi Zhi nodded. "My point is that the appraisal can be done in advance; there's no need to wait until after the Research Center opens. We can find another place first!"

Lin Sicheng replied without hesitation: "Teacher, let's wait until the Cultural Relics Fair in May ends. Even if we find another place, the capital won't keep up." Regarding this matter, Lin Sicheng was the minority against the majority.

To be precise, it was him against everyone else.

According to the suggestions of Wang Qi Zhi, Zhao Xiuneng, and even Lin Zhangqing: restoration requires instruments, and sometimes composition and structural testing must be done, so it must be placed together with the Research Center.

But the appraisal business could be done by renting a storefront in Panjiayuan or Liulichang; the place didn't need to be too big, just enough to be functional.

There was no need to purchase too many instruments; as long as they could perform basic testing, that would suffice, and the business type would mainly be based on visual appraisal.

Then Zhao Xiuneng would be responsible for porcelain, Wang Qi Zhi for gold, silver, and bronze, and Feng Sanjiang for miscellaneous items. If they encountered calligraphy and painting, or items that were difficult to appraise, Lin Sicheng would step in.

If necessary, Lin Zhangqing could also come to fill in for a period.

As for influence and name recognition, there was absolutely no need to worry: when they opened, having Director Sheng from the Palace Museum, Director Tian, and Dean Fang from the Cultural Relics Research Institute come to show their support would be guaranteed to be more useful than advertising on television.

Furthermore, with Lin Sicheng's relationship with the Palace Museum and the Cultural Relics Research Institute, occasionally inviting one or two experts to anchor the scene would ensure they wouldn't lack business.

Since there was money to be made, making it late was not as good as making it early, and it could also help recoup some costs.

But Lin Sicheng felt that so-called visual appraisal was, even if not rotten to the core now, pretty much there.

Secondly, visual appraisal tested one's basic skills too much, and even more so one's knowledge reserve.

Lin Sicheng didn't worry about the professional ethics of Zhao Xiuneng and Wang Qi Zhi, but rather their professional level.

Including Lin Sicheng, if he asked himself, even he wouldn't dare say he would never make a mistake.

Just like that painting of Huang Lan's last time, even a professional researcher as specialized as Liu Yiling from the Palace Museum could make a mistake. By comparison, neither Senior Brother Zhao nor his teacher were as good as Liu Yiling. What if they encountered similar strange and bizarre objects and appraised them incorrectly?

More importantly, no matter where this appraisal center opened, it would definitely be integrated with the Research Center, and the legal representative would definitely be Lin Sicheng; it would be useless even if they registered separately.

If other experts made a mistake, at worst they would lay low for a while and make a comeback after the wind blew over. But if they made a mistake even once, it would affect the professionalism and authority of the Research Center.

Therefore, it wasn't that they wouldn't do appraisals, but that if they were to do them, they had to do them to the best of their ability. It had to be the integration of human and machine, testing before appraisal.

Lin Sicheng's plan was that after the Poly auction started in June, he would send a few more pieces to be auctioned, and after the funds were more abundant, he would rent the half-floor upstairs as well.

Spending a bit more money didn't matter; they absolutely could not be anxious.

Wang Qi Zhi wanted to say something but stopped; the words reached his lips, then he swallowed them back.

Including him, Zhao Xiuneng, and Lin Zhangqing, and even Feng Sanjiang and Ding Aqin, all felt that Lin Sicheng was worrying unnecessarily:

In a place like Panjiayuan or Liulichang, if they could encounter one genuine item a day, they would have to call it good luck. Let alone strange and bizarre items that could make them make a mistake?

It was equivalent to money lying on the ground waiting for them to pick it up; why not pick it up?

But this matter had already been discussed many times; he had said it, Zhao Xiuneng had said it, and even Lin Zhangqing had tried to persuade him.

Lin Zhangqing had even scolded him, saying Lin Sicheng was stubborn.

But it was useless.

Wang Qi Zhi was thinking about what other method he could use to enlighten him. Just as he was pondering, there were two "buzzing" sounds.

Lin Sicheng took out his phone and answered it smoothly; a man's polite voice came from inside: "Hello, Teacher Lin, Teacher Huang asked me to come pick you up; I have already arrived at the park."

"Okay, I'll be down immediately!"

After replying, Lin Sicheng hung up the phone.

"Teacher Huang, Huang Lan?" Wang Qi Zhi looked curious. "She asked you to do an appraisal, and you haven't gone yet?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "I couldn't find the time!"

This matter had been mentioned before the New Year, but Lin Sicheng had never agreed.

After all, the identities of the two siblings were different, and Huang Zhi had opened a private club with a very high degree of privacy; for all he knew, he might be doing the same kind of business as General Manager Chen from Guangzhou.

Lin Sicheng did not want to get involved with such a person at all.

When he saw Ye Xing'an during the New Year, Wang Qi Zhi asked specifically, but the answer was unexpected: Huang Zhi was purely doing business.

Of course, he definitely used a bit of his father's influence, but at least he was not a political broker.

After explaining it to Lin Sicheng later, he finally let his guard down. Wang Qi Zhi thought he would go very soon, not expecting it to drag on for so long.

"I originally planned to go right after coming back from the New Year, but Teacher, do you know how many pieces Teacher Huang is planning to have me look at?"

Lin Sicheng gestured, "She said it's a study, a full sixty-plus square meters, an entire Treasury."

Wang Qi Zhi was unimpressed: "That's not much, is it?"

To Lin Sicheng, it really wasn't much. When he was in Guangzhou, that floor of General Manager Chen's was several hundred square meters, with several hundred antiques. It didn't take him long to look through them once.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "What if they are all fake?"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned, then laughed "Hahaha": So this was what Lin Sicheng was afraid of?

A personality like Huang Lan's was indeed quite a headache: if you go along with what she says, it goes against your conscience. If you don't go along with what she says, what if she starts holding a grudge against you?

"These are all fake, right? Then help me hunt for a few real ones..."

After laughing for a while, Wang Qi Zhi pointed to his temple: "I remember telling you, when she was young, she suffered an injury here... My father said, it's quite pitiful..."

Lin Sicheng nodded: of course he remembered.

If not for this, let alone going, he wouldn't even have answered Huang Lan's phone calls.

Since he had promised, he definitely had to go, but he had to drag someone along as a buffer.

"Teacher, I also invited Teacher Liu Yiling, the two of us are going together!"

Wang Qi Zhi gave a thumbs up.

Lin Sicheng was absolutely harboring the intention of "letting Teacher Liu go first if something happens." Anyway, Liu Yiling spent most of her time in the Forbidden City, so even if Huang Lan wanted to pester her, the impact wouldn't be great.

She couldn't possibly chase her into the Forbidden City every day, could she?

"But it might not necessarily be a bad thing!" Wang Qi Zhi rested his chin on his hand, "At least that woman is generous with her spending."

That was exactly the point.

Since she had become like this, Lin Sicheng couldn't mentally bring himself to take her money.

Furthermore, this Teacher Huang was stubborn; Lin Sicheng couldn't just do nothing and accompany her to the market every day, could he?

"Anyway, I have to be cautious!"

"You handle it yourself!" Wang Qi Zhi was noncommittal, "Who are you taking, Li Zhen, Fang Jin?"

"I'm not taking anyone, Teacher Liu is bringing an assistant, I'll just tag along."

"Fine, as long as there's someone to use!"

After saying a few words, Lin Sicheng went downstairs.

An Audi was parked at the entrance, and the driver stood respectfully to the side.

After getting in the car, they took a turn to pick up Liu Yiling, drove a little further, and after entering the residential compound, the Audi stopped.

It was right opposite the Wangfu Central, truly inside the Second Ring Road.

As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Huang Lan and Huang Zhi standing at the building entrance, and Lin Sicheng took two or three steps to meet them.

Lin Sicheng was not surprised at all that Huang Lan was here. But he was truly shocked that Huang Zhi was actually waiting for him outside the door as well.

This person was a true child of the inner-circle elite; if one were to compare, his father's influence was no lower than Wang Qi Zhi's father's.

Including Huang Zhi's second older brother who was also in the Ministry; although his rank was one Level One lower than Ye Anning's mother's, he held a truly low-profile but powerful position.

Although Huang Zhi did not go into politics, just as he said himself, he opened a small restaurant, but this restaurant was frequented by high-ranking officials and nobles.

Having suffered losses in his past life, Lin Sicheng had an instinctive repulsion toward such figures. But it was as if he had been targeted, and no matter how he tried to push it away, he couldn't. Since he couldn't afford to offend them directly, he could only come once to deal with it.

But he hadn't expected Huang Zhi to be there, and even waiting for him specifically at the door?

Now this was a problem: Huang Lan was easy to fool, but how could he fool Huang Zhi?

Walking quickly, Lin Sicheng shook Huang Zhi's hand and explained: "General Manager Huang, Teacher Huang, I've been busy and truly couldn't get away, I am truly sorry."

Huang Zhi said half-jokingly: "Teacher Lin, I thought you wouldn't dare to come!"

As if feeling the same, Huang Lan also nodded.

It wasn't as if they hadn't invited an Expert to look before, right?

Those who were unaware, like Liu Yiling, went without saying.

But as long as one knew a little bit of the background and knew a little about their family situation, everyone would flock to them, eager and attentive.

Lin Sicheng certainly knew, and even if he didn't, others would have told him the significance of the card and business card the younger brother gave him.

But he, on the other hand, had never come to eat a meal, and had never once taken the initiative to call. What's more, he and his younger brother had invited him several times, and every time he could find all sorts of reasons.

Let alone Huang Zhi, even someone as simple as Huang Lan could see he was making excuses.

Lin Sicheng smiled, neither humble nor pushy: "General Manager Huang, you are too kind; it's mainly because my home is not here, and I only come occasionally."

Knowing he was lying, Huang Zhi didn't mind.

If he were like those previous people, pouncing like flies the moment they smelled something, he wouldn't be worth Huang Zhi specifically giving him a card. On the contrary, the more Lin Sicheng dodged, the more he felt he had found the right person.

Huang Zhi smiled: "Just joking, as long as Teacher Lin comes, it is our honor."

After a polite exchange, Huang Zhi greeted Liu Yiling as well.

There was someone following behind, about the same age as Lin Sicheng, and Huang Zhi introduced him, saying he was his nephew.

Then the group went upstairs.

Huang Lan's home was on the third floor, a large flat of nearly three hundred square meters, extremely spacious. She had specifically set aside a room to use as a collection room.

After sitting in the living room for a while and drinking a cup of tea, Huang Lan led them into the collection room.

As soon as he entered the door, Lin Sicheng was stunned: there were paintings on the walls, paintings on the tables, and paintings on the antique shelves.

Figures, Landscape Pattern, flowers and birds, fine brushwork, splash-ink, Jiang color... for a moment, Lin Sicheng even thought he had walked into an art gallery.

Seeing his look of surprise, Huang Lan explained: "When I was young, I studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, learning Chinese painting under Professor Li Kuchan (a famous modern painter, calligrapher, and educator), and I also studied appraisal at the same time, but I didn't finish..."

"Later, I was assigned to teach art at Yuying School (a school for the children of the General Manager of the Shen Mansion), and I worked as an art teacher for a period of time. After I resigned, I fell in love with collecting..."

Lin Sicheng suddenly realized: No wonder it was all paintings.

Having studied at a prestigious school and apprenticed under a famous master, it was no surprise that she liked this.

"Does Teacher Huang only collect Calligraphy and Painting?"

"Yes!"

"About how many pieces are there?"

"With some collected and some sold, there should still be over two hundred pieces!"

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment, while Liu Yiling gasped: How long would it take to see all of these?