Chapter 103: The Lost Ancient Formula of the Inner Court

Xiao Sizi pouted.

"In the early Zhenguan years, His Majesty the Father had him paint portraits of the Lingyan Pavilion meritorious officials. He stayed in the Inner Court Music Bureau every day sketching drafts." Xiao Sizi looked at that pile of tattered silk, "When he painted the folds of clothing, he had an extremely secretive habit: he always liked to pause slightly toward the lower left at the end of the stroke." This book is first published on Tiantian Novel, ttk. tw, super powerful, providing you with error-free chapters and non-disordered reading experience.

"The teachers at Hongwen Guan taught me painting; they took many of his drafts for me to use as copybooks for scribbling."

"This line's mannerism is unmistakable."

Lin Xuan's heart gave a jump.

Modern instruments can only determine the age of the silk threads; distinguishing authenticity relies entirely on an expert's eye.

Those people who set up the scheme absolutely never imagined that the original author of this painting once served right under this girl's nose.

"Even if it is a genuine work by Yan Liben, it has now become scrap."

Lin Xuan pointed at the layer of transparent, reflective substance on the surface of the painting core and sighed.

"The previous person who collected paintings used modern industrial resin glue."

"They welded the painting core and the backing paper together; water cannot penetrate, and a knife cannot scrape it off."

Xiao Sizi leaned closer, her nose twitching slightly.

She saw the glowing crystals within the gaps of the silk threads.

"Did you try dissolving it with water?"

"Warm water soaking had no effect whatsoever." Lin Xuan shook his head.

"Of course water cannot dissolve the Inner Court glue."

Xiao Sizi sat up straight, crossing her arms over her chest.

A display of Tang Dynasty princess pride.

Lin Xuan keenly captured the core of this statement.

"Inner Court glue?"

"This isn't a problem with modern resin glue?"

"The silk used by Tang Dynasty Inner Court painters is called 'shu juan' by the common people."

Xiao Sizi recalled the scenes of the mounting craftsmen working in the Imperial Study of Taiji Palace.

"But in the Music Bureau, this is called Loufan Silk."

"Thirty percent alum glue boiled from superior cowhide, seventy percent white alum, mixed with water and boiled."

"Before the painter paints, the craftsmen must take a flat brush and apply this alum glue water layer by layer onto the silk cloth, filling the gaps between the threads; this is called 'sealing the layer'."

Xiao Sizi explained very meticulously.

"If the layer is not sealed, the pigment applied will bleed and spread."

Lin Xuan's brain began to spin rapidly.

"Your meaning is that the modern chemical resin glue is actually stuck to that layer of Tang Dynasty alum glue coating, and did not directly contact the silk fibers?"

Xiao Sizi shook her head, "I do not understand what resin glue is."

"I only know that the Inner Court's Loufan Silk has an extremely thick alum glue film on its surface."

Lin Xuan punched his palm, making a crisp "pa" sound.

The breakthrough point was found.

The reason modern super glue is so stubborn is because its adhesion is extremely strong.

But what if its adhesive surface is itself a layer of ancient glue coating that can be melted?

There is no need to dissolve the modern glue.

As long as that layer of Tang Dynasty alum base glue is dissolved, the modern chemical glue on the surface will become a tree without roots, and the fate paper behind it will peel off in one piece!

"What can dissolve the alum glue?" Lin Xuan immediately asked.

Xiao Sizi frowned in thought.

"The craftsmen in the Imperial Study never use plain water when removing old paintings."

Xiao Sizi recalled that scent, "They had a wooden bucket."

"The paste water inside smelled sour, with a rancid smell of fermented grains."

Lin Xuan's gaze sharpened.

Acidic?

Fermented?

"Is there a specific formula?"

Xiao Sizi cupped her cheeks with both hands and recited the mnemonic passed down by Tang Dynasty craftsmen.

"Aged old rice vinegar, warm glutinous rice soup."

"Mix them together, seal them in a jar, and ferment for three days."

"Natural biological stripping agent."

"Slightly acidic, using biological enzymes and acetic acid to degrade protein colloids."

"At the same time, the viscosity of the glutinous rice soup allows it to adhere to the surface of the silk cloth,"

"protecting the thousand-year-old silk fibers from corrosion and breakage."

"I understand!"

Lin Xuan stood up, tore off the white gloves on his hands, and carried Xiao Sizi with one arm into the kitchen.

Lin Xuan opened the lower cabinet and searched for ingredients.

A bag of round-grain glutinous rice bought from the supermarket, a bottle of Shanxi aged vinegar.

Then Lin Xuan took a stainless steel milk pot and poured in water.

The gas stove spat out a blue flame.

"Grab two handfuls of glutinous rice and put them in."

Lin Xuan handed the bag to Xiao Sizi, who was sitting on a high stool beside the countertop.

Xiao Sizi reached out, grabbed two handfuls of white glutinous rice, and scattered them into the cold water.

"The craftsmen say that to boil a thick paste, the rice must dissolve," Xiao Sizi instructed from the side.

Hearing this, Lin Xuan immediately turned down the heat.

He took a wooden spoon and stirred slowly in one direction.

This prevented the glutinous rice from sinking and sticking to the pot.

The water temperature rose.

The white rice grains tumbled in the boiling water, gradually blooming and melting.

The clear water turned cloudy and grew increasingly viscous.

A rich aroma of rice spread through the kitchen.

"How much vinegar should I pour?" Lin Xuan picked up the bottle of aged vinegar, holding it above the pot's rim.

Xiao Sizi stared at the rice soup in the pot, recalling the liquid in the wooden bucket of the Imperial Study.

"It should be judged by color; a shade like pale tea is fine."

"It can't be too sour; if it's too sour, it will damage the silk threads."

Lin Xuan tilted his wrist.

A stream of black aged vinegar fell into the pot.

As he poured, he stirred it evenly with the wooden spoon.

The white rice paste in the pot gradually took on a faint amber hue.

The acetic acid scent volatilized with the heat; the slightly pungent smell diluted the original rice fragrance.

"Stop!" Xiao Sizi called out.

Lin Xuan immediately put away the vinegar bottle and turned off the gas stove.

He lifted the saucepan and leaned in to sniff it.

Slightly sour, with the scent of rice paste.

Xiao Sizi continued, "The craftsmen of the Great Tang need three days to ferment it."

Lin Xuan carried the pot to the sink, turned on the faucet, and filled a basin with cold water.

Xiao Sizi continued, "The craftsmen of the Great Tang need three days to ferment it."

Lin Xuan carried the pot to the sink, turned on the faucet, and filled a basin with cold water.

He placed the saucepan into the cold water to cool it down.

"No, we can't wait three days; we must deliver within a week, and we start cutting at dawn."

"But without fermentation, the strength might not be enough," Xiao Sizi reminded.

Lin Xuan took a Glass spray bottle with measurement markings from the drawer behind him and removed the nozzle.

"Modern times have modern methods to improve efficiency."

Lin Xuan poured the cooled, warm acidic rice soup, now around forty degrees, into the spray bottle through a funnel.

He turned his head to look at Xiao Sizi.

"Sizi, thank you. You've really given me a big help."

"Go to sleep; I'll handle the rest. I know what to do."

Lin Xuan tightened the cap of the spray bottle and shook it vigorously a few times with his wrist.

Xiao Sizi jumped off the high stool and yawned.

"Brother Lin Xuan."

Xiao Sizi walked to the kitchen door, suddenly thought of something, and turned back to stop.

"The Malachite on the painting has already flaked off quite a bit."

"Paintings of the Great Tang must be repaired with colors of the Great Tang."

"Those tube paints of yours will reveal your incompetence if applied."

Lin Xuan raised the corner of his mouth. "Do you understand color mixing?"

Xiao Sizi lifted her chin.

"Of course! I am a princess of the Great Tang."

"I once smashed a box of tribute pigments from the Music Bureau just to hear the noise."

Lin Xuan smiled and nodded at her: "Alright, go to sleep first; staying up late will make a child grow short."

"Tomorrow, I will consult Sizi again, and we will complete this task together."

"Mm, okay!"

Hearing that she could help again, Xiao Sizi happily hopped and skipped toward the bedroom.