Reborn Treasure Appraiser: I Really Didn’t Want to Be an Expert

Chapter 22 I knew it
“I am honored to invite all of you teachers here, and I am very grateful for your strong support for the Municipal Cultural Relics Exchange Center and the Municipal Folk Museum…”

The female leader was talking attentively, and Lin Sicheng was doing two things at once: So, we invited so many experts here just to beg for alms?
Around the National Day holiday, the Municipal Folk Museum wanted to take advantage of the peak tourist season during the Golden Week to plan and organize an exhibition related to the folk culture of Xijing City.

But Qinqiang, paper-cutting, waist drums, and shadow puppetry are promoted every year, and not just by one company, so the public has become aesthetically fatigued.

Therefore, Director Lan came up with an innovative idea and planned to organize a unique cultural and museum exhibition in the Folk Museum with the theme of "Sanqin Tea Culture" and the support of the Cultural Relics Exchange Center, in the form of "half exhibition and half appraisal".

Since it was a cultural exhibition, exhibits were essential. However, the Folklore Museum's collection was far from sufficient, and during the National Day holiday, similar exhibitions were being held in various museums, making temporary secondment impossible. Director Lan therefore turned to these experts.

First, the appraisal process: The exchange center planned a month-long blitz to collect as many artifacts as possible that embody elements of "tea culture." However, due to the tight deadline, there were bound to be some shoddy items, some fakes, and some fakes. To avoid making a fool of themselves at the exhibition, they relied on the discerning eyes of these experts.

One is to borrow exhibits from experts: they are all famous collectors in the city, who doesn't have a few outstanding tea utensils? If the collection is not enough, we can only borrow them.

The second is to serve as commentator and appraisal guest. When people heard that there were top experts doing free appraisals, they could imagine how exciting the scene would be.

After hearing this, Lin Sicheng finally understood why Director Lan called his grandfather every day.

Who is this old man? He is a famous ceramic researcher, collector, and appraiser in this city.

I wouldn't say he's number one, but among these three "masters," he's certainly in the top three. Whether it's collecting and reviewing exhibits, borrowing exhibits, or conducting on-site appraisals, no one is more comprehensive or more qualified.

But unfortunately, he was hospitalized?
Just as I was thinking happily, there was a burst of warm applause in the conference room.

Lin Sicheng also applauded.

After Director Lan finished speaking, two deputy leaders spoke. It took an hour and a half, and Lin Sicheng almost fell asleep.

Then, the center leaders invited experts to the exhibition room to appreciate the exhibits collected recently.

A group of people walked out again, and Lin Sicheng still followed at the end.

As soon as I walked out the door, I heard laughter: "Junior Brother Lin~"

As soon as he heard the name, he knew it was Hao Jun. Lin Sicheng turned around and said, "Brother Hao, what a coincidence!"

Hao Jun nodded with a smile: "It's quite a coincidence indeed."

No, it’s just a coincidence, what’s with that look in your eyes?
And the tone, why is it so sour?
Hao Jun was very familiar and patted Lin Sicheng on the shoulder: "I asked you to come and sign to collect the money, but you kept delaying it for a week. Don't you want the money anymore?"

He was talking about the final payment for the Buddha statue, which was over 200,000 yuan. How could he not want it?

Lin Sicheng sighed: "I'm sorry, Senior Brother, my grandfather is in the hospital and I really didn't take care of him!"

"I'm just kidding you, but of course business is more important!"

Hao Jun lowered his voice, a hint of admiration in his eyes, "I've heard about it too. You're quite capable, kid. If it weren't for you, this would have been an international news story!"

Lin Sicheng was shocked: the case is still under investigation and the news is still blocked, how could he know?

But then he felt relieved: manager of Rongbaozhai branch, professor of Peking University Resources and Cultural Relics Appraisal Institute in Xijing branch... no matter which identity it was, it meant that he had a wide circle of friends and was well-informed.

In all likelihood, the public security authorities asked him to find out the identity of the suspect.

Lin Sicheng was a little modest: "It's not as exaggerated as what you said, brother!"

Hao Jun: “Haha!”

Is it an exaggeration? Not at all!
He knew all the details very well: How much trouble did Bai Hong go through for that backflow teapot?

So even if Lin Changqing doesn't sign, the cultural relics company will definitely buy it.

When the time comes, we will see: Wow, it fills a gap in the province and represents the highest craftsmanship level of Yaozhou Kiln... If we don’t publicize such political achievements, what else should we publicize?
There will definitely be leaders coming to observe. At least half of them will come from the provincial level, and all of them from the municipal level will definitely come.

What's more, they might even pretend to touch it.

After that, it will be promoted and exhibited publicly: for thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, or even tens of millions of tourists to visit.

But suddenly one day it was discovered that this thing was actually a radioactive source...Haha, this is more than just international news?
It’s no exaggeration to say that when foreign media organizations find out about this, they will surely be grinning from ear to ear… The scene is so beautiful that even Hao Jun can’t even imagine it.

Therefore, he didn't need to guess how scared and relieved the leaders in charge of culture, museums and publicity in the province and city were in the past two days.

Then, I felt so grateful to Lin Sicheng.

That's why he was jealous. How could this kid have such a good life?

Hao Jun rolled his eyes again and poked Lin Sicheng: "Where did you learn that?"

Lin Sicheng pretended not to understand: "What?"

"What else could it be, the uranium one!"

"Oh, I stumbled across a few magazines!"

"What magazine? Where did you find it?"

"I forgot!"

What are you talking about, kid?

What magazine should I ask for? How can I not find it?
The key point is that neither the carbon-14 dating misleading technology nor the interference thermoluminescence dating technology has been widely popularized abroad, and research has not yet begun in China.

So, let alone a magazine, there wasn’t even a report about it.

Knowing that he didn't want to say it, Hao Jun chuckled again.

The two of them were muttering to each other and fell behind to enter the exhibition room. The other experts had already started looking.

Five or six of them gathered around a long platform, as if they had come across something new and interesting.

Hao Jun introduced him in a low voice: "That person is the vice president of the Provincial Folk Art Association. He retired from the Provincial Museum and has a good relationship with your grandfather."

"And that guy, the deputy director of the Municipal Bureau's Forensic Center, has a good relationship with your grandfather as well."

"Forensic Center, working for the police?"

"Do you think!"

After replying, Hao Jun pointed again, "The guy next to him, President Ding of the Municipal Calligraphy and Painting Collection Association, the vice president... doesn't get along with your grandfather!" "Why?"

"Professor Lin once found a bargain with him and bought a piece of Yu Youren's calligraphy at a very low price!"

Who, Yu Youren, the Cursive Saint of the Republic of China?

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment: My God, you are so awesome!

Being the president of a calligraphy and painting association, he must be an expert among experts. But for a ceramics researcher like me, picking up a copy of a calligraphy work from a calligraphy expert, isn't that like a slap in the face?

So, this is more than just a disagreement, this is a blood feud...

He immediately shook his head: "Then I won't go!"

"Professor Lin is so impressive, can you be a little more promising?" Hao Jun squinted his eyes and said, "Besides, your other relationships are fine. He's your only enemy, what are you afraid of? Besides, I'm here..."

hehe?

This fat guy enjoys watching the fun and doesn't mind making trouble.

It's quite strange. His inexplicable closeness to me was so sudden?

Just as he was feeling suspicious, Hao Jun pushed him and the two of them walked towards the long table.

Hao Jun introduced them one by one, Lin Sicheng greeted them one by one, and the experts nodded happily.

When it was President Ding's turn, he didn't even glance at Lin Sicheng and treated him as air.

He is not deaf, Hao Jun said clearly: This is Lin Changqing's grandson, a senior in the Cultural Heritage Department of Xi'an University, and he is better than his father.

Do you really dare to brag?

Lin Sicheng didn't care. He followed Hao Jun and took a look.

Several people gathered around a square bamboo basket, about half a meter in diameter and sixty centimeters deep. It was quite dirty, likely from years of neglect. Occasionally, in exposed areas, one could see the woven, varnished strips of bamboo.

The basket was filled to the brim: a square wooden box with words engraved on it, a gourd ladle carved with flowers, a small bowl printed with flowers, and a peach wood clip wrapped with silver foil.

There was also one that looked like a modern egg beater, but was made of bamboo threads and was already a tattered object.

Twenty-four instruments of the Tang Dynasty?

Of course it’s an imitation, but it’s quite coincidental.

There are very few tea utensils other than porcelain, and most of the items in this basket are bamboo and wooden utensils, which fall into the category of miscellaneous utensils.

It just so happened that there were not many miscellaneous experts present, and Hao Jun was the most famous and had the greatest background.

But he didn't say a word, letting President Ding point and criticize him, spitting everywhere:
"The patina is too light, and the strips are too new. It's clearly a contemporary object."

"The workmanship is average, and the engraving is also very average."

"The poem is even more half-literate and half-understood. You can tell at a glance that the author has no culture."

"How did you get something like this?"

The others were not as sharp as him, but they all thought that this thing was of little value.

After a few words of discussion, someone invited Hao Jun: "Secretary Hao, you are an expert in miscellaneous items, could you take a look?"

Hao Jun nodded, rolled up his sleeves, and commented as he looked at them: "Although they are all handmade works of art, they are indeed not very old, at most thirty or forty years old. The conception is quite good, but it is too hasty and impatient."

After a pause, he thought for a moment: "Like it was rushed out?"

Lin Sicheng secretly praised: Senior Brother Hao has a very good eye, this set of things was really rushed out.

One person pointed to the two lines of poetry on the box and asked, "Secretary Hao, does this poem have any origin?"

Hao Jun read it carefully:
West Lake Longjing is known as a treasure, and its frying is meticulous and the craftsmanship is superb.
The tender green buds are sweet and crisp, and the fragrance and delicious taste attract tourists.

"I'm sorry, I don't know much about poetry, calligraphy, and painting. I'm definitely not as good as President Ding."

After a brief pause, Hao Jun rolled his eyes and waved towards Lin Sicheng: "Come here, give me some advice!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chairman Ding laughed and said, "Secretary-General Hao, don't be ridiculous. He's not good at what he does, so why would you let him look after you?"

Hao Jun's eyes lit up immediately. "President Ding, don't say that. It would be bad if Professor Lin knew about it!"

"What's wrong with that? I said it to Lao Lin's face: I have to earn those eight hundred yuan."

Lin Sicheng sighed.

Where did the eight hundred yuan come from?

It is an old tradition of the relevant departments that some activities require inviting experts, and as long as people come, they will receive red envelopes, commonly known as travel expenses.

Although the old man did not come, Lin Sicheng represented the meeting. The relevant departments would not be so short-sighted, so he must have received a red envelope in the end.

So, what President Ding meant was: Lin Changqing is crazy because of poverty.

The enemy is not running away.

But what's wrong with this fat guy? Why does he keep adding fuel to the fire?

Wanting to guess secretly, Hao Jun poked him again: "Can you do it? Anyway, your grandfather will definitely be able to do it..."

Lin Sicheng cursed secretly, then exhaled: "Zhuang Wanfang!"

Hao Jun was stunned for a moment: "What Fang?"

"The contemporary tea saint, Zhuang Wanfang!"

Suddenly, the fat man's eyes lit up: I knew it!
(End of this chapter)