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

Chapter 23: Poisoned Mouth

President Ding thought for a long time: "Who is Zhuang Wanfang?"

There were several people around, looking at each other, but no one said anything.

It seems that no one knows?
He patted Hao Jun again, his eyes twinkling with smiles: "Secretary-General Hao must know."

Don’t mention it, Hao Jun really didn’t know.

But he knew that Lin Sicheng's courage to say it in front of so many people was definitely not without purpose.

Think about that feather duster.

Think about that Vajrayogini.

Think again about the backflow teapot in the cultural relics company.

It was for this reason that he had a sudden impulse and half-jokingly let Lin Sicheng try it. Of course, it didn't matter if he couldn't do it, he just wanted him to show off in front of his seniors.

But I didn't expect that this kid could really tell the secret?

"It seems Secretary-General Hao doesn't know either?"

Ding Liang shook his head and sighed: "Tsk, we have so many experts, but we are not as good as a college student? Come on, Xiaolin, tell us about Zhuang Wanfang!"

This is a bit hurtful: it is you who has a grudge against Lin Changqing, not us.

That's not a big deal. Why would you embarrass a child in front of so many people?
Just as Hao Jun was about to speak, Director Guan from the Municipal Bureau's Forensic Center patted Lin Sicheng on the shoulder and said, "It's okay. Just explain it to Chairman Ding!"

Ding Liang snorted coldly, but didn't dare to say anything.

Now that things have come to this, why would Lin Sicheng back down?
At least we have to make President Ding understand that grandpa asked him to come not just for the 800 yuan.

Mr. Zhuang is a contemporary agronomist, tea scientist, and tea cultivation expert. He is a professor at Zhejiang University and Fudan University, and the founder of the contemporary tea cultivation discipline in China.

He has written books such as "Tea Cultivation," "Tea Tree Biology," "Tea Economics," and "Tea Trade." In the 1980s, he was awarded a letter of commendation personally written by a leader in the Great Hall of the People.

Seeing that Lin Sicheng spoke so clearly, everyone was stunned: Is there really such a person, and his background must be quite prominent?

Being awarded a certificate of commendation shows that one has made great contributions to the country and society. The previous evaluations are not really flattery.

Ding Liang pondered for a moment: "Isn't this just a scientist? What does this have to do with the cultural world?"

What it means is that different fields are like different worlds. Isn’t it normal that we haven’t heard of it?

After retirement, around the early 1980s, he was hired as deputy director of the Institute of Tea Ceremony Philosophy at Renmin University. He also served as a director of the Zhejiang and Fujian Tea Associations, overseeing tea culture research and the promotion of tea ceremony.

The first one is a research institute, and the latter two are the earliest official academic groups in China initiated by provincial departments and dedicated to promoting tea culture and tea ceremony theory to the world!

Hao Jun's eyes lit up: "President Ding, look, is it related to the cultural community?"

And the relationship is huge!
Ding Liang pointed at the bamboo basket with a cold expression: "Okay, so according to you, this set of tea sets was carved by him, right?"

"He didn't carve it, but he wrote the poem. But this set of things was definitely given to him!"

"how to prove?"

"It's been reported on the provincial news broadcast and in the provincial newspaper, but it's already very early!"

What the hell?
Everyone was stunned again.

"In 1988, Japanese tea beverage giant Ito En investigated the domestic tea market and planned to collaborate on building a large-scale tea plantation. Four potential locations were considered: Anxi in Fujian Province, Xinchang in Zhejiang Province, Gaoxian in Sichuan Province, and Pingli in Shaanxi Province..."

"Because Professor Zhuang has frequent exchanges with Japanese tea research groups and is well-known in the Japanese tea research community, and is also a director of the Fujian and Zhejiang Tea Culture Societies, he became one of the accompanying representatives of the delegation.

Afterwards, they went to Shaanxi Province for inspection. Although no agreement was reached, the relevant departments still presented exquisite local specialties to the inspection team and the accompanying representatives before leaving.

Knowing that Mr. Zhuang particularly admires Tang Dynasty teaware culture, he asked a local woodcarver to carve a set of 24 Tang Dynasty teaware for him…” Ding Liang narrowed his eyes. “Is this how a famous woodcarver carves?”

Lin Sicheng sighed, "It only took two days, and we finished twenty-four pieces. How can a famous artist carve them?"

Hao Jun chuckled: Even without eating or drinking, it's only forty-eight hours, an average of two hours per piece, and it has to be all handmade, so it's good enough if it can be carved neatly.

Of course, the term "famous artist" is relative. To be honest, from modern times to the present, Shaanxi Province has not produced any famous woodcarvers.

He clapped his hands cheerfully and pointed to the staff member in charge of recording beside him: "Let's check it on the computer first... Lin Sicheng, 1988, Ito Yuan, provincial newspaper, right?"

"The provincial newspaper only reported on the delegation's itinerary, while the gifts were reported in the evening newspaper and the cultural newspaper."

The staff was very quick and in a few clicks they pulled up the report about the inspection team from the provincial newspaper at that time.

The title is quite impressive: Carry forward the culture of tea ceremony and let Qin tea go to the world... and the trip of Ito En Group representatives to Pingli.

Looking at the morning paper again, the headline was equally impressive: Culture has no borders, folk art connects the world.

The article is very long, focusing on how happy and praising the delegation representatives were when they received local folk art pieces, such as facial masks, window decorations, and waist drums.

There are also photos, and the twenty-four instruments of the Tang Dynasty are ranked at the front.

Look carefully, isn’t it the basket on the table?
Including the poem on the tea bowl, the pattern on the ladle handle, and the silver decoration on the tea clip.

They are all experts, and it all depends on their eyesight. They can tell at a glance that this is definitely the same thing.

"So you didn't take it away then?"

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment and said, "Yes, it did. I guess it went around and flowed back."

You know what, this set of stuff is really heavy.

"And where did you get it from?"

"Teacher Hao, this tea set wasn't collected. We sorted it out from the museum's warehouse..." the staff member tapped on the computer. "Wait a moment, I'll check... Hey, it really was collected, but it was collected four years ago..."

"Where did you get it from?"

The staff member paused and said, "It's Director Liu from the Tea Culture Research Institute!"

Hey, did it really flow back?

This person is not an outsider, but a famous collector, and the institute is one of the sponsors of this exhibition.

Before thinking about it again, Ding Liang said arrogantly: "This poem is half-literary and half-intelligible. You can tell at a glance that the author has no culture."

"How did you get something like this?"

What a surprise! A scientist, a famous collector in the province?
Looking at Ding Liang's face, which looked more uncomfortable than if he had eaten shit, Hao Jun became happier the more he thought about it.

"Lin Sicheng, does your school also teach tea studies?"

Lin Sicheng said slowly, "The school doesn't teach it, but my grandfather does. He likes to study random things when he has nothing to do."

Hao Jun almost laughed out loud: What counts as a mess? Do calligraphy and paintings count?

This kid curses without using any dirty words, and his mouth seems to be filled with poison.

Ding Liang gritted his teeth, veins popping out on his forehead. It was only because his eyes couldn't kill, otherwise Lin Sicheng would have died eight hundred times over.

But he was not right, for example, he said: Lao Lin just wanted to make that 800 yuan?
Only Lin Sicheng has good self-control. If it were Hao Jun, he would definitely spit in his face.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, but he had no way to vent his anger. President Ding snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves and walked away.

(End of this chapter)