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

Chapter 325 Business comes to your door
Engraving names on watch dials was a long-standing tradition among European craftsmen since the invention of pocket watches in the late 15th century. Given that Emperor Kangxi ascended the throne in the mid-17th century, Lin Sicheng was not at all surprised that such things appeared in China.

What puzzled him was the person this name represented.

Ferdinand Verbiest was a missionary during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. He first went to Macau, then to Shaanxi, and was later summoned to Beijing. He was appreciated by Emperor Kangxi and took over the Imperial Observatory.

He first created astronomical instruments and reformed the calendar. Later, he served as the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, where he created geographical surveying instruments, improved artillery, and drew the "Complete Map of Geomancy".

This is the first map of China in history to be drawn using on-site surveying, astronomical observation and astronomical triangulation, and trapezoidal projection method, namely the "Kangxi Emperor's Complete Map of the Empire".

He was an astronomer, a geographer, and, more importantly, a scientist. Whether he actually made a pocket watch is not recorded in history.

But Lin Sicheng knew that for an inventor like him, who was extremely creative and even more skilled with his hands, replicating a pocket watch that was already quite advanced in terms of both craftsmanship and technology at the time was basically no challenge.

So, here's the question: Where was this watch made?

If it was made before Ferdinand Verbiest came to China and he brought it back from Europe, then it is an imported pocket watch.

It's hard to say whether it was the first imported pocket watch in China, but since only imperial concubines and above could use table clocks, and there were no more than twenty such clocks in the entire imperial palace during the Kangxi era, even if such a thing existed, it would probably have been in the single digits.

Let's count again, who can afford to wear it: the emperor, the empress dowager, the empress, or the crown prince?

It was no more than a slap, yet its historical and representative significance is self-evident.

But if it was made by Ferdinand Verbiest after he came to China, Lin Sicheng would bet his life on it: this is absolutely the first pocket watch produced in China.

It is at least the first miniature self-produced clock to be unearthed in history, and the first such discovery to date.

Looking at the workmanship and materials, Lin Sicheng was amazed and raised his eyebrows slightly.

The case is forged from gold sheet, with the background pattern engraved with diamond, edged with gold wire, and then dotted with enamel.

From top to bottom, the enamel glaze has at least twelve layers: three layers of low-temperature base glaze, eight layers of middle colored glaze, and one more layer of gold-edged sealing glaze.

Although enamelware originated in Europe, don't doubt it, foreign countries didn't have the technology, let alone the patience.

And don't bring up the fact that Ferdinand Verbiest was a foreigner, and that barbarians become Chinese when they enter China, and Chinese become barbarians when they enter China. He changed his name to a Chinese one, held a Chinese official position, and used Chinese materials. From any angle, it's a domestically produced watch.

And it is very likely the first domestically produced watch.

Lin Sicheng's heart skipped a beat: When it comes to cultural relics, the most feared thing is being number one.

But that's secondary; the key point is: the twelfth floor.

During the Qing Dynasty, all official wares were subject to grading regulations, including the glaze layers of enamelware: five layers for ordinary officials, six layers for officials of the fifth rank and above, and seven layers for officials of the third rank and above.

Within the inner palace, there are six ranks for concubines, seven ranks for imperial consorts, nine ranks for imperial noble consorts, and only twelve ranks for emperors, empresses, empress dowagers, and grand empress dowagers.

If you count on your fingers, there are only a handful of people who can use twelve layers of enamelware, so whose curtain has been stolen?
The tombs of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong were looted by Sun Dianying more than eighty years ago. All the treasures were stolen, and even the remains were lost. Only seven or eight people remained.

Looking at the rust color and the degree of acid corrosion, it is about one hundred to two hundred years old, so it is definitely not from the Yongzheng period, and it must be before the Xianfeng period.

It was either the Jiaqing Emperor or the Daoguang Emperor.

Looking again at the enamel multi-child pattern in the center of the watch case, he didn't know what to say.

A focused perspective, a fusion of East and West, Giuseppe Castiglione?
Lin Sicheng's eyes flickered, and his heart pounded.

It's not that he wasn't shrewd enough; no matter how shrewd he was, this was still an imperial tomb.

Compared to this, the concubine's tomb in Muling is worlds apart.

The problem is, with such strict local regulations and frequent patrols, how did the tomb raiders dig the tunnels and transport the items out?

Seeing that he was just staring at the watch case, neither opening it nor moving it, and without saying a word, the woman looked at him suspiciously: "Is it difficult to fix?"

She paused for a moment, then sighed, "Actually, my requirements aren't high. I don't need the watch to keep running; I just want the rust inside cleaned and the gold case and chain polished. If possible, I'd also like the enamel painting on the gold case repaired. I don't need multiple layers of enamel repaired; just enough to brighten the enamel and add some color..."

Lin Sicheng didn't say anything: This isn't a question of whether it's easy or difficult to repair.

Anyone who can repair it, and knows how to repair it, can definitely recognize its origin. And look at its condition—it's obviously a rip-off. Who would dare repair it?
To put it more tactfully, they could pretend not to hear; to put it more bluntly, they could make all sorts of excuses. Lin Sicheng was certain that unless it was donated to the Palace Museum as a cultural relic, no one in the world would dare to take on this job, no matter how high the restoration fee was offered.

Just as he was thinking about it, a thought flashed through his mind: Wait a minute... no one dares to answer?
Lin Sicheng suddenly turned around and stared at Li Jiansheng.

Li Jiansheng was confused: If you can fix it, then fix it; if you can't, then get lost. Why are you looking at me?
As he was cursing under his breath, he realized something was wrong: the kid wasn't staring at his face, but at the hand hanging around his neck.

He was stunned for a moment, then felt a sudden "buzz," as if his mind had exploded. The color drained from his face, and Li Jiansheng's complexion turned pale at a visible speed.

This kid figured out where the watch came from.

Moreover, they even guessed how his hand was broken.

But from beginning to end, it only took him a few minutes?
At first, Ren Danhua was completely confused, thinking that the child had only glanced at her, so why did Li Jiansheng act as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight?
His face was pale, his hands were trembling, and sweat was even seeping from his forehead.
Then, she seemed to realize something: the child wasn't looking at Li Jiansheng's face, but at his injured hand.

What happened to your hand?
She remembered that not long after this watch was delivered, Li Jiansheng fell down the stairs and broke his arm...

Suddenly, the woman had a flash of inspiration and her eyes widened. Her gaze, like two arrows, pierced straight into Li Jiansheng's face.

I was wondering what a coincidence it was that your hand broke right after the delivery.
So, it was because they were afraid of getting into trouble?
All the business I've brought you all year, has this old bastard lost his conscience?

The woman's face was gloomy, and her pupils contracted slightly.

Li Jiansheng's lips trembled as he tried to defend himself, but he didn't know where to begin.

How to argue?
If he hadn't deliberately broken his hand to deceive himself, how would he have known what Lin Sicheng meant by looking at his hand?
There were too many people, so the woman didn't say anything more, but gritted her teeth: "Fix the watch first, then I'll settle the score with you..."

She took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at Lin Sicheng with curiosity.

How old are you?

"twenty two!"

A glint flashed in the woman's eyes: "Good eye!"

"Excellent!"

The woman simply smiled.

She knew perfectly well whether she had received the award or not.

It took Li Jiansheng about two weeks after the watch was delivered before he suddenly broke his arm, which means it took him half a month to figure out where the watch came from.

How long did it take the child?

It only takes about seven or eight minutes from beginning to end.

They even figured out pretty much how Li Jiansheng's arm was broken and what the old man was thinking.

To be honest, she's been in this industry for quite some time, but this is the first time she's seen such an outstanding person.

"Can it be repaired?"

"It can be repaired, but it will take a lot of time!" Lin Sicheng lifted the watch cover, glanced at it, and pondered for a moment. "It will take at least a week, and at most a month!"

If it's just rust removal, cleaning, and resurfacing, why would it take a whole month?

The woman's eyelids twitched: "Can you walk?"

"Of course!" Lin Sicheng said with absolute certainty. "If it can't move, that's not called repairing a watch, it's just getting it washed!"

Suddenly, a light shone in the woman's eyes. She didn't speak, but just stared at Lin Sicheng's face.

After a long pause, he finally nodded slightly and said, "Okay!"

Lin Sicheng smiled and handed the watch back: "Goodbye!"

The woman smiled, then cupped her hands in a respectful bow: "Goodbye!"

With just two simple sentences, Lin Sicheng left without hesitation, cleanly and decisively.

The others were baffled: Wasn't it supposed to be about repairing watches?

The woman only asked if it could be fixed, but didn't mention whether she would let him fix it.
Lin Sicheng only said he could fix it, but didn't ask if you wanted it fixed.

Then one said goodbye, and the other saw the guest off; it was sudden, yet simple and direct.

Some went downstairs, while others watched them leave, harboring suspicions.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, and he heard the welcoming voices of the guests in the hall, Feng Shizong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

All talk and no action, as long as they get out of here, that's all that matters.

Ren Danhua didn't get the kid's phone number, and the kid didn't ask how to contact him, nor did he leave any address or other information, indicating that cooperation was not possible for the time being.

Of course, if Ren Danhua wants to find that brat in the future, she can definitely do so through Zhao Xiuxian. But to be honest, she hasn't been in the underworld for nothing all these years; how could she let them have any future?
Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, let alone a shady business like this. No matter how skilled that kid is, he has to be ruined.

After a moment's thought, Feng Shizong forced a smile, preparing to flatter the woman and then analyze the pros and cons for her.

After all, they are big spenders, and their business is worth millions a year; we absolutely cannot afford to offend them.

But as soon as he turned around, he suddenly froze.

The woman's expression was indifferent, her eyes like needles, fixed on Li Jiansheng.

The latter's eyes darted around, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something but dared not.

No, it was just a fleeting glance out the window?

Feng Shizong, not understanding the situation, looked back and forth between the two men's faces.

"Old Li, what's wrong?"

Li Jiansheng opened his mouth, but before he could finish speaking, he sighed.

Feng Shizong was bewildered. He looked at the woman again, who gave a cold laugh and said, "I'm leaving now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman turned and left.

Feng Shizong looked completely bewildered: No, everything was fine, who upset you again?
"Mr. Ren, let me give you a ride!"

"No need!" The woman waved her hand without turning her head. "Take care of things at the shop first!" Take care of what? Those two damaged items?

It's not like we haven't broken things before when we've repaired them.
If you can make excuses, then make excuses. If you can't make excuses, it's just a damaged item, so you can just give a token amount of compensation.

Just as he was pondering this, the woman had already reached the top of the stairs. Suddenly, she stopped and turned back: "Mr. Feng, could you ask Master Li how and when his hand was severed?"

Feng Shizong was even more confused: How else could it be determined?

I personally watched him fall down the stairs and break his leg.

If I had to pinpoint the exact time, it would have been about two and a half months ago; if I think about it, I'm almost fully recovered now.

As the woman came downstairs, Feng Shizong muttered: Could it be that she believed his brat's nonsense?
Should we even question this?
Through the window, he watched the woman leave the lobby. The driver opened the door first, and the woman got into the back seat. Perhaps watching them, Feng Shizong even waved with a fawning smile.

Then he turned around and paused for a moment.

Li Jiansheng's face was ashen, as if he had been hit by frost.

"Wait... Lao Li, what's going on with you?"

Li Jiansheng moved his lips, and after a long while, he sighed deeply: "Old Feng, there are twelve layers of enamel on that watch case!"

Twelve layers of enamel...wait, a royal artifact?
So what if it's a weapon? It's not like it hasn't been repaired before.

But suddenly, Feng Shizong was stunned: No, that's a fake antique.

They don't smuggle goods; on the contrary, they smuggle a lot of them, accounting for almost half of their business.

Since it's just repair work, not a sale, and we're only earning a small fee for our work, even if something goes wrong and we're investigated, the responsibility won't be significant.

But if you're digging up an imperial tomb, try building one yourself.
Let alone repairing it, even if you just happen to meet an old farmer on the road and he points out the way to a tomb raider, they'll have to stay inside for three months...

Feng Shizong suddenly realized: Old Li deliberately broke his hand like that?

Just now, the thief looked at his hand and said, "Master Li, your hand has been broken for about a month, hasn't it?"
Let's recall: In the two weeks immediately following his fall down the stairs, Old Li seemed quite relaxed. Apart from having his arm in a sling, he showed virtually no other symptoms.

But a little over a month ago, I suddenly took a week off, and when I came back, I was like a wilted eggplant...

Feng Shizong grew angrier the more he thought about it: "You fucking kept it from me too!"

"Fine, I won't hide it from you!" Li Jiansheng gritted his teeth. "If I told you this was just dug out of an imperial tomb, would you dare take the job?"

Dare to answer a fart?

At best, they'll close down and go bankrupt; at worst, they'll be imprisoned.

He was startled: "Which one?"

“I don’t know!” Li Jiansheng shook his head blankly. “The item is from the Kangxi era. As for who it was passed down to afterward and whose tomb it was buried in, I can’t tell.”

Feng Shizong suddenly had a whimsical thought: "Could it be one of those that has already been robbed, such as those belonging to Kangxi, Qianlong, or even Guangxu and Cixi? They were robbed a long time ago, and then buried somewhere else?"

"Do you think that's possible?" Li Jiansheng sighed. "Think back, how urgent was that woman's urging?"

Feng Shizong realized this too late.

In the past, Ren Danhua would deliver the items and rarely inquire about them. She would usually pick them up whenever they were repaired.

But for this one item, she would ask about it every two or three days, and about a week later, she would come to check on it in person. It was clear that the item was too important, and she was afraid of making a mistake.

It's a matter of great importance; it wasn't unearthed from an emperor's tomb, so there's no need for her to take it so seriously.

But Feng Shizong couldn't understand it.

With just one glance, that little brat figured out the origin of the pocket watch clearly and perfectly.
Even earlier, with just one glance, he could tell almost exactly when and how Old Li's arm was broken.

This is like Zhuge Liang having X-ray vision.
What he couldn't understand even more was how much guts this kid had.
He gritted his teeth: "If we don't dare to do it, how dare he?"

Li Jiansheng's face darkened: "Only a powerful dragon can cross the river!"

His eyesight wasn't top-notch, but he could at least tell whether the two Zhao brothers truly respected that kid or were just pretending.

The apprenticeship was just a pretext; most likely, the Zhao brothers had hired a top expert at great expense to establish their lineage and make a name for themselves in the capital.

The saying goes, "A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger..."

After a moment's thought, Li Jiansheng narrowed his eyes: "Ren Danhua's business is probably doomed!"

Does this even need to be said?
How can you expect to make money without taking any risks?
The problem is, some money you earn may not live to spend.

So after figuring it out, Feng Shizong didn't blame his old partner at all; instead, he was secretly grateful.

"So what if it fails? At worst, we'll withdraw our investment and never do business with her again!" Feng Shizong made a decision instantly. "This woman is getting bolder and bolder, daring to take any kind of goods? Sooner or later she'll send you and me to jail. The sooner we cut ties, the cleaner we'll be..."

Li Jiansheng nodded, the image of Lin Sicheng's face appearing in his mind.

I'm not afraid you can't do it, I'm afraid you don't dare to.

It's good if you can fix it, even better if you dare to...

As he pondered, a hint of malice flashed in Li Jiansheng's eyes: "Go ask around and see if you can plant a spy among Zhao Wonang!"

Feng Shizong immediately understood: Old Li wanted to set off a firecracker?
That woman is shrewd and ruthless. But before she went in, how could she have imagined that she and Lao Li would be willing to cut off a business worth millions a year so easily, and even dare to betray her?

By the time she realized what was happening, she was already inside. What was there to be afraid of?

"Isn't that simple?" Feng Shizong sneered. "People die for money, birds die for food, it's just a matter of spending a little money..."

……

Knowing that Lin Sicheng had something to tell him, Zhao Xiu chased his two sons and Fang Jin into his second son's car, and drove himself.

Wang Qizhi sat in the back seat, while Lin Sicheng sat in the passenger seat, his head down, his fingers constantly tapping on his thigh.

Knowing he was thinking, neither of them spoke, and they drove all the way to Panjiayuan.

As soon as the car stopped at the entrance, Lin Sicheng saw the plaque of Baishanzhai and suddenly realized what was happening.

"Senior Brother Zhao, could you please prepare a set of restoration tools for me: gold and silver, porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, and some necessary materials as well? Also, could you set up a table for me here at Young Master Zhao's place? It doesn't need to be anything too advanced, just traditional ones will do, but it needs to be done quickly."

Zhao Xiuneng belatedly realized: "That woman will come?"

"It may not be that woman, but even if it's not her personally, it must be a trusted confidante!"

Lin Sicheng breathed a sigh of relief. "Twelve layers of enamel glaze, 99% of the time it's an imperial watch. And it could very well be the first pocket watch in Chinese history. Even if it's just a matter of luck, we have to try our luck first!"

"But they'll definitely test me, at least to make sure I can really fix it. More importantly, to make sure I really dare to fix it..."

Zhao Xiuneng and Wang Qizhi were both startled: Imperial edict?

This is obviously a dud. Where else could such a thing come from besides excavating an imperial tomb?
Compared to that, the concubine's tomb in Yi County is nothing...

Whose grave?

"The item is from the Kangxi era. It has the English name of Ferdinand Verbiest, who should be the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and a Grand Master of Ceremonies. It was probably handcrafted by him. But it is not buried in the tomb of the Kangxi Emperor. Judging from the rust color, it is either the tomb of the Jiaqing Emperor or the Daoguang Emperor."

"That's not hard to find out; we'll know after they get here and do some testing. The key is this woman, and the people behind her..."

Lin Sicheng recalled, "That jade bear was unearthed in southern Hebei, roughly in the Cangzhou or Hengshui area. The tomb's rank was at least that of a duke. That gold filigree plate inlaid with turquoise was unearthed in central Hebei, most likely in Shijiazhuang. The tomb owner was either a prince or a duke."

The last item, a gold-engraved floral-patterned ruyi-shaped incense burner inlaid with jewels, was unearthed in northern Hebei, roughly around Zhangjiakou. It might have been further north, perhaps in Ulanqab or Xilin Gol. Therefore, it's highly likely it was unearthed from a Mongolian prince's tomb…”

"The key point is that the protective measures after excavation are exactly the same: acid-free cotton paper and aluminum foil are used to wrap the items to prevent light and oxygen. Then nitrogen is used to seal them to prevent sulfur and chlorine corrosion caused by sudden oxygen enrichment."

The pocket watch, and even the XJ red coin from Mashan, were all handled in the same way. The method is simple, but few know how to use it, and even fewer have the emergency preparedness and the necessary portable equipment for on-site detection. Therefore, I deduce that these items were all stolen by the same group…”

The two were startled: "Ma Shan?"

"It wasn't necessarily Ma Shan. He was the head of the brokerage, mainly responsible for receiving and selling the goods. The people who searched for the tombs, dug the wells, went down into the pits, and retrieved the goods were someone else."

The incident at Muling must have been caused by a sudden and major upheaval. For example, the leaders of the group that went down into the pit instigated an internal conflict, and Ma Shan was ordered to quell the rebellion urgently, which is why he resorted to such ruthless measures. Normally, he would at most remotely direct operations…”

"And this woman must be the ringleader of the group that specializes in handling leftover stock..."

"Just a leader?" Zhao Xiuneng was immediately startled: "Isn't she the head of the household?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "Definitely not, not even Ma Shan... How could the leader of such a large gang possibly show his face in public?"

Such gangs typically have at least three levels of vertical structure. Therefore, Lin Sicheng suspects that even the so-called boss in Ma Shan may not be in charge, and is 99% likely just a second-level leader.

Above that are the real bosses.

Zhao Xiuneng was secretly alarmed: A mere third-level leader dared to kill people with a gun, and several at that. How ruthless and powerful must that big boss be?

How large must this gang be?

Compared to Yu Dahai from Shaanxi, Yu Dahai is only fit to carry shoes.

The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. Even someone as bold as Wang Qizhi was starting to have second thoughts: even a cornered dog will jump over a wall, let alone a gang of extremely well-organized and vicious bandits.
His concern wasn't whether he could eliminate the mole, but rather what he would do before he could: the more he uncovered, the more nervous the mole protecting him would become. They might already know Lin Sicheng's role. If he made a rash decision, Lin Sicheng would be in danger.

But once the arrow is released, there's no turning back, and there's no reason to stand there and let someone cut you when a knife is at your throat.

Either don't do it at all, or do it thoroughly.

As he was secretly plotting a plan, Zhao Xiuxian, clutching his phone, quickly left the store.

Zhao Xiuneng rolled down the car window: "Second brother, what's wrong?"

"A new business has come knocking, and judging from the tone, it's probably quite substantial. But what's strange is that they're looking for Teacher Lin?"

"What object?"

"It wasn't said, but it was made clear that they wouldn't repair porcelain."

If not porcelain, what else could Lin Sicheng repair?
Wang Qizhi and Zhao Xiuneng exchanged a glance: Sure enough?
(End of this chapter)