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

Chapter 335 Arrest as soon as you leave the city
It was still the same command vehicle, and it was still Yan Wenjing.

However, one of the deputy branch leaders who was assisting was missing; only special operations personnel came today.

The two stood opposite each other, carefully examining Lin Sicheng.

His hair was permed, slightly curled. His eyebrows were groomed, like swords drawn from their sheaths. He had a fake beard, and his face was painted, making him look much darker and more mature.

At first glance, he looks to be in his mid-thirties; upon closer inspection, he looks like he's in his early thirties. In any case, he certainly doesn't look like a dissolute young man in his twenties.

He was wearing a slightly oversized suit, but his figure remained upright.

The makeup artist handed him a mirror. Lin Sicheng looked at himself and nodded in satisfaction: "It's ready!"

But Yan Wenjing was still a little uneasy. It might be psychological, but he always felt that Lin Sicheng looked pretty much the same before and after makeup.

Lin Sicheng was quite relaxed, "Captain Yan, those who recognize me wouldn't come here!"

"What if?" Yan Wenjing frowned. "Like that day at KFC, who would have thought Ren Danhua would also end up there?"

Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: "With the situation suddenly changing and decisions made on the spot, how can one be perfect?"

We can only adapt to the situation.

Just like that day at the mall: if I hadn't gone against the grain, feigning weakness to lure the man in the hoodie into a panic, at least half of the special agents arranged by Yan Wenjing would have been discovered.

Therefore, sudden changes are not scary; what is scary is the lack of timely and effective response measures.

Lin Sicheng stood up and straightened his suit jacket: "Don't worry!"

Even if he were to encounter Ren Danhua today, even if she saw through his disguise, Lin Sicheng could still hold his own for several rounds.

With a "whoosh," the car door slid open, and Lin Sicheng got out of the command vehicle.

A Honda minivan pulled up, and he got into the van.

Yan Wenjing picked up the walkie-talkie: "All groups, prepare..."

……

The morning mist was dissipating, the ghost market was about to close, and the dark stains of oil lamps still remained on the paving stones.

Once the exit gates were down, uniformed police officers, document enforcement officers, and tax officials were everywhere. Vendors were gathered in groups of two or three, or seven or eight, to register their information.

They say they'll take action, and they do it swiftly and decisively.

Only a very few people know that this batch of dumplings was specially made for the sake of this dish of vinegar.

There were still quite a few tourists, some looking at the novelties, and others pondering the items on the stalls.

The beautiful girl was wearing a trench coat, had a tall figure, charming features, and sported the latest trendy big waves.

She wore slightly heavy makeup and clung tightly to Lin Sicheng's arm, appearing exceptionally intimate.

But only the person being held knows how tense her body is.

Lin Sicheng said in a relaxed tone, "Don't be nervous!"

The female agent paused for a moment, then said, "Boss... I'm not nervous!"

Lin Sicheng smiled again: "Don't worry, I won't take advantage of you!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the female special agent blushed deeply.

She is young, but very experienced, having been involved in cases involving guns, explosives, and drugs, as well as more dangerous and complex cases than this one.

So, she wasn't entirely nervous; she was also a little excited.

Last time, on that day at the mall, she was also on the third floor. When the power went out, in case Lin Sicheng had an accident, Yan Wenjing arranged for her to go to the teahouse counter and pretend to be a customer buying tea.

When Lin Sicheng came out, he even smiled at her. She didn't realize it at the time, but later she understood that she had already been exposed.

Afterwards, Captain Yan issued an urgent order for nearby special agents to protect Lin Sicheng. She searched extensively but couldn't find him. Later, her team leader reminded her that in just a few minutes, Lin Sicheng had acted like a completely different person.

Then, she witnessed firsthand what Lin Sicheng did.

Stirring up the enemy in the grass, making a show of force to intimidate the tiger, feigning retreat to catch the prey, feigning an attack in one direction while striking in another, deceiving the heavens to cross the sea...

In less than ten minutes, Lin Sicheng had used almost half of the Thirty-Six Stratagems from the Art of War. If he hadn't reacted quickly and responded promptly, at least half of the special agents on the third floor would have been exposed.

There are few in the special operations team who possess such composure, calmness, and quick thinking in making on-the-spot decisions.

The key point is, he's still so young?

So when her supervisor told her to cooperate with Lin Sicheng, she didn't sleep well all night, worried that she wouldn't be able to cooperate well.

I never even considered whether I was gaining an advantage. Besides, it's for the mission, so isn't it normal to be a little affectionate?
She quickly changed her mind and looked back again.

He was wearing a denim shirt, but of course, he wasn't wearing denim today; he'd changed into a suit instead. He was quite muscular, and the suit was a bit too tight, as if it were about to burst.

Knowing what she was thinking, Lin Sicheng lowered his voice and said, "Don't look at him, he's not nervous!"

The latter grinned and said, "I'm just a bodyguard. I pretended to be mute the whole time. Why would I be nervous?"
If you encounter someone who doesn't know their place, just start fighting.

Besides, with Teacher Lin's skills and mental fortitude, you could make a piece of wood look alive even if you put it on him. Why are you so nervous?

Knowing he hadn't thought of anything nice, the female agent glared at him, took a deep breath, and tried to adjust her mindset.

Lin Sicheng didn't say anything more.

Today's event is relatively easy, with virtually no chance of exposure and no danger whatsoever.

He was just joking because he saw the female special agent was as tense as a steel bar, trying to distract her.

The three of them wandered aimlessly, stopping and starting as they went. Occasionally, Lin Sicheng would look at the items on the stall and throw in a few words of Taiwanese dialect.

Beside him was a mistress, and behind him were bodyguards; he was clearly a big customer, and the stall owners were extremely enthusiastic.

But most of the time they would just look at it, ask a couple of questions, and then Lin Sicheng would shake his head, smile, and put the things down.

It was indeed a bit shabby: I went to more than ten stalls, and there were at least a thousand or eight hundred items, whether they were valuable or not, but I didn't find a single genuine one.
It seems they've all heard the news and know the relevant departments are coming to inspect. This shows that even if there are genuine goods in the market, their origins are mostly questionable.

After wandering around for a while and looking at two more shops, Lin Sicheng stopped and glanced at one: Jinluzhai?
The plaque with black background and gold lettering has a strange name. At first glance, it seems to be selling antiques such as gold, silver, bronze tripods, and tinware, but it is not.

Standing at the bottom of the steps, you can see that there is an altar with three layers, facing the entrance, filled with statues of gods.

There is Taoism, there is Buddhism, there are the Three Pure Ones, there are Bodhisattvas. There is wood, there is porcelain, and there is bronze.

Whether it's a property under Song Chun's name or a place for selling stolen goods is still unknown, but there is definitely a connection.

After taking a quick look, Lin Sicheng stepped onto the stairs.

Everyone was probably busy, as there wasn't a soul in the shop until the wind chimes rang, at which point a man who looked to be around thirty years old emerged from behind the screen.

The man clasped his hands together and asked, "Sir, what would you like to order?"

Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "Let me take a look first!"

The nasal tone is somewhat heavy, the voice is somewhat soft, and when speaking, it sounds as if the tip of the tongue is pressed against the back of the lower teeth, and the airflow is squeezed out by brushing against the gaps between the teeth, and there is a distinct hook in the voice.

A glint of light appeared in the man's eyes: Huh, a Taiwanese guy?

Looking to the side: the female companion was extremely beautiful, and the bodyguard was incredibly strong.

Based on past experience, an accent like this, or a combination like this, basically means: rich and blind.

Very shrewd, but not shrewd enough.

If you have a high wrist and a quick reaction, you'll likely be able to deliver a powerful blow.

The man hunched over, a smile plastered on his face: "Boss, please take a look first. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Okay!"

Perhaps feeling that pretending to be mute all the time wasn't quite right, the female special agent pondered for a moment and pointed to the horizontal plaque above the confession table.

This time it's not "Jinluzhai" but "Xuanjilou", and it's not black with gold lettering but gold with red lettering.

"Boss, why is this shop's name so strange, and there are two of them?"

Lin Sicheng glanced at it: "The Golden Furnace receives the Daoist secrets, and the Jade Tablet unlocks the profound mysteries. It comes from the 'Four Daoist Poems Written by Imperial Order' by Zhang Yue, a Tang Dynasty writer, who was commissioned by Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji. It means that one is endowed with spiritual power and understands the profound mysteries of immortality."

"Black is the mystery, representing the water element of the Five Elements, symbolizing the primordial chaos. Gold is the yang, representing the alchemical path, shining like the sun, which is why Taoist temple plaques are mostly black with gold characters."

In Buddhism, gold represents the Buddha's Dharma body, hence the saying "transcending the golden body." Red represents wisdom and is also sacred fire, which purifies all evil. Therefore, Buddhist temple plaques are often yellow with red characters...

A strange look flashed in the man's eyes: He can talk nonsense so easily, this guy seems to know a lot about fighting?
He might just be a Buddhist or Taoist.

But that's alright. No matter how knowledgeable he is, he only knows Buddhist and Taoist teachings. What we're selling here are "antiques"...

The female special agent was taken aback: she had only asked casually, but she hadn't expected Lin Sicheng to actually be able to answer it.
No wonder when guests come in, they are not called "boss" but "benefactor"?
Looking back: the shop is filled with statues of deities, memorial tablets, prayer beads, fly whisks, incense burners, and water bottles.

It's either Buddhist or Taoist. I don't know if it's genuine, but it looks quite old.

After a moment's thought, she exclaimed with admiration, "Boss, you really know your stuff!"

It wasn't an act; I genuinely admire him.

Lin Sicheng didn't say anything, but the bodyguard behind him chuckled to himself: "I told you to play the mistress, not the fangirl."

Never mind, the effect is the same...

There were quite a few things, but Lin Sicheng looked at them casually. After glancing at them, he picked up a silver tortoise-shaped bottle.

It's quite large, about a foot long, six inches wide, and half a foot high. It's also quite heavy, weighing about a pound.

Its design is unique: it resembles a tortoise, with a raised back and engraved tortoise shell and brocade patterns all over the body. There are openwork holes in the mouth, nose and neck, and the four legs are hollow.

The signs of aging are very obvious: the black color is uniform, dirt accumulates and crystals form in the grooves, cinnabar spots are occasionally seen on the back, and the base is as bright as a snowfield.

However, the workmanship is mediocre: the fetus is uneven, with varying thickness, and the abdomen is covered with dense white lumps that are sharp like bone spurs.

Gilded silver artifacts unearthed from standard water pits show signs of gilding peeling off entirely due to electrolyte corrosion.

It's not a newly unearthed artifact, but it's definitely not a heirloom either. If Lin Sicheng were to break it, it would have been unearthed about thirty to forty years ago.

Seeing Lin Sicheng looking at it so intently, the female agent became extremely curious. Besides, her task today, besides being a decorative figurehead and playing the role of a mistress, also included acting as his straight man. After glancing at it a few times, she looked bewildered: "Boss, what is this?"

"A gilded silver box with a tortoise-shaped knob!" Lin Sicheng flipped it over. "It's a Taoist item; it can be used to store elixirs or as an incense burner!"

"You have a good eye!" The man gave a thumbs up. "This is an imperial edict from the Shaofujian (later renamed Shangfangjian, which was in charge of making ceremonial objects and palace supplies in the early Tang Dynasty, similar to the Imperial Household Department in the Ming Dynasty and the Imperial Household Department in the Qing Dynasty). It is a genuine heirloom!"

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment: Tang Chu, you really dare to say that?

This thing is indeed quite old, and it does resemble Tang dynasty style, but it's just a copy. It dates back to at most the mid-Qing dynasty, only about two hundred years ago.

This guy opens his mouth and moves forward more than a thousand years.
If they still issue imperial edicts and continue this kind of work, it wouldn't be unjust for everyone in the Imperial Household Department to be beheaded.

Lin Sicheng shook his head and put it down: "The folk craftsmanship of Shanxi during the Qing Dynasty was characterized by iron inlay, heavy hammers, and bold, expansive strokes, but lacked refinement. Late Qianlong period, early Jiaqing period!"

The man froze, his eyelids twitching involuntarily a few times.

He knew exactly whether the items in his shop were from the Jin Dynasty or the Qing Dynasty, even though they had been there for several years.

But Hai Bian only glanced at it a few times?
Without a doubt, this person is an expert.

He clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, then pointed to the side and said, "Take a look at this one too. It's definitely a five or six hundred-year-old artifact, a genuine Ming Dynasty piece..."

Lin Sicheng glanced at it: This time it's bronze?

With a long neck, full shoulders, round belly, and plain surface, the bottle tapers towards a circular foot. The mouth is small and slightly flared, the neck is slender and upright, the belly is round and full, and the outline is soft. Although the circular foot is short, it is well-proportioned, and the whole bottle is stable and beautiful.

The aging characteristics are more obvious: green with a bluish tinge, and faint traces of silver antiquity. The green rust resembles clusters of crystals, the blue rust is like layers of velvety crystals, and the dotted red spots are as bright as cinnabar.

The female agent continued to play the straight man: "Boss, what's this?"

"The water bottle, also known as the bathing bottle, is one of the eighteen items of Buddhist monks. Originally used to store water for drinking or washing hands, it gradually evolved into an offering vessel before the Buddha and an elegant decorative item."

Lin Sicheng picked it up: "The peacock blue is too dense, and the crystal lattice is too neat, so it should be chemically plated copper. The cinnabar spots are floating on the surface and lack a sense of layering. The soil contains sand, but it is too fine and rounded, and the mouth and foot corners are as sharp as knives..."

After glancing at it a few times, Lin Sicheng put it down again: "Sulfuric acid carbonization, then electrolytic rust induction, followed by ammonia fumigation to solidify the rust. Finally, bury it in sand to simulate soil staining... Forget about the Ming Dynasty, let's not go through five hundred years, five years at most..."

The man was speechless, dumbfounded: Damn, a real expert has arrived?

The silver tortoise in front could be considered a coincidence, but is this bronze vase also a coincidence?
Let's be clear: the difference between genuine and counterfeit products isn't a river, but a chasm.

But whatever, you can do whatever you want, I'll just not cut the price. If you like it, buy it; if you don't, just leave...

After a moment's thought, the man shut his mouth, offering neither introduction nor sales pitch.

Continuing to look at the items, after looking at about five or six, Lin Sicheng picked up a string of prayer beads.

Made of white jade, the beads are about the same size, with several turquoise stones set in the center. The top bead is made of red agate, and a gourd-shaped agate bead is strung at the bottom.

This gourd is quite strange, and what's even stranger is that it's exceptionally long.

A rough count reveals at least three hundred beads, three times the number of ordinary prayer beads.

Lin Sicheng glanced at it, then wrapped it around his wrist: "Manager, how much?"

The man was somewhat suspicious: Why ask how much it cost without asking about its origin or era?

Upon closer inspection, ordinary white wax stone is generally sold by weight. So although it's an antique, the price isn't high.

Thinking back, the cost price seems to be a little over a thousand.

The man's mind raced: "Nine thousand!"

"Too high!" Lin Sicheng said, fiddling with the beads. "Two thousand!"

Is this the price you're offering?

It's just enough to make a little money, but not much?

The man shook his head: "At least eight thousand!"

Lin Sicheng didn't say anything, and casually untied it. Just as he was about to put it in the box, the man stretched out his hand and said, "Sanqian, you can take it!"

Lin Sicheng paid on the spot without hesitation.

Without looking again or asking for the box, the three of them casually wrapped it around their wrists and left the store.

This isn't a shopping mall, so there aren't many surveillance cameras, but the command vehicle could hear it clearly: Lin Sicheng bought an antique.

This wasn't part of the plan, the female agent joked, "Boss, what if we get stuck with this?"

It means what if they don't reimburse me?

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "If we can't smash it, we can still make a profit."

"what?"

Lin Sicheng unfurled the beaded chain, "These are not ordinary prayer beads, but the 'flowing beads' of the Zhengyi sect. The number of beads varies depending on the Taoist's rank: Chuzhen (a newly initiated Taoist) uses twelve, twenty-four, twenty-eight, thirty-two, or thirty-six. Mengwei (purple-robed) uses eighty-one or one hundred and eight, while Sandong (high-ranking Taoists) use three hundred and sixty-five..."

The *Taishang Sanyuan Liuzhu Jing* states: "(The Celestial Master) receives 365 white pearls, round and bright, each the size of a tung seed, corresponding to the degrees of the stars and the times when the sun and moon meet." This means that only the Celestial Master can use white pearls…

Lin Sicheng pointed to the agate gourd: "The Jade Pivot Classic says: Beneath the North Star, there are three platforms... What is the North Star? The Emperor Star. What are the three platforms? The Three Dukes... Therefore, this should be a Celestial Master's Pearl. Judging from its aging, it is probably from the late Ming Dynasty or early Qing Dynasty..."

He paused briefly, then pointed to the red top bead: "The *Beidou Jing* says: 'The North Star displays its signs, and all the stars revolve around it. The Ming Dynasty is associated with the element of fire, so there's a high probability that it represents the Ming Dynasty, an imperial edict...'"

Don't underestimate the material; it might just be ordinary white wax stone. But without a doubt, it's white jade produced in Longhu Mountain. Who knows, it might even have been polished by the Celestial Master himself…”

The two special agents blinked, looking at the prayer beads, then at Lin Sicheng, then at the prayer beads again, then at Lin Sicheng again.

Teacher Lin, we're here today to carry out a mission, right?

You're doing this, trying to snag a bargain?
"It's just a piece of cake!" Lin Sicheng wrapped the wrist again. "Find a knowledgeable dealer to sell it to, just say you bought it from Jinluzhai. Don't worry, the news will spread in less than half a day, and the effect will be even better. Plus, it'll help you earn some case-handling funds..."

The two special agents remained silent: their superiors had made it very clear: they would do exactly what Lin Sicheng told them to do.

Furthermore, they didn't even know what the specific tasks entailed, so they didn't dare to interrupt.

But Yan Wenjing and the deputy captain perked up: "You know what, the effect is actually even better!"
Knowing they were eager to solve the case, Lin Sicheng didn't keep them in suspense. He glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered his voice: "The shop has some items, but not many, and they're all quite old. Most are over twenty years old..."

This refers to unearthed artifacts, naturally. The "twenty years" refers to the time since they were unearthed.

Yan Wenjing and Deputy Chief Jin exchanged a glance: Twenty years is barely enough to shut down this shop. Trying to find clues, make an example of them, or lure them out is probably unlikely.

Just as he was sighing inwardly, Lin Sicheng fiddled with the button on his shirt collar: "But judging from the dust on the shelves, there must be more stuff in the store than this, and most of it was moved away between yesterday and today..."

Huh, it was moved overnight?
What were those displayed before? Most likely stolen goods…

But even before the action plan was issued, there were sentries watching the area, so the goods definitely hadn't been moved yet.

The question is, how do you investigate? Do you just shut it down directly?
Without any evidence, even if Yan Wenjing dared to do it, the detachment leader and deputy chief Sun would not agree.

Just as he was racking his brains, the communications officer pressed his earpiece: "Captain, Team Three reports that a van has stopped at the back door of Qianjinfu. Two men got out and knocked on the door for a while, but no one answered. They're now going around to the front door..."

So, they were planning to move the stolen goods?

Yan Wenjing gripped the walkie-talkie: "Teacher Lin, you guys retreat first..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Sicheng shook his head: It's too late, and there's no need to retreat.

Not far away, only about ten meters, an old man and a young man came out of the passageway and walked this way.

His eyes were bloodshot, clearly he hadn't slept much. His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was a mess, like a bird's nest.

His face was grim, clearly showing his anger. The moment he stepped across the threshold, a string of curses erupted: "Sheng Qingfeng, you good-for-nothing! You won't answer the phone, and you won't open the door when I knock..."

The man who had come out from behind the counter was probably explaining when the older man waved him aside, saying, "What's wrong with what the boss said? Even a boss has to be reasonable..."

They were about to break through the well (open the tomb roof), and now they're stopping just like that? And not only that, they insist I come to collect the goods?

"Do you even know where that is? A desert! It's nothing but sand. Even a tank would get stuck, let alone a car. I walked all night trying to get out... Wait, what the hell, where's Lao Sheng...?"

Lin Sicheng's heart stirred, and he glanced inside.

The man who had just tried to close the door was yelled at by the person inside. Then, with a "bang," an old man and a young boy were pushed into the inner room.

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment, then squeezed the microphone: "Captain Yan, is the van still there?"

"Yes, right at the back door!"

"Let's go take a look!"

Without hesitation, Lin Sicheng followed the path the two men had taken.

Knowing this would happen, Yan Wenjing was fortunate to be well-prepared and quickly sent people to meet him.

The corridor wasn't long. When we got out, the suit and shirt had been replaced with a wool cardigan. The beard was gone, and a hat was on his head.

Without the two special agents following him, Lin Sicheng strolled leisurely, unhurried, just like a passing tourist.

The car was old, a nine-seater Jinbei van with a "冀G" license plate. A toll receipt lay under the windshield: Zhangji Toll Station.

The car was covered in dust, and there were clumps of dry mud mixed with sand stuck in the cracks of the windows.

The glass was covered with a film, so it was impossible to see whether anything was inside. Fearing someone was watching him from inside, Lin Sicheng didn't dare to go around in circles, only glancing at it a few times along the way.

Just before they parted, he glanced at the pedals, then at the rims and tires. Suddenly, Lin Sicheng's pupils contracted, and he bent over sharply.

He pretended to pick something up, wiping his hand on the footboard. But it was extremely quick; he squatted down and stood up in less than two seconds.

Continuing forward, Lin Sicheng tried hard to recall.

The accent of Zhangjiakou, the license plates of Zhangjiakou. Just came out of the desert, passed the Zhangji toll station in Kangbao County, on the border of Hebei and Inner Mongolia.

The key issue is the residue on the treadmill: red and yellow clay mixture, cinnabar rammed earth, kaolin, tung oil-based clay, willow charcoal dust...

They've actually broken through the golden well; the next step is to open the coffin...

"Captain Yan, keep an eye on those two who just went in. Arrest them as soon as they leave the city!"

"Ah, the one receiving the goods?" Yan Wenjing was taken aback. "What if it isn't?"

"They just came out of the pit. Even if they don't accept the goods, they'll still arrest them." Lin Sicheng sighed. "They dug up the tomb of Princess Gulun..."

(End of this chapter)