Amazement

Chu Chen said with a sigh, "Actually, there's something I can't quite understand. With such superb skills, why did this person put so much effort into counterfeiting antiques? If he took up a legitimate profession, he wouldn't necessarily make money any slower."

Old Liu also sighed when he heard this. "Ah, who knows what he was thinking? He clearly had such remarkable skills, yet he used them for crooked schemes. Our Antiques world has been ruined by too many selfish people like this."

Everyone felt uneasy after hearing Old Liu say that. This phenomenon was indeed far from uncommon. In recent years, antique counterfeiting had become rampant. Many people knew only profit and had no idea what virtue was anymore.

"All right, let's just focus on doing the right thing ourselves. No matter how much we think about it, we can't change anything. Beibei, don't be upset either. Making a wrong judgment is common in this line of work. Even I've made mistakes. It's not frightening to be fooled—the key is to learn from it and avoid making the same mistake next time."

Seeing Li Beibei's miserable expression, Old Liu comforted her, then turned to Uncle Wu with a smile.

"Ziping, what do you think? Wasn't what Little Chu said just now quite good? You completely lost your head because you care too much. Young people should be allowed to do things freely, and we have to trust them. As for old men like us, we only need to keep watch at the critical moments."

"Hehe, Old Liu, you're right. I've always treated Chu Chen like my own child, so sometimes I worry too much. Now that I think about it, these old bones of mine should retire to the second line. From now on, he can worry about his own affairs." After saying this, Uncle Wu's face filled with emotion.

Chu Chen hurriedly said, "Uncle Wu, please don't say that. There are still many things I need to learn from you."

Old Liu waved his hand and interrupted him. "All right, Little Chu. Being excessively modest at your age is arrogance. In our line of work, merely being taught won't lead to much achievement. The key is to practice and understand things for yourself. Your performance earlier was quite commendable, and you weren't even working in your main field. That makes it all the more difficult."

Chu Chen felt somewhat embarrassed after Old Liu praised him like that.

Li Beibei, however, felt extremely uncomfortable. Why did I buy the wrong thing, yet you get Grandfather Liu's praise? How infuriating!

Suddenly, she saw the brocade box Chu Chen had brought and thought, Well, let's see what good thing you brought. If it's no good, just wait and see how I'll tear you apart.

She pretended to speak casually. "Oh, Little Chu, what's inside the box you brought? Is it some especially precious antique? Why don't we take a look and appreciate it?"

Chu Chen knew exactly what she was plotting. He didn't particularly care, but the way she called him "Little Chu" made him feel so strange that a chill ran through his entire body.

Seeing this, Old Liu joked, "Little Chu, what good thing did you bring this time? Don't tell me it's as ridiculous as Beibei's."

Li Beibei pouted after hearing him. "Grandfather Liu, you can't put me down like that!"

Everyone burst into laughter at her expression, and the atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed than before.

Chu Chen placed the brocade box on the wooden table. As he opened it, he smiled and said, "This is an item I got yesterday while 'burying a landmine.' I brought it here today so everyone could examine it."

Li Beibei immediately said indignantly, "Hey, how can you be so rude? You got this thing by burying a landmine, and you still have the nerve to bring it here for us to look at, calling it 'appraisal'? Don't you have any shame?"

"Beibei!"

Seeing that Li Beibei had already begun criticizing Chu Chen without even looking at the object, Liu Qinshu reproached her, "Do you think Little Chu would bring an ordinary item here for my father to see? Is Little Chu really that shallow?"

Old Liu also joked, "Beibei, you really need to change that temper of yours. You're always so careless and rash. Be careful you don't end up unable to marry. Whether the item is good or not will be clear at a glance. Come on, let's see what good thing Little Chu brought."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned toward the brocade box. Old Liu was startled at first, then his face filled with excitement. Uncle Wu blinked repeatedly, unable to believe that what he saw was real. Having been immersed in antiques since childhood, Liu Qinshu also understood what was inside the box, and her face filled with astonishment.

Even Li Beibei, as foolish as she was, could tell that the object inside the box was extraordinary. She muttered softly, "What kind of luck does this person have? How did he manage to find a treasure while burying a landmine?"

Old Liu finally recovered and said excitedly to Chu Chen, "Little Chu, would you let me take a closer look?"

"Old Liu, what are you saying? I brought it here today precisely so you could appraise it. How could I possibly refuse to let you handle it?"

After Chu Chen agreed, Old Liu solemnly took out a pair of gloves. He carefully lifted the Ding Kiln large dish into his hands and began examining and verifying it inch by inch.

Ding Kiln was one of the Five Great Kilns of the Song Dynasty. It was a major porcelain tradition that rose after the white porcelain of Xing Kiln during the Tang Dynasty, and it was renowned for producing white porcelain. Its characteristics included fine clay, thin and lustrous bodies, pure white and glossy glaze, and tear-like glaze marks. The glaze was a white glassy glaze with a slightly powdery quality, which was why it was called powder Ding, also known as white Ding.

Ding Kiln represented the pinnacle of Song Dynasty porcelain and was highly esteemed by society and later generations. Liu Qi of the Yuan people once composed a poem praising it in Guiqianzhi: "The flower-patterned bowls of Dingzhou, their color the whitest under heaven." Cao Zhao of the early Ming also praised it in Gegu Yaolun: "Among ancient Ding Kiln vessels, those with fine clay veins and white, lustrous color are the most prized."

The Ding Kiln molded-flower large dish Chu Chen possessed had a simple design and elegant form. Its body was fine, dense, and thin, with an ivory-like texture that was timeless and quietly refined. The dish had a flared mouth, flat base, curved walls, and a ring foot. The unglazed exposed rim was fitted with a copper band.

The entire surface was covered in white glaze. The glaze was white with a yellowish tinge, and the outer wall clearly showed the spiral marks left by throwing, as well as the tear-like drips left when the glaze was applied. Zhang Yingwen of the Ming Dynasty wrote in Qingmi Cang: "Ding Kiln has plain and raised-flower varieties, with white as the proper color. The best are those with a white body and glaze flowing like tear marks."

Thus, from Zhang Yingwen's words, it could be seen that this Ding Kiln large dish was a masterpiece among Song Dynasty Ding Kiln wares.

Looking next at the interior, three molded string patterns ran along the rim. Beneath them was a design of peonies and curling grass vines. At the center of the dish was a molded round panel surrounded by a band of key-fret patterns, inside which were paired fish amid waves. The two fish seemed to leap in surprise between sea and sky, their bodies relaxed and graceful, inspiring delight at first sight.

The molded branch-and-peony designs on the inner wall had smooth, flowing lines, like spring breezes brushing willow branches, brimming with poetry. The key-fret outlines impressed among them greatly enhanced the three-dimensional effect of the decoration.

It could be said that the body, glaze, form, and decoration of this Ding Kiln molded-flower large dish were all exquisite. Simple yet elegant, luxurious yet restrained, it could certainly be regarded as a representative work of Song Dynasty Ding Kiln.

Even more remarkably, after nearly a thousand years, the dish had been preserved in astonishingly good condition. It was almost entirely flawless, which was exceedingly rare and further increased its artistic and collectible value.

While Old Liu admired it, the others had little to do. Uncle Wu suddenly remembered something and said irritably to Chu Chen, "You brat, since you got such a treasure yesterday, why didn't you bring it over for me to admire? I've wasted all that love on you."

Chu Chen hurriedly explained, "Uncle Wu, I really didn't do it on purpose. I got drunk drinking with Brother Zhou and the others yesterday, so I couldn't make it to your place. Think about it—I haven't even bought a safe yet. If I hadn't been drunk, how would I have dared leave something this precious at home overnight?"

Uncle Wu thought that made sense, but still lectured him. "You really need to drink less next time. Drinking can make you neglect important matters. If you accidentally damaged the thing, you wouldn't even have a place to cry."

Chu Chen nodded repeatedly in agreement. Seeing Uncle Wu scold him, Li Beibei felt secretly delighted. That'll teach you to show off!

After a long while, Old Liu put down the magnifying glass, carefully placed the Ding Kiln large dish back into the brocade box, and handed it over. Uncle Wu eagerly yet cautiously began admiring it as well.

Old Liu let out a long breath. "It really is an authentic piece. And it isn't merely genuine—it's a masterpiece. Every characteristic matches what should have existed in that era, and it can all be verified against the descriptions left by the ancients."

"What makes it even more remarkable is that this object is as intact as it was originally, virtually without a flaw. I have no idea how it survived from a thousand years ago until now. Overall, it's a rare and priceless treasure. Little Chu, I'm curious now—how did you come by it?"

There was nothing to hide, so Chu Chen briefly recounted what had happened the day before. Afterward, he added with a smile, "Even now, I still find the whole thing unbelievable."

After hearing about Chu Chen's experience, everyone looked at one another. They felt that the person who had "buried the landmine" was truly pitiful—he had entered a mountain of treasures, only to leave empty-handed.

Old Liu smiled. "I think fixed ideas were to blame. Both the person who sold it to the swindler and the swindler himself thought the object was too genuine, too good, and too perfect. None of them believed it was completely authentic, so Little Chu ended up getting it for practically nothing."

By then, Uncle Wu had also finished admiring it. He smiled and said, "In my view, it's just like that old saying from the ancients: treasures belong to those with virtue. Since the person who 'buried the landmine' lacked virtue, it makes sense that he was blessed to obtain it but had no fortune to enjoy it."

Everyone thought that really might be the case, and they all laughed.

Old Liu smiled and said, "Actually, I think the reason lies in Little Chu's state of mind. He takes matters seriously. If it had been you instead, after encountering someone who had 'buried a landmine' like that, would you really have carefully examined the object's characteristics instead of merely being cheated?"

Uncle Wu and the others thought about it, then shook their heads in unison.