Definitely a fake.
Xia Shao's words made Wang Fei, Bi Fang and Yingzhao all look up at her. But before the three of them could speak, Xia Shao looked at Yingzhao and asked with interest: "I want to know the reason why Miss Yingzhao determined that the mural is authentic? As far as I know, even if you study Dunhuang murals, Even experts with decades of experience have to pay attention to such a mural."
"Then what is the basis for Ms. Xia's judgment that it is a fake?" Yingzhao asked, but then he suppressed his emotions. Although she made a mistake just now, she is still very confident in her judgment. She is not afraid to talk about the reasons for the appraisal to see whose eyesight is accurate!
"I can't say for sure whether this mural was painted by Wu Daozi, but it is at least a painting from the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. In the early days of Chinese painting, there was no smudging. It was not until the Warring States and Han Dynasties that people began to smudge their faces. Later, influenced by Buddhism in the Western Regions, it was improved, and the sfumato technique reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty! This mural is impeccable in the sfumato technique, and the lines are the orchid leaves popular in the Tang Dynasty. The center is explored and rounded. , plump, thick with sweat, soft on the outside and strong on the inside." Yingzhao's words made Wang Fei and Bifang look at each other and sigh.
They all know Yingzhao's temperament. She is always capable in her tasks and always focuses on the key points when speaking. She rarely talks in such detail. Obviously, she was very unconvinced and wanted to have a showdown with Xia Shao. Xia Shao started out in the antiques industry. If he loses to Yingzhao in this aspect, I'm afraid it won't be a good idea.
However, the two of them really believe in Yingzhao more. This is not because they are teammates, but...
"Of course, what I said does not rule out that experts can copy it, but my judgment is mainly based on the pigments! The reason why Dunhuang murals have not faded for thousands of years is that the ancient ancestors had the world's leading pigment production technology and chemical technology. The Dunhuang murals Pigments include natural gems, minerals and artificial compounds! These can be measured with instruments, and I have the most advanced testing instruments on hand!" Yingzhao smiled slightly and stretched out his hand. There is a watch on her wrist. It looks ordinary, but when you open the dial above, you will see an instrument with very responsible hands.
Yingzhao raised her neck, this was her trump card, "Although I have only been in contact with the mural for a short time, the colors on it can be reflected on my instrument for quick analysis! Of course, through obstacles, its accuracy There will be a certain error, but the advantage is that it facilitates quick and preliminary judgment. This is the most advanced instrument in the world, and I believe its accuracy is higher than that of any expert!"
As for how Yingzhao used this instrument, she did not explain clearly. First, it was confidential; second, she felt that even Xia Shao might not be able to understand those operating methods, spectra, chromatograms and chemical names.
Xia Shao sat on the sofa with a smile, glanced at the advanced equipment on Yingzhao's wrist with interest, and finally showed a clear expression. It turns out that no matter how experienced the expert is, his vision will always be biased and inaccurate, let alone Yingzhao, who is in his mid-twenties? Even though she has received specialized training, the field of antique appraisal is not a hard knowledge, but requires accumulation, accumulation and vision. When encountering a mission involving antiques, no matter how smooth and exciting the mission process is, if the counterfeit is returned in the end, the mission will fail. For such a significant event as the return of Dunhuang murals, it is impossible for the country to bear the consequences of taking back the fakes. This would be tantamount to being ridiculed by all countries in the world. Therefore, the country does not completely trust human judgment and eyesight, but equips the agents in action with the most advanced detection equipment.
No wonder, Xia Shao started out in the antique industry and was well-known for her expert appraisal skills. This time when she went abroad to participate in a mission, the old man didn't even mention asking her to help identify the authenticity of the murals. It turns out that the agent has a trump card!
This instrument is indeed quite advanced. It can conduct a preliminary analysis of the color of the mural without touching it, so that the agents can make preliminary judgments and further deployment. Xia Shao believes that if it succeeds at a later stage, Yingzhao will definitely conduct a contact test on the mural to ensure that it is authentic.
But... can this instrument really be relied on
Xia Shao smiled meaningfully. No matter how advanced the instrument was, it couldn't match her eyes. If that mural was truly authentic from a thousand years ago, time would have accumulated a deep vitality of heaven and earth on it. Especially for a cultivator like her, she would instinctively feel very comfortable when seeing that painting. But alas—no!
That mural is indeed a fake!
Of course, the basis for Xia Shao's judgment that it was a fake did not come entirely from the help of her Heavenly Eye ability. She put down the teacup, folded her hands, and looked at Yingzhao leisurely. Facing her confident, proud and even provocative gaze, she smiled, " Miss Yingzhao, your most advanced instrument in the world can detect colors, but dare I ask, can it detect soil layers?"
The various expressions on Yingzhao's face froze!
Wang Fei and Bifang, who were already winking at each other and trying to think of ways to save Xia Shao's face, froze with anxious expressions on their faces!
Soil layer? !
"Miss Yingzhao knows so much about antiques that she should know that one of the interesting things about Dunhuang murals is that they do not fade but change color. The reason why Miss Yingzhao has just said that it does not fade is because ancient pigments contain many gems, minerals and chemicals. Substances. However, there are many reasons for the discoloration of pigments. One is that after thousands of years of oxidation, the color of Zhudan and the blended colors containing Zhudan will completely change the color of the original painting. The second is that if the pigment contains plant ingredients, it will undergo oxidation. It fades and is covered up by the color of the lower layer; the third is soil quality! The soil in Dunhuang contains a large amount of alkaline elements, which becomes a catalyst for the chemical reaction of the pigments. What I want to say is the soil quality!"
Xia Shao's eyes narrowed and she suddenly emphasized, "The soil in Dunhuang is the seabed that has been soaked by sea water! If this were a mural painted during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Miss Yingzhao thinks the soil under the mural would be what we see today. Is it yellow, stiff, and shows no signs of weathering?”
Sea, seabed? Traces of wind erosion? !
Yingzhao's expression had changed several times. Her previous confidence, pride and provocation all collapsed with Xia Shao's stern tone!
Wang Fei and Bi Fang had already opened their mouths. Although they were agents who had experienced various tasks for a long time and were always good at concealing their emotions, they could not help but look shocked at this moment!
Earthy? Who thought about soil
When seeing the Dunhuang murals, I believe that anyone in the world will first be attracted by the magnificent scenes painted in the murals, by the gorgeous colors that have not faded for thousands of years, and by the plump and beautiful characters. Who can Will you look at the inconspicuous and ugly soil below
"You know that there are masters in the world who can copy and restore a mural. Then do you know that modern research on ancient pigments can help replicate ancient pigments?" Xia Shao had no smile at all at this time. Since ancient times, there have been amazing people among the people. Not to mention others, there is a master in the Huaxia Group who can make the pastel porcelain from the Kangxi, Yongzong and Qianlong periods look fake! There must be such strange people in the world! Some mineral pigments used in Chinese paintings are still very traditional. Some villages in China far away from the city still retain the technique of extracting plants as cloth dyes. There must be experts in the reproduction of ancient pigments! The trade of counterfeiting has been around since ancient times, and the techniques of counterfeiting have also been passed down. It has been a family tradition for a long time.
"Miss Yingzhao, I don't want to point fingers at your abilities. I don't want to talk about the tasks you successfully completed in the past. I will only talk about this time. This time, if you trust the instrument too much, all you will get is a lesson! The smartest person in the world , The most trustworthy thing is always the human brain. If you give up thinking and hand over the power of judgment to the cold instrument on your wrist, then you have already lost." Xia Shao said coldly.
Yingzhao's face had become expressionless. She didn't just lose? Not only did he lose face, but he also lost his standard as an agent.
She always thought that she had a trump card, and she dismissed Xia Shao's vision and judgment. She is younger than her, only twenty years old! Although there are rumors that she has extraordinary eyesight, Yingzhao does not think that her ability to appraise antiques will be worse than Xia Shao's because of her specialized training. And she also carries the most advanced instruments in the world, which are incomparable to the human eye. But the result shattered her confidence and pride!
The lines, style and even the paint of the painting are like the flashy surface of something. She cares so much about these surfaces that she forgets the most essential layer of painting. It can be said that she didn't forget it, but she never thought about it before Xia Shao said it! This is enough to prove that when it comes to antiquities appraisal, Xia Shao's eyesight is better than hers and her instruments!
This was like a slap on Yingzhao's face. She was the one who was unconvinced. She was the one who was showing off her antique appraisal knowledge to compete with others. She was the one who wanted to embarrass Xia Shao in front of Xu Tianyin with the most advanced equipment in the world. It was her, but she was also the one who got hit hard in the end.
Treating people as peripherals, and now relying on peripheral reminders, she realized that she almost made a serious mistake that led to the failure of the mission and the embarrassment of the country!
"What Shao said, no one has any objections anymore, right?" At this moment, Xu Tianyin spoke, still in the same cold tone, but it made Yingzhao's face turn red! She felt like a clown, and her thoughts in the competition just now were like juggling the same task!
"No objection! Thank you so much, Miss Xia." Wang Fei said, his tone solemn and his eyes changed. Previously, he had regarded Xia Shao as an assistant in this mission. Although he never meant to look down on her, he did not take her too seriously. At most, because she is the captain's fiancée, he should have more respect for her. But at this moment, he looked at Xia Shao with unabashed admiration and admiration! Even the most advanced testing instruments in the world are not as good as her eyesight. The girl in front of her really has the real stuff! No wonder he has achieved such success in the business at such a young age. It seems that he is not lucky.
Bi Fang shrugged with a wry smile and joked to Xia Shao: "Ms. Xia, have you considered changing your career? I think you have the potential to be in our field."
"No!" Xu Tianyin refused without waiting for Xia Shao's reply, looked at Bi Fang with a cold look, and uttered two words concisely and coldly, "Danger."
Bi Fang was so stared at that the bitter smile on his face collapsed. He was just joking. Why is the captain so serious
Xia Shao chuckled lightly at this time, "I think I still prefer making money."
…
Xia Shao no longer had any objections to Xia Shao's identification of the Dunhuang murals in the British Museum as fakes. Then they all sat on the sofa and discussed what to do next.
"The people from the Ladis Group are careful, but unfortunately the fake is surrounded by tempered glass, and we can't install a tracker on it. But it just happened. The riot has just ended, and the fake is still in the British Museum. It happened in the morning The commotion may have alerted the snake. Ladis may keep the fake in the museum to attract attention from all parties, or he may put the fake away. If they plan to put away the fake, it would be too big a target to transport it during the day. , will definitely take action at night. I can go back to the museum and watch the movement over there to see where they are transporting it! However, if they don't move this fake, it will be a little more difficult for us." Bi Fangbian said Bian's fingers were tapping rapidly on the computer in front of him, which showed the current situation of the British Museum.
Yingzhao sat aside and said nothing. Wang Hui said: "This huge Dunhuang mural is definitely a national treasure. Such a treasure cannot be placed anywhere else. It must be hidden in their family. This family has two With a history of more than a hundred years, there must be a secret vault! It’s just not easy for us to find it, but it’s not impossible to try. We just have to wait until the auction summit opens to find a way to divert the tiger away from the mountain and sneak in secretly! However, This mural is too difficult to move, and the four of us have problems moving it. So I hope the captain will contact the above in the next few days and ask for manpower to help!"
Xu Tianyin nodded to Wang Hui and agreed to his proposal, but looked at Bi Fang and said: "There is no need to go to the museum anymore. I will know if the fake is moved."
Wang Fei, Bi Fang and Yingzhao were all stunned. Is the boss kidding
But anyone who knows Xu Tianyin's temperament knows that he never jokes. If he says this, then he must have a way! The boss was also like this in his previous missions. For some top-level difficult missions that seemed impossible to complete, he always had an incomprehensible way. After all their years with him, they still find some of his abilities a mystery. But it is undeniable that any task that they cannot complete is no problem in his hands!
Xia Shao smiled after hearing this. Others couldn't understand it, but she knew it. When the senior brother left just now, he channeled a bit of his own vitality onto the fake, which was more effective than a tracking locator. As long as the fake doesn't leave the UK, he will definitely be able to sense it!
Moreover, with her here, the difficulty of this mission will be reduced. Whether or not the real thing is hidden in the Ladis family, and where it is hidden, she can tell with a quick look. This can also save Wang Fei and others from the danger of sneaking into the Ladis family to search. Once they find their target, they just need to find a way to transport it away. Although this mural is too big, it is very difficult to transport it without being discovered, but the boat will naturally go straight to the bridge. If they can't do anything, she doesn't mind sneaking into the Laidis family's stronghold first and setting up a Nine Palaces and Bagua Formation. , help them leave!
Of course, Xia Shao would not tell these things to Wang Fei and the other three, as long as she and her senior brother knew what was going on.
Opening the Sky Eye to search for the mural requires a time when no one is around at night. Now that Hu Jiayi is still there, Xia Shao needs to send her back. Xu Tianyin also needs to keep an eye on the whereabouts of the fake Dunhuang murals here, so everyone decided after discussion that Xu Tianyin, Wang Fei and Yingzhao would stay in the hotel to monitor, while Bi Fang would accompany Xia Shao to send Hu Jiayi back. In fact, Xia Shao didn't need Bi Fang to accompany her. However, their current status was that of her bodyguards. If they went out without anyone, it would inevitably arouse suspicion if they were investigated in the future. Therefore, Xia Shao took the most clever Bi Fang with her. She goes out together.
It was evening when we returned to Cambridge. There was a commotion when we went to the museum that morning. Hu Jiayi felt that she had not fulfilled her responsibility to take Xia Shao out, so she invited her to dinner before going back. Xia Shao knew that it would take late at night to move the fake. It was just evening, so there was plenty of time. So Xia Shao didn't refuse and followed Hu Jiayi to a pastoral-style restaurant in the town.
"Rosa! Lily! We are here!" As soon as she entered the restaurant, Hu Jiayi shouted to the back of the cashier with a smile.
As soon as she shouted, two people appeared from behind the cashier. A bloated British woman and a woman in her early twenties. The woman has fair skin, some light freckles on her face, and a gentle smile. The most important thing is that her eyes are black and she looks like a mixed race.
The woman was the first to leave the checkout counter and gave Hu Jiayi a kiss. She smiled kindly and said enthusiastically: "Oh! Hu, you are here? Is this beautiful girl your friend?"
"Yes, she is my friend! Rosa, you can just call her Xia." Hu Jiayi smiled, then turned to Xia Shao and said, "This is Rosa, the proprietress of this restaurant. That is her daughter Lily, I am also studying at Cambridge University, and we are friends. Lily comes to the restaurant to help during holidays and after class, and sometimes I come to help, so we have become familiar with their family."
"Hello, nice to meet you." Xia Shao smiled and said to the two of them in English.
"Oh! Hu, your friend is very good at English!" Rosa praised.
"Of course, I can't compare to her ability at all!" Hu Jiayi wrinkled her nose.
"Don't say that, you are also very good." Rosa patted Hu Jiayi on the shoulder and comforted her, "At least, I have never seen anyone who works as hard as you."
At this time, the girl named Lily spoke. She spoke broken Chinese, looking at Xia Shao with curiosity and yearning, "Excuse me, are you Chinese like Hu?"
"Of course." Xia Shao smiled and nodded to Lily.
"Oh, that's great!" The person who answered the question was Lily's mother Rosa. Rosa came up with a smile and gave Xia Shao a hug. She said excitedly, "We welcome Chinese here! Lily's grandmother is from China." Man, she’s a quarter Chinese!”
"It's a pity that my grandmother passed away a long time ago. I learned Chinese from Jiayi. I don't speak Chinese well, so please don't mind." Lily said a little embarrassedly.
After a few simple words, Rosa and her daughter quickly asked Xia Shao and Hu Jiayi to sit down, and enthusiastically recommended some authentic British meals to Xia Shao, and then went down to prepare them. It wasn't until the two left that Hu Jiayi said: "Lily likes China very much. She said that when she was a child, she heard some Chinese stories from her grandmother, which fascinated her. When her grandmother passed away, she missed her hometown very much. Lily promised her grandmother when she was a child that she would Her ashes were taken back to her hometown for burial, but she is currently studying and has just started learning Chinese, so things have been delayed."
Xia Shao raised her eyebrows after hearing this, and saw through her friend's little plan at a glance, "Oh, I asked why someone brought me here to eat. It turned out to be this idea. Don't tell me that the ancestral tomb asked me to help find Feng Shui."
Hu Jiayi smiled sheepishly, "You are a Feng Shui master. Who else can I ask for help? I know you don't like the British now, but if you know the deeds of Lily's grandparents, you will definitely help! They are really good honourable!"
Xia Shao raised her eyebrows, "Oh? Tell me."
"Lily's grandfather was a great doctor, and I heard he was also a devout Catholic. Her grandmother was a nurse, and they met in China because of the war. In fact, Lily's great-grandfather was a very famous man in the UK. A capitalist. Of his two sons, one inherited the family business and the other was a famous doctor. It was originally a very honorable thing. But when the war broke out, Lily's grandfather ignored the family's opposition and went to the Chinese battlefield alone, becoming a A medical volunteer. He saved many people there, met, fell in love with Lily's grandmother there, and finally got married. Unfortunately... he later died on the battlefield. I heard that he was killed by a stray bullet while rescuing the wounded. Hit. At that time, Lily's father was only three years old." When Hu Jiayi said this, her eyes turned red. For girls, the beautiful beginning and sad ending are always so heart-wrenching.
"After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the situation in the country was very bad for a period of time. With the help of some British friends she met at the time, Lily's grandmother took her son to live in the UK. She originally wanted to give him a good living environment, but Lily didn't expect that Her great-grandfather did not recognize this Chinese daughter-in-law at all. Lily’s grandmother was a strong person and eventually worked in the UK to support herself and her son with a meager salary. Later, Lily’s father became an adult and was considered to have business acumen. A restaurant has opened here in Cambridge, and the business is booming. Now this restaurant has several chains in the UK, and it is quite famous. Everyone who comes to Cambridge comes to try the special dishes of this restaurant. Lily said to me She said that their family could live well without her great-grandfather’s assets, but she had promised her grandmother to take her ashes back to her hometown, which had always been her wish.”
After hearing Hu Jiayi's words, Xia Shao lowered her eyes lightly. If this was really the case, then she should really help.
"Okay! If she goes to China in the future, you can bring her to me." Xia Shao agreed simply.
"Really? Thank you, Xiaoshao! You're so kind!" Hu Jiayi almost jumped up with excitement, but then she sat back with an embarrassed smile and said, "Actually, there are good people in Britain, but this morning's This is indeed quite irritating! One thing is the same, do you think the British side will agree to return the national treasure mural to us?"
I definitely won’t agree!
Xia Shao said in his heart. But this matter involved a mission, so she didn't want to say more, so she said calmly: "Who knows."
Hu Jiayi frowned, "If you don't return even a single mural to us, then wouldn't there be even more hope for us if there are so many looted cultural relics in the museum?"
After hearing this, Xia Shao raised his eyes and smiled, "The strong are respected. This is an eternal truth. Only when the country is prosperous and strong will anyone take its requests seriously. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has developed rapidly. Yes, I believe this matter will have a satisfactory result."
Hu Jiayi nodded, but actually felt that there was little chance of a satisfactory result. It is not unheard of that some countries have requested the return of cultural relics, but the British side has ignored them. This time... alas!
Just as Hu Jiayi sighed, the door of the restaurant was suddenly opened with great force!
A "bang" sound made Xia Shao raise her eyes and look over. Hu Jiayi turned her head, her face immediately turned ugly.
I saw a woman in her early twenties who came in. She was dressed in a noble dress and was an international brand from top to bottom. She was followed by several bodyguards. The woman was blond and blue-eyed, with a slim waist and strong breasts. She walked like a proud peacock. As soon as she came in, she found a seat by the window and sat down. Without looking around, she said directly: "Waiter, please have a cup of Ceylon black tea. "
Rosa and Lily heard the sound of the store door and quickly ran out of it. When they saw the woman, their faces darkened.
"What are you doing here? You are not welcome here! We must have said this many times, right?" Lily, who has a very gentle temperament, said coldly.
Rosa also turned away from her enthusiasm towards Xia Shao just now. She pushed her daughter behind her and said angrily: "My dear, there is no need to talk nonsense to her. If she doesn't leave, I will use everything I can see to smash her out!" "
The woman smiled disdainfully, sat still, and repaired her nails calmly, "I am a customer of this store, and I have the right to ask you to serve me. If you say bad words to me, or do something to me, If you act rudely, I have the right to sue you. Moreover, I will go back and tell my grandfather and father that you don’t need to open this store.”
When Rosa heard this, a look of anger and fear suddenly appeared on her face. Lily said: "Mom, forget it, I'll make her tea." After that, she turned around and walked back.
Seeing this scene, Xia Shao raised her eyebrows and asked Hu Jiayi in a low voice, "Who is this person?"
"Lily's cousin." Hu Jiayi turned around with an ugly expression on her face, "She is from her great-grandfather's side. Their family is very famous in the British upper class, especially in the clothing industry, and is considered one of the three giants. Our family The business has been hindered a lot in the UK, and it has something to do with their family. Originally, my dad planned to have a good relationship with them, but unfortunately they didn’t like it, so forget it, their family is still a damn racist admirer! They especially hate China. People! It may be related to the death of Lily's grandfather in China. People in their family usually enjoy finding trouble. During the recent holidays, Lily's cousin came here every three days. Even though she was asking for something to drink, every time She does it all to make Lily serve her and to find trouble! She often calls Lily a bastard. In short, this person is very annoying! "
Hu Jiayi and Xia Shao didn't speak loudly, but the woman still heard them. When she turned around, her face suddenly dropped, and she laughed sarcastically: "I thought it was someone who didn't dare to speak loudly, but it turned out to be two low-life people." yellow race."
When Xia Shao heard this, he immediately frowned. And Hu Jiayi has already stood up!