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

Chapter 96 Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west
"I'm just helping you, but I don't want you to fix it yourself?"

Feng Lin smiled and said, "Don't panic, Junior Brother Lin is very kind!"

Chen Huaizhi took a breath and nodded vigorously.

Li Zhen told her a lot, saying how high Lin Sicheng's appreciation ability was, how good the enamel painting was, and how beautiful the gold repairs were.

But Li Zhen never said that Lin Sicheng could also paint and his skills were so high?
To know where it's high, look at the way the paint is mixed: there's no weighing or measuring, just pouring the ingredients in. But once the mix is ​​done, a flick of the glass rod raises the paint line, and it reaches a full meter high.

Chen Huaizhi certainly doesn't know how to paint, but she understands the principle: the humidity and viscosity must be close to the optimal value, so that the paint mud can reach the level of "hanging in place" and "tough as a rope".

She bet that more than half of the ceramics professors in the Cultural Heritage Department could not do this.

Besides being shocked, I couldn't help but feel uneasy: with my half-baked level, how can I help when I get there?
Not only is he slow, but he will definitely make tons of mistakes. Won't he be scolded like shit by Lin Sicheng?

But it has come to this...

Chen Huaizhi gritted his teeth, raised his head and chest and walked onto the stage.

Then he stood quietly by, without saying a word.

Feng Lin almost laughed out loud: I asked you to go on stage to help, but I don’t want you to go on stage to die, right?

The others were even more confused: We just asked you to go up and help, Chen Huaizhi, are you really that serious?

It was indeed a bit strange. Lin Sicheng didn't notice it at first. Suddenly, he turned around and saw her standing behind him in a daze, with a trace of panic on her face.

Lin Sicheng couldn't help but laugh: I don't eat people, why are you so nervous?
After taking a look, he turned on the hair dryer and stirred the paint while blowing: one was to mix it evenly, and the other was to heat it to make the lacquer phenol react quickly.

Seeing that Chen Huaizhi was still standing there, he pointed to the toolbox and said, "Use 400-grit fine sand and coarsely grind the edges!"

"Oh~" She suddenly reacted and took out the porcelain pieces from the electric kiln.

After baking at 60 degrees, the paint liquid has already solidified, and the broken parts of the porcelain pieces are covered with a black film like glass.

The edges are very neat, without any paint overflow or contamination of the glaze.

Chen Huaizhi took out the sandpaper and polished it carefully: that is, to make lines on the surface of the paint film to increase the adhesion of the glue and paint.

It requires no technical skills and can be done by anyone with hands. Just be careful not to scratch the glaze of the tiles.

After grinding five or six pieces, his emotions gradually stabilized, and Chen Huaizhi realized belatedly: Lin Sicheng did it on purpose.

What should I do if I feel too nervous?
It would be better to do something to distract herself, just like she is now.

It didn't take long to finish the forty or so tiles. Lin Sicheng also finished the lacquer. He applied it with a single brush, then placed it on the base.

This time, Chen Huaizhi didn't need to be reminded. He prepared a towel and clamps. As soon as Lin Sicheng let go, Chen Huaizhi placed four fingers on the tile and gently pressed down.

After waiting three seconds for the glue to solidify, she picked up a towel and carefully wiped away any paint that had squeezed out of the gap. Only after she was sure there was no residue left did she clamp it.

Very skilled and careful.

Just like that, one gluing, one clamping, in a short time, all the brown porcelain pieces were put together. Lin Sicheng held up the glass holder and compared them back and forth.

There was not much that needed to be repositioned. After a slight adjustment, a half-broken gold-sprinkled bowl was placed on the table.

There was a piece missing from the rim of the bowl, as if it had been bitten by a wild beast.

After a final check, Lin Sicheng straightened up. "Electric kiln constant temperature, temperature 80, humidity 90, timer 4 hours..."

When he finished speaking, Chen Huaizhi's eyes almost popped out: She had studied for four years in college, three years for a master's degree, and two years in a laboratory. This was the first time she heard that lacquer-repaired porcelain could be baked in an electric furnace?
The slower ones can be dried naturally in the shade, and those with better conditions can use a special shade room. The shortest time is 24 hours, and the temperature never exceeds 30 degrees.

Being surprised was one thing, but whether or not to do it was another. Without hesitation, she carefully placed the bowl on the tray and placed it in the kiln. She then meticulously adjusted the temperature and humidity according to Lin Sicheng's instructions.

After closing the kiln door, Chen Huaizhi felt it wasn't quite right. He cautiously leaned forward and asked, "Will it...crack?"

It wasn't a question, but she was a little curious. The most important thing was that Li Zhen had reminded her:
Professor Lian Shang was amazed by Lin Sicheng's blue-dotting and porcelain-repairing techniques. Even after returning, Professor Lian Shang had to ponder over some key technical applications repeatedly before he could understand them.

Opportunities are hard to come by, so when you get there, ask what you need to ask and learn what you need to learn. Don't be reserved.

Isn't this the opportunity?
"Isn't it a little late to remind you?"

Lin Sicheng joked and nodded, "Don't worry, it won't happen: the condensation of lacquer is essentially the oxidative polymerization reaction of urushiol catalyzed by laccase...

It first oxidizes, then polymerizes, and finally forms a film and solidifies... As long as the molecular activity is maintained during these three processes, it will not affect the final formation of the paint film..."

Chen Huaizhi blinked his eyes, his pupils full of confusion.

At first glance, I seemed to understand, but when I thought about it the other way around, my brain was still blank.

Lin Sicheng broke it down again and said:
“Urushiol is a catechol derivative with a long-chain alkyl group. The higher the unsaturation of its R group, especially the unsaturation of the group containing conjugated double bonds, the stronger the oxidative polymerization activity and the better the paint film quality.”

"The medium that promotes urushiol oxidation is water. Second, free radicals trigger cross-linking reactions between urushiol molecules, forming long-chain polymers, and then building a three-dimensional network structure... Heating can accelerate the reaction process..."

"Therefore, as long as sufficient humidity and appropriate temperature are ensured, the curing process of the paint film can be quickly shortened."

Chen Huaizhi understood, but didn't comprehend: "But the ones I've seen before were always dried naturally in the shade, and the temperature never exceeded 30 degrees."

Lin Sicheng paused and said, "The paint isn't mixed properly!"

In other words, there is no rush, otherwise Lin Sicheng can shorten the process to about an hour.

To put it more professionally: the structural balance between lacquerase and gelatin molecules is not mastered, or even if it is mastered, the person mixing the paint does not know it or is not confident enough.

If you don’t have enough skills, you can only make up for it with time.

Chen Huaizhi suddenly realized: When he used the glass rod to pull the paint line, he was surprised: most ceramic professors can't adjust it so well...

Seeing her staring blankly with her eyes open, Lin Sicheng picked up a towel and wiped his hands: "Let's go, let's go eat first!"

"Don't need to watch?"

"No need, if it cracks, you can just glue it back on!"

After replying, Lin Sicheng looked at his watch and said, "Senior Sister Feng, you take over first. I'll only be there in half an hour... You all can go home too."

Feng Lin nodded: The electric kiln is open, so someone must stay there, otherwise no one will know if there is a fire.

When they heard that it was time to get off work, the two recent graduates, one with a PhD and the other with a Master's degree, finally woke up from their dreams.

What Lin Sicheng had just said was all textbook knowledge from his undergraduate years, but Chen Huaizhi hadn't memorized it. Of course, they hadn't memorized it either.

The professors certainly knew this, but theory is one thing, and practical application is another. The reason those ceramic professors didn't use it was, as Lin Sicheng said, "the paint wasn't mixed properly."

It can be seen that Lin Sicheng has a good understanding of and proficiency in lacquer craftsmanship?

At least they could see that Lin Sicheng's paint mud was really well mixed.

Several people secretly marveled at this and went downstairs one after another. They had no appointment with each other and ate their own food.

But when Lin Sicheng and Chen Huaizhai came back, the four of them sat neatly under the laboratory table.

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment, then joked, "Don't worry, it'll take several more hours!"

"Haha~"

There were a few low laughs from below.

Later, the only remaining female master's student raised her hand and said, "Junior brother, did you really write this project report alone?"

Huh?
Lin Sicheng raised his head: "Why do you ask that?"

Wei Hong remained silent: Because this is what Dr. Zhu said, so I came to apply for the position of key researcher, Dr. Zhu.

When several people were discussing the plan, Dr. Zhu mentioned that before he came to apply for the position, he had studied all of Professor Wang's relevant academic reports and papers, and found that they were very different from the technical ideas, technical modules, key technology applications, and application prospects in the plan.

When Dr. Zhu said these words, there was a hint of praise in his voice.

At that time, Wei Hong thought: technical ideas and modules cannot be changed at will, which means that this plan was definitely not from Professor Wang, at least not led by him.

It is absolutely impossible that he found a gun: because technical ideas cannot be copied, let alone applied to experiments.

With such a large project, funding could easily reach millions, and the school and Professor Wang would never use it as a stepping stone for someone else's children. Therefore, the person in charge of the project experiments must be the one who originally designed the research direction and conceived the technology.

Then, there is only one possibility left: this plan was made by Lin Sicheng... This is what Dr. Zhu meant.

Wei Hong's question wasn't out of questioning, but panic. She was so panicked, she had to ask: after a whole morning of thinking, she still hadn't figured it out.

There were five of us, but only three technical positions: Dr. Zhu was a natural, and Chen Huaizhi had already proven her worth. Now she was the only one left. How could she face herself if she became the only one holding back?
Seeing the female master's degree student's hesitation, Lin Sicheng instantly guessed most of what was going on, and secretly praised: Dr. Zhu has a sharp eye, and her mentality changes very quickly.

If it were him, he would have to remain suspicious for at least two or three days.

Well, let’s make it clear as soon as possible and start work as soon as possible.

He smiled and picked up the plan report:
"I was worried about unexpected 'technology leaks' during the bidding process, so the proposal was relatively rough. But since we're discussing this behind closed doors today, and we have some time, I'll go into more detail... Let me be clear, there's no overtime pay..."

Several people laughed again.

Seeing this, Chen Huaizhi sat down quickly, picked up a pen and opened his notebook.

The two undergraduates saw this and followed suit.

Lin Sicheng also laughed: "One more thing, there are some things I won't admit once I leave this room... Because according to my thinking, when this project reaches its final stage, it is very likely that we will have a debate with Western historical research institutions...

Regarding the first one: the study of the alloy composition of the bronze artifacts unearthed from the Banpo site... It's called a composition study, but it's actually a restoration of the process, with one goal: that the world's copper smelting process originated in China...

If this research is unsound, then at least it should prove that China has an independent origin, rather than the current widespread belief in the world that China's copper smelting technology originated from West Asia..."

Suddenly, how could the people in the audience laugh anymore?
Isn’t it just a sub-topic?

Looking at the report again: Yes, the school’s bid?
But with just one word from Lin Sicheng, this project went beyond the city, province, and even abroad?
Bro, can we not make such a big deal at the beginning?
Zhu Kaiping was stunned for several seconds, then silently took out paper and pen.

Feng Lin, who was about to go to eat, paused, closed the laboratory door, and walked over to sit with a few people.

Because even she didn't know that Lin Sicheng's goal was so big.

"You'll definitely accuse me of boasting, so let me just say this: According to Western history, the earliest bronze artifacts in West Asia were arsenic bronze, dating back about 6000 years. However, actual research on unearthed specimens shows they're actually around 3500 years old.

Its main components are copper and arsenic, with arsenic used as a flux...and how long ago was Banpo brass produced?"

Lin Sicheng stretched out his hand, spreading his fingers. "To be precise, 4700 years. According to Western conventions, rounding up means at least 5,000 years. The fluxing metals are zinc, tin, and lead... What is this? Ternary alloy copper!
European archaeologists almost thoroughly explored all the sites in West Asia where related cultural relics might be found, but they only found a piece of tin-zinc-brass that was about 2600 years old...which means they are more than two thousand years behind us!

Even if we put this aside, just comparing West Asian arsenic copper and Banpo brass: the difference of 1,200 years is enough to prove that Chinese copper metallurgy has an independent origin..."

"If our research proves that the smelting process of Banpo brass is similar to that of arsenic copper in Southwest Asia, does that mean that the world's copper smelting technology originated in China, and right here?"

After a pause, Lin Sicheng smiled again: "If I'm lucky, maybe I can even prove that 'World Metallurgical Technology Originated in China'..."

The six people were stunned, their mouths open, staring at Lin Sicheng on the stage.

What is Metallurgy?

All metal smelting, even non-metallic catalytic elements such as arsenic and sulfur.

And the copper in it is like a hair on an ox.

All of a sudden, everyone felt something very similar and very strange: it was as if a group of Stone Age savages were sitting in a thatched hut, discussing how to rule the world.

Let’s first talk about whether it is possible, just talk about this idea, just talk about this goal… How grand is it?
After a long pause, Zhu Kaiping shuddered. "But I remember a report in the Chinese Social Sciences Daily (a Chinese Academy of Sciences journal): The Chinese Academy of Sciences had already begun research last year. The project theme was 'The Origin of Copper Metallurgy in China'... Oh, right, who was the project leader... who was the project leader...?"

Zhu Kaiping had a look of pain on his face, and he kept muttering to himself, but he couldn't remember anything.

Lin Sicheng smiled slightly: "Professor Wang Changsui!"

"Yes, yes, yes..." Zhu Kaiping slapped his forehead, "Professor of the Department of History of Science and Technology and Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences..."

Halfway through his speech, Zhu Kaiping suddenly froze, his facial features gradually distorted: Are you... planning to snatch the project from the Chinese Academy of Sciences?

That’s the Chinese Academy of Sciences?

I surrender...Brother, I really surrender!

The others were basically shocked to the point of "brain blank": No wonder Lin Sicheng emphasized at the beginning: once he leaves this door, there are some things he will not acknowledge?
Regardless of whether you admit it or not, who would dare to believe it if you tell others about it?

As if the pause button had been pressed, the lab fell into remarkable silence. After a long moment, an undergraduate student suddenly raised his hand and said, "It seems that no brass artifacts have been unearthed at the Banpo site...but there is natural red copper?"

Lin Sicheng smiled without saying anything. Zhu Kaiping sighed secretly: Child, you are still too young.

Do you know what it means to make a feint to the east and attack in the west?

(End of this chapter)