Restoring cultural relics: Starting with the crying Tang Dynasty figurines

Su Yuan didn't pay much attention and nodded along with Zhao Cheng.

"And another thing," Zhang Weiyi glanced at Su Yuan, "those things you have in your hands—the bronze mirror, the jade ring, the bronze plaque—try not to let them out of your sight once you get to the provincial capital."

"The Ninth Bureau will arrange for someone to protect you, but it's always safest to rely on yourself."

"I understand, Director," Su Yuan said.

"Okay, that's settled then. Xiao Su, you stay here for a bit, everyone else go ahead and get busy."

After everyone left, Zhang Weiyi closed the office door, took an envelope from the drawer, and handed it to Su Yuan.

"Your teacher Zhou asked me to pass this on."

Su Yuan took the envelope; it wasn't sealed, and inside was a folded piece of paper. He pulled it out and unfolded it; there was only one line of text on it, in Zhou Peiyuan's handwriting:

"When you arrive in the provincial capital, come to my house first."

After reading it, Su Yuan folded the paper again, put it back in the envelope, and put it away.

"Does Teacher Zhou have anything else to say?"

He stared at Zhang Weiyi and asked, and Zhang Weiyi shook his head: "That's all, go on with your work."

Su Yuan left his office and stood in the corridor for a while. Chen Xiaohe poked his head out of his office and waved to him.

Su Yuan walked over, and Chen Xiaohe pulled him into the office, closing the door behind him.

"Su, I have something to tell you."

Chen Xiaohe said in a low voice, "Last night, I checked the surveillance footage and found that Sun Guoliang's car went out in the afternoon and didn't come back until after 2 a.m. this morning."

Su Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "Did you see anyone else in his car?"

"I couldn't see clearly; the surveillance camera didn't capture the car." Chen Xiaohe rubbed his fingers together. "But I smelled something in his car."

"What does it taste like?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it, it's just... damp."

Chen Xiaohe looked a little scared and shrank his neck: "It smells a bit like the rotten coffin lids I used to smell back in my hometown!"

Su Yuan recalled what Miao Deyu had said, and the smell on that person was like something that had been buried in the ground for a long time and then dug out.

Even Chen Xiaohe could smell it!

"Did you see anything unusual when Sun Guoliang got out of the car in the surveillance footage?"

Su Yuan hurriedly asked, and Chen Xiaohe scratched his head and thought for a moment:

"He seemed to shudder when he got out of the car, and stood there stunned for several seconds before walking away. His gait was also a bit off, like he was having convulsions!"

Su Yuan frowned slightly, and Chen Xiaohe leaned closer and said:

"Also... Director Zhang instructed me to keep the surveillance footage of the warehouse running starting tonight, saying there might be something unusual going on recently."

Su Yuan's heart skipped a beat for no reason. After leaving Chen Xiaohe's office, Su Yuan went to the warehouse.

He needs to catch up on the repair work at hand. He's going to the provincial capital for training at the end of the month, and he wants to finish some of the backlog of small tasks in the warehouse before he leaves!

Upon entering the warehouse, I saw a bronze jue (a type of ancient Chinese wine vessel) on the worktable. It wasn't a small jue, but another one from the late Shang Dynasty, with one leg missing.

This was let in by Zhao Cheng this morning.

Su Yuan held the bronze jue in his hand and examined it. The shape of the vessel was quite regular, with animal face patterns on the belly and a clan emblem cast on the inside of the handle!

One of the cone-shaped feet had a clean break, clearly indicating that it had been broken off by something.

He first cleaned the broken edge and then began comparing the copper material.

The replacement of the bronze jue is not difficult, but it takes some effort to make the molded patterns that match the original!

Su Yuan first found the notes left by his great-grandfather, turned to the page about the repair of bronze feet, and followed the method in the notes.

With what I had learned, I began to operate.

He first used a wax mold to sculpt the shape of the foot, then turned it into copper material and soldered it with tin. Finally, he used a steel needle to carve the mold lines on the surface.

The step of engraving the mold lines is the most demanding on eyesight!

The patterns on the molds cast in the late Shang Dynasty follow certain rules, with careful consideration given to the angles and depths of the horizontal and vertical lines.

Su Yuan took a magnifying glass and carefully carved the patterns on the original piece, stroke by stroke.

The bronze mirror in his pocket lit up briefly, and Su Yuan noticed that he was focused on finishing the last stroke.

After turning the bronze jue under the work light to confirm that the patterns matched the original, the aging process began.

This time, it took several attempts to find the right color for the mineral pigments!

The rust on the surface of this bronze jue is a typical "black lacquer patina," which means that a black oxide layer has formed on the surface.

Su Yuan used a brush to apply the prepared paint little by little to the repaired areas, and then polished them with deerskin after they dried completely.

The whole process took nearly four hours!

He placed the restored bronze jue on the shelf and stretched his neck, which felt like it was about to suffocate.

"Master Su." Xiao Jue's voice came from the side.

"Um?"

"The one you just repaired is from the same hole as mine," Xiao Jue said. Su Yuan was taken aback: "How did you know?"

"I could tell by smell." Xiao Jue's tone was a little smug: "All the bronze artifacts in our pit have the same rusty smell, with a hint of earthiness."

"I could smell it the moment you touched me, but I was deeper down there, so you didn't find me..."

Xiao Jue sounded a little disappointed, and Su Yuan smiled and comforted him, "But you're here now, all right."

"Um... I have to thank Master Su for fixing me!"

After listening to Xiao Jue's story, Su Yuan smiled, tidied up his tools and worktable, washed his hands, took out a bronze mirror, and stood in front of A Wu's terracotta figurine.

"A-Wu," he called softly, and the light in the bronze mirror flickered. Su Yuan murmured:

"I'm going to the provincial capital for training at the end of the month, and you'll come with me, right?"

The light in the bronze mirror flashed again, and Su Yuan smiled, turned around and left the storeroom.

After dinner, Su Yuan went straight back to his dormitory.

After putting down the toolbox, he took the bronze mirror out of his pocket and placed it on the table, then took out the bronze plaque from the toolbox.

Su Yuan felt that the character "Su" in the pupil of the eye on the front of the bronze medal had brightened a bit, as if something was slowly awakening!

Su Yuan stared at the jade ring on his hand and these two other items. He had the door, the key, and the eye; all that was missing was the right opportunity.

My phone vibrated at that moment.

He picked up his phone and saw a message from Zhou Peiyuan: "Xiao Su, the training schedule is set for next Wednesday to Friday. You'll arrive in the provincial capital next Tuesday night and stay at my place."

Su Yuan replied with an "okay".

He put down his phone, stood up, walked to the window, looked outside, and saw that it was already completely dark. He drew the curtains, washed up, and went to bed!

Over the next few days, Su Yuan spent almost all his days in the warehouse rushing to complete the repairs. Soon it was Tuesday, the 19th day of the sixth lunar month.

Su Yuan arrived at work an hour early today to finish the last planned repair task.

A Ming Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain bowl had a fine crack on its bottom, which was quickly sealed using the traditional porcelain mending technique. The bowl was placed back on the shelf, the tools were put away, and the toolbox was carried out of the storeroom.

Chen Xiaohe was waiting in the corridor. When he saw him, he grinned and said, "Su, you're leaving already?"

"Um."

"Be careful on the road." Chen Xiaohe patted him on the shoulder. "Let me know when you get to the provincial capital."

"it is good."

Su Yuan returned to his office, placed the toolbox on the table, and checked to make sure nothing was missing.

The bronze mirror was in his inner pocket, the jade ring was on his finger, the bronze plaque was wrapped in cloth and placed in the toolbox, and Su Zhi's sword was placed inside the toolbox.

After making sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I picked up my toolbox and went downstairs.

Zhao Cheng was already waiting at the door, carrying a bag and a file folder.

"Let's go, get in the car."

Su Yuan thought to himself: Is another contest about to begin in the provincial capital...?