It wasn't the weekend, and Zhuang Rui was worried that Professor Meng might have a class, so he called him first. Sure enough, Professor Meng had a class to teach soon. He was quite surprised when Zhuang Rui mentioned the bronze artifact with inscriptions and asked Zhuang Rui to wait an hour so they could have lunch together at school.
After hanging up with Professor Meng, Zhuang Rui called Peng Fei again, asking him to come to Panjiayuan immediately. To be honest, Zhuang Rui was really unsure about himself, even with an item worth hundreds of millions of yuan in his hands.
Panjiayuan was not far from Zhuang Rui's courtyard house. Peng Fei arrived in about ten minutes. Zhuang Rui specifically instructed Monkey and the others not to spread the word before getting into the car with Huangfu Yun.
Chapter 614 The Sword of Fixed Light (Part 1)
This time, Zhuang Rui didn't let Peng Fei be the driver; instead, he drove himself because he had handed the precious sword to Peng Fei.
Although Peng Fei didn't know what Zhuang Rui had given him, he rarely saw Zhuang Rui treat things with such solemnity. He carefully held the long box in his arms, not daring to be careless in the slightest.
"Brother Zhuang, the person you're waiting for is Professor Meng, right?"
Upon arriving at Peking University, Professor Meng was still teaching a class, so Zhuang Rui parked the car and waited with Huangfu Yun and Peng Fei at the entrance of the restaurant.
"Yes, how did you know?"
Zhuang Rui asked the question, then remembered that Huangfu Yun was from this school. He smiled and said, "I almost forgot, this is Brother Huangfu's alma mater..."
Looking at the younger students coming and going from the school cafeteria, Huangfu Yun said with some emotion, "Yes, it's been five or six years since I came back here after I went abroad..."
When people are still young, they always think about growing up and making a name for themselves in society. But often, after being battered and bruised by reality, they will look back on their school days and those innocent times.
After graduating from Peking University, Huangfu Yun went abroad. Although he has done well over the years, he has also encountered many setbacks and difficulties. Now that he has returned to his alma mater, he is filled with emotion.
"Hehe, I'm going to study here this year..."
Because of his postgraduate entrance exam, Zhuang Rui has developed a sense of belonging to Peking University, even though he is not a student there yet. For at least the next two years, he will become a postgraduate student at Peking University.
After chatting for a while, it was almost noon, and more and more students came to eat.
"Xiao Zhuang, you've been here for a while, haven't you?"
Professor Meng appeared at the entrance of the cafeteria.
"This cafeteria is too noisy; it's not a place to talk business at all," Zhuang Rui frowned slightly and said, "It's okay, I just arrived too. Teacher Meng, how about we go out and find somewhere to eat?"
Professor Meng waved his hand and said, "No need, I have some things to do this afternoon. Come, let me take you to a private room to eat..."
It turns out this cafeteria has several floors. The first and second floors are for students, and the upper floors are for teachers, with many private rooms.
"Xiao Zhuang, order whatever you like to eat. Don't try to save the teacher money..."
After everyone sat down, Professor Meng handed the menu to Zhuang Rui. He was very satisfied with his prospective disciple and wished he could recruit him right away.
"Thank you, Teacher Meng. I need your help today, and I'd also like you to treat me to dinner..."
Zhuang Rui introduced Huangfu Yun and Peng Fei to Professor Meng, and then casually ordered a few dishes. Although he was eager to know the origin of the sword, Professor Meng didn't mention it, so Zhuang Rui could only calm down and eat.
"Alright, you're pretty composed. Come on, let's go to the office..."
The group ate quickly, finishing in 20 minutes. Professor Meng looked at Zhuang Rui and smiled. He had just wanted to test Zhuang Rui's composure, but he hadn't expected Zhuang Rui to actually hold back from mentioning the textual analysis, showing a maturity beyond his years, which pleased Professor Meng greatly.
Professor Meng is nearing the end of his career, and it is estimated that Zhuang Rui is the last batch of graduate students he will recruit. He is very optimistic about Zhuang Rui's future. Having such an outstanding disciple makes Professor Meng, who has dedicated his life to teaching and educating people, feel very gratified.
Professor Meng has a separate office, which is not very big, but the bookshelves behind his desk are filled with all kinds of books, most of which are related to archaeology, as well as some chemistry journals. This knowledge is also closely related to archaeology.
"Xiao Peng, please make yourselves at home. Zhuang Rui, let me see what's on your things..."
Upon entering the office, Professor Meng casually greeted Huangfu Yun and Peng Fei, then reached out and took the long brocade box that Zhuang Rui handed over.
"This...this is a bronze sword..."
Upon opening the box, Professor Meng, who had been sitting at his desk, suddenly stood up, staring at the bronze sword in disbelief. Although he had long guessed that the bronze artifact Zhuang Rui was referring to was a weapon, he never expected that the bronze sword would be so well preserved.
Professor Meng has presided over countless archaeological excavations over the decades, from tombs of the Yin and Shang dynasties to imperial mausoleums of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. He has seen countless unearthed cultural relics, including a considerable number of weapons.
However, the ancient weapons that were unearthed have been oxidized by air and corroded by soil for thousands of years, and they have basically decayed. Professor Meng has also done a lot of weapon restoration work. By observing weapons from certain eras, we can make a determination about the form of warfare in those eras.
Although several famous ancient swords have been unearthed in China, none of them were from archaeological excavations in which Professor Meng participated. This was the first time he had ever seen a bronze sword in such good condition, radiating a faint, cold light.
"Teacher, before coming here, I tested this sword. It can cut through eight Qianlong Tongbao coins at once, and with the speed of a breath. I suspect it's a famous sword like Gan Jiang or Mo Xie from ancient times. However, I don't know much about bronze inscriptions. Could you please help me identify the two characters on this sword?"
Zhuang Rui told Professor Meng the test results from the store exactly as they were presented.
Professor Meng's expression became somewhat agitated after hearing Zhuang Rui's words. If he had known earlier that the item Zhuang Rui brought for appraisal was this, Zhuang Rui and the others probably wouldn't have been able to have lunch.
It is important to know that the discovery of every famous sword with historical records in ancient times causes a great stir and leads to endless academic research and debate, which Professor Meng cannot ignore.
Don't underestimate this seemingly inanimate object. In the eyes of archaeologists, it becomes incredibly rich. For example, the forging process of the sword can reveal the metallurgical level and social structure of the time. There is so much to explore and discover here.
Based on his years of experience in archaeological excavation, Professor Meng could tell as soon as he opened the brocade box that the sword was definitely an unearthed bronze artifact. Its ancient and weathered feel was something that modern technology could not replicate.
"A peerless sword, a peerless sword..."
Professor Meng did not rush to examine the inscription on the bronze vessel. Instead, he slowly looked down from the tip of the sword, admiring the beautiful satin-like pattern. He couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"Professor Meng, what are the pronunciations of those two bronze inscriptions?"
Huangfu Yun, who had been silent until now, finally couldn't hold back any longer. The mystery was about to be revealed, but if Professor Meng continued to watch at this leisurely pace, he might not even know the name of the sword by the time the sun set.
"In terms of craftsmanship alone, this bronze sword is absolutely no less than famous swords like Zhanlu and Juque, it's just that its length..."
Professor Meng did not directly answer Huangfu Yun's question. In fact, he had not looked at the two bronze inscriptions at all. The reason was that Professor Meng wanted to use his archaeological knowledge to see if he could determine the origin of the sword.
When the topic of length came up, Professor Meng frowned slightly. In his memory, there weren't many famous swords in history that were only about two feet long. Whether it was the Yin Shang or Qin and Han dynasties, most swords were more than three feet long.
When Jing Ke attempted to assassinate the Qin emperor, the sword Qin Shi Huang carried was about seven feet long. Although one foot in the Qin Dynasty was only equivalent to 23.1 centimeters today, a seven-foot sword would still be 1.62 meters long. In the end, Qin Shi Huang was only able to draw the sword and turn the tide after hearing the imperial physician Xia Wuqie shout "The king is carrying a sword."
This shows that swords before the Qin Dynasty were mostly long and primarily used for thrusting. The bronze sword in front of us is only about two feet long, or fifty or sixty centimeters, which was not very common in ancient times.
"Could it be that one?"
Suddenly, Professor Meng thought of a name and his whole body trembled. If it really was that sword, then its length could be explained.
Thinking of this, Professor Meng was no longer willing to speculate. He picked up a magnifying glass and carefully examined the two inscriptions on the sword hilt.
Bronze inscriptions refer to the inscriptions cast on bronze vessels from the Yin and Zhou dynasties. They are also called bell and tripod inscriptions. Compared with oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions have thicker strokes, more curved strokes, and more lumps. They were extremely popular during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, but they declined in the Qin dynasty and were gradually replaced by small seal script.
"Yes, it should be, it really is this sword?"
After Professor Meng clearly saw the two inscriptions, his face flushed with excitement. However, Zhuang Rui and Huangfu Yun were annoyed. Why didn't the old man share his recognition with everyone?
"Teacher, what kind of sword is it?"
Zhuang Rui finally couldn't hold back any longer. "Don't just say half of what you mean, why don't you just give me the name and be done with it?"
"Wait, I'm not sure yet, let me check..."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Professor Meng calmed down considerably. He stood up, pulled out a thick book from the large bookshelf behind him, and began to read it.
Zhuang Rui saw that Professor Meng was holding Rong Geng's "Jinwen Bian", which is the first comprehensive dictionary of bronze inscriptions after Wu Dacheng's "Shuowen Guzhou Bu". It is one of the essential reference books for ancient script researchers. It can provide a complete overview of both known and unknown bronze inscriptions from the Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han dynasties. It is a very comprehensive dictionary of bronze inscriptions.
Uncle De had shown Zhuang Rui the book "Jinwen Bian" before, but Zhuang Rui felt it was useless at the time and didn't pay attention to these seemingly incomprehensible words. Now Zhuang Rui understands the meaning of the saying "You only realize how little you know when you need it".
"Dingzi...guang...dingguang?"
When Zhuang Rui saw Professor Meng use a pencil to find the two characters "Ding Guang" in the "Jinwen Bian" and circle them, Zhuang Rui compared the two characters in the book with the inscription on the sword hilt and found that they were indeed the two characters.
Although Zhuang Rui's voice wasn't loud, Huangfu Yun still heard it and asked incredulously, "What? Brother Zhuang, you said this sword... is called... Dingguang?"
Chapter 615 The Sword of Fixed Light (Part 2)
Seeing Huangfu Yun's excited expression, Zhuang Rui casually replied, "It's called the Dingguang Sword, huh? What's wrong?"
As the saying goes, everyone has their own area of expertise. Although Zhuang Rui studied miscellaneous appraisal under Uncle De, he was not very knowledgeable about antiques such as swords and bronzes, and he had no recollection of the term "Dingguang" at all.
"What's wrong? You don't know?"
Upon hearing this, Huangfu Yun looked at Zhuang Rui as if he were a monster, and said, "This sword is a historically famous sword that is on par with the Xuanyuan Sword and the Taikang Sword. It is no less than those legendary swords..."
Huangfu Yun mentioned the Xuanyuan Sword, which Zhuang Rui had heard of before. It was said that the Yellow Emperor used that sword to defeat Chi You, but these were all mythological stories, and Zhuang Rui didn't really believe them.
"Xiao Zhuang, Huangfu is right. Your bronze sword is very famous in history. I don't know how you got so lucky to actually come across something like this..."
Professor Meng gently stroked the blade with his fingers, his focused expression like that of someone caressing a woman's skin. This gave Zhuang Rui goosebumps. Could this be the legendary act of finding solace in the sword?
"I was lucky, hehe, I was just lucky. I thought it was just an ordinary iron sword, and it was just a little sharp. Teacher, does it have any other use?"
Although he was secretly pleased, Zhuang Rui still put on an air of having won by sheer luck, which made Huangfu Yun, who was listening nearby, grit his teeth. "I'm always wandering around Panjiayuan, how come I don't have your luck?"
"Legend has it that the Dingguang Sword can gather the light of the sun and moon to its tip, but that's just a legend. Let's try it out today..."
Upon seeing this famous sword, which is among the most renowned in Chinese history, Professor Meng lost his composure and even wanted to see if the legends were true.
Professor Meng's office runs east-west, with a window on the west side. Professor Meng went over and opened the window. It was already past one o'clock in the afternoon, and the sun was slightly setting. Coincidentally, the sun was shining brightly today, and without the window blocking the sunlight, the office became even brighter.
Professor Meng held the "Dingguang" sword in his hand towards the sunlight, and everyone in the room immediately fixed their eyes on the "Dingguang" sword.
"Holy crap...this...this can't be real, right?"
The Dingguang sword itself is bronze in color and somewhat dark. It is not the kind of sword that shines so brightly that it reflects one's image. However, when sunlight shines on the sword, the entire Dingguang sword seems to come alive. The satin patterns on it are like waves, seemingly surging in layers.
What Zhuang Rui found most unbelievable was that the layers of wavy satin-like patterns seemed to be guided by some invisible force, surging towards the tip of the Dingguang Sword. Upon closer inspection, the tip of the sword looked like a gemstone, shining brightly in the sunlight.
Not only Zhuang Rui, but also Peng Fei and Huangfu Yun were dumbfounded. This was too amazing. Now there was no doubt that the legend that the Dingguang Sword could gather the light of the sun and moon to its tip must be true.
After Professor Meng removed the sword, the light dissipated. Peng Fei rubbed his eyes and said, "Brother Zhuang, was I seeing things?"
Zhuang Rui replied, seemingly ignoring the question, "I don't know if you're seeing things, but I definitely think I am..."
"Hehe, that can be explained. It's due to the special satin pattern on the Dingguang Sword that causes the light to be uniformly refracted to the tip of the sword. Xiao Zhuang, this sword is truly priceless. Just these satin patterns alone are worth studying..."
Professor Meng couldn't help but laugh when he saw the astonished looks on Zhuang Rui and the others' faces. He had seen the satin patterns on swords and blades refract light before, but the ability of the Dingguang Sword to refract light to a single point was truly unique.
"Brother Zhuang, what kind of sword is this? It's so amazing!"
Peng Fei was still completely confused, but he had asked the wrong person. Zhuang Rui only knew that the sword was called Dingguang, but he was also clueless about its origin.
"Young man, this sword has a very impressive history. It was forged during the reign of King Taijia of the Shang Dynasty, with the combined resources of the entire nation, over a period of four years. It was one of the Shang royal family's national treasures..."
Professor Meng knew that Zhuang Rui was not very familiar with this period of history, so he explained it to Peng Fei. The Dingguang Sword had a great reputation in history, ranking only after the Xuanyuan Sword, Yu Sword, Tengkong Sword, Qi Sword, Taikang Sword, and Jia Sword, making it the seventh sword in the list.
Moreover, in Professor Meng's opinion, regardless of the whereabouts of the other swords, in terms of sharpness alone, they are probably inferior even to the Longquan swords that were unearthed earlier.
Furthermore, none of those legendary divine weapons have been seen yet, so none of them are as real as the one in his hand. Professor Meng can already conclude that this is the Dingguang Sword forged by the King of Yin Shang.