"Professor Wu, Director Guo, I am unworthy of such high praise from you two. There is still much I need to learn..."
Zhuang Rui's voice came from the speakers in the command center, and Ouyang Zhenwu nodded repeatedly. It was rare to find a talented young man who was not arrogant.
However, Ouyang Zhenwu also felt a pang of regret that he had recognized Zhuang Rui a little too late. If he had arranged for Zhuang Rui to enter politics a few years earlier, with ten or so years of training and the support of his family, his achievements would probably not have been inferior to those of Ouyang Lei.
"Hey Lao Meng, what are you doing holding that jade seal? Hurry up and give it to Xiao Zhuang..."
Professor Wu didn't care what Minister Ouyang was thinking. When he saw on the screen that the imperial seal was still in Professor Meng's hands, he couldn't help but shout, making Professor Meng, who was holding the imperial seal and observing it in the tomb, look embarrassed.
However, Professor Meng also knew that when it came to archaeological theory and field excavation skills, Zhuang Rui was far inferior to him, but when it came to knowledge of antique appraisal and jade appreciation, he was far inferior to Zhuang Rui, from the Qianmen Tower to the Yuanmingyuan Ruins.
"Xiao Zhuang, come and take a look. Is this jade seal the Imperial Seal of the State?"
Urged by the crowd, Professor Meng placed the jade seal back on the ground. This object was too valuable, and even Professor Meng did not dare to hand it directly to Zhuang Rui. Instead, he followed the rules of the antique circle.
"Let's go outside and take a look; it's not very convenient here..."
Zhuang Rui already knew the authenticity of this Imperial Seal of the State. However, even if he could borrow this seal for his Dingguang Museum in the future, there would probably be strict management regulations. Zhuang Rui wanted to take this opportunity to play with it properly.
Professor Meng nodded and said, "Okay, not being able to touch the actual object does affect the authentication. Everyone, take a half-hour break and go out to take a look together..."
After arriving at the outer tomb chamber, Zhuang Rui took off his gloves, washed his hands, and then went to the table where the jade seal was placed, picking it up with both hands.
The jade seal, crafted from the legendary He Shi Bi jade, was flawless and pure white. Zhuang Rui's face showed a look of fascination.
"In my personal judgment, this jade seal is indeed undoubtedly the Imperial Seal of the State, crafted from the He Shi Bi jade..."
Zhuang Rui's words immediately stunned everyone. Before anyone could ask, Zhuang Rui pointed the jade seal at the camera and continued, "First of all, judging from the size and specifications of this jade seal, it is completely consistent with the Imperial Seal of the State recorded in historical records. Furthermore, it also bears the marks left by various dynasties, which are consistent with the historical records. That is the first point."
Secondly, this jade seal was made of the finest white jade from Jing Mountain, which is consistent with the origin of the He Shi Bi jade obtained by Bian He of Chu. This type of jade no longer exists in modern times, and even during the Tang and Song dynasties, it would have been difficult to find such a flawless piece of jade to imitate.
Thirdly, there's the gold-inlaid jade. I don't know if you noticed just now, but the gold's color was a bit dull. However, after a little wiping, it immediately revealed a brilliant golden luster.
This indicates that the gold used for inlay was high-purity gold refined through multiple processes, and that the gold and the jade seal were seamlessly integrated, appearing as if naturally formed, demonstrating an exceptionally high level of inlay craftsmanship.
At this point, Zhuang Rui held the jade seal high in his hand and said loudly, "Based on the above three points, I can personally conclude that this must be the Imperial Seal of the State that has been sung about for thousands of years!"
Chapter 1194 Controversy
Zhuang Rui's words truly astonished everyone present. Without using any tools or comparing it with documents and illustrations, Zhuang Rui asserted that this jade seal was not a fake, which required a high level of artistic expertise and great courage.
It is important to know that the whereabouts of the "Imperial Seal of the State" has been one of the most controversial cases in China for nearly a thousand years. Even in the Song Dynasty, some people suspected that the Imperial Seal of the State presented by the farmer was not genuine, which caused a lot of controversy.
Even now, more than 80% of the veteran experts in the command center do not believe that this jade seal is genuine, but rather that it is a replica made in the Song Dynasty.
However, Zhuang Rui's three points were well-reasoned and supported by evidence. From the perspective of antique appreciation, neither the staff in the tomb who were facing this jade seal nor the old experts who stayed at the command post could raise any objections.
For a moment, the crowd that had been discussing this matter fell silent. The discovery of such a controversial and historically valuable imperial seal would likely spark debate in the academic community in China in the future.
"Zhuang Rui's words make sense, but whether this jade seal is truly the Imperial Seal of the State forged from the He Shi Bi jade still requires further research and verification by the nation. Therefore, Zhuang Rui, you should hand over your current work to someone else and bring the jade seal back to headquarters first..."
Finally, it was Ouyang Zhenwu who spoke up. Regardless of whether Zhuang Rui's words were true or false, even Ouyang Zhenwu had to take the importance of this jade seal seriously.
If it were just a very valuable artifact that was unearthed, Ouyang Zhenwu wouldn't care at all. But if it were the Imperial Seal of the State, that would be different, because the Imperial Seal of the State represented the symbol of imperial power during China's thousands of years of feudal history.
The well-known idiom "Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao" tells the story of the He Shi Bi, the predecessor of the Imperial Seal of the State, and the later story of the gold-inlaid jade, which further made the Imperial Seal of the State regarded as a legitimate symbol of royal inheritance.
Although feudal society ended nearly a century ago, the Imperial Seal of the State still holds a very important place in the hearts of the people. Even Ouyang Zhenwu had to report the discovery of the Imperial Seal of the State to the central leadership in charge of culture.
Furthermore, this jade seal requires extensive verification before a final conclusion can be reached. In Ouyang Zhenwu's mind, Zhuang Rui was still a child, and his words carried a degree of disbelief. ...
"Minister... Minister..."
When Zhuang Rui returned to the ground with the Imperial Seal of the State, Director Guo awkwardly approached Ouyang Zhenwu.
"Xiao Guo, what's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Ouyang Zhenwu paused for a moment, considering whether to announce the discovery of the jade seal at a press conference, as it would be an extremely eye-catching news story for the Chinese people.
"Minister, if this... if this jade seal is truly the Imperial Seal of the State, then... then what about the bet between me and Xiao Zhuang?"
This must have been quite difficult for Director Guo, who was over fifty years old, yet he acted like a schoolboy who had made a mistake in front of Ouyang Zhenwu.
Director Guo was truly at his wit's end. When he saw the jade seal, his heart skipped a beat. When he heard Zhuang Rui identify it as the Imperial Seal of the State, Director Guo even contemplated suicide. He could guess with his own eyes that Zhuang Rui would use this jade seal as one of his three bets.
As for the golden command arrow, Director Guo had the authority to lend it to Zhuang Rui for three months, but if this jade seal was determined to be the Imperial Seal of the State, under his authority, he had no right to make any arrangements for this object.
"You mean this? Let me think about it..."
When Ouyang Zhenwu heard about this, he immediately felt a headache coming on. The importance of the Imperial Seal, which symbolized the imperial power of ancient emperors, was self-evident. Even Ouyang Zhenwu would not dare to hand it over to Zhuang Rui without a proper reason.
"Minister, you have to help me with this! I'll never bet with that kid again, even if you kill me..."
Director Guo feigned pitifulness in front of Ouyang Zhenwu. He knew about the relationship between Minister Ouyang and Zhuang Rui. His previous agreement to Zhuang Rui's bet was also intended to do favors for the Ouyang family. However, no matter how hard Director Guo racked his brains, he never expected that such an object would appear in the tomb.
Moreover, others may question Zhuang Rui's appraisal conclusions, but Director Guo has dealt with Zhuang Rui many times and knows Zhuang Rui's level of appreciation well.
Putting aside everything else, there isn't a single fake among the tens of thousands of artifacts in the Dingguang Museum. All of these were personally acquired by Zhuang Rui. Therefore, Director Guo had already made a judgment on the authenticity of this jade seal.
"Alright, I'll talk to Zhuang Rui about this. He's not someone who doesn't understand the bigger picture..."
Ouyang Zhenwu waved his hand. He had tacitly agreed to the bet between Director Guo and Zhuang Rui, and he was going to give Zhuang Rui a good talking-to.
As the two were talking, Zhuang Rui had already returned to the command post from the underground mausoleum. In his arms, he was tightly clutching a down jacket, which was used by the underground staff to keep warm. Zhuang Rui had temporarily used it to wrap the Imperial Seal of the State.
"Xiao Zhuang, hurry up and take the things out so we can see them..."
"Yes, whether it's real or fake, this is still an imperial seal from a thousand years ago, which broadens our horizons..."
"I trust Xiao Zhuang's expertise in identifying what's real and what's fake. Can you find someone in China who can appreciate jade better than Xiao Zhuang to take a look?"
As soon as Zhuang Rui entered the command post, he was surrounded by a group of old men who were all clamoring to see the Imperial Seal of the State. Two of them even started arguing about the authenticity of the seal.
Even the trainees and staff helping out in the command center couldn't help but glance at Zhuang Rui's arms, wishing they could see the jade seal through that down jacket.
Although these people can only be considered peripheral staff of the archaeological team, being able to participate in the excavation of such a great artifact will be an experience they will never forget in their lifetime.
"Hey, hey, I'm saying... everyone, quiet down, quiet down, don't pull my arm, even if the imperial seal breaks, you can't afford to pay for it..."
Zhuang Rui was surrounded by a group of old men, and several hands were groping him. However, he couldn't push them away or scold them. Zhuang Rui could only hold the jade seal tightly and refused to let go. In terms of strength, even if all the old men were combined, they wouldn't be as strong as Zhuang Rui alone.
Zhuang Rui's words had an effect. No one could bear the responsibility for breaking the imperial seal. The group of old men immediately let go of his hand, but their gazes toward Zhuang Rui remained as intense as if they were looking at a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who had taken off her clothes.
"Hey, Director Yun, this is a national treasure! It's best to give it to you. Please don't refuse, take it, please take it..."
Seeing the crowd disperse, Zhuang Rui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with lingering fear. He looked up and saw Director Yun from the security department, so he simply stuffed the jade seal directly into Director Yun's arms.
"Director Yun, please open the package. We old folks won't steal it..."
"Yes, hurry up! This is the only time we have a chance to see it. After this, we'll only be able to visit it through glass..."
Zhuang Rui's tactic of diverting disaster was indeed effective. The attention of the group of veteran experts immediately shifted to Director Yun. They didn't care about the National Security Bureau and confidently demanded that Director Yun display the "Imperial Seal of the State".
"Hey, Xiao Zhuang, why...why did you give me that thing?"
When Zhuang Rui suddenly stuffed the Imperial Seal of the State into his arms, Director Yun was also startled. He never expected that Zhuang Rui would hand over this hot potato to him.
What he was holding in his arms wasn't some kind of imperial seal at all; it was more like he was holding a ticking time bomb. Especially when a group of old men surrounded him, Director Yun even considered drawing his gun.
"Everyone, step back! Step back five meters! Guards, come in!"
Fortunately, Director Yun remained calm and did not pull out his gun to point at the group of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Instead, he carried the imperial seal to a corner of the tent and shouted loudly for the guards.
"I understand everyone's feelings, but this jade seal is a national treasure. Please step back a bit. You can admire it, but please do not touch or handle it..."
Although the guards outside the tent had separated the group of senior experts, Director Yun knew that if they weren't allowed to see the jade seal today, things would definitely not end well. So he placed the jade seal on a desk and signaled the guards to set up a perimeter of three meters around the desk.
The veteran experts in the command center were all highly qualified individuals. They found Director Yun's words reasonable and did not pursue the matter further. Instead, they gathered around the square table to examine the "Imperial Seal of the State," which gleamed with a smooth luster under the light.
“Xiao Zhuang is right. The craftsmanship of this gold-inlaid jade is superb, perfectly natural, and there are no traces of repair. It is very likely to be the Imperial Seal of the State…”
"Yes, the jade of the imperial seal is smooth and round, with a radiant light flowing inside. Apart from the He Shi Bi, no other jade can be found like it."
"It's hard to say. As everyone knows, the Song Dynasty was the pinnacle of Chinese craftsmanship, so it's not impossible for them to have replicated such an imperial seal..."
Although these archaeological and historical experts were not experts in appraising antiques and jade, they had a keen eye for these objects due to their years of experience with them, and they immediately began to comment on the Imperial Seal of the State.
Inside the tent, everyone's attention was drawn to the "Imperial Seal of the State," while Zhuang Rui quietly slipped out of the crowd and approached Director Guo.
"Hehe, Director Guo, this...this jade seal is one of the items in our bet..."
This was truly a case of rubbing salt in the wound. Director Guo, who was just thinking about how to avoid Zhuang Rui, turned from white to red, and then as black as the bottom of a pot after hearing these words.
Chapter 1195 Zhuang Rui's Net Worth
"This matter...I can't make the decision. You should ask Minister Ouyang..."
Even with his seasoned experience in officialdom, Director Guo felt a bit uneasy about someone going back on their word in front of a young man half his age.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui immediately sensed something was amiss and said, "Hey, Director Guo, you're in charge of all the country's cultural relics, why would I need to see Minister Ouyang?"
The most important criterion for being a good official is knowing how to pass the buck, shirking all responsibility that belongs to them, without hindering their promotion and wealth. Although Zhuang Rui was not a member of the system, he still understood Director Guo's intention to shirk responsibility.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Director Guo's face hardened, and he said sternly, "Zhuang, I have to criticize you for this. The Imperial Seal of the State represents the symbol of imperial power in ancient China. How can you gamble with something like that? Alright, Minister Ouyang is here. Go find him..."
"I... Holy crap, this works?"
Seeing Director Guo dart away faster than a rabbit, it was Zhuang Rui's turn to have a dark expression. The reason he had provoked Director Guo into making a bet with him earlier was for this Imperial Seal of the State.
Although Zhuang Rui doesn't outwardly seem to care much about the Dingguang Museum, he set a goal for himself from the very beginning: to build the Dingguang Museum into a world-class large-scale cultural relics museum.
Achieving this goal will be quite difficult; at the very least, we'll have to defeat the Palace Museum in China first.
The discovery of a Song Dynasty shipwreck and the find of treasure from a pirate island have only enhanced the reputation of the Dingguang Museum within the industry and brought in some tourists, but they have not yet made it a household name in China.
The discovery of the Imperial Seal of the State presents an opportunity for the Dingguang Museum, a crucial way for people across the country to learn about it. Zhuang Rui, of course, is not about to let this opportunity slip by.
So when Zhuang Rui saw Ouyang Zhenwu, he disregarded the others around him and exclaimed, "Uncle, you can't just abandon me after you've served your purpose! Director Guo already promised me..."
In fact, Zhuang Rui knew in his heart that Director Guo's promise was not very binding, but it was always a pretext for bargaining.
"You brat, come out and talk to me..."
Ouyang Zhenwu glared at Zhuang Rui, saw that the tent was in a mess, and then turned and walked out of the command post.
“Uncle, I’ve never asked you for anything before, but if the Imperial Seal of the State could be exhibited first in my Dingguang Museum, it could shorten the museum’s development by at least ten years. You must help me with this…”
After leaving the tent, Zhuang Rui stopped talking about the bet. When it came to someone like Ouyang Zhenwu, it was better to speak frankly.
"Did you already know that there was this Imperial Seal of the State in the tomb?"