168: Chapter 168 You know this? Where did you graduate from?

Shen Huairen was clearly taken aback by such a direct question, but it only lasted for a split second.

Instead, Shen Huairen appeared somewhat smug. He cleared his throat and assumed a lecturing posture: "That's right. The glaze color of the Ru Kiln is a standard sky-blue. Its appearance should be warm, subtle, and reserved, like the sky after rain. That specific tone can only be achieved by using Ru Prefecture agate in the glaze. Authentic pieces have depth when viewed under natural light; they aren't flat, lifeless colors that you can see through at a glance. And this bowl..."

He glanced at the bowl and waved his hand with an air of certainty: "It's obviously too dark. And look at this crazing; the pattern is too regular, not natural enough. It looks like it was artificially aged."

Hu Tian was silent for a moment before gently placing the bowl back on the table. He tapped the rim of the bowl twice with his fingers: "You say the crazing is too regular because the bowl's surface is covered in a thick layer of grime that obscures the patterns, causing deviations in how light is refracted. The 'regularity' you see is actually an illusion created by the accumulation of dirt."

Shen Huairen was stunned, clearly not expecting such a rebuttal.

Hu Tian continued unhurriedly: "The crazing of the Ru Kiln, commonly known as 'crab-claw patterns' or 'cicada-wing patterns,' is never regular. I agree with your theory on that. However, there is a fatal flaw in your method of judging the crazing: you are looking at it through the dust accumulated on the surface, which in itself severely interferes with your visual judgment. To truly authenticate this type of excavated or heirloom artifact, you must first eliminate the visual interference of the surface oxidation layer and grime before examining the structure beneath the glaze."

Shen Huairen frowned, looking somewhat displeased: "Of course I know it needs to be cleaned before being examined, but we haven't even washed it yet. How can you be so sure I'm wrong?"

"You know."

Hu Tian nodded, his tone calm yet carrying an invisible sense of pressure: "Then do you know what kind of marks the unique 'sesame-seed spur firing' method of the Ru Kiln leaves on the bottom of the bowl? And how does that differ from ordinary spur firing?"

Shen Huairen opened his mouth but didn't answer immediately.

Sesame-seed spur firing method?

Although books mentioned that Ru Kiln used full-glaze spur firing, the specific details and features...

Why had he never studied them in depth?

Hu Tian, seeing that Shen Huairen remained silent, gently turned the bowl over, angled it slightly toward Shen Huairen, his gaze sharp: "You were so adamant just now that this bowl is a fake, but have you looked at the spur marks on the bottom? To achieve the aesthetic of a full glaze, authentic Ru Kiln used extremely small spurs for firing. After the piece was finished, only a few small dots resembling sesame seeds were left on the bottom. This is called 'sesame-seed spur marks'."

Shen Huairen instinctively leaned in to take a look, his expression instantly freezing for a moment.

The few tiny spur marks on the bottom of the bowl appeared as light brown dots under the light, distributed extremely evenly and uniform in size. Most importantly, there was a faint ring of glaze shrinkage around the edges of the marks—a natural physical reaction of the glaze flowing under high heat.

This was not something an ordinary imitation could replicate.

The spur marks on ordinary imitations were either too regular, as if mechanically pressed, or the artificially aged color was too dark and too uniform, looking very stiff.

But the spur marks before his eyes had subtle variations in color depth, and the glaze shrinkage marks at the edges were natural and unforced, revealing the ultimate craftsmanship of the song dynasty artisans.

Shen Huairen's lips moved, wanting to say something, but he couldn't find any words to refute it. A fine layer of sweat even began to bead on his forehead.

Just then, one of the fellow students behind Shen Huairen who had been pricking up their ears to listen couldn't help but stand up and lean in for a closer look. He pushed up his glasses and exclaimed: "Senior Shen, these spur marks... are quite interesting! Is this really a 'sesame-seed spur'? Doesn't the book say they are extremely rare? This really looks like the one in the display case at the Forbidden City!"

This sentence felt like a slap in the face to Shen Huairen.

His expression darkened, and he stubbornly insisted: "This... could also be a high-quality imitation. Modern forgery techniques are very mature; copying spur marks is nothing difficult. You can't say it's authentic based on this alone."

"That is possible." Hu Tian took the bowl back and said unhurriedly, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery: "However, your previous judgment that this bowl was an imitation was based on the dull glaze color and regular crazing. Now you admit that the spur marks are excellently done. If it were a high-quality imitation, the glaze color and crazing should also be top-tier. You say it looks fake at a glance, yet you also say the craftsmanship is exquisite. You should think about whether there is a logical contradiction between these two arguments."

Shen Huairen's face instantly turned the color of a pig's liver.

He had studied in the archaeology department for so many years and published several papers. Usually, he held a certain sense of authority in front of his junior fellow students. At this moment, being rendered speechless by an "outsider" who appeared out of nowhere, with his logic full of holes, he truly couldn't save face.

He adjusted his sitting posture and changed his angle of attack, his tone becoming somewhat harsh and aggressive: "Do you understand this? Where did you graduate from? What did you study? Which professor's student are you?"

He said this very directly, and the subtext was very clear: he was merely questioning Hu Tian's background, attempting to use his academic credentials to regain some ground.

Hu Tian didn't answer directly; he just raised his eyelids to look at Shen Huairen and said calmly: "I didn't go to any good university, nor have I published any papers. I just like this, did some research on my own, and usually look at more physical objects, that's all."

Upon hearing this, the condescending smile reappeared on the corners of Shen Huairen's mouth, as if he had found the source of his superiority.

"That explains it. Ancient porcelain authentication is a very professional discipline that requires systematic theoretical support and academic lineage. Relying solely on interest to grope around in the dark is easy to lead you astray, and you might even be blinded by fakes. Brother Hu, if you don't understand anything in the future, you can come and ask me. I'll teach you some basic theory."

When he said this, his eyes deliberately glanced at Zhou Waner, seemingly implying to her that Hu Tian was an amateur.

Zhou Waner held the coffee cup in her hands and opened her mouth, intending to defend him, but just then, she saw Hu Tian shake his head slightly, signaling her not to mind.

She had no choice but to lower her eyes and remain silent.

Hu Tian didn't say anything more either. He put the bowl back into the cloth bag and tied the opening, his movements as gentle as if he were treating a rare treasure.

Shen Huairen thought his words had suppressed the other party, and his mood became a bit more comfortable again. He turned to Zhou Waner and put on a gentle, refined expression.

"Waner, during these few days you've been at Yanda, has your professor arranged for you to participate in any activities? Our department is having a small academic salon next week. I can help you apply for an auditing spot. It would be quite helpful for your research direction."

Zhou Waner looked up and smiled politely: "Thank you, I'll check my schedule."

This smile was polite yet distant.

Shen Huairen, however, didn't seem to notice and continued talking about various academic activities in his department, speaking with great animation.

Hu Tian held his Americano, sitting quietly to the side without interrupting, as if watching a farce.

About ten minutes later, several of Shen Huairen's fellow students finished their drinks at the next table. Someone stood up and called out to him: "Senior Shen, it's about time. We have other places to go."

Shen Huairen then stood up from his chair and waved at Zhou Waner: "Waner, I'll be going first. WeChat me when you have time, and remember to consider the salon next week."

After finishing, he also nodded symbolically at Hu Tian: "Goodbye, Brother Hu. If you don't understand anything in the future, feel free to ask me anytime."

Hu Tian nodded and said calmly: "Alright."

Shen Huairen led his group away, his back appearing somewhat hurried, as if he wanted to escape this place where he had lost face as quickly as possible.

The coffee shop quieted down again.

Zhou Waner let out a long sigh, put her cup on the table, and lowered her voice: "That guy is so annoying, like a duck, quacking on and on. He thought he was an expert, but you shut him down in a few sentences. That was so satisfying!"

Hu Tian chuckled softly without saying anything.

Zhou Waner glanced at him and suddenly remembered what just happened. She leaned closer to him and asked: "Brother Tian, what you said just now, about the sesame-seed spurs and the glaze structure, is it true? I saw that Shen Huairen's face turned green."

Hu Tian put down his coffee cup, was silent for a moment, and said slowly: "Yeah, it's true. When authenticating these things, you can't just look at the surface; you have to look at what's in its bones."

"Then this bowl..." Zhou Waner looked at the cloth bag, lowering her voice, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Does what you told him mean that this bowl really isn't an imitation? Could it really be from the song dynasty?"

Hu Tian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took the bowl out of the cloth bag again, placed it on the table, and looked down at it.

Under the warm lights of the coffee shop, beneath that layer of dust, there was a faint, warm, and moist feeling deep within the glaze, like a jade-colored stone that had been pressed into the mud for many years. Its essential luster was still there; it had just been suppressed by the passage of time.

That "sky-blue after rain" color, even through the grime, exuded an air of imperial nobility.

Hu Tian said softly: "This bowl is real. It is a relic from the Northern song dynasty Official Kiln, but it needs to be taken back, carefully cleaned, and restored before it can regain its luster."

Zhou Waner stared at him, half-believing and half-doubting. She knew her Brother Hu Tian; he always spoke only when he was somewhat certain and never boasted. Since he said so, this matter was likely nine-tenths certain.

"Alright then," she rested her chin in her hand, looking at Hu Tian with complex eyes. "Brother Tian, you really are quite mysterious. You clearly know everything, but you never say it, keeping even me in the dark."

Hu Tian put the bowl back into the cloth bag, looked up, and smiled at her, a glimmer of mischief flashing in his eyes: "Because if I said it, it wouldn't be mysterious anymore. Besides, surprises should always be saved for the end."

Zhou Waner huffed, picked up her latte again to take a sip, and turned her head to look out the window. Outside, the sunlight was perfect, the alleys of Panjiayuan Antique Market were crowded with people, and the treetops in the distance were swaying gently in the breeze, dappled with light and shadow.

Hu Tian put the cloth bag back into his backpack, fastened the buckles, and his fingertips paused on the bag strap for a moment. He knew clearly in his heart that the affair of this bowl was just the beginning. The real show would only be able to take the stage after he cleaned and restored this bowl. By then, how ridiculous the words of that guy named Shen Huairen would seem—though Hu Tian himself didn't really care.