72: Chapter 72 Mr. Hu, you've brought everything!

Su Huairen's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg, and he remained speechless for a long time. His elderly eyes, which were usually slightly cloudy, were now wide and round, staring fixedly at Hu Tian as if he were trying to see through the young man from head to toe, as if he had seen a ghost.

Although Fang Jiye was an authority on bronzeware and didn't have as deep an understanding of porcelain as Su Huairen, he had spent decades in this circle, and his ability to read people was top-notch.

Seeing Su Huairen lose his composure like this, he already understood seventy or eighty percent of the situation—Hu Tian was likely right, and ridiculously so.

"Old Su, what do you think?"

Fang Jiye couldn't help but ask, "Is this kid's claim reliable?"

Su Huairen swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly: "Reliable... no, it's more than reliable, it's... it's word for word!"

He suddenly stood up from his chair, his hands trembling slightly with excitement: "This cup is indeed from the twenty-third year of the Jiajing era. When I acquired it back then, the seller even included half a page of a damaged ledger, and the year recorded on it was the twenty-third year of Jiajing! As for the time it fell..."

Su Huairen took a deep breath, trying to calm himself: "The 1978 Tangshan earthquake. I happened to be on a business trip in Suzhou at the time and saw the original owner's antique shelf shaking with my own eyes. This cup fell off then. When I bought it from his descendants in 1995, the other party even mentioned this incident."

He paused, his gaze becoming even more intense: "But you... how did you know? You've barely even touched these porcelain shards a few times. How could you know so clearly?"

Jiang Peiyuan also stepped closer, his usually calm face finally showing a hint of shock.

Hu Tian cheered inwardly but maintained a calm exterior, saying nonchalantly: "It's not hard to judge. The color of the fractures and the degree of weathering can help infer the approximate age of the break, and the color characteristics of the cobalt pigment can determine the firing period. As for the other details..."

He paused intentionally: "It's all just accumulated experience."

Hu Tian knew full well that all this information had been directly transmitted to his mind after the Treasure Hunting Radar System scanned the items, but how could he possibly say such a thing?

He could only laugh it off, offering a vague and non-committal explanation.

"Actually, there's nothing special about it. It's just a matter of looking more, touching more, and thinking more. Over time, you naturally develop a feel for it,"

Hu Tian said with a smile as he walked toward the toolbox Su Huairen had brought.

He crouched down and carefully looked through the restoration tools and materials in the box.

Inside were various types of brushes, carving knives, and grinding tools, as well as several bottles of different colored glazes and adhesives.

As Hu Tian's fingers sorted through the toolbox, his brow gradually furrowed.

"Old Su, there are a few things missing here,"

Hu Tian said, looking up.

Su Huairen was stunned for a moment: "What's missing? This is my entire set of equipment. All the commonly used tools and materials are right here."

"There's no Mohammedan Blue, only these few bottles of Stone Blue and Zhuming Cobalt,"

Hu Tian said, pointing to several small porcelain bottles. "Also, I don't see a portable electric kiln capable of firing at around 800 degrees; there's only a small blowtorch here. Additionally, the ratio of epoxy resin to acrylic resin used for mixing the adhesive isn't quite right."

Zhang Mingyuan, who had remained silent the whole time, finally found an opportunity to speak.

As the director of the Cultural Relics Bureau, although he wasn't as proficient in specific appraisal and restoration techniques as these three veteran experts, he was still a long-time administrator in this system. Hearing Hu Tian's words, he immediately realized this was a good opportunity to show his support.

"Little Hu, just say what's missing, and I'll arrange for someone to prepare it immediately!"

Zhang Mingyuan stepped forward quickly, his attitude respectful and enthusiastic. "Our Cultural Relics Bureau's restoration room is in the building next door, and it's fully equipped with all kinds of materials and tools. Just say the word, and I'll have someone fetch whatever you need right away."

He turned around and instructed Master Li, who had been following him: "Xiao Li, did you hear that? Whatever Mr. Hu needs, go to the restoration room and get it immediately. Be quick!"

Hearing the director's instructions, Master Li quickly pulled out a small notebook and a pen he carried with him.

"Brother Hu, go ahead, I'll write it down,"

Li Hao said respectfully.

Hu Tian nodded and began to list the items: "First, I need Mohammedan Blue, the authentic kind, preferably old stock. Next, I need a small electric kiln that can precisely control the temperature at around 800 degrees—a portable one will do. Then, epoxy resin and acrylic resin, both of them, as I need to recalibrate the ratio. Also, prepare some 2000-grit and 3000-grit fine sandpaper, and a 0.3mm lining brush."

Li Hao recorded everything quickly, nodding repeatedly.

Zhang Mingyuan added from the side: "Xiao Li, you have the keys to the restoration room, right? If not, get them from Old Wang and tell him I arranged it. Once you've gathered everything, it must be delivered back within half an hour. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

Li Hao responded and turned to run out.

Hu Tian did not wait for Master Li to return and began the preliminary preparations on the spot.

He took several metal supports from Su Huairen's toolbox and quickly set up a stable fixing frame.

This frame seemed simple, but in reality, every angle had been meticulously calculated to ensure the shards remained in the most stable state during the restoration process.

"Little Hu's technique is truly professional,"

Jiang Peiyuan couldn't help but praise; he had seen how some restoration masters worked.

Hu Tian carefully placed the shards of the Ming Xuande Blue and White Porcelain Cup onto the frame, securing them with special soft clamps.

His movements were gentle and precise, as if he were handling a peerless treasure.

Though these were just fragments, in his eyes, they carried centuries of history and culture.

"Old Su, I'll borrow your Stone Blue for a moment."

As Hu Tian spoke, he took a small porcelain bottle from the toolbox, along with several white porcelain dishes, and began mixing pigments.

He poured out some of the Stone Blue, added an appropriate amount of water, and stirred it slowly with a thin bamboo stick.

Throughout the process, his gaze was focused and serious, completely immersed in his own world.

Su Huairen watched from the side, his eyes filled with gratification and surprise.

This young man not only had a keen eye but also possessed a pair of skillful hands.

The way he mixed the pigments was so flawless that even the veteran masters in the restoration circles he knew wouldn't be able to find any fault.

"The pressure is just right, and the water-to-pigment ratio is perfectly mastered,"

Su Huairen whispered to Jiang Peiyuan.

Jiang Peiyuan nodded, his gaze never leaving Hu Tian's hands for a second.

Time passed minute by minute, and the office was so quiet that only the faint sound of the bamboo stick stirring the porcelain dish could be heard.

Su Huairen stood to the side, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing Hu Tian's work.

Twenty minutes later, the office door was pushed open.

Li Hao rushed in, drenched in sweat, followed by three staff members, each carrying boxes and equipment of various sizes.

"Mr. Hu, everything has been brought!"

Li Hao said breathlessly, "We found two portions of Mohammedan Blue, both of which are old stock from the restoration room's inventory. Master Wang said they were specifically purchased from Jingdezhen ten years ago. The electric kiln is also here; it's a German import with temperature control accurate to within five degrees. And all the other materials you requested, I've brought them all."

The staff members carefully placed the items on the office desk.

Hu Tian stood up and went over to inspect the materials.

He opened the box containing the Mohammedan Blue, pinched a bit of powder with his fingers, smelled it at the tip of his nose, and then lightly tasted it with the tip of his tongue.

"Yes, not bad. This is indeed good material."

Hu Tian nodded with satisfaction. "Master Li, thank you for your hard work."

"It's no trouble at all, it's only right."

Li Hao waved his hands quickly, his actions as respectful as a shop assistant: "Brother Hu, do you need any help? The few of us can act as assistants."

Hu Tian thought for a moment, his expression as serious as a commander: "Then please connect the electric kiln to the power and calibrate it to ensure the temperature remains stable at 800 degrees."

"Got it!"

The staff members set to work immediately, their movements as practiced as veteran electricians as they skillfully installed the portable electric kiln, plugged it in, and began preheating and debugging with a focus more intense than that of a bomb disposal expert.

Hu Tian, meanwhile, continued his work, as focused as a monk in deep meditation, and began mixing new pigments using the Mohammedan Blue.

Hu Tian poured the Mohammedan Blue into a white porcelain dish with movements as gentle as if he were pouring tea, added a small amount of distilled water, and then took out a small bottle to add a few drops of transparent liquid.

Su Huairen narrowed his eyes and leaned in to look at the small bottle, his expression as curious as a child's.

"What is this?"

Hu Tian gave a faint smile, one that held a hint of mystery: "A specially made curing agent. It helps the pigment penetrate the body of the porcelain so that it won't easily lose its color after firing."

Su Huairen frowned slightly, looking as baffled as a ten-foot-tall monk who couldn't reach his own head; among the restoration experts he knew, he had never seen any of them add such a thing to their pigments.

He wanted to ask, his mouth opening and closing as if he were hesitating to speak, but seeing Hu Tian's composed and confident manner, he swallowed his words.

Hu Tian used a thin bamboo stick to stir the pigment evenly with meticulous movements. He held it up against the light to inspect it and nodded with satisfaction, looking more professional than a connoisseur.

The consistency and luster of the pigment were just right.

He sat back down at the fixing frame with a steady movement, took out an extremely fine wolf-hair brush, lightly scraped it against the edge of the porcelain dish, dipped it in the pigment, held his breath, and began to paint the color onto the fractures of the porcelain shards.

The few people in the room almost simultaneously held their breath.

The fine brush seemed to come alive in Hu Tian's hand, its strokes agile and its flow smooth. Every stroke that landed looked as if it had originally belonged there, without the slightest sense of being out of place.

The fractured blue and white patterns were being reconnected inch by inch under his brush.

Jiang Peiyuan quietly pulled on Su Huairen's sleeve and whispered: "Old Su, look at those brushstrokes... they're as fluid as flowing water."

As the poem says:

"The brush dances like dragons and snakes to paint blue flowers, as fractures mend and a wondrous bloom appears."

"With unique ingenuity and divine charm, these miraculous hands preserve the heritage of China."