Hard to Tell the Truth from the Fake (Short Story)

Minister Tian Shengyu's collection of jade began when he appraised a piece of jade from his family.

There is a piece of jade in Tian Shengyu's drawer, which was given to him by his mother before she died. The mother wanted to say something, but a mouthful of phlegm came up, and finally she didn't say anything. Tian Shengyu always felt that his mother should have something to tell him about this jade, so he cherished this jade very much and easily did not show it to others, but in the end, because he had not asked an expert to appraise it, he was not sure whether this jade was precious or not.

Later, Tian Shengyu met Zhu Rixin of Loucheng Kaibo Guzhai. Zhu Rixin once gave Tian Shengyu a Xuande furnace. Zhu Rixin told very frankly: This is imitation, but it is an old imitation, imitation in the late Qing Dynasty, not very valuable, but it is definitely an authentic Ming style, and it is also rare.

Tian Shengyu felt that Zhu Rixin was honest, and he had a set of antique appreciation, so he thought of asking him to take a look at the jade.

After Zhu Rixin saw Tian Shengyu's jade, he didn't say anything for a long time, as if he was thinking about how to phrase it.

Tian Shengyu was quite generous, and he said to Zhu Rixin: "If you have anything to say, it doesn't hurt to say it directly." Although this jade is a family heirloom, I still don't know whether it's true or not, and I have always been suspicious and confused. Knowing whether it is true or false, I also went to a heart disease, so I saved myself from always having something in my heart.

Zhu Rixin saw Tian Shengyu say this, and he became bold. He smiled and said: "I won't hide it from Minister Tian, this piece of jade seems to be crystal clear, flawless and flawless, but it is actually not worth much, but family heirlooms cannot be measured by money." ”

Zhu Rixin saw that Tian Shengyu was very disappointed, and he didn't seem to feel good, he thought about it and said:

"In this way, I'll take this piece of jade back and ask the master to add processing, and then add a brocade box to ensure that your Minister Tian will be impressed."

Tian Shengyu thought that since it was not valuable, it would be okay to have a brocade box and keep it as a souvenir.

Three days later, Zhu Rixin came to visit Tian Shengyu's mansion again. He took out a very delicate and elegant brocade box. Tian Shengyu liked it as soon as he saw the brocade box. Thinking that people want clothes, Buddha wants gold, this is really good, such a brocade box will be eye-catching as soon as it is released, as if the things in the box are immediately several times more high-end.

Zhu Rixin pressed the brocade box with his hand and said, "Minister Tian, you take a slow step to look at the brocade box, and I'll tell you what kind of jade is worth first?" "Tian Shengyu wants to listen to it.

Zhu Rixin is worthy of being the master of Bogu Zhai, and he is quite expert in jade, he said: jade is divided into four grades: A-grade, B-grade, C-grade, D-grade, A-grade is natural jade, or seed jade, or taken from Puyu. There is green for jade and red for jade. Cui, also called Cuigen, is alive. It is best to carry jade close to you, the so-called people raise jade, jade raise people, this green root will move, it will grow. A-grade jade often has impurities, and only the jade is flawless.

B-grade jade has removed impurities, but unfortunately the living jade has become dead jade, which is good-looking and beautiful, and it can't be compared with living jade. C-grade jade has been injected with other substances, and there are counterfeiting ingredients. D-grade jade is a complete substitute, used to deceive the unjust who don't know the goods.

Tian Shengyu is a person who has been in the officialdom for many years, he has heard the meaning of Zhu Rixin's words, and he said stupidly: "According to you, my jade is definitely not A-grade, and it is not even ......."

Zhu Rixin intercepted Tian Shengyu's words and said: "Your jade is B-grade, the big money is not worth it, but the small money is still worth it." It's pretty good-looking, but after all, it's a dead jade, and it doesn't match your identity as Minister Tian. Zhu Rixin said, pushing the brocade box in front of Tian Shengyu.

Tian Shengyu opened it and looked at it, and couldn't help but feel a little angry in his heart, the piece of jade that was as spotless as mutton fat jade in his family was gone, and was replaced by a piece of jade that looked dirty and old. What tricks is this kid playing? Tian Shengyu almost got angry.

Tian Shengyu's every subtle expression did not escape Zhu Rixin's observation. Zhu Rixin pointed to the jade in the brocade box and said, "Minister Tian, you must have seen that this piece of jade is the real best treasure, which matches your identity." ”

Zhu Rixin knew that his words had suppressed Tian Shengyu, but Tian Shengyu was definitely not convinced all of a sudden, and he couldn't help but say in his heart: Are you kid playing me?

Zhu Rixin pointed to the orange peel pattern on the jade and said that this is called Qin, and only the real ancient jade has Qin.

Seeing Tian Shengyu's dazed face, he explained: Jade is divided into new jade and ancient jade, only ancient jade is valuable, and after the ancient jade is old, it will produce Qin. The so-called Qin is a manifestation of jade being buried underground for a long time and other substances penetrating into the jade. Any jade with a clear color has a history of at least several hundred years, or even one or two thousand years......

Tian Shengyu was interested in Zhu Rixin's words, he noticed the jade in the brocade box, and he saw that there were irregular rust colors in the jade, as well as soil spots. Unexpectedly, these dirty and unpleasant variegated colors in the eyes of laymen turned out to be extremely precious colors. The knowledge of this antique is really big, Tian Shengyu felt that he had underestimated Zhu Rixin before.

Zhu Rixin struck while the iron was hot, he said: "Minister Tian, jade is an elegant thing in the collection world, a gentleman does not leave jade, you should collect jade, this is more interesting than collecting calligraphy and painting, there are too many fakes in calligraphy and painting, sometimes even the painter himself is not sure whether he painted it, besides, calligraphy and painting will be moldy and moth, and it is not convenient to keep it...... ”

Tian Shengyu couldn't help but feel a little moved by Zhu Rixin's words, and he deliberately said: "But I can only say that I know a little about the identification of jade." ”

"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, don't you just master the scale, can't I still check it for you?!" Zhu Rixin saw Tian Shengyu's expression and knew that the matter had become seven or eight points. In order to relax the atmosphere, he said again: "Minister Tian, your name has long been destined to have a relationship with jade. Your jade can be born, and you have an acre and three points of land. Speaking of which, Zhu Rixin deliberately didn't say anything.

Zhu Rixin felt that it was pointless to say more, so he got up and said goodbye.

Tian Shengyu pushed the brocade box in front of Zhu Rixin and said, "You put away this jade, what about my piece?" ”

Zhu Rixin patted his head and said, "Minister Tian, I'm really sorry, your piece of jade was stolen, and I will compensate you for this piece of jade." You just take it, or I'll be restless for the rest of my life. ”

Tian Shengyu didn't expect Zhu Rixin to give gifts so seamlessly, and he didn't say anything after a few pushes.

According to the convention, at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, the cadre team will "rub mahjong" to shuffle the cards, the upper ranks, the retreats that should be retreated, the transfer in and out, the busiest moves, the few move dozens of people, and the more move one or two hundred people. If you are transferred to a good unit, there are a lot of resources. On the contrary, it is unlucky, to put it mildly, you want to have a meal, and you don't know where the money is.

Tian Shengyu is now the head of Loucheng City, and he has great power in his hands, and those who want to burn incense are doing everything possible to find a way.

Tian Shengyu was most annoyed that those township cadres drove cars, fish, meat, chickens, ducks, and carried them home in large and small bags, in his eyes, this was simply unbearable. Besides, what kind of impact, do you think that no one will see and no one will say when you come at night? Tian Shengyu was not afraid of offending people, and told very seriously: How to take it back and how to take it back, if you don't take it back, then you won't even have to be a friend. The township cadres who came to give gifts were disgraced and embarrassed.

This kind of information spread quickly, and the second group of students who came to give gifts came empty-handed, chatted a few words of homely things, and left an envelope when leaving. This one-to-one, and don't sign and seal, God knows, you know and I know. According to old experience, this hand is often very effective. But Tian Shengyu is not a corrupt official, he has always thought that he is a decent person, he thinks that the envelope smells of copper, he said to the envelope very simply: "Aren't you harming me, can I accept this envelope?" If you don't take it back, I'll hand it in, then you'll be in trouble, and I really can't bear it, you better take it back, the right to be when you haven't been here, I haven't seen it, so far, don't say anything more. ”

The people who hit the wall in Tian Shengyu couldn't figure it out, what kind of medicine was sold in this Tian Shengyu gourd?

In the modern world, it's hard to have secrets. After observation, someone finally discovered the secret, and Tian Shengyu fell in love with the ancient jade collection. There is a saying in officialdom: If you are not afraid of being honest, you are afraid that you have no hobbies.

Knowing that Tian Shengyu likes ancient jade, then send ancient jade, and the price of ancient jade in Loucheng rose suddenly.

The most interesting thing is that Fang Jinshi, the mayor of Gumiao Town, came back from a business trip in Yunnan and bought a piece of good Burmese jade to give to Tian Shengyu, but he didn't expect Tian Shengyu to refuse to accept it. Even if Fang Jinshi explained how good the texture of this piece of Burmese jade was, Tian Shengyu still didn't accept it. Tian Shengyu saw Fang Jinshi's helpless and confused look, so he told him about Qin's knowledge, which made Fang Jinshi suddenly realize. Without saying a word, he moved the stone to Boguzhai and asked Zhu Rixin to exchange a piece of ancient jade with Qin for him. Zhu Rixin said:

"You can be regarded as worshipping the Buddha and finding the right temple, okay, post another 5,000 yuan, and I will change a piece of ancient jade for you to ensure that it has a color."

As the saying goes, what to eat, what to eat, what to eat, not afraid of not knowing the goods, only afraid of comparing goods. In a short period of time, Tian Shengyu was already an expert in the identification of jade. If he took the ordinary new jade products, he could see them at a glance and didn't care about them at all. He was pleased with his eyesight.

Tian Shengyu's family has accumulated more and more ancient jade, and he really wants to change his name to "Baiyu Zhai", but he dispelled this idea, he knows that it is better to keep a low profile.

As the saying goes, there is no such thing as an impermeable wall. The Commission for Discipline Inspection did not target him, but the thief targeted him. That night, Tian Shengyu and his wife had a party, and they arrived home very late, and when they arrived home, they were dumbfounded, and all the ancient jade in the family was stolen. Tian Shengyu's wife was angry when she saw that the house was turned into a mess, and she pulled up the phone and was about to call the police, but she didn't expect Tian Shengyu to hold her hand angrily and say viciously: "You are looking for death!" ”

was yelled at by her husband, and the wife woke up, she was so angry that she cried and muttered: "I was stolen by a thief, and I can't report it yet, and I have to knock out my teeth and swallow it in my stomach, what kind of world is this!" ”

"Woman's opinion, you called the police, what do you say when the Public Security Bureau comes, it is said that hundreds of ancient jade were stolen, and it is worth a fortune ......" In fact, Tian Shengyu was in pain at this time, he was far sadder than his wife, these ancient jade were his beloved things.

Things quickly turned around, and about a week later, the thief was caught selling ancient jade.

The thief was also refreshed, and 1510 explained the whole process of stealing the ancient jade, and admitted that he entered Minister Tian's house after many squatting, and he went completely for these ancient jades.

The director of the public security bureau felt very strange that Minister Tian Shengyu did not report the case. Besides, how could Minister Tian's family not steal cash, passbook, gold and silverware, all these jades, and his family did not open a jade antique shop.

The director of the public security bureau called Tian Shengyu, and as expected, Tian Shengyu denied the theft of the home, saying that he didn't know what ancient jade was or not.

Hundreds of pieces of ancient jade, if they are all genuine, then this thief will not be sentenced to death, at least with a reprieve.

For the sake of prudence, the Municipal Public Security Bureau specially invited provincial cultural relics experts to identify this batch of ancient jade. Researcher Zheng of the Provincial Museum was shocked after taking a closer look at these ancient jades, because there was not even a real one of these hundreds of ancient jades, all of them were fakes.

Researcher Zheng told the director of the public security bureau that at first glance, these jade objects looked like old jade, and almost all of them were colored, but they were all faked. He pointed to a piece of jade with a layer of white mist on the surface and said, this looks like Shuiqin, but in fact, the newly made jade block has been soaked in the pit for a long time to produce this effect, and the public security chief frowned and wrinkled when he heard it.

The director of the public security bureau pointed to a jade dragon and asked, "How beautiful is this, is it also fake?" Researcher Zheng smiled and said: "This is called sheep jade, you see that this jade dragon has a blood-colored texture on its body, a trace of it, this is called red silk, but unfortunately it is fake." "Researcher Zheng saw that the director of the public security bureau was not very convinced, so he told him: This sheep jade is to cut the live leg of mutton, and then put this carved dragon pendant into it, and then sew it with thread, after three years and five years, and then remove the suture and take it out, and this sheep blood will penetrate into the jade, and there will be that kind of blood-like fake Qin."

Obediently, everyone was stunned when they heard it.

After Tian Shengyu was shuanggui, he began to hold the confrontational psychology of "life and death do not speak, and it is difficult for the gods to start", but he couldn't withstand the policy attack, and finally confessed as if squeezing toothpaste. Because they are all fakes and fake jade, the value is not high, and the thief has no basis to sentence him to a heavy sentence, and Tian Shengyu's bribery is only punished by party discipline.

Tian Shengyu didn't know whether to be happy or sad for himself, he really couldn't believe that these ancient jades were all fake. Especially the piece of jade that Zhu Rixin paid him, it can't be fake.

Researcher Zheng is an expert in the end, and he told Tian Shengyu that the so-called Qin on that piece of jade is called knocking rust.

How to make a fake rust, first wrap the iron filings in the jade, then quench it with hot vinegar, cool, air dry for more than ten days, and then bury it in the soil, bury it for about five or six months and then get up, when the jade is buried in the soil, the iron filings have been attached to the surface of the jade, and slowly erode out the orange peel pattern, showing rust color and soil spots. The layman's nature let him be deceived.

Tian Shengyu was so angry that he scolded Zhu Rixin for being a liar, and deceived him so hard.

After the public security organs searched for melons, they also found out a workshop that made fake ancient jade, and the owner of the workshop turned out to be Zhu Rixin.

Zhu Rixin, who was arrested, knew that he couldn't slip this time, so he simply confessed in order to seek leniency.

What made Tian Shengyu vomit blood the most was that the piece of jade that he inherited from his family was made of precious mutton fat white jade, which was identified by researcher Zheng as an ancient jade in the Chunhua period of the Northern Song Dynasty, with a history of nearly 1,000 years. Tian Shengyu said to himself: What kind of eyesight do I have, he can't wait to pump his mouth.

Because this case involved nearly 100 cadres, it caused a stir in Loucheng. I'm just remembering it as it is, and I'm just keeping it as I am.

Author: Ling Dingnian