Chapter 24: Appraising Treasures

"Boss, may I ask where you obtained this jade bi?"

Zhou Ruihai shifted his gaze from the jade disc to Zhang Bo, who was sitting beside him.

"It was left to me by my grandfather. Curator Zhou, can you tell which dynasty it belongs to?" Zhang Bo replied, his face calm and composed.

When in doubt, just blame it on an heirloom. Besides, even if he claimed it was given to him by Liu Ju, the son of Emperor Wu of Han, who would believe him? They would most likely just think he was insane. Zhang Bo had made up his mind: sticking to his story was the best policy.

Seeing that Zhang Bo insisted it was an heirloom, Zhou Ruihai remained noncommittal. He turned his attention back to the jade disc in his hands and spoke slowly.

"Boss, the material used for this jade disc is Hetian mutton-fat white jade. It is crystal clear, white, delicate, and warm to the touch, with absolutely no flaws. It is a masterpiece among mutton-fat white jades. Setting aside its historical value, the piece itself is worth a fortune."

Zhang Bo nodded repeatedly. After all, this was a jade pendant once worn by the Crown Prince of the Han Dynasty, Liu Ju—how could its quality be anything less than extraordinary? And unlike much of today's technological jade, this was pure, natural stone from antiquity.

"Judging by the carving, this jade disc was handcrafted, not machine-made. Based on the patterns and the shape, one could roughly conclude it is a product of the Western Han imperial workshops."

"However, if I were to declare it a Western Han relic, even I would be hesitant. The reason is simple: this jade disc is too new."

"Usually, unearthed jade artifacts are not as pristine as the one in your hands; they typically bear significant patina and mineral staining."

"Patina is a sense of weathering and encrustation that forms on the surface of jade over long periods of storage, oxidation, or through human handling and rubbing."

"There are two types. One is 'handed-down' patina, which we don't consider here, as it usually refers to jade from the Ming or Qing dynasties that was never buried but developed a smooth, lustrous quality through generations of handling."

"The other is 'excavated' patina. But since you say this has been in your family since your grandfather's generation, it should have been handled for quite a while. Yet, the situation is clear: this jade disc looks brand new, completely lacking the patina that comes from long-term handling."

"There is another factor: mineral staining. When jade is buried in the earth for a long time, it is affected by the environment. Minerals in the soil, such as oxides, gradually seep into the jade, changing its color. For instance, iron causes a reddish tint, while copper turns it green. These stains are a crucial standard for authenticating ancient jade."

"The Western Han Dynasty was over two thousand years ago. No matter how early an artifact was unearthed, it would still show some degree of staining. But your jade disc is flawless and white. Therefore, it is highly likely that this piece is not a historical artifact."

As expected of the director of the Lintai City Museum, his analysis was logical and thorough. However, the curator could never have dreamed that this jade disc was indeed an antique, and one with a significant background at that.

Of course, Zhang Bo felt it was understandable that Zhou Ruihai had misjudged it. After all, who would expect a two-thousand-year-old jade disc to appear in the hands of a farmhouse restaurant owner, having never been buried or gone through the typical processes of time?

Perhaps Liu Ju himself hadn't held onto the piece for very long, so how could there be any patina to speak of?

Zhou Ruihai noticed that the young man before him wasn't discouraged by the news that his item wasn't an antique, but instead looked quite cheerful. Could he be unable to handle the shock?

"Boss, don't be discouraged. Since you know it isn't an artifact, you are free to sell it."

Sell it? That was impossible. He intended to keep it as a family treasure, to be displayed so that when he was on his deathbed, he could brag to his descendants: "Your grandfather here once met Emperor Wu of Han and Liu, Guan, and Zhang!"

Oh, wait—he didn't even have a girlfriend yet. Never mind, then.

"Curator Zhou, you worry too much. How could I be so short-sighted? By the way, I have another question: does the Lintai City Museum accept antiques?"

"Oh? You have other antiques?" Zhou Ruihai, who had put his glasses back on, gave Zhang Bo a meaningful look.

"I wouldn't call them antiques, exactly. I checked online, and they are Wuzhu coins."

Zhou Ruihai, who had been somewhat interested, calmed down immediately upon hearing the name "Wuzhu coin." They were simply too common. However, adhering to the principle of "since I'm already here," he asked Zhang Bo to bring them out.

A few minutes later, the coins were in Zhou Ruihai's hands. After examining them for a moment, he offered his assessment.

"Boss, these are in the style of the Eastern Han Wuzhu coins."

Zhang Bo gave a silent thumbs-up in his heart. He could even tell that. One had to realize that Wuzhu coins were minted for seven hundred years, spanning the Western Han, Eastern Han, Three Kingdoms, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, and more than ten other regimes, with styles as numerous as the stars.

"Curator, how could you tell?" Zhang Bo asked curiously.

Zhou Ruihai observed the coins closely as he answered. "Wuzhu coins can generally be divided into four periods: Western Han, Eastern Han, Wei-Jin-Northern-Southern Dynasties, and Sui. First, one can determine the dynasty by the quality."

"During prosperous times, Wuzhu coins were crafted with relative precision and were better preserved. Conversely, during chaotic times, they were made crudely and are harder to preserve. Therefore, based on the quality, these coins clearly cannot be from the Western Han or the Sui Dynasty."

"Secondly, you can look at the specifications. The size of the coins and the square hole in the center vary by period; some don't even have a rim. The characters 'Wuzhu' on the surface are also very particular. Compared to Western Han coins, the characters on Eastern Han Wuzhu coins are thinner and more graceful, and unlike the Sui coins, they have a certain curvature."

So that was it. A look of sudden realization appeared on Zhang Bo’s face. He had learned something new today.

"As for your question about whether I'll take them—are these all of them?"

"Yes, Curator Zhou."

"Very well. I will purchase them in my private capacity for one hundred each."

Although, in Zhou Ruihai's view, these were likely not genuine ancient coins, the craftsmanship was exquisite enough to pass for the real thing. No, it was more than that—it was as if they were perfect, one-to-one replicas.

An idea formed in Zhou Ruihai's mind. He would display these coins in the museum. Not only that, but he would also show them to his few close friends to open their eyes. They would likely be just as startled by these pristine Wuzhu coins as he was.

That would be quite interesting.