"Perhaps it's just a coincidence," Mr. Gu suddenly remarked, "Just a few lines, perhaps sketched unintentionally by the artist, representing nothing significant at all."

"Hmm?"

Wang Guan froze for a second. Hearing this, Mr. Gu must know Mr. Zhu, yet why wouldn't he admit the item was a fake? Was there some hidden complication?

In fact, Wang Guan guessed correctly; the complication was purely a matter of saving face.

When Customs seized those ancient porcelain pieces, they had immediately hired a panel of experts for authentication. Mr. Gu was one of them, and the Yongle blue-and-white large dish was an item he had personally authenticated as definitely genuine. Furthermore, he was the one who informed Fang Mingsheng that Customs intended to auction such a treasure.

But now Wang Guan was claiming it was a forgery. Under such circumstances, how could Mr. Gu remain calm? Thus, he retorted without thinking.

However, the moment the words left his mouth, Mr. Gu felt a pang of regret. But to admit his mistake would mean losing too much face, so he could only stubbornly persist, continuing, "If you believe it's a forgery, what evidence do you have?"

Wang Guan frowned slightly. "Mr. Gu, the secret mark itself is the greatest evidence..."

"That's incorrect," Mr. Gu immediately shook his head and rebutted. "Authenticating an object is a very rigorous process. You must judge its authenticity based on factors like shape, body quality, blue pigment, decorative motifs, and so on. You cannot simply deem something a forgery based on one inexplicable mark."

He had to admit that while he knew Mr. Gu was intentionally arguing illogically, there was a grain of truth in his words. But did Mr. Gu truly believe that eliminating the secret mark meant he couldn't find any other flaws? That was underestimating Wang Guan entirely.

"Since Mr. Gu is kind enough to offer guidance, I will then share my perspective."

At this moment, Wang Guan was supremely confident. "As everyone knows, the Yongle reign spanned twenty-two years, and with the prosperity of the porcelain industry and continuous technological advancement, the quality of Yongle ceramics varied significantly between the early and late periods."

"Early Yongle production closely resembled late Hongwu period work, while later pieces transitioned into the early Xuande era. Therefore, in a sense, achieving precise dating for Yongle porcelain presents a certain difficulty. After all, dating marks inscribed on the base only began in the Yongle period, but not all Yongle ceramics bear a mark on the foot rim."

At this point, Wang Guan smiled. "Of course, this large dish is an exception; it does bear a reign mark—four seal script characters reading Yongle Nian Zhi on the base. It is this small inscription that pioneered the tradition of inscribing reign dates on official ware during the Ming and Qing dynasties."

"You mean the reign mark is incorrect?" Mr. Gu frowned. "Although Yongle reign marks are rare, lacking direct comparison points, we can confirm this is not a spurious mark. The so-called spurious mark refers to marks found on later imitations of antique porcelain. The practice of imitating Yongle ceramics began during the Zhengde reign, not just imitating the form but directly inscribing Yongle dates. These spurious marks have appeared from Zhengde through Jiajing, Wanli, Kangxi, Yongzheng, and even into the late Qing and early Republic periods."

"However, the spurious marks across these dynasties fall into three main categories: blue-and-white script, incised marks (yinwen), and raised marks (yangwen), each with distinct calligraphic styles and execution. But because they are fabricated imitations, they exhibit noticeable differences when compared to genuine marks."

Yet, Mr. Gu operated under the assumption that as long as it wasn't proven to be a spurious mark, it must be genuine.

Wang Guan offered no definitive comment on this conclusion, merely smiling. "I didn't say it was a spurious mark; I suggested it was a false mark. Don't you find it highly disproportionate that such a massive dish has a mark spanning only a tiny square inch?"

"Of course, that is just one point."

Before Mr. Gu could object, Wang Guan continued, "Next, let's discuss the body material."

"The Yongle period was a developmental stage for blue-and-white production. Although exquisite pieces like Yongle 'Sweet White' could be produced, the technology was still immature, meaning true masterpieces were often extremely rare. In most instances, Yongle porcelain bodies are white, but not purely white—they lean toward an ivory tone."

Wang Guan smiled. "This so-called ivory white actually carries a slight yellowish cast. Especially on a large dish like this, due to imperfect glazing techniques at the time, the glaze had to be brushed on. This easily led to uneven thickness in the glaze layer, causing a distinct range of color variation corresponding to the glaze thickness."

"This is the most significant characteristic of porcelain from the Hongwu, Yongle, and Xuande periods. Only after the glazing method switched to 'air-blowing' glaze application in the Chenghua period did this situation cease."

As he spoke, Wang Guan gestured. "But I ask you to observe this dish: it is flawless and pure white throughout. Even if there are traces of an orange-peel glaze texture, there is absolutely no chromatic gradient based on glaze thickness. This alone speaks volumes."

It is often said that being half a step ahead is genius; being one step ahead is madness. It is the same with ceramics. There must always be limitations imposed by the era's technology. If something leaps far beyond that technological scope in a great stride, there is definitely something fishy. With a small dish, one might explain it away as an anomaly, but for a sixty-centimeter diameter dish, the demands on the craft are higher; it should be impossible for it to be entirely without flaw.

"Mr. Gu, what do you think?" Wang Guan felt he had explained himself quite clearly, largely thanks to the guidance he received from Elder Qian that day, which allowed him to spot this obvious issue easily.

Of course, if Mr. Gu insisted on clinging to his original stance, Wang Guan couldn't do much more. Authentication fundamentally relies on reasoned argument, but if the other party refuses to reason and simply dismisses your points, no matter how logical you are, you are stuck.

After all, Wang Guan’s explanation was likely only comprehensible to experts; laymen would be utterly confused. Fang Mingsheng and Section Chief Yu, for instance, currently knew Wang Guan was finding fault, but they couldn't judge if those faults were valid. They looked uncertain, turning in unison to Mr. Gu to see what he had to say.

Mr. Gu remained silent for a moment, then also took out a magnifying glass and, following Wang Guan's direction, meticulously examined the glaze surface. After a long time, his expression remained unchanged, but inside, doubt began to creep in.

Although Mr. Gu appeared composed at that moment, he was internally struggling. After a pause, he let out a soft breath, his gaze laced with complexity. "The younger generation is truly formidable..."

In that single sentence, he conceded Wang Guan's assessment, overturning his own prior authentication. This reversal was certainly not achieved easily or lightly. However, it also proved that Mr. Gu still possessed integrity; he wasn't blatantly lying but was tacitly acknowledging the large blue-and-white dish was, in fact, a forgery.

Wang Guan was rather pleased by this outcome and also sympathetic to Mr. Gu's predicament.

Sensing Mr. Gu's good character, Wang Guan paused, then suddenly pulled out his phone and opened his photo album, smiling as he gestured. "Mr. Gu has misunderstood. It's not that I'm brilliant; it's mainly because I have a precedent to draw upon."

"What do you mean?"

Mr. Gu was startled and naturally looked at the photo on the phone, immediately noticing the blue-and-white dish pictured. At first glance, he couldn't comprehend it; since the two dishes were identical, he naturally assumed Wang Guan had just taken the photo.

But as Wang Guan slid his finger across the screen, the photo displayed high-definition close-ups of details—the hairline fissures on the dish surface and the kintsugi-style mending visible on the base.

"Eh?"

In that instant, Mr. Gu gasped. "What is this?"

"This is another large dish, identical to the one here, except this one is cracked and has been deliberately repaired with staples," Wang Guan explained softly, briefly clarifying the reason for his presence. "When I heard there was an identical dish here, I immediately suspected something was amiss. Following Elder Qian's instructions, I hurried over to investigate. After a close examination, I confirmed my suspicions—it really is a fake..."

"So that's how it is." Mr. Gu instantly felt much better. It wasn't that the young man was so clever; it was that he already knew the piece was a fake, leading him to examine everything with a skeptical eye and naturally pinpoint the flaws.

"Wait, you just mentioned Elder Qian..."

At the same time, Mr. Gu’s thoughts raced, and he quickly inquired, "Elder Qian from the Porcelain Capital?"

"Yes?" Wang Guan was slightly surprised. "Mr. Gu knows Elder Qian? But he moved back to Beijing to live last year."

"Moved back to Beijing?" Mr. Gu exclaimed. "I hadn't heard that news. But two years ago, I had the good fortune to meet Elder Qian once. I am grateful for his guidance, which significantly refined my porcelain appreciation skills. May I ask what your relationship is with Elder Qian, young man?"

"I am Elder Qian's student."

Just then, Fang Mingsheng laughed heartily. "Mr. Gu, didn't I mention it earlier? Don't let his youth fool you; his eyesight is extraordinary. He was the first to discover and decipher the mysteries of my Tang Dynasty white jade figurine holding a jewel with a golden finial."

"What?"

In that moment, Mr. Gu's entire demeanor shifted. He couldn't help but exclaim, "A truly worthy student learns from a great master!"

Mr. Gu was certainly familiar with the white jade figurine Fang Mingsheng collected, and he had greatly admired the Swastika symbol formed by the convergence of light and shadow. He admitted to himself that if Fang Mingsheng hadn't revealed it, he never would have known the jade figure concealed such a profound secret. But to hear that Wang Guan was the one who uncovered this secret was astonishing.

Hearing this, Mr. Gu first felt skeptical, then realized Fang Mingsheng had no reason to lie about such a matter, so he believed it, followed by deep admiration. Upon further reflection, he understood that with a master as formidable as Elder Qian, Wang Guan's exceptional eye was entirely explicable.

His thoughts whirling, Mr. Gu became exceptionally warm and inquired with concern, "Young man, how is Elder Qian recently? Is his health still good?"

"He is very spirited and quite robust."

The two chatted amiably, achieving a state of resolved conflict and harmony. However, someone nearby was clearly unsettled and cautiously asked, "Um... Mr. Gu, this piece really is a forgery?"

This was truly bringing up the sore spot just when Mr. Gu wanted to smooth things over and avoid embarrassment. He hadn't expected someone to be so tactless as to ask directly, which naturally caused him a flicker of annoyance...