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'Ancient Moon' Museum.

In the third-floor reception room, Hu Shu, wearing a dark blue long gown and glasses, leisurely opened the cabinet beside him and took out a light green jade vase.

The body of the vase was as thin as cicada's wings, crystal clear, and decorated with an exquisite tangled branch pattern, clustering tightly like a painting.

With an appreciative gaze, Hu Shu scrutinized the 'Qing dynasty Chinese tangled branch pattern thin-walled jade vase,' nodded contentedly, and said with a smile, "Indeed, it's without parallel in the world."

At that moment, Gao Qinglin on the opposite side started to flatter, "Mr. Hu, if that imitation hadn't been damaged, then you would have had a pair unparallelled in the world."

But Hu Shu waved his hand dismissively and replied with a smile, "That imitation is the piece from my jade carving work that I am most satisfied with. Although it achieved a hundred percent reproduction of the 'Qing dynasty Chinese tangled branch pattern thin-walled jade vase,' it ultimately lacks one thing."

"What thing?" Gao Qinglin's face showed a hint of astonishment.

Hu Shu gently put down the genuine artifact, smiled, and slowly said two words, "The years."

"The years?"

Gao Qinglin appeared startled, his brows slightly furrowing.

As a master expert in the antiques circle, he was not unfamiliar with the term 'the years.'

However, judging the age of an artifact comes down to assessing several key attributes, such as material, patina, encrustation, and craftsmanship.

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In his view, Hu Shu's imitation of the Qing dynasty Chinese tangled branch pattern thin-walled jade vase was a complete success, with details such as the material and patination evaluated using high-precision instruments, indistinguishable from the original.

It was an absolute success of replication craftsmanship, a marvel in the field of antique forgery.

Yet Hu Shu was now saying it lacked 'the years.'

"An antique that has weathered time has its unique charm, one that cannot be replicated or forged." Hu Shu paused suddenly, corrected himself, "Not that it cannot be, but rather, it is extremely difficult to replicate or forge."

Gao Qinglin did not share Hu Shu's profound understanding of 'the years,' this particular charm.

But he keenly caught the change in Hu Shu's tone.

From 'cannot' to 'extremely difficult.'

That is to say, there might be someone who could replicate that essence of 'the years.'

If possible, did that mean he could attain true perfection without flaw?

The chief expert of Modu Museum furrowed his brows, looked towards his revered Mr. Hu, and asked, "Mr. Hu, can you do it?"

Hu Shu shook his head and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Gao Qinglin laughed as well and said, "If Mr. Hu can't do it, then surely no one in this world can."

However, Hu Shu shook his head again, sipped his tea, and remained silent,

Gao Qinglin's heart chilled, and his brows knitted tightly in surprise as he asked again, "If even Mr. Hu can't do it, who can?"

Hu Shu put down his teacup, opened the drawer under the tea table, took out a brocade box, placed it on the table, and then slowly opened the brocade box.

Gao Qinglin leaned forward and saw a Douli Bowl wrapped in white silk inside the brocade box.

"This Douli Bowl?" Gao Qinglin was puzzled.

"You take a look first," said Hu Shu as he pushed the brocade box towards Gao Qinglin with a smile.

With a look of confusion, Gao Qinglin picked up the Douli Bowl from the brocade box and began to examine it carefully.

Inside the Douli Bowl, a five-color flower and butterfly pattern was painted, with lush branches and clustered flowers, and butterflies flitting about; the outer wall was painted with alum-red depicting four fish—believed to be greenfish, whitefish, carp, and mandarin fish—each with clearly defined scales and a lively sense of movement, the pattern both vivid and exquisitely detailed.

After only a couple of glances, Gao Qinglin concluded, "The body is firm and delicate, the glaze is smooth and lustrous, and the painting is skillfully and elegantly executed. It's a remarkably well-preserved Qing Kangxi Five-colored Fish and Algae Pattern Douli Bowl from the Kangxi Period of the Qing Dynasty."

"At first, I thought the same," Hu Shu said with a smile.

"Hm?"

Gao Qinglin, with firm conviction, said, "Mr. Hu, I've dealt with many 'Qing Kangxi Five-colored Fish and Algae Pattern Douli Bowls,' and this one is indeed superior merchandise; I'm not mistaken."

Hu Shu pointed with his hand and said with a laugh, "Take a look at the bottom of the bowl."

Gao Qinglin did as told and turned the Douli Bowl over, and his gaze fell upon the bottom. With one look, he was taken aback.

For there was clearly a forgery mark on the bottom.

"This..."

Gao Qinglin was somewhat stunned.

"This Douli Bowl's market price is only tens of thousands, but in my eyes, it's priceless. Do you know why?" Hu Shu asked, looking at Gao Qinglin.

Gao Qinglin seemed perplexed: "How can a counterfeit Douli Bowl be considered priceless?"

Hu Shu shook his head and said with a smile, "If you can feel the 'years' within it, you'll understand it's a technique that money can't buy."

Gao Qinglin has always regarded Hu Shu as the foremost authority on antiques.

Listening to Hu Shu's unreserved praise for a Douli Bowl worth just tens of thousands, he felt it was incredible.

He couldn't help but ask, "Who made the imitation of this Douli Bowl?"

"What do you think?" Hu Shu took another sip of tea and countered.

At first Gao Qinglin was puzzled, but then his pupils suddenly contracted as he uttered two words, "Lin Chuan!"

In the reception room, Hu Shu nodded slightly.

Indeed.

After that night when Zhang Yixing brought him the 'Qing Kangxi Five-colored Fish and Algae Pattern Douli Bowl' to appraise, he distinctly felt a sense of 'the years' emanating from that bowl.

At that moment, his heart was swept up by a tremendous wave.

Could a person's techniques in antique forgery truly reach such a level!?