Everyone from the archaeology circle had discerning eyes. They didn't need experts; these were the most seasoned specialists on the Terracotta Army. After examining the heads of the six general俑, they all confirmed they were genuine.
How could this be?
Grandpa was baffled. The leaders were furious. They had gone to such lengths, only to find nothing was stolen. Then what was the item Grandpa had found at Zhao Shirui's house based on Liu Shou's tip?
The leader's expression shifted. Pointing at Grandpa's nose, he declared, "Old Lin, fabricating things and stirring up trouble. If you don't want this job, I can easily find someone else."
Grandpa remained silent, looking at Xun Chong, who wore a smirk.
Seeing Grandpa's silence, the leader huffed and stormed off, leaving behind, "Old Lin, I want a detailed report on this matter."
After the leader left, Xun Chong turned to Grandpa, smiling. "Comrade Old Lin, why bother with other people's business? This is the archaeology team's affair, what does it have to do with your museum?"
"Whose idea was this?"
"Whose idea? If you want to know the truth, Old Lin, we'll be seeing each other around. I'll tell you the truth. There are over 8,000 Terracotta Warriors, one more, one less, who cares? A rotten egg attracts flies; if there were no sellers, where would all these buyers of warrior heads come from? And our captain is a man of many schemes; you're no match for him. I'm not afraid to tell you, Old Lin, it was our captain who told me about the two heads in the warehouse."
It seemed the archaeology team had been up to no good, and the private profits weren't solely pocketed by Zhao Shicheng. Otherwise, his subordinates wouldn't have played along.
When Grandpa returned to his office, the leader summoned him. Upon arriving, he found that Zhao Shicheng had also returned from the police station, still wearing his characteristic ingratiating smile.
"Old Lin, my subordinates told me, so I rushed over. It's not a big deal, no need for you to write a report. Actually, it's all my fault. I didn't manage my subordinates properly, and that opportunistic Liu Shou tricked you with his honeyed words. In fact, the general's head at my brother's house was a fake. I had Xun Chong make it, telling him to just make a casual one to satisfy my brother's vanity. As a result, Xun Chong took it seriously and replicated it perfectly, making it indistinguishable from the real thing. I was startled when I saw it at the police station, thinking this kid had stolen the real general's head."
Grandpa remained silent, his face stern.
The leader looked displeased at Grandpa's demeanor. "Old Lin, Old Zhao is here to plead on your behalf. Don't be so grim-faced. Let's shake hands and make peace. We must cooperate closely like comrades in the future and contribute to the cause of ancient artifacts."
"Certainly, certainly. I'll still be relying on Old Lin for the work of the archaeology team," Zhao Shicheng said, grasping Grandpa's hand warmly for a reconciliation handshake.
Though he didn't have to write a report, Grandpa couldn't bring himself to be happy. He walked out with Zhao Shicheng, intending to leave with a curt farewell.
But Zhao Shicheng cheerfully stopped Grandpa. "Old Lin, please accept my apologies. Let's go out for dinner tonight."
"I can't. I need to go back and look after my granddaughter."
"Oh, come on, let's just have a couple of drinks. I'll wait for you at the entrance after work, and we'll eat near Huaqing Pool."
Grandpa knew very well that Zhao Shicheng was behind this entire affair, yet he couldn't find any leverage.
Furthermore, Zhao Shicheng was all smiles after returning from the police station, which made Grandpa worried about Liu Shou. So, Grandpa called the police station to inquire. As expected, Zhao Shicheng had turned the tables, falsely accusing Liu Shou of spreading rumors and causing trouble. Liu Shou was detained for fifteen days. The only way to get Liu Shou out was to prove Zhao Shicheng's guilt. But Zhao Shicheng's plan was meticulously crafted. Grandpa carefully considered that he had been led by the nose by Zhao Shicheng from the very beginning. It seemed like they were causing trouble for Zhao Shicheng, but in reality, they were helping him. The entire affair seemed orchestrated by Zhao Shicheng.
Grandpa hadn't been much involved in the cooperation with the Terracotta Army pits. The main person in charge was Zhang Bing. Years ago, his son Lin Zhijun had stolen national treasures and sold them to small vendors. During the police investigation, Zhang Bing, to protect Grandpa's reputation, used his own son as a substitute for Lin Zhijun. Grandpa felt immense guilt about this and had been diligently nurturing Zhang Bing ever since.
The handover of work with the archaeology team, the count of the Terracotta Warriors, these were all handled by Zhang Bing. So, Grandpa summoned Zhang Bing to ask him about it. Zhang Bing mentioned that Zhao Shicheng was quite adept at interpersonal relations.
The emergence of the Terracotta Army shocked the world. Some powerful and influential people wanted to acquire warrior heads for their own displays as a show of wealth. People lived by cultivating relationships, and Zhao Shicheng couldn't refuse everyone.
Zhang Bing's implication was clear: Zhao Shicheng had tampered with the numbers, and Zhang Bing, for the sake of maintaining good relations, had turned a blind eye, letting it pass. Grandpa suspected Zhang Bing had accepted bribes from Zhao Shicheng, but he didn't say it. After all, Zhang Bing's son had sacrificed his life for Grandpa's son, Lin Zhijun.
If Zhao Shicheng had tampered with the accounts, it wouldn't just be a matter of one or two warrior heads. With over 8,000 Terracotta Warriors, the question of how many were missing heads now was not just about personal gain but also involved core secrets of the ancient artifact world.
For an entire afternoon, Grandpa did no other work, sitting in his office contemplating the matter. Then, he decided to go out for dinner with Zhao Shicheng that evening.
At the restaurant, bowls of lamb and mutton and strong liquor were quickly served. Zhao Shicheng first toasted Grandpa, apologizing profusely, drinking heartily, and chewing on the tender mutton with a contented sigh.
"I've been thinking about this, and I feel something isn't right," Grandpa said directly.
Zhao Shicheng chuckled. "Old Lin, are you still planning to report me?"
"I'm not one for subtle maneuvering. The national treasures weren't stolen, so why would I report you? We're just having drinks and chatting. If I wanted to report you, would I be drinking with you?"
"Alright, alright. Ask away, Old Lin."
"Did that kid Liu Shou offend you, or what?"
"No, no. He's a cunning little fellow, with ill intentions."
Grandpa smiled. "To get rid of this young brat, you wouldn't need to set up such a huge trap, would you?"
Zhao Shicheng sighed and clinked glasses with Grandpa. "Old Lin, I have my own burdens. Nowadays, everyone wants a warrior head to display at home. What do you think, can that thing ward off evil or bring wealth?"
"You used the warrior heads to build goodwill."
"Precisely. This is my fault; I shouldn't have agreed in the first place. If I gave one to this person, I'd offend that one. What's most infuriating is that someone took that warrior head and sold it. A broken, clod of earth became a treasure. Old Lin, think about it, without any labor, a single head could fetch tens of thousands of yuan. Who wouldn't be envious?"
"Who paid so much for them?"
"Compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, as well as foreign friends. As soon as they hear 'warrior head,' their eyes bulge like a bull's. Old Lin, if you're unsure about this, ask your son. Your son is also in the antique business; he knows the ropes. Let me put it this way, our country was just beginning to achieve basic needs, but some countries and regions had already attained a comfortable life. They were willing to spend money to buy artifacts to enrich their spiritual lives."
Grandpa frowned. "Aren't they just bored out of their minds?"
"Exactly, Old Lin, you've hit the nail on the head. Let's drink, let's drink. These fools are bored out of their minds."
Grandpa's guess was that Zhao Shicheng wasn't doing this for profit, but for building relationships. However, these relationships had grown too burdensome for Zhao Shicheng. So, he decided to orchestrate this incident, creating a theft case at the museum. From then on, anyone who asked for warrior heads using their connections would be met with the excuse that investigations were strict, and taking warrior heads was a violation that would lead to disciplinary action.
"So, the person who pried open the lock at the museum's storage warehouse was also hired by you?"
Hearing Grandpa's question, Zhao Shicheng gave an embarrassed smile. "That's preposterous. That person has nothing to do with me. He was just a pauper who came to steal when he heard about the warrior heads."
"If even farmers know that warrior heads can be sold for money, has this issue escalated?"
"Yes."
"Old Zhao, do you think using a young punk to make a show of force would be effective?"
Zhao Shicheng looked puzzled, blinked, and asked seriously, "Wasn't I also forced into this? Old Lin, do you have any good ideas?"
"I want those who took the warrior heads to return them willingly."
Hearing Grandpa's words, Zhao Shicheng grinned. "Old Lin, that might not be a good idea."
"Not only will they return them, but they'll also owe you a favor."
"Oh? There's such a thing? Quick, quick, tell me."
Grandpa smiled, playing hard to get. "Old Zhao, don't rush. Let's have a drink first. The lamb's head needs to be eaten hot, or it'll get gamey."