Chapter 21 Encountering a Police Car
Two hours later, Zhang Yang returned home and took out the aged black lacquered ancient bronze ware from the basement of his master's room.

There are eight pieces in total, all bronze mirrors.

The whole body is oily black, with a smooth and crystal jade texture, as if it had been painted black.

This patina is very special.

Unlike ordinary green embroidery, it is very smooth in appearance and very stable and not easily damaged.

Because they were the client's things, Zhang Yang only selected the most representative one and showed it to Xiao Shen as a teaching prop.

As Shen Yiyi watched, Zhang Yang introduced:
"A Liushan mirror like this is a typical Chu-style mirror, a type of bronze mirror that was very popular in the Chu State during the Warring States Period."

"You know the geographical location of Chu. Except for the part of Yue, almost the entire Jiangnan region is the sphere of influence of Chu. There are many water bodies in these places, so many of the places where the bronze mirrors of Chu were unearthed were puddles."

"Bronze artifacts from puddles can easily form black lacquer."

“This is the idea behind our imitation…”

Zhang Yang handed the bronze mirror to Xiao Shen.

Shen Yiyi had only seen this kind of bronze ware in a museum. When she held it in her hands for the first time, she couldn't help but marvel at it.

"It's beautiful."

“This surface is so slippery.”

"It's indeed different from the green bronze."

"Um...it's slippery because there's a layer of wax on it." Zhang Yang explained with a smile.

"Is that so?"

"Can you take the wax off so I can touch the body and feel what it feels like?"

Zhang Yang shook his head: "No, this is the client's stuff."

"But if you're interested, I can teach you how to make this black rust."

“This thing is very easy to imitate.”

"Really? It's that simple?"

Xiao Shen asked in surprise.

Black things often carry a sense of high-end mystery, such as black stockings.

So Shen Yiyi took it for granted that this kind of ancient black lacquered bronze mirror would be difficult to imitate.

"It's really simple, no kidding."

"Then let's make a copy now, okay?"

Xiao Shen looked at Zhang Yang expectantly.

The latter shook his head somewhat disappointedly.

“This cannot be imitated now because there is no material.”

Zhang Yang explained to Xiao Shen very seriously:
"To make black lacquer ancient bronze ware, you must use copper with a tin content of more than 17%. This material is usually used by the craftsmen, and I don't even know where it is."

"Can't I just do it in a normal way?"

"No."

"Why?" Xiao Shen asked.

"You have to know a little bit of chemistry to explain this."

"I barely passed junior high school chemistry..."

Shen Yiyi scratched her head a little embarrassedly.

She is a typical liberal arts girl and gets dizzy when she hears the word chemistry.

"Well... I'll try to explain it as simply as possible."

Zhang Yang thought about it and tried to find a way to avoid the principles and only talk about the conclusions.

Why does the ancient black lacquer bronze ware appear black?
Because cuprous sulfide is black and stannous oxide is brown-black, the combination of these two creates a pitch-black color.

This is also the reason why copper materials with high tin content should be selected.

Why is the black lacquer so smooth and the color so uniform and stable?

This is because there is an extremely stable protective film outside cuprous sulfide and stannous oxide, the main component of which is basic copper sulfate.

So the idea of ​​making it old is very simple.

That is to find a way to generate these compounds on the surface of copper.

"The method we generally use now is to use 50g/L of sodium hydroxide, add 10g/L of potassium persulfate solution, mix them together and heat them, then put the copper mirror in and boil it for 10 minutes. Basically, this layer of black paint is already very uniform."

Zhang Yang introduced it to his junior sister very professionally.

"Then apply a layer of wax on the outside and store it in a dark and dry place for a while, and the black lacquer is basically done."

“This black lacquer is ancient and looks almost identical to the real thing to the naked eye.”

"Of course, it is important to control the heat when cooking, and you need to slowly feel it yourself."

"Do you understand? Do you have any questions?"

"I understood it with my ears." Xiao Shen answered cleverly.

She asked Zhang Yang impatiently:
"Brother, when are you going to buy copper with a high tin content? I want to make this black lacquer."

"If you want to do it, I'll go buy it this afternoon."

Shen Yiyi has just started, and interest is the best teacher.

Of course Zhang Yang tried to find a way to support it.

The complicated processes of wax modeling, pouring, and firing can be learned later. It is relatively simple to make it look old, and you can enjoy it for now.

"Okay, I'll call the driver to pick you up later."

"Junior sister, you are too polite."

"Brother, do you mean that I don't need to send it?"

"That's not what I meant..."

In Zhang Yang's eyes, Xiao Shen was very suitable to be his junior sister because she had a private driver. From now on, he would be picked up by a Mercedes-Benz whenever he went out.

Driving to the copper factory to buy raw materials would probably make the security guard Li Ergou at the door drool with envy.

……

Having gone out to purchase goods in the afternoon, Zhang Yang still had some time at noon, so he planned to contact his master's clients first.

Ask where the other person is.

Discuss whether you want door-to-door pickup, face-to-face delivery in the same city, or cash on delivery.

In short, send out the goods as soon as possible and get the balance payment.

Zhang Yang charged the master's mobile phone. The phone, which was seven years old, is still usable and can even be charged quickly.

The phone had no password. When I searched for "Lao Xing" in the address book, I found only one person with the surname Xing, and the number was from the neighboring city of Wudu.

Zhang Yang tried to dial the number using his master's mobile phone, and found that there was no outstanding debt, and the call was connected quickly.

"Hello? Is this Lao Xing?"

"Brother Yao?" A middle-aged man's questioning voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I'm not Brother Yao, I'm Brother Yao's apprentice."

"My master has something to do and is away on a long trip. He forgot to send the goods you ordered from us before, so I will send it to you on his behalf now."

"Oh~"

The man on the other end of the phone seemed to have just remembered this, and said with sudden enlightenment:
"So this is the product I ordered before."

"When will your master come back?"

"I don't know. It depends on his performance."

Zhang Yang was not sure whether his master would get a reduced sentence, but generally speaking, as long as he did not commit any crime in prison, there should be a chance.

I was afraid that he would develop a bad attitude and not want to write the application, and would insist on sitting the full three years.

"Mr. Xing, how do you plan to receive the goods?"

"I support everything here, even Mercedes-Benz home delivery, but the cost will be a little higher."

"No need for delivery, just send me the address and I'll pick it up myself."

"Eh? Don't you know our address?"

Zhang Yang asked doubtfully.

Looking at the mark on the master’s address book, this is an old customer.

"Your master used to deliver them. I'm renovating my new house recently, so I usually stay in a hotel, which is a bit inconvenient."

"Why not just come and get it yourself?"

"No wonder, then you can navigate directly to Hexie Street, Xiaoliushu District, Qingzhou City..."

"By the way, Mr. Xing, please don't forget about the balance."

"Don't worry, I won't forget."

"Okay, okay, then I'd like to ask, how much is the balance?"

Zhang Yang was really curious about how much the goods could be sold for, as the master who was in prison was still interested in them.

If it sells well, he will buy more raw materials this time and make a few copies himself when he comes back.

But the man on the other end of the phone did not answer the question directly:

"For this kind of thing, let's wait until I meet and inspect the goods."

"Okay, when will you come?"

"How about four this afternoon?"

"Okay, we'll see you then."

After Zhang Yang hung up the phone, he turned around and explained the matter to Shen Yiyi.

In case he is delayed at the copper factory, let Xiao Shen secure the customer first and wait for him to come back before delivering the goods.

The reason why Zhang Yang didn't let Xiao Shen handle the matter herself was because he was afraid that she would be bargained down.

The middle-aged man said that he would discuss the balance after inspecting the goods, which obviously meant he wanted to pay less.

Who can’t hear it!
Zhang Yang couldn't possibly let him have his wish.

After he left the house, he hurried all the way and finally arrived at the village entrance at 4:15 in the afternoon.

At four o'clock, he called Xiao Shen on the way, and Shen Yiyi said that the guests had not arrived yet.

Then it would be a good time to go back now.

Zhang Yang was directing the driver to stop the car when he suddenly heard a familiar voice:

"Dingwu, Dingwu, Dingwu~"

Two police cars with sirens blaring were driving towards the village entrance.

Zhang Yang suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart.

He looked out the window in the back seat, waiting for the police car to pass by.

I didn’t recognize the officer in the first car, and it was an empty car.

The license plate number starts with Han S. It’s from another city in the province, and Zhang Yang has never seen it before.

He had never seen the police officer in the second car either.

and many more!

When the last police car passed by on the road, Zhang Yang seemed to see:

Shen Yiyi was sitting by the window in the back seat, looking out the window!
Oval face and single ponytail. No other young girl in the village looks like this.

It can only be Xiao Shen!
Why was Xiao Shen arrested?
Zhang Yang quickly said to the driver, Lao Wang:
"Uncle Wang, turn around and follow those two police cars. Don't let them get away!"

(End of this chapter)