There are many ways to artificially age antiques, and I know over a dozen of them.
However, as the saying goes, fakes can never truly become real. No matter how skilled your aging techniques are, the object's foundation remains, and you can never truly make it genuine.
My family's ancestral tome, the "Seven Stars Nine Secrets Mystic Arts," doesn't teach aging methods but rather how to restore.
This book contains a vast and varied amount of information, with artifact restoration merely being the "First Character Secret."
The "Seven Stars" in the "Seven Stars Nine Secrets Mystic Arts" refers to the seven mansions of the Vermilion Bird constellation within the Twenty-Eight Mansions.
The "Nine Secrets" represent nine sections, and the meaning of "Mystic Arts" is: the way of the formless, illusory and unreal.
Therefore, my family's ancestral book also has another name: the "Vermilion Bird Nine Sections Illusory Mystic Arts."
After receiving the Xuande censer from Sister Ying, I spent two days researching it before beginning the restoration process according to the methods in the "Seven Stars Nine Secrets Mystic Arts."
Some of the things written in the book are quite mystical. As this was my first time performing such an operation, I could only follow the book's instructions religiously.
I found some incense sticks and candles and lit three incense sticks and two candles facing the door, which is the Vermilion Bird position.
Next, I filled a bronze basin with water and washed my hands before starting the operation.
The Xuande censer was the first bronze ware cast using brass in history, and they are generally divided into two types.
One type has no lid, and incense is directly placed on it for sacrificial rites. The other type has a lid and is mainly used for burning incense.
The ancients always valued "elegance" in everything. In ancient texts, one can often find the so-called "Nine Elegances."
The Nine Elegances are: burning incense, tasting tea, listening to rain, appreciating snow, waiting for the moon, pouring wine, tending to flowers, seeking seclusion, and playing the zither.
There are also the "Four Arts," which are: appreciating incense, tea contests, hanging paintings, and arranging flowers.
It is precisely because of the ancients' pursuit of elegance that incense burning became an indispensable part of ancient life.
My father used to tell me that for ancient literati to create, they had to find an elegant environment, pour good tea, and light incense before starting.
Sister Ying's Xuande censer is the latter type, meaning an incense burner.
A characteristic of Xuande censers, regardless of how their design changes, is that most of their bases are three-legged.
After toiling all night, by the next morning, I had finally "repaired" Sister Ying's Xuande censer.
However, it would still take some time for it to truly become "genuine."
I buried the repaired Xuande censer in a patch of land on the back mountain of the farmhouse, neither too wet nor too dry, and then covered it with a layer of pine branches.
After completing all this, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Returning to my room, I fell asleep. When I woke up, Sister Ying was already sitting by my bed.
"Xiao Fei, you're awake?"
Honestly, I didn't expect Sister Ying to just walk in.
I was only wearing a pair of briefs, and I instinctively pulled the blanket closer.
Seeing my small movement, Sister Ying smiled slightly and said, "What? Are you afraid I'll eat you?"
The more she said, the hotter my face became.
I chuckled awkwardly and asked, "Sister Ying, when did you arrive?"
"Not long ago. Old Xu mentioned you were busy all night, so I didn't disturb you, letting you sleep a bit longer."
As Sister Ying spoke, she glanced around the messy room and asked, "The censer?"
"I've finished with it, but it still needs to absorb some earthly energy," I replied.
After working all night, the room was filled with dirt, branches, and rice water.
Sister Ying didn't ask me how I operated or what "absorbing earthly energy" meant. Instead, she said, "You haven't eaten, have you? I asked Old Xu to prepare some food. Put on your clothes and come find me."
After Sister Ying left, my heart rate slowly began to return to normal.
Honestly, Sister Ying is the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and the charm she exudes is irresistible.
It seemed as if every word and action she made carried a captivating allure.
I put on my clothes, washed up, and went to the private dining room.
When I entered, only Sister Ying was there.
Seeing me arrive, she smiled and poured me a cup of wine.
Upon seeing this, I quickly refused, "Sister Ying, I don't drink..."
"It's fine, this is yellow wine, it won't make you drunk."
As she spoke, she placed the cup of yellow wine in front of me.
I felt too awkward to refuse again, so I picked it up and took a sip.
"Xiao Fei, you've been here with me for a few months now, haven't you?" Sister Ying asked, interlacing her fingers and resting her hands on the table with a smile.
"Almost four months," I replied.
"In these four months, you haven't called home. Aren't your family worried about you?"
"I don't have anyone left at home..." I said with a hint of bitterness.
Upon hearing my answer, something flashed in Sister Ying's eyes.
I explained, "My mother passed away during childbirth when I was born, and my father fell seriously ill half a year ago..."
"I'm sorry..." Sister Ying said with an apologetic expression.
I smiled bitterly, "It's alright, it's all in the past."
"Xiao Fei, there's something I still need to ask you," Sister Ying said.
"What is it?"
"You mentioned your father was a peddler of aged goods. Did you learn your aging techniques from him?"
Hearing this, I finally understood.
Sister Ying wanted to probe into my background.
"Sister Ying, some things are difficult for me to talk about. It's not that I don't want to tell you, but rather..." I said with some difficulty. "But don't worry, I will definitely help you resolve the matter with that censer."
"Xiao Fei, don't be nervous. I don't mean anything else, I just want to chat with you."
Sister Ying leaned back in her chair, pulled out a slender More cigarette, lit it, and took a puff.
"Regarding the censer, you heard what Old Hong said that day... I feel like someone is setting a trap for me, but I haven't figured anything out yet..."
As Sister Ying spoke, she pouted and exhaled a stream of smoke.
The chocolate-scented smoke quickly dispersed into the air, mixing with the aroma of the food on the table.
There was something intriguing, yet a hint of coldness in her eyes.
"Sister Ying, you're not suspecting that I was sent by your competitor, are you?" I asked, startled.
Sister Ying smiled and said, "Xiao Fei, I didn't mean that. I just feel that when you came to apply for a job at the shop, it was only a few days before I received the censer..."
Before she could finish speaking, I suddenly stood up and raised four fingers, "I can swear! Sister Ying, I..."
"Xiao Fei, sit down," Sister Ying said with a smile. "What are you doing? Please sit down."
I felt somewhat anxious. Regardless, Sister Ying had been quite kind to me lately, and I didn't want to be doubted and driven away.
I had become a bit agitated just now, which caused me to stand up and swear.
As I sat down again, Sister Ying stubbed out her cigarette and said, "Let me put it this way, Xiao Fei. This matter is crucial to me. If there's any mistake, I'll be in a lot of trouble."
She paused, took a deep breath, and stared at me with her dark, bright eyes, asking, "Can I trust you?"