Zhao Wan'er drove Li Bing and Professor Zhang on the winding road leading to Wang Jie's house at the foot of the Purple Mountain, and Professor Zhang kept sighing at the charming autumn scenery along the road.

When I came to the ancient house of Wang Jie's family, I saw that the big truck of the moving company was parked in front of the door, and four or five people who looked like workers in uniform were sitting on a stone bar in front of the door, smoking cigarettes and joking loudly.

Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er led Professor Zhang into the courtyard of the ancient house, and when Professor Zhang was attracted and admired by the Hui-style ancient house in the Ming and Qing dynasties, Wang Jie had already greeted him from the house with a smile.

When Li Binggang introduced his mentor Professor Zhang to Wang Jie, Professor Zhang couldn't wait to see the bronze mirror.

In the room at the east end of the second floor, Professor Zhang stared intently at the bronze mirror, while Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er looked nervously at Professor Zhang's expression.

When Wang Jie walked into the room with three cups of coffee on a tea tray and beckoned everyone to drink coffee, Professor Zhang suddenly let out a series of exclamations.

"Miss Wang, I really didn't expect that your family would have such a treasure that may be unique in this world," Professor Zhang said with a smile.

Wang Jieyi: "Professor Zhang, what kind of treasure is this?" I don't know, can you tell us about it? ”

Professor Zhang smiled and said, "Li Bing, haven't you noticed the special features of this bronze mirror?" Judging by the patina in the recesses around the edges of the frame, this ancient mirror has a long history. And even now, the image can be clearly illuminated, and the mirror surface is so large, you can imagine the difficulty of polishing this bronze mirror. This is by no means a folk thing, it should be a thing for the royal court. ”

As he spoke, Professor Zhang continued to observe the bronze mirror with a magnifying glass, and suddenly, he made a surprised voice: "Li Bing, come and see, there is a line of inscriptions on the base on the back of this bronze mirror." ”

When Li Bing heard this, he was also excited, and hurriedly stepped forward to take the magnifying glass, and carefully observed the place where Professor Zhang pointed his finger, and slowly read in his mouth: "The first year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty...... Mrs. Yipin...... Yan ....... ”

"A lot of words are blurred, I can't see clearly, and I can only distinguish these words, it's a pity." Li Bing said remorsefully.

Professor Zhang laughed: "Li Bing, these words are enough. If we study archaeology, we should not expect to tell you everything clearly, but should find clues from the remaining cultural relics, and then verify the origin of this cultural relic. ”

At this time, the workers downstairs were shouting, "Miss Wang, can you start?" We have other moving tasks, and we can't keep putting it off here! ”

Wang Jie glanced at Li Bing, and Professor Zhang immediately understood, and smiled: "Miss Wang, you can let them move, but remember, they must be careful when moving this ancient mirror." ”

Wang Jie let out an "um" and ran downstairs to summon the workers to start moving.

Professor Zhang, Li Bing, and Zhao Wan'er also walked downstairs, and in order not to affect Wang Jie's moving work, the three of them came to the courtyard. Just because the courtyard was overgrown with flowers and tall weeds, Professor Zhang sat on the stone cover of the ancient well very casually, Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er glanced at each other, did not dare to sit, only stood silently beside Professor Zhang.

Professor Zhang lit a cigarette and said excitedly, "Yan's...... Mrs. Yipin...... It turns out that this bronze mirror really has a great origin. ”

Looking at Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er's curious eyes, Professor Zhang continued to say proudly: "Have you heard of the Yan Tomb in Huamingtang, Wuhe County, Anhui? It was a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit. Everyone in the world knows that the wife of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang is the world-famous Queen Ma, but they don't know that before Zhu Yuanzhang married Queen Ma, he had made a marriage contract with a young lady of the Yan family in Wuhe. The local people have passed down from generation to generation, when Zhu Yuanzhang was seriously injured in the battle with the Yuan army in Xiaoxi Town, Wuhe County, and was rescued by Miss Yan. ”

Professor Zhang spit out a smoke ring, and continued: "After Zhu Yuanzhang conquered the Ming Dynasty, when he proposed a marriage contract with the Yan family, he was strongly opposed by his adviser Liu Bowen. Miss Yan did not see the wedding team for a long time, and then died of depression. Zhu Yuanzhang was very sad when he learned about it, so he gave the Yan family and gave Miss Yan a thick burial according to the specifications of Mrs. Yipin, because Miss Yan died unmarried, so there is no record of the official history and the tombstone, only a single phoenix wordless tablet as evidence. ”

Li Bing interjected in surprise: "Could it be that the bronze mirror of Wang Jie's family was given to the Yan family by Lost Yuanzhang?" ”

Professor Zhang nodded and said with a smile: "However, judging from the words 'the first year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty' on the bronze mirror, this should not be a reward given by Zhu Yuanzhang to the Yan family during his lifetime, but should be a funeral item that Zhu Yuanzhang rewarded to the Yan family after Yan's death." ”

Professor Zhang showed a hint of doubt at this time: "I just don't know how this bronze mirror appeared here, Yan's tomb has not been stolen, how can the burial goods appear here?" ”

"Is it an antique fake?" Li Bing's mouth opened wide.

Professor Zhang beckoned, and after Wang Jie walked over, Professor Zhang repeated what he had just said to Wang Jie: "Miss Wang, is this bronze mirror really handed down from the ancestors?" ”

Wang Jie nodded, and Professor Zhang said to himself: "If this is really the case, then counting from the era when Miss Wang was sensible, it is impossible for that era to have such superb antique counterfeiting technology." Miss Wang, I have a request, can I bring this bronze mirror back for an isotope radiation test? If it is determined that the age of this bronze mirror was really made in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, then it is a rare thing, and it may reveal a historical secret that is not known to the world. ”

Wang Jie hesitated for a moment, looking at Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er. Without waiting for Li Bing to speak, Zhao Wan'er preemptively said, "Miss Wang, don't worry." I can use the name of my company to guarantee Professor Zhang to ensure that no matter whether it is true or not, after Professor Zhang completes the identification, he will return this bronze mirror to Zhao. ”

Zhao Wan'er didn't wait for Wang Jie's answer, quickly took out a note paper from her bag, wrote a letter of guarantee, signed it and handed it to Wang Jie. Wang Jie looked at it embarrassedly, folded it carefully, put it in her pocket, and nodded to Professor Zhang.

At this time, it was almost sunset, and the big truck at the door was already full. Professor Zhang beckoned to the moving company employees who were about to call it a day, and asked them to carefully carry the bronze mirror upstairs to Zhao Wan'er's car.

Just as those workers had just removed the bronze mirror from the upper floor and were about to carry it to Zhao Wan'er's car, the sky suddenly darkened.

Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er felt a pang in their hearts, and when they looked up, they saw that the sun had covered the dark clouds. What frightened them even more was that the two of them faintly heard a miserable "woo" sound from the ancient well, which seemed to be far away, but it seemed to be in their ears.

Seeing the faces of the two of them, Professor Zhang suddenly asked, "What's wrong with you two?" ”

Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er were shocked when they heard this, and when they looked at it, there was still the sunset in front of them, and those workers had already loaded the bronze mirror into Zhao Wan'er's car.

"Professor Zhang, did you hear anything just now?" Li Bing's voice trembled a little.

Professor Zhang looked at the two of them suspiciously: "I didn't hear anything, I don't believe you ask the others." Wang Jie and the workers next to him all nodded. Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er stopped making a sound, followed Professor Zhang, said goodbye to Wang Jie, got into Zhao Wan'er's car, and drove towards Nanjing.

The car drove into NTU and came to Professor Zhang's laboratory, and the three of them worked together to carefully move the bronze mirror into Professor Zhang's laboratory.

Professor Zhang smiled: "Li Bing, Miss Zhao must be hungry, you should leave first." I can't get excited to see such a treasure, I don't want to have dinner, so I'll take a good look here tonight. ”

When Li Bing and Zhao Wan'er saw Professor Zhang say this, they had to leave.

As soon as he walked out of the laboratory, Li Bing suddenly remembered something, borrowed a digital camera from Zhao Wan'er, turned around and returned to the laboratory, and took many photos of the bronze mirror from all angles.

"Go to Qixia Temple to find Zen Master Kongming", Li Bing said to Zhao Wan'er succinctly after getting in the car.

The two of them didn't care about having dinner, bought a few loaves of bread and two bottles of drinks at a convenience store on the side of the road, and hurried to Qixia Ancient Temple.

When I came to Qixia Ancient Temple, it was completely dark, and the mountain gate was closed.

Li Bing dialed the mobile phone of Zen Master Kongming, and after a while, he saw the side door open, and Zen Master Kongming greeted him and took the two to his meditation room.