Chapter 163: Chapter 163: From Thread Carving to Openwork Carving, Stunning for 48 Hours Chapter 163: Chapter 163: From Thread Carving to Openwork Carving, Stunning for 48 Hours Yet the organizer felt sparks fly invisibly, offering an apologetic laugh, “Yes, last ti we did specifically invite her…”
“Has today’s jade carving inheritance competition degraded to the point where any Tom, Dick, or Harry can waltz right in?” Ji Shiwang sneered contemptuously.
The organizer, with an embarrassed expression, replied, “Miss Ji, don’t underestimate her; last ti her Hanbadou was truly awe-inspiring. All our judges gave her high marks.”
Although the organizer’s character wasn’t particularly impressive, his eye for talent was sharp. He had seen too many outstanding jade sculptors; Ning Yichu was by no ans ordinary.
Upon hearing this, Ji Shiwang’s disdain only grew as she curled her lip, “You consider sothing as perfunctory as Hanbadou suitable for an inheritance competition? Don’t you think that’s a bit deaning! Even if it was the preliminary round, the minimum should have been sothing like line carving…”
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the organizer explained that due to the focus on popularizing the craft, they feared making the competition too complex, hence the relatively simple subject matter.
Hanbadou was far from being sothing perfunctory…
However, Miss Ji stood on her high horse, her noble birth endowing her with ample confidence.
Only…
Today’s topic happened to be line carving!
Nowadays, many beauty salons launched costic line carving services, but in the jade carving industry, line carving, simply put, ant carving using lines to create patterns through relief work. There’s a common saying, without carving, jade cannot beco a fine piece. Even the finest jade can only beco truly precious, cherished for generations, after a jade sculptor’s refinent.
“So… what does Miss Ji think should be done for the finale?”
“Hollowing out or openwork carving, of course. Only then can the competitor’s skills be displayed!” Ji Shiwang commanded loftily.
The organizer turned pale with shock. Hollowing out and openwork carving were highly complicated techniques.
Ti-consuming and with a high failure rate.
Finding jade sculptors capable of such high-quality craftsmanship was difficult enough, let alone securing the raw stones supportive of such superior craft, the raw material itself a determinant of its rarity!
Not to ntion that openwork carving involved significant wastage. Jade was priced by weight; how could ordinary jade sculptors gain access to it?
Moreover, openwork carving, a traditional technique, diverged from the modern preference for simplicity and elegance. Only those in the know would understand its true value and not let it go to waste…
“But… the jade we have prepared may not suffice for openwork carving, and as for the ti… the duration for openwork carving would undoubtedly double…”
“Lodging and als are covered by the Ji Family. Is supplying jade that difficult? Send out a ssage, let participants choose between line carving and openwork carving. For those who choose openwork carving, I will personally select a batch of Hetian jade from our warehouse. The final products will be auctioned off by the Ji Family, with proceeds minus costs given to the participants.”
The organizer stuttered, unsure whether Miss Ji had co prepared or if she was too experienced in dealing with such matters, having thought of every aspect.
Finally auctioning the products would serve as a promotion for both the competition and the Ji Family…
The organizer truly had no reason to refuse.
…
“What? Line carving changed to openwork carving?”
“Such an outdated technique is being used for the competition? What was the organizer thinking?”
“I bet most of the jade sculptors present can’t do openwork carving!”
“Didn’t they say you can choose freely between line carving and openwork carving?”
“Hmph, that may be the case, but the organizer’s last-minute requirent clearly favors openwork carving. Maybe they are even reserving high scores for it?”
Participants received the ssage and voiced their dissatisfaction and protests, but ultimately, they were forced to accept it.
Thus, a significant change was made to the participants’ allotted ti.
So chose line carving, with a completion ti of 24 hours, while others who chose openwork carving were given 48 hours – a ti fra utterly insufficient for ordinary openwork jade sculptors.
Only the most experienced and skilled jade sculptors could complete an excellent piece of openwork carving within this ti constraint.
For most jade sculptors, completion tis ranged from one week to several years…
The more complex the task, the longer the ti required.
The organizer had not dictated the design for the openwork carving; it could be up to the competitors to decide based on the shape of the Hetian jade.
Ning Yichu truly hadn’t anticipated the organizer adding categories last minute, but she also wanted to challenge herself and thus chose openwork carving.
Entering room 18, she first checked the machinery and tools. Once certain everything was in order, she waited for the organizer to distribute the raw material. Soon, soone knocked on the door delivering Hetian jade.
But at first glance, Ning Yichu knew this jade material… Its odd shapes made it difficult to work with.
“Lady Ning, with your remarkable skills, charging thousands per gram, a little issue with shape is surely easy to overco, right?” The man delivering the Hetian jade, dressed in a suit, eyed Ning Yichu provocatively.
This wasn’t the staffer of the organizer; Ning Yichu hadn’t seen him in the competition area.
Connecting the dots to the Ji Family’s sudden claim to supply the material, she imdiately understood, “Go back and tell your master, if you fear losing to , resorting to such despicable tactics won’t get you far in the jade carving path.”
Weird-shaped jade stones would require a considerable amount of ti for designing a pattern, which was already a significant waste of ti…
And with the competition only allowing for 48 hours, this was a huge disadvantage right out of the gate!
The man in the suit scoffed, “To think you even dare to compare yourself with our Miss Ji? Ha, you’re not even worthy to tie her shoelaces!”
Bang.
Ning Yichu slamd the door shut behind him, not bothering with him, focusing on what design she would create.
This piece of jade was heavier at the front than the back, and though round, not perfectly so. Making accessories out of it would result in significant wastage, a terrible cost-benefit ratio, especially considering the nurous hidden flaws. To produce a flawless piece, these defects had to be avoided…
On the other hand, Ji Shiwang sat in her exclusive compartnt, handling the finest piece of Hetian jade, perfectly shaped with rare blemishes.
Before the competition, she had practiced several tis with ordinary jade materials.
As long as no mistakes were made, the championship was hers for the taking.
“Miss Ji, the jade has been delivered to room 18.” The man in the suit complinted, “If you hadn’t turned down so many orders, Mrs. Zheng’s project wouldn’t have even co her way. She was rely picking up your scraps! Now that you’ve joined this competition, you’re sure to slap her face hard and teach her a lesson in humility!”
“Notify the organizer to start…” Ji Shiwang’s lips curled slightly, clearly enjoying the flattery.
The suit nodded vigorously.
As he was about to leave…
“Wait.” Ji Shiwang suddenly stopped him.
“Miss Ji, do you have any other instructions?”
With fingers painted with bright red nail polish, Ji Shiwang caressed the Hetian jade, glancing at the cara inadvertently, “I’ve heard that these videos will be made into a compilation for the official website. I wouldn’t want anyone who doesn’t know their place stealing my thunder.”
The man in the suit understood, “With your unparalleled beauty, Miss Ji, and your top-notch jade carving skills, no one could possibly compare with you.”
With the organizer announcing the start of the competition, jade sculptors in dozens of rooms switched on their machines, embarking on jade carving processes that would last from one to two full days!
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