Chapter 25 — The Journey of the Missing Bronze Drum

Three weeks after the night of the raid, the appraisal room of the Red River Antiquities Museum glowed under a specialized lighting system, where the bronze drum LU-07 was placed on a stainless steel work table, surrounded by an appraisal panel of five leading experts, including Diem, this time not as an investigator, but as an appraisal expert invited to join the panel because of her in-depth knowledge of Dong Son patterns.

"The results of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy analysis confirm the composition of the copper - tin - lead alloy with the typical ratio of the middle period of the Dong Son culture, about two thousand two hundred years ago today, with an error of plus or minus one hundred years," an expert read the report, in a solemn tone. "The thermoluminescence dating method on soil samples adhered to the pattern slots also gave compatible results, strengthening the reliability of this date."

"In terms of patterns," another expert continued, "the pattern of nine-winged birds arranged in circles on the drum is completely unique in the entire Dong Son bronze drum system that has been recorded so far, even compared to large collections at national and international museums. This may open up a new direction of research on the meaning of numerological symbols in Dong Son art, a topic that I believe will attract great attention from regional and international archaeologists for many years. coming."

Diem sat quietly listening, a feeling of pride and emotion rising in her heart, different from the suffocating tension of the previous weeks. This is the work she loves most — not the chase, not the confrontation, but this quiet moment, when an ancient artifact is finally returned to its rightful place in the flow of human knowledge.

The chairman of the council, an elderly archeology professor who had worked with Mr. Trac many years ago, turned to Diem with a warm voice. "Miss Diem, I think you should be the one to write the first official scientific report about this artifact. No one understands its journey, both academically and humanly, better than you."

Diem nodded, speechless for a moment. "I will dedicate the opening of my report to the person who taught me everything I know about the Dong Son pattern," she said finally, her voice quiet but firm. "Even though he's no longer here to witness this day."

The entire examination room was silent for a moment, sympathetic eyes directed towards her, many of whom knew and respected Luong Viet Trac when he was alive, clearly understanding the weight of that statement.

After the appraisal, Diem was invited to attend a short meeting with the museum's leadership and representatives of the Department of Cultural Heritage, discussing plans to officially display the drum in the near future, as well as updating the legal progress of the case.

"As for Vu Bach Long," the legal representative announced, "the investigation agency has prosecuted the crimes of smuggling antiquities, falsifying documents, and concealing crimes related to a death twelve years ago. Due to the lack of direct evidence of intentional acts of injury leading to death, the crime related to the death can only be prosecuted at the level of concealing the scene and not denouncing the crime, the expected sentence will not be as high as many people expect, even if combined with the crime of trafficking. other crimes, he would still be subject to a significantly long sentence."

Diem nodded, not reacting further, although in her heart there was a complex mixture of acceptance and regret. She has learned, over her years in the profession, that legal justice and emotional justice rarely coincide perfectly, and that sometimes the best thing a person can do is accept that gap without letting it consume them.

"What about Mr. Ta Bach Son?" she asked.

"He cooperated fully throughout the investigation, providing vital evidence that led to the case," the legal representative said. "Considering significant mitigating circumstances, the prosecutor's office proposed a suspended sentence for crimes related to the use of fake documents, accompanied by the obligation to pay fines and transfer all assets originating from previous illegal transactions to the state. Hoai Co Duong Gallery will have to close permanently according to the decision to revoke its business license, but he will not have to go to jail, on the condition that he continues to fully cooperate in the remaining stages of the proceedings."

Diem felt relieved when she heard this news, even though she knew that Ta Bach Son also had to face another punishment, perhaps equally severe - the collapse of an entire career, a reputation he had built up for more than a decade, which will now forever be associated with a scandal that the public is unlikely to forget quickly.

A few days ago, she visited him one last time before the official trial, at the small house he moved into after leaving the mansion that used to be Hoai Co Duong. There are no longer precious antiques displayed throughout the living room, only a few simple items and a black and white photo of Vinh Sa port, the only thing he kept from a collapsed career.

"I'll start again, somehow," he told her that day, his voice more calm than she expected. "Maybe not in the collecting industry anymore. But I think, for the first time in many years, I can look in the mirror without avoiding my own eyes."

Diem didn't have the perfect answer for him at that moment, just squeezed his hand once before leaving, a simple but sincere gesture, replacing all the empty words of comfort she could have said that didn't really feel right.

The meeting ended, Diem walked out into the museum hallway, where Hai was waiting for her, holding two cups of coffee in hand as a habit she had formed over the past weeks.

"What do you think?" he asked, handing her a drink.

"Not perfect," Diem replied, taking a sip of warm coffee. "But maybe that's what real justice looks like, in real life — never absolutely perfect, but enough that everyone involved has to face the consequences of their actions, in different ways."

Hai nodded and walked with her along the hallway, towards the main display area of the museum, where technical staff were building a new display platform, preparing for the official launch ceremony of the LU-07 bronze drum scheduled to take place this weekend - not a grand and ostentatious ceremony, but a simple, solemn ceremony, true to the spirit that both Diem and the museum leadership wanted.

"As for the clues you found from Long's testimony," Hai said, his tone turning more serious, "about the old 'internal resolution' call — we have started reviewing the list of officials who had authority in the Vinh Sa port area during that period. It will take time, maybe a very long time, and we may never find a complete answer. But we will not give up."

Diem looked at him, a deep gratitude rising that she did not need to express in beautiful words. "Thank you," she said simply. "For everything, not just that."

They stopped in front of the unfinished display platform, looking at the bronze drum through the temporary cloth cover, waiting for the day it would officially be unveiled to the public, ending a journey that had taken too long to be encapsulated in any simple words.

Diem placed her hand on the covering fabric, feeling the rough contours of the pattern hidden underneath, and in that moment, she suddenly realized she was smiling, a natural, not forced smile, for the first time since the rainy night more than a month ago when she received the phone call in the middle of the night with bad news.

"Will Uncle Khoat come to the launching ceremony this weekend?" Hai asked, breaking the silence.

"Sure," Diem replied, her eyes never leaving the fabric cover. "I promised him he would be the first person, right after me, to stand in front of this artifact when it officially returns to its rightful place."

She looked at the clock on the hallway wall, then at Hai, a thought suddenly flashed. "Just a few more days. I think I need to prepare a speech, even though I've never been good at it. Can you help me review the draft?"

"Anytime," Hai replied, a gentle smile on his lips. "It's the least I can do, after all we've been through together."

The two of them left the museum hallway and stepped out into the late afternoon, the sunlight fading on the ancient tiled roofs, bringing with them a rare peace that they both deserved to enjoy after a long journey that had just largely ended, although a few questions still remained open that had not been fully answered.