Zhenniang was now completely absorbed in her work, focused solely on producing smoke and collecting soot in the woodshed.

The weather had grown warmer, and with the temporary smoke collection shelter’s windows and doors tightly shut, the heat inside was stifling. Though it was only mid-spring, Zhenniang wished she could wear short sleeves like in her previous life.

Unfortunately, this was the Ming Dynasty, and she had only removed her outer garment, wearing just her undergarments. Zhao, who happened to bring in food, caught her in this state.

“You shameless girl!” Zhao exclaimed in distress, quickly grabbing Zhenniang’s outer garment to cover her.

“Mother, it’s too hot, and there’s no outsiders here,” Zhenniang explained helplessly, sweat glistening on her forehead.

“That doesn’t matter! Your sister-in-law’s brothers often visit, and Xier’s playmates run in and out. What if someone accidentally sees you? How will you ever find a husband?” Zhao glared at her.

“Alright, alright, I’ll put it on,” Zhenniang quickly agreed.

Seeing the sweat on Zhenniang’s forehead, Zhao wiped it with her sleeve, feeling concerned: “Why don’t you tell me how to do this, and I’ll watch over it?”

“Mother, there’s no need. Go about your work,” Zhenniang waved her off. The timing for smoke collection required expert knowledge that was hard to master. Moreover, this batch of soot needed to match the quality of the previous one, something her mother couldn’t manage.

“Fine, but if you’re too hot, take a break and cool off outside,” Zhao said, reminding Zhenniang to eat before leaving.

Zhenniang looked at the porcelain bowl she had just collected smoke in. Noting she had some idle time, she took her food outside, walking toward the kitchen while eating quickly, practically wolfing down the food with soup. Soon the bowl was empty.

At the kitchen door, she was about to enter when she heard her elder brother and sister-in-law talking.

Though Zhenniang didn’t want to eavesdrop, they were discussing her, and it would be awkward to enter now, so she paused outside.

“I’ll go to the mountains later to see if I can hunt some game. Zhenniang’s had it rough these days. I saw her this morning, her face has gotten so thin,” Li Dalang was saying.

“I think she’s too headstrong. How is a smoke collection suitable work for a girl? And grandfather just lets her do it,” Du complained.

“What are you saying? She’s doing this for the family. Why else would a girl work so hard? Grandfather’s illness isn’t light – I hear him coughing at night and it pains me. Supporting this big family on my oil press wages isn’t easy, especially with the owner withholding part until year-end. You can’t earn much yourself, and we can’t maintain the household on just my earnings. Plus father still has debts outside – debt collectors could show up any day,” Li Dalang said gruffly.

“You wretch, now you’re complaining I can’t earn money,” Du pinched Li Dalang in annoyance, then added regretfully, “Ah, we were making some money with the thermos flasks before, but others quickly learned to make them. Now every general store sells them. We just ended up helping others prosper.”

“I’m not complaining about anything,” Li Dalang muttered.

“By the way, Dalang, why don’t you ask grandfather to teach you ink making? You could work at an ink workshop then, maybe even become a master craftsman someday. Look at Zhenniang now – she’s got quite a reputation. Today when I was getting vegetables, I met the Cheng family’s shopkeeper who insisted on giving me osmanthus cakes as thanks to Zhenniang,” Du said, her voice tinged with envy.

“I don’t have the talent. I can only do manual labor. Grandfather tried teaching me when I was young, but I was too slow – didn’t have the mindset or ability to learn. Father beat me plenty over it,” Li Dalang replied. Then he warned, “Don’t say strange things. What do you mean by ‘reputation’? That’s Zhenniang’s skill. Don’t be petty and say sour things.”

“Now you’re criticizing me? Just because Zhenniang can earn money, does that mean I do less work around the house?” Du said, feeling wronged.

“I didn’t say you work less,” Li Dalang responded.

Then they fell silent.

Zhenniang made her footsteps heavier as she entered the kitchen.

“Zhenniang, finished eating? Want some more?” Du stood up when she saw Zhenniang enter with the empty bowl.

“I’m full. It was a big bowl – more than I usually eat. Sister-in-law, your cooking keeps getting better,” Zhenniang said with a smile.

Though Du showed some pettiness and spoke sourly behind her back, truthfully, she was an honest person. With Zhao’s strong personality as mother-in-law, Du was completely submissive before her, handling most household chores. Her work was no less demanding than Zhenniang’s smoke collection.

So why dwell on minor complaints, especially between family?

Zhenniang’s flattering words dissolved Du’s previously disgruntled expression into a pleased smile. “It’s not my cooking that’s good – you’re just working so hard that everything tastes better when you’re hungry. Your brother’s going to the mountains later to try hunting some game. If he’s successful, I’ll make you a soup with wild mushrooms – it’ll be delicious.”

“Ah, I’ll be in for a treat then,” Zhenniang grinned.

Li Dalang watched his wife, who had earlier objected to his hunting plan but now eagerly wanted him to bring back game for his sister, and thought how difficult women’s emotions were to understand.

“Brother, can you make something for me?” Zhenniang then asked Li Dalang.

“What is it?” Li Dalang asked.

Zhenniang took a piece of coal from the stove and began drawing on the ground. It was a coal stove design, inspired by her seeing loose coal at Water Uncle’s place yesterday when fetching water.

Water Uncle had told her it was used as fuel when firewood was scarce, though they rarely used it because it produced too much smoke. This reminded Zhenniang of coal stoves. While she couldn’t make honeycomb briquettes, coal balls should be manageable.

“So this outer part is iron sheeting, right? With an earthen core inside, a base layer below, and an iron rack in the middle? Shouldn’t be too hard to make, but what’s it for?” Li Dalang understood the cylindrical structure as Zhenniang explained it piece by piece, but couldn’t figure out its purpose.

“Don’t ask yet, brother. Make it first, and who knows – our family’s better days might depend on it,” Zhenniang said mysteriously.

“Alright, leave it to your big brother,” Li Dalang said, patting his chest.

Zhenniang dusted off her hands and returned to the woodshed to continue her smoke collection. The family’s current financial difficulties couldn’t be solved quickly, and even her smoke collection work only earned manual labor wages.

So it was worth trying any potentially useful methods. A coal stove could be quite practical, and if they started producing them, it could provide a decent livelihood.

Moreover, if the main family branch encountered serious difficulties in the future, given her grandfather’s personality, he wouldn’t stand idly by. The family needed to build up some resources for such times.