The carriage made its way into Official Street. Zhen Niang had left early in the morning, and now in the afternoon, the weather had grown quite hot. Yellow dogs lay panting in the tree shadows, and while the cicadas weren’t singing their summer songs yet, their occasional brief chirps still conveyed the day’s sultriness.
The breeze from the Qinhuai River brought humid warmth, mixed with the sweet perfume from the courtesans’ quarters, making one feel drowsy.
However, the recent news from Langfang had set the chattering shop women abuzz with excitement.
When Zhen Niang’s carriage stopped at the medicine hall, several pairs of eyes were already fixed upon it. After the young maid helped First-Rank Official Zeng into the hall, the previously leisurely Official Street suddenly came alive with activity.
These days, the feud between First-Rank Official Zeng and the Tian clan was the prime gossip of Official Street. So when Zhen Niang appeared with Zeng, everyone from the ink workshops along the street was watching. Even the idlers dozing in the tree shade perked up.
After all, everyone loves a bit of gossip.
“Zhen Niang, I heard you got an extraordinary ink block, something called Tianguan’s Finest. You’ve struck it rich, eh? If it weren’t for First-Rank Official Zeng’s help, those thieves might have taken it. Come on, let me have a look!” Madam Yao from the neighboring fabric shop called out, stopping Zhen Niang.
Zhen Niang paused, looking Madam Yao up and down until the latter became confused.
“What’s wrong? Is something off about me?” Madam Yao asked.
“I’m just wondering if Aunt Yao has the Thousand-Mile Eye or the Wind-Following Ear. This just happened at Langfang, and I came straight here without delay. How did this news reach your ears so quickly?” Zhen Niang teased.
“Well, Manager Li, are you mocking me? Think I’m being nosy? Langfang isn’t far from here, and the feud between First-Rank Official Zeng and the Tian clan is Official Street’s hottest gossip. How could news about Zeng not travel fast?” Madam Yao replied irritably.
“I’m not mocking you, just surprised at how quickly the news spread,” Zhen Niang smiled. She stopped teasing and took out the tile-shaped ink block to show Madam Yao.
Madam Yao knew nothing about ink. She’d only wanted to see it because of all the mysterious talk, but seeing just a gray, cracked piece that looked like a tile, she was incredulous: “This is supposed to be treasure?”
“It depends on how you look at it. For practical use, aside from letting us ink makers study ancient crafting techniques, it’s useless. Even the ink it would produce would be an unappealing gray. It’s like your foot-washing basin—in a few hundred years, some might treasure it as an antique, while others might chop it up for firewood and complain about how poorly it burns,” Zhen Niang explained.
Hearing this, Madam Yao laughed: “I get it now. In the hands of those who need it, it’s treasure; in the hands of those who don’t, it’s trash. Well, to me, it’s trash—I can’t see anything special about it.” She shook her head and returned to supervise her shop assistants.
Zhen Niang registered First-Rank Official Zeng’s treatment with Physician Gong, arranging for the Li family to cover all expenses. As she turned to return to her shop, before she could cross the threshold, a booming voice called out.
“Girl! You’re getting too big for your boots! Your Third Grand-Uncle has been sitting here for ages, and you pass by without even a greeting? I might have to report this to your grandfather!”
Zhen Niang was startled by the familiar voice.
Third Grand-Uncle Cheng? It was indeed his voice. Zhen Niang turned toward its source.
Beside the Yihousheng Money Shop, under a phoenix tree, sat a small table with two bamboo chairs. Luo Wenqian and Third Grand-Uncle Cheng sat facing each other, the young and old pair engaged in conversation.
When did the Cheng family arrive in Nanjing? Zhen Niang hurried over and curtsied: “Third Grand-Uncle, hello. When did you arrive in Nanjing?”
“Hmph!” Third Grand-Uncle Cheng snorted before answering, “Yesterday.”
Zhen Niang giggled, then said mischievously: “Third Grand-Uncle, did you come to join the excitement after seeing how well we’re doing in Nanjing?”
“Nonsense!” Third Grand-Uncle Cheng burst out, then continued accusingly: “I’m here to demand justice! Your Li family’s ink is selling like crazy, and I hear the Zhu family is doing well too. Haven’t I helped you plenty before? Yet now you’ve forgotten all about the Cheng family. Tell me, girl, doesn’t that weigh on your conscience?”
“Third Grand-Uncle, you’re wronging me! Our cooperation terms have just been established, and the partnership with the Zhu family is only days old. I doubt you came to Nanjing specifically to question me about this. I bet you didn’t even know about our cooperation with the Zhu family until you arrived in Nanjing, right?” Zhen Niang asked with a grin.
Caught out, Third Grand-Uncle Cheng gave her an annoyed glare.
Beside them, Luo Wenqian watched their banter with interest.
“I know you’re clever, girl. Tell me, what arrangements do you have in mind?” Third Grand-Uncle Cheng said sulkily, showing how the elderly can sometimes be as willful as children.
“Whatever Third Grand-Uncle says goes, of course,” Zhen Niang said sweetly. The three families—Li, Cheng, and Tian—had a history of both cooperation and competition in Huizhou, and everyone understood the dynamics well. Third Grand-Uncle Cheng’s demands would likely be similar to the Zhu family’s, and Zhen Niang was happy to be generous about it.
“Ha! You’ve got your Third Grand-Uncle all figured out. Fine, since you put it that way, I’ll drop the matter,” he said, then held out his hand: “Now, let me see that Great Ink of Yumi.”
Zhen Niang brought out the ink block again, presenting it to Third Grand-Uncle Cheng. All three present were top figures in the ink industry; their appreciation of this piece was far beyond Madam Yao’s understanding.
They stared at it intently, not even blinking.
Third Grand-Uncle Cheng touched the ink block and sighed: “For Han dynasty ink to survive until today—that alone makes it priceless. Study it well, girl. If you can recreate the ancient Yumi ink-making method, it would be a great fortune for our industry.” He handed the ink block back to Zhen Niang.
Zhen Niang nodded.
“Be careful with both the Tian family and First-Rank Official Zeng. Second Master Tian isn’t as simple as people think, and Zeng isn’t as innocent as he appears,” Luo Wenqian suddenly said.
“I understand,” Zhen Niang gave Luo Wenqian a knowing look and nodded. She knew he was referring to the incident with First-Rank Official Zeng. She’d felt something was off about today’s events from the start.
Though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what felt wrong, everything seemed too coincidental, and the news had spread too quickly as if someone were orchestrating events behind the scenes.
With Luo Nine’s warning now, she knew to be cautious.
Seeing that Zhen Niang understood, Luo Wenqian said no more and continued playing chess with Third Grand Uncle Cheng. Though both were terrible players, two bad players against each other made for an entertaining match.
Zhen Niang glanced sideways at Luo Nine playing chess with Third Grand-Uncle Cheng. Since she’d gone to explain things to him after that incident, Luo Wenqian, who used to appear before her every few days, had vanished. Even the occasionally mischievous Luo Nine, who liked to watch others’ embarrassment, was gone. Even their chance encounters on the street now involved only simple greetings.
In truth, there wasn’t much difference, but examining it closely, the previous warmth in their conversations seemed missing.
They say a woman’s heart is as unfathomable as the ocean floor, but a man’s heart could be just as unpredictable. Perhaps the Wang family’s aunt had said something to make Luo Wenqian grow distant. After all, Madam Wang had disliked her.
Or perhaps Luo Nine was still upset about her uncle selling land to the Xu family?
Though puzzled, Zhen Niang conducted herself with a clear conscience, and after much contemplation, decided not to dwell on these matters.
She took her leave, as she’d spent the whole morning out and surely had accumulated work to handle at the workshop. She mentioned hosting a welcome dinner for Third Grand-Uncle Cheng that evening.
“Don’t worry about me, I have the Luo boy here,” Third Grand-Uncle Cheng waved her off, telling her to attend to her business.
Zhen Niang understood that the Cheng family hadn’t come to Nanjing for pleasure and had their affairs to handle, so she didn’t insist and left.
“Young Luo, that girl is quite something—gentle and virtuous, yet capable in business. She’d be wasting herself on you. How about letting this old man make a match?” watching Zhen Niang’s departing figure, Third Grand-Uncle Cheng said to Luo Wenqian.
“Thank you, Third Grand-Uncle, but I don’t want to drag her down,” Luo Wenqian replied, his expression distant. He hadn’t thought about it before and had been more casual in his actions, but his aunt’s misunderstanding had reminded him that until certain matters were settled, it was better to keep his distance. He didn’t want to pull her into troubled waters.
“What? Are you still set on revenge against the Xu family? Let me tell you something—to your parents and grandfather, your life is more important than revenge,” Third Grand-Uncle Cheng frowned.
“I understand, Third Grand-Uncle. I won’t do anything rash. I’m just looking around,” Luo Wenqian said.
Hearing this, Third Grand-Uncle Cheng let it go. After all, this was the Luo family’s business—he could offer advice but couldn’t interfere too much.
That evening, the weather was stuffy, with distant thunder rumbling since dusk. The weather had been like this lately, alternating between sun and rain.
After dinner, Zhen Niang sat with the Second Madam on the second-floor corridor to enjoy the evening breeze.
“Zhen Niang, have you decided on making First-Rank Official Zeng a master craftsman?” Madam Huang asked worriedly. A master craftsman held considerable power, with access to the workshop’s resources and authority to examine formulas and documentation. First-Rank Official Zeng wasn’t part of the Li family, and Madam Huang couldn’t help but worry.
“Yes, we have no choice now. He was injured helping me, and if we don’t offer him this position, people will talk. Besides, First-Rank Official Zeng does have skills. Though he might not match me in ink crafting, his familiarity with Nanjing’s ink industry far exceeds mine. Having him as a master craftsman makes sense,” Zhen Niang said, sipping her tea.
“You’re right. Do as you see fit—I’m just offering a reminder,” Madam Huang said, leaving the decision to Zhen Niang.
Zhen Niang nodded, understanding clearly. For her, it would be best if First-Rank Official Zeng had no ulterior motives, and they could maintain a good relationship. But if he did have other intentions—well, as the saying goes, “While the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole watches from behind,” and the highest art of using spies is to turn them back against their masters.