Chou Po stood in the shadows holding a lamp, her scarred face flickering in the light, her expression both melancholic and nostalgic.
“Chou Po, what did you say? The Clear Enlightenment method of the Sichuan monk?” Zhenniang hadn’t noticed Chou Po’s expression, completely captivated by her words. The Clear Enlightenment method was a Buddhist ink technique she had long wanted to understand but couldn’t.
“Haven’t you read the records about the East Slope ink-making method in the ‘Ink Classic’?” Chou Po asked, setting down her oil lamp before reciting: “Master Su could also transform Korean and Silla ink. Though Korean and Silla ink possessed exceptionally fine soot quality, their production method was poor, resulting in black but lusterless ink that, when used alone, resembled earth and charcoal. The Master would crush it, blend it with Pan Gu’s ink, and adjust it using the Sichuan monk’s Clear Enlightenment method to create superior ink.”
She continued: “Actually, the Pan family’s Korean ink reprocessing method was identical to Master Su’s. However, as the Pan family was an established ink-making dynasty, recording the use of the Clear Enlightenment method in their family records would have been considered stealing the craft. That’s why they omitted the final part about the Clear Enlightenment method.”
“So that’s it.” Zhenniang suddenly understood why some records of Pan family techniques lacked the Clear Enlightenment method component.
Then she belatedly realized that Chou Po understood ink-making – not only understood it but had a deep knowledge of Pan family techniques. She suddenly recalled when she first studied ink reprocessing and got stuck on ink revival, it was Chou Po who had given her a hint about dough revival, helping her breakthrough.
This meant Chou Po had likely deliberately guided her, and she had thought Chou Po was just a lucky charm…
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help staring at Chou Po’s scarred face. Remembering what Grandfather Qi had said about the Luo family woman, a thought suddenly sprang to mind.
An answer seemed to be emerging.
She took out the small Daoist ink stick Luo Wenqian had given her and carefully handed it to Chou Po: “Chou Po, do you recognize this ink?”
Chou Po took the Daoist ink stick, examining it carefully with both hands before speaking after a while: “How could I not recognize it? I made this ink with my own hands forty years ago. I couldn’t make such ink now.”
“Then you’re the Luo family’s Great-Aunt?” Though she had already guessed, hearing Chou Po confirm it still startled Zhenniang, leaving her somewhat at a loss.
This meant Chou Po was Luo Wenqian’s only remaining elder relative.
Chou Po nodded slightly. She had revealed herself today for a reason and wouldn’t hide anymore. It was because this girl showed exceptional talent in ink-making, and every ink master wished to pass on their craft. Of course, if Zhenniang hadn’t been engaged to Luo Wenqian, she wouldn’t have come forward.
“Then why don’t you reveal yourself to Wenqian?” Zhenniang asked, puzzled.
“How could I? My memorial arch still stands tall there. If I revealed myself, it would be the grave crime of deceiving the emperor.” Chou Po said coldly, then added indifferently: “Besides, I’ve lived peacefully these years. Continuing this way isn’t bad.”
Hearing this, Zhenniang realized she had thought too simply. Establishing a memorial arch required local officials to petition the court and receive imperial approval. If someone declared dead suddenly reappeared, it would be considered deceiving the emperor. If anyone wished them ill, even if the entire family wasn’t executed, they would face confiscation of property and exile. This was no joking matter.
However, Zhenniang was puzzled – if Chou Po hadn’t died, the Luo family shouldn’t have found a body. How could they report to the authorities without one?
She didn’t know that the original incident had been a series of misunderstandings.
When the Wang family pressured Luo Mengzhen to follow her betrothed in death, the Luo family naturally refused, leading to armed conflicts between the two families. As for the Luo family fire, it was truly an accident. Given that Wang’s son’s character, Luo Mengzhen would never have died for him. However, during that time, the stress from the armed conflicts had prevented her from sleeping well for several nights. While boiling glue for ink-making one day, she fell asleep while tending the fire. Eventually, embers fell out of the stove, causing the entire workshop to catch fire.
Luo Mengzhen had been rescued, but her face was severely burned. Given the ongoing conflicts between the Wang and Luo families, the Luo family elder simply announced that Luo Mengzhen had died following her betrothed. This satisfied the Wang family’s demands, ending the armed conflicts.
The Luo family elder had been somewhat cunning about this. He only said Luo Mengzhen had “followed in death” without explicitly stating she had died, thinking that once things settled down if she reappeared, they could claim she had miraculously survived. Given her injuries, he thought no one would make an issue of it.
However, that year happened to be when the Ministry of Personnel was evaluating officials at all levels.
The Huizhou prefect was facing possible demotion due to bandit problems and was extremely troubled. When he happened to hear about the Luo family woman dying for her betrothed, he saw it as an achievement in promoting moral conduct. Such matters, once reported, would count toward his political achievements. Therefore, he conceived the idea of requesting a chastity memorial arch.
Due to time constraints, he only had his runners make cursory inquiries to confirm the story before immediately reporting to the Ministry of Rites. By the time Luo Mengzhen’s memorial arch was approved and the government helped the Luo family establish it, the family only then learned of this development.
By then, it was too late. The Luo family elder could only accept it grudgingly and kept Luo Mengzhen’s identity strictly secret, telling only Old Master Luo who had helped rescue her, keeping it from everyone else.
They had no choice – if any hint of this leaked out, the Luo family would face dire consequences.
Afterward, Luo Mengzhen lived in the Luo household as a distant relative. Later, when the Luo family elder passed away, the family was inherited by Old Master Luo, who was Luo Mengzhen’s elder brother. He took good care of his sister, but one year while visiting friends, he died in a boat accident before he could tell his sons about Luo Mengzhen. Thus, knowledge of her true identity was completely lost.
The one who took over the Luo family was Luo Wenqian’s uncle. Having suddenly inherited family affairs, he had too many matters to handle. Moreover, since Luo Mengzhen was now just a distant relative whose origins were unclear, he naturally paid little attention to her. As time passed, other Luo family members became increasingly cold toward this so-called distant relative.
Ink makers generally possessed calm, clear-minded, and resilient personalities. Unwilling to endure such treatment, Luo Mengzhen simply left the Luo family, moving to a cave-dwelling outside the city, becoming the person everyone called Chou Po.
As for why the Li family took in Chou Po, it traced back to Old Master Luo. Initially, the Li family’s Seventh Master had been on the same boat as Old Master Luo. When the accident occurred, the Seventh Master survived because he could swim. When they rescued Old Master Luo, he still had a breath left. He cared about nothing else except Luo Mengzhen, whom the old master had entrusted to him on his deathbed. Seeing his end approaching and having no one else to tell, considering the Li family’s reputation for trustworthiness in Huizhou, Old Master Luo entrusted Luo Mengzhen’s matter to the Li family’s Seventh Master.
However, the Seventh Master had been away on business. By the time he returned to Huizhou after concluding his dealings, Chou Po had already moved out of the Luo family and was living in the cave-dwelling outside the city. He went directly to find her and explained the situation, intending to take her back to the Luo family and explain everything. However, by then, Chou Po had grown cold toward the Luo family members and refused to return. So the Seventh Master simply brought her back to the Li family.
Thereafter, the Li family’s back courtyard gained an eccentric elderly gatekeeper.
Zhenniang didn’t know all these complicated details, but now that Chou Po had revealed herself, she would have to tell Luo Wenqian when he returned. Perhaps Chou Po had harbored resentment in her youth, but at this age, it was natural to want to return to one’s roots and reconnect with family. If family members recognized each other without publicizing it, there shouldn’t be any problems.
“Here, this is for you.” Chou Po took out a booklet from her clothes – it was the Pan family’s ink-making manual that Grandfather Qi had thought was burned…
“This… Great-Aunt, this is too precious.” She and Luo Wenqian were properly engaged, so she now used the appropriate form of address.
“Take it. Consider it a meeting gift. Besides, who else could I give this to?” Chou Po said straightforwardly.
Since it was an elder’s meeting gift, Zhenniang had no reason to refuse, especially since it was something she had long desired. She stopped being polite.
Taking the booklet, Zhenniang began studying it carefully. The technique she had reconstructed using her previous life’s knowledge and the Daoist ink stick wasn’t as clear and comprehensible as these direct records.
Sure enough, in the section about Korean ink reprocessing, the final binding method was indeed the Sichuan monk’s Clear Enlightenment technique.
“Alright, go back and sleep. It’s very late. You can study more tomorrow,” Chou Po said.
“Yes.” Zhenniang nodded, then first accompanied Chou Po back to her room.
Knowing Chou Po’s identity, Zhenniang couldn’t let her continue as a gatekeeper and suggested moving her to the main house tomorrow, but Chou Po refused without hesitation.
“I’m fine being the gatekeeper. I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” Chou Po said.
With Chou Po insisting, Zhenniang had no choice but to let her be. However, it was the thought that counted. The Li family had always treated Chou Po well, and her position in the household was unique. This arrangement worked well.
Zhenniang suspected that her family’s Seventh Grandmother also knew Chou Po’s identity; otherwise, Chou Po couldn’t have lived so independently.
Back in her room, Zhenniang slept soundly that night.
Over the next two days, Zhenniang tried processing Korean ink using the Pan family’s method and the Clear Enlightenment method. Each attempt succeeded, indicating the ink-making technique was mature. Thus, she accepted all of the Shen family’s ink.
Due to the hot weather, Zhenniang waited another half month. Entering August, she gathered the ink workers and began work. From production to shade-drying took exactly one month, delivering the ink in early September.
Shen Ziyan specially invited several scholars to test the ink. Testing it on the spot, both its appearance and ink color were excellent works. Therefore, he was very satisfied.