“My lord, are we just letting this go?” After leaving the Li family ink shop, Heyuan gritted his teeth. He was the ronin who had crossed swords with Luo Wenqian earlier.
“What else would you have us do?” Ren Jiying Song glared at Heyuan irritably. “And you better behave yourself. This is the Great Ming. The ink competition is in a few days – don’t cause any more trouble. Even if I wanted to protect you, the ambassador wouldn’t spare you.”
“Hai.” Hearing Ren Jiying Song’s words, Heyuan immediately complied.
The group hurriedly returned to the Maritime Trade Commission’s embassy.
Upon entering, Ren Jiying Song went straight to the ambassador’s quarters.
The ambassador was kneeling by his tea table, with Japanese serving women carefully preparing tea on either side.
“Sit,” the ambassador gestured when Ren Jiying Song entered.
Ren Jiying Song lifted his robe and knelt opposite the ambassador. A serving woman poured him tea before quietly withdrawing.
“Only in the Great Ming can one drink such refreshing clear tea,” the ambassador savored a sip of tea, remaining in blissful appreciation for a moment before opening his eyes to look at Ren Jiying Song. “How did it go? Did you make the impression we wanted?”
The ambassador naturally knew about Ren Jiying Song’s plan to intimidate the Li family shop.
“I failed,” Ren Jiying Song admitted shamefully, feeling even more dejected inside. If he had truly competed and lost, at least he would have gained insight into Li’s family’s ink quality for the competition. But instead, he had fled without even getting that chance.
“You mean to say that you failed?” The ambassador’s face darkened as he frowned. Earlier, all the master ink makers in Nanjing had been defeated, and hearing that the Li family’s owner was a young woman, they had expected an easy victory. This unexpected failure was troubling.
“Yes. I fell for the Li family’s trap. Please punish me as you see fit.” Ren Jiying Song explained how he had mistaken Chou Po for a simple cleaning woman. By now, he clearly understood he had fallen into their scheme.
He added: “The Li family truly harbors hidden dragons and crouching tigers.”
Hearing Ren Jiying Song’s words, the ambassador pondered for a while, then clapped his hands. A subordinate entered, handed him some documents, then withdrew.
The ambassador looked through the documents before passing them to Ren Jiying Song.
“I paid a hefty sum to obtain this from Ming sources – it details the competition between Li Ink and Tian Ink for tribute ink status. Study their analysis of Li Ink carefully. The Chinese have an old saying: ‘Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated in a hundred battles.'”
“Hai.” Ren Jiying Song acknowledged, carefully studying the documents.
The documents showed that Li Ink had ultimately defeated Tian Ink in ink color and color gradation. As Ren Jiying Song read, his face grew increasingly ashen.
“Testing ink on a worn inkstone, writing on pure white jade plates. If we use such testing methods, Ren Ji, your ink is no match for Li Ink. When I received these documents, I tested it – your ink loses distinct layering after four strokes. Of course, the Li family’s Three Talents Ink isn’t available in the market now. However, according to the tribute competition records, Li Ink maintains clear layering and color gradation even after five overlapping strokes. Now with this elderly master suddenly appearing in the Li family, Ren Ji, what do you plan to do in the competition in a few days? Do you plan to concede?”
The ambassador’s voice grew stern toward the end.
“My lord, the word ‘concede’ does not exist in my heart,” Ren Jiying Song said firmly, though internally uncertain. But even without confidence, he had to try – backing down without a fight was not acceptable before the ambassador.
“Then share your plan.” The ambassador nodded, satisfied with Ren Jiying Song’s attitude.
“The Chinese have a saying: ‘Attack the enemy’s weaknesses with your strengths – that is the best strategy,'” Ren Jiying Song said.
“Oh? Do tell,” the ambassador said with interest.
“I’ve thought it through. For the competition in a few days, please request from the Ming emperor that we not accept outsiders testing and evaluating the ink, to avoid unfairness. After all, the Ming people will always favor their own. We should only accept one competition method: each side uses their ink to create calligraphy or paintings, and then water is sprinkled on them to see whose ink is more permanent and maintains its dark luster. That ink shall be declared the world’s finest.”
“I’ve heard that Li Ink has excellent color retention and permanence. That play ‘Mistaken Good Match’ was quite impressive,” the ambassador remarked.
“My lord, without boasting, my ink can match Li Ink’s performance in ‘Mistaken Good Match’ perfectly. But there’s one crucial point – Li Ink is newly made, rushed out in less than two months, while my ink has had five years to mature. The new ink is volatile, creating uncertainty in its luster and color retention. Therefore, my ink has a better chance of winning. Even if we can’t win outright, we can at least achieve a draw,” Ren Jiying Song said confidently.
“Good, we’ll follow your method. I’ll propose this to the Ming emperor on that day,” the ambassador clapped his hands.
“What if the Ming emperor doesn’t agree?” Ren Jiying Song asked worriedly.
“Then how confident are you of defeating Li Ink in a regular competition?” the ambassador countered.
Ren Jiying Song shook his head – just on color gradation testing on white jade alone, his ink would lose.
“In that case, if the Ming emperor doesn’t agree, we’ll withdraw from the competition. The Ming court will be the one losing face then,” the ambassador said.
“The ambassador is brilliant,” Ren Jiying Song flattered.
He continued: “My lord, you might also suggest to the Ming emperor that the competition needs stakes – if Li Ink loses, they must hand over the Three Talents Ink formula.” After seeing those documents, he couldn’t resist wanting to obtain Li Ink’s formula.
“Hmm, I’ll propose that as well,” the ambassador agreed, finding the suggestion excellent.
Meanwhile, at the Li family ink shop, after Ren Jiying Song’s group left in defeat, the entire Official Street was celebrating. The pressure that had been weighing on Nanjing’s ink industry these past few days suddenly dissipated.
Everyone felt certain that Li Ink would win.
Of course, this certainty inadvertently increased the pressure on Zhen Niang. However, since taking over Li Ink, she had never been free from pressure, so she wasn’t afraid.
In the evening, the setting sun cast its remaining light on the Qinhuai River’s surface, creating golden sparkles across the water. Pleasure boats gathered on the river, with the sound of string and bamboo instruments filling the air.
The fragrance of cosmetics drifted on the evening breeze, intoxicating those who caught its scent.
Along the Qinhuai banks, boat women had set up small stalls, much like modern-day street food stands, though with a more refined atmosphere.
Storytellers, singers, and flower sellers mingled among them, though the aromatic food smells dominated.
Zhen Niang particularly loved the vinegar fish from one boat woman’s stall.
Now dressed in men’s clothing, she sat at this small stall with Luo Wenqian, chatting while they ate.
“News from the embassy says that after Ren Jiying Song’s humiliation at aunt’s hands this morning, he’s devised a new strategy for the competition. The Japanese ambassador has submitted a memorial requesting that the competition only test water resistance and color retention – in other words, the ink’s waterproof ability. Ink color would only be a reference point.” Luo Wenqian wore a cyan robe, the Hui-style breeze giving him an effortlessly elegant air, his comfortable and gentle expression carrying a natural masculine ease.
As he spoke, he used his chopsticks to pick out a piece of boneless fish belly meat, added some sauce, and placed it on Zhen Niang’s plate.
To the side, Luo Wuzi watched wide-eyed. In his family, it was always his mother who served his father such choice pieces – how had it become his Ninth Uncle serving his future Ninth Aunt? Suddenly, he recalled his parents’ conversation days ago, when his father told his mother that Ninth Uncle would surely be devoted to his wife.
Watching his Ninth Uncle pick out another piece of fish, remove the bones, and place it on his future Ninth Aunt’s plate, Luo Wuzi held his head, internally disapproving. How to put it – Ninth Uncle was too indulgent of Ninth Aunt. Wouldn’t this lead to weak household authority? Yet as he secretly glanced at the couple again, though it seemed somewhat improper, it didn’t feel wrong either. He thought of his mother saying they would start looking for a wife for him after New Year – he was only fifteen, surely too young…
Luo Wuzi got lost in his adolescent thoughts, his cheeks unconsciously reddening.
Of course, at this moment, no one paid attention to his youthful musings.
Hearing Luo Wenqian’s words, Zhen Niang frowned: “How can this be acceptable? How can ink quality be judged solely on color retention and permanence? What about color gradation, smoothness, ink body, and so many other factors? How can one aspect alone determine superior ink?” She muttered, then looked up at Luo Wenqian: “Surely the court won’t agree to the Japanese request?”
As she spoke, she finished the fish pieces Luo Wenqian had placed in her bowl, finding today’s vinegar fish particularly delicious.
“It’s hard to say. The Japanese are judging others by their standards, believing that if evaluation is included, things like ink color are subjective and Ming people would favor the Li family – unfair, in their view. Our dynasty has always emphasized courtesy and cultural education with foreign nations, winning them over with virtue. I suspect the court might agree. Moreover, in the current situation, if we don’t agree to this method, the Japanese will have an excuse to reject the results even if they lose,” Luo Wenqian explained.
The Japanese proposal was difficult to refuse from any angle. If the court disagreed with their proposed method, the Japanese might protest by withdrawing from the competition, which would embarrass the Ming dynasty.
Therefore, Luo Wenqian was certain the court would agree to the Japanese terms.
“Hmph, the Japanese only proposed this method because they can’t match Li Ink in color gradation. They think the Li family’s competition ink is newly made and thus unstable in color retention. They’re truly underestimating us. We’ll make them accept defeat completely,” Zhen Niang declared.
“Indeed,” Luo Wenqian nodded with a smile. Outsiders could only access data from Li Ink’s tribute competition entry. As for the Millennium Ink made later, using Old Master Li’s blood as a catalyst – to test its color retention and permanence, Li Zhen Niang soaked the ink in water for ten days and nights. When taken out, it showed no difference from other inks.
Using the Program family’s stone mortar and pestle, the ink paste was ground until smooth and lustrous. After ten complete rounds of grinding, the finished ink was as hard as jade – no water could penetrate it.
Ren Jiying Song and his group thought Li Ink’s newness was a weakness, not knowing that this batch of newly made Millennium Ink from the Li family turned this supposed weakness into a strength.
The couple shared a knowing smile.
As the sun gradually set and darkness deepened, they paid their bill and strolled back. However, at the Li family ink shop’s entrance, they encountered someone unexpected – Li Fuquan from the Fuxian Pavilion.
Why was Li Fuquan here? Zhen Niang felt suspicious, though not because she had a poor relationship with him. After all, she had saved him before, and he had reciprocated by supporting the Li family ink shop’s opening in Nanjing. Li Ink held the most important position among Fuxian Pavilion’s ink products.
But whether due to Imperial Consort Li’s specific instructions or his personality, Li Fuquan had always maintained a very low profile. He usually stayed in his modest residence, having little interaction with Nanjing’s official or commercial circles, remaining outside both spheres, rather like a wealthy recluse.
His sudden appearance now must indicate important business.
“Master Manager,” Zhen Niang quickly greeted him with cupped hands.
“Miss Li, this is no time for pleasantries. Please come with me,” Li Fuquan was no longer the timid, honest man of years past. Now his words and actions showed capability and steadiness.
“Master Manager, might you reveal what this is about?” Luo Wenqian asked with a serious expression. Beyond Imperial Consort Li behind Li Fuquan, just the Fuxian Pavilion itself involved many complex relationships – Luo Wenqian needed to ask.
“Very well, I trust Miss Li, so I’ll tell you, but keep this to yourselves,” Li Fuquan understood the Li family’s concerns. After cautioning them, he lowered his voice to barely a whisper: “The Imperial Consort wishes to see Miss Li.”
Imperial Consort Li wanted to see her. And this was in Nanjing? Under normal circumstances, an Imperial Consort couldn’t appear in Nanjing. Her presence now could only mean one thing – the Emperor had come.
No wonder Li Fuquan seemed so nervous and mysterious.
And in Nanjing now, the only matter concerning the Emperor would be the ink competition in a few days. More likely, Zhen Niang thought, the Emperor might personally attend the upcoming competition.
With this understanding, Zhen Niang followed Li Fuquan to the Fuxian Pavilion.