“Young Luo, come here and play a game of chess with me,” Old Master Cheng called out to Luo Wenqian, waving his hand.
In recent years, as the old master had aged, he’d grown somewhat childlike—or perhaps he was just playing the elder’s privilege—always calling Luo Wenqian “Young Luo.”
Luo Wenqian didn’t mind. He had no elders left in his immediate family, and although he had a great-uncle and great-aunt in the Luo family, his position as the Luo clan’s direct descendant, combined with the fact that the young men of Luo Village now relied on him for opportunities, meant his great-uncle and great-aunt treated him with formal respect.
Though Old Master Cheng’s way of calling him “young one” wasn’t particularly elegant, the casual familiarity in his tone conveyed genuine affection.
Luo Wenqian appreciated this greatly.
He turned back to Zhenniang, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture regarding the old master. Zhenniang gave him an exasperated push: “Go on then.”
Luo Wenqian nodded with a grin, saying he’d find her later, then went to join Old Master Cheng. Soon they had set up the chess board.
Zhenniang wrinkled her nose—these two had become chess fanatics. Leaving them to their game, she headed to the ink shop.
To her surprise, Seventh Grandmother and Manager Shao were both in the shop. Seeing Zhenniang arrive, Seventh Grandmother smiled and called her into the accounting room. She then spread an account book before Zhenniang, with two property deeds laid on top.
“Seventh Grandmother, what’s this?” Zhenniang asked, puzzled.
“These are your dividends from your years working at the ink workshop. We originally planned to give you silver, but the workshop is still advancing funds for the tribute ink and can’t gather that much silver right now. So we’re giving you those two shopfronts from the Nanjing branch—the medicine hall and the fabric shop. These are their deeds, to settle your dividends from these past years.”
“Seventh Grandmother, how could I accept this?” Zhenniang hurriedly protested.
How could she not understand the workshop’s situation? It wasn’t even year-end dividend time, and even though she was getting married, her Seventh Grandmother needn’t be in such a rush. It was clear she was deliberately converting silver into property as part of Zhenniang’s dowry.
Since the lifting of the ban, silver prices have fallen dramatically. Holding property was far more secure than holding silver—the Seventh Grandmother was thinking of her future.
But the Nanjing shopfronts were the seventh branch’s ancestral property. This gift was too substantial.
“Take them,” Seventh Grandmother patted Zhenniang’s hand. “This is my small token of care for you.”
“Ah…” At this point, Zhenniang had no words left. Understanding this was an elder’s expression of love, she nodded and accepted.
Afterward, as she chatted with her Seventh Grandmother, they naturally discussed the competition between Fang Dahu and Cheng Dayue.
Jingyuan, who was present, expressed his confusion: “What was Old Master Cheng thinking? In terms of ink-making skills, Cheng Dayue is superior to Fang Dahu. How could he concede defeat over a bird dropping? Isn’t that just boosting others while diminishing his own family’s prestige?”
“You don’t understand. Master Cheng was doing Fang a kindness, not wanting to destroy him,” Old Lady Li sighed.
“How so?” Zhenniang asked.
“One mountain cannot contain two tigers, especially not two tigers with completely different philosophies. Fang Dahu has been a rare ink-making genius in recent years in Huizhou. His Jiuxuan Sanji ink was meant to promote a new ink-making concept, one that focuses on meeting market demands, emphasizing grandeur, flamboyance, brilliance, and luxury. The Cheng family’s ink-making philosophy has always been about simplicity, timelessness, and elegance… Therefore, neither Fang Yu Lu nor the Jiuxuan Sanji ink could develop properly within the Cheng family. A split was inevitable. Your Grandfather Cheng was just following the natural course of events.”
So that was it. History only recorded that Cheng and Fang had conflicts, but not their nature. However, looking at the characteristics of both families’ ink-making, the difference in their philosophies was apparent. Later, Cheng Dayue would combine the Cheng family’s ink-making philosophy with market demands, eventually earning the title “Ink Demon” and leaving behind the famous saying: “After a hundred years, there will be no Jun Fang but there will be Jun Fang’s ink; after a thousand years, there will be no Jun Fang’s ink but there will be Jun Fang’s name.”
Of course, Fang Dahu also achieved his fame through Jiuxuan Sanji ink: “Spread across nine provinces, reached both capitals, listed on the east wall, displayed in the imperial court.”
Perhaps it was precisely their conflict that made them rivals, and it was the existence of a rival that drove both to keep advancing.
A worthy opponent is what drives one forward.
As they were talking, Luo Wenqian entered with an odd expression.
“What’s wrong, Brother Luo?” Zhenniang asked curiously.
After greeting Old Lady Li, Luo Wenqian replied: “I’m increasingly puzzled by Old Master Cheng. He just suggested that after I acquire Tian Mo, I should consider cooperating with Fang Dahu.”
Truthfully, when Fang Dahu had fallen out with the Cheng family, Luo Wenqian had considered this idea. Fang Dahu had the ambition, capability, and courage to disregard his reputation. Today’s scene would be seen as somewhat unorthodox by others and wouldn’t benefit his reputation, but such people sometimes succeeded more easily than those who strictly followed conventions.
Of course, this had been just a fleeting thought—he hadn’t seriously considered it.
But having Old Master Cheng suggest it now was quite intriguing.
“Haha, this Old Cheng dares to play with fire! Isn’t he afraid of getting burned?” Old Lady Li laughed.
“Seventh Grandmother, what does Grandfather Cheng mean by this?” Zhenniang asked curiously.
“Your Grandfather Cheng is creating a rival for Dayue.” Old Lady Li sighed contemplatively. “These past years, though your grandfather has been reorganizing Cheng Mo, it hasn’t made any breakthroughs. Dayue is steady but lacks innovation. If this continues, Cheng Mo will gradually decline. So your grandfather has his eye on Fang Dahu. Though Dayue is steady, he’s still young. He’s always looked down on Fang Dahu’s ink-making philosophy, considering it attention-seeking. But if Fang Dahu succeeds, it will be an unbearable stimulus for Dayue. Your Third Grandfather wants to use this stimulus to motivate Dayue.”
“I understand now. Though Fang Dahu has left Cheng Mo with Wang Daokunxu’s support, he lacks a foundation. Starting from scratch would take too long to become Brother Dayue’s rival. So Third Grandfather has his eye on Tian Mo in my hands—with Tian Mo as a foundation, Fang Dahu could become Brother Dayue’s proper rival,” Luo Wenqian observed.
Zhenniang looked incredulous. Others might not know, but she knew history. If all this was truly Old Master Cheng’s arrangement, then the ink industry rivalry between Cheng and Fang during the Wanli period—even the entire glory of the Ming Dynasty’s middle-period ink industry—was orchestrated by Old Master Cheng.
It was almost unbelievable, yet impossible to deny.
“Then, Brother Luo, do you plan to cooperate with Fang Dahu?” Zhenniang asked.
“No rush. Since Master Cheng sees that Tian Mo could be Fang Dahu’s foundation, Fang Dahu should see it too. I’ll wait for him to come to me,” Luo Wenqian replied, thinking that if Fang Dahu couldn’t see this much, there would be no point in cooperation—it would show a clear lack of vision.
That made sense—maintain the initiative. Zhenniang nodded.
Of course, Fang Dahu, as one of the two pillars of Hui ink in the mid-Ming period, couldn’t lack such vision.
Sure enough, a few days later, Fang Dahu sought out Luo Wenqian.
Over the next few days, Luo Wenqian and Fang Dahu engaged in negotiations. It was a battle of patience that couldn’t be settled in a day or two, but at least it kept Luo Wenqian busy.
Before they knew it, it was the first day of the second month. Tomorrow would be Aunt Jinhua and Cheng Changgen’s wedding day, to be held at the Li family village’s sixth-branch mansion.
Today, Zhenniang planned to go to Aunt Jinhua’s to help with wedding preparations.
Just outside Huizhou’s city gate was a row of stone steps. As Zhenniang left the city, she saw Su Shi holding Little Guan’er’s hand and carrying a bundle, standing at the gate. As Zhenniang walked out, Su Shi happened to look back, and their eyes met.
The Li family had always ignored Wang Decai and Su Shi, so despite the eye contact, Zhenniang acted as if she hadn’t seen her, maintaining a neutral expression as she continued past Su Shi.
Su Shi, however, noticed Zhenniang. Her expression changed, then turned somewhat bitter. After a moment’s thought, she called out while leading Little Guan’er forward: “Miss Li, wait a moment.”
“Oh, Madam, what is it?” Zhenniang wore an expression of unfamiliarity.
“I heard Jinhua is getting married tomorrow?” Su Shi finally managed after working her lips for a while.
“Yes.” Zhenniang nodded.
“Please help me pass on a message to her.” Su Shi continued.
“What message? Would that be appropriate?” Zhenniang replied, adding “Would that be appropriate?” to question Su Shi’s familiarity—her aunt barely knew her.
“I’m not sure if it’s appropriate either, but I’m about to leave Huizhou, and there are some things I need to say,” Su Shi smiled bitterly.
“Well, tell me then,” Zhenniang replied, implying that if it wasn’t appropriate, she naturally wouldn’t pass it on.
“First, wish your aunt a happy marriage. Also, tell her not to hand her fate over to others. One can know others and can promise others, but one must hold one’s fate. What I am now and what she was before are examples of this.” Su Shi gazed at the distant mountains as she spoke. Without waiting for Zhenniang’s response, she led Little Guan’er away.
Seeing her somewhat desolate figure, Zhenniang couldn’t help but ask: “Are you returning to Suzhou?”
“Yes, my family is there, and this place holds no pleasant memories,” Su Shi replied before continuing on her way.
Watching Su Shi disappear into the distance, Zhenniang clicked her tongue.
Once, in the family records, Su Shi had been prominent. But now… Back then, Wang Decai had betrayed Su Shi to gain Spring’s support. Now Su Shi had become a second Li Jinhua, and if Wang Decai had succeeded in the Tian family affair, Spring might have become a third.
But if you walk by the river long enough, your shoes will get wet. Wang Decai never imagined that Spring would become his death spirit.
Su Shi had gained some insight now. Zhenniang thought that Su Shi’s words were worth passing on to her aunt. Although this time Cheng Changgen had received the approval and support of the entire Li family, self-reliance was always necessary. Moreover, as her aunt needed to support the Li family’s sixth branch, she especially needed a spirit of independence and self-reliance.