Was ancient Yu Mi ink made with overcooked smoke? Zhenniang couldn’t be certain yet – only testing would confirm this.
After this revelation, Zhenniang had no mind for sleep. She pressed Zheng Fuli, Ergou, Master Ma, Hua’er, and Xiaoya into service. They worked through the night until dawn, when they finally succeeded in their test production. Due to time constraints, they couldn’t air-dry the ink and had to use heat drying instead. Though this somewhat affected the quality, it was enough to get a general idea.
“The ink color is quite black but lacks luster and transparency, and it sticks to the brush somewhat,” Zheng Fuli commented after testing the ink.
“Yes, that’s inevitable. It’s mainly due to the glue and pestle-pounding. Master Ma, this type of smoke material is more mature than what we usually use, so we must increase the number of pestlings. Be prepared – if 100,000 pounds isn’t enough, we’ll go to 150,000, and if that’s not enough, we’ll push to 300,000,” Zhenniang said.
Pestle-pounding was crucial in ink making, similar to ancient steel forging. Just as ancient swords went through thirty, fifty, or seventy-two forgings, ultimately becoming hundred-forged steel that could cut through iron like mud and split hairs, the principles were similar though the materials were completely different.
Long-term pounding could transform quantity into quality.
Through pestle-pounding, the smoke particles could better merge with the glue. Extended pounding could even cause chemical reactions between various components in the ink mass, removing impurities and making the ink harder and more lustrous, with a jade-like quality. While transparency depended on both glue and smoke material, without proper pounding, even the best glue and smoke couldn’t produce superior ink.
“Understood, Miss Zhen,” Master Ma responded in his deep voice.
“Also, Elder Brother Zheng, the glue is still insufficient this time. Try increasing the glue proportion a bit more during this period,” Zhenniang added after some thought.
“That won’t work! When I tested the ink just now, it was already sticking to the brush, indicating too much glue. How could we add more?” Zheng Fuli immediately shook his head in disagreement.
“No, that’s not right,” Zhenniang shook her head. “The sticking isn’t due to excess glue, but because the smoke is mature and thus harder. Combined with insufficient pounding, the glue hasn’t fully merged with the smoke, leaving smoke particles floating on the glue surface – that’s what causes the sticking. But didn’t you notice how quickly the ink came off when you were grinding it? That’s because the glue isn’t properly holding the smoke material.” As she spoke, she splashed some water from a nearby cup onto the paper where they’d tested the ink. The ink immediately smeared.
Seeing this, Zheng Fuli had no counter-argument and nodded, “Alright, I’ll try adjusting the glue again.”
“Good,” Zhenniang nodded. “Tomorrow, I’ll make fresh smoke material.”
She would have to handle the smoke material herself this time. Ancient Yu Mi ink didn’t necessarily require the most mature smoke – just slightly more mature than usual. This might have something to do with the characteristics of Shaanxi pine. In any case, only Zhenniang could properly control this aspect now.
After giving her instructions, Zhenniang felt quite excited. Though they hadn’t yet replicated the ancient Yu Mi ink, they’d found the right direction. Success should come after a few more test productions.
Just then, roosters began crowing outside – the group had worked through the entire night in the ink workshop.
“Alright, everyone go rest. No need to work today,” Zhenniang said.
The group left yawning. Though their spirits were still high with excitement, they were thoroughly exhausted.
Zhenniang returned to the wooden building, where she inevitably faced some nagging from Madam Huang before being sent to her room to sleep.
She hadn’t felt it before, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, Zhenniang fell into a deep sleep.
When she awoke, the sunlight through her window showed it was already afternoon. Cicadas were singing endlessly in the banyan tree outside. Still not fully awake, Zhenniang found their sound rather distant. She could hear Xiaoya and Hua’er chatting softly outside.
“Hua’er, what have you been doing? You’re covered in sweat! Here, wipe it off,” Xiaoya said.
“I was watching the commotion at the Tian family. Ha! The people returning goods are lined up on the street corner. Ugh, the whole street stinks of bad ink now – it’s awful!” Hua’er complained while speaking.
“If it’s so awful, why did you go there? You brought it on yourself,” Xiaoya teased Hua’er, then asked, “With so many people returning ink, where is the Tian family getting money from? Didn’t we hear their workers saying earlier that they could barely pay wages?”
This Tian family incident had indeed become quite serious – even the ink workers were on strike.
“I heard the Yihusheng Money House loaned them money,” Hua’er said with a grimace.
“Yihusheng Money House? Master Luo? Why would he lend money to the Tian family?” Xiaoya frowned.
“Why wouldn’t he? I heard Third Miss Tian went all out and mortgaged their ink shop to Yihusheng. Isn’t money-lending exactly what Yihusheng does? Only a fool would pass up profit. Besides, they’re practically family now. With the Wang family’s aunt intervening, how could Master Luo refuse the loan?” Hua’er gossiped. Then she clicked her tongue, “Though I must say, Master Luo is quite harsh – even with his own aunt’s intervention and his fiancée asking, he still made Third Miss Tian mortgage the ink shop. Talk about being strictly professional!”
When Li Ink had borrowed money for returns earlier, there hadn’t been any collateral required. Hua’er felt that Master Luo treated her cousin differently, though this was just a vague feeling she couldn’t quite explain.
“Sister Hua’er, what do you mean? What fiancée? What family?” Hearing Hua’er’s words, Xiaoya became agitated. Ever since their young mistress had met Luo Jiu by the river bank, and through their subsequent interactions, the pair had seemed to share a warm connection. Thus, in Xiaoya’s mind, Master Luo would be perfect for her young mistress.
Unfortunately, the young mistress wasn’t in a hurry, and Master Luo remained lukewarm. As a mere servant, she couldn’t rush things.
But now, from what Hua’er was saying, how had Third Miss Tian suddenly become family with Luo Jiu?
“You don’t know? It’s all over town now,” Hua’er looked surprised, then smacked her forehead. “Oh right, you’ve been cooped up in the ink workshop with Miss Zhen making ink, not out hearing gossip. Everyone on the street is saying Third Miss Tian is Luo Jiu’s fiancée, and these past few days she’s been going to Yihusheng Money House daily, always supporting Luo Jiu’s Wang family aunt. That Wang aunt is so good to Third Miss Tian, her face blooms like a flower whenever she sees her. Everyone knows Luo Jiu only has this one elder relative who can make decisions for him.”
“This, this, this is so shameless! Yes, there was an engagement before, but after the Luo family’s troubles, the Tian family broke it off. How can they still claim to be family now?” Xiaoya said angrily.
“Ah, there was such a thing? The Tian family is truly shameless!” Hearing Xiaoya’s words, Hua’er pounded the table in anger.
“How can Third Miss Tian do this? Breaking the engagement, yet now shamelessly bringing it up again – in Huizhou, she’d be drowned in people’s spit!” Xiaoya continued indignantly.
“Exactly! Should we spread the word about how they broke the engagement?” Hua’er suggested mischievously, seeming eager to stir up trouble.
“Yes, we should!” Xiaoya agreed.
The two maids then began criticizing Tang Ronghua back and forth, even accusing Luo Jiu of two-timing.
Listening to the maids discuss this from her room, Zhenniang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She couldn’t let these girls cause trouble – this kind of thing was well-known in Huizhou, no need for them to spread it. It would come out naturally in time. If such information came from her household, it would only complicate matters. After all, her broken engagement with the Tian family had been quite the talk of the town recently. If these revelations came from her people, they’d lack credibility. Better to ignore it.
Thinking this, Zhenniang gave a loud cough. The two maids outside yelped, and Xiaoya quickly brought in water.
Hua’er poked her head in with a grin.
“Enough now, stay out of the Luo and Tian families’ affairs, understand?” Zhenniang glared at Hua’er.
“Yes, understood,” Xiaoya obediently replied.
“Cousin, we’re just worried for you. Master Luo is such a good match – we can’t let Miss Tian snatch him away!” Hua’er said indignantly. She’d heard her mother say that while her cousin was capable now, even the most reasonable mother-in-law might find her hard to accept.
While Master Luo’s past experiences were indeed pitiable, for her cousin, having no in-laws meant one less obstacle.
However, Master Luo did have an aunt, and this aunt didn’t think well of her cousin. How troublesome!
Thinking this, Hua’er’s face wrinkled like a twisted noodle.
Seeing Hua’er like this, Zhenniang felt both helpless and touched. The girl was truly thinking of her welfare, but there wasn’t anything between her and Luo Jiu – mostly just business dealings. Even back in Huizhou, they’d merely crossed paths by chance, essentially strangers. Though their reunion in Nanjing had brought them closer than in Huizhou, that was just the natural warmth between fellow townspeople far from home.
Often, such relationships were less likely to develop into romance.
“Enough now, these things can’t be fought over. Just stay out of it, alright?” Zhenniang tapped Hua’er’s forehead.
As for why Luo Jiu was willing to lend money to the Tian family, Zhenniang believed it wasn’t just for profit. It was about Tian ink – in Luo Jiu’s eyes, Tian ink was Luo ink. Zhenniang still remembered what Luo Wenqian had said when leaving Huizhou: he would take back what was his.
She looked forward to seeing how Luo Wenqian would do that.
As for Tang Ronghua’s move, though somewhat desperate, it was quite clever.
Given the Tian family’s status as tribute ink manufacturers, most money houses would normally be willing to lend money with just a signature. However, this incident had grown too large, and with the Ink Affairs Bureau re-examining their tribute ink qualification, other money houses naturally wouldn’t dare to lend easily.
Tang Ronghua had no choice but to seek help from Yihusheng.
First, she mortgaged the Nanjing ink shop to Luo Jiu, knowing Tian ink’s special significance to him would ensure the loan. Then, while securing Luo Jiu’s money, she spread rumors about the engagement. With Yihusheng’s established power, this would help stabilize the returning merchants and ink shop workers, preventing chaos from getting out of control. By the time the complications between the Tian and Luo families and the broken engagement came to light, the Tian family’s crisis would likely be passed, making it irrelevant.
Though this would damage Tang Ronghua’s reputation somewhat, this was Nanjing, not Huizhou – such matters were viewed much more leniently here. It would just become gossip fodder, and once enough time passed, the idle talk would dissipate.
Meanwhile, Hua’er was thinking about Aunt Wang, and realized this wasn’t something that could be fought over, so she nodded in agreement.