The residence of the Tung oil merchant surnamed Xi was located near the western intersection of Sanshan Street, close to Doumen Bridge, adjacent to the Lower Floating Bridge entrance.
This location was particularly interesting. While the Sanshan Street area was home to wealthy households, the area from Lower Floating Bridge to Zhenhuai Bridge housed the nobility – primarily royal princes and various noble families’ private residences. This area was prized for its proximity to the Qinhuai River and Phoenix Tower, offering spectacular views.
The fact that the Xi family’s tung oil merchant could build such a residence in this area showed their considerable status. As they walked, Zhen Niang learned from her elder brother why he had specifically targeted this merchant.
As it turned out, Master Xi wasn’t merely a tung oil merchant – using Republic-era classification, he would be considered a comprador, with tung oil being just one of the commodities he handled.
In this era, tung oil had widespread applications. Beyond its use in wooden boats, barrels, and furniture, even everyday oil-paper umbrellas needed to be soaked in tung oil to become waterproof, not to mention common oilcloth and other items.
Of course, the largest consumer of tung oil was the imperial palace. The pillars in various palace halls needed tung oil coating for pest prevention and preservation. Even the blue stone slabs used for flooring were soaked in tung oil. Under sunlight, the tung oil’s luster would reflect golden light – this was the source of the ancient royal architectural requirement of “golden brick flooring.”
It wasn’t made of gold at all.
This Master Xi had extensive connections. He not only controlled several shipyards but also maintained good relations with the Maritime Customs Office. Thus, he essentially monopolized the tung oil supply for the shipbuilding industry. He could even sell tung oil to the palace through these connections.
Additionally, he dealt with timber and stone slabs. Through his timber business, he also controlled the tung oil supply for several large furniture factories.
As such, he controlled a substantial share of the tung oil market. If their elder brother could sell tung oil to him, their oil workshop’s future sales would be secured.
Lost in these thoughts, the siblings arrived at the Xi residence.
Li Dalang stepped forward to knock.
The gatekeeper opened the door, and upon seeing Li Dalang, his face soured: “Brother, you’re really like a stubborn plaster – once stuck, you just won’t come off! Our master has no time for your matters today. Our mistress is in labor. Master already has five daughters, and this birth will determine whether he gets a son. Master has no mind to see you right now. You’d better leave – if the master becomes angry about this, I can’t bear the consequences.”
With that, the gatekeeper withdrew and slammed the door shut in the Li siblings’ faces.
Hearing the gatekeeper’s words, Zhen Niang realized this couldn’t be an excuse. Thus, disturbing them now wouldn’t be appropriate. She said to her brother, “Perhaps, elder brother, we should come back in a few days.”
Li Dalang pondered for a moment before replying: “No, sister, you go back first. I’ll wait here. If Master Xi gets a son, I’ll be the first to congratulate him. Then, I’ll just need fifteen minutes to show him this test. Whether the business deal succeeds doesn’t matter anymore.”
Li Dalang sat down under the eaves with his tung oil and other materials, preparing for a long wait.
Having been mocked yesterday and even accused of being unreasonable, Li Dalang, being an honest man, couldn’t bear it. Therefore, closing the deal was no longer the most important thing – what mattered was proving his point. He couldn’t let people look down on him.
Zhen Niang knew her brother’s personality, and this was indeed a good opportunity. If Master Xi had a son, her brother’s congratulations would surely earn him at least a moment of the master’s time. She nodded in agreement.
Thinking further, she had no pressing matters at the ink shop. The Guyu Mi ink formula had been successfully developed, the ink line diagrams were complete, and the next step was block carving, which her Second Aunt would handle. Thus, she had some free time and decided to stay with her brother, keeping him company with casual conversation.
They waited for over two hours. The gatekeeper opened the door several times, looked their way, and shook his head, never having seen such stubborn people – even after yesterday’s mockery, they still came back for more embarrassment.
After a while, at high noon in the peak of summer, despite standing in the shade, Zhen Niang and her brother were quite hot. Just as they were getting uncomfortable, the Xi residence’s door opened again.
This time, a servant came out, turning back to tell the gatekeeper: “What was just great joy has turned to worry! After all these years, the master finally got a son, but suddenly the mistress started hemorrhaging. The midwife can’t stop the bleeding! I must hurry to Official Street to fetch Physician Yao!”
“Quick, go then!” the gatekeeper urged as the side gate’s carriage emerged. The servant jumped in, and in a cloud of dust, they disappeared.
The siblings had heard the conversation and were about to step forward to inquire further when the gatekeeper turned to them with an angry face: “You’re still here? Leave quickly, such bad luck!” He slammed the door shut again.
“Elder brother, wait here. I’ll go home and come right back,” Zhen Niang said after some thought. She had heard the servant’s words – the mistress was suffering from postpartum hemorrhage. Regardless of what methods the physician might have, Zhen Niang had an ink medicine that would be perfect for this condition. Since successfully treating Official Yan’s daughter, Zhen Niang has been producing various medicinal inks in her spare time at home. One of them was called the Eight-Treasure Blood-Stopping Pill, extremely effective for wealthy women’s hemorrhage and difficult births. She thought of getting it from home – perhaps it could help.
“Take a carriage, it’s quite a distance. Or better yet, don’t come back – I’ll wait a bit longer to see how things go, might head back soon myself,” Li Dalang said, not knowing Zhen Niang’s intentions since she hadn’t explained them.
“No, wait for me to return,” Zhen Niang said as she rushed off. At the intersection, she hailed a carriage and headed straight for the Li Family Ink Shop.
Entering the shop, she went directly to the wooden building in the back courtyard, to her own room where she kept an ink cabinet containing her specially made inks. She found the Eight-Treasure Blood-Stopping Pill and hurried to leave.
Her rushed manner startled both Madam Zhao and Madam Huang, who thought something urgent had happened.
“Nothing serious, I just came to get some medicinal ink. A wealthy woman is having postpartum hemorrhage, and I thought this might help,” Zhen Niang explained briefly before rushing out. The carriage was waiting outside, and she hurried back to the Xi residence.
Upon arrival, Zhen Niang got out of the carriage and asked Li Dalang about the situation at the Xi residence.
“Physician Yao just went in,” Li Dalang said. The gatekeeper completely ignored him, so all he could do was observe who came and went. This Physician Yao was the owner of the medicine shop next to the Li Family Ink Shop.
Zhen Niang then explained the Eight-Treasure Blood-Stopping Pill to her brother, adding, “Since Physician Yao is here, we can send this medicine in, and he can decide whether it’s suitable to use.”
“Alright, I’ll try,” Li Dalang agreed.
However, the gatekeeper wouldn’t believe them, thinking this was just another ploy to see their master. He looked at them with disdain and firmly blocked the Li siblings from entering.
“Oh, isn’t this Miss Li from the Huizhou Li Ink Shop?” Just then, a surprised greeting came from behind them.
Zhen Niang turned to see a slightly plump middle-aged man wearing fine hemp clothes. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t immediately place where she’d seen him.
“It seems Miss Zhen doesn’t remember me. Last year, when your Li Ink Shop held the ink testing event in Huizhou, I was there arranging the tung oil business and attended your ink testing. I received Ding Yunpeng’s ‘Picking Osmanthus in the Moon Palace’ painting. As luck would have it, my son passed the provincial examinations that year – surely it was thanks to Li Ink’s blessing,” the middle-aged man said happily.
With this reminder, Zhen Niang finally remembered – this was the tung oil merchant surnamed Xi who had attended the Li Ink testing event. He shared the same surname and business as the house’s master, though she wasn’t sure of their relationship.
Zhen Niang didn’t think this was Master Xi himself – firstly, his bearing was different; secondly, her brother showed no recognition; and thirdly, with the master’s wife in labor, he wouldn’t be just returning from outside.
“Second Master has arrived,” the gatekeeper called out in greeting.
Hearing the gatekeeper’s address, Zhen Niang understood – this must be Master Xi’s younger brother.
“Old Qian, I heard my sister-in-law has given birth – is it a boy or a girl?” Second Master Xi asked excitedly.
“It’s a young master, but the mistress is hemorrhaging,” the gatekeeper replied.
“Has a physician been called?” Second Master Xi asked anxiously.
“Yes, he’s inside now, but the situation doesn’t look good,” the gatekeeper said worriedly, speaking freely as a longtime household servant.
Hearing this, Second Master Xi’s face showed concern. He turned to look at Zhen Niang and asked politely, “Miss Li, are you here to see my elder brother? Today isn’t very convenient. If it’s not private, perhaps you could tell me, and I can pass along the message.”
The gatekeeper continued glaring at them.
Zhen Niang explained the situation and mentioned the Eight-Treasure Blood-Stopping Pill.
Hearing that the Eight-Treasure Blood-Stopping Pill was specifically for postpartum hemorrhage, Second Master Xi’s face lit up with joy. Making frequent trips to Huizhou, he had heard of Li Ink’s medicinal reputation. He quickly said, “That’s perfect, come in quickly!” Hearing about the medicinal ink, he immediately invited them in, though Old Qian muttered skeptically, “Second Master, don’t let them fool you.”
“You fool, the Li family’s reputation in Huizhou is impeccable – they’re not swindlers,” Second Master Xi said, ignoring the gatekeeper and leading Li Dalang and Zhen Niang into the residence.