That night, grandfather and granddaughter immersed themselves in the ink workshop, experimenting with various glue combinations. They discovered that using fish gelatin as the primary binding agent, supplemented with smaller proportions of other adhesives, might come closest to matching the Si He ink from the Li family.
Of course, they had only achieved similarity, far from success. A single formula required hundreds or thousands of trials before perfection, and sometimes even that wasn’t enough to guarantee success.
Zhenniang truly wanted to stay and help her grandfather recreate the Li family’s Si He ink, but unfortunately, matters in Nanjing were more pressing. Thus, at dawn, she had to depart.
“Go on then, be careful on your journey. Leave the Si He ink matter to grandfather. I believe by your next visit, we’ll have succeeded,” Old Master Li instructed Zhenniang.
“Yes, grandfather. Thank you for your hard work,” Zhenniang nodded.
She then took her belongings, bid farewell to her mother and others, and accompanied her father to the ink workshop, where her eldest brother saw them off as they departed with the workshop group.
Those traveling to Nanjing with Zhenniang included Sun Wenjie from the Sun clan, two craftsmen from the Huang clan, and two nephews from the Li clan.
Elder Sister-in-law Sun had been right about one thing: successful merchants from Huizhou always brought along family members when doing business elsewhere. This served two purposes: providing opportunities for relatives and forming a protective group, as those far from home were vulnerable to bullying. With more people, outsiders would think twice before causing trouble.
This was simply a rule of survival.
However, just as their carriage entered Sibao Street, they were blocked by a procession.
Sitting in the carriage, Zhenniang felt it suddenly stop and leaned out to ask, “What’s happening?”
“Miss Zhen, there’s a funeral procession ahead. We’ll need to wait,” the carriage driver replied.
“Very well.” A passing funeral procession wouldn’t take long and wouldn’t delay their boat schedule. So, Zhenniang had the driver pull the carriage to the side to make way for the funeral procession, showing proper respect for the deceased.
Although it was nearly the end of the Chen hour, many shops on Sibao Street remained closed due to the New Year period. Only a few were open, with their apprentices, bored inside the shops, now standing at the doorways watching and whispering among themselves.
“Looks like it’s the Tian family’s funeral procession. Who died in the Tian family?” One apprentice stretched his neck out and turned to ask another.
“Haven’t you heard? Madam Tian passed away,” the other apprentice replied with raised eyebrows. His cousin was an apprentice at the medicine shop and had accompanied the physician to treat Madam Tian.
“Madam Tian died just like that?” The first apprentice asked incredulously.
“What do you expect? Years ago, when their eldest son nearly met with disaster, she was so worried she damaged her heart. When Young Master Tian returned, her extreme joy further weakened her constitution. Such dramatic shifts between sorrow and joy took their toll. Though she might have recovered with proper care, their household has never known peace…”
The apprentice continued, sneering, “Look here, how many concubines have Tian Huaian brought home over the years? Madam Tian wasn’t one to tolerate such things, and she had quite a temper. She’d quarrel with Master Tian every few days. Late last year, Tian Huaian brought in another concubine. You know about that?”
“I heard about it. Ha! It was the talk of Sibao Street. Supposedly their second son helped his father acquire her from Nanjing. Imagine that – a son helping his father find women! Where’s the proper order in that?” The first apprentice shook his head and sighed.
“That’s because their second son caused quite a bit of trouble in Nanjing last year and was sent back by the eldest son. Master Tian was going to punish him properly, but the second young master, while lacking in other abilities, had plenty of schemes. To appeal to his father’s tastes, he sent this beauty. With her helping to speak up for him in private, he escaped punishment.”
“Indeed,” the first apprentice agreed, then added, “But why couldn’t Madam Tian just accept it? Master Tian has always been this way. Why let it affect her health so badly? Now that she’s gone, who knows who’ll benefit?”
“You don’t know half of it. Even someone in perfect health might not have survived this incident, let alone someone already ill,” the other apprentice said mysteriously.
“What happened?”
“Well, this time it’s strange. This woman called Chunzhi captured Master Tian’s heart. He doted on her immensely. Listen to this – on New Year’s Eve during the ancestral worship ceremony, Master Tian brought Chunzhi along. Do you know who’s allowed at ancestral worship? Only proper primary wives. Even Second Young Master’s mother wasn’t qualified. But this Chunzhi woman just mentioned she’d never seen an ancestral ceremony before, and Master Tian took her along. This was a direct slap to Madam Tian’s face. Already ill, how could she swallow such an insult? She coughed up blood and didn’t even make it through that night. The eldest son nearly came to blows with Master Tian over it. Heh heh.” The apprentice explained, having heard many family secrets from his cousin while preparing medicine that night.
“Tsk tsk, these affairs of wealthy households…” the first apprentice clicked his tongue and fell silent.
Zhenniang’s carriage was stopped right beside this shop, and she heard the entire conversation clearly from inside. She hadn’t expected that the ink incident would lead to Tian Er bringing back a woman from Nanjing to escape punishment, ultimately resulting in such consequences.
This development meant Young Master Tian had lost his advantage in the family. Inevitably, the brothers would soon be fighting for power, with Tian Ronghua supporting the second brother, along with the Second Young Master’s mother and this woman Chunzhi. The eldest son would have quite a headache dealing with all this.
Though she felt somewhat affected by Madam Tian’s death, the turmoil in the Tian family would benefit the Li family. With their own house in disorder, the Titans would have no energy to suppress their competitors, allowing the Li family to develop without interference.
Zhenniang raised her eyebrows as another thought occurred to her. She suddenly recalled how Tian Benchang had rushed to sign a cooperative development agreement with everyone at the end of last year. Looking back, it seemed the Tian family had already been unstable then, with Chunzhi merely being the catalyst. Tian Benchang must have feared that after any family crisis, the Li and Cheng families might seize the opportunity. Thus, he had taken preventive measures early on.
Viewed this way, the cooperative development agreement protected the Tian family’s interests. Tian Benchang had indeed planned.
As these thoughts crossed her mind, the Tian family’s funeral procession passed by and gradually disappeared into the distance. The Li family group then continued their journey.
At Yuling Dock, porters were everywhere, while passengers lined up in queues. Apart from the period-specific clothing and setting, the scene resembled the Spring Festival travel rush at modern train stations.
Each year, more than half of Huizhou’s population went out to do business, most like Zhenniang – returning home for New Year’s and ancestral worship, then hurriedly departing afterward.
“Supply Officer Zhen, heading back to Nanjing?” A gentle voice called out. Zhenniang turned to see Luo Wenqian. Besides meeting on Little New Year’s Day, she hadn’t kept up with the Luo family’s affairs during this busy period.
However, she had heard ink workers mention during New Year visits that the Luo family had prospered, opening a money house in Nanjing. The Luo clan was now preparing to renovate their ancestral home. They also said young master Luo would be taking several Luo clan members to develop business in Nanjing. She already knew most of this, and the ancestral home renovation seemed natural.
“Happy New Year, may you prosper in all things,” Zhenniang smiled, though inwardly she pursed her lips. This man had first called her Miss Li, then Miss Zhen, later Manager Zhen, and now Supply Officer Zhen. His tone always seemed to carry a hint of teasing, though perhaps she was being oversensitive.
“Same to you,” Luo Wenqian replied. Just as he was about to continue, a cough sounded behind him. Turning around, he saw Li Jingfu standing there with an unhappy expression, glaring at Zhenniang.
Zhenniang rubbed her nose. Since Little New Year’s Day, when her father had seen her talking with Luo Wenqian, he hadn’t stopped cautioning her about young women speaking with young men.
Still, basic courtesy was necessary, especially since Luo Wenqian had helped her several times. However, it seemed her father and Luo Wenqian had some unpleasant history in the Northern Territory. Fortunately, it wasn’t a deadly feud. She decided to stay out of it and boarded the boat first, though she waited at the bow, worried the two might truly fall out.
“Uncle Li, please board,” Luo Wenqian hurriedly showed respect.
“Let’s go together, we can chat,” Li Jingfu, wary of the young man’s ways, pulled Luo Wenqian along.
“I hear your money house business is doing well?” As they boarded, they chatted. Outsiders thought the Nanjing money house belonged to Luo Jiu alone, but Li Jingfu knew it belonged to the Northern Territory’s Luoshan Bay, and he’d even heard Commander Qi had a stake in it.
“Thanks to good fortune, it’s decent,” Luo Wenqian replied noncommittally.
“Would you be interested in some business?” Li Jingfu asked.
“How could I turn down business? But would Uncle Li let me make any profit?” Luo Wenqian asked suspiciously, unsure of Li Jingfu’s intentions.
“Just a small profit, probably too minor for Luo Jiu’s taste,” Li Jingfu said calmly.
“Any profit is worth considering,” Luo Jiu responded.
Li Jingfu then waved his hand, and a Li family nephew brought over a bag of copper coins. It was quite heavy, about twenty or thirty jin, and he placed it before Luo Jiu. “I’d like to exchange these copper coins for silver.”
“Father…” Zhenniang, watching from the bow, rolled her eyes. These coins were meant for the ink shop. Unlike modern times with convenient banks everywhere, though merchants used silver notes and conducted transactions in silver, most daily transactions still required copper coins. Even several government taxes were specifically required to be paid in copper coins.
Thus, merchants traveling often carried chests of copper coins. The Li family’s twenty or thirty jin of copper wasn’t much, but they needed it – why exchange it for silver?
“It’s fine, let him count it first. We can decide about the exchange later,” Li Jingfu waved dismissively.
“Uncle Li, you must think I’m too idle,” Luo Wenqian raised his eyebrows, clearly seeing through the intentional provocation.
“Well, you do seem quite leisurely. Young man, time flies quickly – idleness won’t do,” Li Jingfu said seriously, adopting the tone of an elder instructing a junior.
“Yes, Uncle Li’s teaching is wise. This junior has learned much. As it happens, I have some Northern Territory Fiery Cloud wine here. I should offer it to my elder for guidance. Please don’t refuse this small token of respect,” Luo Wenqian maintained the appearance of a respectful junior, returning the gesture appropriately.
However, his intentions weren’t pure either. The Northern Territory’s Fiery Cloud wine was like modern burning liquor – back in the Northern Territory, Uncle Li would get drunk every time he drank it. Luo Wenqian was returning the favor in kind.
Li Jingfu understood Luo Wenqian’s game perfectly – he wanted to make him look foolish. In the Northern Territory, he was somewhat aware of the embarrassing things he’d done while drunk, but the harsh northern climate combined with homesickness made those days unbearable without wine. Besides, everyone used false names there, no one could identify anyone else, so people were more uninhibited. But now that he was back, Li Jingfu intended to abstain from alcohol except at home.
Therefore, hearing Luo Wenqian’s words, he first glared at him, then waved for his nephew to take away the bag of coins and ordered the cargo to be moved into the cabin. He couldn’t be bothered to deal with Luo Wenqian further – he rarely got the better of that young man anyway.
“Girl, come into the cabin and count these, don’t mind certain idle busybodies,” Li Jingfu called to Zhenniang, who was still standing in the boat’s passageway.
“Alright,” Zhenniang responded, trying to suppress her laughter at Luo Wenqian’s frustrated expression.
“Tell your father to stay away from the Qin family, especially their business dealings. He must not get involved,” Luo Wenqian rubbed his nose, his expression becoming serious.
“Why? The Qin family once saved my father’s life,” Zhenniang noted Luo Wenqian’s gravity and knew this wasn’t an idle warning, but the Qin family had saved her father’s life – how could they simply distance themselves?
“I only know roughly, but the Qin family likely has connections with the Tatars,” Luo Wenqian said.
“Are you certain?” Hearing this, Zhenniang’s heart jumped – this was no joking matter.
“Recently, Commander Qi’s men captured a Tatar spy, a merchant from Shanxi. He confessed this information. Though the evidence isn’t conclusive enough for complete certainty, your father should still be careful. At the very least, he absolutely must not get involved in the Qin family’s business,” Luo Wenqian explained further.
“Alright, thank you. I understand,” Zhenniang nodded firmly. Though Luo Wenqian said the evidence wasn’t sufficient for complete certainty, it must be fairly reliable, or he wouldn’t have given such a serious warning.
Zhenniang clasped her hands and bowed to Luo Wenqian in gratitude.