Due to the Cheng family’s lawsuit matter, and because Old Shopkeeper Li still needed to meet with Qi Chun to jointly study the Li family’s Four-Combined ink – the piece of Li family Four-Combined ink that Master Qi had given to Zhenniang was still presenting several unsolved challenges despite Old Shopkeeper Li’s continued research.
Therefore, Old Shopkeeper Li ultimately decided to remain temporarily in Nanjing. Master Ma and his family would accompany Old Madam Li back to Huizhou.
The next morning, everything was prepared.
Zhenniang, along with her father and mother, went to see Old Madam Li and Master Ma’s family. They were also heading to Yihousheng to meet with the Luo family’s Third Grand Uncle and Third Grand Aunt group to return to Huizhou together.
However, a problem arose as the Luo family’s Third Grand Uncle’s group was preparing to depart.
“No, I must take Duan with me. Isn’t this bullying? Our Duan could read some characters back in Huizhou, but who would have thought that here in Nanjing, at his own clan uncle’s place, he’d be made to do hard labor in the warehouse? Isn’t this bullying? No, my child – if others don’t care for him, I do.” The speaker was a woman in her thirties with a low bun, wearing a short jacket and long skirt with a brown floral waistband – a rather elegant-looking woman.
When Zhenniang arrived with the Li family group at Yihou, they encountered this scene at Yihousheng’s entrance. The elegant woman was still firmly holding onto a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy. Zhenniang recognized the elegant woman as Third Grand Uncle Luo’s daughter-in-law, surnamed Jing, called Jing Chunmei. Her husband, Luo Pinggui, was Third Grand Uncle Luo’s only son, and the boy she was holding was Luo Duan, the son of Luo Pinggui and Madam Jing. He was one of the two boys who had come from Huizhou with Luo Jiu after the New Year.
From Madam Jing’s previous words, she was dissatisfied with the work arrangement Luo Wenqian had made for Luo Duan.
On the side, Sister Ping’an watched the scene with disdain. Luo Ping’an kept tugging at the sleeve of a man in his thirties standing beside Madam Jing. The two men shared similar features – this was Madam Jing’s husband, Third Grand Uncle’s only son Luo Pinggui, who was Luo Ping’an’s cousin.
At this moment, Third Grand Uncle Luo’s gaze cut like knives toward Luo Pinggui, who opened his mouth several times but couldn’t manage to speak a word.
Third Grand Uncle Luo looked at him with disappointment.
Luo Wenqian maintained a calm expression as if these matters had nothing to do with him.
This was a private Luo family matter. Although Zhenniang was engaged to Luo Wenqian, she naturally wouldn’t interfere in such affairs. She stayed with her Seventh Grandmother and mother, considering whether they should just give their greetings and proceed to wait at the dock.
At this moment, Sister Ping’an saw the Li family group arrive and quickly came over.
“Please wait a moment, it’ll be done soon,” Sister Ping’an greeted Old Madam Li and Madam Zhao with a bow.
“What’s going on?” While there were some things Zhenniang couldn’t ask about, Madam Zhao wanted to understand clearly – after all, with Zhenniang marrying into the Luo family, it would be better to understand these relationships early.
“Oh, it’s nothing much. It’s just Third Grand Uncle’s daughter-in-law. Her Duan came to Nanjing after New Year with my Wuzi, and they were both assigned to the warehouse. Pinggui’s wife can’t bear to see her Duan suffering, so she’s making a fuss about taking young master Duan back home. She doesn’t think about how if they take him back, will her Duan ever hold his head up in the clan. Now, Pinggui’s not much of a man either, letting his wife carry on like this. What’s wrong with working in the warehouse? My boy told me that though the warehouse work is hard, you learn a lot. After dealing with people coming and going for a while, you learn all about the ways of trade. As for working in the money house, sure, you sit there all day counting money and writing receipts – it’s comfortable, but you’ll never be able to handle things independently in the future.” Sister Ping’an rattled off rapidly.
Zhenniang nodded on the side. Though warehouse work was harder, it gave one exposure to buyers upstream and sellers downstream, and required constantly keeping up with market changes – it was truly character-building.
Those boys Wuzi and Duan were just fourteen or fifteen, both quite clever. After five or six years in the warehouse, by their early twenties, they could become capable independent operators. Even if they didn’t stay at Yihousheng afterward, they would be able to make their way in the business world.
“Duan, grandfather asks you – do you want to stay or go home?” At this moment, Third Grand Uncle Luo turned to glare at the boy still held by Madam Jing.
“Quick, tell your grandfather we’re going home,” Madam Jing hurriedly prompted.
Young Duan was still just a half-grown boy and found himself at a loss among all these adults. True, the warehouse work was sometimes truly bitter, but there were also times when it was quite enjoyable.
“Luo Duan, I’ll ask you just one thing – if you go back like this, will you regret it later? Think about that, then decide for yourself whether to stay or go,” Luo Wenqian said calmly, arms crossed as he leaned casually against the doorframe.
“Yeah, Luo Duan, we had a bet going to see who’d become Third Manager first. If you leave now, you’re admitting defeat,” Another half-grown boy darted out from inside – it was Sister Ping’an’s son, Luo Wuzi.
“You little rascal, what business is this of yours? Is your hide itching? Get back inside right now and get back to work after you’ve eaten,” Sister Ping’an glared and waved her hands, shooing Wuzi back to the rear courtyard.
Wuzi grinned and scratched his head before darting back.
“Mother, I’m not leaving. I want to stay,” At this moment, Luo Duan forcefully pulled free from Madam Jing’s grasp and declared loudly, neck stiff with determination.
“You fool…” Madam Jing was so angry she started pinching him but stopped when Third Grand Uncle shot her a fierce glare.
“You’ve decided?” Luo Wenqian fixed Luo Duan with his gaze to confirm.
“I’ve decided.” Luo Duan looked at Luo Wenqian and nodded firmly. Truth be told, none of the adults’ words had been as effective as that one comment from Luo Wuzi. He couldn’t bear to lose to Luo Wuzi of all people. For a half-grown boy, suffering was minor – face was everything.
“Good, you’re truly my grandson,” Third Grand Uncle Luo’s tightly drawn face finally relaxed. He then swept a cold glance over Luo Pinggui and Madam Jing. “Let’s depart. We shouldn’t keep the Li family waiting.”
“Father…” Madam Jing tried to say something more but was finally pulled back by Luo Pinggui. He understood in his heart that his father was truly angry this time, and who knew how he would express that anger once they got home?
Thus, the scene came to an end. The Luo and Li families set off for the dock, with Luo Wenqian accompanying them. They boarded the ship and set sail.
“Sorry, you had to witness that scene,” On the return journey, Luo Wenqian walked up beside Zhenniang and said with a faint smile. He then proceeded to explain various matters about the Luo family members in detail.
“Third Grand Uncle Luo is quite authoritative, but brother Pinggui is inadequate – he lacks judgment. His wife has limited vision, so the Third Grand Uncle entrusted young Duan to me to help cultivate him into someone who can establish his household. Without tempering, one cannot develop true capability. As for brother Ping’an, he’s an honest and simple man, most reliable for daily matters. Though Sister Ping’an has her little schemes, they’re harmless – she knows right from wrong. It’s fine to stay close to her in daily life…”
Luo Jiu unusually shared a lot about affairs in the Luo family village in Huizhou.
Though his connections to the Luo village weren’t particularly close, his Third Grand Uncle helped him manage the ancestral hall – that was a significant debt of gratitude. Moreover, he needed to use some clan members in his business. Previously, there was no need to tell Zhenniang these things, but now that she was his fiancée, she should understand more.
“Mm, I understand. Sister Pinggui isn’t doing anything unusual – we have similar situations in the Li family ink shop. When people first come, they all hope to use their connections to the main family to get comfortable jobs with good pay. But now my father has put them all in the smoke house doing the hardest work – I’m sure they’re cursing me behind my back.
My father says it’s mainly because they’re young and don’t yet understand what they want, so some tempering won’t hurt them. Later, when their characters are set and they know what they want – well, if they still just want to live comfortably and pass their days easily, then finding them an idle position isn’t a problem. Everyone has their way of living that others can’t interfere with – as long as they don’t cause trouble, it’s fine,” Zhenniang said.
She couldn’t help but think of Sun Wenjie from her mother’s family, who complained every day. However, while her father might not be good at other things, he had a complete set of methods for dealing with such people. Now that young man had been so thoroughly managed by her father that he didn’t dare complain and was more obedient than anyone.
As for supporting idle people, throughout history, no matter how upright a family might be, they couldn’t avoid supporting a few idle members. Even in future generations, some family businesses would support some second-generation heirs who just played around. The only requirement for such people was generally that they shouldn’t cause trouble – if they wanted to play, they could go play by themselves.
“Mm, well said,” Luo Jiu smiled. He could have supported Duan in the same way, but he couldn’t bear to disappoint Third Grand Uncle.
After speaking, he stared intently at Zhenniang. Previously, he had chosen her partly because he knew she had had a broken engagement and worried that marriage would be a difficult hurdle for her. Combined with his debt of gratitude to her and his admiration, he had made his choice. Now, after this conversation, he suddenly felt a spiritual resonance.
This feeling wasn’t born from romantic sentiment but from the accumulation of little moments of accordance in daily life. Therefore, while this resonance might not inspire passion, it created a warmth deep in the heart.
Zhenniang’s face reddened under his intense gaze. “Oh right, you should remind Third Master Cheng that the Tian family has never done business by the rules. With this lawsuit, even if they can’t retaliate directly, they’ll try some underhanded methods – he needs to be careful.”
“I’ve already reminded him. Third Uncle understands these things, but for him, the way of ink represents life’s ultimate principle – he can’t tolerate any desecration. The divine judgment is something he simply cannot accept. Therefore, even knowing the timing isn’t right, he still must file this lawsuit. So at this time, we can only support him!” Luo Jiu said.
“Mm.” Zhenniang agreed with Luo Jiu’s words. This was perhaps also a case of knowing something couldn’t be done but doing it anyway.