Zhenniang stood at the entrance of the ink manor, watching Yihousheng’s carriage disappear down the official street. Suddenly, her heart felt unsettled, as if the grass had taken root there, tugging and pulling at her emotions.
Without thinking, she took out the small Daoist ink stick that Luo Wenqian had given her and began examining it.
As she studied it, something seemed amiss. When Luo Wenqian had given her this ink stick at dusk, she hadn’t examined it closely, only knowing it was a Daoist ink stick. Since she knew that Daoist ink sticks were replicated by Luo Longwen, she had assumed this one was made by him and hadn’t bothered to authenticate it further.
But now, carefully examining it, she noticed inconsistencies. Based on the degree of glue dissolution and the subtle patina of its surface, this ink stick was at least thirty or forty years old.
Luo Longwen had died at forty – clearly, he couldn’t have made this ink stick shortly after his birth.
Furthermore, Zhenniang discovered that from its ingredients to its manufacturing method, this ink stick appeared to use the Pan family’s ink-making technique.
The Pan family’s technique was exemplified by Pan Gu of the Song Dynasty, known as the Ink Immortal, an illustrious figure in the ink-making industry. Su Dongpo had highly praised Pan Gu in his works, writing: “Mount Zulai has no ancient pines, Yishui has no master craftsmen. Precious materials come from Lelang, but the masterful hands belong only to Old Pan. Fish maw pounded ten thousand times, rhinoceros horn coiled with twin dragons. The ink, too precious to use, enters the Palace of Penglai.”
Su Dongpo and Pan Gu had been friends, and many aspects of his East Slope ink-making method came from the Pan family’s technique.
In later years, Zhenniang and her grandfather studied the Pan family’s method. Though history recorded many versions of the Pan family’s technique, most were ordinary methods. Like the Li family’s technique, its essence had been lost through generations of transmission.
This loss pained all ink makers.
If so, the ink stick Luo Wenqian gave her wasn’t simply a Luo family ink. Hmm, when Wenqian returns, she would have to ask him about it in detail, Zhenniang thought.
“Girl, what treasure are you examining?” Just then, Old Master Qi Chun strolled in and curiously asked about the Daoist ink stick Zhenniang was studying.
“Grandfather Qi, please sit.” Seeing Old Master Qi enter, Zhenniang quickly invited him to sit in the reception room, then handed him the ink stick: “Take a look.”
She asked Hua’er to serve tea and to call her grandfather over.
“Hmm, a Luo family Daoist ink stick. With Luo Longwen’s death, this has become a lost art. Keep it well – in a few years, it will become your Li family’s treasury ink,” Old Master Qi said, taking a sip of tea.
Treasury ink was the most important possession of any ink workshop, representing its foundation. It contained the finest inks the workshop had produced since its establishment.
As an analogy, treasury ink was like the ancient fermentation pits of century-old breweries.
“Yes,” Zhenniang agreed with a smile, then remembered her earlier confusion and was about to ask Grandfather Qi’s opinion.
Just then, Qi Chun made a surprised sound and his expression became serious. Setting down his teacup, he carefully examined the Daoist ink stick again, furrowing his brow. His expression turned melancholic as if recalling something.
He let out a deep sigh.
“Grandfather Qi?” Zhenniang called softly, curious. Old Master Qi came back to his senses and shook his head: “Pardon my loss of composure. This ink shouldn’t be Luo Longwen’s work, but rather that of his aunt, Luo Mengzhen.”
Luo Mengzhen? The name sounded familiar. After thinking for a moment, Zhenniang recalled the Luo family’s chastity memorial arch standing not far from Huizhou Prefecture’s dock. The person it commemorated was Luo Mengzhen.
She must be the Luo family woman Second Aunt had mentioned – the one who had self-immolated after her betrothed drowned before their wedding.
“But that’s not right – this ink’s method is the Pan family’s technique, which is very different from the Luo family’s method,” Zhenniang said.
“That makes it even more likely. Luo Mengzhen learned the Pan family’s technique. She was sickly from childhood and had studied the way of quiet cultivation from a nun. That nun’s ancestors had deep connections with the Pan family and possessed a manual of their ink-making technique. What a pity…” At this point, Qi Chun fell silent, naturally lamenting that the technique had been destroyed along with Luo Mengzhen.
Now Zhenniang understood and also deeply regretted the loss.
“It must be fate,” Old Master Qi said, looking at Zhenniang.
“What fate?” Zhenniang asked, puzzled.
“I came today to discuss a business matter with you all. I was hesitant earlier because it’s quite challenging, and with next spring’s tribute ink competition approaching, I worried about distracting you. But unexpectedly, you’ve acquired this Pan family ink stick. With careful study, it might just be possible,” Old Master Qi explained.
“Oh, what business?” Just then, Old Master Li entered.
“The Shen family of Suzhou recently acquired a batch of Korean ink, but discovered it’s dull without any luster, incomparable to our local inks. They’re about to take a loss on this batch. Fortunately, Grand Secretary Shen Shixing of the Hanlin Academy is from the Su school, so he approached me to ask if the ink could be reprocessed. As you know, though the ink makers in the Bureau of Ink Affairs talk big, their skills can’t compare to those here in Huizhou. Moreover, your Li family’s reprocessing technique is quite famous. So I thought to ask you, but the Korean ink reprocessing technique was Pan the Immortal’s specialty, though it’s now lost. I wasn’t confident we could succeed and feared wasting your preparation time for the tribute ink competition. I hadn’t made up my mind, but now Zhenniang has coincidentally acquired this ink stick made with the Pan family’s technique. With some study, it might be possible.”
The poem by Su Dongpo referred to the Pan family’s Korean ink reprocessing technique.
Lelang was one of the Four Han Commanderies on the Korean Peninsula, and the poem’s reference to Lelang represented Korean and Silla ink.
Looking at the verses: “Precious materials come from Lelang, but the masterful hands belong only to Old Pan. Fish maw pounded ten thousand times, rhinoceros horn coiled with twin dragons. The ink, too precious to use, enters the Palace of Penglai.” From this, we can see that the Korean ink reprocessing technique was Pan the Immortal’s masterpiece. Its difficulty can be imagined.
“Let me see,” Old Master Li took the ink stick and examined it carefully.
Meanwhile, Zhenniang was calculating internally. Shen Shixing would become a significant figure in the Ming Dynasty. Though currently only an editor, he would soon become the future Wanli Emperor’s teacher. After Wanli’s ascension, Master Shen would rise steadily, eventually entering the cabinet. After Zhang Juzheng’s death and Zhang Siwei’s mourning controversy, he became the premier cabinet minister.
But that wasn’t the most important point. What mattered was that Luo Wenqian was now allied with Zhang Juzheng’s faction. Though currently prosperous, when Wanli later prosecuted Zhang Juzheng, the Zhang family’s tragic fate would be chilling. In the end, it was this same Shen Shixing who stood up – though too late to prevent the Zhang family’s tragedy, he at least preserved their last remnants from destruction.
Though Zhenniang’s thoughts had wandered far, building good karma with such a figure couldn’t hurt.
In short, since her engagement to Luo Wenqian, Zhenniang’s concerns had expanded considerably.
Moreover, setting aside distant matters, next spring’s tribute ink competition was approaching. Though Master Cheng had created favorable conditions for the Li family, now with the Tian family’s alliance with the Xu family, next year’s competition had become unpredictable. Better to build more prestige.
If nothing else, just Shen Shixing’s status as the Jiajing forty-first year’s top imperial examination graduate meant his endorsement would raise Li ink’s reputation to another level.
The Tian family might have connections, but the Li family had technical prestige. The outcome would be uncertain, especially since the Xu family still cared about their reputation. Moreover, though Minister Xu was currently the court’s premier official, he attracted much criticism and wasn’t favored by Emperor Longqing – otherwise, he wouldn’t be retiring home next year.
Considering all this, Zhenniang felt they must accept this Korean ink reprocessing business from the Suzhou Shen family.
Of course, one shouldn’t speak too absolutely, so Zhenniang said: “Grandfather, I think we can tell the Shen family we’ll try a small amount first. If we succeed, we’ll take it on; if not, since we discussed it beforehand, the Shen family shouldn’t mind. Besides, even if we can’t recreate the Pan family’s reprocessing technique, our Li family’s method is still quite good.”
“Good, then please have Brother Xu make the introduction,” Old Master Li decided promptly.
So the matter was settled. The next day, Qi Chun brought Shen Ziyan, Shen Shixing’s cousin who managed the Shen family’s business.
The two families agreed to try processing a small batch first.
After that, Zhenniang and her grandfather immersed themselves in the workshop. They even scraped some ink powder from the edge of that small Daoist ink stick, then crushed it and dissolved the glue to reconstruct the Pan family’s technique step by step.
They tested the ink, examining its texture through its traces, and when all preparations were complete, Zhenniang began her first attempt. For this first try, she didn’t use the Pan family’s technique but rather her previously developed reprocessing method.
This attempt succeeded, as the Li family’s reprocessing technique was now quite mature. However, different inks required different reprocessing methods. While Korean ink could be processed using the Li family’s technique and showed some improvement, it fell far short of excellence, let alone reaching Master Pan’s level.
This disappointed Zhenniang somewhat.
So she immediately tried again using the Pan family’s technique she had just researched, but this attempt failed completely.
However, Zhenniang’s nature was to grow more determined with each setback. In the following days, her experimentation became almost obsessive.
“This girl – she used to lecture me but look at her now, buried in the workshop all day, forgetting to eat or drink. I notice she’s lost weight these past few days,” Old Master Li grumbled one evening at dinner, seeing Zhenniang’s absence and knowing she was still in the workshop.
“Father, none of you can criticize the others – you’re all the same, born to make ink,” Madam Zhao said helplessly from the side.
Hua’er and the others also laughed.
“Grandfather, I’ve done it, I’ve done it!” Just then, Zhenniang rushed out holding an ink stick, her face excited.
“Ah, let me see!” Hearing of success, Old Master Li abandoned his meal, dropping his bowl to rush into the workshop.
“Look at that, the same,” Madam Zhao said disapprovingly to Li Jingfu.
Li Jingfu chuckled – nothing to be done, old or young, father and granddaughter shared the same temperament when it came to ink making.
Meanwhile, Old Master Li and Zhenniang had begun testing the ink, but the results dampened Zhenniang’s spirits like a bucket of cold water. Earlier tests with concentrated ink had shown excellent color and luster, but when testing diluted ink, the expected speckled ink patterns didn’t appear, and the diluted ink showed uneven coloring – essentially, inconsistent ink quality.
“It’s already quite good. With some fine-tuning of the details, it should work,” Old Master Li encouraged Zhenniang.
“Yes.” Zhenniang nodded, but she knew it wasn’t just that – she had already refined the details meticulously. That such issues still occurred indicated she hadn’t fully mastered the Pan family’s technique.
That night, Zhenniang couldn’t sleep. The hot weather made her even more restless, so she simply got up, dressed, and dove back into the workshop.
“Girl, the final binding agent in Korean ink reprocessing doesn’t use the Pan family’s technique, but rather the Clear Enlightenment method of the Sichuan monk.” Just then, someone entered holding a lamp.
Zhenniang was startled, but turning around, she saw it was Chou Po.