After dinner, Luo Wenqian came over. However, Master Tian’s purpose in finding him wasn’t to repay the previous loan—instead, he surprisingly borrowed another sum, which Luo Wenqian agreed to provide.
At first, Zhenniang found it strange and couldn’t quite understand Luo Wenqian’s intentions. After all, given the tangled grievances between the Tian and Luo families, it seemed somewhat questionable for Luo Wenqian to support the Tian family in this way.
However, when Luo Wenqian revealed that Master Tian had used the Tian Family Ink Workshop as collateral for this loan, Zhenniang finally understood. It wasn’t surprising at all. Though Luo Wenqian had always maintained an air of indifference about the Tian family’s acquisition of the Luo Family Ink Workshop, continuing business dealings with them under the principle of “business is business,” he was, after all, a descendant of the Luo family. How could he not harbor thoughts of reclaiming the Luo Family Ink Workshop?
With Tian Huai’an using the Tian Family Ink Workshop as collateral, should anything happen to the Tian family, Luo Wenqian might have the opportunity to reclaim the Luo Family Ink Workshop. This explained his willingness to provide the loan.
As for Tian Huai’an’s need to borrow money, that wasn’t surprising either. At the end of last year, the Tian family had lost their tribute ink rights, and it was said the imperial court had also imposed a substantial fine. This year, they had failed to secure the tribute ink rights again. Adding to that the cost of bribing several painters, their expenses must have been considerable. With this ebb and flow of fortune, the Tian Family Ink Workshop’s development would be difficult without new capital injection.
From Luo Wenqian’s tone, Master Tian’s health had genuinely deteriorated. In Master Tian’s own words, he might not make it through this year.
Of course, Zhenniang wasn’t concerned about Master Tian’s health—her only worry was her grandfather’s condition.
For this round of ink-making, her grandfather and Seventh Great-Aunt refused to let her participate. Without her making ink, it was clear that her grandfather would have to do it himself.
But her grandfather’s health was truly failing. How could Zhenniang not worry? However, as she was currently awaiting marriage, the ink workshop’s affairs were under the authority of Seventh Great-Aunt and her grandfather—she had no say in the matter.
Thus, her heart remained constantly anxious.
The next day, the Third Great-Uncle and Third Great-Aunt from the Luo family came over to discuss arrangements with the Li family. They finally set the wedding date for the twenty-sixth day of the fifth month. It was now mid-fourth month, so barely more than a month away.
In the following days, the household became a flurry of activity. A wedding was a major event, and no matter how rushed, the necessary preparations couldn’t be neglected. They couldn’t shortchange Zhenniang. Even the Seventh Branch family, with Seventh Great-Aunt leading several aunts-in-law, added many items to Zhenniang’s dowry. The three aunts from the Sixth Branch and Ninth Great-Aunt from the Ninth Branch, along with Aunt Xiao Huang, all contributed to Zhenniang’s trousseau.
While the Li family’s Eighth Branch was busy preparing for Zhenniang’s wedding, everyone else in the Li family had thrown themselves into the ink-making process.
The stone mortar from the Cheng family, the pot from the Luo family, the thousand-year pine soot coal from the Tian family, the Li family’s ink formula, plus top-grade deer horn glue—all materials were ready. The collective effort of various Huizhou ink workshops had saved the Li family considerable time.
Otherwise, the Li family would still be searching for materials at this point.
This time, contrary to his past habit of adding various medicinal ingredients, Li Mo used nothing but smoked coal and glue.
Throughout history, there have been two drastically different views on ink-mixing additives. Some believed that mixing ink was like making elixirs—the more medicinal materials and minerals added, the better, with one formula containing as many as fifty different ingredients. It could be said to have reached the height of complexity.
But there was another view: mixing ink was like brewing tea—no external substances should be added.
The Li family had always made ink with more than a dozen ingredients, but this time, due to different equipment and the superior quality of the base materials, they took the opposite approach. They added no medicinal ingredients, using only thousand-year pine soot and deer horn glue to make the ink.
While Zhenniang was preparing for her wedding, she hadn’t completely set aside the ink workshop’s affairs. Although Seventh Great-Aunt and her grandfather wouldn’t let her participate in this round of ink making, she had taken part in several trial productions earlier.
After all, her ink-making skills were well-established, and the trial productions were only to determine the optimal proportions for the formula, not actual competitive ink-making, so Master Li hadn’t stopped her.
Afterward, Zhenniang spent two full days drawing an ink-line picture of the Great Wall from her future memories, based on the impressions in her mind. Second Aunt Huang and Uncle Jingdong from the Seventh Branch then carved it into an ink moldboard.
Finally, this carved board was designated as the “Mountains and Rivers” board, perfectly completing a set of Mountains and Rivers Collection ink.
Once the carved board was completed and wax-treated for protection, formal ink production was ready to begin.
At the Hour of the Ox, while it was still pitch dark, only a few ever-burning lanterns flickered in the night at the Li family compound.
At this time, Zhenniang, sleeping in her bedroom, suddenly shuddered and woke up screaming, her face pale. She had just had a dream where her grandfather was covered in blood, which had startled her awake.
Her heart was pounding frantically.
At that moment, from Master Li’s room to the east, came a bout of coughing—the kind that seemed to bring up one’s heart, liver, spleen, and lungs.
Zhenniang could no longer lie still. She got up and put on some clothes, walking to the east room, where she heard her grandfather talking with her grandmother.
“Old man, look at your coughing. You shouldn’t go to the ink-making tomorrow,” In the east room, Madam Wu sat on the bed, supporting Master Li as he drank water while sighing and trying to persuade him.
“If I don’t go, who will? Let Zhenniang go? She’s only eighteen—how can you bear to put such a heavy burden on her shoulders? Moreover, the imperial court shows no mercy. If something goes wrong and Zhenniang suffers any harm, I couldn’t forgive myself. These past few years, do you think it’s been easy for this child? The path she’s walked would be difficult even for some men to endure.” Master Li said.
They say rumors cut like knives. Zhenniang had first experienced a broken engagement, then engaged in business as a woman—the gossip behind her back had already filled several baskets, hardly something an ordinary person could bear.
Madam Wu heaved a long sigh and said nothing more.
Then Master Li continued, “I know my own body. I can certainly manage one session of ink-making. At worst, I’ll rest afterward. I promise you, after this ink-making, I won’t touch ink again.”
Master Li promised, knowing his own condition—after this ink-making, he would indeed need to rest properly for some time.
However, Madam Wu didn’t believe his words, snorting disapprovingly: “You told me the same thing thirty years ago, but you’ve never once kept that promise.”
“Alright, alright, this time I mean it,” Master Li said good-naturedly.
“I hope you keep your word this time,” Madam Wu finally said, then added, “Rest a bit more, get up at the end of the Ox Hour.”
“Okay,” Master Li responded, and soon after, the oil lamp in the room was extinguished.
Zhenniang had originally wanted to discuss today’s ink-making with her grandfather, but seeing the light go out, she naturally wouldn’t disturb him now.
She had her considerations.
Soon, it was the end of the Ox Hour, still the darkest time before dawn.
However, by now, lights were coming on one by one in various rooms of the Li family compound.
Today’s ink-making is extraordinarily important. Bathing and burning incense were essential. Zhenniang also took a bath and changed into green clothes. When it came time to offer incense, she reverently lit a stick.
Afterward, she said to her grandfather, “Grandfather, let me assist you with today’s ink-making.”
“No,” Master Li refused firmly without any hesitation.
But Zhenniang persisted: “Grandfather, please listen. I know you mean well, but what’s most important for our family is making good ink. Boiling glue and mixing ink are extremely demanding tasks. Grandfather, forgive my unfilial words, but if you can’t hold up, I can take over from beside you. Ink-making cannot have the slightest error, right?”
“Tsk tsk tsk, girl, how can you speak such inauspicious words first thing in the morning? Quick, say ‘bad omens don’t come true, good ones do,'” Zhao Shi, hearing Zhenniang’s words, irritably tapped her forehead. How could she talk about her grandfather possibly not holding up before the ink-making had even begun? Such words were truly unsettling.
Madam Wu looked even more worried.
“Yes, yes, bad omens don’t come true, good ones do,” Zhenniang quickly agreed with Zhao Shi. She had said those words deliberately. If she had just said she was worried about her grandfather, he definitely wouldn’t let her join. But if she expressed concern about having to take over the ink-making should her grandfather falter, he might not object—after all, making the ink properly was the top priority.
It was like presenting the same matter from a different angle, an idea prompted by last night’s dream.
Hearing Zhenniang’s words, Master Li fell into deep thought. Indeed, during the last making of the Three Talents ink, he had fainted from exhaustion. If such a situation were to occur during this ink-making, it would be disastrous.
Thinking this through, Master Li finally relented. He understood this girl’s stubborn streak.
However, having a backup was good—as long as nothing went wrong with him and Zhenniang didn’t have to step in, future troubles wouldn’t involve her.
Seeing her grandfather finally agree, Zhenniang broke into a smile. She then helped her grandfather enter the ink workshop.
Seventh Great-Aunt had also unusually dressed up today, appearing early in the ink workshop, followed by several ink masters. Luo Wenqian and Cheng Dayue were there as well.
“Brother Luo, why are you here?” Zhenniang stepped forward and asked in surprise, as he hadn’t mentioned this before.
“I’m most familiar with my family’s pot, so I asked the old madam for the task of boiling the glue,” Luo Wenqian said casually, pointing at the pot he had previously delivered.
Zhenniang then understood Cheng Dayue’s presence as well—he must be there for his familiarity with the stone mortar’s operation.
Zhenniang greeted Cheng Dayue—this man would become the most famous ink maker during the Wanli era, later compiling the “Cheng Family Ink Manual.”
“Weren’t you told not to come? Why did you still come?” Luo Wenqian frowned slightly. He also didn’t want Zhenniang to face any danger.
“I am also an ink maker. Regardless of the reason, at this moment, there is no justification for retreat,” Zhenniang’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.
Luo Wenqian rubbed his nose, having forgotten that this girl’s devotion to the art of ink-making was no less than her grandfather’s.
At the auspicious hour, Seventh Great-Aunt led the Li family members in escorting several ink masters into the workshop, their expressions extremely solemn.
“Light the fire, begin work,” Master Li waved his hand, and immediately everyone took their positions.
True to its celestial iron construction, as soon as the fire was lit under the pot, the red flames touching the bottom turned blue-white, and the glue poured into the pot immediately melted to become as clear as egg white.
“Mix the ink,” Master Li commanded solemnly. Immediately, Luo Wenqian poured the glue from the pot into the thousand-year pine soot, while Master Li, who had been waiting, began stirring right away.
However, the more Master Li stirred, the deeper his frown became. Even Luo Wenqian, Cheng Dayue, and the other ink masters began to furrow their brows. Zhenniang’s heart also skipped a beat.
The glue wouldn’t bond with the coal!
This phenomenon hadn’t occurred during any of the trial productions. Of course, the trials had used five-hundred-year pine soot coal from the Li family workshop’s collection, as they couldn’t risk using the precious thousand-year pine soot coal for testing. But now it appeared that thousand-year pine soot coal was fundamentally different from five-hundred-year coal.
This was something no one in the Li family had anticipated. By normal reasoning, this situation shouldn’t exist.
However, no one had ever tried using thousand-year pine soot coal before, and things that have grown for a thousand years often develop some peculiar properties.