The next day, the boat arrived at Yuliang dock.

Standing at the bow, Zhenniang could see Seventh Grandmother from afar. Her once salt-and-pepper hair had turned completely silver, making her particularly conspicuous among the crowd. Surrounding Seventh Grandmother were all members of the Li family’s Fourth Branch, every single one present.

Adding to the festivities, upon seeing Zhenniang’s boat approach, lion dancers began their performance at the dock, with several bare-bottomed children shamelessly frolicking around the dance troupe, laughing and playing.

Though the scene was joyous, Father Jingfu and Li Zhenniang stood solemnly at the bow, holding up the “First Ink Under Heaven” plaque. Both gazed up at the crystal-clear blue sky.

“Father, Zhenniang has brought home the First Ink Under Heaven title,” Father Jingfu said in his heart.

“Grandfather, we’ve preserved the honor of the ink makers,” Zhenniang silently declared.

At this moment, on the shore, Old Madam Li, supported by Zhengxi and Tianyou, approached the bow. With trembling hands, she gently brushed over the five golden characters spelling “First Ink Under Heaven,” and then looked at Zhenniang.

“Seventh Grandmother, we’re back, and we’ve won!!!” Zhenniang declared firmly, meeting her grandmother’s gaze.

“Good,” Seventh Grandmother replied with just one word, her expression neither joyful nor sorrowful, carrying a zen-like quality. It wasn’t that she wasn’t excited—when she first received news of Li Mo earning the title of First Ink Under Heaven, she had been so excited she couldn’t sleep all night.

But after the initial excitement, Old Madam Li had suddenly found peace—a sense of fulfilled contentment. It was like what martial arts novels describe as “returning to simplicity.”

Li Mo’s journey had been long, falling from its peak to rock bottom, then climbing back up step by difficult step. There had been anger, unwillingness, and helplessness along the way. But more than anything, there had been sweat—the sweat of struggle. Now, achieving the title of First Ink Under Heaven was the fruit of their harvest.

After joy, the elderly find tranquility, hence her neither-joy-nor-sorrow demeanor.

While the entire clan was excited and even feeling triumphant, her calm composure embodied Li Mo’s stability and wisdom in handling affairs: neither arrogant in victory nor disappointed in defeat, facing gains and losses with equanimity.

One could say that at any time, Old Madam Li was Li Mo’s stabilizing anchor.

“Let’s go home,” Old Madam Li finally waved lightly.

“Yes,” Zhenniang and the others nodded firmly.

Thus, the Li family group returned to the Li Ink Workshop amid everyone’s company.

At the workshop’s entrance, another string of firecrackers went off. An incense altar had been set up at the door, and on one side of the workshop hung a sign covered with red cloth.

“Old Madam, please unveil it,” the now elderly Manager Shao handed a long pole to Old Madam Li.

Seventh Grandmother took the pole but passed it to Zhenniang: “Zhenniang, you do it.”

“Old Madam?” Zhenniang felt nervous at this moment. She knew what was under the red cloth—the Imperial Tribute Ink sign. Previously, due to the ink competition, the old madam hadn’t hung it up, waiting until this moment.

Now, by giving Zhenniang the right to unveil it, Old Madam Li was publicly confirming Li Mo’s next head—Li Zhenniang!

“Zhenniang, don’t worry about anything else. This moment is rightfully yours. Since your Ninth Uncle passed away, from the moment you took over Li Mo during our most difficult period, everyone has seen your efforts, and everyone has witnessed your achievements. Plus, there’s your grandfather’s portion,” Li Jingdong, sitting in his wheelchair, added.

Hearing Li Jingdong’s words, Zhenniang took a deep breath, then solemnly accepted the pole from Seventh Grandmother. She raised her head and lifted the red cloth, revealing the golden characters on the black background of the Imperial Tribute Ink sign. The red cloth swept across the blue sky and white clouds, adding a touch of brilliance to this glorious era of ink-making in the mid-Ming dynasty.

Then the First Ink Under Heaven plaque was hung as well.

The Li family had finally achieved Li Mo’s glory.

“Zhenniang, congratulations,” after the crowd dispersed, Zhenniang saw Sun Yuejuan standing by the street and approached her as she smiled.

“Thank you,” Zhenniang nodded, then carefully looked at Sun Yuejuan before her. When they first met, Sun Yuejuan had been naive and passionate. However, after the Sun family’s troubles, Sun Yuejuan and Zhenniang had their cloth-cutting ceremony to end their friendship. Later, after Sun Yuejuan married into the Tian family, the two had taken different life paths and gradually lost touch.

But everyone grows. Zhenniang had focused on the ink business these years, and her growth was evident. Sun Yuejuan hadn’t stopped growing either; in fact, her situation had been even more challenging than Zhenniang’s, especially after Tian Benchang’s successive misfortunes. The current Sun Yuejuan had lost the confusion she had when first marrying into the Tian family. She lived her life earnestly and pragmatically, relying on a woman’s tenacity.

Her somewhat frail shoulders likewise carried their weight of responsibility.

Thinking this, Zhenniang looked at Sun Yuejuan’s hem and indeed found the piece of cloth cut from her clothes.

Sun Yuejuan also noticed Zhenniang’s hem, which similarly had the piece she had cut from her clothes sewn on it.

Both saw each other’s synchronized glance and then smiled. Childhood friendship wouldn’t dissipate with time; like wine, it would only become more mellow with age.

“We heard about Master Tian’s matter. Please accept our condolences,” Zhenniang held Sun Yuejuan’s hand and said.

“Mm,” Sun Yuejuan nodded, “It wasn’t too unexpected. One thing after another happened at home, and with the old master’s health, he couldn’t hold on.”

“By the way, still no way to get your husband released?” Zhenniang couldn’t help but ask.

“It’s difficult. Some people don’t want Benchang out. Master Wang and Benchang’s uncles all tried their best. It was almost successful, but unexpectedly, recently the yamen spread word that Benchang tried to escape. In the end, the yamen sentenced him to thirty lashes, and his release fell through again,” Sun Yuejuan said through gritted teeth.

Hearing this, Zhenniang understood that it was likely Chunzhi’s people who had bribed the yamen to fabricate the escape attempt. As a result, Tian Benchang wouldn’t be able to get out anytime soon.

What a clever scheme indeed. She wondered whether this strategy came from Chunzhi or Wang Decai.

“Mm, take it slowly,” Zhenniang could only offer comfort.

“I understand,” Sun Yuejuan replied, then bid farewell. Zhenniang walked her out a few steps, and just as they turned, they saw Tian Ronghua approaching in all white.

After not seeing her for some time, Tian Ronghua’s demeanor had become even more aloof.

“Li Zhenniang, please tell me about the grudge between Wang Decai and your Li family back then,” Tian Ronghua came forward and got straight to the point.

Clearly, by this point, Tian Ronghua had become extremely wary of Wang Decai.

The Wang Decai incident had been the Li family’s private shame, so outsiders weren’t very clear about it.

Although the Li and Tian families had always been rivals as competitors in the same trade, considering Old Master Tian’s gift of the thousand-year-old coal, Zhenniang had no reason to refuse Tian Ronghua’s request. So she explained about Wang Decai’s scheme against Li Mo back then, particularly emphasizing his wolf-like, sinister nature.

Hearing Li Zhenniang’s words, Tian Ronghua thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “So you’re saying that slut Chunzhi is raising a white-eyed wolf now, and perhaps in the end, Chunzhi will be eaten until not even her bones remain?”

“That’s hard to say. Maybe they’re a perfect match as partners in crime,” Zhenniang replied with a crooked smile. This situation was truly unpredictable.

“I understand now,” Tian Ronghua nodded, having grasped the situation.

After a while, she turned to Sun Yuejuan and said: “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. My second brother and I got my eldest brother imprisoned, and I will get him out.” After saying this, Tian Ronghua left as suddenly as she had arrived, without any delay.

Sun Yuejuan naturally had no good feelings toward Tian Ronghua. After all, Tian Benchang’s current situation was more accurately caused by Tian Ronghua rather than Second Master Tian—that fellow didn’t have such scheming abilities.

However, hearing Tian Ronghua’s words now, while hopeful, Sun Yuejuan also frowned: “What method could she have? The Xu family hates the Tian family now, and with Third Young Master Xu’s death and the Xu family’s current situation, even if they wanted to help, their influence wouldn’t reach that far, would it?”

“Who knows, maybe she has some connections. Just wait and see,” Zhenniang said. Tian Ronghua’s words weren’t casual, though Zhenniang couldn’t figure out what method she might have.

Sun Yuejuan nodded, then left.

Zhenniang returned home, where people were coming and going at the Li residence. Uncle Yao Qianshan had also arrived. Zhenniang found a private moment to ask her First Uncle: “First Uncle, what leads have you found in that matter?”

“Do you know about Feng Daniu?” Yao Qianshan asked.

“Yes, he was planning to partner with my father in business before,” Zhenniang replied.

“Before your father’s caravan left Suzhou back then, someone saw Feng Daniu there. He was inquiring about the caravan’s departure time and route. Given his identity, we can be certain that your father’s caravan incident was related to him. Even if he didn’t do it himself, he must have sold the information to the Tartars,” Yao Qianshan said.

“First Uncle, if there are already leads, why not arrest him? Feng Daniu is in Nanjing right now,” Zhenniang frowned.

“I’ve discussed this with Wenqian. Currently, Feng Daniu only inquired about information, and everyone knew back then that your father’s caravan was killed by the Tartars, so there’s no direct evidence. Moreover, the Qin family stands behind Feng Daniu, and General Qi’s people are currently investigating the Qin family’s affairs in the north, so we shouldn’t alert them for now,” Yao Qianshan explained.

“I see,” Zhenniang nodded in understanding.

The night passed quietly. Over the next three days, the Li family held continuous celebration banquets, and the entire Huizhou ink industry was jubilant. During these three days, news of Third Young Master Xu’s drowning after getting drunk also spread like wildfire throughout Huizhou.