“No need for Young Master Tian to concern himself,” Zhenniang replied, subtly stepping aside to distance herself from Tian Benchang.
“Zhenniang, why speak with such resentment? There was merely a small misunderstanding between us,” Tian Benchang persisted.
A small misunderstanding? Anger surged in Zhenniang’s heart. The Tian family had labeled her as a husband-killer and even came to her family’s door to break off the engagement. While others might not care, for her, both the husband-killer reputation and the broken engagement had become fodder for gossip. At her age, matchmakers should have been wearing down their doorsteps with marriage proposals.
But now? Not a single suitor came calling. Though her family members said nothing, each of them secretly worried.
All this was thanks to the Tian family—how could this be just a small misunderstanding?
Moreover, if Tian Benchang truly believed it was a misunderstanding, shouldn’t he have personally visited after his safe return? At the very least, he owed Li Zhenniang an explanation.
Instead, he had acted as if nothing had happened. Even during their last encounter, he hadn’t mentioned any misunderstanding.
Why bring it up now? It was clearly because the Tian family had previously tried to arrange a marriage with Lord Yan’s family.
Now that Lord Yan had fallen from grace, Tian Benchang came back to speak of misunderstandings. Zhenniang could guess his intentions.
It was because her reputation for ink-making had grown, and the Tian family saw profit to be made.
The Tian Ink Workshop was now under enthusiastic preparation.
She had heard that the Tian family was offering high prices for top-tier ink formulas—their ambitions were not small.
Now that the matter with Miss Yan had fallen through, she was their second choice. How calculating of them.
“Young Master Tian, I appreciate your kindness. As for whether it was a misunderstanding, we all know in our hearts. Some things don’t need to be spelled out. Zhenniang wishes Young Master Tian and Miss Yan a hundred years of happiness together,” Zhenniang said with a sincere expression.
Zhenniang’s words were somewhat cutting, but not entirely inappropriate. Although the marriage arrangement between the Tian and Yan families had been called off, outsiders weren’t entirely clear about it. The previous marriage negotiations between the two households had caused quite a stir, and Zhenniang’s words left Tian Benchang with no way to respond.
To deny it would prove that the Tian family had gone back on their word when the Yan family encountered trouble, showing their lack of integrity.
Some things could be done but should never be spoken of.
Tian Benchang could only darken his face—he hadn’t known this girl had such a sharp tongue before.
Zhenniang left the line and squeezed to the front, cheerfully bowing to an older man ahead. Successfully cutting in line, Uncle Shui hurriedly helped Zhenniang fill her water container.
Zhenniang gave an apologetic smile to those waiting in line.
“Alright, alright, get your water and hurry home. The flies buzzing around are quite annoying,” said a quick-tongued woman, who was Zhenniang’s neighbor, Master Fang Huaide’s wife.
Fang Huaide had been doing business in Suzhou for years, and Zhao Shi had relied on him to deliver messages and items to Li Jingfu.
“Mm,” Zhenniang nodded, smiled once more, and headed home with her hot water.
Nearby, Tian Benchang’s face darkened further at Madam Huaide’s words.
The crushed snow mixed with snowflakes created a freezing sensation in the air that chilled one to the bone.
Several days passed, and Lord Yan’s side finally prepared all the materials. The steward delivered them to the Li household. Zhenniang worked on processing the materials, focusing intently for several days until she finally produced the Eight Treasures Five Essences ink. However, due to the cold weather, it still needed several more days to dry properly.
Thus, more than ten days passed, and it was now the middle of the twelfth lunar month.
A light rain was falling.
“Grandfather, the medicinal ink is ready. I’ll deliver it to Miss Yan,” Zhenniang said, wearing a straw rain cape and a bamboo hat, tightly holding a peach wood box containing the medicinal ink as she prepared to head to the Yan residence.
A few days ago, the Yan household’s steward had come to hurry them several times, but these past two days, no one had appeared.
“Go ahead, be careful on your way,” Old Shopkeeper Li said.
Zhenniang hugged the box and set out. The fine rain might have been poetic in spring, but in winter, Zhenniang had only one sensation—her feet felt like they were about to freeze off.
So, disregarding her wet trouser legs, she ran all the way through the city gate tunnel, reaching the area near Taibai Tower.
Just as she arrived at the Yan residence entrance, she saw Lord Yan emerging in a cushioned sedan chair, surrounded by guards, attendants, and servants, carrying quite an air of triumph.
The steward, seeing Zhenniang, greeted her with a smile: “Miss Li has arrived. Is the medicinal ink ready?”
“Yes, it is,” Zhenniang nodded.
“Good, good.” Lord Yan lifted the sedan curtain and nodded happily at Zhenniang, then instructed a nearby servant: “Take Miss Li to see Mama Qian, and have Mama Qian take Miss Li to see the young miss.”
“Yes, my lord,” the servant promptly responded.
Then Lord Yan whispered something to the steward, who subsequently called the servant over and gave him some instructions, before turning to Zhenniang and saying, “Miss Li, his lordship has urgent matters to attend to, so we’ll leave the young miss in your care.” The steward then hurriedly nodded and departed with Lord Yan.
Zhenniang couldn’t help but wonder what was so urgent. Although Miss Yan was Lord Yan’s adopted clan niece, everyone knew that Lord Yan treated her as his daughter.
It was well known that the higher an official’s position, the more they cared about their legacy. Lord Yan had already announced that regardless of whom Yan Xianglan married, one of her sons must take the Yan surname to continue Lord Yan’s lineage.
Therefore, Lord Yan cherished Miss Yan like the apple of his eye.
Yet now, concerning Miss Yan’s treatment, Lord Yan couldn’t spare the time—there must be something even more important than Yan Xianglan.
As Zhenniang pondered this, noting Lord Yan’s triumphant demeanor, it was clear he had escaped his previous predicament. Zhenniang guessed it must be about Yan Shifan’s situation. During this time, Zhenniang had been focused on making the medicinal ink and hadn’t thought about these matters, but now thinking about it, this must be the time. It was the twelfth lunar month, and Yan Shifan’s downfall—the Luo family couldn’t possibly let this end well. Given how Lord Yan had previously suffered such a great loss because of the Luo family, how could he not take advantage of their weakness now?
Zhenniang thought about all this while following the servant into the Yan residence.
“Miss Li, the steward asked me to pass on a message—that your Li Ink Workshop should prepare for the tribute ink selection,” the servant said while leading the way.
“Wasn’t the tribute ink already awarded to the Luo family this year? What does the steward mean?” Although Zhenniang had guessed the possibility, she still needed confirmation. So, she needed to verify the information.
As she spoke, Zhenniang pulled out a small piece of broken silver from her clothes, feeling quite pained about it.
The tribute ink selection happens every three years, and this year happened to be a selection year. However, due to the Luo family’s connections in court, there hadn’t been any real selection—the court had directly appointed the Luo family. So, according to custom, the next tribute ink selection should be three years later.
That small piece of silver was quite painful for Zhenniang to part with, but for the servant who had long served by Lord Yan’s side, such tips were nothing special. However, considering that this young lady was here to treat the young miss’s illness and that his lordship showed her considerable favor.
Though the money was modest, in the spirit of maintaining good relations, he didn’t mind. He lowered his voice and said, “Censor Lin has accused Yan Shifan, who has been imprisoned. Luo Longwen is also sitting in jail with him. The Luo family won’t stay prosperous for much longer.”
“Oh, oh, oh. Alright, I understand. Thank you, brother,” Zhenniang responded with a seemingly fearful expression.
This confirmed her suspicions—the Luo family was finished. What was meant to come had finally arrived.
“You’re welcome,” the servant replied.
Soon, they reached the inner courtyard. The servant had a court lady call for Mama Qian and then took his leave.
Zhenniang followed Mama Qian to see Yan Xianglan, first applying the medicinal ink, and then teaching Mama Qian the daily application method and dosage.
Once Mama Qian understood everything clearly, Zhenniang took her leave. Unlike Aunt Zheng’s condition, which could be cleared up in two hours, this young miss’s skin condition would require quite some time to treat.
As for payment for the medicinal ink, Zhenniang didn’t accept any. Lord Yan had previously prepared abundant materials, and Zhenniang had made plenty of medicinal ink. She sent half to Lord Yan and kept half for herself as payment.
Mama Qian saw Zhenniang out. Afterward, Zhenniang practically ran all the way home.
“Grandfather, Lord Yan had someone tell me that our Li Ink Workshop should prepare first for the tribute ink selection,” Zhenniang announced as soon as she entered, addressing Old Shopkeeper Li, who was warming his hands over a fire basket in the hall.
The door curtain lifted, letting in a gust of cold wind. Zhao Shi quickly secured the thick curtain on the door, then turned to glare at Zhenniang: “How careless can you be? Don’t you know your grandfather has been coughing badly? With the curtain not properly closed and you bursting in like this, how can your grandfather handle such cold drafts?”
Zhenniang smiled sheepishly, acknowledging her momentary oversight.
Then Zhao Shi added, “Wasn’t it just awarded to the Luo family this year? Why would they suddenly call for our Li family to compete?”
Old Shopkeeper Li also stared at Zhenniang, waiting for her to continue explaining.
“The Luo family is in trouble,” Zhenniang said, then repeated what the servant had told her.
“Is this reliable? A few years ago, the Luo family almost got into trouble, but nothing came of it in the end,” Zhao Shi muttered on the side.
“Mother, some things can happen once but not twice. Besides, regardless of all that, it’s better to be prepared,” Zhenniang said.
“Mm, Zhenniang speaks wisely. Being prepared is never wrong. I’ll go to the ink workshop right away.”
Old Shopkeeper Li couldn’t sit still anymore.
The Li family ink workshop had missed several opportunities, and now here was another chance—though of course, this still depended on whether Zhenniang’s medicinal ink would be effective.