Shortly after, they arrived at the main Li family residence.
Upon entering the hall, Zhenniang noticed that besides the managers from the ink workshop, there was also Physician Hu who had been treating the Old Madam, and a clerk from the magistrate’s office surnamed Sheng, whom everyone usually addressed as Master Sheng.
She understood that these two were likely witnesses of the will.
“Greetings, First Sister-in-law,” Zhenniang bowed to Madam Chen.
“Good, you’re here. Everyone, please be seated,” Madam Chen said, while her maids served tea.
“All of you may withdraw,” Madam Chen waved her hand after the tea was served, and all the maids and servants retreated.
“Now that everyone is here, I won’t keep you in suspense. Old Madam’s letter is right here. Physician Hu and Master Sheng were witnesses that day. Now, Master Sheng will read Old Madam’s letter.” Madam Chen held up a letter and handed it to Master Sheng.
Master Sheng accepted the letter and adjusted his clothes. Although Old Madam hadn’t passed away, he had learned from Physician Hu that her chances of regaining consciousness were slim. Therefore, he approached the letter with the gravity of reading a will, his manner becoming notably solemn and respectful.
“…Whereas the seventh branch of the Li family has no heir to continue the line and faces many hardships, with only an eight-year-old son who cannot shoulder heavy responsibilities, fortunately, there is Li Zhenniang of the eighth branch, who possesses exceptional talent in the ink craft, coupled with loyalty, kindness, and perseverance. After much deliberation, I have decided to pass the ink workshop to Zhenniang of the eighth branch. Henceforth, all assets of the ink workshop shall belong to Li Zhenniang, and no one may dispute this…”
“How is this possible?” Master Sheng’s reading was interrupted by an uproar.
Everyone present was stunned. No one had expected Old Madam to pass the ink workshop to Li Zhenniang. Not just to manage it, but to own it outright.
“Has Old Madam gone mad?” Li Jingdong stared intently at Master Sheng through his glasses. If his legs weren’t crippled, he would have jumped up by now.
Even in their wildest imagination, no one had considered this possibility.
The others exchanged glances. Previously, everyone had speculated that Old Madam would select several senior members to manage the workshop until Li Tianyou came of age.
But unexpectedly, according to Old Madam’s letter, she had no intention of leaving the workshop to young Tianyou at all, instead passing it directly to Li Zhenniang of the eighth branch.
This meant that the future owner of the Li family ink workshop would be the mere fifteen-year-old Li Zhenniang, which was too difficult for anyone to accept.
How could this be possible? Zhenniang’s head throbbed. This was something she could never have imagined. What was Seventh Grandmother thinking? This made no sense.
Zhenniang felt her throat go dry, constantly swallowing but finding no relief. She understood that Seventh Grandmother’s letter would bring tremendous upheaval to her life.
Seventh Grandmother, what exactly do you mean? Zhenniang wondered silently.
Old Master Li frowned in contemplation. From the moment Manager Shao mentioned that Seventh Sister-in-law’s letter concerned Zhenniang, he had wondered if she planned to bring Zhenniang into the workshop. But he never imagined she would directly pass the workshop to Zhenniang.
It was truly a crazy decision.
“Old Madam was perfectly clear-minded when she wrote this letter,” Physician Hu stood up to testify.
“This is impossible, it makes no sense,” Li Jingdong gritted his teeth. If he had lost to Manager Shao, he could have accepted it, as Manager Shao would have been managing the workshop on behalf of Brother Youer. That would have meant losing to the main branch.
But now he had lost to an unexpected opponent, a fifteen-year-old girl, and the daughter of the person who had crippled him. He absolutely could not swallow this.
He glared fiercely at Old Master Li and Li Zhenniang.
“Whether it makes sense or not is not our concern. We are simply executing Old Madam’s wishes as stated in her letter,” Master Sheng said.
“If it doesn’t make sense, then there must be something suspicious. Who knows if certain people with ulterior motives tampered with this letter?” Li Jingdong said coldly.
“Master Li, are you questioning my integrity? This letter exists in three copies – one held by Madam Chen, which was just read, another filed with the magistrate’s office, and the third held by Physician Hu as a witness. If Master Li doubts this, you may file an appeal, and all three copies can be compared,” Master Sheng replied sternly.
Hearing Master Sheng’s words, the crowd stirred again. Once filed with the magistrate’s office, the letter’s contents had legal force and must be executed.
At this moment, all eyes were on Zhenniang.
“Master Sheng, can Zhenniang refuse?” Zhenniang finally couldn’t help but ask, her voice dry.
“Miss Li, please don’t rush. This master hasn’t finished reading the letter. Please listen to the end before deciding,” Master Sheng continued.
“Please proceed, Master Sheng. Zhenniang listens respectfully,” Zhenniang curtsied slightly.
“…After Li Zhenniang receives the ink workshop, she must dedicate herself to expanding its prosperity. Additionally, she bears the responsibility of supporting the seventh branch’s descendants until they come of age, as well as caring for the widows and orphans of the seventh branch. These three responsibilities are witnessed by heaven and earth.” After reading, Master Sheng put down the letter and said to Zhenniang, “That’s all. Miss Li can now consider whether to accept or not.”
Hearing these final words, everyone present shook their heads. These three responsibilities were too heavy a burden for a fifteen-year-old girl.
No one could understand what Old Madam was thinking.
Zhenniang bit her lip in thought. Even with her soul having lived two lives, this responsibility was still too heavy. True, she knew the main branch’s tragic eventual fate and would certainly do her utmost to help them, but helping versus taking full responsibility were two entirely different matters.
Zhenniang wanted to refuse, but she hesitated. The Li family ink workshop had suddenly fallen into her hands in this way. This was the Li family’s ink-making legacy – could she be content just giving it up?
“Grandfather…” Zhenniang turned to look at her grandfather.
“If you can’t decide right now, take a couple of days to think it over,” Old Master Li said to Zhenniang.
“Mm.” Zhenniang nodded. This matter was too significant. From any perspective, she needed to think it through carefully. Making decisions after thorough consideration was also what her grandfather from her previous life had always advised.
“In any case, I absolutely refuse to accept this,” Li Jingdong said coldly, then turned to Li Zhengyan behind him: “Zhengyan, let’s go.”
Li Zhengyan, who stood behind pushing his father’s wheelchair, glanced at Zhenniang before wheeling his father away. Originally, they had agreed to discuss how to deal with the Tian family’s pine wood issue after the letter was read.
But clearly, Old Madam’s letter was too shocking, and no one had the mind to discuss such matters now.
The workshop managers also left one by one, shaking their heads and sighing.
“Then we’ll take our leave as well. Let Zhenniang think this through carefully. To be honest, I don’t agree with this – this burden is not one a young woman can bear alone,” Old Master Li said to Madam Chen and the others, making his position clear.
It wasn’t that he thought Zhenniang incapable; on the contrary, he believed that if she set her mind to it, she could handle these responsibilities. However, this path would be too arduous, and as her grandfather, his heart ached for her.
“Alright, don’t let Zhenniang feel too much pressure,” Madam Chen sighed. Truthfully, she also had doubts about this decision, but Old Madam’s wishes were difficult to change.
So Zhenniang and her grandfather bid farewell to the main branch family.
“Zhenniang, wait a moment. Second Aunt has something for you,” Madam Huang called out to Zhenniang.
Then Madam Huang called toward the door: “Sister Ma, bring in the item.”
A woman entered carrying a wooden box.
“You… aren’t you the aunt who buys ink from my stall every day?” Zhenniang pointed at the woman.
Ever since she had started selling ink at Four Treasures Street, this aunt had bought ink from her small stall daily. At first, no one had shown any interest in her ink – after all, Four Treasures Street had no shortage of ink.
It was thanks to this aunt’s appreciation of her ink that she hadn’t become discouraged.
“Miss Zhenniang, Old Madam instructed me to buy from you each day,” Sister Ma said, then handed the wooden box to Madam Huang before withdrawing.
“Second Aunt, what is this about?” Zhenniang asked.
“Take it home and you’ll understand,” Madam Huang didn’t explain, just pushed the wooden box into Zhenniang’s arms.
“Oh.” Zhenniang nodded and left the main Li residence with her grandfather.
It was already noon when they returned home.
“Why so late? Have you eaten lunch?” Madam Zhao came forward to ask.
“How did it go? What did they say?” Before Zhenniang could answer Madam Zhao, Grandmother Madam Wu also started questioning.
“Haven’t eaten, but I have no appetite. I don’t want to eat now. I’m going to my room.” Zhenniang was in no mood to eat. Carrying the wooden box, she ignored both her mother and grandmother, went to her room, and shut the door tightly.
“What’s wrong with this child? Who upset her?” Madam Zhao first looked puzzled, then her eyes widened in anger. Only she, as her mother, had the right to scold and hit Zhenniang. If someone else had upset her, Madam Zhao wouldn’t let it go.
“The Old Madam of the seventh branch had a stroke. She left a letter willing the ink workshop to Zhenniang,” Old Master Li sighed. Back then, if anyone said he hadn’t had designs on the ink workshop, that wouldn’t be true – it was just that he had wanted it but couldn’t get it.
He never imagined that now the workshop would pass to Zhenniang in this way. Heaven’s will was truly unpredictable.
“What? Is this true?” Madam Wu asked in surprise.
“Would anyone joke about such things?” Old Master Li said, then explained the contents of the letter.
When Madam Zhao heard about the ‘three responsibilities,’ she immediately exclaimed angrily: “Old Madam sure knows how to scheme! Does she think others don’t know the workshop’s situation? For years it’s been operating at a loss, with what little profit there is barely enough to pay the master craftsmen. Hah! With just an empty shell, they want to trick Zhenniang into being their servant, taking care of their old and young. Don’t even think about it!”
“Right, Zhenniang doesn’t need to mind them. We’ll live our own lives. Forget it, let your grandfather refuse them. If you want an ink workshop, we’ll open our own. We don’t care for the main branch’s workshop,” Madam Wu aligned with Madam Zhao’s position for the first time.
“Enough, stop shouting. Let Zhenniang have some peace,” Old Master Li said irritably.
These two were completely showing their womanly narrow-mindedness.