In the blink of an eye, it was the second year of the Longqing reign. After the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day, the New Year celebrations of Longqing’s second year had mostly concluded. In Huizhou, those who made their living away from home gathered at the Yuliang Dock with their packages and umbrellas.
From the Li family, Li Jingfu was preparing to return to Nanjing with several others to oversee the ink shop’s business there. However, Zhenniang and her grandfather stayed behind to oversee this year’s tribute ink selection.
Luo Wenqian was also among those traveling with Li Jingfu. With numerous matters to attend to in Nanjing, he couldn’t possibly remain in Huizhou.
“Brother Luo, please be careful on your journey. My father can be somewhat reckless at times, so please keep an eye on him,” Zhenniang accompanied her elder brother early in the morning to see off their father and Brother Luo. Before they boarded the boat, Zhenniang couldn’t help but nag a bit.
Hearing his daughter’s words, Li Jingfu felt helpless – truly, a grown daughter couldn’t be kept at home.
Luo Wenqian, not daring to laugh out of respect for his father-in-law, could only nod, though the mirth in his eyes couldn’t be completely concealed. He then cautioned Zhenniang to be careful with everything.
Shortly after, Li Jingfu and Luo Wenqian’s group boarded the boat.
Watching the boat gradually disappear into the distance, Zhenniang finally turned to head back with her elder brother.
Just as they turned, they overheard several passengers who had just disembarked from another boat chatting at a riverside tea stall.
“Lord Hai has arrived in Nanjing. Within just a few days of his arrival, he’s had the vermillion gates of several merchant houses torn down for violating regulations. The household heads were even given the rod and suffered quite a bit. Even in government offices, minor officials who used to ride in grand sedan chairs with multiple bearers have been stripped of their official robes for these violations. Now everyone in Nanjing trembles at the mention of Hai.”
The speaker was a goateed man in wealthy attire, likely an accountant or manager by his dress.
“They deserve it! Word had spread before the New Year that Lord Hai would be promoted to Yunbu of Yingtian. Everyone knows what kind of person Lord Hai is. Since they knew he was coming, they should have shown more restraint. Those who suffered and lost their positions have only themselves to blame,” scoffed another man, dressed as a fifty-something-year-old legal advisor, clearly disdainful of such imprudent behavior.
“This all stems from that incident two years ago. Back then, during the rice-to-mulberry conversion when land prices were soaring, didn’t they also say Lord Hai was coming? But in the end, Lord Hai submitted a memorial in his coffin and was imprisoned. So this time when everyone heard Lord Hai was coming, few believed it. After all, Yunbu of Yingtian is in such a high position – everyone said Lord Hai had made too many enemies for such an appointment. Nobody took it seriously. But unexpectedly, on the ninth day of the New Year, Lord Hai arrived in Nanjing. It was still the holiday season, and wealthy families were violating all sorts of regulations. In the end, they all fell into Lord Hai’s hands and were dealt with accordingly,” the manager-like man explained with a laugh, shaking his head.
“Indeed, no one could have predicted Lord Hai’s meteoric rise. He had just been released from prison not long ago and had only just been promoted to Shangbaocheng of the Court of Judicial Review. In the blink of an eye, he became the Yunbu of Yingtian. Such rapid promotion is truly incredible,” the legal advisor said, shaking his head with a hint of envy in his voice. Having failed the provincial examinations for thirty years himself, he felt people truly couldn’t be compared.
Hai Rui had already become the Yunbu of Yingtian? Zhenniang listened in surprise. Historically, Hai Rui shouldn’t have received this position until next year. How had he arrived right after the New Year?
Could it be because of the account book incident? Of course, while she might think this, Zhenniang had no way to know the truth, nor did she want to know. She just found it somewhat strange.
She also wondered if the Xu family’s matter would still unfold as it had in history.
The spring wind was rising now, bringing with it a penetrating chill.
“Sister, let’s head back,” Li Dalang urged, and Zhenniang hurried to catch up with her elder brother.
Upon returning home, they had barely sat down when Aunt Chunhua and Uncle Qianshan arrived. Zhenniang busied herself making tea for them.
The couple would be heading to Suzhou in a few days. Uncle Qianshan had agreed to serve as an advisor to the Touring Inspector of the Nanjing-Suzhou Circuit and would soon formally take up his position.
As Zhenniang prepared the tea, hearing Uncle Qianshan mention this, her thoughts stirred. She recalled what Luo Wenqian had said about the Qin family after returning from Shizhou. Back then, her father had been moving cargo for a merchant house in Suzhou, and it was because of his willingness to endure hardship that he earned the merchant’s favor and joined the horse caravan. Unexpectedly, when the group went north with goods, only her father survived.
According to the information Brother Luo had gathered, the Qin family’s involvement in this incident seemed somewhat suspicious.
Thinking of this, Zhenniang turned to Yao Qianshan and said, “Uncle Qianshan, Zhenniang has a favor to ask of you.”
“Oh? What is it? Tell me,” Yao Qianshan replied seriously. No one in the Li family underestimated this girl from the eighth branch.
Since everyone present was family, Zhenniang had nothing to hide. She explained what Luo Wenqian had discovered, and finally said, “I’d like to ask uncle to investigate that merchant house’s affairs again once you’re in Suzhou, particularly any business dealings they might have had with the Qin family.” The fact that her uncle’s superior was the Touring Inspector of Suzhou would make such an investigation convenient.
“Hmm, I had heard rumors about the Qin family’s dealings with Japanese pirates while I was in Shanxi. Given the current situation, I’ll start investigating this matter as soon as I arrive in Suzhou,” Yao Qianshan nodded.
“Be careful when investigating, don’t let any word leak out,” Old Master Li cautioned from the side. After all, trading with Japanese pirates was a capital offense that could lead to the execution of entire families. If the Qin family caught wind of it, they would surely retaliate.
“I understand,” Yao Qianshan nodded solemnly.
He understood the gravity of such matters better than anyone.
After the first month, on the second day of the second month, the Yao Qianshan family departed for Suzhou.
On this day, Zhenniang and Old Master Li remained in the ink workshop for an entire day, from morning until night. Old Master Li watched the furnace fire without blinking, and as soon as the flames took on a bluish tinge, he immediately instructed Zhenniang to mix the glue once more. Each mixing was followed by steaming.
Zhenniang, while mixing the glue, would test the temperature with her fingers despite the scalding heat, her entire hand covered in blisters. Yet she paid no attention to this, constantly being careful not to break the blisters. If water from the blisters contaminated the ink, all their efforts would be wasted.
The Li family’s Three Talents Ink had reached its crucial final stage.
At this moment, Zhenniang could hear her heart pounding. She too stared intently at the ink balls in the steamer.
“Zhenniang, final mixing, add the glue…” Old Master Li called out almost hysterically, his eyes bloodshot.
Hearing her grandfather’s words, Zhenniang dared not delay even slightly. She added the final glue and quickly stirred. There could be no pause in between, and the speed had to be fast because once the glue and ink cooled, they would harden and become uneven.
Once thoroughly mixed, she immediately handed the ink ball to Master Ma for pounding.
The thirty thousand strikes of pounding couldn’t have the slightest pause. Only an experienced pounder like Master Ma could handle this task.
This was also the most crucial step, and Master Ma didn’t dare to be careless. The stone pestle moved up and down with perfect rhythm and uniformity. Even the force of each strike was precisely controlled.
At this point, Zhenniang helped Old Master Li sit down nearby. “Grandfather, this will take quite a while. Why don’t you rest for a bit?” Zhenniang suggested, seeing the bloodshot eyes of her grandfather.
“How could I possibly sleep without watching this? This time, let grandfather have his way,” Old Master Li replied.
Hearing her grandfather’s words, Zhenniang could only acquiesce, knowing it was impossible to make him rest at this time.
Thus, for the next while, only the sound of pounding could be heard throughout the ink workshop.
An hour later.
“Old Master, Miss Zhenniang, it’s done!!” Master Ma exclaimed excitedly. Having worked with ink for decades, they could estimate the final quality just by looking at the ink ball’s appearance.
“Help me go look,” Old Master Li said excitedly, and Zhenniang supported her grandfather in examining the ink ball in the stone mortar. It was jet black and gleaming, its surface as lustrous as black jade, deeply captivating everyone’s gaze.
“Excellent, excellent, excellent!” Old Master Li repeated, then waved his hand: “Zhenniang, weigh it and put it in the molds.”
“Yes, grandfather,” Zhenniang responded, having prepared everything in advance. She immediately rolled the ink ball into cylindrical shapes, then divided them into smaller pieces like making steamed buns. Each ink piece weighed eight qian, with some allowance left for final trimming.
After placing the ink in the molds and pressing it firmly, by the time everything was finished, oil lamps were being lit outside.
Grandmother Wu stood at the workshop entrance with a lantern, talking to their Seventh Great-Aunt who was waiting there.
Zhenniang supported her grandfather as they came out.
“How did it go?” Seventh Great-Aunt asked with a calm face, though her trembling voice revealed her intense anxiety.
“We succeeded, we succeeded! Seventh Sister-in-law, I, Li Jinshui, can now face Seventh Brother in the afterlife with pride…” At this moment, Old Master Li looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his face.
Years ago, because of Li Jingfu, the Li family’s ink business had suffered, and the Seventh Master had ultimately passed away from illness. Old Master Li had always felt guilty about this.
“Good, good, good.” Seventh Great-Aunt’s eyes also grew moist. She mumbled, “My lord, my lord, all these years, I have not failed your trust, not failed your trust…”
Speaking thus, she couldn’t help but repeatedly wipe away tears.
“This is a joyous occasion, we should be happy,” Grandmother Wu said from the side, also choking with emotion.
Seeing the two elderly people like this, Zhenniang felt a surge of emotion in her heart. At this moment, regardless of the tribute ink selection, the perfection of the Li family’s Three Talents Ink was Li Mo’s greatest achievement.
At this moment, she also spoke in her heart to her grandfather from the future: “Grandfather, no matter what, the Li family’s ink-making method has truly been revived and advanced. Your granddaughter has fulfilled your wish during the Ming Dynasty’s most prosperous period for the ink industry.”
Just then, Old Master Li suddenly swayed backward. Zhenniang couldn’t hold him steady, but fortunately, Master Ma who was following behind reacted quickly and caught Old Master Li, crying out anxiously, “Old Master, Old Master!”
“Grandfather…”
“Eighth Uncle…”
“Old man…”