The Heir

Сhaptеr 112: Аuntiе frоm thе Wang Family

Ву the aftеrnoon, Zhu Gui hurriеdlу саmе tо find Zhen Niang.

Аfter discussing some details furthеr, bоth pаrties signеd thе соntraсt.

Zhеn Niаng wrоtе down thе liquid ink formula and hаndеd it to Zhu Gui. Zhu Gui lоoked at thе ink formula, hеsitating to sреаk. Тhеrе wеre manу intriсaсiеs in ink fоrmulas; thе slightest dеviаtion cоuld lеad tо a vastly diffеrent outcоmе. Sоmetimеs, even a slight diffеrеnсe in thе оrdеr оr timing оf аdding ingrediеnts сould rеsult in a wоrld of differеncе in thе quаlity оf thе ink.

Ноw could Zhen Niаng not understand Zhu Gui’s conсerns? She said, “Shоpkeеpеr Zhu, mаtters likе the right heat or timing must be adjusted based on actual conditions. The formula can’t explain everything in detail. How about this—I’ll send a master craftsman from our side to guide you for a while? Once the ink production stabilizes, he can return.”

“Excellent, excellent! Miss Zhen, you’ve thought of everything,” Zhu Gui replied eagerly. Zhen Niang’s words struck a chord with him. Having a master craftsman from the Li family oversee the process meant the quality of the ink would be his responsibility, putting Zhu Gui completely at ease.

Truly, Miss Zhen of the Li family handled matters with remarkable generosity.

With everything settled, Zhen Niang called Er Gou over, gave him instructions, and sent him to the Zhu Family Ink Workshop with Zhu Gui to assist in producing the ink.

In the blink of an eye, the sun began to set. The slanting rays of the evening sun cast a faint red veil over the Qinhuai River. From the brothels lining both sides of the river came the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments. Though pleasant to the ear, the music carried a touch of melancholy in the fading light, evoking a sense of wistfulness in one’s heart.

Zhen Niang sat behind the counter, tallying the day’s accounts, but her mind was elsewhere. She was still thinking about Luo Wenqian’s visit that morning.

Perhaps it was the melancholic music that stirred her emotions. Zhen Niang felt as though something was weighing on her heart, leaving her unsettled. After all, during her time in Nanjing, Luo Wenqian had helped her on multiple occasions. Although he harbored some resentment toward her Li family and the Han family over the land issue, and there were things she couldn’t fully explain, she still wanted to share her thoughts with him.

To repay kindness with kindness was a fundamental principle of human decency. Once the thought crossed her mind, she decided to act on it. Zhen Niang called Hua’er over to watch the counter and asked Xiao Ya to help out in the shop. Then, she headed out to visit the Yi Hou Sheng branch. As soon as she stepped outside, she spotted some plums being sold by the roadside.

The plums were large, with a deep purplish-red hue resembling ripe grapes. They looked quite appealing, though a few days earlier, Hua’er had bought a pound, only for them to leave everyone’s teeth aching from their sourness.

Looking at the plums, Zhen Niang couldn’t help but recall the time Luo Wenqian had treated her to steamed buns. She chuckled softly to herself and bought a pound of plums, placing them in a small bamboo basket. Carrying it in her hand, she strolled leisurely toward the Yi Hou Sheng Money Shop.

Yi Hou Sheng Money Shop.

Luo Wenqian had left the Li Family Ink Workshop in a huff that morning. But when he returned to the money shop and sat in the back room sipping tea, he couldn’t help but feel a bit foolish. It seemed his reaction had been somewhat excessive.Han Yigui was, after all, an ordinary merchant dealing in raw silk, and inevitably had to interact with some officials. Although the Xu family had wronged them earlier, most people in Nanjing at the time were unaware that the land dispute had escalated to such a tragic extent entirely due to the Xu brothers' behind-the-scenes manipulation. Therefore, from the Han family's perspective, even though the Xu family had previously broken their trust, merchants were inherently of low status and valued harmony for prosperity. Moreover, the Han family couldn't truly hold onto the land themselves. Considering this, it seemed only natural for the Han family to sell the land back to the Xu family.

Furthermore, when it came down to it, this matter seemed to have little to do with Zhen Niang. Luo Wenqian suddenly felt that his earlier frustration was somewhat unwarranted, making him appear rather petty—quite unlike the formidable Luo Jiu, the master of the northern territories.

Thinking this, he scratched his head. He really was regressing as he aged.

"Cousin, cousin, Auntie Wang is here." At that moment, a young woman in a green silk dress helped an elderly woman through the door.

Luo Wenqian hurried out. Auntie Wang was the only member of the Wang family he still respected. Back then, it was this aunt who had arranged for his mother to marry into the Luo Family.

The young woman in the green silk dress was Wang Sifang's only daughter, Wang Wan'er.

"Auntie, please sit. Bring tea." Luo Wenqian stepped forward, also helping Auntie Wang into the side hall and seating her on the soft couch. He even took the opportunity to massage her legs a couple of times.

"Enough of that. Such tasks are for Wan'er and the others. You, a grown man, needn't bother." Auntie Wang pulled Luo Wenqian to sit beside her, carefully studying him before wiping away tears. Luo Wenqian had grown thinner and darker, losing the spirited arrogance of his former playboy days. He had become steadier, his sharply defined face now bearing traces of hardship.

It seemed he had truly suffered greatly over the years. If his mother knew from beyond the grave, her heart would surely ache.

"Auntie, don't cry. I'm perfectly fine," Luo Wenqian said, understanding his aunt's thoughts, and tried to console her before changing the subject. "When did you arrive in Nanjing? Why didn't you notify me to meet you at the docks?"

"I arrived yesterday. Your uncle invited me here. Otherwise, these old bones of mine would never have left Huizhou in this lifetime."

Hearing this, Luo Wenqian's expression darkened. It went without saying that Wang Sifang had brought Auntie Wang here for his sake, and she was likely here today to act as a mediator.

Sure enough, after taking a few sips of tea, Auntie Wang spoke up: "Wenqian, stop fighting with your uncle. Although what he did back then was extreme, the longstanding feud between the two families can't entirely be blamed on him. Now, we're all family. You and your uncle should cooperate instead of turning against each other."Upon hearing her own aunt's words, Luo Wenqian's face darkened. After a long pause, he finally said, "Auntie, I don't know much about the past, and there's no need to dwell on it. But there is one thing I can never let go of. Back when our Luo family faced disaster—some were killed, others exiled—our branch couldn't avoid being implicated. At that time, my parents had nowhere to go, so they took what belongings they had and came to Nanjing to seek refuge with Wang Sifang, hoping he would take them in for a while out of sibling affection. But who could have imagined? When my parents arrived in Nanjing, Wang Sifang actually demanded that my mother divorce my father before she could return to the Wang family. Otherwise, the Wang family would disown her as a daughter, and there would be no possibility of shelter. My mother could never agree to such a demand, so the two elders decided to return to Huizhou instead. They were prepared to face life or death together. But unexpectedly, on their way back, they encountered bandits. To this day, their whereabouts remain unknown, and I fear the worst. So, Auntie, can Wang Sifang and I still be considered family?"

Luo Wenqian's face was icy, his aura filled with such fierce resentment that it seemed impossible for him and Wang Sifang to ever be family in this lifetime.

Luo Wenqian's words naturally left Aunt Wang speechless. After all, Wang Sifang, as his uncle, had indeed gone too far back then. However, Aunt Wang added, "Your uncle did go too far, but no matter how excessive he was, you shouldn't join forces with outsiders to oppose him."

By "joining forces with outsiders," Aunt Wang was referring to the recent incident where Wang Sifang had nearly taken over the Han family's business. Unexpectedly, Luo Wenqian intervened, lending money to the Han family to repay their loan from Sifang Bank first, then helping them recover, thoroughly embarrassing Wang Sifang.

"In business, we speak of business. These matters are beyond your understanding, Auntie," Luo Wenqian said with a stern face, not wanting his aunt to get entangled in the affair. Immediately, the atmosphere grew tense.

On the side, Wang Wan'er, hearing about her father's actions, understood that her father had indeed gone too far back then. No wonder her cousin was targeting him—this really couldn't be blamed on her cousin. Seeing the awkward atmosphere, she cheerfully said to Aunt Wang, "Auntie, this is our first time visiting Cousin's place. Come, let's take a stroll and look around."

With that, she practically dragged Auntie Wang to the backyard, hoping to ease the tension and give the two some space to calm down, so as not to damage their relationship.

Luo Wenqian paid no attention to the two of them. Stirred by Aunt Wang's words, he sat there with his eyes slightly closed, his face still dark and grim.

When Zhen Niang arrived at Yihou Manor, as soon as she entered, she saw Luo Wenqian sitting in the small guest hall on the other side, his face dark and gloomy. She thought he was still angry about her uncle-in-law refusing to sell him the land.

She sighed inwardly, thinking this man truly had quite a temper. Standing at the doorway, she coughed lightly.

Hearing the sound, Luo Wenqian opened his eyes and saw Zhen Niang at the entrance. She wore a pink dress with a green vest over it, exuding both the freshness of a young girl and a capable, steady demeanor. The combination of these two qualities was truly eye-catching.

"Miss Zhen gracing my humble abode brings honor to these humble walls," Luo Wenqian said.

"Brother Luo, are you saying I look like a lamp?" Zhen Niang retorted playfully.

"Like a lamp? What do you mean by that?" Luo Wenqian was momentarily puzzled by her words.

"If I weren't a lamp, how could I bring honor to humble walls?" Zhen Niang replied."That makes sense." Luo Wenqian nodded with an air of seriousness.

Zhen Niang couldn't help but smile. Seeing Luo Wenqian's expression had softened, she finally sat down. First, she took out the small bamboo basket in her hand: "Brother Luo, try these plums. They're said to be very sweet."

Luo Wenqian raised an eyebrow, picked one up, and took a bite. Immediately, his whole face puckered up from the sourness. Zhen Niang watched from the side, thoroughly amused.

Only then did she continue: "Well, earlier, Brother Luo mentioned buying land to settle retired soldiers. I actually have an idea."

"Oh, do tell." Luo Wenqian took a big gulp of tea to suppress the sour taste in his mouth. He now understood—this girl held a grudge, remembering how he had treated her to steamed buns earlier, and now she was returning the favor with a sour plum.

"Buying land to settle retired soldiers is a good thing, but it involves too many complications. The soldiers always have a few relatives here and there. Once they retire, they'll naturally want to return to their hometowns. Bringing them all to Nanjing would involve moving households and such, which isn't ideal. It might be better to simply give them silver and let them make their own arrangements. Of course, if some truly want to buy land for settlement, Anqing Prefecture would actually be better than Nanjing. After all, Nanjing is practically the imperial capital, and the land issue caused quite a stir before. I'm afraid many people are still keeping an eye on these lands. Using them to settle retired soldiers might attract those with ulterior motives, which could lead to unrest." Zhen Niang spoke, pouring out all the thoughts she hadn't finished earlier.

After a moment's thought, she added: "I'm really not making excuses to shirk responsibility. I truly think this way."

This final explanation left Luo Wenqian both amused and exasperated. This girl, how did she have so many twists and turns in her mind? He had never thought Miss Li was making excuses to shirk responsibility. Just as he was about to speak, Wan'er helped Aunt Wang over: "Cousin, your backyard is really nice. It seems cooler here than at our place. In a few days, I'll often accompany Auntie here to enjoy the cool."

It was already April, and the weather was starting to turn warm.

Meanwhile, Zhen Niang couldn't help but observe Aunt Wang and the young lady. Since she called him cousin, she must be Wang Sifang's daughter. As for the elderly woman, she couldn't immediately recognize who she was.

"Let me introduce you. This is my aunt, and this is my cousin, Wang Wan'er." Luo Wenqian introduced them. Then, turning to Aunt Wang and Wang Wan'er, he introduced Zhen Niang: "Auntie, Wan'er, this is Li Zhenniang, the head manager of the Huizhou Li family in Nanjing."

"Greetings, Grandmother Wang." Zhen Niang greeted Aunt Wang with grace and composure, then nodded to Wang Wan'er: "Hello, Sister Wan'er."

"Hello, Sister Li." Wan'er replied politely, though her eyes kept darting between Luo Wenqian and Zhen Niang, as if trying to figure something out.

"Oh, you're the girl from the eighth branch of the Li family, aren't you? Quite capable." Aunt Wang remarked indifferently.

Reading expressions and listening to tones, Zhen Niang could sense Aunt Wang's dissatisfaction with her from these words. Since she had already said what she needed to Luo Wenqian, she took her leave and departed.