The Heir

Сhарtеr 114: Zеng Yiрin

Threе dауs lаtеr, the Zhu family’s Liquid Ink wаs lаunched аnd also sоld ехtrеmеlу well.

Originаlly, the Tian family’s оrdinаry ink hаd alrеаdу bеen imрасtеd bу the Li fаmily’s Liquid Ink, causing thеir businеss to dеcline significаntly. Now, with thе Zhu family intrоduсing Liquid Ink аs wеll, thе Li аnd Zhu fаmilies joinеd fоrcеs tо сomрetе fоr the ordinаrу ink markеt. Immediatelу, their gains multipliеd sеvеral timеs over. Not оnlу did thеy сарturе thе individuаl custоmеr segmеnt, but theу also sеcurеd sоmе travеling mеrсhаnts from other rеgions. By now, the Liquid Ink frоm the Li and Zhu familiеs had alrеadу bеgun eхpanding outward.

The name "Liquid Ink" thus began spreading far and wide across the land.

As more and more people used it, Liquid Ink’s market share in the ink industry continued to grow.

During these past few days, Shopkeeper Zhu had been strolling around the streets every day, holding a purple clay teacup filled with hot tea. From time to time, he would glance at the Tian family’s Ink Manor and chuckle gleefully, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

The Tian family’s Ink Manor, which had been bustling with crowds not long ago, was now noticeably deserted. Since Second Young Master Tian had his leg broken, he had been unable to go anywhere during this period. He could only lean on a crutch and stay in the shop. Watching the steady stream of customers buying Liquid Ink from the Li and Zhu families’ ink shops, his face grew darker by the day.

Inevitably, he would vent his anger on the clerks and servants, often raising his crutch to strike them. Every day, some clerks or servants were either dismissed or resigned for various reasons.

“Shopkeeper Zhu, you seem quite at ease,” Zhen Niang remarked as she came to check on the sales of the Zhu family’s Liquid Ink. She spotted Zhu Gui standing across from the Tian family’s Ink Manor, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

“Hehe, Miss Zhen must be laughing at me. It’s just that our Zhu ink was pushed to the brink by Tian ink not long ago. Seeing Tian ink’s business so sluggish now brings me great satisfaction,” Zhu Gui admitted frankly.

“Have you noticed anything?” Zhen Niang asked.

“Not much, just that during this period, the Tian family has already dismissed five clerks. To be honest, Tian Er is incompetent. I’m afraid morale at the Tian family’s Ink Manor is beginning to falter,” Zhu Gui said. When morale falters, it becomes difficult to lead the team.

“Has it already come to this?” Zhen Niang frowned slightly. Tian Er had such a temperament, but judging by Tian Ronghua’s actions, he seemed capable and composed. Could he really allow Tian Er to cause such chaos?

Zhen Niang pondered this.

“Excuse me, young clerk, do you sell Liquid Ink here?” Just then, a middle-aged man walked up to the entrance of Tian Ink and asked.

“Sir, we don’t have Liquid Ink here. The Li Ink and Zhu Ink shops not far ahead both carry it,” the clerk, who had recently been hired and was quite honest, replied straightforwardly.

“Oh, thank you, young man,” the middle-aged man said, cupping his hands in gratitude before heading toward the nearby Zhu family’s ink shop.

“Are you an idiot? How could you send our own business to another shop?” Second Young Master Tian, leaning on his crutch, emerged from the back hall just in time to witness this scene. He was so furious he felt as if his soul were leaving his body. Without a second thought, he hurled a teacup in his hand at the clerk.

Fortunately, the clerk dodged quickly. The teacup missed his head but struck his body, spilling hot tea all over him. Although his clothes were soaked, the clerk wasn’t injured. However, he felt deeply wronged and couldn’t help but argue, “The customer came to buy Liquid Ink. Since we don’t have it, I had to direct him to another shop.”

These words only stung Tian Er further. The Tian family didn’t have Liquid Ink. During this period, Tian Er had mobilized the manor’s craftsmen to research Liquid Ink, but the results had been unsatisfactory."If you don't have it, can't you think of other ways? Is this how business is done? How many times have I taught you all to learn how to sell combs to monks? You treat it all as empty talk. Get out, get out, pack your things and get out..." Second Young Master Tian nearly threw his cane as well.

"Master, you're being unreasonable. We signed a contract. To study at Ink Manor, my family paid five taels of silver as an apprenticeship fee. If you make me leave now, you have to return those five taels to me." The apprentice refused to back down and began shouting.

"You still want your money back? Are you looking for trouble? Watch out, or I'll drag you straight to the authorities. With just a minor charge, your life would be ruined." Seeing the apprentice demand the entry fee back, and with all the commotion, Second Young Master Tian's leg began to ache again, fueling his temper. He lashed out without restraint.

"Master, let it go. This lad has just entered the manor and doesn't understand the rules yet. To be honest, even I struggle with the skill of selling combs to monks, let alone this young man. Keep him here, let him learn properly. With this lesson, I believe he'll do well in the future." Zeng Yipin stepped forward to mediate.

"Don't flaunt your seniority here. I haven't even addressed you yet. Do you think you're capable? If you were, you wouldn't have lost during the ink gambling at the Li family, making me lose face completely. It seems the masters I hired at high prices are nothing but useless fools..."

Second Young Master Tian's words were harsh, and Zeng Yipin's face flushed with anger.

After all, he was a respected manager and consultant in the shop. No master treated their consultants without courtesy. In ancient times, someone like him would have been treated as an honored guest. Yet Second Young Master Tian called him a useless fool—who could bear such an insult?

"Fine, fine. I'm a useless fool. From now on, I'll drink my own wine and eat my own food, without troubling the master for hospitality." Zeng Yipin's flushed face now darkened with rage. He clasped his hands toward Second Young Master Tian, signaling his intent to resign.

"Leave?! After humiliating me, you think you can just walk away? Let me tell you, if you dare step out of my Tian family, I can blacklist you across the entire Ink Industry. Don't think I'm bluffing. Our Tian ink is Tribute Ink, and our Tian family is a Tribute Ink lineage. If I say I'll blacklist you, I have the power to do it. Just try me, and see which Ink Manor would dare hire you!!!" Second Young Master Tian had lost all reason, lashing out at anyone in sight, now threatening Zeng Yipin.

Zeng Yipin was so enraged by Second Young Master Tian that his vision blurred, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. Pointing at Second Young Master Tian, his lips trembled, unable to form a complete sentence. He could only stammer, "You... you... you go too far..."

"He truly goes too far. How can anyone treat others like this? Consultant Zeng is, after all, a respected figure. Back then, the Wei family treated Manager Zeng with such respect, almost like an honored guest." By now, a crowd had gathered in front of the Tian family's Ink Manor. From the moment Second Young Master Tian began berating the apprentice, he made no effort to hide it. Now, after all the commotion, the onlookers had swelled into a massive crowd.

Seeing how the Tian family treated Zeng Yipin, and remembering how the Wei family had once honored him, everyone felt the Tian family had gone too far."Serves him right, who told Zeng Yipin to betray the Wei family." Someone in the crowd also sneered.

"Don't put it that way. The Wei family left Nanjing and returned to Songjiang. Could they have expected Zeng Yipin to follow them to Songjiang?" someone nearby retorted.

"You've got it wrong. It was because Zeng Yipin left the Wei family and took some of their clients to the Tian family that the Wei family couldn't stay in Nanjing. That's why they closed up and went back to Songjiang. Heh, Zeng Yipin has finally met his day today. How satisfying..." The speaker clearly had some grudge against Zeng Yipin.

Immediately, some in the crowd sighed, while others shook their heads.

At this moment, Zeng Yipin finally managed to catch his breath but said nothing. He simply entered the shop and soon came out carrying a bundle on his back.

"Manager Zeng, Manager Zeng, what are you doing?" Tian Ronghua chased after him from the back hall to the entrance.

In just one afternoon, Tian Ronghua had been inside checking the accounts when he received word that his second brother was cursing again. He had intended to come out and mediate, but to his surprise, he encountered Zeng Yipin packing up and preparing to leave. Unwilling to let him go, he hurried out after him.

"Manager Zeng, my second brother has a crude and unreasonable temper. His words are unpleasant, but please don't take them to heart. I sincerely ask you to stay," Tian Ronghua said earnestly.

"Third Miss, thank you for your regard. However, I can no longer remain at Tian's Ink Manor. A tree needs its bark, and a person needs their face. I cannot afford to lose even this shred of dignity. If you want to blacklist me, then so be it." With that, Zeng Yipin left without looking back.

"Break it up, break it up. What are you all gathered here for?" Several shop assistants quickly dispersed the onlookers.

"Si'er, notify all the shops for me. Anyone who dares to take in Zeng Yipin will be opposing the Tian family. When that happens, don't blame the Tian family for being ruthless," Tian Er said to an assistant beside him.

Si'er, also known as Tian Si'er, had followed Tian Er since childhood and was considered his trusted confidant.

Tian Ronghua gave his second brother a cold glance and, without a word, turned and left, letting Tian Er do as he pleased.

"Well? Miss Zhen, are you interested in taking in Zeng Yipin?" Zhu Gui, who had been watching the scene from across the street for a while, asked Zhen Niang beside him.

"What? Manager Zhu, aren't you interested in recruiting him?" Zhen Niang retorted.

"I would like to, but my Zhu Ink Workshop is too small to keep a true dragon like Zeng Yipin. This fellow started as a shop assistant at an ink pavilion and has been in the ink industry for decades. He's worked at almost every slightly larger ink pavilion and ink manor in Nanjing. He has skills, but a small pond can't keep him," Zhu Gui chuckled.

Then he changed his tone: "However, this guy truly has some ability. When it comes to ink, as soon as it touches his hands, he can immediately tell its age and roughly estimate its composition. He can distinguish between high, medium, and low grades at a glance and has some understanding of various families' inks. He can even identify which family produced a particular inkstick. In Nanjing, he's considered the foremost expert in evaluating ink. Moreover, he knows the Nanjing ink trade inside out. Your Li family could truly make use of him. However, if the Tian family really blacklists him, we shouldn't wade into this muddy water. It could be troublesome."

"I'm not afraid of trouble. Let's wait and see," Zhen Niang replied before strolling back to Li's Ink Manor.

Inside the ink manor, everyone was also discussing Zeng Yipin's situation.Thus, for the following period, the biggest gossip in Nanjing's ink industry revolved around Zeng Yipin. After leaving the Tian family, he applied to several workshops, Ink Manors, or Ink Pavilions. Although several recognized his skills, the Tian family's ban came first, and the prestige of Tribute Ink represented the industry's leading authority—truly something no one dared to offend. Consequently, just as Tian Er had predicted, not a single place dared to keep Zeng Yipin.

Now, the question of where Zeng Yipin would ultimately "find his home" became the most closely watched event in Nanjing's ink industry.