The Heir

Сhарtеr 129: Еight-Treasurе Rеd-Curing Eliхir

The rеsidеnсе оf thе tung oil merсhant surnamed Xi was loсаted аt the wеstеrn intеrsеctiоn оf Sаnshаn Strеet, nеar Doumen Вridgе and аdjacent tо Xiafu Вridge.

This lосаtiоn wаs quitе intеresting. While thе аreа аrоund Sanshаn Streеt wаs mostly inhаbitеd by wеalthy familiеs, the stretch frоm Хiаfu Bridgе to Zhenhuai Вridgе wаs homе tо nоblе hоusеholds—рrimаrily thе privаte residеncеs оf imрeriаl рrinсеs, royal dеscendants, and variоus dignitaries. This wаs becаuse thе аreа bordered the Qinhuai River and connected to Phoenix Terrace, offering exceptionally fine scenery.

That the tung oil merchant surnamed Xi could build such a residence here indicated he was no ordinary figure. Along the way, Zhen Niang inquired with her elder brother and learned why he had set his sights on this man.

To put it plainly, this Boss Xi could not strictly be called a tung oil merchant. By Republican-era classification, he would be considered a comprador, with tung oil being just one of the commodities he handled.

In this era, tung oil had a wide range of uses. Beyond wooden boats, barrels, and furniture, even everyday oil-paper umbrellas had to be soaked in tung oil to repel rain, as did the oilcloth used in daily life.

Of course, the largest consumer of tung oil was the imperial palace. The pillars of every hall in the palace were coated with tung oil to prevent insects and decay. Even the bluestone bricks used for flooring were soaked in tung oil. Under sunlight, the tung oil’s luster reflected glimmers of golden light—this was the ancient imperial architectural requirement known as "golden bricks paving the ground."

It wasn’t literally using gold to pave the ground, of course.

This Boss Xi had extensive connections. Not only did he control several wooden boat manufacturing yards, but he also maintained good relations with the Maritime Trade Office. Thus, he essentially monopolized the tung oil quota used in the shipbuilding industry and could even leverage these connections to sell tung oil into the palace.

Additionally, the commodities he handled included timber and stone slabs. Due to his timber dealings, he also controlled the tung oil quotas for several large furniture factories.

Thus, the tung oil quota he managed was quite substantial. If her elder brother could sell tung oil to him, the oil mill’s future sales would be secure.

Deep in thought, the siblings arrived at the entrance of the Xi residence.

Li Dalang stepped forward first to knock on the door.

The gatekeeper opened the door and, upon seeing Li Dalang, wore a bitter expression. "I say, brother, you’re really like a plaster—once you stick, you just won’t come off. Our master has no time to deal with you today. Our mistress is about to give birth. The master already has five daughters—whether he gets a son depends on this time. The master has no mind to see you now. Hurry up and leave. If the master blames me later, I won’t be able to bear it."

With that, the gatekeeper withdrew without another word, slamming the door shut with a bang, leaving the Li siblings with a closed-door rebuff.

Hearing the gatekeeper’s words, Zhen Niang realized this was clearly not an excuse. Disturbing them at such a time was indeed inappropriate. She turned to her elder brother and said, "How about we come back in a couple of days, Elder Brother?"

Li Dalang pondered for a moment but replied, "No, you go back first, Younger Sister. I’ll wait a bit longer. If Boss Xi succeeds in having a son, I’ll be the first to congratulate him. Then, I’ll only need a quarter of an hour to show him this test. Whether the deal goes through or not is no longer important."

Saying this, Li Dalang picked up the tung oil and other items he had brought and squatted under the eaves nearby, prepared for a long standoff.Yesterday, having been mocked and even accused of making a fuss over nothing, Li Dalang, an honest man, found it somewhat unbearable. Therefore, whether the deal succeeded or not was no longer the most important thing; the most crucial was to thoroughly explain the reasoning. He couldn’t let others look down on him.

Zhen Niang knew her eldest brother’s temperament. Besides, this was truly a good opportunity. Indeed, if Boss Xi were to have a son this time, her brother’s congratulations at this moment would surely prevent Boss Xi from turning him away. She nodded in agreement.

Thinking further, she realized there was nothing urgent for her at the Ink Workshop for now. The ancient Yumi ink had been successfully developed, and the Ink Line Diagram was already completed. The next step was engraving the plates, which she didn’t need to handle—her second aunt would take care of it. With some free time on her hands, she walked over to her eldest brother and waited with him, chatting casually as they passed the time.

They waited for over two hours. The gatekeeper opened the door several times, glancing their way and shaking his head. He had never seen such a stubborn person—mocked so harshly yesterday, yet still coming back today to invite more trouble.

A while later, the sun was directly overhead. It was midsummer, and even though Zhen Niang and her brother stood in the shade, the heat was still intense. Just as they were growing restless, the gate of the Xi residence opened again.

This time, a young man dressed as a servant emerged. As he stepped out, he turned back to the gatekeeper and said, “Ah, just moments ago, we were celebrating! The master, after all these years of hoping, finally has a son. But who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, the mistress suffered a postpartum hemorrhage? The midwife couldn’t stop it. I must hurry to Official Street to fetch Physician Yao for a look.”

“Go quickly,” the gatekeeper urged, pushing the young man. Just then, a carriage emerged from the side gate. The servant boarded it, and in a cloud of dust, it vanished from sight.

The conversation between the two fell upon the ears of the Li siblings. Just as they were about to step forward and inquire further, the gatekeeper turned to them with an irritated expression. “Why are you still here? Hurry up and leave, leave! What terrible luck.” With that, he slammed the door shut with a bang.

“Brother, wait here for me. I’ll go home and come right back,” Zhen Niang said to her brother after a moment of private consideration. She had clearly heard the servant’s words: the mistress was suffering a postpartum hemorrhage. Regardless of what methods the physician might have, Zhen Niang happened to have a type of Medicinal Ink that was precisely suited for this condition. Ever since curing Eunuch Yan’s daughter, she had spent her spare time at home preparing various Medicinal Inks she knew of. One of them, called Eight-Treasure Red-Curing Elixir, was particularly effective for women suffering from postpartum hemorrhage or difficult labor. She thought of fetching it from home, hoping it might be of some help later.

“Take a carriage. It’s a bit of a distance. Or perhaps you shouldn’t come back. I’ll wait a little longer to see how things unfold. I might head back soon,” Li Dalang said. Zhen Niang hadn’t explained in detail, so he had no idea of her plan.

“No, wait until I return,” Zhen Niang replied, then dashed off like a gust of wind. At the intersection, she hailed a carriage and headed straight for the Li Family Ink Manor.

Upon entering the Ink Manor, she hurried to the wooden building in the backyard where she lived. Inside was an ink cabinet where she stored the special inks she had prepared during her free time. She retrieved the Eight-Treasure Red-Curing Elixir and rushed to leave again.

Her frantic movements left Zhao Shi and Huang Shi bewildered, wondering if some urgent matter had arisen."Nothing serious, I came back to fetch a piece of medicinal ink. There's a woman suffering from postpartum hemorrhage and difficult labor. I'll take it to see if it might be of use." Zhen Niang explained briefly before darting out the door. The carriage was waiting outside. She boarded it and hurriedly rushed toward the Xi residence.

Soon arriving at the Xi residence, Zhen Niang stepped down from the carriage and asked Li Dalang about the situation there.

"Doctor Yao just went in," Li Dalang said. The gatekeeper paid him no mind, and from outside the gate, he could only see who was coming and going. This Doctor Yao was the owner of the medicine hall next door to the Li Family Ink Manor.

Zhen Niang then explained the matter of the Eight-Treasures Red-Curing Elixir to her elder brother and added, "Since Doctor Yao is here, we can send this medicine in. Whether it's suitable or not will be up to Doctor Yao to decide."

"Alright, I'll try," Li Dalang said.

But the gatekeeper didn't believe a word they said, assuming they were just using this as a ploy to request an audience with his master. He looked at the two with even more disdain, firmly blocking the Li siblings outside the gate.

"Oh? Isn't this Miss Li from the Huizhou Li Family Ink Workshop?" Just then, a surprised greeting came from behind them.

Zhen Niang turned to see a slightly plump middle-aged man dressed in fine ramie clothing. He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite recall where she had seen him before.

"It seems Miss Zhen doesn't recognize me. Last year, when your Li Mo held an Ink Testing Gathering in Huizhou, I happened to be in Huizhou to arrange for tung oil and attended your Li Mo's gathering. I even received a painting titled 'Plucking the Cassia in the Moon Palace' by Ding Yunpeng. Unexpectedly, my son passed the prefectural examination last year—truly thanks to the blessings of Li Mo!" The middle-aged man said with a delighted expression.

Prompted by his words, Zhen Niang finally remembered. This was the tung oil merchant surnamed Xi who had attended the Li Family's Ink Testing Gathering. With the same surname and also dealing in tung oil, she wondered what relation he had to the master of this residence.

Zhen Niang didn't assume this man was Boss Xi himself. First, his demeanor didn't match; second, her elder brother showed no reaction; and third, the lady of the house was in labor, so he couldn't have just returned from outside.

"Second Master has arrived," the gatekeeper greeted him then.

Hearing the gatekeeper's greeting, Zhen Niang understood—this must be Boss Xi's younger brother.

"Old Qian, I heard my sister-in-law has given birth. Is it a boy or a girl?" Xi the Second asked excitedly.

"A young master has been born. However, the lady is suffering from postpartum hemorrhage," the gatekeeper replied.

"Has a doctor been called?" Xi the Second asked anxiously.

"One has already been summoned and is inside, but the situation isn't looking good," the gatekeeper said worriedly. As an old servant of the household, he spoke without much reservation.

Hearing this, Xi the Second's expression turned concerned as well. He then turned to look at Zhen Niang and politely asked, "Is Miss Li here to see my elder brother? Today might not be very convenient. If there's something, and if it's not too private, you can tell me, and I can help pass the message along."

Meanwhile, the gatekeeper still glared at them.

So Zhen Niang explained the whole story from beginning to end and mentioned the Eight-Treasures Red-Curing Elixir.Upon hearing that the Eight-Treasure Cure Red Pill was specifically effective for postpartum hemorrhage and difficult labor, this Second Master Xi was overjoyed. As he frequently traveled to Huizhou throughout the year, he had heard of Li Mo's Medicinal Ink. He promptly said, "That's perfect, come in quickly." Learning about the Medicinal Ink, he naturally hurried to invite them in. Only Old Qian muttered on the side, "Second Master, don’t let yourself be deceived."

"You fool, the Li family’s reputation in Huizhou is second to none. How could they possibly be swindlers?" With that, ignoring the gatekeeper, he led Li Dalang and Zhen Niang into the residence.