The Heir

Сhарtеr 139: Yеar's End

Веfоrе lоng, Ge Qiu Jie struggled tо рull the cаrt into the distаnсе. Li Zhеng Рing mаde sevеral attempts to chаsе aftеr her but ultimаtеlу stоpреd. Аftеr аll, he knеw Ge Qiu Jie’s temреramеnt well—if he aрproаched hеr nоw, givеn hеr stubbоrn nаturе, she would nоt bе ablе tо bеar it. Sо he rеfrаined from gоing сlosеr, merely wаtching from afаr.

“Вrоther Zhеngping, let’s go bасk,” Zhеn Niang sаid tо Li Zhеng Рing.

“Мm,” Li Zhеng Ping nоddеd.

Thе two thеn returned tо the rеsidеnсe, whеrе Zhеn Niаng recountеd everything Er Gou hаd found out, piеce bу piесe, tо Li Zheng Ping.

Since Ge Dana’s death, Ge Qiu Jie had disappeared without a trace. At first, Zhen Niang thought Ge Qiu Jie had sought refuge with relatives, as the Ge family had many kin. However, Ge Dana had been orphaned at a young age and endured much disdain from his relatives in his youth. Moreover, he was not a particularly kind man. After he rose to prominence, he only cared about his sworn brothers and never lent a hand to his own relatives. As a result, Ge Qiu Jie ultimately had nowhere to turn.

Er Gou inquired for a long time and finally learned from a prison guard at the yamen that Ge Qiu Jie had sought shelter with Old Hu Tou.

In a person’s lifetime, there are always a few instances—whether intentional or not—of showing kindness to others, which are forever remembered. Ge Dana had one such moment with Old Hu Tou.

Old Hu Tou was originally an elderly man living in the outskirts of the city. He owned a few meager acres of farmland and had two sons. Though not exceptionally filial, they were at least considerate. If things had continued this way, Old Hu Tou’s retirement and burial arrangements would not have been a problem. Unfortunately, the times were harsh. One year during the New Year, Old Hu Tou’s eldest son took his family to visit his wife’s parents. Unexpectedly, they encountered the White Lotus Sect uprising. The entire family of three perished in the chaos, and Old Hu Tou had to sell his farmland to retrieve their bodies.

Not long after, the Huai Qin River flooded. Old Hu Tou’s second son was conscripted to repair the embankment but was swept away by the floodwaters. By the time he was rescued, he was beyond saving. Yet Old Hu Tou refused to give up. He sold the family’s few rooms to treat his younger son’s injuries, but in the end, he could not save his life. After burying his younger son, Old Hu Tou was left with nothing.

At that time, the person in charge of that section of the embankment was Ge Dana. Old Hu Tou’s successive misfortunes were truly pitiable, and Ge Dana felt a twinge of sympathy. Seeing Old Hu Tou with no means of support, and as the yamen happened to need a laborer for the night soil collection job—a task that, though arduous, at least provided shelter, food, and a long-term solution—Ge Dana recommended Old Hu Tou for the position.

Old Hu Tou was naturally grateful. However, Ge Dana did not take the matter to heart and even forgot about it after a few months. But Old Hu Tou never forgot. In the past, as a lowly night soil collector and with Ge Dana at the height of his glory, Old Hu Tou had not dared to impose himself.

Now that Ge Dana had met with misfortune and died unjustly in prison, Cao Shi had no intention of dealing with his remains. In the end, it was Old Hu Tou who retrieved the body from the yamen. Moreover, he even offered the thin coffin he had painstakingly saved up for over the years to give Ge Dana a proper burial.It was around this time that Ge Qiu Jie came to know Old Hu. After the two buried Ge Dana, Old Hu saw that Ge Qiu Jie was not accepted by Cao Shi and, being a divorced woman with nowhere to go, he invited a yamen head as a witness, drew up a document, and adopted Ge Qiu Jie as his granddaughter.

The grandfather and granddaughter relied on each other for survival, and Ge Qiu Jie would rise early every day to help Old Hu collect night soil.

Thus, the scene Li Zheng Ping witnessed this morning came to be.

After hearing Zhen Niang recount all this, Li Zheng Ping stood up and solemnly bowed to her: "Thank you, cousin, for your concern on my behalf."

Li Zheng Ping understood clearly that if not for his sake, given the Ge family's designs on the Li family's ancestral property, it would already be generous of Zhen Niang not to resent Ge Qiu Jie, and she had no need whatsoever to involve herself in Ge Qiu Jie's affairs.

"Cousin Zhengping, you're too polite. We're family, no need for such formalities," Li Zhenniang said, though inwardly she was rather curious about what Li Zheng Ping would do next. She also wondered whether Cousin Zhengping might reconcile with Ge Qiu Jie, but given Aunt Jingming's temperament, that seemed rather difficult.

However, thinking that this matter was still quite distant, and as an unmarried young lady, it wasn't appropriate for her to inquire about such things, she changed the subject and asked, "Then, Cousin Zhengping, will you return before the New Year during this trip to Nanjing?"

"I won't be going back. Seventh Grandmother told me that you all will return to Huizhou for the New Year, and even Manager Zheng will be going back. I'll stay at Ink Manor to watch over things and take care of matters," Li Zheng Ping said.

"Then we'll have to trouble you, Cousin Zhengping," Zhen Niang replied upon hearing this. Before the New Year, she, Second Aunt, Zheng Fuli, Ma Shifu, Ma Sao, and others would all return to Huizhou. She had been worried about Nanjing, as it wouldn't do to have no one from the Li family overseeing things, especially during the festive season when social courtesies and exchanges were necessary. Having Cousin Zhengping stay at Ink Manor was the best possible arrangement.

Moreover, he was familiar with Nanjing, which would make the New Year's exchanges much more reassuring.

"Cousin just said we're family, so why be polite with your cousin? Besides, I also bear the Li surname. As the ancestral teachings say, the Li family can make a living from Li Mo, but the Li family must also strive for the development of Li Mo," Li Zheng Ping said.

Truth be told, this cousin truly impressed him. He had thought that for Li Mo to regain its footing in Nanjing, it would take at least a year or two of solid, dedicated work, but unexpectedly, in just over half a year, Li Mo had already made a remarkable presence in Nanjing. Especially when he first arrived, he heard that this cousin had become the Ink Production Official for the Princess's residence.

Thus, his cousin's achievements had surpassed even those of the previous generation, exceeding what Eighth Uncle had accomplished in his day—truly unimaginable. This also further demonstrated Seventh Grandmother's vision and courage. At such a young age and as a woman, in any other family, no one would dare to entrust Zhen Niang with such responsibility as Seventh Grandmother had.To begin with, let's take the Tian family as an example. Li Zhengping had heard about their recent troubles. Tian Ronghua, the third daughter of the Tian family, was far more capable than her second brother. Yet, the Tian family preferred to rely on Tian Er rather than giving Tian Ronghua an official managerial position. They only allowed her to assist her brother behind the scenes, but that arrangement lacked legitimacy. Moreover, Tian Er was hardly someone Tian Ronghua could easily command. In the end, this led the Tian family into the passive situation they now faced.

All of this was due to Master Tian’s inability to recognize talent and his reluctance to delegate authority.

In any case, Li Zhengping felt deeply moved by these observations.

Hearing Li Zhengping’s words, Zhen Niang smiled faintly.

In the following days, Li Zhengping busied himself with familiarizing himself with the external affairs of the Ink Manor. At the same time, it was said that he had somehow struck up a relationship with Old Hu, and the two often shared drinks together. As for whether Li Zhengping had encountered Ge Qiu Jie, he never mentioned it, and Zhen Niang and the others naturally didn’t ask.

Before long, winter arrived.

During this period, Zhen Niang was exceptionally busy. The production of Birthday Ink demanded careful attention, as some of the more difficult varieties had to be crafted at the Huizhou Ink Workshop. Additionally, thanks to the popularity of Birthday Ink and the festive gift ink Zhen Niang had introduced for the New Year season, the Ink Manor’s business had truly taken off. Orders for custom inks, including Medicinal Ink, were already scheduled well into the following year.

Everyone at the Ink Manor was kept on their toes during this time. Even Second Auntie complained of being overwhelmed, especially since the engraving plates for Birthday Ink required meticulous craftsmanship, and the apprentices were still far from ready to handle such tasks independently.

“Next year, I’ll need to bring in two people from my family,” Huang Shi remarked one evening after dinner, rubbing her eyes as she leaned against the bed, holding a hand warmer while chatting with Zhen Niang.

“That would be perfect,” Zhen Niang replied cheerfully. The Huang family was renowned for their engraving skills, with several of Second Auntie’s cousins being master engravers who rarely took on work themselves. Even the apprentices trained by the Huang family were highly sought after in the engraving world.

“By the way, it’s already November. Have you booked the boat tickets? With so many people traveling during the New Year, it’s best to book early to avoid missing out,” Huang Shi asked Zhen Niang.

“I’ve already booked them. We’ll set sail on the fifth day of the twelfth month and should arrive before Minor New Year,” Zhen Niang said happily. Having stayed in Nanjing for so long, she truly missed home.

The reminder to book tickets early had come from Zhengping. It wasn’t just in later eras that there was a travel rush during the New Year—this era had its own version too, especially in Huizhou. Many merchants conducted business far from home, some not returning for years. However, most who could make it back for the holidays tried their best to do so. As a result, boat tickets around the New Year were particularly hard to come by. Zhen Niang had managed to secure hers through connections with the Huizhou merchant guild; otherwise, even booking a month in advance might not have been enough.

“Good, that’s settled then,” Huang Shi nodded.

As the year drew to a close, preparations were in full swing: distributing red envelopes, packing belongings, and buying gifts.

Last month, a letter from her eldest brother arrived, announcing that his wife had given birth—another boy. While Li Dalang, who had hoped for a daughter, was somewhat disappointed, the elderly couple of the Li family, Zhao Shi, and even Seventh Grandmother were overjoyed. In this era, having many sons and grandsons was considered a great blessing, and few ever complained about having too many descendants.Thus, inevitably, Zhen Niang went to the silver shop again to have a complete set of children's silver locks made, including bracelets and the like. After that, she still had to buy fabric for her grandmother, mother, eldest aunt Zheng Shi, eldest sister-in-law, as well as the various aunts and uncles from other branches of the family. The fabrics in Nanjing had many patterns and colors, which were quite appealing.

The night before, after calculating the fabrics she needed to buy, Zhen Niang took the list and entered the Yao Family Cloth Shop next door the next day.

As soon as she entered, she saw Cao Shi, dressed in a jujube-red jacket trimmed with silver edges and a brown vest, looking every bit the proper lady. Yao Niangzi, along with two shop assistants, was helping her select fabrics. It was a piece of sky-blue satin, a fine material indeed. The sky-blue color was exceptionally pure and translucent—in modern terms, it was high-end and elegant.

Another piece was blue cloud silk, also a top-quality fabric, quite popular among the ladies of some households in Nanjing.

After Yao Niangzi cut the fabric, one of the assistants wrapped it up and handed it to Cao Shi.

"Thank you. I'll be off now. Let my husband settle the bill with you later," Cao Shi said, then hugged the fabric, took her maid, and left the shop. Glancing at Zhen Niang, she merely curled the corner of her mouth in a half-smile.

Zhen Niang remained as composed as ever. However, as soon as Yao Niangzi saw Cao Shi leave the shop, she immediately stepped forward to the door and peered outside. Only when Cao Shi was completely out of sight did Yao Niangzi stomp her foot heavily and spit out hatefully, "Her husband indeed... What a shameless creature! Her husband's bones aren't even cold yet... She might as well use that fabric to make a burial shroud and go join her husband in the underworld."

Yao Niangzi's words were extremely vicious.

Zhen Niang blinked from the side, wondering what was going on.

"Honestly, every time she buys fabric, she never pays. She just waits for Huang Lang to come collect taxes, and then the boss has no choice but to say, 'Forget it, forget it.' If we don't let it go, we’re afraid Huang Lang will cause trouble with the taxes," one of the assistants grumbled half-angrily, half-explanatorily. The boss's wife cursing like this wasn't a good look, so an explanation was needed to avoid misunderstandings.

Zhen Niang nodded slightly. After Ge Dana's incident, all his family property had been confiscated. Yet, in the end, the mansion at the street corner ended up in Huang Lang's hands, and even Cao Shi was taken in by Huang Lang.

There had been countless rumors and gossip about this in the official street area. However, Huang Lang and Cao Shi had always been in cahoots, and Ge Dana's downfall was the result of their joint scheming. Although the gossip was unpleasant now, Huang Lang didn't dare to abandon Cao Shi. So, the two simply stopped caring about the rumors, and gradually, people lost interest in talking about it.

But this Cao Shi, taking advantage of Huang Lang's current position as a tax inspector, often sought petty gains. She would buy things on credit in the official street area, waiting for Huang Lang to pay later. Huang Lang generally only appeared when collecting taxes. To avoid trouble, the shop owners either wrote off the debts or at most collected a token amount. Thus, while everyone maintained a polite facade on the surface, they secretly gritted their teeth in resentment, and the words spoken behind their backs were naturally far from pleasant.Now, it was clear that Cao Shi wanted to take advantage of Yao Niangzi's two pieces of fabric. Yao Niangzi was usually someone who valued every penny as if it were her life, and this time, Cao Shi had taken two of the best fabrics from the cloth shop—goods that were only obtained after Yao Niangzi’s husband, Yao Dongjia, had treated someone to a meal. How could Yao Niangzi not grit her teeth in anger? It was no surprise she was cursing like this.

Still not satisfied, Yao Niangzi added, "Don’t get too smug. Doing such things will eventually come back to haunt you. There’s always retribution—it’s just a matter of time. If I were Ge Qiu Jie, I’d set fire to that house and burn that wretched couple to ashes."

"Enough! Can such things be spoken out loud? Ge Qiu Jie’s whereabouts are still unknown," the shopkeeper, Yao, glared at his wife.

Yao Niangzi then awkwardly fell silent and hurriedly turned to attend to Zhen Niang. Zhen Niang handed over the previously written list to Yao Niangzi. The fabrics and other items had already been chosen earlier, so all that was needed was to cut them according to the list.

Meanwhile, Zhen Niang secretly raised an eyebrow. According to Er Gou, Ge Qiu Jie had been helping Old Hu collect night soil for some time now. Yet, over all these days, no one in the area had realized that the person collecting night soil every morning was Ge Qiu Jie. While this was partly due to the early morning darkness and people’s lack of attention, it was also likely because Ge Qiu Jie was deliberately avoiding notice. Of course, given her fall from a pampered young lady to her current destitute state, avoiding former acquaintances was only natural.

But suddenly, Zhen Niang had a feeling—could Ge Qiu Jie have another purpose in mind?

After all, everyone knew that Ge Dana had been killed by Cao Shi and Huang Lang, and Ge Qiu Jie was not the type to hold back her anger. Yet, since the incident, there had been no sign of Ge Qiu Jie confronting Cao Shi. This seemed unreasonable.