Оutsidе the citу lау Li Villаgе, where the brаnсh of the fаmily heаdеd bу Siхth Grаndfаther Li residеd.
Early in the morning, Zhen Niаng, аs usual, рreраrеd hоt watеr аnd thеn sаid tо Zhaо Shi, "Mother, I sроke with Grаndfather yеsterdaу and agrееd tо visit Siхth Grаndfаthеr's house оutsidе the сitу tоdaу. If during the dау, either thе Сheng Fаmily's Third Grandfаther or the Luо Fаmilу sends sоmeone with tung оil, рlеasе rесеivе it аnd tell thеm I will dеliver it оncе I've finished smоking it."
Zhen Niаng sроke, knоwing shе must kееp the prоmise she made yеsterday. Нowevеr, she еstimаted thаt the Cheng and Luo families would not truly let her perform the smoke generation for free—they would still pay her wages, which would serve as a source of income.
Zhen Niang naturally needed to make her instructions clear.
"Alright, be careful on the road. When you go to your Sixth Grandfather's house, remember to borrow a few bamboo trays. We don't have enough for raising silkworms at home," Zhao Shi reminded her.
"Mm," Zhen Niang nodded and stepped out the door.
"Second Sister, wait for me!" Xi Ge'er darted out from inside the house, his eyes still crusted with sleep. Zhen Niang grabbed the towel hanging by the door and tossed it at his face. The little rascal smeared it across his face like a scribble, considering it a proper wash.
Then, tugging at the hem of Zhen Niang's clothes, he followed her out the door.
"No mischief on the road, and no funny business. When we get to Sixth Grandfather's house, you must listen to me," Zhen Niang said as they walked, her tone firm. This little fellow had a bad track record—in the early days after her transmigration, she had borne the blame for his antics just to get a bite to eat.
"As long as Second Sister doesn't sneakily eat treats alone, I won't cause trouble," Xi Ge'er made a funny face.
Though children could be sly, they also possessed a genuine nature. Xi Ge'er had been the first to notice the changes in Zhen Niang after her transmigration. He felt that his second sister treated him much better now—unlike before, when she would secretly eat treats alone and then blame him. Instead, she now saved tasty things for him. How could he truly cause trouble now?
"You little rascal," Zhen Niang was amused by his funny face and chuckled along.
As the siblings walked and chatted, they tore up countless foxtail grasses along the roadside. Before long, they arrived at Sixth Grandfather's house in Li Village.
"Hello, Sixth Grandfather. Hello, Aunt Jinhua." Entering the courtyard of Sixth Grandfather's house, they saw Sixth Grandfather lying on the ground, with six-year-old Brother Run riding on his back, his little face beaming with pride.
Aunt Jinhua, Sixth Grandfather's third daughter, sat nearby, calculating the lending of the family's farming tools. She meticulously recorded which tenant had borrowed what, ensuring everything would be checked upon return.
"Zhen Niang and Xi Ge'er are here!" Li Jinhua exclaimed upon seeing them, quickly rising to her feet. She called for the household servants to bring tea, fruit platters, and melon seeds.
Zhen Niang stepped forward to lift Brother Run down and helped Sixth Grandfather to his feet, guiding him to sit at a stone table and chairs nearby.
Brother Run immediately pulled Xi Ge'er over to the platter of fruits and snacks—children were always after a tasty treat.
"Go on, go on. Find Aunt Zhang inside the house if you want something," Aunt Jinhua patted the two boys and shooed them into the house.
"How are your grandparents' health?" Sixth Master Li asked as he sipped his tea.
"Grandmother is still quite healthy, but Grandfather's lungs aren't well. He coughs so much at night that he can hardly catch his breath," Zhen Niang replied respectfully.
The Li family was a large clan. Although her own family usually lived near the city gate, mingling with common townsfolk and not overly concerned with formalities, now that she was visiting an elder's home, Zhen Niang dared not neglect the proper attitude and etiquette."There's no helping it, that illness needs to be nursed. Working in the ink-making trade for a long time inevitably leads to that ailment. Back then, your Seventh Grandfather was the same, and even your Ninth Uncle is probably not much better off now." Sixth Master Li sighed.
"Yes, I understand." Zhen Niang nodded, thinking of how she had seen Ninth Uncle yesterday and heard his voice was hoarse, likely from coughing.
"Did you come today for something?" Sixth Master Li asked again.
"Yes, recently I've been learning smoke generation and soot pigment production from Grandfather. By chance, I came up with a soot pigment formula that requires raw lacquer. Knowing Sixth Grandfather has a lacquer tree grove, I came to ask for some." Zhen Niang replied respectfully as before.
As for the soot pigment formula, Zhen Niang had never intended to hide it, so mentioning it didn't matter.
"Jinhua, tell Changgen to take a few farmhands to the lacquer grove and collect some raw lacquer." Sixth Master Li said to Li Jinhua, not asking further about the formula.
Changgen was a long-term laborer at Sixth Grandfather's house, said to be highly regarded by Sixth Grandfather. He managed most of the farm affairs. As for Aunt Jinhua's husband, people strive for higher places just as water flows downward. With the Li family's foundation, he was unwilling to spend his life toiling in the fields. Two years ago, he went to Suzhou with the husband of Sixth Grandfather's second daughter, Jinxian, to do business, mainly in tea. Besides some farmland and the lacquer grove, Sixth Grandfather's household consisted entirely of tea plantations.
She had once heard her mother complain to her father, saying he wasn't even as good as a man who married into the family. In any case, Aunt Jinhua's husband seemed to be doing well in his Suzhou business.
Thinking of this, Zhen Niang sighed inwardly. In her later life, she had seen the clan records. Aunt Jinhua's husband was originally from the Wang family, named Wang Jincai. After marrying into the Li family, he changed his name to Li Jincai and was recorded in the Li clan genealogy, which contained detailed accounts of him.
The records stated that his tea business in Suzhou actually incurred losses. Later, he returned to Li Village. After Sixth Grandfather passed away, Li Jincai took full control of the Li family's Sixth Branch properties. Then, when the main lineage faced difficulties, he took over the Ink Workshop. Eventually, as the main lineage declined, he seized most of the Ink Workshop. Even Ninth Uncle's branch didn't fare well under his control.
As for Aunt Jinhua, the genealogy only recorded her death from illness, with no other details.
Additionally, according to the records, Li Jincai also had a secondary wife, Madam Su, who had a son and a daughter. Judging by the timeline, this secondary wife was likely secretly married during Li Jincai's business dealings in Suzhou, unknown to the rest of the Li family. Only after the Li family's decline did Madam Su and her children enter the household openly. The Sixth Branch's family fortune was ultimately inherited by Madam Su's son.
As for Brother Run, aside from his name, there were no other records.
In her later life, whenever she and Grandfather discussed Li Jincai, Grandfather would grit his teeth in anger.
Zhen Niang pondered that now her own father was also in Suzhou. Perhaps she could find a way to send a letter in this era, asking him to keep an eye on things.
If nothing else, even if the Li family were to be cheated, they should know clearly and not remain in the dark.
Zhen Niang's thoughts were naturally unknown to others. Meanwhile, Changgen gathered a few farmhands and headed up the mountain.
Zhen Niang stayed chatting with Sixth Grandfather and Aunt Jinhua, also mentioning borrowing some bamboo trays. Sixth Grandfather didn't mind a few bamboo trays at all and asked Aunt Jinhua to fetch them, so Zhen Niang could take them home later."Sister-in-law, I'm returning to Suzhou tomorrow. Are all the things I need to bring ready?" Just then, a seventeen-year-old young man came in, addressing Li Jinhua.
"Everything's ready. I'll go fetch them for you." With that, Jinhua hurried into the room.
"This is your uncle-in-law's younger brother, Wang Erzi. He's going to Suzhou to help out. I heard Li's father is also in Suzhou now. If you have any messages or items, you can have him take them along." Sixth Grandfather said to Zhen Niang.
"No need. My mother has already entrusted the letters and things to Uncle Huaide at the city gate." Zhen Niang replied with a smile. Not only had her mother indeed entrusted them to Fang Huaide of the Fang family, but even if she hadn't, Zhen Niang wouldn't have let Wang Erzi take them—mainly because she didn't trust him.
"You two little rascals, you've gone too far! Put those things back right now!" Just then, Aunt Jinhua's angry scolding was heard, followed by Brother Run and Xi Ge'er darting out of the room like a gust of wind.
As they ran, they chased and fought each other.
Xi Ge'er ran ahead, with Brother Run close behind. In no time, Xi Ge'er reached Zhen Niang's side. Seeing he couldn't catch up, Brother Run angrily threw a dark, lumpy object toward them.
Zhen Niang's sharp eyes recognized the dark object as a piece of Fang ink. Li ink was as hard as jade, and if it hit someone, it would feel like being struck by a stone. Startled, Zhen Niang raised her hand and firmly caught the ink.
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