The Heir

Chарtеr 176: Сhоu Po’s Origins

Сhоu Po hеld a lamр in оnе hаnd, stаnding in thе shadows. Тhe flickering light cast shifting eхрressiоns aсrоss hеr fаcе—а miх оf mеlanсholy and nоstаlgia.

“Сhou Po, whаt did you sаy? Thе Qingwu Ink Меthоd оf thе Siсhuan monk?” Zhеn Niаng hadn’t nоtiсеd Chоu Pо’s еxprеssiоn, cоmpletelу captivаtеd bу her wоrds. The Qingwu Ink Mеthоd оf the Siсhuаn mоnk—thаt wаs Вuddhist ink, somеthing shе had lоng wantеd to understаnd but nevеr соuld.

“Hаvе уоu not read thе records about Dоngpo’s ink methоd in the Clаssic оf Ink?” Сhou Рo set down the oil lamp and recited: “Master Dongpo could also refine Goryeo and Silla ink. The soot of Goryeo and Silla ink is exceptionally fine, but the production method is flawed—the ink is black yet lacks luster, and when used alone, it resembles charcoal. He crushed it, blended it with Pan Gu’s ink, and adjusted it using the Qingwu Ink Method of the Sichuan monk, thus creating a masterpiece.”

She continued, “In fact, the Pan Family’s Re-blended Ink Method for Goryeo ink is the same as Master Dongpo’s Re-blended Ink Method. However, the Pan Family, being a long-established ink-making lineage, would be accused of stealing techniques if they openly recorded the use of the Qingwu Method in their family’s ink-making methods. That’s why they omitted the part about the Qingwu Ink Method.”

“So that’s how it is.” Zhen Niang suddenly understood. No wonder some records of Pan Ink methods lacked the section about the Qingwu Ink Method.

Only then did she belatedly realize that Chou Po understood ink—not only understood it but clearly had deep knowledge of Pan Ink. Suddenly, she remembered when she first began researching Re-blended Ink and got stuck on the “awakening ink” step. It was Chou Po who gave her a hint through “awakening dough,” helping her overcome the obstacle.

So, Chou Po had likely intentionally guided her back then. She had thought Chou Po was just a lucky charm…

At this thought, she couldn’t help but stare at Chou Po’s scar-covered face. Recalling what Grandfather Qi had said about the Luo Family’s daughter, a sudden idea leaped into her mind.

An answer seemed ready to emerge.

Thinking this, Zhen Niang took out the small Taoist priest inkstick Luo Wenqian had given her and handed it to Chou Po. She asked cautiously, “Chou Po, do you recognize this ink?”

Chou Po took the small Taoist priest inkstick, turning it over carefully in her hands. After a while, she said, “How could I not recognize it? This is an inkstick I made with my own hands forty years ago. I couldn’t make it like this anymore.”

“So, you are the Luo Family’s Aunt?” Although she had already guessed, hearing Chou Po confirm it still left Zhen Niang somewhat astonished and at a loss.

That meant this Chou Po was likely Luo Wenqian’s only living elder.

Chou Po nodded slightly. The reason she had stepped forward today was not to hide anything. This girl truly had remarkable talent in ink-making, and every Ink Master wished to pass down their craft. Of course, if Zhen Niang hadn’t been engaged to Luo Wenqian, she wouldn’t have revealed herself.

“Then why haven’t you reunited with Wenqian?” Zhen Niang asked, puzzled.

“How could I? My memorial arch still stands tall. If we were to reunite, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor,” Chou Po said coldly, then added indifferently, “Besides, I’ve lived peacefully all these years. It’s not bad to continue like this.”Hearing Chou Po say this, Zhen Niang realized she had thought too simply. The establishment of an archway first required local officials to report it to the imperial court, and it could only be built after the court approved. Now that the supposedly dead person had suddenly come back to life, wouldn’t that be deceiving the emperor? If someone took advantage of the situation to make things worse, even if it didn’t lead to the execution of the entire family, it would still result in confiscation of property and exile. This was no joke.

However, Zhen Niang also found it strange. Logically, since Chou Po hadn’t died, the Luo Family shouldn’t have discovered a body. Without a body, how could they have reported it to the authorities?

Little did she know that what happened back then was a series of misunderstandings.

At that time, the Wang Family pressured Luo Mengzhen to commit suicide to preserve her chastity, but the Luo Family naturally refused. The two families even engaged in armed conflict over this. As for the fire at the Luo Family’s estate, it was truly an accident. Given the Wang Family son’s character, Luo Mengzhen couldn’t possibly have truly sacrificed herself for him. However, during that period, due to the ongoing conflict, Luo Mengzhen was under immense pressure and hadn’t slept well for several nights. On that day, while making ink and boiling glue, she suddenly fell asleep while tending the fire. Eventually, embers fell from the stove, causing a fire that spread throughout the entire Ink Workshop.

At the time, Luo Mengzhen was rescued, but her face had been burned. Moreover, because the conflict between the Wang and Luo families showed no signs of stopping, the Luo Family patriarch decided to publicly declare that Luo Mengzhen had committed suicide to preserve her chastity. This way, the Wang Family achieved their goal, and the conflict ceased.

In truth, the Luo Family patriarch had been somewhat cunning in this matter. He only said Luo Mengzhen had committed suicide to preserve her chastity, without explicitly stating whether she had died. He had planned to wait until the situation calmed down. If Luo Mengzhen were to survive, it would simply be considered a stroke of luck. Given her injuries, he assumed no one would make an issue of it.

Unexpectedly, that year happened to be when the Ministry of Personnel was conducting evaluations for officials at all levels.

The Huizhou prefect was on the verge of being demoted due to issues with banditry and was already overwhelmed by the situation. When he accidentally heard about the Luo Family woman sacrificing herself for the Wang Family son, he saw it as an achievement in cultural governance under his administration. Reporting such an incident would also count as political merit for him as prefect. Thus, he came up with the idea of applying for the establishment of a Chastity Archway.

Due to time constraints, he only casually sent officials to investigate the matter. After confirming it was true, he immediately reported it to the Ministry of Rites. By the time Luo Mengzhen’s archway was approved and the authorities helped the Luo Family erect it, the Luo Family only then learned of the matter.

By then, it was too late. The Luo Family patriarch had no choice but to reluctantly accept it. He also strictly concealed Luo Mengzhen’s identity, keeping it hidden from everyone except the Luo Family elder who had helped him rescue her back then.

There was no other choice—if any word got out, the Luo Family would face dire consequences.

After that, Luo Mengzhen lived in the Luo Family as a distant relative. Later, when the Luo Family patriarch passed away, the family was inherited by the Luo Family elder, who was Luo Mengzhen’s eldest brother. He took good care of his sister. However, one year, while visiting friends, the Luo Family elder died in a boating accident before he could inform his sons about Luo Mengzhen’s situation. Thus, the truth about Luo Mengzhen was completely lost to time.The one who succeeded the Luo Family was Luo Wenqian's eldest uncle. Suddenly taking over the family affairs left him overwhelmed with too many loose ends to manage. Moreover, Luo Mengzhen was now merely a distant relative, her origins unclear, so naturally he did not pay her much attention. As time passed, the rest of the Luo Family gradually grew colder and colder toward Luo Mengzhen, this so-called distant relative.

Most ink makers possess personalities that are calm, perceptive, and resolute. Unwilling to endure such cold treatment, Luo Mengzhen simply left the Luo Family and moved to a cave dwelling outside the city, becoming the "Chou Po" on everyone's lips.

As for the Li Family taking in Chou Po, this must be traced back to Grandfather Luo. Back then, the seventh master of the Li Family and Grandfather Luo were on the same boat. When the boat met with an accident, the seventh master of the Li Family, being a good swimmer, was unharmed. Luo Wenqian's eldest uncle was rescued with a faint breath still in him. He cared little about anything else, except for Luo Mengzhen—this was the person Grandfather Luo had entrusted to him on his deathbed, insisting she must be taken care of. Seeing that he was nearing his end, with no one around to confide in, and considering the Li Family's reputation as a trustworthy and honorable family in Huizhou, Grandfather Luo entrusted Luo Mengzhen's matter to the seventh master of the Li Family.

However, the seventh master of the Li Family had originally gone out on a business trip. By the time he concluded his business and returned to Huizhou, Chou Po had already moved out of the Luo Family and was living in a cave dwelling outside the city. So he went directly to Chou Po, explained the situation, and intended to take Luo Mengzhen back to the Luo Family to clarify matters. But by then, Chou Po had grown somewhat disheartened with the Luo Family and was unwilling to return. Thus, the seventh master of the Li Family simply took Chou Po back to his own home.

From then on, the Li Family's rear courtyard gained an eccentric old woman as the gatekeeper.

Zhen Niang was unaware of all these tangled affairs. However, now that Chou Po had revealed herself before her, she would have to explain it to Luo Wenqian when he returned. Perhaps in her youth, Chou Po still harbored some resentment, but at this age, returning to one's roots and reuniting with family is only natural. As long as the family recognized each other and did not publicize it, there should be no trouble.

"Here, this is for you." At that moment, Chou Po took out a booklet from her bosom—precisely the Pan Family Ink Method that Grandfather Qi had thought was burned...

"This... Auntie, this is too precious." Since she and Luo Wenqian were formally engaged, she now naturally addressed her according to Luo Wenqian's side of the family.

"Take it. Consider it a meeting gift. Besides, if I don't give this to you, who else could I give it to?" Chou Po said straightforwardly.

Since it was a meeting gift from an elder, Zhen Niang had no reason to refuse. Moreover, this was exactly what she had been longing for, so she stopped being polite.

Taking the booklet, Zhen Niang carefully examined it. The ink method she had previously restored using techniques from her past life and the little Taoist's ink was, after all, not as clear and explicit as this direct record.

And indeed, in the section on Re-blended Ink for Goryeo ink, the final glue-mixing method was precisely the Qingwu Ink Method of the Sichuan monk.

"Alright, go back to your room and sleep. It's very late. You can study it tomorrow if you wish," Chou Po said.

"Mhm." Zhen Niang nodded, then first escorted Chou Po back to her room.

Knowing Chou Po's identity, Zhen Niang could no longer let her serve as the gatekeeper. She suggested moving Chou Po to the main house tomorrow, but Chou Po refused without a second thought.

"I'll just stay as the gatekeeper. I appreciate your kindness," Chou Po said.Chou Po insisted, and Zhen Niang had no choice but to go along with her. However, everything was a matter of goodwill. It could be said that the Li family had always treated Chou Po well, and her status within the family was exceptional. This was just as well.

Zhen Niang guessed that her own Seventh Grandmother was aware of Chou Po’s identity; otherwise, Chou Po could not have lived such an exceptional life.

Returning to her room, Zhen Niang slept soundly through the night.

Over the next two days, Zhen Niang used the Pan family’s ink-making method and the Qingwu ink-making method to test the production of Re-blended Ink for Goryeo ink. Each attempt was successful, meaning the ink-making method had matured. She then accepted all the ink orders from the Shen family.

Due to the hot weather, Zhen Niang waited another half a month. By the time August arrived, she gathered all the ink artisans and began working. From production to drying in the shade, the entire process took a full month, and the ink was delivered in early September.

Shen Ziyan even specially invited several literati to test the ink. They tried it on the spot, and whether in terms of appearance or ink color, it was considered an excellent product. As a result, he was very satisfied.

…