The Heir

Сhарtеr Еighteen: Thе Issuе with the Duan Inkstоne

At this mоmеnt, Shорkееper Сheng’s expression wаs grim. Тhis Five Мinerаls Роwdеr Ink was а sресiаl ink reсently devеlоpеd by the Ink Workshоp spеcificаllу fоr thе litеrаti сircle. Тhе workshор hаd investеd heаvilу in it and plаnnеd to submit it fоr the tribute selеction.

Hе nеvеr eхpectеd thе liquid ink tо pеrfоrm sо рооrly nоw, еven thоugh the tеst had beеn flawlеss.

Shорkeереr Сheng couldn’t mаke sense of it at аll.

“Shopkeеper Сheng, whу nоt try а She inkstone or an ordinary old-pit inkstone?” Zhen Niang stepped forward and suggested.

“And who might this young lady be?” Mr. Dongtu turned to look at Zhen Niang, slightly surprised. The girl was plainly dressed and somewhat thin, yet she carried a distinctive grace at first glance.

She didn’t exude the air of a noble lady, nor did she possess the delicate charm of a modest maiden. Instead, she gave off a natural, serene, and effortless impression.

“She is the granddaughter of Old Shopkeeper Li Jinshui of Li Mo and has inherited his true skills,” Shopkeeper Cheng introduced from the side. As for the “true skills,” it was clearly meant to flatter Zhen Niang.

“Why do you say that, Zhen Niang? Could it be that the Duan inkstone is the problem?” Shopkeeper Cheng turned to Zhen Niang and asked urgently.

“It’s just a thought. I can’t explain it clearly at the moment, but why not give it a try, Shopkeeper Cheng? It won’t take long,” Zhen Niang replied with a gentle smile.

She then bowed to Mr. Dongtu as an apology for interrupting.

“Very well, let’s try it,” Shopkeeper Cheng said, feeling like a drowning man clutching at straws. He had already sent a clerk to fetch Third Master, but before Third Master arrived, he couldn’t just stand there doing nothing. Trying more options would at least buy time until Third Master could handle the situation.

Mr. Dongtu was slightly displeased, feeling there were too many excuses. The Duan inkstone he had brought out was undoubtedly among the top three in quality in Huizhou. Could it be that this ink performed poorly on a fine inkstone but excelled on an inferior one?

Thus, Mr. Dongtu felt a hint of resentment. However, Zhen Niang was polite and just a young girl, so he couldn’t bring himself to argue. He simply nodded.

Soon, a clerk brought over an ordinary inkstone commonly used for testing ink in the workshop.

Shopkeeper Cheng slowly ground the ink again. Once the ink was ready, the color was deep black, the liquid ink was smooth and lustrous, and when he dipped the brush, there was no stickiness or the bubbles from before.

“Haha, it really was the inkstone’s fault!” Shopkeeper Cheng let out a long sigh of relief, his face beaming with joy. With the matter clarified, he had preserved the reputation of Cheng ink.

“Is that really the case?” Mr. Dongtu was still somewhat skeptical. He tried it himself and, indeed, the Five Minerals Powder Ink performed excellently when ground on the ordinary inkstone, completely different from its earlier performance on the Duan inkstone.

Mr. Dongtu’s interest was piqued. He asked Shopkeeper Cheng to have the clerk bring several more ordinary inkstones, and the ink ground on each performed superbly.

Even the onlookers around them looked astonished.

They murmured, “Tsk, tsk, this girl is extraordinary.”

“Young lady, why is this so?” Mr. Dongtu asked Zhen Niang with curiosity.

“Shopkeeper Cheng, Mr. Dongtu, I believe the poor performance of the ink earlier was not due to the quality of the inkstone or the Cheng ink itself. Rather, it was because the Five Minerals Powder in the ink reacted with the iron content in the Duan inkstone, causing the ink to be over-ground, so to speak,” Zhen Niang explained.It is a well-known fact that Duan inkstones grind ink easily, producing a smooth and fine ink.

In her previous life, Li Zhen had discussed this with several colleagues. The reason Duan inkstones grind ink so well, producing an exceptionally lustrous and smooth ink, was likely due to their iron content.

However, this iron might not fare well when encountering Five Minerals Powder. Nowadays, Five Minerals Powder is mostly concocted by alchemists, and who knows what ingredients it contains. Iron is quite sensitive to reactions with certain substances, especially when heat is generated during grinding. If the reaction is too intense, bubbles are almost inevitable.

It’s like fermenting dough for steamed buns: if the yeast is used appropriately, the surface of the buns will naturally be smooth. But if it’s over-fermented, the surface will become pitted and uneven.

"So that’s how it is. Hmm, that makes sense," Mr. Dongtu nodded. He read widely in his daily life, covering topics from astronomy to geography, and was familiar with some basic alchemical reactions.

Thus, the dispute was resolved.

Mr. Dongtu left satisfied, and Shopkeeper Cheng was immensely grateful to Zhen Niang.

Zhen Niang waved her hands repeatedly. Since she had encountered the situation and had some inkling of the cause, she couldn’t just stand by and watch. Although she hadn’t been entirely certain earlier, as a woman, even if she had been wrong, no one would have taken it too seriously. Therefore, she couldn’t just ignore it.

Afterward, Zhen Niang collected the tung oil and left.

Seeing that she and Xi Ge’er lacked the strength to carry it, Shopkeeper Cheng sent a shop assistant to help deliver the tung oil.

Thus, the three of them left Cheng Family Ink Pavilion and went to the nearby Luo Family Ink Pavilion, where they collected another twenty catties of tung oil before returning to the Li Family.

After Zhen Niang and the others had left, Third Master Cheng hurriedly arrived at the ink pavilion.

Shopkeeper Cheng explained everything in detail, and Third Master Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. He then sighed deeply, remarking that Eighth Master Li had a fine granddaughter, ensuring the family’s legacy would continue.

…………………

Meanwhile, at Li Family Ink Studio.

Seventh Grandmother Li was reviewing the account books while chatting with Ninth Uncle Li Jinhe. They were discussing the incident that had occurred earlier at Cheng Family Ink Pavilion.

"Hmm, that girl Zhen Niang is quite good. She has a keen eye, especially in staying calm under pressure," Seventh Grandmother Li said. She had met Zhen Niang on the day the Tian family caused trouble and had been impressed by the girl’s composure, quick thinking, and dignified manner of speaking. Her demeanor was unlike her parents’ but more like her grandfather’s.

"Old Eighth indeed has a fine granddaughter. Thanks to Zhen Niang identifying the cause this time, otherwise, Cheng Family’s Five Minerals Powder ink might have been abandoned," Li Jinhe added.

Seventh Grandmother Li nodded and then asked, "By the way, when Jin Hua came over yesterday, was it that girl who recognized the Tang Dynasty Dragon Guest Ink in her home?" She set down the account book in her hand as she spoke.

"Yes, it was. Young Run almost smashed it. I’ve already had it examined by experts, and it’s likely the self-made ink of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. It’s worth quite a bit," Li Jinhe replied.

"What was Zhen Niang doing at Old Sixth’s place yesterday?" Seventh Grandmother asked again."To get raw lacquer, it's said that girl has a new lampblack formula, but I suspect it's something Old Eighth has been working on over the years." Li Jinhe paused before adding, "Seventh Sister-in-law, I think Old Eighth wants to come back, but he's bound by the oath he made back then, so he's pushing Zhen Niang forward instead."

"I'm not so sure about that. We all know Old Eighth's temperament—he's always been straightforward and never one for pretense. Back then, since he swore not to touch ink-making again, I believe he truly meant it. In any case, I have a feeling this new formula might actually have something to do with Zhen Niang herself," said Seventh Grandmother Li.

From Zhen Niang's ability to immediately recognize the origin of the Dragon Guest Ink to her helping the Cheng Family out of a tight spot today, these two points show that the girl has indeed delved into the art of ink-making.

"Hmm, perhaps," Li Jinhe replied ambiguously, clearly unconvinced by his sister-in-law's words. A new lampblack formula requires years of continuous experimentation to perfect—he couldn't believe that Zhen Niang was capable of creating one.