The Heir

Сhарtеr 214: Сonsort Li

“Му lоrd, аrе we just going to lеt this gо?” After Rеnji Eishō and his раrtу lеft thе Li Fаmily Ink Mаnor, Kurohara, the rоnin whо had рreviоuslу сlаshed with Luо Wеnqiаn, gnаshеd his teеth in frustration.

“What еlsе cаn we do?” Renji Еishō glared irritаbly at thе rоnin Кurоhаrа. “Yоu need tо bеhavе уоurself tоo. Wе аre in the Grеаt Ming. Тhe Ink Comрetition is just a fеw dауs awаy. Don’t cаusе аny mоrе trоublе. If уоu do, еvеn if I wantеd to рroteсt yоu, thе еnvoу wоuld nоt sрare yоu,” Renji Eishō said.

“Hai!” Нearing Renji Еishō’s words, Kurоharа immеdiatеly responded.

Thus, the group hurried back to the embassy of the Office of Maritime Trade.

Upon entering the embassy, Renji Eishō went straight to the envoy’s residence.

The envoy was kneeling by a tea table, with a Japanese maid attentively brewing tea for him.

“Sit,” the envoy said, gesturing for Renji Eishō to take a seat as he entered.

Renji Eishō lifted the hem of his robe and knelt opposite the envoy. The Japanese maid also poured him a cup of tea before quietly withdrawing.

“Only in the Great Ming can one drink such refreshing and invigorating green tea,” the envoy said, taking a small sip. He savored it for a moment before opening his eyes and looking at Renji Eishō. “So, how did it go? How was the impact of this move?”

The envoy naturally knew about Renji Eishō’s earlier attempt to disrupt the Li family’s business—it was meant to intimidate them from the start.

“We failed,” Renji Eishō said with a look of shame, feeling even more frustrated. If it had been a genuine defeat, at least they could have learned about the ink products the Li family would use in the Ink Competition and gauged their strength. The problem was, they had been forced to retreat without even getting a chance.

“You mean you were the one who failed?” Seeing Renji Eishō’s expression, the envoy’s face darkened, and he frowned. Previously, the renowned ink masters in Nanjing had been defeated. As for the Li family, he had heard that the head was a young woman, so he thought it would be an easy victory. Unexpectedly, they had failed.

“Yes. I fell for the Li family’s trick. I deserve punishment, my lord,” Renji Eishō said, then recounted how he had mistaken Chou Po for a mere cleaning woman. By now, he realized he had fallen for the Xiang family’s cunning scheme.

He added, “The Li family truly hides dragons and tigers among them.”

After listening to Renji Eishō’s account, the envoy pondered for a while. After a moment, he clapped his hands, and a subordinate entered, handing some documents to the envoy before withdrawing.

The envoy took the documents, flipped through them, and then passed them to Renji Eishō.

“I spent a fortune to buy these from a Ming person. They detail the competition between Li ink and Tian ink for the Tribute Ink. Pay close attention to the analysis of Li ink. There’s an ancient Chinese saying: ‘Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles,’” the envoy said.

“Hai!” Renji Eishō responded, then carefully examined the documents.

The documents showed that Li ink had ultimately defeated Tian ink in terms of ink color and gradation. As Renji Eishō read on, his expression grew increasingly grim."Grind the ink on the inkstone, write on the Refined White Jade Slab. If we use this method to test the ink, Renji-kun, your ink is no match for Li Mo's. I obtained this information earlier and tested it myself—your ink loses clarity after four overlapping strokes. Of course, Li family's Six Harmonies Three Talents Ink is not available on the market now. But according to the tribute competition records, Li Mo's ink remains distinct in layers and color gradation even after five overlapping strokes. And now, the Li family has suddenly produced such an old master. Renji-kun, what do you plan to do in the Ink Competition a few days from now? Do you intend to admit defeat?"

By the end, the envoy's voice had turned stern.

"Your Excellency, the words 'admit defeat' do not exist in my heart," Renji Eishō said, pursing his lips. In truth, he lacked confidence when he said this. But even without confidence, he had to give it his all. In front of the envoy, there was no room for retreat without a fight.

"Then tell me your plan," the envoy nodded, satisfied with Renji Eishō's attitude.

"There is an ancient Chinese saying: 'Attack the enemy's weakness with your own strength—that is the best strategy,'" Renji Eishō said.

"Oh? Go on," the envoy replied with keen interest.

"I've thought it over. For the Ink Competition in a few days, I request that Your Excellency propose to the Ming Emperor that we do not accept outsiders testing or judging the ink, to avoid unfairness. After all, the Ming people always speak for their own. Instead, we will accept only one method of competition: each side will create calligraphy or paintings with their ink, then sprinkle water on them. Whose ink remains more permanent and retains a darker, brighter black will be declared the World's Finest Ink," Renji Eishō said through gritted teeth.

"From what I know, Li Mo's ink also has excellent color retention and fixation. That play, The Missed Good Match, was quite impressive," the envoy remarked.

"Your Excellency, it's not that I'm boasting, but my ink can achieve the same performance as Li Mo's in The Missed Good Match—no less impressive. However, there's one point: Li Mo's ink is newly made, produced in less than two months, while my ink has been aged for five years. New ink tends to be volatile, so its brightness and color fixation are uncertain. Therefore, my ink has a good chance of defeating Li Mo's. Even if it doesn't win outright, a draw would still be a respectable outcome," Renji Eishō said, lifting his chin.

"Good. We'll go with your plan. On that day, I will propose it to the Ming Emperor," the envoy said, clapping his hands.

"What if the Ming Emperor refuses?" Renji Eishō asked with some concern.

"If the Ming Emperor refuses, how confident are you of defeating Li Mo?" the envoy countered.

Renji Eishō shook his head. If nothing else, just comparing color gradation on the Refined White Jade Slab alone, his ink would lose.

"In that case, if the Ming Emperor refuses, we will withdraw from the Ink Competition. The embarrassment would then fall on the Ming court," the envoy said.

"Your Excellency is wise," Renji Eishō flattered.

He then added, "Your Excellency, you might also propose to the Ming Emperor that the Ink Competition should have a stake. If Li Mo loses, they must hand over the formula for the Six Harmonies Three Talents Ink." Having seen the information earlier, he couldn't help but covet Li Mo's formula.

"Hmm, I will propose that as well," the envoy said, thinking it an excellent suggestion.

As for the embassy, no more need be said.Meanwhile, at the Li Family Ink Manor, after Renji Eishō and his group had left in disgrace, the entire official street erupted in jubilation. The gloom that had hung over Nanjing’s Ink Industry these past days instantly dissipated.

A sense of conviction welled up in everyone’s hearts—Li Mo would win.

Of course, this conviction inadvertently added to Zhen Niang’s pressure. However, since taking charge of Li Mo, the pressure on Zhen Niang had never been light, and she was not afraid of it.

In the evening, the last rays of the setting sun sprinkled over the surface of the Qinhuai River, casting shimmering golden dots upon the water. Coupled with the gathering of painted pleasure boats on the river, the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments filled the air without end.

The fragrance of rouge and powder drifted with the night breeze, intoxicating those who caught its scent.

Along the banks of the Qinhuai, boat women from various households set up small stalls, much like the open-air food stalls of later generations. Of course, compared to those of later times, the scene before them carried a more refined, petit-bourgeois flair.

Storytellers, street singers, and flower sellers weaved through the crowd. But more than anything, the air was filled with the enticing aromas of various foods.

Zhen Niang’s favorite was the vinegar fish from one of the boat women’s stalls.

At this moment, dressed in men’s clothing, Zhen Niang sat with Luo Wenqian at one of these small stalls, chatting and eating as they enjoyed the evening.

“News from the embassy says that Renji Eishō suffered a setback at Aunt Gu’s hands this morning. It seems this has led him to ponder the Ink Competition more deeply. It’s said that the Japanese envoy has already submitted a memorial, requesting that the competition focus solely on color retention and color fastness—that is, the ink’s waterproofing ability—while ink color should only serve as a reference,” Luo Wenqian said, dressed in a blue robe, the breeze gently brushing past him. His demeanor was indescribably carefree and unrestrained, and his comfortable, gentle expression carried a sense of leisurely ease that was uniquely masculine.

As he spoke, Luo Wenqian used his chopsticks to pick a piece of boneless fish from the belly, dipped it in sauce, and placed it on the plate in front of Zhen Niang.

From the side, Luo Wuzi watched with wide eyes. In his household, it was always his mother who served his father. How had it come to be that his Ninth Uncle was now serving his future Ninth Aunt? Suddenly, he recalled a conversation between his parents a few days earlier. His father had told his mother that Ninth Uncle would surely become a “wife slave” in the future.

Thinking this, Luo Wuzi saw his Ninth Uncle pick up another piece of fish, carefully remove the bones, and place it on his future Ninth Aunt’s plate. Luo Wuzi clutched his head, feeling a bit disdainful. As the saying went, Ninth Uncle was spoiling Ninth Aunt too much. Would this lead to a lack of authority as a husband in the future? Yet, as he discreetly glanced at the two of them again, although it felt a bit odd, it didn’t seem bad at all. He then remembered his mother saying that she would start looking for a wife for him during the New Year festivities. He was only fifteen—wasn’t it too early to be talking about marriage?

Lost in these swirling thoughts, Luo Wuzi’s cheeks flushed red without him even realizing it.

Of course, no one paid attention to his youthful musings at the moment.

Hearing Luo Wenqian’s words, Zhen Niang couldn’t help but frown. “How can that be? The quality of ink isn’t determined solely by color retention and fastness. Factors like color gradation, fineness, and ink texture—how can ink be judged based on just one aspect?” she muttered, then looked up at Luo Wenqian. “Surely the court won’t actually agree to the Japanese request, will she?”

As she spoke, Zhen Niang finished the piece of fish Luo Wenqian had placed on her plate, feeling that today’s vinegar fish tasted especially sweet and delicious."It's hard to say. The Japanese, with their petty minds, suspect that if ink evaluation is included, we Chinese might favor the Li family, thinking it unfair since judgments of ink color can be subjective. Our dynasty has always emphasized etiquette and moral influence when dealing with foreign nations, winning others over through virtue. I suspect we might actually agree to their terms. Besides, given the current situation, if we don’t accept this method of competition, the Japanese could use it as an excuse to deny defeat even if they lose," Luo Wenqian said.

The Japanese demand was difficult to refuse from any perspective. If the court rejected their proposed method, the Japanese might even protest and withdraw from the Ink Competition, which would embarrass the Ming dynasty.

Thus, Luo Wenqian was certain the court would agree to the Japanese terms.

"Hmph, the Japanese proposed this method precisely because they can’t match Li Mo in color gradation. They assume the ink the Li family is submitting for the competition was recently made, still coarse and unstable in color retention. They’re underestimating us. When the time comes, we’ll make them admit defeat wholeheartedly," Zhen Niang said.

"Indeed," Luo Wenqian nodded with a smile. Outsiders could only access data on the Li Mo submitted for the tribute competition. As for the later-produced Millennium Ink, it was made using Old Shopkeeper Li’s blood as a catalyst. To test its color retention and stability, Li Zhenniang once soaked the ink in water for ten days and nights. When taken out for use, it showed no difference from other inks.

The ink paste, ground with the Cheng family’s stone mortar and pestle, was fine, smooth, and glossy. After being pounded ten times over, the resulting ink was as hard as jade, impervious to any water.

Renji Eishō and others assumed Li Mo was newly made and coarse, viewing it as a flaw. Little did they know that for this batch of Millennium Ink freshly produced by the Li family, this characteristic was not a weakness but a strength.

The two then exchanged a knowing smile.

The sun gradually sank in the west, and the ink-like darkness grew deeper.

Luo Wenqian paid the bill, and the two strolled back. Unexpectedly, they saw someone at the entrance of the Li Family Ink Manor—Li Fuquan from Fuxian Pavilion.

Why was Li Fuquan here? Zhen Niang couldn’t help but feel suspicious. It wasn’t that she had a poor relationship with him—after all, she had once saved him, and Li Fuquan had reciprocated by showing support when the Nanjing Li Family Ink Manor opened. Moreover, Li Mo held the most important position among Fuxian Pavilion’s ink products.

However, perhaps due to explicit instructions from Consort Li or Li Fuquan’s own personality, he had always maintained a low profile. On ordinary days, he stayed in his modest residence, rarely interacting with officials or merchants in Nanjing. He remained aloof from both political and commercial circles, living like a leisurely wealthy man.

Now, Li Fuquan’s sudden appearance surely meant something important.

"Great Shopkeeper," Zhen Niang quickly greeted him with a cupped-hand salute upon seeing Li Fuquan.

"Miss Li, there’s no time for formalities. Come with me," Li Fuquan said. He was no longer the timid, honest man of the past; now, his words and actions exuded authority and composure.

"Great Shopkeeper, could you reveal what this is about?" Luo Wenqian asked sternly from the side. Regardless of Li Fuquan’s connection to Consort Li, Fuxian Pavilion itself involved many complex relationships, so Luo Wenqian felt compelled to inquire."Alright, I trust Miss Li. I'll say it now, but once you hear it, keep it to yourselves." Li Fu Quan understood the Li family's concerns and first gave a warning before lowering his voice to a whisper: "The Imperial Consort wishes to see Miss Li."

The Imperial Consort wants to see me? And this is Nanjing? Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for an imperial consort to appear in Nanjing. Now that Imperial Consort Li is here, there is only one possibility—the Emperor has arrived.

No wonder Li Fu Gui looked so nervous and secretive.

And in Nanjing now, the only matter related to the Emperor would be the Ink Competition a few days later. It was even more likely, Zhen Niang thought, that the Emperor might personally attend the upcoming Ink Competition.

With this in mind, Zhen Niang followed Li Fu Quan to the Fuxian Pavilion.