The Heir

Сhарtеr 37: Рine Blight

А fеw dауs lаter, Sun Dahe wаs sеnt to the Sоngjiang Stonе Fасtоrу, whilе Sun Dalang wаs released and returnеd hоme аfter bеing раrаded in саnguе. Не then tоok his family аnd sоught refugе at the Tiаn Family Ink Wоrkshop.

Sрring аrrivеd in thе blink оf аn еye.

In this sеаson оf blооming flowеrs and wаrm wеather, еvеn the glоomy citу gate tunnel wаs illuminаtеd by а few rays оf sрring sunlight, аdding a tоuсh оf vitаlitу.

Fоr the Нuizhоu Ink Industry, thе most signifiсant evеnt of thе nеw уeаr wаs thе сompetitiоn for Tribute Ink.

"What is therе to say? Еveryоne in Нuizhоu Prеfecture knows that Miss Yan’s illness was cured by the Medicinal Ink made by Zhen Niang. If nothing else, just the miraculous effect of that Medicinal Ink, combined with the Li Mo family’s generational reputation, means the Tribute Ink must go to the Li Family. The Tian Family is delusional—they’ve just entered the Ink Industry and already boast about securing the Tribute Ink quota. Aren’t they afraid of their bragging backfiring? Nowadays, the only family in Huizhou that can compete with the Li Family is the Cheng Family."

Zhao Shi carried a large ink mold, pressed with ink, and placed it in a shady spot in the courtyard to dry.

As she worked, she chatted with Zheng Shi, who was washing clothes nearby. Speaking of the Tian Family, she naturally showed disdain. Ever since the broken engagement incident, the feud between the Tian and Li families had only grown deeper.

Zhao Shi’s tone was far from kind when discussing the Tian Family.

This year, the Li Family stopped raising silkworms. In previous years, the textile industry had flourished, driving up the price of silk. However, last year, too many people raised silkworms, causing the price of silk to drop, and along with it, the price of cocoons. Zhao Shi had raised silkworms for three seasons last year, making a small profit in the first two but losing money in the third.

Heartbroken, Zhao Shi cursed in frustration.

Moreover, this year, the coal stove business was booming even more. Li Zhengshēn, the eldest cousin from the ninth branch, had long abandoned his alchemy and Taoist pursuits, focusing instead on expanding the market. This year, he planned to venture into Jinhua, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. With him away, the family workshop relied entirely on the eldest brother, Li Zhenliang, who couldn’t manage everything alone. As a result, Du Shi had to help in the workshop, cooking for the workers and managing finances, easing the logistical burdens.

As for Zhen Niang, her reputation for making ink had spread far and wide after her Medicinal Ink cured Miss Yan’s illness. Several traveling merchants had already come seeking her out, placing orders for ink made by her.

Thus, the family’s small ink-making workshop needed to expand.

After discussing it at the start of the year, the family decided to stop raising silkworms and rented out their mulberry field to others, earning a small amount of rent each year.

Zhao Shi devoted herself to caring for Old Shopkeeper Li and Wu Shi at home, managing household affairs, while Zheng Shi helped Zhen Niang with ink-making.

Zhao Shi declared that everyone should work hard to earn more money, aiming to buy back the family assets Li Jingfu had lost years ago.

"Exactly. However, the Tian Family is quite skilled at scheming. I heard they’ve already won over the newly appointed Ink Affairs Official. We must be cautious," Zheng Shi said, looking up as she pounded the laundry.

Having been with the Li Family for over half a year, Zheng Shi had changed significantly. Her previously frail and thin appearance was gone, her sallow face had become fair and radiant, and she seemed more energetic. She looked at least seven or eight years younger than before and had become much more cheerful. She and Zhao Shi got along like sisters.

As for Zhao Shi, over the past half year, the family’s circumstances had improved, and with Zheng Shi often advising her, her temper had softened considerably. She rarely picked fights with others anymore.Of course, when it came to Zhen Niang and Xi Ge'er at home, she still often put on a stern face, threatening to hit or scold them, but each time it was at most like dusting off clothes—just a light pat or two.

As Xi Ge'er put it, it was better not to hit at all, because getting hit just made him itch all over.

The boy's words made the whole family laugh.

At this moment, Zhen Niang had just finished lighting the lampblack and came out, her face covered in black soot. She stood by the large vat in the courtyard washing her face when she overheard her mother's conversation with Zheng Shi.

Her heart sank. Eunuch Yan should be on the Li family's side, but the problem was that Eunuch Yan was only the ink supervisor, not the ink affairs official. Moreover, with outsiders deliberately spreading the story that she had cured Miss Yan's illness with medicinal ink, it would give the impression that if Eunuch Yan chose the Li family, it wasn't because of the quality of their ink but to repay a favor. This would inevitably create a bias in the newly appointed ink affairs official that the Li family was relying on connections to participate in the selection, which wouldn't benefit the Li family's bid for the Tribute Ink Selection.

Zhen Niang frowned. There was no need to say it—it must have been the Tian family deliberately spreading this rumor. Of course, the Cheng family couldn't be ruled out either. They were all competitors.

"Cough, cough..." Old Shopkeeper Li's coughing came from the adjacent room.

In spring, as all things come to life, illnesses also thrive. Since the beginning of spring, Old Shopkeeper Li's lung condition seemed to have worsened. He coughed all night, unable to rest peacefully.

Zhen Niang hurried into the room, helped her grandfather out, and brought him to the courtyard to bask in the sun.

"Grandfather, how confident are you that the Li Family Ink Workshop will secure the Tribute Ink Privilege this year?" Zhen Niang sat beside her grandfather as the two chatted.

"Originally, there was at least a sixty percent chance, but now it's hard to say. With the story of you saving Miss Yan being spread far and wide, it will surely make the ink affairs official wary of Eunuch Yan. When the time comes, the scrutiny of the Li Family Ink Workshop's ink will be even stricter. And the Tian family is closely watching the Li family. They're using the Li family's lampblack formula and somehow obtained a decent ink blending formula, deliberately comparing themselves to the Li family. The ink affairs official seems to have some connection with the Tian family and might favor them a bit more. As for the Cheng family, they're just waiting to see the two sides fight it out. None of them are easy to deal with," Old Shopkeeper Li said.

Just as Zhen Niang had feared earlier.

Zhen Niang scratched her head in frustration. When she saved Miss Yan and received Eunuch Yan's instructions, she thought the Tribute Ink was as good as theirs. But now, with the story exaggerated and spread, things had taken a turn for the worse. A good deed had turned into a problem.

"Don't worry. The Li family participates in the Tribute Ink Selection every three years but has never succeeded so far. It's not because the Li family lacks capability—sometimes it's just bad luck. In the Tribute Ink Selection, capability is only part of it; luck is equally important," Old Shopkeeper Li said. Ever since the incident with the Tribute Ink years ago, the Li family had never succeeded in the selection again.

Zhen Niang could only nod. There wasn't much she could do to help with this matter.

"Eighth Uncle, Eighth Aunt, sister-in-law, Zhen Niang." Just then, the slightly ajar courtyard gate was pushed open, and Aunt Jinhua came in with Brother Run, carrying a large bamboo basket.

As soon as she entered, Zhen Niang caught a whiff of something delicious.

"Aunt Jinhua, what delicious food do you have in your basket?" Zhen Niang stood up with a smile to greet her, waving at Brother Run."Hah, Zhen Niang's nose is as sharp as ever. Tomorrow is the second day of the second lunar month, after all. I made some steamed rice cakes and brought them for everyone to try." Aunt Jinhua said cheerfully.

"You silly girl, aren't you ashamed? A grown young lady like you, always thinking about food." Zhao Shi chided from the side, then turned to Li Jinhua. "Jinhua, why are you being so polite?"

"This isn't being polite at all. It's just something I made casually. If I were really being polite, I wouldn't dare bring something so simple." Li Jinhua replied with a grin.

Zhao Shi then readily accepted the basket.

Just then, Xi Ge'er suddenly appeared from nowhere. He first grabbed a few pine branches placed on top of the basket and threw them on the ground, then lifted the white cotton cloth covering the steamed rice cakes, grabbed a few pieces, and dragged Brother Run out to play.

"Don't run too far. We'll be leaving soon," Aunt Jinhua called out loudly.

"Got it!" Xi Ge'er's voice echoed from a distance.

That little rascal, Zhen Niang thought, annoyed at the pine branches scattered on the ground. She picked them up—once dried, they could still be used as kindling.

Placing a few evergreen pine and cypress branches in a basket was a custom in Huizhou, symbolizing everlasting vitality and good fortune.

As Zhen Niang picked up the pine branches and was about to toss them aside, her eyes suddenly fell on the broken cross-section of one branch, which shimmered with a faint blue glow.

Her expression instantly changed.

She quickly examined the pine needles more closely. Sure enough, the tips of the young needles had all turned yellow.

Oh no. If she wasn't mistaken, this was pine nematode disease—a deadly affliction for pine trees. This disease existed in ancient times as well, with several historical records of outbreaks. The ancients called it Pine Blight.

"Aunt Jinhua, where did you pick these pine branches?" Zhen Niang asked urgently.

"From the pine grove in the village, of course," Li Jinhua replied matter-of-factly.

"Zhen Niang, what's wrong?" Old Shopkeeper Li noticed his granddaughter's troubled expression and quickly inquired.

Not entirely certain it was Pine Blight, Zhen Niang refrained from raising an alarm. Instead, she brought the pine branch over to her grandfather and showed him the slightly bluish cross-section. "Grandfather, it looks like Pine Blight."

"Pine Blight? Are you sure?" At the mention of these two words, Old Shopkeeper Li's lips twitched. Every outbreak of Pine Blight was a calamity for the ink industry. Although many ink workshops had begun using tung oil, pine soot remained a crucial ingredient, especially for Tribute Ink, which emphasized simplicity, balance, and harmony. Its most important component was century-old pine trees, whose soot pigment could not be replaced by any other.

"I can't be completely certain yet. I'd like to go with Aunt Jinhua to the pine grove later to check," Zhen Niang said.

"You can't go alone for something like this. Here's what we'll do: take your Ninth Uncle with you. He witnessed a Pine Blight outbreak years ago," Old Shopkeeper Li instructed.

Zhen Niang nodded. If she confirmed the disease, the ink workshop would inevitably send someone to investigate. It was better to bring Ninth Uncle along now to avoid making two trips.

Aunt Jinhua had brought three baskets of steamed rice cakes—one for each of the seventh, eighth, and ninth branches of the family.

Zhen Niang accompanied her, first visiting the seventh branch, then the ninth. When she met Ninth Uncle, she discreetly showed him the pine branch and explained her concerns about Pine Blight.Upon hearing this, Ninth Uncle's eyes instantly turned bloodshot. Without even the courtesy of offering Li Jinhua tea, he immediately had her lead him and Zhen Niang to the pine field.