The Heir

Сhaptеr 44: Тributе Ink Sеlеction

In the mаin brаnch of thе Li family mаnsiоn, thе sрring night grеw dеepеr.

Seventh Old Madam still lау in bed, аttendеd bу hеr еldest dаughtеr-in-lаw, Сhеn Shi, and sеcond daughtеr-in-lаw, Huаng Shi. Both womеn wore wоrried eхрrеssiоns оn thеir fаces.

А fаint mediсinаl sсent lingеred in thе rоom. Thе lаmp оn the table wаs coverеd with а gаuze shаde, casting а sоft, рalе уеllоw glоw thаt was gеntlе enоugh not tо disturb anyоne.

"Аhеm..." Аt that mоmеnt, Sеvеnth Old Madаm, who had been lying unсonscious in bеd, let out а light cоugh аnd slowlу opened her eyes.

"Old Madam, you're awake."

Hearing the movement, Chen Shi and Huang Shi immediately leaned forward, their faces brightening with joy as they spoke.

Three days—Old Madam had been unconscious for three days, causing great anxiety for everyone in the household.

As soon as Seventh Old Madam opened her eyes, her vision was blurry and unfocused, taking a while to adjust. Looking at Chen Shi and Huang Shi, she sighed deeply and said, "What a long dream."

In truth, although Old Madam had been unconscious for three days, she had not been completely unaware of her surroundings. She had vaguely sensed the people coming and going and the conversations around her.

Later, even though she couldn't open her eyes, she could still think. She pondered the chaos that had erupted in the household after her sudden collapse, as well as the turmoil in the Ink Workshop. She even wondered what would happen to the Ink Workshop and the Seventh Branch of the Li family if she never woke up.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. So she kept urging herself: "Wake up, wake up." Finally, after much effort, she managed to awaken.

The earlier sensation felt like a long dream, which was why she sighed, "What a long dream."

"Old Madam, this long dream truly frightened everyone," Chen Shi said with a smile. She helped Old Madam sit up and then brought over a bowl of ginseng soup to feed her.

Meanwhile, Huang Shi brought a small bowl of steamed egg custard.

Having not eaten a single grain of rice for three days, Old Madam was surely hungry. A small bowl of ginseng soup alone wouldn’t be enough, but given her advanced age and her recent illness, she couldn’t eat anything too heavy. A small bowl of steamed egg custard was just right to settle her stomach.

"These eggs were sent by that girl Zhen Niang. Knowing you were ill, she was afraid of disturbing you, so she left them at the gatehouse without even stepping inside before returning home," Huang Shi chatted while feeding Old Madam the egg custard.

"Ah, speaking of which, we really owe a lot to that girl Zhen Niang this time. She’s thoughtful and thorough. When Ninth Uncle had his accident, she worried about you, Old Madam. It was her suggestion to have a physician on standby at home, which allowed for timely treatment. It’s no wonder Old Madam has been thinking of her so often lately," Chen Shi added.

"That girl has truly gone through a lot," Old Madam said, a flicker of appreciation in her eyes at the mention of Zhen Niang.

Truth be told, in the past, the only thing she had heard about the girl from the Eighth Branch was that she was quite fond of food. Nothing else had caught her attention until last year, when she was transporting pinewood through the city gate and witnessed the girl fiercely fighting for her cause. That was when she began to take notice.

Honestly, she wasn’t surprised by the girl’s sharp-tongued confrontation with the Tian family. With a mother like Zhao Shi, how could the daughter be weak?

But what truly earned Old Madam’s admiration was Zhen Niang’s conduct afterward.

A woman labeled as a "husband-killer" and rejected in marriage would typically either become bitter and resentful or resign herself to fate in weakness. Yet Zhen Niang remained calm and composed, always greeting others with a smile that made people feel close to her. She didn’t succumb to weakness like Zheng Shi but instead lived her life with earnest effort and determination.Moreover, she displayed considerable skill in the ink industry. Though it might seem like ordinary smoke generation and ink-making, behind the scenes, that girl had put in countless times more effort than anyone knew.

This girl possessed a down-to-earth, hardworking attitude toward life—a rare and precious quality.

Of course, Seventh Old Madam’s assessment of Zhen Niang was not entirely comprehensive. As for the notions of being a "jinx" or having a broken engagement, Zhen Niang, with her perspective shaped by two lifetimes, did not take such things seriously. However, if she had grown up entirely within the Ming dynasty, it was uncertain whether she could have remained so calm and composed after being labeled a jinx and having her engagement broken off.

Yet there was one undeniable strength: her steadfast and diligent approach to life, never giving up or abandoning her efforts. This was the quality of an ink-maker that Zhen Niang had cultivated since childhood under her grandfather’s guidance.

"Light glue, ten thousand pestle strikes"—only through diligent pounding could one hope to produce Mysterious Ink as exquisite as jade.

"Gather everyone in the household. I wish to draft my will," Seventh Old Madam suddenly declared.

"Old Madam..." Chen Shi and Madam Tian exclaimed in shock. She had just woken up—why was she already talking about a will?

"Say no more. During my unconsciousness, I was not entirely unaware. Though I have awakened now, I know my own body. No one can guarantee it won’t happen again. It’s best to prepare for certain matters early," the old madam insisted.

"Very well," Chen Shi replied, complying with the old madam’s words and personally going to summon everyone.

…………

Early the next morning, the eighth branch of the Li family received news that the old madam had awakened.

Naturally, the entire family was overjoyed.

"Second Sister, aren’t we going to Four Treasures Street to sell ink today?" Xi Ge’er pleaded after finishing breakfast, wiping his mouth.

"Why wouldn’t we go? Are you trying to slack off again?" Zhen Niang glared at Xi Ge’er. This boy was always scheming to avoid work, and she couldn’t let him indulge such habits.

"Not at all! Second Sister, have you forgotten? Today is the day of the Tribute Ink Selection. I heard people on the street yesterday that the Ink Affairs Bureau has reserved Taibai Tower and invited several literary celebrities to judge. There are even courtesans from Jinling—I heard they’re incredibly charming. Let’s go take a look!" Xi Ge’er winked mischievously.

Oh, Zhen Niang then remembered that today was indeed the final day of the Tribute Ink Selection.

However, Xi Ge’er’s words nearly made her choke. This boy was only nine years old and already talking about wanting to see "incredibly charming" women. He must have picked that up from the idlers on the street. But his joy would soon turn to sorrow—uttering such words, how could their mother let him off easily?

Zhen Niang waited gleefully for the inevitable scolding.

Sure enough, upon hearing Xi Ge’er’s words, Zhao Shi frowned and pinched his ear. "You little rascal, itching for trouble, aren’t you? What do you know about courtesans or ‘incredible charm’? If you dare go, I’ll tan your hide until it blooms! You’ll obediently help your second sister mind the stall."

"Mom, mom, it hurts!" Xi Ge’er clutched his ear, pleading for mercy until Zhao Shi finally released him.

"Second Sister is so mean," Xi Ge’er muttered, seeing the amused look on his sister’s face.

Zhen Niang ignored him. After breakfast, she shouldered the neatly packed ink case and headed out. Xi Ge’er could only follow, dejected.

Unexpectedly, once outside, Zhen Niang glanced back into the courtyard. Seeing that Zhao Shi wasn’t paying attention to the gate, she immediately turned and headed toward the other side of the city gate tunnel—the direction leading to Taibai Tower."Second Sister?!" Xi Ge'er immediately cried out with delight upon seeing the direction and hurried to catch up.

"Shh..." Zhen Niang turned back and made a silencing gesture.

Xi Ge'er was quick on the uptake and immediately nodded with understanding. The expressions on both siblings' faces were utterly mischievous, and they dashed off toward the White Tower.

Such a grand event—Zhen Niang naturally wanted to go and join in the fun.

Du Shi was standing on the stairs at that moment, placing a bamboo tray of beans on the roof tiles to dry. Through the courtyard wall, she caught sight of Zhen Niang and Xi Ge'er's antics and couldn't help but chuckle.

"The two siblings must be heading to the Taibai Tower," Zhao Shi remarked with a hint of exasperation.

"Mother already knows?" Du Shi asked with a smile.

"They're my own flesh and blood—how could I not know what they're up to?" Zhao Shi scoffed. She hadn't really intended to stop them. Did they really think they could fool her?

So, no one was truly fooled.

Outside the Taibai Tower, a massive crowd had gathered.

Since the Taibai Tower had been reserved, it was clear that ordinary onlookers couldn't enter. However, this did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of those who had come to soak up the excitement.

Just think of the fans who swarm outside hotels when celebrities arrive in later times.

"Today's attendees include Lord Wang Shizhen, Mr. Dongtu, and others..." a well-informed individual leaned against a willow tree by the riverbank and whispered mysteriously.

"Forget about them, Er Gou, tell me—which courtesans have come from Jinling?" a man nearby shouted. This immediately drew cheers from the idlers around him—this was what everyone was really interested in.

"I heard the Ten Fragrances Pavilion in Jinling sent Miss Yan'er. They say her dancing rivals that of Zhao Feiyan. Of course, that's not the main attraction—the real highlight is Wang Cuiqiao, the renowned courtesan..." the man called Er Gou added with a wink and a smirk.

Zhen Niang, holding Xi Ge'er's hand, stood at the edge of the crowd. When she heard Er Gou mention Wang Cuiqiao, she couldn't help but pause in surprise.

Wang Cuiqiao was no ordinary woman—countless operas had been written about her in later generations.

It was said she was originally a famous courtesan in Jiangnan, later abducted by the Sea Bandit Xu Hai to become his wife. When Hu Zongxian sought to eradicate the Sea Bandits, Luo Longwen stepped forward to persuade Wang Cuiqiao to convince Xu Hai to surrender. Xu Hai agreed, but it was all a trap. As soon as Xu Hai came ashore, he and his men were captured, and the Sea Bandits were wiped out.

Of course, Xu Hai was no saint either—he had intricate ties with the Japanese pirates.

In the end, Wang Cuiqiao threw herself into the river and drowned.

The entire incident had taken place only a few years earlier.

Yet now, Wang Cuiqiao had reappeared. Could it be someone with the same name? She would have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, the idlers nearby, hearing Wang Cuiqiao's name, grinned with excitement.

"By the way, Er Gou, how's the Tribute Ink Selection going inside?" someone else in the crowd asked. Unlike the idlers around him, this man had actually come to see the Tribute Ink Selection.

"The Pan Family, the Xu Family, and the Fang Family have all been eliminated. Now it's down to the Tian Family and the Cheng Family," Er Gou announced, waving his arm.

"Impossible! The Pan Family is quite capable, and the Fang Family isn't bad either. How did it end up being the Tian Family against the Cheng Family? Wasn't it already rumored that the Tian Family's ink formula was stolen? Recently, the Sun Family incident was linked to the Tian Family, and it's said their ink blending formula was also stolen from the Cheng Family. The Tian Family tried to embellish it but ended up making a mess of it. Everyone agreed the Tian Family had no chance," the questioning man exclaimed."Everyone has fallen into the Tian family's trap. The styrax ink they preselected was a half-baked imitation, but today at the Tribute Ink Selection in Taibai Tower, the Tian family presented genuine styrax ink. Though it may not compare to the Xiangbi Deputy Ink, it is still exceptionally fine ink. I happen to know that this ink was originally developed over generations by the Luo family's craftsmen, yet in the end, the Tian family reaped the benefits. Naturally, the other families cannot compete. The Cheng family has truly met its match. It's hard to say who will emerge victorious in the end." Er Gou clicked his tongue.

The Xiangbi Deputy Ink refers to Emperor Jin Zhangzong's styrax oil soot ink. Ink of comparable quality is priced as high as gold of equal weight, and even then, it is scarcely available.

The surrounding listeners erupted in murmurs of surprise.

Zhen Niang secretly stamped her foot in frustration. She had reminded Cheng San Yeye about this earlier. She wondered if the Cheng family had taken any precautions.

Forty-Fifth: The Immortal's Evaluation

On the second floor of Taibai Tower.

To the north, the seat of honor was occupied by Prefect Xu. To his left and right sat, respectively, the Ink Affairs Official Huang, the Ink Supervisor Eunuch Yan, and a court-appointed Daoist priest named Yunsong, dressed in full Daoist attire.

Next in line were the heads of the Cheng and Tian families.

Representing the Cheng family were Cheng San Yeye and the rising star of the Cheng clan, Cheng Dayue. For the Tian family, there were the family head Tian Huai'an and his eldest son, Tian Benchang.

At this moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on the center of the hall.

In the middle of the hall, the original tables had been cleared away and replaced with two long desks. On each side of the desks stood a box of ink. Beside the ink were two inkstones, and between the two inkstones sat an incense burner, from which a delicate fragrance wafted.

On the left and right, two palace-attired women were grinding mysterious ink on the inkstones. The scene of "red sleeves adding fragrance" was quite elegant.

Several literati were wielding their brushes with vigor. In no time, several pieces of calligraphy and painting took shape.

Of course, the evaluation at hand was not of the calligraphy or paintings themselves, but of the ink used to create them.

This ingot of 'Mysterious Origin Spiritual Energy' ink from the Cheng family likely uses a formula of tung oil soot and lacquer soot. The ink color is black, clear and bright when held to light, especially in diluted washes. The layers are distinct, with each layer's color holding its own without bleeding—truly outstanding." At this moment, Wang Shizhen, on the left, pointed to his own painting as he evaluated it for those present.

Wang Shizhen, a descendant of the Langya Wang clan, was a leading figure in the literary world during the mid to late Ming dynasty. Previously, after his father was murdered by Yan Song, he resigned from office to observe mourning and devoted himself to literary pursuits. Now, Yan Shifan had been executed, Yan Song's properties had been confiscated, and he was merely a feeble old man awaiting death. The Yan family's influence in the court had been completely swept away. Wang Shizhen only awaited a suitable opportunity to return to official service, and his future achievements would be immeasurable.

Ink Affairs Official Huang had gone to great lengths to invite him to evaluate the ink for this occasion, sparing no effort for this Tribute Selection.

Following Wang Shizhen's indication, everyone looked at the painting. Indeed, the ink tones were clear and translucent, especially in the diluted areas. They did not appear weak; though faint, the layers were distinct, giving a sense of continuous flow.

Those seated were either elite ink artisans or renowned literati, each possessing unique insights into ink. They naturally understood that such a quality indicated the ink had already developed an "ink bone."

"Excellent ink, truly excellent. Worthy of the name 'Mysterious Origin Spiritual Energy'—mysterious and indeed imbued with spirit." The crowd applauded and praised in unison.

"Master Fengzhou, what about the Tian ink?" asked Ink Affairs Official Huang, seated at the lower left. Fengzhou was Wang Shizhen's literary name."Of course, the 'Mysterious Fragrance Pill' from the Tian family is also quite excellent. Its ink color is deep and steady, yet without a sense of heaviness; instead, it has a rather eye-catching quality. The ink is rich but not sluggish, and when written, a subtle fragrance seems to drift through the air. It is also a top-tier ink. However, this ink is newly made, and its nature is slightly dry. Therefore, I believe Tian ink is slightly inferior to Cheng ink," said Wang Shizhen.

Everyone exchanged glances. Earlier, Mr. Dongtu had also judged that Cheng ink was superior. Thus, the ink workshop to be selected for the Tribute Ink this time was basically decided.

After hearing the assessment, Third Master Cheng and his nephew Cheng Dayue looked at each other and breathed a long sigh of relief. They knew that the Tribute Ink slot was seventy to eighty percent secured. Of course, until the final announcement, they could not relax.

To be honest, this time was truly a close call. Originally, they had not taken the Tian family seriously, and the ink they had prepared for the selection was not the Mysterious Origin Spiritual Qi but another inkstick, which had slightly lower production costs than the Mysterious Origin Spiritual Qi.

It must be understood that producing Tribute Ink is, in itself, actually a loss-making venture. The reason various ink workshops compete for Tribute Ink is, first, the priority access to materials, and second, the additional benefits brought by the Tribute Ink brand, rather than the profit from the ink itself.

Therefore, when competing for Tribute Ink, if confident about securing the Tribute Ink Privilege, workshops traditionally choose an ink with lower production costs to participate in the selection. This way, they can minimize losses from producing the Tribute Ink.

Previously, due to Li Mo's withdrawal, Cheng ink stood out among the competing workshops, essentially having no rivals. Following tradition, the Cheng family naturally selected an ink with lower costs for the competition.

It was not until that day when Third Master Cheng heard Zhen Niang say that the Tian family might have other preparations that, out of caution and the principle of "better safe than sorry," the Cheng family ultimately replaced their original ink and brought out their family treasure, the Mysterious Origin Spiritual Qi.

Sure enough, during the selection at Taibai Tower, the Tian family unexpectedly used the newly developed styrax ink from the Luo family. Fortunately, the Cheng family had switched their ink; otherwise, they might have capsized in a seemingly safe situation.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Tian Benchang frowned and turned to look at his father. Tian Huai'an, however, remained composed and calm, still appearing as if he held the winning card.

At this moment, Magistrate Huang on the stage whispered a few words with Eunuch Yan and the Prefect before standing up and saying, "Then, for this Tribute Ink..."

"Wait..." Before Magistrate Huang could finish, the court-appointed Taoist priest Yunsong stood up.

"Does Priest Yunsong have something to say?" Magistrate Huang asked, cupping his hands toward Yunsong.

"Originally, I would not interfere with the Tribute Ink selection. However, when I left the palace this time, His Majesty specifically instructed that this batch of Tribute Ink is to be used for communicating with deities. Therefore, it would be best to have the deities evaluate the Tribute Ink Privilege," said Yunsong, holding a horsetail whisk.

Yunsong's words left everyone dumbfounded. Have deities evaluate? How would the deities do that?

But since Emperor Jiajing believed in deities and often sought their guidance in difficult matters, such a decision was not surprising.

Magistrate Huang then asked Yunsong, "Priest Yun, how will the deities come down to evaluate?"

"Very simple—by inviting the deities to descend to the mortal realm," replied Priest Yunsong somewhat arrogantly, before instructing his attendants to set up an incense altar.

Soon, the incense altar was prepared. Priest Yunsong bathed and changed his clothes, then began invoking the deities before the altar.Before long, the spirit descended. Taoist Yunsong picked up a brush and began writing on the paper laid out on the incense altar. After finishing, he seemed to return to his senses, picked up the paper to examine it, and finally handed it to Lord Huang: "Lord Huang, the divine judgment has been delivered. It is up to you to decide."

Lord Huang took the paper and saw written upon it: "Though Cheng ink is excellent, it is impure. Tian ink should be chosen."

"Taoist Yun, what does this mean? What is meant by 'Cheng ink is excellent but impure'?" Hearing Lord Huang read the words on the paper, Third Master Cheng, standing nearby, asked with a darkened expression.

"This is the will of the gods. How can we mortals fathom it?" Taoist Yunsong replied mysteriously.

"Then this Tribute Ink Privilege..." Third Master Cheng trailed off, looking at Lord Huang, his unspoken words clear enough.

Lord Huang frowned at this moment. Truth be told, he did not believe in such divine judgments at all, but who dared defy the Emperor's will? Although it was possible that Taoist Yun was exploiting the Emperor's authority, no one dared take that risk.

After a moment's thought, Lord Huang whispered a few more words to the Prefect and Eunuch Yan, then turned to Cheng San and declared: "Since it is a divine judgment, it is the will of Heaven. Heaven's will cannot be defied. This year's Tribute Ink shall be produced by the Tian Family Ink Workshop."

"This... this is unfair!" Hearing Lord Huang's decision, Third Master Cheng exclaimed in anger and frustration.

"I say, Third Master, you should accept reality. What you ought to do now is go home and investigate thoroughly. Could it be there are some shady dealings within your Cheng household? For instance, perhaps some young lady has been engaging in improper relations, or maybe some maids or servants have committed disgraceful acts. Tsk tsk, who would have thought?" Tian Huai'an, standing to the side, teased Third Master Cheng with a mocking tone.

"Tian Huai'an... you!" Tian Huai'an's words made Third Master Cheng flush crimson with rage. Then, a mouthful of blood sprayed forth. He understood in his heart that Taoist Yunsong must have been bribed by the Tian family. But with Yunsong invoking the Emperor's will, even Lord Huang found it inconvenient to refute. How could a mere ink workshop owner like himself possibly challenge it?

He knew the Tian family conducted business unscrupulously, but he never imagined they would stoop to such depths.

At this thought, Third Master Cheng could no longer contain himself. He felt a sweet taste in his throat, spat out another mouthful of blood, his vision went dark, and he collapsed.

"Third Uncle!" Cheng Dayue, nearby, hurriedly caught his uncle and called for the servants waiting outside. Offering apologies, he hastily withdrew from the hall.

The expressions in the hall varied—some held pity, others relished the spectacle, and some felt resentful. In short, what began as a grand gathering for the ink affair ended in such a manner, leaving most of the attendees disappointed.

The only ones rejoicing were the Tian family.

"Make way, make way..." Cheng Dayue carried his uncle on his back as they exited the Taibai Tower.

"What happened? What happened? Is the result out? What happened to Third Master Cheng? Did he faint from joy?" Many curious onlookers eagerly inquired.

Though Zhen Niang stood far outside the crowd, watching Brother Cheng carrying Third Master Cheng as they pushed through the throng, a sudden sense of foreboding washed over her.

"The result is out! The result is out! The Tribute Ink Privilege has gone to the Tian family!" At that moment, the gossipy Er Gou immediately began spreading the newly acquired news.

"How could it be the Tian family?" The surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar. Previously, everyone had favored the Cheng family."It's actually not that surprising. After all, the Tian family essentially took over the Luo Family's Ink Workshop entirely, so their ink-making skills can't be poor. Besides, this time it was judged by the immortals, who said the Cheng ink was impure and unusable," Er Gou said with a gossipy look on his face.

"Divine judgment? Is this for real?" Some in the crowd voiced their doubts.

"Shush! How dare you question the words of the immortals?" someone nearby warned.

Zhen Niang, listening from the sidelines, found it all rather unbelievable at first—divine judgment? But then she remembered this was ancient times, and with Emperor Jiajing being such a devout believer, talk of gods and immortals was naturally widespread.

Hadn’t her own cousin from the main branch of the family even tried to refine elixirs of immortality?

Yet in her heart, she understood perfectly well. There was no need to say more—that Taoist Master Yun must have been bribed by the Tian Family. Thinking back on all the turmoil since the Tribute Ink selection began, she realized the Tian Family had been playing a long game from the very start.

First, they deliberately exaggerated her rescue of Miss Yan, creating the impression that the Li Family had entered the competition solely through connections with Eunuch Yan. In this dynasty, eunuchs and upright officials were absolute opposites, so not only did Magistrate Huang hold no goodwill toward the Li Family, but even the literati testing the ink felt the same way. Without the Pine Blight, even if the Li Family had continued in the Tribute selection, their efforts would have been in vain.

While fate played a role in the Li Family’s elimination, the Tian Family had also pushed them out. Then, the Tian Family intentionally produced controversial ink to provoke the Cheng Family’s disdain. Only at the last moment did they reveal their superior ink, catching their opponents off guard and greatly increasing their chances of victory. Of course, the Cheng Family had deep foundations, and even with this strategy, the Tian Family would have struggled to win. That’s why they resorted to bribing Taoist Master Yun and fabricating a divine judgment—this was their ultimate trump card.

Step by step, the Tian Family’s calculations were truly masterful.