Сhаpter 47: Rеquisitiоning Рinе Wоod
Tian Rеsidеnce.
Тian Bеnсhаng gеntlу knоcked оn the study door.
"Comе in," Тian Нuai'аn sаid insidе thе study, sеtting dоwn thе асcоunt books.
Tiаn Вenсhang pushed thе door оpen аnd еntеrеd. Тiаn Нuai'an glаnсed аt him. "Wеll? Did thе Li familу agrее to the mаrriаge рroposаl?"
"No," Tian Веnсhang shоok his head. It wаs асtuallу ехресted.
"I tоld уou tо give uр long agо. What kind оf tеmрer dоеs Оld Shоpkeeрer Li have? After thе two families fеll out to thаt eхtеnt, therе's simply no possibility of reconciliation," Tian Huai'an said. After all, the Tian family's earlier commotion had essentially ruined Li Zhenniang's reputation.
"I know. I just feel somewhat unwilling," Tian Benchang clicked his tongue regretfully. What a pity about Zhen Niang's ink craft skills.
"Good that you know. Actually, it's hard to say how good that Li girl's ink craft really is. After all, she has Li Jinshui behind her. Those earlier achievements might have been Li Jinshui building her reputation. Don't believe it all," Tian Huai'an said.
"Understood, Father," Tian Benchang nodded.
That topic was considered closed.
Tian Huai'an then rubbed his temples.
"Father, what's wrong? Is something troubling you?" Tian Benchang asked.
"Everything comes with a price. Taoist Master Yunsong gave our Tian family great support during the Tribute Ink Selection. Now he needs a batch of medicinal ink, which requires century-old pine soot. Originally, with us acquiring the Luo Family's pine plantation, this amount of pine material wouldn't be a problem. But unexpectedly, now with this pine blight, all the pine plantations in Huizhou are ruined. Century-old pines are hard to find," Tian Huai'an said with a furrowed brow.
"Father, now that the Tribute Ink Privilege is in our hands, since we don't have the pine material ourselves, we can simply requisition it from other families. I don't believe that among the dozens of ink workshops in Huizhou, we can't find century-old pine wood," Tian Benchang said, pursing his lips.
"Hmm, eldest son, I'll leave this matter to you to handle," Tian Huai'an said.
"Alright, Father," Tian Benchang agreed, then left the study.
...
Early morning. For the past couple of days, Zhen Niang hadn't been selling ink but had been wandering specifically around Four Treasures Street.
"Shopkeeper Quan, does your Stationery Studio have any waste ink? I'm collecting waste ink," Zhen Niang called out as she passed the entrance of a stationery shop.
"Zhen Niang, what do you want waste ink for?" asked the shopkeeper named Quan, stroking his beard curiously.
"I've been working on re-blended ink recently, figured out a bit of the method, and want to try my hand. So I'm collecting some waste ink. Shopkeeper Quan, you can sell the waste ink for money or exchange it for re-blended ink," Zhen Niang said with a smile to Shopkeeper Quan.
"Re-blended ink? That requires very high technical skill," Shopkeeper Quan said somewhat surprised. To produce high-quality re-blended ink, one must first understand the raw materials of the waste ink and have a clear grasp of all the various formulations.
For example, green vitriol and indigo powder easily cause putrid odors, while musk and egg white easily attract moisture, and so on. It involves too many factors.
It's like painting on a blank canvas is much simpler and easier than modifying an existing painting.
It can be said that in the ink industry, re-blended ink has always been a technical challenge.
"I'm just trying it out," Zhen Niang said. She had been studying the re-blended ink left by Third Master Cheng some time ago, combined with her grandfather's research from her previous life. Therefore, she felt somewhat confident about re-blended ink.
"Hmm, trying is good. I'll get some for you. If you succeed, just give me two pieces of re-blended ink. If you don't succeed, consider it practice for you," Shopkeeper Quan said generously."Alright, thank you, Shopkeeper Quan." Zhen Niang bowed and said. She then went to inquire at another stationery shop called Sibao Xuan.
To produce a batch of Re-blended Ink, a considerable amount of waste ink was needed. Therefore, she had to collect more.
"Zhen Niang, are you still collecting ink here? At the entrance of the Li Family Ink Workshop, the Li family and the Tian family have gotten into a fight." At that moment, the owner of a stationery shop returned from outside and, seeing Zhen Niang, couldn't help but speak up.
"Uncle Fang, what happened?" Upon hearing that the Li family and the Tian family were fighting, Zhen Niang was startled and asked.
"I heard that the Tian family went to the Li Family Ink Workshop to requisition the batch of pine wood that your Ninth Uncle had retrieved. Your Uncle Jingdong refused, and the two sides ended up in a dispute," said the owner surnamed Fang.
When Zhen Niang heard this, she gritted her teeth. It was absurd—her own uncle had drowned in Shendu while transporting that batch of pine wood back. That batch of pine wood could be said to have been exchanged for her uncle's life. For the Tian family to requisition it now was practically demanding the lives of the Li family.
Thinking this, Zhen Niang could no longer focus on collecting ink. She picked up her basket and ran toward the Li Family Ink Workshop.
By the time she arrived at the entrance of the Li Family Ink Workshop, the place was in complete chaos. On the Tian family's side and the Li family's side, some workers were lying on the ground, groaning in pain—clearly, a fight had already broken out.
"You Tians, I'll fight you to the death!" At that moment, Li Jingdong, sitting in a wheelchair, glared at Tian Benchang and Tian Rongchang with bloodshot eyes.
"I say, Uncle Jingdong, when a new ruler ascends, new ministers rise. Now that our Tian family is in charge of the Tribute Ink, you should just accept your fate. We'll take the pine wood, and as for you—you're getting on in years, and you're disabled. It'd be better for you to stay at home. What's the point of fighting like this?" Tian Rongchang, the second young master of the Tian family, said with a face full of mockery.
But before his words had even finished, a basin of water was splashed all over his head and face.
"Pah, pah, pah! Who did that? Looking for death, aren't you?" Tian Rongchang was drenched like a drowned rat. It was still spring, and the cold water soaked him, causing him to shiver uncontrollably. He jumped up in anger.
"Someone with a filthy mouth deserves a basin of water to wash it out." Li Zhenniang glared at Tian Rongchang. As soon as she arrived, she heard this second young master spewing filth. Moreover, when the Tian family broke off the engagement, it was also this one who came to cause trouble. With old and new grudges combined, a basin of water was already being polite.
"Good!" The workers of the Li Family Ink Workshop around them cheered.
"You little wench, how dare you defy heaven! Watch me make you suffer!" Tian Rongchang said viciously while wringing water from the corner of his clothes.
As he uttered these threats, Zhenniang simply treated them as the barking of a dog. She returned the wooden basin to a sister-in-law who was washing clothes by the well, then turned and stood behind Li Jingdong.
Matters between the Tian family and the Li Family Ink Workshop were for the person in charge to handle—she had no right to speak. But since she had encountered it, she had to stand with the Li family. This also represented the attitude of the eighth branch of the Li family. At all times, the descendants of the Li family must unite as one fist.
Tian Rongchang was even more infuriated by Zhenniang's dismissive attitude, hopping mad.
"Enough, second brother. You should go back first and change your clothes to avoid catching a cold," Tian Benchang said to Tian Rongchang at that moment. This second brother was hopeless, accomplishing nothing but causing trouble. It was best to send him home early.With that, Tian Benchang cupped his hands toward Li Jingdong: "Uncle Jingdong, there's no other way. Our Tian family has taken on the task of producing Tribute Ink, so we must be fully alert in carrying out our duties. Now that we lack Century-old Pine, we have no choice but to requisition this batch of pine timber from the Li Family Ink Workshop. I apologize for any offense."
"Impossible. If your Tian family wants to requisition this batch of pine timber, you'll have to step over my dead body," Li Jingdong said coldly.
"Uncle Jingdong, there's no point in saying such things. In any case, our Tian family is determined to obtain this batch of pine timber. We'll give you three days to consider. Think carefully. If the Li family truly fails to recognize reality, then we will have no choice but to invite the officials from the Ink Affairs Bureau to intervene. At that point, it will be considered obstructing imperial affairs, and the workshop may be sealed and people imprisoned. There's no need for that, is there?" Tian Benchang still spoke with a gentle demeanor.
Yet his words sent chills down one's spine.
"Are you threatening our Li family?" Li Jingdong snorted.
"It's not a threat, merely stating facts. Uncle Jingdong should accept reality," Tian Benchang said, cupping his hands once more. He left with the words, "I'll return in three days," and departed with his men.
Li Jingdong's face turned ashen, and he trembled with rage.
"Uncle Jingdong..." Zhen Niang glanced at him with concern. Uncle Jingdong's temperament was somewhat gloomy and extreme, and she feared he might not be able to bear it.
"It's fine," Li Jingdong said after a while, finally calming down. He waved his hand dismissively, then gestured to the workers gathered nearby. "Alright, everyone, return to the workshop and get back to work. I will discuss this matter with the Old Madam and Steward Shao."
"Yes," the workers responded and returned to their tasks in the workshop, though each wore a worried expression. It seemed the Li family was heading toward trouble.
"Zhen Niang, you should go home too," Li Jingdong then said indifferently to Zhen Niang.
"Mhm," Zhen Niang nodded, saying no more. Uncle Jingdong was wary of the Eighth Branch, and speaking further might only provoke his displeasure.
With that, she turned and left, continuing to collect her discarded ink.
In the evening, upon returning home, Old Shopkeeper Li had already heard about the incident at the Li Family Ink Workshop that day and called Zhen Niang over to inquire in detail.
"Grandfather, how can the Ink Workshop resolve this matter? That pine timber was exchanged for Ninth Uncle's life—it can't just be handed over to the Tian family for nothing," Zhen Niang said indignantly.
"There's no way. Workshops that hold the Tribute Ink Privilege have the right to requisition materials. The only thing the Li family can do now is strive for a bit more compensation," Old Shopkeeper Li replied.
Emotionally speaking, that batch of pine timber was exchanged for Ninth Brother's life and should never be requisitioned. However, from a material standpoint, ink workshops with the Tribute Ink Privilege have requisition rights to ensure the successful completion of imperial ink affairs.
If they resist, the outcome will be exactly as Tian Benchang said: the workshop sealed and people imprisoned.
"That Tian family—aren't they afraid of public outrage?" Zhen Niang said bitterly. After all, if the Tian family could treat the Li family this way today, they could do the same to the Cheng Family, the Pan family, and others tomorrow.
"Under normal circumstances, the Tian family wouldn't dare act this way. But now, with the Pine Blight, every ink workshop is struggling to survive. In the future, they may have to rely on the Tian family for a livelihood, so naturally, the Tian family isn't afraid," Old Shopkeeper Li snorted.
"But I don't think Uncle Jingdong will compromise," Zhen Niang said. That day, Uncle Jingdong had already made his stance clear: if the Tian family wanted to requisition the pine timber, they would have to step over his corpse."I believe your Seventh Grandmother will make the necessary choices." Old Shopkeeper Li thought for a moment before speaking.
No matter what, it was still better than having the Ink Workshop sealed shut. Today's grievances must be endured for now. As long as the workshop remained, there would be a day to rise again. When that time came, it would be the moment to settle debts with the Tian Family.
"Grandfather, what did you mean earlier about compensation?" Zhen Niang suddenly asked again.
"Expropriation is not free use—it requires equivalent exchange. That is the rule. Otherwise, ink workshops that haven't obtained the Tribute Ink Privilege would have no way to survive," Old Shopkeeper Li explained.
"Oh." Zhen Niang nodded, understanding. If that was the case, compromise might not be impossible.
"Grandfather, did the Luo Family's pine forest fall into the hands of the Tian Family?" Zhen Niang asked.
"Most likely," Old Shopkeeper Li replied.
"Could I ask Seventh Grandmother to negotiate for the Tian Family to exchange ten years of logging rights to the Luo Family's pine forest?" Zhen Niang suggested.
"Exchanging for ten years of logging rights to the pine forest—under normal circumstances, the Tian Family would lose out terribly. But in these times, with the Pine Blight, who knows how many usable pines remain in that forest? If all the pines in the forest are infected with the blight, it would be a useless forest. What good would it be to exchange for it then?" Old Shopkeeper Li questioned.
"Grandfather, when you used to cut down pines, how did you handle the pine roots left buried in the ground?" Zhen Niang suddenly asked again.
"What is there to handle? Let them rot in the soil and become fertilizer. We never paid them any mind," Old Shopkeeper Li replied.
"Then, Grandfather, did you know that after these pine roots rot in the soil, they form Pine Resin Oil? The soot produced by burning this oil is of even higher quality than that from the original pine trees," Zhen Niang explained.
"Such a thing exists?" Old Shopkeeper Li widened his eyes. This was no joke—how many such pine roots were there in all the major pine forests? If this were true, the raw material problem would be completely solved.
"I tried it before," Zhen Niang said. She now felt grateful that Old Shopkeeper Li had moved away early and was unfamiliar with the original owner's affairs. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to explain.
"Very well. Tomorrow, I’ll go up the mountain with you and dig some up to see for myself. If it truly works, then exchanging these pine materials with the Tian Family for ten years of logging rights to that forest would be worthwhile. I believe Ninth Brother in the afterlife wouldn’t mind either," Old Shopkeeper Li said, feeling rather pleased.
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