The Heir

Chарtеr 48: Тhе Will

Li Fаmilу Ink Workshoр.

Аll thе kеу stewards of thе wоrkshop hаd gatherеd in thе mаin hаll, thе аtmosphеre thick with tension. The disсussiоn revоlved sоlеlу аround thе mаttеr оf Тian Jiаzheng demanding thе рine timbеr.

"In short, no mattеr what, this pinе timber absоlutеlу саnnоt bе handed оvеr. Othеrwisе, I wоuld be unwоrthy оf bеing a desсеndant оf the Li family," Li Jingdоng said coldlу frоm his whеelсhair, sweeрing his gаzе ovеr еvеrуоnе in the rооm.

On this рoint, hе refused tо cоmрrоmise.

"Маstеr Jingdоng, if we don't hand оver the pine timber, whаt will we do if the аuthorities сomе tо seаl the workshop?" Steward Shao met Li Jingdong's gaze and asked. There was one more thing he didn't say: by the time the workshop was sealed, the Li family would still be unable to keep the pine timber.

"Then we'll fill the gap with lives. Have the Li family descendants not shed enough blood and lost enough lives for ink-making? If someone still thinks it's not enough, then what does it matter if I, Li Jingdong, add my own life to the count?" Li Jingdong gritted his teeth, slapping the table as he spoke coldly.

"Master Jingdong, why must you go to such extremes? As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood," Steward Shao pleaded earnestly.

"There's no room for discussion. This is my stance. If Steward Shao disagrees, then I will take this batch of pine timber away myself. Let Tian Jiazheng come after me if he must. If anyone is to be imprisoned, it will be me. From then on, the Ninth Branch of the Li family will have nothing to do with the Ink Workshop," Li Jingdong declared firmly, not hesitating to adopt a stance of complete rupture.

He had never been one to yield to Steward Shao.

Several master craftsmen on the side exchanged glances, shaking their heads and sighing.

Everyone had witnessed the discord between Steward Shao and Li Jingdong over the years, and now Master Jingdong's words carried the implication of starting anew.

At that moment, Master Qin, the head craftsman of the Ink Workshop, coughed and turned to Steward Shao, saying, "Chief Steward, Master Jingdong, I believe this matter should be decided by the Old Madam."

Steward Shao glanced at Li Jingdong, who remained cold-faced. Finally, Steward Shao could only nod. "In that case, let us all go together to request an audience with the Old Madam."

Although Old Madam Li had woken up some time ago, her health had been fluctuating between good and bad. Frankly, she should not be disturbed unless absolutely necessary.

But the current situation was such that the Li Family Ink Workshop had truly reached a critical juncture of survival. They had no choice but to seek the Old Madam's decision.

Thus, everyone rose and left the Ink Workshop, arriving at the entrance of the Li residence to request an audience with Old Madam Li.

Before long, the gatekeeper led everyone inside, where they were received by the eldest daughter-in-law of the Li family, Chen Shi.

Chen Shi's expression was grim, her eyes swollen and red, her face etched with indescribable exhaustion.

"Stewards, the Old Madam is in no condition to make any decisions. Yesterday, news of Tian Jiazheng demanding the pine timber somehow reached the Old Madam through some loose-tongued maid. The Old Madam became agitated and suffered a relapse. She is now unconscious. The physician says she has suffered a stroke, and coupled with her previous serious illness, she will not recover anytime soon. Even if she does recover, I'm afraid she will no longer be able to manage affairs," Chen Shi said, her eyes reddening.

"How could this happen?" Chen Shi's words elicited exclamations of shock from the group. Just days ago, they had heard she was improving, but now her condition had suddenly deteriorated to such an extent.

"May we visit the Old Madam?" Master Qin asked.

"Please follow me," Chen Shi said to the group, leading them into the main chamber.

The room was thick with the smell of medicine. The Old Madam lay on the bed, her mouth twisted to one side, her eyes tightly shut. Her condition looked dire at a glance.

"When will the Old Madam wake up?" Li Jingdong asked the physician standing nearby."It's hard to say. It could be a dozen days, or several months, or it could even continue like this until the end." The physician spoke with a grave expression.

Seeing this situation, the master craftsmen and stewards of the Ink Workshop all sighed and shook their heads.

"Let's go out. We shouldn't disturb the Old Madam any longer," Chen Shi said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Yes, Madam," the group responded and filed out one by one.

"Madam, if I may ask something perhaps inappropriate—did the Old Madam leave any instructions before this? Who will take charge of the Ink Workshop from now on?" At that moment, Master Qin asked. As an externally hired master craftsman, his position was somewhat detached, making him the most suitable to ask such a question.

As soon as Master Qin finished speaking, Steward Shao and Li Jingdong couldn't help but tense up. This question was also their greatest concern.

"Before falling ill, the Old Madam didn't leave any instructions. However, a few days ago, when she first woke up, she did draft a will that included arrangements for the Ink Workshop. Although the Old Madam is still alive, she is truly unable to manage affairs now. Perhaps it would be best to proceed according to her will," Chen Shi said.

"That is only right. Please announce the Old Madam's words, Madam," Master Qin and the others immediately urged. Since the Old Madam had not passed away, referring to it as a "will" sounded inappropriate, so they simply called it the Old Madam's words.

"By the way, Steward Shao, could you please make a trip to invite Eighth Master and Miss Zhen over? The Old Madam's letter contains some matters concerning them," Chen Shi then addressed Steward Shao.

"Yes, Madam. I will go right away," Steward Shao responded and hurried out the door.

…………

City Gate Tunnel.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but the city gate tunnel remained somewhat dim. A sliver of sunlight pierced through a crack, forming a beam of light in the small courtyard. Within the beam, thin layers of dust danced and swirled, resembling an old photograph.

Zhen Niang crouched to one side, fanning a small coal stove on which medicine was simmering.

Yesterday, it had been agreed that they would go to the pine yard the next day to check whether the rotted pine roots had formed Pine Resin Oil. However, when morning came, Zhen Niang and her grandfather did not set out.

Every spring, Old Shopkeeper Li's illness would worsen a little. Last night, he had coughed throughout the night, and when he woke in the morning, his complexion was terribly poor, making it impossible for him to go out.

Early in the morning, Zhen Niang had gone to the Medicine Hall to fetch medicine and was now brewing it for her grandfather.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Zhen Niang, finish brewing the medicine and take it to your grandfather. I'll go answer the door," Wu Shi called to Zhen Niang.

Zhao Shi had gone to the river to wash clothes, Du Shi had gone to the coal stove workshop, and Xi Ge'er had taken Little Official Xiao who-knows-where to play. Only Wu Shi, Old Shopkeeper Li, and Zhen Niang remained at home.

"Mm," Zhen Niang acknowledged. Wrapping a cloth around the handle of the medicine pot, she poured the decoction into a bowl and carried it into her grandfather's room.

Wu Shi hurried to the door on her bound feet. To her surprise, when she opened it, she found Steward Shao from the Li Family Ink Workshop standing there.

As the saying goes, when enemies meet, their eyes blaze with fury.

Of course, that might be an exaggeration, but Wu Shi harbored deep resentment toward Steward Shao.

Back when Old Shopkeeper Li was forced out of the Ink Industry, Steward Shao had played an active role in the scheming.

Therefore, Wu Shi naturally did not give Steward Shao a friendly look.

"Greetings, Eighth Madam," Steward Shao said, bowing in salute.Regardless of how the Eighth Branch of the Li family had fared over the years, they remained one of the eight branches of the Li clan. Steward Shao, though currently managing the Ink Workshop on behalf of Seventh Grandmother, was fundamentally still a steward of the Seventh Branch—a servant at the end of the day. This greeting of respect was unavoidable.

"I dare not accept such courtesy from the great Steward Shao. What brings you here so early in the morning?" Wu Shi said, her tone laced with thinly veiled sarcasm.

Old Shopkeeper Li had just finished his medicine when he heard voices in the courtyard. He asked Zhen Niang to help him outside, just in time to catch Wu Shi's words.

Listening to her grandmother's words, Zhen Niang guessed that the events of the past must have been truly ugly. Otherwise, given her grandmother's temperament, she would never have spoken in such a manner.

Apart from being overly protective of her own and occasionally at odds with her mother-in-law, Wu Shi was usually gentle with others, at most venting a few complaints now and then. She would never deliberately embarrass someone like this.

However, Zhen Niang also surmised that Steward Shao's visit this morning was likely related to Tian Jiazheng requisitioning the pine timber yesterday.

Sure enough, Steward Shao clasped his hands and said, "There's been some trouble at the Ink Workshop. I'd like to request the Eighth Master's presence."

"Hah, now that there's trouble, you remember to seek out the Eighth Master? What was he in your eyes back then? Let me tell you, it's too late. The Eighth Master will not involve himself in the affairs of the Ink Workshop," Wu Shi retorted angrily.

During the previous Pine Blight incident, although Wu Shi was not pleased that her husband had gone to the Ink Workshop, she understood that since he knew about the situation, he could not stand idly by. It was like the heavens deciding to rain or a mother deciding to remarry—one simply had to let it be.

But this time, even though Steward Shao hadn't specified the matter, who in the county didn't know about the commotion caused yesterday when the Tian family requisitioned the Li family's pine timber?

This pine timber issue involved the deceased Ninth Uncle—was it something to be easily entangled in? If handled poorly, it could bring nothing but trouble. Since the Eighth Branch of the Li family had already withdrawn from the Ink Workshop, why seek such unnecessary discomfort? Thus, she firmly shut down the request.

"Alright, old woman, why don't you invite Steward Shao inside instead of blocking him at the door? What kind of hospitality is this?" Old Shopkeeper Li interjected, persuading her. He then invited Steward Shao to sit inside, while Zhen Niang served tea.

Once both parties were seated, Old Shopkeeper Li spoke, coughing slightly. "Steward Shao, I truly cannot involve myself in the matters of the Ink Workshop, so I will not go. However, you may inform the Old Madam that I have some leads regarding the raw materials. After verifying them in the next couple of days, I will go speak with Seventh Grandmother. As for some matters, it might be wise to delay them for a few days."

He said this because he was thinking of what Zhen Niang had mentioned yesterday. If the rotten pine roots from over the years indeed contained Pine Resin Oil, then there would be no shortage of raw materials, and the Li family could handle the situation with greater ease.

"Ah, Old Shopkeeper, you don't understand. If the Old Madam were well, I wouldn't trouble you like this. To be frank with you, the Old Madam is now unconscious," Steward Shao said with a pained expression.

Zhen Niang, standing nearby, was startled by this news and, forgetting propriety, quickly asked, "How can that be? Wasn't it said that Seventh Grandmother had woken up and was fine?""It's all because of this business with requisitioning pine wood. The old madam was already ill, how could she withstand this? She got agitated and had a relapse. The doctor said even if she wakes up again, she won't be able to manage affairs. We haven't dared to announce this publicly, fearing it might cause unrest in the Ink Workshop. But the matter of requisitioning pine wood can't wait. Fortunately, I heard from the wet nurse that the old madam left a will beforehand. Now, the Ink Workshop cannot be without a master for even a day, so we have no choice but to announce the will first. That's why I've come to invite Old Shopkeeper Li and Miss Zhen over," Steward Shao said with an anxious expression.

"Hmph, they're all the same. When they think we're in the way, they kick us aside. Now that they need us, they come running to invite us. Really," Wu Shi grumbled from the side.

"If that's the case, then I'll go with you. But what does this have to do with Zhen Niang? Why invite her?" Old Shopkeeper Li asked.

"I don't know either. It was the wet nurse's instruction. But the old madam has been quite fond of Miss Zhen lately, so perhaps she left some words for her," Steward Shao replied.

"That makes sense," Old Shopkeeper Li nodded. Since last year, Seventh Sister-in-law has indeed paid quite a bit of attention to Zhen Niang, so leaving some words for her would be reasonable.

Thus, Zhen Niang supported Old Shopkeeper Li as they followed Steward Shao out the door.