The Heir

Сhаpter 51: Таking Оvеr

In thе evening, the hоusеhold was shrоuded in gloоm аnd sоrrоw.

Тhе oil lamр in the room always mаdе onе’s eуеs sting with its smоkу fumes.

Undеr thе dim light оf thе lаmp, Zhеn Niang was tidying uр hеr fathеr’s belongings, while Zhаo Shi sat nеarby, wаiling аnd сursing frоm timе tо timе. It was clеаr that shе wаs still dеeрly immеrsеd in grief.

Zheng Shi triеd tо cоnsole her.

“Sistеr-in-law, the deаd саnnot bе brought back tо lifе. Wе must try tо lооk оn thе bright sidе. From nоw оn, this entirе familу will have tо relу оn уou tо gеt bу. If уou let sorrоw ruin your health, how will thе old and yоung in this family survivе?” Zheng Shi раtted Zhаo Shi’s back as she comforted her.

“Sister-in-law, I understand that in my heart, but I just can’t help it,” Zhao Shi said, wiping away her tears. Then, she stared blankly at the dim oil lamp, as if lost in memories.

“To be honest, I used to hate Zhen Niang’s father so much. Apart from not visiting brothels, he indulged in drinking, eating, and gambling—was there anything he didn’t do? To speak ill of him, when I was at my angriest, I truly wished those debt collectors would beat him to death. But ever since last year, when his father drove him out of the house, and he was no longer around, I started missing him a little. And then, he began sending money home from time to time to help with expenses…” At this point, Zhao Shi let out a faint laugh, though her smile looked even more pitiful than tears.

Zheng Shi simply nodded, knowing that Zhao Shi only needed someone to listen at this moment, so she remained quiet and attentive.

“You know, he started out carrying goods at the docks—how much could he earn from that? And with his own living expenses, the money he sent back was even less than what Zhen Niang earns in a single day. Yet, to me, that little money felt heavier than anything else. I saved every bit of it. He said he had been foolish back then, making mistakes that caused his father to compensate the Seventh Branch by giving up the Eighth Branch’s share in the Ink Workshop. He said he wanted to earn money, enough money, to buy back the Eighth Branch’s share in the Ink Workshop. So, I kept saving, saving… but who would have thought…” Zhao Shi continued rambling on.

“Since Second Uncle had such a wish, you should pull yourself together and help him achieve it, shouldn’t you? Besides, we must try to think positively. Who can say for sure what happened beyond the border? Although the merchant caravan met with misfortune, we haven’t seen Second Uncle’s body. I once heard Jing Kui say that Second Uncle was clever since childhood. Perhaps when the Tatars came, he managed to escape. Maybe one day he’ll return. No matter what happens, we must live our lives with peace and joy,” Zheng Shi said.

Having vented her emotions, Zhao Shi felt a little better. Hearing Zheng Shi’s words, she mustered some strength: “You’re right. What you say makes sense. I’ll go to the kitchen and check. Father and Mother haven’t eaten a grain of rice tonight. I’ll make some plain porridge.”

As she spoke, Zhao Shi stood up. Just as Zheng Shi had said, with the old and young in the family depending on her, she had little time to grieve. She had to pull herself together and manage the household.

“You rest here, I’ll go, I’ll go,” Zheng Shi quickly offered.

“No, I’ll go. Keeping myself busy will help me think less about that dead man. Honestly, I wish he hadn’t changed for the better—it would have spared me this longing,” Zhao Shi shook her head and left the room.

Still somewhat worried, Zheng Shi followed her to check on the elderly parents. Losing a child in old age was a pain too heavy for them to bear.

Zhen Niang remained in the room, carefully folding her father’s clothes one by one, smoothing out even the smallest wrinkles until everything was neat and tidy.Her mind, however, was still on her mother's words.

She hadn't expected that Li Jingfu's deepest wish was to earn enough money to buy back the shares of the Eighth Branch in the Ink Workshop.

Although the Li Family Ink Workshop was primarily controlled by the main lineage, the Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth Branches all held shares in it.

Just as the Li ancestors had once said, the Li Family Ink Workshop was the foundational inheritance for all descendants of the Li family.

However, due to events in the past, the Eighth Branch had been forced to compensate the Seventh Branch with their shares.

Zhen Niang now wondered: if she didn't take over the Ink Workshop, would it end up being seized by Li Jincai as recorded in the clan register, leaving not even a trace of its legacy behind?

If that truly happened, how could her father and mother's wishes ever be fulfilled?

Then she thought of Seventh Grandmother's deep regard for her, and how Seventh Grandmother had stood up for her when the Tian family broke off the engagement. Next, the pained expression of her grandfather in her previous life, grieving over the broken lineage of Li Mo, surfaced in her mind. Along with her grandfather's earlier words. And the fates of several aunts and uncles' wives recorded in the clan register.

All these thoughts swirled together.

For the first time, Zhen Niang seriously considered whether she should genuinely think about accepting Seventh Grandmother's arrangement and inherit the Ink Workshop.

Some paths in life, no matter how difficult, must ultimately be walked. One must move forward; there is no logic in retreating.

"Ah, it's terrible! There's a fire somewhere! Oh my, look at that smoke—it's reaching the sky!"

Just then, chaos erupted outside the courtyard. From the alley near the city gate came the sound of hurried footsteps and panicked cries.

The Li family was still reeling from the shock of Li Jingfu's accident, so no one paid much attention at first. But then they heard someone outside shout, "It seems like the Li Family Ink Workshop is on fire..."

The houses near the city gate had poor sound insulation. Zhen Niang faintly heard those words from her room, gasped, and rushed out. By then, Old Shopkeeper Li and the others had clearly heard it too. They all emerged from their rooms.

Everyone stood in the courtyard, watching the thick column of smoke rising not far away. It really did seem to be coming from the direction of the Li Family Ink Workshop.

"Grandfather, I'll go take a look," Zhen Niang said anxiously to Old Shopkeeper Li.

Regardless of anything else, since Seventh Grandmother had left instructions for her to inherit the Ink Workshop, she couldn't ignore this now. With that thought, she dashed out the door.

"Second Sister, wait for me. I'll go with you," Li Zhenliang said, worried, and hurried after Zhen Niang.

Soon, the siblings arrived at Four Treasures Street.

Outside Four Treasures Street, the Li Family Ink Workshop was in complete chaos. Everyone was busy fighting the fire. If it truly spread, it could engulf a large area. The workshop was right next to Four Treasures Street, where the foundations of all the shops were located. How could people not be frantic? They spared no effort in battling the flames.

Through everyone's combined efforts, the fire was finally contained within a small area. It didn't spread, but the smoke was terrifying.

"Are you Li family people trying to burn the place down to avoid supplying the pine timber? Let me remind you, that batch of pine timber has already been registered with the Ink Affairs Bureau. If you can't produce it when the time comes, your Ink Workshop's days are numbered," Tian Benchang said, pushing his way through the crowd and addressing Steward Shao, who was directing the firefighting efforts.

"You're overthinking it, Young Master Tian. This is just an accident. That batch of pine timber is stored in the east warehouse of the Ink Workshop, far from the source of the fire. Even if these buildings burned to the ground, that timber wouldn't be touched," Steward Shao replied, his face covered in soot, his expression unreadable."That's good then. I won't disturb Steward Shao any further. Let me remind you, one of the three days has already passed. There are only two days left, so you must hurry." Tian Benchang said.

Steward Shao kept his mouth tightly shut. The current situation at the ink workshop was one of internal troubles and external threats.

"No need for Young Master Tian to worry. Since the Tian family intends to requisition the Li family's pine timber, you surely can't just make empty promises. Your Tian family should first consider what price you're willing to pay? This is also stipulated by the Ink Affairs Bureau." At that moment, Zhen Niang squeezed through the crowd under the protection of her own elder brother and addressed Tian Benchang.

"Oh, it's Miss Li. You've come too? As for the price, we'll follow the market rate. We won't shortchange the Li family." Tian Benchang said with a faint smile.

"Market rate? As far as I know, Century-old Pine is currently priceless and unavailable anywhere. Simply offering the market rate hardly seems reasonable, does it? Could it be that the Tian family, having just entered the industry, intends to use its influence to bully others? Aren't you afraid of provoking public outrage? In that case, I'll also offer you a word of advice, Young Master. The Huizhou ink industry is not something your Tian family can monopolize alone." Zhen Niang retorted sharply. Since she had already decided to take over the ink workshop, she naturally had to respond to the Tian family with a few words.

Now that the Pine Blight had broken out on a large scale, Century-old Pine had become a scarce raw material. Ninth Uncle had only managed to purchase a batch by seizing the opportunity early. At this point, trying to buy more was simply impossible.

Yet Tian Benchang had the audacity to speak of the market rate.

"Hmph." Zhen Niang snorted coldly.

"Miss Li seems to be taking charge of the ink workshop's affairs now. Don't worry, out of consideration for you, Miss Li, I'll think about offering a good price." Tian Benchang said, glancing at Steward Shao on the side with a superficial smile.

Who in the Huizhou ink industry didn't know about the Li Family Ink Workshop's precautions against Li Jinshui?

Coupled with the conflict between the Eighth and Ninth Branches, Zhen Niang's enthusiasm might be overstepping her bounds. This was bound to cause dissatisfaction within the Seventh and Ninth Branches. He might as well add fuel to the fire, stirring up discord between the Li family's Eighth Branch and the ink workshop. Perhaps then he would have a chance to recruit Li Jinshui and Zhen Niang to his own ink workshop.

Tian Benchang was making his calculations.

"In that case, thank you, Young Master Tian. I also have a suggestion. Why don't you go back and tell your father to exchange the Luo Family's pine forest logging rights for the next ten years?" Zhen Niang said with a smile, not showing any anger at all.

Hearing this, Tian Benchang's mouth twitched. The Luo Family's pine forest logging rights for ten years? Only a madman would agree to such an exchange. He forced a smile and said, "Miss Li must be joking. I won't disturb you any further. Farewell."

Tian Benchang simply assumed Zhen Niang was jesting.

"Young Master Tian, as you wish." Zhen Niang made a gesture of invitation. Watching Tian Benchang leave, she then turned to Steward Shao, who wore a complicated expression, and asked, "Steward Shao, what exactly is going on?"

Zhen Niang pointed at the Li family ink workshop, which was still emitting thick smoke.

"Miss Zhen, come with me." Steward Shao led the way ahead.

The two entered the ink workshop. As soon as they stepped inside, they heard a commotion.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me burn it! I must burn down this ink workshop!" The speaker was none other than Ninth Aunt Jin, who was throwing a tantrum. Beside her, Zhengshen and Zhengyan, the two brothers, were trying to hold her back.

Zhen Niang felt a headache coming on. She hadn't expected the fire at the ink workshop to have been set by Ninth Aunt. Looking at the workshop shed blackened by smoke, this was truly...

Zhen Niang didn't know what to say.

"Grandmother, you must not burn the ink workshop!" Li Zhengyan, the second cousin from the Ninth Branch, pleaded earnestly."Why can't it be burned? Your grandfather's lifelong efforts are in this place. Rather than letting the Eighth Branch take it and ruin it, I'd rather burn it all to ashes myself." Ninth Aunt roared.

First, the old man of the family had died, and before her own husband's body was even cold, the Ink Workshop had unexpectedly fallen into the hands of the Eighth Branch. How could Madam Jin swallow this anger? Her husband and Old Eighth had fought their entire lives, and even Jingdong's leg had been ruined by the Eighth Branch. The Ninth Branch and the Eighth Branch were sworn enemies.

Since the Ninth Branch couldn't get the Ink Workshop, the Eighth Branch shouldn't have it either—burn it all to ashes. Madam Jin was beyond caring.

Zhen Niang patted her forehead and understood—it was still because of Seventh Grandmother passing the Ink Workshop to her.

"Ninth Aunt, you can't do this. It's true that it contains Ninth Uncle's lifelong efforts, but it embodies the hard work of all the Li family descendants. Not to mention others, Eldest Uncle Jingquan, Second Uncle Jingguo, Third Uncle Jingqi, and Eldest Cousin Zhengqi—their lives are in this place. And my own uncle, Jingkui, Ninth Uncle's life, and Uncle Jingdong's leg—can all of this be burned away by your fire?" Zhen Niang couldn't help stepping forward.

"Hmph, if I burn it now, it'll just be seen as a disaster. But if you let the Ink Workshop fall into ruin, the Li family will become a laughingstock. Better to burn it." Ninth Aunt looked at Zhen Niang disdainfully.

"Fine." Zhen Niang took a deep breath, first glancing at Ninth Aunt, then turning to face the crowd. "Zhen Niang is honored by Seventh Grandmother's trust to inherit the Ink Workshop. But from last night until now, my heart has never been at peace—this is how I feel, trembling with fear, afraid I cannot bear the responsibility! Yet today, with Ninth Aunt going to such lengths, it seems to me that things can't get any worse than being reduced to ashes by fire. So what is there left for me to fear?"

Pausing for a moment, she then spoke word by word: "In that case, this Ink Workshop—I, Li Zhenniang, will take it on!"