The Heir

Сhарtеr 54: The Нumаn Неаrt

"This doesn’t sееm to be Wuуuan Luowеn stоnе; it lооks mоre like Qimеn fine Luowen stone," Zhen Niаng rеmarkеd.

Hеаring hеr wоrds, Jiang Lаiуun rеtоrtеd impаtiently, "What dо уou knоw, girl? I personаlly esсorted this bаtсh оf stоnеs with thе сaravаn frоm Wuyuаn. Ноw cоuld it pоssiblу be Qimen finе Luоwen stоne? Besidеs, does Qimen еvеn рroduсe Luowen stоnе?"

Li Jingdоng turned his fасе tоwаrd Zhеn Niang. "Аrе yоu sure?"

"Rеgarding this, the Shе Inkstonе Disсеrnment hаs rесоrds. The Qimen strеam pits producе this type оf stone. Оf cоursе, with the nаked eye alone, I cannot be certain this is Qimen fine Luowen stone. However, although these two stones are easily confused, distinguishing them is simple. Wuyuan Luowen stone is hard and heavy, while Qimen fine Luowen stone is loose and brittle. To tell them apart, just smash one on the ground," Zhen Niang explained calmly.

The method was indeed simple. Yet, since the Song Dynasty, She inkstones had been sought after by many scholars and refined gentlemen, their prices soaring steadily. In ancient times, She inkstones referred specifically to those produced in Wuyuan, including varieties like golden star, Luowen, eyebrow grain, and fish roe grain.

Thus, unless one had prior suspicions, who would be willing to smash an inkstone on the ground? Wouldn’t that be like throwing money away?

Upon hearing Zhen Niang’s words, Li Jingdong wasted no time. He directly smashed the stone in his hand onto the bluestone floor. Immediately, the inkstone shattered into several pieces. Looking at the cross-section, the grains were loose and porous, far from the compact texture of Wuyuan Luowen stone.

"Cousin, you really smashed it?!" Jiang Laiyun cried out in distress as Li Jingdong raised the stone. But when the stone broke into pieces, Jiang Laiyun turned pale. After a moment of stunned silence, he jumped up in alarm. "Cousin, something urgent has come up at home. I must leave. Please convey my regards to Auntie."

With that, Jiang Laiyun fled as if his pants were on fire.

"What’s wrong with Laiyun? Why did he leave in such a hurry?" Huang Shi asked curiously at the courtyard gate.

"He’s afraid he’ll be too late if he returns slowly," Li Jingdong replied. If his cousin hadn’t been short on funds this time, he wouldn’t have come to him. Therefore, Li Jingdong naturally understood that his cousin was worried his family might impulsively purchase this batch of inkstones in his absence. If the inkstones were genuine, all would be well. But the problem was, as it now appeared, this batch was clearly fake. If they were to buy it, they would have no one to blame but themselves.

How could he not be in a hurry?

Thinking this, Li Jingdong inwardly sighed in relief. If Zhen Niang hadn’t come today, he might have truly invested in this batch of inkstones. After all, who wouldn’t seize an obvious opportunity to make money?

According to the original course of events, Li Jingdong did indeed purchase this batch of inkstones, ultimately leading to debt. He had no choice but to withdraw his shares from the Ink Workshop temporarily to repay the debt, which later allowed Li Jincai to take advantage of the situation.

Now, thanks to Zhen Niang, this entire affair had been avoided.

Lost in thought, Li Jingdong reached for his crutch nearby. Zhen Niang’s hand moved first, placing the crutch within his reach. She then helped him into his wheelchair and began pushing him along.

"You may go back," Li Jingdong said coldly."Uncle Jingdong, Zhen Niang only wants to say one thing: the Ink Workshop is the Li Family Ink Workshop. It does not belong to you, Uncle Jingdong, nor will it ever belong to me, Zhen Niang. I know Uncle Jingdong is unwilling to accept this, and to be honest, Zhen Niang is also terrified. But no matter how terrified I am, Seventh Grandmother has already forced me into this position. If I do not accept it, and if Uncle Jingdong and Steward Shao have other intentions, not to mention the various branches of the main family likely having their own agendas, plus the master artisans of the Ink Workshop also having their own plans—how can the Ink Workshop possibly continue to operate? All of this, Uncle Jingdong, you can understand if you just think it through carefully." Zhen Niang pushed Uncle Jingdong's wheelchair in circles around the backyard.

Li Jingdong remained silent.

After pushing for a while, Zhen Niang let go of the chair's back. "Several master artisans and some of the ink artisans submitted their resignations this morning. I need to go back and handle it."

After saying this, Zhen Niang bowed once more to Li Jingdong. "Zhen Niang needs Uncle Jingdong's support."

Then, without another word, Zhen Niang turned and left Uncle Jingdong's home.

She had said and done all she could. Now, it was up to Uncle Jingdong whether he could come to terms with it.

Huang Shi saw Zhen Niang out, then turned back to look at Li Jingdong. "Jingdong, why must you be like this? I think Zhen Niang is quite a good girl—polite, kind-hearted, and clever. To be honest, even I can see it, and it's not just me. It's because of your conflict with Steward Shao that the Old Madam promoted Zhen Niang to maintain balance."

Li Jingdong remained silent in response.

"I know you're not actually targeting Zhen Niang; you're targeting Li Jingfu," Huang Shi complained somewhat.

"Shut up," Li Jingdong snorted coldly.

Huang Shi shook her head. The whole family was full of stubborn mules.

Just then, the door was kicked open with a bang.

"Eighth Master, Eighth Master, what are you doing? Calm down, calm down. Let's talk things over slowly." Old Wei's hurried voice could be heard.

Huang Shi turned to see Old Shopkeeper Li entering, holding a broomstick. As soon as he stepped inside, he swung the broom handle at Li Jingdong.

"Eighth Uncle, Eighth Uncle, what are you doing?" Huang Shi quickly grabbed Old Shopkeeper Li.

"Old Eighth, Ninth Brother has just passed away, and you come here to bully his family like this. Aren't you afraid Ninth Brother will come for you in the night?" At that moment, Jin Shi rushed out of the room, glaring fiercely at Old Shopkeeper Li.

"It's precisely because Old Ninth is gone that I've come in his place to discipline this unfilial son. I want to ask him if he still bears the Li surname. Now, he's letting a young girl like Zhen Niang face the master artisans' harassment. The Li Family Ink Workshop is already being pushed to the brink by the Tian family, and instead of thinking about how we can all work together to overcome this crisis, he's fixated on the Ink Workshop's succession. If the Ink Workshop really goes under, I want to see how this boy will face Old Ninth." Old Shopkeeper Li scolded him fiercely.

"Hah, it's your granddaughter who got the Ink Workshop, so of course you can talk without feeling the pain. Have you forgotten whose fault it is that my Jingdong lost his leg? I tell you, as long as Li Jingfu is still around, our Ninth Branch will never bow to your Eighth Branch." Jin Shi spat venomously.

"Jingfu is already dead..." Old Shopkeeper Li said coldly.

"Good riddance," Jin Shi cursed, but then her eyes widened in shock. "Old Eighth, what did you say? Are you joking?"

Her earlier "good riddance" had just slipped out. Only then did the shock set in."He's dead. Perhaps it was fate. Before the New Year, he went with his employer's caravan beyond the pass to purchase ginseng and furs. On the way back, they were killed by Tartars. The entire caravan was slaughtered, leaving no survivors. We didn't even recover a body." Old Shopkeeper Li said, his eyes red as he gasped for breath.

Instantly, the three members of the Li family's ninth branch were stunned.

Ninth Master Li's death, though painful, was expected given his advanced age.

But Li Jingfu—he deserved to die, yet for parents to bury their own child, how could Old Eighth and his wife bear such grief?

Old Shopkeeper Li rubbed his reddened eyes, then picked up a single chopstick and snapped it in two with a sharp crack. Next, he handed a bundle of chopsticks to Li Jingdong. Turning, he hunched his back and left.

"What did Eighth Uncle mean by that?" Huang Shi asked Li Jingdong.

"Eighth Uncle wanted to tell me that each member of the Li family is like this single chopstick—alone, it can be easily broken. But if held together as a bundle, no one can break them..." Li Jingdong murmured.

Then, addressing Madam Jin, he said, "Mother, I'm returning to the Ink Workshop."

"Go, go. After a lifetime of hatred, I've realized it hasn't amounted to anything." Madam Jin sighed and also returned to her room.

Huang Shi pushed Li Jingdong out of the house.

…………

After noon, Zhen Niang set up a table at the entrance of the Ink Workshop.

On the table were a pot of wine, several cups, and on the other side, a stack of red envelopes, their crimson color dazzlingly bright under the sun.

Zhen Niang took the lead and sat there.

"What should we do?" Ma Shifu, in charge of smoke generation, said to Master Jiang, who handled glue boiling. Both looked at Zhen Niang with grave expressions.

"What else can we do? Hand in our resignations," Master Jiang replied.

"Handing them in under these circumstances... I'm afraid no one will be willing to follow us. Besides, leaving like this would truly cost us all face," Ma Shifu said.

"If we don't resign, what other choice do we have? We've already signed contracts with the Tian family. If we don't resign, the Tians won't let us off," Master Jiang said. At times like this, even if you're riding a tiger, you have to stay on.

"True," Ma Shifu nodded. Then, turning to Master Jiang, he said, "Let's go together."

"Alright, together," Master Jiang nodded.

The two then headed toward the entrance of the Ink Workshop. The onlookers around them watched, making the situation all the more uncomfortable.

"Miss Zhen..." The two stepped forward, cupped their hands in salute, and presented their resignation letters.

"There's no need for either of you to say anything. I understand," Zhen Niang nodded, then poured a cup of wine for each of them. She also poured one for herself and raised her cup.

"Let me propose this toast." Just then, a voice came from the entrance of the Ink Workshop. Everyone looked and saw Huang Shi pushing Li Jingdong over.

"Uncle Jingdong," Zhen Niang exclaimed in surprise, her voice tinged with happiness.

"What are you waiting for? Pour the wine," Li Jingdong said to Zhen Niang.

"Yes," Zhen Niang nodded emphatically, then filled Uncle Jingdong's cup to the brim.

"These years have been hard on both masters. Jingdong offers this toast to you," Li Jingdong took the wine Zhen Niang handed him and raised his cup toward the two masters.

"Jingdong, you're too kind. It's us who are in the wrong," Seeing this, Ma Shifu and Master Jiang felt a pang of guilt. But the matter was settled; there was no turning back.

Zhen Niang then handed them the red envelopes.

The two masters adamantly refused, feeling they had no right to accept the envelopes under the circumstances.

"Take them. They might be of use to you," Zhen Niang said with a gentle smile.

Unable to refuse, the two masters accepted the red envelopes and then left the Ink Workshop.Standing outside the Ink Workshop, Ma Shifu and Master Jiang let out a long sigh. They had a feeling that soon they would regret this, but at that moment, no one else came out of the workshop. Clearly, those who had previously agreed to leave the Li Family Ink Workshop with them were no longer willing to go.

"Let's go, no use waiting any longer," Master Jiang patted Ma Shifu on the shoulder.

"Alright, let's go," Ma Shifu nodded, casually opening the red envelope. At a glance, a wave of mixed emotions surged within him. "Miss Li is truly benevolent."

"What?" Master Jiang leaned over to look and saw that the red envelope did not contain money but a letter of appointment. This meant that with this document, Ma Shifu could return at any time.

Master Jiang also opened his own red envelope and found it was exactly the same as Ma Shifu's.

"I have a feeling that the Li Family Ink Workshop will surely shine brightly once again," Master Jiang said.