Mr. Han of the Imperial Kiln Factory was among the top portrait painters in Jingde Town and had a very good relationship with Song Youliang.
After Song Youliang passed away, the Song Family specifically invited him to paint a posthumous portrait.
With the Song Family’s inheritance dispute being common knowledge in Liang County, how could Mr. Han possibly agree to design patterns for Song Daliang’s kiln factory?
Song Jiyun’s face darkened as she said, "Are you certain?"
"Certain," Zheng Quan replied, "I found out while inquiring about those master craftsmen who left for Old Master Song’s home. Mr. Han had an intimate female friend in his early years who bore him a son. Old Master Song helped him retrieve his son. Out of gratitude to Song Daliang, Mr. Han decided to provide design patterns for his kiln factory."
How could he know such a private matter?
Song Jiyun raised an eyebrow and said, "Such a coincidence?"
Zheng Quan was confused.
Song Jiyun continued, "Do you remember my father’s funeral, when Mr. Han sent over my father’s painted portrait? Song Daliang received my father’s portrait but was unwilling to pay the fee, and Mr. Han was so angry that he left without even sitting down."
Zheng Quan had a recollection of this event.
Song Jiyun spoke again, "Do you know there was a follow-up to that?"
Zheng Quan recalled, "I remember that Miss Tao chased after him."
As he spoke, his gaze turned icy, "Are you suggesting that it was a trap set by Old Master Song?"
"Not necessarily!" Song Jiyun picked up her tea cup and took a sip of tea, then said, "I think, instead of looking into those master craftsmen one by one who have left for their home, it would be better to keep a close watch on Song Tao and thoroughly investigate her."
She had been too careless before.
She thought as long as Song Tao did not do anything inappropriate, she needed to figure out her intentions quickly to prevent harm to her own family.
Now it seemed that Song Tao had already started her schemes much earlier.
Song Jiyun suddenly felt restless.
Did Song Tao know that her father would die suddenly?
If Song Tao could watch her father die with her own eyes...
With a "thud," Song Jiyun stood up, pacing back and forth impatiently in the room a couple of times before saying to Zheng Quan, "Put everything else aside for now, and find out what the first kiln opening at their factory is preparing to fire."
For the grand opening of a new kiln factory, to showcase its capacity to operate a kiln and to seek safety and auspicious success, it is customary to fire the type of porcelain they are best at as the first kiln.
But if Song Tao really is up to something, that first kiln might also be a smokescreen.
Zheng Quan nodded solemnly.
Song Jiyun reminded him, "Check the raw materials." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
Anything can be faked, but the quantity of raw materials cannot.
"Understood," Zheng Quan assured her, then hesitantly asked, "What about those workers who left the kiln factory?"
"Tell Master Luo, do as should be done," Song Jiyun stated without hesitation, "For those who want to leave early, charge them ten times the breach-of-contract fee as per industry standards. Workers who leave will never be employed by the Song Family Kiln Factory again, and inform other kiln factories."
Unless a kiln factory wants to openly break with them, those workers can only work at Song Daliang’s kiln factory.
She refused to believe that by poaching these people, Song Daliang’s kiln factory could suppress her to the point where she couldn’t retaliate.
"Yes!" Zheng Quan went off to get busy. Meanwhile, the news of Song Daliang digging into the foundation of the Song Family Kiln Factory was making waves; not only did the whole of Liang County know about it, but Madam Qian also heard the rumors.
She quickly sought confirmation from Song Jiyun.
"Yes, this is happening." Song Jiyun had no intention of presenting herself as a shield before her family while those shielded thought that everything was fine and peaceful.
She also didn’t keep it from Song Jiyu and Song Jixue.
Song Jixue, her little face bright red with anger and clenching her fists, said to Song Jiyun, "Don’t let me see Song Tianbao. If I see him once, I’ll hit him once."
Song Jiyun laughed heartily, "What does this have to do with Song Tianbao?"
Song Jixue said with shame, "I can only win against Song Tianbao."
Not to mention Song Jiyun, even Madam Qian and Song Jixue could hardly keep from chuckling.
Song Jiyun patted Song Jixue’s head and said, "It’s about having a sense of caution, to keep away from the main house in the future. There’s no need to go and hit Song Tianbao."
Song Jixue didn’t make a sound.
Madam Qian said anxiously, "Why don’t you just not go to their opening? Let’s sever ties completely."
"Go!" Song Jiyun said indifferently, "Why not? Otherwise, those who like to watch our family’s excitement will think I’m afraid of them."
Madam Qian heaved a sigh.
*
On the day of the opening of Song Daliang’s Kiln Factory, it started to drizzle in the early morning.
The rain, fine as silk, rustled as it fell on the green branches speckled with yellow leaves, and the temperature also dropped along with it.
Madam Qian, surrounded by maids and grannies, took a makeup box to Song Jiyun’s place.
"Even if we lose, we can’t lose in presence," she opened the makeup box, and the shimmering pearl jewelry filled the room with a splendid glow, "These pearl accessories were given to me intermittently by your maternal grandfather. They are all yours now; wear them when you go out."
During the mourning period, she couldn’t wear bright colors, so she especially brought these accessories for her daughter to bolster her appearance.
Song Jiyun didn’t reject her mother’s kindness and gently hugged Madam Qian.
Madam Qian personally helped her dress up and sent her to the sedan chair. Seeing that the new guards picked from Tianzhuang were accompanying her, she couldn’t help asking, "Where is Zheng Quan?"
Song Jiyun smiled, "I’ve sent him on an errand. He will meet me later at Old Master Song’s Kiln Factory."
Madam Qian was finally relieved. She watched Song Jiyun’s sedan chair slowly leave the long street, then turned and went back.
*
In Yinyu Hall, Yuan Yunzhong was having his breakfast.
Hearing from Liu Zi that Song Jiyun had already gone to Song Daliang’s Kiln Factory, he pressed his lips tightly and casually tossed the spoon back into the bowl, asking Shao Qing with a stern expression, "Is the matter with Wan Xiaoquan settled?"
Shao Qing was sipping chicken soup from a clay pot.
The soup was a bit hot, so he fanned his mouth with his hand before saying, "It shouldn’t be, right? When Wan Xiaoquan does things, he likes to beat around the bush. He is not writing the deed release just because he wants to keep the business of Song Family Jade Porcelain in his own hands. The man handling matters for the Song family is someone named Wong Dahai. He probably hasn’t figured out Wan Xiaoquan’s intentions yet, thinking that Wan Xiaoquan just wants to scoop up more silver."
Yuan Yunzhong clenched his hand into a fist on the table, saying in a deep voice, "You didn’t tell Miss Song?"
Shao Qing was startled, "I did tell her!"
He deliberated in the room for a long time before going to see Miss Song. As a result, Miss Song didn’t say much and just hurried out the door.
Song Yuanyun looked at him without saying a word.
Shao Qing felt a sudden jolt in his heart.
The young master had risen early in the morning; could it be that he was waiting for Miss Song?
Feeling that he may have botched things, he hastily changed the subject, "The plan for Wan Xiaoquan to return to the Capital has fallen through."
Yuan Yunzhong glanced at him.
Shao Qing quickly said, "Wan Xiaoquan spent a lot of money and got in touch with Noble Consort Wan’s nephew in the Imperial Guard, Wan Shen, using a batch of sweet white porcelain as a bribe to acknowledge Wan Shen as his godfather. But Wan Shen was so taken by the sweet white porcelain from Miss Song’s family that he asked Wan Xiaoquan to produce more and send it to the Capital, so he could continue working at the Imperial Kiln Factory."
Shao Qing couldn’t help feeling schadenfreude, "Wan Xiaoquan outsmarted himself; he can’t go back now."
"What a mess," said Yuan Yunzhong with an impatient flicker in his brow, "go prepare the sedan chair. We will also go see Song Daliang’s Kiln Factory."
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