In the following days, Song Daliang’s kiln factory produced another batch of kilns. They still made blue and white porcelain. It was slightly better than the last batch; over three thousand clay blanks yielded only a couple of dozen pieces.
Zheng Quan received the news and made a point to tell Song Jiyun, also saying, "Everyone is discussing in private. Without an ace up one’s sleeve, who would dare to operate a kiln factory? But with Song Daliang, it’s not just a matter of having an ace up his sleeve, I’m afraid he lacks even basic skills. The ruffians in Jingde Town think even less of him, considering him an easy mark, and are scheming on how to swindle some silver from him!"
Song Jiyun was sitting under the warm autumn sun, designing the blue patterns on the tea set for Yuan Yunzhong.
She put down her brush, stretched her neck, and said with indifference, "If he were reliable, how could he have squandered the old grandfather’s fortune years ago? It’s only the old lady who still believes in him, thinking his downfall is due to bad luck, and wants him to continue my father’s business."
Zheng Quan refrained from commenting on the Song Family’s affairs. He glanced at the neatly arranged, dusty clay blanks on the table and said, "Didn’t you say you were making a set of tea ware? Why do you also need to make lidded bowls?"
Song Jiyun sat back down and replied, "They say, for brewing tea, besides the pot, one needs cups and lidded bowls. Not to mention there are different varieties of cups like the bell cup, the begonia cup, the horse hoof cup, and the chicken cup."
According to him, she would need to make sixty or seventy pieces in total.
Considering the potential losses to firing failures, it would certainly require around a hundred pieces.
She suspected that he wasn’t just interested in making tea ware, but in making things difficult for her.
Zheng Quan asked, "Does he want a single pattern for all?"
"Yes!" Song Jiyun replied listlessly.
How else would it feel boring?
Repeating the same pattern over three hundred times, even the most beautiful design would become detestable!!
However, Song Jiyun wasn’t just going to stand there and take it passively.
She planned to be lazy.
One drawing a day!
If he could wait, he would; if he couldn’t, then they would make as many as they had and no more!
What could Yuan Yunzhong do to her anyway?
Song Jiyun "humph" twice, and asked the serving maid beside her, "Do you know what Young Master Yuan is doing now?"
Previously, she had been reluctant to enquire about Yuan Yunzhong’s whereabouts, to avoid getting too entangled the more she knew. But as they became more familiar, she occasionally asked about what Yuan Yunzhong was doing at home.
The maid smiled with pursed lips and said, "Young Master Yuan and Young Master Shao are fishing by the lake."
So while she was struggling here, he was relaxing nearby.
Suddenly, Song Jiyun didn’t feel like drawing anymore.
Seeing this, Zheng Quan scratched his head and finally managed to say, "Fortunately, Young Master Yuan’s painting is just a few strokes."
Song Jiyun couldn’t help but laugh.
A servant boy came running in to report, "Registrar Wang has sent someone, saying there’s an urgent matter to see you."
Song Jiyun changed and went to the hall.
The messenger was an attendant from Registrar Wang’s side, well known around Liang County.
As he requested, they went to the warm pavilion next to the hall to talk.
"Miss Song, you must also have heard about the smuggling case of Prince Ning that’s causing quite a stir, right?" Even though there was no one else in the warm pavilion, he lowered his voice as if afraid of being overheard, "Our lord has received very accurate information, saying that the porcelain smuggled by Prince Ning had definitely been sourced from Jingde Town. In order to find out exactly from whose household it came, the Inspector General and the Inspector are going to search all the kiln factories in Jingde Town."
Song Jiyun frowned.
"Our lord thinks, no matter which household had the misfortune of doing this dirty work for Prince Ning, if they started searching, it’s feared that everyone would be caught up in the misfortune!" the attendant said in an even lower voice, "Our lord wants to gather a few of the influential business owners from Jingde Town to discuss what measures to take."
Song Jiyun felt this plan was hardly reliable. With a crisis at hand, few were willing to disregard their own safety to save others.
If the Jiangxi Inspector and the Jiangxi Inspector really intended to use this opportunity to stir up trouble, with Wang Zhubo’s status and position, he truly couldn’t protect anyone.
Even Magistrate Jiang, in eight or nine cases out of ten, would not have such power.
However, it was still a good thing that everyone could unite. She ought to participate.
Song Jiyun didn’t hesitate and said, "I await Lord Wang’s orders."
Upon hearing this, the attendant’s expression immediately relaxed, and he smiled, "Then this humble one will await Miss Song’s illustrious visit at West Ridge Villa."
Song Jiyun was somewhat surprised.
West Ridge Villa was also a renowned place in Liang County. It was built beside Xiang Lake and covered more than forty acres. It was a property of the governmental authorities, specifically used for hosting visiting officials. Not only was the scenery beautiful and the food exquisite, but the servant boys there were also more clever than elsewhere. The local wealthy gentry and scholars, for the sake of their reputation, would always find ways to host guests at West Ridge Villa, frequently seeking Wang Zhubo’s assistance.
But there was one disadvantage to it.
Xiang Lake was in the Eastern Suburb, more than twenty miles away from Liang County City.
She thought of Yuan Yunzhong’s carriage, smiled in agreement, and dismissed the attendant.
Turning around, however, she saw Yuan Yunzhong sitting in the Taishi Chair she had been in earlier, curiously fiddling with the paintbrushes and clay models on the table.
Upon seeing Song Jiyun enter, he looked up and said, "Did someone from the County Yamen come?"
The sunlight shone on his sapphire Iris Pattern brocade robe, setting off his pale face which seemed to glow like jade.
Song Jiyun was startled, not knowing if it was because of his striking appearance or because he had received the news so quickly.
"Someone from Registrar Wang’s entourage." Since he already knew, she had no intention of hiding it, and besides, such news was traditionally kept from higher-ups, not subordinates; even if she wanted to hide it, she couldn’t. But as for why he came, she definitely wouldn’t readily divulge that.
Yuan Yunzhong didn’t press further but pointed at two sweet white porcelain small dishes smeared with gray paint, saying, "Didn’t you say you wanted to try painting two Alum-Red tea cups? Why do all these paints look alike?"
"Before being fired, the paints naturally all look similar!" Song Jiyun sat on the Taishi Chair across from him.
Yuan Yunzhong carefully examined the two small dishes of paint and said, "Then isn’t it impossible for an outsider to distinguish between them?"
Song Jiyun, with a smile, said, "Not to mention outsiders, even ordinary apprentices who have just started learning the craft can’t tell them apart."
Hearing this, Yuan Yunzhong grew interested, uttered an "Oh," and asked, "Which dish contains Cobalt Blue? Which one is Alum-Red?"
Then he gave Song Jiyun a sideways glance and said, "I could help you paint a few when I’m free!"
He looked rather disdainful.
Upon seeing this, Song Jiyun’s eyes curved into a smile, "But painting designs on porcelain isn’t that simple. It’s all gray on the clay model. But the paint needs to vary in depth to produce beautiful designs when fired."
Yuan Yunzhong glanced at her, dipped his brush in paint, and quickly sketched a Maitreya Buddha.
After finishing, he glanced again, as if to say, "See, is it that hard?"
Song Jiyun secretly raised an eyebrow, "Don’t you want to leave a signature on the clay model? This is your design, after all!"
Yuan Yunzhong said nothing and concentrated on painting the Maitreya Buddha.
His lush, straight lashes hung down, like clusters of pine needles.
Stunning! Just too proud.
Song Jiyun silently lamented in her heart.
Yet she heard Yuan Yunzhong softly "Hmm" in agreement.
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