The deed was just a piece of paper, seven or eight lines long, but Song Daliang held it in his hands, checking the front and then the back, repeatedly, until Song Tao began to suspect he was having second thoughts. Finally, he said, "My five thousand taels of silver and the monthly tribute you give me also need to be clearly written down. We need to make a deed for this!"
Song Tao thought for a moment, but agreed to it.
Song Daliang personally wrote the deed, and then signed his name on three copies of the deed and pressed his bright red handprint.
Song Tao took the deeds and carefully checked them. Seeing no errors, she handed over the deed concerning the sale of the Kiln Factory to the Protector of the Hong Family and said, "Take this to the Grand Steward to transfer the ownership at the County Yamen."
The Protector of the Hong Family agreed.
However, Song Daliang stopped the Protector, "Hold on! Shouldn’t my five thousand taels and the tribute silver also be stamped in the yamen?"
Song Tao smiled and said, "Dad, the hundred taels of silver tribute each month is a private matter between us; how could we involve someone from the Hong Family in this? Besides, with this deed in hand, what is there to fear? It’s not even worth discussing going to the yamen — if I ever dared not to give it, stranger’s spit alone would be enough to drown me. How would I face anyone after that?"
"Good that you know!" Song Daliang said proudly, intent on going with the Protector to transfer the deed, "Money in hand, property transferred."
Song Tao couldn’t help laughing and said, "Dad, you’re a prominent figure in Liang County; why behave like those petty families? The Hong Family has vast assets, just a tiny fraction of which would suffice for us for years. They bought our Kiln Factory — why would they fail to pay the silver?"
Song Daliang did not feel reassured without seeing the silver.
Song Tao shook her head and had the Protector call another Protector.
"Dad!" She said with a sheepish look, "They also did their homework on our family. Old Grand Master Hong specifically instructed that the silver will only be given after the transfer at the yamen is complete. Therefore, your five thousand silver notes are with the other Protector. Once the transfer is done here, the silver will be given, and I will take over the Kiln Factory.
"The peak season for porcelain is just around the corner, and merchants from all over are coming to Jingde Town to stock up. If we miss this busy season, we’ll have to wait till next year. Even as wealthy as the Hong Family is, they wouldn’t want to miss out on a good business opportunity."
"Don’t blame the Hong Family for not trusting us," she added.
Song Daliang had dealt dishonestly when he was penniless and his credit in Jingde Town was not very good. That was why, after several failed kiln firings, he had no silver to continue — people were reluctant to sell goods on credit to him, not to mention lending him silver.
He coughed a few times and did not insist any further.
One of the Protectors of the Hong Family went with the Grand Steward to transfer the ownership, while the other Protector stayed by Song Tao’s side.
Song Tao called a young apprentice over and quietly gave him a few instructions.
Song Daliang couldn’t help but look at her questioningly and asked, "What are you doing?"
She seemed afraid she might push him out to vent the frustration of those kiln worker apprentices.
Song Tao smiled and said, "I asked him to go out and tell everyone to go see the accountant and tally up the wages owed these past days. This way, they won’t just hang around here gossiping and spouting nonsense."
"That should have been done long ago!" Song Daliang was very satisfied with her decision and started talking about the Kiln Factory, "After all, you are young and inexperienced. Those people who abandoned their former owners and masters to come work for us are not exactly the loyal type. You don’t need to be courteous with them..."
Song Tao listened with a smile.
A young apprentice brought in a brazier.
Song Daliang puzzled, "Isn’t it too warm for a brazier? What do you need a brazier for?"
Song Tao smiled silently, waiting for the young apprentice to leave. She then picked up the deed that pledged One Hundred Taels of silver to Song Daliang each month and calmly lit it on fire.
"What are you doing?" Song Daliang, panic-stricken, lunged to take back the deed, but was intercepted by the protector of the Hong Family.
"What am I doing?" Song Tao raised her eyebrows as the flames quickly engulfed the paper.
She spoke lightly, "What do you think I am doing? Do you think my One Hundred Taels of silver are that easy to obtain?"
The deed turned into a lump of ash and fell among the glowing charcoals.
Song Daliang, not bothering to argue with her, tried to seize another deed, written for Five Thousand Taels of silver.
Song Tao raised her hand.
The deed was held aloft in the air by her.
Song Daliang, however, was firmly blocked by the protector of the Hong Family several steps away.
He stood on tiptoe, desperately reaching for the deed, "It’s mine, it’s mine. Whether the silver falls into my hands or not, the Silver House knows the base amount, and the Governmental authorities can find out."
The corner of the deed slipped through his fingers, making him even more anxious, "Don’t think that just burning the deed will do. Don’t forget, you publicly promised to give me One Hundred Taels of silver each month. If you dare not pay, don’t expect your kiln factory to operate."
Song Tao sneered, slowly burning a corner of the Five Thousand Taels deed.
"You think everyone is as foolish as you." She slowly watched the flames spread over the paper, devouring each character, "Did you even carefully read the deed for buying the kiln factory? The Five Thousand Taels was indeed for buying the kiln factory, but it didn’t specify that the old debts of the kiln factory would be assumed by the new owner. Isn’t it customary in the industry that the person who owns the debt pays it?"
Indeed, it was a customary practice. Additionally, if the old owner doesn’t assume the debt, it needs to be clearly stated. On the other hand, if the old owner assumes the debt, nothing needs to be written.
Song Daliang was immediately drenched in sweat.
"You ungrateful wretch!" He jumped up, not to grab the deed this time, but to strike Song Tao, "You’re disobedient to your parents, unfilial and insubordinate. I’m going to let everyone know what kind of person you are!"
Song Tao tossed the deed, now turned to ash, into the fire basin and instructed the protector of the Hong Family, "Please throw him out."
The protector of the Hong Family hesitated for a moment.
Song Tao said with a smile, "He wants to let everyone know what kind of person I am, right? Let him talk. I’d like to see what people will really think of me!"
After a brief pause, the protector of the Hong Family finally threw Song Daliang out the door.
Under the trellis outside the accountant office, where kiln workers were lining up to settle their wages, they heard the commotion, and hundreds of eyes turned to look.
Song Daliang, pointing at the accountant office and jumping, cursed, "You who are without parents, I thought I wouldn’t dare to expose your sordid affairs..."
But he had only scolded briefly when Song Tao, with an apologetic face, emerged from the accountant office and addressed the queued crowd, "I’m sorry, the kiln factory sold for Five Thousand Taels of silver, and we need to settle your wages and some payments for material goods first. We can’t let my father take it all..."
The crowd, without waiting for her to finish, already began to uproar, "Whoever dares to take the money from the kiln factory sale, I’ll fight them to the end!"
Several who couldn’t hold their peace immediately rushed over, hauling Song Daliang toward the accountant office, "Old Master Song, you should wait for the Hong Family and Miss Third to manage the kiln factory before you leave!"
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