Song Jiyun nodded with satisfaction after having swayed the people at Prince Huai’s mansion with the right approach.
Prince Huai’s Mansion had always ordered porcelain from the Li Family Kiln Factory. Losing their business did not significantly impact their finances, but it greatly affected their reputation.
She and Zheng Quan stood on a hillside shaded by lush trees, where not far away, workers were busily building a dragon kiln.
"Li Zixiu won’t let this go," said Zheng Quan.
"I’m afraid he’ll let it go," Song Jiyun sneered inwardly. She said to Zheng Quan, "You go to Shangrao right now and finalize the order with Mr. Zheng."
Mr. Zheng was the master craftsman in charge of painting at their kiln factory.
Artisans bustled past them from time to time.
Song Jiyun gestured for the two of them to talk at the workers’ shed at the bottom of the hill.
Zheng Quan complied, protecting Song Jiyun as they made their way downhill, and said, "When will the dragon kiln be fired? Should we have He Dazhi and the others keep a watchful eye?"
With Xiang Ye and Xiang Cao guarding Song Jiyun, he could also take a breather.
Song Jiyun knew he was worried about Li Zixiu. She laughed and said, "He’s not that foolish. Not to mention whether this dragon kiln can be successfully fired, even if it is, this isn’t just our affair."
The people of Jingde Town were currently watching with interest; half believed Song Jiyun could successfully fire the dragon kiln, while the other half thought that she, having recently made a fortune, had become arrogant and was acting recklessly.
Some kiln owners were willing to bet on Song Jiyun’s success and, having used many connections, came to her, wanting to use her dragon kiln to fire a few pieces of porcelain.
Song Jiyun agreed to all of them.
However, the labor charge was not cheap.
"When the kiln will be fired depends on when the Changjiang Gang finishes building it," Song Jiyun said, stepping aside to let a worker with a wheelbarrow pass by, "Half of Jingde Town’s Changjiang masters are here at this kiln factory. If they can’t build it well, the signboard smashed won’t be just ours."
She semi-jokingly said this, nodded in gratitude to the little worker who nodded in thanks to her, and continued down the hillside.
*
Back in Liang County, Li Zixiu was fretting over the loss of Prince Huai’s Mansion order when he heard that Song Jiyun was about to fire a dragon kiln.
He sneered repeatedly, "Hasn’t even learned to walk yet and wants to run; don’t fall and be unable to get up."
The Grand Steward who returned with him from Shangrao didn’t dare say a word.
Prince Huai’s Mansion used to allow other kiln factories to help fire their porcelain, but the main production was still trusted to the Li Family Kiln Factory. This time they went to Prince Huai’s Mansion, the Chief Historian was quite cold to them, and the chief steward refused to even meet them.
There was no room for negotiation regarding the order.
They would not be able to secure the orders for at least the next year.
"I knew it; Song Youliang frequently sent porcelain for Prince Huai’s Grand Steward to admire, and he didn’t have good intentions," Li Zixiu said through clenched teeth, "Now that the old man’s gone, a new one’s here. He really thinks Prince Huai’s Mansion’s patronage is so easy to retain!"
But no sooner had he finished speaking than the doorkeeper, an old servant, came in with an embarrassed expression, reporting, "Master, that, Old Master Wang has arrived. He says if you don’t come out to see him, he’ll hang himself at our front door, letting all of Jingde Town know that you paid him to switch glazes for the Song Family Kiln Factory, and now he’s taking the fall for you..."
Li Zixiu was furious and said, "Let him die if he wants to die."
He also instructed the Grand Steward, "Go, send him a belt!"
The Grand Steward knew he was furious and signaled to the gatekeeper with his eyes, then persuasively said in a gentler voice, "Owner, calm down. Old Master Wang is now desperate, grasping at straws. There’s no need to stoop to his level. Making more of a scene out of this, in the end, involves a human life; it is not worth getting involved with the Yamen over such a person."
Li Zixiu was taken aback and asked, "What’s happened?"
These past few days, all he worried about was how to win back the order from Prince Huai’s Mansion.
The Grand Steward relayed the situation with the Yan Ji Glaze Shop to Li Zixiu, "Business is getting worse by the day. Even if they go to their shop to buy glaze, they demand a deposit in advance, and full payment only after the porcelain is fired. They’ve reduced their prices very low. The shop is either operating at a loss or has to tie up a significant amount of capital. All business has gone to the Xing Family now. Old Master Wang has gone mad: everywhere he goes he blames you! He is demanding you compensate him with ninety thousand taels of silver!"
"This is serious, why didn’t you tell me sooner?" Li Zixiu exploded upon hearing this, then regained his composure and said, "Since when do I owe him ninety thousand taels of silver?"
Even if a compensation were due, only eighty thousand taels would suffice.
The Grand Steward inwardly criticized but thought, I told you about it as soon as you came back, but you didn’t seem to care, hearing as if you hadn’t heard—what could I do?
But his words had to remain diplomatic, so he patiently said, "Shall we invite Old Master Wang in for a discussion? The crowd outside enjoying the commotion is ultimately damaging to your reputation."
"Let him in!" Li Zixiu said, feeling as if he had swallowed a fly, begrudgingly allowing Old Master Wang to come in for a talk.
Old Master Wang came running in, looking haggard and disheveled – a picture of wretchedness.
"Compensate me!" he demanded, grabbing Li Zixiu’s robe, "You’ve ruined our family’s century-old foundation, leaving us with nothing! A barefoot man is not afraid of one with shoes. If you don’t compensate me, I will die right before your eyes!"
Li Zixiu struggled to break free from Boss Wang, cursing, "Are you a woman? Threatening death at every turn!" He continued, "Was it I who ruined you? Didn’t you agree quite happily at the time? Now that there’s trouble, you’re just throwing all the blame on me! What business doesn’t come with risks? There’s no such thing as only gaining without losing!"
Old Master Wang trembled with anger upon hearing this and insisted on going to the authorities, threatening that if Li Zixiu did not repay him the ninety thousand taels, he would rather die alongside Li Zixiu.
Li Zixiu was frantic over the situation with Prince Huai’s Mansion and had no patience to deal with him. Seeing Wang’s scoundrel behavior, he felt helpless. But there was no way he was going to compensate Old Master Wang with ninety thousand taels.
He tried reasoning with Old Master Wang, but the latter stubbornly fixated on the ninety thousand taels agreed upon that morning and would not budge.
It was the Grand Steward who couldn’t stand watching any longer and pulled Li Zixiu aside, "Right now, dealing with Prince Huai’s Mansion is the top priority. If you have time to squabble over this nonsense with him, you’re going to lose far more than just ten thousand taels."
Li Zixiu felt there was sense in these words, but the thought of parting with ninety thousand taels still pained him.
He negotiated with Old Master Wang, "You know I just came back from Shangrao, and I couldn’t avoid spending on bribes there. Right now, I truly don’t have ninety thousand taels on hand. What about this? I give you twenty thousand taels now, and in two months, I’ll pay you the remaining amount."
Old Master Wang walked away with the twenty thousand taels.
But the very next day, he returned, "I don’t trust you. If you don’t give me the remaining seventy thousand taels now, I’ll take you to see the official."
He also said, smugly, "You claim you don’t owe me money, right? Then why did you give me twenty thousand taels?"
Li Zixiu was struck dumb by his shamelessness.
Old Master Wang seemed to have found a method to deal with Li Zixiu, following him every day, wherever Li Zixiu went.
Seeing this was no solution, Li Zixiu reluctantly steeled himself, clenched his teeth, and paid him the remaining seventy thousand taels.
Old Master Wang settled down, but Madam Wang still maligned Li Zixiu all over town, "He’s the very root of a family’s ruin! If our master hadn’t been so indecisive, so easily swayed by others’ words, listening to him, how could our family have ended up in such a state?"
The whole of Jingde Town was abuzz discussing Li Zixiu.
Unsatisfied with just that, she went to find Song Jiyun, wanting to talk to him about Li Zixiu.
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