Before Song Jiyun had a chance to speak, a servant boy rushed in, saying, "Miss, Shopkeeper Zhou, Old Master Li from the Li Family Kiln Factory has arrived. He says he has urgent matters to discuss with you!"
Song Jiyun and Zhou Zheng exchanged a glance.
Li Zixiu’s kiln factory specialized in crafting blue and white porcelain, which was also what they produced the most.
His visit to Song Jiyun at this time was likely all about negotiating the price drop initiated by Song Tao.
"Would you like to see him?" Zhou Zheng asked, "If you don’t want to, I can send him away!"
Song Jiyun thought for a moment and decided he should meet him.
The two went to the guest hall.
Upon entering, they saw Li Zixiu pacing around the hall like a caged animal.
Upon seeing Song Jiyun and Zhou Zheng, he hurried forward, exclaiming, "Boss Song, you are the only one who can save Jingde Town now!"
He bowed to Song Jiyun.
Haven’t seen for a while, Li Zixiu appeared as if he had aged ten years, his usually crisp clothing was wrinkled, and his well-groomed hair was somewhat disheveled. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept for days.
"You flatter me too much, Old Master Li!" Song Jiyun invited Li Zixiu to sit down on the Taishi Chair in the hall, Zhou Zheng took the tea and snacks served by a little maid, poured a cup of tea for Li Zixiu, and stood behind Song Jiyun, who then continued, "Jingde Town hides many talents, I am merely inheriting my father’s mantle, a younger generation with neither exceptional merit nor ability. You praise me too highly, you really embarrass me by saying so!"
Perhaps out of desperation, Li Zixiu swiftly exchanged pleasantries with Song Jiyun, "You shouldn’t put it that way, if you aren’t worthy, then no one in Jingde Town is!"
Then he began to curse Song Tao, "That young lady, so young yet so ambitious. Relying on her successful Dragon Kiln, she wants to overturn our foundations. Isn’t she afraid of retribution! I always say, what good can come from Song Daliang! She and her father are the same, both so greedily insatiable, always eyeing the bigger pot while eating from their bowl!"
In the process, he ended up cursing Song Daliang too.
Song Jiyun neither agreed nor disagreed and just poured him another cup of tea.
Li Zixiu gulped down his tea, and it seemed to quench the fire in his chest as he said, "What is she thinking? Deciding not to make money, does she want to force all of us who make blue and white porcelain to go starve?"
Zhou Zheng listened and secretly scoffed.
It wouldn’t be their turn to starve!
Song Jiyun also just smiled and said, "It shouldn’t come to that. Their family can’t be reducing prices all year round! It must be because the New Year is approaching, and Liangyu, being a new kiln factory this year, wants to break into the market quickly."
Listening to this, the anger in Li Zixiu seemed to reignite. He suddenly stood up, pacing back and forth in the hall, angrily saying, "I thought the same. I even went to see her specifically. But do you know what she said? She said the kiln factory belongs to the Hong Family, and she can’t make decisions or take charge. She told me to go find Old Grand Master Hong if I had any issues!"
Song Jiyun was somewhat taken aback.
In her impression, Song Tao was not a very smooth operator.
But her recent actions, taking advantage of the situation, leading trouble elsewhere, were completely different from before.
"I’m annoyed by her treating me like an idiot, prattling non-stop," said Li Zixiu, "She said she can’t make decisions or take charge, right? I simply went to see Old Grand Master Hong."
The outcome was probably not very good either.
Song Jiyun took a sip of tea.
"He really has some nerve, brushed it off completely!" Li Zixiu cursed Old Grand Master Hong as "Black Crow Man" and said, "He claims that the Kiln Factory is now managed by Song Tao, so naturally Song Tao has the final say. He also said that in business, each family has its own way of doing things. One cannot forbid others from conducting their business just because their business is doing better than one’s own. That would be no different from forcing a sale!"
He spat out in disdain and sat back down in the Taishi Chair.
"Boss Song, you are our Jingde Town’s—" he raised his thumb to Song Jiyun and pleaded, "You must save us, the people of Jingde Town who make blue and white porcelain!"
He fanned the flames further, "What is Song Tao thinking? Just because she fires a Dragon Kiln picking up your ideas, she thinks she’s the golden phoenix resting atop the parasol tree. If you don’t teach her a lesson, she won’t realize how many eyes Prince has, she would think she’s unrivaled in Jingde Town!"
Song Jiyun glanced at him.
Realizing his words were overly exaggerated, Li Zixiu gave a forced laugh, and again picked up the Tea Cup to take a big gulp, only to choke and start coughing violently.
Zhou Zheng quickly handed him a handkerchief.
Clutching the handkerchief, Li Zixiu put on a pitiful act, "Boss Song, you have no idea. I have some family estate, so even if this year’s business is bad, I can still get by. But you should see, those small workshops and small shops, each one is tormented by the Liangyu Kiln Factory to the point of death. I fear if this keeps up, someone will be driven to jump into the river! It could lead to disaster!"
Everyone relies on their craft to make a living. If the workshops can’t continue, they will just go work for someone else.
While it’s not worth jumping into the river, one fears the worst.
However, with Li Zixiu putting it so strongly, Song Jiyun was somewhat reluctant.
She picked up her Tea Cup, blew on the tea leaves floating on top of the lid bowl, and sipped her tea slowly, smiling, "Speaking like that, I wouldn’t dare take over—even if someone does get desperate and jumps into the river, wouldn’t that be my fault!"
Li Zixiu instantly broke out in a sweat and hurriedly said, "Look at me, I got confused by my anger, and didn’t think before speaking. I’m just too worried, I beseech you, Boss Song, to be magnanimous and overlook my foolish words."
Faced with a situation more powerful than himself, what else could he do but bow his head?
Song Jiyun was very courteous and said, "Nonetheless, you do have a point. But this probably isn’t just the concern of one or two families. I reckon this matter needs to be discussed with Chairman Ma, to see what the respected elders think."
Li Zixiu obviously wanted Song Jiyun to take action.
Song Jiyun, however, insisted on involving Chairman Ma.
As the two were speaking back and forth, Chairman Ma and Boss Yan came to visit Song Jiyun.
They also came concerning the Song Tao Kiln Factory’s price reduction.
Seeing Li Zixiu there, the two men were quite surprised. Once they understood Li Zixiu’s purpose, both Chairman Ma and Old Master Yan seemed very pleased.
As the group settled into their places, Chairman Ma didn’t mince his words, "Currently in Jingde Town, if anyone can hold Song Tao in check, it would be Boss Song. My take is, we cannot reduce prices; otherwise, any family that wants to lead will cut prices, spoiling the rules. Then, why would we need a trade association at all?"
Old Master Yan added, "Boss Song and Old Master Li, your kiln factories are among the top in Jingde Town, and along with the Yan Family Kiln Factory, we produce nearly half of Jingde Town’s blue and white porcelain. As long as our three families pledge never to lower our prices and unite with other kiln factories and workshops, all working together, who would dare sell raw materials to the Liangyu Porcelain Factory, we too would avoid procuring raw materials from them."
He angrily said, "I refuse to believe that those raw material merchants would offend us all just for the Liangyu Porcelain Factory. Without raw materials, the issue of Liangyu Porcelain Factory lowering their prices would fail by itself!"
Listening to the two, they seemed worried that Song Jiyun might be unwilling to join them in a united front against the Liangyu Porcelain Factory.
After all, the Liangyu Kiln Factory could fire a Dragon Kiln thanks to the Song Family Kiln Factory, and if the Liangyu Kiln Factory can afford to reduce prices, the Song Family Kiln Factory can reduce them even further.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
