Song Jiyun’s words were like a ladle of cold water, dousing the enthusiasm of those present.
But since she could talk about burning only high-grade porcelain in the future, she must have calculations in mind.
"Owner," Zhou Zheng’s eyes were shining as he looked at her, "we’ll definitely follow you no matter what. Wherever you point us, we’ll strike, without any hesitation."
"That’s it!" At this moment, Song Jiyun indeed needed such fighting spirit. She responded heartily, glanced over the crowd, and seeing everyone looking eagerly at her, she then said with a smile, "Since Eunuch Wan only lets us burn six thousand pieces of blue and white porcelain and two thousand pieces of other porcelain each year, we’ll do just as he says.
"And not only will we do as he says, but we will also make it so he can’t criticize us."
She shared her plan with Zhou Zheng and the others: "Let’s not discuss the blue and white porcelain for now. For the two thousand quota, I plan to use it all to burn Buddhist statues."
Zhou Zheng and the others looked at each other in shock, and for a long while, no one spoke.
It was Luo Zixing who finally broke the silence, tentatively asking, "Miss, do you mean that we won’t be burning sacrificial porcelain for the Imperial Kiln Factory anymore?"
You see, the reputation that the Song Family Kiln Factory has today is entirely because they have been burning Imperial Porcelain for the Imperial Kiln Factory every year for over a decade. If they give up burning Imperial Porcelain for the Imperial Kiln Factory, not only will the reputation of the kiln be damaged, but there will also surely be rivals like Li Zixiu, who have long eyed their kiln eagerly, waiting to kick them when they’re down, spreading rumors that they did not receive orders from the Imperial Kiln Factory this year because their kiln’s technology is subpar. This would also affect the kiln factory’s other business dealings.
"We don’t have the quota anyway!" Song Jiyun chuckled without concern and shrugged her shoulders. "Between two evils, choose the lesser. The kiln factory still has so many people depending on it for their livelihoods, I can’t ignore the life and death of our master craftsmen, apprentices, and kiln workers just for the sake of reputation!"
She was hinting that if you want us to burn the sweet white porcelain for your religious ceremonies, you’ll have to give us extra quota, slightly smug with the skill her factory possessed.
But would Eunuch Wan be convinced by this?
Luo Zixing and others were doubtful.
Zhou Zheng, however, had complete faith in Song Jiyun.
He believed that what others might not be able to do, Song Jiyun would surely accomplish.
He didn’t dwell on the issue of burning porcelain for the Imperial Kiln Factory any longer but instead asked Song Jiyun for further instruction: "What about the six thousand pieces of blue and white porcelain we are to burn? The meter-high Plum Vases sell the best as every household wants a pair to display in their Main Hall; then there are the Flower Jars, which the northern nobles like to keep in their courtyards for goldfish; the basin-sized Offering Plates will depend on the pattern."
With a flash of inspiration, he consulted her: "What do you think about burning the Buddhist Eight Treasures or the Guanyin statue of a thousand hands? Those who can’t afford the statues could buy an Offering Plate instead!"
Song Jiyun thought that Zhou Zheng’s idea was not bad, and the two of them started to discuss what types of Offering Plates they should burn.
Luo Zixing and Xiang Yang, however, said nothing.
This decision meant they would no longer be burning Overglaze Enamel.
Giving up such a profitable business just like that felt regrettable no matter how one thought about it! 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
But Song Jiyun’s arrangement also made sense.
Whether it’s Plum Vases or Offering Plates, as long as they can produce an identical pair, they can be sold for an astronomical price.
The two sighed internally, trying hard to shift their mood, and started to join in the discussion with Song Jiyun and Zhou Zheng: "We’ll need to readjust the people in the kiln factory. We’ll need to increase manpower for the Buddhist statue side and also for the light drawing, dividing of colors, and glazing processes on the blue and white side."
Song Jiyun agreed, but she estimated the kiln factory probably wouldn’t need so many hands anymore.
"But we have to try to keep everyone," she pondered, "Training a master craftsman is not easy, it’s not an exaggeration to say that it takes ten years to forge a sword."
Everyone understood the rationale, but once the kiln factory had less work, even if these master craftsmen were willing to be retained, their skills would decline with disuse, never returning to their previous condition. The higher the level of master craftsman, the less willing they would be to waste away the days like this.
Song Jiyun suggested with a smile: "We can have these masters take apprentices, start classes, find things to keep them busy. And the fewer tasks we have, the fewer positions there will be, thus greater competition. As long as we guide them well, perhaps a bad situation can be turned into a good one."
If this had happened today, Luo Zixing and the others would have immediately understood that she intended to start an inward spiral of competition among the kiln’s masters, apprentices, and workers.
Unfortunately, Luo Zixing and the others didn’t know this, they just thought it was a pretty good idea and started to discuss this matter eagerly.
On the day when the first kiln after Eunuch Wan allotted the porcelain firing quotas to Song Jiyun was opened, it happened to be the bidding day at the Imperial Kiln Factory.
Song Tao waited, left and right, but saw no sign of Song Jiyun.
She forcefully restrained herself from looking all around when Li Zixiu, who sat by her side, could not.
He secretly slipped a few pieces of silver to the servant boy serving in the hall and quietly asked, "Why have I not seen Boss Song of the Song Family Kiln Factory?"
He had heard that a few days ago Old Master Yan and Old Master Wu and a few others had gone to visit Song Jiyun, hoping to continue to collaborate with her on porcelain making just like before, but nonetheless, they were rejected by Song Jiyun.
He always felt that Song Jiyun was not the type to simply resign herself to fate, and wondered what she was really up to.
The servant boy told him in a soft voice, "Boss Song has not yet arrived!"
Li Zixiu nodded his head, noticing Song Tao walking in with Song Ren.
"Boss Li!" Song Tao greeted him proactively, "Did you come alone?"
Anyone with eyes could see that the mess that day was stirred up by Song Tao and Eunuch Wan, and while Li Zixiu didn’t think much of her, he didn’t want to offend her either, so he exchanged a few lukewarm pleasantries. Then, amidst the crowd’s flattery, Eunuch Wan made his entrance.
His eyes immediately landed on the Taishi Chair meant for Song Jiyun, and instantly his complexion worsened. Once he took his place at the head seat, he said with underlying intent, "Being late to such an important event shows a lack of concern for the matter. I think we should just exclude them from this bidding round."
Everyone bowed their heads, remaining silent.
You could hear a pin drop in the open hall.
Eunuch Wan’s face grew even darker.
A servant boy rushed in and announced, "My lord, the auspicious time has arrived!"
Song Jiyun still had not appeared.
Eunuch Wan’s expression turned increasingly unsettled as he sat in the Taishi Chair without uttering a word.
Time slowly ticked by, quarter-hour by quarter-hour!
By this time in past years, everyone would have already submitted their bids, and the Registrar charged with overseeing the bidding began to call out the bids from each kiln factory.
People below continuously exchanged a variety of glances.
Eunuch Wan’s veins throbbed on his forehead; his gaze was chilly as he said in a deep tone, "Begin the roll call!"
When Song Jiyun arrived later, he would make her understand the consequences of offending him!
The Registrar hurriedly called out loudly, "There are a total of ten participants in this bidding, among them is Liangyu Kiln Factory, a new addition..."
Not until he finished calling all the names, read all the bids, and confirmed the three successful kiln factories, did Song Jiyun appear.
Only then did the people present realize, almost as an afterthought, that Song Jiyun did not participate in today’s bidding at the Imperial Kiln Factory!!!
How could this be?
Is Boss Song really that defiant? To dare to outright defy Eunuch Wan and tear their relationship asunder?
The eyes of everyone present brightened a little; they all stealthily watched Eunuch Wan.
Eunuch Wan clearly had not anticipated this at all.
With shock written all over his face, he sat in the Taishi Chair, dumbfounded.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
