The exterior of the Stone Slab House was quite simple and looked like a place for storing gardening tools, yet it was a small workshop specifically built by Song Youliang to coax Jiyun into learning pottery when she was a child, tailored to her requirements.
Jiyun looked at the coal piled against the wall and scoffed in her mind.
Using firewood to fire a kiln, in one night’s time, let alone porcelain made from kaolin clay, even pottery made from clay couldn’t possibly be produced.
However, she had come from a later era and knew that coal could also be used to fire kilns, and it heated up quickly and required less time.
She found a sagger of the right size from the shelf, placed Yuan Yunzhong’s cup inside, then built a small egg-shaped kiln with the red bricks inside the Stone Slab House, and began firing the kiln with coal.
Of course, it was impossible for his cup to turn into porcelain, but it could be fired halfway—to become a bisque body.
Its water permeability wasn’t very good, nor was it quite stable, and it was uncertain whether it could be used at all, but what did that have to do with her?
Who was it that had only given her one night to work?
All Jiyun needed to watch out for was not letting the temperature drop too low, preventing the clay from forming a body.
In the glowing red firelight, Jiyun kept watch all night, sweating layer after layer, and by the time the sky was tinged with blue, she felt she smelled as if she had rolled in a pickling vat and soaked overnight, a "sourly refreshing" scent.
Jiyun hurried back, tidied herself up well, and had Xiang Zhan take a few maidservants to the Stone Slab House to open the kiln and retrieve the twisted, dog-bitten-looking bisque hand-pressed cup.
On a closer look, it actually had quite an artistic feel. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
If another layer of glaze could be fired, it would be rather interesting.
She would like to see what reasons Yuan Yunzhong could possibly find to remain unhappy when he got this cup.
Jiyun was extremely pleased and sent for Nanny Zheng.
Nanny Zheng had barely slept all night and now had dark circles under her eyes.
She was followed by five or six maidservants, some carrying bundles, others carrying food boxes.
"Everything has been prepared as you instructed," she said, hesitating before opening one of the bundles and taking out a piece of men’s clothing, "I just worry that Young Master Yuan might not care for it."
Upon seeing it, Jiyun burst out laughing.
It was a persian blue brocade robe with gold and silver iris patterns and floral clusters in bright red sheer fabric.
Leaving aside how vibrantly dazzling the red was, the persian blue brocade with gold and silver iris floral clusters would intermittently flash gold and silver under the inadequately lit room, allowing one to imagine just how dazzling it would be under the sunlight when worn.
Nanny Zheng explained: "It just so happened that Young Master Hong from the family at the end of the street was preparing for his capping ceremony in September and specially ordered a batch of fabric from Suzhou and Hangzhou, making these garments. After much persuasion and at five times the price, the tailor agreed to keep it from the Hong family and prioritize us instead."
Looking inside the bundle, besides that bright red robe, there were several other extremely vibrant clothes in Suzhou plum color, purple reed color, and persimmon red color.
If worn by Yuan Yunzhong... it would definitely be interesting.
But given Yuan Yunzhong’s stature, Young Master Hong must also be a rather tall person to wear the same size clothes.
Jiyun waved broadly, "Make sure you remember to send a proper congratulatory gift to Young Master Hong during his capping ceremony."
After all, without Young Master Hong’s capping ceremony, this pile of clothes wouldn’t have been possible.
Nanny Zheng sighed in relief and smiled in agreement.
Zheng Quan also hurried back, reporting that everything was taken care of.
Jiyun relaxed, found a navy blue brocade box to place the cup in, and went to Yinyu Hall.
Yuan Yunzhong was not there.
Jiyun raised an eyebrow.
The servant boy cleaning the yard said he had gone to Madam Qian’s place.
What was he doing there?
Song Jiyun’s eyebrows throbbed as she held the brocade box and hurried to Madam Qian’s courtyard.
The dense shade of the courtyard made Madam Qian’s place feel refreshingly cool.
The hall’s tortoise-backed, colored glaze screen doors were wide open, and Yuan Yunzhong, dressed in an azure-tone plain silk Taoist robe, sat at a black lacquered round table with tea and pastries, talking to her mother.
Hearing the noise, Madam Qian turned her head and waved with a smile, "Why did you come over? Didn’t you say you were going to seal paths this morning? Come quickly, Young Master Yuan brought Big Square Cake for me. You wouldn’t believe it, but this meat-filled Big Square Cake, I had it back in my childhood at home, haven’t tasted it in so many years."
That was a bit of an exaggeration.
Last Mid-Autumn Festival, her father had brought back meat-filled mooncakes from Suzhou.
Song Jiyun’s thoughts were fully covered as she smiled and sat down next to her mother.
Madam Qian personally took a piece of pastry for her, "Try it and see if it’s good?"
Song Jiyun took the blue and white porcelain small dish from Madam Qian’s hand, and before she could even take a bite, she heard her mother laugh, "I’m planning to have Young Master Yuan stay with us for a while longer, until after the Winter Solstice."
The pastry almost fell from her hand.
She looked towards Yuan Yunzhong.
Yuan Yunzhong spread his hands, his face a picture of bafflement, seeming even more confused than her.
As if he didn’t know? Sure.
Song Jiyun quickly asked her mother, "Why have you suddenly changed your mind? I had everything ready to send Young Master Yuan back."
Madam Qian spoke gently, "I feel it’s rather abrupt to let Young Master Yuan leave so soon. Your father’s seventy-seventh has not even passed yet! Besides, with the intense conflict we have with the Song Family, his leaving might stir even more troubles in your marriage arrangements."
Those were no reasons at all.
Since she had dared to break ties, she wasn’t afraid of their tricks and schemes.
Sending away Yuan Yunzhong and without that ticking time bomb, it would be easier and more secure for her to act.
She tried her best to persuade her mother, "It’s not appropriate for someone to stay with us for such a long period, is it?"
But Madam Qian was resolute, unmoved by whatever she said, and added, "Listen to me on this matter. Young Master Yuan will temporarily stay in Yinyu Hall. Whatever he wants to eat or drink, or if the maids or servant boys are not attending properly, just have Liu Zi come and tell me."
The last few words, she spoke to Yuan Yunzhong.
Yuan Yunzhong smiled and agreed with a courteous, "Thank you, Second Madam. If there is anything needed outside, feel free to command me!"
Madam Qian’s satisfaction was apparent, and she even told Jiyun, "How can he manage with just Liu Zi attending? I already sent someone to the Middleman Business, they will bring people over tomorrow, have Zheng Quan help Young Master Yuan pick a few clever servant boys."
Song Jiyun felt she had made a mistake.
If only she had revealed the background of Yuan Yunzhong to her mother earlier.
Now if she spoke, she feared... her mother might think she was making excuses to get Yuan Yunzhong to leave.
Song Jiyun rubbed her forehead and hastily agreed.
But as soon as she turned around, she dragged Yuan Yunzhong out of the hall and pressed him against a camphor tree in the corner of the courtyard, demanding in a deep voice, "What did you say to my mother?"
He looked down at her hand clutching his collar.
Song Jiyun sneered, not only not letting go but also twisting it.
Yuan Yunzhong then reached out, touched Song Jiyun’s fist, and meaningfully said, "Miss Song, men and women should not touch each other."
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