Song Jiyun gathered all her hair at the back of her head, forming a neatly rounded bun and inserted two clusters of jasmine flowers. Clad in white attire and black shoes, she looked simple yet neat, escorted by a group of Store Managers and master craftsmen, walking slowly along the shade-covered path of the Kiln Factory.
"The clay was kneaded by my own hands, all piled up there," Xiang Yang, who was leading, pointed to the storeroom where the clay was piled and introduced to Song Jiyun, "It was the Owner himself who chose this material with me while he was still alive."
Song Jiyun walked to the corner, broke off a piece of clay by hand, twisted it finely, examined its color under the daylight, and then signaled Xiang Yang to continue.
With respectful nods, Xiang Yang locked the door and went on to say, "Sacrificial White Porcelain is the lifeline of the Song Family Kiln Factory. Those who work here are chosen for their utmost loyalty and dedication to the Kiln Factory after a rigorous selection process."
Song Jiyun nodded.
The group continued to proceed forward.
A young apprentice came running over, "Miss Song, there is a Young Master Yuan looking for you?
Young Master Yuan? Yuan Yunzhong?
Song Jiyun glanced at Zheng Quan.
Zheng Quan shook his head.
Song Jiyun’s face fell.
It’s one thing for him to make a fuss at home, but what does it mean for him to come to the kiln factory?
Couldn’t what he needs to say wait until she returned home?
Song Jiyun gestured to Zheng Quan to send Yuan Yunzhong back, "If there’s anything urgent, let me know, and I’ll deal with it when I get back."
Zheng Quan answered, "Yes," and was about to turn around to relay the message when Xiang Yang and a few others by his side exclaimed repeatedly, "On such a hot day, Young Master Yuan must have something important to discuss since he has made the effort to come all this way. Please invite Young Master Yuan inside to sit. The affairs of the Kiln Factory, no matter how urgent, won’t be settled in this moment — someone go wash some fruit and prepare the finest refreshments."
The last few words were addressed to his disciples beside him.
Since Song Jiyun had come of age, this was her first visit to the kiln factory. Therefore, those young apprentices and disciples naturally listened more to the master craftsmen.
Before she could speak, the young apprentice had already dashed off.
The disciples of Xiang Yang were even quicker, running to wash the fruit and serve the refreshments.
Song Jiyun felt that she would later have to assign clearer responsibilities to these young apprentices and shop assistants at the kiln factory.
She regarded those whose enthusiasm had risen due to Yuan Yunzhong’s arrival and said, "After all, this is the kiln factory, not quite suitable for people to come and go freely!"
Xiang Yang and the others appeared unconcerned, chuckling, "Young Master Yuan is hardly an outsider!"
In their conversation, Yuan Yunzhong appeared in a moon-white fine cloth Taoist robe, accompanied by Liu Zi, walking in with the grace of a jade or a precious stone.
"Young Master Yuan!" The people hastily greeted him with respect.
Yuan Yunzhong slightly nodded his head, his fair complexion steamed to a blush by the heat, almost as if a layer of rouge had been applied. He looked past everyone, his gaze settling on Song Jiyun.
Song Jiyun remained expressionless, remembering the words from her previous life — skin like Yuan Yunzhong’s that turned redder with the sun was naturally cool and fair.
She couldn’t help but glance down at her own hand.
She had always taken care to protect her skin from the sun, and even in sunlight, her hand was so white it seemed to shine, not inferior to Yuan Yunzhong’s at all.
Yet, she was still not pleased.
What’s the use of a boy being so fair?
Song Jiyun asked him, "Is there something urgent?"
Yuan Yunzhong responded, "I heard there was an issue at the kiln factory, so I came to have a look!"
Song Jiyun scoffed inwardly.
She had made quite a scene at Song Sanliang’s family before coming here.
If he was truly concerned, he would have gone to Song Sanliang’s family long ago. Why wait until now?
The store managers and master craftsmen, upon hearing this, looked at Yuan Yunzhong with eyes full of approval, seemingly as if "a mother-in-law looks at her son-in-law." Not only that, but they also spoke up for him, "Young Master Yuan is also concerned about Miss Song. Miss Song, please don’t demand perfection from him!"
Song Jiyun glanced at these store managers and master craftsmen who spoke for Yuan Yunzhong and suddenly burst into a charming smile, saying, "Isn’t it just because I’m worried that the Kiln Factory, being nothing but mud and water, might be too harsh for Young Master Yuan?"
Yuan Yunzhong blatantly lied, "Miss Song is truly noble. If you can stay at the Kiln Factory despite everything, what could possibly cause me any hardship?"
Everyone looked at them and nodded in agreement, crowding around and introducing the Kiln Factory to Yuan Yunzhong as they walked on.
Song Jiyun listened with a beaming smile, then lowered her voice to Yuan Yunzhong, "So what exactly are you here for?"
Yuan Yunzhong looked around curiously and warmly replied, "I’m really just here to look around."
Song Jiyun nodded to the others as they spoke, saying, "That’s what you said, just here to look around!"
Yuan Yunzhong bowed his head and caught the scent of jasmine flowers that adorned her hair bun, "Miss Song, rest assured, my word is my bond."
Song Jiyun chuckled lightly.
Yet Yuan Yunzhong’s gaze fell on a workshop that lay ahead.
Immediately, someone explained to him, "That is where the glazing takes place."
Yuan Yunzhong glanced over with disinterest.
Song Jiyun led everyone into the glazing workshop.
Taking the lead now was Song Li.
He said, "The glaze was applied by me along with two apprentices. Everything was done according to the previous processes."
He even pushed his two apprentices to the fore, saying, "If you don’t believe me, you can ask them."
The two apprentices nodded nervously.
Song Jiyun couldn’t bother with Yuan Yunzhong any longer and asked Song Li, "Do we still have some of the leftover glaze from last time?"
"Yes, yes, yes," Song Li hurriedly replied, and his apprentice immediately went and brought over a bucket with some glaze left at the bottom for her to see."
Song Jiyun sniffed it and ordered Zheng Quan, "Take this back for me to have a closer look."
Zheng Quan replied "Yes," took a bowl and filled it half-full with the glaze.
The crowd moved to an open area.
In the center, a cracked gourd kiln was piled up, and haphazardly beside it, around a hundred ruined stem dishes, plates, and bowls lay scattered.
Song Jiyun picked up a stem bowl to examine and handed it to Zheng Quan, signaling him to take it back as well.
But when she turned around, she noticed Yuan Yunzhong rummaging through those broken dishes and bowls.
Song Jiyun watched him and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Yuan Yunzhong did not make a sound.
Then a store manager eagerly explained to him, "These are the Sacrificial White Porcelain pieces that were ruined last time. Look at these hidden patterns, all lotus flowers, double fish, treasure vases and other Buddhist Eight Treasures, the lines as distinct as jade carving. These are our Kiln Factory’s specialty."
"Oh!" Yuan Yunzhong responded, lifting a dish with a glossy surface like jade but a burnt bottom revealing the brown clay. He examined it with great interest.
Fearing he might want to take it away, Luo Zixing hastily said, "Young Master Yuan, these items cannot be taken out of the Kiln Factory. They are patterns brought over from the Imperial Kiln Factory; no one else is allowed to use them."
Fearing a misunderstanding, he pointed to the pile of ruined Sacrificial White Porcelain and said, "Those are all going to be smashed and buried or thrown into the river."
Yuan Yunzhong casually dropped the dish, slapped the dust from his hands, and stood up.
Xiang Yang saw this and remarked to Song Jiyun, "We were all terrified when the kiln was opened. We searched for the cause step by step in each process, but we couldn’t find the reason. That’s when... Third Old Master spoke up and, brimming with anger, went to look in the city."
But who among these people was instigated by someone, who had ulterior motives, that remains unknown.
Song Jiyun said, "Let’s continue this discussion in the hall."
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