Song Jiyun was very surprised.
The clay for Sacrificial White Porcelain was very unique, and other Kiln Factories in Jingde Town couldn’t use it.
She asked, "Have you found out who sold the clay?"
"No!" Zhou Zheng said anxiously, "I was worried about delaying time, so I didn’t dare to spend too much time investigating. Then I contacted a few more factories, but none had the clay we needed, so I hurried back."
When Song Jiyun’s father was alive, many people from other kiln factories wanted to know how the Song Family’s Sacrificial White Porcelain was fired. Offering a large sum of money to bribe the kiln masters was already the most common and lowest tactic. People would purchase raw materials according to their family’s list, track her father’s movements, attempt to steal broken pieces of the fired Sacrificial White Porcelain to analyze the components and formulation, and even enthusiastically visit to form marital alliances... There was nothing they wouldn’t try.
After seven or eight years of this, they still hadn’t managed to decode the Song Family Sacrificial White Porcelain firing technique. Additionally, her uncle always claimed that the Sacrificial White Porcelain was the Song family’s heirloom secret recipe, which would not be passed on to daughters, so these attempts gradually faded away.
How could such schemes resurface after her father’s death?
Song Jiyun instructed Zhou Zheng, "Now we can only treat a dead horse as if it’s alive. Think of something, and urge that shop to deliver the clay as soon as possible, no matter the cost."
Zhou Zheng responded and hurried off.
Zheng Quan spoke softly, "Miss, do you want to investigate who is causing trouble?"
With Song Youliang’s death, his seventeen-year-old daughter took over the Song Family Kiln Factory, and all the decision-makers and owners of the kiln factories in Jingde Town were watching her.
There were those who watched from the sidelines, those who reveled in her misfortune, and even more who were prepared to loot a burning house.
Song Jiyun sneered, "Who cares who it is? No one who wades into our waters will get away unscathed!"
Zheng Quan always trusted her, so he didn’t ask further and galloped with Song Jiyun to the Kiln Factory.
Master Xiang and the others had already received the news and knew that there was a problem with the clay from Zhou Zheng’s end.
They, along with a large group of people, anxiously waited at the entrance of the Kiln Factory.
Upon seeing Song Jiyun’s mule cart, they immediately surrounded her, calling out, "Miss."
The mule cart stopped, and Song Jiyun, holding a paper bag made of cowhide, lifted the curtain and stepped out.
Luo Zixing quickly helped her off the cart.
Song Jiyun said, "Go call Gu Qing here. We will speak in our hall. From now on, Gu Qing will be responsible for Glazing the Sacrificial White Porcelain."
Originally, Gu Qing couldn’t outdo Song Li due to age and status — Song Li was a scion of the Song Clan. But in terms of skill, Gu Qing had surpassed him in the past few years, and everyone was very convinced by this arrangement.
But what they lacked now was not a master of Glazing; instead, they lacked the very clay for White Porcelain!
Xiang Yang hurriedly said, "Miss, when can we get the clay?"
As she walked inside, Song Jiyun told everyone, "Do you know that my father has always been firing new porcelain?"
"We know!" Xiang Yang’s eyes twitched nervously.
Song Youliang was always trying new porcelain all year round, but really useful techniques were rare.
Song Jiyun smiled and said, "I have reorganized the things my father left and fired some new pieces. This time, the Sacrificial White Porcelain will use a new technique!"
"Ah!" Although they had anticipated it, Xiang Yang couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, "Then, should we try firing a kiln first?"
"Of course," she said. "Where are the cups and plates you’ve made with Kaolin Clay these past few days? This time we’ll use the new method."
Every time Song Youliang tried new porcelain, he would conduct several test firings.
Luo Zixing couldn’t help saying, "I’m just worried there’s not enough time!"
All eyes were on Song Jiyun.
Yet Song Jiyun confidently said, "Don’t worry! This time we’ll definitely succeed!"
Her eyes shimmered like stars at dawn.
Everyone looked at each other in confusion, yet nobody could come up with a better idea, so they eventually accompanied her to the drying room.
The kiln factory feared ruining the batch, so they prepared three extra pieces for each item according to the Imperial Kiln Factory’s requested quantity.
They also followed her instructions to first bisque-fire all the pieces made from kaolin clay. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
"Very good!" she nodded in satisfaction.
Gu Qing hurried over.
The people at the kiln factory already knew that Gu Qing would replace Song Li in overseeing the glazing of the Sacrificial White Porcelain Workshop. After congratulating him in private, they had regained their composure in front of Song Jiyun.
Song Jiyun handed over the processed green glaze material to Gu Qing, saying, "Glaze the Sacrificial White Porcelain according to the requirements we discussed that day."
Gu Qing had none of Xiang Yang’s reservations.
In his view, since Song Jiyun had already conducted a trial firing beforehand, and still insisted on changing the formula, she must have been absolutely confident.
Those from Song Li’s faction, whether apprentices or relatives and friends, had almost all left the Kiln Factory, and those who remained had been vetted and re-vetted, known to be honest and only handled the rough work.
Those brought over by Gu Qing were either his apprentices or young masters he had recognized.
He tied on his apron, and the people he’d brought with him had already started working in an orderly manner. By the time he had adjusted the glaze to his liking, Xiang Yang’s apprentices had already brought over all the clay bodies.
Song Jiyun smiled at Luo Zixing, "Now it’s all up to you!"
Luo Zixing was truly unsure in his heart. He vaguely answered and, as Gu Qing’s side got busy, he hurried to instruct the masters in charge of bricklaying to start setting up the kiln.
Song Jiyun spent the night at the kiln factory.
Only when all the Sacrificial White Porcelain pieces, now glazed, were successfully placed inside the saggers and into the kiln, and Luo Zixing had personally ignited the fire, causing thick smoke to billow throughout the kiln factory, did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Zheng Quan came over and whispered to her, "Miss, we’ve investigated the old lady’s troublemaking incident. It was the Aunt of Zeng Family who told her, and as for who the Aunt of Zeng Family heard it from, we’ve yet to find out—it might take a few days."
"Then we’ll wait a few days." Song Jiyun always felt that there was something odd about this matter, "It’s good if we can get a clear account, but it’s no problem if we can’t. After all, it’s nothing but troublemaking."
Zheng Quan acknowledged.
Song Jiyun wanted to instruct him further but suddenly realized that the air around her had stilled, as if everyone was watching her.
She looked up, bewildered, and saw Yuan Yunzhong wearing a dark cyan summer Taoist robe, strikingly handsome, walking over with Shao Qing.
"Young Master Yuan!" she exclaimed in surprise. "When did you arrive? Why did you suddenly come to the kiln factory?"
"Second Madam asked me to come and have a look," he replied with a breezy air and greeted Master Luo, "Are you firing new porcelain?"
"Young Master Yuan!" Everyone hurriedly saluted Yuan Yunzhong.
Song Jiyun quickly pulled him aside, "Is there something wrong at home?"
When she left, she had informed Madam Qian, and she would definitely return home after the porcelain was fired.
Yuan Yunzhong replied leisurely, "Nothing’s wrong! It’s just that the weather has turned cooler these past few days. Second Madam worried you might catch cold at the kiln factory at night, so she sent me with some extra clothes and a silk quilt for you."
Song Jiyun blinked in confusion.
The kiln factory had everything one needed!
Even when her father was alive, her mother had never done such a thing as send items midway.
Could it be that her mother was creating opportunities for them to interact?
Song Jiyun awkwardly muttered a response.
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