For an ink maker, the most important thing was to stay grounded and progress step by step along this path.
The way of ink-making was never easy and allowed no slack.
Therefore, Zhenniang never forgot to improve herself at any time.
Now she had set her sights on re-processed ink, a technology that could turn waste into treasure.
Re-processed ink involves crushing waste ink, re-adding glue, re-processing it, and finally making it into new ink.
Third Grandfather Cheng had brought three pieces of ink for Zhenniang to appraise that day, and the ink had been left with her. The first piece, imitating Jia Sixie ink, was medicinal ink. Zhenniang understood the method and formula for making this medicinal ink.
However, the second piece of re-processed ink was special. The most crucial aspect of re-processed ink was the glue method. Zhenniang remembered what her grandfather often said before her transmigration: “In ancient ink making, the glue method was paramount. With the right glue method, average smoke and coal could make superior ink. Without it, even the finest smoke and coal might only produce mediocre ink.”
This shows the importance of the glue method, and the piece of re-processed ink in her hands now used a method that had been lost in later generations. How could Zhenniang not be excited about this discovery?
Zhenniang’s current goal was to recreate this glue method. As she was lost in thought, she was suddenly interrupted by a greeting.
“Zhenniang, what are you doing? Where’s your sister-in-law?” At that moment, two people squeezed through the half-open door.
Zhenniang, whose thoughts had been interrupted, looked up somewhat unhappily. Seeing it was the Du brothers, she stood up and greeted them: “Elder Brother Du, Second Brother Du, hello. Please sit. My sister-in-law is in the room putting little Xiaoguan to sleep. I’ll go call her.”
It was noon, time for little Xiaoguan’s rest.
Zhenniang went to knock on her sister-in-law’s door: “Sister-in-law, Elder Brother Du, and Second Brother Du are here, in the courtyard.”
“Oh, I know, I’ll be right there,” Du Shi responded from inside. Zhenniang left it at that and sat down by the window to continue studying the re-processed ink. As for the two in the courtyard, since there was no one else there, she naturally needed to avoid impropriety and didn’t go out.
Soon after, Du Shi came out, smiled at Zhenniang, and then went to the courtyard.
Shortly after, Zhenniang heard quiet arguing from the courtyard.
“Asking for money again? I gave you all my money, where would I get more?” Du Shi frowned.
“It’s almost time to buy rapeseed, and we used up all our money when we rented the oil press. Now it’s the start of the season, we can’t have any money to buy rapeseed. Think of something, scrape together a bit more,” Du Dalang said.
“How can I think of anything? Don’t you know the Li family’s current situation? It’s exactly when they need money, where would there be any spare?” Du Shi said quietly.
“That’s the business of the Li family’s Seventh and Ninth Branches, what does it have to do with your Eighth Branch? Please, please help. Once we collect the rapeseed and press the oil to sell, we’ll pay it back,” Second Du quickly added.
“Alright, alright, you go back, I’ll ask around. But no guarantees,” Du Shi was always soft-hearted toward her brothers, so she agreed, though having borrowed money many times before, she wasn’t foolish enough to make promises.
“Mm, then we’ll leave. Sister, please find a way. Otherwise, we rented the oil press but can’t start operations – wouldn’t that be a waste?” Du Da responded, then pulled Second Du away with him.
“Sister-in-law, they came to borrow money again?” Zhenniang leaned on the windowsill, looking at Du Shi in the courtyard.
“Ah, it’s almost time to buy rapeseed, and they used up all their money renting the oil press. Now they have no money to buy rapeseed,” Du Shi said.
“Sister-in-law, I don’t mean to meddle, but if you ask Mother for money now, you’ll get scolded,” Zhenniang said.
“Then what can we do? It’s just to help them get through this period. They’ll pay it back once they press and sell the oil,” Du Shi frowned. Mother-in-law had been frustrated at the Ninth Branch these past few days, her temper unusually volatile, arguing with Grandmother several times for no reason. Du Shi couldn’t risk provoking Zhao Shi now.
“What else can we do? It’s hopeless. Besides, my Sister-in-law, even if we had money, we couldn’t keep lending like this. We’re not a bank. Since they’re running a business, they need to follow business rules. They have the oil press – they could completely mortgage it to a bank, borrow money to buy rapeseed, then pay it back after making a profit,” Zhenniang said.
“Would that work?” Du Shi was completely unfamiliar with such matters.
“They can try it,” Zhenniang replied.