The Heir resumo, enredo, sinopse

Sinopse de The Heir

In the mid-Ming Dynasty, a tribute ink case shattered the long-standing balance of the Huizhou ink industry, causing the century-old ink-making family, Li Ink, to fall from grace. Severely weakened, Li Ink struggled while the Luo family’s ink business rose to prominence, enjoying unrivaled glory—only to ultimately collapse due to political entanglements, leaving the family in ruins.

As time passed, Li Zhen, the youngest daughter of the eighth branch of the Li clan, embarked on the path of ink-making to sustain her livelihood. With her natural talent and relentless effort, she emerged as a dark horse in the Huizhou ink industry. Meanwhile, Luo Wenqian, the second son of the Luo family, meticulously devised a plan to restore his family’s legacy, single-handedly stirring up the industry’s power dynamics. Together, they engaged in a battle of wits with the rising ink magnate Tian Ink, leading to the resurgence of Li Ink.

With the reopening of maritime trade, Huizhou ink faced new challenges from overseas competitors. Drawing upon the essence of Huizhou ink craftsmanship, Li Zhen created an exceptional ink product, earning Huizhou ink the prestigious title of "The Finest Ink in the World." She and Luo Wenqian ultimately found love, joining hands to preserve and pass down the legacy of Huizhou ink-making for future generations.

Resumos de The Heir

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During the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, the bustling streets of Huizhou were alive with commerce. Li Zhen, the young daughter of the eighth branch of the Li ink-making clan, walked through the city, her surroundings triggering a vivid memory of a pivotal moment for her family. Years ago, a high-stakes competition was held to select the imperial Tribute Ink among the four great families: Luo, Li, Chen, and Pan.

Luo Hanzhang of the Luo family presented the "Ziji Dragon Light Ink," a shimmering creation infused with gold leaf and pearl powder. In contrast, Li Jinshui, head of the Li family's eighth branch, offered "The Way of Tao," a pine soot ink rooted in ancient tradition. Lord Huang Boyang, the presiding official, found the Luo ink lacked "bone" while the Li ink lacked "soul," leading to a stalemate.

Young Li Zhen boldly stepped forward to propose a "Five Hues of Ink" test. By observing the ink in five stages—dense, rich, heavy, light, and clear—the Li ink was proven superior as the Luo ink smudged at the edges. This victory secured the Li family the prestigious status of Tribute Ink makers, sparking the saying: "Gold is easily gained, but Li Ink is hard to find." The Li household prepared a grand celebratory banquet for Lord Huang.

Wang Rujun, the matriarch of the seventh branch who governed the clan, oversaw the festivities as the various daughters-in-law busied themselves in the kitchen. Amidst the celebration, internal politics simmered. Tian Jiangyue pressured her husband, Li Jingqi, to secure his future as the clan head. Wang Rujun intended to pass leadership to Jingqi once he, along with Li Jingdong of the sixth branch and Li Jingfu of the eighth branch, successfully delivered the Tribute Ink to the capital.

While the adults planned, Li Zhen encountered a boy she initially mistook for a beggar. He was actually Luo Wenqian, the second son of the rival Luo family, who had been raised in the capital and was being bullied by local children. After Zhen rescued him, she led him on a mischievous "Harvest Eve Foraging" mission to "borrow" melons. When Wenqian was injured during their escape, Zhen treated his wound with a medicinal rouge ink created by her father.

The two shared their dreams: Wenqian confessed his desire to travel rather than take the imperial exams, while Zhen vowed to become a master whose name would be known throughout the Ming Dynasty. That evening, the Li family held a traditional ink-knowledge test. While the young boys struggled under their fathers' stern gazes, Zhen identified every ink stick by scent alone, including the Luo family’s "White Jade Light" and the Chen family’s "Scholar Ink."

Her brilliance delighted Wang Rujun, who called her the clan’s treasure. However, the joy was cut short when Luo Hanzhang arrived to retrieve Wenqian, furious that his son was mingling with the Li family. Two months later, the atmosphere turned tragic. The Li family gathered at the docks to welcome the returning tribute boat, only to find a scene of horror. Li Jingqi was dead, and Li Jingdong had been crippled.

A devastated Jingdong accused Li Jingfu of negligence, claiming his drinking led to a fire that destroyed the Tribute Ink. They had all been imprisoned and tortured, and it was only through Lord Huang’s mediation—and the imposition of a crushing ten-year tax—that anyone returned alive. Li Jingfu, consumed by guilt, admitted to drinking but insisted he had inspected the ink before resting.

The fury of the other branches was absolute, with Tian Jiangyue demanding why Jingfu hadn't died instead of her husband. To save the clan from further ruin and provide an "account" for the tragedy, Li Jinshui made the heart-wrenching decision to accept the punishment for his son. He declared that the eighth branch would be removed from the family tree and exiled.

The imperial decree soon arrived, stripping the Li family of their Tribute Ink rights and awarding them to the Luo family. As the "Champion of Ink Making" sign was torn down, Li Jinshui met with Wang Rujun one last time. He entrusted the family’s workshops to her, but when she urged him to keep his secret ink recipes—his life's work—he refused. Broken by the loss and the shame, he declared that his recipes would be buried with him.

Following the disastrous fire that destroyed the imperial tribute ink, the Eighth Branch of the Li family is officially cast out. Under the cold, resentful eyes of Jiangyue—who blames Li Jingfu for her husband Jingqi’s death—the family is forced to leave their ancestral home with nothing. Jiangyue even seizes a bone-paring knife that was part of Li Zhen's mother's original dowry, claiming that anything brought into the Li house belongs to the clan.

Dejected and empty-handed, the family begins their walk into exile until the First Young Mistress catches up to them. Sent by the Seventh Old Madam, she brings essential supplies and the birthday inksticks made for Li Zhen and her brother, Li Zhengliang. She also hands them a portrait of their ancestor, Li Tinggui, reminding Jingfu that although they are removed from the genealogy, their roots remain with the Li legacy. The news of the Eighth Branch’s downfall spreads quickly.

In the Tian household, young Tian Benchang and his sister Ronghua gather their personal savings to help Li Zhen. Their mother, Wang Xiu, forbids them from associating with "outcasts," but their father, Tian Huai'an, allows Benchang to deliver the gift, moved by his son’s sense of righteousness. Meanwhile, Luo Hanqiong prepares to send his younger son, Luo Wenqian, back to the Capital to study.

Wenqian, desperate to see Li Zhen one last time, is intercepted by his older brother, Luo Wensong. Wensong comforts the boy, promising to send him news of Li Zhen. He encourages Wenqian to use his time in the Capital to broaden his horizons, telling him that only by gaining knowledge can he eventually choose his own path, perhaps even becoming the traveling merchant Li Zhen once suggested.

Li Zhen’s family eventually finds shelter in a humble shack near the city gates. However, the physical toll of past punishments and the heavy burden of guilt prove too much for Jingfu. His health rapidly declines as his lung condition worsens, and he soon collapses. Panicked, Li Zhen and Zhengliang race back to the Li estate to beg for help, hoping the Seventh Old Madam will summon the renowned miracle doctor, Old Master Xue.

They are met with cruelty once again as Jiangyue bars the gates. Although the Seventh Old Madam eventually learns of the situation and sends help through the coordination of Third Master Chen, it is too late. By the time the doctor arrives, Jingfu has passed away.

In the wake of the tragedy, Li Zhen’s mother urges her children to forget the family that abandoned them and focus on building a new life together, raising silkworms and planting gardens in their own small home. Ten years pass, and Li Zhen grows into a capable young woman. She works at a tea stall managed by Shui Bo, where her sharp wit and hospitality make her a favorite among passing merchants.

Drawing on her keen observation skills, she assists various travelers, such as identifying a Yangzhou merchant by his preference for savory snacks paired with tea. She even helps a fur trader secure a lead by pointing him toward a local contact. Despite the hardships of the past decade, her family remains industrious. Her brother Zhengliang works as a sedan chair carrier and their grandfather takes on carpentry work, all to save money for Li Zhen’s upcoming marriage to Tian Benchang.

In accordance with local custom, they hope to provide her with a "Half-Phoenix Procession"—a grand dowry of 480 pieces—to ensure she is respected by her future in-laws. Tian Benchang, now managing his family's ink business, is equally determined to provide a good life for Li Zhen. He negotiates a major contract with Registrar Zhang for five hundred sticks of medium-quality ink, viewing it as the key to his family’s prosperity.

To solidify their bond, Li Zhen gives him her precious birthday inkstick as a vow of their engagement. However, the production process soon hits a major snag. The lampblack produced in their new workshop is coarse and of poor quality, despite Benchang's claim that the sheds were built to the exact specifications of the famous Luo Ink workshops. With the delivery deadline only a month away and a ten-fold penalty looming, the Tian family faces total financial ruin.

At the same time, Luo Wensong is facing his own crisis at the Luo family estate. He is struggling to develop a new tribute ink using thousand-year pine soot, but the mixture refuses to hold. Seeking a solution, he visits his aunt, Luo Mengzhen, at Jingxin Hall. Having lived as a recluse since being widowed before her marriage, she remains cold to the family’s plight.

Despite Wensong’s pleas that the future of the Luo clan is at stake, she refuses to offer guidance, declaring that she has had nothing to do with the Luos for years. Desperate for a solution to their production failure, Tian Huai'an and Benchang seek an audience with Luo Wensong. They hope that because Ronghua is betrothed to Wensong, he might offer them professional mercy.

Instead, Wensong treats them with open contempt, accusing them of being hacks who merely ride on the Luo family's reputation. He offers a cold ultimatum: if Benchang can use his relationship with Li Zhen to obtain the Li family’s secret ink formula, Wensong will fix their production issues. If they fail, he threatens to ruin the Tians and implies the marriage with Ronghua is at risk.

While Benchang is horrified by the request to betray Li Zhen, his father, Tian Huai'an, reveals that this was his strategy all along. He admits that he encouraged Benchang’s closeness to the Eighth Branch during their darkest hours specifically to gain access to their secrets, and he demands that his son do whatever is necessary to save the Tian family.

At the Li family estate, Madame Qi gathered the family for breakfast. The atmosphere was somber as Li Jinhe reported that the ink business was struggling; rising wages for master craftsmen were eroding their profits. During the meal, Jiangyue complained that Wanyi had withdrawn twenty taels of silver for Li Zhen’s dowry. She argued that since the Eighth Branch had been expelled from the clan, the family should no longer support them.

Madame Qi firmly disagreed, insisting that Zhen was still a daughter of the Li family. Li Jinhe then offered to deliver the gifts himself, intending to caution Li Jinshui before the wedding. When Li Jinhe arrived at the humble home of the Eighth Branch, he presented jewelry as a blessing but quickly shifted to a stern warning.

He reminded Li Jinshui and Li Zhen that once she married into the Tian family, she must not take the Li family's secret ink recipe with her. Li Jinshui felt deeply insulted by the implication that he would betray his trade’s honor. Offended by the distrust, Li Zhen pushed the gifts back, declaring she would rather have nothing than accept gifts shadowed by such suspicion. Meanwhile, a distraught Tian Benchang met with Li Zhen to confess his family's dire situation.

Their new production method had failed, resulting in defective lampblack. The penalty for their pending orders was high enough to bankrupt them, and Luo Wensong would only help if they provided a Li family ink recipe. Although Zhen sympathized with his plight, she refused to hand over her grandfather’s legacy, offering her personal savings instead. However, the pressure intensified when Benchang’s parents pleaded with Li Zhen’s mother, hinting that the wedding might be called off if the recipe wasn't produced.

Desperate to save his family from ruin and ensure his sister didn't marry into poverty, Li Zhen’s brother, Li Zhengliang, met with Benchang. Moved by Benchang's lament that Zhen would suffer if the Tian business failed, Zhengliang’s resolve broke. He secretly stole the ink recipe to help the Tians, hoping to secure his sister's future happiness. On the wedding day, as the festive procession reached the center of town, Li Jingdong blocked the path.

Supported by crutches, he publicly accused the Eighth Branch of smuggling the Li family recipe within the dowry. Li Jinshui, confident in his innocence, swore on his honor and invited a search of the bridal sedan. To his utter shock, the men searched the belongings and pulled out the secret manuscript. Li Zhengliang fell to his knees in tears, confessing that he had stolen it for Benchang to protect Zhen. The public shame was a devastating blow to Li Jinshui.

To give the ancestors a final accounting for the scandal, he invoked the "Founder's Black Banner." Using the Ancestral Ink Stick, he performed a grim ritual, smashing one of his own teeth into a house pillar as a blood oath to never step foot in the ink industry again. Heartbroken by the betrayal of the man she loved and the pain caused to her grandfather, Li Zhen stepped out of the sedan.

Realizing Benchang had conspired to exploit her family's secrets, she tore the recipe to pieces before the crowd. She announced that the wedding was over—not because the Tians rejected her, but because she refused to marry into such a family. In the aftermath, the Tian family realized they had been outmaneuvered; Luo Wensong had taken over their business orders, a move intended to prove the Tians were incompetent and isolate them from the trade.

Back at the Li estate, Madame Qi, moved by the tragedy, ordered her staff to quietly support the Eighth Branch by purchasing their goods. Meanwhile, Li Zhen returned home and tried to cheer up her family with meat she had bought from a local butcher. Having returned the remaining manuscripts to the Li family, she declared that they would now live for themselves, free from the entanglements of the great houses.

Li Zhen began working at Qiu'e's tailor shop, throwing herself into the labor with a desperate intensity. Noticing her exhaustion, Qiu'e urged her to slow down, but Li Zhen insisted she had to earn enough to repay the debts her family had incurred on her behalf. When Qiu'e offered her own meager savings to help, Li Zhen firmly refused.

She reminded Qiu'e that she and Li Zhengliang were soon to be married and would need every penny for their own future. Li Zhen felt enough guilt for how her public broken engagement had already brought gossip and shame upon her brother and his fiancée. As Li Zhen left the shop for the evening, she was intercepted by Tian Benchang.

He pathetically begged for her forgiveness, promising to spend the rest of his life making it up to her and her family. Li Zhen remained cold, telling him that any chance of a future between them vanished the moment he chose to plot against her brother. She demanded the return of her birthday inkstick—the only memento she had of her late father.

After some hesitation, Tian Benchang handed over the precious item, and Li Zhen walked away, severing her last tie to him. Returning home, Li Zhen found her mother talking to the spirit of her late husband, expressing deep worry that Li Zhen would never recover from the public humiliation. Li Zhen put on a brave face to comfort her mother, even joking about her mother's supposed bravery in her youth.

However, once she was alone, she allowed herself to break down. She wept bitterly, finally letting go of her past and the pain of the betrayal she had endured. Later, at the tea stall run by Shui Bo, Li Zhen met with her friend Hua'er. While they were talking, a weary traveling merchant arrived, attempting to sell a batch of ink for one tael of silver.

Other merchants at the stall mocked him, claiming that in Huizhou, only the ink from the Luo, Li, or Chen families was worth anything. Intrigued, Li Zhen asked to examine the ink. She noted the unique inscription and the inclusion of various shell powders, recognizing its superior quality. The merchant explained that the ink was made from dwarf black pine, a rare material from the coast that grew incredibly slowly but produced a jet-black, cream-smooth finish.

Grateful that someone finally recognized his craftsmanship, the merchant gave Li Zhen an inkstick as a gift before moving on. The Luo family’s business was thriving since they secured the rights to produce Tribute Ink, and Luo Wensong was currently overseeing a massive selection of pine wood to meet new orders. When a group of merchants from the Chen family in Lin’an were rudely dismissed by Luo’s assistants without even an appraisal, Li Zhen stepped in.

She followed the dejected merchants and told them she had a way to make Luo Wensong buy their wood at a high price. Li Zhen entered the Luo family workshop and found Luo Wensong in a foul mood because his regular appraiser had fallen ill. She boldly offered her services, but Luo Wensong was skeptical of her abilities.

Li Zhen challenged him to a bet: they would both appraise the wood separately, and if her selections matched his exactly, he would pay her as an appraiser. Luo Wensong accepted, even adding a ten-tael bonus to the stake. When the results were revealed, Li Zhen’s choices—batches from the Zhao, Feng, and Jiang families—were identical to his own. Luo Wensong was impressed, but Li Zhen pointed out that the truly superior wood had already been rejected.

She brought in the Lin’an merchants and their dwarf black pine. Though Luo's men initially called it low-quality due to its rough, dark appearance, Li Zhen cited ancient texts describing its unique properties. She also warned Luo Wensong that this specific wood required dark, humid storage to prevent the finished ink from cracking—a direct contrast to how ordinary pine is handled.

Luo Wensong, a man obsessed with the craft, acknowledged her talent and paid her the twenty taels she was owed. He even apologized for his past ruthlessness and invited her to work for the Luo family. Li Zhen declined, but Luo Wensong reminded her that even his aunt, Luo Mengzhen, had defied gender norms to help build their family's empire.

At home, Li Zhen's mother was distressed because Li Jinshui had insisted on taking Li Zhengliang to the Li family's centennial ritual. Despite being stripped of their clan status, the old man felt he could not abandon his ancestors. Outside the ancestral hall, Li Jinshui and Li Zhengliang knelt in the street to pay their respects, but they were met with vitriol from Tian Jiangyue and Li Jingdong.

The relatives called them "jinxes" and "sinners," blaming them for the family's loss of the Tribute Ink rights and the death of Li Jingqi. Tian Jiangyue even physically struck the elderly Li Jinshui, screaming that they should all die to atone for their failures. Li Zhen and her mother arrived just as the guards were trying to forcibly remove her grandfather. Seeing the old man being bullied, Li Zhen finally snapped.

She confronted Li Jingdong and the others, pointing out that their hatred was fueled by fear—fear of her grandfather’s unmatched skills and the possibility that their branch might one day rise again. She declared that her family had spent years living in the shadows of a taboo, trying to live quietly, but since they were constantly denied a way to survive, she would no longer hide.

In front of the entire clan, she announced that she was officially entering the ink-making industry to reclaim the dignity and glory of her family. Back at their modest home, Li Zhen hung a portrait of the Grandmaster and prepared to establish their own family altar. Li Jinshui was horrified, calling her actions sacrilegious and a violation of the rules.

Li Zhen stood her ground, arguing that it was better to break tradition than to suffer the "blind filial piety" that only led to further humiliation. She knelt before her grandfather and solemnly asked him to break his vow and teach her the ancient secrets of making ink.

Determined to reclaim her family's lost honor, Li Zhen kneels before her grandfather, Li Jinshui, and begs him to teach her the art of ink-making. However, Jinshui remains steadfast in his refusal, reminding her that he has sworn a solemn oath never to involve himself in the craft again.

Her mother also pleads with her to give up the idea, pointing out the tragedies ink has brought upon them: Zhen’s father died because of it, her grandfather suffered a fate worse than death, and the future prospects of both Zhen and her brother, Li Zhengliang, were ruined. Despite these warnings, Zhen insists that since ink caused their downfall, she must use ink to earn everything back and live with her head held high.

When Jinshui refuses to budge, Zhen decides to seek knowledge elsewhere. With the help of Li Zhengliang, who agrees to hide the truth from their mother, Zhen disguises herself as a man to find work. She heads to the Chen family workshop, owned by their family friend, Third Master Chen Jiru. Dressed in a new set of clothes provided by her brother, Zhen begins her journey as a humble apprentice, starting with the grueling task of pounding ink.

She works with tireless diligence, though it isn't long before the workshop master notices her sharp wit and eventually confirms her true identity as Jinshui’s granddaughter. Chen Jiru is intrigued by Zhen's spirit and invites Jinshui for a drink to casually mention that his granddaughter is working for him. Jinshui is furious upon hearing the news, but Chen Jiru praises the girl, noting that she inherited the family's natural talent.

Despite Chen’s encouragement that Zhen is a "good seedling" for the craft, Jinshui demands he fire her immediately, threatening their friendship if he continues to indulge her. Undeterred after leaving the Chen workshop, Zhen manages to find a place at the Luo family workshop. Her disguise is eventually compromised by the master ink-maker, Zeng Yipin, who notices she refuses to remove her outer layers like the other men despite the heat.

Zeng Yipin publicly exposes her as a woman and drags her to the Literary Association, accusing her of violating the industry rule that women are forbidden from making ink. At the assembly, Li Jingdong mocks her for disgracing the Li family, though Zhen sharply retorts that she has already been expelled from the clan. Facing the industry heads, Zhen argues that the ban on women is merely a verbal tradition rather than a written law.

She boldly points to the Luo family's own history, noting that their famous ink-blending technique was actually created by a woman, Luo Mengzhen, and calls the masters ungrateful for using her techniques while suppressing women. Luo Wensong, impressed by her talent and eloquence, defends her. He forces the masters to look at Zhen’s hands—calloused and stained with ink—as proof of her genuine devotion.

To settle the dispute, Chen Jiru proposes a challenge: Zhen must produce a quality ink stick on her own to prove her talent. Meanwhile, a different fate is forced upon Zhen’s friend, Tian Ronghua. Her father arranges for her to marry Luo Wensong as his second wife. When Ronghua tries to protest, her father blames her defiance on Li Zhen’s influence and forbids them from seeing each other.

Before the wedding, Ronghua secretly visits Zhen and brings her precious materials like gold foil and pearls from the Tian family workshop. She encourages Zhen to succeed in the great ambitions she herself cannot pursue, hoping Zhen’s ink will carry a piece of her own spirit. Zhen spends her days and nights at the Chen workshop, exhausting herself to create the perfect ink for her assessment. Her initial attempts are failures, turning out grayish and sluggish.

Her mother, seeing her frustration, reminds her that while beautiful materials matter, the true purpose of an ink stick is to be useful to the people who need it. Taking this to heart, Zhen observes commoners struggling to afford quality ink for their children's studies and decides to create "Original Intention Ink"—a simple, affordable, but functional product. At the Literary Association, Li Jingdong and the other masters ridicule Zhen’s creation, calling it low-grade and unworthy of the Huizhou name.

Zhen remains composed, admitting that while she lacks the skill for complex techniques, she has put her entire heart into making something practical. Luo Wensong once again speaks up for her, shaming the veterans by pointing out that Zhen achieved in months what took most of them years. He suggests that their hostility stems from fear that a woman might one day surpass them all.

Moved by Zhen’s integrity, Chen Jiru brings the "Original Intention Ink" to Jinshui and urges him to reconsider. Jinshui takes the ink stick to the grave of his son, Li Jingfu, reflecting on his oath and his granddaughter's devotion. Realizing her talent cannot be suppressed, he finally decides to break his silence. Jinshui visits Zhen’s mother, kowtowing to apologize for past failures and asking for her permission to teach Zhen. With her mother’s approval, Jinshui leads Zhen to the Grandmaster's altar, where he formally accepts her as his apprentice, vowing to pass on the secrets of ink-making.

Li Jinshui brought Li Zhen to the Li family’s original workshop, the humble birthplace of Li Ink. He recounted their proud history, tracing their lineage back to the Xi family of the Southern Tang, who migrated to Huizhou and were eventually bestowed the imperial surname Li. He emphasized that the true spirit of Li Ink lies in "uprightness" and integrity, telling her that an ink maker must focus on self-cultivation.

Their training began with a task Li Zhen found trivial: twisting lamp wicks. Li Zhen argued that modern workshops simply buy pre-made wicks, but her grandfather was unyielding. He rejected her work repeatedly, pointing out inconsistencies in thickness and length. He insisted that until she could produce perfectly uniform wicks, she could not progress to the next step of burning smoke.

Meanwhile, Li Zhen’s aunt arrived with supplies provided by the Seventh Grandmother, who intended to personally test Li Zhen’s skills once her apprenticeship concluded. As the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived, Luo Wensong remained isolated in his workshop, obsessed with his research. He received a letter from his younger brother, Wenqian, who was in the Capital.

Although Wenqian joked about his failing academic life and his side business ventures, he revealed he had secured a rare copy of the "Ink Chronicles" to assist Wensong in developing a new ink. The Tian family, former servants of the Luos, hoped to use the marriage between Tian Ronghua and Luo Wensong to regain their social standing. However, during the traditional "well-digging" ceremony at the Luo mansion, they were met with cold indifference.

Wensong’s manager, Ping’an, instructed them to take the excavated dirt away and informed them that the wedding would be stripped of all formalities. Ronghua was to enter through the side door in a simple sedan chair—a humiliation reserved for concubines. Distraught, Ronghua fled to Li Zhen, who immediately took her to confront Wensong. Li Zhen demanded an annulment, arguing that Wensong only cared for his craft and shouldn't be bound by heartless customs.

Wensong flippantly suggested a wife might at least provide an heir to satisfy his father’s demands, but he offered a deal: he would consider the annulment if Li Zhen agreed to work for him. The confrontation ended when Tian Huai’an dragged Ronghua home and locked her away. Li Zhen’s family also confined her to stop her from interfering. In the Capital, the political situation turned dire.

Luo Hanzhang learned that his patron, Lord Yan, had been dismissed, and the Luo family was now at risk. He acted quickly to save his sons, sending Wenqian to join the army under General Yu Dayong. On his journey, Wenqian overheard merchants discussing the news: Luo Hanzhang had been publicly beheaded. He opened a letter from his father, which pleaded for the General to give the boys new names to preserve the family bloodline.

Back in Huizhou, Wensong received word of the disaster. Following his father’s instructions to protect the family assets, he summoned Tian Huai’an and transferred the deeds to the Luo land, workshops, and stores into his name. He also provided the annulment letter for Ronghua, as the Luo name was now a dangerous burden. While Tian Huai’an marveled at his sudden wealth, his son, Tian Benchang, harbored a darker intent.

Bitter over their years of servitude, Benchang suggested they report the wanted Wensong to the authorities to ensure his total destruction. Amidst the chaos, Li Zhen managed to escape her room while her brother was asleep.

As government officials closed in on the Luo estate, Luo Wensong remained entirely consumed by his work. Covered in ink from head to toe, he focused solely on finishing his latest creation. His butler, Ping’an, urged him to flee before it was too late, but Wensong insisted on completing his task. Realizing the end was near, he ordered Ping’an to send all the servants away to ensure they would not be implicated in the family’s downfall.

Li Zhen arrived at the residence seeking Wensong, demanding he write an annulment letter to free Tian Ronghua from their betrothal. She was still unaware of the political disaster that had already claimed Wensong's father, Luo Hanzhang, in the Capital. Wensong ignored her until his new ink reached perfection. In a brief moment of triumph, he showed her the results, but the joy was cut short when Ping’an reported that officers were at the gates.

Determined to keep his research from his enemies, Wensong burned his secret formulas. When Li Zhen urged him to persevere and remain unmoved by personal loss, Wensong was touched and entrusted her with his "Ink Chronicles" ("Mo Ji") for safekeeping. To protect Li Zhen, Wensong hid her in a warehouse and told her to wait until the coast was clear.

He then fled with Ping’an but was soon cornered by government forces led by Tian Benchang, a former servant who had turned traitor. When Tian Benchang searched the warehouse and found Li Zhen, he hesitated before lying to the other officers, claiming the room was empty to protect her. He then led the soldiers to Jingxin Hall, correctly guessing that Wensong would try to save his aunt, Luo Mengzhen.

Outside the hall, Wensong confronted Tian Benchang with cold disdain, calling him a "loyal dog" who had become a traitor. He attempted to negotiate for his aunt’s safety, arguing she was a widow and no longer part of the Luo lineage, but Tian Benchang was ruthless. When Wensong refused to surrender, his family members forced him back inside for protection and locked the doors.

In a final act of cruelty, Tian Benchang ordered his men to set the building on fire. Li Zhen arrived just in time to witness Jingxin Hall being consumed by flames, devastated by Wensong’s apparent death. Nearby, Luo Wenqian and his attendant Jixiang watched the fire in horror. Jixiang restrained his master, warning that intervening would only waste the sacrifices made by his father and brother.

They fled toward the southeast to seek General Yu Dayong but were soon ambushed and robbed by bandits. Fortunately, they were rescued by a merchant named Wang Cuiqiao. After learning the General had moved to the north, they decided to join her on her journey to find him. Three years later, the Tian family had seized the Luo assets and dominated the ink trade.

Now wealthy and arrogant, Tian Benchang approached Li Zhen, hoping to marry her and claiming he had protected her during the fire. Li Zhen, however, saw him for the monster he was. She accused him of being a murderer who had killed the innocent to climb the social ladder. After denouncing him, she struck him across the face and vowed never to see him again.

Li Zhen’s grandfather, Li Jinshui, warned her to keep her presence at the Luo estate that night a secret. Li Zhen confessed that witnessing Wensong’s sacrifice had awakened her own passion for the "Way of Ink." For three years, she studied under her grandfather’s strict guidance. Her hard work paid off when she successfully produced supreme-grade lampblack.

Moved by her achievement, Li Jinshui performed a ritual for their ancestors, declaring that the legacy of Li Ink finally had a worthy successor. Despite her success, the Li family’s main workshop continued to struggle due to competition from the Tians and internal issues. Master craftsmen had left over wage disputes, and Li Jingdong worked tirelessly to keep the business alive.

He was constantly frustrated by his son, Li Zhengshen, who neglected his duties to chase "divine elixirs" sold by the Tians. To help her family, Li Zhen decided to seek work at the main Li workshop on Sibao Street. Her brother, Li Zhengliang, and his new wife, Jiangyue, supported her decision, with Jiangyue even offering her own savings to help Li Zhen get started.

Li Zhen arrives at the Li family ink workshop, Li Ink, to collect tools and raw materials for burning lampblack. However, the queue leader, Sun Baiyi, treats her with utter disdain. He mocks her family’s expulsion from the clan and reminds everyone of her grandfather Li Jinshui’s solemn oath never to make ink again, accusing her of trying to sneak in to do her grandfather's bidding.

Li Zhen fiercely defends her grandfather, asserting that she has spent three years studying the craft and is perfectly capable of making lampblack on her own. Sun Baiyi laughs at her, claiming that a female ink-maker is unheard of. When he tries to drive her away, Li Zhen challenges him to produce a single rule that bans women from the trade, threatening to take the matter to Seventh Grandmother if he cannot.

Reluctantly backing down, Sun Baiyi sets a trap instead. He lays out strict terms: they only accept transactions starting from a full catty of lampblack, with low-grade paying two hundred wen and prices rising by two hundred wen for each higher grade. Li Zhen confidently requests twenty lamps to burn. Sun Baiyi then springs his trap, demanding she deliver the full catty within a strict four-day deadline.

When Li Zhen protests that the timeframe was not in the contract, other workers in line warn her that twenty lamps cannot possibly yield a full catty in four days due to natural wastage. If she fails, she will forfeit her deposit. Stung by the mockery, Li Zhen impulsively demands ten more lamps, declaring she will manage thirty lamps at once. The crowd is astonished, as even master ink-makers rarely dare to manage thirty lamps simultaneously.

Ignoring the warnings of losing her deposit, she signs the contract. Outside, Li Zhen's childhood friend, Wang Hua'er, witnesses the harassment. Having spent years traveling north and south on merchant ships after her plans to sail to Europa from Yuegang were thwarted by maritime bans, Wang Hua'er has just returned to the Li family. Though she comforts Li Zhen, Li Zhen admits she acted rashly out of anger.

Doggie, a sympathetic worker from the workshop, offers to help the young women carry the heavy load of tools and raw materials back home. Meanwhile, the Tian Ink workshop is thriving under the dominance of the Tian family. The spendthrift Tian Bensheng attempts to coax fifty taels of silver from his sister, Tian Ronghua, who is managing the accounts. However, their father, Tian Benchang, refuses, telling Bensheng to learn from his brother's success and contribute to the family business.

Bensheng then reveals that he saw Li Zhen collecting lamps from the workshop of the clan that expelled her. Tian Benchang dismisses her efforts, claiming she could never produce decent lampblack and that Li Jinshui is simply using her as a front. Wang Hua'er begs Seventh Grandmother to intervene and punish Sun Baiyi for his cruelty. However, the elderly matriarch chooses to watch from the sidelines.

She explains to Hua'er that she will not be around forever, and the younger generation must learn to stand on their own feet and face adversity to truly grow. Back in her smoke shed, Li Zhen struggles to find her footing. The pressure is immense, and she cannot even produce high-grade lampblack, let alone the supreme-grade she wants. She loses her appetite entirely, leaving her mother's vegetable cakes untouched.

Sensing her distress, her brother, Li Zhengliang, arrives with a message from their grandfather. He tells her that a quiet mind is the key to mastering the flames; when the mind is entirely undisturbed and there is nothing but the self and the lamps, even thirty-five lamps become manageable. Realizing her grandfather is simply showing his care through Zhengliang, Li Zhen acknowledges that her anxiety over the deadline was ruining her craft.

She resolves to clear her mind and start fresh. When the delivery day arrives, Li Zhen returns to the workshop with one catty and two taels of exquisite, supreme-grade lampblack. Sun Baiyi immediately tries to cheat her, claiming the grayish tint of her product proves it is fake and contaminated with pine lampblack. He threatens to confiscate her deposit and only accept the batch as low-grade material for cheap, coarse ink.

Refusing to let her hard work be insulted, Li Zhen takes her jar and heads straight to the bustling street to hold a public auction. In the middle of the marketplace, Li Zhen and Wang Hua'er gather a large crowd. Li Zhen speaks passionately about the refined history of Hui Ink and the meticulous care required to harvest premium lampblack. She invites the onlookers to rub the powder and inspect it against the light.

The crowd marvels at the lively luster created by the incredibly fine soot and the gloss of tung oil, realizing they are looking at authentic, supreme-grade lampblack. A local merchant questions if her grandfather made it, but Li Zhen proudly declares the work is entirely her own. She starts the bidding at one tael of silver, and the price rapidly escalates as merchants recognize its value.

Luo Wenqian, who has just returned to his hometown and observed the Tian family's overbearing influence, arrives on horseback and joins the bidding at six taels. Tian Benchang, also present in the crowd, tries to outbid the newcomer. The competition intensifies until representatives from Li Ink bid ten taels. Luo Wenqian shuts down the competition by raising the bid to fifteen taels.

Before the sale can be finalized, Master Sun, a master ink-maker and Sun Baiyi's father, rushes to the scene. Embarrassed by his son's foolishness and lack of judgment, he publicly apologizes to Li Zhen. He offers to buy back the lampblack for the fifteen-tael bidding price since the raw materials belonged to Li Ink, and he forces a highly reluctant Sun Baiyi to apologize to her in front of the jeering crowd.

Luo Wenqian steps forward, noting that Sun Baiyi's apology was entirely insincere. He then shocks the crowd by clarifying that his bid of fifteen taels was not in silver, but in pure gold. Despite the staggering offer, Li Zhen decides to cancel the auction. She explains that she only sought to clear her name and defend her dignity.

Since Li Ink has offered a public apology, she will return the lampblack to them out of respect for the origin of the raw materials. Turning to Luo Wenqian, she politely declines his gold, stating it far exceeds the true value of her work. Instead, she promises to burn a fresh jar of lampblack for him in the future free of charge.

Luo Wenqian is deeply moved by her integrity and refuses to hold her to any debt, wishing her prosperity before departing. The triumph is short-lived. That evening, President Hu of the Literary Association, accompanied by Li Jingdong, his son, and representatives from the Tian family including Tian Bensheng, confronts Li Jinshui at his home.

Pointing to the tools in the yard, they accuse the old master of violating his sacred oath, refusing to believe that a mere three-year apprentice could successfully manage thirty lamps and produce supreme-grade lampblack. Li Zhen arrives and fiercely defends her grandfather, reminding her uncle Li Jingdong that Li Jinshui could easily burn supreme-grade lampblack and manage thirty-five lamps when he first started. She argues that as his granddaughter, it is only natural she inherited his innate talent.

Unconvinced, Tian Bensheng challenges her to prove her skills by burning lampblack on the spot. When Li Zhen explains she has run out of materials, Master Zeng offers to bring some from the Tian workshop. Suspecting the Tian family of harboring malicious intentions, Li Zhen refuses to use their goods, prompting Bensheng to accuse her of cowardice. Seventh Grandmother suddenly arrives with a cart of fresh raw materials.

She admits she has never seen Li Zhen's true abilities and encourages her to show everyone what she can do. To make the test absolute, the skeptics demand she light all thirty lamps simultaneously to eliminate any element of luck. Li Zhen confidently accepts. Inside the smoke shed, the examiners force Li Jinshui and Zhengliang to leave the room to prevent any outside assistance. Left alone under the suffocating gaze of the crowd, Li Zhen begins to light the lamps.

By the fifth lamp, her hands begin to tremble from anxiety. Recognizing her distress, she asks Wang Hua'er for a translucent strip of cloth and ties it securely over her eyes. Enveloped in darkness, she recalls her childhood and her father's gentle guidance. He had taught her to find joy in the rising smoke, showing her how to see butterflies, kites, and soaring peaks within the flames.

He instructed her to unify her senses of sight, hearing, and smell to open her mind's eye. Finding her inner peace, Li Zhen systematically and flawlessly tends to all thirty lamps. When the burning is complete, she removes the blindfold, her face covered in soot. The master ink-makers step forward to inspect the collection plate. To their absolute astonishment, the soot is of the highest, flawless supreme-grade quality. Li Jingdong and the other critics are left utterly speechless, while Seventh Grandmother looks on with immense pride at the soot-stained young woman.

Following her sensational public demonstration of blindfolded lampblack-making with thirty lamps, Li Zhen returned home to a celebration. Her family gathered for dinner, where her mother, still shaken by the sheer audacity of the feat, drank wine to calm her nerves. She admitted that her heart would have leaped out of her chest had she been there to witness it, and warned her daughter to avoid such risky endeavors in the future.

Li Zhen playfully reassured her that since Grandfather had personally trained her, nothing could have gone wrong. Li Zhen then turned to the rest of the family, explaining that demonstrating her skills in front of the local ink masters was actually a smart move. She hoped that other workshops would no longer make things difficult for her, allowing her to take on outsourced lampblack-making to support them.

Remembering how they had looked after her during her three years of training—her mother leaving hot meals outside the workshop, and her brother and sister-in-law scraping together every coin they could spare—she promised to buy them a large new house once she earned enough.

Speaking to her brother, Li Zhen calculated that a jar of supreme-grade lampblack fetched two taels of silver, pondering how many jars she would have to make to afford a house, though she admitted such a high yield was not guaranteed every time. Before the dream could go further, Li Jinshui abruptly stood up and scolded her, stating that he did not teach her the craft just so she could become a common laborer.

Later that evening, Li Zhen quietly brought tea to her grandfather’s room to apologize, admitting that her excitement over their future had made her carry away. Li Jinshui reminded her that ink-making required an undivided mind to walk a righteous path. When he asked her what the most essential part of the process was, she answered that it was the glue-blending. He dismissed this as mere technique, asking instead about the true Way of Ink.

He explained that the core of the craft lay in remaining true throughout, a principle of steadfast devotion that must never be shaken by external temptations. Although Li Zhen admitted she had yet to find her own true path, she promised to stay on track, though she cheekily added that taking an occasional detour to earn some money would make their lives easier. Li Jinshui could only sigh, wishing her ink-making skills were as sharp as her tongue.

Meanwhile, Luo Wenqian had returned to Huizhou with heavy responsibilities. Officially, he was tasked with raising military funds for Marshal Qi. Privately, he sought to reclaim his family’s legacy and exact revenge on the Tian family, who had usurped the Luo estate. Years prior, following the tragedy of the Luo family, he had traveled with Wang Cuiqiao to see General Yu.

To shield him from his status as a fugitive, the General had kept him in the army under the assumed name of Qi Jiu. Having developed a deep bond over the years, Luo Wenqian and Wang Cuiqiao became sworn siblings. Unable to safely reopen an ink workshop under his false identity, he established the Yihousheng pawnshop as a front. Meeting with Wang Cuiqiao, Luo Wenqian thanked her for looking after the pawnshop.

Knowing how highly prized Hui Ink was, he explained his plan to insert himself into the trade under his cover identity. Wang Cuiqiao warned him that he had signed a military pledge to raise ten thousand taels of silver within six months. If he failed, he would lose both the pawnshop and his military post. She urged him not to act rashly or do anything that might jeopardize General Yu, who had protected them for so long.

Luo Wenqian assured her that he knew what was at stake, but remained firm in his plan to bring down Tian Huai'an at the height of his success, aiming to exploit the upcoming Tribute Ink competition. When Wang Cuiqiao noted that the Tians were closely connected to Shexian Magistrate Zhao Shen, Luo Wenqian coldly remarked that his enemies simply needed to stay alive long enough to witness their own ruin. Luo Wenqian later visited the dilapidated Luo family ancestral hall.

Standing among the ruins on Tomb-Sweeping Day, he burned joss paper for his deceased father, aunt, and brother. He recalled the terrifying day his family was wiped out and remembered the life-saving grace of General Yu. Looking at the dusty tablets, he vowed that he would one day clear his family's name, bring their tablets back home, and make the Luo family rise once again.

Not long after, the newly appointed Ink Affairs Official, Official Yan, arrived in Shexian with his daughter, Lan'er. As they traveled, Official Yan admired the beautiful local scenery, but Lan'er remained bitter and homesick, reminding him that he had been demoted and that only heaven knew if they would ever return to the Capital.

Their carriage was suddenly blocked by Luo Wenqian, who introduced himself as Qi Jiu from Marshal Qi's army and presented the official with a lavish gift—the Huizhou Ink Industry Records. By the roadside, the major ink makers of Shexian gathered to welcome the new official, only to be met by his steward. The steward explained that Official Yan was exhausted from his travels but had arranged an evening banquet at Sibao Restaurant to meet the local craftsmen.

He distributed invitations to the heads of the Tian, Chen, Pan, and Li families, though the Li family notably received two invitations. When questioned about the extra invitation, the steward simply stated that the official had his reasons. At home, Li Jinshui realized the extra invitation had been sent through Seventh Grandmother because Official Yan knew of his solemn oath never to make ink again.

Worried about the pressure this would bring, Li Zhen volunteered to accompany him, reasoning that as a junior, any misstep she made would be easily overlooked by the official. At the Sibao Restaurant banquet, Official Yan delayed the start of the meal until Luo Wenqian arrived.

Introducing the young entrepreneur to the local masters, Official Yan toasted the crowd and spoke of the decline of Hui Ink, lamenting how the glory of Li Ink and Luo Ink had faded after successive misfortunes. To lift the mood, Luo Wenqian presented a piece of ancient lacquer-soot ink named "Purple Clouds from the East," explaining its legendary origin as a symbol of hope and new beginnings—a perfect match for the official's arrival.

Official Yan was delighted and challenged the ink makers to recreate this lost masterpiece to secure the Tribute Ink commission. While the Chen, Tian, and Pan families hesitantly agreed to try, Official Yan turned to Li Jinshui, urging him to take up the heavy responsibility. Li Jingdong quickly interrupted, claiming that Eighth Master had been expelled and had sworn an oath never to make ink again, though he confidently offered his own services instead.

Li Jinshui apologized, stating that ancestral rules could not be violated. When Official Yan pointedly asked if family rules stood above the Emperor's affairs, Li Zhen stepped forward. She declared that where there was a will, there was a way, and offered to try in her grandfather's stead. Deeply impressed by her courage, Official Yan toasted her. To sweeten the deal, Luo Wenqian pledged a reward of one hundred taels of silver for whoever successfully recreated the ink.

After the banquet, Li Zhen confronted Luo Wenqian outside the restaurant. She noted how his bold entrance, his carefully chosen gift, and his cash reward had effectively manipulated the entire local industry, even dragging her grandfather into his game. Luo Wenqian countered that even if it was a game of chess, the senior masters had willingly played their parts, adding that he admired her nerve and hoped they could be business partners in the future.

Li Zhen coolly rejected his offer of friendship, stating that mixing business and personal feelings only made it harder to stay professional. As they walked home, Li Jinshui chided Li Zhen for her reckless behavior. She argued that she had to step forward to save him and Seventh Grandmother from the official's trap.

She also admitted that recreating the ancient ink was a perfect chance to test her skills, and she certainly could not let Luo Wenqian's gleaming silver reward slip through her fingers. Soon after, Li Zhen’s search for raw lacquer hit a dead end. Luo Wenqian’s assistant reported that the Tian family had bought up the entire local supply of raw lacquer to prevent other workshops from recreating the ancient ink.

Recognizing that raw lacquer would make an excellent bargaining chip, Luo Wenqian instructed his assistant to have Wang Cuiqiao source a shipment from her connections in Fujian. When his assistant suggested they should also buy some for Li Zhen, Luo Wenqian declined, noting that she was resourceful enough to find her own way. With the Tian family making the first move, Luo Wenqian decided to pay them a visit at Changsheng Garden.

Inside the estate, Tian Huai'an was furious with his son, who had been neglecting his studies to associate with the eighth branch's daughter, Li Zhen. When the son argued that he had no interest in exams or returning to the Capital, proudly presenting a newly formulated inkstick instead, Tian Huai'an lost his temper and ordered him out of his sight.

Luo Wenqian arrives at the grand Tian estate, once his childhood home Boyuan Garden, which was renamed Changsheng Garden after being stolen by Tian Huai'an. Standing outside, he is flooded with memories of his youth, recalling how his older brother, Luo Wensong, once stepped in to shield him from their father’s wrath when he refused to study in the capital.

His reverie is broken when Tian Huai'an and his son, Tian Benchang, warmly welcome him inside as Master Qi—using his alias, Qi Jiu—apologizing for not visiting his newly opened pawnshop, Yihousheng, to congratulate him first. During their conversation, Luo Wenqian offers a loaded compliment about the estate’s opulence, seemingly praising them as a premier ink-making dynasty.

However, he quickly shifts to a sharp provocation, questioning why his subordinate claimed only the Li and Chen families possessed a century-old heritage while the Tians were mere servants. Tian Huai'an quickly downplays the comment, humbly claiming the family business only achieved success under his own stewardship. When Tian Huai'an offers to send gifts to his household, Luo Wenqian cryptically replies that his family was tragically taken by villains years ago.

Attempting to probe further, Tian Benchang reveals he knows Luo Wenqian is a close confidant of General Qi and is in Huizhou to procure military supplies. Unfazed by their quick investigation of his background, Luo Wenqian remarks on the Tian family's formidable local influence and their aggressive tactics in buying up all the raw lacquer in Huizhou to monopolize the creation of the ancient lacquer-soot ink.

When the local County Magistrate, Zhao Shen, suddenly arrives, Luo Wenqian takes his leave, but the familiar greeting between Tian Huai'an and Zhao Shen confirms his suspicions of their deep collusion. Meanwhile, Li Zhen and her brother return home dejected, unable to buy raw lacquer due to the Tian family's monopoly.

Soon after, Seventh Grandmother visits to thank Li Zhen for stepping up at the official banquet to accept the challenge of recreating the lost ancient lacquer-soot ink, saving the Li family's reputation.

Knowing the stakes, Li Zhen negotiates firm terms: she will return to the Li Ink workshop to develop the ink, but she refuses to get involved in internal family politics, demands that Uncle Jingdong and Fourth Aunt Jiangyue be kept from causing trouble, and insists that her own Eighth Branch receive a fair share of the profits. Impressed by her maturity, Seventh Grandmother readily agrees.

To solve the lacquer shortage, Seventh Grandmother directs Li Zhen to Six Grandfather, Li Jinhe, who owns a suburban manor with a newly planted field of lacquer trees. Before giving her the supply, Six Grandfather decides to test her skills. He presents her with a heavily worn ancient ink stick with a faded inscription. Relying on her exceptional ability to identify ink through scent, Li Zhen notices its distinct fish-scale pattern, rich medicinal aroma, and subtle hint of lotus.

She correctly identifies it as the legendary "Longxiang" ink and recounts its historical origin involving Emperor Ming of Tang and the ink spirit, Longbin. Delighted by her profound knowledge, Six Grandfather writes her a slip to collect the lacquer from his daughter, Li Chunhua. Accompanied by her friend Hua'er, Li Zhen travels to the western suburban manor, where Li Chunhua lives with her husband, Li Decai, and their young son, Run'er.

While Chunhua is genuinely welcoming, Decai harbors a guilty secret: he had secretly promised five liters of their raw lacquer to Tian Benchang for a lucrative payout. With Six Grandfather's sudden order to give the entire supply to Li Zhen, Decai secretly dilutes the raw lacquer with water. However, Run'er accidentally knocks over the bucket, splashing the diluted liquid and exposing the deception.

Li Chunhua furiously confronts her husband, who breaks down and confesses his deal with the Tian family, resentfully complaining that Six Grandfather is giving away their hard work for free. Despite the family drama, Chunhua ensures Li Zhen receives the proper, high-quality raw lacquer. Li Zhen comforts the weeping young boy and thanks her aunt, promising to always be there to help if the family ever faces trouble.

With the raw lacquer secured, Li Zhen officially enters the Li Ink workshop to begin her work. She is met with immediate hostility and skepticism from the male artisans who mock the idea of a female ink-maker. Some deliberately work half-naked in the smoke sheds under the guise of the intense heat, but Li Zhen remains entirely unfazed, boldly calling out their hypocrisy regarding propriety and reputation until they reluctantly put their clothes back on.

The manager, Shao An, also attempts to sabotage her progress, repeatedly rejecting her material requisitions for minor technicalities and forcing her to rewrite the forms multiple times. Undeterred, Li Zhen throws herself into the grueling process inside the hot, cramped smoke shed, which soon causes her hands to break out in painful lacquer sores.

When she complains about Shao An's constant harassment at home, her grandfather calmly notes that Shao An's predictable behavior is actually a relief, as it means he hasn't changed. To speed up her slow progress, Li Zhen takes inspiration from her father's past method of burning over twenty lamps at once and decides to burn multiple soot lamps simultaneously to test her formulas faster.

Despite testing over two hundred combinations, the resulting lampblack is only mediocre, leaving the final ink dull and fragile. Her grandfather suggests that the raw lacquer and tung oil are failing to blend completely, advising her to experiment with various oil additives like soybean oil, sesame oil, tea seed oil, or animal fat to find a proper binder.

Searching through her father's ancient texts, Li Zhen finds a passage confirming that burning animal fat with lacquer residue yields an incredibly fine, deep black soot. She eagerly tests this method in the smoke shed, but while the resulting lampblack displays a beautiful iridescence, the mixture proves too oily, leaving the ink paste loose and difficult to mold. Throughout this arduous process, Luo Wenqian keeps a close eye on Li Zhen's progress.

To break the Tian family's monopoly and ease the market shortage, he requests his sworn sister, Wang Cuiqiao, to import a large batch of raw lacquer from the coastal regions. Later, Luo Wenqian visits the Li estate to see Seventh Grandmother. His presence there triggers a fond childhood memory of a young girl presenting him with a fish lantern and welcoming him as a friend.

Luo Wenqian, operating under the pseudonym Qi Jiu of the Yihousheng pawnshop, visited the Seventh Old Madam. Knowing he had already visited the Tian, Chen, and Pan families, she questioned his true intentions. Luo Wenqian explained that as an outsider, he needed her support to establish a foothold in Huizhou. Intrigued, the Old Madam asked why he chose to open a pawnshop rather than an ink workshop.

Luo Wenqian modestly replied that his knowledge of ink was superficial, and rushing headfirst into the industry would ruin things. Instead, he had set the ancient lacquer-soot ink challenge to test local workshops and select the best partner, expressing his strong desire to collaborate with Li Ink. To show his sincerity, Luo Wenqian presented the Seventh Old Madam with an exquisite, unsigned scroll.

He shared that the pawner of the painting described it as depicting the legendary masters of Li Ink making ink along the river during the Southern Tang dynasty, right after the founder restored their ancestral Li surname. Touched by the meaningful gesture, the Old Madam accepted the gift, thanking him with tea instead of wine. Meanwhile, Li Zhen was working tirelessly in the smoke shed, her face and hands stained black with soot.

Luo Wenqian arrived to check on her progress, bringing along fine black tea sent by the Seventh Old Madam. Although reluctant at first, Li Zhen eventually allowed him inside the draft-free smoke shed. Once inside, Luo Wenqian noticed an open copy of the "Ink Chronicles". The rare manual brought back emotional memories of his brother, Luo Wensong, for whom he had purchased this very copy in the capital at a high price.

Luo Wenqian offered to buy the book back for a fortune, but Li Zhen firmly refused, stating that the manual was a priceless treasure that had taught her the essence of her craft. While leafing through the book, Luo Wenqian noticed a smudged portion of the text regarding a key ingredient.

Li Zhen explained that the recipe required one of the animal "hollow organs," but without knowing the exact animal or organ, she would have to test nearly a hundred combinations. Eager to prove his sincerity for cooperation, Luo Wenqian promised to help her find the answer. Shortly after, Li Zhen noticed her allotted raw materials were shorted and angrily confronted Manager Shao An.

Shao An calmly explained that he had deducted the difference because she had previously taken materials from other sheds without permission. He showed her the registration log, explaining that the strict rules of Li Ink were established decades ago by Eighth Master Li to stabilize the workshop. Upon reviewing the detailed entries and seeing records of her own father and sixth grandfather, Li Zhen realized that rules were indeed the foundation of their craft and sincerely apologized to Shao An.

Just as they reconciled, Sun Baiyi and Master Wei barged in, furiously accusing Li Zhen of sneaking into the smoke shed at night, causing a draft that ruined Master Wei's freshly made lampblack. Li Zhen defended herself, stating the shed was completely empty when she entered, and requested Shao An to check the ledger. Upon checking, Shao An revealed that Master Wei had no record of drawing any raw materials for yesterday’s work.

Caught in his lie, Master Wei sheepishly claimed his memory had failed him and that the ruined batch was actually a failed failure from days prior. Under Shao An's quiet pressure, Master Wei was forced to apologize to Li Zhen, clearing her name. During a family dinner, Eighth Master Li advised Li Zhen to study diligently under Shao An. Later, Luo Wenqian returned with the crucial breakthrough.

After consulting various scholars day and night, he confirmed that the text referred to the "purest internal organ," which meant a gallbladder. Though the exact animal remained unknown, this significantly narrowed down her search. Deeply grateful, Li Zhen apologized for her prior coldness but insisted she would handle the remaining trials herself. With the gallbladder clue, Li Zhen worked day and night to perfect the recipe. After countless exhausting trials, she successfully recreated the long-lost supreme-grade lacquer lampblack.

Shao An rushed the sample to Eighth Master Li, who enthusiastically confirmed its exceptional quality. News of her success spread quickly through the workshop, and Li Zhen’s brother, Jingdong, was finally told to rest. Li Zhen proudly presented the supreme-grade lampblack to her Seventh Grandmother. Deeply moved, the Seventh Old Madam declared that Li Ink was finally saved. Bowing in deep gratitude, she officially entrusted the entire multi-step restoration of the ancient lacquer-soot ink to Li Zhen.

The workshop craftsmen, now harboring immense respect for Li Zhen, worked closely alongside her. Together, they endured the grueling process of ten thousand hammerings and delicate molding. Once the ink sticks were complete, Shao An personally decorated them with elegant gold tracing. Li Zhen presented the finished ancient lacquer-soot ink to the Seventh Old Madam and her Seventh Aunt.

The ink featured a beautiful carving of the four seasons, which Li Zhen explained symbolized both the hardships of ink-making and her wish for the ink to accompany its writers through every season of the year. Finally, Eighth Master Li cradled the newly crafted ink, inhaling its rich fragrance. With tears of pride, he praised the creation, declaring it as firm as jade and a true testament to the unyielding spirit and backbone of Li Ink.

Li Zhen carefully examined the four finished blocks of the newly restored lacquer-soot ink, each meticulously adorned with a gold-traced four-season painting by Manager Shao. Smiling, she distributed them to her family as keepsakes, gifting the Spring piece to her sister-in-law, Summer to her mother, Autumn to her brother Li Zhengliang, and the Winter piece—which symbolized concealing sharpness to store energy—to her grandfather, Eighth Master Li Jinshui.

Standing in the tidy ink workshop, Li Zhen reminisced about playing hide-and-seek there as a child, admitting she only now understood the incredible craftsmanship housed within. Her mother, however, worried that the Li family had not truly accepted Li Zhen, warning that once the ink testing event concluded, the lacquer-soot ink would no longer belong to her. Undeterred, Li Zhen insisted that her skills remained her own and could never be buried.

She then asked her grandfather if he would attend the upcoming event. Though Li Jinshui had sworn to quit the ink industry and declined to go, he warmly wished her ultimate success. To bless the event, Li Jinshui used the lacquer-soot ink to write the name of the residence on a lantern, with the mother and Li Zhengliang leaving their own ink marks alongside his.

Li Zhen then proudly announced that her very first ink testing event was ready to begin. Meanwhile, Qi Jiu's sworn elder sister marveled at Li Zhen's successful recreation of the ancient lacquer-soot ink. Knowing that Qi Jiu had tested the waters and now intended to invest in Li Ink, she questioned if he had any selfish motives. Qi Jiu explained that in a world where it was hard to have things both ways, he had to seize this opportunity.

His sister reminded him of their past—she as a merchant on the sea and he as a fugitive on the run, both saved by Marshal Qi and the General. While she understood his deep blood feud with the Tian family, she urged him not to act on impulse, emphasizing that securing military supplies in Huizhou remained their top priority.

Qi Jiu reassured her that he would handle the military supplies with complete dedication, but firmly stated he could never abandon his quest for vengeance. At the Tian residence, Tian Huai'an anxiously pressed his son Tian Benchang to expedite their own lacquer-soot ink production, warning that they could not afford to let the whole of Huizhou mock Tian Ink.

His second son suddenly rushed in with the news that Li Zhen had already restored the ancient ink and was hosting an event. Tian Benchang sneered, confident that the event would fail if no one showed up. To sabotage Li Ink, Tian Benchang visited Lord Yan ahead of time, presenting him with their own Baibao Ink, which had supposedly been praised by Lord Xu in the capital.

He deliberately scheduled the Tian family's ink testing event on the exact same day as the Li family's, inviting Lord Yan to attend. Just as he finished, Li Zhen arrived with her own invitation. Noting the deliberate clash, Lord Yan remarked on the incredible coincidence. Outside the mansion, Tian Benchang smugly told Li Zhen that business had no room for friendship, only winners and losers. Li Zhen remained composed, replying that it was too early to tell who would triumph.

Upon learning of the Tian family’s sabotage, the Li family gathered to discuss their options. While some suggested changing the date, Seventh Grandmother took Li Zhen’s advice to stand their ground, agreeing that constantly shifting to accommodate external obstacles would only cause them to lose direction. To secure victory, Li Zhen suggested they needed an influential calligrapher or painter to test their ink, as well as a major merchant to guarantee its future sales.

For the testing, she proposed the legendary landscape painter Mr. Dongtu, arguing that his flowing brushstrokes would best highlight the shifting variations of lacquer-soot ink, unlike the static seal script of Mr. Guangyuan or the Court Style of Mr. Yuanyou. Li Jingdong scoffed at the idea, noting that Mr. Dongtu only ever worked with Third Master Chen. Believing they had to try, Li Zhen took charge of the event and set out to find him.

Li Zhen first visited Qi Jiu at Yihousheng to thank him for his previous help in procuring the gallbladder (Zhongqing zhi fu). She then explained the dilemma of the competing events, asking if he could help invite a prominent merchant to support Li Ink. She pointed out that if the event failed, it would not only embarrass Lord Yan but also ruin Qi Jiu's own carefully laid plans.

Touched by her trust, Qi Jiu promised to do his utmost to assist. Li Zhen then sought out Third Master Chen for a recommendation to Mr. Dongtu. Chen revealed that the artist had struggled with his latest river landscape painting and had retreated to Mount Qiyun in seclusion. When he hesitated to interfere, Li Zhen playfully lamented her plight as an unloved granddaughter who would have to wander the cold mountains alone for days.

Relenting, Third Master Chen handed her a recommendation letter, warning her to remain respectful. As Li Zhen prepared for her journey, Qi Jiu caught up with her and offered to accompany her through the rough and distant terrain of Mount Qiyun. Along the way, they paused by an archway, and Li Zhen warmly recalled her late father carrying her on his shoulders.

Qi Jiu praised her father’s legacy as a brilliant rising star of Hui Ink and the son of Eighth Master Li. When they sat down to rest, Li Zhen noticed Qi Jiu had cut his arm. She lamented the lack of rouge medicinal ink—a healing ink her father had specially created for her.

She shared that she had given her very last piece of it to a boy named Luo Wenqian, a round-faced, round-eyed little boy with small hair buns whom she had saved from bullies on a Mid-Autumn Festival during her childhood. Though they had become close friends, his family was soon met with tragedy, and she quietly feared he was no longer alive.

Moved by her words, Qi Jiu comforted her, saying that her friend would be deeply touched to know she still remembered him. He then offered her some stone cakes (Shitougou). Surprised that an outsider knew of this local travel snack, Li Zhen asked him about it. Qi Jiu quickly explained that his father had done business in Huizhou and hired a local chef who frequently made it.

When asked about his own family, Qi Jiu admitted that his home had been destroyed by bandits, leaving him as the sole survivor. Apologizing for bringing up his painful past, Li Zhen praised his resolve to build his own business with his own hands. Using Third Master Chen's letter, the two successfully gained entry to Mr. Dongtu’s mountainside studio. The artist welcomed them warmly, serving tea to ward off the spring chill.

When asked why he had built his retreat there, Qi Jiu guessed it was due to the artist's love for pine trees, which featured in all of his paintings. Mr. Dongtu sighed, explaining that the booming ink industry had depleted Huizhou’s pine forests, forcing him to flee to the mountains to find inspiration. Li Zhen agreed, noting that her grandfather had also lamented how century-old pine wood was now scarce.

She solemnly promised to plant pine trees every year to preserve the ink industry's foundation for future generations, and Qi Jiu pledged to join her efforts. Touched by their sincere commitment to the land and the craft, Mr. Dongtu agreed to descend the mountain and paint for the Li family's event. Back in Huizhou, the Li family faced a severe crisis on the eve of the event.

The Tian family had aggressively bought up all the raw lacquer within a hundred miles, leaving Li Ink with only enough material to produce ten catties of ink. Desperate, Seventh Grandmother ordered her servants to search as far north as Xi'an and south as Zhangzhou. Just as hope seemed lost, Manager Shao rushed in to report that Qi Jiu had sent seven or eight carriages carrying five hundred catties of raw lacquer.

Grateful for this timely rescue, Seventh Grandmother toasted Qi Jiu with tea and offered to pay him a fair price. However, Qi Jiu refused immediate profit, proposing instead a long-term partnership. He offered to donate the raw lacquer for free and invest one thousand taels into Li's lacquer-soot ink.

Seventh Grandmother, mindful of the risks and the fact that the invited guests had not yet confirmed their attendance, politely declined for the moment, explaining that investing in their ink was a matter of family heritage rather than a simple business deal. Understanding her perspective, Qi Jiu agreed to wait until the conclusion of the ink testing event before discussing their partnership further.

The day of the long-awaited ink testing event arrived on Sibao Street, but the atmosphere at the Li Ink Workshop was anything but celebratory. While the Tian family drew crowds of merchants by offering a steep thirty percent discount on their goods, the Li family's venue remained dishearteningly quiet. Li Jingdong grew visibly discouraged by the empty street, but Seventh Old Madam and Li Jinhe urged patience, reminding everyone that good things took time.

Refusing to accept defeat, Li Zhen positioned herself at a strategic intersection leading to the street, waiting to intercept the sedan chair of Lord Yan, the Ink Affairs Official. When Lord Yan arrived, he questioned why she was stopping him so far from Sibao Street. Li Zhen explained that she wanted to ease his dilemma. Since he held invitations from both competing families, going straight would lead him to the south gate and right into the Tian family's hands.

She suggested he take a detour to the north gate, which would allow him to gracefully visit the nearby Li Ink Workshop first. Intrigued by her cleverness, Lord Yan ordered his bearers to follow her. Tian Benchang caught wind of the detour and rushed to block the path. He intercepted Lord Yan's sedan chair and welcomed him to Tian Ink's Baibao Ink event.

Just as Li Zhen argued that the lacquer-soot ink was Lord Yan's own challenge and that Li Ink should be his first stop, Shexian County Magistrate Zhao Shen arrived. Faced with the high-ranking Magistrate, Lord Yan had no choice but to accompany them to the Tian family's event instead. Despite the setback, Li Ink's event soon gained traction. Qi Jiu arrived with Mr. Dongtu, whom he had successfully brought from Mount Qiyun.

Finding the open-air setup unique and interesting, Mr. Dongtu prepared to paint live on the street using the newly restored ancient lacquer-soot ink. Sensing that they needed to shift the momentum, Li Zhen consulted Qi Jiu. She decided that if they could not be the first to host the official, they would make their event completely unique.

Qi Jiu quickly spread word through the crowd that Mr. Dongtu was painting live and leaving a blank space, waiting for someone worthy to write an inscription. At the Tian workshop, Magistrate Zhao Shen highly praised the Baibao Ink, but Lord Yan's attention was caught by the rumors of Mr. Dongtu's live painting.

Pointing out that Mr. Dongtu's works were collected by the imperial palace, Lord Yan suggested to Zhao Shen that they both go to Li Ink to write an inscription, which would surely become a legendary tale of their own. Leaving Tian Benchang behind, the two officials hurried to the Li Ink Workshop. Upon their arrival, Li Zhen welcomed them and invited both officials to grace the "Xin'an River Landscape" painting with their calligraphy.

Lord Zhao wrote a blessing for a promising future, while Lord Yan inscribed a classic poetic couplet. The exceptional quality of the ancient lacquer-soot ink, enriched with raw lacquer to create a sense of flowing movement, was praised by Lord Yan as the finest in Huizhou. Capitalizing on the high spirits, Qi Jiu stepped forward to fulfill his previous promise, awarding Li Zhen a reward of two hundred taels from Yihousheng for being the first to recreate the ink.

The excitement grew even further when the wealthy merchant Fan Sihai arrived, bearing premium ejiao as a congratulatory gift for Seventh Old Madam. Impressed by the majestic painting and the brilliance of the lacquer-soot ink, Fan Sihai immediately ordered ten chests of the ink, totaling one hundred thousand blocks. Knowing Qi Jiu's immense influence, Seventh Old Madam acknowledged that he was the force behind this massive deal.

Qi Jiu seized the opportunity to propose a formal partnership, presenting a contract where Yihousheng would invest one thousand taels for a three-year period in exchange for a thirty percent profit share, with no interference in Li Ink's management. Appreciating his sincerity, Seventh Old Madam accepted the proposal, and they toasted their partnership with tea. Behind the scenes, Qi Jiu remained focused on a deeper agenda.

He instructed his subordinate, Xiao Qi, to keep a close eye on Magistrate Zhao Shen, who had long backed the Tian family. Since the Tians had wrongfully seized the Luo family's entire estate years ago, Qi Jiu suspected that Zhao Shen had been accepting bribes. He hoped to gather enough evidence to expose the magistrate and ultimately bring down the Tian family. Following the successful event, Li Zhen enjoyed a rare day off.

Her grandfather, Li Jinshui, took the opportunity to teach her about the intricate art of glue-mixing, explaining that the right glue could elevate even average soot into superior ink. He shared historical secrets, noting how Luo Ink achieved its renown by blending luxurious ingredients like musk and jade powder into the glue, while Li Ink focused on organic elements like egg white, soapberry, and rhinoceros horn to create a deeply rich and substantive ink.

Later, Seventh Old Madam visited Li Zhen to discuss her future. Li Zhen admitted that while she wanted to learn, she knew she was not truly a part of the Li family and feared opposition from other family branches. She confessed her ultimate goal was to start her own business. Seventh Old Madam, understanding her ambitions, proposed a new one-year contract.

Under this agreement, Li Zhen would manage the workshop, increase production, and develop another landmark ink, in exchange for a five percent share of Li Ink's profits. Li Zhen discussed the offer with her mother, admitting that staying at the workshop was a great opportunity, but her heart still felt heavy regarding the past. Her mother urged her to separate business from old family grudges and promised her full support, whether she chose to stay or leave.

Meanwhile, at the Li family residence, a heated debate erupted. Li Jingdong strongly opposed keeping Li Zhen now that the ink was restored, but Li Jinhe scolded him for clinging to the incident thirteen years ago when his leg was broken. Seventh Old Madam firmly stated that her decision was necessary to revive Li Ink and secure its future. Fearing that Li Zhen's contract would give her too much power, Tian Jiangyue met secretly with Sun Baiyi.

She warned him that the contract was a key to the Li family's legacy and urged him to act. Sun Baiyi, already harboring a deep resentment toward Li Zhen for demoting him and placing him under his father's strict supervision, was more than willing to cooperate. The very next morning, the peaceful atmosphere at Li Ink was shattered when hand-copied sheets containing the secret formula for the newly restored lacquer-soot ink were found scattered all over Sibao Street.

Upon arriving at Li Ink, Li Zhen was met with a barrage of hostile accusations. The handwritten copy of her painstakingly restored ancient lacquer-soot ink recipe had been leaked and was spreading quickly across Sibao Street. Li Jingdong and Jiangyue immediately turned on her, claiming she was the only one with a motive to sabotage the family.

Li Zhen fiercely defended herself, arguing that the recipe was her own blood and sweat, and she had nothing to gain from leaking it. When she pointed out that Li Jingdong and Sixth Grandfather also had access to the recipe, Li Jingdong brought up the past misdeeds of her Eighth Branch, challenging her to swear an oath before their ancestors.

Li Zhen coldly replied that oaths were meaningless without trust, and her branch had been removed from the ancestral hall long ago anyway. Jiangyue seized on this, accusing Li Zhen of turning her back on her ancestors and betraying the family that had given her opportunities. She insisted that no leaks had ever occurred before Li Zhen's arrival. Seventh Old Madam silenced the bickering, declaring that they needed to solve the problem rather than assign blame.

She ordered Li Jingdong to compensate the merchants immediately and sent Sixth Grandfather to handle the Literary Association and Lord Yan. Though Seventh Old Madam expressed her belief in Li Zhen's innocence, Li Zhen refused to leave in disgrace, vowing to hunt down the true culprit and clear her name. Meanwhile, Qi Jiu learned of the chaos at Li Ink from his assistant, Xiao Qi.

Recognizing that the leak was a calculated move to ruin Li Zhen, Qi Jiu ordered Xiao Qi to keep a close eye on the unfolding situation. Determined to find the culprit, Li Zhen sought out Manager Shao at the workshop. Though he was hesitant to let her in due to orders from the young master, Li Zhen persuaded him to let her examine the workshop's historical employment registers.

She had noticed a highly distinct quirk in the thief's handwriting on the leaked recipe: the horizontal strokes slanted upward, and the vertical strokes lacked a proper return. Since every worker personally signed the registers upon joining, she hoped to match the script. After a meticulous search, she found a match belonging to Ge Laoliu, a worker dismissed five years prior for theft and laziness.

Manager Shao confirmed that Ge Laoliu was a notorious scoundrel and gambler who frequented the local streets. Li Zhen and her brother, Li Zhengliang, tracked Ge Laoliu to a nearby tavern, where they found him drunk and picking fights with the staff. Zhengliang told Li Zhen to wait safely at the old workshop while he handled the rogue. However, Zhengliang underestimated the drunkard's strength and nearly found himself overpowered.

Just as Ge Laoliu brandished a weapon, Qi Jiu and Xiao Qi arrived in the nick of time, easily subduing the thug. While Qi Jiu offered to handle the rogue on his own, Li Zhen insisted on conducting the interrogation herself to personally wash away the slander. Qi Jiu agreed and helped carry the unconscious man back.

Using Qi Jiu's military saber as a terrifying prop, Li Zhen prepared to break Ge Laoliu, while Qi Jiu and Xiao Qi watched the show from behind a door. When Ge Laoliu woke up, he arrogantly mocked Li Zhen, declaring that women should stay at home and serve men instead of striving for power. Zhengliang struck him for his insolence, but Li Zhen remained remarkably calm. She told the rogue that his insults only proved his own inferiority.

She warned him that his accomplice in the Li family had simply used him as a disposable pawn, and threatened to hand him over to the authorities. When Ge Laoliu stubbornly claimed he had merely found the recipe on the street, Li Zhen drew the saber. She spun a chilling tale, telling him the blade belonged to her business partner, Qi Jiu, a ruthless man associated with Marshal Qi.

Since the leak threatened Qi Jiu's business interests, she warned that he was waiting behind the door, ready to draw blood if Ge Laoliu refused to talk. Terrified by the threat of a violent end, Ge Laoliu broke and confessed that Sun Baiyi had paid him and provided the recipe for him to copy. Behind the door, Qi Jiu could not help but admire Li Zhen's cleverness.

Armed with this irrefutable proof, Li Zhen returned to Li Ink and presented Sun Baiyi's draft to Seventh Old Madam. Seeing the unmistakable handwriting, Seventh Old Madam ordered Sun Baiyi's immediate arrest. Sensing the shift in tide, Jiangyue began executing her own defensive scheme. She approached Sun Wanyi, reminding her that Sun Baiyi was her cousin and had always been close to her son, Li Zhengyou.

She pressured Wanyi to intervene before the punishment became too severe, while secretly gathering Master Sun's apprentices to create a crowd to pressure the family matriarch. Faced with the duplicate warehouse keys found on his person, Sun Baiyi collapsed in tears, confessing his guilt. Seventh Old Madam declared that Li Ink had survived for centuries on integrity, and such betrayal could not be tolerated.

Manager Shao read out the standard punishment: confiscation of earnings, the severing of both hands, and permanent banishment. Just as the guards stepped forward, Sun Dahe threw himself to the ground, begging to take the hand-severing punishment in his son's place. The apprentices and Sixth Grandfather joined in the plea, citing Master Sun's decades of loyal service and his critical role in maintaining the workshop's production. Wanyi also knelt, begging for mercy for her cousin.

Seventh Old Madam turned the final decision over to Li Zhen, the one who had suffered the most. Remembering Wanyi's past kindness to her and the Eighth Branch, Li Zhen requested that Baiyi's hands be spared, though his other crimes still demanded punishment. Relieved, Seventh Old Madam commuted the hand-severing to flogging and ordered both father and son banished from the workshop forever. But Jiangyue was not finished.

She stood up and sharply accused Li Zhen of being the true villain, claiming she was ungrateful and cold-hearted for refusing to show absolute mercy when the whole family had pleaded for Baiyi. Jiangyue claimed that Li Zhen’s ultimate goal was to take over the Li family assets and drive out Wanyi and her son, Li Zhengyou. She argued that Sun Baiyi had only stolen the recipe to protect Zhengyou's future as the rightful heir.

The crowd, swayed by Jiangyue's instigations, began chanting to have Li Zhen expelled. Even young Zhengyou stepped forward, hitting Li Zhen and shouting that she was not his sister and could not steal their home. Though Wanyi quickly scolded her son and had him taken away, the damage was done. Disgusted by the relentless internal warfare and backstabbing, Li Zhen realized that she no longer wanted any part of this toxic legacy.

She informed Seventh Old Madam that she would not sign the partnership contract. Turning to the hostile crowd, she declared that she was leaving of her own free will because she refused to align herself with people who distorted the truth and engaged in such filthy schemes. Severing all ties with the Li family, she turned her back on them and walked away.

Upon returning home, Li Zhen was welcomed by her family with a comforting feast, featuring a large mandarin fish her grandfather, Li Jinshui, had specially bought for her. When she announced that she had returned the contract and decided to use her prize money from Qi Jiu to open her own independent shop, Xiao Li Ink Workshop, Li Jinshui’s face darkened.

He warned her that running a business was incredibly difficult, especially for someone who had only studied the craft for a few years. When Li Zhen asked if his opposition stemmed from a lack of faith in her or simply a stubborn desire to keep her in the main family, Jinshui angrily retreated to his room and locked the door.

Standing outside, Li Zhen poured her heart out to him, explaining that while she knew he wanted her to return to the orthodox Li Ink lineage, the main household was broken and plagued by greed. She refused to remain in a place where she would constantly be framed and targeted, vowing instead to build a peaceful, honest life for their own family. Sometime later, Qi Jiu and Xiao Qi spotted Li Zhen on the streets scouting shop rentals.

Xiao Qi jokingly suggested they invest in her venture. Qi Jiu playfully agreed, telling Xiao Qi that they would use his salary to fund the investment. Back at home, Li Zhen happily announced that she had secured a shop for the Xiao Li Ink Workshop. However, her joy was short-lived when she saw her grandfather with his bags packed, ordering Zhengliang to pack his things immediately.

Her mother explained that Zhengliang's uncle in Wuyuan had offered him a role in the inkstone business. Upon hearing that Zhengliang wished to go, Jinshui had stubbornly packed his bags to accompany him. Despite the family's deep worries about his frail health, Jinshui remained silent and unyielding. Realizing she could not change his mind, Li Zhen quietly handed her brother medicine for their grandfather and watched them depart into the distance.

Li Jinshui was deeply opposed to Li Zhen's plan of establishing Little Li's Ink Workshop to compete with Li Ink. Although he had been expelled from the clan, his heart still belonged to the Li family, and he felt a fierce urge to protect the reputation of the house that had rejected him.

Seeing Li Zhen obstinately pressing forward with her plans, Li Jinshui packed up in anger and departed for Wuyuan with his grandson, Li Zhengliang, and Zhengliang's wife, Qiu'e, to focus on the inkstone trade. Shortly after, Li Zhen's cousin, Li Zhengyou, arrived at her home carrying a basket. He had previously been manipulated by Jiangyue into saying harsh and hurtful things to Li Zhen, but he had finally realized his errors.

Sent by Seventh Grandmother, he presented Li Zhen with a box of pastries they had baked together and offered a sincere apology. Once he left, Li Zhen opened the basket and found a generous sum of silver alongside a letter from Seventh Grandmother. The letter expressed Seventh Grandmother's deep regret for not standing up for her during the disputes at the Li household, especially regarding the stolen ink recipe.

Acknowledging that the clan was now fractured by internal strife and external threats, Seventh Grandmother admitted she was powerless to protect her and urged Li Zhen to freely pursue her dreams, offering the silver as a starting fund. Meanwhile, Qi Jiu learned of Li Zhen's bold move to rent a storefront on Sibao Street.

His subordinate, Xiao Qi, mentioned that the dividends from their ancient lacquer-soot ink had reached eight hundred taels, which Qi Jiu ordered to be sent to his elder sister. Xiao Qi pointed out that the rent on Sibao Street was notoriously high, meaning Li Zhen was likely running out of funds, though he deeply admired her soldier-like bravery. Sensing his subordinate's frequent mention of Li Zhen, Qi Jiu decided to take one hundred taels and pay her a visit.

Li Zhen visited President Hu of the Literary Association to request the official permit for Little Li's Ink Workshop. Fearing the influence of Li Ink, President Hu refused to grant the approval, arguing that there was no historical precedent for two workshops operating under the same surname while the original still stood. Li Zhen argued that her branch had been formally expelled and was legally distinct, but President Hu insisted she must first obtain Li Ink's consent.

Outside the association, Li Zhen confronted her uncle, Li Jingdong, who admitted to blocking her. He declared he would never allow a mere brat like her to tarnish Li Ink's century-old lineage. When Li Jingdong threatened to invoke the Founder's Black Banner to pass judgment, Li Zhen, completely unfazed due to her expelled status, made it clear that she would open her workshop regardless of his approval.

Desperate for support, Li Zhen sought out Lord Yan, the Ink Affairs Official, hoping he would pressure the association to grant her permit. Lord Yan dismissed her aspirations, noting that without the backing of the Li family or Li Jinshui, she had no hope of competing against established giants like Li Ink or Chen Ink. During their conversation, they were interrupted by a commotion nearby.

Lord Yan's daughter, Miss Yan, was emotionally distraught, throwing out her physicians and calling them charlatans. Lord Yan tried to comfort her, promising to find the best doctors to cure the severe facial skin condition that had tormented her since childhood, leaving her secluded and miserable. This heartbreaking scene inspired Li Zhen. Back at the workshop, she discussed the situation with Wang Hua'er.

She recalled how her father had once created a medicinal rouge ink to treat her childhood injuries, and how his ultimate goal was to formulate the legendary Nine-Treasure Ink to cure persistent skin ailments. Li Zhen decided to create this medicine-infused ink. It would not only help patients like Miss Yan but also allow her to avoid direct competition with established workshops. If she could cure Lord Yan's daughter, he would undoubtedly approve her business.

Shortly after, Qi Jiu arrived and offered to invest one hundred taels to help her out of her financial bind. However, Li Zhen calmly rejected his money. She explained that she wanted her workshop to remain independent and was uneasy about accepting funds without clear profit-sharing terms or future business plans. Confident that her ink would eventually surpass Li Ink, she promised to invite him for a proper business discussion once her success was secured.

Qi Jiu, highly impressed, took his money back. At Qingfeng Pavilion, he discussed Li Zhen's principles with his sister, who expressed her admiration for the young woman. Qi Jiu then requested his sister to reserve thirty percent of his dividends so he could invest in her project in the future. In the old, abandoned Li family workshop, Li Zhen and Wang Hua'er studied the "Ink Chronicles" to find the recipe for the Nine-Treasure Ink.

They decoded the "three lower herbs" as ground plants like kochia fruit and dictamnus bark, and the "three middle herbs" as animal organs, but they remained stumped by the "three upper herbs." Their work was cut short when Li Jingdong barged in with his men. Demanding that Li Zhen leave since she wanted to be independent, he ordered his men to seize the property and throw her out.

Although Wang Hua'er protested that Seventh Grandmother had allowed its use, Li Jingdong remained heartless. Li Zhen agreed to leave but fiercely reclaimed her medicinal herbs and insisted that the tools crafted by her grandfather and bought by her family would not be left behind. Packing her belongings onto a wooden cart, she stepped out into a sudden, heavy rainstorm.

As she struggled to pull the heavy cart through the muddy streets, tears mixing with the rain, her mother arrived just in time to help her wheel the cart back home. At home, Li Zhen's mother urged her to conserve her strength and eat properly. Li Zhen explained her quest for the Nine-Treasure Ink, pointing out the vague references to the "three upper herbs." Her mother brought out her late husband's old notebook, which was filled with fragmented formulations.

In it, Li Zhen found his records on the ink, discovering that he used fermentation to preserve the medicinal properties. The notes identified two of the upper herbs as snow lotus and dindygule peperomia, but listed the third as the mysterious "Matchmaker Herb." The next morning, they climbed the mountains in Yi County to gather various herbs. While searching, Li Zhen slipped and injured her foot.

Her mother applied a local herb to the wound, explaining that it was highly effective and prevented scarring. She shared a fond memory of how she had used the very same herb on Li Zhen's father when they first met in these mountains after he fell into one of her hunting traps. She explained how Seventh Grandmother had eventually convinced the clan elders to accept their marriage despite her Shanyue heritage.

When Li Zhen realized her foot was already healed and pain-free, her mother told her the plant was called Scarlet Phoenix Grass. Li Zhen realized that "Scarlet Phoenix Grass" was indeed the legendary "Matchmaker Herb." In Wuyuan, Li Jinshui was busy teaching Li Zhengliang the intricate details of inkstone patterns, from fish roe and water-ripple gold-star to the Luowen (thread) pattern, explaining Su Shi's concept of a melon-smooth surface with a silken grain.

During dinner, Qiu'e served grandfather's favorite dish, and Zhengliang read aloud a new letter from his mother. The letter conveyed that Li Zhen had established the workshop and was tirelessly working to recreate her father's dream, the Nine-Treasure Ink. The mother urged them to persuade Li Jinshui to forgive Li Zhen's harsh words, as she cared for her grandfather deeply. Hearing of the Nine-Treasure Ink, Li Jinshui's heart softened.

He quietly contributed his own experience on making the medicinal ink to be included in Li Zhengliang's reply letter. After successfully creating the medicinal ink, which emitted a soothing herbal scent, Li Zhen conducted clinical trials at various medical clinics. Having successfully cured dozens of patients suffering from incurable sores, she meticulously documented their names and cases in a booklet.

She returned to Lord Yan, who praised the balance of medicine and ink but still refused to help her with the Literary Association, stating that medicinal ink was too niche. Li Zhen then made her true request: she wanted to use the Nine-Treasure Ink to cure his daughter's facial sores. Lord Yan became furious, accusing her of using his daughter as a living advertisement to promote Little Li's Ink Workshop.

Despite Li Zhen's assurances and the documented successful trials, Lord Yan refused to let his daughter take the risk and ordered her to leave. Li Zhen politely bid him goodbye, leaving the booklet behind for him to read and verify at his own convenience.

Lord Yan sent a letter to Li Zhen, suggesting that they try using the medicinal ink to treat his daughter Lanxiang’s facial sores. However, he emphasized that the treatment could only proceed with Lanxiang’s consent, and he tasked Li Zhen with the difficult job of persuading her. Li Zhen immediately agreed and was escorted to the Yan residence. At the manor, Li Zhen cleverly decorated Lanxiang’s face with flower petals to conceal her facial sores.

To ease Lanxiang's self-consciousness, Li Zhen shared a historical tale about an ancient imperial concubine who accidentally scarred her face on a crystal screen. Rather than diminishing her beauty, the scar charmed the emperor, prompting the women of the palace to mimic the look with cinnabar and rouge, a style later known as the "Slanted Red." Lanxiang was deeply touched by Li Zhen's sincerity and lack of flattery.

When Li Zhen offered to take her out for a walk to get some fresh air, she gladly accepted. Up on the mountain grasslands, Lanxiang felt a rare sense of liberation, noting that she had never felt this happy even back in the Capital. Li Zhen gently questioned why she had refused treatment since moving to Huizhou despite having actively sought medical help in the past.

She guessed that Lanxiang was holding back for the sake of her father, Lord Yan. Ever since his demotion, Lanxiang feared her chronic illness would become a burden or a weakness that others could exploit against him. She wanted her father to focus on his official duties, regain the emperor's favor, and return to the Capital without being held back by her.

Lanxiang admitted that Li Zhen had seen right through her, confirming that she had never shared these thoughts with her father to spare him useless grief. Li Zhen softly advised her that while physical ailments are easy to treat, the heart is the hardest thing to cure. If her heart remained guarded, she and her father would only continue to hurt each other in a painful stalemate.

She handed her a stick of the medicinal ink, telling her to seek her out whenever she was ready to make a choice. Back at the residence, Lanxiang recalled her father’s tearful confession about his deepest worry—that once he passed away, no one would be left to protect her.

Guided by his love and Li Zhen's words about healing the heart, she made up her mind to try the treatment and instructed her maid, Xiaoman, to invite Li Zhen to the residence the following day. After the treatment concluded, the day arrived to remove the bandages. Lord Yan and his daughter were incredibly anxious. Standing by the bed, Lord Yan and Li Zhen politely urged each other to do the honors of removing the bandages.

Growing impatient, Lanxiang pulled the cloth off herself. As her face was revealed, everyone gasped in amazement. Lanxiang’s face was completely healed, showing flawless, radiant skin. Overwhelmed with relief, father and daughter wept tears of joy, and Lord Yan praised the miraculous efficacy of the Nine-Treasure Ink while Lanxiang tearfully thanked Li Zhen. Sometime later, Li Zhen's mother brought her to pay respects at the grave of her late father, Li Jingfu.

Presenting her newly crafted medicinal ink, Li Zhen told her father’s spirit that she had successfully recreated his work. Her mother recalled how they first met, which prompted Li Zhen to ask about the "Matchmaker Herb" mentioned in his notes. Her mother explained that it was actually Red Phoenix Brocade Herb, which she had used to treat Li Jingfu's wounds when they met. Because it brought them together, he had poetically renamed it in his journal.

To honor their enduring love, Li Zhen announced that she would officially name her creation "Fu Jin Ink," combining characters from both of their names. Preparations for the grand opening of Xiao Li Ink Workshop were soon underway. Tian Ronghua visited the shop, hauling heavy gifts to support her friend. She brought an agate abacus, a custom-designed ledger, high-quality ejiao from Dong'e to keep Li Zhen healthy, and a locked wooden box to store earnings.

Looking at Li Zhen's thriving business, Ronghua wistfully expressed her desire to be as free to pursue her dreams, though she lamented that her father and brother would never allow it. Li Zhen gratefully accepted the gifts, jokingly calling her friend her personal goddess of wealth. Determined to secure investment for her business, Li Zhen presented a partnership agreement to Qi Jiu, offering him a share in Xiao Li Ink Workshop.

She calculated that they already had hundreds of orders lined up, meaning they would break even almost instantly. Qi Jiu was impressed by her business acumen but explained that she would have to meet someone else before he could invest the five hundred taels of silver. He brought her to Cuiqiao Cottage to meet Madam Wang. The influential businesswoman questioned why Li Zhen had chosen such a difficult, independent path instead of quietly relying on the established Li Ink.

Li Zhen countered by asking if Madam Wang had ever regretted making the very same choice in her youth. Admiring her quick wit, Madam Wang invited Li Zhen to help her appraise a selection of teas brought by various merchants. The merchants presented exquisite samples of West Lake Longjing, Dongting Shuiyue Tea, Junshan Silver Needle, and Pu'er. However, Li Zhen bypassed them all and chose a seemingly coarse Wild Tea from Houkeng.

Sourced directly from the nearby Houkeng village head, this wild tea offered a much higher profit margin. Furthermore, its natural orchid aroma could be greatly enhanced if the leaves were pressed into the shape of an orchid, significantly increasing its market value. Impressed by her vision, Madam Wang agreed to send the five hundred taels of silver to Li Zhen's workshop on Qi Jiu's behalf.

Once Li Zhen left, Madam Wang informed Qi Jiu that she had located Gao Kun, the key confidant of Magistrate Zhao Shen, hiding in Xu Village on Mount Jinlong. On the grand opening day of Xiao Li Ink Workshop, Lord Yan arrived in person, lending immense prestige to the event. He gladly wrote "Fu Jin Ink" in elegant calligraphy to celebrate the workshop's signature creation.

Soon after, the wealthy merchant Fan Sihai arrived on behalf of Qi Jiu to offer his congratulations. Seeing Lord Yan's endorsement, Fan Sihai immediately ordered one hundred sticks. Li Zhen boldly offered him a thirty percent discount on sixty of those sticks if he took forty of the current stock on the spot. Pleased by her sharp business sense, Fan Sihai ordered another fifty sticks, prompting other merchants to quickly snap up the remaining inventory.

Later, Li Zhen's mother handed her a beautifully textured Wuyuan inkstone, a supportive gift from her grandfather. Meanwhile, at Li Ink, Li Jingdong was drinking heavily, drowned in dejection. Jiangyue complained bitterly about Li Zhen's success and urged him to send thugs to destroy her workshop. Li Jingdong angrily refused, pointing out that Li Zhen had used her own recipe and resources without relying on the family.

He then revealed a stick of Fu Jin Ink that he had secretly purchased at three times the market price. With quiet despair, he admitted that despite making ink his entire life, he was utterly incapable of replicating such a masterpiece. Jiangyue warned him that his tolerance would only allow Li Zhen to eventually overshadow the main family, making them the laughingstock of Huizhou.

At the Tian household, Tian Huai'an and his sons were also complaining about Li Zhen’s growing influence. Just then, a letter arrived from the Capital, and Tian Huai'an rejoiced. He announced that he had secured a marriage for Tian Ronghua with the grandson of the influential Lord Xu. Though the young man was mentally disabled due to a childhood illness, Tian Huai'an saw the alliance as a golden opportunity to secure a powerful backer in the Capital.

Tian Ronghua protested fiercely, accusing her father of treating her like an object once again. Furious, Tian Huai'an declared that she had no choice and ordered his sons to keep her under close watch at home until they received further word from the Capital. In the meantime, Qi Jiu returned to his headquarters, bruised and battered but successful.

After applying some rouge medicinal ink to his wounds, his subordinate suggested visiting Li Zhen's newly opened shop, but Qi Jiu insisted that business came first. He immediately visited the Huizhou Prefect, Lord He, and presented him with ledgers detailing years of corruption, bribery, and oppression committed by Magistrate Zhao Shen. Lord He was hesitant, warning that such a major case required undeniable proof and that the ledgers alone could be dismissed as forgeries.

Qi Jiu reassured him, revealing that they had already captured Zhao Shen's closest confidant, Gao Kun. Shocked by his boldness, Lord He admonished Qi Jiu, reminding him that as a mere merchant, acting on behalf of the authorities was a severe transgression.

Qi Jiu brought the solid evidence of Magistrate Zhao Shen's corruption to the Huizhou Prefect, Lord He. Instead of being pleased, Lord He was initially furious, accusing Qi Jiu of acting beyond his authority by privately arresting the suspect Gao Kun and bypassing proper legal channels like filing a petition or beating the grievance drum.

Qi Jiu calmly pointed out that because Zhao Shen was the magistrate, any conventional report would have alerted him and allowed him to destroy the evidence. He then revealed his true identity, explaining that he was in Huizhou on official orders from Marshal Qi to procure military supplies. Upon hearing the powerful marshal's name, Lord He's demeanor immediately changed, and he promised to launch a thorough investigation into Zhao Shen and his collusion with the Tian family.

Shortly after, government guards raided the Tian Ink Workshop. When the guards demanded to know who was in charge of the accounting, Xu Chengde stepped forward, identifying himself as the workshop's accountant and pointing out Tian Ronghua as the family's eldest daughter. The guards arrested Xu Chengde, seized all the ledgers, and informed a stunned Tian Ronghua of the charges against her family, which included colluding with Zhao Shen, seizing private properties, and profiting from illegal loans.

Tian Huai'an and his two sons, including Tian Benchang, were also arrested. As they were being led away, Tian Huai'an desperately begged his daughter to find a way to save them. With Zhao Shen and the Tians behind bars, Qi Jiu felt a sense of relief. He shared a cup of tea with his sister, Wang Cuichiao, who congratulated him on finally securing his revenge and urged him to focus on Marshal Qi's business.

However, Qi Jiu remained cautious, warning her that a beast is most dangerous when cornered and that the Tian family might still have a backup plan. Meanwhile, the Tian family's home was filled with despair. As the Tian mother wept and begged her daughter to save them, Tian Ronghua argued that she had kept the books clean and separate from Zhao Shen. Her mother bitterly corrected her, revealing that the clean accounts were just a cover.

She admitted the family's success was built on the fall of the Luo family and laundering bribe money for Zhao Shen, crimes that would surely cost her father and brothers their heads. Seeing no other choice, Tian Ronghua resolved to go to the Capital and accept the marriage proposal to Lord Xu's simple-minded grandson, Hu Qi, to secure their family's rescue.

Li Zhen rushed over after hearing from her mother that the Tian workshop had been sealed and its leaders arrested. She found Tian Ronghua preparing to leave and tried desperately to dissuade her from ruining her life by marrying a fool. Tian Ronghua, however, believed this was her family's retribution and her accepted fate. She admitted she had always envied Li Zhen's freedom and strength but was determined to make this sacrifice.

After a tearful farewell, she departed for the Capital. Before Zhao Shen was transferred to Jinling to await his execution, Qi Jiu visited him in prison to see him off. Zhao Shen demanded to know why Qi Jiu had ruined him, to which Qi Jiu replied that Zhao Shen had brought this upon himself through his corrupt dealings with the Tian family, promising that none of them would escape justice.

In the Capital, Tian Ronghua and her mother stayed at the Hu mansion. Madam Hu, who was Lord Xu's daughter, hosted them. Hu Qi was indeed simple-minded, drooling and playing with a toy drum, but Tian Ronghua patiently cared for him, wiping his mouth and feeding him. Observing this, Madam Hu questioned whether Tian Ronghua was genuinely pure or deeply scheming.

Tian Ronghua honestly admitted that her family was jailed for corruption and that she was sacrificing her life to save them. Impressed by her honesty and devotion, Madam Hu promised to treat her like her own daughter. Lord Xu then drafted a letter for the Tian mother to take back to Lord He, ensuring the safety of the Tian men, while Tian Ronghua remained at the mansion. Back in Huizhou, Lord He visited the imprisoned Tians with Lord Xu's letter.

Although he noted that the evidence against them was irrefutable, Tian Benchang offered a cunning solution. He claimed that their father was semi-literate and had blindly trusted their accountant, Xu Chengde, who had colluded with Zhao Shen without their knowledge. Benchang proposed that the Tians would pay a fine of five thousand taels of illicit money and donate an additional one thousand taels to the prefecture to help oversee the ink industry.

Lord He, pleased with the arrangement, agreed to the plan. During the subsequent trial, Tian Huai'an publicly shifted all blame onto Xu Chengde. Knowing that his son and grandson were still employed by the Tians, Xu Chengde took the fall and pleaded guilty. Tian Huai'an resigned as the master of Tian Ink and vowed to leave the Huizhou ink industry forever.

Lord He then sentenced Xu Chengde to exile in the North, confiscated the five thousand taels, and acquitted the three Tian men. Qi Jiu confronted Lord He, outraged by the unjust verdict, but the prefect dismissed his complaints, claiming he only judged based on evidence and warning Qi Jiu not to make trouble for Marshal Qi. Soon after, the imperial edict was announced, declaring a competition for the prestigious Tribute Ink rights.

Lord Yan, the ink affairs official, urged the local ink makers to win back the rights for Huizhou. An angry Qi Jiu complained to Wang Cuichiao about the Tian family's shameless escape, but she advised him against rash actions. She explained that Lord Xu was the Senior Grand Secretary, and openly opposing him would put Marshal Qi in a difficult position. She pointed out that since the Tians were cleared, they would compete for the Tribute Ink.

If they won, they would regain their wealth and secure their backing, which would ruin Qi Jiu's plans and his dividends in Li Ink. Qi Jiu realized that the only way to defeat the Tians was to win the Tribute Ink himself, thereby cutting off their financial lifeline and securing his own goals. Lord Yan visited the Li family to discuss the competition.

While Li Jingfu expressed confidence in his newly improved Yunsong Ink, Lord Yan felt it was risky to rely on an unfinished product. Instead, he suggested using Li Zhen's Fu Jin Ink, which had cured his daughter's illness. The Li family matriarch objected, noting that Li Zhen's branch had been expelled from the clan. Lord Yan proposed that they use the competition to merge the main Li Ink and New Li Ink workshops.

Li Zhen soon arrived but flatly declined the proposal. She clarified that her Fu Jin Ink was not associated with the main Li family and that she had no desire to enter the competition. She explained that her father's death and her family's exile were all caused by the destructive pursuit of Tribute Ink, and she refused to get involved in it again. Furious at her stubbornness, Lord Yan warned them that Huizhou must win the competition and that the Li family had no choice but to comply before he stormed out.

With His Majesty moving up the timeline for the Tribute Ink selection, the prestigious workshops of Huizhou find themselves in a tense scramble. The Tian family remains deeply entangled in legal battles, while the Chen family has failed to produce any noteworthy new creations beyond their Scholar Ink. Driven by the mounting pressure, the imperial official Lord Yan had previously visited the Li residence to mediate a reconciliation with Li Zhen, hoping to utilize her creations.

However, the proud main family rejected his proposal. In the wake of this rejection, the Li family gathers to debate how they should apologize to the influential official. Some members complain bitterly about what they perceive as the official’s condescending attitude, but Seventh Grandmother and Li Jinhe quickly warn them to guard their tongues. Li Jinhe laments the deep decline of their clan, which prompts his son, Li Jingdong, to react with defensive fury.

Jingdong demands to know why no one in the family believes in his ability to craft the new Yunsong Ink. Although Jingdong’s loyal wife, Ying, tries to defend her husband's tireless work in the workshop, Jinhe cuts her off. Drowned in guilt, Jinhe blames himself for a lifetime of bitter rivalries that ended in tragedy, recalling how family members died or were driven away, leaving the survivors to do nothing but torment one another.

Enraged, Jingdong lashes out at his father's own lack of accomplishments, causing Jinhe to scold him for his insolence. Their argument is cut short when a servant rushes in with urgent news. Manager Shao has gathered a large group of ink-makers and is leading them to the ancestral hall to petition on Li Zhen’s behalf. When confronted, Manager Shao explains that the workers wish to apologize to Li Zhen for past misunderstandings.

He argues that her recreated ancient lacquer-soot ink is already a massive success and her Fu Jin Ink has won the favor of Lord Yan. Bringing her back, he insists, is the only logical way for Li Ink to reclaim the Tribute Ink privilege. Feeling deeply insulted by the workers' lack of faith, Li Jingdong accuses the manager of overstepping his bounds.

He stubbornly declares that he can win the tribute selection without Li Zhen and orders the crowd back to work. Meanwhile, Wang Cuiqiao meets with Qi Jiu to discuss the unfolding situation. With Li Zhen's refusal of Lord Yan's invitation now common knowledge throughout Huizhou, Cuiqiao is deeply concerned. Their plans for procuring military supplies for Marshal Qi rely heavily on cooperating with both Li Ink and Li Zhen's New Li's Ink Workshop.

Cuiqiao urges Qi Jiu to persuade Li Zhen to change her mind, pointing out that the only successful new inks in the region are Li Zhen's creations. Qi Jiu understands the gravity of the military contract but remains reluctant to pressure Li Zhen. He reassures Cuiqiao that he will manage the Huizhou ink trade carefully. Qi Jiu later visits Li Zhen at her newly renovated New Li's Ink Workshop.

Finding her distracted while trying to read, he playfully quotes the poet Mr. Tao, urging her to put aside her worries and enjoy the beautiful day with some tea and pastries. Sensing his unspoken concern, Li Zhen decides to take him to the pinewood nursery. The young forest is filled with saplings she promised Mr. Dongtu she would plant and care for every year.

Standing among the thriving pines, Li Zhen explains that the Tribute Ink selection is a painful thorn in her heart. Every mention of it brings back nightmares of her father being whipped, kneeling in the pouring rain, her mother's hidden tears, and her grandfather's ink-stained hands that can never touch ink again. She refuses to be used as a pawn in her family's endless power struggles.

Qi Jiu listens with deep empathy and assures her that he did not come to pressure her. He explains that he values her as a person regardless of the selection, and believes she is destined to become the greatest ink maker in the Ming Dynasty on her own merits. His encouraging words remind Li Zhen of a childhood friend—the cowardly little boy who once held the very same belief in her.

Touched by his unconditional support, Li Zhen offers to let him withdraw his investment in her workshop if her choice causes him trouble, but Qi Jiu firmly refuses. Grateful for his trust, Li Zhen promises him an extra share of future profits, sealing their pact with the pine forest as their witness. Sometime later, Li Zhen writes a warm letter to her friend Tian Ronghua, who is away in the capital.

She writes that the New Li's Ink Workshop is thriving and expresses her hope that they can reunite for the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the capital, however, Ronghua’s life has taken a tragic turn. Her simple-minded betrothed, Hu Qi, has unexpectedly passed away from a sudden illness before their wedding could take place. Madam Hu visits Ronghua to ask about her plans for the future.

Deeply grateful to the Hu family for treating her as their own and saving her family from ruin, Ronghua kneels and volunteers to stay by Madam Hu’s side. She promises to serve her morning and night, fulfilling filial duties in her late fiancé's stead. Moved by her devotion, Madam Hu accepts her as a niece, telling her to call her Aunt Wan.

To help her see more of the world, Aunt Wan promises to soon introduce her to Sage Qing He, the prestigious royal preceptor. Back in Huizhou, Li Zhen’s close friend Wang Hua'er arrives at the workshop with wonderful news. Seventh Grandmother has finally agreed to let her work at the New Li's Ink Workshop.

Hua'er presents Li Zhen with freshly fermented stinky mandarin fish sent by Seventh Grandmother, topped with fresh pine branches she plucked from the Li family's pine yard to symbolize everlasting prosperity. Hua'er also conveys Seventh Grandmother’s supportive message, telling Li Zhen that the Tribute Ink selection is the main family's obstacle to face alone, and that she should focus on running her own workshop with honor. While listening, Li Zhen’s attention is drawn to the pine branches Hua'er brought.

Recognizing the alarming signs on the wood, she immediately asks where they came from. Realizing the danger, Li Zhen sends a worker to warn Li Jinhe and rushes to the pine yard with Hua'er. Her worst fears are realized upon inspecting the trees. The forest has been devastated by pine pestilence. Because the disease spreads rapidly in hidden parts of the tree, it went unnoticed during regular inspections until it reached the outer branches, entering an incurable phase.

This loss of quality pine soot wood will drastically cripple Li Ink's production and their hopes for the Tribute Ink selection. Li Jinhe soon arrives at the scene and collapses in despair, lamenting that heaven has turned against their family. At the Li residence, a crisis meeting is held. Seventh Grandmother and Li Jinhe confirm that the entire forest is infected and that preserving the woods by cutting down the infected trees is no longer an option.

It will take three to ten years for the forest to recover. Manager Shao reports that they only have five hundred units of healthy pine wood left, which can barely sustain existing orders for two months if used sparingly. Seventh Grandmother proposes suspending the development of new ink, pooling their remaining resources to fulfill current orders, and searching elsewhere for new pine wood.

However, Li Jinhe argues that they cannot abandon the Tribute Ink selection, as it is their only chance to turn things around. Seventh Grandmother counters that they must prioritize survival. She insists that if they fail to deliver existing orders, they will lose their buyers to other suppliers, destroying the very foundation of the family business. Later that evening, Li Jingdong refuses to eat, obsessing over the selection.

His wife, Ying, tries to comfort him, and his father urges him to eat. When Jinhe tells him they must withdraw from the selection due to the pine pestilence, Jingdong is furious. He refuses to give up, reminding his father of his childhood advice to always fight and prove that the Sixth Branch is superior to the Eighth. Jingdong vows that he will prove himself better than the expelled Eighth Branch and Li Zhen, declaring he will never back down.

Filled with remorse, Jinhe visits the ancestral shrine, weeping and apologizing to his ancestors for failing the family. Hearing of the crisis, Li Jinshui rushes back from Wuyuan. He meets with Seventh Grandmother and Li Jinhe at the Li residence, agreeing that withdrawing from the current selection is the safest course of action to protect the family from financial ruin. Li Jingdong arrives and reacts with explosive fury.

He insults Jinshui, calling him and the Eighth Branch the root of all the family's disasters, and accuses Seventh Grandmother of constantly defending a sinner. He threatens to split from the family and set up his own business rather than withdraw. Enraged by his son's disrespect, Li Jinhe slaps Jingdong. Jinshui tries to calm things down.

Li Jinhe then reveals a map of Mount Huang's pine forests, obtained from the Literary Association, which shows newly discovered, old, and solid pine woods. Jinhe expresses his determination to personally venture into the dangerous mountains to secure high-quality pine wood.

Seventh Grandmother objects to the dangerous journey, but Jinhe explains that with their savings depleted by ten years of heavy taxes and their business declining daily, they may not survive to see the next selection if they do not take this risk. Before leaving, Jinhe visits Li Zhen at her workshop.

Recognizing her hard work in establishing the business, he asks her for a monumental favor: to return to the Li Ink workshop and act as the manager in his absence while he is away searching for pine wood.

Sixth Grandfather, Li Jinhe, visited Li Zhen to ask her to return to Li Ink and temporarily manage the workshop while he went into the mountains to find new pine wood. Due to the devastating pine wilt disease and the upcoming Tribute Ink selection, Li Ink desperately needed a trustworthy leader to stabilize the situation. However, Li Zhen firmly refused.

She reminded him of the painful past: she had worked tirelessly to restore the ancient lacquer-soot ink, only to be driven out of the family and framed for leaking the formula. While she held no grudge against him personally, she wanted no part in the toxic internal politics of Li Ink. Determined to help, Seventh Grandmother walked along Sibao Street, begging local merchants for any spare pine wood.

Watching her elderly, frail grandmother struggle and get turned down by every shopkeeper, Li Zhen felt a deep pang of sorrow. That evening, Wang Hua'er rushed to Li Zhen with bad news: Seventh Grandmother had fallen ill from exhaustion after her failed search. Li Zhen hurried to her bedside, gently chiding her for neglecting her health. Seventh Grandmother brushed off her illness, expressing concern instead for Li Zhen's noticeable weight loss since opening her own small ink workshop.

She encouraged Li Zhen to ignore the main family's troubles, focus on her own passions, and gave her the private savings she had quietly set aside for Li Zhen since her broken engagement, moving Li Zhen to tears. Deeply moved by her grandmother, Li Zhen changed her mind.

Seeing Sixth Grandfather pacing anxiously outside her workshop, she stepped out and agreed to his request under strict conditions: her stay would be temporary, the entire workshop must unite, and she would show no mercy to anyone engaging in scheming or factionalism. Li Jinhe readily agreed. Worried that his son, Li Jingdong, might try to sabotage her, Li Jinhe tracked down his grandson, Li Zhengshen, who was passing himself off as a street fortune teller.

After buying out all of his grandson's wares, Li Jinhe instructed Li Zhengshen to keep a close watch on his father and prevent him from making trouble. Before Li Jinhe's departure, Qi Jiu, a shareholder of Li Ink, demonstrated his commitment to the business. He arranged for experienced hunters who knew the paths of Mount Huang to guide the expedition, along with Jixiang and a highly skilled martial artist named Master Xiao to protect them from wild beasts.

When Seventh Grandmother praised Qi Jiu for his generosity, he humbly revealed that it was actually Li Zhen who had personally visited him to request the assistance. Li Zhen officially assumed control of the Li Ink workshop and immediately implemented radical changes. Addressing the assembled workers, she outlined a dual strategy: fully support Li Jingdong's development of the Tribute Ink while practicing strict conservation of their limited pine wood.

Analyzing the production records, she publicly promoted Qi Donghai, a third-class worker, to second-class with double pay for achieving an outstanding eighty percent pass rate in lampblack production. When Manager Shao objected that promotions traditionally required a two-year probation, Li Zhen argued that rigid rules were merely shackles. She announced that promotions would now be based entirely on merit and efficiency, winning over the initially skeptical workers, who apologized for their past prejudices and pledged their full support.

To reduce their reliance on pine wood, Li Zhen consulted with Manager Shao about persuading long-term clients to convert their pine soot ink orders to ancient lacquer-soot ink. While Shao agreed, Li Zhen noticed another troubling issue in the ledger: the supply of raw lacquer from the Sixth Branch had drastically declined over the past two months. When Shao suggested a public investigation, Li Zhen insisted on keeping the matter quiet to prevent their clients from losing trust.

She later discussed the transition with Li Jingdong, who defensively stated that the raw lacquer harvest had been excellent and accused her of assuming the worst of him. His reaction confirmed to Li Zhen that he knew nothing about the missing supply. Li Zhen visited her aunt, Chunhua, bringing cured pork ribs from her mother. When she asked about her uncle, Li Decai, Chunhua claimed he was away on a delivery in Suzhou.

Pressed about the raw lacquer shortage, Chunhua nervously claimed she had privately sold the surplus to external merchants to earn extra income for the household, showing Li Zhen a ledger of transactions. Sensing something was amiss, Li Zhen met with Qi Jiu to ask for lacquer merchant recommendations. At Qi Jiu's shop, she witnessed a woman pawning a gold hairpin, raising her suspicions further.

Shortly after, she ran into Li Zhengshen and asked him to go to Suzhou to investigate Li Decai's business dealings. Later, Li Zhengshen returned with shocking news: every merchant listed in Chunhua's ledger was completely fabricated, and Li Decai was secretly selling Li Ink's raw lacquer at low prices in Suzhou. He had established a second household there with a mistress named Mrs. Su, with whom he shared a child and accumulated heavy debts.

Li Zhen joined Chunhua and her young cousin, Run, to pick persimmons for the boy's birthday. Listening to Run talk about how much he missed his father, Li Zhen gently confronted Chunhua with the truth of the Suzhou investigation. Chunhua broke down and admitted she had known about the mistress for a long time but kept quiet and helped cook the books just to keep her son's family from falling apart. She begged Li Zhen not to expose the scandal.

Moved by her aunt's plight but bound by her duty to protect Li Ink, Li Zhen agreed to keep the secret on two conditions: Chunhua must never smuggle raw lacquer again, and she must stop fabricating the accounts. Seeking to resolve the root of the problem, Li Zhen traveled to Suzhou with her men.

They located a residence registered under the name of "Wang Residence" and burst through the doors, catching a stunned Li Decai, who was living under the alias of Mr. Wang, alongside his mistress, Su Yunniang.

Li Zhen and Li Zhengshen caught Li Decai red-handed at the luxurious Suzhou mansion he had purchased for his mistress. Stunned and defensive, Li Decai tried to assert his authority, demanding if they had any respect for their elders. He sneered that he was their uncle-in-law and warned them that Aunt Chunhua would never forgive them if she found out. Li Zhen was furious that he had the audacity to mention her aunt.

She confronted him for living off the Li family’s wealth while ungratefully embezzling and reselling their raw lacquer. She revealed that Chunhua had quietly cooked the books to protect him from the family, only for him to spend those stolen profits on a mistress and another child. Li Decai desperately tried to justify his actions, claiming the raw lacquer belonged to his own branch and that it was only natural for a man to have multiple wives.

Refusing to listen to his excuses, Li Zhen beat him with a stick. She declared that a man like him deserved to have his hands broken, be banished from the family, and be handed over to the authorities. She warned him that once Chunhua left him and the Literary Association exposed his crimes, no ink workshop in Suzhou or Huizhou would ever employ him.

Terrified of losing everything, Li Decai wept and begged for mercy for Chunhua's sake, asking for a chance to reform. Li Zhen ignored his pleas and ordered him dragged away to be taken straight back to Huizhou. Surveying the grand Suzhou property, Li Zhengshen lamented that his uncle was a complete disgrace to the Sixth Branch.

Li Zhen instructed him to sell the mansion immediately to recoup the losses from the raw lacquer and cut off Li Decai's retreat in Suzhou. She urged him to handle the transaction with extreme caution, keeping the main family in the dark to preserve Chunhua's dignity. Back in Huizhou, a weeping Li Decai threw himself at Chunhua's feet, begging for forgiveness.

Loyal to a fault, Chunhua chose to let the past go, stating she would be content as long as he treated their son, Run'er, well from then on. Deeply moved, Li Decai expressed his deep gratitude and announced his intention to resign from all his duties at the ink workshop so he could stay home and dedicate himself to his wife and son. Chunhua agreed, noting that the constant travel between regions had been exhausting.

However, she worried that the merchants he had contracted with would demand their money now that the raw lacquer supply was cut off. Li Decai reassured her that he had resolved the issue by selling his large estate in Suzhou—which he claimed he had originally bought as a surprise for her—to cover the entire deficit. Meanwhile, Li Jingdong remained entirely in the dark about the scandal.

Believing Li Zhen had dismissed Li Decai simply to humiliate the Sixth Branch, he grabbed his cane and prepared to confront her. Li Zhengshen quickly stopped his father, explaining the truth about Li Decai's embezzlement, his mistress, and his second child in Suzhou. When Li Jingdong reacted with disbelief, Li Zhengshen sat him down and explained that Chunhua had tolerated the affair solely for the sake of her son.

He pointed out that Li Zhen had handled the matter perfectly by cutting off Li Decai’s options in Suzhou without causing a public scene. Had Li Zhen approached Li Jingdong directly, he likely would have accused her of sowing discord. Furthermore, given his fiery temper, Li Jingdong would have taken Li Decai to court, which only would have humiliated Chunhua, ruined her family, and made their branch a public laughingstock.

Li Jingdong fell silent, finally understanding that Li Zhen’s discretion and foresight had saved them all from ruin. At the workshop, Manager Shao informed Li Zhen that most of the lacquer-soot ink orders had been successfully delivered, and the raw lacquer retrieved from Suzhou would cover the rest. He praised her exceptional management, and Li Zhen expressed her relief at not failing the trust of her Sixth Grandfather, Li Jinhe.

Li Jingdong, watching her run the workshop so successfully, approached Li Zhen and quietly admitted that the Sixth Branch owed her a debt of gratitude that he would keep in his heart. Late that night, Li Zhen returned home to find her grandfather, Eighth Master Li Jinshui, still awake and rolling lamp wicks. She sat down to join him, sensing his deep anxiety over Li Jinhe’s safety in the mountains.

To comfort him, she mentioned how Chunhua had told her of Li Jinhe's youth, when he braved the elements to secure pine wood for the family. Li Jinshui smiled and reminisced about their younger years when the family had lost the Tribute Ink rights and fallen into decline. He recalled how Li Jinhe had ventured into the mountains, fought off a fierce tiger, and shot it dead with a single arrow.

By selling the tiger skin, they expanded the workshop, and alongside their late Seventh Brother, the three of them worked tirelessly to regain the Tribute Ink rights. Li Zhen fondly remembered seeing the massive tiger tooth hanging in Sixth Grandfather's study as a child, and Li Jinshui explained that Li Jinhe used to sleep with it under his pillow as a reminder of the time he saved the family's legacy.

Inspired by the story, Li Zhen decided to prepare a special ink stick for his return, naming it "Wild Youth." Deep in the mountains, Li Jinhe and his crew were busy loading pine wood. Jixiang noticed that the scales on the pine cones had closed, a clear sign of an impending storm that would flood the valleys.

He urged Li Jinhe to take a detour, but Li Jinhe insisted on taking the shortest route to save time, as the Tribute Ink deadline was fast approaching. Back at the village, the Seventh Old Madam, Lady Wang, stood waiting anxiously at the road entrance. Despite her family's pleas for her to rest, she refused to leave. When the transport team finally appeared, the atmosphere was deathly quiet.

A battered Jixiang approached Li Jinshui with a heavy heart, delivering the devastating news that Li Jinhe had been swept away by a sudden flash flood while trying to cross the river. It had taken the men half a day to recover his body downstream. The shock of Li Jinhe's sudden death was too much for the Seventh Old Madam, who collapsed during the funeral and fell into a deep coma.

Dr. Gu examined her and warned the family that her advanced age and chronic illness made her survival a miracle, prescribing a strong medicine in a desperate bid to wake her. With the matriarch unconscious, Sun Wanyi gathered the family in the main hall to reveal a written testament left by the Seventh Old Madam, witnessed by the Literary Association.

Huang Ying read the document, which detailed that because the Seventh Branch lacked a mature successor, Li Jingdong was ill, and Li Zhengshen was untrained in ink-making, the family properties and the ink workshop would be temporarily managed by Li Zhen of the Eighth Branch, due to her talent and integrity.

Jiangyue immediately protested, arguing that the Eighth Branch had been expelled from the clan and that the direct lineage should belong to the young You'er, with Li Jingdong managing the workshop until he grows up. She demanded that Li Jingdong reject the decision. Li Zhen humbly stated that she could not accept the title of manager while her elders were present, though she was willing to assist.

Sun Wanyi begged her to look after the workshop for a few days while she considered the position. At the funeral, Jiangyue caused a scene, loudly crying and accusing the Eighth Branch of bringing ruin to the family. Li Zhen confronted her to stop the disruption, but Jiangyue continued to make a scene and eventually ran off crying. Later, Li Zhen kept a quiet vigil by the Seventh Old Madam’s bedside, praying for her recovery.

The next day, during an inspection of the workshops, Li Zhen noticed a strange smell. Manager Shao reported that the extremely precious medicinal herbs gathered for the Tribute Ink selection had completely rotted. Because of the tragedy, Li Jingdong had neglected to air them out. To shield her uncle from further heartbreak, Li Zhen ordered Manager Shao to secretly purchase new herbs, regardless of the cost, and to keep the matter strictly confidential.

However, Li Jingdong was already spiraling into despair. Li Jinshui had recently confronted him about Li Zhen's successful recreation of the ancient lacquer-soot lampblack, criticizing him for his bitter attitude and lack of accomplishments. Overwhelmed by the outbreak of pine wilt disease in their pine plantation, Li Jingdong declared they should withdraw from the selection. When Li Zhengshen protested, an unstable Li Jingdong threatened to set up his own business and split from the family.

Driven to madness, Li Jingdong locked himself in his ink-making room and set it on fire, intending to burn the warehouse and end his life. Li Zhen and the workers rushed to the scene as flames engulfed the room. Trapped inside, Li Jingdong screamed that he was a useless sinner who had failed his ancestors, comparing himself to the spoiled herbs. Despite Li Jingdong's warnings to stay back, Li Zhengshen bravely charged into the raging fire.

He managed to drag his unconscious father out, but his own clothes caught fire in the process, prompting a frantic effort by the workers to extinguish the flames. As Sun Wanyi wept over the family’s endless misfortunes, Jiangyue arrived and began berating the semi-conscious Li Jingdong, accusing him of ruining the family and warning him that his death would throw everything into Li Zhen's hands. Disgusted by her selfishness, Li Zhen slapped Jiangyue.

When Jiangyue screamed in outrage, Li Zhen coldly asserted her authority as the manager officially appointed by the Seventh Old Madam and ordered Manager Shao to drag her away. She then instructed Li Zhengshen to carry his father home for treatment. Li Zhen comforted the weeping Sun Wanyi, promising that she would not stand by and would officially take charge of the family.

Just then, Manager Shao ran up with more devastating news: the fire had spread to the smoke shed and the warehouse, destroying the majority of the finished ink sticks prepared for delivery. With the earliest order due the very next day, Li Zhen was left facing an immediate crisis.

Li Jingdong's desperate attempt to burn himself along with the warehouse was thwarted when his son, Li Zhengshen, rushed into the flames to save him. However, the fire destroyed almost all the finished ink sticks prepared for upcoming deliveries. Manager Shao anxiously reported that the earliest order was due the next day. Though some boxes of ink sticks were pulled from the flames looking intact, Li Zhen firmly refused to use them.

She explained that ink exposed to high heat would easily crack and become unusable, and Li Ink's century-old reputation must never be compromised. To protect their standing, Li Zhen decided to pay the contract penalties in full and asked Manager Shao to negotiate with the merchants, offering a thirty percent profit cut to delay future delivery dates. Compensating for nearly ten thousand ink sticks required a massive sum that far exceeded the workshop's accounts.

Determined to solve the crisis, Li Zhen offered five hundred taels of silver from her personal wages and the profits of the New Li's Ink Workshop. Her eldest aunt, Sun Wanyi, stepped forward, offering to surrender her entire dowry of one thousand taels. Though Manager Shao protested that a woman's dowry was her lifeblood, Sun Wanyi insisted that nothing was more important than preserving the family's honor. Hearing of the trouble, Li Zhengshen and his mother, Ying, arrived to help.

Ying declared that since the disaster was caused by the Sixth Branch, they had to take responsibility, offering her own savings and jewelry. The rest of the family quickly joined the effort. Li Jinshui and Zhao Jin also sent their savings, and even the eccentric Li Zhengshen vowed to sell his precious pills and talismans to raise a hundred taels. Manager Shao volunteered to defer his salary for half a year, and Aunt Chunhua contributed her estate's earnings.

United under Li Zhen's leadership, the family managed to scrape together enough money to satisfy the merchants. As Li Zhen worked to stabilize the business, Qi Jiu came to find her. Having heard of the fire, he warned her that the disgruntled merchants were preparing to demand an explanation. Rather than withdrawing his shares, Qi Jiu offered to increase his investment to help Li Ink tide over the crisis.

Li Zhen politely declined his kindness, asserting that this was an internal family matter they needed to resolve themselves. Soon after, the merchants were peacefully settled, leaving with high praise for Li Ink's integrity. Just as the crisis cooled down, a messenger from Lord Yan delivered an invitation to the Tribute Ink selection ceremony, scheduled to take place in two days by the Xin'an River. Missing the ceremony would mean automatic disqualification.

Given the ongoing chaos and her uncle's condition, Li Zhen decided to wait until Li Jingdong woke up before making a final decision. When Li Jingdong finally regained consciousness, he showed no gratitude, repeatedly screaming that he did not deserve to live and begging to be allowed to die. Angered by his cowardly display, Li Zhen ordered Li Zhengshen to carry his father to the mourning hall of the late Sixth Master, Li Jinhe.

Standing before the coffin, Li Zhen fiercely rebuked her uncle, challenging him to smash his head and die right there if he was truly so eager. She laid bare the painful reality: his fire had destroyed their inventory, forcing the entire family to sacrifice everything—their dowries, savings, and wages—to save the family name.

She pointed out that Li Zhengshen had severely burned his arm just to drag him from the fire, and that Sixth Master had died in the mountains for the sake of the family's legacy. Calling him a coward and a weakling who was running away from his responsibilities, Li Zhen left him to make his own choice. Li Zhen's harsh but honest words finally shattered Li Jingdong's despair.

Looking at his son's burned arm, he wept with regret, begging for forgiveness from his wife and son. Ying embraced him, weeping as she confessed she had waited thirteen long years for him to recover his spirit and warned him that she would never let him go, even in the afterlife, if he abandoned them. The next morning, Li Jingdong waited early at Li Zhen's door.

The moment she stepped out, he knelt down to apologize for his years of bitter resentment and for throwing the family's burdens onto her shoulders. Li Zhen quickly helped him up, and the two sat down to plan the future of Li Ink. Li Jingdong lamented that he had failed his more talented brothers, but Li Zhen comforted him, noting how clients always praised the reliable delivery and quality he had maintained.

To show his complete trust, Li Jingdong handed over the Sixth Branch's secret top-grade pine soot ink recipe to Li Zhen, willingly breaking the strict family rule of keeping recipes private. They agreed to collaborate on refining this traditional pine soot ink for the upcoming Tribute Ink selection. Meanwhile, Qi Jiu discussed the situation with his sister, Cuiqiao. He guessed that Li Zhen would not withdraw from the selection, using the event to unite the demoralized family.

To secure military supplies for Marshal Qi without relying solely on one outcome, Qi Jiu asked his sister to invest in the rival Chen family's ink in her own name, while he continued to back the Li family. On the day of the ceremony, Lord Yan gathered the local workshops, but the Li family was initially absent as they were still performing the funeral rites for Sixth Master.

Seeing the auspicious time slipping away, Qi Jiu stepped forward to delay the proceedings. He engaged Lord Yan in a complex debate about the elements, arguing that the scheduled Xinwei hour contained Earth, which would clash with the Water element of the ink, whereas the Renshen hour was the true auspicious time. Although some dismissed his claims, Qi Jiu successfully bought enough time.

Just as the ceremony was concluding, Li Zhen and Li Jingdong rushed to the altar, presenting their participation document. Lord Yan warmly welcomed them, praising Li Ink's unwavering commitment to their craft despite their immense grief. Back at the workshop, Li Zhengshen enthusiastically helped prepare the new ink. Soon after, the Chen family invited them to an ink testing event, where Lord Yan highly praised Chen's "Lingyun Ink" for its exquisite, multi-layered black luster.

When Lord Yan asked how it compared to Li Ink's product, Li Zhen tactfully replied that in literature and ink-making, there was no absolute first place; for every master, their own creation was always the first in their heart. Lord Yan then evaluated Tian Benchang's "Styrax Ink" but criticized its vulgar scent and overcomplicated ingredients.

Though Tian Benchang humbly accepted the critique, Qi Jiu and Li Zhen sensed that the cunning merchant was merely using it as a distraction and kept a backup plan in reserve. Despite the successful preparation, Li Jingdong grew insecure, pointing out that their pine soot ink was only deeply black and could not compete with the nuanced layers of Chen's lacquer-soot ink. He suggested switching to Li Zhen's successful medicinal Fu Jin Ink instead.

Li Zhen refused, reminding him that the ultimate purpose of ink was to be reliably black for scholars and merchants, an essential truth his own brother, Jingfu, had once taught him. She emphasized that this pine soot ink carried the combined spirit of the entire family and was the perfect representative for Li Ink. Finding his confidence restored, Li Jingdong asked her to name their creation, and Li Zhen proudly christened it "Yiyuan Ink."

The prestigious Tribute Ink selection finally commenced in Huizhou. In an effort to secure his stakes and ensure the necessary military funds for Marshal Qi, Qi Jiu had previously arranged for Wang Cuiqiao to invest in Chen Ink. Outside the venue, Qi Jiu ran into Li Zhengshen and urged him to disregard his hesitation and enter to support his father, Li Jingdong.

As the primary rounds concluded, the Chen family's Scholar Ink, the Li family's ancient lacquer-soot ink, and the Tian family's Ziji Dragon Light Ink advanced to the highly anticipated finals. For the final showdown, the three competitors presented their finest creations: the Chen family offered their Lingyun Ink, the Li family presented their newly named Yiyuan Ink, and the Tian family put forward their Jin Zhangzong Scented Ink. The expert examiners meticulously analyzed each entry.

The Chen family's Lingyun Ink was highly praised for its clean, layered gray tones and sharp clarity, while the Tian family's scented ink won acclaim for its deep, rich tone and calming, non-overbearing aroma. However, when it came to the Li family's Yiyuan Ink, the examiners noted that while it was a fine piece of work, it did not fully showcase the unique qualities of pine soot and fell slightly behind its rivals.

Consequently, Tian Ink and Chen Ink were both awarded the prestigious "supreme grade," while Li's Yiyuan Ink was rated as "grade one." Li Jingdong accepted the fair judgment with grace. Following the competition, the Li family gathered outside their ancestral hall to honor their grade-one ink. Li Jingdong, overcome with shame, knelt before his family and apologized for what he perceived as a failure that let down both his ancestors and his late father.

However, Li Zhen and his grandfather comforted him, pointing out that securing a grade-one rating on a first attempt was an outstanding achievement far exceeding previous generations' initial trials. Li Zhen addressed the clan, explaining that she named the creation "Yiyuan Ink" because the word "Yuan" symbolized a new beginning rising from an end.

She reminded everyone of the tragedy from thirteen years ago but declared that this ink would serve to heal their shared wounds and unite them in restoring Li Ink to its former glory. Back at the selection venue, the competition for the ultimate Tribute Ink title reached a deadlock. The examiners were deeply divided, with some favoring the invaluable scent of the Tian family's ink and others championing the superior maturity of the Chen family's entry.

Just as Lord Yan was on the verge of announcing a decision, the royal preceptor, Sage Qing He, arrived at the venue, accompanied by Tian Ronghua. Eager to curry favor with the influential sage in hopes of securing a return to the Capital, Lord Yan immediately invited him to judge the contest. Sage Qing He showed little interest in a rigorous evaluation. Spotting a fly resting on the Chen family's entry, he dismissed it as unclean.

After smelling the Styrax resin in the Tian family's ink, he confidently declared that the Emperor would find it to his liking and designated Tian Ink as the official Tribute Ink. Despite the desperate pleas of Master Chen and his supporters, Lord Yan quickly rubber-stamped the Sage's decision. Deeply devastated by the unjust outcome, Master Chen nearly collapsed as he left the venue, while a frustrated Qi Jiu walked away in silence.

With the victory secured, the Tian family basked in triumph, proudly hanging their "Champion of Ink" plaque. Tian Huai'an was ecstatic and ordered a grand vegetarian banquet to celebrate with Lord Yan and Sage Qing He. Tian Ronghua, whose connections had secured the victory, was treated with the utmost respect by her family. During their private moments, Ronghua warned her brother, Tian Benchang, to focus strictly on the craft and secure the family's foundation rather than relying on tricks.

At the banquet, Sage Qing He enjoyed the hospitality and praised the local officials, promising Lord Yan that he would speak highly of him to the Emperor. When discussing who should deliver the ink to the Capital, the Sage insisted that Ronghua was the most suitable candidate. Later, when Tian Benchang attempted to present the Sage with a valuable gift, the Sage rejected it as vulgar.

He then mentioned a troubling divination indicating a lack of the Wood element, noting that the ideal ink for sacred rituals should be premium pine soot ink made from century-old pine. However, Tian Benchang explained that a devastating outbreak of pine wilt disease had ravaged Huizhou, making even ordinary pine wood nearly impossible to find.

To appease the disappointed Sage, Ronghua offered to accompany him on an excursion to Mount Qiyun to visit an ancient, golden ginkgo tree, a gesture that delighted the Sage. Meanwhile, Qi Jiu's plans had crumbled completely. Having failed to secure the required military funds, he was stripped of both his military rank and his position at Yihousheng.

Despondent over his inability to avenge his family while the Tian family grew more powerful, he met with Wang Cuiqiao to hand over his remaining assets, investments, and contracts. He instructed her to keep Li Zhen out of his troubles to protect her from danger. Concerned for his well-being, Wang Cuiqiao ignored his request and informed Li Zhen.

Li Zhen found a dejected Qi Jiu by the river and offered him words of encouragement, sharing her own experiences of overcoming setbacks and rising from adversity. She then brought him back to her home, where Qi Jiu was welcomed to a warm family dinner. The bustling, affectionate atmosphere of the Li household deeply touched him, reminding him of his lost family. Seeking to forget his sorrows, Qi Jiu drank heavily and ended up staying the night.

The following morning, an embarrassed Qi Jiu woke up and sheepishly informed Li Zhen that he was transitioning from an investor to a laborer, ready to work at the Li Ink workshop. The reality of rebuilding the fire-damaged Li Ink workshop soon brought new challenges. With no incoming profits and a lack of funds to hire external labor, the reconstruction was projected to take six months, a delay that would ruin their relationships with regular clients.

To speed up the process, Li Zhen and Li Jingdong proposed mortgaging the family farmlands and properties to raise immediate cash. This proposal met with fierce resistance from Jiangyue, who accused Li Zhen of exploiting the family's misfortunes to systematically drain their wealth. Despite Jiangyue's vocal opposition and warnings about putting the household's daily survival at risk, Sun Wanyi threw her support behind Li Zhen's plan, ultimately finalizing the decision to proceed with the mortgage to save the workshop.

Qi Jiu and Jixiang decided to remain at the Li Ink Workshop to help with the physical labor. Jixiang questioned why they were staying with a declining business, but Qi Jiu explained his deep conviction. He believed that while many would gladly offer praise during times of prosperity, true allies who provided support in dark times were rare. Since Li Zhen had stepped up to help him in his moment of need, he felt duty-bound to return her kindness.

More importantly, he knew that reviving Li Ink was his only viable path to raising the necessary military funds to atone for his past errors, reclaim Yihousheng, and ultimately return to serving under Marshal Qi. He vowed to stand by the Li family to settle his scores with the Tian family. Meanwhile, Li Zhen's efforts to reach out to local ink merchants suffered a heavy blow.

She had sent Doggie to deliver visiting cards to various merchants, only for him to return with every single card rejected. Doggie explained to a flustered Li Zhen and Li Jingdong that the merchants had actively avoided him, claiming to be sick or out, and some even drove him away the moment they heard he represented Li Ink.

Through persistent questioning of the servants, Doggie discovered that rumors had spread about the Li family mortgaging their estates and running on empty. Li Jingdong immediately suspected Tian Jiangyue of leaking the secret, but Li Zhen stopped him from starting a confrontation. She noted they lacked concrete proof and argued that their immediate priority was rebuilding the merchants' trust in Li Ink.

Nearby, a smug Tian Jiangyue celebrated her successful sabotage, confident that without orders, Li Zhen would never be able to cover the mortgage deficit. Determined to find a solution, Li Zhen sought out Qi Jiu. She found him at the construction site, where Xiao Qi explained that Qi Jiu had worked through the night in the mud to ensure the approaching rain wouldn't delay the workshop's repairs.

Waking up from a brief nap, Qi Jiu listened as Li Zhen explained the crisis. Knowing that their business was suffering from a massive breach of trust, Li Zhen proposed that they team up and play a double act to win back the merchants. Jixiang was skeptical, wondering how they could ever hope to defeat the Tian family now that they held the Tribute Ink monopoly and enjoyed imperial backing.

Qi Jiu calmly compared the Tian family to a hibernating snake, noting that the best time to catch a snake is when it has eaten its fill. Jixiang complained that Qi Jiu was swallowing his pride to beg merchants he once ignored, but Qi Jiu remained confident that his name still carried immense weight.

To prepare for the feast, Qi Jiu sent Jixiang to Wang Cuiqiao to borrow Qi Jiu's own expensive silver-fox-fur-trimmed overcoat, knowing that he needed to project absolute wealth and prestige. Dressed in his finest attire, Qi Jiu hosted the local ink merchants in an elegant garden. As the merchants complained about the devastating pine wilt disease and the soaring prices of pine soot ink, they begged Qi Jiu to point them toward a profitable workshop.

Qi Jiu played hard to get, claiming he had found an exceptional workshop but that its limited output was barely enough to support his own needs. Eager for a piece of the profit, the merchants pleaded for a partnership, and Qi Jiu reluctantly agreed to show them the facility after they finished eating. He led the skeptical group to the Li family's old workshop. Recognizing the location and seeing Li Zhen, the merchants grew uneasy and tried to leave.

However, the unexpected appearance of the legendary Eighth Master, Li Jinshui, changed their minds. Respecting his presence, the merchants agreed to stay for a guided tour. Li Zhen led the merchants through the dragon kiln, demonstrating that the workshop was fully operational.

She explained that their Yiyuan Ink required far less pine timber than ordinary pine soot ink, and that their current supply—hand-delivered from Mount Huangshan by her Sixth Grandfather—was of such high quality that it could sustain half a year of production without being affected by the soaring prices of the pine wilt epidemic. She then guided them through the oil soot and lacquer soot sheds, introducing them to the veteran craftsmen and showing them their premium supreme-grade lampblack.

Later, Li Zhen hosted a grand feast to toast the merchants, treating them with the same business-minded respect her grandfathers once did. While Master Zhou admired her efficiency in restoring production, he remained deeply concerned about the risks of doing business with a workshop that had mortgaged its land. To put their minds at ease, Li Zhen presented a bold proposal: a shareholding contract for Xiao Li Ink Workshop.

She promised that if Li Ink failed to deliver their orders on time, the merchants would automatically become shareholders in her workshop, receiving substantial annual dividends. Qi Jiu, as a major shareholder himself, backed her claims. Moved by Li Zhen’s absolute resolve and the financial guarantee, Master Zhou, Uncle Ji, and Uncle Jiang happily signed the contracts.

With the deals successfully finalized, Qi Jiu and Li Zhen returned to the table to finish the remaining wine, resulting in Li Zhen getting thoroughly drunk. The next morning, she woke up with a pounding headache. Her mother lovingly brought her a bowl of hangover soup, gently scolding her for drinking so much but feeling immensely proud that she had secured an order for a hundred sticks of ink.

In the Tian household, preparations were underway for Tian Ronghua to return to the capital with the Tribute Ink. Her family urged her to use her influence to secure more benefits and find wealthy matches in the capital, but she remained cold and departed to meet Sage Qinghe. After she left, Tian Benchang revealed to his father that he had secretly promised Sage Qinghe a supply of rare, century-old pine soot ink.

To acquire the necessary premium timber during the pine wilt epidemic, Tian Benchang had used the Sage's influence to force Magistrate Yan into signing an official requisition order for the Li family’s Mount Huangshan pine timber. Armed with the official document, Tian Bensheng arrived at the Li Ink Workshop with a group of men, demanding to see Li Zhen and arrogantly declaring that they were requisitioning five thousand units of the Li family's pine timber.

Steward Shao fiercely confronted them, and the workers drove the intruders away. However, Tian Bensheng left them with a severe warning: they had seven days to deliver the timber, or the workshop would be sealed and they would be imprisoned for obstructing imperial duties. When Li Jingdong heard of this, he was outraged.

Vowing that the Tian family would only get the timber over his dead body, he brought his bedding to the warehouse, determined to sleep there and guard it himself. The pressure on Li Ink mounted as Steward Shao reported that the Tian family had already forcefully seized pine timber from several other local workshops. Li Zhen found herself trapped in a terrible dilemma.

If they surrendered the pine timber, they would be unable to fulfill the pine soot ink contracts they had just signed, ruining their hard-won reputation. But if they refused, the workshop would be sealed. Qi Jiu stepped in to offer help, promising to visit the merchants to see if they could negotiate a delay or convince them to switch their orders to lacquer soot ink. Exhausted, Li Zhen went to visit the comatose Seventh Grandmother.

There, she met Seventh Grandmother's old friend, Granny Li (known as Li Choupo), who had been tenderly caring for the patient. Granny Li offered Li Zhen some warm red date porridge to help her regain her strength. Inside the room, Li Zhen noticed a soothing scent of pine soot. Granny Li explained that she had brought pine rosin oil from the Li family temple to burn in the lamps, as Seventh Grandmother had always found the fragrance comforting.

Meanwhile, Li Jinshui visited the warehouse to find Li Jingdong stubbornly guarding the timber. Li Jingdong passionately argued that the pine was the only remaining proof of his father's lifelong devotion and hard work for the family business, and he could not bear to see it desecrated by the Tian family.

Li Jinshui gently urged him to be clear-headed, asking whether it was better to die for the wood or to live to fulfill his father's ultimate dream of preserving the legacy of Li Ink. Joining them, Li Zhen comforted her uncle, declaring that Sixth Grandfather's true legacy was far greater than a physical pile of timber.

As the family head, she proposed hanging his portrait in the ancestral hall alongside their legendary ancestor Li Tinggui, ensuring he would be honored by the family's incense offerings for generations to come.

As the new head of the household, Li Zhen proposes hanging the portrait of Sixth Grandfather, Li Jinhe, in the ancestral hall so he can receive offerings alongside their esteemed ancestor, Li Tinggui. Li Jingdong is deeply moved by this honor but remains reluctant to part with the precious pine timber his father died to protect.

Li Zhen gently reasons with him, explaining that while they cannot simply hand over the timber, fighting to the death and risking the family’s ruin would betray the very legacy Sixth Grandfather fought to protect. She promises him that they will deliver the timber, but they will make the Tians pay a heavy price for it. When the seven-day deadline expires, Tian Benchang arrives at the Li Ink Workshop with government officers, determined to seize the pine timber.

Armed with an axe, Li Jingdong stands in their way, threatening to kill himself and hold them all responsible. Tian Benchang remains unmoved, urging the officers to press forward and declaring that the Tian family will take full responsibility for any consequences. In a desperate move, Li Jingdong reveals that he has coated the wood in rosin ash and raises a lit tinder, threatening to burn the entire supply so they all perish together.

Li Zhen rushes in to play her part, pleading with her uncle to think of his father’s sacrifice, but Li Jingdong wildly declares he would rather burn the timber as an offering to his father than let the Tians touch it. Realizing that Li Jingdong's volatile temper could ruin the government commission, Tian Benchang reluctantly orders his men to retreat.

Seeing that Li Jingdong is too stubborn to yield, Tian Benchang pulls Li Zhen aside to negotiate, asking what it would take to secure the timber. Li Zhen feigns reluctance, pointing out that the pine wilt epidemic has made the wood invaluable. When Tian Benchang offers up to five hundred taels, she rejects the money, stating that Sixth Grandfather's sacrifice was for the future of Li Ink. Instead, she demands a ten-year lease on the Tian family’s Linxi pine yard.

Confused, Tian Benchang points out that Linxi is also ravaged by the pine wilt. Li Zhen pretends her goal is to cut down the dead pines and plant tung trees, allowing Li Ink to pivot to oil soot ink. Though skeptical, Tian Benchang promises to discuss the proposal with his father. Once Tian Benchang departs, Li Zhen reveals her true strategy to Li Jingdong.

She presents him with high-quality lampblack produced from rosin oil she secretly dug up from their own pine yard. She explains that while the pine wood is useless due to the disease, the resin underneath the trees remains perfectly intact and capable of producing premium soot. Since the Linxi pine yard is the largest and oldest in the region, securing its lease will guarantee their supply for years to come.

By using the tung tree seedlings as a cover, they can gather the rosin oil undetected. To keep the highly suspicious Tian Benchang from guessing the truth, she asks Li Jingdong to continue their public feud. Delighted by her brilliance, Li Jingdong happily agrees to play his part as a disgruntled uncle. To maintain the ruse, Qi Jiu travels around Huizhou signing small orders for tung tree seedlings, ensuring the news spreads.

While resting at a teahouse, he is confronted by Tian Benchang, who is eager to mock his fallen status. Tian Benchang sneers at him for becoming a spineless puppet to a young girl and deliberately pours tea over his hand to humiliate him. Xiao Qi is ready to attack, but Qi Jiu restrains his companion. He quietly tells him that they must let their enemy become arrogant and reckless before they finally settle all their new and old scores.

Meanwhile, Tian Jiangyue senses an opportunity to reclaim power. Hearing rumors of the transition to tung trees and the growing anxiety among the workers, she bribes a disgruntled master craftsman, Mr. Liu, to lead a strike and demand that Li Zhen surrender control to Li Jingdong. When the workers confront Li Zhen, she refuses to back down or step down.

She calmly announces that she will not force anyone to stay against their will and instructs Steward Shao to settle the accounts of those wishing to resign. Mr. Liu and his followers promptly walk out, leaving the remaining workers anxious about their future. Li Zhen reassures her Eldest Aunt, Sun Wanyi, and then consults with Li Jingdong.

She explains that letting the troublesome workers leave actually rids the workshop of disloyalty while making their public feud look even more convincing to the Tians. She instructs Li Jingdong to gather the remaining loyal master craftsmen, such as Mr. Ma and Mr. Qin, and act as their champion while continuing to publicly criticize her. This will keep the loyal workers feeling secure while thoroughly convincing the Tian family that Li Ink is in total disarray.

Tian Bensheng brings news of the massive strike at Li Ink back to his brother and father, reporting that the workshop is in complete chaos. Believing Li Ink is finished, Tian Benchang decides to quickly sign the lease agreement for the Linxi pine yard. He reasons that since Li Zhen is on the verge of being ousted by her family, they must secure the timber immediately to satisfy Taoist Priest Qing He's urgent demands for pine soot ink.

With the contract officially signed, Li Zhen and Li Jingdong gather Sun Wanyi, Steward Shao, and the loyal craftsmen to reveal the truth. After testing the rosin oil lampblack, the master craftsmen are overjoyed to find its quality equals that of traditional pine timber. Li Zhen and Li Jingdong apologize for keeping them in the dark, and the craftsmen readily forgive them. When the Tians demand their timber, Li Zhen sends it in a dramatic fashion.

The Li family, dressed in white mourning clothes, escorts the timber carts decorated with white funeral drapes through the streets, tossing paper money for Sixth Grandfather. The public display deeply embarrasses the Tian family, as onlookers openly condemn them for robbing a grieving family. With the crisis resolved, Li Jinhe’s portrait is hung in the ancestral hall, and Li Jingdong leads the clan in paying their respects.

Afterward, Li Zhen calls Tian Jiangyue to the main hall to account for her actions. Having proof of her role in leaking the financial secrets and instigating the strike, Li Zhen sentences her to a month of confinement and fines her a year's allowance. Tian Jiangyue flies into a rage, screaming that they are treating her like an outsider and accusing Li Zhen of having a murderer's blood in her veins. Undeterred, Li Zhen orders her to be dragged away as she desperately curses the family.

One evening, Eighth Master Li Jinshui visited Third Master Chen, bringing carpentry tools to help his old friend pass the time. Chen had been utterly demoralized since his family's Chen Ink lost the Tribute Ink selection to the Tian family. Jinshui urged him to look at the bigger picture, reflecting on his own lifelong rivalry with his brother, Li Jinhe.

Now that Jinhe's portrait hung in the ancestral hall, Jinshui realized his brother had outdone him in the end, making their past competition meaningless. Jinshui pointed out that Chen still had a son, whereas his own son, Jingfu, had passed away years ago. Chen's son, Junshan, entered the room carrying ancient ink-making books. He explained he was studying glue-mixing methods to understand how Tian Ink had won.

Junshan believed the Tian family only succeeded because of a meddling Taoist and because Chen Ink had not outperformed them by a wide margin. He vowed to refine their ancestral heritage to surpass Tian Ink's use of Styrax resin. Impressed by the young man's clarity, Jinshui reminded Chen of their shared duty to keep their families from ruin.

Revived by his son's determination, Chen promised that once he finished carving a set of chess pieces in a couple of days, he would play Jinshui and defeat him in Jinhe's honor. Meanwhile, Tian Benchang was inspecting his newly acquired pine wood when his father, Tian Huai'an, rushed in with devastating news. The Li family had delivered the timber, but they had immediately dug up pine resin oil under the tree roots at the transferred Linxi pine yard.

Huai'an explained that pine resin oil could easily replace pine timber for making ink, revealing they had been completely outsmarted by Li Zhen. Furious, Benchang rushed to buy another local pine yard from Mr. Sheng, desperately raising his offer to a hundred and twenty taels. However, he arrived too late; Qi Jiu had already signed the acquisition contract, leaving Benchang utterly humiliated. Shortly after, Qi Jiu met with Li Zhen to prepare for work at the Linxi pine yard.

Before they set off, he playfully demanded three hundred taels of silver. He presented her with contracts for multiple surrounding pine yards. Seeing how overwhelmed she had been with family matters, Qi Jiu had quietly inspected all of Huizhou's pine yards and negotiated excellent deals with retiring owners. Li Zhen was overjoyed, praising him for always thinking ahead.

At the pine yard, Uncle Jingdong and the workers successfully dug up a massive supply of pine resin oil, securing enough raw materials to sustain the ink workshop for the next three to five years. Looking at the old, dilapidated cottage on the grounds, Qi Jiu became lost in thought, remembering when it belonged to the keeper of his family's pine yard.

He told Li Zhen that if he ever rebuilt his fortune, he would buy the place, renovate it, and use it as a quiet retreat. Sensing his deep connection to the land, Li Zhen decided to put him in charge of managing all of Li Ink's pine yards, a role previously held by her Sixth Grandfather.

Lacking a formal contract on hand, she handed him a ball of pine resin to seal the deal, promising to draw up the paperwork later. The narrative briefly flashes back to years prior, when a young boy named Wenqian and his older brother visited their aunt at the Linxi pine yard. During their visit, their aunt taught Wenqian about amber, explaining how pine resin fossilizes over a thousand years.

She served them Weighing Rod-Shaped Candy and Songluo tea, comforting Wenqian when he complained about his father’s strict demands for academic success. She gently encouraged him to study hard so that he could eventually choose his own path in life. With the workshop fully restored after the devastating fire, the day arrived to unveil the new plaque. Li Jingdong insisted that Li Zhen must be the one to do the honors.

When Eighth Master Li and the rest of the family arrived, Jingdong stood before them and publicly apologized. He confessed his past stubbornness, admitting he had spent years trapping himself in his own narrow world while repeatedly mistreating Li Zhen and the Eighth Branch. He declared that since he was the one who had burned down the workshop, he had no right to unveil the plaque.

Li Zhen stepped forward and pulled the red cloth, revealing the words "Li Ink" boldly inscribed by Mr. Dongtu. That evening, the family held a grand Mid-Autumn feast to thank the loyal ink makers who had stood by them. Li Zhen's mother prepared a lavish spread, including winter bamboo shoots, ham, steamed pork, kudzu root dumplings, and her favorite rock tripe and chicken soup.

However, burdened by her duties as the head of the workshop, Li Zhen found herself constantly targeted for toasts. To avoid getting drunk, she slipped away from the banquet with Qi Jiu to enjoy the festival lanterns. As they walked through the bustling streets, they stopped some bullies from harassing a young boy who had his fish lantern broken. Li Zhen kindly gave the child her own lantern to settle the dispute.

While she waited, Qi Jiu slipped away and returned with a beautiful fish lantern he had purchased just for her. Li Zhen then challenged Qi Jiu to the festive custom of "Mo Qiu" (Harvest Eve foraging). As Qi Jiu stood watch, they spotted a massive pumpkin in a field, but their mischief was quickly discovered by a shouting farmer. Laughing, they fled across a small stone bridge.

Resting after their escape, Li Zhen confessed how exhausted she felt constantly pretending to be a serious manager, admitting that this was the happiest she had been in a long time. Feeling their mutual affection, they shared mooncakes and talked late into the night, with Qi Jiu expressing how peaceful and secure he felt ever since she had taken him in.

Far away in Donghai, a woman named Cuiqiao raised a glass to the same bright moon, sending quiet wishes to her husband and hoping he wouldn't worry about her. The grand reopening quickly bore fruit. Using the newly harvested pine resin oil, the master ink makers created a superb new product. Through a clever arrangement by Li Zhen and Lord Yan, the Education Official was invited to test the ink.

Highly impressed by its rich black color and affordable price, the official praised it and named it Shize Ink, symbolizing academic success and benefit to the people. Orders poured in from local academies, and even Tutor Zhang, who had close ties to the Tian family, placed an order. With dozens of contracts secured, Li Ink had officially overcome its crisis. On the other hand, the Tian family was in turmoil.

Tian Benchang received a letter from his sister, Hua'er, urging him to repent, return the pine wood, and make peace with Li Zhen. Benchang dismissed her words as arrogant nonsense, believing she was too simple-minded to understand that their alliance with Sage Qing He was purely driven by mutual profit. Shortly after, Tutor Zhang arrived to cancel his business deal with the Tian family, citing the superior quality and official endorsement of Shize Ink.

Benchang angrily urged him to be patient, promising to deliver a satisfying product directly to his academy soon. Seeking a way to strike back, Benchang visited his cousin-aunt, Tian Jiangyue, who was mourning her late husband, Jingqi, by embroidering a new pair of shoes. Having avoided him for years, Jiangyue finally agreed to cooperate, united by a shared hatred of the Li family. She demanded that Li Zhen be driven out and that the Eighth Branch be ruined permanently. Benchang agreed to her terms, accepting her instructions to travel to Suzhou the following day to track down a certain mother and son.

Tian Jiangyue wasted no time in executing her plan to undermine Li Zhen. She summoned Li Decai and confronted him with a hairpin that he had secretly sent to his mistress, Yunniang, in Suzhou just the previous month. Terrified that his secret affair would be exposed to his brother-in-law, Li Jingdong, and his wife, Chunhua, Li Decai fell to his knees and begged for mercy.

Tian Jiangyue seized the opportunity, urging him to channel his deep resentment toward Li Zhen into action. She promised to secure a house in Huizhou for his mistress and child and help him rebuild his reputation within the family, vowing to take the blame if anything went wrong. Overwhelmed by his hatred of being constantly watched like a thief, Li Decai agreed to follow her instructions.

Meanwhile, at the Li Ink workshop, Steward Shao discussed the production of Shize Ink with Li Zhen. Because this particular ink required materials different from their traditional recipes, their stock of fish gelatin was running dangerously low. With a surge of new orders to fulfill before the upcoming imperial examinations, Steward Shao suggested purchasing additional fish gelatin from reliable outside merchants, as it was a material commonly used in carpentry.

Li Zhen agreed that this was the safest and most efficient path forward. Later, Aunt Chunhua approached Li Zhen with a hesitant request. She explained that Li Decai wanted to return to work at the workshop. Although Chunhua admitted she had not fully forgiven him, she believed that giving him a job would occupy his mind and prevent him from feeling useless, which would also protect their young son, Run, from future ridicule.

Out of respect for her aunt, Li Zhen agreed to let him join the workshop, but only if he started from the absolute bottom by twisting lamp wicks to grind down his greedy nature. When Li Zhen assigned him the task of twisting lamp wicks, Li Decai complained that such work was a waste of his talents, suggesting instead that he help with mixing ink or managing the warehouse.

Li Zhen firmly corrected him, demanding he call her Manager Zhen and follow her rules. She warned him that if he showed any further signs of disloyalty, he would be cast out of both the workshop and the family. Decai quickly relented, swearing a solemn oath of loyalty. Soon after, Li Jingdong prepared to depart for a pine yard in another county for at least ten days, leaving Li Zhen in sole charge of the household and the workshop.

With the arrangements in place, Doggie was dispatched to secure the fish gelatin. When the merchant delivered the barrels, he acted surprised that they wanted to inspect the shipment again. Steward Shao firmly explained that Li Ink always inspected every single barrel before taking delivery. Finding no immediate issues, Li Zhen approved the shipment, locked it in the warehouse, and went with the merchant to stamp the order. That evening, the workshop was buzzing with activity.

Concerned about the early rainy season spoiling the materials, Li Zhen decided to stay and work through the night alongside the craftsmen. Li Zhengshen urged her to rest in the inner room to escape the harsh fumes, and she gratefully accepted. Shortly after, Qi Jiu arrived bearing a container of hot chicken soup. He explained that he had run into her mother on his way over, who had guessed she would be working late.

Qi Jiu was impressed by how Li Zhen instantly recognized her mother's soup by its scent of tangerine peel and astragalus. They shared a warm conversation, reminiscing about their childhood training in identifying ink blindfolded and dreaming of the day Seventh Grandmother would wake up to see their successes. Their quiet moment was shattered when Li Zhen detected a sharp, foul odor in the air. Rushing out of the room, she ordered the workers to stop immediately.

Upon inspecting the warehouse, they discovered that the precious fish gelatin had completely spoiled. They noted that the lock was undamaged, and the dampness from the floor alone could not have caused such rapid decay overnight. Realizing something was highly amiss, Li Zhen ordered that the spoiled materials be kept for investigation, instructed the workers to stay the night, and demanded strict confidentiality.

The following morning, Li Decai loudly lamented the crisis, suggesting that he could use his old connections to purchase ready-made ink from other workshops to meet the delivery deadline. He demanded that Li Zhen hand over the family seal and provide him with a large sum of money to secure the deal. Tian Jiangyue quickly chimed in, urging Eldest Aunt Sun Wanyi to revoke Li Zhen's managerial power in Li Jingdong's absence.

Li Zhen flatly refused to yield her authority, pointing out how suspicious it was that Decai had a complete countermeasure prepared the moment the disaster struck. Before the argument could escalate, Mr. Zhang arrived at the workshop with the Education Official, demanding an explanation for the rumors that the Shize Ink was ruined. Li Zhen and Steward Shao calmly managed the situation, assuring the official that the rumors were groundless and that the order would be delivered on time.

When Mr. Zhang demanded to inspect the workshop, Li Zhen blocked him, citing the rule that the production area was strictly off-limits to outsiders. Li Zhen warned the official that forcing entry could damage the delicate ink-making process, leaving him to face the wrath of the students if the order failed. Convinced by her reasoning, the Education Official agreed to respect the workshop's rules and left after warning them to avoid any delay.

Concerned by the narrow escape, Tian Jiangyue continued to whisper in Sun Wanyi's ear, warning her that Li Zhen's stubbornness would ruin the family and suggesting that they summon the clan elders to force her to step down. Sun Wanyi tried to persuade Li Zhen to accept Decai's proposal, but Li Zhen warned her aunt that Decai was likely behind the sabotage. She maintained that she would only surrender the family seal if Seventh Grandmother herself demanded it.

Just as Sun Wanyi left to summon the elders, Qi Jiu ran in with the revelation that the glue buckets had been deliberately tampered with, while Doggie warned Li Zhen that the elders had already assembled at the main house. Li Zhen entered the main hall to find the stern clan elders waiting for her. They immediately scolded her for causing such a mess and demanded the family seal.

In her defense, Li Zhen had Doggie bring in the tampered bucket bottom, explaining that someone had replaced the bottoms of the buckets without making them waterproof, causing the rain to rot the fish gelatin from within. She added that the suspicious merchant had already fled. Despite the evidence of sabotage, the elders and Sun Wanyi insisted on using Decai's plan to buy ready-made ink.

Tian Jiangyue proposed a compromise, suggesting that Li Zhen hand the seal to Sun Wanyi so she and Decai could manage the purchase together. Furious at their blindness, Li Zhen confronted Li Decai directly, exposing his secret mistress and his past illicit trade of raw lacquer. She accused him of colluding with outside merchants to sabotage the workshop.

When Tian Jiangyue tried to intervene, Li Zhen turned on her as well, accusing her of conspiring with Decai to drive her out of the family. The outraged elders ordered the servants to seize Li Zhen and search her for the seal, but Li Zhen defiantly reminded them that her branch had been expelled from the clan, meaning they had no authority over her. She proudly listed how she had saved the family time and again while they did nothing.

As the servants moved in to grab her, Li Jingdong suddenly strode into the hall. He paid his respects to the elders, sat down, and firmly declared that Li Zhen was the head of the Li family, and anyone who objected would have to answer to him. He rebuked the elders for their constant scheming against the very girl who had repeatedly saved them from ruin.

Li Jingdong then vouched for his niece, asking the elders for a five-day limit to uncover the truth and present a solution for the delivery. Li Zhen agreed to step down voluntarily if they failed. Finding themselves without any recourse, the elders begrudgingly accepted the terms and filed out of the hall.

After Li Jingdong returned in time to defend Li Zhen and guarantee her innocence, the hostile clan elders finally left. Alone together, Li Zhen warmly thanked her uncle for standing up for her. Li Jingdong expressed regret for coming back too late and letting her suffer. He noted that the clan elders were quick to cause trouble but entirely useless when it mattered.

Deeply touched, Li Zhen noted that this was the first time he had openly addressed her as his niece in front of others. Li Jingdong replied that he should have done so long ago. Li Jingdong urged her not to hold a grudge against her eldest aunt, Sun Wanyi, who was normally reasonable but had been instigated by Li Decai and Tian Jiangyue. Li Zhen agreed, noting that Tian Jiangyue was almost certainly the one who fanned the flames.

They decided that their immediate priority was to capture the isinglass dealer for his testimony and quickly purchase raw materials to replace the damaged ink. Meanwhile, Tian Jiangyue and Li Decai had sent a secret message to Tian Benchang, urging him to help the isinglass dealer escape and secure a way out for Li Decai. Despite the request, Tian Benchang ordered his men to withdraw.

When his brother, Tian Bensheng, questioned this move, fearing they might lose everything if the dealer was caught, Tian Benchang explained that with the autumn imperial exam approaching and Huizhou scholars involved, the matter would only grow larger. Tian Benchang insisted they steer clear of the trouble, playing a slow chess game instead. He proudly showed Bensheng a sudden influx of orders for their Suhe oil ink.

Having already bought up all the available isinglass on the market, Tian Benchang knew Li Ink would fail to deliver on time, allowing them to raise their prices and maximize their profits. At the Li residence, Seventh Grandmother Wang Rujun lay unconscious as Li Choupo watched over her, praying for her to wake up because the household was in complete chaos and the burden on Li Zhen was too heavy to bear. Suddenly, Wang Rujun opened her eyes.

That night, Wang Hua'er quickly brought Li Zhen to the bedside. Seeing her grandmother awake, Li Zhen wept tears of joy and embraced her. Wang Rujun comforted her, saying she could not leave before seeing the new ink she created. Li Zhen blamed herself for not managing the family well, but Wang Rujun gently took the blame, admitting her body had failed her and she had collapsed before clarifying things with the eldest aunt.

Li Zhen shared her suspicions about Tian Jiangyue and Li Decai, vowing that while she had run away from adversity in the past, she would not take a single step back now that she held the responsibility of managing the household. Relieved, Wang Rujun assured her that no one would bully her again. Li Zhen added that she was no longer alone, with Li Jingdong helping with production and Qi Jiu hunting down the isinglass dealer.

Wang Rujun instructed everyone to keep her recovery a secret so Li Zhen could handle the family affairs more resolutely. Panic-stricken, Li Decai cornered Tian Jiangyue, demanding to know why the Tian family had not responded to his messages. He had waited all day at their gates and only managed to be brushed off by Tian Bensheng. He warned that if Qi Jiu captured the dealer, they would both be ruined.

When Tian Jiangyue tried to distance herself from the plot, a desperate Li Decai reminded her that she was the one who instructed him to tamper with the barrels and leak the news to the Tians. Cold and unyielding, Tian Jiangyue denied any involvement and threatened to expose the secret of his mistress in Suzhou to Third Brother if he pushed her further, before driving him out.

At the docks, the anxious isinglass dealer returned under the cover of night to check on his valuable fish. However, Qi Jiu and Jixiang were waiting in the shadows. Qi Jiu casually sat eating grilled fish, refusing to let the merchant leave. When the dealer tried to claim the transaction was final and that he was just an honest businessman, Qi Jiu pressed him.

After a swift display of force and a terrifying threat with his blade, the terrified merchant crumbled and confessed everything. He revealed that over a month ago, Li Decai had promised him a substantial sum of silver and a ten-year supply contract with Li Ink to tamper with the bottom of the barrels. Qi Jiu returned to report to Li Zhen, confirming that the dealer was now locked up under Gou'er's watch.

He explained that Li Decai had planned this a month ago to force Li Zhen to step down. Recognizing that Li Decai lacked the intellect for such a deep conspiracy, they deduced there must be a mastermind behind him. Qi Jiu also revealed that Li Decai's mistress in Suzhou had been secretly brought back to Huizhou by Tian Benchang.

Knowing that Tian Benchang held a deep grudge but could not have orchestrated this alone, Li Zhen realized that her fourth aunt, Tian Jiangyue, was the true mastermind behind the entire plot. Realizing his scheme had been exposed, Li Decai desperately tried to flee. Li Zhen, prepared for his escape, had her men ambush him.

In a final act of desperation, Li Decai fled to the front yard and grabbed young Li Zhengyou as a hostage, brandishing a weapon and demanding one thousand taels of silver, a carriage, and his mistress Yunniang and son Rongger to be brought to him. He threatened to kill the boy if anyone stepped closer.

Sun Wanyi begged him to spare the child, while Li Zhen bravely offered herself as a hostage instead, but Li Decai refused, knowing the boy was easier to control. Just as he grew bolder, Zhao Jin stepped forward with her blade, warning that she would not let him leave the Li residence if anything happened to her nephew. Working in unison with the household, they quickly subdued and bound him, dragging him to the woodshed.

In the woodshed, Li Zhen demanded a confession. Shameless to the end, Li Decai begged for mercy for the sake of his wife, Chunhua, and demanded to see her. To his surprise, Chunhua entered the woodshed. Instead of saving him, she presented a drafted divorce agreement, slapped him across the face, and declared he was unfit to be a father to their son, Run'er.

She told Li Zhen to punish him according to the family rules without any regard for her feelings, before walking away. Meanwhile, Eldest Aunt Sun Wanyi knelt before the newly awakened Wang Rujun, begging for forgiveness for her past mistakes. Wang Rujun comforted her, admitting she also felt guilty for expelling the Eighth Branch thirteen years ago, which had left the family fractured.

She explained that she wanted Li Zhen to take charge to revive the declining Li Ink before Li Zhengyou was old enough to inherit it. Sun Wanyi understood and promised to do her part. Li Zhen then arrived with the news that Li Decai had confessed to everything, pointing to Tian Jiangyue as the sole mastermind of the isinglass scheme.

She added that Gou'er was guarding Tian Jiangyue's quarters, but a servant suddenly rushed in to report that Tian Jiangyue had gone missing. Sun Wanyi realized that on this exact day for the past thirteen years, Tian Jiangyue always went to Yuliang Ferry to burn paper for her late husband, Jingqi. Gou'er soon arrived with the alarming news that the lock on the ancestral hall had been pried open and Jingqi's spirit tablet was gone.

At Yuliang Ferry, a desolate Tian Jiangyue clutched Jingqi's spirit tablet. Shivering in the autumn cold, she tearfully recalled how he used to warm her bed and prepare her tangpozi. She lamented that the family had fallen apart, and their enemy, Li Zhen, was now celebrated as the head of the household while everyone else had forgotten him. Resolving to join him, she prepared to throw herself into the river. Li Zhen and the family arrived just in time.

As Sun Wanyi begged her to step back, mentioning that Wang Rujun had awakened and wanted to see her, Tian Jiangyue bitterly refused, shouting that the family and the ink business were more important to her mother-in-law than her own son. She declared she would rather die than face their hypocritical judgment. Sensing her resolve, Li Zhen used reverse psychology, mocking her as a coward and a sore loser who was afraid to fight another round.

Incensed, Tian Jiangyue was momentarily distracted, allowing Gou'er and the others to rush forward and pull her safely away from the edge as she screamed Jingqi's name. Later, Wang Rujun insisted on visiting the main hall where Li Jingdong was keeping watch over Tian Jiangyue, ignoring Li Zhen's concerns about her health.

In the hall, a frantic Tian Jiangyue was screaming at Li Jingdong, calling him a coward and threatening to hang herself to show the world how the Li family drove its daughters-in-law to death. Upon entering, Wang Rujun ordered the family and servants to dismiss, leaving only Li Zhen by her side.

Wang Rujun gently spoke to Tian Jiangyue, promising to make her a brand new spirit tablet for Jingqi from the finest wood and place it properly in the ancestral hall. Tian Jiangyue bitterly accused her of only remembering her son now, while his killer stood right behind her. Wang Rujun took her hand, expressing gratitude to Tian Jiangyue for remaining a widow out of devotion to Jingqi.

She recalled how the young couple had once prayed to the Flower Goddess for a long, happy life together. Wang Rujun confessed that she had initially opposed their marriage, but relented after Jingqi and Jingfu knelt outside her room for two days and nights. When she first met Tian Jiangyue, she had been captivated by her sweet, proper demeanor and welcomed her as a daughter.

Wang Rujun gently pointed out that Jingqi had passed away only six months into their marriage. She asked Tian Jiangyue whether it was truly the Li family who had wronged her, or if her own ambition had driven Jingqi to his death by forcing him to compete for the dangerous task of escorting the Tribute Ink. Hearing this, Tian Jiangyue down in tears, frantically denying her guilt.

Wang Rujun urged her to let go of her self-destructive hatred and cherish her life. Turning to Li Zhen, the matriarch declared that as the new head of the household, the final decision on how to deal with Tian Jiangyue rested entirely with her.

On a chilly day, Li Zhen met her mother, Zhao Jin, on a stone bridge. Seeing her daughter weighed down by thoughts of Tian Jiangyue, Zhao Jin offered some quiet wisdom. She admitted that she had once harbored a deep hatred for the Li family, even swearing never to step foot in their home again. Yet, the moment she heard that Li Zhen and Li Zhengyou were in trouble, she rushed inside without a single thought.

She encouraged her daughter to take a step forward, leave the past behind, and let go of the resentment keeping everyone trapped. Taking her mother's advice, Li Zhen visited the woodside shed where Tian Jiangyue was being held. She gave her Fourth Aunt an hour to pack her things before being sent to the villa in the western outskirts. Confused by this mercy, Tian Jiangyue demanded to know why Li Zhen did not use this chance to completely crush her.

Li Zhen replied that while she did hate her, she had no desire to live with that hatred forever. She wished her Fourth Aunt well and turned to leave. Unable to accept the gesture, Tian Jiangyue screamed after her, swearing to hate Li Zhen and the Eighth Branch for the rest of her life. Turning her focus back to the business, Li Zhen successfully developed a method for making reprocessed ink.

By leaving a small amount of old glue in the discarded ink as a primer to revive the material, she produced reprocessed ink of a quality identical to newly made Shize Ink. However, the workshop was still severely behind on production. Steward Shao warned that even if the workers labored day and night, they could not meet the massive backlog of orders before the looming deadline.

Knowing how vital this new ink was to the family's survival, Qi Jiu stayed up for several days straight, guarding the workshop to prevent any further sabotage. When Li Zhen brought some invitation cards to the workshop and found him fast asleep, she quietly checked on him, deeply moved by his silent dedication. Meanwhile, news of Li Zhen's successful reprocessed ink reached Tian Benchang. He was initially dismissive, believing reprocessed ink was merely a cheap way to refurbish old stock.

However, his concern grew when he heard that Steward Shao had invited the managers of all local ink workshops to Li Ink for an urgent meeting. At the meeting, Li Zhen stunned the gathered elders by voluntarily sharing her improved reprocessed ink recipe. Tian Benchang barged in uninvited to disrupt the gathering, but the other managers ignored his protests.

In exchange for the highly valuable recipe, Li Zhen requested the five-day use of their workshops and workers to help Li Ink rush the production of Shize Ink. The managers quickly realized the deal was incredibly beneficial, as the new method would allow them to revive their own piles of discarded waste ink. Led by Third Grandfather Chen Jiru and the manager of Pan Ink, they eagerly divided up and accepted the orders.

Thanks to the collective effort of the Huizhou ink industry, all backlogged orders of Shize Ink were delivered right on schedule. With the crisis averted, Li Zhen met with Seventh Grandmother and Li Jingdong. Feeling that her own oversight had allowed Li Decai and Tian Jiangyue to exploit loopholes, she knelt to return the master seal and step down as manager. However, Seventh Grandmother and Li Jingdong refused.

They praised her for her sincerity and her ability to unite the hearts of the Huizhou ink makers, insisting she remain the manager. Moved by their unwavering trust, Li Zhen tearfully agreed to keep leading the family. Li Zhen then sat down with her Eldest Aunt to discuss the future of the younger generation. She proposed that Li Zhengyou join the ink workshop to learn the foundation of the Li family business, promising to personally teach him the craft.

Ashamed of her past actions against Li Zhen, the Eldest Aunt tearfully apologized. Li Zhen comforted her, saying that family was defined by the ties of owing and forgiving one another, and she had never held a grudge. Not long after, a proud Li Zhengyou presented his very first batch of lampblack to Li Zhen. Although the quality was not yet perfect, Li Zhen warmly encouraged him.

She used the opportunity to teach him about proper heat control and shared inspiring stories of their grandfathers' strict dedication to the art of ink-making. On the day of the Start of Winter, Seventh Grandmother hosted a warm winter-welcoming feast at the ancestral home. The family prepared a large, steaming reunion hot pot, featuring chicken prepared by Li Zhen's mother, winter bamboo shoots gathered by Li Zhengshen, ham from Yi County, and cured ribs personally marinated by the Eldest Aunt.

As the family gathered together in rare harmony, Li Jingdong proposed that the Eighth Branch finally return to the clan. While deeply moved, Li Jinshui declined the offer. He explained that after the failure of the Tribute Ink thirteen years ago, the Eighth Branch had voluntarily left the clan out of shame. He declared that he would dedicate the remainder of his life to helping Li Jingdong and Li Zhen regain the right to produce Tribute Ink.

Only on the day that honor returned to the Li family would he bring his branch back to the clan. Li Zhen warmly supported his decision, reminding everyone that as long as their hearts were united, they were already home. Meanwhile, Jixiang returned to Qi Jiu with his share of the profits from Small Li's Ink Workshop, along with a generous extra bonus from Li Zhen.

The funds were more than enough to cover the military supply deficit for Marshal Qi's army, clearing the path for Qi Jiu to return to the military and reclaim his place at Yihousheng. Later that evening, Qi Jiu met with Wang Cuiqiao to discuss the transition of Yihousheng. Cuiqiao noticed his lingering reluctance to leave Li Zhen's side and gently pointed out his feelings for her.

Qi Jiu quietly admitted his affection but acknowledged that with his shadowed, secret identity, expecting anything more would be a foolish dream. Cuiqiao agreed, advising him not to fall too deeply into a love that could never be. Shortly after, the Ink Affairs Official, Lord Yan, paid a visit to Seventh Grandmother.

He brought an invitation from Princess Shouyang of Nanjing, who was looking for an innovative ink workshop to create a special batch of birthday inksticks for her mother, Noble Consort Du. Recognizing the massive opportunity, Lord Yan offered to recommend Li Ink for the commission. Seventh Grandmother expressed her gratitude for his support, promising to discuss the matter with the rest of the family before making their final decision.

Determined to restore the former glory of Li Ink, Li Zhen proposed to Seventh Grandmother that the family should travel to Nanjing to compete for the commission of Princess Shoushang’s birthday inkstick. She argued that while their workshop had recently improved, they were still far from the prosperity they enjoyed a decade ago as a Tribute Ink supplier.

By establishing a branch in Nanjing, a city of immense prosperity, they could reclaim their reputation and stop losing profits to traveling merchants. Seventh Grandmother was impressed by Li Zhen’s vision and entrusted her with full authority over the trip. Li Zhen decided to bring Li Zhengshen for his woodblock printing skills and the young Li Zhengyou to broaden his horizons as a future pillar of the family. Before departing, Li Zhen visited Yihousheng to see Qi Jiu.

She brought him a luxurious Liuhe hat to match his silver fox fur coat, hoping he would accompany her to Nanjing as a wealthy young master. However, Qi Jiu met her with hesitation. Having just returned to Yihousheng, he felt he could not leave while his own business was in a critical state of rebuilding. More importantly, he formally resigned from his duties at Li Ink, stating he could no longer balance both interests.

Though he offered to use his connections in Nanjing to assist her, Li Zhen was deeply hurt. She masked her disappointment by wishing him a boundless future before hurrying away. As the journey to Nanjing began, Li Zhen remained preoccupied with Qi Jiu’s departure.

Her friend Xianglan noticed her melancholy and shared wisdom from her storybooks, suggesting that if Li Zhen constantly wanted to share every new sight and delicious meal with Qi Jiu, then he had truly captured her heart. Xianglan successfully petitioned her father, Lord Yan, to allow her to accompany the group. Upon arriving in Nanjing, the group was dazzled by the bustling Sanshan Street, which rivaled their own Sibao Street.

While the others enjoyed local Rose Ejiao cakes, Li Zhen stayed focused, even spotting Li Ink already being sold in the local markets. Meanwhile, news arrived from the Capital that the Sage Qing He had fallen out of favor due to corruption charges. Realizing the Tian family was losing its primary benefactor, Qi Jiu and Jixiang noted that Tian Benchang was liquidating his stock of Styrax resin ink at a loss to raise cash.

Suspecting that Tian Benchang intended to use the funds to curry favor with new authorities in Nanjing, Qi Jiu decided to follow him to investigate. At the mansion of Princess Shoushang, the competition for the birthday inkstick began. Tian Ronghua arrived with the renowned Qi Chun, one of the Five Ink-making Grandmasters, to represent Tian Ink. When Li Zhen attempted to greet her old friend, Tian Ronghua remained cold and distant.

Princess Shoushang examined the preliminary submissions and expressed dissatisfaction, noting that while the inks were famous and precious, they were too conventional. She demanded a unique ink that reflected the character of her mother, Noble Consort Du, giving the participants one month to submit a final product. After the audience, Qi Chun mocked Li Zhen for being a mere girl representing the Li family, though Li Zhen stood her ground.

Adding to the sting, Tian Ronghua sent a maid to tell Li Zhen that they were no longer on the same path and should not meet again. While Tian Benchang spent his days wining and dining officials from the Six Ministries to build new alliances, Li Zhen searched for inspiration. Xianglan suggested they visit Luoxia Temple to seek out Zen Master Fahui, who was an acquaintance of Noble Consort Du.

They hoped to see the Consort’s calligraphy to understand her preferences, even offering a rare palm-leaf sutra to the temple. However, Fahui declined the gift and denied having any of the Consort’s writings, warning them that a palace servant had recently been beaten to death for attempting to steal her work. As they left the temple, a sudden downpour began. A young monk offered them an umbrella, claiming it was from a kind benefactor.

Li Zhen followed the monk and discovered Qi Jiu and Jixiang nearby, where they had been praying for the soldiers who died under General Qi. The encounter was stilted; Qi Jiu claimed he was there on official military business and declined an invitation to a family gathering. When Li Zhen mentioned she had sent him specialties from Nanjing that he claimed not to have received, the tension grew. Frustrated by his distance and his attempt to lie about the umbrella in a sacred place, Li Zhen threw the umbrella back at him and walked away into the rain.

Following her visit to Luoxia Temple, Li Zhen remained deeply unsettled. If Noble Consort Du was as devoted to Buddhism as Zen Master Fahui claimed, she would surely have spent years copying sutras, yet the Master had never seen a single piece of her calligraphy. Sensing a hidden truth, Li Zhen turned to Yan Xianglan for a way to observe the Consort in person.

Xianglan revealed that Commander Wu of Nanjing was hosting a "winter solstice banquet" (Xiaohan Banquet) for the Noble Consort and Princess Shouyang. Since her father had once worked with the Commander, Xianglan expected an invitation and suggested that Li Zhen could accompany her by disguising herself as a maid. Meanwhile, the competition for the birthday inkstick selection grew fierce.

Li Zhengshen arrived with alarming news: a man named Qi Chun, representing the Tian family, had used the name of the Directorate of Imperial Supplies to buy out all the premium raw materials in Nanjing. From Styrax resin and borneol to rare fleeceflower root and century-old pearls, the market had been stripped bare, leaving the Li family with no traditional way to match the Tian family’s resources.

Despite the setback, Li Zhen remained calm, focusing instead on understanding the emotional bond between the Princess and her mother. At the winter solstice banquet, Li Zhen observed the royal mother and daughter from her position as a servant. Yan Xianglan helped draw the Noble Consort's attention by mentioning how a medicinal inkstick from Huizhou had cured a long-standing sore on her face. Seizing the opportunity, Mrs. Wu requested that the Noble Consort grace the central hall with her calligraphy.

A tense silence fell over the room as the Consort looked visibly displeased but unable to openly refuse. Recalling that the Consort had risen from the position of an embroiderer, Li Zhen guessed she likely could not write well. She quietly sent a message through a nanny to Princess Shouyang. The Princess, catching the hint, gracefully intervened by suggesting that her mother paint a picture while she provided the inscription, saving the Consort from public embarrassment.

In another part of the Wu estate, the men were engaged in their own festivities. Qi Jiu noticed Tian Benchang socializing heavily with Wu Weishi and several influential young men. Posing as a drunk guest, Qi Jiu intentionally spilled wine on Tian Benchang, forcing him to leave the room to change. While Tian was occupied, Jixiang managed to slip into the inner chamber and secure a gift list.

The document revealed that Tian Benchang was distributing massive bribes, each worth hundreds of taels, to these well-connected "wastrels." It became clear that Tian was attempting to buy his way into a lucrative position within the Directorate of Imperial Supplies. After the banquet, Princess Shouyang summoned Li Zhen to demand why she had dared to send a secret message. Li Zhen knelt and explained that she only wished to share the Princess's burden and protect the Noble Consort's dignity.

Impressed by her intuition and sincerity, the Princess allowed her to leave. Outside, Qi Jiu, who had entered the inner court under the pretext of presenting a gift, was waiting anxiously for her. When he saw she was safe, he tried to brush off his concern, but Li Zhen had reached her limit with his constant evasion. She told him clearly that she did not want a man who only acted from the shadows.

She wanted a partner who would stand upright and walk beside her. Declaring that she would no longer trouble him with her affairs, she walked away, leaving Qi Jiu alone with his regrets. As they prepared to leave the estate, Li Zhen and Xianglan witnessed a group of noblewomen mocking Tian Ronghua for her humble origins, calling her "servant stock." Seeing her former friend being treated as a nobody, Li Zhen felt a pang of pity.

Realizing how difficult life was for Ronghua among the fickle socialites of Nanjing, Li Zhen decided to leave through a side door to spare Ronghua the humiliation of being seen by her in such a state. The day of the final selection arrived. The Tian family, represented by the master ink maker Qi Chun, offered the "Prajna Inkstick," which utilized rare red sandalwood to create a scent reminiscent of an ancient temple. Princess Shouyang was impressed by its quality.

However, Li Zhen then presented the "Twelve-Season Inksticks," which were uniquely shaped like kites. Li Zhen explained that the kites symbolized the unbreakable connection between a mother and her daughter; no matter how high or far a kite flies, there is always a string held by someone on the ground. She had learned that the Consort used to fly kites whenever she missed her daughter in the hopes that the child outside the palace walls might see them.

The Twelve-Season set was designed so that the Princess could visit her mother to deliver a new inkstick every month, turning the gift into a year-round reason for companionship. Moved by this display of filial devotion, Princess Shouyang declared Li Ink the winner and granted the family a three-year contract for her mansion. Even Qi Chun, though defeated, admitted that Li Zhen’s work had transcended mere technique to speak directly to the human heart.

While the Li family celebrated, Qi Jiu and Jixiang set a trap for the corrupt officials in Nanjing. They visited a restaurant where Eunuch Chen, the Imperial Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Supplies, was dining in a private area. Sitting nearby, Qi Jiu and his men began talking loudly about how Wu Weishi claimed to have the entire Directorate in his pocket.

They boasted that for a thousand taels of silver, Wu Weishi could sell any post because even the great Eunuch Chen obeyed his every word. Overhearing these "rumors," Eunuch Chen flew into a rage, realizing that the Wu family was using his name to illicitly sell offices.

Tian Benchang meets with Wu Weishi to check on his progress in buying an official post. Wu expresses frustration, explaining that news of the deal leaked, causing Eunuch Chen, the head of the Directorate of Imperial Supplies, to back out. Although Wu claims he can still use his father’s influence to secure the position, he informs Tian that the bribe has now doubled. Tian is distressed; his resources in Nanjing are nearly depleted.

Wu then suggests a dangerous alternative: producing "Tongfan Ink" for illegal foreign trade. Despite it being a capital crime, Wu promises it is the only way to quickly raise the necessary silver. Terrified by the risk, Tian asks for time to think it over, but that night he is haunted by a nightmare where Wu murders him to ensure his silence.

At home, Tian Ronghua scolds Tian Benchang for missing the Princess’s ink selection, questioning his commitment to the family business. Tian Benchang retorts with disdain, revealing his true ambition is to secure a government post in the Directorate of Imperial Supplies to escape their lowly merchant status. He dismisses Ronghua as nothing more than a tool for flattery and orders her to return to the Capital immediately.

Meanwhile, Qi Jiu visits a post office to send a letter, only to find that heavy blizzards have blocked the roads to Huizhou. Seeing Li Zhen’s packages and a letter from Li Zhengshen among the stranded mail, Qi Jiu convinces the owner to let him take them, planning to send the letter by carrier pigeon and transport the goods by boat. Tian Benchang eventually decides to risk the smuggling venture and returns to Wu Weishi to pledge his cooperation.

During their meeting, Wu warns Tian that Qi Jiu has been tailing him and likely caused the trouble with Eunuch Chen. Tian coldly asks if it would be difficult to make someone "disappear" in a city as large as Nanjing, and Wu assures him his men can handle the assassination. Soon after, Qi Jiu is ambushed and severely injured. Despite his bleeding wounds, he returns to the post office to ensure Li Zhen’s letter is safely dispatched via pigeon.

When Li Zhen later checks on her mail, the owner tells her that her "friend with thick eyebrows" managed to send her items but appeared badly hurt. Deeply concerned, Li Zhen searches for Qi Jiu. Meanwhile, Qi Jiu seeks counsel from Master Fahui at Luoxia Temple. He confesses that he is burdened by a heavy secret—his family's vendetta—which has been his only reason for living, but he now feels his past makes him unworthy of the person he loves.

The Master encourages him to let go of past regrets, noting that fate is like flowing water, and urges him to "take a leap" toward his future. Later, during the Sanshan Hall Lantern Festival, Li Zhen finds Qi Jiu standing under a massive lantern. She notices his bandaged hand and tells him she will no longer force him to reveal his secrets; she only wants him to stay safe by her side.

Moved, Qi Jiu finally confesses his love and promises to tell her everything when the time is right. As their business in Nanjing concludes, Li Zhen signs over the management of the new shop to Li Zhengshen. She also reaches out to Tian Ronghua, offering her a position as an accountant at the New Li Ink Workshop in Huizhou.

As the group prepares for the journey home, packing gifts and "Ganfengling" medicine for the trip, Xiaotao arrives with an imperial decree from Noble Consort Du. Because the birthday ink was a great success, the Consort returns a stick of the legendary Sihe Ink—a Li family heirloom—to Li Zhen. Li Zhen kneels to accept the treasure, overwhelmed by the restoration of her family's legacy.

Upon arriving at the Huizhou docks, the group is met by a large welcoming party led by Seventh Madam Rujun, who brought the entire family to ensure Li Zhen felt their support the moment she stepped off the boat. Li Zhen presents the Sihe Ink and announces their three-year contract with the Princess’s household. Seventh Madam, deeply moved, insists that Li Zhen personally place the sacred ink back into the family vault. As the gates of the vault are opened for the first time in decades, the elders acknowledge that it is finally time for the next generation to take the lead.

Seventh Grandmother led Li Zhen into the Li Ink Vault, a place strictly forbidden to outsiders. The vault housed the most precious treasures of the Li family, including ancient masterpieces like Lushan Pine Ink and Zhongjiang's Ink, which had survived a century of internal strife and external threats. Li Zhen followed her grandmother to the portrait of the Grandmaster and reverently offered the Sihe Ink, returning the ancestral soul to its rightful place.

Watching the young woman, Seventh Grandmother felt a deep sense of relief. She handed Li Zhen the keys to the vault, formally transferring the leadership of Li Ink. While she admitted she had been ruthless in forcing Li Zhen to return and carry the heavy burden of the family legacy, she knew Li Zhen was the only one with the spirit and skill to move the business forward.

Li Zhen vowed to protect the family name and ensure the legacy of their ink-making techniques would never perish. To celebrate Li Zhen’s successful return from Nanjing and the shop's opening, the Li family hosted a grand banquet for their relatives and friends. Li Zhen, now the recognized head of the house, moved through the crowd to toast those who had supported her.

She shared a drink with Li Zhengyou to celebrate his growth and another with Qi Jiu, acknowledging his vital role in their success in Nanjing. During the festivities, Xianglan received a letter from Li Zhengshen, who had remained in Nanjing to manage their new shop. Her face flushed with embarrassment as Wang Hua'er teased her over the affectionate words Li Zhengshen had written. The celebration continued as Lord Yan arrived with a prestigious theater troupe to honor the family.

Seventh Grandmother and the women of the household settled in to watch the play, while the men continued drinking. The troupe performed "The Tale of Two Heroes," featuring the legendary heroine Liang Hongyu. The play was a favorite from Seventh Grandmother’s youth, reminding her of her spirited younger days. As she watched the valiant Liang Hongyu on stage, she felt a surge of pride, seeing the same heroic qualities in her granddaughter.

After the play, Seventh Grandmother refused her sedan chair, insisting on walking home through the streets she had traversed for decades. She reminisced about her early years as a young bride, running through rain and hail to deliver food to her husband, Jintai, and caring for her infant son, Jingyuan. During a quiet moment with Li Zhen, the old matriarch asked if she was truly happy.

She encouraged Li Zhen to pursue her own goals and happiness, reminding her that while protecting the family was her own fate, it did not have to be Li Zhen’s cage. The following morning, Li Zhen woke up early to buy corn pastry, her grandmother’s favorite local snack. When she returned and tried to wake the elderly woman, she discovered that Seventh Grandmother had passed away peacefully in her sleep.

The legendary matriarch, who had led Li Ink through its most turbulent times to a new era of glory, was gone. To honor her monumental contributions, her portrait was enshrined in the ancestral hall, marking the end of a significant era in the family history. Exhausted and grieving, Li Zhen struggled to maintain her composure during the funeral proceedings. Qi Jiu, sensing her pain, urged her to let her guard down and cry.

In the privacy of his company, Li Zhen finally broke down, weeping for the grandmother she had lost. Nearby, Li Chupuo watched them with a sense of peace, deciding it was time for her to leave as well. As she passed by, she accidentally dropped her belongings, and Qi Jiu hurried to help her. Upon seeing his face and hearing his name, Li Chupuo was visibly shaken.

She realized that Qi Jiu was the nephew she thought had perished; she was actually Luo Mengzhen, a survivor of the fire that had devastated their family years ago. Meanwhile, Tian Benchang’s illegal trade with the Japanese was proving highly lucrative. He presented a large sum of money to Young Master Wu, hoping to secure his future through bribery.

Wu warned him to keep his hands clean and pin any suspicious activities on others, advising him to eliminate anyone who got in his way. Tian Benchang took the opportunity to ask Wu to investigate Qi Jiu’s background, feeling uneasy about the man’s lack of reaction after their previous encounter. Wu promised to use his father’s connections in the Capital to uncover the truth.

In his office, Tian Benchang grew impatient with his brother, Tian Bensheng, who was terrified of the risks involved in smuggling. When Bensheng claimed he hadn't brought his seal to sign the contracts, Tian Benchang lost his temper and forced his brother to stamp the documents, binding him to their dangerous path. Back at the Li household, Li Zhengshen prepared to return to Nanjing to manage the booming business at the ink shop.

However, the brief period of peace was shattered by urgent news. A violent uprising of miners had broken out in the southeast, and a massive wave of refugees was now fleeing toward Huizhou, threatening to bring chaos to the region.

The miners' riot has plunged Huizhou and Ningguo into severe turmoil, leaving countless refugees stranded outside the city gates of Huizhou. Fearing potential unrest, local guards scramble to consult Magistrate He on how to handle the influx. At the Li household, Li Zhengliang returns with a precious bag of rice, though he notes with dismay that the price has skyrocketed by nearly fifty percent in less than half an hour.

He informs his family that Magistrate He has called upon local merchants to establish porridge distribution centers to pacify the desperate refugees. Despite the cut-off trade routes, Li Zhen assures her family that she has secured enough raw materials to fulfill their outstanding ink orders. She looks forward to the arrival of General Yu, whom Marshal Qi is expected to deploy to restore order, hoping to spend some quiet time with her family.

Meanwhile, Tian Benchang receives a letter from Young Master Wu, delivered by his brother Tian Bensheng. The letter reveals that an inquiry into Qi Jiu's background with the Ministry of Revenue showed nothing suspicious; his original name was Wang Fuquan, a northerner who joined Marshal Qi's army in the thirty-ninth year of Jiajing's Reign after his family passed away. However, the mention of the north and the specific year triggers Benchang's suspicions.

He recalls that they moved into their current mansion three years ago, shortly after the downfall of the Luo family, whose second son, Luo Wenqian, was rumored to have fled and died in the north. Suspecting that Qi Jiu is actually the fugitive Luo Wenqian, Benchang sends Bensheng to Nanjing with a letter and instructs him to find Officer Zhang at the prefectural office to retrieve Luo Wenqian's original arrest warrants.

At the Literary Association, the local ink workshop managers gather in despair. With the trade routes blocked, raw materials are scarce and finished ink cannot be shipped out. Third Master Chen warns that the crisis is unlikely to improve before spring. Li Zhen urges the managers not to lose hope, pointing out that General Yu is on his way to quell the riots.

To survive the rising costs, she proposes that President Hu negotiate with the material suppliers to temporarily stabilize prices. While President Hu agrees, he warns against predatory competitors who might exploit the crisis to drive down prices and force smaller workshops out of business. Li Zhen suggests drafting an industry-wide agreement to forbid such behavior, though some managers remain skeptical about whether everyone will honor it.

In the Tian household, Tian Huai'an proudly admires an exquisite wood carving sent by the Wu family, praising his sons' connections with Young Master Wu. However, his pride turns to fury when he confronts Benchang about his secret involvement in illicit foreign trade, a capital offense. Benchang remains defiant, arguing that high risks bring immense wealth. Backed by the Garrison Commander's son, Benchang believes they are invincible as long as Garrison Commander Wu remains in power.

He dismisses the prestigious title of Tribute Ink, declaring his ambition to buy an official position within the Directorate of Imperial Utensils and become a rule-maker rather than a lowly merchant. When his father warns him of the Luo family's tragic fate, Benchang scoffs and claims he will turn the ongoing riots into his own golden opportunity. At Yihousheng, Qi Jiu learns that the trade routes are entirely severed, and no merchants dare to transport goods.

He orders his men to closely monitor the newly returned Tian brothers and dispatches a messenger to inform General Yu of Huizhou's desperate state. Later, Qi Jiu meets Li Zhen to escort her home through the unsafe streets, offering her a warm snack. Concerned for her safety, he suggests moving her family into the city, but Li Zhen explains her heavily pregnant sister-in-law cannot travel easily.

When she laments the struggle of their workshop, Qi Jiu offers to use Yihousheng's remaining connections to ship her ink. Generously, Li Zhen proposes sharing this shipping quota with other struggling workshops, explaining that the Huizhou ink industry must stand together to survive. Deeply impressed by her noble vision, Qi Jiu admits he judged her too narrowly. Soon after, Ji Xiang reports to Qi Jiu that he has spent months tracking the Tian family's cargo ships.

He observed that the crew carried enough food and water to sustain them for several months, far exceeding the requirements for a standard southern voyage to places like Quanzhou. This massive cargo capacity confirms they are engaging in illicit foreign trade, though Tian Benchang's paranoia has kept solid evidence out of reach. Meanwhile, a tragedy unfolds in the city as Tian Bensheng and his men forcefully take down the signboard of the Pan Ink Workshop.

Despite Manager Pan's desperate pleas for a few days' grace, Bensheng mockingly hands him the plaque, claiming the Tians legally purchased the mortgaged shop from the money shop. Bensheng sneers at the onlookers, warning that their workshops might be next. Qi Jiu consults Wang Cuiqiao to locate the Tians' underground ink workshops. Since the Tians cannot manufacture illicit trade ink openly, Qi Jiu deduces they are using the small workshops they recently acquired.

Cuiqiao agrees to investigate using her own network to avoid raising suspicions, but she warns Qi Jiu that powerful figures in the Capital, backed by Nanjing Garrison Commander Wu, are digging into his past. Though Qi Jiu believes his falsified identity is secure, Cuiqiao reminds him of the danger to Marshal Qi. Meanwhile, Third Master Chen leads an angry crowd to the Tian residence, throwing stones and cursing them for destroying their peers.

He reveals the Tians slashed the price of Styrax resin ink by forty percent, freezing the cash flow of the Chen and Li workshops. Their anger is cut short when news arrives that Manager Pan has drowned himself in the Xin'an River. At the Literary Association, Manager Pan's widow and his son, Pan Ruogu, weep bitterly, begging for justice. President Hu explains that the Tians' relentless harassment drove Manager Pan to despair before Magistrate Yan could intervene.

While President Hu suggests raising funeral funds, Li Zhen insists they cannot simply wait for ruin. She proposes going to General Yu to request a military escort for their trade routes. Despite other managers' fears that merchants are too lowly to negotiate with the military, Li Zhen argues that their taxes fund the army and that General Yu is a righteous man. Assisted by Qi Jiu, Li Zhen successfully enters General Yu's camp.

Though General Yu is initially angered by the breach of discipline, Li Zhen presents the Pan Ink plaque and eloquently explains how predatory pricing and blocked trade routes are driving honest citizens to ruin. Li Zhen argues that by clearing the trade routes and reviving local commerce, the city can offer employment to desperate people, thereby quelling the riots far more effectively than bloodshed.

General Yu, moved by her logic and realizing Qi Jiu supported her plan, agrees to discuss the matter with Marshal Qi. Shortly after, Tian Bensheng informs Benchang that while Luo Wenqian's arrest warrants and portraits have been thoroughly erased from all official archives, this complete lack of records only proves a cover-up. Benchang plans to capture Qi Jiu and hand him over to Commander Wu to implicate Marshal Qi for harboring a fugitive.

Meanwhile, the trade routes are successfully reopened as Mr. Liao and his escort soldiers take charge of twenty carts of ink, providing a lifeline to the Huizhou merchants. While Ji Xiang identifies three suspicious workshops used by the Tians, Cuiqiao arrives with grave news. The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, and the Liaodong Military Commander are all actively investigating Qi Jiu under Commander Wu's orders.

Knowing Commander Wu seeks to destroy Marshal Qi, Cuiqiao urges Qi Jiu to flee to Annam or Siam immediately, leaving General Yu to claim they were deceived. Qi Jiu refuses, realizing his flight would leave his benefactors vulnerable to Commander Wu's wrath. He declares that the only way to protect Marshal Qi and the Li family is to find undeniable proof of Tian Benchang's illicit foreign trade, exposing the treason of the Wu family.

To shield Li Zhen from the coming storm, Qi Jiu resolves to completely cut ties with her and the Li family, planning to claim he only used them as unsuspecting pawns in his schemes.

Li Zhen and Qi Jiu visited the pine forest they had planted together. Seeing the young saplings thriving, Li Zhen happily looked forward to their future, imagining a time when they would grow old together under the tall trees. Qi Jiu, however, was weighed down by a dark premonition. Having survived many bloody battles on the battlefield without anyone to claim his body, he confessed that meeting her had changed him, making death a difficult fate to face.

He asked that if anything should happen to him, she bury him beneath their shared pine trees. Alarmed, Li Zhen brushed off his depressing jokes, insisting they had a long life of dreams to fulfill, including expanding their ink business and seeing the ocean. Not wanting to ruin her joy, Qi Jiu forced a smile and claimed he was only teasing.

Meanwhile, Jixiang tracked Tian Bensheng to a locked, secluded courtyard that smelled strongly of ink and showed fresh carriage tracks, confirming it was the Tian family's secret contraband ink workshop. After hearing the report, Qi Jiu decided to investigate the place under the cover of night to catch the Tians red-handed.

Before departing, he handed a box to his sister, Wang Cuiqiao, containing a severance agreement that completely cut all financial and partnership ties between his shop, Yihousheng, and Li Ink, ensuring the Li family would remain safe from implication if he failed. At the same time, Tian Benchang received a letter from the Defender of Nanjing, confirming they had located witnesses from Liaodong and a schoolmate from the Capital who could identify Qi Jiu as the wanted fugitive Luo Wenqian.

When Tian Bensheng admitted to visiting the secret workshop to check on progress, Benchang was furious. Realizing his brother's foolishness had likely exposed the secret site, Benchang immediately ordered his men to gather and clear out all the contraband ink and equipment that very night. At Li Ink, Steward Shao returned with the monthly dividends, puzzled to find Yihousheng suddenly shuttered. Li Zhen grew deeply concerned. Soon after, Ugly Granny Li heard of Qi Jiu's sudden disappearance.

Rushing to Yihousheng, she ran into Jixiang and recognized him. Realizing that Qi Jiu was indeed her long-lost nephew, Luo Wenqian, she went straight to Li Zhen. Dropping to her knees, she begged Li Zhen to save him, revealing her true identity as Luo Mengzhen. With Eighth Master Li present, she explained how she had survived the devastating fire years ago.

Left for dead in a mass grave, she had been rescued by her dear friend, Wang Rujun, who nursed her back to health and hid her within the Li family—a secret kept safe for years by Sun Wanyi, who strictly followed her mother-in-law's instructions to remain silent. That night, Luo Wenqian infiltrated the secret ink workshop, only to be ambushed by Tian Benchang's hired men. Though he fought bravely, he was outnumbered.

Tian Benchang soon arrived with his ally, Officer Zhang. When Luo Wenqian pointed to the workshop as evidence of the Tians' illicit foreign trade, Officer Zhang ignored his pleas and arrested him as the wanted fugitive. Upon learning of the arrest, Li Zhen and Jixiang hurried to the military camp to beg General Yu for help. However, General Yu explained that his hands were tied.

Luo Wenqian had already prepared for the worst and took all responsibility to protect the military. Furthermore, Tian Benchang was backed by the Nanjing Defender, Wu Ru, a bitter political rival of Marshal Qi. If the military intervened, Wu Ru would use it to destroy Marshal Qi. Wang Cuiqiao delivered the severance papers to Li Zhen, urging her to focus on protecting the Li family instead.

Refusing to give up, Li Zhen walked back, her mind filled with memories of her time with Luo Wenqian. Soon, Officer Zhang and his men raided the Li family residence, attempting to arrest them for harboring a fugitive. Li Zhen stood her ground. She presented the severance document, proving that Qi Jiu had withdrawn from Li Ink a month prior, and challenged the officers to obtain a formal warrant from the Prefect if they wished to inspect their spotless books.

She threatened to sue Officer Zhang for abuse of power if he proceeded without authorization. Confronted by her fierce resolve, Officer Zhang backed down. Outside, Li Zhen spotted Tian Benchang lingering in the shadows and boldly warned him that they would see who would have the last laugh. Inside, Li Zhen gathered the Li family to discuss their next steps.

She declared that they must protect Luo Mengzhen and keep her identity hidden, while also organizing their accounts to ensure the Tians could find no weaknesses. Rather than waiting for ruin, she proposed to continue Luo Wenqian's investigation into the Tians' illicit foreign trade to bring them down. The entire family, led by Eighth Master Li, warmly voiced their support. Li Zhen later visited Luo Wenqian in prison.

She comforted him and presented a plate of scale-pipe candy (Chengguan candy), a childhood favorite sent by his aunt, Luo Mengzhen. Touched, Luo Wenqian promised not to give up. He shared vital clues with her, noting that the contraband ink likely bore unique markings. He suggested she work with Xiao Qi to check suspicious workshops and seek Wang Cuiqiao's help to track down unrecorded, freelance ink-makers in Huizhou.

Wang Cuiqiao informs Li Zhen that they still have no leads on the Tian family's contraband ink workers, suspecting Tian Benchang has already covered his tracks. However, a teahouse server mentions that many hired refugees quickly left for their hometowns after the recent riots subsided, sparking a realization for Li Zhen: Benchang targeted transient, illiterate refugees because they were easy to control and left no trace once dismissed.

This theory is quickly reinforced when Qi Jiu sends a note from prison, recalling seeing straw mats typical of refugees during his secret probe of the Tian family's ink workshop. Meanwhile, Tian Ronghua returns to Shexian after being cast out by the Xu family in the Capital, who discovered her family's collusion with Commander Wu Ru to smear Commander Qi. Dropped off on the street and devastated, Ronghua is warmly greeted by Li Zhen.

Touched by her childhood friend's unconditional kindness, Ronghua weeps and begs for forgiveness. At home, Ronghua confronts her father and brother about their wicked deeds, but Tian Benchang angrily dismisses her. Soon after, Tian Bensheng brings a Nanjing letter revealing that a competitor is vying for the vacant post in the Directorate of Imperial Supplies, and Commander Wu's son, Wu Weishi, demands another five thousand taels within a month.

Desperate for funds, Benchang resolves to ramp up contraband ink production and urges Bensheng to eliminate the threat of Li Zhen. Li Zhen is soon Passenger alerted that her associate Jixiang has found Wu Xin, a refugee who worked at the Tian workshop and possesses Japanese coins. During her interrogation, Wu Xin refuses to talk, but Officer Zhang suddenly barges in under the pretext of investigating the illegal detention of refugees.

Wu Xin immediately frames the Li family, claiming they kidnapped him to force him to make contraband ink. Officer Zhang arrests Li Zhen, and the Li family head, Li Jingdong, is also taken into custody. In court, Wu Xin sticks to his fabricated story, claiming he was forced to make Li Ink's ancient lacquer-soot ink. However, when Li Zhen questions him about the smoke shed's layout, Wu Xin claims he saw the pine-soot kilns and oil-soot sheds operating simultaneously.

Li Zhen exposes his lie, explaining that the rebuilt Li workshop had relocated its pine-soot kilns, and only the Tian workshop could run both. Just as Prefect He is about to demand the truth, he receives an urgent letter from Nanjing Commander Wu Ru. Instantly changing his stance, the prefect orders the sealing of Li Ink and the imprisonment of the Li family.

Hu Xuanlin, the president of the Literary Association, arrives with ink masters Chen Jiru, Huang Shan, and Pan Ruogu to stand surety for the Li family. To protect Li Zhen, Li Jingdong argues that her removal from the clan years ago means she should not be implicated. Under pressure, Prefect He relents, granting Li Zhen fifteen days to prove her family's innocence while the rest are jailed.

Recognizing the Tians' powerful backing, Li Zhen immediately travels to Nanjing to seek aid from Princess Shouyang. In Nanjing, Li Zhen secures an audience with Princess Shouyang. When the Princess hesitates to help, Li Zhen points out that Commander Qi once saved Du Village—the Noble Consort's hometown—and that Prince Yu has been protecting Commander Qi from Commander Wu's plots to steal military credit.

She offers to act as a weapon for the Princess and Prince Yu to expose the Tians' collusion with Commander Wu. Intrigued, the Princess lets her maid reveal that the Tians indeed need thousands of taels to secure the imperial post against a new competitor. Returning to Huizhou, Li Zhen and Wang Cuiqiao deduce that Tian Benchang will continue smuggling to raise the bribe.

Wang Cuiqiao also reveals that Benchang is forcing Ronghua to marry the aging Vice Minister Liu as a concubine in three days to secure a thousand-tael bride price. Li Zhen realizes Benchang plans to hide the contraband ink inside Ronghua's wedding dowry, as no one would inspect a bride's belongings.

Disguising herself as a silk delivery maid, Li Zhen slips into Ronghua's room and reveals the horrifying truth: her brother is selling her for the bride price and hiding contraband ink in her dowry, which would make her an accomplice to a capital crime the moment she steps onto the bridal sedan. Devastated to realize she is merely a tool, Ronghua desperately asks Li Zhen what she should do.

Tian Ronghua, pretending to accept her arranged marriage, inspected her lavish dowry with her mother. To keep her mother occupied, Ronghua requested to bring along her old clothes as a sentimental reminder of home, prompting her mother to leave and gather them. Left alone in the warehouse, Ronghua searched the chests and discovered a massive stockpile of contraband Ziji Dragon Light Ink hidden among the silks and jewelry. Shortly after, Tian Benchang entered the warehouse to inspect the goods.

Though Ronghua managed to deflect his suspicion and leave, Benchang noticed that the dowry chests had already been tampered with. Ronghua slipped away to a local tea room, commanding her maids to wait outside. There, she secretly met with Li Zhen and revealed that she had found over a thousand sticks of contraband ink—a crime punishable by death.

Fearing that Benchang's extensive web of spies in the prefectural office would catch wind of any premature report, Li Zhen urged against going directly to the authorities. Instead, noting their similar figures, Li Zhen proposed a daring plan: she would take Ronghua's place in the bridal sedan the following day.

Once the procession reached Sibao Street, she would stop the sedan, and Xiao Qi and Doggie would expose the contraband ink to the public, catching Benchang red-handed and voiding the marriage. Unbeknownst to them, Benchang and Tian Bensheng had trailed Ronghua and overheard their entire conversation.

Infuriated by his sister's betrayal, Benchang resolved to turn Li Zhen's trap against her, knowing they could not afford to delay the shipment and lose the lucrative foreign trade that would secure his post in the Directorate of Imperial Household. The next morning, as Li Zhen slipped into Ronghua's room to carry out the swap, Benchang and his men ambushed them.

Ignoring Li Zhen's protests, Benchang ordered his men to drag Ronghua out and force her into the bridal sedan, warning her that her compliance was the only thing keeping Li Zhen alive. Li Zhen was bound and left trapped in the room. Left alone with the captive Li Zhen, Benchang gloated over his victory. He mocked her failed scheme, noting that her accomplices on Sibao Street would find nothing but their own arrest for disrupting a wedding.

He taunted her that the half-month deadline for the Li family to clear their name was ending today, sealing their ruin. Driven by a sinister obsession, Benchang tried to touch her, offering to draw her eyebrows as they had once planned before their broken engagement. Li Zhen spat back in disgust, declaring that she would rather die.

She ridiculed his deep-seated inferiority and jealousy of Luo Wenqian's talent, noble character, and her love, calling Benchang a selfish hypocrite who did not deserve her. When Benchang boasted that his impending imperial post would force even Prefect He to bow to him, Li Zhen warned that a position bought by selling his own sister would only lead to a devastating fall.

Desperate to break her spirit, Benchang offered to spare the Li family and find a scapegoat if she submitted to him. When she refused, he lunged at her. Li Zhen managed to knock over a teacup, using a sharp porcelain shard to hold him off, daring him to kill her. Their standoff was interrupted by Bensheng, who arrived to report that the distraction at Sibao Street had succeeded and Ronghua's sedan had safely cleared the city.

Benchang ordered his men to keep Li Zhen fed and alive until they returned, then set off to secure the shipment. However, Li Zhen had already anticipated that the Tian brothers might tail Ronghua. After learning from Jixiang that they had indeed been followed, Li Zhen had modified her plan, choosing to play into Benchang's hands to lower his guard while secretly organizing a counter-strategy.

She had met with the prominent ink masters of Huizhou, including President Hu and Third Grandfather, who eagerly agreed to help dismantle the corrupt Tian family. While some of the ink masters protected Ronghua, President Hu and Third Grandfather successfully persuaded Prefect He to mobilize his troops. Hearing that the bridal sedan search had yielded nothing, Chen Junshan staked his own life and business to convince the Prefect that Benchang had simply rerouted the contraband.

Meanwhile, Benchang and Bensheng personally escorted the contraband ink toward the docks. Spotting Chen Junshan and his men on the main road, the brothers panicked and diverted their cargo toward Baixi Village, a nearby stronghold loyal to the Tian family. However, the ink masters spotted their escape and quickly blocked the exits. Cornered by a crowd of angry merchants, Benchang tried to bluster his way out by brandishing his status as an imperial merchant.

His threats were cut short when Prefect He arrived with his troops, accompanied by Ronghua and a rescued Li Zhen. Before the Prefect, Li Zhen and Ronghua formally accused Benchang of treason and illegal imprisonment, detailing how the Ziji Dragon Light Ink had been hidden in the dowry. Prefect He ordered a thorough search of the carts, and the constables quickly uncovered the contraband ink.

With the evidence laid bare, the crowd of merchants stepped forward to voice years of grievances, accusing the Tian family of murdering the Luo family to steal their ink recipe, driving other workshop owners to their deaths, and cheating during the tribute ink competition. Realizing he was trapped, Benchang immediately turned on his own brother. He claimed he had only just discovered the contraband documents at home and had chased Bensheng to Baixi Village to stop him from fleeing.

He urged the constables to search Bensheng, who was indeed found carrying the transaction deed. To make matters worse, Wu Xin was brought forward and confessed that Benchang had bribed and threatened him to frame the Li family. Bensheng screamed that he was only following Benchang's orders, but Benchang feigned deep remorse, painting himself as merely negligent. The constables also brought in three captured foreign trade accomplices from Baling Pavilion, who identified Bensheng as their primary contact.

Terrified, Bensheng begged his father, Tian Huai'an, to save him. But Huai'an, having already agreed with Benchang that Benchang was the family's only hope, cold-heartedly instructed Bensheng to take the blame and plead for leniency as a first-time offender. Devastated by his family's ultimate betrayal, Bensheng wept as the ink masters and Li Zhen protested the sham, pointing out that Bensheng was far too incompetent to run such an operation without Benchang's mastermind.

When Ronghua spoke out against her father and brother, Huai'an lunged forward to beat her in a rage. Li Zhen coldly reminded Benchang that his supposed ally, Commander Wu Ru, would never risk his own neck to save them now, as Prefect He prepared to deliver his final judgment.

Prefect He announced the verdict inside the crowded courtroom. The evidence of the Tian family's involvement in illicit foreign trade was deemed conclusive, though the court still needed to determine the mastermind and exact charges. Except for Tian Ronghua, who was spared, the rest of the family—including Tian Benchang, Tian Huai'an, Tian Bensheng, Wang Xiu, and Wu Xin, along with three accomplices—were remanded in custody to await trial.

Conversely, the court found that the Li family had been completely framed by Wu Xin under the Tians' instigation, declaring them innocent and ordering their immediate release. Outside the prefecture office, Eighth Master Li and Li Zhen's grandfather were waiting anxiously. Li Zhen emerged to reassure them that the family's name was finally cleared and that their relatives would soon be freed. In the midst of the reunion, Li Zhen kindly invited Tian Ronghua to go home with them.

Still burdened by guilt, Ronghua declined but asked Li Zhen to accompany her to the Chen Ink Workshop, as she had something crucial to address. At the workshop, Ronghua knelt before Third Grandfather Chen and Uncle Junshan, tearfully confessing her past misdeeds. She took full responsibility for foolishly bringing Sage Qing He into the Tribute Ink selection to manipulate the process, which ultimately cost the Chen family their rightful contract.

Despite her shame, she promised that if Sage Qing He ever fell from power, she would testify to restore the Chens' reputation. To ensure the Huizhou ink industry would not be corrupted further, she vowed to write a record of the Tian family's crimes, disband their workshop, and leave the industry forever.

Touched by her sincerity and willingness to bear such a heavy responsibility, Third Grandfather Chen forgave her and offered her a cup of She County's Lotus Tea to welcome her back to her roots. As they walked later that evening, Ronghua felt a profound sense of relief. Sensing her friend's vulnerability, Li Zhen invited her to stay at the New Li Ink Workshop.

She reminded Ronghua of the employment letter she had given her in Nanjing, formally offering her the position of accountant. Ronghua then produced an abacus bead she had once entrusted to Li Zhen as a symbol of her unfulfilled dreams. Li Zhen returned the bead, urging Ronghua to join her so they could start anew together. Ronghua gratefully accepted the offer. Soon after, Li Zhen met with Wang Cuiqiao to discuss the political landscape.

Cuiqiao shared a letter from the Princess's Mansion confirming that the news of the Tian family's trade crimes had spread to Nanjing. Princess Shoushang had personally intervened and warned Garrison Commander Wu Ru, leaving him unable to protect the Tians. Furthermore, the Directorate of Ceremony had blocked the impeachment against Marshal Qi. With the military crisis resolved, Li Zhen suggested they seize the opportunity to completely bring down Tian Benchang by searching the Tian residence for any remaining evidence.

Meanwhile, in the dark prison cells, Tian Benchang questioned Officer Zhang about any word from Nanjing. When Zhang revealed that Commander Wu had remained completely silent, Benchang grew desperate. Using his past bribes as leverage, he forced Zhang to bring him writing materials. He penned a letter to Commander Wu, claiming he possessed an account book detailing their transactions.

He bribed Zhang with a receipt to withdraw silver deposited in Nanjing, promising him a lifetime of gratitude if he delivered the letter to the Commander personally. Unaware of the brewing plot, Li Zhen and Ronghua arrived at the deserted Tian residence. Though Li Zhen offered to search the house alone to spare her friend's feelings, Ronghua insisted on helping, wishing to confront the truest side of her past so she could say a proper goodbye.

Back at the prison, a suspicious accomplice sent by the Nanjing Garrison Commander managed to bypass security. After knocking out Officer Zhang and other guards, the accomplice confronted Benchang, demanding the account book. Benchang bargained for his life, insisting he would only hand over the book once he was successfully broken out of prison. Left with no choice, the accomplice agreed and escaped with Benchang, leaving a dazed Officer Zhang behind.

At the Tian residence, Ronghua noticed a framed scroll of a ritual poem written by Sage Qing He hanging in the study. Knowing that the previous search officers had been too intimidated by the Sage's status to touch his things, she pulled it down and tore it open. Inside, they discovered a travel permit issued under the alias Lu Wei, a merchant from Fujian.

Just as they realized Benchang had planned to flee alone all along, an officer rushed in to report that Benchang had escaped from prison. Li Zhen immediately went to see Prefect He, where Officer Zhang was being interrogated. Zhang confessed that he had delivered Benchang's letter to Nanjing, which prompted the Commander to send the accomplice to break Benchang out. He revealed that the jailbreak was driven by the Commander's desire to secure the incriminating account book.

When Prefect He questioned Tian Bensheng about the book, Bensheng wept in frustration, declaring he knew nothing and had always been treated like a fool by his family. Realizing time was running out, Li Zhen requested permission to speak with Tian Huai'an, believing he was the only one who might know the book's location. Deep in the forest, the Garrison accomplice dragged Benchang along to find the book.

Benchang feigned memory loss from his long absence, trying to stall for time. He attempted to barter for the accomplice's Garrison token so he could slip into another city unnoticed once he was free. However, the accomplice remained firm, refusing to discuss the future until the book was delivered. In the prison cells, Li Zhen confronted Tian Huai'an and Madam Tian, presenting the travel permit they had found.

She shattered their illusions by revealing that Benchang had escaped and left them behind with only a single permit for himself. Zhen argued that since Benchang was willing to sacrifice his own siblings, he would easily abandon his parents. She warned them that if the Garrison Commander secured the account book, he would destroy the Tian family to cover his own tracks, resulting in Bensheng's execution and their own severe punishment.

Heartbroken by her eldest son's betrayal, Madam Tian begged her husband to save their remaining children. Finally seeing through Benchang's lies, Tian Huai'an relented and agreed to guide Prefect He's men to the secret location. Benchang led the Garrison accomplice to a secluded house and pointed to a hidden space behind a curtain. Inside, they found a chest filled with silver and the account book.

As the accomplice's greed overtook him, Benchang crept up from behind and strangled him to death with a rope. Just as Benchang grabbed the book to flee, Tian Huai'an and Prefect He's officers burst into the room and apprehended him. Following the arrest, Luo Wenqian paid respects to his deceased family, grateful that the Tian family was finally brought to justice so the lost souls of his family could rest in peace.

Later, over a shared meal with Li Zhen and Master Qi, Wenqian toasted Zhen for her steadfast companionship and reflected on their journey from childhood friends to soulmates. He then revealed that he had left two thousand taels of silver with Cuiqiao to support Li Zhen during his impending exile, which he expected to last ten to twenty years. He even tried to return the rouge ink, wishing for her to lead a happy, unburdened life in his absence.

Li Zhen refused, declaring that she would never take back what she had given. Holding him tightly, she promised to stand by him and face whatever verdict awaited him the following day.

Prefect Lord He presided over the high court to deliver the final sentences. Identifying Luo Wenqian (formerly Qi Jiu) as the son of the convicted traitor Luo Hanzhang, Lord He noted that he had assumed another identity to serve in General Qi’s army to escape exile. However, acknowledging his years of service in managing military provisions and his role in exposing the Tian family's illicit trade, Lord He mitigated his sentence to twenty years of hard labor in the southwest.

Luo Wenqian accepted his charges and proudly declared his real name. Next, Lord He sentenced Tian Bensheng and Tian Huai'an to ten years of hard labor in the northern territories for disrupting the ink industry and engaging in illicit trade. Tian Huai'an’s wife, though absent due to illness, received the same ten-year sentence for concealing her son's crimes, while Tian Ronghua was spared from punishment due to her innocence and cooperation.

Finally, the principal offender, Tian Benchang, was sentenced to death for his severe crimes of corruption, bribery, and driving civilians to their deaths. Before the sentencing could be finalized, Tian Benchang claimed he had more to say. Lord He dismissed his attempts, revealing that his powerful ally, Nanjing Garrison Commander Wu Ru, had already been arrested. However, Tian Benchang sneered, stating his words had to do with the true culprit of the Li family's Tribute Ink case thirteen years ago.

He taunted Li Zhen and Li Jingdong, reminding them of the misery and hatred they had carried for over a decade. He then exposed the shocking truth: thirteen years ago, after the Li family's Dadao Zizai pine soot ink defeated the Luo family's Ziji Longguang ink, Luo Hanzhang could not accept the defeat. He ordered Tian Huai'an to follow the Li family convoy to the capital and destroy their ink.

It was not Li Jingfu's drunken negligence that caused the fire; Tian Huai'an had drugged Li Jingfu's wine, slipped into the storage room, and set the Tribute Ink ablaze. This tragedy led to the arrest of the three Li brothers, resulting in Li Jingqi's death in prison, Li Jingdong's legs being broken, and Li Jingfu dying of grief and illness shortly after.

Hearing this, Luo Wenqian refused to believe his father could commit such an atrocity, while Tian Huai'an loudly claimed he was being framed. Yet, Tian Benchang mercilessly revealed that Tian Huai'an had been secretly paying three hundred taels of silver every year to a former employee who acted as his accomplice in the arson. Tian Benchang mocked Li Zhen and Luo Wenqian, laughing that their decades of resentment were just beginning and they would never be together.

Following this shocking revelation, Lord He ordered the Tians to be dragged back to prison to thoroughly investigate the matter. The truth soon emerged as both Tian Huai'an and his accomplice fully confessed to the crimes. A messenger from Lord He confirmed that Tian Benchang's testimony was accurate and that Luo Wenqian had no involvement in the arson, meaning his original sentence remained unchanged.

Realizing his decade-long hatred had been misplaced, a remorseful Li Jingdong led his family to bow and formally apologize to Eighth Master Li and the Eighth Branch for all the obstacles he had put in their way. Soon after, the family gathered at Li Jingfu's grave, pouring wine freely and loudly declaring to the heavens that Li Jingfu was not a sinner and had finally been vindicated.

Meanwhile, Wang Cuiqiao visited Luo Wenqian in prison with a food box of his favorite dishes and strong northern liquor. She assured him that she had arranged connections at his southwestern mining camp to look after him. When Luo Wenqian asked about Li Zhen, Wang Cuiqiao offered to bring her to see him, but he declined, feeling too deeply ashamed of his father's actions.

He knelt and bowed deeply to Wang Cuiqiao, expressing his profound gratitude for her sisterly care over the years. He begged her to watch over Li Zhen and his aunt during his exile, and to keep Jixiang safe under her guidance. Wang Cuiqiao promised she would remain in Huizhou for a few years to look after them.

Later, Wang Cuiqiao visited Li Zhen to inform her of Luo Wenqian's impending departure in three days, urging her not to live with regrets. In the city, the official decree was announced: Tian Benchang and Tian Huai'an were sentenced to execution in Nanjing.

Furthermore, the Directorate of Imperial Household issued an imperial decree stating that with the Tian family disgraced and their Tribute Ink privileges revoked, the Li family was officially chosen to temporarily assume the Tribute Ink contract until the next evaluation in four years. Though Li Zhen accepted the heavy responsibility, she remained deeply sorrowful.

Seeing her depressed state, Eighth Master Li comforted her, advising her that just as rainfall brings fresh water to help trapped fish find a way out, she must not trap herself in her own pain and find a path forward. On the day of Luo Wenqian's exile, Wang Cuiqiao, General Yu Dayong, and Jixiang gathered to bid him farewell.

Luo Wenqian paid his respects to General Yu and Wang Cuiqiao, thanking them for their shelter years ago, and urged Jixiang to listen to General Yu and Wang Cuiqiao, take good care of his aunt, and help the Li family if they ever needed it. Just as they were about to depart, Li Zhen ran to the scene to see him off. The two stood face to face, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

Luo Wenqian congratulated her on Li Ink's new contract and gently urged her to forget him and move forward without looking back. Li Zhen, holding back her tears, assured him that since he had survived the harsh north, the southwest would not break him either, and that he could finally live proudly under his real name. Wishing each other well, they bid their final farewell.

As Luo Wenqian prepared to embark on his journey into exile, the escorting officer reminded him to turn around and take one last look at his home, warning him that he would not return for another twenty years. Looking back, Luo Wenqian saw his aunt, Luo Mengzhen, watching him with deep sorrow and affection. Suppressing the storm of emotions in his heart, he bowed deeply before turning around to stride away into the distance.

Meanwhile, the Li family was anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new life. Li Zhengliang and Qiu'e's child was about to be born, and the family members paced with anxiety as the hours ticked by. Finally, a crisp cry broke the silence, signaling the safe delivery of a healthy baby boy. Li Zhen eagerly cradled her new nephew, asking the exhausted but smiling Qiu'e what name they had chosen.

Qiu'e explained that after everything the family had endured, they were finally embracing a new beginning. She and Zhengliang decided to name the boy Li Tianxin, symbolizing a fresh start. That night, a heavy snow began to fall, blanketing the world in white. Standing in the courtyard, Li Jinshui looked out into the freezing night, deep in thought.

Li Zhen joined her grandfather and quietly reflected that the events of the past few days felt as though she had lived through an entire lifetime. When Li Jinshui asked what such a lifetime tasted like, she replied that it held every flavor—sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy—yet remained entirely unpredictable. Though she admitted to being afraid of the future, she declared her resolve to keep moving forward.

Deeply moved, Li Jinshui promised to do his best to live on and accompany her on the road ahead. Three years passed, bringing the first year of the Longqing Era. With the ascension of a new emperor and a general amnesty, a sense of renewal filled the air. In the Li family’s ancestral hall, Sun Wanyi knelt to pray, earnestly asking the ancestors to protect the family and guide Li Zhen to lead Li Ink to reclaim its past glory.

Her quiet prayers were interrupted by young Li Tianxin, who came running in to call her home for breakfast. At home, the women of the family gathered to prepare tofu pudding, chatting about how busy everyone had become. Li Jingdong, Li Zhengshen, Li Zhengliang, and Li Zhengyou were constantly at the workshop or the inkstone shop before dawn, and even Li Jinshui had thrown himself back into the craft now that his health had improved.

At the ink workshop, Li Zhen gathered the master craftsmen to make a major announcement. With the new Tribute Ink selection approaching, she declared that the Li family would attempt to recreate their ancestors' legendary Sihe Ink, a masterpiece that had been out of their hands for sixteen years, to restore their family's honor. Hearing this, an old master urged caution, pointing out that recreating the Sihe Ink would be incredibly time-consuming and might not be ready in time.

He suggested improving their ancient lacquer-soot ink instead, as it was a far safer option. However, Li Zhen countered that without breaking the old, nothing new could be established, and that true progress lay in innovation. Li Jinshui firmly supported her decision, reminding the craftsmen that the essence of Li Ink lay in the spirit that united people's hearts.

He explained that "Sihe" represented the blending of heaven, earth, and human hearts, and with the family more united than ever, there was no better time to restore the ancient ink. Li Jingdong also voiced his absolute faith in Li Zhen, urging the masters to pool their wisdom and efforts to guide future generations. Reassured by their leadership, the craftsmen enthusiastically agreed to give their all for the future of Li Ink.

In the days that followed, Li Zhen threw herself entirely into her work, often forgetting to eat or rest. While trying to figure out the exact proportions of horn glue, isinglass, and peach resin for the ink formula, she became so distracted that she accidentally rinsed her writing brush in her bowl of fresh tofu pudding.

A young worker quickly cautioned her to eat before it grew cold and reminded her of the family banquet scheduled for the first day of the eighth month. Realizing that the Literary Association meeting was also set for that very day, a panicked Li Zhen rushed out of the workshop. Meanwhile, in her room, Lord Yan's daughter, Lanxiang, sat admiring a rare wind orchid.

Her maid, Xiaoman, noted that Li Zhengshen had searched far and wide to secure the flower simply because Lanxiang had once mentioned her fondness for it. Lanxiang sighed as she counted the orchid's six leaves, reflecting that it had been three years since then, yet not a single moment of her quiet life could compare to the three short days they had shared in Nanjing. She grumbled about having to wait so long for Zhengshen to send his betrothal gifts.

Lord Yan entered and gently advised her to keep such thoughts private. He then shared some wonderful news: once the upcoming Tribute Ink selection concluded, he intended to retire and return home. By resigning as the Ink Affairs Official, there would be no suspicion of the Li family climbing the social ladder when they proposed, paving the way for a spring wedding.

Lanxiang was overjoyed, but their conversation was cut short when a servant arrived to report that Eunuch Zhao had reached Huizhou with an imperial edict, prompting Lord Yan to head to the prefectural office. At the prefectural office, President Hu welcomed the gathered ink makers, noting that the Chen family's name had been cleared after the downfall of Sage Qing He.

He expressed his excitement at seeing Li Ink and Chen Ink, the pillars of the Huizhou ink industry, compete once more. Soon after, Eunuch Zhao delivered the imperial decree. With the reopening of maritime trade, His Majesty had granted special permission for the Japanese Kuroda family to participate in the Tribute Ink selection. Furthermore, the winner of the competition would be bestowed the prestigious title of the "Finest Ink Under Heaven."

That evening, the Li family gathered for a banquet and discussed the sudden turn of events. While some family members expressed deep concern, fearing that the tragedies of the past might repeat themselves, Li Zhen remained optimistic. She argued that the lifting of maritime restrictions was a grand opportunity; if foreigners could bring their craft to China, then the Li family could also take their ink out into the world, eventually expanding their business across the globe.

Li Jinshui agreed, stating that in an ink competition, the focus must remain entirely on the ink itself. Inspired by their resolve, the family raised their glasses to a thrilling and determined competition. After dinner, Li Zhen's mother handed her some warm soup and a change of clothes to bring to Li Jinshui.

She noted that despite his quiet demeanor during the meal, the old man’s heart was still tethered to the ship that had delivered ink to the capital years ago, making him want to win this selection more than anyone. Li Zhen found her grandfather in the smoky workshop, coughing from the pungent fumes but stubbornly refusing to rest. She gently draped a coat over his shoulders and urged him to have some soup while he worked.

Later, Tian Ronghua brought the monthly account books to Li Zhen. While Zhen expressed her complete trust in Ronghua's work, Ronghua quietly submitted her resignation. She explained that her mother and second brother were returning due to the general amnesty, but they were too ashamed to return to Huizhou and had settled in Ningguo Prefecture instead.

Ronghua shared her own aspirations: with the maritime trade reopened, she wanted to learn the ways of commerce, see the sea, and discover a different side of her own life. Li Zhen understood her desires completely and promised to wait for her return. When Ronghua asked about Luo Wenqian, Li Zhen revealed that he had been pardoned and had rejoined General Yu's ranks under his real name, though she constantly prayed for his safety on the perilous battlefield.

As the deadline for the Tribute Ink selection neared, Li Jinshui, Li Jingdong, and Li Zhen worked tirelessly to perfect the Sihe Ink. Examining a fragment of their ancestral sample, Jinshui noticed that the pattern on the ancient ink differed significantly from their new creations. Because the fragment was too small to see the full design, he sent Li Zhen to the ink vault to retrieve the other piece of Sihe Ink for a closer comparison.

While inside the vault, Li Zhen caught an intruder in the middle of a theft. The thief attacked her, but a figure suddenly intervened, fighting off the assailant and forcing them to flee. To Li Zhen's astonishment, her savior was none other than Luo Wenqian. When Li Jinshui and Li Jingdong rushed in, Luo Wenqian explained his unexpected presence. He revealed that General Yu had ordered him to secretly monitor the Kuroda family due to their highly suspicious backgrounds.

He had spent the last several weeks tracking a rogue Japanese operative who had broken away from the group to gather intelligence on various Chinese ink-making families across Nanjing, Wuyuan, and Xiuning, eventually arriving in She County. Luo Wenqian had avoided confronting the spy to discover their ultimate objective, but he had been forced to reveal himself when the man attempted to kill Li Zhen. Not long after, Princess Shouyang arrived in Huizhou to oversee the tribute selection.

At the official gathering, the Kuroda family was formally presented. The Kuroda representatives offered custom-made inks as gifts to the local workshops. The Chen family was left speechless when they opened their gift, finding a replica of their own famous Scholar Ink crafted to a terrifyingly high standard. The Kuroda representative then presented a gift to the Li family, claiming its origins also traced back to the Southern Tang dynasty.

When Li Zhen opened the box, she was stunned to find their own ancestral Sihe Ink inside. With smug confidence, Renkichi challenged the local masters, asking which ink they would possibly use to compete against the Kuroda family's superior craft.

Li Zhen stood before the assembled guests and the visiting Japanese delegation, her gaze steady as she inspected the ink presented by Kuroda. She politely acknowledged the exquisite craftsmanship of the Kuroda family's restored version of the Li family's legendary Sihe Ink, admitting it was indeed comparable to the creations of her ancestors.

However, she calmly pointed out that while they had masterfully copied the techniques used by the Li family hundreds of years ago during the Southern Tang Dynasty, Li Ink had continuously evolved and innovated over the generations. Since their ancestors' time, their ink-making techniques had progressed immensely, leaving a significant gap between their modern innovations and the ancient formula Kuroda had brought. Her confident response left Kuroda speechless.

Seeing the tension, Princess Shoushang broke the silence with a satisfied smile and ordered her attendants to escort the guests to the post house to rest. Shortly after, Li Zhen went to pay her respects to the Princess. When asked if she had the confidence to defeat the Kuroda family in the upcoming ink contest, Li Zhen honestly admitted that the challenge was immense, but she pledged to spare no effort to secure a victory.

The Princess was pleased by her resolve, noting that such courage was exactly what the head of the foremost ink workshop in Huizhou should possess. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Luo Wenqian, who delivered a secret letter from General Qi. Wenqian explained that since the state had lifted the maritime trade ban, merchant ships had brought great prosperity, though Japan had been excluded from this trade.

General Qi’s investigation revealed that the Kuroda family was using the cultural exchange of ink-making as a front to participate in the Tribute Ink selection. Should they win, they intended to demand trading rights at Yue Port in Zhangzhou, directly threatening national policy. Additionally, because of the Kuroda family's known collusion with Japanese pirates, the General had sent Wenqian to support local defenses and guard against any potential unrest.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Princess issued a strict command to Li Zhen: for both her family and the state, Li Ink had to emerge victorious, as failure was not an option. After leaving the Princess, Wenqian and Li Zhen walked together. Li Zhen warmly congratulated him on returning to General Qi's command, noting they had barely been able to speak during their chaotic encounter the other night.

Wenqian replied that his mission was to protect the selection process from pirate interference and protect her. He urged her to let him know if she needed any assistance and warned her to stay safe. Wenqian then returned to Yihousheng, where he was warmly reunited with his sister, Wang Cuiqiao. Delighted by his return, she remarked that he had matured and carried far less of a battlefield aura than he did three years ago.

When she offered to hand the management of the workshop back to him, Wenqian gently declined, insisting she continue running it. He shared his plans to complete his duties for General Qi before repairing the Luo family ancestral hall to properly honor their family's memorial tablets. When Cuiqiao asked if he had seen his aunt, Luo Mengzhen, Wenqian sighed, recounting how she insisted Luo Mengzhen had died in the fire years ago and only Ugly Granny Li remained.

Cuiqiao urged him to speak his heart to Li Zhen now that his name was cleared, but Wenqian admitted that despite preparing so much to say, he found himself speechless when they met. Given the complicated past between their families, he confessed his only wish now was to quietly protect her from afar.

Meanwhile, at the Li Ink Workshop, Eighth Master Li Jinshui and Li Jingdong were struggling to master the precise method of burning pine timber for the Sihe Ink’s lampblack. Seeing their frustration, Li Zhen joined them and pointed out a curious detail: the Kuroda family's ink was incredibly similar in luster and oiliness to their own ancestral ink. However, while their own Sihe Ink was centuries old, the Kurodas' ink was clearly newly made.

She realized that because Japan produced very little ink, it was much easier for them to acquire ancient, thousand-year-old pine timber, whereas Huizhou's forests had been depleted over centuries of prosperous ink-making, leaving them with wood that was barely a hundred years old. To overcome this material disadvantage, Li Zhen proposed creating the legendary, long-lost Liuhe Ink—aiming to surpass their rivals through superior recipe and craftsmanship.

At the same time, Chen Jiru was also in his workshop, deeply frustrated by his own lack of progress. His worries were interrupted when a servant arrived with an invitation from Li Zhen to meet at the Sibao Restaurant. At the restaurant, Li Zhen announced her plan to create Liuhe Ink to challenge the Kuroda family, calling for local ink masters to unite so that foreign merchants would not monopolize the tribute ink industry.

Most artisans were deeply moved and pledged their full support, offering to share resources and materials. Li Zhen then asked to borrow Chen Jiru's son, Junshan, for his exceptional glue-blending skills. Though Chen Jiru jokingly questioned if she feared the Chen family would steal her secrets, Li Zhen graciously replied that the Liuhe Ink stood for the harmony of heaven, earth, and people, requiring their collective unity.

Inspired by her spirit, other workshop owners stepped forward; the Pan family offered their ancestral manuscripts, and the Xi family lent their heirloom stone mortar and pestle. Together, they successfully burned the perfect lampblack. With the workshop busy, Wenqian focused on restoring the Luo family ancestral hall. Standing before the memorial tablets of his father and brother, he offered his deepest respect, expressing his profound regret over how his family’s past actions had ruined the reputation of Luo Ink.

He vowed to spend his life atoning for their sins. His aunt, Luo Mengzhen, stood at the doorway but refused to enter, stating that she was now Ugly Granny Li and no longer belonged there. When Wenqian expressed his desire to quietly study ink-making under her, she gently declined, stating that their family's legacy had run its course.

However, she believed that as long as the craft was being practiced and innovated, the techniques of Luo Ink would never truly die. To aid the Li family, she handed him her carefully compiled manuscripts and ink recipes to give to Li Zhen, stating that integrating their craft into Li Ink was the truest form of atonement.

Wenqian brought the recipes to the workshop, where he found Li Zhen so deeply absorbed in her work that she nearly burned herself on a sudden flare of fire. Rushing forward, Wenqian shielded her, injuring his own arm. Though Li Zhen was anxious and wanted to fetch medicine, Wenqian pulled out a piece of rouge ink he had carried for years, urging her to apply it.

Li Zhen noted that she had successfully restored the recipe for the rouge ink over the past three years, and told him he could get new pieces from the workshop whenever he ran out. Wenqian softly replied that he could never bear to use any other piece, as the one he carried was the only one capable of healing his heart as well as his physical wounds.

Wenqian then handed her the Luo family ink recipes, explaining his aunt's wish to help Li Ink succeed. Li Zhen was deeply moved, and from the manuscripts, she gained valuable inspiration to improve her recipes and techniques. She asked him to convey her gratitude, and Wenqian added that his aunt was deeply thankful for the money and supplies Li Zhen had secretly sent her over the years.

Li Zhen gently replied that her family had long put the past behind them. When she asked about his difficult years in the southwest, Wenqian assured her he was doing well under General Qi and praised her impressive expansion of Li Ink. He admitted he had kept in touch with Cuiqiao just to ask about her, and Li Zhen realized his quiet protection had always been present.

However, she quietly steered the conversation back to the task at hand, stating she was currently entirely focused on the Liuhe Ink. Soon, the exceptional glue was ready. Li Jinshui was delighted by its quality and instructed them to gather the other ink masters to begin the final blending process. Li Zhen suggested inviting Ugly Granny Li as well, explaining that her study of the Luo family manuscripts revealed her brilliant ink-blending skills.

Li Jingdong readily agreed to put aside old grievances for the sake of the craft. Once Li Zhen left to rest, Li Jinshui stopped Wenqian and asked him to stay behind, leading him to a quiet corner to solemnly discuss his relationship with Li Zhen.