Resumo do episódio 7 de The Heir
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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.
