Triumph in Her Rise and Love-Chapter 208 - 206

Not long after Song Jiyun left, Liang County saw its first snowfall.

The thin snowflakes fluttered to the ground like willow catkins, quickly melting into water and soaking the rammed-earth road to Zhu Mountain.

Li Zixiu was checking the accounts with the accountant when he heard bursts of laughter and cheery voices from the crowds passing by outside. He felt irritable and called the Kiln Factory’s steward, "What’s going on outside?"

The steward looked at him cautiously and said, "It’s the Song Family Kiln Yard; they’ve started their spring holiday."

Li Zixiu expressed his surprise, "They’ve started their spring holiday so early? There’s still over a month until the Spring Festival, isn’t there?"

The steward said, "Ever since Boss Song left, the Song Family Kiln Factory has been managed by Master Luo. People from the Imperial Kiln Factory came to cause trouble a few times, so Master Luo simply gave the holidays to all the master craftsmen, apprentices, and kiln workers early, and settled all their wages. He even handed out bonuses, and everyone received a New Year’s gift."

According to the tradition of the Jingde Town Kiln Factories, a fifth of the wages would be withheld at year’s end and settled after work resumed the following year.

As he mentioned this, he couldn’t help but say, "I heard the ordinary kiln workers each received a bonus of four taels of silver, and the master craftsmen, the Store Manager, and stewards were all given silver notes. In addition to the bonus, they received chickens, ducks, fish, meats, dried fruits, and tea snacks. They even got a small jar of autumn oil and vinegar for each person. With all that, they could go home and prepare a full reunion dinner without needing to buy anything else."

Could the people of the Song Family Kiln Factory help but be in high spirits?

Li Zixiu grimaced when he heard this.

This must have been another one of Song Jiyun’s ideas.

If he had made as much money as Song Jiyun, he too would be willing to be a bit generous, giving everyone a New Year’s gift, earning him acclaim on the streets, letting everyone know how well he treated his kiln workers and how prosperous their factory was.

But wasn’t he poor?

He glanced at the account books.

This year’s profits were only two-thirds of last year’s, marking the worst business year in over a decade.

He tossed the account book aside.

Seeing this, the steward hurried to pour Li Zixiu another cup of tea.

Li Zixiu held the teacup, thinking: Luo Zixing is truly not on par with Song Jiyun. Starting the spring holiday now seems too early.

Eunuch Wan could only bother the Imperial Kiln Factory before because he was still in good health, but ever since he heard that Song Jiyun gave up the Jingde Town market and went directly to Nanjing, his mouth, already twisted by anger at Jiyun, skewed even more, his speech became unclear, and drool constantly spilled from his mouth.

It was as if he had suffered a stroke.

Eunuch Wan was scared half to death.

Although he was from The Twenty-Four Yamen, that position was bestowed by the Imperial Court. If he really suffered a stroke, that would mean the end of his official career.

Fearful of gossip, he didn’t dare to summon a doctor from Liang County, concerned they might lack the ability. Instead, he discreetly had someone bring in a Daoist physician from Dragon Tiger Mountain. With daily acupuncture and massages, he had no time to find faults with the Song Family Kiln Factory.

Nevertheless, even if the Song Family Kiln Factory hadn’t given the holiday, they wouldn’t have been able to fire many kiln loads. Without Song Jiyun there, it was uncertain what quality the final products would be, whether they could produce vases as tall as a person—it might be better to have the holiday.

Li Zixiu took a sip of tea, furrowing his brows as he instructed the steward, "Let’s also start the spring holiday early for our kiln factory!"

Who wouldn’t be happy to return home early for the New Year?

The steward happily agreed, waiting for Li Zixiu to give further instructions.

Li Zixiu gave the steward a surprised look and said, "Is there something else?"

How would this year’s wages be calculated? What about the bonuses? The people at the Song Family Kiln Factory all received a New Year’s gift. Are we not giving anything out at our kiln factory?

These questions tumbled on the tip of the steward’s tongue, but seeing Li Zixiu’s demeanor, he realized that there was no intention to follow the Song Family Kiln Factory’s example. He could only say, "Nothing else, I was just checking to see if the Owner had any other orders!"

Li Zixiu’s face turned beet red.

He understood the steward’s implication.

But his business had not been good this year.

He could not help but scold, "Aside from the Song Family Kiln Factory, everyone else’s business is just as bad this year. It’s not bad to have wages to pay, yet you still want to share profits? And you want me to give you a New Year’s gift? Dream on!"

The steward left the accountant’s office, his face spattered with saliva.

Li Zixiu sighed deeply and tossed a few orange peels into the brazier.

The fresh scent of the orange quickly wafted through the accountant’s office.

Li Zixiu confided to the accountant, "These people really don’t understand hunger until they are full. Jiyun has fired new blue and white porcelain, and by the time she returns from Nanjing, it will be a day of change for Jingde Town. Whether our Kiln Factories that fire Old Blue and White porcelain can survive is still up in the air. Paying off all the wages, sharing profits, New Year’s gifts, what are they thinking?"

The accountant had been with him for decades, loyal and faithful. After so many years of working together, he was less like a subordinate and more like a friend.

He handed an orange to Li Zixiu and said, "Is the situation really that serious? Didn’t Boss Song go to Nanjing? I heard that she may not do business in Jingde Town anymore, and that new blue and white porcelain—only their family can fire it. Surely they can’t monopolize all the blue and white porcelain business, can they?"

"They can’t finish it all." Li Zixiu peeled the orange helplessly shaking his head, "But just think about it, all those buyers of high-end porcelain, who would be willing to settle for less! In the future, in the high-end porcelain market, it’s going to be their family dominating. Even if we want to pick up the scraps that fall from their table, we need to be able to pick them up, right?

"Dealing in the mid and low-end market is just earning hard money, there’s nothing lucrative about it.

"Over time, I may even end up reduced to making porcelain blanks for the Song Family Kiln Factory!

"Without the new blue and white porcelain formula, everything else is void, and we’re just there to be stepped on, to serve as stepping stones for others!"

The accountant knew he was making sense and remained silent for a long time.

Li Zixiu felt even the orange in his mouth tasted sour.

He murmured, "I’ve been competing with Song Youliang my whole life, and just when I thought I had surpassed him, he had a brilliant daughter. In the end, she pressed me down. Why didn’t I think of taking Jiyun as my daughter-in-law back then?"

When Song Youliang had opened up the county to find a husband for Jiyun, he had once mocked Song Youliang.

Now it seemed that Song Youliang had been the visionary one, not settling for a mediocre match for Jiyun.

Otherwise, how would the Song Family Kiln Factory be where it is today?

He had also raised a Song Tao.

She was a tough character too.

Yet, after all, she was a woman, and the things she did were underhanded, not like Jiyun with her straightforward, forceful approach—she’d let you know to your face that she was outmaneuvering you, and you’d still have to admire her despite the loss.

As for someone like Song Tao, who relied on petty tricks to rise, he’d seen many like her.

In the end, they only shone for a few years.

But by next year, everyone’s life was definitely going to be tough.

With new blue and white porcelain making a name in Nanjing, and with Jiyun making it clear she intends to fight with Eunuch Wan to the bitter end, there was sure to be a period of turmoil to see who would outlast whom.

Li Zixiu thought of that scenario and couldn’t help but shiver.

He wondered what the other Kiln Factories were thinking.

If a stand had to be taken, whose side would be the best to stand on?

This time, it was not as easy to mediate as before. With Eunuch Wan seriously ill, he would not let go easily, and his methods would be even more severe than usual. As for Jiyun, a real tigress, if he offended Eunuch Wan, his Kiln Factory might not be able to keep running, but if he offended Jiyun... Jiyun also had a hundred and one ways to shut down his Kiln Factory.

He cursed under his breath.

He thought of Old Master Yan, who had always been on good terms with Jiyun.

After much consideration and hesitation, he finally picked up a jar of fine Jinhua Wine and, braving the snow, went to Old Master Yan’s house.