Chapter 14

First Assignment

"Hey, Old Yang." A voice emerged from the dark corner of the shop, addressing the owner of the secondhand goods store.

"Hmm? Sneaking in as always. What do you want today?"

"A whisper reached me, saying that the Four Yin-Yang Brushes have been sold?"

"Ah... yes." The old man shrugged nonchalantly, a faint, satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"To whom? And for how much?"

"If I were to reveal that, would the underworld start to stir?"

"....." Silence served as the best answer. Old Yang could only shake his head helplessly.

"Then I shall not tell. Just know that they have fallen into the hands of someone with the proper fate."

"Sigh... You always do this. You know full well that powerful figures seek such items, yet you refuse to sell, leaving me scrambling for excuses to pacify them..."

"Sun Hei, you already know the rules of my shop. Yet you persist in pestering me time and again. Aren’t you tired of it?" The man in the black cloak shook his head slightly, heaving several sighs before vanishing into thin air. Old Yang's laughter followed soon after, filled with nothing but contentment.

Two invaluable sets of goods had been sold for a mere forty taels of silver. If Sun Hei found out, he would likely drop dead from shock before even making it back to report to his master. Yet, the old man did not feel even the slightest regret for the massive fortune lost. To him, selling the items to the right user was akin to forging shared karma—a form of mutual investment.

A true merchant must know how to invest for future returns. As a master of fortune-reading, Old Yang would never let such an opportunity slip away. Otherwise... he would regret it for a lifetime.

.....

It was not only the shadowed figure who sought out Old Yang in suspicion. The one who had acquired the precious items also found herself questioning her own luck. Lijin was a business-minded individual. She was convinced that Old Yang’s decision to sell such priceless treasures at a loss had nothing to do with something as trivial as fate or luck.

The four brushes held an enigmatic power she had never encountered before. Thus, she could only surmise that Old Yang saw potential in her skills and was making a substantial investment.

Moreover, the acquired tools had unique properties. The White Jade Brush exuded a refreshing coolness, making its use incredibly soothing, while the Black Pine Brush radiated warmth, enabling a smooth and effortless writing experience.

The hidden properties of these items solidified her belief that this world held many more incredible mysteries waiting to be uncovered. However, such wonders could also invite trouble in the future—something she had no desire for. Another pressing concern was that she had yet to turn a profit from her work, and already she was indebted to someone. The longer she delayed, the greater her debt would become. She had to speed up her business plans to repay this lingering obligation as soon as possible.

That was the right mindset. Yet, Lijin had no idea just how entangled her future would become...

All because of these brushes and the inkstone set... The next morning, after finishing breakfast, her three little ones bid farewell to their mother with warm affection as usual. These past days felt like a dream. If it truly was a dream, they wished never to wake up. "Study hard. If anyone provokes you, endure it. Remember—freedom will soon be yours. Mother will do everything for you." The children nodded in acknowledgment. After receiving an ample number of affectionate kisses from their mother, they reciprocated in kind before departing. Once the small figures had disappeared from sight, the mistress of the worn-down residence began discussing her plans with her servants as always.

“Ning-ning, today no one will come to disturb the residence, right?”

“Yes, my mistress. I have already checked.”

“Good... Take these two letters to the shopkeeper of Yanyu’s shop. We have twelve taels of silver left. I want a set of table and chair for writing. The table should be a smooth wooden plank, without splinters or grooves that could catch my hand. As for the chair, hmm… just about the height of my bed will do.”

“A polished wooden table, is it? It shouldn’t exceed eight taels. Do you need anything else, Madam?”

“A knife. One that is thin and razor-sharp. And also… when you go to the woodworking shop, use some of the remaining money to order a hard wooden plank, about one fen* thick and one chi* long. Have them sand it down. It should be straight, without warping. I don’t think it will be too expensive.”

“Understood, madam. I will try to find a shop that offers a reasonable price, keeping it within ten taels.”

“Good… Also, if the shopkeeper of Yanyu has any work available, use the remaining two taels as a deposit for materials. After this, we will only have a few hundred copper coins left. Things will be a bit tight.”

“And regarding the employment contract… how would you like to be addressed, madam?”

“My scholar name is Yanyi. It plays off the shopkeeper of Yanyu’s shop a bit. Please convey my apologies to him. Ha-ha-ha.” The maid acknowledged the order. After reviewing every instruction once more with her mistress, she prepared herself and discreetly left the manor through the bamboo grove gate as usual. After finalizing matters at the woodworking shop, she arranged a discreet delivery location for the goods. The shop owner found it strange why the items had to be delivered to such an inconspicuous spot, but since the customer requested it, they did not object. The cost for the polished wooden table, chair, and two peculiar thin wooden planks totaled only six taels of silver.

Ning-ning then stopped by Old Yang’s shop to express gratitude for his goodwill from the previous day. However, to her surprise, the shop was closed. She then made her way back to the Scholar’s Alley and entered the shopkeeper of Yanyu’s shop as planned. The shop owner’s reaction upon reading the first letter mirrored that of Ning-ning when she first saw her mistress put brush to paper. “Your master… is a scholar?” The shopkeeper’s hands froze as he unconsciously reached out to trace the elegant, intricate characters on the paper. The wording and phrasing exuded sincerity and refinement. However, after a moment, the middle-aged shopkeeper's expression became troubled. “So I must choose… from these five calligraphy styles?”

“Yes, master. My master’s calligraphy is indeed exquisite, but the more intricate styles take quite some time. That is why alternatives were provided for your consideration. However, if you prefer my master’s original script, that can be arranged as well.”

The five calligraphy styles presented on the second sheet were not as elaborate as described but carried a graceful fluidity—like flowing water or the gentle sway of bamboo in the wind. Elegant yet delicate, they were captivating despite their imperfections. These were letters... created by human hands—not by divine immortal artisans as seen on the first sheet—and they are not the work of ordinary folks. It had surpassed the level of scholars in the capital, reaching that of a calligraphy master—or perhaps even a grandmaster.

“Exquisite…” The shopkeeper of Yanyu’s shop murmured unconsciously, captivated by the simple yet poetic verses written before him. He spent so long lost in thought that he nearly forgot the passage of time. It was only when the voice of the maid’s mysterious master, introducing herself as from ‘Yanyi,’ brought him back to reality.

“My apologies, young miss. I simply cannot decide. These scripts carry such vastly different emotions.”

“In that case, would you be willing to let my master choose the most suitable script for the content? Each piece of writing holds a unique sentiment. It would be best if the style of the script aligns with the essence of the text.”

“That’s a great idea. Agreed! I will gladly commission your master for transcription work. I will need about two days to draft the contract. Would your master be willing to accept an advance order?”​

"Gladly, master!" The maid responded with excitement. She had already been confident that Madam Lijin’s skills would ensure a smooth assessment. However, she had not expected the shopkeeper to extend such an offer. After disappearing behind the shop for a long while, the shopkeeper finally returned, carrying a large book, two smaller books, and a neatly bundled stack of high-quality paper tied with a cloth string.

"I've included extra paper in case your master makes mistakes and needs to correct them. This book is a governance treatise by Master Li Wen—it may be lengthy, but I believe your master will have no trouble copying it. The other two books are specialized texts on commerce, highly sought after yet scarce in number. Please take good care of them." Ning-ning accepted them before asking an important question.

"Three books…? This may take some time. And about the deposit…"

"This must be your mistress's first major commission, correct? But I believe I’ve judged correctly. One's handwriting reveals the essence of its writer, and I am well aware of that. How about placing a deposit of six taels of silver? Do you have enough?"

"That will be fine. And what about the ink we discussed earlier?"

"Ah, yes. I’ll lower the price to four taels. I haven't prepared the premium ink yet, so I must trouble you for that... As for the commission rate, it remains the same for this first job. Once I speak with the head of Yanyu’s branch in the capital, I’ll consider increasing it." The shopkeeper had examined the ink on the letter and knew it was of exceptional quality. He foresaw no issues.

"Understood, master," Ning-ning retrieved two taels of silver in change. "I will return in two days to collect the contract for my master’s signature. Please take care of it." After bidding farewell and leaving the shop with her many new belongings, Ning-ning made her way to hire a rickshaw, as was her usual routine.

Upon reaching her destination near the bamboo grove, she found that the table set had already been placed nearby. Fortunately, it was neither too large nor too heavy, allowing her to carry it piece by piece in multiple trips.

When she finally arrived back at the residence, she discovered that the mistress's quarters had been reorganized into a pristine state. A section of the wall had a window with just enough space to fit the newly acquired table perfectly. The sunlight filtering through the bamboo created an atmosphere of serene delight.

If only there were a vase of flowers—it would be absolutely perfect.​

* (1 cun (inch) = 10 fen)

* (1 chi = 10 cun, or approximately 1 foot)