"You've already set your sights on your cousin?" Qi Zhenzhen teased her.
Song Mingyue blushed, "Not at all. For my birthday at the beginning of the year, cousin asked Auntie to send me a pair of earrings. I can't just accept gifts without reciprocating, can I?"
"Yes, yes, give and take is how you build a relationship," Qi Zhenzhen said with mock seriousness. "I also want to buy some things, so let's go together tomorrow."
Song Mingyue gave her a playful glare, "When it's time for you to get married, I won't let you off the hook."
Marriage? Qi Zhenzhen pouted. She was only twelve this year, and that was still a long way off.
The next morning, the two of them followed the general store's cart to town.
"A carriage is indeed more comfortable than an ox cart or a mule cart. It has a canopy, a heater, and the cushions are soft, so it doesn't feel bumpy at all," Song Mingyue sighed. "When I have money in the future, I'll definitely buy a carriage."
Qi Zhenzhen smiled, "Carriages are comfortable, but less practical than oxen or mules. Oxen can plow fields, and mules have good endurance for carrying goods. For long journeys, they are much better than carriages."
The young man driving the cart overheard and chimed in, "Miss Qi, you even know about this?"
"I read it in books," Qi Zhenzhen replied casually.
"Miss Qi, you're so amazing, being able to read and write," the young man praised sincerely. "I can't even write my own name."
"When I was young, all my siblings had to study. But in the last few years, I haven't even flipped through a book." Qi Zhenzhen's mind suddenly conjured images of several children gathered together listening to a teacher lecture. However, such scenes were rare. Because her mother was not favored by the main wife, she had very few opportunities to study with her brothers and sisters in the manor. Most of the time, it was Yun Shi who taught her in their small courtyard.
It had been over three years since she last saw them. She wondered how they were doing. Would they recognize her if they met again?
The carriage soon arrived in town. Qi Zhenzhen and Song Mingyue headed straight for the bookstore, as buying gifts for scholars was relatively easy.
Brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and bestsellers were all excellent choices.
"I heard Auntie say that cousin has beautiful calligraphy. How about we choose an inkstone?" Song Mingyue looked around, finding everything appealing.
If that were the case, an inkstone would indeed be a thoughtful gift. Qi Zhenzhen glanced at the inkstones displayed; they were all quite ordinary.
The shop assistant, seeing them standing by the inkstones, began to recommend them with great enthusiasm.
"Ladies, the inkstones in our shop are top-quality Duan inkstones. They are excellent for personal use or as gifts, and the price is not expensive, only two taels of silver per piece. If you buy them with other items, you can get a discount."
Qi Zhenzhen had not paid much attention to these items initially, but upon hearing the assistant's words, she became somewhat interested. "Young man, you say these are Duan inkstones?"
The assistant, seeing her half-smiling expression, felt a little uneasy. However, looking at their plain attire, he didn't think they were knowledgeable about Duan inkstones. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded firmly, "Yes, these are all made from Duan stone, produced in Zhaoqing Prefecture, Guangdong. They are treasures among inkstones and not easily obtainable."
Song Mingyue, upon hearing this, exclaimed excitedly, "Zhenzhen, then let's buy this one?"
The assistant, seeing Song Mingyue's naive expression, became even more convinced that they didn't know quality. He proudly said, "Well, ladies, have you decided?"
"Inkstones made from Duan stone are indeed superior, originating from Zhaoqing Prefecture in Guangdong, known as 'Duan inkstones.' The most precious ones have deep purple color, feel warm and smooth to the touch, produce a clear and resonant sound when tapped, have heavy halos, and green or blue-green hues with circular spots. Slightly less valuable ones are reddish, and when you breathe on them, they form water marks. I wonder which category your inkstones fall into?" Qi Zhenzhen said unhurriedly. "Why is it that none of these seem to fit? Could it be that the bookstore is selling fakes?"
The young assistant was already stunned, his face pale. He had only assumed, based on their appearance, that they wouldn't know quality, which led him to brag about these inkstones being Duan inkstones. In reality, he had never even seen what a Duan inkstone looked like. As for what the young lady was saying, it was the first time he had heard it, but she spoke so convincingly that she must be someone who knew her stuff.
"Young man, why aren't you speaking?"
"Miss, I..."
"Please don't be upset, young lady. Our bookstore does have Duan inkstones, but these are not them. These are just ordinary inkstones. This boy is usually like a mischievous monkey. A few days ago, he saw a Duan inkstone upstairs and kept asking me about it, so now he's showing off," a middle-aged man said as he lifted the curtain and walked out, explaining in a gentle voice.
"Although the price is fair, misrepresenting inferior goods as superior is not a good practice, is it? We are choosing a gift for someone. If we didn't know better and told them it was a fine Duan inkstone, wouldn't that make us a laughingstock and bring shame upon our family?" Qi Zhenzhen, facing the dignified middle-aged man, remained calm and spoke slowly.
"You are right, it was my negligence. I will properly reprimand this boy later." The middle-aged man apologized to Qi Zhenzhen good-naturedly. "Judging by your words, you have a good understanding of inkstones. We do have some fine inkstones upstairs. Perhaps you two ladies would like to take a look?"
"Should we look?" Qi Zhenzhen asked Song Mingyue.
"We can't afford them, but it's good to broaden our horizons," Song Mingyue said generously. "I didn't realize there were so many intricacies to inkstones."
"Then we'll trouble you, shopkeeper."
The two followed the middle-aged man to the second floor. The young assistant breathed a sigh of relief. He had never imagined that a young girl would know so much. He had been careless and should never judge people by their appearance again.
The space upstairs was vast, with few items, but each one was a masterpiece.
"This 'Pine Mountain Moonlight' is a unique piece from a renowned artist of the previous dynasty. There are only two or three such ancient books in the entire Da Feng. This calligraphy set is written by a very mysterious hermit from our Da Feng. His style is unique and highly sought after," the middle-aged man introduced each item to Qi Zhenzhen and Song Mingyue. "These are the treasures of our bookstore, but my favorite is this calligraphy set. To have a unique style is not an easy feat."
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. It was true. Calligraphy sets for imitation were usually by famous masters. No matter how well you copied, at best, it was a high imitation. A unique style was infinitely more difficult than a high imitation. Qi Zhenzhen carefully examined the calligraphy set. As she looked, the handwriting seemed familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before, yet she was certain that there was no such calligraphy set in Yi Ge'er's room.
"Ladies, these are the Duan inkstones. Please take a look." The bookstore shopkeeper opened the rosewood boxes, revealing a row of four inkstones. Even someone who knew nothing would recognize these as superior items.
"Is this a Dragon-Patterned Duan Inkstone?" Qi Zhenzhen gasped. She hadn't expected such a treasure to be found in a small bookstore in a town.