Chapter 25: The Letter Has Congealed Fragrance
“Hoo...” Song You stood at the entrance of the goulan washe, blowing into his cupped hands in front.
The weather was getting colder.
Yet his clothes were still thin.
Great Yan already had cotton for a long time, and they had started making clothes and bedding with it, but it wasn’t widespread yet. At the moment, only high-ranking officials and dignitaries could afford it. Common people mostly wore paper clothes and used paper bedding, finding various ways to keep warm. Song You’s robe provided less insulation than the padded paper clothes worn by the passersby on the street.
The goulan washe had a high foot traffic and was also a hub for commerce.
Song You looked at a few shops and also bought a paper coat. These kind of clothes were cheap, warm, and plain in color. They were so plain that some literati would paint on them, decorating them to their liking.
Song You liked plain clothes.
It was also the season to sit by the fire.
There was no need to buy a stove as he already had one at home.
Without realizing it, he actually found himself back at the entrance of the goulan washe. Across the street was a shop specializing in the Four Treasures of the Study.[1] Song You halted and pondered for a moment. The brush he bought earlier was getting frayed with use, and it was a large brush. He actually wanted to buy a smaller one of slightly better quality for writing small characters.
He had been away for a while and he should write a letter home.
So he entered the shop.
He didn’t find a good brush, but he did find some excellent ink.
The shop had unexpectedly stocked some “Congealed Fragrance” ink from Yangzhou.
Congealed Fragrance ink was one of the most famous inks in Great Yan. It was the ultimate pursuit of literati and scholars, said to be worth its weight in gold.
Ink is mainly divided into two types: pine soot ink and oil soot ink.
Both types are made from the soot of burning materials mixed with medicinal ingredients boiled in glue. Some even had unique fragrances added.
Pine soot ink is made from the soot from burning pinewood. Oil soot ink is made from the soot of oil lamps, using oils like tung oil, hemp oil, vegetable oil, and soybean oil. Among them, tung oil produces the most soot, creating ink that is black and shiny. After writing, it deepens over time, leaving characters that can last for a thousand years. Other oils produce less soot, and the resulting ink is lighter and fainter, producing characters that fade over time. Thus tung soot ink is the most common and useful among oil soot inks.
Pine soot ink is black and dull, with a slight blue tint, while oil soot ink is black and shiny, with a slight purple tint. Each had its own use in calligraphy and painting.
Congealed Fragrance is a tung soot ink.
It uses tung oil soot, combined with dozens of precious Chinese medicinal ingredients boiled in glue with a unique fragrance added. The light glue is pounded a hundred thousand times and dried in the shade for several years. It results in a pitch-black, glossy ink that releases fragrance when writing and can last for a thousand years.
This was a top luxury item of this era, a pinnacle of traditional craftsmanship and artisan spirit, representing the ultimate in a kind of cultural and technical achievement.
Even someone like Song You, who wasn’t an expert in painting or calligraphy, was somewhat interested in such things.
Unfortunately, it was very expensive, worth ten thousand wen a stick.
Song You looked and looked, but could only say farewell.
He lacked money today, but there might be opportunities in the future. Since he was traveling the world, it was necessary to experience the top-tier craftsmanship of this era.
In the end, he only bought a brush for two hundred wen.
Across the street, Prefect Yu sat in the canopy for a while before walking out of the goulan washe. When he was at the entrance, he saw Song You again. He stood and watched for a moment, while an attendant waited quietly by his side and held his horse.
Until Song You left.
After thinking for a long time, he finally said, “Go and ask.”
An attendant immediately responded, went to inquire, and returned shortly to report that it was Congealed Fragrance from Yangzhou.
“How much for a stick?”
“They're asking for ten thousand wen.”
“Buy one stick... two sticks.”
“Yes, sir.”
Prefect Yu then mounted his horse and rode home.
***
It was strange…When Song You returned home, he unexpectedly discovered that Lady Calico had inexplicably overcome the hurdle of transformation.
However, it was contrary to his expectations. He had thought that Lady Calico should transform into an adult woman since she was already an adult cat even if she was pure-minded from dwelling a long time in a village temple. Yet she had transformed into a little girl who was only several years old.
When he pushed open the bedroom door, the little girl was wearing his long gown which was longer than she was tall. It looked as if she was wearing a floor-length dress which was also loose and baggy. She sat in the middle of the bed, staring at him blankly.
“You have successfully transformed?”
“I have successfully transformed.” The little girl sat on the bed in a duck pose, looked up at him, and answered earnestly.
After transformation, her voice had some changes, sounding more human and her sex was now discernible. However, her tone and diction were still the same. She sounded earnest yet rigid. It was not the usual way ordinary people speak, making her sound somewhat unintelligent.
“How did you successfully transform?”
“I just transformed successfully by myself.”
“Explain in detail.”
“Just...” The little girl stammered, unable to explain.
“Alright...” Song You had to give up, then asked, “Weren’t you an adult cat? Why did you transform into a little girl?”
“I just transformed into a little girl by myself.”
“Then how did you know to wear clothes?”
“I saw you wearing them.” The little girl stared at him intently, her expression serious. “People without fur all wear clothes.”
“I see. I see... I should buy some clothes suitable for you.”
“I want to wear the same clothes as you.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Why?”
“Because...” Song You spent a long time explaining to her until she understood.
Then he went out to buy clothes for her.
When Lady Calico finally put on clothes that fit her, she looked much more pleasing to the eye. She just still retained some cat habits, making her movements look somewhat odd.
Later, there was a sudden knock on the door. “Knock, knock, knock...”
“Since you have already transformed into human form, please help me open the door.” Song You glanced at Lady Calico. “If it’s someone you know, invite them in. If you don’t know them, ask who they are looking for.”
“Alright.” The little demon bounced towards the door.
“Creak.”
Lady Calico looked up. “Who are you looking for?” Not a word wasted.
“Does Mr. Menglai live here?” An attendant stood outside, bowing respectfully.
“Don’t know him.”
“Hmm? The gentleman doesn’t live here?”
“Which gentleman?”
“Mr. Song Menglai.” Lady Calico suddenly stopped speaking.
She knew Mr. Song, but he hadn’t taught her what to do next. It wasn’t that she found it difficult or didn’t know what to do. She just didn’t feel like doing anything, so she simply stared at him.
She’ll observe the man for a while first.
Until Song You came over from behind.
“I am Song You.”
“Greetings, Mister.” The attendant immediately bowed, offering a small wooden box respectfully with both hands. “I came from the residence of Prefect Yu Jianbai to deliver a small gift and a message from my master. He thanks you for your replies to his questions at the goulan washe this afternoon and hopes for another opportunity to have a light chat with you. Please accept this gift.”
Song You could already smell the fragrance of the ink.
So it was the prefect.
“This afternoon’s conversation was just a spontaneous chat. Not only did Prefect Yu enjoy it, but I also benefited from it. Why should Prefect Yu specially send someone here with a gift?” Song You said. “Moreover, the gift is too valuable. How can I accept it?”
“It’s just a small token. No matter how valuable, it’s still a mundane item. The conversation between you and my master was hard to come by in this world.” The attendant paused, “Moreover, it’s a refined practice for literati to exchange scholarly items, and it’s not considered as gifting between common people. Please do not refuse, Mister.”
“You are quite eloquent.”
“Please don’t make it difficult for me, Mister.” The attendant immediately looked troubled. “If you don’t accept, even if the prefect doesn’t punish me, I would feel uneasy.”
Song You smiled, thought for a moment, and then accepted it. “Thank Prefect Yu for me.”
“I’ll take my leave.”
Song You then turned around and rubbed the head of the little girl beside him. “From now on, when you transform into human form, I’ll tell others that you’re my child servant.”
“Why?”
“To give a plausible explanation.”
“Child servant.”
“Yes.”
Song You closed the courtyard door and walked into the house.
Opening the little carved wooden box, inside was a small stick wrapped in red cloth. Unwrapping the red cloth revealed the Congealed Fragrance ink-stick he had seen that afternoon. It weighed two taels and had decorative designs on top.
Lady Calico stretched her neck to stare at it. “It’s burned wood!”
“It’s ink.”
“Oh.”
“Since you have already transformed into human form, please help me grind the ink.” Song You said to the little girl.
“What is grinding ink?”
“It’s like when I occasionally write. Add water to the ink-stone, and grind this ink-stick to turn the water black.”
“What is an ink-stone?”
“That thing for holding water.”
“Oh.”
“Can you do it, Lady Calico?”
“Why?”
“Please.”
“Alright then.”
Lady Calico did not understand why this needed to be done or why she had to be the one to do it. Yet she still walked over, puzzled. She took the burned firewood from Song You's hand. Then she obediently stood there and waited for Song You to roll up her sleeve to her elbow for her. Her slender and fair little arm was exposed.
Looking at her clothes, then her arm, and finally the ink-stick in her hand, it seemed as if her hand was not her own, and the world was not the same world in her eyes as it used to be.
A newly-transformed little demon was curious about everything.
“Do I add water first?”
“How did you know?”
“I saw you do it this way.”
“I see.”
“Do I move it in circles like this?”
“You are exceptionally wise.”
“I have seen you use it.”
“To grasp it so well after only observing a few times, such wisdom is indeed rare. I, Song, am deeply impressed.”
Lady Calico fell silent and continued to grind the ink more earnestly.
Congealed Fragrance did not have a hard skin and was ground quickly into ink. Once grinded, it released its fragrance. It was a kind of wonderful medicinal scent, neither too strong nor too faint, possessing its own charm.
Meanwhile, Song You laid out the paper at the side.
“It's done.” Song You said.
“Is it ready?”
“Thank you, Lady Calico.”
“No need to thank me.”
He dipped the new brush in ink and scraped it on the ink-stone.
After much thought, Song You finally lifted the brush to write.
“Seeing my words is like seeing me. I hope opening my letter brings a smile.”[2]
The ink fragrance was delightful, the wet characters reflected light, and each stroke was exquisitely crafted.
The ancient cypresses of Jinyang Road, the potholes in the stone slabs, the everyday scenes of Yidu, the shifting clouds of Eagle Mountain, the monk overcome by greed, the master craftsman with divine skills…Song You used ordinary words to recount to his master his experiences, insights, and progress in cultivation since descending the mountain.
He also mentioned Lady Calico.
It was quite intriguing. Initially, he had taken Lady Calico as a companion on a momentary whim to stave off the loneliness of the long road. Unexpectedly, he reaped an unanticipated reward. Her companionship now had indeed made this journey much more enjoyable.
He must not forget to mention the prefect who aspired toward longevity.
This ink was one of the finest in the world. He wondered if that old Daoist had ever encountered it before and he must remind her to take a sniff.
As he wrote, a furry cat's paw suddenly reached over, batting at the dangling string loop on the brush that was used for hanging it. The little cat's claws had a glassy texture.
Song You paused and turned his head.
He saw the calico cat batting earnestly with her paw.
Looking around the room, he noticed the new clothes he had bought today had fallen to the ground.
“Lady Calico, what are you doing?”
“Hmm?”
It seemed the calico cat only then noticed he had stopped writing. She turned to stare at him, thought for a few seconds, and then actually said in deadly earnest, “You write, I'll play.”
Song You resumed writing.
Lady Calico continued playing.
The scene was harmonious and quiet, with the sound of the wind rustling the bamboo forest entering through the window.
1. Expression used to denote the brush, ink, paper and ink-stone used in Chinese calligraphy and scholarship. ☜
2. Traditional opening to a Chinese letter. ☜
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