Chapter 4, The Name of Longing

The young lady shook her head and said, "None of the shops in the capital belong to the Ye family."

Manager Liu still did not believe it, saying: "A 14-year-old boy can possess such abilities?"

"Xunfeng Pavilion? It does have a nice name. But what is so good about it?" the young lady asked with great interest

The items that have circulated are all things stolen by thieves from the construction site. That entire set of wood carvings was merely a design for the stone sculptures intended for the new residence of the Qi family, the Zhenhai Pavilion. My family's young master returned from the capital last month and only then learned that they had unexpectedly ended up there. In Yicheng, this term "Canghuai" is the title for the young master of the Ye family, which is not a secret, so that both esteemed individuals may be informed

Manager Liu was taken aback: "Transporting this furniture to the capital can actually yield more than double the profit. This is almost akin to robbing money."

The shopkeeper bowed slightly and said: "The business acumen here is something I, a young man, am not very familiar with. However, 5 or 6 years ago, although the Ye family was already the best carpentry workshop in Yicheng, it was far from the glory of the Ye family workshop today. There were not many surface finishes or varieties of lacquer work, and the apprentices at the Ye family workshop were certainly not as rigorously selected as they are now. It seems that the Ye family had little connection with the prominent maritime merchants of Yicheng. All these developments appear to have occurred in recent years, and they are all related to the young master of the Ye family."

The shopkeeper seemed to have anticipated Manager Liu's attitude, saying: "The young master of the Ye family is named Tao, with the courtesy name Canghuai. Is there really no one in the capital who collects window frames with the wood carvings signed 'Canghuai'?"

The window frame, engraved with the phrase "Canghuai Xianqing Er Zuo" in the corner, showcases an exceptionally skilled wood carving technique. Its content, however, diverges from the auspicious patterns typically associated with auspicious beasts and clouds, instead depicting a variety of mythological tales, floral and avian scenes, insects, fish, and even humanistic landscapes. Notably, a set of 6 pieces titled "Shili Yanbo" vividly portrays a vibrant cultural scene of a port, with clouds swirling in the sky and a flock of migratory birds passing through. Boats sail on the river, reeds line the banks, connecting to a stone-paved port, with merchant ships lowering their sails, barefoot porters, and the bustling traffic of horse-drawn carriages and merchants, seamlessly integrating the natural landscape with the human environment. This set of woodcuts is collected by the current Minister of Rites, Huang Xuping, who not only refrains from using them as window frames but even hangs them like paintings in his study. As a renowned calligrapher and painter, Huang Xuping also captures the essence of the woodcuts in his own works, creating a long scroll of "Shili Yanbo" measuring ten feet. Huang Xuping once remarked that the talent and craftsmanship of Canghuai are extraordinary, lamenting that he could not meet the artist in person. However, the number of wood carvings signed by Canghuai that have circulated to the capital is extremely limited, and their origins seem dubious, leaving the true identity of the artist shrouded in mystery. If the Minister were to learn that Canghuai is merely a 14-year-old boy, one can only wonder what his reaction would be.

The young lady smiled faintly, and the bright sparkle in her eyes made her pale face bloom like a flower trembling in the wind. "It seems that I must meet the young master of the Ye family this time. Ye Tao and Ye Canghuai, what interesting characters they are"

The innkeeper furrowed his brow for a moment, then relaxed, saying: "You are all individuals of high status. Although the Lingjiang Tower has guest rooms, they are not suitable for your esteemed identities, and I dare not offer them. Yicheng has many wealthy merchants, and there are quite a few unique gardens, but most are owned by maritime traders, who do not lend them out even when they are vacant year-round. There are indeed very few exquisite courtyards that are willing to be rented out. Would you esteemed guests be able to stay a little longer at my humble establishment? I will have someone go find my family's young master. At this time of year, my family's Xunfeng Pavilion is a nice place."

Manager Liu nodded in understanding and asked the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, it seems we will be staying in Yicheng for a while. Are there any better accommodations available in Yicheng?"

The Xunfeng Pavilion stands 4 stories high, especially the top floor, which is surrounded by books and breezes. As the days grow warmer, it is particularly refreshing. Your lotus pond, although it has not yet reached its full beauty, with its lush lotus leaves, should still be pleasing to the eye. The shopkeeper smiled and said, "If it were autumn or winter, this place would be quite cold, but at this time of year, there is no place in the city more comfortable than the Xunfeng Pavilion. This pavilion was built by the young master of the Ye family last spring, originally intended for his family's summer retreat, but it was taken over by our young master who insisted on paying 10,000 taels of gold for it. Last autumn, quite a bit of money was spent on further embellishments. However, our master has gone to the mountain villa in the north, and the young master, busy managing the business, has no time to stay here, so the Xunfeng Pavilion will remain unoccupied this summer. If you, esteemed guest, wish to visit, our young master will certainly welcome you with open arms."

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper suddenly realized: "I understand now. The items from the Ye workshop are not directly painted. After the furniture is crafted, customers choose the paint color according to their preferences only after they are satisfied with the base product. Although the craftsmanship of the base material is the same, the prices vary greatly depending on the paint color. For instance, that low table, the cheapest option is painted black, costing only 2 taels and 5 qian of silver. However, besides black paint, there are also pine varnish, tung oil, and red lacquer, and it also depends on whether a veneer is needed, whether the paint should have a gloss finish, whether there should be carvings on the furniture, and whether those carvings should be gilded with gold or silver leaf. For example, that low table, the cheapest option is painted black, costing only 2 taels and 5 qian of silver. But besides black paint, there are also pine varnish, tung oil, and red lacquer, and it also depends on whether a veneer is needed, whether the paint should have a gloss finish, whether there should be carvings on the furniture, and whether those carvings should be gilded with gold or silver leaf. What you might be referring to, esteemed supervisor, could be the complete set of carvings with a mirror-like finish and silver leaf. Just the polishing of that mirror finish is not inexpensive. Calculating this way, even if it sells for 5 taels of gold, it would still be considered quite valuable in the capital. What you might be referring to, esteemed supervisor, could be the complete set of carvings with a mirror-like finish and silver leaf. Just the polishing of that mirror finish is not inexpensive. Calculating this way, even if it sells for 5 taels of gold, it would still be considered quite valuable in the capital. The Ye family does not handle the transportation themselves; most of the goods are ordered by merchants who then sell them elsewhere. If sold locally, it might not even fetch 2 taels of gold, and the profit margin here is truly...

The shopkeeper instructed the young attendant to invite the young master, while he remained by the side engaging in conversation. He smiled and said, "The young master of the Ye family has built 5 gardens in the past two years, yet he still has to stay in the old residence of the Ye family in Qingyun Alley. This is indeed a great joy for Yicheng."

Manager Liu and the young lady were both taken aback. Manager Liu asked, "What is the meaning of this? Is the Ye family coming to the capital to rob money?"

The young lady took a sip of tea and said, "That talent is indeed astonishing and admirable. However, as the shopkeeper, you say that the Ye family's business relies on this young master; how did that come about?"

This young master of the Ye family certainly has a lot to discuss, very well. Then I shall trouble the shopkeeper. The young lady smiled in agreement. Given the current architectural technology, constructing a building with more than 4 stories is not a simple task, especially in Yicheng by the sea, where one must also consider the issue of summer typhoons. With this in mind, the young lady found herself even more intrigued by the Xunfeng Pavilion.

The young lady asked in surprise, "Is the Ye family workshop managed by the young master of the Ye family? How old is that young master?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Isn't that so? I will certainly have to inform our young master about what the two esteemed guests have mentioned, so that he can relay it to the young master of the Ye family. If the Ye family's workshop opens a store in the capital, I believe the business will be quite good. I must also thank the two esteemed guests for bringing this matter to my attention."

The shopkeeper said: "The young master of the Ye family is just over 14 years old. Yet, he is an extraordinary individual. A few years ago, the best carpenter in Yicheng was Ye Laogeng, who is the young master's father. However, now, not only carpentry, but also carving, painting, metalwork, jade craftsmanship, and even landscape gardening, this young master of the Ye family has become the leading figure in Yicheng. The Ye family has prospered greatly in recent years, all thanks to this young master of the Ye family."

This shopkeeper is indeed eloquent and knows how to build connections for his employer. This young lady and the steward are certainly not ordinary individuals. Although the Du family in Yicheng holds a significant portion of the hospitality industry, it is always beneficial to become acquainted with more influential figures

"Are you saying that this Canghuai is merely a 14-year-old boy?" Manager Liu almost exclaimed.