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In 1905, the imperial examination system was abolished, and Wu Shizei, filled with despair, burned all his books, pens, and paper. Cao Yunchan, a chance acquaintance, saved Wu Shizei who was critically ill and bedridden. In a time of crisis, Wu Shizei took on all the losses of the Hu Ink Shop and proposed to Cao Yunchan, who had been rejected by the Hu family. The two then happily married. The Wuchang Uprising changed the circumstances of the Cao and Wu families. The warlord factions of the Beiyang Army engaged in years of chaotic warfare, leading to the gradual decline of the Xuancheng paper industry. With the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the destinies of the Cao, Wu, Hu, Wang, and Zhuge families, who held significant influence in Xuancheng, became intertwined once again. Wu Shunren, the eldest son of the Wu family, and Wang Bin, the eldest son of the Wang family, took two different paths. Shunren joined the underground party, while Wang Bin joined the Kuomintang, and the two eventually became bitter enemies, pointing guns at each other. Hu Yishu degenerated into a lackey of the Japanese puppet regime, betraying his friends. On the eve of Japan's surrender, Cao Yunhe sacrificed himself to protect Wu Shizei, dying alongside a Japanese major, demonstrating national integrity. During the Liberation War, Shunren joined the People's Liberation Army, fighting in the south and north with remarkable achievements.