Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Late at night, Jin Niang closed her eyes. She felt as if she were back in her college dormitory. She thought about how, before her time travel, she had just finished paying off her mortgage early and renovating her new house—yet before she could even move in, she had somehow been transported to another life.

In her past life, she had also changed careers midway, much like in this one. Originally majoring in a lesser-studied language in college, she later became obsessed with watching TV dramas and decided to try writing scripts. Starting part-time, she gradually joined a studio. After years of effort, one of her screenplays became a minor hit—only for a small online critic to pick apart every scene, mercilessly trashing it.

To make matters worse, the drama starred a popular idol who already had many haters. The backlash spread like wildfire, undoing all her hard-earned success. Still, she persevered, and eventually earned a decent income. From an unremarkable girl born into an ordinary family from the sticks, she managed to buy a home in a first-tier city.

Sigh. Back to the starting line.

But she wasn’t easily defeated. Over the past two years, she had regularly sent money home. Her annual wages totaled over eight strings of coins, plus holiday bonuses from her employer, bringing it to over ten strings. Five of those strings went to her family, while the rest she used to learn tailoring from a seamstress. Now she had only two strings left.

She turned over and quickly fell asleep.

Life on the boat was dull. The constant rocking made reading or doing needlework difficult, so everyone either slept or chatted. The He family had hired someone to cook, so they ate their meals there—lunch was mixed rice with pickled cabbage and tofu. The cabbage even had sand in it, which Jin Niang carefully picked out with her chopsticks.

Qin Shuanger angrily threw down her chopsticks. “This is grinding my teeth to dust!”

“Right? It’s worse than the spoiled vegetable leftovers we had at the embroidery workshop,” Fang Qiaolian agreed.

Jin Niang felt the same way. Her mother was a good cook, but there was nothing she could do now. She took out some homemade pickles to go with her rice. “Mm, my mom’s pickled radish is tangy and sweet—it goes really well with this broth. Tastes pretty good.”

Qin Shuanger laughed helplessly. “How come you always say everything tastes good?”

Jin Niang smiled sheepishly. “I’m just not picky. Even water makes me gain weight.” And it was true—she once ate pickles every day for a whole year. Her mother scolded her constantly, but she still managed to eat them without complaint.

“Jin Niang, I actually saw you when you first came to the workshop. You were quite eye-catching back then. If you slim down, you’ll definitely be pretty,” Fang Qiaolian said earnestly.

Jin Niang shook her head and smiled. In her past life, she had hated gaining thirty pounds and vowed to lose weight. Ironically, that extra weight might have saved her life—when a car hit her, she only sprained her ankle and suffered no other injuries. After that, she accepted herself for who she was, as long as she stayed healthy.

Besides, maybe being plain-looking would work in her favor inside the Zhou household.

Just then, Jiang Shanjie came in after emptying the chamber pot and grumbled, “Turns out we’re eating the He family’s worst food. Their head servants going to the Zhou residence get four dishes and a soup, old lady Dou gets ten dishes, and even Chen Niangzi has several. I peeked—they had large, crunchy fried meatballs.”

“Crunchy” was a local term meaning deep-fried until dry and crispy.

That description made Jin Niang’s mouth water. Fang Qiaolian added, “We’re not real He family servants—we should be grateful for even low-grade meals. Only the top maids close to the mistress and the personal attendants get better food. I don’t know about the Zhou family, but that’s how things are in the He household.”

Of the four girls, only Fang Qiaolian’s mother worked in a wealthy estate, so she knew best.

Even food had its own hierarchy. Fang Qiaolian continued, “There's also a difference between favorite and less-favored mistresses. On paper, their allowances may look similar, but in reality, the gap is huge. Their monthly pay might not be higher than ours, but they receive clothes, jewelry, and bonuses from their masters. Plus, all wedding and funeral expenses are covered for family-born servants.”

Everyone listened in stunned silence. Jin Niang understood perfectly. It was like comparing public sector jobs to private companies. Public sector salaries might seem lower, but benefits such as housing subsidies and social insurance were generous, and the job was secure. Private companies were unstable—sometimes high-paying, sometimes not, with little security.

While traveling, everyone was careful with money. When the boat docked at Xiangzhou Prefecture in the Jingxi South Circuit, Jin Niang spent only one coin for two steamed buns, another on cough medicine, and a third on a handful of preserved vegetables.

Thankfully, after leaving Jingxi South, they entered Henan territory and soon arrived at Bianjing. They switched from boats to carts and gawked at the capital. Ornate towers and decorated archways lined the streets. Servants stood by the doors greeting guests, while server girls wearing blue-flowered headscarves poured wine and refilled soup bowls. Not only the main inns but also the smaller taverns bustled with endless crowds.

“Bianjing really is much more lively than our hometown Jiangling,” Jiang Shanjie sighed.

Jin Niang nodded in agreement.

They passed through the central avenue and turned north onto Horse Market Street, where medical shops stood side by side. There were specialists for women’s health, children’s illnesses—even treatments for deafness. Doctors along both sides of the street wore gilded purple robes, looking dignified and imposing.

The girls wanted to see more of Bianjing’s scenery, but soon they reached the Zhou residence in Magpie Lane.

Jin Niang adjusted her clothes. Before disembarking, they had all changed into their best outfits. She wore a light-purple short jacket—not made from fox fur, but stitched from cotton padding taken from an old coat she wore as a child. Paired with a cream-colored skirt, a self-made purple sash around her waist, and her hair in double buns, she looked simple yet refined.

Qin Shuanger, however, looked even more striking. Dressed in a gardenia-yellow jacket and apricot-yellow butterfly-embroidered skirt, with the same double bun hairstyle, she had also added two pom-pom flowers to her hair, giving her a charming appearance.

However, they arrived at an unfortunate time. Zhou's First Madam Jiang Shi’s cousin’s wife had passed away, and she had gone to attend the funeral, with even her personal maidservants accompanying her. Jin Niang and the other three embroiderers, along with Chen Niang, were left sitting in a narrow side courtyard, waiting.

Jin Niang had imagined feudal oppression as beatings or scoldings. In reality, from the moment they entered, they dared not speak an extra word or take an unnecessary step. Even sitting there, waiting for instructions, they wouldn’t dare utter a word of refusal.

The real oppression was total invisibility.

So they waited—and kept waiting.

They didn’t dare eat or drink while sitting there, afraid they’d need to use the bathroom but not know where to go, which would mean troubling someone to show them the way.

They waited until afternoon when a girl dressed in a green damask jacket and red silk skirt walked in. She wore two gold hairpins and adjusted her collar as she stood at the doorway without entering. Chen Niang quickly stood up and said, “We greet you respectfully.”

Only then did the girl smile and say, “You’re the embroiderers Aunt He sent, aren’t you? I’m Yan Hong, First Madam’s attendant. She’s just returned from the Jiang family and wishes to see you. You’ve traveled a long way—it must have been tiring.”

“Not at all—the government boat made for a smooth trip,” Chen Niang replied, careful not to mention any shortcomings of the He family.

Yan Hong then led them forward. Jin Niang followed behind Chen Niang, as her higher pay than the others also dictated her place in line. She barely had time to take in the details of the Zhou residence, but she could sense that every brick, tile, plant, and tree here seemed extraordinary.

Entering Jiang Shi’s courtyard, a narrow path led straight to the main hall, flanked by lush greenery. The three main rooms had windows covered in bright Korean paper. Just past the entrance stood a round red-lacquer screen inlaid with antique designs. Behind the screen, a maidservant lifted a heavy red wool curtain, revealing a delicate ivory table bearing a celadon incense burner from Longquan Kiln, its fragrant smoke curling upward, filling the air with a sweet scent.

Before she could take a closer look, Yan Hong ahead curtsied and announced, “Madam, the embroiderers have arrived.”

After Chen Niang led everyone in kowtowing, she said, “Your humble servant, Chen Shi, greets the First Madam.”

“Rise, quickly rise. I’ve seen the embroidery pieces you made for the He family’s eldest daughter—I was quite taken with them.”

Jiang Shi was said to be nearing forty, yet she wore her hair in an elegant coiled bun with a white horn crown, her oval face still strikingly lovely. Raising her hand revealed a floral-patterned bracelet. Perhaps due to mourning, her attire was simple—just a plain satin cotton jacket with a pair of open-front sleeves—though the kesi silk sash at her waist hinted at refinement.

Jin Niang stood up with Chen Niang, who then exchanged a few polite words before introducing them: “These girls may be young, but they’ve been stitching since they could talk. Their skills in cutting, tailoring, and embroidery are unmatched. Jin Niang excels not only in floral and avian embroidery but also in sutra stitching. Shuangjie is a master of Pingjiang’s traditional techniques, especially in embroidering the 'Hundred Sons and Thousand Grandsons' quilt. Last year, Qiao Lian’s 'Dragon and Phoenix' quilts sold out across Jiangling. And Shanjie’s landscape embroidery screens are renowned far and wide.”

“We do have needlework maids in each household branch, but they handle only minor repairs. For clothing, we’ve always had to hire outside embroiderers. Now that you’re here, we won’t need to trouble others. With the New Year approaching, you’ll take charge of this winter’s garments. If your work pleases me, I’ll see you’re well rewarded,” Jiang Shi declared.

Her words brought joy to all, and Jin Niang resolved to give her best.

Yan Hong assigned them three rooms in the western rear annex behind Jiang Shi’s main hall, with the central room serving as the embroidery workshop.

Yan Hong explained, “The rear annex houses those who serve our First Madam. Your embroidery workshop is newly added. Next door is the tea room, while the eastern side has a two-story storage building. The bathroom’s next to the storeroom. For meals, you’ll fetch them from the main kitchen, taking turns in pairs daily. You’ll receive a food box from me later. Oh, and I live in the eastern side chamber. Chen Niang, since the embroiderers are young maidens, they shouldn’t leave the inner courtyard without reason. The married women also shouldn’t visit too often.”

Chen Niang murmured her assent.

Jin Niang thought Yan Hong was quite considerate—married women shouldn’t casually visit unmarried girls’ quarters, in case they spread indecent talk.

“The tea room takes care of daily tea, snacks, and medicine. For evening baths, you can fetch hot water from them—it’s convenient.”

After finishing, Yan Hong added, “The five of you will handle all needlework for our main household. The other branches have their own people. Yesterday, we bought ten more maidservants from the broker Wang—two will be assigned here to assist with washing and mending.”

Jin Niang exclaimed in surprise, “Your household bought so many maidservants?”

Yan Hong smiled. “Our main household has four young mistresses, all grown now—they all need more attendants.”

After Yan Hong left, everyone marveled at the arrangements. Soon, Yan Hong returned with another tall, slender maidservant, both carrying bundles—clothes for them.

“I also serve the First Madam. You may call me Green Tassel,” the tall girl said cheerfully.

Jin Niang and the others chorused, “Sister Green Tassel.”

Green Tassel smiled, exchanging a glance with Yan Hong before saying, “Your arrival was sudden, so we weren’t fully prepared. Household maidservants receive two sets of clothes and shoes each for spring and autumn, and another two for winter. The First Madam is generous—she had us pick out some clothes for you. These are lightly worn garments of ours—we hope you don’t mind.”

Everyone assured her they wouldn’t. Jin Niang sighed in relief—at least they weren’t being treated differently. The treatment here seemed surprisingly good.

Jin Niang received a pair of silver-gray padded pants, a dark blue lined jacket, and a gray-blue outer coat. She glanced at them—these clothes had barely been worn and looked quite new. She promptly expressed her gratitude once more.

After the two senior maids left, the neighboring tea room sent over some pastries and hot tea, adding with a smile, "You missed mealtime, so please make do with these for now."

Chen Niang thanked them again. Once the door was closed, she said to Jin Niang and the others, "I’ll be staying in the outer servants’ quarters. The two rooms here are for you—the inner one for Jin Niang and Qiao Lian, and the outer one for Shanjie and Shuang’er. The four of you came together and were originally from the same embroidery workshop. Now that I’ve brought you to this household, you’ve seen for yourselves how generous and kind this official’s family is. If you perform well, the mistress may keep you here permanently, which would be a steady job better than anything out there. But if you do poorly and drag everyone down, none of us will escape the consequences. So remember—we sink or swim together. Never say that someone else’s mistakes have nothing to do with us, or we’ll all suffer for it."

Jin Niang and the others quickly agreed, not daring to be careless.

Chen Niang continued, "Don’t assume that just because Yan Hong and Green Tassel treated you with courtesy earlier, they’re inherently kind. It’s only because you have skills. Look at those newly bought little maids—if they misbehave, the head maids punish them by making them kneel on broken tiles in the snow. Once you’re in this household, the punishments are the same for everyone."

Only then did Jin Niang understand—it was precisely because they had valuable skills, and everyone relied on them for sewing and mending, that the tea maids and senior maids were eager to befriend them. Their usefulness was the reason. But if they had been poor, unskilled girls sold into service, they would have long been intimidated into kneeling on tiles or getting their hands smacked.