Chapter 34

Chapter 34

When Qin Shuang'er entered from outside, her cheeks were flushed. As she passed Jin Niang, Jin Niang covered her nose and said, "Why do you have such a strange smell on you?"

"Don't ask. I was trying to avoid the sun, but then I was called to help, and now I'm all sweaty," Qin Shuang'er replied, biting her lower lip, and then called Xiao He to fetch water for her.

Jin Niang found it odd; it wasn't exactly a sweat smell, but rather an indescribable odor, a mix of rust and a hint of fishiness. Could it be that she had been asked to clean fish?

Putting this aside, the Zhou family soon welcomed a joyous event: Second Madam went into labor and gave birth to a little master, the first legitimate grandson of the fourth generation. The importance of this child goes without saying.

Madam Jiang also intended to manage the celebrations with great enthusiasm. Unmarried young ladies like Third Miss and Cousin Miss paid close attention to which high-ranking officials would attend, as it could affect their own prospects for marriage.

As for Jin Niang, she noticed what the Zhang family had sent for the third-day washing ceremony, including silk handkerchiefs adorned with flowers made from white mulberry paper in the shapes of five boys and two girls, and trays of pastries shaped like sleeping lambs and reclining deer, along with various steamed buns distributed to share the joy. The baby's bedding and clothing were also provided by the maternal family.

She thought it made sense why Madam Jiang hadn't assigned them to make the bedding and clothes in the embroidery room; these items were sent by the maternal family. The reason they were previously asked to make them for Maiden Miao was because she was a concubine, and her family wasn't considered a proper match for the Zhou family.

Even Wu Shi of the second branch only asked Qin Shuang'er to embroider a bedspread with a hundred children and a thousand grandchildren, mainly to bring good fortune.

Fang Qiaolian nudged Jin Niang, "Have you noticed how different the people under Second Madam walk now?"

"Of course, they're different. Not just them, even Maiden Miao is different. Look at her sister-in-law, who never used to appear at banquets like this," Jin Niang observed.

Qin Shuang'er added, "I heard Maiden Miao was originally just a maid. Now, she has carved out her own place."

Jin Niang shook her head. Shouldn't a servant aim to work hard and find a way to leave servitude, to carve out a place for themselves outside? But she didn't want to voice such thoughts.

"Let's go back. If we don't, Chen Niang will send someone to look for us. I still have my powder puff, oil print, and fan case to finish," Jin Niang urged.

With that, Fang Qiaolian and Qin Shuang'er also dragged their feet and headed back.

The powder puff, also known as "fragrant cotton," is made of silk floss. As an embroiderer, her task was to create patterns on the back of these puffs. Since most of them were meant to be auspicious, she had to design twenty powder puff patterns, and some floral designs needed to be freshly drawn.

Jin Niang was the type who always prepared thoroughly before starting any work. Therefore, she first drew several double-happiness motifs for good fortune, followed by colorful embroidery of butterflies and flowers, Buddha’s hand with butterflies, persimmons symbolizing wishes fulfilled, blooming narcissus, and birds perched on branches, all conveying joy and prosperity.

Because she had done so much of this, Jin Niang now knew exactly where to place each stitch as soon as she lifted her hand, which was certainly a good thing.

Thus, she could only find joy in the midst of hardship.

Earlier, the third young lady was called out by Lady Jiang to address everyone, saying, “Neither her elder sisters can match her filial piety.”

Now that the Zhou family’s two eldest daughters were already betrothed, the third young lady's stepmother, Lady Lu, had recently been helping Lady Jiang manage the household very well. Naturally, Lady Jiang wanted to give her this recognition, especially since the third young lady was indeed outstanding.

At the same time, Lady Jiang also summoned Mei Pan'er, who had completed her mourning period and was now in her prime. She was exceptionally beautiful, and both ladies attended to Lady Jiang.

However, when someone inquired about their backgrounds, it turned out that while the third young lady was fine, Mei Pan'er was just a cousin. Her father had passed away, and her mother had reportedly remarried elsewhere, leading to a polite refusal of further inquiries.

Mei Pan'er, hearing such gossip, secretly wiped away tears. Her mother had previously talked about adopting a son but then remarried, taking all the remaining family wealth with her.

Her situation was so dire that even Fang Qiaolian felt sorry for her: “Lady Jiang is leaving no room for the cousin to live.”

But Jin Niang shook her head: “You’re wrong. Last time she returned to her natal home, she caused trouble and no one was willing to take her back. Now, she has married into a wealthy family under the identity of an official’s daughter. First, she secured her own future, and second, she completely severed ties with the cousin. The ladies of the manor will not only stop associating Lady Jiang with her but will pity her even more. Even the old madam might give her all her possessions.”

“It’s possible, but I doubt Lady Jiang thought that far ahead,” Fang Qiaolian inwardly marveled at Jin Niang’s intelligence; she hadn’t considered it that deeply.

Jin Niang smiled: “Then consider it my overthinking. When parents love their children, they plan for their long-term welfare.”

As they spoke, Dan Ruo approached: “Jin Niang, Lady Lu wants you to go over there.”

“Alright, I’ll go right away.” Jin Niang guessed she was being asked to help with making clothes.

Sure enough, Lady Lu handed her two bolts of silk, saying, "I know you're busy, so take your time."

Jin smiled and said, "Thank you for your understanding, Lady Lu. Actually, the third young lady is already very beautiful; she would look good even in a sack. But since you trust me, I will do my best."

"You are quite the smooth talker," Lady Lu, of course, also enjoyed hearing compliments about her children.

She was better off than Yanhong, at least she had a child, which gave her some hope.

Jin said, "Lady Lu, there's actually something I need to ask you. The pigments they buy for me aren't very good, so I want to go out and buy some myself. I hope you will allow it."

Now that Lady Lu was managing the household for the Jiang family, she was effectively in charge.

Lady Lu was easy to speak with, "What's the difficulty in that? I'll have Cai Quan'er escort you."

"Thank you, Lady Lu." Jin quickly bowed in gratitude.

She needed to go out and find Cheng Yaren to inquire, she couldn't just wait for someone to inform her, what if they forgot?

But just before she left, the second house's Lady Wu sent someone to summon her. Jin immediately went to pay her respects to Lady Wu. It turned out that Lady Wu was pregnant and wanted Jin to copy a scroll of scripture for her. She always felt that the last time her son Qinqin had escaped danger because Jin had helped copy the scripture, and Qinqin had also been saved by Jin last time, so she wanted Jin to help again this time.

Jin readily agreed, "Rest assured, but I have a lot on my plate lately, so it might not be as quick as before."

Lady Wu gave her a more flexible deadline, "There's no rush, as long as you finish before I give birth."

"Thank you, Second Lady," Jin said happily.

Lady Wu also called for Qinqin, and Jin hurriedly greeted him. Lady Wu then said, "You two have a special bond, no need for such formalities."

Qinqin was just over a year old last Chongyang Festival, now he was almost two and could walk steadily. Jin looked at him and silently wished him a safe and long life.

When she left the second house, Jin Niang saw that Cai Quan’er had already prepared the carriage. She quickly stepped onto the small stool and said to Cai Quan’er, "Big Brother Cai, just take me to Sesame Street. In an hour, come back to pick me up."

Sesame Street was where Cheng Yaren’s brokerage was located. There were shops nearby that sold pigments, but what she needed wasn’t pigment. Regardless, she had to go in and pretend for a while.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, she headed to Cheng Yaren’s place. At that moment, Cheng Yaren was busy helping someone find a residence, saying, "The courtyard you want to lease is in the outskirts. It costs four guan per month, but there’s no furniture inside; you’ll need to buy your own."

The person leasing the house replied, "That’s too expensive. In my hometown, Cixi County, two and a half rooms with half a foundation cost only two guan a month."

Cheng Yaren smiled and said, "This is Kaifeng, the capital of our great Song Dynasty, so it’s naturally different. Let me tell you, although this courtyard is in the outskirts, there are many people vying for it. If you don’t want it, I’ll lease it out soon. Or you could try the government’s real estate office; a single room costs four and a half guan."

It was clear that his properties were in high demand, and indeed, the person leasing the house agreed.

While the two were drafting the contract, Jin Niang asked the shop assistant, "Is renting a room really that expensive?"

Her monthly wage couldn’t even cover the rent for a room!

Living in the capital was truly not easy.

The assistant smiled bitterly and said, "Indeed, if one could afford to buy a house in Bianjing, it would be a day to thank the heavens."

Jin Niang laughed along, but she gathered her courage and waited until Cheng Yaren was done before asking about her own matter, "Hasn’t the Embroidery Academy recruited workers this year?"

"Not yet, but don’t worry. Even if you don’t go to the Embroidery Academy, there are other places you can go," Cheng Yaren said.

Jin Niang felt somewhat defeated. She only wanted to go to the Embroidery Academy; she hadn’t thought about any other places. Could she really only return home? She took a deep breath to boost her morale.

This time, she returned much more dejected, feeling the gap between her ideals and reality. She wasn’t one of those fortunate transmigrated women with magical talents. She had studied the humanities and possessed no knowledge of inventions or innovations.

At night, she still had to sew clothes for the third young lady. She yawned and continued working on the garments.

Fang Qiaolian looked at Jin Niang: "Why are you still working?"

"You’re doing the same, aren’t you?" Jin Niang smiled.

Fang Qiaolian waved the handkerchief in her hand: "I can't keep up with you anymore; you really do sew fast."

"There’s no choice. We came all this way just to earn some silver to take back home. Otherwise, how could we face our families?" Jin Niang habitually complained about being poor.

Fang Qiaolian sewed a few stitches and then fell asleep. Seeing that there was no light in the outer room, she wondered, "Why did Qin Shuang'er go to bed so early today? Usually, she stays up later than us."

Jin Niang sighed, "Didn’t she fall ill a few days ago? Her body might not be well yet."

Life is truly hard.

Fortunately, Jin Niang wasn’t one to give up easily. She thought that the Embroidery Academy provided accommodation, so no matter what, she wouldn’t have to rent a place for these three years.

The next day, she woke up full of energy and started threading the needle again. Si’er couldn’t start embroidering yet because her skills weren’t up to par, but from mending to cutting, she was gradually getting the hang of it. Jin Niang had prepared an embroidery frame for a handkerchief and let her start sewing.

This was a gradual teaching process, but the time spent teaching wasn’t much. There was no other way; they had too much work on their hands, and the load was almost unbearable.

Bowing her head, it was nearly lunchtime. Si’er and Xiao He went out to fetch the meal and returned. After eating, Jin Niang went inside to nap for a while, only to find that Qin Shuang'er was missing again.

Young people, once they taste something, can hardly resist it, even Lady Zhu found it hard to endure such tight control.

Moreover, Qin Shuang'er was sensible. She would only say, "I am a servant. If anyone finds out, they will only say I lack shame."

In reality, Qin Shuang'er had been at the Zhou family for a few years and understood the young masters well. The second young master, though more handsome and talented, was a ruthless person. Even if he knew about someone like Cuiqian being sent away, he wouldn’t say a word. But the third young master was different. He appeared obedient and honest, but his heart was extremely rebellious.

Zhou Shen zhi loved Qin Shuang'er’s skin, which was fairer than snow, finding her more beautiful and affectionate than his supposed fiancée.

But now that he hasn't taken a wife, if any trouble arises, Mother definitely won't tolerate Shuang'er. He can visit her every day now only because Mother is busy with the affairs of the second and third households. But once discovered, both of them will be in deep trouble.

At this moment, he thought of someone.

Qin Shuang'er returned later than usual today, fortunately, everyone had just woken up and seemed unaware of her absence. Only Si'er, who never took naps, sensed something was amiss but didn't show it.

She quietly mentioned to Jin Niang, "Sister Qin often goes out at noon and returns after an hour these days."

Jin Niang wasn't paying much attention to her anymore, as they no longer had significant conflicts of interest. Everyone was eager to finish their tasks and leave, too exhausted to care about other matters.

"Si'er, let's not meddle in these things. If she poses a threat to us, we'll teach her a lesson. But if it's something else, you might get caught if you pry too much, which wouldn't be good," Jin Niang shook her head.

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss; curiosity killed the cat.

Si'er listened to Jin Niang and, seeing her disapproval, made a mental note.

Jin Niang then instructed, "Hurry up with your embroidery, follow the flower pattern, and don't leave too many loose threads. This handkerchief from my dowry is the only one I can let you embroider. The others aren't possible, so cherish this opportunity."

"Yes," Si'er understood.

The third young lady's clothes were completed in about eight days. Jin Niang was more skilled at making women's clothing, but when she delivered the clothes, she sensed something was off.

Then, the sparrow in the third young lady's room said, "Sister Jin Niang, nothing serious, the third and fourth young ladies have been punished."

"For what reason?" Jin Niang found it odd since these young ladies usually stayed in their rooms doing needlework, rarely engaging in playful activities or poetry gatherings like in novels. They mostly gathered during formal visits or banquets.

The sparrow clammed up.

Jin Niang didn't press further, but the fourth young lady felt bewildered. She was mentally older than the others, so she rarely argued with them, as there was no real need to do so.

But today, Father suddenly suggested that his concubine Xiao Niang should also help manage the household. Instead of blaming their father for being unfair, the third daughter and her mother felt that it was Xiao Niang who had incited this.

Is it only Lü Xiao Niang who can manage the inner chambers, and not Miao Xiao Niang?

Miao Xiao Niang wasn’t overly eager; managing the household as a secondary wife would certainly be seen as illegitimate. However, she wanted to stir up trouble. Jiang Shi definitely wouldn’t want to hand over the management to her, so it might go to her daughter-in-law, Zhang Shi. This Zhang Shi is far from as gentle and virtuous as her elder sister, Da Zhang Shi. Such a jealous and fiery woman, coupled with Jiang Shi’s strong-willed nature, would lead to conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

She had been secretly biding her time for so many years, not just for fun. Enduring others’ contempt and mistreatment, she couldn’t let it go like this.

Originally, Lü Xiao Niang assisted Jiang Shi in managing the household, but after Miao Xiao Niang’s disturbance, Jiang Shi couldn’t continue as before. Now that Miao Xiao Niang has given birth to a son and gained favor, she even vied for power.

Lvyi said, “In the past, the Master never interfered in the affairs of the inner chambers, but today he specifically mentioned that since things are busy here, more people should be involved in managing them. It’s clearly a hint.”

“Yes, though he didn’t say it outright, everyone understood. The Master is worried that I might mistreat Fifth Brother, so he wants Miao Xiao Niang to have some support.” Jiang Shi understood this well, but it inevitably seemed like an invasion of her territory. If she were younger, she would have made a scene, forcing her husband to admit his mistake and apologize.

After all, she bore the eldest son and was the original wife, with a prominent family background.

But at her age now, arguing with her husband would only make a spectacle, and even her daughter-in-law would laugh at her.

As she grew older, she became increasingly weary of these internal struggles. Just when she thought she could avoid them, the Old Lady also got involved. The Old Lady probably guessed the reason why her daughter couldn’t return home, which was likely due to conflicts between sisters-in-law. Seeing Jiang Shi’s lack of attention to Mei Pan'er, the Old Lady naturally harbored suspicions.

So, when they went to pay respects to the Old Lady, she held Zhang Shi’s hand and praised her repeatedly: “It’s hard for you, my dear, to come here every day to show your filial piety after giving birth to Little Brother.”

Zhang Shi was somewhat flattered because the Old Lady usually favored the widowed Eldest Madam. Now, receiving such special treatment, she hurriedly bowed: “Showing filial piety to the Old Lady is what a granddaughter-in-law should do.”

“In the blink of an eye, Cun Ge’s wife has entered our family. I remember how your mother, at your age, gave birth to Cun Ge, and I entrusted the household to her. So many years have passed, and now she has a daughter-in-law too. Time flies so quickly,” the Old Lady mentioned casually.

Jiang Shi, of course, understood the Old Lady’s meaning. She hadn’t expected the Old Lady, who usually kept quiet, to side with her daughter-in-law. Even though the daughter-in-law belonged to the main house, once power shifted, everything would be out of control. Her words would no longer carry weight, and people wouldn’t look to her for guidance.

Just like in politics, once you lose power, you are completely defeated.

So, Mrs. Jiang smiled and said, "Indeed, I never thought that after so many years, once the girls are married off, my heart will finally be at peace."

She was also subtly telling Mrs. Zhang that she would hand over the household management to her after her daughters were married.

Mrs. Zhang kept her gaze lowered, though she was somewhat headstrong, she wasn't foolish. She knew it wasn't wise to get involved in the power struggles between her grandmother-in-law and mother-in-law. However, managing the household would be better than idling away her time in the front courtyard, where the servants showed her respect but didn't truly fear her.

The tension between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law simmered beneath the surface. After returning home, Mrs. Jiang was quite upset and went to complain to Mrs. Wu.

"These matters I didn't want to bring up with you, as you are now pregnant and should focus on your health. But there's no one else I can confide in about these things."

Mrs. Wu thought to herself that this was an internal matter of the main branch, and it wasn't her place to comment. However, since she and Mrs. Jiang had a good relationship, she said, "It's just a matter of each person sticking to their own role, Sister-in-law. Don't worry. Your niece's marriage will likely still need your involvement, and maintaining stability is more important than anything."

Mrs. Jiang was enlightened: "I hadn't thought of it that way."

"Those involved often lose sight of the bigger picture," Mrs. Wu smiled.

Seeing Mrs. Wu now, Mrs. Jiang recalled how, back when the Master of the main branch had no concubines, they had enjoyed a peaceful life for many years. When Mrs. Wu entered the household, she faced the challenge of multiple concubines and their schemes. Now, their situations had reversed. Mrs. Jiang was older, and her relationship with her husband had grown distant. The young and ambitious concubines, though unable to undermine her position, caused her distress. Meanwhile, the Second Master had changed his ways, showing increased affection for Mrs. Wu and focusing solely on her, neglecting the other concubines.

Life is truly unpredictable, and Mrs. Jiang suddenly felt much more detached.

Letting Mrs. Zhang manage the household would certainly be better than leaving it to Xiao Niang Miao.

The dowry for the second daughter was mostly prepared, and even if managing the household made her unpopular, she preferred to support her own daughter-in-law rather than be manipulated by others.

Mrs. Jiang got up and left, and Mrs. Wu watched her go, shaking her head: "Sister-in-law is still the same, unwilling to be oppressed by anyone."

That evening, Mrs. Zhang was summoned by Mrs. Jiang. Upon hearing that she was to assist in managing the household, she first declined, then was overjoyed.

Even Jin Niang and the others knew about it. Lady Chen instructed them, "Now is the time for the new mistress to establish her authority. From today on, we in the embroidery room should stay out of sight as much as possible, lest we become targets and be driven out. If we endure until the end, we won't risk losing everything."

Jin and the others hurriedly agreed. Qin Shuang'er was even more obedient than Jin; she knew that if she were caught, she would have no place to rest in death, so she had to wait for the Third Young Master's arrangements.

However, it was precisely during this transition of new and old staff that the people Xiao Niang had been bribing for a long time managed to infiltrate, and they even uncovered a major piece of information.

"You mean to say that the eldest young miss’s dowry includes all of Madam’s trousseau and the family’s savings," Xiao Niang said, disbelieving.

The messenger nodded. "How could I dare to deceive you? The eldest young miss has prepared twenty thousand strings of cash as her dowry. The second young miss has a shop, two hundred acres of paddy fields, and three hundred acres of forest as her dowry, with ten thousand strings of cash as her personal savings, though less than the eldest young miss. In recent times, Lady Lu has received about two thousand strings of cash in tributes, plus her accumulated savings over the years, which will likely amount to five thousand strings... Only our young miss is in a difficult position. You must make plans early..."

Xiao Niang hadn't expected Jiang Shi to be so ruthless. The Second Young Master was already married and established, and the Old Master often lamented that his own knowledge and experience fell short of his son’s, so the family estate would certainly go to the Second Young Master. Jiang Shi had divided up her dowry, leaving her children with no chance to rise.

Had all her scheming come to nothing?

No, it couldn’t end like this. She suddenly had a brilliant idea.

She wouldn't get much from the main house, but if Wu Shi of the second house had no sons, wouldn’t all the wealth of the second house belong to her son...

Wu Shi was now pregnant, and her body was weak, unable to maintain the strict vigilance she once did. This was the perfect opportunity.