Chapter 38

Chapter 38

"Your father wanted to borrow a carriage from Brother Feng, but I didn’t let him," Luo Yue said as soon as Jin Niang got into the carriage.

Jin Niang glanced at her mother approvingly, "That’s the right thing to do. We’re not cutting ties with them, but if we can avoid troubling others, we should. Always owing small favors will eventually need to be repaid."

Luo Yue nodded, "Exactly."

After passing through the Zhuque Gate and moving forward to Longjin Bridge, they crossed the Zhou Bridge and headed south, entering the night market street. Jin Niang lifted the curtain and saw the lights everywhere, making her almost jump out of the carriage in excitement. It was Luo Yue who held her back, "What’s the rush? You can come here every day after you return."

In the bustling crowd, vendors sold water rice, roasted meat, dried meat, and all sorts of ready-to-eat foods from Jade Tower, as well as the various layers of food displayed in the Cao family shop, which were dazzling.

After passing the night market street by the Zhou Bridge, they arrived at the entrance of Stinky Water Alley. Luo Yue gave the driver fifteen coins, and they moved Jin Niang’s luggage inside.

This was Jin Niang’s first time returning to her home in Bianjing. The room was lit with candles, and her bedroom was furnished with a complete set of furniture. A bookshelf stood beside the desk with upturned ends, a carved bed was covered with silk quilts, and a wardrobe stood next to the bed. She lay down on the bed, rolled over, and wished she could stay there forever.

Luo Yue said, "Do you like it? I chose the colors; they suit young girls best."

Jin Niang nodded contentedly and hugged her mother, "Mother, I’m very satisfied, I don’t know what to say."

"Then quickly change your clothes and help me light the stove in the kitchen," Luo Yue couldn’t bear to be apart from her daughter for a moment.

Heaven only knew how much she had to talk about with her daughter. Wei Xiong wasn’t good with words, and her son was still too young. Only her daughter could chat about anything and take her side.

Jin Niang smiled and changed into a green silk jacket, wore gray cotton pants, and tied a pale yellow waistband. She put her books and clothes into the bookshelf and wardrobe, placed the money chest, and took out the rest of her toiletries. She noticed a space under the window where she could place her embroidery frame.

It was perfect.

The kitchen wasn’t large, with only one stove. Luo Yue hurriedly said, "We managed to bring the iron pot from home; otherwise, buying a new one would have been expensive."

Iron in the Song Dynasty was not cheap; unlike today where you can buy a pot for dozens or hundreds of yuan, an iron pot would cost about three to five guan, which was a significant asset. Some families would even fight over a single iron pot until they were bloodied and bruised.

Jin Niang bundled some straw into a small bunch and placed it in the stove, making the fire burn brightly.

In the past, she loved to help her mother with the fire. On warm winter days, her mother would put green beans and cured meat into a small black earthenware pot and place it in the stove, then take it out—how delicious it was.

Luo Yüe prepared six dishes: one was roasted goose, another mutton bone soup, scallion-fried tofu, braised fish, steamed radish and Chinese chives, and stir-fried pickled vegetables.

Before Jin Niang was a bowl of mutton bone soup. She bent down to take a sip, feeling the warmth, and then looked at her mother, who said, "In a few days, I'll fry some meatballs, one kind of radish balls and another of meat, and we'll store them in a basket on the beam."

Compared to Jin Niang, who wasn't picky about food, Yang Ge’er was a fussy eater. The home-cooked dishes and rice tasted like wax to him, and he only ate the roasted goose bought from outside. He didn’t talk much, but as the older sister, Jin Niang often felt his gaze. She playfully pinched his nose, "Yang Ge’er, how's your reading coming along?"

Yang Ge’er nodded, smiling, and handed her the wooden bird he was holding.

Jin Niang was surprised by the lifelike bird, "What is this?"

Luo Yüe laughed, "Your brother carved it himself. When you went to Bianjing, your father and I helped at your uncle’s place, so we bought him a wooden toy. It was meant for fun, but later he often took it apart and put it back together. Look at him, so young, yet his hands are strong."

Seeing the calluses on her brother's nails, Jin Niang was inwardly amazed. She patted his head, "Yang Ge’er is really smart. How's your reading going?"

"In Jiangling, he has many playmates. In Bianjing, he attends the Mengxue (primary school). His accent is still local, but the teacher is quite understanding," Luo Yüe said.

Jin Niang replied, "It's fine. Now that we're settled here, Yang Ge’er will gradually get used to it. We should do well in Mengxue before taking the child test before we turn ten. If he doesn't pass, we'll find a better academy for him. In any case, studying in Bianjing is definitely better than in Jiangling."

Wei Xiong and Luo Yüe both listened to their daughter regarding their son's education. However, Luo Yüe added, "Yang Ge’er is young and not used to the food in Bianjing. Many parents of Xiucai Gou's students bring meals for their children."

"If we live close, we can bring meals. If we live far, we need to help him adapt. Otherwise, it won't be convenient when you start your business. He needs to learn to adapt," Jin Niang enjoyed the family atmosphere, where everyone discussed things together.

The meal was delicious. Father had specially saved the goose leg for her. Jin Niang couldn't finish it, but he insisted she eat more. Jin Niang laughed, thinking how families are always like this—no matter how old you are or how capable you are, they worry about whether you're eating enough and well.

Under the dim light of a bean lamp, the family finished their meal, leaving only hot water in the pot. Jin Niang washed her hands and feet, then fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. When she woke up in the morning, she was about to call "Si Er" before realizing she was at home, which made her laugh.

In the morning, snow covered the outside. Jin Niang pulled her clothes tighter and heard her mother buying a load of firewood for sixty coins at the back door. In winter, charcoal and firewood were necessities, especially with the New Year approaching. If they didn't prepare now, they might not be able to buy them during the holiday.

A pot of bean porridge simmered on the stove, accompanied by a small dish of salted duck eggs. Jin Niang ate until her belly was full.

Just then, her father returned from taking her brother to school. The couple had been busy with this house for two or three months, delaying their search for a shop. Moreover, the weather was too cold, and many places were inaccessible. Even the nearby Zhou Bridge Night Market was packed tightly with stalls, leaving no room for new vendors. Therefore, the couple decided to wait until spring next year to find a place to do business.

Jin Niang agreed, “We don’t have much other expenses besides Yang Ge’s schooling.”

Her parents worked day and night for a year to help Uncle secure a year's operating rights. They saved and worked hard for two years, eager to come to Bianjing and needed some rest. Not just them, but even Jin Niang herself looked forward to resting at home for a few days.

After working all the time, Jin Niang found it a bit hard to adjust to the idle life. Her parents doted on their children, so she didn’t need to do any housework. She went out to the street to order two embroidery frames from a carpenter and visited Cheng Ya Ren to inquire about the Embroidery Academy.

However, hiring a carriage every day was quite troublesome.

Wei Xiong also thought so, “Why don’t we buy a donkey? A top-quality one costs only twelve guan.”

“Good idea. We can’t afford a carriage, and a mule costs a hundred guan, but a donkey is manageable. Once I get into the Embroidery Academy, we can talk about buying a carriage.” With an income, they could consider such expenses.

Wei Xiong nodded, “That makes sense.”

Jin Niang knew her parents had sold their carriage and horses to come to the capital. Since they would need them for business and transportation, why save on this expense? But now that she had just returned from the Zhou residence and was temporarily unemployed, she couldn’t afford to spend the capital without earning.

Speaking of which, Jin Niang brought another iron kettle from the Zhou residence, so they now had a pair. One could be used for drinking hot water, and the other for bathing.

At that moment, she sat in the hall with a cup of hot tea, feeling quite content.

But her contentment didn’t last long. Soon, someone knocked on the door, and Luo Yüe welcomed them in. It turned out to be Uncle Three’s family and Grandma. Yes, Uncle Three ran a steamed bun business near the foul water alley, which she had forgotten.

Mother said that after they moved over, Uncle Three made an effort to be friendly and personally taught Father how to make the steamed buns that people in Bianjing love. Thus, Luo Yumei couldn’t say much about it.

Jin Niang also went out to call: "Granny, Uncle Three, Auntie Three, Sister Ying."

Ying Niang smiled, "Second Sister, Granny has been wanting to see you."

"I’ve been thinking of Granny too. Come, come, come, everyone sit in the main hall, I’ll go and pour some tea." Jin Niang took out coarse porcelain bowls, each filled with loose tea leaves, and when she came out, they were already chatting outside.

Mother and Auntie Three had always had a poor relationship, even arguing before, but now they could still talk. Jin Niang felt that this was common in China; for the sake of appearances, people would deliberately ignore past unpleasantness.

In reality, Uncle Three got all the benefits. They claimed to be filial to Granny, even bringing her to Bianjing, but it was actually Granny who got up in the middle of the night to light the fire, knead the dough, and cook, because Auntie Three couldn’t cook well and had a particularly bad temper.

Uncle Three came to discuss the New Year’s plans. He said, "This year, why don’t we all go to our place? Mother is at my place anyway. We’ll prepare the dishes, and you can just come over."

Luo Yumei instinctively looked at Jin Niang’s reaction. Jin Niang knew that if Uncle Three really thought so, Auntie Three was stingy, so she smiled and said, "Uncle Three, I’m afraid of the cold. Bianjing isn’t like our Jiangling; it only snows for a few days. When the time comes, there will be a whole table of cups, plates, chopsticks, and spoons to wash, which would be too much trouble. When the weather clears up, you come to our house, and we can all have a meal together, that would be better."

Receiving her daughter’s opposition, Luo Yumei was pleased because the Third Family had no plan for anything. Every New Year’s Eve, they bought vegetables on the day, lacked skills but loved to give orders, and often ended up arguing during the New Year. She didn’t mind not having a house to live in before, but now that they had one, she refused: "Indeed, not to mention Jin Niang, even I don’t want to go out. The wind gives me a headache."

Uncle Three was taken aback, then he talked about buying a house after Ying Niang’s engagement. Ying Niang also said, "The Anping family can contribute 160 guan. We found a real estate agent who said they could lend us 900 guan. I borrowed more than 400 guan from the temple. Now I need to come up with another 200 guan myself. Since it’s under my name, I only have about 30 guan, and Elder Sister (Rong Niang) has already lent me over 50 guan, but I’m still short by about 100 guan..."

Jin Niang often heard that Uncle Three loved gambling, enjoying small bets for big wins, and preferred to do business in corners or find the cheapest loans. She never expected her cousin to be planning to take out a loan to buy a house in ancient times.

Tsk tsk, who is the one who traveled through time?

But Jin Niang quickly said, "I only earn one guan a month. My parents mortgaged this house a few months ago, and I gave them over a year’s worth of monthly payments. I really don’t have any money. If I did, I would definitely lend it to you."

Wei Xiong looked at Ying Niang, "Why don’t you ask your father for some?" If he had the money, he would definitely give it to Jin Niang.

Of course, Uncle Three didn’t want to borrow money, which was why he came to the Second Family.

When they heard no one would lend them money, Uncle Three and the others couldn't sit still and left in a crowd.

As soon as they were gone, Luo Yue said with a tongue-click, "This third girl is quite the schemer, borrowing all the money and even wanting her name on it."

"Truly, there's no such thing as a free lunch; she even invited us to dinner," Jin Niang was speechless.

Don't be fooled by Wei Xiong's honest appearance; he had his fair share of conspiracy theories: "They wouldn't have rushed to buy a house just because we mortgaged ours, right? They want to compete with us."

Jin Niang laughed, "Anyway, we have no money to lend, so let it be."

But soon, Jin Niang reminded her father, "I heard that when borrowing money, one must pledge land, houses, or gold and silver. If there's no collateral, three people must guarantee the loan. Just make sure you don't become a guarantor."

"Right, right, right, my daughter is right," Luo Yue was afraid her husband might be talked into becoming a guarantor.

Wei Xiong immediately said, "Of course, I won't be a guarantor, but why didn't Uncle Three give the money to Ying Niang? He's been in business for years, hasn't bought a house or a carriage, and has so much money."

Jin Niang shrugged, "Who knows? Even if he were to take out this money, just having an extra bowl of rice at their house would make Aunt Three frown."

This incident gave Jin Niang an idea; it seemed that in the Northern Song Dynasty, one could also take out loans to buy houses, and even borrow from temples, which was another pleasant surprise. The *Song Criminal Code* cited in the "Miscellaneous Orders" clearly stipulates: "For public and private lending of goods, the terms of the private contract shall apply, and the government will not intervene. The monthly interest rate shall not exceed six percent, and even if the period is long, the total interest shall not exceed one hundred percent." It also cites the *Household Department Regulations*: "For private loans, the interest rate should be four percent, and the official rate is five percent."

Thinking about the house she had bought with a down payment in modern times, at the peak price, the loan interest rate was almost six percent.

Hearing Luo Yue say, "How will they pay back all this money?"

Jin Niang thought for a moment, "I heard that Feng Jiefu introduced Ying Niang to work at an incense and medicine shop, selling ready-made medicines. Do you think selling medicine is profitable? Many women are too shy to see a doctor and prefer to buy ready-made prescriptions. Sometimes she goes door-to-door with a basket, and naturally, her business is good, and she earns a lot."

Previously, Ying Niang worked as a distiller, earning a high salary, but after being harassed by a customer, she sought help from Feng Jiefu to find another job.

Whether as a doctor or selling medicine, both are lucrative professions, but they require connections.

Wei Xiong looked at his daughter and said, "Jin Niang, why don't you try it too? Ask your brother-in-law to introduce you. Twenty strings of cash a month is not a small amount."

"Father, I still prefer to do what I want to do, relying on no one. We won’t owe anyone anything then," Jin Niang felt that depending on others would make her feel inferior.

Wei Xiong knew his daughter was headstrong and couldn’t persuade her. He went to Jin Niang’s room to help her tidy up the bed and sweep the floor, even wiping the towel she used for rinsing her mouth clean. During this time, he also made sure Jin Niang did her share of household chores.

But Jin Niang knew that her father only talked about it; often, it was her parents who helped her clean her room, so she didn’t need to do much.

At noon, Luo Yüe made fried meatballs. She personally carried a basket to deliver food to Xiucai Gou’s house and gave a bowl of meatballs to Mrs. Gou. On her way back, she invited Jin Niang to go shopping at Zhou Bridge. Jin Niang quickly changed into an old pair of shoes and put on a felt hat.

As soon as Luo Yüe came out, she said, "You don’t know how talkative your father can be. If I spend just one extra cent, he starts calling me a wastrel. It’s good that you’re back; now I have someone to keep me company."

"Mother, Father is just like that, but he only talks. Once you find a shop next year and start a business, when we become successful, Father won’t nag anymore," Jin Niang consoled her.

In fact, women of her mother’s age often had many inner troubles they couldn’t confide in anyone. Her husband might not understand, her son was too young, and family relations were not always harmonious. It was fortunate that she was back, able to provide some companionship.

As they walked, Jin Niang felt a sense of security: "Mother, do you know why I’m especially happy today? Even Uncle San and the others can’t affect my mood. Because I am free, and it feels really good."

There were many comforting words that Luo Yüe understood but couldn’t express. She was a simple woman and could only say, "Jin Niang, weren’t you looking at the Cao family’s snacks yesterday? I’ll buy some for you."

Jin Niang laughed, "Mother, you say being slim is good, yet you give me the most to eat."

The Cao family sold pickled fish jerky and pine cakes, which looked good to Jin Niang. She asked them to wrap some up and saw various kinds of dried meat, spending twenty coins to buy some. Luo Yüe also bought two dried chickens to prepare for the New Year.

They bought some snacks casually and then noticed a shop selling all sorts of hair ornaments. Jin Niang pulled her mother and said, "Let’s go in and take a look."

Inside, there were combs, earrings, headpieces, silk flowers, velvet flowers, necklaces, and pendants, all available and very cheap, with the most expensive item costing thirty coins, all from Helou.

Luo Yüe was initially cautious, but then she tried on piece after piece. Jin Niang said, "Mother, you look good with these long pearls, and these lotus-shaped earrings are nice too. Let’s buy them."

"I was just trying it on; I wasn't really going to buy it." After struggling for a while, Luo Yüe finally put it down, as they had no income at the moment.

Jin Niang persuaded her, "It's only ten coins. Why don't you buy it? I'll pay for you."

Luo Yüe shook her head again, and Jin Niang could only turn to the shopkeeper and say, "I'll take this pair of 'pearl earrings.' Please wrap them up for me, sir."

She bought it directly for her mother, who was both delighted and cautious, a sight that made Jin Niang feel quite heartache.

Before the Laba Festival, Cheng Yaren gave her the document, instructing her to enter the Embroidery Academy for an on-site assessment, which meant her previous embroidery work had passed the initial round, and now she was in the final.

Cheng Yaren also mentioned, "This time, the Embroidery Academy is only recruiting ten people, but it's said that hundreds have applied. Only thirty have made it to the final selection."

This meant she had to stand out among the thirty, which put some pressure on Jin Niang.

The assessment was supervised by officials dispatched from the Shao Fu Jian, and her family was very nervous about it. However, Jin Niang was someone who remained calm under pressure. She took a deep breath to steady herself before her father hired a carriage to take her there.

Wei Xiong, not good with words, simply pointed to the carriage: "Father will wait for you here."

"Alright, I'm going in." Jin Niang took another deep breath and stepped inside.

The Embroidery Academy, responsible for embroidery to supply the royal attire, daily use items, and sacrificial needs, truly lived up to its reputation for grandeur. It was said that the academy also included the Brocade Institute, the Dyeing Institute, and the Wensi Institute. The Brocade Institute specialized in producing silk and brocade for the imperial family and high-ranking officials, as well as military needs. The Dyeing Institute mainly handled the dyeing of silk, satin, and various materials. The Wensi Institute, besides weaving silk and other fabrics for annual gifts, was also responsible for crafting intricate items made of gold, silver, rhinoceros horn, and jade, as well as gilded and painted decorations for carriages, ceremonial objects, and official regalia.

The guides were dressed in official attire, walking with measured steps.

Inside, several eight-foot-long rosewood tables were set up, each with the items for the assessment. The supervisor announced, "On each table, there are three items. The first is a garment with a hole; you must mend it so that it appears flawless. The second is to embroider a corresponding scene on the given sachet. The third is to apply gold leaf printing on a collar using a woodblock. You have two hours to complete all tasks, and no extensions will be granted."

After listening to the supervisor's instructions, Jin Niang felt relieved. She knew how to do all three tasks, especially the gold leaf printing, which she had learned secretly from Chen Niang.

Her three years at the Zhou residence had been like preparing for a college entrance exam, and now she felt incredibly strong.

First, she took the torn part, found a matching color, and began to delineate the warp and weft, using an embroidery frame to stretch out the hole, then started stitching quickly. It took her nearly half a watch just for this hole, and that was already fast. Looking at the sachet, it was a muddy brown, a color Jin Niang had never seen uglier. She looked up at others’ work, and their sachets were equally eye-searing.

Muddy brown might as well be treated like mud; yes, she would embroider June Snow. Jin Niang hurriedly sketched a flower pattern with charcoal, thus conveying the meaning of purity rising from the mire.

Jin Niang watched the embroiderer next to her mend the hole with double-sided embroidery. She thought to herself that this place truly gathered masters of embroidery, and she must not let her guard down.

While embroidering the June Snow, she dared not be distracted. After finishing with great effort, she carefully hid the thread ends and placed it aside.

Finally, she started on the collar band. This gilded printing was a craft, and Jin Niang was weakest in this area, but she managed to complete it. Someone nearby whispered, “How can she use this for the collar band? We can’t do it…”

Who would tell anyone else at such a time? Everyone was rushing to finish. Jin Niang worked cautiously, the key to gilded printing being to apply the glue three times, then print. Once ironed, it couldn’t be ironed again.

After applying the glue, she quickly brushed it with a small brush, then began coloring, which required utmost steadiness.

Jin Niang reminded herself: careful, careful, and more careful.

With the last incense stick burning, everything was completed. She stood up: “Supervisor, I’m done.”

The supervisor, seeing the embroidered item she submitted, nodded inwardly: “Go sit in the corridor for a while; the results will be announced soon.”

“Yes,” Jin Niang breathed a sigh of relief.

She hadn’t sat in the corridor for even a cup of tea’s time when she heard the supervisor calling names. Jin Niang ignored the names before hers, finally hearing her name as the eighth.

“Wei Jin Niang from Jiangling Prefecture is selected!”

Jin Niang rejoiced. From then on, she would start work at dawn (around 6 or 7 AM) and finish at dusk (around 5 PM), resting one day every ten days, totaling sixty days of rest per year. It was said that during the hot summer months (from the first day of the fifth lunar month to the first day of the eighth lunar month), the workload for embroiderers would be halved, and holidays such as New Year’s Day, Cold Food Festival, Winter Solstice, Imperial Birthday, clothing distribution, food distribution, and major ceremonies would all be days off!