Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

As the newly selected jinshi scholars had their names publicly announced at Donghua Gate, many families sought to arrange a match with them. Meanwhile, Jin Niang also received a new commission. The manager of *Jinxiu Pavilion* sent someone to her home, informing her that a client had provided fabric for a wedding dress. She would receive thirteen strings of cash for the work.

Such a sum could hardly cover the cost of an elaborate and refined bridal gown. Still, Jin Niang obtained the bride’s address and paid a visit to take measurements in person.

The bride was the daughter of a minor official in the Dali Temple (the judicial court), but her family lived in modest circumstances. Jin Niang already understood the prevailing social customs—marriages often disregarded status in favor of financial gain. During the Song Dynasty, marriage transactions were rampant. She had heard how newly selected jinshi were often chosen as sons-in-law by wealthy merchants, with brides bringing dowries worth five thousand strings of cash, not counting other gifts.

Even imperial clan women leveraged their noble status to marry into merchant families in exchange for substantial financial support. The "Hat Tian" family, a wealthy merchant household from Kaifeng, boasted of having married ten county princesses (a noble title for imperial clan women), each for five thousand strings of cash.

In contrast, this particular bride’s father was only a low-ranking official, and her dowry was meager. She was marrying an impoverished scholar who had failed the examinations. Jin Niang happened to catch sight of the betrothal gift inventory, which was equally sparse.

Noticing the bride’s shy demeanor, Jin Niang resolved to design a beautiful dress despite the limited budget. Abandoning the traditional wide-sleeved robe, she opted for a *beizi*-style garment (a fitted outer garment). The fabric the bride brought was actually quite fine—a deep red silk with subtle peony patterns woven throughout. Thus, Jin Niang focused her efforts on embellishing the collar and trimmings.

She designed the collar with the Twelve Monthly Flowers motif, edged with gold thread, and adorned the borders with albizia flowers (symbolizing marital harmony) embroidered along the seams.

Since she worked at the Embroidery Academy during the day, Jin Niang sewed the wedding dress at night. Even on her rare days off, she stayed home to complete it, sacrificing even her favorite indulgence—soaking in fragrant herbal baths.

By the time the dress was nearly finished, the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day) had arrived. Her parents, having completed their morning business, urged her to join them for a spring excursion in the afternoon.

Luo Yue said, “Earning a living shouldn’t consume all your time.”

“What important matter?” Jin Niang asked, puzzled.

Luo Yue smiled. “During Qingming, men and women alike go out for spring excursions. You should go too. I’m not pressuring you, but you’re almost seventeen. Even if it’s not for marriage, meeting more people is good.”

Unaware of her mother’s intentions, Jin Niang immediately replied, “You must have someone in mind! Tell me quickly, or I won’t go.”

Luo Yue responded, “There’s a flower-selling family across from our shop. The mother is a widow who raised her son alone. She’s very open-minded and easygoing. They live in three rooms near Daxing Gate, purchased for seven hundred strings of cash, with two hundred still unpaid. Her son works as a fire patrol stationed at the fire observation tower of Kaifeng Prefecture.”

Fire patrols were similar to modern firefighters. In the capital city, watchtowers were set up approximately every three hundred paces. Each housed five patrolling guards responsible for night patrols, security duties, and apprehending criminals.

Jin Niang inwardly nodded—this match didn’t seem bad. Since she had been exhausted from sewing all month, she agreed. Seeing her consent, Luo Yue encouraged her to dress up.

She had made herself an orange-yellow *beizi* last spring but had barely worn it. She paired it with a gardenia-yellow underbodice and a pleated skirt, fastened at the waist with a knot patterned with scrolling vines. However, her broad shoulders and back remained prominent. To soften her appearance, she styled her hair in hanging coils, covering the sides of her face, and pinned a silk peony in her hair.

She applied lip color and powdered her face. When she stood up, even Luo Yue was taken aback: “Jin Niang, you rarely dress up, but when you do, you look quite lovely.”

“Mother, you say that because I’m your daughter. I’ve gotten so plump my features are barely visible anymore—round as a woven ball.” Jin Niang was well aware of her appearance.

People from the Jingchu region (modern Hubei) typically had fine-boned features, rarely with strong facial contours. With her weight gain, her features seemed almost indistinct.

Once dressed, Luo Yue took Jin Niang out in a donkey-drawn cart. They arrived at the same place where Jin Niang had once gone with the Zhou family. A large crowd was strolling about, and Luo Yue discreetly pointed out a tall young man. “Look, that’s him.”

Jin Niang glanced over and saw a well-proportioned, spirited young man. She silently approved of his appearance.

Next, she met his mother, Madam Lou. Though a widow, Madam Lou carried no air of melancholy and appeared quite youthful, speaking with grace and warmth. She said to Luo Yue, “This must be your daughter? She looks very fortunate.”

Jin Niang noticed Madam Lou’s slight surprise upon seeing her. After all, her mother Luo Yue possessed the delicate, fair beauty typical of southern women, while she herself was quite different.

Aware of this, Luo Yue quickly emphasized her daughter’s value—this was no time for modesty. “Yes, and not just fortunate. Without her, we wouldn’t even be in Kaifeng. Now she works at the Embroidery Academy, making clothes for aristocrats. With such skills, she’ll never go hungry, wherever she goes.”

Hearing this, Madam Lou became even more interested. Her family was comfortably situated, and many daughters of minor officials had expressed interest in her son.

Moreover, Luo Yue repeatedly praised her daughter’s competence and literacy. Since ancient times, men sought virtuous wives, and Madam Lou was now quite willing.

The two families even shared regional connections—the Lous hailed from Xiangyang in Jingxi South Circuit (an administrative division), while the Weis came from Jiangling in Jinghu North Circuit. During the Three Kingdoms era, Xiangyang had served as the seat of Jingzhou, and the two regions had long maintained close ties.

In those days, one couldn’t expect love. Her parents had known Madam Lou for over half a year, and the woman was of upstanding character. The groom held a stable position and had a decent appearance.

However, this match came to nothing as Auntie Lou did not pursue the matter further—it seemed they hadn’t taken a liking to her. Luo Yuer didn’t blame her daughter, merely saying, “That family’s too choosy. The young man’s been looking for years without any luck.”

“Mother, don’t speak of them like that. Just as we judge others, others judge your daughter too. Don’t take it to heart. These things take time. I’d rather go sketch some floral patterns.” Jin Niang comforted her mother instead.

Luo Yuer secretly resolved to mobilize all possible connections to secure a good match for her daughter.

After the Qingming Festival, Zou Yue returned in high spirits—she had gone out for the spring outing too, and told Jin Niang that her family was helping arrange a match.

“How did it go?” Jin Niang asked.

Zou Yue smiled and shook her head. “I don’t know yet.”

Jin Niang covered her mouth, laughing. “Sounds like wedding bells soon!”

Through Zou Yue, Jin Niang saw the plight of spinster women in the Song Dynasty. While some men deliberately remained single to marry into higher status later, those like Zou Yue, with meager dowries, could only rely on luck.

Now that Zou Yue had found a suitable match, Jin Niang was genuinely happy for her.

Yet, to her surprise, they had only known each other for three days before the engagement was set for the following month. Jin Niang found it unbelievable. “How can an engagement be arranged so quickly?”

Back in the Zhou household, she had seen how long it took for the eldest daughter and second son to become engaged. Even if commoners didn’t follow the elaborate rituals of official families, this was lightning fast.

Zou Yue, however, looked unusually relaxed. “There are five of us in my family—my parents and three siblings. My brother is apprenticed elsewhere, and when he returns, he has to sleep on pushed-together stools in my parents’ room. If I marry early, even if we rent a place, it won’t be like this anymore.”

“That’s wonderful,” Jin Niang said warmly.

Zou Yue added, “Our wedding is set for a few days before the winter solstice. If you can swing it, you must come.”

“Of course,” Jin Niang agreed.

Then Wen Shuhui cut in, “Jin Niang, don’t just congratulate others. You should think about your own matters too.”

Jin Niang chuckled. “If I meet the right person, I’ll marry. If I meet a benefactor, I’ll focus on my career. As for me, I’ll go with the flow.”

At home, her parents had even begun to walk on eggshells around her, and her younger brother was making progress in his studies, scoring first in his recent exam for the first time. With parental love, sibling affection, and a career smoother than most, Jin Niang had not much to complain about—except for the lack of a match.

The atmosphere among the embroiderers at the Embroidery Academy was far less competitive than in the Zhou household, and everyone bantered easily. Xu Sanjie asked Zou Yue, “Even if the engagement is rushed, the ‘Three Golds’ are a must. Otherwise, when you marry, they’ll say you went empty-handed. Especially with mothers-in-law—if you forgo the betrothal gifts for their sake, they’ll assume no one else wanted you.”

The Song Dynasty also had the “Three Golds,” but unlike modern times, they referred to gold bracelets, gold bangles, and a gold pendant.

Some people in this world are like that—if you act magnanimous, they mistake it for weakness.

Zou Yue simply shook her head. “Those are luxuries for fancy folks. How could we afford them?”

Xu Sanjie grinned. “I’ve heard there’s some kind of alchemy these days—turning small coins into gold.”

After listening to a heap of domestic gossip, Jin Niang finally left work, thinking how tangled relationships like those between mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law could be. If anyone ever gave her trouble, she’d make sure to teach them a lesson.

On her way home, she found her third aunt visiting. Usually unkempt, today she was dripping in gold earrings and bracelets, gushing excitedly. “They really can turn lead into gold now! I picked up a random rock, and it turned into gold! I asked him to do it again, but he said he needed to recharge his magic first. Now they want us to pool money to start an alchemy workshop and buy some special herbs. A golden opportunity—of course, we thought of you!”

Though Wei Xiong and Luo Yuer weren’t particularly worldly, they were cautious with money. Wei Xiong shut it down immediately. “How can there be so many good things in this world? Even if there were, they wouldn’t come my way.”

“If it’s not real, then what’s this?” The third aunt flashed her gold.

Her mother quickly added, “We’d better not get involved. We don’t have money for this. If we did, we wouldn’t have had to borrow from your third uncle.”

The third aunt left sour-faced. Jin Niang gave her parents a grin of approval. “Father, Mother, I was afraid you’d fall for that hocus-pocus. It’s obviously a scam.”

“I’ll talk him out of it later. It’s clearly unreliable,” Wei Xiong said, already on his feet.

Jin Niang sighed, "Third Uncle’s probably too stubborn to listen."

Third Uncle’s family never bought property. They were tight with food and drink, kept all their money in cash, and always looked for easy ways to make more. They thought working hard from dawn till dusk was exhausting. Jin Niang sighed again—she didn’t think Wei Xiong stood much of a chance.

Sure enough, when Wei Xiong came back, he said, “Your Third Uncle gave me the side-eye and said he was already on board—even if it meant getting scammed.”

“Look, you and Mom should just give him back those twenty strings first. If he makes money, we can send it over later as a bonus. If he loses, at least he’ll have something for daily expenses,” Jin Niang said.

Back then, scams were everywhere—stuff like mixing fish oil into cooking oil, injecting water into pork, selling wormwood instead of chrysanthemums, or passing off fake clams as pufferfish.

Her mom would rant after every market trip: “Not a single honest soul among the pork sellers!”

Back in her room, Jin Niang picked up her needlework. Since the start of the year, she’d only made decent money once—selling embroidered clothes at New Year. After that, things had been flat. Now, almost August, she’d barely scraped together fifty strings, way less than last year.

She knew she’d hit a wall in her work. Back at the Zhous’, she’d been full of ideas and inspiration. At the Embroidery Academy, her skills had improved, but the strict rules had slowly boxed her in. She started chasing trends, losing sight of what she’d loved most about embroidery.

She needed to find balance. Thinking this through, Jin Niang went out to find her mother. In the evening, they strolled along a street near Panlou, where vendors sold imitation hairpins, hats, combs, and collars. They nibbled on treats while window-shopping.

Out of nowhere, a vendor barked, “My collars are exactly like the ones at the Ghost Market!”

Ghost Market?

Jin Niang hurried over and asked, “Uncle, what’s the Ghost Market?”

The vendor scoffed, “You don’t even know? It opens at the fifth watch, lit by lanterns, and breaks up at dawn. They’ve got everything—clothes, paintings, flower wreaths, collars…”

Jin Niang’s eyes lit up. She lived by the saying: without small steps, you can’t walk a thousand miles; without little streams, there’s no great river. To grow, you must always observe others. But sneaking out to the Ghost Market alone? No way.

Luo Yue just grinned. “Let’s take a day off soon and all go together.”

“Mom…” Jin Niang remembered how Dad had barely dragged himself to work last time, despite his bad back.

No way around it—making it in Bianjing was tough. Their skills were limited, and they had to stay close to her brother’s school so they could look after him. They pulled in maybe three, four hundred cash a day, profiting around two hundred. After rent, books, paper, and living costs, barely anything was left each month.

Luo Yue cut in, “No use worrying about that. Our shop’s finally picking up. If we make a few dozen strings a year, I’ll be happy.”

“Fine, then—my treat at Huixian Tavern soon,” Jin Niang beamed.

“No need to splurge—just a tea shop’s fine,” Luo Yue waved her off.

“Then let’s go to Xu’s Gourd Soup Shop on Panlou Street. After eating, we can check out the nearby entertainment district.”

That settled that. After browsing the novelties, Jin Niang and her mother headed home.

Elsewhere, Feng Sheng was nudging Rong Niang to lighten up.

“It’s almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and the streets are lively now. Why not take the kids out?”

Rong Niang flinched at the memory and shook her head. “Better to stay home.”

“What’s the big deal?” Feng Sheng frowned.

After a long pause, he sighed. “Still thinking about last time? We couldn’t help it—your second uncle’s neighbor was robbed and nearly hurt. I’ve hired two more guards now. It won’t happen again.”

Rong Niang shot him a look. “Our life’s already good enough. Why push so hard?”

“How can I not? A decent house runs two thousand taels easy. We’ve got two sons—each needs his own courtyard. We’ve already got seven or eight servants and a carriage. At least get a three-section house with a garden—you love flowers.”

Rong Niang gaped at him like he’d lost his mind. “Have you gone mad? You earn a few hundred strings a year, but our expenses are huge. A three-section house costs five thousand taels—that’s a decade of pinching pennies!”

The pressure felt unbearable.

Feng Sheng, however, was filled with a different kind of exhilaration. "Now we can finally hold our heads high."

"You're just..." Rong Niang instantly felt the weight of immense pressure.

Accompanied by her parents, Jin Niang visited the ghost market once and came away with plenty. Thus, by the ninth month, she debuted a chrysanthemum-themed clothing line.

The main outer garment was in Tianshui green (a pale celadon hue), with the collar lining using a blue-green base embroidered with chrysanthemums. This time, she made a wide-sleeved outer robe, so the cuffs were also adorned with chrysanthemum embroidery. Paired with a skirt dusted with gold, the hem featured a layer of chrysanthemum-patterned lace. Her chrysanthemum designs, frequently embroidered at the Embroidery Academy recently, were unmatched by those outside. Yet, she also incorporated the intricate details from the Brocade Pavilion, even fashioning the waist ties into chrysanthemum motifs.

By the Double Ninth Festival, this set of clothing sold for twenty strings of coins for the first time.

After the festival, Zou Yuee married ahead of schedule, beaming every day. She even whispered to Jin Niang privately, "Marriage isn’t so bad after all."

Seeing Zou Yuee's radiant expression, Jin Niang felt somewhat embarrassed.

Inspired by Zou Yuee, Meng Liniang also felt her heart flutter. Before the month's end, she decided to leave the Embroidery Academy to prepare for her wedding. Jin Niang tried to dissuade her, "You make good money here every month. Why give it up?"

Meng Liniang smiled. "He said once I marry into his family, they’ll find me another job, one that’s easier than this. Besides, the wedding needs preparation. I’ve already spoken to Embroidery Master Gu, and she agreed."

Since Embroidery Master Gu had consented, Jin Niang didn’t press further, simply saying, "Then I wish you all the best in your new life."

Having worked in several places, Jin Niang realized that apart from her family, she’d grown more detached—truly, people have different friends at different stages of life.

After Meng Liniang left, Zou Yuee, now married, spent more time conversing with other married women and gradually saw less of Jin Niang.

Jin Niang, however, immersed herself deeper into embroidery. Patterns she once found overwhelmingly complex, she now deconstructed and mastered. In the entire floral-and-bird workshop, no one could match her speed and skill.

Returning home one day, she found the door locked. Unlocking it and securing the door behind her, she wondered why her parents weren’t home. Fortunately, there were two wheat cakes in the kitchen, which she ate to stave off hunger. It wasn’t until evening that her parents returned with Yang Geer. Jin Niang hurried to greet them.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" she asked.

Her father looked dejected. "Your third uncle and aunt have abandoned their business, leaving your grandmother and cousins behind. Your mother and I went to check on them. I’m certain your third uncle was scammed, but they refuse to believe me. Even your aunt came all the way from Jiangling to join them in some shady alchemy scheme."

Jin Niang also thought it was a scam but was puzzled. "Why didn’t Third Uncle try to persuade Eldest Brother-in-law?"

Her mother sneered. "Your third brother-in-law is too sharp for that. I suspect your third uncle knows the alchemy is a fraud but is trying to drag others down with him to recoup his losses."

Feng Sheng was indeed shrewd; he recognized the scam immediately. But unlike Wei Xiong, he wouldn’t intervene. In his view, Wei the Third’s greed was his own doing—why bother? Besides, such matters were beyond persuasion.

He held this belief and was blunt about it with Rong Niang, who grew increasingly alarmed. Family meant everything to her. She always welcomed relatives from their hometown without reservation.

But her husband was different. Apart from himself, he truly loved no one.

Thinking this, Rong Niang wanted to leave, but where could she go? She had no parental home to return to. Her second uncle’s family barely interacted with her, and her third aunt was too muddled. She was stuck stewing at home.

While she stewed, Jin Niang was earning praise at the Embroidery Academy. Though she couldn’t perform two-sided embroidery with color variations, her needlework was exceptional, and she completed garments faster than anyone.

By the ninth month, she was even promoted by Embroidery Master Gu to the top-tier team sewing robes for the palace, earning three hundred coins more per month than her peers.

Embroidery Master Gu encouraged her, "If you excel, the Emperor himself might reward you."

"Truthfully, I’m not that skilled. It’s only because you’ve been promoting me," Jin Niang genuinely believed.

Embroidery Master Gu waved her off. "Nonsense. Though you weren’t trained by renowned masters, your aptitude is outstanding. Originally skilled in Shu embroidery, you’ve now mastered Xiang and Su styles. Given time, you’ll go far. While others complete a hundred pieces, you finish three hundred—I’ll be relying on you. Though you declined me before, my admiration for you has only grown."

Jin Niang was baffled. "But I haven’t done anything?"

Embroidery Master Gu smiled wryly. "Even you can see how slim my hopes are, yet my family keeps binding me with them. I’ve been fooling myself."

She made empty promises to others, and others did the same to her, which ultimately cost her precious youth.

Seeing this, Jin Niang decided not to beat around the bush with someone so sharp. "The palace is a world of its own—once you enter, there's no turning back. Embroiderer, you're in the prime of your life, with exceptional embroidery skills and a fair and just manner. You could go far outside these walls. Why chase illusions like flowers in water or the moon in a mirror?"

Gu Embroiderer gave a faint smile. "I feel the same way. That’s why I’ve already decided to return and reclaim my family business. I won’t let my younger siblings chip away at it while I’m gone."

"In that case, that’s truly wonderful," Jin Niang said sincerely.

Gu looked at her thoughtfully. "With my departure, the position of Chief Embroiderer will be vacant. I’d like you to take over temporarily. However, the senior Chief Embroiderer feels you’re too young, so you may stay a little later these days."

When she saw Jin Niang hesitate slightly, she asked, "You don’t want to?"

Jin Niang immediately straightened up and replied earnestly, "How could that be? I’m more than willing!"

A Chief Embroiderer’s monthly wage was six to eight taels of silver. Jin Niang had originally planned to leave early today because her mother mentioned a matchmaker might bring a suitor by. But now, after a moment’s hesitation, she chose to stay a bit longer.

After all, for a woman, career comes first—romance can wait.