Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

“Second Sister, how did you manage to get so thin?” Ying Niang asked in disbelief, half-probing.

Jin Niang smiled and covered her face with her hand. “Maybe I just grew into my frame.”

“You didn’t eat less?” Ying Niang pressed further.

Jin Niang shook her head. “Of course not! I eat plenty every day. I’m too lazy to cook breakfast or lunch, and I even have late-night meals after dinner. If you don’t believe me, ask Mother.”

Luo Yu’e naturally wouldn’t reveal her daughter’s secret weight-loss efforts and played along, pointing to the half-cut cured pork hanging under the eaves. “I made her braised pork rice just yesterday.”

“So people really can grow into their frames…” Ying Niang murmured, watching Jin Niang with a pang of envy.

Jin Niang had no intention of broadcasting her dieting. After all, they were about to leave Fetid Water Lane behind and start anew. She also knew what Ying Niang and the others were trying to fish out from her—if she told them, they’d only gossip behind her back later.

They had come under the pretense of helping move house, but as soon as they arrived, Ying Niang pulled An Ping aside, afraid he might actually help. Instead, she cheerfully produced some Chinese flower cards and suggested they play mahjong later.

Rong Niang remained silent throughout. Even Luo Yu’e could see that none of them truly wished her daughter well. Rong Niang had once been decent company, but now she was acting coldly too.

Still, as her daughter had said, it felt strangely satisfying to give them such a slap in the face.

Watching them squirm without being able to say a word.

Thankfully, before the move, Luo Yu’e had mentioned that relatives had promised to help—but Jin Niang insisted they shouldn’t rely on anyone. Instead, she had everyone carry over household goods bit by bit whenever they visited. Now, everything fit neatly onto just two carts.

Rong Niang and Ying Niang exchanged uneasy glances in the carriage.

When they arrived at the new house in Sweet Water Alley, they were even more stunned. They had heard Jin Niang’s new home was just a single courtyard, but this—what was this? The front façade spanned three wide bays, with a glossy plaque hanging above the central doorway reading *Madame Wei’s Needlework Shop*. A large vat stood by the entrance, floating with bowl-sized water lilies nestled among lotus leaves, glistening with dew.

On either side of the vat hung paper shop signs—one declaring “Lead Embroiderer of the Embroidery Academy,” the other listing specialties: floral and bird embroidery, dresses, detachable embroidered collars, shoes and socks, bridal robes, wedding quilts, and silk tapestry repairs.

Entering through the main gate, they saw a waist-high counter to the west, holding counting rods and several ledgers. Behind the counter stood an eight-foot-tall cabinet stocked with threads, yarns, and fabrics of every color. Beside the cabinet was an arched doorway draped with an orange satin curtain embroidered with phoenixes and peonies. Lifting the curtain revealed an inner room with one large embroidery frame, two smaller ones, bamboo trays, embroidery hoops, and various needlework implements. At the far end sat a divan, surrounded by exquisite silk paintings.

Exiting the inner room, the eastern side presented another scene—a round table, embroidery benches, a tea cabinet, and another chaise lounge, arranged much like a private boudoir.

Rong Niang frowned. “What is this for…?”

“Oh, when customers come to choose designs, I seat them here if it gets crowded. My place is small, and I don’t have a separate tea room, so I had the carpenter build this tea cabinet to hold cups and tea scoops,” Jin Niang explained.

Rong Niang looked concerned. “You’ve invested so much—what if there are no customers?”

“It wasn’t that much,” Jin Niang replied. Half the furniture came included in the renovation costs, and the rest she bought herself—all for under twenty guan (about ten taels). The brocades she used were partly from the Embroidery Academy and partly from the Zhou family, making everything look dazzling and luxurious.

Truly, penny-wise, pound-brilliant.

As they spoke, Ying Niang returned with a booklet filled with illustrations of women in various outfits. “Second Sister, where did you buy these?”

Jin Niang covered her mouth behind her sleeve and laughed. “I didn’t buy them—I drew them myself. Over the years, I’ve made so many garments, and I’ve always sketched them first. It makes it easier for customers to choose.”

“I never knew you had this talent,” Ying Niang admitted, faintly impressed.

At first, they hadn’t thought embroidery particularly difficult—what woman didn’t know needlework? But seeing how Jin Niang had arranged everything so meticulously, and how they couldn’t resist admiring the embroidered pieces, their attitudes began to shift.

Jin Niang closed the main gate. “We’ll open in a few days. Let’s keep it shut for now—otherwise, vendors will come peddling their wares.”

With that, she led her sisters through the main gate toward the backyard. Ying Niang marveled, “I thought this was just a single-courtyard house. How is it so big?”

The western side was verdant and green, while the eastern side held a modest horse shed. Through the moon gate, they glimpsed tall buildings adorned with blooming flowers, exuding an air of elegant refinement.

Jin Niang smiled, "That's because I didn’t build side rooms on the west side—just a shallow corridor. The courtyard is also reduced by nearly half."

Rong Niang took a look and, once inside, saw it was indeed true. The kitchen wasn’t large—only half the size of theirs—but although small, it had everything. Even in the woodshed, there was a narrow bed.

The courtyard had no flowers or plants either—it was just for show. From the moon gate, it appeared layered and intricate, but once inside, many clever arrangements became clear.

The first floor of the small building had a small main hall. At the front stood a long table with an incense burner. Below it were four armchairs lined up like geese wings. On the east side was an octagonal table.

There were two other rooms on the first floor. Rong Niang asked, “Do you live here?”

The two rooms weren’t big; they must have been for her and her younger brother.

Jin Niang chuckled, “No, I live upstairs.”

They went upstairs, where it was a hidden gem. The east side was a boudoir with pink gauze curtains and a shiny satin quilt. There was even a soft carpet in the room, not to mention a six-door wardrobe, a desk, a lamp stand, a dressing table, and a washbasin stand—everything one could need.

Outside the boudoir was a small chamber containing a bathtub, a wooden basin, and a washbasin.

Rong Niang muttered inwardly that Jin Niang’s personal space alone was larger than what Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Yang Geer, and even their dining room and main hall combined had.

Even on the second floor, there was a small balcony filled with blooming roses of all colors.

Jin Niang laughed, “My mother planted these—she wouldn’t take no for an answer, so I had no choice.”

Finally, Ying Niang voiced the question, “Second Sister, your second floor is so lavish—it’s even bigger than Second Aunt’s.”

Jin Niang blinked, “I bought the house, didn’t I?”

She now showed no regard for them at all.

“Oh right,” Ying Niang murmured. She thought her sister wasn’t very filial, but she didn’t dare say more.

Jin Niang then invited them downstairs, and Rong Niang asked, “Why aren’t your curtains embroidered with anything? They’re nice, but wouldn’t flowers make them even better?”

Jin Niang giggled behind her hand, “The front is for the shop—it’s for customers. We don’t need fancy stuff for ourselves.”

At the housewarming meal, though eighteen dishes were prepared, Feng Sheng barely said a word.

On the way back, neither he nor Rong Niang knew what to say.

“You—” “You—”

Rong Niang paused, “You go first.”

“I don’t have much to say, except that your cousin is too pushy, always trying to outdo everyone,” Feng Sheng shook his head.

Rong Niang nodded, “Honestly, I don’t mind that. Setting up this kind of business is no small feat for someone so young. But she spends not only her own money on vanity, but also her parents’ as well. Second Aunt told me herself that they bought their own furniture, yet Jin Niang still took the largest room for herself and left two tiny ones for her parents.”

“Everything for herself,” Feng Sheng sighed.

Rong Niang agreed, “Exactly. Earlier in the kitchen, she hacked at the vegetables, and her mother didn’t even trust her to wash dishes. She sleeps in till noon—”

She stopped herself, realizing she too slept late now that her in-laws weren’t around. With five or six servants at home, life was different.

As for Feng Sheng, he seemed distracted, lost in thought. Once, he used to command respect among men, but today Wei Xiong, that penniless scholar, had scolded him for saying the house wasn’t facing south.

Still, Feng Sheng remarked, “So Jin Niang will be her own boss now?”

Rong Niang nodded, “Yes, she’s got everything ready. I thought if she needed money, I might lend her some, but when I asked Second Aunt, she didn’t even know how much Jin Niang had. Jin Niang herself just brushed it off, saying she’d ask if she needed it. Guess my goodwill meant nothing.”

Sitting on the soft, fragrant bed, Jin Niang glanced at her money box—there were exactly a hundred guan left, all she had. Rong Niang and the others thought she was putting on airs, but they simply didn’t understand her. She was never the type to spend all her money recklessly.

Moreover, after all these years at the Embroidery Academy and the Zhou family, she had accumulated plenty of woolen threads, silk threads, and premium silks and embroidered fabrics. Starting her business wouldn’t require much capital—the house was hers, and fabrics could be put on tab first. If someone used the materials, they’d pay; if not, they could even be returned.

Jin Niang wasn’t even worried about lacking business. She had been in the embroidery trade for ten years, and her skills were decent—it was just a matter of earning more or less.

What’s more, she was her own best advertisement. Gazing at her reflection in the bronze mirror on the dressing table, she let out a small smile.

That evening, Jin Niang soaked in a bathtub for the first time. The house in Stinky Water Alley had been too small, forcing her to visit the communal baths for a scrub each time, which cost fifteen wen per visit. Now, at home, she could bathe whenever she pleased.

After all, she had a well and a house.

The next morning, Wei Xiong took Yang Geer to Academician Wu’s home, while Luo Yue and Jin Niang went to a nearby rental broker to rent out the house in Stinky Water Alley.

Jin Niang wore a light purple undergarment, a cross-collared underrobe in cherry pink, gray cotton trousers underneath, and a blue-green jacquard pleated skirt with a tortoiseshell pattern. A matching belt with a beaded pendant cinched her waist. Over it, she wore a goose-yellow satin overcoat, the highlight of her outfit. The overcoat was split front and back, with long collars embroidered with floral branches and edged in white, looking both warm and airy, without any bulkiness.

Seeing her daughter so beautiful, Luo Yue was happier than if she had eaten honey. She whispered, "Your cousins were so jealous when they saw you yesterday."

"They just can’t bear to see others thrive, but I won’t indulge them," Jin Niang laughed.

After closing the door, Jin Niang stepped onto the street and realized just how striking she looked—so many heads turned her way. She couldn’t help but say to Luo Yue, "Mother, this is the trouble with becoming beautiful."

Luo Yue hadn’t expected her daughter to look like this after losing weight. Her features weren’t as naturally fine as Rong Niang’s, but together, they created such beauty.

"Mother, I plan to hire some help—one for rough work, one to attend to me personally, and another to handle deliveries. That way, I won’t have to go out so often," Jin Niang said.

As delightful as it was to bask in her own beauty, beauty without status to shield it could easily become someone else’s plaything.

Luo Yue quickly objected, "What do you need so many for?"

"One for cooking and laundry, one to help me dress and greet customers in the embroidery shop, and another for deliveries. But let me be clear—I’ll cover the cook’s pay, but you and Father will cover the food expenses," Jin Niang stated upfront.

Luo Yue agreed immediately, "Of course. Once the house in Stinky Water Alley is rented out, the rent money can cover their wages."

"No need, no need. Younger brother needs funds now. Just cover the food, and in the future, you and Father won’t have to rush back for business—I’ll have someone deliver things to you," Jin Niang said.

With that, mother and daughter settled their household arrangements.

The house in Stinky Water Alley was rented out within a single day—three guan a month, paid every three months on the tenth, with an additional string as a deposit. Luo Yue received ten strings right away.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang was busy hiring help. The first to arrive was a neighborhood madam, Madam Jiang, who scurried in with a few candidates. Seeing Jin Niang, she quickly curtsied, "This humble one pays respects to Madam Wei. I heard you were looking for servants, and I happen to have a few here for you to consider."

"Sister Jiang, please sit. Let me steep you some tea," Jin Niang said, placing loose tea leaves in a celadon cup with floral motifs before serving it to her.

Impressed by Jin Niang’s courtesy, Madam Jiang smiled warmly. "You’re too kind, miss."

Jin Niang waved her hand. "Please don’t think poorly of it."

After a sip, Madam Jiang set the cup down. "Does any strike your fancy?" She assumed the young lady would be soft-hearted and hoped to raise the price if she favored one.

But Jin Niang replied, "I’d like to know their prices first. To be honest, I just need a scullery maid—anyone will do."

Madam Jiang thought to herself that this young lady was sharp as a needle, asking about prices upfront. She exaggerated, "These girls are all skilled in making soups, dainty sweets, and even feast dishes for holidays."

"Of course, the hands you’ve schooled must be good. But I’d still like to know their rates," Jin Niang pressed. Her purse wasn’t deep.

After all, she wasn’t looking for master craftswomen or great beauties—just ordinary people suited for her modest household.

Auntie Jiang named her price, but Jin Niang shook her head in refusal, thinking to herself how greedy this matchmaker was.

Later, Matchmaker Li came next, promising candidates but then suddenly disappearing. Jin Niang now truly felt that dealing with people was the hardest part.

Fortunately, Madam Bao eventually arrived—no-nonsense and efficient. Jin Niang inspected the four girls she brought: two with delicate features, the other two more ordinary in appearance. She asked them, "Who here knows their way around a stove?"

Madam Bao smiled. "Rest assured, they all do."

Jin Niang said, "Here’s a radish. Slice it into thin strips—let me see your skills."

Madam Bao hadn’t expected Jin Niang to be so meticulous. Among the girls, some were eager while others were sweating bullets. First, they sliced the radish, then kneaded dough, and finally prepared a bowl of fish soup. The best performer turned out to be a stocky girl who seemed plain at first glance. Jin Niang spoke with her further and inquired about her background from Madam Bao.

She had previously served a concubine in a military officer’s household. When the concubine angered the first wife, she was sold off along with the girl.

Jin Niang fell silent for a moment before saying, "Madam Bao, I’ll take her on a month’s trial. I’ll pay her wages directly. If she proves suitable, I’ll finalize the contract with you. If not, I’ll return her."

Seeing that Jin Niang also gave her twenty coppers for her trouble, Madam Bao agreed, and the girl was left behind.

Once the kitchen maid was settled, another group arrived in the afternoon—this time for a personal maid. Jin Niang didn’t want someone mouthy or quick-witted, just an ordinary girl who could get along with her.

The test involved serving tea, styling hair, and basic needlework. Skill wasn’t the priority—just the ability to follow instructions.

Thus, another girl was kept for a month’s trial.

As for the errand boy, Jin Niang chose Chen Xiaolang from Fetid Water Lane. A year Yang Geer's senior, he had once been exceptionally bright—even surpassing Yang Geer in studies. But after his father abandoned the family and his mother ran off, he studied under Xiucai Gou for a year, living off his grandparents' charity. Now, with his grandfather gone, he struggled to survive. When Jin Niang’s mother returned to Fetid Water Lane to retrieve belongings, she learned Chen Xiaolang’s grandmother had also passed away.

Jin Niang and Luo Yue gathered old quilts and padded jackets to help furnish his new quarters.

The girl chosen to serve Jin Niang was named A’Ying, twelve years old. Her mother died when she was three, and her stepmother treated her cruelly. She was once sent as a child bride for a disastrous match—when the groom died shortly after, she was sold off.

Jin Niang gave her an old trunk in the storage room behind the western bathhouse, along with bedding from her time at the Zhou family, a wooden basin, a towel, and even a box of pastries in case she got hungry. Despite her hardships, A’Ying had a proud spirit—she repaid kindness tenfold.

Seeing Jin Niang’s heavenly looks and graceful demeanor, A’Ying grew even more fond of her.

"Young Mistress, you’ve been too kind to me."

Jin Niang smiled. "Then remember what I ask of you."

A’Ying’s eyes gleamed. "What would that be?"

"Nothing much. Before 7 a.m., you must dress, clean my room, wash my clothes, and hang them behind this building. At 7 a.m., come to help me dress and style my hair. We’ll have breakfast at 8 a.m. In the shop, you’ll learn to serve tea—I’ll teach you the proper method. For casual visitors, offer loose tea; for regular customers who’ve placed orders, serve properly frothed tea. You’ll also measure clients and show them my pattern book."

A’Ying quickly agreed. "I’ll do everything you’ve said, Young Mistress."

"Good. Ask me if you’re unsure about anything."

Juxiang, the kitchen maid, was easier to arrange—her bed was placed in the woodshed by the kitchen. Jin Niang laid out her duties clearly: "Prepare breakfast by 8 a.m.—five days of gruel, five days of solid meals. Lunch at noon, dinner at 5 p.m. My mother will provide rice, flour, and vegetables; I’ll buy firewood and fine charcoal. On special occasions, I’ll give you extra money. Laundry and courtyard cleaning are also your tasks."

Juxiang nodded eagerly.

As for Chen Xiaolang, now dressed in Yang Geer’s hand-me-downs, he looked even more refined. Jin Niang smiled. "Since you’ve agreed to work here, do well. You’ll sleep behind the embroidery room. During the day, deliver goods and run errands. Keep the front area clean, wash your own clothes, and don’t bring piss pots inside—use the privy out back. At night, stay alert—there’s plenty of fabric here, and any damage must be repaid."

She then specified when to open up shop and the cleaning routines beforehand.

With the new hires, Luo Yue was spared the drudgery—cooking and laundry were now handled by others. She and her husband could focus solely on their shop.

In the morning, A’Ying had already cleaned the upstairs rooms thoroughly. She poured hot water from the iron vacuum flask, mixed it with cold, and used the warm water to wash smallclothes. Only undergarments needed daily changing in winter, so the task was quickly done. After hanging the laundry, she fetched hot water from the kitchen to wake Jin Niang.

Dressed meticulously, Jin Niang went downstairs for breakfast—Juxiang had prepared millet porridge, preserved vegetables, and a hard-boiled egg.

After breakfast, she had A'ying take everyone's measurements, coached them on customer service, showed Chen Xiaolang how to answer and ask questions, and even had her father teach him how to ride a donkey and drive a cart.

She discovered that A'ying was actually quite adept at handling interactions, performing even better than expected, while Chen Xiaolang had an excellent memory. When she taught him bookkeeping and calculations, he grasped everything clearly.

The two of them deeply respected Jin Niang. Watching in awe as she painted double-layered jasmine blossoms, they came over to look and silently marveled at her skill.

Jin Niang glanced up at them and smiled, saying, "Today, we'll prepare everything, and tomorrow we'll open for business."

She made two undergarments, a beizi jacket, two pleated skirts, and several pairs of pouches—all top-notch craftsmanship. Jin Niang silently prayed that the grand opening the next day would bring good fortune.