Chapter 58

Chapter 58

On the day of the Lantern Festival, Jin Niang sold three pleated skirts: one white damask pleated skirt with a golden floral pattern, one white silk pleated skirt embroidered with magnolia blossoms, and one white camellia-colored skirt subtly adorned with swirling motifs. Together, they brought her a total of nine guan.

By mid-month, she had also sold one embroidered scroll, two beizi jackets, twenty sets of pouches, and now the three skirts brought her total earnings to twenty-four guan. Still, the workload was exhausting. For the first time that month, she chose not to stay up all night embroidering and instead prepared to rest.

Unexpectedly, Chen Xiaolang came upstairs and asked specifically for A Ying, saying Liu Douer had personally delivered a lantern.

Liu Douer was Jiang Xian’s servant, so it was clearly a gesture from Jiang Xian himself rather than from the elders of his household. The golden fish-scale design combined with the warm red glow of the candlelight created a rare moment of tranquility.

“So beautiful,” Jin Niang murmured with a smile.

She rarely allowed herself time to appreciate such things; the pressures of life always made her feel as though she couldn’t stop moving.

A Ying noticed Jin Niang with her hair down, her small face turned toward the lantern in quiet contemplation. Something about the sight stirred a subtle sadness within her. In the Wei household, everything fell upon the young mistress to manage. Though she earned well, she worked harder than anyone else—yet never lost her temper, always remaining calm and reasonable.

This year, the embroidery workshop had many repeat customers, nearly all sustained by her efforts alone. She could quickly discern what clients wanted, create garments that met their expectations, and did it all swiftly and skillfully without ever slacking off.

Her happiest moments were when there were no customers, and she could sit quietly reading books. But don’t mistake her for being delicate—A Ying had long observed that Wei’s father seemed honest but was actually stubborn and confused, while Wei’s mother was emotionally unstable. Both had been kept in order by the young mistress. Not just her parents, but even difficult customers and competitors had found themselves outmatched by her.

Yet now, watching the lantern, she looked utterly innocent.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xian was at Fanlou, engaged in a poetry competition. Seeing Liu Douer return, he gave a slight nod before turning back to his writing.

Perhaps comforted by the presence of the lovely lantern, Jin Niang slept soundly that night. When she woke the next morning, her body felt rested and free of aches. After stretching lazily, she rose to wash and prepare for work, only to find an unwelcome guest waiting as soon as she opened the door.

“Wei Niangzi, why wouldn’t you sell me clothes yesterday? I sent my maid to buy them,” demanded a tall, fashionably dressed young woman who strode in without waiting.

She wore a cloud-tipped hairstyle, her eyes bright and expressive—undoubtedly attractive, but trouble often followed her. Each time she ordered a dress, paid in full, and took it home, she returned days later demanding a refund, claiming dissatisfaction. It was clear she was essentially renting clothes for free. Naturally, Jin Niang had stopped making garments for her.

Smiling politely, Jin Niang replied, “We’ve already made three outfits for you, and each time you returned them after wearing. Don’t you know that once worn, those pieces can’t be resold? I’ve already lost several items because of this—how could I risk selling to you again?”

Some people needed to be spoken to plainly.

Madam Fu retorted indignantly, “You run a business—you should accept returns if I’m not satisfied. Isn’t that what you said? Otherwise, I’ll report you to the Guild Master.”

“Then go ahead and report me. I wasn’t raised to fear bullies. A woman running a shop in Kaifeng doesn’t scare easily. Cutting into my livelihood is like harming someone’s family—if you want to cause trouble here, think carefully. A Ying, go fetch Officer Gao from the neighborhood watch post and call some workers over.” Jin Niang slammed the table and glared fiercely.

The swindler, realizing she wouldn’t get away with her usual tricks, turned tail and fled.

A Ying stormed outside, hands on hips, shouting curses after her before returning, still fuming. “How dare she threaten us with the Guild Master? We should be the ones reporting her—tell everyone not to make clothes for her!”

“Exactly,” Jin Niang agreed. “Go to the Guild Master later and explain the situation. I’m not afraid of trouble.”

Being confronted so early in the day soured her mood, so she paused her work for a while and asked Ju Xiang to brew some longan tea. Lately, her irregular meals and late nights had delayed her period by several days.

To her surprise, Ju Xiang served the tea in a lotus-leaf cup. She remembered how, during summer, when Jiang Xian last visited the embroidery room, the drink had spilled onto her chest, leaving him flustered and struggling to look away.

This confirmed what she already knew: Jiang Xian was handsome, dressed more meticulously than most men, and possessed a considerate, witty nature—he was comfortable with women taking the lead—but not for any deeper reason.

After calming herself, she welcomed a new customer who wished to commission a birthday outfit for her elderly mother. Thoughtfully, Jin Niang suggested, “What if we embroidered longevity peaches on the collar panel? Black satin as the base would highlight the festive peaches and show the elder’s dignity.”

The customer readily agreed. Jin Niang recommended several fabrics, letting her choose one. Excluding materials and threads, the workmanship came to one guan and eight hundred wen.

However, this order reminded Jin Niang that Jiang Xian’s eighteenth birthday fell on the sixth day of the third month. She decided to prepare a set of clothes in advance. This time, she opted for gold foil accents, but only a thin strip along the edges.

Thus, she crafted a complete set: a circuit-patterned straight-collar beizi, a dark brown pleated skirt, two pairs of socks, and a white silk cross-collar ru, which she arranged to have delivered.

At month’s end, while balancing the books, Jin Niang calculated that she had earned only thirty-three guan—far below expectations. Her period had disrupted work for nearly ten nights, and she hadn’t worked on scripture embroideries, shrinking her earnings.

To everyone's surprise, Liu Douer brought two pots of peonies and a pair of embroidered pouches. Inside each pouch were gold and silver ingots shaped like blooming peonies. Liu Douer said, “Our master wanted to express his gratitude for Madam’s kindness. He thought these auspicious coins matched your character well, so he asked me to bring them.”

Peonies symbolize nobility and elegance, representing wealth with kindness, status with virtue, and the ability to help others.

Though she appeared calm and innocent, she was far from being as indifferent as chrysanthemums or content with whatever came her way. She often prided herself on the saying: “When poor, focus on self-improvement; when rich, help the world.”

Jin Niang smiled and said, “Please thank your master for me. I also wish him a happy birthday and a lifetime of peace and good fortune.” She then had A Ying give the boy a small silver reward.

Chen Xiaolang also handed him some snacks wrapped in a handkerchief. The boy beamed with delight.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang happily examined the gold and silver ingots—more than ten taels’ worth! She had been worried about not saving enough this month, but now there was an unexpected windfall.

Over at Jiang Xian’s place, he was wearing the new robe Jin Niang had made. It featured an interlaced circles pattern, symbolizing smooth progress and official success. Madam Wei must have thought it would bring him career luck. The pine-needle green color was lovely too, and the collar was embroidered with bamboo, which stood for steady advancement.

Dressed in his new clothes, he went to greet his parents. His older brother was still wearing a worn-out robe from years past. Side by side, they looked like two different generations.

Madam Jiang Liu noticed, of course. But since her eldest son was married, his daily affairs were managed by Xu Shi. As his mother-in-law, she had little say. Her younger son, however, had received thoughtful gifts even before his bride entered the house. Not only did she send holiday presents, but she also specially made him a new outfit for his birthday. That single beizi likely cost ten guan, not to mention the undergarments.

As the old saying goes: follow the money, and you’ll find the love.

Madam Jiang Liu’s daughter Qigu had also returned. She was very considerate, bringing a ceramic inkstone, two new books, and a basket of longevity peach cakes. She told Jiang Xian, “If you have any questions, just ask your brother-in-law.”

Jiang Xian smiled and agreed, then stepped out.

After he left, Qigu turned to her mother and said, “You should rest a bit.”

Madam Jiang Liu shook her head. “How can I rest? Next month, Sixteenth Brother will marry, and everything feels so plain.”

Such words weren’t suitable for a married daughter visiting her family home. Qigu knew the household wasn’t as prosperous as it once was. In her childhood, her father had support from uncles and the respect of her grandfather’s old friends.

Now, her uncle had gone to Fujian as an education officer, and the other uncles were struggling too—some even worse off than their own family.

Qigu could only comfort her mother: “Don’t worry so much.”

“What is there not to worry about?” Madam Jiang Liu replied. “You married into a fine family, and my grandson studies harder than his uncles.”

Her daughter didn’t comment on Jiang Xian’s marriage—not because she approved, but because any disagreement would bring unwanted responsibility. Her husband was still studying, and though her dowry had been three thousand guan when she married, over five or six years, Qigu could sense her daughter’s struggles.

Indeed, Qigu’s personal servant later confided to Madam Jiang Liu: “The Xue family comes from a noble Hedong lineage, descendants of famous officials. They value frugality and diligence. Our young lady has dutifully served her in-laws and excels at embroidery. But a few years ago, Lady Xue fell ill and needed ginseng and Qizhou white snake (a medicinal ingredient) in her treatment. After a year of medicine, she seemed better—until a cold took her life. To cover the funeral costs, our young lady had to use her dowry savings. Now, what little money remains must support her husband and son’s studies and various expenses. Life isn’t easy.”

In the past, Madam Jiang Liu would have given financial help—after all, helping her daughter through hardship was natural. When her children were young, she had lived comfortably, never worrying about money. But after spending heavily on her children’s weddings, the family was no longer wealthy.

Now, her youngest son’s betrothal alone required five hundred guan, plus many other engagement gifts. The little private savings she had left were meant for him.

So, Madam Jiang Liu hardened her heart and said, “Once your husband passes the imperial exams, everything will be resolved.”

The nanny left, disheartened.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang placed one pot of peonies in her embroidery room and gave the other to her mother, Luo Yue, who loved gardening but rarely had time due to her business.

Looking at the flower, Luo Yue couldn’t help but say, “Sixteenth Brother really loves flowers, unlike you, who always says they stink and won’t even let me plant osmanthus trees.”

“Mother, honestly, those strong smells are unbearable! If I could, I’d hold my nose and walk away,” Jin Niang replied, wrinkling her nose at strong fragrances.

Still, Luo Yue placed a paper flower plant in Jin Niang’s embroidery room and said, “Look how pretty it is!”

As mother and daughter chatted and laughed, a shaft of spring light poured through the window, warm and comforting.

So, she sketched another spring outfit—lightweight and best made of gauze. It would be a peach-pink top with a water-green silk skirt. The blouse had subtle peony patterns embroidered into it to give it more elegance. While Song people often paid special attention to collar decorations, Jin Niang this time simply added white lace trim, but instead embroidered matching peach blossoms on the back of the top. For the waistband, she made ties shaped like budding peach flowers.

This outfit took Jin Niang a lot of work. On the first day she wore it, she pinned her hair up in two buns and stuck two or three real peach blossoms picked from a tree into each side. In the middle, she wore a cluster of silk flowers made to look like peach blossoms.

"If you were a fairy," A Ying laughed, "you’d have to be the Peach Blossom Fairy."

Jin Niang looked at her clothes. "What really matters is if someone buys it."

The orders for spring outfits came faster than expected. Jin Niang jotted them down: "Madam Liang from the rice shop in the west wants one set, a guest staying in the best suite at Huixian Tower wants another, and..."

In total, four sets needed to be made. Each was priced at four guan, with a cost of three guan per set, so that’s thirteen guan profit for all four.

Even with Jin Niang’s fast hands, it would take about twelve days—embroidery took time. But she also needed to keep innovating, so while working on this set, she started thinking about how to design the next one.

Just as she was holding her brush, deep in thought, Chen Xiaolang burst in, saying, “Miss, bad news! The Wang family’s silk shop has hired embroiderers to make clothes too. Lots of people are choosing fabric there and getting their outfits made right away. They just released a style almost exactly like your new spring outfit—but selling it for only one guan!”

There’s always someone copying. And they’re even ripping off ideas to undercut prices.

“So we need to keep coming up with new designs. Once these sell out, I’ve got other styles ready. Let them try to copy everything—they don’t have the skills to match.”

That’s also why Jin Niang had chosen the higher-end market from the start, avoiding low prices. She bought gauze at two guan per bolt, completely colorfast. Would they even use good fabric like this?

Chen Xiaolang added, “And they’re giving away handkerchiefs! Anyone who spends over one guan gets one. How shameless—they’re ripping us off!”

Right away, Jin Niang wrote eight big characters and told Chen Xiaolang to hang them outside:

“No rivals allowed. Confrontations are rude.”

Maybe because of this challenge, Jin Niang actually got inspired. For the next set, she planned a silver-red satin bodice, a light pink gauze robe, and underneath, a white sheer skirt embroidered with scattered red butterflies. Over that, she added a white semi-sleeved sheer outer coat.

Classy but delicate, elegant yet airy. Red was there, but only as an accent.

She rushed to finish the outfit, personally trimming the loose threads, then had A Ying iron it out. The next day, she sent Chen Xiaolang to deliver the completed sets to customers’ homes.

After that, Jin Niang changed into the new spring outfit and put on her fish-pillow crown. This look went perfectly with a crown—it made her stand out.

While A Ying showed the design book to a hesitant customer, the moment Jin Niang walked in, the buyer immediately decided to place an order.

“How much does this set cost?”

“It depends on what fabric you want. This one uses gold-threaded sheer silk—if you want the same, materials and labor together would be at least fifty guan. But if you go with crepe silk, thirty-six guan; with lighter spring gauze, twenty-five guan. Just a heads-up though—if the fabric is too cheap, you won’t get that soft, glowing effect,” Jin Niang smiled.

The customer said, “Then I’ll go with regular silk. Twenty-five guan covers everything, right?”

“Exactly. Fabric and thread are both included. A Ying, show this customer the crepe silk.”

“How long will it take?”

“About half a month. You can leave your address, and I’ll send it over.”

The customer hesitated, then left without placing an order. Jin Niang didn’t push—after all, not everyone could afford something like this.

Soon after, Chen Xiaolang came back in, saying, “Miss, I saw her heading toward Wang’s Silk Shop.”

“Let her go,” Jin Niang said calmly.

“But what if they copy our new design?” Chen Xiaolang worried.

Jin Niang chuckled. “That’s exactly what I’m counting on. That’s why I priced it high on purpose. Honestly, I’d happily sell this outfit for just ten guan.”

At Wang's Silk Shop, they thought they had uncovered Madam Wei's pricing strategy. Wang's shopkeeper said, "That Wei's Embroidery Shop charges too much. Let's set ours at fifteen guan—there’s definitely profit to be made."

Wang's hired six embroiderers, each earning four guan monthly. They worked tirelessly to produce ten sets. After all, though Wei's shop might be small, its designs were very popular. Naturally, Wang's didn't just copy Jin Niang; they also drew inspiration from Binyun Pavilion in the embroidery alley.

Binyun Pavilion originally sold wigs but later switched to embroidery after poor management. The Embroidery Guild Master had introduced them during a gathering.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang designed another set: a lilac tube top, a pearl-white gauze pleated skirt, paired with a pine-green beizi embroidered with peach blossom branches and trimmed with pink-white piping—understated yet elegant.

As for the earlier red set, it caught the attention of a lady from the Korean Duke’s household while visiting Xiangguo Temple. She ordered one set each for her two daughters.

Wang's ten sets, however, gathered dust. A Ying was puzzled: "Theirs are cheaper, so why hasn’t a single one sold?"

"Silly child," Jin Niang replied, "You said it yourself—they need to be cheap. But my designs are for those who can afford to wear crowns. Their audience wouldn’t buy even if priced at ten guan. My clients, though, are comfortably well-off and might splurge a little. So, I’m teaching them a lesson."

Word was that Wang's ten outfits remained on display, untouched.

Instead of reflecting on their blatant copying, Wang's owner cut the embroiderers' pay from four guan to one guan, leaving Jin Niang speechless.

Though not as busy as other shops, Jin Niang’s loyal clientele kept returning, trusting her taste when unsure what to wear.

Like now, when Miss Bai visited again. The daughter of a Vice-Prefect, she had just returned from out of town. Her mother, Madam Bai, privately complained that her husband’s inflexibility left them financially strained.

Miss Bai, past her coming-of-age (ji) ceremony but still unmarried, needed elegant yet affordable attire—perfect for Jin Niang’s reasonably priced, finely crafted pieces.

Seeing Jin Niang wearing the pine-green set, Miss Bai insisted on buying it off her.

"Miss Wei, I need it first thing tomorrow. Since we’re similar in size, just sell me the outfit you’re wearing," she said.

Jin Niang reluctantly sold the entire set—tube top, beizi, and skirt—for six guan.

With minimal embroidery, the set wasn’t expensive, and Miss Bai seemed delighted.

Leaving Wei's Embroidery Shop, Miss Bai exchanged a meaningful look with her mother. "Your father and Chancellor Liu took the imperial exams together," Madam Bai said. "Luckily, the Lius invited us. From Madam Liu’s tone, it seems they’re considering a match for you."

Miss Bai blushed.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang tallied her earnings: by the 26th of the second month, she had sold all her ready-made garments, netting thirty-nine guan.

With thirty-three guan left, she finally reached her 500-guan dowry target.

Unexpectedly, within two days, her remaining stock at Brocade Pavilion (Jinxiu Ge), which Tao the manager checked, was bought out, adding another four guan.

Jin Niang laughed. "I always seem to have a bit of luck when rounding up funds."

A Ying disagreed. "Luck? You’ve been working around the clock—no rest at all."

"Enough. Many work hard but earn far less. Let’s focus on embroidering my dowry. I’ve barely touched the bed curtains—just the visible parts will do." Like chefs who cook feasts for others but skimp on their own meals, Jin Niang put her heart into clients' clothes but neglected her own.

Meanwhile, Madam Liu held a flower-viewing party for officials’ wives, showcasing rare flowers. Jiang Shi attended with her fourth daughter and daughter-in-law, Zhang Shi. The fourth daughter, soon to marry far away, was brought along to build connections for her future husband’s career.

To her surprise, she met Miss Bai. Learning her identity, the fourth daughter was stunned—this was the woman who, in the books, was Jiang Xian’s wife. The rift between brothers Jiang Yan and Jiang Xian was said to stem from discord between their wives, Bai and Xu. Yet Jiang Yan became a renowned statesman, while Jiang Xian turned traitor.

Now, Jiang Xian was already betrothed, severing any ties with Bai.

Life’s twists were truly unpredictable.

Jin Niang sighed too—who could have foreseen the seemingly loving couple Feng Sheng and Rong Niang seeking separation?