Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The shop had been thoroughly cleaned by Ju Xiang, who also prepared breakfast for them—a bowl of dumpling soup for each.

Jin Niang was truly hungry, finishing even the broth in her bowl. It was so much more comfortable at home. Though the Jiang residence was grand, she never felt at ease with what she ate or drank there. Truly, a golden or silver nest is not as good as one's own humble abode.

Yet she was also incredibly fortunate. Her husband, though younger, was both talented and handsome. Her mother-in-law had never imposed strict rules on her, and though her relationship with her elder sister-in-law was strained, they lived far enough apart that the worst she faced was being ignored rather than mistreated.

Moreover, she had her own business, a house, and her parents and younger brother nearby.

"A Ying, I plan to hire an embroiderer through the Guild Master," Jin Niang said.

A Ying replied, "You're right, but we must choose carefully."

"Yes, I think so too. Otherwise, when we need to rush several sets of clothing, we can work faster." From selling outfits for silk figurines, Jin Niang realized she could gradually transition from embroidery to design work.

This would also make her life much easier.

Jin Niang offered a wage of three qian silver for the first month, including three meals a day. After a month’s probation, the pay would increase to a full guan monthly. This was a wage one could only earn after three years at Shu Embroidery Studio. Even at larger embroidery houses nearby, ordinary embroiderers earned at most two guan, and those at the Embroidery Academy also made no more than two guan.

She relayed her requirements to the Guild Master, who agreed readily and teased, "Madam Wei, I thought you'd closed your shop for good! They say you married into an official’s family."

"Don't be silly," Jin Niang replied with a smile. "What official family? My husband is just a scholar."

Though many women in Bianjing worked outside the home, most were either from poor families supplementing their income or widows. The general belief was that after marriage, a woman should tend to her husband and children.

After leaving the Guild Master, Jin Niang began sewing a few sachets embroidered with the five poisonous pests. From time to time, old customers stopped by to visit.

"Madam Wei, this dress of mine is too plain. I’d like to add some embroidery. What do you suggest?" asked Madam Bai.

Jin Niang examined the dress. The fabric had been fashionable two years prior—likely a gift that had been stored away. She didn’t point this out, only smiling as she said, "I think a roundel floral design would suit it well. This dress is a blush-red, perfect for a dense lotus roundel. Let me show you the design."

She fetched a pattern book from the Embroidery Academy and handed it to Madam Bai, who nodded approvingly. "Yes, this one! How much would it cost?"

"That depends on where you’d like the embroidery. If it’s just along the collar of this short-sleeved robe, it’ll be three qian. If you want the cuffs embroidered as well, it’ll be four qian."

Madam Bai suppressed a sigh. She loved fine clothing and couldn’t bear to wear anything subpar. Wei's Embroidery Shop in Sweetwater Lane was renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and innovative designs, with many patterns unavailable elsewhere.

Her monthly spending money was only two qian for personal expenses. After some thought, she said, "Madam Wei, I have a brick of Jian tea. Could I trade it instead?"

Jin Niang considered it—a brick of Jian tea was worth one guan, which was a fair deal. She smiled. "Normally, I wouldn’t accept this, but since you’re a regular customer, I’ll bend the rules. I’ll even add some sprays of flowers to the hem of your skirt."

Delighted, Madam Bai sent her maid at once to fetch the tea.

The brick of Jian tea had been a gift from Chancellor Liu’s wife. Her mother had deemed it too valuable to use, but with her upcoming matchmaking arrangements, she couldn’t afford to dress too plainly. The people of Bianjing were all so quick to judge.

Once Jin Niang received the tea, she drew up a receipt.

Madam Bai happily had her maid take it away.

In the afternoon, the Guild Master recommended a woman about twenty-five or twenty-six, a local whose husband worked at a fruit wholesaler’s. He had recently injured his back while carrying fruit, so she had to find work to help make ends meet.

Jin Niang asked, "Do you have children?"

"Three," the woman replied.

"Is there someone to help care for them?"

The woman shook her head. "I take care of them myself. I usually have them stay home."

"Alright, then I have three tests here. If you pass them, we can try working together for a month first," Jin Niang said with a smile.

She didn’t care about family burdens, but professional skills had to be top-notch. The first test was to embroider a pattern from her design book, the second was to mend a hole, and the third was to showcase her own specialty—all to be completed within two hours.

"Two hours? I can’t manage that. I have to go home and nurse my child," the woman said anxiously, glancing at the sky.

Jin Niang could only reply, "Then it won’t work out."

The woman went on about how pitiful her situation was, but Jin Niang smiled and said, "Our embroiderers work here at the shop. How about this—if our Embroidery Shop gets too busy later, we’ll call you for help, alright?"

"Fine, fine, fine." Without even attempting the tests, the woman, worried about her children at home, left.

Because the interview had taken some time, Jin Niang hurried into the embroidery room to work. A Ying sat beside her, sewing menstrual pads and remarking, "Isn’t that strange? Lady Bai is an official’s daughter, yet she trades tea for embroidery."

Jin Niang replied, "Whatever her situation, anything she casually pulls out is worth quite a bit. Besides, as an official’s daughter, her status is quite noble."

She didn’t dwell on Lady Bai’s situation. At her age, it was natural to be seeking a husband.

Even daughters of capital officials didn’t always marry easily, let alone the daughter of an out-of-town sixth-rank official. It was only normal for her to plan for herself.

In the afternoon, Jin Niang dined with Luo Yu and the others. Having been apart for a few days, they had endless things to talk about. Luo Yu smiled and said, "Now that Ju Xiang is back, things are much easier for me at home."

"I also thought Ju Xiang had no real role there, so I brought her back. It all worked out," Jin Niang said.

After the meal, Luo Yu privately asked her daughter, "On your homecoming visit after the wedding, there were too many people, and I forgot to ask—how is your husband?"

Jin Niang smiled. "He’s doing well. He studies during the day now and has handed over all his private savings to me. But I haven’t treated him poorly either. His mother is often ill, and his sister-in-law lives far from us. Unless it’s for formal greetings, we hardly see each other."

"That’s good, that’s good. You’ve really landed in clover. When I married your father and was pregnant with you, the eggs your grandmother brought for my confinement month were all sold by your paternal grandmother. During my postpartum period, I only ate ten eggs." Luo Yu still felt angry thinking about it.

Listening to her mother’s rambling, Jin Niang felt as if she were still unmarried.

Unfortunately, Chen Xiaolang said Jiang Xian had come to pick her up, so Jin Niang reluctantly bid her mother farewell. When she saw her husband outside, she felt nothing particularly special. Jiang Xian, however, was almost pouting. "I haven’t seen you all day, so I came straight to fetch you. Did you miss me?"

He wasn’t just saying this lightly—he was already very accustomed to being affectionate with Jin Niang. But Jin Niang thought about it and realized she rarely, if ever, thought of him.

Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she simply said, "Yes. Today, a customer came to order clothes but didn’t have enough money and offered a brick of Jian tea instead. I imagined us enjoying tea together—it would be perfect for whisking."

"Jian tea is also called wax-seal tea, best for whisking. Later, I’ll prepare a bowl for you, alright?" Jiang Xian noticed her reserve and felt a little disappointed. He was a sensitive man, keenly aware of others’ emotions.

There were many kinds of marriages in the world—some like his sister-in-law, who suffocated his brother, or his mother, who was domineering. But his wife wasn’t like that. She rarely lost her temper, treated others sincerely, followed rules, and made no demands. Such people were rare.

Wanting nothing makes one strong...

Jin Niang, worried he might overthink, nodded with a smile.

Back home, Jin Niang washed up first. She didn’t plan to do needlework at night—if she kept this up, her eyes might give out by thirty. Besides, sitting all day already took its toll, so she needed more rest in the evening.

Jiang Xian continued reading at night while Jin Niang made him chrysanthemum and goji berry tea. Meanwhile, she had A Ying use balsam flowers to stain her nails.

Now it was time for the girls. Min Zhi brought hot water, first washing and drying Jin Niang’s hands, then using a file and small scissors to trim the edges. Xi Qiu mashed the reddest balsam leaves with a pinch of alum into a paste, evenly applying it to Jin Niang’s hands and feet before wrapping them in leaves.

As they worked, Jin Niang had them guess riddles: "Here’s an easy one—A little iron dog guards the front door. When guests come visiting, they leave upon seeing it."

The maids chimed in eagerly, but Jin Niang raised a finger to her lips. "Hush now, don’t interrupt the master’s studies."

Everyone hushed their voices. A Ying guessed, "It’s a lock."

"Correct! Here’s another—not a riddle, though. If a white radish got drunk, what would it turn into?" Jin Niang asked.

Min Zhi immediately exclaimed, "Carrot!"

Jin Niang clapped her hands with a smile. "Min Zhi, you're so quick!"

The cheerful laughter from outside brought a knowing smile to Jiang Xian’s face. He loved this lively yet peaceful atmosphere—not the eerie silence of solitude, nor the loneliness of just staring at books.

After some time, they removed the leaves. Jin Niang entered the inner chamber, sat on the bed, and lifted her feet for them to dye them again, wrapping them in cloth. By morning, it would be done.

Jiang Xian had been reading, but his gaze drifted to the glimpse of Jin Niang's leg beneath her skirt—smooth as jade, her ankle slender, her feet delicate and rosy-toed, radiating delicate beauty. Suddenly, his throat felt dry. Even after finishing a pot of chrysanthemum tea, he still felt parched.

"Husband, what’s wrong? Are you tired?" Jin Niang noticed Jiang Xian rubbing his forehead, looking restless.

Jiang Xian quickly replied, "No, just a bit thirsty."

Jin Niang promptly asked the maids to fetch more tea. The maids hesitated, eyeing each other, clearly reluctant to leave Jin Niang’s side. Only after she instructed Min Zhi, the farthest one, did she finally go.

That night, as soon as Jiang Xian got into bed, he began nuzzling against her, only to be gently rebuffed. "You stayed up so late, yet you’re still restless. Yesterday, you kept at it for two whole hours—ten drops of blood per drop of essence!"

"I’m perfectly healthy," Jiang Xian sulked like a spoiled child.

Jin Niang retorted, "Behave. I just dyed my nails today. If you misbehave, I’ll turn my back on you."

That finally calmed him, though he hogged the thin blanket, much to her amusement.

The next morning, the maids removed the cloth and washed her nails. Jin Niang was delighted with the result. At the shop that day, she finished most of Lady Bai’s embroidery by noon. The morning brought few customers, but in the afternoon, the Guild Master sent another candidate—this one seemed competent but was too slippery, demanding a raise before even starting.

Fortunately, Jin Niang completed the embroidery in the afternoon and took another order: a full-length beizi with a "Manchi Jiao" collar panel for a string of coins.

She began cutting the fabric, tracing the design, and organizing the threads.

Having spent over a hundred strings of coins on her dowry for the wedding, Jin Niang set herself a new goal—to repay the pawnshop a hundred strings ahead of schedule and clear the debt early.

Returning home, she designed a set of "Auspicious Persimmons" garments—a tube top, inner robe, beizi, and pleated skirt—in blue plain silk paired with persimmon orange, bright and ideal for young women to wear during the Dragon Boat Festival.

But first, she needed to find a skilled embroiderer.

After finishing the sketch, Jiang Xian finally returned. Jin Niang greeted him and asked, "Why are you back so late today?"

"My aunt pressed me to stay for supper—I couldn’t refuse."

It turned out Jiang Xian had visited the Zhou family today. Jiang Shi had kept him for supper and a long chat.

Jin Niang smiled. "Did you go with eighth brother?"

"No, eighth brother went to our uncle’s house," Jiang Xian replied.

Jin Niang fetched his sleepwear and urged, "Go bathe first. I’ll keep you company while you study."

Jiang Xian, who had been longing for her since last night and had drunk a few cups of wine, suddenly swept her into his arms, ignoring the maids’ presence. The girls hastily retreated, but Jin Niang pushed him back firmly. "Go bathe first, then come back."

"Wife~ Do you know I’ve been thinking of you all day, even while drinking and studying?" Jiang Xian whined when she resisted.

Remembering she had indeed neglected him yesterday, Jin Niang couldn’t rebuff him entirely. Taking his hand, she suggested, "Then let’s bathe together, shall we?"

Seeing his impatience, Jin Niang wouldn’t let him near her unbathed. Leaning close, she whispered, "We haven’t done this anywhere else yet."

Jiang Xian lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bath...

An hour later, they emerged together. Jin Niang shot him a reproachful look. "You tore my undergarments! What will I wear tomorrow? The whole household should see your mischief."

A wife who is beautiful, capable, and of noble character is already rare enough, but their marital intimacy was even more harmonious. Since their wedding, he had felt as if he were in heaven almost every day.

Therefore, faced with his wife’s complaints, he knew he was at fault and said nothing.

He accompanied Jin Niang to bed and asked, “Did you find a suitable candidate today?”

Jin Niang placed a hand on her chest to steady herself before replying, “Not yet. There’s always some issue or another. It’s fine—more people will come tomorrow. Finding work isn’t easy these days.”

Jiang Xian wasn’t truly concerned about the business of her embroidery shop; he was just making conversation. He turned over and propped himself up to face her. “Dear, in a few days I’d like to take you to visit Academician Huang’s home. His wife expressed interest in meeting you.”

“Meet me?” Though Jin Niang wasn’t afraid of socializing, she found it exhausting. She would rather spend that time earning money.

“Yes, it’s just a family gathering—everyone chatting together,” Jiang Xian explained, trying to ease her tension.

Jin Niang looked at him. “Do you want me to go?”

Jiang Xian nodded. “I do.”

“Then I’ll go,” Jin Niang smiled.

Still, she added, “What should we bring? I don’t know their preferences.”

Jiang Xian dismissed her concern. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it. The master loves honey wine, and his wife enjoys fruit candies. I’ve already had Liu Douer buy them.”

Jin Niang quickly got up to jot this down. With so many tasks each day, she would forget easily if she didn’t.

After noting it down, she returned to bed, still nervous. “Since it’s my first visit and I don’t know their temperaments, I’ll talk less. I’ll speak more once I get to know them better. Otherwise, I might say something wrong and make things awkward for you.”

Actually, Jiang Xian had wanted to take her out for a change of scenery. He had heard from Xi Qiu that Xu Shi had gone to play chuiwan (a lawn game) without inviting Jin Niang, yet she never mentioned such troubles to him. Seeing how anxious she was now, he couldn’t help but recall her background—she wasn’t used to social circles. But she was doing this for him.

So he smiled. “His wife is very kind, and there’ll be many guests there. Just treat it as a chance to meet people, alright?”

For Jiang Xian, socializing came as naturally as breathing, but for Jin Niang, it was far more difficult. She didn’t crave much social interaction—friendships demanded time, money, and effort. Too many relationships distracted her from designing and embroidering.

But voicing this would likely confuse Jiang Xian, so she simply nodded.

“Sleep now,” Jiang Xian said, rubbing her back in slow circles, as if soothing a baby. Only after she fell asleep did he rise to study.

On the fourth day, Jin Niang finally hired a suitable embroiderer—a thirty-year-old woman wearing a faded blue headscarf. Her patched clothes were neat. Originally from Pingjiang, she had learned embroidery from her mother. Her husband had run a small dye workshop, and they had been well-off until their son was kidnapped. The couple had burned through nearly all their savings searching for him in Bianliang.

Now, both sought work to rebuild their household, fearing their son wouldn’t return if he found them in poverty.

Jin Niang admired their resilience. After Madam Zhu passed her three tests, Jin Niang agreed to a one-month trial before signing a contract.

“Madam Zhu, here’s the fabric and patterns. Start with these five-poison sachets and cords,” Jin Niang instructed, pointing to the design book.

Madam Zhu, seeing how young but meticulous Jin Niang was—rumored to have once served in the palace—and marveling at the intricate designs, replied promptly, “Yes.”

While working, Madam Zhu noticed Jin Niang’s steady, swift hands—clearly those of an expert—and grew increasingly respectful.

With help hired, Jin Niang could breathe easier.

After finishing the collar panel, she personally worked on her own design, letting Madam Zhu observe her process and standards. “For new patterns in my catalog, I usually make and wear a set first. Pay attention to my technique now—later, when orders come, I’ll assign them to you.”

Though quiet, Madam Zhu learned earnestly. When she struggled, Jin Niang gave an approving nod and offered guidance, reminding her to protect her hands to avoid snagging the delicate silk.

Unfortunately, as soon as Jin Niang wore the new outfit, someone wanted to buy it. Before she could oversee Madam Zhu’s progress, she had to accompany Jiang Xian to Academician Huang’s home.

They wore their wedding-day matching outfits, their collar panels both embroidered with entwined lotus blossoms—a perfect newlywed look. Sitting stiffly in the carriage, Jin Niang faced Jiang Xian, who watched her, tickled by her prim daytime demeanor compared to their nighttime antics. Truly, she seemed like two different people.

When they reached Academician Huang’s residence, Jiang Xian got out of the carriage first and then helped Jin Niang down. After stepping out, Jin Niang took a deep breath.

“Shiliulang has arrived. The master is in the main hall with several disciples and old friends, waiting for you,” a servant promptly greeted them as they approached.

Jiang Xian glanced at Jin Niang. Her eyes remained fixed on him like a baby bird, and his heart twinged. He couldn’t help but say, “I’d like to take my wife to pay respects to your wife first.”

A serving woman came to escort Jin Niang and teased, “Don’t worry, Shiliulang. I’ll personally take your lady inside.”

Seeing Jiang Xian’s concern, Jin Niang quickly reassured him, “Go ahead. I’ll follow this woman in.”

In wealthy families, men entertained men and women entertained women—rarely mixing together. Knowing the etiquette, Jin Niang urged him, “Hurry along.”

Only then did Jiang Xian leave.

Jin Niang was like a child starting kindergarten—nervous when her husband was there, but adapting well once he was gone.

When she arrived, Madam Huang already had several women guests there. Jin Niang even spotted Zhousi Guniang, who had reportedly also recently married—the son of a prefect from another region.

Zhousi Guniang noticed Jin Niang too. Having married into the Cai Prefecture over a month ago, her father-in-law had since been promoted to the prefect of Xiangzhou. Her mother-in-law was a cousin of Madam Huang, and through this connection—along with her husband’s scholarly merits—he had become a disciple of Academician Huang.

However, she hadn’t expected to find herself sitting as an equal with someone who used to be her servant.

“Madam Huang,” Jin Niang bowed respectfully.

Madam Huang, her hair streaked with gray, wore a deep-purple beizi over a brown skirt embroidered with gold. Smiling warmly, she said, “Please, take a seat. Shiliulang is already exceptionally handsome, but who knew his wife would be such a beauty?”

Knowing it best to speak little when unfamiliar with others—waiting to grow acquainted before engaging more—Jin Niang merely played shy, appearing quiet and proper.

Unexpectedly, her silence led Zhousi Guniang to misinterpret it as unease upon seeing her former mistress, fearing she might reveal Jin Niang’s past as a maid—hence her reluctance to speak.

She thought to herself, “Wei Jinniang is overthinking! I wouldn’t stoop that low.”