Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Madam Bao was fond of goose dishes, so she always had various kinds of goose on hand—crystal goose from Lady Tian, roasted goose from Jin Niang, and stewed goose soup from Lady Qi. During these moments, she was at her happiest, nibbling on goose while perusing the gift list with her feet up.

A tailor delivered three sets of garments, all made of fabric embroidered with gold thread. Madam Bao quickly paid the tailor and joyfully tried them on. Then she dipped into the household funds to have hairpins, rings, and earrings crafted. Still not satisfied, she took thirty taels from her private savings to have four gold bangles made.

Only after completing the bangles did she realize that her purse contained just a few odd taels left.

"My lady," said Qiao Er, Madam Bao’s confidante, who looked out for her interests, "why did you use up all your private money?"

Madam Bao treated Qiao Er differently and thus spoke candidly: "You don’t understand. The new Subprefect’s wife has invited us to a plum blossom viewing. After her flower banquet comes the hair-pinning ceremony for the Prefect’s daughter. I can’t possibly wear the same pair of gold bangles every day."

Her dowry was meager—just two shallow chests filled with what she called "servant's garb": water-red skirts and jade-green overdresses, hardly suitable for public appearances.

Qiao Er agreed, and the two discussed return gifts. Madam Bao thought about taking fabric from her dowry chest like others might do, but she had no choice but to dip further into the household funds to make purchases.

As for whether County Sheriff Mei had money—he often arrested criminals and collected taxes for the Scribe, so naturally he had funds. However, most of it remained under his control, with some going toward official gifts and the daily expenses of Madam Bao and his concubines. But these weren’t liquid assets, making saving private funds difficult.

Eager to make a grand impression that day, Madam Bao had been planning ahead.

Meanwhile, regarding the betrothal gifts for the Gu family’s second daughter, Jin Niang made another visit, bringing total earnings to four hundred taels over two trips, along with two baskets of pressed tea, sixteen bolts of fashionable silk, four boxes of spices, two mature dang shen roots, and two boxes of emerald hair ornaments.

Jin Niang first packed everything into trunks, then spent eight strings of cash to buy a pair of leather boots each for Jiang Xian and herself. In winter, leather boots kept the wet out during outdoor walks.

Jiang Xian’s boots were lake-blue with crane patterns, while Jin Niang’s were crimson with peony motifs. He found his pair fitting perfectly and asked about the price before remarking, "You always think of me."

"I bought one for myself too. This year, we’re attending the new Subprefect’s plum blossom banquet," Jin Niang smiled.

She had a plan in mind. Land in Wu County was fertile; good farmland cost about three strings of cash per acre. Buying a hundred acres would only cost three hundred strings. The money earned from serving as the wedding luck-bringer was already sufficient, but she didn't want to exhaust all her liquid funds. Once Jiang Xian’s salary arrived next year, along with rent payments from the capital, she could consider purchasing an estate.

But since she was unfamiliar with the area, she couldn’t act rashly—management would be an issue. So she needed to proceed carefully, whether acquiring land or hiring people.

In Wu County, a peck of rice cost around sixty copper coins, and an acre of good farmland produced roughly two to three bushels annually—about sixty strings of cash yearly income. If famine hit the capital, grain could be transported southward to avoid starvation.

But if they were transferred elsewhere later, it wouldn’t make sense to travel back and forth for just sixty strings of cash. Better to save more money to invest later.

At least it provided steady income.

Thinking this through, Jin Niang tempered her excitement over the new earnings and resumed embroidering Guanyin.

Jiang Xian, sipping tea, noticed her still working and remarked, "My lady, you should do less needlework now. Take care of your eyes."

"I only work on it during free moments these days. The two little rascals keep me so busy I rarely find time," Jin Niang laughed.

The couple exchanged a few words but mostly focused on their own tasks. At lunchtime, Jin Niang finally set aside her needlework to spend time with the children. Yun Jieer was clever with a sharp memory, but her younger brother Ning Geer remembered things even better. Though barely past his first birthday, he could read picture books after just one lesson, surprising Jin Niang greatly.

Yet between the two, Yun Jieer had a sunnier disposition, while Ning Geer was more independent-minded.

"Mother, I want to hear the story of 'Yanzi’s Mission to Chu' again," Ning Geer pleaded.

Jin Niang nodded. "Alright, I’ll tell it to you later."

For a child barely over a year old to speak so clearly—she patted her son’s head. She often told the children stories like “The Sudden Rise to Fame,” “Yanzi’s Mission to Chu,” or “Sun Jing Shuts His Door.” For a young child like Ning Geer, she taught children’s primers like *Crash Course* and *Family Teachings of Taigong.*

She would prepare study materials herself, explaining things in simple, easy-to-understand ways. This was something Jiang Xian greatly admired—Jin Niang truly lived a fulfilling life.

In the afternoon, after spending time with the children, Jin Niang retrieved her outfit for the flower banquet. She had A Ying press and scent it, then selected her jewelry so that A Ying could do her hair when the day came.

Soon the plum blossom banquet day arrived. Lady Qi had arranged a departure time. Since they were attending a government office event, they needed ceremonial headpieces. Jin Niang had one from her wedding, and after Jiang Xian earned his jinshi degree, she commissioned another—a silver auspicious-cloud-shaped headdress with gold and silver inlaid patterns. The base was lightweight, avoiding neck strain, and since it was silver, it was also much more affordable.

On either side of the headdress, fashionable silk flowers were pinned, with a gilded comb at the front of the bun and a paired floral gold hairpin at the back.

Once the hairstyle was done, she changed into her undergarments, beginning with a white sheer underbust corset subtly patterned with plum blossoms. Over this, she wore a matching mid-layer robe in the same hue, followed by an aqua-blue satin-padded jacket embroidered with camellia sprays. On top, she donned a dusty pink plain brocade short overcoat trimmed with sable fur. Around her waist hung the jade pendant carved with flowers and birds that had once been gifted by Zhang Jiulang, while on her wrists she wore the jade bracelets given by Liu Shi, her mother-in-law.

Unfortunately, Jin Niang owned only two fur coats—sable was too expensive, so she had opted for a shorter style to save half the cost. Since she would need to wear it again in a few days when visiting the Prefect's Lady, she chose the sable-trimmed overcoat today.

After finishing her head ornaments and attire, she stepped into her new pair of crimson lambskin boots embroidered with golden thread.

Once fully dressed, she went to wait for Madam Qi. Madam Qi wore a silver filigree round crown and was wrapped in a thick fur coat, while Madam Tian wore a gold crown decorated with ruyi and cloud motifs and a purple lynx fur coat.

Both wore ruyi-cloud crowns, but Jin Niang’s was made of silver, whereas Madam Tian’s was gold. Jin Niang didn’t mind at all and instead remarked, “Sister, did you also have yours made at the Shen family’s shop in Bianjing? The craftsmanship looks excellent.”

Madam Tian smiled. “No, I had mine made in Lin’an.”

“Our designs are the same, except mine is silver and yours is more beautiful.” Jin Niang thought to herself that a gold crown cost ten times more than a silver one—why waste the money? She simply laughed it off.

Madam Tian, ever tactful, quickly added, “I think yours is lovelier—the gold inlay makes it gleam like water ripples.”

As the three chatted, Madam Bao arrived last, wearing a gold crown and an opulent outfit—a brocade long coat embroidered with gold threads paired with a primrose-yellow skirt.

Snow had fallen these past few days, and the ground was covered with half-melted snow, making it easy for shoes to get soaked. Jin Niang was glad she had the foresight to wear leather boots; otherwise, her shoes would have been drenched.

Seeing that both Madam Tian and Jin Niang wore ruyi-cloud crowns—one gold, one silver—Madam Bao teased, “You two really match.”

Jin Niang replied, “Our tastes are quite similar.”

Madam Tian, feeling slightly awkward, laughed along. “Indeed, no wonder I feel such a connection with my sister.”

Madam Bao, usually on good terms with Jin Niang, realized her remark might have been inappropriate and quickly changed the subject. Once Madam Qi was ready and saw everyone assembled, she promptly directed them to sedan chairs or horse-drawn carriages to head together to the prefectural office.

Normally, subordinate officials from other counties wouldn’t have the chance to mingle frequently with the prefectural officials’ families, but Wu County was the head county, sharing the same city as the prefectural households, making such gatherings much easier.

The Wu County office already had a splendid garden, but the prefectural office was even grander.

Amid the snow-covered landscape, specks of yellow wintersweet blossoms peeked out like fresh buds. The Subprefect's Lady, Madam Wei, in her mid-thirties, was elegantly dressed and well-versed in both ancient and modern affairs.

After Madam Qi led Jin Niang and the others in paying respects, they gathered indoors, where braziers blazed in a V-shaped row like migrating geese. Instead of braving the snow to admire the flowers, they sipped hot tea by the lattice-paned windows, watching the snowflakes drift onto the wintersweet blossoms.

Of course, the focus wasn’t solely on flower appreciation—for the women, forging connections was far more important.

Jin Niang and the others naturally followed Madam Qi in flattering the Subprefect's Lady. Madam Bao had assumed her dazzling attire would earn her admiration today, but things didn’t go as planned.

Their group barely managed to exchange a few words, mostly engaging in tossing arrows into pots, playing backgammon, and attending a banquet with wine—all while being expected to present gifts.

On the way back, Madam Bao complained bitterly—her shoes were completely soaked. Qiao Er carefully removed her crown, saying, “I’ll keep it safe for you, Madam, so no one can take it.”

“Mm. After we visit the Prefect’s home, have it returned to the pawnbroker at once—we can’t let anyone see.” She did own a silver crown, but after being outshone by Madam Tian, she had borrowed a gold one from the pawnshop. Since they were officials, the pawnshop wouldn’t dare press for repayment.

Of course, to avoid gossip, she returned it promptly after use.

Later, at the Prefect’s home, Jin Niang wore the silver-gilt floral crown gifted by her in-laws at her wedding, paired with a pale purple satin-lined lambskin long coat embroidered with plum blossoms. Once again, she spent the visit sitting and chatting, barely exchanging more than a few words.

Jin Niang wasn’t anxious and even reassured A Ying, “This is just the ‘cold bench.’* [*Chinese idiom meaning "being ignored initially."] Cold benches warm up eventually.”

Fang Ma chuckled. “You’re absolutely right. Since they invited you, it means they acknowledge you. If we tried too hard, it’d seem desperate—people might even mock us. This poised bearing is what befits an official’s wife.”

Besides the Prefect's and Subprefect's Ladies, there were also the Judge's wife and local gentry. Without overextending herself, Jin Niang wore kingfisher-feather flowers gifted by the Gu family as a set, along with a set of gold-wire bridal hairpins from her dowry.

Of course, Jin Niang also observed many nuances—some used banquets for networking, others played matchmaker, while some simply sought to broaden their networks.

Jin Niang had previously learned the traditional games of arrow-throwing and backgammon aboard the boat, and now these skills proved useful. The women often played such games or leaf poker. Of course, she also used these occasions to gather information—just as she had tasted fresh lotus roots and pickled late-season cabbage at the Judge’s household, all grown on their own estate. They even had a citrus orchard cultivating the famous Song Dynasty Pingjiang Prefecture Dongting oranges, which could fetch up to one hundred wen per fruit at their peak—several times the price of the modern-day Ponkan oranges.

Noticing Jin Niang’s fondness for citrus, the Judge’s household gifted her a jug of yellow mandarin wine. Upon returning home, Jin Niang immediately took notes, thinking that if she ever bought land, she shouldn’t plant only grain crops but also cultivate some cash crops.

Jiang Xian returned from outside and saw Jin Niang wearing a peach-pink lined jacket and a tender green short-sleeved jacket, diligently writing something at her desk. Her charm was so endearing it stirred his heart, and he hurried over.

Hearing the sound, Jin Niang set aside her notebook and said, “It’s bitterly cold outside. How was your day?”

“The yamen was fine,” Jiang Xian replied, pulling a chair and sitting beside her. He found his official duties dull and rarely shared them with Jin Niang.

They chatted idly, mostly with Jiang Xian acting affectionately coy while Jin Niang teased him in return. The two flirtatiously bantered, filling the room with warmth.

Meanwhile, another scene was far less cheerful. Bao Niang had accompanied outings for several days, each time returning with soaked feet, and caught a chill upon returning, feeling lightheaded and unsteady.

County Sheriff Mei came back to check on her, and Bao Niang dabbed at her tearful eyes, saying, “People say, ‘Marry a man for clothes and food,’ but where is my husband’s care? Others wear leather boots and fur coats, changing outfits daily, while I have nothing.”

Unfazed, County Sheriff Mei found her tearful vulnerability even more appealing and simply smiled, “I’ll help you sweat this out. Later, I’ll have someone from the boot shop come by.”

With that, he pressed her down for some marital relations.

Next door, Tian Niang presented Chief Yang’s wife with a blue-green silk slant-collared jacket and a jade-colored skirt embroidered with layered floral sprays, adding, “If anything is inconvenient for you, just come to me. We can’t let the child suffer.”

Chief Yang truly was disgraceful—his wife and child lacked warm clothing and decent outfits, as all his money went elsewhere.

Though usually slow-witted, Chief Yang’s wife always felt grateful toward Tian Niang, saying, “No one treats me better than you.” Then she added, “Even Bao Niang’s gilded headpiece is borrowed from the pawnshop—I saw Qiao Er there myself when I was pawning something.”

Having been mocked by Bao Niang before, Chief Yang’s wife had long held a grudge and was eager to spread Bao Niang’s shameful secret far and wide.

To her surprise, Tian Niang wasn’t one for gossip. Her marriage had been hard-won, and after losing a son in infancy, she later gave birth to Dong Geer. Her husband, now an official through hereditary privilege, cherished her deeply. Living as if in a honey jar, she saw no reason to meddle in others’ affairs.

But seeing Tian Niang’s indifference, Chief Yang’s wife, knowing her to be kind-hearted, took it upon herself to play the villain, spreading the tale until even Jin Niang heard it.

A Ying sneered, “She’s utterly vain.”

Jin Niang, however, reflected that if she couldn’t earn money herself, even marrying into wealth through beauty would lead to the same fate. Men were generous toward women they hadn’t yet won, but stingy with those already married. Bao Niang, with her meager dowry, had to beg for everything, making even small purchases difficult.

Drawing parallels, Jin Niang grasped many truths she hadn’t understood before.

Someone like Tian Niang, saintly and unbothered, was precisely because she lacked nothing. She saw no need to stir trouble; matters easily resolved with small sums weren’t worth stooping to petty conflicts, especially if doing so earned her a good reputation. Why not?

As for Bao Niang, her clawing and snapping stemmed from having nothing, so she lashed out for validation, swinging between insecurity and arrogance.

This was their first Spring Festival spent away from home. With the yamen closed, Jiang Xian was free. While Jin Niang could manage other household matters, cooking wasn’t her forte—Jiang Xian, eager to exercise his neglected culinary skills, prepared several dishes.

“Husband, I wish you’d cook for me every day. I love your dishes—perfectly balanced in flavor and delicious,” Jin Niang praised enthusiastically.

Flustered, Jiang Xian replied, “Wife, I plan to focus on cracking down on child-snatchers this year. There are rings kidnapping women and children—some sold elsewhere, others held for ransom. So, I might not be able to celebrate the holidays with you.”

Jin Niang smiled. “That’s alright. If you succeed, it’ll be a great achievement.”

“That’s what I thought. Next year’s county exams will be overseen by the magistrate himself, and he meddles in river works too. I need to carve my own path. With some accomplishments, we won’t have to endure his bullying forever,” Jiang Xian explained.

Jin Niang agreed but worried, “These traffickers aren’t lone operators. You’ll need enough manpower, right?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Jiang Xian reassured her.

His primary motive was official merit, but secondly, it would endear him to the local gentry—after all, traffickers often targeted beautiful women, many from wealthy families. He kept this second reason to himself, lest it tarnish his image in his wife’s eyes.

To her, he was graceful as jade, scholarly, kind-hearted, and a noble gentleman concerned with all under heaven!

During the New Year, Jiang Xian was rarely at home, and Jin Niang also had the rare opportunity to avoid social obligations, so she stayed home reading and doing needlework, enjoying the peace and quiet. Those who have experienced social gatherings know that the first time stepping out from home feels exciting, but after attending several banquets with the same old dishes, one gradually feels it's better to just stay home.

With ample time on her hands, Jin Niang could focus entirely on embroidering Guanyin on a lotus throne. During breaks from the embroidery, she would chat with the children. The two children were good company for each other—the elder sister could tell stories to the younger brother, who in turn looked up to her.

Yun Jie’er was truly her little helper. Whenever Ning Ge’er made a noise, she would place her index finger on her lips and say, “Shh, Mom’s doing important work. Don’t disturb her.”

“Sister, I’m a little pig. Oink, oink, oink!” Ning Ge’er would goof around.

Despite her maturity, Yun Jie’er was still a child and would imitate dogs and cats with her brother, making so much noise that Jin Niang’s head ached. She had to ask the nursemaids and maids to take them outside to play so she could focus.

She embroidered straight through till the Lantern Festival. During such festivities, when kidnappers were most active, Jiang Xian had already set up ambushes, arresting thirteen cases of abduction—ranging from the daughters of officials to the children of local gentry, and even a few lost boys—almost all of whom were rescued thanks to his efforts.

Previously, Jiang Xian had taken over three hundred taels from Jin Niang to bribe lower officials. He had his own team at his disposal, and with County Sheriff Mei eager to curry favor with him, even the Chiefs followed his lead.

After cracking such a major case, interrogating suspects overnight, obtaining confessions, and comforting the victims' families, Legal Advisor Song hired some idlers to spread rumors about Jiang Xian’s deeds in the streets. When this reached County Magistrate Hou’s ears, it made his blood boil.

Was catching kidnappers good? Yes! Was comforting the victims' families right? Absolutely!

But only I, Hou Gong, should be the one to do these things.

Thus, he immediately summoned Jiang Xian and berated him harshly.

In the past, Jiang Xian would have been meek and submissive. But this time, after admitting his "mistakes," he smiled and said, “County Magistrate, the safety of Wu County is my duty. Before I came here, my uncle warned me to do my job properly, or else he would not spare me.”

Previously, Jiang Xian had always presented himself as a humble scholar with no backing. County Magistrate Hou had once inquired about him and only learned that Jiang Xian’s father and grandfather were commoners, with only him and his brother passing the imperial exams in the same year—though they were still newcomers. It was said he had studied under Academician Huang, but Huang had long retired from office. His wife also came from an ordinary family, and even though his maternal grandfather had once been a Hanlin scholar, he had long passed away.

Thus, County Magistrate Hou hadn’t taken him seriously.

Now, seeing Jiang Xian’s attitude, County Magistrate Hou couldn’t help but ask, “May I ask who the County Sheriff’s uncle is?”

“My uncle is the Commissioner of the Three Departments—far inferior to the Chancellor of Jixian, though the new chancellor’s daughter-in-law is the sister of my elder brother’s wife,” Jiang Xian replied with a faint smile.

Such was the way of officialdom: if you had no backing, others would try to steal your merits. But most wouldn’t go as far as County Magistrate Hou, who was too overbearing.

You are a jinshi, and so am I. Your patron is the current Chancellor of Jixian, but after years of networking, I, Jiang Xian, am not without connections either.

County Magistrate Hou looked at Jiang Xian again. Unlike his former meekness, he now carried himself like a true yamen insider. Normally stern and unsmiling, the magistrate found himself at a loss.

Then Jiang Xian added, “County Magistrate, I just want to get some results so I may return to the capital sooner.”

I won’t interfere with what you do, but don’t stand in my way. You, Hou Gong, have already lined your pockets enough here and are unwilling to leave, but I have ambitions.

I seek power; you seek wealth. Let us not obstruct each other.

The rule in officialdom was to bully the old, not the young. Though Hou Gong was ruthless, he wasn’t foolish. He realized that Jiang Xian’s desire to leave after making achievements was also beneficial for him.

Thus, Hou Gong bit back his anger and let the matter drop.

...

The rescued families came to express their gratitude, but Jiang Xian made a show of refusing all their lavish gifts. As his wife had said, accepting bribes in the first year might seem discreet, but if caught by censors, it would become a permanent black mark.

Jiang Xian also tracked down the kidnappers’ higher-ups and rescued over twenty more people from another hideout. For those who escaped, he issued wanted notices.

This won widespread praise, and Jin Niang was overjoyed.

Naturally, there were also unexpected twists. Among those rescued was the daughter of a wealthy merchant, who wished to offer her to be Jiang Xian’s second wife, complete with a generous dowry, to serve him and Jin Niang.

It was said Jiang Xian immediately took a step back and said, “Old sir, are you repaying kindness or ruining me?”

The merchant was puzzled—wasn’t this a good thing?

Only upon returning did Jiang Xian explain to Jin Niang, “It was supposed to be a righteous act of rescue, yet it nearly landed me with a scandalous reputation.”

Jin Niang thought to herself that this man was all about his career. Jiang Xian sought performance evaluations, and if any romantic entanglements were to arise, others might exploit it, which would be counterproductive.

Seeing his wife’s expression, Jiang Xian finally relaxed. Thankfully, she believed him—otherwise, if she doubted and thought him only interested in love affairs, what then?