Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Jin Niang stayed at the Zhen residence until the opera ended, had a cup of wine, and kept a straight face. But the moment she returned home, she told Jiang Xian about it: "I never expected her to be so reckless as to try to extort me."

"My lady, let’s settle old scores and new grievances together," Jiang Xian said bitterly.

Jin Niang finally nodded. "Then I’ll have someone keep an eye on her family. If there’s any wrongdoing, we’ll make sure she gets her comeuppance."

Even if it was a setup, it had to be justified.

Jiang Xian, however, chuckled lightly. "My lady, I know you’ve always preferred handling things yourself. But someone like her, driven by greed, won’t give up easily. There’s a saying: 'Men will die for riches as birds will for food.' Don’t underestimate her. You're too kind-hearted by nature and haven’t encountered such people, but I deal with them daily in my cases. We must strike first."

Jin Niang sighed. "I know I tend to be defensive, always afraid of making a misstep. That’s why I’m asking for your help. But I also want to be a good person—doesn't that make me terrible to dirty your hands for my sake?"

It was hard for a woman to admit her own desires, and she was no exception.

To her surprise, Jiang Xian rested his hands on her shoulders and said, "My silly lady, I’m your husband. If I don’t avenge you when you’re wronged, what kind of husband would I be? Besides, it’s precisely because it’s you that I’m willing to clear all obstacles for you."

"But she’s a woman of the inner quarters. How far can your reach extend? My dear Xian, if you want to catch her, it must be with real evidence," Jin Niang said, both touched and delighted.

Jiang Xian replied, "Ever since I learned how she humiliated you, I knew this day would come. So I’ve had people watching her. Given how cruel she was in her youth, and considering her family’s upbringing, she wouldn’t have improved much with age. I’ve been prepared."

Truthfully, he felt his wife was being too distant. Such a small matter, yet she feared troubling him.

Why was that? Had he not made himself clear enough?

Thinking this, Jiang Xian felt hurt and accidentally blurted out his thoughts: "In the end, my lady fears relying on me too much, doesn’t she? Worried that if I ever turn unfaithful one day, she’d be left with nothing. Am I right?"

Jin Niang froze—he had indeed guessed her thoughts.

Seeing her silence, Jiang Xian put on an even more pitiful look. "My lady, you’re far more desirable than I am. I’m constantly afraid someone might steal you away, fearing my official rank won’t be enough to protect you. How could you worry about me being unfaithful?"

His words finally made Jin Niang smile. "What foolishness are you saying?"

The couple exchanged a few more intimate words. That evening, Jiang Xian instructed the seemingly simple Liu Douer: "Go tell Old Liu of the Western Hills—it’s time."

Liu Douer nodded.

Meanwhile, after being mocked by Jin Niang, the Second Lady Zhou was seething with humiliation and rage. On the way back, she said to Madam He, "Aunt, that Jiang Xian’s wife is the same needlework maid you once sent to our household in the capital."

She had expected Madam He to share her indignation, but instead, Madam He pondered for a long time before saying, "So that's why she keeps her distance from our family?"

Seizing the opportunity, the Second Lady Zhou added, "Exactly! She’s afraid we’ll expose her past. If she was a servant, then she was a servant—why won’t she admit it? She’s scheming, obstinate, and false, fixated on her own disgrace. She won’t even acknowledge her past, only attaching herself to the Wei family to elevate herself. We should—"

"Hui Hui, enough!" Madam He snapped.

The Second Lady Zhou was baffled. "Aunt, I...?"

Madam He frowned. "Even if she was once in service, she isn’t one now. What grudge do you hold against her?"

The Second Lady Zhou said, "When she worked in our household, she was always lazy and disrespectful, currying favor with those above while stepping on those below. My mother was furious, but our family was always lenient, so we never held it against her. Yet someone like her somehow managed to marry Jiang Xian! The Jiang family is, after all, connected to both your and my mother's families, so I couldn’t help but feel angry."

Madam He seemed skeptical. "You’re exaggerating again. When your eldest sister married, your mother wrote to me praising the people I recommended."

"Everyone else worked hard—except her," the Second Lady Zhou quickly added.

Madam He frowned and fell silent for a while before saying, "I didn’t realize there was such enmity between us. In that case, we should avoid provoking her. Her husband is now a judge in this prefecture, and she’s affiliated with the Wei family. Why court trouble with them? Keep this to yourself and don’t spread it around."

The Second Lady Zhou had no choice but to agree.

But she couldn't accept it in her heart—why should that wretched woman live better than her? Today, so many people flattered her, while her own Zhou family, with generations of officials, was relegated to the humblest seats. It was truly unbearable.

She never imagined Jin Niang’s payback would come so swiftly!

The *Song Penal Code* explicitly prohibited compound interest, stipulating: *"For loans involving property, monthly interest shall not exceed four percent, and accumulated interest shall never exceed the principal, no matter the duration."* However, because Lady Zhou the Second was short on funds and had no other income, she once saw others profiting from buying raw silk and tried it herself—only to lose everything. After that, she was too scared to risk money again.

Later, she secretly had people lend money at usurious rates. After all, everyone was doing it—even her mother-in-law couldn’t avoid it, and many officials were involved. She never expected her usury would be reported to the authorities by a victim, who accused her of driving Old Sun’s family of West Hill to their deaths through crushing interest.

According to the *Song Penal Code*, she would be sentenced to twenty lashes on the back and a month in the cangue for public humiliation.

Fortunately, though Madam He was exasperated by her foolishness, she arranged for her son and daughter-in-law to flee overnight. With the authorities unable to capture them, Jiang Xian requested Judicial Officer Dong to issue a warrant for their arrest.

Lady Zhou the Second huddled in the cramped cabin of the boat, sobbing wretchedly. Now she was a wanted criminal. Her daughter’s marriage prospects were ruined, and she could never stay in crowded places again—she would live in shadows forever.

He Sanlang muttered, *"Who leaked this matter? Why didn’t Jiang Shiliu help us?"*

*"Indeed."* At the mention of Jiang Shiliu, Lady Zhou the Second felt a pang of guilt.

As they spoke, a wave crashed against the boat, and He Sanlang said with a sigh, *"From now on, our lives will never see daylight again."* Lady Zhou the Second wept openly—why was she so unlucky? She only regretted that her downfall came too quickly, before she could reveal that maid’s true status.

...

After the New Year, the girls’ school resumed classes. Jin Niang had received several fine bolts of fabric as New Year gifts and summoned a tailor to make clothes—especially for her daughter, who was growing fast and needed more outfits.

Tailors differed from embroiderers; tailors specialized in garments. Jin Niang commissioned five outfits for Yun Jieer, four for Ning Geer, and two each for herself and Jiang Xian—thirteen pieces in total, costing three taels and five mace of silver in wages.

The tailor took the payment, hired several others, and finished all the garments in just two or three days.

She never expected Jiang Xian had been keeping tabs on Lady Zhou the Second since learning of her misdeeds, nor that Lady Zhou the Second—despite her dowry of tens of thousands of strings of coins—would still resort to usury. But in any case, it was good that evil met its retribution. With this thorn in her side removed, Jin Niang could finally rest easier—after all, no one wanted a lurking enemy who sought to harm them at every turn.

Just as she was having the clothes distributed to each household, Dou Yuan arrived.

Jin Niang greeted her with a smile. *"What brings you here at this hour?"*

Though young, Dou Yuan had many responsibilities, so despite living across the street, they seldom met. Seeing her silent, Jin Niang quickly asked, *"Is something wrong? Whatever it is, tell me—I’ll help if I can."*

*"It’s nothing major... It’s just that Third Sister-in-law is pregnant. I married into this household before her, yet I’ve had no success."* Dou Yuan touched her belly as she spoke.

Jin Niang understood this feeling well. Even with a son and daughter, Fang Ma still considered her family too small and urged her to have another child as insurance—children in ancient times were prone to early deaths. Wu Shi, though outwardly calm, had visibly weakened.

So Jin Niang comforted her, *"Your cycles are regular, and there’s nothing wrong with your health. It’ll happen when it’s meant to."*

*"Cousin-in-law, my husband is about to leave for the Southern Academy to study. What should I do?"* Dou Yuan was at a loss—no matter how healthy she was, if the man wasn’t around, nothing could happen.

Jin Niang said, *"Then you must find ways to be intimate with him before he leaves."*

How could there be a child if the couple wasn’t intimate?

At these words, Dou Yuan nearly burst into tears. *"Cousin-in-law, the truth is... my husband already has someone he loves. I only found out after marrying him."*

A white moonlight?

Jin Niang was stunned. *"How could this be? What’s the girl’s situation now? Is she married?"*

*"Not yet. Her mother passed away, so she’s in mourning at home. My husband has always treated me with respect, and I shouldn’t have any complaints—I ought to be more virtuous. But in her presence, I realized he’s capable of so much... He knows exactly what he’s doing."* Dou Yuan covered her face.

Her own parents had a strained marriage, and now history was repeating itself with her.

Jin Niang rested a hand on her shoulder. *"Oh, you silly girl. Think about it—since he married you and treats you as his wife, doesn’t that mean that girl isn’t so important in his heart? As the saying goes, you make your own happiness. Have confidence in yourself. If anything, that girl is the pitiful one. Your husband may be devoted to her, but the title and money—they’re all yours."*

The reason Jin Niang had been so fond of Jiang Xian back then was precisely because he came from a noble family and, despite his clan's decline, accepted her genuinely without pretense or hypocrisy.

Dou Yuan had initially felt somewhat troubled but upon hearing this, she also sighed: "You're right, sister-in-law. To be honest, I do feel sympathy for Miss Yang. She and my husband share a deep bond, and she is refined and graceful. However, due to twists of fate, she lost such a marriage."

Marriages in ancient times were indeed not free—those who loved each other could still not end up together, which was truly regrettable.

Yet Jin Niang gently replied, "This has nothing to do with you. You mustn't foolishly sympathize with her and lower your guard."

If such an "unattainable ideal" were actually brought into the household, where would Dou Yuan stand? Did the Zhen family really not know about Miss Yang’s existence? It was simply that the Yang family held only an ordinary official rank, far below that of the Dous.

Hearing Jin Niang’s words, Dou Yuan smiled: "Don’t worry, sister-in-law. I certainly won’t."

"Good, good girl. Stay strong. If anything goes wrong, just come to us for help. Think of it this way—you hold your position here, and he still has to tolerate you, doesn’t he?" Jin Niang knew that even in ancient times, taking concubines was not taken lightly. Many families followed the rule of only taking a concubine if no sons were born by age forty.

Hearing this, Dou Yuan nodded and smiled again: "Sister-in-law, you truly are good to me. Whenever I feel down, speaking with you always lifts my spirits."

"I originally had many suggestions for you, but after being in the Zhen family for so long, you must understand their ways better than I do. So, consider me your backup—I’ll support you in any way I can." Jin Niang even considered becoming her "armor," but feared Dou Yuan might face slander for it. After all, she could act freely because she managed her own household and shared a good relationship with Jiang Xian—it was their private joke.

After exchanging a few more casual words, Dou Yuan took her leave and returned home, just in time to be summoned by Madam Zhen.

Madam Zhen smiled and said, "Your sister-in-law’s younger brother will soon begin studying at the prefectural school and will stay with us temporarily. Please prepare a guest room for him."

As a virtuous widow within the household, she was highly respected—not only receiving more provisions than ordinary daughters-in-law, but also having her family cared for. Dou Yuan smiled and agreed: "Rest assured, I’ll tidy it up immediately."

A married woman had little free time. By the time she finished this task and returned to her room, it was already evening.

Dou Yuan sat down to eat. Fortunately, as the household manager, the servants knew to prepare her favorite dishes. As she ate, she thought about her husband. Her cousin had been right—she was the Zhen family’s chosen mistress of the house. Her dowry was substantial, and she managed the family finances. Even if her husband didn’t love her, he still had to return to her out of duty. The one truly wronged wasn’t her.

Putting aside her self-pity, Dou Yuan told her maid, "Bring a bowl of this soup to the study as well."

Whether he liked it or not, he still had to respect their marriage.

Sure enough, not long after, Zhen Erlang arrived. Dou Yuan had already removed her hairpins and smiled: "In a few days, you’ll depart for the Southern Academy. Since the river ice hasn’t melted yet, you’ll have to travel overland. I asked my cousin and his wife across the street—they mentioned the Wei family is sending someone to Luoyang to transport peonies. Would you like to go with them?"

Hearing this, Zhen Erlang replied, "Traveling together would be great."

These days, the roads were dangerous. Even the son of an official could be robbed or killed if targeted. Still, he turned to Dou Yuan and said, "While I’m away, I’ll rely on you to manage the household."

At least he acknowledged her efforts. Feeling less resentful, Dou Yuan looked at him: "If we’re speaking practically, all matters big and small do fall on me. But as the household manager, it’s my duty. Now that my sister-in-law is pregnant, and I’ve yet to bear children myself, I fear making mistakes or breaking taboos, so I’ll need to consult my cousin."

Zhen Erlang was clever enough to grasp her meaning—for a woman, offspring were ultimately the most important.

Leaving aside the couple’s intimate night, Jin Niang and Jiang Xian were sharing a drink. She rarely drank before, but later discovered that a small amount before bed improved her sleep, so she often warmed some wine to enjoy.

"Wife, now that Madam Zhou and her husband are in hiding, you can finally rest easy," Jiang Xian said with a smile.

Jin Niang nodded: "Yes, it’s her own fault. But the same applies to us—if we conduct ourselves properly, others will find it hard to criticize us."

"That’s likely. Madam Zhou spent her life sacrificing everything for her children, even arranging her granddaughter’s marriage early. Unfortunately, she squandered her advantages," Jiang Xian added.

Fearing Jiang Xian might soften toward Madam Zhou, Jin Niang changed the subject: "Back when we were nearly engaged, I once visited the Jiang family. Whether intentionally or not, someone made sure I passed by the garden rocks just to tell me you preferred men. Luckily, I knew better—at our first meeting, you couldn’t take your eyes off me, eager to interact but holding yourself back. That’s how I knew you weren’t that kind of person."

"What? I thought the Zhou family only spoke ill of you to me!" Jiang Xian then recounted what he had heard—that Jin Niang had lost weight after a miscarriage.

The two had already prepared for bed, but upon learning the truth, they spent half the night cursing the Zhou family together.

When Madam Zhou, Jiang Shi, received the letter from Madam He a month later, Master Zhou was already advanced in years, nearing sixty. Upon reading the letter, Jiang Shi nearly fainted. "Isn't Jiang Xian in Daming Prefecture? How could he allow such a thing to happen?"

She now somewhat regretted marrying her daughter into the He family. Back then, she thought it would strengthen familial ties, as Third Master He was a handsome and talented man, and his elder sister was good-natured. Who would have thought the He family would prove so useless? Third Master He turned out to be a dog-meat dish unfit for a banquet, refusing to take the proper path. Now, even her daughter's affairs couldn't be kept under wraps by the He family—truly worthless.

With that, she summoned Third Lady Zhou and relayed the matter to her. Though she once complained about the large family, now only this concubine-born daughter and son remained by her side. The son was still young and of little help, leaving only Third Lady Zhou, to whom she had given a good marriage.

Upon hearing this, Third Lady Zhou immediately consulted her husband, Jiang Fang, and the two wrote to Jiang Xian, asking him to mediate. Jiang Xian merely snorted and tossed it aside dismissively.

Madam He was at her wits' end, even omitting to invite Dou Yuan to Madam Zhen's birthday celebration in March—a clear bad omen.

Yet the He family matter blew over. Jin Niang dressed her daughter in new clothes and together they attended the birthday celebration at the Zhen household, returning only after the feast. Back home, she resumed working on a peach blossom gauze screen, ensuring her skills didn't rust.

Her daughter, Yun Jieer, now eight years old, practiced cutting fabric at the long table nearby—an essential skill she had to master. Jin Niang didn’t spare her daughter from the task, instead admonishing, "Follow the measurements carefully. Don’t cut haphazardly, understand?"

"Mother, I understand. Did you know? My needlework is the best in class—even Madam Shen praised my solid basics. Now we’re studying incense-making and scroll-mounting. Madam Shen knows so much!" Yun Jieer, initially reluctant to attend the Wei family’s lessons, had grown to love studying.

Yet she sighed, "Mother, Eldest Sister Wei won’t be able to join us in the study soon—she’s betrothed."

Jin Niang replied, "An engagement isn’t a wedding. Why can’t she continue her studies?"

It wasn’t as if she’d be confined to the women’s quarters yet. Why the fuss?

Yun Jieer shook her head. "I don’t know why either."

"Well, children wouldn’t understand such things. But you must focus on your studies. Mounting is a valuable skill—there are specialized mounting shops on the streets. Sometimes, I even ask your father to mount my embroidery." Jin Niang hoped her daughter would learn as much as possible before marriage, lest she be consumed by household gossip.

Few couples, like her and Jiang Xian, managed to maintain their original lifestyles.

After finishing their needlework, Jin Niang read while Yun Jieer retired to her room to do the same. Their household seldom hosted musicians or frequent guests, remaining quiet and conducive to focused work.

Children often rebelled in their teens, especially those lacking self-control. Jiang Xian himself admitted to being argumentative at twelve or thirteen.

Meanwhile, Madam Qian’s daughter-in-law had married from afar, so the groom’s side arranged for a Complete Fortune Matron, a role Jin Niang fulfilled. Madam Qian repaid her generously, bestowing a Dali crystal bead bracelet, a pair of pearl-and-gem earrings, two pomegranate skirts, a length of brocade with magpies and auspicious patterns, another with peonies, two bolts of Zizhou’s fine silk, and a load of tea cakes.

Naturally, Jin Niang dressed grandly for the occasion—gold coronet and brocade robes, a crystal necklace, and two gemstone rings—adding much luster to Madam Qian’s event.

Her familiarity with the rituals even outshone the wedding heralds, earning admiration.

Jin Niang felt genuine gratitude towards her mother-in-law for setting an example; otherwise, she wouldn’t have ventured into this role.

She stored the gifts carefully and later showed them to her husband: "Look, our coffers gained new treasures. In a few years, we’ll buy a grand estate. If we’re short on cash, we can pawn these."

"My wife is truly remarkable." Jiang Xian could only applaud.

Jin Niang smiled without reply. The next day, she gifted Madam Wei a complete embroidered Two Qiaos peonies outfit, saying, "Though the peonies haven’t arrived yet, I’ve prepared this for you."

Gifts of gold and jade raise eyebrows, and Madam Wei already owned exquisite items. What Jin Niang valued might not impress her. Besides, she sought no favors—embroidered garments were the perfect gift.

Madam Wei usually disdained gifts from underlings as too commonplace, but this set was exquisite: a magnolia-hued bodice with hexagonal auspicious patterns, a blue peony-patterned pleated skirt, an orange blouse, and an embroidered Two Qiaos peonies beizi with a fully bordered collar.

"Third Madam’s craftsmanship is exceptional," even Madam Wei’s maidservant praised.

Jin Niang simply replied, "As long as Sister-in-law likes it."

She sought nothing in return. Their fictive kinship was her support, and this gift was merely a thoughtful gesture.

Madam Wei initially expected a request—most gifts sought wealth or favors—but Jin Niang left without a word. Suspicious, she sent someone to investigate: "Has Judge Jiang encountered any difficulties?"

The scout reported, "Not at all. Judge Jiang solved a high-profile case—he’s a young talent."

Madam Wei mused: Could she truly regard us as family?

Kinship, bound by blood, fades without nurture. Jin Niang’s approach—rare visits, but always well-timed—neither burdened others nor allowed her to be forgotten.

Like flowers, relationships need tending, but not smothering.