Chapter 107

Chapter 107

During the Cold Food Festival, besides preparing traditional foods like melons, fruits, sesame seeds, wheat porridge, and sweet rice gruel, Jin Niang also had Ju Xiang prepare in advance some braised chicken, goose feet, eggs, and other dishes.

Since Jin Niang had planned out the activities for the Cold Food Festival, they would first visit the garden of Mr. Ku in the southern part of the city to admire the flowers. Mr. Ku was a flower enthusiast and very generous, opening his garden gates for everyone to enjoy. The peach blossoms, crabapples, and jasmine in his garden were particularly beautiful; the Lan family had even bought several pots of flowers from the Ku family for their last poetry gathering.

After admiring the flowers, they reserved a private room at the largest tavern in Daming Prefecture for a family dinner. After the meal, they would go to the entertainment district to see the bustling scenes before returning home.

Ning Ge'er was young and rarely went out, so Jin Niang thought he would be excited. Unexpectedly, he was a bit afraid of crowds and wanted Jin Niang to carry him when he saw places with many people.

"It seems we need to go out more often in the future," Jin Niang said.

Jiang Xian was puzzled: "Our Ning Ge'er used to be fearless."

Jin Niang couldn't help but laugh: "How can you speak like that about a child? Ning Ge'er is still a little boy. He now studies at home and rarely goes out, so it's natural that he's a bit shy around strangers."

As they chatted and laughed, they arrived at the Ku family garden. Before entering, Jin Niang specially reminded her daughter and son: "We can only admire the flowers, not pick them, understood?"

Yun Jie immediately nodded: "Mother, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on my brother."

"That's good. They have taken great care of these flowers and generously allow us to enjoy them, so we must cherish them," Jin Niang felt reassured by her daughter's words.

She had thought the crabapple flowers she saw last time were already stunning, but the azaleas she saw this time were even more beautiful. She often saw azaleas in Wuxian County, but she never expected to find them so far away in Daming Prefecture.

"Amidst the azalea blooms, the cuckoo cries, deep purple and light red by the stream. The lingering sunlight stirs the traveler's thoughts, and the morning mountain path is filled with longing."

Jin Niang, who had been studying poetry, recited Yang Xingmin's verse upon seeing the azaleas.

Jiang Xian said, "I prefer Bai Letian's line, 'Most cherished are the azaleas in full bloom, spring breeze blows, yet none dare to climb.'"

The couple exchanged a smile, only to notice a girl nearby saying to the woman watching over her, "You can’t even recite one poem? So embarrassing!"

Hearing this, the young woman beside her replied, "I’ll check the books when we get home, how about that?"

"Next time I’ll just go with Auntie—or Dad!" The little girl stamped her foot and hurried ahead.

After they had walked away, Jiang Xian said in disbelief, "A child shouldn’t scorn their mother, nor a dog its humble home—how can this happen?"

Jin Niang shook her head. "It’s not that strange. Different folks, different strokes." In truth, wasn’t Jiang Xian’s second brother, Jiang Fang, the same—disdaining his own family and seeking refuge elsewhere?

Few kids are born dutiful—selfishness is the norm.

This incident was just a minor episode. After admiring the flowers, they went to Cuiyun Tower for their meal. Since they’d reserved ahead, they went straight to their private room, with the lively strains of strings and flutes rising from downstairs.

Yun Jieer said, "Mother, it’s so noisy."

"There are many people here. We’re used to quiet at home, but a little bustle now and then is good," Jin Niang replied with a smile.

In truth, Jiang Xian felt the same way. Once a frequent socialite who couldn’t enjoy a meal without music, he had gradually grown to prefer tranquility after marriage—reading and reflecting in the quiet of home.

The noise just grated on him now, making him want to bolt.

Fortunately, once the meal was over, they browsed nearby silk shops and shops selling collar panels and floral hairpins before heading home.

Jin Niang’s day was packed, but Zhou Si’s heart sank. The servant she sent to the He family with holiday gifts returned with news that He Sanlang and Zhou Erniang had fled—and were now wanted by the authorities.

"How is this possible?" Zhou Si whispered, stunned.

Sun Shichen said, "A wanted notice? Isn’t Uncle Jiang in Daming Prefecture? Why didn’t he pull strings for this? How did things get this bad?"

Zhou Si murmured, "Perhaps he just doesn’t want to?"

Zhou Er and Jin Niang had a feud in the past, and now that their positions had reversed, how could she still help you?

Fortunately, Zhou Si and Zhou Er weren’t particularly close, and her second sister had been too bold—even loan-sharking—so she deserved it. The most pressing matter now was their children’s education. Last year, after her husband took office, he had been extremely busy, but this year they could finally arrange things for them.

"Have you found a tutor for them?" Zhou Si asked her husband.

Sun Shichen replied, "I’ve found an elderly scholar who once passed the provincial exams to teach them the basics."

"That reassures me." She wasn’t the type to favor sons over daughters. Especially with her girls, she hoped they would become accomplished scholars. Whether they married in the future didn’t matter—what mattered was that they had ambition, aspirations, and drive, not mediocrity.

Sun Shichen said, "Then let’s prepare the tuition first—fifteen strings of coins a year."

Zhou Si was overjoyed and returned to her room to tell her daughters, "You must study hard. Who says women are inferior to men? We women are no weaker than they are."

The two girls were equally excited. "Yes!"

"Housekeeping is secondary—what matters is studying. If you excel in learning, how could you not understand these things?" Zhou Si thought to herself. She had once been a concubine’s child; though the Zhou family was an official household, her voice had carried little weight. Now that she was freer, she naturally wanted to give her children the best upbringing.

As for Zhou Er’s affairs, she had long since cast them to the winds—they had nothing to do with her.

After the Cold Food Festival passed, the eldest daughter of the Wei family was betrothed, and once again, Jin Niang was invited as the Fortune Matron. Perhaps because the peony-embroidered gown she had gifted last time was so well-received, Jin Niang made a slight effort, and Madam Wei immediately agreed.

Jin Niang hadn’t expected it herself and said to Jiang Xian, "I thought Madam Wei would invite the ladies of noble households. I never imagined that just hinting at my interest would secure me the role."

"Wife, you’re too modest. You’re now the most sought-after Fortune Matron. Even Vice Prefect Ji told me he’d like to invite you for his eldest daughter’s betrothal in the future," Jiang Xian laughed.

Speaking of the Ji family, Jin Niang lowered her voice. "Madam Ji seems to hold a grudge against me. She and Madam Qian were at odds, and I sided with Madam Qian, not her."

Jiang Xian was unaware of these dynamics among the ladies and asked curiously, "Why is that?"

"Look, when Madam Qian eats meat, we get to sit and happily enjoy the broth. But when Madam Ji eats meat, we have to kneel to drink the broth. Would you rather sit or kneel?" Jin Niang said.

Jiang Xian understood. "Ah, I see."

Still, Jin Niang added, "But her life isn’t easy either. Vice Prefect Ji dotes on his concubine and neglects his wife. His eldest daughter is the favorite concubine’s daughter—Eldest Miss Ji is only eleven or twelve, but she has high standards. I heard she’s quite taken with Wei Qilang, but you know how lofty the Wei family is—they’d likely deem even a princess unworthy."

Jiang Xian realized his wife truly had no desire to curry favor with the elite. Even though they frequently interacted with the Wei family, she remained clear-headed, unlike others who always hoped for miracles to fall into their laps.

Yet he asked, "But didn’t you also like Wei Qilang very much?"

"Are you asking why I wouldn’t want him as my son-in-law? First, the children are still young—who knows what they’ll become? Second, ambition is good, but when it grows too inflated, it’s easy to lose sight of reality and never stay grounded." Jin Niang was such a person herself, so she played the hand she was dealt—that was the best way.

The family Eldest Miss Wei was betrothed to was illustrious, and the Fortune gifts Jin Niang received were lavish: six bolts of Shu brocade, two bolts of gauze, two bolts of gold-threaded yarn, two crates of tea cakes, a box of pepper, a box of incense, six sheepskins, two lotus-patterned mats, two "All Wishes Fulfilled" comb sets, and two hundred taels of silver.

A Ying quickly catalogued everything and stored the items in the treasury. She thought the Guanyin embroidery and peony-embroidered gown Jin Niang had gifted last time must have helped.

Of course, being a Fortune Matron wasn’t an everyday opportunity—making a windfall once a year was lucky enough. This year, luck was on their side, and she had done it twice.

Such chances were rare. Jin Niang then distributed the monthly stipend for A Ying while she spoke with Fang Ma: "Madam Qian said Old Madam Wang wants to go mountain climbing and asked us to accompany her. Mama, skip the trip that day—rest at home."

Fang Ma was astonished. "Old Madam Wang is remarkably spry! Even I, an old woman who works every day, couldn’t handle climbing mountains."

Jin Niang also felt the Wang family was upside-down—Old Madam Wang was the picture of health, lively every day, downing three bowls of rice per meal, while Wu Shi ate little, had many troubles, and was utterly frail.

A few days later, on a clear day, Jin Niang—with unbound feet—came back from the hike completely worn out. Jiang Xian massaged her feet. "Still sore?"

"Mmm, a little. That old lady was charging up the mountain! At first, I was fine, but by the end, my legs felt like lead—I could hardly move them." Jin Niang shook her head, utterly exhausted.

Jiang Xian then said, "Then you should rest at home tomorrow."

"Tomorrow I still need to visit Madam Wu. She looked ghostly pale today and nearly fainted. If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have climbed the mountain. But she’s so filial—she insisted on accompanying her mother-in-law all the way up, waiting on her hand and foot." Jin Niang couldn’t fathom why. Filial piety was good, but one should still take care of their own health.

After chatting for a while, the couple turned in for the night. Jin Niang lay in bed to rest and couldn’t muster the energy to get up for dinner.

The next morning, her legs were still sore. She first went to pay respects to Old Madam Wang and said, "Yesterday, Madam Wu looked terribly pale, and we were all worried, so we’ve come to visit her."

Old Madam Wang also had grievances she couldn’t air. Her daughter-in-law was indeed good—too good, in fact. She was flawless in everything, meticulous in her duties, and had a powerful maternal family. Like this time when recommending capable men, her husband and son both nominated Madam Wu’s younger brother, completely disregarding her own family.

Yesterday, she merely accompanied her mother-in-law up the mountain. If she wasn’t feeling well, she could have just said she couldn’t make it—no one would have blamed her. Yet she insisted on climbing, making a show of being filial.

"I told her not to go long ago. Her health is poor nine days out of ten, and sure enough, I was right," Old Madam Wang said.

Jin Niang and Madam Qian exchanged glances—this was in poor taste.

Madam Qian reacted quickly and immediately said, "When a mother-in-law is considerate, a daughter-in-law is all the more filial. This is something many families long for but cannot achieve."

With that, they moved past the awkwardness, and the two went together to visit Madam Wu, who tried to rise despite being laid up. Jin Niang quickly stopped her, "Don’t get up! We came to visit you, not to trouble you further."

Madam Wu coughed twice, "It’s just that my body is useless."

"Why do you push yourself so hard?" Jin Niang let slip before catching Madam Qian’s warning look. Realizing her mistake, she quickly changed the subject and chatted about other things before leaving.

Once outside, Madam Qian invited Jin Niang to her home. Her daughter-in-law, Madam Dong, served tea before being dismissed. Madam Qian then said to Jin Niang, "You’re young and warm-hearted, but you shouldn’t meddle in disputes between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law."

Jin Niang hurriedly replied, "I wasn’t meddling. Please advise me, sister—what should I do?"

Madam Qian said, "Look at that pair—one is a jealous mother-in-law who resents her daughter-in-law, and the other plays the victim to control others."

After pondering this, Jin Niang understood somewhat and said, "Why must it be like this?"

"Old Madam Wang was married into the family as a rush marriage to counter bad luck when Prefect Wang fell seriously ill. She was originally meant to be a concubine, but after Prefect Wang passed the imperial exams, she was lucky enough to bear a son, so the family elders elevated her to first wife. Still, she was never truly favored. That’s why her feelings toward Madam Wu are complicated. It’s not that she mistreats her daughter-in-law, but things are never quite right. Madam Wu could have followed her husband to his post in Xiangzhou, but she is too hung up on reputation. I think she originally wanted to build her reputation and reconcile with her mother-in-law, but the better she does, the worse it reflects on others. So the better Madam Wu does, the more uncomfortable Old Madam Wang feels," Madam Qian explained.

Jin Niang thanked her, "So that’s the background. Thank you for telling me."

Only someone close would explain things so clearly.

Madam Qian said, "In the future, let’s stay out of such matters and avoid taking sides. Otherwise, pleasing one will offend the other."

Jin Niang nodded.

In contrast to Jin Niang and the others, Madam Ji, the wife of Vice-Prefect Ji, was gradually gaining favor with Old Madam Wang, even accompanying her to Guangyun Temple.

Madam Ji, of course, was quite pleased with herself. Though she didn’t get along with Madam Qian and the others, nor was she as close to the Wei family as Wei Jinniang later became, she had still found her own shortcut to success.

After all, Old Madam Wang was the wife of the Prefect of Daming Prefecture, and her son held office in Xiangzhou. A word from her carried far more weight than anything Madam Qian could say. And Old Madam Wang saw a fellow sufferer in Madam Ji—both were neglected wives with favored concubines in their households. Madam Ji’s eldest son was also betrothed to a woman of high status, and even her own son sided with his wife. They might appear to be the mistresses of their households, but in reality, they were little more than figureheads.

Meanwhile, Madam Wu, aware that her mother-in-law disliked her, stayed home to recuperate. Coincidentally, it began to rain. Unwilling to let the family’s concubine who’d borne children curry favor, she thought of Guantao County being closest to Guangyun Temple and asked her father-in-law to send a letter there, requesting extra care. Sun Shichen, upon receiving the Prefect’s letter, dispatched additional personnel and had Zhou Si accompany them.

This seemingly minor act unexpectedly won Zhou Si Old Madam Wang’s approval.

By the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, Jin Niang saw Zhou Si at Old Madam Wang’s residence. Madam Wu introduced her, "Mrs. Jiang, this is the wife of Magistrate Sun of Guantao County."

Jin Niang smiled and greeted her, and Zhou Si promptly returned the courtesy.

The two had met before but were not close and didn’t acknowledge their acquaintance. They took their respective seats—Jin Niang, now the wife of the Prefectural Judge, sat above Zhou Si. She, Madam Qian, and Lan Shi made for a lively bunch, with someone always chiming in whenever any of them spoke.

Zhou Si could barely get a word in in such company. She was still a small fry here. Observing the scene, she noticed that though Madam Ji held the highest position among the prefect’s wives, no one gave her the time of day. Madam Qian was clearly well-liked, followed closely by Jin Niang. Then Old Madam Wang asked, "I heard you all went to the Wei family to see the peonies the other day?"

Jin Niang smiled and said, "Indeed. My sister-in-law even asked why I didn't invite you along. I explained that you had gone to pay respects to the Bodhisattva, so she didn’t blame me."

Sister-in-law? Zhou Si thought to herself—could Jin Niang be some kind of secretly noble-born daughter?

It made sense. Otherwise, how could someone as shrewd as Jiang Xian casually marry a woman of servant origins? That was hardly plausible.

Just then, Old Madam Wang remarked, "Peonies stand for wealth and nobility, not something just anyone can possess. Your sister-in-law is much the same—born with good fortune."

Jin Niang smiled in agreement. After visiting the Wei family to admire the peonies, she had carefully sketched a few blooms to embroider onto a peony-and-bird embroidered quilt cover, intending to gift it to the eldest Wei daughter as part of her dowry.

At that moment, the dragon boat races began, drawing the attention of Jin Niang and the others.

The river surged, sleeves fluttered, and the boats sped forward.

Once the winners were decided, Yun Jieer arrived hand-in-hand with the daughters of the Wang and Ji families. Earlier, the young girls had been engrossed in playing chuiwan and touhu.

Now, Yun Jieer’s cheeks were flushed. Jin Niang quickly wiped her sweat and asked, "Are you hungry? There are snacks here."

"I am, but I’ll just have one piece," Yun Jieer replied with a smile.

Jin Niang handed her a chestnut cake, while Lan Shi asked, "Cousin Wei, has Yun Jieer started learning polo yet?"

"She has. Her father is helping her pick a horse now." Jin Niang herself had never learned such things but wanted her daughter to enjoy every opportunity.

Buying a horse cost money, and while the Wei family had riding instructors, Jin Niang still had to pay extra. But being admitted to the Wei household for such lessons made the expense seem trivial.

As Jin Niang chatted, Wu Niang also spoke with Zhou Si. Having had spies near Old Madam Wang, she knew all about their activities at Guangyun Temple. Madam Ji had secured her position by undercutting Wu Niang or exploiting the tensions between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. But Madam Sun had actively smoothed things over, which Wu Niang appreciated.

When Zhou Si prepared to leave, Wu Niang gifted her two bolts of satin.

Somehow, Zhou Si also wished to send her children to Daming Prefecture, preferably to the Wei Family Female Academy. She had heard that the academy’s curriculum was entirely different from private tutors.

But the Wei family belonged to a third-rank official’s household. Without an introduction, even securing an audience would be impossible—truly a pipe dream. Besides, if her daughters came to Daming, she’d be torn between two places. For now, she resolved to concentrate on their lessons.

Once she grew closer to the Wang family, she would make her request.

However, Wu Niang smiled and said, "For the Qixi Festival, the young girls of our household gather for begging-for-talent festivities. Why not bring your child along?"

"Certainly," Zhou Si replied, relieved.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang got into the carriage with her daughter and wiped her back with a towel. "Wait a bit before bathing when we get home, or you might catch a chill."

Yun Jieer said, "Mother, you’ve spent so much on me. I’ll study hard."

"Don’t push yourself too hard. Just do your best. No one can master everything, right?" Jin Niang made sure her children knew the cost of their upbringing—she didn’t want them growing up oblivious to life’s hardships.

As they arrived home, they noticed a woman in a rust-red top and white pleated skirt standing at the opposite gate. Soon, a maidservant from Madam Zhen’s household came out to greet her.

The next day, Jin Niang learned that the woman was Zhen Erlang’s first love, Miss Yang—Madam Zhen’s cousin’s daughter and thus Zhen Erlang’s childhood sweetheart. Her father had taken his new wife to his post, but Madam Zhen, distrusting the stepmother’s character, had brought Miss Yang to live with them.

Dou Yuan wasn’t worried. "She’s a lady of standing—she’d never accept a concubine’s role. She’s already old enough to marry, so she’ll likely be wed off soon. Why fret over it?"

"As long as you’re aware," Jin Niang replied. Knowing Dou Yuan had been raised in this world, she trusted her judgment and said no more.

"Cousin, I will never end up like my mother," Dou Yuan declared before leaving.

After she departed, Jin Niang sighed and shook her head.

A Ying was baffled. "Madam, this Dou lady acts indifferent, but she’s wary."

"This is called, 'How can one tolerate others sleeping beside one's bed?' Madam Zhen has clearly underestimated Cousin Dou. She completely disregards her daughter-in-law's feelings by bringing her son's former love into the household, thinking nothing will come of it. But I fear there will be plenty of trouble ahead," said Jin Niang.

No wonder some say it's better to stay still than to act rashly—take the restaurants and eateries in Daming Prefecture, for example—they all have strong official and merchant backing, yet the business environment isn't as favorable as in Jiangnan. So she simply chose not to conduct business here.

Before long, the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) arrived. It was said that Wu Shi was originally supposed to host the Qiqiao celebration (traditional needlework competition), but Madam Ji took over instead.

This power struggle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law ended up benefiting Madam Ji, who now basked in the satisfaction of feeling like an underdog coming out on top. Normally, though her banquets had attendees, they always felt rather bleak compared to the lively gatherings at Madam Qian's place. But now, with the prefect's wife personally appointing her, she naturally pulled out all the stops.

She even tugged her own daughter close and said, "I’ve paved the way for you—now go steal the show!"

Her daughter, Third Miss Ji, replied, "Mother, I’m not skilled at needlework. Second Sister does it much better, and Jiang Yun from the girls' school is a true master. How could I possibly compete with them?"

Madam Ji poked her daughter’s forehead in frustration, hating that her daughter wasn't living up to her potential. That Jiang girl’s mother was an expert at climbing the social ladder—she had already wormed her way into the Wei family’s circle within days of arriving. Wasn’t she also eyeing Wei Qilang? Having married beneath her own station, Madam Ji now suffered for it. She was hell-bent on her daughter marrying into a prestigious family, and Wei Qilang was the son-in-law she had her sights on. She wouldn’t let anyone get in the way—no one!