Chapter 114

Chapter 114

"Yes, it was almost lost. My heart was pounding, but thankfully it was recovered in the end," Jin Niang said to Madam Wei, discussing the embroidered portrait.

Madam Wei, who often stayed up late, had recently fainted from rising too abruptly. After recuperating, her complexion had improved considerably. She smiled and said, "Your embroidered portraits are so famous, after all."

Jin Niang laughed. "Truthfully, they may not be so efficacious—it’s more of a psychological comfort."

Though she spoke the truth, Madam Wei privately assumed she was unwilling to lend it out again and thus made such remarks. *Ah well*, she thought, *our family already has one—no need to be greedy.*

Their conversation turned to local affairs. Jin Niang said, "Judicial Officer Xia has arrived, and I’ve heard the appointment for the new Vice-Prefect has been issued. He’ll be arriving soon."

As a prominent local family, Madam Wei often interacted with the wives of officials. She couldn’t help but remark, "These superiors must be cultivated carefully. If their assessments aren't flattering, all our efforts will be for nothing."

This was advice, and Jin Niang quickly agreed. "You’re absolutely right. We wouldn't dream of slighting them."

"But we shouldn’t let them walk all over us either," Madam Wei added with a smile.

Jin Niang nodded.

Just then, Wei Fourth Aunt arrived, bringing her daughter and her husband’s niece to the girls’ school. The girls, about six or seven years of age, looked both excited and a little nervous.

Knowing Madam Wei was busy, Jin Niang took her leave. Madam Wei had a confidante see her out—a servant who had once received a pair of gold bracelets from Jin Niang and now had a good relationship with her. The servant remarked, "The Sun sisters neither confirmed nor declined their attendance—they just kept asking for leave. Now that these two young ladies are here, it’ll liven things up a bit."

"Why aren’t the Sun girls coming anymore?" Jin Niang asked.

The servant shook her head. "That I couldn't say."

The truth was, the Sun sisters couldn’t attend anymore. Sun Shichen had acquired silent partnerships from two merchant houses but later, fearing it would harm his official career, reversed his commitments. These merchants were not without recourse—they naturally sought to retaliate, leaving Zhou Si terrified.

Yet Sun Shichen, being the son of an official, remained unperturbed. "A few merchants can’t cause much trouble. Don’t worry. We’ve already distanced ourselves enough. Everyone takes shares—we’ve taken even fewer than most. It’ll be fine."

Only then did Zhou Si relax. This was common practice—nearly all officials held silent shares, and they hadn't taken much anyway. It was like when she used to be a blogger—advertising was a normal source of income.

However, by the time the matter settled, Eldest Miss Sun and Second Daughter Sun had already missed two or three months of school. Zhou Si couldn’t bring herself to go to Daming Prefecture either, so she surrendered their leased residence, leaving their education half-finished.

Daming Prefecture only welcomed the new Vice-Prefect's Lady later. This new lady was a cunning, vulpine sort, and Jin Niang felt they weren’t quite the same kind of people.

Being of different ilks, it was best to maintain distance.

Yet, just then, Mrs. Xia came calling—with a marriage proposal. "Mrs. Jiang, I have some good news I’d like to discuss with you."

"Oh? What might that be?" Jin Niang looked at her.

Mrs. Xia smiled. "It’s like this—yesterday, while speaking with the Vice-Prefect's Lady, she mentioned her nephew, the scion of a prominent herb merchant from Chu Prefecture, of considerable means. He’s around the same age as your Yun Jieer. I deemed this most fortuitous, so I came straight over."

"Oh no, our daughter is yet too young," Jin Niang refused outright.

Mrs. Xia pulled at her sleeve insistently. "At least take a look first! Just consider it."

"Elder Sister Xia, there’s no need. Our family is from Bianjing, and we’ll return there eventually. We won’t marry our daughter far from home. Thank you for your kindness," Jin Niang said firmly.

Mrs. Xia persisted. "Are you looking down on him because he’s a merchant? His family is wealthy—they could easily afford a house in Bianjing."

*This borders on compulsion!* Jin Niang had no idea what she was scheming but remained unmoved. "I appreciate your kind intentions, but my daughter’s matters can wait for another time."

Only then did Mrs. Xia leave.

A Ying watched her retreating figure and wrinkled her nose. "What sort of rubbish was that?"

"Who knows what she's up to? Can't be bothered to deal with her." Jin Niang shook her head.

Jin Niang and the others had no idea that there exists a kind of person who creates drama just for attention. Since Mrs. Xia arrived in Daming Prefecture, neither Madam Liu nor Jin Niang were meddlesome types, and the two families seemed to get along well, leaving her no opportunity to meddle. But now that the Subprefect’s wife had arrived—a woman who, upon meeting Wei Shi, noted her lavish clothing and learned that her brothers included a Fiscal Commissioner in Huainan and two jinshi in her husband's family—she was eager to arrange a match. Thus, she took the initiative.

So Mrs. Xia hurried over to the Subprefect’s wife's home and sighed, "My dear superior's wife, ah, I've talked myself hoarse trying to persuade them, but they just won’t agree! They claim they're from Bianjing and look down on Chu Prefecture as some nowhere town, and then there’s the merchant status—I’m too embarrassed to repeat it all."

The Subprefect’s wife frowned. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Honestly, what would I gain from lying?" Mrs. Xia wiped her sweat, feigning meekness.

The Subprefect’s wife thought it over—Mrs. Xia did seem honest and rather shy and simple—so she took a dislike to Jin Niang.

Madam Liu’s husband held a higher official rank, so Mrs. Xia didn’t dare cross her. But with Jin Niang, since Judge Jiang's rank was a notch below a Judicial Officer's—though not by much—she saw her chance to make trouble.

Of course, another reason was the lucrative matchmaking fee. At the time, such fees were substantial, and the Xia family was renting a modest two-courtyard house while Jin Niang lived in a three-courtyard residence with a garden, which grated on her. In her view, those of lower rank should live in smaller homes with fewer servants.

Had this match succeeded, she would have earned money. But Wei Shi had outright snubbed her, openly looking down on her—served her right for her ingratitude and now facing the Subprefect’s wife's displeasure.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang told Jiang Xian about the matter, and both agreed that Mrs. Xia had no tact. If she visited again, they would find excuses to decline.

"I was just thinking—Judicial Officer Xia passed the imperial exams at twenty-three, and now at forty-three, after twenty years in office, his rank is only a step above mine. Now I see the reason lies with his wife." Jiang Xian hadn’t expected Mrs. Xia to act so absurdly.

Jin Niang shook her head. "Let’s not waste time on them. After all these years, I’ve realized that normal people are the minority—most are a mess."

Jiang Xian shared another incident: "Last time I presided over a case, a Clerk below suddenly started talking to himself—scared the daylights out of me."

"That sounds terrifying. People’s hearts are truly unfathomable—even Madam Zhen resorted to swiping things." Like most, Jin Niang had once assumed that those of status and wealth wouldn’t stoop to shocking behavior. In reality, it’s best not to idealize anyone.

Speaking of Madam Zhen, Jiang Xian said, "Exactly. That’s why they say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Luckily, she’s not bold—if she were the type to double down, we’d be helpless."

Dou Yuan thought the same. Her mother-in-law had a petty streak but was easily frightened—she had actually sent someone to secretly take her cousin’s wife’s Guanyin image simply because she fancied it. As for why she took it, Dou Yuan had an inkling: not for her son or grandson, but likely for her own health.

A child’s cry snapped her out of her thoughts. Dou Yuan shook her head—as the lady of the house, she still had duties. "Later, take some tonics to Seventh Aunt’s house for me."

Seventh Aunt’s daughter-in-law had suffered severe bleeding about forty days after childbirth.

After dismissing the servant, her sister-in-law Zhuang Shi arrived. Dou Yuan quickly rose. "What brings you here today, sister-in-law?"

Of Madam Zhen’s three sons, only her own husband was somewhat reliable. Though Third Brother Zhen was also a scholar, he couldn’t endure the hardships of study and preferred pleasure. Zhuang Shi had seemed unremarkable when she first married in, but after bearing a son, her true colors emerged—she carried herself with newfound confidence, showing little respect even to her elder sister-in-law.

Zhuang Shi smiled. "Second Sister-in-law, I wouldn’t come without a reason. Recently, our household was in chaos, but now that things have settled, I came to tell you—I’m pregnant again, and my mouth keeps tasting bitter. Mother-in-law said I shouldn’t trouble you, so I thought of setting up a small stove with a few bricks."

So she wanted her own kitchen. Building one would require hiring a separate cook, independent grocery purchases—and since neither the eldest sister-in-law nor she herself had one, if the third sister-in-law alone did, it would break the rules.

Breaking rules wasn’t the main issue—the blame would fall on her.

Dou Yuan replied amiably, "You want your own kitchen? I’ve no objection, but as the household manager, I must consider fairness. If you have one, what will Eldest Sister-in-law say?"

"If you weren’t managing the household, I wouldn’t have come. Mother-in-law has already agreed." Zhuang Shi thought smugly—she had borne a son, while the eldest sister-in-law was just a widow. If her own brother had caused such a scandal, she’d have dashed her brains out long ago. How could that woman compare to her?

Dou Yuan remained unshaken. "Yes, you’ve mentioned it several times. Setting up a kitchen while pregnant is important—I fully support it. But I must clarify things now to avoid disputes later."

Zhuang Shi was no match for Dou Yuan. When Dou Yuan later brought up the kitchen matter to Madam Zhen, suggesting they involve the eldest sister-in-law to prevent resentment, Madam Zhen immediately backtracked.

The matter was quietly dropped.

Later, Dou Yuan visited Jin Niang’s home with her daughter. As the weather was cold, Jin Niang wasn’t doing needlework but had tea and snacks served. After hearing about the clash with Zhuang Shi, Jin Niang remarked, "She’s acting high and mighty. Now that she’s borne a son and is pregnant again, she thinks she can act like an empress dowager." Jin Niang saw right through such people.

The women found that voicing their troubles brought some relief. Dou Yuan felt much better after hearing Jin Niang speak up for her. But when Jin Niang mentioned Madam Xia's schemes, Dou Yuan said, "Cousin, don’t listen to her. Our Yun Jieer’s looks and temperament deserve a match in the capital."

Jin Niang smiled. "I think so too, but Madam Xia not only came to my house pulling strings but also tried to sow discord between me and the Vice-Prefect's Lady. Someone told me about it, so I must find a way to smooth things over."

Dou Yuan suggested, "It’s not that hard. You’re on good terms with Secretary Han’s wife—ask her to mediate and reconcile both sides."

"That makes sense," Jin Niang agreed. She disliked Madam Xia and knew they could never get along, but there was still room to mend things with the Vice-Prefect.

So, after discussing with Jiang Xian, Jin Niang went to Secretary Han’s residence and sought Madam Liu’s help, explaining, "Madam Xia badgered me with unwelcome proposals. It’s not that I disparage anyone, but my daughter is still young, not even thirteen—it’s absolutely out of the question to discuss marriage. And even if we did, I’d never let her marry far from home."

Madam Liu understood immediately and was indignant. "She’s overstepping for no reason, pushing some merchant’s son on you—what audacity! Don’t worry, I’ll help mediate."

"That would be wonderful," Jin Niang said gratefully, presenting her with several bolts of fashionable silk.

As Jin Niang left Secretary Han’s residence with Fang Ma, the latter asked, "Do you think Madam Liu will really help smooth things over?"

Jin Niang shook her head. "I’m just making a gesture. If she accepts my gifts, we’ll keep up appearances. Besides, the Vice-Prefect and Judicial Officer Xia are both newcomers—they won’t openly antagonize us."

"Aren’t you worried at all?" Fang Ma fretted. Officials had to maintain good relations at all levels for promotions. The triennial assessments depended on their superiors’ assessments.

Jin Niang replied, "We can’t just give bribes indiscriminately. If we start now, their demands will only escalate. For now, I’ve asked Madam Liu to mediate. If they’re reasonable, fine. If they insist on making trouble, Jiang Xian and I will discuss countermeasures."

Meanwhile, Madam Liu, having agreed to Jin Niang’s request, was happy to do her this favor. Not only were Han Xiao and Jiang Xian long-time friends, but Jiang Xian’s mother was also related to her, and Jin Niang herself was from the prominent local Wei family.

Thankfully, the Vice-Prefect's Lady and Madam Xia were both tactless—otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so easy to intervene.

Madam Liu soon summoned the Vice-Prefect's Lady, who was far more astute than Madam Xia. "Judge Jiang’s family has been close to ours for generations," Madam Liu began. "How have you been getting along with them?"

The Vice-Prefect's Lady, unaware of this connection, quickly replied, "Very well, indeed."

"Good. I won’t say more, but his wife is from the influential Wei clan. Though the old master has passed, the younger Wei official now serves as a third-rank Fiscal Commissioner. We’re all officials in Daming Prefecture—we can’t afford to offend families like the Weis, Zhens, or Zhangs." Madam Liu gestured for her to drink tea.

The Vice-Prefect's Lady grew alarmed, inwardly cursing Madam Xia for stirring trouble.

After this warning, Madam Liu smiled. "Oh, I nearly forgot—Madam Wei has some premium brocade, and I’ve taken the liberty of sending it to you. Let’s keep in touch."

The Vice-Prefect's Lady accepted meekly.

With this settled, while she remained friendly with Madam Xia, her demeanor toward Jin Niang returned to normal—exactly the outcome Jin Niang wanted.

As for Madam Xia, Jin Niang listened as Lan Shi complained, "I accompanied her all over Daming Prefecture, and she complained about every price. We came back hungry without buying a thing."

"Just ignore her from now on. Haven’t you heard? Even Judicial Officer Xia’s clerks and subordinates are grumbling." Jin Niang blew on her tea and shook her head.

Lan Shi pouted. "It’s so hard being the wives of minor officials."

Jin Niang agreed. With low ranks, they constantly feared offending others. Lan Shi had it worse, though Jin Niang had endured the same in Wu County. Meeting someone like Madam Qian—a kind superior’s wife—was rare.

As they vented, Madam Xia remained oblivious. She thought she and the Vice-Prefect's Lady were allies, but at the Wei family’s gathering, the Vice-Prefect's Lady greeted Jin Niang warmly. Jin Niang even introduced her to Madam Wei, leaving Madam Xia left out in the cold.

Undeterred, Madam Xia pushed her way in to their table, forcing a smile. But Jin Niang paid her no mind, chatting only with Madam Liu and the Vice-Prefect's Lady while Lan Shi added witty remarks.

It was her own doing. Everyone had coexisted peacefully until she stirred trouble. Jin Niang could reconcile with the Vice-Prefect's Lady, who still had some sense, but Madam Xia was impossible to reason with.

Small-minded folks respond only to authority, not virtue—just as Madam Bao had once dealt with Madam Tian.

After the gathering, Jin Niang returned home, only to learn Madam Xia had followed her. Instead of heading inside, Jin Niang had the carriage stop at the Zhen residence. Alighting, she pretended surprise. "Oh, you’re here? I was just about to visit the Zhens."

Madam Xia smiled ingratiatingly. "I came to see you—it’s urgent!"

"I’ve already made an appointment with the Zhen family, so this is rather awkward," Jin Niang said before leaving.

Just talking to her would get you gossiped about. Today, the Subprefect’s Lady had really exposed how meddlesome Mrs. Xia was.

Mrs. Xia walked back, growing more unsettled. Her old tricks had never failed before—why had they failed this time?

She didn’t realize that Jin Niang hadn’t spent two years in Damingfu for nothing. You needed some wisdom to hold your own.

The next day, when Mrs. Xia tried to visit again, the doorman told her that Secretary Han and his wife had come for a meal. Only then did she realize how close the prefect was to the Jiang family. If the Jiangs mentioned anything unfavorable about her to the prefect, she would be ruined.

Yet Jin Niang wasn’t holding back. She complained to Liu Dazi, “I wonder if Judicial Officer Xia has taken bribes—he’s pushing through this obviously flawed case. All the subordinates are filing complaints. How could my husband possibly approve such a verdict?”

“She’s probably taking kickbacks on cases,” Liu Dazi replied knowingly.

Jin Niang shook her head. “I wouldn’t know. With supervising officials above and the prefect below, how could anyone dare? It’s beyond me.”

During the meal, the men dined at one table while the women sat at another. Han Xiao, who had little appetite, suddenly regained his hunger after watching Jin Niang finish a large piece of braised pork.

Perhaps because of this, Han Xiao always ate heartily at the Jiang residence. Liu Dazi also enjoyed visiting, especially since after meals, she and Jin Niang could sketch floral patterns together—a pastime she had loved since childhood. She hadn’t expected Jin Niang to be not only skilled in tailoring but also in painting.

A few days later, Zhen Erlang returned, and Jin Niang introduced Dou Yuan to Liu Dazi. To their surprise, the two families soon arranged a child betrothal.

Luo Jieer was promised to Han Xiao’s eldest son, and naturally, Dou Yuan asked Jin Niang to serve as the matchmaker.

Jin Niang asked seriously, “How did your families agree on this match so quickly?”

“Cousin-in-law, to be honest,” Dou Yuan replied, “Secretary Han is the prefect of Damingfu at such a young age, and his father-in-law is Chancellor Liu. Although my father-in-law still holds office, at his age, reaching third rank before retirement is already quite good. Moreover, Han’s eldest son is handsome, and Liu Dazi is virtuous. We had to secure this match early. If the Zhen family ever stumbles, with such a connection, my Luo Jieer will still become an official’s wife.” In Dou Yuan’s eyes, even if Han’s eldest son fails in scholarly pursuits, he can still obtain an official post through family influence.

She even advised Jin Niang, “Cousin-in-law, although Yun Jieer is still young, you should start looking now. You can’t wait until the last minute and expect a perfect bachelor to just appear.”

Jin Niang suddenly recalled a saying: good men rarely remain single for long.

The first snow of winter arrived just as Luo Da came, bringing not only the rental income but also letters from Jiang Yan addressed to Jiang Xian. Jin Niang didn’t open them, though she noticed that this year’s payment was less than usual.

Luo Da sighed. “The money shop at Jinliang Bridge didn’t survive. It was rented out for two months to a shop selling hair ornaments and wigs, which paid only 28 guan. As for your shop, the silk merchant transferred it to his nephew, who offered only 20 guan. So altogether, it’s only 576 taels. Adding the rent from the 200 mu of farmland—another 176 guan—we’ve brought slightly over 700 guan.”

Jin Niang thought to herself that owning various properties really paid off. She hadn’t expected such a small sum from Bianjing this year, but she wasn’t overly discouraged. “Thank you for your trouble,” she said.

Luo Da didn’t dare behave as casually as in previous years due to the reduced income.

However, he brought good news. After reading Jiang Yan’s letter, Jiang Xian told Jin Niang, “Elder Brother says Xuan Geer is engaged to the Wu family. He’s also recommended me to them and to Chancellor Jixian. Barring any unexpected changes, I might be transferred back to the capital.”

“That’s wonderful news,” Jin Niang said.

She then discussed with Jiang Xian the idea of sending gifts back to Jiang Yan for the festival through Luo Da, and Jiang Xian readily agreed.

Still, the couple couldn’t help but frown at this year’s significantly reduced silver from Bianjing. Fortunately, the warehouse delivered 1,200 taels, and Wuxian sent another 800 taels in installments, easing Jin Niang’s worries.

“My Lady, if we return, will we be able to afford a grand residence?” Jiang Xian’s biggest concern was this, especially seeing his wife’s furrowed brow.

In the provinces, Han Xiao, practically family, would never give him a poor evaluation. With connections secured above, he had no other worries—except this one.

Jin Niang did a quick calculation. With around 8,800 taels, plus the sale of their current home, they’d have over 9,000—enough.

But she told Jiang Xian, “Let’s not think too far ahead. We’ll discuss it once things are settled.”

Although Jiang Yan was known for his gentleness and integrity, what happened with Lady Wu still lingered in her mind. The Chancellor of Jixian’s daughter-in-law was Xu Shi’s cousin—would Xu Shi even cooperate?