Chapter 116

Chapter 116

"Luo Jieer is such a sweet girl," Jin Niang remarked as she gently stroked Zhen Luo's little bald head, enjoying the soft texture.

Dou Yuan also gave her daughter's tiny foot a squeeze, her heart brimming with affection. "During the Cold Food Festival, the Han family sent lavish gifts. I’m truly happy for her."

Jin Niang smiled. "Madame Liu is a woman of refinement."

Though the eldest son of the Han family was a concubine’s son, he was still the firstborn, and Han Xiao treated him with respect. Madame Liu's position was unshakable, and the concubines all curried favor with her.

Dou Yuan rubbed her belly. "I have no other wish but to bear a son, so Zhuang Shi can’t lord it over me anymore. That way, our Luo Jieer will have someone to rely on in the future."

"Don’t worry. You and your husband are on good terms now—it’s only a matter of time." Since arriving in this era, Jin Niang held firm to some of her own beliefs, but she had grown less inclined to interfere in others' lives.

Dou Yuan then asked with a smile, "Is cousin not home today?"

"He’s in the study. The Transportation Office, the Judicial and Penal Affairs Office, and the Ever-Normal Granary Office are all beginning their performance evaluations of officials this year, and it’s said to be especially strict. I heard that a recommended assistant official failed the Ministry of Personnel’s selection process last year, so they’re being extra cautious now."

Dou Yuan sighed. "Even my husband had a hell of a time with the imperial exams. Even for inherited official posts, the requirements are strict—one must be over twenty-five, pass policy debates and poetry tests, and answer at least half of the ten legal questions correctly."

Becoming an official was no easy feat. Jin Niang had once thought it simpler.

As they spoke, word came that the third branch’s baby boy was throwing up milk.

"If he’s throwing up, just fetch a doctor," Dou Yuan said.

Jin Niang thought to herself that Zhuang Shi, having borne two sons, had gotten even more high-handed than before, constantly ordering Dou Yuan around for the smallest things. Even summoning a physician had to be done by Dou Yuan personally.

Not wanting to overstay, Jin Niang handed the child back to Luo Jieer’s nanny and said, "I should head back now. Let’s catch up another day."

"Sister-in-law..." Dou Yuan fumed silently at Zhuang Shi. She had finally found a chance to talk with family, and Zhuang Shi had to ruin it—undoubtedly on purpose.

Jin Niang smiled. "You’d better handle it."

"Alright." Dou Yuan had no choice but to send someone to fetch the physician.

Upon returning, Jin Niang found Ru Yan waiting and invited her in.

Only now did she learn that Ru Yan was getting married and had come personally to deliver the invitation.

"What wonderful news! Who’s the lucky man?" Jin Niang asked eagerly.

Ru Yan smiled. "No big-shot official—just the accountant from my shop."

"Where is he from?" Jin Niang inquired, wary of her making another mistake.

"He’s a local of Daming Prefecture. The teahouse I lease is his family’s property. His parents passed away, and he wasn’t good at managing it, so he leased it to me. But don’t worry—though his parents are gone, his grandfather is still alive. They’re not rich, but they carry some weight here."

Seeing her clear-headed analysis, Jin Niang smiled. "Good, that’s good. We don’t even know if we’ll stay in Daming Prefecture this year. But knowing you’ve found a home puts my mind at ease."

With no living relatives, Ru Yan wanted Jin Niang to handle her wedding plans. Jin Niang happily agreed, preparing a room in Linglong Pavilion so Ru Yan could have her wedding at the Judge’s estate—ensuring no one would dare mistreat her.

Jin Niang had previously received Ru Yan’s cash gift but insisted on covering the wedding expenses herself. Ru Yan protested, "You’re already arranging everything and letting me marry from your home—that’s more than I could ever repay. If you also pay for it, I wouldn’t know where to hide my face."

"Don’t say that. It’s only right," Jin Niang replied.

Ru Yan, ever thoughtful, knew Jin Niang often served as a *Complete Fortune Matron*. "If you won’t let me pay for the wedding, at least accept the lucky money for serving as my matron. That’s non-negotiable."

After some polite arguing, Jin Niang finally accepted—but still used the money for the wedding.

First, she helped buy two clever maids and a young servant, handing their indentures to Ru Yan. She also hired a tailor to make eight bedspreads and eight quilts and had an embroidery workshop prepare shoes, socks, and the bridal trousseau.

These were small matters. Additionally, she purchased ready-made items for Ru Yan, such as a lacquered bed inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a painted screen, a daybed, and a dressing table.

The house was in a flurry, and Ru Yan felt deeply embarrassed. Her wedding date was set hastily, forcing others to make all the arrangements without her contributing financially. Even the money meant for the Complete Fortune Matron was entirely spent on her.

Jin Niang had prepared her own dowry in the past and still had the old list. Following it now made the process effortless.

Upon hearing that Ru Yan was related to the Judge's wife, the groom’s family was overjoyed. His grandfather contributed a hundred *guàn* of coins as the betrothal gift. Jin Niang included it all in Ru Yan’s dowry. Two days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Ru Yan was married, and three days later, she returned with her groom for the bridal homecoming.

Seeing that the groom seemed sincere and knowing Ru Yan was clever, Jin Niang prepared gifts for their return visit. In truth, Ru Yan relied on her just as she relied on Madam Wei.

She had married above her station into the Wei family, yet they treated her like a respected lady. Thus, she paid it forward to Ru Yan.

Ru Yan noticed the return gifts included jewelry, brocade, sweetened oil, flour cakes, goose eggs, tea cakes, geese, sheep, and fruits—enough to fill two carts.

"Madam, the Judge’s wife truly treats you well."

"Indeed. She saved me in my darkest hour, and now she has arranged my wedding. It shows that even among women, there is loyalty."

After years in the brothels, Ru Yan trusted no one. The courtesans there were two-faced, competing ruthlessly and scheming against one another.

Yet this Madam Wei was neither weak nor easily deceived—she was shrewd and calculating. Still, she never resented Ru Yan’s schemes or deceptions, instead showing great understanding.

Because she recognized Ru Yan’s struggles, knowing it was all for self-preservation.

***

After Ru Yan’s wedding, May arrived, and Jin Niang was already seeking a property agent to look for a house. Regardless of where the next posting would be, Daming Prefecture's posts were almost all filled, so they likely wouldn’t stay much longer.

Fang Ma remarked, "It would be wonderful to return to the capital. Though Daming is nice, the capital is better—no more moving back and forth."

"They say three moves equal one fire. We don’t want to, but we must. If my husband is reassigned, we must follow," Jin Niang said with a smile.

Fang Ma nodded. "You’re right. We can’t let him go alone." Besides, accompanying him allowed Jin Niang to build useful *guānxì*, which was invaluable.

Still, Fang Ma asked, "Why did you treat Ru Yan so generously? Though she gave us a share, without our backing, she’d have been devoured long ago."

Jin Niang smiled. "No good deed goes unresented. If I took nothing, she’d feel forever indebted, which might turn to hatred. But if I took the money, she’d think I exploited her. By arranging her marriage, we’re even."

Fang Ma was enlightened—every move was calculated and justified.

Moreover, Jin Niang never assumed her good deeds entitled her to anything. Her grasp of human nature bordered on terrifying.

A Ying, having just seen off the property agent, came in and said, "Madam, did you know the Xia family bought a house for twenty *guàn* of cash?"

"Twenty *guàn* for a house? What kind of house?" Jin Niang asked.

"A triple-courtyard compound in the northern part of the city, with over twenty rooms," A Ying replied.

Jin Niang frowned. "Did a merchant gift it?"

"No, it was a commoner's home."

"That’s strange. Who would sell such a large house for so little? Something's fishy about this."

When Jiang Xian returned, Jin Niang told him, "We should investigate this. If that Judicial Officer writes a slanderous performance review of you, we’ll have dirt on him."

Jiang Xian nodded. "As always, you’ve thought ahead, my dear."

"Let's not talk anymore, let's eat first," Jin Niang said with a smile.

The servants began setting the table, and Jin Niang had them prepare nourishing soup. Lately, she had been quite preoccupied, so she made sure to drink some tonic soup.

After the meal, Jin Niang started sorting through their belongings. Over the past three years, she had been careful not to acquire much, worried it'd be a pain to move. If things became too bulky, it would be troublesome.

Thus, for gifts this year, she just regifted the tea and silk fabrics she already had on hand.

Last year, when Luo Jieer became engaged to the eldest son of the Han family, Jin Niang received a hundred taels of silver along with cloth and raw silk. She mentioned to Jiang Xian, "Last time, I bought a pair of jade pendants for Wei Qilang at the jade shop. I originally planned to use the hundred taels from the Zhen family, but in the end, I used the tea and silk I had stored, clearing out six chests. Still, we need to keep some for gifts when we return—the capital’s social scene demands a lot."

Jin Niang handled all these matters, as Jiang Xian usually left it all to her. She continued, "We should keep the clothes we’ll need later, but for those we no longer wear—yet are made of fine fabric—we could just pawn them."

She was adamant about cutting back, knowing that otherwise, these clothes would just end up mothballed at home.

Jiang Xian hesitated, "My dear, why not just charter two big boats for the return trip?"

"I know you’re reluctant, but some of your clothes haven’t been worn in two years. Once we settle into a new home, even if we get assigned elsewhere, we won’t need to carry everything with us," Jin Niang persuaded.

Jiang Xian pulled her to sit down and said, "It’s not just that—it’d be a waste to toss all that. Why not have Liu Douer take the unused clothes and bulky items back to Sweetwater Lane first? That way, we can have our cake and eat it too."

Jin Niang was concerned about looking too flashy upon their return.

After some thought, she agreed, "That’s a good idea. And have them quietly sound out a broker about the price of a three-courtyard house with a garden or side courtyards. That way, we can find a place quickly once we return. Besides, if we don’t go back to the capital right away and move elsewhere instead, our luggage will be much lighter."

Jiang Xian thought to himself that his wife truly wouldn’t believe anything until the last moment.

Ever the cautious one.

Following their instructions, Liu Douer set off three days later with a few men, hauling forty trunks. These contained mostly tea, raw silk, robes, embroidered screens, books, and the like.

They left before dawn, so few noticed.

When the supervisory office’s evaluation came out, Jiang Xian, who had connections, got wind early that he’d landed the highest rating. He breathed a sigh of relief.

As for Mrs. Xia, Jin Niang and Jiang Xian had discovered that the house she bought was acquired after Judicial Officer Xia pressured the owner. After gathering evidence through Cao Da, they held onto it for leverage.

Mrs. Xia remained oblivious. She was busy discussing with Judicial Officer Xia, "We should host a housewarming banquet and make it grand."

"Whatever you say," Vice-Prefect Xia replied, as long as she left him in peace.

Mrs. Xia was delighted. After Judicial Officer Xia left, a peddler selling hair ornaments arrived. These busybodies loved mingling with wealthy families, spreading news and stirring trouble. Yet Mrs. Xia had poor relations with all the other ladies, and she snubbed the petty officials’ wives who frequented her home.

"Madam Judicial Officer, I’ve got some new trinkets for you to see," the peddler said.

Mrs. Xia smiled, "I called you here because I heard Tixing Luo has a younger brother-in-law who’s too stubby to land a wife, right?"

The peddler nodded, "You have such a good memory! He’s decent-looking, just short. They said whoever finds him a suitable match gets a 30% commission."

Mrs. Xia’s eyes lit up—that meant two hundred taels! She immediately hatched a plan, "I know a family with a beautiful daughter from a scholarly household, their storerooms bursting with grain. Her grandfather was a lecturer at Songshan Academy, and her father works as a clerk in the yamen."

The peddler was thrilled, "What wonderful news! Then you’re my go-between!"

Mrs. Xia played both ends, but when the girl’s family met the man, they refused. Undeterred, she tried to pressure them using her status as the Judicial Officer’s wife.

...

By the end of May, the marriage was settled. Mrs. Xia received her hefty commission, grinning like a fox.

When Jin Niang heard the news, she was stunned, "How could Miss Cheng, so lovely and refined, marry Tixing Luo’s brother-in-law? It’s like a toad panting after a swan!"

They were simply too mismatched in appearance.

"It's all that Madame Skinflint's doing," A Ying said bluntly.

"Madame Skinflint" was the nickname everyone had given Mrs. Xia, mocking her for always trying to take advantage of others.

Jin Niang sighed. "How can there be someone like her? Isn’t she just ruining lives? Why does she keep meddling in matchmaking left and right, forcing people together without caring if they’re suited?"

"Thank goodness you had the gatekeepers keep her out, Madam. We’re an official household, but even so, dealing with someone like her is truly unbelievable," A Ying remarked, equally astounded by Mrs. Xia’s behavior.

Jin Niang mused, "People like her are rare. Most official families care deeply about their reputations and wouldn’t act this way."

As the two were talking, Chen Xiaolang entered and said, "Greetings, Madam. The master’s transfer order has arrived today—he has been promoted to Imperial Diarist in the Palace Secretariat."

The position of Imperial Diarist was of the sixth rank, responsible for recording the emperor’s words and actions. Though not top-tier, it was a role close to the emperor. Jiang Xian himself was only a sixth-rank deputy in the Remonstrance Bureau—how did he pull this off?

"A Ying, have Ju Xiang and Chun Xian whip up a feast. We’ll celebrate properly today," Jin Niang said with a smile.

Her long-held worries finally melted away, and she could relax at last.

The Zhen family across the street soon heard the news. Zhen Erlang immediately came over with Dou Yuan. Jin Niang said, "We were just planning to invite you for dinner once your cousin returns. Perfect timing!"

Dou Yuan stepped forward cheerfully to offer congratulations. Though her Dou family had faced some troubles, with her cousin now becoming an official in the capital, she no longer felt adrift and was naturally in high spirits.

As Jin Niang chatted with the couple, Ning Geer and Yun Jieer also came to greet them. Zhen Erlang asked Ning Geer about his studies, and the boy replied, "I’ve just started learning *The Great Learning* from *The Book of Rites*."

"How far have you gotten?" Zhen Erlang was surprised—the child was only six and already studying *The Great Learning*.

Ning Geer recited a passage, and Zhen Erlang said to Jin Niang, "Sister-in-law, this child is being raised well. He’ll surely outshine his elders in the future."

"Don’t praise him too much, brother-in-law. A bright start doesn’t mean a bright future. If he grows up to be upright and responsible, I’ll be more than grateful," Jin Niang said with a smile, ruffling her son’s hair.

Ning Geer’s personality was much like Jin Niang’s—he loved to play but also knew how to fulfill his duties and was surprisingly disciplined.

The real test was whether he would remain as hardworking when he grew older.

They chatted for a while longer until word came that Jiang Xian had returned. Everyone congratulated him again, and with a beaming face, Jiang Xian joined them as Jin Niang ordered the servants to serve the meal.

That day, even Jin Niang, who rarely drank, tossed back a few drinks, her face glowing.

The men went outside to talk, while Dou Yuan helped Jin Niang back to the inner courtyard. "Cousin-in-law, you’ll be returning to Bianjing soon. I’ll miss you," she said.

"I’ll miss you too," Jin Niang replied. Since arriving in Daming Prefecture, they had become like family.

After a moment’s hesitation, Dou Yuan spoke from the heart, "Cousin-in-law, seeing Ning Geer today reminded me of my brother. He was just as bright and clever when he was young, but who knew he’d end up a letdown later? That’s why I want to advise you—since you’re still young, try for another child. If one doesn’t turn out well, there’s always the other."

It was sincere advice, and Jin Niang knew Dou Yuan meant well. She considered it. "It’s been five or six years since Ning Geer was born. My health has gotten stronger since then."

Once they returned to the capital, bought a house, and got settled, it might not be a bad idea.

Dou Yuan smiled. "Glad you see it that way, cousin-in-law."

What she didn’t say was that while it was easy for couples to endure hardship together, sharing prosperity was harder. With her cousin’s intelligence and talent, if he achieved great success in the future, would he bring in concubines just for show? If their bond remained as strong as it was now, where would that leave Jin Niang?

But these were words she couldn’t voice aloud.

Regardless of how overjoyed Jiang Xian and Jin Niang were, their imminent return to the capital meant they had to focus on selling their house first. Jin Niang had already contacted a broker, and now that the date was set, potential buyers came to view the property.

Their house was in a good location, near several officials’ residences. When Jin Niang bought it, the price had been low, but after renovations, they’d need at least seven hundred taels to make it worth their while.

While selling the house, Jin Niang also went to the Wei Family Girls' School in person to inform Madam Shen and pull her daughter out of school.

No matter what, these three years had brought significant progress for her daughter—she excelled in reading, wrote beautifully, and had become skilled in polo, chuiwan, pitch-pot, and incense-making. By the time they returned to the capital, she would have nothing to fear.

Madam Shen smiled and said, "Yun Jieer is skilled at playing the yueqin. Once you're in the capital, you can hire a tutor specifically to teach her."

"Good. My daughter has been well taken care of here. Yun Jieer, bow deeply three times to Madam Shen," Jin Niang instructed her daughter.

By respecting teachers and others, you learn self-respect.

Yun Jieer knelt and bowed deeply three times before leaving with Jin Niang. She sighed like an adult, "Even the grandest gatherings must end someday. At our academy, one leaves today, another tomorrow—and now, even I am leaving."

"Indeed, that's why people often say that a life you can see ahead might be a good one—always dealing with familiar people and familiar things," Jin Niang did not deny her daughter's words.

Yun Jieer laughed again, "Anyway, I just want to stay with Father, Mother, and my little brother forever."

Jin Niang patted her daughter's cheek, and the mother-daughter pair returned home, where they encountered Madam Liu, who had come to give them parting gifts. Jin Niang quickly expressed her gratitude.

Madam Liu smiled, "It's wonderful that you can return to the capital."

"You still have two years left in your term, but it won't be long. We’ll meet again in the capital," Jin Niang said, holding her hand with a smile.

They chatted for a while longer until a real estate agent arrived, prompting Madam Liu to take her leave.

It turned out that a potential buyer had come to view the house—an elderly couple with their granddaughter. The old man had once been a medical official but had retired and returned to his hometown. They were very satisfied with the tidy surroundings, and Jin Niang even agreed to leave behind the beds and the Eight Immortals table (a traditional square dining table), settling on a total price of 740 taels.

The elderly couple did not pay entirely in silver. Instead, they offered three pairs of gold bracelets, each weighing seven taels, covering half the cost. Additionally, they provided a seven-tael ginseng root from Shangdang and premium ox bezoar, valued at 20 taels, with the remaining 300-odd strings of cash paid in silver.

While the property deed was being processed, Legal Advisor Song helped arrange a boat, and Jin Niang and her family were busy with farewell banquets. The Zhen family and Madam Liu were not the only ones—even Ru Yan from the Wei family sent gifts and threw them a farewell party.

Moreover, Ru Yan mentioned that the proprietor of the warehouse had ships regularly traveling between the north and south and could spare one to take them to Bianjing, eliminating the need to hire a separate vessel.

Jin Niang was naturally delighted. The proprietor, perceptive and courteous, even suggested sending her annual dividends directly to Bianjing. She thought to herself that it was no wonder this proprietor, not yet thirty, had built such a vast business—he truly knew how to win people over.

However, Jin Niang did not take advantage of his generosity. She slipped him a pair of gold bracelets as travel expenses, worth over a hundred taels—roughly the cost of the journey from Daming Prefecture to the Eastern Capital.

By evening, the family had packed all their trunks and sent them to the docks. While Cao Da was at the carriage shop near the shore handling the horses and carriages, Jin Niang unexpectedly spotted Zhou Si and her group.

It turned out that Sun Shichen's political achievements had been mediocre, but with the help of his father's connections in official circles and Zhou Cunzhi's request to the Wu family, he had secured a position as a seventh-grade county magistrate in an upper prefecture. Initially, Sun Shichen thought this appointment was decent—until he heard that Jiang Xian was about to return to the capital as a sixth-rank Imperial Diarist, nearly choked on his anger.