Chapter 117

Chapter 117

After sailing about twenty li, Jin Niang asked Jiang Xian, "Have you told Secretary Han about what the Xia family has done?"

"I already have. Magistrate Xia often abuses his authority to bully good citizens in Daming Prefecture. If the higher-ups fail to notice, they’ll be blamed for poor oversight and face consequences later," Jiang Xian replied.

Jin Niang felt relieved and said, "When we left Wu County, I was full of energy for some reason. But leaving Daming Prefecture feels like I've been unshackled."

Jiang Xian chuckled. "Isn’t that what Cao Gui's saying about battle says—'The first drum rouses the spirit, the second weakens it, the third exhausts it'? When we first went to Wu County, being officials was new and exciting. By Daming Prefecture, you were already worn out. Now, finally returning to the capital on our third assignment, no longer being itinerant officials, is naturally a good thing."

"You’re absolutely right," Jin Niang laughed softly and nestled into his arms.

The couple had been too busy and exhausted recently to be intimate. Now, undisturbed on the boat, Jiang Xian had prepared the sheep intestine sheath in advance, but Jin Niang stopped him. "Not today."

Jiang Xian hesitated. "What if you get pregnant?"

"So be it if I do," Jin Niang said with a smile.

Jiang Xian was puzzled. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Jin Niang shook her head. "Just seeing things from another's perspective."

She had seen how Madam Luan, though left to raise a son alone in the Zhen family, could still claim a share of the estate. If she had returned to her own family, the Luans would likely have married her off to the highest bidder. Jin Niang was well-versed in the dynasty’s inheritance laws—if their only son came to harm, any adoption would have to be from within the clan, not freely chosen.

In the future, she and Jiang Xian might still be at others’ mercy.

Of course, if Jiang Xian were alive, things would be manageable. But if he were gone, their estate might be confiscated.

She didn’t voice these thoughts, as it might sound like she was cursing her husband. In this world, women struggled to survive alone, so she had to plan ahead.

Jiang Xian didn’t press further. Under the covers, they lost themselves in passion, leaving them both content.

The next morning, Jin Niang felt sore and wore loose house robes, reading on the couch and resting her eyes occasionally.

At noon, Yun Jieer came to join her for lunch. Her daughter's presence revived Jin Niang’s spirits, and she sat up. "Hungry? Looking to raid Mother's pantry?"

"No, Rong Mama (Xi Qiu) already fed me. I just wanted to read with you," Yun Jieer said playfully.

"Good. Let’s move to the bed—the couch is too small. What do you want to read?" Jin Niang welcomed her growing child's affection. On the contrary, she wanted to understand her children better, especially as they neared adolescence and their emotions became more complex.

Mother and daughter read together, with Yun Jieer often sharing passages and Jin Niang pointing out amusing bits. Jiang Xian, about to enter, paused at the doorway. He wondered if Jin Niang’s desire for another child stemmed from how close their children were to them.

Perhaps it was for the best. If they bought a large house, it would feel too empty without enough people to fill it.

After lunch, Yun Jieer returned to her room to rest, leaving behind a box of homemade scented powder. Jin Niang then recalled the children of Sun Shichen and Zhou Si, whom they had encountered earlier.

Eldest Miss Sun and Second Daughter Sun had met Yun Jieer. Though they were once schoolmates together, and Yun Jieer had made a point of greeting them, the sisters had been reluctant to engage.

Why was that?

On their own boat, Zhou Si asked her daughters, "That young lady from the Jiang family came to talk to you earlier. Why did you ignore her? That wasn’t polite."

Eldest Miss Sun stayed silent, as she was introspective and rarely spoke her mind. But Second Daughter Sun said, "We withdrawn from the girls' academy midway. We were afraid she’d ask why we stopped attending."

Hearing this, Zhou Si was stung with remorse.

Some things seemed inconsequential to adults—like her still hiring a tutor for her three children. But the stigma of leaving school weighed heavily on her daughters, making them shrink from company.

"Don’t worry. Once we reach the new county, we’ll engage a new instructress for you," Zhou Si could only offer this reassurance.

Eldest Miss Sun shook her head: "Madam Shen is Wuxing's top talent among women; others probably can't rival her brilliance. But Jiang Yun is going to the capital, she'll encounter even better teachers there."

Zhou Si hated women competing against each other and said, "We don't need to compare ourselves to her."

"Mother, I..." Eldest Miss Sun couldn't find the words.

Zhou Si said, "Great things start small. As long as you devote yourself to learning, things will surely improve. Self-respect is how you grow."

...

After five days of sailing, the boat pulled ashore because of high winds. The boatmaster went to pay taxes and replenish supplies. Jin Niang, afraid the kids might get scared, called them to her room. She had the siblings play chess while she watched, occasionally discussing household matters with A Ying.

"From here to the capital won’t take long. Once we arrive, we’ll find a house first, then send gifts to various places. Otherwise, Sweetwater Lane’s too tight a squeeze, with shops in front and too much foot traffic—it’s not ideal."

A Ying nodded, "I was thinking the same."

Jin Niang smiled, "In any case, once we’re in the capital, we’ll have a large house with a garden. We won’t even need to go out for walks—we can stroll in our own garden. And we won’t have to worry about running out of room for guests."

She was a practical woman. A good life without money troubles cuts out eighty percent of life’s headaches.

Unable to sleep much that night, Jin Niang rose the next day and had snacks bought from the shore vendors. The children, tired of Ju Xiang’s cooking, devoured the street food eagerly.

"Don’t eat too much, or you’ll upset your stomach," Jin Niang warned them.

Ning Geer hopped around excitedly, "Mother, you can read my mind! You know what I want to eat without me even saying it."

Jin Niang playfully scolded him, "So happy over some snacks? But this street food is different from what you usually eat—it might not agree with your stomach. That’s it for now."

She didn’t know how to explain gut bacteria, so this was the simplest way.

Ning Geer knew his mother gave in to many of their whims, but when she laid down the law, he had to listen, otherwise there would be no treats next time. He quickly agreed.

As the children finished eating and Jin Niang had water fetched for them to wash their hands, a loud splash came from outside—someone had fallen into the water.

For some reason, Jin Niang thought of Ru Yan. This time, she instructed the servants to rescue the person, take them to a riverside clinic, and leave payment. She didn’t want any further entanglements—saving someone was easy, but taking responsibility for their life was burdensome.

She avoided entangling herself in others’ fates, so rescue was where her help ended.

Ding San reported that the rescued woman was a young bride who’d jumped after her mother-in-law drove her to it. When she came to, she pleaded for shelter, but Ding San refused.

Jin Niang said, "Understood. You may go."

A Ying brought tea and remarked, "Madam, the two taels you gave her should keep her going for three months. If she had the courage to jump, she’s got the grit to survive."

"Hmm." Jin Niang then thought of Nanny Ma, Ning Geer’s old wet nurse. As the boy grew older, she feared being dismissed and thus spoiled him excessively.

Once in the capital, she couldn’t remain in Ning Geer’s service—it’d make it harder for us to discipline him.

"Starting tomorrow, have Ning Geer come to me to work on his calligraphy," Jin Niang told A Ying.

She then said to Jiang Xian, "You’ll need to keep him in line too. Once we return, we’ll get him a proper tutor."

Starter tutors covered the basics, while advanced tutors covered classics and history.

Unlike later dynasties, the Song Dynasty had no county or prefectural exams for children. Instead, there was the "Child Prodigy Exam." Boys under ten who could handle one classic, along with the *Classic of Filial Piety* and *Analects*, and could recite ten passages flawlessly, were granted official status. Those who recited seven earned scholarly recognition.

Ning Geer was diligent and studious. Even if he didn’t pass the exam, at ten, he’d still outshine his peers.

Jiang Xian was surprised by this plan. Truthfully, he’d only begun studying seriously after his elder brother’s adoption. Rich kids rarely put up with the grind of studying.

Studying can practically drain the life out of you; it's no easy feat.

"Wife, you’ve really thought ahead. However, hiring an academic tutor is different from hiring an elementary tutor. If we engage a renowned scholar, the cost might be higher. Will we have enough left after buying the house?" He wasn’t sure how much funds Jin Niang still had, especially since she insisted on paying the boat fare to the proprietor upon their return.

Jin Niang laughed in exasperation. "Don’t worry about the money. I’d sell my hair before I let you starve."

She actually had an idea—after returning, she no longer wanted to rent out the Sweetwater Lane house. Instead, she could turn it into a lodging house. Those little partitioned rooms she had built for the servants could serve as storage or lodgings. The location was also close to the Great Xiangguo Temple, where many merchants gathered to trade.

However, the property was still too small to bring in much money.

Come to think of it, after they moved out, the back building and study could also be rented out, effectively renting out the same place twice over. That would work.

In truth, after purchasing the estate, there wouldn’t be any major expenses left, so they could take things step by step.

Jiang Xian, reassured by Jin Niang’s words, chuckled. "Madam, it’s only been a few years, and we can already afford a grand estate. It’s hard to wrap my head around."

"Silly." Jin Niang, amused by his rare moment of foolishness, gave his cheeks a playful squeeze as she often did with Ning Geer.

With smooth sailing all the way, the boat arrived in Kaifeng in just over half a month.

Jin Niang let out a relieved sigh at the familiar docks. She had sent word ahead to Sweetwater Lane, and Liu Douer had already hired horse-drawn and mule-drawn carts to fetch them. Luo Yue and Wei Xiong, knowing of their return, had also moved back to Stinking Water Lane, scrubbing the place from top to bottom.

Luo Da, upon receiving Jin Niang’s letter about the large number of people returning, realized some might not have enough space to stay. He was instructed to rent a few street-facing rooms near the Great Xiangguo Temple for the extra servants.

This made Luo Da admire Jin Niang’s thoughtfulness—she had everything arranged meticulously for the servants.

By the time Jin Niang and her family arrived home, lanterns were glowing. Luo Yue peered anxiously and hurried forward when she saw Jin Niang disembark. "Look at your father—he must have eyes in the back of his head. He’s still waiting at the alley entrance."

Six years had passed, and her mother’s laugh lines had grown deeper, though her complexion remained good. Jin Niang smiled. "Hurry and bring Father back. It’s been so long since we’ve seen him."

She then urged Yun Jieer and Ning Geer to greet their grandmother, which thrilled Luo Yue.

Yun Jieer and Ning Geer had left the capital too young to remember much, so they weren’t particularly close to Luo Yue. Fortunately, upon their return, Jin Niang first had the luggage carried into the rooms and organized, with Qing Rong keeping watch.

Only then did the family sit down for dinner, with dishes warmed up—made earlier by Luo Yue and Luo Da’s wife.

"Father, Mother, Shiliulang and I plan to buy an estate this time. We’ll set aside rooms for you—you can stay whenever you wish," Jin Niang said cheerfully.

Luo Yue replied, "We’re quite comfortable in Stinking Water Lane. It’s just that your brother might need the study..."

"Mother, I intend to rent out the Sweetwater Lane house. It’s a waste to leave it empty. Yang Geer can come to our new estate instead."

Jiang Xian suddenly admired Jin Niang’s decisiveness, especially in financial matters. She refused to owe others and had her own plans, unwilling to leave loose ends. To her, this house was hers to handle as she saw fit.

Though Luo Yue and Wei Xiong grumbled to themselves, they had grown accustomed to their daughter’s ways.

After dinner, Jin Niang privately told Luo Yue, "I plan to give this house to Yun Jieer as part of her dowry. Since you haven’t yet arranged a marriage for Yang Geer, if a new daughter-in-law moves in, she shouldn’t stay here. Instead, you can come live in the grand estate I’ll buy. Yang Geer can stay there before his marriage, and afterward, the couple can live independently to avoid disturbing their newlywed life."

Luo Yue pretended to hesitate, but deep down, she preferred living with her daughter over her son.

Her son was easygoing, while her daughter was decisive.

Jin Niang added, "After buying this estate, I might be short on cash. With no relatives to rely on, do you think I should rent out more properties?"

"Your father and I will support you. We may not have much to spare in our old age, but we’ll always share what we have," Luo Yue said, thinking of the twenty strings of cash she had secretly set aside for her daughter in case of emergencies.

Jin Niang replied, "It hasn’t come to that yet."

In her view, her parents were easy to negotiate with, but if her brother’s wife grew accustomed to Sweetwater Lane and was later asked to leave, it could cause hard feelings.

If I don't resolve this now, how could Yun Jieer possibly ask them to leave in the future?

That's the first reason. The second is that I can take care of my parents. After all, they don’t have much to live on, and I also need their company. In the future, if Jiang Xian is sent to a post outside the capital, having my parents around would be better than relying solely on servants.

Moreover, while I can support my parents in their old age, moving my brother and his future wife in would mean several families living together—bound to lead to squabbles. Even Jiang Xian and our children would be unhappy.

Luo Yue brought up the matter of family connections: "Is this really true?"

"Of course it is. Everything was done according to kinship ties, and they even gave me a family record. Every year on the second day of the Lunar New Year, the Wei family invites me back, and I get along well with them. Once we buy the house, I plan to take you along to pay a visit to Madam Wei and introduce Yang Geer. Then we can start visiting each other—wouldn’t that be nice?" Jin Niang said with a smile.

Luo Yue hesitated: "Associating with such high-ranking officials, folks like us..."

Jin Niang laughed. "Your son is a student at the Imperial Academy, and you and Father work for your living—that’s more honorable than most. Honestly, Father and you are already in your fifties. Running small shops, up at dawn and working till dark—your health can’t take it. Why not buy a few acres of land in the suburbs? You’d have crops from the land, plus the rent from the house in Stinky Water Lane. You wouldn’t have to work so hard."

The mother and daughter talked for a long time, and Luo Yue didn’t return home until late at night.

The next day, Jin Niang immediately sought out a real estate agent to inquire about housing prices and get a general idea of the market.

She started early in the morning, visiting three different agents in a row. She learned that most buyers were looking for houses near the Imperial Academy in the southern part of the city. However, the available properties were either too small—just two courtyards—or too large, neither of which suited her needs.

After eating some snacks in the carriage, Jin Niang went to the western gate area in the afternoon. There, she found a three-courtyard house with a garden, covering six acres, priced at eight thousand strings of coins.

Not long after, Jiang Xian, who had just finished reporting to his new office, joined her. He liked the house right away, but seeing Jin Niang remain silent, he didn’t voice his opinion.

On their way back that evening, Jiang Xian said, "Wife, that house was quite nice."

"It was, but we should investigate first. I’ve already asked Chen Xiaolang to pay the local beggar boss for information." Back when she was a Guild Master, Jin Niang had dealings with all sorts of people. Without websites to search, she relied on local informants.

Having served as an official for years, Jiang Xian found Jin Niang fascinating. For instance, she had Luo Da and Liu Douer scout properties, yet upon returning, she ignored their suggestions and went out herself to gather information—even consulting beggar chiefs.

She was not someone easily fooled.

That evening, Chen Xiaolang returned with his report: "The family is eager to sell because they were involved in a land dispute that turned deadly, so they want to sell the place fast."

"We don’t want anything with trouble with the law, and that location is too close to the main road—too far from the city." Jin Niang had done extensive research before buying a house.

Jiang Xian actually thought the house was a good deal. If the family was desperate, they could negotiate a lower price. But since his wife disagreed, he let it go.

Since Jiang Xian’s official duties wouldn’t start for a few more days, he decided to take Jin Niang to pay respects to Sixth Uncle Jiang. After all, returning home without visiting family elders would invite criticism.

Jin Niang prepared gifts: six bolts of gauze and satin, twelve tea cakes, two jars of good wine, two summer mats from Wu County, a skirt with gold embroidery for Zheng Shi, a printed brocade skirt for Xu Shi, a set of lotus-blue patterned men’s clothing, twelve boxes of fruit pastries, and two baskets of pears.

Given Jiang Xian’s recent promotion to a respectable position, Jin Niang made sure the gifts for Sixth Uncle, his wife, and Xu Shi were generous.

The Jiang family’s old residence looked the same as before, though the garden was no longer rented out—instead, it was reserved for Xuan Geer and his wife. However, the garden wasn’t well-maintained; while tidy, the plants seemed neglected.

Ge Ma personally escorted them inside. As Xu Shi’s confidante, she probed for information: "Just from your attire, I can tell your time away must have been prosperous. Even my mistress envies you."

"You flatter me. Life outside was rough—to be honest, I’m still dizzy from the journey. But you’ve certainly gained weight, which must mean Sister-in-law is doing well. Those close to her must be thriving too." With that, Jin Niang took out a floral handkerchief with gold trim from her sleeve. "This is from the Wan family in Daming Prefecture—please accept it."

Seeing Jin Niang now wearing a crystal hairpin, looking even more capable, Ge Ma didn’t dare underestimate her and chatted about household matters.

They didn’t get to see Xu Shi that day—she was said to be at Taiping Xingguo Temple for a vegetarian meal. Zheng Shi had also returned to her family home, so Jin Niang and Jiang Xian simply kowtowed to Sixth Uncle before leaving.

Once outside, they both sighed in relief. Jin Niang said, "Luckily they weren’t home today. Otherwise, we’d have had to stay the whole day."

Jiang Xian nodded. "Exactly. Wife, are we going to look at houses today?"

"Yes. Agent Huang mentioned an elderly gentleman looking to sell—about six acres near Golden Beam Bridge."

The two soon arrived near the Jinliang Bridge and first met with Huang the broker, who hurried over to greet them.

Jin Niang signaled Jiang Xian to speak, and he quickly responded, "Huang the broker, if you give us a good recommendation, we won’t stint on your commission. But if you try to jack up the price, I won’t let you off easily."

"Good sir, how would I dare?" Huang, seeing Jin Niang and Jiang Xian dressed in fine attire, spoke with great caution.

Jin Niang carefully examined the estate. Surrounded by towering locust trees and ancient willows, the lush greenery made the place surprisingly cool even in summer. The owner, a man in his sixties, wore a simple round-collared robe, with the bearing of a retired scholar.

Broker Huang introduced them, "Sir Jiang, this is the owner, Old Master Pang."

Jiang Xian, being younger, promptly stepped forward and bowed. Old Master Pang, a man of humor, remarked, "Judging by your dignified bearing, you must be an official."

"Elder, though I am an official, the true master stands behind me," Jiang Xian replied with a smile.

Jin Niang gave him a warning look, and Old Master Pang burst into laughter.

Entering from the northeast corner, they saw a row of rooms on the west side. Old Master Pang explained, "Those are for servants or visiting guests."

Jin Niang nodded and noticed a stable near the western corner, while the east side had a small five-room wing. In the center stood a moon gate with hanging floral carvings flanked by covered corridors. Passing through the gate, a pebbled pathway lined with flourishing plants led to a reception hall with an upturned eave roof—three main rooms flanked by three side rooms each, along with east and west wings.

Moving from the second courtyard’s east side to the third, they reached the main residence, consisting of five rooms slightly taller than the reception hall, also with upturned eave roofs and matching wings.

A small door from the main residence’s east side connected to the garden, which featured a half-acre pond dotted with a score of lotuses, their dew pearls rolling. Surrounding the pond were a study and a pavilion.

"Come, let me show you this," Old Master Pang cheerfully guided them forward.

A stream from the pond wound past scholar’s rocks to a delicate flower pavilion, its windows each uniquely designed—rhombus-, ruyi-, bodhi-, and cracked-ice-patterned windows. Each window framed a different view: white plum blossoms through the rhombus window, elegant bamboo through the ruyi, a bodhi tree through the bodhi window, and though the cracked-ice window revealed only dormant plum branches (as they bloom in winter), nearby oleanders were in full bloom.

Following the corridor north from the pavilion led to a library loft.

...

As they toured, Jiang Xian kept stealing glances at Jin Niang, who merely smiled in response.

After the tour, Jin Niang finally said, "Your estate is lovely, but the price is too high. If you lower it, I can pay immediately."

Old Master Pang replied, "Madam, nine thousand guan for this estate is hardly expensive. Look at the scholar’s rocks and flower beds—we shaped them stone by stone. Diverting the pond’s water here alone took great effort."

"I understand how much work went into this. Seeing how thoroughly you’ve shown us around, we’re sincere buyers. How about we meet halfway—seven thousand guan? If you agree, I’ll bring the money tomorrow. Between us, if we had nine thousand, we’d gladly pay it, but we simply don’t." Jin Niang sighed.

Jiang Xian, recalling she’d mentioned having nine thousand the night before, suddenly realized—ah, this was her negotiation tactic—this was bargaining, and quite aggressively at that.

A standard three-section compound cost around five thousand guan, and this one included a garden!

As expected, Old Master Pang refused, "Seven thousand is too low."

At this point, Huang the broker intervened, "If I may suggest, how about meeting in the middle—eight thousand?"

Jiang Xian anxiously looked at Jin Niang, fearing they’d lose the chance. She smiled and said, "How about this—you lower it a bit more, and I’ll raise my offer. Name your price."

"Seven thousand eight hundred," Old Master Pang conceded, aware buyers weren’t easy to find.

Jin Niang countered, "Seven thousand six hundred—for auspiciousness. I won’t haggle further. If you agree, I’ll have Huang the broker draft the contract."

Jiang Xian maintained a calm expression but inwardly fretted—was her offer too low? To his surprise, Old Master Pang laughed, "Very well, madam. Your decisiveness matches mine."

Delighted, Jiang Xian subtly tugged Jin Niang’s sleeve. She swatted his hand away—his eagerness had nearly ruined the negotiation! Still, even scolded, he was overjoyed. This estate outshone his ancestral home in refinement, and with money to spare, he wouldn’t need to scrimp.