Chapter 140

Chapter 140

"Aunt, this is the Jadeite Vitality Balm for you—it helps replenish qi and calm the nerves, especially good for sleep. And this is dried snow frog, perfect for fatigue, palpitations, and insomnia." Wei Qilang had stayed at Jin Niang's home for several months and knew she suffered from insomnia and was prone to anxiety, so he brought all these remedies.

Jin Niang smiled. "How considerate of you. It's just a lingering issue of mine."

In truth, her health was much better now. She remembered how, right after losing weight, her immunity had been particularly low, and she was prone to allergies.

So when she was pregnant with Yun Jieer, even she had been very surprised.

Wei Qilang had left last year on her birthday and returned this May—almost a year later. He’d shot up from a boy to a young man.

He had gone to great lengths to be thorough, bringing many gifts. Of course, there were presents for Jin Niang and Jiang Xian, and even the youngest, Ding Geer, received a fine scholar’s set.

Jin Niang smiled. "You’re just in time for dinner—we’re about to have a meal. Stay and join us. Your sister cooked today’s meal herself."

Wei Qilang agreed.

Jin Niang then asked him about his journey, showing great concern. Wei Qilang could certainly feel his mother-in-law’s care for him. As they spoke, Yun Jieer came in with the dishes, and Wei Qilang got a glimpse of his fiancée.

Perhaps because she was at home, she wore a crimson bodice and a willow-green overrobe, its collar panel embroidered with pink peach blossoms. Her raven-black hair was adorned with a row of pearl hairpins, and her ears were graced with teardrop-shaped white jade earrings.

She looked like a bud unfurling into a blossom on a branch.

"Yun Jieer, you can go now." Jin Niang only wanted them to exchange a brief glance—it wouldn’t be proper to have them sit together.

Yun Jieer, however, was perfectly poised. "Yes."

Today’s dishes happened to be the ones Yun Jieer had learned to make: orange-stuffed crab, stir-fried beef with chili greens, salted egg yolk pumpkin, and salted egg yolk ribs. There were also two seasonal vegetable dishes and a winter melon soup.

Jin Niang pointed out each of Yun Jieer’s dishes to Wei Qilang, and he tasted them all.

"Are they good?"

Wei Qilang quickly replied, "So good—really tasty!"

This wasn’t empty praise—these dishes were all hearty and flavorful, which was precisely why Jin Niang had encouraged her daughter to learn them.

Since Jiang Xian wasn’t home, Jin Niang didn’t want to detain Wei Qilang for too long. Wei Qilang returned to his own home and filled Madam Wei in on many things.

"When I arrived, Aunt’s family was having a meal. I heard my cousin had cooked a whole table of dishes. I tried to decline, but Aunt insisted, so I stayed for dinner before coming back."

Madam Wei smiled. "That just shows how fond your aunt is of you."

It was rare for the eldest daughter of the Jiang family to be raised so well. You Mama had visited the Jiangs a few days prior and mentioned how Yun Jieer had grown even lovelier and was in excellent health.

As for Jin Niang, she took the Jadeite Vitality Balm that night. Having finally completed her daughter’s wedding attire, she was unburdened and quickly fell asleep. She didn’t even notice when Jiang Xian returned from his study.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the Meng family married off their daughter and invited Jin Niang to serve as the Complete Fortune Matron. Jin Niang was experienced in this role and was acquainted with the Meng relatives. At the banquet, she was seated next to Mrs. Song, who seemed strangely cold—completely different from before. Jin Niang didn’t know when she might have offended her but couldn’t spare it a thought.

Now a fourth-rank titled lady, Jin Niang was a figure of distinction at the banquet.

"Mrs. Jiang, my daughter is getting engaged in June. Would you honor us by serving as the Complete Fortune Matron?" a Mrs. Pang approached and asked.

Jin Niang smiled politely. "I’ll have to wait until June to give you an answer. Right now, I’m not sure."

She couldn’t just agree to be anyone’s Complete Fortune Matron—what if the family had a bad reputation?

Mrs. Pang, seeing Jin Niang’s three-phoenix pearl hairpin, jasmine bracelet, and exquisitely embroidered attire, worked up the nerve to ask. To her surprise, Jin Niang hadn’t outright refused.

Jin Niang sent someone to inquire about the Pang family and, upon seeing her younger brother's family arrive in the capital, instructed the kitchen to prepare a homecoming banquet.

Over the past five or six years, life seemed largely unchanged for Jin Niang, but for her brother Wei Yang, it marked a full transition from scholar to working life. Noticing his increasingly capable demeanor, Jin Niang said with satisfaction, "Seeing you like this brings me more joy than anything else."

Her sister-in-law Zhang Shi had given birth to a son and a daughter in recent years. The elder daughter, named Ziyi, was now four years old, while the son had just begun teething. Luo Yue doted on her two grandchildren as if they were precious jewels.

Jin Niang gifted her niece a golden necklet and her nephew a pair of jade pendants.

Zhang Pingjun smiled and said, "We’ve heard about Yun Jieer’s upcoming marriage and have specially prepared many items to add to her trousseau."

"There’s no need for you to prepare anything. I’ve spent these past few years focusing solely on assembling her dowry," Jin Niang replied.

Everyone took their seats, with men and women separated—the men gathered in the main hall to drink and chat, while the women sat together at another table. Luo Yue remained as ever, always circling back any topic Jin Niang raised to Yang Geer.

"Your brother also lived alone at the academy back then, but your father and I still brought him meals. Your brother, ah, got along so well with everyone..."

Jin Niang sighed helplessly. "Mother, I was talking about our Ning Geer. I already know everything about Yang Geer—you’ve told me eight hundred times."

Only then did Luo Yue catch herself. "Right, right, I got carried away for a moment."

Yun Jieer thought to herself how difficult it must be for her mother to manage this household. She couldn’t imagine how her mother endured it all. Though she had two younger brothers, her mother treated them equally, never going on about one child and ignoring the other.

In terms of filial piety, Yun Jieer believed her mother far surpassed her uncle. After building her own residence, Jin Niang had immediately moved their parents in.

Her uncle’s career advancement had also been pushed along by her father. The alliance with the Wei family provided additional support, yet despite her mother’s immense contributions, their grandmother hardly ever gave her credit.

The table soon returned to normalcy. After the meal, Zhang Pingjun presented Yun Jieer with two sets of dowry gifts: Huizhou ink, Xuan brushes, Xuan fans, and Hui inkstones from Xuancheng; six bolts of Hangzhou silk; a gold-trimmed vanity case; two boxes of rouge and powder; and thirty-six artificial silk blossoms.

Yun Jieer thought to herself that these gifts still didn’t measure up to what Innkeeper Yao, the storehouse keeper from Daming Prefecture, and even Ru Yan had given her.

Fortunately, they stayed overnight. Wei Yang and his wife went to Zhang Shi’s residence, while Luo Yue and Wei Xiong stayed at the countryside estate instead of remaining with Jin Niang.

Jin Niang understood her daughter’s expression immediately and smiled. "Last time, I asked your aunt to move her belongings out. She likely saw it as me keeping her at arm’s length."

"But wasn’t it Father who helped Uncle settle in the capital?" Yun Jieer asked, confused.

Jin Niang chuckled. "But think about it—your uncle was assigned to a provincial post for six years, and it was your aunt who managed everything, including the expenses for the clerks and attendants who accompanied him. Those costs were substantial, and we didn’t contribute much. Your aunt has had a hard time all these years. Though her dowry was generous, you’ve helped me manage the household—you know how much we spend annually just on gifts and miscellaneous expenses. Even with your uncle’s salary, they still relied on her."

"Then there’s the matter of the Zhou family. The Zhous are our relatives by marriage—the Zhou family’s eldest daughter-in-law is her aunt. If we stood by and did nothing, how could she not notice? But these are just excuses I’ve made for her. The fundamental truth is this: never expect gratitude when you do a kindness, because most people won’t return the favor."

Always lower your expectations of others. Live a little more selfishly, think more for yourself—that’s all you need.

Yun Jieer knew her aunt had actually been kind to her. Earlier, when her grandparents were leaving, they still remembered her favorite foods. But in the end, they were two different households now...

Jin Niang, however, reflected that in the past, her family had looked to her because she was the wealthiest and thus the head of the family. Now, that role had shifted to Zhang Shi.

Even she herself—though Ning Geer and Ding Geer still cling to her now—knew that once they married, they would have their own families.

This was why Jin Niang always kept four thousand in gold as a safeguard.

But she also knew her daughter was still young, with a black-and-white view of things. In time, she would understand—people are complex. Whether it’s parental love or romantic love, the kind that’s perfectly pure exists only in books. Ordinary people rarely encounter it.

Wei Yang suggested Luo Yue and Wei Xiong stay with them, but Luo Yue quickly waved her hands. "There’s no need. Your sister thought ahead and had us buy land early on. The estate is so large—why bother living in the capital? We’ll visit whenever we miss you."

Over the years, the rent from their farmland had been given entirely to them by their daughter, totaling one hundred and fifty strings of cash.

"But that’s not right..." Wei Yang hated the thought of sending his parents away.

Yet Wei Xiong and Luo Yue both knew their habits were too different from their daughter-in-law’s. Luo Yue liked to cross her legs while eating, enjoyed pickled vegetables, was loud and domineering, while Wei Xiong loved drinking and was tactless. Zhang Shi, coming from an official’s family, had entirely different customs—she ate in perfect silence.

Casual interactions are fine, but over time, with all the servants in the house being from the Zhang family, they mock us behind our backs—not that we don’t know.

Three days after returning to the estate, Luo Yue came to visit with two free-range chickens and had quite a lot to say to Jin Niang.

"I wouldn’t dare stick my neck out for you. If I did, you’d side with your daughter-in-law, and then I’d be the one left speechless," Jin Niang said with a laugh.

Luo Yue gave her daughter a thumbs-up. "We’ve always listened to you. It was you who told us to buy land back then, and now, no matter what, we old folks never go hungry or lack clothes."

Jin Niang smiled. "Don’t always focus on others’ flaws. As long as she treats your son well, isn’t that enough?"

Yun Jieer noticed that today, with her aunt absent, her grandmother and mother were unusually close—something that surprised her. Her grandmother even secretly tried to give her mother fifty strings of coins to have jewelry made for her.

Her mother refused, but her grandmother tossed the money down and ran off.

What was that about?

Jin Niang, however, laughed. "It’s like tradition making them favor boys because they believe only sons can bring honor to the family and carry on its name. But they also love their daughters. You don’t know this, but when I first went to study at the embroidery workshop, rain or shine, your grandpa walked me there and back every day. Later, when I was in the capital, they even bought me a house. Can you say they treated me poorly?"

Yun Jieer understood now—in all things, one must look for the good. Otherwise, if someone falls short even once, you’ll get worked up, thinking they don’t really care. But in the end, the one tormented isn’t them—it’s yourself.

Meanwhile, Zhang Pingjun was speaking with Mrs. Zhang about household matters. "They gave me those oily fried pastries, insisting they were a specialty from their hometown and that I must try them—as if they were some delicacy. But when I snack on something light, they nag me about my health. My mother-in-law isn’t a bad person, but she loves to show off, always bragging about her son and daughter. No matter what I say, she twists it back to her children. My father-in-law can’t say no—he promises anything people ask for, but when you follow up, he denies ever promising anything, leaving us holding the bag."

Mrs. Zhang looked at her. "With all this complaining, no wonder Madam Wei pushed for you to live apart right away."

"It’s not that I want to complain, it’s just..." Zhang Pingjun sighed in frustration.

Mrs. Zhang advised her, "Your man’s from humble stock—if he weren’t, why would he have married you? You’d better watch your step."

It wasn’t that Mrs. Zhang didn’t support her daughter, but she frowned and added, "Have you ever considered how others manage? I remember when your brother-in-law Jiang Xian was still struggling, he lived with his in-laws for over three years, yet he never complained like this. It’s precisely because he often praised how well his in-laws treated him that I thought the Wei family, though small-time, but at least the in-laws weren’t a headache."

This was something Zhang Pingjun had never considered. Jiang Xian had lived with his in-laws every single day for three years—how had he endured it?

Unfortunately, she couldn’t easily ask others for advice. Thankfully, her in-laws had now moved to the estate on their own, her man was easygoing by nature, and living in her own courtyard was far more comfortable.

At the same time, she finally understood why her sister-in-law had insisted they live apart from the beginning—she had always thought it was just standoffishness.

Of course, Jin Niang didn’t pay much attention to people like Zhang Pingjun. They were outsiders, only connected through Wei Yang’s relations—a few unfamiliar women brought together by circumstance.

Did anyone really expect them to instantly become inseparable family? This was why she advised her daughter: once married into the Wei family, don’t take anyone for family. Lower your expectations, and you’ll get along fine.

Besides, her main focus now was Ning Geer’s exams for advancing from the prefectural school to the Imperial Academy. Everything else took a backseat.

When the rent from the Luoyang estate arrived, Jin Niang first checked the accounts and asked Hu Cheng, "There haven’t been any disasters in Luoyang—why is this year’s payment of money and grain slightly less?"

Not daring to lie, Hu Cheng quickly replied, "Last year’s natural disasters led you to forgive the rent altogether. This year, despite good weather, they still tried to avoid paying. We had to hound them over and over, and in the end, they only handed over ten percent."

"My daughter is getting married next year, and I don’t want any trouble. Keep this quiet for now—find out who’s stirring up trouble behind the scenes. Once you identify the ringleader, give him a chance to reform. But if he persists, take back his land and turn him in," Jin Niang instructed.

There will always be those who try to force concessions through making trouble.

Hu Cheng acknowledged the order.

But Jin Niang added, "My estates in Wuxian and Bianjing are well-managed. If the Luoyang estate keeps causing problems that I have to resolve, and if this isn’t handled properly, your father will have to give up his post as bailiff."

Hu Cheng was married to Jiao Xing, formerly one of Yun Jieer’s maids, who was set to accompany her as part of the dowry retinue. If this matter wasn’t resolved, not only would the Hu family face consequences, but Jiao Xing’s position would also be jeopardized.

Hu Cheng didn’t dare delay. He discussed it with Jiao Xing, who slapped her knee in alarm. "Out of all the estates, only ours has issues. I’m afraid the mistress will suspect we’re embezzling."

With such a critical mistake at stake, Hu Cheng was in a panic. The couple strategized and left for Luoyang that very night.

After Hu Cheng left, Yun Jieer came over, and Jin Niang told her about the matter: "One must foresee things in advance, but not act too hastily, or it could easily lead to loss of life. We reduced some rent during the famine years to give the common folk a way to survive, but in good years, if troublemakers arise, we just need to deal with them. Most commoners who rely on the weather for their livelihood are still quite pitiable."

"Mother, but wouldn't we lose a hundred strings of cash?" Yun Jieer looked at the accounts and was somewhat displeased.

Jin Niang smiled and said, "That's why you must always keep some emergency funds on hand and not spend all your money at once. I've also spoken to Fan Si to see how he manages things for you."

A head steward is very important—they are practically the women’s connection to the outside world.

As the mother and daughter were talking, Madam Meng arrived. Jin Niang asked her daughter to leave first and then stood up to welcome her in. Madam Meng had come for a casual visit; her daughter was already married, and the year-end wedding for her stepson didn’t require much attention.

"What brings you here?" Jin Niang gestured for her to sit.

Madam Meng smiled and said, "Madam Pang sent me to inquire if you would serve as the Complete Fortune Matron."

"I've been busy lately and forgot about it. Since you’ve come personally to ask, of course I’ll agree." Jin Niang had already looked into Madam Pang’s daughter and in-laws and found no issues, so she readily consented.

The Pang family’s wedding gifts for the Complete Fortune Matron were also quite generous: two rolls of haze-patterned satin, two rolls of gold-threaded gauze, two sets of jewelry, a crate of tea cakes, six gold-woven handkerchiefs, twenty silk flowers, and a pair of silver ingots.

Jin Niang stored these in her storage room. As she and A Ying left the storage room, A Ying remarked, "Madam, have you noticed that our neighbor Madam Jiang hasn’t visited in a long time? When she first moved here, she used to come often."

"I don’t know. Maybe her daughter is also arranging a marriage," Jin Niang thought.

Little did she know, Madam Song’s daughter had fallen ill. Yun Jieer heard about it from Meng San Niang. If she hadn’t known, it would have been one thing, but since she did, she felt obliged to visit.

Seeing was believing—Jiang Song was alarmingly gaunt.

Her hair was tangled and unkempt, her eyes shadowed and hollow, and she coughed incessantly. Yun Jieer hesitated, afraid of catching the illness, but after a moment’s thought, she entered anyway.

"Jiang sister, how did you fall so ill?"

Madam Song said, "She caught a chill by accident. How kind of you to visit." She subtly sized up Yun Jieer, noting her glowing complexion—better than when they first met last year—her seemingly doubled hair volume, her fair and glowing skin, rosy cheeks, and especially her slim and graceful figure.

Of course, with such a good marriage secured, she must be over the moon.

Unlike her own daughter, who had worried herself sick over the matter.

Yun Jieer had no idea about Madam Song and her daughter’s inner turmoil and merely said politely, "My mother says distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors. Though Jiang sister and I aren’t blood-related, we’ve often played together. I hope you take good care of her, Auntie. This is a little something for you."

Throughout the visit, she stood far from the bed, worried about catching it.

Jiang Song, seeing her so polite but distant, felt ridiculous—did this girl not even know about her connection with Wei Qilang? And here she was, moping over him.

"Cough, thank you for visiting, Sister Jiang."

Yun Jieer smiled and said, "Rest well, sister. Listen to the doctor and take your medicine properly. When you’re better, I’ll visit again."

She made as if to leave, and when Jiang Song rose to see her out, she said, "No need to see me off. Rest quickly."

After Yun Jieer left, the perceptive Madam Song remarked, "This girl isn’t sincere. She came to visit, but it was just for show. But she’s lucky—I heard from Madam Zhou Si that her mother formed ties with the Wei family nine years ago, which is how she and Wei Qilang grew up together and secured the betrothal."

"Mother, though it was just a brief encounter, he left a deep impression on me. I doubt I’ll ever meet someone like him again in this lifetime," Jiang Song wept and shook her head.

Madam Song sighed softly. "Since you were little, your father and I knew you had high standards. Few could catch your eye. I admit, Wei Qilang is a strikingly handsome man, talented and virtuous, and he saved us. It’s natural for you to feel this way. But since he’s already betrothed, you must let go. Bury these feelings, and in time, I’ll find you someone better."

Jiang Song shook her head again. "Mother, just let me be for now."

Meanwhile, Yun Jieer returned from the Jiang household, washed her hands, changed into casual clothes, and went to her mother’s quarters. By now, Jin Niang had mostly given up needlework—having spent years making her daughter’s dowry, she was tired of it. She was now practicing making silk flowers she’d received as the Complete Fortune Matron.

"Mother, such beautiful silk flowers! Why didn’t you wait for me?" Yun Jieer sometimes felt she loved her mother so much that she didn’t even see the appeal of marriage.

Jin Niang smiled and said, "I just dabble in it when I'm free."

Yun Jieer took out a red carved box from her mother's dressing table like she'd done it a hundred times. Inside were candied hawthorns, a favorite snack for both her and her mother, as it helped settle their stomachs after rich meals.

After watching her daughter eat a few pieces, Jin Niang placed a pale yellow gauze flower on Yun Jieer's head. "This one looks lovely. Let’s add a pink one next to it."

The mother and daughter spent some time getting dolled up before having chicken dumpling soup sent to the prefectural school.

Soon, it was already September. Ning Geer had finished his exams and returned from the prefectural school. He even visited Wei Qilang at the Wei residence to chat. "I’ve been meaning to ask you about your travel adventures, but I never had the time. Now that the exams are over, we can finally talk freely."

Wei Qilang had his own circle of government officials' sons—he was into cockfights, dog races, and falconry. But among his peers, few were like Ning Geer, born into wealth and luxury yet diligent in his studies.

He still remembered mentioning how long it had been since they had a proper conversation. At the time, he had said it casually, but seeing Ning Geer now, he felt a little bad.

So, he recounted his adventures again—how he encountered pirates at sea, followed his teacher back to his hometown, and outsmarted his teacher's scheming relatives.

Ning Geer listened with great interest but admitted, "If my mother were with me, I might manage traveling, but alone, I’d probably be too scared to go. Man, you're something else, cousin."

Wei Qilang raised an eyebrow and asked Ning Geer, "Enough about me—how did you do in your exams this time?"

Ning Geer shook his head. "Not well at all. Nowhere near as good as the others."

Wei Qilang was about to offer some words of comfort when Ning Geer’s servant, Chen Tong, came in and announced, "Young Master, the prefectural school instructor just visited our residence. He said you’ve been recommended by the school to enter the Imperial Academy’s scholar program."

Ning Geer lit up with joy. "Really?" He quickly bid farewell to Wei Qilang.

Left alone, Wei Qilang reflected on how Ning Geer, the top student in the prefectural school, had just been modestly downplaying his achievements. On the surface, he always claimed he couldn’t do without his mother, yet he had lived at the school for three years straight...

This brother-in-law of his—he’d been pulling his leg this whole time.