Chapter 153

Chapter 153

"I heard that the women of the Lü family are all skilled in spinning and embroidery, and their lifestyle is frugal rather than extravagant. I never expected our future daughter-in-law to have a dowry of thirty thousand guan (a substantial sum). In that case, we should increase our bridal gifts by another thousand guan," Jin Niang discussed with Jiang Xian.

Jiang Xian pointed at the dowry list and said, "I suspect Mrs. Lü has added her own personal dowry to her daughter’s dowry to make up this amount."

For a family of officials, a dowry of ten thousand guan is usually sufficient—Yun Jieer’s dowry was ten thousand guan. But Mrs. Lü has only one daughter, and her own dowry back then must have been exceptionally substantial, which is why she could contribute so much now.

Thus, Jiang Xian’s reasoning made sense to Jin Niang, who remarked, "This really underscores the Lü family’s commitment to this match."

A dowry acts like an early inheritance of family property to the daughter. The Lü family must be major landowners in Luoyang, as they could effortlessly list such a sum—clearly, it had been prepared long in advance.

With this settled, Jin Niang had the betrothal letter drafted and kept it in her room, waiting for a lucky date to deliver it.

Ning Geer’s marriage arrangements were progressing smoothly, and his official duties were also going well. Within three months of taking office, he had already solved cases involving an unidentified female corpse and land encroachment. Of course, his ability to solve cases so quickly was partly due to the assistance of Advisor Cheng and his father’s guidance. But connections count as strength too—this couldn’t be denied.

To work independently, he still needed to gain experience case by case.

Just like his mother’s embroidery—her embroidery notes took up a whole shelf. When people asked how her needlework was so exquisite, she would say it was simply a matter of practice, with no secret shortcuts. Ning Geer adopted the same approach now, studying past case files to learn how previous officials handled them. Whenever he found a method he liked, he noted it down in his personal journal.

In the evening, he came to his parents’ place for dinner. Since the next day was his day of rest, he decided to stay overnight.

At the dinner table, Ning Geer sighed, "As a Judge, I’m swamped—no time to breathe!"

Jin Niang laughed. "Don’t just complain about yourself—your father was the same. Back when he was in Daming Prefecture, he was exhausted every day, too tired to even talk to me when he got home. But it was precisely because of that experience that he never feared any assignment afterward. You’re still young—if you can handle the toughest challenges now, no matter where you’re assigned in the future, it’ll be easy as pie."

Children need encouragement, and Ning Geer felt reinvigorated by her words.

After the meal, he went straight to bed, having been awake all day. Jin Niang couldn’t bear to wake him. Later, when the Lü family sent over a book, Jin Niang couldn’t help but chuckle. "She’s not even here, and already sending books! I’ll take it to our son later."

Leaving aside how Ning Geer reacted upon receiving the book, Jin Niang had previously spent two thousand five hundred guan to purchase a thousand acres of land. She also transferred four skilled farming families from the Wu County estate and spent another two hundred guan to build a manor warehouse.

Fortunately, this year, the Wu County estate contributed five hundred guan, the Inn sent a thousand guan, the Jinliangqiao shop yielded seven hundred twenty guan, the two hundred seventy acres in Bianjing brought in two hundred seventy guan, and the warehouses generated twelve hundred guan—totaling 3,690 guan. If the thousand acres in Luoyang proved fruitful, they could expect another nine hundred guan or so.

After some calculations, Jin Niang concluded that even if her two sons were to divide the family assets, they would have enough—each would receive houses, land, and even shops.

The following month, Jin Niang sent the betrothal letter back. Before the Warm Stove Festival, she also delivered betrothal gifts to the Lü family, all of the highest standard and very generous.

The Lü family reciprocated with their own gifts. When Jin Niang saw the needlework, she realized her future daughter-in-law could probably sew but wasn’t particularly skilled. She merely smiled at this.

Thus, she and the Lü family agreed that the formal betrothal gifts would be sent the following spring, coinciding with the young lady’s fifteenth birthday (coming-of-age).

At the same time, Jin Niang was also thinking about how to expand the family business. She had initially considered opening an inn or warehouses, but the investment required for an Inn in Luoyang was too high, and she wasn’t willing to commit too much money at the moment. Moreover, finding a good manager on short notice was difficult. Instead, a *Silk and Velvet Shop* seemed like a better option.

Since Jin Niang was already skilled in embroidery, she knew silk and velvet inside out, far more than an outsider would.

She first secured a two-story shop with a spacious two-courtyard compound at the back, spending fourteen hundred guan to acquire it. Since she planned to deal in both silk and velvet, she invested another thousand taels as capital. The shop manager was recommended by Liu Douer—a former artisan from the Imperial Weaving Bureau. After hiring him as manager, she also brought on two assistants.

Unlike managing an Inn or farmland, selling raw silk often required travel. Thus, Jin Niang signed a contract with the manager, stipulating that instead of a fixed salary, he would receive a 10% cut of yearly profits.

"This *Silk and Velvet Shop* will likely grow to a capital of several thousand or even ten thousand guan within a few years," Jin Niang said.

Jiang Xian asked, "Is this kind of business really that profitable?"

"Of course! Don’t underestimate these trades. This manager was originally an artisan from the Brocade Weaving Bureau—he’s highly skilled and even knows how to dye threads. I had him demonstrate for me, and his work is truly excellent. The markup on these is huge. Land is a stable source of income, but shops like these generate a steady income stream. I just didn’t have enough capital before, but now I have some extra cash." Jin Niang was always cautious, never exhausting her money in any single investment.

She added, "In another two years, once we’ve built up more capital, we can also invest in warehouses or inns."

"Those require a lot of management and huge investments. If you ask me, it’d be better to buy some salt trade licenses (salt vouchers). Coincidentally, I’ll be using the auction method this time—just hand me 3,000 guan, dear," Jiang Xian said.

Jin Niang had no trouble covering this amount.

Jiang Xian liked riskier ventures, while things like salt vouchers were akin to stocks to her—she hardly knew how they worked. Fortunately, Jiang Xian was an expert, so Jin Niang gave him some money to try his hand at it.

Beyond this, Jin Niang had been recuperating and truly felt she’d been sleeping like a log lately. Her eldest son was taken care of, and her younger son was now diligent in his studies; she could just wrap up her chores and crash.

Of course, in her letter to her daughter, Jin Niang only mentioned that her son’s betrothal gifts had been finalized, leaving out her business dealings—money talk was private. Just like the estate she had given her daughter, she never interfered.

When Yun Jieer received the letter, she breathed a sigh of relief and said to Wei Qilang, "Ning Geer’s marriage is settled now."

Wei Qilang replied, "Read the letter Ning Geer wrote me—he’s solved quite a few cases, big and small. He’s pored over the law books, and it sounds like quite the adventure."

Yun Jieer knew her husband still had a naive streak. Even now, he swore their mother’s Guanyin statue brought good luck. He even half-believed he’d flunked because he hadn’t lived with their mother—unlike Ning Geer, who stayed at home during his exams and had their mother’s embroidered image for blessings.

"Oh, you!" Yun Jieer sighed in exasperation.

Wei Qilang rolled over and said, "Today, I’ll go check on Jinliang Bridge. Since your parents aren’t home, we can’t have any troublemakers snooping around."

Yun Jieer’s heart swelled. "Then I’ll trouble my husband for this."

"No need for that," Wei Qilang brushed it off.

But Yun Jieer knew him well. She held onto his arm and said, "My husband has been handsome since childhood. I can’t bear to let you go out—what if someone tries to snatch you up? How would I ever win you back?"

"I wouldn’t need to be won back—I’d come back on my own." Wei Qilang was grinning inside but played coy.

Still, the thought of retaking the Provincial and Metropolitan Exams next year really bugged him. No wonder officials’ kids often skipped the grind with inherited posts.

Otherwise, this slog would wear anyone out.

Wei Qilang got up and made a round at Jinliang Bridge. As he was leaving, he ran into the Meng brothers. Meng Sanlang and he were in the same boat—having passed the Provincial Exam but failing the Metropolitan Exam.

"Qilang, what brings you here today? Did someone from the Jiang family return?" Meng Sanlang asked curiously.

Wei Qilang smiled. "I drop by here from time to time to check on things."

Meng Sanlang invited him for a drink, and since Wei Qilang had nothing else to do, he went to the Meng residence for a few cups. Their common topic was still Ning Geer. Wei Qilang laughed heartily. "He’s already engaged now. My mother-in-law and the others happened to be in Luoyang, so they arranged a match with a local young lady."

"Bet it’s some big-shot family?" Meng Sanlang recalled how, when Jiang Ning passed the imperial exams, the Jiang household had been flooded with matchmakers and envoys from all sides.

Wei Qilang nodded. "The daughter of Vice Commissioner of Military Affairs Lü."

"So it’s Eldest Miss Sun from the Lü family. That’s a solid match—real classy." Meng Sanlang remarked fairly.

After all, the Vice Commissioner of Military Affairs was a high-ranking official of the second rank, even above Jiang’s father.

After a few drinks, Wei Qilang took his leave.

Meng Sanlang returned to his room and told his wife about it. Eldest Miss Sun took it in, then sighed, thinking of her own younger brother. She quickly wrote a letter to her mother, telling her to crack the whip on her brother’s studies.

After all, with an official title, why worry about lacking a prestigious marriage?

As for her younger sister, Eldest Miss Sun often socialized and had already arranged a match with a minor official’s family. She planned to have her parents send her sister over for the wedding.

Fortunately, though no match had been finalized in previous years, their mother had saved some dowry for her sister. In recent years back in their hometown, their grandmother had given some of her private savings to the family, so her sister now had nearly five hundred guan for her dowry. Eldest Miss Sun planned to raise a bit more later and bring her sister to the capital for the wedding.

Hearing about others’ good fortune left her a little dizzy. If it had been the Jiang family who were dismissed from office, what then? Eldest Miss Sun shook her head—it wouldn’t have changed much.

The Jiang family was far wealthier than hers, and their sons could pass the imperial exams immediately. Their in-laws alone could bail them out.

Speaking of which, she now has a dowry worth 1,000 strings of cash (guan). Over the years, the allowances for her children have been in her hands, along with her own share and generous holiday bonuses. After deducting her social obligations, she still has two hundred guan left, which is quite decent.

If her husband passes the exams and advances his career, the family will surely support them, and they’ll rise to prominence.

Compared to Eldest Miss Sun’s careful planning, Xu Shi’s situation is much more comfortable. Over the years, she has saved up a dowry of six thousand guan for her daughter. When this dowry was revealed, even Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise: "Madam, you’ve saved up so much over the years?"

"I’ve lived frugally, eating plain meals all this time, just so Zheng Jieer wouldn’t lose face." Xu Shi even recalled the days when her mother-in-law passed away, and they had to borrow money for the coffin. She had to save up for a decent coffin for herself.

It was infuriating that Jiang Xian and his wife took away three hundred mu of land. Her husband valued his reputation and could make do with just a bowl of fermented black beans and a bowl of thin porridge. For the sake of his reputation, he would never accept bribes. Xu Shi managed his salary and some side income from his calligraphy work, but those funds still had to cover household expenses.

Jiang Yan was well aware of the current trend of extravagant dowries for daughters—some families even went into debt for it. Seeing how his wife had pinched pennies all these years, he felt deeply moved. Her mended clothes and simple vegetarian meals said it all.

"Ah, you’ve really suffered," Jiang Yan sighed after finishing his wheat-flake soup, his heart heavy.

All these years, he had been following the prime minister, completely neglecting his family.

Xu Shi smiled. "It wasn’t so bad. We just endured, and now the storm has finally passed."

Jiang Yan, however, gazed into the distance and nodded slowly.

As the year drew to a close, in just two months, Shopkeeper Xiao of the Silk and Velvet Shop reported earnings of two thousand taels. But to make real profits, they still needed to purchase silk from Huzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou. Though Jin Niang owned mulberry farms in Wu County, she strictly separated the shop’s business from the estate’s dealings. Thus, she gave Shopkeeper Xiao four thousand taels to purchase goods elsewhere.

At year’s end, the owner of the storage business came in person to deliver the dividends. He also mentioned his plans to open a pawnshop in Luoyang. Knowing him to be a prudent merchant, Jin Niang discussed it with Jiang Xian and gave him Jiang Xian’s letter of introduction as a reference.

This time, however, Jin Niang chose not to invest.

It wasn’t for lack of funds, but she couldn’t always rely on dividends—she needed her own business.

In Wu County, Innkeeper Yao of the inn had been reprimanded by her several times. He was clever enough not to try any tricks. The shop at Jinliang Bridge collected rent, while the Silk and Velvet Shop in Luoyang benefited from Jiang Xian and Ning Geer’s official positions, making it easier to transport goods and navigate bureaucratic hurdles without exploitation.

By the following spring, Shopkeeper Xiao returned with fresh, vibrant goods. The four thousand taels’ worth of merchandise had sold for nearly triple the cost.

The shop had initially required an investment of nearly three thousand guan, followed by another four thousand taels. In just half a year, it had already earned ten thousand taels. After deducting the principal of five thousand taels, the remaining five thousand were split—Jin Niang took four thousand, while Shopkeeper Xiao covered transportation, labor, and fabric-dyeing expenses, still netting two to three hundred guan for himself, much to his delight.

Meanwhile, Jin Niang went to the Lü family to deliver betrothal gifts. Apart from gold bracelets, gold pendants, and hairpins, there were also pearl-studded hair ornaments, peach blossom and apricot blossom crowns, a silver-gilt headpiece, two sets of jewelry, not to mention fine silks, tea, and fruits.

The Lü family reciprocated with gifts of their own.

In June, Jin Niang sent over two thousand guan as betrothal gifts, and both families selected an auspicious date, with the wedding to take place two years later.

The Lü family was very pleased with the Jiang family, especially since all the proper etiquette was observed—no cutting corners or power plays.

As for how Jin Niang found the time for all this, she meticulously kept a close eye on every detail in the Silk and Velvet Shop.

At the estate in Luoyang, Jin Niang had local specialties like Jiayingzi plums planted. Luoyang was abundant in green plums, so she also grew cherries, peaches, apricots, pomegranates, and more.

These weren’t cultivated in large quantities—just enough for the family’s own consumption.

Cherries, in particular, were a Luoyang specialty. Jin Niang had her people pack six boxes full of them, packed in ice to keep fresh. Alongside these were pears from Dagu, honey peaches, nectarines, small pastries, and the Suzhou inkstone and "Scary Fragrance" tea that Innkeeper Yao had sent in spring. She also included several bolts of colorful silk for Yun Jieer.

Another package, minus the inkstone and tea, was sent to Wei Xiong and Luo Yue, who had been looking after her home.

When Yun Jieer received the gifts, she generously shared some with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. Her daughter, Jiaojiao, loved cherries. Though the Wei family was never short of them, the freshest ones straight from Luoyang had her kicking her feet excitedly.

Wei Qilang was particularly pleased with the inkstone—it was rare for his mother-in-law to remember them.

"Like my mother, I love 'Scary Fragrance' tea. I brought plenty when we married, but it’s almost gone. I just mentioned it in passing in a letter, and she specially sent some over." Yun Jieer, now a mother herself, was deeply moved by her own mother’s thoughtfulness.

Wei Qilang chuckled. "I’m jealous!"

"You're envious of me? Didn’t my parents treat you well? Back when you were at my home, my mother doted on you so much I got jealous. I even thought, ‘This Seventh Cousin sure knows how to hog the spotlight.’" Yun Jieer said, somewhat embarrassed.

Wei Qilang looked at her in disbelief. "You really thought that?"

Yun Jieer nodded emphatically.

Wei Qilang sighed, poking her forehead. "Oh, you."

Regarding the fruits Jin Niang sent, Madam Wei decided to give a box to her sister-in-law, Second Madam Wei, who then had it delivered to her son and daughter-in-law.

Second Madam Wei was good-natured, and her maids were lively. This time, she sent Chunyan, never one to mince words. Upon arriving at Shen Qiniang’s place, she cheerfully said, "This was specially sent from Luoyang by the Jiang family, our in-laws from the main branch. The First Madam insisted we all try some—it’s the first and freshest batch of cherries."

Shen Qiniang’s family had moved back to their ancestral home, leaving her alone in the capital. Meanwhile, Jiang Yun’s parents were far away yet still frequently sent gifts...

But truthfully, she knew very well that she held no grudge against Jiang Yun.

She couldn’t even blame them.

Jin Niang had no idea her Mid-Autumn gifts would stir such melancholy, but even if she had known, she wouldn’t have cared. They were for her daughter’s enjoyment, and as long as her daughter enjoyed them, that was enough.

Luoyang, an ancient capital, was crawling with tomb raiders. Since taking office, Ning Geer had shown no mercy to local bullies and ruffians. Of course, his clout gave him the guts to act boldly.

Interestingly, imperial tombs were modestly built, so tomb raiders rarely targeted them. Instead, the wealthy and official families often faced such troubles.

One evening, he came to Jin Niang’s for dinner and mentioned, "You wouldn’t believe it—some of the treasures sold by Luoyang’s largest antique dealers come from tombs."

"And they dare sell them? Aren’t they afraid of repercussions?" Jin Niang, being a businesswoman, dreaded disputes.

Ning Geer chuckled. "Men would kill for money, like birds fighting for crumbs."

He shoveled down a few mouthfuls before abruptly leaving, likely recalling some case.

Jin Niang signaled to clear the table and turned to Jiang Xian, who was leisurely sipping tea. Suddenly, she asked, "You borrowed three thousand strings from me last year. How’s that going?"

Jiang Xian coughed in surprise. "Turned a profit?"

"Wow, beats my Silk and Velvet Shop’s earnings!" Jin Niang had never dabbled in such "stock"-like ventures and was genuinely curious.

Jiang Xian laughed. Days later, he returned four thousand strings to her.

As Fiscal Commissioner, Jiang Xian had studied such matters extensively. After testing the waters, he began writing about the flaws in the salt and tea voucher systems during his tenure.

Jin Niang knew of this. She believed officials should strive to refine policies—helping one person was limited, but good governance could benefit everyone.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xian also focused on building canals to irrigate dry fields, converting them into paddies for rice cultivation. His predecessors had done the same, but he pursued it diligently, seeing it as a sure path to merit.

Jin Niang thought: Actions speak louder than thoughts!

Having visited many gardens in Luoyang to admire peonies, Jin Niang particularly favored ‘Child’s Face’ (modernly called ‘Zhao Pink’). She snapped up famous artbooks of Zhao Pink peonies from the market.

She had once embroidered ‘Two Qiaos,’ but now, comparing it to professional albums, she realized her past work, though skillfully stitched, paled in comparison.

Besides ‘Child’s Face,’ she also adored *Pea Green*, *Yao Yellow*, and *White Snow Tower*.

Jin Niang began drafting designs for new garments. She dug up a bolt of persimmon-dyed silk—similar to champagne—and planned a high-necked gown with white peonies embroidered on the bodice, sleeves, and cuffs. The design was elegant, stately, and just right for her age.

This one took her a solid month. By September, she started another—a snow-gray satin winter robe, embroidered with Zhao Pink peonies.

The first gown turned out beautifully, especially the peony-shaped bodice, ditching the usual bulky embroidered panel. Jin Niang debuted it that day. When Jiang Xian saw her, he did a double-take before his eyes darted aside.

"What's the matter?" Jin Niang asked, keeping her head down over her needlework while speaking to him.

Jiang Xian chuckled, "Nothing, I was just thinking it's still early. Why are you starting on a winter coat now?"

"If not now, then when? Listen, our son is getting married the year after next, isn’t he? I want to embroider Zhao Fen-style peonies on indigo peony-patterned jacquard, use gold and yellow threads for floral patterns on the front opening, and deep red—darker than true red—for peonies on the wide sleeves, then edge them with gold thread. It’ll look especially splendid and beautiful." Jin Niang mused happily.

Seeing his wife talk at length without mentioning him, Jiang Xian grew anxious. "Wife, if you dress like this, what about me?"

Jin Niang glanced at him. "You? How should I know what you'd like to wear? When I call the embroiderer over, you can discuss it with them."

Jiang Xian quickly sat beside Jin Niang. "Wife, please make one for me. I’ll do whatever you say."

Between flattery and coaxing, Jin Niang couldn’t help but laugh. After a while, she relented, "Fine, then I want osmanthus pudding, the double-cooked fish you made last time, and spring pancakes."

Jiang Xian held out his hands. "Just these? Don’t you want to add a few more dishes?"

Jin Niang quickly shook her head. "I don’t want to trouble you too much."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all." Jiang Xian eagerly listed a few more dishes on his own.

Jin Niang kept a straight face though laughing inside. She had already planned to make his outfit—she just hadn’t expected him to fall right into the trap on his own.