Speaking of Jin Niang, because she had been constantly busy, she had somewhat neglected her own health. This sudden pregnancy was rather unbelievable. Since returning from the boat, the two of them had been trying to conceive, but there had been no news for a long time. Jin Niang didn't think she would get pregnant, yet just as they entered the twelfth lunar month, she conceived.
Jiang Xian was much calmer than Jin Niang at this moment: "My lady, you just finished embroidering the Goddess of Child-giving, and now you're with child. This child is surely a gift from the Bodhisattva Guanyin to us. It is destined to be a blessed child."
"I just hope for a safe delivery; I don't crave a child with great fortune or not." Jin Niang touched her belly, always feeling a wondrous sensation.
The couple greatly anticipated the arrival of this little one, both thinking that as long as it was healthy and safe, that would be enough. A parent's heart is always the same. Meanwhile, Luo Yu'e was also speaking to her son: "As for your betrothal gifts and bride price, the family can only provide this much. Your elder sister also said that the Zhang family is betting on the future position of an Imperial Scholar's wife. As for you, you must study diligently. That would be the only way to not let down their willingness to betroth their daughter to you."
How could Younger Brother Yang not know this? "Your son understands. My sister considers everything for my sake. This time, she has also spent a considerable amount from her own purse."
"Your sister just bought a house. All this came from her own private savings. In the future, when you truly become successful, you must look after your nephew and niece more, so as not to betray your sister's great kindness to you." Luo Yu'e sighed.
Younger Brother Yang said quietly, "Brother-in-law took me to the Wei and Fan families again in private. This time, he didn't take Brother Hao."
"That's the difference between family and outsiders." Luo Yu'e again urged her son not to speak of this to others.
Younger Brother Yang nodded.
After the mother and son exchanged a few more words of everyday matters, they parted. Luo Yu'e then went to see her daughter. It happened that Jiang Xian had just gone out, and Jin Niang was preparing the New Year gifts.
These needed to be prepared in advance. She had already filled several booklets. Seeing her mother, she smiled and said, "Please sit down. I have just a little more to write. Once I finish quickly, I can rest peacefully."
Jin Niang always learned of her own oversights from the gifts others sent in return. For instance, the olives the Wei family sent back—she had never thought of giving olives to others. This year's festival gifts could include them. She also said to Luo Yu'e, "This year, we've added Zhang the Ninth's family as relatives. I've prepared a set for you as well."
"I still have money. Today, the rent from the Foul Water Alley was delivered again, along with a season's worth of land rent." Luo Yu'e firmly refused.
Thus, Jin Niang said, "This is the first time sending gifts to them; it needs to be proper and decent. Don't worry about it now. In the future, if you want to contribute money, I won't stop you."
Her younger brother was marrying a capable woman from a good family with a dowry. His future life would surely be much more comfortable, her parents wouldn't have to worry, and she herself wouldn't have to either. But asking her to give more to her brother was out of the question; she had her own son and daughter to think of.
Speaking of which, when Jin Niang sent the festival gifts to the Zhang family, Lady Zhang happened to be visiting her parental home. Madam Zhang was listening to her maid report: "The Wei in-laws sent two bolts of fashionable Jiangnan patterned brocade, one northern sheep, two jars of fine Yao Ling wine, one jar of sugar-preserved cherries, one jar of salt-preserved olives, and two pots of peonies."
Ever since learning that her maternal family brother had actually betrothed his daughter to the son of a bun seller, Lady Zhang finally understood her mother-in-law's feelings back then. But Zhang the Ninth was not someone she could control. Last time, he not only said she had sent the wrong silk but also accused her of falsely blaming others. Their relationship was no longer as before. Since Miss Zhang and Wei Yang became engaged, and after Lady Zhang made another critical remark, their relationship grew even more strained.
Now, seeing the festival gifts from the Wei family, she couldn't help but say, "They don't even send a gold crown, just these fancy trifles."
"The Wei family also sent gold hairpins and pearl hairpins as jewelry. As for a gold crown, they didn't send one, but they did send a silver crown. It's not lacking much." Madam Zhang was not swayed by her provocation. That family was so good, and their son was going to become an Imperial Scholar; he was marrying the daughter of an official who gained position through hereditary privilege.
Unable to stir up trouble with her sister-in-law, Lady Zhang went to see Miss Zhang. Miss Zhang's needlework was not very good. Knowing her future elder sister-in-law was exceptionally skilled at embroidery, she had been practicing hard, at least to reach a passable level.
Seeing Lady Zhang enter, she quickly stood up. "Aunt."
Lady Zhang had no daughters of her own, so she doted on her niece, often inviting her to stay at the Zhou family. Seeing her so well-behaved and sensible now, she couldn't help but feel indignant on her behalf. "Pingjun, what kind of poor scholar has your father betrothed you to? Meanwhile, he betrothed your half-sister to the son of the Assistant Prefect of Huzhou!"
"Aunt, that Young Master Wei is also Official Jiang's brother-in-law and a member of the Wei clan," Zhang Pingjun said.
"How is that the same? Who among us doesn't know what the Wei family used to be like! Your father favors that concubine-born child." Lady Zhang said.
Zhang Pingjun thought to herself that the aunt of before, even if she didn't like something, would absolutely not be so blatantly critical. Now, since her uncle had taken a wealthy second wife, and because her aunt had lost a large sum of money a few years ago after lending capital for someone's business venture which they then absconded with, and since she no longer enjoyed her husband's favor, her temperament had become increasingly acrimonious and sharp-tongued.
But since the marriage was already settled, Zhang Pingjun said, "Aunt, although the Wei gentleman is poor, it is precisely poverty that forges true talent. To enter the National University at eighteen is already quite remarkable."
Lady Zhang wasn't necessarily unaware of this reasoning, but hearing her niece speak so acceptingly, she took out a small box from her sleeve. "This is your aunt's addition to your trousseau. Keep it."
Zhang Pingjun opened the box. Inside was a pair of gold bracelets engraved with a dragon and phoenix. She looked at Lady Zhang. Lady Zhang took her hand and said, "Your aunt has always had a strong personality. It's not good for a woman to be too strong-willed. Don't learn from me."
After her business capital was swindled, she had little money left. The Zhou family's main branch also spent more than it earned. Her father-in-law was fond of antiques and bronze inscriptions, all expensive hobbies. Her mother-in-law still insisted on maintaining the airs of their former status. Zhou Cunzhi needed funds for official networking and for gifts to colleagues throughout the seasons and festivals. She had no choice but to substitute inferior goods sometimes.
She had chosen her targets carefully. Someone like Wei Jin Niang, who came from a servant-girl background, would surely be too embarrassed to constantly interact with her former masters. Even if she discovered the substitution a few years later, she would likely swallow the grievance in silence.
She hadn't expected her to expose it so quickly.
Fortunately, Zhou Cunzhi didn't know. Nowadays, he favored that wealthy young lady and even looked down on his own wife, the daughter of a poor official. Lady Zhang felt deeply aggrieved.
But she also knew her own strong-willed nature had ultimately led her to suffer in silence. Therefore, she admonished her niece.
"Yes," Zhang Pingjun nodded with tears in her eyes.
On the twenty-sixth of the twelfth month, there was a joyous event at the old house: Xuan'er was to marry the daughter of the Wu family. Jin Niang rose early to dress. Today, she specially wore a gold crown, a matching apricot-yellow pearl-embroidered dress, earrings with lantern-shaped tassels, a gem-inlaid ring on one hand, and a twisted gold bracelet-style ring on the other. Naturally, she was radiant with jewels and jade, dazzlingly beautiful.
Jiang Xian thought his wife, perhaps from embroidering too many Bodhisattvas, now resembled one herself, making him somewhat hesitant to be too familiar.
He helped his wife into the carriage and added, "We've spent quite a lot this year. Things will be better next year."
"I think so too. When will this money be just for the two of us? Our daughter will marry out, our son will take a wife, and there's another in my belly, whether boy or girl, we must also set aside a portion for them." Jin Niang pouted.
Seeing her act so coquettishly, Jiang Xian's heart melted, but he was afraid of rumpling her clothes and refrained from pulling her into his embrace.
The bond between this husband and wife had begun with marital duty, developed into mutual support, and finally blossomed into genuine affection. She was perceptive, held herself to high principles, yet was capable. Capable, yet not overly aggressive. Most importantly, with her by his side, he feared nothing.
Arriving at the old residence at Nanxun Gate, the outside was already decorated with lanterns and colored streamers. Jiang Xian sighed with emotion, "It was just like this when we married all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed."
"Our time serving outside the capital passed too quickly. Honestly, my clearest memory now is of our early married days in Sweetwater Lane, it feels like it was only yesterday," Jin Niang said.
As they spoke, they parted at the entrance. Jin Niang went through the inner gate to the women's quarters, while Jiang Xian headed to the area for male guests. Among the female guests were several sisters-in-law from the Xu family, a lively gathering. It was said Madam Xu had about a dozen nephews from her natal family, all scholars, especially the son of her fifth brother, who, though young, was quite renowned for his talent.
After Jin Niang entered, everyone exchanged greetings. She saw Madam Xu's third sister-in-law again, a woman extremely fond of adornment, who would dress up even if she had to borrow money. Today she wore a skirt sprinkled with gold and a silver crown inlaid with gold. Standing beside her was a young wife in her twenties, likely her third daughter-in-law.
"Sister-in-law, are you with child?" Madam Xu asked.
Jin Niang nodded, "Yes, not long along."
Madam Xu was about to say more when new guests arrived, and she hurried out to greet them. Nanny Fang, standing beside Jin Niang, thought to herself that on such occasions, it was usually the sisters-in-law who helped welcome guests inside before gathering to chat. Yet Madam Xu ignored the full room of people, personally going out to greet each guest one by one, leaving no one to lead inside.
Nanny Fang reflected that her own perspective used to be narrow, confined to this small circle. She had even thought Madam Xu was at least competent at managing a household, if a bit frugal. But after following her mistress outside the capital for six or seven years and broadening her horizons, she realized Madam Xu's abilities were actually quite mediocre; she was just very skilled at crafting her own reputation.
All that frugality, virtue, compassion for the poor and elderly... it was as if she thought herself perfect.
In this regard, her mistress was not like that at all. Jin Niang very rarely built her own reputation. The only time she had was for the reputation of her Guanyin embroidery, purely to make money.
Of course, Jin Niang was here today to attend a wedding and wouldn't mention such things. Being pregnant, she also couldn't stand strong mixed odors, so she went to Madam Zeng's place to play cards. When Madam Xu returned with the guests and saw the disorder, she secretly complained that her sisters-in-law weren't helping her gather and settle the guests.
After the card game and the midday feast, the groom was to go fetch the bride. Jin Niang was chatting with relatives from the Zheng and Xu families. The Zheng family was naturally overjoyed. Madam Zheng had married an old man past fifty, thinking her life was essentially over. Who could have imagined both step-sons would pass the imperial examinations one after another, and even the Jiang family's sixth branch would prosper. The achievements of Madam Jiang the Sixth's sons had, in turn, secured her status; people now addressed Madam Zheng as "Old Madam."
The Zhou family arrived in the afternoon. Madam Zhou, née Jiang, came with her daughter-in-law, Lady Zhang. Seeing Jin Niang sitting there, Madam Zhou discreetly sent a maid to summon her over. Jin Niang had already guessed what she would ask. Sure enough, it was about Miss Zhou the Second. Fortunately, Jin Niang had prepared her response: "We hadn't been there long and only met her once. We later heard it was a capital case. The Surveillance Commissioner ordered strict punishment; there was nothing we could do."
If you hadn't loaned money at exorbitant rates and driven someone to death, would you have been caught out?
Madam Zhou continued, "Since you were in Daming Prefecture, if you needed money for bribes, you should have told me. We must settle this matter. How could you just wash your hands of it? We are family, after all."
Jin Niang had no desire to argue with her and simply listened in silence. Madam Xu, overhearing their conversation from not far away, smiled with schadenfreude. She's not even a maid from their household anymore, yet she still cowers and bows before her former mistress, unable to straighten her back.
If Lady Zhang were a reasonable person, she would have intervened to ease the situation, especially since the relationship between Zhou Cunzhi and Jiang Xian wasn't completely severed. But after Jin Niang had exposed the fake silk incident last time, Lady Zhang was in no mood to help; she merely watched the spectacle.
In the end, Jin Niang extricated herself by saying, "Madam Zhou, I seem to have left something outside. I must go check."
Once outside, Ying cursed, "How shameless! Her own daughter committed crimes, and she has the nerve to blame others."
"Who cares about her," Jin Niang thought. Since Miss Zhou the Second was already wanted, there was no need to win a war of words with Madam Zhou, especially while pregnant. It wasn't worth the trouble.
Miss Zhou the Elder had passed away six or seven years ago. Miss Zhou the Second would likely never dare show her face again. As for Zhou Cunzhi's circumstances, the fact that Lady Zhang had started gifting counterfeit goods indicated they were on a downward slide.
Jin Niang bore no deep-seated hatred for the Zhou family. They had once obstructed her marriage to Jiang Xian, but it was also at the Zhou residence that Madam Jiang the Sixth had first seen her. This was partly why Jin Niang was unwilling to dwell on past grievances.
For this reason, after the bride entered the household and paid respects to the elders, Jin Niang went home. Her pregnancy provided a convenient excuse, and Jiang Xian was also concerned she might be fatigued. When Jin Niang mentioned Madam Zhou's questioning, Jiang Xian was furious: "Didn't Sister-in-law and Lady Zhang say anything to help you?"
"No," Jin Niang shook her head.
Jiang Xian said, "Forget about Sister-in-law for now, but today we, as a couple, brought generous gifts. As hosts, they simply ignored it. And that Lady Zhang—when she was harassed before, I was the one who dealt with that scoundrel. When she sent us fake silk, we were even worried she might have been duped. Yet she just stood by and watched."
Jin Niang waved her hand. "Let it be. In the end, it was her own disregard for the law. Perhaps we should take this chance to simply cease contact."
Jiang Xian nodded. "I was thinking the same."
Jin Niang was always good at managing her own mood. The next day, when the property manager delivered twelve hundred strings of cash as her share of the profits, her spirits soared completely. Add to that the rent from the estate, and the delivered firewood, eggs, chickens, ducks, and geese...
She then began distributing rewards to the servants. For outstanding and diligent work throughout the year, Juxiang, Nanny Luo, and Young Chen each received a five-qian reward, a chicken, and a handkerchief.
These three individuals had never been absent without reason since moving to the new residence. Nanny Luo managed the garden, and there was never any unauthorized coming and going of miscellaneous people during the day; the small gates were also guarded strictly at night. As for Juxiang, it goes without saying. The entire kitchen was run by just her and Chunxian, everything was orderly, not a single day saw a quality control issue, and the taste was getting better and better. As for Chen Xiaolang, now serving as the second steward, any task Jin Niang entrusted him to inquire about or handle that could be done the same day was never postponed until tomorrow.
Jin Niang also rewarded these three with silver coins wrapped in red cloth, with words of praise specially written on the outside of the red cloth.
"This year, it's these three who have received it. By next year, my reward money will be even more, and I look forward to more new people being able to receive this then," Jin Niang said.
In an instant, all the servants were as if pumped with adrenaline. Jiang Xian's study was usually cleaned by Hutou. Now, his father, Luo Da, was the chief steward of the household, and Hutou had become Jiang Xian's personal attendant.
Although Hutou usually cleaned thoroughly, he wasn't one to kneel down and wipe the tables and chairs. Today, he was practically scrubbing the floorboards bare.
Jiang Xian even teased, "You, young lad, why so diligent today?"
Hutou scratched the back of his head, "If I do well, the mistress will call me out specifically in front of everyone to give the red cloth reward money. My old grandmother got one too."
For a young attendant like Hutou just starting out, earning only fifty copper coins a month, naturally he wanted to strive for it.
Hearing this, Jiang Xian was even taken aback for a moment.
Even when he was tired in the study and went for a solitary walk in the garden, intending to find the tutor in the first courtyard, he overheard Xi Qiu saying to Fan Si, "Write to your uncle. When he comes next year, have him bring some loquat wine for the mistress. The mistress doesn't care for pure grain wine; she likes fruit wine."
...
Jiang Xian thought, well now, it's only the beginning, and people are already sending gifts!
This New Year, with oxen and sheep slaughtered for the feast, was spent in great comfort. Sister Jun helped Wei Xiong and Luo Yu'e each tailor a set of clothes. The old couple was overjoyed upon receiving the garments.
Jin Niang bought a young maid to serve her parents and picked a young attendant for Younger Brother Yang to help run errands. Her father, no longer having to do heavy labor from dawn to dusk, had filled out a bit and didn't look as burdened and bitter as before. Her mother, needless to say, was even more radiant and well-nourished.
This year, the Wei family again invited Jin Niang over. Jin Niang was just saying to Madam Wei, "Although the Master said, 'Respect ghosts and spirits but keep them at a distance,' I had just finished embroidering the Child-Granting Guanyin when I found out I was with child. It really does seem like some kind of fortune."
Madam Wei had given birth to Wei the Seventh in her middle age, so she shared some of her experiences, which Jin Niang carefully noted down.
While Jin Niang and the others were visiting relatives and friends, Hao the Second and Wei Yang were still writing practice essays. For them, about to participate in the provincial examination, passing would mean their life's circumstances would be completely different.
But there was a difference in how the two studied. Younger Brother Yang told Jin Niang, "Brother Hao is indeed very clever and seems diligent in his studies, but today, brother-in-law gave us a question to analyze, and he couldn't formulate a good thesis."
Although Younger Brother Yang's mental energy might not be exceptionally strong, when he writes essays, he has the ability to truly immerse himself and think deeply. Hao the Second wrote voluminously, but it was too ornate and superficial.
Jin Niang understood his situation. In modern terms, it would be called "fake studying." You couldn't say he wasn't studying—he was—but he wasn't genuinely engaged in it.
"What can be done then?" Jin Niang was also worried.
Wei Yang said, "I talked to him about it, and he seemed a bit impatient."
Jin Niang said, "Forget it then. You just focus on yourself and do well in the provincial exam."
She always felt her younger brother wasn't the flashy type. Over twenty years old and still quite simple, enjoying woodworking and fried chicken, yet he always had good luck in major exams. She wondered if he was just fortunate, but after observing, she realized it wasn't that. He might not have an exceptionally brilliant mind, but he was absolutely solid and willing to delve deep and put in the hard work.
With Younger Brother Yang taking the provincial exam, the Zhang family was even more nervous than the Jiang family. Zhang the Ninth personally came for a visit. He himself had a bit of a young master's temper, but he got along quite well with a straightforward scholar like Wei Yang and treated him with courtesy.
Jiang Xian, on the other hand, comforted him, "Younger Brother Yang is still young. Even my own brother didn't pass until he was nearly thirty. You don't need to be too anxious."
"Can he pass, do you think?" Zhang the Ninth asked.
"It's hard to say. One can only say, do your utmost and leave the rest to fate." Jiang Xian wasn't an examiner, so naturally he wasn't sure either. Besides, on-the-spot performance ultimately depends on oneself.
Because there was someone in the household preparing for an exam, Brother Ning and Sister Jun couldn't go out to play as freely. They came to Jin Niang's place. Sister Jun looked at Jin Niang's belly with awe, "Mother, in a few months, will I have another little brother?"
"We don't know yet if it's a little brother or a little sister. It's only been a little over four months now. In five or six months when the baby is born, you can all play together." As Jin Niang spoke, she started yawning.
Sister Jun, being a bit older than Brother Ning, was also more thoughtful. She said to Jin Niang, "I saw Wet Nurse Ma telling Brother Ning to ask you in front of you to let her come back. Mother, she always indulges brother. That's not good."
Originally, Wet Nurse Ma wasn't a household-born servant; she was only hired for about two years initially. Later, she said her life was difficult, so Jin Niang let her help manage the courtyard. Later, she kept spoiling Brother Ning. Jin Niang didn't drive her out but had her manage the laundry. Wet Nurse Ma found the work much harder and was also very disheartened.
But how could there be idle people in Jin Niang's household? Even Jiang Xian's wet nurse, Nanny Luo, often had to take night shifts guarding the gates. Luo Da's Wife, the wife of the chief steward, also had to till soil, move potted plants, and sweep the garden every day. Even Jin Niang herself, although not as exhausted as before, had no real leisure between needlework and managing household affairs.
But Jin Niang could understand her temporary difficulty adjusting. She mentioned it to Nanny Fang. Nanny Fang spoke to Wet Nurse Ma once: "Just because you nursed the young master, does that make you nobler than the rest of us? The mistress gives you three qian of silver a month, two sets of clothes a year. The mistress's undergarments and the young master and miss's intimate clothes aren't even washed by you; they're washed by their personal maids. Where is your workload so heavy? If you truly had other special skills, that would be one thing, but you don't. It's better to be content. You used to be a sensible person, how have you become confused now? Before, when the mistress wanted the young master to get up early to study and he was lazy, you urged him to pretend to be sick. Later, when the mistress wanted the young master to finish his homework before eating, you secretly gave him snacks to eat first. You play the good person in front of the young master. It's only because the mistress is magnanimous that she doesn't blame you for inciting the young master. If it were someone else, you would have been driven out long ago."
After this reprimand, Wet Nurse Ma became more subdued. But for her, either the pay had to be high or the treatment good. Now she had neither, and she feared the mistress still held a grudge against her. So, she began to think of leaving, claiming her husband from outside had come looking for her.
Jin Niang personally asked her if she was willing to leave, saying how could it be her husband forcing her? Jin Niang finally said, "If you are unwilling, just stay in the household. I will speak for you."
That wet nurse Ma hemmed and hawed, already having the intention to leave. Jin Niang then fetched the contract for her and told her to take her chests and personal savings with her. This way, there would be no need for a dedicated person to manage laundry; the maidservants for rough work in each quarter could handle the washing.
Ying said indignantly, "Before, she knelt and refused to leave, but now she's like this."
Jin Niang thought it was just as well that she asked to leave herself; later, Jin Niang could personally discipline her son.
Nanny Fang thought to herself that the mistress was indeed benevolent and righteous, but this was also an open strategy. The mistress usually acted decisively, yet in the matter of Wet Nurse Ma, she had given several chances. It wasn't weakness but rather a desire to have Wet Nurse Ma withdraw voluntarily, so that in the future, Brother Ning could not resent his mother for it.
It is also said that half a month after Wet Nurse Ma left, the Provincial Examination began. Several days later, the results were posted. Although Younger Brother Yang's name was second from the bottom on the list, he had finally passed. Having passed the Provincial Examination, the Palace Examination was only a matter of ranking.
Jiang Xian had a few tables set up in the family garden for a celebration. Jin Niang also gave rewards to the servants. Over there, Luo Yu'e also distributed rewards all around, her joy beyond measure.
Even the Wei family came personally to congratulate them and sent over congratulatory gifts.
Only, Younger Brother Yang's ranking was so low that everyone feared he might end up in the fifth class and have to take another examination later for an official post.
Unexpectedly, in the Palace Examination, he placed at the very end of the fourth class, which meant he could receive an official appointment directly.
Jin Niang, heavily pregnant at home, did not go to see the results posted. She listened as Brother Ning returned, animatedly saying, "Those people almost dragged Uncle away, one pulling his arm, another his leg. In the end, it was Uncle Zhang the Ninth who personally sent people to snatch him back."
Jin Niang laughed at the thought of Younger Brother Yang's reed-thin figure being fought over.
The wedding date was originally set for the ninth month, but now the Zhang family requested an earlier marriage, fearing their scholar son-in-law would be snatched away. Hearing this, Jin Niang found it both funny and exasperating.
