Madam Chen was feeling somewhat anxious in the needlework room. Seeing this, Jin Niang quickly reassured her, "There’s no need to worry. Let’s first list out what needs to be done and then assign tasks one by one. If we truly can’t finish everything, we can always outsource some of the work to external embroiderers."
"If they’ve already hired us, how can they go looking elsewhere? Wouldn’t that be a waste of their money? After all our hard work, it wouldn’t do to end up with a reputation for incompetence," Madam Chen sighed.
Jin Niang understood Madam Chen’s concerns. If they successfully completed this order, their value would double when working for other households in the future. That’s why Madam Chen insisted on perfection—no mistakes could be tolerated. However, the young lady’s wedding was still two years away, and the sheer volume of embroidery required was overwhelming. There was a fear that the work might not meet expectations, failing to establish their reputation.
Still, Jin Niang was puzzled. "Isn’t it just beddings, quilts, and curtains? Can’t we divide those among ourselves?"
Fang Qiaolian agreed, "Exactly."
"Young as you are, you don’t realize just how much needs to be embroidered," Madam Chen explained. "For the bride alone, there’s the wedding dress, veil, and embroidered shoes, as well as the outfits she’ll wear in the days following the wedding—multiple sets of embroidered shoes included. Then there are the bridal chamber’s curtains, hanging screens, embroidered quilt covers, bed canopies, chair drapes, table covers, pillowcases, and tablecloths. Gifts for the groom’s elders and peers—fan cases, pouches, tobacco bags, shoes, and socks. For the bride’s family, there are mirror covers, powder puffs, oil cloths, and pouches. And let’s not forget the rewards for the servants—headscarves, handkerchiefs, pouches, shoe uppers, powder puffs, and oil cloths. Do you see now how much there is?" Madam Chen listed everything in one breath.
Jin Niang, Fang Qiaolian, and Qin Shuang'er were left speechless.
Seeing their stunned expressions, Madam Chen looked at them. "Now do you understand my dilemma?"
Jin Niang composed herself and raised her eyes. "Rather than worrying and complaining, let’s tackle things one by one. For instance, we can start with the bride’s wedding dress, veil, and wedding attire before moving on to the curtains and hangings. If any item truly can’t be finished, we can outsource the entire set to external embroiderers. That way, the work won’t be patchy, and we won’t end up in an awkward situation."
For example, if they embroidered plum, orchid, and bamboo but left out the chrysanthemum pouch, it wouldn’t be a complete set. All their effort would be wasted, and they’d have to spend more money buying one from outside.
Madam Chen pursed her lips. "You can’t help with the wedding dress yet." She was still holding back—embroidering wedding dresses was her specialty, and she wouldn’t teach it to anyone outside her lineage.
"The bride’s wedding dress, veil, shoes, and outfits will be done by me. As for the rest, I’ll divide the tasks among you. Right now, the priority is the wedding curtains. Later, you’ll measure the bed first. Each of you will make one gauze curtain, one silk curtain, and one thin silk curtain. Once these are done, we’ll move on to the quilt covers," Madam Chen instructed.
Jin Niang let out a relieved sigh. She went to the storeroom to select fabrics—a bolt of icy blue gauze with plum blossom patterns, a bright red silk brocade with peonies, and a floral-patterned thin silk.
Madam Chen first taught them how to measure the bed and cut the curtains. Jin Niang took careful notes before starting to cut the fabric.
Whenever they encountered difficulties, Madam Chen would offer guidance. Jin Niang threw herself into the work, even turning down private commissions. This was a crucial time for learning—if she did well, her skills would secure her future employment anywhere.
Whether in ancient times or modern, one must always have a solid foundation to rely on.
Qin Shuang'er, however, took the opposite approach. She secretly sought out Chun Lan, volunteering to embroider items for the young lady. As a result, while Jin Niang and the others finished the curtains early and moved on to quilt covers, Qin Shuang'er was still struggling with the curtains.
"Qiaolian, what design are you planning for your quilt cover? Let’s make sure we don’t repeat the same one," Jin Niang asked with a smile.
Fang Qiaolian replied, "I’ll embroider my specialty—the dragon and phoenix quilt. That’s a must, though it might take months to finish. What about you?"
Jin Niang grinned. "Mine will be peonies, symbolizing prosperity and wealth."
Unlike clothing, quilt covers required large-scale embroidery, demanding immense time and effort.
As for Qin Shuang'er, who hadn’t even finished her curtains, Jin Niang shook her head. These days, Qin Shuang'er was staying up late as if it were routine—even more than Jin Niang herself.
While embroidering the quilt cover, Jin Niang gradually progressed from small floral motifs to full layouts. This was her first attempt at such a large piece, and the beginning was always the hardest.
From March to June, Jin Niang dedicated herself to the quilt cover, even neglecting her fourteenth birthday and her cousin’s invitation for a family meal. Once finished, she labeled it and handed it to Madam Chen for inspection.
Madam Chen examined it and nodded approvingly. "Well done. The embroidery is exquisite, though the layout is a bit cramped. What do you plan for the next quilt cover?"
"I haven’t decided yet," Jin Niang admitted.
"No rush. Let me first teach you how to make the wedding quilt," Madam Chen said, setting aside her own work.
Jin Niang observed carefully, then practiced stitching under Madam Chen’s guidance. She sighed in relief—unlike Qin Shuang'er and Fang Qiaolian, who were already skilled, she was still learning the ropes.
Just as she finished, an elderly servant from the outer courtyard came in. "Miss Jin Niang, your elder sister has just given birth. She’s invited you to the baby’s third-day celebration."
Hearing this, Madam Chen urged, "Go ahead, Jin Niang. You were the first to finish, so take this time to think about your next quilt cover."
Thus, Jin Niang went to request leave from Lv Ying, as she couldn’t leave the household without permission. Unexpectedly, Madam Jiang overheard and not only granted her leave but also smiled warmly. "You’ve all been working so hard lately—I doubt you’ve had time to prepare gifts for the celebration."
Madam Jiang had always liked Jin Niang, finding her plump, diligent, and quietly talented, so she held her in high regard.
"Madam, your insight is unmatched. I don’t know what to bring for the celebration. In the past, I could’ve just given fabric, but I’ve already sent some home this year. I was planning to look for something in the market," Jin Niang admitted sheepishly.
Madam Jiang leaned back. "Of course you wouldn’t know, young as you are. There’s no need to buy subpar items from the market. For a baby’s third-day celebration, the maternal family traditionally presents a silver, copper, or painted basin filled with millet stalks, covered with a beautiful scarf, along with silk dolls representing five boys and two girls. But as a relative attending the celebration, you need only bring dried fruits and decorative coins. Lv Ying, give Jin Niang two silver ingots as a reward—let her go to her sister’s house in good spirits."
Jin Niang quickly knelt in gratitude.
This was her first time receiving silver ingots as a reward. The larger ones came in fifty, forty, or twenty taels, but the one she received was a small five-tael ingot—likely meant for festive occasions.
She tucked the silver ingots close to her body, then went to a silversmith’s shop and spent two hundred coins on a pair of tiny silver anklets, each weighing half a tael and adorned with little bells. Wrapping them in a scented cloud-gauze handkerchief, she prepared them as a gift for her newborn nephew.
Cousin Rongniang was a warm-hearted, unpretentious, and beautiful young married woman. Though she had only lived here for just over a year, she had already gotten along so well with all the neighbors that they were like one big family. Jin Niang, her younger cousin, on the other hand, felt like an outsider. She couldn’t quite understand why—even though Rongniang had repeatedly invited her over, whenever she did visit, the treatment she received seemed rather ordinary.
"Elder Sister, this is a small gift I prepared for my nephew. Please don’t think it too humble," Jin Niang said with a smile.
Rongniang, still in her postpartum confinement, leaned against a pillow and took the handkerchief-wrapped gift. She unwrapped it and asked, "Are these ankle bracelets?"
"Yes. The household has been so busy lately, and I’ve been working day and night without a moment to spare. I didn’t have time to buy anything special, so it’s nothing extravagant," Jin Niang replied with a smile.
Rongniang, clearly content, patted her son beside her and said cheerfully, "Next time, just come empty-handed. You and your brother-in-law are the same—always working yourselves to the bone. You should rest when it’s time to rest. Don’t overexert yourself."
Jin Niang shook her head. "Elder Sister, now is the time to hone my skills. I can’t afford to slack off. If I stop, I’ll lose my touch."
Embroidery was like writing in her past life—if she didn’t practice for a while, it might seem unchanged at first, but over time, her work would become something even she couldn’t bear to look at. And she wasn’t yet at the point where she could afford to be idle.
"Alright, alright, I’ve said one thing and you’ve come back with ten," Rongniang sighed, not wanting to dwell on contentious topics.
Jin Niang took the opportunity to shift the conversation. "You’re right. Let’s talk about something lighter—has the little one been given a name yet?"
Rongniang smiled blissfully. "His father is still flipping through books trying to decide. For now, we’re just calling him ‘Precious.’"
As they spoke, the neighbors and friends gradually dispersed. Jin Niang gently touched the baby’s head, careful not to press too hard—their little faces always seemed as delicate as steamed peaches.
The two cousins chatted idly until Rongniang lowered her voice and said, "Jin Niang, you’re not getting any younger. What are your plans? With your parents far away, you must take your future into your own hands."
Though Jin Niang had never been a staunch advocate for singlehood in her past life, her dedication to her craft had always outweighed any notions of love or marriage. Even now, in this era, she felt the same. Still, she feigned shyness and replied, "There’s nothing much to consider. My service term ends next year, and only after I return to my parents can I think about such matters. I certainly can’t marry another servant."
"Ah, so you have high standards," Rongniang said, clasping her hand.
Unlike when she first arrived, Rongniang’s home now seemed quite comfortable. Yet she still complained to Jin Niang, "Your brother-in-law is always so busy. Today is my son’s third-day celebration, and yet he still has to go out later to see patients. Sometimes he’s even called out in the middle of the night. Thankfully, we’ve hired two servants now, so I’m much less burdened."
For some reason, Jin Niang thought of her somewhat aloof brother-in-law and couldn’t help but advise, "Sister, I remember Auntie saying you were talented in cooking and making cosmetics. Now that you have help with the baby, why not ask your husband to set up a shop for you once you’ve recovered?"
"You have no idea how expensive things are when you’re not managing a household," Rongniang said, waving her hand dismissively. "In Bianjing, even a modest shop costs seven or eight strings of cash a month. If I went into business, I’d probably lose my investment. Besides, running a shop would tie me down, and I’m not the type to sit still."
Jin Niang didn’t press further and simply smiled. "You’re right."
Rongniang then added, a mix of pride and nonchalance in her voice, "But you needn’t worry about me. Your brother-in-law once treated a patient whose family deals in grain. Since our hometown produces rice, and I happen to know some fellow locals, I introduced them and earned a small commission."
Jin Niang flushed slightly. "I shouldn’t have presumed to advise you."
Truthfully, she wasn’t jealous of Rongniang. She simply believed in hard work—luck and beauty were fleeting, but what one earned through effort was truly one’s own.
Yet now she realized that her relentless drive might not be the only way. Rongniang had a capable husband, a warm personality, a newborn son—perhaps she was simply one of the fortunate ones, destined to live a life cradled in her husband’s devotion.
During the baby’s third-day ceremony, everyone gathered around a bronze basin filled with water, tossing in symbolic items—scallions, coins. Jin Niang added a pair of silver ankle bracelets, the most valuable offering of all.
But for some reason, she felt no particular fondness for the child. Back in the embroidery workshop, when Si'er and Fang Qiaolian asked about the baby, Jin Niang only said, "He’s just a tiny thing with a red face. I can’t stand the sound of crying—it makes me restless."
Madam Chen, usually so composed, burst out laughing. "That’s such a young girl’s thing to say! I was the same when I was your age—covering my ears at a baby’s cry, rolling my eyes when people bragged about their children. But once you have your own, you’ll find them utterly perfect."
The others joined in the laughter. For now, Jin Niang’s plan was simple: in a year, she would return to Jiangling, negotiate a raise at the Shu Embroidery House, and find a suitable match. A quiet, uneventful life would suffice.
With this little diversion, the days of needlework no longer felt so monotonous. For now, they were solely focused on preparing a bride’s dowry, nothing else.
But not long after the Ghost Festival, another celebration arose in the Zhou household—Second Miss Zhou Huihui was betrothed to Third Young Master He, her maternal aunt’s son and the former magistrate of Jiangling, now serving in prosperous Yangzhou.
Rumor had it that Magistrate He’s transfer to such a wealthy post was due to this advantageous match. Yet it was said Second Miss was less than pleased—she had "fallen ill," and Lan Xue was busy brewing medicine in her quarters.
Jin Niang, accustomed to such scenes, settled into the tea room. Lan Xue wrinkled her nose. "Smell that? Nothing but medicine in here."
"Why has Second Miss fallen ill at a time like this?" Jin Niang wondered aloud.
Truthfully, from an outsider’s perspective, Second Miss’s temperament wasn’t for everyone. Eldest Miss could suppress her nature, smoothing things over without a ripple, but Second Miss was different. Cousin marriages were common in the Song dynasty, and this match was quite suitable—Third Young Master He was scholarly, and they were kin. Madam Jiang, knowing her daughter’s disposition well, had chosen this arrangement deliberately.
Lan Xue smiled and said, "You're a sensible person—how could you not understand? If your elder sister married into a prime minister's household while you were only wed to a prefect's family, wouldn't you find it unbearable too? But such things can't be changed. Third Young Master He is still staying in our residence. If word got out, life wouldn’t be easy for us either."
These matters had nothing to do with them originally, yet they were still affected. Jin Niang was assigned to make a new set of clothes for the Second Young Miss.
"Why me?" Jin Niang had already mastered embroidering quilt covers. Her previous attempt had been overly elaborate in an effort to show off her skill, but this time, she embroidered a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water with a fresh, simple elegance—lotus leaves lush and vibrant, the ducks nestled close.
Though she had time to spare, Jin Niang had no desire to make clothes for this spoiled Second Young Miss.
Madam Chen said, "I heard the Second Young Miss specifically asked for you."
Jin Niang hesitated. "Last time, she said my work was poor. I’m afraid my craftsmanship won’t meet her standards."
But Madam Chen patted her shoulder. "There’s nothing I can do. She insisted on you. Madam Jiang dotes on her daughter, and we’re just hired workers—we follow orders. Don’t argue, just do as you’re told."
"Mm." Jin Niang took a deep breath and picked up her measuring tape and embroidery patterns before heading over.
The Second Young Miss looked well, though visibly sullen. Jin Niang forced a smile and said, "Second Young Miss, let me take your measurements first. Then, you can tell me what kind of dress you’d like. I’ll sketch it for your approval before selecting fabric from the storeroom."
Perhaps worn down by recent disappointments, the Second Young Miss felt slightly soothed seeing Jin Niang’s cheerful demeanor as she prepared to make her clothes. Still, she didn’t even lift her eyelids, answering listlessly, "Just make whatever."
Hearing "whatever," Jin Niang knew she couldn’t take it literally. "With Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, how about a soft crimson satin dress with a sheer outer layer? It would evoke the misty beauty of 'smoke veiling the cold water, moonlight veiling the sand.' Embroidered with osmanthus and a jade rabbit—what do you think?"
The Second Young Miss, who had just said "whatever," now sat up at the mention of the rabbit. "No jade rabbit. The osmanthus is fine."
"Osmanthus alone might seem too plain. Is there anything else you’d like embroidered?" Jin Niang asked.
The Second Young Miss scowled. "How dare you! I said no rabbit means no rabbit."
"Yes, of course." Jin Niang rolled her eyes inwardly.
The Second Young Miss glanced at her. "Didn’t you say you could sketch? Show me first."
Jin Niang nodded. "Very well. I’ll sketch here today and work on the wedding quilt tonight. But what color would you like the dress to be?"
She didn’t want to waste time drawing only for the Second Young Miss to reject it later.
"Red, obviously. Are you so dull-witted you’ve forgotten your own words?" the Second Young Miss snapped.
Her maids snickered, and one added, "You should eat less—your memory’s as thick as your waist."
"Worthless servant! Kneel here for a few hours before leaving." The Second Young Miss found her irritating.
Jin Niang knelt silently, face blank. She knew the Second Young Miss needed an outlet for her frustration, and even if Madam Jiang heard of this, she wouldn’t intervene for a mere servant. But Jin Niang wouldn’t let this go unpunished.
She swore she’d repay this humiliation. Even as a nobody, she wouldn’t endure abuse forever. If she couldn’t retaliate now, she’d settle the score later.
As she knelt, her mind wandered—how to embroider the mandarin duck quilt, whether to try hibiscus again (she’d only done it once, though hibiscus was a staple in Shu embroidery). Then she thought of her mother, who would’ve raged if she knew her daughter was being tormented like this.
Servants in the Second Young Miss’s room bustled about, fetching tea and running errands. Some even kicked her aside with a disdainful "Tch."
But Jin Niang remained lost in her own world until dinnertime, when outsiders arrived—even Si’er from the embroidery workshop came. Only then did the Second Young Miss seem to notice her again. "Oh, get up. Remember your place from now on."
Jin Niang’s knees ached, and her vision darkened as she stood. She glanced at the Second Young Miss and thought, You made me kneel in your room to avoid gossip, but I’m not Jiang Shanjie.
She shuffled slowly toward the door. Si’er rushed to support her, but Jin Niang suddenly collapsed. Si’er cried out in alarm, "Heavens! Sister Jin Niang, you’ve fainted!"
It was the busiest hour for meal deliveries, with servants coming and going. Jin Niang’s collapse drew immediate attention. The Second Young Miss grew uneasy—schemes like the ones her aunt used only worked on insignificant targets. Jin Niang, however, was the most celebrated embroiderer in years, even publicly praised by Madam Jiang for her skill.
Young Si’er blurted, "Sister Jin Niang… she isn’t dead, is she?"
......
Hearing the commotion, Madam Jiang asked Lv Ying, "What’s happening outside?"
Lv Ying hesitated. Unlike Yan Hong, she wasn’t close to Jin Niang and had no intention of tattling on the Second Young Miss. She tried to deflect.
Lady Zhang chimed in, "Just a servant who tripped."
"Don’t lie to me. What really happened?" Madam Jiang worried it might involve Yan Hong, who’d gone half-mad after her stillborn child.
Pressed, Lv Ying admitted, "It seems a maid from the embroidery workshop fainted."
"Nonsense! Those girls work day and night on needlework. Just the other day, I saw Jin Niang embroidering a quilt—she hadn’t drunk a drop of water all day to focus. Why would she be in the main house?" Madam Jiang grew more convinced it was Yan Hong’s doing and snapped, "Out with it! If you keep stalling, I’ll punish you too."
Fearing for herself, Lv Ying confessed, "It’s Jin Niang from the embroidery workshop. She was making clothes for the Second Young Miss today, spent hours in her room, and collapsed upon leaving. Perhaps from exhaustion."
Even Lady Zhang was speechless. The Zhou family prided itself on benevolence—her own mother had praised Madam Jiang’s household management and the Second Madam’s saintly kindness. Yet here was a servant driven to unconsciousness.
Madam Jiang sighed. "Lv Ying, leave your duties and fetch a physician at once."
Just after the marriage negotiations were concluded, mistreating the servants in the household—though He, the prospective son-in-law, usually studied at the Imperial College, he would surely spend his days off at the Zhou residence. If this matter wasn’t dealt with promptly, who knew how much gossip would spread? Worse yet, it might even become a weapon against their daughter once she married into his family.
