Jin Niang finally finished copying the scriptures amidst her busy schedule. She personally delivered them to the second household. Perhaps because she had once saved Madam Wu’s child, Madam Wu always granted her an audience whenever she visited.
Today was no exception, though Madam Wu reclined on the couch, clearly exhausted from the toll of her pregnancy.
"This servant greets the Second Madam. The scripture volume has been completed," Jin Niang said, raising her hands above her head in respect.
Madam Wu had her maid receive it and smiled. "Come closer and speak."
Jin Niang approached, noticing Madam Wu’s weakened state. "How is the Second Madam’s health? You seem rather frail."
"It’s nothing serious. Last night, Brother Qin had a fever and was coughing, so I stayed up half the night tending to him," Madam Wu replied. Being well into her thirties, her body could no longer endure such strain as easily.
Jin Niang advised, "The Second Madam must prioritize her health, especially now that you’re with child. How is the Fourth Young Master faring?"
Madam Wu smiled. "Just a minor illness."
Jin Niang inquired further, then noticed an elderly woman entering to discuss Brother Qin’s affairs. Though the woman spoke as if she had Brother Qin’s best interests at heart, Jin Niang recognized her—she was the same servant who had once whispered with Miao Xiaoniang behind the rockery.
Yan Hong’s child had died within these very walls. Otherwise, given her smooth pregnancy, how could it have ended so tragically? Miao Xiaoniang was surely involved.
After the old woman left, Jin Niang hesitated briefly before deciding to speak up. "Second Madam, this servant noticed that this scripture is particularly effective in dispelling illness and karmic obstacles. May I recite a volume for you in private? Otherwise, in a few days when I leave the household, I won’t have the chance to do so."
From Madam Wu’s perspective, Jin Niang was always a measured and respectful maid, never presuming upon her past favor. If she was making such a request now, perhaps she was in financial straits and seeking assistance. It wouldn’t be surprising—a girl her age from a poor family might naturally face such hardships.
Thus, Madam Wu dismissed the other servants.
Jin Niang dipped her finger in tea and wrote the character "Miao" on the table. "Before the Eldest Young Master passed, I once saw that same servant whispering secretly with this person while delivering something."
Madam Wu was stunned.
"Madam, I shall begin reciting the scripture now," Jin Niang said, picking up the scripture and wiping away the tea mark before starting her chant.
This left Madam Wu with no opportunity to question further, but she understood Jin Niang’s predicament—after all, she was a servant of the main household. If Miao Xiaoniang learned of her words, Jin Niang would surely face retaliation.
Once the recitation ended, Jin Niang smiled. "This servant must return to the embroidery workshop now—there’s much work to be done."
"Wait a moment," Madam Wu said, though she didn’t press for details. She tried to reward Jin Niang with silver ingots, but Jin Niang refused.
"I copied one volume, so a single string of coins is enough. My parents have come to the Eastern Capital, and if we encounter difficulties in the future, I would be endlessly grateful if the Madam could lend a hand," Jin Niang explained. Her intention wasn’t to seek rewards but to ease her conscience.
Madam Wu chuckled. "You’re oddly particular about such things."
Still, she didn’t comply with Jin Niang’s request. Instead of silver, she gave her two gold hairpins. "Living in the capital isn’t easy. Once you leave, every expense—firewood, rice, oil, salt—will add up. Presentable attire matters too."
Unable to refuse, Jin Niang finally accepted them.
Back in the embroidery workshop, she had barely taken a few bites of her meal when she heard her mother was waiting for her at the western side gate. Jin Niang hastily finished eating and hurried out, only to learn that in just over a month, her mother had accomplished something remarkable.
"You actually leased a house?"
"Of course! Today I came to ask what furnishings you’d like—a wardrobe with a top cabinet or one with hidden compartments? And for your desk, do you prefer a curved-leg table or a square one with bookshelves?" Luo Yu'e wished she had more money to prepare a finer boudoir for her daughter.
Jin Niang answered immediately, "The one with bookshelves. But do you still have enough silver?"
Luo Yu'e scratched her head. "Luckily, I held your father back—he wanted to spend even more."
"Mother, take these ten strings of banknotes for your daily expenses. I’ll also bring you cloth, candles, and an iron thermos." Jin Niang knew well that exhausting their savings on leasing a house wasn’t wise, but her parents were who they were—flawed, sometimes favoring sons over daughters, yet they loved her deeply.
Whether it was her desire to study, become an embroiderer, or enter the Imperial Embroidery Academy, or even summoning them to the capital—they fulfilled every wish of hers.
When Luo Yu'e saw the items Jin Niang brought out, she bombarded her with questions. Jin Niang explained, "The iron thermos keeps water hot, saving firewood. The candles are for home use, and the writing set is for Younger Brother Yang’s studies. Also, Mother, his education comes first—my furniture can wait. I won’t be returning for months anyway."
If a man wishes to fulfill his ambitions, he must diligently study the Six Classics by his window.
If she were a man, she would have pursued scholarly honors.
"His needs are easy to arrange, but the furniture must be commissioned early. Keep your money for yourself. Once we’re settled, your father and I will find work," Luo Yu'e had already planned ahead.
Jin Niang shook her head. "Mother, you once mentioned opening a shop. Use these ten strings of banknotes first. If it’s not enough, I’ll give you more later. At your age, working as servants or tea-house attendants would only bring humiliation. Oh, here’s another five taels of silver."
"That’s too much! I can’t take it," Luo Yu'e protested, waving her hands.
Only after Jin Niang insisted did she reluctantly accept it. Luo Yu'e then mentioned Feng Sheng’s disapproval. "That brother-in-law of yours lectured us endlessly, as if he looks down on us. Still, despite his words, he sent your elder sister to visit—better than your second uncle’s family."
Jin Niang was well acquainted with Feng Sheng’s character—a social climber, a modern-day elitist who despised foolishness and loved to pontificate.
Not outright malicious, but hardly likable.
Jin Niang replied, "I rarely interact with them in the capital. Every visit requires gifts, yet they treat me no differently. Mother, don’t rely on kinship for support. We must depend on ourselves. There’s always someone higher—he may scorn us, but others scorn him too."
For some reason, Luo Yu'e often dismissed others’ advice but took Jin Niang’s words to heart. Returning home, she told Wei Xiong, "Jin Niang gave me fifteen taels—a year’s worth of her wages! Tomorrow, let’s commission the furniture she requested and find a tutor for our son."
Wei Xiong chuckled cheerfully, "Ah, this is truly wonderful. I was just worrying about not having enough money and not finding a shop yet."
"Let’s talk about the shop another time. We worked hard all last year doing business, and the year before that, I spent helping my younger brother. I’m exhausted, and now we’ve traveled all the way to Bianjing." Luo Yu'e was frail, and her stomach had always been weak.
At home, Wei Xiong usually seemed diligent, but he wasn’t much of a thinker. Luo Yu'e was cleverer, but her health wasn’t good, and right now, all she could think about was bringing her daughter back to properly care for her. Everything else could wait.
Thinking of this, she took out an iron thermos: "Our daughter said this can keep tea hot for two or three days. Just think how much firewood we’ll save! Go chop the wood now—let’s try it right away."
Wei Xiong pretended to be dead, but Luo Yu'e gave him a kick, and he immediately got up to boil water in the new kitchen.
Luo Yu'e burst into laughter, then turned to Younger Brother Yang: "Your sister wants you to hurry up and study…"
Younger Brother Yang glanced outside. "Mother, it’s raining. Can’t I just play at home?"
"You…" She could never stay angry at her children.
Meanwhile, Feng Sheng had been worried about people borrowing money, but to his surprise, Rongniang returned and said, "Second Aunt said Jin Niang gave them over a dozen strings of cash. When I arrived, they were taking Younger Brother Yang to the children’s school."
Feng Sheng scoffed, "Your sister isn’t particularly pretty and doesn’t earn much, yet she still gives money to the family…"
Rongniang thought to herself that no matter what, Jin Niang was still fortunate. Though her parents had their flaws, they treated their children well.
Jin Niang felt the same way. Having her parents nearby gave her a strong sense of security, and her spirits had lifted considerably.
Madam Chen and the others had already finished their tasks ahead of time, and Madam Jiang rewarded each of them with a string of cash. Jin Niang and the others slept for days before finally recovering.
By then, there was only a month left before the eldest miss’s wedding. Qin Shuang'er had already moved to the third household, leaving the embroidery workshop without a second thought. The only thing she did was have Madam Chen help her change her temporary contract to a permanent one.
Even Fang Qiaolian thought it was a bad deal. "If it’s a permanent contract, she won’t be able to earn as much in the future."
"What can be done? She agreed to it herself." Jin Niang could advise others, but they had to be willing to listen.
Fang Qiaolian turned to Jin Niang. "You’re the lucky one—your parents are here in Bianjing now. Soon, you’ll all be Bianjing locals."
Perhaps because it was their last month together, they no longer held back. Jin Niang smiled and asked, "Qiaolian, will you still go to the Shu Embroidery Workshop after this?"
Fang Qiaolian shook her head. "Before coming to the capital, my family had already arranged a marriage for me. My betrothed is a clerk in the Jiangling Prefecture office." She wouldn’t have shared this if she weren’t certain Jin Niang wouldn’t return to Jiangling.
Clerks, though looked down upon by the scholar-officials, still belonged to the official class and enjoyed exemptions from labor service. They wore long robes (though only in black) and scholar’s sashes like the imperial examinees, along with boots. They also held a degree of power, and after serving for a certain period, they could be promoted to official positions if they passed evaluations.
A clerk was quite influential in local circles. Jin Niang quickly congratulated her. "What wonderful news! May you have a blissful marriage."
By now, Jin Niang understood everything—Fang Qiaolian had acted as Madam He’s informant, helping Third Young Master He avoid Mei Pan'er, investigating Second Miss Zhou’s preferences, verifying the Zhou family’s wealth, and checking if Second Miss Zhou had any hidden ailments…
But in return, she secured a marriage to a clerk’s family. With her embroidery skills, her familiarity with the Zhous, and the backing of the Hes, her future would surely be comfortable.
Fang Qiaolian smiled. "It was all arranged by the elders. What could I do? Before this, he was just a minor clerk."
"I won’t say much more, but I wish you peace, marital happiness, and—ah—many children!" Jin Niang giggled.
Fang Qiaolian playfully tried to tickle her, and Jin Niang dodged, laughing until tears welled up.
As they were fooling around, an unfamiliar maidservant entered. "Is Madam Chen here? Second Mistress wishes to see her."
Jin Niang straightened up. "Madam Chen is in the front servants’ quarters."
The maidservant left.
Jin Niang turned to Fang Qiaolian. "They’re not going to make us sew clothes in our last month, are they?"
"Just the thought of needlework makes me dizzy now," Fang Qiaolian groaned.
Jin Niang shrugged. "Nothing we can do. Maybe once we’re out of here, we won’t have to be at others’ mercy anymore."
Wasn’t freedom the most important thing?
Without it, what good were wealth and status? Forced to say things they didn’t mean and do things they didn’t want—what kind of life was that?
Sure enough, Second Mistress had summoned Madam Chen to make clothes for Zhou Cunzhi. Apparently, they had hired an outside tailor, but Zhou Cunzhi found the work vulgar and poorly done. Knowing they had been busy with the bridal trousseau, he hadn’t bothered them earlier, but now that the embroidery was finished, he wanted the household to handle it.
Madam Chen excused herself, claiming she had fallen ill. Though not old, the stress had taken its toll—her back problems flared up, and after completing the trousseau, she couldn’t even get out of bed.
The task fell to Jin Niang, as she was one of the only two who had previously made clothes for Zhou Cunzhi.
After two days of rest, Jin Niang was full of energy again. She had already taken his measurements last time, so there was no need to do so again. Since Second Master and Second Mistress hadn’t specified a design, Jin Niang had free rein. In her mind, Zhou Cunzhi’s bold personality suited a red robe—a satin round-collared jacket with embroidered floral patterns on the chest and shoulders, and slits on the sides to accentuate his tall frame.
Fang Qiaolian watched as Jin Niang, after a brief moment of thought, began tracing patterns onto the fabric, already inspired. "You’re ready to start just like that?"
"Of course." Jin Niang never struggled with creative blocks. Once she set her mind to something, inspiration came easily.
Fang Qiaolian sighed. "I really admire you. You’re amazing."
Jin Niang shook her head. "I’m still far from a true master."
She even wondered what Zhou Cunzhi would think when he wore this. It was time to create a garment that truly belonged to him.
If only she could open her own shop, where she could design freely.
She merely entertained these thoughts in passing. In the morning, she finished cutting out the garments and went to play with Lan Xue at noon. Coincidentally, Lan Xue mentioned that her family had guests visiting, so Jin Niang helped her prepare tea. Though she still wasn’t skilled at the final step of whisking, she was quite familiar with the earlier stages of tea preparation.
"Who’s coming that you’re making such a fuss over?" Jin Niang hadn’t heard of any guests arriving.
Lan Xue replied, "I believe it’s Young Master Jiang. Don’t you know? Our Second Master and Son-in-law Jiang are very close—they even attend literary gatherings together."
"It seems life’s encounters are truly unpredictable." Though the eldest daughter was to marry into the prime minister’s household, Third Young Master Wang had failed in his scholarly pursuits. The second daughter had married Third Young Master He, a match between cousins. The He family held lower official rank than the Zhou family, so under normal circumstances, the Zhou family could have dominated the He family indefinitely. Yet the He family held leverage over Second Miss Zhou. Even Miao Xiaoniang’s scandalous affairs and the birth of her son had caused an uproar. In the end, the third daughter had married the most advantageously—to an official’s family, a handsome and highly learned man.
Lan Xue, however, laughed. "You’re only looking at the surface. Did you know this Young Master Jiang is actually the biological son of Sixth Master Jiang from the capital? His family originally had three sons, with Young Master Jiang being the second. His father repeatedly failed the imperial exams, so Young Master Jiang ran off to Hangzhou to study and had himself adopted by another branch of the family. Sixth Master Jiang and his wife initially refused, but the clan pressured them into agreement."
Jin Niang gasped. "There’s such a backstory? How ruthless! As the saying goes, ‘East or west, home is best.’" No matter how humble her own home was, it was still hers. Another’s home, no matter how grand, would never be her own.
Lan Xue took the tea Jin Niang had prepared and began whisking it. "That’s why I said the waters run deep here. If someone can abandon their own parents and brothers, what wouldn’t they discard once they rise to power?"
Jin Niang pondered this. It made sense.
Miao Xiaoniang spoke similarly to Fourth Miss Zhou. "You’re no longer a child. You should be more attentive. As the saying goes, ‘No one strikes a smiling face.’ You ought to make some needlework for your father."
"Of course. I’m working on a pair of shoes for him now." Fourth Miss Zhou subtly noticed the shift in Miao Xiaoniang’s tone. Before, she had urged her to ingratiate herself with the First Lady. Now, she only cared about pleasing her father.
Had she already discovered that the First Lady had given all the dowries to her two elder sisters?
It seemed so.
Hearing her daughter’s response, Miao Xiaoniang felt somewhat relieved. "That’s good."
Lord Zhou was far from idle. After Yan Hong fell ill, Madam Jiang didn’t assign anyone else to serve him. But the second master couldn’t bear to see his elder brother living like a widower, so he immediately bought a pair of stunning twin dancing girls for him, spending nearly a thousand taels on just one.
Though they hadn’t yet been given formal status, they were younger and more favored than Miao Xiaoniang. She knew that while she still held some affection, her beauty had faded before her lord’s favor had truly waned.
Fortunately, she had made preparations. If anything happened to Brother Qin—given Madam Wu’s difficult pregnancy—it might well result in three lives lost.
Fourth Miss Zhou understood that Miao Xiaoniang must have begun her schemes. Truly, if the household hadn’t treated Miao Xiaoniang as invisible, she wouldn’t have resorted to such measures. The First Lady had allowed Madam Lü to manage the household instead of her, despite Miao Xiaoniang’s efforts to please her—holding the curtain, washing her feet, even interceding when the second young master angered his father.
She had read enough to know that if Madam Wu hadn’t been so foolish and incompetent at managing subordinates, she wouldn’t have been so easily manipulated.
In this world, if you left others no way out, how could they not retaliate?
Besides, when it came to wickedness, the second master was a hundred times worse than Miao Xiaoniang. Everyone despised her for climbing into the master’s bed, yet no one criticized the second master for gifting concubines to Lord Zhou or maids to his third nephew. Even the strong-willed First Lady said nothing.
Still, Fourth Miss Zhou didn’t want her mother to repeat her past mistakes. She gently advised, "Mother, the men in our family are all scholars. I’ve heard that even Han Qi, the prime minister, was a concubine’s son who later secured an honorary title for his mother. Don’t focus on the present. If you nurture Brother Qin well, you’ll surpass everyone in the future."
Miao Xiaoniang smiled. "I have faith in your brother." But inwardly, she knew how difficult that would be. She didn’t believe in distant promises.
Even those who became imperial scholars often lived in poverty, shamelessly borrowing from the second master’s pawnshop just to afford decent clothes when going out.
Her daughter was too young to understand how hard official life could be. Hadn’t their aunt married a scholar, only to meet a wretched end without a fortune? Money was what truly mattered.
Fourth Miss Zhou said no more.
Just when Miao Xiaoniang thought her boldness would pay off, she learned that the old woman she had planted had been expelled, and another of Brother Qin’s wet nurses had been replaced.
Fourth Miss Zhou heard the details: Madam Wu had deemed them negligent for letting Brother Qin play with a cloth strip around his neck, nearly suffocating him.
The old woman had been beaten half to death but insisted it was an accident.
The second master handed her over to the authorities on charges of attempted murder.
What impressed Fourth Miss Zhou was that the woman never revealed Miao Xiaoniang’s involvement. Miao Xiaoniang wasn’t worried—the old woman’s daughter, once the eldest young master’s concubine, had exposed Concubine Deng after his death. Later, she was harassed by local ruffians (arranged by Miao Xiaoniang’s brother), only to be "rescued" and married off to a family Miao Xiaoniang recommended. If the old woman talked, her daughter’s fate would be dire.
Such schemes, once concealed, were hard to trace. Madam Wu only found a bag of silver in the old woman’s home—hardly proof of Miao Xiaoniang’s involvement.
Madam Wu caressed her belly, planning to investigate Miao Xiaoniang after giving birth. Little did she know Miao Xiaoniang was already pregnant again.
…
After this incident in the Zhou household, Jin Niang breathed easier. At least Brother Qin was safe now that the old woman was gone.
Jin Niang’s garments were also finished. She had them delivered to Zhou Cunzhi, who tried them on but immediately wanted to take them off. "If I wear this, people will mistake me for a woman."
His servant stifled a laugh. "I think it looks quite fine."
"Who made this?" Zhou Cunzhi grumbled.
The servant replied, "Jin Niang from the sewing room. Her needlework is impeccable. When I collected it, she mentioned she put great effort into the floral patterns."
Zhou Cunzhi was nearly furious to death: "Does that plump girl take me for her plaything? How dare she do this?"
The servant shrank his neck in fear.
"Go summon her here at once," Zhou Cunzhi ground out through clenched teeth. This was the robe he had prepared to wear when presenting his writings at the Prime Minister's residence—now utterly ruined.
Jin Niang arrived promptly. Seeing Zhou Cunzhi's anger, she quickly explained, "Second Young Master, please don’t be upset. When I was making this garment, I happened to be reading The Book of Songs gifted to me by Madam Wu. I came across Qi Feng·Yi Jie, and the very first line reads: ‘How splendid he is, tall and stately! His forehead broad and bright, his eyes so lively and shining!’ Doesn’t that describe you perfectly? Those pale, washed-out colors only make one appear dull and unremarkable. But this shade of red—doesn’t it evoke ‘a courtyard bathed in the lingering moon, the begonias aflame’? It sets you apart, making you stand out like a crane among chickens."
As she spoke, she noticed Zhou Cunzhi’s lips curling upward and knew she had succeeded.
Sure enough, Zhou Cunzhi conceded, "Fine, your reasoning holds. But in the future, consult me before making any garments."
Jin Niang meekly agreed, though inwardly she scoffed, In a few days, I’ll be leaving the Zhou household. You won’t even have the chance to ask me for another robe—hmph!
