Feng Sheng bought that house on the spot—he fell in love with it the moment he saw it. Located near Jinliang Bridge in the western part of Bianjing, the three-courtyard residence without a garden cost five thousand strings of cash in total.
He only told Rongniang after the purchase, intending it as a surprise. He had the carriage bring her there before revealing the news.
At first, Rongniang was delighted when she saw the house, but her joy quickly turned to fear. "How much did we borrow?"
"Not too much, don’t worry," Feng Sheng replied confidently.
At thirty-three, he longed for a home of his own. The down payment came from his savings and rewards earned over years as a physician—fifteen hundred strings in total. The remaining three thousand or so would be repaid over time.
Seeing Rongniang’s disapproval, he reassured her, "Don’t worry, I didn’t spend all my money. I still have some medicinal supplies left. I’ll sell them tomorrow, and we’ll live comfortably."
He even handed her a hundred-string banknote, which she reluctantly accepted, though unease lingered in her heart. "With so much debt, we’ll have to be frugal from now on," she reminded him.
She had heard that if loans went unpaid, the house could be repossessed—a loss greater than the gain.
This was a gamble.
Though Feng Sheng earned well, he was the sole provider for the entire family—unlike Jin Niang, who lived in her own home and spent only one string a month on living expenses, leaving her plenty to save.
Rongniang suspected her husband had been spurred by Jin Niang’s success. Just then, Feng Sheng pointed out, "Look, the entire house has wooden flooring—even in winter, your feet won’t get cold. And the two front courtyards? One for Brother Guan, the other for Brother Lin. What more could we ask for?"
He glanced at Rongniang, thinking to himself, Even now, I don’t hold her past against me. I’m a man of conscience.
While Feng Sheng acted decisively, the third branch of the family was in disbelief.
"Does embroidery really pay that well? I thought it was just talk," Ying Niang muttered. She had always considered herself the better earner, while Jin Niang was just "poor and plump." Yet here she was…
Third Aunt frowned. "Could it be that her future husband bought it for her?"
They speculated endlessly, even ignoring Luo Yu'e when they crossed paths.
Luo Yu'e herself was baffled. "What’s gotten into them?" she asked Jin Niang.
"Honestly, we’ve been gracious—when they bought their house, we didn’t bat an eye. But the moment I do, they lose their minds." Jin Niang shook her head. This was why she rarely bothered with them—they were too petty.
Wei Xiong chimed in, "About the construction—do you really need to hire a foreman? I’ve heard they take hefty cuts. Your mother and I could help instead, so you don’t get overcharged."
Jin Niang waved him off. "The realtor recommended Foreman Gong. You know I work at the Embroidery Bureau every day, and neither of you knows much about building houses. Timber, stone, tiles, coordinating workers—it’s too much. With a foreman, if anything goes wrong, I only deal with him. Otherwise, I’d have to manage a dozen people myself. Besides, they guarantee the timeline. What’s not to like?"
Water too clear breeds no fish. If there was no profit in it, who would bother? As long as the markup was reasonable, Jin Niang saw no issue.
Foreman Gong, known as "Old Gong," had already drawn up the plans. He pointed out, "See these carved steps? And the eaves—most people extend them like this…"
These were decorative add-ons, but Jin Niang refused. "Just stick to the basics. I don’t need anything fancy."
Keep the structure simple, focus on the furnishings.
But she did have one request: "I’d like a well dug near the east wing."
"That’ll cost at least ten strings," Foreman Gong said. "There’s already one at the end of your lane."
Jin Niang smiled. "With so many people sharing one well, water isn’t cheap. Besides, having our own is more convenient—and isn’t the water there supposed to be good?"
Foreman Gong nodded obligingly. Then he brought up another detail: "For the walls, we mix pepper into the lime plaster—keeps the house warm. Would you like that?"
"No need. I doubt a bit of pepper makes much difference."
No gimmicks, thanks.
When it came to flooring, wooden planks were too expensive, so Jin Niang opted for five-inch-thick bricks, sealed with lime mortar.
She scrutinized every material, questioning anything dubious. Foreman Gong didn’t dare cut corners—he had assumed Wei Xiong was in charge, only to realize the young woman called all the shots.
She was literate, good with numbers, and even sketched designs. Pragmatic and sharp, she also paid promptly.
The first installment—thirty strings for foundation and bricks—was handed over without hesitation. When money flows smoothly, work moves fast.
After Foreman Gong left, Jin Niang told Luo Yu'e, "Once the new house is ready, we’ll move in and rent this one out. Even in a humble area like this, we can get at least three strings a month—a steady income."
"W-we’re coming too?" Luo Yu'e and Wei Xiong were stunned. This was Jin Niang’s dowry property; they’d assumed her offer was just politeness.
Jin Niang scratched her head. "Of course. You and Brother Yang will take the ground floor, I’ll be upstairs. Your rooms won’t be as big, though. I’ll have the carpenter make your cabinets, but you’ll need to buy your own beds and desks."
Luo Yu'e suggested, "Should we move our old beds over?"
"Buy new ones. These have served us for years, and hiring porters would cost hundreds of coppers anyway."
Jin Niang preferred clarity—laying everything out upfront prevented future disputes over money.
As they daydreamed about their new home, Jin Niang made nightly visits with her mother to check progress. Daytime inspections felt too much like micromanaging, and besides, she didn’t understand every detail of the work.
Still, her needlework couldn’t stop—especially with the house expenses. She couldn’t do private embroidery at the Embroidery Bureau, so she stitched by candlelight at night.
This month, the Brocade Pavilion unprecedentedly allocated thirty-five strings of cash to Jin Niang, who was overjoyed. The shopkeeper there remarked, "That lady was very fond of your embroidery and bought up all your older stock."
But Jin Niang knew this was an exception—such patrons were rare. Moreover, the payment wouldn’t be fully available until next month, as the Brocade Pavilion typically withheld half the sum.
This made her even more certain that purchasing a house in Sweetwater Alley had been the right decision. Running her own shop was essential; the cramped stall at the Brocade Pavilion barely allowed her to display her wares, and the commute from Sweetwater Alley would soon become tiresome.
Her skills deserved to earn far more!
Around the Qingming Festival, the Imperial Embroidery Workshop was busy producing garments. Jin Niang meticulously sketched floral patterns, preparing for her own venture. She had no interest in a conventional embroidery shop and already envisioned a unique setup.
Just then, a servant hurried in and whispered, "Chief Embroiderer Wei, Attendant Wu wishes to commission an unlined jacket for his wife. He’s asking if you have time."
"Attendant Wu?" Jin Niang recalled the gaunt old man.
Though Song Dynasty officials were well-paid, rumors held that Attendant Wu’s household was impoverished—both he and his wife were chronically ill, their only son was young and frail.
The servant nodded. "Indeed."
Remembering how Attendant Wu had lent her reference drawings on her first day as chief embroiderer—despite his own troubles—Jin Niang agreed. His home, nestled in a decrepit alley worse than Foulwater Lane, had sewage pooling at the entrance. She regretted wearing her satin shoes; they’d be ruined.
After much searching, she knocked at Attendant Wu’s door. Delivering the garment privately was wiser—doing so at the workshop might raise eyebrows.
An elderly servant ushered Jin Niang and her mother inside. Old Madam Wu, her hair streaked with white, wore a threadbare winter coat despite the warming weather. A tarnished silver hairpin held her bun, and she coughed into a handkerchief before ordering tea.
Jin Niang showed no reaction, smiling warmly. "Madam Wu, I’m an embroiderer from the Imperial Workshop. The jacket Attendant Wu requested is ready. Please try it on—I’ll adjust the fit if needed."
Cough. "You’ve gone to such trouble," Old Madam Wu said.
Jin Niang charged a mere five hundred coins—a token sum for the plain stitching. "No trouble at all. We at the workshop are grateful for Attendant Wu’s reference drawings."
To her surprise, Old Madam Wu was lively despite her hardships. Examining the jacket, she praised, "My husband is stubborn—it must’ve pained him to ask a favor. We only have cotton and thin garments; our unlined jackets itch from poor storage. Your craftsmanship is exceptional—such neat stitches in just days! Miss Wei, I don’t flatter: my maiden family in Wuzhong employed professional seamstresses, and you surpass them all."
"You’re too kind," Jin Niang demurred, then asked gently, "Your cough—may I ask its cause?"
Old Madam Wu waved a hand. "I lost my eldest son at twenty—he fell from a cliff before his wedding. My younger boy came at forty, but I caught a chill during childbirth. The cough never left."
This resonated with Luo Yu'e, who’d also borne a son late. "I was nearly thirty when mine came. My back still aches from the postnatal chill."
The two women chatted about family. Learning that Attendant Wu personally tutored his son, Jin Niang saw an opportunity. A Hanlin Academy artist’s guidance could transform a commoner’s prospects.
"Madam Wu, my brother is around your son’s age. Might Attendant Wu consider taking another pupil?" Jin Niang ventured.
Luo Yu'e shot her daughter an incredulous glance—seeking a Hanlin tutor was beyond audacious.
Old Madam Wu hedged, "I don’t interfere in such matters."
Jin Niang pressed carefully, "My brother has studied primers for four years—docile and diligent. But our family’s learning is limited. I’d never presume to ask, were you not so gracious. We only seek Attendant Wu’s assessment. If he finds my brother unsuitable, we’ll withdraw respectfully." She tactically omitted fees.
After a hesitant agreement, Jin Niang casually mentioned her new housekeeping plans.
Outside, Luo Yu'e fretted, "Scholars scorn merchants. Will Attendant Wu really accept your brother?"
"Mother, what have we lost by trying?" Jin Niang countered.
Luo Yu'e paused—true, rejection changed nothing.
"But you didn’t collect your fee!"
"Precisely. Since it’s withheld, there’s hope. Prepare the teacher’s gifts," Jin Niang grinned.
Like courtship, mutual interest bred opportunity—had Attendant Wu paid her outright, the matter would’ve been closed. Still, she warned her parents, "If he accepts, Brother Yang might enter Deer Cry Academy. But this stays secret."
Plans concealed succeed; those revealed fail.
Just as she’d quietly secured the house deed before announcing it, success demanded discretion—then a triumphant reveal.
Old Madam Wu later explained Jin Niang’s request to Attendant Wu. "As a royal embroiderer, she’s ambitious—buying a house alone in Bianjing! Her brother could companion Shao'er, enlivening our home."
Aging parents of a reticent child, they welcomed the idea. Though the Weis were merchants, Jin Niang’s refinement and resilience impressed. Most crucially, their wealth meant tuition fees.
A few days later, Attendant Wu examined Younger Brother Yang and found him to be honest, steady, and promising as a scholar, agreeing to take him under his tutelage. Wei Xiong and Luo Yu'e contributed the twenty strings of cash they had saved over half a year as tuition, while Jin Niang took out some fine silk from her own chest, cut a few feet of it, and selected two handkerchiefs. Luo Yu'e also prepared ten boxes of their family's signature stuffed steamed buns as gifts.
Previously, under Scholar Gou, Younger Brother Yang had only learned to recognize a few characters. But under the guidance of Attendant Wu, a responsible and erudite old scholar, his progress was remarkable. His once crooked handwriting transformed into the neat, standardized "official script," and his approach to studying became more methodical.
Jin Niang had initially hoped her brother might become an accountant or a small manager at a money shop, knowing all too well the hardships of scholarly pursuits. The imperial exams were even more challenging than modern-day college entrance tests—a narrow bridge few could cross. Though the Song Dynasty employed anonymous grading, the practice of submitting one's work to influential figures beforehand was rampant, making it nearly impossible for a small merchant family like theirs to produce a successful candidate.
Despite Attendant Wu's modest means, his vast knowledge and kind-hearted nature led him to test Younger Brother Yang multiple times before accepting him as a disciple, convinced of his upright character and academic potential.
Their parents were overjoyed by this development, finding renewed energy in their daily work.
By the fifth month, the foundation was laid, and the house began taking shape. Jin Niang and Luo Yu'e visited frequently, while Wei Xiong, busy with tasks at home, came less often. To his surprise, the structure was already well-formed.
"Jin Niang, why are there three doorways here?" Wei Xiong asked.
Jin Niang explained, "These three rooms will be combined into one embroidery shop. The center will hold the counter, the east side will have embroidery frames, and the west will serve as a resting area for customers to enjoy tea."
As they walked further inside, they saw a space several feet wide. The eastern side was sheltered by a curved awning with grooves, while the western side housed a small outhouse, complete with a door frame. Wei Xiong stepped inside, then quickly retreated, embarrassed.
Jin Niang covered her mouth, laughing. "I planned two outhouses—one here for customers' convenience and another on the west side of our building, so we don’t have to share with them."
The moon gate in the middle already had its walls built. Jin Niang pointed to an empty plot behind it. "I left this space specifically for peach blossoms. From the main hall, the view will be of blooming flowers, with our little house nestled among them—utterly charming. And my second-floor balcony will be decorated with flowers too. No one will even notice we used the plainest materials."
Light on structural embellishments, heavy on decor—Jin Niang had experience renovating houses in her past life.
By noon, everyone was tired. Jin Niang went to the Great Xiangguo Temple and bought inexpensive vases, bamboo curtains, baskets, and other delicate bamboo crafts, all said to be shipped from Zhejiang.
Luo Yu'e tugged at Jin Niang's sleeve. "Did you notice? While you were shopping, a steward from a wealthy household was buying the same things..."
"Of course. Things are cheap out here, but once they reach the inner quarters, the prices skyrocket. We commoners haggle over every penny, but those ladies inside the mansions—their servants are their eyes and ears. And which cook doesn’t skim a little? Back when I was with the Zhou family, I saw them spend hundreds of taels on plants, while the same things cost mere dozens of coins outside. So many middlemen pocket the difference."
Near the Great Xiangguo Temple, Luo Yu'e treated them to roasted meat at Shaozhu Yard. The four of them nearly had to roll out, stuffed to the brim.
At home, they found Third Aunt waiting. She announced that Ying Niang had given birth to a daughter a few days prior and invited them to the baby's third-day celebration.
Luo Yu'e smiled. "Of course, we’ll come when we’re free."
"What kind of answer is that? As her family, you must attend!" Third Aunt was eager to squeeze some gifts out of them, especially since their own business had been struggling lately. Seeing others prosper—buying land, building houses—only fueled her resentment.
She rambled on, hinting at extravagant gifts like golden Buddhas or jade Guanyin statues, repeating "family obligations" until even Wei Xiong grew impatient. "We’ll discuss it later. It’s getting late—shouldn’t you head back?"
Grumbling, Third Aunt finally left.
Upon returning home, she found Third Uncle dressed neatly. "Where are you going?"
Third Uncle sighed. "Ying Niang’s childbirth means we, as her family, must contribute generously. Business has been poor this year, so I’m trying my luck at the gambling den."
Remembering his winning streak last year, Third Aunt didn’t object. "Come back early. I’ll leave the door unlocked."
Third Uncle jingled his coin pouch, ready to strike it big.
...
The next day, Jin Niang went to the Embroidery Bureau, where Zou Yue'e approached her.
"Jin Niang, since you were off yesterday, you might not know—Broker Cheng came looking for you. He wants to discuss renewing your contract. Honestly, we all forgot yours expired at the end of last year."
Jin Niang nodded. "Thanks for telling me. I’ll see him at noon."
Zou Yue'e smiled. "Good."
But to Jin Niang’s surprise, Broker Cheng offered the same two strings of cash per month. "Is this correct? Why is it still two strings?"
Broker Cheng’s eyes darted. "The Bureau’s orders. Nothing I can do."
"But I’m a lead embroiderer now. If the Bureau later insists on paying me just two strings, I’d have no recourse. Verbal promises mean nothing—they can always change."
Having dealt with Jin Niang for years, Broker Cheng wasn’t a bad sort. Seeing her shrewdness, he gave a veiled warning. "Many are eyeing your position. You’re only acting lead. That’s all I can say."
The implication was clear: refuse this contract, and you’re out—with no claim to the title.
Oddly, Jin Niang felt relieved. "Well, all good things must end. If that’s the case, I won’t sign. Since I have no contract with the Bureau anyway, I’ll just inform Chief Embroiderer Du."
She had originally planned to wait until the house was built to open her own shop, though she was still hesitant about her job at the Embroidering Workshop, torn between the two commitments. Now, she could finally let go of the workshop.
Broker Cheng often dealt with government officials, and the last time Jin Niang bought a house, it was his brother-in-law, Foreman Gong, who had arranged the renovations. So he said, "Even though you haven’t finished this month’s work, I’ll make sure you get your wages."
"Mm." Jin Niang let out a relieved sigh.
Life was truly unpredictable, but thankfully, she had already prepared a plan.
Zou Yue'e, of course, had signed a contract for two strings of cash. She was quite surprised to hear Jin Niang was leaving. Knowing that Zou Yue'e was the type who disliked change—she hadn’t even sought work at places like the Brocade Pavilion and had simply kept her head down here—Jin Niang smiled and said, "I never thought parting would come so soon. Take care of yourself in the future."
At least she had learned nearly everything there was to know at the Embroidering Workshop.
Zou Yue'e hadn’t expected her to leave so decisively and was stunned. Without this job and still unmarried, how would she manage in the days to come?
Jin Niang carried her bundle home and saw her parents at the door, their faces grim. She wondered if they already knew she had terminated her contract at the Embroidering Workshop—had Broker Cheng told them?
Just as she was about to speak, her father said, "Jin Niang, your Third Uncle was gambling in Xingqing Ward yesterday. When the soldiers chased him, he fell from a wall and died on the spot."
Jin Niang was speechless.
