When Yan Hong and Lv Ying entered the main chamber from outside, they saw Madam Jiang resting on the luohan bed beneath the painting of "Crabapple Blossoms in Spring Slumber." Both stood quietly with hands folded, not daring to disturb.
However, Madam Jiang was only feigning sleep. The moment their footsteps sounded, she knew who had entered, though her eyes remained closed. "Have the embroiderers from Jiangling been settled properly?"
Yan Hong curtsied and replied respectfully, "Yes, Madam. They are arranging their bedding now and keep praising how nice our place is."
Madam Jiang’s lips curled slightly. "It’s better to hire people from smaller towns—they’re diligent and reliable. If we’d brought embroiderers from Bianliang, they’d cut corners, delay work, charge exorbitant prices, and deliver shoddy results."
She shook her head, then added, "These embroiderers are outsiders and will leave in three years anyway, so there’s no need to be too strict with them."
Yan Hong smiled in agreement.
Madam Jiang’s brows suddenly furrowed. "Never mind the embroiderers—the newly arrived maids must be disciplined properly. Those serving the young masters and mistresses cannot afford any negligence."
Previously, Madam Jiang had an elderly stewardess assisting with household affairs, but the woman had grown frail and muddled with age, so Madam Jiang sent her away and entrusted Yan Hong and Lv Ying with the duties. Of the two, Yan Hong was the more trusted.
After receiving her orders, Yan Hong left first. Lv Ying then spoke up, "Madam Wu from the second household has been lethargic lately, hardly moving about. Today, I saw the physician visiting her, and Yun Lan and the others looked quite pleased."
"Could she be with child?" Madam Jiang mused.
The second household’s Elder Master Zhou’s first wife, Madam Li, had given birth to the Zhou family’s eldest grandson shortly after her marriage, firmly overshadowing Madam Jiang. Worse, Madam Li was virtuous and gentle, highly favored by the matriarch, making Madam Jiang—who detested concubines—appear lacking. The current wife, Madam Wu, was straightforward and uninterested in power struggles. In fact, due to the incident with Madam Miao, she even felt indebted to Madam Jiang and treated her with deference.
Yet Madam Wu’s fate was bitter. After over a decade of marriage, she finally bore a son three years ago, only for the child to pass away this spring. If she were truly pregnant now, it would be a blessing.
The Zhou Family had three branches, but since the matriarch still lived, the estate remained undivided. With everyone living in close quarters, nothing could be kept secret.
Lv Ying smiled. "That’s what it looked like to me."
"Prepare some tonics and silk in advance. Once she announces it, deliver them on my behalf," Madam Jiang instructed.
Just as Lv Ying was about to assent, she noticed the concubines from the eastern wing arriving. Glancing at the sky, she saw it was nearly dinnertime—the two concubines had come to lift the curtains and serve, so she helped Madam Jiang rise.
Meanwhile, Jin Niang fetched water from the tea room to clean and tidy up. Hearing that mealtime had arrived, she and Fang Qiaolian carried food boxes, following Lan Xue and Rui Cao from the tea room.
The two were family servants, their ancestors having served the Zhou Family for generations. As Jin Niang followed them out of Madam Jiang’s main courtyard, she realized how vast the eastern compound was—three main rooms, with two small side chambers on either side for Yan Hong, Lv Ying, and other favored maids. The eastern and western wings each had five spacious rooms. Lan Xue mentioned the eastern wing housed the two concubines, while the western wing belonged to the young mistresses.
Passing through a moon gate from the eastern corridor, they reached the bustling kitchen. Rui Cao added, "The laundry is also here. Beyond the kitchen is Old Madam Zhou’s courtyard, but she prefers quiet, so don’t wander there."
Jin Niang laughed. "We’re too lazy to even fetch meals, let alone stroll around."
The four then collected their food. As newcomers from the embroidery workshop, they were unfamiliar faces, but the kitchen still served them. The Zhou Family’s meals were far better than the scraps they’d had in the He household—two dishes per person: sliced lettuce and pork blood pudding, paired with mixed-grain rice.
While packing their meals, Jin Niang noticed a small plate of plump, juicy red cherries and another of green plums on a nearby stove. The cherries looked especially vibrant beside the pale plums.
Fang Qiaolian marveled, "Cherry preserves! But cherries are a spring fruit—how are they here now?"
The kitchen matron shot her a glance. "Madam Jiang ordered these for the Fourth Young Miss. She fell ill after having her feet bound."
Jin Niang thought to herself how fortunate it was that foot-binding was still limited to the upper class in the Northern Song Dynasty, sparing girls like them from such torture. Still, she could only pity the Fourth Young Miss—there was nothing else she could do.
Back in their quarters, even Qin Shuang’er was satisfied with the meal. "Yan Hong mentioned they’ll assign two young maids to fetch our meals later, so we won’t have to go ourselves every time."
"We’ll see," Jin Niang replied with a smile, saying no more.
That night, she fetched hot water from the tea room for a soothing foot soak before retiring.
The next morning, breakfast consisted of two steamed buns (which were actually stuffed buns in the Northern Song Dynasty) and a bowl of soy milk. Jin Niang, who loved buns, mused that even the Zhou Family’s forty or fifty servants lived better than commoners outside—no wonder Qing Wen and others in Dream of the Red Chamber never wanted to leave.
After breakfast, Madam Chen assigned tasks: she would personally handle Old Madam Zhou, Elder Master Zhou, Madam Jiang, and the young master’s garments, while the four of them would make clothes for the young mistresses.
"Each of you will make four sets for the young mistresses: a brocade robe, a long cotton coat with a turned collar, a front-closing long coat, and a short jacket. There are four young mistresses, so each of you will be responsible for one. As for who gets whom, we’ll take turns."
Jin Niang suggested, "Madam Chen, why not draw lots? Whoever we pick is ours. That way, it’s fair. Later, we can rotate based on today’s order."
Everyone knew the First and Second Young Misses were legitimate daughters, and all wanted to serve the higher-ranked. Open competition would be unseemly.
Madam Chen, noticing Jin Niang wasn’t usually one to push ahead, appreciated her quick thinking and agreed.
"The Third Young Miss—I’ll take her," Jin Niang announced after drawing her lot.
Qin Shuang’er got the First Young Miss, Fang Qiaolian the Second, and Jiang Shanjie the Fourth. Qin Shuang’er and Fang Qiaolian couldn’t hide their delight, while Jiang Shanjie whispered to Jin Niang, "You really lost out. Without the draw, you’d have gotten the First Young Miss."
"Who knows?" Jin Niang smiled.
Her approach to sewing differed from others. She first examined the available fabrics, discussed patterns, then sketched the design on paper based on the wearer’s figure. Only after approval would she begin.
She had taken up needlework in this life because, in her past one, she’d been obsessed with dress-up games—a true pay-to-play enthusiast. Passion was the best teacher.
With this in mind, she picked up her measuring tape, paper, and brush and set off.
After some inquiries, Jin Niang learned that the Third Young Miss resided in the third chamber of the western wing. Lifting the curtain to enter, she saw a maid of about nine years standing by the inner doorway and quickly explained her purpose: "I am Jin Niang from the sewing room. Madam Jiang instructed me to come and make new garments for the young miss."
The maid, delighted to hear she was from the sewing room, said, "Ah, so you're the elder sister from the sewing room! Let me announce your arrival."
Jin Niang waited outside until a clear voice called from within, "Let her in."
The little maid returned to usher Jin Niang inside. Keeping her gaze respectfully lowered, Jin Niang entered and noted that the Third Young Miss’s quarters, though not as spacious as Madam Jiang’s, were well-appointed. Against the inner wall stood a chicken-wing wood canopy bed, beside which was a low table holding a few books. In front of the bed was a long desk, its left side adorned with a mullioned bronze mirror.
Seated on the other side of the desk, a young girl in a silver-red jacket was practicing calligraphy with quiet concentration. Not daring to disturb her, Jin Niang stood waiting.
Suddenly, the girl turned her head, and Jin Niang was momentarily struck by her beauty—her jet-black hair, smooth porcelain forehead, and delicate features exuded a serene grace. The girl smiled warmly at her. "Are you Jin Niang from the sewing room?"
"Yes," Jin Niang replied. "I thought to come and take your measurements first. Once that’s done, we can discuss the embroidery patterns you prefer before I begin the work."
The Third Young Miss cooperated readily, stretching out her arms as Jin Niang swiftly took her measurements and jotted them down. "What kind of floral designs do you favor?" Jin Niang asked.
"What flowers? In winter, it must be plum blossoms," the girl said, tilting her head thoughtfully.
Jin Niang noted that the Third Young Miss had three maids attending her: Qing Xue and Dan Ruo, both busy with their tasks inside, and Yin Zhu, who stood guard outside. It had always puzzled Jin Niang why noble ladies required so many servants, but now she understood—given the low productivity of ancient times, the maids had endless duties. Before their mistress even rose, they swept the rooms, fetched breakfast, and later assisted with washing, dressing, and hair-styling. After meals, they sewed undergarments, stockings, and shoes, not to mention serving tea, running errands, and fetching items.
Even on clear days, washing quilts and pillowcases was a laborious task.
Jin Niang smiled. "Plum blossoms are lovely, but camellias, honeysuckle, intertwining vines, peonies, and herbaceous peonies also carry auspicious meanings."
Hearing this, the Third Young Miss seemed indecisive. Jin Niang suggested, "How about this—I’ll sketch the designs, color them, and bring them for your approval? If you like them, I’ll proceed accordingly."
In her line of work, Jin Niang had learned that allowing clients too many revisions often led to chaotic results. It was better to present a finalized design on paper first and proceed only after their approval.
Returning to the sewing room, she began by grinding pigments for the silk threads she had been allotted.
With the crimson brocade patterned with treasure chest motifs, she could fashion an elegant robe paired with a pink pleated skirt. The celadon satin would make a fine short jacket, complemented by a goose-yellow skirt, both embroidered with floral sprays at the hems. As for the lilac satin—a soft purple hue—she could trim it with the same goose-yellow and craft a front-opening long coat to be worn over a pearl-white pleated skirt. The last bolt, a pale lotus-pink, could feature butterfly motifs, paired with a delicate pink-white gauze skirt.
Lost in her planning, she spent the entire day sketching while the other seamstresses had already begun stitching. Around her, whispers floated—about the First Young Miss distributing pastries, or the frail Fourth Young Miss relying on her old measurements from the nurse. Jin Niang paid them no mind.
By evening, she lit a lamp to continue drawing before finally retiring to bed, eager to present the designs to the Third Young Miss the next day. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.
But while Jin Niang slept, Qin Shuang'er lay awake, her mind restless. Earlier that day, she had visited the First Young Miss’s chambers and witnessed firsthand what it meant to be draped in fine silks. No wonder her mother had insisted she marry into an official’s household.
Her mother had once been a concubine to a minor official in Pingjiang Prefecture. After his death, she and her mother were cast out by the first wife. A young and still-beautiful widow with two chests of dowry, her mother had vowed never to be a concubine again—only to regret her second marriage immediately.
"Better a rich man’s concubine than a poor man’s wife," her mother often lamented. Her stepfather, outwardly meek but shrewd, had taken advantage of her mother’s vulnerability. When she was harassed, he not only failed to defend her but even accepted bribes to accuse her of impropriety. Her mother had sighed in relief that their needlework could sustain them, for in impoverished households, wives could be sold off at their husbands’ whims.
Given such circumstances, Qin Shuang'er resolved to seize luxury where she could. And if she could secure a place in an official’s household, all the better.
Today, she had seen Madam Lü, the Third Young Miss’s mother—a mere concubine yet bedecked in jewels and lavish silks. She had initially considered becoming a concubine to Madam Jiang’s own son, but the matriarch’s strict control made it impossible. The young master resided in the outer quarters, and she had no means to even glimpse him.
Her second option was to become the First Young Miss’s personal maid, paving her way to legitimacy in the future. But to earn the First Young Miss’s favor, she needed to prove her worth through needlework—except in the sewing room, only Wei Jinniang’s skills rivaled her own.
Wei Jinniang was clever, diligent, and hardworking. Surpassing her would be no easy feat. If Wei Jinniang didn’t stand in her way, well and good. But if she did… Qin Shuang'er’s eyes darkened. She wouldn’t hesitate to act.
