The embroidery shop of Madam Wei in Sweetwater Alley reopened after more than a month, but its interior had been completely refreshed. Where there was once a daybed, now stood a bed adorned with a vibrant floral-patterned quilt, green bamboo gauze curtains, and a valance embroidered with peonies.
The original round table at the front had been replaced with a long display table, showcasing embroidered bridal veils featuring mandarin ducks playing in water, magpies perched on plum branches, and blooming peonies. There were also red phoenix-head shoes, cloud-patterned slippers, and an assortment of pouches, sachets, fan cases, powder puffs, and oil blotters.
To the east of the table hung various garments—overcoats, skirts, upper robes, and even closed-crotch trousers. Further forward stood a small ivory table with dried fruit platters and tea, attended by a clever maid named Ying, who served customers with practiced ease.
The central counter had been lowered considerably, resembling a writing desk. Beside it sat an embroidery frame, while a ledger lay open on the desk, listing seasonal floral designs and bridal attire. A Ge-ware vase filled with fresh, rustling flowers added a lively touch to the space.
Just then, a familiar face entered—Madam Bai, who brightened at the sight of Jin Niang. "Last month when I came, your shop was closed. I’m so glad it’s open again!"
"I had some family matters to attend to, and the shop needed rearranging," Jin Niang replied with a smile, motioning for Ying to serve tea while she rose, resting a hand on her belly, to guide Madam Bai.
As the seamstress behind these garments, Jin Niang knew just how to present them. "The autumn chrysanthemums are in full bloom—see how delicate the pistils are? A single flower uses three stitching techniques, accented with twisted blue and purple threads for an elegant touch. And unlike most fabrics that wrinkle easily, this one holds its shape even after long wear."
Madam Bai ran her fingers over the robe, impressed. The clothes from Madam Wei’s shop never disappointed. Still, she hesitated. "I have a similar piece of fabric. Could you make a matching overcoat like this?"
"Of course," Jin Niang agreed readily.
When Madam Bai inquired about the price, Jin Niang said, "The usual labor fee is three strings of cash, but since you’re a regular, I’ll charge just two and a half for good luck on our reopening."
Madam Bai’s maid couldn’t help interjecting, "Madam Wei, we’re longtime patrons—can’t you lower it further?"
"If I could, I would," Jin Niang chuckled. "See how I didn’t even wait for haggling? I already knocked off half a string. My prices used to be non-negotiable."
Madam Bai signaled her maid to pay. The maid handed over the coins, which Jin Niang accepted before carefully storing the fabric, taking measurements, and issuing a receipt.
Once outside, Madam Bai hurriedly whispered to her maid, "Hide that receipt—don’t let anyone see it."
Her husband’s brother had been assigned to a provincial post, and she and her husband were to accompany him. With her sister-in-law managing the household, gifts sent to the latter had been returned—only to end up in Madam Bai’s hands. The fabric was too fine to refuse, yet she had no idea whom to return it to. So, she decided to have it made into a robe for herself.
Jin Niang sat down to continue her embroidery. The embroidery shop had to prepare seasonal clothing in advance—bridal gowns were already being made since autumn. Currently, she was working on a pomegranate-red pleated skirt with eight panels. After finishing the pleats, she began crafting the waistband from lantern-patterned fabric, embroidering intricate designs onto it.
She embroidered until noon before finally excusing herself to the privy, then cheerfully made her way to the study.
The study housed many of Jin Niang’s previous belongings, including her antique shelf and other furnishings. At midday, she and her husband took their meals in the study’s front hall. Xi Qiu and Juxiang brought in the dishes—a clear-braised duck soup, chestnut cakes, two lightly stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a side of pickled vegetables.
"You may go and have your own meal now. There’s no need to attend to us here—just come back later to clear the table," Jin Niang said with a smile.
They had brought several servants from home: Uncle Luo and Nanny Luo, their son and daughter-in-law, along with Liu Dou'er, Minzhi, and Xi Qiu.
Uncle Luo handled the carriage, while his son served as Jiang Xian’s attendant. Liu Dou'er acted as a pageboy. Uncle Luo and his wife slept in the storeroom, keeping an eye on the inventory. Three small side rooms were allocated—one for Uncle Luo’s son and his wife, another for Liu Dou'er, and the last for Minzhi and Xi Qiu. The original caretaker, Chen Xiaolang, remained at the embroidery shop to watch over it, while Ying stayed upstairs and Juxiang slept in the woodshed.
As for the servants’ wages, only Minzhi, who had recently been learning needlework and could assist in the shop, received three hundred coins from Jin Niang. Uncle Luo, who mostly just guarded the gate, got two hundred coins, as did Liu Dou'er and Uncle Luo’s son, Luo Dalang.
After moving in, Jiang Xian initially found Jin Niang’s residence smaller than the Jiang family home and took some time to adjust. However, his study was larger here, and their living quarters were spacious enough—the entire upstairs belonged to the couple—so he gradually grew accustomed to it.
At the very least, the food was much better here, and even the servants who had come with them agreed that life was more comfortable.
Jin Niang used serving chopsticks to place a piece of fish belly in Jiang Xian’s bowl and remarked, "The shop we rented out at Jinliang Bridge is being used as a teahouse for only fifteen strings of cash a month—isn’t that too little? My own shop, which is only half the size of yours, would fetch ten strings if leased to someone else."
"I’ll take a look when I have time," Jiang Xian replied.
Jin Niang smiled. "Don’t forget, then."
Jiang Xian glanced at her. She was truly resilient—when she decided to move, she spent three full days packing without a single complaint. On the very first day back, despite her pregnancy, she had directed everyone in arranging the new home, worked tirelessly, and even bought crabs to treat the servants.
Always cheerful, always lively—so much so that she would immediately lose herself in her embroidery, barely sparing him a word.
Though they lived close together—with Jin Niang working in the embroidery shop—unless she was passing by the study on her way to the privy, he rarely caught a glimpse of her. She never came just to see him.
Yet, perhaps because of this, Jiang Xian felt an odd sense of tranquility.
After the meal, he asked, "Are you tired?"
"Not at all. I’ll take a short walk first, then head to the shop. Since it’s opening day, I should be there," Jin Niang replied with a smile.
Jiang Xian stood and supported her as they strolled around the study. He then asked, "Wife, why don’t we have dinner with your parents? Wouldn’t it be better to dine together?"
"Actually, no. My parents prefer porridge in the evenings, and since our tastes differ, there’s no need to force it."
The truth was, Jin Niang had observed carefully. Jiang Xian, coming from a distinguished family, had high standards for etiquette and a refined palate. Her parents, however, were ordinary townsfolk—her mother often propped her legs on the chair while eating, and her father ate noisily. Sharing a meal occasionally was fine, but over time, it would only become a torment for both sides.
Just as she herself had no intention of fully integrating into the Jiang family and continued running her business, she didn’t want Jiang Xian to force himself to adapt either.
Besides, her mother could be quite emotional. Whenever her younger brother visited, she would spend the entire meal scolding him, growing more agitated as she spoke. Jin Niang could endure it, but why subject Jiang Xian to that?
She had explained this to her parents, who understood perfectly—after all, they didn’t want to have to mind their manners constantly either.
Jiang Xian had initially wondered if moving into his wife’s home would make him feel like a live-in son-in-law. But now, it seemed nothing like that. Jin Niang truly treated him well—not with superficial attentiveness, but with genuine respect and acceptance.
She never pried into his private affairs or tried to control him.
Being with her was incredibly comfortable. Even after more than half a year of marriage, he felt not the slightest weariness—instead, he liked her even more. No, he was utterly enchanted by her.
In the afternoon, Jin Niang had just finished making a pomegranate-red skirt and asked Minzhi to take it to the back for ironing before displaying it in the front.
As soon as she finished, the owner of a cosmetics shop came in. Originally intending to buy the skirt, the shopkeeper happened to notice the powder puffs Jin Niang had made—finely crafted with elegant embroidery—and immediately placed an order.
"This isn’t enough. My shop sells hundreds of boxes of face powder a month. We’ve just themed them after the Four Gentlemen—plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Could you custom-make a batch?" the shopkeeper asked.
Jin Niang quickly agreed and drew up the designs the very next day. The shopkeeper was delighted and placed an order for a hundred puffs at eighty wen each, totaling eight strings of cash for the month.
Jin Niang always conducted business properly, with formal contracts stamped with fingerprints to make it official.
After deducting costs, she stood to earn seven strings of cash. She set to work immediately, teaching Minzhi along the way. Subpar work couldn’t be delivered, so Minzhi, knowing her wages now surpassed Xi Qiu’s precisely because she could contribute to the shop, put in extra effort. Her skills were still far behind those of a true embroiderer, so she had to work twice as hard.
Zhu the embroiderer, on the other hand, picked it up after just a few tries. She was especially skilled in Suzhou embroidery, her work exquisite.
The three of them finished the hundred puffs in just three days. Afterward, Jin Niang had Zhu return to embroidering quilt covers while she resumed making lined jackets.
Under Jin Niang’s guidance, Minzhi made a few more puffs to sell in the shop.
Ying soon sold a mandarin duck-themed bridal veil for three strings of cash—a mid-range price.
At midday, after lunch, Jin Niang asked Jiang Xian, "Do you have plans for the afternoon?"
"What’s the matter?" he asked immediately.
"Nothing urgent. There’s a market at the Great Xiangguo Temple today. I’d like to browse—officials coming to the capital often bring local goods to sell, and I might find something interesting," Jin Niang said with a smile.
Jiang Xian agreed at once.
The couple changed into fresh outfits before heading out. Jiang Xian was delighted to spot an antique Chengni inkstone, as he was an excellent calligrapher with a fondness for such treasures.
Jin Niang said, "If you like it, buy it. Don’t worry about the cost."
"My lady..." Jiang Xian hesitated. After all, they had just moved out and were now living entirely on their own means. The rental income from the family’s shops wouldn’t come in until next year, and for now, almost all their expenses were covered by Jin Niang’s money.
Just the other day, she had commissioned a new set of robes for him. She frequently had his favorite dishes brought home, and now this...
Wasn’t this living off his wife’s wealth?
Jin Niang simply instructed Minzhi to hand over the payment and passed the inkstone to him. "Here."
Jiang Xian suddenly realized that being a kept man wasn’t so bad after all.
Meanwhile, Jin Niang found the fabric she wanted. "This infant-patterned red damask looks fine. I’ll take a bolt. And this floral plain damask as well—though it shows some wear. Five strings of cash is too much. If you lower the price, I’ll take both for two strings."
"My lady, two strings is far too little!" the vendor protested.
Jin Niang countered, "This infant motif is from Jinghu Circuit. Last year’s floods ruined much of the damask—don’t think I don’t know. Let me tell you, winter in Bianjing comes swiftly. Once it does, you won’t sell a single bolt of this. Fine, I thought we could do business, but since you’re being difficult, I’ll leave."
She turned to go, and the vendor hastily called out, "Wait, my lady! Very well, take them for two strings."
Jiang Xian watched, dumbfounded, as Jin Niang had her maid carry the fabric away.
She glanced at him. "Do you think this makes me seem too mercenary?"
He shook his head vehemently, afraid she might mistake his reaction for disapproval. "Not at all. I just think you’re remarkable."
To his surprise, Jin Niang replied, "Good. That means you’re not some pretentious scholar. If you were, I’d lose interest in you."
Jiang Xian chuckled. "As my lady says."
"Let’s go home," she added.
Jin Niang’s life soon settled into contentment. Madam Xu, too, got her wish—though the rent for their garden property came to only twenty strings of cash per month instead of forty, she was still overjoyed.
First, she had managed to drive out her brother-in-law and his wife, cutting household expenses in half. Now, with over two hundred strings of rental income coming in, she could hardly stop grinning.
Nanny Ge praised her, "Now that the sixteenth young master and his wife have moved out, and with your son-in-law passing the provincial exams, he’ll surely be assigned an official post elsewhere. Soon, this household will be entirely yours."
"Yes," Madam Xu sighed deeply. "Thankfully, they didn’t make a scene or force a confrontation. My husband won’t blame me."
Of course, people still talked—just not to Madam Xu’s face. When Madam Jiang of the Zhou family visited, she remarked, "Thank goodness the sixteenth young master’s wife is wealthy. I heard she built a study right away and moved in immediately. Otherwise, where would they have lived?"
Madam Jiang had never liked Jin Niang, but now she thought to herself, At least the sixteenth young master is living in her own property. Otherwise, they’d have had to rely on her family or rent a place.
"That Madam Xu—she seemed decent before, but who knew she could be so wicked?" Madam Jiang said.
Aunt Jiang sneered, "With the sixth daughter-in-law gone, this is exactly how it is. Last time, Jiang Xian's wife fainted from managing the funeral while heavily pregnant, and Madam Xu looked utterly impatient."
Madam Jiang sighed, "How cruel. Jin Niang was always the most diligent and dutiful girl in our household."
Xiang Ming, who was just bringing tea, thought to herself: The mistress had once resented Jin Niang for her sudden rise in status, like a sparrow turning into a phoenix, and thus singled her out. Now that Jin Niang was being slighted, she pitied her instead.
Truly, people's opinions shift like the wind. One shouldn’t pay too much heed to what others think.
While the Jiang family learned the news quickly, Jiang Xian’s friends only found out a month later. By then, Jin Niang was already over six months pregnant. She had just completed a large order—selling two wedding quilts for twenty-six strings of cash, a bridal veil for three strings, and two pairs of embroidered shoes for over two strings.
Selling them might have seemed effortless, but the embroidery was no easy task. Jin Niang rewarded Zhu the embroideress with an extra five coins for her efforts.
When Jiang Xian’s friends, Third Young Master Peng and Zhang the Ninth, came to visit, Jin Niang directly ordered a feast from a nearby tavern so they could enjoy a proper meal together.
Zhang the Ninth glanced around and remarked with a smile, "This place isn’t bad—bright and spacious."
Third Young Master Peng added, "It looks quite new too."
"Of course. After we married, my wife built this study for me so I’d have a place to stay when I came to see her. The cedar wood here is three hundred years old. We just moved in a bit hastily," Jiang Xian said, clearly pleased with the elegant study.
His friends tactfully avoided mentioning the Jiang family’s separation from them, only praising the new home. Jiang Xian laughed, "In just this short month, my wife has already made me several sets of clothes—so many that I don’t even have enough occasions to wear them all, especially now that I’m in mourning and can’t go out."
"Not to mention the daily fresh fruits and delicacies. With so many food shops nearby, I’ve practically eaten my way through the entire street."
Third Young Master Peng listened enviously as Jiang Xian casually added, "Plenty of people even beg my wife to sell them clothes. Some maritime merchants sent over Huai whitefish, and we have more than we can finish at home."
The consequence of such bragging was that Third Young Master Peng ended up borrowing clothes, while Zhang the Ninth took some of the food home.
Jin Niang found it all quite amusing. Jiang Xian wasn’t a man of strict principles—around good people, he flourished, but around bad influences, he could easily follow suit. She thought Third Young Master Peng and Zhang the Ninth were decent men, and seeing them all in high spirits only made her happy for Jiang Xian.
Later, through Zhang the Ninth’s connections, Jiang Xian leased a shop at Golden Beam Bridge to a money exchange for forty strings of cash a month. He swiftly finalized the deal and collected the rent for both the tea shop and the money exchange for the entire year, handing it all to Jin Niang to manage.
"My husband is the real prodigal son—it’s just that others fail to recognize his worth," Jin Niang teased, pinching his cheek affectionately.
With that, they suddenly had over five hundred strings of cash in their hands, leaving them both staring at the money in disbelief.
Jiang Xian said, "Jin Niang, I plan to buy some wine for your father and a hair ornament for your mother. You can pick out the hair ornament."
To her surprise, his first thought upon receiving the money was this. Jin Niang immediately nodded in agreement and added, "Although we're in mourning this year, we should prepare the New Year gifts early. As for the rest of the money, let's save it. In a few years, if you pass the provincial examination, there will be many places to spend it."
From bribing officials to hiring clerks and supporting servants—everything required money.
Jiang Xian smiled and replied, "Alright, I’ll listen to you, my dear."
Clearly, with this money, Jiang Xian was in much better spirits. He was a man who valued his pride, after all. Though his wife treated him well, the label of "living off his wife" was hardly flattering.
The couple took some time to visit the jewelry shop. Jin Niang only picked out a pair of gilded silver butterfly hairpins for her mother, but Jiang Xian insisted on having a full set of jewelry made for Jin Niang and even bought her a pair of bracelets.
"Why? I don’t need these," Jin Niang protested.
But Jiang Xian said, "Jin Niang, just listen to me. Though you’re naturally beautiful, even the Buddha needs a golden statue."
Only then did Jin Niang reluctantly agree.
Wei Xiong and Luo Yu'e were delighted with their son-in-law’s gifts and became even more attentive toward him, making Jiang Xian feel truly at home in the Wei household.
Though his in-laws often bickered, they treated him exceptionally well. He also noticed that whenever tensions rose at home, Jin Niang would step in, and with just a few words, the atmosphere would ease.
Like now, when they returned, Luo Yu'e personally prepared lotus root and pork rib soup for him, saying, "I know you love roasted lamb, so after closing the shop, your father and I followed one of his comrades to a village twenty li away and bought a whole lamb. The meat there isn’t as gamey, and it’s tender."
Jiang Xian quickly thanked them, to which Luo Yu'e laughed and said, "No need for thanks—this is what family does."
After speaking to him, she turned to her daughter and scolded, "You bought all those apples but didn’t eat a single one. Such a waste!"
Jin Niang, influenced by modern thinking, believed that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." But she didn’t actually like eating them, so they just sat there. Hearing her mother’s complaint, she said, "Just divide them among yourselves later. I really can’t stomach them."
"If we don’t eat them, they’ll all go to waste," Luo Yu'e nagged.
This was typical of her—once someone gave an inch, she took a mile. Jin Niang quickly cut her off, "Alright, alright, enough! If I don’t like them, should I force myself? I prefer crisp pears, but you always buy the soft ones, and then blame me. I wanted crunchy apples, but these are all mealy—I can’t take a single bite."
At this, Luo Yu'e muttered, "My son-in-law never finds fault with me. You’re the one who’s always picky. He’s the best."
Strangely enough, most mothers-in-law nitpick their daughters-in-law, while most mothers dote on their sons-in-law.
"Flattering your son-in-law won’t help—he’s mine now," Jin Niang teased with a grin.
Luo Yu'e chuckled and lightly tapped her daughter’s forehead. "I’ve never seen someone so shameless."
Jiang Xian, standing nearby, also smiled. He knew Jin Niang was worried he might feel out of place here, as if he were an outsider, so she was especially attentive to his feelings. Sometimes, when her father scolded her mother for buying too much, calling her a spendthrift, or when the couple bickered over something as trivial as a poorly chosen fish, Jin Niang would step in and lose her temper.
But truthfully, he didn’t mind. Though her parents were ordinary townsfolk, they were straightforward and warm-hearted, and they doted on their children without reservation.
After the meal, Jiang Xian turned to Jin Niang and said, "My dear, don’t worry about me. I actually feel more at ease here. Really, look—my face has even rounded out a little. You’ve been taking excellent care of me."
"Husband, this home belongs to both of us. Of course I wouldn’t worry that you’d feel out of place," Jin Niang replied, taking his hand. Then, with barely contained excitement, she added, "Tomorrow, I’ll wear the jewelry you bought me and let everyone envy me!"
Jiang Xian nodded immediately. Jin Niang then stood and said, "I won’t disturb your studies any longer. I’ll head to the front hall. If you’re tired, rest on the couch for a while."
With that, she left, one hand supporting her belly. Jiang Xian thought to himself, I wish you’d stayed a little longer.
In the afternoon, Jin Niang returned to her needlework, finishing an embroidered skirt adorned with flowers and birds. She asked Ying to press it, while Minzhi brought over a dark blue satin cloak for Jin Niang’s father-in-law, intended as a gift for the winter solstice. Jin Niang carefully wrapped it in a bundle.
When the winter solstice arrived, Madam Xu was busy with accounts when she heard that Jiang Xian had come with gifts. The Sixth Master invited him to stay for a meal, and Madam Xu soon caught sight of him.
Far from looking downtrodden after moving out, he seemed even more distinguished. Shedding his plain blue silk cloak, he revealed a moon-white robe embroidered with silver floral patterns, looking every bit the refined scion of a noble family. His demeanor was spirited, his movements effortless and confident.
What on earth…?
Living among merchants in the bustling, humble alleys of the city, he showed not a trace of gloom—instead, he seemed to flourish!
