A large boat sailed along the river as a light drizzle began to fall. The window was slightly ajar, and through the gap, the view outside resembled a thin, unbroken mist, evoking a sense of ethereal beauty.
Jin Niang had already been on the boat for three days. The adults had adjusted well, and none of the children had fallen ill. She finally let out a sigh of relief and could sit by the window to relax.
It had been a long time since she had such leisure. Jin Niang had worked tirelessly for nearly sixteen years without a single day of true rest.
Ying brought over a pot of tea and soon returned with a small plum-patterned tray, arranging pine nuts, lychees, longans, lotus seeds, torreya nuts, and hazelnuts on the table. She sighed and said, "Madam, we’ve been so busy at the embroidery shop every day that now that we’re suddenly free, I don’t even know what to do with myself."
Jin Niang smiled. "Silly girl, the embroidery shop isn’t a lifelong career. Even in Bianjing, I won’t be able to keep it up for many more years."
"Why?" Ying asked, puzzled.
Jin Niang pointed to her eyes. "I started working in the embroidery workshop at nine, and now it’s been sixteen years. My body isn’t what it used to be. Most long-term embroiderers start losing their eyesight around thirty, unable to see clearly beyond ten feet."
Ying recalled Madam Zhu, an embroiderer who could barely recognize people approaching from a distance.
She understood now and had to admit Jin Niang was right. "Then I’ll take good care of you from now on and make sure you stay healthy," she said.
Jin Niang chuckled. Truthfully, since she stopped embroidering every day, her backaches had lessened, and she even slept better. Still, she held Ying’s hand and said, "You should learn more from Nanny Fang. In the future, when socializing with official ladies, you’ll be my greatest support."
Ying nodded firmly.
After sharing a pot of tea, Jin Niang closed the window and settled on the couch to read. She was quite pleased with the passenger boat—neither too large nor too small, with clean and well-equipped bedding. The journey from Bianjing to Pingjiang Prefecture was said to take twenty to thirty days without storms or heavy rain, but Jin Niang had inquired and learned it usually took over two months.
The cost was steep—three hundred guan, including meals and miscellaneous expenses.
It was undeniably expensive, but there was no other choice. With young children, traveling by boat minimized transfers. This was why some officials traveled alone—to save money.
She had heard that Fourth Miss Zhou accompanied her husband to Fuyang County, where he served as a registrar. Fuyang, located in Hangzhou, was even more costly.
Comparing Wu County and Fuyang, Wu County was undoubtedly better. In the Song Dynasty, counties were ranked as "eminent," "prosperous," "upper," "middle," or "lower," excluding the imperial and metropolitan categories. Wu County was an "eminent" county, while Fuyang was merely "prosperous." Moreover, Wu County was the capital county of Pingjiang Prefecture.
After reading for a while and eating a light meal, night soon fell. Jiang Xian returned from outside, and Jin Niang pointed to the iron thermos. "There’s hot water for you inside."
Travel made bathing inconvenient, but the iron thermos solved many problems. The couple had the kitchen prepare hot water daily, allowing them to wash thoroughly and stay clean.
Jiang Xian took the thermos behind the screen, carefully brushed his teeth, then mixed the hot water with some cold to wash himself. After changing into sleepwear, he called Ying in to tidy up.
Fortunately, the couple didn’t require maids to keep watch at night. Once Ying cleaned the room, she retired to her quarters.
They had chartered the boat, so there were no strangers aboard, and everyone felt at ease. Besides, Jiang Xian held an official position, deterring any troublemakers.
"Darling, are you asleep?" Jiang Xian asked.
Jin Niang yawned. "What’s the matter? Are you exhausted from the journey?"
"No, I was just wondering if you’re still upset about spending three hundred guan," he teased.
Jin Niang laughed. "Not really. I just didn’t expect it to cost so much. Thankfully, we brought enough silver."
Jiang Xian embraced his wife. "My elder brother traveled alone for his post, leaving his wife at home. But I wanted you with me."
"I want to be with you too. I’ve never considered being apart," Jin Niang murmured, nestling into his arms and inhaling his pleasant scent.
Jiang Xian felt smug—he had personally chosen the fragrant bath beans before leaving Bianjing, and they clearly worked wonders, given how his wife clung to him.
They slept soundly through the night. The next morning, Jin Niang awoke to the chirping of sparrows outside the window. She and Jiang Xian rose together. Breakfast, prepared by the boat’s cook, was hearty since meals on board were typically limited to two a day.
There was a bowl of spiced meat porridge, fried sausage, two pork pancreas pancakes, chestnut cakes, milk cakes, and pickled vegetables like yellow sprouts and melon. Jin Niang, Jiang Xian, and their daughter, Sister Jun, couldn’t finish it all, so they shared the leftovers with Ying and Xi Qiu.
Nanny Fang ate at a side table while listening to Jin Niang and Jiang Xian discuss business. "I’ve noticed officials often bring local products from their hometowns to sell in Bianjing. Could we do the same in Wu County to offset some travel expenses?"
Jiang Xian initially found the idea troublesome, but since his wife suggested it, he reconsidered. The boatmen were from the Liangzhe region, so Jiang Xian casually inquired about what Wu County locals favored without revealing his intentions.
After gathering information, he reported, "I’ve heard Pingjiang Prefecture is bustling, with bridges and streets dedicated to rice, fruit, fish, silk, grain, medicine, bean flour, wine, oil, embroidery thread, felt, curtains, and headwear—almost as lively as Bianjing."
Jin Niang reluctantly dropped the idea, but Nanny Fang interjected, "Madam, in my opinion, the people there aren’t lacking in wealth—they lack respect for ladies from Bianjing."
That struck a chord. Jin Niang quickly grasped the implication and smiled. "In that case, my lord and Nanny Fang, you must teach me how to carry myself with more dignity."
Jiang Xian adored his wife’s determination. Those so-called noblewomen were merely born into privilege.
"Jin Niang, I’ll teach you pitch-pot. I’m quite skilled at it," he offered eagerly.
Nanny Fang chuckled. "This old one will teach you backgammon. Not to boast, but when my late mistress was alive, I often won a few rounds."
Delighted, Jin Niang said, "With your help, I have nothing to fear."
Once the boat docked, Jiang Xian had someone purchase a backgammon set. Jin Niang was a diligent learner—she spent her days studying, practicing pitch-pot, and mastering backgammon. To her, pitch-pot was about practice and finding the right technique. Once she understood backgammon’s rules, she challenged Nanny Fang, Minzhi, Xi Qiu, and even Jiang Xian to consecutive matches.
Everyone admired Jin Niang’s earnestness and eagerness to learn. She rarely troubled her servants and was always...
Spring Day
When there was business to discuss, they did so directly without unnecessary humiliation.
"Sir, look—once the boat docks, we’ll have fresh green vegetables to eat," Jin Niang said cheerfully, picking up a bite of greens for her daughter, who never seemed to enjoy them.
Sister Jun nearly spat it out but, under Jin Niang’s watchful gaze, swallowed it down in large mouthfuls.
Brother Ning, now ten months old, had eight teeth and no longer needed to eat only mush. His meals were specially prepared by Juxiang—tiny cubes of egg and steamed bread, a few leafy greens, and a small bowl of clear noodle soup cooked with lard.
There had been no other choice—previously, Brother Ning had suffered from constipation, but after adding lard, his digestion improved greatly.
Jin Niang had learned from raising Sister Jun, so she was more experienced with Brother Ning.
After the meal, the wet nurse carried the children back to their room while Jin Niang stood up to play arrow-throwing. She placed a bronze pot two and a half arrow-lengths away and aimed bamboo arrows at its mouth. The first to score one hundred and twenty points would win. She did this every day after meals and had even lost weight, which only made her love the game more.
Her best record so far was landing two arrows in the pot consecutively.
Jiang Xian stood nearby, offering guidance: "Hold your hand steady like this—don’t let it waver when you release, or it’ll miss the target."
Jin Niang listened attentively. "Alright, I’ll try again."
She was always grateful for advice. Life’s circumstances were ever-changing, and staying in one place too long could dull one’s spirit.
Yet Jiang Xian found Jin Niang almost too formal. When he taught her, she treated herself like a humble student, never using her status as his wife to act coy or spoiled. It was rather unusual.
After an hour of arrow-throwing, Jin Niang lay on the couch to read, dozed briefly, then called Nanny Fang in to play backgammon.
With daily practice, she improved rapidly within half a month, and time seemed to fly by.
When the boat docked for supplies, they heard that Sun Shichen and Fourth Miss Zhou wanted to board their ship—their own vessel had sprung a leak, and waiting for another would take at least ten days to half a month. They had no choice but to ask Jiang Xian for help.
Jiang Xian instinctively looked to Jin Niang, who said, "Our passenger ship does have space, but they’ll have to squeeze in. Also, ask the boatmen if they have enough food for the extra people. If the additional cost isn’t much, we can cover it—that way, they’ll owe us a favor. If it’s too much, they’ll have to handle it themselves."
"Good, I’ll go tell them," Jiang Xian agreed, impressed by her thoughtfulness.
He went out and said to Sun Shichen with a smile, "My ship isn’t very large, so if you’re in a hurry, you’ll have to make do with tight quarters."
Sun Shichen’s belongings had been soaked when their boat leaked, and they’d already spent days at a nearby post station. Though it hadn’t cost much, they were pressed for time, and their luggage was too bulky to easily transfer. Unable to find a larger ship, they were relieved to run into acquaintances.
"That’s perfect! Brother Shushi, we’re indebted to you for the rescue," Sun Shichen said happily.
When Jiang Xian asked how many people they had, the answer stunned him—over twenty. He quickly summoned the boatman and said, "This is a friend of mine. We happened to meet on the road, but they’ve brought over twenty people. Do you have enough supplies? If not, we’ll need to restock."
The boatman feigned hesitation. "County Captain Jiang, with twenty extra people… our provisions won’t last. And there are only a few empty cabins left."
It was a polite refusal, but whether Sun Shichen didn’t understand or pretended not to, he quickly interjected, "That’s no trouble—we brought our own cooks and can prepare our own meals."
Since he had no objections, Jiang Xian could only say, "Then we’ll trouble you, Brother Sun."
Sun Shichen didn’t even consider offering payment—after all, Jiang Xian had chartered the ship, and whether or not they boarded, the cost was the same. Besides, haggling over such a small sum would seem petty.
The empty cabins on the west side were given to the Sun family. Sun Shichen didn’t need to worry about the arrangements; he simply joined Jiang Xian for drinks in the dining hall.
Meanwhile, Fourth Miss Zhou had her maids secure their bedding, lock away valuables, and arrange meals. Once settled, she prepared gifts and personally brought them to Jin Niang.
There was a bolt of pale gauze, another of white polished silk from Zizhou, a bolt of white floral-patterned silk, one of patterned silk from Pengzhou, and another of lotus-patterned silk from Langzhou. She also presented two boxes of dragon-phoenix tea cakes, two boxes of delicate pastries, and a box of storax incense pills.
Jin Niang smiled. "You’re too kind. It’s just a short ride."
"We have so many people—we’re the ones imposing," Fourth Miss Zhou replied. She knew Jin Niang’s ship wasn’t large, yet they’d still been taken aboard, so proper courtesy was necessary.
Jin Niang was puzzled. "Why not hire servants once you arrive?"
Fourth Miss Zhou explained, "Officials aren’t allowed to purchase servants from their assigned regions, so we had to bring our own."
As someone not from an official family, Jin Niang hadn’t known this. She realized she’d miscalculated—she hadn’t brought enough servants. Truly, worldly wisdom was its own study, and she still had much to learn.
"You’ve thought of everything," Jin Niang said sincerely.
Fourth Miss Zhou noted that Jin Niang looked well, even dignified. Still, it was clear she’d once been a maid—she knew little of official circles, even basics like officials being barred from buying local servants.
As they spoke further, Fourth Miss Zhou was surprised to find Jin Niang didn’t even know that county captains lived in government housing—only those demoted or marginalized had to rent outside.
For Jin Niang, the conversation was a chance to fill gaps in her knowledge.
That night, when she mentioned it to Jiang Xian, he laughed. "I forgot—in the capital, most officials live outside because there are too many offices and officials."
"So that’s why officials’ sons are called ‘yamen lads’?" Jin Niang, aware of her humble origins, was determined to learn more than others.
Jiang Xian pinched her cheek. "Exactly."
Meanwhile, Fourth Miss Zhou’s maid Danli was more agitated than her mistress. "That Jin Niang didn’t even stand to greet you!"
Fourth Miss Zhou shook her head. "Her status has changed. You mustn’t speak so carelessly."
Truthfully, as long as no harm was done, there was no reason to resent someone’s rise—especially when they were guests on her ship, relying on her kindness for passage.
After she said this, although the people below were discontent, they dared not cause trouble. However, the Sun family always ate later than the Jiang family, which became another point of contention. Since the boat was hired by the Jiang family, the boatmen had to ensure the Jiangs' meals were prepared first before allowing the Suns to use the stove.
Thus, every day, the Jiangs were nearly finished eating while the Suns hadn’t even started, leading to growing tension.
After playing a few rounds of backgammon, Jin Niang said to Jiang Xian, "At the next major port, let’s have the boat dock for a few extra days. If we continue like this, things are bound to escalate."
Initially, Jin Niang had assumed the Suns would contribute some travel expenses—not that she was petty, but their large group made everything noisy and chaotic. The fabric gifted by Fourth Miss Zhou, though valuable, was something Jin Niang already had a similar set of, given to her by Madam Song, wife of the top scholar, Jiang. Even the sandalwood boxes were identical.
While it was still a generous gift, it was worth no more than twenty strings of cash and felt rather thoughtless.
Jiang Xian also found the situation inconvenient. The noise and crowd disrupted the peaceful atmosphere they had enjoyed as a family.
He remarked, "You shouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place."
"Well, you could’ve refused outright. Why look to me? I only agreed for the sake of reputation. But I admit I’m just venting—I’ve grown too accustomed to quiet and dislike even minor inconveniences now. Still, it’s nothing major," Jin Niang said with a laugh.
Jiang Xian understood. Refusing would have been difficult due to their familial ties.
Being an official meant always safeguarding one’s reputation.
Fortunately, Fourth Miss Zhou also found the arrangement troublesome and said to her husband, "At the next port, if there’s a boat heading to Hangzhou, let’s charter it directly."
"Agreed," Sun Shichen replied. He had gone hungry several times but couldn’t complain—after all, it was the Jiangs' boat.
The fact that they weren’t treated as honored guests didn’t escape Sun Shichen. He and Jiang Xian had competed openly and covertly under the patronage of Scholar Huang and the top scholar, Jiang. In the end, Jiang Xian had prevailed, ranking eighth in the imperial exams and securing an official post far superior to his own.
Had Sun Shichen not had connections in the capital, he would never have been assigned to the prosperous Liangzhe Circuit. With backing, he only needed to bide his time before returning to the capital as a high-ranking official.
Just as both sides were growing dissatisfied, they coincidentally encountered another relative on the boat—his elder brother’s brother-in-law, who was escorting a shipment of porcelain to Jiangnanxi Circuit, passing through Hangzhou. The Sun family swiftly transferred to that boat, leaving behind a mess for the boatmen to clean, much to their annoyance.
Jin Niang had Minzhi and Chen Xiaolang help tidy up, which somewhat appeased the crew.
Jiang Xian remarked, "Cargo ships are often targeted by river pirates. They’re bold—first chartering a leaky boat, now hopping onto a cargo vessel without hesitation."
Jin Niang, relieved to finally have peace, settled down to read. She even felt grateful to Fourth Miss Zhou for the tip about bringing servants early, so she didn’t dwell on the matter. After all, they were just passing acquaintances.
The journey continued smoothly until they reached Yangzhou.
Nanny Fang brought up a distant relative: "Young Master, your paternal aunt married into the Dou family here. I recall when she was young, she once fell into the water, and it was our Sixth Madam who had her rescued."
Jiang Xian wrote a letter and had a porter deliver it. To their surprise, his aunt, Madam Dou, responded enthusiastically, sending a carriage to fetch them.
Jin Niang prepared gifts: two jars of the famed Yaoquan wine from Kaifeng’s banquets, Juxiang’s signature chrysanthemum-flavored duck rolls in a floral box, a hand-embroidered collar, two boxes of floral hair ornaments, and two bolts of patterned silk.
The gifts were neither too modest nor overly extravagant—perfect for a familial visit.
Jiang Xian had little memory of this aunt, but the respectful attendants and the ornate carriage suggested she had gone to great lengths to welcome them.
Here, Nanny Fang proved her worth. Recognizing the woman sent by Madam Dou, she called out, "Are you Yunluo?"
"Sister Peony!" The woman, now called Nanny Lan, hadn’t heard her old name in years and was visibly moved.
After catching up, Nanny Fang introduced Jin Niang: "This is the wife of our Sixteenth Young Master, a most filial lady. When she heard Eighth Aunt favored chrysanthemum duck rolls, she specially had them prepared."
Jin Niang smiled and nodded at Nanny Lan.
Nanny Lan beamed. "Seeing the young master, a scholar so accomplished at his age, and his lady, so graceful and virtuous—what a perfect match!"
Madam Dou lived in the heart of Yangzhou, a city abuzz with life. As the saying went, "With a fortune of a hundred thousand, ride a crane to Yangzhou," or "Set sail for Yangzhou in spring’s third month"—a place of dazzling wealth.
Snapping back to the present, Jin Niang overheard Nanny Fang discreetly inquiring about Madam Dou’s circumstances. Nanny Lan sighed, "Our lady has a son of seventeen still studying and a twelve-year-old daughter, quite the beauty."
"What a blessing, a son and a daughter," Nanny Fang chimed in.
Nanny Lan lowered her voice. "If only it were that simple. Our lady is kind but naive, while the master is... fond of pleasures. The household is in chaos with all his concubines."
This was family business, so Jin Niang stayed silent. Still, Madam Dou couldn’t be too badly off—why else would she host guests so lavishly?
Jiang Xian noticed it too. The Dou family’s gazes held a hint of expectation, as if they hoped he could resolve some trouble. He had only come to visit, not to meddle in their affairs.
After over an hour in the carriage, they arrived at the Dou residence, nestled deep in Yangzhou’s inner city, its grandeur hidden from outside view.
Traditionally, Jiang Xian would meet the master of the house while Jin Niang visited Madam Dou, but since they were practically strangers, Nanny Lan took the entire family to see Madam Dou first.
Walking side by side, Jin Niang whispered, "Your aunt likely has some trouble and wants your support. Be careful."
Jiang Xian feigned a nervous expression. "Wife, you noticed it too?"
Jin Niang glanced at him and couldn’t help but laugh. "Since you’re going to be the county sheriff, if anything happens, you can use it as practice. Otherwise, what’s the point of reading all those books on solving cases? Besides, our household is short on servants—I might as well hire a few more in Yangzhou before we leave. We’ll each have our own tasks to focus on. Wouldn’t that be perfect?"
"Don’t say that—I still want my wife by my side," Jiang Xian said, blinking playfully.
Jin Niang reassured him, "Don’t worry, I’ll always be here to protect you."
Truthfully, Jiang Xian was just teasing, but every time, even in jest, his wife took his words to heart, standing by him through thick and thin. He didn’t know what to say.
Up ahead, the nanny leading the way remarked to her companion, "The sixteenth young master and his wife are truly devoted to each other."
