Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Two chapters merged into one

Feng Sheng felt that the man he found was of higher status than the woman, so he only let the man meet the woman and did not tell her anything for the time being. He would mention the matter to Wei Xiong and Luo Yu'e after the banquet.

In his opinion, Wei Xiong was a submissive person with no opinions of his own. Although Luo Yu'e had a temper, she was actually short-sighted and usually listened to him. As for Jinniang, he didn't consider her at all. He didn't ask for any money for matchmaking, he did this purely out of genuine consideration.

Jinniang and her mother were unaware of this. The other women were eating in the small courtyard at the back. The food on the table was indeed rich. Third Aunt-in-law never stopped eating. Her mother was much more polite because the family was not short of money.

There was a fried meatball on the table, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and not greasy. Jinniang said, "This fried meatball is good, luckily it's not too mushy. The last time I had a meatball, it was all thickened with starch."

Rong Niang smiled and said, "As long as you like it, here is another sweet rice dumpling, you can try it."

After saying that, he pretended to serve the food to Jinniang, but Jinniang quickly said, "I'll do it. I'll do it."

Rong Niang was still praising Jin Niang at the table: "Second aunt, I see that Jin Niang's skin is much fairer now, and the circles under her eyes are not as dark as before."

"That's not the case." Although Luo Yu'e felt that her daughter needed to be thinner, every mother in the world doesn't want others to praise her daughter.

Everyone at the table was enjoying the meal, but after the banquet was over, when Feng Sheng and his wife called Wei Xiong and Luo Yu'e in to talk, Jinniang noticed something was amiss.

After Luo Yu'e and his wife came out, Luo Yu'e got in the car and told Jinniang about this.

Jinniang said angrily, "Who dares to decide my marriage? A widower dares to marry me. Did you ask him to marry me? I'm putting this out there. If anyone dares to force me, we'll break up. I can't get well, and I won't let him get well. Does he think I can't take revenge on him?"

She is not someone you can easily mess with. We usually just have a little interaction but now he wants to be her boss.

Seeing her daughter's sword unsheathed, Luo Yu'e said, "I also think it's inappropriate. Your brother-in-law also said that this person usually has four or five servants in his family, so you won't have to work so hard in the future..."

"That won't work. I see that this man is much older than me, has an ordinary appearance, and has a child. Although I am not talented, I will not marry a widower or be a concubine in this life." Jinniang snorted coldly.

Luo Yu'e comforted her daughter: "We didn't ask your brother-in-law to find a good man for you. He suddenly said this to us, and I really didn't react for a while."

Jinniang said, "I will never go to his house again. I don't care if he makes his own decisions. How can he interfere with me? What's so great about that man? What's so great about him? With time, I may not be worse than them."

This time Jinniang was very angry. Luo Yu'e also said to Rongniang: "Jinniang is already very angry. She told me that she didn't offend her brother-in-law. Why did she let him marry such a man? She also said that she didn't tell my family in advance, but let people see her. She felt very offended."

Rong Niang was speechless: "Second aunt, we are really doing this for Jin Niang's own good. The poor doctor earns hundreds of strings of cash a year. We don't mean to mistreat her..."

"Anyway, you don't have to worry about my daughter's marriage in the future." Luo Yu'e was also a little angry.

Luo Yu'e left angrily. Rong Niang sat down, holding her belly, and said to Feng Sheng, "Talking about marriage really brings up enmity. Does Second Uncle think that your daughter is the goddess of the nine heavens who has descended to earth?"

In her opinion, Jinniang was average-looking, couldn't cook, had a lonely personality, and her only advantage was her sixteen years old, but they just didn't seize this opportunity.

Feng Sheng heard this and just raised his eyebrows and sneered: "I want to see what kind of husband she will marry in the future."

Their daughter's marriage was not going well, and Luo Yu'e and her friends' business was not doing well either. They were just about to look for another shop, but it started raining in June in Bianjing. At first it was just a little rain, but later it became a downpour, so Wenxiuyuan simply let them stay at home.

The city of Bianjing was severely flooded, but Jinniang's family had no shortage of rice. She did not take the rations she received this time to the grain and oil store to sell, but kept them at home.

However, Jinniang’s extra income from Jinxiu Pavilion was gone.

She had originally planned to earn a hundred strings of cash this year, but unexpectedly she died halfway through. It's true that misfortunes are unpredictable.

Well, in that case, she could reflect on her shortcomings in embroidery. There are indeed bigwigs in the Wenxiu Academy. Some are good at double-sided embroidery with different colors, and some are even good at three-sided embroidery, just like Gu Xiutou, who has been learning from a famous embroiderer since childhood. His family specializes in restaurants and garment businesses, especially in Pingjiang Prefecture and Lin'an Prefecture, where there are twelve large shops, and his father owns more than 30% of the shares.

The group of people selected were not taught much skills. Jinniang once paid for a meal for the female worker who was good at double-sided embroidery, but she only gave her some instructions but actually did not teach her anything.

As for Gu Xiutou and others, needless to say, they started learning the most complicated embroidery techniques since childhood.

Jinniang has seen clearly that if she wants to learn other people's skills, they will not teach her. I'm afraid I can only be an average embroiderer throughout my life.

But……

She stood up and smiled again. Not everyone could afford such top-notch embroidery. After all, most of them are ordinary people, and her clothes are mostly sold to ordinary officials and wealthy families. She can't be a top embroiderer, but she can try to find an above-average embroiderer.

Just like the five categories of people who passed the imperial examination, there are only ten people in the first class, but the emperor needs to govern the states and the people, so he can't just rely on these ten people, right?

One has to find one's own position. She has already learned the methods of printing and drawing gold, but to be honest, she still has to buy gold foil herself. Not only is it expensive, but not many people may buy it.

I am really obsessed with appearances.

The most important thing now is not to make these luxurious things, but to draw patterns in her own style, from copying to original creation, this is what she should do now.

Besides, since she is good at embroidering flowers and birds, she should specialize in this instead of just doing whatever is popular.

Classics are something that will never go out of style.

A few days later, the heavy rain subsided, the sun came out, and the mess and haze dissipated.

Several tiles in Jinniang's house were blown off, and his father hired a tiler to repair it. Prices in Beijing have risen a lot, and the third uncle's family originally rented the two worst rooms. Now the tree in front of them has collapsed and crushed half of the house.

My third aunt wanted to send her children to her house again, but my mother flatly refused, saying that the tiles in their own house were leaking and the four members of the family were sleeping in a crowded place, so how could they care about others?

Seeing this, Yingniang couldn't help but think that it was a good thing that she had worked so hard to buy a house. At least she wouldn't have to be controlled by others where she lived like she is now. She had always felt that it was suffocating to carry such a loan, but now she felt that it was indeed the right thing to do.

The weather started to get hot in July, and the Wenxiu Academy began to only work half a day. Jinniang and her colleagues would report for work in the morning and come back directly to eat at noon. She propped up the window and began to paint in the room.

In the past, she always imitated other people's works, but now she has started to create her own. In summer, she usually wears a tube top vest with close-crotch pants. Jinniang loves pink, so most of her clothes are pink. The tube top is made of a powdered style, with a lilac-colored ordinary gauze vest on the outside and another crepe vest of the same color.

She embroidered many small groups of wisteria flowers on her dress, thinking it was elegant and refined, but she only sold a little over three strings of cash this month.

However, she was not discouraged. She thought that simplicity and elegance were beautiful, but it was too high-brow and no one bought it.

Even the shopkeeper was very tactful.

So Jinniang hurriedly made a set of clothes before the Mid-Autumn Festival. This time she took the pulse of the family and embroidered pomegranates, oranges and grapes on the collar. The colors were elegant, playful and cute. Of course, this kind of embroidery also had a good meaning, which was called the auspicious and fertile pattern.

Because of this intention, 19 strings of cash were given to her for the set of ready-made clothes.

It really made Jinniang herself feel a little bit amused and helpless.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, my parents found a shop near a primary school and only paid three months' rent this time. Jinniang bought some pancakes from another store at a steamed bun shop near Zhouqiao and brought them to them.

"I always feel that we who cook should try how other people's popular steamed buns are made, so that we can improve the taste of our own." Jinniang also admired the people who came to Bianliang from other places to make a living. There were people selling food in every corner of Bianliang, and people selling snacks with baskets on the streets. It was not easy to gain a foothold.

Luo Yu'e agreed very much: "Jinniang is right, let me open it and see."

In fact, the meat filling of this very popular steamed bun shop is not as solid as hers, but it is juicy and dense but not too greasy, and the oil can be seen through it.

After her parents finished their business in the morning, Jinniang immediately took everyone to Shaozhuyuan in Xiangguo Temple to eat barbecue.

It is not uncommon to eat barbecue nowadays. Various barbecue restaurants stimulate everyone's taste buds. However, Shao Zhuyuan in the Song Dynasty was also not bad.

"Are you saying that the one who roasted the pork was a monk?" Luo Yu'e was a little incredulous.

Jinniang smiled and nodded: "Yes, it's a monk named Huiming." After that, seeing the crowd gathering, she hurriedly said: "Wait a minute, let's go in and grab a seat first."

After they sat down, they felt the surroundings were very new and fresh. There were sibbos selling dried fruits, wine and snacks nearby. Jinniang ordered a portion of pickled plums and prunes, a plate of fruits, a small pot of wine and three cups of drinks.

The roasted pork arrived late, and what she wanted was pork belly, which had the flavor of crispy pork belly and was eaten wrapped in perilla leaves. It was so refreshing.

Even Yang Ge'er, the pickiest eater, ate so much that the food was juicy and he wanted to use his hands and feet at the same time.

While they were eating, they heard two people talking behind them. One man said, "I am going to Beijing to take the exam this time. If I fail again, I will be ashamed to see my parents, wife and children."

"Brother Shen, you come from the Shen family in Wuxing, so becoming a Jinshi will be as easy as taking something out of a bag for you." Another man said with a smile.

The man surnamed Shen said, "Brother Lin, you and I hit it off right away. I wonder if you have any children. If you win this time, why don't we become relatives?"

Jinniang in front smiled when she heard this. This was how it was in the Song Dynasty. After passing the imperial examination, one's life would be very different. In the morning, one could be a farmer, and in the evening, one could enter the emperor's palace.

Then the man surnamed Lin said, "I haven't married yet. My mother told me not to marry before I pass the imperial examination."

Obviously, the man surnamed Shen also admired him and said, "Auntie really wants her son to be successful."

…

The two of them drank a few more glasses of wine and left. Seeing that her parents were puzzled, Jinniang smiled and said, "Nowadays, if a man is still unmarried at an older age, he is probably waiting to pass the imperial examination. Then he will become rich overnight and marry the daughter of an official, get a generous dowry, and rise to prominence. If he is from a poor family and marries a girl from a small family, he will have less support in the officialdom in the future."

"So when people are in a low position, they must accumulate strength, and when they are capable enough, they can choose a good match, so that both parties will be happy. If they marry casually, when they become successful in the future, the gap between them will inevitably be too big, and resentment will arise."

We are all ordinary people, so what is the benefit of really alleviating poverty? Even my father said that if he had married an officer's daughter, he wouldn't be in such a mess now. Even such an honest person would have such complaints, but fortunately, my mother's temper comes and goes quickly and she never takes things to heart.

Luo Yu'e handed Yang Ge'er a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and then said frankly, "Yes, mother is always worried that you will miss your prime years. If you marry your daughter off early, if she is not satisfied in the future, it will be a lifelong problem."

"Look at our family. You and my father run a small business, but we can barely make ends meet. But we have our daughter to support us. We have white rice three times a day, and we have some meat from time to time. We can also often go out to eat. This kind of life can't be considered a good life, but it is comfortable and free." Jinniang said.

In fact, my parents also have a fixed mindset. They have come into contact with few people, so they only know that there are only the same kind of people in the world, and the same way of life. After going out and meeting more people of all kinds, they may not all have the same ideas.

Just like Jinniang, although she is still a female worker in the Wenxiuyuan at this time, she has been accumulating strength for a long time, and she may have some good fortune in the future.

After leaving Shaozhuyuan, Jinniang visited Daxiangguo Temple as usual. It was already afternoon and not as lively as in the morning, but it was still the same as before.

Seeing someone selling picture albums in front of her, Luo Yu'e hurriedly said to her daughter, "Jinniang, do you want to buy a picture album?"

"I won't buy it." Jinniang has now gained some experience in making clothes. She knows what styles and patterns are good for selling clothes. There is no need to be different all the time. She can just make a few similar sets and sell them. Just like writing scripts in your previous life, write about the track you are good at and don’t change it every day.

"Since you're not buying paintings, let's buy some sugar-roasted chestnuts." Luo Yu'e smacked her lips.

Jinniang couldn't help but smile and said, "You're here again. You haven't finished eating the sugar-roasted chestnuts yet. Okay, okay, your daughter will go with you."

In fact, Luo Yu'e was reluctant to let her daughter get married. The reason why she thought Shao Shengping was a good man was that she wanted her son-in-law to come directly to her house and live together as a family in the future. That was why she decided to use all the money in her hand to pawn the house.

In September, Rong Niang was about to give birth. Luo Yu'e and Wei Xiong both said that they were busy with business and had no time to go. They said they would send gifts when they had a dinner party in the future. This was also a way of expressing their solidarity.

A family must stand together through thick and thin. Otherwise, if the daughter is disgusted, and the parents act as if nothing has happened, wouldn't that make the daughter look down upon as well?

Rong Niang gave birth to another son this time, which was of course a double happiness. However, her second uncle and his family did not come. She and Feng Sheng both thought that it was probably because of Jin Niang.

However, these no longer affect the Jinniang, because they are now starting to learn three kinds of needlework. They only had a basic understanding before, but now they have to really start learning in depth. It’s not that the craftsmen are willing to teach them, but they are about to embroider robes for officials. For example, rolling needle embroidery is used to embroider water ripples, clouds, and willow branches; loose embroidery has uneven stitches, but the color levels transition naturally, and it is used to embroider flowers, birds, animals, etc.; and dot embroidery is used to embroider freehand flowers.

Before, they just focused on embroidering as embroiderers, but now, in order to meet business needs, they finally teach a few things.

Jinniang was not a very smart person, so she would write down every needle technique in her notes first, and even try them out again herself.

With a normal IQ, diligence and a bit of talent, I am one step closer to becoming an upper-middle-level embroiderer.

After Gu Xiutou taught the needlework, he said, "The Imperial Concubine is going to make a jacket with 100 butterflies embroidered on the silk. Du Xiutou has already drawn the pattern. You five can embroider together."

The task was assigned to everyone, and the five of them divided it. Jinniang said, "Then I will just draw the twenty butterflies I need to draw first and then I will go straight to embroidering."

Everyone had no objection. You know, Jinniang has been here for so long, and her embroidery skills may not be the best, but she is definitely the one who completes the task the fastest and with the least mistakes.

All the butterflies painted this time were extremely graceful. Jinniang originally wanted to create her own painting, but she decided to just paint an extra one and take it home. In ancient times, information was not as developed as it is today, and classes were still rigid. It would probably be impossible to find such professional skills in the future.

It took almost a month to embroider this skirt, because each butterfly is different, and it also involved the cooperation between the embroiderers.

But when she heard that the imperial concubine had thrown away the skirt that she had spent so much effort on because it was stained with pomegranate juice when she ate pomegranates, Gu Xiutou was very happy and said to Jinniang and the others, "Although the emperor is frugal, the status of the concubines is like this. Throwing away a skirt is nothing. We should do our own things well, which is better than anything else."

"Yes, embroidered head." Jinniang and others responded obediently.

The colleagues at Wenxiuyuan are different from those in the Zhou family. They all work on their own embroidery frames during work and go home after work, so there are only a few of them who are close to each other.

It was a leisurely time, so everyone was having tea and snacks. The snacks were brought over by Third Sister Xu. She said, "This was given to my family by someone else. I think it's good, so I brought it for you to try."

Her husband was a minor official, and he usually gave her a lot of gifts. Jinniang took a bite and said, "Not bad, it tastes similar to the food I had at Zhouqiao Night Market last time."

Everyone was paid a fixed salary, so no one wanted to embarrass anyone else. Jinniang also took out some hawthorn cakes and shared them with everyone: "To whet your appetite, I bought some from Granny Huang's house yesterday. Many people were lining up to buy some, so I bought one too."

At this moment, several eunuchs rushed in and took away an embroiderer. Jinniang and others were startled and held their breath. Only after everyone left did Gu Xiutou say, "This person violated the rules of embroidering skirts and overstepped the boundaries of the rules. Naturally, he must be punished according to the palace rules."

It turned out that this embroiderer had secretly accepted the property of a certain concubine. In the harem, only the Empress and the Empress Dowager could have twenty-four flowers embroidered on their clothes, while the number of flowers embroidered on the concubine's clothes was reduced to eighteen.

Jinniang originally thought this was a very relaxing place, but now she is in danger of her life.

But when Gu Xiutou called Jinniang over privately, Jinniang was a little surprised. Now there are a total of 300 people in the entire Wenxiu Academy, and more than 70 people in the flower and bird department. Among this group of people, there are 10 people who are drawing empty salaries, that is, they have the title of female officials, but they do not really go to the yamen, but they receive salaries. Jinniang and her friends are there to fill the vacancies of these ten people. They are not on the staff, nor will they be registered as craftsmen. They even only have a three-year contract. After three years, they may continue to stay, but they may also not renew their contract.

Why did Gu Xiutou call her at this time?

She came in carefully and called out, "Gu Xiutou."

"Please sit down. I heard that you can read?" Gu Xiutou said with a smile.

Jinniang nodded: "In fact, I don't know many words, just a few."

"You don't have to be nervous. I just want to ask you if you know the system of female officials in this dynasty?" Gu Xiutou suddenly asked.

Jinniang shook her head and said, "I am a country girl, I usually just do hard labor, I don't know the rules of female officials."

Seeing that Gu Xiutou smiled very approachably, he said, "There are two channels for female officials in this dynasty. The first is to select talented women through the imperial examination. Most of these women come from prominent families, and the second is to select from the palace maids. The former are few in number, while the latter are many. I see that you are good at needlework, diligent, and can read and write, so I want to recommend you to participate in the selection of female officials and directly skip the second way, which starts from the palace maids."

She had never thought about being a female official, but was just confused: "What does a female official do? Why was the embroidery head recommended to me? There are many people in this Wenxiu Academy who are better than me."

"That's not necessarily the case. The ranks of female officials are divided into eight grades, from high to low, they are Imperial Lecturer, Imperial Propaganda Lecturer, Imperial Lecturer, Imperial Lecturer, Xuanhuiyuan Envoy, Neijianyuan Envoy, Neijianjun Beauty and Neijinshi. The lowest-ranking Neijianjun Beauty and Neijinshi only serve the empress and the empress dowager, and only attend banquets. If they are slightly higher, Xuanhuiyuan Envoy and Neijianyuan Envoy can be responsible for managing the emperor's documents and letters, and can even provide advice to the emperor. Female officials in the palace usually stay for eight years. If you are deeply trusted by the emperor or the empress and empress dowager, it doesn't hurt to stay for longer years." Gu Xiutou smiled.

Having a high rank and being able to participate in politics sounds wonderful, but Jinniang said with a smile: "For such a good thing, why didn't Xiutou recommend someone from your family, but recommended me?"

Even Gu Xiutou herself was born a female official.

Gu Xiutou confessed, "I am from the Gu family in Jiangnan. My family had high hopes for me, but I was blocked by others and could not get any support. The government values ​​the poor, just like most of the top scorers are from poor families. You seem to have no foundation, so you are more likely to be promoted. Naturally, I don't want you to do anything against your will for me. I just want you to pass on a few words to the government or the Empress Dowager. I have a ladder to success, and I will definitely reward you handsomely one day."

"It's okay. You can think about it for a while. Give me your answer in three days."