Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Two Chapters in One

"Okay, you want to make raccoon sleeves, right? I've made a note of that." Jinniang made another note.

This is the last day of the winter month. I have earned forty strings of coins this month. From the time I opened my business in December last year to the end of December this year, I have earned a total of four hundred and fifty-eight strings of coins. After deducting the seventy-two strings of coins that I owe on credit and the one hundred strings of coins for dowry, I have spent a total of sixty strings of coins on servants' living expenses. I have two hundred and twenty-six strings of coins left, plus the more than one hundred strings of coins I had in hand as capital, the total is more than three hundred strings of coins.

In other words, she still needs to earn 180 strings of cash before getting married, which means there are still four months left.

These 180 strings of cash are both a pressure and a motivation.

At night, Ah Ying prepared some water for washing feet and brought it over, saying, "Girl, did you know that the old lady Shen in front of us froze to death?"

"Po Shen? Is she the one who is very good at Suzhou embroidery?" Jinniang had some impression of her because someone told her secretly that it was Po Shen who reported her to the head of the guild.

Ah Ying nodded: "Yes, she is stingy. She never lights the brazier and only wears a plain jacket. She obviously earns a lot of money, but she doesn't even make a decent jacket. I heard that she worked until midnight and died just by lying on the bed."

Alas, those who are dressed in silk are not silkworm breeders.

"Don't worry about others, you all should keep warm." She gave one of her old coats from the Zhou family to Aying, and another to Juxiang, because she was afraid that they would get sick.

Ah Ying smiled and said, "Don't worry, I haven't sneezed once this year."

After washing up, Jinniang carefully applied jasmine cream. Her skin was too dry from doing embroidery in front of the charcoal basin every day, so she had to take good care of her skin.

Ah Ying poured the water, and the two slept together. She couldn't sleep, so she asked Jin Niang, "Miss, in my opinion, none of your sisters and relatives can be relied on. Although the master and mistress at home are good, they may not be able to take care of you. The Jiang family is a well-off family, and there are several brothers. I don't know how much money you will need in the future."

Of course, this was for her own good. Jinniang smiled and said, "I know you are doing this for my own good. I understand."

The next morning, she got up early and opened the door on time. She saw Mrs. Huang coming in. She wanted to sell her gold collar. Jinniang took a look and said, "You have a long jacket, so the collar should be longer. Six strings of cash."

"Six strings of cash?" Mrs. Huang hesitated because it was too expensive.

Jinniang said, "You don't know that we use real gold foil, not the gold powder that fools people. Look, this is the gold foil bought from the largest gold and silver alley."

Jinniang showed her the gold foil. Mrs. Huang hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed. They were in business, and it was not easy for her husband to take her out, so she had to look decent.

"Well, then you can just come and get it in three days." Jinniang said.

Mrs. Huang's husband used to be a dried fruit seller. After working for many years, he became a capable man, so the couple opened a shop. They always had fresh things that others didn't have. Jinniang called her and asked, "Do you have any water chestnuts at home?"

Hearing that there was business, Mrs. Huang smiled and said, "Yes, it's 60 cents a box."

"Okay, then I'll ask someone to pick it up in a few days." Jinniang said with a smile.

Mrs. Huang joked, "You better hurry up, because some of these high-end items are very popular."

"Of course, of course." Jinniang glanced at Chen Xiaolang, and Chen Xiaolang understood.

He has been helping his young lady with everything for the past year, and he has learned a lot. The servants in the Jiang family don't receive any monthly wages, but they still get 300 coins a month. What else can they be dissatisfied with?

The owners of the woolen thread shop and the silk thread shop sent New Year's gifts in advance this year, each of which was a goose and two boxes of snacks. Jinniang then gave each of them a bag of high-quality tea. The Jiang family sent a lot of tea, and they couldn't finish it, so they gave it away as gifts.

Gongtou, the carpenter, sent three baskets of fresh fruits. He gave them to all the customers who had their furniture renovated at his place, so Jinniang did not return the gift.

During the Laba Festival, Rong Niang sent some Laba medicine over, and Jin Niang asked Chen Xiaolang to drive over to deliver a bowl of Laba porridge. Little did she know that Chen Xiaolang was very angry when he came back.

"What's wrong?" Jinniang asked.

Chen Xiaolang said, "The wax medicines that the Feng family sends to outsiders are all packed in Tusu bags, with five-colored silk threads tied into a knot of 'Four Goldfishes in One Heart' or 'Good Luck'. For us, they are wrapped directly in straw paper."

Ah Ying was also angry: "Yes, they always point fingers at us on weekdays, as if our family is not as rich as theirs and they do nothing right. Now it seems that I am not treated differently."

Chiang Family

Xu looked at the rent collected this year. Two hundred acres of land only produced more than four hundred dan of grain. Selling more than two hundred dan was only one hundred and seventy strings of cash. The annual rent paid by the shop was one hundred and eighty strings of cash, a total of three hundred and fifty strings of cash.

This is not a small amount for an ordinary family, but it is not much for the Jiang family. First, they had to buy charcoal, meat, vegetables and firewood on credit, and they also had to pay courteous gifts everywhere.

"This year, the Wei family from Tianshui Lane was added, and they sent the same gift as my parents', so that my mother-in-law won't blame me." Xu said.

She was often served by a maid and a woman. The maid was a quiet person. The maid's surname was Ge. Because she had nursed her since she was a child, she valued Xu's interests more than Xu herself. She said, "I think that Madam Wei is just a merchant's wife. She is only a little pretty. She can be the second wife at best. But now she has entered the house and wants to be on an equal footing with you. No wonder the Tenth Young Master would rather be adopted than come back."

"Shut up. This is a sensitive matter in our family. If someone hears it, I will be the one to spread rumors." Xu shook her head.

Although she also felt it was inappropriate, it would be a good thing if Wei was generous and wealthy, so that she wouldn't have to fight with them for such trivial matters in the future.

The Jiang family's gift soon arrived, also a bowl of Laba porridge. Jinniang returned a bowl of Laba porridge and a box of snacks. Chen Xiaolang followed Jinniang's instructions and said to the mother at the second gate, "My wife said a box of crispy cakes with sesame, meat, and pickled mustard greens fillings. Eating them with the sweet Laba porridge will help relieve the greasiness."

Before Xu's accounts were settled, Jinniang returned the gift and raised her eyebrows, saying, "That's pretty fast."

Soon half a month passed, and Jinniang had finished making all the robes and jackets she was going to make, and earned a total of twenty-five strings of cash. After the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, business slowed down. Just as Jinniang had almost finished making the wedding dress, she asked Aying to make the soles. She pasted a few pairs of shoes with bright red and silver uppers, and then made new shoes.

Luo Yu'e and her friends also stopped at the store. She was just asking Jinniang what kind of festival gifts to send to the Jiang family. Jinniang said, "I have arranged everything. You can take a rest. It's not easy to work all year round. It's just right to see what Yang Ge'er wants and help him buy something. If my dowry is not enough this year, I can't manage the family."

"Why do you care? In the first place, we can't help you at all."

"Don't say that. You've been as nice to me as you can."

In life, some people are not willing to be too ordinary, but they should bear the consequences themselves. Her family members didn't owe her anything; instead, they loved her very much.

The Jiang family sent a pair of pig's trotters, two fresh fish, two roast ducks, and a jar of osmanthus wine as New Year gifts, while Jinniang sent back a box of dried longans, two baskets of fresh fruit, two geese, a box of water chestnuts, a box of loquats, and a jar of Yuxianlou's Yuye wine.

This kind of gift is naturally more thoughtful than what Brother Xu gave. Madam Jiang Liu loves to eat water chestnuts. Last time she was at Jinniang's house, she drank two bowls of water chestnut soup. She was saying to Jiang Xian, "I don't know where that kid got it from."

Jiang Xian was also proud of it, "Mom likes to eat it, so I'll make some for her too."

"Don't go out now. Be careful not to catch a snowstorm." Mrs. Jiang Liu was most worried about her youngest son.

Jiang Xian quickly said, "Okay, son will accompany you for more time later."

As for the Zhou family's festival gifts, Jiang Xian said, "My second aunt is not satisfied with my marriage, but we can't just keep insisting on it. If you are treated coldly when they all go to the Zhou family, it would be an unfilial act on your part."

Mrs. Jiang Liu was deeply moved: "Don't be so humble. If she treats you coldly, just come back."

"My son knows." Jiang Xian said with a smile.

This time when Jiang Xian brought a holiday gift to Zhou's house, Jiang was of course still angry, but she kept silent and didn't say whether she would see him or not. The fourth girl at the side quickly made an excuse that she had something to do and left. She was actually also very shocked in her heart.

Although Jiang Xian knew that he would become a treacherous minister and his ending would not be very good, his family background was still good. Why would he marry a merchant girl? Her second uncle had a concubine and a silk shop, but she was still a concubine.

What is the charm of this Wei Jinniang?

Jiang Xian waited for a cup of tea before she let him in. As soon as Jiang Xian came in, he said, "Aunt, I know you must be angry with me. I also know your expectations of me. As the saying goes, the deeper the love, the more severe the criticism. Therefore, although I hesitated, I still came."

These words calmed Jiang down a lot. She pressed her solar plexus and said, "Sit down."

"My nephew is here to listen to my aunt's teachings, how dare I sit down?" Jiang Xian looked at Jiang with a guilty look on his face.

In this way, Jiang's dissatisfaction was calmed down. She said, "In my heart, I treat you and Fang'er the same. I treat you better than Fang'er. But now you are inferior to him in marrying a wife. You are still young. What relationship in the officialdom in the future can be more reliable than in-laws?"

"Yes, you are right." Jiang Xian is very good at talking to people. He should say no less than he should say yes. He should first confirm and then deny. After confirming, he nodded slightly and said, "But now the matter is done. Madam Wei is also a kind-hearted woman. My nephew cannot let her down."

Jiang didn't have any opinion about Jinniang herself, but she was afraid that Jiang Xian would suffer a loss, and added: "She is from a merchant family, so she has the most thoughts. I'm not saying that having thoughts is bad, but we are all honest children in our family, and I'm afraid that you will suffer a loss."

"Elders all over the world think the best of their own children and nephews." Jiang Xian smiled.

Jiang sighed again: "I'm really worried that you guys will feel uncomfortable together in the future."

Jiang Xian then said seriously, "Now that my second brother has been adopted, he is no longer a member of a different family, and each family lives their own life. Moreover, since ancient times, the husband is honored and the wife is respected. If I fail, I will not be comfortable living in the middle. If my nephew succeeds, then she and I will be respected in the future. Although my nephew is young, he also knows the principle of keeping a promise. If he really abandons Madam Wei when he sees a good one, then in the future, my aunt will definitely think that my nephew is not a trustworthy person."

The words were spoken sincerely, and Jiang couldn't help but let go of her anger. She smiled and said, "You are indeed a responsible person. Well, Jinniang is also someone I have watched grow up. Let her come and pay her respects to me during the New Year."

Xiangming, who was standing behind Jiang, was very happy for Jinniang when she heard this.

Jiang Xian stood up and bowed, "Thank you, aunt. The gifts I just brought are for your family. I also brought two pots of weeping crabapples especially for you."

Jiang got up, and the aunt and nephew went to see the flowers again. Jiang Xiancai said it was getting late and they should go back, so Jiang asked him to stay for dinner. He ate with them and Jiang even ate one more bowl of rice.

The Fourth Girl had been in the upper room for so long that she could certainly find out the truth, but she never thought that a man like Jiang Xian would actually make connections for his wife who had not yet married him. This made her even more shocked.

Jinniang had no idea about this. She was thinking of other ways to raise money for her dowry. "After the twelfth lunar month, it will be the New Year. Many people will definitely go to the temple to fulfill their vows. It would be a good idea to embroider Buddhist scriptures."

I heard that there is an old embroiderer who specializes in embroidering Guanyin in the embroidery alley in front. All the orders will be accepted until next year. One piece costs thirty to fifty strings of cash. When she has settled down next year, she will start to study how to embroider this.

These Buddha statues and Buddhist scriptures are very popular among the ladies. They are perfect for gifts or for taking home as decorations. This year is another year of disaster...

Fortunately, she also has rubbings. It is true that what is accumulated in life is experience. However, this time, Taoist scriptures can also be added. Before, Jinniang always got up early in the morning and rarely stayed up late at night, but now she is trying her best.

You have to work really hard to make it look effortless.

She embroidered the cuffs and collar of the cotton-padded jacket during the day, and embroidered Buddhist scriptures in the room by candlelight at night. Ah Ying was yawning from watching, Jin Niang urged, "Go to bed, I'll go to bed at midnight."

"Girl, will it be in time to embroider your shoes?" Aying asked worriedly.

Jinniang smiled and said, "Isn't she getting married at the end of March next year? I have already made most of it in advance. Making money is the most important thing now."

It was not until New Year's Eve that Jinniang finished embroidering a roll of Buddhist scriptures. Business was good at the end of the year, and she had already earned 43 strings of cash. The Buddhist scriptures were originally hung there to see if anyone would sell them in the first month of the lunar year, but she never expected that someone would buy them directly for ten strings of cash.

This month we really exceeded our targets. Jinniang said to Chen Xiaolang, "Let's not close the business in the first month of the year. We should just open the business as usual and not go anywhere."

Chen Xiaolang was still a teenager after all. He ran to the backyard and wailed. Ah Ying scolded him, "You only care about yourself. Don't you think that if our daughter can't get enough dowry, we will be excluded when we go to other people's houses. Besides, you are just running errands. I didn't ask you to do anything. You have more free time than us. We even give you money every month."

Suddenly, Chen Xiaolang didn't dare to speak.

Nowadays, there are people who are sick with cold or frozen to death everywhere on the streets. Although the Wei family is not a wealthy family, they provide three meals a day and a monthly salary.

After giving him a slap, Ah Ying also gave him a sweet treat: "Besides, after my wife gets married, we will definitely have to close the shop for a few days. We will have time to rest then."

"Yes, Sister Aying." Chen Xiaolang said.

There was actually not much business on New Year's Day, but Jinniang felt more at ease staying in the embroidery room. Although there was no business, she did design the pattern for the hem of the folded skirt. This time, the color of the skirt was made of satin material, with dark patterns of crabapple and peony, which implied wealth and prosperity. She embroidered the hem of the skirt with Chijiao flowers, which made it more vibrant.

What’s a bit annoying is that her mother always brings food, and the table is piled with sugar-roasted chestnuts, osmanthus cake and fried meatballs. Jinniang had no choice but to call Aying in and said, "Take it to the front hall to eat. I can't eat now."

There was no business until the third year of junior high school, and before she got anxious, her mother started complaining.

In fact, Jinniang knew what her mother meant? For so many years she had been laughed at about her marriage, and now she was finally promised a man of both talent and good looks, so she should be proud of herself and go out for a walk, otherwise it would be like walking in the night in gorgeous clothes.

Jinniang said, "Mother, the last time I put on the hairpin, I made them feel ashamed. Everything should be done in moderation. Otherwise, people will really hate you."

If she told her mother to focus on herself and not worry about others, her mother would definitely not be satisfied given her personality, because she had never felt at ease for most of her life, always being looked down upon or suppressed by others. Therefore, Jinniang could only say this to calm her mother down.

"Look, your son is now studying at Luming Academy, and your daughter is marrying into a scholarly family. Who wouldn't envy you?"

Luo Yu'e thought so too. She could only go to Rong Niang's house with her husband and son. But when Rong Niang asked why Jin Niang didn't come, Luo Yu'e said, "She's already engaged, so it's not easy for her to go out."

"That's true." When Rong Niang saw that the gifts brought by Luo Yu'e and the others were just an ordinary chicken and a basket of fruits, she now knew that one could judge people's attitude by the gifts they gave. She suddenly felt that the second house did not take them seriously.

Luo Yu'e was thinking that the cake you sent me had caused me to have a stomachache and diarrhea in the middle of the night, so I'm giving you a roast chicken as a bargain.

However, seeing that Guan Ge'er was still coughing, he asked again, "Why haven't you recovered yet?"

Rong Niang also felt upset when she mentioned this. She was actually exhausted now because Feng Sheng had too high expectations of her. All the blame for the child's illness was put on her. No one asked Feng Sheng why the child was like this?

But she would not show disrespect to her elders and just said "hmm" lightly.

Yingniang's mother-in-law was asking her, "Has your daughter's wedding date been set?"

"It's settled. It's March 28th this year. The in-laws must come then." What Luo Yu'e is most enthusiastic about now is her daughter's marriage.

An's mother was visiting relatives with her sons. At her age, she also liked to talk about these things. She asked, "I didn't go to the hairpin-pinning ceremony half a year ago? I heard that family was a wealthy one."

Luo Yu'e said: "It's just that my ancestors were officials. Everything is fine now, mainly because my son-in-law is good-looking and can speak." She wanted to praise him a little more, but she stopped talking when she remembered Jinniang's advice.

Her mother kept silent, but Xiang Ming told him everything about how Jiang Xian talked to Jiang Shi, and added: "This year our eldest master and second young master were both assigned to other posts, so life was quiet and peaceful. It was a good opportunity for the eldest lady to ask you to come over. I guess she wanted to give you something as a reward. However, this is really all thanks to Sixteenth Young Master."

"I remember that Shiliulang is not the eldest lady's biological nephew. Why is the eldest lady so good to him?" Jinniang was a little puzzled.

Xiang Ming shook her head: "I don't know either. I was just a third-class maid before, and sometimes I couldn't even get into the room."

Jinniang smiled and said, "Okay, I'll pack up and follow you."

Then, Aying helped her dress up. Jinniang was thinking that Jiang Xian actually went to Jiang's house to plead for her in person. If Xiangming had not had a good relationship with her, she might not have known about this. In any case, a man who takes the initiative to solve the problem is still a good thing.

When it comes to love, she has never thought about it. Instead of looking for someone who is only good to you, it is better to find someone who is already good.

The reason she was able to settle down with the Jiang family so quickly was entirely because the Jiang family was sincere and directly told her mother about their financial situation. Whether Jiang Xian was sincere or not, he was indeed talented and handsome, and his words were in line with her wishes. Even after the entire engagement process was completed, the Jiang family did not have any flaws at all, unlike other families who quarreled over betrothal gifts and financial gifts.

Although Jiang Xian is a few years younger than her, he left a deep impression on her when she was very young. It is not difficult to get along with such a smart person. At least people know that if one suffers, all suffer; if one prospers, all prosper. Just like the problem between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, if the son can mediate well, everything will be fine. If the son hides himself, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law will be more likely to deteriorate.

She was a little worried about how she would face Mrs. Jiang if she married into the Jiang family in the future. Now here come the steps.

She took the two fashionable tapestry items, a box of dried longans and a box of red dates sent by Qu Fengxia, and privately gave Xiang Ming a newly made light red swirl jacket with peonies embroidered on it. It looked rich and beautiful, and Xiang Ming was happy to receive it.

Ah Ying called me Sister Xiangming all the time, and it sounded very nice: "Our girl always said that I was stupid and could never learn needlework. I'm not as smart as you were back then."

Xiang Ming smiled and said, "If you can learn even a little bit from Sister Jinniang, you will benefit a lot."

While they were talking, they packed up and went to pay a visit to Jiang first. Jiang saw Jinniang in front of her, wearing a lilac jacket with a folded skirt and a tuft of velvet flowers on her head. She looked fresh and lovely. No wonder Jiang Xian liked her.

"Get up. I didn't expect that we would meet again in this capacity." Jiang said with a smile.

Jinniang pretended to be shy, and Jiang Shi saw that she was uncomfortable, so she said, "I heard that your wedding date has been set. It will be more convenient for you to meet in the future."

"You are right." Jinniang smiled.

Jiang said nothing more and rewarded her with a pair of silver moth hairpins, which Jinniang hurriedly bowed to. Wu's people came over to ask Jinniang to go over, and Jiang let her go first.

Looking at Jinniang's back, she narrowed her eyes. Since she couldn't convince Jiang Xian, she would start with Jinniang. Otherwise, she would become a sister-in-law to her own daughter. How could the Zhou family afford to lose face like this?

After Jinniang met Wu, Wu gave her a doily box. The two talked for a long time before Jinniang left. When she passed by the rockery of the second house, she heard two servants talking about something. They mentioned Jiang Xian in their conversation, and their words were obscure, ambiguous and dirty. Jinniang stopped to listen for a while and then took Aying away.

On their way back, Ah Ying couldn't help asking, "Miss, what does Long Yang Zhi Xing mean? Why do they say this about my son-in-law? Does my son-in-law have any Long Yang Zhi Xing..."

Jinniang curled her lips: "Of course not."

"How do you know he doesn't have it?" Aying was puzzled.

Jinniang said with certainty, "Anyway, I'm sure he didn't. These words are slanderous. You're grown up now. If you hear a lot of indecent words, just keep your mouth shut and pretend you don't know. Do you understand?"

Ah Ying scratched her head: "I know, girl."