Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Two Chapters in One

The division of the property was decided the next day, and Wei Xiong, Luo Yu'e and several of Xu's brothers and sisters-in-law were invited to witness it, and the matter was considered a foregone conclusion.

Jinniang suddenly had a few more contracts in her hands. On the one hand, she felt happy that her property had increased, but on the other hand, she was a little scared. Her parents didn't understand these inheritance disputes, and they felt it was an honor to have them come and witness them, and they were even a little nervous.

Jiang Xian was chatting with her parents. All Wei Xiong could recall were his days in the Imperial Guards. Perhaps Wei Xiong talked too much at home, and Jinniang and the others were used to hearing him. Also, he was not very good at speaking, so Jinniang was always afraid that he would show his weakness in public. Therefore, she asked him to speak less in general situations, so that others would not know that his personality did not match his appearance and would attack him.

Look, Wei Xiong has been repeating the same thing over and over again. The brother-in-law of the Xu family has become impatient and looks down on him. However, Jiang Xian is accompanying him for drinks and has been courteous and respectful.

After finishing the lunch break, Jinniang sent her parents out, changed her clothes, and went to Zhou's house with Jiang Xian.

Both of them were dressed very simply, but Jinniang looked better the simpler she looked, especially her lips which were as pink and white as cherries. When Jiang Xian saw them, he couldn't help but hold her chin and move closer to her. His kiss was so intense and lingering that Jinniang couldn't even breathe.

"What's wrong?" Jinniang asked him, panting.

Jiang Xian smiled and said, "Nothing. I just feel sad that we divided the property so quickly. It feels like a dream. Now I'm going to someone else's funeral again. I have an indescribable feeling."

Jinniang understood this feeling very well: "The sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day. As the older generation gradually fades away, new stars rise, and this cycle repeats. We can be sad, but we must live our lives well, so that our lives in this world are not in vain."

Why did Mrs. Jiang Liu want to divide the property? It was probably because her health was no longer good, so she made the decision early.

Such words seemed to be injected into his soul. Few people said this to him. Even good friends might not be able to say some things.

Jiang Xian was even more reluctant to part with her. Even though he was annoyed now, he said anxiously, "I'll go to the front to see the second master, and then I'll come find you."

"It's okay, I'm very familiar with the Zhou family, I just came here in a different identity. If they ridicule me, I will pretend not to hear it. If they treat me with courtesy, I will just say a few words and leave." Jinniang suddenly realized that if a person is really good to you, it is impossible for her to put you behind. She must have you at the top of her heart.

Jiang Xian kissed her again and changed his mind: "No, I will send you to your aunt later. I will hold you in my hands and no one will dare to look down on you."

The Jiang family has so few young men, why does the Jiang family value him so much? Isn't it because they need to find a few capable people when they have difficult tasks?

In fact, Jinniang didn’t know why Jiang Xian treated her like this, she was even a little flattered.

The old lady of the Zhou family is so old and has been sick often in recent years. In fact, funeral supplies and clothes are always prepared. Moreover, she is not the biological mother of the masters of the Zhou family. Although Jiang and others were also crying, they were not very sad.

At this time, Jiang and her two sisters-in-law were setting up the mourning hall. The eldest master of the family and Zhou Cunzhi and his son had not returned yet, so only close relatives came.

Jiang looked up and was delighted to see Jiang Xian, but when she saw Jinniang again, she frowned without even noticing it.

"Aunt, your nephew's wife and I are here to express our displeasure. I hope you take good care of yourself."

Jinniang did not dare to call her aunt, and only said, "I hope you ladies will not be too sad."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Xian said to Jinniang, "You stay here and serve your aunt. I will have someone come to tell you when I leave."

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Jiang Xian had sent Jinniang here on purpose. Even the fourth young lady who was present found it very strange that a man like Jiang Xian would be so nice to Wei Jinniang.

Jinniang sat down. The only reason she could come here today was because the eldest lady of the Jiang family was also ill. Her son and daughter-in-law had returned to their hometown to live a life of idleness and wealth because they could not receive any imperial favor. Furthermore, Jiang Xian himself has more face in the Zhou family than anyone else.

The maids brought tea over. Just as Jinniang finished taking a sip, the third lady asked, "Jinniang, how is your mother-in-law?"

The third lady is now Jiang Fang's wife. She does not have as much resistance as Jiang has to Jinniang. Moreover, her husband Jiang Fang does not recognize his biological mother. If the people from the sixth branch of the Jiang family really come out to identify her, her husband's official career will definitely be in trouble. After all, Jiang Xian and Jiang Yan are his brothers, and Liu is his biological mother.

"It's still the same, always coughing and unable to get up. I changed a new doctor this month, and I'll try the prescription." Although Jinniang went to the shop every day, she would often pay her respects in the morning and evening.

The third girl smiled bitterly: "I still have some medicinal herbs here, which are very good for coughs. I will send them to you when the time comes. You can give them to the Sixth Madam. Otherwise, I'm afraid she won't want what we send her."

Mrs. Jiang Liu was a woman of great character and integrity. Until the division of property today, she had been worrying about her sons until the very last moment. The reason why she didn't break up the house and give each of them half was because she knew that Jinniang already had a house and was good at business, so even if she only gave them the shop, they would have a place to live and would not be short of money. Xu used the betrothal gift to buy hundreds of acres of land and had a big house, so she would be able to live on rent in the future.

How can I have any say in what such a mentally strong person decides?

Jinniang smiled and said, "I appreciate your kindness, but it's her wish, so we can't go against it."

The third girl didn't force it: "I won't make it difficult for you."

Jinniang nodded.

Then a maidservant beside Xi came in and said, "Mrs. Qin said that my brother had a fright today, and she wants Madam to ask a doctor to come and take a look."

Xi nodded: "You ask someone to invite Qiu Fang to come, and go to the account to collect the medical fee."

"What's wrong?" Jiang asked.

Xi said hurriedly, "It's nothing. It's just that Zhuge is feeling unwell. I've already asked someone to get a doctor."

Jiang suddenly looked at Jinniang and said, "Speaking of which, Zhuge'er's wife is not someone else. She is Qin, who came to our house with you to do needlework."

In fact, the first reaction to hearing this was that Jiang was most likely in menopause, because when she came to the Zhou family nine years ago, Jiang was actually able to control her emotions quite well, but now she seemed to have returned to her original nature, almost the same as her second daughter.

So, she didn't get angry as she had imagined, but just said calmly: "You have a good memory."

The fourth girl also lowered her head. She knew very well that Jiang was now old. After the eldest girl married into the Wang family, there was discord between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and it was like swallowing a needle to marry into a wealthy family. Not to mention the second girl, even after marrying into her aunt's family, her life was not very good, and she only gave birth to a daughter in the past few years. Not to mention that she and Zhang also had conflicts with each other. When it came to the funeral this time, Master Zhou was not as generous in giving money as he had been in the past. Jiang was feeling furious.

In the morning, he punished a few maids by making them kneel for a few hours, and then tied up a woman and took her to the stable, but there was no sign of anything wrong on his face.

"Sister-in-law, I wonder when uncle and Erlang will come back?" Mrs. Wu changed the subject at the right time.

Jiang said, "Erlang is in Taiyuan, and his father is in Shaanxi. It will take at least half a month for him to come back."

…

After leaving Zhou's house, Jinniang went to the shop. Jiang Xian smiled and sent her into the shop. He turned around and immediately asked Xi Qiuminzhi who had followed Jinniang just now: "Did anyone say anything when you followed the lady just now?"

Xi Qiu and Min Zhi looked at each other.

Jiang Xian didn't have a good temper towards them: "Hurry up and tell me."

The two of them told Jiang Xian what she had said. Jiang Xian narrowed his eyes and held back his anger: "Okay, I understand. Don't tell my wife what you told me. My wife is kind-hearted and generous. You should help her more in the future."

"Yes." Xi Qiu and Min Zhi both said.

**

As soon as Jinniang arrived at the store, she went to the embroidery workshop to embroider Luoyang brocade clothes. The purse could be given to Zhu Xiuniang to embroider, but the Luoyang brocade clothes had to be made one month in advance. She had to start designing gauze clothes for the hot summer again, with a feeling similar to Wu Daozi's "Belt in the Wind". Today she saw Wu Daozi's Buddha statue in Jiang's flower hall. Looking at his painting, her brush strokes were round and smooth, and the clothes she painted seemed to be blown by the wind.

This was the feeling she wanted for summer, the feeling of the breeze blowing on her face by the lake.

After embroidering for about an hour, Luo Yu'e came over and asked about their visit to Zhou's house today. Jinniang said, "I think the Zhou family is not doing well, otherwise the eldest lady's temper would be so bad that she would not care about her dignity at all."

"She is such a jerk. You are her nephew's wife now, yet she still exposes my shortcomings. She is so inhuman." Luo Yu'e curled her lips.

Jinniang smiled and said, "Yes, but Shiliulang has a good relationship with her family, and he is an elder. Also, the Second Madam and the Third Miss are all very nice to me, so I won't bear a grudge."

The mother and daughter talked for a long time. Jinniang said that she would find someone to build a study room tomorrow. Luo Yu'e felt that it was too fast and said, "Although you two have a shop, we don't know whether we will pay you the rent. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Mom, if we wait until we need to do something, it will be too late. In addition to the study, I also want to build an ear room. If someone really comes to live here, it can be used as a warehouse. If no one lives here, it can be used as a warehouse." Jinniang calculated.

Luo Yu'e, however, felt that Jinniang's plan would cost a lot of money, and tried to dissuade her, but seeing that her daughter would not listen, she could do nothing because her daughter was very opinionated.

"Well, it's up to you. You're spending your own money anyway." Luo Yu'e spread her hands.

Jinniang also coaxed her mother: "Just now a cloth merchant came to my place to sell. I saw that summer cloth is soft and fine, and it is just right for wearing in summer, so I bought a piece. I will cut some of it later and go back. You can ask the tailor shop to make two summer shirts for Yang Ge'er and send them to the academy."

"Okay." Luo Yu'e laughed.

In the evening, when Jinniang arrived home, she first went to pay her respects to Madam Jiang Liu. When she heard that everyone had gone to bed, she returned to her room to take a bath and change clothes. Many important things happened today, and my nerves are still tense. However, Ah Ying reminded me, "Miss, I heard from Minzhi and the others that they went to the kitchen to fetch water and waited for a long time."

"It's predictable. Now that the property has been divided, their family is unwilling to care about ours." Jinniang said.

But Ah Ying said speechlessly: "Even if the property is divided, we are still using public funds."

Jinniang shook her head: "I'm afraid this kind of situation will happen frequently in the future."

Generally speaking, Xu would only target herself. After all, Jiang Xian was her mother-in-law's beloved son, so Xu didn't dare to offend him for the time being.

This is also the reason why she wanted to renovate the house in Tianshui Lane first, because her family was like this when she was young. The sisters-in-law ate from the same pot, which made it very easy for them to have conflicts, especially since the house was given entirely to the eldest wife.

Someone like her third aunt, who had lived with her for so long, could be considered one of her own, not to mention that the property was clearly divided up to the eldest wife today.

For three consecutive days, Jinniang went to find a backpack builder. It was because Gongtou saw that she came to her and actually raised the price. She felt that she had no choice but to find him, and she would not tolerate such an attitude.

Finally, we found a man named Yu Tou, who was said to be an experienced bag assembler. We had a pleasant communication and he had a good reputation.

Jinniang asked her to draw the construction style of the study, and calculated the labor, material costs and demolition costs. She agreed because she thought it was reasonable.

When she came back that night, Jinniang told Jiang Xian about the design of the study: "You see, the walls are made of woven bamboo and mud. I heard that it is commonly used in the south, but I think it is also good here. We will use old fir wood for the doors and windows, and make two lattice doors. I plan to use lattice doors instead of walls in a row, and then use that kind of transparent silk to paste the windows, so that the study will be very bright."

"How much will this cost?" Jiang Xian looked at Jinniang.

Jinniang calculated and said, "I have 100 taels of silver ready. My master said a thick old fir tree costs 13 taels of silver. It's not cheap."

Jiang Xian took a look at Jinniang and knew that she was very simple in her daily life. She never bought jewelry and would only buy ice when the weather was very hot. She didn't even have any entertainment on weekdays. She just did embroidery work in the embroidery shop day after day. But she took out so much money at once.

"Madam, why do you have to do this?" Jiang Xian said, holding her hand.

Jinniang didn't think it was a big deal. Jiang Xian handed over all the house deeds, land deeds and land to her. How could she be so moved by just one hundred strings of cash? This hundred strings of cash was the betrothal money his family used to buy his own house.

So, she said excitedly: "In the past, study rooms were all decorated with white paper, or with paintings and calligraphy by famous people. But I don't have any paintings and calligraphy by famous people. So I thought of using brown paper as the base, and tearing bean green mica paper into small pieces, leaving a strip of brown paper at the junction of each piece. The sizes are mixed and uneven, so that it looks like cracks in ice. It's like the ink-patterned plum blossoms on the Ge kiln bottles you like." [1]

After she finished speaking, seeing that Jiang Xian didn't speak for a long time, Jinniang covered her mouth and said, "Are you going to study? Then I'll go over there and rest for a while, so you can be quiet."

As soon as she finished speaking, she was pulled into Jiang Xian's arms. She was a little overwhelmed and pushed him: "What are you doing?"

"Let me give you a rest. Don't be too tired." Jiang Xian pressed her head gently.

Jinniang smiled and said, "I'm not tired. The evenings are my free time now. I still have two more pieces of clothing to embroider and I can hand them in. Then I can specialize in the Wu Dai Dang Feng style."

"My wife is so amazing, really, so amazing, a man among women." Jiang Xian praised.

He held her in his arms and talked to her about sweet things for a long time that night, and Jinniang's heart melted when she heard them.

The next morning, Jiang Xian gave her a lot of rare pigments, saying that they were given by friends and he had no use for them. However, Jinniang knew that he must have bought or obtained them from somewhere else.

When they arrived at the embroidery shop, Yu Tou first brought the workers to dismantle the veranda, leaving the tiles behind and disposing of the rest of the wood at a depreciated state. Jinniang brought Minzhi with her and asked her to work with Juxiang in the kitchen to make steamed buns for the workers.

Minzhi was naturally happy. She was the one serving the Sixteenth Master and his wife. If the master and his wife passed away, they would have a new world if they could follow Madam Wei out.

Madam Wei was kind and generous to others, had money and was capable, so they were all willing to follow her.

Everything here was demolished in two days, and then the contract was signed, the date was set, and Jinniang paid the deposit first. Within half a month, she finished embroidering the Luoyang brocade clothes. She checked them one by one and asked Aying to iron them. She delivered them to the door personally and even received a reward, a string of Japanese crystal beads.

"Look, it's really beautiful. If I designed the dress and matched it with this string of beads, it would look even better." Jinniang said with a smile.

After a few jokes, she started designing clothes after returning. She designed three sets in total. One set used laces and shawls to create a feeling of Wu Dai Dang Feng. The other set was inspired by Li Sao, which said "I made clothes from lotus leaves and lotus flowers." It was a green dress with a red skirt, and the bodice was made into the shape of lotus petals. The details of the third set focused on the waist seal.

Of course, during the design process, she also asked Zhu Xiu Niang to make some vests and tube tops to sell outside.

At the same time, the store also took on some jobs, such as embroidering on fans for fan merchants. She had prepared patterns for twenty fans, and each fan cost fifty cents. She provided patterns and silk threads for Jing'an to embroider, and they split the profits 50-50, so the nun could earn five cents.

Jinniang took out a penny and gave it to Juxiang: "You can boil some mung bean water or sour plum soup every day these days and put it in the well water. It's so hot, and you still have to keep the craftsmen busy. Don't let them get too hot."

"The boss is such a kind person." Zhu Xiu Niang couldn't help but say.

Jinniang shook her head. She just felt that it was impossible to have a good thing like wanting the horse to run but not eat grass.

The sun was hot in the afternoon, but Jiang Xian came over. Jinniang looked at him with a smile: "Why are you here at this time? I told you not to go out."

"I just came over to take a look." Then he rushed to the back.

Jinniang pulled him aside and joked, "Come and see your study?"

She was hesitant to come over before, but now she finally couldn't hold back. Jinniang teased him, but he didn't get angry. He even took the initiative to treat everyone in the embroidery shop to a glass of thirst-quenching ice drink.

It took half a month to build the wall. Jinniang pointed to the back from the doorway and said, "We built side rooms and attics on both sides of our building. When there are more servants, we can use them as rooms. If we don't come to live here, we can use them as warehouses."

Jiang Xian was afraid that Jinniang would be exposed to the sun, so he asked her to stay in the embroidery shop. He came over to take a look. The pillars here were made of old fir wood, and the doors and windows had not been installed yet.

It was the first time that Yu Tou saw Jiang Xian. He heard that he was the boss's man. He looked at Jiang Xian with outstanding appearance, good conversation and dignified bearing. He knew at a glance that he was the son of a government official. He hurried over with great trepidation to reply.

Hearing Jiang Xian asking about the fir, Yu Tou said hurriedly, "The origin of this giant fir is not simple. Two strings of cash would be enough for an ordinary fir. This fir was originally transported from Jingdong Road and has been planted for nearly three hundred years. Madam Wei said she wanted better ones for her husband, so she bought it. Our doors are also made of fir. The thin silk we use was bought by Madam Wei, who said the study should be brighter. After the wall is smoothed, our painters will paint the inside before installing the door."

Jiang Xian was so moved by these trivial things that he brought some wine to treat the craftsmen the next day. He thought that Jinniang was a woman after all and didn't like drinking, but most men like wine, so he let her do it.

Jinniang said to Jiang Xian that night, "I just think that Tianshui Lane is our retreat. It would be great if we could live in Nanxunfang forever. It would be prosperous for the whole family to live together. If there comes a day when there is no room here, we can stay in Tianshui Lane. It is better than being caught off guard at that time."

"My wife always wants to help me in everything, and I don't know how to repay her." Jiang Xian sighed slightly.

Jinniang smiled and said, "What's the big deal? There's no need to repay. What couples need is love, not repayment."

Jiang Xian thought to himself that my wife loved me so much, but I was always selfish. I was really a heartless person.

Jinniang didn't care about these things. She concentrated on making clothes and finally finished the three sets of clothes she designed at the end of June. One set was naturally the floating Wu Dai Dang Feng style. Jasmine flowers were embroidered on the gauze dress and skirt. Jasmine has the fragrance of summer, and the cuffs are made of large sleeves. When the wind blows, the ribbons on the shawl and the clothes all make the whole person seem to float up.

Naturally, this set of clothes was well received. Jiang Xian was jealous and said that she was Chang'e who had eaten the elixir and no longer wanted him. In order to please her husband, Jinniang made him a gauze robe.

The inside of the robe was made of white jacquard silk with a cross-collar, and the outside was covered with a layer of gauze. He was a man, and although jasmine was embroidered, it was only on the collar and shoulders. Even so, when Jiang Xian went to Zhang's house, he gave the other yamen a refreshing feeling.

Originally, people were appreciating women, but now it turns out that appreciating handsome men is indeed refreshing.

Someone even asked where it was made, Jiang Xian smiled proudly: "You won't be able to find the place, because my wife made it for me personally."

Even when he went to Zhou's house to see Zhou Cunzhi, Zhang still looked at him a few more times.

After Jinniang wore this dress, many people came to her house to ask about it, but were discouraged by the price. Jinniang did not force them, because sometimes you really get what you pay for.

She was just starting to make the lotus dress and hibiscus skirt. The part with the most variations was the bodice, some had lotus embroidered directly on it, and some were made into lotus petal shapes.

It was not until the fifth day of July that a large order came in. A young man named Shen from Wuxing was buying clothes for his concubine. He liked all three pieces and bought three bras. The one embroidered with jasmine was fifty strings of cash, the one embroidered with lotus was thirty strings of cash which was cheaper, and the third set was mainly to highlight the slender waist, which cost ten strings of cash, for a total of ninety strings of cash.

Of course, Jinniang also knew that not many people went out in the summer heat, so it was not easy to meet big customers, so she usually only sold vests and other things.

After receiving the money, Jinniang first paid 45 strings of cash for the doors and windows and the craftsmen, and then gave 6 strings of cash to Jiang Xian for his expenses. He had to pay it back next month, so she couldn't be careless now.

Jiang Xian didn't want Jinniang's money, and said, "Fanlou has new dishes, I want to treat you, I managed to reserve a table with great difficulty."

Naturally, he was very kind and had someone deliver a prepared meal to his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Jinniang was also happily dressing herself up, while Jiang Xian stood guard beside her. The two of them entered the store and sat down. The shopkeeper glanced at Jinniang and said to Jiang Xian, "My dear husband, you are so lucky."

Gong Yanei, the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture who had once asked to marry Jinniang as his second wife, saw the couple and said to Zhou Cunzhi who was beside him: "The woman can find someone better."

…

"My dear, eat this fish. I'll give you the belly meat." Jiang Xian said immediately.

Jinniang was originally preparing to eat, but for some reason she felt nauseous when she smelled the fish. She even dry-heaved a few times, which scared Jiang Xian so much that he immediately came over and patted her on the back.

"What's wrong, my lady? Are you feeling unwell?"

Jinniang poked him on the forehead and said, "I'm afraid you're going to be a father."

After her period was delayed, she became suspicious and deliberately said that she felt hot these days and did not have sex with Jiang Xian. She went to the doctor to check her pulse and the doctor said that it was too early and today seemed to be symptoms of morning sickness.