Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Two Chapters in One
Late at night, Jinniang rinsed her mouth again and spit into the spittoon on the dental table. Then, she wiped her face with a handkerchief before going inside to lie down. Seeing Jiang Xian pouring water in, he hurriedly asked, "Would you like to rinse your mouth with my tea?"
Jiang Xian looked at her with a smile: "No need."
Jinniang blushed slightly and patted the empty seat next to her: "Come and have a rest. It's late. Don't study today."
"Okay, I'll listen to you, my lady." Jiang Xian smiled.
Although they had only been together for two months, Jinniang felt that Jiang Xian was definitely a very easy person to get along with. After he lay down, she leaned into his arms again: "You've been tossing and turning for too long today. I don't know if I can get up tomorrow. You must remember to call me."
Jiang Xian caressed a strand of her hair: "What's wrong with you sleeping a little longer?"
"No, it's not good to let others say that the bride is a lazy person." Jinniang smiled and said, "Blow out the lamp."
Jiang Xian nodded and prepared to get out of bed. He suddenly remembered something and lifted Jinniang's quilt. He looked at her knees and found that they were indeed broken. He felt very distressed: "I'll get you some medicated oil to rub it on first."
"Okay, my dear." Jinniang allowed him to be so considerate.
The two of them worked for a while before they rested. They went to the embroidery shop during the day, and Jinniang started embroidering non-stop. She had made six of the ten peony dresses, and there were four left.
I had just worked for an hour in the morning when I saw Ah Ying come in and said, "Madam, someone wants to order a purse in the style of Luoyang brocade."
"Okay, I'll go to the front now." Jinniang came to the front and saw that it was an acquaintance.
The man was also surprised: "You are from here..."
Jinniang smiled and said, "This shop is mine. Please take a seat."
The visitor was Han Xiao's wife, Liu Jixiang's niece. During the Dragon Boat Festival, her mother-in-law saw her coming to visit. This Madam Liu was not only the daughter of Prime Minister Liu Ji, but also the great-grandniece of Prime Minister Zhao Wen. Her family background was quite prominent and it was said that her dowry was worth millions.
Madam Liu looked around with a smile and couldn't help but said, "This place doesn't look like an embroidery shop, but more like a calligraphy and painting shop. The silk paintings on the wall are all very good."
"I just drew this for fun. I heard that you want to order Luoyang brocade purses. How many pairs would you like and what background color would you like? I can design it on the spot." Jinniang said with a smile.
When it comes to business, there's no need for pleasantries. If you exchange too many pleasantries, it won't be right to accept money, and it won't be right not to accept money either.
Madam Liu said, "I just came in and saw several quilts you have here. I heard that they are all Luoyang brocade styles. They are really beautiful, so I want to make twenty pairs. The specific style is up to you to decide."
"Then I will draw two. If you agree, I will make ten of each." Jinniang asked.
Seeing Madam Liu nod, she immediately took out the paintbrush, but she asked again: "I forgot to ask, who are you giving it to? A young woman, a man, or for yourself?"
Madam Liu smiled and said, "Give it to the young woman."
"Then choose gourd-pattern and grape-pattern ones. The gourd-pattern one should be made of satin with a green bamboo base, and the grape-pattern one should be made of bright red brocade with cloud patterns." Jinniang immediately had an idea. She had been making Luoyang brocade styles every day in the past few days and had already memorized them by heart.
After half an hour, Jinniang showed her the design. Madam Liu couldn't help but nodded: "It's really beautiful."
Jinniang smiled and said, "As long as you like it."
Then he added that each purse was worth two hundred coins, twenty pairs made forty purses, and together they were worth eight strings of cash.
Madam Liu had the money paid quickly and left with her servants. Ah Ying said, "Madam, why don't you chat with her more? We are relatives after all."
In fact, Aying felt that it was okay not to have money, because her brother-in-law and Han Shizhi were good friends.
Jinniang smiled and said, "People are the greatest when they don't ask for anything. I don't ask for anything from her either."
"But as for my son-in-law..." Ah Ying was worried that Jiang Xian would blame Jinniang.
Jinniang shook her head: "He should pursue his own future. I still have to run my business. Besides, he and I are not in the same class. If I talk too much, he will not like it."
Little did they know that after Madam Liu got on the carriage, her trusted maids and mothers became curious: "This Madam Wei's shop looks rich and elegant. The cushions we just sat on were made of brocade, and the tea served was Jian tea. I heard that the jacket hanging there was the dowry of the prime minister's daughter. It looks like it cost a lot of money."
Madam Liu said, "I was afraid that she would tell me something else, but luckily she didn't. I will not come to this house again after I make a profit this time."
She said to herself, "Yes, Sixteenth Young Master is actually your cousin, and he and our son-in-law grew up in the same circle, so it's really embarrassing."
"Yes, but her embroidery skills are still unique. I went to several famous shops. Jinxiu Pavilion is too messy, Binyunlou is too old-fashioned, and the currently popular Wangji has a bad reputation. It is all copied from here and there. On the contrary, Weiji Embroidery Shop is beautiful and exquisite, and the price is reasonable." Madam Liu said very fairly. She even found that Jinniang had no feelings for her. She just did business normally and sold at normal prices.
However, it is difficult to determine whether you are interacting with her as a friend’s wife or as a customer, so it is better not to go.
Jinniang was not so conflicted. She told Jiang Xian about what happened today and it mainly depended on Jiang Xian's reaction. If Jiang Xian also looked down on her in his heart, if he really became a powerful figure in the future, she would probably become a stumbling block to him.
Then you have to plan early.
The appearance of Madam Liu today and her distant and polite manner made Jinniang sober up from her newlywed love.
"Madam, I don't understand your business affairs. So, just do whatever you want without telling me." Jiang Xian said with a smile.
After saying that, he came over and sat next to Jinniang and said, "If someone makes you angry, just tell me. Even if I can't help you out right now, I can help you in the future."
This answer satisfied Jinniang. She shook her head and said, "It's okay. No one is mad at me. I just thought that you and Han Xiao are friends after all. I don't know if this is right. You are relying on yourself now. If I don't take the money, it will seem like we are begging others."
Jiang Xian thought that everything she did was done with the first consideration of whether it would have an impact on him, but he rarely thought of her when doing anything every day.
He held her shoulders and looked into her eyes: "My dear, you are so good, I am afraid that someone will take you away."
"I'm fine?" Jinniang was a little confused. She didn't think she was that good to Jiang Xian.
Seeing Jinniang so confused, Jiang Xian couldn't help but laugh: "It seems like you don't even know how good you are?"
What a silly girl.
How many people relied on their large dowries to live in luxury among their sisters-in-law, and how many people were isolated by the people in the mansion, but they were still calm and had no complaints. She was always neither humble nor arrogant, and was generous.
She is also always very good at considering others, especially him.
Their hair was all loose, pressed against their foreheads, and under the light of the orange-petal gauze lamp, the room was full of warmth.
In the morning, Jinniang personally helped him tie his hair. To be honest, her husband looked even more handsome with his hair down than a girl.
Jiang Xian used to be very confident about his appearance. No matter where he went, he was the most likely to attract attention as a pretty boy. However, after experiencing several slanders, he felt that being too pretty was not a good thing.
He would even be teased and looked at with lustful eyes. The only people who thought he was very good and cared for him were his mother and his wife.
"It's a little itchy here, help me comb it." Jiang Xian acted coquettishly for the first time and deliberately pointed at his scalp and looked at Jinniang.
Jinniang said lovingly, "Okay, I'll help you comb it."
After combing the hair, she saw that her husband was really handsome, and couldn't help but say, "Wait until I finish making all this batch of Luoyang brocade, and then I will make a dress for you."
Jiang Xian shook his head: "No, just finish this batch and take a break."
"Now I no longer do embroidery at night, so I am already taking a break. You still have to study at night, which is more exhausting than me." Jinniang didn't care.
Now she can share half of her work with Zhu Xiu Niang, which makes her much more relaxed.
Jiang Xian knew that she never said anything easily, but once she spoke, she would keep her word, so he did not argue, but just said obediently: "Thank you, my lady."
Jinniang scratched his nose and said, "Don't say thank you. By the way, didn't you say you would go to Mr. Huang's residence tomorrow? Don't go home after you go there. Come to my place. I heard people say yesterday that the pigeon soup at Shengyifang is very nourishing. As the saying goes, one pigeon is better than nine chickens. It nourishes the liver and kidneys, and replenishes the qi and blood. It is the best for the two of us."
Somehow, Jiang Xian felt that his wife doted on him very much, but sometimes she also treated him as her protector, just like yesterday when there was a noise outside, his wife would crawl into his arms and let him protect her.
The two of them spent some time together in the morning, and then immediately went back to do their own things.
In the morning, Rong Niang came over after she had been embroidering for a while. Jin Niang asked her to come in and talk, and couldn't help but smile and asked, "Why did you have time to come over, big sister?"
When Rong Niang saw that Jin Niang had hired an extra person and her complexion was extremely healthy and moist, she said, "You had a few pimples on your forehead before, but they are all healed now."
"Yeah, I don't know why either." Jinniang still felt strange.
Although she had good skin, she would still get a few pimples from time to time. After she got married, they all disappeared. She thought about it again: "Maybe it's because I don't stay up late at night now."
Rong Niang smiled and said, "It seems that your brother-in-law treats you very well."
Jinniang smiled, but got straight to the point: "Sister, are you still working in the perfume and powder shop?"
Rong Niang sighed, "The people in the perfume and powder shop are fighting for a little profit, and the water is too deep."
Seeing that her elder sister was about to back out, Jinniang also knew her personality. To put it nicely, she was indifferent to fame and fortune, but to put it bluntly, she was only enthusiastic for a short time. Moreover, she was already served by a group of servants, so Jinniang would never give any advice. Just like the imperial examination, those who can truly succeed are definitely not those who are urged or oppressed by others. They must be self-disciplined and talented, just like Jiang Xian. Although he has a wide range of social contacts, the degree of diligence he puts in his daily studies is absolutely astonishing.
Seeing Jinniang lowering her head to do embroidery, she felt bored and left first, saying that she had something to do.
After she left, Ah Ying came in and said, "Madam, what does the young lady want to say?"
"She wants others to help her make decisions. If things don't go well for her, she can shift the blame to others. If things go well for her, it's her own business. Don't worry about it. If something big happens to her, she will definitely come back." Jinniang shook her head indifferently.
At noon, Jiang Xian came over. Jinniang greeted him and took him upstairs to drink soup. It was the first time that Jinniang invited him upstairs to her boudoir. Jiang Xian looked left and right, extremely curious. He wanted to ask everything and even wanted to lie down on the bed.
"Madam, what is this?" He asked, holding a crab-shaped box.
Jinniang pointed to her lips and said, "Lip balm. You see, my lips are always puffy. It's because I use lip balm and then apply a layer of this."
He just said "Oh" and then went to the terrace to look down. He only came in obediently when Jinniang called him to come in and drink soup.
I don’t know how the pigeon soup was made, the soup tasted light, but it was very delicious.
Jinniang smiled and said, "Sir, how is it?"
"This is the first time I've tasted such delicious pigeon soup, and it's all thanks to my wife." Jiang Xian held her hand.
The two talked about some family matters, and Jiang Xian then said, "Second Brother Cun was away from home, and Madam Zhang was coveted by someone. Later, she asked Brother Zhang Jiu and I to teach that person a lesson. Madam, if I become an official in the future, we must never be separated."
Jinniang had never thought that there would be such a thing in the Zhou family, so she nodded, but she also made a request: "Then I will follow you to the exile, and you must not be indecisive. If you are indecisive, then I will definitely not be wholehearted."
"My wife, you are actually worried about this. I am the only one who is worried about you. Why are you worried about me?" Jiang Xian was surprised.
Jinniang pointed at him and smiled: "You are good at talking."
There were only two months until the exam, so Jinniang said, "Study hard at home these days and don't go out. If you need anything to eat or use, I'll buy it and give it to you when I get back."
"Okay, I'll listen to you, but sometimes when I miss you, I will come to pick you up." Jiang Xian smiled.
Although she knew that he was just trying to coax her, Jinniang was still very happy when she heard it.
After finishing the pigeon soup, Jiang Xian wanted to stay with Jinniang to rest. Jinniang opened the window and waited for the wind to blow in before going down.
Little did she know that the Fourth Girl was also hearing Sun Shichen mention the examination. Only then did she realize that the examination in Song Dynasty was different from that in Ming and Qing Dynasties. There were no county examinations or academy examinations, only provincial examinations and palace examinations. If you fail the provincial test, you need to re-examine it.
"I just now know that Jiang Xian followed Madam Huang's connections and was an outsider disciple. Now he is favored by Master Huang. It seems that he has made great progress."
The fourth girl was not surprised at Jiang Xian's talent. After all, it was written in the books that he was a treacherous minister. Such a person who could be called a treacherous minister was not an ordinary person.
However, she was curious: "Why did he follow Mrs. Huang's path?"
Sun Shichen said, "It is well known that Madam Huang loves peonies and even cultivated Luoyang brocade. Jiang Xian gave her a jacket with the pattern of two Qiao sisters and a peony, which was quite popular with Madam Huang."
Then it must have been Wei Jinniang who did it. After the fourth girl married Sun Shichen, she was beautiful and had a good family background, so it was natural for her to develop feelings with her husband. So she said, "This dress must have been made by his wife, who runs an embroidery shop."
A few days ago, Sun Shichen and Jiang Xian had a drink together at Zhou's house. Jiang Xian was the nephew of Madam Zhou. He was handsome and one could tell at first glance that he was no ordinary person, especially when it came to his work.
He didn't expect that his wife was a merchant. But then he thought that this was very common. Since ancient times, there have been many marriages between officials and businessmen. One of his cousins was also a wealthy businessman in Bian Jing, and he married the daughter of a palace official. Even his own brother married the daughter of a merchant in Caizhou at that time.
Sun Shichen said this to the fourth girl, and he was also thinking about how they could please Master Huang. You know, Master Huang is currently the leader of the literary world.
After living in the Zhou family for so long, my father-in-law and brother-in-law were both sent out, and the rest of the people were mediocre and couldn't help much.
The fourth girl smiled and said, "I heard that there is a rare peony in a garden in Bianjing. Why don't we send some of the precious varieties over there?"
Sun Shichen naturally agreed and gave her some money. The fourth girl had a dowry of three thousand strings of cash. She used one thousand strings to buy a small farm, and another thousand strings to buy various boxes, furniture, jewelry and clothes. She had one thousand strings in cash.
When Miao Xiaoniang passed away, all her boxes and other belongings were looted by Jiang. The only reason she had such a large dowry was because she married into an official family. After visiting the Sun family, she realized that not all official families were as wealthy as the Zhou family, and that many official families lived very frugally.
The two were just talking when Yuxing came over and said, "The fourth young lady is in trouble. The old lady has passed away."
The fourth girl was startled.
Now that grandma is gone, my father and brothers will all have to observe mourning! Even if he is reinstated in the future, it will be difficult for him to return to his original position. Sun Shichen was somewhat thankful that it was not his grandmother, otherwise he would not have been able to take part in the imperial examination.
At that time, Jinniang had just finished embroidering the flowers on the front of her clothes. Seeing that Jiang Xian had slept for an hour, she put down the clothes in her hands and called him to get up. When they got to the room, they found that he was sleeping soundly on his pink satin pillow. Jinniang pushed him to wake him up, and when Jiang Xian opened his eyes, he didn't know where he was.
"If you sleep any longer, you will have to go back with me later. The sun is not that strong now, so you can go back first." Jinniang said with a smile.
But Jiang Xian was reluctant to leave, so he lingered. Jinniang, thinking about her work, hurried away.
The two of them went back together, and only then did they learn that the old lady of the Zhou family had passed away. Jiang Xian was just about to go to the Zhou family to express her anger, but unexpectedly, Mrs. Jiang Liu summoned them and her husband to go there first.
Jinniang and Jiang Xian hurried over without even having time to change their clothes. At the door, they met Jiang Yan from the royal family and several uncles. Jiang Xian hurriedly bowed. Jinniang went in without knowing why and saw that Xu's face was not looking good.
Mrs. Jiang Liu used to lie in bed, but today she dressed in new clothes and came out to look at everyone and said, "As the saying goes, a big tree needs branches, and a big person needs to divide the family. While my parents are still alive, we won't divide the family, but I have been ill for a long time. If we don't make arrangements now, when I am gone in the future, we will live under the same roof. Who knows what will happen. The Sixth Master and I both want to divide the property first but not the family."
In ancient times, it was very taboo to divide the family, so even though Jinniang had her own house before marriage, she always lived in her husband's house and would rather travel every day.
After Mrs. Jiang Liu finished speaking, Mr. Jiang Liu also said some clichés.
Jinniang had never thought that the division of property would come so suddenly, leaving them no room for thought, but this was what Mrs. Jiang Liu wanted. She had to settle the matter quickly with a swift and decisive attitude, otherwise there would be changes if she delayed. Some families, because they knew about the division of property in advance, ended up harming their siblings, but she would not allow this to happen.
This incident actually caught Xu off guard. Originally, she had cut the money from the study, and everything was going well. She was also planning to rent out the garden at home, which would provide another source of income.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Jiang Liu suddenly called people to divide the family property, without even inviting her own family members.
Inside, Master Jiang Liu said, "Now even the youngest, Shiliu Lang, has married. Over the years, they have been married and studying, and I don't know how to manage them, so the property has become empty."
When Jiang Xian married Jinniang, he had vaguely known his mother's plan, but now he said nothing.
"The three-story house with a garden in Nanxunfang was given to Balang. Originally, this house only had three stories. Later, we bought the garden and hired someone to build a garden, a pond, and a pavilion. Now we have a huge amount of capital."
"Jinliang Bridge originally had five large storefronts. Later, I bought the back and built a warehouse and stable. I also painted the storefront with oil paint. The total capital was five thousand taels. I gave this store to Shiliulang."
"As for the 200 mu of land left in the public house, they will give 50 mu to each brother, and the remaining 100 mu will be used for my husband and I to retire. After we die, they will divide it equally among the brothers."
After Master Jiang Liu finished speaking, he heard Madam Jiang Liu cough a few times: "My dowry has been pawned and sold over the years, but I still have 100 acres of paddy fields. I will give them to Shiliu Lang. It's not that I am partial to him, but Shiliu Lang still suffers from these."
Master Jiang Qi took it in his hand and looked at it: "This is quite fair."
The eldest son got a mansion worth millions, while the youngest son only got a shop worth half the money. Even if he was given a hundred acres of paddy field, the youngest son would still be at a disadvantage. But if the house is divided, it will have to be broken down, and everyone will get less.
…
When Mrs. Xu heard the news, she almost fainted. Her mother-in-law was really too biased. On the surface, as the eldest wife, they got more, but they could divide the property but not the family. Shiliulang and his wife still lived in Nanxunfang, but they could get 180 guan and 50 acres of land rent from the public every year, while the eldest wife's income was only the rent from 50 acres of land?
Even so, everyone still thinks that Jiang Xian is at a disadvantage, and that Madam Jiang Liu favors their eldest son's family?
No, she absolutely couldn't swallow this.
On the contrary, when Jinniang saw Jiang Xian handed her the house deed, land deed and field deed, she immediately made a decision: "Although our parents didn't split up the family while they were still alive, the property has been divided now, and this house belongs to your brothers. Where will we live after our parents pass away? So, I want to tear down the corridor of my house in Tianshui Lane and build a study for you. What do you think?"
"This... is too fast." Jiang Xian said.
Jinniang shook her head: "It's better to prepare for a rainy day. Even if we don't move there in the future, I'll build a study room there. You can come to see me at noon on weekdays and study there. It's settled then. I'll call the back-installer tomorrow and ask him to draw some construction drawings for us."
Jiang Xian was stunned. His wife was too decisive.
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