Chapter Fifty

  For Xian Yi, the New Year was a time when she would receive flower lanterns and clothes from the mansion, and eat better food than usual. If the madam was in a good mood, she might even take her to visit other mansions, where they would receive red envelopes with money from the wives of officials who wanted to curry favor with the madam. All in all, for a servant like Xian Yi, the New Year was a time when she could avoid seeing her master's face and collect some extra money.

  But after so many years in ancient times, Xian Yi had never imagined that this year would be different. She sat in Jin Fenghua's bedroom, watching as the maids put gold coins into embroidered pouches, waiting to give them away. Perhaps she had once fantasized about marrying a shopkeeper and buying a few servant girls, but becoming the wife of an official was something she had never even dreamed of.

  "Alright, madam, it's all done." Bixi said as she put the counted money into a box.

  "You should take a rest too, you've been working hard these past few days."

  Although there are only three masters in the mansion, Xian Yi, Jin Fenghua and Yu Ge'er, the number of servants in the mansion has been increasing from a few to many. In the main courtyard, apart from Bi Xi, the personal maid, there are two maids who sprinkle water and one rough servant woman. Yu Ge'er only has one person, Hu Po, but after the New Year, another wet nurse will be added. The backyard also has two maids who sprinkle water and a rough servant woman. In addition to the garden in the backyard that needs to be taken care of, the original two gardening masters have added an assistant. The kitchen originally had only one cook, but now there is another person who can make pastries, and the original helper has also been added. The front courtyard originally had only one coachman and a small servant boy, but later Jin Fenghua felt that the front courtyard also needed people to sweep, so two miscellaneous servants were added, and someone was also arranged in the reception room. As a result, the number of people in the Jin mansion is increasing, which Xian Yi did not think of when he moved in. However, most of these servants are still used for taking care of the courtyard, and the masters actually use very few of them. But with Jin Fenghua's future career, Xian Yi also plans to have a nanny by his side, at least some things that unmarried Bi Xi cannot do.

  Looking at Bi Xi going down, Xian Yi took out the box from her trunk again, sorted out the accounts inside, and roughly estimated that her dowry was around 1,000 taels. Excluding the things that Jin Fenghua had brought for her that couldn't be moved, there were about 300 taels of silver. These were her mother's savings. Later, Jin Fenghua gave her another 200 taels as a gift, making a total of 530 taels. This was her own money, and the government had also made a record of it.

  Although Jin Fenghua said he didn't lack money, those were all his own earnings. She didn't ask about their origin, but that didn't mean she could spend them freely without worrying. Since Jin Fenghua said she didn't need to worry about the family's finances, she thought about using her dowry to buy some property for herself. After all, any daughter with a bit of family background would at least buy a shop or an estate. However, her capital was limited.

  If she bought real estate and it became inconvenient to sell when they returned to the capital in the future, she decided to wait until Jin Fenghua went to take his official position and then go to the city together to take a look. If nothing else worked out, she would buy a shop, preferably one with a courtyard, so that she could entrust someone to collect rent while she was away. This way, when she returned in the future, she would still have a place to go.

  It seemed that Xian Yi had not yet put her mind at ease regarding Jin Fenghua.

  On New Year's Eve, after eating and drinking while watching her son being cute, Xianyi, who had been busy for a period of time, hadn't even had time to feel sad about spending the holiday alone when she was pulled into the house by Jinfenghua. In a daze, they spent a wild night together. Actually, Xianyi had long since sensed that Jinfenghua had an unusual infatuation with her. Anyway, she had already married him, so she might as well enjoy it. Who doesn't hope for a harmonious marriage, with honey and oil? Even if there was no love between them, considering Jinfenghua's appearance, Xianyi felt like she got a good deal. Sometimes, it's hard to say who seduced whom.

  New Year's Day is a day to visit elders, Xian Yi and Jin Fenghua are going to visit Jiang Fuzi. However, as soon as Xian Yi got out of bed, she found that the clothes she had prepared the day before were gone, even her undergarments were nowhere to be seen. After being puzzled for a while, she turned to Jin Fenghua who was already up and asked: "Did you see the clothes I prepared yesterday?"

  "I've had enough," said Jin Fenghua with a clear and refreshing tone.

  "Huh?" Xian Yi didn't know what was wrong with Jin Fenghua again, so she had to force herself to ask: "Is there something you've misunderstood, husband?"

  "No, that coarse clothing is unbearable to look at. You are my woman, how can you wear such rough things?" Jin Fenghua took out a set of clothes from the cabinet and placed them in front of Xian Yi, saying casually: "This is a kind of cotton fabric woven from long downy soft cotton from outside the domain, it's finer and softer than the cotton from Pei country. I know you don't like silk fabrics for undergarments, this one is better, try it on."

  Xian Yi touched the soft clothes in surprise, and indeed they were softer and more delicate than what she had worn before, with a bit of the feel of ancient Egyptian long-staple cotton products. It was really hard to imagine how Jin Feng Hua had found them.

  When Xian Yi spread out the clothes and found another belly band inside, Jin Fenghua had already put it on by herself and was ready to go outside. Xian Yi turned her back to put on the belly band, admiring the peony flowers embroidered on it, saying to herself: "I really don't know whose craftsmanship this is, not only are the stitches of the clothes dense and fine, but even the embroidery is extraordinary."

  Jinfeng Hua stopped at the door and said with a matter-of-fact expression, "How can your personal belongings be entrusted to someone else's hands?"

  Xian Yi's face stiffened, and she naturally understood the reasoning. Even if her outer clothes were handled by a tailor, her undergarments and camisole were all sewn by herself, one stitch at a time. Jin Fenghua's was also made by her, but unexpectedly, Jin Fenghua had personally sent her intimate clothing, yet said such words.

  "But, husband, this garment..." Xian Yi didn't know whether it was wearable or not.

  "Nature is made by the hands of husbands." Jin Fenghua turned around, his eyebrows and eyes relaxed, with a somewhat overbearing tone: "My woman's skin can't be touched by anyone else, even if it's clothes made by others."

  After finishing speaking, she walked out with a cheerful mood, leaving Xian Yi sitting on the bed in a daze, still hugging her clothes tightly as if she had been struck by lightning.

  Sitting in the carriage on her way to the library, Xian Yi couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness and anger as she gazed at the perfume pouch on Jin Fenghua's waist, then looked down at her own embroidered purse. Suddenly, she felt a wave of shame and embarrassment wash over her. She knew that Jin Fenghua was skilled with needlework, which was something he had to do in secret while living in the Jin Manor due to his mother's soft nature and the strict rules set by the steward. In order to earn some extra money, they would often take their embroidery outside to exchange for goods. According to the gossip she heard from the servants, Jin Fenghua had been helping his mother with needlework since he was a child. She had even suspected that he might grow up to be a effeminate man who loved to adorn himself with makeup. Moreover, the young master would often bully Jin Fenghua, and she thought it wasn't impossible that Jin Fenghua might one day become bent. But little did she know, Jin Fenghua was hiding his true nature deep down, and he was actually a bold and confident person on the inside. Even though he didn't look like a typical man, if he stood up straight and proud, his youthful aura would be enough to intimidate others.

  Maybe she thought he had recovered normally, but didn't expect that he had given up treatment. Looking at the spring-like decorations on her purse and the sachet on Jin Fenghua's body, even the plum blossoms in the snow couldn't resist the lively and joyful atmosphere of the spring. She thought her embroidery was not bad, but it was actually compared to a man's work as rubbish.

  "Your clothes and accessories are nice, but also too ordinary." Jin Fenghua leaned against the car wall, looking at the purse on Xian Yi's body.

  Xian Yi's eyelashes trembled slightly as she dryly laughed and said, "I've heard that this style is the latest trend in the capital."

  "Alright, just tell me what you like and it's settled." Jin Fenghua stood up and wrapped the immortal clothes in his arms, stroking her soft cheeks, thinking that he might as well remake her shoes too.

  Xian clothes rely on golden wind and flowers in her arms, suddenly there was a kind of hair-standing-on-end feeling.

  Jiang Fuzi's students were not just Jin Fenghua, there were about twelve or thirteen in their class. Zhang Xuezhi was around the same age as Jin Fenghua. Xianyi and his wife, Liangshi, had a good relationship with them, so after entering the house, the men went to pay New Year's greetings to Jiang Fuzi together, while the women went to the back courtyard to pay New Year's greetings to Mrs. Jiang. As soon as Xianyi entered the backyard, she felt that the eyes of the women around her were not right. She hadn't paid much attention to it before, but Liangshi pulled her and whispered: "They all said you didn't come out because of the Chen family in Beijing being scolded."

  "They just talk, no need to take it seriously." Xian Yi had long understood that in this circle, it was impossible to make any real friends, even if it was the Liang family. If something really happened to the Jin family in the capital, she would at most send someone to ask about it, but wouldn't come to offer condolences in person.

  "I'm telling you, be careful lately, I heard the county magistrate's family is inquiring about your husband." Liang said hesitantly, finally whispering to Xian Yi.

  "What's my husband doing?" Xian Yi was puzzled. Could it be that the case had been cracked? Did someone finally know that Jin Fenghua killed people without blinking?

  "You're stupid and you really are stupid!" Liang said with a sigh of frustration: "The county magistrate has a 13-year-old daughter this year."

  "Born of a wife or born of a concubine? You wouldn't be thinking of making me a concubine for my husband, would you?" Xian Yi's heart skipped a beat, having an ominous feeling.

  "Foolish girl, you're still thinking of being a concubine? They look down on your status, and at the root of it all, they just want..." Liang Shi lightly patted Xian Yi's clothes, implying.

  "My husband is just a commoner, without any achievements... " Xian Yi had always thought that with Jin Fenghua's status as a commoner, even if he looked good, it would be difficult to get the attention of aristocratic officials.

  Li said sarcastically, "Other people's daughters have taken a liking to your husband's good looks. Now who doesn't say that your husband is the number one handsome man in Pei State? They are still observing now, but once your husband passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, his humble origins will soon be overlooked!"

  In contrast to Liang's anxiety, Xian Yi was thinking calmly, if someone forced Jin Fenghua to divorce her, could she ask for more alimony and use it as capital to remarry in the future?