Transmigration: A Farm Girl's Brocade-Chapter 106 - Buying a Field_1

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Buying a Field_1

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Buying a Field_1

In order to secretly learn from others, Qian Yixiu had visited Wuxi Teahouse many times as a ghost, so every table and chair here was very familiar to her.

When the group entered the teahouse, they saw Shopkeeper Cui instructing a waiter on something.

Upon seeing Qian Yixiu and her younger siblings, Shopkeeper Cui immediately came over with a smile and said, “What’s this? Besides that Basin Orchid, do you have more fine flowers for us?”

Qian Yixiu laughed and said, “I’ll bring Shopkeeper Cui fine flowers next time. Today, I’m not here to deliver flowers.” Then she introduced her grandfather.

Since his young master had once been a guest at their home, and the young master had also asked him to take care of some matters for the Qian family, Shopkeeper Cui naturally regarded them highly and hurried them into a private room for tea and conversation.

Qian Yijin outlined the purpose of their visit and also expressed their gratitude to Young Master Liang. Not only did they bring Young Master Liang two jars of sweet rice wine and a box of cakes, but they also brought a gift for Shopkeeper Cui.

Shopkeeper Cui laughingly thanked them, then mentioned that his young master was currently in the provincial capital and would return to the capital in a few days. He said he would be going to the provincial capital the next day to meet his young master and would surely take their gifts and good intentions with him.

Qian Yixiu could see that Shopkeeper Cui was saying one thing but thinking another, surely struggling over whether to actually take these rustic gifts from the countryside with him or not.

She then opened the lid of the jar and said, “The sweet rice wine my grandmother makes is the most delicious, my aunt even said it’s more fragrant and richer than the ones from the Drunken Immortal Residence.”

Shopkeeper Cui was indeed troubled. His young master had grown up in luxury, so would he even appreciate these two rustic items?

As soon as the little girl lifted the lid, the aroma that wafted out was indeed sweet and rich.

Qian Yijin also opened the food box to reveal more than a dozen neat pastries of a pale yellow color, soft and fluffy, emitting a unique milk fragrance, a scent he had never smelled before.

He smiled and said, “Well, these two items do smell rather good. I will definitely convey your kind thoughts to my young master.” He added, “And thank you for also bringing a share for me.”

Qian Sangui and his companions were also going to Baohe Hall; after talking for a while, they bid farewell, and Shopkeeper Cui even gifted them a pound of tea leaves.

Before leaving, Qian Yixiu asked, “Shopkeeper Cui, which broker here is reliable? My family is looking to buy some land.”

Shopkeeper Cui, a warm-hearted person, seeing two children and a disabled elder, worried that the people at the brokers were mostly cunning and that the children, despite their precociousness, were still young and might be swindled. He said, “I know a trader. I’ll accompany you there myself.”

The three members of the Qian family were immensely grateful; originally, they had thought to ask Old Master Zhang to send a servant to help them make a choice. Now, with Shopkeeper Cui, who had seen all manner of people, to help them, it was even better.

Shopkeeper Cui had a carriage, which they took to Baohe Hall two streets away. Zhang Zhongkun and Zhang Yang were there. After delivering the food, Qian Yixiu said, “If the old lady likes it, we can steam more next time.”

Afterward, Qian Sangui and his grandfather went with Shopkeeper Cui in the carriage to a broker’s.

The broker’s was located to the west of the town, not far from the west gate where they entered the county town.

Shopkeeper Cui called this trader Brother Wong. After hearing their conditions for buying land, the trader said, “I have eighty mu of paddy fields here, seven taels and eight coins of silver per mu, which is not an expensive price. Now, with the rice nearly ripe, once the harvest is done, we can hand over the land to you. The location is just outside Mengxi Village, not too close to your Huaxi Village, but also not too far away. You all know, most of the villagers in Mengxi Village mainly grow tea. Otherwise, this land would have been sold long ago.”

Upon hearing this, Qian Sangui was immediately interested and said, “Can we just buy fifty mu? Eighty is too much, and we didn’t bring that much money.”

Middleman Wong shook his head and said, “The seller wants to sell all the land together, that’s why the price is so low. If the land were sold piecemeal, it couldn’t be bought for this price.”

If the land was good, Yixiu actually wanted to buy it all. Although it would cost more silver at once, she could always earn more later.

Yijin also thought it was a good deal, well located, not too far nor too close to their own home, easy to manage yet unobtrusive. So, she said, “Father, let’s go have a look, and if the land is good, let’s buy it.”

Qian Sangui, seeing that his grandchildren agreed to purchase, said he wanted to see the land before making a decision.

The county town was not far from Mengxi Village; a short half-hour carriage ride would take you there. The land bordered Mengxi Village on one side and the Hong River on the other. The rice growing in the fields looked promising, a clear sign of good soil quality.

Landlord Fang, who was selling the land, also arrived, as he wanted to buy a tea mountain to grow tea, thus he was selling some land to raise cash. Since they needed to wait a month to collect the rice before they could transfer the land, he dropped the price by another ten taels, plus the cost of processing the deed transfer at the County Government Office would be another tael, totaling six hundred and fifteen taels of silver. Qian Sangui didn’t bring that much silver, but Shopkeeper Cui expressed that he could cover it for him.

The group returned to the broker’s office in the county town, asked Shopkeeper Cui to mediate, signed the deed, and paid the silver. As they had to go to the County Government Office in the afternoon to process the deed, and Middleman Wong knew Shopkeeper Cui, he invited them to have a meal together at the broker’s office. The broker’s wife cooked a few simple home dishes and even brought out a catty of wine.

A table was set under an old pagoda tree in the courtyard, where Middleman Wong, Shopkeeper Cui, Qian Sangui, and Landlord Fang sat drinking. The siblings, Yijin and Yixiu, ate at a smaller table nearby.

Then, Qian Sangui mentioned his plan to buy a servant.

Middleman Wong said, “Sure thing, right next door they deal in the trafficking of people. After we eat, I’ll take you there to have a look.”

The group was eating merrily when suddenly, from the neighboring courtyard, came a burst of heart-wrenching cries and shouts of beating and killing.

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Middleman Wong shook his head and said, “We’re all traders, but while I can still do business with a conscience, they… alas, such commotion happens from time to time.”

Shopkeeper Cui sighed, “Those who trade in humans can’t do it unless they are hard-hearted, ruthless, and unscrupulous.”

They continued eating for a while when the cries and shouts of beating and murder next door grew even louder, as if someone was trying to commit suicide by banging their head against a wall.

This was turning into a life-or-death situation, and even Middleman Wong was getting unsettled, so he stood up to go to the door to watch the excitement, followed by Shopkeeper Cui. Curious Yixiu also followed, and Yijin along with Landlord Fang came to the courtyard entrance. Qian Sangui, tired from the day, having little energy left, and with his bad leg, remained seated at the table.

A sharp female voice rang out, “Oh, her forehead is all busted up, her face spoiled. Even if she isn’t dead, we don’t want her anymore. Boss Li, this deal is off. Let us know when you have better stock in the future.”

With that, the courtyard door opened, and a middle-aged woman wearing powder and with red flowers in her hair stormed out, flanked by two men.

Then a man’s angry voice came from the courtyard, “You don’t want to enjoy life in the brothels, huh? Then you’ll go to the lowest and vilest place! Tie her up, drag her to the brothel.”

This was followed by a woman’s scolding voice, “Ungrateful wretch, daring to hit your head against the wall here, I’ll make your life a living hell.”

A man’s voice pleaded, “Master, have mercy, Madam, have mercy, please give the child a chance to live…”

Then came the desperate cries and pleas of the woman and a young boy.

There are so many suffering and tormented souls in the world. Yixiu’s heart could hardly bear it; she clung to Yijin, trembling slightly. Yijin felt her sister’s fear and squeezed her hand firmly.