Transmigration: A Farm Girl's Brocade-Chapter 57 - Getting an Idea_1

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Getting an Idea_1

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Getting an Idea_1

Lady Wu was going to the county town to buy scrap fabric that day, when Qian Yixiu busied herself making several arrangements of Gypsophila, rosebuds, and wild fragrant orchids, and early in the morning, she dug up some tender gray vegetables by the stream and packed the wood ear mushrooms she had collected the day before when she had asked Qian Manchuan to pick Xia Grass in the mountains. Although wood ears could be found at the base of the mountain, they were clearly not as good as those from the mountains.

After preparing these three items, she asked Lady Wu to make a trip to the Zhang Mansion and to directly ask for Ah Zhu. She should hand these to her and say they were gifts to show respect to the old lady and the mistress.

Lady Wu was reluctant, “How could I give wild vegetables and wood ear mushrooms to others, let alone a wealthy household like the Zhang family? Only a child like you would think of such a thing. I’m old; I can’t bring myself to lose face like that.”

Qian Yixiu said, “It’s the thought that counts. Our family is poor, and these are the only things we can offer to show our intentions. Grandma can say they’re from Xiuxiu.” Seeing that Lady Wu was still unwilling, she continued, “Sometimes, kind words can warm the heart more than valuable gifts. Grandma can say that these gray vegetables were specifically dug by Xiuxiu from the stream at the foot of the mountain; they’re tender and delicious when blanched and tossed with garlic, appetizing and tasty. The wood ears were specially collected by someone deep in the mountains for Xiuxiu, cleaner and more tender than those outside the mountains, refreshing and cutting through the grease. Thinking of the old lady and the mistress getting tired of eating meat, it would be a pleasant change to have some mountain produce once in a while…”

Before Qian Yixiu could finish, she amused Qian Manxia into giggling, “What a clever little mouth you have, truly winning people over.”

Qian Sangui also laughed and said, “Xiuxiu is right, it’s the thought that counts. Though they’re just some worthless mountain produce, the wealthy might just fancy them. It also shows that our family still remembers the kindness of the Zhang family.”

Reluctantly, Lady Wu took the items and left, but when she returned in the afternoon, she was beaming with joy.

“Miss Ah Zhu had me wait in the guest room and she personally took the items to the old lady. When she came back, she said the old lady liked them very much, mentioning she felt greasy and wanted to eat something refreshing. It was a coincidence we brought them over.” Lady Wu then took a purse from her bosom, “This purse is a reward from the old lady, along with a packet of pastries and a packet of candy.”

The purse contained five, two-wen small silver ingots.

This made Qian Manxia click her tongue in admiration for a while, “I never thought of it, Xiuxiu turned a few wildflowers, a bunch of wild vegetables, and a packet of wood ears into a tael of silver.”

Qian Yixiu wanted those small silver ingots. Having money in hand eases the mind. Knowing Lady Wu certainly wouldn’t give them to her willingly, she hugged Qian Sangui around the waist and said, “Papa, Xiuxiu has earned so much money, please give those silver ingots to Xiuxiu. What if Xiuxiu comes up with another idea to earn money, then I can use these silvers to buy materials.”

After speaking, she looked up at Qian Sangui with her big eyes, pouting her lips in an adorable manner.

Qian Sangui chuckled and said, “Alright, our Xiuxiu is capable, indeed deserving of some reward. Keep this silver for buying flowers to wear. If you want to buy materials to make money, you can ask your grandma for money.”

Lady Wu exclaimed, “Head of the family, she’s so young, how can you give her so much money?”

“Let’s give it to her,” Qian Sangui stated.

Lady Wu had no choice but to hand the purse, along with its contents, to Qian Yixiu.

Qian Yixiu happily accepted the purse and, seeing her young aunt’s envious eyes, generously took out a silver ingot for her, saying, “Auntie, take this to buy some flowers to wear.”

This brought laughter to everyone.

Having grown so big, this was the first time Qian Manxia, the little aunt, had ever owned silver. Delighted with eyes curving like crescent moons, she hurried off to her little cabin. She opened an old wooden box and took out a small cloth bag, inside which were four large coins. After counting the coins again, she placed the silver ingot inside with them.

Throughout her life, the most she had ever received was a five-wen money red envelope at her older brother and sister-in-law’s wedding. However, when she saw her sister-in-law selflessly donate her red envelope, she too handed over her five-wen money to Lady Wu. In fact, every year at New Year, she got some pocket money from her grandparents and other relatives, but whenever there was trouble at home, she would contribute it without hesitation. She had twice bought steamed buns and sugar figurines for Jinwa and Xiuxiu while on trips to town, so despite never spending a coin on herself, she only had four coins saved up.

Now, there was an extra shiny small silver ingot inside. She looked at it over and over again with delight.

Lady Wu, following her granddaughter’s request, bought scraps of fabric that weren’t too small; the larger pieces were half a foot in size, and the smaller ones were as big as an adult’s palm, all made of silk or satin. These scraps were more expensive, costing fifty wen money, which made Lady Wu wince for a while.

Yixiu brought the scraps and embroidery threads back to the left wing room, claiming to give everyone a surprise. In reality, she was just afraid that if little mother wasted the scraps or threads, she would get nagged by Lady Wu.

She first placed the purse inside the bottom compartment of the large red cabinet, which was reserved for her clothes. She also said to Cheng Yue, “Mother, Yixiu’s private money is in the innermost part of that compartment. If mother or brother wants to buy something, just take it out and use it.”

Then she took out the scraps and threads and handed them over to little mother.

Although Yixiu was not skilled at needlework, in her previous life, she couldn’t even sew the simplest button and had to take it to a tailor’s shop. But that didn’t hinder her ability to appreciate, and she remembered many styles.

With a mix of speaking and gesturing, she managed to instruct little mother to make a few doll tigers, and to her surprise, Cheng Yue understood perfectly, nodding continuously.

The emotionally oblivious Cheng Yue had an exceptional grasp of needlework. Although she initially wasted some thread and fabric, she gradually got the hang of it. Afterwards, Cheng Yue’s life was fulfilled, no longer just following her busy daughter or staring blankly at her studying son.

In the evening, Yixiu again discussed the location of her private money stash with Yijin.

Yijin blushed slightly, “Sister is more capable than her brother.”

Yixiu said, “Brother is studying now, but in the future, after you become a Graduate and a government official, you will make more money than your sister.”

The little boy nodded and said, “Today, the tutor praised brother again. He said brother has exceptional talent and good looks. He also encouraged brother to work hard, to become like Sir Di, not just a Graduate, but also chosen by the Emperor as third in the imperial examination.”

Then he repeated the same old adage, “In books, there is a house of gold,” and the like.

Yixiu was impatient with his ramblings, thinking that probably even Sir Di didn’t realize he had become an inspiration and idol for many children of peasant families in the Great Qian Kingdom. Truly becoming Sir Di, that feeling, was like drinking water; only the drinker knows whether it is cold or warm.

That afternoon, upon returning from the fields, Lady Wu, huffing and puffing, went straight to Qian Sangui, who was weaving a basket under the eaves, “Husband, I have something to talk to you about.”

Then she entered her bedroom, and Qian Sangui followed her in.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Yixiu tried to greet her, but she was ignored. Sensing something was up, Yixiu ran to their little window to eavesdrop.

She only heard Lady Wu whisper to Qian Sangui, “That Lady Tang really took us for a ride. First, she eyed selling Yueyue, now she’s targeting Xiuxiu. That wretched woman, why doesn’t Yama take her away.”

………

Thanks to Hera@Qianlin for your consistent support, and thanks for the purse from “闲来无事?” and the gift from hworld1980. Thanks to all the loved ones for their support and referrals. Wenwen will be up for sale this Friday; I earnestly ask for your continued company.