The Fallen Medicine Woman: The Daily Life of Chun Nuan-Chapter 165 - 131: A Single Throw of 10 Taels
"Shrouds and burial materials?"
Uncle Chen instinctively frowned upon hearing this. "The burial material for the old lady was made from our own cypress wood. It’s crafted from roller wood and is very solid. You definitely won’t buy anything this good outside."
That’s a refusal to lend it.
Chun Nuan had never asked to borrow anything before. When Aunt Luo brought her to explain her intentions, it was explicitly as a loan, which left her somewhat embarrassed to change her request.
"Uncle Chen, how much would it cost to buy this burial material outside, along with the shrouds? I’ll pay double the price for it so that the old lady can use it. Is that feasible?"
Before Chun Nuan could speak, Zhao Minghua behind her immediately offered money.
Aunt Luo’s meaning was clear to him. Since money could solve the problem, there was no need to owe any favors.
While he might lack other things, money was not one of them.
The Women’s Tea Garden business had always been booming. In Changzhou, those ladies and young women chose to gather there for their private events.
As Chun Nuan put it: "Women’s money is easy to earn!"
The silver earned from the Women’s Tea Garden was more than he had made since he started running teahouses at twelve years old.
"This..."
Uncle Chen was tempted. At double the price, what else was there to consider? Nevertheless, he feared the villagers might gossip, saying he was greedy and taking advantage of others’ misfortune.
In reality, these people had no chance to earn such money, which is why they would be jealous and criticize to seem virtuous.
"Uncle Chen, just take it as the Xiao family being in urgent need. The Xiao family will remember your kindness."
When Chun Nuan heard Zhao Minghua offer to pay double, she recalled how he did the same when discussing a partnership with her. This person, when excited, always wants to pay double—one might suspect it’s a peculiar habit ingrained since birth.
However, with this price, the Chen family likely wouldn’t refuse. The straightforward and forceful approach was effective.
So she spoke up, adding a few more words.
"Ah, Chun Nuan, if it were someone else, I certainly wouldn’t be willing." Uncle Chen began to concede. "But your great-grandfather and our Chen family once formed sworn kinship. Back in the day, my grandfather was your great-grandfather’s sworn brother. Before going to the Capital, he even had a meal at our place..."
Chun Nuan listened quietly, nodding slightly to show acknowledgment.
In truth, who would remember such trivial and outdated matters?
Even if it were true, one generation would be unaware of the second, let alone the third or fourth. It’s already been several generations—who cares who you are?
Besides, back when the family was expelled by the powerful Xiao clan with nowhere to turn, nobody acknowledged them as relatives.
"When rich, even distant relatives seem close; when poor, not even city folks ask about you." Now they claimed to be relatives.
Fine, if you say we’re relatives, relatives it is, as long as it solves the problem.
Uncle Chen, between the lines, emphasized how hard things had been for the great-grandfather, even mentioning that the Chen family had to scrounge up travel expenses for his journey to the Capital.
"Yes, thank you for your help."
Bringing up these long-gone issues only made things seem more pale and powerless.
The implication was that the Xiao family owed him a favor.
If it weren’t for the fact that her grandmother couldn’t remain above ground indefinitely, she would have just turned and gone to buy it in town.
No, that’s not right—Aunt Luo said the coffins in town must be ordered in advance, and none were available immediately.
Therefore, she had to endure it, suffer this indignity, and even agree that the Xiao family was indebted to the Chen family.
In fact, Chun Nuan knew her great-grandfather’s character well.
Though her great-grandfather had long passed by the time she was born, his handwriting and medical notes, along with family letters, were preserved despite being scattered by the soldiers ransacking the house. She painstakingly picked them up, piece by piece, and carefully stored them away.
To outsiders, they were mere waste paper, but to Chun Nuan, they were invaluable documents she had poured over countless times since childhood.
If the Chen family had really helped the Xiao family, how could her great-grandfather have forgotten their kindness? Why would there be no mention at all?
Her great-grandfather, who was so generous with the Xiao clan, would surely have shown some gratitude to the Chen family if they had truly helped him.
Either her great-grandfather was ungrateful, or the Chen family was insatiable; who do you think Chun Nuan would believe?
Nevertheless, this time, Chun Nuan conceded.
No matter what Uncle Chen said, she accepted it.
After all, they were truly in need of his help this time.
"Uncle Chen, here’s ten taels of silver. Can I call someone to carry the burial material and the shrouds now? The old lady at home is still waiting for them."
Zhao Minghua acted impulsively, not stupidly. He truly couldn’t bear to see Uncle Chen feigning kindness.
The most important thing was, why drag Chun Nuan into this conversation?
Even if they were catching up on old times, this wasn’t the moment.
His fiancée doesn’t need to endure such grievances.
"Absolutely, absolutely."
The sight of ten taels of silver made Uncle Chen’s eyes light up immediately.
These ten taels could buy several high-quality burial materials. No, no, not burial materials—what would he do with so many? They could buy several acres of excellent land.
Indeed, finding riches in a coffin; today, the Chen family truly made a fortune thanks to a coffin.
Not selling would be foolish now.
"By not bothering the same person twice, I’ll have some of the boys at home help you carry it over. You can take it right now."
Take it, take it, carry it away quickly. He was truly afraid he’d regret it if it took any longer.
Uncle Chen hurriedly informed his eldest son about selling the burial material.
"Dad, that was the burial material we prepared for Mom. How could we..."
"Oh, son, at your age, why can’t you understand? If it were any other family, I would never agree. But that’s the Xiao family. Your great-grandfather and Chun Nuan’s great-grandfather were sworn brothers, with a very close bond..."
Chun Nuan found herself at a loss for words, yet again hearing about how they helped the Xiao family in the past.
She could hardly take it anymore, turning to look at Aunt Luo.
Aunt Luo had been thoroughly astonished by Zhao Minghua’s generous offer; for a moment, she thought: this is what it means to truly afford something!
"Come, come, bring me the shrouds. I’ll take them back for the old lady. You guys hurry up with the burial material. I’ll leave with Chun Nuan, and the family can clear the way."
Aunt Luo pulled Chun Nuan along as she departed, sighing once out of the Chen family’s gate.
"Chun Nuan, once you enter the Zhao family’s door, you must manage Third Young Master Zhao well, particularly regarding finances. Did you see him? No concept of money! Spending ten taels just like that, when it could order ten cypress coffins with Carpenter Zhang in town..."
"Oops, slip of the tongue, no taboos, no harm in children’s words." Aunt Luo spat on the ground three times: "Take everything I said as nonsense, none of it’s real..."
Usually, this would make Chun Nuan laugh for sure, but at this moment, she wasn’t in the mood. Not because of Zhao Minghua’s extravagance, but because she was considering what else was needed for her grandmother’s funeral arrangements.
