Transmigration: A Farm Girl's Brocade-Chapter 51 - The Long Road_1
Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Long Road_1
Chapter 51: Chapter 51 The Long Road_1
Old woman Qian initially was pleased, but her face sank after hearing Lady Wang’s words, scolding, “That profligate wife, Lady Wu, just sold some wheat and immediately went to buy meat. That little bit of money, let alone repaying debts, I’m afraid won’t even last through the year. She doesn’t know how to budget and live properly, and just brings disaster like this. Oh, it’s infuriating. My poor third son, how did he end up with such a wasteful wife who can’t manage the household? Jinwa is growing, so occasionally letting him have a treat at a relative’s house is fine, but the rest of them should tighten their belts…”
Qian Yixiu seriously despised the old woman’s favoritism toward males over females. Was it only Qian Yeejin who was growing? Were she and her little aunt not growing as well? Lady Wang was also quite something, stirring up the old woman’s ire with just a few words.
She quickly explained, “Great-grandma, this meat wasn’t bought with the money from selling our crops. We picked some Xia Grass and flowers in the mountains and sold them in the county town, earning a few silvers to buy it. These sweets weren’t bought with our money either; they were a gift from Old Lady Zhang.”
Qian Yeejin was about to go to school, so it was necessary to clarify the source of the silver.
“Mountain flowers can be sold for money and even fetch a few silvers?” Lady Xu was astounded.
Qian Yixiu shook her head and said, “Yesterday was our first day selling, and we got in early, so we made a few hundred wen. The rest was because Old Lady Zhang from Baohe Hall took pity on us, and I accidentally helped them find the wine that the old lady had buried, so she rewarded us with a few more silvers. But we definitely won’t be able to sell for that much money in the future.”
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So, she picked out the parts of the story that were safe to share.
Lady Wang laughed and said, “That’s good to hear. The wife of Manchuan and Auntie Die should also go to the mountain to pick Xia Grass and flowers to sell in the county town. While it might not sell for much, every little bit helps.”
Old woman Qian was incensed upon hearing this, silently cursing the greedy woman. Considering how easy her own life was, why should she compete with the third branch of the family for such petty cash? Not daring to glare blatantly at Lady Wang, she furiously shot dagger glances at Qian Yixiu, thinking her as foolish as her mother. How could she just blabber about such a good way to make money?
Qian Yixiu saw that the old woman was glaring at her and felt frustrated by the disfavor. No matter what she did, it seemed wrong.
Seeing Old woman Qian’s “eat-inside-and-reach-outside” behavior, Lady Wang felt another surge of discomfort.
Qian Dagui shared Old woman Qian’s sentiments, saying, “The third branch has it tough, and they’ve finally found a way to make some money. Why should we go and compete with them?”
Lady Wang’s face flushed, and she raised her voice, “What are you saying, Family Head? How are we ‘competing’ with them? Can they possibly pick all the flowers in the entire mountain by themselves? Can they sell everything by themselves in such a big county town?”
Qian Yeejin hurriedly said, “Big Lady is right; there are plenty of flowers in the mountain. It’s better for us to benefit our own people than outsiders. My grandpa and grandma specifically wanted me to tell you about this, mentioning that we might still be able to make some money these next few days, but soon, the prices won’t be as high. However, the main thing to sell is Xia Grass,.other flowers are just to complement the Xia Grass.”
Qian Yixiu rolled her eyes in annoyance, as Yijin had snatched the chance to say these ingratiating words.
Indeed, everyone showed smiles, and Old woman Qian gave a look that said, “See, I wasn’t wrong to dote on Jinwa,” as she pulled Qian Yeejin into her embrace, saying, “Good great-grandson, it’s rare that your grandpa and you are so thoughtful, even thinking of your relatives while making a little money.”
Qian Yixiu felt even more frustrated, questioning why the people working the hardest weren’t the ones being praised. This scenario, so common in her former workplace, was now happening right here.
Qian Yeejin busily vouched for Lady Wu and focused on dividing the good person’s role, “It’s not just grandpa and me thinking of this; grandma is too,” he glanced at his sister with her pouted lips and added, “and so is my little sister.”
It seemed as though no one heard his words as they began discussing the plan to go to the mountain tomorrow to pick Xia Grass, asking Qian Yixiu for more details.
When the siblings were leaving, Lady Wang unusually took the initiative to pack a small bowl of dried cowpeas and stewed pork for them to take home to eat. Duo Duo happily devoured the twice-cooked pork, no longer feeling pained about giving away their own meat.
The siblings arrived home to find their grandparents and young mother, as well as their young aunt, still sitting at the table waiting for them to have dinner.
A small bowl of double-cooked pork, a small bowl of stir-fried long beans with pork, and a bowl of white radish and pork bone soup were the best dishes this family could offer for a meal. Everyone savored the rare feast amidst endless laughter, with Lady Tang’s farce cast to the back of their minds.
This laughter was different from the laughter they had when counting money, which was excited and repressed, as if afraid of being overheard. Now, the laughter was relaxed, comfortable, and spontaneous.
In the afternoon, Lady Wu led Qian Yijin to work in the fields while Qian Manxia took the family’s clothes out to wash. Yixiu made up for last night’s missed sleep and didn’t wake up until the sun was inclining westward.
Today, an early dinner was eaten because Qian Sangui was planning to visit Qian’s Main Courtyard. He was going to ask Qian Dagui and Old woman Qian to bear witness and demand an explanation from Qian Ergui and his wife.
For the first time in many years, Qian Sangui walked out of the house using a crutch, with Lady Wu and Qian Yijin accompanying him.
Standing at the courtyard gate, they watched the three figures walking towards the village. Under the setting sun, on the small path through the overgrown grass, Qian Sangui hobbled along slowly with his crutch, refusing to be supported by Lady Wu. His wide clothes fluttered in the wind, emphasizing his thinness. Yet, in Yixiu’s eyes, he appeared strong and towering—a family head standing tall. Surely, the days for their family would improve.
And beside him, the young man Qian Yijin walked with his chest puffed out, matured and restrained by the twin blows he had faced.
From a distance, Lady Wu’s stooped back seemed even more pronounced.
The silhouettes of these three, frail and vulnerable, yet the pillars and core strength of their family.
The road was both far and long.
Yixiu sighed, closed the courtyard gate, and turned around to see her young mother standing lost in the middle of the yard, her eyes moist as she looked at her daughter, wanting to say something but not knowing what. She seemed to understand that she had “caused trouble,” upsetting her in-laws.
Yixiu went over to hug her, resting her head against her mother’s stomach; in fact, she would have preferred to lay her head against her chest if she wasn’t too short.
Cheng Yue’s body trembled slightly, taking a while to settle down. She then said, “Yixiu, they want to sell Mother. I’m scared.”
Yixiu rubbed against her stomach and said, “Mother, don’t be afraid. Grandpa, Grandma, Brother, Aunt, and Yixiu, we all like you, we all can’t be without you.”
Having finished washing the dishes, Qian Manxia came out and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law, our family really can’t afford to sell you. You have a good son and a good daughter. Yixiu can make money now, and Jinwa will be promising after getting an education. Let’s just wait to enjoy the good fortune they’ll bring us.”
Only then did Cheng Yue feel somewhat better.
A few of them sat in the yard, chatting sporadically, mostly Yixiu and Qian Manxia. On the surface, they appeared calm, but in reality, their hearts were tumultuous with anxiety, uncertain whether Qian Sangui and the others would be able to protect their family’s rights at Qian’s Main Courtyard.
………
Thanks to Milan Two, Jian, Rose, and Sister Lu for your purses, and a big thank you to all for your support and recommendations! I have to take my daughter to the hospital for a blood draw today, so I’m uploading early.
