Transmigration: A Farm Girl's Brocade-Chapter 39 - Zhang Family_1
Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Zhang Family_1
Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Zhang Family_1
While Qian Yixiu sang, whenever anyone approached, Qian Manxia would softly tout, “Aunty (Miss, Mister), why not buy some flowers?”
A woman spoke up, “Oh, these big and small flowers look so nice together. Is this Gypsophila? Why do I feel like it looks like Xia Grass from the countryside by the mountains?”
Seeing someone interested in buying flowers, Qian Yixiu stopped singing and crisply said, “These are Xia Grass, and they have a pleasant alternative name, known as Gypsophila.”
The woman was a steward lady from a well-off household with some spare cash on hand. Seeing the unique and pretty flowers, she first praised Qian Yixiu for being smart and sensible, then inquired about the prices.
Qian Yixiu said, “The small bunch is ten wen, the large one is twenty wen, and a flower basket is one hundred wen.” She felt that she was not being unreasonable with her prices, as she was also singing and performing. Her singing and tears were sold for so little, it was already dirt cheap.
Ignoring the surprised young girl, she continued in her soft voice, “Aunty, the flowering period of Gypsophila is quite long, it can last at least half a month. These flowers have been treated too, and can last seven to ten days with no problems. For someone like aunty, who has money and an appreciation for beauty, spending ten or twenty wen on some pretty cut flowers to make a table arrangement isn’t costly at all, and it brings joy to the sight, which is so nice.”
The woman, pleased by Qian Yixiu’s flattery, laughed, “This child really has a way with words. Aunty is hardly from a wealthy family. Although I don’t have much money, I can still afford to buy some flowers. Besides, these flowers are indeed beautiful.”
Although the woman thought the flower basket was very pretty, she couldn’t bear to spend one hundred wen. Deciding that ten wen was a fair price for a nice bouquet, she bought a small bunch of wild lilies and Gypsophila. After thinking it over, she spent another twenty wen on a large bunch of Dendrobium with Gypsophila, planning to give it to the lady of the house who loved flowers.
After the woman left, more customers came one after another to buy two small bouquets and one large bouquet.
Completing several transactions all at once, Qian Manxia’s excited face flushed with joy.
Once the crowd had dispersed, Qian Yixiu began singing again, as she walked towards the back gate of a residence that was already open. An old lady came out with a smile, “Our young lady heard the little girl’s singing and said that the tune was pleasing, and she specially asked me to wait here to buy flowers.”
What she didn’t say was that their young master had also told her to check if the little girl was fabricating lyrics to gain sympathy, as cursing her own father’s death and mother’s illness would be greatly unfilial.
Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.
Seeing the two young girls both skinny and poorly dressed, their faces pale—clearly chronically undernourished—and their eyes red, most likely from crying while singing, she concluded that the song’s content was probably true.
Once more observing the flowers’ true beauty and uniqueness, she took out a piece of silver, and bought two bouquets and a flower basket. There was change left from the silver piece, but the old lady said it was a reward from their young lady for the little girl and no change was needed.
After thanking her, Qian Yixiu also advised to regularly sprinkle some tea water on the flower basket to extend its bloom time.
Once the old lady entered the gates and closed them, Qian Yixiu and Qian Manxia ran back to Lady Wu. They handed over the money they had in their pockets, then took some bouquets and a flower basket from her.
Qian Yixiu cleared her throat and resumed singing, attracting a few more people to buy flowers along the way. Among them, a young gentleman bought a flower basket and two bunches of flowers, tossing a lump of silver and saying, “No need for change.”
Qian Yixiu’s face flushed with excitement, this being the largest amount of money she had earned so far. She quickly said, “Thank you, young master, you are truly a good person, and may good people enjoy a safe journey.”
This statement was a bit too blunt, and the gentleman paused in his steps, chuckling softly twice.
Another fair-faced, beardless, handsome middle-aged man also bought a flower basket and two flower bunches. He tossed a small ingot of silver to Qian Manxia and said, “Keep the change as a tip for yourselves.” His voice was pleasant and melodious.
Afterward, he stared intently at Qian Yixiu for a while, revealing a charming smile as he spoke, “This little one is quite pretty, and has quite a lovely voice.”
Qian Yixiu felt a bit shaky under his gaze and hurriedly lowered her head, not raising it until the man had walked far away.
As they sang along the way selling flowers, they came to a large estate. From a distance, they could see a tall pavilion nestled among the red flowers and green trees within the courtyard. This pavilion was called the Moon-viewing Pavilion, four stories high and built upon a man-made hill, making it the tallest building in the vicinity.
When they reached the exterior of this large estate, Qian Yixiu slowed her pace considerably, and the song that had lowered in pitch rose again. Qian Manxia, thinking her little niece was fatigued and couldn’t walk any faster, also slowed her steps accordingly.
Lady Wu, who trailed behind, had to put down her carrying pole and rest after every few steps, resuming her walk once they had advanced a bit, then catching up with them later.
They had already walked a distance past the side entrance of the large estate when a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl came out from that door, catching up with them and calling out, “Little sister, wait for me.”
Qian Manxia saw that this young lady was dressed in silk and satin, with a gold hairpin in her hair and a pleasant fragrance emanating from her upon closer proximity. Thinking she was a young miss from a wealthy family, she felt a bit intimidated. But still, she gathered her courage to hawk her flowers, “Miss, why don’t you buy some flowers?” her voice trembling slightly.
The girl laughed, “I am no young miss. Just call me Sister Zhu.” She glanced at the floral arrangements in the large basket and then at the smaller flower basket in Qian Yixiu’s hand, a flicker of amazement in her eyes.
She took the flower basket from Qian Yixiu’s hands and examined it thoughtfully, exclaiming in surprise, “This Dendrobium flower basket is really nice, and the arrangement is lovely too. These little flowers scattered about are called Gypsophila, right?”
Qian Yixiu nodded and said, “Yes, some people call this little flower Xia Grass, and others call it Gypsophila. Sister, in my aunt’s carrying basket, there are also Peony flower baskets and Rosebud baskets, all very pretty.”
The young lady stroked the little chrysanthemum on Qian Yixiu’s head and praised her, “Your singing is really nice, little sister.”
She then reached out and uncovered the cloth on Qian Manxia’s carrying basket, and indeed, the two flower baskets looked beautiful. After gazing at the bouquets in the larger basket, which paired the same small flowers with various larger flowers to different, stunning effects,
She couldn’t make up her mind and said, “Our old madam and the lady of the house faintly heard your singing. They found the tunes pleasing and pitied that you were working so hard at such a young age. Thus, they sent me out to see and perhaps buy some Gypsophila. I didn’t expect your flowers to be so uniquely attractive that I’m having trouble deciding. How about this, you come inside with me and show them to our old madam? If she likes them, she might just buy up everything.”
Qian Yixiu blinked her eyes, moved, and said, “Your old madam truly has the heart of a Bodhisattva.”
Of course, she knew that this family’s old lady loved flowers and had the heart of a Bodhisattva. Her zealous performance today wasn’t just to sell flowers but also to attract the attention of the owner of this estate.
This large estate was precisely the mansion of the owner of Baohe Hall—the Zhang family.
………………………
Thank you to Yizhong Hongzhuang, Jian and Rose, Ruixin, and Hera@Qianlin for the gifts, and thank you all for your support and recommendations. Please continue to click, recommend, and collect.
