Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 269 - 176: Same Name, Same Surname_3

Chapter 269: Chapter 176: Same Name, Same Surname_3

On May 17th, a monk from Daci Temple delivered a message, saying Uncle Monk Hongji had invited the two little Qian benefactors to visit the temple tomorrow.

The Little Monk had been to their home once before, and the moment he saw the boisterous chaos, his eyebrows furrowed tightly together, and he left after only half a day.

Cheng Yue and others had already made summer robes for the Little Monk; even if he didn’t send an invitation, they would have visited regardless. They just had to wait until the 20th, their day off, to go. Mr. Yu was very strict, and except for every tenth day, he absolutely did not allow leave for any reason.

But as soon as they heard that Little Monk Hongji had sent someone to invite them, he made an exception and granted leave.

The next day, the siblings took their clothes, vegetarian food, Monkey Brother, and twenty lotus leaves to Daci Temple.

Speaking of lotus leaves, Qian Yixiu was filled with anger.

A few days ago, the family used these lotus leaves to steam chicken and cook porridge, and they found it exceptionally fragrant. Out of filial piety, Qian Sangui not only packed a plate of lotus leaf chicken and a small pot of lotus leaf porridge for Old man Qian and Old woman Qian but also gave ten leaves to the eldest branch and five leaves to the second branch. Moreover, he instructed Su Siwu, who was delivering the items, to tell them not to spread the word since supplies were limited.

They also sent ten pieces each to the Zhang family and Cui family in Xishan County Town, again instructing them to keep quiet. There were too many relatives with connections; it wouldn’t look good to give to some and not to others. What they feared most was some families asking for more after tasting the delicious leaves. To give them, they don’t have enough. To refuse, they can’t afford to offend those families.

There was no choice; when there’s something rare, it’s natural to want to share it with family and friends. So, when Qian Sangui sent them out, Qian Yixiu didn’t voice any objections.

What was infuriating was that the next day, Lady Tang came over and plucked twenty leaves herself, Su Sanwu who looked after the lake didn’t dare to object, and even restrained Tiaotiao from biting her. Lady Wang sent Duo Duo to ask for thirty leaves, and Qian Sangui, feeling obliged, had Su Siwu lead Duo Duo to pluck thirty leaves.

Lady Tang and Lady Wang found these lotus leaves tastier than those from their own ponds and wanted to share some with their relatives. In their view, the lotus leaves from their own ponds could be picked at will, so the leaves from the Third Branch’s lake should also be fair game. They ridiculed the notion of keeping it quiet, scoffing at how the wealthier one becomes, the stingier they are, even grudging over lotus leaves, which were not worth much.

The shrewd Lady Wang even sought Old man Qian’s approval in advance, and he shared the same perspective. Lotus leaves were plentiful and cheap, so there was no harm in giving some to relatives and friends. He nodded in agreement.

By the time Qian Yixiu finished her lessons and came out, fifty leaves had already been plucked.

She burst into tears on the spot and cried incessantly.

Unlike lotus flowers, the plucking of which does no harm to the formation of lotus roots, the harvest of lotus leaves halts the growth of the roots. There were already few lotus seeds; even the sprouting leaves were sparse, and she had hoped for more roots to grow in the lake so they could plant extensively next year.

The worst part was, with their careless spreading of the word, Butler Wong’s family, Landlord Li’s family, and other well-connected people within the township would surely find out. Once they knew, the people from the capital and the county town would know as well. Especially in Xishan County Town, those officials’ families, who must be appeased, were like insatiable wolves, and if they asked once, they would come for second and third times.

Qian Yixiu cried harder and harder, her loud sobs bewildered Su Sanwu who watched the lake, and also brought Mr. Yu, Qian Yijin, and even Qian Sangui, Lady Wu, and Qian Manxia from the small courtyard running over. Since there were craftsmen in the main courtyard, Cheng Yue couldn’t come over, or else her mother would have joined as well.

"How hard it was to get these lotus seeds, how could we let them be wasted like this. It’s other people’s property, how can they be so generous on our behalf..." Qian Yixiu cried and ranted, the veins on her forehead bulging with emotion.

Seeing their granddaughter cry like this, Qian Sangui and Lady Wu felt heartbroken. They quickly tried to comfort her, "We won’t pick the leaves anymore, we’ll make sure of it, no one is allowed to pick..."

Qian Yijin carried his sister back to their little room; Qian Yixiu continued to sob ceaselessly. Their mother had already been there crying until her eyes were red; seeing her daughter, she just wrapped her in her arms and cried.

"My poor Yixiu, who has wronged you..." Her mother cried even harder than Qian Yixiu.

Both mother and daughter cried so much they skipped lunch, and Qian Yixiu was so upset she didn’t give Grandfather Sangui a single smile all day.

After listening to his granddaughter’s incessant complaints, Qian Sangui was likewise filled with regret. He knew very well how the lotus seeds had been obtained. Allowing them to be squandered like this, his granddaughter wasn’t just upset.

But there was no choice, it had already happened, and they still had to send people to pick more lotus leaves to give away, for they couldn’t afford to offend those families.