Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 352 - 208: Making up my Mind_2

Chapter 352: Chapter 208: Making up my Mind_2

Qian Yixiu stood up again from the brocade stool and bent her knees to call out, "Sixth Young Master."

Liang Jinzhen "Hmm"ed and added, "Sister Yu told me that your Monkey Brother and Benben are especially clever and fun. I also want to visit your house to play with Monkey Brother and Benben."

Qian Yixiu smiled in welcome and said that in the future she would also bring them to play here.

After a short while, Liang Zechong arrived at Wanhe Hall and took a seat on the first chair to the left. Everyone but Old Queen Grandma rose to give him their respects.

Old Queen Grandma asked, "How did it go?"

Liang Zechong took a sip of tea, smiled, and said, "I sent Prince Shou on his way. However, the embroidered screen could not be kept; it had to be sold to Huang Wanchun."

He turned to Qian Yixiu and said, "Yesterday Huang Wanchun came to the mansion looking for me. He heard that the Former Imperial Consort has a fine taste for collecting exquisite embroideries, and he wanted to buy the screen to present to Prince Shou Mansion. At the time, I rejected him, saying the screen belongs to the Qian family, not the Liang family, and we merely borrowed it to admire for a while, so how could we make such a decision? But today, when Prince Shou wanted to buy it, saying he intended to present it to the Empress Dowager on her seventieth birthday, I could no longer resist, so I had to make the decision for you. But selling it directly to Prince Shou, if he offered five thousand taels of silver, it would be a lot. I thought it better to sell it to Huang Wanchun; he offered three thousand taels of gold, a price that was worthwhile. After telling Prince Shou that Huang Wanchun had bought the screen exactly to gift it to him, the Prince was finally appeased. I’ve already sent for Huang Wanchun; today, he will come to take the screen away."

Old Queen Grandma snorted coldly, "How nice it sounds, presenting it to the Empress Dowager. Could the Former Consort bear to part with it?"

Liang Zechong laughed and said, "Whether the Former Consort can keep it will depend on Prince Shou’s skill."

Although Qian Yixiu was extremely reluctant to part with the embroidery screen that her deceased mother had put so much work into, ultimately it could not be kept; this was already the best possible outcome.

She rose to thank Liang Zechong with a bow, indicating that if the screen could be sold for a thousand taels of gold it would be amazing, and the rest of the money would become an offering to Duke Mansion. She was not really a naive ten-year-old girl and did not dare to swallow all three thousand taels of gold. She thought that if the Duke Mansion would leave her fifteen hundred taels, it would be good enough.

Liang Zechong waved it off generously with a smile and said, "Little girl, you’re not big in age, but you have plenty of wits. How could I covet the hard-earned money of a little girl? What is yours, take it all."

Just then, Third Young Master Liang Jinchen, Fourth Young Master Liang Jinhua, Fifth Young Master Liang Jintian came to greet the Old Queen Grandma, having just finished school. Second Young Master Liang Jintong was not back, as he was studying at the Imperial College.

Subsequently, Uncle Liang and Third Master Liang finished their official duties, and Uncle Liang was the last to return.

With so many people in the large room, Qian Yixiu felt dizzy. A maid then led Qian Yixiu to pay her respects to the uncle and the Third Master.

The uncle and Third Master maintained their dignity with mere grunt in response. Uncle Liang, however, was unexpectedly polite, smiling and speaking a few words to her, telling her not to be shy in this place and inviting her to visit Liang Mansion more often in the future.

With his tall and handsome stature, Uncle Liang’s genial demeanor earned him a big thumbs up from Qian Yixiu.

Old Queen Grandma and Liang Zechong asked Qian Yixiu to stay for dinner. They ate in the West Wing Dining Hall, split across two tables, one for the men and another for women and children.

Liang Mansion did not adhere to the custom of "not speaking when eating," and would occasionally engage in jest and laughter. Perhaps in the house of a military officer, there were not so many protocols.

Right after dinner, a servant reported Huang Wanchun’s arrival, prompting Liang Zechong and Uncle Liang to leave for the front courtyard.

After bidding farewell to Old Queen Grandma and the others, Qian Yixiu also took the sedan chair to the front courtyard. The sky had completely darkened by now and though there were many lanterns hanging along the path, Qian Yixiu felt an inexplicable anxiety alone in this unfamiliar environment.

Arriving at the front courtyard study, Qian Yixiu didn’t speak; it was Liang Zechong and his son who talked with Huang Wanchun. Huang Wanchun was overjoyed to have acquired the screen and knew that Princess Shou favored exquisite embroidery. By presenting this item to Prince Shou, he had patted the right horse’s back.

After repeatedly thanking Liang Zechong and his son, Huang Wanchun brought out the silver note (or should it be called a gold note?)—six notes each valued at five hundred taels of gold.

After Huang Wanchun left, Qian Yixiu took out four notes and stood up to offer them as a token of respect to Liang Zechong.

Liang Zechong waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities; your mother spent so much time on the embroidery. That I was unable to keep it is a shame on my part, so how could I accept your family’s hard-earned money?"