Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 425 - 235 Big Deal_2

Chapter 425: Chapter 235 Big Deal_2

Qian Yixiu did not dare to let Cheng Yue come out, afraid that the shock might affect her pregnancy.

Qian Sangui entertained Lin Qing and Old Foreign Li with a meal in the outer courtyard, accompanied by the younger siblings and Qian Hua as well.

Old Foreign Li was not adept with chopsticks, so they gave him a spoon. He was especially fond of the sweet and sour ribs and the lotus root cake made with golden lotus root powder infused with osmanthus. As he ate, he kept giving Qian Sangui thumbs-ups and said in broken Daqian language, "Good! Good!"

After the meal, Qian Yixiu had servants bring out the ten rolls of jacquard silk damask and twenty rolls of soft satin she had bought in the capital and the ones gifted by the Liang Mansion, and ten sets of colorful quilted fabrics. She also fetched two embroidery pieces that her little mother had stitched from the Wangjiang Building.

These two pieces of embroidery were stitched by her little mother using plain silk and embroidery thread from Xiangyun Pavilion, both in contrasting double-sided embroidery. The techniques used were also her mother’s own invention, the Peach Needle and Water Ripple Needle. One piece was "Roses Vying for Beauty," and the other "Kittens Playing with Marbles." The embroidery was not large; they had carpenters make small walnut wood screens to frame and mount the pieces. In Qian Yixiu’s view, these two works could be considered national treasures of the Great Qian Kingdom.

These items dazzled Old Foreign Li, especially the two small embroidered screens, which made his eyes widen and he muttered incessantly in nonsensical phrases.

Qian Yixiu roughly understood that he was saying it was inconceivable, miraculous, wonderful...

True to his nature as a merchant, Old Foreign Li pulled all the items to his side and pointed to his head, gesturing extensively. Lin Qing, who had interacted with him for some time, translated, "Li is saying that all these items are good, and he likes them very much. But he came here at the risk of losing his head, so he needs to take more valuable items to trade. Then he will give you everything he brought."

Qian Yixiu looked at his two chests, which contained eight glass mirrors, six of which were twenty-centimeter-diameter lace-edged round mirrors, and two were large square mirrors half a meter wide. There were four large glass vases, a small box of glass marbles, a gold-plated sitting clock, two telescopes, two pocket watches, two ivory carvings, three rubies the size of a fingertip, and twenty kilograms of spices.

Although she did not think much of those glass items, she understood that the man had risked his life to come across the sea and recklessly make his way to the hinterland, so it was right for him to earn more. Besides, she was hoping for further cooperation.

So she had her people bring out the best porcelain in the house, including several vases of varying sizes and several sets of bowls and dishes. They also brought out ten sets of Liancourt Cosmetics, a few small embroidered screens stitched by Qian Xiaoyu, ten fans obtained in the capital, twenty kilograms of fine tea leaves, and fifty kilograms of golden lotus root powder – even the ten court flowers gifted by Uncle Liang. And she made a point of praising the uniqueness of the Liancourt Cosmetics.

Old Foreign Li smiled in satisfaction after seeing this and gestured, "OK, OK."

Lin Qing and Old Foreign Li were arranged to stay in the guest rooms of the outer courtyard.

Qian Yixiu had people take the items to the main courtyard, where the array of rare and interesting treasures dazzled Lady Wu, Cheng Yue, and several servants. Qian Sangui asked Qian Hua with a smile, "Did my granddaughter make a good deal with this transaction?"

Qian Hua replied with a smile, "The items my niece brought out, especially the two contrasting double-sided embroidered screens from the big wife, are rare treasures that could fetch nearly a thousand taels of silver. The other items are probably worth more than two thousand taels. Put together, that’s over three thousand taels. The foreigner’s goods, if sold well, could go for more than ten thousand taels, even up to twenty thousand taels, possibly."

Qian Sangui laughed loudly and said, "No wonder everyone says that if you do well in the smuggling business, you can make a huge profit. Our Xiu’er is capable and has earned a lot."

Qian Yixiu took out a telescope and asked, "Do we have telescopes in our army?"

Qian Hua replied, "It is said there are telescopes coming from the west, but they are very rare and extremely expensive."

Qian Yixiu then suggested, "Father, since we’re not short on money, apart from the glass products which Uncle Qian can take to sell, we can take the spices to the Liancourt Workshop. We can give a telescope to dad and keep the other stuff for our family’s use."

Qian Yijin quickly took a few glass marbles and said, "I like these marbles."

Cheng Yue also said, "I like the glass mirrors."

Qian Sangui generously said, "Then we’ll keep them all, except for the spices; we’ll hold onto everything."

Thus, the items were distributed accordingly. Lady Wu and Cheng Yue each received a large glass mirror to be set into dressing tables at a later stage. Qian Yijin got four glass marbles and an ivory carved white horse; Qian Yixiu took one round glass mirror and one pocket watch. Originally, Qian Yixiu wanted to keep the sitting clock in the main courtyard, but Qian Sangui, who said he did not understand it and did not want it, arranged for the clock to be placed in the Wangjiang Building.