Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 575 - 293 Gift_1

Chapter 575: Chapter 293 Gift_1

The New Year’s gifts for Sir Lin’s family mainly consisted of gold lotus root and preserved meats like bacon and sausages, as well as several sets of Liancourt.

As for the Liang Family, in response to the value of the gifts they sent, many culinary ingredients and Liancourt were presented.

There were also some other families, mainly Qian Manjiang’s friends from the military, to whom Wong Shou was entrusted to deliver the gifts.

Then there were filial offerings for the Empress Dowager, a jar of a mother and child double-headed Golden Crow Snake soaked in alcohol, a pair of red gold framed reading glasses brought by Old Foreign Li last time, two Foreign Emeralds, two Foreign Rubies, five pounds of Foreign Incense, two sets of top-grade cardamom cosmetics in jade boxes, as well as two sets of cotton robes and shoes personally made by Pan Yue, and a set of soft satin pajamas made by Qian Yixiu herself, on which her mother had also embroidered flowers.

The filial offerings for the Emperor were one pair of red gold framed reading glasses, a pocket watch, a purple mink fur shawl, and a set of top-grade cardamom in an ivory carved box. It wasn’t about not being willing to give him more; it’s just that under the whole sky, all land belonged to the Emperor, so he already had every fine thing. The gifts were truly a token of sentiment.

As for the degree of the reading glasses, Qian Yixiu was at a loss to help. They could use them themselves if they were suitable, or if not, give them away as a reward.

Qian Yixiu was very pleased with her own foresight. Except for the glass products which were sold at the instruction of Old Foreign Li, most of the items were kept for themselves. These items were rare and impressive gifts. In fact, the gold-plated sitting clock was excellent, but it wasn’t suitable for a New Year’s gift, given that giving a clock (which sounds like ’end’ in Chinese) was considered inauspicious.

After discussing everything, the sun had already set. Pan Yue had already brought Mingming and Jingjing to the hall, and Old woman Qian was also there, chatting with Lady Wu and the others.

After Wong Shou left, the people in the hall went to the side room to accompany Qian Sangui and shared laughs.

Lady Wu mentioned her brother in Jiaodong, and Qian Sangui said that now that the household affairs were almost settled, he would ask Manjiang to visit Jiaodong after the New Year, preferably bringing her brother and his family over for a reunion.

Suddenly, Old man Qian returned chilled to the bone.

He excitedly said, "I’ve found a business concept for Manchuan and the others, making Xishan spicy noodles. I saw an inn this morning with the signboard ’Ji’an’s Genuine Spicy Noodles,’ crowded with patrons, bustling with business. I’ve been craving that taste, so I went and had a bowl. My god, it was neither spicy nor flavorful. Lady Xu’s spicy noodles are much more authentic than theirs. I bet if they open a noodle house in the Capital City specializing in spicy noodles, it’d be lucrative."

Qian Yixiu smiled and said, "The people of the Capital City don’t favor spicy food; that noodle shop must have modified its recipe, which is why Grandfather found it unpalatable, but it’s to the locals’ liking. If Auntie Xu were truly to make authentic spicy noodles, aside from our family and some people from Ji’an supporting the business, I doubt there’d be many others who could handle the spiciness."

Pan Yue, who didn’t like spicy food, also chimed in, "Spicy noodles aren’t tasty, and they’re too spicy."

Old woman Qian, savvy and ever supportive of Pan Yue, added with a twisted mouth, "My daughter-in-law is right; the old lady no longer likes to eat spicy food either."

Qian Yixiu chuckled to herself, secretly knowing she ate more chili than anyone else at the table.

Qian Sangui laughed and said, "Dad, wouldn’t it be nice if Manchuan and the others continued making pastries back home? Once they’ve built up a reputation, it’s easy work, and profitable too. Different trades are as distinct as separate mountains; running a noodle shop isn’t the same as a pastry business, it’s not as easy as you think. If you really bring them here and the business doesn’t do well, Dad, you won’t be able to explain it away."

Old man Qian, stroking his whiskers, replied, "So what do we do? There are so many pastry shops in the Capital City, and they’re good too. If they come here to make pastries, they wouldn’t be able to compete."

Qian Sangui suggested, "Then we’ll just have to keep looking until we find the right thing."

After Manjiang finished his work at the office, Yixiu went over the New Year’s gift arrangements with him, and he agreed. He also wondered, "Why would the Eldest Princess’s House and Sir Lin’s family send New Year’s gifts to us? It’s really strange. Before, Marquis Huang would act like he didn’t know me, but today he even greeted me in the palace."

Everyone was baffled, and deciding there was no point in dwelling on the incomprehensible, they set the matter aside.

The next day, Manjiang took a day off. In the morning, he personally delivered gifts to the Eldest Princess Mansion, Fu Mansion, and Liang Mansion, while Wong Shou took care of delivering the New Year’s gifts to Pan Fu, Lin Mansion, and Wan Mansion. In the afternoon, Manjiang and Yixiu went together to Prince Ning Mansion to offer their New Year’s gifts.

It was Yixiu who had actively requested to go, with the excuse that she missed Zhu Sujin and Princess Ning.

She also brought the Red Demon Fruit, as well as Monkey Brother and Monkey Sister, and Shan Dian, who went to play with White Wolf, Dashan, Tiaotiao, and Qing Feng.

Upon arriving at Prince Ning Mansion, Manjiang proceeded directly to the outer court of the Prince Residence, while Yixiu was led straight into the main hall of the central courtyard.