Transmigration: A Farm Girl's Brocade-Chapter 94 - Revisiting the Serpent Vine

Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Revisiting the Serpent Vine Chrysanthemum_1

Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Revisiting the Serpent Vine Chrysanthemum_1

Ah Zhu led them into the main room, which was very spacious and delicately furnished with a cashmere carpet from the Western Regions covering the floor.

Old Lady Zhang sat on the Luohan bed, while Lady Song sat on the right side in a nanmu chair.

Upon entering, they paid their respects to Old Lady Zhang and Lady Song. It was their first time meeting Qian Yijin, and each of them gave him a purse containing small silver ingots.

Qian Yijin was especially sweet-tongued, making a deep bow, he said, “Thank you, Old Lady and Lady. Thanks to the kindness of the Old Lady, Old Master Zhang, and Lady, my grandfather has gotten much better, and I have been able to attend school. I haven’t slackened for a moment in my studies, always remembering your kindness, hoping to repay it someday…”

With a few words, he spoke until Old Lady Zhang’s eyes twinkled with laughter. She only had one grandson, Zhang Yang, and he was grown up. Now seeing these two children, who were beautiful and exceedingly lovable, she waved for the sibling pair to come over and embraced them. Laughing, she said, “Oh my, what delightful little dears you are, thank you for remembering this Old Lady…”

Then, from outside the door came a voice as raucous as a drake’s, “This is too much for me, Grandmother has found someone else and has cast aside her own grandson.”

It was Zhang Yang.

Following the voice, Zhang Zhongkun and Zhang Yang walked in.

Upon hearing Zhang Yang’s words, Old Lady Zhang was even more delighted, and she hugged the two siblings tighter, saying, “Indeed, with them here, Grandma doesn’t even see Yang’er anymore.”

The whole family burst into laughter.

Zhang Zhongkun sat down in the chair to the left of Old Lady Zhang, and Zhang Yang sat down beside him. Zhang Zhongkun called Qian Yijin over and asked, “Are you the eldest grandchild of the Qian family?”

Qian Yijin gave Zhang Zhongkun a deep bow and said, “I have seen Old Master Zhang, my name is Qian Yijin. Thank you, my grandfather has gotten much better, and he can now walk into the village with the help of crutches. Your generosity is something our entire family remembers…”

The little lad spoke to Zhang Zhongkun with all the seriousness of a little adult, rather than with the coquettishness he showed Old Lady Zhang.

Zhang Zhongkun stroked his beard and nodded. Both children from the Old Qian Family were commendable, the girl smart and quick-witted, the boy with an orchid-like temperament, not at all like country children, and even the city children rarely possessed such quality. After testing his knowledge, Qian Yijin was naturally quick with his answers, which surprised Zhang Zhongkun even more. He thought to himself that the boy had a limitless future ahead of him.

Seeing her son’s delight, Old Lady Zhang grew even happier. Qian Yixiu, leaning against her, vividly narrated local anecdotes, like the old grandmother from a family who, after years of devoutly practicing Buddhism and doing good deeds, lived to eighty-one and could still chew fried broad beans with excellent teeth. Then there was the old grandfather who had insisted on exercising every day, still spry at seventy-five. And the story of the son who carried his paralyzed widowed mother on his back for a whole day just so she could watch a play, and so on and so forth. Qian Yijin added embellishments, captivating everyone with the stories.

Particularly when they talked about the indolent Hua Dianzi, who married into his wife’s family and let his wife and child provide for him, and his many shameless “classic” phrases, it brought the room to roars of laughter. Naturally, the part where he teased his own young mother was omitted.

By noon, Old Lady Zhang was loath to let them go and invited them to stay for lunch. Lady Wu was taken to another room, accompanied by Sister Zhang and Ah Zhu. Meanwhile, Qian Yijin and his sister were taken by Old Lady Zhang, Zhang Zhongkun, and his family to the side hall for the meal.

The Zhang family was not large, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Even at the dining table, everyone chatted and laughed as they ate.

Zhang Zhongkun went on to say that Young Master Liang would return to the capital in half a month, and tomorrow Young Master Song would accompany him from the provincial city to Xishan County; he himself would go all out to provide acupuncture, and he asked Lady Song to arrange their clothing, food, lodging, and transportation.

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Old Lady Zhang said, “He is a good child, born into an aristocratic family, and quite handsome. But… alas…”

Lady Song laughed, “Didn’t the master calculate that his illness might be completely cured?”

Zhang Zhongkun nodded and said, “Hmm, it’s possible that the Liang family found a recluse expert who can cure this disease.”

Old Lady Zhang shook her head and said, “Our Zhang family is the most skilled at treating this kind of disease. If my son cannot completely cure it, who else could? Moreover, it was a joint effort between my son and Master Beikong…”

Zhang Zhongkun smiled and said, “There are always higher mountains and experts beyond our own; there must be divine doctors in this world who are stronger than my son.”

Old Lady Zhang still shook her head in disbelief; in her eyes, her son was the best divine doctor in the world.

The conversation was somewhat evasive, and both Qian Yijin and Qian Yixiu felt it was none of their concern and didn’t listen attentively, bowing their heads to eat the delicate dishes. Especially Qian Yijin, who ate very quickly but not in an unseemly manner.

Zhang Yang interjected, “Dad, do you think there really exists such a divine medicine called Serpent Vine Chrysanthemum in this world?”

Zhang Zhongkun shook his head and said, “It’s unlikely. Such divine medicine is even harder to find than a divine doctor. And even if it exists, it might not be possible to pick it.”

Upon hearing the name Serpent Vine Chrysanthemum, Qian Yixiu immediately perked up her ears to listen.

Hearing Zhang Zhongkun say that, she naïvely lifted her head and said, “Old Master Zhang, what does the Serpent Vine Chrysanthemum look like? There are many chrysanthemums on the mountain behind my house. If I see it, I’ll pick some for you. Yixiu is most skilled at growing flowers; by then, I’ll grow a whole garden full, and Old Master Zhang can have as much as he wants.”

Zhang Yang laughed heartily and said, “That kind of flower can’t just grow on any mountain. It’s said that this flower grows on the peaks of high mountains, in places rarely visited by humans. Its petals are like silk, its core like jade, its colors as bright as the morning glow. It blooms only once a year, and each plant only produces two flowers…”

Zhang Zhongkun interrupted him and said, “Our ancestor only made a note of it, saying that an ancient book mentioned this flower as…” He paused, “But to this day no one has ever seen it, and it’s unknown if it’s real or not. You are young, so do not venture into the deep mountains in search of it.”

Truly a good person, Qian Yixiu nodded gratefully. She thought to herself, when June comes around three years later, and Monkey Brother is a bit older and the flowers are in bloom, she would let him try to climb that cliff on that special day to see if he could pick the Serpent Vine Chrysanthemum.

After the meal, it was time for Qian Yixiu and the others to return home. Old Master Zhang had prepared several packets of medicine for Qian Sangui to take back and also gave Qian Yijin two sheets of paper, four ink sticks, and four brushes, encouraging him to work hard. He promised to find a good teacher for him when he came to study in town.

Qian Yijin was very touched and bowed deeply in gratitude.

The old lady was reluctant to see them go but had to let them leave. She pinched Qian Yixiu’s slightly fleshier thin little hand and gave her a small glazed bead bracelet and a small agate bracelet. She said, “Good child, it’s rare to see someone so young so considerate, knowing that I fancy the local delicacies and often sending them to me. Come visit us more often to keep this old lady company. The house becomes lively with you here, and I enjoy hearing the amusing stories from the countryside that you tell.”

Zhang Yang pretended to be jealous and said, “Grandma, just say you like to hear their stories. No need to pretend that the house isn’t lively, as if your grandson isn’t keeping you company.”

Old Lady Zhang gave Zhang Yang a playful smack and chided, “That’s exactly the case; you’re always following your father, learning medicine, never having time to keep this old lady company. This courtyard is so quiet, only your mother talks to me.”