CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 20: LEASING THE SANDY FIELD

"Please do not disclose the matter of Chun Nuan seeing Old Master Zhang for a medical consultation and prescribing medicine."

Chun Nuan asked him to keep it a secret.

"Why?" Old Master Zhang was puzzled: "Miss Xiao’s medical skills are exceptional, moreover... forgive my bluntness, but your mansion should be in dire need of money right now."

With exceptional medical skills and a widespread reputation, wouldn’t money flow in continuously?

"Being in possession of a treasure is a sin, the Xiao family is like a fragile boat on the vast ocean right now, unable to withstand any waves," Chun Nuan said calmly. "Besides, what Chun Nuan knows is not some remarkable medical skill, it’s merely proficiency from practice."

"Miss Xiao, this..." Not accepting a hundred taels, only asking for two taels: "Miss Xiao, the Xiao family has met such calamity, it’s precisely the time when money is needed."

Old Master Zhang couldn’t understand why the cash-strapped Xiao Chunnuan was being so stubborn.

"From the age of three, Chun Nuan has been in my great-grandfather’s pharmacy, where there’s a couplet at the door: ’I wish there were no illnesses in the world, I’d rather let the medicines gather dust.’ " Chun Nuan recited: "The ancestral teaching of the Xiao family is: Filial piety, brotherhood, loyalty, faith, propriety, righteousness, integrity, and humility. If deserved, not a penny less; if undeserved, not a penny more."

"The Xiao family, I’m impressed," Old Master Zhang gave a thumbs up. "Even far away in Shu City, I have often heard of Doctor Xiao’s prowess, unfortunately..."

Chun Nuan lowered her eyes, once again feeling injustice for her grandfather.

"The Xiao family became what it is today thanks to the support of two generations of Doctor Xiao at the Imperial Hospital," Old Master Zhang continued in indignation, "I did not expect them to act so ruthlessly, and their reputation has been greatly tarnished."

"Justice resides in people’s hearts." Chun Nuan noticed it was getting late and bid farewell.

Originally, she wanted to ask Old Master Zhang to lease a piece of land, but now it was inappropriate to mention, feeling as if she was asking for something.

"Miss Xiao and Mr. Xiao, please stay for a meal," Old Master Zhang sincerely invited. "It would also be a good opportunity to get to know Miss Xiao."

"We left in a hurry today, I’ll visit Old Master Zhang and Miss Zhang another day."

We are not close enough to dine together.

As for Miss Zhang... Xiao Chunnuan currently doesn’t have the leisure time to socialize with these young ladies.

"This..." Old Master Zhang saw them to the door, suddenly remembering something: "Does Miss Xiao live on the outskirts of town?"

"Yes, in Shuikou Village at the east end of the town."

"Just right, I have some land over there; if Miss Xiao wants to farm it, I can give you a few acres to cultivate."

"Thank you, Old Master Zhang." This is truly someone offering timely assistance: "However, Chun Nuan’s family mainly consists of women and children, a few acres are too much for us to cultivate, so how about Chun Nuan leases one acre from Old Master Zhang?"

Chun Nuan did want to lease!

Old Master Zhang quickly understood and smiled knowingly: This girl, who could even refuse a hundred taels, would hardly want to be indebted for one acre of land rental.

"Alright, I’ll have Uncle Hu go to the Xiao family, so Miss Xiao can see which piece of land you need."

"Thank you, Old Master Zhang."

"Miss Xiao, the trees and bamboos on that mountain by Shuikou Village can be used by your family as needed, no need to inform me."

"Thank you, Old Master Zhang."

Chun Nuan and Chun Ning expressed their gratitude to Old Master Zhang once more.

"It is I who should thank you."

This girl is interesting!

On the way back, Chun Ning looked at his sister several times.

"What are you looking at, do I have flowers on my face?"

"Sister, you are really incredible!"

Chun Ning said he learned a lot.

"Sister refused Old Master Zhang’s hundred taels of silver, what do you think of that?"

"A gentleman loves money, but takes it the right way," Chun Ning understood: "Sister did very well, something Chun Ning should learn from."

"Indeed. The Xiao family’s reputation cannot be tarnished in sister’s hands."

Saying there was no temptation would be a lie!

While money is important, being a good person is even more so; Chun Nuan thoroughly understood this key point.

Apparently, young as he is, Chun Ning understands it too.

"Chun Ning, many things will be handled by you in the future; remember, people must have principles: do not be greedy, do not be angry, do not be foolish, do not be arrogant, do not doubt." Chun Nuan gazed at the distant mountain covered with spring flowers: "When you don’t have enough ability to protect yourself and your family, keeping a low profile and being patient is also necessary."

"Sister, Chun Ning understands."

Chun Ning also looked at that mountain.

"Tomorrow, Xiao Gang and I will go to pick flowers from that mountain again."

"Alright."

Chun Ning didn’t know, but Chun Nuan had long known that the mountain full of spring flowers was their ancestral property, bought with the money brought back by their great-grandfather after establishing himself in the Capital.

Because their great-grandmother loved spring flowers, when the great-grandfather wrote to ask his son what kind of trees to plant, great-grandfather replied to plant spring flowers.

Later, when the great-grandparents passed away, the great-grandfather settled down in the Capital with his wife and children, entrusting this ancestral property to clansmen for management. Every year during Qingming and festive seasons, New Year’s gifts and sacrificial land would still be sent to Shu City.

The Xiao family grew from a gathering of several dozen scattered households to a thriving mighty clan.

This expansion relied mainly on the support of two generations of Doctor Xiao, head of the Imperial Hospital—a tale of someone’s rise bringing everyone along with unparalleled vividness.

The women and children of the Xiao Mansion returned to Shu City, and the Xiao clan opened the ancestral hall, burned incense, and announced the expulsion of the Xiao family’s main branch from the clan.

Grandmother fainted in anger, the family was flustered and had no time or opportunity to settle scores with them!

A gentleman seeks revenge within ten years!

Chun Nuan secretly vowed that what was rightfully hers would eventually return to her hands.

"Don’t mention today’s matters at Old Master Zhang’s to the family."

"Alright, I understand," Chun Ning had also learned to report the good news and not the bad. The family relied on the two siblings to hold up, so they bear the burden together, keeping the storms outside the doorstep.

Soon after Chun Nuan and Chun Ning arrived home, Uncle Hu came by.

"Miss Xiao, there are a few acres of land right by your doorstep; is that what you’d like to have?"

The land hadn’t been leased out, with the estate’s hired hands currently cultivating it. The master had said to give Miss Xiao whatever she wanted, as much as she wanted, what Uncle Hu didn’t understand was: the rent would be the same as for other tenant farmers, not a pound less.

"Uncle Hu, we’ve never farmed land before," Chun Nuan actually had her eyes on a plot right by their doorstep: "Is this piece alright?"

Currently planted with rapeseed, it was almost ready for harvest.

"This land..." Uncle Hu hesitated briefly but told her the truth: "The ground is sandy, essentially dry land; it’s not very fertile and doesn’t yield much. How about I take you to see another piece of land?"

"What do you mean by dry land?"

"Dry land means..." Uncle Hu, goodness, a household that can’t tell dry fields from wet fields, can they really farm this land?

"Drained, it can be planted with vegetables, like ordinary soil; irrigated, it can grow millet to produce rice, very convenient, one field with two uses." Chun Nuan liked it even more upon hearing this: "Sandy soil is great, it’s less tiring to till."

Uncle Hu... Ignorant people are easily satisfied.

Since she liked it, then this would do.

Signed and stamped, the Xiao family became a landowning family, though leased, it didn’t stop them from being happy.

Take it slow, everything will get better!