Traveling Through Those Years Of Farming (Quick Transmigration) - Volume 4 Chapter 10

When she saw that half-opened piece of jade material, Ge Feiyan was stunned.

Having been the favored concubine of a wealthy landlord family for more than ten years, Ge Feiyan considered herself rather knowledgeable. She had a few jade accessories of her own. The best among them was a jade hairpin made of glutinous-type emerald; the whole hairpin was crafted from silver, with only the tip inlaid with a small piece of pale glutinous-type jade carved into a magnolia blossom. That jade piece was no bigger than two fingernails. Because it was glutinous type bordering ice type in quality, that tiny piece alone was worth nearly fifty taels of silver.

Besides the jade hairpin she rarely dared to wear, Ge Feiyan also had a concubine-style bangle made of bean-type jade. The material of that bangle was inferior to the hairpin’s jade—full of cotton inclusions and lacking translucence. But since concubine-style bangles required much larger pieces of jade, even that ordinary bangle was still valuable, easily worth twenty or thirty taels.

Ge Feiyan lifted the jade material and walked to the window to examine its translucency under natural light.

The most expensive piece of jade she had ever seen was the pair of glutinous-type concubine bangles worn by Madam Lu, the main wife. The jade from her own hairpin and the jade from Madam Lu’s bangles came from the same original piece. In truth, her beloved hairpin was just the leftover scrap after that pair of bangles had been carved.

That pair of bangles was the most lustrous, translucent jade she had ever seen—likely worth several hundred taels, possibly more than a thousand.

As the saying went, the higher-ups led by example. Since the founding of the Jiang Dynasty, every emperor and empress had highly treasured jade. In recent years the country had enjoyed peace and good harvests; the people lived stable lives, and the demand for jade and gold ornaments had risen even more. High-quality jade had consistently remained expensive.

There was even a saying among the people: Gold has a price; jade does not. Those wealthy nobles who adored jade never hesitated to spend money on top-grade stones.

Ge Feiyan felt that the jade her elder sister brought was definitely better than the concubine bangles worn by Madam Lu.

However, one thing troubled her: why were there yellow patches on the jade?

Her knowledge was limited. As a concubine, she rarely had the chance to go out. Occasionally, when Madam Lu visited others, she would bring her along—but the main wife sat with the other noblewomen, while concubines sat separately. The ones who chatted with her were usually other favored concubines who had little education and relied mainly on beauty to please their husbands.

The treasures they possessed all came from rewards bestowed by their master and the main wife. True, top-tier items never reached their hands.

Thus, Ge Feiyan had only ever seen green jade. She had never encountered rarer kinds like yellow jade.

She seriously suspected that this piece of jade had molded.

But that didn’t matter. She could simply cut away the “molded” parts later. The remaining vivid green sections—whether used to make a hairpin or polished into a ring face—would still fetch quite a bit of money.

“How is it?”

Seeing her sister staring silently for so long, Ge Shiyan grew anxious.

“Sis, where did you get something this good?” Ge Feiyan asked with unusual seriousness.

“Funny enough, this treasure was something Baobao brought back.”

Once Ge Shiyan saw the look on her sister’s face, her heart settled. She knew such a reaction only appeared when something was extremely valuable.

So she briefly recounted what had happened when they went to the county town that day.

“They say surviving disaster brings later blessings. I think Baobao’s luck has only just begun.”

Ge Shiyan felt delighted. She didn’t expect Baobao to become rich or noble; as long as Baobao could live safely and peacefully for a lifetime, she would have the face to meet Baobao’s mother in the afterlife.

“That child really is blessed.”

Once Ge Feiyan heard the jade had a clean origin, she finally relaxed and smiled.

“Sis, you really are smart. Raising a daughter-in-law since she was small—she’s no different from a real daughter. You won’t have to worry about suffering from a future daughter-in-law.”

Ge Feiyan had always admired her elder sister. Any decision her sister made, she supported without hesitation—and sometimes wanted to imitate.

Unfortunately, her own son was being raised under the main wife’s name. His marriage in the future would be decided by the master and Madam Lu. His future bride would almost certainly be a noble young lady of high birth, unlikely to respect a low-ranking concubine like herself.

Ge Feiyan felt a faint sadness, though she had long made peace with it. When she sold herself as a concubine, she had already anticipated these things. Her son would one day inherit the whole Wang household and marry a bride of high status. That, too, was her blessing.

As for herself, with her son there, she would never go hungry. Why should she trouble a future daughter-in-law?

Even thinking this way, she still envied her sister. She felt her sister’s good fortune was only beginning.

“That’s right. My Baobao is adorable.”

On other matters, Ge Shiyan might act modest. But when Baobao was praised, she accepted every word proudly.

“Help me estimate how much this jade could sell for. I’m planning to sell it and buy some farmland for Baobao. Once leased out, it will bring yearly rent—that’s real, long-term wealth.” Ge Shiyan asked eagerly. After seeing her sister’s expression earlier, she suspected this jade could be worth close to a hundred taels.

“Sis, if you trust me, leave this jade material with me. I will definitely help you sell it at a good price.” After thinking a moment, Ge Feiyan spoke.

Truthfully, jade of this quality—even with the “moldy” yellow—was far beyond her ability to sell. Her plan was to entrust it to Madam Lu.

In all these years, she had come to understand Madam Lu well. Madam Lu was not petty or greedy. Even if the jade was priceless, she would never swallow it for personal gain.

“You’re my own sister. Who else would I trust?” Ge Shiyan glared at her, annoyed.

If she couldn’t trust her own sister, she certainly couldn’t trust strangers.

“All right!” Grinning, Ge Feiyan placed the jade carefully into her jewelry box. 

“By the way, Sis, I came also to ask—do you know of any good teachers for students?” Ge Shiyan’s expression relaxed. “This time, thanks to Baobao’s luck, that man of mine finally agreed to let Da Bao study. You should’ve seen the look on that couple’s faces.”

Ge Shiyan felt refreshed. Remembering Fu Shichun and Ma Meifang looking like they had swallowed dung made her want to eat two extra bowls of rice.

“I told you long ago—send my nephew to our house. Let him study with my son. The teacher at the Wang household is someone my lady used many connections to obtain—a truly capable scholar.”

At the mention of education, Ge Feiyan pouted again. Years ago, when her son started his early lessons, she had urged her sister to bring her nephew to study at the Wang household as well, saving her sister money. But Ge Shiyan refused no matter what.

“If he really has the talent for studying, even an ordinary teacher can guide him. If he doesn’t have the talent, even a top scholar couldn’t save him.”

Her sister wanted her to bring Da Bao over to study, but it wasn’t that simple. Her own comfort depended entirely on Madam Lu’s favor; displeasing the main wife would ruin everything.

Ge Shiyan couldn’t help her sister in that kind of deep household. She didn’t want to add trouble to her sister’s life.

“Besides, if I send Da Bao to study at your place, don’t you think that pair will quickly stir up their father to send their younger one too?” Ge Shiyan’s tone grew mocking. “They may be angry now, but those two are still his biological grandchildren. Would he really hope they live worse than others?”

The Fu family could only afford to sponsor one child’s studies. Ge Shiyan intended to seize that spot and leave no opening for the eldest branch.

“This won’t do, that won’t do…” Ge Feiyan muttered, then suddenly said, “Once I sell this jade for a good price, Sis, you should divorce and live your own life. Let those two ingrates turn red-eyed with envy.”

She had always felt her sister—so good-tempered and hardworking—had suffered too much. Married to an old widower, raising his children for more than ten years, yet she never earned a good word. Divorce would surely be better.

“Nonsense!” Ge Shiyan tapped her sister’s forehead. “Still a child at heart.”

Divorce wasn’t as simple as opening one’s mouth. Many men were worse than Fu Dayan. Despite being unable to let go of his older children, he was considerate to her and kind to the youngest. He wasn’t an unfit husband or father.

And if she divorced, what about Da Bao? Even in modern-minded times like these, divorced women still suffered harsh gossip. She wouldn’t create problems that would follow her son for life.

“Yes, yes, Sis is much smarter than me. But you must remember—your sister here is your backing. If you’re ever wronged, don’t endure it. I can support you.” Ge Feiyan clung tightly to her sister’s arm.

Life in the inner courtyard was lonely. Even with a son, it often felt like she had none. She spent her days competing with other women just to pass the time.

She missed those years when she and her siblings relied on each other. Life had been bitter then, but fulfilling.

Still, she never regretted her choice. Her sister had protected her in the past; now she could finally say she could protect her sister in return.

“I’ve never felt wronged.” Ge Shiyan rested a hand on her sister’s shoulder. With family like this, even if grievances existed, they didn’t matter.

Meanwhile, Baobao—wanting to hide her ability—picked a random stone from the beautiful pebbles her mother had brought from the riverbank, choosing one that was not particularly nice so she wouldn’t feel bad if she ruined it, and began grinding it.

“Idiot!”

Since Ge Shiyan wasn’t home today, the twins were surprisingly well-behaved and playing in the yard.

Taking advantage of Fu Shinian going to the woodshed to pick up sticks, Fu Lianqiao approached Baobao, full of malice.

“Your real mother was killed by that woman and her son. Yet you still call that woman mother. My mother said people like you recognize thieves as parents, and you’ll suffer retribution.”

Children could be innocent, or they could be vicious. They were a blank page—shaped entirely by those who raised them.

Baobao’s movement paused. She didn’t believe Fu Lianqiao’s words; she believed more in what she saw and felt herself.

Fu Lianqiao didn’t dare linger. After speaking, she ran off to join her brother, occasionally casting mocking glances at Baobao.

Baobao quietly continued grinding her stone. She didn’t believe that her adoptive mother killed her real one, but she was indeed curious about the original body’s background.

She never imagined someone else would soon come to her with words similar to Fu Lianqiao’s.

After her elder sister finished lunch and left, Ge Feiyan changed into a fresh outfit, carrying the jade material in a wooden box to Madam Lu’s courtyard.

Madam Lu was bedridden year-round, but she wasn’t a frail, skinny woman. Instead, she was plump—extremely plump.

Especially in the past two years, since she changed physicians and prescriptions, her health had greatly improved, but her body had grown even rounder. Compared with her slender maids, she looked like three or four of them combined.

Her appearance was ordinary, but her noble birth gave her a natural authority unmatched by those with mere looks. 

Wang Fugui favored his concubines, but he never dared slight his main wife.

Madam Lu’s father had once been just a clerk under the county magistrate. Marrying into the Wang family—a wealthy landlord household—was originally considered a well-matched union. But after her marriage, as the county magistrate rose step by step, the Lu family prospered as well.

The former eighth-rank magistrate became a subordinate seventh-rank prefectural judge, and later a full seventh-rank county magistrate. In a place like theirs, a seventh-rank official was prestigious.

And being the official’s subordinate was almost as influential—Madam Lu’s father, serving closely under the magistrate, became the current county clerk. Many people sought him out to curry favor with the magistrate. Being the only legitimate daughter, Madam Lu’s status rose accordingly.

She recognized the jade material immediately. Learning that Ge Feiyan’s maiden family had obtained it by gambling on stones, she praised their good fortune repeatedly.

“Madam, this yellow part… is it mold?” Ge Feiyan asked hesitantly.

“Hahaha!” Madam Lu laughed, finding Ge Feiyan adorably foolish, though she liked her innocence. “This is a good thing.”

Madam Lu examined it closely. The jade material was almost fully revealed; it had windows opened on all sides. It was unquestionably ice-type jade—no cracks, almost no cotton inclusions. It wasn’t large enough to carve bangles, but could easily become a sizable display piece—a rare treasure.

Moreover, if she wasn’t mistaken, the yellow jade on the unpolished portions was deepening into an orange-red hue.

She felt certain that once fully polished, red jade would appear.

A piece combining fortune, prosperity, and longevity—Fu-Lu-Shou. Among ice-type jade, this was top grade.

Mold?

This was wealth.

Madam Lu thought Ge Feiyan’s luck was impressive. Recently, she and her husband had been worrying over what birthday tribute to prepare for the county magistrate. Thanks to her father’s connections, their business had grown steadily, but expanding further required the magistrate’s support.

Rumor said the magistrate loved jade. If they had this piece carved and presented as tribute, their future prospects would be assured.

Not only she—even her husband would appreciate Ge Feiyan for this. She would surely be favored even more.

People in high positions always believed in auspicious signs. Madam Lu mused that if Ge Feiyan didn’t have good fortune, how could she have given birth to the Wang family’s only son?

Perhaps she should treat Ge Feiyan better. As long as she didn’t covet what she shouldn’t touch, letting her be proud wasn’t an issue.

“I’ll have my husband buy this jade, but the household doesn’t have much ready silver. I’ll need a few days to gather it.”

She was not petty enough to pocket a concubine’s family treasure for free.

“I trust Madam.” Ge Feiyan beamed. 

The household had insufficient silver? Just how valuable was this jade? She felt happy for her elder sister.

Half a month later, Ge Shiyan finally received word from her sister.

She went to the Wang estate and received a wooden box from her sister.

“Good heavens!”

Ge Shiyan nearly dislocated her jaw in shock.

Inside was a thick stack of silver notes—ten-tael, twenty-tael, and even one-hundred-tael denominations. There was also a pile of land deeds—each for high-quality fertile fields.

Altogether, they must be worth eight hundred to a thousand taels!

In truth, that piece of ice-type jade was worth even more. But she had sold only the raw material. Carving and polishing required additional money, and a finished jade piece—crafted by a master and sold through the right channels—would fetch far more.

For someone like the Ge family, who didn’t understand the jade market, Madam Lu’s price was already extremely fair.

Ge Shiyan couldn’t be happier. Such wealth could last ten lifetimes.

She even started feeling dissatisfied with her own son—how could he ever deserve her rich Baobao?

“A-choo!” Fu Shinian rubbed his nose, scooted closer to Baobao, and sat down. “I learned how to write seven characters today!”

He held up eight fingers proudly, then pressed two back down after hesitating.

His so-called “learning” was just copying strokes, knowing what the shapes looked like.

“Great job.” Baobao weakly ground her stone and gave a perfunctory compliment.

She was still thinking whether she should expand her search for treasures. Their home had nothing valuable left; with such an amazing mouse nose wasted, wasn’t that a bit pitiful?

Fu Shinian didn’t sense her perfunctoriness. Proudly puffing up his belly again, he picked up his little wooden stick and continued practicing writing.

He needed to work even harder so he could become Baobao’s most, most, most, most, most favorite person.