EHCR 1

The Encyclopedic Harvest: Cultivating Riches in Lean Years

Chapter 1: You Old Burden

"Oh, heavens above! What am I ever going to do? I’ll never be able to show my face in public again!"

Sun Xiuhe beat her chest and wailed incessantly, heart aching as if flesh had been carved from her body at the mere thought of the ten taels of betrothal silver that was about to be demanded back.

"I always said those little girls were nothing but money pits!"

"Master, you’ve got to think of something..."

Before she could finish, the wooden door was shoved open from the inside with a resounding bang.

A young girl, completely drenched and topped with a crown of water weeds and sludge, glared with a pair of bright, sparkling eyes, blazing with fury.

"You old burden! If you can't show your face, just stuff it down your pants! Such a big deal over nothing!"

Sun Xiuhe stared in disbelief at the bedraggled girl, her index finger trembling and lips quivering. "Song Zhaodi, have you lost your mind?!"

With that, she rolled up her sleeves ready to pounce, but halfway there, remembering that Song Dachuan was still around, she quickly switched back to an aggrieved, pitiful expression.

"Master, look at this unbridled, lawless girl."

Song Dachuan had also been stunned dumb by Song Zhaodi’s scolding. Hearing Sun Xiuhe call out, he snapped back to reality, put on his patriarch airs, furrowed his brows, and reprimanded:

"Zhaodi, is that any way to speak to your grandmother?"

In the past, the moment Song Dachuan knit his brows, Song Zhaodi would lower her head, swallowing her grievances under his coercive pressure even when she was in the right.

Only today, Song Zhaodi refused to let them have their way. She looked straight at Song Dachuan, who was blatantly taking sides, her spine held straight without a trace of fear.

"Why don't you ask her how she speaks first?"

Hearing this, Sun Xiuhe was displeased. Sticking out her neck, she hollered, "You pull off a disgraceful stunt yourself, and people aren't even allowed to talk about it?"

Song Zhaodi's gaze turned sharp as daggers, locking onto Sun Xiuhe to retort, "What disgraceful stunt I pull has what the hell to do with you?"

The words barely left her mouth when Sun Xiuhe roared back, "I am your grandmother! You hang all wet and drenched all over some strange man, getting hugged and pawed by him—how can it not concern me?!"

Song Dachuan, who had been somewhat bewildered, suddenly perked up upon hearing the words "strange man" and "hugged and pawed." Understanding the implication, his expression darkened instantly.

Originally, he had been busy working in the fields. When he came back parched for water, Sun Xiuhe told him that the in-laws wanted to call off the engagement and demand back the ten taels of betrothal silver.

Before he even had a chance to ask for the reason, Song Zhaodi had walked out, and now hearing Sun Xiuhe's account, Song Dachuan—who cared above all else about his reputation—had a face as gloomy as a gathering storm.

The look he shot Song Zhaodi was as if he were looking at a disgrace that had ruined the family's honor.

Yet this expression barely lasted before it shifted again upon hearing Song Zhaodi's retort.

Song Zhaodi let out a cold hmph. "You still remember you're my grandmother? You watched me fall into the water, and not only did you refuse to find anyone to save me, you actively stopped others from rescuing me. What on earth is your intention?"

"Are you deliberately trying to wipe out the very last trace of bloodline left behind by my real grandmother?"

Sun Xiuhe was Song Dachuan’s second wife, having married into the family when Song Zhaodi’s father, Song Yaodong, was twelve years old, bringing along a son of her own.

Normally, she was a master at playing the good person in front of Song Dachuan. Hearing Song Zhaodi put it this way, she felt a twinge of guilt, but still had to put up a defense.

"You—you're twisting the facts and accusing the innocent!"

"Master, you mustn't listen to her nonsense. How I usually treat them is something you've seen with your own eyes."

In front of Song Dachuan, she played the part of the stepmother and step-grandmother who treated everyone with absolute equality, giving nothing for others to criticize—except perhaps being a bit more strict with Song Yaodong's three daughters.

In Sun Xiuhe's own words, it was all for the sake of the family's reputation; even if they were girls, once they stepped outside, they represented the face of the Song family.

A little strictness never hurt anyone.

Thinking of this, the faint trace of doubt Song Dachuan had harbored toward Sun Xiuhe vanished entirely.

He cared about his face more than anything else in this lifetime and didn't want to become the laughingstock of the village, so he wanted to put an end to the quarreling.

"Enough! Both of you, say less!"

Not a single word of concern, just a desire to smooth things over.

Assuming the posture of the head of the household, he tossed out those majestic words before walking off with his hands behind his back to ladle out some water to drink.

In the original owner's memories, this grandfather wasn't entirely blind to Sun Xiuhe's two-faced nature, but he always chose to play deaf and dumb.

He liked to sweep things under the rug.

In his words, what family didn't experience bumps and scrapes? Everyone should take a step back and yield to keep outsiders from laughing.

Reputation was greater than the heavens.

Yet the ones who always had to step back and yield were invariably Song Zhaodi and her two sisters.

Simply because they were girls, less precious than boys.

Therefore, Song Zhaodi never expected Song Dachuan to speak up for her, nor would she feel disheartened or heartbroken by his blatant bias.

However, someone else refused to let the matter drop.

Sun Xiuhe had always been the arrogant and haughty one; when had she ever suffered such a defeat? Swelling with pent-up fury, she pursued Song Dachuan to fan the flames.

At first, Song Dachuan furrowed his brows in disapproval, but when he heard, "That ten taels of silver was already spent on Yaozu’s schooling expenses long ago, how could we possibly pay it back?" he gave in and compromised.

Inside the room, sunlight filtered through a hole in the roof, casting light right onto Song Zhaodi’s head. She stared down at the chipped earthen basin on the floor that was catching half a basin of rainwater and sighed.

The family she had transmigrated into was truly dirt poor!

In her past life, to protect the restaurant left behind by her father, she had endured the unreasonable demands of customers and the squeezing of competitors, always maintaining a kind heart toward others.

On her way, seeing a pregnant woman jump into a river, she couldn't bear it and jumped in to save her—only to be pushed under the water by the pregnant woman herself and drowned.

Old King Yama told her that her accumulated merits were complete and granted her a new lease on life.

Yet she never expected to inherit the original owner's messy household.

Memories of the original owner surged like a tidal wave. Song Xingchen—no, the reborn Song Zhaodi—muttered to herself that she hadn't performed to her full potential just now, letting Sun Xiuhe get off too lightly.

She wanted to find a change of clothes from the doorless wardrobe. The moment her hand brushed against the corner of a garment, lines of text suddenly flashed before her eyes:

“Coarse cloth cross-collar short jacket, women's upper garment, outer wear.”

Song Zhaodi paused for a fraction of a second, her heart skipping a beat with a mix of wild anticipation and pleasant surprise. Her hand reached out toward an unknown plant in the corner.

The subtitles flashed once more: “Purslane, a plant with both medicinal and culinary uses. Rich in nutritional components; its tender stems, leaves, and flowers are all edible. A healthy vegetable suitable for cold tossed salads or stir-frying. Specific preparation method as follows...” At the very end, there were even taboos listed: “Contraindicated for patients with spleen deficiency, loose stools, and pregnant women. Must not be consumed together with soft-shelled turtle shell.”

Her hand could actually identify objects! Could this be her golden finger?!

To verify the function of this golden finger, she walked outside, spotted shepherd's purse in a basket, and eagerly picked up a piece.

The subtitles appeared again: “Wild shepherd's purse, a dual-purpose medicinal and edible plant. Medicinal benefits include promoting urination, stopping bleeding, clearing heat, and improving vision. Also an edible wild vegetable, suitable for stir-frying, cold salads, or as a stuffing for buns and dumplings... Specific preparation method as follows... Taboo groups: Consume with caution if suffering from loose stools; contraindicated for those with spleen and stomach deficiency/coldness, menstruating women, and pregnant women.”

With details this thorough, it was no different from an encyclopedia.

When one door shuts, another opens indeed. Old King Yama hadn't lied to her after all.

Since she had transmigrated and there was no going back, she might as well settle down, live her life well here, and make it comfortable.

With her golden finger, this life finally had something to look forward to.

Right at that moment, a shadow approached.

Sun Xiuhe wore a ingratiating smile, while Song Zhaodi narrowed her eyes in vigilance.

"Zhaodi, my good girl, I'm so sorry. Grandma spoke a bit too harshly just now..."

Song Zhaodi raised a hand to cut her off. "If you're going to be sorry to me in the future, just don't do the things that cause it!"

Sun Xiuhe choked. "What about those ten taels of silver? Where on earth is our family supposed to find the money to pay it back?"

"Even though Lin Yong is a bit of a handful, his parents are wealthy! The Lin family is one of the richest households for miles around. Marrying over there won't leave you shortchanged."

"You're good-looking. Go sweet-talk Lin Yong a bit, and this whole matter will be swept under the rug."

She just knew this old hag hadn't brewed up any kind of decent intentions!

Song Zhaodi scraped a lump of mud off her head and hurled it straight into Sun Xiuhe's face, plugging that foul mouth right up.

Then, with two sharp "Pfui! Pfui!" spits, she blasted furiously:

"Every debt has its debtor, whoever spent the silver should fix the mess! If worst comes to worst, you can go take my place—just don't drag your unfinished regrets into the grave!"

--

T/N:

Yo, what's good everyone? 👋

So I peeped the raws for this novel on a total whim, and deadass, after just a few chapters, I was completely hooked. The humor is top-tier, the main character is an absolute queen who don't take no mess, and watching her flip random wild weeds into a whole bag is pure dopamine. I couldn't gatekeep this masterpiece, so I had to put y'all on!

Peep Chapter 1 of The Encyclopedic Harvest: Cultivating Riches in Lean Years. Hope y'all vibe with this wild ride of farming, scheming, and glowing all the way up from rock bottom!

Also, lowkey... I dropped a super quick, mad amateur shorts video just to celebrate the drop. It's nothing crazy, but I really hope y'all mess with it! Drop your thoughts in the comments, and happy read

ing!

—Siofra