Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

Back home, Xia Yu took out the letter and the tokens that were lying around in her spatial storage and studied them with Nineteen.

"Nineteen, do you recognize this token?" Xia Yu asked, pointing to the token that had been taken from the gray-clad man.

Nineteen held it in his hand, turning it over and over for a while before shaking his head and saying...

"I don't recognize it, and it doesn't seem to have anything special about it."

Hearing her answer, Xia Yu took the letter in her hand and held it up to the light, trying to read its contents. She was very curious about what it contained that would make those gray-clad men so ruthless towards the masked man in black.

"Miss, I think it's better not to open it." Nineteen could see Xia Yu's curiosity about the letter and quickly reminded her.

"I know curiosity killed the cat, and I haven't lived enough yet! But what should I do with these things? I'm afraid they'll cause trouble for the family. I should have just left them alone," Xia Yu murmured.

"How about I take it to Captain Ding? He's always out doing chores for the adults and has seen a lot of things. Maybe he'll know what it is," Nineteen suggested, seeing that Xia Yu was still very curious about the letter.

Xia Yu thought about it seriously for a while before speaking.

"That works too. It's not really of any use to us anyway, so let's do it your way. When are you planning to go?"

"I'm going back to my room to change my clothes now, I'll be there right away."

"Okay, be careful with everything," Xia Yu said with some concern.

"I know, Miss, don't worry."

After speaking, Nineteen went back to his room to change his clothes. When he came out again, he was a plain-looking servant. Not only had his clothes changed, but his face had too.

After seeing Nineteen off, Xia Yu was about to go back to her room to read her storybook when she saw Zi Yan running towards her.

"Miss, the eldest young master has returned with young master Shen, and they are in the madam's courtyard."

"My brother's back?" Xia Yu asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Zi Yan nodded heavily with a smile in her eyes.

"I'll go back and change my clothes, I'll be right there, you go back first," Xia Yu said to Zi Yan, glancing down at her skirt which was stained with mud.

"Yes, Miss," Ziyan replied and turned around.

Xia Yu turned around and saw Da Niu coming out of the restroom. He then asked...

"Hey girl, my brother and Young Master Shen are back. They're in my mother's yard. Do you want to come?"

"Didn't Young Master Shen go to the capital? How come he's back after only a few months?" Da Niu asked, somewhat puzzled by Xia Yu's words.

"I don't know, perhaps he misses Mr. and Mrs. Shen."

To everyone's surprise, after hearing Xia Yu's words, Da Niu pouted and said...

"Alas, this servant thinks it's just that Lord Shen's new wife can't tolerate Young Master Shen."

"You can say those things to me in the future, but you need to watch your mouth in public and know what you should and shouldn't say," Xia Yu reminded Da Niu seriously.

"Yes, Miss, I know I was wrong. I won't do it again." Seeing Xia Yu's somewhat cold expression, Da Niu lowered her head and admitted her mistake, feeling a little helpless.

Over the years, Xia Yu had been very good to Shijiu and Daniu, and rarely lost his temper. But now, his face suddenly turned cold, and Daniu was genuinely a little scared.

"If you're coming with me, go back and change your clothes," Xia Yu forced herself to speak in a cold voice. It wasn't that she was deliberately trying to scare Da Niu, but what was their family's status? Mere merchants. Although her fourth uncle had entered officialdom, he was only a seventh-rank county magistrate. For a maid in the family to dare discuss the family of a first-rank official, and one with considerable influence at that, if word got out, the whole family wouldn't even know how they died.

The two changed their clothes and went together to Madam Liu's courtyard. Da Niu seemed to have truly realized her mistake, silently following behind Xia Yu and no longer daring to speak out of turn. She simply served him even more attentively.

"Sister Xiaxia, you're finally out! If you hadn't come, I would have gone to your courtyard to look for you."

As soon as they entered the Liu family's courtyard, a chubby little boy rolled towards Xia Yu like a ball come to life.

When Xia Yu saw the fat man rolling over, she unconsciously shifted her body to the side. As a result, the fat man couldn't stop in time and bumped into Da Niu's arms. Da Niu, who was looking down and thinking about something, was caught off guard and was knocked back several steps before she managed to regain her balance and avoid falling.

The young woman helped the chubby boy in her arms to stand up, stared intently at his face, and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Young Master, how come you've gained so much weight in just a few months?" After calling out, Da Niu realized that her words were inappropriate. Afraid that her mistress would get angry again, she looked up at Xia Yu.

To everyone's surprise, Xia Yu was also staring at Shen Luo, looking her up and down with disbelief on her face.

"Big sister, I've just gained a little weight, why are you making such a fuss? My mother said that boys look better when they're a little chubby."

Hearing his words, Xia Yu took the hand he offered and asked...

"The mother you're referring to, is she Lord Shen's newlywed wife?"

"Yes, that's right! Otherwise, who else would I be able to call 'Mother'?" the chubby boy answered naturally.

Xia Yu looked up at her brother Chang Yun, and saw him nod almost imperceptibly.

Xia Yu led Shen Luo to Liu Shi's side and pulled him to sit down on the stool.

"Was your time in Beijing enjoyable?"

“It’s so much fun. My mother has the servant take me out to play every day. I’m so happy.”

"Oh, you had so much fun, why did you decide to come back? Didn't you say you were going to stay there for a long time?" Xia Yu picked up an apple from the fruit plate on the table and asked while peeling it.

"I miss Master Li, Brother Changyun, my grandparents, and Sister Xiaxia. I miss them so much that I can't even eat. And Dad is always busy, so I can't see him every day. That's why I wanted to come back." Shen Luo still felt a little down when she thought about that time.

Xia Yu shoved the peeled apple into his hand, flicked his forehead, and laughed.

"You miss us so much you can't eat, yet you've still gotten so fat. If you didn't miss us, wouldn't you get even fatter?"

"Sister Xiaxia, I didn't want to get so fat. But Mother prepares such lavish meals for me every day, and there's even a midnight snack. If I don't eat properly, my servant will be punished, so I just ate. Who knew I'd get so fat? But Mother says I look good this way; little kids are cuter when they're chubby." With that, she jumped up from the stool, spun around on the ground, and happily asked Liu Shi and Xia Yu.

"Your Majesty, Sister Xiaxia, don't I look adorable now?"

Seeing him like this, Liu's eyes stung a little, but she still pulled the chubby Shen Luo into her arms and said with heartache.

"So cute, Luo'er will always be the cutest."

Xia Yu was also upset, but she could understand that Madam Shen was only seventeen years old and suddenly had a seven-year-old stepson. It was inevitable that she would feel uncomfortable.

"Luo'er, have you been studying hard these past six months in the capital?" Madam Liu asked.

Upon hearing Liu's question, Shen Luo's chubby face showed a hint of guilt, and he lowered his head, not daring to look up at Liu and Xia Yu.

"Hehe, now you know how to be shy. When you were having fun in the capital, why didn't you think about your studies?" Changyun had been sitting on the chair next to him, drinking tea and quietly watching Shen Luo talk to his mother and sister. When he heard Liu ask Shen Luo about his studies, Shen Luo lowered his head like a quail and didn't say a word. Only then did he couldn't help but laugh and speak.

"You haven't studied at all in the six months you've been in the capital?" Xia Yu asked, somewhat incredulously. Although Madam Shen in the capital didn't care about her stepson's studies, surely Shen Jingheng, who came from a family with a background in the imperial examinations, wouldn't be indifferent to such matters?