Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

When Shen Jingheng returned to the manor, it was nearly midnight. To his surprise, as soon as he reached the second gate, he saw a maid standing there with a lantern. When the maid saw Shen Jingheng return, she hurriedly came forward and respectfully curtsied.

"Master, you're back?"

Slightly dizzy from drinking, Shen Jingheng recognized the girl as Shishu, Madam Jiang's personal maid.

Upon seeing who it was, Shen Jingheng asked in surprise.

"Shishu, what are you doing here so late at night? Madam should be resting."

"Master, Madam hasn't rested yet. She said she's back and wants you to come over."

"Let's go then." When Shen Jingheng heard that Madam Jiang was looking for him, he let go of the hand of the attendant who was supporting him and walked towards the main courtyard.

Shi Shu stepped forward to help him, but he waved his hand and refused.

"Madam, why aren't you resting so late?"

"Husband, before you left today, you asked me to prepare clothes and jewelry for my nephew and niece for tomorrow's banquet. You didn't mention how old the two children are or what their height is. I'm afraid that if the preparations aren't suitable, it will cause delays tomorrow morning. So I thought I should wait until you ask me tonight." Jiang Xue's tone was somewhat aggrieved and tired.

Hearing her words, Shen Jingheng rubbed his slightly dizzy forehead and said apologetically.

"It was my oversight; thank you for keeping Madam waiting so long." He then glanced at Jiang Xue before continuing.

“My niece is thirteen, about the same height as you, and my nephew is fifteen, about as tall as me.” As he spoke, he gestured with his hand to his nose.

"Now that you mention it, I understand. I just don't know what this niece's name is. When she arrives tomorrow, I'll be able to introduce her to others!"

“Zhang Xiayu!” Shen Jingheng replied.

"Surname Zhang? Do we have any relatives with the surname Zhang in our hometown?"

"They're not really relatives, but her brother and our Luo'er both studied under the Grand Tutor. Our two families have been visiting each other more often in recent years, so we've started calling each other that." He knew that Madam Jiang was deliberately asking questions, and he didn't intend to hide anything from her, so he told her the truth.

After hearing his explanation, Jiang felt a little disdainful. What kind of distant relatives were they? Was it worth her going to such lengths just because of a son born out of wedlock?

So she smiled and said to Shen Jingheng, "I see. I understand. I'll definitely pick out suitable clothes and jewelry to send to them tomorrow. Don't worry. There's hot water in the bathroom. I'll help you wash up."

"No need, I'll go myself. Madam has had a long day, please settle in first." He patted Madam Jiang on the shoulder and went to the bathhouse to wash up.

Listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, Jiang Xue first lay down on the bed.

When Shen Jingheng came in after washing up, he saw Jiang Xue staring at the top of the tent, seemingly lost in thought.

"Is there anything else that would trouble you, Madam?" Shen Jingheng, dressed in a white brocade undergarment, asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, holding Madam Jiang's hand.

"Husband, I'm thinking about Luo'er. Is it because I haven't done enough that Luo'er doesn't want to come back to the manor?" As she spoke, a tear slid down her cheek.

Seeing her like this, Shen Jingheng sighed inwardly, but still gently reached out to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Madam, don’t overthink it. You’ve done very well. Luo’er stayed with the Grand Tutor because she wanted to play with Xiaxia and Changyun. Children always like to be close to other children. I am ten years older than you and have an eldest son from a concubine. It is indeed a disservice to you that you married me.”

"My husband, I'm not wronged. As long as you treat me well, I'm not wronged." Although she said this, the tears in her eyes fell even faster. She started sobbing.

Shen Jingheng held her and gently patted her back to soothe her somewhat agitated emotions.

Finally, perhaps exhausted from crying, Jiang Xue fell asleep in Shen Jingheng's arms.

He put Jiang Xue down, covered her with a thin blanket, then pulled another blanket over himself and lay down next to her, slowly falling asleep.

Hearing the even breathing beside her, Jiang Xue opened her eyes and looked at Shen Jingheng's handsome face. She wondered why her husband, so handsome and promising, was someone even the favored concubine sought to win over. He was arguably the man all the noble ladies in the capital longed to marry, yet she couldn't feel a single ounce of affection for him.

The next day, when Jiang Xue woke up, Shen Jingheng had already gone to court. She casually had her maid open the manor's storeroom to choose clothes and jewelry for Changyun and Xia Yu.

"Madam, what do you think of these beaded flowers? They would be suitable for a young girl of thirteen or fourteen."

Another maidservant of Jiang Xue brought a pair of pearl flowers made of pearls the size of rice grains and presented them to Jiang Xue for her to see.

"Shihua, you can choose whatever you like. I'm going to go back to sleep. Once you've chosen, just have someone deliver it to Grand Tutor Li's residence."

"Yes, Madam, I understand." Shi Hua had served the Madam since childhood, and seeing her like this, she understood that the Madam didn't care much about the Master's nephew and niece. Therefore, she had to be careful when choosing items, neither too light nor too heavy.

Seeing her thoughtful and conflicted expression, Shi Shu whispered in her ear...

"They're not related to our master at all. They just became close because they studied together with our eldest son. Just send them something; it'll be better than what they have from that small town!"

After listening to what she said, Shi Hua somewhat disagreed with her and said softly

"What does it matter if they're related or not? As long as our master acknowledges them as nephews and nieces, that's enough. Some relationships are close, but if our master doesn't care, it's all for nothing." After saying that, seeing that Shishu still didn't agree, he gently pulled her head and whispered in her ear...

“I’m telling you, don’t get the wrong idea. This gift not only represents our master’s face, but also Li Taifu’s face. I heard from Li Taifu that the girl is his goddaughter. Regardless of her background, just the fact that she is Li Taifu’s goddaughter should make us pay more attention to her.”

"Shihua, you're so clever. How come I didn't think of these things!" Shishu seemed to understand what Shihua meant after hearing her words.

Seeing that Shishu had finally grasped the point, Shihua said smugly.

"Knowing I'm smart, you'll obediently acknowledge me as your older sister from now on and follow my orders. Then I'll teach you my skills properly!"

"Pah, aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew? I just praised you a couple of times and you've already become so arrogant! I was even thinking of helping you out here, but since you're so capable, you can just stay here and do your own thing. I'm going back to take a nap." With that, he turned and walked away.