Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

Having finished speaking, Xia Yu didn't want to face Shen Jingheng in the study for even a moment longer. She gave a perfunctory bow, inwardly criticizing the man before her, and returned to her Wutong Garden.

"Nineteen, Daniu, hurry up and pack. We'll leave as soon as you're done." Xia Yu felt that her temper had become a bit irritable after this trip, so she thought it would be better to go home and calm herself down.

In an inconspicuous little courtyard in the capital, Madam Gao was packing her luggage while muttering to herself.

“You’re such a grown man now, how can you still act so impulsively? If you had told me earlier that we were going back to our hometown for the New Year, I wouldn’t have bought so much rice and flour. What if it gets stolen while we’re not here? Besides, you’re not even married yet, I’m too embarrassed to go back and see my family…”

After returning home last night, Zhang Haoran said to Gao Shi...

"Mom, pack your things, we're going back to our hometown for the New Year this year!"

"What did you say?" Her son's words were so illogical that Gao, who had finally learned Mandarin, suddenly blurted out her hometown dialect.

"I said I'm going back to my hometown for the Spring Festival this year," Zhang Haoran said, taking a few sips of tea before answering his mother's question.

"Why do you want to go back for the New Year?" Gao was very puzzled. Since the mother and son came to the capital, they had only gone back once in the past few years, not to mention the money spent. Many villagers also came to them for favors, and her son was shy, so some things were indeed difficult to do, but he couldn't refuse out of consideration for their feelings. Therefore, they had gone back less often in recent years.

Another reason was her son's marriage. Every time she came home, matchmakers would practically wear out the doorstep, but her son was a simple-minded man who was determined to wait for Liu Xiaocui. Seeing so many good girls being rejected by her, Gao felt heartbroken.

"Nothing, I just want to go back."

The imperial edict hadn't been issued yet. If he told his mother now, she'd probably call all the aunties and grandmas from the neighborhood over before dawn to witness his grand moment of 'receiving the edict.' Just thinking about it sent a chill down Zhang Haoran's spine. He quickly shook his head, trying to banish the image from his mind.

I didn't get a reason from my son, but it's not like I got no reason at all; there was one: he just wanted to go back.

"When are you leaving?" Gao asked again, unwilling to give up.

"I don't know, I'll go with the others and see how they schedule it."

When are you coming back?

"Around mid-March after the New Year," Zhang Haoran said, calculating the time it would take for the delegation to arrive in Beijing.

"What? You've been on leave at home for so long, did the Emperor strip you?" Gao was still worried even more after hearing her son's answer, as he was finally not completely clueless.

"Mom, I wasn't fired. I told you today because I was worried you'd have to prepare food for the New Year again tomorrow. I drank a bit too much today, so let's rest early. We can pack our bags tomorrow." Zhang Haoran rubbed his slightly dizzy head and said helplessly to his mother.

Seeing her son's slightly hunched face, Gao knew his temperament; if he didn't want to talk, you could break the pot and he wouldn't say a word.

She sighed before speaking to her son.

"I've boiled some water on the stove. I'll go get it for you. Wash your face before you go to sleep."

"Mother, you go and rest. I can handle those things myself." With that, he pushed Gao Shi back to his room. After closing the door for his mother, he went to fetch water to wash up.

Even lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), Gao couldn't fall asleep peacefully, listening only to the sounds of her son outside. Only after confirming that her son had finished washing up and closed the door did she feel relieved enough to lie down again.

However, Lady Gao did not sleep well that night. She had several dreams, one after another, that her son was promoted, another after that he was punished by the emperor for making a mistake, and finally, she dreamed of her dead husband. After waking up for the last time, she could not fall back asleep, so she simply got up and packed her luggage to take back to her hometown.

If it's really as my son says, that he won't be back until mid-March, then we need to bring not only cotton-padded clothes, but also light and light spring clothes.

Zhang Haoran slept soundly, undisturbed by the rustling sounds of Gao Shi tidying up in the room. Around his usual wake-up time, he vaguely remembered what Lord Shen had said the day before, and quickly dressed and washed up.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw his mother packing things up in the room, and there were already a dozen or so bundles of various sizes on her kang (a heated brick bed).

"Get up! I've cooked some porridge in the kitchen. Go wash your face," Gao said, glancing at her son.

After breakfast, Zhang Haoran didn't go to work. Instead, he packed his luggage with his mother. That's how the scene at the beginning of the story happened.

Zhang Haoran knew his mother's personality, so he didn't respond and just silently packed his luggage, letting her nag on. Anyway, she'd be fine once she finished nagging.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Gao put down what she was holding and went to open the door.

"Excuse me, is this Lord Zhang's residence?" a shrill voice came from outside.

Hearing the noise outside, Zhang Haoran quickly put down what he was holding and followed his mother to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, a eunuch dressed in the robes of a palace attendant stood outside, holding an imperial edict in his hand. Behind him were several guards carrying boxes.

"Lord Zhang, receive the decree!" The eunuch smiled as he looked at Zhang Haoran behind Madam Gao.

“Receive…receive…receive the imperial decree?” Gao stammered.

"This must be Madam Zhang. Hurry up and prepare the incense table to receive the imperial decree!" the eunuch kindly reminded Madam Gao.

"Okay...okay...please come inside and sit for a moment, sir." Gao realized what the other person was saying and quickly stepped aside to invite him inside.

"Eunuch, and esteemed gentlemen, please come in and have a seat. We'll prepare it shortly," Zhang Haoran said politely to the eunuch, cupping his hands in greeting.

"No need, we can wait here for a while." The small courtyard could be seen from one end to the other. The eunuch delivering the decree looked at the people standing behind him and thought that if so many people came into the courtyard, there wouldn't be enough room to stand. It was better to stand here in the open space.

Zhang Haoran knew his family's situation and didn't stand on ceremony. He quickly went with his mother to prepare the incense table, reminding her not to forget to prepare red envelopes for tips.

The people standing in the alley successfully attracted the attention of the surrounding neighbors.

"What is this doing?"

"They must be from the palace. Look, that person is wearing palace clothes."

"Isn't Aunt Gao's son an official?"

"Yes, I've heard her mention it. I just don't know what kind of official she is."

"Judging from the boxes those adults are carrying, they must contain good stuff."

Soon, Zhang Haoran and his mother set up the incense table for receiving the imperial decree, and Zhang Haoran changed into clean official robes.

The eunuch delivering the imperial decree stood before the incense table, holding it in both hands, and read it aloud. In an instant, everyone watching inside and outside the courtyard knelt down.

"The Emperor decrees: Zhang Haoran, Assistant Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, has rendered meritorious service to the nation. He is hereby awarded one hundred taels of gold and four boxes of other gifts. He is exempt from attending office hours before the delegation's visit and is granted the privilege of studying under the Lady of Wenfu Township. This decree is hereby issued by me personally. I wish Assistant Minister Zhang to diligently fulfill his duties and serve the country with utmost care."

"Your Majesty, I accept your decree and express my gratitude. Long live the Emperor!" Zhang Haoran respectfully kowtowed three times before accepting the imperial edict from the eunuch with both hands above his head.

First, the imperial edict was respectfully placed on the incense table. Zhang Haoran took the purse from his mother and handed it to the paper-cutting eunuch.

"It was cold, so my father-in-law was drinking tea."

"You're too kind, Lord Zhang." Although he said this, he squeezed the purse in his hand and then put it into his sleeve pocket with satisfaction.

"Father-in-law, do you know who Lady Wenfu is?"

"It's the Grand Tutor's granddaughter. She left the palace with the Emperor's decree. I estimate the decree has already been read out by now."

"Oh, thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law." The two walked out of the courtyard while talking.

He escorted his father-in-law all the way to the alley entrance, and only then did the father-in-law smile and say to Zhang Haoran...

"Lord Zhang, please wait a moment. I heard that the local lord is returning to Zhongzhou Prefecture for the New Year, and I presume that you will be going back as well. I wish you a safe journey." The eunuch greeted Zhang Haoran very politely. He had heard that this Lord Zhang was a favorite of Scholar Shen. This reward today was all obtained for him by Scholar Shen. With Scholar Shen's patronage, wouldn't his meteoric rise be just around the corner?