Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

That evening, Madam Liu told Zhang Youtie everything that Madam Shen had said.

"I was wondering why Mr. Shen suddenly called me 'brother' today. So he's taken a liking to our daughter. But I remember his second son is getting on in years! Why isn't he married yet?" Zhang Youtie rubbed the back of his head, suddenly realizing the problem, but he quickly figured out the answer.

"I've heard her mention this before. At first, it was because he wasn't old enough, but later, when he was old enough, he went overseas with the Shen family's ship, which delayed things for several years. Whenever Madam Shen mentioned her second son, she was worried that he would bring back a foreign woman as a daughter-in-law. Everyone around knows about her family's situation; which family would dare marry their daughter there?" She paused for a moment, then continued...

"It seems that Lord Shen is also involved."

"Lord Shen? What happened to Lord Shen?" Zhang Youtie asked, puzzled.

"Have you forgotten what the people thought of Lord Shen before?" Madam Liu thought of the rumors she had heard before. Although she knew they were all false, she still found it hard to speak.

"Alas, these are all rumors that mislead people. But Lord Shen never gets married, and with the Emperor and Consort's favor towards him, it's inevitable that people will misunderstand!" Zhang Youtie sighed. Not to mention others, even he himself initially thought that Lord Shen had homosexual tendencies.

"Don't go that far. Let's talk about the present. If Madam Shen really speaks up, what do you think of this marriage?" Madam Liu quickly brought the topic back when Zhang Youtie brought up Lord Shen.

“To be honest, Mr. and Mrs. Shen are really good people, and Lord Shen has helped our family a lot. But I really don’t know anything about this second young master Shen, and I don’t know what his character is like. Besides, I’m afraid that our daughter will suffer in the future if we make her sister-in-law with the Imperial Concubine’s sister.” Zhang Youtie thought about it carefully and still didn’t think it was a good idea.

"It's alright. In the future, Lord Shen's family will be in the capital, while Shen Er's family will stay at the old residence in Ming'an County. The chances of them meeting will be limited, so I think it's fine." Madam Liu was quite optimistic about this marriage. The two families were well-matched, the distance was short, and Madam Shen had always liked her daughter quite a bit. Thinking about it carefully, it seemed perfect in every way.

"Let's talk about it later. There's still a year until our daughter's coming-of-age ceremony, so let's wait and see," Zhang Youtie said after taking his feet out of the basin and drying them.

"Also, I think you shouldn't make this decision on your own yet. You should ask our daughter's opinion first. If she doesn't agree, don't make any decisions on your own," Zhang Youtie added while lying in bed.

"Of course I know, do you need to tell me that?" Madam Liu glared at Zhang Youtie with some dissatisfaction, but her gaze was not intimidating. In the candlelight, it appeared even more alluring and captivating, making one's heart flutter.

The next day, the invitation to the Shen family's spring banquet was delivered to Madam Liu.

Xia Yu saw that the post invited the Liu family and the young ladies of the Zhang family, so she asked the Liu family...

"Mother, does Madam Shen mean to bring Qiuyu and Dongyu with her?"

"Yes, that should be the meaning." Madam Liu said to her daughter while looking at the account book.

Over the years, Liu has learned to read and write with her daughter and sister. She can read account books, but she can't write or read anything else.

"The spring banquet is the day after tomorrow. Go to the old house later and tell your eldest sister, Qiuyu, and Dongyu to make preparations."

"Okay, I'll go in a bit. But is my older sister going too? Isn't she getting married soon?"

Closing the account book, Madam Liu looked at her daughter.

"Whether your aunt goes or not is her decision, but if we don't invite her, she might feel uncomfortable." He then placed the account book on the table beside him and continued.

“I’m thinking of adding a few more maids to your courtyard. You’re all grown up now, and you need someone to take care of everything around you. Besides, Da Niu and Shi Jiu are both older than you and won’t be around for many more years. I need to train a few more capable maids to be close to you.”

"Mother can arrange this as she sees fit," Xia Yu said.

"Your maids have to be ones you like, because they'll be the ones who accompany you when you get married. I'm thinking of picking from the girls we have in our family first, and if we don't find any suitable ones, we can go to the slave trader to buy some."

Hearing that Liu would accompany her to her wedding, she felt a little terrified. She was only fourteen, and her small body was already getting married! Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.

“Alright, since Mother says so, then I’ll keep an eye on it. Mother, please don’t reveal this news to anyone yet,” Xia Yu said to Liu Shi after thinking for a moment.

"Yes, keep this in mind. If you see someone you like, tell me. If not, we'll buy someone. I've already thought it through. I'll invite Granny Lian from the mansion in the capital back to help train her. She came from the palace, so she naturally has some methods. We'll have her go to your side to help you. I think she's a good person. You should respect her; she'll be of great help to you in the future," Madam Liu instructed her daughter.

"Yes, my daughter knows everything."

In fact, Xia Yu had a very good impression of Granny Lian. She was originally a servant of the Dowager Consort; where wouldn't she be looked down upon? But she was low-key and reserved, neither arrogant nor impatient, and always had everything planned out in her mind. Xia Yu felt that if she really gave Granny Lian to herself, she would become her most powerful external brain. Of course, she would take good care of her.

Autumn Rain and Winter Rain from the old house were overjoyed to learn that they could go to the Spring Banquet with their third aunt. However, as expected, Aunt Wang refused to let Spring Rain attend. Everyone knew that such a banquet was for choosing a son or daughter, and since Spring Rain was already engaged, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go.

Qiu Yu and Xia Yu are not much different in age; Qiu Yu will be of marriageable age by the end of the year, and it's time to start arranging her marriage.

Mrs. Li hurriedly opened the cupboard to prepare clothes and jewelry for her two daughters to wear that day.

In recent years, thanks to Zhang Youtie's connections, she opened two cloth shops in Ming'an County. Business was decent, bringing in two to three hundred taels of silver each year. Later, at Xia Yu's suggestion, she hired a few embroiderers and opened an embroidery shop, selling everything from large items like bed curtains and draperies to small items like purses and handkerchiefs. This shop also brought in more than two hundred taels of silver each year.

Therefore, none of the Zhang family branches are short of money now.

Watching Li busy herself with her two daughters, Wang felt a pang of resentment. Now that her third son's status was rising higher and higher, her daughters' marriages were clearly too modest. If it were today, they might be able to marry into an official's family.

Li was an exceptionally clever woman; she understood her sister-in-law's thoughts with just one glance. Only after the children had all left did she ask with a smile.

"Sister-in-law, I heard that the young master of the Liu family is preparing to take the exam. He might bring you back a scholar's degree next year, and then our Chunyu will be a scholar's wife."

"It's not even close to being settled yet, who knows if we'll have the luck to achieve it?" Wang sighed.

“It’s always good that the son-in-law is ambitious. Besides, what difference does it make whether he passes the exam or not? Does the Liu family lack a few more bushels of rice? Our Chunyu is a lucky girl. Master Liu values ​​her highly, and Young Master Liu is very attentive to her. Her life after marriage will surely be harmonious and happy. I’m just worried about my two silly girls. I don’t know where they’ll end up.”

"Sister-in-law, I think you're worrying for nothing. The third son is now a fourth-rank viscount, and the fourth son is a sixth-rank prefect. With your father's support, their future is limitless. With these two uncles backing them up, are you afraid that Qiuyu and Dongyu won't be able to find a good family to marry into?"

"Well, that's true. But what exactly constitutes a 'good family'? I just hope these two girls won't suffer any injustices in the future, and that the whole family can live in harmony."

Although Wang was easygoing and carefree, she wasn't stupid; she knew her sister-in-law was trying to comfort her. She sighed inwardly, thinking, "It's all fate." She looked up at Li and smiled.

“You’re absolutely right, sister-in-law. We don’t ask our children to be rich and powerful, we just want them to be safe and well.”