Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

Zhang Xiaohua stayed in Zhangjia Village for about ten days. During this time, she personally visited everyone who had helped her parents, bringing gifts to express her gratitude. However, Zhang Youtie's family had already moved to the capital. The gifts were only temporarily accepted by the trusted servants of the Zhang family who remained there, who promised to send a message to the capital to report to the Marquis.

Seeing the exquisite gifts Zhang Xiaohua delivered to each household, those who had never helped Zhang the Cripple in his time of need were filled with deep regret. They had all witnessed it clearly: Granny Li from the village had merely lent Zhang the Cripple two handfuls of cornmeal, and Zhang Xiaohua had come to thank her with several bolts of silk and, it was said, two taels of silver. Although no family in the village lacked food or clothing these days, who wouldn't want something for free? If they had given Zhang the Cripple a couple of coarse grain buns back then, they would have received all those good things now.

The one who regretted it the most was Old Man Zhang. If he had known his granddaughter would become so successful, he would never have listened to his wife and severed ties with his son, Zhang the Cripple. But now it was too late. Forget about sending them any gifts; Old Man Zhang was still in prison! Fearing her affair would implicate him, Old Man Zhang hadn't dared to visit her even once, nor had he inquired about her whereabouts. He had no idea how she was doing in jail.

After staying for about ten days, Zhang Xiaohua was about to leave. She wanted her parents to pack their things and come with her, but Zhang the Cripple and his wife firmly refused.

“Father, Mother, when we get there, I’ll buy you a separate courtyard to live in, so you won’t live with the other people from the Zhao family.” Zhang Xiaohua was really smart; she could tell the reason just by looking at her parents’ reactions.

“That’s even worse. We didn’t give you a single penny of dowry when you married into the Zhao family. Now that you’ve finally achieved this, how can we be like leeches, clinging to you and sucking your blood? Besides, if the Zhao family knew they had parents like you and me, they would look down on you too,” Zhang the Cripple said, head bowed.

"Anyone who dares to look down on you and Mother, I'll skin them alive." As if recalling the scene of her parents being ridiculed, Zhang Xiaohua's face turned cold, and her words made the servants next to her feel a chill.

“Oh, my dear Hua’er, your father and I know you’re filial, but we also want the best for you. Besides, your mother is still working in the Marquis’s workshop, making hot pot broth. The recipe was personally given to your mother by the Eldest Princess, who put her in charge of this. If we were to leave, the Marquis would still have to worry about cultivating trustworthy people. If it weren’t for the Marquis’s family all these years, your mother and I wouldn’t have been able to wait for you to come back. Your father is not good with words, and I can’t express grand principles, but my dear Hua’er, your father knows that one must always remember the kindness others have shown to them. Now that we’ve recognized each other, when things aren’t so busy at the workshop, I’ll bring your mother to visit you, okay!”

The lame man's wife had a lot to say to her daughter, but she couldn't speak. When she heard the lame man finish speaking, she quickly gestured with her hands to express what was on her mind to her daughter.

Zhang Xiaohua's eyes welled up with tears again when she saw her mother's long string of sign language. She knew that her parents were not only doing this to repay a debt of gratitude, but also for her sake.

Mother said, “When you go back, live a good life. If you have the chance to go to the capital, don’t forget to kowtow to the Princess, the Marquis, and the Marquis’s wife. If it weren’t for them, we, as family, would never have had the chance to meet again in our lives.”

"Father, Mother, I understand. I will go and kowtow to our benefactor. But I'm still worried about leaving you here alone. I'll leave two servants and two maids here to take care of you." Zhang Xiaohua finally decided not to let her parents come with her anymore, but then she thought of this idea again.

"No need, no need. Your mother and I are fine. We'd actually feel more comfortable if you left a few people here." As he spoke, Zhang the Cripple winked at his wife. She understood, went back to her room, and came out happily with a box in her arms.

Zhang Xiaohua watched her parents' actions, wondering what they were up to.

Her mother took out a delicate little key and opened the box, inside which were a silver ring, silver earrings, gold studs, and a gilded bracelet.

"Dad, Mom, what's this?" Xiaohua asked, pointing at the box in confusion.

The lame man's wife glanced at him and gestured for him to speak.

Zhang the Cripple was also very happy; his eyebrows and eyes were all curved in a smile, and all the wrinkles on his face were furrowed together.

“My dear Hua’er, we’ve saved up some money at the Zhang family’s workshop over the past few years. This silver ring was bought by your father and mother on your seventeenth birthday, the earrings on your eighteenth birthday, the gold earrings on your nineteenth birthday, and the gilded bracelet last year. We haven’t had a chance to buy you anything this year since your birthday hasn’t arrived yet. But everything’s fine now. This year, your mother and I will ask the workshop for a few days off to go to the Zhao family’s house and celebrate with you on your birthday.”

"Mmm...mmm..." The lame man's wife nodded heavily beside him.

Zhang Xiaohua's hands trembled as she touched the contents of the box. Any single piece of jewelry she wore was more valuable than everything in the box combined. But when she thought of her parents preparing her birthday gift, she felt both happy and heartbroken.

She immediately took off the jade earrings she was wearing, put on the pair of silver earrings, shook her head at her mother, and asked...

"Mom, is it pretty?"

When the lame woman saw her daughter looking charming in the earrings she had chosen, she nodded vigorously, and even used sign language to praise her daughter.

After talking for a while, Zhang the Cripple began urging his daughter to set off.

"If you're going to leave, hurry up and get on your way. If you delay any longer, it will get late. Your mother and I will come to find you when it's your birthday this year."

"Oh, Father, Mother, you must come. I'm waiting for you."

"Yes, we'll definitely go," Zhang the Cripple laughed heartily.

Even if they were reluctant to part, they still had to separate eventually. After bidding a tearful farewell to her parents, Zhang Xiaohua finally boarded the carriage to return home.

Inside the carriage, she clutched the box her parents had given her like a precious treasure. Granny Hua, seeing that although she looked somewhat sad, her mood was still good, spoke softly...

"I never imagined that the Madam's family had such a connection with the Marquis of Dingguo's family. If the Master knew this, I wonder how happy he would be!"

"Yes, the Marquis of Dingguo's family has helped my parents a lot. After I get back, I must go to the capital with my master to kowtow and thank the Marquis, the Marquis's wife, and the Princess Zhenguo."

“What you say is true, Madam. Judging from what the old master and madam said, the Lady of the Marquis also cares about you quite a bit. Now that you have found a home, it is only natural that the Lady of the Marquis should know about it,” the old woman flattered from the side.