Reincarnation and Rebirth

The Xiao family was still at a loss about Xiao Yunting's situation, and in the palace, Chu Linlin was also having sleepless nights. No one knew that the leader of the guards had always been a member of the Chu family.

The Chu family wasn't considered a prominent family before, but thanks to Chu Linlin's beauty, they gradually rose to their current position and even overthrew Prime Minister Gu, taking his place. Unfortunately, this time, the head of the Chu family was killed by the Ziyan people, and now the one who has taken over the Chu family is Chu Linlin's nephew, the elder brother of Consort Ya.

Speaking of the Left Prime Ministers of Ziyun Kingdom, they were all short-lived. First, it was Xu Ruoxi's father, who served as Left Prime Minister for less than five years. Later, he was found to be corrupt and involved in buying and selling official positions. The late emperor ordered his family to be confiscated and him to be exiled. Then, it was Gu Yuele's father who became Left Prime Minister, but a few years ago, he contracted a serious illness and soon passed away. Then, it was Chu Linlin's older brother who took the position.

He didn't die suddenly, but because when the Purple Flame people attacked the capital, he was killed because he didn't have time to escape. Many members of the Chu family also lost their lives, and their homes were looted.

This head of the Chu family was not academically gifted from a young age, but he was lecherous and greedy, and was not appreciated by the late emperor. Of course, a large part of the reason was that the late emperor was worried about the Chu family becoming too powerful, so he did not hold an official position in the court. Chu Linlin was not in a hurry. She and her elder brother had already discussed supporting the son of the second young master of the Chu family. He was only nine years old this year, but he was exceptionally talented and would surely become a great man in the future.

But now, the Chu family has lost power and the treasury is empty. Where is the financial strength to support them? Originally, she thought that she could turn the tide by accidentally discovering the treasure left by the Ziyan Kingdom. Who knew that the treasury would be emptied in just one day? Chu Linlin was so angry that she punished several palace maids and eunuchs in the palace, but she could not search in a big way. She could only swallow her anger and suffer in silence.

She wasn't sure if the Emperor knew about this, and she didn't dare to ask. Just then, the head of the Chu family sent a message to his aunt, asking her to give the Chu family some money, otherwise the whole family would starve. Helpless, she had no choice but to use her own savings to subsidize this good-for-nothing nephew.

As for the background of Consort Ya, it is even more complicated.

The Chu family was ambitious and unwilling to be subservient to the emperor. Although the late emperor was kind to the Chu family, he also left some room for them. He praised the Prime Minister Chu but did not give any other members of the Chu family a place. The Chu family was aware of the dangers of peace and came up with this plan to switch the newborn Consort Ya with the Tang family's daughter who was born at the same time.

Consort Ya only learned about her true identity after being sent to the palace; it turned out that her uncle was her biological father.

The Tang family was a small and insignificant family, and the late emperor didn't take them seriously. Even though they were related to the Chu family by marriage, the woman who married into the family was just an unfavored concubine. So, he genuinely doted on Consort Ya. It's a pity that the late emperor died. Otherwise, it would be uncertain whether the current emperor would be able to ascend the throne once Consort Ya's son grew up.

All plans were disrupted by the Ziyan people. If you were to ask who in the Ziyun royal family hates the Ziyan people the most, it would undoubtedly be Chu Linlin.

Zi Xingchen was also troubled by the empty national treasury, and visited the inner palace even less often. Su Qing'er was anxious but helpless.

On the contrary, Su Wan'er has been living a very fulfilling life recently. Her house has been tidied up, all the unusable items have been cleaned up, and the shop is spotless. She is just waiting to buy some new furniture and then she can move in.

To everyone's surprise, Madam Wang refused, saying, "Why waste money? Let's get some straw mats. I see there's a kang (heated brick bed) in the front room; that'll be enough."

Mrs. Wu also advised, "Yes, girl, it costs a lot of money to stay for one day. We country folk are used to sleeping on kang beds, it won't be a problem."

Su Wan'er sighed helplessly, "Alright then, shall we move here?"

“That won’t do,” Madam Wang hurriedly said. “Moving is a big deal. I’ve already gone to the street corner to have someone calculate it, and this afternoon at 5 PM is an auspicious time.”

"So you planned this all along, no wonder you've been busy cleaning from morning till night these past few days."

Wang gave her a reproachful look, "Of course, if we could have moved a few days ago, we would have moved long ago. Having a place to stay is enough. Why do we have to stay in an inn?"

Su Wan'er smiled, "Alright, alright, but we still need the furniture. I'll go take a look now. Dad, you go to the registration office over there and explain our situation and where we're going. If we can change our household registration, that would be the best."

Su Youlu quickly finished the porridge at the bottom of his bowl and said with a smile, "I went there yesterday. Today I plan to buy some tools and repair the doors and windows in the house with your Uncle Dazhuang. Some of them are unusable."

Su Wan'er was impressed by their efficiency. For the past two days, she had been taking Xiao Yun around to explore what other business opportunities they could have besides the perfume business.

"Alright, then you can take this money, Father, and buy what you need. As for the furniture, I'll choose it myself."

Su Youlu took the silver. "Alright, you can do the fine work, and I'll do the rough work."

After finishing breakfast, Su Wan'er hurried to find a carpenter's shop. She really wanted to use the wood from her space, but she also knew that those things were too conspicuous.

Even if you can't use good wood, the design still has to be to your liking.

Having found the carpenter's shop she had inquired about beforehand, Su Wan'er entered, and the old carpenter immediately smiled and asked, "Sir, what kind of furniture would you like to buy?"

My daughter wants to order some furniture. I wonder if you can make it here?

The old carpenter chuckled and said, "I can, but I don't know if the young lady needs it in a hurry, what style she needs, and what size?"

Su Wan'er handed over the drawings. "Are these easy to make?"

The old carpenter looked at the blueprints, then at Su Wan'er, then back at the blueprints, his eyes filled with doubt. "Miss, I have never seen these things before."

Su Wan'er pointed to the sofa, bedside table, and wardrobe above and explained them one by one. By the end, the old carpenter's hand holding the blueprints was trembling. "Wonderful, wonderful!"

"Is it possible to customize?"

"Yes, yes, I will definitely do my best to build it according to Miss's blueprints."

"That will be troublesome. How much will it cost?"

The old carpenter held the blueprints in his hand for a long time before asking, "What kind of wood does the young lady want to use?"

"It doesn't need to be particularly precious, just sturdy and durable." After all, Su Wan'er didn't plan to live in that small courtyard forever. What she longed for was a super large manor in the suburbs of Beijing, with a large forest outside the door, where she could ride horses.

"How about using golden walnut wood? It's a high-quality wood, reasonably priced, and durable."

“Okay, then let’s go with the blueprints. Six sets of beds and bedside tables, two sets of sofas, and ten of these cabinets.”

The old carpenter hesitated again, then said, "As for the price, Miss, I can charge half the fee to make it for you."

Su Wan'er understood what he was going to say next. Sure enough, the old carpenter asked in a consultative tone, "I wonder if the young lady would be willing to part with these drawings?"

"Sure, as long as the old gentleman doesn't feel he's losing out."

"It's not a loss, it's not a loss. Miss, please don't call me 'sir' anymore. They all call me 'Old Wood'."

"Okay, Uncle Mu, when can you finish the game? My family needs it urgently."

"If we finish all the treatments, it will probably take about a month."

Su Wan'er frowned. She didn't want to sleep on a kang (heated brick bed) for a month. "Then let's build these beds first. As for the sofa and wardrobe, we can make them later."

"Alright, miss."

Old Wood refused to accept Su Wan'er's deposit no matter what, so he had no choice but to give up, leave his address, and then took Xiao Yun to the shop.

Su Wan'er didn't plan to have the cabinets needed for the shop made at the carpenter's shop. Getting things from elsewhere would be simpler; her father and Uncle Dazhuang could just hammer them together themselves. In those days, most men knew a little carpentry.