Right now, An Sheng was in charge of the internal personnel organization, deployment, and transfers at the Inner Factory, as well as institutional reforms and various other matters. He was busy from dawn to dusk, at most only able to return to the estate at night.
A'mei's heart ached for her husband. Fearing he would be too busy to remember to eat, she personally went to the kitchen at noon to cook a few dishes and instructed Wu Da to deliver them to him. A'mei actually wanted to deliver the food herself, but knowing how busy her husband was right now, she absolutely could not go over and cause him any trouble.
Douzi had gone to school, and her godfather was in poor health, spending most of his time resting in his room. Now, as the wife of the Commander, A'mei had a whole host of maids and servants, so naturally she didn't have to do any chores. With nothing else to do, A'mei went to the study to practice her calligraphy diligently. Her husband had told her that she absolutely must not fall behind on her lessons.
Just after she finished writing two large sheets of characters, Hehua came in from outside to announce that her godfather was waiting for her in the main hall.
When A'mei went over, she saw An Gui sitting in a chair, while Xiao Zhengzi stood waiting to the side, holding a wooden tray.
A'mei called out, Godfather, you called for A'mei. Is there something the matter?
An Gui gave a look to signal, and Xiao Zhengzi brought the tray over to A'mei. On it rested a locked box with a key, two booklets, and the token representing the authority to manage the household's affairs.
A'mei stared at the items on the tray, a look of confusion on her face. What is this?
An Gui spoke with a smile, Your godfather is getting old. My eyes are failing, and my legs are no longer agile. In the past, I kept these things on behalf of Sheng'er. You have been married to An Sheng for quite some time now. Seeing the two of you supporting each other and living in harmony as husband and wife makes my heart both happy and relieved. It is time to hand these things over to you.
A'mei suddenly understood what these items represented. She felt surprised and somewhat moved, unconsciously touching the bracelet on her wrist. When she had first entered the estate and her husband was injured and bedridden, her godfather had given her this bracelet on her husband's behalf, and she had worn it ever since.
However, A'mei had grown up poor and knew absolutely nothing about the management and procedures of a large household. Moreover, she felt she didn't know anything at all. Even her literacy was taught by her husband, so she feared she wouldn't be able to handle many things well.
A'mei pursed her lips, just about to utter words of refusal.
But then she met her godfather's cloudy gaze. An Gui had long seen through A'mei's thoughts. He said slowly, A'mei, you must take these things. Your godfather is old and no longer has the energy for many things. As Sheng'er's wife and the mistress of our An estate, this is your exclusive right, and even more so, your responsibility. It doesn't matter if you don't understand right now. With me here, you can learn slowly. Xiao Zhengzi will also do his best to assist you. If you are truly unsure about something, you can always ask Sheng'er.
But... Hearing her godfather say this, A'mei felt even more moved. She opened her mouth to speak.
An Gui cut her off again. No buts. Our An estate looks large now with many people, but they are all servants and easy to manage. Besides, our family structure is simple. Unlike those households with flocks of wives and concubines and halls full of children and grandchildren where matters are tedious and complicated, it is not as complex as you think.
Since her godfather had said this much, A'mei stopped agonizing over it. She nodded and took the items.
An Gui waved his hand, and Xiao Zhengzi led Hehua out of the room, leaving only An Gui and A'mei inside.
A'mei stepped forward and sat beside An Gui, her gaze falling on the things in her hands with a hint of curiosity.
Godfather, what are all these?
An Gui replied, They have already been given to you. Open them and see for yourself.
Hearing this, A'mei nodded. She picked up the account books, flipped through a few pages, and then took the key to open the box.
As A'mei looked through them, An Gui explained from the side, Your husband is a capable man. Otherwise, he wouldn't have qualified to leave the palace and establish his own estate back then. These are the properties and assets that our family and Sheng'er have slowly accumulated over the years. There are farmlands, shops, and some manors. It's not a lot, but it's not a little either. These properties are specially managed by our people. In the past, to avoid arousing suspicion, I always contacted them privately. Now that Sheng'er's status is different, it is no longer the time to hide things. I will notify them to come to the estate regularly to report the profits and harvests to you.
Looking at the considerable number of land deeds, house deeds, and bank notes in the box, A'mei was so surprised she didn't know what to say. Her eyes widened, and after a long while, she murmured, So, my husband is this rich.
An Gui chuckled softly, but after a few laughs, he began to cough.
Cough... cough, cough...
A'mei snapped back to reality and hurriedly poured a cup of tea, handing it to her godfather.
An Gui took the tea and took a sip to soothe his throat. Did you think Sheng'er was joking when he said you lacked ambition?
A'mei's little face flushed with embarrassment.
An Gui continued earnestly, Your godfather knows you are a good child with an honest heart, and I know you want to live a good life with Sheng'er. Now that the family fortune is handed over to you, I am truly at ease.
A'mei couldn't guarantee other things, but she agreed ten thousand times over with what her godfather said about living a good life with her husband. A'mei nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at rice and said very honestly, Godfather, rest assured. I like my husband the most, and I will always live a good life with him in the future.
After A'mei finished speaking, she met An Gui's gratified expression. Realizing belatedly that she had just confessed her fondness for her husband right in front of her godfather, her face flushed even redder with shyness.
...
It was very late by the time An Sheng returned to the estate. He had originally thought A'mei would already be asleep, but to his surprise, the candlelight in the room was still lit.
An Sheng stepped through the doorway.
Looking up, he saw A'mei coming to greet him, looking thoroughly excited and joyful.
Husband, you are back!
Seeing A'mei's smiling face, An Sheng's heart relaxed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her into the room, asking in a low voice as they walked, Why aren't you asleep when it's this late?
A'mei spun around, nimbly slipping out of An Sheng's embrace. Then she took her husband's large hand and led him toward the bed.
Husband, come look at this.
An Sheng raised an eyebrow and cooperatively followed A'mei over.
Reaching the bedside, A'mei pointed at the things her godfather had given her today, her face filled with excitement. Husband, look!
An Sheng's gaze fell on the items, and a flash of understanding crossed his eyes. However, taking into account A'mei's spirited little appearance at the moment, he deliberately asked, What is this?
A'mei let out a sound of surprise, her bright eyes blinking as she looked at her husband. Did you really not know about these? Godfather said this is our family fortune.
Saying this, A'mei somewhat shyly recounted how her godfather had handed these things over to her earlier that day.
As she reached the end of her story, two rosy blushes appeared on her little face, and she said sweetly, I told Godfather that we will definitely live a good life together from now on.
Ansheng gazed at A'mei's charming and endearingly naive appearance, feeling a deep, tender warmth brimming in his heart. With a soft murmur, he sat on the edge of the bed, reached out, and pulled A'mei into his arms to sit on his lap.
"Ever since we returned to the capital, I had meant to hand these matters over to you," he said softly. "It's just that I've been leaving early and returning late these past few days, so I haven't had the chance to speak with Godfather. I never expected that Godfather and I would be of the exact same mind. This works out perfectly. From now on, you can learn how to manage the household, which will keep you from getting bored at home. If you run into anything you don't understand, just come and ask me."
Hearing her husband's words, A'mei felt a rush of both joy and deep emotion. Her eyes curved into sweet crescents and the corners of her lips lifted into a bright smile, making her look impossibly adorable.
Ansheng gently cupped the back of her neck, lowered his head, and kissed her.
