The restoration of the Dantian was completed today, with limited effect on cultivation recovery. Shen Wang didn’t cultivate further but instead stepped out of the room, picked up some wood, and prepared to make a crib for his daughter.
Shortly after he left, the baby on the bed opened her eyes, with a hint of confusion in them, blankly looking at her small hands, then making some cooing sounds.
She was surprised in her mind: "I’m not dead yet; it seems I’ve reincarnated into a baby. Where is this place? Where is mom? I’m so hungry..."
Soon, she showed signs of drowsiness and fell asleep again.
Inside the ancestral home, Shen Wang found more than a dozen large pieces of wood and took out tools to start working personally.
Considering his current damaged Dantian makes cultivation difficult, it would be better to personally make a small bed for his daughter; otherwise, he would likely not be satisfied with others’ work.
He held the sword and split open the half-zhang long piece of wood, the break was very clean, showcasing his excellent sword technique.
"Maintaining the body’s vitality day and night with little Spiritual Qi isn’t a waste of effort; my sword technique is still mostly intact, making me a rather accomplished Postnatal Swordsman."
Shen Wang chuckled lightly, the sword light transformed again, turning the round wood into planks.
After chopping a few round logs, the sword became much duller, and Shen Wang sighed: "This Mortal Sword still can’t compare to a Treasure Sword or a Magical Artifact."
Previously, to heal his injuries, he sold all his resources and even used up quite a bit of the family’s resources, only barely retaining a layer of cultivation.
Now, he is left with almost no cultivation resources apart from mundane wealth, not even possessing a sharp Treasure Weapon.
"Once the Dantian is restored, I can go earn resources."
With this thought, Shen Wang continued to cut and plane the planks, starting to make the mortise and tenon joints.
For a cultivator like him, mundane carpentry is simple—Shen Wang could freely create the crib he desired.
Half an hour later, when even Shen Wang was getting a bit anxious, the old servant finally brought a village woman through the door.
This woman’s appearance was somewhat plain, but she was robust, wearing coarse cloth clothes, hailing from a poor family.
The old servant said, "Young Master, this woman’s name is Chunmei, she’s recently had a child."
Shen Wang glanced at her, frowning, "Is there only one?"
It wasn’t that he disliked this village woman, he was mainly worried that his daughter wouldn’t have enough to eat.
"She’s the only suitable one; you know the harsh environment of Fengming Town, few women are willing to marry over here. Only two women recently gave birth, and the other is too weak, already out of milk; nearby only she is suitable."
The old servant replied helplessly.
"Can she feed two children enough?"
Others would definitely prioritize their own child, and he was concerned that his daughter might suffer, as Shen Chuxue wasn’t this woman’s child.
"For now, the child is still small, so it should be enough. After I return, I’ll see if I can find anyone else, but it’s far away, and it might be hard to bring someone over."
The old servant said.
"No need to go through such trouble, I’ll check the nearby villages and towns for more myself later."
Shen Wang shook his head and then turned to Chunmei: "You’d better stay here; otherwise, going back and forth seven or eight times a day will be troublesome."
"I can’t; I still have to work in the fields, and this place is far from home; going back and forth takes half an hour each way," Chunmei said, embarrassed.
Although she intentionally portrayed her difficulties, she was telling the truth. Village women often went back to work in the fields even the day after giving birth.
Shen Wang immediately said, "I’ll triple your pay, you and your child stay here, be a full-time wet nurse, with room and board provided."
Infants need to be fed many times a day; he felt it was unsuitable for her to go back and forth, staying here would be the most convenient.
Chunmei’s eyes lit up; three times the pay was too generous. Her whole family working couldn’t earn as much.
She nodded promptly, like a pecking chicken: "No problem."
"Okay, go feed the child now, and fetch your own child afterward."
Shen Wang urged, worried that the child might be hungry.
"Young Master, breakfast is ready."
The maid Jia’Er came out from the kitchen at this moment. She was neither tall nor short, wearing a red cotton coat, apparently in her twenties, with an ordinary but agreeable appearance, especially her very expressive eyes.
"Uncle Hu, let’s have breakfast. After breakfast, you can return to the family."
Shen Wang called the old servant and said: "Jia’Er, please accompany her to feed the child first."
Jia’Er led Chunmei towards the bedroom, and Shen Wang along with the old servant, not wanting to intrude, went to the hall to eat.
Since his Dantian was damaged and he lost most of his cultivation, Shen Wang had no choice but to eat three meals a day like ordinary people, and the old servant, being a martial artist, also needed to eat to replenish Essence Qi, so both ate heartily.
The breakfast was light, consisting of steamed buns, pickles, porridge, plus eggs and beef, which was already at a standard of a wealthy household in Fengming Town.
"Uncle Hu, how much are you paying Chunmei?"
Shen Wang ate an egg while casually asking the old servant who was eating beef.
"Thirty copper coins per day."
The old servant replied, chewing slowly.
"Even at triple, it’s only ninety copper coins, might that be a bit too little?"
Shen Wang was used to spending lavishly, and mundane copper coins were worth very little to him.
"Money can stir people’s hearts, it’s best to keep it appropriate—giving too much can invite trouble, while the young master might not fear inconvenience, this could be dangerous for a peasant woman."
The old servant said meaningfully.
"Makes sense, I used to be a cultivator; gold meant nothing to me."
Shen Wang admitted with a helpless smile.
"If the young master wants to live long-term in Fengming Town, you’ll have to integrate with the local environment. The place is essentially full of ordinary folk; even an ounce of silver would mean a lot to them."
Uncle Hu advised earnestly: "I’m about to return, so the young master will have to endure a bit."
"No worries, it’s fine as long as Jia’Er is around. Go back with peace of mind."
After finishing breakfast, Shen Wang sent the old servant off and quickly headed to the bedroom.
Chunmei had finished feeding, looking around the room enviously, touching here and peering there, muttering, "There’s a rumor that your Shen Family is connected to immortals, a family of great wealth and nobility, truly very grand."
"Don’t touch recklessly."
"Your master asked me to take care of your young lady from now on; as the wet nurse, why can’t I touch?"
Chunmei, knowing Jia’Er was a maid, regarded her as a mere servant and considered herself higher in status, so she felt there was no need to be overly polite.
"I meant your dirty hands shouldn’t touch randomly." Jia’Er grabbed Chunmei’s wrist with a slight force, causing her to cry out in pain.
"Keep quiet, don’t disturb the child!"
Shen Wang entered and glanced at Chunmei: "You need to understand the rules here, first go live with Jia’Er; you are responsible for laundry and cleaning, while Jia’Er handles the grocery shopping. I’ll add ten copper coins to your pay daily."
Chunmei, teary-eyed from the pain, quickly smiled upon hearing this: "The master is so generous; should I get a few more people, this courtyard seems rather empty?"
"That’s not for you to worry about; just do your own job well,"
Shen Wang coldly glanced at her. This is the ancestral land of the Shen Family—outsiders weren’t supposed to live here. It’s already an exception that this woman and her child were allowed to stay, so how could she bring in more people?
Chunmei awkwardly smiled, feeling somewhat afraid of Shen Wang, and even more so of Jia’Er, quickly turned around and walked out.