Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!

Chapter 301: Chapter 301 The Child Doesn’t Find the Mother Ugly_1

After dinner, Zhulan prepared to rest. After washing up, she fell asleep in a daze and only opened her eyes when she felt someone nearby. She saw Zhou Shuren, who had just finished washing, about to come to bed, ”You’re back.”

Zhou Shuren had a splitting headache, not from drinking too much but from being bombarded with flattery all day, which left his ears buzzing and his head in particular pain, ”Go to sleep, I’m going to bed too.”

Zhulan had grown accustomed to sleeping in Zhou Shuren’s embrace. Once he lay down, she wrapped her arms around his waist and drifted back into a drowsy slumber.

Zhou Shuren chuckled softly. Earlier, Zhulan hadn’t been sleeping soundly, but now that he was back, she finally settled. This trust and reliance made all his hardships feel worthwhile. He hugged Zhulan tightly, kissed her forehead, and whispered, ”Good night, wife.”

The next morning, Zhulan and Zhou Shuren awoke but neither of them planned to get up. They had been truly exhausted the previous day. Zhulan remarked, ”Today won’t be any less busy.”

Zhou Shuren said, ”Once we get through these next few days, let’s go back to our hometown. I have two hundred mu of tax-exempt land under my name, and I want to buy another twenty mu, so our family will have a round hundred. Then I’ll acquire another twenty mu of dry land to donate to the clan school for free, to subsidize the cost of books and papers.”

Zhulan understood Zhou Shuren’s intentions. As the clan’s first Graduate in recent years, the Zhou family would need more support from clan members in the future. Moreover, Zhou Shuren also wanted to consolidate support within the Zhou clan. After all, the interests of clan members were interconnected, and in the future, it was more reliable to employ clan members than outsiders.

Offering free land to the clan school was Zhou Shuren’s second step in gaining the clan’s support, following the goodwill he had fostered within the clan over the past two years.

Zhulan asked, ”What about the remaining eighty mu of land?”

Zhou Shuren replied, ”I was thinking of giving it to the Yang family. I mentioned this to father, but he adamantly disagreed and even scolded me, saying that the Yang family didn’t lack money for taxes and that their situation would only get better in the future. He told me not to worry about them.”

Zhulan felt a twinge of jealousy for her former self, who truly had wonderful parents, ”Father is also considering our future. He fears it might cause trouble down the line.”

Zhou Shuren nodded, ”So, for the remaining eighty mu, I don’t plan to give it to our clan members, nor to Lady Li’s maternal family. I intend to keep the eighty mu and consider buying some land near the capital for convenience in the future with our grain supplies.”

Zhulan stretched lazily, ”From what you’re saying, you also don’t plan to accept the land that others are eager to give you?”

Zhou Shuren nodded, ”If our family didn’t have connections to the Jiang Residence and Scholar Xu, I would have taken it since I’m confident in my ability to control those who offer gifts. But now, no. Much of it is offered because of the Jiang Residence and Scholar Xu, and I can’t investigate each one. It’s safer not to accept any at all.”

Zhulan laughed, ”I know you too well. You find it bothersome, that’s why you’re not accepting.”

He, too, wanted to relax and not be overwhelmed with work. These past two years had been hard on Zhou Shuren, but it was his efforts that secured the Zhou family’s current status. Passing the examinations changed the Zhou family’s fate completely.

Zhulan sympathized with Zhou Shuren, ”Whatever you wish to do, I will support you. I’ll take care of the financial affairs from now on, so you won’t have to worry about home anymore.”

Zhou Shuren’s forehead rested against Zhulan’s, ”From now on, I entrust the household’s silver coins to my lady.”

Zhulan kissed the corner of Zhou Shuren’s mouth, ”You’ll have set up the groundwork, rest easy. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Just when Zhou Shuren felt the atmosphere was right and was about to get frisky, the oldest son, Zhou Da, knocked on the door, ”Dad, the Clan Leader’s second uncle wants to leave right now.”

Zhou Shuren, ”.....”

He felt as if he and Zhou Da were at odds. Zhou Da was more annoying than a lightbulb!

Zhou Shuren cursed the Three Character Classic in his heart but had to resign himself to getting up, though his expression was extremely dark.

Outside, Zhou Da shrank his neck. He didn’t want to disturb his father, but the second uncle was insistent on leaving without even eating breakfast. He, too, was in despair and only hoped his father would forgive him, considering the difficulties of being the eldest son!

Zhou Shuren opened the door and glared at Big Brother Zhou, but Big Brother Zhou kept his head down all the time, much like an ostrich.

Zhou Shuren, ”.....”

Impressive, Big Brother actually resorted to this tactic against him!

Zhulan followed behind, hardly able to restrain her laughter. If you said Big Brother did something wrong, well, he really hadn’t. Zhou Shuren might be angry, but he could only glare, and now Big Brother Zhou was scared too, not even daring to look at Zhou Shuren’s face. That settled it; Zhou Shuren was left fuming on his own.

In the end, Zhou Shuren didn’t manage to keep the Clan Leader’s second son. The Clan Leader’s second son had found a good caravan, remembering he needed to rush back home, having already stayed an extra day yesterday.

Zhulan busily packed some fabrics and pastries to take with her.

The Zhou family had just finished breakfast when the Qian family came to offer congratulations. Qian Shengbao not only brought a few of his sons but also several grandsons, and the Qian family’s gifts were valuable, probably because they felt they had offended the Zhou family last time and had now recognized Zhou Shuren’s greater potential. Qian Shengbao resolved to bring an antique vase.

Zhulan didn’t know the price, but seeing Zhou Shuren pleased with it, she knew it wasn’t cheap.

This time, Qian Shengbao didn’t dare to be cunning. Full of eagerness to please, he said, ”Congratulations to my in-law on passing the exam! I should have visited yesterday to congratulate you, but I thought there would be many others doing the same, so I waited until today to come. I hope my in-law won’t mind.”

Zhou Shuren, with a sidelong glance at the antique vase, held no grudges, feeling no resentment at all. Ah yes, he had taken a fancy to that vase during his last visit to the Qian family. Well, that’s not quite right either; he thought quite a few of the antiques displayed at the Qian residence looked nice. ”In-law is speaking too formally, please have a seat.”

Qian Shengbao’s mouth twitched. If he had known that giving antiques would make his in-law so amiable, he would have done so long ago. Back in the day, he acquired quite a few antiques from the Yun family. After all, a merchant’s family is wealthy, especially the Yun family, which started by manufacturing vases, and their accumulations over generations were truly vast.

Qian Shengbao reflected with some emotion. When Scholar Zhou took part in the county examination, he really didn’t expect him to pass. He figured that even if he did, it would take several attempts; he thought he’d be long dead before Scholar Zhou passed. He never anticipated that Scholar Zhou would succeed on his first try, and as the runner-up no less! Moreover, his age at the time of the achievement was commendable. With Scholar Zhou’s cunning and tactics, he was the one with the greatest potential in the Zhou family!

Qian Shengbao nudged his grandsons, ”Don’t you want to greet Grandfather Zhou?”

Zhou Shuren, ”.....”

His good mood instantly dropped by several degrees, always hearing the title Scholar Zhou. Apart from his own grandsons, he rarely heard anyone else call him grandfather, hmm, he was still very young!

Zhulan, feeling stuffy, turned to Lady Fang, ”Mother-in-law, please come this way.”

Lady Fang’s heart, which she had been carrying all the way, finally settled down. The mother-in-law coming to the front yard to receive her had given her enough face. She had not dared to tell her husband about the last visit, and her heart had been pounding on the way here this time. The mother-in-law had become a Graduate’s wife. She couldn’t help but wonder if the mother-in-law would look down on her even more now. Fortunately, the mother-in-law had given her enough face, making it possible for her and her son to have a better life in the Qian family, ”Mother-in-law, after you.”

Zhulan and Lady Fang reached the back yard, and Lady Zhao had already made up and come out. Seeing her mother-in-law had not shown her any bad faces but was instead smiling, Lady Zhao let out a sigh of relief, smiling as she stepped forward, ”Mother, I’ll go make some tea.”

Zhulan thought to herself that Lady Zhao indeed had many thoughts, but she also had her strengths. A child doesn’t find his own mother ugly. Even though Lady Fang had been a slave in the past and though Lady Dong had looked down on her, Lady Zhao had never despised her own mother. She never stopped Lady Fang from visiting the Zhou family, and no matter how their status had changed, Lady Zhao still cared for her mother. This filial piety was not something everyone could possess.

Keep in mind that when someone’s status changes, their mindset will, more or less, change too. Zhulan had warned Lady Zhao, who knew where the problem lay. Lady Zhao had never resented her mother but instead continuously strived to change herself. Looking at the concerned expression she had just now for Lady Fang, Zhulan’s eyes smiled more.

There’s no such thing as a perfect person. Everyone has their faults to some extent, and she had quite a few of her own!

Lady Zhao came in with the brewed tea and some snacks. Zhulan didn’t want to drink any more tea; she had had enough yesterday.

Today, Zhulan was not only hosting the female guests with Lady Dong but also with Lady Li. With two daughters-in-law helping, Zhulan relaxed quite a bit.

Those who came today included landlords and some scholars, but the majority were still merchants.