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

Chapter 599: Chapter 599: An Empty Effort_1

Zhulan pondered for a few seconds and with big movements she concluded that it was not Zhou Shuren acting, so it could only be, ”Is the Emperor going to make a move?”

Zhou Shuren was not surprised that Zhulan had guessed it, nodding and saying, ”Mm, Mr. Min has been quite active recently, and now that the Emperor has virtually full control over Maritime Affairs, Mr. Min has become useless.”

Zhulan thought of Mrs. Min Liu and the entire Min household, from old to young. She remembered that during her previous visit she learned Mr. Min had just had a grandson, who by her recollection hadn’t yet reached a month old, ”Ah.”

Zhou Shuren, ”Go to sleep.”

Zhulan, having seen much already, shook her head to clear away such thoughts, each person has their own fate, ”Okay.”

Zhou Shuren turned to his side and embraced Zhulan tightly. Zhulan had not yet fully recovered and she dozed off as soon as she finished speaking, her eyes looking over where her son used to stay. Now, without the little one there, he was still not used to it!

The next day, Zhulan didn’t ask anyone to inquire, waiting for it all to end. There was no need to probe for news, as she watched her son play in the courtyard but her mind drifted to Pingzhou; she wondered how her mother was and whether her eldest and Chang Zhi had arrived in Pingzhou.

In Jinzhou City, the residences of several officials were raided, including that of Mr. Min, Mr. Bai, and others.

At the Min residence, Zhou Shuren went in person. Yao Zheyu was already inspecting the study. This time, Zhou Shuren was not in charge; he was merely going through the motions. The person in charge was Yao Zheyu, the one wielding this weighty blade.

Following Zhou Shuren was Mr. Wang. Mr. Min was kneeling in the courtyard. Zhou Shuren’s gaze lingered on Mr. Min for a long time; the memories of his arrival in Jinzhou still fresh, when Mr. Min’s authority was strong and his condescending demeanor was unforgettable.

Now, Mr. Min knelt like a homeless dog in the courtyard, with a vacant stare. Ever since he had been trapped by the Emperor, Mr. Min had lived in torment, knowing his fate yet unable to change anything. Under the mental assault, Mr. Min had aged significantly.

Zhou Shuren withdrew his gaze, to put it plainly, the Emperor was a ruthless man. Once he remembered you, he wouldn’t easily let you off the hook; the mental torture was truly cruel.

Mr. Min heard the footsteps and raised his head, chuckling softly, ”So it’s Lord Zhou.”

Zhou Shuren paused in his steps, ”What is it?”

A government officer stood in front of Mr. Min, who dared not move but could only look up, ”I just wanted to ask how Mr. Ran is.”

Zhou Shuren kept silent; of all times to worry about his archenemy!

A gleam appeared in Mr. Min’s eyes; that was the psyche, excitment at the prospect of the archenemy dying alongside him.

Unfortunately for him, Zhou Shuren did not deliver the news that Mr. Min hoped to hear, ”Mr. Ran is doing very well, he should have already entered the capital.”

Indeed, Mr. Ran had already taken all the collected evidence to the capital!

Mr. Min was stunned, ”Not surrounded? Not caught? No raid?”

Zhou Shuren spoke indifferently, ”None of it. Mr. Ran was summoned to the capital on an imperial order. He left early in the morning and should be nearing the capital by now; the Emperor has personally summoned him.”

Mr. Min deflated as if he had lost all his energy and collapsed onto the ground. He had climbed his way up to a third-rank official; was anybody foolish enough not to see? Suddenly bursting into wild laughter, he said, ”I see now, no wonder Mr. Ran’s daughter could enter the Crown Prince’s harem, no wonder the Third Prince and the Qi family made moves against him and yet nothing happened to him. Ha, I am truly the fool, no wonder after setting so many traps, the Ran family is still unscathed!”

In the end, his plan for a joint downfall was all for naught, all for naught!

Zhou Shuren stared at the wildly laughing Mr. Min, who had madness in his eyes. He sighed deeply; anyone would be unable to bear it, knowing that the apparent adversary was actually the dealer in a gamble.

Zhou Shuren turned and left, Mr. Wang jogging to keep up, his heart trembling with fear. Having spent so many years in Jinzhou Province, he knew less than half of what Mr. Zhou did. For instance, he had only recently found out that Mr. Ran was one of the Emperor’s men. This knowledge had frightened him, no wonder his father always said that if you lack ability, just stay put; the Emperor knows everything.

Father’s words meant that the Emperor’s inaction was simply due to timing: once someone lost their value, the Emperor would act without hesitation.

When Zhou Shuren arrived at his study, Yao Zheyu had already finished packing. ”Are you done?” he asked.

Yao Zheyu nodded. ”The important things are in Mr. Ran’s possession. I’m just going through the motions.”

Zhou Shuren glanced around and said, ”Okay then, carry on with your work, I’m heading back to the Government Office.”

As he watched Mr. Zhou leave, Yao Zheyu thought to himself how he would have preferred Mr. Zhou accompanying him to the capital. He always felt that Mr. Zhou could have been a help to him in the capital, but unfortunately, this time there really wasn’t anything concerning Mr. Zhou.

In Zhou Village, Xue Mei took her daughter to the Jiang family. Just as they entered the courtyard, Xue Mei was startled to see the young master of the Jiang family sweeping the yard; she had expected to find the Jiangs in a state of decline. Instead, there he was with no trace of resentment on his face, earnestly sweeping the ground.

Jiang Muchen, broom in hand, recognized her by her appearance. ”Auntie Xue Mei.”

Xue Mei raised an eyebrow. By addressing her as ’Auntie’ and not ’Aunt Jiang’, he was expressing a closeness to the Zhou family. She smiled and asked, ”Is your mother at home?”

Jiang Muchen nodded. ”Yes, she is.”

Hearing the chatter from the courtyard, Dong Yiyi came out. She had never met Zhou Xue Mei and had only heard about her through others. Before the visit, she had asked her sister extensively about her, and now that she had seen Xue Mei in person, her observations aligned with her sister’s descriptions. The Zhous were all shrewd people; even if the woman before her seemed gentle, Dong Yiyi dared not underestimate her. ”It should be me visiting you first.”

On her first visit to the house, Xue Mei brought gifts, handing them over with a smile. ”I knew you were busy cleaning up the house. Since we are all practically family, I thought I’d come over myself.”

Dong Yiyi found the basket heavy in her hands, smelling the aroma of steamed buns and other foods. She appreciated that Xue Mei had not brought fabric or anything of the sort, as it would have made her uncomfortable, almost as if it were mocking her for no longer being able to wear luxurious clothes. Food, on the other hand, felt warm and brought them closer.

”I heard from Chu Chu that you recently gave birth to a son. It should have been me visiting, not making you come here. Please, come inside,” Dong Yiyi said.

Xue Mei smiled, ”Alright.”

If it hadn’t been for the Jiang family and the letter she had received from her mother beforehand, she wouldn’t have come so soon.

Jiang Miu followed her mother and, upon reaching the doorway, couldn’t help but look back at the boy in the yard. Perhaps it was too direct a gaze; he lifted his head while holding the broom, and Jiang Miu quickly averted her gaze and ran into the house.

Jiang Muchen looked toward the doorway and smiled. That must be Mr. Zhou’s only granddaughter. Even though she wasn’t raised in the Zhou family, her clothes were every bit as good as those of the Zhou girls. It was clear how much Mr. Zhou treasured his granddaughter.

An hour later, Xue Mei left the Jiang family. She sighed with a sense of poignancy, and Jiang Miu asked, ”Mother, are you unhappy?”

Xue Mei stroked her daughter’s hair. ”Mother is just reflecting on how difficult it is for women, their entire wellbeing hanging on their husbands.”

Jiang Miu had grown up and understood quite a bit more, her temperament had become much steadier. ”Mother, Grandfather picked Father for you, and you have a good life.”

Xue Mei smiled faintly. Her good life was thanks to her family of birth, her silly girl. ”Let’s go back. Your brother must be crying by now.”

The thought of the four boys at home gave Xue Mei a headache.