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

Chapter 656: Chapter 656 Guesses Close to the Truth_1

Lady Dong saw her mother-in-law hadn’t moved in a while, ”Mother.”

Zhulan came back to her senses, ”I was lost in thought just now. Alright, you must all be hungry too, let’s have dinner. These are all dishes you enjoy.”

Chang Lian and the others had only had some snacks to tide them over, and were now quite hungry, their eyes fixed on the dishes.

Chang Lian looked at the garlic chives, ”Are garlic chives already for sale now?”

Zhulan replied, ”The branches are already sprouting green shoots; some farmers do sell early garlic chives.”

Chang Lian, ”So, son likes summer the least; the selection of vegetables is limited, and there aren’t many to choose from. Summer is better, everything is so convenient.”

Zhulan didn’t like the winter either, ”Mother prefers autumn the most, with its clear and refreshing air, and it’s also the harvest season.”

Chang Lian smiled, ”Son knows that all the elders prefer autumn.”

Zhulan reflected, ”Autumn has a different meaning, with the harvest being especially important for the common people. They wait all year round for autumn to come, so in the future, you must also become good officials.”

Chang Lian felt the pressure was somewhat heavy, being a good official was not easy, but ”Mother, your son will work hard.”

After dinner, Chang Lian and the others had no energy left; they’d been highly focused all day and now just wanted to rest. After a few more words, they all went back to rest.

Zhulan, seeing Rongchuan safely returned, felt her tight heart ease somewhat, ”The most important hurdle has finally been crossed; all that’s left is to wait now.”

Madame Song, ”My lady, you’ve also been worried all day; you should rest early too.”

Although she didn’t know what the mistress was worried about, having served for several years, she could feel today’s anxiety in her mistress and had been tense herself!

Zhulan was indeed tired, ”I’ll rest first. Chang Zhong is taking a bath; take good care of him.”

Madame Song, ”Yes.”

Zhulan lay down and fell asleep immediately. It was only upon waking up the next day that she remembered she hadn’t written a letter to Zhou Shuren.

Inside the palace, the Empress had been up for a while before the Emperor arrived, ”Why didn’t you come over last night?”

They had agreed earlier, so why the sudden change? And she couldn’t even send someone to inquire.

There were red blood vessels in the Emperor’s eyes, and he closed them wearily, ”My coming or not wouldn’t have made much difference.”

Upon hearing that the Emperor hadn’t referred to himself as ’we’, the Empress stood up and began to massage his forehead, ”Indeed, it made no difference, and I performed well on my own. Did you not sleep all night, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor stretched out both hands and grasped the Empress’s, ”Yesterday, I met a young man who bears some resemblance to me.”

The Empress felt complicated; she wasn’t afraid that the young man was a fraud, but that if he was real, he might be used by others. She was very conflicted, ”Did you feel something?”

The Emperor knew at once that the Empress had misunderstood. After all, women’s hearts are a bit softer than men’s. The Empress still had expectations and a bit of fear, ”I had various speculations before meeting him, but after meeting him, I knew that what’s fake is fake.”

The second son and the others don’t much resemble him either, but he has a feeling toward his sons.

The shackles tied around the Empress’s heart were unlocked, ”Then, that’s good.”

Afterward, a fierce expression took over her face, she could now confirm that her son was dead, and the thought of someone trying to deceive with a look-alike of her deceased child was unforgivable.

The Emperor chuckled softly, ”I am pleased, yesterday I met another seventeen-year-old youth, the resemblance, oh, it’s too striking, too much like Ning Shao. I took a liking to him at first sight, a genuine fondness. Born in the capital, raised by a nanny, he almost died but then was unexpectedly saved. Ning Xu has already investigated; this incident was not a scheme.”

The Empress clearly understood and began to tremble, ”You, you mean to say?”

Opening his eyes, the Emperor said, ”Ning Xu may not have confirmed with his words that he is the fifth son, but the implication was that it is indeed Rongchuan who is real. I feel the same, and you should meet him too. There’s a connection between mother and child. You recognized at first glance that the child was fake, and I want you to confirm it.”

The Empress had been married to Zhang Yu for many years, and he was sincere with her, his candor made her even more familiar with this skeptical man, ”You must have confirmed something again, right?”

The Emperor turned his head, ”Indeed, the last rat we caught, I had people wear her down gradually, not letting her die just yet. Fortunately, she didn’t die. I personally interrogated her last night, and it was the nanny who took the child out of the palace. Additionally, the timing of your childbirth, it all matches up.”

Of course, there were things he didn’t say. Through the mix of truth and lies from the rat, and her reactions, he guessed that the child might have been smothered to death inside the palace, likely to prevent crying from drawing attention. It was only because the child was in a suspended animation that he woke up once out of the palace and was then killed again; otherwise, it did not make sense to move so far away from the palace before taking action.

That guess led him to summon the Imperial Physician he trusted in the dead of the night to inquire and conclude that a state of suspended animation was possible. He could only heave a sigh of relief, but he still needed the Empress to confirm it.

He did want to find the nanny from back then, but unfortunately, to prevent future problems, she was probably dealt with long ago.

The Empress’ emotions surged, ”How should I see him? Right, at seventeen he participated in the palace examination, he must be outstanding. What’s his name? Are the people who raised him treating him well? Is he living well now? What am I even asking, to be able to study and participate in the imperial examinations, his family must be well-off.”

The Emperor patted the Empress’s hand, ”Meeting him is indeed not easy, let me think about it.”

In Jinzhou Province, Zhou Shuren met with Jingyan at the government office, ”You’ve been dispatched back today?”

Jingyan replied, ”Third Young Master and Master Rongchuan are still resting, so I was ordered to return.”

Zhou Shuren took the letter, ”They’ve both been under strain for so long, they must be exhausted. They indeed need more rest.”

Thinking of how the two young masters were still asleep when he left, Jingyan agreed, ”Indeed, they are exhausted.”

Zhou Shuren quickly scanned the letter. The content was elusive; after closing the letter, he and Zhulan’s suspicions were confirmed. Now it was just waiting for the Emperor’s reaction. He and Zhulan could do nothing, and now that Shen Yang had met the Emperor, he should no longer be looking for a ladder. In the future, it was best to keep their distance.

As for Rongchuan, not resembling the Emperor was an advantage. Regarding the subsequent events, he had self-awareness and did not intend to meddle or guess anymore.

Zhou Shuren wrote down his thoughts, signaling to Zhulan to stay calm. No matter what Rongchuan’s identity was, they were the ones who saved and nurtured him. It was an act of grace, and they had clear consciences.

After finishing the letter, Zhou Shuren asked, ”Has Chang Xhong been mischievous lately?”

Jingyan answered, ”The young master is very lively.”

Zhou Shuren understood well enough; the little guy must be a handful. He missed his son and daughter-in-law, but thankfully, he’d be back home soon.

That afternoon, Jingyan returned, and Zhulan read the letter. The last of her inner unease dissipated. They would let nature take its course. They were still too weak; since they could not change anything, all they could do was do their best.

Zhulan felt grounded, and her whole being relaxed.

Lady Dong came with Yu Yi, immediately sensing a difference, ”Mother, is there good news?”

Zhulan hugged her granddaughter, ”No good news, I was just looking at the letter your father replied.”

Lady Dong did not inquire further. Her mother-in-law and father-in-law shared a truly good relationship; their correspondence was particularly frequent, something she envied. She hoped that she and Chang Lian would share such a bond when they grew old together.