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

Chapter 679: Chapter 979: Hope_1

Yushuang touched her fingertips together, a rush of impulse had led her to do this, she too wanted to dress as a man like her fourth aunt, ”I dare not anymore.”

Zhulan looked at Yushuang, noticing how the child had grown bolder since her change, as if she had utterly liberated herself; now she even dared to dress as a man and go onto the streets, which truly took Zhulan by surprise.

Back at the mansion, Zhulan asked Yushuang to change her clothes and come back. After waiting for a while, Lady Zhao and Yushuang came together.

Zhulan immediately noticed Yushuang’s somewhat reddened forehead, which wasn’t the doing of Xue Han, for Xue Han would only touch lightly. Seeing the furious Lady Zhao, it was clear that it was Lady Zhao who had been angry enough to cause it.

Lady Zhao entered saying, ”Mother, I have spoiled Yushuang; please do not be angry with her. If you must blame someone, blame me; it is my failure as a mother to discipline Yushuang properly.”

She nearly passed out upon seeing Yushuang in men’s attire and turned even paler when she found out that it was the grandmother who had brought her back. She had been relying on the grandmother to find Yushuang a good marital match, and now the girl had gone and dressed as a man and taken to the streets. If this were to be known by others, how could she possibly secure a favorable marriage proposal?

Zhulan, hearing Lady Zhao assume all the responsibility, thought that, regardless of the situation, Lady Zhao was indeed doing well in her role as a mother, ”This is the first time Yushuang has worn such clothes outside, do not worry too much about it.”

Upon hearing her grandmother’s words, Yushuang indeed felt some fear; she had not thought about the impact on her reputation when her head got hot and she ventured out. She and her fourth aunt were different; her fourth aunt held the Magistrate’s title, with ample family wealth and capital behind her, while she herself had nothing.

Yushuang quickly said, ”Grandmother, it is all my fault for not fully considering the implications, and it has nothing to do with my mother; I was simply too bold.”

Zhulan heard the tremble in Yushuang’s voice, a sign she clearly understood the gravity of her mistake, ”Yushuang, your grandmother knows that you want to live more freely, but you must remember, you are first and foremost a young lady of the Zhou family, and that cannot change. Even though our dynasty is more tolerant towards women, women are still disadvantaged, and your grandmother does not have the power to smooth over every issue for you. Child, your grandmother knows you are smart, and there is no need for her to say much more; you understand everything.”

As Yushuang was about to kneel down and admit her faults, Zhulan had Song Pozi stop her; she really did not like resorting to kneeling for every issue, ”It’s alright. Today was just a coincidence that you ran into your grandmother; let’s put those clothes away in the future.”

Zhulan thought to herself, fortunately, the young lady was not yet fully grown, and it wasn’t noticeable. Once she was older and dressing as a man, it would be much easier to see through, given the fitted nature of men’s attire.

Zhulan signaled Yushuang to go back first, then stayed behind with Lady Zhao.

Lady Zhao was nervous, ”Mother.”

Zhulan gestured for Lady Zhao to sit down, as she no longer wished to lose her temper or discipline her daughters-in-law like before. Age was one thing, but she also understood clearly that no amount of scolding would change things now; it was better to have a good talk when issues arose.

Zhulan said, ”Let’s just have a chat, you and I; don’t be so tense.”

Lady Zhao, ”....I’m not tense.”

Zhulan continued, ”I know the pressure is great in your second household, and both you and your husband have pinned all your hopes on Ming Rui—it’s natural for parents to do so. However, the children are still young. You both should moderate your expectations and make more effort to communicate with them, avoiding putting too much pressure on them.”

Why did Yushuang follow the steps of Su Xuan if not to learn more skills, not only for herself but also for the second household? The pressure of the parents was already being passed down to the children.

Lady Zhao’s heart was also heavy, ”Mother, if only I could bear more children.”

Zhulan looked at Lady Zhao, aware that this was the second wife’s heartache. Unless this issue was resolved, Lady Zhao and her husband could not move forward, ”You know the Imperial Physician Liu is in the mansion; thus, I shall ask Imperial Physician Liu to examine you. If there is hope for improvement, that would indeed be a cause for celebration. If not, you should try to relax in the future.”

Zhao’s eyes lit up with surprise. ”Thank you, mother.”

Zhulan looked at the joyful expression on Zhao’s face and felt a complex emotion stirring within her. She realized that she had been negligent; it hadn’t even crossed her mind to consult Imperial Physician Liu. Her inherent belief was that since the reputable medical establishments in Jinzhou Province had all said that her body was too damaged to bear children, she had just accepted that as the truth.

As Zhulan looked at Zhao, she thought of Lady Dong, who was always talking about wanting a son, and Tao as well. In ancient times, a son was far too important to a woman.

That afternoon, Zhulan invited Imperial Physician Liu to take Zhao’s pulse. Hope filled Zhao’s eyes; she waited eagerly for the results.

Imperial Physician Liu took his time examining her pulse thoroughly twice, each time longer than the last; stroking his beard, he released her wrist and said, ”Madame has been taking tonics, correct? Bring me the prescriptions so I may have a look.”

Zhao quickly instructed a maid to fetch them and handed them to Imperial Physician Liu. ”Here are the prescriptions, could you please take a look, sir?”

Imperial Physician Liu examined the prescriptions carefully. ”These are good prescriptions, but the dosages are too small. I’ll modify them a bit. Continue taking them until your feet are no longer cold, then come find me for a new prescription.”

Upon hearing this, Zhulan asked, ”Old Master, do you mean my second daughter-in-law can still recover?”

Imperial Physician Liu replied, ”It still requires gradual treatment, and it may take several years at the least.”

Zhulan knew that Imperial Physician Liu would not speak without certainty. She had great faith in him. ”Thank you so much, old sir.”

Imperial Physician Liu smiled and said, ”However, I must say, even if one’s health is restored, having children is still a matter of fate. One must never take fertility drugs just for the sake of having children. Many of these can be harmful; don’t damage your health with them.”

Zhulan understood; these were words of experience from the Imperial Physician. Whether it was official records or other wives, many trusted in folk remedies.

Zhulan waited for Imperial Physician Liu to modify the prescription, thanked him again, and saw him off. Upon returning, she saw Zhao wiping her tears with a handkerchief. Zhulan also felt quite happy; regardless of how many years it would take to recuperate, as long as there was hope for recovery, there was hope for the second wife, and it would lighten the burden on Ming Rui and the others.

Zhulan said, ”There, there, no more crying. I haven’t seen you cry in so many years, it’s quite unbearable to witness now.”

Zhao also recalled how she used to cry at the slightest thing, and despite her tears of joy, she suddenly found she couldn’t cry anymore. ”Mother, your daughter-in-law thanks you.”

Zhulan helped the kneeling Zhao to her feet. ”It’s partly my negligence too. Having such a skilled Imperial Physician at home, I should have thought of this earlier.”

Zhao shook her head. ”Mother, even if you didn’t mention it, I wouldn’t have thought of it either. I am truly grateful for your concern.”

That was the truth. Zhao had seen Imperial Physician Liu frequently but never thought to ask him for a consultation. She had accepted the verdicts of several doctors from the medical establishments she had visited in the past and had resolved herself to the fact that she could not have any more children. Furthermore, for her mother-in-law to consider it, she was genuinely thankful.

Zhulan comforted Zhao, ”Now that there’s hope, you should take good care of your health. And don’t put too much pressure on Ming Rui and your second husband either.”

Zhao touched her belly. ”Mother, your daughter-in-law understands.”

She wasn’t too old at the moment. A few years of recuperation, and she would still be of childbearing age. Even her mother-in-law, who was nearly forty, could still give birth; she could do the same. This joyous news, she decided, she would share personally with her husband when he returned, to give him this delightful surprise.