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

Chapter 734: Chapter 734 A Long Lesson Learned_1

The cold noodles at noon were rinsed in ice water, which relieved the summer heat as soon as they were eaten.

Chang Zhong was young, and a child’s stomach is not as strong as an adult’s. Chang Zhong’s cold noodles were just rinsed with well water, so they weren’t particularly cool, but despite this, the little one ate them with great delight.

After lunch, every household was busy. Luggage needed to be packed, and servants of each household had to be arranged; the whole Zhou residence was bustling.

Zhulan took a bath and changed into her clothes before coming out. There were still many trunks in the courtyard of the main house, with maids and old women bustling about.

Song, the old nanny, said, ”The trunks that were sent over a few days ago have all been opened and checked. There’s nothing amiss.”

Zhulan saw that Song’s head was covered in sweat. Indeed, Song was older than her. ”You’ve worked hard; you should take a rest too!”

Song was indeed tired; with age, she tired easily. Knowing the mistress wasn’t just making empty talk, she thanked Zhulan and stepped down.

Zhulan watched the busy maids in the courtyard. Now, with only Song by her side, she thought that Song should bring along a couple of maids to share some tasks after reaching the capital.

An hour later, Zhou Shuren finally came out after bathing his son. ”This muggy weather, it’s more comfortable to stay in the water.”

Zhulan frowned and took Zhou Shuren’s hand, ”Indeed, it’s comfortable, but look at your hands, all wrinkly and rough.”

Zhou Shuren didn’t want to look at his own hands; his naturally lean hands looked even worse now. He truly missed his slender hands from the modern world. ”Isn’t everything packed up yet?”

Zhulan let go of his hand, ”It will take another half hour to finish. You seem so energized; does that mean you aren’t planning to take a nap?”

Zhou Shuren, ”Yes, I plan to ride around in the carriage for a while.”

Zhulan looked at Zhou Shuren extending his hand again, ”Hmm?”

Zhou Shuren coughed, ”My dear wife understands!”

”I don’t understand!”

Zhou Shuren, ”....Don’t say that!”

Zhulan hummed, ”You’ve been performing very well lately.”

Moreover, as Zhou Shuren had just arrived at the Ministry of Revenue, it was better to carry more silver. However, Zhulan thought of the silver left at home; they needed to conserve as much as possible.

Zhou Shuren followed his wife into the room, and Zhulan took out a box, handing over two one hundred taels of silver notes and about ten taels of broken silver to Zhou Shuren, ”Be thrifty, we’ve spent almost all the silver in the house, and we still have to support a big household. There are still a few months left until the autumn harvest!”

Zhou Shuren packed the silver, ”Don’t worry, I will be frugal this time.”

The feeling of empty pockets was too disconcerting; this lesson was enough.

Chang Zhong dried his hair, ”Dad, Mom.”

Zhulan took her chubby son’s hand, ”Alright, mom will take you for an afternoon nap.”

Chang Zhong didn’t want to sleep; he liked the house in the capital a lot, and this time his nephews had come too—he had playmates, ”Mom, I want to go play with my nephews!”

”Your nephews are busy. They have to pack their luggage. You have to be good and take a nap with mom.”

Chang Zhong looked at his mother’s expression. He noticed that in the summer, she got angry more often. Right now, she wasn’t angry, but her expression was indifferent, and he didn’t dare to annoy her, ”Mom, I’m tired.”

Zhou Shuren was at a loss for words. He spent his days in the government office, and he didn’t know much about the household matters. Had his son’s will to survive grown so strong without his notice?

In the main compound, Lady Li’s voice filled the air, ”Put this one in the room, pack up those that are no longer needed, and be careful, both of you—those are Silver Coins.”

Ming Teng felt that his mother had become terrifying, ”Dad, aren’t you going to help?”

Chang Li sipped his cold tea and said, ”I’d rather not ask for trouble.”

Nowadays, Lady Li wouldn’t give him any face. From the tone of her voice in this muggy weather, it was clear she was fuming with anger.

Mingyun had already packed his books and luggage. Stepping out of the room, he saw Ming Teng still watching the bustle. ”Have you finished packing your books?”

Ming Teng, already feeling uncomfortably hot, instantly cooled down at the sight of his older brother’s icy face. ”No.”

Zhou’s eldest son also felt a chill and slapped his second son’s back. ”Get to packing right now. Don’t think about waiting for the Maids to be free to help you. You should take care of your own things.”

So please quickly take your older brother away!

Mingyun’s gaze fell on his father, meeting his father’s ingratiating smile. He silently withdrew his gaze. ”Ming Teng, I’ll watch you pack.”

Ming Teng felt chilled. He truly hadn’t planned on waiting for the Maids to help. His grandfather had said one should pack one’s books and papers oneself, and he always remembered that. He just liked the bustle!

In the third wife’s compound, Lady Dong walked through each courtyard before returning. Her sisters-in-law and younger sisters-in-law had found no fault, and this put her mind at ease.

The Maid who came with her dowry said, ”Miss, you haven’t written to inform your parents of the good news yet!”

Lady Dong deliberately didn’t share the good news, ”Father will find out sooner or later.”

The Maid fell silent. The meaning was different. If the Miss personally wrote a letter, it would signify that she still considered her family. Now that she didn’t even write, what did that mean?

Lady Dong said somberly, ”I also want Father to understand that the Dong family’s connection to the Zhou family is through me. As long as I am doing well in the Zhou household, they will receive help. In the future, Father should stay clear-headed and not let my brother and sister-in-law meddle too much.”

The Maid felt a shudder in her heart. She had watched the Miss grow up. When the Miss had married, she still had pride. After the Zhou family rose in prominence, the Miss learned a lot. This time, as the Miss managed the household in the capital, she did well. Now she realized she still didn’t know the Miss well enough, swallowing her audacity, and her budding thoughts instantly vanished.

Lady Dong watched with satisfaction as the Maid’s demeanor changed. Since she took charge in the capital, she noticed that the Maid had become somewhat conceited, and her little schemes arose—changes brought by the shift in status. But she wouldn’t allow troubles to arise from servants of the third wife’s compound.

In the second wife’s compound, Lady Zhao was brimming with energy, bustling around without feeling tired, ”Daughter, the home in the capital is really big, and the residence belongs to our family.”

Yushuang shared her mother’s feelings. The residence in Jinzhou Province was nice but wasn’t owned by the Zhou family, ”It’s reassuring to live in one’s own home.”

Lady Zhao smiled, ”That’s right. Seven years ago, all I wished for was to have enough to eat, warm clothes to wear, and some spare money. But who could have imagined the Zhou family would reach today’s heights.”

A Third-rank official became their father-in-law, and the whole family moved to the capital; they were now residents of the capital, and she hoped this wasn’t just a dream!

Yushuang stood up straight, gazing at the cloudless sky with a smile, ”The Zhou family will only get better and better.”

Lady Zhao’s eyes danced with a lively spark, ”Mhm.”

In the fourth wife’s compound, there were the most Maids and old women. They packed the luggage quickly. Su Xuan and Chang Zhi sat under a tree enjoying the cool, ”The residence in Jinzhou Province wasn’t small, but the lofts took up a sizable space, and the courtyards for each room weren’t big. But the home in the capital is better, without so many small courtyards and lofts. The courtyards for each room are spacious, so it no longer feels cramped.”

Chang Zhi reclined comfortably in his lounger, ”The reason for the small courtyards in the past was that the previous Magistrate had many concubines and divided the larger courtyards. But you’re right, the home in the capital is more comfortable.”