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

Chapter 849: Chapter 849: Thinking Highly of Oneself

Hu Xia said, ”That year, the dowry my sister brought to our family was counted by me this morning and returned to her. Although it wasn’t much, it was enough to buy a house. Today, my wife has already asked someone to help my sister purchase a house, so I am informing the gentleman.”

He truly hadn’t expected the dowry. After the engagement was settled yesterday, his wife came home and talked to him, even insisting on discussing a lot. Of course, the emphasis was on the warnings from the Zhou family.

His wife was afraid of the Zhou family, and in the end, it was she who reluctantly brought out the dowry. He was delighted, and thus he told Master Zhou.

Zhou Shuren was indeed in good spirits. Living under another’s roof and having one’s own house were completely different. Moving out would also create some distance from the Hu family. He had thought about it too, but it wasn’t appropriate to act just after the engagement. If the Hu family could handle it themselves, it would save him trouble. ”Indeed, it is good news, you as an uncle have really taken a lot on yourself.”

Hu Xia felt Master Zhou’s cheerful tone and broke into a cold sweat. The more cheerful Master Zhou was, the more it meant he had been keeping it in mind. It was fortunate that his wife had been scared, ”It’s my duty, all my duty.”

Zhou Shuren smiled, ”It’s getting late, you should head home early too.”

”Yes, sir, have a slow journey.”

Despite the engagement between their families, he didn’t dare to call him grandfather-in-law. With this engagement, his generation within the family had dropped.

Watching the Zhou family’s carriage leave, Hu Xia wiped the sweat from his forehead. Thankfully, he really was good to his niece. But on a brighter note, he wouldn’t have to worry about his wife and sister’s relationship in the future.

Zhou Shuren sat in the carriage, tapping his fingers. Yesterday, his grandson had brought up the Wong family, focusing on Wong Wei. That was also his granddaughter’s husband. His teeth ached at the thought. Yu Lu’s marriage was not bad, but it was not easy to be a great-granddaughter-in-law, especially in the Wong family.

He did want Yu Lu to have more contact with Wong Wei, but it was impossible. Wong Wei was studying at his family’s private school and was seen as the main line of inheritance. Old Master Wong valued him very much. Forget it, better wait until he climbs up in status.

At the Crown Prince’s residence, the Crown Prince was drinking wine, enjoying the shock on Zhang Yang’s face after hearing the news. Zhang Yang’s face showed disbelief along with anger burning like fire in his heart, ”Previously I didn’t have a family background, and Zhou Changlian warned me. Alright, at that time I wasn’t worthy. But what about now? What does the Zhou family mean by this, not taking me seriously?”

The Crown Prince slammed his chopsticks down, ”Shut up and look at yourself, What do you think you are doing? I understand the situation. When you asked for marriage before, you didn’t even invite a matchmaker. That was an insult to the Zhou family. Now, the Zhou family has found a suitable match, and it’s perfectly normal for them to be engaged.”

Zhang Yang’s mind sobered up, but he felt wronged, ”Big brother, didn’t you and the Emperor mention this to Master Zhou?”

The Crown Prince laughed in anger, ”What do you think Master Zhou is? He is a valued minister in the Emperor’s heart, related by marriage to the Duke Ning household, and also to the Wong clan. Do you think he is just any official?”

Of course, to the Crown Prince, Zhou Shuren was a minister he could rely on. He hoped Zhou Shuren would serve for several more years after his own accession to the throne. The more he interacted with Zhou Shuren, the more he realized that Zhou Shuren had never revealed his hand completely, and he was waiting to discover more of his value.

Certainly, the Zhou family was no longer what it used to be; it had its own strength now, and even the Emperor could not casually meddle with his ministers.

Zhang Yang’s head buzzed, ”I thought Princes were above it all.”

The Crown Prince scoffed disdainfully, pah, a Prince without power is nothing. You really think high officials will give face to anyone? If the status of a Prince was actually useful, would his younger brothers need to court high officials and be exceedingly polite to some of them?

Zhang Yang shivered at the contempt in the Crown Prince’s eyes, which also stung him. He felt as if he were very ignorant.

The Crown Prince said somberly, ”Jingyang and the others are all very courteous to Zhou Shuren, I warn you, let this matter go.”

Zhang Yang dared not look into the Crown Prince’s eyes, which were too cold, as if freezing his blood. He was fearful inside. Maybe the Crown Prince is first, and then a brother, ”I understand.”

At the Zhou family home, the evening meal had just finished. Zhou Shuren returned to his room and spoke of the Hu family’s actions.

Zhulan exclaimed with surprise, ”That is indeed good news. The dowry has come back to purchase a house, which gives us more confidence in our future. Both Lady Jin and Lady Hu may have their flaws, but they are sensible people.”

Zhou Shuren said, ”Nobody’s perfect; we both have our shortcomings.”

He had never denied his own shortcomings. It was normal for a person to have flaws because he was human, not a deity.

Zhulan continued, ”Today, Zhao’s showed me the dowry she and Chang Yi have been saving for Yushuang over the years. I truly didn’t expect it—they’ve really saved quite a bit.”

Zhou Shuren grew curious, ”How much?”

”Over the years, Chang Yi has bought quite a few shops and fields. He owns some shops in the capital that even the main household hasn’t managed to buy, and some time ago, he bought a small estate in the Suburb of the capital.”

Zhou Shuren calculated in his head, ”If Zhou Changlian didn’t have the thank-you gift from the Duke Residence, Chang Yi’s assets could rank second.”

Zhulan was also amazed. Chang Yi had indeed saved a considerable family fortune over the years. ”Zhao’s and Chang Yi have discussed it—they plan to give Yushuang one of the shops in the capital, buy her a house there, and give her the estate in the Suburb. There are also some lands in other states. The rest will be added later.”

Zhou Shuren said, ”Their plans are quite early; there are still a few years until Yushuang’s coming-of-age ceremony!”

”It’s not too early. The current dowry is just the foundation, and it will need to be supplemented later on. According to this, we can also begin preparing Yu Die’s dowry. Noble families start saving dowries for their daughters from birth.”

Zhou Shuren, touching the edge of his teacup, said, ”We come into this life with nothing, and we leave with nothing. Adding more to the dowries for the girls in our family, when the several branches divide the family assets, we’ll just keep some for ourselves. What do you think?”

Zhulan smiled, ”Naturally, I agree. We agreed from the start that no valuables would be needed for our burial; it’s better to distribute them.”

Zhou Shuren smiled with his lips curled, ”Mhmm.”

However, he still needed to save more for his descendants. Touching his beard, he felt somewhat deflated—the Emperor had learned to do wrong, actually sending handwritten copies instead of the genuine article!

The following day, Zhang Yang moved into The Prince Residence, which was big news in the capital. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t go there, and both the Second Prince and the Third Prince also stayed away.

The Crown Prince was almost ready to celebrate with fireworks, unwilling to put on a play any longer, while the Second Prince and the Third Prince felt it was an insult to their intelligence, unwilling to see Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang, surveying The Prince Residence, felt both pleased and melancholic; Zhang Jinghong had occupied this place for so many years, and now he had to take over the space where Zhang Jinghong had lived.

Zhang Yang was unhappy, but facing Ning Hui, the Duke Ning’s Heir, he held back, ”Second uncle is well, I assume? I should have visited my maternal grandfather sooner, but alas, I was continuously learning proper conduct. I will certainly visit him more often in the future.”

Ning Hui’s smile was somewhat stiff. No, there was no need, and at the same time, he felt a sense of frustration. His brother had obligations that could excuse his absence, but as for him—since his father was of the older generation—he had no choice but to come. He didn’t want to see Zhang Yang, either!

Zhang Yang asked, ”And where is my third uncle?”

Ning Hui didn’t hide it. ”Your third uncle has been assigned a task to investigate Zhang Jinghong’s background.”

Zhang Yang’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Ning Hui, ”....”