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

Chapter 874: Chapter 874 Good Aspirations

The next day, the second grandson of the Zhou family, Zhou Mingteng, got engaged, and those who were interested in the Zhou family quickly learned the news.

During the engagement, Chang Zhong protected Mingteng so much that in Mingteng’s heart, Chang Zhong’s status rose by several levels, bypassing even his own father—though his father also didn’t hold a very high place in Mingteng’s heart.

After the engagement, Zhulan finally relaxed, Ming Rui was still too young and could wait a few more years.

Lady Zhao came with Yu Die. As the little girl was premature, even though she was raised just like a normal child, she still fell ill easily during the winter.

Yesterday, after going to the Liu residence for the engagement, the girl had played so happily that she became a bit feverish last night.

Zhulan picked up Yu Die and felt her forehead, ”She’s not feverish now, but we need to be careful in the afternoon; children can easily relapse.”

Lady Zhao had taken care of her daughter all night and was used to her fragile health. ”Mother, don’t worry, Yu Die will be better in a couple of days.”

Zhulan looked at Yu Die playing with her bracelet and patted the little girl, who had only recently put on some weight, and now with all this commotion might lose it again. She expressed her concern for Lady Zhao, ”You shouldn’t overwork yourself as well. Leave the child to me and go rest awhile.”

Seeing that her daughter was behaving, Lady Zhao said, ”Mother, Yu Die has become more and more clingy to you.”

In the mornings, she would fuss until her grandmother came; no one else could soothe her. Being frail from a young age, she and her husband doted on Yu Die even more until eventually, they had no choice but to ask mother-in-law for advice and brought Yu Die over.

Zhulan kissed her granddaughter’s forehead, ”Our Yu Die is clever and skillful, just like me—she can be of great help to me!”

Yu Die nodded, ”Mmm-hmm, grandma says Yu Die is very capable.”

Lady Zhao laughed softly, tapped her daughter’s forehead—young girls in the family knew how to charm, but Yu Die was the best at it—”Mother, I’ll head back first, then. I’ll come back to fetch her later.”

”Go ahead.”

As the year end approached, each section of the house was busy. Every section had its own circle of contacts, and there were New Year gifts to be given out.

At the Academy, Mingteng glared at Ran Xun, who had come to tease him again. ”Will you ever stop? It’s just an engagement. You’ve been harping on it all morning.”

Ran Xun replied, ”What do you mean, just an engagement? Is an engagement of the Zhou family ordinary? Zhou family’s men are among the most coveted sons-in-law on the list.”

Jiang Zhu rolled his eyes at Ran Xun’s exaggerated gestures. ”If you’re envious of Mingteng, you can put out the word, too.”

Ran Xun gave him a look as if to say ’Are you kidding me?’, ”I’m not about to give up the beauty of a whole garden for a single flower. That might be a Zhou family rule, but it’s not one for the Ran family.”

Mingteng rolled his eyes. ”No wonder your cousin doesn’t think much of you.”

Mingteng then turned to Jiang Zhu, ”We can’t follow his example. Even though your surname is Jiang, you’re also of half Zhou family blood. We need to continue the Zhou family’s excellence.”

Jiang Zhu felt a headache coming on. ”Don’t worry, I won’t be corrupted. I aim to be like grandfather.”

Mingteng patted Jiang Zhu on the shoulder. ”That’s a good aspiration.”

Dong Zhan chuckled quietly. He found that ever since he had taken the initiative to socialize and interact, he had missed out on so much fun. Now his spirit felt light, and the stress of the past seemed to have lessened considerably.

At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren met with Zhang Yang. Since his recent recovery from illness, Zhang Yang visibly grew a lot, with noticeable improvement in his demeanor.

This time at the Ministry of Revenue, Zhang Yang was very well-behaved, diligently completing the assignments distributed to him.

Zhou Shuren invited Zhang Yang to sit, ”Your Highness, do you seek an audience with your servant for a certain matter?”

Zhang Yang still looked somewhat pale, his body weak from just recovering from a serious illness, ”I have spent some days at the Ministry of Revenue now. His Majesty sent me here to gain experience, but all I’ve handled so far are accountancy matters. I was wondering if the Minister could assign me some different tasks?”

Even being responsible for the affairs of a single state would do. He was too hasty last time, and that’s why he was tricked.

Zhou Shuren played it tactfully, ”Your Highness, although the assignments of the Ministry of Revenue seem varied, they actually consist of almost the same repetitive tasks. Your Highness, you need to first lay a solid foundation.”

Zhang Yang had not expected to receive different duties on his first request; if given, he still feared being manipulated again. But his recent illness made him realize that to be respected, one needs to have real ability, ”I shall listen to the Minister, then. You may go back to your duties now.”

”Very well.”

Zhou Shuren watched Zhang Yang leave, seeing that he truly had grown much. Indeed, environment shapes a person, and even the naive Zhang Yang has become restrained.

In Zhou village, Xue Mei went to the Jiang family with her daughter, following a heavy snowfall from the previous day. Xue Mei’s mother-in-law had steamed a lot of pork buns.

Dong Yiyi was embroidering handkerchiefs with her daughter. After moving to the countryside, despite having some family wealth, they still embroidered handkerchiefs for sale, not many each month, just enough to cover the household expenses for oil and salt.

Dong Yiyi took a bun, ”Not to mention anything else, my aunt’s buns are exceptional.”

Xue Mei replied, ”That’s why I brought over quite a few more.”

Dong Yiyi and Xue Mei had become friends, and thus did not stand on ceremony, ”Thank you. By the way, are your twins still causing trouble at home?”

Xue Mei thought of her twin sons with a headache, ”Yes, the two rascals insist on going to their grandfather’s house. Alas, my husband is a man without great ambitions, and I myself am without much aspiration. Over the years, my parents have doted on me and have already given me too much. Now my parents have taken Jiang Zhu into their care, intending to support him at the Zhou estate in the future. How could I possibly send the twins there as well.”

Dong Yiyi speculated, ”With the kids making such a fuss, haven’t you considered that someone might be whispering things behind your back?”

She knew that just days before, the children were threatening to starve themselves, but being young, they had no real determination and gave up after missing one meal due to hunger.

Xue Mei hadn’t considered this angle before. Life in Zhou village had been too smooth for her; everyone in the village, both related and unrelated to her, looked up to her. Stirred by the thought, she asked, ”Have you heard any rumors?”

”I didn’t hear it; it was Mu Lan who noticed it when she was delivering sewing supplies to Jiang Miu. As you know, it’s inevitable for children to feel envious. Your family, because of your dowry and the gifts from your parents’ family at every festival, meant that Jiang Miu’s children were better dressed and had nicer things, naturally leading to envy.”

Xue Mei sighed, ”My mother was right, the most difficult thing to understand is the human heart.”

Dong Yiyi continued, ”With Jiang Zhu gone to the capital, those who previously had intentions for a match have set aside their plans, but Jiang Miu is still in the village. Although the age for matchmaking in the village isn’t too early, your family is different. Now, everyone is guessing the amount of your dowry—marrying Jiang Miu could shortcut so many paths. You should be aware of this.”

Xue Mei felt a severe headache coming on, ”It is indeed a big concern for me.”

Dong Yiyi spoke no further. The Dong family had also been interested in Jiang Zhu’s marriage prospects, and his move to the capital had not discouraged her family, but now they could not afford to press the matter. Her younger sister had become too significant, and it was only after writing to her sister that she learned that the calm in her natal family was her sister’s doing.

Dong Yiyi was jealous of her younger sister; it was no lie. Her father’s eye for choosing a son-in-law was not good, and naturally, it was even worse for choosing a daughter-in-law. The only time he had a good eye was when he married her younger sister into the Zhou family.