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

Chapter 965: Chapter 965: Tit for Tat

Zhang Jingyang sneered, ”You two are truly well-informed. You even know the affairs of the palace, something I myself wasn’t aware of. It was the Fifth who stole it, yet you knew.”

Prince Chu widened his eyes, ”Second Brother, you can’t just slander people like that. How would I know what happens inside the palace? The most I do is keep an extra eye on your residence.”

Prince Liang said, ”If there’s anyone to blame, it’s just that Second Brother wasn’t careful enough, letting a thief emerge from his own residence. Fifth Brother, how did you manage to steal it?”

Indeed, Zhang Yang had grown quite a bit, but he was still too green. With just a few words from his elder brothers, they pinned the theft of the Jade Pendant on him. Although it was the truth, he couldn’t admit it in front of the ministers.

Zhang Yang hurriedly objected, ”You can’t just say whatever you like, brothers. As I’ve said before, is there any evidence? Without evidence, I would advise my brothers not to make reckless claims.”

Zhou Shuren’s ears twitched. A few words had revealed too much information. The words of the Second Prince weren’t groundless accusations; all the princes had their contacts within the palace.

And Zhang Yang did enter the palace indeed to deliver a Jade Pendant, but it was to frame Prince Qi. The fact that the information leaked, it must have been intentional by the Emperor.

Zhou Shuren followed Mr. Xiao out of the great hall, unable to resist looking back in the direction of the government hall, the driving force behind it all was always the Emperor!

Xiao Qing walked briskly, ”Hurry, let’s go.”

It wasn’t just Mr. Xiao who was moving quickly; the ministers were all quick on their feet at this time, not showing any signs of age.

Back at the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren calmed down and thought, the power behind Zhang Yang was truly formidable, to be able to get his hands on Prince Qi’s Jade Pendant was no small feat.

Zhou Shuren had originally intended to instruct Jingyan to pay attention to the Qi Prince Residence, but in the end, he thought better of it. It was still best not to pry.

In Hou Residence, Yao Wenqi gestured for the messenger to leave. The Jade Pendant and letters were his doing. By getting hold of the Jade Pendant, he had discarded Prince Qi’s chess piece. The more chaotic the situation in the capital, the better. Only through chaos could opportunities arise. In peaceful times, he didn’t dare to make a move.

Yao Wenqi was in high spirits. The moment the Fourth Prince made his move, he knew that the opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived!

The next day, just as Zhulan was thinking of visiting her eldest and second brothers at the Yang residence, Lady Tao arrived beaming with joy, ”I heard your eldest daughter-in-law is pregnant again?”

Zhulan smiled, ”Who told you that? I haven’t been showing off.”

Lady Tao chuckled happily, ”I heard it from my husband last night.”

Speaking of her own husband’s envy was unnecessary, she too was envious. With only one grandson, she was quite worried.

”Look at how happy you are; one would think it’s your own daughter-in-law who’s pregnant.”

Lady Tao said, ”Of course, I’m happy. They say a daughter is like her mother. I’m already thinking about Wong Ju and his numerous children.”

Zhulan felt helpless; she wanted to say it wasn’t necessarily so, but she couldn’t express that. Lady Li giving birth had indeed brushed up a lot of goodwill for her in the Wong family, who genuinely needed more children.

Lady Tao sat for a while but couldn’t stay put any longer. She insisted on seeing Lady Li. Zhulan accompanied her, and once they arrived at the main courtyard, Lady Tao wouldn’t let go of Yu Lu’s hand, constantly praising her good fortune from one side to the other.

Zhulan, ”....”

It wasn’t until Lady Tao left, still mumbling about how wonderful Yu Lu was, that Yu Lu’s smile finally stiffened. Once they were alone, she said with frustration, ”Wong family’s expectations are burdensome for a granddaughter to bear.”

What if she couldn’t bear sons like her mother? The grandmother had said that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Lady Li was also worried, ”It’s all because of this belly of mine.”

Zhulan said, ”Alright, let’s not think about it anymore. That’s all issues to deal with after getting married, and even without this pregnancy, the Wong family had expectations for Yu Lu, too.”

Yu Lu remained upset. Wong Ju used to send her kind messages from time to time, but now, she was cross with him.

Zhulan waited until Lady Li and her granddaughter had left before she spoke to Nanny Song, ”Master must be angry with Minister Wong.”

Nanny Song smiled, ”Master and Minister Wong have a good relationship.”

Zhulan laughed wryly, ”That’s because he’s used to bullying him.”

At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren stopped Wong Ju, who was about to leave, ”You’re being too petty. It’s been a whole night, and you’re still ignoring this official?”

Jealousy gnawed at Wong Ju, ”The minister really knows how to stab people right in the heart.”

Especially his, when all he did was carelessly say he wanted to leave at the end of the year and wish Zhou Shuren well for his future. That bastard then bragged about having another grandson on the way, hitting back with a vengeance!

Zhou Shuren hummed, ”It goes both ways.”

Knowing how difficult the future of the Ministry of Revenue would be and still sending well-wishes, Wong Ju had gone bad!

In the harem, the Empress had drawn up a list of those to be released from the palace and handed it to the Female Officer, ”Deliver this to each palace; they will be released in three days.”

The Female Officer’s heart trembled. Many of those the Empress intended to release were from the other consorts’ quarters. This was going to stir up trouble, big trouble.

The Empress did not wait for the Female Officer to leave before she continued while sipping tea, ”Note the reactions from each palace and report back in detail.”

The Female Officer bowed her head, ”Yes.”

After finishing her tea, the Empress stood up, changed her clothes, and started practicing swordplay in the courtyard. Lady Chen and her lot had been shrewd for many years, rarely overstepping their bounds. With few women in the harem and well aware that none could really harm the others, there was somewhat of an uneasy peace. Their hearts were all set on their sons, always waiting for the day they would come of age.

The Empress was in good spirits, though the flowers battered by her sword had suffered and were no longer alive.

The Female Officer returned quickly; the Empress sheathed her sword, ”What did the other palaces say?”

The Female Officer reported, ”The Consort became angry and has already left to see the Emperor. As for the other consorts, Consort Chen has received the list, and I expect the others will come soon.”

The Empress wiped off sweat, ”The Consort is increasingly acting with the dignity of her position. It seems my imperial orders as the Empress don’t carry much weight anymore.”

The Female Officer did not respond, and the courtyard fell silent. The Empress turned and went back inside the hall. A son pays the father’s debts, and the parents pay for their son’s—it is all the same.

The princes had grown up; those who should be named princes received their titles. For the maternal families, the women of the harem were not as important as sons who were ennobled.

At the Yang Residence, Yang Zhumu said, ”I heard the Navy has gone to exterminate the pirates.”

”Big brother is well-informed; indeed, that’s the case.”

Yang Zhumu’s eyes shone brightly, ”What do you think about Yang Wen joining the Navy?”

Zhulan countered, ”Isn’t everything arranged for Wu Chun? Why does big brother want Yang Wen to join the Navy now? The seas are fickle, our country lacks experience in this area, and the Navy is too dangerous.”

After all, Yang Wen was Wu Chun’s eldest son, big brother’s eldest grandson, the one pinned with high hopes, the future leader of the next generation of the Yang family.

Yang Zhumu was not unaware; the news had left him tossing and turning, unable to sleep, ”There’s no war inland, and it’s difficult for a military general to advance. How many years would Yang Wen have to wait to make a name for himself? The Navy is different. I think there’ll be no shortage of battles in the future. If he manages to distinguish himself, I’m not asking for a high position, but it would be faster than slowly climbing the ranks.”

Zhulan wanted to say that as long as Zhou Shuren continued rising, the Yang family had no chance to command an army or hold power, and future military positions would not be high.

Yang Zhumu went on, ”The Yang family has no grand ambitions; it would be enough if Yang Wen could do as his father did. Before he left, our father said that the Yang family needed to accumulate wealth over generations, so there was no hurry.”

He always remembered his father’s words, that the Yang family could only rely on their own gradual accumulation over generations. With his brother-in-law’s protection, the Yang family had lived comfortably, so he thought that pursuing dual paths might speed up the accumulation.