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

Chapter 1105: Chapter 115: Expecting a Beating

Clan Leader Zhou mulled it over, then laughed, ”It seems your grandmother’s identity is quite extraordinary.”

Otherwise, why would a living and breathing Prince simply let things slide? He felt reassured at heart.

What Chang Zhi considered was the chest at home, which he was itching to open. He knew the answer lay inside the chest. Unfortunately, just as the thought arose, it was extinguished; it was better to leave it to his father!

At the Zhou residence, the Emperor listened to Zhou Shuren recount his childhood stories. Zhou Shuren’s tales were always embellished, the natural talent of the original person wasn’t as good as his own, and although war played a role, he still painted a rosier picture. Anyway, he told the Emperor the same version of events he had always told.

Zhou Shuren also knew the Emperor wasn’t interested in hearing him boast about himself and spoke more about his deceased mother, her literacy and other skills. In truth, there was nothing fresh to tell; in Zhou Shuren’s memory, his mother was not a talkative person.

The Emperor listened for a while but didn’t find Zhou Shuren’s self-praise interesting.

Zhulan had finished her painting, and Eunuch Liu swiftly handed it to the Emperor, who carefully examined it.

Zhulan looked up nervously. How should she put it? The painting had been beautified and even depicted her grandmother as a younger woman; the Emperor wouldn’t want to see an old lady grow old, and the younger image would make it easier for the Emperor to recognize her.

Zhou Shuren understood his wife all too well. One glance, and he knew she was terribly nervous. He couldn’t help but lean in to take a look at the painting.

The Emperor shifted his gaze from the portrait and asked Zhou Shuren, ”Does it resemble her?”

Zhou Shuren wasn’t the original person; he couldn’t be sure, especially since his wife had made the painting too youthful. But he spoke with utter conviction, ”It does, it really does. My mother looked exactly like this.”

Zhulan, ”....”

If they hadn’t come together, she would have believed him just from that tone alone. She looked at Zhou Shuren with a sigh.

Zhou Shuren also looked back at his wife. Their eyes met, and both guiltily looked away, but since they had agreed on the resemblance, people often have preconceived notions. If they took this portrait back to the Zhou village for the living elders to see, they would definitely assert it resembled her!

The Emperor only thought although the person in the painting was not a beauty, she was not bad either, but definitely not a direct descendant of his maternal grandfather’s lineage. So, she must be a related clansperson. The Emperor sighed, ”Indeed, it should be this way. If she were too outstanding, it would not be conducive to hiding away. However, the looks of the Rong family are indeed good, even without excellence, they possess such features.”

Zhulan, ”...”

Zhou Shuren, ”....”

Zhulan thought to herself, it wasn’t that the Rong family had inherently good appearances; she had beautified the features. She enlarged the eyes a bit, made some changes to the mouth and nose. Ahem, of course, she did this because she wasn’t sure, so she painted her in a more flattering light!

The Emperor put away the painting, feeling it was time to return to the palace. With such a significant discovery, it was perfect to send Prince Liang to investigate Zhou village and then look into the living and the children within the coffins. The Emperor had a lifted spirit; there were still living members of the Rong family.

Zhou Shuren felt it was necessary to ask at this time, ”Emperor, this Jade Pendant originates from the Rong family, what does it represent?”

The Emperor looked at Zhou Shuren’s face, suddenly not wanting to reveal too much. After a moment of silence, he said, ”You should be a descendant of the Rong family. I still need to investigate thoroughly. It’s best if you keep this information to yourself; absolutely do not disclose it.”

He was already the subject of envy. Now, if news were to leak, Zhou Shuren would be even more envied.

Zhou Shuren was well aware and chuckled nervously, ”I understand, Your Majesty. I understand.”

If it weren’t for he and his wife transmigrating, he might actually believe he was avenging the spirits of the Rong family by continuously disrupting both sides’ forces.

Although the Emperor disdained Zhou Shuren’s appearance, he now felt a different sense of kinship, ”Hmm, I shall return to the palace. You don’t need to go to the Ministry of Revenue today; rest more.”

Zhou Shuren’s eyes brightened at the good news, ”I thank you, Emperor.”

Emperor, ”....”

Upon hearing he didn’t have to work, his tone was more elated than when he learned he might be a descendant of the Rong family!

Zhulan and Zhou Shuren personally saw the Emperor out. Standing at the entrance of the residence, they both looked up at the sky, waiting for the carriage to move away before they quickly headed back.

Upon returning to the main courtyard, after sending everyone else away, Zhulan exclaimed, ”My heavens, this is huge news.”

Zhou Shuren, ”Don’t mention you, my own heart is thumping non-stop, I always felt like I could ascend to the heavens one day.”

Zhulan snorted with laughter, ”Whether you soar to the heavens or not, you won’t hold back in serving the Royal family, and perhaps even more ruthlessly, since there’s no need for politeness with one’s own kin.”

Zhou Shuren, ”...suddenly I don’t want to delve into my own ancestry anymore.”

Zhulan coughed, ”You still need to analyze it. Haven’t you noticed that the Emperor’s attitude is off? I’m sure the Emperor believes my mother was from the Rong family, but he still asked you when you were born, what does that tell you? Plus, the Rong family members are still alive!”

Zhou Shuren stroked his beard, ”If only mother had said more at the time, we wouldn’t have to guess now. Anyway, no matter how the Emperor investigates, it can only be beneficial for us, no harm done.”

Zhulan hummed in agreement, ”After the excitement, the energy is gone, why does this feel so unreal? Weren’t we supposed to strive and struggle step by step, how come it feels like we are about to make it big all at once?”

Zhou Shuren pinched his wife’s chubby face, ”Stop dreaming of beautiful things. If there really are other living members of the Rong family, we can’t just make it big in one step. Don’t forget, even if it’s confirmed that my mother was a ’Rong’, as a married-out woman, I will always carry the Zhou surname.”

Zhulan realized this was indeed the case, as a woman married out, the Emperor would still prefer the direct and legitimate bloodline of the Rong family, ”Then what about the Rong Garden?”

Zhou Shuren spread his hands, ”Anyway, the construction has been halted due to drought. We’ll just have to redraw the plans when the people are found.”

Zhulan was still excited, then slapped her forehead, ”We’ve forgotten something very important!”

Zhou Shuren, ”...indeed we have.”

The two of them, one contentedly munching melon seeds, the other lost in thought, had forgotten about the box found beneath the tombstone mentioned by their son.

Zhulan said pensively, ”Actually, I did remember, honestly, but the Emperor never gave me the chance to speak.”

Zhou Shuren smiled, ”I also had it in mind.”

Zhulan pushed Zhou Shuren, ”Go on, chase after the Emperor while he’s not far, I’ve figured it out without waiting for the Emperor’s investigation. The box will definitely reveal the secret.”

Zhou Shuren laughed, ”Then why don’t you predict whether or not the Emperor will beat me?”

Such an important matter, and the couple hadn’t spoken a single word about it!

Zhulan, ”I don’t need to guess, I just know that if you don’t go now, a beating is definitely in store for you!”

Zhou Shuren ran off swiftly, no longer responding to his wife. His instinct told him that he couldn’t avoid the impending punishment.

Zhulan couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t understand how Zhou Shuren could run so fast. As for the box, they were both curious, but having a young servant bring it back seemed unreliable, and having Shen Xing do it was also not an option—after all, he worked for the Emperor. Knowing that their mother-in-law had a secret, who knew what it was. In the end, they decided it would be safest for their son to bring it back personally after the imperial examination.

So, for a moment, they had forgotten!

Zhou Shuren’s carriage was flying, but still, he couldn’t catch up with the Emperor’s carriage. It left him speechless as the Emperor usually liked to ride his carriage leisurely.

At the palace gates, the General on duty, ”Grand Secretary Zhou, you?”

Zhou Shuren, ”I need to see the Emperor. There’s something important I forgot to mention.”

In less than half an hour, Zhou Shuren reached the government hall, the Emperor, ”What did you forget to say?”

It’s not important, Zhou Shuren wouldn’t have come all this way.

Zhou Shuren felt that speaking out would definitely earn him a punishment, ”If your servant speaks, could the Emperor perhaps spare me the punishment? For instance, being spared from the board or any form of physical discipline, since I am of frail constitution.”

The Emperor interrupted Zhou Shuren’s words, ”If you continue to ramble, everything you just said will come true.”

”A torrential downpour hit my hometown, causing a landslide near my ancestral grave. My fourth son went up the mountain to inspect, and found a sealed box buried under my father’s tombstone. I believe it was buried by my mother, so I have instructed my fourth son to bring it back to the capital after the provincial examination.”

The Emperor, ”...”

Such important news, and they had forgotten, huh!