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

Chapter 1193: Chapter 1193: What Use Are You To Me?

Since Emperor last fainted, several more days had passed. The Emperor’s attitude towards the Crown Prince and the Empress made the capital very uneasy. The ministers who supported the Crown Prince were anxious internally, yet they received no news from the Crown Prince, not even news about preparations for contingencies.

Some formerly compliant ministers became restless again, especially after seeing the Emperor’s attitude towards Prince Qi; the Qi Prince Residence was bustling, but unfortunately, its doors were tightly closed.

At the Ministry of Revenue, Qiu Yan was naturally timid, and these days, he had been working here at Zhou Shuren’s place, yes, working.

Zhou Shuren was speechless. It was one thing for Qiu Yan to be here; after all, he was a timid person, but the Grand Master of Writing was being excessive— not doing his work and still keeping an eye on them!

Zhou Shuren wondered if he had become sleeping pills? Lately, it seemed that Li Zhao came more frequently, not wanting Silver, just coming over to drink tea!

Oh right, there was also tea; these people were drinking the tea he brought, which was still steeping!

Qiu Yan was extremely tired too; he had not expected the Grand Master of Writing to come over, and being watched while working felt terrible, ”I heard that Mr. Chen is seriously ill.”

Indeed, Prince Qi’s maternal grandfather, Mr. Chen, was seriously ill!

Xiao Qing looked up, ”You’re quite well-informed.”

Qiu Yan gave a dry laugh, feeling insecure; he had to gather more information. If he were as confident as Lord Zhou, he wouldn’t be inquiring, ”These past few days, many people went to visit Mr. Chen, and soon afterward, he became bedridden.”

But this severe illness seemed more like a deception; he had made it clear, Mr. Chen had even personally weeded the fields a few days ago!

Xiao Qing turned to look at Zhou Shuren, ”Shuren, what do you think?”

Zhou Shuren held the pen, pressing down slightly, as he endured. These two people still needed to chat daily, smiling, ”Quite good.”

Xiao Qing smiled too, indeed quite good. Prince Qi had stepped back during the peak of the Crown Prince’s influence, all thanks to Mr. Chen. Without Mr. Chen’s involvement, even if there were people stirring trouble, it wouldn’t be effective. Moreover, wasn’t Prince Qi not leaving his residence? That was also Prince Qi’s attitude!

At the Prince Residence, Zhang Yang toyed with a whip, speaking to the people below, ”Are you saying that Prince Qi never left the Prince Residence at all?”

”Yes, people have been closely monitored, and Prince Qi has never gone out, Princess Qi.”

”Hmm? What about Princess Qi?”

The person below, ”Princess Qi, on the other hand, bought two good-looking maids into the Prince Residence twice.”

Zhang Yang, ”....”

Now, the whole capital knew Princess Qi liked beauties, whereas it seemed Prince Qi lived like a monk counting the days since he had last visited the inner courtyard.

Zhang Yang put down the whip, ”So, does this mean Gu Ren’s attempts to provoke Prince Qi have all failed?”

”Yes, Prince Qi didn’t meet anyone; Mr. Chen is gravely ill and not seeing visitors.”

Zhang Yang signaled for the person to leave, frowning. It was very strange; previously, with the Emperor pressing down and the Crown Prince in control, people like Prince Qi admitted defeat. Now, with the Emperor clearly unable to suppress and the Crown Prince placed under house arrest, Prince Qi showed no reaction at all. Had he lost all aspirations?

In the Palace, the Emperor asked Eunuch Liu, ”Is the Empress still unable to eat?”

Eunuch Liu cautiously glanced at the Emperor; he was also confounded. A rootless person truly didn’t understand love. The Empress had been devastated since that day, eating less day by day, and from last night till now, she hadn’t eaten a bite, ”Yes, she still hasn’t eaten.”

The Emperor wanted to visit the Empress but couldn’t; he feared messing things up, ”Send a decree to the Count Residence, let Lin Xi come to the Palace to accompany the Empress.”

Seeing her favorite granddaughter, the Empress’s mood lightened a bit after thinking about Rongchuan and Zhou Xuehan.

Her hopes rested on her younger son and his wife, hoping they would find their way out of the impasse.

At the Zhou residence, Xue Han put down her needlework and hesitated for a while before saying, ”Mother, I have something to tell you.”

Zhulan continued to embroider a purse without looking up. She rarely did needlework herself anymore unless it was for Zhou Shuren and her younger son. ”Yes, go ahead.”

Xue Han signaled for the maids to leave before whispering, ”I received a letter from Rongchuan yesterday.”

Zhulan looked up, aware of this, as Rongchuan, who was on a business trip, wrote home every few days. ”Yes.”

Xue Han, holding the thread, added, ”But something feels off to me.”

She took out two letters and continued, ”Look, this one is from three days ago, and this one is from yesterday.”

Zhulan took them and started with the one from three days ago. She paused at the beginning and continued reading, feeling choked up. What was supposed to be a letter appeared more like a love letter. Then she looked at yesterday’s letter, blinked her eyes, and didn’t feel the sugary sentiment anymore, it seemed more like a routine exchange of news.

Zhulan also noticed that yesterday’s letter wasn’t written by Rongchuan’s hand. ”What do you think?”

Xue Han, uneasy, no longer cared if her mother saw the love letter, ”Someone can imitate Rongchuan’s handwriting. If it isn’t Rongchuan’s letter, well, I couldn’t tell either. Mother, who could be writing letters for Rongchuan?”

She was truly worried something had happened to Rongchuan!

Zhulan knew clearly; the letters between this couple always carried their emotions, not likely written by someone else. ”I’ll send someone to ask your father.”

She didn’t think Rongchuan was in trouble, just that she and Zhou Shuren had perhaps oversimplified the affairs in Pinggang.

Xue Han exhaled. She had intended to discuss it with the eunuch initially, but after much thought, her father was the most reliable, especially since the Crown Prince was confined and the Ning family movement was unlikely.

Just then, Eunuch Liu arrived at the Zhou residence himself to explain his visit.

Xue Han was startled, feeling uneasy and reluctant, but since Eunuch Liu had come himself, she handed her daughter over to the Female Officer.

Zhulan personally gave Eunuch Liu some Silver, which Eunuch Liu accepted.

Xue Han was somewhat doubtful. ”Mother, Eunuch Liu’s attitude was very good, wasn’t it?”

Zhulan, ”Yes.”

”Mother, Lin Xi entering the Palace won’t be a problem, will it?”

Zhulan comforted her, ”There won’t be any problems, don’t worry.”

Days prior, Zhou Shuren had relayed everything when he returned home and commented on how genuine the Empress’s acting was. Men and women think differently; women are more meticulous and emotional, and she noticed the discrepancy—clearly, the Empress had taken her role too seriously.

Now, taking Lin Xi into the Palace confirmed her guess. These past few days, the Empress must have had serious concerns, overthinking things, prompting the Emperor’s concern, leaving him with no choice but to involve Lin Xi when all the children from the Crown Prince’s residence were there!

At the Ministry of Revenue, upon receiving the news from home, Zhou Shuren frowned. Rongchuan would not need someone to write on his behalf unnecessarily. Given Pinggang’s proximity to the capital, it could only mean that Rongchuan might not be in Pinggang and was too busy to write back.

Zhou Shuren paced back and forth, perplexed. Rongchuan was always very cautious, and the regularity of his letters home had never ceased. After much deliberation, Zhou Shuren pursed his lips—there was too little information to go on.

Meanwhile, far in Xuzhou Province, Prince Qi, with blisters in his mouth from frustration, exclaimed, ”It has been several days, and still no news. What use are you?”