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

Chapter 1342: Chapter 1342: Dad’s the Best

Chang Yi sat down and nodded, replying in a soft voice, ”Mmm, the doctor from the Maritime Affairs Administration, Shang Wenjin.”

Hu Xia was puzzled, ”Why have you started paying attention to the Maritime Affairs Administration?”

Over the years, the Maritime Affairs Administration has become extremely influential, and it is a preferred choice among noble families for arranging their offspring’s futures. Looking at Shang Wenjin’s age, he was somewhat confused, which Shang family does he belong to?

Chang Yi had already ordered tea, gesturing for Hu Xia to have some pastries. Without getting his questions answered, Hu Xia could only pick up some pastries and prick up his ears to listen to the next booth.

Chang Yi listened to the movements from the next booth, usually, no one dared to eavesdrop, but Rong Enqing clearly wasn’t afraid of being overheard, otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen a semi-open private room.

Rong Enqing doubted his own ears, ”Hmm? What did you say?”

Shang Wenjin said, ”My family has a daughter who is of the right age to be engaged.”

Before he could finish, Rong Enqing interrupted. This time he heard clearly, and he began to reflect on himself. After becoming an idle Mr. Hou, he indeed didn’t handle serious affairs, but he had never shown an interest in female beauty. How come one after another believed he ought to take more concubines?

Chang Yi choked on his tea and covered his mouth with a napkin to cough softly, careful not to attract attention. His eyes were wide with shock. What use was the might of old master Shang if he couldn’t discipline his sons? If the old master Shang and the wife of the Shang family knew, they would be furious to death.

Hu Xia was slightly dazed, whispering, ”Illigetimate Daughter?”

Chang Yi recalled, ”Legitimate daughter.”

The second wife of the Shang family only has a legitimate daughter, but there are two illigetimate sons.

Hu Xia, ”...”

He would never do something like making a legitimate daughter a concubine. No, he would not allow his daughter to be a concubine, whether she was legitimate or not. Despite having concubines at home, he never wished for his daughters to become one.

He was well aware of what kind of life concubines led.

Chang Yi felt his moral bottom line being challenged and was secretly grateful that he hadn’t gotten married yet, so troubled he couldn’t even drink his tea.

Rong Enqing stood up angrily, ”This lord respects and loves his wife, I have my own sons and daughters and do not need any concubines.”

After speaking, Rong Enqing saw Chang Yi as he walked out, his face even more embarrassed, and came over with some gloominess, ”When did you get here?”

Chang Yi smiled, ”I heard everything.”

Rong Enqing, ”....”

Truly, he was not a man of lust.

Shang Wenjin was more embarrassed, having encountered the second son of the Zhou family, she left quickly with a flushed face.

That night, Chang Yi told today’s events to his parents, clicking his tongue, ”Old master Shang is so capable, yet he doesn’t look after his son, the child has grown up so crooked.”

Zhou Shuren glanced over, ”Now you know how good your father is, right?”

Chang Yi laughed, ”Indeed, you’re the best, Father.”

Chang Yi also said, ”These last few days, I’ve received many guests, all for the selection of the envoy mission.”

During their first batch, they would avoid it if they could, but now, seeing the benefits and advantages, people were flocking forward, and he was tired from dealing with them.

Zhou Shuren stroked his beard, ”Now is the test for you, whether you can be promoted to a fourth-grade officer in the future is crucial now, the Emperor has thrown a tough task at you, and he will be watching you closely.”

Don’t think that getting promoted is the end of it; the real test is how to hold your position firmly.

Chang Yi felt the pressure, selecting the right candidate was important, balancing the various powers while also avoiding offending anyone, ”Your son understands.”

Zhou Shuren looked at the time, and it was still early, turning to his wife he said, ”I’m going to have a chat with Chang Yi in the study.”

Zhulan was flipping through a book without lifting her head, ”Okay.”

In the main courtyard, there was a small study for Zhulan, which was primarily filled with books and paintings belonging to the daughter-in-law; Zhou Shuren’s possessions were truly few.

Chang Yi seldom visited his mother’s study, ”Mother has actually collected so many books?”

Zhou Shuren didn’t explain; many were gifts from within the palace. The knowledge points organized by the daughter-in-law had already been sent up, so the number of books at home kept increasing. Zhou Shuren gestured for his son to sit down and explained all the family feuds he knew about in the capital. If used well, this knowledge was a sharp weapon, capable of solving many issues.

The next morning, Lady Li came to the main courtyard, muttering, ”This means there’ll be a daughter-in-law soon, look at that, visiting the bride’s family on the second day already.”

Zhulan said, ”I think you should be happy; you’re about to have two daughters-in-law.”

Lady Li was indeed delighted, ”Wait a few more years, and I’ll have a bunch of grandchildren calling me ’grandmother.’ The thought itself is enough to wake me up smiling.”

Lady Zhao felt envious. Her own son wasn’t even betrothed yet, while her elder sister-in-law already had two daughters-in-law. Her only consolation was that her daughter was already married, and she was on the verge of having grandchildren or granddaughters.

In Zhou’s village, Jiang Mulan carefully touched her wedding dress, her smile getting broader; she was finally going to get married.

Dong Yiyi came in and saw the wedding dress, which had been prepared for over a year. Although they verbally said they didn’t mind, deep down they hoped to get married sooner. Mulan was older than Jiang Zhu; even if the village people were friendly towards the Jiang family, there would be some who gossiped.

Mulan looked up, ”Mother, have you finished your work?”

Dong Yiyi smiled and nodded, handing over the revised dowry list to her daughter, ”This is the new dowry list; have a look.”

Mulan clutched the dowry list, ”Mother, don’t take everything with me; my brother also needs to get married.”

Dong Yiyi said, ”I have it all prepared.”

These past two years, her father had been persistently compensating her. Initially, she did not want to accept it, but then she thought she couldn’t avoid it; as long as her surname was Dong, as long as she was beneficial to the Dong family, she couldn’t escape it. After much deliberation, she accepted the compensation.

Otherwise, she really couldn’t provide a decent dowry and betrothal gifts. Once her son and daughter were married, she and her husband would live their own little life; her husband had his stipend, and they had some land to spend.

Mulan carefully packed up the wedding dress; the fabric was a gift from Aunt Zhou.

In the capital, Ming Teng’s face was so tanned that it was hard to see his blush, ”I thought this hairpin really suited you, so I bought it. Do you like it?”

Lau Jia held the hairpin, her fingertips slightly warm; the pearls on the hairpin were large, ”What a waste of silver, it must have cost a lot of Silver Coin.”

Ming Teng’s ears turned a bit red, ”The hairpin suits you; the Silver does not matter.”

Look at those swaggering words; Ming Teng truly wasn’t short on Silver. His annual profits from his properties aside, just the rewards he received were quite substantial.

Lau Jia curled her fingertips, finally holding back the words on the tip of her tongue that it wasn’t suitable, ”Hmm.”

Ming Teng didn’t stay long and left; he had business to hand over.

Lau Jia placed the hairpin in the jewelry box; regardless of the hairpin’s value, she cared more about the sentiment. Ming Teng had her in his heart; that’s why he paid attention to her preferences. Her family had been considering her dowry, and she hadn’t bought any jewelry she liked for a long time.

Her sister-in-law came in, ”Came back to your senses.”

Lau Jia’s face turned even redder, ”Sister-in-law.”

Ning Ting smiled warmly, ”Ever since Ming Teng left the capital, you’ve been out of sorts. Now that he’s back, your spirit has returned, but your heart has flown away again.”

Lau Jia stared at her sister-in-law’s belly, ”Waiting for the child to be born.”

Ning Ting laughed louder, ”My child will be born, and you’ll be married off as well.”

Lau Jia’s face turned pink, ”Sister-in-law.”

At the Zhou family, Zhulan passed the received invitation card to Lady Zhao, ”Take a look at the invitation.”