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

Chapter 1405: Chapter 1405: Leaving the Palace to Return Home

At the Zhou residence, just after Lady Zhao and Yu Die had left, a Female Officer from the palace came to summon Zhulan to enter the palace.

Zhulan’s heart skipped a beat, and she carefully observed the Female Officer’s expression, but unfortunately, the palace officials were all too shrewd, and it was hard to discern anything from their faces.

Zhulan changed her clothes and came out. She did not question the Female Officer; it would have been useless to ask anyway. If they had wanted to tell her something, they would have let slip some information earlier. Now, seeing the Officer’s tightly sealed lips, Zhulan knew she had been cautioned to silence.

She wasn’t worried about her granddaughter; with the Retired Emperor and the Empress Dowager both in the palace, even if the sky fell there would be those two greatest protectors. What worried her was Yu Jiao.

On the other side, Lady Zhao and Yu Die were the first to arrive at the Liu residence. Yu Die, who was very good at putting on a show outside, walked straight ahead without looking sideways upon entering the Liu residence.

Liu Yuanbo’s young servant hid on the side, and when he saw the visitors, his eyes widened. Good gracious, wasn’t that the Zhou family’s Third Miss, the one the young master always pined for? He spun around and ran off.

The young servant marveled in secret. The master was very stingy, yet extraordinarily generous to the wife. The wife spent money like water, and the master never uttered a word; the young master was also stingy, but he took a liking to the Zhou family’s Third Miss. Both the master and the young master had excellent taste.

Should the young master indeed become betrothed to the Zhou family’s Third Miss in the future, his lucky days would come.

For these young servants and maids, naturally, they hoped to serve generous masters; they were very much looking forward to the young master getting engaged to the Zhou family’s Third Miss.

Lady Gu welcomed them with a smile, ”I was just saying it’s about time for you to arrive. Please, come inside.”

Lady Zhao curved her lips, ”We haven’t seen each other in a few days, yet your complexion looks even better.”

Lady Gu spoke with a double meaning, ”It’s because I have joyous events that my spirits are high.”

Lady Zhao internally scoffed, Counting one’s chickens before they’re hatched, already boasting of happy events.

Once they sat down inside, Lady Gu had already prepared seasonal fruits and some pastries. She said to Lady Zhao, ”I remember you once said that Yu Die likes these kinds of pastries, so I bought some extra.”

Lady Zhao had noticed them as soon as she entered. Lady Gu had only asked her once, and Lady Zhao hadn’t revealed much, just a few types, and it was a long time ago; yet Lady Gu had actually remembered them, which made Lady Zhao feel appreciated, ”I’m so embarrassed.”

Lady Gu smiled warmly, ”I just really like Yu Die. The very first time I saw her, I felt an immediate kinship.”

If it weren’t for wanting to marry her as a daughter-in-law, she truly would have liked to make her a goddaughter. She had always wanted to have a daughter like her, but unfortunately, after giving birth to her second son, she hurt her body and never became pregnant again.

The granddaughter born to her eldest son was even tempered more like the eldest daughter-in-law; obedient and cute. She was now particularly looking forward to Yu Die’s marriage into the family—if Yu Die were to have a granddaughter like her, she could already relish the thought of her husband and son’s pained yet doting faces in the future!

Hearing the young servant’s report, Liu Yuanbo felt secretly relieved that he had not truly left. He heeded his mother’s order to return to his courtyard and just stayed there obediently. Indeed, his own mother loved to set traps for him the most.

Liu Yuanbo stood up and began to pace back and forth. He had to wait for news from his mother, yet he couldn’t suppress the joy in his heart—the young miss from the Zhou family had come to their residence.

The young servant hid behind and snickered to himself. He thought fate was quite miraculous; sooner or later, someone would be able to handle the young master. Those young servants following the young master would also receive more rewards in the future.

At the palace gate, Zhulan disembarked from the carriage and heard noises behind her. Another carriage stopped behind her own. After the person from that carriage descended, she recognized her—Lady Shangguan from the Shangguan family.

Seeing Zhulan, the elder lady from the Shangguan family breathed a small sigh of relief. She had feared that only she would be summoned; after all, since the imperial decree had declared a girl from the Shangguan family as the future Crown Princess Consort, many wished to drag the Shangguan family down. This time with Lili entering the palace, they were afraid that Lili might be schemed against, consequently affecting Jia’er.

Zhulan greeted her first, ”Elder lady, were you also summoned to the palace?”

Lady Shangguan nodded, ”And the Countess as well?”

Zhulan looked back, and good, there were no other carriages behind. It seemed they were the only two families summoned, ”Yes.”

The two exchanged a glance and fell silent. The matter was no trivial one; their hearts were once again gripped with anxiety.

Following the Female Officer into the palace, the two did not continue to converse, for the palace was not a place for casual conversation.

Soon, they arrived at the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters. Upon entering, Zhulan saw that everyone was indeed present—even the Empress had come. The matter at hand was clearly not a minor one.

Her eyes quickly searched for Yu Jiao and Lin Xi, but neither of the maids were present, nor did she see any other young ladies from different families, which left her somewhat puzzled.

Zhulan entered the hall and paid her respects one by one; the Empress Dowager gestured for her to rise and even granted her a seat.

This made Zhulan more cautious, her heart in turmoil, and she was not reassured simply because she was granted a seat.

The Empress looked unwell and couldn’t persist for long; she wanted to return to rest.

The Empress Dowager was constantly attentive to the Empress, and now that everyone had arrived, she spoke, ”Please invite the two ladies-in-waiting into the palace, on account of their daughters.”

After a pause, the Empress Dowager continued, ”There’s no need for the two honorable wives to be nervous; the girls have merely been frightened. The Imperial Physician has checked and they’re fine now. They may leave the palace with the two of you today. As for other matters, both of you understand what can and cannot be spoken about, right?”

Zhulan’s heart finally settled down; she understood that her granddaughter was the victim, seemingly involved in a matter concerning the harem, ”Yes, this wife understands.”

Yet the anger in her heart kept rising.

Old Lady Shangguan let out a sigh of relief, ”This wife understands.”

The Empress Dowager nodded, signaling the Female Officer to take the two to see their respective granddaughters.

Having dismissed everyone else from the hall, the Empress Dowager’s expression immediately darkened, her gaze sharp as she addressed Lady Liu, ”Lady Liu is confined to copying scriptures for half a year, and as for the Second Prince’s Consort, the Emperor will deliberate.”

She then addressed the Empress with concern, ”You too are tired, go and rest.”

The Empress was very exhausted, but seeing Lady Liu take a big fall, she felt joy in her heart. If not for concern about the Second Prince and Lady Liu’s clan, today’s punishment for Lady Liu would not be just confinement.

The Empress stood up, ”Mother, then I shall take my leave first.”

”Hmm, be careful on your way back.”

The Empress, ”Hmm.”

As the Empress passed by Lady Liu, she saw her sitting collapsed on the ground, a hint of mockery in her eyes, yet she couldn’t help but sigh internally, knowing Lady Liu’s schemes were also for the sake of her maternal family.

Maternal family, the joy in the Empress’s heart vanished, her own family had already gained so much, why couldn’t they be content?

When Zhulan and Old Lady Shangguan met with Yu Jiao and Shangguan Li, they had not expected that the two girls were living together, a surprising arrangement.

Zhulan and Old Lady Shangguan exchanged a look, feeling a heartfelt closeness between them, as their smiles grew more genuine. The two young girls were talking together under the same coverlet, head to head, and seemed to share a good relationship.

Zhulan coughed, and upon seeing her, Yu Jiao was delighted, ”Grandma.”

Shangguan Li also exclaimed in surprise, ”Grandma.”

Zhulan, seeing her granddaughter unharmed but still worried, said, ”Come here and let grandma take a good look at you.”

Yu Jiao was delicate and had been very frightened that day, feeling wronged upon seeing her grandmother. When her grandma was not present, she couldn’t cry; her cousin had secretly told her not to say anything, not to leave the room. After her cousin was taken away by the Female Officer, she became scared.

Shangguan Li could no longer hold back, being a child who grew up pampered, she plunged into her grandmother’s embrace and began to cry with grievance.

Zhulan gestured to the maids to pack up the belongings; the young servant who had come with them to the palace was still there, her mind turning over the events that had occurred, but all the while she said aloud, ”Alright, no more crying, grandma is here to take you home.”

Yu Jiao, ”Really?”

”When has grandma ever lied to you?”

Yu Jiao’s tears stopped, ”This granddaughter will go change her clothes right away.”