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

Chapter 1721: Chapter 1721: Miss Jiang

After dinner, Zhulan and her husband were enjoying the cool evening outside. The night was beautiful, lying on the rocking chair, looking at the starry sky and smelling the faint scent of mosquito repellent, how pleasant it was.

Zhou Shuren admired for a while and said, ”Time really flies.”

”Indeed.”

Zhou Shuren asked, ”It seems like we haven’t received any letters from the Yang family in a while.”

Zhulan calculated the days, ”It’s probably soon.”

”The last letter mentioned that elder brother was ill, I wonder if he’s better now.”

Zhulan thought of people she knew passing away in recent years, and fell silent. Sending off familiar people did not feel good in her heart.

Zhou Shuren added, ”Elder brother has a strong body, he’ll be fine.”

Zhulan responded with a hum, lifting her head to continue looking at the starry sky. It was truly beautiful, the galaxy brilliant, and her mood improved considerably.

Zhou Shuren held his wife’s hand with a smile. It’s great to have his wife by his side.

After the morning court session the next day, Zhou Shuren was called by the Emperor. Leaving together with the Emperor, Zhou Shuren walked alongside the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince looked somewhat fatigued; it was clear he hadn’t rested well and the Emperor’s face was also stern.

Zhou Shuren’s mouth twitched. He really didn’t want to stay. When the Emperor asked him to stay, he clearly felt the other ministers breathe a sigh of relief.

Back at the government hall, the Emperor handed over a book, ”Take a look.”

Zhou Shuren flipped through it page by page, his face turning darker, ”Damn it.”

The Emperor had already sat down drinking tea. These days, the tea in the government hall was herbal tea for reducing internal heat, but even so, the Emperor’s mouth still had blisters, ”I’m aware that it’s impossible to completely eliminate corrupt officials. As long as they don’t go too far, I turn a blind eye. But this shocking list, I have been too lenient.”

Last time Zhou Shuren encountered a thick list was during the salt tax issue, ”I am also shocked.”

The roster showed a progressive network, layer by layer. Yet, the bribes collected by Mr. Loo were small compared to the massive amount of silver coins invested in road construction each year. This was only the silver provided by the Imperial court; what about the donations from merchants of each state?

The Emperor rubbed his forehead, ”I am most furious that the dams were also shoddily built. Should I be thankful that there hasn’t been a major flood in recent years?”

Zhou Shuren took a deep breath. He felt pained for the silver and angry that safety was disregarded for silver, ”Indeed, we should be thankful.”

The Emperor, ”They need to know there’s a sword hanging over their heads.”

Zhou Shuren put the book down, ”Only lessons written in blood can make people remember.”

The Emperor, touching the book, said, ”The person who wrote the book is dead, and the girl who brought the book to the capital.”

After a pause, the Emperor continued, ”Hand her over to your wife.”

Zhou Shuren, ”A girl?”

The Emperor nodded, ”Yes, a girl, you’ll know when you see her.”

Zhou Shuren quite admired the girl’s timing in reporting.

The girl was brought in quickly from the palace. But Zhou Shuren was stunned when he saw her, one of her eyes was blind, and there was a scar on her face.

The Emperor said, ”Miss Jiang wants to attend the Girls College.”

Zhou Shuren didn’t stare at the girl. Why would a perfectly good girl be blind? He could already guess roughly, ”I’ll take her back to the Hou Residence first.”

The Emperor, ”Hmm.”

The eunuch Zhang was holding a box, which Miss Jiang received, ”This common woman thanks the Emperor for his grace.”

On the way out of the palace, Zhou Shuren found it difficult to talk with a girl in her teens and walked in silence.

Back at the Hou Residence, Steward Ding saw the girl and froze, then averted his gaze, fearing to make the girl uncomfortable.

In the main courtyard, after hearing Shuren’s words, Miss Jiang introduced herself, and Zhulan felt a pang of sympathy for the girl before her, ”Alright, I’ll take you to the academy tomorrow.”

Miss Jiang smiled, ”Thank you, madam.”

Zhulan said to Qing Xue, ”Take Miss Jiang to rest.”

After Miss Jiang left, Zhulan sighed, ”I really admire this young girl.”

Not everyone can remain rational in despair.

Zhou Shuren, ”The Emperor didn’t tell me what Miss Jiang has been through, and you shouldn’t ask either.”

Zhulan nodded, ”I understand.”

Zhou Shuren continued, ”Recently, restrain the children at home.”

”Alright, are you going back to the Ministry of Revenue?”

Zhou Shuren didn’t want to go back, but he had no choice, ”Hmm.”

After Zhou Shuren left, Zhulan sent someone to the academy to send a letter to the Female Officer, instructing to prepare a bedroom for Miss Jiang. Once Qing Xue returned, Zhulan called the family’s embroiderer over, as Miss Jiang had only brought a box; clothes and other necessities needed to be prepared.

With an additional girl in the house, Yu Die and the others wanted to see her but were stopped, so they all came to the main courtyard.

Zhulan explained Miss Jiang’s background, ”She will teach at the academy.”

Miss Jiang introduced herself as proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting and hoped to instruct students. Zhulan greatly admired the girl’s spirit; adversity hadn’t crushed her.

Yu Wen listened quietly. She knew of a Miss Shao, and now there was another Miss Jiang. Her intuition told her the academy would be brilliant. Shouldn’t she visit a few more times?

In the afternoon at the Hanlin Academy, Gu Sheng returned from the palace, a bit dazed, only regaining his composure when he saw Zhuo Guyu.

Zhuo Guyu frowned at being stared at, ”Mr. Gu?”

Gu Sheng withdrew his gaze, thought for a moment, and kept silent. Today in the palace, he saw the Duke of Yongan. Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but remark, truly, the Duke Residence was wealthy.

Zhuo Guyu felt uneasy, Gu Sheng had entered the palace today. He sighed with relief, yet a bit schadenfreude, hoping Gu Sheng would also be implicated, but didn’t expect Gu Sheng to return safely, still casting strange glances his way!

Zhuo Guyu, feeling unsettled, stood up and said, ”Mr. Gu, may I have a word with you?”

Gu Sheng, ”Alright.”

Outside the room, Zhuo Guyu checked around to ensure no one was present, and asked, ”I owe Mr. Gu a favor, please inform me if there was an issue with the Duke Residence’s affairs?”

Gu Sheng was silent for a while, making Zhuo Guyu impatient before replying, ”Today, the Duke entered the palace to donate half of his assets.”

Anyway, Zhuo Guyu would find out when he returned.

Zhuo Guyu’s head went dizzy, how could it be so sudden? He hadn’t heard any news, and wasn’t his grandfather supposedly lying injured with his leg?

Zhuo Guyu wanted to ask more, but upon looking up, Gu Sheng had already left.

At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren received the decree, ”Half of the assets?”

The eunuch Zhang had personally come to the Ministry of Revenue, ”Yes, the Duke of Yongan voluntarily donated to the national treasury.”

Zhou Shuren blinked, was the Emperor again angry with the Duke Residence today?

Zhou Shuren’s expression was too obvious, and eunuch Zhang lowered his head, ”The Duke voluntarily dragged his injured leg to the palace.”

Zhou Shuren acknowledged, ”I’ll clear up space in the storeroom.”

Once eunuch Zhang left, Zhou Shuren told Qiu Yan, ”Clear out a few more storerooms.”

Qiu Yan was on edge, ”Didn’t we already clear the east storeroom this morning, isn’t that enough?”

The entire east storeroom, how much silver can it hold!

Zhou Shuren thought, perhaps it’s really not enough, considering the list on the book, ”Go ahead and arrange it.”

Qiu Yan left, worried, how many families did the Emperor plan to confiscate!

Before the end of the office hours, the Duke of Yongan’s carriage arrived at the Ministry, box upon box of silver. Zhou Shuren’s eyelid twitched, how much silver had been hoarded over the years?