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

Chapter 1790: Chapter 1790: I Was Handsome Once, Too

Chang Zhi thought more and more about his wife; it was still better at home, where he didn’t have to worry about anything. Life was leisurely and free. Looking up at Ding Jue, he pursed his lips. If he were sick at home, his wife would personally feed him porridge and add sugar to it, not just plain porridge!

Ding Jue noticed the slight contempt directed at him and looked at the adult who was drinking porridge with his head down. He thought he might have sensed it wrong, thinking, he didn’t know how much a golden doll was worth, but he knew the adult was adorned with fine things!

Chang Zhi finished the porridge and sighed deeply, “Tasteless.”

The more Ding Jue interacted with the adult, the more he realized that the adult was spoiled growing up. Sometimes he was truly capricious, “Sir, can’t you dismiss these maids?”

“Even if they’re dismissed, more will be sent. Just keep those who are useful out of my sight.”

Ding Jue cleaned up the porridge bowl, handed it to the young servant at the door. The personal young servant hadn’t come with the adult to Chuanzhou City, so he was temporarily taking his place. The guard at the door was promoted from a guard.

Chang Zhi closed his eyes in contemplation, drawing a mental map of Chuanzhou Province. He felt somewhat excited; he truly looked forward to it!

In the Zhou family village, as the Qiu Wei exams approached, Chang Xhong did not continue doing exercises but rather compiled all the problems, planning to study them all over again.

Cheng Xiang sat at another desk, looking at the thick stack of papers, and was full of admiration, “That’s quite a lot.”

Chang Xhong didn’t even lift his head, “Not much, there are still unfinished ones.”

Cheng Xiang, “…”

This time he gained a lot of knowledge, and also felt envy as these problems were worth a fortune.

Chang Xhong finished organizing and rubbed his neck, “I have to continue studying. You’re not taking this year’s Qiu Wei; you don’t need to study with me.”

Cheng Xiang flipped through the book in his hand, “No, you study yours, I study mine. Speaking of which, your Zhou family’s collection of books is really vast, and there are many handwritten originals. My father is so proud of his study; he really should come and see.”

Chang Xhong, “Do you think anyone can look at handwritten originals?”

Indeed, the clan had opened the library, but some books weren’t for clan members to see.

Cheng Xiang, “So having thick skin gets you benefits.”

Chang Xhong found this prefectural lord’s son amusing, “You don’t need to waste your time with me; you should know that befriending me is pointless.”

His father wouldn’t accept Prefect Cheng’s allegiance; the Marquis Zhou’s residence didn’t need allegiance, which had both advantages and disadvantages.

Cheng Xiang also understood, “My father has already given up.”

His father saw there was no hope, so he allowed him to befriend Young Master Zhou, at least for the sake of appearances.

Chang Xhong sat down to look at the questions; when his father and others sent the questions, he would openly put them in the study. Cheng Xiang never eavesdropped, which he found very satisfying.

Cheng Xiang continued flipping through the book, but his mind wasn’t on it. He was considered a versatile person, widely accepted in Pingcheng City. Interacting with Young Master Zhou was somewhat frustrating, yet it did increase a bit of genuine friendship, thinking to himself how principled Young Master Zhou was!

A few days later, the Girls College accepted Zhuo Ya’s donation. To make it more formal, Zhulan specifically made a donation certificate, which had the date, the donated silver coin, and was finally stamped with the college’s official seal.

The donation ceremony was quite formal. Prince Qin attended personally, and Rong Enqing came as an assistant. The Third Prince also came upon hearing the news.

Zhuo Ya was somewhat excited as she received the certificate. It was fitting as a guarantee for her future life; even if the Duke Residence was confiscated, she could still protect herself.

Zhuo Ya’s eyes welled up with tears, desperately holding them back: “Thank you, in the future, this young lady will continue to donate.”

She had decided that in the future, half of her dowry’s proceeds would be donated annually.

Zhulan said, “I thank you on behalf of the Academy; this silver coin will have its own dedicated account records, and you are welcome to inspect it at any time.”

Zhuo Ya shook her head, “Madam is of high character; this young lady trusts you, Madam, and will trouble you in the future.”

Zhulan sighed in her heart, people will all grow; it’s just that some let things happen naturally, while others need to pay the price.

The Third Prince glanced at Miss Zhuo on the stage with a playful look in his eyes, thinking that the Duke of Yongan Residence certainly didn’t know.

The Female Officer took Zhuo Ya to tour the college, while Zhulan stayed behind to talk to Rongchuan, “Are you really going to put it in the newspaper?”

Rongchuan nodded, “It’s the Emperor’s intention.”

Zhulan thought to herself that the Emperor truly didn’t miss out on any easy silver, “Who’s writing the article?”

Rong Enqing replied, “I’ll take care of writing it.”

Zhulan breathed a sigh of relief, glad she wasn’t the one writing it, “I’ll leave it to you.”

Rongchuan’s eyes smiled, with a hint of relaxation in his mother’s tone, “Mother, for the stewards in charge of managing silver and the accounting room, I want an equal number of men and women.”

“How many people are you planning to appoint?”

Rongchuan already had plans in mind, “Four stewards, two main and two assistants, and ten in the accounting room.”

Zhulan, hearing that six women were needed, said, “I will choose the right people.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work lately, Mother.”

Zhulan didn’t feel tired at all; instead, she was full of energy, “You’re eating well and sleeping well now, you and Xue Han don’t need to worry.”

The Third Prince was quietly listening the entire time without interrupting, glancing at Mrs. Marquis Zhou with his peripheral vision. He wasn’t idle to come to the Academy every day; he just wanted to observe Mrs. Marquis Zhou up close, realizing that a woman’s ability to manage affairs was no less than a man’s.

The Third Prince was initially confused about his future wife, but now he had ideas and expectations for his wife.

In the Palace, in Zhou Shuren’s eyes, the Emperor was holding the Imperial Grandson, and even when the Imperial Grandson pulled his beard, the Emperor laughed happily as if having a grandson meant all was well.

The Emperor asked, “Do you want to hold him?”

Zhou Shuren didn’t want to; what if he didn’t hold him well enough and he cried?

The Emperor laughed, “Even if you wanted to hold him, I wouldn’t let you.”

Zhou Shuren, “!!”

The Crown Prince raised his head, then continued to edit the Zhezi, thinking that if it weren’t for his son being inseparable from the Crown Princess Consort, the Emperor would have had the mind to keep his son in the Palace!

Zhou Shuren spoke up, “The Emperor has been in a good mood lately?”

The Emperor tapped his grandson’s nose, seeing the little nose wrinkle, felt even better, “Yes, it’s almost Qiu Wei.”

He added another sentence, “I heard that the An family of the Ministry of Works has money.”

Zhou Shuren understood, “Has Chang Zhi sent word back?”

“Yes, he estimated a sum of silver for me.”

Zhou Shuren, “…”

So Chang Zhi had pre-calculated how much silver could be confiscated in advance?

The Emperor laughed heartily, “This is just a small part of my happiness. I am happy to have discovered a new iron mine.”

Zhou Shuren was excited, “Really?”

“Certainly.”

Zhou Shuren twirled around, thinking about the new iron mine, realizing how tightly the Emperor had kept it hidden, which made sense given the magnitude of the matter.

The Crown Prince remained calm because he had already been happy about it.

The Emperor continued, “However, I do not intend to mine it. I still plan to exchange resources with other countries, just like you said, some resources are renewable, while others are not.”

Zhou Shuren smiled so much that his eyes almost disappeared, “The Emperor is wise.”

The Emperor raised his grandson, almost pressing the grandson’s face against Zhou Shuren’s, “Grandson, this is your master; do not let grandpa down.”

Zhou Shuren’s eyes widened, and then the baby cried out loudly, even turning his head in disdain.

Zhou Shuren, “…”

No, he’s not a bad old man, he used to be quite handsome in the modern era!