Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 620 Awareness_1

Deng Li was startled, looking up anxiously, "I won’t go back, I don’t want to leave my brother."

Her worst plan was to wait for her father to take her back to the Deng family, and the best outcome would, of course, be to stay with her brother in the Zhou residence. She didn’t want to be sent back, for if she were sent back, all her efforts would have been in vain.

Zhulan was not discussing, she was just informing. There was no need for her to quibble with a child, especially since the girl was Scholar Deng’s daughter, after all. The more indecisive Scholar Deng became, the more it showed that he still cared about this daughter, "The hour is getting late, I have matters to attend to, you should head back first."

Deng Li felt a lump in her chest, she had so much to say, yet due to the difference in their standings, all her plans turned into mere imagination. Despite her unwillingness, she could only leave, "I will leave now."

After Deng Li had left, Zhulan couldn’t help but smile wryly, "I’ve realized that I’ve truly grown old in spirit."

In the past, she would have put in the effort to say more, but now, she could not muster the energy. Her mindset had increasingly matched that of a family matriarch, some things she no longer cared about.

Nanny Song did not take Deng Li seriously, "Ma’am, you are not old. You still have to watch the young master get married and have children."

Thinking of her son who was sound asleep, Zhulan smiled. Indeed, not only did she have to see her son marry and have children, but she also had to help take care of the little ones, a thought that made her laugh at herself. frёewebηovel.cѳm

In the capital, inside the Palace, the Emperor held reports of the disaster-stricken provinces, and the detailed responses from the local government offices. The Emperor spoke faintly, "There is only one Zhou Shuren."

Even though he had made Zhou Shuren’s actions known to several Prefecture Cities, when the real snow disaster hit, all sorts of problems arose.

The Crown Prince said, "Not everyone is as devoted to the people as Master Zhou. Some officials still harbor selfish intentions."

There was no need to spell it out; the Emperor understood. In Jingzhou City, managed by Master Zhou, the same amount of silver was allocated, and Jingzhou had no embezzlement, but other places, well!

The Emperor, holding today’s news from Jingzhou, pressed a hand to his brow, it seemed that only Jingzhou managed to get things done.

The Crown Prince took the dispatch that the Emperor passed to him, and after reviewing it, kept silent. Noble families had intricate networks, and Zhou Shuren, through his own abilities, had managed to keep the Jingzhou government office in his hands. Even without a family of his own, thanks to the staunch support of officials like Minister Wang and the Princely Heir’s strong backing, Jingzhou’s situation was indeed not replicable.

The Crown Prince quietly put down the Zhezi. Although the Emperor stood above all, to maintain balance at times was difficult, "Next year, Zhou Shuren will have completed three years in Jinzhou."

The Emperor understood his son’s implication, "It’s not yet the time, he is still too weak."

With weak support from behind, he was not capable to compete against the powers of the court in the capital. This lucky general, he planned to keep.

In Jinzhou City, Zhulan looked at Lady Li, who sat listlessly without a word, "What’s the matter, did you have a falling out with Eldest Brother?"

That shouldn’t be the case. Zhulan had witnessed Lady Li’s strong fighting spirit—Eldest Brother could only hide from her!

Lady Li felt distressed, "Mother, our earnings this month have decreased significantly."

Zhulan asked, "By how much?"

"Forty silvers. Almost all the shops have closed down, we only made twenty silvers this month."

Zhulan was surprised; Su Xuan’s pastry shop really did earn silver. Although it was among several other shops, the income was considerable, "How much have you made this year?"

Lady Li perked up a little, "Thanks to the provincial exams this year, we made a handsome profit. So far, we’ve made over seven hundred silvers."

Zhulan sighed, "That’s quite a bit already."

Lady Li was still downcast, "Mother, it’s not enough. Look, in a few years Mingyun will need to marry, and Yu Lu is already betrothed to the Wang family. Yu Lu’s dowry alone will require a lot. And yes, there’s Ming Teng, the boy is not young anymore."

The more she spoke, the lower Lady Li’s voice became. The assets of the main family had accumulated well over the years. They used to earn just over a hundred silvers a year, but this year they could surpass a thousand. Added to her own few hundred, it seemed enough, but when she thought about the marriages of her sons and daughter, she felt the silver was too little.

Zhulan looked at Lady Li curled up into a ball and couldn’t help but laugh, "The bride’s family will contribute a portion of the betrothal gifts and dowry, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself."

Lady Li’s eyes shone brightly, then dimmed again, "Mother, I’ve inquired about it. The dowry of Lord Wang’s wife had sixty-four sedan chair loads, and Lord Wang’s daughter-in-law had fifty-six!"

Who knows how much silver they had hidden at the bottom of their chests? These powerful and influential families, she feared that her daughter would be looked down upon and suffer once she joined them.

Zhulan felt a squeeze in her heart as well, "You really are diligent; I haven’t even inquired. Now that you’ve mentioned it, my mood has dropped."

She had strained herself preparing Xue Han’s dowry, and so far, it wasn’t even enough for forty sedan chair loads. She hadn’t bought any shops or estates yet. The more she thought about it, the greater the pressure became—she needed to earn silver!

Zhou Shuren’s voice came through, "Why is your mood so low?"

Lady Li, "...."

No, why did father come back in broad daylight, it scared her soul nearly out of her body!

Zhulan lifted her head, and Zhou Shuren had already entered, "Why have you returned?"

"I came back to change my clothes. What were you just discussing?"

Why did Zhulan look so dispirited?

Lady Li hurriedly stood up, "Father, mother, I’ll be going back first. You two have a chat."

Having said that, she quickly retreated, patting her chest as she walked, thankful that she slipped away quickly.

Zhulan watched Lady Li skedaddle and laughed heartily. Lady Li was really afraid of Zhou Shuren, "Nothing much, we were just talking about the dowry; I think we don’t have enough silver at home is all."

Speaking of which, the Zhou family’s expenses for the year weren’t high. Each branch had its own industries, and they occasionally contributed to the household, which saved a lot on food. Most expenses were on adornments and social obligations. Most of last year’s income was saved, and this year’s revenue was basically accounted for. There was even income from the fishery, but it was still not enough. From next year on, she would have to start preparing real estate for Xue Han.

Zhou Shuren thought about his official salary, alright, it was definitely not enough for the entire family’s expenses. So, his main income came from rewards!

In the capital, Second Prince, Zhang Jingyang, stopped his fifth brother, "It’s rare to run into you on the street, fifth brother. Would you accompany your elder brother for a stroll?"

Zhang Jinghong, with matters on his mind and inquiries of his own, replied, "Please lead the way, second brother."

Zhang Jingyang smiled and stepped ahead, "Brother heard that fifth brother’s residence has also set up a porridge shop."

Zhang Jinghong, "As a brother, I also want to contribute some effort. Speaking of which, second brother, do you know who the new guard by the Crown Prince’s side is?"

He had been searching for quite some time without any hint.

Zhang Jingyang said casually, "Fifth brother, I’ve noticed that not only does our father treat you and the Crown Prince differently, but he also treats us differently compared to you."

He and his third and fourth brothers had done plenty of untoward things behind the scenes. Why then did their father loathe the fifth so much? He hadn’t thought much of it before—they were all father’s sons. But the Emperor’s attitude has been too obvious these days, which has caused him to think more.

Zhang Jinghong felt his heart pounding. As the person involved, he had the most say. His eyes lowered, his anxiety stemming from the fact that now his second brother had noticed, and surely the third and fourth brothers must have sensed it too, "Brother is joking, I don’t understand."

Zhang Jingyang laughed, unable to help but recall the words his mother had said—sometimes women are the most attentive.

Zhang Jinghong watched in a daze as his second brother walked away, cold sweat drenching his back. He turned to leave, but his footsteps halted, staring straight at the inn’s front door.