Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 1032: Too Many Thoughts

Chapter 1032: Chapter 1032: Too Many Thoughts

Zhou Shuren returned home, and although his wife had sent another letter saying their son didn’t say anything and wasn’t scared, he still felt apprehensive and asked carefully again before he felt relieved, proudly saying, "Indeed, he is our son, well said despite his young age."

Zhulan passed him his usual clothes, "Don’t be so proud, hurry up and change, everyone is waiting for you to eat!"

Zhou Shuren’s hands, which were removing his official robe, suddenly paused; he cursed jokingly, "This darn boy, I was wondering why he ran off after just a few words; he must have been afraid that I’d ask about his reward silver."

Zhulan rolled her eyes, "You just realized?"

Zhou Shuren grunted, "How much did the Emperor reward him?"

Zhulan spread her hands, "Your son half opened his own purse and then quickly closed it back up; he ran off while I was still in a daze, so I don’t know either."

Zhou Shuren, "...Who did this boy take after?"

Zhulan, "This is your doing, the child fears you’ll take his silver."

Zhou Shuren felt his nose, "That was in the past; I wouldn’t do it now."

"Now that you wouldn’t, the boy openly took the silver notes. The Wu family just had a baby, Chang Zhong is staying at home, and I was thinking of sneaking a look when he’s asleep tonight. If it’s a lot, I’ll coax him into letting me manage his finances, but if it’s little, I’ll let him keep it himself."

After changing his clothes, Zhou Shuren said, "Do you think it could be less?"

Zhulan smiled slightly, "That’s why I’ve already thought about buying him land."

Zhou Shuren thought to himself that his son was cunning, but unfortunately, his mother was more so.

At dinner, the young uncle Chang Zhong was quite confident about having received a reward from the Emperor, which bolstered his spirits.

Seeing that his father and mother did not cough, Chang Zhong’s courage grew, and he said to his elder brother, "Elder brother, I have met the Emperor a few times, let me share with you how to interact with the Emperor; you could certainly use it in the future."

Zhou Shuren’s hand that held the wine cup trembled—look how capable he thought he was, he had never spoken about imparting experience.

Chang Zhi, "....Thank you."

Chang Zhong patted his chest, "No problem, no problem, we are real brothers; I’ll definitely help you earn more rewards. Just look at me; I only met the Emperor a few times, and I’ve already received several rewards."

He believed that the Emperor was a generous person!

The corners of Mingyun’s mouth twitched uncontrollably—because you are young, and the Emperor chose your name, so you’re automatically in his good graces. If he were incompetent, he wouldn’t expect any rewards for the rest of his life; how could they even compare?

Mingyun’s eyes lit up with amusement, eager to see how his fourth uncle would respond; Ming Teng was already snickering, while Ming Hui looked admiringly at his young uncle.

Chang Zhi glanced at his father and then at his mother, who seemed entertained; he resigned to himself that he could only pacify his younger brother now, "Alright, tell me, I’m listening."

Chang Zhong was delighted. No matter whether his answers made sense or if he had to shift the conversation when stuck, dinner eventually ended, and he still seemed to have things he wished to say.

In Chang Zhi’s room, where he remained sitting, Su Xuan asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Pulling his wife to sit down beside him, Chang Zhi said, "I’m just reflecting on how the environment influences a child’s growth. When I was like my younger brother’s age, I knew little and understood nothing. Yet, he’s already met the Emperor several times, not to mention all the high officials and ministers he’s seen, possessing his own naïve way of dealing with matters at such a young age."

Su Xuan said, "Mother says parents are the first teachers of a child; our little brother is so much like father."

She thought her mother-in-law’s words made perfect sense. She herself hadn’t liked calligraphy or study before, but since their child was born, she kept her mother-in-law’s words in her heart; even if she disliked it, she would still write and read, fearing her son and daughter might copy her.

Chang Zhi did not think so; although his little brother resembled their father, he felt he was more like their mother. Father wasn’t home often, and many of the little brother’s actions were learned from mother.

In the evening, Zhulan speechlessly watched as Zhou Shuren followed her into their son’s room tentatively. They went then saw their son, who was a heavy sleeper, generally unaffected by noises.

Zhou Shuren looked for his son’s purse but didn’t find it, and Zhulan couldn’t bear to watch anymore. "You hold the candle, and let me search."

Just now, Zhou Shuren had searched under his son’s pillow and through his clothes.

Zhulan squatted down, taking her son’s shoes. The weather was still chilly, and the snow outside had not melted yet, they were boots. She tipped one over; nothing fell out. She tipped the other, and there it was.

Zhou Shuren widened his eyes, thinking how cunning his son was.

Zhulan opened the purse, gritted her teeth, and then returned it. There were only some silver coins in the purse, no silver notes. She reached out to pinch her son’s cheek.

Zhou Shuren burst out laughing. "Where on earth did this youngster hide them?"

Zhulan stood up and surveyed the room. There were definitely no secret compartments, and knowing her son’s cunning, the maids could certainly not be trusted. Fearing treachery, she measured by her son’s height, and knowing he wouldn’t have left the bedroom, she tiptoed full circle and smiled.

Zhou Shuren noticed as well and together, in the underlayer of a paper box, they found the silver notes, and upon opening it, there were one hundred taels of silver notes.

Zhulan carefully put them back, and the two quietly left the room.

Zhou Shuren said, "How can this child be so crafty and know to hide it in the paper box where the maids wouldn’t dare to clean it?"

"He also knew not to hide it in a book—too easily found."

Zhou Shuren felt that he had been quite cunning as a child himself, but compared to his son, he felt like he had lost. Reflecting, he said, "Watching him grow bit by bit, I feel time has passed too quickly."

Zhulan was also a bit melancholic. "Indeed."

The next day, Chang Zhong still didn’t know his silver notes had been found. Zhulan decided it was time to speak. "Keeping those silver notes won’t increase their number. Hand them to mom; I will buy you land with them, where your silver can multiply, and when you grow up you’ll have a solid fortune of your own."

Chang Zhong trusted his mother, whose word was reliable, unlike his father’s. "Can I be like Brother-in-law Rongchuan?"

Zhulan chuckled, "So you know Brother-in-law Rongchuan has been saving up on his own?"

Chang Zhong nodded his little head. "Yes, I heard it from my second brother."

He had eavesdropped on conversations between his second brother and his future grandnephew-in-law, discussing how Rongchuan saved despite not having acknowledged ancestors. He remembered it well.

Zhulan said, "Then it’s settled. You’ll give the silver to mom?"

Chang Zhong readily agreed. "Okay."

In Pinggang, Chang Yi was the only official who had been abroad and the only one experienced in prolonged maritime drifting. Seeing the ships, Chang Yi was the calmest.

The four navy ships were not merchant ships but were taller and longer. The deck was lined with neatly arrayed naval officers, and the black cannons looked like devouring beasts, compelling one to look away after a single glance.

Upon boarding the warship, the officials were not allotted individual rooms. Chang Yi shared a room with Wu Ming, not out of assignment but by choice, for familiarity and comfort.

Considering they would spend a long time at sea, being with people they disliked was going to be distressing enough without strict rules.

After storing their luggage, the warship set sail with the diplomats on the second ship.

Chang Yi suggested to Wu Ming, "Shall we go out to take a look?"

Wu Ming’s heart was already thrilled. "This is our Navy, from nothing to what it is now."

Chang Yi was also excited. "The treasury’s silver was well spent."

As they talked, the two reached the deck. The diplomats had mostly come out of the cabins. As their ship set sail, some merchant ships made way, and they could also see some foreign merchants standing on the decks of their ships, watching them.