Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 1351: The Candidate

Chapter 1351: Chapter 1351: The Candidate

Ming Rui didn’t raise his head and continued reading, "Uncle, I’m already almost recovered."

Chang Zhong snatched the book from Ming Rui and glanced at it, "There’s no rush in these few days. Come, let’s talk about your feelings after the betrothal."

Ming Rui blushed but still didn’t forget to try to snatch the book back, "What feelings can I possibly have regarding a betrothal."

Chang Zhong, being younger than Ming Rui, naturally couldn’t snatch the book back. Chang Zhong had intended to divert his nephew’s attention, but it was to no avail. "Don’t push yourself too hard, you’ve been working too strenuously."

Ming Rui tugged at the small blanket covering his legs, "The effort I put in now is for a smoother future. Uncle, you don’t know how late my father studies when he comes home every day. Compared to my father, I’m not working hard at all."

After hearing this, Chang Zhong didn’t disturb Ming Rui anymore. He wrapped himself in the blanket, and after a long silence, Ming Rui thought his uncle had fallen asleep. Then he saw his uncle reach out for a book and sit up again, seriously reading.

Ming Rui opened his mouth to speak but swallowed his words back down. The two quietly continued their reading.

Zhou Shuren stood outside the window, watching his youngest son and Ming Rui through the glass. He stayed for a while before leaving.

In the main courtyard, Zhulan, puzzled, said, "It’s rare for you to come back early today. Weren’t you going to see the two children? How come you’re back so soon?"

Zhou Shuren, while taking off his shoes, replied, "They were reading, so I didn’t go in to disturb them."

Zhulan expressed her puzzlement: "That’s not like you!"

Zhou Shuren, having changed his shoes, said, "Ming Rui is very diligent, and Chang Zhong is also working hard by his influence. The two children are good for each other."

"I think Ming Rui is working too hard."

"Ming Rui is the most clear among all the children about what he wants. He knows that to get what he desires, he must put in double the effort. That’s good."

He had many grandsons, and he paid more attention to Mingyun, giving less to Ming Rui. His most knowledge of the boy was that he was incredibly hardworking.

Zhulan said, "Ming Rui is the eldest son of the second wife; he’s a thoughtful child and feels sorry for his own father."

Zhou Shuren hummed in agreement, "Next year, the Crown Prince will be traveling on behalf of the Emperor."

Zhulan was energized, "Traveling?"

Zhou Shuren nodded, "Yes, now that the main roads have been repaired, the Crown Prince will be inspecting them on behalf of the Emperor."

Zhulan, surprised, "Didn’t the Retired Emperor inspect them incognito?"

Zhou Shuren explained, "This time it’s not just about inspection. The Emperor also wants to take this opportunity for the Crown Prince to see the various states personally and learn how to be a Crown Prince for the people."

Zhulan remarked sentimentally, "The Emperor’s education is excellent."

A Crown Prince high above and unaware of the common people’s lives will always be distant from the populace; what one hears is never as clear as what one sees and knows directly.

Zhou Shuren nodded, "Indeed."

The Emperor himself harbors ambitions of expanding the territory, and what the next generation needs is the ability to govern. Now, the Emperor is training the Crown Prince how to better rule the country, starting with understanding the common people.

Zhulan asked, "You’re suddenly discussing this with me, it’s not just sharing news, right?"

Zhou Shuren hummed, "The Emperor told me in advance because he hopes that, when the Crown Prince seeks my counsel, I will speak more about the livelihood of the people. Moreover, during this journey, the Crown Prince will take some people along."

Zhulan narrowed her eyes, "The Emperor gave our family a quota?"

Zhou Shuren nodded, "Yes, the Emperor wants not only for the Crown Prince to understand the people but also hopes that the future courtiers from the noble families also understand them, so many families in the capital were given quotas."

Zhulan understood, "You had someone in mind to send, but now you’re hesitating."

Zhou Shuren nodded, "Mingyun has joined the Hanlin Academy, and Ming Teng won’t be following the Crown Prince, so I’ve been considering Chang Zhong, but I’ve overlooked Ming Rui."

Zhulan got it, "This time, the noble families will surely choose youths around fifteen or sixteen years old. Chang Zhong is too young; let Ming Rui go. Among his grandchildren, Ming Rui has the least resources."

The eldest branch had Mingyun and Ming Teng; they couldn’t possibly be partial to Ming Hui. The third branch’s Ming Ling was still young, and the fourth branch’s Ming Jia wasn’t that old either.

Mingyun and Ming Teng couldn’t go, so according to the order of seniority, it should be Ming Rui.

Zhou Shuren, "Hmm."

Zhulan and her husband would not keep a servant in the room when they talked, a habit that meant as soon as their conversation began, the servant in the room would leave, and nobody would know what the couple discussed.

Zhou Shuren received the news from the Emperor’s mouth probably the earliest, and afterwards, others gradually received the news and had already started preparing in secret.

The temperature was getting colder and colder, yet it still hadn’t snowed. The cold wind kept blowing, making the common people worry about next year’s harvest.

The eldest Zhou not only managed the eldest branch’s land but also the entire household’s land. Worried about next year’s harvest, he even got blisters on his mouth, "Mother, it won’t be a drought next year, will it?"

Lady Li spat a few times, "Good omens come true, bad ones don’t. If you can’t speak well, then don’t speak."

Scaring someone to death, a drought year? Was a drought year easy to get by?

The eldest Zhou hurriedly patted his mouth, "Good omens come true, bad ones don’t."

Zhulan, having been in ancient times for many years, truly had not encountered such a winter scene, "Who knows, maybe it’ll snow in a few days, no one can be sure."

Lady Li said, "If the mother says it will snow, then it will definitely snow."

Zhulan, "..."

She was only speaking optimistically. If only whatever she said could come true.

The eldest Zhou was not happy but instead worried that if it hadn’t snowed since the beginning of winter, would snowfall cause a disaster.

At this moment, Zhulan particularly missed the modern weather forecast. Listening to the whooshing wind outside, Zhulan lost her spirit, "You all go back too."

At the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren also feared extreme weather and confirmed over and over again that the reserves were without issues, which somewhat eased his mind.

The newly appointed Deputy Minister Liu, naturally strong in capability, was even more meticulous and impermeable in interpersonal matters than Minister Wang.

Deputy Minister Liu said, "My lord, are you still worried about the weather?"

Zhou Shuren, "Hmm."

Deputy Minister Liu said, "In recent years, the Imperial Court has prepared adequately, and we already have some experience in dealing with extreme weather. You can ease your mind a bit, my lord."

Zhou Shuren asked back, "Has your recent work been going smoothly?"

"The Ministry of Revenue’s division of labor is clear, and I’ve adapted well, handling things quite smoothly."

Zhou Shuren nodded, "That’s good. If you have any problems, go ask Qiu Yan. There’s nothing in the Ministry of Revenue that he can’t handle."

Deputy Minister Liu, "Yes."

At the Zhou family, Zhulan saw her granddaughter Lin Xi and cheered up, "Such a windy day, why did you bring Lin Xi back?"

Xue Han pointed to the baskets brought in, "The fruit we bought has arrived. I’m bringing some for you and father. Lin Xi hasn’t seen her grandmother in a long time, and she’s been fussing to come over. I couldn’t refuse her, so I brought her along."

Lin Xi nestled in her grandmother’s arms, "Grandma, don’t you miss me?"

Zhulan smiled, "I miss you, grandma misses Lin Xi."

Lin Xi was doted on as she grew up. This girl was the only one who dared to sit on the Retired Emperor’s lap to eat. So many people spoiled her, yet the child was not spoiled or capricious, showing how good the little girl’s temperament was.

Xue Han watched her daughter chatting with her mother, and waited until the daughter said she wanted to go find her cousins. Once the daughter left, Xue Han then said, "Mother, I’ve told you about my plan to leave the capital with Rongchuan."

Zhulan nodded, "Hmm, you’ve told me. What about it?"