Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 1428: Lifespan

Chapter 1428: Chapter 1428: Lifespan

Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren was fiddling with the abacus, unable to help but tug at his hair, anxiously pushing the noisy abacus aside. The Retired Emperor heard the noise before even entering the room.

"What could make the Grand Master of Writing so furious?"

Zhou Shuren, "..."

Perfect timing for a visit, one would think he was dissatisfied with something!

Zhou Shuren’s gaze darkened. The ancient times had their drawbacks—imperial power reigned supreme, with the Retired Emperor and the Emperor having unimpeded access. Despite his displeasure, he had to mask it and somberly said, "Your servant is worried about the silver."

If only he hadn’t so readily given the Retired Emperor the silver, now he almost wished he could dismantle the Retired Emperor’s warm pavilion.

The Retired Emperor hadn’t thought much of it; he understood Zhou Shuren’s troubles. Human calculations are inferior to heavenly ones; while the Emperor had planned carefully, the unexpected occurred from the heavens. Redoing the river channels wouldn’t be completed in one go, and by now, five provinces had already faced severe floods, three provinces hadn’t finished their channel works, while two hastened their renovations only for shoddy work to be wrecked by the floods.

The Retired Emperor gestured for Zhou Shuren to sit, "The Crown Prince will reach the capital by tomorrow."

Zhou Shuren was stunned, "So soon?"

He had calculated it would take four more days to reach the capital.

The Retired Emperor, "The Crown Prince traveled alone."

Zhou Shuren understood, the Retired Emperor was telling him this meant Ming Rui and the Crown Prince were returning to the capital together, "This servant thanks Your Majesty for the grace."

Safety was paramount around the Crown Prince especially after the assassination attempt. This time, the Crown Prince discreetly leaving alone meant the remaining entourage was made a target.

The Retired Emperor said, "Once your grandson returns, he should not leave the house; Prince Qi will reach the capital in four days."

Zhou Shuren understood, Ming Rui was safe by the Crown Prince’s side, going out too ostentatiously draws too much hatred, "Yes, your servant understands."

"Hmm."

Zhou Shuren felt much better, "Retired Emperor, if you came for silver, I really have none left."

Don’t think that bringing good news would heat up his head to agree on everything; he can’t compromise regarding the silver.

The Retired Emperor tugged at the corner of his mouth, his beard twitching, "I just came to have a chat with you."

Zhou Shuren, "Have a chat?"

Chat about what? His sons and grandsons were dutiful, the Zhou family was flourishing. Currently, he only worried about his youngest son and was concerned for his third son; he truly had nothing else to talk about.

The Retired Emperor, "The princes are growing up."

Spending much time in the palace this year, he went to check on the princes’ studies occasionally, finding it uninteresting after a few visits.

Zhou Shuren stroked his beard; people’s affections are biased, the Retired Emperor truly favored his legitimate offspring, dismissing even Prince Qi’s sons who were also his grandsons.

There’s only so much room in one’s heart, especially for someone like the Retired Emperor with capricious power.

The Retired Emperor only favored the Empress’s son, meeting other concubines’ children only if he wished. Living in the palace had turned the princes eager to please as cats to fish, yet the Retired Emperor felt the princes were too calculating.

Zhou Shuren felt that royal relationships were far from normal, "Time flies indeed, Your Highnesses are also reaching the age to intensify their studies."

The Retired Emperor, "...Zhou Shuren is right."

Better to invest more in their studies, books organized by Madame Zhou were quite good.

Zhou Shuren continued, "Now our country trades with many, and foreign princes and princesses learn Chinese. I’ve always thought learning an additional language is convenient."

The Retired Emperor looked up at Zhou Shuren, mentally calling him an old fox, "You are correct, being a prince and needing an interpreter wouldn’t do, indeed more languages should be learned."

Zhou Shuren didn’t feel his intentions were dark at all; he was truly thinking of the princes’ well-being. Having the time to obsess over the throne, they could rather study and see more of the world. But how many languages the princes learn is no longer his concern.

The Retired Emperor didn’t want to continue the conversation, always feeling that if they continued, his grandsons would suffer even more.

The Retired Emperor stopped the topic, and regret flashed through Zhou Shuren’s eyes.

That evening, Zhou Shuren returned home in high spirits, and Zhulan spoke before him, "Let me guess the reason for your happiness."

Zhou Shuren responded, "You guess."

Zhulan smiled, "Ming Rui is coming to the capital tomorrow."

Zhou Shuren, "How did you know?"

He couldn’t believe it was just a guess; it was too accurate.

Zhulan smiled warmly, "Today Prince Zeze came to our residence to pick up Lin Xi and Zeze back to the palace, Prince Zeze said it."

The Empress also wanted to give the Zhou family a favor.

Zhou Shuren, "I heard it from the Retired Emperor."

Zhulan said, "It’s not easy for the Empress either; being pregnant and still worrying about her parental home."

Zhou Shuren said softly, "This pregnancy of the Empress might impact her lifespan."

"Why do you think so?"

"The chief physician has been by the Empress’s side, and the Emperor didn’t wait for the Crown Prince to return to the capital to deal with Wen Qingfeng, clearly the Empress’s situation is not good."

Zhulan recalled how the Empress looked during her pregnancy, indeed she looked very tired and suffered from pregnancy ailments, sighed and said, "The Empress probably doesn’t know if she’ll regret this."

The Empress did have regrets, regretted not preventing the conception of her second son which caused her health to deteriorate so severely. With this pregnancy, she overestimated her body’s strength and underestimated her parental home’s troubles. Now with such a big belly, she can only endure it until the child is born.

The Empress touched her belly, "You must definitely be a daughter."

She just had to endure a little longer till the child was born, as for lifespan, it was all fate. She wasn’t pregnant earlier or later, it just happened to be now, if this isn’t fate, what is it.

When the Emperor came in, he saw the Empress touching her belly with a tender expression and didn’t show dislike for the child despite it affecting her lifespan, "Did the child trouble you today?"

The Empress looked up, "This child is very obedient, it’s just my body that is failing."

Since she stopped throwing up, the child hadn’t troubled her.

The Emperor raised his hand and placed it over the Empress’s, the child inside the stomach moved then, conveniently kicking the Empress’s palm. The Empress said excitedly, "Did you feel that?"

The Emperor’s face softened, devoid of the sharpness seen in court, "I felt it."

The Empress looked visibly better and hooked her lips, "The child heard us talking."

The Emperor said, "You will see your son tomorrow, don’t overthink anymore afterwards."

The Empress nodded, "Hmm, I’ve worried you."

"You are my wife, and you are carrying our child, if I don’t worry, who will?"

The Empress looked up at the increasingly authoritative Emperor, telling herself inwardly that the Emperor has been kind enough, "Oh, our little princess kicked again."

The Emperor’s smile reached his eyes, "The child is lively today."

The next day, the Crown Prince and his party arrived in the capital discreetly, and the Emperor had someone pick up the Crown Prince; Ming Rui and Shangguan Liu were also secretly brought back home.

As soon as Ming Rui got home, he was surrounded by his grandmother and mother, who confirmed he was not injured before they could relax.

Ming Rui touched his face and sighed in relief, thankful that the wound on his face wasn’t deep and would heal in a few days, otherwise, his grandmother and mother would definitely cry.