Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 1463: Apology

Chapter 1463: Chapter 1463: Apology

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The morning court session had not yet concluded when snowflakes began to float down from the sky. Zhou Shuren, as always, cared little for appearances. Each winter, he dressed in the thickest layers, and this year was especially cold. Unless absolutely necessary, he always walked at a slow and leisurely pace.

With his hands tucked inside his sleeves and wearing the hood of his cloak, Zhou Shuren’s attire stood out conspicuously among the officials leaving the palace. Indeed, his cloak was so unique that it resembled the type typically reserved for women.

Snow fell from the sky as the wind blew; in the alley, the only sounds were the crunch of footsteps on snow and the whistling of the wind—quiet and desolate.

Breaking the silence, Elder Wen suddenly spoke, his voice especially clear against the backdrop. "Today, the Emperor kept Master Yu behind. Could it be related to the rumors? The Yu family has deep foundations—we cannot compare to that."

Zhou Shuren did not raise his head; he merely twitched his ears, cursing inwardly: "Old fox." That one sentence—"we cannot compare"—stirred far too much resentment against the Yu family. Among the noble families in the capital, who did not harbor some measure of pride? Even those who were merely observing from the sidelines bristled at the implications of his comment.

The Yu family may have flourished during the previous dynasty, but they eventually retreated to Dingzhou Province before entering the capital again during the current Shenghui era. Even then, they only held a third-rank position.

"The Yu family isn’t just deep-rooted—they’re overly ambitious too."

"People should understand their own limits."

Others began chiming in from behind. The more such words were spoken, the more likely it was for falsehoods to morph into truths. Human emotions are easily swayed by words; even those previously indifferent may feel compelled to say something.

Zhou Shuren stopped in his tracks. As soon as he paused, all eyes turned toward him; there was no helping it—his conspicuous attire made him the center of attention. After a brief moment, he resumed walking, and in a measured tone, he said, "Elder Wen."

Elder Wen would rather avoid engagement. Sparring with Zhou Shuren rarely ended in his favor—he’d lost more than he’d won. But with so many eyes on him, remaining silent would make him seem afraid. "Does Lord Zhou have something to say to this old man?"

"I was merely curious and wanted to ask, Elder Wen—I seem to recall hearing you express great admiration for the Yu family. Just a few days ago, you were fervently conversing with Master Yu himself. And now this... Oh, perhaps I was mistaken the other day."

Among those who attended morning court regularly, even the frankest individuals became shrewd after spending enough time in the palace. Hearing Zhou Shuren’s words, the crowd fell silent.

The remainder of the road was eerily quiet. Elder Wen, incensed, felt as if biting Zhou Shuren might somehow alleviate his anger. He despised Zhou Shuren’s habit of speaking ambiguously—explaining would make him appear defensive, while not explaining would make him seem guilty, leaving him at a disadvantage each time.

Zhou Shuren gave the Yu family a lifeline, effectively reducing their growing animosity. After all, the Yu family was ideal for his granddaughter, and he could not permit them to be entirely ostracized by the noble families of the capital. Even a loyal minister requires alliances.

Within the palace, Master Yu knelt before the Emperor. "Your subject does not understand where these rumors have originated."

Though he spoke thus, how could he not know who was responsible? But what could be done? That party was the Empress’s maternal clan, and he had barely gained his footing after arriving in the capital.

The Emperor gestured for Master Yu to rise. "I have no intention of doling out blame."

He would not marry his daughter into the Yu family—they were merely one of the families he intended to support.

Master Yu exhaled in relief, thankful no punishment was forthcoming. "Your Majesty is wise."

The Emperor smiled and said, "I’ve heard your two unmarried legitimate sons are quite accomplished academically, earning a modest reputation even in Dingzhou Province."

Master Yu’s heart sank. Surely the Emperor wasn’t actually considering this? No, no—the Yu family did not need the prestige of marrying into the royal family. Families like theirs had no desire to marry a princess.

His thoughts were in disarray, but outwardly he remained composed. "My sons are still young, with no discernible reputation to speak of."

The Emperor, unaware of the Yu family’s aversion to marrying royalty, smiled and continued, "I’ve also heard that Chief Zhou’s grandsons are quite admirable. Young people gathering together might encourage mutual learning."

Master Yu’s racing thoughts slowly calmed. "I have indeed heard of Zhou Shuren’s grandsons—it’s said Chief Zhou excels in raising children."

"He does indeed. Prince Qin was practically brought up by Chief Zhou."

Master Yu discerned the light-hearted trust in the Emperor’s tone, feeling a pang of emotion. The Emperor truly trusted Zhou Shuren.

On his way back to the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren caught sight of Yao Zheyu. It had been some time since he’d last encountered Yao Zheyu, who still hold a nominally idle position in the Ministry of War. Yao Zheyu, without using his carriage which followed behind him, walked step by step toward the Ministry.

Yao Zheyu paid no attention to Zhou Shuren and continued ahead.

Zhou Shuren averted his gaze. Considering everything, Yao Zheyu’s fate wasn’t terrible—he lived in wealth at least, and the Royal Family no longer concerned themselves with him.

In Zhangzhou Province, Liufeng welcomed officials delivering food and supplies to the provincial capital. Once they departed, Liufeng said to the County Minister, "The people haven’t tasted meat in ages; they’ll finally have something savory for the New Year."

The County Minister agreed, "Indeed."

Ever since the appointment of a new County Magistrate, he ceased idly passing the days aimlessly. Each day brought endless tasks—population surveys, house-to-house visits. He was born and raised in Baixian; though impoverished, it was still his home, and he wished to see it prosper.

Liufeng glanced at the list of supplies and once again expressed gratitude to his father-in-law. Without his father-in-law’s advice, he might not have been able to secure the Emperor’s allocation of resources for the New Year. "Each household may receive half a pound of meat—you should organize people to portion everything out, ensuring grain and meat reach the hands of each family by the Little New Year."

He had no intention of allowing local villagers to collect their allotments themselves—handling them through additional middlemen risked embezzlement.

In the rear courtyard of her family estate, Yushuang reviewed the consumption records of her father’s property. Grain had become scarce in Zhangzhou Province; her father had spent heavily to procure coarse grain. Even with only two meals a day providing partial satiation, consumption was incredibly high.

The steward reported, "Nearby families noticed the estate had taken in several people. Some left their children at the front gate."

Yushuang asked, "They’re all girls?"

"Yes. With grain so scarce, many are selling children. Brokers have no shortage of buyers but prioritize excellent children. Due to the grain shortage, fewer are buying. Families with many children favor boys for carrying on the lineage. Daughters who remain unsellable—they either starve or are abandoned near estates by more merciful people."

Yushuang glanced at the ledger. "We’ve taken in fifteen girls so far? How are they behaving within the estate?"

The steward replied grimly, "Some are well-behaved; others have secretly hoarded grain to take outside."

Yushuang sighed deeply. "Send the ones who hoarded food back. It’s not that I’m heartless—the estate is small and cannot save everyone."

She had already planned futures for these girls. Keeping them in the estate was impractical; the estate was modest and had already recruited enough workers. She wanted to train them as pharmacists—this was how she intended to arrange for their futures. Opening the door to accepting abandoned girls indefinitely would lead to unending problems in the future.

The steward, once a servant himself who had been bought and sold, possessed a colder disposition than his master. Having witnessed countless tragedies, he found her too soft-hearted given the times. "Understood. I’ll arrange it immediately."

Yushuang nodded. "Good girls may stay—I have plans for them next year."

The steward replied, "Understood."

After the steward left, Yushuang pulled out the silver her father had entrusted to her for estate management—not her personal spending but meant for estate-related expenses. Her father had told her to allocate estate use next year to half medicinal herbs and half grain, and to construct greenhouses on the property at the start of spring.

Back in the capital, Master Yu returned to the Ministry of Commerce. A colleague with whom he maintained good relations informed him of events outside the palace and kindly advised him, "If you’ve offended Elder Wen, you should find an opportunity to apologize."

The colleague added, "You were fortunate that Lord Zhou spoke up this time."

Master Yu committed the advice to heart. "I must offer my thanks to Lord Zhou."

The colleague silently remarked to himself that Master Yu evidently had no intention of apologizing to Elder Wen.

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