Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 174 Smart_1

Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Smart_1

Zhulan had never considered taking her eldest daughter and her family to live in Pingzhou; her eldest daughter’s belongings were next to nothing, and her income was unstable. In Pingzhou, they could only rely on her and Zhou Shuren. Jiang Sheng was proud and demanding; the pressure would be too much for him and could negatively affect his studies.

On the contrary, if the couple stayed behind in their hometown where expenses were fewer, as long as Zhou Shuren made something of himself, they could gradually save some assets. With the aid of the Zhou family, even if Jiang Sheng failed to become a Graduate for life, they could still live well.

The following day, the Clan Leader arrived at Zhou’s home early in the morning, because Zhulan’s family hadn’t kept their visit to the county secret, nor had they instructed Lady Li to keep it quiet. Lady Li happened to come across Mrs. Sun showing off and was mocked by her. Angered, Lady Li revealed their visit to the County Magistrate’s household, and now the entire village knew that Zhou’s family had made connections with the County Magistrate.

As soon as the Clan Leader entered the courtyard, his smile never left his face. He looked at Zhou Shuren with full satisfaction and said with a hint of emotion, "I will have to rely more on Shuren in the future."

After speaking, he was inwardly amazed. The Dong family was a local clan with many branches, and the County Magistrate had cultivated his connections over the years when he was the County Minister. Now that he had assumed the position of the County Magistrate, nobody dared to provoke the Dong family. His own nephew’s association with the County Magistrate was beyond his expectations. He had always thought it only superficial courtesy, yet they had even brought their wives and daughters for a visit. He had underestimated Zhou Shuren!

Zhou Shuren wanted people to know that he had borrowed the influence of the Dong family and now had the protection of a parent official, equivalent to the Emperor in the locality. Anyone who wanted to mess with him would have to think twice. With a faint smile on his lips, he knew that the Zhou family would cling tightly to him in the future, and slowly, he would be able to hold them in the palm of his hand. He desperately needed people; yet politely said, "You flatter me too much. It is I who rely on the Clan Leader."

The Clan Leader’s gaze grew deeper. He had thought it was a mutually beneficial relationship, but Zhou Shuren had already far outpaced him. Just waiting for the county examination, Zhou Shuren was bound to make a move. There was no such thing as a free lunch. Zhou Shuren’s early investments meant his ambitions were not small.

In the hall, Zhou Shuren and the Clan Leader’s conversation was full of probes, while Zhulan and Lady Wang interacted much more harmoniously—they truly enjoyed each other’s company, as intelligent people do.

Lady Wang didn’t inquire about the county, instead, she was concerned about Zhulan’s health, "Is the honey enough? If not, I’ll ask my eldest daughter-in-law to check around her hometown to see who else has some."

Zhulan replied with a smile, "Thank you. We have enough for a while, and I’ll let you know when we’re out."

Lady Wang laughed heartily, "As long as it’s enough, but definitely let me know if you run out. My daughter-in-law’s family has plenty of beehives."

Zhulan said, "Okay."

After a while, many more elders from the clan arrived, and Zhulan’s home was bustling with activity.

Wang Ru was not pleased. Even with the silver coin she had just received from Shi Qing, she couldn’t find joy. Wasn’t old Zhou just a Scholar? How did he become friendly with the County Magistrate? Local officials might be inferior to central ones, but the County Magistrate is still a local Emperor. With the Zhou family under the protection of the County Magistrate, jealousy swelled within her. The gap between Zhou Xuehan and her was growing. The panic pressing down on her became denser.

Wang Ru’s twisted expression didn’t escape the second daughter Wang Rong’s ironic gaze. She hadn’t understood it before, but now it was clear—Wang Ru was jealous of Zhou Xuehan. If it wasn’t for Wang Ru’s inadvertent low-voiced mention of Zhou Xuehan earlier, she would have remained clueless as to why Wang Ru was so furious about Zhou’s family’s improved circumstances.

With her head bowed, Wang Rong also envied Zhou Xuehan, but she wasn’t jealous; she could only blame her bad luck for not having a good father. She had to rely on herself.

The door opened, and Wang Xin came in with red-rimmed eyes. Wang Rong frowned, asking, "Sis, did the Qian family’s young lady bully you again?"

Wang Xin held back her tears, "I wanted to heat up some water for you, but the Qian family’s young lady kicked me out."

Wang Ru clenched her fists tightly. Because of her bad reputation, she had stayed with the Qian family, whose young ladies would not interact with her; they said nothing but their eyes were filled with contempt. The Qians dared not mock her to her face but constantly targeted her sisters!

Wang Rong’s sidelong glance at Wang Ru carried with it a different gleam. "Living under someone’s roof is never the solution. No matter how much money they give, they still feel it’s owed to them. It’s better to go out and live on your own."

Wang Xin was frightened; she dared not even leave the house, "Living by oneself is dangerous."

Wang Rong’s mouth curled into a wry smile, "If only we could live somewhere where the ruffians wouldn’t dare to approach."

Wang Ru laughed. It indeed sounded like a plan.

At the Zhou’s, Zhulan saw off the guests and noticed something at the adjacent Zheng family’s doorstep. Mrs. Zheng was sending Wang Ru off with great enthusiasm. Zhulan had a bad feeling; she sensed that Wang Ru’s visit had an ulterior motive, her brow furrowed as she watched Wang Ru walking away. She hadn’t seen incorrectly—there was a triumphant look on Wang Ru’s face!

Zhou Shuren noticed as well and said, "Let’s go back. She’s alone and can’t stir up much trouble."

Zhulan spoke solemnly, "Wang Ru is not one to remain quiet; she must be up to something."

Zhou Shuren paused, "We will meet the enemy as they come and deal with difficulties as they arise, let nature take its course."

He realized that the more deliberate the actions, the more likely they are to backfire; it’s better to act naturally.

"Okay."

The next morning, the Zheng’s home was exceptionally lively, and early on, Mrs. Zheng’s orders could be heard. Lady Li went to take a look and quickly returned, "Mother, the Zheng family is moving out; they sold their house to Wang Ru."

Zhulan’s expression turned stern. Wang Ru had indeed become much smarter. Living next door to the Zhou’s—overshadowed by their presence—no troublemakers would dare loiter around Zhou’s doorway. And now that news of their connection with the County Magistrate had spread, troublemakers would be even more wary. Wang Ru moving into the Zheng’s would mean no ruffians would dare to knock on her door, using the Zhou family’s influence as a deterrent!

Seeing her mother’s disapproval, Lady Li managed a rare moment of insight, "Mother, does Wang Ru want to benefit from our family’s reputation—so she bought the Zheng’s house?"