Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 205 Almost Lost My Life_1

Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Almost Lost My Life_1

Two hours into breakfast, Zhulan was in the yard cutting eggplant strips with Lady Li when the main gate opened.

Zhulan watched silently as Wang Ru, her head covered in blood, was carried by a guard into the yard. Yao Zheyu apologized, "My carriage struck this young woman. Since the neighbors are all women, it was inappropriate for me to go over, so I had to bring her here. I hope Scholar’s wife won’t be troubled."

Zhulan tugged at the corner of her mouth. She really didn’t want to get involved, but she couldn’t refuse given Yao Zheyu’s status. She gave a dry laugh and gestured for the guard to carry Wang Ru into the main hall and place her on a chair. She was adamant that Wang Ru wasn’t allowed into the house; her room was off-limits and so were her daughter’s. "Put two chairs together and lay her across them for now."

Fortunately, the chairs in the house had no armrests and could be put together to accommodate Wang Ru.

She then said to Lady Li, "Go next door and call Wang Rong over, and remember to bring a blanket to cover Miss Wang so she doesn’t catch a cold from the draft in the main hall."

Yao Zheyu, "......"

He had already inquired about the situation next door. Wang Ru had long lost her reputation; if it weren’t for his status, Scholar Zhou’s wife wouldn’t even let her through the door. Look at her disgust, only allowing the injured to rest on chairs instead of letting them inside the house.

Zhulan was not about to back down without limits. Even the insignificant had their bottom line, and she had her own sense of propriety. Wang Ru had long lost her reputation, and Yao Zheyu must have changed his tactics towards her. Zhulan didn’t have to worry about offending Yao Zheyu over such a small matter.

Zhulan looked at the gash on Wang Ru’s forehead and gasped in shock. For the sake of a scheme, Wang Ru was extremely ruthless; the cut on her head was not small. If it hadn’t been for the guard’s first-aid "Skills," which managed to stop the bleeding, it was uncertain whether Wang Ru would have survived.

Yao Zheyu sat on one side, tapping his fan against his palm. He had investigated Wang Ru thoroughly, knowing her grudge against Shi Qing. He had deliberately roamed the village, waiting for Wang Ru to bump into him so that he could gradually win her favor and rescue her, slowly extracting useful information in the process.

But he had calculated everything except for Wang Ru’s temperament, which was truly foolish. There had been many chances for a coincidental encounter, yet she chose to crash into a carriage. The horses of the Hou Residence were all retired warhorses, not ones familiar people could approach easily, being very alert. They were not gentle steeds; had the guard’s skills not been good, one more kick from the horse could have sent the fool straight to her grave, which would have wasted all his efforts.

He regretted his gradual approach; it would have been better to abduct her directly once he had the information. As for whether she would confess plainly, it was simple; there were plenty of torture methods at his disposal. He did not believe she could withstand them. Now it was somewhat late to abduct her, as his stepmother was certainly aware of his whereabouts, and he might inadvertently alert Shi Qing, missing out on the opportunity.

Zhulan was unaware of the male protagonist’s thoughts; in any case, her mind was not at ease, as the "Three Character Classic" even came to mind. What a mess, how did they all end up at the Zhou family? The people were really gathering in full force!

Upon hearing the commotion, Zhao’s wife had already taken Yushuang back to the room, and Xue Han had also withdrawn. Only Zhulan, the eldest, and the second eldest were left in the main hall.

The guard, Hanhan, widened his eyes. Why hadn’t Scholar’s wife mentioned seeking a doctor? Looking at the girl’s complexion turning pale and somewhat blue, he was genuinely afraid she would die. Glancing at Scholar’s wife, whose own complexion was not good, he thought that what Mr. Hou had done was indeed despicable. If someone died in Scholar’s house, it would be too ominous. Perhaps Scholar’s wife was too annoyed to remember to look for a doctor.

Not wanting Mr. Hou to shoulder the responsibility for a life and leave evidence behind, Hanhan spoke up, "Mr. Hou, the young lady doesn’t seem well; it would be best to have a doctor look at her to be sure."

Yao Zheyu glanced at Wang Ru, so foolish yet still valuable. "Ride fast to the county and call the best doctor. Discuss the situation with him and have him bring all medicines to avoid delays from running back and forth."

Hanhan also possessed some medical skills. Having taken the pulse earlier, he should be able to inform the doctor accurately about which medicines would be needed.

Growing up with Mr. Hou, Hanhan knew that the calmer Mr. Hou’s tone, the worse his mood, "Yes."

Zhulan, for one, was not afraid of Wang Ru dying. They say a scourge lasts a thousand years; Wang Ru wouldn’t fade away that easily. If she were really to become cannon fodder, Zhulan wouldn’t mind; in fact, she’d be delighted!

Lady Li returned with Wang Rong and Wang Xin, followed by Zhang Sanni.

Wang Xin shivered as she entered, wiping away tears before throwing herself onto Wang Ru. "What’s happened to my little sister? Why is she bleeding so much?"

Upon hearing this, Lady Li became furious. She snapped back, "I’ve explained the reason more than once just now. Who are you crying for now? And whom are you asking?"

The crying was too fake, it was disgusting to watch!

Zhulan, "...."

If it hadn’t been the wrong occasion, she could have burst into laughter. Lady Li’s retort was perfect, easing some of Zhulan’s own frustration. Like a staunch, iron-willed simpleton, she was the nemesis of the delicate, fragile flowers.

Wang Xin’s voice choked up, her facade shattered, and she could cry no longer. Her face turned from pale to green and back, unsure of what to do next.

Lady Li despised Wang Xin for being artificial and nauseating. She remembered that Mr. Hou was present and made eye contact with her mother, then quickly stood behind her and whispered, "Mother."

Zhulan patted Lady Li’s plump hand—which had grown fatter in the past week—and said, "Hmm."

Wang Xin stole a glance at the nobleman sitting to one side, her heart pounding. Scholar Shi Qing was no match for Mr. Hou, who, with his stern face and aristocratic aura, carefully wiped his sister’s forehead with a handkerchief before turning and saying, "Scholar’s wife, why not let your sister-in-law rest inside instead of having her catch a chill in the main hall? She was already weak, what if she falls ill because of this?"

Zhulan’s eyes flashed sarcasm—she had really picked up some tricks, calculating against her, and Lady Li was furious. Her grandmother-in-law had given her plenty of lessons. Even if she was slow, she had seen through Wang Xin’s scheming, and she angrily moved to intervene.

Lady Li prepared to step forward, causing warmth to flood through Zhulan’s heart—her affection for Lady Li was not misplaced. She gestured for Lady Li to hold her tongue.

Lady Li obediently stayed put, the anger in her eyes disappearing, replaced by a gleeful anticipation. She knew well that the grandmother-in-law was the most formidable person in the house, and Wang Xin had picked the wrong adversary.

Zhulan leisurely sipped her tea until she saw the resentment in Wang Xin’s eyes, then, just as leisurely, said, "Why not let her inside? Don’t you know why?"

Wang Xin’s back stiffened, and biting her lip, she dodged the question. "My sister is injured, and it’s a matter of life and death. Don’t you think it’s too cruel to act this way, Scholar’s wife?"

Zhulan thought to herself, with more women comes more trouble—Wang Xin’s mind had become astute, lighting up with domestic battle skills. With a smile that was not quite a smile, she responded, "If I were truly heartless, I would not have let you enter the door in the first place, much less have told Lady Li to remind you to bring blankets. Yet, what was the result? You and your sister didn’t pay heed at all, not even bringing the blankets. Such deep sisterly love indeed!"

Wang Xin was stunned, then turned sharply. "Second sister, did you not bring the blanket?"

Wang Rong, sickened, quickly bowed to apologize: "I spoke nonsense, Scholar’s wife, please don’t take it to heart. Your kindness is well-known in the village, just look at how the two sisters-in-law speak of you—there’s no better mother-in-law in the village than the Scholar’s wife."

Zhulan had intended to continue to rip away at Wang Xin’s facade and discuss the issue of reputation, but seeing Wang Rong, who was unusually smart, and knowing that there was quite a crowd gathered at the gate enjoying the drama, she didn’t want to involve Wang Rong in the gossip. Wang Rong’s hard-earned good reputation wasn’t easy to come by. "Wang Ru has had her wound treated with medicine to stop the bleeding and has gone to see the doctor. Go back and fetch a blanket to keep her warm, lest she catch a cold from the breeze."

Wang Rong was extremely grateful, as Grandma Zhou hadn’t stubbornly held on. With gratitude, she said, "Thank you, Scholar’s wife. I will go and fetch the blanket right away."

Yao Zheyu had been relegated to a background character; it wasn’t his place to speak at this time, but he had his eyes opened by the spectacle he had witnessed. In such a small village, there were those skilled in household strife. However, he had gained a new respect for Scholar Zhou’s wife; she never wasted words and went straight to the point, yet she still harbored kindness.