Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 243: Stop Dreaming_1

Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Stop Dreaming_1

Zhulan was actually very happy, and Zhou Shuren saw the joy in her eyes, "What has got you so happy?"

Zhulan held Zhou Shuren’s hand, "I am happy that this is the real world."

Zhou Shuren pulled Zhulan closer and kissed her face. Zhulan rolled her eyes internally; this man always took advantage of any opportunity. Now that they were living in a separate courtyard, Zhou Shuren was the happiest in the house since all the annoying ones were gone.

Moreover, it was Zhou Shuren who had decided on the separate living arrangements initially. The courtyards of the several children were all away from the main courtyard, which clearly revealed Zhou Shuren’s ulterior motives.

Lady Li had not stopped nagging Zhulan about it in her ear. Lady Li was wholly intent on moving to the courtyard next door.

Two hours later, the snow had stopped, and Dr. Lv had arrived. Dr. Lv had genuinely thought that Zhou Shuren was ill and, fearing the delay caused by going back and forth for medicine, brought the medicine pills that he used to treat fever, which were the ones that the Zheng family had bought the prescription for.

When Dr. Lv saw that it wasn’t Zhou Shuren who was ill, he glared at him, "Aiyoh, look how worried I was for you. I even rushed the carriage here, causing my old arms and legs almost to fall apart!"

Zhou Shuren was touched by the old master’s concern and hurried to apologize, "There was a reason for this, and I owe you an apology."

Dr. Lv was not a curious person, "Where is the patient? Let me have a look."

Zhou Shuren led the way ahead, "Please follow me, elder."

Zhulan followed them to the courtyard where the young servant had been anxiously waiting. Seeing the doctor, he excitedly said, "Doctor, please come inside."

Dr. Lv hummed in response. Zhulan did not follow into the room. Soon after, Dr. Lv came out. Upon returning to the main courtyard and writing the prescription, it was getting late. Dr. Lv had to hurry back to the county. This time, both Zhou eldest son and Zhou second son escorted Dr. Lv back to the county for company and also because they were afraid it wouldn’t be safe to return after dark.

As for picking up Chang Lian and the others, they could only ask Lady Li’s nephew to help.

After Dr. Lv had left, Zhulan asked Zhou Shuren, "How is the situation?"

Zhou Shuren was also afraid that something bad might happen to Yao Zheyu. Now he could finally relax, "Yao Zheyu has been sick for some time now, but he is past the most dangerous phase. He just broke into a sweat. The old master has left some medicine pills for him to take first. After the prescribed medicine arrives and he takes a few doses, he’ll be fine."

"That’s good to hear. Is he awake?"

Zhou Shuren nodded, "He woke up just now, said ’thank you,’ took his medicine, and then lay down again. Tonight, I’ll boil some millet porridge and send a jar to be kept warm on the stove in the back courtyard. Yao Zheyu can drink it whenever he wakes up."

"Alright, I’ll have Lady Li start boiling the porridge."

Zhou elder brothers returned at dusk, and the task of decocting the medicine had been done by the young servant, without needing Zhulan’s household to lift a finger. The young servant was particularly vigilant, still somewhat cautious.

Zhulan didn’t mind being guarded against at all, happy for the leisure of not having to be busy with chores.

The next day, Yao Zheyu was already able to get out of bed. After all, being trained in martial arts gave him a robust constitution. He did not have meals with Zhulan’s family but had his breakfast alone.

After Chang Lian and the others went to the clan school, Yao Zheyu donned his cloak and came to the main courtyard. Zhulan thought to herself, he didn’t send a young servant to call her, and Yao Zheyu came in person. This signifies his acknowledgment of his indebtedness for saving his life, and he has lowered his stance.

Affected by the cold air, Yao Zheyu coughed slightly, "My servant and I are grateful to Scholar Zhou for saving us. We shall repay Scholar Zhou’s kindness when we safely return to the capital."

He carried a money pouch with him, but the silver notes inside became wet and blurred when hidden in the snowbank, rendering them unusable. The young servant did have some silver, but not much. All the silver on the servant’s person was his own, and the money box Yao Zheyu used to store silver for his servant was left behind in the rush to flee the previous night.

Yesterday, after paying the medical expenses, the servant had very little left, and at the moment, he truly had no silver coins to offer as thanks.

Zhou Shuren found the current male protagonist much more agreeable. The male protagonist no longer carried an air of superiority, and this was quite comforting to see. "Your Highness, you are too polite. I did not save you in hopes of a reward. It’s fate that we’ve met, and you need not keep it in your heart. If you have any difficulties, speak freely, and if I can help, I will certainly do my utmost."

Tch, looking at the male protagonist’s intention, it seems he wants to dismiss him with silver. Dream on! Despite the male protagonist’s grounded nature, surely he would give more silver, but that would also bring trouble. If Yao Zheyu used silver to repay the deed, wouldn’t that tell those wanting to kill Yao Zheyu that he was rescued by the Zhou family? Isn’t that inviting disaster to the Zhou family? The male protagonist is truly in danger, so easily becoming cannon fodder without caution.

Still thinking about settling the debt of gratitude with silver alone? Stop dreaming. Even if the current male protagonist owes a life-saving debt, his heart has not softened much. The debt of saving a life must be kept!

Yao Zheyu’s brow furrowed slightly. He was indeed grateful for being saved by the Zhou family, but they had also taken a significant amount of his silver before. He didn’t regard the life-saving debt too heavily. Now, with the words of Scholar Zhou, he was uncertain if Zhou truly wanted no repayment or if he was looking for more benefits in the future.

Yao Zheyu coughed and said, "I admire Scholar Zhou’s character, but the repayment must be made. Once I return to the capital, I will surely send ten thousand taels of silver as thanks."

Having said that, he watched Scholar Zhou’s response intently. Ten thousand taels of silver, for a scholar from a farming background, it was an amount he would never see in his lifetime. He needed to closely observe Scholar Zhou’s reaction!

Zhou Shuren didn’t blink an eye and thought to himself that the male protagonist was quite generous, offering ten thousand taels of silver right off the bat, and he had money. "Your Highness has already spoken highly of my character. How could I then accept ten thousand taels of silver? Let alone ten thousand taels of silver, even if it were ten thousand taels of gold, I would not accept it. Please do not mention your gratitude again."

Heh, he now dismisses even ten thousand taels of gold. If he’s so capable, let him offer something more valuable than ten thousand taels of gold as thanks!

Yao Zheyu gritted his teeth. He didn’t know if Scholar Zhou did it on purpose, but mentioning ten thousand taels of gold was just too much. He considered his life quite valuable, but before becoming the Princely Heir, his life truly wasn’t worth ten thousand taels of gold. Even if the Hou Residence were wealthy, they couldn’t casually give away ten thousand taels of gold as thanks.

If they dared to give away ten thousand taels of gold, the Emperor, who had long had an eye on the Hou Residence, would seize the opportunity to further covet the Hou Residence’s funds to bolster the national treasury!

Moreover, if his grandfather were no longer capable, his father would certainly not spend silver for him, the former legitimate heir. The ten thousand taels of silver he mentioned would have to come from the money his grandfather secretly gave him.

Yao Zheyu, thinking of his grandfather, no longer dwelled on repaying the debt of saving a life. Whether the Zhou family truly desired no repayment or pretended otherwise, they wouldn’t dare to ask for too much, given the debt of saving a life and considering his own favorable impression of the Zhou family. He would keep this debt in mind, but right now, he urgently needed to return to the capital, "Since Scholar Zhou has said so, it would be an insult to offer silver again."

He paused, then continued, "I am in a hurry to return to the capital, yet the journey is long. I ask Scholar Zhou for help in finding a carriage to take me back to Pingzhou."

Zhou Shuren stroked his beard, "To find a carriage, we must go to the county to look for a convoy. I’m not aware of your predicament, nor curious to ask. However, the county is definitely not safe. How about this, my father-in-law has a donkey cart, which isn’t as fast as horses, but it will reach Pingzhou without issue. I will take the initiative to give you both the donkey and the cart, though it might be a bit uncomfortable for Your Highness."

Yao Zheyu had never ridden in a donkey-drawn cart, but as Scholar Zhou said, there would indeed be many in the county blocking his way, and renting a horse-drawn carriage was not an option, "Then I’ll trouble Scholar Zhou."

As for the repayment, it can all be counted together. He wouldn’t mind adding one more donkey cart.