Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 305 Not Bragging_1

Chapter 305: Chapter 305 Not Bragging_1

Zhulan knew that Lady Li had a loud voice that could be traced back to her family lineage, nodded, and said, "This time we are going to the capital for the examination, whether we can stay in the capital afterward depends on the outcome of the head of the household’s imperial examination. I can’t predict the future."

Lady Li’s second aunt-in-law asked, "Isn’t the imperial examination next year? Why are you leaving this year?"

She really didn’t understand what the imperial examination was; she only knew about it after the head of the household said that their eldest brother’s in-laws had become a Graduate, and that participating in the imperial examination meant an official position was in the future.

Zhulan explained, "We have a residence in the capital, and by going there early, the head of the household can take good care of his health in preparation for the imperial examination, to avoid hurrying there next year, falling ill, and missing the examination."

Lady Li’s third aunt-in-law grasped the essential point, "You have a residence in the capital?"

Good heavens, how much silver is a residence in the capital worth? She felt annoyed in her heart, accusing her mother-in-law of favoring the eldest son’s family too much. Such a favorable marriage had been arranged for the eldest son’s family, and now, they had to rely on them for connections and also needed to ingratiate themselves with their niece, which made her feel uncomfortable just thinking about it.

Lady Lixu’s heart thumped wildly; her daughter’s fortune was truly great. In the future, they might even have an eunuch in the family. Ah, thinking about it, the Li family might have an official in the family too!

Zhulan smiled lightly. The men of the Li family were guileless, but the daughters-in-law were sharp. Zhulan didn’t mind Lady Li’s aunts-in-law, who may have had their little schemes, but they never crossed the line in public. Zhulan had even more respect for the late Madam Li, the old lady, who must have put in a lot of effort finding suitable daughters-in-law for her sons. The old lady had not had it easy.

Lady Li also remembered that they were out of vegetables at home, and as she came from the kitchen, she said, "The aunts are here too!"

Lady Li’s third aunt-in-law felt a pang of envy at the sight of their niece’s clothes. Even when cooking, she wore such fine attire, and the pearl hairpin in her hair, oh my, it made her feel so sour, though on her face she had to smile, "Yes indeed, look, I’ve brought a lot of vegetables with me too!"

Lady Li was just thinking of going home to pick vegetables, "Thanks to the aunts, I was just about to tell mother that we should go back and pick some vegetables!"

Zhulan smiled and said to Lady Li, "Everyone stay for dinner today, you can judge how much food we need."

Lady Li exclaimed in surprise, as the four branches of the Li family added up to quite a number of people. "Mother, are the children also coming to eat?"

She hadn’t seen the children of the Li family and assumed they must have stayed at home.

Zhulan was generous not only because they came to celebrate, but also because of the Li family’s care for the residence during the past half a year. She had done a quick check on her way here, and there wasn’t even grass in the yard, nor a speck of dust on the tables and chairs, which showed how reliable Lady Li’s family had been.

In the future, their family would come back even less often. The Zhou family would still depend on the Li family to look after the residence and lands. Besides, the various branches of the Li family had brought them game, which had been a great help to the Zhou family during the siege of Pingzhou City. They definitely had to stay for this meal.

During the siege, meat had been the scarcest, and the Zhou family had sent game to the home of Graduate Xu, to Wu’s family, and to Zhao Bo, earning the Zhou family quite a bit of goodwill!

Zhulan said with a smile, "Everyone come and eat."

Lady Lixu hurriedly objected, "This really isn’t necessary. It is embarrassing enough that we are staying."

She knew exactly how many children there were in the different branches of the Li family. Just the Li family could fill five or six tables; wouldn’t this meal require at least eight tables if everyone were to sit down?

They had originally just come to have a look and had not expected to stay for dinner.

Zhulan patted Lady Lixu’s hand, "Let’s all eat together and celebrate today, make it lively. Don’t say anything more, Mother-in-law. Today, you’ll listen to me."

After finishing, Zhulan said to Lady Li, "It’s not dark yet. Go and tell your eldest brother to buy some chickens to slaughter."

Returning from Pingzhou, Zhulan had bought over twenty jin of sauce meat and ten roasted chickens, originally intending to give half to her eldest daughter’s family. Alas, they were all consumed today, and anything for her daughter will have to be bought from the county tomorrow.

Zhulan also brought back quite a bit of grain, which looked like this evening’s meal would be gone too; the oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar were all brought back from Pingzhou, and this meal would probably be gone, meaning a trip to the county would be needed tomorrow for replenishing supplies.

Lady Li complied, "Mother, I’m taking the vegetables out."

"Go ahead."

Lady Li was strong and easily left with three baskets in hand.

As Lady Li walked, she weighed the vegetables in her mind. The three aunts had brought a comprehensive selection, not only the vegetables from the yard but also mushrooms and wood ear fungi; cooking eight tables’ worth of dishes tonight wouldn’t be tough, especially with three main dishes already prepared.

Eight courses per table: sauce meat, roasted chicken, sauce pig’s trotters, braised chicken with mushrooms, stir-fried wood ear with cabbage, scrambled eggs with hot peppers, and braised green beans with potatoes.

Lady Li carried the vegetable baskets to the kitchen and approached Zhao Bo’s wife, "Sister-in-law, Mother wants me to buy some young chickens, and I am thinking of getting some eggs as well. Could you lend me some silver?"

Zhao Bo’s wife was washing dishes and utensils. She put down a bowl, wiped her hands, and opened her purse, "How many chickens and how many eggs does my sister-in-law wish to purchase?"

Lady Li calculated with her plump fingers, "We need to prepare for eight tables, so six young chickens for the mushroom dish should suffice, and a hundred eggs, we still need eggs to boil for the children’s breakfast tomorrow!"

Zhao Bo’s wife took out two silver taels and said, "Sister-in-law, since Zhou Family Village is not far and the butcher there should still have meat, why don’t we have big brother go buy the chickens and pick up elder sister’s family on the way?"

Lady Li accepted the silver, "Your thoughtfulness is appreciated, alright, I’ll pass the message to your big brother."

Lady Dong chimed in, "Elder Sister-in-Law, we’re cooking for eight tables tonight; shouldn’t we start with the staple food? What do you plan to make for the main carb?"

Lady Li had thought of mixed-flour buns. There wasn’t much corn flour brought back from Pingzhou; in Pingzhou, corn flour was either used to make porridge or to make flat cakes for a change of taste, with most people eating wheat buns and rice. Ah, since moving to Pingzhou, the weekly diet of Zhulan’s family had significantly improved.

Lady Li coughed, "Steamed buns. We don’t have enough flour brought back, just enough to let your big brother trade for some more in Zhou Family Village."

Lady Dong said no more; although her elder sister-in-law could be hazy about other things, she was the most knowledgeable when it came to the kitchen.

On the side, Lady Li’s sisters-in-law, convinced by their younger sister-in-law’s words, not hesitating to blow their own trumpets, felt both happy and envious!

After talking with Lady Lixu for a while, the Lizheng’s wife from Li Family Village arrived, bringing some vegetables and eggs, knowing that Zhulan’s family just returned and might urgently need some greens.

Zhulan hadn’t forgotten about the vegetable garden in her estate; she didn’t entrust it to the Li family because she had her own reservations. The Zhou family had already helped the Li family quite a bit; neglecting the vegetable garden seemed acceptable, so it remained untouched.

Oh, and there were also the dogs they had bought before, still being raised in the estate. The Zhou family had left grain for the dogs, and the Li family took good care of them. The few big dogs remained spirited, although thinning was inevitable. When Zhulan’s family was around, the dogs often had bones to eat; with Zhulan’s family gone, where could the Li family find bones for the dogs? They could only feed them the leftover grain, so naturally, the dogs lost some weight without meat.

The happiest about Zhulan’s family’s return were those few big dogs!

An hour later, Xue Mei arrived with the children, and that was when Zhulan learned that elder brother Zhou had gone to Zhou Family Village to buy chickens and conveniently picked up Xue Mei and her family as well.

Zhulan didn’t notice Xue Mei’s belly during her last visit. This time, Xue Mei was dressed more warmly, and Zhulan eyed her belly, "Why is your stomach so big?"