Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 327: She Never Ages_1

Chapter 327: Chapter 327: She Never Ages_1

Zhulan received a letter from Wu Chun, addressed to her. Ancient communication was not convenient, and this letter was a message of safety written by Wu Chun after his arrival in Lizhou Province.

As for the letter written by Yang Zhumu, it was estimated that since it had reached Lizhou Province, Wu Chun’s reply should still be on its way.

Zhulan and her elder brother opened the letter together, which was accompanied by fur along with the sent items. They skipped the item list included in the letter and directly read the main content.

In Lizhou Province, Wu Chun was still under Zheng Hong’s command. Zheng Hong was in charge of the garrison there, overseeing the stationed soldiers, and Wu Chun assisted him as a military general with real power.

Wu Chun had bought a large estate with three sections for only two hundred pieces of silver in Lizhou City. The estate was very large, and he specifically mentioned that, although Lizhou was a Prefecture City, the conditions there were poor, and the most common merchants were fur traders.

Although the wars had ended and people who had fled were gradually returning to the city, Lizhou was still desolate. The common folk were particularly impoverished, with many selling their children.

Yang Zhumu was taken aback. "Why did this lad write so much about the life of the common people in Lizhou City? Goodness, there are three or four pages."

Zhulan passed the pages about Lizhou City to Zhou Shuren. "These are for Shuren, written by Wu Chun."

Zhou Shuren cherished the letter as he read it. This was the information he had asked Wu Chun to write about. He had requested Wu Chun to describe everything he saw and inform him by letter. Wu Chun had indeed been thorough, apparently having visited the nearby villages often. His tone was very somber, especially when describing the lack of food to cook and how some people had to resort to eating dirt.

Zhou Shuren felt a heaviness in his heart. Although the environment in Dongbei was also harsh during the winter, its land was fertile. With favorable weather over the past years, as long as people didn’t sell too much grain to save up silver, every household could eat their fill. In recent years, families with excess land in Dongbei had even started to afford luxuries for themselves.

This was also the reason why merchants had begun visiting Dongbei more frequently in recent years.

The fact that merchants were reluctant to go to Lizhou City indicated just how impoverished the local people were.

Zhulan finished reading the rest of the letter, which detailed how Wu Chun planned to settle down and ended with an invitation for her and Zhou Shuren to visit him in Lizhou City if they had the chance.

Yang Zhumu felt a little upset for a moment—there was no mention of him throughout the letter!

Seeing her elder brother’s mood, Zhulan couldn’t help but chuckle. "He didn’t know you were here with me."

"I’ve sent him a letter."

Zhulan was at a loss for words. "Elder brother, calculate the time it takes for you to receive Wu Chun’s letter and then reply back to Lizhou City. How many days does it take for one round trip? When Wu Chun was writing to me, your letter hadn’t even reached him yet! How could he know you were also in the capital? Wait a few more days, and your reply should arrive."

Yang Zhumu did the math. "That’s true. The reply from this lad should be on its way to the capital."

Zhulan collected the letter. "I’m going to take a look at the gifts my grand-nephew has brought for me."

This was a New Year’s gift, although it arrived a bit late, as it was already February, and in just a few days, the imperial examinations would begin.

Zhou Shuren held the letter. "I’ll go back to studying."

Zhulan replied, "Alright."

Zhulan and her elder brother went to check the gifts together—three boxes of items, two filled with fur, and one filled with dates. These dates were a fine treat.

Zhulan set some aside, planning to save them for her mother when she arrived in the capital.

Having just finished organizing the fur, Lady Li returned with Xing Hua, carrying a basket of vegetables and warming her hands by the fire. "Mother, it’s truly cold today!"

Zhulan was already worried. The imperial examinations consisted of three sessions on the ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth days, with candidates entering the venue one day prior and exiting the next day.

Each contestant’s area was still very small, five feet long, four feet wide, and eight feet high. Upon entry, they were first searched, then each was given three candles. Once the examinees entered and the door was locked, the conditions remained very harsh!

Zhulan asked, "What meat did you buy today? You seem very pleased."

With a big grin, Lady Li said, "Mother, the lamb meat was fresh today. I bought a few more pounds of it. We’ll have stewed lamb tonight."

Zhulan hummed in approval. "Buy some more meat tomorrow. Make more sausages for father to take with him."

"Yes!"

Time flew, and the eighth day of the lunar month soon arrived. Zhulan checked the items that Zhou Shuren was bringing with him, and this time, not only did Zhulan check everything multiple times, but even Zhou Shuren double-checked it all.

Zhulan saw how nervous Zhou Shuren was, and she, on the other hand, felt much more relaxed, "It’s rare to see you this nervous about anything."

Zhou Shuren smiled, "I’ve already taken ninety-nine steps, it’s just the last one that remains, how could I not be nervous?"

Zhulan took Zhou Shuren’s hand, "Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, you’ve come this far, just let things take their natural course."

These days, Zhou Shuren was even dreaming about the exams at night, Zhulan could hear him talking in his sleep, reciting his studies!

Zhou Shuren, "Hmm."

Upon hearing that, Zhulan knew it sounded good, but she was certain he wasn’t thinking that way in his heart. Zhou Shuren always said she liked to shoulder responsibilities, wasn’t he the same?

Only Zhou Shuren’s concerns were small, solely focused on her.

The capital in February was really bustling, especially on the eighth day, the streets were filled with carriages, and they were even more congested as they headed southwest.

Zhulan’s family was among the latecomers, their carriage stuck at the end of the line, so in the bitter cold, they had to walk.

The situation was similar for many on the street, not just Zhulan’s family walking. Zhulan was willing to spend silver, especially on Zhou Shuren, who was wrapped in a thick cloak and not cold at all.

It was necessary to queue up to enter the examination venue, the process was the same as the county-level exams.

Zhulan waited until Zhou Shuren had gone in, then stood on the street for a while with no intention of leaving.

Lady Li, despite being overweight, was not the most cold-resistant. Rubbing her hands together, she said, "Mother, let’s go home."

Zhulan came back to her senses and took one last look at the examination hall, where Zhou Shuren was struggling for her sake. She smiled, "Let’s go home."

Once home, Zhulan went back to her room to paint the scene of Zhou Shuren entering the exam hall.

Lady Li stood by and commented, "Mother, your painting is really good."

Zhulan turned her head, "How did you get in here?"

Lady Li’s eyes filled with grievance, "Mother, I’ve been following you all along."

Zhulan knew Lady Li was there to keep her company, and looking at Lady Li’s bun-like face, she couldn’t help reaching out to pinch it, "It really does feel nice."

Lady Li’s eyes widened, but inwardly she was overjoyed. Mother had pinched her, she and the head of the household both doted on her the most. Remembering the words of the head of the household, Lady Li’s face turned red.

Zhulan watched in a daze as Lady Li ran out. She had merely pinched her face - why had Lady Li become so shy?

Xue Han came in with her niece, "Mother, why did big sister run out?"

Zhulan, "Who knows what she’s thinking."

Seeing that her mother was calm and not at all worried, Xue Han was stunned, "Mother, aren’t you worried about father?"

In the past, mother always worried about the exams.

Zhulan waited for the ink to dry and put the painting away, "I trust your father."

Xue Han fell silent. She truly envied the love between her father and mother; she too hoped that one day she could have the same relationship with Rongchuan. With that thought, her face turned as red as a cloth, "Mother, I’m going back to my room."

Zhulan blinked her eyes. What was going on today? Why was everyone getting shy? Had she fallen behind in their train of thought? Was she really getting old?

Zhulan shivered at the thought - it was terrifying. No, her actual age wasn’t even thirty, and in ancient terms, it wasn’t even forty, she wasn’t old, not old at all!