Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 346 Helper_1

Chapter 346: Chapter 346 Helper_1

The room fell silent for a while, and Zhulan developed a headache too. This trip to Lizhou City was not for just a year or two, and she had also studied the materials on Lizhou City. In just seven days, she had too many things to prepare.

Zhulan continued to massage Zhou Shuren’s head, "Can I curse?"

She had never sworn in modern times, not even when she was extremely angry—she would, at most, throw things. But after arriving in ancient times, well, she had cursed in her mind more than once, and now she wanted to say it out loud!

Zhou Shuren, "....better not."

Zhulan chuckled, "You can’t go back to your hometown for the ancestral worship. Fortunately, Chang Yi is there. I will write to Chang Yi in a while, asking him to perform the rite on your behalf. Everything at the old home is arranged. I’ll have him take Zhao’s family and a few children to start their journey to Lizhou City. As for Mingyun and Rongchuan, let them continue their studies at the Academy until we get things settled here and find a suitable Academy for them to join. Right, I’ll have Chang Lian send the letter back, and he can also help Chang Yi when he returns."

Zhou Shuren, ".....Chang Lian has arrived?"

Zhulan, ".....He arrived yesterday, he was at the same table during the meal, and he was standing by your side just now, did you not notice?"

Impressive, Zhou Shuren!

Zhou Shuren really hadn’t noticed. He had woken up with a headache in the morning and didn’t feel much better during the meal. His mind was preoccupied with a heap of matters. He truly hadn’t noticed Chang Lian. When he went to the front courtyard earlier, his thoughts were focused on the eunuch from the palace. Where had he the time to notice Chang Lian? And after the eunuch had left, his headache worsened, so of course, he hadn’t seen Chang Lian!

Zhulan also paused for a moment, "Did we forget about Chang Zhi too?"

Zhou Shuren, ".....Yes."

They seldom thought of this son since handing him over to Scholar Xu.

Zhulan coughed softly, "I’ll write another letter to Chang Zhi to decide if he continues with his master or joins Chang Yi and the others on their journey to Lizhou City."

Zhou Shuren felt his headache subsiding, "I’ll go copy down the names and appointments, and I’ll leave the rest of the household matters to you."

It only then occurred to Zhulan that she forgot to mention something, "Right, my parents will arrive in six days, no, a day has passed, so they should be here in five days. Just in time to head to Lizhou City together."

There will be official soldiers escorting their family to Lizhou City. It would be safer for her parents to travel together, especially since the situation in Lizhou City was not good; people, when starving, are capable of doing anything.

Zhulan, reflecting on the matter, no longer wanted Chang Yi to head to Lizhou City too early. Even if Chang Lian returned, there would be very few adults left, which was still not stable. Zhulan believed that it would be best to start the journey after the autumn harvest when they could also transport grain from the old home to Lizhou City.

Zhulan shared her thoughts with Zhou Shuren, who fell silent for a while, "Indeed, this arrangement is the most prudent."

Zhulan added, "I wrote to Chang Yi yesterday, telling him to sell the Pingzhou City house."

"Mingyun and Rongchuan are to continue their studies at the Academy. If the house is sold, will they reside in the Academy?"

Zhulan nodded, "Chang Lian came to the capital and took the carriage, so Mingyun and Rongchuan, feeling that living at home and commuting was a waste of time, stayed at the Academy. Now there’s only the old couple, Ma Qiang, and Chun Fen looking after the Pingzhou City house."

Zhou Shuren thought for a moment, "That’s also good, it will help them develop their ability to live independently. As for Ma Qiang and his wife, they don’t have to be taken along when Chang Yi starts his journey after the autumn harvest. Let the elderly couple look after the Li Family Village house."

Zhulan thought the same; it was essential to leave someone in the old house. Their eldest daughter was still there, and keeping someone at home would not only enable communication but also take care of the land and house. However, once they had enough servants in the future, they would still need to send someone back to the old home. At least two households would keep things balanced.

Zhou Shuren went to the front courtyard, and Zhulan had many tasks to attend to as well. Fortunately, she and Zhou Shuren had already made a list of items needed for their eldest brother’s preparations, so she didn’t need to think about what else to prepare. Moreover, with their brother’s thorough preparation and experience, it was best to leave the acquisition of items to him.

Zhulan finished the letter and checked it twice to ensure nothing was omitted before calling Zhou Shuren, "Go to the West City residence and summon your uncle here."

Zhou Shuren was stunned, "Mother, what’s the matter?"

Why did he feel like his mother wasn’t preparing for a celebration, but was instead looking rushed about something urgent?

Zhulan said, "We are going to set out for Lizhou Province soon."

Zhou Shuren was taken aback—weren’t they supposed to go back to their ancestral home to pay respects to the ancestors first?

Seeing his mother bowing her head and continuing to write, Zhou Shuren swallowed the words he had been about to say; after all, he just needed to obey.

Zhulan heard footsteps and wondered if Zhou Shuren, who had just left, had forgotten something.

"Mother, father sent me to get the deed for this property."

When Zhulan heard Chang Lian’s words, she knew Scholar Deng had arrived, "Wait a moment."

Chang Lian stood outside without entering the room. He knew that valuable things must be hidden by mother somewhere, and it was better for him not to know.

In fact, Chang Lian really overthought it—ever since Zhulan came to the capital, she had never hidden it; the deed had always been in the cupboard.

Chang Lian was content that his father had noticed him, yet he was discontented that his father hadn’t spoken much to him. His father had never even inquired about his life in Pingzhou City. If it weren’t for the fact that mother had seen him first yesterday and shown concern, he might have thought he had returned to the times when his father was indifferent and his mother was uncaring.

Chang Lian comforted himself by thinking his father must have simply been too busy, and that’s why he had been neglected.

Soon, Chang Lian was excited again—his father had actually become the prefect, a Fifth Rank official! Especially upon learning that all deputy positions had been assigned this term, and Wu Ming was only a Seventh-rank County Official, he was thrilled beyond measure. His father was the most formidable of all, and he had become the son of a prefect’s family!

Zhulan handed the property deed to Chang Lian, and also passed the letter to him, "Perfect timing. Take the letter and find a carriage team. Also prepare to set off back to the ancestral home as soon as possible."

Chang Lian was somewhat dumbfounded; he had already learned from his elder brother that their father was going to take office. "Mother, why should I go back to our old home? Even if I don’t go with you to Lizhou Province, I should stay in the capital. My brother-in-law wants to introduce me to his mentor; I am to become his disciple."

Zhulan paused in her writing. She had truly forgotten. Ah, she was a bit frantic. There were a whole lot of things to handle. Jiang Ming’s brother-in-law had returned to the capital, still a Fifth Rank official, a doctor at the Ministry of Revenue.

The two families needed to meet, which would eat up a day, not to mention the matter of Chang Lian becoming a disciple and Zhou Shuren personally visiting the mentor.

It was Chang Lian who was truly anxious now, "Mother."

Zhulan rubbed her forehead, "I have overlooked it. So you go and deliver the property deed to your father first, and I will write an additional page to explain some matters to include with the letter. Come back later and take the letter to send it off."

Chang Lian exhaled a breath of relief. It wasn’t really about sending him back to the old home, which was fine, "Alright."

Zhulan took the letter back into the room. Chang Lian could not go back now. Lady Dong had to be arranged properly. As Zhulan wrote, she thought to herself, everything was in complete disarray. She wouldn’t be at ease if Lady Dong came to the capital, and she was even more uneasy about Chang Lian staying in the capital.

The capital was a place where people were devoured without a trace, and with Yao Zheyu there, her heart was always guarded. If Chang Lian encountered Yao Zheyu, it would be like sending a lamb to the slaughter.

Zhulan stopped writing and pondered. Jiang Ming’s mentor had no official position, but he must be a capable person to have trained Jiang Ming. Zhou Shuren needed help in Lizhou Province, and the more Zhulan thought about it, the more promising it seemed!