Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 427: Drawing_1

Chapter 427: Chapter 427: Drawing_1

Zhou Shuren took Zhulan’s hand. "Indeed, there is good news, but it’s not about me. Today, the government office received a petition to the Emperor from the people, thanking His Majesty for his boundless grace which has allowed Lizhou City to enjoy peace and prosperity. I’ve already sent someone to deliver it post-haste to the capital."

His efforts in promoting the Emperor’s kindness at every opportunity, when it mattered and when it didn’t, had worn him out these days.

Zhulan caught on. "Your doing?"

Zhou Shuren pinched Zhulan’s nose. "I knew I couldn’t hide it from you. I’m bound to be transferred up next year, and this petition will work in my favor."

He didn’t want to be transferred laterally and bullied, so naturally, he would add any leverage he could to his situation.

Zhulan’s mind was quick. Zhou Shuren started as a fifth rank, and even with two years of achievements, a further promotion wouldn’t be easy; he still had to slowly work his way up. "I wondered why your frostbite acted up again, turns out you’ve been running all over the place."

Zhulan hadn’t mentioned it yet, and upon mentioning it, Zhou Shuren felt his feet itch again. "I did it partly because I was worried you’d fret, and also because I wanted to give you a surprise."

Zhulan held Zhou Shuren’s hand. Before she was pregnant, he definitely wouldn’t have bothered with a petition to earn himself points. His doing so was because of the arrival of their child—they both wanted to secure the best for their baby!

Zhulan leaned on Zhou Shuren’s shoulder. "You’ve worked hard."

Zhou Shuren touched Zhulan’s slightly bulging belly and grinned like a fool. "The one who’s really had it tough is you. All I did was run around and talk more—it’s not that hard, actually."

Crafting the petition really wasn’t difficult. His reputation, along with a lot of brainwashing and various promotions of the Emperor’s boundless grace and achievements, and with the right guidance, made the petition possible.

Zhulan enjoyed the quiet until Liu Ya knocked on the door. "Master, Madam, dinner is ready."

Zhulan replied, "Noted."

Zhou Shuren helped Zhulan to dinner, and as they walked, he said, "Next year, we’ll dine separately, and only come together for meals during the festivals."

Zhulan replied, "Now we have few servants. Once we hire more, and there are enough people in the kitchen to handle the workload, we’ll eat separately."

Zhou Shuren helped Zhulan inside, and once they were seated, he said, "Let’s eat."

Meanwhile, Lady Li looked somewhat tired. Ming Hui was just too boisterous, especially eager to go outside, and now that winter had come, he was even more rowdy. A single upset and he would howl, with quite a temper. Sighing, Lady Li wished to visit her mother-in-law but couldn’t because her son was too much trouble. She lamented softly, "Mother, please tell me how Ming Hui can look so much like you. It would be so much better if he had your temperament."

Zhulan said nothing about her grandson. She had witnessed Ming Hui’s loudness and temper, as had Zhou Shuren who then advised his eldest son not to bring the child over to the main house too often.

Zhulan offered Lady Li a helping of vegetables and said something insincere, "Having a temperament like yours is quite good too."

But picturing herself with Lady Li’s temperament, she didn’t want to dwell on the thought any longer—the image was too dreadful, it depressed her.

Lady Li uttered, "...."

She didn’t find it good at all. Every time she saw her son throw a temper tantrum, she felt a bit scared, reminded of her mother-in-law. If her mother-in-law ever yelled at her like that, she feared her soul would fly away.

The next day, Xue Han sneaked in to find her mother. "Mother, I have something to tell you."

Zhulan set down her embroidery, seeing Xue Han flustered for the first time. "What’s the matter?"

Xue Han glanced at the old Lady Liu, and Liu Ya immediately exited, closing the door tightly behind her.

Xue Han whispered to her mother, holding her hand, "Mother, yesterday Third Brother and a few others were barbecuing in the pavilion. Sister Wu sketched it all out."

Zhulan was stunned, "She sketched everything out?"

Xue Han nodded, "She sketched everything out. I’m not panicked about that, but that Sister Wu didn’t even realize herself that she gave the most attention to Master Shi in her drawings. Third Brother and the others were just a backdrop."

No, they couldn’t even count as a backdrop. The drawings were, to put it mildly, ugly.

Zhulan felt a heaviness in her heart, "How did you see the drawing?"

According to her understanding of Wu Ning, the drawing must have been done secretly, and once done, it would be destroyed.

Xue Han explained, "We share a study, and she doesn’t dare let anyone see, so she hid it. I found it when I went to look for my copybook, but it should be destroyed by now. As soon as I took out the copybook, Sister Wu hurried off to the study."

She waited until Sister Wu left and confirmed that she had gone to the eldest sister-in-law’s courtyard before coming to find her mother.

Zhulan sighed, "What do you think?"

Xue Han was no longer a peasant girl. With the education she had received and her growing horizons, she understood that Master Shi’s study with father was no trivial matter; even Third Brother was curious. She once discussed it with Third Brother, and from what he let slip, she knew not to be curious, otherwise there would be serious problems.

Even without these unknown factors and putting aside Master Shi’s background, just taking the situation with Wang Ru and Master Shi, she was young at that time, but mother always used Wang Ru’s example to teach her. She understood just how cunning Master Shi was. Just because of that, she didn’t wish Sister Wu to have anything to do with Master Shi.

Sister Wu was pitiful enough already. She hoped Sister Wu could find a husband who would cherish her. "Mother, do you think it would be good for Sister Wu to find a boy raised by his maternal grandparents too?"

Zhulan almost spat out her drink, "Why would you think that?"

Xue Han looked down, her face reddening. She thought Rongchuan was very good.

Seeing her daughter’s red face, Zhulan put down her cup and sighed, "You and Wu Ning are different. Good boys raised by their maternal grandparents aren’t that easy to find. Take Rongchuan, for example. First, your father and I owe him a life-saving favor. Second, your father has been teaching him as a teacher would; one day a teacher, a lifetime a father. Although he hasn’t formally become an apprentice, it’s the same with a son-in-law. Third, and most importantly, Rongchuan is willing."

Not all boys raised by their maternal grandparents are willing. They are different from brides raised by their in-laws. In ancient times, due to male and female rights, brides raised by their in-laws only had to listen to their new families, but ill-behaved boys raised by their maternal grandparents were different. Once they grew strong, who knew what they would do.

After listening, Xue Han knew she had been too presumptuous, "Mother, then what should Sister Wu Ning do?"

Zhulan gently stroked her daughter’s face, "Wu Ning is still young; wait a few more years. Don’t worry so much. She’s stronger than you think. Go back now; Wu Ning might get suspicious."

Xue Han was just worried about Sister Wu, "Okay."

After Xue Han left, even though one was unmarriageable and the other unworthy of marriage, Zhulan didn’t have high hopes for them. Although she knew more about Master Shi, she still thought it wouldn’t work. He was the Emperor’s blade. Wu Ming had finally extricated himself, and if the two families got involved, she didn’t dare to think if they would be wiped out in one stroke.

Zhulan was upset, feeling unsettled and unable to continue with her needlework. How unlucky was that child Wu Ning? Even in a novel, she probably wouldn’t have a good ending, regardless of whether the protagonist was Xue Han or Wang Ru’s turnaround. Reputation was a critical weakness.

Even if Wu Ning married somewhat decently, her end would not be well if Wu Ming fell from power.

In the evening, when Zhou Shuren came home, Zhulan talked to him about Wu Ning’s situation. Zhou Shuren’s eyes flickered, "I understand."

Zhou Shuren didn’t want the Shi family and the Wu family to have any connection. Together, they were like a ticking time bomb, and he had no desire to defuse it.

Zhulan held Zhou Shuren’s hand, "If only—never mind."