Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 440 Inside and Out_1

Chapter 440: Chapter 440 Inside and Out_1

Zhao Shi, "Thank you, Mother."

Zhulan pointed at the old woman and the maid, "Madam Hua, thirty-five, the maid fifteen. You can name the maid yourself."

Zhao Shi suppressed the excitement in her heart, she could now make use of a servant and a maid, truly living in comfort. Her mother had also whispered to her that even the Lady of the Zhou family didn’t have a single maid, and now she had everything, "Thank you, Mother."

Zhulan explained, "I didn’t give them to you after purchasing them because I wanted them to learn proper manners. Their manners are quite good now, so you can make use of them."

Zhao Shi, "Mhm."

Zhao Shi named the maid Mai Sui. Zhulan was silent; here was another person who couldn’t name properly, but it seemed slightly better than the names she chose.

Zhulan watched Zhao Shi’s joyful expression and couldn’t help but think that the daughters-in-law in large families all disliked maids and servants gifted by their mothers-in-law, fearing they were being watched and schemed against, and if it were a beautiful maid, one need not explain to know the implications.

Zhulan thought it was better to keep things simple. She had straightforwardly stated she would not take concubines and chose plain-looking maids, having them thoroughly disciplined. That’s why the maids and old women she gave were trusted by her daughters-in-law!

Zhao Shi and Zhou Shuren were doting parents. It shouldn’t be called doting, but rather spoiling the child.

Zhou Shuren and Zhao Shi hadn’t even left when, by evening, Zhulan found out what the two had left for Yushuang and Ming Rui.

Yushuang was living in the main courtyard. Given the items brought back, it was difficult for Zhulan not to know—setting aside clothes and jewelry, Zhao Shi and Zhou Shuren had also left a significant amount of Silver Coins for the children.

The couple were truly generous with their children. They gave Yushuang fifty Silver Notes and fifty pieces of broken silver.

Even to the small child Ming Rui, they gave fifty pieces of broken silver.

Zhulan was speechless. After a careful calculation, she realized that every time Zhou Shuren and Zhao Shi returned, they left silver behind. In the household, Yushuang and Ming Rui were the grandchildren with the most Silver.

It was fortunate she had taught her grandchildren well; otherwise, it would have been too easy for this couple to turn Ming Rui into a spoilt wastrel.

Zhulan, feeling helpless, called over Zhou Shuren, "The children are all young. Don’t give them too much Silver Coin. For a girl, it’s acceptable to be raised in comfort, but a boy should be raised frugally to understand that money is not easily earned in the household. Otherwise, when he grows up, he’ll have no concept of the value of money."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shuren broke into a cold sweat. He really hadn’t thought it through, just acting on his own desires. As a child, he yearned for money, even just a few coins, so having the ability to earn Silver now, and earning quite a bit, he was very willing to give it to his two children, especially Ming Rui, whom he saw as his hope, and was all the more generous with money.

His Mother’s words woke him up; indeed, he couldn’t keep doing this. He was counting on his son to succeed and uphold the dignity of the second wife’s family. He couldn’t raise a prodigal son, "Mother, I understand."

"Good that you understand. The family has plenty to eat and drink. If you want to be kind to the children, save up more dowry for Yushuang and buy Ming Rui some clothes and books."

Zhou Shuren, "Mother, I’ve noted it."

"Alright, you should head back and rest early too."

Zhou Shuren glanced at his father, who was reading, and quickly scurried off.

After Zhou Shuren left, Zhulan smiled and said, "I thought you would have said something too!"

"I’m too lazy to speak. They don’t know how to educate a child properly; perfectly good children are being ruined by them."

Zhulan said, "What parents do for their children is often what they crave the most in their own hearts."

Zhou Shuren paused, "Indeed, it is."

He wanted to give his unborn child the best fatherly love because he had never experienced it himself. It was what he craved the most. What he thought he had gotten over, in fact, he had not; deep within his heart, he still longed for the love of his parents.

Zhou Shuren loathed himself.

The next morning, Zhou Laodi and Zhao’s wife took a carriage. This time, Zhou Shuren provided Zhou Laodi with a skilled house servant for protection. With more people returning, an extra carriage was added.

Zhulan bid farewell to the second wife. Soon, Steward Ding came in, "Madam, the second lady’s carriage collided with another carriage; the second lady has had a shock to her fetus."

Zhulan, "Has a doctor been summoned?"

Steward Ding, "The second lady is currently at the medical hall. The young servant Dongmo, from the second master, has returned with the news."

Zhulan got off the bed and after taking a few steps, she paused, "Did they only mention a shock to the fetus, without specifying how serious it was?"

Steward Ding carefully recalled, as Dongmo’s demeanor did not seem particularly panicked, "It seems it was only a shock to the fetus."

Zhulan sat down again; she could not help but overthink. Zhou Shuren’s outreaching had indeed passed, but it was difficult to guarantee that there weren’t individuals willing to take risks. She had heard from Zhou Shuren that many had been purged in the capital.

The bait that was Zhou Shuren, there was still the possibility of him being targeted for revenge. Zhao’s wife was likely not the intended target – was it her? Was this to lure her out of the house?

For caution’s sake, Zhulan decided not to go. She wasn’t a doctor and couldn’t help much anyway. She spoke to Madam Hua, "You and Steward Ding go to the medical hall to check on her."

Madam Hua thought that even if the madam wanted to go, she would have stopped her; fortunately, the madam was rational enough, "Yes."

Zhulan waited at home for news. She couldn’t let Yushuang find out either. Zhulan felt quite troubled – she didn’t know the condition of the child or whether the adults were in any danger.

Before half an hour had passed, Madam Hua returned, "The second lady is fine, she just suffered a shock. The doctor prescribed some fetus-protecting medicine; after a few doses, there should be no issues."

Zhulan breathed a sigh of relief, "As long as the adults and child are alright."

Otherwise, she would have been restless.

This time there was no need for Zhao’s wife to move; a shock required rest. The couple from the second wife’s party returned. Zhulan saw Zhao’s wife, whose face was pale and still in shock – the fright had been significant.

Zhulan asked Zhou Laodi, "What about the people from the other carriage?"

Zhou Laodi was very frustrated, "It was a coach from the carriage company, and the coachman didn’t know why the horse became uncontrollable. Fortunately, the martially trained house servant provided by father subdued the horse instantly."

Otherwise, today would not have just been about a shock to the fetus; they might have been collecting Zhao’s wife and the unborn child’s bodies instead.

Zhulan was shocked; her guess had been wrong. They weren’t just using Zhao’s wife and the child’s lives to target her; it was a warning to Zhou Shuren.

They dared not touch Zhou Shuren directly, but they were bold enough to target Zhou’s children. If pushed to extremes, they were even considering targeting her.

Zhou Laodi was sharp-minded and had sensed from the martially skilled servant provided by his father that the situation was no simple matter. He just hadn’t expected trouble as soon as they left the door, "Mother, could there be someone in our household who leaked the information? I only mentioned leaving to you yesterday, and trouble arose today; this is too much of a coincidence."

His heart held no resentment for today’s events towards his father. His father was doing it for the Zhou family’s sake. If his father hadn’t acted this way, the whole Zhou family would face death in the future. Aspiring to greater heights, one must navigate dangers; it’s just that today, those dangers had blatantly presented themselves before him.

Therefore, it was the informant he despised, those who betrayed their own people for personal gain.

Zhulan pursed her lips, having suspected as much already. While she was waiting earlier, she had also pondered who it could be. The earliest news must have been leaked from within the estate. Unexpectedly, she realized that there was a breach even within what she thought was an impregnable Zhou family.