Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 465 Who Gave You the Confidence_1

Chapter 465: Chapter 465 Who Gave You the Confidence_1

Zhulan had a smile on her face, she knew it would come to this scene. Jinzhou is not like Lizhou Province; Lizhou Province, being a border town, lacks such extensive power struggles due to the purity of its authority.

Jinzhou City, well, even a minor official here has connections, not to mention the Maritime Affairs Administration and the Inspection Department, which are inherently at odds with each other, and truly fight with real animosity. Mr. Min’s and Mr. Ran’s wives naturally don’t get along, and anytime the two are together, it’s like a battlefield.

Zhulan watched as the ladies in the room instantly divided into factions and cursed inwardly. Qi Clan was openly challenging Liu Ya, which frankly showed no respect for her as the host. Zhulan looked to the sky, speechless. Indeed, there was no need to show respect, given that Qi Clan’s sister was the Third Prince’s mother!

Liu Ya fiddled with her teacup, "Lady Qi had better watch her words. Oh dear, I almost forgot, Lady Qi never knows how to hold her tongue. It’s been half a year now; has Miss Ran found a suitable marriage?"

Zhulan felt a bad premonition as Qi Clan glanced at her; don’t think she didn’t know about Miss Ran’s situation just because she had arrived not long ago. Miss Ran was entirely a sacrificial pawn. Qi Clan started it by scheming against Liu Ya’s son, and then Liu Ya ruined Miss Ran’s marriage prospects.

Zhulan thought to herself, these two are truly dangerous people!

Qi Clan felt like strangling Liu Ya; she had only one daughter and her good marriage opportunity was destroyed. Qi Clan sneered, "Thanks for your concern. Sister Liu should rather pay more attention to Miss Min the fourth. I genuinely wish her a good marriage match."

Zhulan felt a chill run down her back listening to them, these two were mortal enemies. The marriage prospects of women in ancient times were truly pitiful. No matter if they were daughters of nobility, they were either used in marriage alliances or they were the targets of scheming, and those who married safely and well were few and far between.

Zhulan felt that this could not go on, she didn’t want a scandal to break out at her son’s full-month celebration and said to old nurse Song by her side, "Bring the character bestowed by the Emperor. Today is Chang Zhi’s full-month celebration, it’s just the right time to hang it."

Old nurse Song quickly left, her steps very light. She had feared her mistress wouldn’t be able to control the situation, but now she was relieved.

The room quieted down, Liu Ya stopped retorting, and Yuguang watched Yang Clan, definitely not a coincidence. Why would Yang Clan bring it out now and not earlier? Originally she hadn’t planned to reveal it, but seeing the quarrel between her and Qi Clan, she chose this moment to suppress them.

Qi Clan looked over and, instead of being angry, was actually quite delighted.

Zhulan saw it too, and felt aggrieved. What doesn’t work for good always seems to work for ill. Qi Clan had taken an interest in Chang Zhi, and she was much more difficult to deal with than Liu Ya. Who could blame her, with Qi Clan’s elder sister being the mother to the Third Prince?

Old nurse Song brought in the nicely framed character, and the full-month celebration finally became peaceful. At least on the surface, the fighting stopped, the Emperor’s calligraphy was heavily praised, and the child was complimented in passing.

The child needed sleep as there were too many people, and little Chang Zhi frowned. Soon after, Zhulan had Liu Ya take the child away.

Qi Clan casually inquired, "I heard that Zhou Shuren’s fourth son is seldom at home and has been studying abroad."

Zhulan inwardly thought, what ’heard? They had investigated thoroughly, "This child has no interest in mundane affairs, all he thinks and dreams of is his studies, and there he goes again, traveling to study with his master."

Qi Clan was also aware but her daughter’s situation, even if suppressed, could not hide the annulment of engagement. Qi Clan harbored this resentment and after much consideration, decided that Zhou’s family was indeed most suitable. "This child is pure-hearted, and from what I hear, he is not a bad kid."

Zhulan thought to herself that she was not deceived by such blatant lies. When she mentioned he had no interest in worldly affairs, she noticed Qi Clan’s mouth twitch. She did indeed sympathize with Miss Ran. If blame were to be assigned, it was difficult to say who was at fault—blame Liu Ya? Mr. Ran and Qi Clan had also done their share. Ultimately, as soon as Mr. Ran got involved, none in the Ran family could expect to keep out of it.

Zhulan pondered that the Zhou family’s situation was similar. Now enjoying the status and splendor brought by Zhou Shuren, everything came with a price. Take Mrs. Zhao’s shock, or her youngest son’s name, future hidden dangers would only increase.

Fortunately, the banquet began, bringing the conversations to an end.

After the guests departed, Zhulan looked at the congratulatory gifts but felt little joy.

Zhou Shuren noticed this, "Did something happen in your women’s quarters?"

Zhulan shook her head, "Don’t you trust me? I’m pretty good at handling things; it didn’t turn into a big deal."

It wasn’t until everyone had left that she realized—everyone said that Qi Clan was hot-tempered and arrogant, and indeed Qi Clan confronted Liu Ya first, which she had also initially thought. But upon closer consideration after the guests left, Zhulan felt that she had been mistaken; Qi Clan was also testing her, and her quietness later on was the best proof.

Zhou Shuren patted Zhulan’s shoulder, "Mrs. Zhou, your peaceful days are gone."

In Jinzhou, the officials’ families all had backing, with intricate and complex relations. Sometimes he would feel a headache just thinking about it.

Zhulan sighed, her peaceful days were gone, which was why she hadn’t insisted on keeping her eldest daughter there. She didn’t want Xue Mei to get dragged into this mess, "By the way, here is the Crown Prince’s list of gifts, and these are from the other four princes."

Zhou Shuren raised an eyebrow, "The Fifth Prince?"

Zhulan pulled out the list, "Here, the gifts aren’t valuable, but they’re very thoughtful. Our son is born in the year of the horse, so he gave twelve carved horses, each in a different form."

Zhou Shuren nodded at the list, "I can understand the Crown Prince and the others, but what does this unknown little prince mean by this?"

Zhou Shuren really hadn’t paid much attention to this Prince, mainly thinking that being full brothers, he was of the same country as the Crown Prince. Given the current situation, the Crown Prince had a high chance of ascending the throne. It would be good to stay under the Crown Prince’s wing, sheltered from the storm. As long as the Crown Prince ascended, it would be a sure win. Of all the princes, the Fifth Prince seemed to be the luckiest.

Zhulan, "One can only say it’s worthy of a prince."

They all harbor the ambition to ascend to the throne.

Zhou Shuren was quite speechless. Not to mention the Crown Prince, even looking at the Second, Third, and Fourth, none were easy to deal with. What gave the Fifth Prince this confidence and courage?