Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 467 Secret_1

Chapter 467: Chapter 467 Secret_1

Zhulan, anxious about the child, walked away quickly. Xue Han, accompanied by two maids, headed outside while asking, "Did you see anything?"

Liu Jin and Liu Li, with their heads bowed, understood to deny seeing anything even if they had: "We didn’t see anything."

Xue Han said somberly, "So you did see something after all."

The heads of Liu Jin and Liu Li dropped even lower, their mistress was becoming more and more like the lady of the house, "Yes."

Xue Han’s eyes were sharp, "Even if you saw something, act as though you saw nothing."

Liu Jin and Liu Li felt a tightness in their chests and quickly responded, "Yes."

Xue Han, filled with concern, hurried back to the courtyard. Upon entering, she saw Wu Ning, her sister, sitting on a chair, staring at the purse in her hand. Xue Han sat down with furrowed brows and gestured for all the maids to leave, including the Wei Pozi and the Shui Pozi.

Only then did Wu Ning notice Xue Han’s return, "Have the guests left?"

Xue Han, propping her forehead with one hand, looked into her sister’s eyes, "Sister, do you have an affection for Master Shi?"

She and her mother had been worried before, but after observing for a long time without issue, she had not given it much thought. However, what she had just witnessed in the garden, as someone who had been in love herself, left her certain that she couldn’t have misunderstood the look in Wu Ning’s eyes.

Wu Ning froze, "I don’t understand what you’re talking about, sister."

Xue Han said, "There’s no one else in our courtyard, and I saw everything in the garden. Were you going to give Master Shi that purse?"

A tightening gripped Wu Ning’s heart, and she shook her head in a fluster, "No, that’s my purse. Ming Rui had taken it, and somehow he lost it. I didn’t expect Master Shi to find it and just so happened to return it to me."

Xue Han cursed Ming Rui inwardly, thinking that the boy was becoming quite a handful under Ming Teng’s influence. She then narrowed her eyes, "Sister."

Xue Han closed her mouth again. Sister Wu Ning loved plum blossoms, but she only embroidered them on her purse and rarely on her clothes. The embroidery was also hidden, afraid that someone might find it and make a fuss. Wu Ning was the most careful and discreet; an unknowing person wouldn’t guess the purse was hers. But Master Shi found it and knew it was hers. Heh, he must have been paying a lot of attention!

Wu Ning was very nervous, she was indeed afraid of her sister Xue Han, who was already like an aunt and always accompanied by Shui Pozi offering advice. Her sister was not easy to deceive, so it might be better to be frank. In a rush, she said, "I’ve rarely seen Master Shi, there’s really nothing between us, don’t overthink it."

Xue Han scrutinized her sister intensely. This sister was someone who evoked a sense of protectiveness, especially when she heard sister Wu Ning’s murmur, "It’s impossible." With a sigh, Xue Han said, "I won’t tell mother."

Wu Ning’s heart that had been held tight finally settled, "Thank you."

Xue Han felt heartache, her sister was all too aware, which only deepened her sympathy.

Xue Han thought that no one else knew, but in fact, Zhulan received the news immediately. The servants managed by Song Pozi couldn’t keep anything from Zhulan.

After waiting a while without Xue Han coming, Zhulan said to Song Pozi with a smile, "Go tell the servants to keep their mouths shut."

Song Pozi bowed, "Yes."

Zhulan, holding her son, said, "Your sister has grown up and has her own ideas now. Even though Wu Ning is older than her, she ends up playing the role of the older sister."

The little one, not understanding, gurgled as if to speak.

Zhulan kissed her son’s little hand and thought to herself that it was time to find more teachers, to fill the schedule with more classes, so there would be no spare time to have wandering thoughts. Zhou Shuren’s approach might also work, writing and reading could never do harm.

Early the next day, Zhulan saw off Xue Mei and her family. This time, the second eldest Zhou also headed back home with them. After much consideration, he decided not to buy a shop in the capital but to purchase one back home and check on the Zhou family estate while there.

The things Zhulan gave to Xue Mei, not counting the gifts, were a cartful just of clothes and food.

The children, reluctant to leave, made Zhulan wonder whether she should keep Jiang Miu behind, but she dismissed the thought as soon as it came. Jiang Sheng wished for stability, and no matter how much Jiang Miu might rebel, he would not escape the Jiang family. It would be better for Jiang Miu to grow up safe and sound within his own family, lest being raised by her side would inflate his desires for loftier, unattainable things, eventually leading to his downfall.

After seeing off Xue Mei and her family, Zhulan then met the teachers she had found. Both were introduced by the Deputy Magistrate’s wife, Madame Tao, and had taught her daughter.

The two teachers, one surnamed Zhao, excelled in calligraphy and painting, while the other, surnamed Liu, was skilled in the zither and chess. With the addition of these disciplines, they had a full complement. Madame Tao, a woman from a noble family, had high standards, and Zhulan was quite assured by her.

Speaking of Madame Tao, Zhulan had never expected to get along so well with her. Although aloof, she was quite approachable. Her attitude had changed a lot from their first to subsequent meetings. Such a person indeed had pride, but once she acknowledged you, she was unequivocally supportive, much like Zhou Shuren often speaking favorably of magistrate Wang, whom Zhou Shuren rather liked.

Having met the teachers today and arranged the schedule, the Zhou family’s daughters would start their lessons tomorrow.

Zhulan’s home lacked a zither, so she signaled Steward Ding to purchase one. Then she called for Yushuang and Yu Lu to join her. Looking at Yushuang’s features, Zhulan felt relieved that Zhou Shuren had advanced quickly in his career and was favored by the Emperor, otherwise, in a couple of years, Yushuang’s beauty could become troublesome.