Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 480 He Wants to Send a Message_1

Chapter 480: Chapter 480 He Wants to Send a Message_1

Zhou Shuren sent off the Zhezi, and news of it quickly spread; submitting a Zhezi—that meant a major move was coming.

Zhou Shuren had drunk a bellyful of strong tea yet still felt sleepy, his eyelids fighting each other, lacking any spirit, whoever came to probe, he responded with yawns.

Minister Wang was on edge, still unable to keep pace with Minister Zhou’s thoughts. He had still been considering a petty scheme to give the Min family a headache, but Minister Zhou went straight to submitting a Zhezi, which was formidable and intimidating.

In the Min residence, Madam Liu saw off the Qi Clan’s Madam, then swept away the teacups. She had thought over it yesterday that the Zhou family would become angry, but she hadn’t expected Madam Yang to directly confirm the Min family’s scheming—bah, what "being shocked"; she was the one who was truly shocked!

When her husband came back last night, everything that had been agreed upon suddenly fell on her, resenting her for being too anxious, and even had a row with her.

And there was that damned Madam Qi, who came early in the morning just to insult her; the thought was infuriating.

Madam Liu couldn’t swallow her indignation, and there was the Magistrate as well. Yesterday’s scheme by the Bai family failed, and the Magistrate went out of her way to protect Miss Zhou. She also seemed to have taken a liking to Fourth Master Zhou. Madam Liu sneered, if the Min family couldn’t secure an alliance through marriage, she wouldn’t let anyone else succeed either.

Meanwhile, Zhulan paid no mind to the scheming outside; she was attentive to the news Steward Ding had investigated. Ever since she learned that the Magistrate owned fishing boats, her mind had been active. Although maritime fisheries came with high risks, the profits were also quite substantial. There were also the catches, like sea bass, grouper, and so forth—Zhulan salivated at the thought, yes, and crabs too.

So she had Steward Ding inquire about fishing villages along the coast. The villagers there carried on traditions passed down through generations, with their own means of survival. As long as they had enough Silver Coin, Zhulan wasn’t worried about finding capable people.

Speaking of which, since Pinggang developed, a few small ports had sprung up along the coastline of several provinces. These places, which Zhulan valued, were convenient in terms of transportation and had a greater flow of people. She wouldn’t choose places with poor transportation; maritime products easily spoiled, and no matter how rich the resources, she would reject them.

As Zhulan pondered, her pen never stopped moving. She first sketched a simple map based on Steward Ding’s description, marking several spots. Then she added "ice storage." Large quantities of ice were necessary for maritime fishing—if there was no ice storage, the catch would spoil by the time it was brought back to shore.

Thus, ice storage was a must, and it had to be large-scale. Zhulan mentally tallied the expenses. Ordinary fishing boats weren’t too expensive, but if one wanted to earn more, the cost of a fishing vessel was much higher. Zhulan planned to take advantage of the Imperial court’s lack of focus on maritime fishing to acquire a large fishing boat. It was just a pity that her son hadn’t married yet; otherwise, they’d be short on Silver.

So, they could only lease fishing grounds. However, it was possible to dig the ice storage first.

Once Zhulan set her mind to something, she took action. She gave Silver to her eldest son and Steward Ding, instructing them to take a boat trip and return quickly. A round trip would take about half a month; they were to lease fishing grounds and hire fishermen directly for this year, and that was the plan for now.

In the afternoon, Elder Zhou and Steward Ding left, their departure very low-key. Fortunately, everyone’s attention was on Zhou Shuren’s Zhezi in the capital.

The Zhezi Zhou Shuren sent travelled quickly to the capital by fast horse. Not long after court was dismissed, the Zhezi arrived.

The Emperor opened the Zhezi but didn’t look at it. He retained the Second Prince today and also had this surprise. He had pondered yesterday how Zhou Shuren would retaliate; he couldn’t claim to see through Zhou Shuren completely, but to an extent of seven or eight out of ten. Zhou Shuren was cunning and somewhat protective, and now that his biological son had been targeted, it would be odd if Zhou Shuren didn’t strike back.

Second Prince Zhang Jingyang felt the hairs on his back stand on end. Before, he had always hoped that the Emperor would keep him after court, but today he truly did not wish it. He couldn’t bear to watch the foolish acts of the Min family; without a second thought, he knew why the Emperor wanted him to stay.

Second Prince glanced at the Zhezi, swallowing hard, unsure what that bastard Zhou Shuren had written. He found that whenever it concerned Minister Zhou, it was always his misfortune, utterly depressing.

The Emperor handed over the Zhezi, "Stop peeking, just take it."

Second Prince abruptly knelt, his head almost touching the tiles, "This prince dares not."

Crown Prince listened to the sound of knees hitting the floor and felt a sense of satisfaction; lately, the Second Prince had been too active.

The Emperor sneered inwardly. He truly wanted the Second Prince to read it, not intending to tease him. He was looking forward to the shocked expression after the Second Prince read it; entertainment had been scarce lately. Glancing at the unflappable Crown Prince, the Emperor maintained a stern face—the lad had inherited fifty percent of his abilities.

The Emperor stopped teasing the Second Prince, flipping through the Zhezi. He was quite curious, and the brighter his eyes grew as he read. The Zhezi was written in great detail, and while its starting point was the safety of Jinzhou Province and the capital, some of the detailed provisions completely stifled the Maritime Affairs Administration and Inspection, significantly weakening its power. Most importantly, it gave him an excuse to dispatch people overtly and covertly, to set up strict checkposts—smuggled and embezzled Silver couldn’t get out.

The Emperor passed it to the Crown Prince, "Have a look."

Second Prince, "...."

The difference between sons was too great. He thought the Emperor would question the Crown Prince next, yet after having a look himself and casually handing it to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince actually dared to take it!

After reflection, the Second Prince wondered if he was too timid? Perhaps he could afford to be braver.

After the Crown Prince read it, Minister Zhou did not just stem Maritime Affairs but also filled in the Emperor’s net thoroughly. It was like trapping turtles in a jar, just waiting for the right moment so no one could escape.

The Crown Prince thought to himself that he did not know if he would have such cooperative talent when he ascended to the throne; he envied his father.

The Emperor was in an excellent mood, especially looking at the kneeling Second Prince. If the Second Prince’s men did not act foolishly, he guessed that Zhou Shuren might wait some days before submitting something. He really thought Zhou Shuren didn’t know what he’d been up to recently? Having seen the news the Spies sent, Zhou Shuren hadn’t slept all night—Zhou Shuren’s potential was immense.

Second Prince felt the Emperor’s gaze and his heart sank. What on earth had Minister Zhou done? He was genuinely frightened of Minister Zhou’s unconventional moves!

The Emperor waved a hand, "Older brother, there’s no need to kneel any longer. Right, Crown Prince, show your brother."

Crown Prince handed the Zhezi to the Second Prince just as his head lifted to stand, making him want to curse—deliberate indeed. Fine, he’d read while kneeling. After reading, his chest ached.

The Emperor curled his lips, "Let’s have the older brother stay in the hall today."

Second Prince, "...."

The Emperor was definitely doing this on purpose, he would have preferred being ignorant to spare the heartache of wanting to send a message out!

The Emperor wasted no time, summoning ministers for discussion. Since Zhou Shuren’s Zhezi was detailed, decisions were quickly finalized, only waiting for the morning court the next day.

The Emperor smiled joyously at the Second Prince, who blended into the background, "Stay with your father tonight!"

Second Prince, "...."

No, he did not want to. Not to mention attracting enmity, he wanted to go back to pass the message!