Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 487: Buying for Whom_1

Chapter 487: Chapter 487: Buying for Whom_1

Zhulan felt exhilarated because, due to the issue of social strata, during the few times she had seen Yao Zheyu, he had always been condescending and arrogant. Today was the first time she faced such an outright concession from the Zhou family, and it seemed status really did bring respect!

Zhulan picked out a few more pieces of jewelry and only felt the pinch when she paid the silver; these two sets of ornaments were quite expensive, with one set costing two hundred taels. It was not until she returned to her carriage that she felt better, and then she realized she had overlooked something. The ornaments she chose were all suitable for unmarried women, but wasn’t Yao Zheyu not betrothed?

All of a sudden, Zhulan’s eyes lit up. Could it be that he had someone he liked? That didn’t seem quite right either. Daughters of respectable families would not dare to accept jewelry given by a man from outside the family. That would be improper private dealings. She decided not to think about it any further.

Back home, Lady Dong was waiting in the main courtyard. As Zhulan stepped into the yard, Lady Dong came out to meet her. Lady Dong said, "Mother, you must be tired."

Zhulan replied, "It’s all right, not too tired. Did you wait for me because you had something to tell me?"

Lady Dong took a letter from the table. "I wrote to my family home to share the good news, and my mother’s reply has arrived. This is the letter my mother sent for you."

Zhulan took the envelope but did not open it immediately. After looking it over carefully, she said, "It’s been quite a few years since I have seen my in-laws. My mother-in-law is coming, and we should treat her well for a few days."

Lady Donglin was coming. Zhulan could understand why. It had been several years without seeing her daughter, and this was an excellent opportunity to check on her daughter’s well-being during her pregnancy and, incidentally, to maintain the relations between the two families. This way, the Zhou family would not forget the marital connection to the Dong family, despite Zhou Shuren’s rapid departure.

Filled with joy, Lady Dong truly missed her mother, especially now that she was pregnant. She hadn’t expected her mother to come see her, and joy was written all over her smiling face. "Mm."

Zhulan counted the days. The letter was written by Lady Donglin on the road, so by her calculation, Lady Donglin should arrive in less than seven days. "You should also prepare. If you need anything, just speak to your sister."

Lady Dong glanced at her younger sister, "All right."

After speaking, Lady Dong noticed the box that her younger sister’s maid, Liu Li, was holding, surely filled with jewelry. She reminded herself to save more Silver Coins quietly—the unborn child in her belly needed to be just like her younger sister, so she wouldn’t be laughed at for lacking jewelry.

The next day, Mrs. Tao visited, and Zhulan welcomed her warmly. She quite liked chatting with Mrs. Tao and smiled. "I thought you were too busy to step out!"

Mrs. Tao was embarrassed to say that Su Xuan was counting her trousseau, very eager to get married. Since there was nothing for her to do about it, and after being cooped up at home for days, she couldn’t stay put any longer today and replied with a smile, "It’s just that I heard from my husband that the Princely Heir hasn’t been betrothed yet. Since Mr. Zhou and the Prince know each other, I wanted to ask my sister about the Prince."

Zhulan frowned slightly, "But isn’t your daughter already betrothed?"

Although Mr. Min’s official rank wasn’t very high, with old Master Min alive and being his direct granddaughter, Mrs. Tao’s daughter had been betrothed early on.

Mrs. Tao coughed once, "I’m just curious."

Zhulan replied, "I thought you wanted to get involved as well. The Hou Residence is not an easy place to enter."

Those who aren’t strong would be instantly defeated. The future wife of Yao Zheyu, regardless of her cunning and tactics, would at least need to be smart enough to protect herself.

Mrs. Tao, of course, knew as well. Although she hadn’t been back to the capital for many years, she still heard some news, especially in recent years, as the infighting in the Yao Hou Residence became increasingly fierce. "I’m not foolish. The Yao Hou Residence is a dangerous place, like a den where people are devoured. I only inquired because I heard that the Min family and the Ran family are making moves."

She still remembered the schemes of the Min family and would not simply let things stay unsettled—it was in her nature, and the Min family had no fear of the Min Residence, especially the current Min Residence.

Zhulan understood. Mrs. Tao was simply too idle, idle to the point of looking for something to do. "I don’t know much about the Princely Heir either; what we know is more or less the same."

Mrs. Tao was disappointed. Her husband had said that the Princely Heir was particularly courteous to Mr. Zhou, and even though Mr. Zhou was indifferent, the Prince’s attitude had never changed. She had thought they shared a deep friendship. Curiosity filled her eyes. "This time, I’m not sure who will end up victorious."

Zhulan chuckled inwardly. No one should even think about it. Yao Zheyu was not easy to scheme against. Zhulan even doubted whether the Emperor had deliberately sent the unmarried Yao Zheyu to Jinzhou City. It had only been a few days, yet he had attracted all the attention.

Mrs. Tao, having gleaned no new information, lost her enthusiasm and left after a short chat.

That evening, Zhou Shuren came home and said, "Yao Zhe will come to visit our residence tomorrow. Prepare some fine wine and dishes."

Zhulan knew the visit was unavoidable, yet she was not pleased, "You finally get a day off, and his visit will take up half the day."

Zhou Shuren was not happy either, but had no choice, "I need to cooperate with some of his activities behind the scenes. It’s not appropriate to discuss these at the Government Office, so it’s best to settle them during the visit to our home."

Zhulan narrowed her eyes, "On what grounds is he coming to visit?"