Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 779 Your Dad Will Always Be Your Dad_1

Chapter 779: Chapter 779 Your Dad Will Always Be Your Dad_1

The Minister of Works, holding the blueprints, said, "Emperor, these are the blueprints drawn up after yesterday’s inspection according to the requirements. Please take a look."

The Emperor took the blueprints and compared them with those of the capital from before. The planning was neater, and his demands were met. Looking at the spacious streets on the blueprints, the Emperor felt at ease and handed them to the Third Prince. "You should have a look too."

Zhang Jingshi examined the blueprints carefully and couldn’t find any faults. "The Works Department’s blueprints, your son believes they are very good."

The Emperor turned to Zhou Shuren and said, "The Works Department should tally up the materials required and calculate the cost in silver. The Ministry of Revenue must hasten to verify the amount."

Pausing for a moment, the Emperor continued, "This silver is all to be spent on the people. The Third Prince, you must remember that."

Zhang Jingshi, who had been corrupt in his past duties, didn’t dare this time. He wanted to perform well. "Your son will make good use of every penny of Silver Coin."

The Emperor hummed in affirmation, "You may all leave."

Zhou Shuren saw with the corner of his eye the Third Prince struggling to contain his excitement and felt sympathy for the princes. The Emperor and the Crown Prince had laid their plans, and the Emperor was even squeezing the princes. Previously, the princes had been somewhat neglectful in their duties, but this time, they wanted to prove themselves and would give it their all. Thinking of the Second Prince, and then looking at the Third Prince striding away, he couldn’t help but think, ’Your father is always your father!’

Back at the Ministry of Revenue, Qiu Yan listened to Zhou Shuren relay the news from court and sighed heavily, "Why are they suddenly expanding Pinggang now?"

Zhou Shuren wasn’t surprised, "Pinggang trades frequently. It actually should have been expanded a long time ago, it’s just that the Ministry of Revenue always lacked the surplus Silver. Now that Pinggang has started buying grain, the Emperor is aware of Pinggang’s situation. Expansion was inevitable."

Qiu Yan’s scalp tingled, "It’s an inevitability, but it doesn’t have to all be rushed at once."

Couldn’t they wait for Minister Xiao to return?

Zhou Shuren patted Qiu Yan on the shoulder, "Someone from the Ministry of Works will be here shortly; we should also make preparations!"

Qiu Yan cheered up, "Alright."

At the Zhou Residence, Zhulan welcomed Magistrate Shen inside. She genuinely hadn’t expected that Magistrate Shen would come carrying her child. Zhulan guided her to the inner room with a small heated kang, indicating to the Maid to spread out a blanket and set up a screen at the side, "Magistrate, you can place the child on the small kang first."

Shen Yile smiled, "This child can’t leave my side. If I walk away, he cries. There was really no choice but to bring him along."

Zhulan didn’t quite believe that. In plain terms, Magistrate Shen didn’t trust leaving the child behind at the Hou Residence. Zhulan looked at the child placed on the small kang and scrutinized him carefully, "This child is the spitting image of the Princely Heir, truly resembling him."

Magistrate Shen loved hearing that and said with a smile, "This child not only looks like him but also has his temperament. He’s easy to care for, never crying or fussing."

Whenever Magistrate Shen mentioned her son, she had lots to say and shared many amusing anecdotes with Zhulan. Zhulan had to admit, Magistrate Shen was meticulous in raising her child, and the little one’s robust growth was all due to her efforts.

Seeing her son drift off to sleep, Magistrate Shen spoke softly, "I’m truly sorry, I shouldn’t have brought the child here."

Zhulan laughed, "We have plenty of children in the Zhou family. Now that the child is asleep, shall we talk outside?"

Shen Yile hadn’t forgotten her purpose, "Of course."

Once they reached the outer room, Shen Yile said, "Magistrate An He gave birth to fraternal twins. Today, she has visited the residence, and it is proper for me to go see her."

Zhulan didn’t think much of it; Magistrate Shen and Su Xuan were both magistrates. It was normal for her to pay a visit, "Let us walk there."

Shen Yile promptly said, "I can go on my own."

Zhulan thought it made sense; her higher status would make conversation awkward between Magistrate Shen and Su Xuan, so she signaled the elder maid, Song, to take Magistrate Shen to the fourth courtyard.

After Magistrate Shen left, she took only one Maid with her. The elder servant stayed behind to take care of the child.

Zhulan took the book to the courtyard and sat under the tree to read, waiting for Magistrate Shen to come back.

When Magistrate Shen arrived at the fourth courtyard, Su Xuan was quite surprised. She and Shen Yile didn’t have any relation, and the distinction between magistrates was significant. Though Su Xuan had a title, she was an orphaned girl. Besides her higher rank, not many people feared or flattered her.

Shen Yile was different. As the legitimate daughter of Lord Shen, she was raised under the watch of the Empress, and was a well-known lady of high status in the capital. When Shen was in the capital, the two of them had no interaction either.

Shen Yile said, "I came to see the children. It’s not common to see fraternal twins, and since I happened to be visiting today, I thought I’d come and take a look."

Su Xuan invited her inside and signaled for the nanny to bring out the children. "Speaking of which, our children seem to be about the same age."

Shen Yile smiled, "Your son and daughter are a bit older, but their ages are indeed similar to a few of my children."

As they were speaking, the children were brought out, both of them looking lively. Seeing their mother, they started cooing as if wanting to be held.

Melted by affection, Su Xuan reached out to hold her daughter, "This is my daughter, Yu Wen."

Shen Yile saw fraternal twins for the first time, observing the two children. "They really don’t look like twins born together; you’ve raised these two well, as if they were full-term single births."

Su Xuan said with some pride, "I’ve taken great care in raising them."

Indeed, Shen Yile did want to see the twins, but they were not her main concern. She was more eager to meet Zhou Yushuang, "It’s getting late, and I should head back before the lady waits too long."

Su Xuan was puzzled, as they had just sat down, "Ah, well then, I will see you out."

Half an hour later, Zhulan was lying on the rocking chair and was starting to feel sleepy when Magistrate Shen returned. After a brief chat, Magistrate Shen took her leave.

After Magistrate Shen had left, Nanny Song said, "The magistrate’s intent is not in the wine she drinks, but in Miss Yushuang she seeks."

Zhulan asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Nanny Song explained, "Magistrate Shen didn’t sit long in the fourth courtyard before steering the conversation towards the young ladies. She went to see the young ladies studying, and she inquired about Miss Yushuang the most."

Recalling the grandson’s generation of Lord Shen’s residence, Zhulan remembered there indeed were sons around Yushuang’s age. The legitimate sons of the Shen Residence were born later, and Lord Shen’s two younger legitimate sons were much younger than the illegitimate son, with the second legitimate son only thirteen this year, just of age to be betrothed.

However, the women in the inner court of the Shen Residence were numerous and so were the troubles.

Zhulan still hoped that Yushuang’s future marital family would be a simpler one.

In the imperial palace’s political hall, the Emperor asked Ning Xu, "Why aren’t you spending time with Rongchuan to enjoy the joys of fatherhood, yet you have time to come to the palace?"

Ning Xu sensed the hint of jealousy. The Emperor was jealous, and he dared not take pride in it, nor had he forgotten the purpose of his palace visit, "Rongchuan wishes to pay respects to his mother, and I’m unsure how to handle it, so I came to ask for Your Majesty’s guidance."

The Empress is well and alive, and he dared not take Rongchuan to pay respects to her, even pretending to do so made him squeamish. Even if he found a deceased person to stand in as a cheap mother, he dared not let Rongchuan acknowledge her!

The Emperor fell silent; he had indeed neglected this issue. Rongchuan was a filial child, and he would certainly pay respects.

Ning Xu looked eagerly at the Emperor, "Your Majesty, what should we do?"

He was out of ideas, having struggled to get through the previous night.

The Emperor pondered. His son recognizing another father already made him quite uncomfortable, and now was his son to recognize another mother too? Not to mention his own discomfort, the Empress would also feel depressed.