Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 798: The Face as Long as a Donkey’s_1

Chapter 798: Chapter 798: The Face as Long as a Donkey’s_1

At the Zhou residence, Zhulan bade her guests farewell—it was time for lunch. The morning’s conversations had been plentiful, leaving her spirit particularly weary. Zhulan felt somewhat listless, "I really am getting old; just a morning’s worth of activities, and I’m drained."

Xue Han looked at the wrinkles at the corner of her mother’s eyes and felt a pang of distress, "Mother."

Zhulan tried to eat a couple more bites but couldn’t continue, "You all have been busy all morning too. Eat your meal and go back to rest."

With that, Zhulan stood up, ready to lie down for a while.

Once in her room, although Zhulan was tired, she couldn’t fall asleep; she lay there thinking about Yushuang’s marital prospects. With the changes in the Zhou family, Yushuang, who wasn’t betrothed yet, would become a target. It was only fortunate that both Yu Die and Yu Yi were still young.

In the main house, Lady Li took her daughter to the courtyard before speaking: "The way those official ladies were eying Yushuang today, I’m glad you were engaged early. Otherwise, I really couldn’t handle it—I don’t have your second aunt’s skill at playing the fool."

Yu Lu couldn’t hold back a laugh; her second aunt’s ability to feign ignorance was indeed formidable. With so many official ladies laying traps and fishing for information today, her second aunt had managed to outwit them all with her feigned naivety.

Yu Lu sighed again, "I just hope elder sister’s marriage arrangement goes smoothly."

So many people watching wasn’t a good thing—who knew what trouble they might stir up.

Lady Li said, "Don’t worry, your grandmother is here!"

Yu Lu smiled again; at home, her mother was definitely the one who believed in grandmother the most.

In the second wife’s quarters, Mrs. Zhao had previously been anxious about no one favoring her daughter, hoping for the adage ’when a girl is eligible for marriage, a hundred families will seek her hand’. Now, Mrs. Zhao was extremely weary—it was less relaxing than before. With more people probing, she became afraid instead.

She clearly understood that these people valued not her daughter’s character but the status of a granddaughter of the Zhou family and the benefits that it could bring.

Mrs. Zhao was truly scared, fearful that her daughter might not marry a decent man. She sighed in apprehension.

After pacifying her little sister to sleep, Yushuang saw the worry on her mother’s face, and with a moved heart, she realized what troubled her mother, "Mother, don’t worry. Grandfather and grandmother will ensure my marriage prospects are well looked after."

Mrs. Zhao looked at her daughter, who was almost as tall as her aunt now. Sometimes, she would forget her daughter’s young age, "Right now, all I hope for is that you find a good family to marry into."

Yushuang’s cheeks turned slightly red, "Mother."

Mrs. Zhao smiled faintly; it was rare to see her daughter shy. As the eldest granddaughter of the Zhou family, this girl always remembered her position as the eldest sister, strictly holding herself to high standards. She almost forgot, her daughter was still a child.

At the Ministry of Revenue, the Crown Prince suddenly said, "Master Xiao will return to the ministry tomorrow."

Zhou Shuren, "I heard about it from Mr. Qiu."

The Crown Prince smiled beamingly, "Minister Zhou, I have specially requested a decree from the Emperor on your behalf."

Zhou Shuren had a foreboding feeling; the Crown Prince’s summons to the ministry right upon his return already had him uneasy. Hearing this, his expression stiffened a bit.

The Crown Prince didn’t beat around the bush, "I have asked for a decree to borrow you for some time, all the way until I have made my rounds through The Six Ministries."

Zhou Shuren felt incredibly frustrated, "Your Highness, I have far too many matters to attend to, and with Master Xiao almost back, I—"

The Crown Prince interrupted, "The Emperor has already sent someone to inform Master Xiao, and he has agreed."

Zhou Shuren was at a loss for words. So, it was futile for him to resist any further. The Crown Prince intended to use his eyes to inspect The Six Ministries—it seemed the Crown Prince wanted to shear a sheep of its wool, but he was almost running out of fleece.

The Crown Prince had never before seen such an emotional display from Mr. Zhou, and it pleased him immensely. He patted Mr. Zhou’s shoulder, "Tomorrow, go to the Ministry of Rites. Sir, tomorrow I shall send a carriage to pick you up at the palace gate."

Zhou Shuren chuckled. The Ministry of Rites, huh? Why did he feel that this was not so simple? The Fourth Prince had just left on a mission, and Yuguang watched the Crown Prince closely—this man also had a dark heart, "Yes."

He guessed that after tomorrow, it would be firmly established that he was part of the Crown Prince’s faction. The schemes of this father and son were too deep; he was very tired of it all.

In the afternoon at the Hanlin Academy, Chang Lian finally got to go home. His ears were still buzzing. He hastened to leave, his feet almost stepping into the carriage when he was stopped by Shen Yang.

Chang Lian turned around, surprised. It was rare to see Shen Yang looking so hesitant, "What is it?"

Shen Yang’s cheeks turned red as he stammered, "I’ve reached the age to marry."

Chang Lian was at a loss for words, "I am not your father, what use is there in telling me?"

In his heart, though, he spat. His own son could not be this foolish!

Shen Yang glared, grinding his teeth. Zhou Changlian dared to speak like this. With a deep breath, he said: "I heard that the Miss Yushuang in your residence is not yet betrothed, and she is close to my age, I—"

Chang Lian’s face went completely dark. Shen Yang really dared to broach the subject, and what was this nonsense about being close in age? Yushuang was seven years younger than Shen Yang. He interrupted sharply, "Shut up. If you dare to bring this up again, see if I won’t beat you, you scoundrel."

Just thinking about it infuriated Chang Lian. Yushuang’s husband-to-be couldn’t be someone stupid. Even if Shen Yang wasn’t trouble, Chang Lian would not consider him. Stupidity could be inherited; for the sake of the next generation, it was absolutely not allowed.

Chang Lian, so angry that his liver was aflame, gave Shen Yang a vicious glower and snorted at the coachman, "Let’s go."

Shen Yang jumped in shock. Zhou Changlian, no matter how impatient, had never shown anger towards someone before. The fierce glare just now, as if he wanted to skin Shen Yang alive, somewhat scared him. And the insult "scoundrel"; he remembered correctly—Miss Zhou Yushuang was quite tall, she must be no longer young.

As for why he asked, the young servant was right, he had reached the age to marry. A good in-law family would be of great assistance. Plus, everyone mentioned today that Mr. Zhou would stay in the capital after three years; the thought he had been suppressing came to the fore, hence the urgent questioning. Thinking back on the contempt in Zhou Changlian’s eyes, anger smoldered in his heart. He, too, was a scholar from Hanlin Academy with a bright future ahead.

But thinking of the appearance of Miss Zhou’s granddaughter, he felt somewhat reluctant, the memory etched in his mind since their last encounter.

Back at Zhou Residence, Chang Lian stormed back into the house to change his official robe. Lady Dong was taken aback. She had been married to her husband for many years, but it was the first time she had seen him so angry, "What happened?"

Chang Lian slapped the table, having thought about it all the way and grown angrier, "It’s Shen Yang. He has some nerve, to harbor thoughts for Yushuang, with all their years apart, how could he even say that. And he even approached me personally about it, completely disregarding our Zhou family’s status."

It was maddening; if he had gone through a matchmaker to inquire, Chang Lian wouldn’t have been as angry. But the gall of him to inquire personally, had it not been for fear of causing a scene, he would have wanted to smack Shen Yang then and there.

Lady Dong was stunned, "He asked you personally?"

Chang Lian hmphed, "I think his studies have made him foolish."

Lady Dong was silent for a moment, "In the future, you should stay far away from him, so you don’t catch the foolishness."

Chang Lian, "....Hmm."

When Zhulan and Zhou Shuren knew it was time for dinner, Chang Lian’s face was as long as a donkey’s. It was impossible not to notice. Zhulan and Zhou Shuren were angry too, but more speechless. Shen Yang didn’t have any elders in the capital. It wouldn’t have been hard to request an elder, but he had to ask himself, which was indescribably frustrating.

Zhou Shuren and Zhulan returned to their room, Zhou Shuren, "Tomorrow I will accompany the Crown Prince to The Six Ministries. I will inquire carefully. If there’s a suitable match for Yushuang, we’ll settle it. Once the girl’s marriage is arranged, she won’t be dragged into these schemes."

Zhulan, "I’ll also have Scholar Deng inquire more. This capital may seem large, but there are only so many good young men, and I’m afraid that those we find promising, others will too."