Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 961: Unspeakable, Unspeakable

Chapter 961: Chapter 961: Unspeakable, Unspeakable

Zhou Shuren liked his grandchildren and often gave them broken silver and copper coins. There was just one granddaughter whom he favored slightly more over her brothers, and thus Jiang Miu’s secret savings began to accumulate.

After saving for half a year, she finally decided to spend it on a book she liked yesterday. Today, when she brought it to show Zhulan, it got dirty.

Jiang Miu felt even sadder, the tears she had held back began to well up again. Her silver, no, her book, she sniffled.

Xue Mei couldn’t help but laugh; she seldom saw her daughter looking so distressed. "Alright, mom will buy it for you."

Life in the capital was going smoothly. She often returned to her parents’ home for a chat, did some needlework at home, her husband was ambitious, her son was hardworking, her daughter was sensible, and her twin sons were now diligently practicing martial arts. Her youngest son was gradually becoming sensible too.

As for her in-laws, their attention was focused on the land outside the city, so living in the capital was not as difficult as she had thought.

Jiang Miu shook her head, "Mom, it’s actually quite fine not being perfect. There’s no need."

If she had thicker skin, she could just memorize a page from the bookshop to replace it. But her skin wasn’t thick enough, and asking her brother to do so wasn’t an option – he was very busy. She heard her eldest brother say he wanted to move up to Class A next year.

Zhulan looked at her granddaughter’s small demeanor. Unlike her daughter, she couldn’t quite bring herself to laugh, carefully noting the title of the book—a travelogue discussing folk customs. There were many books at home, Rongchuan liked travelogues, but after Rongchuan left, he took the travelogues with him; the young girl wanted to buy her own book.

At lunchtime, there was no need for Zhulan to buy a new book for her granddaughter, as Ming Teng had brought a new one.

Zhulan squinted her eyes, "Did you buy this?"

So her granddaughter lied about the book she said she lost? To cover for Ming Teng?

Ming Teng shook his head frantically in fear, "No, not me, didn’t my cousin say?"

Although he was partly to blame, it was only partly!

Zhulan took the book, "Jiang Miu said she wasn’t careful walking and dropped it, so what’s the truth?"

Ming Teng looked troubled; he thought his cousin and his great aunt had stayed for lunch. If he had known they hadn’t stayed, he would have taken it to his great aunt’s house. After hurting Ming Hui yesterday, he hung his head low, "Ran Xun and I were walking."

Zhulan coughed, "Walking?"

Trying to fool me?

Ming Teng’s head dropped even lower, "We were roughhousing, and then we didn’t see my cousin coming out of my second uncle’s courtyard. Ran Xun bumped into the book. Although it wasn’t me, I am also responsible. I should have been more careful and steady," he said.

Zhulan pointed at the book, "Did Ran Xun buy this?"

Ming Teng’s head drooped even lower, "Yes."

Ran Xun had silver, and the sight of the silver in his purse made him envious, but after all, it was Ran Xun who dropped it!

Zhulan tapped Ming Teng’s forehead, then reached out and pulled at his purse, pouring out the silver inside, "You haven’t saved up a small amount of silver this half year."

Ming Teng’s heart was in his throat, his voice trembling, "Grandma."

Zhulan put the silver back into the purse, she just wanted to make sure Ming Teng had enough silver to buy the book, "Return the silver to Ran Xun, you are the host, he is the guest, your responsibility is greater."

She continued after a pause, "I don’t want to see Miumiu with a book that Ran Xun had to replace. Ran Xun is not a relative, remember that. Even if you are as close as brothers, he’s still an outsider. This one time is forgivable, but if it happens again, I will have your father discipline you."

Ming Teng hastily said, "I dare not, I won’t do it again."

He wanted to return to the Academy, he didn’t want to stay at home. In the past, he found his tutors annoying, but now he somewhat missed them.

Zhulan hummed in response. In truth, if Ming Teng had given the book to Jiang Miu privately, she would not have accepted it. The young girl was particularly stickler for rules. She looked at Ming Teng and couldn’t help tapping his forehead again. The cheeky boy really treated Ran Xun as a true brother.

Ming Teng clutched the book and dashed off as if his life depended on it, all the while thinking that he mustn’t let his older brother find out—nor Jiang Zhu!

That afternoon, Zhou Shuren and Wong Ju chatted. Wong Ju, who had spent more time in Jinzhou Province, said, "These foreigners really need to be kept in check. In the year after you left, the foreigners in Pinggang caused a few incidents."

Zhou Shuren replied, "You never mentioned that to me before."

"We’ve both left Jinzhou. What’s the use in mentioning it? You’re the Vice Minister of Revenue, and I’m a doctor at the Ministry. We deal with Silver Coin in the Ministry of Revenue."

Zhou Shuren was speechless. "Even if you didn’t mention it, I would’ve known. ’Do one’s duty when in a position of responsibility.’"

Wong Ju curled his lip. "Ran Zheng didn’t bring it up either. What if I had? What could you do? You’re already in a precarious position, and you’re not afraid someone will report you?"

Getting involved too much invites hatred!

Zhou Shuren said somberly, "You’re good in many ways, but you’re too timid."

"Easy for you to say when you’re not the one in pain. We, the Wong family, strive for neutrality, which isn’t easy. You’re on the rise now, but when the Zhou family starts to grow, you’ll understand the challenges my father faced."

Zhou Shuren fell silent because Wong Ju was right. The last proposal he had put forward was only known to the Emperor, and he sighed, "It’s tough for everyone."

Wong Ju lowered his voice and said, "The development of sea trade has brought back glittering gold, Silver, and gemstones, which make people envious. Your second son should really come back in the middle of the year. Mark my words, even if we’ve driven the Pirates away this time, the open sea won’t be peaceful. The Pirates will only grow in number."

Zhou Shuren’s mouth twitched. "You really think they’re Pirates?"

"Aren’t they?"

Zhou Shuren shook his head. "There aren’t that many Pirates, especially not ones that are well-trained."

Wong Ju wasn’t foolish; he was just shocked. "Despicable."

Zhou Shuren scoffed. That’s why sometimes the ’land of propriety’ can be too righteous, believing that everyone has a long tradition of understanding courtesy!

In some foreign countries over the sea, plundering is the norm, and their moral bottom line can be negative.

Wong Ju said with renewed anxiety, "Is there going to be a war? The national treasury has only just managed to save some Silver, but if we go to war—ships will be damaged, and there will be casualties and more..."

The very thought made Wong Ju’s heart bleed. Before working at the Ministry of Revenue, he cursed it. Now that he was an official there, he realized he had misjudged it!

Zhou Shuren furrowed his brow. "It will also affect sea trade. The tax revenue from sea trade increases proportionally every year and has solved many problems with that Silver."

Wong Ju sipped his tea to calm himself. "Stop talking, you’re giving me heartache."

Zhou Shuren had much more to say. If a naval battle were to start, the tax revenue from the coastal provinces and from some of the inland provinces that export goods would also be affected. The impact would be nationwide.

Zhou Shuren pressed the center of his forehead. This time, they not only needed to win but preferably to annihilate the enemy completely. Only then could they hope for a few years of peace. The lure of profit meant that naval conflict would inevitably break out. The later, the better, at least it would allow time to develop the Navy.

Zhou Shuren said darkly, "I thought that with a capable assistant, I could enjoy a bit more leisure in the future. But it seems not."

A life of hard work at the Ministry of Revenue—what leisure can it offer? The ongoing investment in the Navy is like pouring Silver into a bottomless pit. The Emperor is getting older, but the Crown Prince is young and, thankfully, the Emperor married late. He might think the Crown Prince is quite on the mark—ambitious indeed.

Wong Ju was at a loss for words. "When I leave, who will be your next capable assistant?"

Zhou Shuren maintained a smile. "The Buddha said, ’Not to be spoken, not to be spoken.’"

Wong Ju was speechless.

So Zhou Shuren really did have a target in mind. Pity the one whom Zhou Shuren sets his sights on. Counting the days, Wong Ju thought, thankfully, his own departure was nigh!