Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!
Chapter 995: Is anyone alive?

Chapter 995: Chapter 995: Is anyone alive?

After dinner, Zhou Shuren left Chang Lian behind and spoke of the choices given by the Emperor, asking, "Where would you like to go?"

Chang Lian carefully studied his father’s expression; the news made him more nervous than excited. His father certainly had a preference and was now testing him. Regardless of rank, focusing only on authority and position, he was a man with ideas. For years, he had been learning from his father, naturally hoping to follow in his footsteps, even though he lacked his father’s talent.

Seeing his father still drinking tea, Chang Lian couldn’t help but look to his mother, who seemed to have not heard their conversation, focusing on sketching embroidery patterns. He received no hints from her.

Chang Lian bowed his head, then raised it, "Father, your son chooses the position of chief clerk."

Zhou Shuren put down his teacup, "Explain your reasons?"

Chang Lian felt reassured upon hearing this; he knew his father well after so many years, "Your son lacks experience. The Maritime Affairs Administration will provide a better opportunity for me to gain it."

Zhou Shuren was satisfied, "It’s good that you think this way, it shows you have indeed matured. With me in the capital, as long as you accumulate enough merit in the Maritime Affairs Administration, in time you can be transferred and slowly build your seniority. That way, your career path will be smoother."

He had all planned out; with his help, the achievements at Maritime Affairs would come. After a few years at the Maritime Affairs Administration, when Chang Lian rose in official rank, he would find a way for him to become a prefect in Sanzhou. Using the prefecture of Sanzhou as a stepping stone, step by step climbing up would save many detours. Although his own career path couldn’t be replicated, this would still significantly reduce the years.

Chang Lian grinned; he knew his father had everything arranged, "Your son will definitely not let you down, Father."

Zhou Shuren stroked his beard, "Alright, it’s getting late, you should also go rest."

"Father, Mother, you should also rest early," Chang Lian added.

Zhulan waited until Chang Lian had left before speaking, "If Chang Lian is leaving, let Shen Xing go with him. Although we have several capable people in our family, Shen Xing is the one we truly know and trust."

Zhou Shuren said, "One only realizes how rare expert protectors are when training them oneself. You said the Emperor is somewhat wary of me, can I not lure a few back?"

In this house, the ones he truly trusted were only Jin Yan and Shen Xing. Jin Yan stayed close to him, while Shen Xing was mostly left at home. There really weren’t enough reliable people, and next year, Chang Zhi would return home for the provincial examinations; he too needed dependable people by his side.

Zhulan, "If you can, go ahead and lure them, since there are hardly any secrets at home anyway."

Zhou Shuren was genuinely interested, "Let me think about it, let me think about it."

The next day, at the Ministry of Revenue, Wong Ju took advantage of the lunch break to come over, "I heard that you went with the Crown Prince to the Rong family yesterday?"

Zhou Shuren hummed an acknowledgment, "Your news is quite slow."

Wong Ju rolled his eyes, "I’m at the Ministry of Revenue all day, of course, my news isn’t timely. I only heard about it when I got home from my father. My grandfather said the Rong family might be making a comeback. You and the Crown Prince went to the Rong family’s ruins. Did you hear any news?"

Zhou Shuren knew this fellow was fishing for information. Then, remembering the advice he’d received from Old Master Wong, he held back from snubbing Wong Ju, "No one from the Rong family is coming back."

Wong Ju was surprised, "Then why clear the ruins, and it seems like a rebuild is underway? My father said someone coveted the Rong family’s address when the dynasty was founded. And then as you know, the Emperor flew into a rage. Since then, no one has dared to covet it again. It’s been desolate for years, suddenly they are clearing it, and everyone speculates that the Rong family which vanished might be returning."

Zhou Shuren, "Old Master knows quite a lot."

Wong Ju said quietly, "Our Wong family has always been in the capital, so naturally, we know a lot. I don’t know much; what I’m telling you is what I heard from my father."

Zhou Shuren was listening when he saw Wong Ju stop, "Why did you stop?"

"It’s just a bit sad. Do you know how many people there are in a noble family, direct descendants, branches, distant relatives, and clansmen?"

Zhou Shuren could imagine; the Zhou clan had grown quite a bit in recent years, amounting to several hundred people, not to mention the noble families.

Wong Ju looked at Zhou Shuren in silence. "Take our Wong family, for example, counting some of the same clan, we have five registers. That’s after many had died or were injured during the war. Otherwise, there would be more. Despite that, the prosperous Rong family was exterminated."

Zhou Shuren thought to himself, the imperial family of the previous dynasty must have been involved as well. Otherwise, the Rong family would not have been easily wiped out. The dynasty was corrupt, but a thin camel is bigger than a horse. Combined with some noble families that had long coveted the Rong family’s assets, the Rong family’s fate was sealed.

Wong Ju asked, "It’s really not someone from the Rong family who has come back?"

"As I just said, no one from the Rong family has come back."

Wong Ju believed him this time, "Then the Emperor’s actions?"

Zhou Shuren didn’t hide it, since everyone was speculating anyway and would find out sooner or later, "The Emperor wants to build a garden, the Rong Garden."

This time, it was Wong Ju who fell silent. Rong Garden— the Rong family lived on in another form!

At the Duke Ning Residence, Ning Xu looked at his father, "Father, do you think there are really no survivors from the Rong family?"

For many years, the Emperor had not disturbed the ruins, and he thought the Emperor was waiting for any surviving members of the Rong family to come forward. But now it seemed that was not the case.

The thoughts of Duke Ning drifted off. The Ning family was not among the aristocratic families of the capital; they occupied a territory for generations and didn’t know much about the Rong family. What he did know was because of the Emperor, "If it weren’t for the Emperor deciding to build a garden, I would have almost forgotten about the Rong family. There were mentions at the dawn of the dynasty, but it’s been almost twenty years now."

Ning Xu said, "Father."

Duke Ning answered, "I don’t know much about what happened back then. As for whether anyone survived, there probably is none left. If there were, they should have come forward by now. Keep in mind the Emperor has been enthroned for many years, and in all these years, no one has appeared. There probably are no survivors."

Ning Xu sighed, "The Emperor still has the Rong family on his mind."

Duke Ning didn’t care about the Rong family; after all, they were a thing of the past. Instead, he was more concerned about Zhang Yang, "Is it true that Zhang Yang’s concubine is pregnant?"

Ning Xu replied, "Son feels that there is something suspicious about this matter. If she is indeed pregnant, considering Zhang Yang’s temperament, he should be cherishing her. Why then would he allow his concubine to leave the residence?"

Duke Ning was thinking along the same lines, but he wondered how the other princes saw this situation.

At the Zhou residence, Zhulan pointed out dozens of invitations on the table to her daughter, "These are all from people trying to gather information."

Yesterday, Shuren had stayed in the palace for a while and then went with the Crown Prince to the Rong Residence. She knew her household was about to be bustling again.

Xue Han asked, "Mother, is this the first time daughter hears of the Rong family?"

Zhulan signaled the maids to take away the invitations. "Mother also heard about the Rong family for the first time. Your father doesn’t know much either, only that the royal family wants to build the Rong Garden."

Xue Han made a mental note; she could have Rongchuan inquire about it. The Ning household probably knew quite a bit, "Mother, elder sister hasn’t visited since your birthday, is she still busy with the autumn harvest?"

Zhulan replied, "The harvest is done; these past few days, she’s been busy buying land."

"Elder sister is buying more land?"

"Yes, she feels that keeping Silver Coin in hand isn’t as good as buying land. Even if she rents it out, she can have some income each year. These past few days she’s been looking at land with her in-laws."

Mrs. Song came in at this moment, whispering into Zhulan’s ear. Zhulan’s eyes widened in shock, "Princess Qi went there personally?"

Mrs. Song nodded, "Yes."