Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 1128: Discovery

Time swiftly brought the day of rest for the Ministry of Rites, and Zhulan knew as soon as she woke up that Chang Zhi had been holed up with Chang Yi in the study since early morning.

Zhulan was even more pleased; Chang Yi’s entry into officialdom had been exceedingly smooth, and his luck extraordinarily good. However, it was precisely because everything had gone too smoothly that he had become somewhat impetuous. She gestured for the old maid Song to send some soup over, believing that in the winter, with all the braziers around, it was better to drink more soup.

The old maid Song quickly returned. "The Fourth Master is instructing the Second Master. In my view, the Second Master has written quite a bit."

Zhulan’s eyes curved with a smile. "The Second’s mind has been restless ever since his two missions as an ambassador. Finally, it has calmed."

The old maid Song blinked, truly admiring the mistress’s ability to educate her children. Sometimes, a seemingly casual remark could occupy the young masters’ thoughts for a long time. "I, too, feel the Second Master has become more composed."

Zhulan beckoned the old maid Song to sit down. "There’s no need for you to stand. It’s just the two of us, let’s sit for a while."

The old maid Song knew the mistress was kind-hearted and treated her well. "Yes."

An hour later, after hearing the steward Wang’s report, Zhulan asked, "Are you saying that Master Yu has arrived?"

The steward Wang replied, "He has come, and the Second Master invited him to the study."

Zhulan fondled the chess piece in her hand. Master Yu had fallen ill and was left behind; was he now recovered? And he had come to their home; Zhualan was puzzled by what Master Yu might be thinking. "I understand. Go prepare some fruit to send over."

In the study, Chang Yi gestured for Master Yu to have some tea. "Has the Master’s illness recovered?"

Chang Yi truly hadn’t thought much of it. Given the old man’s age, he thought it was normal to fall ill due to the change in environment. But ever since he returned to the capital, Chang Yi hadn’t sought any official assignments, instead diligently studying. So, he knew nothing about how negotiations were going, and he was puzzled by the old man’s visit to their home.

Yu Dang had never thought about leaving after returning. To have become an ambassador this time, he had paid a price. Of those who had set out to sea in the past, only he had survived until now. The rest had either died of old age or perished in accidents. The reason he had stayed on was that the overseas Rong family wanted to uncover secrets.

The capital’s main branch and the direct line overseas had grown distant over the years. The main branch didn’t trust the overseas direct line, which is why, back then, the young master had not left with them. The Family Head deeply feared that the overseas direct line would harm the young master.

As for what secrets he didn’t know, he only knew that the overseas direct line desired them. But he was aware that the surviving Nanny Liu might know them. Who would have thought that the Family Head, who mistrusted them, would trust Nanny Liu the most?

Seeing that Master Yu remained silent, Chang Yi called out, "Master?"

Yu Dang responded. "I was momentarily distracted. My condition is much better now, since a few days ago."

He paused there.

Chang Yi hummed in acknowledgment. Chang Zhi, who had been reading, also looked up, thinking his presence might be preventing frank conversation, and he stood up. "Second Brother, I’m going back to my courtyard."

Yu Dang quickly said, "It’s nothing of great importance. No, that’s not true. A few days ago, I went to gather some medicine and at the medical hall, I encountered a woman."

Chang Yi and Chang Zhi were full of question marks, wondering how a woman was connected to the Zhou residence. Chang Yi asked, "Is she someone from my family?"

That wouldn’t make sense. Their family wouldn’t go to a medical hall for medicine—they always had a good stock of their own supplies.

Yu Dang also found luck to be mysterious. Just as he was thinking whether or not to lay it all out to the Emperor, he met a woman who resembled Nanny Liu. Upon asking, it turned out she was from Minister Zhou’s family. "She is a daughter of your residence who has married out."

Chang Zhi was stupefied. What did this have to do with his eldest sister?

Chang Yi nearly choked on his tea. "What does Master Yu mean by that?"

Yu Dang said, "I just felt that the eldest miss of the residence looked very much like someone I know, so I wanted to inquire with the esteemed Zhou, does your grandmother’s family name happen to be Rong?"

Chang Yi squinted his eyes. The Rong surname, how sensitive a surname it was. He stared directly at Mr. Yu, suddenly recalling the last time his father had probed Mr. Yu, repeatedly mentioning Rong Garden, he widened his eyes. "I don’t know my grandmother’s surname, only that the elders in the village call her Liuniang."

Mr. Yu’s hands trembled. He hadn’t dared to marry all these years, just so he could return, but the main branch overseas wouldn’t let him go. With ocean trade, he had arranged for people to come back, bringing back only limited news. He only knew the Emperor had built Rong Garden, and that finally gave him a solid foundation to return.

After careful investigation in the capital, he also knew it was hard to find on his own, and feared the worst results, so he had been enduring. Now, he had unexpectedly encountered it.

Then, Zhulan saw Mr. Yu and afterward called for her eldest daughter to come over, the rest would be discussed once the eldest daughter arrived.

When Xue Mei entered, Mr. Yu stared straight at her and then said with a trembling voice, "Similar, very similar."

Zhulan also looked at her eldest daughter, couldn’t help but feel guilty, and touched her wrist covertly. How could she not feel guilty? She had been in the dark under the lamp; despite having someone in the house who resembled her mother-in-law, she had insisted on drawing a portrait, and then the image became imprinted in her mind so deeply that she didn’t feel her daughter looked like her mother-in-law.

Now, seeing Mr. Yu’s expression, it looked like she should be very similar. Her portraits were perhaps too beautified.

Xue Mei was startled, "Mother, what is this?"

Zhulan said, "It’s nothing, you go to the second wife for now."

Xue Mei, puzzled but obedient to her mother’s words, nodded, "Okay."

Seeing that Chang Yi didn’t leave, Zhulan glared at him. Chang Yi wanted to stay and it was obvious his mother knew everything. His heart pounded furiously. This was an indirect admission that their family was related to the Rong family. "Mother."

Realizing the matter couldn’t be kept secret any longer, Zhulan waved her hand, feeling resigned to let him stay if he wished, and Chang Zhi also managed to stay.

Zhulan recounted to Mr. Yu who her mother-in-law was and what the Emperor already knew, and finally said, "There are still direct descendants of the Rong family alive, the Emperor is already searching for them. The Rong family was exterminated back then, although the families involved either perished or were eradicated, there are still survivors, so it has not been made public."

Zhulan paused and then continued, "As someone who survived from those times, you certainly know more than what my mother-in-law left in writing, so now that you have confirmed it here, I implore you to be honest with the Emperor in the Palace."

Zhulan was curious about the past events, but some melons are for eating while others one can only look at. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Yu Dang stood up, "I shall go to the Palace and see the Emperor immediately. By the way, my name is Rong Yushang, fourth in seniority."

Zhulan thought for a moment, "Fourth Uncle."

Yu Dang felt very pleased; at least the bloodline of the Rong family had been preserved, and without exploiting the Rong name, he had achieved his current position. Zhou Shuren, he had inquired much about, and now knowing he was of their own, he felt proud. Indeed, it was the bloodline of the Rong family.

Yu Dang, who had been floating, now felt as if he had gained a foundation.

Chang Yi and Chang Zhi were dumbfounded until Yu Dang left. Only then did Chang Yi slap his brother’s leg hard, making Chang Zhi jump in pain. "Second Brother, why did you hit me?"

Chang Yi came back to his senses, "It’s not a dream, it’s really true. Mother, our family truly is a descendant of the Rong family!"

Zhulan rolled her eyes to correct him, "Our family name is Zhou, don’t ever say Rong in front of your father, or you’ll get a thrashing."

Zhou Shuren couldn’t avoid it quickly enough, and he would rather this never became public, to avoid being obliged for a lifetime.

Inside the Palace, the Emperor was well aware of Yu Dang’s movements, and as soon as the latter had stepped into the Zhou residence, the Emperor had been informed. Now that he had come to the Palace, it was clear to the Emperor that he had found the answer he wanted from the Zhou family.

Then, Zhou Shuren was also summoned to the Palace. Resigned, Zhou Shuren thought about the end of the year; he was indeed very busy, and the Emperor kept holding him back.