Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 1138: A Heart of Reverence

Zhou Shuren left the Palace more than half an hour ago, still limping his way out. Having knelt for so long, he meticulously calculated the duration—the first time he had ever knelt for such a long period. Fortunately, he hadn’t changed out of his cotton trousers; otherwise, his legs would surely be afflicted with rheumatism from the icy ground which sent chills rushing straight to his knees. It was too cold.

Upon leaving the Palace gate, ignoring the surprised look from the General of the Gate Guards, he was helped onto the carriage by the eunuch, struggling twice before he managed to climb aboard.

Inside the carriage, Zhou Shuren shivered from the cold, no longer concerned with how much his legs hurt. Waves of chill spread from his heart throughout his body, coupled with cold sweat. He felt a lingering fear!

Just now, the Emperor’s expressionless face, his failure to beckon him to stand—it was indeed a warning. The Emperor cautioned him, signifying the grace bestowed could be continued or taken away.

Zhou Shuren took a moment to compose himself, touching his now swollen legs; his face grew cold too. Such was the ancient imperial power; the Emperor reigned supreme. This deepened his reflection on his own conduct in recent years.

Zhou Shuren closed his eyes, scoffing inwardly. He had indeed grown complacent, somewhat arrogant. Truly, he was just another mortal, an ordinary man after all.

A smooth-sailing career, his achievements hugging close, compounded by the Emperor’s favor and the bond he shared with him, covering leagues upon leagues. Even though Zhou Shuren remained cautious and never exposed himself, he was well aware of the changes within.

This strike had thoroughly awakened him; his face cooled even more, a reminder to himself that the imperial power was sovereign.

Soon, they arrived at the Ministry of Revenue, and Zhou Shuren could not dismount the carriage, his legs having never suffered such agony before and now throbbing with pain.

Jinyan looked at the dignified smile of his master and inexplicably felt that something was different about him.

Zhou Shuren took a deep breath, enduring the pain, "Help this official down."

Jinyan carefully supported him, feeling the official’s full weight on him. Clueless about what had transpired in the Palace, he was very anxious, "Sir, shall we call for the doctor?"

Zhou Shuren waved his hand dismissively, "No need, let’s go."

Summoning the doctor at this time would be an affront to the Emperor’s face. Since the Emperor had meted out punishment, he must endure it. Both reward and punishment were graces from the Emperor.

The officials at the Ministry of Revenue were all stunned upon seeing him, not sure how to react. There stood Zhou Shuren, clearly having been disciplined.

If Zhou Shuren himself had been penalized, it went without saying for them. They were at a loss; wasn’t today’s audience at the Palace due to the southwestern border issue? Could it be because of the Silver Coin?

Once back in his room, Zhou Shuren just started to lift his trousers when the door opened.

Xiao Qing came in, holding a brazier, and pulled out a tube of ointment from his embrace, handing it over, "Give it a rub!"

Xiao Qing paused, then continued, "This ointment is very effective; I’ve been using it all along."

Previously, things at the Ministry of Revenue were tough, and he would have preferred to avoid such situations, but there was no escape when the Emperor was angered, and lengthy kneeling was common.

Zhou Shuren was about to express gratitude, but before he could speak, Xiao Qing hurriedly said, "I haven’t had to use this for some time; I’m not even sure if the ointment is still effective."

Zhou Shuren’s thanks were cut off in his throat, his heart calculating—the ointment, which Xiao Qing hadn’t needed to use for quite a long time due to a lack of prolonged kneeling, must surely have expired, dry and useless, "It’s not that serious, no need for ointment."

Xiao Qing took back the ointment, tacitly accepting it was useless, pulled over a chair to sit, and pressed Zhou Shuren’s leg, only when he noticed Zhou Shuren wince in pain did he murmur, "Have you learned your lesson?"

Zhou Shuren endured the agony, "If the master would remove his hand, this subordinate will remember."

Xiao Qing pressed harder, "It seems you have not yet learned."

Zhou Shuren was stunned, "My lord."

Xiao Qing signaled for everyone inside the room to leave, and only after the room was cleared did he say, "I knew this day would come sooner or later."

Zhou Shuren stared at Chief of Staff Xiao, this old man had relinquished his power very decisively, but he had never underestimated him. He looked up, waiting for Chief of Staff Xiao to continue.

Xiao Qing’s somewhat profound eyes stared directly at Zhou Shuren, "You do not have a heart that reveres imperial power."

Zhou Shuren’s heart skipped a beat, "You jest, my lord."

Xiao Qing’s piercing gaze seemed like an illusion as he looked up, "Don’t deny it. You are cautious of imperial power, but you lack reverence, yes, the kind of reverence that is etched into your bones. I noticed it the first time I covered for you."

At the time, he was shocked and thought he had made a mistake, but after several more instances, he knew he hadn’t been wrong.

Xiao Qing did not give Zhou Shuren a chance to speak, "That’s why I knew that one day you would be punished. Imperial power must be revered; no minister can escape it, no, it should be said that no one can escape imperial power."

After speaking, Xiao Qing stood up and patted Zhou Shuren on the shoulder. Zhou Shuren was smart and understood what he meant without it being said in full. This was all the help he could offer Zhou Shuren.

It took Zhou Shuren a while to collect his thoughts. So that was it. The Emperor’s actions were not just out of imperial grace. What truly needed to be admonished was reverence, respect for the royal family. The Emperor had previously seen him through a favorable lens, and while that lens still existed, it wasn’t as strong because the Emperor was considering abdication. That’s why it was now that the Emperor had spotted his issue!

Inside the Palace, the Emperor had returned and sat in silence without speaking. The entire Palace was already abuzz with news of the punishment given to Minister Zhou.

The Crown Prince kept glancing at his father, unable to fathom why the Emperor would punish Zhou Shuren. Disdain? That couldn’t be.

When the Emperor saw the Crown Prince observing him, he spoke, "Zhou Shuren carries the blood of the Rong family. Whether or not the blood of the other Rong family members can be found, Zhou Shuren still counts as one of the Rong."

The Crown Prince was taken aback, "Yes, your son understands."

The Emperor continued, "I hope that after enduring hardships, the Rong family can live peacefully. I have taken too much from the Rong family, so you do not need to think about having Zhou Shuren as Xu Hao’s mentor. I hope Zhou Shuren can be a loyal minister."

The Emperor’s words were very explicit. The Crown Prince reflected on them and realized his father thought he was assigning Zhou Shuren to Xu Hao!

The Crown Prince fell silent. He indeed had that intention, although it had not been clear before. Now that his father had pointed it out, he also confronted his own thoughts, "Son, I only wish to provide the best for Xu Hao, just like my father did."

The Emperor understood; he was concerned precisely because he understood. He spoke of punishing Zhou Shuren but also felt fortunate to have realized it early, "You indeed favor the Crown Princess Consort, but your relationship with her is not like the one I share with your mother."

He and the Empress had been through too much together, surviving life and death and facing countless thorns. Their feelings for each other couldn’t be compared to the smooth-sailing love of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort.

The Crown Prince might favor the Crown Princess Consort, but he was no stranger to visiting other women in his quarters. His son didn’t share his sense of romance, particularly in his dealings with the Ning family. The future was too long, and the years could wear down one’s heart.

The Crown Prince wanted to deny it, but he couldn’t find any reasons to argue, "Your son truly wants the best for Xu Hao."

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively. What’s best now might not be best in the future—it was too big a gamble.

That evening, when Zhou Shuren returned home, Zhulan immediately smelled the scent of medicine on him and, noticing the way her husband walked, asked, "What happened to your leg?"

Zhou Shuren motioned for the maids to leave, "Don’t worry, I have already applied medicine. The medicine from the Palace is excellent; the swelling has gone down significantly."

Indeed, it was medicine from the Palace. He had not been back at the Ministry of Revenue long when a eunuch came to deliver the ointment. Seeing the ointment, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had weathered this storm and definitively resolved the matter of becoming a mentor to the Imperial Grandson.

Most importantly, he was now aware of the problem he had always hidden, and he knew he would not make the same mistake in the future.