Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 608: Possibly Two_1

Wu Ning’s heart was heavy with worry, her face showing concern, "He Shu’s condition isn’t good. He has been neglecting proper rest because of the exam, and now he has a high fever. Even after taking medicine, he’s still quite out of it."

Zhulan sighed. It wasn’t just that He Shu hadn’t rested, but also the fact that his mental burden of a hidden concern had stretched his nerves taut—once the exams were over, he couldn’t suppress it any longer, and all his aggravation flared up. "Visit him more often these next few days."

Wu Ning felt extremely tired. It had been raining these past few days, and she had been worried about He Shu’s exams. Now that they were over, He Shu had fallen ill. She felt that if it weren’t for a force sustaining her, she would have fallen ill herself, "Auntie, I’m going back to rest for a while."

"Go ahead."

He Shu’s illness kept recurring. By the time the results were announced, his sickness hadn’t improved, and it was the servants who went to check and found out.

He Shu’s results placed him third, which was considered a decent achievement. The first place went to an unfamiliar and unexpected name, and it was Shen Yang who secured the second.

Zhulan thought to herself that all her scheming had been in vain—who would have thought that a dark horse would emerge at the last minute? Nevertheless, Zhulan’s mood remained pleased.

But this pleasure didn’t last long, as soon she was beset by a severe headache.

Zhulan fixed her gaze on Lady Zhao, "I didn’t hear you clearly just now, say it again?"

With a thick skin, Lady Zhao repeated herself, "Mother, today when Yushuang and I went out, her veiled hat fell off."

Zhulan had already calmed down. She hadn’t had a birthday to formally introduce her two granddaughters, and now Yushuang had revealed her face in public. Should she be glad that Yushuang wasn’t an overwhelming beauty?

The young lady had been truly exquisite as a child but, ultimately inheriting some of Zhou Lao’er’s genes, she ended up resembling Zhou Lao’er as she grew up. Nevertheless, she was still a beauty.

Zhulan gestured to Lady Zhao, "Don’t be so nervous, if it’s exposed, then it’s exposed."

She could hardly prevent it anyway.

Upon hearing her mother-in-law’s words, Lady Zhao’s unease finally settled. She was afraid of being blamed by her mother-in-law, but deep down, she was also a bit pleased that her daughter would finally be able to attend banquets. The Zhou family’s young miss wasn’t only the little sister’s type. With a lighter tone, she said, "Mother, I’ll head back first then."

Zhulan spoke, "Right, hasn’t your mother written to you?"

Lady Zhao was startled, "No, since the last letter there haven’t been any others. Mother, is there something the matter?"

Zhulan waved her hand, "It’s nothing."

It looked like Lady Zhao’s mother had come to her senses. When her eldest son and Chang Zhi went to Lizhou Province, they had met the officials to whom Lady Zhao’s brother was to be betrothed. Chang Zhi had bluntly clarified their stance—the Qian family was just that, unrelated to the Zhou family, and Chang Zhi certainly didn’t leave any room for face-saving.

The Zhou family’s eldest granddaughter was a beauty in the making, and by evening, those who should be aware, were aware.

The next day, Zhulan received several invitation cards. Turning to Granny Song, she said, "Look at how curious these people are."

Granny Song couldn’t help but chuckle, "It’s also because you’ve kept the young misses too much under wraps."

Moreover, with the second master’s unremarkable looks and the old master’s ordinary appearance, no one believed the Zhou mansion could produce a beauty!

Zhulan pulled out an invitation from the Princely Heir’s residence, "Since they must make their social debut, we might as well choose the highest status banquet."

Zhulan had confidence in her two granddaughters—their etiquette was personally taught by Nanny Shui.

In the principal wife’s quarters, Lady Li received the news and got flustered, "How should we dress for this?"

As she spoke, she rummaged through her daughter’s jewelry box.

Seeing her mother take out the most valuable jewelry, Yu Lu put down her book helplessly, "Mother, there’s no need to dress too grandly. After all, my father is a commoner; just a formal attire would suffice."

She wasn’t off to a beauty pageant, and besides, no matter how much she adorned herself, she wasn’t a beauty, so she might as well dress according to her own tastes and avoid overdoing it and losing face.

Lady Li didn’t care about herself, she cared about her daughter. This was her daughter’s first time attending a banquet, "Mother’s reputation isn’t good, and I’m afraid you’ll be looked down upon, and I fear you being wronged."

Yu Lu curled the corner of her mouth, "Mother, your daughter has only ever listened to what she wants to hear from a young age, and I won’t wrong myself."

Lady Li also smiled, "You and your elder brother are alike."

In the second wife’s place, Lady Zhao excitedly dug out her jewelry, "There’s no time to make new clothes, but fortunately your father often buys you dresses. What do you think about this jewelry set?"

Yushuang had reached the age where she cared about her appearance, and this time she was excited to be able to go out to a banquet openly, "This set is very good."

Lady Zhao put down the jewelry and held her eldest daughter’s hand, "Your father and I have high expectations for you, and if you do end up with a good match, you should look after your brother well."

After listening to her husband so much and unable to bear more children, with only one son, her thoughts increasingly aligned with those of her husband.

Yushuang’s joy vanished. She didn’t like it when her parents always talked about these things. Once or twice didn’t matter, but the more often it happened, the more irritable she became.

Lady Zhao didn’t notice her daughter’s expression and instead embraced her younger daughter. Seeing the little girl reaching for the jewelry, she quickly stopped her, "This is for your sister; you mustn’t touch it."

The next day, Zhulan took her two granddaughters and Su Xuan to the residence of Princely Heir Shen. With the title of Magistrate, Su Xuan could at least offer extra protection to the two girls.

Zhulan watched Su Xuan sit with effort, with her belly now showing, "Today, you’ll have to work hard."

Su Xuan leaned back on a cushion, "Mother, we’re family, it feels too impersonal to speak like that. Yushuang and Yu Lu are my nieces; it’s only right that I take extra care of them."

Zhulan felt reassured at heart and gazed at Su Xuan’s belly, "Your stomach seems unusually large."

Having been through multiple childbirths herself and seen her daughters-in-law go through the same, she knew that at this stage one shouldn’t be showing so much, but Su Xuan’s belly seemed too large.

Su Xuan stroked her belly, "I also think it’s unusually large. The midwives around me aren’t sure, and I didn’t dare tell you, mother. I’ve been waiting to invite a familiar Imperial Physician to check my pulse."

Zhulan focused on Su Xuan’s belly, "Do you mean to say you’re not carrying just one?"

Su Xuan, "Mother, it hasn’t been confirmed yet."

Zhulan asked, "Does Chang Zhi know about this?"

Su Xuan shook her head, "My husband doesn’t know, and I haven’t dared tell him either."

Zhulan became worried. In ancient times, childbirth was indeed a risky affair; giving birth was like a walk before the ghost gate, and Su Xuan was expecting her first child. If it were twins, the risk would doubly increase.

In the past few days, Su Xuan had felt uneasy herself. She specially looked through the family genealogy. There had been twins in her ancestors, and she felt that her belly gave it away; she was almost certain of it. She just wanted to be more reassured, thus she was waiting for the Imperial Physician whom she had some connection with thanks to her title as Magistrate and some acquaintance with the physician’s family.

In Pingzhou, Rongchuan and Chang Lian rode out of the city gates in a carriage. The two of them, with Chang Lian placing second and Rongchuan eighth, had both passed the imperial examination.

They had been entertaining guests continuously these days in Pingzhou, and as they left the city gates, Rongchuan stretched, "Finally leaving."

Chang Lian did not share a carriage with Lady Dong, as he had something to ask Rongchuan, "I also wanted to ask you, your scholarship is no worse than mine, so why did you place eighth?"

Rongchuan smiled, "Third brother, you carry the glory of the Zhou family so you must do your utmost to achieve good results. But, if both of us took top places, it would draw too much attention to the Zhou family."

Chang Lian had speculated as much, but hearing Rongchuan say it still moved him. Indeed, as Rongchuan had said, his burden was heavier than Rongchuan’s, and Rongchuan was deliberately underachieving for the sake of their family.

Not long after the carriage set off, the coachman stopped, and Shen Xing rode up on a horse, "Third Master, there’s a carriage stuck in a mud pit up ahead, they are asking for our help to push it out."