Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent! Chapter 1508: Educating Students

Zhulan touched the children’s foreheads. The doctor didn’t find anything wrong. All the children ate the sa food, and if it were poisoning, it shouldn’t just affect twenty kids. Since it’s all cooked in one big pot, if there was an issue, it would affect everyone.

The doctor conducted a thorough check and confird that the children would be fine after taking dicine and resting for the night.

The won cooking were extrely nervous. They were all from nearby villages, and food shortages were common these days. Working at the estate kitchen ant they could eat until they were about seventy percent full. Though they couldn’t bring food ho, their monthly wages were paid in grain. This allowed them to take grain ho to feed their families and even earn a little extra. Many villagers envied them.

A few won entered, one of them in charge of the kitchen, cautiously saying, "The food was prepared to ensure everyone eats to seventy percent fullness. It’s the sa daily, and we didn’t add anything wrong."

These won were around forty years old, with a lifeti of experience. They wouldn’t mistake wild greens for the wrong ones. They were genuinely baffled by the incident.

Zhulan gestured for Steward Wang to bring people to investigate. The kitchen hadn’t made mistakes, and poisoning seed unlikely since it didn’t affect everyone. She turned to Qing Xue and instructed, "Go check it out."

Qing Xue nodded and left, coming back shortly. She reported, "Two groups of children gathered so herbs, exchanged them with the doctor for a few copper coins, secretly went to the village to buy potatoes, and roasted them outside. Here are the potatoes found."

Zhulan imdiately understood. In ancient tis, people ate potatoes without peeling them, washing them briefly to cook with the skin. They wouldn’t waste a thing and even ate sprouted potatoes. Only after repeated poisoning incidents did they learn to be more cautious. Later, they avoided eating sprouted ones or delicately removed the sprouts before thoroughly cooking them.

The children likely undercooked the potatoes and couldn’t bear to waste the spoiled parts, thus causing poisoning.

Steward Wang remarked, "The estate’s food supply has been decent. Though there are frugal orders from within the palace, we’ve never skimd or withheld food. Why would these kids secretly roast potatoes?"

Zhulan explained pragmatically, "Growing boys can eat their families into poverty. Look at the children in these two groups — they’re all boys around eleven or twelve years old. With no fats in their diet, they eat more but don’t stay full."

Her civilian orphanage couldn’t compare to the Imperial Orphanage, which could afford to serve at once a month. She had to rely on herself here.

At the beginning, a significant donation in silver coins allowed her to build the estate, leaving so funds aside. If the capital beca self-sufficient this year, other provinces could start absorbing orphans gradually.

Everything had to be ticulously calculated.

Zhulan cooked millet and red dates from ho into porridge. With so many children, each got a thin bowl of porridge. The leftover millet was reserved for the twenty poisoned children to help them recover.

At dinnerti, Ming Rui arrived—he had ridden over. Zhulan asked, "Why are you here?"

Ming Rui replied, "I was worried about Grandma. After school, I packed up and ca over."

Zhulan sighed, "You child, I’m heading back tomorrow, and the kids are fine now."

Ming Rui said, "Still, Grandma, I couldn’t rest easy. Ming Jia and the others wanted to co, but I wouldn’t let them. Grandma, I brought so food for you."

Zhulan gestured at the table, "I’ve already eaten. You hurried over without eating, didn’t you? Keep it for yourself."

She had eaten the sa food as the orphanage children—a bowl of thin porridge, a potato pancake, and so wild greens.

Ming Rui spotted the leftovers on the table and said, "Then I’ll eat what Grandma eats."

Zhulan replied, "There’s nothing left. The kitchen pots are empty. Eat the snacks you brought."

Ming Rui had brought plenty of food, including a piece of at. After asking Qing Xue about Grandma’s dinner, he knew she wouldn’t eat alone. He instructed his young servant to send the at to the kitchen to be added to tomorrow morning’s porridge, providing so flavor for the children.

At the Marquis Zhou Residence, Zhou Shuren returned to find a letter and hear the news sent back. At least it wasn’t a preditated incident. He worried his wife wasn’t eating or sleeping well and rembered she didn’t pack anything for herself before leaving. His only comfort was that Ming Rui had been thorough.

Zhulan, however, wasn’t as Zhou Shuren imagined—hungry or sleepless. She had eaten dinner and even visited the children before nightfall. The girls were obedient, and the boys behaved well. Orphans tend to mature early from seeing the cold realities of life, and orphans in ancient tis cherished their chance to survive even more.

Perhaps exhausted, Zhulan slept remarkably well that night. The next morning, she awoke to sounds of commotion in the courtyard, spotting Ming Rui commanding so boys to carry rabbits.

Zhulan asked, "Did you catch those this morning?"

Ming Rui replied, "Yes, the young servant and I are skilled. We tried our luck this morning and found so."

Zhulan scolded gently, "You, look at yourself—your clothes are soaked. Go change."

Ming Rui responded, "Okay."

Breakfast included porridge augnted with Ming Rui’s at. The children ate carefully, savoring every bite with satisfied expressions. Even sick kids sat up to eat. Though only a borrowing of flavor, and not substantial oiliness, the porridge was palatable for them.

After breakfast, the children washed their dishes and prepared for lessons.

That day happened to be serendipitous. Rong Enqing arrived early for class, and Zhulan decided not to rush back ho. Accompanied by her grandson, she sat in on the lesson.

Farmhands working outside even gathered at the windows for a chance to learn—being literate was an incredible rarity for commoners.

The blackboard used for teaching was Zhulan’s idea. She had it custom-made—a large board with big characters visible to all.

Rong Enqing didn’t just teach literacy; he also told stories. Zhulan attentively listened, intrigued.

Zhulan turned her head and remarked, "Rong Marquis delivers lessons well."

Her grandson’s eyes unexpectedly sparkled—sothing she had never seen in Ming Rui before.

Coming back to himself, Ming Rui said, "Grandma, educating and nurturing others is noble."

Zhulan gave a thoughtful "Mm."

She recalled Ming Rui teaching children during his trip out of the capital with the Crown Prince. Could it be an interest taking root?

anwhile, at the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Shuren stared at a stack of Zhezi applications for silver—all requesting funds. The largest claims ca from Prince Liang and Rongchuan, both needing silver for construction. Though the nation possessed a mountain of gold, it couldn’t be utilized. With food shortages driving up prices, further silver devaluation would leave the people destitute.

But where could he conjure silver from? Southern provinces affected by last year’s floods hadn’t been able to collect taxes, relying entirely on financial aid from the ministry. Washed-away dikes needed repair—it was relentless demands for funds everywhere.

When all the ministry doctors arrived, Zhou Shuren opened the discussion. "You’re all aware of today’s court eting. Prince Qin requires the Ministry of Revenue to dispatch soone to the grasslands. Who’s willing to go?"

No one proactively responded; no one wanted the hardship. So doctors had entered the room avoiding eye contact altogether.

Zhang Jinghong was tempted but hesitated, eventually taking a gamble. "This subordinate is willing to go."

Seeing the relief on everyone else’s faces, Zhou Shuren rolled his eyes inwardly. Addressing Zhang Jinghong, he said, "Noted. You all may leave."

Zhang Jinghong was the last to leave but returned shortly after. "My lord, this subordinate is sincerely willing to go. Please advocate for ."

A father of only one son, he needed to plan for his future and couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity—it was truly rare.