Chapter 162 The Family’s Only Hope
Peanut did not feel sorry for Zhou Qianqian's death, but was terrified by the cruelty of the Zhou family.
When Madam Zhao and Old Madam Zhou married Zhou Qianqian to the Zhang family, they must have guessed the fate of this concubine's daughter.
"Is there no one in the Zhou family pursuing this matter?" Gu Siqing asked while lying on the bed and shaking his legs playfully.
Peanut shook his head. "No one cares about this. The Zhang family has had more than one concubine die before. And for the Zhou family, a concubine who no one cares about is dead. After the messenger left the Zhou family, Madam Zhao didn't even send anyone to offer condolences."
Zhou Qianqian died silently, and even her death did not attract any attention.
Where she was born, both her parents died. Zhao Yinlian was not her biological mother and she even hated her to the core, so how could she take her seriously?
"You said that there hasn't been any big moves in the Zhou Mansion recently, but it seems like there have been some small moves?" Gu Siqing changed the subject.
Gu Siqing was somewhat surprised by the way Zhou Qianqian died. Her attitude towards those who wanted to harm her was that death is death.
"Miss, you've thought of this." Peanut smiled foolishly while holding the hot water bottle. After sitting by the stove for a while, she finally warmed up. Gu Siqing raised an eyebrow at her, motioning her to continue.
"The Zhou family has been discussing a marriage for the fourth young lady recently." Peanut said leisurely while leaning against the bed.
"It is indeed time to discuss Zhou Xiaoxiao's marriage." Gu Siqing raised his eyebrows slightly. The Zhou Mansion has been peaceful recently.
However, since all the people who posed a threat to Zhao Yinlian were no longer around, everything was naturally calm.
The news that Huasheng had gotten was only half of it. Madam Zhou and Zhao Yinlian had indeed been looking for a suitable husband for Zhou Xiaoxiao, and were also preparing for the baby in Zhou Baihe's belly.
Tan Zhuoyan's two concubines were both pregnant, and Zhou Baihe's baby had to be a boy. Among the three of them, one would give birth to a boy, and that person had to be Zhou Baihe.
The only bloodline connecting the Zhou family and the Marquis' Mansion is Zhou Baili's baby. If the baby in her belly is not a boy, then she will have no hope in this life.
"I've thought that Lily's baby is not far from being born. We should hurry up and have someone reliable look for a pregnant woman who is in a similar stage of pregnancy as Lily."
Old Madam Zhou and Zhao Yinlian looked at each other, and both understood the meaning of the words.
"My daughter-in-law understands that if the child Lily gives birth to is not a boy, we will play a trick and no one will know that the child is not the biological child of Lily and the prince."
Zhao Yinlian did not object to Madam Zhou's proposal. On the contrary, she supported the old lady's idea. They would do whatever it took to ensure that Zhou Baili would become the Crown Prince's Consort in the future. In this way, her child would have to be the next Crown Prince of the Marquis's Mansion.
I just wonder what the Marquis’ wife would think if she knew that the Zhou family had the same idea as her.
The Zhou Mansion has lost its master, but the family will be able to make a comeback in the future. The child in Zhou Baili's belly is one of the opportunities, and it is the easiest to achieve at the moment.
In the Zhou family study, the books on the bookshelf were tilted all over the place, which showed that the people who usually read them did not organize them properly.
A seven-year-old boy was sitting at a desk. From his back I thought he was studying hard, but when I got closer I saw he was scribbling on rice paper with a pen dipped in ink.
"Today, didn't mother tell you to finish reading the book today? I heard from the teacher that you couldn't answer six out of ten questions in class the day before yesterday. Did you listen to what mother said?"
Zhao Yinlian snatched the pen from her son's hand with a headache. Because she didn't take good care of it, the bristles of the pen had become frizzy and could no longer be used for writing.
This pen is not cheap. Zhao Yinlian took a breath and threw the pen on the table.
"I heard it." Zhou Changying picked up the pen thrown on the table and continued to play with it, which made Zhao Yinlian very angry.
In order to educate her son, Zhao Yinlian has been taking care of everything herself these days and has paid great attention to her son's studies.
Zhou Changying was very smart but not very patient. He could learn something very quickly if he studied it seriously, but children are very active and naughty and they were not willing to sit in the study room all day to recite and practice calligraphy.
Zhao Yinlian worried a lot about her son's success, but children love to play by nature. Zhao Yinlian controlled Zhou Changying too strictly, which made him develop a rebellious mentality.
"When did you learn to talk to your mother like this? The teacher was very dissatisfied with your performance in the school the other day."
Zhao Yinlian looked at her son playing with the pen, obviously not listening to what she said, and was extremely anxious.
Holding the sheep-hair brush, Zhou Changying had his head down and seemed not to pay any attention to anyone.
Hearing Zhao Yinlian's constant chatter in his ear, Zhou Changying raised his head stubbornly and said angrily, "So what if the teacher is dissatisfied with me? I just don't want to learn any sage books or the Four Books and Five Classics."
Zhou Changying started to lose his temper and turned his head away. The stricter Zhao Yinlian was in disciplining him, the more he wanted to go against his mother.
Her son's words hit Zhao Yinlian's heart like a heavy hammer, making her eyes go dark.
The child in Zhou Baili's belly is a chance for the Zhou family to revive, but it is just a prelude. If Zhou Changying, the only male in the family, cannot stand up, the Zhou family will be finished sooner or later.
Realizing that she was being too strict and anxious in disciplining her son, Zhao Yinlian took a breath, sat down next to her son, put her arm around him and squeezed his shoulders.
"Listen to me, if your father were still alive, how could I bear to force you like this? Now that the Zhou family has lost its master, you are the backbone of the Zhou family in the future. You must make a name for yourself as soon as possible. I do all this for you."
Zhao Yinlian took the book to Zhou Changying and opened it to the page where the teacher was talking.
"If you feel it's too hard, just study slowly. I am a little anxious to speak today, but I am also worried that you will neglect your studies. You must know that the Zhou family can only rely on you in the future. The honor and disgrace of the Zhou family depends on you."
For the future of her son and the Zhou family, Zhao Yinlian spoke from the bottom of her heart, hoping that her son could realize the seriousness of the matter.
Zhou Changying, whose face still had baby fat, looked up at Zhao Yinlian. His face was round and chubby, and he looked very cute. He pursed his lips and nodded.
Zhao Yinlian cried with joy, wiped her tears and stood up: "You still have homework, and you need to be quiet to study. I won't disturb you. Take a rest when you are tired of studying."
After instructing her son, she lifted her skirt and left the study.
The door of the study was just closed, and Zhou Changying, who had been very well-behaved a moment ago, made a face at the door, changed to a clean piece of rice paper and continued to scribble.
If Zhao Yinlian knew that her persuasion was useless, she would be so angry that she would pass out.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
