Chapter 292: Chapter 300: Indispensable
Old Man Han was ultimately worried about his son. Although his son had been promoted, he didn’t see it all as beneficial; after all, their family’s foundation was modest, and home couldn’t provide much help. From his visit to Xinluo Town, he knew how large the expenses in officialdom could be, especially during the New Year and when it came to social engagements, not to mention other costs. They couldn’t always rely on their daughter-in-law to subsidize everything, otherwise his son would always be beholden to her. Old Man Han didn’t know the unwritten rules of the army camp and thought Han Yu only received his regular army provisions each month an amount he could somewhat guess.

“Yes, Fourth, the expenses in the city are certainly greater than in the town. If it gets too much, let Lady Yue come back with the children,” said Old Man Han. “Mother could help look after the three children for you; you shouldn’t pretend to be richer than you are.”

Mrs. Yang agreed, saying, “You know I’m not really keen on taking care of the kids, but your children are charming, and I’m naturally partial to my youngest son. Those three kids really are delightful, Sister Yu included. Mrs. Yang has a bit of a preference for boys, but she took to Sister Yu from the first glance, thinking perhaps the child had a certain affinity for her. She hadn’t dared to consider it before, as the Fourth Daughter-in-law was raising the children so well, they looked like cherubs out of a painting. She felt nervous even holding them, fearful of causing any harm.”

Given the current situation, if the Fourth Daughter-in-law truly lived in the Village, she would help take care of the children. Though they lived with the Main House, the Eldest Son would not object, and as for Mrs. Liu, she was now so eager to ingratiate herself with the Fourth House that she certainly wouldn’t have any objections.

Han Yu saw that when his parents made these suggestions, his wife’s face turned a bit pale, and although others might not notice, he knew she must be unhappy. His wife cared most about their three children now, and if anyone dared threaten that, she was ready to fight. Moreover, when his parents had previously visited Xinluo Town, they had brought up taking the children, and his wife’s reaction had been poor. Bringing it up again could make her even more dissatisfied with them. Torn between his wife and his relatives, Han Yu naturally did not want such a situation to arise.

“Father, Mother, you needn’t worry,” he said. “I’ve already bought a house in the prefecture, and Lady Yue and the children will definitely accompany me there. The house can’t be managed without a Mistress.”

“What? You bought a house!” Everyone in the room, including Old Man Han and Mrs. Yang, was surprised. They couldn’t believe Han Yu had actually purchased property in the city, a place where land was worth its weight in gold. The idea of buying not just any property, but a House, was beyond what they would dare to think about, so their reactions were filled with astonishment.

“Is that true, Fourth? How much did you have to pay for this house in the city? You’re not joking with me, are you?” Old Man Han asked, somewhat disbelieving. Everyone else in the room also looked at Han Yu skeptically, as the news was quite a shock to them.

“I’m not joking. It’s true, Father. Do you see me as someone who would joke about something so important?” Han Yu was not surprised at his family’s surprise, even he himself had only hoped to achieve some success in his career; he never expected to reach this point so quickly. If it weren’t for the fortune they stumbled upon in Zhuangzi, he wouldn’t have had the confidence or means to do this.

And he was right about it being a windfall. Since Su Wenyue had entrusted Zhuangzi to Han Yu, she naturally didn’t keep the secret of the treasure from him, sharing everything she knew. True to her description, Han Yu found the treasure left by the original founders of Zhuangzi, further boosting his resources. It also confirmed his original guess that the owner of Zhuangzi must have had some ulterior motive to hide secret chambers and treasure; an average person would not have the capability or the wealth for such things. However, with so much time having passed, much information was lost, and the owner’s identity was beyond verification.

“So it’s true. How much did you spend on this house in the city, where did you get such a large sum…” Old Man Han stopped mid-sentence, obviously thinking of Su Wenyue. With the Su Family’s wealth, Han Yu purchasing a house in the city was not impossible. It seemed this was the most likely scenario.

Mrs. Yang had not yet caught up and looked at Han Yu worriedly, “Yes, Fourth, where did you get the money for the house? It must have cost quite a lot of silver, right?”

Han Yu did not respond to Old Man Han and Mrs. Yang but instead turned to Su Wenyue. He didn’t want to answer this question. Some things, though not needing secrecy, were his private matters. He didn’t want the whole Village to know how much he’d spent on a large house in the city. Given his parents’ character, if he told them, everyone in the Village would find out. Born into different circumstances, with different cultivation, vision, and standards, Han Yu did not belittle his parents, but knowing their ways, he couldn’t be too explicit about certain matters.

Seeing Han Yu’s reaction, Old Man Han became even more convinced of his guess. It appeared that the house in the city was indeed purchased by his daughter-in-law. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be vague about the cost. It occurred to him that the house might count as his daughter-in-law’s private property, likely bought with her dowry silver, so as a father-in-law, it wasn’t his place to inquire.

Mrs. Yang wasn’t too dense, and seeing her husband and son’s behavior, she started to understand what was happening. The house was bought by the Fourth Daughter-in-law. Not silent like Old Man Han, she voiced her curiosity outright.

“Fourth, did your wife buy this house?” With Mrs. Yang’s question, the people in the room had a moment of clarity.

Su Wenyue initially wanted to deny it but, catching Han Yu’s look, changed her tune, “Father and Mother, rest assured, houses are not as expensive now; they’re much cheaper than before. I actually intended to live in Zhuangzi, but some matters are inconvenient there, so I thought of buying a House in the city to make socializing with other Madams and Misses easier. If Husband wishes to advance smoothly in his career, these social connections are essential.”

Though Su Wenyue did not explicitly address her mother-in-law’s question about purchasing the House, everyone understood it that way and found it neither surprising nor unexpected.

Han Yu knew they had misunderstood, but this was his intention too, otherwise he wouldn’t have steered them to this conclusion. Some explanations were not suitable for his parents to hear, so he preferred to convey them under the guise of his wife’s actions. Plus, knowing the house was bought by his daughter-in-law might change their perspective and lead them to be more accommodating with her, a result he welcomed.