The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 315: Disguise Technique

Mrs. Zhao said, "Yeah, this Royal Family’s business is beyond us. If it weren’t for some remnants escaping to our place, we wouldn’t have any connection with the Royal Family."

Gu Guangkui lowered his voice and chimed in, "What remnants? It’s all about taking the opportunity to eliminate dissidents. A few days ago, when I was out working in another county, I heard some grain merchants from Shengjing say that the Crown Prince wasn’t plotting a rebellion at all; he was framed by treacherous ministers and the step-Empress. Our Majesty already had his suspicions about the Crown Prince, and with a little instigation, he harbored murderous thoughts."

Mrs. Zhao heard about the step-Empress and feared it would trigger Tong Huaqiong, who had stepmother issues.

Gu Dahuan was still standing here; what would he think?

She felt a bit upset with Gu Guangkui for publicly exposing her in-law’s shortcomings.

Mrs. Zhao countered, "I think it’s because as a father, he’s afraid his son will seize power. He wants to kill the Crown Prince but worries about being labeled as a ruthless father, so he blames it on the treacherous ministers and the step-Empress. With such power in his hands, who would he need to listen to when deciding whom to kill? It’s just like some men who remarry and then blame everything on the stepmother, even though they’re clearly indifferent to the children from their first wives."

After saying that, she specifically pointed out Tong Huaqiong, saying, "Don’t you think so, mother-in-law?"

Tong Huaqiong: "..."

This remark left her, as the stepmother, at a loss for words.

She then realized that Mrs. Zhao was speaking up for her, associating the term "step-Empress" with stepmothers.

Not necessary at all!

However, Mrs. Zhao’s logic did reveal the crux of the problem.

What treacherous ministers and step-Empress? If the Emperor didn’t already intend to kill the Crown Prince, how could he be instigated?

Simply put, the Emperor wanted to remove the Crown Prince but didn’t want to bear the reputation of killing his son, so he exaggerated the roles of the treacherous ministers and the step-Empress.

The village head’s wife, with her arms crossed, said, "So this Emperor likes to shift the blame, doesn’t he? What Dashi’s mother said earlier was right. When they’re killed, they’re remnants. But when he regrets it, he thinks ’we’re all family, so why kill each other?’ Suddenly, the remnants become royal grandchildren again. At that time, given his tendency to shift blame, he’s sure to hold accountable those searching for remnants. The batch of soldiers searching now, I’m afraid they’re doomed."

The village head scolded, "What nonsense! Is the Emperor someone we commoners can gossip about? Do you have a spare head to lose?"

This scared the village head’s wife into silence.

The village head then addressed the crowd gathered at Tong Huaqiong’s doorstep, "Disperse, everyone! Either go harvest, or sun-dry the corn. If you meet strangers, don’t let them into the village, but also don’t waste time reporting to officials without evidence; you could get yourself into trouble and no one will be able to save you. We’re just regular folks living peacefully, the things above have nothing to do with us, don’t gossip or meddle. Got it?"

According to the village head’s perspective, even if you meet a factional remnant, you should pretend you didn’t see them.

As long as the Royal Family’s strife didn’t involve the commoners, it had nothing to do with the people of Qinghe Bay.

Seeing that the village head was angry, everyone agreed together.

Don’t gossip, and don’t get involved.

The village head waved his hand, urging everyone to return to what they were doing.

The crowd dispersed, and the Gu Family got busy.

Originally, Gu Taohua, just back from the Prefecture City, was about to go to the Taohua Dessert shop in Yan Guan Town.

But the village head specifically instructed Tong Huaqiong that the authorities mandated that people leaving from each village to Yan Guan Town in the next couple of days weren’t allowed to casually come and go from the village entrance before the search ended, fearing collusion with remnants along the road.

He also mentioned that later, soldiers would guard each village to prevent entry and exit.

Of course, when the village head shared this news with Tong Huaqiong, he inevitably cursed the absurdity of this regulation.

Thus, Gu Taohua and the others were kept at home by Tong Huaqiong.

After all, the Taohua Dessert in Yan Guan Town had Liu Qiaoyun, Gu Xiaocao, and Ma Huateng among the clerks, so nothing would go wrong,

What worried Tong Huaqiong was if soldiers came to search the village, they surely would have sketches or portraits, right?

From wiping Su Chengmin and Xiao Long’s faces yesterday, she knew their looks were natural.

Wouldn’t Su Chengmin and Xiao Long be exposed this way?

What should we do?

Hide them?

Su Chengmin still had a high fever; where could he be hidden?

Besides, they couldn’t get out of the village and abandon them now.

"Sister Tong, you’re back?"

Mrs. Hong swaggered into Tong Huaqiong’s house.

Seeing Mrs. Hong, Tong Huaqiong’s face lit up with joy.

Could it be that God was on her side?

Mrs. Hong, during her childhood escape, mastered a good disguise technique; she used this skill to escape smoothly back then.

"I was scared to death; just now on the way I met a lot of soldiers who said they were searching for rebel remnants; even my carriage was checked. If it weren’t for Chun Ni’s mother, who was up early collecting pigweed, confirming that I was a resident of Qinghe Bay, they would have made me return the same way," Mrs. Hong said, patting her chest.

Without a word, Tong Huaqiong pulled Mrs. Hong into Gu Jingzhe’s room.

Two remnants, one big and one small, were still asleep.

Mrs. Hong was startled by the sight of the big and small pair on the bed, one with a head wrapped like a zongzi.

Xiao Long was alert, immediately opening his eyes when he sensed a stranger approaching the bed.

Seeing Tong Huaqiong standing there, Xiao Long rubbed his eyes and sat up, holding out his arms and exclaiming, "Grandma Tong."

He then looked warily at Mrs. Hong.

Tong Huaqiong patted Xiao Long on the back to reassure him, "Don’t be afraid."

Tong Huaqiong asked Gu Taohua to bring rouge and powder.

"Sister Tong, what’s this?" Mrs. Hong asked, puzzled.

Tong Huaqiong said, "Draw them two different faces, unlike their current ones."

Mrs. Hong, having experienced the rebellion in Shengjing during her childhood, instantly understood Tong Huaqiong’s intention and guessed the identities of the two.

She didn’t ask why, and opened the makeup box, picking and choosing among the rouge and powder sent by Lu Zhaozhao.

Xiao Long kept dodging Mrs. Hong’s outstretched hand.

Man Er said from the side, "Xiao Long, you need to behave. Once you have these on, you won’t be recognized."

Xiao Long quieted down.

Mrs. Hong smoothly applied makeup to his face, then let his hair loose, tying two little buns and using Man Er’s velvet flowers to adorn them.

In the skillful hands of Mrs. Hong, Xiao Long instantly turned into an adorable little girl.

With inspiration, Tong Huaqiong asked Chen Sufen to bring Man Er’s clothes to dress Xiao Long.

Of course, Xiao Long was unwilling to wear them, but Gu Taohua held his arms down while Tong Huaqiong and Chen Sufen teamed up to put them on him.

Born with rosy lips and white teeth, once he wore Man Er’s clothes and sat with her, they looked like two tender blooming flowers.

"Oh my, so pretty."

"Even prettier than a girl."

Chen Sufen and Mrs. Hong laughed and praised.

Xiao Long realized something, glaring angrily, tugging at the outfit.

Yaozu walked in, eyes widening at Xiao Long, laughing and clapping, "Xiao Long turned into a little girl."

Xiao Long clenched his fists, showing Yaozu an angrily cute expression, protesting, "You’re the little girl."

Yaozu didn’t argue, ran out, and returned with a mirror, putting it in front of Xiao Long.

"See? Aren’t you a little girl?"

Xiao Long glanced into the mirror and his face flushed with anger.