[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-doted-by-the-regent-king":3,"chapter-doted-by-the-regent-king-doted-by-the-regent-king-chapter-226":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Doted By The Regent King",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1325217,1760,"Chapter 226 - 226 226 Loosening","doted-by-the-regent-king-chapter-226",226,"\u003Cp>226: Chapter 226 Loosening 226: Chapter 226 Loosening Old Lady Zhou had been somewhat relenting, but upon hearing Zhou Xuennian accuse her of favoritism, she suddenly became irrepressibly angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You say I’m biased—have your books been read in vain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Am I biased?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, I am biased; that’s why over these years, whenever you wanted to study, your father and I let you be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who has been managing our lands and fields?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your younger brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What have you done?” Old Lady Zhou scolded, “I’m biased, yes, I’m so biased that I haven’t had you out in the fields helping your brother, letting him look older than you despite being only in his teens!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Zhou’s words weren’t without basis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years of laboring in the fields had exposed Zhou Xueli to the elements, his skin tanned and rough, making him look almost thirty despite being not yet twenty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By contrast, Zhou Xuennian, who had only studied without working the land and lived in comfort, appeared much younger dressed in his scholar’s robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, it’s no wonder Old Lady Zhou was angry—it was perhaps justified for her to favor her younger son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she hadn’t expected her eldest son to be so ungrateful as to speak to her in such a way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You are so ungrateful and unappreciative, you might as well not study any longer, because your books haven’t taught you how to be a son or a brother!” Old Lady Zhou angrily cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuennian was sprayed with her spittle and wiped his face with his sleeve, then forced a smile and cajoled, “Mother, I was just speaking my mind—don’t take it to heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t mean it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Zhou sneered, “Even without meaning to, you manage to stab me in the heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you had intended to, would you not have taken my life?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, look what you’re saying—how can you put your son to such shame?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I apologize to you, don’t be angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you become ill from anger, I would be unforgivably guilty.” Zhou Xuennian kept up his smiling face, and was now massaging her feet and shoulders, spewing out flattery as if it cost him nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the day, he was her flesh and blood; no matter what, Old Lady Zhou couldn’t stay mad at him, and her expression softened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, is there really only ninety taels left?” Seeing Old Lady Zhou’s changing expression, Zhou Xuennian cautiously asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Zhou said, “You know very well that we don’t have much harvest at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We live mostly off your father’s old savings and the modest income from our fields.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, how many times have you continuously asked for money for various reasons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, haven’t I also earned some by copying texts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Zhou said mockingly, “How much have you earned from copying?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s not even enough to cover the expenses you incur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And your wife, don’t think I don’t know she’s been skimming money off the top.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Discussing this issue infuriated Old Lady Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tightly controlled the family income, and since they hadn’t divided the property, even what the elder son earned was supposed to be handed over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the amount turned in was always insufficient, and sometimes there was none at all, presumably because Madam Lu had taken some for herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was the full amount of silver not being turned in, but she also had the audacity to ask for more from Old Lady Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could she not be furious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuennian looked embarrassed and said, “Mother, that money was also for my use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t worry, as long as I pass the examination for Scholar, and with a little more effort, I might secure an official position at the Yamen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I can repay you double the silver.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Zhou looked at him intently, “Are you so determined to take this silver away?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you realize this is what our family depends on in a crisis?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there’s Dajun; your wife wants to arrange a marriage for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Doesn’t getting married require silver?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you take it, what kind of marriage can he hope for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuennian’s gaze darted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, what more did Old Lady Zhou need to understand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The anger that had just subsided surged again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said, “Go down, I need to think about this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuennian had no choice but to leave, but not before saying, “Mother, just remember, once I become a Scholar, our family’s fortunes will turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s the only thing that matters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Lady Zhou was thoroughly exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>",765,"2026-06-05T19:25:17.772Z",1,"novelbin.me","8430469209d55bcb3c8eaed415156cd4d562fb1f7fcd8b8f903f696c98fe31ba","doted-by-the-regent-king-chapter-227","doted-by-the-regent-king-chapter-225",1685,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdoted-by-the-regent-king-cover.jpg"]