A Good Country Wife
Chapter 228 - 256 Lovable

Chapter 228: 256 Lovable

Listening to Chunxi’s words, Zhao Lingxiang’s face grew even darker. She had initially thought it would be easy to dismiss a poor country woman, but unexpectedly, she had encountered a tough one who dared to knock on her bamboo pole. All she needed was the item in the poor woman’s possession, which forced her to be at the mercy of her schemes—a most begrudging thought. If Zhao Lingxiang had known that Chunxi’s original asking price was fifty taels of silver, who knows how she would have felt.

"Fine! Five taels of silver it is, but your recipe must be flawless. If my master finds out you dared to deceive me, he will definitely make your whole family suffer," Zhao Lingxiang said hatefully. Although five taels of silver was more than she had anticipated, it wasn’t beyond her means. For the recipe in Chunxi’s hands, she still accepted the deal.

Having received the five taels of silver, Chunxi told Zhao Lingxiang how to sprout beans and the method for making zongzi. These were things Chunxi had paid close attention to when she was working at Zhao Erhu’s home. Now that Lin Yue had more to do, she didn’t make a particular effort to keep the bean sprouting process a secret. As for the zongzi, Chunxi did not know how Lin Yue mixed the ingredients. She only recalled the filling and described it based on her thoughts. Naturally, the taste wouldn’t be the same. Still, it was enough to deceive Zhao Lingxiang for the time being. Zhao Lingxiang rarely cooked when she was at her family’s home, and even less so after marrying into the Wei Family. And, since Chunxi’s ingredients were all correct—merely the method of making them was different—Zhao Lingxiang wouldn’t notice.

After taking the silver, Chunxi felt no guilt at all. In her view, the recipe for sprouting beans alone was worth the five taels of silver. As for the zongzi, no one would bother making them when it wasn’t the Dragon Boat Festival. If Zhao Lingxiang found out they were wrong and came looking for her, Chunxi had ways to exonerate herself. Moreover, she might not even be in the Zhao Family village by then, making it uncertain whether Zhao Lingxiang could find her at all.

While spending five taels of silver did pain Zhao Lingxiang, being able to report back to the master was a relief. Perhaps the master would be pleased enough to give her a little something extra, which would compensate for her loss. Therefore, after a brief stay in the old Zhao family home, she hurriedly rushed back to the city.

The Wei Family master’s reaction was even more delighted than Zhao Lingxiang had anticipated. To her, bean sprouts were nothing more than cheap goods, not worth much, and she had been worried about whether the Wei Family master would be satisfied. Seeing his reaction, she felt relieved, content that her five taels of silver hadn’t been wasted. After all, her monthly allowance was only two taels of silver, and she scrimped and saved just to accumulate a little private money.

"Master, my sister-in-law is a shrewd and tough character. I’ve tried every trick in the book and could only get these two recipes from her. She wouldn’t say more. We’ll have to think of other ways in the future."

"Hmm, this outcome is already quite good. I thought you would come back empty-handed like last time, but this time you’ve given this old master a pleasant surprise. You’ve been diligent in your duties for your master, and I won’t let you go unrewarded. I saw a gold hairpin in the treasury yesterday, quite well-made. I’ll give it to you as a reward."

With Wei Family master in such high spirits, naturally, he wanted to reward Zhao Lingxiang for her competent work. In his view, though they were just a couple of minor recipes, they were moneymaking tools. His wealth differed from Zhao Erhu’s; he wasn’t limited to small-time dealings. With the bean sprout recipe, the sprouts could be grown cheaply and easily, without much labor, and were delicious to eat. He liked them himself and was confident that by selling them in large quantities everywhere, he could turn a substantial profit.

Some days ago, the managers of his two taverns and eateries reported that some diners were dissatisfied because they couldn’t get bean sprouts, resulting in some loss of customers. He hadn’t expected the problem to be resolved so easily. As for the method of making zongzi, it was of no use at the moment; he would have to wait until the Dragon Boat Festival next year. He had heard that Zhao Erhu had made quite a profit from making zongzi, and next year, that business would belong to him.

"Thank you, my lord." Zhao Lingxiang was completely overjoyed. She had not expected the Wei Family patriarch to be so generous on this occasion, presenting her with a gold hairpin—an honor she had never received even during her most favored times. She had initially thought that receiving a small silver object would be quite good, but now it seemed the lord was truly pleased. With this, the five taels of silver she had spent earlier didn’t feel painful at all.

Because Zhao Lingxiang had made such a significant contribution this time, that night the Wei Family patriarch also stayed in her room. The other women in the house were green with envy; after all, how could an old woman who had lost her favor be cherished by the lord again? Her looks weren’t even top-notch. It was no wonder they were jealous. Only the lady and the Wei Family patriarch’s most beloved concubine knew the true story.

In recent days, Zhao Lingxiang, nourished by the Wei Family patriarch, had a glowing appearance, and even her walk seemed light and airy. She hadn’t expected that after so many years, there would come a time when she would be favored once more. Change is indeed unpredictable. What did the jealousy of the other women in the house matter? What was crucial now was finding a way to bear the patriarch’s child as soon as possible. Having a child was essential for securing her stance.

At the Zhao Family’s old house, Wei Family’s matriarch put away the gifts her daughter had brought back, her face brimming with joy and celebration. Just recently, the matchmaker had brought her news that Zhao Xing’s marriage prospects were looking up. There was a girl from Shanglin Village who seemed well-suited for her son—her appearance and temperament both pleasing—and had described the girl’s family situation, asking her to see if she approved. If so, they could arrange for a meeting.

Shanglin Village was also where Erhu’s wife came from. Considering Erhu’s wife’s talents and appearance, although the matriarch bore a dislike for Lin Yue due to the rivalry with Zhao Erhu, she couldn’t deny that Erhu had indeed married a good wife. Lin Yue was capable both inside and outside the home, and fiercely loyal to her husband.

Even when Erhu was in such a dire state that he was almost at the Gate of Ghost, Lin Yue had unwaveringly supported the entire family. To have such a woman as her daughter-in-law would make the Wei Family matriarch ecstatic; it was just the irony of fate. Truth be told, she had facilitated that marriage in a rather casual way, sending the matchmaker to propose a woman for Zhao Erhu merely to shut up the great-uncle’s criticisms. She had figured that since the girl did not have a good reputation, she mustn’t be outstanding, deeming her an appropriate match for that "wolf cub" Zhao Erhu. So, when the matchmaker brought up Shanglin Village, the matriarch subconsciously expected the girl to be desirable, which is why she was so pleased.

"Is she really as good as you say?" Zhao Xing wasn’t really keen on marrying a country girl, but after hearing the matchmaker praise the girl so highly, and having Erhu’s wife as a benchmark, he realized that even a small village could produce such a remarkable person. She was more beautiful and sophisticated than any high-born lady in the city and capable of earning money too. When she spoke, she was soft and gentle, the kind of person you just want to cherish.