A Good Country Wife
Chapter 247 - 237 Leading into the Door_1

Chapter 247: Chapter 237 Leading into the Door_1

"Zhao Erhu, you say they didn’t succeed, but will they resort to any tricks behind our backs?" On the way back, Zhao Erhu’s large hand was holding Lin Yue’s, and Lin Yue was somewhat worried about the harsh words Wei Lao Ye had left behind.

"Don’t worry, We’ll meet force with force and stem the tide with earth. As long as we’re careful in our daily affairs and remain more vigilant, we won’t give Wei Lao Ye the chance to play foul."

"True, our business dealings are legitimate, and as long as we guard against their petty schemes, there should be no problems."

Although they looked down on Wei Lao Ye’s character, he had many years of experience in the business world, surely possessing certain tactics. Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue had become more cautious and guarded in their actions. However, more than a month had passed without incident, and Wei Lao Ye hadn’t made a move, which allowed Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue to breathe a sigh of relief, yet they dared not let their guard down.

Wei Xingye had indeed thought about causing trouble for Zhao Erhu after he had issued his threats, but he was currently beset by his own troubles. Initially fixated on his development in the Capital City, he had transferred all his assets from Xin’an City and left no room for retreat. Over the years, the commercial landscape in Xin’an City had changed completely, and even the Magistrate was no longer the same one whom he had bribed before.

Unable to gain leverage with the government or to fend off the exclusion from his peers, it was not easy for Wei Xingye to regain a foothold in Xin’an City. Hence, he couldn’t find the time to bother Zhao Erhu. Moreover, although Zhao Erhu disassociated himself from the Magistrate that day, Wei Xingye couldn’t entirely trust it. Wei Xingye had also heard about Zhao Erhu’s cousin; upon inquiring, it turned out that the cousin really existed and held some sway within the Government Office, being a constable. However, when Wei Xingye sent his Concubine Zhao to cultivate relations, she wasn’t given any attention at all. Thinking Zhao Erhu had interfered, Wei Xingye grew even more wary of him.

At this time, Lin Yue was thinking about the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. Eating mooncakes brought about another sizable profit opportunity. It would be another busy period, but this time, there was no need to ponder over a marketing strategy for the mooncakes. Just like the previous zongzi sale, Lin Yue first made a small batch of samples and had Zhao Erhu deliver them to the Government Office and various residences.

As for the market portion, Lin Yue decided not to engage this time. Scarcity adds value, and this time, Lin Yue intended to price the mooncakes higher, aiming for an exquisite high-end market and not having them flood the streets. However, to reward past loyal customers, Lin Yue did prepare some as gifts, which unexpectedly lead to several orders. While not as large as those from the Government Office or the Su Residence, they were substantial, with one of them coming from Songshan Academy.

One day, Mrs. Zhang of the Lin Family brought a box of exquisite mooncakes home. After her husband, Scholar Zhang, tasted them and was full of praise, the head of Songshan Academy, who was visiting at the time, asked Mrs. Zhang where she bought them. Consequently, he sent for Zhao Erhu and placed an order for the Academy’s festival mooncakes with him.

Songshan Academy, being the best in Xin’an City and having produced numerous scholars and learned men known throughout the Capital City, had a large scale—and they made generous purchases. Just one order from the Academy was only slightly less than that from the Su Residence, making Lin Yue realize that scholars’ money was also quite good to earn.

Enrolling a child in a common academy costs only five taels of silver a year, but Songshan Academy charges twenty taels of silver annually. That being said, academically exceptional students or those who excel in regional examinations could receive a partial or full reduction of tuition, another praiseworthy aspect of Songshan Academy.

Thus, Lin Yue was determined to send all the children to Songshan Academy. However, getting into the Academy was not simple; one must pass a preliminary test. Only those who pass are admitted, and it’s not a matter that can be resolved merely with money. Hence, Lin Yue had become stricter with Dalang and increased their study time, even planning to hire a tutor to come to the house to instruct them in the months leading up to the exam.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the profit from selling mooncakes, minus labor and costs, was a full six hundred and twenty taels of silver. Regarding the disposal of this silver, under Lin Yue’s expectant gaze, Zhao Erhu presented it with both hands, tucking it into Lin Yue’s purse.

He held her in his arms, marveling at his little wife’s obsession as she gleefully counted the silver notes, his face filled with indulgence and joy. They say autumn is the season of harvest, and it was about time to pluck this fruit of his—he couldn’t allow others to harvest it, could he?

"Wife, you kept saying it was too hot and wouldn’t let me touch you before, but now that it’s cooled down, should we take care of our business?"

"Take care of what?" She was so engrossed in counting the silver notes that she didn’t quite catch what Zhao Erhu said and asked absentmindedly.

"The business we should take care of. You don’t need to worry about anything; just be well-behaved, and your husband will treat you well." Zhao Erhu didn’t mind whether his little wife was listening seriously; in his heart, he had already made up his mind and began preparing.

It was clear to him now that with Lin Yue’s nature, whether out of girlish shyness or something else, if he waited for her willing agreement, it could take a year or two, and he wasn’t going to let her procrastinate until then. That, of course, was out of the question. In fact, such matters, once resolved, were simple—once the raw rice is cooked, even if his little wife made a fuss, he would be only too happy to appease her.

Lin Yue found Zhao Erhu’s words somewhat strange, and his tender tone made her skin crawl. "Enough, old man, stop with your sweet talk; I don’t believe a word of it."

"Just wait, I’ll take action and you’ll see," Zhao Erhu said with a smile, but inside he thought how his little wife kept calling him an old man, a habit truly in need of correction. One day, he would take her in hand and change this bad habit.

What Zhao Erhu was most eager about now was consummating the marriage with his little wife. He intended to head into town early the next morning to buy things, but plans often fall in the face of change. As he stepped out, he ran into an unexpected figure, Lin Yue’s brother, and with a sense of defeat, Zhao Erhu led him into the house.

In fact, Zhao Erhu didn’t initially recognize him as Lin Yue’s brother. When Lin Yue’s parents had sold her to him, Lin Qing was studying in the city and wasn’t home. Zhao Erhu had only met Lin Yue’s parents, never her brother, so when he first saw Lin Yue’s brother dressed like a scholar, he thought it was the same man who had stalked his wife and brazenly shown up at his door, which was why he looked less than pleased.