A Good Country Wife
Chapter 342 - 336_1

Chapter 342: Chapter 336_1

Although her suspicions were confirmed, Lin Yue only felt more perplexed. The recipe she had initially provided was faulty; not only were the production steps incorrect, but even the ingredients added were haphazard. Her intention had been to make fun of the Wei Family patriarch, making him waste his time and resources on a wild goose chase. She couldn’t comprehend how he had managed to successfully research it. If he had such capabilities, why had he been so fixated on stealing their family’s recipe from the start?

"Brother Erhu, are you sure that your Manager really said that the Wei Residence has put out the same ingredients as our family?" Lin Yue, unable to make sense of it, began to doubt whether Zhao Erhu had made a mistake.

"No mistake, Manager Li indeed said so. If he wasn’t certain, Master Li wouldn’t have decided to switch to the Wei Family for supplying goods to his residence. One reason is that the Wei Family offers a cheaper price for the same ingredients, and also because the servants have accepted bribes from the Wei Family patriarch, leading Master Li to decide to terminate the contract with our family. The situations in the other residences are more or less the same." Zhao Erhu replied with certainty.

"How is this possible?" Lin Yue truly couldn’t understand and furrowed her brows slightly, appearing troubled.

Zhao Erhu could understand his wife’s current thoughts. Of course, he had discussed those actions with her beforehand. So when he heard what Manager Li said, he had felt it somewhat implausible. Now seeing Lin Yue asking this question, he asked uncertainly, "Wife, the recipe you let Li Chang’an steal back then, was there a mistake? It wasn’t the real recipe, was it?"

Lin Yue gave Zhao Erhu a disdainful look. "Do you think that’s possible? Only an idiot would write down the real recipe. This is truly bizarre."

"If you can’t figure it out, don’t dwell on it. Anyway, we have made quite a bit of silver these days. Collaborating with the Jiang Family in the future, these matters won’t count for much. Besides, haven’t we also produced sweet potato vermicelli and sweet potato sheets, which the Wei Family patriarch doesn’t have? Right now, the priority is to finish the batch of goods requested by the Jiang Residence and deliver it on time." Zhao Erhu consoled Lin Yue with these words. Had he truly been unconcerned, he wouldn’t have spent every day running around town gathering information.

"That’s all we can do now, since the contract has already been terminated. It’s useless to think too much about it. Better to concentrate on future business matters and how we should build our house." Lin Yue said as she took out some blueprints she had recently drawn and invited Zhao Erhu to study them with her.

While Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue set aside their concerns, the mood of the Wei Family patriarch inside the Wei Residence was quite volatile. Having earned a substantial amount from the bean sprout recipe he got from Zhao Lingxiang was a sweet deal, and now with several more recipes on hand, he was eager and impatient to make a fortune before the New Year. Therefore, before even attempting to make anything from the recipes, he had already had people pull the business from Zhao Erhu to his side.

The Wei Family patriarch thought that since he had the recipes in hand, it was only a matter of time before he could produce them. The ingredients shown to the other residences were bought from Zhao Erhu’s place, ensuring that the taste was identical. He thought, if a countryman like Zhao Erhu could do it, with recipes now in his possession and many servants at his side, how could he not surpass it? Confident that he could produce even better results, he had given his guarantee. Now, with only a few short days left before the delivery deadline, if he couldn’t produce the goods, he would be in big trouble.

"You’re all worthless! Such a simple task, and it’s still not completed. What do I keep you around for? You’re of no use to me!" The Wei Family patriarch was once again inquiring about the progress and, receiving only disappointing news, he lashed out at the servants all over again.

"My lord, it’s not that we haven’t tried our best. We’ve followed every step provided in the recipe you gave us and tried countless times, but it really doesn’t work. My lord, could... could there be something wrong with this recipe?" This question had been on the servant’s mind for a while, but since the recipe was said to have come from the recently favored Concubine Zhao, he had been hesitant to ask, fearing that he might offend someone. But now, with the pressing situation, he could no longer care about such concerns. If they couldn’t come up with a solution, the lord would certainly punish them.

"What do you mean, there’s something wrong with the recipe?" The Wei Family patriarch furrowed his brows. Had the source of the recipe not been trustworthy, he would have suspected it earlier. Why else would his servants not succeed in creating the product following the recipe? Now that he was being directly questioned, he fell into deep thought.

Concubine Zhao had assured him that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the recipe. It was too significant of a matter for her to dare deceive him. Confused, the Wei Family patriarch went to see Concubine Zhao to find out exactly how she had obtained the recipe.

"My lord, why have you come? Have you come to check on the baby? He’s doing well. Knowing that you have come to see him, he would surely be delighted." Seeing the Wei Family patriarch, Zhao Lingxiang smiled broadly as she got up. At less than three months pregnant, her belly was hardly showing, yet she exaggeratedly behaved as if her pregnancy was a great burden. The Wei Family patriarch helped Zhao Lingxiang up, and her pride was immense. In the residence, no other woman enjoyed such treatment as having the lord personally assist her.

Zhao Lingxiang’s triumphant act came from having lived comfortably these past days. It was evident from her glowing complexion. Ever since she handed over the recipes she had obtained from the Wei Family to the patriarch, he no longer confined her or treated her coldly, but instead lavished her with affection, more so than ever before. Not to mention, there was a precious child in her womb. Zhao Lingxiang couldn’t help feeling pleased with herself, inducing envy among the other women in the residence, turning the backyard into a veritable vinegar vat.

"If the child is well, that’s good. Take care of yourself, and later on, give me a healthy baby boy. I won’t mistreat you." The Wei Family patriarch feigned elegance, waving the folding fan in his hand. Eager for an heir in his old age, he cared greatly for the child Zhao Lingxiang was carrying. Only after a few words of caring did he get to the point.

"You said this recipe came from your mother, the Wei Family matriarch. Did she tell you exactly how she obtained it? I want the truth." The Wei Family patriarch had actually asked Zhao Lingxiang this question before, but she had given a somewhat evasive answer. He hadn’t cared much at the time, as long as he got his hands on the recipe, so he hadn’t pressed further. Thinking she had fooled the patriarch, Zhao Lingxiang hadn’t expected him to bring it up again now.

"My lord, what’s wrong? Is there a problem with that recipe?" Zhao Lingxiang felt a tightening in her chest as she heard the patriarch’s question. She was well aware that the favor she had enjoyed these days was largely due to that recipe. It couldn’t possibly have any issues. So upon hearing the patriarch’s words, she instinctively blurted out her question.

"I suspect there’s something wrong with the recipe, that it has been tampered with, and I want to know exactly how your mother acquired it. This is of great importance, and you must tell me everything."

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