A Good Country Wife
Chapter 390 - 384_1

Chapter 390: Chapter 384_1

"It’s midday. Let’s stop for a bit to eat some dry food and rest before we continue the journey. Wife, are you alright? Has the morning travel been uncomfortable for you?"

"No, I’m fine," Lin Yue replied with a cheerful smile. Having ridden in the carriage all the way, it was indeed time to get out and stretch. Despite preparing the carriage to be as comfortable as possible, the constant jolting of the ride nearly rattled her bones apart.

Zhao Erhu extended his hand to help Lin Yue down from the carriage. Seeing that her complexion was good, he felt relieved and said, "Brother Li mentioned there aren’t any towns nearby, so we’ll have to make do with some dry food for lunch. When you’re on the road, you can’t be too picky. We will find an inn to stay at once we reach a town in the evening."

The Brother Li that Zhao Erhu spoke of was the leader of the merchant caravan sent to the Capital City by Manager Liu, named Li Xun. He was a tall and burly man with some martial arts skills, highly esteemed by the Family Head. Usually, tasks like these wouldn’t be assigned to him; the Family Head had sent him especially to accompany Zhao Erhu and his wife because he worried for their safety. Officially, it was said that he was traveling with them on his way back to the Capital City, but in reality, he was there specifically to meet them and escort them back, ensuring their safety.

The essential route from Xin’an City to the Capital City passes through a place called Longhu Mountain, where in recent years an unknown warlord claimed the mountain as his own, leading mountain bandits who roamed freely. The government had sent troops to eradicate them multiple times without success, and since no one dared to confront them, the bandits’ arrogance only grew. It wasn’t uncommon for passing merchant caravans to be robbed clean. Nevertheless, despite their audacity, the bandits didn’t harm lives, only plundering possessions. Even so, Jiang Ziqi was still worried, which was why he’d sent someone to escort Zhao Erhu and his wife to the Capital City.

By the time Lin Yue came out, Li Xun had already set up a clearance with his men. Some had gathered firewood to make a hot soup to go with the dry food. If it had been just the men, they wouldn’t have bothered; as seasoned travelers, they were used to roughing it and would eat something simple before continuing on their way. The main concern was the presence of a lady, so Li Xun had prepared some extra provisions before departure.

"Lady Zhao, is this your first time traveling? After such a long journey, are you tired?" Li Xun asked with a smile as Lin Yue approached. She was a delicate guest, and the Family Head had instructed him to take extra care of her before they left.

"I’m quite alright. Brother Li, thank you for your care along the way," Lin Yue said, not one to act frail. She went over to help and joined Zhao Erhu and others from their party.

They cooked porridge in a large pot, and Li Xun had prepared enough dry food for everyone, including a big bag of steamed buns and pancakes, with a few specially prepared buns for Lin Yue. "Lady Zhao, we don’t have much choice in these wilds, and we need to hurry to reach a town before nightfall. It’s not practical to hunt for game either, so please make do with what we have."

"Look at what Brother Li is saying. I grew up in the countryside, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to go hungry. Having buns to eat is more than good for me. I’ve also brought some food with me; let’s share with everyone," said Lin Yue, feeling a little embarrassed. Although she had prepared some dry food, it was just for their group and wasn’t as thought-out as Li Xun, who had prepared for everyone.

The type of food they carried on the road was quite standard: steamed buns, pancakes, and the like. However, the ones Lin Yue made herself were definitely tastier than those bought from outside – her buns were fragrant, soft, and delicious. Not to mention the jars of pickles, which, when eaten with the buns, were well-liked by all.

"Lady Zhao, did you make these pickles yourself? They taste just right!"

"Yeah, Mrs. Zhao, your homemade pickles are truly delicious. It’s my first time tasting such good pickles."

"If you like them, eat more. They’re all made by our own hands and don’t cost much. We also brought a lot on the wagon. Later, I’ll prepare a few jars for each of you to take back and enjoy." Lin Yue was not stingy, and since Li Xun and his men had clearly been looking out for them along the way, she felt that giving some pickles as thanks could also help strengthen their relationship.

"That’s kind of you, thanks Mrs. Zhao. We won’t be shy then." The men were all hearty in nature and thought highly of Zhao Erhu and his wife, accepting without any reservation.

Everyone looked out for each other on the road, and after getting to know each other, the atmosphere became even more harmonious. After seven or eight days of travel, with just a day or two before reaching the vicinity of Longhu Mountain, Zhao Erhu and his wife, on their first trip from home, were unaware of the risks, but Li Xun’s party became cautious, no longer as relaxed and happy as before. The journey to the Capital City, especially the section near Longhu Mountain, was the hardest to travel. No one knew if mountain bandits might appear to block the road.

They stopped for the night in a town, and Li Xun called Zhao Erhu over for a long discussion. As a woman, Lin Yue felt it would be improper to join the men’s meeting, and she had no idea what they were discussing. When Zhao Erhu returned, his expression was clearly worried. Lin Yue asked him about it, but Zhao Erhu just brushed her off with a few words, saying it was nothing. However, she was not foolish, and she could sense that something was definitely wrong from the tense atmosphere that had begun to envelop the caravan.

"Wife, don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’m here for you, so you should not be concerned." Zhao Erhu felt that he should not burden a woman with such worries, especially his treasured wife. He preferred that she just enjoy the journey to the Capital City cheerfully, with him there to take on any issues.

Lin Yue, unable to get any answers despite her persistent questioning, was displeased. "Zhao Erhu, how did you promise me before? You said you would not lie to me, that you would be honest with me about everything. And now you refuse to tell me what happened, aren’t you just making me worry on purpose?"

"Wife!" Zhao Erhu felt a bit helpless, knowing that if he didn’t speak up, his little wife would definitely be upset. "Alright then, if you really want to know, I’ll tell you. Brother Li called me over to discuss the matter of mountain bandits. I didn’t want to worry you, which is why I was hesitant to tell you about it; you keep probing so much."

"What the heck? Mountain bandits!" Lin Yue was surprised, opening her mouth wide in astonishment. The term bandit was something she had only come across in television dramas or novels, never imagining she might experience it herself.

"Exactly, mountain bandits. In these next two days, we’ll be passing through a place called Longhu Mountain. In recent years, banditry has been rampant here, and many caravans have been robbed while passing through Longhu Mountain. Brother Li is worried that we might encounter bandits on our way, so he brought me over to discuss strategies, to avoid panicking in case we run into bandits unexpectedly."

"I see, that does sound dangerous. Have you guys come up with a plan?"

"Don’t worry. Brother Li and the men he brought with him are all skilled in martial arts, and I also have some abilities. So many of us against a few mountain thieves shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, we are just taking precautions. It’s not certain that we’ll actually encounter any."

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