A Good Country Wife
Chapter 396 - 390_1

Chapter 396: Chapter 390_1

"Don’t worry, I trust Chang Family Head’s character," Lin Yue was not without fear, but seeing that Chang Xiaoshan, although a mountain bandit, had a decent nature and owed her a debt of gratitude for saving Chang Xiaohu’s life, the likelihood of Chang Xiaoshan harming her was slim. Moreover, Chang Xiaoshan had brought over twenty men with him, all of whom seemed somewhat skilled in martial arts; if they had intended any harm, they likely would have acted earlier.

Chang Xiaoshan actually believed that Lin Yue trusted his character and thought this woman was very straightforward, unlike other women he had encountered, who were either too coarse or too delicate. He felt that she possessed a decisiveness similar to that of a man, and his impression of Lin Yue improved further.

Lin Yue followed Chang Xiaoshan all the way to a forest hundreds of meters away, where Chang Xiaoshan looked around to make sure they were out of sight from distant onlookers before taking out a piece of jade from his chest and handing it to Lin Yue, "Here, keep this safe. This is my token. Once you get to Longhu Mountain, as long as you have this, no one will dare to trouble you."

Lin Yue had not expected that Chang Xiaoshan had called her out for this reason, "This jade pendant looks quite valuable. Why don’t you just give me a different token? Holding onto this makes me feel pressured."

Chang Xiaoshan had indeed hesitated when he took out the jade pendant, but having heard Lin Yue’s response, he made up his mind, "If I give it to you, then take it. Stop hemming and hawing. Let’s hurry back, or people will get suspicious. I didn’t want anyone to know I gave this to you in the first place; I didn’t want to get you into trouble. After all, I am now a mountain bandit, a wanted man by the Court. It’s not good if people find out there’s a connection between us."

Lin Yue found this strange; she didn’t have any relationship with him, but given the current situation in Xin’an City, her family would be traveling to the Capital City even more frequently. At crucial times, the jade pendant could be very useful, so after some thought, Lin Yue decided to accept it.

"In that case, I thank you, Family Head Chang. But it’s not easy for you and your men to come down the mountain, and it wouldn’t be right to leave empty-handed. I’ll have someone unload a cart of dry goods, all homemade ingredients, as a small token of our appreciation for your brothers. However, let’s just say it’s a toll for passing through, shall we?"

"That’s a good idea. Sister, I will gladly accept your kind gesture." Chang Xiaoshan found Lin Yue not only straightforward but also a very smart woman. In this way, she had managed to get on the good side of the heroes of Longhu Mountain without breeding resentment or giving the Court any handle against her. Uninformed people would take it as a simple toll and think nothing of it—no suspicions about any relationship between Lin Yue and Longhu Mountain.

Having reached an agreement with Chang Xiaoshan, Lin Yue felt this trip to the Capital City was not in vain. Even before reaching the Capital City, she had already gained quite a lot, having found several treasures in Longmen Town and resolved the issue with Longhu Mountain. Henceforth, her family’s merchant caravan could travel to the Capital City without any concerns.

Zhao Erhu, seeing that Chang Xiaoshan indeed let his wife return, felt a sense of relief, holding his young wife’s hand tightly in his and unwilling to let go. He was somewhat curious about what Chang Xiaoshan had wanted with his wife, knowing that her earlier explanations were mere pretexts, and the matter was definitely not as simple as that.

Zhao Erhu had been riding onward, but now he decided to accompany Lin Yue in the carriage. Once back in the carriage, he couldn’t wait to ask, "Wife, what did that mountain bandit call you out for? Tell me the truth, don’t fob me off with those phony excuses."

"Brother Erhu, those words were just for outsiders, I had no intention of hiding anything from you, it’s just that there was no chance to explain everything in front of everyone," she reassured.

"So what’s the real story? The bandit didn’t take a fancy to you, did he?" Zhao Erhu couldn’t shake the sense that Chang Xiaoshan’s gaze upon his wife was somehow improper. He was very wary of this man, especially since Chang Xiaoshan was a mountain bandit who wouldn’t bother with propriety or decency. If Chang Xiaoshan acted on impulse and snatched his wife away to the mountain stronghold, Zhao Erhu’s mind raced with concern over how he’d cope. The more he thought, the more anxious he became to leave quickly.

"You’re overthinking it. He’s just grateful for the favor I did for his brother and wanted to return the kindness. Look, what’s this?" Lin Yue handed the jade pendant given to her by Chang Xiaoshan to Zhao Erhu and relayed to him the conversation in the woods, asserting that her behavior was absolutely honest and open.

With his wife going to such lengths, what else could Zhao Erhu say? He was even more certain that Chang Xiaoshan had special regards for his wife. Fortunately, the man had enough propriety not to behave inappropriately.

After passing Longhu Mountain, Zhao Erhu’s journey became smoother, and with just two more days to reach the Capital City, everyone, having never been there, felt a mix of excitement and anticipation to see what the Capital City was really like. Even Zhao Erhu felt it, though less noticeably. As for people like Li Xun, who had previously served in the Capital City, there wasn’t the same sense of excitement or anticipation, but the thought of reuniting with family soon filled them with hope and joy.

When Jiang Ziqi received the news from Li Xun that Zhao Erhu and his wife would arrive in the Capital City in a few days, he astonishingly decided to personally welcome them. Accompanied by a pair of guards, he left the city and met Zhao Erhu’s party on the outskirts of the Capital City.

"Big Brother Jiang, why have you come to welcome us personally? We don’t deserve such an honor!" Lin Yue was pleased to see Jiang Ziqi himself had come, yet considering that he was now the Jiang Family Head, such behavior seemed condescending, and she felt somewhat uneasy. They were not important enough to warrant the Jiang Family Head’s personal reception.

"What, after just a short time you’re already treating me as a stranger? Little Yueyue, since when have you and I been so formal with each other?" Jiang Ziqi was displeased with Lin Yue’s formal tone; it seemed to him that after a few months of not seeing each other, Lin Yue had become more reserved and distant towards him.

But for Zhao Erhu, upon hearing Jiang Ziqi’s warm address to his wife, his jealousy, as always, flared up, "Look, Doctor Jiang, Yueyue is my wife, your way of addressing her seems somewhat inappropriate, doesn’t it?"

Although Jiang Ziqi did not respond to Zhao Erhu’s accusation, his face betrayed a provocative smile. Far from being upset by Zhao Erhu’s blunt criticism, he felt a relaxed sense of returning to days past, with Zhao Erhu’s jealousy as strong as ever.

"Alright, let’s stop joking around and talk more once we get back. You’ve all had a long journey, and I’ve already arranged accommodations for you at the Jiang residence. You’ll stay with us during your visit to the Capital City," Jiang Ziqi said and, seeing Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu’s reluctance, cut them off before they could object, "Let’s settle it at that, and spare me the false courtesies, or else I might get upset."