A Good Country Wife
Chapter 401 - 395 - _1

Chapter 401: 395 Chapter_1

Without the matching wooden tags, Lin Yue couldn’t leave the estate, and it just so happened that Jiang Ziqi had already left the residence and couldn’t be found. Lin Yue felt quite vexed. She complained that living in the Jiang Family was definitely not as comfortable as renting her own place. Now she couldn’t leave because the gatekeepers wouldn’t allow it, and she couldn’t just force her way out.

"If that’s the case, I have no choice but to go back for now," Lin Yue said dejectedly as she turned back to Qiwu Courtyard, thinking to herself that once Jiang Ziqi returned, she had to make it clear to him to tell the gatekeepers to stop blocking her exit in the future. Otherwise, she would have to move out, as it was too stifling to stay.

"Madam Lin, the scenery inside the residence is pretty nice. Since you can’t leave, why not stroll around the garden and enjoy the view?" Xiaofang cautiously suggested. In fact, Madam Lin made a valid point; the gatekeepers never used to stop guests from leaving. Since they were doing so now, there must be some underlying reason. She had some understanding of it, but it was simply because Madam Lin wasn’t aware of the household rules that she’d been convinced by the gatekeepers.

Since Madam Lin had decided not to leave the estate, Xiaofang certainly wouldn’t be so indiscreet as to reveal this. It might even be the Family Head’s intention—otherwise, who would dare block the Family Head’s guest without some audacity? Moreover, if Madam Lin really did leave the estate and something were to happen to her outside, Xiaofang couldn’t afford to bear the responsibility. It was better for her that someone was preventing Madam Lin from leaving.

Lin Yue, after hearing Xiaofang’s suggestion, hesitated a bit. "That doesn’t seem appropriate. As a guest, I shouldn’t roam around the Jiang Residence freely. Let’s just go back," she said.

"Madam Lin, I see you’re bored alone in Qiwu Courtyard. Besides, with the Family Head supporting you, there’s nowhere in the whole residence off-limits to you, except for the old master and master’s quarters. And right now, the flowers in the back garden are blooming quite splendidly," Xiaofang pressed on, persuading Lin Yue more cunningly to visit the back garden. As long as Madam Lin went to the back garden, Xiaofang would get her silver.

Silver was a secondary concern; Xiaofang didn’t dare offend those few masters. Though they might seem insignificant in the eyes of the Family Head, she was just a servant. If those masters had the intention, they could easily make life difficult for her. Even though the Family Head valued her skills enough to let her serve Madam Lin, it was merely a moderate level of appreciation. She wasn’t a confidant of the Family Head; he wouldn’t truly consider the needs of a servant like her. And as for Madam Lin, Xiaofang could tell she was a kind person, but unfortunately, she was just a guest who would not stay long in the Jiang Family, ultimately an unreliable ally.

In the end, the gossip within the Jiang Residence about Lin Yue couldn’t be contained, and out of curiosity, some people acted to see what the couple who resided in Qiwu Courtyard were like and what abilities they possessed that made them so esteemed by the Family Head. Moreover, the rumors in the residence were getting out of control. While Lin Yue was not a top beauty in the Capital City, just a moderately pretty woman, her sense of style and good temperament had stirred talk that Jiang Ziqi admired Lin Yue’s beauty, which was why he had allowed Zhao Erhu and his wife to stay in Qiwu Courtyard. Others whispered that Erhu had sold his wife for wealth and status, and that Lin Yue and Jiang Ziqi were involved, amongst various other rumors.

The concubines in Jiang Ziqi’s back quarters, having already eased their minds, started speculating wildly again upon hearing these rumors. Like some others, they sought out Xiaofang, the maid assigned by Jiang Ziqi to serve Lin Yue. They all shared a common purpose: to meet this legendary Madam Lin and see what she was truly like.

If she were to become the future lady of the house, they dared not offend her. But given Madam Lin’s status as a married woman, it was impossible for her to become a person of interest in the Jiang Family. Even if the Family Head took her as his concubine in disregard of societal norms, she’d at most be a concubine, someone they could overlook. Moreover, in the eyes of Ziqi’s concubines, if Madam Lin did indeed become one of the concubines, she would henceforth be their common enemy. They had already become nearly obsolete, and with the Family Head’s fondness for Madam Lin, they’d have no chance to turn their situation around.

"Alright, let’s go to the back garden then," Lin Yue agreed after seeing how earnestly Xiaofang was convincing her. After all, she didn’t have much else to do at the moment.

True to Xiaofang’s words, the back garden was beautiful, with many precious plants and flowers. It was the perfect season for blooms, creating a dazzling display that was a feast for the eyes. As Lin Yue approached, someone who had been waiting for her had already sent a maid to keep watch. As soon as Lin Yue arrived, someone was sent to report back immediately.

"Oh, who do we have here if it isn’t the esteemed guest invited by the Family Head? What brings you to come and enjoy the scenery in the garden today? What a rare sight!"

"Tsk, tsk, isn’t there an abundance of fields and greenery in the countryside? What’s with this interest, or didn’t you have your fill of it back in the countryside?"

"Sister, you don’t know this, but the exotic flowers and rare plants here are precious, nothing like the common weeds and wildflowers in the countryside. It’s natural for Madam Lin, being from the countryside, to find them fascinating. She should take a good look now, for she won’t find such treasures once she’s back in her village."

"You’re quite right, each flowering plant in this garden must have cost a tidy sum. Madam Lin should be careful not to damage anything; otherwise, she couldn’t afford to compensate for it."

Lin Yue was admiring the flowers when suddenly a shrill, affected voice rang out. She turned around to see a group of vibrantly dressed women approaching her. Although Lin Yue did not recognize the people of the Jiang Residence, she had gathered a general understanding of the household from the butler and Xiaofang. Seeing the newcomers, she guessed that these women must be Jiang Ziqi’s concubines, feeling somewhat unlucky to encounter them just by chance. Considering how Xiaofang had strongly urged her to come here, she also began to suspect she’d fallen into a trap; these women had clearly come for her.

When she had first heard Jiang Ziqi had several concubines, she was somewhat disbelieving, since Ziqi didn’t seem like someone overly fond of women. Yet he had concubines even before his official marriage. She had thought Ziqi was a decent man, but it seemed she didn’t know him well enough—men truly were seldom good. Luckily, her own husband, Zhao Erhu, was not like that; marrying such a man meant she had made a good match.

"I don’t know who these ladies are? You all are so finely dressed, surely you must be esteemed mistresses of the household. Xiaofang, why don’t you introduce them to me, so I can get to know them?" Lin Yue retorted calmly, smiling despite the veiled sarcasm from the women.

"Madam Lin, these are the Family Head’s concubines," Xiaofang promptly introduced each one to Lin Yue.

"Ah, so they’re Big Brother Jiang’s concubines. My apologies, my apologies. You all looked so impressive I mistook you for the formal mistresses of the house, not just a few concubines. Please don’t take it to heart, haha. I’ll ask Big Brother Jiang to give you something nice later as an apology," Lin Yue said.