A Good Country Wife
Chapter 480 - 474_1

Chapter 480: Chapter 474_1

The unlucky couple naturally returned with Zhao Erhu, and after being cared for these past days, they finally looked human again. The most joyful part was that after enduring hardship, they were finally able to return to their hometown. They had already given up hope, thinking they would die in a foreign prison, never expecting that Zhao Erhu would save them. Their gratitude for him saving their lives was as if he had given them a second birth, and they decided then and there to follow Zhao Erhu.

Having arrived at the master’s home, it was naturally impossible for them to not meet the mistress. Later that day, the couple paid a visit and respectfully kowtowed to Lin Yue, "Qian Feng and Mrs. Liu, greet the Dongjia’s wife."

Lin Yue, having already heard about them from Zhao Erhu, knew the reason for Qian Feng and his wife’s actions. Whether it was because of Zhao Erhu’s life-saving grace or their pledge of allegiance to him, she felt she could accept their bow. Although she felt somewhat uneasy about it, she still quickly helped them up after they had paid their respects.

"Rise quickly. Since you’ve decided to follow Erhu, we are now one family. There’s no need for such formalities." Lin Yue said with a gentle smile, her hand lightly assisting Mrs. Liu to stand. The woman felt so frail it was as if only skin and bones remained. Lin Yue couldn’t help feeling sympathy and pity. They were supposed to have good days ahead, yet because of one accident, they fell into such dire straits, nearly losing their lives. Even though they were saved by Zhao Erhu, he had his own agenda, and the couple would now owe him their lives in servitude.

However, although Lin Yue felt pity for the couple, she did not play the saint by saying they owed no debt. Otherwise, why would Zhao Erhu have gone through the effort to save them? Being out and about was not like being in Xin’an City, where attracting trouble was feared. It was only right for Qian Feng and his wife to repay Zhao Erhu’s life-saving grace; after all, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

After meeting with Lin Yue, Mrs. Liu stayed to chat with her, while Qian Feng went off to discuss matters with Zhao Erhu. The primary reason Zhao Erhu saved Qian Feng and his wife was to have Qian Feng work for him. Now that his wish had been fulfilled, it was time for Qian Feng to prove his worth.

On Zhao Erhu’s last return from the Capital City, while staying at an elder’s house, he discovered that local goods like fur were sold quite cheaply. Due to limited capital, he had purchased less merchandise on his trip to the south. Aside from the goods produced by his own family, Zhao Erhu also planned to select some high-quality local goods and furs to ship overseas. Qian Feng was experienced in this trade and was very familiar with the area, making him the perfect candidate for the job.

While on the road, Zhao Erhu had already discussed this matter with Qian Feng. Now he was just explaining the specifics. Eager to see his family and to repay his benefactor quickly, Qian Feng set out for home with his wife the same day, armed with the silver note given by Zhao Erhu. Arriving at Zhao Family Village, Qian Feng’s hometown was near, just a two or three-day journey away.

Lin Yue knew about Qian Feng and his wife’s situation; after the calamity of prison, they were left with nothing, not even a change of clothing, which Zhao Erhu had provided. Qian Feng’s father and Little Douzi were in dire straits back home, barely able to feed themselves, waiting for their son and daughter-in-law to return. The silver coin given by Zhao Erhu for the purchases obviously could not be spent on personal matters, so Lin Yue gave them an additional fifty taels of silver, as well as provisions, cloth, and some small items Zhao Erhu had brought back from the south, all for the couple to take home with them.

"Thank you, Dongjia, and the Dongjia’s wife," expressed the couple, unable to decline Lin Yue’s kindness. They were more aware than anyone of the situation back home. If they had not met Zhao Erhu, their father and son might have starved to death. They desperately needed these items now, and they kowtowed several times to Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue, eyes brimming with tears, vowing to accomplish the task entrusted to them flawlessly.

Zhao Erhu had almost used up all the silver notes he took to the south, including the 15,000 taels Lin Yue had given him to take. When he returned, only a little more than 500 taels remained. The 6,000 taels that were provided to Qian Feng for procuring merchandise this time were taken from Lin Yue’s share, which had just been delivered by Jimin Hall a few days earlier. It was part of the dividends from the partnership with Jiang Ziqi in the workshop, amounting to 13,000 taels of silver. Now, 6,000 taels were gone all at once.

"Is 6,000 taels enough for collecting the goods this time? I think for sure the ship can’t be fully loaded, so why not purchase more? It’s not cost-effective to leave space empty. It’s not easy to make a trip," Lin Yue thought. Considering how Zhao Erhu had spent tens of thousands of taels on procuring goods in the south on a previous trip, she feared that 6,000 taels might not be sufficient for Qian Feng’s current trip and thought about adding more. After all, Qian Feng and his wife were bound by a contract and couldn’t run away.

Zhao Erhu answered with certainty, "No need, 6,000 taels of silver are quite enough. Collecting mountain goods isn’t the same as going to the south to procure goods. The price of mountain goods is cheap. Even if fur is somewhat valuable, the best we collect is only worth around a hundred taels of silver. With 6,000 taels, we can buy a substantial amount of mountain goods, and there will definitely be some left over."

Upon hearing Zhao Erhu’s explanation, Lin Yue came to the same conclusion and ceased insisting, nodding her head in agreement, "Then we shall follow your advice."

Actually, Zhao Erhu’s primary focus for Qian Feng was on purchasing fur; mountain goods were secondary. If appropriate and good ones were found, they were to be bought. It was already late August, and they projected to set out to sea at the end of September or the beginning of October. Including stops at nearby islands, they would spend about half a month at sea. By the time they reached the foreign tribes, it would already be mid-October or almost November when the weather was getting progressively colder, by which time fur was sure to sell at a good price.

Zhao Erhu shared this idea with Lin Yue, who agreed and even considered whether they should produce some fur cloaks or small accessories in the style of the overseas territories themselves. The price would certainly be much higher than just selling the fur alone.

Zhao Erhu left the fur procurement to Qian Feng and planned to personally collect from the nearby areas within several miles. Given his background as a hunter, he knew this area better. After Qian Feng and his wife left, Zhao Erhu also stepped out.

Lin Yue was still pondering if there was anything she hadn’t mentioned to Zhao Erhu. It was only after he had left that she remembered that she hadn’t told him about Zhao Yunxiang’s serious illness. She could only wait to discuss it when he returned in the evening. Fortunately, Zhao Yunxiang’s condition had eased under Doctor Zheng’s treatment. It was uncertain if he could last through the year, but for the next two or three months, he should be fine. A day or two of delay in informing Zhao Erhu wouldn’t hurt.

In the evening, Dalang and the others finished school and returned from the city, all with excited faces, eager to see their father as soon as possible. However, they hadn’t expected that Zhao Erhu would not be back by the time they got home, which left them somewhat disappointed.

"Don’t worry. It’s getting late; your father should be back soon after finishing his errands," Lin Yue reassured them.