A Good Country Wife
Chapter 505 - 499_1

Chapter 505: Chapter 499_1

Putting in extra hours, with Lan Fang, Dong Xue, and Musheng’s wife assisting, Lin Yue still took a full three days to rush to finish the products. Qian Feng and Mother Xu had already selected the specialties from the north, and all the items were ready. Lin Yue entered the storeroom to inspect the New Year’s gifts for each family. In a moment, they would be sent to the Capital City along with the last batch of goods for the Jiang Family this year, which included fresh vegetables that needed to be picked at the last minute to stay fresh, especially since they will be delayed on the journey. They wouldn’t be easily frozen or damaged if stored using the methods Lin Yue had prepared in advance.

This time, in addition to the Jiang Family’s staff escorting the goods, Lin Yue also sent Haishi along with a few servants to deliver the New Year goods. After all, this was not a casual addition to a shipment as before; it was a formal New Year delivery. First, there were so many items, and second, it was appropriate to send her own servants. Fortunately, when Zhao Erhu went abroad, he left her with a few capable men due to his concern for her safety, so they were not short-handed now.

Haishi was quite capable herself, having previously delivered New Year and festival gifts to her former master’s main house. She was adept at this task, displaying even more thoroughness than Lin Yue knew, allowing Lin Yue to simply issue the instructions and let the rest be handled without worry. Haishi took care of everything else efficiently, saving Lin Yue a great deal of effort.

Shopkeeper Liu had sent a message, they would depart early the next morning and meet up in the city. Lin Yue instructed the brothers preparing for the journey to rest well, so they could set off spiritedly the next day, while she led a group of servants to the greenhouse to pick vegetables at night.

With Haishi’s wife meticulously taking care of them and several experienced old farmers managing them, the greenhouse vegetables grew exceptionally well—crisp green beans, glistening cucumbers and eggplants, and various kinds of leafy greens. Lin Yue laid a thick layer of straw inside the wooden frames she had prepared beforehand, and carefully surrounded it before placing the freshly picked vegetables and fruits inside.

Others, like mushrooms and leafy greens, were wrapped in straw outside and placed delicately in exquisitely woven bamboo baskets inside a large wooden frame, looking very attractive and delicate. It was indeed a lot of work, but for gifts to the wealthy, wasn’t it all about presenting something fresh, exquisite, and rare? Their family had only risen from a peasant household and didn’t have much wealth to begin with; the storeroom didn’t have many valuable items. It wasn’t cost-effective to spend a lot on purchases, so to deliver satisfactory gifts, effort had to be made in this aspect.

However, the goods that were easily obtained by Lin Yue were rare commodities outside, and the gifts they sent were more loved and welcomed than other fabrics or curiosities. After picking all the vegetables, Lin Yue spent the night retrieving lotus roots from the storage pond.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, lotus roots were rare for ordinary families to consume, but for the wealthy, they were not so unusual, only seasonally available because they were difficult to store. For instance, during the winter like now, it was rare to find them. Even the Empress in the Imperial Palace would have difficulty getting some to eat. Thanks to Lin Yue knowing the storage methods, she had kept quite a lot. The plump, clean lotus roots were packed, filling more than a dozen baskets, allowing each family to receive a generous share.

After a night of busyness, Lin Yue barely rested. She sent off Haishi and the others early the next morning and only then did she return to her room to catch up on sleep. Waking up around noon, she faintly heard excited voices outside.

"It’s snowing, it’s snowing." Someone outside was shouting about the snow. Lin Yue was momentarily dazed before she donned her clothes, opened the door, and indeed saw the first snow of the year falling thickly, like goose feathers outside.

"It’s started to snow," Lin Yue said softly, her mood, which should have been merry, weighed down by the lingering absence and lack of news from Zhao Erhu. With the snowfall, she wondered if ice would form on the sea and make the ship’s journey difficult?

"Zhao Erhu, why haven’t you returned yet? What’s keeping you? Do you know there’s someone at home worrying about you?"

The Princely Heir of Marquis of Zhenbei, who was just as concerned about Zhao Erhu’s journey as Lin Yue, felt a surge of joy unlike Lin Yue’s distress. Unlike Lin Yue, he was bereft of news, unable to contact Zhao Erhu directly but could communicate with people on the islands around the sea. Naturally, he knew Zhao Erhu would arrive in the Capital City soon and manage to return before the heavy snow sealed the sea. It was said that the trip had gone smoothly; not only were the goods sent overseas sold, but he also brought back a ship full of western merchandise. Before the Spring Festival, they could make a substantial profit.

Such good news was indeed exhilarating. The Princely Heir of Marquis of Zhenbei felt he hadn’t misjudged Zhao Erhu, who proved incredibly capable. With this wealth, he no longer needed to bend to his stepmother’s will concerning Silver Coin and could act with more freedom and confidence. After all these years, he finally exhaled in relief. It was time to change the dynamics within the household.

Meanwhile, on the homeward journey, Zhao Erhu was becoming anxious. Although the maritime venture was a success, as it was his first trip, inevitable detours had delayed him. He didn’t want to rely solely on the Princely Heir of Marquis of Zhenbei for maritime connections. Even if they continued to cooperate, he had no intention of breaking the partnership, but having more control meant less passivity. Therefore, he spent extra time on each island stop, making efforts to build relationships and win over those who controlled the sea lanes. This had caused the delay, and he knew his wife at home must be worried sick.

Upon reaching the dock, Zhao Erhu immediately sent a message to Lin Yue, though he couldn’t return right away. He had to deliver the goods to the Capital City and settle matters before he could come back. With added concern in his heart and no other choice, he knew some sacrifices were necessary to achieve his goals.

"Madam, Madam, good news! The master has sent someone with a letter," Xixi’s joyful voice came from a distance, breaking the calm atmosphere of the house.

These days, with Zhao Erhu not returning, Lin Yue had been in low spirits, her complexion somber. And when the mistress was unhappy, the servants naturally tread lightly, even speaking in hushed tones, fearful of disturbing Lin Yue. The mood in the house was very subdued, but Zhao Erhu’s homebound letter shattered this gloom, bringing joy and elation, and uplifting the household’s spirits.

Upon hearing Xixi’s words, Lin Yue stood up abruptly, feeling a momentary dizziness from rising too quickly, and steadied herself before saying, "The master has sent a letter, quick, bring it to me."

Lin Yue stepped forward eagerly and tore open the letter Xixi brought in. Seeing the words "all is well, worry not" penned by Zhao Erhu, she was overcome with emotion and almost wept, muttering repeatedly, "As long as you return safely, that’s all that matters. Nothing else is important."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.