A Good Country Wife
Chapter 506 - 500_1

Chapter 506: 500_1

"Congratulations, Madam, congratulations! Now that the master is returning, you don’t have to worry anymore. You’ve become so thin these days; you must take good care to regain your strength. Otherwise, when the master sees you like this, he will surely blame us servants for not taking good care of you," Xixi said half in congratulations and half teasingly, earning her the agreement of Nanny Xu who stood nearby.

"Indeed, Madam, there was no news from the master in the past few days, and this old servant couldn’t comfort you. Now you must listen carefully to me; otherwise, when the master returns, not only will I be in a difficult position to explain, the master has said that if you don’t behave, he will punish you upon his return. So, for your own sake, you must take good care of yourself, or you won’t have the strength to handle the master’s energy," Nanny Xu said, her words carrying deep and ambiguous meanings. Now that they knew the master was safe, the atmosphere around the entire estate had lifted. Although Nanny Xu did indeed have some worry in her words, her tone was relaxed and cheerful.

Lin Yue blushed at Nanny Xu’s words, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, "Well! Nanny Xu, how could you join this naughty girl in teasing me? You’re ganging up to make fun of me now!"

Although Zhao Erhu would not be returning so soon, his letter stated that he still needed to transport the goods to the Capital City and negotiate other matters with the Princely Heir of Marquis of Zhenbei, only returning once everything was settled, which she estimated would be a few days before the New Year. However, now that there was news, even if Zhao Erhu was delayed, Lin Yue felt at ease and began to prepare for the New Year with joy and excitement.

"Speaking of which, Zhao Erhu left with thin clothes. I originally thought he could return by November. Now the weather is so cold, and he didn’t bring any winter clothes. He’s the last person to take care of himself. I don’t even know if he’s going to freeze," Lin Yue said, watching the heavy snow fluttering outside, her worries resurfacing.

"Madam, considering that Haishi left just two days ago to deliver New Year gifts to the Capital City, their pace must be slow. If we send someone to quickly deliver the clothing, I estimate they could catch up before a day has passed and take them together to the Capital City," Nanny Xu suggested when she heard Lin Yue’s concerns. In truth, she understood that the madam was needlessly worrying. The master was a grown man, had silver at his disposal, and brought servants along with him; how could he possibly catch a cold? But it was all out of concern.

Though that was the logic, Nanny Xu didn’t point it out; instead, she followed Lin Yue’s train of thought and offered advice. In her view, the madam was too trusting of the master, believing he would do nothing to displease her and was completely unaware of the need to keep a tight hold on her husband’s heart. But aren’t all men the same? Always chasing after the new and forgetting the old; she had seen it plenty of times. When in love, they swear by mountains and seas and utter all kinds of sweet words, but as time and circumstances change, who remembers their past vows? Even though the master felt deeply for the madam, he might not withstand external temptations. Before, there were no conditions for such things, but now, as the Zhao Family prospered, even if the master had no intention, women from outside would eagerly throw themselves at him. If by chance he brought another woman home, the madam would not be able to cope. Therefore, the madam must secure the master’s heart.

After his return from the sea, the master would be agitated and tired, and he was accompanied by a group of men, with no woman to take meticulous care of him. If the madam thoughtfully sent clothing to him, the master would surely be touched by her kindness and would think twice even if indecent women tried to tempt him, remembering the goodness of his wife.

Unaware of the intricate thoughts in Nanny Xu’s mind, Lin Yue liked the suggestion and acted without delay. She immediately went inside to pack Zhao Erhu’s clothes and personal items, along with a new cloak and gloves she had made for him. After some thought, she also included his favorite foods and the fine wine brewed at home, perfect for warding off the cold on the road.

With everything packed, it was quite a large bundle. Lin Yue finished her preparations and called for Musheng to come. She instructed him to ride swiftly to Haishi and take it all to the Capital City.

With the goods sent off, Lin Yue felt relieved once more. Nanny Xu took charge of preparing for the upcoming New Year, only consulting Lin Yue on decisions she couldn’t make on her own. Lin Yue spent her days eating and sleeping—living the life of a pig, so to speak. When she had free time, she did some embroidery. As the saying goes, ’fattening up’ was exactly this. On one hand, the cold weather made Lin Yue reluctant to move, and on the other, she purposely wanted to gain some weight lest Zhao Erhu return and nag her. While Zhao Erhu often appeared quite tolerant, catering to her whims, the old man had his own firm stance; Lin Yue was somewhat afraid when he got angry.

In Zhao Erhu’s letters, aside from detailing his itinerary, he often nagged her to take good care of herself, saying that if he returned to find her disobedient, he would not let her off easily.

Reading the letter made Lin Yue’s face turn red; the implications of his words were clear even to a fool. That’s why Nanny Xu had teased her earlier—Zhao Erhu, that old man, might appear upright, but his mind was filled with such trivial matters. How else could he skip everything else and pick up on that one point? But such private matters were known only to her. After this instance, Lin Yue resolved that if Zhao Erhu sent letters in the future, she would never let others read them with her—it was too embarrassing!

Calculating the travel times, Haishi and Zhao Erhu should arrive in the Capital City almost concurrently. Whether they meet on the road is uncertain, but if they do, the better; the items could reach Zhao Erhu a day earlier. In reality, however, the two groups did not encounter each other—Haishi arrived in the Capital City two days ahead of Zhao Erhu, mainly because unloading the ship’s cargo took quite some time.

The Princely Heir of Marquis of Zhenbei had already anticipated Zhao Erhu’s arrival. But with the year-end, the Court’s affairs were numerous, and dealing with his stepmother’s and half-brothers’ schemes required quite some effort. The Princely Heir couldn’t spare time to meet Zhao Erhu, so he dispatched trusted aides instead, bringing along ample manpower. Transporting so much cargo wasn’t only a matter of safety but also of laboring to bring it into the Capital City. However, considering Jinbei Wharf was not far from his house, Zhao Erhu thought it unnecessary to transport the goods all the way to the Capital City, only to have to carry them again; hence, he let Zhao Xinglin take the goods home first.

"Princely Heir, a group of people has arrived at the gates, saying they are here to deliver New Year gifts from Zhao Erhu’s family for you. Since they haven’t visited before, this subordinate does not know how to proceed and has come to ask for your instructions. Should we accept their New Year gifts, and if so, should they be received here or stored in the mansion’s treasury?"

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