A Good Country Wife
Chapter 523 - 517_1

Chapter 523: Chapter 517_1

Haishi’s wife had become almost fanatical about her vegetable gardening, spending all day in the greenhouse. It was no longer just a means to prove herself to the madam, but a genuine pleasure. Seeing the multitude of seeds Zhao Erhu brought excited her, her eyes glowing with the anticipation of these seeds germinating, growing, and ultimately being harvested.

It was the enthusiasm of Haishi’s wife that convinced Lin Yue to let her manage the project. Lin Yue knew that true interest was different from merely completing a task. No wonder the crops in the greenhouse were thriving. Aside from her improvements to the greenhouse itself, it was largely thanks to Haishi’s wife. To reward her, Lin Yue even prepared a substantial red envelope, which only fueled Haishi’s wife’s motivation further. Not only could she indulge in her passion, but she would also receive the lady’s rewards—what a fantastic situation!

After Lin Yue had explained the names and cultivation methods of the seeds she recognized, there were still some that she didn’t know. No matter how experienced she was, it wasn’t possible to know every kind of seed, especially since some were brought by Zhao Erhu from Foreign Tribes. Perhaps Lin Yue had eaten or seen them before but didn’t know what their seeds looked like. Maybe she would recognize them once they grew.

All the seeds were entrusted to Haishi’s wife for safekeeping, who was eager to start planting some of them in the greenhouse right away. Lin Yue had no objections and encouraged Haishi’s wife to go ahead. The unknown seeds were also left to Haishi’s wife to explore and manage. It didn’t matter if nothing came of them, but if successful, Haishi’s wife would receive an additional reward. The same was promised to the other farmers in the greenhouse—anyone who successfully cultivated the seeds would be rewarded, which resulted in even more people spending their days in the greenhouse.

As Zhao Erhu had thought, Lin Yue spent the next few days rummaging through the chests he had brought into the house, barely doing anything else. But that was fine—there was nothing else that needed her attention. Mother Xu managed all the household affairs, and Zhao Erhu took care of external matters, so she didn’t have to worry about anything. However, Zhao Erhu was still concerned about Lin Yue overworking herself and had mandated rest periods for her, with Xixi tasked to ensure she adhered to them.

Lin Yue didn’t push herself too hard, following Mother Xu’s schedule every day. Zhao Erhu found his wife’s compliance comforting, feeling an unexpected sense of satisfaction, almost like raising a daughter.

However, Zhao Erhu couldn’t spend all his time with Lin Yue due to duties that required his attention around the New Year. Gifts for the families in the village had mostly been sent by servants, but there were a few that Lin Yue had originally intended to deliver herself. The plans were postponed due to unforeseen events, and with Zhao Erhu’s return, the task was handed to him. His rounds in the village wouldn’t take long.

Zhao Erhu also planned to visit Shanglin Village before the New Year. It was customary for them to personally deliver Lin Genfa’s annual gift. Moreover, since Zhao Yunxiang had fallen ill, Zhao Erhu had to pay her a visit now that he was back. With Doctor Zheng’s dedicated care, Zhao Yunxiang was expected to pull through the winter, and although Lin Yue was bedridden due to her injury, she had still sent someone to visit Lin Genfa’s household to check on Zhao Yunxiang. Therefore, she was informed about her current condition.

When Zhao Erhu mentioned he was heading to Shanglin Village, Lin Yue naturally had several concerns, "It’s snowing heavily outside, and the snow is deep. The roads must be difficult to navigate, so please be careful on your way. If you can’t return today, stay overnight at my sister’s place. There’s no rush to come back. It’s cold and dangerous to travel at night. Coming back tomorrow is just as fine. There are no other pressing matters at home. Also, I made two sets of winter clothes for each member of my sister’s family. Take them when you go."

In the past, Lin Yue would have simply sent the fabric, but with Zhao Yunxiang bedridden, she certainly couldn’t sew, and Lin Genfa’s elderly mother had eyesight too poor for needlework. Therefore, Lin Yue instructed Musheng’s wife to have Zhao Yunxiang’s family’s clothes made. With so many embroiderers at home, it was a simple matter of giving the order.

Zhao Erhu took the bundle Lin Yue handed him, feeling his heart warm even more. His wife always took such thoughtful care of everyone. He reached out to ruffle her hair, "Don’t worry, I will be careful. Take good care of yourself at home. If you feel bored, have your familiar sisters-in-law come over for a visit, or maybe have Dalang and the brothers come to keep you company. Don’t go outside in the cold wind, understand?"

"I’ve heard it, you’ve said it many times, every day in fact, until my ears have grown calluses. It’s true what they say about getting old and being so naggy. Off you go, while the snow has stopped outside and the carriage can travel better." Lin Yue, annoyed by Zhao Erhu’s nagging, impatiently pushed him toward the door.

Zhao Erhu chuckled softly at his young wife’s behavior, "You ungrateful girl, don’t you think about who I’m doing this for? And yet you complain. Alright, I’m leaving."

Watching Zhao Erhu leave, Lin Yue continued to lounge on the bed, but after pondering for a moment, she got up, fetched her brush and ink, and started writing on a piece of paper. She jotted down the formula for making glass that had suddenly come to her mind, including various precautions. She wrote down everything she could think of, afraid she might forget later. After all, there’s wisdom in the saying, a bad memory is better than a worn-out pen.

Having finished writing, Lin Yue dried the paper over the fire and folded it carefully. She placed it in a brocade pouch and hid it in a secret spot—this was not just any common item, for it could mean trouble if seen by others.

"Madam, there is a scholar outside who claims to be the master’s relative. The master has gone out, and I am unsure how to deal with him, so I have come to seek your guidance," Madam Xu said as she entered from outside.

"The master’s relative?" Lin Yue arched an eyebrow. She didn’t know where another relative of Zhao Erhu’s had popped up from. She generally didn’t care for most of Erhu’s relatives. Since Madam Xu said that the servant did not recognize him, he clearly wasn’t from the Zhao family village. Moreover, as he was a scholar, Lin Yue couldn’t recall Erhu mentioning such a relative to her.

"Did he say who he is?" Lin Yue asked after some thought.

"His name is Zhao Anyu. He claims to be the elder master’s nephew, the master’s cousin. His family’s property was seized by a local tyrant, and they can’t make ends meet. He has come from a town quite far from here, seeking refuge," Madam Xu reported.

"Is it within the Xin’an City area?" Lin Yue asked, upon hearing of Anyu’s trouble with a local tyrant. Since Ceng Lu took office, such occurrences had become all too frequent in Xin’an City.

"It is within the Xin’an City jurisdiction, only it’s on the other end, quite far away. Would you like to see him, madam?"

"Let’s meet him, then. In this heavy snow, it wouldn’t be right to leave someone waiting outside. It’s just that I’ve never heard the master mention having such relatives."

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