A Good Country Wife
Chapter 524 - 518_1

Chapter 524: Chapter 518_1

Nurse Xu had heard the servants at home mention the Zhao family’s past affairs and knew the master had quite a few troublesome relatives. Seeing Lin Yue’s attitude, she wasn’t surprised. However, the young man outside was quite pitiable—in such heavy snow, dressed so thinly, even his lips had turned purple from the cold. She couldn’t help but feel some compassion, yet the scholar was still trying to maintain his integrity. Even when coming to seek refuge, he stood tall and straight, as if there was a kind of stubborn pride about him.

"Where did the lady meet him?" Nurse Xu originally wanted to invite the man to the main hall, but the lady’s wounds had not fully healed yet, and with it being so cold outside. The master had instructed that the lady should not leave her room, and although the scholar claimed to be the master’s cousin, he was still a man, so it wasn’t convenient for him to enter the lady’s inner chamber. After weighing her options, Nurse Xu still asked Lin Yue.

"Let’s just meet in the main hall. It’s not good to call him to my room." Lin Yue was a bit happy at this moment, as this excuse finally gave her a chance to leave her room and get some fresh air. Even though she was sensitive to the cold and didn’t like going out in winter, staying cooped up in a room for so long, she couldn’t possibly not want to go out. It’s just that she was suppressed by Zhao Erhu, but fortunately, this time she said she was going to the main hall, and Nurse Xu didn’t try to stop her. After all, as someone who had come from the palace, she was more serious about certain proprieties, especially those concerning the separation of men and women.

"I will arrange it right away. I’ll go and light a few stoves in the main hall first to spare the lady from feeling cold when she gets there." Nurse Xu said and went out to make arrangements. She also hurriedly asked someone to invite the scholar to the main hall. It was so cold outside, and the scholar, unable to carry or hold much due to his frail constitution, shouldn’t freeze.

Zhao Anyu was not one of those thick-skinned sorts. On the contrary, as a scholar, he was somewhat proud. If the last of his assets hadn’t been seized by a local tyrant, leaving him with no other recourse, he wouldn’t have brought his entire family to Zhao family village seeking shelter. He hadn’t expected that after years of no contact, his uncle had already passed away. His cousins, upon knowing he was coming for refuge, refused to take him in. They didn’t even offer him a drink before shutting him out.

Zhao Anyu was truly desperate when he sought refuge; encountering such a situation only compounded his despair. In the heavy snow, his body was as cold as ice; he couldn’t feel any warmth. If it weren’t for the responsibility to care for his wife and children, he might not have been able to hold on. The world is indeed cold and unsympathetic.

The character of the Wei family and their son was well known in Zhao family village. Seeing the young man so pitiable in the heavy snow, dressed only in thin clothing, people felt sympathy and sadness for him. Nowadays, with an improved standard of living in the village, every household had some surplus grain and could afford to be compassionate towards others.

"Young man, standing in the snow like this, you might freeze. Come inside and have a hot cup of tea to warm yourself." Uncle Zhang invited Zhao Anyu into his house and inquired about his relationship with the Zhao family. After learning that Zhao Anyu had come to seek refuge with them, he generously shared with Zhao Anyu the family’s situation. He kindly directed him to seek help from Zhao Erhu. Knowing the kindness of Zhao Erhu and his wife, they wouldn’t just watch someone—even if it were a stranger, let alone a relative—starve or freeze to death in the snow.

"Thank you so much for your guidance, sir. I will never forget your kindness today. If I ever have the chance, I will surely repay it," Zhao Anyu said as he stood up and bowed to Uncle Zhang. If it weren’t for Uncle Zhang, perhaps he really would have frozen to death in this icy and snowy world.

"Young man, there’s no need for that. Everyone in the village knows about these things. It was but a small effort for this old man to invite you in for a cup of tea. If anyone truly has a kind heart, it’s Erhu and his wife. Without them, how could the villagers be living such good lives now? You’re definitely right to seek them out," said Old Zhang. He was not the type to dwell on favors received and waved it off with an open heart, his face showing gratitude towards Zhao Erhu and his wife.

The more Old Zhang said, the more grateful Zhao Anyu felt. What Old Zhang considered a small effort, the Wei Family, despite being his aunt and cousin, had not even let him through the door, showing him no affection whatsoever. It just happened that Zhao Anyu came across this by chance, and it had been a long time since he’d visited Zhao Family Village. Since the passing of his father, he had not kept in touch with the relatives here. Suddenly showing up to seek refuge, it was inevitable that he was unclear about the situation. Zhao Dahuo and his wife no longer lived in the old house; they’d been staying at Zhao Erhu’s place, and Zhao Cheng and his wife did the same. Zhao Anyu might still encounter some pity from these two families, but having approached the Wei Family and those two, how could such hard-hearted people have any sympathy?

Zhao Anyu had almost lost hope, but Old Zhang’s guidance gave him some. It also meant that his family would not have to freeze or starve to death outside in this cold winter. As for Zhao Erhu’s story, he had heard it before: it was said that Erhu had been kicked out without a penny, a situation even more dire than Zhao Anyu’s current one. Yet now, Erhu had established such a significant household. Indeed, the twists and turns of life are unpredictable.

After thanking Old Zhang, Zhao Anyu followed his directions to find Zhao Erhu’s house. At the entrance to the estate, Zhao Anyu was stunned. He had heard from Old Zhang that Zhao Erhu had become wealthy and built a large house, living comfortably. Zhao Anyu had thought Erhu had only come into a small fortune, but upon arrival, he realized that this was no ordinary large house; it was clearly a grand estate, even more imposing than a landlord’s residence.

Zhao Erhu’s household had changed from the past; one could not enter casually now. Zhao Anyu first had a doorman send a message, then a maid came out to confirm his identity before saying she would notify the master of the house. Seeing how strictly Zhao Erhu’s family operated, Zhao Anyu understood that his cousin had risen above his past status and become an important figure.

Shortly afterwards, Zhao Anyu sat waiting in the gatehouse. Around fifteen minutes later, the maid came back and said she would take him to see the master of the house. Zhao Anyu then followed the maid to Zhao Erhu’s main hall.

Along the way, Zhao Anyu didn’t miss a chance to observe the surroundings. He saw that Zhao Erhu’s residence was built to be grand and exuded wealth, without the vulgarity of nouveau-riche homes. It was arranged with pure elegance and generosity. The servants of the house were diligent, each with their own duties, yet they all seemed at ease, and they were respectful and meticulous in their attitudes towards him, a destitute scholar. This showed that the master treated his servants well but also knew the art of governance, with clear rules.

All of these details Zhao Anyu witnessed along the way built his respect for Zhao Erhu and his wife. He felt much more at ease inside, and Old Zhang was indeed right; his distant cousins were kind people. If he sought their help, they would likely extend a helping hand and not abandon him in his hour of need.

"The guest is invited to wait here for a moment. Our master has stepped out and won’t be back so soon, but our madam will come by shortly," the maid said and then left. Another maid brought in hot tea. Several stoves in the room were burning brightly, warding off any hint of the cold from outside and warming the heart.

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