A Good Country Wife
Chapter 549 - 543_1

Chapter 549: Chapter 543_1

"What opinion could I possibly have? It’s certainly a great thing, even a tremendous fortune. From now on, our family won’t have to fear anyone when it comes to business. With the Emperor as our backer, who would dare trouble us? Besides, the Emperor has now given us control of power; we won’t have to be at the mercy of the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir anymore," Lin Yue said.

Lin Yue’s words caught Zhao Erhu by surprise—he hadn’t expected that his wife would first think of this. But her vision was indeed sharp; she immediately identified the most crucial issue, something that had worried him before. If their business were to grow even larger in the future, especially with its violent nature, and if they were to disagree with the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir in business, or otherwise, he would be at a disadvantage. After all, the sea connections and Court relations were all established by the Princely Heir. Without these connections, he wouldn’t be able to continue the business.

However, Lin Yue misunderstood the reason behind Zhao Erhu’s stunned expression. She explained, "It’s not that I have a distrustful mind. Although the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir seems to be of good character for the time being, we don’t really know him well. You saved his life, and he is grateful to you, but we don’t know how long that gratitude will last.

"Business matters are inherently complex, let alone the fact that the profits from maritime trade are exceedingly high. We made hundreds of thousands of taels from our small ventures alone. It’s hard to keep people from being tempted by such wealth. Since the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir has set aside his status to engage in business, it means he needs money. No matter how much money he makes, it’s never too much. People can turn against their own relatives and siblings over interests—how long can our relationship with the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir last?

"If the Princely Heir continues to behave as he does, it might still be fine. But if our relationship breaks, we’ll only be at a loss. Now that the Emperor is involved, we can change this situation. Besides, the Princely Heir is the Empress Dowager’s maternal family. While such a related status may seem honorable, the actual situation is uncertain. I think the Emperor doesn’t fully trust the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir, which is why he wants to put the power into your hands.

"This is where being of lowly status is actually to our advantage. We’re just commoners. Even if our business grows and we amass a vast fortune, the Emperor won’t have to worry about us threatening his rights. This imperial strategizing can also be our opportunity," she continued.

"Wife, I..." Zhao Erhu was about to explain that he understood and had no misconceptions about his wife’s intentions when he was interrupted by Lin Yue.

"Let me finish speaking!" It was likely that the image of Zhao Erhu as a man deeply bound by loyalty was so vivid in Lin Yue’s mind, she thought he didn’t want to betray the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir. According to the message in the Princely Heir’s letter, it wouldn’t be long before the Emperor summoned Zhao Erhu to the capital to meet with him at the Palace. When that time came, facing the Emperor himself, Zhao Erhu must be careful not to appear too close to the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir, otherwise, who knows what complications might arise. She naturally had to redirect Zhao Erhu’s thoughts.

"I know you’re a man of integrity. The Princely Heir has offered you an opportunity to realize your ambitions, and you feel it would be wrong to act against him. But after all, you are his savior, not the other way around. You can consider his debt repaid, and henceforth, you owe each other nothing. It’s merely a business collaboration," Lin Yue said, pausing for a moment.

"However, maintaining a good relationship with him in private isn’t out of the question, as long as there’s a limit to it. Serving the Emperor is not the same as serving anyone else—one false step could cost you your head, and possibly even implicate your family and clan. The Emperor must have his doubts about the Marquis of Zhenbei’s household, which is why he’s giving you power. You shouldn’t provoke the Emperor’s suspicions. I believe this is also what the Princely Heir meant in his letter, suggesting that distancing ourselves is beneficial not only for our family but also for both families. Don’t be foolishly loyal and spoil everything when the moment comes."

Zhao Erhu had still wanted to explain, but after listening to Lin Yue’s words, he was struck with another perspective he had never heard or been told before. After all, such speculative talk about interpreting the Emperor’s will was risky for anyone to express, and even the Princely Heir wouldn’t dare. Zhao Erhu, who originated from a farming household, might have grown his business and befriended some nobles, thereby increasing his experience and insight, but he was still confined to a certain scope.

For instance, when it came to matters of the Court, he had never thought so deeply. Upon learning that the Emperor would become involved in the business, he simply felt that it was beneficial to him, an excellent opportunity, and he was nothing but happy. Although he had some worries, it was more about not being up to the task rather than the deeper implications, such as why the Emperor wanted to entrust all the power to him and not to the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir, or what the Princely Heir was really thinking. If not for his wife’s reminder, he might have unwittingly brought disaster upon himself. Thinking of the possible consequences sent a chill through his body.

"Wife, rest assured, I understand now, thanks to you. I know how to handle this matter without displeasing the Emperor. I’m also aware of the saying ’Serving the Emperor is like accompanying a tiger,’ and I’m not foolish. I hadn’t thought of this before, but now you’ve guided me, and I see clearly the Emperor’s intentions. In fact, there’s nothing difficult about it; I just need to be more careful. After all, the Emperor still relies on me to get things done for him; he won’t make things too difficult for me.

"As for the Princely Heir, it wouldn’t be good to abruptly pull away from him either; it would appear mercenary and might offend others. We will continue as before, dealing more with him in business than personally, which should be harmless as long as I’m careful in front of the Emperor," he said.

Lin Yue nodded in relief upon hearing Zhao Erhu say this, "As long as you understand, I’m at ease. Just handle the matter with the Marquis of Zhenbei’s Princely Heir as you see fit."

The people sent by the Emperor left only a day later than those dispatched by the Marquis of Zhenbei. However, traveling at a regular pace meant that the Marquis’s envoy had already arrived on the fourth day, while the Emperor’s envoy, accompanied by eunuchs, arrived later. Lin Yue first thought it was just the Emperor desiring a grand display, but later found out that they had actually come to make purchases.

Huangfu Jing had long coveted the delicacies and wines Lin Yue prepared. Whenever she sent foodstuffs to Princess Yongle’s palace, many were diverted by him. This time, after sending envoys to Zhao Family Village, it was inappropriate to ask Zhao Erhu directly; thus, he simply instructed the servants responsible for purchasing in the palace to accompany the eunuch with the imperial edict to Zhao Family Village and buy everything he wanted, avoiding the scorn from his own sister for competing for goods at Yongle Palace.

"The Emperor’s requested items are certainly available. However, some of the food products need to be made fresh, and with the large quantity ordered, even with overtime work, it will take at least several days to complete," Lin Yue responded.

"That’s not an issue. So long as the task the Emperor has assigned is accomplished, our patience will endure," the eunuch replied.

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