A Good Country Wife
Chapter 559 - 553_1

Chapter 559: Chapter 553_1

Feng Yinan was satisfied to see Zhao Erhu personally come to the door to greet him. After all, Zhao Erhu was no longer the same as he had been in the past. Having gained the Emperor’s favor, he no longer needed to rely on him. Moreover, considering the Emperor’s temperament, it was likely he did not take kindly to Zhao Erhu associating with him too much and may have hinted, whether openly or subtly, that Zhao Erhu should refrain from doing so. That Zhao Erhu still treated him as he did now showed that he was a man of integrity.

"Zhao Erhu pays his respects to the Princely Heir." Zhao Erhu still had the status of a commoner and naturally had to show respect to the Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir. Zhao Erhu, having grown up in this era, did not have the same repulsion to these ceremonial matters as Lin Yue did, seeing them as natural. However, a man with ambition and aspirations is not willing to remain subordinate and pay respects to others forever.

"Brother Erhu, there’s no need for such courtesy. I’ve imposed upon you by arriving unannounced and hope you’ll forgive the disturbance. I do, however, have some matters to discuss with Brother Erhu and was wondering if we might find a quiet place to talk." Feng Yinan helped Zhao Erhu up affably, showing more respect than before. Zhao Erhu felt it too. With the shift in status, even the attitude of the Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir had changed. It’s not that the Marquis’s heir had treated him poorly in the past, but that was owing to the lifesaving favor he had once done for him and their business partnership. Though they were partners, the relationship always contained a sense of dependence, as Zhao Erhu relied on the Marquis’s heir’s status, which entailed some condescension. Such is human nature; that’s generally how the world’s affairs are.

"Princely Heir, please follow me." Zhao Erhu led the Marquis’s heir to the study in the residence. It was the Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir’s first visit to Zhao Erhu’s estate, and he naturally took the chance to look around on the way, gaining a deeper understanding of Zhao Erhu’s financial resources and capabilities. It seemed he had underestimated Zhao Erhu before. This mansion could not have been bought for less than tens of thousands of silver, not to mention the location of the property.

The Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir vaguely remembered that the estate used to belong to a certain prince who had purchased it outside the capital and then sold it to a general. When that general was later implicated in a rebellion, the Court had auctioned the property. Although he had not paid much attention at the time, a friend of his had intended to buy it but was preempted by a certain influential figure in the Court. His friend, out of respect for the other’s status, had reluctantly given up the pursuit, only to find out now that Zhao Erhu was the buyer—a clear indication that Zhao Erhu must have his own connections in the Court.

"Brother Erhu, this is a fine residence indeed; the arrangement is both elegant and refined, even surpassing my own quarters."

Upon hearing the Marquis’s praise, Zhao Erhu grinned from ear to ear. "Prince, you flatter me. My wife took care of the arrangement, simply scattering our favorite ornaments about without much thought. It’s kind of you not to ridicule us."

Still, Zhao Erhu could not hide the pride and satisfaction in his tone. He wasn’t the only one showering praise; even Princess Yongle and Commandery Princess Roujia had admired the residence, attesting to his wife’s remarkable talent and exquisite taste.

When the Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir learned that Lin Yue had been responsible for the décor, he was not surprised. During his interaction with Zhao Erhu, he hadn’t met Zhao Erhu’s wife, but he’d heard about her from several sources, a remarkable woman indeed. "I knew your wife was adept in the culinary arts, but I didn’t expect she was also a person of refinement. The care she took in arranging this residence is not something a common woman could match. Brother Erhu, you are indeed fortunate."

"Thank you for the compliment, Princely Heir. Marrying such a good wife certainly is my fortune. It’s the best decision I, Zhao Erhu, have made in my life." Zhao Erhu aside, when others praised his wife, he always accepted without a hint of modesty.

The Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir could not help but smile at Zhao Erhu’s subservient manner towards his wife. Little Jinzi, on the other hand, was annoyed by Zhao Erhu’s boastful demeanor and let out a soft snort, though he knew to keep his disapproval to himself.

In the study, Zhao Erhu did not conceal the Emperor’s intentions from the Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir. "Princely Heir, as you know, I’m a straightforward man and not one for cunning. The Emperor’s will is as follows: I am telling you candidly that it’s not that I wish to avoid closeness with you, but it is ultimately the Emperor’s wish, and we need to exercise caution. As my wife says, it’s inconsequential if we appear close or not, what matters is that we remember the goodwill in our hearts. I, Zhao Erhu, will not forget the Princely Heir’s kindness, but publicly, we must follow the Emperor’s will. It’s for the best, for both you and me."

"The Emperor has long been wary of our Marquis of Zhenbei’s household. Although my relationship with my father is not good right now, the Emperor still harbors doubts. Doing this is only natural. I understand it well, and my visit today was to address this matter, fearing that Brother Erhu might inadvertently offend the Emperor’s taboo and cause trouble. Now that Brother Erhu has a clear grasp of the situation, I’m relieved."

The Marquis of Zhenbei’s heir ended up discussing more matters with Zhao Erhu in the study. Before long, Zhao Erhu saw him out, as it wouldn’t be appropriate for the Marquis’s heir to stay too long at Zhao Erhu’s house under the current circumstances. Once they had spoken clearly, there was no need for an extended visit.

After sending the Marquis’s heir on his way, Zhao Erhu thought that his business in the Capital City was now half done. He only had to wait for the Emperor to assign the personnel before he could take them back to Zhao Family village. The other matter was finding a glazier as entrusted by his wife, but that would have to wait for news from Jiang Ziqi.

Ever since Zhao Erhu had gone to the Capital City, Lin Yue, aside from supervising the workers in speeding up the production, had also been consulting with Old Lu about constructing a residence on the large tract of land to the east. Lin Yue had already conceived what she wanted for the residence and handed sketch plans to Old Lu. But since she wasn’t a professional, although the draft had the right idea, there were many aspects in need of revision. Lin Yue worked together with Old Lu to make those changes, keeping herself very busy.

With ample silver in hand, Lin Yue was even more determined to construct a residence to her liking, spending considerable effort on ingenious ideas. Commandery Princess Roujia had even mentioned in a letter that she wished to stay there if possible, so Lin Yue was now planning to prepare for a visit around June or July, once she had the Emperor’s permission. Fortunately, Old Lu was highly skilled and enthusiastic about construction and was more than willing to indulge Lin Yue’s whims, especially those novel methods he had never seen before. He was even more eager than Lin Yue herself to bring her ideas to reality, accomplishing most of them.

Beyond building the house, Lin Yue had also come up with countless ideas for the furnishings this time. These days, she was particularly focused on making a dreamy bed. Other items weren’t much issue, as the carpentry workshop could produce them based on Lin Yue’s designs, but installing springs within the bed posed a significant challenge.