A Good Country Wife
Chapter 487 - 481_1

Chapter 487: 481_1

Zhao Erhu struggled for a long time but still voiced his thoughts. Although he disliked Jiang Ziqi for ’certain reasons,’ he couldn’t deny that Jiang Ziqi treated his wife exceptionally well. With him looking after his wife, her safety surely wouldn’t be an issue. Yet, the idea of entrusting his wife to him made Zhao Erhu feel uncomfortable. If he could think of any other way, he would have never suggested it, even though he knew Jiang Ziqi was a gentleman and his wife would never do anything to betray him. But no matter how uncomfortable he felt, millions of reluctances couldn’t outweigh his wife’s safety. Zhao Erhu’s greatest strength was his ability to prioritize what was most important to him.

Lin Yue looked up in surprise when she heard Zhao Erhu’s words. When had this old man become so generous? Her gaze was filled with doubt, "Eh? Are you serious? You really want me to go to the Capital City and let Brother Jiang take care of me? Didn’t you always get jealous of him before? How come you’re so generous now?"

Zhao Erhu was already reluctant, and seeing his little wife looking at him with a touch of teasing and jest, he felt a bit annoyed and couldn’t help but let a trace of sourness seep into his words, "What now? You seem pretty eager, don’t you? Calling him ’Brother Jiang’ so affectionately, anyone who didn’t know better would think he was your own brother."

"I knew there was something off about you changing your ways; it didn’t take long for you to show your true colors," Lin Yue remarked, sniffing around him, "tsk, tsk, it’s like you’ve knocked over several jars of vinegar." She poked Zhao Erhu’s chest, "Big man, is it really necessary to be like this? It wasn’t me who brought it up; you were the one who mentioned it first. Now you’re getting jealous, isn’t that contradictory?"

Zhao Erhu knew his wife was just joking with him, but he really wasn’t in the mood for jokes. He toned down the sourness in his voice, speaking seriously, "Wife, I was just teasing you before. I trust Brother Jiang’s character, so I’ll send you to the Capital City before I leave. Otherwise, I just can’t sit easy leaving you home alone."

Seeing that Zhao Erhu was serious, Lin Yue stopped joking and replied in earnest, "Then I’ll stop joking too. I won’t go to the Capital City."

"Why? Is it because of Miss Chen and Miss Zhang? You don’t need to worry about that. The Princely Heir of Marquis of Zhenbei has a manor on the outskirts of the Capital City. You don’t have to stay in the city. You can live in his manor, so you won’t have to interact with them. Just live there peacefully for two months, and when I get back, I’ll pick you up and we’ll go home together. How about that?" Zhao Erhu tried to persuade Lin Yue. He wasn’t aware of some things that had happened in the Imperial Palace, so while he didn’t feel much attachment to the Capital City, he also didn’t have an aversion to it.

Without a second thought, Lin Yue shook her head, "No way. I’ll just stay comfortably at home; I don’t want to go to the Capital City. If it were peaceful there, Brother Jiang wouldn’t have rushed us to leave last time without a second thought. He was afraid we’d get involved in trouble. Now that we’ve managed to stay out of it, there’s no reason for us to go jumping back in."

"But this is just staying at a manor on the outskirts for two months, and you won’t have to deal with those nobles. It shouldn’t be that bad, right?" Zhao Erhu said but still harbored some doubts. If not, he wouldn’t sound so uncertain. Although he hadn’t been directly involved and didn’t see things as clearly as Lin Yue did, he was aware of some issues. How could he feel at ease leaving his wife in Xin’an City? Just yesterday, he had gone into the city for information and heard about a young girl gone missing the day before. The thought of it was frightening.

He knew his wife well enough. She could manage a day or two, or even a week or two, without going to the city, not being of a restless disposition. But if it were any longer, it certainly wouldn’t work.

Not to mention that for some everyday items, like spices or embroidery threads, his little wife was especially picky; other people’s purchases might not meet her standards, and she insisted on buying them herself. When her stubborn streak flared up and he wasn’t home, who could stop her? Even if someone accompanied her, he still wouldn’t feel at ease unless he was with her.

And now, with the current state of heightened security, that criminals still dared to commit crimes boldly winning their gambles, one had to wonder if those women didn’t have escorts when they went out. It’s just that those wicked criminals were too cunning. Besides, although the majority of those criminals operated within the city, who could guarantee that they wouldn’t extend their crimes to Zhao Family Village?

Seeing Zhao Erhu’s worried expression, Lin Yue felt appreciated, knowing that this man was concerned for her. He was willing to let Jiang Ziqi take care of her, which truly demonstrated his magnanimity, placing her safety first. She, Lin Yue, was lucky to have such a man for a husband.

Lin Yue couldn’t bear to see Zhao Erhu worry about her any longer. Besides, she didn’t think the situation was as severe as he imagined. She clasped Zhao Erhu’s large hand in hers.

"Erhu, don’t worry. I’m well aware of what’s going on, and I won’t let anything happen to myself. Xin’an City might seem chaotic, but Ceng Lu, considering the relationships we’ve built with higher-ups, wouldn’t dare to provoke me easily. As for that case of the missing girl, although it’s mysterious, as long as I’m careful about my safety and don’t give others a chance, I won’t have any problems. If we go to the Capital City, although our relationship with Brother Jiang is good, we’re not family. It’s inappropriate to constantly trouble him. Besides, Brother Jiang, as the Family Head of the Jiang Family, shouldn’t be burdened with our trivial matters. We’ve already owed him enough favors."

"Alright then, if you don’t want to go to the Capital City, let’s drop it. I’ll think of something else," Zhao Erhu said, hearing Lin Yue’s words and feeling that going to the Capital City was not quite right. He decided not to insist on it anymore and thought about visiting Jimin Hall the next day. Shopkeeper Liu was capable and well-informed; perhaps he could offer some advice and find a solution. And he had to admit, hearing his little wife refer to Jiang Ziqi as an outsider made Zhao Erhu secretly pleased.

Of course, Lin Yue noticed the joy on Zhao Erhu’s face when she mentioned Jiang Ziqi as an outsider, despite his lingering concerns. She couldn’t help but find it amusing that her old man could sometimes be both petty and childish, and now he was feeling smug. She had deliberately said it just for that.

Without addressing Lin Yue’s safety issues, Zhao Erhu wouldn’t be able to concentrate on his work, so the next morning, he hitched the carriage and went into the city. When he returned, he brought back several people with him.

At that time, Lin Yue had just stepped out of the soap workshop. She had been busy since early morning and was quite tired. She trusted and relied on only a few people to help, so it seemed necessary to recruit more hands. She heard from the tooth shop that a batch of slaves would be arriving in a few days,