Chapter 169 Going Too Far_1
Chen Qi thought that it would be best if the dishes made from the ingredients sent by Zhao Erhu and his wife could be seen on the magistrate’s table tomorrow. The faster the tasks were accomplished, the more the magistrate would recognize his efficiency, which would ensure his position in the magistrate’s heart. He knew well that being an intermediary these days was no easy feat. Even with money and power, too many people were eying his position greedily, like the maidservant’s pet nephew of the lady of the house, or the younger brother of Aunt Lan, each one intent on ousting him.
"No problem, although these foods take time to prepare, we have readied some to sell at the market tomorrow. We will make sure to deliver them early to the Government Office, and your work, Brother Chen, will certainly not be spoiled," Zhao Erhu assured with conviction. Since Zhao Erhu had woken up, Lin Yue had stepped back, leaving all such negotiations to Zhao Erhu.
Seeing that the matter was nearly settled, Chen Qi felt relieved. After making small talk with Zhao Erhu for a bit, he was about to leave when Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu quickly took out the items they had prepared to give to Chen Qi, helping load them into the carriage. The gifts took up quite a bit of space, including an array of foods made by Lin Yue, freshly harvested popular green vegetables from their field, and the most precious of all, several handkerchiefs embroidered by Lin Yue with the double-sided embroidery technique, perfect for gifting to the womenfolk in Chen Qi’s family.
The double-sided embroidery items on the market were very expensive. Even a small object could cost several or even dozens of taels of silver, which ordinary families simply could not afford. Such a gift was already very presentable, and Lin Yue had even specially used an exquisite box for it.
Seeing how well Zhao Erhu and his wife handled themselves, Chen Qi repeatedly declined with his words but was truly pleased at heart. The smile on his face became much more sincere. Although Zhao Erhu and his wife were appointed by the Magistrate to be looked after, ultimately they were under his management. If they were not sensible, he had ways to deal with them, leaving them in a predicament they could not complain about. Now, it seemed that this couple was quite astute and smoothly generous in their dealings. Lin Yue’s food tasted excellent, not to mention that a large bag of it must have cost quite a bit just for its ingredients, and the box appeared delicate, no doubt containing something valuable. He concluded that such people were worth making connections with, deciding then and there to look after Zhao Erhu and his wife a bit more in the future.
After sending Chen Qi off, Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu didn’t have a moment to idle. They had to urgently prepare the items to be sent to the Government Office, for they had to be delivered first thing tomorrow. Being their first time handling a task for the Government Office, they could not afford any mistakes.
Zhao Erhu was concerned about Lin Yue and wanted her to rest, saying that he could handle these matters just fine. However, Lin Yue did not trust him to do it alone. She had always been the one to prepare the food for the market, and this was Zhao Erhu’s first time. Fearing he might not know the ropes, Lin Yue insisted on doing it herself. Left with no choice, Zhao Erhu let Lin Yue take on some lighter tasks.
"Listen to me, wife. Dr. Jiang is still tending to your health, how could you overwork yourself? Just direct me on what to do, and don’t lift a finger yourself," Zhao Erhu said, repeating himself perhaps for the nth time. The moment he saw Lin Yue move to do something, he couldn’t help but chime in again.
Rolling her eyes, Lin Yue found Zhao Erhu had become more rambling than ever since his recovery, continuing to repeat such simple things three or four times in her ear, as if she were developing calluses from listening so much, threatening to become a nag.