A Good Country Wife

"Zhao Erhu, you say they didn’t succeed, but will they resort to any tricks behind our backs?" On the way back, Zhao Erhu’s large hand was holding Lin Yue’s, and Lin Yue was somewhat worried about the harsh words Wei Lao Ye had left behind.

"Don’t worry, We’ll meet force with force and stem the tide with earth. As long as we’re careful in our daily affairs and remain more vigilant, we won’t give Wei Lao Ye the chance to play foul."

"True, our business dealings are legitimate, and as long as we guard against their petty schemes, there should be no problems."

Although they looked down on Wei Lao Ye’s character, he had many years of experience in the business world, surely possessing certain tactics. Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue had become more cautious and guarded in their actions. However, more than a month had passed without incident, and Wei Lao Ye hadn’t made a move, which allowed Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue to breathe a sigh of relief, yet they dared not let their guard down.

Wei Xingye had indeed thought about causing trouble for Zhao Erhu after he had issued his threats, but he was currently beset by his own troubles. Initially fixated on his development in the Capital City, he had transferred all his assets from Xin’an City and left no room for retreat. Over the years, the commercial landscape in Xin’an City had changed completely, and even the Magistrate was no longer the same one whom he had bribed before.

Unable to gain leverage with the government or to fend off the exclusion from his peers, it was not easy for Wei Xingye to regain a foothold in Xin’an City. Hence, he couldn’t find the time to bother Zhao Erhu. Moreover, although Zhao Erhu disassociated himself from the Magistrate that day, Wei Xingye couldn’t entirely trust it. Wei Xingye had also heard about Zhao Erhu’s cousin; upon inquiring, it turned out that the cousin really existed and held some sway within the Government Office, being a constable. However, when Wei Xingye sent his Concubine Zhao to cultivate relations, she wasn’t given any attention at all. Thinking Zhao Erhu had interfered, Wei Xingye grew even more wary of him.

At this time, Lin Yue was thinking about the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. Eating mooncakes brought about another sizable profit opportunity. It would be another busy period, but this time, there was no need to ponder over a marketing strategy for the mooncakes. Just like the previous zongzi sale, Lin Yue first made a small batch of samples and had Zhao Erhu deliver them to the Government Office and various residences.

As for the market portion, Lin Yue decided not to engage this time. Scarcity adds value, and this time, Lin Yue intended to price the mooncakes higher, aiming for an exquisite high-end market and not having them flood the streets. However, to reward past loyal customers, Lin Yue did prepare some as gifts, which unexpectedly lead to several orders. While not as large as those from the Government Office or the Su Residence, they were substantial, with one of them coming from Songshan Academy.

One day, Mrs. Zhang of the Lin Family brought a box of exquisite mooncakes home. After her husband, Scholar Zhang, tasted them and was full of praise, the head of Songshan Academy, who was visiting at the time, asked Mrs. Zhang where she bought them. Consequently, he sent for Zhao Erhu and placed an order for the Academy’s festival mooncakes with him.

Songshan Academy, being the best in Xin’an City and having produced numerous scholars and learned men known throughout the Capital City, had a large scale—and they made generous purchases. Just one order from the Academy was only slightly less than that from the Su Residence, making Lin Yue realize that scholars’ money was also quite good to earn.