A Good Country Wife

These days, the Wei Family was feeling exceedingly proud; their youngest son was about to get married, and their daughter, after many years of hoping, was finally pregnant. One piece of good news followed another, and every day was filled with smiles. Even Li Xiaomei seemed more pleasing to their eyes—a clear sign of their good spirits.

After Zhao Lingxiang fainted that day, the Wei Family was beside themselves with worry and called for a doctor to take her pulse. To their amazement, the diagnosis was a happy pulse, indicating pregnancy. This delighted both mother and daughter of the Wei Family, who immediately sent Xiaocui to the Wei Residence to share the joyous news. The Wei Family then promptly killed a hen to make a nourishing soup to strengthen Zhao Lingxiang’s constitution.

Master Wei, advanced in years, was overjoyed to have a child at his age. Upon hearing the wonderful news brought by Xiaocui, he first rewarded Xiaocui and the servant who was attending to them, then quickly arranged for a comfortable carriage to personally pick up the people from Zhao Family Village. Zhao Lingxiang enjoyed a moment of glory, and the news of Madam Zhao’s pregnancy spread throughout the entire Wei Residence. The Wei Residence’s back courts were steeped in jealousy; the mistress of the house was so furious she smashed everything in her room. She had originally planned to deal with Zhao Lingxiang after the affair, but this lowly concubine had gone and gotten pregnant—how did she manage that?

"That wench, thinking she can bear a child to compete with my son for the family property, she wishes!" said the mistress, her face twisted with malice, so unlike her usual dignified and graceful demeanor. She could tolerate Madam Zhou’s son, though mostly because of Master Wei’s blatant favoritism, which made her hesitant to harm Madam Zhou. Moreover, she could tell that Madam Zhou’s ambitions did not lie within the Wei Residence. But Zhao Lingxiang was different; her ambitions and desires could not be easily concealed. Had it not been for her lack of influence and the master’s disregard, she might have already caused chaos in the household. Just recently, the master showed Zhao Lingxiang slightly more favor due to business matters, and she acted as if she had risen above her station, as if she could hardly wait to replace her. If Zhao Lingxiang were to give birth to a son, there would be no peace for her in the future.

At the moment, Zhao Lingxiang was blissfully unaware of the mistress’s sinister intentions. She was immersed in happiness and joy, pampered as a treasure by Master Wei. Even the servants were diligent in their care, not daring to show the slightest neglect or mistake, an experience Zhao Lingxiang had never enjoyed in her twenty-odd years of life. With such treatment, she naturally felt elated and carried a sense of disoriented wonder about what the day held.

However, all this had nothing to do with Lin Yue and her family. As long as Zhao Lingxiang did not set her sights on their household, the couple wanted no involvement with the Wei Residence.

In a few days, it would be Zhao Xing’s wedding day. Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu were discussing whether or not to go to the banquet. In principle, as half-brothers, Zhao Erhu should attend, but given the evident tensions between their household and the Wei Family, it was a difficult decision to make.

After much deliberation, they decided to go. Zhao Erhu’s father, Zhao Jingen, was still alive, and Zhao Dahuo and his wife had not yet split from the Zhao family home; creating too much friction wouldn’t be good. There would always be some intersections. Besides, it was just half a tael of silver for a gift. Additionally, Lin Yue was curious to see what the rumored bride looked like—would she be able to change her bad habits once married into the family? Thinking of Zhao Xing marrying such a woman, Lin Yue couldn’t help but feel a touch of schadenfreude.