A Good Country Wife

Having learned of the Wei Family’s actions, Lin Yue was even less willing to let the people who had schemed against her family off scot-free. She formed a plan in her mind and stopped Zhao Erhu, asking him to keep Li Chang’an around a little longer. She wanted to make use of Li Chang’an before he left to trap the Wei Family and those in the Wei Residence.

Li Chang’an had been feeling rather proud these past few days. Suddenly favored by his master, he was called upon from time to time to help out, puffing out his chest and strutting in front of the other long-term workers. These were tasks that previously only the master’s own people were allowed to handle; the long-term workers were forbidden from getting involved. Now, he was an exception among them. Li Chang’an felt conflicted inside. He had originally accepted the Wei Family’s silver to steal a recipe for them, and this new preferential treatment only made it more convenient. But he worried, could this newfound favor result in a blunder?

After much indecision, Li Chang’an still resolved to help the Wei Family steal the recipe. As long as he kept things covert, no one would discover it. It was a win-win situation and saw no harm in it. Otherwise, if he truly quit, the Wei Family might expose him for his betrayal, causing him to lose the silver he was about to receive, and the master would not spare him either. That would be a true case of coming back empty-handed from a bamboo basket fishing trip.

In addition to plotting against Li Chang’an, Lin Yue also secretly monitored Liu Aniu’s behavior. Previously, Liu Aniu had refused the Wei Family by showing loyalty to her and Zhao Erhu. Logically speaking, if someone was to be promoted, it should have been Liu Aniu. Yet now, she had favored Li Chang’an and left Liu Aniu out. Anyone in his place would feel somewhat disgruntled. However, Liu Aniu showed no signs of discontent, seemingly thinking it a normal occurrence, continuing to work diligently without any resentment or reluctance. It appeared his intentions were indeed pure.

As for Li Chang’an, Lin Yue let him frolic for a few days; he would eventually taste the bitter consequences. If she put her plan into action straightaway, someone as astute and formidable as the old Wei might become suspicious. Therefore, she had to let the Wei Family and Li Chang’an lower their guard, believing they had succeeded, before springing the trap. They would think they had the real recipe in their hands, ready to be delivered to old Master Wei. When things went awry and the blame descended from Master Wei, they would certainly suffer the consequences. She was also contemplating how to maximize Master Wei’s losses; a minor setback wouldn’t serve as an adequate lesson.

While Lin Yue schemed against the Wei Family’s mother, daughter, and old Master Wei, all was certainly not well at the Zhao Family’s old house. The Wei Family was busy running errands and sorting out Zhao Lingxiang’s entrusted tasks, and the household was in upheaval due to issues with the Chen Family. At the root of the issues was Mrs. Chen’s unchangeable habit of stealing things from the house from time to time.

Zhao Dahuo and his wife were less affected, residing at Zhao Erhu’s place, out of Mrs. Chen’s reach to steal. As for the items stored in the old Zhao house, they were all useless, worthless junk. Anything of value Zhao Dahuo and his wife might have had had already been scavenged by the Wei Family, with nothing left for Mrs. Chen to steal.

Yet Zhao Quan and Zhao Cheng and their spouses suffered considerably. It was one thing for items left outside to be stolen due to their carelessness, but Mrs. Chen managed to steal items from their locked rooms. And Mrs. Chen did not simply steal; when they approached Zhao Xing to address the matter, his attitude was very hostile, faulting them at every turn for wrongfully accusing his wife.