A Good Country Wife

"No, no, that won’t do, Erhu, this was my fault. It has nothing to do with Genfa—you can’t make him go to the government on my behalf. Our whole family relies on your brother-in-law to keep us going. Could you really bear to see your nephew and niece suffer through days without enough to eat, not knowing when they’ll get their next meal? Erhu, I truly realize my mistake. Please forgive me this one time, just once!" Zhao Yunxiang rushed forward, crying and begging Erhu, stopping just short of kneeling down before him.

Zhao Erhu was not unmoved by Zhao Yunxiang and Lin Genfa in this state. For a minor matter, he might have forgiven them, but this time they had nearly cost his wife her life. His wife had always been frail, and it had not been easy to nurture her to her current condition. That Zhao Yunxiang could do such a thing, he simply could not forgive. He couldn’t imagine how terrified he felt seeing his beloved wife motionless, lying there. If anything had happened to her, he didn’t know how he would carry on living.

"Sister, brother-in-law, it’s not that I don’t want to forgive you, but how can I forgive such a thing? You didn’t just make some minor mistake; you tried to take my wife’s life. My wife has been with me for less than a year, but in that time, she has endured so much hardship for my sake. I cannot tolerate anyone hurting her like this—not even you, my own sister. Brother-in-law is right, wrongdoings require atonement, only then will you truly remember this lesson,"

Having said this, Zhao Erhu no longer looked at Zhao Yunxiang. Instead, he turned to the village chief and said, "Chief, such a grave matter should be left to the government to handle. Please trouble yourself to turn them over. I will cooperate in whatever is needed."

As Zhao Erhu spoke these words, Zhao Yunxiang completely broke down. She collapsed on the ground without any concern for appearances, crying piteously. It was hard for Zhao Erhu too—after all, she was his flesh and blood sister, and it wasn’t possible for him to feel nothing. Still, he didn’t change his mind. The village chief and the senior family members, seeing that Zhao Erhu was resolute, did not try to dissuade him further. After all, harming someone’s life was not something easily forgiven.

"Zhao Erhu, you heartless thing, I am your own sister! How can you treat me this way? Have you forgotten how I treated you when we were young? Your conscience must have been eaten by a dog. You, with your callous and cruel heart, will not meet a good end. No wonder you’ve been detested since you were child. You deserve it!" Zhao Yunxiang, not expecting such serious consequences for her actions, nor that her own brother could be so merciless as to personally send her to the government, hurled accusations at Zhao Erhu.

"Take them away, send them to the government," the village chief ordered. People began to escort Zhao Yunxiang and Chunxi onto the horse carriage, which would take them to the government offices. Both Zhao Yunxiang and Chunxi struggled, full of fear.

"Wait a moment." Lin Yue, though she loathed Zhao Yunxiang, still found herself unable to help but intervene— not because she was kind-hearted or had any noble feelings, but for the sake of that man who had always been good to her, who had silently given so much for her.

Lin Yue knew that Zhao Erhu valued relationships. If Zhao Yunxiang had pushed him instead that day, he probably wouldn’t have been so resolute. Of course, that was an impossible scenario; as a hunter, Zhao Erhu was agile and quick, and it would not have been easy for Zhao Yunxiang to take him down.