A Good Country Wife

Lin Yue received a letter from Zhao Erhu yesterday, sent shortly after he departed from the docks, telling her that everything was fine and the journey would surely be smooth sailing. He urged her to take good care of herself at home and not to worry.

Although it was just a routine letter of well-being containing no substantial content, Lin Yue still felt much more settled after reading it. All she hoped for was Zhao Erhu’s safe and swift return. More than wealth and honors, Lin Yue yearned for her family’s safety and well-being. Actually, she did not want Zhao Erhu to go to sea at all, given the risks involved, not to mention a journey to such distant places fraught with unknowns. However, she understood his determination to make something of himself and thus had not tried to stop him.

"Madam, in the humble opinion of this old servant, Master is someone who plans carefully. He’s skilled in martial arts and manages affairs meticulously. He will certainly return safe and sound without fail. You need not worry too much, Madam. Look, the Master has even sent a letter of well-being to reassure us that all is well,"

Since Zhao Erhu’s departure, Lin Yue had not shown it outwardly, but how could the astute Nurse Xu not discern her thoughts? Taking the opportunity provided by the arrival of Zhao Erhu’s letter, she naturally offered her counsel.

Lin Yue was willing to share some of her thoughts with Nurse Xu. "I know what you mean, Nurse, but after all, he’s gone a great distance. If it had been within Dazhou’s borders, it would have been alright. But this trip is to a foreign tribe overseas. It’s only normal for me to worry a bit. Don’t worry, Nurse, it’s just some passing thoughts. He’s already gone anyway, and life must go on as usual. Besides, it’s just a matter of a little over two months. It’s not that long, and time flies when you’re busy."

"What you said is true, Madam. That’s just my point. I know you’ve kept yourself busy to take your mind off things. Still, you must take care of yourself. The Master repeatedly instructed me to ensure your well-being before he left. Should he return to find you’ve grown thin, he would certainly blame me for negligence,"

"Nurse, you always know the right thing to say. By the way, it’s time to harvest the sweet potatoes in the field. I heard from the servants that someone has been stealing them. Although only a small portion was taken, if we don’t address this, others might follow suit and the situation could worsen,"

"I’ve heard about this too. The manager, Liu Aniu from the outer yard, came by earlier. He probably wanted to report this matter, but you were not around at the time, Madam, so I asked him to return later. Since you’ve brought it up, why not call Aniu over? He’s the most informed about this."

Liu Aniu was fretting over the theft of the sweet potatoes from the field, wondering whether to deploy some people to patrol the area before the harvest. However, he needed to ask Lin Yue first. So, he’d been waiting outside. When Xixi came to call him, knowing that the Madam wanted to see him, he quickly followed her into the inner yard.