Chapter 504 - 498_1
Lin Yue’s despondent state was evident to Nurse Xu, who sighed heavily at the sight but could find no remedy. It’s said that a man is a woman’s mainstay. Even an imposing woman like the lady of the house is no exception to this sentiment. No matter how much Nurse Xu counseled her, as long as the master had not returned home, the lady could not rest easy. And by the calendar, the master was indeed due to return. The continued delay, without any news, made their situation uncertain. Moreover, the master had ventured not just anywhere but across the boundless sea—a domain of which no one held knowledge—leaving them with nothing to do but worry incessantly. Their situation was far from that within the Great Zhou Dynasty, where they could have easily sent someone to gather intelligence.
"Ah, Nurse, spare me your persuasion. What you say is not lost on me. Yet, how can I feel at peace when he has not returned for a single day?" Lin Yue spoke with no desire to linger on the topic and instead recalled another matter, "Qian Feng and his wife went north to collect goods and were supposed to return today. Have you found out where they have reached?"
Speaking of Qian Feng, he was quite the talent. No wonder Zhao Erhu insisted on recruiting him. Ever since they hired Qian Feng, he had taken full charge of the fur and mountain goods business, managing it impressively. Not only did he cement a reputation in the villages and townships nearby, but he had also now expanded north. In fact, Qian Feng had previously engaged in the fur trade in the north, but ever since Longhu Mountain fell to mountain bandits, that route had been severed. Out of fear of the bandits, he had not ventured north again. However, now working for Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue, the mountain bandits naturally would not trouble them, and thus, the trade resumed.
The furs from the north were not only more abundant and superior compared to those from their locality, but they were also cheaper and of finer quality. Essentially, the top-grade furs they used mostly came from the north. Lin Yue planned to give gifts to several families in the Capital City for the New Year. All other preparations were complete; they were just awaiting this batch of furs from Qian Feng to select a few exceptional items to include in the New Year’s gifts before sending them off to the Capital City together.
Nurse Xu, of course, understood what Lin Yue was concerned about, "They’ll be here soon, madam. The manager sent word—they should arrive in less than half an hour. Don’t worry, madam. There’s still plenty of time. Going from here to the Capital City isn’t considered far. Once everything is ready, it will only take about ten days to reach the Capital City. We won’t miss the deadline."
Lin Yue nodded her head—she had thought about using her spare time to hurriedly turn the furs into cloaks before sending them off, but that was indeed overly hasty. She decided to wait and see how things unfolded.
"I rose a bit early this morning and feel somewhat sleepy now. I’ll lie down on the couch for a while. Call me when the manager arrives," Lin Yue instructed and then yawned, lying down on the couch. She fell asleep easily and slept more soundly than she had the previous night.
Lin Yue did not know how long she had slept when she was awakened in her dreams, "Madam, wake up. The manager is back and waiting at the door for an audience with you."
At first, Lin Yue was groggy but immediately became alert upon hearing that the manager had arrived. She sat up spiritedly, feeling much refreshed after her nap, "The manager is back? Let him in at once."