Chapter 684 - 677_1
Even if Lin Yue herself didn’t mind, it would still affect Zhao Erhu and several of the children. In this ancient society where ritual and propriety were emphasized, such idle gossip could be far more damaging than in modern times. If the rumors became too widespread, they could even impact the children’s futures. The eldest, Dalang, and the others were currently studying at the academy and were bound to participate in the imperial examinations, and perhaps even embark on official careers in the future. Otherwise, Lin Yue wouldn’t have gone to great lengths to perform so many services for the village to garner a better reputation.
Sister Chunhua and Madame Liu felt reassured when they saw Lin Yue had things under control. However, before they left, they still reminded Lin Yue to notify everyone if anything arose, urging her not to bear it all alone. Lin Yue nodded in agreement, expressing her gratitude. They talked for a while longer before Lin Yue saw Sister Chunhua and Madame Liu out.
"Madam has done so much for the village, and it wasn’t in vain. Most people are aware of the good you’ve done," Nanny Xu said with some comfort, having seen how the villagers had come together for Lin Yue these past few days.
Lin Yue gave a nod. The Zhao Family Village was just a small hamlet, but most of the villagers were simple and honest, understanding the principle of returning kindness. However, what she was currently worried about wasn’t the issue with Ceng Lu. After all, with higher-ups to back her, and Zhao Erhu working for the Emperor, Ceng Lu wouldn’t dare to make any overt moves. As long as she stayed within Zhao Family Village, Ceng Lu couldn’t touch her. If anything arose, she could simply instruct the servants to handle it, thus she would not give Ceng Lu any opportunity to exploit. Everything would be fine once Zhao Erhu returned.
What Lin Yue was most concerned about now was the fact that the heavens had not provided rain for far too long. The water level in the river was getting dangerously low, the land had cracked, and the crops were nearly withered. Her family was still in better circumstances, because they used water that was drawn from the large hidden lake in the mountains that Zhao Erhu had discovered before. The water from there was still adequate for the time being and wouldn’t be affected. To keep the secret from the villagers, Zhao Erhu had even made some disguises, leading everyone to believe it was groundwater.
But the situation in the village was quite dire. Those who lived close to the water source could still carry water from the river to irrigate their crops. If one lived too far away, it was already a strenuous task just to fetch domestic water, let alone to water the crops. Moreover, the river’s current volume was only half of what it used to be, with the riverbed already exposed. The closest major river was at least seven or eight miles away, and if the local river dried up, they would have no choice but to carry water from that distant river.
Despite the hardship, having some water was still better than none at all. Lin Yue was worried that once the villagers ran out of water and had to go to the distant river for it, they would notice that her family would be unaffected. It would be evident that there was something unusual going on, risking the exposure of the secret she and Zhao Erhu had carefully safeguarded. That was their family’s secret base, their contingency plan. Their family had already drawn considerable attention; in case of any unforeseen events, having a temporary hiding place could prove crucial. They could not afford to reveal it just like that.
Seeing Lin Yue’s face brighten with a smile only to fall back into worry, Nanny Xu sighed inwardly. There was a saying that too much cleverness could bring harm. The Madam’s intelligence and strength were certainly beneficial to the family, but over time, it was detrimental to her own well-being. She took on too much, always thinking ahead, burdening herself with concern.