A Good Country Wife-Chapter 656 - 649_1

Moreover, Lin Yue’s appearance was indeed somewhat unkempt, mainly due to the constant travel these past few days without much time for grooming. Chang Dabao had thought that the Head of the Household would certainly find this disagreeable, but the reaction was unexpectedly different from what he had anticipated.

However, despite what he thought, Chang Dabao dared not express any complaints or doubts about the Head of the Household’s words and immediately moved a stool in front of Lin Yue. With a somewhat sycophantic smile, he wiped the dust from the stool, "Madam Lin, please have a seat."

Lin Yue was indeed tired, and since the seat was rightfully hers, she didn’t refuse and sat down. She brought up the main purpose of her visit, "Head of the Household, you must already know why I am here. I wonder if you are willing to take on this deal and help me rescue the person. After it’s done, we can settle with the amount previously mentioned by Manager Liu."

"Madam Lin is really impatient. I originally wanted to have a good chat with you, but since you’re anxious about this matter, let’s talk business first. However, let’s be clear: favors are favors, and business is business. Your deal is not an ordinary one, Madam Lin, and the price you’ve offered is somewhat low," Huangfu Yi casually hung up the sword in his hand and said, although at that moment Lin Yue had not yet revealed the identities of those black-clad men, she felt as if Huangfu Yi knew everything.

Nevertheless, Lin Yue had no intention of keeping the information from Huangfu Yi; after all, the black-clothed men they would be up against were not ordinary, having expertise and background that were far from simple. Even if she had managed to engage help from Longhu Mountain, victory was not at all guaranteed. They needed to plan carefully to rescue the person successfully, which inevitably required a clear understanding of the enemy’s specific circumstances to strategize accordingly. Withholding information would accomplish nothing and only result in wasted effort.

"To bid high and settle for less – the price can still be discussed. I just want to know whether the Head of the Household is willing to take the job or, to put it another way, whether you have the confidence to rescue the person? According to the latest information I’ve obtained, those black-clad men are most likely the Hidden Guards trained by one of the Capital City’s Aristocratic Families, the Yin Family. They are skilled, and act swiftly and alertly, not so easy to contend with."

Once Lin Yue was certain that those people were from the Yin Family of the Capital City, she was all the more resolved to rescue Mr. Xue before they entered the Capital City. Once there, rescuing him would be difficult. Even if she sought help from a few influential people, or even directly from the Emperor, having no concrete evidence would prevent her from implicating the Yin Family. If the Protector’s testimony alone couldn’t point to the Yin Family, and they denied involvement, she would be at a loss and might even be counter-accused. So, now the price was no longer the same as it was initially.

"Madam Lin is indeed forthright. Well then, seeing as fate has brought us together, I won’t bid sky-high. Just double the original price, and I will take on the deal. If you agree, it’s set; if not, I won’t insist. After all, Madam Lin, our past dealings have been cordial, and we’ll continue as before. If the deal doesn’t go through, we’ll act as if it had never been discussed, alright?" ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Chang Dabao, standing aside, wasn’t sure what the Head of the Household meant. The deal had previously been agreed upon amicably, and now the price suddenly doubled. But the Head of the Household had his reasons for acting as he did, and perhaps Lin Yue’s mention of the Yin Family’s formidable Hidden Guards was the cause of the increased price. He, of course, sided with the Head of the Household and hoped Lin Yue would agree, as the recent floods, which had spared their stronghold, still impacted them. Not to mention, even after the Court dispatched disaster relief, the grain prices hadn’t fallen, leaving them barely able to afford their rations. They hadn’t had much in the way of profits recently and were in urgent need of income to solve the brothers’ sustenance issues in the stronghold.

"Madam Lin, the price the Head of the Household has set isn’t too high at all. You must understand that this deal requires our brothers to risk their lives and go head-to-head with those Hidden Guards from the Yin Family. If it goes below this price, we’ll have trouble explaining it to the brothers."

Lin Yue wasn’t too concerned with Chang Dabao’s words, but she took the Head of the Household’s words seriously. Manager Liu had originally promised nine thousand taels of silver, so doubling it would amount to eighteen thousand taels. This was likely Huangfu Yi’s bottom line for getting involved. Considering the troubles Mr. Xue could face if taken into the Capital City, where the costs might exceed eighteen thousand taels, Lin Yue gritted her teeth and agreed. Last year, Zhao Erhu had earned a substantial sum from a voyage, and eighteen thousand taels of silver was, while significant, not devastating to her financial stability and still within an acceptable range.

"Alright, I agree! But those men are the Yin Family’s Hidden Guards. Are you certain you can rescue Mr. Xue from them? Otherwise, my eighteen thousand taels of silver notes would have been for naught..." Lin Yue didn’t continue, but the implication was clear – she didn’t want to see her silver wasted, and face the loss of both her money and her goal. It needed to be made clear.

"Madam Lin, rest assured. Since I’ve agreed, I have a certain level of confidence, and I will do my best to rescue him intact for you. You don’t have to worry about that. Should there be any mishaps, I will return the silver notes in full without taking a penny, and I myself will bear the loss and injuries of our brothers," Huangfu Yi was fairly confident, though he didn’t want to guarantee too much. In truth, even if Lin Yue hadn’t approached him, he had already decided to make a move on those men sent by the Yin Family. It’s just that Mr. Xue’s life wasn’t within his considerations. Lin Yue coming to him simply provided a better excuse and opportunity to bring in additional income for the brothers in the stronghold – why not seize it? Lin Yue didn’t know any of this and therefore worried that Huangfu Yi wouldn’t take action.

"Very well, it’s settled then. I’ll pay half the deposit now, and once the job is done, I’ll pay the remaining nine thousand taels, alright?" Lin Yue had only intended to pay a two thousand taels deposit, but with the changed circumstances, the terms couldn’t remain the same. Moreover, facing Huangfu Yi’s pressure was completely different from dealing with Chang Dabao.

"It’s a deal, no problem. Madam Lin is indeed decisive. It’s refreshing to do business with you, and I look forward to more collaborations in the future, which will hopefully bring wealth to our brothers in the stronghold," said Huangfu Yi jovially, happily accepting the silver note from Lin Yue.

Lin Yue outwardly reciprocated but held reservations. She had no wish to have excessive dealings with these bandits, not because of prejudice, but because associating with them carried risks. Adding Huangfu Yi into the mix – with his inscrutable thoughts and possible connections to the royal family – created even greater grounds for avoidance. She planned to distance herself from them as much as possible once this affair was settled. Besides, using bandits to rescue Mr. Xue might arouse the Yin Family’s suspicions.