A Good Country Wife-Chapter 679 - 672_1

Huangfu Jing didn’t know that Zhao Erhu was eager to return to Zhao Family Village soon; he merely thought Zhao Erhu was indeed a talented individual, capable and willing to put in effort. If every court official in the capital worked as devotedly as Zhao Erhu, there would be nothing to worry about. Alas, the majority were just idling and eating their salary without any use, and some, for their own interests, even actively opposed him, which was truly detestable.

When Eunuch Li returned to the Capital City, Zhao Erhu had not yet completed the task assigned by the Emperor, so he was still in the Capital City. Eunuch Li felt that both Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue were people worth associating with. Moreover, being deeply grateful for Lin Yue’s hospitality over so many days, Eunuch Li, upon hearing that Zhao Erhu was still in the capital, went out of the palace specially to see him after reporting to the Emperor, and informed Zhao Erhu about the situation in Zhao Family Village, which greatly relieved him.

"Many thanks to Eunuch Li for informing me about my wife’s situation. I am endlessly grateful," Zhao Erhu said.

Eunuch Li waved his hand, "There’s no need to be so formal, Brother Erhu. Not to mention that we both serve the Emperor, I am indebted to Lady Lin for her hospitality over these past days. She even provided so many local products for me to take back. This is merely my way of returning a favor. Besides, it’s nothing much; I just passed on some news to you, Brother Erhu."

However, while speaking, Eunuch Li recalled another matter and hesitated whether to speak of it then. After a moment of thought, he decided to tell Zhao Erhu.

"However, Brother Erhu, there’s another piece of information I forgot to tell you. It’s about Lady Lin. You must brace yourself for this and not get angry, it would be best not to blame me!" Eunuch Li said.

At these words, Zhao Erhu felt a sudden pang of anxiety, his voice tinged with urgency and concern, "What is it? Please speak, Eunuch Li! I am too grateful to place any blame on you. But has something happened to my wife?"

No matter how composed Zhao Erhu had previously been, he couldn’t maintain his composure when it came to Lin Yue, his face showing obvious signs of tension.

Seeing Zhao Erhu so anxious and concerned, Eunuch Li sighed and recounted Ceng Lu’s actions to Zhao Erhu, "It’s my fault as well. Otherwise, Ceng Lu wouldn’t have found ****. Having been in the palace for so long, one does develop some discernment. I saw that Ceng Lu was probably harboring some affections for Lady Lin. If I hadn’t intervened at the time, that scoundrel would have taken Lady Lin to the Government Office. Given Ceng Lu’s character, who knows what absurd things he might have done. Although I reminded Lady Lin to be careful before I left, I still worry."

Hearing this, Zhao Erhu began by feeling angry, but soon his face turned green with rage. Ceng Lu, that dog of an official, it wasn’t enough for him to wreak havoc upon the common people, he actually dared to set his sights on his wife. If he didn’t seek vengeance for this, he wouldn’t be worthy of calling himself a man, let alone being Yueyue’s husband.

"Many thanks to Eunuch Li for the information," Zhao Erhu said almost through clenched teeth, struggling to suppress his emotions to calm himself down, but it was clearly not very successful; the expression on his face was somewhat distorted.

"Brother Erhu won’t blame me for being nosy, I hope, as I’m just worried that Ceng Lu is too audacious. I fear he might do something despicable. I see Lin Yue is a good woman, virtuous and capable, a perfect match for you, Brother Erhu. It would be a shame if some unworthy small matters caused any rift between you. This is never Lin Yue’s fault, but rather all Ceng Lu’s doing."

Eunuch Li voiced his concerns for Lin Yue’s situation, which is why he wanted to inform Zhao Erhu, hoping that he would return sooner. Yet he didn’t want his words to cause any rift between the couple, so he reassured them at the end of his message.

"Eunuch Li’s kindness is well received, please be assured," Zhao Erhu replied. "My wife and I have always had a good relationship and trust each other deeply. The mishap happened because I wasn’t at home, for which I feel shame and regret. If there’s any anger, it’s at myself for not protecting my wife. How could I blame her? In fact, my wife has been the most wronged in all this. If I were to harbor such a heart, I would be no better than a beast."

"Hearing Brother Erhu say this eases my mind," Eunuch Li said. "I’ve said what needed to be said, and I took some time out for this; there are still matters waiting for me in the palace, so I mustn’t delay any longer." Eunuch Li then rose to leave, and Zhao Erhu hurriedly escorted him to the door, also choosing a few western items that had been brought back as a token of appreciation for Eunuch Li to enjoy. Naturally, Eunuch Li did not refuse and accepted them with joy.

As soon as Eunuch Li left, the forced smile on Zhao Erhu’s face vanished, and his expression darkened instantly, a cold air emanating from him. That scoundrel Ceng Lu had dared to covet his wife, which was unforgivable!

Zhao Erhu could no longer remain calm at this moment. He wished he could rush back to Zhao Family Village immediately. Fortunately, the assignment from the Emperor was nearly complete, and not everything needed his direct intervention; he could leave the rest to his subordinates. After giving a few instructions, Zhao Erhu went straight to the palace to report back to the Emperor. With the Emperor’s permission, he was ready to set out for Zhao Family Village. However, before he left the city, he made a trip to the Jiang Family to meet with Jiang Ziqi.

By then, Zhao Erhu had calmed down quite a bit. He had been too furious upon hearing the news from Eunuch Li, but after leaving the palace, he had become much more rational. He knew that despite his indignation, Ceng Lu was, after all, the Magistrate of Xin’an City and had both the Ceng Family and the Empress behind him. If he acted rashly and slipped up, it could be a minor concern for himself, but his wife and children would also be at risk.

Zhao Erhu visited the Jiang Family before leaving the city for two reasons: to bid farewell to Jiang Ziqi and to seek his advice. Two heads are better than one, and he hoped Ziqi might have some strategy to deal with Ceng Lu, as Ziqi was more familiar with the complexities of the officialdom than him.

Jiang Ziqi, after learning about the situation, was also filled with indignation. His expression turned grim, but having been trained by his family since childhood, he maintained his rationality and clarity, even in anger.

"Taking on Ceng Lu is easy, but the real difficulty is the retaliation from the Ceng Family and the Empress afterwards! That’s the most fatal part. And with the Yin Family lurking as a hidden threat behind you, always seeking an opportunity, if you attack Ceng Lu now, the situation will turn very unfavorable for you. Therefore, I advise you to be patient for now. You’ve tolerated the Yin Family so far, so Ceng Lu isn’t much different."

"How is that the same? Ceng Lu dared to lust after my wife. I swear we are irreconcilable; this is intolerable for any man!" Zhao Erhu burst out, clearly unwilling to endure any longer. He could tolerate the Yin Family because they hadn’t directly attacked Lin Yue.