Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Madame Liu Zhao was somewhat surprised to see Xiao Xi, and when she saw Su Wenyue, Madame Liu Zhao was astonished once again. Wasn’t it said that Captain Han had married a girl from the countryside? How could this be a countryside girl? She was such a beautiful and refined person, and her manners and speech were no less than those of a Madam from a wealthy family. She couldn’t possibly be raised in the countryside. Her father was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, which was not considered a low background in their circle. Standing in front of Captain Han’s wife, she even felt somewhat inferior. It was just that this lady looked a bit young, probably just of marriageable age.

“Madam Liu, please take a seat. We have just moved in yesterday and haven’t managed to get everything in order yet. It’s a bit messy at home, so I hope you won’t find it amusing,” Su Wenyue said with a smile. She had planned to visit the nearby neighbors once she had gotten things in order at home. Being new to the area, it was good to get to know more people and make connections. Madame Liu Zhao’s visit was timely.

This area was not on the main street, but was a more secluded location with a nice environment. Many courtyards, like theirs, were single-entry, but there were also those with second and third entrances. It was not suitable for business but great for living. Close to the town and a military camp in Xinye County, many officials’ families lived in this area. If she could get on good terms with the Madams, it could benefit Han Yu’s career.

Of course, Su Wenyue only intended to visit the neighbors nearby for now. The courtyards in this vicinity were all single-entry, and the official positions, ranks, and conditions of the families were not too different. She wouldn’t rashly visit others without discussing it with Han Yu first, as she didn’t want to be seen as trying to curry favor and risk leaving a bad impression. It could backfire and harm Han Yu’s prospects if people thought he was overly ambitious.

“It’s no trouble at all. I apologize for dropping by so suddenly. I came now to see if there was any way I could help. Please don’t be too formal with me,” Madame Liu Zhao said.

Madame Liu Zhao was a talkative person, and since Su Wenyue was new and unfamiliar with the place, she found Madame Liu Zhao to be straightforward and considerate in her actions and speech, leaving a good impression. Wenyue was also keen to get to know her and learn more about the local affairs from her. The two of them seemed to hit it off really well.

“Sister Zhao, please try this. This is this year’s new tea that has just come in, and these cakes are also snacks made by our servant girl. See if they suit your taste,” Su Wenyue invited, as Xiao Xi served the tea and refreshments.

“Your servant girl surely has a clever touch. These cakes are so uniquely made, even more appealing than the ones in the cake stores, and so delightful. I must try them,” Madame Liu Zhao said without any hesitation, reaching for the cakes. Not only were they aesthetically pleasing, but they tasted even better than she had imagined. Even the best cake store in the County Town couldn’t produce flavors like this. Plus, she could only afford to buy from the Town’s cake store occasionally, as her husband held an eighth rank official position with a modest salary, and they depended on that income to support the family, so they had to be careful with expenses.

“They’re truly delicious. It’s my first time having such delightful cakes. Your family’s tea and cakes are excellent, Su Wenyue. Having tried them now, I’ll want to come often in the future, just for these cakes, if nothing else,” Madame Liu Zhao said, clearly fond of them, having consumed quite a few pieces from the table.

“If you like them, please eat more. We have plenty more in the kitchen, and later I’ll have Xiao Xi pack some for you to take home.”

“Then I’ll take you up on that offer. My little rascal at home has a sweet tooth; he’ll certainly love these,” Madame Liu Zhao found Su Wenyue quite agreeable, accepting the gift openly. She thought, since Su Wenyue was new here, she would support her in return. Although her husband was a Deputy Lieutenant and a subordinate to Han Yu, she had been in the Camp for many years and was a local who grew up here, understanding there was more to things than official positions—complicated interwoven relationships mattered as well.

When Han Yu returned home, Madame Liu Zhao had just left, and he saw the tea and cakes that had yet to be cleared away.

“Did we have a guest just now?” Han Yu asked, embracing Su Wenyue as he sat down, surmising that it was one of the neighbors who had come to visit now that someone had moved in, or possibly a colleague from the military camp.

“Madam Liu, the Deputy Lieutenant’s wife, came by. Knowing we had just moved in, she wanted to see if she could be of any help. She seems like a decent person, and since I’m new here and not yet familiar with everything, getting to know her is a good idea. It’ll help me become acquainted with the local customs and people more quickly. I’m just not sure what kind of person Deputy Lieutenant Liu is?” Su Wenyue said, leaning against Han Yu. She was a bit tired after the long conversation with Madame Liu Zhao and wanted to hear his thoughts. She might have had past life experiences and knew more about household matters, but she lacked familiarity with these affairs. Moreover, communication between husband and wife, discussing the trivial matters of life, was good for deepening their relationship and mutual understanding.

Han Yu was glad to see Su Wenyue relying on him and patiently shared his knowledge with her so that she could have a clearer picture, “I haven’t been on duty yet and haven’t interacted with Deputy Lieutenant Liu, so I don’t know much about him. However, other people speak well of him. I trust your judgment; if you think his wife is good company, then you should socialize more with her. Follow your heart, it’s just the women’s friendships between you, and it won’t impact much. Still, you should be cautious where necessary.”

“I understand. I will maintain the proper discretion in my interactions with her. Also, I checked out the vegetable field behind the house. It’s in a good location, large, and the soil is fertile. I’ll have Xiao Xi plant various vegetables there, so we won’t have to buy our greens anymore.”

Han Yu was happy if Su Wenyue was happy. He knew his wife’s nature; she had recently taken an interest in managing the land. When they initially rented this courtyard, it was precisely because of that vegetable field; they were willing to pay extra rent to secure it, despite neighboring courtyards being cheaper.

“You may do as you please, just one thing—pass the time if you must, but you are not to overexert yourself. Leave the work to the servants. I’ve also picked out two servants, a maid and a young servant girl, who will be sent over in a few days. Then you can let Xiao Xi train them and teach them the rules before they start working.”

Han Yu knew that Su Wenyue had a different bond with Xiao Xi, who had been with his wife since she was young. His wife often treated Xiao Xi as a sister, reluctant to overburden her, and one girl attending to her was too few, especially now that his wife was pregnant and needed someone by her side constantly. That was precisely the purpose of his outing just now.

Su Wenyue had been considering hiring two more servants as Xiao Xi alone was too strained, and Han Yu had already taken care of it ahead of time, making her inwardly praise his thoughtful nature—it was truly comforting.