Chapter 245: Chapter 236 Disagreeable Parting_1 Chapter 245: Chapter 236 Disagreeable Parting_1 Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue, seeing the attitude of the Wei Family patriarch, naturally couldn’t fawn over him like Zhao Quan and Zhao Xing did. Their return was merely due to the Wei Family’s repeated invitations, wanting to see what kind of schemes the Wei Family had in mind. How did it concern them that the Wei Family patriarch was wealthy and influential? They didn’t need anything from him, and Lin Yue, in particular, felt that the Wei Family patriarch only met the standard of a local tycoon—nothing more.
The Wei Family patriarch was waiting for Zhao Erhu and his wife to butter him up so he could casually inquire about their relationship with the Magistrate. But the couple didn’t give him any indication, just sitting there, looking foolish, talking about something—their gaze never once straying in his direction. The Wei Family patriarch felt suffocated by frustration. Indeed, these were unsophisticated country folks, he thought, expecting him to be the one to initiate conversation.
Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu were unaware of the tangle of thoughts in the Wei Family patriarch’s mind. Finding it dull to sit inside with so few people, they left the house. Zhao Erhu took Lin Yue to have a look at the place where he’d lived as a child. They returned around the time dinner was about to start.
During the meal, men and women were seated at separate tables. At Lin Yue’s table, naturally, the woman of the Wei Family took the seat of honor, while at Zhao Erhu’s table, it was the Wei Family patriarch who sat at the head. This arrangement was quite something—it ignored the presence of Zhao Jingen, an elder, as well as Zhao Dahuo and Zhao Erhu, both brothers of Zhao Lingxiang. Of course, the folks from the old Zhao Family home didn’t see anything wrong with this. Someone wealthy and powerful like the Wei Family patriarch was their target for flattery, not something Zhao Dahuo and Zhao Erhu cared about.
Still, the woman of the Wei Family didn’t trust Zhao Jingen and her two sons to be hospitable enough. She carried a jug of wine to fill the Wei Family patriarch’s cup and stood by his side, making conversation, lest they neglect him.
Seeing that Zhao Erhu had no intention of acknowledging him, the Wei Family patriarch, lacking other connections, was eager to forge ties with the Magistrate through Zhao Erhu and thus lowered his pride to initiate conversation. Still, there was an air of condescension as he spoke, “I hear Brother Erhu is now supplying provisions to the Government Office?”
Zhao Erhu found it somewhat unexpected that the Wei Family patriarch would speak to him, though he didn’t feel any particular excitement, responding simply, “Indeed, that’s the case.”
“Brother Erhu is quite capable. Many people wish to handle affairs for the Government Office but lack the connections to even hope for it. I’ve heard Brother Erhu was personally ordered by the Magistrate himself. It seems Brother Erhu has caught the Magistrate’s favor!”
“The Wei Family patriarch might have fallen for gossip. How could a commoner like me be noticed by someone with the Magistrate’s status? It just so happened that the Magistrate visited our village and stopped at our house for a little rest. He found the food my wife prepared to be to his liking, and that’s why we started supplying the Government Office with provisions. If there are any connections to speak of, it would be that my cousin works there. We rely on him to look after us now and then,” Zhao Erhu said, half-truthfully, seeing that the Wei Family patriarch had a specific aim for engaging him in conversation.
The Wei Family patriarch had initially thought that Zhao Erhu, a country fellow, wouldn’t have had the chance to befriend the Magistrate, so he believed Zhao Erhu’s story. His gaze, however, carried an added hint of contempt. The cousin working in the Government Office could be useful, thought the patriarch. Zhao Erhu and his Concubine were siblings, and Zhao Erhu’s cousin was also her cousin. With that connection, there would be no need for Zhao Erhu—Wei’s wife could instead foster a relationship with the cousin. As for the recipes for the food, he had already ordered his wife to get them. A man of his stature couldn’t lower himself to such tasks.
The Wei Family patriarch felt he had clarified matters and became distant towards Zhao Erhu, no longer engaging with him. Zhao Erhu probably understood the patriarch had come for the Magistrate, so the change in attitude was not surprising.
Lin Yue was not impressed by Zhao Lingxiang’s airs as a wealthy lady, considering she was merely a Concubine trying to act important here. Jin Family, acting like Zhao Lingxiang’s lapdog, kept serving her dishes, only to be disdained in return.
“Sister-in-law, please don’t do this. I can’t finish so much, and seeing the dishes pile up in my bowl just ruins my appetite. Take your seat and eat. Isn’t Second Sister-in-law here? If I want something, I can ask her to serve me,” Zhao Lingxiang said.