“Brother Wenyuan, is she really the co-wife our aunt spent two taels of silver to buy?”
Lu Xiaoyu emphasized the words co-wife. In theory, a co-wife was a woman married to three men at once, but in reality, her status was little better than a servant. One woman had to serve three men—far from the enviable life it sounded like.
“Mm,” Lu Wenyuan replied simply, without further explanation. The villagers already knew about the three brothers marrying a co-wife; no sense of shame would be added or lost. So he admitted it openly.
Lin Xiyue chuckled silently. That Lu Xiaoyu thought Lu Wenyuan couldn’t perceive the subtle disdain in her tone—what a scheming little white lotus. She wanted the villagers to look down on Lin Xiyue, thinking she was just a tool bought by the Lu family for two taels of silver to bear heirs? Did she think Lin Xiyue didn’t notice?
“Brother Wenyuan, is she your cousin? I’ve never seen her before,” Lin Xiyue said, linking her arm with his and leaning close, speaking in a sweet, playful tone.
The affectionate “Brother Wenyuan” caught Lu Wenyuan off guard. Coupled with Lin Xiyue’s faint herbal fragrance as she leaned in, he momentarily forgot how to react.
“She’s the village chief’s daughter, not my cousin,” Lu Wenyuan cooperated smoothly, explaining.
Lin Xiyue blinked, tilting her head like a curious child. “If she’s not your cousin, why does she call you Brother Wenyuan so familiarly? People might think she’s your sweetheart.”
“I’m just following our village and clan customs. I’m supposed to call him brother,” Lu Xiaoyu explained nervously. The cart was full of villagers, and she didn’t want her reputation ruined.
“Who calls their same-clan brother so intimately? Do you normally call others Brother Zhu or Brother Niu too?” Lin Xiyue’s skill at exposing a white lotus was unmatched. Her earnest expression made the villagers nod in agreement.
“You’re right, my lady. You can just call me by name from now on,” Lu Wenyuan said, turning his attention away from Lu Xiaoyu.
Lin Xiyue winked at Lu Xiaoyu—is that all you’ve got?
Lu Xiaoyu clenched her fists in anger but dared not speak further.
Lu Wenyuan shifted closer to Lin Xiyue, leaving distance between himself and Lu Xiaoyu. Lin Xiyue’s expression turned to one of silent amusement; that morning he had avoided her like a viper, now he was cozying up.
Lin Xiyue, magnanimous, didn’t mind. The bumpy cart made contact inevitable, and even through clothing, she could feel the firmness of Lu Wenyuan’s arm muscles. Not as bulky as Lu Jinghuai, but impressive nonetheless.
The cart stopped near a large willow tree at the edge of town. Everyone got down. Old Bull, the driver, said they’d leave at noon, so they needed to shop quickly.
Lin Xiyue followed Lu Wenyuan into town. Ping’an Town was the only market in the area. To reach the county, one would need to change to a horse-drawn cart here.
The town wasn’t large, but a major market was held every two days, drawing villagers from over a hundred nearby villages, making it bustling and lively.
“Candied hawthorn! Fresh candied hawthorn!”
As soon as they entered town, Lin Xiyue heard the street vendors calling out, each trying to attract customers.
“Lu Wenyuan, let’s split up. You go buy ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones. I’ll buy cloth. We’ll meet back at the cart at noon,” she said, already annoyed by him tagging along.
Though worried for her safety, Lu Wenyuan realized Lin Xiyue knew some martial arts and was in male attire. He nodded in agreement.
“I’ll be at Wenya Pavilion on West Street. If anything happens, find me there,” he said. Lin Xiyue waved and walked off briskly.
Once separated, Lin Xiyue went to several taverns. Selling her wild game to a butcher would yield little; a tavern might offer a better price.
“Shopkeeper, do you want fresh venison from yesterday’s hunt?” she asked directly. The shopkeeper, seeing her plain attire, did not look down on her, but asked:
“Whole or cut-up?”
“Whole. I have venison, roe deer, and wild chickens,” she said. Over recent days, she had hunted plenty, now storing three sika deer, one roe deer, and dozens of wild chickens and rabbits in her space.
Her physical strength hadn’t reached her past-life level yet, so catching all this was already impressive.
Lu Jinghuai’s bow had been damaged by Lu Yanqiu, so she needed to buy a new bow and arrows as well.
“If everything is fresh, no problem. We’ll take as much venison and roe deer as you have, but not rabbits or chickens. I’ll pay 20 wen per jin for the deer and roe deer. But I must inspect first—if the quality isn’t good, I won’t take it.”
The shopkeeper was straightforward. Other taverns had refused her or offered low prices due to her plain clothing, but he didn’t underestimate her.
“Fine. I’ll use a cart to bring the goods. Inspect first, then we’ll negotiate,” Lin Xiyue said calmly.
“Bring them through the back door. I’ll inspect before we discuss price,” he instructed. Lin Xiyue nodded and turned away.
This would be her first earnings in town, and she felt a thrill of excitement.
Renting a small cart, she placed the three sika deer and one roe deer from her space onto it, then pulled it toward the tavern’s back door.
The shopkeeper was already waiting. Seeing the freshly killed deer, blood still fresh, and each dispatched with a single cut, he regarded Lin Xiyue with a newfound respect.