She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 153 - 152: More Visitors at Home

Chapter 153: Chapter 152: More Visitors at Home

Ye Xinyan spoke up, and what she said almost caused Nanny Jin to lose her breath.

Missy! Is this the time to worry about such trivial matters? Was the missy scared silly? But just now, with the way she intimidated Nanny Liu and the others with her words and tactics, she seemed quite shrewd and wise.

Before Nanny Jin could react, Ye Xinyan decisively said, "Hmm, let’s do it this way, our family won’t support idle people. Tomorrow I’ll go to Great Crane House and tell that fellow that my family doesn’t have the silver to support so many people, and have him send over the daily expenses for those few persons!" By the end of it, Ye Xinyan thought with clenched teeth.

Nanny Jin looked at Ye Xinyan, dumbfounded. Uh, it’s a bit embarrassing to say that out loud.

"With so many people’s meals, our small kitchen stove might not be able to handle it. Nanny, go find the construction site cook and have them prepare lunch for an extra ten people," said Ye Xinyan as she stood up from the stone and patted her clothes, "I’m going to deal with those two buckets of soured milk paste."

"Missy..." Nanny Jin called out weakly, not understanding her thought process, and even asked, "What about the matter of buying maids we spoke of earlier, are we still buying them?"

Ye Xinyan stopped, made a huge effort to drag her thoughts back on track, "Buy, why not? I’m still waiting for people to help work here. The people Sixth Master Rong sent just need to watch the door carefully, they don’t eat our rice and flour, so don’t expect them to do menial tasks."

After speaking, Ye Xinyan turned and walked toward the cattle farm, waving her hand behind her, "Nanny, go back and keep an eye on things. Although you brought people back along the outside of the village, with all the commotion Hongzhi and the others caused, I’m afraid most villagers know by now. Nanny Liu and the others are not familiar with the villagers after all, so go back and handle it."

She had no mood whatsoever to cope with the villagers’ simple curiosity right now.

A long time ago, Ye Xinyan had heard a very simple saying: A hemp rope always breaks at its weakest point. It proved that the plain talk derived from our laboring people’s life experiences, though seeming superficial, contained deep wisdom.

Nanny Jin watched as Ye Xinyan unhesitatingly dumped the trouble on her and hid herself away in the cattle farm to deal with the milk residue. As Ye Xinyan’s personal nanny, all she could do was obey orders, and go home to await the villagers and relatives who would come visiting.

As it happened, she had just walked in the door and hadn’t exchanged a few words with Nanny Liu when several village lads came running in a noisy group, out of breath, saying that two men had arrived at the village entrance looking for Second Grandfather Qi.

An older child added responsibly, "Nanny Qi Jia, Second Grandfather Qi’s name is Qi Younian, right? Those two people said they are looking for Qi Younian’s house."

Who would come here? Nanny Jin asked the boy, "Did those two say what they needed Second Grandfather Qi for?"

The children all shook their heads together, "They didn’t say, they only asked where Second Grandfather Qi’s house was."

The older child said, "They are already heading towards your place, it won’t take much longer for them to get here."

"Oh," Nanny Jin gave a handful of dry cheese to the excited children to send them on their way. She thought about checking who had come first before deciding whether to call Qi Younian back.

Nanny Jin tidied up the yard a little, set up a small table, and two stools, waiting for the visitors to arrive.

It was not even past noon at this time.

After getting the yard in order, Nanny Jin went to the gate to meet the newcomers. Soon after, she saw a group of village children escorting two adults heading towards her house.

As the two approached and their features became clearer, the one in the lead was an older man of sturdy build, and beside him was a tall, young man.

Not knowing the identity of the visitors, nor their intentions, Nanny Jin did not go out to greet them, she just waited by the gate.

The elder and the child approached, and amidst the boisterous voices, the child blurted out, "This is Second Grandpa Qi’s home; she’s their Nanny."

Having stepped forward, Nanny Jin inquired, "I heard from the village children that the two of you are looking for our master, may I ask if there’s something you need?"

The older man was around fifty, with dark sun-kissed skin that displayed vitality. He wore a set of deep grey coarse cloth garments, trousers of the same color, and a roughly tied coarse cloth belt around his waist. His hair, free of any white, was tidily combed up into a bun.

The younger man was tall and lean, with a long face and a kind demeanor, boasting a healthy wheat-colored complexion indicative of someone accustomed to physical work. Dressed in cyan grey just like the elder, both wore the typical attire of commoners.

With a respectful bow, the elder inquired, "May I ask, Nanny, if this is Qi Younian’s home?"

Nanny Jin responded, "Yes it is. And you two are?"

The elder, with a smile gracing his features, said, "I am the sworn younger brother of your master’s elder brother. Having received a letter from him a few days ago, here I am in a hurry to find you all."

"So, it’s Fourth Master! Please, come in quickly," Nanny Jin said upon hearing this, promptly ushering the two inside the compound. She then called out to a few of the children, "Xiao Si, you go to the cattle yard at the back and find Second Grandpa Qi, tell him Fourth Master has arrived. Be quick, and once Nanny Jin frees her hands, she’ll get some sweets for you."

With a loud shout, Xiao Si and the others dashed off toward the cattle yard.

Nanny Liu and Nanny Zhou, who were following Nanny Jin, noticed that guests had arrived at home and hurried back to instruct the maids and old woman servants to boil water and prepare tea.

Grandfather Cheung, Qi Younian’s sworn younger brother also known as Cheung Wusi, led Wong Qiao into the yard. Seeing the courtyard with its two dilapidated rooms, they understood that such simplicity and disrepair were common for a poor peasant family with few members. However, what puzzled them was the number of servants milling about in the small, crumbling courtyard.

Cheung Wusi exchanged a glance with his companion, then they sat down beside a table that had already been prepared in the courtyard.

Soon, two maids brought forward a variety of snacks and a pot of tea.

Taking over, Nanny Jin placed them in front of the guests and said, "Please, sit for a moment and have a cup of tea to rest. Our master will be back shortly."

Cheung Wusi nodded in appreciation, saying, "Nanny, you are too kind. Now that we’ve found the place, there’s no rush."

Nanny Jin stayed by their side, conversing, while casting worried glances at the two small rooms in the house.

It was discourteous not to invite guests into the main house, especially when they were Qi Younian’s own brothers. Yet the house was currently packed to the brim, making it difficult to find standing room, let alone accommodating guests.

Upon receiving the message, Qi Younian put down his work and headed back, also calling for Ye Xinyan to join him.

When Ye Xinyan heard that Grandfather’s sworn younger brother had arrived, she immediately recalled the saying she had heard in her younger years, "A hemp rope always breaks at its thinnest." The Prince’s house already had too many people to accommodate, and now there were two more of Grandfather’s relatives. She remembered that Grandfather’s younger brother was named Cheung Wusi—it wouldn’t be proper to make Grandfather Cheung and his family stay in a shed, would it?

While she pondered how to house Grandfather’s younger brother, she also asked, "Grandfather, the Fourth Master is that very capable brother you spoke of, right?"