She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 187 - 186 Jinrong’s Evaluation: Just Lazy

Chapter 187: Chapter 186 Jinrong’s Evaluation: Just Lazy

Nanny Liu quickly packed up two kinds of snacks from the house, and after consulting Ye Xinyan, she also wrapped some Cheese Powder and the flaky cream cheese replicated from the Cheese Powder.

Having gathered everything, Nanny Liu, leading an old woman servant, sought out Fan Zhengyuan to request a carriage and coachman, and set off towards the Sixth Master’s residence in the county town.

Jinrong was in the outer courtyard’s study discussing matters with Hu Jing when he heard that Nanny Liu had requested an audience, assuming there was some issue at Ye Xinyan’s end, he directly ordered someone to bring Nanny Liu over.

Hu Jing saw Jinrong frown slightly and said, "Someone was just dispatched to the dairy products workshop, and Nanny Liu has returned. It’s probably just a matter of staffing, nothing serious."

Jinrong laughed, "I’m not worried about some big problem happening in Clear Water Village. I’m just concerned that Ye Xinyan has come up with a tough challenge for Nanny Liu."

Nanny Liu entered, first paying her respects and offering her greetings to Jinrong and Mr. Hu.

The old woman servant brought by Nanny Liu was holding a food box, standing far at the entrance and curtsying towards the two inside.

Jinrong saw that Nanny Liu looked tranquil, not as if she was troubled. Then, glancing at the servant woman and the food box in her hand, which appeared to contain food for delivery, he couldn’t help but frown and ask, "Why have you run back here instead of serving well at the Qi family? Could it really be to deliver snacks?"

Nanny Liu quickly knelt to reply, "Sixth Master is correct. This servant was ordered by Lady Qi to bring the Sixth Master two kinds of snacks. Lady Qi made two kinds of snacks using dried cheese curds, and the taste was satisfactory. She sent this servant here, to bring some for the Sixth Master and Lord Jiang to try."

"Mhm, bring them over," Jinrong said, understanding Ye Xinyan’s actions. It was more reassuring to have snacks delivered by the servants of the Duke’s Mansion.

Turning to Hu Jing, Jinrong said with a smile, "Miss Ye also seems to understand the ways of the world now, knowing to send some of her newly made snacks to us. Mr. Hu can also try and see whether these snacks can catch the fancy of the elite households in the capital."

As they spoke, they moved to sit down beside a small, side table.

Nanny Liu took the food box, first placing two plates of snacks on the side table, and said, "Lady Qi had the dried cheese curds ground into Cheese Powder. This is shortbread made with Cheese Powder. It has a delicate, crumbly texture with a distinct milky flavor. This other one is a layered cake. The cream cheese sandwiched in the middle of the cake is also made from Cheese Powder. This snack tastes even better."

"Dried cheese curds?" Jinrong asked, "Is that the cheese Nanny Jin gave to Hongzhi to teeth on, now ground into powder?"

Nanny Liu replied with a smile, "Exactly. It was originally just something to teeth on, but who would have thought that after grinding it into a powder, it could have such good use."

Jinrong reached out, gesturing to Hu Jing, "Please, Mr. Hu."

Hu Jing took a piece of shortbread without much ceremony, placing the entire thing in his mouth, slowly chewing. After a moment, he began to squint his eyes, savoring the taste and nodding continuously.

Jinrong also picked one up, first biting off a small piece, following Mr. Hu’s lead, narrowing his eyes to appreciate the delicate and soft texture and distinct milky flavor that Nanny Liu had mentioned.

After swallowing the shortbread, Hu Jing took a sip of tea, and with a smile, said, "Nanny Liu is right. Actually tasting the shortbread is better than imagining it from a description. Miss Ye really is capable, with such a nimble mind, a simple twist can bring such delightful surprises, utterly ingenious."

Nanny Liu bowed and said, "Zhang Baokui, sent by the Sixth Master, also said similar words, praising Lady Qi for her flexible mind for not having thought of grinding the cheese into powder after years of the herders and nobles consuming milk from cattle and sheep."

Jinrong again picked up a piece of layered cake, pinching it with his fingers and tearing off a corner to taste. While chewing, an expression of admiration gradually appeared on his face.

"Indeed, it has a distinct taste that’s different from the usual food, very rich and fragrant," Hu Jing remarked.

As the two of them chatted idly, each consumed a slice of cake before Jinrong remembered to look at the half-opened food box, "What’s this? There’s still something inside. Are the contents wrapped in that oil paper also edible?"

Nanny Liu removed the lid of the food box to show Jinrong the inside and replied, "That’s cheese powder and cream cheese that I and the Young Lady acquired for our mansion’s kitchen. They can be used by the chefs to accompany dishes, enhance meals, or add to snacks, and the taste is quite good."

"Oh?" Hu Jing laughed and said, "If you were to hand over unfamiliar ingredients to the chef, I imagine the chef wouldn’t know how to handle them. That means, Nanny Liu, you must know how to use these things."

Nanny Liu smiled and replied, "Exactly, sir. The Young Lady doesn’t like to meddle too much, but she’s not standoffish with us servants. She bought a stone mill for the servants a while ago, and since then, the dry cheese residue and cheese have been processed by us servants as instructed by the Young Lady. Even the various things that can be made with cheese powder were taught to us, and after that, she left it all to us."

Jinrong asked with a smile, "Can she really be at ease? Isn’t she afraid that you might botch the job?"

"That’s the thing," Nanny Liu said, "We servants were also afraid of ruining the food. If we had doubts, we would ask a few more questions, but the Young Lady would show an impatient face, telling us to try it ourselves. That if we tried several times, it would be fine, and we shouldn’t bother her about everything. Therefore, the servants know very detailed instructions on how to use the cheese powder, sometimes even more than the Young Lady herself."

Surprised by what he heard, Hu Jing turned to Jinrong, "This Miss Ye actually has such an open-minded temperament. Who knows how much confidence in herself she possesses to be so liberal, not fearing that others might learn her skills."

Jinrong hummed disapprovingly and uttered two words, "Lazy perhaps."

Hu Jing shook his head and said, "It’s not that. Only such a person can nurture attendants who can manage affairs and stand on their own as experts. If all instructions are clearly laid out, and meticulous details are controlled, wouldn’t the subordinates become incapable of thinking for themselves, only knowing how to follow orders?"

"She is just a woman..." Jinrong swallowed back the latter half of his sentence, ’How meticulous can a woman be in her affairs?’

It was precisely because of the endlessly innovative and clever ideas of Ye Xinyan, who had left the Duke’s Mansion and the capital city, that he had the intention to win her over. Her intelligence and meticulousness were, of course, important reasons. Therefore, it wouldn’t be appropriate to voice these thoughts.

Changing the subject, Jinrong asked, "Didn’t you say that Young Lady Qi also brought some snacks and cheese powder for Lord Jiang? Where are they?"

"Replying to the Sixth Master, there was no cheese powder or cheese, just two boxes filled with snacks. The boxes are on the carriage; I didn’t bring them down. In a while, I will instruct the kitchen on how to use the cheese powder and cheese, then I will go to the county government office to deliver the snacks," Nanny Liu replied.

Jinrong waved his hand, "Then go ahead, the shichen is already late. Finish the errands quickly and go back without delaying the Qi family’s affairs."

Watching Nanny Liu bow and leave, Hu Jing spoke earnestly, "The Sixth Master indeed has a keen eye, to see the unique abilities of the Ye family girl who is renowned for being rash and thoughtless. According to what Nanny Liu has said, this girl’s capabilities may very well extend beyond this, and perhaps she can truly conduct business throughout the world, accumulating vast wealth for the Sixth Master."