She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 190 - 189: The Not Disliked Zhou Biyao

Chapter 190: Chapter 189: The Not Disliked Zhou Biyao

Zhou Biyao’s resolute manner in getting onto the kang bed increased Nanny Liu’s fondness for her and warmed her speech, "Indeed, the quarters here are cramped, so I ask for Second Miss Zhou’s forgiveness for our inadequate hospitality. Second Miss Zhou can have some tea and snacks; the tea and snacks in this household are quite passable. Especially the snacks—they are not available on the street, and even the small food stores are only just planning to stock them, but currently, they do not have any."

Zhou Biyao immediately became interested, leaned forward slightly, eyed the several plates of snacks, and eager to try, she said, "Did Sister make these herself? Nanny Liu, tell me, which ones are the tastiest?"

Nanny Liu smiled and replied, "These were made under the Young Lady’s guidance. As for the flavors, each is unique and has its own taste, so Second Miss can try a bit of each."

Zhou Biyao laughed, "If Sister directed their making, then it’s Sister’s skill I should taste well." Saying so, she picked up a small, ball-shaped snack, examined it carefully between her fingers, and then placed it in her mouth.

Ladies in the boudoir are always meticulous when eating. Zhou Biyao began by chewing slowly, and after biting into it, chewed a few more times before her eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at Ye Xinyan, then increased the vigor of her chewing.

After eating with twinkling eyes, Zhou Biyao reached across the table and tugged at Ye Xinyan’s sleeve, "Sister, did you make this? It’s really delicious. What ingredients did you use to make it taste so good?"

Ye Xinyan promptly retracted her sleeve and said to Zhou Biyao, "Didn’t Nanny Liu just mention that these snacks were all made under her supervision with others? The one Second Miss is eating is a cheese ball; it’s mixed with dairy products that we made from our own cow’s milk."

Zhou Biyao drew back her empty hand, undiscouraged, and picked up a flaky biscuit instead. She ate it in a few bites and, without much ceremony, gently smacked her lips, proceeding to try each of the snacks on the table one by one.

After sampling each, Zhou Biyao pointed at the layered cake and said, "This snack is the tastiest. Sister, what is this called, and what is it made of?"

Ye Xinyan pushed the tea cup toward her and answered, "This snack is called a layered cake; it is made of cake slices with cheese in between, and the cheese is a new ingredient made from cow’s milk."

Zhou Biyao sipped her tea, then picked up the thread, "I know this, it’s like the cream used in cream cakes. The manager of Great Crane House said that cream is also derived from cow’s milk."

Ye Xinyan watched Zhou Biyao, not pursuing her line of conversation, and went straight to the point, "Second Miss Zhou’s status is distinguished, and you honor us with your presence in this rural place, so you must be here for a reason. I won’t hide it from Second Miss, I am currently quite busy, with many urgent matters to attend to. If Second Miss has any requests, please command me, and if within my power, I will do my utmost to assist."

This is being rejected, isn’t it?

Zhou Biyao’s hand holding the tea cup paused, but she wasn’t planning to back down, "What is Sister so busy with? If possible, I would like to help lighten Sister’s load."

She suddenly remembered the sight she had seen upon entering and said, "Are Sister’s current tasks the ones I saw when I came in? If it is a matter of copying or writing, I can assist Sister with that."

Copying my foot, can copying solve everything? It needs to be composed, alright.

Faced with such a Zhou Biyao, Ye Xinyan felt a bit helpless and had no choice but to explain, "Those are for a workshop that needs to be built for processing the cow’s milk, and it must be done according to the Construction Regulations. Those tasks are for the craftsmen to handle, and as a lady of the official class, Second Miss is not suited for such coarse work."

"Construction Regulations?" Zhou Biyao stumbled over her words, "What is that?"

Ye Xinyan blinked, still getting used to these terms herself, alright?

"Constructing houses, courtyards, temples, lighthouses—the scope of architecture includes all of these. The Construction Regulations are the court’s standard for all trades related to earth and stone, brick and wood," Ye Xinyan explained.

"..." Zhou Biyao didn’t understand.

Ye Xinyan smiled and said, "You see, these matters are not things for a delicate lady like Second Miss Zhou to concern herself with. With your standing, you should be content composing poetry, painting, and learning to manage household affairs at home. Architecture is a livelihood for coarse people, where no particular attention is paid to proper separation of the sexes, and certainly not something worth a lady of an official family like Second Miss worrying over."

"It looks rather difficult," she truly didn’t understand, and it indeed seemed unsuitable for her. Zhou Biyao was extremely disappointed, "I don’t understand, but how does my sister come to know these things, like the court’s restrictions and regulations on building houses?"

"Me, I have to help provide for the family," Ye Xinyan felt her own explanation was weak, but she couldn’t very well say, ’Older sister, I formally studied in a science and engineering field; I have the foundation.’

Zhou Biyao was a typical layperson, not only unacquainted with architecture, but also unaware how far-fetched Ye Xinyan’s explanation was.

She pointed outside and asked, "Sister, what were you writing on that paper just now? Was it about following the court’s regulations for building houses? And that dairy farm, the neatly arranged rows of pens to the north, are they all under your management?"

Ye Xinyan looked at Zhou Biyao with a frown. This was getting more and more far-fetched; if she allowed Zhou Biyao to keep asking questions, she’d never get anything done.

Ye Xinyan said helplessly, "Miss Zhou, as the weather is turning colder, work like construction needs to be completed before the ground freezes. A little woman like myself is truly busy. If you have any requests, please don’t hesitate to instruct me."

In plainer terms, it meant: If you have business, speak it; if not, please leave; I truly don’t have time for idle chatter.

Although Zhou Biyao was mentally resilient, her enthusiasm visibly waned in the face of Ye Xinyan’s overt dismissal.

She pondered for a moment and then said frankly, "I want to know what my sister can do. Are you not only able to earn money and provide for the family but also manage big trades that others can’t handle for Sixth Master Rong?"

Sixth Master Rong, huh?

"I am capable of managing small trades," Ye Xinyan said cautiously, "As for big trades, I have never managed them before, so naturally, I wouldn’t dare claim to be able. As for managing big trades that no one else can handle, that is even more preposterous. In this world, there are many capable people; no sane person would dare make such a claim."

"Yet, Sixth Master Rong has entrusted you with the dairy farm, and he regards you differently," Biyao pressed.

Suddenly, Ye Xinyan didn’t dislike Zhou Biyao so much. A young lady who could speak so openly and candidly must possess a different kind of spirit. She was more comfortable to deal with than those who were sly and yet buried their schemes deep.

"Managing the dairy farm isn’t a particularly difficult task. The reason I was given control was mere fortuity. At that time, under those circumstances, I was simply a suitable candidate. And the dairy farm is not a big trade; it’s just a small experiment of Sixth Master Rong.

As for being regarded differently, that’s even less the case. I work for Sixth Master Rong, and anyone who does must be prepared to take attitudes from all sorts of people. If there’s a loss of face, it falls on Sixth Master Rong, not on me. Don’t you think so, Second Miss?"