She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 191 - 190: What a Big Identity

Chapter 191: Chapter 190: What a Big Identity

Zhou Biyao calmed down, and Lady Qi was right. Lady Qi worked for His Highness Prince Yu, and if someone under Prince Yu’s command could be easily troubled and thereby suffer losses, what was the point of having such a noble title? If that were truly the case, she wouldn’t need to keep making trips back and forth.

Thinking of what Ye Xinyan had done, Zhou Biyao asked, "Sister also wants to know whether you have the ability to earn a large family fortune?"

Ye Xinyan smiled unabashedly, "Earning a large family fortune is a good thing that probably everyone wishes for."

"But people say that a woman who can earn a family fortune for the clan deserves the title of the Imperial Clan Matron," Zhou Biyao said, staring intently at Ye Xinyan.

Ye Xinyan laughed, "I am currently helping my grandfather with his affairs, and I dare not claim to be able to earn a family fortune on my own. Even if I am earning a family fortune, it is for the Qi family, for my younger brother. It will never be for any other family."

At this moment, Ye Xinyan was certain that Zhou Biyao must know about Jinrong’s identity. Her persistent pursuit to Clear Water Village and questioning her like this was likely because of Jinrong’s identity.

This was good; getting straight to the point indicated an open and straightforward character. Unlike her own cousin or the Liang family’s girl, who were preoccupied with admiring dandy men, yet put on such an affected air, acting as though they were so proper and refined; it was both annoying and despicable.

Zhou Biyao looked around the cramped room and considered the situation outside, feeling that it was really inappropriate to stubbornly linger here.

She asked Ye Xinyan, "The rooms being built to the east, they belong to your family, don’t they?"

"Yes," Ye Xinyan replied.

"When your family’s house is completed and you’re not too busy, can I come over here to talk with you?" Zhou Biyao asked.

What was this situation? Hadn’t they spoken clearly already? Why come over again?

Frowning, Ye Xinyan said, "Second Miss Zhou, aren’t you visiting relatives? By the time my family’s affairs are settled, it will probably be winter. By then, you will have returned to Yuyuan City, won’t you?"

"Sister need not worry about that. Consider it as though I have accepted on your behalf," Zhou Biyao also smiled, "Yuyuan City is not that far from Qingyuan County. It’s my own uncle’s home, and as his dear niece, it’s perfectly normal for me to visit my relatives often."

Fine, you win, young lady; at my advanced age, I don’t have skin as thick as yours. Ye Xinyan forced a laugh, "Actually, due to family circumstances, I have always been very busy."

"Then I won’t disturb your work. When your family’s house is complete, I will come over to bother you again," Zhou Biyao promptly prepared to leave.

Out of options, Ye Xinyan glanced at Nanny Liu.

Nanny Liu subtly averted her gaze, pleased to have someone who could fluster the Young Lady; having a bit more interaction would be good.

Second Miss of the Zhou family hadn’t just earned Nanny Liu’s favor for nothing. Just as she stood up, she remembered Wong Qiao outside. Seizing an opportunity when Ye Xinyan was not paying attention, she tugged on Ye Xinyan’s sleeve and asked, "Who was that man working with Sister just now?"

Her eyes twinkled with the light of gossip.

"He is..." How should she answer, an uncle? Adopting someone around her own age, with not the slightest blood relation, as an uncle... Better not.

Ye Xinyan shuddered with a chill, "He is the child of my grandfather’s old friend, familiar with Construction Regulations and engineering computation, working together with my grandfather."

"Ah, the child of an old friend," Zhou Biyao mused, sneaking a cautious glance at Ye Xinyan before asking, "Then does Sister also have a thorough knowledge of Construction Regulations and computation?"

Here we go again. Ye Xinyan pulled her sleeve back, replying unenthusiastically, "Not very familiar."

"Is this a hint of familiarity?" Zhou Biyao felt a twinge of envy but did not dare to cling to it. Instead, she turned to Nanny Liu and asked, "I will return to Yuyuan City in a few days. I wonder if I could take some of the pastries we just had to let my father and mother try them. I don’t mind paying more silver for them—such delicacies are rare and worth the long journey to bring back."

......

Zhou Biyao was not the only one who thought the cheese was worth the long journey.

The very next morning after Zhou Biyao’s arrival, Hongzhi was covered in dust from the road as he rode towards the Qi Family Courtyard.

Nanny Liu was familiar with Hongzhi. Upon hearing his voice at the courtyard entrance, she hurried to greet him. When she reached the gate, to her surprise, she found Hongzhi accompanied by Mr. Hu and a servant.

Nanny Liu’s warm expression immediately shifted to one of respect as she greeted him, "Mr. Hu."

Standing at the courtyard entrance, Hongzhi saw Wong Qiao working with Ye Xinyan and couldn’t help but frown.

Before Ye Xinyan could notice, Nanny Liu hurriedly said to her with her head still down, "Young Lady, someone from the Sixth Master has come."

Ye Xinyan lifted her head, still pinching a delicate charcoal stick between her fingers.

Approaching Ye Xinyan and glancing at Wong Qiao who had stopped his work, Nanny Liu whispered, "It’s a teacher from the Sixth Master’s Mansion."

Ye Xinyan focused her gaze toward the people following Hongzhi. A teacher from the mansion must be one of the advisors or a Guest Elder. Judging by Nanny Liu’s expression, he seemed to be someone even more important than an advisor.

"Wong Qiao, I’ll need to trouble you," Ye Xinyan said to him.

Having heard Nanny Liu’s words and aware that the visitor was no ordinary person, Wong Qiao promptly volunteered, "I’ll go and call Great Uncle back."

Hu Jing surveyed the Qi Family Courtyard and the tent set up on one side. Instead of greeting and making small talk with Ye Xinyan, he walked to the table where Wong Qiao had been and glanced at the drawings sprawled on it.

At a glance, he immediately lifted his head, his sharp eyes following Wong Qiao until he had left the courtyard. Only then did he return his gaze to the drawings for a closer look.

The consistent strokes and clear and meticulous lines must have been drawn by the young man who had just left, while the black, rough lines and scribbles, must have been Miss Ye’s work.

Hu Jing leaned forward slightly and looked intently again. While Wong Qiao’s lines and notations appeared professional and smooth, Miss Ye’s crude writing surprisingly also had its merits. Even he, an outsider to the construction industry, could somewhat understand the meanings of the craggy lines and symbols.

Hu Jing straightened up and picked up a book laid open on the table, casually flipping through it. Hmm, the Construction Regulations, not bad, clearly a lot of effort has been put in. Almost every page had annotations in small handwriting—he could tell that despite the poor penmanship, the annotator was cautious and serious in their approach.

Setting down the book, Hu Jing bowed his hands to Ye Xinyan, who had been silently observing him, "I am Hu Jing, a Guest Elder from the Sixth Master’s Mansion. Hu Jing has met Lady Qi."

Ye Xinyan didn’t like the deliberate way Hu Jing stared at Wong Qiao. It was not simply a matter of watching Wong Qiao—it was clearly done for her, Ye Xinyan, to see.

Yesterday, it was Zhou Biyao who expressed surprise at Wong Qiao’s presence. That evening, Nanny Liu, while in the presence of Nanny Jin, subtly suggested she should be mindful of her status and reputation. What followed was a night of relentless, detailed guidance from Nanny Jin...

Now it was this unrelated teacher demonstrating such grand gestures and expressions of interest towards Wong Qiao right in front of her. What was he trying to do? Tsk, if she cared so much about what others thought, wouldn’t it be a waste of nearly a thousand years of her life?

And now, after half a day’s delay and frivolous scrutiny, he finally deigned to greet her—what a grand sense of self-importance!