She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 198 - 197: How to Become an Imperial Top Scholar

Chapter 198: Chapter 197: How to Become an Imperial Top Scholar

Jiang Yifan turned his horse’s head and saw Ye Xinyan approaching unrushed and unhurried.

Attendant Shi Yu and Attendant Shi Shu, along with a few other young servants, saw Ye Xinyan coming and exchanged glances before quietly sliding off their horses and standing behind Jiang Yifan, holding the reins.

"This humble woman pays her respects to Lord Jiang," Ye Xinyan stopped a few steps away from Jiang Yifan, delivering a perfunctory courtesy, and asked, "Is there a matter that brings Lord Jiang to this place?"

From his elevated position on his horse, Jiang Yifan looked down at Ye Xinyan and suddenly remembered the scene when he had encountered her on his way to his post at the beginning of the year.

At that time, Ye Xinyan had looked up at him just like this, lacking the usual haughtiness of a Duke’s Mansion’s young lady, her appearance unkempt and shabby in patched and worn clothes, and her words contained a hint of restraint and nervousness. Yet, after only a few sentences, she could not suppress her nature, her brows knitting and her eyes widening as if she was about to reveal her true self.

Half a year had passed, and Ye Xinyan was still looking up at him, but the distress and embarrassment from that time had vanished, replaced by much more composure and steadiness.

Now, although she lacked the domineering presence of the Duke’s Mansion, without the surrounding silks and jewels or the bevy of maids and servant women, she stood alone before a crowd of people, yet she didn’t seem out of place at all, shining even brighter than she had in the capital.

Jiang Yifan squinted and took a long look at Ye Xinyan before finally asking, "I remember that the cattle farm raises dairy cows, so why do I see that there are only a few cows left in the pen?"

Ye Xinyan tilted her head slightly to look up at Jiang Yifan, but feeling the angle was still too steep, she stepped back a few more paces.

Because she had moved even farther away, she had to speak up, "The dairy cows in the cattle farm that produce less than five kilograms of milk have all been taken out to help with the harvest. After the autumn harvest, they will also be raised as ordinary plough cattle and bred..." She glanced at Jiang Yifan’s frown that had suddenly deepened, and after a mental turn, retracted the word "bred" upon noticing the county officials and government officials standing behind him.

Jiang Yifan saw that Ye Xinyan had prudently left those shocking words unsaid and breathed a sigh of relief. However, his brows remained furrowed, and he reprimanded her tone, "Although Lady Qi manages the cattle farm, she is still a woman, and it is truly inappropriate for a woman to speak so loudly."

Ye Xinyan merely lifted her eyelids to glance at Jiang Yifan without picking up on the conversation, then cast her gaze down again.

What is he thinking? At such a distance, would he be able to hear if I spoke softly? Here in Qingyuan County, your official rank might not be insignificant, but my status isn’t inferior either. Since you, Lord Jiang, insist on staying high on your horse, then I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with hearing a ’nontraditional’ woman speaking loudly.

Not receiving a response from Ye Xinyan, Jiang Yifan had no choice but to continue, "Have the long-term and short-term workers from the cattle farm all gone back to their homes to harvest crops, or have they been sent to various places to look after the plow oxen?"

"To answer Lord, they have all been sent to various places to tend to the plow oxen. When their own farm work reaches a certain point, the cattle farm will arrange for them to use a plow oxen for a day, ensuring that their own farm work isn’t delayed," she replied.

Wong Qiao, who worked daily in the shed temporarily set up outside the warehouse where the milk was stored, had a clear view of the cattle farm.

Seeing Ye Xinyan, a solitary woman, facing more than a dozen officials from the government office while high on horseback, Wong Qiao felt a sudden pang of desolation for her. Despite Ye Zi’s remarkable abilities, she was after all a woman, and as a woman, Ye Zi alone bore too many responsibilities.

setting aside the work in his hands, Wong Qiao walked towards where Ye Xinyan stood.

He stopped two steps away from Ye Xinyan and bowed to Jiang Yifan, "Lowly citizen Wong Qiao pays his respects to Magistrate Sir."

Jiang Yifan had noticed Wong Qiao from the moment he had risen and scrutinized him, replying indifferently, "Dispense with the formalities."

Wong Qiao straightened up but kept his hands respectfully clasped, "The esteemed officials and officers must be exhausted from inspecting the agricultural affairs. Would you care to dismount and rest for a moment? This humble citizen would be honored to boil water and brew tea for you."

Upon hearing Wong Qiao mention ’esteemed officials and officers,’ Jiang Yifan suddenly realized that there were others behind him, which meant that Ye Xinyan wasn’t just looking up at him but also those others riding behind him.

Jiang Yifan turned around and saw that the county officials and government officials behind him were all sitting high on their horses, only his personal attendant, holding the reins, was standing on the ground.

When he turned back around, all these people were faced with just one woman.

Jiang Yifan’s face darkened as he dismounted from his horse. Immediately, a flurry of people followed him down.

Ye Xinyan didn’t bother to conceal her disdain and thought to herself, "Look at how the Magistrate Sir reacts—it takes a reminder for him to remember he’s leading people. With wits so slow, how did he ever become the Imperial Top Scholar?"

"How are the working oxen near the village arranged for the night? Are they led back?" Without going to rest or drink tea, Jiang Yifan stood in place and asked Ye Xinyan in a harsh tone.

Ye Xinyan’s reply was bland and straightforward, "The working oxen from nearby are led back in the evening, while the oxen and cowherds working further afield have already found lodging to rest nearby. They’ll return only after the busy farming period is over."

"Where is Fan Zhengyuan?" Jiang Yifan asked, still with no superfluous words.

"He’s in the fields of Clear Water Village, overseeing the labor of the oxen. If the Sir wishes to inspect the harvesting, he can see him out in the fields."

Without a word to anyone, Jiang Yifan mounted his horse, turned the horse’s head, and rode away. A flurry followed behind him as they hurriedly mounted their horses to keep up.

From the construction site of the new house, Cheung Wusi looked out toward the cattle yard from afar and said to Qi Younian, "It seems to be Lord Jiang from the county government office. Why hasn’t he dismounted his horse? He seems to come with an ominous air."

Qi Younian simply watched without blinking or saying a word.

Seeing Wong Qiao pass by, Cheung Wusi nudged Qi Younian. "Big brother, should we go over and take a look too? Just in case they can’t reach an agreement, and it escalates into trouble."

Qi Younian shook his head and said, "No need, these youngsters are not simple at all; we don’t have to worry." Although he spoke in such a manner, the old master still kept his eyes firmly on the group of people in the distance.

It wasn’t until Jiang Yifan had ridden away that Qi Younian finally retracted his gaze.

Cheung Wusi was very surprised. "That’s it? There’s no issue?"

Qi Younian chided him with a laugh, "What issue do you want? Are you hoping for some trouble to happen?"

After making a round through Clear Water Village and the surrounding areas, Jiang Yifan concluded: Agricultural work that has the aid of animals is indeed easier to manage.

The cattle yard industry was run well and managed even better. Rental fees for the working oxen could be covered with fodder, or with wheat straw, cornstalks, and sweet potato vines from the fields that had not yet been harvested, providing significant convenience to the poor farmers.

This was only during the harvest when the role of the oxen wasn’t very prominent, but if such conveniences were available during the spring plowing season as well, it would be a great boon for the agricultural work.

From Fan Zhengyuan, Jiang Yifan learned that some farmers were using the surplus cornstalks and sweet potato vines after the autumn harvest as advance bookings to reserve the use of working oxen for land clearing after the harvest and for the spring plowing. By spring, the cattle yard would have even more working oxen ready for use. By that time, this year’s calves wouldn’t be fully grown yet, but with the cowherds from the cattle yard looking after them, deploying half the usual labor would be more than sufficient.

If the cattle yard continues to breed and raise livestock in this manner, coupled with the court’s tax incentives for uncultivated land, the cultivated area of Qingyuan County will see a significant increase within a few years. With assistance from animals in the existing farmlands, yields should also increase, and that will certainly make the lives of the common people much better.

All this promising news, however, failed to lighten Jiang Yifan’s mood. It was only as dusk approached, harboring an inexplicable gloom, that he returned to the back hall of the county government office. And in the rear hall of the county government office, Jinrong was already waiting in the guest hall.