She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 273 - 272: There’s a Time You’ll Suffer

Chapter 273: Chapter 272: There’s a Time You’ll Suffer

Speaking of Jiang Yifan’s eldest senior brother, Guan He, Jinrong’s regret was anything but ordinary, "In this world, what the vast majority of people seek in life is nothing more than to bring glory to their family, to be a person who is looked up to and respected. No matter whether it’s a personal bodyguard or a first-rank officer, as long as you have a high enough status to be respected, isn’t that enough? If your eldest senior brother didn’t want to be a bodyguard, there were plenty of official positions for him to choose from, but he simply didn’t want them."

Jiang Yifan shook his head, "Everyone seeks different things, we can only say that’s not what he wants, and his strengths don’t lie in being an official."

Jinrong thought for a moment, then asked with interest, "Hey, if we find him a charming and alluring little wife, do you think he would settle down?"

Jiang Yifan was caught off-guard, his grip tightened and even the horse he sat on neighed from the tension of the reins.

Jinrong laughed, "Even if that doesn’t work, you don’t have to react like this. Look at how anxious you are, even more than if you were finding a wife for yourself."

Jiang Yifan helplessly said, "My senior brother is already of age, if he wanted to find a wife he would have done so long ago, why would he wait until now? It was with great effort that I convinced him to come and protect the Qi family, don’t meddle in things unnecessarily. If you scare him off, who knows when we’ll be able to find him again."

Jinrong replied sulkily, "I’m just saying, I wouldn’t actually do anything. Your senior brother is like a dragon that shows its head but not its tail, coming and going as he pleases, without caring for reasons. Just don’t blame me if he decides to leave on a whim."

Some people just can’t resist gossiping. Guan He was only mentioned in passing by Jinrong on the road, and that should have been the end of it. After bidding farewell to Jinrong, Jiang Yifan returned to his house. As he pushed open the door to the back hall of the county government office, something felt off. His foot had barely touched the ground when he immediately drew it back.

Shi Yu approached silently, about to slip inside, when a lazy and unruly voice came from within, "What are you pondering at the door?"

Jiang Yifan felt a sense of relief and waved Shi Yu away as he stepped inside.

In Jinrong’s usual spot at the back hall of the Yamen, a man in his thirties sat with a strong air of laziness and nonconformity, his robes casually worn, without a headscarf and his hair roughly tied back, exhibiting an overwhelming sense of unruliness.

Guan He sat with his legs crossed, eating the freshly ripe peanuts from the current year.

Jiang Yifan came forward to greet Guan He, bowing deeply and saying, "Yuanfan pays his respects to his eldest senior brother."

Without moving a muscle, Guan He maintained his casual posture and waved his hand, "Enough, so much formality even among our own, you’re such a bore."

Jiang Yifan didn’t explain further, sitting down in the seat next to him. Looking at the teacup and peanut shells in front of him, he suggested, "How about we have a couple of pots of liquor? It’s better than this bland tea."

Guan He tossed the peanuts in his hand into the plate, clapped his hands and said, "Do you think it’s easy for me? Coming here, I have to sneak around, afraid to startle any subordinate government officials you might have here. I could only prepare a pot of tea for myself and have been drinking it until now. You, on the other hand, have been entertaining a bunch of kids and almost forgot to come home, didn’t you?"

Jiang Yifan expressed his surprise, "Senior brother, you went to Clear Water Village?"

Guan He pointed at the door, "You better go get someone to bring some liquor first. I’ve been drinking tea here for such a long time. Look at this pot, there’s hardly any color left in it."

Jiang Yifan called for Shi Yu to come in, ordered some wine and a few dishes from the kitchen. Once everything was arranged, Jiang Yifan looked back at Guan He and asked, "When did senior brother arrive? Did you go to Clear Water Village because I wasn’t here?"

"What are you talking about? I’ve been here for two or three days, and I went straight to Clear Water Village. You made the Qi family sound so mystical, I had to go see it for myself to find out whether you were pulling my leg or not."

Jiang Yifan was stunned for a moment, then replied awkwardly, "What are you saying, Senior Brother? When has Yuanfan ever fooled his Senior Brother to make him so guarded?"

Guan He laughed, "That may have been true in the past, but haven’t you become an official now? And you’re getting along famously with a prince, wholeheartedly doing things for him. That’s not a good sign, it shows that you’ve started to have a restless heart, coveting those vain official positions, and you’re going deeper into the treacherous officialdom."

Shi Yu was efficient as ever. In the time that it took for them to exchange a few words, Shi Yu had summoned the servant, carrying two trays in. Four small plates of appetizers, a flask of wine, two cups, all neatly set on a small side table.

The two shifted over to sit beside the small table, and Jiang Yifan asked, "When will the hot dishes be served, are they coming up, or should we just have them prepare and call for them when needed?"

Guan He waved his hand and said, "What hot dishes at this odd hour? Just have them ready, we can talk about it at dinner time."

Shi Yu, seeing Jiang Yifan’s gesture, withdrew.

Jiang Yifan filled Guan He’s cup with wine and asked, "What does Senior Brother think? Has Yuanfan gone too far in the official circles, lost his true self, and deceived his Senior Brother?"

Guan He picked up his cup, gestured towards Jiang Yifan, took a delightful sip, picked up a salted green plum, tossed it into his mouth, and slowly chewed it, savoring the taste. He then said, "That’s not the case."

Jiang Yifan smiled, without joining Guan He in drinking, and said, "That’s good to hear. Being suspected of poor character by my own brother doesn’t sit well with me."

Guan He leaned forward towards Jiang Yifan and asked, "That Qi Ye, she’s your wife, right? You’re not being foolish, are you, wanting me to look after her?"

Flashes of the many differences between Qi Ye and Ye Xinyan crossed Jiang Yifan’s mind as he looked down and said, "Isn’t she different from before?"

"Pff," Guan He leaned back, laughing dismissively, "No matter how different, human nature doesn’t change. She’s like this now only because her circumstances force her to be. If her circumstances were to revert to how they were before, who knows what she’d be like."

Taking another sip of his wine, Guan He said with a meaning-laden tone, "You’re worried about her because she’s now managing two major properties, and you want to protect her for Sixth Master, making those properties grow larger, accumulating assets for Jinrong, isn’t that so?"

Jiang Yifan started playing with a pickled green soybean unconsciously, chewing on it while saying, "That’s just one reason, but definitely not the main one. Many people have already fixed their attention on these two properties belonging to Sixth Master. Qi Ye’s original intention in doing these things was just to make life a little easier for her family. I can’t bear to see her get entangled in Sixth Master’s affairs and fall victim to someone else’s schemes."

Guan He shook his head, "You’re still as dishonest as before, clearly wanting to win over the Qi family, hoping for a reunion with your wife, and yet you’re fobbing me off with this lukewarm talk."

Jiang Yifan paused, his expression turning somewhat gloomy, "It’s not a brush-off, Senior Brother. Whether we reunite or not is out of my hands. All I can do is to help her family manage the Construction Industry peacefully. Once the Qi family has made enough silver, when they have the ability to buy and hire people, whether they stay or go will naturally still be up to you. However, I must tell you, working for the Qi family is definitely more interesting than for the others. Qi Ye, having suffered a great calamity, has changed drastically, becoming exceedingly smart and cunning. Staying with their family might actually bring you some enjoyment."

Guan He glanced at him sideways, "Talking like that, it’s as if I’m getting a huge favor. The real reason, though, is just that you want to please your former wife. If she ever reverts back to her old self one day, you’ll be the one to suffer."