She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 274 - 273: Much Improved Now

Chapter 274: Chapter 273: Much Improved Now

Jiang Yifan listened to Guan He’s words and involuntarily furrowed his brows. Would Ye Zi turn back into the original Ye Xinyan? Probably not.

"I haven’t thought that far ahead. At least she’s doing well now. It’s the current Qi family that owes its protection to my senior brother. If things change in the future, we’ll talk about it then," Jiang Yifan said.

They could only talk about it in the future. Perhaps he could tolerate the past Ye Xinyan for the sake of Qi Ye? But it seemed like he still couldn’t accept her or make it happen.

Guan He picked up his wine cup and disdainfully said to Jiang Yifan, "Look at how troubled you are. Come on, a couple of drinks will do you good. That’s why I say, as soon as you get involved with a woman, a man’s life becomes filled with chaos and annoyance, and then you’re caught in a mess that’s hard to untangle. Wanting to get out? Well, that’s not going to be easy."

...

When Liang Qiyuan’s case in Qingyuan County was resolved, Lian Gui and his group also returned to the capital to report back to Duke An and the Duchess.

In the Duchess’s courtyard within the inner court, Duke An and the Duchess were seated in the main hall listening to Lian Gui recount the events that took place in Qingyuan County, including the trouble Liang Qiyuan had tried to cause for Ye Xinyan.

Duke An wasn’t concerned about Liang Qiyuan’s foolishness. A wealthy family from a small place, it was common to lack experience, and a stern lesson would suffice to make him remember. What puzzled him was Jiang Yifan’s way of handling the situation.

Duke An frowned and asked, "So, when you left, the case was not yet decided? What did Jiang Yifan say?"

Lian Gui bowed and replied, "Not yet. I think Lord Jiang surely does not want to let the Liang family off lightly, but he would also not want to spark a peasant revolt over a minor gentry in the area he manages. Lord Jiang probably wants to push things to an irreconcilable state before he intervenes. Not only would this save face for Lord Zhou, but it would also give him a legitimate reason to deal with the Liang family."

Duke An huffed and said, "That lad is using his head, but it’s a pity the eldest daughter isn’t as sensible. If she had the shrewdness of Xinyi, their marital relationship wouldn’t have become so embarrassingly bad."

Lian Gui didn’t dare to utter a word. It wasn’t that the eldest daughter lacked shrewdness, but during her time at the Duke’s Mansion, she never even thought to be cunning. Now that she needed to act on her own, it was not just a matter of being sly. She was engaged in significant matters, not sparing any effort to outsmart others. Just looking at how the matter with Liang Qiyuan didn’t concern her at all, it was clear that she didn’t consider him her equal.

Duchess An asked, "Has Qi Ye made much progress now?"

Lian Gui hastily replied, "Yes, Lady Qi is not only sensible, but she also knows how to plan for the livelihood of her family. The several businesses under her control, no matter their size, are all doing exceptionally well. His Highness Prince Yu values Lady Qi highly, and many things can be accommodated because of her."

Duke An asked a few more detailed questions, then said, "Alright, I understand. You’ve done a good job on this trip and haven’t tarnished the name of Duke An’s Mansion. Go rest. Settle your affairs and then go to the accounting office to receive your reward."

Lian Gui bowed in thanks, then with a hint of caution, asked, "When I returned, His Highness Prince Yu, Lord Jiang, and Lady Qi all brought local specialties and other items for the Duke and Duchess, which I have already handed over to the steward. Moreover, Lady Qi also brought two handwritten booklets for the wife of the heir apparent, which I have yet to deliver. What do the Duke and Duchess think? Would it be appropriate to deliver them to the wife of the heir apparent right away?"

Although he remembered the eldest miss’s repeated reminders to be cautious and not to lose it, this matter must go through the Duke, as it was his duty as a servant of the Duke’s Mansion. The eldest miss now understood the reasoning behind this, so she did not insist that he personally hand it over to the wife of the heir apparent.

The Duchess frowned and asked, "What did she copy? Scriptures?"

Lian Gui almost choked on his saliva. The Duchess’s imagination was getting better and better. Even if the eldest miss went through great changes, she probably wouldn’t spend her days copying scriptures. To have such an opportunity, they would have to wait a few more years to see if the eldest miss would have more opportunities for even greater changes.

However..., Lian Gui stole a glance at the Duchess. From what he saw, given the eldest miss’s way of doing things, she likely wouldn’t spend her lifetime copying scriptures.

Duke An saw Lian Gui’s uncomfortable expression and scolded, "Speak up, what’s with that look?" Saying this, he also glanced at the Duchess. The lady was also getting muddled with age, Xinyan with her disposition and current circumstances, how could she copy so many scriptures? Those who didn’t have anything else to do were the ones who’d copy scriptures to pass time.

Lian Gui quickly composed himself and said, "Yes. The Qi family owns a small eatery, and the Young Lady copied the eatery’s recipe and menu into two booklets. Before I left, the Young Lady entrusted the booklets to me, saying it was her gesture of goodwill towards the wife of the heir apparent. She also repeatedly instructed me to handle them with care and not to lose them."

The Duchess looked disdainful, "Our children, who would take a cookbook seriously, how did she learn such pettiness? It is just a small-town business that is doing well. If it were in the capital, I’m afraid there wouldn’t even be a place for it. Let me see it. If it’s nothing important, don’t bother giving it to Madam Yin and save us from trouble."

Lian Gui quickly took out two thick, handwritten booklets from his bag and passed them to the old woman servant by the Duchess’s side.

The Duchess first flipped through them herself, her frown deepening as she looked. After a few pages, she handed them to Duke An, saying, "You take a look, too. What is all this mess? There’s not a single proper pastry."

Duke An took them in hand, casually flipping through, while still questioning Lian Gui, "We won’t mention Qi Ye, but even Nanny Jin, who also came from the Duke’s Mansion, has some experience and shouldn’t engage in such an unbecoming business. You have been to Qi Ye’s shop, right? How is the food there?"

Lian Gui glanced at the Duchess and hesitatingly said, "Replying to the Duke, I think it’s quite alright."

Duke An looked up at Lian Gui and said curtly, "Give a proper response."

Lian Gui quickly bowed and replied, "The small eatery run by Lady Qi has great taste, and the pastries and soup dishes there are both exquisite and novel. Even the pastries from the capital’s shops and restaurants, few can match the delicacies of Lady Qi’s eatery."

The Duchess’s face showed surprise, and although she seemed unwilling to believe, she did not utter a word, instead, she picked up her teacup and slowly sipped her tea.

Duke An casually asked, "How can she, a woman, manage to make such delicious pastries? Did you ask about it?"

Lian Gui replied, "I did not dare to ask Lady Qi or Nanny Jin directly, but I inquired on my own. Both Qi Younian from the Qi family and the kitchen maid who makes the pastries at the shop said that at the beginning there were only a few novel pastries and common soups. Later, Lady Qi would think about what kind of pastries would be tasty and have the kitchen maid make them. If the taste was not good, Lady Qi would discuss with Nanny Jin and the kitchen maid what was wrong, until it was made right."