She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 283 - 282: Consult Lord Jiang

Chapter 283: Chapter 282: Consult Lord Jiang

Ye Xinyan settled Xie Chun and Zhang Baokui before returning to consult with Qi Younian, Cheung Wusi, and Wong Qiao on what to do next.

Whether it was the Dairy Products Store or the cattle farm, security measures needed to be implemented. Despite having night patrols at both locations, the current situation clearly indicated that the force was insufficient and lacking in professionalism.

Ye Xinyan expressed her worries, "Ordinary people simply can’t guard against such thieves. Xie Chun, Zhang Baokui, and I have looked inside and out several times and haven’t found the slightest trace left by the thieves." Forgive her, although she had time-traveled here, she was not a detective. In theory, there should be traces left if there was any contact, but she couldn’t find any.

Wong Qiao suggested, "How about we report this to the government office? The Yamen has specialized personnel for investigation and arrest, at least more professional than us. It would be better than us making wild guesses here and not finding a way forward."

Ye Xinyan glanced at Wong Qiao, this fellow, a typical law-abiding citizen, the court’s good subjects, always thinking of the government office first.

Cheung Wusi shook his head and said, "The Yamen usually just supervises ordinary affairs, they are equally clueless when faced with tough cases." They might be more precise when setting someone up, rather than handling actual work.

Although Qi Younian had similar thoughts to Cheung Wusi, Qingyuan County’s Magistrate Sir being Jiang Yifan was naturally another matter.

"We still need to report to the authorities, or perhaps we should first consult Lord Jiang on whether it is better to report officially or to have Lord Jiang send someone to investigate privately. We should also inform Sixth Master, as it seems like only a small piece of cheese was lost, but if this cheese could really sell for a high price, then we can’t treat it as just an ordinary trifle. Sixth Master has the largest share in the Dairy Products Store, and we need to clarify this matter with the early owner to avoid any misunderstanding."

Ye Xinyan immediately took to heart the price of the cheese, saying, "What do you mean ’if’? It definitely can sell for a high price."

Qi Younian couldn’t help but chuckle, "Exactly, which means we can’t treat it as just an ordinary trifle, that’s why we need to promptly inform Sixth Master."

Seeing Ye Xinyan’s unconvinced look, he continued, "I know Xie Chun has his own way of sending messages to Sixth Master, but sending him is different from arranging a special messenger. Sixth Master Rong’s status is different, one has to show him the basic respect, we can’t just look for an easy way out."

Ever since Ye Xinyan had vaguely told him that Prince Yu might not be as indifferent and leisurely as he appeared on the surface, he had been extra cautious about Prince Yu.

It wasn’t that he disagreed with Prince Yu’s way of thinking. Born in this world, a man should not live in vain. For the common people like them, striving hard to earn a living for themselves and their families, to give their family a better life, was their goal. A prince naturally had his own ambitions, and it was better for a good person to sit in that exalted position than a tyrant or an incompetent one.

For someone who might ascend to the throne in the future, extra respect and caution were not only harmless but also a fundamental duty as a subject and a citizen.

"I’m just looking for an easier way, alright, I’ll listen to Grandfather. I’ll have Xie Chun personally go and explain the situation in detail to Sixth Master Rong. By the way, let’s see if we can find a few Protectors with good martial skills." Ye Xinyan contemplated and thought it was a good idea, making the issue seem more serious; Grandfather was right, being cautious with someone who has ambitions for the throne is wise.

After some thought, Qi Younian said, "We shouldn’t bring up the Protectors just yet. I will go to the county city with Steward Xie. While Steward Xie reports to Sixth Master, I will inquire when Lord Jiang’s senior brother can come. If Lord Jiang’s senior brother can make it, it’s best to hear what his senior brother suggests regarding the Protectors."

"Right, there’s also Magistrate Sir’s senior brother." Ye Xinyan’s eyebrows raised high.

She nearly forgot about him had it not been mentioned; she grew up reading martial arts novels, whether it was contemporary, new age, or classical martial arts fiction, she had read a lot. These kinds of melodramatic plots are two hundred percent centered around characters like the senior brother. Especially in classical martial arts fiction, it’s a common trope; it seems the ancient writers of martial arts based their stories on real-life experiences.

Looking at the timing and difficulty of the cheese theft, the thief was not only exceptionally skilled but also thoroughly acquainted with their affairs. It could very well have been the act of Jiang Yifan’s so-called senior brother, who had been covertly observing and then, tempted by the sight of them eating cheese, developed the desire to steal.

The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, only a small piece of cheese had been taken, and moreover, it was a well-fermented one. Nothing else had been disturbed; the remaining cheese had even been considerately rearranged.

Damn, no wonder they say an inside job is hard to defend against. With such a person around, no amount of guards would be sufficient.

Qi Younian had no idea what Ye Xinyan was thinking. Hearing her sigh, he thought she too had high hopes for Lord Jiang’s senior brother and said, "I’ll get ready to leave right away and hurry Xie Chun along so he can be quick about it."

Ye Xinyan watched Qi Younian rush out with a curl of her lip. If this theft was the doing of that senior brother, she wondered whether Grandpa would still trust Jiang Yifan this much.

"Grandfather Cheung, Ah Qiao, what do you think? Can we create a contraption that activates upon linkage? If a thief enters, it could set off the device and create a commotion, alerting our night patrols in time," she proposed.

Cheung Wusi nodded, "Whether it’s possible or not, we have to try. I, the old man, can help you make it; I may not have the ideas, but your young minds are bright. Discuss it with Ah Qiao, come up with a plan, and then I can help you build it."

Jiang Yifan heard that Qi Younian had arrived and, thinking there must be a family matter, quickly put aside his work and had the butler welcome the elder in.

The two sat down in the rear hall after exchanging their respects. Before the tea and refreshments were served, Jiang Yifan asked, "Is something the matter at home?"

"There is a small matter," Qi Younian replied with slight guilt, "I hate to disturb your official duties over a trivial family affair. I hope you won’t hold this old fool’s impulsiveness against me."

"So, there is a matter? Elder, there’s no need for formalities, please, speak freely," said Jiang Yifan.

"It’s like this. Last night, the fermentation workshop at the Dairy Products Store lost a piece of cheese..." Qi Younian recounted the incident in full detail, then added, "The old fool was thinking, if the senior brother you mentioned a few days ago could come soon, we wouldn’t need to look for anyone else. Our own people are more reliable, aren’t they?"

The moment Jiang Yifan heard the beginning, he knew what had happened. The final remark from Qi Younian left him with a headache full of legal troubles.

Jiang Yifan rubbed his temples, grasped the cup of tea that the servant had brought, and handed it to Qi Younian, who in his hurry to accept it with both hands, protested, "Lord, you shouldn’t do this! I, a mere commoner, do not deserve such courtesy from you."

"This matter... well, it’s not urgent. Elder, please have some tea first, and then I’ll explain it to you in detail," Jiang Yifan replied vaguely. He wanted to give him time to relax while figuring out how to address the issue without betraying the elder’s trust.

Although Qi Younian hadn’t read any martial arts novels, he was a shrewd man who had seen his share of life’s troubles and events. Seeing Jiang Yifan not seem worried, as if already aware of the facts but finding it difficult to speak, he put his mind at ease.

If it was Lord Jiang’s senior brother who did it, then there wasn’t much to be worried about. Those from Jianghu often have some quirks different from ordinary people, as long as they have good character, that’s what matters. According to Ye Zi, the person only took a small piece of cheese and didn’t touch anything else. That didn’t sound like someone with ill intentions.

While drinking tea, Jiang Yifan pondered how to broach the subject and watched Qi Younian’s expression. Seeing a flash of realization cross Qi Younian’s face and his composed manner as he drank his tea, Jiang Yifan understood that the elder had probably come to the same conclusion.