She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 293 - 292: Guan He’s Doubts

Chapter 293: Chapter 292: Guan He’s Doubts

If it were just a concern about the cost of building roads, Ye Xinyan, with her modern sensibilities, actually had some ideas.

She suggested, "If it’s a matter of financial difficulties, Lord Jiang could consider using the method of borrowing, taking out loans at low interest rates from wealthy households or moneylenders with silver taels, and repaying them with the increased revenue the county town would gain after the roads are completed. Moreover, constructing thoroughfares will undoubtedly stimulate business around them, so Lord Jiang could also promise to build shops along the sides of the roads as compensation, thus resolving a large sum of silver."

For Jiang Yifan, this was yet another proposal as stunning as a clap of thunder.

Even Jinrong was surprised by the immense temptation of Ye Xinyan’s suggestion; he lowered his gaze, carefully contemplating the profit and business opportunities that road construction would bring. Ye Xinyan had mentioned something similar before when discussing railway transportation. Now, with a real-life example, the idea became more feasible. If Qingyuan County’s road development led to significant benefits around the roads, the areas around the railways... would have to be strategically arranged in advance; he couldn’t let others reap the rewards.

Jiang Yifan suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and, seeming to seriously consider, said, "Thank you, Ye Zi, for the suggestion. Your second proposal complements the first, making this grand construction project seem less daunting."

Jinrong regained his composure, smiling, "I was saying, such a good proposal, I myself am thinking of investing silver and buying a few shops. How could Yuanfan not be tempted? It turns out you were already giving it careful consideration."

Jiang Yifan laughed, "How could I not be tempted by such a good opportunity, it’s just that financial resources are indeed a difficult problem. If Ye Zi had spoken the latter point earlier, I wouldn’t have had so much to worry about."

A Ye Xinyan so conspicuous had the immediate need to foster a batch of utterly devoted servants; not only would she find them handy, but having her own people, whose contracts she held, attend her closely would prevent others from prying into her affairs.

"Didn’t you mention earlier that your household needed to buy some servants? Why is there no movement yet, could it be there’s no suitable person?" Jiang Yifan shifted the topic and asked.

Jinrong couldn’t quite grasp why Jiang Yifan was so concerned about the Qi family buying servants. In the days they had interacted, it was clear that Ye Xinyan was a rare woman who dealt with matters openly; he hadn’t noticed her having any secrets or hidden thoughts.

Ye Xinyan using those picked and trained by him or Jiang Yifan would be reliable and experienced, with many advantages, more so than freshly purchased servants.

Obviously, Ye Xinyan wasn’t too concerned about buying servants either; she said indifferently, "I am a little woman who doesn’t know much about these matters and only listens to Nanny Jin’s arrangements. Nanny Jin says that once a servant is bought into the household, they must serve the master’s family for life and must be chosen with care; it’s not a matter to be rushed. Nanny Jin has already informed familiar middlemen to be on the lookout, and only when a suitable person is found will we proceed to check and select."

Nanny Jin preferred not to buy common people who sold themselves due to lack of options, saying it was difficult to train them and instill a sense of belonging. She was waiting to see if there would be servants sold by the families of guilty officials, or if large households facing bankruptcy or disasters would dismiss their staff en masse. Under such circumstances, it was easier to purchase the sort of servants that would be to their liking, and it was even possible to buy an entire family of servants who would feel secure working for their new master’s household.

Ye Xinyan was relatively indifferent to these matters. Of course, it would be more convenient to have someone to command around, but whether or not these people were indentured servants, she didn’t care. She didn’t intend to engage in matters that required controlling people’s destinies to give orders.

Jiang Yifan sighed inwardly; it was clear that Ye Xinyan had yet to realize that on this point, she did not resemble a lady of noble birth who grew up surrounded and served by servants at every call and beckon.

He said, "I will ask Cui Cheng to speak to the middlemen. After all, Qingyuan County is just a county town, not likely to have a large supply of servants for sale." If they simply waited, who knew how long it would be. Ye Xinyan must have her own people to attend to her; this matter cannot be delayed any longer."

Ye Xinyan was indifferent; although she did not know why Jiang Yifan cared so much about her family purchasing servants, getting the matter peacefully settled sooner rather than later was preferable, to spare Nanny Jin constant worry about it.

Having discussed the matter and reaching an agreement, Jiang Yifan was more preoccupied with the major matter of road repair, and did not linger; after a short rest, he and Jinrong took their leave together.

Jinrong exchanged pleasantries with Qi Younian and Cheung Wusi, while Jiang Yifan went to greet Guan He in his room.

Guan He’s quarters were right next to the guest room. Leaning in a chair, Guan He did not stand up when Jiang Yifan entered, but simply tossed the book he was holding onto the tea table beside him and asked, "So, are you leaving now?"

Jiang Yifan bowed and replied, "Yes, our main purpose was to check on how our Senior Brother was settling in. Having settled you in and discussed some matters, we have lingered for quite some time; it is indeed time for us to return."

With a smile that was not quite a smile, Guan He looked at Jiang Yifan and asked, "Is it truly just incidental that you discussed some matters?"

Jiang Yifan spread his hands, surprised, "Of course. It was only this morning that I heard Old Master Qi talk about the workshop, that Senior Brother revealed his movements; it turns out you were already planning to help the Qi family. The Sixth Master also said he wanted to discuss matters, so I rushed over."

Guan He curled his lips and gestured Jiang Yifan to come closer, then asked in a lowered voice, "Hey, what’s the deal with your wife? Possessed by an Immortal?"

Jiang Yifan was shocked, "Senior Brother, how can you speak like this? ’Sons do not speak of bizarre powers and chaos’, how can you so irresponsibly speak such groundless words?" He knew that if Guan He wanted to listen to their conversation, he could naturally hear it, but he hadn’t expected the first thing Guan He would inquire about was this.

Guan He’s face lost its mocking expression and he spoke slowly, "What, you’re upset? Although I have only seen the Ye Family woman twice, this person, aside from her appearance, has not one similarity with the Ye Family woman."

Is it that obvious?

Jiang Yifan furrowed his brow and said, "She was plotted against, and nearly disgraced herself in front of all the upper-class female relatives in the capital, and then she fled a thousand miles. It’s inevitable for her disposition to change drastically. If her disposition hadn’t changed, that would be the unbelievable part—impossible to survive among the common people."

"It is understandable for her disposition to drastically change, but an enormous change in mental acuity cannot be explained. Moreover, the kind of mental acuity she displayed, it’s absolutely night and day."

Guan He continued, "I observed her a few days ago and thought this woman had indeed become much calmer and more graceful. Although what she did was novel, she relied on using the right people, which was barely justifiable. However, the things she mentioned in your conversation today are not things that any ordinary person could think of; this is not something that can be explained by merely a change in disposition."

Jiang Yifan pursed his lips and said, "Although Ye Xinyan was notorious in the capital, she was also a completely different person from other women. If she was originally an extremely intelligent woman but was confined by the back house and lost her true nature, that’s why she became so arrogant and outlandish, why she was so out of sync with the environment in the capital."

Anyway, no matter what, he would never admit that there was anything inappropriate about Ye Xinyan, except for the year she left and fled the Duke’s Mansion. Those three years, he had lived under the same roof with her, and what others saw was only a glimpse of Ye Xinyan; they didn’t have the persuasive power that he