She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 373 - 372 Admiration, Adoration, Reverence

Chapter 373: Chapter 372 Admiration, Adoration, Reverence

After washing up, Jiang Yifan didn’t come out but simply ate a bowl of noodles in his room and rested.

When dinner was served, Jiang Yifan looked a bit pale and was just wrapped in his outer robe, but everything else was normal. Guan He and Jinrong seemed to bear no burden, talking and laughing with Jiang Yifan just as before. Everyone was drinking, supposedly to calm their nerves, yet in front of Jiang Yifan, who was the most shocked, there was only a bowl of hot soup.

Seeing Jiang Yifan in this state, it was clear that his injuries were indeed not serious, and all he needed was to rest quietly to recover, which completely relieved the worry of Qi Younian, Ye Xinyan, and the others.

The game hunted in the winter was easier to deal with and didn’t spoil, since it was already frozen solid when they were in the wild yesterday. The guards and the old woman servant in the kitchen could take care of the aftermath.

Hunting in winter is said to be difficult, but their expedition turned out to be quite lucrative. Perhaps it was because the people who went were capable, as they obtained yellow sheep, wild boars, pheasants, and hares, along with a leopard skin. The larger game like wild boars and yellow sheep, had already been dissected and stored separately, while the smaller prey was simply tied up and strung together, hung on the horses to bring back.

The few who spoke of hunting showed no fear and were full of enthusiasm, even implying they would like to go again if they had the chance. Even Wong Qiao begged Guan He to teach him some knife and arrow skills, so the next time he wouldn’t slow the others down.

Surprisingly, Guan He gladly agreed and even praised Wong Qiao for his courage and meticulous mind, saying that the arrangements he made at their campsite were ingenious.

Guan He and Jinrong were planning to pick out the marbled meat from the yellow sheep and wild boar the next day, roasting them to eat with cheese. While talking, Jinrong looked at Jiang Yifan with a smile, "What a pity, the barbecue is too smokey, and you need to recover, so you can’t eat."

Jiang Yifan, holding a bowl of soup with one hand, said lightly, "Did I say I wanted to eat it? Barbecue is something you eat in the wild when you have no choice. In this winter, it’s much better to enjoy soup." Although he talked about enjoying the soup, his expression was far from pleased, looking quite dissatisfied.

Jinrong said in surprise, "You’ve only suffered a minor injury, and it’s not like we haven’t been injured before. Why are you acting so strange now?"

Jiang Yifan retorted with a smile, "You better just plan the barbecue for tomorrow. I’m not being strange at all; it’s clearly your own imagination running wild."

Ye Xinyan walked around the outer courtyard, and seeing that she wasn’t needed anywhere, she returned to her own room for dinner.

Zhou Biyao was waiting in the room, and when she saw Ye Xinyan come back, she hurriedly stepped forward two paces and asked, "Sister Qi, have you returned? How is Lord Jiang’s injury?"

Ye Xinyan sat down on the couch and said, "It seems to be nothing serious, and he came out to eat as usual. It is said that his left arm was scratched by a leopard. The wound is not deep, and it has been cleaned, medicated, and wrapped."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Biyao took a deep breath of relief, patted her chest, and said, "That’s good, very good. I’m glad Lord Jiang is alright, so Third Brother Wong will feel less guilty."

Ye Xinyan nodded, motioned for Nanny Jin to serve the dinner, and then chatted with Zhou Biyao, "Actually, Wong Qiao is quite a clever and sharp man. He has just never been exposed to martial arts and hunting before. If he had known a little bit about it earlier, he would certainly not have been a hassle for everyone."

At the mention of the name Wong Qiao, Zhou Biyao’s interest piqued, and she followed Ye Xinyan’s lead, saying, "Yes, indeed. Third Brother is smart. The construction project he managed at the Prince’s Side Courtyard is so esteemed by all the old master builders. The junior clerks and builders from the Prefectural Magistrate’s Yamen, whenever they get a chance, go to the Prince’s Side Courtyard just to observe Third Brother at work."

Ye Xinyan glanced at her. Just a moment ago, she had been calling him Third Brother Wong. Now that she was pleased, she even dropped the "Wong" part.

She handed a pair of chopsticks to Zhou Biyao and said, "Wong Qiao may have come from a humble background, but if not for the limitations of his status, given his talent and spiritual energy, even a legitimate aristocratic young master might not surpass him."

This time, it was Zhou Biyao who nodded her head, "My father said the same thing. However, Third Brother Wong said he intends to work hard, accumulate more knowledge and experience, and in the future become a master builder, a master who can uphold the construction industry, to make his father proud and honor his ancestors."

Ye Xinyan hummed in agreement, "Wong Qiao will certainly be able to do it." Having worked with Wong Qiao for so long, she was surprised they had never talked about these things. Every day, they were rushing to get work done, and even when they spoke, it was about the construction industry and the tools used. They really hadn’t talked about family matters or each other’s life stories.

She couldn’t discuss her own origins—the original host’s story felt like a stranger’s to her; she had no desire to talk about it. Maybe Wong Qiao was different; he had a past, he had ambitions. Did he perhaps need someone to listen, to hear him talk about his dreams, to share his thoughts?

"Lord Zhou seemed quite interested in the garden when he came to us last time, and he appeared to take a liking to Wong Qiao. I wonder if Wong Qiao saw Lord Zhou again while building the garden in the Prince’s Side Courtyard," Ye Xinyan asked.

"Oh yes," Zhou Biyao replied with a laugh, pride evident in her voice, "My father dined with your grandfather and Third Brother Wong twice; he praised Third Brother Wong to high heaven each time he returned, so much so that even my brother was jealous."

During that evening meal, through Ye Xinyan’s intentional prodding and Zhou Biyao’s unguarded responses, Ye Xinyan was mostly sure that Zhou Biyao had developed deep affection for Wong Qiao—she was smitten, admiring, and looked up to him.

Ye Xinyan was not a woman of ancient times, oblivious to the intricacies of romance and emotion; she understood. If Zhou Biyao’s feelings for Wong Qiao were just a naive girl’s simple crush, then it would fade after some time had passed and her enthusiasm lessened.

But Zhou Biyao was different; she got to know Wong Qiao through learning Construction Regulations and probably interacted with him while he was working at the Yuyuan City Prince’s Side Courtyard. To her, Wong Qiao was no less than a mentor and friend, and to top it off, Wong Qiao was a young man in his prime.

For Wong Qiao, having a woman like Zhou Biyao of such status fancy him and look up to him would grant an enormous boost of confidence and a sense of accomplishment to any young man. It would probably be difficult for him not to be moved, wouldn’t it?

If Zhou Bingyi, for some other reasons, did not oppose Zhou Biyao and Wong Qiao’s association and did not even object to their marriage... could it be that there would be no one left to stop them from being together?

The next day, despite not having slept well, Ye Xinyan still left tasks for Zhou Biyao to do. Today, Zhou Biyao was tasked with the finishing touches on a road construction project and the organization of documents.

After breakfast, having settled the arrangements, Ye Xinyan went out as usual to inspect the cattle farm and the dairy workshop. The round trip was quick; in less than a shichen, Ye Xinyan had returned with two maids and Nanny Zhou.

In the courtyard, a few off-duty guards were helping the kitchen clean up the game. Qi Sanshun was leading a group of older children, bustling about assisting with the work. Qi Jiajia and a few younger kids were sorting through clusters of feathers on one side.

The guards talked about the quality and tenderness of the game as they worked, while the children were all smiles. The consensus among the children of Clear Water Village was that whenever Uncle Qi from the Qi family brought back game, it was a good day for the village children to have meat.

The most exciting news, as Xiao Jiajia had whispered not long ago, was that there would be cheese to eat this time. What a treat! They knew they had to work hard, contribute as much as they could, and once everything was ready, they would be able to feast happily on delicious foods.