She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 394 - 393 Actually, it’s escorting Ye Zi

Chapter 394: Chapter 393 Actually, it’s escorting Ye Zi

Qi Younian had been prepared for the current situation, yet he never expected it to arrive so swiftly.

He knew his granddaughter bore an extraordinary identity, and at first, he had clung to the slim hope that, in this vast world and amid the sea of people, they would never encounter Ye Zi’s family.

However, that hope did not last long before Prince Yu and Magistrate Sir got involved.

To the then Qi Younian, the Magistrate Sir was already an unreachable local authority, and the royal prince, a son of the emperor, was even more an out-of-reach figure who should not have appeared before commoners like them. Yet, the prince did appear, and the granddaughter he had acknowledged often maintained a state of equal footing with the prince, although Ye Zi would also yield to the prince. But that was because she did not want her runaway whereabouts to be revealed, not because she feared the prince’s status.

In fact, he should have realized earlier that the capital was thousands of miles away from Qingyuan County and the difference in regional status was enormous. Yet Ye Zi managed to encounter old acquaintances and her ex-husband. With such connections, Duke An’s Mansion would sooner or later discover Ye Zi’s traces.

Sure enough, that day had come.

Duke An was, after all, Ye Xinyan’s grandfather, and moreover, the messenger this time did not demand Ye Zi’s return. The Duke merely wanted the family servant, Nanny Jin, to return. If Ye Zi could harden her heart and disregard Nanny Jin’s fate, letting Nanny Jin return on her own, she might be able to fend off for a while.

But was Ye Zi that kind of person? Besides, even if they dodged this time, who knew what situation they would face the next time? According to what Ye Zi told him, the imperial court was not as hierarchical as these commoners thought. Being one rank higher did not necessarily mean having absolute say, and the relationships within were intricate and complex.

Take Duke An, for example, his status should have been lower than that of a prince. However, in reality, the Sixth Master also had to consider Duke An’s feelings in many matters. Like his Ye Zi, although she was merely Duke An’s granddaughter, she would give the prince a friendly face when in a good mood, and if truly annoyed, she would act according to her own temperament.

Given this, if Ye Zi did not return this time, the next time Duke An took drastic measures, it would probably be difficult for the Sixth Master to protect her. After all, this was a matter of Duke An’s family, and outsiders, even princes, should probably not interfere, right?

Therefore, although His Highness Prince Yu arrived at his house as soon as he received the letter, Qi Younian did not feel the slightest hope for a turnaround in this situation.

The family welcomed Jinrong and Jiang Yifan into the drawing-room, and after everyone had exchanged greetings, Cheung Wusi glanced at the people in the room, exchanged a look with Wong Qiao, excused himself, and withdrew to wait in his room for the result of the discussion between Qi Younian and His Highness Prince Yu.

Cheung Wusi also felt deeply about Ye Zi’s return to the capital. It went without saying what Ye Zi meant to his elder brother and the Qi family; one could tell with just a bit of contact.

If Ye Zi left, though the Construction Industry had already gained some fame and could continue, he feared that his elder brother might lose the majority of his spirit. With Ye Zi and Brother Jia, his elder brother seemed to have come alive again, filled with energy and hope. He wondered how dejected his elder brother would become if his granddaughter suddenly departed.

There was also the marriage matter between Ah Qiao and Second Miss Zhou. Now, with Ye Zi and His Highness Prince Yu backing the Qi family, and by extension Ah Qiao, there was hope for Ah Qiao to marry Second Miss Zhou.

Although Lord Zhou, the prefect, opposed his daughter working with Ah Qiao, Prince Yu had visited Yuyuan City several times, always bringing Ah Qiao with him, speaking to him in a much closer manner than to Lord Zhou. That’s why Lord Zhou had not resorted to any extreme measures to forcefully oppose, simply maintaining an ambiguous status quo.

If the Qi family and the Construction Business were to lose Ye Zi and the prince, would Ah Qiao mean anything at all in the eyes of Lord Zhou?

......

Cheung Wusi and Wong Qiao left, leaving only Qi Younian with his grandson and Jinrong and Jiang Yifan in the room. Once seated, Jinrong read through the two letters sent by Duke An.

One letter was written by Duke An to Qi Younian, in which he offered a heartfelt thanks for the care and refuge provided to Nanny Jin and Qi Ye over the past two years, and then delicately mentioned that Nanny Jin, being a servant of the Ye Family, should return home after a two-year absence to account for her time away.

The other letter was from Duke An’s Mansion to Nanny Jin, written in stern language and commanding her to return to the Duke’s Mansion to report back before the end of the year, and not to continue causing trouble or inconvenience for Qi Ye and the Qi family.

Jinrong handed the letters to Jiang Yifan, then unexpectedly asked a question that caught everyone off guard, "With all the polite words in the letter Duke An sent to the old man, he must have not skimped on bringing gifts, right?"

"..."

Sitting next to Qi Younian, Ye Xinyan did something rare for a young lady of her status, withdrawing a handkerchief and pressing it to her forehead.

Qi Younian, not daring to show too much astonishment, hurriedly replied, "The Duke has been exceedingly gracious, indeed bringing many precious gifts. Such valuable items are not suitable for people like us; he really has lifted this humble old man too high."

Although many gifts arrived from Duke An, Qi Younian felt uneasy about them. The gifts seemed like a settlement for his and Ye Zi’s familial affection; it was stifling to even look at them.

Jinrong, noticing Qi Younian’s expression, offered comforting words, "Duke An is known for being open and direct. If he has sent gifts, it is surely to express his goodwill. Old man, don’t overthink it." He pointed at the letters that Jiang Yifan was holding and added, "Doesn’t it still refer to Ye Zi as Qi Ye within these? Duke An surely doesn’t want to sever your bond with Ye Zi."

"Ah, thank you, Sixth Master, for your reassurance," Qi Younian expressed with emotion, "A child like Ye Zi is a blessing to any family that takes her in. It’s my good fortune to have met Ye Zi and to have recognized her as my grandchild. To have had this time together is enough for me. No matter where Ye Zi ends up, it doesn’t matter as long as she is happy."

Ye Xinyan said helplessly, "Grandfather, why say such things? The bond between grandfather and grandchild is one we have acknowledged. How can others dictate that? You must not speak such disheartening words in the future."

Jinrong also smiled and said, "Rest assured, old man. There’s much to be done here, and matters have not yet settled. Ye Zi may not necessarily stay in the capital this time. Besides, I plan to renovate the garden in the capital. Once your construction business has a foothold here, the Qi Family Construction Business will have plenty of work waiting, and it won’t matter where Ye Zi is then. You and your grandchild will have plenty of opportunities to be close."

At this time, Nanny Jin was still in Yuyuan City, running the delicacy shop she had opened just this year.

Jiang Yifan put down the letter and asked, "Has a message been sent to Nanny Jin? Sending a message earlier would allow her to arrange the snack shop’s affairs in good time."

Qi Younian shook his head and said, "Not yet. We only received the letter yesterday afternoon, and have just been discussing it. We plan to send someone to deliver the message and bring Nanny Jin back. There’s quite a bit of time; that messenger said he came first to give us notice. In half a month, the guards from Duke An’s Mansion will come to escort Nanny Jin back to the capital."

As Qi Younian spoke, a bitter smile appeared on his face, "Actually, I suppose they’re coming to escort Ye Zi, aren’t they?"