She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 415 - 414: No Need for the Silver

Chapter 415: Chapter 414: No Need for the Silver

Duke An, a man of discernment, could naturally see Ye Xinyan’s lack of enthusiasm, yet he did not plan to indulge her on such a matter. Whether it was his son or granddaughter, right or wrong, as an elder, he didn’t wish for them to become enemies.

The old man continued the topic that had been interrupted earlier, "That Railway Carriage thing, how involved exactly are you? I see it as a futile effort that exhausts the people and wastes wealth. If it’s just starting anew, I suggest you better drop it."

Duke An had already disapproved of the court’s proposal last year regarding the so-called railway transport. As a result, without reaching a firm agreement on railway transport, the uncalculated business was brought to the capital, turning it into a mess. Almost a year had passed, and there was still no sight of progress. He had not expected that his granddaughter would be involved in such a questionable affair.

Ye Xinyan first glanced at Ye Hongyang before speaking reluctantly, "How do we know if it will be a success or not without trying? Besides, I’ve already negotiated with Sixth Master, and I’ll be earning two thousand Taels of Silver from this matter. How can I go back on something that’s already been decided?"

"Two thousand Taels of Silver?" Duke An nearly knocked over the inkstone on his desk in astonishment, exclaiming, "You negotiated Silver with Prince Yu?"

"Yes, making money from work is only natural. Is this really that strange?" These ancient folks are so tiresome, turning a perfectly good deal and honest Silver into something as feared as floods and fierce beasts, complaining about avarice. They should try living without money for a day!

Ye Hongyang was on the verge of standing up and slamming the table, "Natural and right, you say? That’s His Highness Prince Yu, a royal! I knew it, you just can’t stand to see us live in peace, you’ve returned only to stir up trouble for us."

Not one to give peace of mind, Duke An waved his hand helplessly to calm Ye Hongyang down. He asked Ye Xinyan, "Two thousand Taels of Silver is a hefty sum, what can you do for Prince Yu?"

Ye Xinyan explained, "Sixth Master said the railway construction in the capital is exceedingly disorganized and slow. The two tracks that his men were responsible for are already completed. If they’re delayed by other incomplete sections, sitting idle for a long time, he feels at a loss. So he asked me to see if his two sections could be put into operation earlier. I took on the task and the compensation is the two thousand Taels of Silver."

Duke An found it hard to comprehend, that everything was already completed, and just by her getting involved... she could earn two thousand Taels of Silver?

Duke An’s demeanor grew stern as he said solemnly, "You’re just supposed to see if it’s feasible, and that’s worth so much Silver? Xinyan, let me be clear with you, I appreciate that you want to earn a living by your own skills, but if there’s something else going on here, I will never allow it."

Ye Xinyan didn’t bother to hide the sharpness in her gaze toward Duke An, "What are you implying? What could be going on? This matter isn’t easy; I didn’t even ask him for more. He initially wanted to give eight hundred taels, but I simply wouldn’t relent."

Upon hearing this, Ye Hongyang was both shocked and furious. This curse upon their house could not live without causing trouble for the family. He had feared that she would cause some scandal with His Highness Prince Yu, making life difficult for him and Maternal Aunt Liu in the future. Now it seemed, she would be better off simply becoming Prince Yu’s concubine. Even if it were against social conventions, at least the family would have temporary peace.

Ye Hongyang angrily asked, "You curse upon our house, you actually dared to demand Silver from Prince Yu, and even had the audacity to haggle with His Highness. You really can’t stand to see us do well, can you?"

For Ye Hongyang, Ye Xinyan’s patience was wearing thin. She glared at Ye Hongyang and retorted coldly, "What are you talking about? Can you even speak properly? If not, then keep your mouth shut! What do you mean I demanded Silver? That’s the wage for my work, I’m worth that much Silver in my current endeavors!"

"How dare you! I am your father, do you have no respect?" Ye Hongyang stood up in anger.

"Enough!" Duke An barked, then turned to Ye Hongyang, "What are you here for? If there’s something you need to say, say it; if not, get out."

"I...", Ye Hongyang was still fuming, "Am I not your son? Am I not her father? She talks to me like this, and it’s somehow my fault?"

"Silence! I’m not here to judge who’s right or wrong between you and your daughter. If it were about right or wrong, you two should have been punished a long time ago, could you even have waited until today to quarrel in front of me?"

Ye Xinyan hadn’t backed down, thus she wasn’t as angry, so she immediately adopted her usual approach, "Elder, it is my fault. I should not have stooped to the Princely Heir’s level, I realize my mistake, and I promise it won’t happen again." She would save future matters for later—she naturally wouldn’t tolerate anything when she shouldn’t.

Listening to these admissions of guilt only added fuel to Ye Hongyang’s fire, nearly causing him to spit blood. To retaliate with insults? His father was still glaring at the two of them. To admit fault? He wouldn’t admit wrongs like that wretch.

Duke An glared at Ye Xinyan. Was this an apology? It sounded more like swearing in the street, didn’t it? Alright, alright, swearing in a roundabout way counted as some progress, at least better than the past’s immediate recourse to fighting and swearing at the slightest disagreement.

"Alright, alright, why did a pleasant conversation turn to money matters? Weren’t we just saying that this project is not feasible?" Duke An grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose with annoyance.

"You still don’t understand what a Railway Carriage is. Nowadays, many streets in the capital are difficult to navigate because of the construction of the railway. It’s been nearly a year now, and still not a hint of progress. Lian Gui said you’ve been doing well managing matters in Qingyuan County, but ultimately you lack experience, and you really shouldn’t have taken on the Railway Carriage project," Duke An said.

Confronted with Duke An, Ye Xinyan didn’t know what to say. After all, Duke An really had her best interests at heart. Since their meeting in the morning, although it was clear he disapproved of the Railway Carriage, he still inquired in detail about its operation and every facet. For a man of his lofty status to do this was commendable.

"I’m aware. On the way here, I reviewed all of the Railway Carriage project documents, drawings, and ledgers that Sixth Master sent. The documents are clear, and the drawings are self-explanatory. Don’t worry, I’ve done similar work over the past two years and know what to do."

Hearing how confident she sounded, Duke An found himself lost in thought. According to Lian Gui and their correspondence, his granddaughter was surprisingly competent, even surpassing many men.

And just now, what the granddaughter had described about operating the Railway Carriage—if it could actually work like she said, it seemed feasible.

After a long contemplation, Duke An said, "His Highness Prince Yu will be coming over in the next day or two. I’ll talk to him. You continue as you all agreed upon and assist him. Forget about the Silver, if you can’t continue, since we haven’t taken His Highness’s Silver, we’ll at least have an explanation."

Ye Xinyan immediately became anxious, "Please don’t, it’s two thousand taels of Silver we’re talking about, not just twenty, how can we just forget it? Don’t worry, I’ve already planned everything; it really can be done. When we were still on the road, we sent back part of the plans. The people in charge of the work at the prince’s residence have already begun preparations. How can we not want Silver that’s clearly within our grasp?"

His granddaughter was so obsessed with money; the mere mention of relinquishing Silver made her more anxious than if her life were at stake.