She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 435 - 433 Past the Bright Path

Chapter 435: Chapter 433 Past the Bright Path

Yang Hao hurriedly steadied the cup and asked with some hesitation, "Sixth Master, I heard from the people at the next table that this is an event worthy of being recorded in history. Sixth Master, do you think it’s fair to include someone like you, who wanders around all day, in the annals of history, while those like the Crown Prince and Prince Fu, who are so dedicated to government affairs, might feel slighted?"

Huang Rui, who was usually reticent, was slowly savoring his tea when Yang Hao made this comment, nearly causing him to spit his tea all over Xing Zhonghe.

Jinrong, too, was helpless as he put down the teapot and cursed, "Damn it, you’ve been following me around since we were butt-naked kids, and now you suddenly think you’re too good for me?"

"No, no," Yang Hao hurriedly explained, "I wouldn’t dare to look down on you, Sixth Master. It’s not like that at all, brothers, I don’t mean to look down on you, I wouldn’t dare."

Seeing the others glaring at him angrily, Yang Hao quickly stood up, making apologetic gestures, and said, "My brothers, I beg your forgiveness for speaking poorly. What I actually mean is, we’re all rascals, but the things Sixth Master does are no worse than what the Crown Prince and Prince Fu do, perhaps even better. Does that not mean that maybe we’re not completely useless after all?"

Xu Deng was astonished, "Seeing a bit of excitement made you change your ways?"

A little embarrassed, Yang Hao glanced at Jinrong and said to Xu Deng, "Do you think we’ve gone stupid staying in the capital? Look at Ye Xinyan, as soon as she left the capital, she instantly turned into a capable and efficient woman. When Sixth Master is in the capital with us, he’s just a prince who’s good at nothing but riding horses and strolling around, but after living in Yuyuan Prefecture for two years, he has been involved in proper business."

Xu Deng looked at Jinrong and then at the rest of them. Jinrong seemed to have a tougher look about him since returning, no longer the delicate and tender look from before.

"Do you mean, we should also go out and explore beyond the capital?" Xu Deng asked.

Jinrong couldn’t help but laugh; these guys were fools. What kind of thinking was that, to come up with such a conclusion?

Xing Zhonghe looked scornfully at the two men, "Did you get kicked in the head by a donkey? What could you possibly do if you went out? Ye Xinyan can fend for herself when she’s out, could you? Sixth Master encountered Ye Xinyan, who can earn a living; who would you meet?"

"...Isn’t it a bit harsh to speak so bluntly?"

Jinrong gritted his teeth at Xing Zhonghe. Was the kid implying that his success was just luck, meeting Ye Xinyan who had run away from home, and that’s the only reason he had a bit of glory?

Xing Zhonghe then gave a flattering smile to Jinrong and a shrug, as if to say he was only stating the truth and was quite innocent.

"Let’s eat, enough talking, I’ve discovered today that you guys don’t even know how to speak properly," Jinrong said.

Alright, without Ye Zi, he indeed wouldn’t have progressed so swiftly, and he certainly wouldn’t have had great opportunities like the dairy farm, cheese, and railway carriage, or railway transportation fall into his lap.

Jinrong was drinking and chatting with a few childhood friends until the sky started to darken.

Meanwhile, in just half a day, Duke An had not only confirmed Ye Xinyan’s identity but also secured a job for her with His Highness Prince Yu.

The Emperor, although residing in the imperial palace, was also one of those closely monitoring the operation of the railway carriage, even more so than others.

At the end of last year, the court approved the construction of the railway carriage, and work began this spring. Since then, there have been no good news reports about the progress of the railway construction.

As the official in charge who had strongly supported the project at that time, His Majesty had also urged the Ministry of Works to pay more attention to the railway construction, and to consider providing manpower support if possible, but there had been no progress at all.

He hesitated many times, considering whether to stop work and completely ban the project. But when he thought of the promising future, he knew he must try the railway carriage to see if rail transport could really be done. If it indeed turned out to be unfeasible, at least they would have tried and been left without regrets. It was certainly better than abandoning the project halfway and ending up with a futile effort.

Therefore, His Majesty the Emperor supported the continuation of the railway construction in spite of the objections raised by many.

Fortunately, the two sections contracted by Jinrong’s disciples were completed at the end of October, which allowed His Majesty the Emperor to breathe a sigh of relief. As long as there was a completed section, it proved that the project was feasible.

Now, with Jinrong’s return, he brought another surprise: not only did he propose to restrict the construction areas of the railway sites, but the railway carriage could also be put into use ahead of schedule. Although this was just a trial operation, the fact that the carriage could run on the rails indicated that the project was viable.

His Majesty was reviewing the information related to the railway carriage operation sorted out by the Imperial Guard Office and pondering the role that Qi Ye, who was clearly a woman from the Ye Family, had played when he was informed that Duke An requested an audience.

Oh? A smile tugged at the Emperor’s lips. Duke An’s timing was quite apt. He must no longer be able to contain the matter concerning his granddaughter, right?

When Duke An entered, just as he was about to kneel, His Majesty said, "No need for that, there are no outsiders here, have a seat." Speaking, he gestured for the eunuch on duty to provide a seat.

Duke An hesitated slightly, as he had come today seeking a favor, and it was better to speak from a more humble position. Meanwhile, the Emperor had already directly asked, "Does Elder Master’s visit have to do with the opening of the railway carriage service?"

Duke An quickly bowed, "His Majesty’s insight is keen."

The Emperor pointed to the chair brought over by the eunuch, "Is it about Qi Ye? Sit down and let’s talk."

His Majesty didn’t beat around the bush with Duke An. Duke An was a senior statesman of the country, stationed at the border pass for decades and had secured the court’s peace throughout those years, producing many military leaders for the court. If Elder Master hadn’t been at the border pass for so many years, his son, the Duke’s Heir Apparent, wouldn’t have faced such difficulty in his own lineage, being mediocre on his own.

Duke An was a forthright man, with everything he did in the open. Hence, the Emperor didn’t plan to make things difficult for the Elder Master and directly inquired the reason for his visit.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Alas, it is my incompetence..." Duke An recounted the whole situation concerning Ye Xinyan from beginning to end. Starting from the day after the incident involving his granddaughter two years prior, when he intended to send her to the ancestral temple only to discover that she had disappeared, to the moment they found Qi Ye and Nanny Jin in Yuyuan Prefecture, and finally to bringing Ye Xinyan back to the capital. Although he did not go into extreme detail, he did not hide anything either.

His Majesty listened to Duke An’s account with a smile and asked, "I have always been puzzled, how did your esteemed granddaughter manage to do it? With such sudden circumstances, she was actually able to escape from Duke An’s Mansion’s pursuit?"

His Majesty had known earlier than Duke An about the existence of Ye Xinyan since he, as a father, naturally needed to investigate the identity of the young woman his son was intimately involved with.

Duke An himself found it amusing, "She and her personal nanny simply left the city, went around it in a circle, changed their clothes, and then split up to re-enter the capital. They lived in the slums of the west side of the city for two months. Once things seemed to have calmed down, they left the city."

The Emperor nodded slightly, praising, "She is a clever child." It was a pity she hadn’t applied herself properly until she was in a situation of life or death, only then did she truly begin to apply herself earnestly.

Seeing that His Majesty bore no blame, Duke An continued, "As a military man, I failed to discipline my granddaughter properly. It was not until she left the capital, left our house, that she had the opportunity to show her talents. Yet, I cannot bear to let her, a young woman, fend for herself in the outside world. What’s more, I am genuinely delighted that the Ye Family finally has a descendant to be proud of, one with a straightforward and capable character."

His Majesty also sighed, feeling the weight of paternal considerations; his own princes were fairly commendable, and although the Sixth Master, Jinrong, disliked participating in political affairs and was heedless in many matters, at least Jinrong’s actions were not vicious, and he was quite upright in his dealings.

However, Elder Master Ye’s situation was different; his only son was of mediocre and muddled character, and among the grandchildren, none stood out remarkably. The only one with some boldness was an unruly granddaughter who constantly caused trouble. Fortunately, after undergoing some hardships, she had changed for the better, which was rather an unexpected blessing.