She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 513 - 511: Who Will Make It Up to Me?

Chapter 513: Chapter 511: Who Will Make It Up to Me?

Ye Xinyan naturally didn’t know what was going on in Jiang Yifan’s mind. She simply responded to the matter at hand, "In a few days, by late May, Grandfather Cheung’s construction of the residence should be nearing completion, and most craftsmen will be freed up. Leaving a small group to wrap things up, the other craftsmen can go to Peach Grove to build the Mechanical Workshop and the cattle farm. With the craftsmen sent by Sixth Master assisting, I believe the construction will progress much faster, and it won’t be as tiring for Grandfather Cheung."

Jiang Yifan, who was concerned about the Chain Inversion Device and the Hoisting Machine, asked, "What about the Chain Inversion Device? Ah Qiao mentioned that the basic design is set, and iron parts can be forged according to the dimensions of the wooden components. If the workshop is only being started now, when will you officially begin making your Chain Inversion Device?"

Ye Xinyan shook her head and said, "Creating an entirely new and complex device isn’t a simple task. What Wong Qiao is doing now is just ensuring the model made of wood for the Chain Inversion Device works properly; we’re still a long way from actually using it. The Chain Inversion Device, when fully assembled with iron parts, will still need further testing and adjustment to ensure it can be used. Only then will we truly need the Mechanical Workshop.

Currently, it is only necessary to set up the Ironsmith Shop, where blacksmiths and other craftsmen can forge iron pieces according to the dimensions of the wooden Chain Inversion Device. If it is successful, then we can produce it on a larger scale. By then, I estimate the Mechanical Workshop in Peach Grove will also be completed."

Jiang Yifan, not skilled in the creation and structure of devices, had gained some understanding by frequently visiting Wong Qiao these days.

Even this bit of understanding left Jiang Yifan astounded. It turns out the skills of top craftsmen are not simpler than those of scholars like him. Moreover, the key intricacies require not just diligence and willingness to learn, but also innate talent and intuition.

It seems that the saying ’All trades are inferior; only book-learning is high’ is, as Master said, an exaggeration and self-flattery bestowed by scholars, not truly that useful in reality.

Jiang Yifan nodded, "It’s only in these past few days, after watching Ah Qiao work, that I’ve come to realize just how complex the structure and making of tools can be. Once successful, it can save a great deal of manpower and resources, doubling the results with half the effort. A talent like Ah Qiao is truly irreplaceable."

Ye Xinyan gave Jiang Yifan a displeased glance and said coolly, "What good is it if only you think that way? The court and the majority of people need to understand this principle for it to matter. In an era, it’s rare to find craftsmen with superb skills who are utilized to their full potential. Their impact is more valuable than that of several hundred top scholars." And besides, you being an Imperial Top Scholar, the original owner, that silly girl, knew nothing and insisted on marrying you, a useless scholar—pfft!

Jiang Yifan, with his keen perceptions, snagged the underlying message in Ye Xinyan’s words and gaze. Uh, hold it, am I being resented again?

Jiang Yifan scanned the surroundings and saw that Jiu Yu, the attendant, had retreated quite far and was standing near the door to the guest room, presumably unable to hear their deliberately quiet conversation.

Jiang Yifan, looking into Ye Xinyan’s eyes, said softly, "I would rather the previous life you spoke of be uniquely yours, rather than some past life dreamed up by Miss Ye."

Ye Xinyan didn’t back down but met Jiang Yifan’s gaze head-on. This guy’s thoughts were getting closer and closer to the true nature of things. There was no point in retreating; it might be better to just open up and have a proper talk.

Ye Xinyan and Jiang Yifan stared at each other for a long time before she called to Jiu Yu at the door, "Jiu Yu, Lord Jiang and I need to speak for a moment."

Jiu Yu had been instructed by Madam Yin to not disturb the Miss when she was talking with Lord Jiang. Hearing Ye Xinyan’s command, Jiu Yu promptly acknowledged and withdrew from the guest room, gently closing the door behind them.

Watching Jiu Yu leave, Ye Xinyan turned her gaze back and questioned Jiang Yifan, "So what? Does that erase the harm you caused her?"

"Ah Yan is indeed unique," Jiang Yifan breathed a sigh of relief. The woman he liked was truly unentangled with anyone or anything else, purely well, Ah Yan herself.

Jiang Yifan’s gaze sharpened as he stared at Ye Xinyan and asked in an indifferent yet undeniable tone, "What about the harm she caused me? I watched helplessly as the two people who had looked after me since I was young and whom I considered as close as sisters turned into a pile of flesh and blood. Who will compensate me? Who will compensate them? Just because they looked after me and I was kinder to them, did they deserve such a fate?"

Ye Xinyan remembered the incident Jiang Yifan spoke of but she tried hard not to think about such a bloody event. As Jiang Yifan ruthlessly brought it up, the gruesome and bloody scene flashed before Ye Xinyan’s eyes again, making her senses extremely uncomfortable.

If someone were to do the same to Zi Ning and Qi Jiaer, how would they react? She would probably...

Ye Xinyan’s face turned pale, suppressing the feeling of wanting to vomit, and she remained silent for quite a while before she weakly retorted, "If you don’t like her, you don’t have to marry her."

Jiang Yifan said with downcast eyes, "I originally thought that the differences among women in this world were not significant, and although I was reluctant to marry her due to the family background of Duke An’s Mansion, once married, I was willing to treat her with mutual respect. It was she who was unwilling."

Jiang Yifan picked up the teacup in front of him, his tone turning extremely cold, "Such a woman, I don’t know who can treat her with mutual respect. Perhaps my heart is not cold enough, not pathetic enough."

Ye Xinyan frowned. With the original host’s behavior and the backing of Duke An’s Mansion... well, it had nothing to do with her anyway. Let Miss Ye, those two maids, and anyone else whose lives were lost at her hands sue one another and debate right from wrong before Yama Raja.

"This afternoon, the wooden Chain Inversion Device will be adjusted and assembled. Wong Qiao plans to test its load capacity and try out its performance. Lord Jiang, as one of the co-owners of the Mechanical Workshop, you might be interested in taking a look," Ye Xinyan said and, without further ado, stood up and walked out.

Jiang Yifan watched as Ye Xinyan just walked away, his heart filled with frustration. Women are so unreasonable, he thought. The moment they run out of arguments, they just leave abruptly, not giving a chance for rebuttal.

Sigh, Jiang Yifan consoled himself: Luckily, this unreasonableness was directed at him, which was somewhat comforting. If Ah Yan were like this with someone else, that’s when he would have it rough.

The old yard of the second branch of the Qi family, where the thatched cottages once stood, was now gone, replaced by two spacious and bright workshops and two rows of residential houses on the side. The trial of the Chain Inversion Device was arranged in one of those workshops in the latter part of the afternoon.

Just past noon, Jiang Yifan, who was resting in the guest room of the Qi family, was woken up by his attendant Shi Yu, who came with a message that the workshop was about to test the wooden device and asked if he would go now.

The wide workshop had cleared a large space in the middle, upon which stood a not-too-tall makeshift gantry frame. Hanging from the gantry frame was the Chain Inversion Device, which had an iron shell and two iron chains but was entirely wooden inside.