She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 695 - 693: Not Accepting This Deal

Chapter 695: Chapter 693: Not Accepting This Deal

Zhao Gang looked at Ye Xinyan helplessly, his heart filled with melancholy. Miss Cousin was becoming increasingly difficult to handle, and the tasks he took on were now harder than before.

In the past, when Miss Cousin caused trouble, he only needed to take some people over, throw around the names of Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion and Duke An’s Mansion, and forcefully bring the person back. But now he felt quite helpless, knowing that Miss Cousin was up to something, and the general had sent him to stop her. But could Miss Cousin’s plans be easily thwarted?

What’s more, with Duke An, this dark force working behind the scenes... the difficulty was not ordinary at all.

Zhao Gang had no choice but to repeat Marquis Zhongyong and Yin Xiaocheng’s intentions to Ye Xinyan, planning to persuade her once more, but he saw that Miss Cousin was not swayed in the least. Standing at the door after he finished speaking, she still had the same attitude, "Oh. I understand." She was planning to leave again.

At this point, Zhao Gang had already walked up to Ye Xinyan’s side, blocking her, and said with a bitter smile, "Miss Cousin, what exactly do you plan to do? Please tell me so I can report back to the general. You sit back down first, and we’ll talk it over slowly."

Ye Xinyan glanced at Duke An, who looked like he was enjoying the show, and had to come back and sit down again.

"Uncle Zhao," said Ye Xinyan to Zhao Gang, "you heard what my grandfather just said. The list I wrote was so brilliantly composed. I put a lot of effort into writing it. If I just give in so easily without any outcome, how can I face anyone in the future? Besides, wouldn’t that let down the reputations of my grandfather and maternal grandfather?"

Zhao Gang almost said that ever since you learned to walk and run, our lord’s tolerance has greatly increased, and he’s definitely not afraid of losing face because of you.

Duke An, on the other hand, smiled affectionately at his granddaughter, proud of how decisive and thoughtful she was.

Zhao Gang, with a heavy heart, said, "Prime Minister Han sent this reparation list to both the Duke’s Mansion and the Marquis’ Mansion, seemingly as a gesture of wanting to discuss this matter with us. His attitude is quite positive, so it’s not good for us to slight him. Miss Cousin’s list, no matter how you look at it, would cost several thousand taels of Silver, and this amount is really..."

"No, Uncle Zhao," Ye Xinyan interrupted Zhao Gang before he could finish, "what several thousand taels of Silver? How is that enough?"

As she spoke, Ye Xinyan took out two pieces of paper from her sleeve and unfolded them, pointing at the items, "Uncle Zhao, look, these are top-quality Hetian jade pendants, top-quality pearls, and those three sets of clothes. How is several thousand taels of Silver enough? She must compensate me with at least ten thousand taels of Silver!"

Zhao Gang’s eyes glazed over as his gaze moved from the two reparation lists to Ye Xinyan. Aren’t these things you’ve made up?

At this moment, Duke An chimed in with a smile, "Granddaughter, no matter what, Lord Prime Minister Han is a first-rank official at the court. This list you’ve written out of thin air, it’s clearly extortion. If Prime Minister Han absolutely refuses to acknowledge this account, what can you do to him?"

"Tsk!" Ye Xinyan showed extreme disdain, "How can grandfather say it’s out of thin air? She had her guards beat up our family’s child; am I not allowed to seek justice? If she refuses to acknowledge it, I’ll just take people to her place as guests, until she pays up the Silver."

Ye Xinyan could certainly be lenient towards Han Yufang for Jinrong’s sake, but if she herself wouldn’t back down, then she deserved to make some compensation, wasn’t that just and proper?

She was not someone who could be bullied so easily; her grandfather was Duke An, her maternal grandfather was Marquis Zhongyong, her uncle was the Protectorate General, and her husband and the prince were brothers—well, future husband. In her previous life, she didn’t have the chance to rely on her father, and in this life, even though she didn’t have a father to rely on, she had powerful close relatives. Count them one by one; none were insignificant.

The Han Mansion refusing to acknowledge the debt? Impossible.

Now, she, Ye Xinyan, was someone with nothing to lose, as the saying goes, "the barefoot are not afraid of those with shoes." Han Yufang had long desired to marry Jinrong, and her wish was on the verge of coming true. As Han Yanhui and Jinrong were allies, and since he supported Jinrong, that meant he saw a great future in him. He was seeking the position of Empress for his granddaughter.

She couldn’t believe that Han Yufang and Han Yanhui would dare to be so confrontational with her over this matter.

Zhao Gang could certainly read between the lines that Ye Xinyan was planning to make a scene. He sighed, attempting to salvage the situation, "Miss Cousin and Lord Jiang have just settled the marriage arrangement, shouldn’t Miss Cousin take Lord Jiang’s reputation into consideration? Show those who doubt Miss Cousin that the woman Lord Jiang earnestly desires is a gentle and quiet lady."

Ye Xinyan internally rolled her eyes, knowing full well that she was anything but gentle and quiet. If Jiang Yifan wanted such a woman, he certainly wouldn’t have gone to the trouble with her.

Zhao Gang felt that the current Ye Xinyan was difficult to deal with, and Ye Xinyan also felt that she couldn’t do as she pleased in front of Zhao Gang. Since words failed, then actions would have to suffice to achieve her goal.

Ye Xinyan walked up with a playful smile, pretending to take Zhao Gang’s arm and startling him, causing him to quickly stand up.

Ye Xinyan took advantage of the situation to half-support, half-push Zhao Gang towards the exit while speaking, "Uncle Zhao, don’t you think I’ve become much more sensible? I wouldn’t normally provoke someone intentionally. But if being like this means I have to swallow my pride and be bullied, then I might as well be the unbridled person I was before, don’t you agree?"

Zhao Gang hadn’t completed his task and hence didn’t want to leave; he wanted to further persuade Ye Xinyan. However, as Ye Xinyan dragged him out, he didn’t dare to resist and could only try to turn his head to catch Duke An’s eye, hoping the Duke would intervene or stop Ye Xinyan.

But why would Duke An speak on his behalf? The old man watched everything from behind, his heart soured like vinegar overturned – this insufferable girl, so close to the people from Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, treated even a lowly deputy attendant general as kin. Yet, he, her own grandfather, had never seen her show him any affection.

Ye Xinyan continued to grumble, "Uncle Zhao, when you return tell my uncle and maternal grandfather that their granddaughter has been wronged and feels aggrieved, naturally, she has to seek justice. Otherwise, what should I do? Just swallow the anger and let it fester until it turns serious..."

Murmuring in this fashion, Ye Xinyan escorted Zhao Gang to the main gate, watching him with a beaming smile, "I know you care for me the most, Uncle Zhao, so let’s handle it this way. I’ll wait for the Han Mansion to compensate me in silver, or I’ll go demand it myself. When things get out of hand, then you can come and help me."

Zhao Gang stroked his cheek, feeling as if he actually had a toothache.

......

That very evening, after Han Yanhui finished his duties at the office and returned home, just as he had changed into his casual wear and sat down, the steward of the Han Mansion presented him with notes from Steward Song of the Qi family. The notes were verbatim copies of the two compensation bills sent from Duke An’s Mansion and Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion.

Han Yanhui was furious at once, slamming his hand onto the table. What did Ye Tang, Yin Long, and that Yin Xiaocheng mean by this? Can’t they control even a child? Letting her run wild? Or did they think he, Han Yanhui, was afraid of the Ye Family and the Yin Family?

He casually tossed the two bills into the brazier, deciding to ignore them. He wanted to see what the Ye Family could do to him and his granddaughter if the Han Family refused to acknowledge this debt, even if Ye Xinyan truly was a prodigy.