She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 717 - 715: The Problem of Imagination

Chapter 717: Chapter 715: The Problem of Imagination

Ye Xinyan hummed indistinctly twice and then glanced at Jinrong twice, swallowing the mockery that had reached her lips.

Seeing Ye Xinyan’s bizarre gaze, Jinrong felt a surge of irritation and angrily asked, "What’s with that look?" No matter how he looked at it, aside from dissatisfaction in Ye Xinyan’s gaze towards him, there was also a hint of sympathy and pity, wasn’t there?

He, a lofty royal prince, was actually being pitied by a mere young lady, which was truly... utterly unbearable!

Ye Xinyan glanced over with some uneasiness—she had thought her emotional and visual control were pretty spot-on, so what was up with Jinrong suddenly turning his face?

She had no choice but to find another excuse to fob him off, since she lacked the acting skills of an award-winning actress.

"It’s nothing special, just that the little woman feels all the good things have been taken by Sixth Master. You’ve married three wives in one go. Yet, the consequences of such enviable good fortune are borne by us grandfather and granddaughter—I’m just somewhat dissatisfied, that’s all."

Hearing Ye Xinyan mention marrying three women, Jinrong’s face instantly grew even uglier. Could this upsetting matter not be brought up so casually?

"I am a prince after all, so why can’t I marry a wife or two? And it’s worth your..." Wait, Ye Xinyan also said something about her and her grandpa bearing the consequences? "What consequences? What does me marrying a wife have to do with you?"

As Jinrong asked this question, he felt even more annoyed. His marriage and this woman had no connection; could there be anything more vexing than this?

If only there were actually a connection, Jinrong thought wistfully.

This heartless woman, for all his kindness toward her, seemed utterly unmoved by the news of his marrying three wives—not the slightest bit of disappointment, not even a ripple of emotion, truly heartless and cold!

Ye Xinyan was thinking of what to say to fob off Jinrong’s question when she suddenly remembered the incident just now.

The people who had come to cause trouble weren’t just motivated by simple rivalry within the industry. They were aware of her identity, and among those provocateurs, there were also people skilled in martial arts, comparable to the guards of the Duke’s Mansion.

The troublemakers knew martial arts, knew that Duke An’s granddaughter was inside the Guangsha Construction Firm, and still dared to rush in and start a fight. Who would have the guts and capability to engage in such lowly and tasteless acts like causing a disturbance?

She still believed that these people’s target was the craftsmen of the Guangsha Construction Firm. That’s why, towards the end, there were even people calling out several craftsmen by name, bellowing to have those individuals come out.

Even though she felt her speculations were not unwarranted, being asked by Jinrong what his marriage had to do with her also turned her face darker.

"What kind of question is that? What do you mean your marriage has something to do with me—is that any way to ask?" Ye Xinyan was displeased. How could a royal prince’s marriage have anything to do with her?

Qi Younian couldn’t stand listening any longer and quickly interrupted, bowing his hands to Jinrong, "I was so preoccupied with the Construction Industry’s matters that I forgot to congratulate Your Highness on your joyous marriage."

Jinrong withdrew the glare he had fixed on Ye Xinyan and turned to Qi Younian, replying insincerely, "Thanks to the old master, but it’s just that I’m of age and it’s time to take a wife—there’s nothing to congratulate."

Qi Younian turned to Ye Xinyan and said, "Did you just think of something? Stop being capricious and speak properly with His Highness."

Ye Xinyan withdrew her gaze from the sky and said, "Those people weren’t just a group of local craftsmen, there were skilled fighters among them. All the signs seem to suggest they were targeting the craftsmen hired by the Construction Industry."

Jinrong did not continue the topic, but his expression was not very good. What did this have to do with him? Whether it was directed at the Construction Industry or the craftsmen hired by it, that was the Qi family’s and her, Ye Xinyan’s business, wasn’t it? Jinrong didn’t own a single share in that business.

"...Well, I think that the identities of the Sixth Master’s three Imperial Consorts are quite significant, enough to make the brothers of the Sixth Master jealous. Do you think it’s possible that some people are coveting that the Sixth Master has three powerful Yue Families, so they want to completely ruin our Construction Firm and erase the Sixth Master’s assignment? The one that His Majesty mentioned before, the project you were entrusted with to lay wooden tracks."

Ye Xinyan’s own assessment, which she thought lacked confidence, made Jinrong’s face grow complex, "Today, the Cabinet already dispatched an order for me to oversee the laying of the tracks, with the Ministry of Works responsible for recruiting labor and supplying all the materials."

Ah, the task had already been assigned. Ye Xinyan blinked and said, "Could it really be that someone wants to ruin Grandfather’s Construction Firm, leaving Your Highness without workers, to go directly to His Majesty and admit defeat, acknowledging that you’re incompetent, unsuitable for the position, and incapable of holding it?"

Jinrong glared at Ye Xinyan and sneered, "Look at your imagination. Even if I, the Sixth Master, don’t have a ready workforce on hand, do you really think I can’t find a hundred and eighty skilled craftsmen in Jishui Lane just by calling out? Not to mention there are a few capable clerks in my mansion."

After all, she had studied for over a decade and been working in the field for almost ten years, yet she was looked down upon by a prince who grew up in luxury. Damn it, it was indeed poverty that limited her imagination. Without such a high status, one lacked the shrewdness of higher ranks.

"If your imagination is so great, what do you think is the cause?" Ye Xinyan rolled her eyes several times at Jinrong.

Before Jinrong could speak, Hongzhi returned: the government officer from the yamen had arrived—Yuan Shang came with the officer. He also asked Jinrong if he wanted to meet with those officers.

Jinrong said impatiently, "What’s the use of meeting them? Let them go about their business and do what they should do. Just have Yuan Shang come in to respond." Meeting those government officers meant listening to their numerous excuses and reasons—what a waste of time that would be.

The officers outside breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Hongzhi’s words and quickly dealt with the injured people.

They had no choice but to mobilize fully, purposefully avoiding patrolling the North City, and their patrol was exceptionally quick, as if chased by ghosts.

Fortunately, His Highness Prince Yu couldn’t be bothered to argue with them, otherwise, even if they had justifiable excuses, if Prince Yu had someone beat them, they would have no place to plead their case. Didn’t they see the hostile looks from the guards standing outside?

Yuan Shang entered, greeted the host and His Highness Prince Yu, and then reluctantly reported, "I was urgently dispatched by the old master to report to the Capital Prefecture’s yamen. But the staff there said officers had already been sent out. I had to follow the directions they gave me and searched all the way. Today, the officials were quick-footed, unusually so, and I followed them around in circles until just now. I managed to intercept a group of officers by stating the name of the Duke’s Mansion and brought the people back."

Because His Highness Prince Yu was present, he spoke cautiously. Those officials were terribly hard to find; tracking them down was akin to chasing ghosts. People said they had just left, heading forward, and he dare not breathe too heavily while following them. Yet by the time he got there, they had vanished without a trace.

Seeing Yuan Shang’s helpless expression, Ye Xinyan thought of the modern phrase "hit and run." This phrase best described the behavior of the officers today; clearly, they were avoiding them, giving the troublemakers plenty of time.

Hum, hum, hum. Unfortunately for them, Miss Ye had the stroke of fortune to keep a couple of dozen men in the back house, giving them no chance.