She Became A Downfall Noble Lady-Chapter 73 - The Third Room is Easy to Deal With

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Third Room is Easy to Deal With

Chapter 73 -73: The Third Room is Easy to Deal With

Madam Song didn’t care to quarrel over a niece’s glance, but Lady Zhang had no such scruples, and with a scornful tilt of her head, she spoke out, “Ye Zi, if you’re dissatisfied with us elders, just say it directly. What’s with that look? Who are you rolling your eyes at?”

Yet Ye Xinyan was not intimidated, and with a similarly scornful glance, she spoke using respectful terms, “Third Aunt, you’ve misunderstood. Ye Zi is just a bit puzzled by Great Uncle’s words, showing confusion about his questioning, not dissatisfaction.”

Qi Yourong, who spoke without thinking, immediately followed up on Ye Xinyan’s words, “I spoke clearly enough, how could you misunderstand? I just came to ask your grandfather and you, it’s not easy for us villagers to find ways to earn money. When your family needs to hire someone, you should discuss it with the main house and the third branch, so why have you silently hired two people from the main house? Not even one from the third branch, nor did you inform us beforehand.”

Ye Xinyan quickly glanced at Qi Younian and, seeing he wasn’t stopping her from speaking, pretended to realize in sudden enlightenment, “Oh, Great Uncle is speaking of this matter. This… alas, Great Uncle, Great Aunt, and Third Aunt, indeed, this was our oversight.”

Qi Yourong and Madam Song’s expressions immediately turned serious. Now that this young woman had admitted their second branch’s oversight, it would enable the third branch to make more demands. Perhaps they would be able to wrestle some work away.

Where Ye Xinyan stood, she already displayed a remorseful demeanor, “In the past, jobs like chopping wood and carrying water for my family were done by my eldest cousin. If there were any jobs requiring physical strength on a daily basis, he was always willing to lend a hand. My grandfather has declined, saying that we could do those jobs ourselves and there was no need to trouble my eldest cousin. However, my eldest cousin has always said, that he prefers to keep busy rather than waste time doing nothing.”

Now do you understand? Ye Xinyan’s clear eyes looked toward the three individuals of the third branch. If you still don’t understand, let us spell it out for you.

Madam Song seemed to understand Ye Xinyan’s meaning and her face immediately darkened. Qi Yourong and Lady Zhang, however, were still staring at Ye Xinyan, not understanding why she was saying all this. What did it have to do with their family’s negligence?

Since there were those who did not understand, Ye Xinyan could only continue, “Therefore, when my family needed help, of course, we turned first to my eldest cousin who had spare time. Great Uncle, my grandfather and I also considered that your family has fewer laborers and didn’t want to trouble you, which is why we didn’t mention it to you.”

After saying this, Ye Xinyan looked at Qi Yourong again with an innocent gaze. Now you understand, right? We employed Qi Cheng and his wife because Qi Cheng has consistently helped my family with work. We can’t let him do free labor and then, when it’s time to earn wages, switch to using your family’s people, can we?

Qi Yourong now understood and looked at his second elder brother, shocked.

So, was it that the second elder brother did not give his family money-making work because they had not helped out the second elder’s family in the past? This woman, she was so forthright with her words without any concern? But then again… it seemed reasonable, and it made sense.

Qi Younian heard Ye Xinyan freely articulate reasons that by common sense should not be spoken aloud, and he couldn’t help wanting to laugh. Seeing Qi Yourong looking towards him, he quickly lowered his head to sip his tea.

Qi Yourong then turned to look at Ye Xinyan again, defending, “While it’s true that Great Uncle’s household has many responsibilities, the wages your family offers are much better than the income from farming. Even if we were to abandon the farm work, that would be appropriate.”

How shameless can you be to say such a thing? Ye Xinyan inwardly scorned Qi Yourong but dared not roll her eyes again.

“Great Uncle, we were simply following common practice, looking for someone idle to lend a hand. We didn’t come to you because we feared you would neglect your fields. Letting the farmland go fallow is a great taboo for a farming family, so it’s not really a good idea.”

So, that means there’s no room for negotiation, right?

Qi Yourong glared at this picked-up, heartless and unscrupulous niece of his, yet couldn’t utter a rebuttal.

Finding himself at an impasse, Qi Yourong turned to Qi Younian and belatedly realized that he should have discussed the matter privately with his second brother. This adopted niece was far too cunning; he shouldn’t have engaged with her just now. Without her interjection, he might have been able to argue for something. Even if he couldn’t secure a helper’s role, he might have been able to gain some other advantage.

Confronted with Qi Yourong’s expectant gaze, Qi Younian coughed dryly and reluctantly feigned ignorance, “Yourong, what Ye Zi said isn’t wrong. I can’t let your household’s land go to waste just for my little stall, can I? Besides, your family is short-handed, and both daughters-in-law have children to care for, so it’s inconvenient for them to come out and work.”

Madam Song, standing to one side, knew upon hearing Ye Xinyan’s words that there was no hope of taking over the business from the main branch. This adopted niece had already tactfully uttered some rather unpleasant truths.

No one was a fool, and the third branch clearly knew that the patriarch of the main branch favored the Second Branch. But Madam Song was sure that Qi Younian wouldn’t bluntly use the main branch’s and Qi Cheng’s favoritism towards the second branch as a reason to confront them. Even if Qi Younian did bring it up, she wouldn’t be afraid to tell the Second Branch family that it wasn’t that they didn’t want to help them with their work, but that their own labor force was stretched thin.

What she hadn’t anticipated was that the cunning adopted niece from the second branch would preemptively reveal the reason: the main branch had spare hands, and that spare person was Qi Cheng, who usually helped her family with their work.

This righteous excuse directly shut Madam Song’s mouth, forcing her previously prepared rebuttals back down her throat.

As Madam Song looked again at Ye Xinyan’s seemingly innocent face, something seemed to stick in her throat, causing a most uncomfortable constriction.

She forced a cough, stood up, and said, “All right, the old man and I merely came by to ask casually. Since Second Brother has thought everything through, we won’t say any more. If there’s anything in the future, we relatives will help each other out.”

Her words seemed courteous, but her tone was not kind, especially the last sentence, which sounded almost vindictive. The implied message was: Hmph, don’t even think that my third branch will lift a finger to help your household of the old and weak in the future!

Ye Xinyan followed up with a smile, “Then your grand-niece will thank Great Aunt first, and wait for your assistance.”

Madam Song could not even be bothered with pleasantries and, pulling Qi Yourong along, took her leave from the Second Branch family.

Watching the third branch leave, Ye Xinyan sneered, contemplating what hateful things Madam Song must be cursing their family with in her heart. Hmph, they probably think that the second branch doing this small business is their limit, hence their sullen departure without any arrangements for if our family seeks help or has other benefits in the future.

When there are more benefits in the future, they will still be left to swallow their grievances silently…

Ye Xinyan thought cheerfully and let out a laugh.

As they walked back, Qi Younian lightly scolded, “You’re always so cunning, but do you need to be so happy about it? Watch your step.”

Ye Xinyan nearly stepped on a paper airplane that Qi Jia had flown over.

……

Three days later, Carpenter Wang in the village finished making two sets of matching tables and stools, and the second branch of the Qi family’s stall doubled in size, turning into a business with four tables. The donkey cart that had been used back and forth was also replaced with a horse cart, two days ahead of schedule.

The rented house near the stall was able to store tables, chairs, stoves for baking pancakes, and utensils among other things, allowing five people to commute by horse cart every day, saving a lot of time on the road.

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