Upon hearing Jinrong’s question, Ye Xinyan’s gaze flickered, and out of helplessness, she had no choice but to turn around and sit back down in her original seat.
Jinrong had touched on a critical point. Qi Younian was not a man to stick to old ways or be content with tranquility; otherwise, he wouldn’t have left home as a youth and never looked back for decades. Now that he had built a prosperous construction business, owning quite a few tools that enhanced construction efficiency, the prospects were promising. Regardless, the old man would never stop.
Even if Ye Xinyan told the old master about Jinrong’s plans and the risks involved, hmph, the old master had aged but was still a man—a man with vigor whose ambition would only soar in the face of family glory. He would never back down due to unknown dangers.
To rise with Jinrong’s success was to attain the Dragon’s Merit. Since ancient times, countless people have risked their fortunes and lives for this, not to mention the old master’s heartfelt admiration for Jinrong.
Jiang Yifan sighed quietly and sat back down as well. Prince Yu managed to gather numerous talents and officials not solely by virtue of being a prince. His sharp insights and sincerity in treating people were also key in attracting talents.
Jinrong asked Ye Xinyan, "Have you thought it through?"
Ye Xinyan glared at them both with resentment before turning her gaze away. She thought, "You’re both going to get me killed, what else is there to say?"
Jiang Yifan innocently bore the brunt of Ye Xinyan’s anger but was powerless to do anything. Previously he had not cared, never worrying about what Ye Xinyan’s future would be like. But now, the village wife Qi Ye had caught the attention of many powers, and it was impossible to extract her from their midst.
Jinrong slowed his voice and explained gently, "Yuanfan and I never imagined that you, a woman, would connect the construction work with the political situation. If we had known this would be the outcome, I wouldn’t have consulted you."
"But," Jinrong sighed, "if I hadn’t discussed it with you, we also wouldn’t have heard what you just said. The court, in using the railway carriage, would not know how many detours it would take. Perhaps entangled in the interests of various parties, it could very well die an early death."
Listening to Jinrong’s seemingly self-reflective words, Ye Xinyan looked at him with scorn and indignation. You, a prince who is wholeheartedly plotting to seize the Crown Prince’s position, how could you understand the twists and tribulations a new innovation must go through from development to maturity?
In the West, the railway carriages were not successful from the get-go. It was the support of capitalists chasing wealth that allowed them to rise again and continue operating after failures. Even after their successful operation and widespread promotion and use, there were many problems. She recalled her teacher mentioning the horse dung issue caused by the extensive use of railway carriages, which thoroughly disgusted her at the time.
Thinking of using this to curry favor, what are you dreaming of? It would be fortunate enough not to bring disaster. Having spent a great deal of silver, only to discover endless obstacles and issues during trial use, attempts at improvement would require pouring in more silver. By then, not only would there be no achievements to speak of, but political opponents might also find a handle to criticize severely.
Jinrong, receiving Ye Xinyan’s contemptuous look, felt at ease and touched his chin with a smile, "It seems my unintentional mistake has truly angered Ye Zi."
"Ye Zi also..." Ye Xinyan, catching a warning look from Jiang Yifan, stopped herself in time, swallowing the "Ye Zi is not what you should call me" part back down. Damn it, now everyone knew her nickname, making them seem close whether they were or not.
Jinrong suddenly stood up and took a step down diagonally, bowing deeply to Ye Xinyan, startling her so much that she jumped up.
"What are you doing? What’s the matter? You, you, you need to be mindful of your status. This way, you’ll scare people to death, you know." Ye Xinyan said angrily, pointing at him, and then turned to Jiang Yifan, "And you, what are you making a fuss for?"
Since his lordship had stood up, there was no reason for Jiang Yifan to keep his seat. He stood to one side, helplessly waiting to see Ye Xinyan’s response to Jinrong’s request.
Jinrong continued to bow to Ye Xinyan, earnestly saying, "The railways would be beneficial to both the nation and the people, and it would be a great achievement worthy of being recorded in history books. For me, I would never miss this opportunity. I earnestly request you, Qi Ye, to devise a plan for the railway transport. Consider me as a partner in your dairy products store, helping a friend in need. If you have a lot on your plate, I can arrange for professional craftsmen for you. Regardless of whether we succeed or not, I will always remember the aid given by the Qi family."
Ye Xinyan stepped her body far to the side, sank her thoughts, and formally returned the bow, saying, "Sixth Master, your status is too noble, I dare not accept your bow. Please take a seat, both of you, and allow me some time to think."
After Jinrong sat down, he said, "Your father must have already started planning the courtyard I mentioned, right? Knowing Qi Younian as I do, with all the favorable conditions now, he certainly would not miss the opportunity to improve his family’s status. And you, previously you must have thought about using the dairy products store as a base to turn the construction business into one of the leading industries, right?"
Ye Xinyan didn’t utter a word. They were all very clever; she had no idea when they had guessed her plans, and there she was, foolishly thinking she had outsmarted them.
"A big industry , without a solid foundation, simply cannot be secured. Even if there were no connection between the Qi family construction business and me, if you want to expand it, you would also need the support of other powers. The reality is, you can’t find such a power. To protect an industry that is more profitable than the dairy products store is not an easy task," Jinrong continued, providing irrefutable persuasions to Ye Xinyan.
Curse this feudal society! Ye Xinyan fiercely criticized inwardly, yet she had to admit that Jinrong was right. Compared to other unknown powerful forces, Prince Jinrong, a royal prince, not only had unquestionable status but also seemed to be a decent person.
"What do you plan to do, Sixth Master?" Ye Xinyan asked with full reluctance in her tone. "If I’m not mistaken, you intend to attribute this achievement to one of your subordinates, right? I don’t know whom Sixth Master would choose, but to be cautious, since the Qi family construction business has not purposely concealed the use of railways, it would be advisable for you, Sixth Master, to clear up this matter early to avoid any suspicion," she suggested. Publicly acknowledging that the widespread application of railways was inspired by seeing the Qi family construction business use them would benefit everyone.
"That’s true," Jinrong quickly agreed. Indeed, it was an issue that required careful consideration of the whole situation if he wanted to remain behind the scenes.
"Also," Ye Xinyan said with a more serious expression, "my Qi family, whether it’s the construction business or partnering with Sixth Master in the dairy products store, we are businessmen seeking profit. What Sixth Master has suggested requires time and effort to accomplish, and no businessman or craftsman can work without compensation."
Earning money for work could also imply that her relationship with His Highness Prince Yu was one of employment, not subordination—she could comfort herself with this, affirming that she was still an independent person, not beholden to any one individual or organization.
"Sure, whatever price you think is appropriate, just name it. I will do my utmost to satisfy it," Jinrong said. Ye Xinyan’s suggestions had far exceeded his expectations, let alone her agreeing to draft the document for him.