Qi Younian looked sympathetically toward Liu Ting. Imperial officials are truly honest, isn’t Lord Liu thinking that besides serving the court, the Ye Family might also support the court’s finances?
Ye Xinyan, however, was surprised, "Of course it’s you who gives us the silver. Otherwise, what does Lord Liu think it is?"
Liu Ting, unaware of the conversations between officials in the Imperial Study Room such as Jinrong and Wang Xian, naturally didn’t understand what the three hundred taels from Ye Xinyan were all about, and said in astonishment, "The clerks we sent over are there to help your construction business..." Who has ever heard of paying out silver to help someone else?
Now Qi Younian couldn’t just shrink back. It was improper for him to always push a woman like Ye Zi in front of others to shield them from trouble. He explained, "Lord Liu is unaware that those of us who work on construction documents have an unspoken understanding and can work together smoothly and familiarly. With such urgent matters, if a newcomer joins, someone needs to specially take the time to guide them, which can disrupt the existing workflow."
After all, Qi Younian came from a civilian craftsman background, so it wasn’t easy for him to talk about taking on apprentices with government officials.
However, Liu Ting was ungrateful. He looked at Qi Younian with disapproval. This rural craftsman—if he hadn’t chanced upon the Ye Family girl, how could he now be sitting together with them?
These words might be impossible to reprimand from Ye Xinyan’s mouth, but for a lowly craftsman, how dare he be so presumptuous? A construction business scraping a living through hard labor actually dared to talk about instructing Imperial Appointed Officials and charge extra silver for it.
Liu Ting snorted coldly, "Oh? So the old master’s point is that our Imperial Appointed Officials are all good-for-nothings, and cannot compare with the talent-rich Qi Family Construction Business, is that it?"
Qi Younian’s expression stiffened, and he quickly bowed and forced a smile, "Not at all, I wouldn’t dare to presume so."
Seeing the look and words of Liu Ting, Ye Xinyan immediately became angry. To scold and frown upon her grandfather in front of her, who is he trying to scare?
"Lord Liu," Ye Xinyan’s face darkened as she spoke, "Imperial officials are certainly capable, how would we dare to compare? Originally, our construction business already has plenty of work, and regarding pricing, for any work or affairs beyond the regular scope, our construction business always charges separately. Otherwise, we might as well not take on this job. Perhaps Lord Liu should seek someone else."
Liu Ting also got somewhat angry. Why was he so unlucky to be assigned such a task? This woman’s ill repute was well-known throughout the entire capital, and yet he was tasked to negotiate with her. Was he, who studied arduously for over ten years, supposed to be controlled by a woman without proper womanly virtues?
Even though she was Duke An’s granddaughter, he was an Imperial Appointed Official!
"Miss Ye is a woman and should adhere to a woman’s place, not overstep her bounds. These kinds of affairs are better left for the Qi Family’s official in charge to decide," said Liu Ting, looking down.
Zhang Cunhai glanced at Wan Yan. He had not had dealings with the granddaughter of Duke An, but he had heard that this woman used to be arrogant and overbearing. Even now, didn’t His Highness Prince Yu have to tolerate her to some extent? Was it safe to talk to Ye Xinyan ?
Without waiting for Wan Yan to respond, Ye Xinyan smiled, "That’s good, then. I shall take my leave. However, Lord Liu, I must inform you that the Qi Family Construction Business is just a local business from a remote area. If the mighty Ministry of Works can’t get a job done, there’s no rationale to pressurize a local business into ensuring it can."
Having said that, she moved out from behind Qi Younian and curtsied to everyone present, "I’m unaware of proper manners, sorry for the inconvenience." With that, she flicked her sleeve and turned to leave.
Bowing her head and standing by the door was Jiu Yue, who had heard the entire exchange without missing a word, and now she was about to help Ye Xinyan push the door open.
Wan Yan hastily rose to his feet, "Miss, please hold on, Miss please consider Eunuch Zhang and this old servant’s face, and stay your steps for now."
Ye Xinyan, upon hearing Wan Yan’s words, still took two steps forward, then stopped unwillingly, but did not turn back, only turning to ask, "What is it that Uncle Wan and the Grand Steward wish to say?"
Wan Yan cast a somewhat reproachful glance at Liu Ting, but after all, Liu Ting was an official of the court in charge of supplies, and even though Wan Yan came from a princely abode, he was only a eunuch.
Zhang Cunhai had no option but to ask Liu Ting, "What does Lord Liu mean?" Does Liu Ting not understand how to act according to the situation? Hasn’t he ever heard of Miss Ye’s reputation? Is he here to carry out his duties, or to argue principles, and he can’t even tell the difference?
Yet Liu Ting’s eyes were fixed on Qi Younian. This old wretch, he was merely a lowly craftsman who happened to encounter this woman with a tarnished reputation fleeing the capital, and relying on the support of this woman lacking in wifely virtues, he dared to scorn an official of the court.
Qi Younian met Liu Ting’s chilly gaze and had no choice but to rise and bow, saying with a wry smile, "I dare not deceive your honor, the Qi Family Construction Business once constructed a wooden track in Clear Water Village, and my chief manager, Wong Qiao, happened to be away during the construction of the wooden track.
Therefore, all the planning and paperwork for this wooden track were overseen by my granddaughter. If you want the planning proposal for the wooden track before the end of the year, and my granddaughter isn’t present, even if you were to hold a knife to the throats of this old fool and everyone else, we still wouldn’t be able to complete it."
Liu Ting felt a surge of anger, nearly flipping the table in frustration. An experienced craftsman depending entirely on a woman for his work, doesn’t he feel ashamed?
Yet he never considered that the esteemed Ministry of Works and he, an official of the Fifth Rank, now had to rely on whether a single woman was willing to work in order to settle the matter, wasn’t that shameful?
Ye Xinyan scoffed, "Or, Lord Liu could go back and inquire with the higher-ups. If His Majesty or the Imperial Court has decided that the court truly doesn’t have the silver or is unwilling to pay, as a subject of the Great Xia Dynasty, I would certainly be willing to share the court’s burdens and take on this task for free."
Liu Ting’s complexion turned from green to white, unable to swallow his pride and speak softly, he remained frozen in place.
An official beside Liu Ting shot him a look and said with an ingratiating smile, "Miss Ye must be joking. The higher-ups have sent us here to negotiate a price with your construction business, not to withhold payment of silver."
Ye Xinyan responded quickly, "That’s good then. I was thinking that a wage of one thousand taels should suffice. However, since it’s Lord Liu here to negotiate, I feel that anything less than two thousand taels of silver would not justify taking on this job. Whether it’s acceptable or not, the officials may discuss it amongst themselves."
Liu Ting nearly spat out a mouthful of blood—were you not planning to demand two thousand taels from the start? To earn extra silver and still put the blame on him! But the blame did not stop there.
Ye Xinyan, looking at Liu Ting, said coldly, "However, make your decision quickly. If it’s too late and we fail to deliver the work, don’t blame us. As for the Ministry of Works clerks who come to learn from our business, each will pay five hundred taels; if possible, it would be better if they didn’t come at all to avoid causing confusion. After all, as a woman in the public eye, it’s always better to have fewer strangers around."