When Yuan Shang replied to Ye Xinyan, Jiang Yifan and Zhou Biyao were both in Ye Xinyan’s office.
Ye Xinyan was instantly infuriated upon hearing the response, nearly cursing out loud. This Jinrong, for the garden design, didn’t even care about saving face.
The day he forcibly took the design, she assumed he was just fond of gardens, wanting to study and admire it for a while, so she let him see it for free. Is he now planning to seize it forcibly and claim it as his own?
Yuan Shang understood his Great Aunt well and could tell from her expression that she was displeased. Would she storm into Prince Yu’s Mansion the next moment? Or would she lose her temper and start scolding others right away?
Feeling anxious, he looked at Jiang Yifan for help. Since their marriage, Great Aunt had been quite considerate of her husband.
Jiang Yifan, watching his wife on the verge of an outburst, couldn’t help but laugh.
He smiled at Yuan Shang and said, "Just convey the message to Sixth Master, you go about your business, and leave the rest for Ah Yan to handle."
Ye Xinyan rolled her eyes dramatically at Jiang Yifan. Leaving it to her to handle? How was she supposed to handle it—either by storming over or by pricing the design herself and deducting its worth from their year-end business settlement?
Thinking this way made her a bit distressed. In a business partnership, such tactics wouldn’t last long. Unfortunately, Jinrong was the type who didn’t mind losing face. If only he were like Han Yanhui, a little scare would be enough to achieve her purpose.
Zhou Biyao, originally discussing with Ye Xinyan about hiring a few young and clever craftsmen to train apprentices now that things weren’t too busy, wisely greeted them and retreated with Yuan Shang when she sensed the tension.
Jiang Yifan had come to pick Ye Xinyan up for home, and since it was already late Shen hour, there wasn’t much left in the construction firm that required her, allowing them to leave early.
As he helped Ye Xinyan tidy up her desk, Jiang Yifan said, "You originally planned to use this design in the spring to give Tang Qian and Dongze Construction Firm a hard time. It’s also good to leave this to His Highness. Since Dongze Construction Firm belongs to your half-sister, it wouldn’t look good for others to think you’re at odds."
"You certainly know how to speak on his behalf." Ye Xinyan replied, taking a scroll of paper handed by Jiang Yifan, her voice filled with indignant huff.
"The Prince’s garden is beautiful, naturally he wouldn’t tolerate anyone showing off before him. If he wants to vent some steam, it’s understandable." Lowering his voice, Jiang Yifan continued, "Nowadays, with so many outside matters, it’s good for His Highness to take on some minor things to ease the tense atmosphere he’s facing."
Jiang Yifan was, of course, referring to the court’s situation, as well as Lih Mian’s investigations. Lih Mian’s probe was getting closer to the core, and Prince Fu was becoming increasingly unsettled.
According to Jiang Yifan, in frustration, Prince Fu’s influence frequently undermined Jinrong in the court.
If Jinrong focused his energy on disputes over city interests at this time, it could indeed relieve some tension. It might even create an illusion that the court’s tension had nothing to do with Prince Yu, making Prince Fu’s targeting of Jinrong seem like nothing more than a mad dog biting indiscriminately.
Ye Xinyan smirked arrogantly, "You are my husband, and since you’ve put it this way, I’ll give you face and not fuss over it."
Knowing full well Ye Xinyan merely extended him a hollow favor, Jiang Yifan nonetheless felt delighted and beamed with joy.
After tidying Ye Xinyan’s office, they had just dressed and were about to leave when Hongzhi arrived.
"Lord Jiang, Grandma Jiang, my Sixth Master is waiting at Donglai Pavilion and invites you both over for a casual meal."
"Ah? Am I going too?" Ye Xinyan asked in surprise. In this era, there wasn’t any practice of inviting multiple couples to gatherings where men and women would sit together at the same table. Doing so might incite all sorts of unsavory speculation.
Unexpectedly, Hongzhi’s reply was even more surprising, he bowed and said, "Sixth Master said if Lord Jiang is busy with official duties and cannot make time, it’s okay. But Grandma Jiang must attend."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yifan’s face immediately darkened.
Hongzhi shrank his neck, knowing well that Lord Jiang would be displeased, but he had no choice.
These words were specifically instructed by his Sixth Master to be said verbatim. When Sixth Master had instructed him, he was smiling brightly, as if envisioning some delightful future scenario, thoroughly amused.
His Sixth Master was exceptionally clever, fully aware of how to provoke Lord Jiang to rage. However, it’s regrettable that his cleverness wasn’t used for proper matters.
With melancholic resignation, Hongzhi knew that even if Sixth Master antagonized his own side to the point of injury, it would still be his own side that suffered. His exceptionally intelligent Sixth Master couldn’t grasp such a simple principle when it came to Lord Jiang.
Ye Xinyan didn’t give Hongzhi a friendly look either, "Will your Sixth Master have the garden design with him at Donglai Pavilion?"
"Well, I’m not sure."
The thing that Sixth Master liked most was holding it securely in his own hands, definitely wouldn’t show it, did that even need to be asked?
By now, Jiang Yifan had relaxed his expression, ignoring Hongzhi, he said to Ye Xinyan, "Let’s go, presumably His Highness has something to discuss. We’ll talk about the design matters at the restaurant."
Jinrong’s so-called casual meal really was prepared to casual meal standards. It wasn’t that he lacked money or was stingy, but when discussing serious matters with Ye Xinyan, if the table were full of lavish food and drink, the atmosphere wouldn’t be right, making it hard to reach agreements.
Jinrong had considered discussing with Guangsha Construction tomorrow. But today, he had let his words slip in a moment of eagerness, the message Yuan Shang delivered back was too challenging.
Moreover, what he wanted to discuss with Ye Xinyan was somewhat tricky. He feared that if his words carried back overnight brewed more intense emotions, Ye Xinyan might be inclined to retaliate, opting to split completely rather than concede.
If so, his plans would be harder to negotiate.
Thus, he was eager to have Hongzhi invite them over, reserving a spot at Donglai Pavilion.
Seeing the situation, Ye Xinyan could tell Jinrong likely had something important to discuss.
To maintain the upper hand in negotiations, she wasn’t in a rush, just sat beside Jiang Yifan, eating slowly while listening to the conversation between the two men.
Although Donglai Pavilion was a restaurant, it was surrounded by trusted aides and servants of Jinrong and Jiang Yifan, making it impossible for outsiders to approach, allowing them to converse more freely.
They talked for quite some time, yet Jinrong still hadn’t shifted the topic to Official Tang’s garden.
Seeing Grandma Jiang about to finish eating and drinking, Jinrong helplessly switched from his conversation with Jiang Yifan to Ye Xinyan and said, "Tang Qian’s garden has been quite lively these past days, it’s time he quieted down. But simply releasing your design just to make a point seems somewhat wasteful to me."
Ye Xinyan finished her meal, leisurely sipping her remaining half-bowl of hot soup, waiting for Jinrong to continue speaking.
"I believe that constructing this garden would yield the greatest benefit."
Ye Xinyan frowned upon hearing this, "Sixth Master has enough gardens already, why build so many gardens? Even for enjoyment, there’s not that much time available."