CHAPTER 828: CHAPTER 826: AH YAN’S EXPRESSION

Ye Xinyan’s situation was truly pitiful. Madam Yin sent Nanny Huang and others to watch over her, confining her to her own courtyard in the Duke’s Mansion to finish a mountain of needlework.

Speaking of which, modern-day Ye Xinyan came from an ordinary family. Although she didn’t have a strong foundation in needlework, she was decent at sewing buttons and hemming.

From the expressions on Madam Yin, Madam Sun, and Nanny Huang and Nanny Jin’s faces during their inspection, it seemed they were quite satisfied with Ye Xinyan’s needlework.

In other words, this modern version of Ye Xinyan should be much better than the original Miss Ye.

Clearly, both Nanny Jin and Nanny Huang felt much relieved about Ye Xinyan, so they no longer kept a close eye on her. As a result, there were two fewer people to monitor Jiang Yifan heavily.

Jiang Yifan naturally didn’t care about the rule that engaged couples shouldn’t meet before marriage. Before, as long as he wanted, he could make two trips to Guangsha Construction and exchange a few words.

Now, Ye Xinyan was basically confined to Jinlan Garden in the Duke’s Mansion and wasn’t allowed to leave often. If Jiang Yifan wanted to meet his fiancée, he had to seize the opportunity and occasionally visit Duke An’s Mansion.

When he saw Ye Xinyan sitting quietly on the couch, focused on her needlework, the eagerness in his eyes grew even stronger.

Which family has such an impressive young woman?

When engaging in business, she could earn lots of silver with her extraordinary skills.

When paying attention to court affairs, she could offer her insights on the rise and fall of the nation.

Regarding Huaxia’s millennia-old scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants system, she could boldly point out the flaws.

And now, he and Ah Yan were about to get married. Ah Yan could sit calmly on the couch, focus on needlework, and do it quite well.

In the past few years, his mother often said he was unlucky and his engagements were bumpy. If anyone said that to him now, he would be the first not to agree.

Considering his luck over the past five thousand years, how many have been as fortunate as he is? He was truly delighted.

Ye Xinyan chatted casually with Jiang Yifan. In the room, Sister-in-law Song Ping, along with two maidservants, watched their every move with a stern expression.

Ye Xinyan was stitching the back seam of a pillow cover, her mind no longer as restless.

The emperor’s sudden concern for her marriage, although somewhat unreliable, wasn’t too disruptive. If this had happened during the bustling spring and summer, it would have driven her crazy.

Now, as the end of the year approached, construction projects were winding down. The cattle farm and cheese workshop outside the capital had stabilized after operating through spring, summer, and fall.

So, whether she liked it or not, she had some leisure and could sit peacefully to do the needlework that everyone expected her to do.

Jiang Yifan saw that she kept working, not speedily but steadily, and couldn’t help feeling concerned. He advised, "I heard Jiu Yue say there’s not much needlework left. If you’re tired, don’t rush it. Work on it when you’re interested, and if you’re not, find someone good at it to help you."

As he spoke, he glanced at Sister-in-law Song Ping, whose face was stern, and lowered his voice, "Just don’t let Nanny Jin spot it. I doubt Sister-in-law Song will report on you."

Sister-in-law Song’s face darkened, and her sharp eyes flashed at Jiu Yue. Why was she so talkative? Didn’t she know their young master was unreliable? She’d deal with her later!

Ye Xinyan looked up at Jiang Yifan, feeling even more satisfied in her heart. Hmm, such a husband was still considerate.

"It’s alright. The work my mother left me isn’t much; it’s just that I have to handle each piece. I can manage," Ye Xinyan said, recalling that he often requested leave from his superior, so she asked, "With the year-end approaching, doesn’t the Ministry of Revenue have accounts to settle? How can you be so idle?"

Jiang Yifan replied nonchalantly, "I have great rapport with people, and my superior sympathizes with my age and lack of a wife, so he gave me time to prepare for my wedding."

Humph! You dare to say that at your age? Just hearing this, how could anyone imagine you as anything less than forty or fifty?

Ye Xinyan scoffed, gave Jiang Yifan a sidelong glance, only to see him winking at her.

"Have you been busy these days? Didn’t you sleep well last night?" Ye Xinyan asked.

Now it was Jiang Yifan’s turn to be puzzled, "No, how did Ah Yan see I didn’t sleep well?" Was Ah Yan so concerned about him that she noticed what even he didn’t?

"Your eyes were blinking non-stop. Isn’t it because your eyes are uncomfortable?"

Ugh, he had winked at her for nothing. He thought their relationship was so good that they were in sync, yet Ah Yan’s intuition was lacking, and she didn’t get his hint.

Ye Xinyan noticed his face didn’t look right and thought about his blinking... It didn’t seem like discomfort. Then she awkwardly realized how unperceptive she was.

Admitting fault and correcting it could lead to a promising future. She looked towards Sister-in-law Song.

Sister-in-law Song initially pretended not to see. Although she used to turn a blind eye, there was a reason then; she feared the young couple’s relationship was not strong enough, and what if the engagement fell through?

The Eldest Lady and Nanny Jin also wanted her to turn a blind eye.

Now, however, it was different. The wedding date was near, and the young master’s gaze towards Miss Ye... As someone with experience, she could see the affection in that gaze, an urgency to marry her immediately.

In this situation, if she left Miss Ye and the young master alone in a room, should anything happen, she, as their nanny, would bear a great fault.

Yet reality forced her hand. Ye Xinyan coughed once, and Sister-in-law Song stubbornly ignored it, staring at the tiles in the corner. Jiu Yu’s handiwork was rough; she hadn’t cleaned the corner thoroughly. She’d have to talk to her later.

Then, Ye Xinyan coughed twice more, and Sister-in-law Song continued inspecting the room’s nooks and crannies.

Afterward, Miss Ye coughed thrice, then five times.

Alas, there was no choice. If she didn’t take the maidservants out, Miss Ye might catch a cold. With the wedding in just over ten days, if Miss Ye really got sick... let’s not speak of unlucky things.

Ye Xinyan looked triumphantly as Sister-in-law Song led the two maidservants out, her eyes shining brightly. See, even if I’m not extremely clever, I’m still the heiress, aren’t I capable of managing a few of you?

Jiang Yifan also watched Ye Xinyan with satisfaction. His Ah Yan was so straightforward, as daring as ever, bold enough to disregard appearances to achieve what she wanted.

Look at how she handled that situation just now. Which ordinary young lady from the inner chambers could send out the nanny this way?

Ye Xinyan shifted her gaze to Jiang Yifan’s expression, immediately displeased: "What kind of expression is that? Are you mocking me?"