She Became A Downfall Noble Lady-Chapter 49 - Smashing the Place
Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Smashing the Place?
Chapter 49 -49: Smashing the Place?
Jinrong mingled among a table of commoners without the slightest sense of incongruity. He watched Ye Xinyan bustling about with great interest, astonished at how quickly she had bounced back. The Miss Ye he had seen last time in the poor district of the capital city was already a surprise, but this was even more unexpected.
In the boudoirs of the capital’s female relatives, the Miss Ye of the Ye Family, who was notoriously clumsy and foolish, had calmed down so quickly. And—could it be—Miss Ye was so adept at… earning a living by working?
Jinrong’s gaze turned to Nanny Jin, who was also shocked but nowhere near as composed. Ye Xinyan had fled with her personal nanny, and the two of them could actually make a living on their own?
Jinrong’s eyes shifted to Qi Younian, that old man, and who was that child?
Jinrong was a bit flustered.
Ye Xinyan, after serving the rice tofu that Jinrong had ordered, took the opportunity to deliver the rice tofu to Qi Jia and nudged the absent-minded Nanny Jin, “Nanny, the spread cake is about to burn.”
Nanny Jin finally snapped back to reality and scraped off the burn spread cake before asking with a trembling voice, “Sixth Prince…”
Ye Xinyan tugged at her again, correcting her, “Sixth Master.”
“Right, right, right, Sixth Master. Did the Sixth Master recognize us?” Nanny Jin hastily corrected herself and asked vaguely.
Ye Xinyan squatted down, placing half a bowl of rice tofu on the small stand in front of Qi Jia, “Eat slowly, okay? Be careful, it’s hot.”
After settling Qi Jia, Ye Xinyan stood up and whispered to Nanny Jin, “Whether he recognized us or not, we have no other choice but to keep running the business for now. It seems that the Sixth Master doesn’t plan to make things difficult for us, otherwise he wouldn’t have come to eat our simple food.”
Nanny Jin didn’t like hearing that, “What do you mean by simple food? Our food is very tasty, not at all inferior to those delicate snacks in the capital. If we were to serve our rice tofu in fine porcelain bowls and dishes, it could easily be a delicacy in a grand restaurant.”
“That’s good, that’s good,” Ye Xinyan agreed repeatedly, “Since Nanny thinks our food is exceptionally good, maybe if the Sixth Master is pleased with it, he won’t care about our identities.”
Whatever you say is fine, Nanny, as long as you can stay calm.
Ye Xinyan tied a cloth around Qi Jia’s neck and said to Nanny Jin, “I’m going to work now, please watch Qi Jia for me.”
After fervently defending their food, a worried expression returned to Nanny Jin’s face. She nodded and said, “I understand, go ahead and be busy.”
Nanny Jin frantically made spread cake, but the Sixth Prince didn’t intend to pay them too much attention at all. Was his focus… merely the food?
That annoying servant, what was his name—Hongzhi? Right, Hongzhi.
Damn it, it was this kid, coming over again.
Hongzhi approached Ye Xinyan and conveyed a message with all seriousness, “This… Sister-in-law, my Sixth Master says your rice tofu is a novel food, fairly edible. But the flavor is really too strong, too salty.”
After delivering the irritating message, Hongzhi didn’t turn to leave; instead, he looked at Ye Xinyan full of expectation, waiting for her response.
Really, he was acting as if he were the one running a business here.
Qi Younian couldn’t understand what was happening and hurried over with a smile, saying to Hongzhi, “Young master, our stall just offers ordinary morning snacks… We haven’t been open long, so there must be many shortcomings. We will certainly remember the instructions from your master.”
Hongzhi looked at Qi Younian with a smile that was not quite a smile, saying, “Old gentleman, the Sixth Master was asking this older sister here.”
Ye Xinyan glared at him. Was their Sixth Master aiming to tease a decent woman? Was he not even going to spare an ‘older sister’?
Qi Younian frowned slightly, wanting to speak again, yet Ye Xinyan stopped him, “Grandfather, go about your business. I’ll take care of things here. I’m sure this young master means well for our business and has no other intentions.”
She knew they were just here to give her a hard time. Her grandfather’s presence would be of no use, might even annoy that fellow further. It would be better if she handled it herself.
Ye Xinyan made continuous eye signals and finally sent Qi Younian away.
She was seething with rage inwardly, but her face displayed a humble attitude of one eager to listen to advice for the sake of a full belly, “The young master speaks the truth. A lighter flavor would indeed be better. I shall certainly remember to improve.”
Receiving Ye Xinyan’s response, Hongzhi finally turned around satisfied.
Ye Xinyan watched his departing figure with fierce anger, yet didn’t dare glance at Jinrong.
Damn it. Picking faults in front of all these customers, is this supposed to smash my business? You’re the Emperor’s son, living in luxury, expending little energy, and eating the finest food. How could you understand the common folk’s taste buds and hardships?
Ye Xinyan’s silent cursing hadn’t ended when that servant boy came over again, speaking solemnly, “Older sister,” this time the address came out much more smoothly, frighteningly so.
Hongzhi spoke seriously, “Older sister, the Sixth Master said that your rice tofu toppings are too monotonous. You should at least use some bits of meat, lily buds, wood ear mushrooms or something like that, and it would be even better with dried scallop. Doing business, one should aim for refinement; you can’t just dismiss the customers.”
Ye Xinyan gripped the ladle for the rice tofu tightly in her hand, staring at Hongzhi for a long time before managing a dry smile, “Young master is right. My family is poor and my grandfather’s capital is very limited; we can’t start a big business. Once my grandfather earns some money, we will start selling finer foods.”
Hongzhi, though obliged to follow his master’s instructions, found himself somewhat intimidated now that he was face to face with Miss Ye of the Duke’s Mansion, known for her domineering reputation, “Well, the Sixth Master will come again for breakfast in the future and your current toppings are really too shabby and unpresentable.”
“Then let him roll, go wherever he wishes!” Ye Xinyan muttered fiercely in her heart.
Having silently vented, and seeing Hongzhi obstinately waiting for her response, Ye Xinyan forced a smile, “Young master, how about this: today we only have this available, so please have your Sixth Master make do for now. But if he plans to return, he can notify my grandfather in advance, and we will prepare different toppings specially for the Sixth Master. Does that sound good?”
Their back-and-forth interactions had gone on a few times now, with other customers half-eating, half-watching the drama. At this point, hearing the stall owner offer special toppings for this elegantly dressed Sixth Master… What did that imply? Was she judging people by their appearances?
Ye Xinyan continued in a downtrodden tone, “However, business is all about cost accounting. Making a special serving of toppings for your Sixth Master’s rice tofu—with meat, lily buds, wood ear mushrooms, needless to say, these are expensive ingredients. The trouble is the labor, making this one serving requires almost as much work as a whole pot of the usual topping. Therefore, the rice tofu for your Sixth Master… will cost one silver coin per bowl.”
“Whenever you two wish to have breakfast, just give my grandfather a heads-up, and we will surely not neglect the Sixth Master.”
“Oh….” The other customers suddenly lost any prior thoughts they had. One silver coin per bowl? Forget it, let the stall owner judge by appearance and make special toppings for the well-dressed people.
Hongzhi stole a glance at Jinrong and said to Ye Xinyan with furrowed brows, “Older sister, this isn’t right. In business, you await the customers’ patronage. Who does it like you? When a customer wants to eat today, you tell them to come back tomorrow. Doing business this way, that’s not acceptable.”
This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.
