Official Tang listened as Ye Xinyan pursued the matter of who leaked the designs and overview of the garden, clearly displeased, and said, "Miss Ye, what is this supposed to an? Are you trying to build this flawed garden while keeping everyone in the dark, hoping to take our silver and have us swallow the loss in silence?"
Ye Xinyan no longer paid any attention to Liu Hansong, nor did she retort Official Tang’s words, simply stating, "Official Tang, let’s not beat around the bush. Guangsha Construction may be new to the capital, but we haven’t just started doing business yesterday. I am well aware of what you’re implying. A lon forcefully twisted off its vine isn’t sweet, and business shouldn’t be forced. However, it shouldn’t be settled in the way you’ve suggested either. For the part that has already been constructed, we cannot calculate the cost based on materials and labor; instead, we must settle based on the proportion of completion at the agreed-upon price."
Official Tang frowned. "But your garden has already been pointed out to have flaws..."
He didn’t finish his sentence before Ye Xinyan’s face darkened, and she cut him off, "Official Tang, don’t mistake my polite tone in speaking with you for a weak disposition. Why don’t you go ask around about who is behind Guangsha Construction? What sort of clientele do we deal with? Are we soone to be insulted so easily?"
Official Tang didn’t need to ask around to know that this was the young lady of Duke An’s Mansion. Still, after several encounters, he had co to believe that perhaps in business, Miss Ye might be different from the rumors, that he might find a loophole to exploit.
But the reality was clearly not as he had imagined. His expression changed several tis, and after glancing at the lord sitting quietly inside, he suppressed his thought of gaining more and in a more moderate tone said, "Miss Ye, most of the work that has been done is not entirely finished. There are many details and final tasks that need to be perfected, and the paynt for these should also be proportionate, right?"
Ye Xinyan nodded, "Yes, that’s settled then. I will have Steward Yuan call our people back imdiately, and we can calculate the silver with you, Official Tang. You’d better weigh your own importance and not harbor any false hope. Send over the calculated silver within two days; otherwise, do not bla if I lodge a formal complaint and sue you into bankruptcy. Please, Official Tang, you may leave. Take care!"
Listening to these clear words of dismissal, Official Tang felt a hidden anger. He had made many preparations today to cope with any rebuttal from Guangsha Construction.
But Miss Ye hardly offered any explanations before agreeing to terminate the project. What did that indicate? It signified that the garden constructed by Guangsha truly was substandard, and she knew it.
This realization did not sit well with Official Tang at all. The business of Guangsha Construction was nothing but a deceit! He was mightily mistaken, and relying on his exceptional background, he showed no signs of regret; on the contrary, he was dismissing people, which was indeed an excessive insult.
Yet he could not afford to offend Duke An’s Mansion. Fortunately, the matter was resolved, and from here on, he would no longer deal or interact with the businesses of such powerful and noble houses.
The complexion of Official Tang was not good either, and he was about to leave with a sweep of his sleeve.
Jinrong, who had been observing from the side, watched the whole scene with eyebrows raised so high they seed ready to fly off his forehead.
Ye Xinyan, Qi Ye, when had they beco so easy to talk to? Construction projects couldn’t be settled based on how much work was done or how much silver was calculated. The preliminary work of gathering craftsn and workers and the idle cost of pulling them out were all expenditures in silver.
Ye Xinyan had, in order to complete Official Tang’s garden, shown her disdain to him, Jinrong, and had not been willing to give any ground or concession. Yet, now facing this Official Tang, she compromised so easily.
Where did that leave him, a prince, in terms of face?
"Wait, wait, who was that, Official Tang, right? Co here, you, stand over there."
Official Tang had already flung his sleeves down when he heard the voice stopping him. He didn’t plan to pay attention at first, but thinking of the deanor of the lord observing from inside, he embarrassingly stopped in his tracks.
Reluctantly, he turned around and bowed with a cupped fist salute, "May I ask what commands this great gentleman has?"
Jinrong stood up, paced over with an air of nonchalance, and casually said, "Just now, I instructed Guangsha Construction to build a garden, but Miss Ye said that we have to wait until Official Tang’s garden is completed and there is spare manpower available before work on my garden can begin. I thought Official Tang must be so important figure to take precedence over , but it turns out to be just you?"
The mont Jinrong uttered the words "I," Official Tang’s face turned pale with fright. Before Jinrong could finish, he, along with Steward Zhang and another attendant, had already prostrated themselves on the ground with a thud.
As soon as Jinrong’s words ended, these people also offered their greetings, "We commoners pay respects to Your Highness. We dare not, and we were unaware of this matter."
Although Official Tang didn’t know exactly which prince this was, he didn’t dare to question. Anyone, even if tired of living, would find another way to seek death, not impersonate a prince and bring disaster upon themselves and their family.
Ye Xinyan had already turned her body when Jinrong approached, repeatedly making aningful glances at him, yet she still couldn’t stop Jinrong from speaking his mind. She was extrely irritated, thinking that there was definitely sothing wrong with Jinrong’s thought process. Could he not recognize the signals from his own people, or was he deliberately sabotaging his own?
She turned her head and ordered Yuan Shang, "First, go and close the door." Just like that, three people ended up kneeling rigidly in the shop; it was not a sight for outsiders. Did she want to continue doing business in the future or not? He was driving her to an early grave!
Without paying any attention to the three n on the ground, Jinrong turned to interrogate Ye Xinyan, "Ye Zi, this isn’t like you, we’ve been business partners for so long. When it ca to my garden, from drawing up the plans to discussing the start of construction, you were never willing to agree. And yet, you’ve only known Official Tang for a few days and you so easily granted him this favor. Have I wronged you in so way?"
Ye Xinyan, helpless with three subjects of the Great Xia Dynasty still kneeling on the ground, had no choice but to offer Jinrong a proper courtesy and said, "It’s all this unworthy woman’s fault, I implore Your Highness not to bla . I did not make it clear to you, this matter is certainly due to Official Tang’s unreasonableness, and it would be possible for not to agree. However, I was thinking that if we could pull people from Official Tang’s garden project, Your Highness’s garden could start sooner, so I didn’t pursue the matter further."
"Oh, is that so?" Jinrong raised an eyebrow. Was it really that simple? But this didn’t seem like Miss Ye’s style of doing things.
"I dare not deceive Your Highness," Ye Xinyan replied, her face slightly sinking as she glared fiercely at Jinrong.
If he spoke a few more words, perhaps Official Tang, even if he had to hold his nose, would have to let Guangsha Construction finish that garden. In that case, she would truly turn against Jinrong.
Sothing seed off about that look. Jinrong ran through the events once more in his mind. Did he really miss sothing and fail to grasp Ye Zi’s intention? Or did this guy really ss up and decided to play it safe?
Whether Ye Xinyan played it safe or not was still unclear to him, but he knew he was feeling a bit guilty.
So, with a cold snort, Jinrong turned and walked back, sat down in the chair he occupied earlier, and once again beca a spectator in the crowd.
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