Chapter 961: Chapter 959: The Purity Obsessed with Worldly Splendor
"This..." Jiang Yifan was quite helpless, he had to seriously explain, "To be precise, it’s not about having thoughts about Ye Xinyi, but rather using the incident with Ye Xinyi to test whether it can shake the Ji Family’s influence over scholars. The Ji Family produced two Great Confucian Scholars earlier, and through the efforts of Ji Xiaoyuan and his son over two generations in the capital, they have almost made the Ji Family a model for scholars all over the world.
These people are called the Clean Stream, yet they are also stubbornly guiding the views and intentions of scholars, and even people across the country. His Highness does not want this pedantic view to continue to persist."
Ye Xinyan listened, her eyes wide open: "Since the Ji Family has already established a lofty image among scholars and many officials, how can a single woman’s mistake be able to shake it? Even if Ye Xinyi is truly unbearable, the Ji Family could easily send her back to her maiden family."
"But it must be tried." Jiang Yifan shook his head, "Speaking of which, the Ji Family’s family style is indeed strict, with few blemishes from their descendants. Over the years, only the issue with your concubine-born sister can be used to create some leverage, regardless of success or failure, this opportunity must be seized."
Ye Xinyan thought of Madam Zhou’s frequent posturing, and couldn’t help but purse her lips, saying, "What strict family style, it’s clearly fake purity."
Jiang Yifan smiled slightly and said, "Of all things, only reading is high-class, a concept passed down from generation to generation. With such a concept as the mainstream, it’s hard to change the status of craftsmen, let alone realize the industrialization you mentioned. The resistance to implementing patent laws stems from this concept. Now, it’s rare that the Ji Family has the loophole of Ye Xinyi, His Highness wants to make use of it."
"This, very difficult indeed." Ye Xinyan thought it over but couldn’t understand what there was to exploit in Ye Xinyi?
The Ji Family is truly a scholarly family, and Ye Xinyi is just one of the Ji Family’s four daughters-in-law. Even if she is utterly evil, it can be attributed to her personal reasons, should be unable to shake the foundations of the Ji Family, right?
Jiang Yifan saw Ye Xinyan’s confusion and said, "That’s because you haven’t thought it through. Do you wonder why the Ji Family married a concubine-born daughter from a Martial Family as a daughter-in-law?"
"Isn’t it said that Madam Zhou of the Ji Family liked Ye Xinyi for her virtuous and quiet demeanor, beauty and talent?" Of course, Madam Zhou was completely deceived by Ye Xinyi’s well-crafted facade.
Jiang Yifan shook his head and said, "This is the least important reason. The main reason is that Ji Xiaoyuan’s four sons are of mediocre intelligence, none capable of inheriting his mantle. After he passes, no one in the Ji Family has the ability to hold their esteemed position in scholars’ minds.
Coincidentally, your father is the future Duke An, and Ye Xinyi is your father’s favorite daughter, albeit a concubine-born. Though the Ji Family is noble and prestigious, their official ranks are not high, so they can only marry a concubine-born daughter from a top-notch noble family, yet can enjoy benefits only a legitimate daughter has.
In Ji Xiaoyuan’s view, regardless of whether your father can uphold the standing of Duke An’s Mansion, as long as he can borrow this momentum with his own ability, the Ji Family can maintain one or even two generations of respect in the capital. Using this buffer time to wait until the next generation produces another Great Confucian Scholar or extraordinary talent."
Ye Xinyan raised her eyebrows, "That’s not wrong either, isn’t it the case that marriages between capital officials and prestigious families are to mutually leverage each other’s advantages?"
Jiang Yifan laughed, "Other families can do this, even speak it openly. As the representative of Clean Stream, however, the Ji Family cannot do this; generations of nobility should withstand loneliness and poverty. Yet Ji Xiaoyuan and his father have already grown fond of the capital’s prosperity.
The most inappropriate action was when, after your father lost his right to succeed as Duke An, the Ji Family’s attitude became unpleasant, treating Ye Xinyi harshly and coldly, with extra impatience."
"Oh." Ye Xinyan seemed to have realized. Not attacking Ye Xinyi today but constantly challenging Madam Zhou was because she wanted Madam Zhou to go back and trouble Ye Xinyi. She had this assurance precisely because Ye Hongyang is no longer the heir of Duke An.
If Ye Hongyang were still the Princely Heir, Ye Xinyi would have continued to live glamorously entering and exiting Duke An’s Mansion, even if Ye Xinyi’s words and deeds were inappropriate, the Ji Family’s attitude towards her may have been more restrained.
"Turns out this can be used by you?" Ye Xinyan lamented, power schemes are indeed everywhere.
Jiang Yifan laughed, "Of course."
Desiring to be the epitome of nobility while longing for prosperity and wealth, where does such a perfect world exist?
If not for Ye Xinyi instigating Ye Hongyang to purchase Dongze Construction Firm, even if Ye Xinyi experienced neglect in the Ji Family, that would still be a matter internal to the Ji Family. Given the Ji Family’s usual strict family style, it’s not wrong to have stringent requirements for a daughter-in-law.
The issue lies in Ye Xinyi buying Dongze Construction Firm without a strong owner, leading to poorly managed operations. Ye Xinyi is unwilling to use her dowry to fill the gaps, for the dowry is the only thing she can currently grasp, she absolutely cannot bear to let go.
Thus, the matter is beyond Ye Xinyi’s control.
Once the situation reaches the Ji Mansion, Ye Xinyi will not only lose her value but also bring a negative impact on the Ji Family, which is intolerable for them.
If utilized appropriately, Ji Xiaoyuan and Madam Zhou might be truly angry, and perhaps the Ji Family might actually abandon Ye Xinyi.
Should such a situation occur, with someone guiding the aftermath, the now isolated Ye Xinyi might lose control, exposing the Ji Family’s vanity. Even if it doesn’t completely ruin Ji Xiaoyuan’s reputation, it will somewhat tarnish his and the Ji Family’s reputation.
Then, ideas of Clean Stream and nobility will seem laughable.
It would be best if Ji Xiaoyuan remains so spineless, continuing his role in the capital as Imperial Academy Libationer, or Jinrong sympathizes that he has been burdened by Ye Xinyi, endorsing him for a promotion of sorts. Indirectly revealing to the world that Clean Stream and nobility are merely alternative paths to fortune.
Ye Xinyan listened to Jiang Yifan’s explanation, genuinely lamenting for Lord Ji, wondering how he fell under the radar of such a crowd?
"So, what’s the plan next?" Ye Xinyan asked curiously.
Jiang Yifan said, "In a few more days. Currently, Dongze Construction Firm is undertaking a very troublesome project, but when they accepted the project, no proper decision-makers were present, and it’s said that executing it will result in a significant loss. Several among them have already been bought, once the craftsmen’s emotions start to agitate, trouble can be easily stirred. By then, naturally someone will guide it, directing the blame towards the Ji Mansion."
Ye Xinyan blinked, it seemed this matter was quite confidential, Jiang Yifan wasn’t planning on sharing the details.
Well, knowing less isn’t necessarily bad. Then she shall preemptively mourn for the Ji Family and Ye Xinyi and wait to see how the matter unfolds.
In fact, Ye Xinyan didn’t have to wait long, as the weather grew colder, most construction firms were preparing to close for the season.
Come October, the project at Dongze Construction Firm was completed, yet the wages still seemed far off.
The head of the construction Liu Changsheng was bitter-faced as he did the handover with the employers, the project was truly not worth doing, without any profits at all. Instead of this, it would be better for everyone to rest, at least no effort would be wasted, wouldn’t it?
But this was work recommended by the Duke’s Mansion, with Fourth Grandma Ji having agreed, they had no choice but to do it. Last month, wages were already delayed, this month they worked for nothing again, he didn’t know how to face the workers under him anymore.