Quick Transmigration: Drama Queen's Daily Life-Chapter 217 - 212: The Carefree Young Master

"You’re compensating?" Zhang Yun’s first reaction to hearing the childish voice was to jeer, but upon seeing who was speaking, he shut his mouth, displaying a look of deflated surprise and fear.

As the legitimate son of the Zhang family with a sister who was a Noble Consort in the Palace, he had of course seen Ye Qiu before and was familiar with his style of conduct. Knowing his high position and his uncompromising nature, Zhang Yun dared not speak further. He almost knelt on the spot, if it were not for Ye Qiu’s glare that stopped him.

"Little Guizi, give him 200 taels." Ye Qiu commanded Eunuch Gui who was standing behind him.

"There’s no need, no need." Zhang Yun waved his hands repeatedly. How could he dare to accept money from Prince An? Although he felt pain over his painstakingly acquired white porcelain twisted-flower vase, today he had no choice but to let it go.

"It’s only right to compensate for damaging someone’s belongings. I see that Old Man Li doesn’t have the money to pay you, so just take it." Despite his youth, Ye Qiu, who had grown up in the Imperial Palace, held an imposing presence. Seeing Young Master Zhang, who was just recently acting arrogantly, now being so overly courteous to him, everyone in the crowd could guess that Ye Qiu was someone of unusual status. Therefore, they all quieted down, silently watching the scene unfold.

Nobody noticed Old Man Li and his granddaughter Li Xiaolian, who had been kneeling on the ground and crying, stealthily exchanging a glance.

Seeing Ye Qiu’s assertive attitude, Zhang Yun felt he had no choice but to accept it, fearing that not doing so properly might provoke the Young Master’s wrath. Even while returning home with the silver with his entourage, Zhang Yun still wore a perplexed expression. Prince An had actually not given him any trouble?

"Thank you, Young Master, for your great kindness. Old Li has nothing to repay you with and can only hope that you think highly enough of this girl to let her serve as your ox and horse in gratitude," Old Man Li kowtowed to Ye Qiu, looking utterly grateful.

"This slave begs the Young Master to take her in. I am willing to serve you for a lifetime," Li Xiaolian spoke up softly and meekly, her tear-streaked pale face making her appear exceptionally pitiable. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"This Old Man Li seems to be quite decent."

"With 200 taels of silver, even letting Miss Xiao Lian sell herself seems like the Li family has made a profit."

"This Young Master looks to have an extraordinary status; perhaps the Li family will even experience great fortune in the future!"

The chattering whisperings reached Ye Qiu’s ears, and he knew that the scene was arranged by someone scheming for him to witness, with the sole purpose of having Li Xiaolian legitimately stay by his side. If he didn’t agree today, perhaps the other party would come up with a new scheme, and he decided it would be best to keep her close for observation.

"What’s your name?" Ye Qiu asked, lifting his chubby little chin, a picture of lofty pride. Yet against the backdrop of his delicately fair little face, he looked especially adorable.

"I am surnamed Li, and my family calls me Xiao Lian," came the pleasant voice of Li Xiaolian, who was not flustered when Ye Qiu inquired, her tone soft but also filled with warmth and respect. In her previous life, it was this seemingly kind appearance of hers that deceived Ye Qiu, leading him under her instigation to harbor inappropriate thoughts towards his elder brother.

"You want to repay me?" Ye Qiu’s tone seemed a bit troubled.

Seeing this, Li Xiaolian quickly said, "My family is poor; we cannot repay the 200 taels of silver. I only hope the Young Master will take pity on me and give me a way to express my gratitude."

Her earnest expression would move not only a child but even Eunuch Gui, who had seen much in his time, felt a pang of compassion.

"Well, alright then," Ye Qiu agreed, as though it were a great inconvenience to him.

Immediately, Old Man Li and Li Xiaolian, looking immensely grateful, kowtowed to Ye Qiu. The onlookers, seeing the event unfold to this end, felt a sense of completion and gradually dispersed.

Now that the Li family was down to just this grandfather and granddaughter, Ye Qiu simply put Old Man Li in his employ as well, reasoning that there was plenty of work to be done at the Imperial Mansion. Not only would this not starve him, but it would also allow his own people to keep an eye on him.

"What is this?" Li Xiaolian was astonished and speechless when she saw Ye Qiu board a luxurious carriage after leaving the city.

Eunuch Gui smiled proudly at her: "Miss Xiao Lian, you can consider yourself extremely fortunate. From now on, you belong to His Highness."

"His Highness?" Li Xiaolian’s mouth gaped open, seemingly shocked by these words.

"The one who just saved you is none other than Prince An," Eunuch Gui explained with pride as he watched her shocked expression.

"This servant humbly thanks Prince An for his great kindness and benevolence. Long live Your Highness, for thousands and thousands of years." Upon hearing Eunuch Gui’s words, Li Xiaolian immediately knelt down and kowtowed towards Ye Qiu’s carriage.

Eunuch Gui nodded in satisfaction. It seemed that Li Xiaolian was sensible, and with some training, she might serve the Prince well in the future.

Li Xiaolian, being a commoner girl, could not assume her duties at once even though Ye Qiu personally took her in as a servant. Upon arriving at the Imperial Mansion, she was taken away by two nannies for training.

The Imperial Mansion was a private property given to Ye Qiu by Emperor Ye Ling, staffed by his personal guards. Although most of them took orders from the Emperor due to Ye Qiu’s age, it did not affect Ye Qiu in the slightest.

Ye Qiu’s visit to the Imperial Mansion was not merely for leisure, but to find a legitimate opportunity to bring out sweet potatoes, chili peppers, and other things from his space.

Dachen Country had experienced five emperors, with his elder brother Ye Ling being the sixth, and the whole Dachen had gone through a process of decline after its prime, now in a period of decay.

Though Emperor Ye Ling loved his people like his own children and was a good ruler, the negligence and folly of the last two emperors—Ye Qiu’s grandfather and Father Emperor—had led to the rapid decline of the entire Dachen Country.

This had also fueled the ambitions of certain individuals.

Five years later, Dachen would face a century’s worst drought, with nearly half of the land yielding no crops, causing widespread public discontent. Coupled with the rumors spread by those with ulterior motives, Emperor Ye Ling’s throne was once dangerously imperiled.

Although the situation eventually stabilized, Emperor Ye Ling’s health deteriorated due to the ordeal, which is why he never fully recovered after experiencing Ye Qiu’s betrayal later on.

Ye Qiu did not want his elder brother to go through the same troubles of his past life. However, as a famine was an unavoidable natural disaster, he could only seek alternative solutions.

Sweet potatoes are resilient in dry conditions, storable, high-yielding, and filling. Along with potatoes and peanuts, Ye Qiu believed that if these crops were widely cultivated throughout the country, even in times of drought, the people would not starve to death.

As for the desire to grow chili peppers, it was due to Ye Qiu’s personal craving. He had a penchant for taste, and ever since arriving in this world, he had been longing for hotpot, spicy chicken, stir-fried pork with chili, and other dishes. No matter how exquisite the Imperial Palace cuisine was, he had grown tired of it.

"You all wait here, I’ll go up by myself," Ye Qiu instructed Little Guizi and the guards.

"How can that be allowed?" Eunuch Gui panicked, wondering what they would do if something happened to the Young Master.

"There are no fierce beasts in the mountains, what are you worried about?" Ye Qiu glared at him. "You are not to follow, do you hear me? Otherwise, I’ll send you to the Yan Room," Ye Qiu threatened.

Hearing this, Eunuch Gui and the others no longer insisted. They knew all too well the infamy of the Yan Room—only palace attendants who made serious mistakes were sent there, and without exception, none who entered ever came out alive.

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