Upon arriving at the room that Gu Qinlan had meticulously prepared for him, Jiang Ye felt a surge of warmth in his heart upon seeing the room's furnishings.
Several exquisite dishes were laid out on the table. Although not luxurious, each one was his favorite.
The servant next to her added, "Madam knows which dishes you prefer, and specifically instructed the servants to prepare them."
In addition, the servant said, "Madam knows you have a chronic leg ailment, so she specially prepared a high-quality plaster for you. I will apply it for you after you bathe."
Jiang Ye picked up the plaster and examined it carefully; the aroma of the medicine was very pleasant.
The servant cleverly explained, "This was specially prepared by the most famous doctor in the area, whom the madam invited."
Although Jiang Ye did not speak, his eyes were full of gratitude.
During Jiang Ye's childhood, his family suffered a sudden and drastic change. The whole family was demoted to Lingnan and endured many hardships and tribulations along the way.
They endured countless hardships in that unfamiliar land. This experience instilled in Jiang Ye a deep sense of wariness towards strangers, and even when he knew the other person was not a bad person, he still habitually remained vigilant.
After all, people who have experienced the same hardships find it difficult to easily trust others.
However, this cousin made it difficult for him to maintain his usual indifference.
He always felt that his cousin seemed to understand him deeply.
After all, this was their first real meeting. Not counting their childhood encounter, when she was still a naive child.
If she hadn't tried to understand him, how would she have known so many details about him?
How bad could someone be who cares about a penniless relative, even if not out of kindness? What reason would she have to scheme against him?
Thinking about it this way, Jiang Ye couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.
This cousin showed concern for their family from the beginning and even invited him to be their housekeeper. If she didn't genuinely trust them, why would she make such an arrangement? And yet he remained so wary; it's truly inappropriate.
Therefore, at the welcome banquet that evening, Jiang Ye's attitude became less distant.
Gu Qinlan didn't stand on ceremony and entrusted the affairs of the mansion to Jiang Ye during the meal.
Jiang Ye is exceptionally intelligent. Over the years, he has honed many skills in Lingnan, but he lacks a stage to showcase his talents.
Therefore, Gu Qinlan planned to have him serve as a steward in the Prince Duan's mansion for a period of time so that he could familiarize himself with the environment and gain a deeper understanding of the situation in Jindu.
So, the next day, Jiang Ye officially took office.
Gu Qinlan summoned everyone in the manor and publicly announced: "This is Jiang Ye, my cousin, and also the new steward I specially invited to assist me in managing the Duan Prince's manor. From today onwards, all matters in the manor must be reported to him."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Qinlan handed the housekeeper's seal to Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye was a down-to-earth person. In just a few days, he had a good understanding of the affairs of the mansion and then began to make adjustments.
Gu Qinlan had unwavering faith in his abilities, so she let him handle all matters while she focused on finding a school for Zheng Fengyun.
Zheng Fengyun wasn't particularly interested in the academy, but he was overjoyed to have a few days off. Every day, he would drag his little sword to the training ground, sweating and happily practicing his martial arts.
After several days of searching and inquiries, Gu Qinlan still had not found a suitable school in Jindu.
Originally, there were very few excellent universities, and unfortunately, Zheng Fengyun's name was included in the rejection list by these universities one by one.
Seeing Zheng Fengyun idle at home for several days, Zheng Huaiyu felt anxious and restless. She secretly wondered if Gu Qinlan had ulterior motives and intended to make Zheng Fengyun wallow in ignorance.
However, at this time, the Duan Prince's Mansion was firmly under Gu Qinlan's control. With her grandmother gone far away and her aunt unreliable, Zheng Huaiyu was extremely anxious.
After much deliberation, she decided to seek help from the elders of a collateral branch of the Zheng family!
The Zheng family was a prominent and prestigious clan, and the Prince Duan's mansion, as the direct line, enjoyed great prestige. However, the position of clan head was held by an elder from a collateral branch.
Normally, the clan head should be the direct descendant of the family. However, the Zheng family is known for its military generals and has been fighting on the frontier for many years. They have difficulty even dealing with their own internal conflicts, let alone clan affairs.
Therefore, the position of clan chief fell to an elder from a collateral branch who was both capable and had free time.
The current clan chief is the second-ranking elder in a collateral branch. This elder passed the imperial examinations in his early years and briefly served in the officialdom, but his overly upright character angered his superiors, ultimately leading to his dismissal and return to his hometown. After retiring, he assumed the heavy responsibility of clan chief. He is quite capable, and in his years in office, he has managed clan affairs with remarkable efficiency, earning the widespread trust of the clan members.
Upon receiving Zheng Huaiyu's letter seeking help, the clan chief could no longer contain himself and immediately led a group of elders to the Prince Duan's residence to demand an explanation.
Chief Zheng acted with extreme speed, arriving at Prince Duan's residence with his men without prior notice.
When Gu Qinlan received the servant's report, she was slightly taken aback: "Clan Chief Zheng? You want to see me?"
The servant replied, "Yes, there are also several elders from the clan traveling with us."
Gu Qinlan frowned slightly.
She had only been married into the Zheng family for a little over a month, and Zheng Dinglian had already gone to the battlefield, so she had not yet formally clashed with the collateral branches of the Zheng family.
Given the current situation, with Princess Duan not in the residence, these people's sudden arrival clearly indicates they are after her.
Moreover, the visitor is not friendly.
However, Gu Qinlan did not take it to heart and instructed the servants, "Go and tell the steward to lead them to the front hall. I will change my clothes and go there immediately."
The servant obeyed and hurriedly went to find Jiang Ye.
While helping Gu Qinlan change her clothes, Fuyu said worriedly, "Miss, why did the Zheng family's collateral branch suddenly come to visit? Are they here to cause us trouble?"
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