Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Stockpiling Grain

The rain had been falling for three straight days. Mist hung thick in the air outside. The old residence was built many years ago, and as a result, the floors inside were perpetually damp.

On the morning of the third day, the rain finally stopped. However, the sky remained overcast, looking as if it could start pouring again at any moment.

Ye Chutang brewed some medicine and gave it to Xiao Wu.

Her fever had broken, but she still had a bit of a cough.

After Xiao Wu finished the bowl of bitter, brown medicinal soup, Ye Chutang would always hand her a piece of candied fruit.

Xiao Wu was easy to please. Sucking on the sweet candied fruit, she gave Ye Chutang a brilliant smile, showing little sign of her illness.

KNOCK KNOCK—

Hearing the knock, Ye Chutang looked up, feeling a little puzzled.

They had been back for several days. Everyone knew they had returned to move the ancestral graves and pay their respects, so no one had come to disturb them.

Besides, Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng had been young when they left, so they didn’t have any close friends their age here. This made things even quieter.

’Who could be visiting at a time like this?’

A moment later, a servant came to report.

"Second Miss, Young Master Pan is here."

Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow.

’Young Master Pan... could it be... Pan Ying, the one they’d met at the city gate?’

"Show him in. Then go inform Yan and A Feng that we have a visitor."

"Yes."

Ye Jingyan was in his room, looking over Ye Yunfeng’s recent calligraphy practice, when he heard the servant’s report. He, too, was taken aback for a moment.

"Pan Ying?"

Ye Yunfeng asked curiously, "Third Brother, is he here to see you?"

Ye Jingyan couldn’t guess his purpose either. He set down the paper in his hand and said, "I’ll go see."

Not wanting to miss this rare break, Ye Yunfeng quickly got up and followed him. "I’m coming with you!"

Ye Jingyan didn’t stop him. He wasn’t sure what his sister had said to A Feng the other day, but after returning, A Feng had started applying himself with newfound determination, putting in much more effort than before.

So, he decided not to be so strict with him anymore.

When they arrived at the front hall and saw that the visitor was indeed Pan Ying, Ye Jingyan smiled and said, "What brings Pan here?"

Although Pan Ying was good friends with his older brother, he wasn’t well-acquainted with Ye Jingyan himself. He had no idea why Pan was visiting now.

Pan Ying looked a little reserved. "Actually, I wanted to come earlier, but—but I was afraid of interrupting your important business, so I waited until today."

Ye Jingyan was taken aback.

They had never had any dealings with Pan Ying, but from the sound of it, he had something very important to discuss with them.

Ye Jingyan poured him a cup of tea. "Pan, please speak freely."

Pan Ying opened his mouth, then scratched his head and asked in a low voice, "Third Brother, is your sister the one in charge of your family now?"

He had heard that during the Ye Family’s grave relocation and ancestral worship, it was Ye Chutang who had knelt at the very front!

Qingzhou was hundreds of miles from the Capital City and a small place besides, so news didn’t travel fast. Thus, they didn’t know about the Ye siblings’ situation in the Capital City.

But the ancestral worship alone was enough to show that Ye Chutang was definitely the one calling the shots in the Ye Family!

Ye Jingyan wasn’t evasive upon hearing this. He nodded slightly. "In the Ye Family, my sister is indeed the head of the household."

’Just as I thought,’ Pan Ying said to himself. He wiped his hands on his trousers and said, "Th-then, could I ask her to come here?"

Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng exchanged a look, both seeing the surprise in each other’s eyes.

But Ye Jingyan reacted quickly and nodded at once. "A Feng, go get our sister."

Soon, Ye Chutang arrived.

When Pan Ying saw her, he was stunned for a moment, a flash of admiration in his eyes.

The other day, Ye Chutang had been inside the carriage, and no one had been able to get a glimpse of her face. He hadn’t expected her to be so graceful and beautiful.

Ye Chutang smiled faintly. "Young Master Pan, what matter brings you to me?"

Pan Ying snapped back to his senses. He seemed a little embarrassed and agonized for a good while before finally asking hesitantly:

"It’s nothing else, really. I just came to ask... for this year’s autumn harvest, Mr. Ye has yet to send anyone to collect the grain. Has something happened?"

Ye Chutang’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Ye Yunfeng could no longer hold back. "What did you say?"

’Grain?’

The Ye Family did indeed own a plot of land in Qingzhou, but it had been abandoned for many years.

Ye Zheng had been successful, enjoying a smooth career as an official. And while Ye Heng couldn’t compare, he had still made a name for himself.

Naturally, no one farmed that land anymore.

’Why would Pan Ying bring this up now? And what’s this about collecting grain...?’

In truth, Pan Ying had been worried for some time. That was why, despite feeling it was inappropriate to show up and press the matter, he had come anyway.

"It’s about the grain Mr. Ye ordered from us before!"

Seeing their expressions, Pan Ying understood that they probably didn’t know about this either, so he explained:

"A few years ago, Mr. Ye came back for a visit and purchased a large amount of grain. Ever since then, he’s done it every year. But this year, it’s been over half a month since the autumn harvest, and the grain is piling up in the granaries, but no one has come to collect it."

Pan Ying wrung his hands.

"The weather’s been bad lately, with all this rain. It would be a problem if the grain got damp. Everyone’s very worried, so they sent me to ask about it."

In fact, when Ye Chutang and her brothers returned, many people had secretly guessed they were at odds with Ye Heng.

After all, Ye Heng was a Ye Family elder. For him to be absent from something as major as moving the ancestral graves and holding a memorial, it just didn’t seem right, no matter how you looked at it.

Because Pan Ying had dealt with them before, he was the one sent to inquire.

Ye Yunfeng was completely bewildered by all this and subconsciously looked toward Ye Chutang.

Ye Jingyan’s lips moved slightly, but in the end, he cautiously remained silent.

The room fell silent for a moment before the woman’s soft, unhurried voice spoke again.

"How many shi of grain were harvested this year?"