Chapter 1514 - 1513: You Are the Li Family’s Eldest Young Master...

Chapter 1514: Chapter 1513: You Are the Li Family’s Eldest Young Master...

If they weren’t sure they had found the right person, they might have mistaken this man for the master of the house.

Li Yan remained unruffled, even a bit accustomed to the situation, and said, "I am Li Yan from the Li Family!"

This sentence served as his self-introduction.

The man inside widened his eyes, dumbfounded, seemingly in disbelief, and said, "You... You are the Eldest Young Master of the Li Family..."

The news of Li Yan, the Eldest Young Master of the Li Family, returning had already spread throughout the Li Family. They were both alarmed and delighted by his return.

They were alarmed because they didn’t know the Young Master’s temperament and feared inadvertently offending him by doing something wrong.

They were delighted because Gong Qingwan had led the Li Family for many years, eliminating dissent and having already nurtured trusted followers. Over the years, as the descendants of the old servants of the Li Family, they had no chance to emerge. Now, finally meeting the rightful master, if they could latch onto the big ship that was the Eldest Young Master of the Li Family, they would have a glimmer of hope for a smooth future.

However...

The young man awkwardly scratched his head and said, "I didn’t know that the Young Master would return, so I wasn’t prepared. I’m very sorry..."

If he had known earlier, he would have at least changed into formal attire and not greeted the Young Master in such an inappropriate manner wearing home clothes.

Li Yan did not mind and said, "It’s my fault for not informing you in advance; it’s not your fault."

If he had notified them, preparations would have been made in advance, which was something Li Yan disliked. He wanted to see the true nature of things because only through authenticity could he detect subtle clues and observe the real situation.

Of course, what he thought about was not necessary for others to know; otherwise, what he saw might have a false facade.

The young man nodded knowingly or unknowingly and said, "If the Young Master wants to know anything, just ask me. I am the steward responsible for this house, and I know everything regarding this home, no matter how trivial."

Originally, it was assumed he was just a gatekeeper, but who would have thought he was actually the house steward, showing he indeed had some capability.

A certain deputy frowned and said, "Is there only you in this house?"

After the young man responded with a ’Hmm,’ he said, "Not exactly. Besides the elders, there are five young ones, but... they all work odd jobs outside and don’t come back often..."

"Odd jobs?" the certain deputy widened their eyes and said, "Isn’t the money from the Li Family enough to support you all? Why need to work odd jobs?"

"No, not that..." The young man felt a chill in his heart and said, "Our elders originally worked for the Li Family, and when Madam Gong saw their old age, she found them a place to retire, so the people in this courtyard are all moved out from the old mansion..."

Old mansion?

Li Yan frowned.

Back in the day, during Gong Qingwan’s major reshuffling, to extol her own virtues and preserve the housekeeper’s dignity, not a small amount of money was spent, earning her a reputation of virtue.

Li Yan had heard a bit about these matters, but he hadn’t expected Gong Qingwan to handle them with such calculated consideration.

The young man nodded and said, "Yes, my mother was originally the internal steward of the old mansion, there was also a chef and two nanny-maids. They receive the money from the Li Family, and even without working, they have support in their old age. However, they all left children behind... The children have no source of income, but the elders are determined to cling to the Li Family’s house and don’t want to move, so the young ones have to go out to work and earn a living..."