She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 410 - 409: As If in a Dream

Chapter 410: Chapter 409: As If in a Dream

Duke An and two others left the room, and Madam Yin glanced at the Duchess sitting at the upper seat, reproaching Ye Xinyan in a low voice, "Child, you are too honest, how could you ask such a question? Since the Duke said Hai Hour, of course, it meant the early Hai Hour."

Qi Jiajia and Qi Sanshun were reluctant to leave, with Qi Jiajia clinging to Ye Xinyan’s neck unwilling to let go, making it difficult for the old woman servant summoned to take them away. The Duchess, surrounded by attendants and ready to leave, stopped and looked over.

Ye Xinyan kept soothing Qi Jiajia and, seeing the Duchess looking over, quickly said apologetically, "I’ve caused you trouble, Duchess. These two are young and feel uneasy coming to such a grand mansion for the first time. Please, go ahead. I’ll steady them slowly. Once there are fewer people around, they’ll feel safer and be easier to persuade."

The Duchess understood, thinking it’s quite normal for country children to feel uneasy when they first arrive in a strange place. It’s already a big deal that the children had adapted this well. But, why did her granddaughter’s reference to her sound so distant?

She gave careful instructions to the old woman servants stationed in Ye Xinyan’s courtyard to take good care of the Young Lady and her brother, leaving two other old woman servants in the main hall to wait for further orders, before leading Nanny Qian and a group of maidens and old woman servants back to her own courtyard.

Ye Xinyan, seeing the unease in Qi Sanshun’s and Qi Jiajia’s eyes, felt a pang of heartache. For two country children coming to such an imposing mansion for the first time, it was natural to feel apprehensive when their only source of support was being punished by kneeling, and now they were being asked to separate and stay in different places.

With no one else around, Qi Sanshun quietly asked Ye Xinyan, "We got along so well with Sixth Master, why didn’t we go to his place instead of coming to Duke An’s Mansion? These people aren’t nice to Sister at all."

Upon hearing this, Madam Yin immediately became tense and said to Qi Sanshun, "Good child, this is your sister’s home. How can we neglect our own home and go to someone else’s instead? It doesn’t matter if they’re not nice to us. After today, we’ll go back to our courtyard and can do as we please without having to worry about their opinions."

"..." Ye Xinyan was almost speechless. Princely Heir’s wife, this isn’t a good way to teach children, is it? This could easily mislead the children into harboring feelings of hostility, right?

"No, that’s not it," Ye Xinyan explained to the two, "The Princely Heir’s wife is not wrong. When we have nowhere else to stay in the capital, this is where we should be. And it’s not that Duke An is unkind to your sister; it’s that she did something wrong before. You both know, right? When you’ve done wrong, you have to take responsibility, just like when your sister makes you stand as punishment. The rule in Duke’s Mansion is to kneel."

"All right, off you go with Nanny Jin to the courtyard to rest. That’s your sister’s courtyard, you know. Go see if you like it," Ye Xinyan clapped her hands, "Don’t dawdle now, off you go."

Qi Jiajia’s eyes became a little wet, and he said in a deflated tone, "But, Duke Grandfather said he won’t let Sister have dinner."

Ye Xinyan chuckled and said, "How could your sister not have anything to eat? The Princely Heir’s wife will certainly keep some food for her; she’ll just have it a bit later. And the food the Princely Heir’s wife prepares for her is definitely delicious. Ask the Princely Heir’s wife, isn’t that right?"

Qi Jiajia looked towards Madam Yin.

Madam Yin hurriedly nodded, "Your sister’s not wrong. There’s a kitchen in your aunt’s courtyard, go back with your brother and rest for a while. When you wake up, your aunt will have someone lead you and your brother over here to see the dinner she has prepared for your sister, all your sister’s favorites."

Ye Xinyan held up her index finger and waggled it in front of Qi Jiajia, whispering, "Alright, hurry on now. Once you all leave, there will be no one here, and I can rest at ease without needing to kneel the whole time. But you mustn’t tell anyone about this, okay?"

Qi Jiajia’s eyes twinkled, and he whispered into Ye Xinyan’s ear, "Later, I’ll sneak some treats to Sister."

"Sister isn’t hungry, look, there are quite a few snacks here." Ye Xinyan pointed to the tea snacks on the table that hadn’t been cleared away, "You should rest for a bit now, I’ll be resting too."

When Madam Yin was about to leave, she hesitated and said, "How about I have a maid bring you dinner later, and we’ll keep it quiet."

"No need," Ye Xinyan waved her hands repeatedly, "You take them back with you. Once everyone is gone, I can quietly rest here. If your maid comes later and people start watching this place because of her, wouldn’t that be even more troublesome for me?"

Ye Xinyan had to say all she could to coax and persuade Qi Jiaer and Madam Yin with the other adults and children to leave. The main hall became quiet, leaving only Ye Xinyan, who was kneeling on the spot, and two old woman servants standing by the door.

In Ye Xinyan’s memory, these two shouldn’t have much authority over her. She glanced at them and then slightly raised her chin, asking, "Are you two specifically here to watch me?"

The two old women were startled and hurriedly waved their hands, "We dare not, we are only here to await the Young Lady’s commands."

Well, that was a frightening question to ask. Ever since she was young, the Miss had been punished by kneeling countless times, and there were few who could truly keep an eye on her. Even the masters couldn’t control the Miss, so how could they have the capability? If they couldn’t watch her, they might end up being whipped for finding fault, and then where would they go to reason?

Ye Xinyan was delighted and impatiently waved them off, "I have no instructions for you two, go rest yourselves, don’t flit before my eyes and irritate me."

Upon hearing this, the two understood immediately—that was the Miss for sure, who always behaved in this manner. Without another word, they left the room.

Then it was Ye Xinyan’s free time, she found a chair on the side and sat down, looked at the tea snacks on the table, had little appetite, and thought it better not to drink the tea; it was the dead of winter, and drinking tea might cause her to need a place to relieve herself.

Ye Xinyan was a bit annoyed she hadn’t been more foresighted—if only she had tucked a book or something entertaining to relieve her boredom. How was she going to pass these two shichen, four hours of time? Perhaps she could lean on the chair and take a little nap first?

Time passed quite quickly without any disturbances. Ye Xinyan moved to a chair near the brazier and dozed off for a shichen. When she woke up, she called the old women in to add coal, drank some tea, tasted a few snacks, and the time gradually approached the Hai Hour.

Time was much harder for Madam Yin than for Ye Xinyan, as she watched almost motionlessly the water clock in her room, annoyed at how slowly time passed. A quarter of an hour from the Hai Hour, Madam Yin had already come to the door of the main hall to take her daughter back, accompanied closely by Qi Jia and Qi Sanshun.

The subsequent events were of no interest; precisely at Hai Hour, a maid from the Duchess’ room came to call the Young Lady to return to her room to rest.

Ye Xinyan first went to Madam Yin’s courtyard, where a large table of food was already waiting for her in Madam Yin’s room. Madam Yin had the food prepared lavishly but did not urge her to eat much, only saying, "It’s night, don’t eat too much. Just taste a little of each dish so you’re not hungry, and see what you like. We can make it again tomorrow."

While eating sporadically, Ye Xinyan meticulously recounted the past two years of relatively peaceful and satisfying life and answered Madam Yin’s various questions. After dinner, she kept Madam Yin company until Qi Jiaer’s eyes could no longer stay open, and then returned to her own courtyard with Nanny Jin and the two little ones.

After settling Qi Sanshun and Qi Jiaer properly, Ye Xinyan went back to the room she had lived in for one day and lay down on the carved bed that had made her realize her transmigration situation, almost as if in a dream.