She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 445 - 443 How Many Times Has This Been Beaten?

Chapter 445: Chapter 443 How Many Times Has This Been Beaten?

Thinking back on her past self, Madam Yin sighed and continued, "Maternal Aunt Zhao’s visit this time is probably to gauge our intentions. Ah Yan, your reputation is now significant, managing such a large project, household affairs are certainly a trivial matter for you. She cannot contend with me, let alone you. Realizing she has no hope of taking charge, this is her way of making amends, though she hadn’t expected the pleasant surprise. Thus, she is genuinely happy, truly satisfied."

"Mother is so smart to figure out these things in an instant," Ye Xinyan praised. Her compliment for Madam Yin came from the heart; to understand a person so clearly, how had she been so confused for so many years before."

Madam Yin sighed again, her tone laced with bitterness, "Mother has endured hardships and reached a dead end before understanding all this. There’s a saying, ’the onlooker sees most of the game,’ and Mother was too deeply mired to see clearly for all these years."

Hearing Madam Yin’s bitter words, Ye Xinyan inwardly lamented her misfortune in encountering bad people. Shifting on the kang bed, Ye Xinyan moved closer to Madam Yin and hugged her shoulders, comforting, "Let’s not be sad. Let’s not think about what’s already passed. You still have me, and your daughter will keep you company in the future."

Let that scoundrel and his Maternal Aunt Liu roll aside. She wanted to see, after all of Maternal Aunt Liu’s scheming that had trapped her in the small quarters of a concubine, what kind of life she and her son would lead from now on.

Moved by the embrace, Madam Yin scolded playfully, "What daughter stays with her mother for a lifetime? Mother still has to find a Perfect Gentleman for Ah Yan so you can lead a happy life. Ah Yan, you are my life, my everything; as long as you are well, Mother is content. You are so much smarter and more capable than both Maternal Aunt Liu’s son and daughter put together; Mother has no need to be upset with her."

Er, she seemed to hold too much importance in Madam Yin’s heart, entrusting all her emotions onto someone else, painting a somewhat desolate picture of life. However, this topic couldn’t be pursued further; these elders loved to dwell on the matter of finding the Perfect Gentleman.

"Mother, let me tell you about your Pastry House’s treats," Ye Xinyan diverted the subject.

After lunch and a nap, Madam Yin resumed the daily life of the female relatives in the inner courtyards, calling Ye Xinyan to look at the gifts she had prepared for visits to the Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion on the second and fourth days.

Before she could examine the gifts carefully, Jiu Yue, who had stayed in Ye Xinyan’s courtyard, came to report that Qi Sanshun and Qi Jiaer had returned. Jiu Yue whispered in Ye Xinyan’s ear, "The two brothers seem to have gotten into a fight, they have bruises on their faces."

"What!" Ye Xinyan immediately bristled with anger. When she had been of low status, living cautiously like a mouse and subsisting on her stall for a living, she never let her children be bullied. Now, living in peace, her children had to suffer this humiliation, with bruises on their faces? Ha, if this continued, she wouldn’t need to go out and be seen by others, nor return to Clear Water Village to show her shame.

Without further thought, Ye Xinyan excused herself to Madam Yin and hurried out. Both Bi Ning and Nanny Jin were too late to apologize to Madam Yin, quickly following behind her.

Madam Yin, failing to grab hold of her, put down what she was holding and followed quickly, calling after Ye Xinyan, "Ah Yan, why the rush? With the estate’s guards and Righteous Guan following them, the children won’t suffer any loss."

The remark snapped Ye Xinyan out of her frenzy; she stopped abruptly and turned back to help Madam Yin.

She had been too hasty. Guan He, who was overprotective and shameless all for the sake of his pride, would never allow anyone under his watch to suffer. If Qi Sanshun and the other children had come back with bruises after a brawl, then those who fought with them must have fared far worse.

Ye Xinyan took a couple of steps back, holding onto Madam Yin’s arm, and apologetically said, "Mother, I’m sorry, I was too hasty."

As they walked back together, Madam Yin chided her, "What were you running so fast for? If you take another tumble, even if the kids are fine, you might hurt yourself. Tsk tsk tsk, let’s not talk about such things during the New Year. Mother is just telling you, be more careful when you walk. With the people Lian Gui arranged to follow, the children won’t come to any harm."

Ye Xinyan nodded repeatedly, "Yes, you’re right, Mother has more experience and can think of these things right away. I still lack experience because I haven’t been through as much." That must be the case, for Madam Yin had weathered many storms; how could she compare to someone like her, who grew up in an ordinary family and belongs to the working class?

Miss Ye had grown up amidst trouble and strife. Madam Yin, tested by many tribulations, surely had an extraordinarily tough mentality. It was just a small incident; everyone had come back, hadn’t they? Ye Xinyan remembered how in the past she often got into trouble with important people, was detained, and needed someone from the Duke’s Mansion or Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion to come to her rescue.

Ye Xinyan accompanied Madam Yin to the main house in her own courtyard, where Qi Sanshun and Qi Jiaer had already changed their clothes, and the maid from Song Ping’s household, along with another maid, were carefully wiping the hands and faces of the two little ones.

The maid from Song Ping’s Household was wiping Qi Jiaer’s face, swollen on one cheek and bruised on the eyebrow, and kept complaining to Jiuhua, "What were you thinking? When the boy gets into a fight, you should take the punches and kicks for him, how could you let him get hurt... What use are you?"

His face bearing two purplish marks, Jiuhua’s small face was still streaked with tears. His newly bought clothes were covered with dust and stains, and there were two large rips where white cotton poked out.

Qi Jiaer, taking breaths, said to the maid from An Ping’s household, "Auntie, don’t scold Brother Jiuhua. Brother Jiuhua fought with us, and he was so fierce. If it weren’t for Brother Jiuhua, we couldn’t have beaten those other kids."

Qi Sanshun, on the other hand, dodged the maid’s attempts to wipe his face, insisting, "I’m fine, I’ll do it myself. You can’t expect not to get scraped up in a fight. I’ll take care of it."

Seeing this scene, Ye Xinyan’s heart settled, and she instructed Bi Ning, "Get some clothes for Jiuhua, and wipe his face while you’re at it. Look at how grimy his little face is. Sister Song, Jiuhua is a child too, and since he is already hurt, let’s not go on about it anymore. When children fight, it’s all a jumble; nobody can keep an eye on anybody."

"Miss can’t indulge him like that. He follows Brother Jia, so naturally, he should protect him. How could you allow Brother Jia to get hurt? He hasn’t done his duty properly," said the maid from Song Ping’s household, pushing Jiuhua, "Aren’t you going to apologize to Miss?"

For their family to have found a master like the Qi family was a stroke of luck. Brother Jia was kind-hearted, and he always shared what he had with Jiuhua. Unless there were strangers around, it was just the little brothers eating and living together; even when Brother Jia practiced martial arts or went to school, Jiuhua would benefit too.

One must appreciate their good fortune and know right from wrong. The master’s family was good to him, yet Jiuhua let Brother Jia’s face get scratched up and his clothes torn in several places; this was Jiuhua failing in his duty as a servant.

Jiuhua hurriedly turned to Ye Xinyan, about to kneel and apologize. Ye Xinyan quickly pulled him up, laughing, "Let me see, your little face, how many times were you punched? You also train with Uncle Guan every day, squatting and practicing stances; how could you let yourself be beaten up like this?"

While speaking, Ye Xinyan took out a handkerchief and wiped the dust off his face. Tears stains could be left; they would be less painful to wash off with water later on.