She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 454 - 452: Only the Woman in Charge Deserves It

Chapter 454: Chapter 452: Only the Woman in Charge Deserves It

Given Jinrong’s status and that of Duke An, naturally, they would not escort Xing Bin and the others out. Xing Bin and his group also did not have the audacity to ask the two to stand up and see them off.

The group repeatedly bowed and politely excused themselves from Duke An’s reception hall. Once they stood in the courtyard, they felt as if they had been granted amnesty, and almost flew on the heels of Lian Gui out of Duke An’s Mansion’s gates, boarding their carriages and leaving.

Well, what situation is this? The Ye Family’s granddaughter had caused such a scandal two years ago, and then she fled to escape the consequences. Only two years had passed, and the aftereffects of that incident were still warm, yet Miss Ye not only returned but did so with such strength.

Today’s incident was not caused by her directly, but merely being associated with her made it so troublesome. It seems that one’s fate really follows who they are, whether willing or not, one must accept their lot in life, especially when someone has a grandfather with such a distinguished military record.

It’s better to head back quickly and report this matter to the family elders. It seems that one must be more cautious in their actions in the future, not to merely consider power and face. Associating with a prince with real power certainly brings prestige, but life is not necessarily easy, and a slight misstep can lead to big trouble.

Ji Chengxian sat in the carriage, deeply regretting his visit. Knowing that Guangwen was beaten by a rural child living in Duke An’s Mansion, his whole family was furious. The Ji Family had a bona fide marriage connection with Duke An’s Mansion. After the incident, Duke An’s Mansion didn’t show any concern—not even sending someone to give notice, which would have been something, but there was nothing.

The disgraceful granddaughter of Duke An’s Mansion was given such attention, yet his youngest brother, who married the concubine-born daughter of that household, deserved to be slighted? Were even the Ji Family’s descendants considered inferior to the rural lad brought back by Ye Xinyan?

Driven by the family’s indignation, he had made this trip. Who would have thought that those two lads would be favored by His Highness Prince Yu, resulting in the current debacle?

Alas, if only he had thought to discuss the matter privately with Ye Hongyang before, even though it wouldn’t have given the same satisfying effect of going in person to demand justice and watch the rural lad being punished, at least he wouldn’t have left in such a disheveled state, nor stirred up trouble.

Considering the present situation of Duke An’s Mansion, with his family’s reputation and lineage, he really should not have married the concubine-born daughter of Duke An’s Mansion.

Back then, everyone thought that Duke An had given up on the Legitimate Granddaughter, and the other three grandchildren were all from the only concubine of the Princely Heir. It was assumed that after Ye Hongyang’s illegitimate child succeeded the Duke’s title, there would no longer be any distinction between legitimate and illegitimate.

Though his father had some reputation among the scholars, his status was not particularly high. If his younger sister-in-law had been the biological sister of the future Duke An, the status of the Ji Family would have naturally been higher. Now, it seems that the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate is taken quite seriously within the Ye Family, and his sister-in-law is far less regarded by Duke An than they had imagined.

There are many reasons, but it is true that this matter was not handled well. He’d better return and explain the whole story to his mother, then discuss today’s events with his father so that he could be prepared. If word of the Crown Prince taking the law lightly were to spread, his father could also be prepared to respond.

As for the marital relations between the two families, if Duke An and his wife do not value them, and Madam Yin, the wife of the heir apparent, also disregards them, only Ye Hongyang and his concubines... sigh, they’ll see what happens with the succession in the future.

......

The guest hall of Duke An’s Mansion quieted down, leaving only Jinrong and his grandfather Duke An, along with their personal attendants. Duke An then politely asked Jinrong, "How did His Highness Prince Yu find out that Young Master Qi and others got into a fight?" He wouldn’t have someone watching Duke An’s Mansion, would he?

The thought alone made Duke An’s Mansion want to send out people to pull out the spies.

Upon hearing Duke An’s question with its unclear implications, Jinrong was in no hurry. After observing the two youngsters once more, he smiled and said, "Brother Guan He has handled this matter ostentatiously. Pavilion of the Gathering of Immortals is one of the city’s renowned restaurants; having those kids sitting there, clothes torn and faces swollen, naturally attracted attention. It would have been impossible for me to remain unaware. Sanshun and Brother Jia are new to the area and could easily be underestimated, so I felt uneasy and came to have a look."

Duke An’s eyes flickered and he declined politely, "These are minor matters, I can handle them myself, and truly would not dare to trouble His Highness Prince Yu with such an esteemed visit."

Jinrong could detect the unwelcome tone in Duke An’s voice, but since the old man had never been one to associate with princes and it was not just against him, Jinrong was not particularly bothered. He only replied with a smile, "I brought them to the capital, and as a prince, I could hardly stand by and watch them being bullied. I brought them here so they could live comfortably and happily. If everywhere they go they are met with contempt and verbal abuse, what pleasure is there in that?"

Ye Xinyan inwardly praised Jinrong for his reasonable words. If one had to live a suffocating and disgruntled life, it would be better to roam free in the countryside rather than come to a bustling place to live at the mercy of others’ gazes.

Duke An glanced at Ye Xinyan and sighed to himself, wondering if it was really a good thing for Xinyan and Brother Jia to be at the mansion, knowing that the Sixth Prince would then frequently visit Duke An’s Mansion.

He did not believe that the Sixth Prince was putting in so much effort merely because he was fond of the two little ones.

Qi Jiaer was still young and, though endearing, didn’t have much that was worth paying special attention to or recruiting for; Qi Sanshun was a few years older and, despite some boldness in speech and behavior, remained a child who was not significant enough to warrant such regard from a prince.

Thus, it seemed that what the Sixth Prince valued was Xinyan. If his interest in his granddaughter was solely because she was a stewardship prodigy, that was one thing, but if there were other motivations... His granddaughter was already married, so to have his exceptional granddaughter become a concubine for a prince?

He felt he could not accept that.

Jinrong didn’t want to put Duke An in a difficult position, so after a short sit-down, he rose and took his leave.

Ye Xinyan led the two children, accompanying Duke An to see off the guest. Just before departing, Jinrong invited the children with a smile to visit him at Prince Yu’s Mansion in a few days when he was less busy and see if the toy carriages in his mansion were even more appealing. They could also meet his own little nephews.

Qi Jiaer’s eyes immediately sparkled. He had grown taller over the past two years and was no longer suited to ride a tricycle, but that toy carriage and several folded paper toys were still prominently displayed in his room. It was the first time he realized that, like other children, someone loved him, and his elder was willing to go to great lengths to make him happy.

So, did the Sixth Master’s Mansion have such toy carriages too, and children that one could adore?

After seeing Jinrong off, Duke An intended to ask Ye Xinyan if she had any agreement with the Sixth Prince or any special relationship with him.

However, the old man had no experience dealing with young girls, and after opening his mouth several times he still found no words. Glancing again at his granddaughter’s candid, even somewhat naive face, he sighed and decided to let the matter go for the time being.

One would think to ask Madam Yin about such matters, but once it concerned her daughter, she was exceedingly unreliable. If he asked her, she would likely turn a baseless issue into common gossip, potentially ruining everything.

It seemed he only had to instruct Lian Gui, ensuring that when arranging the guards, they pay extra attention, and try to minimize private encounters between his granddaughter and the Sixth Prince. His granddaughter should only marry a head wife worthy of her talents and standing. To marry into a royal family, or even become a nameless concubine or a maidservant? Wishful thinking!

If Xinyan dared to entertain such thoughts, he would break her legs!