She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 471 - 469 Princess Fu

Chapter 471: Chapter 469 Princess Fu

Maternal Aunt Liu thought back to the incident that occurred two years ago at Duke An’s sixtieth birthday banquet. Their mother-daughter scheme had leveraged Ye Xinyan’s arrangements, leaving behind no obvious loopholes, but idle gossip among people still spread widely.

Intra-household strife was common in every family, where winning was a testament to one’s abilities. However, her daughter had always presented herself as generous and well-mannered. Should people discover that she plotted against her legitimate elder sister, showing no regard for her grandfather’s sixtieth birthday celebration or the reputation of her maternal family, she would likely face significant doubts regarding her past conduct. Her in-laws would be especially vigilant and disgusted.

But who could have anticipated that Ye Xinyan, being in such dire straits at the time, could have made a comeback and even garnered the attention of many, with the Emperor himself recognizing the fact of her fleeing and returning to her family at court.

With the situation as it was, they could only look on the bright side. Maternal Aunt Liu said, "Don’t worry, she would be the last person to bring up such a humiliating event. She likely said what she did just to scare you."

Ye Xinyi considered this and felt somewhat reassured. "That makes sense." Yet she remained visibly dejected.

"Are you worried about how to explain this to your mother-in-law?" Maternal Aunt Liu asked.

Ye Xinyi nodded and then shook her head. "Of course it’s difficult to explain things to my mother-in-law and elder sister-in-law. But what disturbs me more is that Ye Xinyan has changed from before; she’s become patient, sharp, and coherent in her speech. Mother, do you think that Princess Fu personally inviting her to the banquet is a sign that the rumors about her are true, and that she could indeed accomplish great things now?"

Maternal Aunt Liu showed disdain, "Even if the rumors are true, those are not the sort of affairs a woman should involve herself in. A woman among a bunch of rough laborers and artisans—what respectable family would accept her? No matter her capabilities, she is but a laughingstock in the eyes of noble households."

Ye Xinyi still wore a worried look. "I think Princess Fu aims to win over Ye Xinyan. Perhaps Prince Fu sees potential in her abilities as well, wishing to have her on his side to make money for Prince Fu’s Mansion. If she truly wins the favor of both Prince Yu and Prince Fu, and with the backing of grandfather at Duke’s Mansion, once she gains a firm foothold, it could spell trouble for us, seeking retribution for the wrongs we’ve done to her mother and daughter. What then shall we do?"

Remembering what Ye Hongyang had said that day, Maternal Aunt Liu laughed. "Your father mentioned that she might have caught the eye of His Highness Prince Yu. If that’s the case, how could she carelessly agree to work for another household? It’s actually good that you couldn’t accompany her to Prince Fu’s Mansion. If Princess Fu tries to win her over and she declines, it would only displease the princess."

Maternal Aunt Liu lowered her voice slightly and continued, "With Prince Fu being competent and talented, who knows who will ascend the throne in the future. If she offends Princess Fu, she’s asking for death—let’s ensure it won’t drag you down with her."

Ye Xinyi’s eyes lit up, and she asked, "What about Prince Yu? If he relies on her, couldn’t she still rise to prominence?"

Maternal Aunt Liu laughed and began peeling peanuts on the dry fruit plate, "In Prince Yu’s residence, she could only be a concubine or a maidservant of unclear status. Once Prince Yu takes on a principal wife, her sort of status leads only to a dead end. The more Prince Yu depends on and favors her, the faster her downfall."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xinyi immediately understood and nodded in agreement, "Yes, that’s right. It would be best if His Highness Prince Yu gave her exceptional attention and favor, setting aside even the princess consort. The more the future princess consort resents her, the quicker her end."

With this, Ye Xinyi’s mood lightened, and she smiled, "During the first month of the lunar year, all the mansions will be hosting gatherings. When people talk about the railway carriage that started operating before the New Year, they will certainly mention her. If I get the chance, I’ll drop some ambiguous hints here and there. Then let others’ imaginations run wild. It would be best to expedite her relationship with His Highness Prince Yu, providing the future prince consort’s wife with a reason to target her."

......

On the eighth day of the lunar month, Madam Yin and Ye Xinyan finished their attire and after instructing Sanshun and Qi Jiaer to follow Guan He for the day, they went to visit Duke An and the Duchess to bid them good morning before departing for Prince Fu’s Mansion by carriage.

Today, Prince Fu’s Mansion was hosting not only female relatives but also numerous guests who arrived on horseback. Fortunately, the streets near the mansion were usually quiet, and at this time, the mansion’s staff were guiding the vehicles and horses along the route. The carriage from the Ye Family approached the mansion without any hindrance.

The mansion’s grand doors stood wide open today, with male and female guests entering from their respective sides. An old woman servant called out to direct the arriving carriages of the female guests. Hearing that the wife of Duke’s Heir Apparent and Miss Ye had arrived, a Servant Woman immediately stepped forward to lead their carriage toward the Second Gate.

Ye Xinyan was somewhat an anomaly at Duke An’s Mansion, as her relations—or lack thereof—with anyone could not possibly implicate her family. Therefore, having been to Prince Fu’s Mansion before, she found nothing novel about it.

Madam Yin and her daughter, along with their maids, alighted from their carriage at a sedan hall set up outside the Second Gate, where maidservants from Prince Fu’s Mansion came forward to pay their respects and lead the two into the mansion through the Second Gate.

It was only the eighth day of the first month of the lunar year, and although the weather was not as cold as in the depths of winter, it had not completely warmed up yet. Outside the Flower Hall of Prince Fu’s Mansion, several beautiful tents had been erected. None of them were particularly large, but they served as more than sufficient temporary resting places outdoors.

The back courtyard of the mansion was bustling with guests, yet everything was arranged meticulously, with maidservants ready to serve in almost every corner.

Ye Xinyan followed Madam Yin as they made their way inside, recognizing many of the guests along the way. Hearing the maidservants introduce a few unfamiliar faces, she learned they were officials who had recently arrived from the provinces or relatives of some families.

Although Ye Xinyan had the original host’s memories, she found it difficult to navigate such an occasion with so many seemingly familiar faces.

So, she adhered to the principle of ’speak little, err little’, staying close to Madam Yin, and greeting others with a slightly shy smile, as if embarrassed by the incident from two years prior. Even when people sought to engage her in conversation, her responses were minimal.

Despite receiving several surreptitious glances, she made her way smoothly into the Flower Hall.

An old woman servant who served the princess consort saw them and hurriedly greeted, "The wife of the Duke’s Heir Apparent and Miss Ye have arrived, please come in. Our princess consort was just mentioning you both."

Sitting in the main seat of the Flower Hall, the Princess Fu spotted them from afar and waved with a smile, telling the two ladies beside her, "I must say, I have considerable face today. Later on, I must tell my sisters about who attended—look who I’ve invited! Quickly come and sit."

Princess Fu, a few years older than Ye Xinyan, had elegant brows and bright, almond-shaped eyes. Though not dressed in her court attire, she wore the apparel of a princess consort, which exuded luxury and solemnity.

Madam Yin and her daughter first paid their respects to Princess Fu, then curtsied to the two ladies chatting with the princess consort. These two ladies were Chancellor Liu Chengzhi’s wife, Lady Pei, and Princess Fu’s sister-in-law, Madam Tian.

Princess Fu pointed to a high stool beside her and said to Ye Xinyan, "Xinyan, come sit here. It’s been so long since I last saw you, I want to see if you have indeed grown up as everyone says."

Ye Xinyan glanced at Madam Yin, her smile tinged with shy embarrassment, before curtsying to thank the princess consort for the seat and sitting down on the high stool.