She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 473 - 471: The Intention of Princess Fu

Chapter 473: Chapter 471: The Intention of Princess Fu

As Princess Fu strolled along, she explained to Madam Yin, "The lanterns crafted by the artisans were initially stored in the warehouse. It only occurred to me yesterday that hanging them in the garden for today’s banquet would allow everyone to admire them, adding to the scenery. Last night, the stewards of our mansion managed to hang them all up by working through the night."

Madam Yin responded with a smile, "Your mansion’s lanterns are spectacular, not just in the garden but also if they were hung in the streets. During the Lantern Festival, the streets where Prince Fu’s Mansion hangs its lanterns always draw the largest crowds."

Behind the trio, maids and old woman servants followed. They walked along, observing and commenting on what they saw, and as they turned past a pavilion, they suddenly noticed some men standing under a corridor not far away, admiring the zodiac animal lanterns hung from the eaves of the verandah, seemingly in appreciation.

The sight prompted Ye Xinyan to imagine all sorts of dark schemes and calculations typical of the inner quarters, but she immediately burst into self-mocking laughter when she saw Madam Yin and Princess Fu at her side, and when she considered the servants of the Prince’s Mansion and Cui Bai and Jiu Yue, all following at a respectful distance. She realized her nerves had become oversensitive, a side effect of an incident from two years prior, making her see malice in every shadow.

Princess Fu pointed ahead and said to Madam Yin with a smile, "Look, they’ve come to see the lanterns too. I thought men wouldn’t be interested in these fancy things." She then looked inquisitively at Ye Xinyan and asked, "Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t we greet them? It would be beneath us to avoid them now. What do you think, Xinyan?"

Ye Xinyan replied, "Your Highness is right."

The men in front had also noticed their group, and the leading figure stepped forward with a smile, "Had we known you would be here to see the lanterns at this time, we would have come later. It wouldn’t be good to accidentally offend any female relatives while enjoying the lanterns." The speaker was none other than Prince Fu.

Princess Fu laughed, "We decided to come on a whim, only thinking of it just now. We had planned to visit after dinner, as a way to walk off the meal. No need to worry about offense; I’ve instructed the servants to keep an eye on the guests entering the garden, with servant women nearby, so there should be no disturbance."

As she spoke, Princess Fu looked towards the two men accompanying Prince Fu and said with a laugh, "I thought men didn’t care for these fancy things, but it seems I was wrong."

Prince Fu shook his head and gestured towards a tall, handsome young man behind him, saying, "This is Shen Yongzhen, the second son of Shen Qixiang, Prefect of Liaoyuan. He’s come to the capital with his father to report on his duties and will partake in the imperial examinations in March. When I mentioned the lanterns in the garden, Young Master Shen expressed great interest in the capital’s lanterns, so here we are to have a look."

Upon hearing Prince Fu mention his name, Shen Yongzhen hurriedly bowed to Princess Fu and apologized, "Young Shen Yongzhen pays respect to Your Highness. I grew up in the North and have long admired the splendor of the capital. I’ve heard much about the lanterns of Prince Fu’s Mansion being famous throughout the city. When His Highness mentioned that some were hung in the garden, curiosity got the better of me, and I insisted on coming to see them. I apologize for the disturbance to Your Highness, the lady, and Miss."

Two other middle-aged men also stepped forward to pay their respects to Princess Fu.

Princess Fu waved her hand dismissively with a smile, "Gentlemen, please rise. Our mansion is not as formal as the Imperial Court, so please feel at ease. Young Master Shen need not apologize. I’ve heard that the customs of the North are open and straightforward, so you probably won’t mind these little details."

While speaking, Princess Fu smiled and gestured towards Madam Yin and Ye Xinyan at her side, "We also have extraordinary women in the capital who manage affairs better than men, so of course, they wouldn’t sweat the small stuff either."

Shen Yongzhen immediately turned his gaze to Ye Xinyan and exclaimed in surprise, "The remarkable woman Your Highness speaks of must be quite something. Could it be Miss Ye of Duke An’s Mansion, who oversees the operation of the railway carriages?"

Princess Fu nodded with a smile. "Besides her, who else in the capital dares to claim to be an extraordinary woman?"

Shen Yongzhen’s face showed admiration as he stepped forward and deeply bowed to Ye Xinyan, saying, "So it is truly Miss Ye. I had the fortune of witnessing the ingenious mechanism of the Railway Carriage in the capital and have the utmost admiration for Miss. To have the opportunity to meet Miss Ye today is truly a blessing in three lifetimes, please accept my bow."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xinyan quickly bowed her head to sidestep the compliment, saying, "Young Master Shen overpraises me. The overseers in charge of the work had been busy at the end of the year — it was merely by chance that I came to finish up the tasks. Actually, I didn’t do much, and do not deserve such words from Young Master Shen."

No wonder Princess Fu insisted on her attending the banquet; the reason lay here. Princess Fu’s capabilities were not inferior — holding her own so elegantly as a princess consort while also cleverly playing matchmaker. Look at the scene, comparable to a modern matchmaking event, orchestrated so naturally and fittingly. A woman who could be a princess consort to the royal family indeed possesses extraordinary wisdom.

Princess Fu smiled and said to Prince Fu, "As for the lanterns, one glance over a few and you understand the gist. Why don’t you Lord take a few gentlemen to the front hall for a chat? Our Misses, despite being capable, are still young ladies with tender sensibilities. If they are further flattered by the likes of you, they will feel too embarrassed to even continue looking at the lanterns."

Prince Fu gestured to his three companions with a smile. "Did you hear what Her Highness said? It seems we have outstayed our welcome. Let’s take our leave."

Shen Yongzhen, leading the three men, quickly made their bows and followed Prince Fu to the front hall.

Only when Prince Fu and the others had gone did Princess Fu continue walking forward with Madam Yin and Ye Xinyan, still praising, "It’s no wonder Shen Qixiang admires Xinyan so. Though I have not seen how the Railway Carriage operates, I heard other Female Relatives marvel at it, all saying it’s a wondrous creation. I’ve been told that heavy carts and goods, which several horses could not budge, could now be pulled swiftly and easily by one or two horses — saving time and effort, both smooth and convenient."

"Our Xinyan’s trip out has truly been worthwhile; to have acquired such impressive skills. It’s unknown which fortunate young man will be able to take home such a beneficial daughter as Xinyan."

Madam Yin quickly replied with modesty, "All those tasks aren’t her doing. Your Highness, you mustn’t praise her like that. This girl naturally lacks restraint and cannot endure such compliments. Speaking of marriage prospects, it truly is a concern. As you know, with Xinyan’s past affairs, even if she’s quite capable now, she isn’t the ideal bride for a noble household. Her future has been a constant worry for me, as her mother. If her next marriage is not to her liking, it would be the death of us, mother and daughter."

So, Your Highness of the Prince’s Mansion, please do not interfere; we don’t want to end up with complaints in the end.

Princess Fu nodded thoughtfully. "The wife of the heir apparent is right, we must carefully consider Xinyan’s future. However, Madam needn’t worry too much; Xinyan is now sensible and generous, so finding a good family to marry into won’t be a problem. We must look for a satisfactory bridegroom and family for her."

Ye Xinyan’s eyes moved between Princess Fu and Madam Yin a few times. What was happening here? Discussing her future right in front of her, wasn’t this rather impolite?

Princess Fu probably realized this was not appropriate, and with a smile, she changed the subject, "Although Xinyan has accomplished great things, she is still a young lady after all. Alright, let’s not talk about this. This way, please. The lanterns over there are quite distinctive — colorfully and brilliantly decorated, let’s go have a look."