She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 482 - 480: Simple and Crude Reason

Chapter 482: Chapter 480: Simple and Crude Reason

Duke An’s face darkened, "You underestimate me too much. Am I the kind of person who doesn’t understand things? Do you think I want Xinyan to return to that impoverished and remote place?"

Marquis Zhongyong looked up and down at Duke An a few times, snorted coldly, and said nothing more. He needed to go back and ask his old household servant if his daughter had mentioned anything about this... Going out for a walk with Xinyan, what was she thinking?

Marquis Zhongyong glanced sideways at Duke An again and thought to himself, Ye Hongyang, that good-for-nothing, truly wasn’t worth his daughter’s loyalty. Now that Xinyan had grown up and had her own opinions, able to stand on her own, she wouldn’t be wronged or suffer without her mother’s protection.

Duke An’s own son wouldn’t take a stand, unable to straighten his back in front of Marquis Zhongyong, but he still had to speak up, "Xinyan still has things to take care of, and then there’s His Highness Prince Yu. It would be good for Xinyan to avoid him for a while, to lessen the gossip... Only, Hongyang’s wife, I think it’s better not to go. Yuyuan Prefecture is a harsh and cold place, and the journey is long. Better not suffer through that. Brother Yin, what do you think?" Having his daughter-in-law go far off with his granddaughter, indeed, it didn’t sound good.

Marquis Zhongyong rolled his eyes at Duke An, his old face full of mockery, "What good is it to stay at Duke An’s? So that my daughter can see how Ye Hongyang neglects her?"

Feeling ashamed yet astonished, Duke An walked a few steps in silence before asking, "Brother Yin, you don’t actually agree with Hongyang’s wife travelling far to Yuyuan Prefecture, do you? Have you thought it through? The small villages in Yuyuan Prefecture are nothing like the prosperity and comfort of the capital. Besides, you know how hard it is to travel long distances." Yin Long always cherished his daughter, surely he wouldn’t bear to let her endure such hardship.

Yingnan going to Yuyuan Prefecture... that was a bit too far. He glanced discontentedly at Duke An and said resentfully, "I will go back and ask Xinyan what she thinks. I’ll talk about it after asking her."

......

After Marquis Zhongyong went back, Madam Yin was in Madam Cao’s room at Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, discussing the plan to go to Yuyuan Prefecture with Madam Cao and Madam Sun, "...I also think that going out for a trip is quite good. Although the journey is long, travelling by carriage won’t be too hard. Two years ago, Ah Yan, a mere girl, could trek such a distance on foot; with a carriage and guards, how could I not go?"

"No way," Madam Cao said, "How can it be that with her family and husband both in the capital, she just runs around with her daughter?"

"What are you talking about?" Marquis Zhongyong handed his overcoat to the maid, stepping in as he asked.

Madam Cao quickly allowed Marquis Zhongyong to take the seat of honor, personally handed him tea, and replied, "It’s that girl Xinyan, I don’t know what got into her, she wants to take Yingnan to Yuyuan Prefecture. Considering how far it is, and Yuyuan Prefecture being a bitter and cold place, Yingnan has lived in the capital for decades, how could she endure such hardship?"

Madam Yin countered, "Why not? So many people live in Yuyuan Prefecture, and they are all doing fine. Besides, Mother, please don’t bring up Ye Hongyang. Ah Yan said, with a husband like Ye Hongyang, it makes no difference whether we have him or not. Since I don’t even have a husband or a son, why can’t I travel with my daughter?"

"What kind of twisted reasoning is that?" Marquis Zhongyong frowned, "With Xinyan speaking about her own father in such tone, and you, as her mother, not only not restraining her but even going along with her wishes. If such words spread, with her showing no respect for her elders, who would want to take her in as a bride?"

"I..." Madam Yin clammed up. Such words, indeed, should be kept between mother and daughter, not heard by a third party; they would indeed affect Ah Yan’s marital prospects.

Marquis Zhongyong pointed his finger at Madam Yin and said, "That Xinyan of yours is always causing trouble; there’s never a moment of peace with that girl. Let her come to see me, I’ll break her legs, it would be best if she also didn’t return to Yuyuan Prefecture."

As soon as Madam Yin heard this, she immediately jumped up. You can criticize her all you want, but she will not tolerate anyone speaking ill of Ah Yan, not even the Marquis Zhongyong.

Madam Yin was not afraid of the Marquis Zhongyong, and she asked angrily, "Why would you want to break the legs of such a good child as Ah Yan? She is clever, obedient, generous, and knows etiquette..." She then went on to praise a great many qualities, listing virtues her daughter never possessed.

This left Madam Sun speechless and looking to the heavens, here we go again.

Madam Cao was also helpless, and she cast an accusing glance at the Marquis Zhongyong. There’s no point in speaking about things that can’t be done, and why would you even speak about Xinyan? Now her daughter wouldn’t stop until she had exhausted all the flattering words she knew.

Luckily, the number of compliments Madam Yin could come up with was not infinite, and after a short while, having finished praising her daughter, she concluded with, "If you want to lay a finger on Ah Yan, you’d have to break my legs first."

Then, just like in the past, it was silent for a moment among the masters and servants in the room before Madam Cao said, "Enough, those were just angry words from your father. He would never really do anything to Xinyan. For such a big matter, we must at least have Ah Yan come over, let her talk about her plans, and then we can make a decision."

Ye Xinyan did come, but she didn’t give any special, indispensable reason for going. She just said to the Marquis Zhongyong and Madam Cao, "Mother indeed finds no joy in staying at Duke’s Mansion. With both Qi Jiaer and me not at the Duke’s Mansion, she has nothing to do and no one to talk to; it’s just too boring. It’s better to go out for a while. Yes, it might be hard, but it also broadens one’s horizons. To experience the life of ordinary people, to know the hardships of this world, there’s nothing wrong with that."

Madam Cao frowned and said, "It’s not good to leave your in-laws and husband behind to travel far away with your daughter. People will talk, and your mother will be criticized and maligned."

Ye Xinyan curled her lip and said, "Criticized? The Crown Prince has been criticized for decades, but isn’t he living just fine, living a joyous and satisfying life? On the other hand, my mother is pitied by everyone."

"Tsk!" Ye Xinyan used a disdainful interjection to express her disagreement, then continued, "It’s better to be criticized—at least you get to live as you please."

"..." The Marquis Zhongyong and Madam Cao were both speechless.

The reasons Ye Xinyan gave were simple and blunt, yet no one could really find fault with them. Coupled with Yin Xiaocheng’s strong endorsement, this originally absurd matter was actually nearing success.

And what happened next at Duke An’s solidified Madam Yin’s departure.

With both Ye Xinyan and Madam Yin leaving home, Duke An felt very uneasy. However, the harm his son and Maternal Aunt Liu had caused Madam Yin, and his guilt towards the Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, made him exceptionally tolerant towards Madam Yin over the years.

This time, with Madam Yin determined to accompany her granddaughter on a trip to Yuyuan Prefecture, Duke An, after much consideration, couldn’t find a reason to object and could only silently watch as Morning Moon Courtyard bustled with preparations for Madam Yin’s journey.

The most infuriated by this matter turned out to be Ye Hongyang. In his opinion, this was a dire provocation and insult to him. He had initially planned to confront Madam Yin, demanding to know what had become of her wifely virtues?