She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 596 - 594

Chapter 596: 594

Maternal Aunt Liu felt that if she continued to listen to Ye Hongyang go on like this, she would probably die of worry.

"My lord, please listen to a word from your humble servant, attend fewer operas and serve the Duke more often, following the Duke’s wishes. As long as we can make the Duke happy, we won’t have to do anything else, and he will naturally favor you in all things. You are the Duke’s son, no one can compare with that."

Ye Hongyang tossed his teacup onto the kang table, feeling despondent, "I would like to act according to my father’s wishes. But I know my father all too well. If I follow his wishes, then I might as well give up on doing anything. I’d spend my days accompanying him with weapons practice, poring over those headache-inducing regional maps, and listening to him talk about military tactics... What meaning would there be left in my life?"

Maternal Aunt Liu was also deeply worried; she couldn’t approve of the kind of life led by someone like Duke An. If it hadn’t been for that, she would have let her son learn that life-taking martial skill when he was younger.

Ye Hongyang said angrily, "It’s all that scourge’s fault, had I known she was such a curse, I should have dealt with her long ago. Originally, our family was living in harmony and happiness, but who could have imagined that this calamity would actually run away from home.

Since she ran away, everything has changed; even my relationship with my parents has grown distant and strained. Yet it’s this very disgrace, who caused the entire mansion to lose face, that is now thriving arrogantly, both inside and outside."

Maternal Aunt Liu urged, "Please, listen to a word of advice from your servant. You don’t need to accompany the Duke all the time, but you should pay more respects to him and give in to him a bit in his dealings. Getting along well with him is always better than being at odds, not to mention that the Duke is your father and holds the fate of us all in his hands."

"I’ll give it a try," Ye Hongyang reluctantly nodded.

He had never obeyed the old man in his life; previously, the old man had been stationed at the border pass and would not return for years at a time. Later on, when the old man was transferred back to the capital, he had already grown into a teenager and was not subject to the old man’s control anymore.

Back then, as long as he complained to his mother, she would always speak on his behalf; and the old man had only him as a son - he couldn’t possibly disown him or let him actualize his threats.

After the old man had tried for several years and seen that not only did he lack the talent for martial arts, he was also clueless about military strategies, he eventually had to give up.

The old man had spent too much time in the barracks and simply didn’t understand how things worked. Was he foolish enough to give up a life of savoring the beauty of nature and composing poetry for a life of sweat and dirt every day?

Ye Hongyang looked down on it in his heart, stood up and said, "I’ll go find Qu Mao, to get rid of that nuisance, Ye Xinyan, as soon as possible for some peace of mind."

Maternal Aunt Liu quickly stopped him, "At this hour, where are you going? If the Duke looks for you at dinner, to welcome the mistress and Old Master Qi, and you are not there, the Duke would only become more aggravated."

Ye Hongyang paused, extremely reluctant.

Maternal Aunt Liu continued, "Besides, it’s not good to be too hasty about such matters. When things quiet down, you can continue to attend the operas as usual and wait for Qu Mao to come to you. In the future, if the Duke asks, it was Qu Mao who sought you out, and you thought the marriage was suitable for the mistress, which is why you agreed. It’s not that you took the initiative to think up a plan to drive the mistress out of the home."

Upon hearing this, Ye Hongyang found the reason quite sound and sat back down on the kang.

......

Duke An didn’t delve into why his son only showed up at lunchtime, merely introducing this tardy son in brief.

The granddaughter had been living under the same roof with Qi Younian for several years, and their bond was deep. Naturally, she would not hide the situation at Duke An’s Mansion from Qi Younian. Besides, her daughter-in-law had been living in Clear Water Village for over a year; even if she wanted to keep it secret, it couldn’t be hidden.

Qi Younian too was perceptive. The other party was the heir of Duke An, and even if disreputable, he still had a certain standing. Qi Younian took the initiative to greet Ye Hongyang with a bow.

Ye Hongyang reluctantly returned the gesture hastily. If it weren’t for the trouble caused by his family, Qi Younian wouldn’t even have the opportunity to offer a bow to the heir of Duke An.

Maternal Aunt Zhao, who was arranging dishes and bowls at another table, seemed to be attentively lowering her eyes to her work but listened intently to everything happening at the main table. She became even more convinced that the Duke’s Heir Apparent was not reliable. With such a temperament, vision, and judgment, Duke An’s Mansion would decline rapidly in the hands of the Princely Heir once the old Duke passed away.

And for her and Brother Yuan, what good end could there be following such a husband and Maternal Aunt Liu? For the sake of Brother Yuan’s future, he most certainly should not stay with her.

Despite their vast difference in status, Duke An and Qi Younian hit it off, sitting down to the dining table and continuing to discuss matters such as logistics and military tent construction.

Jiang Yifan listened with great interest, while Ye Hongyang’s face showed boredom, all of Maternal Aunt Liu’s advice from the morning forgotten.

Duke An noticed Ye Hongyang’s impatience, merely glanced at him indifferently, and without any reaction—too lazy even to frown or signal with his eyes—directly invited Qi Younian and Jiang Yifan to sit down.

Qi Sanshun was also of an age now; naturally, he sat with the men, bringing Qi Jiaer along to join in on the fun, sitting next to Jiang Yifan.

Maternal Aunt Liu’s two sons, Ye Heng and Ye Yi, took their seats next to Ye Hongyang. Ye Yi, noticing Duke An wasn’t paying attention, subtly moved closer to his brother, putting some distance between himself and Qi Sanshun.

Duke An, seeing more people at the table, felt pleased. The meal was enjoyed with laughter and lively conversation.

At the table, aside from Ye Heng and Ye Yi, there was no one Ye Hongyang could bear. And the atmosphere of the room was entirely dominated by Duke An’s conversation, giving him and his sons no chance to interject or make a mark, making it extremely stifling.

This mansion really should change its ways. In reputable households, they discuss refined and elegant topics over drinks. It’s common to write a poem, compose a prose piece, or play a musical number when the spirits inspire. Unlike Duke An’s Mansion, where coarse and vulgar words always prevail.

He was thoroughly irritated.

Ye Hongyang even shot a glance at Jiang Yifan, the so-called scholar who, in his eagerness to cling to power, also ignored his status and constantly agreed with his father’s opinions. He didn’t believe for a second that Jiang Yifan, an Imperial Scholar, enjoyed his father’s talk. Those matters were for the lowly and hard-working.

Ye Heng and Ye Yi had originally thought highly of Jiang Yifan, the Top Scholar of their year, hoping to engage in some cultured conversation with him. But after Jiang Yifan’s obscure and distant responses, which they struggled to follow, they could only watch in frustration as the Top Scholar who had just been quoting obscure texts to silence them rejoined the discussion on how to more efficiently and reasonably transport goods.

Willingly degrading himself! The three Ye Hongyangs internally assigned Jiang Yifan his definition.

Finding it hard to bear until after the meal, Ye Hongyang quickly took his leave with his sons. He simply couldn’t stand sitting any longer with an old mason reeking of mud and earth.