She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 673 - 671: Junior Year 2

Chapter 673: Chapter 671: Junior Year 2

Li Zheng leaned on Jiang Yifan as they walked out, still whispering in his ear, "You listen to your older brother, you and Miss Ye are reconciling as a married couple, so don’t talk about so much nonsense, and quickly welcome back the Ye family girl to your home, let Duke An find you a place. The job at the Ministry of Revenue may have more perks, but it’s like working with your head in the noose, risking your future, how much of it actually ends up in our hands?"

"Yes, yes... right, right... Brother Li is right... exactly." Jiang Yifan supported Li Zheng as they left the tavern, all the while nodding continuously in agreement, the perfunctory tone clearly detectable, even to Li Zheng who had had too much to drink.

Li Zheng pushed Jiang Yifan’s arm away, stood up straight, and said, "Don’t think I’m drunk, look, I’m just fine."

Two officials passed by, stopped in their tracks, and looked at them suspiciously, asking, "What’s the matter, is Li Zheng drunk?"

Jiang Yifan laughed and said, "No, he’s just talkative, he’s been advising me the whole meal, telling me how lucky I am, that...," he trailed off, unable to continue due to embarrassment.

Another official came over, also quite drunk, but seemingly clear-headed. He stepped forward to support Li Zheng, and said to Jiang Yifan, "Thank you, Lord Jiang, we are familiar with each other and I know where he lives, I will take him home."

While trying to shake off the arm holding him, Li Zheng kept saying, "Isn’t that right, Brother Zhao? They were hairpin-turned-husband-and-wife to begin with, just directly welcome her back, how much simpler can it get..."

Jiang Yifan bowed to the two officials who had stopped earlier, saying, "Esteemed officials, please, Yuanfan will take his leave."

Upon hearing Li Zheng’s fading rambling, the two showed a somewhat relieved expression, and returned the bow, "The hour is late, indeed it is time to go home."

......

Ever since the affair of a marriage alliance in front of Duke An’s Mansion with Marquis Jingning’s Mansion, Ye Xinyi had not returned to her maternal home. It wasn’t until the second day of the lunar New Year that the Second Miss of the Ye Family was permitted to visit her parental home with her husband Ji Chengru and their son, Ji Sheng.

On the morning of the second day, before leaving the mansion, Ji Chengru and Ye Xinyi, along with their son, went to pay their respects to Ji Xiaoyuan and Madam Zhou.

Madam Zhou was reluctant to let Ye Xinyi return to her parental home, but it was the second day of the New Year, and without a valid reason, it was not good to prevent someone’s daughter from going home.

After their son and daughter-in-law paid their respects, Ji Xiaoyuan, with a pleased expression, advised Ye Xinyi, "I know you don’t get along very well with your legitimate elder sister, but I’ve heard she’s changed from how she used to be. If you encounter her at home, try to get along well."

Ye Xinyi quickly agreed, though her heart was filled with bitterness. She might be the concubine-born daughter, but her marriage into the Ji Mansion was considered upward social climbing for her, as her father was the heir of Duke An, and she was raised in the mansion as if she were a legitimate daughter; she and her brother were the apples of their father’s eye.

But now, without her father’s status, and with the mother she loved so dearly confined, her status as the concubine-born daughter became conspicuous. In just two months, she seemed no longer a match for the Ji Family’s son.

The meaning in her father-in-law’s words just now was telling her to curry favor with the now highly sought-after Ye Xinyan in Duke An’s Mansion, wasn’t it? Everyone in this world likes to curry favor with the high and step on the low, even the esteemed Ji Family was no different. Why didn’t they say such things before?

Seeing Ye Xinyi submit and agree, Ji Xiaoyuan continued, "You are now the daughter-in-law of the Ji Family, don’t meddle in the affairs of Duke An’s Mansion, being an outsider. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

Ye Xinyi kneeled quickly, "Your daughter-in-law understands, this is the duty of a married daughter, I’m aware of it."

Madam Zhou released Ji Sheng, whom she had been holding in her arms, and carefully instructed him to behave and not be mischievous. Only after reminding them to leave early and return early, to not cause any trouble for their in-laws, did she allow them to leave.

Ye Xinyi silently acknowledged, holding her son’s hand and following behind Ji Sheng, heading to the Second Gate to take a carriage.

These past few days had not been easy for Ye Xinyi.

The Ji Family would not trouble a daughter-in-law, but with Ye Hongyang stripped of his status as Princely Heir, and the current unclear situation of Maternal Aunt Liu, these had already caused her great anxiety. Yet, a few days ago, she heard that Ye Xinyan had actually reconciled with Jiang Yifan. Moreover, Jiang Yifan even sought a matchmaker to formally propose again, intending to go through all the matrimonial rites.

The day she heard of this, her anger surged. If it were not for the image she maintained at the Ji Mansion, she would have flipped the table. That wench, she deserved this? And Jiang Yifan, was he even a man? How could he not know what shame was, when that sort of woman, her disheveled state entangled naked with a man, was seen by almost the entire capital?

However, no matter how angry she was, or how bad Ye Xinyan’s reputation was, people were still talking about the married couple getting back together.

Ye Xinyi was so stifled with anger she almost fell ill. If this was the result, what was the point of the thing she and her maternal aunt had done all those years ago?

There had indeed been an incident at the time, superficially, it seemed as if Ye Xinyan’s scandal cost her everything, even her livelihood, driving her to flee her family to face an unknown future. In reality, it was releasing the tiger back into the mountains, freeing her from the constraints of the family home, allowing her to carve out a new world for herself. Despite such a tainted reputation, she was able to return in glory and now, was even reclaiming that good marriage.

Yes, she could deceive that stupid wench, but in reality, it was truly a good match.

Jiang Yifan was decent in everything except a slightly less distinguished family background. Moreover, Jiang Yifan did not come from a poor family, but from the local gentry.

Compared to Jiang Yifan’s status as an Imperial Top Scholar, having such a family background to support him was already quite good.

What was even more enviable was that this man, who should have been a mere bookworm, was actually well-versed in practical affairs. After being expelled from the capital, he managed to return to an official post in the capital with an excellent performance review over three years, even getting promoted two ranks in the process.

Whenever Ye Xinyi thought of these things, she felt suffocated with resentment. And now Ye Xinyan was no longer naive; not only was she shrewd, but she also seemed extremely astute. Not to mention stirring trouble, Ye Xinyi couldn’t even find an opportunity to have a proper conversation with that despicable woman, even if she patiently tried.

She remembered how she used to boast to Ye Xinyan about how well her marriage turned out, how noble the Ji family’s lineage was, how loving she and her husband were, provoking that wench into a heated feud with Jiang Yifan.

But today’s Ye Xinyan clearly understood not to compare her shortcomings with others’ strengths. Yes, Jiang Yifan’s family background was not great, but his own prospects were very promising.

Indeed, her in-laws were good, but that was under the premise of having a father who was an Acting Heir-Apparent. Moreover, the goodness of the Ji family was mainly in its reputation, known for its scholarly heritage. If talking about wealth, they might not even have as much as what was in her maternal aunt’s hands.

The Ji family did not have a lot of wealth, and after the elders’ passing, divided among four sons, each portion wouldn’t be much. If her husband didn’t do well in his examinations, or didn’t go far in his official career, their future prospects were clear.

It was different for Jiang Yifan, who was commonly recognized for his proficiency in practical affairs, further boasted a good relationship with His Highness Prince Yu, and was now once again the husband of Duke An’s Legitimate Granddaughter. If Jiang Yifan could gain Duke An’s support, or if Ye Yuan, the next Duke An supported by that wretched woman, rose to prominence, how splendid her days would be.

And she, Ye Xinyi, who had been born to suppress her foolish legitimate elder sister in every way, the model of virtue and grace, would now have to look up to Ye Xinyan. How could she accept this?