She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 703 - 701: Simply Understands Too Well

Chapter 703: Chapter 701: Simply Understands Too Well

Ye Xinyan inwardly complained about Duke An. As an old fox who had been lurking in the Imperial Court for decades, he couldn’t even give a newcomer like her a hint. At this moment, even if he just cleared his throat or shifted his steps slightly, it would help her gauge the danger of the situation.

She didn’t know what a normal response should be when the Emperor addressed her, so in her confusion, she could only try to show utmost respect.

She kowtowed again. Damn, this was so frustrating.

"Your Majesty, the small woman visited Prime Minister Han’s residence the day before yesterday to pay respects to Miss Han of the Han Family," Ye Xinyan replied respectfully.

By indicating her visit as a sign of admiration for Miss Han, that should be acceptable, right? Ye Xinyan was a bit uncertain, but it was the only answer she could give.

The Emperor glanced at Duke An and saw that he wasn’t worried in the least, standing there with his eyes watching his nose and his nose watching his heart, not at all concerned that his granddaughter, facing the court for the first time, might make a mistake.

The Emperor continued, "Oh, tell me about the details of the visit." He didn’t believe that this woman would dare to deceive the Emperor or refuse to tell the truth.

Uh, the specifics... Ye Xinyan started to sweat a little.

"Your Majesty. Well, the small woman was warmly received by Miss Han and the elders of the Han Family at their residence. We engaged in friendly and intimate conversations, under the principle of mutual understanding and seeking common ground while preserving differences, enhancing our comprehension of both sides. Although the elders of the Prime Minister’s Mansion and Miss Han reserved judgments about many of the small woman’s views, after discussion, we managed to reach a consensus on certain matters."

She kowtowed again to signal that she had finished speaking.

Then she heard a sound like the light tapping of porcelain from above and no one spoke for a while.

Ye Xinyan kept her head down, staring at the ground, and viciously cursed this vile feudal society multiple times in her heart.

Even if you are the Emperor, I have answered your questions. Whether it’s sufficient or not, you should at least say something—can I stand up or not?

After another period of silence, the Emperor asked again, "The Han Family provided a warm reception for you?" The Emperor’s voice seemed a bit strained.

Ye Xinyan: "... The small woman felt that they were quite enthusiastic."

"..." The Emperor: "How did you achieve mutual understanding and seek common ground while preserving differences?"

Uh, Ye Xinyan: "The small woman and the people of the Prime Minister’s Mansion... set aside the issues we couldn’t agree on and discussed matters we could agree upon."

"..." The Emperor then asked, "You deepened your understanding of each other? What exactly did you find out?"

"That is... we found out... our disagreements with each other... are significant." Ye Xinyan heard some strange noises in the room.

After another silence, the Emperor said, "What does it mean to reserve judgment? Explain clearly."

How are you ruling as Emperor? Isn’t it enough to get the gist of it? Why must you insist on delving so deeply?

"Well, that is, reserving judgment... means completely disagreeing with the other party’s views..." Ye Xinyan’s words were interrupted by a series of coughs.

Immediately after came a bustle of noises, footsteps moving around, and the eunuchs speaking, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Hot tea, someone, bring a new cup of hot tea."

She was stunned as she looked up and saw the middle-aged eunuch who stood by the emperor’s side hastily walking over, gently patting the emperor’s back, and eagerly asking how he was, summoning the palace maids and eunuchs outside to come in and attend to him.

The emperor waved his hand at the eunuch and said, "It’s nothing, nothing, just bring a cup of hot tea."

The Emperor was an old man with a fair complexion who appeared to be in his fifties, dressed in his bright yellow robes that were very eye-catching. The decorations and curtains in the hall were either yellow or black, with very few other soft colors, creating a rather uncomfortable environment.

Duke An stood at the side with his hands hanging down, his expression quite peculiar. Although the hall was bustling, the emperor paid him and Ye Xinyan no attention, but he did not even glance sideways at Ye Xinyan, leaving her deeply hurt.

Eunuchs and palace maids entered to serve, some changing the tea, others handing the emperor a warm cloth to wipe his hands and face. Many people came and went, but not one gave Ye Xinyan an extra glance.

Ye Xinyan, like an invisible person, knelt on the floor, watching the busy to and fro. Looking at His Majesty the Emperor, although the corners of his mouth still twitched uncontrollably and there were signs of trembling in his beard, his complexion gradually calmed down.

The emperor dismissed the eunuchs and palace maids with a wave of his hand and then turned his gaze towards her, pursing his lips.

As soon as Ye Xinyan met the emperor’s gaze, she immediately felt an overwhelming pressure. It was unclear whether it was the emperor’s natural authority or the imposing air of looking down from a high position, but his single glance frightened her terribly.

She hurriedly lowered her head, holding her breath and concentrating as she continued to kneel on the ground, staring at the shiny glazed tiles in front of her.

The emperor glanced at Ye Xinyan only once before he looked towards Duke An.

Seeing that the emperor was looking at him, Duke An quickly stepped forward, knelt down, and said, "Your Majesty, forgive me, it is my failure in discipline that has led my granddaughter to behave so inappropriately and offend Your Majesty."

The emperor snorted coldly, "Your granddaughter is not ignorant of the rules; she is simply all too cunning." Then he waved his hand, "Rise, what fault could you possibly bear."

Duke An stood by the side once again, and then the emperor asked, "Your granddaughter... does she also talk like this at home?"

At this moment, the eunuch standing by the emperor’s side trembled slightly, as if he were laughing silently.

Duke An’s face bore no hint of a smile, but was filled with helplessness, "Reporting to Your Majesty, she does not speak like this all the time, yet she also causes quite a bit of trouble."

The emperor pursed his lips, deeply understanding Beloved Minister Ye’s helplessness. He then said to Ye Xinyan, "Ye Xinyan, rise and answer."

"Thank Your Majesty for the grace," Ye Xinyan quickly thanked him and got up from the ground, sliding over to Duke An’s side.

"Who let you stand there, come, come, stand back there," the emperor said sternly, pointing to the place where Ye Xinyan had just knelt.

Seeing Ye Xinyan obediently walk over and stand below the dais, the emperor continued, "In fact, Prime Minister Han’s residence wasn’t welcoming to you and disagreed with everything you said, but they let you in reluctantly, only accepting your conditions because they had no other choice. I’m right, aren’t I?"

Ye Xinyan, unable to help herself, looked at the emperor, "...That’s one way to put it." Important people are just not likable, forcing someone into a corner, even though she is the granddaughter of Duke An. But fortunately, by the looks of it, the emperor didn’t seem too angry.

She glanced at the emperor and defended herself in a not-so-assertive manner, "Your Majesty, that can be understandable, can’t it? Everyone looks at things from their perspective, and it’s only natural not to have the same opinion, don’t you agree?"

The emperor looked at Ye Xinyan coldly and after a long while said, "I have heard that you have reconciled with Jiang Yifan. Considering you know what Miss Han’s future status will be, yet you dare to be so arrogant and blatantly offend her. I could consider your youth and ignorance and not punish you. But you should think about how you can redeem yourself through your actions."

"Ah, Your Majesty is astute. As a mere woman, I really don’t have the opportunity to achieve any great merits," Ye Xinyan looked at the emperor pitifully.