Chapter 969: Chapter 967: Rumors That Changed the Course
Ye Xinyi hadn’t seen Duke An for a long time. Today’s meeting left her feeling guilty and uncertain.
This grandfather, who had always been distant towards her, had confined her maternal aunt due to her and her aunt’s repeated schemes against Madam Yin and Ye Xinyan, and had also ignored her.
Now, having fallen into such a predicament, she returned to her mother’s family with no other path, unaware of what awaited her.
When she heard Duke An allow her to stay at the mansion, still living in her original courtyard, her heart finally settled. She quickly kowtowed, tearfully saying, "Thank you, grandfather, for taking me in. Your granddaughter has been unfilial and has caused trouble for you and grandmother."
Duke An responded noncommittally with a "Hm." No matter how poorly Ye Xinyi was doing, she was still his granddaughter, a daughter married out from the Duke’s Mansion. At this moment, what else could he do but take her in properly?
However, the words that needed to be said had to be said, to prevent any other delusions she might have.
Duke An said sternly, "However, you must remember, if you wish to live peacefully, do not attempt to stir trouble. There’s no need for you to follow those customs here, so stay away from Maternal Aunt Zhao and Ye Yuan. The Ji family may be cowed by your words and not dare act against Brother Sheng, but they can’t stop your grandfather.
Brother Yuan is the hope of our Duke’s Mansion. If Brother Yuan faces any mishap, or if you show any signs of misconduct, whether there’s evidence or consequences, Brother Sheng will have to pay double the price. You and your brothers and aunt will face endless ruin. Do you understand?!"
These last words were chillingly cold, frightening Ye Xinyi into trembling as she repeatedly declared, "I dare not," "I won’t."
"Alright, focus on living peacefully yourself and don’t covet things that don’t belong to you. You may leave."
Watching Ye Xinyi and Lian Gui leave, Duke An sighed to himself; his second granddaughter had such cunning and decisiveness. If used on the right path, how could things have come to this?
The same could be said for Maternal Aunt Liu. Duke An’s Mansion lacked heirs, if she had used her keen mind in the right direction, could her children’s fates be worse?
Greed reveals itself in human nature.
Even the Ji family, their calculations so astute, yet are affairs always under one’s control?
Men at arms? What about men at arms?
Duke An’s lips curled into a smile.
...
Receiving the report, Ji Xiaoyuan and Madam Zhou were exceedingly angry, especially Madam Zhou, who was almost overcome with fury upon hearing the news.
Ji Xiaoyuan regretted in his heart; had he known, he would have suppressed the matters of Dongze Construction Firm first. Then find means to use Brother Sheng to pressure Ye Xinyi, ensuring she would obediently request to leave the mansion. After leaving, she would need to tread cautiously everywhere to ensure Brother Sheng’s peace.
Now, things aren’t looking good; not only are many involved parties present in the courtroom, but also numerous officials and government officials from the capital’s yamen. Especially the government officials, they aren’t just guarding the courtroom, these people also roam the streets, making message transmission most convenient and swift.
Lady Ye’s words didn’t even need deliberate propagation and, before long, they’d spread to every corner of the capital.
The Ji family not only stirred up a lot of trouble, but Brother Sheng also became a burden atop their heads. Living in this unpredictable world, who can guarantee constant safety?
Now, the Ji family was labeled as opportunists by Lady Ye and could no longer afford mistakes that might invite scrutiny.
With no one else in the room, Madam Zhou caught her breath and furiously said, "That shameless woman should never have been let go; we should have found a way to dispose of her!"
"Alas, it’s not as simple as you say," Ji Xiaoyuan sighed, "Lady Ye and her aunt enraged Duke An, allowing him to ignore or even severely punish them. But if we were to harm Lady Ye for the sake of the Duke’s Mansion’s reputation, Ye Tang wouldn’t let it lie. At that point, we’d be entangled in a fatal affair, trapping us even further."
It was a miscalculation on their part; they saw Ye Xinyi’s every word and deed as proper and thus married her into the family. Now it seems, even the reputation-losing Ye Xinyan surpasses her greatly. Although Ye Xinyan was noted for breaking norms, if her husband’s family fell short, with her means, she’d ensure they wouldn’t decline.
"Being slandered by that shameless woman, how can we hold our heads high in the future?" Madam Zhou said through gritted teeth, extremely unwilling, "Use those many students you have, my lord..."
"Hm." Ji Xiaoyuan contemplated, and simply murmured.
Madam Zhou and Ji Xiaoyuan underestimated the speed at which rumors spread through the capital and the gossiping nature of officials at large in the capital’s yamen.
Ji Xiaoyuan was still pondering how he could discreetly have his students support him, plead for him, while the rumors spread at an uncanny pace.
In just two days, from streets to alleys, even residents previously unaware of Clean Stream began to discuss, targeting Ji Mansion and scholars directly: The Ji family, claiming to represent Clean Stream literati, were in fact shameless charlatans. The supposedly noble household merely had a good facade, but in essence, wasn’t even as upright as peddlers.
These pervasive rumors reached an indescribable height on the day Ye Xinyi reclaimed her dowry. As the Duke’s Mansion’s Second Miss, a concubine-born daughter, her grand ten-mile bridal procession became widely discussed in the capital. Now, this dowry was greatly reduced, far from any ten-mile bridal procession, miserably returned by a fleet of carts to Duke An’s Mansion.
Thus, criticism towards Ji Mansion grew even sharper, reaching a wider scope, even extending to scholars.
No one had anticipated that a mere annulment involving a prestigious clan’s offspring could escalate to such a scale.
Amidst these rumors, Ji Mansion’s gates were tightly shut, with no one freely leaving except for necessary purchases.
As time passed day by day, the questioning and criticism directed at the Ji family, and even Clean Stream, gradually shifted, mingling with other topics.
Many people began quietly discussing the importance of Clean Stream and the countless scholars to the world and to the common folks.
Once introduced, such discussions became uncontrollable.
To the majority of common people, they only instinctively admired scholars, yet most had neither the chance nor the ability to study.
This instinctive admiration carried on through generations among impoverished commoners, only now being seriously reconsidered.
What is the purpose of studying? Isn’t it merely for fame and fortune? Even after ten years of hard study, the resulting fame and fortune benefit the scholars themselves and their families, barely impacting us common folk, right?
On the contrary, in recent years, many new instruments used in government works have not only reduced labor intensity for workers but also significantly lessened the number of conscripted laborers.
Moreover, the convenient, affordable railway carriages in the capital are truly tangible benefits seen by us commoners, genuinely good for the nation and the people.