Chapter 022
Chapter 22: Pelted
Madam Jiang stood at the doorway to eavesdrop as soon as she heard the talk. Yesterday her mother-in-law and her husband said Huo Ying Zi looked down on Lin Ye Lan; could they have guessed wrong?
The door of the private room next door was open, and bits of the talk drifted out.
One person asked: “How do you know?”
Another answered while waggling his brows like you-know-what: “Someone stayed at the same inn as them and found the two of them sharing one room. When they left, the carriage was big and fancy. The Huo Family’s legitimate daughter and the Ping An Marquis rode together, and there were those kinds of sounds from inside.”
A third said: “No way. The Huo army was only investigated, not raided. The Huo Family’s daughter doesn’t need to marry down to the Ping An Marquis.”
They kept talking: “The Huo Family is a noble house. Their ancestors fought with the late emperor to win the country. By this generation, the Huo Family holds one third of the court’s military power. Forget the Ping An Marquis. Even a prince would be a match.”
The first speaker clearly understood his companion’s meaning, and said: “Ten years ago, Marquis Xuan Ping Manor was even more impressive than the Huo Family. Look at it now: he just stays home having tea with the Eldest Princess. Our ruler is very suspicious. If the Huo Family chooses a family that’s too high, they’ll have to hand over their troops. Lin Ye Lan has a title but weak backing, easy to control.”
Another clicked his tongue and said: “So by your logic, the Huo Family planned this early on. That Xia Family miss is unlucky. She lost two hundred thousand taels and still ended up a divorced woman.”
Someone sighed and said: “That’s how noble houses are. If you don’t have real skill, you end up a discarded pawn.”
The more Madam Jiang listened, the more afraid she felt. Lin Ye Lan had served under Marshal Huo for years, and there were never rumors about him and Huo Ying Zi. Now that Lin Ye Lan had made military merit and His Majesty the Emperor had granted him the title of Ping An Marquis, Huo Ying Zi stuck to him right away. It turned out what she really had her eye on wasn’t Lin Ye Lan at all, but the marquis title.
If the title got taken by the Huo Family, what would be left for the second branch?
She jumped to her feet and hurried away with her maid.
Across the hall, Xia Meng Yan and Duan Yi Chen sipped tea at ease while Jian Ping stood at the window and reported: “Heir apparent, Madam Jiang has left.”
Duan Yi Chen smirked and said: “You really called it.” He set a peeled sweet orange by Xia Meng Yan’s hand and added, “With that pig-brained Lin Hong, he still dares think about grabbing the title?”
He paused, then frowned and asked: “Wait. Do you not want Huo Ying Zi to marry into Ping An Marquis Manor?”
Xia Meng Yan popped a slice of orange into her mouth and said: “A scummy man and a harmful woman, they’re made for each other.” The sweet-and-sour taste settled her stomach.
Duan Yi Chen said: “But you’re also stirring up the second branch. Once Madam Jiang gets back, she’ll egg Lin Hong on to block Huo Ying Zi from entering the manor.”
Xia Meng Yan handed her wipe to Chun Yue and looked at him: “You just called Lin Hong pig-brained. How could he beat the Huo Family? I’m only digging a pit early. The bigger the fuss around Huo Ying Zi and Lin Ye Lan, the deeper the thorn in the second branch’s heart. When Huo Ying Zi does enter the manor, she’ll suffer there.”
Duan Yi Chen chuckled and asked: “You think that highly of the second branch?”
Xia Meng Yan curved her lips in a mocking smile and said: “Have you heard of people who ruin more than they achieve? That couple in the second branch has no other skill, but they are great at messing things up. I believe in them.”
Duan Yi Chen lifted his brows and said: “Fine then. Since you say so, I’ll keep letting the rumors spread.” He glanced out the window at the busy street, then asked carefully: “Did you buy things for the baby yet? No day like today. How about we go look around the shops?”
Xia Meng Yan finally had a chance to leave the manor and also wanted a stroll, so she agreed.
Jian Ping stared at the two masters picking things up and down and whispered: “Heir apparent, the street is crowded. If people see you two…”
Duan Yi Chen shot him a sharp look and said: “Shut up. I don’t need you to say that. Hurry and help carry things.”
Jian Ping couldn’t understand his master’s thinking. Miss Xia had another man’s child in her belly, yet his master kept sticking to her. If the Eldest Princess found out, she would kill them both.
Xia Meng Yan didn’t know Jian Ping’s thoughts. To her, everything on the street looked good, and she wanted to buy it all for the child. [In my last life, the child died before she was born and went with me. In this life, I will give her the best.]
Duan Yi Chen stayed by her side. Any item that Xia Meng Yan looked at even one more time, he bought.
At first, Xia Meng Yan didn’t feel anything. But after half an hour, she looked at the bundles in Chun Yue’s and Jian Ping’s arms and asked, embarrassed: “Did we buy too much?”
Duan Yi Chen waved it off and said: “Not too much. We have money. Buy whatever you like.” The five thousand taels in his hand had barely warmed, and they were already gone.
Jian Ping wanted to cry and say, Master, look at me. I can’t even see the road. Are you sure this isn’t too much?
Seeing the armfuls in Chun Yue’s and Jian Ping’s arms, Xia Meng Yan smiled and said: “Forget it. Another day. Let’s go back to the manor first.”
Duan Yi Chen quickly agreed and said: “Okay. Next time you want to shop, remember to call me.”
She said: “Alright.”
After they left, the street vendors whispered: “Heir Apparent Duan and Miss Xia are still so close. How many years has it been now?”
Another agreed and said: “Yeah. Miss Xia divorced while pregnant. Even if she had reason, her name was still hurt. I didn’t expect Heir Apparent Duan to stay by her no matter what.”
Someone added: “Heir Apparent Duan looks unruly on normal days, but he’s more reliable than the Ping An Marquis.”
Another sighed and said: “Men can’t be judged by looks alone.”
Someone asked: “Do you think Heir Apparent Duan will marry Miss Xia?”
A companion shook his head and said: “A divorced woman with a child? Forget noble houses. Even normal families won’t accept that.”
Another clicked his tongue and said: “What a sin. The Ping An Marquis is a real scumbag. He ruined a perfectly good young lady.”
Xia Meng Yan did not hear the two aunties speaking up for her; she didn’t want to hear anything about Ping An Marquis Manor or Lin Ye Lan anyway. [I’m done with that place and that person.]
When she returned to the manor, Nanny Song was waiting at the moon gate, looking anxious.
“Big miss,” Nanny Song said, “Master seems to be in trouble.” She explained that her father had locked himself in the study and hadn’t even had breakfast.
“Mother,” Xia Meng Yan said as she headed straight to Madam Lin’s courtyard to ask for news.
Seeing her daughter, Madam Lin hurried over and looked her up and down, asking: “Are you alright?”
Feeling lost, Xia Meng Yan helped Madam Lin sit and said: “I’m fine. What happened?”
Madam Lin huffed and said: “Those dogs couldn’t out-argue your father, so they played dirty.” Seeing her daughter safe, she let out a breath and went on: “After court your father was pelted with rotten vegetable leaves. They shouted with full confidence that the Huo Family has been loyal for generations and fought for the country with their lives, while your father slandered the Huo Family out of selfishness.”
She added: “Those people got worked up and surrounded your father’s carriage. Luckily the Imperial Guard arrived in time and the crowd scattered.”
“Was Father hurt?” Xia Meng Yan asked. She hadn’t expected anyone to be bold enough to attack a court official at the gate of the Imperial Palace.
Madam Lin shook her head and said: “He’s fine, just stinky. His colleagues laughed at him.”
“I’ll go see Father,” Xia Meng Yan said, standing up. Madam Lin followed.
Inside the study, Xia Ping Yuan sat with a dark face. The good mood of the last few days had vanished. But he didn’t regret it. Anyone who dared bully his daughter, he wasn’t afraid of getting pelted with rotten eggs, let alone vegetables. If they’d thrown stones, he’d still stand firm.
To keep his daughter from worrying, he had come in through the back gate and ordered the staff not to talk.
When the serving lad reported that the big miss and madam were here, Xia Ping Yuan knew they had found out.
As soon as Xia Meng Yan stepped inside, a foul smell hit her, churned her stomach, and she turned away to retch.
Xia Ping Yuan frowned at the servants and said: “How could you tell my daughter? She’s pregnant.” He sniffed his own robe from a safe distance and grimaced. It did smell.
[Dang it. I’ve already washed it three times. Why does it still stink?]
Feeling bad as she watched her daughter suffer, Madam Lin regretted sharing the news and said: “Hurry and take the big miss back.”
“Mother, I’m fine,” Xia Meng Yan said as she wiped her mouth and looked into the room. “Is Father injured?”
“No,” he said, “don’t worry. I’m fine. If I find out who did it, I’ll curse him to death.”
Xia Meng Yan couldn’t help it and smiled. Before, she only thought Father had lots of energy; she hadn’t expected him to hold such grudges too. She said: “Father, let me handle this. I won’t let the one behind it get what they want.”
Xia Ping Yuan had offended many people, but none had dared strike from the shadows. If this wasn’t punished hard, who knew who else would throw rotten eggs at him later.