Chapter 311: Is there any entanglement?
County Magistrate Zheng was handling a case in the front yamen, while Mrs. Zheng was worried in the backyard.
It was nothing more than Zheng Yuanzheng telling Mrs. Zheng everything about the conflict between Zhai Ruyu and the Su brothers.
In Zheng Yuanzheng's words, that Prince Zhai is too bad. He actually wants to bully Fu Ya's brother. Let's drive him away!
Mrs. Zheng knew much more than her son expected.
It is obvious that Prince Zhai came for his niece.
Madam Zheng thought of Prince Zhai's purpose, and also thought of Zhuo Yishu from the Yong'an Earl's Mansion.
Then, she thought of the questions that County Magistrate Zheng asked her that day.
Mrs. Zheng's eyelids twitched. After thinking for a while, she stood up and went to Ye Mingyan's yard.
"Ming Yan, tell me the truth, do you and that Prince Zhai have any entanglement?"
Mrs. Zheng paused, but still asked with a worried look in her eyes.
Although it concerns my niece's reputation, I would feel uneasy if I didn't ask her.
Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Ye Mingyan's expression changed.
"Aunt, why do you say that?" Ye Mingyan said with a look of humiliation, her face flushed. "How could a niece, a girl from the boudoir, be entangled with a man from outside the family? Could it be that Auntie suspects Mingyan of not observing the rules of a boudoir and having no sense of shame?"
Seeing this, Mrs. Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mingyan, don't worry. It's all your aunt's fault." Madam Zheng softened her tone and said, "Your aunt was just asking casually. Don't take it to heart. The daughter of our Ye family has been well-educated and has a strict family tradition. Naturally, she wouldn't do anything so immoral. It's just that Prince Zhai..."
"I'm afraid Auntie has heard what my cousin said and knows what happened in front of the county school?" Ye Mingyan said in a positive tone: "Prince Zhai admires Mingyan and takes his anger out on the fifth brother of the Su family. Although it was caused by Mingyan, how can Mingyan be innocent? Mingyan strictly abides by the etiquette and never dares to be late or take a wrong step. But Mingyan is in such a state..."
When Ye Mingyan said this, he subconsciously touched his face.
The beauty of her face was so stunning that even Mrs. Zheng was slightly dazed.
Ye Mingyan bit her lip and continued, "Mingyan's appearance has attracted countless admirers from the children of officials in the capital. Moreover, Mingyan has been practicing music, chess, calligraphy and painting since he was young, and has made some progress. I don't know who spread his reputation for talent, and he has attracted many scholars and talented people to admire him and write poems to praise him..."
When Mrs. Zheng heard her niece's words, pride surged in her heart.
Yes! My niece is beautiful and talented, so it's only natural that she attracts the admiration of men.
Ye Mingyan's eyes darkened, and a hint of sadness entered his voice as he continued, "If the Ye family wasn't so prominent, even if it was a prince's wife from a noble family, my niece would have been qualified..."
Mrs. Zheng felt sad and full of guilt.
It’s all because of my mother’s family’s incompetence that my niece’s future has been ruined.
Logically speaking, the Ye family is of good status, but there are too many century-old families, princes and nobles in the capital, so the Ye family's status is not good enough.
Mrs. Zheng held her niece's hands with both hands and said guiltily, "I'm sorry for putting you through this."
At this moment, Mrs. Zheng's heart was completely up and down with her niece's words.
Ye Mingyan shook her head, her face still showing an expression of being wronged. She said, "Now Mingyan has obeyed the wishes of my father and aunt, left the capital, and come here, willing to marry a country scholar. How can my aunt suspect that Mingyan is not observing etiquette and the rules of the boudoir?"
"It's all my aunt's fault!" Madam Zheng felt sorry for her niece and apologized sincerely, "It's really that Prince Zhai went too far. If the Su family has concerns after he made such a fuss, I'm afraid this marriage won't go smoothly..."
"Aunt, you're wrong." Ye Mingyan said sternly, "The Su family dared to provoke even the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion for their daughter. Could it be that now that they have a son, they're afraid of the Yongning Marquis' Mansion? If that's the case, then this marriage is forfeit."
Madam Zheng, “…”
It seems so.
Otherwise, wouldn't it seem that the daughter of the Zheng family is too cheap?
Her niece is both talented and beautiful, and there are many people who want to marry her.
Didn’t you see that the prince of the Marquis’ Mansion came all the way to Fengqi County to chase us?
"Mingyan, that Prince Zhuo from the Yong'an Earl's Mansion..." Madam Zheng asked tentatively, "Could it be...that he's here because of you?"
Ye Mingyan lowered her eyes and said with an embarrassed expression, "Aunt, if others admire Mingyan, that's their business. Mingyan has no right to interfere with what others want. Mingyan can only avoid and refuse. Otherwise, with Mingyan's status, can she really beat them back?"
Madam Zheng, “…”
Speechless.
Everything my niece said made sense.
As the saying goes, a beautiful lady is a gentleman's dream.
When Mrs. Zheng thought of this, she felt both distressed and regretful for her niece.
At the same time, there is also a hint of pride.
If it weren't for the difference in social status, why would my niece do this?
"Prince Zhai is already married, and Prince Zhuo is also engaged. What are these two people planning by following us here?" Madam Zheng asked angrily, "Could it be that they want to make our daughters from the Ye family concubines? Although our Ye family's status may not be as high as that of a marquisate like theirs, it doesn't make sense for us to make our legitimate daughters concubines!"
After hearing what Mrs. Zheng said, Ye Mingyan lowered his head and said nothing.
Mrs. Zheng thought her niece was just sad, and quickly comforted her.
After Madam Zheng left, Ye Mingyan thought for a moment and told her maid Zitan, "Prepare some water. I need to take a bath and change my clothes."
"yes."
Zitan agreed and hurried to prepare.
After taking a bath, Ye Mingyan changed into a light blue dress.
Her half-wet hair was simply tied up and a simple jade hairpin was inserted into it.
"I'm going for a walk in the garden, you don't have to follow me." Ye Mingyan said.
"Girl, your hair is not dry yet. If you catch a cold..." Zitan said worriedly.
"It's okay." Ye Mingyan said lightly.
After saying that, he went out and went to the garden alone.
The garden is not big, but it is quiet and has a small lotus pond.
There are several lotus plants planted in the lotus pond, and they are now in full bloom.
Ye Mingyan stood quietly by the lotus pond, looking at the blooming green lotus, with a sense of detachment and independence from the world.
"Miss Ye, is it true that I, Zhai, am not so lucky as to have no chance to taste the Eight Treasures Duck made by Miss Ye herself?"
Zhai Ruyu's voice, with an inexplicable meaning, sounded behind Ye Mingyan.
Ye Mingyan turned around slowly, her hair was slightly wet, and her fair skin had a slight blush from having just bathed, making her look even more delicate and charming.
Zhai Ruyu's gaze fixed on Ye Mingyan's face, unable to move away for a long time.
Ye Mingyan lowered his eyes and said coldly, "Prince Zhai is of noble status, so naturally his wife will cook for him. If Prince Zhai wants to taste the Eight Treasures Duck, I'm sure your wife will cook it for him personally."
"I won't eat anything she cooks!"
There was a hint of annoyance in Zhai Ruyu's tone.
Then, he looked at Ye Mingyan with eagerness in his eyes.
"This prince only wants to eat what Miss Ye cooks."
Ye Mingyan's tone turned cold.
"How could Mingyan be so blessed? Prince Zhai, please don't say such things again in the future."
After saying this, she took light steps and wanted to leave.
Zhai Ruyu took a step forward and stopped Ye Mingyan.
"Mingyan, you know my feelings, so why reject me from thousands of miles away?" Zhai Ruyu said anxiously, "I've traveled thousands of miles for you, to this remote place. Can't you see my sincerity towards you?"
As Zhai Ruyu said this, she was about to grab Ye Mingyan's hand.
Ye Mingyan was so scared that he took a step back, but his feet slipped and his body fell backwards involuntarily.
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