The room fell silent after Lin Yan's words.
Even Madam Hou didn't know what to say. It seemed she had forgotten about the matter. The food at the Marquis's mansion was always prepared with the utmost care, "food without being refined, and fine without being sliced." Therefore, even the vegetarian dishes were cooked with animal fat.
She quickly looked at her husband, and sure enough, the Marquis of Huaiyin's expression grew even uglier.
He then remembered that when his sister passed away, he had been very sad, but the household's meals had continued as usual. His children were his sister's nephews and nieces and should have observed mourning for a month.
Lin Yan was wearing a plain-colored dress, but her own family members were all in brightly colored clothes. They hadn't paid any attention at all, let alone the fact that wine had been prepared for this family banquet.
How could Lin Yan possibly start eating? How could she stomach it!
But they didn't seem to have brought this matter up. He had been busy with official duties recently and hadn't paid attention to matters in the inner chambers, but was this a minor issue?
He only knew that his wife and his sister had some disagreements when they were young, but the deceased should be respected. The fact that she was so perfunctory even during the mourning period. Was this just a disagreement? This was clearly enmity.
The Marquis of Huaiyin looked at his wife, and the disappointment on his face made Madam Hou panic.
She had genuinely forgotten. After all, when the news of the death arrived, it was already more than half a month later.
Later, because she was busy with her son's engagement, she had been so preoccupied with her sulking that she had completely forgotten that her children still needed to observe mourning.
Originally, if this matter hadn't been brought up, it might have passed by unnoticed. But now that it had been revealed, she could only face her husband's anger.
"This is my fault, I overlooked it," the Marquis of Huaiyin said with great shame. He found it difficult to look at Lin Yan's face, which resembled his sister's.
Feng Feiyu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he didn't. As close relatives, they had completely forgotten their aunt's funeral, and he had no right to speak.
"It's not your fault, Uncle. I won't be eating this meal. Uncle, Aunt, Cousin, and all my Cousins, please enjoy your meal." Lin Yan stood up. "Granny Fang, please help me back."
"Yes." Granny Fang quickly came forward to support Lin Yan.
Lin Yan leaned on Granny Fang's arm. As she turned, tears slid from her eyes, shimmering under the candlelight behind her.
"Yan'er..." The Marquis of Huaiyin wanted to call out to her but then gave up. What was the point of staying? To continue being bullied by them?
"I've had enough to eat. I'll be staying in the study tonight!" The Marquis of Huaiyin also stood up and left without regard for Madam Hou's reaction.
Everyone in the dining hall stopped eating and looked at Madam Hou.
"What are you looking at? None of you are eating anymore, right!" Madam Hou glared at everyone.
The concubine daughters immediately lowered their heads and continued eating. The young masters dared not make any noise and obediently let their wet nurses feed them.
Feng Feiyu wanted to say something, but seeing his mother's expression, he didn't dare. His mother's reputation was already at stake, and she wouldn't listen to anything now. He should not add to her troubles.
However, he decided in his heart that he should treat this cousin better. After all, she had come to their home alone, and his mother and sister were targeting her. If he couldn't help her, how sad would she be?
Lin Yan was helped by Granny Fang as she walked out, tears flowing silently.
"Miss, you should try to look on the bright side. Your father and mother in heaven wouldn't want to see you so sad."
"Mama, I want to go home." Lin Yan's voice was filled with grievance. She didn't want to cry, but her body's constitution was like this.
Footsteps sounded from behind them. Although Lin Yan and the others left earlier, Lin Yan was frail and walked slowly, so she was quickly caught up by the Marquis of Huaiyin.
The Marquis of Huaiyin, who had caught up, happened to hear Lin Yan say, "I want to go home." The Marquis of Huaiyin also felt a sting in his nose.
How much grievance had this child suffered? But she no longer had a home. This place was supposed to be her home, yet it wasn't giving her warmth or security.
He had failed to take good care of his sister's only descendant.
"Yan'er, you have been wronged," the Marquis of Huaiyin said as he watched Lin Yan cry, but he didn't know what to do.
He wanted to tell her that he would stand up for her, to tell her that he would take good care of her. But all of it seemed too pale.
"Uncle, I'm fine." Hearing her uncle's voice, Lin Yan quickly and clumsily wiped the tears from her face, as if she didn't want him to see her crying.
"Go back and have someone bring you some porridge. Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, I'll have someone open the small kitchen in your courtyard. Then, I'll have fresh vegetables delivered to you daily and find you a cook. You can eat in your own courtyard from now on."
All he could think of was to provide her with all the material conditions and to minimize her contact with his wife. Lin Yan would be in mourning and wouldn't go out. By the time she finished mourning, he should have persuaded his wife.
"Yan'er will follow Uncle's arrangements," Lin Yan said obediently. "If Uncle has nothing else, Yan'er will go back to rest."
"Your cousin..." The Marquis of Huaiyin said with difficulty. It was their oversight, and he couldn't explain it.
"Yan'er understands. Uncle doesn't need to worry. Yan'er is grateful that Uncle and Aunt have taken me in and will not be so ungrateful." She gave a sarcastic smile, then bowed to the Marquis of Huaiyin and left.
The Marquis of Huaiyin watched the frail daughter being supported away. She looked so delicate, as if she would be blown away by the wind at any moment.
"Miss, you..." Granny Fang's voice was full of worry, but she couldn't fault Lin Yan for anything she had done.
"Mama, don't try to persuade me. I know what I'm doing." The original owner had experienced this kind of treatment back then, but she chose to endure it.
After this family banquet, she had vomited everything back up when she returned. This ordeal had made her sick for many days.
What did she gain from it? Nothing but their increasing demands! What was the use of swallowing her pride? It was like biting your tongue and swallowing the pain, and only you would suffer it.
When wronged, everyone should know about it. If things are unbearable, everyone should suffer together!
This way, those who mistreated her wouldn't act as if they had bestowed a favor, as if she had truly done something for them.
This body's constitution did have some advantages. With such a face, even showing a little emotion would be seen as suffering grievances. Even aggressive questioning would be interpreted as crying for help.
She would expose all the grievances the original owner had suffered, and let everyone see what kind of person this Marquis's wife truly was.