After this banquet, what was much talked about among the male guests was Feng Feiyu and the newly appointed junior scholar, Lin Yi.
Among the female guests, Tang Xinyi, who had embarrassed herself, was also a topic of discussion for many days.
"Le'er, it's better if you do some things more discreetly. After all, she is your half-sister. If her reputation is ruined, you will also be affected," Madam Tang earnestly taught her daughter.
"Mother, I know," Tang Leyi was still very obedient when facing her own mother.
"However, the disposition of this third one seems different from before," Madam Tang felt a hint of confusion. She was just a concubine's daughter, and as long as it didn't affect her own daughter, she paid no attention.
How could Tang Leyi let her affect her? She still wanted to have a sufficiently good reputation.
Lin Yan watched this drama and found it boring, it was just bickering between young girls.
After saying goodbye to the Lin family members waiting for her at the entrance, she got into her own carriage.
Inside the carriage, Madam Hou's expression darkened as she watched Lin Yan converse with those men.
Feng Yue had been somewhat angry at the banquet for failing to find a way to suppress Lin Yan, but later felt happy after being flattered by those young ladies.
Seeing her mother's displeased expression as she looked outside, she followed her mother's gaze to look in that direction.
"This Lin Yan is truly ill-bred, chatting with men like this, completely disregarding my brother." Feng Yue saw the group of men surrounding Lin Yan.
Although it looked like they were surrounding her, they were actually several steps away from Lin Yan, and it was clear that those men were very respectful to Lin Yan.
Only the youngest among them was closer to Lin Yan, and their relationship seemed more intimate.
"It seems she got to know quite a few people while observing mourning at the country estate!"
Initially, Feng Yue had a good impression of Lin Yi and the others based on their looks, but she hadn't expected them to know Lin Yan, which worsened her impression of them.
Madam Hou's expression darkened further upon hearing her daughter's words.
Although she didn't want to admit Lin Yan as her daughter-in-law, Lin Yan was indeed betrothed to her son. Now, seeing her chatting happily with men, Madam Hou felt as if her son's head was turning green.
"Return to the manor!" She angrily lowered the curtain, and the Marquis's carriage moved.
Upon returning to the Marquis's manor, Madam Hou was furious with Lin Yan.
Lin Yan had no reaction yet, but Marquis of Huaiyin returned and saw his wife making things difficult for Lin Yan again.
"Madam, didn't you go to the Plum Blossom Appreciation Banquet hosted by Prince Ning today? Did something upset you at the banquet?" Marquis of Huaiyin inquired, offering his wife a way down.
"Who would dare upset me? It's just someone's improper behavior. She claims to be observing mourning at the estate, but she's gotten to know all sorts of questionable people.
She can chat happily with men in broad daylight, and who knows what she's like in private." Madam Hou seemed to have finally found fault with Lin Yan and eagerly complained to the Marquis.
"Madam, be careful with your words!" Lin Yan immediately stood up, her small face filled with anger, but her eyes were red.
Her hands trembled slightly, but she still stood up straight.
"I know you dislike me, Madam, but the reputation of a daughter of the Lin family cannot be slandered by you!"
"What? If you dare to do it, you can't be spoken about!" Madam Hou looked at her contemptuously.
"What is going on here?" Marquis of Huaiyin frowned. They each held their own version of events. Although he deeply believed Lin Yan would not do such a thing, he also knew his wife wouldn't lie.
"What have I done? I hope Madam can enlighten me. What exactly have I done to make you say such malicious words to me and try to force me to death!" Lin Yan tried her best to stop her tears from falling.
"This is likely a misunderstanding. Let's just let it go," Marquis of Huaiyin said, feeling a headache from their tense standoff.
"It cannot be let go!" Lin Yan retorted.
"Yes, it cannot be let go." Madam Hou would not let such an opportunity pass.
"Don't you know what you've done? You're acting so virtuous here, talking about a daughter's reputation. You've already done what you've done, and now you're talking about a daughter's reputation." Feng Yue also said sarcastically.
Marquis of Huaiyin glared at Feng Yue, "What business is it of yours here!"
Feng Yue said indignantly, "I saw it with my own eyes."
"Then where did Miss Feng see it, and when? You need proof for accusation. Even if you want to condemn me, you need to be clear about it!" Lin Yan managed to say this after calming her emotions.
What grievances do they hold that they would guess her with such malice and try to ruin her reputation?
"At the entrance of Prince Ning's manor, weren't you chatting happily with those scholars? You even gave them your hand warmer," Feng Yue said clearly and smugly.
A woman like this was just the person to use this incident to break off her engagement with her brother.
"Then does Your Lordship also think so?" Lin Yan did not look at Madam Hou's face filled with malice, but instead looked at the Marquis, her eyes devoid of joy or sorrow.
"This, this should be a misunderstanding." Although Marquis of Huaiyin had some doubts, he decided to let the matter drop.
Even if his niece made some friends while observing mourning, it was fine. He trusted his son, and those people couldn't possibly compare to his son.
Lin Yan looked around and noticed that everyone's gaze towards her was probing and held hidden contempt.
"Of course it's a misunderstanding!" Lin Yan did not rush to defend herself. After all, the truth would always come out. However, her uncle's attitude chilled her even more.
Although she knew the Marquis of Huaiyin would stand by her side, she hadn't expected him to doubt her.
"If you saw it with your own eyes, how could there be a misunderstanding!" Feng Yue rolled her eyes at Lin Yan.
Madam Hou also looked at her, wondering what she could say.
"Madam is busy with important matters and seems to have forgotten. Some time ago, I sent someone to inform you that people from my hometown had arrived." Lin Yan said with a wry smile.
Madam Hou seemed to sense something was wrong. But she also wanted to see how this person would argue. This was a clear-cut matter, not something she could dismiss with a few words.
"Those young scholars are members of our Lin family, my nephews. The man to whom I gave my hand warmer is my grandnephew. Does Madam need me to call them here for confrontation?
I don't know why Madam is slandering me so indiscriminately, but I acted properly and uprightly tonight.
Although unmarried women should not meet external men, are my own clan nephews now considered external men? Yan is truly enlightened!"