Chapter 330: The Old Marquis Is Undoubtedly Selfish
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
He was well aware of the Old Marquis’s keen interest in his third brother’s abilities and his grandmother’s lineage, the Lin family.
In the influential circles of the capital, it was clear that only by forging alliances could one attain a higher and more secure position.
The analysis provided by Third Brother was astute: Their biological grandfather had unquestionably been self-serving. His past actions had been egregiously unjust towards their grandmother and father.
He had wedded the legitimate daughter of the Lin family with the sole aim of gaining access to the Lin family’s influence. His union with an equal wife had been driven by his professed love, with the intention of elevating his beloved to a higher status.
Once the first wife bore him an heir, he completely disregarded her, causing immense sorrow to their grandmother.
In his quest to balance his affections and loyalties, he had even turned a blind eye to the suspicious circumstances surrounding his wife’s demise.
He had refused to believe the words of his own son.
At that time, he could never have imagined that his son would dare to expose this scandal. He not only ran away from home, forsaking the Marquis Mansion, a symbol of opulence, but also did so without securing any substantial support.
The news of his biological son’s flight from home sent shockwaves throughout the capital.
Consequently, the Old Marquis became a subject of ridicule across the entire city. Rumors circulated that he favored his concubines over his wife and was accused of causing her demise by none other than his own flesh and blood.
Had it not been for the absence of concrete evidence, the Imperial Family might have taken punitive measures against the Old Marquis.
In response, the Lin family severed all ties with the Marquis Mansion.
Initially, the Old Marquis resented his son, as he believed that his actions had caused him tremendous embarrassment. He went so far as to deny any connection to his own offspring.
However, he had never anticipated that even the child he had with his equal wife, although not considered a concubine’s child, would be shunned by the nobility in the capital. No one was willing to form a marital alliance with the Marquis Mansion.
Consequently, the status and prospects of the Old Marquis’s children and grandchildren were far from commendable.
Furthermore, it was an undeniable truth that his offspring, spanning multiple generations, had proven to be a source of disappointment. It appeared that the legacy of the Marquis Mansion was on the brink of decline under his stewardship.
It wasn’t due to a lack of desire on his part to designate his children and grandchildren as heirs. The obstacle lay in the disapproval of his petitions by the emperor and esteemed scholars, who deemed his descendants unworthy of such a prestigious designation.
His progeny lacked both standing and capability, and their backgrounds deviated from conventional norms.
The palace authorities also maintained that the Old Marquis’s union with his equal wife had not received their approval; it was solely his personal endeavor. Consequently, the descendant of his equal wife was considered not a legitimate son but rather a concubine’s offspring.
This implied that, upon the Old Marquis’s passing, the palace would no longer be burdened with the substantial annual financial support required by the Marquis Mansion.
As the Old Marquis advanced in age and the Lin family’s influence continued to ascend, he grew increasingly anxious.
This anxiety drove him to contemplate the idea of locating his biological son.
Upon reuniting with them, the Old Marquis was undeniably elated. He genuinely aspired to enhance their quality of life and urgently wished for them to acknowledge their ancestral ties by returning to the Marquis Mansion.
However, upon learning of the injustices inflicted by his equal wife upon his third brother, he found himself torn. He struggled to punish her, both for his own reputation and out of the love he still held for her.
Third Brother’s assertion held truth. As younger generations, they did not possess the authority to censure the Old Marquis, but they certainly retained the prerogative to choose and honor their father.
Given their father’s departure from the Marquis Mansion, they unequivocally could not return to that household to pay homage to their forebears.
Hence, their aspiration was to establish their own legacy, one that would resoundingly demonstrate their self-sufficiency, independence from the Marquis Mansion, and capacity to achieve distinction.
During their time in the capital, they visited the Lin Mansion and met with their granduncle, who supported their decision to disassociate from the
Marquis Mansion’s lineage..