Duan Mingxi quickly received a letter from Duan Wang, outlining the situation. After reading it, her expression remained calm. She had expected to attract attention but didn’t think someone would act so quickly—and it turned out to be the Crown Prince.
What a fated rivalry.
Duan Mingxi immediately sent word to Second Uncle Duan, advising him to be cautious and prepare for potential trouble.
That very night, Duan Mingjing’s shop was set ablaze, the flames lighting up the waters around Longhu.
The following morning, a disheveled and bruised Duan Mingjing sent word to Mingxi. Thankfully, precautions had already been in place.
During the chaos of the fire, Duan Mingjing made an announcement to the gathered crowd: someone had attempted to steal the betting money, failed, and set the shop on fire in a desperate attempt to cover their tracks and commit murder.
This declaration, coupled with the visible injuries of those who had guarded the shop, painted a vivid picture. Every coin of the betting money remained intact, and Duan Mingjing himself appeared as the people’s hero—his scorched clothing, bruised face, and bloodstained hem all evidence of a fierce struggle.
Moved by his bravery, the townsfolk not only volunteered to guard the money chest but also helped clean up the remnants of the shop.
Privately, Duan Mingjing’s heart was still racing. He had narrowly escaped death the previous night, only surviving thanks to the additional guards Mingxi had advised him to station.
The fire, however, had been his own doing. In the chaos, he had deliberately broken a lamp to start the blaze.
Mingxi had said that if someone wanted to steal his credit, the only solution was to make it impossible for them to do so.
And how could it be made impossible?
In a situation like this, who would dare try to take credit from him?
After all, he had risked his life to safeguard everyone’s silver. Who would have the audacity to make a move now?
The fear was real, too. Taking a trip to the gates of the underworld had left him shaken, and the kick to his waist still ached faintly.
Soon, the Marquis’s household sent guards to protect Second Master Duan. When Duan Wang’s estate heard about the situation, the Wangye dispatched his personal guards to lead a team as well.
Xiao Muchen personally made an appearance. He hadn’t expected the situation to escalate this far, nor did he anticipate Mingxi’s counterattack to be so ruthless. Whoever had acted against them must be fuming now.
Not only had they failed to seize what they wanted, but they had inadvertently handed Duan Mingjing a significant achievement. Furthermore, Duan Mingxi had reported the incident to the authorities, and officials were already investigating the case.
It was truly a situation where they had “failed to eat the mutton and ended up with a stinking mess.”
After such an event, Mingxi received several letters of concern from friends, to which she replied one by one. Meanwhile, Second Uncle Duan made a public display of depositing the silver wager into the bank, right in front of the townspeople.
The crowd erupted in cheers. With the silver safely in the bank, who would dare steal it now?
When Second Uncle Duan finally returned to the Marquis’s residence, his face was still pale. Second Madam carefully examined him to ensure he was unharmed before sighing in relief. She helped him change clothes and said, “Father asked you to see him once you returned.”
Duan Mingjing nodded. “Get me something to eat first.”
Second Madam quickly ordered the maids to prepare food. Then, turning back to her husband, she asked, “Is everything settled now? Whoever dared to act so despicably—once I find out who it was, I won’t let them off lightly!”
“The silver is in the bank now, so everyone can rest easy,” Duan Mingjing replied.
No wonder Mingxi had told him not to rush the deposit earlier—it turned out she had been waiting for this crucial opportunity. His niece was truly impressive, though dealing with her plans was a bit taxing; he had nearly lost half his life in the process.
After hurriedly eating, Duan Mingjing headed to see the family patriarch. Before leaving, he said to his wife, “Go visit Mingxi and see if she’s in the residence. Tell her I need to speak with her.”
Second Madam agreed and personally went to find Mingxi.
Duan Mingxi wasn’t surprised that her Second Uncle wanted to see her and said to Second Madam, “I’ll wait for him here.”
Second Madam smiled and said, “I recently received some new flower tea. Why don’t you come over and try it?”
Mingxi paused before understanding her meaning. It wasn’t appropriate for an uncle to visit his niece’s courtyard directly. Rising to her feet, she followed Second Madam and said, “I’d be glad to trouble you, Aunt.”
Second Madam beamed. “It’s no trouble at all. If you like the tea, I’ll pack some for you to take back and enjoy.”
As the two walked out, they encountered Duan Qingyin, Duan Min, and a few others admiring flowers in the garden. Seeing them, the younger women quickly came over to greet them.
Duan Mingxi noticed the flower in Duan Rong’s hair and smiled. “Who picked that for you? It looks lovely.”
“Sister Yin chose it for me, and Sister Min helped place it. Sister, does it look nice?” Duan Rong asked shyly. Though she was still young, she already had a budding sense of beauty.
“It looks wonderful! I just received a box of silk flowers. They’ll suit you perfectly.” Turning to Qiancao, she instructed, “Go fetch them and distribute them among the young ladies.”
Qiancao smiled in response and promptly turned back to retrieve the flowers.
Duan Min and the others hurriedly expressed their thanks, their joy evident. Seeing their happiness, Mingxi smiled and continued walking with Second Madam.
Second Madam’s daughter was Duan Rong.
Second Madam walked alongside Mingxi and remarked, “You really don’t need to spoil them so much. Over the past few months, Rong Wr and the others have received so many things from you.”
“It’s nothing of value. These silk flowers were handmade by my shop’s workers, using designs inspired by this year’s southern trends. They’re just a novelty, really.”
Although Mingxi often gave her younger cousins gifts, they reciprocated as well, occasionally sending her embroidered handkerchiefs, sachets, or homemade teas and pastries.
Despite not spending much time at the family residence, Mingxi’s relationships with her sisters had grown increasingly close. Giving and receiving created a cycle of goodwill—why not enjoy it?
When they arrived at Second Madam’s quarters, Mingxi had barely sipped her tea before Second Master arrived.
“Second Uncle,” Mingxi greeted him respectfully.
“There’s no need for such formalities,” Second Master Duan said, gesturing for her to sit. It was clear he no longer saw this niece of his as a mere junior.
Once seated, Second Master Duan began discussing the follow-up actions. “As you advised, we deliberately let those people go last night. But Mingxi, are you sure this is fine? What if the authorities investigate further?”
“If they investigate, we only need to be truthful—except for the part about deliberately letting them go. That must remain unsaid.” Mingxi’s eyes glimmered with a touch of mockery. “And if the investigation leads to the Crown Prince, do you think they’ll dare dig any deeper?”
Duan Mingjing thought for a moment and realized she was right. Still, he couldn’t hide his frustration. “Are we really going to let this slide?”
The Crown Prince had gone too far!
“That fire last night earned you an excellent reputation, Second Uncle. I’m sure those on the other side are furious. We’ve already come out ahead, so there’s no need to be angry.”
Confronting the Crown Prince head-on wasn’t an option—they weren’t strong enough yet. Mingxi’s move had forced the Crown Prince into a humiliating defeat, but if they pressed further, it might provoke a retaliation that could spell disaster for Duan Mingjing.
