Madam Xu, noticing her daughter’s enthusiasm, composed herself and casually said, “Your cousin has recently married—he took a young lady from the An family as his bride.”
“The An family? The one known for lacquer work?” Mingxi was surprised, as she hadn’t heard of any prior connection between the two families. “Why didn’t we receive a letter about my cousin’s wedding?”
Madam Xu studied her daughter’s calm demeanor and let out a subtle sigh of relief. She had clearly worried for nothing. Smiling, she explained, “The engagement was rushed. You know your cousin is not young anymore. Besides, with us so far away in the capital, your uncle and aunt didn’t want to trouble us.”
Finding it odd but understanding her uncle and aunt’s practical nature, Mingxi replied, “I’ll send a gift to Jiangcheng later to make up for it. It can go along with whatever you and Father prepare.”
“That’s fine,” Madam Xu didn’t reject it.
“How is my new cousin-in-law?” Duan Mingxi asked, curious. In her previous life, her cousin had become a cripple and never married. This time, she hoped for his happiness.
“Your aunt said she’s a fine woman, but I haven’t met her yet,” Madam Xu replied. “We’ll know more when the opportunity arises.”
“Will Cousin and his wife not be accompanying Uncle and Aunt to the capital?”
“Newlyweds shouldn’t make such a long journey,” Madam Xu said. “Your uncle and aunt are just coming to check on us and set their minds at ease before quickly returning.”
Duan Mingxi’s happiness was undiminished. Even a brief visit from her uncle and aunt was something to look forward to.
After sharing a delightful lunch at the Duan residence, Mingxi finally left. Her father, Duan Pingchang, was busy with the Internal Weaving and Dyeing Bureau’s business. The palace’s autumn clothing orders were about to begin, and various fabrics and silks were being shipped to the capital.
Now responsible for these transactions, Duan Pingchang dared not slack off and personally oversaw the transport and delivery of goods.
Time quickly passed, and the day of Gao Zhan and Bai Zhiwei’s grand wedding arrived.
Mingxi, of course, would not attend. Instead, she accepted an invitation from Chu Qingying to have tea together.
Previously, when her group of friends had gathered, she hadn’t been able to attend. Though there had been subsequent plans, other commitments had kept her from joining. This time, Chu Qingying arranged for a one-on-one meeting.
They met at Yuxian Tower, where Qi Dongchun himself greeted Mingxi outside. Seeing her alight from her carriage, he quickly approached. “Miss Duan, Miss Chu is already here.”
Mingxi nodded and headed straight to the third floor.
Qi Dongchun personally brought up tea and pastries before quietly withdrawing.
Chu Qingying, somewhat surprised, remarked, “The manager of Yuxian Tower himself delivering the refreshments—how curious.”
Mingxi smiled but said nothing. Taking her seat across from Chu Qingying, she noticed her friend’s weariness, marked by a faint pallor, and immediately sensed trouble at home.
“You don’t look well,” Mingxi observed.
Chu Qingying sighed. “Jin Wangfei has pressured my father to make Chu Shinian the shizi. My sister and I oppose this, of course, but Xingan Marquis has also been stirring up trouble. It’s truly exasperating.”
Chu Shinian was Chu Qingying’s half-brother, born to her stepmother. In her previous life, he had indeed been named the shizi.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Duan Mingxi said thoughtfully, “Traditionally, the eldest legitimate son is the shizi. Chu Shinian is neither. How could this work?”
She was unsure why Chu Yaonian hadn’t been named shizi in the previous life. However, it was clear that her stepmother had triumphed.
“My brother-in-law used to support my little brother. But recently, his attitude has softened for some reason,” Chu Qingying said, her brows furrowed deeply.
The greatest support for the Chu sisters had been Yu Wang. A change in his stance would be devastating.
Duan Mingxi quickly grasped the implications. “It seems Xingan Marquis must have offered something compelling—or made promises—enough to sway Yu Wang.”
Chu Qingying’s face darkened; she clearly shared the same suspicion. She sighed helplessly, “Perhaps.”
“And you and Yu Wangfei? What are your thoughts?”
“What else can we do? All we can do is stall for time.”
“You want to delay, but Xingan Marquis won’t just sit idly by.”
Chu Qingying knew this too well. She looked at Mingxi, frustration tinging her tone, and said, “What other options do we have?”
“Has Huaian Marquis shown no reaction?” Mingxi found this puzzling.
Chu Qingying let out a bitter laugh.
That was all Duan Mingxi needed to understand. Huaian Marquis likely opposed the idea of Chu Shinian becoming the shizi but was unable to do much to stop it.
In the capital, those without power or influence were like toothless tigers—no one feared them.
“Let’s not dwell on this,” Chu Qingying said, forcing a smile. “I invited you here for a pleasant chat, not to share my troubles.”
Mingxi looked at her and slowly asked, “Did you hear about what happened in the palace today?”
“What happened?” Chu Qingying appeared confused.
“The matter with Qian Jieyu,” Mingxi replied.
Chu Qingying paused for a moment, then nodded. “Oh, that. I did hear a bit. Are you curious about it? Qian Jieyu and Kang Wang have always been inconspicuous in the palace. If something happens to them, who would even care?”
Her tone carried a hint of shared misfortune.
Seeing that Chu Qingying hadn’t grasped the significance of the situation, Duan Mingxi asked, “Does the old Huaian Marquis still handle affairs in the family?”
“If my grandfather were in good health, how would Xingan Marquis dare to be so audacious? But because he’s unwell, the family avoids troubling him with such matters,” Chu Qingying said, her tone laced with frustration.
“And your uncle?”
“My uncle’s official career hasn’t been going smoothly recently.”
Duan Mingxi understood the situation. Xingan Marquis, aiming to have his grandson become the shizi of Marquis Jingyuan’s estate, must have been suppressing the Huaian Marquisate’s influence.
With the elderly Marquis unwell and unable to manage family affairs, and the current Marquis encountering setbacks, it was likely all orchestrated by Xingan Marquis.
The timing was suspicious. Right after Qian Jieyu and Kang Wang encountered trouble in the palace, Yu Wang withdrew his involvement in the Jingyuan Marquisate’s matters. On the surface, these incidents seemed unrelated, but the coincidence was too striking.
“I think you should explain the situation clearly to Huaian Marquis.”
“To my uncle? But he’s overwhelmed as it is…” Chu Qingying hesitated. Lately, her aunt had been displeased with her and her sister frequently troubling their uncle, and she didn’t want to see more annoyed faces.
From her uncertain tone, Mingxi surmised the dynamics at play. “I see. In that case, let me handle this.”
“What?” Chu Qingying was startled. “Mingxi, how are you planning to do that? Won’t it cause you trouble?”
“It won’t,” Mingxi shook her head. She strongly suspected that Jin Wang and Yu Wang were involved in the incident with Kang Wang and Qian Jieyu. If so, intervening might serve her interests on multiple fronts.
The more chaotic the waters in the capital became, the more advantageous it was for her.
“Are you sure it won’t cause problems?” Chu Qingying asked again, clearly worried.
Mingxi shook her head. “It just so happens that I have something that’s slightly related to your household. Giving it a small push won’t hurt.”
Saying this, she turned to Chu Qingying. “If anyone comes to you with a request, don’t agree to anything.”
“Ah? Alright,” Chu Qingying responded, still somewhat bewildered.
Mingxi looked at her thoughtfully. In their past lives, both had struggled in the mire, and in this life, Mingxi hoped that Chu Qingying could escape it.
She wasn’t a saint, but Chu Qingying had shown her kindness and support in this life, and she wished to repay that favor.
“Could you help me pass a message to Yu Wangfei? Would that be convenient?” Mingxi asked Chu Qingying.
What Chu Qingying couldn’t foresee, Yu Wangfei might. To advance this chess game, she was indispensable.
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