“What message? Tell me, and I’ll make sure she gets it,” Chu Qingying responded immediately.
Mingxi gave a faint smile. “Please ask Yu Wangfei to enter the palace and pay respects to Consort Xian.”
“Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
Although puzzled, Chu Qingying agreed. “Alright, I’ll make sure it’s done.”
After chatting with Chu Qingying for a while, Mingxi let her go and summoned You Sanping.
You Sanping arrived a bit late. Once inside, he explained, “Duke Gao’s household is hosting a wedding tomorrow. Several streets near their residence have been sealed off.”
“It must be a rehearsal for the street closures,” Mingxi remarked.
The wedding ceremonies of noble families were often elaborate. To avoid mishaps on the actual day, they rehearsed the process in advance.
Understanding her point, You Sanping let the matter drop. “Miss, what are your instructions for me?”
“Go find out if there has been any private interaction between Yu Wang and Jin Wang recently.”
“What a coincidence. Just a few days ago, I happened to see the two Wangyes horseback riding together outside the city, not far from our estate,” You Sanping reported.
Mingxi was surprised. “Are you sure you saw clearly?”
“I wouldn’t mistake the royal insignia,” he assured her.
It seemed her suspicions were correct. The two Wangyes had been racing outside the city, and shortly after that, Consort Qian was involved in an incident.
One thing remained unclear—what benefit would the Crown Prince and the Empress gain from their alliance, and what was their ultimate goal in targeting Kang Wang and his mother?
“Go investigate the recent movements of Kang Wang’s household.”
“Understood,” You Sanping replied, leaving immediately without asking further questions. He didn’t return until nightfall.
“Miss, I just received confidential information. Fengcheng Marquis recently achieved military success while leading troops in the field. It seems he sent a letter to Kang Wang, and the day after Kang Wang received it, trouble arose.”
Mingxi frowned. “Fengcheng Marquis is leading troops in the field?”
She wasn’t familiar with the Marquis’s household. From what she’d heard in passing, he hadn’t seemed particularly noteworthy. How had he suddenly achieved such a victory?
“Fengcheng Marquis was leading troops as a deputy, trying to redeem himself. Previously, he was disgraced after a defeat in Qinan. When unrest broke out there again, His Majesty sent him to accompany the general on a campaign.”
“But unexpectedly, the general fell ill upon reaching Qinan due to the environment. After recovering, he was gravely injured while leading troops.”
“This gave Fengcheng Marquis a chance to take command. Word has it that he achieved a victory, but for some reason, he sent the letter to Kang Wang first.”
In her previous life, Mingxi had known nothing of these events. Listening to You Sanping’s report now, she fell into deep thought.
So, in the end, was Kang Wang’s death connected to that letter?
What exactly was written in it?
She couldn’t directly intervene in palace affairs, and relying solely on Yu Wangfei might not be enough.
“Go to Duan Wang immediately and report everything you’ve discovered to him.”
“Miss?” You Sanping was taken aback.
Mingxi furrowed her brows. “This is a grave matter. The palace is too tangled with intrigue; only Wangye can intervene. If this isn’t handled properly, it might even drag Wangye down with it.”
Understanding the urgency, You Sanping didn’t dare delay and left at once.
Mingxi gazed out at the pitch-black night outside the window, her face carrying a trace of solemnity.
A storm is brewing, and the winds are filling the tower.
In her past life, there was always something she couldn’t figure out: why did Duke Zhen marry Bai Zhiwei to Xu Heng?
Xu Heng later died in battle—but was there another reason behind it?
As this thought crossed her mind, she turned and went to her study. Spreading out paper and ink, she took up a brush in her left hand and wrote a letter. After sealing it, she called Li Quan over and whispered a few instructions.
Li Quan looked surprised but tucked the letter into his chest and lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, Eldest Miss. I’ll see to it.”
Li Quan slipped out of the residence under the cover of night and headed straight for the street where Duke Wei’s mansion was located. He spent some money to gather information about the shizi’s whereabouts and then left again.
Xu Heng, returning from a drinking session with a few friends, was caught off guard when his horse was startled midway. He fell from the saddle, and before the guards at his side could react, a shadow flashed by. Suddenly, he felt something slip into his robe.
Alarmed, Xu Heng instinctively tucked the object into his sleeve. He looked around, but the surroundings were shrouded in darkness, with no trace of the shadowy figure.
His attendants helped him to his feet. The shock sobered him instantly, leaving him drenched in cold sweat. Mounting a new horse, he hurried straight back to the mansion.
Back in his room, he dismissed everyone before pulling out the letter from his sleeve. By lamplight, he opened it and was stunned.
Pale-faced, he tucked the letter into his chest and rushed to his father’s study, knocking on the door.
After reading the letter, Duke Wei’s expression darkened. “Who gave you this letter?”
Xu Heng shook his head. “The person was prepared. It was pitch black at the time, and I couldn’t see clearly.”
The Duke paced back and forth in the room for a while before stopping to face his son. “I just received a letter from Fengcheng Marquis.”
Xu Heng was startled.
“Father, does this letter align with what Fengcheng Marquis said?”
The Duke nodded slightly and sighed heavily. “When Qian Jieyu got into trouble last night, I knew something bad was brewing.”
A flash of determination crossed Xu Heng’s face. “Will Fengcheng Marquis be in danger?”
“It’s hard to say,” the Duke replied. “But now that we have the information early, it’s not too late to prepare.”
Xu Heng nodded. When His Majesty bestowed Fengcheng Marquis’s daughter to Kang Wang in marriage, he had felt uneasy.
It hadn’t been long, and now this had happened.
Qian Jieyu and her son were merely scapegoats for Fengcheng Marquis.
“What should I do?” Xu Heng asked.
“Stay out of this,” the Duke said sternly. “Today, Gao Zhan is getting married. Go to the wedding banquet and act as if nothing has happened.”
The Duke sneered. “If anyone tries to probe you, pretend you know nothing.”
Xu Heng nodded. “And if they ask about Kang Wang?”
“You and Kang Wang have no dealings, so naturally, you don’t know anything,” the Duke said.
“I understand,” Xu Heng replied. “If there’s no connection, we can protect Kang Wang. What about you, Father?”
The Duke took both letters and burned them in the brazier. “Whether the messenger is friend or foe, this matter concerns Fengcheng Marquis’s life. I can’t ignore it. But I can’t act openly, either. I’ll go to see Duan Wangye.”
“Duan Wang?” Xu Heng frowned. “Duan Wang rarely meddles in others’ affairs. Will he help?”
“If the Crown Prince, Jin Wang, and Yu Wang join forces, even Duan Wang won’t be able to remain uninvolved,” the Duke replied slowly.
Fengcheng Marquis’s fate hung by a thread. It depended on whether Duan Wang would intervene.
Xu Heng hesitated. “Should I go see Qi Wang instead?”
“Qi Wang?” The Duke shook his head. “Last time, Qi Wang gained nothing from clashing with the Crown Prince. Do you think he can protect Fengcheng Marquis this time?”
Xu Heng said no more.
“That’s settled,” the Duke said. “Remember, don’t cause trouble today—just enjoy the wedding banquet.”
“Will someone cause trouble?” Xu Heng was astonished. Who would be so foolish as to stir up trouble at someone else’s wedding?
Especially at the Gao and Zhen households, which were not to be trifled with. Are they afraid their lives are too long?