If it weren’t for Miss Duan’s help, the current situation would never have arisen. Considering Xingan Marquis’s past dominance, the shizi position would likely have gone to Chu Shinian.
Now that Yu Wang was willing to help her younger brother secure the shizi position, it was merely because Xingan Marquis had suffered setbacks, and he wanted to placate her with goodwill.
Yu Wangfei had long since given up on her husband. As a Wangfei, she still had the Empress and Consort Xian above her. She had to maintain the appearance of a virtuous and gentle Yu Wangfei.
After all, she had a son—a very young one. She had to live well, firmly holding the authority of the household in her hands.
Having lived a difficult life without her mother’s protection since childhood, she wouldn’t let her son endure the same hardships.
As for her husband, she already had a son. As long as he lived to bring her honor, nothing else mattered.
When she was pushed to the brink by Xingan Marquis and her stepmother, her husband had even joined forces with Jin Wang to abandon her. That was when her last bit of affection for him disappeared.
Thinking of this, she sent a message to Chu Qingying, advising her not to act recklessly in the residence.
Since Yu Wang was willing to step in, let him handle it.
Whether it was Xingan Marquis or Jin Wang, their grievances would be directed at him in the future.
While she, as Yu Wangfei, was tied to him, Qingying was different. She was just an unmarried young lady who deserved to find a good match and live an innocent and clean life.
***
Chu Qingying was so overwhelmed with joy upon receiving her elder sister’s good news that tears streamed down her face.
She wished she could immediately fly to the academy to share the news with her younger brother, but she was afraid her stepmother would notice something amiss. She had no choice but to suppress her excitement and keep it to herself.
However, she soon invited Mingxi out for tea.
Unfortunately, Mingxi was too busy to meet, so she arranged to meet Yao Yunyi and Xu Nanxi instead.
Liu Yunhua was also unavailable, as her mother was busy arranging a marriage for her. It seemed all of them were reaching the age for marriage discussions.
Xu Nanxi had her own worries lately. Feng Wenxuan was not doing well at home; her uncle had arranged for her to marry an elderly widower as a concubine. She had fled to the Duke’s mansion to seek her mother’s help.
At this point, Xu Nanxi couldn’t bear to drive her away. At such a tender age, she felt pity for her.
But she was also concerned about Mingxi, feeling uneasy about how to explain the situation.
Yao Yunyi casually remarked, “As long as Miss Feng doesn’t harbor thoughts of becoming a side consort in Duan Wang’s mansion, I think Mingxi wouldn’t mind her staying in the Duke’s residence.”
Chu Qingying agreed. “Exactly. Why worry? Mingxi isn’t the kind of person to be unreasonable.”
Xu Nanxi sighed. “You don’t understand. I’m not just afraid of upsetting Mingxi—there’s also my cousin to consider.”
At the mention of Duan Wang, both women fell silent.
After all, Duan Wang seemed to favor Mingxi greatly at present, and the affairs of the Duke’s household were not for them to meddle in.
Yao Yunyi thought for a moment and suggested, “Why don’t you talk to Mingxi? As long as she doesn’t mind, Duan Wangye certainly wouldn’t care either.”
Xu Nanxi shook her head. “How could I trouble Mingxi just because she’s kind-hearted? That’s not right.”
“Then there’s no solution,” Chu Qingying said. She didn’t want the Duke’s family to make things difficult for Mingxi either.
If they came knocking and Mingxi refused, it would reflect poorly on her.
An idea struck her. Looking at Xu Nanxi, she said, “Why not have the Duke’s madam quickly arrange a marriage for her? A match arranged by the Duke’s madam would certainly be better than one arranged by her father.”
Xu Nanxi nodded. “That could work. I’ll talk to my mother about it later.”
Yao Yunyi, however, felt that things wouldn’t be so simple. If Feng Wenxuan were that easy to deal with, she wouldn’t have her eyes set on Duan Wang in the first place.
***
After the turmoil over the Imperial Horse Bureau subsided, the capital returned to its usual calm.
Mingxi’s life became more regular. Besides overseeing her shops and estates, she spent most of her time accompanying her uncle and aunt around the capital.
However, her uncle and aunt missed home. After a month in the capital, they set off for their return journey.
No sooner had they left, Duan Pingchang arrived in the capital by ship.
Madam Xu could only sigh. By a single day, the two sides had missed each other.
Duan Pingchang was equally regretful, but since he would be heading south again in a few months, he planned to visit his brother-in-law’s home then.
This time, Duan Pingchang not only delivered all the goods ordered by the Internal Weaving and Dyeing Bureau but also brought Mingxi over ten chests of the latest silk patterns from Jiangcheng.
Remembering that his daughter was now on good terms with the Marquis’s family, he even prepared gifts for them—including Madam Jiang and Duan Huirou.
Though dissatisfied with how they treated Mingxi, he didn’t want rumors to spread about his daughter being at odds with her mother and sister.
What his daughter didn’t want to do, he would do for her. Bowing a little—it wasn’t such a big deal.
When Duan Mingxi learned of this, she was silent for a long time before finally accepting it.
If it had been up to her, Madam Jiang and Duan Huirou wouldn’t get a single thread from her.
But she didn’t want to let down her father’s kindness.
The elderly Old Madam received seven or eight bolts of silk in new patterns. After hearing updates about Madam Jiang and Huirou, she remarked privately to Wan Mama, “He’s certainly a person who knows how to pick up and let go. No wonder he could raise someone with Mingxi’s temperament.”
Wan Mama, fortunate to have received a bolt of fabric herself, was full of praise for Master Duan. Smiling, she said, “The Old Madam is absolutely right. It’s no surprise that the eldest young lady once said Master Duan raised her as though she were the heir to the family business. It turns out she wasn’t exaggerating.”
Thanks to Mingxi, the elderly Old Madam no longer dared to underestimate the Duan family. While they might not share the same lineage, both were surnamed Duan, and if traced far enough back, they might even share some familial connection.
She now treated the Duan family as relatives and said to Wan Mama, “Our reciprocal gift must be thoughtful. What would be suitable?”
Wan Mama pondered this briefly. The Duan family was wealthy—wealthier than their own household, even.
Then, an idea struck her, and her eyes lit up. “Old Madam, we can’t intervene in the matter of the young master, but the eldest young miss has been spending considerable time with her family recently. I hear she has a cousin. Why not invite her to the capital?”
The Old Madam had only learned of the Xu family’s visit to the capital several days after their arrival. Though she hadn’t invited them over, she had sent a gift in acknowledgment.
Wan Mama’s suggestion surprised her at first, but then she nodded thoughtfully. “The future of a merchant’s daughter is limited. At most, she could marry the son of another merchant. But if we bring her to the capital, she might encounter new opportunities.”
“Precisely, Old Madam. If the eldest young miss knows of your intentions, she’ll certainly feel immense gratitude.” Wan Mama smiled.
“Have Mingxi brought here. I want to discuss this matter with her.”
“Yes.”
Mingxi happened to be at the residence. The Duan family had sent gifts to every branch of the household, and the second and third madams were preparing reciprocal gifts.
They felt that sending these directly to Master Duan might be too forward and decided to send them through Mingxi instead, as a gesture of goodwill.
The second and third madams didn’t send gold or silver, knowing the Duan family had no shortage of wealth.
Instead, they sent invitations to social gatherings, recognizing that Madam Xu had been in the capital for some time without making many appearances. Networking opportunities were precisely what she lacked.
Mingxi understood their intentions. Being young, she didn’t receive many invitations herself. If the second and third madams took her mother to these gatherings, however, it would open doors for her.
She accepted the gifts without objection.
To establish a long-term foothold in the capital, her mother couldn’t remain isolated at home. She needed to present herself as the dignified wife of Jiangcheng’s wealthiest merchant and engage with the capital’s influential women.
When Mingxi met with the Old Madam and learned of her plan to invite her cousin to the capital, she was taken aback and momentarily speechless.
