The hour was late, and Mingxi didn’t wish to linger in the palace. Consort Shu glanced at her and said, “You should return to your estate. As for Fu Hongxiao, I’ll leave her to you.”
Duan Mingxi froze. “Leave her to me?”
Consort Shu lightly flicked the golden gemstone on her armor. “What? You can’t, or you won’t?”
Duan Mingxi responded, “The Crown Prince’s wedding to the Crown Princess is imminent, and before that, Fu Hongxiao will be officially introduced into the Eastern Palace. If anything happens to her now, it could create quite the fallout.”
She could act, but there needed to be someone to clean up the aftermath.
Consort Shu smiled. “You only need to act. Leave the aftermath to me.”
Duan Mingxi appreciated working with decisive and clever people. She immediately replied, “Then I’ll have to ask Niang Niang to enjoy the show.”
As Mingxi left, Consort Shu watched her retreating figure and murmured to her attendant, Hu Momo, “Seeing her reminds me of myself when I first entered the palace.”
Hu Momo was momentarily stunned. The Consort held Mingxi in such high regard?
After a moment’s hesitation, Hu Momo cautiously said, “Niang Niang, might this be too high-profile?”
Consort Shu sneered. “This is nothing. What’s coming will draw even more attention.”
Her good son hadn’t even officially married yet and had already promised ten years of fidelity to a single wife.
Just this one promise would be enough to make others green with envy, driving them to use every lowly trick in the book.
Hu Momo didn’t quite grasp the full meaning of Consort Shu’s words but dared not press further.
Consort Shu walked step by step toward Cuiwei Palace, her thoughts heavy. Having spent her life in the harem, competing with countless women for the attention of one man, she deeply understood the pain and exhaustion it brought.
If her son was willing to remain devoted to one woman, and if Duan Mingxi could withstand the trials of the next ten years, she had no intention of meddling in their affairs.
If it were anyone else, though, she would have scrutinized them much more carefully before making a decision.
As Consort Shu stepped through the gates of Cuiwei Palace, she let out a quiet sigh. Decades of navigating the treacherous waters of the harem, always treading carefully as if on thin ice, had left her utterly weary.
***
Mingxi left the palace, where a carriage awaited her just outside. Just as Chen Fu stepped forward to escort her into the carriage, another figure leapt down from a neighboring vehicle.
“Chief Steward Chen, I’ve come to take my elder sister home.”
It was Duan Qi.
Mingxi looked at him in surprise, then turned to Chen Fu with a smile. “Chief Steward, since my family has come for me, there’s no need to trouble you further.”
Chen Fu smiled warmly. “In that case, I’ll enjoy a moment of ease. Young Master and Young Miss, safe travels.”
Mingxi climbed into the carriage, and Duan Qi followed closely behind.
“Why are you here?” she asked, looking at him.
Duan Qi gave her a once-over to ensure she was fine before replying, “The family was worried about you, so they sent me. Eldest Brother wanted to come himself, but he’s busy gathering information.”
“Gathering information?”
“Not just him,” Duan Qi said. “Father, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle have all gone out as well. Your visit to the palace had everyone on edge, so they decided to keep themselves occupied.”
Mingxi fell silent, gazing out of the carriage window at the moonlit scenery.
Seeing her uncharacteristically quiet, Duan Qi noticed a flicker of surprise in her eyes. His chest tightened with a mix of emotions, and though he wanted to speak, he felt it might be better to leave things unsaid. After all, when his older sister had first returned to the family, her heart had indeed been deeply wounded.
Some wounds, once inflicted, were not easily mended.
Shifting to a lighter tone, Duan Qi began recounting the happenings at home while she was in the palace.
“Father went to Duan Wang’s manor, but Wangye wasn’t there. The steward said he would report to Wangye when he returned. However, before I came to pick you up, there was still no news from Duan Wang’s manor, so I imagine Wangye hasn’t returned yet.
“Second Uncle went to Longhu Street to investigate the Crown Prince and Jin Wang’s assassination attempt. He said the scene was chaotic, like a boiling pot, and few people had any clear idea where the assassins came from or how the fight unfolded.
“He questioned dozens of people, and only one mentioned seeing the Crown Prince and Jin Wang drinking on the second floor when the assassins burst in through the doors.”
“There were over a dozen people present. Jin Wang protected the Crown Prince and got slightly injured in the process. It’s said that there were also a few women present, but their identities remain unknown.
“Third Uncle went to the An family to gather information. Lord An mentioned that the capital is now under strict lockdown, and they’re hunting for the assassins. The search is being conducted under the authority of the Eastern Palace’s command token. When Third Uncle returned, he heard that several people had been captured, though it’s unclear if they’re the actual assassins,” Duan Qi explained.
Duan Mingxi listened to Duan Qi’s words, deep in thought. After a while, she finally said, “His Majesty already knows about this incident. How it will be resolved depends on his final judgment.”
Duan Qi looked at his older sister, suspicion evident in his gaze. “Older Sister, what do you mean?”
Duan Mingxi replied simply, “The truth of the matter is already becoming somewhat apparent.”
Duan Qi quickly understood her meaning—it all hinged on whether the Emperor intended to investigate thoroughly or to shield the Crown Prince.
So, it really was the Crown Prince who orchestrated this
Duan Qi was hesitant to say more.
Duan Mingxi didn’t respond further. The carriage continued its journey under the moonlight, eventually arriving at the Marquis family estate.
The entire household was still awake, waiting for her. Even Madam Jiang and Duan Huirou were present. When they saw that she had returned safely, the Old Marquis waved his hand and dismissed everyone.
The second and third Madams quickly departed with their children, and seeing Duan Mingxi’s weariness, they decided to postpone their questions until she had rested.
Madam Jiang hesitated briefly before taking Duan Huirou and leaving as well. Seeing this, Duan Qingyin followed in their footsteps.
Duan Mingxi stayed behind to speak briefly with her grandfather, Marquis Dingyuan, as well as her second and third uncles. After hearing her account, the men fell silent.
“In the end, it seems this matter will likely come to nothing,” the old Marquis said gravely, lifting his gaze to look at Mingxi. “What are your plans?”
Mingxi said, “Once there’s a first time, there will be a second. If we don’t strike hard this time, the next time will come even faster.”
Dingyuan Marquis, hearing his daughter’s resolute words, was so shocked that he could hardly maintain his composure. What was this supposed to mean? Was she planning to challenge the Crown Prince directly?
He couldn’t even bear the thought of it! Dingyuan Marquis almost choked, nearly passing out from disbelief.
Second Master Duan, who had no official position at the moment, found it hard to offer any assistance. He glanced at Third Master Duan for a solution.
Third Master Duan, having just entered the Imperial Stables, had not yet established his connections or groundwork, so he could do little to help Mingxi.
Finally, the three brothers turned to look at the Old Master.
The old master wore a troubled expression. He lamented inwardly, How could a tiger sire such useless cubs? Not a single one is reliable!
“What do you plan to do?” the old master asked his granddaughter, finding her increasingly admirable with each glance.
Mingxi offered a gentle smile, but her eyes carried a sharp determination. “I’ll start with the Crown Prince’s liangdi.”
This was the task assigned to her by the Consort Shu, and it was also the perfect point of attack.
“You mean the illegitimate daughter of Deqing Marquis’s household?” Second Master Duan asked, tilting his head toward Mingxi.
Mingxi nodded. “That woman has malicious intent. The so-called evidence in her possession, the token of Duan Wang’s residence, likely didn’t come from the assassin at all. Whether it’s real or fake remains uncertain. However, once her true nature is exposed, any evidence she holds will naturally lose credibility.”
Who would trust evidence from someone deemed untrustworthy?
Second Master Duan looked at Mingxi skeptically. “She’s just an illegitimate daughter confined to the inner residence. How do you plan to target her?”
These two matters don’t seem remotely related.
Mingxi replied, “How could they not be?”
The leverage against Fu Hongxiao and her mother doesn’t need to be too much!
