Mingxi froze for a moment, recalling how she had been manipulated by her stepmother in her past life to marry the widower Xie Jingyang. Her brows furrowed slightly. “Who brought up your marriage?”
“Who else could it be?” Chu Qingying replied unhappily.
That would be Jingyuan Marquis Madam.
Mingxi pondered for a moment and asked, “Have you discussed this with Yu Wangfei?”
“My older sister is already busy with my brother’s affairs. I don’t want to trouble her further,” Chu Qingying said with a troubled expression.
Her sister had to manage the large household of Yu Wang, serve the imperial consorts in the palace, and now deal with their younger brother’s marriage, leaving her overwhelmed.
“Marriage is no trivial matter. I think you should consult Yu Wangfei. Young ladies should not be left to fend for themselves in such matters. If you let Jingyuan Marquis Madam arrange it for you, can you truly be at ease?”
“Of course not! That’s why I came to discuss it with you.”
“But I’m not part of Jingyuan Marquis’s household. How can I have a say in your marriage?”
“I just needed someone to talk to. Otherwise, I’d feel stifled.” Chu Qingying sighed. Without a mother to protect her, life was always more difficult.
Mingxi sighed along with her. In her past life, Xie Jingyang had treated Chu Qingying decently. But she, a beautiful young woman, ended up becoming a stepmother to his son—how could that be considered a good marriage?
Especially since Xie Jingyang’s first wife had left behind a legitimate son. Even if Chu Qingying bore a child, that son would not be the heir, making her situation all the more precarious.
Mingxi could offer little help. Such matters were difficult for outsiders to influence.
“Keep your wits about you. If your stepmother insists on dragging you to this or that gathering, you must be cautious. If your reputation gets tarnished, it’ll be too late to fix it,” Mingxi warned.
“I rarely go out with her anymore. Don’t worry.”
“If she’s plotting against you, she’ll always find an excuse to force you along. Have you forgotten what happened to me with the Duke Gao household?”
Chu Qingying: …
That was true.
“I’ll remember. Don’t worry.” Chu Qingying reassured her.
Only then did Mingxi relax. “Just stay vigilant.”
To steer the conversation away from the unpleasant topic, Chu Qingying brought up the day’s events at the Shuntian Office’s court session.
“It’s unbelievable that Deqing Marquis turned out to be such a person. Now, he’s the laughingstock of the capital.”
“You can never fully know someone.”
“Do you think Deqing Marquis will petition to have his eldest legitimate son appointed as shizi?”
“It’s hard to say.”
The title of heir was merely a stepping stone toward the marquisate.
“That’s true. If Deqing Marquis cared about his legitimate son, he would’ve petitioned long ago.”
“Well, that’s no longer his decision to make.”
“Exactly. After today’s scandal, if he still tries to name his illegitimate son as heir, no noble family would let their daughters marry into his household. It would be utterly disgraceful.”
Chu Qingying brightened as they discussed others’ scandals, her eyes alight with energy. “Do you think Fu Hongxiao still has a chance of entering the Eastern Palace?”
“Unlikely.”
“A vicious woman like her in the Eastern Palace? That would be laughable. Still, thinking back to the assassination attempt during the Shangyang Palace banquet is terrifying.”
Mingxi recalled the events of that night, wondering if the Crown Prince and Fu Hongxiao had coordinated their attacks on Gan Li.
Chu Qingying didn’t wait for Mingxi’s response and continued, “What I can’t understand is why Fu Hongxiao would target Gan Li.”
“If she fell into the water, would the Crown Prince jump in to save a concubine-born daughter?”
“Exactly. She was using Gan Li to clear the path. It’s terrifying how wicked some people can be.”
One misstep could have cost a life.
“There are always people who don’t value the lives of others. That’s why we must treasure our own,” Mingxi said.
Chu Qingying was momentarily lost in thought, understanding that Mingxi was using this to caution her about her stepmother.
Her older sister had said it was a blessing to have a friend like Mingxi, and Chu Qingying wholeheartedly agreed.
Chu Qingying stayed for lunch at Mingxi’s residence. They avoided disturbing the elders, and the Old Madam even had extra dishes sent over. The second and third madams, upon hearing of it, also contributed dishes, making the meal lively and enjoyable.
After a few cups of wine, Chu Qingying smiled and said, “It seems you’re living well here in this household.”
Mingxi also smiled. “Life is what you make of it. As long as you tread carefully, handle matters well, and know when to hold on or let go, every path can be smooth.”
“True, but holding on and letting go is easier said than done. I’ve made peace with the fact that there’s no future for me and that person,” Chu Qingying said gloomily.
“Why torment yourself over someone unworthy? If it’s someone you can move on from, take the long way around. If you can’t, step on them and make them a stepping stone.”
“Well said! I like the sound of that.”
The two burst into laughter.
“If I get married, you must see me off.”
“What do you mean, see you off? Don’t you mean adding to your dowry?”
“Both! You have to do both.”
“Fine, fine. You must be drunk.”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Drunks always say they aren’t drunk.”
“You’re the drunk!”
Mingxi had someone help Chu Qingying into the inner room to rest. Qiancao led a few maids to tidy up the tables and chairs, while Xiangxiang attended to Mingxi as she changed clothes.
“Miss, Li Quan has arrived,” Xiangxiang announced.
Mingxi nodded slightly. After changing, she instructed the maids to lower the curtain in the inner room so that Chu Qingying could rest peacefully. Only then did she head to the study.
Li Quan was already waiting. Seeing Mingxi enter, he stepped forward to greet her. “Miss, you’re truly amazing. Deqing Marquis has indeed relented and agreed to petition for the legitimization of his eldest son.”
Mingxi sneered. “Petition for legitimization? He must be dreaming.”
Li Quan chuckled, “That’s exactly what Wang Buming said. He’s already presented evidence proving that Xu Yiniang gave birth to an illegitimate child and forced the Marquis to admit that the two of them were acquainted even before Deqing Marquis Madam married into the household. However, Xu Yiniang refused to admit that she had framed Deqing Marquis Madam, causing her to give birth prematurely. Wang Buming then brought out the midwife, and only then did Xu Yiniang relent.”
Mingxi nodded slightly. “Once the crime of adultery is confirmed, Fu Qian can forget about becoming the heir apparent. What about Fu Hongxiao?”
“They’re still interrogating her over there. However, something strange is going on. The officials at Shuntian Office seem to be particularly interested in this matter and keep questioning Fu Hongxiao incessantly. I came back to report, but the results haven’t come out yet.”
This was a matter of great importance and would likely not be resolved quickly.
Mingxi looked at him. “Go back and tell You Sanping to ensure that Wang Buming doesn’t let up. He must make Fu Hongxiao confess. As for the Crown Prince, we don’t need to drag him into this ourselves. To save her life, Fu Hongxiao will definitely implicate him herself.”
When that happens, it’ll be Fu Hongxiao pulling the Eastern Palace into the mire.
The Crown Prince won’t be happy?
What does that have to do with her?
Li Quan hurried off to carry out her orders, while Mingxi rubbed her temples and let out a long sigh.
The Emperor still had at least ten years of good health ahead of him, yet these people were already scrambling for the throne.
Everyone thought the Emperor’s health was failing and that he didn’t have many years left to live, which was why they were so anxious to make their moves.
But she knew better—the Emperor’s time was far from over.
Duan Wang was worried she might anger the Emperor, but she wasn’t concerned at all.
The Emperor wanted to support the Crown Prince, but perhaps not wholeheartedly.
She was determined to push the Crown Prince into a difficult situation and see how he and the Empress would handle it.
Xiao Muchen said she was defying the imperial will, but she believed she might actually be playing right into the Emperor’s hands.
