Li Quan said helplessly, “Young Miss, cases like this, where both sides are evenly matched, aren’t just about evidence in court. It’s a waste of time if it drags on.”
The way Deqing Marquis kept stirring things up, trying to coax Deqing Marquis Madam into changing her testimony, was truly exasperating.
Fortunately, Fu Yan and Fu Jingshu managed to stabilize the situation. Otherwise, the case might have been wrapped up hastily and carelessly.
Mingxi was silent for a moment before saying, “As long as everything is still under control, that’s fine. But we should aim to resolve this case quickly. Prolonging it will be very disadvantageous for Deqing Marquis Madam’s side.”
“Lawyer Wang said the same thing. He plans to meet with Deqing Marquis Madam tonight to explain the stakes and prepare her for how to handle Deqing Marquis and Xu Yiniang in court tomorrow.”
After understanding the situation, Mingxi said to Li Quan, “You should go back and rest now. It’s been a long day.”
Li Quan chuckled, bowed, and left.
Working for the Young Miss was never tiring—she was generous and kind. Many envied his role as her messenger.
Mingxi temporarily set aside the affairs of Deqing Marquis’s household. With Wang Buming and You Sanping keeping an eye on things—and with the name of Duan Wang subtly backing them up—the situation was under control.
If the matter of Fu Hongxiao drugging Gan Li hadn’t come to light, the Crown Prince might have stepped in to help. But now, Fu Hongxiao was likely to be discarded as a pawn.
The remaining issues weren’t worth worrying about. All that was left was to wait for the results.
After washing up, Mingxi laid down in her bed. Her eyes fell on the newly changed bed curtains, embroidered with the Eight Auspicious Symbols. Perhaps it was because of the recent busyness that the maid, who was always devout, had chosen these curtains, hoping everything would turn out favorably.
Mingxi turned over, wondering if things would go smoothly for her second uncle. She had only seen the embroiderer’s craftsmanship in her past life.
The Crown Prince’s plan to frame her father would undoubtedly include a backup to make the favor more convincing.
It was likely that the embroiderer had been instructed to prepare the piece in advance. Such a thing couldn’t be directly handled by the Crown Prince, and the embroiderer wouldn’t dare keep it in the palace. It would almost certainly be stored at home.
Given the secrecy of the matter, the embroiderer wouldn’t have told their family the true significance of the piece, only instructing them not to touch it.
Twenty thousand taels of silver for two boxes of fabric—who could resist such temptation?
Mingxi didn’t know when she eventually fell asleep, but her dreams were filled with images of those two boxes of fabric.
The next morning, Mingxi woke up feeling a little off, her eyes sporting large dark circles that frightened the two maids by her side. They quickly boiled eggs and used them to roll over her eyes in an attempt to ease the puffiness.
Mingxi allowed them to busy themselves, though her mind was preoccupied with other matters.
The shopkeeper had likely reported the situation to her father. She couldn’t help but wonder how her father was handling it. While he had made some progress in establishing himself in the capital, there were few people capable of helping in this situation—and even fewer willing to step forward.
Over at the main residence, the Old Madam, aware of how busy Mingxi was, had excused her from the usual daily ritual of paying respects.
But Mingxi, not wanting to invite gossip or criticism, made it a point to visit Rongan Hall unless truly pressed for time.
After finishing breakfast, she headed toward Rongan Hall. Inside, the younger ladies of the family were gathered, playing and chatting with the Old Madam. The atmosphere became even livelier when Mingxi arrived.
The Old Madam waved her over affectionately, her face full of concern. “You don’t look too well—did you not sleep properly last night?”
On the other side, Duan Huirou couldn’t help but glance up, pursing her lips before lowering her head again.
Duan Qingyin, sitting nearby, glanced at her. Recently, Duan Huirou had been behaving as if she’d taken the wrong medicine, even being a bit polite to her.
Since Duan Huirou wasn’t stirring up trouble, Duan Qingyin had no intention of provoking any either. Her Yiniang was already a target of envy in the household due to her favor with the Marquis, and her older brother now studied under the renowned scholar Chen. Their legitimate mother’s gaze occasionally carried daggers.
Fortunately, their legitimate mother seemed too preoccupied to make trouble for them, allowing mother and child to enjoy a rare period of ease.
“Yesterday, I had a few extra cups of tea and couldn’t sleep well, causing Grandmother unnecessary concern,” Mingxi said with a smile.
“Don’t take advantage of your youth and neglect your health. No more tea after midday in the future. I remember your maids are all quite skilled—have them prepare some floral teas for you instead.”
“Yes, Grandmother. Once they’re ready, I’ll send some over for you to try as well.”
The assassination attempt at Longhu had been met with silence from the palace, leaving the Old Madam deeply concerned. However, she refrained from mentioning it in front of her other granddaughters and let the matter drop.
The conversation turned to Duan Qi’s upcoming exam. The Old Madam planned to take the family to a temple to pray for his success and asked if Mingxi would join them.
Upon hearing the date, Mingxi regretfully replied, “I’m afraid I can’t make it that day—I have some matters to attend to. But I’ve already promised my brother that if he passes, I’ll host a banquet to celebrate his success.”
The Old Madam, knowing how busy Mingxi was, would have been displeased in the past. But now, this granddaughter had grown so capable that she couldn’t control her. Accepting this reality, the Old Madam no longer got upset and instead urged Mingxi to take care of her health.
Duan Huirou, watching this exchange, felt a pang of bitterness. Grandmother had once doted on her the most, but now that position had been taken by someone else.
After Mingxi left the Old Madam’s hall, Duan Huirou’s energy visibly returned. The Old Madam noticed but said nothing. She had already advised her granddaughter—it was up to Huirou to reflect and change.
The discussion shifted to Huirou’s marriage prospects, which the Old Madam found increasingly troublesome. She decided to summon Madam Jiang to discuss it further.
When Mingxi left Rongan Hall, she passed through the moon gate and spotted her sister-in-law, Madam Xiao, from a distance.
Madam Xiao saw her as well and turned to approach, smiling. “What a coincidence! I was just on my way to find you, and here you are.”
“Sister-in-law, is there something you need from me?” Mingxi asked as they walked side by side.
“The 16th is my grandmother’s birthday. I was wondering if you could join us for the banquet,” Madam Xiao said, smiling warmly.
“A birthday banquet for the Grand Madam is a must-attend event. It’s only proper for us juniors to pay our respects and share in her joy,” Mingxi replied immediately.
Although Madam Xiao expected Mingxi to agree, hearing it directly still filled her with delight. “The sisters in the household will all be there. I’ll deliver the invitations personally today.”
“Then you’d best hurry; everyone is at Grandmother’s place now, so it’ll be lively,” Mingxi said with a smile.
Madam Xiao nodded enthusiastically, holding the invitation her grandmother had written for the Old Madam. She planned to deliver it personally.
Mingxi instructed her maid Qiancao, “Make a note of this and check the storeroom for a suitable birthday gift. Prepare a list for me to review.”
“Yes, Miss,” Qian Cao nodded. “We have many items in the storeroom. Shall I pick a few from the ledger for you to approve before I open the storeroom?”
“That’s fine—handle it as you see fit,” Mingxi replied. “But the gift must convey sincerity.”
Madam Xiao’s family, Fuchang Marquis, held a higher title than their own Marquis household. Moreover, Madam Xiao had always treated Mingxi kindly, so it was only right to give her proper respect.
As Mingxi returned to her courtyard, a servant from her second uncle’s household, Chang Ning, arrived.
Mingxi raised her eyebrows slightly. News already?
