“Miss, the Madam has taken the Second Miss to the Great Zhao Temple to burn incense,” Xiangxiang said, her irritation barely contained.
In the half-month since the young miss had been brought back to the Marquis family, Xiangxiang had seen it clearly. The Madam only cared about the Second Miss, Duan Huiyu, and the shizi.
The eldest miss had just returned and needed her mother’s care the most, yet at the Second Miss’s slightest plea, the Madam left her sick daughter to visit the temple.
Qiancao, also indignant, added, “The young miss is still ill! Why couldn’t the Madam go to the temple another day? I think the Second Miss did it on purpose.”
Duan Mingxi didn’t even blink. In her previous life, this incident had indeed made her feel sad. She thought she must have done something wrong to make Dingyuan Marquis Madam Jiang, so indifferent to her.
Now she understood: bias in the heart is bias nonetheless.
One daughter raised by her side and another lost for more than a decade—of course, she would favor the one closer to her.
Looking at the two maids, Duan Mingxi asked, “Did Yang Yiniang come to visit me yesterday?”
“Yes, Yang Yiniang saw that you were still asleep, so she left a box of bird’s nest for you and didn’t disturb you,” Qiancao quickly replied.
Even Qiancao couldn’t help but think that Yang Yiniang showed more concern for the young miss than the Madam ever did.
“Invite Yang Yiniang over,” Duan Mingxi said with a cold smile. Today, the Madam would meet Gao Zhan’s mother at the temple. The two would hit it off, and the topic of marriage would come up.
The Gao family had their sights set on Duan Huiyu, but how could Duan Huiyu marry a man who already had someone in his heart? So she would suggest to Madam Jiang that she should marry instead.
After all, the Gao family was a Duke’s household, while the Duan family was merely a Marquis household. How could Madam Jiang bear to reject such a match?
When Duan Huiyu refused to marry, the burden naturally fell on her.
As for Duan Qingyin, the daughter born to Yang Yiniang—a concubine’s child was out of the question. Even if she wanted to marry into the Gao family, they wouldn’t accept her. That would be making enemies, not allies.
This time, Duan Huiyu could forget about pushing her into the fire pit.
Yang Yiniang arrived quickly. Before stepping in, her voice carried through the door. “Forgive me for being late, Eldest Miss. I hope you won’t blame me.”
A waft of fragrance followed as Yang Yiniang, dressed in a crimson jacket and a pale blue skirt, walked in gracefully.
Though her looks couldn’t compare to Madam Jiang’s delicate features, Yang Yiniang exuded an enchanting charm that kept her firmly established in the Marquis household.
She was a shrewd, slippery woman, someone even Madam Jiang couldn’t catch hold of.
In her previous life, Duan Mingxi thought she should stand by her birth mother’s side, ignoring Yang Yiniang’s overtures of goodwill.
This time, things would be different.
“Yang Yiniang, you came yesterday, but I was unfortunately asleep. I apologize for making you come all this way again. I feel much better today, so I invited you over to chat. Thank you for the bird’s nest,” Duan Mingxi said warmly, extending a gesture of goodwill. “Please, have a seat. Qiancao, serve tea.”
Yang Yiniang’s captivating eyes shifted slightly as she held back a smile. “Eldest Miss, please don’t say that; you are the eldest daughter of the Marquis—your status is most distinguished. A box of bird’s nest isn’t worth mentioning.”
The most distinguished daughter?
Yang Yiniang really knew how to touch a nerve.
As Qiancao brought over tea, Duan Mingxi waved her hand, signaling everyone in the room to leave and had Qiancao and Xiangxiang wait outside.
“One box of bird’s nest may not be much, but yours is of the highest quality. I appreciate your kind intentions.”
Yang Yiniang looked closely at Duan Mingxi, sensing that this illness had somehow sharpened her. Being summoned over specifically today was surely not just about the bird’s nest.
She wasn’t one to be underestimated after years of subtle sparring with the Madam of the house, so a suspicion arose. Was it because the Madam of the house had taken the second miss to the temple, making the eldest miss feel neglected?
Duan Mingxi observed Yang Yiniang’s darting eyes and knew what she was thinking. She understood Yang Yiniang’s nature well and knew just how to handle her. “Speaking of which, isn’t Second Brother close to marriageable age?”
The mention of her son’s marriage made Yang Yiniang’s face slightly darken.
Though favored, her son was illegitimate, making it near impossible to wed a daughter of a distinguished family—almost a pipe dream.
But she couldn’t accept this; all the marquis’s sons, why is there some above and below another.
“Marriage matters, I, as a concubine, have no say. I can only defer to the marquis and the madam,” Yang Yiniang said with a sigh, looking both helpless and pitiful.
Duan Mingxi joined her in this charade, saying, “I’ve heard that Second Brother is very talented in his studies and already a scholar at a young age. Doesn’t Yang Yiniang want him to try the exams again next year? If he becomes a successful candidate, his marriage prospects will naturally improve.”
Yang Yiniang regarded the eldest miss with suspicion; could she, raised in a merchant’s household, know such things?
“Eldest Miss, how could I not want the second young master to go for it? But the Madam of the house insists he should marry first and establish his career later. I have no choice but to obey.”
As Yang Yiniang lamented, her mind churned with resolve to thwart the Madam’s attempt to hold her son back.
The Madam is eager for her son to marry, solely because she doesn’t want him to excel in the imperial exams, does she?
Back when the Second Young Master passed the county-level exam on his first attempt, the Madam’s face was ashen.
If her son were to become a Jinshi (a scholar who passes the national-level exam) and secure an official position, she would finally have genuine confidence in this household.
Duan Mingxi didn’t believe a single word Yang Yiniang said. Looking at her with a touch of regret, she replied, “If that’s the case, then what a pity.”
“What does the Eldest Miss mean by this?”
“I had thought that if my second brother continued his studies, I could introduce him to a renowned scholar. But if Yang Yiniang has other plans, let’s forget about it.”
Yang Yiniang dismissed the notion. How could someone raised in a merchant family possibly know a distinguished scholar? Nonetheless, she asked, “May I ask who the Eldest Miss intended to introduce?”
“Chen Qiting, the head of Songshan Academy.”
“What?” Yang Yiniang abruptly stood up, her expression shifting rapidly as she fixed her eyes on Duan Mingxi. “Eldest Miss, surely you’re joking with me?”
Chen Qiting, who had overseen the compilation of <The Grand Compilation of Great Chu>, was a scholar of national renown. Though he held no official post, his reputation was unmatched, with disciples all over the empire.
Not to mention the Second Young Master—even the shizi might not be accepted as his student.
If her son could truly apprentice under Chen Qiting, Yang Yiniang’s heart burned with hope. Her breathing quickened, and her eyes gleamed as she stared at Duan Mingxi. “Eldest Miss, are you serious?”
“I never make empty promises.”
Yang Yiniang took a deep breath. “How can you prove it?”
Duan Mingxi raised her voice, “Xiangxiang, bring the book.”
Moments later, Xiangxiang carefully entered, carrying a gilt-edged box about the size of a hand span. She placed it gently on the table.
Yang Yiniang leaned over as the box was opened and gasped audibly.
“This is… this is…” Yang Yiniang exclaimed, unable to finish her sentence.
Duan Mingxi smiled faintly. “Yang Yiniang truly has a keen eye. You recognized at a glance that this is Chen Qiting’s personally inscribed copy of <The Grand Compilation of Great Chu>.”
Yang Yiniang collapsed into her chair. When the book was first published, the emperor ordered its widespread distribution. The Marquis had spent a fortune acquiring a set with Chen Qiting’s seal. Yang Yiniang had begged him to let her see it once.
The seal and handwriting on this set were identical to the one she’d seen before.
“Eldest Miss, let’s be straightforward—what do you want from this concubine?”
There’s no such thing as a free lunch. For Duan Mingxi to offer such an enticing bait, she must have a plan.
