With Liang Xun exiled to the army and the Crown Prince confined for a month, the Ministry of War was left in turmoil, and the atmosphere in the capital changed dramatically.
The emperor’s fury stemmed from the Crown Prince’s ability to meddle so easily in the Ministry of War’s affairs.
Although Liang Xun bore the brunt of the blame and the Crown Prince pleaded ignorance with tearful sincerity, it didn’t mean the emperor fully believed him.
As a result, a third of the Ministry of War officials were penalized, starting with the dismissal of the Shangshu of the Ministry of War. Shilang Guo Zi narrowly escaped punishment due to his involvement in Duan Yu’s testimony but was only just able to keep his position.
The upheaval within the Ministry of War sent shockwaves throughout the capital. At such a precarious time, no one dared to act out of line.
The capital grew eerily quiet, while the Marquis Manor gained significant recognition from this incident, with Duan Yu becoming the talk of the town.
Following his grandfather’s advice, Duan Yu declined all social invitations. Reflecting on the Shangshu of the Ministry of War’s downfall left him drenched in cold sweat, and he became even more cautious in his conduct.
As the Crown Prince’s month-long confinement ended and the gates of the Eastern Palace reopened, the capital began to regain its usual vibrancy.
It was during this time that Madam Xiao discovered she was pregnant—a double blessing for the Marquis Manor, which celebrated quietly without fanfare.
In her chambers, Madam Xiao wept tears of joy. She had finally endured through the hardship. Without a child for so long, her mother-in-law had always looked at her like she was a sinner. She had cried countless times in private.
Whether this child was a boy or a girl, it didn’t matter. The fact that she could conceive meant her shoulders would finally feel lighter.
Du Mama saw the young mistress crying uncontrollably and quickly stepped forward, saying, “Quickly wipe your tears. If someone sees this and it gets back to the Marquis Madam, it might stir up trouble.”
“I’m just so happy,” replied Madam Xiao, dabbing her tears with a handkerchief.
“I’ve watched you grow up, young mistress. I know you’re happy, and I’m happy for you too,” Du Mama said, her own eyes welling with tears.
Bai Qing lifted the curtain and entered, noticing both Madam Xiao and Du Mama with reddened eyes. Forcing a cheerful smile, she said, “Young Mistress, I’ve already sent word to the shizi. He’ll surely be thrilled to hear the news.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Xiao’s expression softened. Though her husband had never blamed her before, and had even stood up for her against her mother-in-law’s pressure, she knew that he must have been longing for a child as well.
“Eldest Miss is here,” came the voice of a young maid from outside.
Madam Xiao paused in surprise before hurriedly getting up to greet her, with Du Mama quickly supporting her.
“Eldest Little Sister, why are you here?” Madam Xiao greeted Mingxi with a warm smile.
“I just returned to the manor and heard the wonderful news of your pregnancy, so I came to see you,” Mingxi said as she entered. She noticed Madam Xiao’s reddened eyes and immediately understood the reason.
The question of whether a woman could bear children—and whether she could produce a son—was a challenge every woman faced.
Madam Xiao quickly invited Mingxi to sit, and behind her, Qiancao entered carrying a large wooden box. She placed the box on the table and smiled, saying, “Young Mistress, these are some bird’s nest and donkey-hide gelatin supplements that our young lady specially prepared for you.”
Madam Xiao looked at Mingxi gratefully. “You shouldn’t have gone to such trouble.”
Mingxi smiled gently. “You’re pregnant now, Sister-in-law. Whatever you consume should be reviewed by a doctor first. I don’t know much about these things, but I’ve heard that certain foods can be harmful to expectant mothers.”
Du Mama immediately chimed in, “What the eldest young miss says is absolutely right. She’s thoughtful as always. I’ll arrange for a doctor to come by later to review everything.”
After a short chat, Mingxi excused herself, not wanting to disturb Madam Xiao for too long. Once she left, Du Mama turned to Madam Xiao and remarked, “Young Mistress, the eldest young miss is so considerate. She even emphasized having a doctor check everything before you eat it.”
“Eldest Little Sister has always been like this,” Madam Xiao replied, her hand gently resting on her belly, her expression softening with a warm smile.
Thinking back to when Mingxi had just returned to the manor, Madam Xiao had been cautious, not wanting to offend either her mother-in-law or her younger sister-in-law, which made her indifferent to Mingxi’s affairs at first. Now, in hindsight, she deeply regretted it.
Fortunately, she had been quick to mend the relationship, and after spending so much time together, they had genuinely developed a bond of sisterly affection.
Her younger sister’s engagement to Duke Wei Shizi was largely thanks to Mingxi’s efforts.
Recalling this, Madam Xiao turned to Du Mama and asked, “My mother mentioned preparing a thank-you gift for Eldest Little Sister. Do you know if it’s ready?”
Du Mama smiled. “Shall I return to the residence and check?”
Madam Xiao nodded. “While you’re at it, you can also share the news of my pregnancy to put her at ease.”
Du Mama cheerfully agreed and left for Fuchang Marquis’s residence after tidying up.
***
In another courtyard, Yang Yiniang was sewing undergarments for the Marquis, while her daughter, Duan Qingyin, was sitting nearby embroidering. However, Qingyin seemed distracted.
Noticing this, Yang Yiniang asked, “What’s on your mind?”
Qingyin looked up at her and replied, “I was thinking about Eldest Sister-in-law’s pregnancy.”
Yang Yiniang paused in her stitching. “Why are you dwelling on that? You and the girls from the second and third branches should get together and pay your respects to her.”
Duan Qingyin nodded. “We’ve already agreed to visit after lunch to avoid disturbing her rest. Mother, aren’t you worried about my second brother’s marriage?”
Yang Yiniang finally understood her daughter’s concerns. Smiling, she said, “Good things come to those who wait. If your brother marries now, what kind of wife could he get? It’s better to wait until he passes the imperial examinations before discussing marriage.”
Qingyin nodded, her mind eased. “That does make sense, Yiniang. I was just concerned.”
“Your eldest sister is right—your brother’s future ultimately depends on his own efforts. Whatever he gets from this family when the estate is divided, it will likely just be some wealth. As long as the Madam is here, we can’t expect much more.”
Yang Yiniang wasn’t overly worried about her son. He was diligent in his studies, and with Mingxi’s support, his future would undoubtedly be bright once he earned his degree.
Her greater concern was her daughter’s marriage. Once Mingxi was married, Qingyin would be next in line, and Yang Yiniang couldn’t help but feel anxious.
As a concubine, it would be improper for her to publicly arrange a marriage for her daughter, as it might harm Qingyin’s prospects rather than help.
While Yang Yiniang kept her worries to herself, she knew that if the Madam truly intended to make trouble, she wouldn’t sit idly by and let it happen.
Mingxi had supported her before, ensuring that she remained a counterbalance to the Madam. As long as she was useful, Mingxi wouldn’t leave her to fend for herself.
While Qingyin’s marriage remained unresolved, a visit from the Ma family to the second branch of the Duan household stirred things up.
Second Madam felt as though she had swallowed a fly, burning with anger. She immediately took Madam Ma to Rongan Hall.
Mingxi was about to head out when she heard what Xiangxiang reported. After thinking it over, she said, “Isn’t Madam Ma’s daughter betrothed to Eldest Brother?”
Xiangxiang quickly nodded. “Yes, Miss. Caiqin said the Second Madam has always been dissatisfied with the Ma family. Whether or not this marriage will proceed is still uncertain.”
Mingxi thought of Ma Minyi. In her past life, Ma Minyi had married Duan Jin, but her meddling mother had caused endless trouble, leading to constant conflict between the two families. The rocky relationship between the in-laws made life miserable for the young couple.
Now, with Duan Jin away studying at Songshan Academy, Madam Ma’s timing for her visit was odd.
