After dinner, everyone stayed to chat with the Old Madam for a while. Most of the conversation revolved around Second Master Duan sharing amusing stories from his work at the Imperial Kitchen Bureau, which even Mingxi found entertaining.
Once the Old Madam grew tired, everyone took their leave.
As they stepped out of Rongan Hall, Third Madam took Mingxi’s hand and said with a smile, “I recently received a new roll of silk. Come take a look and tell me if it’s suitable for the shop.”
Mingxi replied, “I’m not very knowledgeable about these things, but if you trust me, I’ll take a look.”
“That’s all I needed to hear! Come, let’s go quickly so you can get some rest afterward.” Third Madam then bid farewell to the others and took Mingxi with her.
Madam Jiang had barely touched her food, and now she left with a stiff expression, leading her maid away.
Meanwhile, Duan Qi and Duan Yu were deep in conversation as they walked. Duan Ning and Duan Qingyin walked together, with Duan Ning asking how Yang Yiniang was doing.
Since Madam Xiao was pregnant, she left as soon as Madam Jiang did, supported by her maids.
The siblings from the other branches parted ways affectionately at the fork in the path, leaving only Duan Huirou standing alone.
In the blink of an eye, there was no one else around her.
She lowered her head and walked back alone. As she walked, her eyes turned red. She had become more withdrawn lately. A few days ago, Jiang Sujie had invited her to visit the Jiang residence, and in the past, she would have agreed without hesitation.
This time, she found it meaningless and made up an excuse to decline.
“Second Miss…” Yaoying, her maid, felt pained seeing her mistress like this. Fearing that she was overthinking things, she quickly spoke up.
Duan Huirou turned to look at Yaoying. “Tell me, isn’t she amazing? Everyone in the household praises her now.”
Yaoying quickly supported her and said with a smile, “Second Miss, Third Young Master once said that if Eldest Miss does well, our whole family benefits. Just look—Eldest Young Master, Second Master, and Third Master have all secured official positions now. When the time comes for you to marry, this will all work in your favor. It doesn’t matter who made it happen, as long as the outcome is good.”
Hearing this, Duan Huirou let out a soft chuckle and said lightly, “I was just thinking… never mind, it doesn’t matter.”
She simply couldn’t accept it—why was she always second to Duan Mingxi?
Looking back now, she finally understood.
She lacked Mingxi’s ruthlessness and willingness to take risks. That was why she lost.
They were fundamentally different.
Duan Huirou returned to her courtyard, telling herself that as long as the family prospered, it was a good thing.
But she couldn’t shake the feeling of frustration, as if something were stuck in her chest, unable to go up or down.
It shouldn’t be this way.
But how should it be?
She didn’t know.
Mingxi had no interest in Duan Huirou’s inner turmoil. Instead, she was more focused on what her third uncle had just told her—so much so that she almost couldn’t believe her ears.
“You’re saying that the Imperial Horse Bureau has been falsifying the number of horses in their records?”
Third Master Duan’s face was dark with worry, an unmistakable unease flickering in his eyes. “Over the past couple of days, Lord Zhangyin has been trying to push the task of registering the horses onto me, but I refused. Proper registration requires physically inspecting the horses at the stables, yet they kept making excuses to avoid it. That’s when I started sensing something was wrong. Then, Lord Zhangyin started pressuring me outright, insisting that I take responsibility for the task. That only made me more certain something was off. So I said outright—either I verify the numbers at the stables myself, or I won’t take the job. If there’s an issue with the count, I won’t be the one to bear the blame.”
“Seeing my firm stance, Lord Zhangyin was displeased but had no choice but to back off. That’s when my suspicions deepened, so I started investigating in secret. What I found was shocking—the number of horses falsely reported accounted for nearly a quarter of the total.”
Mingxi’s heart clenched. “If that’s the case, what happens when His Majesty orders the deployment of warhorses, only to find that the numbers don’t add up? How will the Imperial Horse Bureau explain itself? That’s why they’re targeting you—they need a scapegoat?”
Third Master Duan nodded grimly. “That must be it. I’m still relatively new to the Imperial Horse Bureau and haven’t fully grasped the internal workings yet, which makes me the perfect target. The other official took sick leave two days ago and still hasn’t returned.”
“Two days ago?” Mingxi immediately sensed something amiss.
“Yes.” Third Master Duan looked at her. “What’s wrong?”
Mingxi’s expression darkened. She stared at her uncle and asked, “The battle at Qinan—the one where Fengcheng Marquis’s request for reinforcements was denied—news of his defeat reached the capital in these past two days.”
Third Master Duan fell silent for a moment before realization dawned on him. His face darkened further. “You mean… the other official heard the news in advance and feigned illness, leaving the Lord Zhangyin with no choice but to push me forward as the scapegoat?”
Fengcheng Marquis had been defeated. The Emperor would undoubtedly send reinforcements, and warhorses would be needed. But if the Imperial Horse Bureau didn’t have enough…
Cold sweat trickled down Third Master Duan’s back. He turned to Mingxi. “What do we do now?”
“The other official has already taken sick leave. That means you can’t use the same excuse. But you’ve only been at the Imperial Horse Bureau for a short time—some of this mess can’t be pinned on you. If Lord Zhangyin tries to force your hand, refuse outright. Whoever created the records should be the one held accountable. If he dares to pressure you, escalate the matter. Let’s see who panics first. And don’t be afraid of making a scene—this situation involves too many people. You won’t be the one to take the fall.”
Hearing Mingxi’s words, Third Master Duan felt reassured. He studied her carefully before asking, “Tell me the truth—what’s really going on here?”
Mingxi explained the broader situation in detail. As he listened, Third Master Duan’s face turned pale.
This was more than just a case of falsified records—it was entangled in the power struggle between the Eastern Palace and Ning Qin Wang, as well as between Duke Wei and Fengcheng Marquis. Any one of these factions could crush him effortlessly.
No wonder Mingxi had told him not to be afraid.
With a deep breath, he steadied himself and said, “If this all comes to light, there’ll be no peaceful New Year for anyone.”
Mingxi sneered. “Those who play dirty must be prepared to face the consequences. Let’s see who gets the last laugh.”
She looked at Third Master Duan. “Uncle, my original plan was for you to just pass through the Imperial Horse Bureau without getting involved.”
“I know. Rest assured, I’ve been cautious all along.”
“No, that’s not what i meant.”
Third Master Duan was momentarily stunned. “Then what do you mean?”
“Don’t you see? This is a rare opportunity.”
“What?” Third Master Duan’s back stiffened. The last time Mingxi had said something like this, Duan Yu had ended up securing the position of Shilang at the Military Selection Division.
A spark of excitement flickered in his eyes. “Mingxi, are you saying…?”
“Uncle, the Grand Audit is coming up. Whether you can seize this chance depends on you.”
Third Master Duan’s breath quickened. He stared at Mingxi. “You’re serious?”
“Do you want to spend the rest of your career being trampled on, forced to do things against your will, and used as a scapegoat whenever convenient?”
Of course not.
“The Chief Eunuchs of the Twenty-Four Departments are all personally appointed by His Majesty—each one is a trusted confidant. Normally, replacing one is nearly impossible. But this time, someone handed you the perfect opportunity. Uncle, just focus on playing your part. Leave the rest to me and Wangye. The position of Zhangyin of the Imperial Horse Bureau may be out of reach, but the authority beneath it? You must seize it.”
The Zhangyin position was always held by palace attendants—eunuchs who had severed their ties to future descendants.
Naturally, their Third Uncle couldn’t become a eunuch. He didn’t want the Zhangyin position, but he did want to seize control of the Imperial Stables beneath it.
And in doing so, he planned to kick out the other official with one swift move.
