Tong Gaozhuo was just thinking about getting the order slip from the Internal Weaving and Dyeing Bureau back from Duan Pingchang, but unexpectedly, Duan Pingchang had already left the capital, and he couldn’t be found for the time being.
When he tried to retrieve the order slip from the Duan family, Madam Xu firmly insisted that she didn’t understand any business matters. She said she had no idea what an “order slip” even was—she was merely a woman of the inner household.
As soon as Tong Gaozhuo’s men left, Madam Xu quickly sent someone to secretly deliver a message to Mingxi.
She also sent someone to wait outside the city for her husband, instructing him to lie low and not return to the capital for the next few days.
After receiving the message, Mingxi hadn’t expected the Empress and Crown Prince to act so swiftly. Fortunately, she and her father had prepared in advance.
The very next day was Liu Yan’s wedding. After dressing up meticulously, Mingxi headed to Duke Rong’s residence to offer her congratulations, accompanied by Madam Jiang, Duan Huirou, and Duan Qingyin.
Duan Qingyin shared a carriage with Mingxi, and when she saw Mingxi’s outfit, her eyes lit up.
“Big Sister, your dress is so beautiful!”
The light-colored satin was embroidered with floral patterns in gold and silver thread. While gold and silver thread embroidery wasn’t unusual among wealthy families, what was exceptional about the gown worn by Mingxi was how intricately the gold and silver threads were done. The delicate embroidery on the collar and cuffs matched the overall design perfectly.
The skirt had twenty-four panels, each with a different pattern. When Mingxi walked, the fabric shimmered with every step. Compared to her own eight-panel skirt, the twenty-four-panel one was even more lively, intricate, and beautiful—especially as it flowed with such grace and lightness, making it almost impossible to take one’s eyes off it.
Moreover, the silk satin fabric was lighter, smoother, and more delicate than ordinary materials. Duan Qingyin, having never seen such a fabric before, couldn’t help but look at it a little longer.
Mingxi noticed her gaze and smiled. “If we weren’t in such a hurry, I would make one for each of you. This is a new fabric from the shop.”
Duan Qingyin felt a bit embarrassed at Mingxi’s words and said, “There’s no need for you to make it for me, big sister. I’ll go to the shop myself and order one.”
She didn’t want to take too much advantage of her big sister, who had already given her a lot of things.
Mingxi smiled. “Alright, then. When you go, get one made for Yang Yiniang too.”
Duan Qingyin nodded eagerly. Recently, Yiniang had been visiting her Di mother often, and just a few days ago, her Di Mother had gifted her a gilded silver hairpin. Her emotions were mixed—her Yiniang had told her to accept it, so she did, but she felt conflicted.
As they spoke, they arrived at Duke Rong residence.
The estate was bustling with guests today. As soon as they turned the corner onto the street, they saw all sorts of carriages lined up.
“Why are there so many people today?” Duan Qingyin had rarely gone out with her stepmother before, and such a sight was uncommon for her.
“You’ll get used to it. You’ll see more of this in the future,” Mingxi said with a smile.
Yang Yiniang’s increasing favor with Madam Jiang was obvious—at least now Madam Jiang was willing to take Duan Qingyin out in public. It would help everyone get to know the third young lady of the household and how she looked and behaved, which would certainly be beneficial for her future marriage prospects.
Mingxi originally thought that after she got married, she would invite Duan Qingyin to visit the royal family and take her out for social gatherings. But now, with Yang Yiniang using Qiao Wan to reconcile with Madam Jiang, it seemed she had achieved her goal.
The carriage stopped, and Mingxi, Duan Qingyin, Madam Jiang, and Duan Huirou alighted and followed the servant to enter the mansion.
Mingxi noticed many eyes on her as they made their way in, and she became even more conscious of her posture. Today, her appearance could determine a lot.
“Who is that? Her clothes are so beautiful! I’ve never seen such a design before. Is it from the south?”
“I don’t know, but she looks somewhat familiar.”
“Oh, that’s the eldest daughter of the Dingyuan Marquis family, the one engaged to Duan Wang.”
The fragmented voices reached Mingxi’s ears. With so many people passing by, the street was busy and full of noise. She followed Madam Jiang, constantly greeting and exchanging pleasantries with others, not paying attention to anything else.
Inside, Madam Jiang felt a bit upset. Mingxi’s clothes were so eye-catching, but she hadn’t thought to make one for her sister. It seemed like Mingxi was more interested in showing off than being considerate.
However, Madam Jiang dared not express her anger and kept it to herself, forcing a smile.
They passed through the flowered gate and reached the main courtyard, where Mingxi met Duchess Rong.
Duchess Rong grabbed Mingxi’s hand and wouldn’t let go. She was the savior of her son’s life, and they had few chances to meet, so today she wanted to show extra warmth.
To the onlookers, this scene evoked mixed emotions—some were envious, others jealous. There were also those who, with their proud attitudes, assumed that Mingxi, born into a merchant family, must have seduced Duan Wang with her looks, which was why these noble ladies treated her differently.
But for those who knew the full story, it wasn’t surprising, given Mingxi had saved Liu Yan’s life earlier.
Liu Yunhua was called over by her mother. After greeting Madam Jiang, her mother said, “Yunhua, take Mingxi and the others to see your friends. Be sure to entertain them well.”
“Don’t worry, Mother,” Liu Yunhua said with a cheerful smile, leading Mingxi and the others away.
As they walked, Liu Yunhua couldn’t help but look at Mingxi’s clothes, smiling as she asked, “I’ve never seen a design like this before. Is it new? This fabric is unusual—it looks even more beautiful than flashing satin. Did they just add gold and silver threads? It doesn’t seem like it.”
Duan Huirou, noticing Liu Yunhua’s gaze fixed on Mingxi’s clothes, felt uncomfortable. She thought Mingxi was only trying to outshine everyone.
Duan Qingyin saw her discomfort and hesitated for a moment before explaining softly to her.
Meanwhile, Mingxi responded to Liu Yunhua, “This is a new product from my shop. I wore it today to show it off at your lovely event.”
Liu Yunhua understood immediately and said, “It’s so beautiful! Everyone will definitely love it. When I have time, I’ll order a couple of pieces myself. The weather is getting warmer, and it’ll look even better then.”
Duan Huirou, on the other hand, felt more uncomfortable, and her jealousy was apparent. She knew that lately, her family had been dealing with many issues. She had also heard about her older brother’s visit to the Duan family, which made her feel conflicted and upset.
Moreover, she sensed some tension surrounding Yang Yiniang’s actions, and she felt even more troubled by it. In the past, she was always the first to know about family matters, but now she was the last to know, and sometimes even her cousins seemed to know more than she did.
Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, but she couldn’t help but feel frustrated and had to force a smile to hide her true feelings.
Duan Qingyin watched her from the side, feeling a mix of emotions that were hard to put into words.
Once, Duan Huirou had seemed so out of reach to her—she was the most favored daughter in the family. But now, seeing her like this, the resentment she once felt was slowly dissipating. If she had to compare, it seemed Duan Huirou’s life wasn’t as easy as it seemed.
Liu Yunhua led them into the small flower hall, where many people were already seated. As they entered, all eyes turned to Mingxi. The sunlight glinted off her skirt, and as she moved, the patterns on her skirt seemed to come to life, shimmering with a golden glow.
It was too beautiful!
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