Consort Shu was genuinely happy. She had spent her whole life in the palace walking on eggshells. Her son, with his temperament, would never lack women, but to find one that truly suited him—that was rarer than gold.
Now that he’d found someone he actually liked, he might finally live a happy life. Consort Shu hadn’t had a smooth life herself, so all she wished for now was for her son to be happier than she had been.
In the capital’s noble circles, every marriage was a meticulous weighing of pros and cons, a balancing act of status and gain.
Finding a young lady who fit all one’s expectations was truly difficult.
Just look at He Wanyi of Yu Wang’s household. She was the legitimate daughter of Xingan Marquis, yet for the sake of the Empress and the Crown Prince, she had thrown away her reputation.
And in the end, she only got the title of side consort. Had she married into an ordinary noble household, she would’ve been a proper first wife and future Old Madam.
If Consort Shu had a choice back then, she wouldn’t have entered the palace either—but she hadn’t had that choice.
Thinking of all this made her heart feel a lot lighter.
Meanwhile, Xiao Muchen rode his horse to the Marquis residence. This time, he didn’t just show up at the door and leave—he formally entered the home.
The newly appointed Marquis was still working at the yamen, so the house servants quickly rushed off to report. The Old Marquis personally came out to greet Duan Wang.
Mingxi arrived promptly to help the Old Madam and glanced briefly at Xiao Muchen.
Xiao Muchen led the way, while Qi He and the others followed, carrying several large trunks. The moment he saw Mingxi, he averted his eyes.
“Your Highness, please forgive us for not welcoming you properly,” the Old Marquis said with a bow.
Xiao Muchen quickly supported him. “There’s no need to be so formal. I’ve come today first to apologize for the postponement of the wedding, and second to discuss the wedding arrangements again.”
Upon hearing this, the Old Marquis looked at his granddaughter.
Duan Mingxi met his gaze without dodging. Though the marriage had been arranged, Xiao Muchen’s formal visit and sincere apology at least gave her enough face.
“The delay was for the sake of national affairs. His Highness serves the country and the people—how could Mingxi hold any resentment? This is how it should be,” the Old Marquis said slowly.
“Even so, the broken promise was on my part. You may be magnanimous, but I cannot simply let it pass,” Xiao Muchen said solemnly.
The Old Madam smiled warmly at Mingxi upon hearing this, clearly pleased that Duan Wang valued her so much.
Mingxi returned the Old Madam’s smile with a small, modest dip of her head, as if a little embarrassed.
Soon, Duan Yu and the Second and Third Masters of the family returned home. Only the eldest uncle and his wife were not summoned back.
At noon, the Marquis household hosted a banquet for Duan Wang. The gifts he brought included an entire trunk for Mingxi, others for the various branches of the family, and a generous set specifically for the Old Marquis and Old Madam.
His manners were impeccable, his attitude sincere. Duan Ning and Duan Qi, who returned last, observed all this from the sidelines and were very satisfied.
The women had a separate banquet from the men, naturally.
The Second Madam was beaming. Looking at Mingxi, she said, “Now let’s see what those gossips outside can say. Our Mingxi truly is blessed to be so cherished by His Highness.”
Duan Huirou sat quietly with her head lowered as she listened.
Duan Qingyin, seated next to her, knew she was ashamed because of her parents’ scandal. Still, not attending an occasion like this would be even more improper.
The more the Second Madam praised Mingxi, the more uncomfortable Duan Huirou was likely to feel.
The Third Madam chimed in, “Second Sister-in-law is absolutely right. These past few days, I’ve been furious. Who knows what ill-willed people have been spreading those rumors? Luckily, Duan Wang knows Mingxi’s character well and wasn’t fooled.”
The Old Madam looked at them and said, “Let’s not talk about unpleasant things. Mingxi’s wedding isn’t far off—you two aunties must pay close attention and help out.”
“Don’t worry, Mother,” said the Second Madam cheerfully. She had already managed her eldest son’s wedding and felt confident in taking the reins again.
The Third Madam didn’t yet have experience, but she was happy to observe and learn from her sister-in-law so she’d be prepared when it was time for her own children to marry.
The room was filled with joy and laughter. Mingxi was surrounded by Duan Rong and Duan Min. Duan Qingyin even invited Duan Huirou to toast her. Mingxi did not refuse, but neither did she speak to Huirou alone.
The Old Madam saw it all but said nothing. You reap what you sow—she had tried to guide Duan Huirou, but the girl hadn’t listened.
Now, the fact that Mingxi was still willing to show her a bit of respect was enough.
Madam Xiao was heavily pregnant and nearing her due date, so she didn’t attend the gathering. The Old Madam had already told her to rest well.
When Xiao Ling, the younger sister of the Xiao family, married Xu Heng, she didn’t return to her parents’ home; she simply had her stewardess deliver a wedding gift on her behalf. After all, she was nearing her due date and could go into labor at any moment, so her health naturally took priority.
Duan Jin and his wife were also not at the residence today. They had accompanied his wife back to her maiden home, and Madam Ma was about to leave the capital for Yuzhou to accompany her husband. As her daughter and son-in-law, they were there to see her off.
It was also because Duan Wang came so suddenly that the household wasn’t prepared—otherwise, they surely would have stayed behind.
The Second Madam had started to change her opinion of this daughter-in-law. After checking with the Old Madam, she didn’t send a message to the Ma family requesting the young couple to return.
The family was lively and cheerful. Duan Huirou had finally hit rock bottom and learned her lesson. Today, for once, she didn’t wear a long face. She even followed Duan Qingyin in offering a toast to Duan Mingxi.
Back in her seat, thoughts of her mother and father brought on a wave of sorrow.
But she no longer dared to throw tantrums like before. Nor was there anyone who would spoil her as they once did.
Duan Qingyin had always been gentle and soft-natured. Seeing Duan Huirou like this, she had already offered comforting words countless times, so today she simply placed her favorite dishes onto her plate without saying much.
Duan Huirou kept her head down and ate silently, never once looking up.
News that Duan Wang had visited the Dingyuan Marquis Household spread quickly. Qi He, ever considerate of his master’s concerns, made sure the gift delivery to the manor was a public affair. Who wouldn’t know about it?
Despite the disgraceful scandal caused by the former Dingyuan Marquis, Duan Wang didn’t mind at all. On the second day after his return to the capital, he personally visited the Dingyuan Marquis Household—an unexpected move for many noble families in the city.
At that moment, the Old Madam of the Jiang family sat with a green-tinged face, clutching an invitation so tightly that the veins on the back of her hand stood out.
The Eldest Madam of the Jiang family looked slightly anxious but kept her composure and asked softly, “Mother, what do you think?”
The Old Madam glanced at her daughter-in-law. “Do you think this is a good match?”
The Eldest Madam replied, “Mother, with the way things stand for our family, what better future could Sujie hope for? Becoming a liangdi in the Eastern Palace is already the best possible outcome.”
“If we agree to this marriage, we’ll be completely severing ties with the Dingyuan Marquis Household. Are you and your husband prepared for that?” the Old Madam said in a low voice.
The First Madam was unconcerned. “Now that my brother-in-law has lost his noble title, and Duan Yu has never been close to our Jiang family, it’s obvious that our family’s and Sujie’s future is more important.”
