“Miss, where are you going?”
“To save someone!” Mingxi headed straight to Rongan Hall to see the Old Madam.
The Old Madam had just seen off Fuchang Marquis Madam when she heard that Mingxi wanted to see her, so she let her in and smiled, “What brings you here at this hour? Just now Fuchang Marquis Madam was asking about you.”
“Forgive me, Grandmother, I didn’t come to greet her,” said Mingxi.
“I didn’t call you over, so there’s no blame. Mingxi, do you need something?”
“I do,” Mingxi replied. “I’d like to borrow Wan Mama at your side to go out with me for a bit.”
“Wan Mama? What do you need an old woman like her for?” the Old Madam smiled.
Mingxi then recounted how Madam Jiang’s face was scratched by Qiao Wan and that Yang Yiniang had been ill for days.
In such a short time, things had gone so awry over there that the Old Madam’s face changed repeatedly. She looked at Mingxi and asked, “You suspect Yang Yiniang’s illness is related to that Qiao Wan?”
“It’s hard to say. I’m just a junior and can’t barge in, which is why I need Wan Mama’s help.”
The Old Madam immediately looked at Wan Mama and said, “You go with the young lady and bring some strong old women with you. If anyone tries to stop you—tie them up!”
“Yes,” Wan Mama stepped forward and bowed.
“Wan Mama, let’s go,” said Mingxi without delay.
“I’ll follow your lead, Miss.”
After bidding the Old Madam farewell, Mingxi took Wan Mama and headed out, instructing someone along the way to fetch Doctor Ren from Baohe Hall and bring him straight to Madam Jiang’s place.
The residence the eldest master had set up outside was several streets away from the main estate, so it took a while to get there by carriage.
When they arrived, the front gate was tightly shut, and not a soul was in sight. Mingxi got out of the carriage and ordered someone to knock.
Wan Mama, walking beside Mingxi, frowned. The doors were shut in broad daylight—something was definitely wrong.
The knocking echoed loudly, and after a while, someone inside finally responded, “Who is it?”
The servant at the door shouted loudly, “We are servants from the Marquis’s residence, here on the Old Madam’s orders to request the Madam’s return for a family discussion.”
There was a pause inside, then the voice replied, “Madam is sick and cannot return. Just report back.”
“Break the door down!” Mingxi ordered coldly. At a time like this, there was no room for pleasantries. If they wouldn’t even open the door, who knew what condition Madam Jiang was in?
Just as she spoke, Doctor Ren arrived and overheard Mingxi’s command to break the door down. He wiped the sweat from his brow, subtly stepped back to keep a safe distance, and maintained a calm expression.
As a doctor serving noble households, he had seen plenty of secrets and scandals. He had long since mastered the art of keeping his mouth shut and eyes blind—just get paid and never leak a word.
The old women didn’t hesitate at all upon receiving the command. They threw themselves against the door. The first strike didn’t open it, so they took a deep breath, stepped back, and slammed into it again with full force.
BANG—the door crashed to the ground, dust flying everywhere.
“Ah—what are you doing?!” a shrieking maid cried out in fear.
Mingxi strode through the gate, glanced at the terrified maid, and coldly ordered, “Tie her up and gag her!”
“Yes, Miss,” one of the women responded, pulling out a cloth strap she had prepared. Like a tiger pouncing on prey, she tackled the maid to the ground, stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth, twisted her arms behind her back, and swiftly bound her. In no time, the woman was trussed up like a dumpling on the floor.
Mingxi nodded in satisfaction and said to her, “Well done. You’ll be handsomely rewarded when we return.”
The woman beamed. The young miss was known for her generosity—“handsome rewards” meant a lot.
The others, hearing this, suddenly had a gleam in their eyes.
Li Mama was used to Mingxi’s style, but this was Wan Mama’s first time accompanying her outside. Seeing the scene, she was secretly taken aback.
Still, she dared not delay and diligently followed at Mingxi’s side.
The front yard was eerily quiet, not a servant in sight. It wasn’t until they neared the second gate that they saw a gatekeeping maid who looked somewhat familiar—perhaps once a servant of Madam Jiang.
Mingxi didn’t recognize her, but Wan Mama did instantly. “Zhang Pozi, come here,” she called.
The old maid’s face changed drastically when she saw Wan Mama and the others. Without a word, she turned and bolted.
Wan Mama’s face turned grave. “Miss, something is definitely wrong. We need to hurry.”
Mingxi nodded. “Let’s go.”
Their group marched through the gate, along the winding path, up the corridor, around the screen wall, and past the rock garden. Before reaching the main courtyard, they saw a group of people approaching from the distance.
At the head of the group was a woman in a bright red dress embroidered with golden threads. Her figure swayed elegantly as she walked, twirling a gold-painted fan in her hand. Her hair was adorned with pearls and jade, yet instead of looking gaudy, she appeared even more charming.
“So it’s the esteemed Eldest Miss Duan,” she said with a smile. “I failed to welcome you properly—please forgive me.”
Mingxi swept her gaze over the woman, then looked at the maids behind her—maids who used to serve Madam Jiang but now stood timidly behind this woman with shifty eyes. There was no longer any doubt.
“Where did this filthy streetwalker come from, daring to speak to our young lady—ptooey!” Li Mama stepped forward and cursed. She turned to the others and shouted, “Why are you standing around? Tie her up!”
Tie her up too?
Judging by the scene, they figured this must be the infamous Qiao Wan.
The beloved of the eldest master!
Li Mama’s eyes glinted sharply. “What are you waiting for?!”
“You dare? Do you even know who I am?” Qiao Wan sneered. Her beautiful eyes narrowed with a flash of cold light, her tone sharp with menace.
Li Mama stood akimbo and cursed loudly, “Just because you crawled out of a brothel, every single person in this courtyard is nobler than you. We may be servants, but we’re decent and clean folk.”
“Besides, where is our Madam? I know her temperament well—how could she possibly let a lowly whore like you come out to receive our young lady?”
Though Qiao Wan was indeed from a brothel, she had always been praised for her beauty and had never been subjected to such vile insults. She trembled with rage, shouting at those around her, “Are you all dead?! Slap this old hag’s mouth! Beat her until she’s half-dead!”
Mingxi’s eyes turned cold. She stepped forward and kicked Qiao Wan directly in the knee.
Qiao Wan cried out in pain and fell to her knees with a thud.
Duan Mingxi placed her foot on Qiao Wan’s shoulder and pressed down. With a bit of force, Qiao Wan toppled backward like an overturned turtle, landing flat on her back.
“What are you trying to do? When the Master returns and hears how you treated me, he won’t let you off!” Qiao Wan finally began to show fear under Duan Mingxi’s icy gaze.
Duan Mingxi sneered and didn’t bother responding. “Tie her up and drag her in!”
With that, she strode toward the main courtyard. Pushing open the door and glancing around, she saw no sign of Madam Jiang’s familiar attendants—only a few unfamiliar young maids tending the yard.
She grabbed one of the young girls and asked, “Where is the Madam?”
