As the imperial physicians rushed to Duke Wei’s mansion in great fanfare, the news that Xu Heng had been severely injured in an assassination attempt and nearly died swept through the capital like a storm.
That was Duke Wei’s only son!
Who dared to be so bold?
The emperor flew into a rage and personally ordered Duke Wei to capture the culprit. For a time, the capital was filled with tension.
When Mingxi received the news, she thought carefully and still felt something was off.
Previously, Duke Wei’s household seemed to be trying to keep Xu Heng’s injury quiet—so why was it suddenly public knowledge?
Before she could think it through, Duke Wei’s wife and Fuchang Marquis Madam arrived together to express their thanks.
Only then did the old madam realize what Mingxi had done. She couldn’t help but think her granddaughter was truly remarkable. During her travels with Duan Pingchang for trade, she had met some truly powerful figures in the countryside.
Such fortune—some people wouldn’t encounter even one opportunity like this in a lifetime, yet Mingxi had several. It said a lot about her character.
The two women brought generous gifts. Duke Wei’s wife, in particular, was full of gratitude toward the old madam, calling Mingxi a remarkable young lady from the Dingyuan Marquis’ household.
The old madam felt her face heat up. In the past… best not to think about it. She hadn’t exactly been kind or upright herself—she had schemed against the girl too.
Duke Wei’s wife praised Mingxi lavishly, then turned to her and grabbed her hand, tears falling before she could even speak.
“Madam, have some tea first,” Mingxi said gently. Seeing her like that reminded Mingxi of her adoptive parents—how they had also worked so hard for her in her past life.
“Good child, you didn’t just save my son’s life—you saved my husband and me too.” Duchess Wei was in tears.
The couple had only one child, and her husband was so affectionate he had refused to take concubines. Their son was their only hope.
Despite being the only son, he had never been spoiled. He trained hard in martial arts, was well-versed in literature, and had a righteous and upright character just like his father.
He was truly her heart’s treasure.
Fuchang Marquis Madam also dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. She was very fond of her son-in-law. Since her daughter had married into Duke Wei’s household, the in-laws had been kind, the couple loving, and the whole household upright and harmonious.
Fortunately, their son-in-law had been saved—otherwise, what would her daughter’s future have looked like?
Even someone as eloquent as Mingxi felt a little awkward in the face of such heartfelt gratitude.
When she had helped, she hadn’t thought so much—she only knew that Xu Heng was a good person, and good people shouldn’t die.
In her past life, Xu Heng had died young…
That thought suddenly jolted Mingxi.
She had always felt like she was forgetting something, but couldn’t quite place it.
Xu Heng’s death!
In her previous life, he had died in battle—by all logic, he shouldn’t be facing a death threat so early in this one…
Was the Crown Prince making his move again?
What is it for this time?
Right now, there was a storm raging in Mingxi’s heart. Thankfully, Second Madam and Third Madam had received word and rushed over, finally helping her break away from the two visiting ladies.
She forced herself to calm down. The Second Madam spoke cheerfully, and the Third Madam’s words were amusing, quickly lifting the mood in the room.
After sitting for a while longer, the two ladies got up to take their leave. Before departing, Duchess Wei held Mingxi’s hand and said, “You and Ling Er are close. When you have some free time, come visit me—she’ll be thrilled.”
Thinking of Xiao Ling, Mingxi couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, once I have some time, I’ll definitely come bother you for a cup of tea.”
Fuchang Marquis Madam, worried about her daughter, parted ways with Duchess Wei and went to visit Madam Xiao before returning to the Marquis’s residence.
The Old Madam instructed the servants to send all the generous gifts from the two ladies straight to Mingxi’s courtyard—not a single item was kept.
Mingxi had Li Mama register everything in a ledger and then sorted the items to send portions to various family members.
Since the Second and Third Madams had been doing business with Mingxi, their finances were much better than before, and they wouldn’t take advantage of the younger generation. So they both returned the favor with generous gifts of their own.
Her younger sisters didn’t have anything fancy to return, so each embroidered a handkerchief, pouch, or fan case for Mingxi as return gifts.
Mingxi also selected a glass lamp to send to Madam Xu, who loved such crystal-clear items. Sure enough, she was delighted when she saw it.
She held Mingxi’s hand reluctantly. Her daughter was getting busier and busier—there was less and less time to see her.
Mingxi noticed Madam Xu looked healthy. She had originally wanted to poach Ren Mian for her own Yongchun Hall, but knew Baohe Hall wouldn’t let him go easily. So she had sent You Sanping to figure something out.
And You Sanping really did. He sourced a batch of high-quality medicinal herbs—rare even in the capital—and used them to tempt Baohe Hall. He also signed a formal agreement to supply a set quantity every year. Only then did Baohe Hall’s owner agree, albeit reluctantly.
As for Ren Mian, he was easy to win over. Though skilled in medicine, he was still building his reputation. Now that a new employer was offering a high price for him to consult, there was no reason to hesitate.
Especially when the new employer was the renowned Eldest Miss Duan—he felt assured and packed his bags immediately.
When Mingxi learned about this, she marveled at You Sanping’s business acumen. Not only had he stolen Baohe Hall’s physician, but he’d also gotten them to buy his medicinal herbs—and they were even grateful for it.
Luckily, that cunning merchant worked for her.
After Ren Mian arrived at Yongchun Hall, Mingxi gave him his first task: conduct monthly wellness checkups for Duan Pingchang and his wife. Later, when they got older, it would be twice a month.
Back when Madam Xu gave birth to a son, she had already been older, and it took a toll on her health. But she didn’t think it was a problem at the time.
In her past life, after Duan Pingchang met with misfortune, Madam Xu deteriorated quickly, largely due to poor health.
Mingxi wanted to prevent any future issues—so she arranged for a physician now, to ensure her mother would live a long life.
“Your father’s been busy with the racetrack lately. He’s barely home a few days each month. Your brother’s studying away from home. Fortunately, I still have you by my side,” Madam Xu sighed.
Mingxi laughed and said, “If you feel lonely, why not invite cousin to stay with you for a while?”
“She’s married already—how could we do that?” Madam Xu lightly scolded her daughter, though in truth she missed her relatives dearly.
Mingxi smiled and spoke softly: “After I get married, Mother, why don’t you return to Jiangcheng for a stay? When I marry, Uncle and Aunt will definitely come to the capital, and you can go back with them. Once you’ve had enough of staying there, I’ll have someone bring you back. How about that?”
Madam Xu was indeed tempted. She hesitated. “But your father… who would take care of him?”
“Then we’ll ask him when he comes back.”
Duan Pingchang was so busy his feet barely touched the ground. He had little time for his wife, so Mingxi figured he would probably agree to sending her to her brother’s care.
When Madam Xu heard Mingxi mention her wedding, she immediately got up and brought out a dowry ledger from the inner room and shoved it into Mingxi’s hands. “Take a look.”
“I told you, you don’t need to prepare anything. Father’s already given me so much,” Mingxi said, not wanting to accept more. She wasn’t short on money.
“Just look at it. Your father said you’d definitely like it,” Madam Xu smiled, her eyes sparkling.
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! Want to get early access to at least 15 chapters in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)
