The two continued walking together, chatting and laughing. Palace servants bustled about, bowing politely as they passed before hurrying on.
Unconcerned with the selection process, Chu Qingying was in high spirits and spoke cheerfully.
Duan Mingxi, unconcerned with being chosen and confident that her upbringing in Jiangcheng made her unlikely to win favor, felt similarly at ease.
Chu Qingying had no idea what was on Duan Mingxi’s mind. She only noticed her relaxed expression, entirely free of tension, and couldn’t help but feel a bit of admiration. People often said that Duan Mingxi came from a place like Jiangcheng and had grown up in a merchant family—what kind of worldliness could she possibly have?
Before meeting her, Chu Qingying had thought the same. But after interacting with her, she could only think to herself with a wry laugh: How wrong they were.
The two strolled leisurely along the paths, brushing past blooming flowers and willows. From time to time, they saw noble girls from various families passing by in lively clusters, surrounded by their attendants.
Such scenes were nothing new to Chu Qingying. She glanced sideways at Duan Mingxi and saw that she remained completely unaffected, which only piqued her curiosity further.
“Mingxi, is Jiangcheng a fun place to visit?” Chu Qingying’s tone was light. Though she was known to be a capricious and unruly person in public, she was mindful of the feelings of someone who had saved her life.
When bringing up Jiangcheng, she didn’t belittle it or imply disdain in any way. On the contrary, she seemed genuinely interested.
Duan Mingxi was a little surprised. In her past life, while she had interacted with Chu Qingying, their relationship was limited to polite greetings at banquets. They were far from being friends.
She already knew Chu Qingying’s personality well.
But now, feeling Chu Qingying’s consideration, Duan Mingxi responded warmly, “If you ever have the chance, I’ll take you to visit Jiangcheng. It’s a completely different scene from the capital. The sky is vast, the sea stretches endlessly, and fishing boats dot the waters like stars. Sailing alone on the river, all you see is the boundless water. I think you’d like it, Qingying.”
Chu Qingying had seen lakes but never the sea. Hearing Duan Mingxi’s description piqued her curiosity. “Really? If there’s a chance, you must accompany me there.”
“Of course,” Duan Mingxi readily agreed.
“Hey, Chu Qingying! Miss Chu, wait for me!”
Hearing the voice, both Chu Qingying and Duan Mingxi stopped in their tracks and looked back. They saw a young woman dressed in a pale purple blouse embroidered with floral patterns approaching. Behind her were several noblewomen, bustling forward in a lively group.
“Oh? And who might this be? Qingying, why don’t you introduce us? She looks a bit unfamiliar.”
Chu Qingying responded, “This is my savior, the eldest daughter of the Dingyuan Marquis Household, Miss Duan Mingxi.” Turning to Mingxi, she added, “This is Miss Xu Nanxi, the eldest daughter of Duke Wei’s family.”
Duan Mingxi, of course, recognized her—it was the cousin of Duan Wang.
Though, at this moment, they were unfamiliar.
“Miss Xu,” Duan Mingxi greeted politely.
Xu Nanxi’s sharp, bright eyes studied Duan Mingxi with a faint, knowing smile. “So, you’re the famous eldest daughter of the Duan family who caused such a stir at the hunting grounds. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Her words seemed complimentary, but upon closer inspection, there was an undercurrent of sarcasm.
Duan Mingxi didn’t understand what she might have done to offend this young lady, but she wasn’t intimidated either. She replied directly, “You’re too kind, Miss Xu.”
If you praise me, I’ll accept it—what’s the big deal?
Perhaps it was Duan Mingxi’s straightforwardness that startled Xu Nanxi. She paused, carefully observing Mingxi’s expression, trying to determine if she truly didn’t catch the hidden meaning or was simply feigning ignorance.
Feeling stifled, Xu Nanxi chose to ignore Duan Mingxi and turned to chat with Chu Qingying, deliberately excluding Duan Mingxi.
Her subtle maneuver went unnoticed by Chu Qingying, who merely thought Mingxi was being unusually quiet.
As the group walked deeper into the palace grounds, the atmosphere seemed lively on the surface, but a closer look revealed the opposite.
Duan Mingxi, however, was unfazed by Xu Nanxi’s petty antics. In her previous life, she might have cared deeply about such matters, losing sleep over them, or agonizing over how she might have offended others.
But in this life? She couldn’t care less.
The palace ladies had not yet arrived, and noblewomen from various families gathered in small groups. Already, Shangyang Palace was buzzing with activity.
Duan Mingxi strolled along with the others, the crowd growing denser as they went. Both Chu Qingying and Xu Nanxi were prominent figures among the noblewomen of the capital, and many sought opportunities to strike up conversations with them.
The two were surrounded by people at the front, while others followed behind. Gradually, the group divided into levels, and many trailed off loosely in the rear. Eventually, the group scattered, with everyone finding their own places to explore.
Not many people knew Duan Mingxi. Those who did were mostly from the last hunting event. However, these individuals were among the most distinguished guests at this palace banquet. As a result, they were constantly surrounded by others vying for their attention, expending effort to stay close to them.
Duan Mingxi disliked such occasions and deliberately fell behind. Before long, she separated from the group.
Walking alone in the garden, she found herself feeling much more at ease.
She wasn’t very familiar with Shangyang Palace, as its banquets were not frequently held. Moreover, in her previous life, as her relationship with the Duke Gao family soured, she intentionally restrained herself and rarely attended such banquets.
Back then, Duan Mingxi had also vaguely heard rumors that her adoptive father’s death might have been related to the Marquis Manor. She had been preoccupied with investigating the matter and had no energy to deal with the Duchess Gao’s petty schemes.
Thinking about these things still brought a pang of sorrow.
Even though she had sought revenge in her previous life, the wounds caused were not so easily erased.
As she walked, Duan Mingxi realized she had no idea where she had wandered. The surroundings were eerily quiet, and there wasn’t a single palace servant in sight.
Her heart tightened. She immediately lifted her skirt and retraced her steps, but the intricate paths of Shangyang Palace soon brought her to a fork in the road. Three paths laid before her, and she had no memory of which one she had taken to arrive here.
She tried recalling but to no avail. Just as she was about to pick a path at random, she heard footsteps approaching from a distance.
Delighted, she prepared to step forward and ask for directions. But suddenly, a face flickered under the shade of a tree.
The Crown Prince….
Instinctively, she hid behind a rockery deep within the flower bushes. Only after entering did she realize—this wasn’t her previous life. The Crown Prince didn’t know her, so why was she hiding?
It was too late to come out now. The Crown Prince’s voice carried over from behind the bushes.
“How are the preparations coming along?”
“Your Highness, rest assured, everything has been arranged. Personnel have also been stationed on Miss Gan’s side. Your Highness will undoubtedly get your wish.”
“Do not hurt anyone. I seek to form an alliance with the Duke Zhen’s household, not to create enmity.”
“Understood.”
The voices gradually faded into the distance, leaving Duan Mingxi in shock.
So that’s how it was.
No wonder, in her previous life, the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince had such a strained relationship. The couple constantly quarreled, and rumors outside suggested Gan Li relied on her father’s military authority as the Duke Zhen, treating even the Crown Prince with disdain.
But the truth was that this marriage was the result of the Crown Prince’s schemes.
Excitement flickered in Duan Mingxi’s heart. Duke Zhen commanded immense respect in the military. If the Crown Prince’s plan today failed, Gan Li wouldn’t have to marry him.
And Duke Zhen wouldn’t be tied to the Crown Prince’s camp!
