Duan Mingxi waited until the voices outside faded completely before carefully lifting her skirt and sneaking out of the rockery. She let out a breath of relief and stepped forward.
But as soon as she looked up, her smile froze on her face.
Duan Wang stood before her, dressed in a dark blue robe embroidered with coiled dragons. His black hair was tied up with a gold and purple crown, and his hands were clasped behind his back. His sharp, clear eyes held a trace of suspicion as he gazed at her.
Duan Mingxi: …
“This humble woman greets His Highness, Duan Wangye.” Duan Mingxi curtsied politely.
“Miss Duan, there’s no need for formalities. What are you doing here?”
Duan Mingxi had no idea how long he had been standing there, what he had seen, or what he had heard. One thing was certain: when it came to the imperial family, there wasn’t a single good person among the princes and nobles.
She calmly said, “I found the jagged rocks of this artificial mountain and the deep, mysterious cave quite interesting, so I came in to take a look. What brings Wangye here?”
The best defense is a counterattack.
“This Wang also finds this artificial mountain intriguing,” Xiao Muchen replied.
Duan Mingxi’s heart skipped a beat, but she wasn’t one of those shy young ladies. She nodded and said, “In that case, I wouldn’t dare disturb Wangye’s enjoyment. I’ll take my leave now.”
As she turned to leave, Duan Mingxi thought that perhaps she and Duan Wang were simply not destined to collaborate. Every meeting with him seemed far from harmonious or pleasant.
Could they be fated as enemies?
“Miss Duan, you’re heading the wrong way. The banquet is over there.”
Duan Mingxi paused mid-step, glanced in the direction Duan Wang indicated, and said calmly, “Thank you, Wangye.”
Her expression remained composed, but the quickened pace of her departure betrayed her inner thoughts.
How utterly embarrassing.
Xiao Muchen watched Duan Mingxi’s retreating figure, a thoughtful expression crossing his face before he turned his gaze toward the direction the Crown Prince had gone.
Following Duan Wang’s directions, Duan Mingxi quickly found the crowd. Taking a deep breath, she blended in seamlessly.
Yet, her mind was preoccupied. She discreetly scanned the area for Gan Li.
From afar, she spotted Gan Li chatting and laughing with several noble ladies. Gan Li carried herself with the carefree elegance of a general’s daughter, her dimples faintly visible when she smiled.
It was a pity Duan Mingxi only knew that Gan Li had become the Crown Princess but not how she had achieved it.
She also knew that Gan Li and the Crown Prince were not on good terms, but the reasons remained unclear.
Now that she’d stumbled upon a hint of the truth, she intended to make the most of it.
“Mingxi, what are you doing here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” a voice called out.
Duan Mingxi turned her head to see Yao Yunyi, nearly jumping in surprise. “Yunyi, why were you looking for me?”
Yao Yunyi smiled and said, “Come with me. I’ll introduce you to some friends. You’re new to the capital, and many people don’t know you. Let me make some introductions. Everyone is quite curious about you—you’re the hero who saved lives!”
“It was merely a coincidence; I wouldn’t dare claim the title of hero,” Duan Mingxi replied, not particularly eager to go. However, Yao Yunyi was persistent, grabbing her arm and pulling her along.
Duan Mingxi glanced back in Gan Li’s direction, feeling a bit more at ease when she saw that she was still there.
As expected, Yao Yunyi led Duan Mingxi around to greet people. Some were warm and welcoming, others spoke with veiled barbs, and still others seemed distrustful or ill-intentioned.
After making the rounds, barely catching her breath, an inner court eunuch announced loudly, “Her Majesty the Empress has arrived! The Noble Consort, Consort Xian, Consort Shu, and Consort De have also arrived!”
Yao Yunyi quickly pulled Duan Mingxi along to formally greet the empress and the other palace ladies. They curtsied low, heads slightly bowed, and soon caught a whiff of a delicate fragrance as it drifted past.
A flurry of luxurious skirts swept by their lowered gazes. Maintaining her posture, Duan Mingxi waited until the empress and her entourage had walked far enough away before she quietly raised her head.
She saw all the other young women present standing solemnly, their expressions serious and silent.
“Rise, all of you,” the empress said with a smile, gesturing for them to stand as she took her seat along with the four consorts.
“We thank Her Majesty the Empress for her grace,” the group responded in unison before standing upright.
“The gardens of Shangyang Palace are rich with scenic beauty, especially this newly built park. You don’t need to be so formal. Feel free to enjoy yourselves and explore,” the empress said warmly.
Though the empress’s words were inviting, none of the young women made a move to leave.
After all, why had they come here in the first place? How could they allow entertainment to distract them from the main purpose?
The noble consort glanced around with a glint in her eye and turned to the empress with a suggestion. “Your Majesty, spring is such a splendid time when flowers bloom in full glory. How about we ask the young ladies to compose poetry to liven up the occasion?”
This was clearly a test of talent and literary skill.
A faint murmur of laughter rippled through the crowd, and Duan Mingxi overheard Yao Yunyi mutter beside her, “What a bore. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”
Hearing Yao Yunyi’s complaints, Duan Mingxi couldn’t pretend not to hear when they were standing so close. She replied softly, “Yunyi, you are known for your exceptional talent. You’re one of the most renowned scholars among the young women in the capital. Surely this won’t trouble you?”
Yao Yunyi frowned even more deeply and whispered back, “If I perform well, I’ll become the target of envy. If I perform poorly, everyone will laugh at me. Don’t you think I’m in a no-win situation?”
Being a celebrated talent was no easy feat.
Duan Mingxi chuckled softly, acknowledging the logic in Yunyi’s words. Even ladies of noble birth had their own struggles.
But clearly, the consorts weren’t concerned with how the young ladies felt. If they were told to compose poetry, compose they must.
Palace attendants moved swiftly, setting up tables and chairs before each lady. Duan Mingxi and Yao Yunyi sat next to each other.
Duan Mingxi had no exceptional literary talent. Her poem was mediocre at best. After finishing, she felt no need to overthink it. She had no desire to be selected, so the quality of her poem mattered little. She felt unusually relaxed.
Beside her, however, Yao Yunyi furrowed her brows in distress. Amused, Duan Mingxi pretended not to notice.
Yao Yunyi was in a situation similar to Chu Qingying’s. Xian Wang, her cousin, was already married, making her chances of marrying into the imperial family slim.
Perhaps she didn’t want to overshadow others but also didn’t want to invite criticism, leaving her feeling conflicted.
Soon, palace attendants collected the completed poems to present to the Empress and the consorts for review.
Dozens of young ladies had come to participate, so reading through all the poems would take some time.
Duan Mingxi, feigning nonchalance, occasionally glanced in Gan Li’s direction. So far, everything seemed normal. She just couldn’t predict where the Crown Prince would make his move—or whether she’d have a chance to stop it. The thought left her slightly anxious.
“Huh?” Yao Yunyi’s voice drew her attention.
Turning to Yunyi, Duan Mingxi asked, “What is it?”
Leaning closer, Yunyi whispered, “The one from Deqing Marquis’s household—it’s Fu Hongxiao.”
Duan Mingxi’s eyes flickered briefly before she feigned ignorance. “Oh? Is there something unusual about that?”
“She’s the illegitimate eldest daughter of Deqing Marquis’s household. The Marquis Madam has a daughter of her own. Why would they let Fu Hongxiao come here?” Yao Yunyi shook her head with a sigh.
This much, Duan Mingxi already knew.
