Deqing Marquis was all about maintaining a righteous facade in public, but privately, he was a man who doted on his concubine while neglecting his wife. The Marquis Madam, being soft-spoken and submissive, couldn’t keep Fu Hongxiao’s mother, Xu Yiniang, in check.
So, it wasn’t surprising at all to see Fu Hongxiao here today.
However, Deqing Marquis’ true face would only be revealed a year later. It was when the duchess, determined to secure a good marriage for her daughter Fu Jingshu with her maternal family’s support, exposed the scandal of the Marquis favoritism toward his concubine when Xu Yiniang and her daughter attempted to sabotage the match.
Duan Mingxi observed Yao Yunyi’s expression, knowing she pitied Fu Jingshu, but there was nothing she could say for now.
Unconcerned, she quietly kept her attention on Gan Li’s direction. Blending in among the others, even with her stunning looks, Duan Mingxi had expected that the empress and the other ladies of the court wouldn’t think much of her. Indeed, she didn’t even receive a second glance.
After going through all the poems, the empress and the consorts quickly selected their favorites. Both Gan Li and Yao Yunyi were on the list.
Yao Yunyi rose to thank the empress and the other ladies for their guidance. Upon sitting back down, she forced a smile at Duan Mingxi. “Thank goodness for Consort Xian; otherwise, this would’ve been unbearable.”
Consort Xian was her aunt. Duan Mingxi, however, felt that Yao Yunyi’s concerns were a far cry from her own.
Next came the talent performance segment, which proved to be intriguing.
The empress and the consorts didn’t assign any participants; instead, the girls were free to volunteer, showcasing their courage and skills.
Only those confident enough in their abilities dared to step forward.
Duan Mingxi had no intention of performing. She simply mirrored the crowd’s reactions to each girl who stepped up.
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Linglong Pavilion nearby, the crown prince and several Wangyes observed the proceedings.
The already-married Jin Wang and Yu Wang sat back casually, cracking jokes occasionally, though their eyes didn’t stray far from the young women they had their sights on—especially the crown prince.
Standing at the farthest corner by the window was Duan Wang. His position provided the poorest view, preventing him from seeing all the candidates clearly.
Jin Wang dragged him over to his side, grinning. “Fourth Brother, how do you expect to see anything from over there? Choosing a Wangfei is no trivial matter. You’d better keep your eyes wide open.”
Now standing beside Jin Wang, Xiao Muchen’s expression remained unchanged. “Eldest Brother, royal mother will handle my marriage. I’ll leave it to her judgment.”
“Come on, Fourth Brother, don’t be so dull. We’re all brothers here. If you’ve got your eye on someone, just say so. Who would dare steal her from you?” Jin Wang laughed heartily.
Yu Wang cast a meaningful glance in their direction, speaking with a hint of irony. “Exactly, Fourth Brother. Tell me which girl has caught your eye. Second Brother will help you assess her.”
Duan Wang continued staring out the window, his gaze fixed on the distance. “There’s no need to trouble my brothers.”
Both Jin Wang and Yu Wang felt snubbed and their expressions darkened slightly.
Qi Wang, hands clasped behind his back, swept his gaze over the group without speaking, his lips curling faintly in amusement.
The crown prince, however, didn’t spare the others a glance. His eyes were glued to Gan Li.
Only Prince Kang’s birth mother held the lowest rank, merely a concubine of the Jieyu title, and he was the least prominent among the princes. At this moment, his face wore a wide smile, and he didn’t dare utter a single word.
Today’s selection of consorts did not even include his mother, who had to entrust the empress to choose a wife for him in her stead.
Kang Wang’s eyes dimmed briefly before he quickly masked his bitterness. When he raised his head again, he wore his usual foolish grin, staring blankly out the window.
Xiao Muchen’s gaze lingered on Duan Mingxi. He knew she had overheard the crown prince and his confidants plotting. The question was, what would she do about it?
At the hunting grounds, she had first saved Liu Yan and then Chu Qingying. Would she save Gan Li this time?
Thinking this, he glanced toward the crown prince. At that moment, the man who usually accompanied him was nowhere to be seen.
The show was about to begin.
Having watched more than ten young ladies showcase their talents, Yao Yunyi nudged Duan Mingxi.
“This is such a rare opportunity. Are you really not going to give it a try?” Yao Yunyi asked softly.
Though Duan Mingxi had grown up in Jiangcheng, a fact that was somewhat disadvantageous, Dingyuan Marquis’s household’s position in the capital had become precarious, steadily declining.
However, Duan Mingxi’s face was undoubtedly a remarkable asset.
Yao Yunyi’s eyes glinted as she whispered, “If you don’t vie for the position of Wangfei, with your beauty, some Wangye is bound to choose you as a side Consort. Are you willing to live beneath someone else?”
Duan Mingxi froze. “Isn’t today’s event for selecting Wangfeis?”
Who said anything about side Consort?
Yao Yunyi gave her a knowing look. “Didn’t your family tell you?”
Duan Mingxi’s face darkened. They had not.
Yao Yunyi’s suspicions were confirmed. She recalled how Duan Huirou had asked her to trouble Duan Mingxi before.
If that were the case, then the Marquis household was in even worse shape than she had imagined.
Yao Yunyi’s mind raced. If Chu Qingying, who was on friendly terms with Duan Mingxi, hadn’t informed her either, could it be that Yu Wang intended to take Duan Mingxi as a side Consort?
Its fine if it was someone else, but it wouldn’t do for Duan Mingxi.
Yao Yunyi absolutely couldn’t allow a clever and stunning beauty like Duan Mingxi to become any Wangye’s side consort and give them additional support to trouble her cousin.
If Duan Mingxi became a Wangfei, her family background would pale in comparison to the other consorts, making her other advantages less significant.
Duan Mingxi had to either secure the title of Wangfei or not be chosen as a side consort at all.
Yao Yunyi quickly shifted to a sisterly tone and whispered, “Today is indeed for selecting Wangfeis. However, the Eastern Palace and the prince’s households each have two side consort slots. If someone catches their eye, they’ll pick them as well.”
Duan Mingxi looked at Yao Yunyi skeptically, pondering her words. She recalled how, in her past life, not long after the Wangfeis were chosen, the side consort slots had indeed been filled.
At that time, she had no interest in such matters and was entirely unaware that even the secondary consort positions were part of today’s selection process.
Watching the subtle shifts in Duan Mingxi’s expression, Yao Yunyi softly remarked, “Duan Mingxi, you must think carefully. With your looks, if you don’t actively strive for the position of principal consort, you’ll almost certainly be chosen as a secondary consort.”
Not to mention her reputation as a lifesaver—it would be an undeniable asset to whoever she married, enhancing their prestige. How long that advantage would last was uncertain, but at the moment, it was impossible to ignore.
“Thank you for the reminder.” Duan Mingxi looked at Yao Yunyi and could tell that while her words weren’t entirely altruistic, this information was undeniably crucial.
Duan Mingxi would never accept the role of a concubine. Even as a secondary consort, it was still a subordinate position.
For the first time, she started to seriously consider the significance of today’s consort selection.
The more anxious she felt inside, the calmer her demeanor became—a skill she had painfully honed in her past life through blood and tears.
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