The group parted ways at a fork in the road, each returning to their respective carriages. Before leaving, they arranged their next tea gathering.
In her previous life in Jiangcheng, Duan Mingxi often met friends for tea and flower-viewing.
Her friends used to joke that she was born the wrong gender.
Duan Mingxi thought to herself, It’s not that I was born the wrong gender—I was just born with a foolish heart.
Back at the Marquis Mansion, Mingxi first went to greet the Old Madam in Rongan Hall.
Seeing her return so early, the Old Madam was surprised. “Why are you back so soon? Did you cause trouble and get sent home?”
Her granddaughter was certainly capable of such things.
Duan Mingxi briefly explained what had happened in Shangyang Palace and concluded, “They probably needed to handle the aftermath, so they sent us back first.”
The Old Madam: ….
Saving someone again? What deity had this girl prayed to?
Her expression shifted multiple times. Saving Gan Li? The Crown Prince jumped into the water—she shouldn’t have followed!
Now, the Empress and the Crown Prince might hold a grudge against Mingxi, and by extension, the Marquis Mansion.
The Old Madam, caught between frustration and helplessness, wanted to reprimand her granddaughter for meddling. But seeing Mingxi’s unwavering righteousness—valuing life above all—what could she say?
Teach her granddaughter to be a villain? The Old Madam still had her pride.
Waving her hand wearily, she said, “Go rest.”
Wangfei?
Dream on!
She could only hope the Empress and Crown Prince wouldn’t bear a grudge.
Leaving Rongan Hall, Duan Mingxi smiled faintly. This hurdle was cleared.
The Old Madam, ever pragmatic, was undoubtedly unhappy with her rescue efforts, worried about the political fallout. But Mingxi’s sense of duty had left no room for objection.
But so what?
This lifetime, she only wanted to do what she desired.
As expected, the incident at Shangyang Palace quickly spread, prompting Duan Min, Duan Rong, and Duan Qingyin to come ask her about what had happened that day.
Duan Mingxi shamelessly maintained a calm demeanor as she recounted, from her own perspective, the heroic deeds of saving lives.
Duan Rong, being young, clapped her hands in admiration!
Duan Min, however, appeared slightly conflicted—saving someone was the right thing to do, but the person saved might not have been the right choice.
Duan Qingyin, on the other hand, felt a pang of unease in her heart. Despite her attempts to mask her worry, it was still faintly visible.
After gathering all the gossip, the trio, acting as the vanguard of their family’s “gossip squad,” bade farewell, returning home to inform their respective mothers.
The reactions of the Third Madam and Second Madam were almost identical. Both felt a lump in their throats, unable to swallow or expel it—aligning, for once, with the feelings of the Old Madam.
The Empress and Crown Prince were not people their household could afford to offend.
Fortunately, Mingxi had saved the daughter of Zhenbei Wang, earning their family a favor, albeit barely.
To go out and save someone—what kind of bad omen was this? They decided it might be best to take Mingxi to a temple to burn incense and pray for blessings soon.
Meanwhile, the reaction of Yang Yiniang was entirely different. Smiling at her daughter, she said, “The eldest young miss must have her own plans, ones we can’t fathom. Do you think she wouldn’t understand the risks of offending the Empress and the Crown Prince?”
“Yiniang, are you saying that Eldest Sister is fully aware of all this?” Duan Qingyin asked in astonishment. She hadn’t noticed at all.
Yang Yiniang tapped her daughter’s forehead with her finger. “You should learn a thing or two from your eldest sister. Think about it: although our household holds the title of a marquis, there aren’t many capable men in the family. We’re barely getting by on the old patriarch’s reputation.
“Do you think the eldest young miss has a chance to be chosen as a Wangfei? The chances are slim. Instead of holding out for such a meager possibility, wouldn’t it be better to secure a favor from Zhenbei Wang?”
Duan Qingyin mulled this over before speaking thoughtfully. “If the chances of being chosen are so low, why let Eldest Sister go in the first place?”
After all, Duan Huirou had even schemed against others for this opportunity. Wasn’t that foolish?
“Just being eligible to participate is an honor in itself. It’ll lend some prestige when arranging future marriage prospects.” Yang Yiniang sighed as she spoke. It was a pity her daughter didn’t have the same chance.
Duan Qingyin nodded gently. So that was the reasoning.
***
At this moment, the palace was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere.
The Empress looked at the Crown Prince and said, “Fu Hongxiao cannot be made a secondary consort. She’s merely a concubine-born daughter of a marquis household. Furthermore, the Deqing Marquis is declining in influence and offers little support to you. A title of liangdi should suffice. If she were the legitimate daughter of the Deqing Marquis, that would be a different matter.”
The Crown Prince nodded nonchalantly. “Whatever Royal Mother decides is fine.”
The Empress let out a long sigh of relief but then exclaimed angrily, “It’s all because of Duan Mingxi from the Dingyuan Marquis household that your plans were ruined! Had today’s plan succeeded, Gan Li would already be your Crown Princess!”
Hearing this, the Crown Prince’s expression turned subtle. Reflecting on the situation, he started suspecting that Fu Hongxiao might have been pushed into danger deliberately by the Duan family.
He had been closer to Gan Li at the time, yet it was Fu Hongxiao who ended up being saved.
The Crown Prince’s face darkened. “Since she took Gan Li, let her take the position of secondary consort.”
The Empress froze. “What? How can this be? The Dingyuan Marquis household has no one of real value. While the old Marquis has some prestige, he’s old and retired from court, offering no benefit to you.
“Moreover, Duan Mingxi was raised in a merchant’s home in Jiangcheng. Her impulsive behavior today proves she’s reckless. How can someone like that enter the Eastern Palace?”
The title of secondary consort to the Crown Prince—historically known as “Taizipin”—was only changed to “Crown Prine Side Consort” after incidents in previous dynasties.
So, the position still carried great weight.
The Crown Prince slowly replied, “While Duan Mingxi grew up in Jiangcheng, since returning to the capital, she has saved Qiao Song, the daughter of Marquis Jingyuan, and now Gan Li. These life-saving debts cannot be underestimated.
“At the very least, if Duan Mingxi enters the Eastern Palace, the benefits will naturally belong to the Eastern Palace. Mother, this matter is feasible. It’s just the title of a secondary consort, and compared to a life-saving debt, it’s worth it.”
The Empress fell silent in thought for a long while before finally saying, “I’ll think about it. You should go back and rest.”
Knowing that further persuasion was futile, the Crown Prince rose and left. With the pros and cons so evident, the Empress’s ultimate decision would surely align with his wishes.
At Cuiwei Palace.
A eunuch hurriedly approached to see Duan Wang standing under the eaves of the main hall. Gasping slightly, the eunuch reported, “Wangye, the Crown Prince intends to take Miss Duan of the Dingyuan Marquis household as a secondary consort. As for Miss Fu, whom the Crown Prince rescued, she will be granted the title of liangdi.”
Xiao Muchen froze, his gaze locking onto the eunuch. “Is this true?”
“It’s true. The information came from the spy we planted in Kunde Palace. There’s no mistake.”
“What mistake?” Consort Shu had just stepped out and overheard.
The eunuch glanced at Wangye, then repeated his report in a low voice.
Consort Shu casually flicked her fingernails. “Whether it’s the Deqing Marquis household or the Dingyuan Marquis household, neither can be relied upon anymore. It seems the Empress’s schemes have backfired this time.”
After speaking, Consort Shu looked at her son and said, “Come inside. I’ve selected a few young ladies from good families. See which one you like and marry her.”
