Duan Huirou nodded. “I went to visit her. She said that it was Side Consort Qian who harmed her, and that she never ordered Side Consort Qian to plot against the Empress and the Eastern Palace.”
At this point, Duan Huirou paused slightly, looked up at Duan Mingxi, hesitated for a moment, but still lowered her voice and said, “Eldest Sister, do you… do you know what’s really going on here?”
“Do you want me to know, or not know?”
Duan Huirou: …
That question cut right to the heart!
Without a moment’s hesitation, she said, “I know I can’t keep secrets. Whatever you can tell me, just say it. If you can’t tell me, then don’t. Whatever you say, I’ll believe it.”
Duan Mingxi looked at Duan Huirou and was actually momentarily speechless at her blunt honesty.
It was rare to see Duan Mingxi at a loss for words. Duan Huirou felt a flicker of pride, but her face soon fell again. “My days are truly unbearable. Wangye spends all day sitting in Side Consort Qian’s small courtyard, living like a ghost. Just watching him gives me the chills.”
Mingxi was silent for a moment after hearing this, then slowly said, “Back then, Jin Wang met Side Consort Qian while he was away from the capital—it was truly love at first sight. Naturally, his feelings for her were different.”
After being backstabbed multiple times by Jiang Sujie, Duan Huirou had become not only smarter but also more pragmatic. Once upon a time, she too had dreamed of romantic love.
But now, looking back, those who relied on love to survive often ended up miserable. On the other hand, people like her elder sister, decisive and clear-cut, lived much more comfortably.
Besides, she hadn’t married Jin Wang out of love in the first place. It had been an imperial decree—she couldn’t refuse.
She didn’t care who Wangye loved. What she cared about now was waiting for Wangye to grieve long enough so that she could bear him a son and live securely thereafter.
Without Side Consort Qian, there would still be Side Consort Li, or Side Consort Zhang. A man’s grief never lasted long.
“Side Consort Qian is already gone. I won’t dwell on it.”
When she was alive, Side Consort Qian had posed a serious threat. But now that she was dead—especially carrying such a disgraceful charge—it no longer mattered.
“How can you not dwell on it?” Mingxi looked at Duan Huirou.
Duan Huirou froze. “How am I supposed to dwell on it?”
“Didn’t Zhang Jieyu say she never gave Side Consort Qian that order? Do you really want Zhang Jieyu to be tainted forever, remaining a disgraced Jieyu? And Jin Wang mired in that mess? What good does that do you?”
Duan Huirou was stunned. She hadn’t thought of that. No one had ever taught her such things—she didn’t understand.
But now she was starting to see that Duan Mingxi was trying to teach her. She immediately adjusted her tone and said humbly, “Please guide me, Elder Sister.”
Mingxi glanced at her and paused for a moment before continuing, “Although Side Consort Qian is dead, she still has family.”
“But her Father has been a zhifu for so many years and hasn’t risen at all—what’s there to investigate?” Duan Huirou asked in confusion.
“Exactly because he’s stayed stuck in the same post for so long, it’s even more suspicious.”
Now Duan Huirou was even more confused.
Looking at her like this, Mingxi thought about how, in her past life, she had actually once suffered losses in this wooden-head’s hands and felt extremely regretful.
If it hadn’t been for her eyes being blinded by familial affection, with someone like Duan Huirou, she could’ve beaten her single-handedly dozens of times over.
If the block of wood won’t crack open on its own, then split it with an axe.
“Side Consort Qian was favored for so many years—how could she not have tried to promote her natal family? And Jin Wang doted on her so much—how could he not have helped her gain face?”
Duan Huirou seemed to start understanding. “You mean Side Consort Qian stopped it herself?”
Mingxi nodded in satisfaction—finally, a clean axe strike had worked. “Exactly. Why do you think she stopped it?”
“Yeah… why?” Duan Huirou frowned deeply. If it were her, and she’d suddenly risen to power like that, of course she’d support her own family.
Look at her older sister—after becoming Duan Wangfei, hadn’t all the uncles and cousins of the Marquis family benefited?
Still unable to figure it out, Duan Huirou listened as Mingxi said, “You go see Zhang Jieyu again, and tell her what you don’t understand.”
If things were spelled out too clearly, Duan Huirou wasn’t good at playing dumb, and the former Consort Gui might pick up on something. But acting clueless was more believable.
Duan Huirou nodded. “Then why not tell Jin Wang?”
“He’s still trapped in the grief of being betrayed by his beloved and then losing her. Right now, no matter what you say, he won’t hear a word. Why waste your breath? On the other hand, Zhang Jieyu is desperate to regain her position. She’ll seize any chance she can get.”
Duan Huirou thought that made sense. Of course she wanted to be the daughter-in-law of Consort Gui. It gave her real standing in the palace.
Being the daughter-in-law of a Jieyu? Just thinking of how Kang Wangfei was treated in the palace made her shiver.
Duan Huirou got up to take her leave. “Then I’ll go to the palace tomorrow.”
After Duan Huirou left, Mingxi turned to look at her peacefully sleeping daughter and couldn’t help but smile.
Did the Empress think pinning the former Consort Gui at the rank of Jieyu was enough to count as a victory? Then she was sorely mistaken.
As long as they dug into the Qian family’s background, with Zhang Gelao’s personality, for the sake of his daughter and Jin Wang, he would certainly tear the Empress and Crown Prince apart.
Only then could she and Xiao Muchen sit firmly and securely.
That evening, when Xiao Muchen returned, Mingxi told him everything.
Xiao Muchen picked up their daughter, his eyes shining. The tiny bundle in his arms softened his whole demeanor.
Mingxi couldn’t help but say, “Don’t always carry her. If she gets used to it, she’ll cry whenever no one’s holding her.”
Xiao Muchen looked up at his wife. “How could no one hold her? Are the attendants not doing their jobs?”
As soon as he said this, all the servants around the young princess knelt down in fear, begging forgiveness.
Mingxi: …
After sending everyone away, she finally looked at Xiao Muchen and said, “Even though she’s small, you can’t spoil her like that. What if she turns out rotten?”
“She’s still so young, what could she possibly understand?” Xiao Muchen said indifferently. “We can just teach her when she’s a bit older.”
Seeing that Mingxi’s expression had soured a little, Xiao Muchen quickly changed the subject. “Jin Wang can’t be counted on. Ever since Side Consort Qian died, it’s like he lost half his soul. I think most of Zhang Jieyu’s heart troubles come from his uselessness.”
Mingxi knew Xiao Muchen had changed the topic on purpose. She looked at her daughter in her arms, whose eyes were darting around, and after a moment of silence, she followed his lead. “Zhang Jieyu was far too arrogant before and completely angered the Empress. That’s why the Empress aimed to cut her off at the root. I suppose even the Empress didn’t expect that after all this, Royal Father would only demote Consort Gui to a mere Jieyu.”
“Royal Father has clearly begun to guard against the Eastern Palace. If this had been before, neither Zhang Jieyu nor Jin Wang would have gotten off so lightly,” Xiao Muchen said, looking at Mingxi. “The evidence from Qian Zhifu’s side has been gathered. Once Zhang Gelao’s men begin their investigation, my people will secretly find a chance to deliver it.”
He glanced at their daughter, full of guilt. “It just so happens to be her one-month celebration. I’m afraid the banquet won’t be able to happen.”
Thinking of this made Xiao Muchen’s expression darken.
