Xiangxiang opened the door and went out, while Duan Mingxi, having lost all sleepiness, waited as Qiancao came in to attend her.
The lamp in the room flickered. Qiancao covered it with a shade and, looking uneasy, whispered, “Miss, it’s the middle of the night. I wonder what’s going on out there. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious?”
Duan Mingxi thought to herself, Trouble is just what’s needed.
The Second Madam truly lived up to her expectations.
After some time, Xiangxiang returned, panting as she reported, “The Ma Pozi by the second gate was gambling in the middle of the night, and a servant boy snuck into the inner courtyard to meet with a maid in secret. The Second Madam found them and tied them up, waiting to deal with them.”
Duan Mingxi was astonished. She only knew about the gambling; she hadn’t expected a secret rendezvous.
“Oh heavens, such a scandalous thing happening in the Marquis’s residence?” Qiancao was stunned. Although they were a merchant family in Jiangcheng, the Duan family had never been this chaotic.
Qiancao hurriedly poured tea for Xiangxiang. “Take a sip.”
Xiangxiang gulped it down and, catching her breath, leaned in closer to Duan Mingxi and whispered, “Miss, that Ma Pozi is Chunluo’s godmother. After Chunluo took the blame for the Second Miss and was sold off, Ma Pozi lost someone to look after her. She felt resentful, so she began hosting gambling sessions at night. Usually, it only lasted a short while, but tonight she was in a foul mood and kept losing, so she kept playing until she forgot the time. Who knew the Second Madam would catch her?”
Duan Mingxi looked at them both. “Where did the Second Madam take them?”
“To the Second Branch, to prevent Ma Pozi from escaping.”
Duan Mingxi smiled. The Second Madam was preventing Madam Jiang from silencing her.
It was good that trouble had broken out. Looking at her maids, she said, “You can both go rest. Tomorrow will be even more exciting.”
Sure enough, early the next morning, the Second Madam dragged Ma Pozi and others to Rongan Hall. Gambling paled in comparison to an illicit affair.
An outer-courtyard servant sneaking into the inner courtyard to meet with a maid was outrageous, especially since many young ladies resided there. If this got out, how would they ever marry?
Duan Mingxi couldn’t know exactly how furious the Old Madam was, but she knew the Old Madam publicly burned all the gambling dice and cards Ma Pozi and the others had used. Those involved in gambling were given thirty lashes and expelled, with no chance of ever returning to work in the residence.
The servant and maid caught in the illicit affair, mouths gagged and beaten, were thrown out half-dead. They likely wouldn’t survive.
The scandal with Ma Pozi implicated Chunluo, who had been Duan Huirou’s maid. The servant boy sneaking into the second courtyard was a manservant close to Duan Yu. Relying on his connection to the shizi, he’d dared to do this more than once.
And the maid involved with him was a third-class maid from the Old Madam’s courtyard.
The Old Madam was nearly beside herself with rage, yet kept the incident tightly controlled.
Had the Second Madam not been so eager to make friends with Duan Mingxi, she wouldn’t have known that, by setting up Madam Jiang, she’d unwittingly dragged both Duan Yu and Duan Huirou into the mess.
In the past life, only the gambling was exposed, and with Madam Jiang’s protection, Ma Pozi had merely received a few lashes and wasn’t expelled.
Ma Pozi had been one of Madam Jiang’s loyal lackeys, and now she’d just lost one of her fingers.
Both the Second and Third Madams had long held grievances against Madam Jiang, and now that a maid from the Old Madam’s courtyard was also implicated, they were ready to fan the flames. The Old Madam’s anger toward Madam Jiang deepened, and in her rage, she ordered the Second and Third Madams to assist in household management.
Madam Jiang’s control over household matters was thus divided into three, and she fainted on the spot.
When Madam Jiang fainted, the Old Madam grew even angrier, thinking her disrespectful. She announced, “Since the First Madam is unwell, she should focus on recuperating and only resume household duties when fully recovered.”
Madam Jiang dared not feign unconsciousness any longer and quickly rose to apologize. If she lost her role, and the Second and Third Madams took over, they’d likely replace her people entirely.
Now that Madam Jiang was busy contending with the other two Madams, she no longer had time to bother Duan Mingxi.
With Duan Huirou and Duan Yu and his wife entangled in their own troubles, they, too, were unable to bother her. This allowed her to relax and recover over the next few days.
After about seven or eight days, Li Quan finally returned.
With trembling hands, Duan Mingxi opened the letter her father and mother had sent, and she began to cry the moment she saw the words.
Her reaction startled Qiancao and Xiangxiang, and Li Mama quickly comforted her, “Miss, please don’t cry. If the Master and Madam knew, they’d feel even more heartbroken.”
The young lady had truly suffered. Life had been so much better back in Jiangcheng, where she was always so cheerful.
Duan Mingxi wiped her tears and continued reading. When she saw that her parents were indeed bringing her younger brother north, she was filled with excitement. “Father and Mother are bringing my brother to the capital!”
“Really?” Li Mama was thrilled. “Now, at last, Miss has someone to protect her.”
But as soon as she said it, a worried look crossed her face. The Master was merely a merchant; the people in the Marquis’s residence would surely look down on him. How would he be able to support her?
Still, seeing the young lady so happy, Li Mama swallowed her concern.
Duan Mingxi’s heart was filled with anticipation. To see her parents and younger brother again made her second chance in life all the more worthwhile.
“Li Mama, take some people and tidy up the Duan family residence. Once Father and Mother arrive in the capital, they’ll need somewhere to stay. We’ll also need to hire a few maids to look after them…”
Duan Mingxi had so much to do; she wished she could arrange everything all at once.
“Miss, don’t worry about it. Master has already sent people along with Li Quan. They are hurrying to the capital overnight, so everything will be taken care of,” Li Mama reassured her.
“How careless of me! Father has always been thorough—how could he overlook something so small?” Duan Mingxi’s eyes reddened again.
Soon, they would meet.
In her parents’ eyes, it had only been about a month since they’d last seen each other, but to her, it felt like a lifetime, as if separated by mountains, seas, even the underworld itself. The dead, extinguished by darkness, now had a second life.
So long… so very long.
“Miss, the eldest sister-in-law has arrived.”
Duan Mingxi was stunned—what did Madam Xiao want?
She quickly tucked away her letter, composed herself, and headed outside. In the outer room, she saw Madam Xiao entering, supported by a young maid.
“Please forgive the sudden visit, Eldest Meimei,” Madam Xiao said with a warm smile.
Duan Mingxi forced a polite smile in return. “You jest, sister-in-law.” She looked at a maid and said, “Serve tea.”
After inviting Madam Xiao to sit, Duan Mingxi noted the thick layer of powder on her face, a testament to her recent hardships.
Coming here with such a face, like a weasel paying respects to a hen—she couldn’t be here for anything good.
“Since you’ve returned, Mother wanted to host a banquet to celebrate your official welcome. However, with so much going on in the house now…” Madam Xiao gave a helpless smile.
Duan Mingxi’s expression remained impassive as she looked at Madam Xiao, refusing to say what she wanted—that the banquet needn’t be held.
What a joke. They didn’t want to hold it but expected her to decline? She wasn’t that considerate anymore.
When Madam Xiao didn’t get the response she’d hoped for, her smile stiffened slightly. Then, she casually said, “The eldest daughter of Marquis Guangxiang has sent an invitation, inviting the younger meimeis to attend a flower banquet. The young ladies of the capital will gather, so you’d best prepare well, eldest meimei. Don’t disgrace our family.”
