Zhang Yaojun nodded slightly, agreeing. “That’s very well put.”
“Will the Bai sisters be attending today?” Yao Yunyi asked.
“I haven’t seen them. The second Miss Bai is likely busy preparing for her wedding and won’t come,” someone replied.
“And the eldest Miss Bai?”
Mingxi thought to herself, With Bai Zhiwei’s temperament, she’ll definitely come.
In her past life, Bai Zhiwei had seduced Gao Zhan even after becoming a widow. In this life, she certainly wouldn’t let a minor feud with her sister stop her from showing up.
Moreover, Bai Zhiwei had always portrayed herself as the victim of her younger sister’s retaliations since Bai Shixi’s elevation to Crown Princess. Even if some doubted this narrative, Duke Zhen Residence’s silence on the matter left it ambiguous.
That they hadn’t clarified anything yet showed how Bai Zhiwei was valued in her household. Even with Bai Shixi’s new status, it seemed the family couldn’t be easily swayed.
Mingxi smirked coldly. These so-called aristocratic families weren’t much different from the Jiang family.
“Ah, so you’re all here! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” came a sudden voice.
It was Chu Qingying. The group looked up to see her approaching.
Yao Yunyi asked, “Why are you so late?”
Chu Qingying’s face darkened. “Don’t even ask. Just as I was leaving, something came up at home.”
The others exchanged knowing glances. It must have been another dispute between Chu Qingying and her stepmother.
“Is everything alright?” Yao Yunyi asked with concern.
Chu Qingying shook her head. “It’s resolved now.”
Duan Mingxi observed her quietly and asked, “Does this kind of thing happen often?”
Chu Qingying scowled. “Not often, but out of ten outings, it happens two or three times.”
Her tone suggested she was resigned to it.
Zhang Yaojun remained silent. Her family had good relations with the Marquis Xingan, and Chu Qingying’s stepmother was the eldest daughter of the Marquis. It wasn’t her place to comment, so she quietly sipped her tea, pretending not to notice.
Liu Yunhua, however, had no such reservations. “You can’t go on like this. You should speak to Yu Wangfei about it.”
Yao Yunyi chimed in, “You think her cousin hasn’t tried? But with Marquis Jingyuan backing her stepmother, what can be done?”
Duan Mingxi interjected calmly, “There’s always a way.”
The group paused, collectively turning to look at her.
Chu Qingying grasped Mingxi’s hand with a bright expression. “Dear sister, please tell me! If you can help solve my troubles, I’ll treat you like my real sister in the future.”
Yao Yunyi: …
Duan Mingxi couldn’t help laughing. “That won’t do; Yu Wangfei might just give me a kick.”
“My sister would be grateful, not upset,” Chu Qingying sighed, clearly exasperated with the endless skirmishes with her stepmother that made her days anything but peaceful.
“Yes, Mingxi, tell us your idea,” Liu Yunhua said curiously.
Mingxi replied calmly, “Relying on others is less dependable than relying on oneself. Qingying, the reason you’re being targeted like this is because your younger brother is too weak. If he could firmly establish his position in Marquis Jingyuan’s household, the marchioness wouldn’t dare act so recklessly.”
Chu Qingying covered her face. If her brother were capable, would she still be exhausting herself like this?
Yao Yunyi sighed and chimed in, “Mingxi, you haven’t met Young Master Chu yet, have you? He has an exceptionally soft heart.”
“Soft-hearted” was putting it kindly. In less flattering terms, it meant weak, spineless, and incapable.
Liu Yunhua’s expression was equally complicated. If Chu Yaonian were competent, the Chu siblings wouldn’t be struggling so much.
Duan Mingxi looked at Chu Qingying and said, “Nothing can be rebuilt without first being broken. A person cannot grow strong without being tempered. A pampered young master raised in luxury who can’t endure hardship or learn from others’ struggles—how can he maintain integrity or strive for improvement?”
Chu Qingying sighed helplessly. “With his temperament, if he were sent out, he’d probably be devoured with not even his bones left.”
“And yet, is he faring any better in the marquis’s household? At his age, shouldn’t he already be petitioning to be named shizi?”
Chu Qingying fell silent.
Duan Mingxi decided to say no more, lifting her teacup.
Chu Qingying looked at her with hesitation, but Duan Mingxi avoided her gaze.
Yao Yunyi appeared thoughtful, her expression shifting.
The position of heir apparent in Marquis Jingyuan’s household was critical, not only for her family but also for Yu Wang. If that position went to the son of Madam He, it would bolster the influence of the Xingan Marquis’s family, who were closely allied with Jin Wang.
Chu Qingying instinctively glanced at Zhang Yaojun.
Zhang Yaojun looked awkward. Jin Wang was her cousin, and she stiffly said, “You really don’t treat me as an outsider. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear any of this.”
Chu Qingying rolled her eyes. “It’s no big deal. You can go and tell Jin Wangfei if you like.”
The rivalry for the shizi title had been ongoing for years; it was hardly news.
Liu Yunhua tried to smooth things over. “We’re just chatting casually. No need to take it seriously. Here, have some tea.”
Duan Mingxi also picked up her teacup and smiled lightly. “I was just speaking casually too. Consider it a joke.”
Zhang Yaojun glanced at Chu Qingying. “Though our household has some dealings with Xingan Marquis, we don’t interfere in your family’s affairs.”
Chu Qingying snapped back irritably, “Lord Zhang might not have stepped in directly, but if it weren’t for Jin Wang meddling in our petition, why would it have gone nowhere?”
Zhang Yaojun shot back without hesitation, “Then you should ask Yu Wang what he’s done.”
Yu Wang had sabotaged Jin Wang’s plans before; was it so surprising for Jin Wang to retaliate?
“Enough, we’re here for a birthday celebration. Let’s keep the peace,” Yao Yunyi intervened hastily, worried the argument might escalate into a fight.
The atmosphere at their table remained awkward. Eventually, Zhang Yaojun stood up. “I’m going to greet some friends. You carry on.”
As Zhang Yaojun left, Chu Qingying pulled a long face. “See that? She claims they don’t meddle, but if Lord Zhang weren’t advising behind the scenes, would our petition for the shizi title have hit so many obstacles?”
“Don’t talk about it here; it’s not good if others overhear,” Yao Yunyi cautioned. “Save it for when we’re back.”
Chu Qingying dabbed at her reddened eyes with a handkerchief. The struggle over her brother’s inheritance was becoming a constant source of pain for the siblings.
At that moment, a maid approached swiftly and curtseyed. “Miss Duan, our Madam requests your presence.”
Duan Mingxi was startled. “Your mistress is?”
Before the maid could respond, Liu Yunhua interjected, “It must be someone from the Madam Duke Wei’s household.”
Duan Mingxi nodded upon hearing this, rising to her feet. “I’ll head over, then. See you later.”
The others responded with smiles, though Chu Qingying, preoccupied with her own troubles, barely acknowledged her departure.
Following the maid, Mingxi couldn’t help but wonder what Duchess Wei wanted with her. Images of Feng Wenxuan surfaced in her mind. Could this be an attempt to assert dominance?
If so, it promised to be quite interesting.
