Duchess Wei felt her mind in a chaotic mess, regret flooding her for acting so impulsively. She should have consulted Consort Shu before making any moves.
What she had never anticipated was that Duan Mingxi, raised in a merchant family, would have such boldness and a fiery temperament.
Even more surprising, Duan Wang truly meant it when he promised not to take concubines.
“Wangye, have you discussed this matter with the Consort?” Duchess Wei asked sternly.
Duan Wang, hearing her invoke his mother to pressure him, felt a trace of displeasure. His tone turned cold as he replied, “Aunt, perhaps you should ask my royal mother yourself.”
He said no more to her, turning instead to Mingxi. Seeing her indifferent expression, he felt an overwhelming headache.
“Xixi…”
“Wangye, please mind your manners. We are not yet married; you should still address me as Miss Duan,” Mingxi replied, her cold demeanor reflecting her disgust, which stemmed from memories of her past life involving Gao Zhan and Bai Zhiwei.
“I will give you an explanation for this matter.”
“I’ll wait for you outside, Wangye.” she said curtly, unwilling to even look at Duchess Wei anymore. Her figure reminded Mingxi of Duchess Gao from her past life—provoking nothing but rising anger the more she saw her.
Duan Mingxi left without hesitation. She and Duan Wang shared no deep feelings; if he wished to take a concubine, she wouldn’t object. However, the terms of their agreement would need to change.
After she left, Duan Wang turned to Duchess Wei.
Duchess Wei, now filled with anger, couldn’t hold back her words: “What a temper this Miss Duan has! A woman like her may not be a blessing in the household. Wangye, you should reconsider.”
“Aunt,” he said coldly, “my marriage is decided by my Royal Father and royal mother. Whether Miss Duan is good or bad, I chose her. You needn’t concern yourself. I do not wish to hear such remarks again. You’d best take care.”
With that, Duan Wang strode away, leaving Duchess Wei trembling with anger.
Duchess Wei was trembling with rage. She had acted out of good intentions, but this was how things ended?
“Are you alright, Aunt?” Feng Wenxuan hurriedly stepped forward to steady her, her face full of concern. Her aunt was her only source of support right now, so nothing could happen to her.
“I underestimated her,” Duchess Wei said, trying to regain her composure. “Don’t worry. I’ll visit Consort Shu in the palace another day.” She felt humiliated, as if she had lost face in front of her niece.
“Consort Shu has always been close to you, Aunt. She will surely take your words to heart,” Feng Wenxuan said softly. “Please don’t be upset. It’s all because of me that you’ve suffered this indignity.”
Hearing this, Duchess Wei’s expression softened somewhat. She sneered and said, “That Duan Mingxi is relying on nothing more than her looks. Wangye may find her refreshing for now, but once the novelty wears off, she’ll suffer for it.”
“You’re absolutely right, Aunt,” Feng Wenxuan sighed. “Miss Duan is so arrogant because she thinks she has someone backing her. But when she finally hits a wall, she’ll realize the wisdom in your words.”
Duchess Wei nodded, feeling that this was exactly right. She reassured Feng Wenxuan, “You have nothing to worry about. Wangye’s promises are likely just to appease her. Consort Shu will never approve of not taking a secondary consort.”
Feng Wenxuan pressed her lips into a smile. “You’re right, Aunt.”
Meanwhile, Duan Mingxi waited for Duan Wang outside. When he emerged, she led him to a quiet spot to talk.
Xiao Muchen glanced at Duan Mingxi, whose expression had returned to calm. He absentmindedly fiddled with the jade thumb ring on his finger. “Not angry anymore?”
Duan Mingxi was angry—how could she not be?
Duchess Wei had dared to say such things in front of her, clearly seeing her as insignificant and easy to bully.
If it had been a girl from a family as powerful as Duke Wei’s, she wouldn’t have dared to say such words.
In the end, it came down to the fact that she was still too weak.
So, she wasn’t angry at Duan Wang. She was just regretful that she wasn’t strong enough yet to command respect.
“There’s nothing worth getting angry about,” she said calmly. “After all, our engagement was always just a transaction.”
Xiao Muchen’s hand paused briefly as he rubbed the ring. “And what do you think now?”
“What I think isn’t important. It depends on Wangye’s intentions.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Wangye wishes to take concubines, that’s fine. But we’ll need to renegotiate our agreement.”
“And how would you change it?”
“If Wangye takes concubines, then I will not bear any heirs. That way, we can remain a courteous but distant couple.”
“And what else?”
“Wangye can favor whomever you like, as long as my position as Wangfei is not undermined. If it is, then no matter which treasured concubine provokes me, I won’t spare her.”
“Anything else?”
“Nothing more.”
“And if I want an heir and concubines?”
“Then Wangye should marry someone else, or your concubines will walk into the house upright but leave carried out horizontally.”
Xiao Muchen stared at Mingxi. “You have a lot of nerve.”
“Without audacity, how could I scale the mountain of thieves? As a merchant, one must have courage,” Mingxi retorted. She looked directly at him for the first time. “We’re not yet married, so you still have time to reconsider.”
“If I call off the engagement, what will you do? How will you marry in the capital after that?”
“Men who can’t see past one leaf before their eyes or lack resolve—what use is there in marrying them?”
Her response made him laugh bitterly.
He had never met anyone so difficult. She was stubborn, sharp-tongued, and impossible to bend or break—a veritable thorn in his side.
“You were the one who said it was unnecessary for no concubines for ten years,” he countered.
“I said I didn’t mind you having concubines. I never agreed to illegitimate children. If I am to bear a child, I will ensure my child’s inheritance. What’s wrong with that?”
Xiao Muchen froze.
Duan Mingxi added, “Anyone can enter the household, but not Feng Wenxuan.”
“Why not?”
“Because she has Duchess Wei’s household behind her. If she enters, with that support and her connection as your maternal family, I’d have to treat her like royalty. It would be ridiculous.”
Mingxi’s voice carried a trace of impatience as she continued, “This is too vexing. I think we should cancel this engagement. Wangye should consider this carefully. I am not one to tolerate slights, and my temper is strong. Duchess Wei doesn’t think much of me and keeps needling me at every turn.”
“If that’s the case, if I truly become the Duan Wangfei, I fear my interactions with Wangye’s maternal family will be quite unpleasant. That’s not something Wangye would wish to see, is it?”
“Duan Mingxi, is that what you think?”
“Yes. Even before marriage, Duchess Wei has already played the role of the prince’s aunt, picking on me at every turn and trying to push her niece into Wangye’s household. It’s as though she’s trampling my dignity into the ground. If I do marry into the household, I can’t imagine how I’ll live under such circumstances.”
The more Duan Mingxi spoke, the more irritated she became. In her past life, she had endured ten years of marriage with Gao Zhan, and she had had enough.
In this life, she didn’t want to compromise herself in the slightest.
Taking down the Crown Prince wasn’t necessarily tied to marrying Duan Wang.
Stepping back even further, as long as the Crown Prince didn’t provoke her, she wouldn’t insist on taking him down either.
Why should she suffer to achieve her goals?
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