Chapter 193: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 193: She Guessed Correctly
In a setting where a simple opening line can effortlessly capture everyone’s attention, one of the most effective is—
“Have you heard the news?”
As soon as these words were spoken, all the young ladies immediately turned to the speaker.
The young woman dressed in green lowered her voice and said, “I heard that the granddaughter of that so-called Madam Jie’s family is going to marry into the Marquis Ying's household as a concubine to ward off bad luck!”
The phrase “so-called” was explicitly aimed at the Feng family’s daughter who failed in her antics at the Dengtai Tower.
After all, these ladies were present at the events in the Dengtai Tower that day, and naturally, they held no goodwill or respect for the Feng family after witnessing the scene firsthand.
“Oh, that story...”
“I heard about it yesterday. I thought it was old news.”
Seeing her friends’ lack of interest, the green-clad young woman protested, “You must only know part of the story, not the whole thing!”
“Why bring this up now?” Wei Miaoqing interrupted the topic, feeling it was hardly the right time. After all, how could Chang Suining be in the mood to listen to such trivial gossip?
“What’s the other part...?”
Wei Miaoqing turned to see who asked the question, only to find it was none other than Chang Suining herself.
Wei Miaoqing: “...?”
Had she underestimated the allure of gossip?
Noticing Chang Suining’s interest, the green-clad young woman gleefully continued, not forgetting to tease them with a cliffhanger: “Guess why the Ming family chose this Miss Feng in particular to ward off bad luck?”
Chang Suining replied, “I heard it’s because her birth chart is the most compatible?”
Wei Miaoqing looked at her in astonishment—despite the upheavals in her family, Chang Suining had apparently not fallen behind on the latest gossip from the capital.
The green-clad young woman, her tone brimming with mystery, said, “That’s the official story, but I think there’s more to it.”
Chang Suining immediately asked, “Why do you say that?”
It wasn’t that she was particularly fond of capital gossip. She was paying attention because the matter was related to the Ming family—her brother’s false accusations were likely tied to them. As she was still in the investigation stage, she wasn’t about to overlook any of the Ming family’s actions.
To her, the Ming family’s sudden decision to marry Miss Feng into their household, even under the pretext of warding off bad luck, might well be a cover for something else.
But this was just her suspicion. Since she had no interactions or impressions of Miss Feng, her conjectures were baseless and lacked direction.
Even if no one had brought up this matter of warding off bad luck, Chang Suining had intended to ask about it herself.
In aristocratic circles, matters like this often stayed confined to those within the group. The close-knit nature of their interactions and overlapping acquaintances made these rumors circulate exclusively among them.
As expected—
The green-clad young woman lowered her voice further and said, “I heard that Miss Feng has repeatedly shown affection for the heir of the Marquis Ying’s household. Back at Dayun Temple, it seems the two of them might have already...”
Wei Miaoqing frowned. “Already what?”
Those who understood the implication already did, while those who didn’t were left grumbling, “...Why stop halfway through the story?”
Yao Xia’s eyes widened. “Already shared a bed?”
Her words caused the noble ladies to react with a mix of shock and embarrassment, some wide-eyed, others blushing.
“How do you know?” Yao Xia asked the green-clad young woman, astonished. “Did you see it with your own eyes?”
“Of course not!” The green-clad young woman smacked Yao Xia playfully in annoyance. “I heard it from someone else!”
Wei Miaoqing scowled. “Isn’t this just hearsay, tarnishing the lady’s reputation? How can you believe something like this based on mere gossip?”
The green-clad young woman hurried to explain, “I heard it from my cousin, so it’s not baseless... At Dayun Temple, she and Miss Feng were staying in the same meditation courtyard. She said she personally saw Miss Feng sneaking back through the rear door in disheveled clothing, wrapped in a cloak, looking like she was afraid of being seen. My cousin pretended not to notice...”
“My cousin wouldn’t lie,” she insisted. “Besides, Miss Feng openly currying favor with the Marquis Ying’s heir is something everyone knows. And that heir has always been a notorious philanderer...”
“At first, we didn’t think much of it, but soon after they returned from Dayun Temple, the matter of her marriage to ward off bad luck suddenly came up. Could that really just be a coincidence?”
“When did this happen?” Chang Suining asked seriously. “Was it the same day we went to the rear mountain to gather chrysanthemums?”
The green-clad young woman nodded. “Exactly.”
Chang Suining’s gaze flickered slightly.
That was the day Lady Changsun met with her incident.
Which meant it was highly likely that Miss Feng and Ming Jin were together on that day.
Sneaking back in disheveled clothing...
She had discreetly inquired with Yao Yi and learned that during the initial investigation by the Ministry of Justice, people like Chang Miao testified in favor of Ming Jin, claiming they had been with him the entire time that day. If the Ming family was deliberately covering something up, they must have arranged for false testimony well in advance.
As for why the young woman who saw Feng Min returning disheveled that day did not suspect or report her as a suspect in Lady Changsun's murder when the case emerged, it was easy to understand—
The forensic examination revealed that the strangulation marks on Lady Changsun's neck were caused by a man, a fact publicly known. Given this, it was unlikely anyone would suspect a young woman.
Moreover, Ming Jin had not been listed as a suspect either. Thus, even if some ladies privately speculated that something unspeakable had happened between Ming Jin and Miss Feng on that day, it was impossible to link their assumptions to the murder case.
But for Chang Suining, who was already suspicious of Ming Jin, this was entirely different.
Hearing this news now inevitably triggered a flurry of thoughts.
She dared to hypothesize: if Lady Changsun was indeed killed by Ming Jin, could Miss Feng, who was potentially with him that day, have been a witness?
In such a situation, rushing to kill the witness would only expose his guilt and create unnecessary complications. Therefore, to ensure safety and prevent Miss Feng from leaking the truth, could the Ming family have orchestrated this “warding-off-bad-luck” marriage to bring her into their household?
Once inside the Ming family, there would naturally be no chance for her to “talk recklessly” again.
“Such a thing happened? But that’s a sacred Buddhist site! How could… Ah, I can’t say it. Xia, you explain!”
“Alright, alright. Regardless of the truth, it’s best not to spread such rumors...”
“I was just mentioning it to you all. Naturally, I won’t talk about it outside. You should also just forget you ever heard it...”
“Let’s talk about something proper,” Wei Miaoqing interjected with a serious tone, trying to dispel the improper topic. “I heard that the Feng family is hosting a trousseau banquet today.”
After a moment of thought, Chang Suining called for Xi'er. “Prepare a generous gift.”
As she spoke, she stood up. “I’m going to contribute to Miss Feng’s trousseau.”
Wei Miaoqing and the others were stunned.
“You...” Wei Miaoqing stood up as well and grabbed Chang Suining’s arm anxiously. “You’re not planning to confront her directly, are you?”
To ask about that improper matter?
Would she do this to embarrass the Feng family? After all, she had a prior feud with Madam Jie.
Yao Xia hurriedly added, “Sister Chang… This might end up hurting the enemy a little while hurting yourself a lot!”
There was no evidence for such a matter, and since the marriage was set for tomorrow, it would likely not harm the opposing side much but instead leave Chang Suining with a reputation for slandering others.
“...What are you thinking?” Chang Suining glanced at their wide, alarmed eyes. “Even if there were evidence, using a woman’s reputation as a weapon is the lowest and most foolish approach.”
Back at the Dengtai Tower, Madam Jie had once tried to ruin her reputation this way, and since she had resisted, no matter what Miss Feng knew or what kind of person she was, Chang Suining had no reason to stoop to such methods.
If there was a matter to address, it would be addressed. If there was a grudge to settle, it would be settled. Life for life, debt for debt—what did reputation have to do with it?
Such empty gossip served no purpose other than ruining someone’s name. It held no substantial value and was completely irrelevant to her goal.
Wei Miaoqing: “...Then why are you going?”
Chang Suining replied, “To see if I can form a good relationship.”
Since she already had suspicions, she needed to verify them quickly. Instead of sitting at home speculating, it was better to investigate in person.
Otherwise, once Miss Feng entered the Ming family tomorrow, it would be nearly impossible to meet her again.
Chang Suining’s explanation about “forming a good relationship” left Wei Miaoqing and the others thoroughly puzzled. Wei Miaoqing, after much thought, still felt uneasy and simply said, “I’ll go with you!”
The others chimed in agreement.
Since they couldn’t go empty-handed, Chang Suining had no choice but to ask Xi'er to prepare additional trousseau gifts to share with Wei Miaoqing and the others.
Fortunately, the Chang family’s storeroom was well-stocked. Otherwise, forming this “good relationship” might have left a poorer family completely destitute.
...
“Miss Chang from the Chang family?” Inside the Feng residence, Feng Min, who was surrounded by several female relatives, froze mid-smile upon hearing the news. “Which Miss Chang?”
The servant girl’s expression also looked a bit complicated. “From the Great General Chang’s household in Xingning Lane...”
Everyone knew about the grudge between this Miss Chang and their County Princess. That she would show up at this time was truly unexpected.
Feng Min furrowed her brows.
It really was Chang Suining.
“What is she here for?”
“She said she came specifically to bring gifts for Miss Feng’s trousseau,” the maid explained. “She’s accompanied by ladies from Marquis Zheng’s household and the Minister Yao’s family.”
All the female relatives and guests around Feng Min turned to her, waiting for her response. She had no choice but to say, “Invite them in.”
Since they had already arrived, it would be ungracious to turn them away. Doing so would make her appear petty and give others something to gossip about.
Still, Feng Min felt deeply uneasy about Chang Suining’s intentions.
Was she here to humiliate her because of her grandmother? Could she possibly be coming to curry favor now that Feng Min was about to become a concubine of the Ming family heir? That seemed unlikely, considering Chang Suining had even dared to strike Ming Jin. Why would she bother currying favor with a concubine?
Or was it because…
She had become suspicious?!
The thought made Feng Min tense up immediately.
Meanwhile, some of the women around her were already bracing for a spectacle.
Wouldn’t it be something if the famous Miss Chang started a fight right here and now?
Given the past enmity between them and the added pressure of Chang Suining’s brother being imprisoned, it wasn’t entirely out of the question that she might act out of frustration.
Some of the women even took a few steps back, worried they might accidentally get caught in the crossfire if a fight broke out.
But to their disappointment, the notorious “brawler” Miss Chang showed no signs of losing her composure.
Chang Suining and her companions presented the gifts and then sat down quietly, listening to the conversation without any odd behavior.
Since they had arrived late, it wasn’t long before the banquet officially began.
In the capital, there was a custom at trousseau banquets for unmarried young women to accompany the bride-to-be at her table.
Feng Min’s engagement and marriage had been arranged and completed in just three days, leaving no time for relatives outside the capital to attend. Moreover, the scandal surrounding the Feng family meant that few young women were present today.
As a result, Chang Suining and her companions naturally ended up sitting at the same table as Feng Min.
Feeling the occasional sidelong glance from Chang Suining, Feng Min couldn’t shake a peculiar sense of unease.
She never would have imagined that, on the day of her trousseau banquet, Chang Suining would be seated right beside her. The absurdity of the situation was almost laughable.
The Feng family had also learned of Chang Suining’s presence and found it extremely distasteful—like swallowing a mouthful of filth. They couldn’t help but sense something suspicious, though they tried not to show it. Madam Jie discreetly instructed her servants to keep a close eye on things.
As the banquet began, a maid served dishes to Feng Min.
When Feng Min picked up her chopsticks, she suddenly noticed the girl beside her—Chang Suining—looking at her hand.
Specifically, at the hand holding the chopsticks.
Unsettled by the scrutiny, Feng Min instinctively drew her hand back.
Then, Chang Suining casually asked, “Did Miss Feng recently injure her hand?”
Feng Min’s heart leapt.
Chang Suining continued to look at her withdrawn hand. “It seems to have been hurt by a stone?”
Though the scab had already fallen off, the scar was still new and irregular in shape. It didn’t resemble a knife wound or a puncture from a needle.
“…No!” Feng Min immediately denied it at the mention of a stone.
Chang Suining raised her eyes to meet hers.
It wasn’t the faded scars that gave away the truth but Feng Min’s reaction.
She thought she had guessed correctly.
Feng Min’s face turned pale as she realized Chang Suining had deliberately used the word “stone” to test her reaction!
“It was a scrape from a fall,” Feng Min said, forcing a scowl to mask her discomfort. “But what does that have to do with Miss Chang?”
Since she had nothing pleasant to say to Chang Suining, she regretted even attempting to maintain civility. She should have never entertained her presence for the sake of appearances.
She had known all along that Chang Suining’s visit was not well-intentioned!
Her sharp tone immediately drew the attention of those around them.
Chang Suining merely smiled. “I was just asking out of concern. There’s no need to be so defensive, Miss Feng.”
Feng Min’s fingers tightened around her chopsticks, her knuckles slightly whitening.
“Besides the trousseau gifts, I’ve brought something else for Miss Feng,” Chang Suining said, producing a small item and placing it on the table before pushing it toward Feng Min.
Feng Min glanced at it—a talisman for safety and peace.
Why was she giving her a talisman?
Feng Min stared at Chang Suining, trying to decipher her intentions.
“Traditionally, those in need of a ‘warding-off-bad-luck’ marriage often have lingering misfortune around them,” Chang Suining said evenly, meeting Feng Min’s gaze. “I fear this arrangement may be detrimental to Miss Feng’s well-being. I offer this talisman for your protection.”
Feng Min’s face shifted through several expressions.
What a biting remark! Was Chang Suining cursing her on the eve of her wedding?
Yet there was an unmistakable note of warning in her gaze…
While Feng Min wrestled with her emotions, Chang Suining stood up, having barely touched her meal. “Since Miss Feng does not welcome me, I’ll take my leave.”
She gave Feng Min one last, lingering look. “Please, take care of yourself. Goodbye.”
Yao Xia and the others followed her out.
Feng Min’s table suddenly felt emptier, much like her current state of mind—tense and suspended.
She no longer cared about the eyes watching her; she stared fixedly at the talisman.
After the banquet ended, a dazed Feng Min was intercepted on her way back to her quarters.
---
To be continued... (More updates tomorrow!)
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