《Scheme of the Official Descendant》 CH 1.1 Chapter 1 (Part 1): Coming Back The winter in the seventeenth year of the Cheng Qian Period arrived a little earlier than past years. It had just been a few days after the Double Ninth Festival* when the few counties towards the north had already welcomed their first heavy snow for this year¡¯s winter. *T/n: It¡¯s also called ¡®Chung Yeung Festival¡¯. The below is a link to a short Wikipedia page if you¡¯re interested. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Ninth_Festival The previous day had still been cool with fine weather. As soon as it became afternoon today, the horizon was suddenly shrouded by a patch of billowing curtains which carried a tinge of orange in the ash color. After it briefly betokened, the numerous and dense snowflakes were then too impatient to in waiting any longer to engulf the whole world. It took the effort of just one night before Yan Bei and the northern regions had all changed their attire. What entered the eyes were all a patch of silver clothing and plain white bundle. In the wing room which was burning with earthworm*, Ren Yaoqi(R¨¨n Y¨¢oq¨©) was lying on the hot heatable brick bed** with her eyes closed. The quilt pressing down on her body was a little heavy. *T/n: It¡¯s part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It was first depicted in the Divine Farmer(Shennong)¡¯s Materia Medica Classic. It is said to have many uses which are a bit lengthy for me to list here so I have included a link below: https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral/earthworm.php A picture for your reference: https://baike.google.com/item/%E5%9C%B0%E9%BE%99/15945149 **T/n: A bed which can have fire burning so that people can gain warmth when lying on it. I have included an image which shows an example: Her forehead and neck were already drenched in a layer of fine and dense beads of sweat. Her cheeks had also become crimson from the heat of the heatable brick bed. Her breath was flooded with the smell of menthol*. *T/n: Called ¡®Bo He Nao¡¯, it is part of TCM and is made from peppermint oil. Its effects include clearing heat and detoxification. Separated by the thick cotton curtain in the inner chamber, she heard the soft sound of chatter from two servant girls. ¡°This Flower Copy* looks really nice. It doesn¡¯t look like its copied by you. Where did it come from?¡± *T/n: A copy used to embroider designs of flower An image is below: http://blog.sina.cn/dpool/blog/s/blog_4cd2dc6f0100a5zq.html ¡°This is what I asked for from Elder Sister* Jin Ju(J¨©n J¨²) who serves at Concubine Fang¡¯s side. I heard that it¡¯s the recently popular Flower Copy in the southern capital. Even Yun Yang City doesn¡¯t have it.¡± *T/n: Doesn¡¯t mean a biological sister. It can refer to a female who is in a more senior position. ¡°Elder Sister Jin Ju? You could actually get something from her?¡± ¡°Heh heh, I said that I¡¯m using it to help Fifth Miss embroider her shoes. She dares to not give?¡± ¡°You this crafty girl. Be careful when Fifth Miss knows about it and lets Concubine Fang drag you out to be matched with a page!¡± ¡°Good, you this terrible wench¡­¡­see whether I¡¯ll tear this rotten mouth of yours.¡± Separated by the curtain were the frolicking sounds of two servant girls chasing each other around a table. The tea set on the table was knocked until there was a sound of a crash. The sound suddenly quietened but it was only a moment before they messed around noisily again. At last, they had some scruples about the person in the inner chamber and the sound of them moving became much smaller. At this moment, a stern and loud berating sound suddenly cut in. ¡°What are you all doing!¡± It was the voice of a woman who was slightly older in age. The outside suddenly quietened down again. ¡°Wet Nurse* Zhu(Zh¨±), we atone for our mistakes, this servant¡­¡­¡± The two servant girls anxiously justified themselves. *T/n: May be called either ¡®momo¡¯ or ¡®mama¡¯. It can refer to an elderly woman or used more specifically for wet nurses. However, Wet Nurse Zhu interrupted them impatiently. ¡°Has Miss woken up?¡± She did not intentionally lower her voice and it even carried a little restlessness. Although she asked that, her footsteps came over to the inner chamber without stopping. ¡°She has just drunk her medicine and taken a rest. I suppose she must be sleeping deeply right now.¡± A servant girl anxiously replied. She had also hastily followed along as if she wanted to help that wet nurse lift the curtain in the inner chamber. ¡°You all go out and guard. Don¡¯t let anyone come in.¡± Wet Nurse Zhu stopped the servant girl¡¯s action. ¡°Yes.¡± The two servant girls paused for a moment before they nimbly retreated outside. Ren Yaoqi laid there without moving with her eyes closed as if she had fallen asleep. The cotton curtain separating the inner chamber and the outer room was lifted up. The stifling hot air in the inner chamber was stirred and the wind which was slightly cooler than that in the inner chamber flowed in. ¡°Miss? Miss, wake up quickly, Miss¡­¡­¡± That person anxiously rushed over to the side of the heatable brick red. After shouting a few times and seeing that Ren Yaoqi had no movements, she reached out her hand and lightly pushed her arm which was separated by the quilt. Ren Yaoqi finally opened her eyes but had a little hazy look with sleepy eyes. ¡°Wet Nurse Zhu?¡± Her voice was a little hoarse. Lying on the high heat heatable brick bed for a long time required ingesting tea every now and then. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s this servant. Does Miss want to drink water?¡± That round face of Wet Nurse Zhu immediately squeezed into a smile but her eyes contained an anxious gaze. Ren Yaoqi nodded her head. Wet Nurse Zhu immediately walked to the side of the long low tea table at the northern walls which was placed with a full set of colorful teapot and teacups and poured a cup of water back. She set aside the cup on the heatable brick bed, then supported Ren Yaoqi to sit up. One of her hand supported her back while the other hand brought the teacup to the side of her lips to feed her. It was just that she was a little hurried when pouring. Ren Yaoqi slanted her head and the water in the teacup dripped onto the cotton quilt covering her. The tender green satin immediately formed a wet patch. ¡°Cough cough¡­¡­¡± Wet Nurse Zhu hastily placed the teacup down and patted her back lightly. ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± Ren Yaoqi was completely awake. She pushed away Wet Nurse Zhu¡¯s hand and cast a sidelong glance at her. ¡°The water is cold¡­¡­¡± Wet Nurse Zhu hastily smiled obsequiously. ¡°Oh, it must be those two servant girls on duty who resorted to tricks and goofed off and forgot to change to a hot tea. This old servant will lecture them later.¡± As she said, Wet Nurse brought a lined jacket over and draped it over Ren Yaoqi¡¯s shoulders while saying, ¡°Miss, Concubine received news just now that Third Madam and Third Miss are on the way back to the residence. Although the heavy snow came suddenly and quite a few roads outside the city were sealed off in one night, there are the mounted troops from Prince Yan Bei¡¯s residence clearing the path so the horse carriage can enter the city at the latest before this evening.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s body paused for a moment. ¡°Mother and Third Elder Sister have come back?¡± She cast her eyes downwards and made people unable to see the emotions in her eyes clearly. However, the fingers clutching her lapel were involuntarily trembling a little. Wet Nurse Zhu¡¯s tone finally could not conceal her anxiety. ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that it was even Prince Yan Bei Residence¡¯s Old Princess Consort¡¯s carriage which that escorted them back. They set off from the village on top yesterday afternoon and the residence only received the news early this morning. Miss, what should we do now?¡± Translator Corner: So this is a side project and this novel is one that I have not read before. I have read the reviews (and some spoilers for the ending coughs*) but all in all, it seems like many readers have high praises for this novel. From the reviews, the inner residence struggle in this novel seems to be pretty good. As I will most likely be translating as I read which is different from my other projects where I have already read the novel, I¡¯ll apologize for the translation quality which will be even poorer than the normally mediocre quality. >< You may check out the content page which will have a link to a post with slightly more details on this novel. CH 1.2 Chapter 1 (Part 2): Coming Back Ren Yaoqi blinked her eyes rapidly and concealed the water which had surfaced in her eyes. She took down the lined jacket draped on her and wanted to wear it. Wet Nurse Zhu immediately came forward to help while even nagging beside Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ears. ¡°I also don¡¯t know what means Third Miss employed to convince Prince Yan Bei¡¯s Old Princess Consort. Fifth Miss, wait until Third Miss comes back, how would this Zi Wei(Z? We¨©) Courtyard still have a place for you to stay?¡± Ren Yaoqi heard what she said and indifferently glanced at Wet Nurse Zhu who was still lowering her head and hurriedly helping her to button her lapel buttons. However, she could not help but sneer inwardly. The Ren Family ten years ago indeed had many different types of evil monsters and bad characters. These two days she had watched on with cool detachment, wanting to conscientiously see the vileness behind the layers and layers of painted skin which were thick and heavy in colors. Wet Nurse Zhu did not detect the difference in Ren Yaoqi. She helped her button her lapel buttons and raised her head to continue to say, ¡°The Old Madam has always liked Third Miss more than you. Third Madam also listens to her for everything. No matter how big or small the matter is, she is the one who has the final say in everything but of all people, she just has to see you as unpleasant to the eye and make things difficult for you in all aspects. She lets Third Madam also follow along and not put you as her daughter to heart and only wholeheartedly believes in her bewitchment¡­¡­¡± When she said until here, Wet Nurse Zhu surreptitiously glanced at Ren Yaoqi. What she found unexpected was that Ren Yaoqi only leaned against the backrest of the big chair which had a red bottom and Double Square Pattern* and was watching her silently. Her limpid eyes were like top-notch glazed tiles, tranquil and clear. *T/n: Fangsheng Pattern Two images: https://baike.google.com/item/%E6%96%B9%E8%83%9C%E7%BA%B9 http://www.zggdjj.com/View/News-6542.html Ren Yaoqi remembered that her Third Elder Sister, Ren Yaohua(R¨¨n Y¨¢ohu¨¢) had fallen into the lots pond due to pushing her Sixth Younger Brother, Ren Yihong(R¨¨n Y¨¬h¨®ng) during the autumn of the sixteenth year of the Cheng Qian Period and was punished by the Old Madam to go to the village to reflect. Their mother, the Ren Family¡¯s Third Madam went to find the Old Madam to plead for leniency and was refused outside the courtyard. Finally, she accompanied her Third Elder Sister to go to the village while she who was nine years old was made to remain in the Ren Family. Her Mother, n¨¦e Li was a timid and cowardly woman. N¨¦e Li¡¯s cowardice did not only originate from her experience of leading a vagrant life in distress when she was young. She married into the Ren Family in the forty-seventh year of the Qing Long Period. She did not bear any children in the first two years. In the third year, she gave birth to a daughter but she died prematurely within a hundred days. In the fifth year, she gave birth to a daughter again. At that time, the Ren Family¡¯s Old Madam was already very dissatisfied with n¨¦e Li. Luckily, after giving birth to her second daughter, she got pregnant again in the next year. Unfortunately, n¨¦e Li was destined to have a son in her life. Her third child was actually still a daughter. This was the Ren Family¡¯s Fifth Miss, Ren Yaoqi. The Ren Family¡¯s Old Madam had completely given n¨¦e Li a cold face. Three days after Ren Yaoqi was born, she made the decision for the Ren Family¡¯s Third Master to receive her a concubine-born daughter from the younger sister of her maternal family, as a noble concubine. Noble Concubine n¨¦e Fang got pregnant in half a year after entering the family. After ten months of pregnancy, she gave birth to twins of different genders and established her own position in the Ren Family. On the other hand, not only had Ren Yaoqi¡¯s birth let her own mother¡¯s position in the Ren Family become precarious, she was even more of an existence which let her paternal grandmother detest. Ever since n¨¦e Li started to be pregnant with Ren Yaoqi, Old Madam Ren had been full of hope for this pregnancy. She found an eminent monk to tell the fortune and also found an experienced midwife to feel the fetus. She even found a sorcerer for divination. All those people had unanimously said that this fetus was a male fetus. Therefore, Old Madam Ren was fully confident that the third fetus her daughter-in-law was pregnant with was a son. Hence, after Ren Yaoqi was born, Old Madam Ren firmly believed that her newborn granddaughter was a demon and evildoer. She had jostled away the position originally for her grandson and she could not feel delighted about her. On the contrary, as the Third Miss, Ren Yaohua who was also born from n¨¦e Li, looked like Old Madam Ren when she was young and was also intelligent, she was thus regarded in a different light by the Old Madam. ¡°Fifth Miss?¡± Wet Nurse Zhu saw Ren Yaoqi staring at her without speaking and thought that she was getting sleepy. Therefore, she tried pushing Ren Yaoqi lightly and wondered whether she should pour another cup of cold water down. Ren Yaoqi swept a glance at Wet Nurse Zhu¡¯s hand placed on her arm. Wet Nurse Zhu¡¯s body stiffened. She raised that hand and stroked her hair as if she was trying to conceal something. She smiled as she said, ¡°Miss, Concubine Fang said just now that Miss¡¯ illness has already improved greatly. She¡¯s worried that using the original prescription will be too intense and said that she will invite a physician into the residence later to take your pulse and write you a prescription once again.¡± Ren Yaoqi made an ¡®mhm¡¯ sound and did not object. However, Wet Nurse Zhu was secretly muttering in her heart, ¡®How come Fifth Miss feels a bit different when I look at her these two days? She is only a child who has just turned ten but that look occasionally revealed from those pair of calm eyes made people ooze with panic?¡¯ Towards these elderly female servants and servant girls by her side, Ren Yaoqi already did not have much impression for most of them. That was because the time they served at her side was not long. After a short while, they would all be sent away. She could actually still remember this Wet Nurse Zhu. From the impression she had back in those days, Wet Nurse Zhu seemed to be a very genial and attentive elderly female servant. She would come up with ideas and plans for her and could be considered her confidante. She remembered that she herself even quarrelled with her Third Elder Sister, Ren Yaohua, over this Wet Nurse Zhu and they even almost fought in the end. However, judging based on her current experience, she did not feel that there were any desirable points about this Wet Nurse Zhu. She was not meticulous enough when waiting upon her and was negligent in disciplining the servant girls in her courtyard. Within her words, it seemed like she was planning for this master of hers but in fact, she was driving a wedge between her relationship with Ren Yaohua in all respects. Ren Yaohua¡¯s temperament was overbearing and unyielding while she was stubborn and wilful when she was young. When disharmony was incited between these two people by people with certain intentions, how could Zi Wei Courtyard still be peaceful? This time, she would no longer permit those people to take advantage of the disagreements between them sisters to make an issue out of it and plot against them. Father¡­¡­Mother¡­¡­ Ren Yaoqi muttered in her heart. In this lifetime, you two definitely have to live a long life until a ripe old age. CH 2.1 Chapter 2 (Part 1): Something Fishy Right at this moment, the sound of a series of hurried footsteps sounded from outside again. Following that, the curtain was lifted open. A delicate and pretty servant girl dressed in dark green satin coat and azurite colored cotton dress walked in and hurriedly paid her respects before she anxiously said, ¡°Wet Nurse Zhu, Third Madam¡¯s horse carriage has already arrived at the main entrance. Eldest Madam is arranging for people to go to the second gate leading to the main court*. Concubine let you quickly arrange for people to tidy out the principal room and Eldest Miss¡¯ east side room. Burn the earthworms until they are hot. In addition, take a look if the bedding and cushion have become damp. If they can¡¯t be used, remove and change them as soon as possible.¡± *T/n: It¡¯s usually present in houses with larger courtyards. I¡¯ll just attach a picture for easier reference. https://www.wukong.com/question/6493355680274055438/ Wet Nurse Zhu was originally sitting on the small square stool before the heatable brick bed. When she heard the words of this young servant girl, she had long jumped up from panic. Even that small square stool also fell from her movements and made a low noise. ¡°What? Why is it so fast? Wasn¡¯t it said that they would only reach in the evening? It is only just past noon.¡± ¡°Oh my, why are you still asking this now? In any case, the people are going to arrive soon. You should make haste.¡± After she finished speaking, she turned around to run away hurriedly. Wet Nurse Zhu randomly circled around the room two times anxiously. Finally, she still stamped her feet and turned her head to explain to her briefly. ¡°This servant is withdrawing first to go make arrangements.¡± Wet Nurse Zhu lifted the curtain and left. The room quietened down in an instant. Ren Yaoqi tilted her head to look outside the window. Her eyes were limpid like water. Possibly because it was snowing, separated by the thick cellophane paper, she could only see a dusky scene outside. Although it was said that noon had just passed, it was like when the sky had just turned bright. Ren Yaoqi sat at the head of the heatable brick bed quietly and waited for movements from outside. After Mother comes back, she would definitely go to Old Madam¡¯s courtyard first to pay respects to her, then could she return to Zi Wei Courtyard. The two servant girls previously dismissed by Wet Nurse Zhu came back at this time. ¡°Xue Li, have you seen it? Those elder brother imperial bodyguards at Prince Yan Bei Residence are really all tall and valiant and more impressive than those few bodyguards at our outer courtyard. It¡¯s a pity that each of them put on a poker face. Even when Han Lu who is serving at Fourth Miss¡¯ side walked to the front of them, she wasn¡¯t able to make them raise their eyes.¡± ¡°Ah, when I went, the people from Prince Yan Bei Residence had already left. Then did you see the Old Princess Consort? I heard that she¡¯s the late emperor¡¯s daughter and is a princess.¡± ¡°Why would the Princess Consort come into our residence without rhyme or reason? She only dispatched people to send Third Madam and Third Miss into the residence. However, women right, no matter how noble their status is, if they can¡¯t give birth to a son, anything else is no use. Even if she¡¯s a princess, she also has to give way to other women.¡± ¡°This¡­¡­the emperor¡¯s daughter has to be at least different after all right?¡± ¡°What difference is there? The present incumbent Prince Yan Bei did not crawl out from this princess¡¯ stomach and is that Madam Yun Tai¡¯s son. The princess not being able to give birth to a son is just like heaven no raining and the one in charge of the household being unreasonable. What method can there be?¡± ¡°That also has some sense. It¡¯s better that we don¡¯t comment about this anymore, otherwise, when Wet Nurse Zhu comes in and sees it, we¡¯re going to get rebuked again.¡± ¡°Rest assured. I saw Wet Nurse Zhu leading people to clean the principal room previously, where would she have the free time to come bother about us? Besides, Wet Nurse Zhu will do no more than reprimanding us. If we commit a mistake and land in the hands of Wet Nurse Zhou(Zh¨­u) who is serving by Third Madam¡¯s side, then that¡¯s really doom for us.¡± ¡°Well, then now that Third Madam has come back, doesn¡¯t this Zi Wei Courtyard still have to have Wet Nurse Zhou making the decisions? Then we¡­¡­¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right? We¡¯re not even Third Madam¡¯s people. We and Wet Nurse Zhu are all given to Fifth Miss by Concubine Fang.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°Shh¡ª¡ªsomeone¡¯s coming.¡± It suddenly quietened down outside. The originally quiet courtyard suddenly sounded with noisy sound of footsteps. Ren Yaoqi straightened up while sitting and saw that a figure walking past outside the window and it seemed to be going in the direction of the principal room. ¡°Third Madam and Third Miss have gone to Old Madam¡¯s place. In less than an hour, they will be coming back to Zi Wei Courtyard. You all move more quickly and efficiently. See what things are lacking and immediately go report to Eldest Madam.¡± However, after Ren Yaoqi waited for half a day, there was no one who came back. Unexpectedly, there were replies coming and going outside and the sound of moving objects which remained noisy. The medicine Ren Yaoqi used previously contained a sedative drug. Afterwards, she actually could not hold on anymore and fell asleep. It was just that there was something she was still constantly concerned about. When it was evening when the lights were lit, she woke up again. She felt a person sitting beside her head so she instantly opened her eyes. There was already a candlestick lit on the table in the middle of the room and appeared to have been burned by approximately an inch. Barely after she had opened her eyes, those dim rays of light stung her eyes until it was a little comfortable and she involuntarily tilted her head. ¡°Yaoqi, you¡¯re awake?¡± A gentle voice sounded. This voice made Ren Yaoqi stare blankly for a moment. That person seemed to have noticed her discomfort and rose to shift the candlestick to a low tea-table at the west wall before she walked back again. ¡°Is it better now?¡± CH 2.2 Ren Yaoqi nodded and said to the woman in front of her, ¡°When did Concubine come?¡± Although there she had her back to the light, she still saw the woman beside her clearly. She was wearing a light purple fox fur coat embroidered with satin orchid and a white pleated skirt. Her jet black hair was raised in a ¡®falling off the horse bun¡¯* and had only a pair of golden hairpins of a unique style. *T/n: Here is one example: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av3707842/ Note that there may be many variations to this hair bun The pearl earrings swayed gently beneath her ears and cast a small shadow on the lustrous white side profile of her face. When one looked, there was a different type of tactfulness, reservedness and exquisiteness. This was Concubine Fang, a Jiang Nan woman. Her speech and deportment were always elegant and gentle as if she was a beauty who walked out from an ancient painting. Regardless of position, everyone in the Ren Residence would say that not only was she beautiful, she also had a heart of gold like Bodhisattva. Zi Wei Courtyard once had a few average-sized servant girls who secretly learned Concubine Fang¡¯s manner of speaking and walking. When they bumped into Third Miss, Ren Yaohua by accident and got caught in the act, Third Miss ordered Wet Nurse Zhou to find people to use thin bamboo strips to whip them fiercely. After they were whipped until their small legs and soles were badly mutilated until they were a blur of blood and flesh, they were shut in the woodshed. As it was during the height of summer, after being shut for three days, maggots grew all over below the few servant girls¡¯ knees. The year when her Mother and Ren Yaohua went to the village, the Old Madam handed both Zi Wei Courtyard and her to Concubine Fang to take care. In her impression from her previous lifetime, this Concubine Fang seemed to obey her in everything, looked after her extremely well that even her own biological daughter, Ninth Younger Sister, Ren Yaoying(R¨¨n Y¨¢oy¨©ng) resented her out of jealousy because of this. ¡°Just came not long ago. I see that your whole body is breaking out in sweat. Is it very hot?¡± Her slightly cold palm was placed on her forehead. Ren Yaoqi did not move. ¡°Mhm.¡± Concubine Fang sighed lightly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s hot? When you just fell sick you kept shouting cold. Even after covering you with three layers of quilt you were still cold until you kept shivering. That¡¯s why I let people move you to the heatable brick bed. Now that you¡¯re not scared of cold anymore, it should be that your illness is going to recover soon. Later I¡¯ll let people tidy the bed. It should still be better for you to sleep on the bed tonight. It¡¯s also more spacious.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded her head. Concubine Fang looked at her for a while and deliberated as she said, ¡°Yaoqi, your Mother and Third Elder Sister have come back. In the future, I¡¯m afraid that this concubine can¡¯t interfere in the matters of this courtyard so you have to go along with your Third Elder Sister more in the future. She has a proud disposition and makes the elders happy. If you still stubbornly oppose her in every aspect, the one who suffers losses will still be you. As for Madam¡­¡­Actually you also can¡¯t blame her, you know at that time when you were born¡­¡­In short, it¡¯s not that Consort she doesn¡¯t value you. You¡¯re also her daughter after all. It¡¯s just that Third Miss is the eldest daughter so Madam will inevitably rely on her a little more. Concubine Fang advised her gently and softly. Her voice was slow and although she was speaking the Northern language, upon careful listening, one could still hear that there was some southern accent which was soft and sweet and pleasing to the ears. Ren Yaoqi tried hard to imagine how she would react when she heard these words if she had based it on her temperament when she was young but on her mien, she remained calm and expressionless. Concubine Fang saw that she did not speak and reached out her hand to help her tidy her quilt and said again, ¡°Wait a few days until your body is better, you can go see Madam and Third Miss. I just felt that your forehead is still scalding. Madam and Third Miss have just settled down after being worn out from the journey on the horse carriage so you can rest for today first. I¡¯ll go instruct people to change your bed?¡± ¡®Mother and Third Elder Sister have already returned to the courtyard?¡¯ Ren Yaoqi nodded her head. Concubine Fang then stood up and went out. Her low and gentle voice that was instructing people could hear from outside the curtain. After a while, two servant girls entered while carrying bedding. They walked to the side of that canopy bed* at the north and started to make the bed. *T/n: Looks something like this: That canopy bed already had no one sleeping on it for a while. It was originally a little damp but luckily the room was burnt with earthworms and the newly changed bedding was also dry and clean. Although it was like this, compared to that heatable brick bed, it was still quite icy-cold. Her body first produced sweat from being hot then suddenly stopped sweating from encountering the cold. It was actually very easy to catch a cold. She did not know if Concubine Fang knew about it. Ren Yaoqi let that little servant girl called Qing Mei(Q¨©ng M¨¦i) to bring a few small hand warmers over and place them under the quilt to enclose it. Then, she let them take a set of clean clothes which was close-fitting and go heat it up by the incense burner*. *T/n: Not only can it be used to burn incense, but it can also be used for warming people up Qing Mei and another servant girl, Xue Li(Xu¨¦ L¨ª) whispered in small voices, ¡°First she disliked that it was warm, then now she¡¯s scared of cold. Fifth Miss and Third Miss are indeed biological sisters, they both know how to torment people.¡± ¡°Shh¡ª¡ªDon¡¯t ever say these words in the future. The one from the east side room has come back¡­¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi did not hear the servant girls complaining. After waiting for the bed to be covered up until it was warm, she let the servant girls serve her in changing her into the close-fitting clothes and support her to go sleep on the bed. After covering the small stove for very long, the heat of the bed was not much different from the temperature of the heatable brick bed. She had only laid down for a short while when there was someone who carried a bowl of medicine and entered. ¡°Fifth Miss, you should drink your medicine already.¡± It was a young woman¡¯s voice which called out softly. When Ren Yaoqi opened her eyes, she saw that pretty and delicate girl who wore a dark green satin coat and an azurite colored cotton skirt who came to find Wet Nurse Zhu previously. She was a head servant girl called Jin Ju who served by Concubine Fang¡¯s side. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that the prescription is going to be changed?¡± Ren Yaoqi was supported by Jin Ju to sit at the head of the bed. She took a glance at that bowl of medicine. Jin Ju¡¯s face was carrying a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be changed after this dose is taken. Concubine originally invited a physician to come but he was hindered on the way by Wet Nurse Zhou to go see Third Madam and Third Miss. After the physician went to the Old Madam there to report, he was sent away by the steward instead.¡± ¡°Mother, she¡¯s sick?¡± When Jin Ju heard what she said, she took a glance at Ren Yaoqi and smiled as she said, ¡°Third Madam and Third Miss have rushed their journey for a whole day and it is also a world of ice and snow outside. I think it¡¯s because they¡¯re worried about catching a cold. Fifth Miss, the medicine is going to be cold soon. You should drink it quickly?¡± The bowl of medicine moved to the corner of her mouth. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s brows involuntarily knitted slightly. This was not the prescription she took previously. Although the prescription she took previously was not cold and not hot, it also targeted the symptoms. However, this bowl of medicine had quite a few medicinal ingredients changed. After she left the Ren Family, she followed Mister Pei(P¨¦i) and read many books. Leaving aside history books and art of war, she even cursorily read laws and decrees, astrology and physiognomy, geomancy and Buddhists scriptures, let alone medical classics which she had learned by heart. All living things in the world mutually reinforce and counteract each other. Herbs were are balanced by diving them into yin and yang. Illnesses were divided by cold, hot, wet and dry. Prescribing the right medicine to target the symptoms of the illness not only required one to be clear about the medicine¡¯s channel tropism*, trend, rising and lowering, mutual compatibility of medicines, but one also needed to know the five elements* which reinforce and counteract each other and the seven interactions between more than two medicines in one dose. *T/n: It¡¯s a term in TCM I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m correct but to oversimplify it, it¡¯s on the principles of how certain medicines suited certain organs in the body **T/n: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water And mutual inhibition and incompatibility were great taboos of administering medicine. For example, the original prescription she took had wolf¡¯s bane and was inferior among medicine and had poison. However, after manufacturing it into medicine and blending them in a compatible manner, it could also become a good medicine. Other than wolf¡¯s bane, this bowl of medicine today also had a Pinellia ternata(crow-dipper). When used separately there was no problem but when used together, it violated a great taboo of mutual inhibition in medicinal properties. Other than this, there were also a few medicinal ingredients¡¯ compatibilities which were extremely inappropriate. Therefore, if she drank this medicine, although it would not be to the extent that it would immediately harm the fundamentals of her body, it was just that her illness which had originally more or less recovered was going to be dragged on for a few more days. Translator Corner: Woah, quite a bit of TCM terms towards the end. Hope they weren¡¯t too confusing. Do tell me if they were! CH 3.1 Chapter 3 (Part 1): Elder Sister She still remembered that when her Mother and Third Elder Sister came back in her previous lifetime, she could not go pay her respects to her Mother in time because her illness had worsened but a few days later when her Father returned to the residence, she wore the clothes and ornaments Father brought for her from the capital and went out to meet the guests. Due to that, her Third Elder Sister, Ren Yaohua, found her even more unpleasant to the eye. Ren Yaohua hated that she did not put her Mother¡¯s matters to heart and was fickle and heartless. She also complained that her Mother treated her Elder Sister better than her by hundreds and thousands of time as she was willing to accompany her Elder Sister to go to the village to bear hardships but left her alone in the residence for Concubine to look after. Even when she was seriously ill, she had also never sent people to look at her and even dispatched the physician who was here to see her to her Third Elder Sister who did not even have any ailments. When Ren Yaoqi thought that she had already forgotten, the past gradually became more distinct instead. This time, when she looked back at those matters back then, she naturally saw the fishiness in it. Someone was playing tricks in the dark and sowing discord between her relationship with Ren Yaohua in every aspect. *T/n: A picture: https://www.pingguolv.com/zy/wumei/ The corner of Jin Ju¡¯s mouth twitched. So the reason it was so difficult to talk to her today was that she was gluttonous. She inwardly let out a sigh of relief instead and stood up to say, ¡°This servant will go now.¡± As she said, she turned around and left. After seeing that her figure has vanished from the inner chamber, Ren Yaoqi withdrew the proud expression on her countenance and draped the thick cotton quilt as she got out of bed. Carrying that bowl of medicine, she walked to behind the screen in the inner chamber and poured the medicine into the chamber pot*. *T/n: A portable toilet After that, she sat back properly while leaning on the bed. She contemplated, then moistened the corner of her lips with the few drops of medicine left in the bowl. She looked left and right, then carefully kept the bracelet into her own sleeve and said a sentence softly, ¡°This servant thanks Fifth Miss for rewarding.¡± Ren Yaoqi covered her small mouth as she yawned. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy already and want to sleep for a while. You may withdraw.¡± ¡°Yes, Fifth Miss.¡± After Jin Ju waited upon Ren Yaoqi to lie down, she withdrew. After waiting for a while, she called out softly, ¡°Who¡¯s outside?¡± CH 3.2 Chapter 3 (Part 2): Elder Sister After a series of rustling movements, the two servant girls, Qing Mei and Xue Li lifted the curtains and came in. ¡°Miss, what instructions do you have?¡± Qing Mei said eagerly in a fawning manner and moved closer. Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Come over to serve me to wear my clothes and get out of bed.¡± Qing Mei smiled obsequiously, ¡°Miss, you can just instruct this servant to do whatever you want to. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t get out of bed?¡± But she cast a sidelong glance at Ren Yaoqi¡¯s wrist. Ren Yaoqi pretended that she did not see her line of vision and said with a shadow of a smile, ¡°This Miss wants to go to the lavatory, you can also do it in my stead?¡± Qing Mei hurriedly said, ¡°Then, then just drape the small coat over your shoulders.¡± Ren Yaoqi knitted her brows. ¡°Do you want me to catch a cold or do you want me to lose decorum by dressing unkemptly when I go to the lavatory!¡± ¡®What decorum do you still need when going to the lavatory? Isn¡¯t it also like this usually?¡¯ Qing Mei blushed with shame. On the other hand, Xue Li who was at the side quickly came up to say, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be angry. This servant will just serve you to change your clothes.¡± At one side she was even signalling to Qing Mei a meaningful look for her to not say further. *T/n: An image for reference Ren Yaoqi let Xue Li comb a simple hairstyle for her. She wore the crane coat and wanted to go out. ¡°Qing Mei will stay back to string the pearls. Xue Li will come with me.¡± Exchanging a glance with Qing Mei, Xue Li hesitated for a moment but still caught up with Ren Yaoqi to tie up the curtain for her. It was also the first time Ren Yaoqi was going out in the two days. As soon as the curtain of the outer room was lifted, the frigid wind came attacking while wrapped with the snowflakes of the heavy snowfall. The ice crystals hit the face until it was painful. Even though she wore thick clothes and her body was also still warm, her face was instantly frozen and her eyelashes was covered with snowflakes. She blinked and melted one, thus blurring her line of sight. She had not seen the north¡¯s snowstorm for many years already. ¡°Miss, it is cold outside. Should we go back instead?¡± Xue Li carefully advised. Ren Yaoqi ignored her. She tugged the hood on her head down and covered half of her face. Then, she walked towards the principal room without turning her head back. The more she walked forward, the faster were her footsteps. In the end, she actually started to trot. ¡°Fifth Miss, be careful of the slippery floor¡ª¡ª¡± Xue Li was chasing behind. ¡°Ren Yaoqi, you still have the face to come!¡± Her cold voice which carried some ridicule rang beside Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ears. CH 4.1 Chapter 4 (Part 1): Conflict It was a death-like silence under the roof. Only the very slight rustling sound of snow falling could be heard. The servant girls and old female servants standing at the side were all holding their breath and did not dare to emit any sound. It was just that their gaze while cautiously looking at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua all carried a little nervousness. Ren Yaohua¡¯s cold and stern gaze was staring fixedly at Ren Yaoqi. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi only covered her cheek and pursed her lips as she looked at her without uttering anything after receiving a slap from her, and did not pounce over to return her a slap, Ren Yaohua inwardly felt that it was a little strange. But the grievances she had suffered these days caused the rancor in her heart to gain the upper hand. Without saying anything further, she raised her hand and wanted to slap Ren Yaoqi again. At this moment, the door curtains of the principal movement moved. A wet nurse who was around forty years old, with a tall stature and slightly white hair on her temples walked out. As soon as she saw the the two people confronting each other in the corridor, her expression changed immediately. Seeing that Ren Yaohua still wanted to hit her, she quickly moved over and embraced Ren Yaoqi in her arms to protect her. With a serious countenance, she told Ren Yaohua, ¡°Third Miss, we have only just returned to the residence today. What are you doing? Don¡¯t forget that Madam is still sick.¡± At the same time, she was silently casting a meaningful look at Ren Yaohua instead. Ren Yaohua saw the anxiety and worry in the wet nurse¡¯s eyes. Considering that her mother was still sick, she gritted her teeth and place her hand down but the gaze she used to look at Ren Yaoqi remained piercingly cold. Ren Yaoqi observed their interaction. Wet Nurse appeared to be protecting her from getting beaten by Ren Yaohua on the surface but her arms which were embracing her tightly had also hugged her arms as well which rendered her unable to move. This was to prevent her from pouncing over to find Ren Yaohua to exact revenge. ¡°Fifth Miss. Could you please don¡¯t make a din too? Madam, she is still sick. Go in to take a look at her.¡± Wet Nurse Zhou made a poker face and lowered her head as she coaxed Ren Yaoqi. *T/n: A small, short-legged table An image for your reference: https://www.jia.com/baike/bdetail-7390/ **T/n: It is basically a long platform for keeping warm An example of an image: https://www.fensifuwu.com/history/910620.html A Wikipedia page if you are interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_bed-stove Ren Yaoqi directly walked towards the west secondary room. A spacious bed with many carvings was placed close to the northern wall in the west secondary room. The newly changed red silk canopy was hung onto the copper hooks of the bed pillars. There was a woman who was around thirty years old lying on the bed. That woman had an oval-shaped face and thick hair. Her visage was extremely beautiful and elegant but her complexion carried some pallidness from her ill condition. Her lips also did not have much rosiness. Maybe because she liked to knit her brows out of habit, there was a faint ¡®´¨¡¯ trace between her brows, resulting in her originally young appearance to be added with an elderly look. *T/n: ¡®Er¡¯ can be used as a term of endearment when added to the last character of the person¡¯s name. Ren Yaoqi quickly walked forward. She bent over at the encircling corridor outside the spacious bed and buried her face into n¨¦e Li¡¯s chest as she bawled with ¡®boo hoo¡¯. When n¨¦e Li saw Ren Yaoqi crying miserably, she could not help but be dazed for a moment. She placed her hand on Ren Yaoqi¡¯s head and stroked it. She said in a gentle voice, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± At this moment, the curtain was lifted. Ren Yaohua and Wet Nurse Zhou walked in. When Ren Yaohua saw Ren Yaoqi bending over and crying on n¨¦e Li, her flames of fury immediately surged up. She sneered, ¡°What can be the matter with her? Isn¡¯t it just complaining to you that I have hit her again? I even thought that after staying in the residence for one year and receiving guidance from that bitch, she could improve much. I didn¡¯t think that she is still so unfathomable and speaking odd things and only knows how to carry out a sneak attack from behind people!¡± The left side of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face was already a little red from swelling. N¨¦e Li¡¯s heart ached terribly for her when she saw it. Ren Yaohua¡¯s words made her a little angry. She frowned as she said, ¡°Hua Er! Quickly come over and apologize to your younger sister!¡± CH 4.2 Chapter 4 (Part 2): Conflict When Ren Yaohua heard that, she raised her chin a little and said scornfully, ¡°Have me apologizing to her? Wait until the next lifetime!¡± ¡°Hua Er!¡± N¨¦e helplessly rebuked her lightly. When she turned around to look at Ren Yaoqi who had kept her tears and still kneeling in front of her bed, N¨¦e Li was caught in a dilemma. ¡°Qi Er*, your elder sister, she didn¡¯t mean it, you¡­¡± *T/n: Referring to Ren Yaoqi But when she saw the ghastly red swelling on Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face, N¨¦e Li could not continue speaking. She could only discuss with her elder daughter, ¡°Hua Er, on your mum¡¯s account, can¡¯t you just take a step back and make a concession?¡± When Ren Yaohua saw the anxious expression on her exhausted face, she bit her lips. She did not want to make her mum sad, but she could not put down her pride and apologize to Ren Yaoqi so it was inevitable that she was a little stiff. ¡°Never mind, Mother, there¡¯s no need.¡± Ren Yaoqi sighed softly and suddenly raised her head to look at N¨¦e Li. N¨¦e Li stared blankly for a moment and Ren Yaohua also looked over with her eyebrows knitted as if she could not believe that these words were uttered from her mouth. When she walked closer, she heard a voice which was still a little immature crying while cursing, ¡°Establish what rules? Even Maternal Grandmother didn¡¯t say that she wants to establish new rules! What are you? What gives you the right to berate my Concubine Mother!¡± Translator Corner: Alright, I¡¯m back haha. I¡¯m not sure how many of you read my announcement last time but anyway, there¡¯s a new announcement so do check it out for the ¡®mass¡¯ release and updates. CH 5.1 Chapter 5 (Part 1): Prevent ¡°I am your official elder sister, your concubine mother¡¯s master! You asked what I am? After not seeing you for a year, have the etiquette you learned been fed to the dogs? Concubine Fang, is this the result of your upbringing?¡± Ren Yaohua sneered. ¡°Third Miss, please forgive. It¡¯s this concubine servant who neglected to discipline her properly.¡± Concubine Fang¡¯s voice was low and gentle. She had a very humble attitude, ¡°Ninth Miss, quickly apologize to Third Miss.¡± Ren Yaoying seemed to be a cat which tail had been stepped on as she jumped up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to apologize to this kind of vicious person. She wanted to harm Sixth Elder Brother to die. She even beat and lambasted us. Concubine Fang, let¡¯s leave!¡± ¡°Ren Yaoying, repeat what you said just now one more time.¡± Ren Yaohua coldly said. ¡°Fine, what¡¯s there to be scared of? I can just say it. You¡­mmm¡­mmm¡­¡± ¡°Third Miss, I beg of you to please spare Ninth Miss for running her mouth off. She¡¯s still young and not sensible, everything is this concubine servant¡¯s fault. This concubine servant will kneel to you.¡± Concubine Fang anxiously implored while she covered Xie Yaoying¡¯s mouth to prevent her from infuriating Ren Yaohua further. ¡°Concubine mother¡ª¡ª¡± Ren Yaoying bawled. The situation sounded plaintive. ¡°Ren Yaoqi, what do you mean by this?¡± CH 5.2 Chapter 5 (Part 2): Prevent Ren Yaoqi contemplated for a moment and looked at Ren Yaohua as she earnestly said, ¡°Third Elder Sister, what do you think I could mean? Just now, if I had allowed Concubine Fang to continue feeling, allow Ninth Younger Sister to continue making a din and alarm the others in the residence, who do you would be the one at a loss?¡± Ren Yaohua stared at Ren Yaoqi with an unfathomable expression in her eyes for quite a while but she twitched the corner of her mouth and smiled a little sarcastically, ¡°I thought that you have a close relationship with Concubine Fang, a close sibling relationship with Sixth Younger Brother and the others, hence you can¡¯t bear to see them being wronged by me. It can¡¯t be that you have already forgotten who was the one who asserted before Paternal Grandfather and Paternal Grandmother that it was me who pushed Sixth Younger Brother into the water back then.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes looked down and she did not speak. This was a Gordian knot between her and Ren Yaohua, there was no use in an explanation. Furthermore, a block of ice that is one meter deep is not frozen from just one frigid day. She did not have any extravagant hope that just today could change the relationship between the two of them. ¡°Just take it that I don¡¯t wish for Mother to be implicated again.¡± Wet Nurse Zhou sighed. ¡°We left for a year and Old Madam also handed Zi Wei Courtyard for her to look after. Naturally, times have changed. Previously, we thought that the two servant girls, Ying Er and Zhu Er are steady and have followed for Old Madam for many years, so it would be most suitable for them to stay behind to look after the courtyard. If anything happened in the residence, they can also quickly dispatch people to send a letter to the village in time. I didn¡¯t expect that they would be married off by Old Madam. Right now, it¡¯s even hard for them to enter the inner courtyard. It¡¯s really a pity.¡± CH 6 Ying¡¯er and Zhu¡¯er were assigned to the two young masters and became common servants of the outer courtyard. Ren Family¡¯s inner courtyard and outer courtyard were clearly demarcated. It¡¯s extremely difficult to cross over that ¡®flower-hung gate¡¯1 with lotus columns and eaves, even if one had worked in the Ren Estate for a lifetime. ¡°Momo,2 you should¡¯ve said this sooner! Now that we¡¯re back, she still dares stretch her hand so far?!¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s eyes were chilling and her voice cold, ¡°I will arrange for her to come tomorrow, and ¡®those courtyard servants who bend with the wind¡¯,3 let them all be thrown out.¡± Momo Zhou persuaded, ¡°Third Miss, we just came back. Let¡¯s put this matter aside from the time being? The number of people we brought back is small, and ¡®Ziwei¡¯4 Courtyard still needs someone to serve errands. Even if we want to pick people again or buy them separately, this matter should first be reported to Old Madam and Eldest Madam. Besides, the servants in the courtyard can¡¯t be driven out for no reason. Not only will it chill the hearts of the people beneath, it also won¡¯t look good to Old Madam with you dealing with them like this.¡± Ren Yaohua already hated Concubine Fang in her heart, and after hearing Momo Zhou¡¯s words, she raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Grandmother about it. As for the reason? Isn¡¯t that easy? Lazy, loose-mouthed, stealing, disrespectful to their master¡­ Since the master convicted them, can they still refute it?¡± ¡°Third Miss¡­¡± ¡°Third Sister wants to offend all the people in Ren Family before you¡¯re willing to stop?¡± Ren Yaoqi suddenly said. Ren Yaohua looked at her with cold face and chilling eyes, but Ren Yaoqi ignored her anger and quietly said, ¡°Concubine Fang has arranged a lot of people to work in Ziwei Courtyard, but the majority of them were not her people except for my Momo Zhu and two side servants.¡± ¡°Not her people?¡± Momo Zhou thought about it and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s reasonable to say that she doesn¡¯t have a great ability. It¡¯s been more than a year already¡­¡± Relationships needed to be built. Momo Zhou has been helping Li-shi5 for more than ten years, but she had only won a dozen of real confidants serving by her side, and now two of them have been sent away. The other wives of the Family are not ¡®vegetarian¡¯,6 how can they let Concubine Fang ¡®sit astride and ride on top of their heads?¡¯7 Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°Majority of the servants sent to Ziwei Courtyard were newly selected from the various ¡®Farmsteads¡¯8 a year ago.¡± Ren Yaohua sneered and gave Ren Yaoqi a sidelong glance, ¡°Concubine Fang has been in charge of the courtyard, even if she didn¡¯t pick them, how could these people not pass through her hands? Even if those people indeed have nothing to do with her, but didn¡¯t they become hers after going through her path?¡± Ren Yaohua was fierce in nature but she isn¡¯t dull-witted. Although she¡¯s young, she has her own opinions and has been helping the weak Li-shi make decisions since she was a child. Ren Yaoqi did not deny Ren Yaohua¡¯s words. Instead, she nodded in agreement, and said, ¡°Third Sister is right. Having taken Concubine Fang¡¯s path, these people got such an idle job so they are all grateful to her. Her reputation has become much better among the servants in the Ren Estate.¡± When Li-shi and Ren Yaohua went to the Manor, Ziwei Courtyard lost its master but the rules remained. Moreover, Concubine Fang never short changed them, so the servants soon recognized Ziwei Courtyard as a greasy leisure job. Ren Yaohua¡¯s expression became even more ugly this time but she didn¡¯t immediately speak out. The first-class maid Xi¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°But at the beginning, didn¡¯t Fifth Miss say that these people were not Concubine Fang¡¯s minions? Now she says they are her people¡­ So are they her people or not?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, and softly said, ¡°Although these people were all ¡®household servants¡¯9 who had been chosen from the Farmsteads by Concubine Fang, they each have some kin connections with the favored older female servants and maids in the Old Madam, Eldest Madam, Second Madam, and Fifth Madam¡¯s courtyard. For example, the Niu-saozi10 who manages the key to our courtyard door¨C her younger sister-in-law is the eldest daughter-in-law of Momo Gui in Old Madam¡¯s courtyard. That Liu¡¯er who is in charge of the tea to serve the guests in our yard is the biological sister of the first-class maid Qiufen by the Eldest Madam¡¯s side. The old maid Liu in charge of the hot water used to be a doorkeeper steward of the outer courtyard. However, her niece is currently in charge of the accounts in Fifth Madam¡¯s courtyard¡­¡± Momo Zhou could be considered an old hand in the backyard. Just that, after hearing these few sentences, and knowing the powerful relationships among them, in her heart ¡®a surge of storm was brewing.¡¯11 The maid Que¡¯er was shocked, and angrily spoke, ¡°She actually used our Ziwei Courtyard to curry favor with the other masters of the Ren Family!¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head then glanced at Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua¡¯s lips pursed tightly, giving her cold face a slightly stubborn look, but her eyes were blazing with anger. ¡°She can certainly please the Old Madam and the people around the Eldest Madam by doing this, but the main purpose is not this.¡± After hearing this, everyone turned to look at Ren Yaoqi. She looked at Ren Yaohua and said, ¡°Her main purpose is Third Sister and Mother.¡± Ignoring the stunned gazes of the rest, Ren Yaoqi continued in a calm and steady manner, ¡°She has calculated based on the nature of Third Sister. She knew that you would never allow and will clean up the people she arranged in Ziwei Courtyard as soon as you return. In fact, these people have nothing to do with her, and they won¡¯t be in her way once they¡¯ve come in. She did a favor by doing this, but you will instead offend the Old Madam, Eldest Madam, Second Madam and Fifth Madam¡¯s people.¡± Ren Yaohua is the daughter of Ren Family, and Old Madam has always been fond of her, so she would sooner or later return to the Ren Estate. Concubine Fang understood this from the beginning, so she never thought she could drive Ren Yaohua and Li-shi out of the Ren Family completely. She is a concubine, even if she has a son, she can¡¯t be promoted. So what she wants is the control of the Third Branch¡¯s courtyard. Even if Li-shi and Ren Yaohua came back to the Ren Estate, she can no longer shake her position. ¡°That vile and shameless poisonous woman!¡± Xi¡¯er cursed through clenched teeth. Ren Yaohua gradually calmed down from her extreme anger. She said in a cold tone, ¡°She just wait and see, I will make her ¡®look good!¡¯¡±12 Ren Yaoqi asked calmly, ¡°How are you going to deal with her? Let Mother set rules in the courtyard and take this opportunity to fix her?¡± Ren Yaohua raised her eyes and looked at Ren Yaoqi with a sullen face. Momo Zhou was afraid the two sisters would quarrel again, so she hurriedly broke the deadlock, ¡°Third Miss has also thought about this when we were sent away after a year. The people in the Ren Household now only know there is a Concubine Fang, they do not know that there is Madam, the legitimate master. She wanted to take this opportunity to set the rules for Concubine Fang to give the Madam prestige.¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t want to argue with Ren Yaohua so she nodded, ¡°The idea is good but the timing is not right.¡± ¡°Oh? How is it not right?¡± Ren Yaohua raised her eyebrows and coldly asked. Ren Yaoqi earnestly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask Third Sister earlier how to make Concubine Fang ¡®look good¡¯? Before you left the house, you did humiliate her, but have you ever wondered why you were able to do so? To suffer defeat yet she had nowhere to redress her grievances?¡± Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t speak but Xi Er said, ¡°Of course, our Third Miss is greatly favored by Old Madam than Concubine Fang! With Old Madam¡¯s support, Concubine Fang naturally does not dare to be presumptuous when she sees the Third Miss.¡± Old Madam Ren did not like Li-shi but she was partial to her granddaughter Ren Yaohua. When Ren Yaohua pushed Ren Yihong into the water, the Old Madam simply thought she was young and vigorous, and that she did not deliberately set a ploy to take her brother¡¯s life, so she helped her say good things to Old Master Ren. ¡°Concubine Fang knows this too. So if one day the Old Madam no longer sided with Third Sister, then what would happen?¡± ¡°How is that possible? Old Madam has always loved Third Miss, even when we were in the Manor, she still sent someone to bring food to Third Miss.¡± Que¡¯er shook her head. Ren Yaohua and Momo Zhou were silent. There was no shortage of youngsters around Old Madam. Nowadays, Fourth Miss Ren Yaoyin, the daughter of Eldest Madam, as well as Ren Yaoyu, the only daughter of Fifth Madam, is the most favored in the Ren Family, as she was often kept by the Old Madam to stay overnight in the east wing of the ¡®Ronghua¡¯13 Courtyard. When Ren Yaohua and Li-shi paid their respects to Old Madam earlier, although she was very happy to see Ren Yaohua, she was coldly reprimanded when she pleaded for Li-shi¡¯s mercy. Before, Old Madam would never say a heavy word to Ren Yaohua. Every time Old Madam found Li-shi an eyesore, so long as she was on the side, Old Madam would always give her granddaughter some face. ¡°So the most important thing for Third Sister right now is not to find trouble with Concubine Fang, and make her reputation for being mean and overbearing be purposely and loudly known by everyone. Instead, you have to consolidate your position in front of Old Madam. So long as you are still the most favored granddaughter by the Old Madam side, you will have plenty of opportunities to teach Concubine Fang a lesson in the future.¡± Ren Yaoqi calmly and objectively pointed out. No one noticed her indifference towards Old Madam due to her being so calm. It seems that in her heart, Old Madam was merely a tool to be used to gain foothold in the inner residence, and not as her grandmother. ¡°Third Miss, what Fifth Miss said makes sense.¡± Momo Zhou pondered over Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words, and the more she thought about it, the more she became alarmed. Concubine Fang first cut off the Li-shi¡¯s confidantes who remained in Ziwei Courtyard. First, she could remove Li-shi¡¯s connection to the main residence of the Ren Estate, then further allow the estrangement between Ren Yaohua, Li-shi and Ren Yaoqi. Second, is to give the empty positions to those people for them to enter Ziwei Courtyard.13 She did this fully knowing that Ren Yaohua would be furious when she returned to the Ren Estate, and so her last move came next. To make Ren Yaohua completely fall out of favor with Old Madam, and offend all the Madams and servants of the Ren Household to the point of isolation. This is her ultimate goal. Ren Yaohua also understood and she couldn¡¯t help feeling aggrieved. She also wanted to mockingly ask Ren Yaoqi, ¡°To fall out of favor with grandmother. Isn¡¯t that exactly what you want?¡± However, she swallowed back her words when she met Ren Yaoqi¡¯s tranquil eyes. Ren Yaohua might not have agreed but Momo Zhou knew very well that she must have listened to her. She smiled at Ren Yaoqi and said, ¡°Fifth Miss has really grown up, even Madam and this old slave had never thought about this.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked down and she did not speak. In her previous life, she was taught by ¡®Imperial Preceptor¡¯14 Pei Zhiyan, so the inner residence¡¯ ¡®twists and turns¡¯15 for the present her, seems akin to opening a curtain of the shadow play and its control table, making the dense lines that control the puppets¡¯ movements so blatantly clear for her to see. TL Note: Hello! This a new project I¡¯ve picked up. I really enjoyed this novel. I guarantee that it¡¯ll be mind gripping, the schemes and conspiracies of the characters will amaze you. This has different flavor than other common historical novels because, this time it¡¯s not centered on the imperial court but rather on the northern vassal that guards the border- Yanbei. Find out how deep the conspiracy lies as Ren Yaoqi untangled the grudges on her past life. CH 7 She noticed that she had explained everything that needed to be said so Ren Yaoqi got up and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± She had fallen asleep earlier after taking the medicine since she¡¯s been sick. Moreover, it was now past her bedtime hours and she was very tired after talking so much. Nanny Zhou saw that she appeared listless, and knew that she must be feeling uncomfortable, so she hurriedly asked Xi¡¯er to come forward and help her, ¡°Fifth Miss, let Xi¡¯er take you back to your room. Let her be on night duty for tonight. Since the maids around you are unreliable, it¡¯s better to guard against them.¡± Ren Yaoqi allowed Nanny Zhou to carefully tidy up the cloak and hood on her body, ¡°Xi¡¯er should return after sending me back. Mother needs someone on her side. You only came back and there are many outsiders in Ziwei Courtyard so the manpower is stretched to the limit. Although the two side maids were assigned to me by Concubine Fang, they won¡¯t dare to blatantly disobey me. They have been serving me for quite some time now and have not made any major mistake. Besides, my illness has also gotten better, I¡¯m not in need of care more than Mother now.¡± When Momo Zhou heard those words, her expression warmed up, ¡°There is still ¡®this slave¡¯1 around Madam. So Fifth Miss doesn¡¯t need to worry.¡± Ren Yaoqi still shook her head, ¡°At this moment, it¡¯s better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Let it be for the time being. If I am still not well in a few days, I will ask Nanny then for ¡®sister¡¯2 Xi¡¯er to take care of me.¡± Nanny Zhou is the steward that Li-shi relied on the most. The four maids Xi¡¯er, Qu¡¯er, and Ying¡¯er and Zhu¡¯er, who have now been sent to the outer courtyard are the confidantes meticulously trained to serve Li-shi. It¡¯s better to keep such people beside her. Nanny Zhou couldn¡¯t persuade her anymore after seeing her so insistent. So she sent her out in person and watched her disappear at the corner door of the front hall surrounded by several maids, only then did she turn around and return to the main room. When she entered the east room, she saw Ren Yaohua had remained seated at the master¡¯s seat. She was holding a small silver scissors and fiddling with the wick on the blue and white porcelain candlestick, causing the shadow of the candle to flicker with her every move. Nanny Zhou softly sighed, she walked forward and took away the scissors from Ren Yaohua¡¯s hand, ¡°Third Miss, be careful lest it burn your hands.¡± Ren Yaohua had always respected Nanny Zhou, the old servant beside her mother so she didn¡¯t say much. ¡°Third Miss, when Concubine Fang comes tomorrow to pay her respect to Madam, if she proposes to serve Madam during her sickness, let her refuse it. She is cunning but Madam is honest, she won¡¯t even know when she had ¡®eaten a loss¡¯.3 Although you can control her, you¡¯re after all of the lower generation, it¡¯s not good for a daughter to chide her Father¡¯s concubine. It will damage your reputation if other people were to know.¡± Ren Yaohua gave a faint ¡°hmm¡± sound. Although she¡¯s not afraid for her reputation to stink, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words weren¡¯t unreasonable. She didn¡¯t want to fall to that bitch¡¯s trap this time. There would be plenty of opportunities to fix her in the future. ¡°This Concubine Fang ¡®can really count her abacus well¡¯.4 I could have never foreseen her to be so sinister and malicious. If you fall into her scheme and ruin your reputation, not only will you lose Old Madam¡¯s favor but also offend the other masters in the house. If there is no you in front of the Old Madam to intercede in the Ziwei courtyard, Madam¡¯s future will definitely be more difficult. Wouldn¡¯t we be pinched when the Third Branch fell into her hands?¡±5 Nanny Zhou couldn¡¯t help but break out in cold sweat when she thought of this. Concubine Fang may have designed Ren Yaohua to offend Old Madam, Eldest Madam, Second Madam, and Fifth Madam¡¯s servants, but she knew all too well how powerful these old maids can do at critical moments in front of their masters. ¡°I¡¯ll write down this account!¡±6 Ren Yaohua¡¯s soft and still immature face flashed a ferocious expression, and Nanny Zhou who accidentally caught a glimpse of it couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Nanny Zhou looked at Ren Yaohua¡¯s dark and unclear gloomy look, causing worry to sprout in her heart, ¡°Third Miss, since Fifth Miss has shown her goodwill to you first, you two sisters should get along well in the future.¡± Ren Yaohua took a glance at Nanny Zhou and with a cold tone, ¡°She plotted against me and got me chased out from the Ren estate and now you want me to just write it off like that?¡± Nanny Zhou was at a loss and could only persuade carefully, ¡°Fifth Miss was only nine years old at that time, and with Concubine Fang being this crafty, that she couldn¡¯t distinguish right from wrong is pardonable since she¡¯s been used by the other. Just look at what she said today, which sentence is not for your own good? You are both ¡®di-born¡¯7 sisters, you should support and help each other as you¡¯re ¡®crossing the river in the same boat¡¯.¡±8 Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t you be going along exactly towards that woman¡¯s intention, and causing your mother to weep alone9 because of your discord?¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s face remained expressionless and she did not say a word. Nanny Zhou carefully looked at her expression and wanted to persuade her again, but Ren Yaohua had already stood up, ¡°We¡¯re all tired after rushing on the road all day and night, so let¡¯s rest early today. I¡¯ll go back first and will visit mother tomorrow morning.¡± Nanny Zhou had to tamp down the words in her heart after seeing her like this, having the thought that she would have a chance later on to slowly mediate. These two sisters, one is very firm and decisive, and the other is clever and intelligent. If they could be of one mind, would there be a need to worry about one Concubine Fang? After a night of chilly breeze, Ren Yaoqi woke up late the next day and still was a bit groggy. However, she remembered that Concubine Fang would have paid her respects to Li-shi this morning, and she couldn¡¯t stay lying down anymore when she wondered if anything went wrong. She was about to call her maids to come in and wait for her when she heard the voice of Xi¡¯er, the maid serving beside her mother. ¡°¡­The weather is cold today, this hot tea should be kept warm on the charcoal stove so that the master can quench her thirst at any time. You have to know that even if it¡¯s a first-rate silver carbon shred, if you burn it for a long time in the inner room, it can also cause one to feel stuffy. Therefore, this charcoal stove must be placed in a ventilated hall. While the tea in the master¡¯s inner room must be changed every three quarters of an hour.¡± ¡°When we entered the estate, Concubine had instructed us to learn the rules from Steward Yan who serves beside Eldest Madam, but Steward Yan didn¡¯t teach us these rules.¡± Qingmei muttered somewhat unconvinced. Xi¡¯er coldly said, ¡°Am I not teaching them now? If you can¡¯t even learn these rules then the rest of you go tell Concubine Fang and ask her to change and pick a smarter maid for our Fifth Miss! You think the monthly salary of 800 Yuan per month for a second-class maid is so easy to get!¡± The two maids were silent. Ren Yaoqi then called out softly. Not long after, Xi¡¯er lifted the curtain and came in. She hurriedly walked to the bed and saluted to Ren Yaoqi. She smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, are you awake? Do you want to get up and have breakfast now? This slave had asked them to warm the meal on the stove. By the time you had breakfast, the medicine should be ready.¡± Except for New Year¡¯s Eve and other festivities, Ren Family¡¯s big kitchen would allocate three meals a day according to the number of people in each room and courtyard. Apart from Old Madam¡¯s Ronghua Courtyard that has a small kitchen, the rest and even Eldest Madam who¡¯s in charge of the family can only receive meals in the big kitchen. Of course, if you give the big kitchen some silver, then it¡¯s possible to get preferential treatment. Xi¡¯er saw Ren Yaoqi nod so she immediately instructed the two maids, Qingmei and Xueli to fetch water for Ren Yaoqi to wash her face and mouth. She came forward to help her put on a lotus cyan Songjiang10 cotton padded jacket. This kind of jacket is comfortable, light and warm¡ª the kind you wear in the inner room in winter when you don¡¯t have to go out to meet guests. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked out loud when she saw that she and Xi¡¯er were the only people in the room. Xi¡¯er buttoned her lapels and said with a smile, ¡°Madam became aware that you are ill so she wasn¡¯t reassured. If this slave did not come to see you, Madam would have gone out of the bed herself. Fifth Miss, think of Madam¡¯s concern for you, so don¡¯t drive this servant away.¡± Hearing that Li-shi asked her to come, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t say anything about letting Xi¡¯er go back. ¡°In addition, Nanny Zhou asked this slave to tell Fifth Miss that when Concubine Fang went to pay her respects to Madam this morning, she insisted on staying to serve during her illness, but Madam gently persuaded her to go back. Nanny Zhou said this so you can take care of your illness with a peace of mind. Not letting Madam worry is your filial duty. She is watching over Madam so there won¡¯t be any trouble.¡± This kind of words that other people can¡¯t say but Nanny Zhou, Li-shi¡¯s right hand dares to say. She is strict and upright, and she does not shy away from pointing out the mistakes of her little masters without any fear of being hated or rebuked. Ren Yaoqi nodded to indicate that she understood. Soon after, Qingmei and Xueli led the maids holding the copper basin, face towels, spittoon, and other things in. Xi¡¯er allowed the two maids, Qingmei and Xueli to watch to the side as she personally demonstrated how to serve the master¡¯s face washing and cleaning of her teeth. Xi¡¯er was trained by Nanny Zhou herself, and her careful and attentiveness was naturally not comparable to that of Qingmai and Xueli. After washing up, Xi¡¯er served Ren Yaoqi breakfast by herself. When the medicine was brought to her, she smelled it and found that it was back to the same prescription she had been taking. She doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because she¡¯s afraid that Li-shi¡¯s servants would notice something wrong with medicine, or is it because she saw that her ploy to prevent her from easing her relationship with Li-shi and Ren Yaohua had failed, so she simply restrained her hand. Concubine Fang has always been a person that knew how to judge the situation and act decisively. By the third day, Ren Yaoqi had almost recovered from her illness. This means that she had to resume her ¡®daily paying of respect¡¯11 to Old Master and Old Madam Ren. After more than a decade, she would have to face those so-called blood relatives again. TL Notes: Just a fair warning, the next chapter will drop a lot of character names, and the author¡¯s naming sense made many sounds so similar. It can be quite confusing at first so I created a list of characters and their affiliation in the glossary so you will know who¡¯s who. It¡¯s better if you read it by next chapter¡¯s update so you can understand. CH 8.1 The Ren family started out by leasing coal mines and operating coal kilns, and settled in the province of Youzhou situated in Yanbei1 for generations. During the decades when the sixteen prefectures of Yan were trampled by the Liao hordes,2 the family¡¯s assets were scattered and the clan withered, but the Ren family did not leave the land to move South with the imperial court. Later, the appointed fourth King3 of Yanbei, Xiao Qishan, did not disappoint the prestige of his ancestors and led a cadre of men to recover the sixteen prefectures of Youyan.4 He intercepted the Liao people outside the Jiajing Pass5 and returned the Yanbei region to the rule of the Da Zhou. During that tumultuous time, the head of the Ren family, Bao Ming, took out the three gold bars his wife had hidden under the latrine compartment. Despite the opposition of his family,6 he ¡®staked everything on one throw¡¯7 and bought several barren hilltops in the Western Mountain outside Yunyang City in Youzhou. Perhaps the Ren family was truly given a lucky break.8 The Western Mountain Ridge turned out to be a treasure trove for coal. The coal dug from the four or five hills bought by the Ren family were of particularly high quality. Although the annual output could not supply the entire Youzhou region, it could still be transported for sale to the cities around the prefecture. The head of the Ren Family was extremely good at managing the business so it only took a few years for the Ren family¡¯s coal stacks to be opened all over Yanbei. With such abundance of wealth that bordered on vulgarity, from then on the Ren Family flaunted itself as one of Yanbei¡¯s aristocratic family. After the initial settlement of Yanbei, ¡®one simply couldn¡¯t tell how many¡¯9 nouveau riche families had ¡®sprung up like bamboo shoots¡¯10 in the Yanbei region overnight. Besides the Yanbei Wangfu,11 who was the imperial household and uncrowned king that had guarded Yanbei for generations, some of the families that had emerged included the old northern families who moved back after the war. Among them were the Yun Family and the Su Family, the latter of which became famous after following the Yanbei King to the Northern expedition, and later the Ren Family who produced wealth through all sorts of luck. The old nobility and new aristocrats were at odds with each other. The nouveau riche families disliked the old prestigious families who were obviously poor and pedantic, but still had ¡®eyes higher than the crown on their heads¡¯.12 Likewise, the old prestigious families looked down on the upstarts for having shallow foundations and a lack of temperament that noble families should have. Both sides fought openly and maneuvered covertly, employing schemes that hindered each other. It wasn¡¯t until the King of Yanbei mediated to the Yun Family and Su Family, that the heads of the two faction began to reconcile and only then did the situation in Yanbei stabilize. Although there were still occasional disputes between the two factions over the next few decades, the majority of the nobility were able to peacefully coexist under the strong pressure of the Yanbei Wangfu, and as a result, many have become in-laws. The wife of Yonghe¨Cthe current head of the Ren Family, was born from Jizhou Prefecture¡¯s prestigious Qiu Clan. Although Qiu-shi¡¯s father was not of the ¡®main line¡¯,13 because the Qui Clan¡¯s patriarch (the main branch head) was sonless so he adopted his nephew. Thus the patriarchal position eventually fell on this child. Therefore, the current Qiu Clan¡¯s patriarch was actually Old Madam Ren¡¯s ¡®blood related¡¯14 first brother. Qiu-shi also ¡®straightened up her waist¡¯15 in the family because of this layer of relationship. After all, even though the Ren Family could barely be included in Yanbei¡¯s aristocratic houses due to chance, but compared to the Yun Family, Qiu Family, and the old prestigious families, in the end they still lacked a great deal of foundation. The main residence of the Ren Family¡¯s direct line was located in Baihe Town at the southern foot of the West Mountain, more than 90 miles away from Yunyang City. Even though Baihe Town couldn¡¯t compare with Yunyang, the first city of Yanbei, this prosperous and thriving city was situated at the boundary of the North to South transportation route which had become a battle ground where soldiers constantly fought. The Ren Family main estate occupied a wide area, with richly ornamented buildings, pavilions, and beautiful kiosk gardens16 that were no less impressive than the gardens in the southern capital. It was said that this residence was once the ancestral home of a prestigious family. The residence was sold at a low price when its owners migrated with the imperial family to the South. It was purchased later by the then head of the Ren Family and they moved in after renovating it. Ren Yaoqi has lived here since her birth. Before she left her family residence at the age of sixteen, she went out very rarely. During that time, the house was infested by worms and ants had breeded there. But now, a new roof tile has been added to the once old and decadent house. The walls had also been painted and the entire area was renovated sumptuously. After she recovered from her illness, Ren Yaoqi stepped out of Ziwei Courtyard for the first time. She walked under the ¡®Juiqui cloister¡¯17 and finally had a moment to take a look at the family residence with a different mindset. To be honest, her paternal great grandfather, the previous Ren Patriarch, had had some vision when he purchased the residence. Putting aside the exquisite and elaborate house, the ¡®feng shui¡¯18 of the whole estate prior to the renovation was actually excellent. The Southeast was higher up than the Northwest, with the West Mountain at its back and the Xiaobai River at the front, coalescing to the ¡°momentum of heaven and earth¡± sought after in feng shui. The long, undulating and winding West Mountain became the source of the residence¡¯s ¡°vital energy¡±, making the entire residence a place where wind and qi gathered.19 The pavilions were like clouds, with houses above and below in ¡®picturesque disorder¡¯,20 the main roads and paths conforming to the ¡®eight points of the compass¡¯. The head of the family¡¯s main house and Ronghua Garden was located at the center, with its layout resembling the tai chi¡¯s yin and yang fish diagram and the inner and outer courtyard formed a total of eight houses to form a Bagua appearance.21 If the land was good, then seedlings would flourish, and if the residence was lucky, then the people would prosper. The person who built this residence must have been an unparalleled master of feng shui. It was the kind of residence where even imperial descendants could live. Although the Ren Family could temporarily borrow its fortune but it won¡¯t be able to suppress its noble qi for the longest time and might even be overwhelmed by its fortune instead, causing it to backfire.22 It was no wonder she¡¯d heard people talk about the decline of the Ren Family and the change of ownership of the residence a few years after she left the family. Back then, she was no longer interested in inquiring as to where the rest of the people who lived in this residence had gone to. Example: Juiqui cloister: Just like this: Bagua design overview: CH 8.2 Passing through the Ronghua Courtyard¡¯s ornamented gate with glazed roof tiles and lofty wall pillars, the first thing that caught her eyes was the giant Lingbi stone in the shallow pond at the center of the courtyard. The stone was named ¡°Cangshan Eminent¡± after its shape that resembled a mountain range.1 It was said that the stone was brought back from the distant Anhui Province at great expense by the former head of the family, Bao Ming, and was considered to be one of the wonders of the Ren residence. Bypassing the Lingbi stone were the three expansive Huating Pavilions2 of Ronghua Garden. They are normally closed, and would only be opened during the New Year festival and banquets. While the two courtyards on the East and West were used for accommodations when there were too many guests. Passing through the Ronghua Garden was the front courtyard of the main hall¡¯s main house.3 Qiu-shi, the Old Madam of the Ren Family has a peculiar hobby. She didn¡¯t like flowers and trees and disdained those ¡®red flowers and green willows¡¯4 that attracted insects and ants. So the whole courtyard only has a neat interlocking pattern of bluestones.5 Only in spring and summer would one or two plants unexpectedly emerge at the foot of the wall, adding a little green to this place. Unfortunately, they will be uprooted as soon as they sprouted by the old maid who swept the yard. The sky finally cleared up after two days of heavy snowfall, but before the snow could cover the ground, the northern wind turned it to ice. So Ren Yaoqi had to pick paths or walk through corridors with cotton lichen floor coverings. Ronghua Courtyard was clean and contained no trace of ice and snow. It was cleaned so well that the unchanging bluestone ground could be seen. In that moment, there were two twelve or thirteen year old maids kneeling on the bluestone floor at the front courtyard of the main house. Attired in indigo winter clothes for second-class maids, they knelt with their foreheads against the ground in a proper and sincere manner, but their bodies were shaking like those few dead leaves still hanging from the branches. She just didn¡¯t know if they were cold or frightened. Ren Yaoqi walked past them and when she climbed the steps to the main house¡¯s platform, she could still hear them sniffling. ¡°They are Fang¡¯er and Hui¡¯er who are serving beside Eight Miss.¡± Qingmei, who lagged behind, glanced at the two girls, then rushed two steps forward to catch up. Pretending to be mysterious, she covered half of her mouth and reported this to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ear. The excitement was clear in her voice at having watched a ¡®good play¡¯.6 Ren Yaoqi ¡®turned a deaf ear¡¯7 at her and stood outside the curtain, waiting for the first-class old maid to announce her arrival. Ren Family rules were extremely strict, this was especially so in the Ronghua Courtyard of the Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren. If there is no response in the main house, then one cannot enter. When Li-shi came back that day, it was because Old Madam Ren did not issue an order to let her into the house, so she had knelt under the porch for more than an hour. Fortunately, Old Madam didn¡¯t want to torment Ren Yaoqi today so the old maid at the door quickly opened the curtain for her, ¡°Fifth Miss, please go ahead.¡± The warm air from inside the room hit her in the face as soon as she walked in. The main house of Ronghua Courtyard was located in the fifth house facing North to South, with the middle room being the Ming Hall which was empty at this time. Only two maids stood on each side in front of the moonlit carved patterned door. The maids standing at attention curtsied when they saw Ren Yaoqi enter and lifted up the brocade curtain with a ¡°fortune¡± word pattern. A slight sound came out from the west second room mixed with the fragrance of baked pancake.8 It was almost time for Old Madam and Old Master to have breakfast. The younger generation of the family who paid their respects had to go to the Ronghua courtyard with an empty stomach. They had to wait upon the elders till they finished their meal before they could go back to their own courtyards to eat. The moment Ren Yaoqi entered, she caught sight of Eldest Madam Wang-shi leading her eldest daughter-in-law Zhao-shi to set the kang table. A large kang9 against the north wall already had a few dozen large and small dishes laid out, furthermore there were more to be placed there by the maids standing off to the side carrying food boxes with several unopened lids. The Eldest Master Ren Shizong led his son and nephews to sit at the nanmu chairs10 on the East and West sides, while Third Miss Ren Yaohua, Fourth Miss Ren Yaoyin, and Ninth Miss Ren Yaoying stood under the Southern window. Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi resided in the same courtyard, but they never came together to pay respect to Ronghua Courtyard nor did they leave together. Previously, Ren Yaohua lived in the warm room at the east wing of the Ronghua courtyard every half of the month, and if she stayed at Ziwei Courtyard, she would come here everyday earlier than her. Ren Yaoqi swept her eyes around the room then curtsied to greet the elders. Eldest Madam turned her head to look at her and smiled, ¡°Is Fifth girl well enough? Old Madam also said yesterday that you should rest for a few more days so you don¡¯t have to rush over to fulfill your daily respects.¡± Ren Yaoqi bowed her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m all better now so it¡¯s inexcusable if I disregard my filial duty.¡± Eldest Madam smiled and nodded her head, ¡°Good child. Don¡¯t forget to credit your Concubine Fang for your quick recovery. Eldest Aunt is indeed in charge of the household, but all your medical treatment this time was requested by your Concubine Fang.¡±11 Ren Yaoqi glanced at Eldest Madam¡¯s smile and bowed her head in acquiescence. Wang-shi, the Madam who was in charge of the household, had a good reputation in the family. She was fair when handling affairs and clear with rewards and punishment. She managed what she should do, but ¡®kept one eye open and the other eye closed¡¯ to what she shouldn¡¯t.12 Since she couldn¡¯t take the credit, then naturally she wouldn¡¯t bear the responsibility. After she finished exchanging pleasantries with Eldest Madam, she went to the south window to stand beside Ren Yaohua and the others. She curtsied to her third sister Ren Yaohua and fourth sister Ren Yaoyin who were both older than her. Ren Yaohua ignored her as always while Ren Yaoyin, her fourth sister actually smiled kindly and curtsied to her in return. The younger one, her ninth sister Ren Yaoying curled her lips and reluctantly gave her a careless curtsy to which Ren Yaoqi nodded and then she stood next to Ren Yaoyin. TL Notes: Not yet muddled by the names? Stay with me, because I created a GLOSSARY and the Ren Family Tree for you guys to cure your muddled eyes. You have to endure a bit more as these are foundation chapters, they might seem overwhelming but you¡¯ll be able to tell who¡¯s who soon enough. Ofc, if you¡¯re still confused just check the character list in the glossary. Now, who were the masterminds behind the scenes for this chapter¡¯s completion? We¡¯ll unveil it for you to catch on: The greatest schemer, of course me, this chapter¡¯s translator: Eastern W. (?????) My partners in crime: (??¥î?)?*:??? Thank you for all your efforts! <( £ß £ß)> Moreover, there will be a chapter tomorrow! That¡¯s because dear Liliane decided to conspire (collaborate) with me¡­ ¨R?¨Q Lastly, join The Conspirators Club Discord to get updates, spoilers, or to report if there¡¯s typos and grammar mistakes. Leave comments and recommend this to your friends! Cangshan Eminent Bluestone: Baked pancake (ÀÓºÐ×Ó): Kang and Kang table: Nanmu chairs: CH 9 As soon as Ren Yaoqi stood in line, in order of seniority, she heard the voices of the maids outside collectively greeting Old Madam Ren and Old Master Ren. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s upright back went rigid. She began to slowly take deep steadying breaths, forcing herself to relax. The men who were seated in the Eastern Room immediately stood up, and the Eldest Madam who had been setting up the kang table also quickly laid down the plate of chilled mixed tofu Fulu 1 in her hands at the southeast side of the kang table. Then, she anxiously went to greet the elders at the moonlit carved patterned door. Like everyone else in this room, Ren Yaoqi stood upright with her body leaning forward slightly, her arms put to one side2 and her gaze controlled. Eldest Madam had only taken three or four steps forward when Old Madam Ren and Old Master Ren made their appearance. Old Master Ren was fifty-six this year but he was lofty and imposing, his mind vigorous with a pair of penetrating eyes. Old Madam Ren, who stood by his side, was a few years younger than him. She had a round face, thin eyebrows and although she was not young anymore, each of her cheeks had dimples which made her seem to be smiling even when she was not. Ironically, they gave her a guise of benevolence where none existed. Ren Yaoqi watched as the two elders walked in and sat at the head of the kang table, she then bowed her head and followed after everyone to kowtow to Old Madam Ren and Old Master Ren. She saluted with flawless form, and paid her respects to Old Madam. She listened to the voice above, deep and resounding like a morning bell, ¡°You may all stand up.¡± Somehow, hearing the sound of that voice made a memory from her previous life resurface. At a time when she was preparing to leave the Ren Family, it was that voice with an unquestionable and dignified tone that reverberated in her head, ¡±Little girl, you must never forget that throughout these years, it is the Ren family who has carefully raised and sheltered you, fulfilling all your needs, whether they be food or clothing. Even if you leave the family, always remember ¨C you are a daughter of the Ren Family, and only when the Ren Family thrives will their daughters be able to stand firmly outside!¡± She didn¡¯t know if Old Madam Ren taught those principles to every woman of the Ren Family before they left the house for marriage, but the thought of it made her sneer. After all, it was the first time she heard someone utter such shameless words in a very much sanctimonious3 and matter of course manner.4 Old Madam Ren seemed to have forgotten that at that time, this particular daughter of the Ren Family who was about to go out, was not leaving to get married. Her life had been completely ruined and yet, Old Madam Ren could still calmly demand further sacrifice from her in the name of filial duty. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s right arm was suddenly lightly bumped, causing her to recover quickly and she turned her head to meet the slightly bemused expression of her fourth sister Ren Yaoyin. Apparently, everyone else had stood up, but she was still kneeling there, motionless. Ren Yaoqi pretended to weakly stand up and Ren Yaoyin stretched out her hand to help her, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you still not feeling well?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze was drawn to them and the Eldest Madam hurriedly walked over and raised her hand to touch her forehead, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Haven¡¯t you already recovered?¡± Ren Yaoqi remained calm and collected5 and the clenched fists under her sleeves loosened, and she said in a low voice, ¡°I took the last dose of medicine when I woke up this morning so it must be taking effect. I have really recovered.¡± Old Madam Ren indifferently said, ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, why come? Do you think I lack one or two people to pay respects to me?¡± Eldest Madam hurriedly smiled as if to smooth things over, ¡°Fifth girl is such a filial child, she just had come and to pay her respects as soon as her health improved.¡± ¡°Okay, now let the children go back to their courtyard to eat.¡± Old Master Ren¡¯s hand gently took a plate from the table, and the room immediately became quiet. Old Madam waved her hand, her gaze sweeping across the younger generations, ¡°Hua¡¯er6 and Yin¡¯er can stay and have their meal here. The rest can all go back.¡± Everyone bowed and retreated. Ren Yaoying pouted and glanced at Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, somewhat reluctant. At this moment, a burst of bell-like laughter suddenly resounded outside. The curtain was then lifted and a Madam7 in her twenties walked in with a reluctant girl by her side. This Madam wore a purple butterfly patterned brocade with a fox fur outer coat, complemented by an apricot colored pleated skirt, and a yuanbao shaped hair bun.8 Her waist¡¯s jade ornaments9made a tinkling sound as she moved. She looked sweet and pleasant and there was a pair of dimples on her cheeks, similar to the Old Madam. ¡°Oh! Am I late today?¡± The Madam looked at the crowd in surprise, who were seemingly also startled by her late entrance, and immediately put on a dimpled sweet smile. ¡°Father and mother, please forgive this daughter-in-law. How could I have made such a blunder today? You all know that this daughter-in-law has always been most attentive with regards to the daily paying of respect and rarely ever come late. This daughter-in-law will now kowtow to mother and father.¡± As she said this, she quickly pulled along the little girl who was standing next to her to kneel down in the middle of the room, sincerely and diligently saluting and then respectfully kowtowing to Old Madam and Old Master Ren. When she got up, Ren Yaoqi, together with the younger generation then went forward to pay her respects and called out, ¡°Fifth Aunt.¡± Old Madam Ren glanced at her, ¡°I thought that the rules in this mansion no longer applied since one or two people are always unexpectedly ill. I was just about to discuss with the Old Master about making an exemption for the morning and evening greetings. What do you think?¡± Fifth Madam Lin-shi was not afraid when she heard these words. Instead, she covered her mouth and smiled in a coquettish manner, ¡°Mother, what are you talking about? This one doesn¡¯t know about other daughters-in-law, but if this daughter-in-law doesn¡¯t come to the Ronghua Courtyard to wait upon you every day, then this one can¡¯t even eat. My Yu¡¯er also feels the same way, isn¡¯t that so Yu¡¯er?¡± She didn¡¯t forget to pull her daughter¡¯s sleeve gently after she spoke. The Eighth Miss, Ren Yaoyu, looked seven or eight points similar to her mother. After she heard her mother¡¯s words, she quickly raised her eyes to glance at Old Madam and nodded. Old Madam snorted lightly, but her face was normal and there was no unsightly expression there. She was obviously not genuinely angry. ¡°Father, mother, daughter-in-law will wait upon you for the meal.¡± Lin-shi made a show of earnestly10 taking off her pair of jade wrist bracelets and handing them to a maid standing off to the side to put them away. She stepped forward and stood beside the Old Madam, picking up a pair of silver chopsticks to add vegetables to Old Madam¡¯s dish. Old Madam Ren glared at her, ¡°Alright, why are you pretending to be obedient now? It¡¯s cumbersome! I don¡¯t need you here, let your eldest sister-in-law, nephew and daughter-in-law come and serve.¡± Lin-shi pursed her lips and didn¡¯t insist. She handed the silver chopsticks back to Eldest Madam and said with a smile, ¡°Mother dislikes me for being clumsy while sister-in-law has always been more favored by the elders.¡± Eldest Madam smiled modestly and did not argue with her. Old Madam Ren looked at Lin-shi, and then at Ren Yaoyu who had been having difficulty standing still since she came in and, from time to time, would look out the South window. Chilled mixed tofu Fulu: Curtsied form: Yuanbao hairtyle: Waist ornaments: CH 10 ¡°Go, have someone set up another table and put it in the adjacent room. Eldest son, bring the men back and as for Eldest daughter-in-law, Fifth daughter-in-law and the rest of you sisters will remain here for now.¡± Inviting them to have a meal together was Old Madam¡¯s show of goodwill. Old Master Ren almost never interfered in such trivial matters. Therefore, following Old Madam¡¯s instructions, Eldest Master Ren Shizhong took his sons and nephews away while Eldest Madam bowed in compliance and went to instruct the maids on their table arrangements. But Lin-shi hastily stopped Eldest Madam and spoke with a smile, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t be in such a rush. Let me be the one to do it.¡± Eldest Madam glanced at Old Madam and when she saw that she had nothing to express about it, she then nodded and smiled at Lin-shi, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be troubling you, Fifth sister-in-law.¡± Lin-shi glanced at Eldest Madam, and said reproachfully, ¡°Sister-in-law, what kind of words are these? I have been so diligent but you thanking me makes it seems as if I don¡¯t usually lift a finger. You¡¯re mocking me in front of the younger generation, aren¡¯t you? She spoke eloquently,1 with a crisp voice, and while the meaning behind these words sounded a bit prickly, her way of expressing it made it seem like a shared and intimate joke. ¡°Don¡¯t lower yourself to argue with this insolent monkey. She always turns white to black and black to white.2 Let her take care of it.¡± said Old Madam. Eldest Madam smiled and moved to stand behind Old Madam once again. Lin-shi heard those words and seemingly took them like high-praise. She covered the smile on her face and turned to leave, swinging her hips all the while. Ren Yaoqi, together with the sisters, followed Lin-shi to the next room. Eldest Madam joined them only when Old Master Ren and Old Madam, whom she had been waiting on, finished their morning meal. Eighth Miss Ren Yaoyu was eating somewhat dispiritedly3 and kept fiddling with her chopsticks, picking a crystal steamed dumpling but not adding it to her dish, all the while sneaking multiple glances towards Fifth Madam¡¯s table. In contrast, Fifth Madam was eating in a relaxed manner, and praising the rare and delicate plate of fresh winter bamboo shoots4 for its exquisite taste alongside Eldest Madam. In the Ren Family, if Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin were considered to be the most favored granddaughters, then it¡¯s Fifth Madam Lin-shi who held the position of most beloved daughter-in-law in Old Madam¡¯s eyes. Even Eldest Madam, on that point, had to stand aside. This differential treatment was not only on account of Lin-shi marrying Old Madam¡¯s youngest son, but also because Lin-shi¡¯s biological paternal grandmother5 was actually Old Madam Ren¡¯s paternal aunt.6 Old Madam¡¯s aunt was married off to the Lin family, the largest grain merchant in Yanbei. And after the passing of Lord Lin, it was this aunt¡¯s eldest son, Lin-shi¡¯s biological father, who became the head of the Lin Family. Lin-shi and Ren Shimao, the Fifth Master of the Ren family, were childhood sweethearts.7 They were married for more than ten years and had two children together, a son and a daughter. And despite the Fifth Master leaving each year to spend three or four months in the capital with Second Lord Ren, their relationship as husband and wife never wavered. It¡¯s just that although Lin-shi was well-regarded8, Old Madam Ren¡¯s attitude towards Lin-shi¡¯s daughter, Ren Yaoyu, was rather lukewarm. Ren Yaoyu was not nearly as well liked as Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin whom Old Madam Ren clearly favored. As a matter of fact, before Ren Yaohua was sent to the Manor, the Ronghua Courtyard¡¯s east wing9 was considered Ren Yaohua¡¯s boudoir alone. Even Eldest Madam¡¯s daughter, Fourth Miss Ren Yaoyin, did not reside there. It¡¯s only after her departure that Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaoyu managed to, one after the other, move in the east wing and take over Ren Yaohua¡¯s position in Old Madam¡¯s eyes. Ren Yaoqi vaguely remembered that soon after Ren Yaohua¡¯s return, Ren Yaoyu was driven out of Ronghua Courtyard by her scheme, but Ren Yaohua herself did not seem to gain any advantage from it. In the end, it was their Ninth Sister, Ren Yaoying, who moved in to replace Ren Yaoyu. Unfortunately though, because of this incident, Ren Yaohua thoroughly offended Fifth Madam Lin-shi. This led Lin-shi, who originally had only been a bit distant from their mother Li-shi, to now look upon this mother-daughter pair with barely suppressed ire. As a result, Ren Yaohua completely fell out of favor with Old Madam later on, and finally, in the end, was granted an ill-fated marriage. Were it not for Lin-shi¡¯s hand in further fanning the flames10, Ren Yaohua¡¯s ending might not have been so terrible. The only problem was that in her previous life, Ren Yaoqi was still ill at that time and didn¡¯t witness how exactly Ren Yaohua managed to plot against Ren Yaoyu. Ren Yaoqi thought of Ren Yaoyu¡¯s two maids presently kneeling outside¡­ Could today be the day that the incident took place? Having thought this, Ren Yaoqi glanced at Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua with an upright posture, was holding up an exquisite rose colored Fushan Shouhai bow11 and taking small sips of her lotus seed and longan congee. Because the two were sitting opposite each other, when Ren Yaoqi looked over for a moment, Ren Yaohua, who had just raised her head caught sight of her. Seeing Ren Yaoqi unexpectedly looking at her with a complicated expression, Ren Yaohua frowned and stared back. Ren Yaoyin who was sitting next to Ren Yaoqi noticed Ren Yaohua¡¯s gaze and couldn¡¯t help but turn her head and also glance at Ren Yaoqi. After a moment, Ren Yaoqi looked aside and bowed her head to eat. Ren Yaoyin knew these two sisters had never seen eye to eye, and thought they were once again having a disagreement, so she simply smiled and cast it out of her mind. When Eldest Madam then Fifth Madam were done eating, they put down their chopsticks. Everyone else followed and put down theirs as well. At that moment, Jin Lian, a maid beside Old Madam, came over and relayed Old Madam¡¯s instruction. The madams and young misses were to come to Ming Hall after they¡¯d finished their meal. No one dared to delay their departure. The maids attended to everyone while they rinsed their mouths and cleaned their hands. They then went to Ming Hall where Old Madam awaited. Ming Hall, the main house12 of Ronghua Courtyard, was very spacious. Here was Old Madam Ren, sitting upright while drinking tea on the carved sandalwood Luohan bed situated at the northern side13 of the room. Old Master Ren¡¯s figure was nowhere in sight, he had probably already gone out. Because the Ren clan was now of the Aristocracy, to be the head of such a family was naturally a heavy burden to bear. Everyone saluted and, one by one and in order of seniority, took their seats. Old Madam Ren set down her teacup, and her gaze then swept across the crowd to ultimately settle on Ren Yaoyu, ¡°Yu¡¯er, come here.¡± Ren Yaoyu considered raising her eyes to look at Old Madam, but after getting a glimpse of her face which always appeared to be smiling even when she was not, she was unable to. She slowly stood up and aimed a few looks at Lin-shi who was seated on the opposite side. Although Lin-shi was still talking to Old Madam in a low voice, she immediately caught on to her daughter¡¯s unspoken plea for help and surreptitiously gave her a meaningful glance, indicating for her not to be afraid and to go over quickly. Ren Yaoyu relaxed a little and very slowly took a few steps forward then stopped in front of Old Madam. Old Madam Ren¡¯s voice was still gentle, ¡°The two maids who are kneeling outside, are they in your service?¡± Ren Yaoyu glanced at her mother then nodded. ¡°Do you know why they are being forced to kneel in punishment?¡± Ren Yaoyu subconsciously wanted to look at Lin-shi again. Suddenly, Old Madam heavily struck the sandalwood small table on the Luohan bed and raised her voice, ¡°I¡¯m the one asking here! Where are you looking?¡± The little girl was nearly frightened to tears. She usually had a lively temperament but whenever she saw her grandfather14 and grandmother,15 it inexplicably made her feel like a mouse encountering a cat16 and made her dread speaking to Old Madam. Her mother, Lin-shi, had already lectured her about it but she still couldn¡¯t fix this shortcoming. Lin-shi felt distressed for her daughter and rushed in to smooth things over, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s because Yu¡¯er didn¡¯t know what those two maids had done to be punished to kneel that caused her to sneak back to Jianjia Courtyard in fear. She has always been a timid one so don¡¯t be angry with yourself for her unseemly fault.¡± Old Madam Ren¡¯s expression sank slightly, ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ve been spoiling her too much!¡± Lin-shi herself unlike her daughter was not afraid of being scolded, so she hurriedly replied with an apologetic smile, ¡°Daughter-in-law knows she is in the wrong. As a matter of fact, was she not sent here in order for Old Madam to lend a hand and discipline this unbridled one? Old madam teaches her children well. Nowadays, who in Yunyang City has not heard of my baomei17 Ren Shijia? Each time this daughter-in-law goes back to her parental home, grandmother and mother would preach and compare this daughter-in-law to baomei .¡± At the end, Lin-shi even seemed a bit aggrieved. The baomei Lin-shi spoke of was Old Madam¡¯s youngest daughter, Ren Shijia, who married her paternal cousin, the only son of Lin Family¡¯s first branch. Old Madam Ren¡¯s face slowly became less tense, ¡°Since this is the case, don¡¯t feel distressed when I teach her a lesson.¡± Lin-shi hurriedly said, ¡°How can your daughter-in-law feel sorry for this little girl? It¡¯s you, mother, for whom this daughter-in-law feels heartache.¡± Old Madam snorted and turned her head to look at Ren Yaoyu, ¡°Early this morning, someone saw your two maids sneaking a bundle of things out of the courtyard.¡± Ren Yaoyu wanted to look at Lin-shi again but bore with it, stammering honestly, ¡°Grandmother, I¡­I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± She had completely forgotten what her mother had taught her to say beforehand. Lin-shi gave Ren Yaoyu a frustrated glance, and had no choice but to intervene again and said, ¡°Mother, who witnessed this? Can you call them in to confirm this matter? On this pitch-black early winter morning, it¡¯s easy to make these kinds of mistakes. Could these two maids possibly have just been taking Yu¡¯er¡¯s clothes out to wash? Ren Yaoqi, who had been listening silently, suddenly remembered. After she recovered from her illness, no one in Ronghua Courtyard or even in the entire Ren family dared speak about Ren Yaoyu¡¯s expulsion from the Ronghua Courtyard. She only heard something from Momo Zhu. From the bits she had gathered, this incident should be the source of Old Madam¡¯s disgust towards Ren Yaoyu. Winter bamboo shoots: Structure of Old Madam¡¯s main house Fushan Shouhai/Fukuyama Shuhai bowl: Structure of a courtyard: Luohan bed: CH 11 She had just recovered from her illness at that time when she overheard Momo1 Zhu talking with Jin Ju¡ªthe side maid of Concubine Fang¡ªthat Ren Yaoyu¡¯s two maids had been sold from the estate, and that their old mother and sister-in-law came to ask the household servants to help them bring out the private savings that these two maids have collected over the years. They even promised to give some money to those who were willing to lend a hand. However, the two maids¡¯ private rooms had long been swept clean by the old maids of Old Madam¡¯s courtyard who took advantage of the situation when they searched for evidence in their room, and now, not even a copper had been left behind. Right away, the people in the estate gossiped that the two maids serving beside Ren Yaoyu were sold because they stole valuables from the Old Madam¡¯s inner room. Momo Zhu also lamented that she didn¡¯t know just how many good things those old maids of Ronghua Courtyard snatched up in the dark after that search. Jin Ju on the other hand, sneered at the actual reason. Those two maids were not driven out of the house for stealing, but because they dared conduct such dirty dealings in the Old Madam¡¯s house which violated the Master¡¯s taboo. Momo Zhu was just about to ask another question when someone outside of the room reported that Ren Yaohua had been driven out of the west wing for angering Old Madam. At that time, Ren Yaoqi lost face due to the incident wherein Ren Yaohua slapped her twice on the cheek, so she was pretending to be ill because she felt ashamed. When she heard this news at that moment, she was even secretly happy. After that, Momo Zhu helped her find out the reason why Ren Yaohua angered the Old Madam Ren, and it was due to the matter of her framing Ren Yaoyu having been exposed by the Fifth Madam. It¡¯s just that Ren Yaoyu was not given redress for this in the end. Old Madam was always indifferent to this granddaughter even until the day she left the Ren residence. Now that she thought about it, what she accidentally overheard in the past may not necessarily be the truth. Concubine Fang¡¯s maid, Jin Ju, had an older sister named Jin Lian, who was a first-class maid serving in the Old Madam¡¯s inner room. This matter may not have been the work of Ren Yaohua, but was very likely that she had been used as a pawn. The only person that she could think of who would profit in this incident at a later time¡­ Ren Yaoqi had thought all of this through when Old Madam Ren¡¯s voice rang above her head, ¡°Go and get the two maids from outside to come in, and also call over that servant to get in here.¡± Momo Gui, who was next to Old Madam, hurriedly followed through. In a short while, the two maids who had been kneeling outside were roughly brought in by four old maids. Perhaps because the two maids had been kneeling outside for quite a long time, as shown by their faces which were black and blue from the cold. They could not stand up properly, and as soon as the old maids let go, the two fell to the ground. ¡°When Momo Gui asked you before, you were not willing to speak. After having knelt for so long, you must have cleared your minds up a bit.¡± Old Madam Ren compassionately looked at the two maids and spoke. Fifth Madam continued with a chastising voice and a stern face, ¡°Someone said that they saw you sneaking out of Ronghua Courtyard this morning. Now that you¡¯re in the presence of Old Madam, tell the truth. Don¡¯t let the blame ultimately fall upon your Eighth Miss. You know my temperament. The thing I hate the most is a servant who deceives and betrays their master! If you take for granted the benevolence of the Old Madam and still obstinately persist in going down the wrong path, then I won¡¯t let you off lightly once you got out of Ronghua Courtyard!¡± Lin-shi¡¯s words were very righteous, but the two maids actually hid their heads even more when they heard it while their knees unconsciously trembled. Ren Yaoqi glanced at Fifth Madam. Could it be that Ren Yaoyu really did something that would infuriate Old Madam Ren? Lin-shi¡¯s words were clearly laced with a hidden warning to the two maids to weigh their words before they speak. That if they dare to implicate Ren Yaoyu then she would never let them get away with it. Old Madam Ren lifted her eyelids to glanced at Lin-shi then looked at the two maids, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance.¡± ¡°Res-responding to Old Madam, this slave did not, we didn¡¯t take anything out of Ronghua Courtyard.¡± One of the maids said honestly while stammering. Old Madam Ren did not look at them again. The atmosphere in the inner room turned somewhat strange. The two maids kneeling on the ground kept on trembling, and from their stiff posture you could see that they were terrified. Ren Yaoyu also kept tugging on her sleeves due to her overwhelming anxiety. While everyone there perceived Old Madam¡¯s displeasure at that moment, they dared not speak. Fifth Madam glanced at her daughter and had to take the lead, ¡°Mother¡­¡± At that very moment, Momo Gui lifted the curtain and came in, followed by an old woman attired in a worn dark cyan kapok jacket. ¡°Reporting back to the Old Madam, Liu An Old Wife2 is here.¡± Momo Gui stood by the side of the Luohan bed with her arms folded in salute.3Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the Old Wife who was kowtowing somewhat cautiously. Ren Yaoqi waited for her to get up and took a closer look at her, and sure enough, she didn¡¯t have any recollection at all. Fifth Madam looked at Liu An Old Wife with a very critical gaze and asked, ¡°Where are you from? Why do you look so unfamiliar?¡± Having heard this, Liu An pulled her head in closer to her body and fiddled her fingers before glancing at Momo Gui. Momo Gui hurriedly explained, ¡°She was originally in charge of the tea in the outer courtyard. The two old maids who sweep the yard broke their lower backs while cleaning the frozen snow on Ronghua Courtyard yesterday, so Old Madam had the outer Steward transfer someone to temporarily take over the work of these two old maids.¡± ¡°It turned out to be from the outer courtyard.¡± Fifth Madam Lin smiled and said to Old Madam, ¡°Mother, this is the first time this old wife of the outer courtyard entered the flower-hung gate, so she naturally can¡¯t tell the difference between ¡®east and west, north and south¡¯.4 Besides, these little maids are all wearing the same type of indigo cotton-padded jacket. It¡¯s only normal to misinterpret what one sees.¡± ¡® Old Madam waved her hand to stop Lin-shi from speaking any more, and asked Liu An old wife, ¡°Are the two people you saw this morning here?¡± Liu An Old Wife looked around and fixed her eyes on the two maids who were kneeling not far to her right. She pointed at them with a stubby finger and said, ¡°Replying to Old Madam, yes. It¡¯s these two girls.¡± ¡°Did you see them clearly? They are the maids serving beside the Eight Miss,¡± Lin-shi said, frowning. Liu An Old Wife shuddered when her eyes met Lin-shi¡¯s, then once again looked over to the two maids while shifting closer to critically observe them and nodded her head to Old Madam, ¡°This servant is certain these two girls were the ones this slave saw while knocking over the snow on the corridor eaves5with a stick at that time. The snow on the square beam6 scattered down and fell on her neck so this servant noticed, then hid in the tea room beside it to expel the cold and to tidy up. It just so happens that they walked by the door of the tea room,7 and this servant saw one of the girls had a mole the size of a soybean on her right cheek.¡± One of the two maids that knelt on the ground indeed had a mole on her face. ¡°Did you see clearly what they were holding?¡± Old Madam Ren said with a cold face. Liu An old wife fiddled with her hands and shook her head embarrassedly, ¡°They were carefully holding in their bosom an autumn-scented satin bundle. This servant didn¡¯t see what was inside it but only heard that girl with a mole on her face ask the other to go forward to the old maid gatekeeper. This servant felt something seems to be wrong so at once quietly followed them. Later, the two girls had already brought the bundle into the garden. This servant also heard them discuss that the Masters were about to get up, that they should hide the things first, and wait until their morning break to deal with it.¡± Folded her arms in salute: Corridor eaves: CH 12 As soon as she said this, everyone looked at the two maids kneeling on the ground. Old Madam Ren frowned, "Did you not hear clearly? You might as well confess!" Old Madam¡¯s expression remained neutral and her tone was not stern, but it was enough to make the two maids¡¯ teeth chatter in fright. The rules in the Ronghua Courtyard were quite strict. Maids who infringed upon them, even a little, would be severely punished. Even being sold off as a result was hardly unusual. Fifth Madam glanced at old wife Lu¡¯an, then faintly shifted her gaze towards Momo Gui. She asked with an unexpected smile, "Since this is the case, that bundle must surely have been found? Might as well take it out for us to see." Momo Gui appeared to be somewhat flustered. Fifth Madam raised her brows slightly and asked, "What is it? Were you unable to find what the old wife spoke of? Momo Gui lowered her head a bit and said, "To answer Fifth Madam, the maids and servants have been searching for it but it has yet to be found." At these words, Fifth Madam''s anger rose. She turned her head towards Old Madam looking somewhat wronged, "Mother, daughter-in-law is aware that you''ve always cared for Yaohua and Yaoyin more than for my Yu''er. And I''ve also taught her that as her elder sisters, her seniors, it is only right for them to be doted on more. My Yu¡¯er is a sensible girl and understood my meaning. Thus, she has always treated her sisters amiably, with all due courtesy, never displaying a bit of jealousy. Nevertheless, daughter-in-law is also aware that my Yu¡¯er is clumsy and taciturn, of a temperament which is not easy to like¡­But is this reason enough for any common person to dare bully her? This obscure matter is nothing more than the work of a servant of the outer courtyard with declining eyesight. In order to gain their master¡¯s favor and be rewarded for it, they chose to embellish events and purposefully mislead us with falsehoods. So how can they be credible? Although these two maids are foolish, they have diligently served at Yu¡¯er¡¯s side since young and been her closest attendants. Where would Yu¡¯er¡¯s integrity as a master be if she was to let them be labeled as thieves without a shred of evidence? After this matter comes to pass, how will she be able to hold her head high among her brothers and sisters?" As Fifth Madam was delivering her speech, her tears kept flowing down like an never-ending stream. Old Madam was a bit displeased at this spectacle and scolded her lightly, "Alright, I haven¡¯t said anything yet! I only called in the maidservants to ask some questions. What are you crying endlessly for in front of the younger generation?" Fifth Madam took out her handkerchief to wipe her tears and said with a bit of vexation, "Mother, you have yet to inquire thoroughly about this matter but have already affixed the blame on Yu¡¯er¡¯s servants. It¡¯s obvious you believe this woman¡¯s nonsense. Never mind. If you no longer care for Yu¡¯er, your granddaughter, I will take her back and send her to Yunyang City to be cast away at her maternal grandmother¡¯s side." "Mother¡­ I won¡¯t go to maternal grandmother¡¯s house¡­" said Ren Yaoyu as she gently pulled Fifth Madam¡¯s clothes with a sad expression. Fifth Madam pushed her daughter lightly and berated her, "Who told you to be dull and not know how to please your elders?" Ren Yaoyu wiped her tears, looking aggrieved. As Old Madam Ren watched the unfolding scene, blue veins started to throb on her forehead. She finally struck the Kang table in anger and stated, "Who said I¡¯m going to send Yaoyu to Yunyang City? Yu¡¯er is a granddaughter of my Ren Family and is not going anywhere!" Ren Family¡¯s Eldest Madam could see that if she did not put a stop to situation it would devolve into something quite messy. And once Old Madam is put on the spot, she would then find her to settle accounts with. Thus, Eldest Madam stepped forward to pull at the mother-daughter pair. She spoke in a mild manner, "Who said Old Madam doesn¡¯t care for Yu¡¯er anymore? If not for her love for her, would she have bothered to bring Yu¡¯er to her side and personally disciple her?" Eldest Madam also added some soft words to placate Ren Yaoyu, "Good child, you are smart so don''t listen to the words your mother spoke in anger. After all, how could the estate''s elders not like a modest, polite, and lovely girl such as yourself? So please, quickly go and persuade your mother." Fifth Madam, who saw that Eldest Madam had stepped in to smooth things over and knew to quit while one was ahead, gradually let go. But her eyes gazed at old wife Lu''an who was standing in the middle of the room. Eldest Madam and Fifth Madam have been sister-in-laws for many years. Knowing her temper, Eldest Madam took the initiative to help her and said, "Old Madam, what fifth sister-in-law said is not unreasonable. It happened early in the morning, and in the pozi¡¯s old age, it is not impossible to have made a mistake. How about letting Momo Gui lead someone to make an inventory of all the valuables in the house to see if anything¡¯s missing? If nothing important was lost, then it must have been a misunderstanding." Fifth Madam concurred, "Daughter-in-law is also in agreement. Let us inventory the valuables in the house and see if it is our Yu¡¯er''s maids who have been disloyal, or this crafty old woman who is speaking without thinking!" Eldest Madam looked at Old Madam Ren questioningly. Old Madam Ren turned her head and said to Momo Gui, "Take someone to check on the valuables." Momo Gui made a sound of compliance. Almost an hour later, Momo Gui came back followed by several older servants. "Reporting to Old Madam, we''ve checked everything in the room and according to the list I have, nothing is missing." Fifth Madam pointed her finger in anger at the flustered old wife Lu¡¯an and cursed her, "What a good servant you are, with no eye for their master! Saw my Yu¡¯er temperament and thought to bully her? You don¡¯t slander other people¡¯s personal attendants but thought to slander Yu¡¯er¡¯s! Isn¡¯t this a slap in our face?" Old Madam Ren had on an unsightly expression. The matter was tossed left and right for so long but they had yet to find a resolution. She was about to speak when old wife Lu¡¯an, who had been so scolded by Fifth Madam that she had shriveled in place, suddenly kneeled in front of her and anxiously explained herself. "Old Madam is observant. How could this slave dare lie and deceive her masters? This slave did in fact see a bundle and would not dare make a false statement." Momo Gui frowned and whispered, "Without proof, how do you want the masters to believe you? It¡¯s already unfortunate that I believed you enough to report the matter for you, and now am involved in spite of myself." "This slave¡­this slave can provide evidence", said old wife Lu¡¯an anxiously. Momo Gui¡¯s words had made her remember something. Fifth Madam gritted her teeth in anger, "Are you trying to deceive your masters again?" Old wife Lu''an¡¯s shook her head like a rattle: "No, no. This slave knows a woman in the outer courtyard who raised a dog with a very good nose. A few days ago, when their man was out of the house, their purse was stolen. They followed the dog who led them to a family who lived in a shabby alley five streets away. It was there that they found their purse." Everyone was surprised when they heard this. Old Madam Ren asked, "Is it really this effective?" "If you allow it, this slave can quickly go to test and see whether it will work. The slave will go to the outer courtyard to borrow the dog and let it sniff the two girls. Once that¡¯s done we can follow it to the garden to try and find the bundle." guaranteed old wife Lu¡¯an. Fifth Madam objected disdainfully, "Absurd! When so many servants have been looking for it yet could not find it, what can a beast do? Is it that humans are not as good as a beast?" Old wife Lu¡¯an hurriedly said, "This slave dares to guarantee it will it work. If ultimately, nothing is found, this slave will willingly take the blame." "Mother¡­" Fifth Madam turned her face towards Old Madam Ren to say something when Eldest Madam took a glance at Old Madam and then unexpectedly held Fifth Madam¡¯s hands to persuade her gently, "Since old wife Lu¡¯an dares to make such declarations, let her try. If they can¡¯t find it, it will prove the two maids¡¯ innocence and Yu''er will not lose face. As for the deceitful woman... she will be hit with the board and sold off. Let¡¯s see then who else dares speak nonsense in front of Old Madam in the future. Fifth Madam wanted to say something when she heard this but Old Madam had already spoken, "Let her go! Let¡¯s see what she can find with this trick. Yu¡¯er is my granddaughter. I will naturally be the one to call the shots and will not allow anyone to casually pour dirty water on her." Old wife Lu¡¯an was overjoyed. She kowtowed to Old Madam and thanked her for her grace before stepping out of the room. "Should this servant go along to keep an eye out?" asked Momo Gui. Old Madam Ren nodded and Momo Gui left after her. After roughly half an hour went by, the people in the room suddenly heard a dog¡¯s barking. Just from the noise it made, they could tell it was a big one. The younger generation who were sitting in the room all turned their head to peer with some curiosity towards the door. Pity the hanging curtains was obstructing the view and nothing could be seen. Contrary to them, Ren Yaoyu had on an utterly panicked and disturbed expression while Fifth Madam, who although was looking far from pleased, still managed to show some restraint and cast hinted glances at her daughter for her to keep her calm. After a while, Momo Gui lifted the curtains and strode in, the sound of the dog¡¯s barking outside becoming clearer for a moment. "Old Madam, I would like to request for the two servant girls to step outside and let the dog smell them." The two maids turned pale when they heard these words and reflexively looked at Fifth Madam. Old Madam Ren nodded and Momo Gui then signaled the two old maids behind her with her eyes. The two quickly stepped forward to handle the servant girls. Seeing that the two girls looked unsettled, Momo Gui kindly offered some words of comfort, "Don¡¯t be afraid. Although the dog may look quite big, it does not bite people." Almost as soon as they crossed the main room, the two maids started screaming. The sound startled the people inside and Old Madam Ren¡¯s hand, which was holding the lid of the bowl, shook. "What happened!" Momo Gui rushed in and said, "It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just the two maids who are a bit timid. Nevertheless, the masters should not come out so as to avoid any upset. This dog is quite tall after all." Its height, which Momo Gui demonstrated with her arm, was similar to that of a six or seven year old child. Eldest Madam hurriedly instructed, "Let a few people come and hold the doors closed. Don''t let the dog break in." Momo Gui did as ordered. Only when the dog¡¯s barking noise drifted away did the people in the house finally let out a sigh of relief. This time, in less than a quarter of an hour, Mother Gui came back. When she came in, she was carrying an autumn colored furoshiki bundle in her hands and walking behind her were the two hopeless and pallid maids as well as old wife Lu¡¯an who appeared relieved. Eight Miss, Ren Yaoyu, turned pale, and she tightened her grip on the hem of her mother''s shirt. Fifth Madam, Lin-shi, immediately took her daughter''s hand and gave the two maids a fierce look. But the two maids, already scared out of their wits, did not feel the weight of her glare. CH 13 ¡°Old Madam, this was found in the lower part of the rockery, hidden inside the crevisse of a rock¡° Momo Gui lowered her head and presented her with a bundle wrapped in cloth. Old Madam Ren cast a meaningful gaze at Fifth Madam and Ren Yaoyu¡¯s faces and signaled Momo Gui to open it. Momo Gui put the bundle on the kang table, turned her body and untied it when suddenly, her horrified gasp echoed in the room. Old Madam Ren frowned and took a look. Her pupils abruptly shrank and her face turned pale. Everyone was curious and looked at the small Kang table. What they saw on it was the autum coloured furoshiki spread out on the table and there, in its center, layed a white rag doll, the size of two adult fists. With messy characters scribbled all over it painted in red, it made for quite a ghastly sight. It is not surprising that Momo Gui, who had always been steadfast, suddenly gasped at this view. All here could see this was a curse, a practice that existed among women in the backyard. To make a cursed doll, one takes dried yin and yang bales of straw, wraps them in a white cloth to form a human shape, sews the date of birth of the cursed one, and finally draws the curse in dog blood. Old Madam Ren¡¯s cold and stern gaze fell upon the two maids who were already frightened witless. They immediately knelt down with a ¡°plop¡± sound-, ¡°You two have the gall to do this kind of dirty business in the estate!¡° The two maids were shivering. Laying prone on the floor, they started pleading for clemency, ¡°Old Madam is merciful, Old Madam is merciful...¡° This kind of crooked means was quite taboo in big families, especially for those who are in charge of the household. It was an unforgivable act. If subordinates were found to be involved in it, they would be sent to the government office and there, sentenced to receive a hundred planks. The yamen¡¯s one hundred planks was tantamount to taking a person''s life. Eldest wife also bore an unsightly expression and said, ¡°You both lost your mind! How could you do such a thing? Our Ren family will not tolerate servants who use such wretched and shameful means! You all... Ai...¡° The maid with a mole on her face seemed to abruptly react. She suddenly turned her head to look at Ren Yaoyu¡¯s ashen face. She shuffled forward on her knees and went up to her, ¡°Eight Miss, help us¡­¡° Fifth Madam was incensed. Upon seeing this, she kicked the servant girl in the stomach and cursed, ¡°Shut up!¡° Yet, the maid kept her wits about and still started shouting, ¡°This thing belongs to Eight Miss! This servant was ordered to take it out and bury it; This servant didn¡¯t know what it was meant for!¡° The other maid, who had only been crying so far, also rushed in to add, sobbingly, ¡°Old Madam, how could the servants dare to curse their master with this kind of thing? We servants were merely following the orders we were given.¡± As long as Eight Miss was also pulled into the muddy waters, the Ren Family would not send them to the Yamen for fear of sullying their young miss¡¯ reputation. Old Madam Ren coldly looked at Ren Yaoyu, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡° Ren Yaoyu''s legs went soft and when asked, she bursted into tears, ¡°Waa¡­¡° Fifth Madam was outraged. She stepped forward and kicked the two maids to the ground, no longer caring about her own image and scolded them, ¡°You dare bite the hand that feeds you and pour this kind of dirty water on your master! You¡¯re tired of living!¡° Ren Yaoyu was already so frightened by the atmosphere in the room that she nearly broke down and said, ¡°I was just being playful, I...I...I didn¡¯t use dog blood but cinnabar... Third sister, she won''t die...¡° This, in itself, was an admission of guilt. Ren Yaohua, who was mentioned by name, looked stunned and reflexively glanced at the rag doll on the Kang table. You idiot! Fifth Madam was so aggrieved by her daughter''s foolish behavior that if she could she would have slapped and cursed her but even then it was already too late. Seeing that everyone in the room now looked at the both of them with mixed feelings, Fifth Madam forcefully contained her swelling anger. She turned her head to smile at Old Madam, ¡°Mother, Yu¡¯er is young and did not understand the gravity of the situation. It was originally nothing more than a bit of mischief between sisters, but she was unexpectedly drawn into such a thing. She was only pulled in by the instigations of the people below and didn''t really understand what she was doing. Once again, it is your daughter-in-law who was not strict enough in her discipline. Please forgive me this time.¡° In just a few words, she managed to turn the matter of the curse into just a small incident between sisters. Seeing that Old Madam Ren remained unmoved and silent, Fifth Madam turned her gaze to Ren Yaohua, who wore a cold expression, and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Yaohua, this time your younger sister was not sensible. As her elder sister, a grown-up, you should be magnanimous and ignore this. After all, she just has a childish temperament and really meant you no harm. Fifth Aunt will personally apologize to you.¡° However, Ren Yaohua was not someone who would allow herself to be pushed around and so, with a mocking expression on her face she said, ¡°Fifth Aunt, Yaohua doesn''t understand. If I forgive Eighth Sister I¡¯m a magnanimous but if I don¡¯t, I am narrow-minded? And to not obey your words when you, an elder, personally apologized to me, a junior, will that not be considered disrespecting the elders? I¡¯m afraid this hat is really too big for Yaohua''s small head to wear.¡° A trace of embarrassment and rage flashed in the eyes of Fifth Madam, but today it was her daughter who was first in the wrong. She had to hold back her emotions. Just as she was about to say a few more words to settle the situation, Momo Gui let out a sound of surprise. She had just pulled out from the back of the rag doll the strip of cloth on which the birth date was written and opened it. She seemed horrified by it and her gaze subconsciously shifted towards Old Madam. Old Madam Ren noticed her movements and glanced at the piece of cloth in her hand. Her expression changed drastically. She turned her head, pointed at Ren Yaoyu angrily and shouted, ¡°Vile creature! Kneel!¡° Ren Yaoyu had still been sobbing when she saw Old Madam Ren''s sheer fury. She knelt at once on the ground, her body shaking in fright. Fifth Madam who was originally still talking with Ren Yaohua was taken aback for a moment, then turned around, ¡°Mother...¡° ¡°Don''t call me mother! Look at what a good thing you raised!¡° Old Madam, gasping for breath, picked up the doll and threw it at Fifth Madam, hitting her in the face. Fifth Madam was first taken aback then felt humiliated and the rim of her eyes immediately turned red. From the time she married into the Ren Family till now, never had Old Madam criticized her in such way. When she was a young lady at home, she had been doted on by the elders in her family and never suffered any grievances. After marrying into the Ren Family, Old Madam Ren also treated her like her own daughter. Among the family¡¯s daughters-in-law, she had always received her backing. This time, she smashed her face in front of the Eldest wife and so many of the younger generation. Fifth Madam felt so wronged that her tears started falling like golden beans. She raised her sleeves to wipe her tears. She was about to express her dissatisfaction when her eyes fell on the cursed doll. Her body then became stiff; she could not even utter a word. Everyone also in the room also clearly saw the eight-character birth day marked on the cursed doll and a silence fell upon the room. The eight character birth date written with cinnabar already made for a shocking sight, but even more shocking was that the birth date inscribe on it, was not Ren Yaohua¡¯s. Ren Yaohua was born on the sixth day of August in the Gengwu year at weishi (between 1-3pm). The time written on it was correct, but it was in the Geng Yin year. In the Ren Family, it is no secret that the reason why Old Madam Ren doted on Third Miss Ren Yaohua was not only because she shared some resemblance with Old Madam Ren in her younger years, but also because Ren Yaohua was born on the same day and at the same time as her. The eight characters birth date on the cursed puppet was quite obviously not Ren Yaohua but Old Madam Ren¡¯s. Ren Yaoqi, from start to finish, took it all in. She had been observing Fifth Madam, Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaohua''s facial expressions and the surprise reflected on there was genuine. She now finally understood why Fifth Madam, in her past life, would categorically hold onto to belief that Ren Yaohua was the one who framed Ren Yaoyu. Judging by Ren Yaoyu''s behavior, this doll should have indeed been her handy work, but the birth date she wrote on it was Ren Yaohua''s, yet it somehow ultimately became Old Madam Ren¡¯s. This incident was the source of Old Madam Ren''s disgust towards Ren Yaoyu, and the reason why Ren Yaohua would be once again qualified to take residence in Ronghua Courtyard. Other than Ren Yaohua, who else could have a better motive to frame Ren Yaoyu ? CH 14 ¡°This¡­This was not done by my Yu¡¯er¡±, Fifth Madam¡¯s eyes were wide opened as she looked up. There was clear disappointment on Old Madam Ren¡¯s face, ¡°Whether she did it or not, she herself admitted it so what are you still defending her for?¡± ¡°Grandmother, it really wasn¡¯t me!¡± Ren Yaoyu interjected; face full of tears, truly feeling wronged. Old Madam Ren looked at her without seeing her and with a stern expression commanded Momo Gui, ¡°Take Eight Miss and put her in the ancestral hall. It¡¯s only fitting for one so young yet bearing such vicious thoughts towards her elders.¡± Fifth Madam was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and pleaded, ¡°Mother, the weather is so cold, yet there¡¯s not even a stove in the ancestral hall, what if Yu¡¯er catches a cold?¡± Old Madam Ren remained unmoved, ¡°She is sent there to reflect on her errors, not to live comfortably!¡± Fifth Madam wiped her tears: ¡°Mother, last time Yu¡¯er was ill, my paternal grandmother was so anxious that she couldn''t eat nor sleep. She ended up personally sending a momo to check on Yu¡¯er well-being before she could feel relieved. Daughter-in-law doesn¡¯t feel distressed for this little girl¡¯s suffering, merely wants to avoid unexpectedly worrying one¡¯s elders.¡± Fifth Madam¡¯s paternal grandmother is Old Madam¡¯s paternal aunt, and every time Fifth Madam would be carrying out something, her paternal grandmother would be used as leverage. Sure enough, although Old Madam Ren¡¯s complexion still didn¡¯t look good, she frowned and didn¡¯t say more. Upon seeing this, the corner of Ren Yaohua¡¯s mouth etched into sneer. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ren Yaoqi, who was standing next to her, noticed it and swiftly pulled her clothes from behind. Ren Yaohua turned her head in anger but Ren Yaoqi gave her a look to stay quiet. Yet, Ren Yaohua had not intention to heed her warning. Unexpectedly, it¡¯s Eldest Madam who added in with a gentle voice, ¡°Fifth sister¡¯s words have over-stepped the bounds of propriety. While it is well known that Old Madam Lin loves her granddaughter (ÍâËïÅ® W¨¤is¨±nn¨· - daughter''s daughter), our younger generations have always been very much doted on by Old Madam. After all, Ren Yaoyu¡¯s punishment today, is it not simply due to one¡¯s elders¡¯ painstaking efforts to ensure the young ones grow to be upright individuals?¡± Old Madam Ren looked pleased, ¡°It¡¯s still Eldest daughter-in-law who is most thorough.¡± Fifth Madam looked at Eldest Madam. Although Eldest Madam, Ren Jiaming, was the one in charge of managing the household, Fifth Madam, relying on Old Madam¡¯s backing, also clearly held some authority in the estate. Eldest Madam¡¯s was good tempered and would always show leniency; in past matters, she had always played the role of mediator, smoothing things over between parties. It¡¯s unclear why today, she chose to deviate from her past behavior and not lend a hand. Fifth Madam was still mulling over it when Eldest Madam quickly walked up to her and whispered, ¡°Old Madam is very angry right now, so you should be accommodating. Wait until the elder''s anger is gone before you handle this, otherwise would it not be self-defeating?¡± Although this was said in a low voice, everyone around them could discern her words. While she was openly trying to advise Fifth Madam, seemingly being partial to her, it was done in such a way that Old Madam would not take offense to her conduct. Fifth Madam knew her words were reasonable, so she reluctantly restrained herself, while thinking of other avenues. Momo Gui instructed a maid to support Ren Yaoyu, whose tears were streaming endlessly, as she left the hall. Since Old Madam¡¯s mood was not good, everyone else also retired temporarily. Ren Yaoqi and her maids were making their way back to Ziwei Courtyard, when she saw Ren Yaohua standing in the corridor, under the eaves of the East room. She appeared to be looking in her direction yet also admiring the ice hook hanging upside down on the pomegranate tree in front of the door. Ren Yaoqi footsteps paused. Instead of walking towards the winding corridor connected to the West room, she turned in the direction of the West room. As she was about to walk to Ren Yaohua''s side, Ren Yaohua swung her head back and gave her a cold glare, and said, ¡°Come in.¡± She then turned and went to her room. Ren Yaohua followed her in. The two maids behind her glanced at each other and wanted to tag along, but Ren Yaohua''s maid, Xiangqin, stopped them. ¡°Did our Third Miss allow you to come in?¡± Xiangqin squinted at them, full of imposing manner. Third Miss¡¯ fierceness was well known among the maids of Ziwei Courtyard. The two maids¡¯s necks shrunk in and, not daring to say half a sentence in reply, they stood guard in the corridor. The layout of Ren Yaohua''s courtyard was quite similar to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s, but since Ren Yaoqi hardly ever came here, it felt quite foreign. Ren Yaohua went straight to the inner room and sat on the kang bed, not bothering to invite Ren Yaoqi in, and just kept looking at her with probing eyes. Ren Yaoqi remained unruffled and went to sit on the other side of the Kang table. ¡°Do you have someone in the outer courtyard?¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that Ren Yaohua was waiting for her explanation, but instead of diving into the heart of the matter, Ren Yaoqi first asked a seemingly unrelated question. Ren Yaohua squinted faintly, her eyes sharp: ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want people to involve you into today¡¯s matter, you should quickly dispatch people to investigate that Lu¡¯an old wife who suddenly appeared, as well as the eight character birth date strip.¡± Ren Yaohua felt that there was a hidden meaning in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words, and with knitted brows she asked, ¡° How is this matter related to me?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with you now but that might not be the case in the future. Such a golden opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, some people will not be willing to let it slip by. After all, the eight character birth date written on the cursed doll was not of Ren Yaoyu¡¯s doing.¡± Ren Yaoqi said softly, without haste. Ren Yaohua was startled when she heard her words. She was a smart person and after careful thought, she felt that this matter was indeed a bit fishy. Ren Yaohua is well aware of Ren Yaoyu¡¯s temperament. It is possible she might have made a curse in order for her to fall sick. However, while she often complains in private that Old Madam is partial to her and Ren Yaoyin, she truly does not have it in her to bring harm to Old Madam. ¡°So the one Ren Yaoyu wanted to harm was me, but someone went and changed the eight character birth date written to be grandmother¡¯s?¡± Ren Yaohua finally reached a conclusion. Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly, Elder sister is indeed quite intelligent. ¡°And what if someone let Old Madam and Fifth Madam both mistakenly think that the one behind this trick was in fact you?¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s pupils dilated, she turned her head to look at Ren Yaoqi with wide open eyes. ¡°Considering Fifth Madam¡¯s temperament, the days of the residents of Ziwei Courtyard won¡¯t be good in the future.¡± Ren Yaoqi sighed. Fith Madam is definitely not one to suffer a loss quietly. ¡°Wujing!¡± Ren Yaoqi called out to her maid. A girl about Ren Yaohua''s age came in, ¡°What are your orders, Miss?¡± Ren Yaohua said, ¡°Have you contacted Ying¡¯er and Zhu¡¯er?¡± Ying''er and Zhu''er were originally two old maids by their mother¡¯s side. When Ren Yaohua and Li-shi went to the Farmsteads, Concubine Fang decided to give them away to small manservants in the outer courtyard. Wujing nodded, ¡°This slave visited them the day before yesterday. They were overjoyed to learn of Madam and Third Miss¡¯ return.¡± Ren Yaohua nodded and was about to elaborate when Ren Yaoqi suddenly interjected, ¡°Is there no one else you can make use of?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned, ¡°They have worked in Ziwei Courtyard for many years and are mother¡¯s trusted aides.¡± Ren Yaoqi did not refute it, just added in a mild voice, ¡°Indeed, who is not aware they are Ziwei Courtyard¡¯s people? They cannot be used as one sees fit. It is better to be careful and choose someone else.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi for a while, and then said to Wujing, ¡°At the time you entered the estate, wasn¡¯t there a maid who took you in as her adoptive daughter? I remember that the last time you spoke of her, she was in charge of the tea room in the outer courtyard.¡± Wujing nodded hurriedly, ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss. The year before last, her son fell ill so she came to borrow some silver coins from Xiangqin and I. Ultimately, it¡¯s Momo Zhou who sought Madam to collect all the necessary silver. ¡°Go to her and to inquire about some matters for me.¡± Ren Yaohua told Wujing very carefully of a few more things. Ren Yaoqi waited for her to finish, added a couple points and Ren yaohua concluded, ¡°Before midday, I want to have news. Now go.¡± Wujing memorize everything, point by point and quickly took her leave afterwards. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua had nothing else to discuss so they went to Li-shi¡¯s place together. The sight of the two of them coming together made Li-shi and Momo Zhou quite happy. The two sister didn''t talk much, only speaking one sentence or two to accompany Li-shi¡¯s words. Just before the afternoon meal, Wujing came back to Ziwei Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua called her in a room in the East side for questioning. ¡°Reporting to Miss, this servant¡¯s adoptive mother happened to recognize Lu''an old wife: she was the one originally in charge of preparing tea in the outer courtyard. Fifth Miss¡¯ guess was right. She is indeed related to our Ziwei Courtyard, and it¡¯s not just her. Even the owner of that great wolfdog has some relationship with us!¡± CH 15 October 25, 2022 Wujing¡¯s words made Ren Yaohua look slightly cold. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Old wife Liu An came from the village not long ago. She and Mrs. Xu, who is on duty in the outer courtyard, are sisters-in-law.¡± ¡°Mrs. Xu from the gatehouse?¡± Ren Yaohua was stunned for a moment, then said in surprise, ¡°Mother-in-law of Ying¡¯er?¡± Wujing nodded: ¡°It¡¯s her. The dog brought in by the old wife Liu An today was borrowed from Mrs. Xu.¡± When Ren Yaohua heard the words, her face was unpredictable, and suddenly she turned her head and glared at Ren Yaoqi: ¡°You really guessed it right! As a result, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for Fifth Aunt to doubt me.¡± ¡°Fifth Aunt will soon find out about this relationship.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and looked at Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he took a few steps around the room. ¡°What¡¯s the relationship between Ying¡¯er and her mother-in-law?¡± Ren Yaoqi was not as anxious as Ren Yaohua, but instead inquired about unrelated things. Wujing hurriedly said: ¡°This slave heard that sister Zhu¡¯er said that sister Ying¡¯er had good luck. Her in-laws valued her very much, and her family¡¯s man is also an honest man. Sister Ying¡¯er has always been arbitrary at home.¡± ¡°Arbitrary?¡± Ren Yaoqi raised his eyebrows slightly, chewing these words carefully. ¡°Heh!¡± Ren Yaohua sneered, ¡°It¡¯s good to be arbitrary!¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at Ren Yaohua and said with a smile, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t like this, how would this loot be planted on you? You must have secretly instructed your former maid to mobilize her family to help you out.¡± ¡°What now? You can¡¯t just let that slut succeed and hide in the shadows, right?¡± Ren Yaohua gritted his teeth. ¡°Is there a way¡­ of course there is.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a while and said slowly. Ren Yaohua glared over. After Ren Yaoqi came out of the main room, he called Momo Zhu over. (Momo = Old woman, wet nurse) When n¨¦e Li and Ren Yaohua went to the village, the biggest steward in the Ziwei Courtyard was Momo Zhu, which made her look good for a while. But since Ren Yaohua came back, she couldn¡¯t get involved with the matters in Ziwei Courtyard. Therefore, in the past few days, Momo Zhu¡¯s life has been extremely difficult, and she even thought about going to ask Concubine Fang. It¡¯s just that Concubine Fang hasn¡¯t seen anyone for the past few days, she heard that she has contracted a cold and is not feeling well. ¡°Why is Momo so listless?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Momo Zhu and frowned. Momo Zhu looked to the left and right, leaned beside Ren Yaoqi, sniffed her nose, and cried: ¡°Oh! Young Lady, you don¡¯t know! The past few days are not easy for this slave! That Third Young Lady doesn¡¯t take a good look at you, so how can she have a good face when she treats us, your servants? Let¡¯s just say that yesterday, the steward moved a few plum bottles from the warehouse, and this slave looked at one of the blue and misty ones that you once wanted to take and display in the hall, and use them to plant plum branches in winter. But the steward said that this plum bottle was found for the Third Young Lady. This slave begged a few times, but in the end, she was humiliated by a few tricky maids around the Third Young Lady. The old face of this slave¡­¡± (Face = Not literally, but one''s reputation, dignity, respect, or honor) Ren Yaoqi was furious: ¡°That¡¯s unreasonable! Ren Yaohua is really bullying people too much!¡± Momo Zhu secretly glanced at Ren Yaoqi and was relieved when she saw that her face was full of anger. She heard from the maids in the yard that the relationship between the Third Young Lady and the Fifth Young Lady was not as tense as before. But she is most aware of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s temperament, especially when she was slapped by Ren Yaohua, it is impossible to swallow this breath. (Swallow this breath = Endure) ¡°That¡¯s right! Young Lady, you are also a legitimate descendant of the Madam, but when it comes to the Third Young Lady, you are not even as good as your concubine sister!¡± (Legitimate descendant = Children born from the legitimate wife, and not from the concubines) Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, then suddenly smiled. Momo Zhu was stunned for a moment, a little inexplicable: ¡°Young Lady?¡± Ren Yaoqi waved at Momo Zhu, and so Momo Zhu brought her ear closer. ¡°Momo, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you out! Originally, I wanted to see my mother so I put up with her for a while, I didn¡¯t think Ren Yaohua would be so arrogant when she only came back a few days ago. She also beats and scolds me if she wants to. I don¡¯t want to put up with her anymore, I have to get her to the village to relieve my hatred!¡± Momo Zhu had a look of joy on her face and immediately said, ¡°Then Young Lady, do you have any solution?¡± No wonder there hasn¡¯t been a commotion these days. It turns out that Fifth Young Lady is looking for an opportunity. Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Naturally, I discovered Ren Yaohua¡¯s secret today!¡± ¡°What secret?¡± Momo Zhu was taken aback. Ren Yaoqi smiled: ¡°Do you know what happened in Grandmother¡¯s courtyard today? Eighth Sister was grounded.¡± Momo Zhu thought for a while, and said carefully: ¡°I heard that the two maids next to Eighth Young Lady brought unclean things into the inner courtyard?¡± ¡°Actually, it has nothing to do with Eighth Sister at all, it¡¯s Ren Yaohua who is playing tricks behind the scenes!¡± Ren Yaoqi insisted. Momo Zhu turned her eyes around: ¡°Young Lady, is this true?¡± Ren Yaoqi squinted at Momo Zhu: ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, I heard that the woman who slandered Eighth Sister this morning was Ren Yaohua¡¯s. As long as I go and tell Fifth Aunt about this, do you think Fifth Aunt will spare her? She just came back and did this kind of thing to frame her sister, Grandmother will definitely send her to the village again! If she wants to go back this time, it will not be so easy.¡± Momo Zhu pondered for a while, thinking that with the temperament of the Fifth Madam, Ren Yaohua would not be better off. ¡°Young Lady is right, as long as the Third Young Lady is gone, you¡¯ll be the greatest in this courtyard!¡± So, Ren Yaoqi took Momo Zhu to the Fifth Madam¡¯s courtyard. The Fifth Madam had just come back from the ancestral hall to secretly watch Ren Yaoyu and was worrying about how to get her daughter out. It was a little strange to hear that Ren Yaoqi came over. After Ren Yaoqi finished the ceremony, the Fifth Madam also greeted her lazily, and said directly: ¡°You are a rare visitor.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that the Fifth Madam didn¡¯t like her, so straight to the point, she repeated what she said to Momo Zhu before. Sure enough, the Fifth Madam was stunned, she gritted her teeth with hatred: ¡°Ren Yaohua! How dare she!¡± Ren Yaoqi and the Fifth Madam share the same hatred: ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she dare? You don¡¯t know, since she came back, I have been bullied by her! She slapped me for no reason, and called me over again to teach me a lesson! I, Ren Yaoqi, am irreconcilable with her!¡± Seeing that she was more excited than herself, Fifth Madam calmed down a bit. She glanced at her and said, ¡°But why did Ren Yaohua do this?¡± ¡°Naturally, it is to drive Eighth Sister out of the Ronghua Courtyard, so she can live in it herself!¡± The Fifth Madam frowned, touched the teacup, and pondered for a moment: ¡°Where did you know this?¡± Ren Yaoqi seemed a little hesitant when she heard the words, and quietly glanced at Momo Zhu, who winked at her in encouragement, Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly: ¡°Oh, This¡­ this is what I heard from Ren Yaohua¡¯s maid.¡± In the eyes of the Fifth Madam, the interaction between the master and servant made her have other opinions. The Fifth Madam thought, could it be that Ren Yaoqi actually heard this from Momo Zhu? ¡°Is this Momo Zhu next to you?¡± Fifth Madam¡¯s eyes looked a few times around Momo Zhu. Momo Zhu hurriedly bowed her head in a gesture of respect. Ren Yaoqi nodded, a little viciously: ¡°If Fifth Aunt has anything to say, just say it. Momo Zhu is my confidant and helps me a lot on weekdays.¡± The Fifth Madam smiled when she heard the words, lowered her head, and took a sip of tea, noncommittal. Ren Yaoqi doesn¡¯t know whose Momo Zhu is, but she does. ¡°Fifth Aunt? When are you going to expose Ren Yaohua in front of Grandmother?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked eagerly. ¡°Oh, this¡­ don¡¯t worry, I have to go check it out.¡± Fifth Madam perfunctory said. Ren Yaoqi glanced at Momo Zhu again, and then said, ¡°Yes, yes, this matter is important, it¡¯s really better to check it out yourself. Old wife Liu An is Ying¡¯er¡¯s uncle¡¯s wife, and Ying¡¯er is my mother¡¯s person. She¡¯s the person who used to listen to Ren Yaohua the most when she was in Ziwei Courtyard, you can find out if you ask about it!¡± The Fifth Madam sounded a little inattentive, and asked about something else: ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your concubine aunt for a long time. What is she busy with recently?¡± Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Aunt, she has been sick for the past few days and has not been out of the house.¡± The Fifth Madam smiled, and said meaningfully: ¡°Oh¡­Is it sick again? This is very like her temperament.¡± CH 16 October 26, 2022 The Fifth Madam, n¨¦e Lin, and n¨¦e Fang had known each other since childhood. In name, they could be considered cousins. It¡¯s just that n¨¦e Lin, as the legitimate wife, prides herself on her identity, and has always disdained communicating with Concubine Fang and the like, and when she usually sees her, she pretends to not have seen her. Ren Yaoqi dawdled at n¨¦e Lin¡¯s place for a while, and what she said was nothing more than implying that Ren Yaohua was the mastermind behind the framing of Ren Yaoyu. After Ren Yaoqi left, n¨¦e Lin invited her confidant, Momo Sun, to investigate the matter in the outer courtyard. Momo Sun was also a well-respected momo in the Ren Estate, so she quickly investigated this relationship. ¡°Madam, the Third Young Lady is too vicious, and she even resorted to such means!¡± Momo Sun said angrily. N¨¦e Lin tapped on the small table and pondered for a long time: ¡°I see that this matter is not as simple as it seems.¡± ¡°What does Madam means?¡± N¨¦e Lin said slowly: ¡°My grandmother once said that it¡¯s not a business to rush, and most of the news that people want to let you know is not the truth. Today, if Momo Zhu didn¡¯t instigate the fifth girl to come here, I wouldn¡¯t necessarily doubt it.¡± (It¡¯s not a business to rush = To be calm and not do anything urgent or eager) Momo Sun was startled: ¡°Madam means, someone deliberately provokes your relationship with the people there?¡± N¨¦e Lin¡¯s smiled but not smile: ¡°Whether it was an intentional provocation or just wanted to take this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, we might as well wait and see. With that woman¡¯s scheming, there will definitely be a follow-up when she makes a move.¡± (Smile but not smile = Smile reluctantly, an unnatural or malicious look) Momo Sun pondered for a while, and suddenly realized: ¡°Madam is talking about Concubine¡­¡± N¨¦e Lin, using a copper drill, casually fiddled with the incense ashes in the three-legged bronze incense burner with Sanskrit: ¡°When I was a girl, I hated her attitude the most. Obviously the cheap life of a concubine-born, but is more pretentious than anyone else, yet also likes to play tricks. Look at my aunt, she is also amazing, huh? Of the concubine-born sons and daughters, which one wasn¡¯t cleaned up and bowed their heads in front of her and didn¡¯t even dare to make a fuss? It¡¯s only the two of them siblings that got better, now her brother has already achieved the County Magistrate of the Seventh Grade.¡± (Officials are divided into Nine Grades, the County Magistrate, which is the Seventh Grade, is mainly in charge of the politics, economy, military affairs, litigation, etc. of a county, and can be selected through the imperial examination and other means of selecting officials.) Momo Sun said with a smile: ¡°This slave thinks this Madam Aunt is a kind person. It is said that the young master from the Fang family is able to get this job thanks to her management. If you change it to a madam of another family, it¡¯s already not bad to just be suppressed.¡± N¨¦e Lin smiled and glanced at Momo Sun: ¡°Do you really think that my aunt is a vegetarian? Although she only gave birth to one foolish son, she has five or six concubine-born sons. Why did you think she only cultivated Concubine Fang¡¯s brother?¡± (Vegetarian = A peaceful and gentle person) ¡°Why is this?¡± N¨¦e Lin curled her lips and said with great disdain, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Fang Yaru ran in front of her legitimate mother to express her sincerity, and rushed to the Ren Estate to be a concubine? You know that being a concubine is like handing over your life and wealth to others. Our Old Madam and Fang Yaru¡¯s legitimate mother are sisters. She did this to tell her legitimate mother that she will never run out of her palm in her whole life. Her statement was really in the favor of her legitimate mother, and her brother also stood out among the many concubine-born sons of the Fang family.¡± (Legitimate mother = A name called by concubine-born children to their father¡¯s wife) ¡°Speaking of which, this Concubine Fang is very kind to her brother, as she is willing to sacrifice for her brother¡¯s future.¡± Hearing the words, n¨¦e Lin shook the copper drill in her hand: ¡°You ah¡­ you don¡¯t know her. My aunt has six concubine-born daughters, and all of them are married lowly. Only one is married highly but that man is still ghostly sick! She alone, because she came to Ren Estate to be a concubine, Aunt gave her more than ten times the dowry because of her affection. Even our Old Madam treats her differently in the face of her cousin. Her brother, because of his love for her, is now her biggest backing in the Ren family. Look at her calculations, can you calculate as well as her?¡± Momo Sun sighed and shook her head: ¡°This slave can¡¯t, this slave has a slave¡¯s fate.¡± (Slave¡¯s fate = Can only be trampled) N¨¦e Lin sneered: ¡°She is a person who does not accept fate. Not only does she not accept fate, but also likes to struggle, likes to rob, and pluck it clean. To put it in harsh words, she wants to be a bitch and build an archway!¡° (To be a bitch and build an archway = Be a bitch but still pretends to be a virtuous woman. Archway refers to Chastity Arch built to honor chaste women) ¡°Then let¡¯s watch this matter first?¡± Momo Sun hesitated. N¨¦e Lin frowned, her eyes did not hide her worries: ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of Yu¡¯er¡¯s side, but I just don¡¯t know when the Old Madam will calm down.¡± Speaking of this, n¨¦e Lin¡¯s expression turned ruthless, ¡°My mother repeatedly told me not to confront her easily, saying that she was too deep-minded and was afraid that I would suffer. But if she really dared to scheme against my daughter, I would definitely make her look good! Continue to watch carefully at the outer courtyard, and if there is anything wrong, report it to me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± In the afternoon, Xi¡¯er came over to tell Ren Yaoqi that the arrangements had been made according to her instructions. Ren Yaoqi had sent Xi¡¯er back to serve n¨¦e Li early this morning, but she came here to speak for Ren Yaohua. While speaking, Xi¡¯er did not forget to look at Ren Yaoqi curiously, but her expression was a genuine joy. No one around n¨¦e Li was unhappy about the current harmony between the two sisters. In the evening, when everyone went to the Ronghua Courtyard, Old Madam Ren told the public to let Ren Yaohua move to the Ronghua Courtyard. The Fifth Madam, n¨¦e Lin, who pleaded for her daughter and was ignored by the Old Madam, glanced at Ren Yaohua, and her doubts were swaying again. She had asked Ren Yaoyu, the puppet and even the birthday characters were all from her, and only one character was changed by someone, so she could not explain her daughter. Originally, she suspected that Concubine Fang wanted to use her hand to get rid of Ren Yaohua, but if this matter is really caused by Ren Yaohua, it is not impossible for Ren Yaoyu to make room for herself. Everyone knows that the reason why Ren Yaohua walks sideways in Ren Estate is because of the love of Old Madam Ren. She has been gone for a year this time, and it is precisely when she needs to make up for the love between her and her grandparents. (Walk sideways = To be overbearing and do whatever you want) There, Ren Yaohua happily answered. N¨¦e Lin was unhappy and was thinking about whether to pull Ren Yaohua into the water first, but Ren Yaoqi, who is beside her, quietly took a half-step towards her and winked at her anxiously to make her come out. (Pull into the water = To implicate) N¨¦e Lin thought about it for a second. She really didn¡¯t want to be a gunman for someone like Concubine Fang, so she simply turned her head and pretended not to see it. Early the next morning, Ren Yaohua¡¯s maids and momos began to pick up clothes and wares in Ronghua Courtyard with great fanfare. That attitude seemed to be afraid that the people in the manor would not know that the Third Young Lady had won the favor of the Old Madam. In the morning, the gatehouse of the outer courtyard came to report that Auntie Xiao was here. ¡°Auntie¡± is a kind of honorific title, it mostly refers to the kinds of women who have a high reputation in a specific circle and have one or another kind of ability. Such women are often either widowed or past the marriageable age and unmarried. They often visit the inner courtyards of wealthy families and are treated as guests. No family dares to offend such a person easily. Not only because of their lofty skills and immense popularity, but also because as long as they say something bad about you, the streets and alleys will know about it the next day. Just like midwives and matchmakers who often divide their territory, the ¡°aunties¡± also have their own ¡°territory¡±. Auntie Xiao is known to everyone in Baihe Town. Of course, this kind of famous auntie has always only been with the rich and wealthy, and they don¡¯t come to ordinary people. ¡°How come Auntie is free today?¡± After taking a seat, Old Madam Ren greeted with a smile on her face, with a very polite and warm attitude. Auntie Xiao is also a frequent visitor to the Ren Estate. She is only in her thirties, with a beautiful face, simple and neat clothes, and no accessories on her body. At first glance, she is a very upright and decent person. ¡°Today I¡¯m here to send next year¡¯s imperial calendar to the estate.¡± Auntie Xiao had a decent smile on her face and spoke at a moderate pace. It doesn¡¯t make people feel that her attitude is lofty, nor does it make people feel servile. It is very easy to win the favor of high-ranking people. Old Madam Ren smiled and patted her forehead lightly: ¡°Look at my memory! Forgot about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that the Old Madam has a bad memory. It¡¯s actually that this year¡¯s imperial calendar was printed half a month earlier than in previous years.¡± Auntie Xiao motioned for the woman who followed her to present a delicate red lacquered wooden box. The Old Madam Ren asked Momo Gui to come and take it: ¡°I just remembered when you said that. In previous years, you only delivered it in early October. Why is it so early this year?¡± Auntie Xiao said: ¡°In previous years, the imperial calendars were issued by the Qin Tianjian and then printed by our Yanbei bookstores, but this year is a bit special and passed the eyes of Yanbei Palace.¡± (Qin Tianjian = An ancient government department in charge of observing celestial phenomena, calculating the calendar, timing, and other works) Old Madam Ren was stunned for a moment, and smiled: ¡°I only heard that the imperial court issued the imperial calendar, but I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Having said that, Old Madam Ren realized that this must not be said, so she smiled, picked up her teacup, and drank tea. Auntie Xiao pretended that she didn¡¯t hear Old Madam Ren¡¯s gaffe, and said: ¡°Last year, Yanbei¡¯s imperial calendar made a few mistakes, and as a result, several bookstores were implicated and confiscated.¡± This matter is known to everyone in Yanbei. ¡°After what happened last year, which household would dare to dip this year?¡± Old Madam Ren wondered. (Dip = To involve) The imperial calendar has always been printed by the bookstores of various prefectures and counties after it was issued by the Qin Tianjian of the imperial court, and generally, there is no mistake. Last year, for some unknown reason, Yanbei¡¯s almanac made many mistakes compared to the one issued by Qin Tianjian, was ultimately brought up to the court, and many people lost their lives because of it. There are also people who impeached the Yanbei Palace for condoning this move because they wish to change the dynasty. ¡°I heard that the scribes in the Yanbei Palace have checked it no less than ten times this year, so there is absolutely no mistake.¡± Auntie Xiao said with a smile, ¡°And this time, the almanacs of several states in Yanbei were all printed by the Han family. ¡° ¡°The Han family?¡± Old Madam Ren thought for a while, ¡°The Han family that moved from Jizhou to our Baihe Town last year?¡± CH 17 October 29, 2022 ¡°Exactly.¡± Auntie Xiao nodded and replied. The Old Madam Ren was a little surprised: ¡°When they first moved here last year, our Old Master urged the steward to send some congratulatory gifts, and the Han family also sent back gifts. It¡¯s just that the female members of their family rarely go out, so although there are some polite exchanges between the estates, we have never met the Han family. How is the Han family related to the Yanbei palace?¡± Auntie Xiao thought for a while and shook her head: ¡°This, I haven¡¯t heard of. I have been to the Han Estate twice, and I have met the Old Madam and Madam of the Han family. The Old Madam Han is a kind person, and Madam Han is also very capable.¡± ¡°I heard that the Old Master Han, who is now the head of the Han family, is an army recruit?¡± Old Madam Ren was really curious about the Han family. It stands to reason that a son-in-law has always been looked down upon by others, and he has no status in his wife¡¯s family. However, this Old Master of the Han family took over the Han family after the death of the previous head of the Han family. He is not the patriarch but he is better than the patriarch. (Son-in-law = A man married into his wife¡¯s family) There are a lot of rumors about the Han family in Baihe Town. Some people say that the Han family was originally just a wealthy family in Jizhou and only had some assets. It was the current old man Han who had a unique vision and persuaded his father-in-law to sell a few properties to start a business, and as a result, made a lot of money. It¡¯s a pity that the Han family has always kept a low profile. The men go out to do business, the women stay at home, and there is almost no contact with the people in the town. Auntie Xiao was about to answer when the curtain of the eastern room was lifted, and Ren Yaohua came out. ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ve packed everything up¡­ Huh? You have a guest?¡± Ren Yaohua has been favored by the Old Madam since she was a child, and she speaks more casually than other granddaughters. Old Madam Ren glared at her and said to Auntie Xiao, ¡°This girl has been spoiled by me. She doesn¡¯t abide by rules, Auntie, don¡¯t take any offense.¡± Aunt Xiao hurriedly said: ¡°The girls in the Ren family are either gentle and friendly, or spirited and lovely. Everyone knows this.¡± Ren Yaohua came up to greet Auntie Xiao with a smile, and then said to Old Madam Ren, ¡°Grandma, I have to go back to Ziwei Courtyard, so I won¡¯t disturb your hospitality.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded: ¡°You can have lunch over there in the afternoon. I¡¯m going to have a vegetarian meal with Auntie Xiao today.¡± Ren Yaohua responded, turned around, and went out. Auntie Xiao smiled and watched Ren Yaohua leave: ¡°Is this the Third Young Lady of the estate? It¡¯s been a while since I have seen her, and her appearance has become more and more beautiful.¡± Old Madam Ren laughed and said: ¡°The temper is too outrageous, like a monkey.¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s a sensible one.¡± Auntie Xiao said and suddenly stretched out her right hand to do some calculation, frowned slightly, then retracted her hand, and calmly took a sip of the tea at hand. Her actions were seen by Old Madam Ren. Old Madam Ren knew that Auntie Xiao could read feng shui and divination, and read it very accurately, so she couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Auntie, what is it?¡± (Feng shui = One of the five arts of ancient Chinese metaphysics. It uses formulas and calculations to observe the appearance (of buildings or landforms, etc.) and evaluate it) Auntie Xiao was asked by Old Madam Ren, hesitated for a moment, and then said, ¡°I remember that the Third Young Lady was born in the year of Gengwu?¡± (Year of Gengwu = The seventh year of a sexagenary(60-year) cycle in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar) ¡°Auntie has a good memory. Hua¡¯er was born in August of the year of Gengwu, and she is twelve this year.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded. Auntie Xiao thought about it carefully, and then pondered, ¡°Then this year doesn¡¯t happen to be the natal year?¡± (Natal year = It is customary in China to use the twelve zodiac signs to record a person¡¯s birth year, a person¡¯s age equal to a multiple of 12 is called the natal year. It is often regarded as an unlucky year) The Old Madam Ren frowned: ¡°But what¡¯s wrong? I remember you, Auntie, said that Hua¡¯er¡¯s fate is very suitable for mine.¡± Auntie Xiao shook her head: ¡°Originally, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Old Master Ren was born in the year of Bingxu, and you are born in the year of Geng Yin. Bing Geng originally clashed with each other, but because the Third Young Lady was a tiger, Yinwuxu would become a Huoju, which just matched the fortune of the Ren Family¡¯s Estate, which was a great auspiciousness. But this year is the natal year of the Third Young Lady, and if you offend Tai Sui, this auspicious omen will turn into a bad omen.¡± (Year of Bingxu = The 23rd year of the sexagenary cycle Year of Geng Yin = The 27th year of the sexagenary cycle Bing Geng = Year of Bingxu and Geng Yin Tiger = The 3rd animal in the Chinese zodiac Yinwuxu = a triad combination in the Four Pillars of Destiny Huoju = Yinwuxu can be combined into a ¡°Huoju¡±, which is equivalent to the power of three earthly branches being accumulated in the fire and is auspicious Offend Tai Sui = Tai Sui is both a star and a deity worshipped by the people. It¡¯s a violation if the natal year encounters Tai Sui. It will become an unlucky year) Old Madam Ren became anxious when she heard those words: ¡°Then how can we get rid of this situation? Please asking Auntie to give some pointers, I will be very grateful.¡± Auntie Xiao hurriedly said: ¡°Old Madam is too serious, I usually take care of the estate, these are all things that should be done, and I don¡¯t deserve your thanks. It¡¯s not difficult to get rid of this situation, let the Third Young Lady not move to Ronghua Courtyard for the time being this year. In addition, find a girl who is underage and is born during Zi shi. ¡° (Zi shi = 23:00-01:00) ¡°Born during Zi shi?¡± Old Madam Ren frowned and thought. ¡°Old Madam, Ninth Young Lady happened to be born in this time.¡± Momo Gui reminded her. ¡°The Ninth Young Lady who twinned with the Sixth Young Master?¡± Auntie Xiao asked. ¡°Auntie has an excellent memory, it is her.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded. Auntie Xiao pinched her fingers and said with a slight smile: ¡°That¡¯s right, Ninth Young Lady¡¯s fate is also very good. She belongs to the Wood of the Five Elements, and this Ronghua Courtyard is right in the position of Li, which belongs to Fire, and Wood can thrive¡­ ¡­just right.¡± (Wood/Fire of the Five Elements = The basic substances of the material world according to the Theory of the Five Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water Li = One of the areas in Eight Trigrams) The Old Madam Ren breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s just that if Hua¡¯er has passed her natal year¡­¡± Auntie Xiao hurriedly said: ¡°When the Third Young Lady passes the natal year, naturally everything will be fine.¡± Old Madam Ren thought for a while, then turned her head and instructed Momo Gui: ¡°You go to Ziwei Courtyard, tell Hua¡¯er not to move in for the time being, and we¡¯ll talk about it after this year. In addition, go to Fangfei Courtyard and talk to Concubine Fang. Let her help Ying¡¯er clean up, she will live in the warm pavilion in the inner room.¡± Momo Gui bowed her head in response, turned around, and went out. When Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua got the news, they were talking to n¨¦e Li in the main room of Ziwei Courtyard. Ren Yaohua¡¯s face sank suddenly, and the people in the room didn¡¯t dare to speak up. The atmosphere was suffocating. Momo Gui brought Old Madam Ren¡¯s intention and afterward, backed out gently. Ren Yaohua suddenly got up from the chair. N¨¦e Li hurriedly persuaded: ¡°Hua¡¯er, your grandmother said that you will move there next year, so you should not disobey her. Your grandmother always believed in the fate of feng shui.¡± However, Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi and said coldly, ¡°Come with me.¡± Then she went out. N¨¦e Li shouted at her in a hurry: ¡°Hua¡¯er, what does this have to do with your sister! Don¡¯t take your anger out on her.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and held n¨¦e Li¡¯s hand: ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Third sister, she has other things to tell me, not to get mad at me.¡± N¨¦e Li was a little unconvinced, so Ren Yaoqi said to Momo Zhou, who was on the side, ¡°Momo Zhou, can you come with me so Mother can rest assured?¡± Momo Zhou nodded toward n¨¦e Li, and n¨¦e Li released Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand, still a little worried: ¡°If your sister bullies you, you¡­you just run away.¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help laughing ¡®puchi¡¯, got up and winked, and said playfully: ¡°Don¡¯t worry mother, I run pretty fast, Third sister can¡¯t catch up with me.¡± (Puchi = Onomatopoeia of bursting into a smile or laughter) Ren Yaoqi and Momo Zhou followed Ren Yaohua to the east room. ¡°Is this the original purpose of that slut? Let Ren Yaoying live in Ronghua Court?¡± Ren Yaohua glared at Ren Yaoqi and asked. Ren Yaoqi sat down on the other side of the kang table and said calmly: ¡°She set up this situation, which can not only make you and the fifth mother and daughter hostile with each other, but also increase Ninth Sister¡¯s value.¡± (Kang table = a piece of furniture that serves a dual purpose of a low table and a chair-level bed) ¡°Now Fifth Young Lady did not only clear Third Young Lady, but she also let Concubine Fang cross the Fifth Madam and suffer the consequences.¡± Momo Zhou was overjoyed. The Fifth Madam has always been vengeful, and if she hates someone, she will definitely have an unending attitude. ¡°Just, how did Fifth Young Lady know that Auntie Xiao would agree to help? When you asked me to send someone over, you said not to reveal her identity. You must know that Auntie Xiao¡¯s reputation has always been excellent, and she would never talk nonsense. ¡° Momo Zhou wondered. In fact, Ren Yaoying was able to move into Ronghua Court because of Auntie Xiao¡¯s visit to Ren Estate in her past life. In her past life, Auntie Xiao appeared after Fifth Madam had exposed Ren Yaohua and moved out of the Ronghua Courtyard. At that time, Fifth Madam had already harmed Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaoqi suspects that Concubine Fang may have already reached some kind of tacit understanding with Auntie Xiao. So she asked Momo Zhou to send someone to let Auntie Xiao enter the estate in advance in the name of Concubine Fang, so that Concubine Fang would not stay out of it. Didn¡¯t know whether it was because of Concubine Fang¡¯s cautious temperament or because of some considerations, but Auntie Xiao did not have any personal contact with the maids and momos who were close to her, and this just gave Ren Yaoqi an opportunity to take advantage of. After receiving the news, Auntie Xiao appeared immediately, and really made up a set of rhetoric according to her instructions. It¡¯s just that she couldn¡¯t say these words, so Ren Yaoqi just said that she had accidentally overheard the conversation between Concubine Fang and her maid, and guessed something. Ren Yaohua still doesn¡¯t look good: ¡°What about Ren Yaoying? Is it so cheap for her?¡± If Ren Yaoying was raised under her grandmother¡¯s knees, it would make her value worth a lot when discussing prospects in the future, which was a good calculation by Concubine Fang. Ren Yaoqi smiled: ¡°It¡¯s true that you can see farther when you stand tall, but you will definitely become a target for others.¡± Ren Yaohua thought about it for a while, and couldn¡¯t help but sneer: ¡°With Ren Yaoying¡¯s temperament, I¡¯m afraid that the higher you hold her, the heavier she will fall. Concubine Fang has been smart all her life, but she gave birth to such a waste, and it¡¯s a pity she¡¯s still racking her brains to scheme.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes flashed when she heard the words, and suddenly smiled: ¡°Just wait, maybe you will see something interesting.¡± Ren Yaohua frowned: ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and didn¡¯t answer. She just turned her head and instructed Momo Zhou: ¡°What was moved this morning will be moved back later.¡± Momo Zhou bowed her head in response, and after thinking about it, she became a little worried: ¡°But now that Third Young Lady has left Old Madam¡¯s side, will their relationship be cold and distant in the future?¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi knew what Ren Yaohua¡¯s glance meant, and couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. Presumably, Ren Yaohua still believes she doesn¡¯t want to see her be good. Not only dealing with Concubine Fang, but also not wanting her to take advantage. (She = Ren Yaoqi Her = Ren Yaohua) Thinking of her past life, Ren Yaoqi suddenly couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°Do you really believe that as long as you have the favor of Grandmother, she will consider everything for you?¡± Ren Yaohua sneered and looked at Ren Yaoqi: ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Ren Yaoqi sighed inwardly, stood up, and walked out. When she lifted the curtain, she said softly without looking back: ¡°I just think that instead of begging for others, it¡¯s better to work on yourself. Putting all your hopes on others, and in the end, only despair will be left.¡± Ren Yaohua was stunned for a moment, looked at the cotton curtain that had been lowered, and pursed her lips. Concubine Fang, who was originally ¡®sick in bed¡¯, suddenly sat up from the bed in shock after hearing the words of Momo Gui: ¡°What? You said Auntie Xiao is here? The Old Madam asked Ying¡¯er to move to Ronghua Courtyard today? ¡° Momo Gui said with a smile: ¡°That¡¯s right, congratulations to Concubine, and congratulations to Ninth Young Lady.¡± Concubine Fang, however, did not look happy, and said in a daze: ¡°Why is she here today? I clearly¡­¡± Momo Gui was a little puzzled when she saw this: ¡°Isn¡¯t this a good thing? Concubine had made an arrangement, isn¡¯t it just to make Ninth Young Lady rise?¡± Concubine Fang smiled bitterly: ¡°Yes, but the timing is not right¡­¡± When the Fifth Madam got the news, she trembled with anger: ¡°Fang Yaru! You¡¯re good! You are so good!¡± CH 18 October 31, 2022 Since the Fifth Madam was born, it has been smooth sailing. Now that she was pushed aside by a concubine she had never liked, how could she swallow this breath? She immediately ran furiously to the Ronghua Courtyard to complain to Old Madam Ren. At that time, Old Madam Ren was having lunch with Aunt Xiao. The Fifth Madam didn¡¯t care so much, she started crying after she broke in, accusing Concubine Fang of hiding evil intentions and designing Ren Yaoyu in order to make her daughter stand out. In the end, Auntie Xiao, who was sitting quietly, was also scolded by her. Old Madam Ren¡¯s face sank immediately: ¡°Presumptuous! Who allowed you to be rude without any regard for the old or young? The Ren family¡¯s face has been lost by you! Scram for me!¡± N¨¦e Lin had never seen Old Madam Ren speak so harshly to her, and she started to cry after being stunned. At this time, the Eldest Madam got the news and rushed over, pulling n¨¦e Lin to the side to comfort her. Auntie Xiao embarrassedly got up and said goodbye. The Old Madam was infuriated by n¨¦e Lin¡¯s ignorance which made her lose face in front of outsiders. After saying a few sentences to Auntie Xiao, she gave a meaningful glance at Momo Gui to send Auntie Xiao out. Momo Gui understood what the Old Madam meant, and whispered to the maid, Jinlian, to get silver, and then accompanied Auntie Xiao out with a smiling face. As soon as the people left, Old Madam Ren had an outburst: ¡°It¡¯s me who let you go too far on weekdays to make you so excessive! From today, you go to the ancestral hall to think with Yu¡¯er behind closed doors! When you figure it out is when you will come out!¡± The Fifth Madam is wronged. The reason why she is so presumptuous in front of Old Madam Ren is that Old Madam Ren usually treats her like her own daughter. Occasionally, she will be willful a few times, and Old Madam Ren will cover up for her in front of her sisters-in-law and the younger generations. Her mother, Madam Lin, had reminded her multiple times that she have wisdom and eyesight. No matter how good her mother-in-law was, she could never be her real mother. She had always been disapproving of being asked to act more cautiously at her husband¡¯s house. ¡°Mother, if it wasn¡¯t for that slut Fang Yaru who designed my Yu¡¯er, why would I be anxious?¡± The Fifth Madam softened and cried. But Old Madam Ren slapped the table angrily and said, ¡°What slut? Even if she didn¡¯t marry into my Ren family, she would still be your cousin! You said n¨¦e Fang framed Yu¡¯er, but is there any proof or physical evidence? Yu¡¯er already admitted that the puppet was made by her!¡± The Fifth Madam was at a loss for words, and she really couldn¡¯t come up with any evidence. But she has been dealing with Fang Yaru for more than 20 years, and she knows Fang Yaru better than her elders. If Fang Yaru didn¡¯t get involved in this incident, she wouldn¡¯t believe it. Why does everyone else get bad luck, and she gets the advantage? This kind of plot has been repeated countless times in Fang Yaru¡¯s life, and she rose to the top by constantly stepping on others. ¡°Let the table be withdrawn, I won¡¯t eat it!¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t speak, Old Madam believed that she was making trouble unreasonably, and was furious. Seeing that the table of vegetarian dishes was basically untouched, the Eldest Madam carefully persuaded her. The Fifth Madam over there was unwilling and said: ¡°Mother, I have no complaints about you locking me up in the ancestral hall. But Yu¡¯er is weak, can you let her come back first? As for the evidence you said, I¡­ I can¡¯t get it for the time being. But I will send someone to my mother¡¯s house and let my mother send a competent woman over here. I don¡¯t believe I cannot find whether the puppet has been manipulated or not.¡± The blue veins on the forehead of Old Madam Ren jumped: ¡°Eldest Daughter-in-law! Put her in the ancestral hall for me! Anyone who dares to leave the estate without my permission will be beaten to death if they are found out!¡± ¡°Mother¨C¡° The Eldest Madam hurriedly stepped forward to grab n¨¦e Lin, and whispered: ¡°Fifth Sister, why are you so muddled? Although you used to be the daughter of the Lin family, but now you are a madam of the Ren family. There is a saying that a family¡¯s ugliness cannot be made public, such thing, how can you let your maiden family interfere? Isn¡¯t this telling your maiden family that you were wronged by your in-laws¡¯ family?¡± The Eldest Madam glanced at the Old Madam and said, ¡°Besides, the elders of your maiden family are naturally good, but¡­ those women are not necessarily all good. Do you still remember the momo beside you? ¡° N¨¦e Lin was stunned for a moment, as if remembering something, her face turned pale. As the most favored daughter of the Lin family, how could there be so few dowry momos and maids by her side when she got married? Momo Chen was picked out by her mother for her. Momo Chen is also really capable. Everything she knew about Concubine Fang was also heard from Momo Chen. But a few years ago, Momo Chen was found to be having an affair, and she even quietly let the man into the inner courtyard to steal joy. This incident almost affected her and ruined her reputation. In the end, it was Old Madam Ren who used forceful methods to help her. It was also because of that time that the momos and maids around her either died or were sold. (Steal joy = Not something for minors, if you know you know) The Lin family was also at a loss because of this matter and did not dare to send more people over. Fortunately, Old Madam Ren loves her very much, and she has never suffered any loss in the Ren family, so the Lin family is relieved. Now that the Eldest Madam mentioned this matter, n¨¦e Lin was naturally uneasy and did not dare to say that she was going to go back to her maiden house to let reinforcements come. ¡°What are you still doing here? Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± Old Madam Ren drove people away with a cold face. ¡°Yes, Mother. I¡¯ll take Fifth Sister out.¡± The Eldest Madam said respectfully and then dragged the aggrieved Fifth Madam out. At this moment, Momo Gui ran back in a hurry, and said happily: ¡°Old Madam, the Third and Fifth Masters are back! The carriage has arrived at the door!¡± Old Madam Ren¡¯s face looked much better: ¡°The Third and Fifth are back? Didn¡¯t you say that the road was blocked by heavy snow, and it will be delayed for a few days?¡± In the Great Zhou Dynasty, merchants were not allowed to participate in the imperial examinations. When the Second Old Master was young, he once thought of taking the imperial examination to be an official and make the family shine. It¡¯s a pity that after repeated trials and failures, in the end, he was merely a Xiu Cai. (Xiu Cai = the lowest of the literati class, everyone who participated in the imperial examination can be called a Xiu Cai, regardless if they pass the exam) Fortunately, in his generation, the Ren family was not short of money, so Old Master Ren spent a lot of money to let his younger brother get an official position. Although he has no serious errands, he became the chairman of a large chamber of commerce in the capital of Yanbei. Ren Shiyuan, the eldest son of the Second Old Master and was ranked second in the Ren family and stayed in Baihe Town to serve his mother. The fourth son, Ren Shixu, was in the capital with the Second Old Master. He married the legitimate daughter of a fifth-grade capital official. With the help of the Yue family, he got a job at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. (Ranked second = He¡¯s the eldest son of the Second Old Master but not the eldest child of the whole Ren family) The Fifth Master of the Eldest House, Ren Shimao, followed his uncle in the capital for several months every year to learn some official dealings. (Eldest House = In a family, after the eldest son took over the family, his house would automatically become the eldest house. His younger brothers¡¯ house would follow as the second house, the third house, etc.) The Third Master, Ren Shimin, is an anomaly in the Ren family. He neither likes to do business nor to be an official, but he is only interested in elegant things such as reciting poetry, painting, playing the piano, and dancing with swords. He went to the capital this time to attend the quinquennial art fair in the capital, and he has been away from home for half a year. The two brothers returned together today. CH 19 November 03, 2022 The Fifth Madam stopped right away. The look of pleasant surprise instantly filled her with vitality, and the previous resentment and grievances disappeared immediately. ¡±Sister-in-law, can you see if my eyes are swollen?¡± N¨¦e Lin hurriedly tugged Eldest Madam¡¯s sleeve and asked shyly. The Eldest hadn¡¯t spoken yet, but the Old Madam¡¯s maidservants in the room covered their mouths and laughed, and the tensed and depressed atmosphere just now vanished. The Old Madam looked over: ¡°Why are you still here?¡± N¨¦e Lin looked at the Old Madam pleadingly: ¡°Mother, Shimao is back, I¡­¡± Everyone in the Ren Estate knew that the Fifth Madam and the Fifth Master were childhood sweethearts. Although there had been quarrels after the young couple got married, it was a quarrel at the head of the bed and at the end of the bed. As long as the Fifth Master is at home, the two of them are as good as one person. (Quarrel at the head of the bed and at the end of the bed = to fight getting into bed and makeup before falling asleep or to quickly make up after a quarrel ) Old Madam Ren loves her youngest son, and this daughter-in-law is also a family member, so she turns a blind eye. But this time, n¨¦e Lin clearly offended the Old Madam, and the Old Madam scolded her with a stern face: ¡°Do you take my words on deaf ears?¡± The Eldest Madam pulled the overjoyed Fifth Madam and whispered, ¡°Fifth Sister, your eyes are swollen like a peach, and your makeup too¡­¡± N¨¦e Lin reached out and touched her face, anxious: ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go back and wash my face first.¡± After speaking, she hurried out. She simply forgot what the Old Madam asked her to think about when she go to the ancestral hall. Old Madam Ren got angry again, pointed to her back, and said to the Eldest Madam: ¡°Look at her, look at her, where are the rules? It¡¯s lawless!¡± The Eldest Madam bowed her head and smiled, stepped forward and commanded the maids to withdraw the table, and then said gently, ¡°The Fifth Sister knows that you have always loved her, and did this only because you are close to each other.¡± Old Madam Ren snorted coldly: ¡°I made her lose her proportion, and doesn¡¯t even care about me now!¡± As soon as these words came out, a loud voice from outside continued: ¡°Who dares to not take you seriously? This son is the first to not forgive them!¡± Right after the curtain was lifted, two men about the same height walked in. The one walking in front is a man with a round face and round eyes, and the two deep dimples on his cheeks were precisely the same as those of Old Madam Ren, which made him look a little childish, even at the age of 27 or 28, he appears to be at the age of weak crown. (Weak crown = After the crowning ceremony or the coming of age ceremony, men over the age of 20 were called weak crowns to indicate that they could bear adult responsibilities but were still a bit immature) The man walking behind him was much more mature than him, with handsome eyebrows and slender eyes. In such cold weather, he only wore a white wide-sleeved single robe. His movements were as graceful as an immortal, and his posture is elegant. Old Madam Ren glanced at the baby-faced man and said coldly, ¡°This is what you said! Don¡¯t deny it then!¡± Ren Shimao, who just picked up the words he heard casually, saw that the situation was wrong, rolled his eyes, and immediately pulled Ren Shimin forward, kowtow to Old Madam Ren with a smile, and passed the previous topic. (Rolled his eyes = Indicates thinking or coming up with an idea) The Old Madam¡¯s eyes turned to Ren Shimin¡¯s clothes, and she frowned: ¡°What are you wearing? Are all the people serving you dead?¡± Ren Shimin raised his head calmly: ¡°Answering Mother, this is called a Wangxian robe, which is very fashionable in the capital recently, and all the famous scholars have one piece. The one on my body is still hand-sewn by Lady Mu Ying, a skilled lady in the capital. Fifth Brother also has a similar one, but it¡¯s a blue cloud brocade.¡± (Wangxian = Gazing at an Immortal) ¡±Go back and change it for me! When your father sees you, you will have to kneel at the ancestral hall again! Get up!¡± Old Madam Ren was displeased. Ren Shimin didn¡¯t argue and got up gracefully. The maid beside him knew his particular temperament, and hurriedly came over and knelt at his feet to tidy up his slightly wrinkled robe. Over there, Ren Shimao had already sat down beside the kang table and talked to the Old Madam about the situation on the road: ¡°¡­it was originally going to be delayed for a few days, but we happened to meet the father and son of the Han Family. Their caravan has dedicated people clearing the way. Third Brother and I promptly followed after them.¡± ¡±Since you have accepted someone¡¯s kindness, remember to let the steward prepare a thank-you gift to send over.¡± Old Madam Ren instructed. Ren Shimin walked to the chair beside him and sat down, taking the tea brought by the maid: ¡°I have already sent calligraphy and painting to the young master of the Han family.¡° ¡±What calligraphy?¡± ¡±Young Master Han saw the calligraphy and painting of Third Brother and liked it very much. Third brother gave him a pair of his recent proud works.¡± Ren Shimao winked at Ren Shimin. Old Madam Ren glared at them: ¡°It¡¯s just a child¡¯s plaything, how can it count? Remember to ask the steward to prepare a generous gift, and if you have time, personally lead the group to go to the Han Estate, or ask the people beside you to accompany the steward on a trip.¡± Ren Shimao said with a smile that he knew, but Ren Shimin frowned and glanced at his mother, and finally shook his head and drank tea to himself. The mother and son talked for a while, and Old Madam Ren saw that although Ren Shimin had been trying to join the fun, his mind was not here. ¡±N¨¦e Li and Hua¡¯er are back, you can go back and meet them.¡± Ren Shimin was stunned for a while, then nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Ren Shimao got up happily: ¡°I¡¯ll go with Third Brother. I¡¯ll change my clothes first, and then I¡¯ll come and talk to Mother later.¡± Old Madam Ren shot a glance at him: ¡°Did I let you go? You stay, I have something to tell you!¡± Ren Shimao was a little disappointed, but he sat down obediently and said with a smile: ¡°Well, I also want to spend more time with my mother, as long as you don¡¯t despise your son¡¯s messy appearance and dirty clothes.¡± Old Madam Ren snorted coldly when she heard the words, not to be fooled by him. Ren Shimin put down the teacup, got up, and retire. Before leaving, he paused in front of the maid who served him tea, and said slowly: ¡°The water temperature is not hot enough, remember to use freshly boiled hot water when serving this kind of Wuyi tea next time.¡± ¡±This slave remembers it, Third Master.¡± The maid replied, bowing her head with a bitter face. Ren Shimin leisurely walked away When he was about to reach the Ziwei Courtyard, he saw a figure in a thick fur cloak standing at the gate of the courtyard from a distance, covering herself with a hood. When he got closer, the figure seemed to see him, and hurriedly took two steps forward, but she almost fell due to stepping at an empty stone step, and the hood also slipped off, revealing a delicate little face. Ren Shimin laughed when he saw it and walked over quickly, his happy and clear voice echoed in the courtyard where the ice and snow were melting: ¡°Yaoyao, are you waiting for Daddy?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at the handsome man who strode towards her, his eyebrows were still flying, and still didn¡¯t forget to pay attention to his manners even while walking, tears blurred her eyes. ¡±Daddy¡­¡± She once blamed her father, who was only addicted to painting and calligraphy, but didn¡¯t care about the affairs of the Ren family, and had no right to speak about the decisions of the elders. But in the end, he used his life to fight for her. Ren Yaoqi jumped up and hugged Ren Shimin, burying her tearful face in the placket of his chest. Ren Shimin was still very happy at first, but now his body froze, staring at the top of his little daughter¡¯s head with a tangled face, and finally, he couldn¡¯t help but put his hands on her shoulders and pulled the person away. ¡±Yaoyao, Daddy¡¯s clothes were sullied by you!¡± Ren Shimin accused, looking at the water stain on his chest with disgust. Ren Yaoqi looked at his disgusted look, smiled ¡°puchi¡±, and couldn¡¯t cry any more: ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re still like this¡­¡± She spoke softly. ¡±What?¡± Ren Shimin took out a handkerchief and wiped his clothes clean before pinching the cloth with two fingers and handing it to Ren Yaoqi. ¡±Quickly wipe your face, it¡¯s as dirty as a kitten.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at the handkerchief speechlessly, shook her head, and took out her own from her cuff: ¡°No, you are back, I am very happy. ¡° Ren Shimin threw the handkerchief away and patted Ren Yaoqi on the head: ¡°Good, Daddy remembered the clothes and jewelry you wanted and bought you two big boxes. I¡¯ll have someone take them to your room later.¡± Ren Yaoqi was about to say something but was distracted when she saw Ren Shimin shifting his eyes behind her. She turned around and saw Ren Yaohua, who was only wearing a rouge-colored padded jacket and skirt, standing behind the door, looking at her and Ren Shimin. ¡±Ah, Yaohua is back?¡± Ren Shimin nodded toward Ren Yaohua with a smile. Ren Yaohua took a few steps forward and bowed to Ren Shimin: ¡°Father.¡± Her posture was upright, and her lowered head made her look a little less domineering and arrogant than usual. CH 20 November 08, 2022 Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua followed Ren Shimin to the main room. From time to time, Ren Shimin turned his head to talk to Ren Yaoqi about his participation in the painting fair in the capital. ¡±¡­The winner of the top spot this time is our Yanbei Heir''s [Autumn Residence in Dongzhuang], but your father¡¯s favorite is Senior Chen Jingyang¡¯s [Crossing the Plum Forest], which is truly elegant and classical. A graceful spirit, to make the pen traceless, to use the ink brilliantly, arranging the composition, to set up the colors exquisitely¡­¡± (Your father = Referring to himself) When Ren Yaoqi saw him shaking in excitement and talking endlessly about painting, she couldn¡¯t help but smile: ¡°Didn¡¯t Daddy also participate this time? I remember your proudest work, [Four Views of the Western Mountain].¡± Ren Shimin paused talking for a while, somewhat reserved: ¡°This is the first time your father participated in a painting fair. Before going to the capital, I was full of confidence, thinking that even if I didn¡¯t win first place, I would surely be within the top three. But after seeing Sir Chen¡¯s painting, your father deeply believed myself to be ignorant but arrogant¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head when she heard the words: ¡°Sir Chen is in his 60th year, but you are not yet 30, Daddy. When he is your age, he may not be better than you. I heard that although painting relies heavily on basic skills, personal experience in life cannot be ignored. Even for the same person, the autumn scenery in his eyes at the age of 30 differs from the autumn scenery in his eyes when he is 50.¡° Ren Shimin was stunned when he heard the words, and even stopped to think carefully, then turned to look at Ren Yaoqi and laughed: ¡°Yaoyao, what you said is quite novel, but it makes some sense. I don¡¯t know which senior you heard it from. Your father must ask him for advice.¡± Ren Yaoqi lowered her head and smiled, but her thoughts were a little far away. It¡¯s a pity that her father¡¯s [Four Views of the Western Mountain] did not participate in this year¡¯s painting fair. This painting was the only thing she brought out of the house when she left the Ren family. Later, when Sir Pei saw it by accident, he was amazed and asked her where the person who painted the painting was. When he learned that it was her deceased father, he was endlessly sighing with regret. Sir Pei once commented on this painting with some of his friends, and they all said that the person who painted it is very spiritual, but it lacks some control, and he will surely become famous in the world in time. Spirituality is the most precious and indispensable soul of a painter. ¡±Yaoyao?¡± Ren Shimin came over and patted her head gently. Ren Yaoqi said displeased: ¡°Daddy, how many times have I said not to pat me on the head!¡± The unintentional coquettish anger of a little girl in her tone stunned her for a while. Ren Shimin, however, was accustomed to her little daughter¡¯s coquettish behavior from time to time and laughed loudly: ¡°You can be so smart at such a young age. It can''t be said that it is the credit of your father''s daily slap. This is called being hit by a wake-up stick.¡° (Wake-up stick = monks often hit disciples with a stick to bring realization or enlightenment) Looking at his self-satisfied expression, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but smile. In the eyes of everyone in the Ren family, Ren Yaohua is more intelligent and wiser than Ren Yaoqi, and even her mother is no exception. Only her father felt that her little daughter was better than anyone else. She has shown a talent for painting that is different from her peers since she was a child. In order to compete with her sister and strive for her father¡¯s favor, she willingly worked harder in calligraphy and painting. Although, Mr. Pei later commented that her paintings were eager for quick success and too crafty, they would never become popular. In her father¡¯s eyes, the daughter who could talk to him about piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting at such a young age was the most like him. Because of this, he is indifferent to his other children, but he loves her very much. Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua, who was on the side. Ren Yaohua was very silent along the way. In fact, she was always very silent when facing Ren Shimin. She is not close to her father. While chatting and laughing, they reached the main room. Momo Zhou had been looking at the door for a long time, and when she saw the three of them come, she immediately smiled and came forward to salute: ¡°Master, you are finally back. Madam and the two Young Ladies have been talking. They heard that the heavy snow has blocked several roads outside the city, and many business trips were blocked halfway. Knowing that you have left the capital, they are worried, and sent several groups of people to inquire about the news¡­¡± Ren Shimin nodded slightly at her and took the lead into the main room. N¨¦e Li had already learned the news of Ren Shimin¡¯s return. She already had her hair combed, changed into brightly colored clothes, and sat against the head of the bed. Hearing the voices outside, she set her eyes on the curtain. When the father and daughters came in, n¨¦e Li hurriedly sat up straight, looked at Ren Shimin cautiously, and said, ¡°You... you''re back.¡± Ren Shimin smiled slightly, nodded, then found a chair near the bed, sat down, and said gently, ¡°I heard that you are ill, has the doctor come to see you? What medicine did you take?¡± N¨¦e Li answered them one by one seriously. Between the husband and wife, one asked and the other answered. Ren Shimin seems to be doing a routine, although thoughtful but also indifferent. However, n¨¦e Li answered every word carefully, for fear of which word was not appropriate enough. After Ren Shimin finished asking, the couple had nothing to say. One lowered his head and drank tea, while the other stared at her clasped hands in a daze. Momo Zhou watched from the side, anxious but unable to do anything, and kept winking at n¨¦e Li. Seeing this, n¨¦e Li bit her lip, and finally summoned up the courage to take the initiative to start a topic. ¡±I was told that you won''t be here until a few days, and didn''t think that you have already arrived today.¡± Momo Zhou couldn¡¯t help massaging her forehead secretly, and muttered in her heart: Why does this sound like you don¡¯t want him to come back so early? Fortunately, Ren Shimin didn¡¯t mind. He put down the teacup and nodded: ¡°I happened to meet people from the Han family. They have a lot of people, and it is convenient to open the way.¡± N¨¦e Li stuttered: ¡°Oh, the Han family?¡± The Han family had recently moved to Baihe Town, and n¨¦e Li seldom went out to socialize before and went to the village for a year. She didn¡¯t have much impression so she couldn''t continue talking about this topic. Momo Zhou hurriedly said, ¡°Then you have to prepare a gift and send it to the Han Estate to express gratitude.¡± N¨¦e Li immediately nodded: ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Momo Zhou¡­¡± Ren Shimin frowned slightly, and interrupted n¨¦e Li¡¯s words, a little displeased: ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this, I have already prepared a gift.¡± CH 21 November 10, 2022 Ren Shimin thought of Old Madam Ren who said that the painting he gave away were children¡¯s playthings. At that time, although he was extremely unhappy, it was difficult to refute because Old Madam Ren was an elder. N¨¦e Li was stunned for a moment and looked at Momo Zhou at a loss. Momo Zhou wanted to say something, but Ren Yaoqi, who knew Ren Shimin very well, interjected with a smile: ¡°Daddy has prepared some good things for others, can you tell us about it?¡± Ren Shimin¡¯s expression softened, and he said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Young Master Han saw a painting at my place. Before I left, I asked the servant to send the painting to him.¡± Ren Yaoqi blinked: ¡°I''m guessing that the painting Young Master Han was interested in must be Daddy¡¯s painting!¡± Ren Shimin was happy in his heart, but with a calm expression on his face, he asked: ¡°Oh? How did you see it?¡± Ren Yaoqi replied solemnly: ¡°He has helped us so much, wouldn¡¯t it be a big loss if he picks out other people¡¯s paintings?¡± Ren Shimin laughed, and everyone in the room could feel his joy from the bottom of his heart. N¨¦e Li was also happy when she saw the father and daughter, but Ren Yaohua just lowered her head and played with the agate bracelet between her wrists, seemingly absent-minded. ¡±This young master of the Han family is also an elegant person. If there is a young lady in the Han family, it''s possible to communicate with our Third and Fifth Young Ladies.¡± Momo Zhou took advantage of Ren Shimin¡¯s happiness to join in the fun, but actually is inquiring about the Han family''s affairs. The Han family only moved to Baihe Town last year. At that time, they were still in the village. After they came back, there were people who mentioned the matter of the Han family, but there was no contact. Momo Zhou who is accustomed to crawling and fighting in the inner house naturally knows that the clearer and brighter your inquiries are, the more dominant you are. Ren Shimin was in a good mood, so he gave face to Momo Zhou¡¯s words: ¡°I heard Master Han say that he has a son and a daughter, Young Master Han is fifteen years old this year, but I don''t know about Young Lady Han. I see that the Han family''s upbringing is pretty good. Although Young Master Han is young, he is eager to learn and know etiquette, especially his Yan-style regular script, which is extremely well-written.¡± Ren Yaoqi originally heard Ren Shimin mention the Han family but didn¡¯t know which Han family it was for a while, but now listening to him praising the young master of the Han Family, she suddenly remembered. In the year when her mother and Ren Yaohua went to the village, a new family with the surname Han moved to Baihe Town. Later, Ren Shimin took a fancy to the talent of the young master of the Han family and set up a marriage for Ren Yaohua. The Ren family saw that although the Han family was low-key, they were well-connected, had considerable wealth, and only had one son. They were also happy to see this marriage succeed. It¡¯s just that the young master of the Han family suddenly broke off the engagement for no reason. The Ren family originally disagreed, but finally compromised for some reason. Ren Yaohua received a great blow, and her temper became more and more prickly. The Ren family already regarded her as an abandoned child. In the end, with the help of the Second House''s Second Old Madam, n¨¦e Su, Ren Yaohua married Zeng Kui, from the Second Old Madam''s maiden family, Eldest Grandmother Su''s nephew from her cousin. Eldest Grandmother Su was from the capital, and her cousin was Zeng Lin, who was the new commander of Ningxia at that time. Zeng Lin had numerous wives and concubines, but Zeng Kui was the only son. At that time, the unmarried sisters of the Ren family were all envious of Ren Yaohua¡¯s good life. After breaking her engagement, she could still find such a good prospect who was hard to find even with a lantern. But they didn¡¯t know until a few days before Ren Yaohua got married that the young master of the Zeng family had been scalded by a momo with boiling water when he was younger and had been blinded in one eye. (Hard to find even with a lantern = Rare) Old Madam Ren personally came to Ziwei Courtyard to persuade Ren Yaohua to get married. During the process, the Old Madam reasoned with logic and moved her with emotion. Ren Yaoqi did not know how Old Madam Ren persuaded her ¡°most beloved granddaughter¡± who was arrogant and domineering, to happily marry a man with a face as ugly as a ghost. But she succeeded, and Ren Yaohua married into the Zeng family without making a fuss. Half a year later, Ren Yaohua strangled her new husband with her own hair, and was thrown into the red tent of the military camp by Zeng Lin in a rage. On the night when the northwest wind was blowing, Ren Yaohua set fire to the barracks and died in the fire. As a result, the Ren family became enemies with the Zeng family, and bad luck followed. And the young master of the Han family, who broke an engagement with Ren Yaohua, married Yun Qiuchen, the eldest young lady of the Yun family, in the same year. She is a talented woman and has ten miles of red makeup. It''s unclear know how many young men and women in Yanbei were envious. (Ten miles of red makeup = Used to describe an extremely rich dowry) ¡±Yaoyao? Yaoyao?¡± Ren Shimin shook his hand in front of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes and called to her with a frown. Ren Yaoqi returned to her senses, and when she saw that everyone in the room was looking at her, she forced a smile. ¡±Yaoyao, are you not feeling well?¡± Ren Shimin reached out and probed her forehead. N¨¦e Li also spoke: ¡°Still not getting better? Why is your face so ugly?¡± Ren Yaoqi obediently let Ren Shimin touch her forehead indiscriminately, and did not remind him that the palm of his hand that touched hot tea could not detect body heat, she just lowered her head and said, ¡°No, I just suddenly remembered that Daddy had arranged a lot of paintings to draw and calligraphies to copy for me when he left home, but I didn¡¯t manage to complete it because I was unwell for quite a period of time. I was afraid that Daddy would scold me when he checks homework later.¡± Hearing this, Ren Shimin pulled back his hand helplessly, and scolded with a smile, ¡°When did Daddy ever blame you? That it scared you like this?¡± Seeing that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face had gotten a lot better, n¨¦e Li couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief: ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not sick.¡± Although Ren Yaoqi has been acting as a bridge of communication between Ren Shimin and Li Shi, she has been worrying about how she can stop everything before it happens. ¡±Master, Madam, Concubine Fang has brought the Sixth Young Master and Ninth Young Lady to greet you.¡± The maid, Huan Shan, reported through the curtain. Ren Shimin looked at N¨¦e Li in surprise: ¡°Isn¡¯t Concubine Fang still ill?¡± N¨¦e Li thought that he was blaming her, and said uneasily: ¡°I... I told her not to come.¡± Ren Shimin nodded and motioned for people to come in. After a while, Concubine Fang walked in with a pair of children. Today¡¯s Concubine Fang was wearing a light blue sheepskin jacket of ordinary fabric, with a round bun and a Zhaojun cover on her forehead. Despite dressing simple, it did not change her dignity and beauty. Along the way, the head is slightly low, the bee waist is clear, and a graceful walk. It has a romantic attitude of its own, yet it''s rare to be not seen as frivolous. (Zhaojun = Ancient women''s head ornaments made of animal fur, like a hat but without the top to show their bun) It¡¯s no wonder that the servants of the Ren family like to secretly learn from her. Ren Shimin looked at Concubine Fang, and his eyes couldn¡¯t help but contain some admiration. Toward beautiful things, he has always been generous to watch. Concubine Fang¡¯s eyes swept slightly towards Ren Shimin¡¯s direction, then immediately avoided it, and came forward to kowtow to Ren Shimin and n¨¦e Li. Ren Shimin smiled and nodded: ¡°Get up, didn¡¯t Madam let you rest and recuperate?¡± Concubine Fang¡¯s beautiful eyes narrowed, her smile was a little weak, but her joy radiated from the inside out: ¡°It¡¯s this concubine who heard that Master is back. This concubine¡­ this concubine is here to greet you.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Concubine Fang¡¯s appearance but her anger didn''t come out. Although she tried her best to restrain herself, the words she said were still very cold and stiff: ¡°Since you are asked to rest, you should rest well. If you come out like this and by chance have a cold and become seriously ill, the people outside will not know about it. They''ll thought it was my mother who was harsh to you!¡± Concubine Fang¡¯s face darkened when she heard the words, and the smile on the corner of her mouth was a bit bitter, but she bowed her head very softly to answer: ¡°The Third Young Lady has taught a lesson, it''s this concubine who was not thoughtful.¡± Ren Shimin frowned and glanced at Ren Yaohua. Before he, the head of the family, had spoken, his daughter taught her father¡¯s concubine a lesson, which was disrespectful to him. Ren Yaoqi smiled at Concubine Fang: ¡°Don¡¯t take offense, Aunt. Third Sister, she always speaks straight, and a good word will become unpleasant when she speaks, and I am the most impatient when talking to her usually. But I don''t think her original intention was to ¡®teach¡¯ you a lesson. She saw that you were wearing too thin, she is worried that you will catch a cold.¡± Ren Shimin looked at Concubine Fang¡¯s clothes. Momo Zhou was also surprised: ¡°Concubine, why are you wearing so little today? How cold is it outside? You don¡¯t take care of yourself very much. When it wasn¡¯t so cold a few days ago, you still knew how to wear a thick cloak with a fox fur coat. You didn¡¯t deliberately made our Madam feel sorry ah.¡± Concubine Fang¡¯s face turned red. ¡±My Sixth Brother and I were eager to see our father, and we were making noise to come over sooner. Aunt only cared about what we were wearing, but neglected herself. Mother, don¡¯t blame Aunt, okay?¡± Ren Yaoying looked at n¨¦e Li aggrievedly. (Concubine-born children calls their biological mothers as Aunt(concubine), and calls their father''s legitimate wife as Mother) ¡±Your mother hasn''t blame anyone yet, why are you all wronged first?¡± Ren Shimin interrupted, his voice was gentle, and he restrained himself very well. Although he doesn¡¯t care about these inner courtyard affairs, because of his sensitive temperament, this kind of back and forth between women extremely annoys him. CH 22 November 16, 2022 The room fell silent for a while. Everyone in the Ren Estate knows that Third Master Ren has a gentle temperament and rarely loses his temper. But rarely losing his temper doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t have a temper. In Ren Shimin¡¯s study, there used to be a servant who was serving brush and ink and stole one of his inkstones and went out to exchange it for silver. This servant has been by his side since he was a child, and was the nephew of his momo. He has done these kinds of petty theft a few times, and Ren Shimin has never cared much about such external things, so he turned a blind eye. Unexpectedly, Ren Shimin was furious at that time. Not paying attention to the momo¡¯s crying and begging, he immediately ordered the steward to beat the little servant with 50 big boards and afterward carry him to the government. The servant endured for three days and finally died in prison. Because there is a law in the Great Zhou Dynasty, if a servant commits the crime of murdering the master, adultery, or theft, once it is verified, the master has the right to kill him. Afterward, he only needs to hand over 22 taels of silver to the government to close the case. So even though Ren Shimin has always been amiable like a jade gentleman, none of the servants of the Ren family dared to be presumptuous in front of him. (Jade gentleman = There''s a saying ''A gentleman is like a jade'', a gentleman is similar to that of a jade(inherently tenacious, brilliant, and low-key luxury). Wearing jade is to remind oneself of moral cultivation) People who don¡¯t play cards according to the rules are the most difficult to provoke because you don¡¯t know what will suddenly anger them, so you can only be extra careful around them. Ren Shimin flicked the hem of his robe and stood up: ¡°I¡¯m going to the study, you should go.¡± Everyone got up to see off each other. When Ren Shimin walked in front of Ren Yaoqi, he turned his head and said, ¡°Yaoyao should also come, your father wants to see how much laziness you have stolen in the past half year.¡± ¡±Father.¡± Ren Yaoying bit her lower lip and called out softly. Ren Shimin turned to look at her and said gently, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ren Yaoying summoned her courage and said, ¡°Father, this daughter has been practicing calligraphy and painting for the past half year. I just finished painting a snow scenery a few days ago, and I would like to ask my father for some guidance. This daughter knows that she is not as talented as Fifth Sister, but¡­but¡­ this daughter also really likes to paint.¡± Concubine Fang looked at Ren Yaoying and said with a smile, ¡°Ninth Young Lady has really put a lot of effort into practicing painting in the past half year. Speaking of which, I would like to thank Fifth Young Lady for her guidance from time to time.¡± ¡±Oh?¡± Ren Shimin glanced at Ren Yaoqi, thought about it, and nodded, ¡°In that case, you should come too.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at Concubine Fang and smiled. If Concubine Fang counted her agreement to lend her her paintings as her guidance to Ren Yaoying, she really had to accept this credit. However, she knew that Ren Yaoying¡¯s paintings were really not bad. Concubine Fang was wholeheartedly planning for her children. Naturally, every step was calculated. Before the Ren family overturned, she could also persuade Old Madam Ren to let her go back to her maiden family and take the opportunity to marry her daughter to her brother¡¯s eldest son. ¡±Daddy, why don¡¯t Third Sister and Fifth Brother come together? Dragon begets dragon, phoenix begets phoenix, the son of a mouse can make a hole, then your children should be able to paint too!¡± Ren Yaoqi winked at Ren Shimin and said playfully. (Dragon begets dragon, phoenix begets phoenix, the son of a mouse can make a hole = Like father, like son) Ren Shimin didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry: ¡°Where did you learn all this mess?¡± In the end, the four children followed Ren Shimin to the study together. The second entrance of Ziwei Courtyard does not have wing rooms, but there are two small cross courtyards. The west cross courtyard is the storeroom of n¨¦e Li, and the east cross courtyard is Ren Shimin¡¯s study. (Wing rooms = The rooms on both sides at the front of the main room Cross courtyards = The courtyards on both sides of the main courtyard) The Third Master''s study room is full of books and paintings. As soon as you enter the yard, you can smell the fragrance of ink. There is a miniature pond in the cross courtyard, the water is very shallow but it''s jet black, and now it has frozen into ice. After the surplus snow above was shoveled away, the miniature pond was like a bright and deep black jade. This is the pond where Ren Shimin usually washes his brush, he named it Wenhan Pond. (Wenhan(ÎÄå«) = ÎÄ refers to a poem, article, or script while å« refers to pen and brush. ÎÄå« means talented in writing) Ren Yaoqi should have been the most familiar with this place, but she couldn¡¯t help but look around after entering. Pushing open the study door, the cluttered look inside makes it hard to believe that this is a study. Ren Yaoqi recalled that Ren Shimin¡¯s study was the most chaotic place she had ever seen. He doesn¡¯t like people coming in to clean up but likes to put his books and paintings everywhere. It¡¯s just that he can easily locate each painting himself, and he is proud of it. In the entire Ren family, the only person who can clearly remember every book in Ren Shimin¡¯s study and where each painting is located, except for Ren Shimin himself, only Ren Yaoqi could. Ren Shimin looked back at the four children behind him, frowned for a while, and finally pointed to the desk inlaid with sandalwood and marble facing the door and said, ¡°You all sit there and don¡¯t move.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that Ren Shimin doesn''t usually use his desk to write or paint, and liked to use the short table on the right of the room. This desk is where he usually drinks tea, so it is relatively tidy. A few people walked through the mess on the ground cautiously and sat around the desk. Ren Yaoqi reached out and took an upside-down cylindrical bamboo tube like a flat-bottomed bell in the middle of the desk, then couldn''t help taking out a few Go pieces from the drawer under the desk and placing them inside. She wanted to shake it by her ear but was snatched by Ren Shimin who was sitting next to her. (Go = A strategic game of grid-like board for two players to aim for more territories than the other, it uses black and white pieces) ¡±Daddy has said it many times, this is for Daddy to drink tea, not a toy. You are being naughty again.¡± Ren Shimin said with a stern face, disapproving. Ren Yaoqi came back to her senses, blinked, and quickly blinked back the tears in her eyes. Ren Shimin was taken aback, wondering if his tone was too harsh, and finally, he could only put the bamboo cup in his hand back into Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand and said helplessly: ¡°Forget it, this cup has not been used for half a year. You play with it, Daddy will make another one tomorrow.¡± Ren Yaoqi laughed while looking at the rough bamboo cup in her hand. There are two such cups in the small camphor wood box under her bed. When she was a child, she always liked to shake the dice with the bamboo cup daddy made when he was not looking. She was caught twice but still enjoyed doing it. A look of envy flashed in Ren Yaoying¡¯s eyes, but her smile was seven-point naive and three-point curiosity, and any malice couldn¡¯t be seen: ¡°Did the Fifth Sister just play a game of gambling? I heard that Uncle is the best at this, and Fifth Sister learned it from Uncle, right?¡± (Uncle = Maternal uncle) Ren Shimin¡¯s face suddenly sank. Ren Yaohua¡¯s sharp-edged eyes looked at Ren Yaoying coldly. Ren Yaoying forced a smile and couldn¡¯t help shrinking. The only one who can be called uncle by Ren Yaoying with great momentum is the brother of their legitimate mother. Ren Yaoqi played with the cup in her hand and smiled indifferently: ¡°Didn¡¯t Aunt say that Sister has read a lot of books? Why don¡¯t you know that rolling dice is actually a method of divination? What gambling? Where did you hear that nonsense?¡± How can a child raised in a boudoir know this? Moreover, Ren Yaoying has never had contact with her so-called ¡°Uncle¡±. All she knew was what she heard from others. Ren Shimin barely held back his anger and said to Ren Yaoying in a low voice: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want me to instruct you in painting?¡± Ren Yaoying bit her lip, lowered her head and took out the scroll that she had been holding in her hand, glanced at Ren Shimin, and carefully spread it out on the desk. Ren Shimin looked up, the expression on his face softened slightly, and he nodded in praise: ¡°Sure enough, you have made rapid progress. It can be seen that you have worked hard.¡± Ren Yaoqi also took a serious look. In all fairness, it is really good that Ren Yaoying can paint this level of painting at her age. She knew that Concubine Fang was very strict with her children, and Ren Yaoying had really put in a lot of effort in the past half year. But with Ren Shimin¡¯s critical eyes¡­ As expected, listening to him say: ¡°However, in addition to paying attention to brush and ink, in painting, you must also pay attention to composition. Yin and yang, back and forth, vertical and horizontal, ups and downs, opening and closing, locking and tying, surrounding, hooking, bridging, reflecting. It has to be ups and downs and twists and turns freely, so as to avoid a lack of rhythm. What your painting lacks is the dexterity of this composition.¡± In fact, according to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s understanding of Ren Shimin, these words are considered a high-level evaluation, because according to his temperament, he would at most subtly say ¡°acceptable¡± for paintings that he did not like, and he would definitely not pay too much attention. But Ren Yaoying didn¡¯t know, so the smile on her face was a little stiff. ¡±Daddy often praises Fifth Sister for her good painting, why don¡¯t Fifth Sister help me to see how to change this painting?¡± Ren Yaoying suddenly looked at Ren Yaoqi with anticipation on her face. Ren Yaoqi remembered that Ren Yaoying had made such a request in her previous life, but she was too young to write at that time, and she was not happy with Ren Yaoying, so she immediately refused. Ren Yaoying didn¡¯t really want her to help, so in the end, Ren Shimin helped her make some changes. But this time, Ren Yaoqi nodded and smiled generously: ¡°Since Sister¡¯s paintings are all learned from me, it¡¯s natural for me to change it for you.¡± She looked like doing her part. The veins on Ren Yaoying¡¯s forehead jumped, and she was very uncomfortable with the way Concubine Fang raised Ren Yaoqi before. Ren Shimin glanced at Ren Yaoqi with a smile and took the pen and ink from the second compartment on the right with an obvious look of watching a good show. He was the one who taught his daughter, and he was very clear about what she was capable of. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s level may be better than Ren Yaoying¡¯s, but it is still limited after all. While Ren Yaoqi set up the ink, she tilted her head to look at the painting. After the ink was ground, she picked up a brush and added a few strokes to the snow scenery, and finally, a pair of bamboo bent by the heavy snow was added on top. Although it is only a few strokes, it makes people feel the strength of a bamboo that has already been bent, and the vigorous vitality immediately emerges from the painting. Ren Yaoying¡¯s original painting seems to have become the background, but on the whole, they seem unusually coordinated and not abrupt at all. The style of the whole painting immediately improved by several grades. Ren Shimin¡¯s expression at seeing her daughter¡¯s jokes slowly became serious. CH 23 November 19, 2022 ¡°The brush stroke is advanced, and the painting is full of meaning.¡± Ren Shimin approached a little closer, looked down carefully at the painting that had been touched up by Ren Yaoqi, and praised with surprise on his face, ¡°Yaoyao, your progress in the past half year is really unbelievable.¡± Half a year? She has been painting for more than half a year¡­ Ren Yaoqi sighed inwardly, but just pursed her lips and smiled. ¡±Fifth Sister paints really well.¡± Ren Yihong looked at Ren Yaoqi and said shyly. Ren Yihong is Ren Shimin''s only son. Concubine Fang had high expectations for her son, so she never let him interfere with the affairs of the inner court. In Ren Yaoqi¡¯s memory, this younger brother was shy and had a pretty good relationship with her. Now he and several other cousins ??in the Ren family are studying classics and history with a senior teacher hired by the estate. His learning is not bad and he likes painting, but his talent is not high. Ren Yaoqi remembered that in her past life, after Ren Shimin¡¯s death, Ren Yihong went to the Fang Estate to study with the Fang family¡¯s children under the arrangement of Concubine Fang. Anyway, she had never heard of Ren Yihong¡¯s name in the capital during her lifetime. Ren Yaoqi smiled politely at him. At this time, the steward of the front yard came to say that the thank-you gift to the Han family had been prepared, and Fifth Master asked Third Master if he was free to go to the Han family with him. Ren Yaoqi tugged at Ren Shimin¡¯s sleeve and said dissatisfiedly: ¡°Daddy, you haven¡¯t told us about the painting fair. Apart from Senior Chen and Yanbei''s Heir, who are the famous artists who participated? What style of painting do they all have?¡± Ren Shimin glanced at the children looking at him curiously. After thinking for a while, he said to the steward: ¡°The people from the Han family only returned today. Too many people may cause trouble for them. Let Fifth Brother go alone, I will visit another day.¡± The steward stepped back. Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief. Ren Shimin stayed in the study this afternoon to discuss the painting fair with the children. After dinner, all the Ren family members went to Ronghua Courtyard to say good night to Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren. Ren Yaoyu officially moved into Ronghua Courtyard. In order to appease Ren Yaohua, Old Madam Ren gave her a pair of beaded flowers, and she was affectionate when she spoke. Fifth Madam appeared with Fifth Master. Don¡¯t know how Fifth Master pleaded for the Fifth Madam, Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t punish her to go to the ancestral hall to think. When the husband and wife were standing together, they kept exchanging eyes. Finally, Fifth Master also begged for mercy on his daughter, and Old Madam Ren reluctantly agreed to let Ren Yaoyu come out of the ancestral hall and be grounded in her room. After returning from Ronghua Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi had someone sort out the boxes of clothing and jewelry that Ren Shimin brought back to her, and sent them to Ren Yaoyin, Ren Yaoying, as well as Ren Yaoting from the Second House respectively. Then she took Ren Yaohua''s share and went to the opposite east wing. Seeing the clothes and jewelry sent by Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaohua asked expressionlessly: ¡°Father bought this for you, why did you bring it here?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said: ¡°Fourth Sister, Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister, and Ninth Sister, all of them have it, so naturally I can¡¯t miss Third Sister. Father said that he bought it for us sisters, how can I take it all by myself?¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s complexion softened slightly upon hearing this. Ren Yaoqi let Xi¡¯er hand over the things she brought to Ren Yaohua¡¯s maidservant, Wujing. A woman came in to talk to Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaoqi saw that the table inside was spread out with a brush, ink, and rice paper, so she walked over and took a casual look, only to find that it was a half-painted painting of a snow scenery. The ink on the painting is still wet, obviously, Ren Yaohua was painting before she came in. Ren Yaohua¡¯s paintings are just average. There are some traces of smearing and alteration, but it can be seen that she is very careful. Painting and writing are not Ren Yaohua¡¯s specialties, and Ren Yaoqi knows that she dislikes these things the most. Ren Yaoqi used to think that a person as proud as Ren Yaohua should not care about her father¡¯s opinion of her. Her attitude towards Ren Shimin was also indifferent usually, and she seldom even spoke in front of him. At this time, Ren Yaohua came over, glanced at Ren Yaoqi then pulled the half-drawn painting of a snow scenery on the table, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it on the ground casually. Ren Yaoqi was taken aback, and Ren Yaohua said coldly: ¡°I just casually painted for no reason, but it''s useless. It¡¯s getting late, you should go back.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and didn¡¯t ask much: ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back first.¡± After taking two steps, she paused and said, ¡°Third Sister, you might as well try meticulous painting, and if you are not sure about the layout, you can use a charcoal pencil to form the painting first.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi for a long time, until Ren Yaoqi walked to the door, she said in a low voice: ¡°Thank you for bothering.¡± On the second day, after the greetings in the Ronghua Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi was talking in n¨¦e Li¡¯s main room, but a woman from the outer courtyard came in and said that Third Master asked Third Madam to let someone send a pot of Yunwu tea he brought back from the capital to the front yard. ¡±But what kind of guests are here?¡± Ren Shimin always treasured the tea leaves in his collection, and generally only used them to entertain his close friends, so Ren Yaoqi asked such a question. ¡±It¡¯s from the Han family.¡± The woman replied. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression changed slightly: ¡°Is someone from the Han family here?¡± ¡±Yes, Old Madam Han brought Young Master Han and Young Lady Han here.¡± The woman didn¡¯t notice Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression, and replied with a smile, ¡°Fifth Master said that he would let Young Master Han taste the good tea he recently brought back.¡± Ren Yaoqi no longer remembers whether the members of the Han family visited in the past life, and she never paid attention to the Han family before they broke off the engagement. But is this life going to follow the old path of the past life? Thinking of this, Ren Yaoqi stood up abruptly. ¡±Qi¡¯er?¡± N¨¦e Li called out in surprise. Ren Yaoqi came back to her senses and found that everyone was looking at her. She tried to calm her breathing, smiled, and said: ¡°Yesterday, I heard father praise the Han family, and I am very curious about the young lady of the Han family. Mother, I¡¯ll go to Grandmother¡¯s yard to see Young Lady Han.¡± CH 24 N¨¦e Li was even more surprised when she heard this. Ren Yaoqi is different from Ren Yaohua, she is not favored by the Old Madam since she was young, so she has an aversion going to Ronghua Courtyard. Usually, except for the morning and evening greetings, she would not go as much as possible. Ren Yaoqi knew what n¨¦e Li was thinking: ¡°I happened to be looking for Fourth Sister, so I will also stop by to have a look, Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Seeing her insistence, n¨¦e Li couldn¡¯t say anything more, but said to Ren Yaohua: ¡°Hua¡¯er, should you also go and have a look?¡± In the past, n¨¦e Li would never have said such a thing, but recently the relationship between the sisters Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua has eased, which is evident to n¨¦e Li and a few close people around her. ¡±No need, I¡¯ll go back as soon as I went there, Third Sister will stay and talk to you.¡± Ren Yaoqi went out while talking. She had something on her mind so she only cared about leading the maids to walk forward. Going around the nine-turn corridor, when she was about to turn into the garden, she heard voices blowing in the air of several men talking in the garden. At the same time, she heard the squeak of several pairs of boots stepping on the snow getting closer. ¡±Didn¡¯t Third Uncle bring us to the garden and said that he would personally pick snow from the plum blossoms to boil and make tea? There are several plum trees planted in the estate, but none of them bloomed¡­cough cough¡­¡± A juvenile voice complained, dissatisfied. ¡±Miscalculation! I miscalculated! However Yijun, it¡¯s not that Third Uncle is admonishing you, but you should come out more to hang around. If you are always stifled in your room, even if you are not sick, you will become sick.¡± Ren Shimin expressed leisurely. ¡±Third Master, didn¡¯t you see that Third Young Master coughed again just now? It¡¯s terrible, he must have caught a cold from the wind when he went out. Eldest Madam will definitely peel off my skin when I go back later! Young Master, since there are no plum blossoms, shall we go back? You have to watch your body carefully!¡± A crying voice hurriedly spoke. ¡±Noisy! Where did this young master go that it¡¯s your turn to take care of things? Give me¡­cough cough¡­¡± The young man broke out in dissatisfaction but was interrupted by a cough. ¡±Young Master¡­¡± When Ren Yaoqi heard this, she understood that it was her father and third cousin who are in the garden at this time. Her third cousin, Ren Yijun, was the Eldest Master¡¯s second son and suffered from deficiency brought on from his mother¡¯s womb. A fortune teller once asserted that he would not live to be ten years old. Over the years, Eldest Madam has searched everywhere for a secret recipe for nourishing the body, stewed nourishing soup for him every day, and only ate medicinal food for three meals a day. It can be said that her cousin grew up as a medicine jar. Now Ren Yijun is sixteen years old, and although he has frequent minor illnesses, he is still alive and well. Thinking that it was her father who abducted this cousin who rarely went out, and let him feel the cold wind in the snow, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. If Ren Yijun really caught a cold because of this, Eldest Madam will definitely blame him again. Because of his poor health, Ren Yijun was always detained in his yard and rarely went out. In addition, his family, from the Old Madam to his brothers and sisters, all of them indulged him, which made him develop a somewhat eccentric and withdrawn temperament. The relationship between him and his brothers of the same generation, including his legitimate elder brother, is indifferent. With the exception of his Third Uncle, Ren Shimin, who he gets along with. Ren Yaoqi remembered that in her past life, she didn¡¯t like this Third Brother who was strange and never had a smile on his face. Until later, the Ren family did not dare to bring back her father''s body after he died. Under the scorching sun in June, she knelt in the Ronghua Courtyard and cried and begged Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren to collect her father¡¯s body. In the end, she almost fainted from heatstroke but the people inside did not move the slightest bit. At that moment, Ren Yijun walked over with a sullen face leaning on a cane, pulled her up, and left. Dazed and stumbling, she was dragged by him to the Ren family¡¯s three provinces hall, where the memorial tablets of the ancestors were enshrined. It was the Ren family¡¯s ancestral hall. ¡±What¡¯s the use of crying? Their hearts are hard, and their blood is cold. You should be like this¡­¡± Ren Yijun raised the cane in his hand and swept down the dozen or so memorial tablets on the altar. She was so frightened that she was dumbfounded. She watched him throw away the cane in his hand and stomped on the tablet on the ground like crazy, and curse at the same time: ¡°Eating our offerings but letting your descendants suffer, allowing those filthy people from the Ren family to trample us, then these incense will be broken and abandoned!¡± She was infected by his crazy and reckless appearance, thinking about the cause of her father¡¯s death, hatred rose in her heart, she got up and picked up the tablets on the ground and smashed them against the wall one by one. When the rest of the Ren family heard the news and rushed over, there were only pieces of broken wood left on the ground. The tablets of the ancestors were smashed to pieces. Old Master Ren was so angry that he almost fainted, Eldest Master stepped forward, slapped Ren Yijun, and knocked him to the ground. Eldest Madam collapsed on the ground, horrified. But he sneered and looked around the crowd: ¡°I smashed everything! Family law and everything are directed at me! Anyway, the lives of the Ren family are worthless!¡± That was the first time she realized that Third Brother who had been treated like a porcelain doll since childhood was actually not as weak and vulnerable as they imagined. Ren Yaoqi turned around and walked back, thinking of persuading his father and Ren Yijun to go back, when he heard the voice of an unfamiliar young man. ¡±Since there''s no rootless water in the plum blossoms, it''s also good to use spring water to make tea. I happen to have a jar of spring water from the mountains that has just been brought back. Why don¡¯t I have someone go back and get it now?¡± Ren Yaoqi paused. She looked into the garden through the branches and leaves of the clumps of a shrub in front. Walking side by side with Ren Shimin and Ren Yijun is a young man about fifteen or sixteen years old. She was a bit far, and there were trees covering her, so she couldn¡¯t see the young man¡¯s face clearly. All she knows is that he is tall, standing like a jade tree facing the wind. Unlike Ren Shimin, who is free and relaxed in his wide-sleeved robe, he has a kind of introversion and calmness that is extremely rare in young people. Ren Yaoqi has a guess about his identity. At this time, footsteps sounded again behind her, turning her head, Ren Yaoqi saw Ren Yaohua walking along the corridor, and seeing her standing at the entrance by the garden, but not going in, she couldn¡¯t help frowning and look over. Over there, Ren Shimin was suggesting drinking tea and playing chess at the warm pavilion in the garden, when Ren Yaoqi turned around and walked back. ¡±What are you doing standing there?¡± Ren Yaohua glanced into the garden, obviously also faintly hearing someone in the garden. Ren Yaoqi smiled at her: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I seem to have heard the voices of Father and Third Brother just now. I wanted to greet them but found someone else was with them so I did not go.¡± Ren Yaohua stopped asking and took the lead going to Ronghua Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi glanced in the direction of the garden again, and then followed Ren Yaohua. In Ronghua Courtyard, the main room of Old Madam Ren is bustling. When Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi went in, they saw that apart from Old Madam Ren, Ren Yaoyin, and Ren Yaoyu, there was a woman in her thirties and a girl about eleven or twelve years old. The woman had a pretty face but had an unhealthily sallow face, and her body seemed to be sick. The girl sitting next to her looks similar to the woman, except that her eyes are not as big, and have slanted single eyelids. Her complexion is very good, fair and clear, and her lips are not painted but are bright red. It is said that one white covers three ugliness, but she is not ugly herself, so she looks charming. ¡±Why are you here?¡± Old Madam Ren was a little surprised when she saw Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi walking in. ¡±I¡¯m here to find Fourth Sister.¡± Ren Yaohua smiled and walked over to salute Old Madam Ren. After hearing the words, Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t ask any more questions, and she didn¡¯t even care about why Ren Yaoqi came here. ¡±These are the two daughters of the Third Family,¡± Old Madam Ren said to Madam Han, and then told the two sisters: ¡°Madam Han and Young Lady Han, you haven¡¯t seen each other before. Come and meet them.¡± Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi stepped forward to greet the mother and daughter of the Han family. ¡±I¡¯ve heard from Auntie Xiao that all the young ladies of the Ren family are outstanding. It¡¯s true when I saw them today.¡± Madam Han smiled and pulled Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi up one by one, and looked at them. Auntie Xiao is a well-connected person who always speaks good things to the patrons she mentions and never says bad things. Old Madam Ren said with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s still the lady from the Han family who is everyone''s model of what''s virtuous and talented.¡± CH 25 November 22, 2022 When Young Lady Han heard this, she buried her head, looking a little shy. Ren Yaohua smiled at Old Madam Ren: ¡°I see that the sister from the Han family is sitting a bit stiffly, how about letting us sisters greet her?¡± Ren Yaohua in front of Old Madam Ren was different from the taciturn person she was in front of Ren Shimin, but a lively and cheerful appearance. Old Madam Ren smiled and said: ¡°I see that you, little monkey, wants to make a new playmate, right? Sister You is a gentle girl who knows etiquette, don¡¯t scare people.¡± Sister You should be Young Lady Han, so Ren Yaohua cast some playful glances at Han You. Han You hurriedly said: ¡°I also like the sisters from the Ren family very much, and I was thinking of finding an opportunity to get close.¡± Madam Han glanced at her daughter with a smile and said to Old Madam Ren: ¡°She usually doesn¡¯t like to go out, and she hasn¡¯t made many friends of the same age since she moved to Baihe Town this year. She''s delighted to see the ladies of Ren family today.¡± Old Madam Ren laughed and said, ¡°In this case, let the younger generations play together. Yin¡¯er, Hua¡¯er, Ying¡¯er, please treat Young Lady You well, and don¡¯t neglect the guest.¡± Most of the time, Old Madam Ren is a kind and tolerant elder in front of the guests. Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin immediately responded. Old Madam Ren looked at Ren Yaoqi who was standing aside, and said kindly in front of the guests: ¡°Since you are here, follow your two sisters to greet the guests, and don''t be naughty anymore.¡± It was as if she only ignored her granddaughter because she was usually too ¡°naughty and mischievous¡±. If it was in her past life, Ren Yaoqi would definitely feel wronged and sad, but now she sneered in her heart, bowing her head and saying yes. She taught Ren Yaohua not to lose Old Madam Ren¡¯s favor, but she had no intention of trying to please her herself. Some people, no matter how hard you try to please them, will still be merciless when it is time to sacrifice you in the end. In this new life, it is not difficult to please Old Madam Ren and get her attention by relying on what she knows, but she is not willing to waste this effort! They went to the warm pavilion on the east together, which is now the living place of Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaoying. Ren Yaoyin consciously assumed the role of the host and sent her maid to prepare tea and snacks, doing everything in an orderly manner, very much like her mother, Eldest Madam. ¡±What kind of pastimes does Young Lady Han like to do at home?¡± Ren Yaohua ignored Ren Yaoying, another owner of the warm pavilion, and led Young Lady Han to her seat. She has lived here longer than Ren Yaoyin, and she is very familiar with the warm pavilion. Ren Yaoying hid her dissatisfaction on her face and sat down with Ren Yaoqi. Han You looked at Ren Yaohua, who was smiling brightly, and Ren Yaoyin, who is suppressing her unhappiness, feeling a little at a loss. ¡±Third Sister likes to play chess and do needlework, Fourth Sister likes to play the guqin and read books, and Ninth Sister likes to write and paint. That¡¯s why Third Sister asked Young Lady Han what kind of entertainment you like.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Han You and said with a smile. ¡±This sister from the Han family just came, and you have already revealed the ins and outs of our family''s sisters.¡± Ren Yaoyin walked over and lightly patted Ren Yaoqi¡¯s shoulder, pretending to be dissatisfied. Han You finally was not so restrained. She pursed her lips and said with a smile: ¡°I like reading, and occasionally learn to write and paint from my brother. Unfortunately, my aptitudes are not good so my paintings are not drawn well. Don¡¯t call me Young Lady Han anymore. If you don¡¯t mind, just call me Sister You.¡± Ren Yaoqi secretly measured her and saw that her words and actions seemed to be from a big family. Although she looks a little shy, it may be because she seldom interacts with outsiders. Ren Yaoqi became curious about the Han family, seeing that Madam Han and her two children are orderly people. In her past life, she only heard that Young Master Han was a dignified and handsome young man with outstanding talents, but because he is studying at a well-known academy in Yunyang City most of the time, almost no one has seen him. As for the rest of the Han family, she had no impression at all. Only vaguely remembering that Madam Han will die of illness not long after, and Young Lady Han began to stay at home because of her filial piety for her mother. ¡±Are there any other sisters in Sister You¡¯s family?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked curiously, ¡°There are many sisters in our family, besides Third Sister, Fourth Sister, Ninth Sister sitting here, the Eldest Sister who is married, and Second Sister. In the east mansion next door, there is Seventh Sister from Granduncle¡¯s family and Sixth Sister who is in the capital with Fourth Uncle. Oh, and¡­¡± ¡±Alright Fifth Sister, your long line of sisters made me dizzy, let alone Sister You.¡± Ren Yaoyin interrupted Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words with a laugh and shook her head. Han You said enviously: ¡°It¡¯s so lively that you have so many sisters, my brother and I are the only ones in my family.¡± Ren Yaoyin comforted gently: ¡°In the future, you will come to play often, just treat our sisters as your sisters.¡± Han You¡¯s face darkened: ¡°Grandfather and Father don¡¯t like us going out often, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to come here often in the future.¡± ¡±Why aren¡¯t you allowed to go out?¡± Ren Yaoying asked curiously. Han You bowed her head: ¡°Grandmother said that women should be quiet and self-respecting, and it¡¯s not good to always go out. Mother and I usually don¡¯t go out. Today, Grandmother only let Mother come. So I begged Grandmother to allow me to come with her.¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t believe it when they heard the words. Yanbei was once ruled by the people of Liao, but the people of Yanbei never really succumbed to the Liao''s iron cavalry. Later, under the leadership of King Yanbei, the people of Yanbei drove the Liaos out of the north of the Great Wall. It may be because of this historical background that the people of Yanbei are much more open than people in the south. Even the defense against men and women is not as strict as in the south. It is normal for ladies from rich families to make friends and hang out. Nowadays, even those aristocratic families in the south do not have such a strict family style as the Han family. ¡±You really don¡¯t go out? Follow the elders to visit relatives and friends, go to temples to worship Buddha¡­have you never done these things?¡± Ren Yaoying asked. Even though she was a concubine-born daughter, she still has the opportunity to go out and show her face. Han You blushed and shook her head: ¡°When I was in Jizhou, I still had family contacts. After arriving in Baihe Town¡­ today is the first time I go out.¡± The sisters of the Ren family couldn¡¯t say anything more. Madam Han talked with Old Madam Ren and Eldest Madam who came later, politely declined the Old Madam''s lunch invitation, and sent someone to call Han You back. It was rare for Han You to have so many peers chatting together, and she was extremely reluctant, but she got up without saying anything. ¡±Will you come to our house to play in the future?¡± Han You invited. The sisters of the Ren family all said yes with a smile and sent Han You out together. Seeing that the Han family¡¯s mother and daughter had left, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t want to stay in Ronghua Courtyard anymore, so she bid farewell to Old Madam Ren. Ren Yaohua stayed to talk with the Old Madam. While walking back, Ren Yaoqi was thinking about the affairs of the Han family, and couldn¡¯t help but pause when she reached the garden. After thinking for a while, she ordered the maidservants behind her: ¡°Father told me to visit him before lunch, Xi¡¯er and Xueli follow, Qingmei will lead the others back to the yard first.¡± Xi¡¯er is a maid from n¨¦e Li, and she came here with her just now. Qingmei looked at Xueli, and said with a smile: ¡°Should this slave stay here to serve the Young Lady? You only have two people around, I¡¯m afraid they will not be able to serve you.¡± Xi¡¯er scolded coldly: ¡°Young Lady tells you to go, if you don¡¯t know who''s superior and who''s inferior, then you can go to Momo Zhou to get a board first!¡± Qingmei does not dare to be presumptuous to a maid from the main room, so she can only look flatteringly at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi turned around and left. Xi¡¯er and Xue Li hurriedly followed, Qingmei gave a soundless ''pei'' at Xi¡¯er¡¯s back, then turned and left. ¡±Young Lady, if these little hoofs cannot be used smoothly, they should be sent out. You are a lady of the Ren family, do you still need someone else to command?¡± Xi¡¯er said and glanced at Xueli meaningfully. Ren Yaoqi also turned her head to look at Xueli, who hurriedly lowered her head, her posture becoming more respectful. Ren Yaoqi smiled lightly, and said to Xi¡¯er: ¡°One will have feelings for a cat and a dog after having them for a long time, let alone a person serving close to you? I see that Xueli is not bad. You can give her some pointers when you have time. In time, it may not be impossible to get on the stage.¡± Xueli was overjoyed, and hit the snake with a stick: ¡°Thank you, Young Lady, thank you, sister Xi¡¯er. I will definitely not disappoint Young Lady''s promotion.¡± Xi¡¯er snorted softly and didn¡¯t say anything harsh in front of Ren Yaoqi. CH 26 November 27, 2022 Hearing that Ren Shimin said that he would go to the warm pavilion in the garden to taste tea and play chess, Ren Yaoqi went straight out of the corridor and walked to the path leading to the garden. The Ren Estate¡¯s garden pavilions, waterside pavilions, and flying eaves are all in the southern style. Although due to the geographical location, many flowers and plants that are afraid of the cold in the garden cannot survive, the seasonal flowers are also changed every season. Therefore, the garden is full of flowers all year round. There is a lake pavilion in the middle of the garden, which is a good place to enjoy the shade in summer. But because there are some spring and summer seasonal flowers and plants planted around there, the lake pavilion in autumn and winter is either withered lotus branches or a vast expanse of whiteness. The wind blows from all sides, and the cold wind is biting, so when autumn comes, the Ren family all leaves this pavilion and go to the warm pavilion located in the plum forest in the northwest. Although the warm pavilion is not big, it is engraved with earthly dragons. The windows on all sides are covered with crystalline film, and you can faintly see the light shadows around it, which is exquisite and tranquil. Ren Shimin often comes here to paint. When Ren Yaoqi approached the warm pavilion, it was silent inside, but she still kept walking. ¡±Go and wait in the pavilion over there. I will come out after a few words with my father.¡± In the pavilion not far away, two maids were warming up around a charcoal basin. It seemed that they were the maids in charge of the warm pavilion, but was denounced to come out by the master. Seeing someone coming here, the two maidservants stood up. One of them was about to greet them, but Xi¡¯er smiled and walked over quickly without waiting for them to come. Xueli originally wanted to say something, but she took a look at Ren Yaoqi, thought about it, and then bowed and turned to follow Xi¡¯er. Ren Yaoqi raised her hand and lifted the curtain of the warm pavilion. There was a short table in the middle of the warm pavilion, and Ren Yijun sat at the opposite end of an unfamiliar young man. Ren Shimin sat at the side, holding a small teacup in his hand, sipping and watching the battle. The three of them were all engrossed in the game, whether it''s the players or the person watching the game, and they didn¡¯t even notice that someone came in. On the contrary, Ren Yijun¡¯s servant, who was squatting beside him, looked up and saw Ren Yaoqi beckoning to him lightly, so he squatted back again. This is the first time that Ren Yaoqi saw the legendary young master of the Han family clearly. He had already taken off his fur cloak, and he was only wearing a white robe embroidered with orchids on the cuffs and lapel. He had black hair and neat eyebrows, a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a serious and quiet expression with his head slightly tilted in thought. From her point of view, she could discern the ends of his slightly lowered eyes are slightly raised. This is a handsome man with a calm demeanor. As if aware of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gaze, he raised his eyes and looked over, his long and narrow eyes were as black and deep as a winter night. Ren Yaoqi lowered her eyes calmly, saluted him in his direction, and then steadily looking forward walked to Ren Shimin¡¯s side. When Ren Shimin saw her just now, he couldn¡¯t help being surprised, but he waved his hand lightly at her to signal her to keep quiet and wait until the chess game is over to say anything. Watch the chess without speaking, and don¡¯t disturb the player¡¯s thinking, this is what Ren Shimin has always followed. Ren Yijun frowned and stared at her with undisguised displeasure on his face, then quickly turned his head away and stopped looking at her. Ren Yaoqi stood quietly behind Ren Shimin, staring at the chessboard in front of her without making a sound. The reason why Ren Yijun and Ren Shimin hit it off is that they have similar hobbies. Apart from reciting poems, playing the piano, and painting, they also love playing chess, and both of them can be regarded as good players. However, despite this, Ren Yijun also showed his defeat in this game of chess. After a quarter of an hour, Ren Yijun heaved a sigh of relief and surrendered. ¡±I lost again!¡± Ren Yijun said so, but his tone was not at all unhappy. Then he turned to Ren Shimin and said, ¡°Third Uncle, this guy is really powerful. I lost three times in three battles, so exchange with me. You must kill this fellow''s prestige!¡± Young Master Han lowered his head and smiled, picking up the chess pieces in silence. Ren Shimin had been observing their battles for half a day, and he had long craved to play. He was eager to try. He looked at Ren Yaoqi and asked in a low voice: ¡°Yaoyao, can we talk about something after Daddy finishes playing chess?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and Ren Shimin immediately happily changed seats with Ren Yijun. The battle begins again. Ren Yaoqi was still watching silently, with a low level of presence. Therefore, no one felt that she was in the way standing here. This time, Ren Shimin may have persisted longer than Ren Yijun, but in the end, he still came back in defeat, losing twice. Ren Yaoqi watched the final chess game thoughtfully. Play another game, and the result is the same, this time Ren Shimin lost thrice. Ren Yijun laughed loudly, stretched out his hand to pat Young Master Han on the shoulder, and said with admiration, ¡°You kid, you are really good!¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help being slightly taken aback, this was the first time she saw Ren Yijun smiling, and she still laughed heartily. With this smile, the gloomy temperament on his body disappeared instantly, and the lively vitality of the young man radiated out, making him a bit handsome. Ren Shimin also looked at Young Master Han appreciatively: ¡°Yunqian, I admit defeat!¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at the two men of the Ren family and finally understood why his father, who never cared about the affairs of the backyard in his previous life, would suddenly worry about his daughter¡¯s marriage on a whim. He really hoped that Han Yunqian would be his son-in-law. In his eyes, good painting, good calligraphy, and good chess skills are the criteria for him to choose friends and son-in-law. Among the several daughters, Ren Yaohua¡¯s age is the most suitable for Han Yunqian. ¡±Another game?¡± Ren Yijun enthusiastically proposed. However, Han Yunqian looked out, and said apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, my mother and sister may have gone back. How about ending it here today? Next time I¡¯ll be the host, please come over to have tea and play chess.¡± Ren Yijun has a very eccentric temper. If he likes you, he will be very tolerant of you. On the contrary, if you annoy him, he will have trouble with you everywhere. Han Yunqian is into his liking, so he didn¡¯t feel annoyed when he rejected his proposal. Instead, he nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s fine, what do you think, Third Uncle?¡± Ren Shimin is easy to talk with, so he didn¡¯t force it. He smiled and said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll play next time. I have to study a way to win today.¡± Han Yunqian got up to leave, and Ren Shimin also got up: ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you out.¡± Han Yunqian hurriedly said: ¡°You are an elder, how can Yunqian bother you to see him off? Yunqian will go to the Old Madam¡¯s place to say goodbye.¡± Ren Shimin suddenly remembered that his daughter was still waiting for him here, and couldn¡¯t help but glance at Ren Yaoqi hesitantly. However, Ren Yijun waved his hand: ¡°What are you fussing about these empty rituals? Will Yunqian blame us for neglecting him? I¡¯ll let Duobao send him there. Third Uncle, how about sitting down with me and discussing the previous chess moves?¡± It seems that he does not regard him as an outsider. Han Yunqian nodded with a smile and bowed to everyone again. ¡±Young Master Han, Duobao will send you out.¡± Ren Yijun¡¯s servant came forward and said. Han Yunqian followed Duobao and Ren Yaoqi stared at his back quietly disappearing from the warm pavilion without saying a word. ¡±Third Uncle, how about we replay the previous chess games?¡± Ren Yijun was eager to try, and while talking, started to restore the chessboard. It was just when Ren Shimin showed his defeat in the last game. ¡±Yaoyao, do you have something to do with Daddy?¡± Ren Shimin asked his daughter with a smile. ¡±Third Uncle, it¡¯s the same if you have something to discuss later.¡± Ren Yijun glared at Ren Yaoqi dissatisfied and impatient. Ren Yaoqi blinked at Ren Shimin, then knelt down to help Ren Yijun recover the game. Ren Yijun took a look at her and saw that she had no mistakes, so he let her. Ren Shimin laughed and touched Ren Yaoqi¡¯s head, and sat down opposite Ren Yijun. ¡±I remember, it was here that Third Uncle started losing. Yunqian¡¯s move was excellent! Half of the game was settled in an instant.¡± Ren Yijun made a move, which was exactly Han Yunqian¡¯s chess move before, ¡°Third Uncle, how about giving you another chance to turn defeat into victory?¡± Holding a small teacup, Ren Shimin rubbed his chin to ponder for a long time, when he was about to make a move, a slender white hand suddenly stretched out from the side, took the white piece in his hand, and put it on the chessboard. Ren Shimin was taken aback and did not react. Ren Yijun was angry and was about to scold her when he glanced at the chessboard, his eyes immediately widened: ¡°Second¡­ move!¡± ¡±That Young Master Han is really that powerful?¡± Ren Yaoqi propped her chin and made a face, and said with a look of dissatisfaction, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± CH 27 November 30, 2022 After being stunned for a while, Ren Yijun snorted softly: ¡°It¡¯s just a fluke, you lass.¡± As he said that, he followed Han Yunqian¡¯s previous chess move and looked sideways at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°What would your next move be?¡± Ren Yaoqi wrinkled her nose, took out another piece from the chess pot1, and put it down gently. Ren Yijun frowned and moved again. The two came and went, Ren Yijun followed Han Yunqian¡¯s previous method, and Ren Yaoqi solved them one by one. In the end, Ren Shimin¡¯s previous defeat was miraculously reversed. In the end, Ren Yijun¡¯s side actually lost. ¡±How is this possible?¡± Ren Yijun stared at Ren Yaoqi in disbelief. Ren Shimin laughed loudly, and said with a proud expression: ¡°Yaoyao can be regarded as avenging Daddy!¡± ¡±Huh! Come again!¡± Ren Yijun played another game, which was the first chess game between Ren Shimin and Han Yunqian. This time he no longer underestimated the enemy and made some changes according to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s chess style, sometimes thinking carefully. However, Ren Yaoqi played very fast, often after Ren Yijun made a move, she followed, as if no matter how the game changed, she noted it in her mind. In this game, Ren Yijun lost again. In this way, even Ren Shimin, who had been watching the excitement, became serious. Ren Yijun glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and then silently put forward his previous match with Han Yunqian. It¡¯s just that he played Han Yunqian¡¯s strategy, and Ren Yaoqi played his previous moves. In the warm pavilion, the two men were all engrossed, and Ren Yaoqi also rested her chin and said nothing. Time passed by every minute and every second, and Ren Yijun had laid out all the situations that he faced today. What is surprising is that he had lost a few pieces to Han Yunqian in the first place, but Ren Yaoqi won by a few pieces at the end, not one more and one not less. It was fine at first, but Ren Yijun¡¯s face became increasingly ugly as he continued, and by the time the dust settled in the final round, Ren Yijun suddenly lost his temper, slapped the table, and glared at Ren Yaoqi: ¡°What do you mean!¡± Ren Shimin also sensed that something was wrong, and frowned at Ren Yaoqi disapprovingly: ¡°Yaoyao, Daddy didn¡¯t realize that you are so talented in chess. It¡¯s just that Daddy may have forgotten to teach you before, the most important thing is the chess quality2. Chess quality reflects one''s character, and the most fundamental thing you should do is respect your opponents. If you cannot do this, no matter how good your chess skills are, you will be looked upon by others. Since you are able to win brilliantly, why do you deliberately ridicule your Third Brother?¡° Ren Yaoqi looked at them in surprise when she heard the words, and then said to Ren Shimin with an aggrieved face: ¡°Daddy, isn¡¯t this daughter resuming the game with Third Brother? I thought I was going to follow Young Master Han¡¯s way. I¡­ ¡­I¡¯m not trying to play tricks on Third Brother¡­¡± Ren Shimin looked at Ren Yaoqi¡¯s crying appearance and hurriedly said: ¡°Yaoyao, Daddy is not blaming you. Daddy is just worried¡­¡± ¡±Wait, you said you were following Yunqian¡¯s chess strategy?¡± Ren Yijun interrupted Ren Shimin in astonishment. Ren Shimin was also taken aback: ¡°Is this what Yunqian did?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded affirmatively, with an innocent face: ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you realize that Young Master Han always wins you a little bit every time? At most, it will not be more than five pieces. I saw that you were very happy to lose, so I thought it¡¯s a recent trend.¡± Ren Yijun¡¯s face turned livid: ¡°How is this possible!¡± Ren Yaoqi saw that he didn¡¯t believe her, so she moved a few pieces on the chessboard, gestured, and said: ¡°Look, when you play here, he can clearly¡­ beat you neatly like this.¡± The situation on Ren Yijun¡¯s side on the chessboard has taken a turn for the worse, and it is no longer the stalemate that was evenly matched before. ¡±But he didn¡¯t do that.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at Ren Yijun sympathetically, ¡°Young Master Han may have good intentions, because he was afraid that you would lose too badly. After all, the two families will still be in contact in the future, so it saves you some face...¡± Seeing that, Ren Yijun still refused to believe that he was being tricked when he put all his strength against the opponent. Ren Yaoqi shook her head and resumed the previous games one by one, but the style of chess changed drastically later on, and Ren Yijun lost most of his games every time. In the end, Ren Yijun¡¯s complexion could be described as black as the bottom of a pot3. Ren Shimin watched the game dumbfounded, finally sighed softly, and patted Ren Yaoqi¡¯s head: ¡°Okay, Yaoyao, don¡¯t be angry with your Third Brother. He hates it when others disrespect their opponents when playing chess.¡± ¡±Hmph!¡± Ren Yijun snorted coldly and turned his head away, extremely mad. Ren Yaoqi said casually: ¡°Daddy once said that a person¡¯s temperament can be seen from the way he plays chess. Young Master Han is a very good chess player, but he likes to hide his true strength. Obviously, he can win beautifully, but it seems not straightforward enough. It seems a bit too¡­ deliberate.¡± Ren Shimin couldn¡¯t help thinking when he heard the words. Ren Yaoqi slowly picked up the chess pieces on the chessboard, and carefully put them back into the fine white porcelain chess pot one by one. ¡±Originally, I found him very congenial, and I wanted to make friends with him in the future. Looking at him now, I really don¡¯t like people with this kind of temperament!¡± Ren Yijun expressed with a cold face. He himself has a weird temper and often turns faces like flipping a book4, his usual gloomy expression returned to his face at this moment. Ren Shimin sighed: ¡°No one is perfect in this world, there are very few people who have both talents and virtues after all. Young Master Han is also from a family of merchants. He was the only male in the Han family in his generation. According to what he said, he is normally in the academy in Yunyang City. When traveling with the elders in the family, it''s quite normal to have the cautious temperament of businessmen.¡± Speaking of which, the Ren family is also a merchant, but Ren Shimin has always looked down upon merchants. This kind of analysis is also reasonable, Ren Yaoqi thought happily while covering the chess pot. She didn¡¯t care much about the saying ''Chess reflects Character''. She didn¡¯t care whether Young Master Han deliberately concede on chess, or whether his original chess skills were really similar to Ren Shimin and Ren Yijun. She just didn¡¯t want the two men in front of her to have such a good impression of Han Yunqian that they wouldn¡¯t be reconciled if they didn¡¯t abduct him into the family and become their son-in-law and brother-in-law. Although she didn¡¯t know if the Ren family was unfortunate in the past life because the Han family had a hand in it, but keeping a distance from the Han family is the safest way. She did not reproach herself for secretly tarnishing a man¡¯s character. A man who broke his promise in a marriage contract, no matter what his reasons were, she loathed it. After the man broke off his engagement, he could still marry a beautiful and delicate lady. However, a woman''s life was ruined because of this. The tragedy of Ren Yaohua in the past life was caused by the Han family and the Ren family together. After this incident, another two days passed. The Han family sent someone to send a post inviting Ren Shimin and Ren Yijun to visit the Han Estate. Ren Shimin was busy mounting paintings at the time, so he politely declined. Ren Yijun simply claimed to be sick and never saw anyone. Afterward, the Han family invited them two more times. Neither Ren Shimin nor Ren Yijun went, but Fifth Master Ren Shimao and Eldest Young Master Ren Yiyan went once. It¡¯s almost the end of the year, and the winter this year is extremely cold. People would not go out if they could not go out, and there was a lot less entertainment in winter, so the Han family did not send any more posts. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s confinement was finally relieved, but she could no longer return to the Old Madam¡¯s yard. Since then, she and Ren Yaoying have become enemies. Her attitude towards Ren Yaohua, whom she originally regarded as an enemy, eased a lot. Another change is that the Ren family¡¯s Third Young Master, Ren Yijun, who had an odd temper and had a cold relationship with all his siblings, suddenly became kind to Fifth Young Lady. He often braved the wind and snow and came to the Ziwei Courtyard with crutches to play chess with Fifth Young Lady Ren Yaoqi. This made everyone in the Ren family puzzled and astonished, only the Third Master was not surprised and remained calm as before. CH 28 December 04, 2022 N¨¦e Li¡¯s illness has completely recovered, but she still doesn¡¯t like to go out. Apart from paying respects to the elders in Ronghua Courtyard every day, she basically stays at home. On this day, both Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were doing needlework with n¨¦e Li and Momo Zhou in n¨¦e Li¡¯s main room. Of the younger generations of the Ren family, boys followed the teachers invited by the estate to study in the outer courtyard. Girls learn to read with their mothers. Fortunately, the ladies of the Ren family are born excellent, thus, writing and painting are nothing difficult. Or perhaps someone like Ren Yaoqi, who has both a father and a brother willing to teach. Typically, such women are either extraordinarily favored or indeed have some talent. As for other things such as needlework, or other skills, the Ren family especially invited embroiderers and female teachers into the estate. It¡¯s just that classes usually start at the beginning of spring, and end around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Normally, it is not mandatory to go to class, it all depends on personal preference. Those who fished for three days and net for two days were not held accountable.1 As for why the Ren family spent money on female teachers since they didn¡¯t pay much attention to women¡¯s education, it can only be said that this was popular among wealthy families at this time. Other families invite female teachers, but if your family doesn¡¯t invite them, it¡¯s unreasonable. Ren Yaoqi was having fun with n¨¦e Li and the others, everyone was overjoyed, and the atmosphere in the room was cheerful when suddenly, they heard Que¡¯er, a maid standing at the door leading to the lavatory, frowning and turned to the lavatory and snorted softly, ¡°Who¡¯s outside!¡± Everyone was taken aback, and n¨¦e Li accidentally pricked her hand with an embroidery needle. ¡±What are you doing! Being shocked!¡± Momo Zhou immediately got up and walked over. Que¡¯er hurriedly said guiltily: ¡°This slave just heard some movement in the lavatory, it seems that someone accidentally kicked a stool in there.¡± There is a small lavatory in the inner room of the west room of n¨¦e Li¡¯s main house. This room has a north door. In order to facilitate water delivery from the backyard to the lavatory, it is connected to the backyard. Momo Zhou hurriedly went into the lavatory to check, but she didn¡¯t find anyone, she only saw that a stool was kicked down beside the curtain of the north door, which proved that someone had indeed come in just now. She lifted the curtain of the north door of the room and looked into the backyard. The backyard of the Ziwei Courtyard is very small, the distance from the north gate of the lavatory to the eaves is only seven or eight steps away. Because it is winter, the outside is quiet, and not a shadow of someone can be seen. The snow in the courtyard has to be cleaned three times a day, especially the path in the middle. Therefore, only a few shallow rows of footprints can be seen, leading to the small kitchen in the backyard used to boil water in winter. Momo Zhou stared at the footprints for a while, then set down the curtain and went back. Ren Yaohua put down the embroidery hoop in her hands, got up, walked over, and just met Momo Zhou who came back from investigating, and said with a cold face: ¡°Is the person who came to eavesdrop just now from the backyard?¡± Xi¡¯er said angrily: ¡°This group of people is really lawless, it¡¯s nothing if they sneak around to eavesdrop at night, but being so blatant in the daytime! How hateful!¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Xi¡¯er and was surprised and angry: ¡°What!? They also came to eavesdrop before? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Xi¡¯er heard this and glanced at n¨¦e Li, then lowered her head in embarrassment. N¨¦e Li sighed to help the maid: ¡°I didn¡¯t let them tell you, and they didn¡¯t hear anything anyway, so just forget it. I¡¯ve heard that the people living in our yard and the backyard all have different backgrounds. It¡¯s not good to offend anyone.¡± ¡±Mother!¡± Ren Yaohua stomped her feet furiously. Momo Zhou hurriedly said: ¡°Madam also thinks that one thing more is worse than one thing less2. Third Young Lady, don''t be angry with Madam.¡° Naturally, Ren Yaohua would not be angry with n¨¦e Li, she was just a little dissatisfied with n¨¦e Li¡¯s attitude of keeping things quiet. It is precisely because of n¨¦e Li¡¯s timid temperament that other people can walk over their heads and be domineering. ¡±These people, if you don¡¯t give them some color to see, they get an inch and they¡¯ll want a mile3. Now they can even do things like eavesdropping on their masters, and they might be able to do something more in the future! Mother, you are pampering and raising traitors!¡± Speaking of which, Ren Yaohua turned her head to look at Ren Yaoqi, squinting at her provocatively: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say those people can¡¯t be moved? Could it be that we just put up with them and do nothing?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought about the boldness of those people and felt a little unhappy, she shook her head and said: ¡°I didn¡¯t say that those people can¡¯t be moved, I just want to clean them up without using your hands, and not hurriedly. ¡° Ren Yaohua raised her chin. With an icy face, she expressed: ¡°So to say you want a help? I don¡¯t care what you want to do. Anyway, if you can¡¯t settle their affairs before the Spring Festival4, I will use my methods to drive them away! As long as I think of Mother and I living under the sneaky eyes of those people every day, I can''t swallow my breath.¡± Ren Yaoqi was not enraged as everyone expected, she just pondered for a moment, then nodded calmly: ¡°I know, I will take care of these people.¡± After finishing, she added, ¡°Before the Spring Festival.¡± Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially n¨¦e Li, once again sighed that the little daughter had grown up. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s attitude is good, and this matter cannot be said to be Ren Yaoqi¡¯s fault, Ren Yaohua was silent instead, she was a little uncomfortable, but she was unwilling to lower her body to apologize for her previous tone, so she just nodded coldly said: ¡°If you need help, you can ask someone to find Wu Jing beside me, and she will help you.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled at her: ¡°I know.¡± This smile stunned everyone, and Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t say anything more. CH 29 December 10, 2022 ¡°Fifth Young Lady¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi stopped and looked back. Momo Zhou stood at the door between the open room and the secondary room and called her softly.1 Glancing at the inner room of the eastern secondary room, Ren Yaoqi gestured towards Momo Zhou, who understood, and followed Ren Yaoqi lightly to the western secondary room. ¡±Mother has always been a light sleeper, once she wakes up, she can hardly fall asleep again. Momo, if you have something to say, you may as well speak here.¡± Ren Yaoqi. Momo Zhou looked at Ren Yaoqi and smiled sighingly: ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you¡­ have really changed a lot. Madam is very happy, and so is this slave.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled, does this show how headache-inducing she was as a child? The memory of her childhood is already blurred, because she has carried too much pain, she constantly avoids reminding herself. ¡±Momo, what do you want to say to me?¡± Ren Yaohua had already gone back first, and Ren Yaoqi thought that Momo Zhou might have something to say to her alone. This was unprecedented. Momo Zhou thought for a while and said, ¡°This slave, when checking the lavatory, found a few lines of footprints on the snow outside.¡± ¡±Can Momo tell whose footprints it is? I remember my mother asked for hot water twice at noon.¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Momo Zhou nodded: ¡°Originally it was hard to tell. The women in the backyard use thick-soled cotton shoes to keep warm, and the size is relatively large. The majority of the maids dislike the clumsy thick-soled cotton shoes when serving inside the room. Therefore, they would rather suffer from the cold and wear embroidered cotton shoes. But just now, this slave saw a pair of boots in those tracks.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled with interest when she heard the words: ¡°Momo had scrutinized carefully, then do you know the owner of that boots?¡± Momo Zhou nodded affirmatively: ¡°Mrs. Guan, who is in charge of the firewood, is wearing a pair of small deerskin boots today. Because the boots are too small and doesn¡¯t fit her feet, this slave had heard of it.¡± ¡±Mrs. Guan?¡± Ren Yaoqi tilted her head and thought for a while, vaguely remembering that she was a tall and strong woman who normally had some contact with Momo Zhu from her room. ¡±Her daughter is a second-class maid2 in Ninth Young Lady''s room.¡± After being reminded by Momo Zhou, Ren Yaoqi quickly recalled the details of each person in the backyard. ¡±Ninth Sister?¡± Ren Yaoqi pondered. Originally, she guessed that the person who came to eavesdrop today must have something to do with Concubine Fang. After all, people in other houses would not be interested in the chat between them, mother and daughters. But based on what she knew about Concubine Fang, she probably wouldn¡¯t send such a careless woman over to listen to someone¡¯s corner blatantly. It¡¯s probably because this woman wanted to curry favor with her. ¡±Why didn¡¯t Momo say it before?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Momo Zhou hesitated for a moment when she heard the words, and then sighed: ¡°Fifth Young Lady, you know Third Young Lady¡¯s temper. If you let her know who the eavesdropper is, she will definitely make a commotion. This slave... this slave is afraid of her falling into someone else¡¯s trap, and decided to keep a closed mouth for the time being. Although you are young, Fifth Young Lady, you know the importance and priorities of things. In addition, you just said that you will start handling those people, thus, this slave wants to tell you. It will be convenient for you to act in the future.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°I see, let¡¯s not talk about it for now.¡± Then she asked, ¡°Do you know who this Mrs. Guan is usually not compatible with?¡± Momo Zhou glanced at Ren Yaoqi in surprise and saw that she was only smiling lightly, and couldn¡¯t see any other meaning, so she did not anxiously ask more questions. After thinking for a while, she nodded and said: ¡°There is one, Mrs. Liu who manages hot water from the backyard.¡± Ren Yaoqi originally just asked casually, after all, Momo Zhou had only been back with n¨¦e Li for a few days, so she might not know what she was asking, but it seemed that she had underestimated Momo Zhou. ¡±Is it Mrs. Liu whose niece is in charge of Fifth Madam¡¯s accounts?¡± ¡±Yes, it¡¯s her. This woman in charge of hot water can usually exchange some money from generous maids for hot water. The woman in charge of firewood and charcoal, because the estate has enough supply of ordinary firewood and charcoal, the high-quality silver silk charcoal is extremely strict, and open flames are forbidden in the servants¡¯ rooms, so she cannot get many benefits. Mrs. Guan was extremely dissatisfied with Mrs. Liu, who was transferred from the outer courtyard but got a better job than her. She often made it difficult when Mrs. Liu asked her for firewood. The two dislike each other. Although they hadn¡¯t had a big fight, everyone in the yard knew that they were at odds. ¡° Ren Yaoqi pondered for a moment, then nodded to Momo Zhou and said, ¡°I see, thank you Momo for telling me this.¡± The time she ¡®woke up¡¯ was still short, although she secretly inquired about the people in the yard, it was impossible for her to inquire as clearly and meticulously as Momo Zhou. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi had stood up while she was talking, Momo Zhou couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Fifth Young Lady, the end of the year is coming soon, have you thought of a way? If you let Third Young Lady make trouble at that time, I¡¯m afraid our Ziwei Courtyard will suffer a lot.¡± Momo Zhou always remembered what Ren Yaoqi analyzed last time, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t let those people stick around in Ziwei Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi smiled at Momo Zhou: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Momo, I might need your help soon.¡° Momo Zhou immediately said: ¡°What is Young Lady saying? If there is anything that needs this slave, Young Lady just give orders.¡± Ren Yaoqi came out of n¨¦e Li¡¯s main room, and when she passed by Xikua Courtyard, she heard the sound of dancing swords breaking through the wind as well as light cheering. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but halt, she stood outside the gate of Xikua Courtyard for a long time, and didn¡¯t come back to herself until the maid behind her sneezed coldly. ¡±I¡¯m going to see Daddy.¡± She spoke softly, as if talking to herself. As soon as she entered Xikua Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi saw Ren Shimin holding a three-foot-long sword in the snow in the courtyard, dancing with the sound of the sword, seemingly like a dragon. The pure white wide-sleeved robe fluttered with his posture, and the blade occasionally reflected a dazzling glare of light. Domineering and pretentious. Seeing Ren Yaoqi walking in, Ren Shimin pulled a scabbard and withdraw his momentum, and conveyed to Ren Yaoqi with some complacency: ¡°Yaoyao, has Daddy¡¯s swordsmanship improved again?¡± If it was before, Ren Yaoqi would definitely praise him according to his wishes. But Ren Yaoqi just looked at the sword in his hand expressionlessly, and said softly: ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful, but it¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s all ostentatious.¡± Ren Shimin didn¡¯t take it seriously: ¡°What does a little child understand? When I came to the capital this time, even those bodyguards could only praise my swordsmanship. They played against me a few times, but they were all defeated by me.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at her father, closed her eyes, and said certainly: ¡°Daddy, this daughter is not lying to you. Your swordsmanship is merely just a flower stand3, and it will be vulnerable in front of a genuine martial artist.¡° CH 30 Ren Shimin¡¯s face froze, and he stared at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi stared back uncompromisingly, and the father and daughter stood staring at each other in the cold wind. In the end, Ren Shimin felt that it was demeaning for him to contend with a child like this, so he coughed lightly, gave himself a step-down, and said kindly: ¡°Daddy¡¯s sword dance is just for physical fitness, and to admire the demeanor of the ancients. It¡¯s not for the sake of fighting against others.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at the precious longsword with amber and agate on the silver hilt in his hand, the precious longsword has the blade already opened, and suddenly reached out to take it. Ren Shimin hastily took a step back, surprised, and said: ¡°Yaoyao, Daddy¡¯s sword is a real sword, don¡¯t touch it, it will hurt your hand.¡± She naturally knew that this was a real sword, and she also knew that her father had listened to someone¡¯s exaggeration outside, and felt that his talent for sword practice was innate and exceptionally good, and after practicing for a few years, thinking that he was an unprecedented master. That''s why, in the previous life, when she went and cried in front of Ren Shimin and complained to him that the Ren family wanted to give her to Military Supervisor Lu, Ren Shimin went to Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren to dispute but failed. Hence, he took the sword from the wall of the western secondary room of the study. ¡±Yaoyao, don¡¯t be afraid, Daddy will go find that Zeng Yu right now.¡± He stroked her head to comfort her, then rushed out confidently with his sword in hand. When meeting again, it was already heaven and man apart. Ren Yaoqi took a step forward, and held the hilt of the sword very resolutely: ¡°Daddy, since you only practice sword to strengthen your body and mimic the ancient masters, then don¡¯t use this sword.¡± Ren Shimin was taken aback by Ren Yaoqi¡¯s serious expression, and couldn¡¯t help letting go: ¡°Why?¡± The sword fell into Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand, it was heavy, and was a bit difficult for her to hold, but she still held it tightly in her hand, and said in disgust: ¡°Because this sword looks too vulgar. How could the ancient sages, with the spirit of immortals, use this kind of sword decorated with gold and jade? Besides, there is no need for such a sharpened sword to strengthen your body.¡± Ren Shimin carefully looked at the sword in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t feel it before, but after Ren Yaoqi said this, he really felt that the sword was a bit gaudy, and couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Fifth Brother found this sword for me and it cost me a lot of money, but looking at it, it''s a bit fancy. How about I ask the steward to find me another one with a more ordinary appearance tomorrow?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head: ¡°Daddy, why don¡¯t you consider cutting a bamboo sword yourself? ¡¯Having integrity thus unyielding, one''s quality is naturally upright. Going through fierce winds and heavy rains, would rather break than bend. Remaining emerald green all four seasons, not taking part in all kinds of flowers competing for beauty.¡¯1 This is the graceful demeanor of an ancient master! Didn''t Daddy often say that having no meat makes a person thin, and having no bamboo makes a person vulgar?¡° Ren Shimin touched his chin when he heard the words: ¡°Bamboo sword? Isn''t it too childish?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head earnestly, with some criticism in her tone: ¡°You don¡¯t practice swords like those barbaric warriors who like to fight fiercely! It may be a bit of a joke in the eyes of laymen, but why does it matter what they think of us and what we do to ourselves? Could it be Daddy uses this vulgar thing because he cares about other people¡¯s views?¡± Ren Shimin glared at Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Of course not.¡± After thinking about it, he smiled and nodded in agreement, ¡°There is some truth in what you said. Daddy will carve a ¡®Gentleman''s Sword¡¯ when there is time.¡± Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief. Many people are impulsive because of having a blade in their hands and feel that they have something to rely on. Weapons have the ability to give people courage. In the future, she will urge her father to practice this kind of ¡°gentleman¡± sword that can only strengthen the body! ¡±I¡¯ll put this sword aside for you, okay?¡± Ren Yaoqi handed the sword in her hand to the maid behind her, regardless of whether Ren Shimin agreed or not. Fortunately, most of the time, Ren Shimin was a soft-tempered persimmon, so he waved his hand indifferently. Satisfied, Ren Yaoqi took Ren Shimin¡¯s sword and left. Before leaving, she didn¡¯t forget to pressure all the maids serving in the study, that they must praise the Third Master more when wielding bamboo swords than with real swords. The time is coming to the twelfth lunar month, the original foreign affairs manager in the Ziwei Courtyard, Momo Jian, because of her age, accidentally broke her leg when she got up at night and was sent to the village outside to recuperate. The power in managing foreign affairs is not small, especially since she is also responsible for some purchasing matters. The end of the year is approaching, and Eldest Madam naturally dispatched someone to purchase some things in the preparation for the new year. It¡¯s just that the Ziwei courtyard has some inconvenient things to buy. It stands to reason that the Ren family has not yet separated, and most of the items needed by each house can be obtained from the public account, but there are still some things that need to be bought yourself. For example, today Third Master felt that the pomegranate bonsai placed in his yard were unrefined, and wanted to replace them with winter daphne. His old man temper came and said that he wanted to change, and immediately change it right away, so the people in Ziwei Courtyard had to replace it and go find a few pots of winter daphne and come back.2 Another example is that when Third Master was painting today, he suddenly thought of the poem: ¡¯Bamboo basket carrying rain clearing the original wreckage, seed grows like the red crown of a crane. Many mouths are eloquently sweet like honey, but would rather listen to the unusual part that is slightly sour.¡¯ This means that the people in the Ziwei Courtyard must look for red bayberries3 for him. This kind of sudden situation is frequent in Ziwei Courtyard, especially when the new year is approaching, there will be more and more situations. The Third Master is picky and demanding, everyone in the Ren family knows this. But Third Master is generous! As long as you can get him what he wants right away, he doesn¡¯t care how much you spend money. In addition, the other masters and maids in the yard wanted to buy personal items like clothes, jewelry, needles, and threads¡­ There is a lot of oil and water4 for the manager of foreign affairs. Of course, you also must have contacts and connections to be competent. As a result, the minds of the women in Ziwei Courtyard began moving. The Third Madam, n¨¦e Li, has only one senior momo to use, Momo Zhou, and the rest are some maids, and as the new year approaches, Momo Zhou has a lot to do. In the end, the new manager of foreign affairs had to be selected from among those old wives and married women. Sure enough, on the next day, the master released the news that one of the second-class momos from Ziwei Courtyard would be selected to temporarily take the post of foreign affairs. For a while, the second-class momos of Ziwei Courtyard began to try their best to inquire about the news. Most of these women have some nephews working in the outer court. If they take this job, they can take the opportunity to gain face in front of the Third Master later, that would be a great thing. Initially, the youngest son of Momo Jian had done several errands for the Third Master. In the end, the Third Master thought he was smart and capable of handling things, so he kept him by his side and made him a personal long-term follower, especially following him when going out. Even Momo Zhu in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s room also turned around to ask Ren Yaoqi for news. ¡±What? Momo, you don¡¯t want to serve in my room anymore, so you want to find another way out?¡± Ren Yaoqi put her chin on one hand and smiled at Momo Zhu. ¡±No, no, this slave is helping Momo Guan from the backyard to find out.¡± Momo Zhu has no other relatives in the Ren Estate, but Momo Guan has a nephew who lives in a group room in the outer courtyard and has not received any serious errands. He usually just waits for the estate to assign some idle errands. Momo Guan gave Momo Zhu some clothing materials to help her inquire. Ren Yaoqi thought for a while: ¡°I seem to have heard Momo Zhou mention a few words, saying that Mother had taken a fancy to Momo Wei from the tea room and Mrs. Niu who is in charge of the keys to our courtyard.¡± When Momo Zhu heard the words, she rolled her eyes around and told Momo Guan the news. In addition, she told Momo Wei and Mrs. Niu about this as a happy event, hoping to take the opportunity to buy favor. In less than a day, all the women and maids in Ziwei Courtyard knew that either Momo Wei or Mrs. Niu were going to take over the post of foreign affairs manager. CH 31 In the evening, when Ren Yaoqi came out of the main room, n¨¦e Li ordered her personal maid, Xi¡¯er, to personally light up the lamp for Ren Yaoqi and send her back. Xi¡¯er has often been to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s west wing recently, and the maids in the room have been taught a lesson by her, so they are all afraid of her. This day, she sent away all the maids in the room around, helped Ren Yaoqi back to the inner room, and waited for her to change into common clothes. When the maids, Qingmei and Xueli, came in with copper basins in their hands, Xi¡¯er was whispering something in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ear. Seeing the two maids coming in, Xi¡¯er stood up straight as if nothing had happened, frowned, and reprimanded: ¡°Shouldn''t you make a sound before you come in? What will you do if you disturb the master so recklessly?¡± Xueli lowered her head and obediently replied yes, Qingmei was still a little dissatisfied at first, but she managed to hold back her words in the end. At this time, Ren Yaoqi had withdrawn her original expression of surprise, and coughed lightly: ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, it''s time to wash up.¡± Xi¡¯er beckoned the two maidservants to come forward, and personally served Ren Yaoqi to wash up, and then bowed and retreated. The two maids, Qingmei and Xueli, also left. Not long after, Momo Zhu came in. Seeing Ren Yaoqi leaning on the bedside, flipping through a book with a candlestick on the bedside table, Momo Zhu had a loving smile on her face and walked forward to salute: ¡°Young Lady, it¡¯s getting late at night. Why are you still reading? Be careful with your eyes.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked up at Momo Zhu, covered her mouth with her right hand, and yawned a little, but did not put down the book in her hand. She said lazily, ¡°Daddy asked me an allusion today, and I didn¡¯t answer it for a while. I vaguely remember that it was something in this book, [The Record of Qionglin].¡± ¡±Oh¡ªYoung Lady, you want to become the champion of the imperial examinations ah!¡± After Momo Zhu finished speaking, she covered her mouth and laughed. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was in low spirits and ignored her, she went up to her again and said, ¡°Want to know why out of the three young ladies of our courtyard, you are the only one who won the favor of Third Master, others don¡¯t know, it''s very clear for this slave who has been serving for several years already. Young Lady, you have done a lot of hard work in the middle of the night! Even Sixth Young Master can¡¯t compare to you in this regard.¡± Ren Yaoqi was stunned when she heard the words, she actually expected that Momo Zhu would come, so she just took a book and waited for her, she almost forgot that when she was a child, she seemed to have done this kind of reading and writing in the middle of the night many times. In order to win her father¡¯s favor and compete with her older sister, she strived hard when she was a child. Ren Yaoqi uncontrollably laughed and shook her head. ¡±Young Lady, is what this slave said wrong?¡± Momo Zhu thought that Ren Yaoqi did not agree with her words, and said carefully. Ren Yaoqi looked up at her, and smiled slightly: ¡°Well, Momo is right, it¡¯s getting late and I should take a rest, otherwise I will wake up late tomorrow, and I will be the last one to greet my grandfather and grandmother again.¡± Momo Zhu took the book she handed over, and said with an apologetic smile, ¡°Should this slave serve for you to rest?¡± Seeing Ren Yaoqi nodding, Momo Zhu hurriedly put the book in her hand aside first and went to undress Ren Yaoqi herself. ¡±Did Xi¡¯er from Madam''s room send Young Lady back?¡± Momo Zhu asked with a smile. ¡±Hmm.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded casually. ¡±It can be seen that Madam loves Young Lady too. Xi¡¯er is almost becoming your personal maid.¡± Momo Zhu helped Ren Yaoqi loosen her clothes, gently helped her to lie down, and said with a smile. ¡±Young Lady, do you want this slave to chat with you?¡± Momo Zhu helped her tuck up the quilt, bowed, and stood on the head of the bed. Ren Yaoqi closed her eyes and nodded: ¡°That¡¯s fine, Momo sit down and talk to me, I will fall asleep while talking.¡± Children like to be accompanied when they sleep, and Ren Yaoqi also had this problem when she was a child. ¡±Mm!¡± Momo Zhu responded readily and sat down beside Ren Yaoqi¡¯s bed. ¡±Young Lady and Miss Xi¡¯er have a good relationship?¡± Momo Zhu continued. ¡±It¡¯s okay. Sister Xi¡¯er is very nice.¡± Ren Yaoqi rolled over, turned her face toward the outside of the bed, and replied with her eyes closed. ¡±Then did she tell you anything?¡± Momo Zhu asked a little closer. Ren Yaoqi lazily raised her eyes to look at Momo Zhu, then closed them again. With a smile on her face, Momo Zhu carefully said: ¡°Young Lady, this old slave is just asking casually. After all, the maids serving in the main room know much more than we do. This slave is just a little curious.¡± Ren Yaoqi yawned again, and muttered, ¡°What are you curious about. It¡¯s just the matter of foreign affairs momo, it¡¯s boring.¡± However, Momo Zhu¡¯s heart moved, and the smile on her face became more kind, regardless of whether Ren Yaoqi, who had her eyes closed, could see: ¡°That¡¯s really boring. Isn''t the candidate already been decided? Either Momo Wei or Mrs. Niu!¡± Ren Yaoqi twitched her lips: ¡°That may not be true.¡± Momo Zhu leaned forward again: ¡°Young Lady, what do you mean, there has been a new candidate for Madam?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned, and simply opened her eyes: ¡°So what? It¡¯s none of our business anyway.¡± Mother Zhu hurriedly said, ¡°Why is it not our business? In the future, we will inevitably have to deal with the foreign affairs momo, so knowing about it earlier will make us prepared.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a while: ¡°Xi¡¯er said that she heard from Mother. Although she told me, she didn¡¯t let me say anything.¡± ¡±This slave will not speak out!¡± Momo Zhu hurriedly assured her. Ren Yaoqi seemed to be a little annoyed by her: ¡°I heard that because of the busy new year, there will be temporarily arranged two momos in our courtyard. After the Spring Festival, they''ll see who is more suitable and then formally take over. After discussing with Father, Mother settled on Mrs. Niu and Momo Liu who is in charge of the hot water in the small kitchen in the backyard.¡± Momo Zhu was stunned: ¡°Isn¡¯t it Momo Wei? Why did it become Momo Liu again?¡± Ren Yaoqi said impatiently: ¡°How do I know? They must think that Momo Liu is more suitable.¡± Momo Zhu thought for a while, and asked cautiously, ¡°Young Lady, is your news reliable?¡± Ren Yaoqi glared at Momo Zhu: ¡°Xi¡¯er heard this from my mother! The news will probably be announced tomorrow morning. If you don¡¯t believe me, why are you asking me?¡± At this time, Momo Zhu believed it, and while apologizing with a smile on her face, she was thinking about how to get some benefits for herself. Ren Yaoqi turned over again, facing the inside: ¡°This Momo Liu is really lucky. It had already been settled on Momo Wei, but she was killed halfway. When the time comes, people will think she has some kind of backdoor1 ah.¡° Momo Zhu¡¯s heart was moved when she heard the words, and peeked into the bed: ¡°Why was Momo Liu dismissed?¡± Ren Yaoqi spoke impatiently: ¡°Dismissed? When Mother and Daddy were discussing, Daddy called it randomly, and everyone didn¡¯t know. Does she still have the ability to contradict Daddy''s dismissal?¡± Momo Zhu suddenly realized that Third Master did many things like this, and the reasons for his decisions were also varied and difficult to understand, for example, the name was nice, the fingernails were beautiful¡­ and so on. Moreover, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words also reminded her that maybe she could really take this opportunity to make a fortune. ¡±Young Lady, I don¡¯t want to disturb your rest, this slave will call Qingmei in to guard.¡± Momo Zhu stated and couldn¡¯t wait to get up, she had to finish this matter before tomorrow. Ren Yaoqi seemed to be sleepy, and waved her hand indifferently: ¡°Go out, let Qingmei wait outside, there is no need to come in.¡± Momo Zhu impatiently retreated. Ren Yaoqi heard her footsteps disappear from the room, although her eyes were not opened, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up. If you want others to follow the path you set, you must first know what that person is thinking and what they want. She has carefully observed Momo Zhu these days and knows that she loves money like her life, and will not let go of any opportunity to make money. Always thinking of getting benefits from her, but should also have the virtue to pay some price. CH 32 January 04, 2023 After Momo Zhu came out of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s room, she saw the two maids, Qing Mei and Xue Li, standing in the corridor not far away, and they seemed to be arguing quietly. Momo Zhu frowned, walked over, lowered her voice, and reprimanded: ¡°What are you doing! Not only useless, yet still messing around! Tomorrow, I''ll ask the Concubine to sell you outside!¡± Qing Mei glanced sideways at Xue Li, and said with a sneer: ¡°I¡¯m afraid that someone will not pay attention to the old master after getting some good words from the new master! A certain someone has already climbed to another tall branch1.¡° Upon hearing this, Momo Zhu glanced at Xue Li suspiciously. Xue Li''s anxious tears were falling: ¡°Momo, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense, this slave did not¡­¡± ¡±No? These past few days, Young Lady let you follow her wherever she went but dismissed me alone? Everyone said that you, Xue Li, had become Young Lady¡¯s confidant just like Xi¡¯er from Madam''s room! Xi¡¯er left just now. Sometimes, she deliberately pulls you aside to whisper, and when I came to ask you, you refused to say it! You are already in the same group!¡± Qing Mei gritted her teeth and raised her voice slightly. Xue Li hurriedly defended: ¡°Xi¡¯er just praised the embroidery of the purse I gave her earlier, thinking¡­¡± ¡±Heh, finally showing your feet2, huh? What kind of purse did you give her? How come I didn''t know when I was with you all day long? Are you secretly currying favor over there behind my back? Luckily, I''m an honest person, being played by you like this.¡± Qing Mei curled her lips and yelled. ¡±It¡¯s late at night, what the hell are you screaming!¡± Momo Zhu stretched out her hand and twisted Qing Mei¡¯s arm, Qing Mei wanted to cry out in pain, but seeing Momo Zhu glare, she reluctantly swallowed her groans. Seeing that Qing Mei was honest, Momo Zhu frowned and looked at Xue Li. Xue Li bit her lower lip, trying to say something but couldn¡¯t. Momo Zhu wanted to ask at first, but she temporarily held back, thinking that something still had to be done quickly. She only stared at the two servant girls and said, ¡°I¡¯ll settle accounts with you tomorrow! Hurry up and serve Young Lady!¡± Both servant girls bowed their heads and said yes. Momo Zhu just turned around when she turned again and asked, ¡°You guys went to the backyard to ask for water, did you see Momo Liu?¡± Xue Li spoke in a low voice: ¡°Momo Wei invited all the momos for a drink earlier, Momo Liu drank a few glasses and was helped back to her room by a little maid to rest.¡± It was only then that Momo Zhu remembered that Momo Wei thought she was older than Mrs. Niu, and had a capable eldest son who worked as the second steward in the coal warehouse. Therefore, she believed that being a foreign affairs momo was a sure thing, so in the afternoon, informed the people in the yard that she would invite everyone to drink in the evening. She abstained from going today because she went to do something outside and only accepted a silver and 3 coins from Momo Wei as tea money. Momo Zhu couldn¡¯t help but sigh mentally: Momo Wei might be happy for nothing. Although she thought so, this matter has nothing to do with Momo Zhu after all. Regardless, she also received the money for tea, but Momo Wei gave it to her on her own initiative, so there is no reason to spit it out and return it. So Momo Zhu went to Momo Liu''s quarters in the backyard without any hesitation. When passing by a side room in the backyard where the servants rest when they are on duty, there is a little light and laughter leaking from the gap under the cotton curtain. It should be Momo Wei and the others chatting after drinking. In the Ziwei Courtyard, it is not strictly forbidden for servants to hold feasts in private, after all, everyone will have a happy event. It¡¯s only not allowed to miss an errand because of this. It is also only allowed to drink fruit wine that is not very intoxicating, and it is still limited. Momo Liu is probably a very light drinker, so she only drinks a few glasses of fruit wine. Momo Zhu just stood on the edge of the curtain outside the side room and listened for a while, then looked around and walked towards Momo Liu¡¯s quarters. At this moment, Momo Liu was sitting on the head of the bed and being served tea by a little maid. When she heard the sound of someone pushing the door, she looked up and was taken aback for a moment before immediately saying with a smile. ¡±Momo Zhu? What wind has blown you here3?¡± Normally, Momo Zhu is quite close to Momo Guan, Momo Liu¡¯s archenemy. Therefore, the relationship between Momo Liu and her is just average. Seeing her coming uninvited tonight, It''s really baffling. With a warm smile on her face, Momo Zhu glanced at the little maid who was serving at the side: ¡°I want to talk to you about something, so I came here by myself. Don¡¯t blame me for coming uninvited.¡± ¡±How can it be?¡± Momo Guan smiled politely, and said to the little maid, ¡°Go to the small kitchen and look at the stove, Third Master is staying in the main room today, maybe he will ask for hot water later.¡± The little maid responded and went away. Momo Zhu turned her head to see the maid gently closing the door, and then she came forward with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for me to come here today.¡± ¡±A good thing?¡± Momo Liu asked in confusion. Momo Zhu nodded, and got closer: ¡°I heard that you also wanted the job as a foreign momo before?¡± Momo Liu smiled when she heard the words, ¡°Momo Zhu is quite well informed.¡± Momo Zhu shook her head and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t act strange with me. I just want to ask you right now, do you still want this job?¡± Momo Liu heard the words and expressed suspiciously: ¡°What does Momo Zhu mean by that? Isn''t that Momo Wei or Mrs. Niu has already been settled? Momo Wei must have a better chance of winning.¡± Momo Zhu curled her lips: ¡°Let me tell you the truth, Madam plans to appoint two foreign momos first, and choose one of the two momos to take over after a year. This Mrs. Niu is one, and the other¡­ the other one is yet to be decided.¡± Momo Liu was startled, and sat up slightly: ¡°Is that true? Then Momo Wei¡­¡± ¡±Hey, why do you care so much about her? You just need to tell me if you want this job.¡± Momo Liu waved her hand, and smiled slightly, with an inscrutable expression on her face, as if whoever asked for this job was just a word from her. Momo Liu pondered for a while, and asked with some doubt, ¡°Do you have connections?¡± Momo Zhu smiled again and did not speak, but her appearance acquiesce. Momo Liu thought for longer this time. To be honest, who among the second-class momos in the courtyard is not jealous of the newly vacated seat? But now that the Third Madam is back, this matter is still up to her to decide, but they don¡¯t have any friendship with the Third Madam, even if they want to go out of their way, there is no way. But¡­ ¡±Why didn¡¯t you talk to Momo Guan about this? I remember that you have always had a good relationship.¡± Momo Liu is not stupid either. After thinking about it carefully, she felt something was wrong. Momo Zhu seemed to have expected her to ask such a question a long time ago and said with a calm smile: ¡°Even if I have some contacts, I still need to consider for my master. Momo Guan has some personal friendship with me, but unfortunately, her nephew is really a piece of mud that can¡¯t support the wall4. You must also know that although the duties of the foreign affairs momo are quite oily and watery, our Third Master seeks perfection. If an errand goes wrong, I, the person who recommends it, would be held accountable. I don¡¯t dare to recommend ordinary people. I looked at the yard, except for Momo Wei¡¯s eldest son, Momo Liu, your second son is promising.¡± Momo Liu felt very comfortable hearing these words, and she was not as guarded against Momo Zhu: ¡°Then Momo Wei¡­¡± Momo Zhu just smiled and said nothing. Momo Liu remembered that Momo Wei invited everyone to drink today, but Momo Zhu didn¡¯t go, and wondered if there was something wrong between the two of them? Or maybe Concubine Fang, Momo Zhu¡¯s master, is not satisfied with Momo Wei? Momo Zhu has been paying attention to Momo Liu¡¯s expression. Seeing that she was a little shaken and seemed suspicious, she rolled her eyes, and suddenly patted her thigh: ¡°Ai! Forget it, let me reveal to you a little bit. You have been in our Ziwei Courtyard for some time, and you should know that our Fifth Young Lady is the favorite of Third Master! And although Madam is in charge of the inner yard, everyone knows that as long as Third Master says a word, Madam will never say no.¡± Momo Liu pondered what Momo Zhu said, and she seemed to have some understanding: ¡°You''re letting the Fifth Young Lady persuade Third Master¡­¡± ¡±Shhh¡ª¡± Momo Zhu pretended to look around, ¡°You just need to be clear in your heart, you don¡¯t need to say it.¡± Momo Liu pondered for a moment: ¡°I know the rules in the yard. Presumably, Momo, you demand a bribe. I don¡¯t know how much it will take¡­¡± Momo Liu gestured. Momo Zhu was very pleased with Momo Liu¡¯s approach, and pretended to hesitate for a while: ¡°It stands to reason that I shouldn¡¯t say this, but as you guess¡­ I still need to take care of this matter. How about this number?¡± Momo Zhu made a gesture of twenty, which meant that she wanted twenty taels of silver. Momo Liu was silent for a long time again, twenty taels of silver is not a small amount, but it is not impossible for her to take it out, not to mention that if she can really get this job, she can get the money back after doing a few things for the Third Master, and even let the youngest son in the family show his face. It¡¯s just, if this thing doesn¡¯t work out¡­ this money¡­ Momo Zhu seemed to be a roundworm in Momo Liu¡¯s stomach5, and immediately smiled and said: ¡°How about this, you pay five taels of deposit first, and then you pay the rest when I finish the matter tomorrow? I will also give you the receipt for the five taels.¡± Momo Zhu was an empty-handed wolf6, so she was full of confidence. Momo Liu was taken aback and felt that if this was the case, there would be nothing to worry about. If the matter failed in the end, she would have a receipt in her hand, and she would be able to get back the five taels of silver. If she didn¡¯t take advantage of this benefit, then she would have lived so many years in vain, so Momo Liu immediately smiled and said, ¡°Momo Zhu is sincere, and I¡¯m also naturally straightforward, so it¡¯s settled.¡± Momo Zhu covered her mouth and smiled, her heart was full of pride. Momo Liu got out of bed and dug out five taels of silver from the bottom of her closet. Momo Zhu went to call the maids to fetch paper, pen, and ink pads. She couldn¡¯t write, but there is a secret terminology and symbols for the exchange of money between servants. As long as the figure matches the number, and also the fingerprint, then it''s done. When the two finally separated, everyone was happy. CH 33 January 08, 2023 On the morning of the next day, in front of everyone in the Ziwei Courtyard, Momo Zhou determined the candidates for the foreign affairs momo. Sure enough, it was Mrs. Niu and Momo Liu. Momo Wei¡¯s smile froze on her face, and everyone looked at her in surprise. Of course, some were dissatisfied with her arrogant posture yesterday, so they gloated at her misfortune. Those who are meddlesome went up to ask Momo Zhou: ¡°Wasn''t it said yesterday that Momo Wei is already settled? Why was it suddenly changed to Momo Liu?¡± Momo Zhou rolled up her sleeves, and glanced at that person expressionlessly: ¡°Who is talking nonsense outside, trying to guess what the master is thinking? I don¡¯t remember the master has ever promised someone else the job.¡± After finishing this sentence she turned around and left, leaving behind the crowd who were whispering. Momo Wei¡¯s face turned red and then turned pale. She looked at Momo Liu and Mrs. Niu who were surrounded by the crowd then snorted coldly and walked away. After everyone¡¯s enthusiasm had dissipated, Momo Zhu winked at Momo Liu and went straight back to her room. Seeing this, Momo Liu exchanged a few more pleasantries with everyone and only quietly followed after everyone dispersed. Arriving in Momo Zhu¡¯s room, Momo Liu was overjoyed and stepped forward to give her a blessing: ¡°Momo Zhu is really capable, this time it¡¯s all thanks to you being thoughtful for this little sister.¡± Momo Zhu smiled slightly and waved her hands: ¡°Although I have worked hard, I still want you to be able to get on the stage. You must know that the master above us is not easy to fool.¡± As she spoke, Momo Zhu looked at Momo Liu again. Momo glanced, ¡°Since it¡¯s done, that note, don''t know if you¡­¡± This was to remind Momo Liu to cash in the twenty taels of silver. Momo Liu patted her forehead: ¡°Look at me, too happy to patronage.¡± Then she took out a pouch from her sleeve pocket, took out the note written by Momo Zhu yesterday, and handed it over. Momo Zhu continued to stare at Momo Liu¡¯s movements without saying a word. When Momo Liu took out the money, she hesitated for a moment, then smiled and took out two ingots weighing about five taels, and handed them over respectfully. Momo Zhu looked at it but didn¡¯t respond, she stared at Momo Liu with a half-smile and said nothing. Momo Liu apologized and said with a smile: ¡°I don¡¯t have much cash on me¡­¡± Momo Zhu looked at Momo Liu¡¯s purse with a smile but not a smile, and blocked Momo Liu¡¯s hand with her backhand: ¡°I said it yesterday, helping you because you''re a straightforward person, now looking at it¡­ forget it, I don¡¯t want this money anymore, just¡­ don¡¯t forget, it will take after the Spring Festival to finally decide on the candidate, even if you want to cross the river and tear down the bridge, isn¡¯t it too early1?¡° Momo Liu felt a ¡°thump¡± in her heart when she heard those words, and in a blink of an eye, clapped her hands as if she remembered something: ¡°Recalling this memory.¡± As she spoke, she felt around her waist. Finally, for some reason, she found a few taels of silver, and together with the ten taels of silver that were taken out earlier, held them in front of Momo Zhu with both hands. ¡±This is the suppressing2 silver that I hid in my belt before, that I eventually forgot, it happens to be five taels ah.¡± Momo Zhu smiled slightly, and then replied: ¡°I really saw the right person¡­¡± At this time, there was a sudden noise at the door, Momo Zhu frowned, she took a few steps forward while putting the money into her sleeves, opened the door, and looked outside, but there was nothing. ¡±What¡¯s the matter? Is someone outside?¡± Momo Liu also came over. Momo Zhu thought for a while and shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s probably the wind, it¡¯s fine. You go back first.¡± Momo Liu responded, and before leaving, she smiled and said: ¡°When the time comes, I still need to rely on older sister, so please don¡¯t forget this little sister.¡± Momo Zhu smiled reservedly and sent Momo Liu out. After the person left, she took out the silver she had just obtained and looked carefully, the smile on the corner of her mouth was a little disdainful but also a little satisfied: ¡°You still want to play that trick with me, heh¡ª¡± Over there, Ren Yaoqi was sitting in the western secondary room of the main room, drinking tea slowly. Seeing Momo Zhou coming in, she raised her eyes and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Momo Zhou stepped forward and bowed her head and said: ¡°It has been arranged according to Young Lady¡¯s order.¡± After speaking, she looked at Ren Yaoqi with some hesitation and said, ¡°Young Lady, is this really useful?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Momo Zhou with a smile, and blinked mischievously, ¡°Momo might as well wait and see.¡± ¡±But Concubine Fang squeezed in a lot of people¡­¡± ¡±There is an advantage of having a lot of people.¡± After Ren Yaoqi said this, she picked up the teacup and drank tea. Although Momo Zhou still had doubts in her heart, she didn¡¯t ask any more questions. In the afternoon, for some unknown reason, the matter of Momo Liu buying off Momo Zhu in private, the news that the two of them conspired to squeeze Momo Wei out spread like wildfire. Although she didn¡¯t know whether the news was true or not, Momo Wei was furious. In the evening, when the masters were all going to the Ronghua Courtyard to express good night, she stood in the backyard with her hand on the waist and started cursing. Momo Liu was still a little guilty after all. Although she was angry in her heart, she didn¡¯t dare to go out to defend herself. She just stayed behind closed doors. Momo Zhu may be thick-skinned, or maybe she understands that this matter is actually the master¡¯s intention, and she just made a fortune, so she doesn¡¯t take it to heart. Anyway, if she wants to investigate in the end, she will not be able to find it... Luckily, Momo Wei also knew some smarts. When heard that the masters were coming back to the yard, she shut up, spit on Momo Liu¡¯s door, and left. But at night, there was another good person who secretly told Momo Liu about the person who leaked the news, fearing that the world would not be chaotic. It turned out that it was her archenemy, Momo Guan, who had inquired about this matter from somewhere and then, adding oil and vinegar3, told the women in the backyard. When Momo Liu heard this, she felt even more annoyed with Momo Guan. Early the next morning, seeing Momo Guan¡¯s gloating smile, Momo Liu gritted her teeth and picked up the boiling water on the stove, and poured it on Momo Guan. Momo Guan howled like a pig being slaughtered, jumping away. Fortunately, it was cold, and Momo Liu didn¡¯t splash it properly, therefore she only splashed some water on Momo Guan¡¯s boots. After Momo Guan came to her sense, she became furious, screeched, and rushed forward. The two fought in the small kitchen of hot water. In the end, the commotion was so loud that n¨¦e Li was alarmed, and n¨¦e Li sent Momo Zhou over to see what happened. Momo Zhu reprimanded Momo Liu and Momo Guan with a cold face. Afterward, she admonished Momo Liu alone for a long time and then punished both of them for half a month. The bridge between Momo Guan and Momo Liu had grown even bigger. Seeing that it was the twelfth lunar month, every household became busier and busier. All the rooms of the Ren Estate were also busy changing the decoration of the inner room of the courtyard. Like the vases and decorations in the inner room, the masters got tired of looking at them for a year, so they had to put some away and put them back in the warehouse, and then they found new ones and put them out. The pomegranate bonsai in the Ziwei Courtyard was also requested by Third Master to be replaced with Clivia and Narcissus4. CH 34 The two newly appointed foreign affairs momos, Momo Liu and Mrs. Niu, are officials taking office with three fires1, so they are naturally busy. On the day the new bonsai moved in, Third Master Ren Shimin was especially satisfied seeing it and even praised Momo Liu a few words. But on the next day, overnight, those dozens of pots of clivia were found to be rotten from the roots. ¡±Momo Liu, what¡¯s going on?¡± Momo Zhou pointed to the clump of clivia that the maid moved in, and asked with a sullen face. Momo Liu broke out in a cold sweat in the winter, and when she saw that she was the only one coming, she apologized and said, ¡°Momo Zhou, this matter¡­ this slave is not very clear. However, don¡¯t you need to ask Mrs. Niu and the others together?¡± Momo Zhou pulled her face down and said, ¡°Ask others what for? Mrs. Niu said that she is only in charge of narcissus, and you are in charge of clivia.¡± Momo Liu was originally only a little nervous when she saw herself being accused here alone, and subconsciously wanted to bring others together to share the responsibilities, but now she felt a little uncomfortable after hearing what Momo Zhou said, and she couldn¡¯t help raising her head to argue: ¡°Momo Zhou, it¡¯s not wrong that these clivias were chosen by this slave, but this slave went with Mrs. Niu when they were picking them. Furthermore, the flower farmer was introduced by Mrs. Niu''s family''s head.¡± Momo Zhou was displeased: ¡°Then why did Mrs. Niu say that clivia was carefully selected by you and your youngest son?¡± Momo Liu was taken aback when she heard the words, and then she sneered angrily, ¡°You listened to her farting2! I also asked why there are so many flower farmers outside the town, but the couple chose a place so remote! Later, I heard the flower farmers beside discuss it and found out that it was the couple who took five taels of silver from that flower farmer. Now that I think about it, there must be something wrong with those flowers, and they joined hands to mess with me!¡± Mrs. Niu has a very good personal relationship with Momo Wei, the original foreign affairs momo candidate, and heard that the two parties intend to form a family. In the end, they didn''t see Momo Liu emerge as a dark horse, making Momo Wei have a lot of prejudice against her, hence even Mrs. Niu somewhat ignores Momo Liu. In addition, there is also a competitive relationship between the two foreign affairs momos, so the relationship between the two is really not good. In fact, it is very common for purchasing managers to get kickbacks when purchasing, even Momo Liu herself has oil and water to gain for every pot of flowers. Even after she knew about the five taels of silver, Mrs. Niu gave her back two taels of silver. Although she was dissatisfied that Mrs. Niu made more money than she did, she didn¡¯t say anything when she thought about the future. Now she felt that she had fallen into someone else¡¯s trap, maybe it was Mrs. Niu who tripped her up in order to stand up for Momo Wei. Although she has not been in Ziwei Courtyard for a long time, she knows the temper of the Third Master of the Ren family. He doesn¡¯t care if other things are not done well, but if something goes wrong with the things he cares about, the person in charge will be unable to bear it. Thus she can¡¯t bear the charge. Momo Zhou was surprised when she heard the words: ¡°There is such a thing!¡± She pointed to Xi¡¯er who was at the side angrily and ordered, ¡°Go and call Mrs. Niu in!¡± Seeing Momo Zhou¡¯s appearance, Momo Liu suddenly regretted that she had exposed this matter. Although it¡¯s common for the momo in charge to get something in return from the merchants, however, this kind of thing can¡¯t be put on the bright side. She opened her mouth to say something, but Xi¡¯er had already taken orders to go out. After a while, Mrs. Niu was called in. Momo Zhou struck the head and covered the face3 right off: ¡°Thanks to you that I thought you were only responsible for those narcissi, and clivias was the responsibility of Momo Liu, so I only asked her to come over to ask questions. Didn''t think however that I was told that the flower farmer was found by you? Still received five taels of silver from other people? Mrs. Niu, what else do you have to say!¡± When Mrs. Niu heard this, she glared at Momo Liu in shock and anger. Seeing that her eyes flickered and she didn¡¯t dare to look at her, she immediately understood that Momo Liu had betrayed her. She gave a ¡°pei¡± towards Momo Liu, then turned to Momo Zhou and said, ¡°Don¡¯t trust those two-faced three-edged old goods4! Today I understand what it means to ¡®hold up a bowl and eat meat, put down the bowl and scold your mother5¡¯! How come you don¡¯t think the silver is sticky when you take it? Now that something went wrong, you hurriedly wiped yourself clean, as if your own hands were so clean! You don¡¯t have to go to the flower house to sell, what kind of yellow flower girl6 are you pretending to be!¡° Mrs. Niu was well-known for being aggressive when she was young, and there was even a nickname called ¡°Spicy¡±. Now that her children are older, her temper has been restrained a lot, but she is the type of person that refuses to suffer. She has a short temper and can say anything when her temper comes up. Momo Liu also became enraged when she heard this, she raised her head and retorted back: ¡°I took the silver, but wasn''t it precisely the hush money you gave me? That flower farmer is your and your family''s head''s connection! Now that something has happened, it is natural to ask for an explanation from the couple of you!¡± Mrs. Niu originally took five taels of silver, but in the end, Momo Liu insisted on asking for two taels and promised to let her take the big money next time. The meat in her mouth flew away7, and she was not feeling well. Didn''t think Momo Liu is the one who took advantage, but is shameless enough to let other people bear the brunt once something went wrong. Immediately, she became extremely furious. ¡±You are shameless! If you have the guts, spit out the money given to you! Still playing tricks behind people¡¯s backs! Who doesn¡¯t know how you became a manager? Didn¡¯t you just give Momo Zhu twenty taels of silver!¡± Mrs. Niu scolded, pointing at Momo Liu¡¯s nose. Momo Liu became angry with embarrassment: ¡°Heh, do you think that you are innocent? Wasn¡¯t your sister-in-law begging Momo Gui in Old Madam''s room back then? In the end, how much money was paid to the people around Concubine Fang to pretend as blind?¡± Momo Zhou, who had been sitting on the sidelines, glanced out the window. Mrs. Niu has a loud voice, which has attracted many people to poke their heads from outside. Seeing that the timing was almost up, Momo Zhou patted the table and got up: ¡°You have big guts! It even involved the Old Madam! And what did you say about Momo Zhu taking twenty taels of silver?¡± Momo Liu¡¯s expression was not good. Because the matter of Mrs. Niu involved the people in Old Madam''s room, no one dared to say anything more, but her twenty taels of bribes were hard to say. Mrs. Niu smiled: ¡°Everyone in the yard knows that the night before you announced the candidate for the foreign affairs momo, Momo Liu gave Momo Zhu twenty taels of silver and asked her to go to Fifth Young Lady to plot the job of foreign affairs momo.¡± Momo Zhou¡¯s complexion changed: ¡°Presumptuous! How dare you touch Fifth Young Lady! The candidate for foreign affairs management was discussed by Master and Madam the afternoon before that day. What does it have to do with Fifth Young Lady!¡± Momo Liu was taken aback when she heard the words and said in astonishment: ¡°It was discussed in the afternoon?¡± Seeing Momo Liu¡¯s expression, Mrs. Niu rolled her eyes and understood a little, she couldn¡¯t help covering her mouth and laughing gloatingly: ¡°Now I understand what it means to have congenial stink8!¡± Momo Liu¡¯s face was ashen. Momo Zhou was also seriously pissed off and ordered a maid to call Momo Zhu over. Lifting the curtain, she went out of the side room and went to the main room to report today¡¯s events to n¨¦e Li. After Momo Zhou came back from n¨¦e Li¡¯s main room, Momo Zhu had already arrived. After some confrontation, it was completely revealed that Momo Zhu deliberately cheated Momo Liu of twenty taels of silver by using the information she heard from Fifth Young Lady. It¡¯s just that Mrs. Niu and Momo Liu didn¡¯t end well because of taking bribes. Not wanting to deal with the three of them in detail, Third Master Ren Shimin got enraged because he discovered that the dozens of pots of clivia that were dying did not die of illness, but were scalded to death by pouring hot water from the roots... Third Master is an elegant and refined person, and this kind of ¡°flower killing¡± is extremely intolerable to him. Immediately, he ordered n¨¦e Li to conduct a thorough investigation. This investigation led to Momo Wei''s head. It turned out that Momo Wei had always been brooding over the fact that Momo Liu had replaced her as the foreign affairs momo, and was unsettled when she learned from Mrs. Niu that Momo Liu had made a few taels of silver by doing an errand this time. So at night, the clivias bought by Momo Liu was soaked in boiling water one by one to death. After Third Master knew about it, he immediately ordered for Momo Wei to be expelled from Ren Estate. After Fifth Young Lady found out, she hurried over to intercede with Third Master and finally saved Momo Wei¡¯s life. It¡¯s just that the incident of several other momos also happened at the same time. Third Master was intolerant and asked n¨¦e Li to clean up all the people in the yard and drive out those who are not on the stage, so as not to be an eyesore in front of him. Although n¨¦e Li said a few words of refusal, she was still happy in her heart, because Concubine Fang got all these people in. CH 35 These momos were originally found by Concubine Fang from the village, and they were more or less related to the momos and maids who were used in the yards of the masters of the estate. It was originally Concubine Fang¡¯s trap against Ren Yaohua, but Ren Yaoqi persuaded her to let them remain. Now that they have made such a big mistake, the evidence is conclusive, and it was Third Master who wanted to drive them away, so naturally, it was impossible to relate to the Li mother and daughters. In the beginning, these momos were unwilling to sit still and went around asking for connections. However, the entire Ren family is well aware of Third Master Ren¡¯s temper. When he doesn¡¯t care about things, he will turn a blind eye even when you make a noise and have a fall out, but once you arouse his anger, he will not sell anyone''s account1. For example, Mrs. Niu asked someone to bring a letter to her sister-in-law and requested her to ask and beg her mother-in-law, Momo Gui. But when Mrs. Niu was arguing with Momo Liu, Momo Liu said that she had asked Momo Gui to bribe the people around Concubine Fang. This sentence implicated many people, and further spread in the estate, and all the servants knew about it. Therefore, Mrs. Niu¡¯s sister-in-law had not yet opened her mouth, when she was cursed into dog blood dripping on her head2 by Momo Gui, saying that her maiden family would not be able to stand on the stage, and she was not allowed to meddle in her maiden family¡¯s affairs. Just, these women did not forget to tear down their relationships, fearing that they will be retaliated against when they will be driven away while their opponents remained. The result can be imagined. Que¡¯er, a maidservant in n¨¦e Li¡¯s main room, was whispering to n¨¦e Li the news she had just inquired with a smile on her face: ¡°¡­Master is also angry with Concubine Fang because of this, and Concubine Fang dragged her ¡®sick body¡¯ and pleaded guilty, she said that she didn¡¯t know, and everyone can put anyone in the Ziwei Courtyard. She also said that now that the Madam is back, just let her take care of her body and Sixth Young Master and Ninth Young Lady, and won''t meddle in the affairs of our Ziwei Courtyard .¡± ¡±Did Father really criticize Concubine Fang like that?¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Que¡¯er, her eyebrows wrinkling. Que¡¯er smiled a little embarrassedly: ¡°Master, who is like an immortal, naturally speaks better than this slave.¡± In fact, Ren Shimin was polite and courteous most of the time in front of his wife and concubine, and rarely spoke words of reprimand. So this time, Ren Shimin¡¯s accusations against Concubine Fang made the servants happy. Sure enough, n¨¦e Li¡¯s face brightened slightly when she heard that. She is a kind-hearted and cowardly woman, but because she suffered a lot in Concubine Fang''s hands, it is impossible for them, wife and concubine, to live in harmony. Just because Concubine Fang¡¯s legitimate mother and Old Madam Ren are sisters, not to mention she did not give birth to a son, it is inevitable that she has lost confidence in front of Concubine Fang these years. Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi, who was sitting beside n¨¦e Li, smiling and saying nothing: ¡°Concubine Fang has a long life, and there will be a time when she suffers. Now, can those women be sent back to the village immediately? In addition, we have to pick someone again before the new year.¡± Speaking of this, Ren Yaohua sneered, ¡°According to my temper, I really want to sell them all!¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head slightly. Speaking of which, except for Momo Guan who eavesdropped, none of the women belonged to Concubine Fang. The reason she drove them away was to completely break Concubine Fang''s layout for the past years and let everyone in the Ziwei Courtyard recognize the situation, allowing n¨¦e Li to consolidate her position. As for the momos accepting bribes, it was nothing at all. Whether it is wrong or not depends on the master¡¯s mind. Therefore, Ren Yaohua¡¯s anger is unnecessary in her opinion. Not everyone has the qualifications to be their opponent. She contemplated and said softly: ¡°It¡¯s already late today, let¡¯s send them off tomorrow morning. Help Eldest Aunt notify there after a while. Mother, do we need to pick more maids to come in our yard?¡± Originally, the two first-class maids around n¨¦e Li all left by some means, and Momo Zhou picked two more from the second-class maids to train them, but n¨¦e Li said that she would give the two newly trained maids to Ren Yaoqi, she needs to add a few more by her side. In addition, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua also need to add some slightly younger ones to their side and let the maids take care of them for two years first. When a few older maids are matched outside, they will be able to take over. ¡±I¡¯ve already told Momo Zhou to bring in some little maids for you and Hua¡¯er this time.¡± N¨¦e Li stroked a strand of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hair and said with a smile. Ren Yaoqi nodded, then turned to Momo Zhou and said, ¡°Momo, later, go and tell the momos who were sent back that my mother takes pity on their family¡¯s livelihood, so although they can¡¯t stay in the estate, each family can send a little girl in for an errand. If there are daughters, granddaughters, or nieces in their family, pick a few first, and then you choose from them.¡± Momo Zhou was taken aback when she heard the words, while Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but stomped her feet: ¡°What do you mean? After finally getting them out, bringing them back again? You think there are not enough ghosts and monsters in the estate?¡± Ren Yaoqi patiently explained to her: ¡°The maidservants we choose are the children from the Ren family. Even if we don¡¯t give them this grace, wouldn¡¯t the people sent from the village in the end still be related to them? And most of them still come from those big servant families? If that¡¯s the case, why not sell this favor?¡± In Ren Yaoqi¡¯s view, making the best use of the situation is perfectly normal. When n¨¦e Li married into the Ren¡¯s family, she didn¡¯t have her own servant except for Momo Zhou, and even the four maids around her were trained by Momo Zhou. So in many cases, n¨¦e Li was constantly isolated from the Ren family. As a result in the end, was eaten until there were no bones left, and still not aware of where the problem was. The situation of the Ren Estate is complicated, and the Ren family''s family children are not impossible to use. On the contrary, if used properly, it will be much easier than the maids bought from outside. Sending those old and cunning momos back and replacing their own relatives with errands in the Ziwei Courtyard will definitely do more good than harm. Ren Yaohua thought about it carefully after hearing the words, although her face was still very unhappy, she didn¡¯t say anything to refute it. Momo Zhou understood Ren Yaoqi¡¯s intentions at this stage, she couldn¡¯t help but patted her thigh, and said cheerfully: ¡°Fifth Young Lady¡¯s move, I think it¡¯s feasible.¡± She then turned her head to comfort her Ren Yaohua, ¡°Third Young Lady, you should trust this old slave. Don¡¯t worry, this old slave still has foresight in picking people. Even if the seed grows crooked, the old slave can turn her around in the end!¡± Momo Zhou is still very confident about this. Little girls are like blank sheets of paper in her hands, she can draw whatever she wants. N¨¦e Li trusted Momo Zhou very much, nodded to Ren Yaohua, and said: ¡°Momo Zhou used to follow my mother¡­ Mother has seen many storms and waves. She said it is feasible, so there will be no problem.¡± Speaking of this, n¨¦e Li seemed to have thought of something, and lowered her head with a gloomy gaze. Momo Zhou glanced at her, couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart, and looked at Ren Yaohua and hurriedly smile: ¡°Third Young Lady?¡± Ren Yaohua turned her head aside, and said coldly: ¡°Just don¡¯t send any to my room!¡± This is having no objection. Ren Yaoqi nodded with a smile: ¡°When the people arrive, let the momo train them. Third Sister Ren will choose first.¡± Ren Yaohua felt that these words seemed to be comforting children? Does she seem petty as an older sister? She couldn''t help but glare at Ren Yaoqi. However, Ren Yaoqi had already turned her head to talk to Momo Zhou: ¡°That Momo Guan doesn¡¯t need to give grace, just send her back directly, and after letting out a word, anyone who has anything to do with her won''t be used by Ziwei Courtyard.¡± Let those who are on the wrong team learn a lesson. Momo Zhou thought for a while, then nodded in agreement: ¡°Fifth Young Lady is absolutely right, our Madam has a good temper, but that doesn¡¯t mean she can be manipulated by others.¡± CH 36 February 10, 2023 Those momos were worried at first, but when Momo Zhou went to tell them Ren Yaoqi''s words, they were all pleasantly surprised, and were even more grateful to n¨¦e Li, praising her for being generous and having the heart of a Bodhisattva. Everyone knows that among the servants inside the estate, apart from the momos in charge, the maids who serve closely by the masters are the most valuable. The two ladies in Ziwei Courtyard are both legitimate daughters. If a young maid selected at this time is outstanding, she will be kept as a dowry maid1. Even if they can¡¯t be a dowry maid in the end, when talking about marriage, they will be more honorable than ordinary maids, and the master will give them a lot of adornment and money. Moreover, it would be disgraceful for them to return. If someone from the family enters the estate again, it means that they have hope to stand up in the future, and other servants will not trample on them. As for why Momo Guan didn¡¯t have this grace, the few of them understood after a little thought, and couldn¡¯t help thinking that they must advise their girl well when they go back. Because of this, when they were sent away the next day, none of them held any resentment against n¨¦e Li, and begged Momo Zhou to kowtow in front of n¨¦e Li. Ren Yaoqi did not intervene in this matter anymore, she did not need to worry about choosing and training the maids, and Momo Zhou became busy. Concubine Fang was ill again, and n¨¦e Li excused her from paying her respects, so she began to stay behind closed doors. Rather, Ren Shimin began to get busy, he started writing Spring Festival couplets and making peach charms. Of course, Third Master Ren¡¯s couplets and peach charms are extremely particular, from the selection of paper to the engraving of the charms without the hands of others. The output is not high, so it is difficult to seek even with a thousand gold. This morning, Ren Yaoqi came back from Ren Yijun¡¯s place. Ren Yaoqi was thinking about the things from her previous life, thus she was a little more tolerant of Ren Yijun¡¯s weird temper. Every few days, she took the initiative to visit him to have a discussion, as to save him from going to Ziwei Courtyard in the wind and snow. Walking slowly on the nine-turn corridor, Ren Yaoqi held a small Hetian jade hand stove with blue and white patterns in her hand4. It¡¯s just a hand warmer the size of a palm that Ren Yijun stuffed for her before she left. Seeing that it was a valuable item so she didn¡¯t want it, Ren Yijun took the hand stove with a gloomy face and was about to throw it on the ground, she was so scared that she rushed to snatch it. It was also the first time she knew that someone could express their kindness so¡­ awkwardly. Thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips slightly. When she looked up, she saw Yang Cheng, the chief steward of the outer courtyard, bowing sideways and respectfully leading two people in this direction. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but pause. Walking behind Yang Cheng were two teenagers about twelve to thirteen years old, the one on the right was wearing a red fox cloak with a dark blue baoxiang5 pattern outside, his appearance was considered to be handsome and upright, and he looked like a well-educated son of a wealthy family. The boy on the left is wearing a narrow-sleeved sable fur robe with a purple fur edge and holds a horsewhip in his right hand. He is slender, with sword eyebrows and bright eyes, and his facial features are extremely distinct and handsome. When he smiled, the corners of his mouth were slightly drawn to one side. This expression seemed a bit malicious when put to others, but it was pleasing to the eye on his face. The two teenagers who were chatting and laughing leisurely were also taken aback when they saw Ren Yaoqi approaching. When Ren Yaoqi came to her senses, she hurriedly withdrew the complicated look in her eyes. ¡±Fifth Young Lady.¡± Seeing Ren Yaoqi, the chief steward crossed his hands and bowed, seeing that Ren Yaoqi hadn¡¯t moved, he turned his head to look at the two teenagers, and hurriedly said, ¡°Fifth Young Lady, the cousin Young Master from the Qiu family came. The other is his classmate Young Master Wen.¡± Ren Yaoqi lowered her head slightly when she heard the words, and slowly saluted them. She remembered them, and had a deep memory. The young master of the Qiu family, Qiu Yun, is the grandson of her grandmother, Old Madam Ren¡¯s elder brother, and now he is studying in the academy in Yunyang City. Because the Qiu family in Jizhou needs to pass through Baihe Town from Yunyang City, Qiu Yun can be regarded as a frequent visitor to the Ren family. And the one next to him was not some Young Master Wen, but Yun Wenfang, the Second Young Master of the Yun Family in Yunyang City. The reason why she remembered Yun Wenfang, an irrelevant outsider, was because they used to be each other''s nemesis. She heard that some people are born with incompatibility, and she and Yun Wenfang must be in this category. The two started to fight each other the first time they met. In the end, he gave her a hard slap when she left the Ren Estate, which left a profound memory, and it was hard to forget. She can¡¯t remember the exact time when she first met him in the last life, it seems to be in this corridor. She ran out of the Ronghua Courtyard angrily because of a quarrel with Ren Yaohua. Because she ran in a hurry, she accidentally bumped into Yun Wenfang. Then Yun Wenfang whistled frivolously in front of everyone. This whistle made everyone present laughed ¡°puchi¡±, and it also made her lose face. She was so wronged at the time, she raised her hand and slapped him loudly, then left everyone, crying, and ran away. At that time, she was young, willful, and impulsive, and didn¡¯t think about the consequences. As a result, she was imprisoned in the ancestral hall for half a month by Old Madam Ren, and she also spent the new year in that cold ancestral hall. On the eve of the new year, there was a lot of cheerful talk and laughter outside, she was not even allowed to be visited. Because the woman outside forgot to bring her food, she was cold, hungry, and scared, so she huddled under the altar and cried. He came in from nowhere, pulled her braids, raised one corner of his mouth, and smiled viciously like a devil: ¡°Kowtow three times to me, call ¡®good brother¡¯ three times, then Qiu Yun and I will go intercede for you and let you out?¡± At that time, she hated him so much that she wanted him dead. She jumped up and scratched his face without even thinking about it. As a result, she scratched four strips of blood on his neck. In the end, he was enraged while being pulled away by Qiu Yun. That¡¯s when she felt scared, thinking that she was going to be punished again. Fortunately, her father begged Old Madam Ren to take her out that night. A few days later, she occasionally heard from Qiu Yun¡¯s servants that the reason why the Second Young Master of the Yun family had lived in Baihe Town under an alias for so long and hadn¡¯t returned home during the Spring Festival was that he caused a catastrophe in Yunyang City. He beat up a court official''s brother-in-law into a fool and was secretly hidden by Old Madam Yun. The Old Madam of the Yun family and Old Madam Ren are distant cousins. Old Madam Yun¡¯s father was originally the head of the Qiu clan. Because the old patriarch Qiu had only one daughter and no son, he finally adopted Old Madam Ren''s elder brother. After the old patriarch of the Qiu family passed away, Old Madam Ren¡¯s elder brother Qiu Xinmin took over the position of patriarch. Qiu Xinmin was adopted by the old patriarch when he was almost twenty years old. At that time, Old Madam Yun had already married to Yunyang City. Old Madam Ren¡¯s house was originally a side branch of the Qiu family, so the relationship between the two parties was only superficial. The relationship between Old Madam Ren and Old Madam Yun is even further away, and they normally almost have no contact. So it was unexpected that the Second Young Master of the Yun family would come to the Ren family to avoid the limelight. After she knew the news, she quietly revealed Yun Wenfang¡¯s position in the Ren Estate. After a few days, the Eldest Young Master of the Yun family came and took Yun Wenfang away. She thought she was doing it carefully and no one would know. Before he left, he suddenly leaned into her ear and sneered, ¡°Ren Yaoqi, you will regret it! Let¡¯s wait and see!¡± She was ordered by Old Madam Ren to be grounded, and she was not allowed to leave Ziwei Courtyard for half a step. In the next few years, she hardly ever went out, so she lived in peace with Yun Wenfang. Later, when her father passed away, the Ren family wanted to send her to Military Supervisor Lu. When her mother was seriously ill, she asked Momo Zhou to pack up her clothes and secretly helped her escape from the Ren Estate to find her maternal grandfather¡¯s family in Yunyang City. When fleeing halfway, not thinking she''ll met Yun Wenfang who was riding on a horse out of the city. She knelt down and begged him to let her off, but she was knocked unconscious and was thrown on the horse. After a long time, when she woke up again, she was already lying on the carriage sent by the Ren family to find her, and Yun Wenfang had disappeared. At that time, all thoughts were lost, and there was only one thought in her mind: If she met Yun Wenfang again in her lifetime, she would definitely make him die! Now the time has passed, and he is standing in front of her again. Still the same handsome facial features, wicked smile, and jet-black eyes as bright as summer night stars. But it couldn¡¯t arouse her emotions anymore. The hatred when she was young, in her view now, is extremely naive. In this life, she doesn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Yun Wenfang. CH 37 February 20, 2023 ¡±Did Fifth Cousin just come out of Grandaunt¡¯s yard?¡± Qiu Yun asked with a distant smile in his elegant posture. The Qiu family is a long-established family in Yanbei, and now Qiu Yun¡¯s grandfather¡¯s house is the direct line of the Qiu family. Although Qiu Yun ranked third among his grandchildren, his father is the eldest son of the head of the Qiu family. He is the only son of the Eldest House, and it can be said that the roots are straight and the seedlings are red1. Therefore, whether in the Qiu family or in the Ren family, Qiu Yun is a moon that is admired by all the stars. He is highly respected among his siblings. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t like Qiu Yun in her previous life, he looked like a refined and noble son in front of others. But behind people''s backs, he always stood aside smiling and watching Yun Wenfang find her for fun, while he was responsible for being the lookout. She hates Yun Wenfang for trampling on her, but Qiu Yun, she disdains to associate with him. ¡±Yes, Third Cousin. Grandmother must be very happy to know that you are here.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled back at him, and replied quietly, her smile was more perfect than his, and her posture was more disciplined than his. After saying this, she lowered her head and turned sideways, politely letting them go first. Qiu Yun looked at her in astonishment. Yun Wenfang, who was standing beside him, chuckled, put his hands on Qiu Yun¡¯s shoulders, and tilted his body halfway, but his eyes were jokingly looking at Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Jin Yuan2, is this the eccentric cousin you mentioned earlier? It doesn¡¯t look like it ah.¡± He doesn¡¯t look like a son of a noble family, but like a prodigal who plays games. Fortunately, he is young and has a good appearance, so he is not too annoying to look at. Qiu Yun clenched his fist in embarrassment, and coughed it softly against his lips: ¡°Zi Shu, you remembered wrongly, that was what Yuan Hui said about his cousin.¡± Yun Wenfang smiled and glanced at Qiu Yun, then went to look at Ren Yaoqi, wanting to see if she was as easy to get angry as Qiu Yun said, but saw her standing there with her head bowed in the same posture, without even raising her eyes, It seems that she didn¡¯t hear his jokes at all. That polite and distant attitude made them somewhat bored. Yun Wenfang frowned slightly, for some reason, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression made him feel very uncomfortable. Although it was the first time they met and Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t do anything wrong, he just felt uncomfortable. Perhaps as Ren Yaoqi thought, some people just don¡¯t naturally get along. So he turned his head and winked at Qiu Yun and said, ¡°Since we encountered your cousin, then he doesn''t need to lead the way?¡± He was referring to Yang Cheng, the steward of the outer courtyard who brought them in. When Yun Wenfang was in Yun Estate, he was the type where everything goes his way, but now he is in someone else¡¯s territory, he doesn¡¯t seem to realize that he has to restrain himself. The steward, Yang Cheng, looked up at Ren Yaoqi, then at Qiu Yun, and finally lowered his head obediently. It means that he is just a slave, and everything is subject to the arrangements of the masters. Seeing the smile on Yun Wenfang¡¯s face, Qiu Yun knew that his bad habit of teasing people was coming again, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a little helpless. The two of them were classmates, and he knew a lot about Yun Wenfang, knowing that when he wanted to make trouble for someone, ten cows would not be able to pull him back. It¡¯s just¡­he looked at Ren Yaoqi, and for some reason, he felt that Fifth Cousin today was a little different from before. Only then did Ren Yaoqi raise her head, and nodded to Yang Cheng without changing her face: ¡°Steward Yang, please go back. Since I have met the guest, I should take them to greet the elders.¡± She now understands that some people cannot be confronted head-on, but must smooth their fur. She has no intention of becoming enemies with Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun. These two are just irrelevant people, not worth her effort and thought. She has so much to do. Yang Cheng didn¡¯t want to get involved in the disputes between his masters, so he couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief, salute, and withdrew. Anyway, someone had already been sent to report to Ronghua Courtyard, so it wouldn¡¯t be rude. Ren Yaoqi nodded to Qiu Yun again, then turned around and led the two of them to Ronghua Courtyard. Seeing that she was good to talk to, Qiu Yun couldn¡¯t embarrass her any longer, so he turned to Yun Wenfang and talked about places to visit near Baihe Town. Ren Yaoqi walked unhurriedly with her head down, without interrupting. However, Yun Wenfang always looked at her once or twice from time to time. Because he watched frequently without any scruples, even Qiu Yun noticed it. Qiu Yun winked at him quietly and asked him what was the matter. Yun Wenfang rubbed his chin, blinked, and smiled without saying a word. ¡±Hey, what has Cousin been up to lately?¡± Qiu Yun was helpless and started to strike up a conversation with Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi replied softly: ¡°Just like other sisters, doing needlework and chatting.¡± ¡±Doesn¡¯t Fifth Cousin like reading, writing calligraphy, and painting?¡± Qiu Yun asked with a gentle smile. Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly: ¡°It¡¯s just a pastime when bored, it¡¯s not as good as my cousins and brothers who are really learning.¡± ¡±You can also draw?¡± Yun Wenfang interjected leisurely, ¡°Draw a painting tomorrow and give it to this young master to take a look.¡± His words were quite big, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t want to argue with him, just smiled and didn¡¯t talk to him. On the contrary, Qiu Yun clasped his hands together, looked at the two of them with a smile, and said, ¡°Brother Zishu¡¯s painting skills are indeed good. But¡­ my Fifth Sister dare not say anything else, regarding painting¡­ Zishu, you may not necessarily be superior.¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned slightly. Sure enough, Yun Wenfang''s next sentence: ¡°Then I really want to see it.¡± Fortunately, it was not far from Ronghua Courtyard, and soon Ren Yaoqi led the people to Ronghua Courtyard. Old Madam Ren should have gotten the news before and knew Yun Wenfang¡¯s true identity, so when she saw Yun Wenfang, she treated him very kindly. After Ren Yaoqi brought them, she bowed and left. CH 38 Yun Wenfang stayed at the Ren Estate. Qiu Yun, as the grandnephew of Old Madam Ren, often came to live in Ren Estate, so he had an independent courtyard. While Yun Wenfang, a young man who came to Ren Estate for the first time, did not live in the guest room in the outer courtyard but instead lived with Qiu Yun in his courtyard. Old Madam Ren claimed that this ¡°Young Master Wen¡± was the child from her maiden family. Because of Old Madam Ren¡¯s attitude, except for a few insiders, everyone in the Ren family became curious about Yun Wenfang¡¯s identity. As one of the insiders, the Fifth Madam, n¨¦e Lin, was very enthusiastic about Yun Wenfang. In addition to telling her son Ren Yijian to be close to Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, she also told her daughter Ren Yaoyu. The Eldest Madam was much calmer, and she didn¡¯t do anything special except take care of the Jinxiu Courtyard where Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang were staying. However, those who didn¡¯t know have already guessed that the identity of this ¡°Young Master Wen¡± is definitely not low. Ren Yaoying told Concubine Fang about this matter. After thinking for a while, Concubine Fang called her son Ren Yihong and asked him carefully. It¡¯s just that Ren Yihong didn¡¯t have much contact with Yun Wenfang, and he wasn¡¯t the type who likes to gossip. He only knew that, except for Qiu Yun, Young Master Wen was only a little closer to Fifth Young Master Ren Yijian. They talked about some things in Yunyang City and where to go in Baihe Town during winter, etc. Concubine Fang was not dissatisfied with her son¡¯s ignorance, but instead praised him, told him to study hard, and let him go back. Turning around, she ordered her confidant to inquire about the identity of ¡°Young Master Wen¡± from the dowry servants of Fifth Madam who came from Yunyang City. Finally, she told her daughter: ¡°Do according to what I told you before and don¡¯t be influenced by them. N¨¦e Lin always likes to jump up and down, that¡¯s because she has a good life. Even if she makes a mistake, there will always be someone to clean up the mess for her. ¡° Concubine Fang¡¯s gentle tone contained a hint of disdain and mockery. ¡±Mother said that she will find a good future for you, and she will definitely do it.¡± Ren Yaoying, who was impulsive and irritable in front of outsiders, lowered her head and responded softly, ¡°Yes, this daughter knows.¡± In the Ronghua Courtyard, the Fifth Madam, n¨¦e Lin, became very attentive to Old Madam Ren again. On the first night when Yun Wenfang came to the Ren family, n¨¦e Lin squeezed Old Madam Ren¡¯s shoulders and beat her legs, and at the same time asked implicitly about the Old Madam of the Yun family¡¯s attitude towards Yun Wenfang¡¯s marriage. Old Madam Ren narrowed her eyes and said softly, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later.¡± Fifth Madam apologized and said with a smile: ¡°Mother, the Eldest Young Master of the Yun family is fifteen this year. Although he is also a good-looking talent, he is older than Yu¡¯er, and this daughter-in-law thinks it is not appropriate. But this Second Young Master¡­ this daughter-in-law looked and with Yu''er, it is precisely a pair of golden boy and jade girl1.¡± Old Madam Ren slapped n¨¦e Lin¡¯s hand away and her eyebrows wrinkled, ¡°What kind of outrageous words are you spouting! Yu¡¯er¡¯s reputation will be ruined if it gets out!¡± N¨¦e Lin curled her lips: ¡°Mother, Old Madam Yun entrusted her grandson to our Ren family at this time, didn''t she mean that? The current King Yanbei is the nephew of the patriarch of the Yun family. Although Old Dowager Yun is not the late King Yanbei''s queen, she is officially conferred, and with King Yanbei around, who else is nobler than her in the Yanbei Palace? The Yun family has thus become our number one family in Yanbei. If our Ren family can marry with the Yun family, There are many benefits. You and Old Madam Yun are cousins, her maiden family. If you open your mouth to her, she will definitely not be able to refuse.¡± Old Madam Ren was silent for a while, then waved her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk about it later.¡± N¨¦e Lin still wanted to persuade her again, but meeting the glaring look of Old Madam Ren, she touched her nose and stopped her mouth. But in her heart, she thought that she must let her daughter get closer to the Second Young Master of the Yun family. You can¡¯t blame n¨¦e Lin¡¯s ¡°openness¡±. She and Master Ren Wu had a good relationship since they were young, they were childhood sweethearts and consequently married into the Ren family in the end. Therefore, n¨¦e Lin also wanted to find a good marriage for her daughter. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t care about these undercurrents at home. As always, she went to Ronghua Courtyard to report twice a day, morning and evening, and then went back to her own yard. Either staying in n¨¦e Li¡¯s room to talk with her and do needlework or going to the study of Xikua Courtyard to accompany Ren Shimin to write couplets and make peach charms. She was honored to be given the qualifications to grind ink and serve tea and polish peach charms with sandpaper given to her by Ren Shimin. That night, when Ren Yaoqi went to pay her respects to n¨¦e Li, she happened to hear Momo Zhou reporting the household affairs to n¨¦e Li. ¡±¡­Two hams, four jars of Jinhua wine, a pair of live sheep, six chickens, two fox furs, one lynx skin, and six bolts of brocade¡­¡± N¨¦e Li listened and nodded: ¡°There are few people in the family, and these are enough for the Spring Festival. In addition, I will give two hundred taels of silver, and all of them will be exchanged for small ingots weighing ten taels and five taels.¡± After a pause, she emphasized helplessly, ¡°Remember to hand over the money to Mother.¡± Momo Zhou sighed: ¡°This slave remembers.¡± Hearing the sound of the curtain behind them, the two immediately turned their heads. Seeing that it was Ren Yaoqi, n¨¦e Li breathed a sigh of relief, and then smiled a little embarrassedly: ¡°Qi¡¯er, you''re here?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked back at n¨¦e Li with a smile and said, ¡°Is Mother discussing things with Momo Zhou? I¡¯ll go to the western secondary room and wait.¡± N¨¦e Li hurriedly said: ¡°Then you go and sit down first, and I will go there after I finish dealing with Momo Zhou.¡± Ren Yaoqi withdrew from the eastern secondary room and went to the western secondary room. Not long after, Momo Zhou came out, and smilingly said to Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Madam is still changing clothes, Fifth Young Lady came earlier today, Third Young Lady is still in the Old Madam¡¯s yard and hasn¡¯t come back yet?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Third Sister will be here in a while.¡± After thinking for a while, she suddenly asked, ¡°Grandfather and uncle2¡­ are they alright?¡± Momo Zhou was taken aback, remembering that Ren Yaoqi might have heard the conversation between her and n¨¦e Li before, she immediately replied, ¡°They''re good, they''re good.¡± Glancing at Ren Yaoqi, Momo Zhou apologized and with a smile, ¡°Master, he brought new year¡¯s gifts, and Madam asked this slave to send some gifts back tomorrow.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded: ¡°It should be.¡± She didn¡¯t ask what her uncle''s New Year¡¯s gifts were. Momo Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, and was about to speak when Ren Yaohua lifted the curtain and came in, and asked casually, ¡°What new year¡¯s gifts?¡± Glancing at Momo Zhou with a tense expression, Ren Yaoqi answered while smiling: ¡°I¡¯m asking Momo Zhou about the communication between relatives. Isn''t Third Sister playing leaf cards with Cousin and Grandmother? Who won?¡± ¡±Didn¡¯t you dislike playing it? What does it matter to you who wins?¡± Ren Yaohua went to sit on the kang table, Momo Zhou excused to leave on the pretense of asking n¨¦e Li. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t argue with her, just smiled, and poured her a cup of tea with the small teapot at hand. Facing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s friendly attitude, Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t reach out and hit a smiling face. Ever since she came back, she felt that Ren Yaoqi was completely different from before. In the past, Ren Yaoqi would argue with her at every turn, but now she always avoids clashing with her. This kind of quarreling is as hard as clapping with one hand, so the two of them have continuously lived in peace. ¡±Third Cousin and Young Master Wen said they want to do an ice sports competition3, and Grandmother has already agreed.¡± Ren Yaohua took a sip of tea and abruptly spoke. Although Ren Yaoqi was a little surprised that Ren Yaohua took the initiative to say this to her, she still pretended to be interested and said, ¡°Oh? When? Are all the brothers in the family participating?¡± ¡±En, it¡¯s in the town outside above Baihe Town. We must all go there then.¡± Ren Yaohua responded with a rare friendly face. Ren Yaoqi froze: ¡°I¡­ have not learned.¡± Ren Yaohua turned her head and glared at her: ¡°So what? You don¡¯t need to compete. Naturally, the servants of the estate will be arranged to go up. We are just watching the fun from the sidelines.¡± Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly: ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it. I catch cold easily recently, and it¡¯s too cold outside, so I won¡¯t go.¡± ¡±Grandmother told me that all brothers and sisters in the family will go, and people from the east mansion will also go. Third Cousin also especially asked about you today.¡± Ren Yaohua frowned and sized up Ren Yaoqi. CH 39 Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua in surprise: ¡°Third Dousin? Does he want something from me?¡± Ren Yaohua saw Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression, as if she really didn¡¯t know, so she turned her sight away: ¡°How do I know. He must have seen you rarely appear in Grandmother¡¯s yard, and asked casually.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°Third Cousin has always been well-mannered.¡± Ren Yaohua stroked the teacup, lowered her head to think for a while, then glanced at Ren Yaoqi again, frowning slightly as if she was thinking about something. ¡±What¡¯s the matter? Third Sister?¡± It was a rare moment for Ren Yaohua to be mild, Ren Yaoqi smiled and stretched out her palm, and waved in front of her eyes. Ren Yaohua was taken aback, and couldn¡¯t help but glared at Ren Yaoqi. This was the first time Ren Yaoqi made such an intimate action in front of her, and she was a little uncomfortable. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s smile remained unchanged, and she turned her head slightly to look at her: ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Ren Yaohua originally wanted to say ¡°What are you doing!¡± But for some reason, those words turned into a sentence: ¡°Grandmother seems to intend to marry Fourth Sister to the Qiu family.¡± As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she froze for a bit, and involuntarily stretched out her fingers to touch her lips. It stands to reason that such nonsense, groundless, and unfounded words, related to a lady''s marriage, even if she knew about it, she shouldn¡¯t say it, and moreover, she still told and let her sister who had always been at odds with her know. Ren Yaoqi was also a little surprised, she didn¡¯t expect to hear such things from Ren Yaohua. However, there''s a matter of the Ren family wanting to cement old ties with the Qiu family in her past life. Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren indeed planned to marry the Eldest Master''s legitimate daughter, Fourth Young Lady Ren Yaoyin, to the eldest son of the Qiu family''s patriarch, Qiu Yun. It¡¯s just that the marriage between the two of them in the previous life didn¡¯t work out in the end for some reason. The Ren family lagged behind, and the Qiu family married a concubine from another well-known family for Qiu Yun. And it seemed that Ren Yaoyin became a concubine for Yun Wenting, the eldest son of the Yun family. It¡¯s just that in her past life, the Ren family had originally chosen two fianc¨¦es for Qiu Yun, one was the Fourth Young Lady Ren Yaoyin, and the other was Ren Yaohua. Because both of them are legitimate descendants, and among the daughters of the Ren family, they are the most suitable age for Qiu Yun, furthermore, they are the two granddaughters that Old Madam Ren loves the most. As far as she knew, Old Madam Ren seemed to like Ren Yaohua more. At the critical moment, ¡°Han Yunqian¡± this Cheng Yaojin1 happened to come out halfway. Ren Shimin liked Han Yunqian very much and proposed marriage to the Han family before discussing it with the elders of the Ren family. In the end, the Ren family felt that there would be no disadvantage in marrying Ren Yaohua to Han Yunqian, the only son of the Han family, and agreed. And Ren Yaoyin was assigned to Qiu Yun. In this life, the Han family¡¯s marriage has no shadow at all, but the Ren family chose Ren Yaoyin as Qiu Yun¡¯s fianc¨¦e? According to the ranking, Ren Yaohua¡¯s marriage should be mentioned in advance, right? Thinking of this, Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua: ¡°Why did you suddenly mention Fourth Sister¡¯s marriage?¡± It was only then that Ren Yaohua realized that it was embarrassing for the two of them to talk about these things in private, and there was an uncomfortable look on her face, but seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s serious and calm expression, Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t want to be skittish in front of her younger sister. So she managed to calm down, pretending to be nonchalant, and spoke: ¡°Second Aunt came over this morning and mentioned Second Brother¡¯s marriage. Eldest Aunt happened to be there too, so then she discussed with Grandmother about Third Brother''s marriage. Following that, unknown why, Eldest Aunt circled back to Fourth Sister again, and Grandmother expressed not to worry about Fourth Sister, she knows well. At this time, Second Aunt mentioned the Qiu family. I was originally in the warm pavilion with Fourth Sister and happened to overhear it when those words come out. After that, seeing that Fourth Sister came out, it was not good for me to listen, so I left with her. However, at that time, I didn¡¯t hear any rebuttals from Grandmother and Eldest Aunt, so I think what Second Aunt said was not wrong. ¡° Their grandfather Ren Yonghe and uncle Ren Yongxiang are the direct branches of the Ren family, and they live in the main house of the Ren family. Ren Yonghe and Ren Yongxiang have a few concubine brothers who have already separated from the estate to live alone, and those cousins from those uncles are not in the same rank as them. They are only able to meet every year when it''s the time for Spring Festival and Ghost Festival2 to worship ancestors. Second Aunt is the wife of the head of the east mansion separated by a wall. She is their granduncle''s daughter-in-law, born from the Su family in Yunyang City. Second Brother Ren Yilin is the concubine son of their Second Uncle. Second Aunt, n¨¦e Su, has no sons, and only gave birth to a daughter named Ren Yaoting who is the seventh in the Ren family. However, n¨¦e Su is a generous person, she took in several beautiful concubines for Second Uncle, and he has two sons from those concubines. N¨¦e Su¡¯s family background is prominent, and she has a reputation for virtuousness, so although she has no son, she is in a much better situation than the Third Madam n¨¦e Li who is also without a son. ¡±Isn¡¯t Second Brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e still in her filial piety?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked casually. She remembered that Ren Yilin¡¯s marriage was settled two years ago, to the second daughter of a Juren3 named Liu in Jizhou, and logically it was considered a good match. The wedding was originally scheduled on the fourth lunar month of this year, but it just happened that Ren Yilin¡¯s fianc¨¦e¡¯s grandfather passed away on the first lunar month, and she had to observe a year of filial piety. Juren Liu just happened to spend money to make up for a vacancy of a local magistrate in Mozhou, but because his father passed away two months after taking office, he has to return home because of Ding You4. Misfortunes never come singly. News came from Jizhou a while ago that Juren Liu went out to drink wine with friends before his filial piety. Finally, in order to avoid acquaintances, he panicked and fell into the river and somehow drowned. Young Lady Liu¡¯s one-year filial piety has not yet passed, and the three-year filial piety is coming again. Ren Yilin is seventeen this year, and Young Lady Liu is also sixteen this year. ¡±This slave girl heard that the east mansion had fallen apart, Concubine Yuan went to Second Master and Second Madam every day to cry and complain. She said that Young Lady Liu had a bad fate, and she killed her grandfather and her father before she even marry into the Ren family. Said she is a broom star5, and is clamoring to break off the engagement.¡± The one who answered was Wu Jing, a maid beside Ren Yaohua, she knew more about these matters than the two masters, so she couldn¡¯t help but interject. After she finished speaking, she glanced at Ren Yaohua nervously, fearing that she would blame her for being talkative and unruly. Although Ren Yaohua frowned, she didn¡¯t say anything, she just lowered her head and drank tea. Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly at Wu Jing. Wu Jing breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t stop her from continuing to speak and that Fifth Young Lady also wanted to listen, she continued with some joy: ¡°Second Madam had always treated Second and Fourth Young Masters as if they were was her own, and now she is naturally anxious too. Although our Ren family is divided into the east and west mansions, our Old Master and the Old Madam of the west mansion are the ones who make the decisions. So Second Old Madam in the east mansion sent Second Madam to ask the Old Madam for advice.¡± Ren Yaoqi just lowered her head and smiled when she heard the words. In fact, the Old Madam of the east mansion, n¨¦e Liao, and the Old Madam of the west mansion, n¨¦e Qiu, do not get along when they were young. When it comes to other matters, it is best for n¨¦e Liao to make a clear distinction between themselves and the west mansion. But for this kind of thing that needs to violate virtues, she naturally hopes that the east mansion can help her make a decision, and thus let Second Madam come to n¨¦e Qiu. At this time, everyone in the Ren family hopes to break the engagement with the Liu family. Originally, the reason why the Ren family settled with the lady from the Liu family was because of Young lady Liu¡¯s father¡¯s status as a Juren. Before, the reason Liu Juren was able to get the position of the local magistrate was that the Ren family contributed a lot. The Ren family started out as a businessman, and their investments must have a return. Now that Juren Liu, the ¡°talent worthy of cultivation¡±, is dead, and the Liu family has no other use, this marriage has lost its value. Ren Yaoqi remembered that the engagement with Liu family in the last life withdrew in the end, it''s just that Young Lady Liu was also a woman with an intense personality. She hanged herself shortly after the broken engagement. Thinking of this, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help looking at Ren Yaohua. The Ren family regards other family''s women as objects and abandons them whenever they want to, and ultimately, did the retribution from these innocents fall on the women of the Ren family? ¡±What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help furrowing her brows seeing Ren Yaoqi staring at her in a daze. Ren Yaoqi came back to her senses: ¡°Oh, I was thinking that Liu family¡¯s Young Lady is really pitiful.¡± Ren Yaohua was silent for a while, and said in a low voice: ¡°Is Young Lady Liu the only pitiful woman in this world? It depends on fate. What if fate is not good?¡± There was some melancholy in Ren Yaohua¡¯s voice, not knowing whether she was thinking of her mother n¨¦e Li¡¯s struggle in the inner courtyard of Ren¡¯s family these years or thinking of her unknown future fate. Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua with a complicated expression. She originally believed in fate, but in this life, she didn¡¯t want to believe in it anymore. CH 40 Chapter 40: Travel Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t worry too much about going to the ice play competition. These days, she just used the excuse that the weather was cold and she seldom went out of the Ziwei courtyard, so Qiu Yun mentioned her in front of everyone. If she deliberately avoided Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun, it would attract attention. Bingxi is an activity that Yanbei people often play in winter. Although Ren Yaoqi has never played it himself, she has seen it a few times. The women were just sitting on the shore in a makeshift heated hut watching. The men were divided into teams wearing ice skates to compete on the river with a foot-thick layer of ice. Of course, the spectators also have their own bets on which team wins or loses, but the bets are all small coins, and even if the bets are correct, the coins are used to reward the servants who play, there is no real way to rely on this gambling. Otherwise, it is not elegant. Before going out this day, Ren Yaoqi went to Li¡¯s place first, originally thinking to wait with Ren Yaohua to ask for peace and then go to the carriage, but did not want Ren Yaohua has gone to the Ronghua courtyard first. Li asked Nanny Zhou to bring out an embroidered money bag and handed it to Ren Yaoqi, saying, ¡°This is some silver for you to use as a prize and reward.¡± Ren Yaoqi took it in her hand, looked up and smiled at Li and said, ¡°I know, mother.¡± When she came out, Ren Yaoqi gave the money bag to Nanny Zhou: ¡°My monthly silver has not been touched in the box, plus the reward I received at the New Year, there are at least two hundred taels. A few days ago, father gave me two silver cheques of one hundred taels to buy my favorite books and pens and ink. It is better for Nanny to keep this silver.¡± Nanny Zhou said, ¡°This is what the madam asked the servant girl to prepare for the young lady, and the Third Young Lady also has it, so you should take it.¡± Ren Yaoqi handed the bag back and said gently, ¡°I know that mother doesn¡¯t want to condemn me and Third Sister, and I don¡¯t want to disappoint her, so I took it in front of her before. But Nanny, you have been managing the accounts for Mother, and you know the shape of Ziwei courtyard better than I do. Mother still has a lot of money to spend.¡± When Li married into the Ren family, there was hardly any dowry, and every month she only received 30 taels of the Ren family¡¯s monthly allowance. The good thing is that the thirty taels of monthly silver was sent to Li after she returned to the house, and Ren Shimin did not care about this silver, he never asked Li for this money. The Ren family is not short of money, several masters of the Ren family can draw up to two thousand silver from the outer courtyard¡¯s accounts every year as entertainment expenses. The Eldest Young Master, Ren Yiyin, who is already married, can also draw 1,000 taels per year. Only if it exceeds 2,000 taels, you need to get an approval note with his seal from Old Master Ren. Except for the second branch and fourth master in the capital, there are few times when the other masters need the approval of Old Master Ren, after all, 2,000 taels of silver is not a small amount. Li¡¯s sixty taels of silver per month, in addition to rewarding her servants, she also needs to subsidize her mother¡¯s family from time to time, which is often stretched. ¡®Fifth Miss.¡¯ Nanny Zhou stared blankly at Ren Yaoqi, her eyes turned slightly red. After coming back this time, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s performance was beyond her expectation. Ren Yaoqi smiled, turned and left. After coming out of the main room, Ren Yaoqi thought about it and went to the study when passing by the west courtyard. Ren Shimin was sitting behind his big desk, drinking tea and appreciating several inkstones he bought newly. Seeing Ren Yaoqi open the door and come in, he put down his teacup and waved with a smile: ¡®Yaoyao, come and have a look, these Fang Chengni inkstones are newly acquired by Daddy, and they are all made by famous masters.¡¯ Ren Shimin¡¯s smile carried the pure joy of a child. Every time he got something good, he would always be so unconcealed in his joy. In the past, Ren Yaoqi would secretly slander her as a father who was too carefree and indifferent, not understanding common people, but now she will not be like this. Ren Yaoqi went up to enjoy the inkstone with Ren Shimin and asked, ¡®Today there is an ice play competition in our house, won¡¯t daddy go?¡¯ Ren Shimin lacked interest: ¡®What¡¯s so interesting about Bingxi? A group of rough men pushing and bumping around! Rustic and ungentlemen! Are you going?¡¯ Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡®I haven¡¯t gone out for a long time, all the sisters are going.¡¯ Ren Shimin dug out a sandalwood box from the drawer under the desk, took out two 100 taels of silver bills and handed them to Ren Yaoqi: ¡®Go to your mother and exchange them for silver as a lottery. Just help dad choose a team.¡¯ Ren Yaoqi accepted it with a smile, and put it in her purse: ¡®Then how about I bet on the team with the red belt?¡¯ Ren Shimin tilted his head and thought about it seriously: ¡®Red is so tacky, let¡¯s choose the white team.¡¯ Ren Yaoqi said contemptuously: ¡®It¡¯s almost Chinese New Year, who wears a white belt? It¡¯s not too bad luck!¡¯ ¡®Then the blue team?¡¯ Ren Yaoqi made a grimace: ¡®I want to bet on the red team! I just like red!¡¯ After finishing speaking, she got up and left proudly. ¡®Children are capricious. They cry when they lose.¡¯ Ren Shimin shook his head and sighed helplessly. When going out, Ren Yaoqi and Fourth Miss Ren Yaoyin rode in a carriage together. Several ladies from the Ren family were sitting in the carriages before and after, and Ren Yaoqi could still hear Ren Yaoyu¡¯s chattering voice faintly from the carriage behind, as well as the voice of the nanny trying to persuade her to lower the curtain in a low voice. In contrast, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s carriage was much quieter. Ren Yaoyin was sitting in the carriage on the little table making tea, her movements were skillful and elegant, her smile was calm, and the rickety carriage did not make her hands unsteady in the slightest. Ren Yaoqi propped her chin and sat opposite her, admiring her movements. ¡®Before, my cousin specifically asked if my Fifth Sister would go.¡¯ Ren Yaoyin poured a small cup of tea from a purple sand cup and handed it to Ren Yaoqi, smiling. Ren Yaoqi took it steadily, and thanked her with a smile. Ren Yaoyin¡¯s expression was as gentle as usual, and Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t feel any displeasure in her words. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know if Ren Yaoyin knew that the Ren family had selected her as a candidate for marriage with the Qiu family, nor did she know her attitude towards this matter. In her previous life, she didn¡¯t have close contacts with the sisters in her family. Compared with the other sisters in the Ren family, Ren Yaoyin was much easier to get along with. They all have a good temper, so Ren Yaoqi is relatively close to her. However, because of this, Ren Yaoyin does not have any particularly close sisters in the Ren family. ¡®Oh? This is rare, and I¡¯m flattered.¡¯ Ren Yaoqi blinked at Ren Yaoyin and joked. Ren Yaoyin let out a puff and said with a smile, ¡°You love to be naughty. Cousin must have rarely seen you out, so he thought you were not feeling well and asked on purpose. He is also out of concern, so when you see him later, you should say thank you.¡± Ren Yaoqi flattened her mouth, ¡°I know.¡± Ren Yaoyin shook her head and said in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Sister, not to mention the third cousin¡¯s status in the Qiu family, even in our Ren family, he is highly valued by the elders, and grandmother even treats him like her own grandson. If you are good to him and he treats you friendly, if something happens in the future, one good word from him in front of your grandmother is worth ten from others.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled with embarrassment, ¡°Thanks for the advice, I know.¡± Ren Yaoyin smiled and nodded, took the cup of tea in front of Ren Yaoyaoqi back, poured the warm water inside into a small urn, and put a cup of hot water back. Ren Yaoyan picked up the cup of tea and took a sip, but in her heart she was thinking about what Ren Yaoyan meant when she said this to her. Is this Ren Yaoyin¡¯s way of encouraging her to have more contact with Qiu Yun to get the attention of the Old Madam Ren or the Ren family? In her previous life, when she was this old, she had indeed been thinking daily about how to make Old Madam Ren like her as a granddaughter and wanted to get along with Qiu Yun just as much as the rest of the Ren family. Ren Yaoyin¡¯s words scratched the itch. But Ren Yaoyin was saying these things to her at this time¡­ Is it because she really cares about her sister, or does she have something else in mind? CH 41 Chapter 41: Luck The Xiao Bai River is located on the southern outskirts of Baihe Town. When the Ren family¡¯s carriage arrived, the warm shed on the bank had already been set up the day before, enclosing a vast space to isolate idle people. When Ren Yaoqi and the other women got off the carriage, they saw that there were many people watching the event outside. There were also some half-grown children dragging a small flat-bottomed cart made of wooden boards with thick hemp ropes, running back and forth on the unenclosed ice surface, or whistling back and forth in their homemade ice skates, laughing and joking. The Ren family¡¯s housekeeper thought they were too noisy and sent family members to chase them away several times, but as soon as they left the other children ran back and could not be chased away. In the end, it was the Ren family¡¯s Eldest Young Master Ren Yiyin who said that today¡¯s visit to the house was meant to be fun, and it would be better to be lively, so they gave up. Today, in addition to the Fifth Master Ren Shimao and the Fifth Madam Lin, the rest are the Ren family juniors. The Fifth Master and his wife said before they traveled that they had something to do first and would not go with them, so for the time being, the Eldest Young Master Ren Yiyin and the Eldest Young Madam Zhao took the lead. Ren Yaoqi and all the sisters of the Ren family followed Zhao to the warming shed, and once they were seated, they saw another group of people walk in, and it was the Han family¡¯s lady who doesn¡¯t go out easily. Ren Yaoqi looked out and saw Han Yunqian, the young master of the Han family, laughing and joking with Ren Yiyin and Qiu Yun as they walked towards the house. ¡°Huh? This is?¡± Ren Yaoying, the seventh young lady of the East Mansion, asked in confusion as she looked at the Han family young lady walking towards them, she had not seen Han You before. Ren Yaoyin smiled and said, ¡°This is Miss Han family, her elder brother and third cousin they are fellow students of Yunyang Academy, so cousin has sent a post to Han family.¡± Han You smiled and came forward to meet her, and the Eldest Young Madam Zhao arranged for her to sit down beside Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaoqi. ¡°I was worried that you wouldn¡¯t be able to come that day when I heard cousin discussing with big brother about sending a post to the Han family, but fortunately you came.¡± Ren Yaoyin smiled kindly at Han You. Han You¡¯s eyes were bright as she looked around, and when she heard Ren Yaoyin¡¯s words she said in a shy whisper, ¡°When I received your post last month, my mother happened to be sick, so¡­ this time it was my mother and brother who convinced my grandmother that I should come.¡± Han You¡¯s explanation was somewhat inconsistent, but they had heard about Han You¡¯s situation before, so they knew what was going on, and they couldn¡¯t help but feel a little more sympathy for her. Although Han You is a bit shy because she rarely goes out, she is gentle and knows how to be polite, so several sisters of the Ren family did not reject her after they came in contact with her. Everyone sat and drank tea and ate snacks, but the competition outside hadn¡¯t started for a long time. Madam Zhao explained that they had to wait for the fifth master and fifth wife to come. After waiting for a long time, the Eldest Young Master Ren Yiyin sent someone back to look for the Fifth Master and Lin while announcing the start of the competition. At this time, Yun Wenfang, Han Yunqian, Qiu Yun, and Ren Yijian, the Fifth Young Master of the Ren family, came out in unlined clothes, and several women were putting leggings and ice shoes on their legs. The ice crawlers were made of iron and tied to the feet with straps. ¡°Fifth Brother, are they going to play?¡± The Eldest Young Madam Zhao was taken aback, and looked at the sisters of the Ren family. Obviously she didn¡¯t know the relationship before. Several of the Ren sisters looked at each other, but it was Miss Han who said, ¡°When we were on the road I heard from Duke Qiu and brother that several of them were each bringing a team of houseguests.¡± Sure enough the crowd saw that they had four different colored belts tied around their waists. Several of the young masters of the Ren family had played this before, but never personally on the field of play. But it was just a hoot to watch. Madam Zhao was a little anxious when she heard the words. The Fifth Madam and the Fifth Master didn¡¯t come, so she and the young master are in charge here. She was very afraid that if something happened, she would not be able to explain to Old Madam Ren and Eldest Madam. So she hurriedly got up and went to discuss with Eldest Young Master Ren Yiyan. Ren Yaoyu curled her lips and complained: ¡°Sister-in-law is just cowardly and dare not make decisions about everything. If my mother was present, there would be no need for such trouble.''¡± Ren Yaoyin frowned, and defended her sister-in-law softly: ¡°Sister-in-law is also worried about the safety of her cousin and the others. I heard that someone broke their neck because of the ice play competition last year.¡± The Eldest Young Madam, Zhao, also came from a famous family, with a gentle temperament and a well-behaved manner. On the second day of her wedding with the young master Ren Yiyan, she went to serve tea to the elders of the Ren family. Because it was raining outside and the road was slippery, Ren Yiyan inadvertently helped her up the steps in front of everyone, and she almost fell down from the steps, blushing for a whole day, half a month embarrassed to leave the room. Madam Zhao has been married for two years, and her stomach has not moved, which made her more cautious in the Ren family. Fortunately, Ren Yiyan has a gentle temperament, and the husband and wife have always been in harmony. After a while, Madam Zhao came back a little frustrated. Apparently the young masters over there refused to listen to the persuasion and insisted on playing. Ren Yijian was still wearing his outfit, ran over, winked and cupped his hands, and said, ¡°Sisters-in-law and sisters, when you give the lottery later, you must look for my red waistband! Be generous, and the Ren family will accept it. It¡¯s just me.¡± Said that Ren Yijian walked around triumphantly in front of everyone, so that everyone could clearly see the red belt around his waist. Qiu Yun laughed at him from the side: ¡°It¡¯s good to admit defeat if you are inferior to others. If you do what you do, most of the people sitting here today are from the Ren family.¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t help laughing, Yijian blushed, made a grimace and ran away. Qiu Yun blinked at Yun Wenfang: ¡°Should we follow the example of that kid and climb up the relationship? Otherwise, what should we do if no one cheers us later?¡± Yun Wenfang glanced in the direction of the women¡¯s family members, and then turned his eyes away from Ren Yaoqi after a slight pause. He twitched at the corner of his mouth and joked, ¡°Okay, you still want to cry like him if you lose?¡± Qiu Yun smiled, remembering that he had teased Ren Yijian before when he lost to him in chess when he was a child, and he was crying and shameless. Outside, the sound of a gong was heard, it was the start of the game. Several people are heading outside. There were already four teams on the ice, eight people on each team. First is the ¡°grab and wait¡±, this competition is not divided into teams. After the drums sounded three times, all of them sped back and forth on the river with their ice skates on, and the first one to arrive won. Hearing the cheers from outside, the people in the warming shed couldn¡¯t sit still and flocked to the entrance of the shed to watch. Today there are no elders present, even Madam Zhao felt much more relaxed, and was dragged away by Ren Yaoyu. Ren Yaoyin saw that Han You was also eager to see it, so she took the initiative to invite her along. The two asked Ren Yaoqi if she wanted to go outside to see it, and Ren Yaoqi shook her head: ¡°You guys go first, I¡¯ll sit for a while.¡± Seeing that Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t leave either, Ren Yaoqi smiled and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Third Sister going to take a look? The housekeeper has already sent some strong men from the mine to surround the outside, and there are also many maids guarding outside the warming shed, so no one can enter.¡± Ren Yaohua was not very good at getting along with others, so the sisters of the Ren family went out in twos and threes and no one greeted her. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, and raised her head upon hearing this. Before he had time to reply, he heard the sound of gongs and drums outside, and then several maidservants shuttled back and forth, each holding a basket, looking for everyone to beg for a lottery. They wear red, yellow, blue, and blue belts around their waists, representing the teams of the four young masters. Under the leadership of Ren Yiyan and Mrs. Zhao, everyone donated money and cheered. Ren Yaoqi turned her head and instructed Xue Li, ¡°Take 10 cents of silver to the little maid with the red belt.¡± Then she asked Ren Yaohua, ¡°What about the third sister? Who do you want to choose?¡± Ren Yaohua instructed her maid Wu Jing, ¡°Give the red belt to the fifth brother.¡± Xue Li and Wu Jing both went happily. When Ren Yaoqi saw the other two maids behind her poking their heads in the air, she smiled and said, ¡°You go too. There are Xiang Qin and the girls here to serve.¡± The maids can also give some color, just as a good luck. Xiang Qin was Ren Yaohua¡¯s maid, but the maids around Ren Yaoqi were playful and retreated happily upon hearing the words. ¡°You¡¯re indulging them too much!¡± Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t bear to look at them and frowned. Ren Yaoqi smiled, the maids around her were still the ones given by Concubine Fang for the time being, and they were more jumpy, so most of them would have to be replaced later. At this time, a maid wearing a blue belt came over here, held the bamboo basket in her hand and bowed upright, her eyes swept over Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, then looked at Ren Yaoqi and said with a smile, ¡°Slave servant is here to ask for a prize for Young Master Yun.¡± Ren Yaoqi was slightly stunned, who and how much to give is voluntary, how come there are those who take the initiative to ask for it? Ren Yaohua looked at the maid and then frowned at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi smiled: ¡°The maids around me are all watching the fun, I¡¯ll have someone send them to you for the next game. Which courtyard are you from? How come I haven¡¯t seen you before?¡± The servant girl pursed her lips and said with a smile: ¡°The servant girl was sent by my old lady to serve my young master, not from Ren¡¯s mansion, that¡¯s why Fifth Young Lady doesn¡¯t recognize the servant girl.¡± After thinking about it, the maid added: ¡°The colorful head is just for good luck, it doesn¡¯t matter how much money you give, it¡¯s the same for the Fifth Young Lady.¡± Before she finished speaking, Ren Yaohua said with a sullen face, ¡°Even if you are not our Ren family¡¯s maid, has the house not taught you the rules? The master¡¯s bounty needs you to dictate!¡± CH 42 Chapter 42: Zhu Ruomei The maid¡¯s face reddened at her words and she stood frozen on the spot. Ren Yaoqi smiled and said to Ren Yaohua: ¡°She¡¯s not from our Baihe Town, so I¡¯m afraid she doesn¡¯t know the rules of Bingxi competition. Third sister, can you lend me a dime[1]? Just take it as a favor.¡± Ren Yaohua stared coldly at the maid for a while, and finally ordered Xiang Qin to give the maid a dime of silver. The servant girl bowed as if she had been pardoned and withdrew. ¡°Xiang Qin stays, you all go over there and play.¡± After Ren Yaohua sent all the people behind her away, she looked at Ren Yaoqi a few times and said with a frown, ¡°Do you recognize that Young Master Yun?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head: ¡°I met him and his cousin once in the corridor when they entered the house, and said hello to them and went to my grandmother¡¯s place to ask for peace. After that, I seldom went out of the courtyard, and did not speak again when I saw them from afar.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi, as if she was judging the truthfulness of her words: ¡°I saw him looking towards you several times before, originally I didn¡¯t know he was watching the game¡± Ren Yaoqi was slightly surprised, she did not expect Ren Yaohua to be so attentive. She felt Yun Wenfang¡¯s sight before, her heart was secretly strange. Not quite sure who Yun Wenfang was looking at, she obviously did not provoke him in this life. Usually she was not even deliberately avoid the occasion with him, and thought she was acting very natural. What has caught his attention? ¡°Stay away from that person in the future!¡± Ren Yaohua said with a stern face. Ren Yaoqi could not help but smile bitterly, she also wanted to stay away from him as far as possible. However, Ren Yaohua thought that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression was disapproving, and said with a sneer, ¡°He¡¯s not some kind of Young Master Yun, he¡¯s the second young master of the Yun family. I only asked people to inquire about it after hearing a few words from the Eighth Sister. This mansion knows there are many people with his identity. Have you not seen the attitude of the Fifth Aunt towards him? Everyone knows what she is up to. Apart from the Fifth Aunt, there are also many people staring at this Young Master Yun. The Fifth Aunt¡¯s natal Lin family, The Second Aunt¡¯s natal Su family and the Yun family are both in Yunyang City. The Su family and the Yun family are even more related by marriage.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Mm, I know.¡± Ren Yaohua was not used to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s obedience and continued to lecture, ¡°You know what kind of family the Yun family is, and there is a county princess in the Yanbei royal family who is still in her boudoir. This Young Master Yun may not be able to make his own decisions.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled sincerely towards Ren Yaohua and said, ¡°I understand, Third Sister, thank you.¡± Ren Yaohua was taken aback for a moment, then turned away her face uncomfortably and snorted coldly: ¡°I don¡¯t want mother to be sad and worry about your ignorance in the future.¡± At this time outside the sound of loud gongs and drums again, Xue Li and Wu Jing ran over with a somewhat dejected face and said, ¡°That Young Master Yun won, Fifth Young Master won the fifth place.¡± Ren Yaoqi was a bit surprised: ¡°How is the fifth? Isn¡¯t it the fourth?¡± How could the followers of the Ren family dare to compete with their masters for the ranking? The top four should be the young masters. Wu Jing seems to have thought of something funny: ¡°A big guy ran very fast, and he was ahead of everyone with Young Master Yun before, but when he got to the other side, he was tripped by someone for some reason, fell and slipped out. It¡¯s far away. I don¡¯t want him to catch up after getting up, and finally ran second.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly and did not care. Next is the hockey competition, Third Miss, Fifth Miss, which team do we choose this time?¡± Wu Jing asked with great interest. Ice hockey is when several teams compete for a colored ball. The team that gets the ball last wins. There will be several rounds, which can be regarded as the climax of the game. The previous scramble is a warm-up. Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, and discussed with Ren Yaohua: ¡°Third Sister, shall we still choose Fifth Brother¡¯s team?¡± The maids were a little disappointed when they heard the words, obviously they felt that Ren Yijian had little chance of winning. Qing Mei, who came back with the others, hurriedly said to Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Miss, Eighth Miss gave a gold ingot to Young Master Yun¡¯s team. This servant looked at it at least three or two times. Ninth Miss also gave Young Master Yun and Young Master Qiu five taels of silver each for the two teams. Obviously, she is not satisfied with her master giving only 10 cents of silver for the lottery, and betting on the Fifth Young Master¡¯s team that is unlikely to win at first glance. After thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi asked Xue Li, ¡°How much did everyone else give?¡± ¡°Except for the Third Young Lady and you, the Eldest Young Madam gave five taels of silver to each team, the Fourth Young Lady gave one tael of silver to each team, the Seventh Young Lady gave two taels of silver to Young Master Han¡¯s team, and Miss Han gave one tael of silver to each team. Several young masters side of the Eldest Young Master in the name of the Fifth Master gave twenty taels to the Fifth Young Master¡¯s team, he himself gave fifteen taels to the Young Master Qiu¡¯s team. The Third Young Master¡­only the Third Young Master did not give silver, the other few young masters all gave less than the eldest.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and asked Ren Yaohua, ¡°So, the dime we give is indeed a little less. Third Sister, how much do we think is appropriate for this one?¡± Ren Yaohua thought about it and instructed Wu Jing, ¡°Then we should give the same as Fourth Sister and the girls, one tael for each team.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded to Xue Li and told her to follow suit. Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi and got up, ¡°I¡¯ll go over and take a look.¡± In the past, when the elders were around, the amount of silver was given according to their seniority. The elders gave big money, and they gave a small amount of money occassionally. Generally speaking the amount was not too much different, so Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi did not care much. Therefore, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t care much about it before, but today the elders are not here, so some people have messed up the rules. Ren Yaoqi knew that although Ren Yaohua did not want to be in such a shape today, but she also does not want to lose face. Thinking about what she said before, Ren Yaoqi knew that she was a person who knew what was in her heart and wouldn¡¯t be disorderly, so she nodded and said, ¡°Third Sister go first, I¡¯ll go change.¡± The temporary dressing place of the Ren family was a thatched-roof house not far from the river bank, which was tidied up very neatly, with incense and floor coverings. When Ren Yaoqi finished dressing and came out, she saw dozens of people fighting on the ice. The onlookers outside the colorful flags were cheering vociferously, the atmosphere was very enthusiastic. Ren Yaoqi stood high up on the river bank and watched for a while. She saw clearly a few people who grabbed the ball in the center of the field, and also saw Ren Yijian fall on all fours because he couldn¡¯t squeeze into the center. After walked on the river bank for a while with a few strong and powerful women arranged by Nanny Zhou and Xue Li, she was about to go around inside the warm shed. But suddenly there is a faint rustling sound coming from nowhere. Then someone shouted in a low voice, ¡°Fuck! Zhu Ruomei! If you don¡¯t let go, my arm will be broken!¡± Several women behind Ren Yaoqi were alarmed, but Ren Yaoqi immediately waved her hand to stop their shouting. ¡°Yuan Dayong, you stupid grandson! If you hadn¡¯t tripped me, I would have won when I was waiting. Do you know how much money those lottery prizes have?¡± A man gasped and said angrily. Yuan Dayong grinned his teeth in pain: ¡°If I hadn¡¯t tripped you, you would be kicked out of the coal mine by the manager as soon as you go back today! Do you think that money can still be in your hands?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I get my hands on the silver I won? Who dares to rob it?¡± ¡°Yes, you are amazing! But what about your mother and your sister? Follow you and run away? Your mother is too sick to come to bed!¡± ¡°You also know my mother, she is very sick¡­what do you think I am trying so hard for?¡± Zhu Ruomei raspy voice with some choking. Yuan Dayong sighed, and softly comforted him: ¡°I just asked my father to let you come instead of someone else. You know that many people can¡¯t ask for it because of the rich rewards for winning the game. You people in the coal mine can only guarding the perimeter, most of the servants who can come in are the servants of the Ren family. So everyone understands the rules and knows that as long as the master is present, you can¡¯t win when you are waiting. The housekeeper is familiar with it, so it¡¯s not just that you and I were kicked out.¡± The two over there said that they had already climbed up from the bushes under the river bank, and before they got up, they saw Ren Yaoqi and his party standing not far away. Ren Yaoqi also saw them. They were two men wearing Ren family uniforms, with a red belt and a yellow belt tied around their waists. The man wearing the red belt looks fair and looks very refined. The one wearing the yellow belt was very tall and strong, with a dark face, but with an extremely decent look. The white looking man was obviously startled. His face a little pale, busy pulling the person next to him kneeling on the ground, burying his head down, not daring to look this way. The tall and strong man also obediently knelt beside the white man. ¡°Fifth Miss, look.¡± The woman who was in front of Ren Yaoqi turned her head and asked in a soft voice if she wanted to call someone to come and punish the two people who did not follow the rules and came to the place that was classified as ¡°no entry for idlers[2]¡°. Ren Yaoqi shook her head: ¡°Tell them to leave quickly, don¡¯t be seen.¡± With that, she walked over. The servants[3] ran to the two men and sent them away. At this time, Ren Yaoqi had already remembered why the name ¡°Zhu Ruomei¡± sounded familiar when she heard it. Three years ago she had heard of this person, because the name ¡°Zhu Ruomei¡± is somewhat special so she remembered it. These are words that can¡¯t translated well by machine translation so I just shoot in the dark and hope for the best: [1] Ò»½ÇÒø×Ó [2] ÏÐÈËÃâÈë [3] ÆÅ×Ó CH 43 Chapter 43: Reward Three years ago, Teacher Pei had just been relegated to Wuzhou by the imperial court, and she was by his side. Teacher Pei had the habit of reading the newspaper every day, even though it was mostly a few days old when it reached him. The first time she saw the name Zhu Ruomei was in a few of the newspaper that had been delayed for several days. In that year, the Empress Dowager Qianqiu, Xiao Jingxi, the second son of the Yanbei Palace, went to Beijing to celebrate the Queen Mother¡¯s birthday on behalf of the Yanbei Palace. It is rumored that the second son of Prince Yanbei is not only picturesque, but also extremely intelligent. Teacher Pei commented on the second son of the Xiao family who had met once, and used four words: Beautiful, amazing talent, and peerless. Ren Yaoqi was amazed to hear such a high opinion of others from Teacher Pei who thought highly of himself. After all, she has lived in Yanbei for 16 years, so she doesn¡¯t know much about the Second Young Master Xiao. His elder brother, Prince Yanbei¡¯s heir who is the hostage in capital, has heard her father mention it several times, because the son¡¯s paintings are not bad. It¡¯s a pity that Second Young Master Xiao is seriously ill. It is said that he will cough up blood even if he walks a few more steps. His health is worse than that of her Third Brother Ren Yijun, who has been weak since childhood. Second Young Master Xiao¡¯s southward trip made everyone worry, fearing that his carriage bumped on the road and he would be sent to meet the King of Hell. Fortunately, Second Young Master Xiao arrived in capital safely in the end. Empress Dowager Yan liked Xiao Jingxi very much. Empress Dowager Yan¡¯s niece, Miss Yan¡¯s family fell in love with him at first sight, and vowed not to marry unless with him. In the end, the queen mother decreed that Miss Yan would be married to the second son Xiao who had never married a wife because of his poor health. Originally, it was also a beautiful thing, but God doesn¡¯t like beauty. Xiao Jingkang, the eldest son of Prince Yanbei, was shot to death at this time. At the same time, Xingzhou, Xiangzhou and Xuzhou suddenly had a large-scale bandit rebellion, which shocked the government and the public. It was at this time that the name ¡°Zhu Ruomei¡± frequently appeared in the newspapers of various states and counties. He was the leader of this bandit rebellion. When the imperial court resolutely suppressed the rebellion and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the second son of the Xiao family who was supposed to stay in capital instead of the late eldest son and marry Miss Yan suddenly disappeared in the capital. There were rumors that the Second Young Master Xiao was afraid of ending up like Xiao¡¯s heir, so he took advantage of the chaos and secretly returned to Yanbei. Some people also said that the gangster ¡°Zhu Ruomei¡± was actually a miner in the Yanbei Coal Mine, and because he was appreciated by the discerning eyes of Second Young Master Xiao, he became a fierce general in the Yanbei Palace. The Yanbei Prince¡¯s Mansion has long had the intention of rebelling, and the Xiao family¡¯s intentions can be punished. Anyway, after Xiao Jingxi got away, Zhu Ruomei also disappeared. After that, Yan Family Eldest Miss took her dowry and left Beijing with great fanfare to come to Yanbei to find her husband. As for the result, there were too many rumors, and it was difficult to tell the truth from the false. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t have much interest in inquiring about this kind of thing, because what she saw in her eyes was not a poignant and touching love story, but an obvious political conspiracy. The Yanbei Palace and the imperial court had an unclear account, and Ren Yaoqi hadn¡¯t settled this account until she woke up and returned to Ren¡¯s house. But she remembered the name Zhu Ruomei. Although there is no way to verify whether this Zhu Ruomei is the same Zhu Ruomei during her tenure, she has discussed the rumors with Teacher Pei. It is true that many of them are rumors, but they are not all rumors. When they got back to the greenhouse, the competition outside was in full swing. Even the normally gentle ladies couldn¡¯t help clenching their fists and cheering. Ren Yaoqi sent Xue Li to bring money to the maid who went back and forth with a bamboo basket to get a lottery, and let several servants around her go to their own games, only beckoning her mother Li¡¯s beloved servants to stay. ¡°Fifth Miss, what is your order?¡± The nanny said respectfully. In the greenhouse, only Ren Yaoqi was still sitting in the corner. Everyone was paying attention to the competition outside, but did not notice her. Ren Yaoqi took out a silver note worth 100 taels that Ren Shimin had given her earlier from her waist purse and handed it to the nanny. ¡°Before going out, Daddy asked me to give him a reward. You send this to that miner named ¡®Zhu Ruomei¡¯ you met earlier, and tell him that he has good skills. This is what the third master rewarded him.¡± Nanny looked down at the bank note, her face was startled: ¡°Fifth Miss, is this¡­too much?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked helpless: ¡°I also think it¡¯s too much, but this is father¡¯s intention, saying that I should find someone who has real ability to reward. I can¡¯t secretly hide the reward he gave me, right?¡± The nanny heard this and immediately had nothing to say. The third master has always been unpredictable, and they have no guts to disobey. ¡°By the way, send it quietly, and ask Zhu Ruomei to keep silent, otherwise he will hand over most of the money.¡± Nanny also heard the conversation between Zhu Ruomei and Yuan Dayong before, and she immediately said: ¡°Fifth Miss, please don¡¯t worry, leave it to this slave.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and the nanny bowed and stepped back. The nanny came back before the ice hockey game outside ended. ¡°Miss, he was very grateful for taking your money, and said he would set up longevity tablets for you and the third master.¡± Everyone likes to do good deeds, and the nanny replied very happily. Ren Yaoqi was taken aback for a moment, and said with a wry smile: ¡°What tablet do I want him to set up? Nonsense!¡± The nanny covered her mouth and smiled: ¡°There is such a custom in the countryside that a long-lived tablet should be set up for the benefactor who saves lives. However, this servant also felt that this was inappropriate. After all, you are still a girl, and we don¡¯t like this, so we rejected it for you. He insisted on kneeling down and kowtowed to you and the master a few times. This person is very real, and he kowtowed really loudly. It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s just that the man named Yuan Dayong seems to have heard the conversation between the slave and Zhu Ruomei.¡± Nanny looked at Ren Yaoqi with some anxiety. Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, then shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Do you know who this Yuan Dayong is? It sounds like his father is the steward of our house?¡± The nanny hurriedly said: ¡°My servant just went to inquire. Yuan Dayong is the son of a steward of the outer court of our Renfu. Steward Yuan is mainly in charge of the affairs of some people in the outer court. Because steward Yuan is literate, Yuan Dayong also followed him. His father has learned to read and write, and now works as an accountant in a coal warehouse in Yunyang City.¡± Sure enough, it was the nanny who was needed by Mrs. Li¡¯s side, she can find out the situation clearly without explaining. Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, nanny.¡± Nanny hurriedly said that she didn¡¯t dare. At this time, the cheers outside were loud, and Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but look up at the door. Ren Yaoyu was overjoyed, she clapped her hands and said, ¡°We won, we won, we won!¡± Ren Yaoying chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Eighth Sister, who are you referring to as ¡®we¡¯? We haven¡¯t seen you in the game.¡± Ren Yaoyu looked at the contemptuous gazes cast towards her, her face turned red, she gritted her teeth and said in a low voice: ¡°Ren Yaoying, didn¡¯t you also bet on the Qing team! Humph! You are just a concubine¡¯s bitch, just delusional!¡± Ren Yaoying looked at Ren Yaoyu in shock when she heard the words, tears welled up in her eyes, and then turned her head to look at Ren Yaohua: ¡°Third Sister! Do you hear what kind of words is Eighth Sister saying? She scolded me, scolded my birth!¡± Ren Yaohua sank her face and interrupted with disgust: ¡°Shut up! Are you trying to embarrass yourself!¡± Seeing that something was wrong, the Eldest Young Madam also came to intervene. Fortunately, the loud cheers outside suppressed their relatively modest quarrel. In addition, they were surrounded by other masters and their personal attendants, so they did not attract attention. CH 44 Chapter 44: The Chief Ever since Ren Yaoyu was fined and grounded last time, and Ren Yaoying took Ren Yaoyu¡¯s place in Ronghua Courtyard, Ren Yaoyu has regarded Ren Yaoying as her number one enemy. Even Ren Yaohua, who was originally at odds with her, became less annoying in Ren Yaoyu¡¯s eyes. These days, Ren Yaoyu has often tripped Ren Yaoying up. But Ren Yaoying didn¡¯t fall for it, and instead secretly made Ren Yaoyu suffer a few times, making Ren Yaoyu¡¯s teeth itch with hatred. The quarrel between the two finally came to an end for the time being. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s eyes turned and suddenly her face looked happy and she shouted out loud, ¡°Father, Mother, here.¡± Everyone turned their heads and saw the Fifth Master Ren Shimao and the Fifth Madam Lin, who had not shown their faces, coming this way. It happened that the young masters over there were talking and laughing and came this way. Madam Lin pulled Ren Shimao¡¯s sleeves, pointed to his son who came off the stage with sweat profusely and a gloomy face. The two turned their heads again and walk towards Ren Yijian and the others. When Ren Yaoyu saw this, she turned her head to glare at Ren Yaoying, and let her shout ¡°Father, Mother¡± while going to also quickly to welcome out. The corners of Ren Yaoying¡¯s mouth showed a slightly sarcastic curve. She turned her head to speak with Han You, who was talking to Ren Yaoting of the East Mansion. The cold wind outside was a little bit harsh. When there was a lot of fun to watch, everyone was infected by the atmosphere in the arena and were holding small hand warmers, so they didn¡¯t feel cold, but now that the tournament is over, these ladies who are usually well-bred and privileged can¡¯t stand the cold and have gone back to the warming hut. Ren Yaoying, Ren Yaoting and Han You seemed to be getting along very well and came this way, while Ren Yaoyin, who had gone out with Han You, was walking with Ren Yaohua and talking together. ¡°What pastimes do you have on a regular basis? I have heard of you for a long time, but I have never had the chance to meet you, but today I feel that I am just like my own sister.¡± Ren Yaoting took Han You¡¯s arm and said intimately. ¡°Huh? Seventh Sister, where did you hear about Sister You? I have only met her once when she came to our West Mansion.¡± Ren Yaoying asked with confusion. Ren Yaoting glanced at Ren Yaoying: ¡°I heard my eldest cousin say it when I went to my grandfather¡¯s house to celebrate his birthday this year. I remember when my grandfather¡¯s birthday was celebrated, Young Master Han also went to celebrate the birthday, he and my second cousin were also fellow students.¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s mother, Madam Su, is the first daughter of the current head of the Su family. Han You nodded happily and said, ¡°My brother visited Su¡¯s house several times when he was in Yunyang City.¡± Ren Yaoying nodded as if she had realized something: ¡°No wonder you and Sister You bet on the little maids who give the yellow belt before[1], so there is a reason for this.¡± Ren Yaoting said ¡°um¡± and started talking to Han You in a low voice. However, Ren Yaoying did not show any displeasure at being ignored. Instead, she smiled and walked away from the two of them to a place two seats away from Ren Yaoqi. Several young masters were also surrounded when walked in. Ren Yaoyu was pestering Ren Yijian to ask this and that, and laughed like a silver bell at the right time, but Ren Yijian was a little annoyed by being asked, and finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, and shouted: ¡°Ren Yaoyu, since you can¡¯t tell the difference between east, west, north and south, you are here to ask me, you probably don¡¯t know that the sun comes out from the east? So why don¡¯t you look up at the sky!¡± The smile on Ren Yaoyu¡¯s face froze, her face turned red from being suffocated, she endured the glances of Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun in front of her, tears welled up, and finally she gave her brother a hard look, and ran away in shame and indignation up. Lin secretly glared at her son, smiled and helped her daughter out and said, ¡°These brothers and sisters have a good relationship on weekdays and are used to arguing, but now they are also arguing outside.¡± Ren Yijian stuck out his tongue and quietly made faces. Several young masters went down to change their clothes. Ren Yaoqi and the others hurriedly got up and saluted when they saw the Fifth Master and his wife coming over. The Eldest Young Madam said: ¡°Fifth Uncle and Fifth Aunt you finally came, my husband wants to wait for you to come before starting. But he saw that Yijian and the others have changed into unlined clothes and let them start the match.¡± Ren Shimao laughed: ¡°There was a problem with the carriage on the way, so it was delayed.¡± A problem with the carriage can make it happen all morning? Wouldn¡¯t someone come over or go back to Ren¡¯s house and ask someone to drive a carriage to pick him up? Everyone was a little puzzled. Lin continued: ¡°Oh, I happened to meet the convoy of Yanbei Prince¡¯s Mansion on the way. They happened to have a rest in Baihe Town before rushing back to Yunyang City. My natal family also had some friendship with Yanbei Prince¡¯s Mansion. Since we met, I went up to say hello, and arranged for someone to entertain me.¡± ¡°Huh? Who else is coming back from the Yanbei Royal Family at the moment? There are still a few days to go for the New Year, can¡¯t it be that the heir has returned from the capital?¡± The people of Yanbei always have a little respect for the Yanbei Royal Family, but the Yanbei Royal Family is also extremely low-key on a regular basis, which makes everyone more and more interested in the affairs of the Yanbei Royal Family. Lin smiled faintly: ¡°Since the heir went to the capital, how many years has not come back? If he came back today, how could we not hear the commotion? It¡¯s the second son who has returned.¡± Once Lin¡¯s words came out, there were cries of surprise all around. Lin looked somewhat satisfied. ¡°The Second Young Master is back? Didn¡¯t he go out to the Nanyang to search for immortals and ask for medicine? Why did he suddenly come back today? Has his illness been cured?¡± ¡°Mother, have you seen The Second Young Master¡¯s real face? Is he really as beautiful as Pan An and flawless as everyone has rumored?¡± Ren Yaoyu, who was still angry, was also caught by the attention, gently shook Lin¡¯s arm and asked. Lin sighed: ¡°The second son did not seem to find any immortals on his trip, but the guard beside him said that he found some medicine. I saw that he brought back several wagons of twigs and brown medicine, and I could smell the strong smell of medicine from afar. If he is well, he will certainly see me and my husband. But his condition now¡­ hey!¡± Ren Yaoqi listened with a faint smile. Lin said that her natal family had an affair with the Yanbei Palace, as if she knew everyone in the Yanbei Palace very well. In fact, in the last life, the Lin family had been pushing the Fifth Master to climb up to the Yanbei Palace, but it was a pity that it failed in the end. Second Young Master Xiao might not even know who they are. The Fifth Master and the Fifth Madam left the team early in the morning. They must have received the news that the second son of Xiao was coming back before, and they made a special trip to meet for a while. It is a pity that the legendary second son is not so easy for them to see. Naturally, they failed to do so. As for the sick Second Young Master, he should have indeed found good medicine this time and came back. When he left Yanbei two years ago, it was said that he was seriously ill and was about to die. In order to comfort his mother and grandmother, he lied that he was going to Nanyang to seek immortals and seek medical treatment. In fact, he didn¡¯t want their elders to be forced to bury their beloved progeny. Presumably he also had some adventures this time, so that although he was still sick after this time, his mood improved a lot. At least he was still alive when she left in the last life. The women here are all talking about the Second Young Master Xiao with great interest, and women like to talk about handsome men. The young masters who played there before changed their clothes and came out. Lin smiled and said to Yun Wenfang, who was walking in front with Qiu Yun, ¡°Zishu, I heard that you won several rounds in a row and won a lot of money. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s better you have to invite guests over.¡± Everyone looked at Yun Wenfang and laughed when they heard the words, and Qiu Yun deliberately bumped him with an elbow. Lin just made fun of him on purpose because of her acquaintance with Yun Wenfang. She certainly would not have wanted the lottery that Yun Wenfang have let go to reward people in the team. However, Yun Wenfang replied solemnly: ¡°It is true that I have received a lot of rewards from the ladies. If you don¡¯t tell me to invite guests, I will feel uneasy.¡± It made everyone happy. The ladies stayed here all morning and used up a lot of tea. Now they are all taken by servants to change clothes. Due to the limited space, Mrs. Lin took Ren Yaoyu, Ren Yaoting, and Mrs. Zhao to go first. After a while, the servants came to invite Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoying, Ren Yaoyin, Han You and the others to come over. Presumably a few people over there have already come out. Ren Yaoqi had already been there, so she stayed and waited for Lin and the others to come back. Over there, the young masters of the Ren family were talking with Qiu Yun, Yun Wenfang, and Han Yunqian. Don¡¯t know what was said, but the Third Young Master Ren Yijun suddenly said with disdain: ¡°When he wins against the Fifth Sister, it won¡¯t be too late to make him the leader!¡± The gazes of several people turned to Ren Yaoqi who was sitting at the other end. More confusing sentences to translate: [1] ÄѹÖ֮ǰÄãÓëØü½ã¶ùÒ»Ñù¶¼ÊÇ´òÉÍhu¨¢ngÑü´øµÄСѾ÷ß²ÊÍ· CH 45 Chapter 45: You don¡¯t remember me Ren Yaoqi was a bit baffled. Ren Yiyin shook his head and patted Ren Yijun¡¯s shoulder, his tone brought some mild reproach: ¡°Third Brother, we are talking about Yunqian¡¯s chess skills, why are you bringing up Fifth Sister? Didn¡¯t you also play against Yunqian before?¡± Ren Yijun frowned, turned sideways to avoid Ren Yiyin¡¯s hand, didn¡¯t know what came to his mind and blushed a bit unhappily, gave Han Yunqian a sidelong glance and let out a light hum before turning his head to the side, and didn¡¯t answer Ren Yiyin¡¯s words. Ren Yiyin is a little helpless, can only apologetically smiled at Han Yunqian. Han Yunqian¡¯s quiet dark eyes retracted from Ren Yaoqi, smiled and nodded to Ren Yiyin, thoughtfully asked Ren Yijun, ¡°Brother Yijun, is there something Yunqian did wrong that accidentally offended you? Yunqian is willing to apologize for his inappropriate words and actions.¡± These days, he has naturally noticed that Ren Yijun¡¯s attitude towards him is quite different from before. He has long heard that the Third Young Master of the Ren family has a weird temper, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it before. Looking at it now, it seems that Ren Yijun has a grudge against him because of something. Before Ren Yijun could speak, Ren Yiyan said for him: ¡°Yunqian, don¡¯t get me wrong, my Third Brother has this temper, but he doesn¡¯t mean anything malicious, so please don¡¯t mind it.¡± Ren Yijun glanced at Ren Yiyan. Although he was a little unhappy, he didn¡¯t say anything else. Qiu Yun rubbed his chin and smiled at Ren Yijun: ¡°What did the Third Cousin mean before, that the Fifth Cousin is better at chess than Yun Qian?¡± Ren Yiyin looked at Ren Yijun suspiciously, and seeing that he still looked like he was indifferent, he could only continue to answer for him, ¡°Third Brother has been playing against Fifth Sister a lot lately, so he must have suffered several defeats. He is just like this, he will be happy when he wins. The Fifth Sister¡¯s qin, chess, calligraphy and painting was taught by my Third Uncle himself, a lot more than the average boudoir woman. But to say that she is better at chess than Yunqian is just a bias on the part of Yijun, the older brother, in favor of his own sister.¡± Although Ren Yiyan¡¯s words sound reasonable, anyone who knows Ren Yijun¡¯s temperament knows that he is not the kind of person who knows that brothers and sisters are supposed to be respectful and harmonious. If he compliment a person, it must be that person has some aspects that he cares about that manage to beat him. Even Han Yunqian, who had only had contact with Ren Yijun a few times, looked at Ren Yaoqi thoughtfully. Qiu Yun looked at Yun Wenfang, clapped his hands suddenly and smiled and said, ¡°Then I have to ask my Fifth Cousin why she only played chess with my Third Cousin. I didn¡¯t know that she was not only good at drawing. Zishu, you and I will go together.¡± With that, Qiu Yun took Yun Wenfang and walked towards Ren Yaoqi with a big step, under the astonished eyes of everyone. Ren Yiyan wanted to say something, but suddenly remembered what his father had said about the marriage between the Yun family and the Qiu family and the Ren family. He looked at the backs of Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, and finally swallowed the words to stop him. Han Yunqian also took a look at Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang. Although he stayed where he was, he thought about the change in Ren Yijun and Ren Shimin¡¯s attitude towards him. Over there, Ren Yaoqi frowned slightly as she watched Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang walking towards her. Although she was the only one sitting in the corner on the side of the female relatives, there were still many women and maids waiting in the warm shed. There was a large audience, and most of the surroundings were close relatives and friends, so no one felt that Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang¡¯s behavior was disrespectful. ¡°Fifth Cousin.¡± Qiu Yun called out with a friendly smile. Ren Yaoqi got up and bowed, and called out, ¡°Cousin, Young Master Yun.¡± Qiu Yun and Ren Yaoqi exchanged pleasantries for a while, but they didn¡¯t mention the chess game again. After that, he took a few steps and went to the fruit plate on the side to pick up the snacks and fruits. The two maids behind Ren Yaoqi were instructed to help him make tea and get high on pine nuts. The distance he chose is very good. If they speak in a low voice here, people can¡¯t hear clearly, and it can make others think that they have a clear understanding of the situation here. Ren Yaoqi was a little alert when he ordered her maid to leave, and felt that this situation seemed familiar. But outsiders can¡¯t see what¡¯s wrong here, and she can¡¯t react too much. Looking at Yun Wenfang who had been standing in front of her without speaking, Ren Yaoqi was thinking of calling over the two maids serving tea who were standing a little further away, but Yun Wenfang spoke: ¡°Thank you for the bet.¡± These words sounded very peaceful, without the tension they had when they were together in the previous life, it seemed like a good start, so Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded: ¡°I haven¡¯t congratulated Young Master Yun for winning the first prize in the previous competition.¡± ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± Yun Wenfang suddenly asked in a low voice with some uncertainty, a question that was eight thousand miles away from the topic that the two of them had talked about before. Ren Yaoqi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and shook her head in denial: ¡°How could it be?¡± Yun Wenfang frowned slightly, his starry eyes fixed on Ren Yaoqi seriously and confused. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t like his gaze, although there was no malice in it, it could even be said to be a little naive. But there is always an inherent aggression. It may be because he is still young and his appearance is extremely handsome, so this feeling is not very obvious to people. Ren Yaoqi felt a little nervous. ¡°I said I wanted to see your paintings, did you draw them for me?¡± Yun Wenfang said confidently. Ren Yaoqi held her temper and looked up at Yun Wenfang and said calmly and seriously, ¡°Young Master Yun, although you and I are family friends, there is a difference between men and women after all. You should know how damaging it is to a woman¡¯s character to have a private relationship. Therefore, please forgive me for not being able to give you what I have for no reason.¡± Ren Yaoqi reasoned with him. In the last life, she was also responsible for the trouble they caused. In this life, she didn¡¯t want to have an enmity with a thirteen or fourteen-year-old child. She tried to treat him as a junior, so that she could be more tolerant of him. . ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t talk to me?¡± To Ren Yaoqi¡¯s surprise, Yun Wenfang was not angry at her refusal, but showed a smile instead. Ren Yaoqi felt that this person¡¯s mind was really difficult to figure out, and was about to nod and answer ¡°yes¡±. The smile on Yun Wenfang¡¯s face faded again. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember me¡± Although he muttered this sentence to himself, Ren Yaoqi understood it. She couldn¡¯t help but her expression changed, almost thinking that Yun Wenfang had experienced the same experience as her in the previous life. But after thinking about it carefully, she felt wrong, so she asked, ¡°What does Young Master Yun mean by this? We¡¯ve¡­ met before?¡± She always thought that it was the first time they met under the corridor of Ren¡¯s mansion. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help recalling the memories of her previous life carefully, but after a long time, she really couldn¡¯t remember it. Looking at her confused expression, Yun Wenfang pursed his lips, seemingly dissatisfied. When he was about to speak, the woman who had accompanied Ren Yaohua to change clothes rushed in, looked around and immediately walked towards Ren Yaoqi. When she was close to Ren Yaoqi, she was stopped by Qiu Yun, who had been concentrating on her tea, ¡°Who is this woman, rampant and doesn¡¯t know the rules?¡± Ren Yaoqi recognized her as a maid that Zhou Nanny could use, so she glanced at Qiu Yun with a smile: ¡°This is a maid who serve my mother, she must be anxious to see that there is no one around me, so she ran here in a hurry. Please don¡¯t blame her, cousin.¡± These words made the two maidservants standing beside Qiu Yun who were eager to serve her blushed, and slowly moved over with their heads lowered. Qiu Yun raised her eyebrows slightly, coughed lightly and then lowered her head without changing her face and took a sip of tea, but also stopped picking on that maid¡¯s rules. Ren Yaoqi got up and said to the maids: ¡°How come Fifth Aunt, sister-in-law and other sisters haven¡¯t come back yet? Lets go out with me to see.¡± She nodded to Yun Wenfang with a smile, and then walked outside. CH 46 Chapter 46: Don¡¯t Quarrel with a Shrew At this time, another nanny ran in and almost bumped into Ren Yaoqi. After a hasty bow and apology, she ran to the young master Ren Yiyan. Ren Yaoqi recognized her as the nanny in charge of the Elder Sister-in-law. She can¡¯t help feeling suspicious. After avoiding the crowd, Ren Yaoqi looked at the servant behind her and said, ¡°What happened? Why haven¡¯t the Third Sister and the others come back yet?¡± Hearing the words, the woman came over and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear: ¡°Fifth Miss, Third Miss is still cleaning the room over there, and Fifth Madam and the others have just returned. Something happened to Ninth Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi was startled, and the woman was already self-conscious and continued to reply: ¡°Ninth Miss is not used to being followed by people around her when she goes to the bathroom, so today she turned away everyone and went to bathroom by herself.¡± The servant¡¯s face was a little weird, she seemed to want to laugh, but she tried her best to hold back, ¡°Everyone waited outside for a while, and suddenly heard a scream from the clean room. Maidservants are rushed to going in, the Eldest Young Madam, Miss Han, and others who were cleaning their hands in the outer room next door also came. But I saw¡­ I saw the Ninth Miss somehow sat down on the floor of the room with her eyes closed and screamed, and also overturned the bucket. The whole body¡­ the whole body is filthy.¡± How could this happen? Ren Yaoqi could not help but be shocked. Even if they go out on weekdays, the bathroom is clean and tidy, and there is little smell, because in addition to the incense, the bucket was always cleaned and filled with fine sand, and even injected with mercury when they were concerned about the appearance. Also Gong barrels are usually very heavy, how could Ren Yaoying overturn them? And it¡¯s a bucket full of filth. ¡°How could Ninth Sister look like this?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. The servant also looked confused: ¡°The Eldest Young Lady went in and ordered the maids around Ninth Miss to help her out, and only then did we hear Ninth Miss yelling ¡®there are snakes¡¯. People have been busy searched the clean room up and down, but there was nothing.¡± ¡°How could there be snakes in such a cold day?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned. The servant also nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Everyone has searched all over, and they haven¡¯t even missed the roof and corners. Not to mention snakes, they haven¡¯t even seen a snake-like rope. So everyone said that Ninth Miss either was bewitched, or have committed a crime against some god, not only saw what shouldn¡¯t have seen, but also poured dung on herself.¡± Ren Yaoqi was noncommittal to the unauspicious words, ¡°Didn¡¯t Fifth Aunt and the others come out first?¡± ¡°The Fifth Madam brought the Eighth Miss and the others out first, saying that she wanted to walk on the river bank to get some air, and then they all went back when they heard the sound in the room, then they are still helping the young lady with the aftermath.¡± Although the woman said said that Fifth Madam was going back to take care of the aftermath, but her expression was disapproving. Madam Lin, this mother and daughter she hate so much, it is already good if she didn¡¯t add fan the fire. ¡°Fifth Miss, do you want to go over and have a look?¡± the servant asked, with a gloating tone. The people around Madam Li in the Ziwei Courtyard were all displeased with the people on Concubine Fang¡¯s side. Seeing Ren Yaoying deflated, she couldn¡¯t help feeling happy. Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, then shook her head: ¡°I won¡¯t go, Third Sister and the others should be coming back soon.¡± Thinking about what she said earlier that she would come out to meet her sister-in-law and the others, Ren Yaoqi walked around casually outside. When they reached the shed where the servants rested, two people walked towards her quickly. Ren Yaoqi turned her head and saw the young man named Yuan Dayong who was with Zhu Ruomei before, and the one who secretly grabbed him was a middle-aged man in his forties. Ren Yaoqi realized that he might be Yuan Dayong¡¯s father, Steward Yuan who was working in the outer courtyard of the Ren Mansion. ¡°I, Yuan Zhi, have met Fifth Miss.¡± Steward Yuan bowed towards Ren Yaoqi, and although Yuan Dayong did not speak, he also followed his father and bowed respectfully. Ren Yaoqi looked at Yuan Zhi and nodded with a smile. Although Yuan Zhi was born with a refined appearance and a short goatee, although he was only a small manager, he had the air of a scholar. Ren Yaoqi thought, he was willing to risk his life to help Zhu Ruomei, so he must have a good character. ¡°I am bringing my dog son to apologize.¡± Yuan Zhi glanced at his son and made another bow towards Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Earlier it was my dog son who was unruly and disturbed Fifth Miss. Luckily, Fifth Miss is generous enough not to bother him. Sinner, come over and kowtow.¡± The latter sentence was addressed to Yuan Dayong. Ren Yaoqi raised his hand to stop Yuan Dayong¡¯s movement, and said to Yuan Zhi with a smile: ¡°He just happened to go the wrong way, and he avoided me in time in the end, so it¡¯s not a big deal. Steward Yuan is making a big deal out of this.¡± Yuan Zhi glanced at Ren Yaoqi, then at his son, and finally let him retreat behind him. ¡°Thank you, Fifth Miss.¡± Yuan Zhi thought for a while, then said hesitantly, ¡°The one who wishes¡­¡± Ren Yaoyaoqi didn¡¯t wait for him to finish before interrupting in a warm voice, ¡°I said, it¡¯s just a wrong turn, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Yuan Zhi heard this is a sigh of relief, he just heard his son say that he and Zhu Ruomei have barged into the place where male servants are forbidden to enter to argue, also coincidentally met the Ren family Fifth Miss, although his son said Fifth Miss did not blame him, he was still feeling uneasy. Zhu Ruomei¡¯s identity should not participate in the ice play competition. But because his son came to beg him, and he also saw that Zhu Ruomei¡¯s mother was seriously ill and needed a lot of money, he begged the housekeeper who had a good personal relationship with him to make Zhu Ruomei replace another servant who happened to have injured his leg. This matter can be big or small, if it is pursued by the superiors, not only Zhu Ruomei and his son will lose their jobs, but even the housekeeper who is good to him will not be able to walk around. So he quickly lowered his head and said joyfully, ¡°Yes, yes, I understand, thank you Fifth Miss.¡± However, Ren Yaoqi also understood that although Yuan Dayong told his father that she bumped into their dispute, he concealed the fact that she rewarded Zhu Ruomei with a hundred taels of silver. Ren Yaoqi took a look at the father and son, and suddenly smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that this kind of thing can¡¯t be separated. I know that you are a good-hearted manager, so you take this as idle matter, but if someone make it as serious problem, I am afraid it will involve many people. I¡¯m not a nosy person, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t nosy people out there.¡± Yuan Zhi wiped the sweat from his forehead, bowed his head and replied, ¡°I understand, thank you Fifth Miss for your reminder.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and suddenly said: ¡°I remembered, you are that steward Yuan from the Events Department in the outer courtyard? I once heard from my father that your cursive handwriting is excellent.¡± Yuan Zhi looked up a little flattered: ¡°Third Master, he remembers this lowly one?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at him and smiled without saying a word. At this time, the maid behind reminded Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Fifth Miss, Third Miss and the others are back.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked up, and sure enough, she saw Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoyin, Ren Yaoyu, Ren Yaoting, and Han You coming here following Fifth Mrs. Lin. Sisters-in-law Zhao and Ren Yaoying were nowhere to be seen, presumably Zhao was still there to appease Ren Yaoying. Ren Yaoqi said to Yuan Zhi and Yuan Dayong: ¡°You guys step back first.¡± Yuan Zhi and his son hurriedly saluted again, bowed and retreated. The father and son walked away here, and Yuan Dayong suddenly asked his father with some doubts: ¡°Father, when did the Third Master read your rough writing?¡± Yuan Zhi glanced at his son, and said in a low voice: ¡°What I write the most in the office is invitations and receipts. These are all written in regular script. Where do you think the third master saw my rough script? ¡° Yuan Dayong frowned: ¡°But the Fifth Miss, she said¡­¡± Yuan Zhi sighed lightly: ¡°The Third Master doesn¡¯t know, but the Fifth Lady can remind him to know. You are smart, but you still lack a little bit of experience after all.¡± Although the Third Master doesn¡¯t manage much in Ren¡¯s family, he still has the right to promote one or two people. Nominally, he is also in charge of the Ren family¡¯s three coal stacks in the north and south of Yan, and a coal mine in Xishan. Of course, the Third Master himself never asked about these vulgar things, and he handed over these matters to a few shopkeepers trusted by his subordinates. The young shopkeeper can completely decide on his own. If he wants to appoint and dismiss the big shopkeeper and the vice shopkeeper, although he still needs to discuss with the Eldest Master and ask the Eldest Master to help him. The Eldest Master is quite lenient to the younger brothers, as long as the demands are not too much, he won¡¯t refuted his brother¡¯s face. Yuan Dayong pondered over his father¡¯s words carefully, and was a little startled: ¡°Father, are you thinking too much? How old is Fifth Miss?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he thought of the pair of quiet eyes he and Zhu Ruomei met when they came out to meet her, and what she explained when she asked the maid next to her to send Zhu Ruomei a hundred taels of silver notes. In other words, he was a little uncertain. Here Yuan Dayong is wondering what kind of person Ren Yaoqi is, while Ren Yaoqi has already welcomed the Fifth Madam Lin and the others there. ¡°Fifth Sister, you didn¡¯t see it just now, the appearance of Ninth Sister is really pitiful. Hey! Has she got hysteria? How will she come out to see people in the future?¡± Ren Yaoyu said loudly when she saw Ren Yaoqi, her tone was pity, but the expression can¡¯t help but gloat. Ren Yaoqi glanced at Madam Lin, whose mouth was slightly curled up, and shook her head secretly. Ren Yaoying was probably punished this time. When a few people entered the greenhouse, everyone in the greenhouse looked over. Ren Yaoqi looked into their eyes, and then looked at the servants and maids who were whispering behind them, and knew that someone had already spread the news about Ren Yaoying. After Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu came in, they didn¡¯t yell anymore, but Ren Yaoyu pretended to be mysterious and whispered to Ren Yaoyin and Han You from time to time, with a very sympathetic look on her face. It¡¯s just that both Ren Yaoyin and Han You lowered their heads and didn¡¯t respond. On the contrary, Madam Lin sighed and said to Ren Yaohua: ¡°Yaohua, Yaoqi, you can explain Yaoying a little bit later. It¡¯s just¡­cough¡­it¡¯s nothing. I have already explained that they are not allowed to spread it. Fifth Aunt knows you Sisters have always been at odds, but Yaoying is your biological sister after all, so why is there any overnight feud between sisters?¡± Lin¡¯s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the people at the greenhouse to get a general idea of it. These words not only indirectly acknowledged what happened to Ren Yaoying, but also took the opportunity to trample on sisters Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaohua immediately smiled slightly and said: ¡°It turns out that the Fifth Aunt also explained not to let people spread it? Why didn¡¯t you stop the Eighth Younger Sister when she yelled so loudly that everyone knew about it?¡± Lin¡¯s face changed slightly, and Ren Yaoyu glared at Ren Yaohua dissatisfiedly: ¡°What do you mean by that? When did I yell?¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at the whispering maidservants on the other side of the greenhouse, and sneered silently. Everyone followed her eyes and found that two of the maids had accompanied Ren Yaoyu to clean the room before. Ren Yaoyu was about to jump up to argue with Ren Yaohua, Lin hurriedly held her down, glanced at the man on the other side of the greenhouse, restrained her temper and said to Ren Yaohua: ¡°Yaohua, don¡¯t say things without any basis. You have to behave like a sister, how can you just put a label on your sister?¡± Ren Yaohua said with some disgust, ¡°At least I won¡¯t be so ruthless as to make my own sisters die because of some minor disagreements!¡± Lin¡¯s eyes flickered when she heard the words, and she snorted coldly: ¡°I can say one sentence and you can answer ten sentences. Where did you learn this rule?¡± Ren Yaohua wanted to talk back, but Ren Yaoqi pinched her arm and motioned her to look around. Ren Yaoqi knew that Ren Yaohua suspected Lin¡¯s mother and daughter of fixing Ren Yaoying, and she was very disgusted with their behavior of slapping her back after doing something bad. However, Lin was the elder and she was the junior. Even if she has a big reason, it is not her turn to blame Lin. Because even if she wins the argument, she is still lose. Ren Yaohua was also afraid that Lin would end up blaming her mother for her lack of discipline, so she could only take a deep breath and hold her breath, turning her head away from Lin. After a while, Han You stood up with some uneasiness: ¡°I, when I came out, my grandmother told me to go back early, so I¡¯ll go with my brother first.¡± Everyone then saw Han Yunqian walking this way. Lin¡¯s face showed a loving smile and stroked Han You¡¯s hair: ¡°Good boy, you are most obedient and know how to respect your elders, unlike some¡­hey! Today you and Yunqian will go back first, and come to play in our house some other day. Our Yu¡¯er likes you very much.¡± Ren Yaoting took Han You¡¯s hand affectionately and even came over to whisper in her ear, which made Han You puff out a smile and hastily held it back. Lin is a bit surprised how Ren Yaoting, who has always been a bit arrogant, can be so affectionate with a shy girl like Han You, but when she glanced at Ren Yaoting¡¯s secret glance at Han Yunqian, she couldn¡¯t help but realize, and the corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but hook slightly. Han You said goodbye to Ren Yaoting and walked to Han Yunqian¡¯s side, the two siblings saluted together and said goodbye to Lin¡¯s few people. Ren Yaoting rose to return the salute, but when she looked up, she met Han Yunqian¡¯s quiet and profound eyes. Han Yunqian¡¯s gaze contained a certain inquisitiveness that had not been present before. Ren Yaoqi looked at him for a moment, and then looked away as if nothing had happened. Han Yunqian also turned around and left. At this time, the Young Madam Zhao, returned, and Lin got up with an anxious face and asked Zhao, ¡°Brother Yan¡¯s daughter-in-law, is Yaoying feeling better? And have you found out what happened before?¡± Zhao¡¯s brow was tightly furrowed, her heart was a bit worried, she was afraid that she would be reprimanded by the Old Madam and her mother-in-law when she returned. Seeing Lin¡¯s question, she glanced at her husband¡¯s side and shook her head: ¡°Fifth Aunt, we¡¯d better go back and talk about it.¡± Lin¡¯s face showed surprise: ¡°What exactly did you find out? You¡¯d better talk about it, otherwise I¡¯m afraid someone will falsely accuse good people.¡± Lin cast a glance at Ren Yaohua. Zhao hesitated for a moment, but finally thought of Lin as an elder, and saw that it was inappropriate to ask or not to answer, so she came up to Lin¡¯s ear and whispered a few words. Lin¡¯s face was surprised, her eyes widened and she said, ¡°How could it be her?¡± Zhao nodded and said vaguely, ¡°We can¡¯t be sure, we should wait until we get back and ask the Old Madam to decide. After all, it¡¯s not a person from our house, so it¡¯s not good to dispose of them at will.¡± The crowd was a little surprised to hear a word of it, how could someone really have caused Ren Yaoying to fall into the dung? That person isn¡¯t even a member of the Ren family. Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoyu and Lin with some suspicion, she always felt that Ren Yaoying¡¯s bad luck with this mother and daughter was inseparable. It was too coincidental that they ran back to watch the fun. Ren Yaoyu glared at Ren Yaohua arrogantly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we go back to the mansion first?¡± Lin said to Zhao. Mrs. Zhao nodded, and told the nanny behind her to talk to the Fifth Master, Eldest Young Master and others over there. There were supposed to be a few ice play performances after that, but they were also cancelled. The members of the Ren family began to head back home. When they went back, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua got into a carriage. When the carriage was moving fast, Ren Yaohua beckoned to her maid, Xiang Qin, and asked her to inquire about the people around the eldest young lady. Xiang Qin is somewhat related to a nanny surnamed Feng next to Madam Zhao. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that this matter has nothing to do with Fifth Aunt and the others. The expression on Ren Yaoyu¡¯s face when she rushed over was like she knew something.¡± Ren Yaohua frowned. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t stop her, but just smiled and said, ¡°I was very worried that you and Fifth Aunt would really quarrel. Speaking of which, isn¡¯t it what we liked to see when the two of them confronted each other?¡± Although she really didn¡¯t dare to compliment Lin¡¯s method, Lin didn¡¯t deal with Concubine Fang, but vented her anger on a child like Ren Yaoying. Ren Yaohua was silent for a while: ¡°You also think it¡¯s the Fifth Aunt¡¯s fault?¡± However, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t answer Ren Yaohua¡¯s words directly. She tilted her head and thought for a while, then smiled suddenly: ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯ve wanted to tell you something for a long time.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi suspiciously. Ren Yaoqi said slowly: ¡°In the future, before you decide to quarrel with someone, you have to think about whether the other party is an unreasonable shrew. If the other party is, you should stop at the right time, calm yourself down and stop arguing with her. Because If you quarrel with a shrew, you are a loser no matter whether you win or lose. If you lose the fight, the shrew will be unreasonable and you will lose face and waste your energy. If you win the quarrel, others will say that you are more aggressive and unreasonable than the shrew. Left and right are not human.¡± Ren Yaohua stared at Ren Yaoqi in a daze upon hearing the words: ¡°You!¡± The maidservants serving in the carriage couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing. Ren Yaoqi blinked at Ren Yaohua: ¡°Third Sister, do you think this makes sense?¡± CH 47 Chapter 47: Follow-up of the Bathroom Incident The atmosphere in the carriage suddenly became cheerful. Although Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t answer, there was a little smile in her eyes, even though her face was still stern. This is the most harmonious atmosphere between the two sisters since Ren Yaohua came back. When Ren Yaoying came out of the carriage, she had changed her clothes, washed her head and face, and wrapped her whole body from head to toe in a large cloak, but the wind still gave off a stench. Although couldn¡¯t see the expression on her face, she could hear her suppressed sobbing. This time, she had lost her face, and this incident happened outside, so it would be easy for word to get out. In the future, when people mentioned the Ninth Miss of the Ren Family, they would think of her falling into the cesspit and becoming the laughing stock of others, which would become a barrier to her dealings with others. The Eldest Young Madam and Madam Lin took Ren Yaoying to the Old Madam¡¯s Ronghua Courtyard, while Ren Yaoqi and others were sent back to their own yard. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua both went to Li¡¯s place first. After greeting, Ren Yaohua immediately recruited Xiang Qin to the east second room to ask questions, Ren Yaoqi also went over together. ¡°Did you find out anything? Who is the person that sister-in-law found out before?¡± Ren Yaohua asked. Xiang Qin nodded: ¡°Before Third Miss and Ninth Miss went to the bathroom, the Fifth Madam and the girls went there first. But the bathroom that Ninth Miss used was not used by the Fifth Madam and other young ladies because it was still cleaned and smoked with incense.¡± Previously, the bathroom on the river bank was divided into three rooms. ¡°Is it possible that the person who is responsible for cleaning the bathroom is the culprit?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned. Xiang Qin shook his head: ¡°Before the Ninth Young Lady went in, another person went in. When the woman in charge of cleaning the clean room stopped her and said that it was for the masters to go in. But she said she disliked that maids in charge of bathroom is too simple and said there is no more space, so she slipped some money to the servant guarding the bathroom. Those few servants will turn a blind eye to let her hurry up and finish the come out quickly. She went out not long after the Ninth Miss came.¡± ¡°Which courtyard is she serving?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned and asked, there are still such bold maids in their family? Xiang Qin still shook her head: ¡°She is not from our house, it is one of the two maids that were sent over to serve Young Master Yun just a few days ago.¡± This statement was unexpected. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but think of the maid who came to ask her for a gamble money for Yun Wenfang when she was in the warming shed earlier. ¡°How could it be Young Master Yun¡¯s maid? It¡¯s not like she has any problem with Ren Yaoying, why would she bother to do such a thing?¡± Xiang Qin blushed uncomfortably when she heard the words. She glanced at Ren Yaohua and then at Ren Yaoqi, as if she was a little embarrassed to speak. Ren Yaohua stared at her and said, ¡°Speak up if you have something to say, there are no outsiders here!¡± When this statement was made, not only were the people in the room surprised, but even she herself froze. In the eyes of Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoqi, her own sister, was no different from an outsider. When they discussed anything, they always had to go behind Ren Yaoqi¡¯s back, afraid that she would know about it. But today she blurted out that there are no outsiders here. The eyes of Ren Yaoqi are slightly downcast, and feeling somewhat indescribably complicated. Xiang Qin coughed lightly and begged in a small voice: ¡°Miss, then don¡¯t tell Nanny Zhou that it was this servant who said these words.¡± Seeing Ren Yaohua glaring at her again, Xiang Qin hurriedly said, ¡°Previously, someone heard Ninth Miss privately tell someone around her that the two maids beside Young Master Yun were too beautiful and they must be the concubines prepared by the Yun family for Young Master Yun. And she also said that Ninth Miss threatened that if she was the mother-in-law, this kind of charming maids must be thrown out early so as not to become a scourge in the future. The maid called Yuzhu knew about it and held a grudge against the Ninth Miss and deliberately moved in the bathroom where the Ninth Miss was going.¡± Hearing this, Ren Yaohua¡¯s face reddened and she spat at Xiang Qin: ¡°Where did you hear that nonsense!¡± She was embarrassed and said, ¡°This servant also heard it from outside, but Miss asked her to say it.¡± Ren Yaohua was speechless. ¡°Who spread these words that Ninth Miss said?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with raised eyebrows. She did not believe that Ren Yaoying would let others hear her say such things. Ren Yaoying was still a young girl, such words were not something she could say, and even if she thought so in her heart, she was unlikely to declare it. ¡°It was another maid named Jinzhu beside Young Master Yun who said that. She and Yuzhu both heard someone talking and mentioned Young Master Yun, so they quietly went up to listen, and then they heard two people talking about the words that Ninth Miss said. But they didn¡¯t see who the speaker was, they only knew it was two women. After that, the Eldest Young Lady recruited several servants around Ninth Miss to speak in front of Jinzhu. Jinzhu said that there were two servants whose voices were somewhat similar to the ones she heard before, but she hadn¡¯t seen the faces of those two after all, so she wasn¡¯t sure if they were the two or not.¡± ¡°Hmph! If this matter is really Fifth Aunt playing tricks, I really have to admire her. She can still leave herself clean after doing something immoral. It¡¯s no wonder that the powerful maids and servants who come with her after married were all cut off, otherwise everyone in the house would have to look at her face!¡± Ren Yaohua sarcastically said. ¡°Third Miss,¡± Wu Jing called out to her in a low voice, and looked at Ren Yaoqi again, somewhat torn. Apparently, what Ren Yaohua said just now was a secret that could not be disclosed to ¡°others¡±. And after thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi understood what Ren Yaohua was talking about. She heard that the Fifth Madam Lin had several powerful companions when she married into the Ren family, but later for some reason they were all sold out and none of them were left. The strange thing is that the Lin family didn¡¯t express dissatisfaction with this matter, and they didn¡¯t even take the opportunity to send helpers to Lin¡¯s side. Lin¡¯s mother is a person who dotes on her daughter very much, which can be seen from Lin¡¯s temperament. She didn¡¯t stand up for Lin, obviously this matter was hidden back then. The people around Lin¡¯s side were cut off by someone¡¯s hands and made Lin and the Lin family eat a dumb loss. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know how Ren Yaohua knew about this matter, but she didn¡¯t know about it in her last life. She only knew that most of the people serving Lin¡¯s side now were the children of Ren¡¯s family, and few of them were people she brought from her mother¡¯s family. If what Ren Yaohua said is correct, then the person who has the most reason to make a move against Lin is the Eldest Madam Wang, and even the Old Madam Qiu may also be possible. This is really interesting. It turns out that the Ren family and the Lin family are not as close as they appear to be. Although the Old Madam of the Lin family is the real aunt of Old Madam Ren, and Old Madam Ren¡¯s only daughter is married to Old Madam Lin¡¯s nephew. Ren Yaoqi understood that in her previous life, she was just as careless as their father, so there were many things that others knew but she didn¡¯t. ¡°You go and inquire about the follow-up of this matter, and see how grandma plans to deal with it.¡± Ren Yaohua instructed Xiang Qin, and she frowned again after speaking, ¡°But grandpa and grandma don¡¯t like people asking around.¡± Ren Yaoqi raised her head and smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, just go outside and see how the people in other courtyards are. If they also send people to inquire, you can go over and listen. If they are quiet, you also quiet, just go out and take a walk.¡± Xiang Qin smiled and said yes, and took Wu Jing¡¯s arm: ¡°Then Wu Jing and I will go and ask the kitchen if there are any snacks prepared in the afternoon. The two ladies just had some snacks for lunch.¡± Xiang Qin and Wu Jing went out arm in arm, except Xiang Qin whispered to Wu Jing at the courtyard gate: ¡°Hey, do you feel that the relationship between Third Miss and Fifth Miss is much better now? Things like that before, It is impossible for the Third Miss to say it in front of the Fifth Miss. The Fifth Miss has also changed a lot, even if the Third Miss is rude to her, she will always greet her with a smile and never get angry.¡± Wu Jing glared at her and said, ¡°What? Are you not happy that Miss is reconciled?¡± ¡°Not at all! I was just thinking¡­the two of them were in such a mess before, and every time Third Miss heard Fifth Miss¡¯s name at the village, she gnashed her teeth. It made Madam and Nanny Zhou would not dare speaking of Fifth Miss in front of her. I thought the two of them would be enemies for the rest of their lives.¡± Xiang Qin muttered. Wu Jing was silent for a while, then sighed: ¡°Third Miss and Fifth Miss are biological sisters after all, born to the same father and mother. It¡¯s just that we must never mention those things in front of Third Miss in the future. I think like this now is also a lot more comfortable for we slaves.¡± Xiangqin nodded quickly: ¡°You to tell me! Nanny Zhou has already beaten us!¡± In the evening, news came from the Ronghua Courtyard. After the Old Madam called the two maids of the Yun family to ask about it, she did not take any action to expose the matter, and only to have the maids around teach them and instruct them to serve Second Young Master Yun well. ¡°What? Grandma still let them stay at Ren Mansion?¡± Ren Yaohua said in shock. Xiang Qin nodded: ¡°She said that since she was the only one in the bathroom for such a short time, it was unlikely that she would be able to do anything.¡± Ren Yaohua frowned: ¡°Even so, we should send her back! That maid seem to be a troublemaker.¡± According to the normal way of handling the matter, if the person who harmed Ren Yaoying was not found, the Ren family would convict Yu Zhu, who was the most suspicious, to appease Ren Yaoying. Now the Old Madam Ren only let them off after having someone lecture them, and she didn¡¯t send her back to Yun¡¯s house. Then Ren Yaoying¡¯s crimes can only be regarded as self-inflicted. ¡°Grandmother really intends to have a relationship with the Yun family?¡± Ren Yaohua lowered her head and pondered. The Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t want to make the Old Madam of the Yun family and Madam Yun feel uncomfortable because of this incident. It is very likely that the Ren family really planned to marry the Yun family. In other words, the Ren family had this intention unilaterally. However, Ren Yaoqi was not at all surprised by the Old Madam Ren¡¯s decision. For the benefit of the Ren family, they would not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of several granddaughters. Now it is just to make a concubine granddaughter suffer some grievances. Concubine Fang looked at her daughter who was lying on the bed and covering her whole body with a quilt. Ren Yaoying had been crying to take a bath since she came back. She had bathed four times and vomited twice. If Concubine Fang hadn¡¯t tried her best to stop her in the end, Ren Yaoying might have sucked all the skin off her body before giving up. ¡°Mom, I stink so much, will it continue to stink like this?¡± Ren Yaoying¡¯s voice came through the quilt. Concubine Fang gently patted her and softly reassured her, ¡°No, mother smells that you are fragrant.¡± Ren Yaoying¡¯s sobbing voice came from under the quilt: ¡°But everyone knows that I fell into the latrine, I¡­ I won¡¯t go out to meet people anymore¡± Concubine Fang closed her eyes and pierced her palm with her clenched fist. When she opened her eyes, there was a sharp cold light in her eyes, but her tone was still gentle: ¡°Others won¡¯t remember this for a long time, and everyone will forget it after a while.¡± ¡°Mother, I hate them! They made me look so ugly!¡± Ren Yaoying suddenly lifted the quilt, her red and swollen eyes were full of shame and anger. Concubine Fang patted her head, and comforted her gently: ¡°Mother knows, mother will not let the person who hurt you have a better life.¡± Ren Yaoying fell asleep holding Concubine Fang¡¯s hand, with a teardrop hanging on her eyelashes. Concubine Fang reached out to help her wipe it off, and guarded her for a while before getting up to come out. ¡°Go and call Nanny Yu, I have something to tell her.¡± Concubine Fang explained to her maid. The maid bowed and retreated, and Concubine Fang went to the study next door. Concubine Fang is literate, and she can write pretty well in small script with hairpin flowers. Every place Ren Shimin comes in and out is equipped with a study room, so Concubine Fang also has a small study room in her yard. It means that when Nanny was called in, Concubine Fang had already written a letter inside, and put the ink stains in the inside of the envelope before putting it in the envelope. ¡°You leave tomorrow and go back to Jiangning.¡± Concubine Fang¡¯s natal family is in Jiangning. Nanny Yu bowed her head and said yes, and she didn¡¯t express any dissatisfaction with being discharged from the hospital in the cold weather. Lin¡¯s mother and daughter are in a good mood at this time. From the Old Madam Ren¡¯s treatment of Yun Wenfang¡¯s two maids, it can be seen that the Ren family is not without ideas about the marriage of the Yun family. Lin believes that as long as the Ren family has this intention, with her status in front of the Old Madam and her natal family¡¯s support behind her, it will be easy for her to find such a marriage for her daughter. Ren Yaoyu finally felt elated. The fact that the mother and daughter of Concubine Fang designed to drive her out of the Ronghua courtyard makes her hate these days when she thinks about it. Today, she finally got her anger out. Madam Lin endured it for many years and finally forgot what her mother repeatedly told her not to easily become an enemy of Concubine Fang. CH 48 Chapter 48: Li¡¯s Family History Ren Yaoying has temporarily moved back to Concubine Fang¡¯s Courtyard since she came back from the ice play competition, and she doesn¡¯t want to go out to meet people. Madam Lin mentioned several times to Old Madam Ren that she wanted Ren Yaoyu to move back to Ronghua Courtyard, but Old Madam Ren pretended to be deaf and dumb as if she didn¡¯t hear. The Spring Festival is coming soon, and the winter in Yanbei is very cold, but it still doesn¡¯t stop people¡¯s enthusiasm for visiting New Year. At that time, women who married close to their natal families had the custom of returning to their natal homes on the second day of the new year to pay New Year¡¯s greetings. The Eldest Madam of the Ren family, Madam Wang, has her natal family in Wuzhou, which is farther north. It is a day and night drive away from Baihe Town on weekdays. Now that the road is blocked by heavy snow, it is even more difficult to travel north. In addition to the busy New Year¡¯s Eve, she married into the Ren family. She almost didn¡¯t go back to my natal home to pay New Year¡¯s greetings. The Fifth Madam, Madam Lin, started preparing to go to Yunyang City on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Yunyang City is only more than two hours¡¯ drive away from Baihe Town, and one can go back and forth in a day. The Old Madam Ren¡¯s daughter, Ren Shijia, came back on the second day of the Lunar New Year last year. This year, because she was pregnant and had to raise a baby, she sent a letter early saying that she would not return to Baihe Town this year. Ren Shijia also had a difficult time with offspring, she failed to keep her pregnancy twice, and her third child was stillborn. This time she finally got pregnant again, so the Lin family naturally attached great importance to it. After all, Ren Shijia is almost thirty, and it will be more difficult to give birth when she gets older. The eldest daughter of the Ren family, Ren Yaochi, married the son of the second branch of the Gu family, and has not returned to Yanbei for two years. The Second Miss Ren Yaoqin, who born from the concubine of the eldest branch, was married to a fifth-ranking official of Minister of Household Affairs in the capital named Yan. The matchmaker is by the Second Old Master of the East Mansion. Yan was sixteen years older than Ren Yaoqin, and his eldest son was only one year younger than Ren Yaoqin. However, the Yan family was a descendant of the Yan family of the emperor¡¯s birth mother, so even though Yan was only from a distant branch of the Yan family, he could still be a fifth-ranking official in the capital. When Ren Yaoqi first arrived in the capital in her last life, she sent someone to find her second sister, who had no memory of her, but was told that Ren Yaoqin had been dead for a year, and asked why Yan¡¯s family was evasive. Ren Yaoqi later asked Teacher Pei to help her investigate and learned that Ren Yaoqin had killed herself in shame and anger after being discovered by the Yan family for having an affair with her stepson, the youngest of the Yan family. The Ren family had sent Ren Shixu and his wife, the Fourth Masters of the Ren family in the capital, to handle this matter, but Ren Yaoqi, who was far away in Yanbei, hadn¡¯t heard anything about it. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, when the Ren Yaoqi and her sister went for greeting Madam Li, the Eldest Madam sent someone over to ask Li if she wanted to prepare a carriage to go out, but Li declined. ¡°Mother, are you still not going to visit your grandparents¡¯ house this year? You haven¡¯t been there for several years.¡± After the Eldest Madam¡¯s people went out, Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Madam Li shook her head before answering, but Ren Yaohua sneered and said, ¡°What are you going back for? Drinking northwest wind? I don¡¯t know if the house has been pawned off by them this year! When the time comes, I will have to redeem it from my mother.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Mrs. Li shouted suddenly. Ren Yaohua looked at Li and couldn¡¯t help but stop talking. Li¡¯s face rose red, her eyes were flushed, and the look on her face was embarrassed and tinged red. Li seldom loses her temper with her daughter, and can even be said to be obedient to her words. But she also has a scale of rebellion, and she can¡¯t tolerate anyone speaking insultingly to her natal family. The reason why Li does not please Old Madam Ren, in addition to her inability to give birth to a son, another reason is that when Old Madam Ren scolded her, Li talked back and bring up her mother. Seeing that Li was shaking with anger, Ren Yaoqi pulled Ren Yaohua and dragged her to kneel in front of Li. This time Ren Yaohua obediently followed Ren Yaoqi and knelt down, because she could see that her words really hurt her mother¡¯s heart. ¡°Remember! No one allowed to insult the blood of the Li family, because no one deserves it!¡± Li Shi took a deep breath and said slowly. Her voice carried a sense of pride and superiority over all others that she had never had before. Even though her father and brother were not in tune, and she herself was not doing well, she could not erase this innate sense of superiority that was engraved in her bones. ¡°This daughter remembers.¡± Ren Yaoqi gently tugged Ren Yaohua, who repeated in a low, muffled voice. ¡°All go out, Hua¡¯er shall think about it in her room today!¡± Mrs. Li said in a rare stern voice. Ren Yaoqi pulled Ren Yaohua to get up, and the two of them retreated in response. After her daughters left, Li was stunned for a moment and then collapsed on the bed with her face covered. Nanny Zhou went up to persuade her, but when she saw the tears flowing from Li¡¯s fingers, her eyes were also wet. In the end, she cried silently with her. The two master and servant cried, and when Nanny Zhou saw that Li was better, she went forward to help her wipe her tears. ¡°This servant is going to get someone to fetch hot water to clean your face.¡± Nanny Zhou sighed softly, ¡°Third Miss didn¡¯t mean it, so don¡¯t be too sad.¡± Li choked with sobs and said, ¡°She was born by me, and the blood of the Li family is also flowing on her body, it¡¯s fine for others to look down on them, but she¡­¡± Nanny Zhou went forward to hold Li, who was choking up, in her arms, and gently patted her back to soothe her. Li collected her tears and said with some embarrassment, ¡°Nanny, I am not a child anymore.¡± Nanny Zhou smiled and sighed, ¡°Nanny has watched the county princess grow up, in Nanny¡¯s eyes you are the same as Third Miss and Fifth Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi, who came out of the principal room, looked at the gloomy Ren Yaohua, and said in a low voice, ¡°Third Sister, you clearly know that mother doesn¡¯t want to listen to that. Don¡¯t say it again in the future.¡± Ren Yaohua cast a sideways glance at Ren Yaohua and snorted softly. Ren Yaoqi shook his head and was about to say something more when Ren Yaohua spoke up, ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that you like whatever father likes and you hate whatever father hates? Father doesn¡¯t like uncle, if you say good things for grandfather¡¯s family, aren¡¯t you afraid that father will be angry?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought about it and looked at Ren Yaohua and teased, ¡°Is it possible that in the eyes of Third Sister, father is such an unreasonable person? He even interferes with whoever we like?¡± Ren Yaohua was furious, ¡°You¡­ oily mouth and clever words!¡± Ren Yaoqi made a face: ¡°You¡­ are incoherent!¡± The corners of Ren Yaohua¡¯s mouth twitched: ¡°You¡¯re childish!¡± Ren Yaoqi laughed lightly, and only then did she curb her laughter and said seriously, ¡°Father didn¡¯t look down on grandfather and uncle, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that uncle coquettishly praised father¡¯s paintings, then tricked him into making a copy of an ancient painting, and finally mortgaged his painting to the gambling house as a real one!¡± Ren Yaohua interjected. Ren Yaoqi was silent. Ren Yaohua was right, Ren Shimin was angry because of this matter, and finally threatened to break off their relationship with their uncle. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look down on grandfather and uncle, but I can¡¯t understand how they could mortgage their house just to buy a cricket when the family couldn¡¯t even afford it! I can¡¯t understand how they can¡¯t even afford to keep their maidservants and attendants, but they have to keep a troupe at home! The family can be penniless all pawned long ago, but they can still be happy to walk birds and dogs and singing opera! They still think they are the grandsons of the phoenix, but they don¡¯t realize that the sky has changed outside! Ren Yaoqi was again silent. She had no way to refute Ren Yaohua¡¯s words, because what she said was the truth. Some people have been used to being superior all their lives, and they don¡¯t know how ordinary people live because no one has taught them. Their maternal grandfather¡¯s surname was Li Mingqian, and Li was the surname of the country. Before he was demoted to Yanbei, he was a real nobleman, a Xianwang conferred by the late emperor himself. Now they are just ordinary people in Yanbei, and their children and grandchildren will never be allowed to enter capital without being summoned. In her last life, she could not understand the actions of her grandfather and uncle because her surname was not Li. But she remembered that in her previous life, after her father¡¯s death, all the relatives, including the Ren family, refused to collect his corpse, but only her uncle dared to take the martial arts student he had raised to carry his father¡¯s corpse back and sell the ¡°General Changsheng¡±, the cricket which her grandfather regarded as his lifeblood, for his burial. It was also the untalented uncle who, on her mother¡¯s orders after she was abandoned by the Ren family, chased her back to the capital at the risk of beheading and tried to steal her out of the Pei family. In the end, she declined him politely and persuaded him to return to Yanbei. That was the first time she knew that a man in his thirties could cry with tears and snot flying all over his nose, completely disregarding his image. As the saying goes, a friend is found in adversity[1]. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t say this to Ren Yaohua, so she could only sigh, and turned to go to her west chamber. There are many things that need to be experienced to understand the ups and downs of human relationships. Lin came back only on the sixth day of the lunar new year. As soon as she came back, she was called to the Ronghua Courtyard by Old Madam Ren. Of course, she didn¡¯t blame her for returning late, but asked her about Ren Shijia¡¯s situation. Although Old Madam Ren arranged for someone to take care of her early in the morning, she was still worried about her daughter. Yun Wenfang didn¡¯t see anyone during the New Year¡¯s Eve. Qiu Yun said that he went back to Yunyang City to pay New Year¡¯s greetings to his elders, but he didn¡¯t know if it was true or not. On the day of the Lantern Festival, Baihe Town was very lively. Several big families raised funds to hold a temple fair. Ren Yaoting from Dongfu asked Han You to go to the lantern festival at night, and the Han family agreed for the first time. The Second Madam came over and invited Ren Yaoqi and her sister to go with her. Madam Li hoped that sisters Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi would go out and meet people more, because Ren Yaohua was almost at the age of marriage. In the end, Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyu went together, while Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaoying did not go out. These are sentence that can¡¯t translated well by machine translation so I just shoot in the dark and hope for the best: [1] Ë×»°ËµÄæ¾³·êÖª¼º£¬»¼ÄѼûÕæÇé¡£ CH 49 Chapter 49: Lantern Festival Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua took a carriage. When they left the house, in addition to a few carriage of maids, there was also a middle-aged woman who looked fresh. She was better dressed than ordinary women, and her facial features were also very delicate. Ren Yaohua looked at her more: ¡°Where are you on duty? How come I haven¡¯t seen you before?¡± A carriage attendant sent out by the Ren family was busy smiling and said, ¡°This is Mrs. Yuan, a steward in charge of food at our Ren family¡¯s Xishan coal mine. Today, she came into the house to do something for the master, and came out to meet young miss who were going out, so she waited here to pay her respects.¡± ¡°Mrs. Yuan?¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s steps gave a beat, turned her head and gave the woman a glance, smiling and saying, ¡°Is it Steward Yuan from the Events Department of the Outer Courtyard?¡± The woman bowed her head and respectfully replied, ¡°It is precisely this servant.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and said to her, ¡°Are you the one who usually manages the coal mines in Xishan?¡± ¡°Back to Fifth Miss, exactly.¡± ¡°I am most tired of riding in the carriage, the journey is tedious. You come up and talk to me about the Xishan coal mine to relieve the boredom.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and waved at her, and after finishing speaking, she remembered that she was going to ride with Ren Yaohua , he turned his head and smiled flatteringly, ¡°Third Sister, our carriage is very spacious anyway, so one more person doesn¡¯t matter, right?¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Mrs. Yuan and saw that she was neatly dressed and her hands and face were clean, so she didn¡¯t say anything. Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°What is Third Sister looking at? Were you thought that those who are in charge of the coal kiln are all dirty?¡± Ren Yaohua glared at Ren Yaoqi and turned around to get on the carriage. Ren Yaoqi gestured at Mrs. Yuan and got into the carriage after Ren Yaohua. Mrs. Yuan looked at Ren Yaohua and then looked at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°What does Fifth Miss want to hear?¡± Ren Yaoqi made a gesture to think, and only when the carriage was moving did she smile and said, ¡°Mrs. Yuan can say whatever she wants, are you deliberately waiting for me at the second gate?¡± When Ren Yaohua heard this she looked over, her eyes sizing up Mrs. Yuan with scrutiny. ¡°This¡­ servant..,¡± Mrs. Yuan felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaoqi laughed: ¡°It¡¯s okay, she is my Third Sister, if you have something to say, just say it.¡± Ren Yaohua smiled and glanced at Ren Yaoqi and turned her head away. Only then did Mrs. Yuan try to say, ¡°I wonder if Fifth Miss still remembers Mr. Zhu.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Yes, does Zhu Ruomei live in your Xishan coal mine? Has his mother recovered from her illness?¡± Mrs. Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and spoke a little more freely: ¡°Thank you for remembering, with the reward money you gave for medical treatment and medicine, Mrs. Zhu is now well and with her daughter at her side, she is better than before.¡± It seems that this Mrs. Yuan also knew about the silver she gave to Zhu Ruomei. ¡°That¡¯s good. Did you come today because you don¡¯t have enough money to see the doctor?¡± ¡°No, no, no, there¡¯s enough money. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°If Mrs. Yuan has something to say, there is no harm in saying it.¡± Ren Yaoqi said gently. ¡°The prescription prescribed by the doctor in the town to Mrs. Zhu is still a temporary solution but not the root cause. Ruomei and Dayong found out that there is a doctor in Yunyang City who is very good at diagnosing and treating Mrs. Zhu illness, so I want to take mother to Yunyang city for medical treatment.¡± ¡°Yunyang City,¡± Ren Yaoqi said, inclining her head in thought. ¡°Yes, the doctor is in Yunyang City. Dayong once went to him once and told him about Mrs. Zhu¡¯s illness. He said he was sure he could cure it, but the patient need to be watched by doctor every day. Only the doctor said he can¡¯t go back and forth between Baihe Town and Yunyang City every day, so Ruomei has to take his mother to Yunyang City. Ruomei has a younger sister who can take care of their mother, but the child is only ten years old. Ruomei is worried so he wants to go to take care of them. It¡¯s just that he signed a death contract on the mine to raise money for his mother¡¯s medical treatment, and he can¡¯t leave the coal mine at will without the owner¡¯s permission.¡± Ren Yaoqi mused, ¡°Zhu Ruomei wants to leave the coal mine?¡± ¡°No, no, he just wants to cure his mother¡¯s illness first, and then he will come back. But he will have to take leave for at least several months, and he is afraid that the chief steward of coal mines won¡¯t wait and find someone else to replace him, and he doesn¡¯t want to be punished. We have no choice but to beg to you.¡± ¡°What can she do? Why don¡¯t you go and beg our grandmother or Eldest Aunt?¡± Ren Yaohua said with a frown. ¡°This servant is just a small steward in the coal mine outside, the Old Madam and the Eldest Madam are not someone this servant can just see.¡± Mrs. Yuan said with a bitter smile. After thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi said to Mrs. Yuan, ¡°How about this, you go back first and come back to me in a couple of days, then tell the gatekeeper that you are looking for¡­ for Xiang Qin.¡± Ren Yaoqi pointed her finger towards Xiang Qin who was waiting at the side, ¡°I will give you an answer then.¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s first maid Xiang Qin, who just called, looked at her real master and silently spat in her mind: just getting one salary for serving two people, the job of a maid is really not good. As soon as Mrs. Yuan heard that Ren Yaoqi was really willing to help, she hurriedly responded with joy on her face: ¡°On behalf of Mrs. Zhu, Ruomei and Ruoju, this servant would like to thank Fifth Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at the sincere joy on Mrs. Yuan¡¯s face and said with a smile, ¡°You are not related to them, but you are willing to go to such lengths for them, they should also thank you properly.¡± Mrs. Yuan sighed: ¡°Both children are good children, and Ruomei often helps me with my work¡­ We also try our best to help as much as we can.¡± The carriage stopped, and Mrs. Yuan saluted then retreated. As soon as she left, Ren Yaohua glared at her and said, ¡°Do you really want to care about this?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought about it and said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t they say that good people get good karma? I want to accumulate blessings for myself and my loved ones.¡± ¡°Whatever you want, just don¡¯t let people rejoice in vain when the time comes.¡± said Ren Yaohua after silent for a while then turned his head away. Ren Yaoqi but smiled and did not say anything. The temple fair in Baihe Town was held near the Guan Gong Temple in the west of the town. When the carriage drove there, the whole street was already brightly lit. All kinds of lights are hung on both sides of the street. Many young men and women are visiting the temple fair in groups, and laughter is everywhere. The lantern festival of the Lantern Festival is a rare moment when you can go out of the house without having to abide by the rules. The ladies of the Ren family and Han You also got out of the carriage. Ren Yaoting and Han You had long been together, pointing to various small stalls on the street and talking non-stop. It seems that Han You has never been to a temple fair before, and everything he sees is novel. He throws away his usual restraint and quietness, and his face is full of excitement. ¡°Yaoting, I really want to thank you. If you hadn¡¯t gone to my house to beg my grandmother, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to come out. Ah¡ª¡ªwhat is that? Such a long lamp!¡± ¡°Pfft ¨C that¡¯s juggling, fire-breathing snakes, it¡¯s not a lamp! You haven¡¯t even seen this before, huh?¡± Ren Yaoyu laughed. Han You was a little embarrassed, Ren Yaoting shook her hand and said to Ren Yaoyu, ¡°Do you think everyone is like you, who has no rules of a lady and likes to run around and be crazy? I¡¯ve never seen more juggling!¡± Ren Yaoyu smiled a little unpleasantly, but Han You said, ¡°Actually, I am ignorant, I really seldom go out.¡± Surrounded by their maids, several people walked to a place where lanterns and palace lanterns were sold. Seeing that Han You liked a lantern with the story of Chang¡¯e flying to the moon, Ren Yaoting bought it and gave it to her. Han You thanked Ren Yaoting, carefully examined the lamp in his hand, and said to the crowd with a smile, ¡°I just think this story is interesting to draw, in fact, the drawing skill is really not good. My brother¡¯s drawing is much better.¡± Here, she said to Ren Yaoting with some embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m not saying the lamp is not good, I just¡­¡± Ren Yaoting smiled and said, ¡°I know, the person who painted the lamp is just a painter, how can he compare with¡­ with them? It¡¯s just a hilarious sight.¡± Han You nodded and turned to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua and said, ¡°Third Uncle Ren¡¯s paintings are much better than my brother¡¯s. I once saw one in my brother¡¯s study.¡± Ren Yaoqi remembered that Ren Shimin once gave a painting of his own to Han Yunqian as a thank-you gift, so she could not help but smile and said, ¡°My father likes to paint all day long.¡± Han You nodded: ¡°I heard my brother say that my uncle has a lot of his own paintings, and the one he gave to my brother is an autumn painting¡± The smile on Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face suddenly stopped and he looked at Han You and said, ¡°Father gave your brother a pair of ¡®Autumn J¨² pictures¡¯?¡± Han You saw that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression was a bit strange and said in a puzzled manner, ¡°Yes, it is the ¡®Autumn J¨² picture¡¯. It is said that the painting is about the J¨² Flower Festival near the Yi River in capital city in the evening. The Third Uncle¡¯s use of color is very bold, The entire river is painted in red, but it is so natural and not at all obtrusive.¡± Ren Yaoqi listened to Han You¡¯s words, but her heart gradually sank, and all the smiles on her face disappeared. Ren Yaoqi, who didn¡¯t smile, made people look indescribably cold. CH 50 Chapter 50: The Painting of Autumn J¨² At the beginning of the founding of the dynasty, there was a major rebellion. The great general Xia Weiming, who once conquered the Great Zhou with Emperor Taizu, led an army of 100,000 to approach capital city after the death of Emperor Taizu, in an attempt to overthrow the succeeding Emperor Xiao and establish himself as emperor. After half a month of fighting between the rebels and the 50,000 imperial troops stationed in the capital, Xia Weiming finally entered the palace and killed Emperor Ming Xiao, who had only ascended the throne for less than three months. On the second day, he announced the establishment of a new dynasty. It¡¯s a pity that Xia Weiming is only a martial artist after all, he is good at war, but he doesn¡¯t know anything about political tactics. The Xia clan¡¯s new dynasty lasted less than a hundred days, and Xia Weiming was inexplicably poisoned and killed on the dragon bed. After Xia Weiming¡¯s death, Li Min, the heir of the Li clan, and several young generals took the opportunity to launch a palace coup, killing Xia Weiming¡¯s two sons and taking control of the palace. Because the Taizu emperor¡¯s lineage had been slaughtered by the Xia family, all officials elected the clan¡¯s heir Li Min as the successor to the throne and restored the title of Great Zhou. Li Min was the later Emperor Gaozu. Although the royal family of the Li family has always refused to acknowledge the existence of the new dynasty established by the Xia family that was less than a hundred days old, it is an undeniable fact that the Li family has raided and destroyed the ancestral temple. Therefore, this incident was an unbearable shame for the Li royal family. People in the Great Zhou Dynasty knew more or less about the history of the Xia clan¡¯s seizure of the throne, but because the Li clan didn¡¯t want to hear about it, many details were deliberately forgotten. Therefore, many people don¡¯t know that the day when Xia Weiming launched the rebellion coincided with the time of the Ju Flower Festival in early September. The Jing Ge iron horse smashed the yellow gold armor all over the ground, leaving only the bright red in the Yi River outside the capital city wall. It is said that the water level of the Yi River rose six or seven feet in half a month, which was caused by the blood and corpses of 50,000 forbidden soldiers entering the river. The painting of this j¨² flower may be painted by Ren Shimin in the evening when the sky is full of sunshine, so the river is bright red, and there is no hidden connection to Xia¡¯s rebellion that year. However, in the last life, after Ren Shimin¡¯s death, this painting became Zeng Yu¡¯s handle to threaten Ren¡¯s family. It is said that the Ren family¡¯s rebellion against Huai is to support Prince Yanbei to imitate the Xia family and raise troops to rebel. Ren Yaoqi always thought that this painting of ¡°Autumn J¨²¡± was fabricated by Zeng Yu, because she had never seen it among Ren Shimin¡¯s paintings. Now it seems that Ren Shimin did paint such a picture, but it was painted when he was going to the capital, and it happened to be given to Han Yunqian on his way back to Yanbei, so she had not seen it. The only thing is how did this painting end up in the hands of Zeng Yu, and even become the handle for him to threaten the Ren family? What role did the Han family play in this? Ren Yaoqi thought about it, and couldn¡¯t help staring at Han You a little bit erratically. Han You was at a loss for words and couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. Ren Yaoting frowned and stood in front of Han You: ¡°Fifth Sister, what are you doing?¡± Ren Yaohua was also felt something strange and couldn¡¯t help but push her. Ren Yaoqi came back to her senses, looked at the surprised faces of the crowd, and forced a smile: ¡°It¡¯s okay, I suddenly thought of a dream.¡± As she spoke, she turned her gaze back to Han You standing behind Ren Yaoting, only stayed for a moment, and then showed a gentle smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought of something else just now, didn¡¯t I scare you?¡± Han You breathed a sigh of relief and showed a relieved smile: ¡°I was shocked. I thought I said something wrong and offended you. It¡¯s okay. What dream did you just think of? Do you want to say it? My mother said nightmare isn¡¯t scary if you talk about it.¡± When she met Han You¡¯s pure eyes that were slightly worried, Ren Yao¡¯s heart was complicated: ¡°That dream¡­ I was standing on the top of a high cliff, there was no one around, and the only way was a steep staircase leading to the bottom of the cliff, and if I wasn¡¯t careful, I would be pulverized.¡± This dream is not something she made up, she often had that dream after she left the Ren family in her last life. No matter how she climbed down the mountain steps, there was no end and no way out. The ending always ended with a full fall from the cliff and woke up. However, Ren Yaoyu sneered and said: ¡°What kind of terrible dream is this? I thought it was some kind of fierce ghost!¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly and did not defend herself. Children always think that ghosts and beasts are the scariest thing. They still don¡¯t understand that despair and hopelessness are the most frightening things in this world. ¡°I have never had such a dream, but I also feel it isquite scary.¡± Han You kindly comforted. ¡°If you think less nonsense, you won¡¯t have these messy dreams!¡± Ren Yaohua said unconcernedly. Ren Yaoqi exhaled gently, with a relaxed smile on her face: ¡°Well, where are we going next?¡± Ren Yaoyu immediately jumped ahead and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the street behind Guan Gong Temple, I heard there is a long dragon dance and ¡®Nine Curve Dragon Gate Lantern Formation¡¯.¡± Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaohua were fine with it, while Ren Yaoting looked at Han You, who smiled and nodded, ¡°Yes, I have heard that there will be a ¡®Nine Curve Dragon Gate Lantern Formation¡¯ in town this year, and I heard that this kind of lantern formation takes a lot of effort and requires experts who know the eight trigrams and formations to make the diagrams, so it only happens once every five years. I¡¯d like to come and see it.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Ren Yaoting nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the carriage here and walk over there, right? It¡¯s not far away anyway, and there are so many pedestrians on the road, how lively it is.¡± Ren Yaoyu suggested. At this remark, Han You¡¯s eyes also lit up. She seldom had the opportunity to go out, let alone walk on the street with her friends so openly. Looking at those teenage girls strolling around the street in twos and threes, she couldn¡¯t help but be very envious. But she is shy, she won¡¯t say this kind of proposal. Ren Yaoting, however, read the words and immediately agreed, and then asked Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, ¡°Where are Third Sister and Fifth Sister want to go? Do you want to go with us?¡± She asked this question politely, but it meant that they had already decided to walk whether Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua agreed or not. Ren Yaohua looked at the pedestrians on the street and was also a bit moved, so she glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi was always unconcerned about such things, so she nodded and said: ¡°Then let¡¯s walk, just don¡¯t go too far away from the maidservants. It¡¯s not bad in Baihe Town, but people come and go after all.¡± Ren Yaoyu interrupted with joy and impatience: ¡°You still need to say that! These people wouldn¡¯t dare to lose us!¡± So they took a bunch of maids to the street behind Guan Gong Temple. Ren Yaoting and Han You walked ahead of them, while Ren Yaoyu took her maids and servants to the roadside stalls and bought a dozen lamps for the people behind her to carry back with them. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua walked together. ¡°Third sister doesn¡¯t want to buy lamps?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. ¡°If you want it, you can buy it yourself. I don¡¯t want it. Where do you want to hang it?¡± Ren Yaohua just watched the excitement and was not interested in the lights. Ren Yaoqi was just asking casually, she was still thinking about the painting in her heart, no matter what, she must find a way to get it back. The two walked silently all the way, and when they came to the back street, they met a team of dancing dragons. The crowd rushed towards this side, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua stopped outside the crowd and watched for a while. ¡°Huh? Where are Seventh Sister and the others?¡± Ren Yaohua looked around and suddenly asked. Ren Yaoqi also looked around, there are a lot of people but but the three people were nowhere to be seen. ¡°I think they must have squeezed to the front.¡± Ren Yaoqi said uncertainly. Ren Yaohua looked around again, but there were too many people in front of them, so how could they see who was playing tricks? ¡°Forget it, they must go to see the Nine Curve Dragon Gate Lantern Formation. Let¡¯s go there and wait for them.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and had no objection. The two of them bypassed the lively crowd and went to the place where the formation was set up. Nine Curve Dragon Gate Lantern Formation was set up on a flat area behind the Guan Gong Temple, about two acres wide. It is poured with water to form a seven-foot ice wall, and there are 360 lamps inside. The entire light array has only one entrance and one exit. People who don¡¯t know the formation method go in no matter how they go around, they will always come out from the entrance. This is the peculiarity of the ine Curve Dragon Gate Lantern Formation. Setting up this kind of light array takes time, effort and money. When Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua walked to the entrance, they saw that there were already some spectators, but there were not many people who really dared to go in and have a try. Everyone was afraid that they would not be able to get out. ¡°This array of lights is so beautiful!¡± the maids said happily. The ice lantern array was illuminated by the lights like a crystal, and Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but stare in amazement. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Young Master Han?¡± Xiang Qin pointed not far away. ¡°Huh? The Third Young Master is here too?¡± Xiang Qin added belatedly. Ren Yaoqi looked up, and sure enough, she saw Han Yunqian and Ren Yijun talking outside the light array. It¡¯s no wonder that Xiang Qin only saw Han Yunqian at first. Although he was young, he had a calm and outstanding demeanor. Ren Yijun¡¯s handsome appearance and gloomy demeanor were naturally compared to him. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help frowning. Isn¡¯t Ren Yijun dislike Han Yunqian? How could the two appear here together? After thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi said to Ren Yaohua: ¡°Since we met, it¡¯s time to say hello.¡± Ren Yaohua did not object, and the two walked up to Ren Yijun and Han Yunqian. She happened to hear Ren Yijun say: ¡°If you can come out within a quarter of an hour, I¡¯ll believe you, how about it?¡± Han Yunqian was about to speak when he raised his eyes and saw the two sisters. ¡°Yaoqi, you¡¯re here too?¡± Ren Yijun turned a blind eye to Ren Yaohua and only greeted Ren Yaoqi with a very friendly attitude. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua bowed and saluted, and Han Yunqian bowed his hands in return. Ren Yaoqi smiled and said to Ren Yijun: ¡°I wanted to invite Third Brother to watch the lantern before, but I heard that you have already gone out. So you are with Mr. Han?¡± Ren Yijun rolled his eyes: ¡°Who came with him? It was just a coincidence that we met at a friend¡¯s party. I said I wanted to see the Nine Curve Dragon Gate Lantern Formation, and he wanted to see it too, so we went on the same road.¡± CH 51 Chapter 51: Lamp Array Ren Yaoqi looked at Han Yunqian. Under the reflection of the ice lamp, the calm young man¡¯s pitch-black eyes were a bit dark and bottomless. Ren Yaoqi likes to look at people¡¯s eyes, because a person¡¯s eyes are not easy to disguise and can explain many things. She was a little curious why Han Yunqian, a teenager, had the eyes of an adult. He always feels like carrying too much in silence. Han Yunqian was also looking intensely at Ren Yaoqi. Suddenly he opened his mouth and said: ¡°I heard that Fifth Miss Ren is very good at chess.¡± That was all he said. When Ren Yaoqi heard the words, she cast a sideways glance at Ren Yijun who was standing beside her, wondering if he had let others know that she had spoken ill of him behind his back. However because of the matter of Ren Yaohua and the picture of Autumn Ju in her previous life, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of Han Yunqian. Even if he knew that she spoke ill of him, she didn¡¯t feel guilty at all. Ren Yijun sneezed at this moment. Ren Yaoqi frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s very cold here. Third Brother, why don¡¯t you go to the carriage?¡± Ren Yijun snorted softly, turned his head away as if he didn¡¯t hear it, and just said to himself, ¡°Does anyone want to enter the formation or not? You are not going to beat this master!¡± Ren Yaoqi knew his temper well, so she couldn¡¯t persuade him anymore. She just turned her head and told the servant behind him to get a thicker cloak. When Ren Yijun went out, the gear on the carriage was always fully equipped. ¡°How is it? Can you come out within a quarter of an hour?¡± Ren Yijun looked at Han Yunqian, speaking provocatively. Han Yunqian looked at the lantern array, thought for a while, and replied somewhat reservedly: ¡°You have to walk around to find out. I heard that this year¡¯s lantern array is a drawing made by Prince Yanbei, which is a little different from previous years.¡± ¡°Second Young Master Xiao?¡± Ren Yaoqi was a little surprised, she had never heard of this. Han Yunqian nodded, and said politely: ¡°I heard Zishu said it before, not many people outside know about it.¡± Zishu is Yun Wenfang¡¯s nickname. The second son of the Xiao family, Xiao Jingxi, has been a legendary existence. Since he entered the capital to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday, his fame in the capital is greater than in Yanbei. Those who met him said he was a man of great elegance and intelligence. Ren Yijun suddenly rubbed his chin and said to Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Does Fifth Sister want to go and try? I would like to go in, but I promised my mother not to go into the formation when I went out. But we¡¯re already here, it would be a shame to not go in and take a look. If you go in, you can come out and talk to me about what is inside the array.¡± ¡°What if we get in but can¡¯t come out?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned and retorted. Ren Yijun glanced at her, snickered: ¡°Just walk back on the way you go in, there is no way people who can come in can¡¯t come out. You can rest assured that if the Fifth Sister does not come out in half an hour, I will have someone knock the light array over. How about it?¡± Speaking of which, Ren Yijun looked at Ren Yaoqi and Han Yunqian again: ¡°How about this, you all go in once, and see who gets out of the formation in the shortest time.¡± Ren Yaoqi has never liked to compete, so she would not have paid attention to Ren Yijun¡¯s sudden and boring proposal, but her words of refusal suddenly came to her lips with a flash of inspiration. ¡°I originally wanted to walk in, so Third Brother¡¯s proposal is not bad. But, if you want to compete, there must be an account for winning or losing.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Han Yunqian and smiled. Han Yunqian couldn¡¯t help but stare. Ren Yijun, however, applauded: ¡°Fifth Younger Sister¡¯s words are right, indeed, there must be a compensation. What does Mr. Han think?¡± ¡°Third Brother! Why are you also following her nonsense!¡± Ren Yaohua stopped in a low voice. Ren Yijun gave another blank stare: ¡°I¡¯ve always been full of nonsense! If you don¡¯t like it, get away from me!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said to Ren Yaohua, ¡°Third Sister, it¡¯s just for fun, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ren Yaohua wanted to get angry, but Han Yunqian, an outsider, was in front of her, so she couldn¡¯t get angry. She could only stare back. ¡°What does Fifth Miss want as a prize?¡± Han Yunqian, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. He did not object to Ren Yijun¡¯s words. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t expect him to really respond. Nowadays, men and women are not equal in status, and men have always been ashamed to compete with women. They feel that winning is easy, but losing is completely embarrassing. Only people like Ren Yijun who are eccentric and uninhibited would compare her with Han Yunqian over and over again. Ren Yaoqi said: ¡°The winner can make a request to the loser, of course, for fear that the other party will not be able to do it, this request can be made now. What do you think, Mr. Han?¡± Han Yunqian only thought for a moment before nodding his head and said, ¡°Third Miss Ren can make the request first.¡± Ren Yaoqi was not polite and said with a smile, ¡°I remember that my father gave you a painting. If I win, how about you give me the painting?¡± A hint of surprise flashed across Han Yunqian¡¯s dark eyes, which were caught by Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart tightened, could it be that Han Yunqian already had the intention of causing trouble with that painting when he got his father¡¯s painting? In that case, he must have refused her offer. ¡°That painting was given to Yunqian by Third Uncle Ren, and Yunqian cherishes it very much,¡± Han Yunqian said deliberately, ¡°If I were to give you the words again, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be very respectful to Third Uncle Ren.¡± Ren Yaoqi sniffed and sighed, ¡°I originally asked my father to paint this painting and give it to me as a birthday gift. I¡¯ve never been to the capital city, so I¡¯d like to know what the Annual J¨² Flower Festival is like. I didn¡¯t want my father to give the painting to you. I¡­when I asked my father for it afterward, he was also very embarrassed. He only said that the painting has been given to you. If we are asking for the painting again it is not appropriate, you may not agree.¡± The company also looked up at Han Yunqian, with a hint of reluctance. Han Yunqian couldn¡¯t help feeling a little headache, a gentleman doesn¡¯t take what others like. Ren Yaoqi has already made her words so clear, if he refuses again, it will be out of style after all. Moreover, what people said was to ask him to ask for it after losing the competition, not to force him to go back. So, Han Yunqian could only say: ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll ask Third Uncle Ren what he thinks about it. If he doesn¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll give you the painting. Otherwise, you can make any other request.¡± Even though he said that, it was just to make Ren Yaoqi look good. Han Yunqian didn¡¯t think he would lose to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi smiled: ¡°Then it¡¯s settled! What do you want if Mr. Han wins?¡± Han Yunqian shook his head and said, ¡°No need.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°How can this be done? Since it¡¯s a competition, it¡¯s better to be fair!¡± Han Yunqian thought for a while: ¡°I heard that Fifth Miss is very good at chess. If Yunqian wins, I would like to ask Fifth Miss to give face and play against Yunqian once.¡± This surprised Ren Yaoqi a bit. After the first comparison, do you want to compare it the second time? How amazing is her chess skill being taught by Ren Yijun? Ren Yaoqi glared at Ren Yijun who was watching. Ren Yijun blinked and turned to look at the lamp. Ren Yaoqi could only nod: ¡°Okay. Young Master Han please first!¡± Ren Yijun slowly and methodically fished out a gold pocket watch from his sleeve and raised it toward the two: ¡°It just so happens that I brought this with me, so I¡¯ll record the time for you both.¡± Han Yunqian nodded. In order to be fair, Ren Yijun showed the pocket watch to Han Yunqian and looked at the time. He also asked Han Yunqian¡¯s attendants to stand with him and free the way out for Han Yunqian. Han Yunqian walked into the light array calmly and leisurely. Only then did Ren Yijun turn his head to Ren Yaoqi and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, how sure are you for that win?¡± Ren Yaoqi honestly shook her head: ¡°I won¡¯t know until I come out.¡± Several people waited outside for a quarter of an hour, and Han Yunqian really lived up to expectations and came out from another entrance. Looking at Han Yunqian who had already walked in front of him, and then looked down at his pocket watch, Ren Yijun couldn¡¯t help but worried and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°it¡¯s two times a quarter.¡± Han Yunqian nodded towards them and hesitated for a moment before saying to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Second Prince Xiao¡¯s formation is really a bit different from the usual lamp formations. Because it is cast in ice, it is a bit cold inside. Fifth Miss should not go in.¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head and said seriously, ¡°It is not a gentleman¡¯s word without faith, although I am not a gentleman I do not want to break faith with others.¡± Saying that, Ren Yaoqi ordered Xiang Qin and a maid behind Ren Yaohua to go in with her. She was a woman and could not leave without anyone by her side, so bringing someone in was not a violation. ¡°Fifth Miss, the view is nice, but it¡¯s really cold.¡± Xiang Qin shivered as soon as she entered. Ren Yaoqi stopped not far from the entrance and surveyed a few forks in the road, smiling on one side, ¡°There are ice walls all around, how can it not be cold? It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll be able to get out soon.¡± Saying that, Ren Yaoqi lifted her head and walked towards the road branch she had chosen. Xiang Qin hurriedly followed: ¡°Fifth Miss, can we really win against that Young Master Han? Didn¡¯t Third Young Master say he was very powerful?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and did not speak as she was quickly calculating the formation points in her mind. Xiao Jingxi¡¯s formation technique is really exquisite, he must be a master of geomancy. It¡¯s just that this kind of lantern array is put out for the enjoyment of the people, so it¡¯s not so difficult that no one can walk. It¡¯s just that if ordinary people don¡¯t know the tricks, it will take more time. Ren Yaoqi has learned a lot from Teacher Pei, including the hardest nine palace formation and even arithmetic. Although she can¡¯t be regarded as proficient, she is familiar with this kind of formation. To be fair, Han Yunqian walked out in half an hour, which is already very good. Ren Yaoqi calculated the positions calmly, and kept walking. When she finally saw the exit, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°We¡¯re out.¡± Question for readers: Is it more understandable to translate the honarary names to English (like lao taitai to Old Madam or guniang to Young Miss) or should I keep it in Chinese? CH 52 Chapter 52: Encounter Xiang Qin cheered and said excitedly: ¡°Fifth Miss, how long did it take? How long did we take?¡± Ren Yaoqi kept walking out. Without turning her head, she replied, ¡°We won¡¯t know until we get out and check the time.¡± Ren Yijun and Han Yunqian were already waiting not far from the exit of the lantern array. Standing with them were Han You and Ren Yaoting who had separated before. When Ren Yaoqi walked over, she just heard Ren Yaoting say: ¡°Third Brother, Young Master Han, should we wait at the entrance? Fifth Sister should not be able to get out.¡± However, Ren Yijun had already seen Ren Yaoqi, and couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes. He lowered his head to look at the pocket watch in his hand, and then shouted at Ren Yaoqi in disbelief: ¡°One time a quarter.¡± Everyone turned their heads and saw Ren Yaoqi walking over. Ren Yaoqi stopped in front of Ren Yijun, took a look at the pocket watch from his hand, and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her head and smiled politely at Han Yunqian who was staring at her in a daze: ¡°Young Master Han, it is conceded.¡± Ren Yijun laughed loudly: ¡°Fifth Sister, it took you a quarter of an hour to enter the battle, and Young Master Han took two times a quarter. You are one quarter faster than him! Young Master Han, you lost!¡± Han Yunqian saw that Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t speak, but Ren Yaoting said suspiciously: ¡°Impossible! How could Fifth Sister beat Young Master Han!¡± Ren Yijun stared and retorted unhappily: ¡°Why can¡¯t Fifth Sister win!¡± Ren Yaoting opened her mouth and found that everyone was looking at her, she couldn¡¯t help but blushed, and could no longer say anything to argue. Han Yunqian withdrew his gaze fixed on Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face, lowered his eyes slightly, and said softly, ¡°I lost.¡± Ren Yaoqi said modestly: ¡°I was also lucky, and I came out of it by accident.¡± Ren Yaoting gave Han You an expression of ¡°as expected¡±, and felt a little more at ease for some reason. Han Yunqian, however, knew how unlikely it was for someone could get out of the Nine Curved Dragon Gate Palace Lantern Formation so quickly just by good luck. Ren Yaoqi looked around and asked doubtfully, ¡°Where is Third Sister?¡± ¡°Sister Yaohua said she was a little cold, so she was going to wait for you in the carriage. She just left not long ago.¡± It was Han You who answered Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi thought that Ren Yaohua must still be angry and thought she would be embarrassed so she would just turn a blind eye. Thinking about her purpose of entering the battle, Ren Yaoqi turned to look at Han Yunqian: ¡°Young Master Han, my father¡¯s painting.¡± Han Yunqian was silent for a moment, nodded, and said, ¡°I will go to the house tomorrow and ask Third Uncle Ren¡¯s opinion first. If he has no opinion, I will pass the painting on to you.¡± Ren Yijun who loves seeking trouble said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we compete again?¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at him with a half-smile when she heard the words: ¡°Third brother, do you also want me to take an official examination to give you face?¡± Han You laughed at the side but felt a bit rude after laughing, so he looked down and covered his lips with his sleeve. If someone else talked to Ren Yijun like that, he would have flipped out. But hearing what Ren Yaoqi said, he just coughed lightly and lowered his head to touch his nose. ¡°Is the Eighth Sister not with you?¡± Ren Yaoqi stopped paying attention to Ren Yijun and turned around to talk to Ren Yaoting. Ren Yaoting was a bit careless: ¡°I¡¯ve been with Sister You, I haven¡¯t seen Eight Sister.¡± ¡°Shall we go back and look for her?¡± Han You asked with some concern. Ren Yaoting was about to say something when Han You said again, ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you accompany us to look for Sister Yaoyu?¡± Ren Yaoting stopped talking and also turned his eyes to Han Yunqian. Han Yunqian nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± But Ren Yaoting said to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yijun, ¡°Then how about we look for Eight Sister, and Third Brother and Fifth Sister stay here and wait? In case the Eighth Sister comes and can¡¯t find us later. How about we meet here in an hour?¡± Ren Yijun naturally did not want to follow them, he only wanted to ask Ren Yaoqi about the lamp formation, so he just gave a ¡°hmm¡±. Ren Yaoqi nodded and instructed Xiang Qin to say, ¡°Go tell Third Sister that I have come out. If she does not want to come out, wait for us in the carriage, and I will go to her in half an hour.¡± Xiang Qin answered and retreated. Han Yunqian bowed toward both Ren Yijun and Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes met his in mid-air, smiled, and then naturally turn back. After the three of them left, Ren Yijun couldn¡¯t wait to say, ¡°Fifth Sister, tell me how you got out of the Nine Curved Dragon Gate Palace Lantern Formation?¡± Ren Yijun was wearing a heavy fur cloak, but his nose was still red from the cold. Ren Yaoqi thought that walking around would make his body warmer, so she deliberately said, ¡°It¡¯s okay to tell you, but Third Brother has to give me a rabbit lamp!¡± Ren Yijun rolled his eyes: ¡°Just one? I can give you ten or eight.¡± Ren Yaoqi reached out to help him put on the wind hat, causing Ren Yijun to glare at him with displeasure. Seeing that he wanted to put his hat down, Ren Yaoqi put the hat over his own cloak, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go over there to buy lamps, don¡¯t put your hat down, you¡¯re so old and still buying rabbit lamps, aren¡¯t you afraid of being laughed at?¡± Ren Yijun skimmed his mouth and said: ¡°Who dares to laugh at this master!¡± Although said so, he did not move his wind hat. Ren Yaoqi suppressed a smile and beckoned him to the side alley next to Guan Gong Temple, where there was a stall selling lanterns. Two servants were left waiting in their place. There were lotus lanterns, peony lanterns, lion lanterns, jujube lanterns, rabbit lanterns, etcetera in the lantern market, which make people dizzy to see. Originally, Ren Yaoqi just wanted to let Ren Yijun walk around and exercise his muscles, so she talked to him about the light array while picking and choosing slowly. After the two of them strolled all the way, Ren Yijun didn¡¯t notice that a rabbit lamp full of childishness was stuffed in his hand, and he walked all the way with it. In the end, he saw that everyone around him cast kind and joking looks at him. Ren Yijun¡¯s eyes widened and looked back confidently and fiercely. His gloomy expression successfully scared away the passersby. Ren Yaoqi laughed so hard at the side. She never knew that the Third Brother who was always gloomy in her eyes in the previous life had such a cute and naive side. Ren Yijun stuffed the rabbit lantern in his hand into Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand, turned around, and left angrily. ¡°Third Brother, wait.¡± Ren Yaocheng laughed as she chased after him, but Ren Yijun¡¯s steps were fast and he soon disappeared into the side alley. Ren Yaoqi handed over the rabbit lantern to the woman behind her, and muttered with a smile, ¡°So mean,¡± and strolled after him. When she walked to the exit of the previous light array, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s steps suddenly stopped. She noticed a carriage parked in a corner not far away. The carriage was parked in the shadows, there was no one around, but only the outline of a carriage could be vaguely seen, even the horses pulling the carriage were silent. It was standing there without any movement, very quiet and unobtrusive. Ren Yaoqi passed by it twice before but didn¡¯t notice its existence. Could it be that it stopped after she left? But she didn¡¯t see any carriage passing by along the way. ¡°Fifth Miss?¡± Seeing that she was stopping, the maid called softly. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help laughing when she came to her senses, wondering why did she care so much about a carriage. When she wanted to move on, she heard footsteps. Ren Yaoqi accidentally stood there without moving. This feeling is very magical, as if the whole world¡¯s noise and clamor of people¡¯s laughter and anger are in front of your eyes, your ears present, but you can only notice the slight sound of footsteps. It captures your entire mind, and you can not ignore it. A tall figure appeared in front of her. If Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t just hear footsteps, she even felt that this person had appeared in front of her out of thin air. The ice lamp cast a colorful glazed light and shadow on one side of his body, but it was so dazzling that it was hard to see clearly. His whole body was wrapped in a black cloak, and the fox fur at the collar completely covered his chin. Ren Yaoqi took a look, and could only feel a very subtle attractive look about this man. She couldn¡¯t tell what kind of feeling it was, but she just felt that she couldn¡¯t focus her eyes to see his appearance clearly. Suddenly she met a pair of extremely clear dark eyes, as black as black jade. Ren Yaoqi felt her heart beating fast, and when she wanted to see more clearly, that figure had already passed through the light and shadow and entered the shadow beside the carriage. He stopped beside the carriage, did not get into the carriage immediately, but turned his head slightly to look over. Ren Yaoqi seemed to feel that his eyes were on her, and making her feel a little nervous. Then someone lifted the curtain of the carriage for him, and he got into the carriage. The carriage moved slowly, passing by Ren Yaoqi. After the sound of the wheels disappeared, Ren Yaoqi felt that she could finally move. She seemed to have entered a nightmare just now. ¡°Fifth Miss, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± the maids asked in a low voice. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, and said in a low voice, ¡°It seems like a ghost is pressing me.¡± ¡°Fifth Miss, what did you say?¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s voice was too low, she didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Oh, did you see his face clearly just now?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. The maids looked at each other in blank dismay, and finally shook their heads. ¡°This servant did not see clearly, the place where the carriage stopped was too dark.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, put the matter aside and continued on her way to find Ren Yijun. After finding Ren Yijun, Ren Yaoqi coaxed him to play chess with her as a bait and turned his anger into joy. Ren Yaoqi silently added another note about Ren Yijun in her heart: It¡¯s easy to coax him when he is angry. CH 53 Chapter 53: The Game After that, Ren Yaoting and Han siblings did find Ren Yaoyu back. The time was already late, so everyone planned to go back to their home. Only Ren Yaoyu was still shouting that she wanted to go through the Nine Curved Dragon Gate Palace Lantern Formation once and refused to go back. Ren Yijun sarcastic few words made Ren Yaoyu feel ashamed and angry. After easily persuading Ren Yaoyu, several people went back to the place where the carriage was parked to look for Ren Yaohua. Because Xiang Qin had already told Ren Yaohua about Ren Yaoqi¡¯s win over Han Yunqian, Ren Yaohua did not sneer at her after Ren Yaoqi got on the carriage, even though she still had a cold face and did not talk to her. The Han family was closer and Ren Yaoting had to send Han You, so the carriage of the Ren family walked with the Han family. After the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Han family, Han Yunqian deliberately walked outside Ren Yaoqi¡¯s carriage and whispered, ¡°Tomorrow Yunqian will visit the Ren family.¡± Although there was only this sentence, Ren Yaoqi knew that he was talking about the painting, so she couldn¡¯t help but thank him through the curtain. Listening to the sound of Han Yunqian¡¯s footsteps going away, Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered the man she had met earlier. When she came back to her senses, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but be a little stunned. She hadn¡¯t even seen his face clearly, yet he had left an inexplicably deep impression on her. Could it be that she really saw a ghost? There was nothing else to say that night. The next day, Ren Yaoqi approached Ren Shimin early in the morning. He was dancing with his own bamboo sword in the west courtyard. After he finished the dance, Ren Yaoqi gave the tea and sweat towel to his hands and then told him she wanted the painting he gave to Han Yunqian. Ren Shimin listened and frowned: ¡°How can you ask for something that was sent out? If Yaoyao likes it, daddy will paint another one for you.¡± Ren Yaoqi was unreasonable: ¡°Another painting is not the same one! I just like that one!¡± Ren Shimin tried to reason with her, ¡°But that one has already been given to Han Yunqian, so it would be unbecoming of a gentleman to ask for it back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one he lost to me! He¡¯s the one who lost his manners by not giving it to me!¡± Ren Shimin was stunned: ¡°He lost to you?¡± Ren Yaoqi then told the story of how she and Han Yunqian lost to her last night. Ren Shimin first laughed out loud when he heard it, but after he finished laughing, he suddenly stared at Ren Yaoqi and said, ¡°How dare you use my painting as a bet!¡± Ren Yaoqi hurriedly said, ¡°It was Third Brother who insisted that we compete! I wanted your painting so badly that I agreed to it. If I didn¡¯t want to get your painting back, I wouldn¡¯t have competed with him! And since he was willing to bet your painting with me, it means he doesn¡¯t really cherish your gift, the sword is for the hero, and the painting should belong to me, so I will not take it away!¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t blush when she talked like a scoundrel, her heart didn¡¯t skip a beat, her conscience have been fed to the dogs. Ren Shimin¡¯s face looked better, but he still hesitated: ¡°You really want that painting so much? But you haven¡¯t even seen that painting before.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a word called ¡®God has been married for a long time¡¯? I just want that ¡®Chrysanthemum in Autumn¡¯ painting, want it so much that I can¡¯t even sleep knowing it¡¯s in someone else¡¯s hands.¡± The last sentence of Ren Yaoqi is true, if she still let Ren Shimin¡¯s handle fall into the hands of the Han family in this life, she really will not be able to sleep every day. Ren Shimin was afraid of her nonsense and could only say, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until he comes.¡± Ren Yaoqi was finally satisfied and followed Ren Shimin into the study. Ren Shimin looked at the tail following behind him and helplessly said, ¡°If he comes, I¡¯ll just pick it up. You don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± ¡°I still have something to discuss with father.¡± Ren Yaoqi smilingly followed Ren Shimin to sit by the book case. Ren Shimin smiled lightly and glared at her: ¡°What do you want to discuss? What else did you like to say to your father? If you¡¯re naughty again, I¡¯ll punish you¡­punish you for copying ¡®The Commandments of Women¡¯!¡± After saying that Ren Shimin thought this method was good and was somewhat proud of himself. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face was full of black lines, and she thought for a while and said, ¡°I was very sick last time and felt very uncomfortable every day. After recovering from the illness, I made a wish in front of the Bodhisattva, asking her to bless me and my family with good health. I¡¯ll do at least one good deed every year to help someone in need.¡± Ren Shimin was listening carefully. Ren Yaoqi told the story of meeting Zhu Ruomei and his mother¡¯s illness: ¡°Save someone¡¯s life and create a seven-level pagoda. Besides, I hope my relatives are safe and healthy, so I also sympathize with Zhu Ruomei.¡± When Ren Yaoqi said this, her eyes were a little red. She was willing to help Zhu Ruomei not only because this person was useful, but also because Zhu Ruomei reminded her of her despair when she was powerless about the fate of her relatives in her previous life. She is willing to help him within the scope of her ability, and only hopes that this life will give her a chance to change the fate of her loved ones. Ren Shimin sighed, took out his handkerchief and handed it to Ren Yaoqi, stroked her head and said: ¡°Don¡¯t cry, isn¡¯t it just a matter of releasing someone? I will go to your uncle to discuss it.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked up at Ren Shimin and laughed through tears: ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± Ren Shimin couldn¡¯t help laughing: ¡°Children just love to cry.¡± He thought for a while, and then said, ¡°It¡¯s just that Daddy never asks about this kind of thing, once or twice is nothing, if it happens too often, it may alarm your grandfather, that won¡¯t be good. Fortunately, you only do good deeds once a year, so your father won¡¯t get hurt because punished by your grandfather.¡± Seeing Ren Shimin¡¯s frowned eyebrows, Ren Yaoqi laughed out loud. ¡°When did Daddy get hit by Old Master?¡± The expression on Ren Shimin¡¯s face froze, and he was about to put it off when someone reported outside that the young master of the Han family had arrived. Ren Shimin asked people outside to let him come in, and Ren Yaoqi also stood up behind Ren Shimin in an orderly manner. After Han Yunqian came in, his eyes glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and he went forward to salute Ren Shimin. Ren Shimin nodded and asked him to sit down. However, Han Yunqian did not sit down. He explained the reason why he came to see Ren Shimin today, and he admitted that he lost to Ren Yaoqi openly and without restraint. He just apologized for losing Ren Shimin¡¯s work. Ren Shimin took a look at Ren Yaoqi, and didn¡¯t make things difficult for Han Yunqian anymore. He just said, ¡°Yaoqi is spoiled by me, please take care of her a little bit more.¡± Ren Shimin has always been a very gracious gentleman in front of outsiders. Han Yunqian hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not as skilled as others, and I¡¯m arrogant and underestimate the enemy.¡± Ren Shimin thought for a while: ¡°How about this, the painting I gave you is a thank you gift. Since you returned it, I¡¯ll give you another one as a gift.¡± Ren Yaoqi, who had been lowering her head and acting obediently, quickly raised her head: ¡°Daddy, didn¡¯t you just collect a good inkstone? Just give that inkstone to Young Master Han.¡± Please don¡¯t say that you have to draw another painting for him. Ren Shimin felt a little pain in his soul, but he could only nod when Ren Yaoqi said so: ¡°You go to the inner room and take out my father¡¯s ink stone to give it to Yunqian.¡± Han Yunqian naturally saw Ren Shimin¡¯s reluctance: ¡°Uncle, can Yunqian exchange the inkstone for a match with Fifth Miss?¡± Ren Yaoqi was taken aback, and looked at Han Yunqian. Could it be that this person is really a chess idiot? Ren Shimin looked back at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, then nodded. So in Ren Shimin¡¯s study, Ren Yaoqi and Han Yunqian sat opposite each other and set up a chess game. Ren Shimin sat by and watched. Ren Yaoqi raised her head and smiled: ¡°Young Master Han please go first.¡± He motioned for Han Yunqian to take the black piece. Although Han Yunqian would not take the game lightly this time, he was not willing to take advantage of it, so he grabbed a handful of pieces from the chess basket, ¡°Guess the pieces to decide.¡± In the end, Ren Yaoqi guessed wrongly, and Han Yunqian took the black piece. The two players were both calm and relaxed, and the pieces fell silently. This game lasted for an hour. In the end, Han Yunqian surrendered before the game was over. Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Young Master Han, the winner is not yet decided.¡± Han Yunqian smiled, and Ren Yaoqi had never seen him smile before, but his smile was was full of wantonness and leisurely like spring flowers blooming, which made people unable to move away. ¡°No, it¡¯s already been divided. Yunqian¡¯s skills are not as good as others.¡± When a master plays chess, he takes one step and sees three moves. Ren Shimin laughed at the side: ¡°There are always losers and winners in chess, how can one game determine the winner?¡± Han Yunqian glanced at Ren Yaoqi and got up and bowed to Ren Shimin: ¡°Yunqian bids farewell. Can Fifth Miss send someone to fetch the painting with me?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and also stood up. Ren Shimin was looking down at the previous game of chess and waved his hand, ¡°You guys go.¡± When the two of them came out of the study, Han Yunqian suddenly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the painting with me today.¡± Ren Yaoqi paused, frowned, and looked at Han Yunqian with a slightly annoyed voice: ¡°Young Master Han, what do you mean?¡± Han Yunqian turned his head and looked at her for a while, then smiled again: ¡°So I asked Fifth Miss to send someone back with me to get it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Yunqian has one thing unclear.¡± Han Yunqian¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°Young Master Han, say it there is no harm.¡± ¡°Did Yunqian offend Fifth Miss at some point, so that Fifth Miss is so displeased with Yunqian?¡± Han Yunqian paused in his steps, his dark, bottomless eyes met Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes. Ren Yaoqi met his eyes for a moment and said in confusion, ¡°Why did Young Master Han say that?¡± Han Yunqian still looked at her without speaking. Ren Yaoqi laughed frankly: ¡°I¡¯m afraid Young Master Han is thinking too much, right? I just met you a few times in total, and am not familiar with you at all. How can I ¡®dislike¡¯?¡± Han Yunqian slowly averted his gaze, and only after a long time said, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± What do you all think about Han Yunqian? Is he really gonna be as bad as Ren Yaoqi thinks? CH 54 Chapter 54: Auntie The two walked out of the West Courtyard and were about to go their separate ways when they saw Ren Yaohua happen to walk out of the main room. Her gaze stopped for a moment on Ren Yaoqi and Han Yunqian, her eyebrows slightly converging. Han Yunqian made a distant bow toward Ren Yaohua, turned around, then walked away. When Ren Yaoqi turned around again Ren Yaohua had already crossed the courtyard and went to her room. After an hour, the maid sent to Han¡¯s house brought the painting to Ren Yaoqi. ¡°Miss, when this servant came back, she met Du Juan, who serves the Seventh Miss of the East Mansion, she pestered this servant and asking many inexplicable words, and even asked this servant what she went to the Han Mansion for.¡± Ren Yaoqi took the painting and raised her eyebrows and gave the maid a look, ¡°Then how did you answer?¡± The maid said, ¡°The maid told me the truth, that the Third Master had ordered this servant to go to the Han residence to get a painting. Seeing that she was asking endless questions and that this servant was in a hurry to return to her order, she casually responded with a few words and left.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Thank you for your hard work, go to Xue Li¡¯s place to receive the reward money.¡± The maid cheerfully answered, and after thinking about it, she smiled again and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, this servant also encountered a strange thing when she was at Han Mansion.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart stirred at her words, ¡°Oh? What strange thing?¡± The servant girl said: ¡°Young Master Han went to the study to pick up the paintings, and the maidservant was waiting at the second door. It¡¯s just that Young Master Han hasn¡¯t come for a long time, and this servant was anxious, so she stopped a maid from the Han family and asked her to lead the servant girl to the bathroom. It was very close to a bathroom in the inner courtyard, so the maid took this servant to the inner courtyard. When the servant girl came out of the bathroom, she happened to see Young Master Han and an old man in his fifties walking past the branch of the road in front of this servant. That old man seemed to be reprimanding Young Master Han, but he spoke with our Youzhou accent. I was about to ask the maid who the old man was, but the maid was startled and dragged me to run from another path. She said that it was not good for people to see me because of the rules of the Han family. After that, the maid left. After a while, Young Master Han and the old man came out again, but this time this servant heard the old man speak but with accent from Jizhou. At this time, this servants knew that the old man was Young Master Han¡¯s grandfather. Miss, do you think this is strange? Didn¡¯t everyone say that the members of the Han family were born and raised in Jizhou? How could Young Master Han¡¯s grandfather speak the dialect of our Baihe Town?¡± Ren Yaoqi laughed and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because Old Master Han had come to Baihe Town when he was young.¡± ¡°But this servant heard that Old Master Han fled to Jizhou from the south, and he was recruited into the Han family because he was liked by the former head of the Han family.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, and said to the maid, ¡°Don¡¯t mention this matter to others, after all, it is very inappropriate for you to sneak into someone¡¯s inner courtyard and accidentally overhear other people¡¯s conversations.¡± The maid hurriedly nodded and said: ¡°This servant knows, this servant only told Fifth Miss about this matter.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and sent the maid away. Sit down on the bed and spread out the scroll in hand on the kang table. It really is the painting of ¡®Chrysanthemum in Autumn¡¯ described by Han You. There was also Ren Shimin¡¯s private seal on it. Ren Yaoqi carefully identified it and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then she thought of what the maid had told her just now. That maid heard Old Master Han talk the dialect with the local characteristics of Baihe Town. Did the maid mishear, or did Old Master Han adapt too quickly? Fake or some other painless reason? The maid heard Old Master Han scolding Han Yunqian, what was the reason for scolding him? Does it have anything to do with the painting in her hand? Ren Yaoqi thought about it and felt a little headache. This Han family is too confusing. In the blink of an eye, when spring blossoms, Yun Wenfang came to Ren Mansion again. It is said that the man who was beaten half to death by him got a serious illness in winter and died. The man¡¯s father was a sixth-rank official, and he went to the Yanbei Palace to appeal for injustice, demanding that Prince Yanbei severely punish Yun Wenfang. Yun Wenfang was ordered by his grandmother to stay obediently at Ren¡¯s house and not go anywhere until the matter was resolved. Yun Wenfang began to study in the outer courtyard with the children of the Ren family. On this day, Ren Yaoqi was reading a book in her room, and the new maid Ping Guo came in. She said her aunt had come back, and she had already gone to the Ronghua Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi was stunned for a long time before realizing that the aunt the maid was talking about was her aunt, Ren Shijia who had already married the second branch of the Lin family in Yunyang City. But she remembered that Ren Shijia was still pregnant, and there were still three months before the due date. How could she come back at this time? ¡°Did aunt come back by herself?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Ping Guo nodded: ¡°Master didn¡¯t come, only Madam came back.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought about it, got up, and went to Li¡¯s main room. Nanny Zhou happened to be reporting to Madam Li about Ren Shijia. ¡°I heard that she had a verbal dispute with the Second Master Lin and came back to her mother¡¯s house to wait for her delivery. The Old Madam of the first branch sent two groups of people to persuade her to go back, but she still insisted on coming back.¡± Madam Li couldn¡¯t help being surprised: ¡°Aren¡¯t Madam and Master always at peace? Why did Madam get into a fight this time when she was pregnant? What happened?¡± Nanny Zhou whispered: ¡°I heard that the Second Master Lin used one of her maids when the Madam was pregnant and sick without telling her. When she found out, she was furious, packed up her things and left.¡± Madam Li was taken aback for a moment: ¡°Second Master Lin has not even had a concubine by his side these years, only Madam as his main wife. Why now?¡± Nanny Zhou shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. It¡¯s just that there is no cat that doesn¡¯t like to steal fishy things. The Second Master Lin¨C¡± Nanny Zhou said here before she saw that Ren Yaoqi had come in at some point and was standing at the side listening to them talk with great interest. Nanny Zhou stopped talking just in time, stood up with a smile and bowed to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t feel the embarrassment of being caught eavesdropping, and said with a smile, ¡°I heard that Aunt is back, so I wonder if Mother should go over.¡± At this time, Ren Yaohua also opened the curtain and came in. She also heard that Ren Shijia was back. Madam Li nodded and said: ¡°It¡¯s just right that you are all here. I¡¯m going to the Ronghua Courtyard. Come with me to meet your aunt.¡± Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua followed Madam Li to Ronghua Yuan. A few people outside heard the laughter of the Fifth Madam, Lin, from inside. After the maid went in to report, the three of Li¡¯s mother and daughters entered the main room. Ren Yaoqi saw a pregnant woman sitting next to the Old Madam Ren¡¯s right hand, that was her aunt Ren Shijia. Ren Shijia is the only daughter of Old Madam Ren and she is also the youngest among several children. Her appearance is the most similar to that of the Fifth Master Ren Shimao, but she is a bit more delicate than Ren Shimao. It is said that before she left the house, the relationship between the two siblings was the best. Ren Yaoqi no longer has any impression of this aunt. In her previous life, it seemed that Ren Shijia had never returned to her natal family to wait for delivery. ¡°Third Sister-in-law .¡± Ren Shijia wanted to stand up and salute, but was held down by Madam Lin who was sitting next to her. ¡°We are family, what are you doing with this set of rituals? Third Sister-in-law won¡¯t mind, right, Third Sister-in-law?¡± Lin said with a sweet smile. Madam Li hurriedly said: ¡°Don¡¯t get up quickly, you are a person with two bodies, you should be more careful.¡± Old Madam Ren asked Madam Li to sit down. Ren Shijia looked at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua again, and said in surprise: ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for more than a year, and you have grown a lot taller.¡± Lin smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you haven¡¯t seen Yaohua for more than a year, right? She went to the village for a year¡­to recuperate. She just came back a year ago.¡± Ren Shijia thought about it carefully, then nodded with a smile: ¡°Look at my memory.¡± As he spoke, he waved to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua. The two sisters walked up to Ren Shijia, and Ren Shijia took off a pair of agate bracelets from her hands, gave each of Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua one, and said kindly: ¡°Good children, I¡¯ll give these bangles for you. ¡° Madam Lin glanced at the pair of bracelets: ¡°Hey, you¡¯re really generous, auntie. Have you prepared all the gifts for today? You have more than just these two nieces.¡± Ren Shijia smiled and glared at Madam Lin: ¡°How can you say that? Since when did I treat one more favorably than another?¡± When Lin heard the words, she said with a bit of sourness: ¡°Mother loves you the most, and the dowry you gave is all good things.¡± Old Madam Ren frowned and said, ¡°Which aunt rewards her niece with a dowry? You¡¯re the only one who can say that! Don¡¯t embarrass me!¡± Lin was scolded and laughed by her, and hurriedly said: ¡°Isn¡¯t this daughter-in-law just joking with Shijia? If it¡¯s not from her mother¡¯s family, it is naturally from her husband¡¯s family. They are all in the Lin family. My grandmother and mother were not so generous to me when I was a girl. This shows that my grandmother and mother really care about our sister-in-law.¡± Old Madam Ren paused and said in a low voice: ¡°Before you got married, you were the girl of the eldest branch, and Shijia was the daughter-in-law of the second branch. Why are you comparing with her? If you want to compare, you should also compare with the girls and daughters-in-law of the Lin family house. When the house is separated later, there will be no way to compare.¡± Lin was stunned: ¡°Separate houses? Why do you want to split the house?¡± Lin looked at Ren Shijia in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t grandmother say that ¡®a single tree cannot become a forest¡¯ and that the Lin family would not divide the house?¡± Ren Shijia was silent for a moment, then looked up and smiled at Lin, ¡°Mother only said that, how could she say that the house would be divided?¡± Madam Lin glanced at Old Madam Ren, who squinted her eyes slightly and leaned on the Arhat bed as if she didn¡¯t notice their words. Ren Yaoqi watched the expressions of the three of them, couldn¡¯t help thinking. Hehe, the mystery thickens~ Also for anyone who confused with who related with who, check out the Table of Content for characters¡¯ lineage background, it has everyone who has been mentioned. CH 55 Chapter 55: The Lin Family The Lin family is the largest grain merchant in Yanbei. The head of the Lin family today is the Eldest Old Master of the Lin family, which is also the father of the Fifth Madam Lin. Several decades ago when Lin¡¯s father¡¯s grandfather died, the Lin family had divided the family at once. The grain store was divided equally between the two brothers, Lin¡¯s grandfather and granduncle. The Lin family¡¯s grain store expanded twice as much under the hard work of the two brothers. Unfortunately, Lin¡¯s granduncle and uncle were robbed and killed by thieves when they traveled far away. Only the Madam of the second branch of the Lin family was left behind. Lin¡¯s aunt was already eight months pregnant at the time. After suddenly hearing the sad news of her husband and father-in-law, she could not bear the blow of premature birth. She managed to gave birth to her husband¡¯s surviving son but died on the maternity bed. After that, the Lin family took over the business of the second branch and brought the premature nephew of the second branch to take care of him, named him Lin Kun. Lin Kun was born prematurely at eight months, so everyone thought that he would not be able to grow up. However, this child was very tenacious and grew up peacefully. Lin Kun was raised by Qiu, the Old Martriach of eldest branch, since childhood. He got the same love as her own grandchildren. When Lin Kun was seventeen years old, he begged the Old Martriach to marry Ren Shijia, a girl from the Ren family. She was happy to know that Ren Shijia was the daughter of her niece. The Ren family also did not refuse the Lin family¡¯s marriage proposal out of some consideration, and married Ren Shijia to Lin Kun of the Lin family¡¯s Second Branch. When the Lin family took over the business of the second branch, it was for a stop-gap measure. The business of the second branch of the Lin family should be returned to the Second Branch after Lin Kun grew up. However, after so many years, the Lin family has never returned the business, and only treats Lin Kun as the young master of the eldest branch. The Lin family has many grandchildren, and it makes a huge difference whether Lin Kun is a member of the second branch or the eldest branch. At this time, the Eldest Madam came in, and Ren Shijia smiled and called her sister-in-law. Eldest Madam said in a warm voice: ¡°I have sent someone to clean up your Nuan Pavilion, do you want to go over and have a look?¡± Old Madam opened her eyes at this time, said to Lin: ¡°You and Shijia have always been close. You know her preferences, so go with your sister-in-law to help her take a look at the Nuan pavilion. If you see that it is good, Shijia will also be satisfied. She has just returned and is tired, so she should rest here now.¡± Lin got up with a smile and said to Ren Shijia, ¡°Then I will go and take a look for you. If there is anything that needs to be replaced, I will replace it for you, so don¡¯t say you don¡¯t like it again.¡± Ren Shijia said, ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll like what sister-in-law likes. Thank you, Eldest Sister-in-law and Fifth Sister-in-law, for making you work so hard.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? We are all happy that you are back.¡± Lin patted Ren Shijia¡¯s hand, bowed with the Eldest Madam and withdrew. Li looked at the pair of Old Madam and Ren Shijia. After thinking about it, she also got up and said, ¡°Since sister-in-law wants to rest, I will take the children and go back first.¡± She also could see that Ren Shijia must have something to do when she came back now. Unfortunately she had never had the opportunity to talk to Old Madam Ren alone before, so she decided to leave. The Old Madam nodded: ¡°You guys can go back first.¡± Ren Shijia smiled amicably and said, ¡°Third Sister-in-law, remember to bring Yaohua and Yaoqi to my courtyard to play when you have time.¡± Li returned her smile and nodded her head. Ren Shijia¡¯s attitude towards Li was quite friendly, especially since she had married into the Lin family and had never been able to give birth to any children, so she could especially appreciate Li¡¯s suffering of not having a son. Li took the two sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, and withdrew. Only then did Old Madam Ren dismiss those who were waiting around her and sat up: ¡°Why are you back now? What happened?¡± Ren Shijia¡¯s eyes were red and she finally bowed her head and sobbed. Old Madam Ren frowned, but a sighed: ¡°What are you crying about? Be careful of hurting your body, it¡¯s not good for the child.¡± Ren Shijia¡¯s sobbing voice immediately stopped, quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears, sucked it and said, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m so scared, I¡­ I don¡¯t dare to stay in the Lin family anymore.¡± Old Madam Ren originally thought that Ren Shijia came back because the couple had some kind of disagreement, but now she heard such a sentence from her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked: ¡°What happened?¡± Ren Shijia jumped into Old Madam Ren¡¯s arms, her face a little white: ¡°After I got pregnant, the Lin family arranged a small kitchen for me, so I wrote to my aunt to ask her to help me find a cook in Jiangnan. A few days ago, my aunt sent me two cooks, one good at making Jianghuai cuisine and one good at making medicinal meals.¡± The aunt that Ren Shijia spoke of was Old Madam Ren¡¯s own sister, the Old Madam in charge of the Fang family in Jiangning, which was also Concubine Fang¡¯s principal mother. Old Madam Ren gently patted Ren Shijia¡¯s back: ¡°I heard your aunt mention it in a letter, did something went wrong with those two cooks?¡± Ren Shijia shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s not that there¡¯s something wrong with the cook, it¡¯s¡­that there¡¯s something wrong with the Lin family. The cook who can make medicinal meals can also cure some women¡¯s chronic illnesses. That time I asked her to see if the fetus in the womb was healthy. She actually saw that my previous miscarriages were¡­ because I was tampered with!¡± ¡°What!¡± Old Madam Ren almost jumped up in shock. She pressed Ren Shijia¡¯s shoulder and said sharply, ¡°Jia¡¯er, do you understand what you said?¡± Ren Shijia nodded with a palpitating heart: ¡°This daughter knows. This daughter was also shocked when she heard this at the beginning and did not dare to believe it. Old Martriach even let me follow her to manage the household, and the sisters-in-law of the eldest branch were not as good as me. I have never given birth to a child for my husband, and Old Martriach not only did not let him take a concubine, but also let the Eldest Madam and the others to enlighten me. I thought I was a lucky woman at that time. But¡­ but this time I told my husband what the cook told me, so he quietly found a doctor for me who was highly skilled in medicine. That doctor said that both my husband and I were in good health and that it was unreasonable that we have frequent miscarriages.¡± The Old Madam frowned and doubted: ¡°The doctor you saw before didn¡¯t see anything wrong? Didn¡¯t I also send you some experienced midwives? They didn¡¯t see it either?¡± Ren Shijia said, ¡°I brought those two midwives to me for questioning afterward. They said they thought I was just weak and had insufficient blood and qi, so they paid attention to helping me replenish my blood and qi everyday. But they couldn¡¯t tell whether I was born with poor health or was harmed by someone. As for the doctors who usually ask for my pulse, they are all the people the Old Martriach usually used. I¡­ Mother, what should I do? I am afraid that this child will also be killed by someone. I¡¯ll be thirty in another year, and the midwives said that when I get pregnant, it will be even harder to give birth. Mother, please help me, help me.¡± Old Madam Ren¡¯s heart jumped as she listened to the news, and she was busy comforting her daughter: ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid, with Mother here, no one can hurt you. I¡¯ll send someone to invite a doctor into the house to take your pulse. I will definitely help you to keep the fetus in your belly. Don¡¯t go back to the Lin family for now.¡± ¡°I came back to Mother¡¯s house on the pretext that I had an argument with my husband. On the way, the Old Martriach and the Eldest Madam sent someone to persuade me twice. They are sure to send someone over again.¡± Ren Shijia said worriedly. Old Madam Ren patted Ren Shijia¡¯s shoulder: ¡°I will block them for you, do not care about anything, just worry about raising the baby.¡± Ren Shijia sat up from Old Madam Ren¡¯s arms: ¡°Mother, if this matter is true, what will this daughter do? If it is true, they, they are too cruel. Old Martiach is my own grandaunt!¡± The Old Madam frowned in her mind and thought about the matter, did not answer Ren Shijia¡¯s words, only said: ¡°When your father comes back, I will discuss it with him, you pretend not to know anything first.¡± The Old Madam recruited a maid to come in, and asked her to go to a doctor she knew well to come into the house to take Ren Shijia¡¯s pulse. When the maid went out, Old Madam Ren said: ¡°What you said just now, remember not to talk to your Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law, and do not let them see any clues. You have to insist on it to the outside world that you came back only because you were dissatisfied with your husband, understand?¡± ¡°Yes, mother, this daughter knows.¡± Ren Shijia hurriedly assured. Not long after that, the Fifth Madam, Lin, came over and said that she had already visited Ren Shijia¡¯s Nuan Pavilion and had added a few small items. Old Madam Ren asked Ren Shijia to go back and rest. When the doctor entered the mansion, the Old Madam asked the doctor to go to her yard to explain, and then let him go to Nuan Pavilion to read Ren Shijia¡¯s pulse. At noon, when Old Master Ren came back, the Old Madam dismissed the others and talked about the suspicions of Ren Shijia with the Old Master. ¡°Speaking of which, I already felt that something was wrong, so after Jia¡¯er became pregnant this time, I especially gave her two trustworthy midwives. A few years ago, the Lin family also said they wanted Jia¡¯er to pick a boy from the grandson of the eldest branch to pass on. But the children¡¯s biological parents have not died yet, are they gonna grow up with their own biological parents? The eldest branch¡¯s calculations are very good.¡± ¡°What did Lisheng say?¡± Old Master Ren, who walked slowly for a few steps, stopped and asked. Lisheng he was talking about was Lin Kun¡¯s name, Ren Shijia¡¯s husband. Old Madam Ren said: ¡°You don¡¯t know his temperament? That¡¯s the best he can do! I also liked him at the beginning, so I agreed to marry my daughter, but I didn¡¯t want this to be the result. The Lin family came to beg and said it well when she married Jia¡¯er. They said they were asking for the nephew of the second branch, but now the second branch has become the eldest branch. If anything happens to Jia¡¯er, we will not get along with Lin Family anymore! This is outrageous! I treat their girl as my daughter, but they are trampling on my daughter like this.¡± Old Madam Ren became angrier and angrier as she spoke, and she could not control her voice anymore. . trying to piece together the family connections between these characters are too confusing, my head is in pain right now. also I don¡¯t have any idea how to translate the wife of the Old Master¡¯s father. The best I can do is Old Master¡¯s father is Old Partriach, and his wife is Old Martriach. Because they are from eldest branch, I translate it into Eldest Old Partriach/Martriach. Is it too confusing? Should I keep it or start using their chinese title but with added footnotes? I¡¯m sorry for this lousy attempt :¡±( For anyone confused, I put every single characters¡¯ lineage on Table of Contents page below. Hopefully that clears it up! (and not instead adding stress because the bullet points system lol) CH 56 Chapter 56: Losing Favor ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of them myself.¡± Old Master Ren interrupted Old Madam Ren in a low voice, ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Old Madam Ren lost her temper and lowered her voice a little: ¡°He also said that the miscarriage can be done by someone. But because the previous miscarriages had hurt the root, the doctor told Jia¡¯er to take good care of herself. If this baby can¡¯t be saved again, it will be difficult to have another baby in the future.¡± Old Master Ren thought for a while: ¡°I heard that Shijia came back because Lisheng took the maid who serves her.¡± Old Madam Ren shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s just a cover-up, the Master is a decent person.¡± Speaking of this, Old Madam Ren slightly sneered, ¡°My daughter of the Ren Family has been wronged so much in the past, does he still want to take a concubine? Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Old Madam Ren was really angry this time. When Old Master Ren heard the words, he scolded, ¡°Nonsense!¡± Old Madam Ren was taken aback for a moment, then looked up at Old Master Ren. Old Master Ren said slowly: ¡°You know Shijia¡¯s body, it is still unknown whether the child will be born safely. And even if it is born, it is not known whether it will be a boy or a girl and whether it can be raised, but the doctor said it is unlikely that Shijia will give birth again. You are her mother, don¡¯t you know what to do for her own good? What can you do if you are so impulsive!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Old Madam Ren frowned. Old Master Ren glanced at Old Madam Ren, and said in a low voice, ¡°You should persuade Shijia to take a concubine for her husband.¡± When Old Madam Ren heard this, she felt very unhappy. She had been married to Old Master Ren for so many years. Old Master Ren was not a lustful person, and she was the only one in the back house. She didn¡¯t want her daughter to suffer the pain she had never experienced. Fortunately, she still thought that the Lin Family was a good family, so she married her daughter. Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren have been married for many years, so he naturally saw her displeasure, and persuaded him: ¡°If Shijia really doesn¡¯t want to, then take a concubine, and when the concubine gives birth to a child, then send her far away. The blood of the second branch of the Ren Family is too thin, even if the branch split from the main family, it will not be able to support itself!¡± ¡°Splitting the house?¡± Old Mrs. Ren looked at Master Ren in surprise, ¡°Do you have a way to make the Lin Family agree to split the house?¡± Old Master Ren pondered for a moment: ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the child is born. This matter has to be discussed in the long term. But if Shijia has no children under his knees, so what if they are separated? In the end, isn¡¯t the eldest house still gonna handle the family?¡± Old Madam Ren now also came to her senses: ¡°Old Master you are right, before I was short-sighted. It is just a concubine, and they will be sold after giving birth to a child. Then I will prepare two for them.¡± ¡°You can do these things as you see fit. You can buy them from outside, or pick them from the Ren Family¡¯s servants.¡± Old Master Ren frowned, ¡°If you had planned this for her earlier, we wouldn¡¯t be in such a mess.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we think before that our child was still young and can still give birth? Although grow up together, how is the one born by a concubine the same as the one born by your own?¡± Old Madam Ren argued. Old Master Ren did not bother to argue this with Old Madam, so he only explained a few words before ordering a meal. In the afternoon, Old Madam Ren did not take a lunch break and personally took someone to Ren Shijia¡¯s Nuan Courtyard. Old Madam Ren said that Old Master Ren hoped that she would help Lin Kun take concubines. Ren Shijia was stunned for a while, and immediately objected. Old Madam Ren then analyzed the situation of the Lin House for her and warned her that even if the Ren Family wanted to stand up for her, it would be nothing if she didn¡¯t have a son. ¡°Who said I don¡¯t have a son? The one in my belly is. I¡¯ve had several experienced midwives check it, and they all said it was a son!¡± Ren Shijia insisted. The Old Madam frowned, she could not explain to her daughter that her father was afraid that she might not be able to raise a son even if she gave birth to one. And if a child was too weak, in the end he could only give her a hard lesson. Old Madam Ren gave her daughter a good lecture and reasoning. In the end, Ren Shijia finally compromised. The Old Madam let her take care of her baby and left the Nuan Courtyard. As soon as she left, Ren Shijia fell down cried on the bed. Early the next morning, the Lin Family really sent someone to come again, and it was one of the nanny who serves the Old Madam of the Lin Family. The Fifth Madam, Lin, happily led her to the Ronghua courtyard to see the Old Madam. Ren Shijia excused herself as being unwell and did not appear. ¡°Mother, this is Nanny Rong from my mother¡¯s side. She has come to take Shijia back on the orders of my grandmother and mother.¡± Lin sat next to Old Madam Ren, hugged one of her arms and smiled, looked like she was getting along with Old Madam Ren like a mother and daughter. Old Madam Ren gave a glance at Ren Shijia, with a kind smile on her face, patted her hand, turned her head and said to the nanny, ¡°Thank you for coming here.¡± Lin smiled at Nanny Rong, looked a little smug. All the sisters in the family were envious of her able to marry into the Ren Family. Her husband was her childhood sweetheart who treated her affectionately, and her mother-in-law treated her like a daughter. Every time Madam Lin returned to her natal family, she often showed off in front of her natal sisters. That nanny was Lin¡¯s mother¡¯s confidant. She watched Lin grow up, and smiled when she saw her like this, and then replied to Old Madam Ren: ¡°Our Old Martriach and Old Madam are very worried about the Sixth Madam. When the Sixth Madam was about to come back yesterday, Old Madam went to persuade her in person, but in the end she still can¡¯t stop her.¡± At this point, the nanny moved closer and whispered, ¡°Sixth Master is also very regretful, he handed that unknown lowly maidservant over to our Old Martriach. The Old Martriach immediately sold her out, and even lecture our Sixth Master.¡± The son-in-law of Ren Shijia, Lin Kun, was the sixth in line according to the ranking of the Lin Family, so the Lin Family calls Lin Kun the Sixth Master. Old Madam Ren nodded at her words, ¡°Shijia doesn¡¯t know how to behave, thank you Old Martriach for treating her generously.¡± Nanny smiled at Lin and said, ¡°What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t our Madam always says that you treat her like your own daughter? Besides, the Old Martriach is also the Sixth Madam¡¯s eldest grandaunt, so she naturally thinks of her at all times.¡± Old Madam Ren lowered her eyes, pulled the corner of her mouth, and did not speak. Nanny did not notice her difference, only said: ¡°The Sixth Madam still refuses to go back? Can you allow this servant to go and persuade her?¡± Old Madam Ren sighed: ¡°Thank you very much, naturally visit her. It¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t look well yesterday. I asked the doctor to check her pulse, and the doctor said that she was weak. She was very angry yesterday, and ride carriage for several hours, it is best to rest well. Don¡¯t be tired from running around anymore. Although Baihe Town is not far from Yunyang City, it is still more than two hours¡¯ drive away. I am worried that if she went back at this time, she won¡¯t be able to bear it. Please tell your Old Martriach for me after you go back, just say that I plan to keep Shijia to give birth at her mother¡¯s house. It¡¯s only about three months left.¡± After hearing those words, the nanny paused and hesitated: ¡°You mean you want Sixth Madam to give birth at her mother¡¯s house?¡± Old Madam Ren glanced at her, ¡°What? Is it wrong?¡± Nanny was busy smiling, ¡°No, no. This is the Sixth Madam¡¯s maternal home, there is nothing wrong with it. This servant will pass on your wishes when she returns.¡± Old Madam Ren smiled and said to Lin who was sitting beside her, ¡°You should accompany Nanny to Shijia¡¯s courtyard. Old Martriach and Old Madam are so concerned about her, it¡¯s only right to let her know.¡± Lin smiled at her words and got up, ¡°Yes, this daughter-in-law understands.¡± Lin accompanied the nanny and left the Ronghua courtyard, and as soon as they left, Old Madam Ren gave a cold laugh. The nanny who serves in Ren Shijia¡¯s courtyard saw Lin and that Nanny come, stopped them to say that the Madam had only taken her medicine and gone to sleep. In the end, the nanny still couldn¡¯t see Ren Shijia, so she only called out the two personal maids Ren Shijia brought back to her mother¡¯s house and gave them instructions. When they left Ren Shijia¡¯s Nuan Pavilion, the nanny quietly asked Lin: ¡°Did the Sixth Madam say anything when she returned?¡± Lin was stunned and puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡± The nanny prompted, ¡°It¡¯s the reason why she left the house to go back to her mother¡¯s house.¡± Lin was puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because Sixth Brother took a maid into his house without her consent?¡± The Nanny sighed and said nothing more. Lin thought she was worried about not able to invite Ren Shijia back, so she said, ¡°Go back and talk to Grandmother and Mother, I will properly persuade Shijia to reconcile with Sixth Brother. I will also put in a good word for Sixth Brother for Mother.¡± The nanny said: ¡°When this servant came, Old Madam specially asked this servant to tell you not to get involved in the affairs of the Sixth Madam. Old Martriach and Old Madam will consider everything. You just have to live a good life with Master.¡± Lin bristled, ¡°My mother always underestimates me and thinks that I can¡¯t do anything well.¡± Nanny looked at her lovingly and said, ¡°She only wants you to live well so she doesn¡¯t want you to be caught between your in-laws and your mother¡¯s family.¡± Lin didn¡¯t take it seriously: ¡°It¡¯s just a few small things, what¡¯s so difficult about it? Shijia is just acting out of her temper now. I know her very well, she will be fine in no time.¡± The nanny hesitated to speak when she heard the words, but she swallowed her words in the end, and only asked Madam Lin repeatedly not to get involved in her natal family¡¯s affairs. The next day, when the youngest members of the Ren Family went to the Ronghua courtyard to pay their respects, Ren Shijia was also there, so Lin pulled her husband along to persuade Ren Shijia in front of Old Madam: ¡°How can a husband and wife have an overnight feud? Sixth Brother will never do such foolish things again, so don¡¯t be angry with him. Just think of it as for the sake of the child in your belly.¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Old Madam Ren became furious and slammed a tea bowl into her hand, scalding Lin who was screaming and jumped out of the room. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, and already you can¡¯t stand your sister-in-law! If I die, what are you going to do to her?¡± Old Madam Ren said, shaked with anger. CH 57 Chapter 57: Invitation Lin was so stunned that she forgot to even cry out in pain. It was the Fifth Master Ren Shimao who reacted and went to Lin¡¯s face and asked anxiously, ¡°Did you burn anywhere?¡± And turned to the Old Madam and said, ¡°Mother, Huijun also has good intentions, she does not want to see her sister and brother-in-law in a stalemate. How can you splash her with hot tea?¡± Old Madam Ren was so angry that she pointed at his nose and cursed, ¡°You are also a white-eyed wolf! I have raised you for so many years for nothing and instead eating me inside out! Get out! Get out!¡± Because the Fifth Master was the youngest son of the Old Madam, he was also spoiled when grew up. He had never been pointed at the nose by his mother and scolded with such cruel words. He was immediately frightened and didn¡¯t know how to react. The other children and grandchildren were also shocked by the Old Madam¡¯s sudden temper and did not know how to react. Ren Yaoqi stood far behind her parents, secretly looked at the people with different expressions in the room. Until Ren Shijia stood out and persuaded Old Madam Ren in a low voice: ¡°Mother, Fifth Sister-in-law and Fifth Brother are also doing it for my own good. It¡¯s none of their business.¡± Old Madam Ren looked around at the crowd, and finally gave her six months pregnant daughter some face, took a deep breath, and said a little tiredly: ¡°You all go back.¡± All of them bowed to the Old Madam. Lin finally came back to her senses and ran out, covered her face. The Fifth Master wanted to chase after her. But seeing his mother¡¯s cold face, he was afraid that he would make it harder for his wife to do so if he chased her out without regard for propriety. He could only follow the crowd slowly out of the room, and as soon as he came out he grabbed a nanny, asked his wife¡¯s whereabouts, lifted the corner of his robe and ran. His appearance made the children of the Ren Family laugh. The Eldest Master, Ren Shizhong, coughed lightly and swept a glance at his sons and nephews, silenced them all. Everyone went back to their own courtyards. The next day, everyone in the Ren Family knew about the fact that Madam Lin, the Fifth Madam, was offended the Old Madam, although no one knew who spread the word about it. Even though Yanbei in early spring was still very cold in the morning and evening, there was a breath of spring everywhere. At the corner of the wall, greenery began to sprout on the branches, full of vitality. Mrs. Yuan went to the mansion again and brought two pairs of spring shoes, said that a young girl from the Zhu Family made them for Ren Yaoqi. Two more days after that Lantern Festival, Mrs. Yuan came into the house as instructed by Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi asked her maid to convey that she had asked the Third Master to go inspect the mines and said he was able to let Zhu Ruomei go after a few more days. Mrs. Yuan was surprised. The next day, the steward of the coal mine returned Zhu Ruomei¡¯s deed of sale to him, and gave him an extra share of the settlement, said it was the grace of the Third Master and the Fifth Miss. The Zhu Family was so grateful, and Zhu Ruomei took his mother and sister to Yunyang City that day to seek medical help. During these days, every time Mrs. Yuan came to the Ren Mansion, she would bring some things from the Zhu Family, sometimes some fresh boar meat, fur, and even pickles made by the Zhu Family. Ren Yaoqi accepted them all, sometimes gave some gifts in return, and asked about Mrs. Zhu¡¯s condition. Although the materials of the two pairs of embroidered shoes made by Zhu¡¯s little sister were ordinary, a lot of thought had been put into the workmanship. The stitches were very fine. Ren Yaoqi tried them on her feet and found that they fit very well, and they were very comfortable to walk on. When Mrs. Yuan came last time, she asked Xiang Qin for her shoe size. Instructed the maid Ping Guo to put away the two pairs of shoes and put them on again when the weather got warmer. Ren Yaoqi called the maid Xue Li to help her change. She wanted to visit Ren Shijia¡¯s Nuan Pavilion today. After she changed my clothes and came out, she heard Ping Guo¡¯s soft weeping and Qing Mei¡¯s reprimand. Ren Yaoqi called the two of them over. Qing Mei took the lead and said: ¡°Miss, this new little maid really doesn¡¯t know the rules. You gave her four seasons¡¯ clothes to take care of, but she received the silk and fur clothes together. Just now, this servants took your spring dresses and found that it was covered with fluff.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not this servant. That¡¯s how this servant received it when I took over.¡± Ping Guo sobbed. ¡°You still dare to quibble!¡± Qing Mei scolded. After the Spring Festival, four new maids came to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s room, replaced all the little maids arranged by Concubine Fang. After observing for a while, Ren Yaoqi asked Nanny Zhou to raise the maid named Ping Guo and the other named Sang Shen to the second class. Now there were only Xue Li and Qing Mei left in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s room who were the two people left behind by Concubine Fang before. In the face of this change, Xue Li was relatively calm, and only became more respectful and diligent towards Ren Yaoqi. But Qing Mei wass very disturbed, so these days she had been looking for trouble with the new maids, in order to show her ability. The newly promoted second-class maid was often picked on by her because of her simple and honest temperament. Ren Yaoqi saw it, but she didn¡¯t deliberately interfere. She lacked available people around her, which will be very inconvenient for her to act in the future. As for who can be of great use, she needed to observe before made a decision. She kept Xue Li because she thought that she was a very good maid and had a flexible mind. As for Qing Mei, she was left behind to sharpen up the new maids. She also had other arrangements for Qing Mei. The new maids must be both loyal and useful, and this was something that can only be achieved when she was available. It would be good to have one or the other. ¡°Xue Li.¡± Ren Yaoqi called out. ¡°This servant is here.¡± ¡°Nanny Zhou is still looking for a housekeeper for me. Until a housekeeper is found, you will be in charge of the house, including handling disputes between the maids.¡± Ren Yaoqi waved her hand and said. Xue Li bowed her head and said yes, then looked at Qing Mei and Ping Guo. ¡°Before Ping Guo came, who was in charge of Miss¡¯s Four Seasons clothes?¡± Even though she asked like this, Xue Li¡¯s eyes were fixed on Qing Mei. Qing Mei gritted her teeth for a while. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s approach to the two maids sent by Concubine Fang was to suppress one and promote the other. As a result, the two people who were originally on good terms were now at odds. ¡°Qing Mei?¡± She saw that Qing Mei didn¡¯t speak, Xue Li called her again. Glanced at Ren Yaoqi, Qing Mei gritted her teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s this servant!¡± ¡°I remember that the sewing room has not delivered the newly made spring dresses for this year yet. The spring dresses in the trunk should still be from last year. You just handed over the keys to Ping Guo not long ago. I was also present when the trunks were counted, and she hasn¡¯t touched these old garments yet.¡± Qing Mei glared at Xue Li and turned her head aside in anger and hatred, her lips mumbled, who knows what she was secretly cursing. Xue Li continued as if she hadn¡¯t seen it, ¡°Qing Mei has ruined Miss¡¯s clothes and is shirking her responsibility. If she does it again, she will be put at the disposal of Nanny Zhou. Do you agree?¡± Qing Mei was naturally not agree. But she was afraid that Xue Li would really put her at the disposal of Nanny Zhou, whose severity was well known in Ziwei courtyard, so she could only grit her teeth and endure it. Only then did Ren Yaoqi stand up and ask, ¡°Finished?¡± Xue Li bowed low and said, ¡°Yes, Miss, it has been dealt with.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and walked outside, ¡°I¡¯m going to my aunt¡¯s courtyard, you guys get ready, I¡¯ll go to my mother¡¯s place first.¡± The maids answered in unison with a yes. Ren Yaoqi went to Li¡¯s room, but the sisters outside came to report that Young Master Cousin and Young Master Yun had arrived. Li was very surprised to hear this, the young master was referred to the Old Madam¡¯s grandnephew, Qiu Yun, who never came to the Ziwei courtyard to pay his respects when he came to the Ren Family. But today for some reason he came. ¡°Let them in.¡± Madam Li hurriedly said. Ren Yaoqi frowned secretly, what were these two doing here? Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang had come to pay their respects. Look at what Qiu Yun said: ¡°I often come to the Ren Family to bother, but rarely I come to pay respects to my uncle and aunt. Please forgive this nephew for being rude.¡± Yun Wenfang spoke politely in front of Li, but when no one was looking, he turned his attention to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi lowered her head, pretending she did not know anything. She only heard Qiu Yun said: ¡°The spring is just right, this nephew wants to invite some cousins to go outing in the suburbs and go to the Bailong Temple outside the city to eat vegetarian food. If Third Aunt is free, it would be nice if she could also come along.¡± Li was a little surprised, but she smiled and said, ¡°You siblings can just go, but this Third Aunt will not.¡± Qiu Yun looked up and said cheerfully, ¡°So Third Aunt is promising Fifth and Third Sister to go?¡± Li glanced at Ren Yaoqi and said with a smile, ¡°Since everyone is going, why don¡¯t you and your Third Sister go too?¡± Li naturally hoped that Sister Ren Yaoqi could be close with Qiu Yun and this young master of the Yun Family. The two of them had no brothers, so it would be good to have Qiu Yun as a cousin to look after them in the future. But Ren Yaoqi looked at Qiu Yun and said, ¡°My Third Brother, Fourth Sister, Seventh Sister, and Eighth Sister are also going?¡± Qiu Yun nodded with a smile, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already spoken to them.¡± Ren Yaoqi was speechless, Li had already answered for her, what else could she do? Qiu Yun¡¯s purpose had been achieved, so she politely got up and said goodbye. Li said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier that you were going to see your aunt? Then go out together. Mother won¡¯t be going today.¡± So Ren Yaoqi also got up and said goodbye. After they left Li¡¯s room, Ren Yaoqi smiled and said to Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, ¡°Cousin and Young Master Yun take care, I have to go back to my room to tidy up.¡± Yun Wen Fang raised his eyebrows, ¡°Jinyuan and I are also going to pay my respects to Aunt Ren, so why don¡¯t we go together?¡± Ren Yaoqi always felt that there was something strange about Yun Wenfang today, but she was well aware of his tendency to not give up until he had achieved his goal, so she could only nod reluctantly and went back to her room to tidy up. CH 58 Chapter 58: Debate with Yun Wenfang[1] When Ren Yaoqi came out again, Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang were really still waiting outside. Qiu Yun looked up at the sky, fished out a folding fan from somewhere, struck it into his left hand and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Fifth Sister has moved quite quickly, I thought you would keep us waiting for an hour.¡± He was not saying this as a sarcastic remark. Ren Yaoqi said she had to go back to pack and did not have the luxury of delaying. Because she knew that with Yun Wenfang¡¯s temperament, even if she delayed until the evening before coming out, he would still be waiting outside. She did not want to anger these two masters over such a trivial matter. So at Qiu Yun¡¯s jibe, Ren Yaoqi merely smiled faintly and said nothing. It was only then that Ren Yaoqi realised that Qiu Yun was a man of many words. As the three of them walked along, without waiting for Ren Yaoqi to ask him about it, he introduced the fan in his hand: ¡°This was brought back by Yun Wenting from capital city, and the words on it were written by him. It is said that the Eldest Young Master of the Yun Family writes well, what do you think, Fifth Cousin?¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at it. The Yun Family¡¯s Eldest Young Master, Yun Wenting, was also a very famous talent in Yunyang City. She had met him once in her last life when Yun Wenfang was taken back by the Yun Family. He was suave and elegant looking. It would not be too much to say that Yun Wentian¡¯s handwriting was also like him. ¡°Mm, good.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded in approval. Qiu Yun proudly raised her fan in front of Yun Wenfang, ¡°Look, Fifth Cousin also said it was good. You¡¯re the only one who says his writing is ugly! It can see that you just jealous!¡± Yun Wenfang glanced at Ren Yaoqi and said in a cold voice, ¡°Be careful of catching a cold in this cold weather.¡± But Qiu Yun shook her fan more and more and said slowly, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you? From the beginning to the end of the year, people in capital city have a fan in their hands. They don¡¯t take the fan to blow the wind, but to do this,¡± said Qiu Yun, covering most of his face with the fan, leaving only one pair of eyes out. ¡°Block your face like this. Tell others, I don¡¯t want to greet you right now, so please go ahead! People in capital city call this ¡®face cover''(±ãÃæ bianmian, tried so hard to translate this, my other best attempt is flat face like the emoji but I don¡¯t think it is right).¡± Ren Yaoqi bowed her head and smiled. She had lived in capital city for many years and knew the custom. What Qiu Yun had said was true. Originally, it was only popular among women, and later scholars and officials outside began to use it, but women used round fans. With Qiu Yun¡¯s interruption, the atmosphere became more natural. Yun Wenfang suddenly said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°I heard that Han Yunqian lost a painting to you?¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t bother to find out who had told him about it, so she nodded. ¡°Then you can bet with me too.¡± Yun Wen paused, and then said expressionlessly. Ren Yaoqi finally understood why she had confronted Yun Wenfang in her last life. Even now she sometimes couldn¡¯t help but want to teach him a lesson. ¡°What do you want to bet on?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked casually. Yun Wenfang slowed down slightly and said after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°Whatever you want to bet on. If you lose, you can give me a painting, if I lose¡­ if I lose, you can mention your conditions!¡± Ren Yaoqi looked embarrassed, ¡°Can I not bet?¡± ¡°No!¡± Yun Wenfang said firmly. Ren Yaoqi paused in her steps and turned to look at him. Then a hint of cunning flashed in her eyes, but she nodded reluctantly, ¡°Alright then.¡± A trace of doubt flashed across Yun Wenfang¡¯s eyes. Ren Yaoqi tilted her head to think about it. By this time they were almost arrived at the Nuan Pavilion. She turned her eyes and saw a few bamboo branches sticking out diagonally behind the Pavilion, where a small bamboo forest was located Ren Yaoqi waved at Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun and led the way around the right side of the Nuan Pavilion towards the small bamboo forest. Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun looked at each other, Qiu Yun stroked her chin and smiled slightly. Yun Wenfang went after Ren Yaoqi and Qiu Yun followed. The small bamboo grove behind the Nuan Pavilion was just a scenic spot, so not many masters did plant there. But because it was tended to on a daily basis, it was also lush and verdant, with a very charming charm. The soil inside the bamboo grove was a little loose, so Ren Yaoqi just wanted to make it quick and didn¡¯t want to ruin her new deerskin boots. ¡°The dew washes away the leaden powder knots, the wind shakes the green jade branches. I am like a gentleman, there is no place that is not suitable.¡± Qiu Yun shook her fan and recited with a shake of her head, ¡°No wonder the ancients said, ¡®I¡¯d rather eat without meat than live without bamboo.¡¯ This is a wonderful place!¡± Ren Yaoqi ignored Qiu Yun¡¯s literary tugging as she surveyed the bamboo while walking back and forth, then turned to Yun Wenfang and said, ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m in charge of what to bet?¡± Yun Wenfang looked at Ren Yaoqi and nodded, and Qiu Yun also walked over and looked at Ren Yaoqi with interest, wanting to see what questions she could come up with. Ren Yaoqi smiled, her eyes vivid, ¡°Well then, do you believe me when I say I can tell the male from the female of a bamboo?¡± Qiu Yun was stunned for a moment, then laughed softly, ¡°I have never heard of bamboo able to be distinguished between male and female, this is really something.¡± How had he not realised before that her Fifth Cousin was an interesting person? He had really misjudged her. Yun Wenfang however, looked at Ren Yaoqi steadily for a long time before shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Ren Yaoqi turned around and stroked a cultivated bamboo next to him, tilting her head, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s bet on this. If I can identify the male and female of the bamboo, I win. If I can¡¯t, or if I¡¯m wrong, then it¡¯s a win for Young Master Yun.¡± Before Yun Wenfang could reply, Qiu Yun called out, ¡°Wait, wait. What kind of a bet is this? Although I am your cousin, I cannot be biased. Is it just a matter of your words whether you win or lose?¡± Ren Yaoqi said confidently, ¡°When the time comes, I will naturally be able to produce evidence that will convince you, so let you be a witness, and you will be the one to decide who loses and who wins.¡± Qiu Yun closed her fan and tapped her jaw, thought for a moment, nodded and smiled, ¡°Alright! Just don¡¯t blame me for biased to my cousin when the time comes.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly and looked at Yun Wenfang, who was clasping his arms next to a mature bamboo, his slender figure seeming to blend in with the bamboo in the forest, equally upright and handsome. ¡°I have no problem with that.¡± ¡°If I lose, I will give you the painting. If I win,¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes turned slightly, her smile innocent and harmless, ¡°you will not trouble me ever again.¡± Qiu Yun laughed so hard he couldn¡¯t even stand up straight. Yun Wenfang¡¯s face darkened and he gritted his teeth and yelled, ¡°When did I bother you?¡± Ren Yaoqi blinked innocently, a look of dilemma on her face, ¡°What should I do? We both seem to have a different understanding of what ¡®trouble¡¯ actually means. Then, if I say no towards you in the future, it¡¯s a refusal, you¡¯re not allowed to be angry or take revenge afterwards!¡± Qiu Yun laughed even louder, just about falling down laughing. Yun Wenfang¡¯s face was ugly and his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi looked scared and pointed at him, ¡°Look, this is what anger looks like!¡± Yun Wenfang: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you going to bet or not? If you don¡¯t bet I¡¯m leaving.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled, returning to her usual meek and well-behaved appearance. ¡°Bet.¡± How Yun Wenfang said this word sounded a bit gritty, it was as if he had deliberately curbed his temper. Ren Yaoqi nodded, pointing to the bamboo leaning behind Yun Wenfang and affirming, ¡°This one is the female!¡± Yun Wenfang frowned and went to look at the bamboo behind him with a depressed look on his face. He couldn¡¯t help but glare at Ren Yaoqi. Qiu Yun ran to Yun Wenfang¡¯s side, rubbed her chin and carefully examined the bamboo, which was no different from any other bamboo, for half a day, snorted and looked askance at Ren Yaoqi and said slowly, ¡°Cousin, you have said that I will help decide and not biased to relatives.¡± Ren Yaoqi slowly said, ¡°The Compendium of Materia Medica[2] said : ¡®Bamboo has male and female, look at the first branch on the root, if branched it must be female, and it has a shoot.¡¯ In short, if you count from the root of the bamboo upwards, the one that has bamboo shoots is the female.¡± The two of them looked at what Ren Yaoqi was pointing at, and saw that there were new shoots coming out. Qiu Yun looked at Ren Yaoqi with an odd expression on her face and exclaimed, ¡°This is from the compendium? You¡¯re actually reading that?¡± Ren Yaoqi said with a straight face, ¡°For a while I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I asked my maid to take the dustiest book in this room and read it. It was really useful, and I could even learn something unexpected in the process. Cousin can try it too.¡± Qiu Yun gave a puff of laughter. Ren Yaoqi looked at Yun Wenfang, who had pursed his lips and was silent, ¡°If Young Master Yun don¡¯t believe me, you can go back and look in the book.¡± Yun Wenfang snorted softly and turned his head away. Ren Yaoqi smiled as she walked outside, saying as she did so, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s go to Aunt¡¯s place.¡± Qiu Yun smiled and went up to speak to Yun Wenfang in a whisper, ¡°If you lose, you lose, there¡¯s no shame in it, Han Yunqian also didn¡¯t win anyway.¡± Yun Wenfang really felt better. Ren Shijia was very happy to see the three of them coming to her courtyard. She quickly ordered her maid to bring out the snacks she had brought from Yunyang City. She knew Yun Wenfang and had learned from Old Madam Ren why he had come to the house, so she only called him ¡®Zishu¡¯, as did Qiu Yun. Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang did not sit for long, but only come for a greeting and sat a while before leaving. As they left, Qiu Yun reminded Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Remember that we go out tomorrow, we¡¯ll leave after we¡¯ve paid our respects to the Old Madam and return in the evening.¡± Qiu Yun doesn¡¯t put on a haughty attitude towards people he was familiar with, but instead was very talkative and funny. His attitude towards Ren Yaoqi in this life was much better than in the previous life. . [1] Chinese sentences that I can¡¯t understand time! The title of this chapter is (ÖÇÕûÔÆÎÄ·Å). Please help, is the translation right or not? I¡¯ve tried a bunch of different machine translations and they all said different things. [2] ±¾²Ý¸ÙÄ¿ (bencaoganmu) known in English as the Compendium of Materia Medica or Great Pharmacopoeia,[1] is an encyclopedic gathering of medicine, natural history, and Chinese herbology compiled and edited by Li Shizhen and published in the late 16th century, during the Ming dynasty. Its first draft was completed in 1578 and printed in Nanjing in 1596. The Compendium lists the materia medica of traditional Chinese medicine known at the time, including plants, animals, and minerals that were believed to have medicinal properties. CH 59 Chapter 59: Promises ¡°Don¡¯t you like all these treats?¡± Ren Shijia and Ren Yaoqi sat opposite each other on the bed. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi had only tasted one pine nut candy and stopped, Ren Shijia asked with a smile. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve just used to eat it in my own room, afraid I¡¯ve eaten too much of it.¡± Ren Shijia was about to say something when a maid led a nanny in at the door, so Ren Shijia stopped talking for a moment. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to drink the medicine.¡± The maid came forward and said. The nanny behind her brought over the small food box in her hand. Ren Shijia frowned and scolded lightly, ¡°There are still guests here, and you are letting the medicine be served?¡± Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Auntie, I am not a guest.¡± The woman holding the food box smiled and said, ¡°Yes, Madam. This is your mother¡¯s house, and Fifth Miss is your niece, so why should you be a stranger? You have to drink this medicine on time.¡± So Ren Shijia stopped insisting and instructed the nanny to bring the medicine. While Ren Shijia was drinking the medicine, Ren Yaoqi turned her attention to the short nanny, ¡°Sister speaks with a Jiangnan accent, she doesn¡¯t look like a Yanbei native.¡± The nanny looked smart and smiled, ¡°Fifth Miss has a good eye, this servant is from Jiangning.¡± ¡°Jiangning? That¡¯s a good place.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°My grandaunt is in Jiangning.¡± Ren Shijia closed her eyes and drank all the medicine in one gulp, took the tea compote handed over by the maid and rinsed her mouth, then sniffed and said, ¡°She is the lady your grandaunt found for me, she is good at making medicinal food.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ren Yaoqi gave the nanny another look, ¡°No wonder Nanny looked very capable.¡± Ren Shijia was very tolerant of children and said to Ren Yaoqi in a good-natured manner, ¡°She is indeed a capable person, not only can she make medicinal meals, but she can also do some medical skills, very accurate in taking pulses and reading illnesses. If you want to eat Jiangnan-style dim sum, just come and talk to me.¡± Ren Yaoqi thanked her. The woman packed up the medicine bowls, bowed and withdrew. Ren Yaoqi picked out a candied fruit for Ren Shijia and said, ¡°I originally wanted to ask my Eighth Sister to come with me today, she used to love coming to your courtyard to play. But today, her mother said she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so I came alone.¡± Ren Shijia didn¡¯t know what to say when she heard that. She had the best relationship with her Fifth Brother, Ren Shimao, and Lin, so of the several nieces, Ren Yaoyu was the most familiar with her. But yesterday the Old Madam had lectured Lin in front of everyone over her matter. Afterwards she had heard that Lin had said a lot of bad words to Ren Shimao who had gone after her, and had made a fuss about going back to her mother¡¯s house. In the end, somehow, the couple even got into a fight and Ren Shimao¡¯s neck was scratched by Lin and left the house in anger. She didn¡¯t know what to say, after all, what the Lin Family had done to her was too much, and even her relationship with Lin had changed a little. Thinking of this, Ren Shijia could not help but feel a little disappointed. Ren Yaoqi had been paying attention to Ren Shijia¡¯s expression. The incident of Lin being poured hot tea by Old Madam Ren in public was not simple, she thought. This time, the Old Madam had actually not given the Lin Family the least amount of face, even in the presence of the Lin Family¡¯s Madam. What was the matter that had suddenly intensified the conflict between the Ren Family and the Lin Family? Ren Yaoqi felt that the answer should be found in Ren Shijia, who had suddenly returned to the house. Ren Yaoqi was about to say something else when a maid hurried in: ¡°Miss, Master is here.¡± From this title, she should be Shijia¡¯s dowry maid. The maid rushed forward to help her, ¡°Miss, be careful, Master has been called by the Old Master for questioning.¡± Only then did Ren Shijia slow down her movements, and could not help but look out of the window again, and then instructed the maid, ¡°Go and order the kitchen to prepare some hot food, your lord must not have had a proper breakfast since he is here now.¡± The maid answered and called another maid to come and serve her, and rushed off to the kitchen herself. As Ren Yaoqi watched, she became more and more certain that Ren Shijia had not come back to her mother¡¯s house because of the rumours that she had a conflict with Lin Kun. Looking at Ren Shijia¡¯s demeanour, she did not show any resentment towards Lin Kun. Ren Yaoqi could not stay any longer: ¡°Since Uncle is here, Yaoqi will come back to bother Aunt next time.¡± Saying this, Ren Yaoqi tugged at Ren Shijia¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Is Uncle here to take Aunt back to Yunyang City? Yaoqi still wants to try Auntie¡¯s Jiangnan snacks.¡± Ren Shijia was happy and stroked Ren Yaoqi¡¯s head, ¡°You can come as you like, Auntie will stay here for many months and will not return to Yunyang City. Auntie doesn¡¯t like the emptiness of this place, so she would like you to come and sit here as often as possible.¡± Ren Yaoqi was curious, ¡°But Uncle has come to pick you up himself, won¡¯t he be angry if you don¡¯t go back with him?¡± Ren Shijia smiled and said with certainty, ¡°Of course not, your uncle has the best temper.¡± Probably because she was not too defensive in front of her young niece, Ren Shijia¡¯s tone was full of trust and attachment to her husband. Ren Yaoqi had got the answer she wanted and got up to say goodbye. When she was about to leave the courtyard, Ren Yaoqi met the nanny who had brought medicine to Ren Shijia before. Ren Yaoqi stopped and said with a smile, ¡°I heard that you can make Gancao plums. My concubine-mother can also make it very good. Oh, my concubine-mother¡¯s name is Fang, and she comes from the Fang Family in Jiangning. Since you are also from the Fang Family, did my concubine-mother learn this craft from you? She said she learned it from a cook before she left the house.¡± The servant was a bit stunned that Ren Yaoqi could associate her with Concubine Fang, so she said as if to clear the air: ¡°This servant have never worked for the Fang Family, so I don¡¯t know the concubine from the Fang Family Young Miss are talking about. In my early years, I worked for a large family named Yang. Later on, the Old Madam of the Fang Family wanted to find a cook who knew how to cook medicinal food for Madam Lin, so the Madam of the Yang Family recommended this servant.¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned and said, ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s a pity, I had originally thought to invite you to sit in concubine-mother¡¯s courtyard often and talk to her about the Fang Family.¡± The servant only smiled at the side and said nothing. Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly and walked past her. When she went out the door, she happened to bump into a man of about thirty years old. This man was of medium build, with a decent appearance and a very square jaw. He was wearing a thin coat of navy blue satin and was walking with a steady gait. Ren Yaoqi was slightly stunned when she realised that this man was her aunt Ren Shijia¡¯s husband, Lin Kun from the Second Branch of the Lin Family. Ren Yaoqi curtsied and greeted her uncle. Lin Kun gave a quick step, took a look at Ren Yaoqi and smiled gently, ¡°You are the daughter of the Third Brother-in-law¡¯s family, called Yaoqi, right? I heard from your aunt that you are extremely good at painting.¡± Ren Yaoqi was slightly surprised in her heart. In her previous life, she did not remember much about this uncle, but everyone in the Ren Family said that he was a soft-hearted person who got along with people extremely well. To put it bluntly, he was someone who had no big ambitions and was a man with mind on the clouds. But he knew from just one glance that she was Ren Yaoqi from the Third Branch of the Ren Family, and he also knew that she was good at painting. There were many girls in the Ren Family with very similar names, and Ren Yaoqi could definitely count the number of times she had met him on five fingers. Even her aunt said when they met after had not seen her for a year that she had almost grown unrecognisable, but he was able to conclude her identity at a glance. This man had a very keen ability to observe and was very attentive, although he was cautious, careful observation should have become a habit for him. Ren Yaoqi did not quite believe that he was a soft-spoken person with no ambition, as everyone said. Lin Kun did not know that the young girl in front of him had already puzzled over him from head to toe, smiled and nodded at Ren Yaoqi, said goodbye to her, and headed for the Nuan Pavilion again. Ren Yaoqi turned her head to glance at his back, a touch of doubtful thought in her eyes. The waters of the Lin Family were deeper than she had imagined. Originally, she had designed the match between Concubine Fang and Lin, but now there were more people involved than she had previously imagined. Her side was already at a disadvantage in the Ren Family, and it was only by muddying the waters that she could use her strength to reduce her disadvantage. Now, it was time to think carefully about her future plans. How can she be on the winning side, even whether the east wind overwhelms the west wind or the west wind overwhelms the east wind? Over there, Lin Kun finally were meeting Ren Shijia. Ren Shijia had retreated to her left and held in Lin Kun¡¯s arms on the right. After the sweet warmth, Ren Shijia raised her head and looked nervously at Lin Kun, ¡°Husband, what did Father ask you to do?¡± Lin Kun helped his wife sit on the bed and sat beside her, placing his hand on her belly and saying in a warm voice, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, he just asked some questions.¡± Ren Shijia lowered her head, took Lin Kun¡¯s hand, and said a little sourly, ¡°My Lord, I¡­ I¡¯ll take on two concubines for you.¡± Lin Kun lost his smile and looked down at Ren Shijia, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you again? Didn¡¯t I promise you? It¡¯s just us and our children, no one else.¡± Hearing this, Ren Shijia was feeling both sweet and sad, and with red eyes she bowed her head and said, ¡°I know what you want. But my father and mother are right to think this, and I cannot be so selfish. You are the only one left in the Lin Family¡¯s Second Branch, and my belly is not in good shape. If¡­ if¡­ if¡­ how can I face my in-laws under the earth in the future.¡± Lin Kun¡¯s eyes flashed and he hugged Ren Shijia without saying anything. Ren Shijia tried to convince Lin Kun again, ¡°Even if I were to give birth to a son, he alone would not be able to support the second family. My mother said that she would send the concubines out when they have a child, and when the time comes, it will still be just us and our children.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°Your children are my children, and I will raise them well and make them successful.¡± . For anyone confused whom is related to whom, I made a family tree of all the characters in Table of Contents under, up to the latest chapter (which, really, hopefully it actually helps and not confuses you even more lol) CH 60 Chapter 60: Looking out for each other Lin Kun looked at his wife in his arms who had a determined look on her face, but the words of Old Master Ren from before came to mind. ¡°My Ren Family is not that unreasonable, Jia¡¯er has been married into your Lin Family for many years, but she has never produced anything. She is already three years older than you, and now she is already twenty-nine years old. The doctor said that even if she gives birth to this child safely, it is unlikely that she will conceive another child in the future. We, the Ren Family, can¡¯t watch your single line succession of Lin Family¡¯s Second Branch become unsustainable in your generation¡­ When you have a few heirs, the Ren Family can come forward to negotiate with the Lin Family on your behalf. At that time, the members of the Eldest Branch of Lin Family will not be able to use the amount of your heir as an excuse to make trouble¡­¡± Lin Kun¡¯s lowered eyes hid his thoughtful expression. Suddenly Ren Shijia cried out in alarm and Lin Kun snapped back to attention, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong?¡± But Ren Shijia took his palm and pressed it to her abdomen, saying with a joyful expression, ¡°My lord, he¡¯s moving, the baby is moving.¡± Sure enough, Lin Kun felt the palm of his hand on Ren Shijia¡¯s abdomen feel like it had been kicked by something, and he could not help but smile, ¡°Yes, he is moving, and he kicked me.¡± But Ren Shijia was moved to tears, and hurriedly grabbed her husband¡¯s hand to ask for confirmation, ¡°It¡¯s a healthy baby this time, isn¡¯t it? He will be born safely, right?¡± He closed his eyes, but when he opened them again, they were already gentle and quiet: ¡°Yes, he will be safe and sound.¡± Ren Shijia breathed a sigh of relief and placed her hand on the back of Lin Kun¡¯s hand and pressed it together against her belly, nestling into Lin Kun¡¯s embrace, a contented smile spreading from the corners of her mouth. Lin Kun spent his meal in Ren Shijia¡¯s courtyard and then planned to return to Yunyang City. This time he had come to the Ren Family to pick up his wife and return to Yunyang City, but Ren Shijia was still angry and was determined to stay at her mother¡¯s house to give birth, so Lin Kun had no choice but to go back to Yunyang City alone. Behind the back of others, the couple had agreed to wait for another two months or so, and Lin Kun would come back when Ren Shijia was about to give birth. When Lin Kun came out of the Nuan Pavilion, the nanny who specialises in making medicinal food happened to be walking past the door. Lin Kun¡¯s footsteps stopped in front of her, and in a voice that no one else could hear, he said very coldly, ¡°When the baby is born, you will leave.¡± The nanny smiled at his words and bowed her head, also saying in a nearly inaudible voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sixth Master Lin, this servant won¡¯t stay. This servant wishes Sixth Master Lin every success in his heart!¡± Lin Kun gave her one last look, ¡°Tell your master to take care of herself!¡± After saying this, he took a step and left. When he had gone, that nanny straightened her back and skimmed her lips in disapprovingly. In the afternoon, Old Madam Ren came to Nuan Courtyard again. This time she brought four teenage maids over for Ren Shijia to look over. The four maids were all born in the Ren Family¡¯s home, and Old Madam Ren planned to buy them from outside if she could not find any suitable ones at home. After all, most maids born in the family were well-behaved and easy to handle. The maids were all decent looking and not too distinguished, and seemed to be very disciplined in their behaviour. One of them, Jinlian, was also in the service of Old Madam Ren. Although Ren Shijia was still a bit shy. She had already understood a lot, especially when she saw her husband and felt more and more guilty. So when she saw that the old lady had come with her, she wasn¡¯t so repulsed anymore. She looked at the maids a few times, and when Old Madam Ren sent them off, she said, ¡°Mother, pick whichever one you think is good, but my husband said he wanted to wait until the baby was born and I returned to the house.¡± Old Madam Ren was not asking Ren Shijia to send the concubine right away, she already was satisfied that her daughter had been enlightened. So when she heard Ren Shijia¡¯s words, she said with a soft sigh, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± The next day was the day she had arranged with Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang to go to the Bailong Temple to eat vegetarian meals. Ren Yaohua had also received Li¡¯s instructions the day before, so when she got up in the morning to go to the Ronghua courtyard to say hello, she was already dressed to go out. It was the time when the trees were decorated with greenery and the flowers were beginning to spread, so most people had taken off their heavy fur clothing and replaced it with lighter, thinner jackets. Especially the teenage girls, whose love of beauty made them change into their newly made dresses early on. The beauty was beautiful, but when the wind was cold in the morning and evening, they froze like quails on a tree branch. But this had become a fashion for the world, although who know where it come from. After all, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t have the small temperament that a girl of her age should have. Although she had taken off her fur clothes, the jacket on her body was much thicker than others, the only person who wore proper clothes in the spring. It was the light emerald color of the fabric and the light yellow apricot flowers made of silk on the bun. However, she had a fair complexion, a good appearance, and a light temperament. Although her clothes were different from those of other girls, she still looked dignified and quiet. Ren Yaohua wore a skirt and a jacket in bright red colour. She liked red clothes so much and they matched her temperament very well. Ren Yaoqi originally thought that only juniors would go on this trip, but when it was time to leave, she found out that the Eldest Madam Wang and the Eldest Young Madam Zhao were also going with them. It didn¡¯t matter to Ren Yaoqi, but she felt that if the elders were present, those who liked to jump around would stop. In addition to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, there were also the Eldest Madam and her daughter-in-law, Qiu Yun, Yun Wenfang, the Third Young Master Ren Yijun, the Fifth Young Master Ren Yijian, the Sixth Young Master Ren Yixiong, Ren Yaoyu, and Ren Yaoting. On the carriage, Ren Yaoqi glanced out at the youngsters riding on their horses. The Third Elder Brother, Ren Yijun, was not on the horse, but was pulled by the Eldest Madam to sit in the carriage in front. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua chatted casually, ¡°I thought that Third Brother would come before, I was just making a casual promise, but I didn¡¯t expect him to really come. He used to hate going out with everyone.¡± It was because all the other boys in the Ren Family could ride horses, but he was the only one who had to ride in the carriage with his sisters. Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi and said after a pause, ¡°He really didn¡¯t want to come originally, but Eldest Aunt lost her temper and gave a deadly order, so he had to come.¡± As soon as Ren Yaoqi heard this, she knew that Ren Yaohua still had something to say. Although Ren Yaohua no longer lived in the Ronghua Courtyard, she spent more time in that courtyard than in the Ziwei Courtyard because she was pleasing to the Old Madam. She could also use the maidservants in the courtyard, so she was mostly aware of what was happening in the courtyard. Ren Yaoqi moved over with great interest and asked, ¡°Is there something that I don¡¯t know about?¡± Ren Yaohua had recently become accustomed to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s familiarity, and did not hide it when she asked, ¡°I heard from Eldest Aunt and Grandmother yesterday that the Second Madam of the Liu Family of Yunyang City would be taking her pair of daughters to the Bailong Temple to eat vegetarian today.¡± ¡°The Second Madam of the Liu Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi was slightly stunned, not responding for a moment. ¡°The Liu Family who run an oil workshop in Yunyang City, all the oil used in our house is bought from their workshop.¡± Ren Yaohua added implicitly seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s confusion ¡°The two girls of the Liu Family are both dignified and ladylike.¡± Ren Yaoqi understood that today, she was going to meet a girl for her Third Brother, Ren Yijun. Ren Yaoqi remembered that in his previous life, Ren Yijun had never found a suitable match, either because the Eldest Madam disliked the girls of other families for their vulgarity, or because the mothers of other girls disliked Ren Yijun¡¯s weakness. Ren Yijun¡¯s own temperament was also awkward, and he became impatient after a few more such incidents. In particular, he once overheard a girl from a family whispering behind his back that he was a short-lived man who could fall down in a wind and that she would have to be prepared to be a widow if she married him. Ren Yijun was so furious that he made a servant set fire to the tails of some horses pulling the carriages, resulting in several horses going berserk. Although no one was on the carriages, a woman who was napping on the side of the carriage was trampled to death by the horses because of the narrow road where the carriage was parked. The people of that family went back and made a lot of noise about how Ren Yijun was not only in poor health but also had a violent temperament. If he fell in love with a girl from a family, he would yell, beat her if she looked down on him, or even kill her. In the end, the Ren Family spent a lot of silver to settle the matter, but Ren Yijun¡¯s reputation was also completely ruined. Since then, no daughter from a good family was willing to marry him. When Ren Yijun met another girl who was interested in him, he took it upon himself to drive her away. The Eldest Madam had to worry a lot about this matter, but Ren Yijun¡¯s stubborn temper got the better of him and he only said one thing: he would never get married in this lifetime! Before Ren Yaoqi left the Ren Family, Yijun had never married, and when the Ren Family eventually fell, he was heard to have become a monk. When Ren Yaoqi recalled Ren Yijun¡¯s past, she could only sigh. She just wondered which time was it that Ren Yijun set fire to someone¡¯s horsetail. Now, it seems that it hadn¡¯t happened yet. The current Ren Yijun was a bit squeamish about his marriage but not to the point of changing his color when talking about it. If it hadn¡¯t happened yet, then could it be stopped? But in her previous life, she hadn¡¯t had much contact with Ren Yijun before that change, and she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to his affairs. She still heard these things from the servants in the courtyard. So she wasn¡¯t sure when it had happened when he was seeing a girl from that family. Was it this time? On the way, Ren Yaoqi dwelt on this matter, and she was still leaning against the wall of the carriage when they almost arrived at the Bailong Temple. As a result, the carriage wheel hit a big stone and made Ren Yaoqi almost crashed into the tea bowl in front of her, but Ren Yaohua pulled her back. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Ren Yaohua glared at her and scolded her in a low voice. The two large maids waiting in the carriage both held back their laughter and turned their heads away. Ren Yaoqi touched her forehead and silently pushed the tea bowl and teapot towards Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua: ¡°¡­¡± CH 61 Chapter 61: The Bailong Temple The Bailong Temple was located halfway between Baihe Town and Yunyang City. It couldn¡¯t be considered the largest temple in Youzhou, but it was definitely considered one of the most exquisite temples in Youzhou. The halls in the temple were splendid, the scenery was pleasant, and the vegetarian dishes were especially famous. Because it was only an hour¡¯s drive from Yunyang City, the capital city in Youzhou, there were many wealthy families visiting Bailong Temple on a regular basis. On the big Buddhist days, there were especially countless visitors. It was a good thing that today was not such a day as the Buddha¡¯s Birthday, but even so, when the Ren Family¡¯s carriage reached the mountain gate of the Bailong Temple, they saw many carriages. Ren Yaoqi had been to the Bailong Temple once or twice, but that had been in a previous life. When they got off the carriage, the Eldest Madam and her daughter-in-law Zhao walked in front of them, the two of them talking in low voices. The juniors followed behind them both. Ren Yaoyu whispered to her brother and complained, ¡°Didn¡¯t we say before that there were only a few brothers and sisters? How come Eldest Aunt and Sister-in-law are here too?¡± Ren Yijian was talking to Ren Yihong and ignored her, making her feel uncomfortable. But Ren Yaoyu didn¡¯t dare to settle the score with her brother, she had been asking for his help a lot recently. Not far from the gate to the Bailong Temple, a single-hole bridge[1] that connected north to south lay in the middle of the square on the Bailong¡¯s entrance road. The whole bridge was about thirty or forty feet long, about ten feet wide, and about ten feet deep. However, there was no water under the bridge, only a golden water channel built with blue bricks. On the east and west sides of the single-hole bridge there was a round, square-hole money bell hanging on each side of the bridge[2]. Ren Yaoqi and his entourage were walking past the white stone railing on the right side of the bridge, less than two feet from the bridge, when Ren Yijian said to the maid following him, ¡°Give this young master a few coins¡±, while showed off to Ren Yihong, ¡°Every time this young master walks past here, he can hit until a hundred times. ¡° It turned out that the money-shaped bell in the bridge hole was used for the pilgrims to ring, standing outside the railing and throwing copper coins at the bell. The children loved this game and often refused to leave until they heard the bell ring. Ren Yaoqi had played this game before, but had never won. There were already some people around the railing, and every now and then they could hear the ¡°ding¡± and the cheers. The Eldest Madam turned to Ren Yijian, who was eager to try, and said, ¡°Jian¡¯er, let¡¯s go in first and offer incense to the Buddha, and then you can play in the Bailong Temple.¡± Ren Yijian looked at the benevolent-looking Eldest Madam and helplessly put the two coins back in his hand. Eldest Madam turned back to talk to the Eldest Young Madam as she walked. The Eldest Madam believed in Buddhism and was always devout in her affairs, so several of the younger members of the Ren Family followed behind her in a disciplined manner. Even Ren Yaoyu, whose mother was not here, was quite honest in front of the Eldest Madam. After following the Eldest Madam to the temple to offer incense, the Eldest Madam said, ¡°Your sister-in-law and I are going to ask for fortune sticks, so you can walk around the temple and come back when it¡¯s time to eat. But you must not leave without anyone around you, especially the sisters.¡± They all agreed, and Ren Yijian immediately took Ren Yihong with him, and asked Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun, ¡°Do you want to come with us, Cousin?¡± Qiu Yun shook her head and laughed, ¡°We¡¯re not children, we don¡¯t want to play with that.¡± Ren Yijian rolled his eyes and ran away. Ren Yijun looked at his mother and peeked over to Ren Yaoqi, when the Eldest Madam frowned and said, ¡°Come here, Yijun, come with me and your sister-in-law to ask for fortune sticks.¡± Ren Yijun was obedient to his mother, so although his face was full of reluctance, he finally stopped his steps. Eldest Madam said to Ren Yaoyin, who was leaning lightly on her maid and looking a bit uncomfortable, ¡°I have asked the guest monk to prepare a room for resting, so you can go with me to rest for a while.¡± Ren Yaoyin could not bear the bumps and bruises of the carriage and was a little uncomfortable. She could not travel long distances in a carriage. Ren Yaoqi was hesitant to follow Ren Yijun, and after some thought, she said to the Eldest Madam, ¡°Eldest Aunt, I will also go with you to get fortune sticks.¡± The Eldest Madam looked at her with some surprise, but said gently, ¡°You are still young, you don¡¯t need to go, you should go with your sisters. I remember that there is a forest of apricot blossoms at the back of this Bailong Temple, I wonder if they are in bloom now.¡± Ren Yaoyu skimmed her lips and whispered, ¡°In previous years when it wasn¡¯t cold, the flowers didn¡¯t bloom until March or April, this year is colder than previous years, how could they bloom so early?¡± The Eldest Madam, however, had already walked away with the Eldest Young Madam and Ren Yaoyin, and Ren Yijun was following behind them with his hands behind his back, looking so listless that the Eldest Madam saw him and turned her head to give him a few words of advice. Ren Yaoyu saw the Eldest Madam and the girls leave and immediately said to Qiu Yun, ¡°Cousin, where are we going?¡± Qiu Yun glanced at Yun Wenfang and then at the Ren sisters. Ren Yaoyu looked at him with a smile on her face, while the two sisters, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi, were thinking about something and their attention was not with them. ¡°Let¡¯s otherwise go to the almond blossom forest at the back of the mountain first. Even if the apricot blossoms are not in bloom, it is still good to see the mountain scenery at the back of the mountain. Originally we were planning to come for a trek, weren¡¯t we?¡± All of them had no opinion. Qiu Yun was no stranger to the Bailong Temple, so she led the way to the back of the mountain without the monk leading the way. As he did so, he introduced them to the origins of the Bailong Temple and the history of some of its buildings. If he wanted to be cordial and friendly, he was the sweetest and most knowledgeable friend you can have. But if he wanted to distance himself from you, then he was a difficult man to approach, yet impeccable in his interests. Because of this, Ren Yaoqi hated him in her last life. In this life, she only wanted to keep a distance from him. In the early spring of this year, the apricot blossoms behind the Bailong Temple hadn¡¯t fully bloomed yet, but some sporadic small flower buds bloomed on the paper sticks of some apricot trees. ¡°Shall we go and sit in that pavilion?¡± Qiu Yun said as if he were a guide, pointing to an octagonal pavilion hidden in the apricot grove. As they approached they found that there were already people sitting in the pavilion, two teenagers and two young girls, all aged 13 or 14 years old. Qiu Yun paused, frowned slightly and whispered to Yun Wenfang: ¡°Oh no, we know each other. Do you want to avoid them?¡± Yun Wenfang raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at the pavilion, pulling at the corners of his mouth, ¡°No need. what am I, a criminal?¡± A young man dressed in blue also looked over at the pavilion, and when he saw Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, he froze slightly, then got up and said, ¡°Zishu, Jinyuan, what are you doing here?¡± Qiu Yun smiled and walked forward, ¡°Brother Su, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here.¡± Ren Yaoqi also looked towards the man in the pavilion. The young man whom Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang knew was clean looking, with a faintly scholarly air about him, and his hands and feet were very steady. Qiu Yun called him ¡°Brother Su¡±, so was he from the Su Family in Yunyang City? Unfortunately, in her previous life in northern Yan, Ren Yaoqi had rarely been able to go out because she was not favoured by the Old Madam. There were many trips to Yunyang City, but Ren Yaoqi went there only rarely, and only to her grandfather¡¯s home. In her last life, she did not necessarily recognise people she had met, but in this life she was even less able to do so. The other teenager in the pavilion were merely ordinary looking, but the clothes on her body were not bad. Of the two young girls, one could barely be called delicate, with a few freckles on her face. The other, a younger girl, was good looking, but unfortunately her eyes were too nimble and unpleasant to look at. There, the young man surnamed Su was saying to Yun Wenfang in a very friendly manner, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time, I heard from your brother that you have gone away?¡± Yun Wenfang leaned against the pillars of the pavilion, looking sluggish, and only answered with an ¡°hm¡± when he heard the words, as if he didn¡¯t take seriously the friendly approach of the young man surnamed Su. Qiu Yun came forward in time to interrupt, slapping his forehead and saying, ¡°Oh, look at my impoliteness. Brother Su, these are my three cousins from the Ren Family. Third Cousin, Fifth Cousin, Eighth Cousin, this is Su Yunchen, the Second Young Master of the Su Family. The Second Aunt in the East Mansion is his own aunt, so to put it mildly, he is also considered your cousin.¡± So it was really someone from the Su Family. Ren Yaoqi and the others were busy saluting him. Su Yunchen returned the greeting with a very polite bow, and introduced the other three people in the pavilion to Ren Yaoqi and his party. ¡°This is the young master of the Tang Family. Zishu, Jinyuan, you should have met him before, he joined our academy last year. These two girls are his cousins, Miss from the Liu Family of Guidong in Yunyang City.¡± . [1] Single-hole bridge [2] Throwing money to the bell hanging on the bridge CH 62 Chapter 62: Returning with shame A girl from the Liu Family of Guidong in Yunyang City? Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart twitched at her words, and she looked toward Ren Yaohua beside her. Although Ren Yaohua did not look at Ren Yaoqi, she seemed to know that Ren Yaoqi was looking at her and nodded invisibly. Ren Yaoqi knew in her heart that it was one of these two that the Eldest Madam had come to see for Ren Yijun today. She just didn¡¯t know which one exactly. When the two girls heard that they were from the Ren Family, they also looked over curiously, so they must have known about today¡¯s events. The younger one, who was slightly more attractive, looked at people with a bright and unapologetic look in her eyes. Especially when she was staring at Yun Wenfang, who was only twelve or thirteen years old, she had a charming look on her. The older one was a bit more disciplined, but her face, which was barely called delicate, was cold and icy. She only talked to her cousin Tang beside her and ignored even other people¡¯s greetings to her. The two girls could not pass the test of the Eldest Madam, so today¡¯s affair was likely to be another failure. Ren Yaoqi was thinking about Ren Yijun¡¯s affairs when Su Yunchen¡¯s next words immediately drew her attention away. ¡°The eighth day of next month is my brother¡¯s wedding day, so you must be there to observe the ceremony.¡± Su Yunchen¡¯s elder brother, Su Yunyu, was the Eldest Young Master of the Su Family. Ren Yaoqi remembered him. The wife he was about to marry into the family was surnamed Zeng, a distant niece of the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Xichang, and Zeng Yu, who would be the General Military Officer of Ningxia in three years, was her uncle. Even though she had already experienced one life, when she heard about people and events related to the Zeng Family again, Ren Yaoqi could not help but feel chills all over her body. The current Zeng Yu would still be living in Kyoto with a casual official job as a sixth-ranked military official titled Zhongxian[1], relying on the shade of his family. Who would have thought that in just three years he would have been rewarded by the powerful minister Yan Ding with his constant manipulation and eventually sent by the court as a pawn to keep the Yanbei Royal Family in check? People still cannot understand why the Su Family would allow the eldest grandson to marry a distant relative of a fallen noble family with far-reaching ties. The current wife of the head of the Su Family was the second wife, but the Eldest Master, Su Keqin, and Aunt Su Yi who married into the Ren Family were from the original spouse. So everyone guessed that this Old Madam Su was deliberately found such a nondescript in-law for the Eldest Grandson left behind by the original spouse. At this time, a servant ran over and came up to the Liu Family¡¯s Eldest Miss and whispered a few words in her ear. The Liu Family¡¯s Eldest Miss, although she still had a cold expression, her face was tinged with a hint of red. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll go with my sister.¡± ¡°Cousin Yun¡¯er, is it that Aunt has summoned you and Cousin Zhu¡¯er over?¡± The Tang Family¡¯s Eldest Young Master asked in a low voice. Liu Yun nodded and said to Liu Zhu, ¡°Mother is looking for the abbot to interpret the signatures and asked us to go over to ask for fortune sticks as well. Let¡¯s go there now, so we don¡¯t keep Mother waiting.¡± Liu Zhu withdrew her eyes from Yun Wenfang, smiled delicately, and agreed, following behind her sister. The two sisters of the Liu Family saluted everyone and left the pavilion. Ren Yaoqi was a little uneasy about Ren Yijun when she saw the way the two Liu sisters acted. She wondered if these two sisters were the fatalities of Ren Yijun¡¯s fate. After standing there and hesitating for a long time, Ren Yaoqi decided to follow them over and take a look. In case something happened, she would be able to persuade Ren Yijun to stop him from getting into trouble. After all, there was a human life involved. ¡°Third Sister, I want to go and change my clothes.¡± Ren Yaoqi whispered to Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua frowned at his words and looked around, ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no place around here where you can change your clothes, you¡¯ll have to go back to the temple.¡± ¡°Then I will go back first, and come back to you later.¡± Ren Yaohua nodded, not saying anything. Ren Yaoqi also curtsied towards the crowd and then took her maidservants and left. Not wanting to walk only a short distance away, Ren Yaoqi felt someone following her, and when she turned around, she saw Yun Wenfang walking leisurely this way. Ren Yaoqi stopped walking and smiled faintly at him, ¡°Please go ahead, Young Master Yun.¡± Yun Wenfang didn¡¯t pay any attention to her words and stopped when he reached her. Ren Yaoqi sighed and looked at him straight, ¡°Young Master Yun, I need to go and change my clothes.¡± Yun Wenfang gave her a look, ¡°Hm.¡± But he still did not move. Ren Yaoqi had no choice but to ignore him and continue on her way. Yun Wenfang followed unhurriedly. After she had sent a maid to ask for the room where Ren Yaoyin was resting, she turned her head and finally found that Yun Wenfang had gone. Ren Yaoqi immediately turned around and headed for the place where the Eldest Madam and the girls had asked for fortune sticks. Unfortunately, when they got there, the Eldest Madam and the girls had already left. Only after asking a monk did she find out that the Eldest Madam and Madam Liu had gone to a side hall for the distinguished pilgrims to rest. Ren Yaoqi went back to the hall where the monk said they had gone. When she stepped out of the hall, she turned a corner and saw the figure of Ren Yijun. But it seemed that Ren Yijun was not the only one there, there were two sisters from the Liu Family standing opposite him. Ren Yaoqi heard the girl called Liu Zhu sneer and say, ¡°My eldest sister just doesn¡¯t like you, so I just let you know in advance, how dare you call my eldest sister ugly? You are a sick child, a disease ghost! Looks short-lived at first glance, whoever marries you will be a widow!¡± Ren Yaoqi felt a mental thump and hurriedly looked toward Ren Yijun, who was already standing there with a cold face. The girl called Liu Zhu, who had learned her shrewish posture from somewhere, continued, ¡°A person like you should have a coffin prepared at home earlier so that you can die early and be reborn early! Why do you want to come out and harm the girls of good families?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± This was a bit too much, and Ren Yaoqi could not listen to it anymore. She stopped Liu Zhu in a cold voice and walked towards Ren Yijun. ¡°You¡¯re the Ren Family girl from the pavilion just now?¡± Liu Zhu was displeased by the interruption and looked at Ren Yaoqi with disdain. But Ren Yaoqi did not even look at her, only turned his head to look at Ren Yijun and gently chided him, ¡°Third Brother, we have been looking for you for a long time. Why have you come here? This monastery is full of bad and good people. There are all kinds of rotten people who can¡¯t be seen at first glance, so in case you accidentally meet them, you can¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Then, without waiting for the crowd to react, Ren Yaoqi turned her head and ordered her maids, ¡°Go, give those two who are in the way a reward of five taels of silver each. Our Ren Family has always rewarded good opera singers generously, so we won¡¯t bury her good voice.¡± ¡°You¡­ you called me a¡­ an opera singer?¡± Liu Zhu¡¯er reacted and pointed at Ren Yaoqi. She just lift her hand before she was hit by something flying, causing her to scream in pain immediately. A copper coin landed on the ground and rolled around her feet. When Ren Yaoqi turned around, she saw that Yun Wenfang had come over at some point and was standing there with his mouth slightly raised, looking like he wanted to join in the fun. ¡°Second Young Master Yun, what do you mean!¡± Liu Yun, the Eldest Miss of the Liu Family who had been standing by the side watching her sister¡¯s antics, said with a cold face. Yun Wenfang picked the corner of his mouth and said lazily, ¡°Seeing that you guys are singing well, I¡¯ll reward you. You continue to sing, and this young master will continue to reward you.¡± Liu Yun¡¯s face turned red and she could neither speak nor not speak. Finally, Liu Zhu, who was beside her, cried out ¡°uwahh-¡°, her voice was indeed clear and bright. Fearing that the two sisters would attract onlookers, Ren Yaoqi did not want to be embarrassed, so she dragged Ren Yijun away. When the two sisters¡¯ voices were finally gone, Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yijun, who had not said a word. Ren Yijun¡¯s face was silent, and Ren Yaoqi was trying to get him to speak to dissipate his anger, but Ren Yijun burst out laughing without warning. Ren Yaoqi was dumbfounded as she watched him laughing without care, and was speechless for a while. When Ren Yijun finally had enough of laughing, Ren Yaoqi said helplessly, ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t scare people like that, okay?¡± Ren Yijun looked at her for a long time: ¡°I thought your temper had changed recently, but I don¡¯t think you are still so¡­¡± Seeing that Ren Yijun¡¯s heart had improved, Ren Yaoqi let out a sigh of relief and followed his words, ¡°Still so what?¡± Ren Yijun thought about it with a tangled brow, and finally shook his head, not saying anything. Ren Yaoqi also did not pursue the question, the former Ren Yaoqi must have hated Ren Yijun. ¡°Third Brother, are you still angry? Still want to get out the anger?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked tentatively. As long as Ren Yijun didn¡¯t do anything ruthless and didn¡¯t cause any casualties, she wouldn¡¯t stop him if he wanted to teach the Liu sisters a small lesson. Back then, Ren Yijun had brought her to smash the ancestral hall in anger, and now she was helping him to bully the young girls. Speaking of which, it was Ren Yijun who taught Ren Yaoqi to let go of the three views and morals properly at certain times, to make herself happy. But Ren Yijun said in a disinterested manner, ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll scold you for going back too.¡± When Ren Yaoqi asked, she found out that it was the Liu sisters who had secretly called Ren Yijun aside and told him not to think about marrying a girl from the Liu Family, then Ren Yijun casually said that he did not want to marry an ugly girl. Then the argument started. The two were talking when a slightly joking and disappointed voice came in, ¡°I also brought the reward money to watch the fun, why did the show break up so quickly?¡± Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, who had not followed them, appeared together in front of the two. Following them were Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyu. It was obvious that both had heard the news and had come over. Ren Yaoyu said, ¡°That Liu Family¡¯s Second Young Lady was not a good one as soon as I saw her, and only after asking around did I find out that she was just a concubine-born and from an unclean background.¡± . [1] (ÖÒÏÔУξ), I don¡¯t know if the Zhongxian here is his courtesy name or the actual title of a military official . I laughed so hard reading this chapter. Watching Ren Yaoqi drop burns after burns are so satisfying lmao. Also so far my favourite side character is probably Ren Yijun. What about you guys? The lineage background is now updated with the addition of Su Family! For anyone who nerds about the smallest details like me, or just trying to understand the relationship between the characters more, go check it out in ¡®Table of Contents¡® button below! CH 63 Chapter 63: The Affair The way Liu Zhu looked at Yun Wenfang earlier made Ren Yaoyu extremely uncomfortable. Seeing that they were acquainted with Young Master Su and had some scruples about them, as soon as the Liu Sisters left, she ordered someone to find out more about the Liu sisters. At this time, the Eldest Madam sent a maid over and asked Ren Yijun to come back. Seeing the appearance of that maid, it should be that the Eldest Madam knew about what had happened before. Ren Yijun curled his lips and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°I¡¯ll go and see my mother. This matter is because of me, it has nothing to do with you.¡± Ren Yaoqi was not worried about Ren Yijun blamed by the Eldest Madam. They were mother and son after all. There was no need for her, an ¡°outsider¡±, to meddle in the muddy waters. And this time the matter was not as big as last time, so the Eldest Madam should be able to resolve the conflict with the Liu Family herself. So Ren Yaoqi smiled and winked, ¡°Good luck, Third Brother!¡± Ren Yijun laughed in exasperation at her words and glared at her, before walking away arrogantly with his hands behind his back in a pompous way. Only after Ren Yijun had left did Ren Yaoqi notice something strange about Ren Yaohua. She didn¡¯t blame her for meddling? Ren Yaoqi looked over at Ren Yaohua but found that her mind was not there at all, she was frowning slightly with a thoughtful look. Ren Yaoqi was about to speak to her when Ren Yaoyu came over and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Fifth Sister say she was going to change her clothes earlier? Are you still going now?¡± Remembering that she had indeed excused herself from dressing earlier, Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°I was delayed because I met the Liu Sisters.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s just as well that I want to go too, so I¡¯ll join you.¡± Ren Yaoyu said. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t mind, so she asked Ren Yaohua, ¡°Does Third Sister want to join us?¡± Ren Yaohua shook her head, ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯ll walk around the temple.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought that she would talk to Ren Yaohua later when no one was around, so she and Ren Yaoyu both left first. On the way, Ren Yaoyu, in an unprecedentedly intimate manner, leaned over and took Ren Yaoqi¡¯s arm. Ren Yaoqi looked at her in surprise, but heard her whisper mysteriously, ¡°Fifth Sister, what do you think of Young Master Yun?¡± Ren Yaoqi raised her eyebrows secretly, but said on her lips, ¡°Young Master Yun? Since he is Cousin¡¯s friend, he should be good, right? I¡¯m not familiar with him, why is Eight Sister asking about this?¡± Ren Yaoyu covered her mouth with a smile and squinted at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Is Fifth Sister really unfamiliar with him? Don¡¯t coax me. Just now he followed you after you left, and yesterday, I heard that he went to the Ziwei Courtyard to look for you, and then went with you to Auntie¡¯s Nuan Pavilion.¡± Ren Yaoqi stopped and said with a frown: ¡°Eighth Sister, such unfounded words should not be said in the future. Yesterday he went with his cousin to pay respects to my father and mother because it was just on the way to Nuan Pavilion. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Cousin, he¡¯s always there.¡± Ren Yaoyu looked at Ren Yaoqi seriously for a long time. Finally, she shook her arm away, suddenly changed her face to one of arrogance, and hummed lightly, ¡°That would be best! If I find you misbehaving, I will tell Grandmother, lest you do something shameless.¡± Ren Yaoyu looked at her smug look and smiled angrily, ¡°Then thank you for reminding me, Eight Sister.¡± Ren Yaoyu let out another cold snort and left Ren Yaoqi behind to walk straight away. On the way, the two never said another word. By the time they came out of the bathroom, Ren Yaoyu had already gone nowhere. When Ren Yaoqi went to find Ren Yaohua, she learned that Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun had been called away by Ren Yijian and that Ren Yaoyu had followed them after she came out. Ren Yaohua said that she wanted to go for a walk in the apricot grove and left on her own. As she thought about what Ren Yaoyu had said earlier, she became more and more convinced that Yun Wenfang was a calamity and that she should stay away if she could. She didn¡¯t want to get involved in a joke about little girls fighting over jealousy. So she took her people to Ren Yaohua. Only Ren Yaoqi had searched all the almond blossom groves in the back of the mountain but still hadn¡¯t seen Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t care and went to a few large halls in the temple at random, not cared what kind of bodhisattva was worshipped in the halls, and worshipped Buddha on sight anyway. She had not believed in Buddhism in her last life, and she had not had time to believe in it in this one. When she came out of the Hall of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, the Bodhisattva of Guanyin, and the Bodhisattva of Great Strength, Ren Yaoqi heard the whispering of servants from someone¡¯s house behind a large ginkgo tree. ¡°To hell with you! Is everything you said true?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s false, let me be struck by lightning! I heard that the man came out of the nearby Baiyun Temple in disarray, was chased by the nun¡¯s relatives, and fled to the mountain. I heard that he even fled into the Bailong temple!¡± ¡°It¡¯s morally corrupt! That nun has no shame either! Since her mortal heart won¡¯t die, she should not become a monk. Now that she tarnished the pure Buddha temple, is not afraid that the gods will come down and strike her with thunder to death?¡± ¡°Hey! You don¡¯t know, but I heard that before her husband died and enter the temple, this Aunt Liang was very restless and not easy to live with. She is so powerful that her husband¡¯s relatives don¡¯t have a good word to say about her! After her husband¡¯s death, she hooked up with a nobleman and ended up in a nunnery with her husband¡¯s fortune, where even her husband¡¯s family could not do anything about it. Now she is at ease! She has money and keeps a young man! She lives like a god, how can she care about god with her head up three feet high?¡± ¡°Does the Master of the Bailong Temple not care? Is he just going to let her run wild in front of the Buddha like that?¡± ¡°Hey! Money can make the devil push the mill, so what if the nun still follows her mortal desire?¡± Although Ren Yaoqi had not deliberately eavesdropped, she had still heard what the two said. The few young maids who followed behind her were blushing scarlet and full of curiosity. The two maids who were hiding behind the tree noticed that someone was coming and stopped talking. Ren Yaoqi was thinking of going to the Longwang Hall at the back to have a look. Then she saw Ren Yaohua¡¯s senior maid Xiang Qin walking and looking around as if she was looking for someone. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s maid, Ping Guo, was a sharp-eyed one, and she had a good relationship with Xiang Qin, so she waved over to her. As she saw Ren Yaoqi, Xiang Qin quickly walked over to her. Ren Yaoqi was surprised and asked her, ¡°Why are you here alone? Where is Third Sister?¡± Xiang Qin looked at the maids and ladies behind her, but said, ¡°Third Miss is resting at Fourth Miss¡¯s place, and asked this servant to come and talk to Fifth Miss about something trivial.¡± She said that it was a small matter, but after she said that she stopped talking, and only quietly winked at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi knew that there must be something going on, so she nodded and said, ¡°There are too many people in the front halls, I am going to the newly renovated Longwang Hall at the back to have a look, you can come with me.¡± Xiang Qin bowed her head and answered yes, coming forward to hold Ren Yaoqi¡¯s arm on one side. Longwang Hall was located on high ground and close to the back of the hill, so it was rather remote, and as it was newly built, not many people came there. When Ren Yaoqi saw a small pavilion at the side of Longwang Hall. She sent her maids to put on incense and relieve themselves, while she took Xiang Qin with her to the pavilion. After walking a few steps, she saw three or four women hurrying towards the pavilion. The women, both young and old, were all looked around as they walked, panted as if they were looking for something. ¡°Fourth Aunt, could she not be in the temple? I¡¯ve searched everywhere but I can¡¯t find that adulterer.¡± A slightly younger woman asked the middle-aged woman in the lead. Although the middle-aged woman had some uncertainty on her face, she shook her head and said, ¡°My family saw him running towards the mountain. The only place that can hide people on this mountain is the Bailong Temple. There should be no mistake. Let¡¯s look carefully again, and when we find someone, we¡¯ll sink that little whore in the pond on the way back!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman with so little shame! This slut has disgraced our old Zhang Family! If we find that adulterer, we¡¯ll see how she can deny it!¡± Another middle-aged woman said with an angry and somewhat excited look on her face. When those few people saw Ren Yaoqi¡¯s master and servant, they only glanced at them before hurriedly heading towards the Longwang Hall. Xiang Qin froze and looked at Ren Yaoqi in confusion, ¡°Fifth Miss, what are they doing here?¡± Ren Yaoqi remembered what she had heard from the two women behind the ginkgo tree and knew that they were probably looking for the nun¡¯s young man, so she shook her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind that, did you come to me because Third Sister asked you to? Is she really at Fourth Sister¡¯s?¡± The two had already reached the pavilion in front of the pond. Xiang Qin shook her head and was about to speak when another person suddenly came out from the side road branch in the path. . *du du du duuunn* *bethoven¡¯s 5th symphony start playing* CH 64 Chapter 64: Male Prostitute At that time, Ren Yaoqi thought that many things in this world were unfair. Some people were born rich, some were endowed with extraordinary talents, some had outstanding talents, and some people could attract everyone¡¯s attention as soon as they appear, like the bright moon in the sky, peerless beautiful jade, or flowers in the snowy mountains. A young man was walking closer. His jet-black hair was a little dark purple under the sunlight, and his graceful facial contours gave off a soft jade-like luster. His steps were not slow, but they made people feel the elegance and nobility of leisurely strolling. This kind of natural elegance and casual nobility that he took for granted made everything around him fade into the background as he walked along. A pair of dark, warm eyes met Ren Yaoqi¡¯s in mid-air. Ren Yaoqi suddenly felt breathless. Ren Yaoqi had heard those famous scholars who love beauty saying that the most important thing about a person¡¯s beauty was not their looks, but their temperament. Many people could be called beautiful when they sat there without saying anything, but when they moved and opened their mouths, it would be like a heirloom painting had been ruined, destroying that beauty. This young man, however, was the one who could make even the slightest swaying of the corners of his robe feel just right. Flawless white jade and unparalleled was what described this kind of person. This was the first time Ren Yaoqi had ever given such a high rating to a man¡¯s appearance. It was only when the young man got closer that she realized that his lips were a little lighter, and his figure was slender and well-proportioned, but slightly thin, which made him a little softer for no reason. The white robe on his body was embroidered with black cloud patterns around it, which was exquisite, but the right sleeve of the robe seemed to have had a piece of the trim ripped off, which looked a bit abrupt. Xiang Qin leaned over and with an odd expression on her face, she came up to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Miss, do you think this gentleman is the one those women were looking for?¡± Ren Yaoqi froze at her words and gave the young man another serious look. The young man¡¯s eyes swept towards Xiang Qin lightly. Although his gaze did not reveal any emotion, Xiang Qin subconsciously lowered her head. To be honest, Ren Yaoqi really couldn¡¯t picture such a young man as a male prostitute she had heard of before. But he just happened to be here, and he looked like he was ¡°disheveled¡±. Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly, averted her eyes, and said softly to Xiang Qin as if nothing had happened, ¡°Let¡¯s go and sit in the pavilion.¡± With that, she walked over to the pavilion. Before she could take a few steps, she saw the women who had run to the back of the Longwang Hall to look for someone rushing out again. They hadn¡¯t found anyone yet and had come back again. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s footsteps paused and she wanted to turn her head to look at the young man. Her head only moved slightly, but she finally held back. This kind of thing was better to avoid further and further away. Unexpectedly, the man walked towards her and stood on her left, only half an arm¡¯s length away from her, claiming to be walking side by side. Ren Yaoqi was stunned again and turned her head to look at him. The young man had a leisurely expression, his steps were comfortable as if he was originally standing and walking beside her. The spring breeze blew with a bit of chill, brought a very clear and light medicinal fragrance that made people feel peaceful. Xiang Qin¡¯s eyes were wide open as if she had seen a ghost. She winked at Ren Yaoqi fiercely. Ren Yaoqi turned her head, walked to the wooden bench in the pavilion, and sat down at the same pace, while the young man sat down gracefully across from her. Xiang Qin stood behind Ren Yaoqi with a bitter face, but her eyes moved around between squinted at the young man and secretly looking at the women who were getting closer and closer. ¡°Strange! Where did that bitch hide his head?¡± ¡°Forth Aunt, could Forth Uncle have been mistaken? Haven¡¯t we searched all the way and yet haven¡¯t seen the man in white clothes that Forth Uncle described as a wolf?¡± The corners of Xiang Qin¡¯s eyes twitched as she glanced at the white robe of the young man sitting on the opposite and secretly reached out to tug at Ren Yaoqi¡¯s sleeve. The same faint smile emerged from the corner of that young man¡¯s mouth, like flowing water under the moon and a fresh breeze on his face. He lifted his eyes to look at the master and servant opposite him. Dumbfounded, Xiang Qin blushed and dropped her hand. She buried her head deeply and never moved again. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression was clear. She neither looked outside nor at the young man, but turned her head to a magnolia tree growing by the pond next to the pavilion, the white flowers that seemed to be in bloom attracting all her attention. The women had already reached the pavilion and stopped to look when they saw someone in the pavilion. The young man in white had a string of sandalwood strings in his right hand at some point, and he was idly fiddling with it, the beads on the string gently regularly clacking against each other, actually making a sound of gold and stone. Only then did Ren Yaoqi turn her head and glanced at the string with some curiosity, which appeared to be sandalwood but was not. The young man smiled lightly at Ren Yaocheng and handed the string to her, saying slowly, ¡°This is ¡®goldenstone wood¡¯, which looks very similar to sandalwood and has a sandalwood scent, but it is not. The Buddha ball on it is engraved with the entire Vajra Sutra, and the words are as small as dust, so you need the help of a special kind of mirror to see it.¡± His voice was low and soft, as if it carried special magic. Ren Yaoqi unconsciously pressed the string he handed to her, and it was slightly heavy in her hand, cold and prickly. When she rubbed it with her thumb, there was indeed some slight unevenness on the beads. and She could see that it looked like it was covered with irregular patterns, but could not tell that there were words on it. The women looked into the pavilion for a few moments and then turned their eyes away, leaving in low voices while talking to each other. The young man slowly stood up, and Ren Yaoqi was about to hand the string back when he already turned around and walked out of the pavilion and left. She did not see how fast his steps were, because he disappeared in an instant. The lingering fragrance of fresh medicine had also disappeared. Only then did Xiang Qin react and whispered, ¡°Ah, Fifth Miss, he didn¡¯t take away his string of Buddha beads.¡± Ren Yaoqi gave the string in her hand a quiet glance, thoughtfulness in her eyes. Xiang Qin looked at the fork in the path where he had left and sighed with great regret, ¡°What a pity that such a character would be someone¡¯s kept man.¡± Seeing that Ren Yaoqi did not say anything, Xiang Qin said again with some doubt, ¡°Miss, was he just using us to get rid of those people? Is this bead a thank-you gift from him to you?¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t answer but handed the bead to Xiang Qin: ¡°Take it first and treat it as if you just found it. If you have a chance to meet with him later, return it.¡± Xiang Qin understood, wrapped the string in her handkerchief and carefully put it in the purse at her waist. Only then did Ren Yaoqi ask, ¡°What did you want to talk to me about before?¡± Xiang Qin smiled and quickly said, ¡°Fifth Miss, earlier Wu Jing said that she seemed to have seen the martial artist called Dong Qing who served your uncle when she went to give incense money to Madam.¡± ¡°Actor Dong?¡± Ren Yaoqi faintly stared, then jerked her head up, ¡°You said Wu Jing saw Actor Dong? Not Actor Xia?¡± Xiang Qin said in confusion, ¡°Wu Jing is sure he is Actor Dong, so she can¡¯t be wrong, right? Although the names of Actor Dong and Actor Xia are only separated by one word, their looks are a hundred thousand miles apart. Fifth Miss, Third Miss said that they always follow Master wherever he goes, so if he is here, then Master must also be nearby, so she took Wu Jing and the two maids to look for them.¡± Ren Yaoqi sat there with a frown on her face, her thoughts drifting away. Over the years her grandfather¡¯s family could not even afford to keep servants, but they had raised a bunch of opera singers. There was a full range of actors and actresses, including Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, and Chou[1] so they could hold a full opera. Whenever grandfather and uncle were in the mood, the small dilapidated courtyard would be filled with the sound of gongs, strings, and flutes. Father and son might even take to the stage to shout their voices, making it very lively behind closed doors. It was said that both Prince Xian and his son were drunken, dreamy, mediocre people. Others quietly despised them, saying that it was fortunate that the late emperor had died before he could install a crown prince, otherwise the dynasty of the Great Zhou would have been in jeopardy. It was only when Ren Yaoqi entered the capital later and her uncle secretly brought people into the city that she learned all the opera singers in her grandfather¡¯s house, including the kung fu actor, clown actor, old man actor, and even scholars actor[2] were all profound martial arts masters. Some of them were secret guards or escorts given to Prince Xian by the late emperor, and some of them were beloved members of Prince Xian¡¯s birth mother, Wan Guifei[3]. After Prince Xian¡¯s family was relegated to Yanbei, they quietly followed them and disguised themselves as playwrights to follow Prince Xian and his son. They were considered to be the dead soldiers of Prince Xian¡¯s family. Ch¨±n Sheng, Xia Sheng, Qiu Sheng, and Dong Sheng were the four who often followed her uncle, Li Tianyou, around. Chun Sheng, Xia Sheng, and Qiu Sheng were three people who followed their uncle to the capital, so Ren Yaoqi remembered them. Especially Xia Sheng, who secretly followed her for half a year after her uncle persuaded him to leave, making sure she was safe before leaving the capital to go back to Yanbei. It¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t have much impression of Dong Sheng. She heard from Xia Sheng that Dong Sheng went out with his uncle one year and suddenly disappeared. No matter how hard they searched after that, they couldn¡¯t find anyone, and he never went back. At this moment, Ren Yaoqi suddenly heard the name Dong Sheng, and couldn¡¯t help being a little dazed. Dong Sheng hasn¡¯t disappeared yet. . [1] (Éú¡¢µ©¡¢¾»¡¢Ä©¡¢³ó) Character roles in Chinese Theatre. Éú Sheng: refers to actor playing as man; µ© Dan: refers to actor playing as woman; ¾» Jing: refers to a man who acts with a strong or rough personality; ³ó: refers to playing a funny character, putting white powder on the bridge of the nose, called a clown, a small face, etc. Source: https://baike.google.com/item/Éúµ©¾»³ó/1851582#:~:text=Éúµ©¾»³ó_°Ù¶È°Ù¿Æ&text=Ï·ÇúÐе±µÄÃû³Æ¡£,³ÆС³ó¡¢Ð¡»¨Á³µÈ [2] (ÎäÉú£¬Îä³ó£¬ÀÏÉú£¬Ð¡Éú) ÎäÉú W¨³ Sh¨¥ng: A character who is good at martial arts in theatres (picture up left). Îä³óW¨³ Ch¨¯u : A kind of clown in opera, plays a character with martial arts and funny personality (picture up right). ÀÏÉú L¨£o Sh¨¥ng : Male roles above middle age, wears beard, and both sing and read with their own real voice (picture down left). СÉú Xi¨£o Sh¨¥ng : Most xiaosheng characters are young Confucian scholars or, less often, young warriors (picture down right). Source: Various sites of Baidu [3] One of the highest rank of Imperial Concubine other than the Empress herself. There are too many ranks of Concubines and they changed every dynasty with no way to properly translate all of them, so I¡¯ll keep the pinyin only for them. CH 65 Chapter 65: Appearance of The Adulterer Because of the experience of the previous life, Ren Yaoqi has a different understanding of the family members of her ancestor, Prince Xian, than outsiders, and also has a heartfelt kinship. It is easy to add icing on the cake, but difficult to send charcoal in the snow[1]. If someone stands up and helps you aimlessly when you are in despair about the world, you can understand this feeling. Ren Yaoqi calmed down the mixed emotions in her heart, stood up, and asked Xiang Qin, ¡°Where did they go? How long have they been gone?¡± Xiang Qin hurriedly said: ¡°Third Miss left after you and Eight Miss went to the bathroom. Originally, she wanted to tell you directly. But Third Miss is impatient, she is afraid¡­ afraid that uncle and master will encounter some trouble again, so she went to find someone first. She also said that if she hasn¡¯t come back after three or four-quarters of an hour, she would let her servant come and tell you so that you could help to cover up the matter in front of the other masters.¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help smiling wryly when she heard the words. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t go to find someone because she was afraid that their uncle would encounter some trouble, but she was afraid that his uncle would cause them trouble. The last time his uncle sold the house to buy a cricket, Ren Yaohua was very angry, and she was afraid that he would do something ridiculous again this time. Because every time Li Tianyou leaves home, nothing good would happen. Moreover, Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t want the rest of the Ren Family to see Li Tianyou. In her heart, not only was this uncle unable to back up her mother, but could even hinder them. She felt a little ashamed to be with him. In her previous life, Ren Yaohua had never been kind to those in the Prince Xian Mansion. She once followed Nanny Zhou to send money to her grandfather¡¯s house, she even took a few prostitutes with her to shout at her grandfather that she would never give them money again if he didn¡¯t sell out those ¡°opera singers¡±. Grandfather, who had never had a temper, got angry and threw the silver at Ren Yaohua¡¯s feet, and then took a whip for the opera and whipped that prostitute out, saying that she would never be allowed to join the Li Family again and that he would not recognize her as his granddaughter. Although later when Li sent money to her natal family, her grandfather still took it heartlessly, he was always very cold towards Ren Yaohua. But this time Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t come back for nearly an hour after she went there. Seeing that it was almost time for lunch, Ren Yaoqi had to quietly send a few trusted maids to look for her. In the end, the temple sent someone to say that the meal was ready and let Ren Yaoqi go over to have the meal. Ren Yaoqi could only secretly send someone to continue looking for her while she went to see Eldest Madam Wang on her own. Fortunately, the Eldest Madam wanted to discuss the affairs of the Liu Family with the Eldest Young Madam, so she didn¡¯t care about the meal, and only let them go to the room arranged by the temple to have their meal by themselves. After hearing what the Eldest Madam and the Eldest Young Madam said, the two sisters of the Liu Family cried in front of Madam Liu that the Ren Family bullied them with their numbers. However, the Eldest Madam was so furious after she found out what words the Liu sisters said to scold Ren Yijun. Not only did she not care about blaming Ren Yaoqi for helping Ren Yijun lecture the sisters of the Liu Family, but she also treated her very kindly. No mother can tolerate others calling her child short-lived. So when Madam Liu opened her mouth and asked the Ren Family to show sincerity before they would settle the matter, otherwise she would have to bring the Ren Family into disrepute, the Eldest Madam only gave her a cold smile. One of the senior maids who served the Eldest Madam looked at the Eldest Madam¡¯s face and said to Madam Liu with contempt: ¡°Our young master is not afraid of anything, but your girl has just met us for the first time and already asked our young master to talk to her. Without even bringing a servant with her, is she trying to come to the Ren Family as a concubine? To be honest, we are a large family, so we don¡¯t mind having one or two more people to eat.¡± At these words, the Liu Family¡¯s faces suddenly turned ugly. The Eldest Madam bowed her head and took a sip of tea, pretending that she had not heard her subordinate¡¯s impertinent. A good blind date turned into a tense meeting. But in the end, for the sake of their respective reputations, everyone tacitly agreed to put the matter behind them. As for the matter that the Liu Family wanted to use this to blackmail the Ren Family, it was successful in the last life, but in this one, it was just a thought. The Eldest Madam was a little disappointed with her visit to the Bailong Temple and planned to return after a short break for lunch. As they were not having lunch together, Ren Yaoqi told the Eldest Madam that Ren Yaohua had gone to the distant Jialing stupa and it would take some time before she could come back. Because she felt that Ren Yaohua was accompanied by maidservants, the Eldest Madam didn¡¯t care. She was discussing with her family members about the next blind date for Ren Yijun, whose marriage was a matter of concern to her. Oh no, it started to rain heavily outside while eating. The Eldest Madam sent someone over to say that they would rest in their rooms after the meal and wait for the rain to stop before leaving for home. The person who had sent out to look for Ren Yaohua had not yet returned, so Ren Yaoqi could only go to the Eldest Madam once more, saying that Ren Yaohua had sent her maid back to say that she had met her uncle¡¯s servant on the way and wanted to go to pay her respects to him, so she had not yet returned. Although Li Tianyou was known to be unreliable, he was, after all, the brother of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s mother, their natal family, and a proper elder, so the Eldest Madam did not say anything. She only said that if Ren Yaohua came back, she would go and report to her. As soon as Ren Yaoqi returned to her room, she told Xiang Qin to find her a bamboo hat and a coir raincoat, arranged for Ping Guo to keep watch in her room, and took two maids, Xiang Qin and Sang Shen. For two maids out of the courtyard, she told them that if anyone came to ask, they should say she had gone to look for Ren Yaohua. She was only an eleven-year-old child, and it was only natural for her to be playful. Moreover, Yanbei¡¯s rules were not as strict as those near the capital city in the south. Ren Yaoqi took the others to the place where Xiang Qin had told them to look, but there was no sign of Ren Yaohua. But when it rained, the people in Bailong Temple disappeared. Walking along the road, she felt that the huge ancient temple was empty, and even the footsteps would leave an echo. The cold rain fell onto the flat stone road and splashed onto Ren Yaoqi¡¯s embroidered shoes, which didn¡¯t take long to get wet. Coir raincoats and bamboo hats can be found in the temple, but no suitable wooden clogs can be found. Ren Yaoqi felt uneasy. In her last life, she and Ren Yaohua had not been to the Bailong Temple at this time of year. So in her last life, Ren Yaohua had not met Dong Sheng. But Dong Sheng had disappeared in the last life. Ren Yaoqi did not know when Dong Sheng had disappeared in the last life, but the fact that Ren Yaohua had not returned after so long always made her feel that something was wrong. The main building of Bailong Temple covered an area of about 100 mu. In addition, there were many houses built periphery around it. Some courtyards were rented out to pilgrims who came to the temple to burn incense or seek medical treatment, while others were rented out to scholars who want a quiet place to study. For example, the near Baiyun Temple was using the land of Bailong Temple, so Baiyun Temple had to pay some incense money to Bailong Temple every year. Although they were both under the seat of Buddha, there were clear accounts to be settled. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, from the royal family to the common people, all believed in and respected the Buddha. In addition to the court¡¯s annual rewards, the monks at the monastery have 30 acres of farming land each, which, together with the large donations from incense-bearers and the reclaimed barren land, makes the monastery¡¯s annual output a considerable amount of income. Most of the monks didn¡¯t hold their land but rented the cultivated land to farmers who didn¡¯t have any. So every large monastery was a large landowner. Therefore there was a saying that of the ten parts of the wealth of the world, Buddha has seven parts. If Li Tianyou had come to Bailong Temple, most likely that he would have been in one of the surrounding courtyards under the name of Bailong Temple. Many scholars rent the courtyard of Bailong Temple, and many scholars like to play fight. Although most of them did not gamble for money when they gamble on chicken fights and crickets, they gamble on some ancient paintings and antiques. It can be said that as long as the prize was not valuable things like real money, they would think it is elegant. As for Li Tianyou, he didn¡¯t care whether it was elegant or not, and he didn¡¯t care whether he was betting on money or a house, he just bets for his pleasure. ¡°Fifth Miss, your shoes are wet, you should go back and let the servants find them.¡± A maid came up and whispered. Ren Yaoqi looked at the new pink embroidered shoes under her skirt and was thinking about sending more people out to look for them, when Xiang Qin suddenly pointed ahead and said, ¡°Look, Miss, it¡¯s Master.¡± Ren Yaoqi immediately looked up and saw two more people coming this way in the rain not far away. The one who walked in front was a man in his mid-twenties who was not too tall. He was wearing an old ragged hat from who-knows-where, but not wearing a straw raincoat, so he was drenched from the neck up. His colorless gown didn¡¯t fit him very well, and the sleeves were rolled up several times. It was like a child who had been naughty and secretly wears adult clothes. The man behind him was a black man with an ordinary face standing tall like a tower. Li Tianyou often joked that it was a waste of time for him to pretend to be a Wu Sheng, and that he should play the black Bao Zheng[2]. The man walking at the back saw Ren Yaoqi first, so he stepped forward and whispered something in the ear of the man in front of him. The man behind looked up and saw Ren Yaoqi, stunned for a moment, then suddenly covered his face with his sleeves and turned around to run away. But his sleeves were pulled up, and he frantically rolled down his sleeves, looking embarrassed and funny. On the side, Xiang Qin covered her mouth and laughed. Ren Yaoqi helplessly called out to the man who was dragging his attendant to escape: ¡°Uncle, I have seen you!¡± Li Tianyou stopped walking feeling very depressed. When Ren Yaoqi walked over, he heard him turn his back and teach his followers: ¡°I told you to eat less regularly! Look at how big you¡¯ve grown, every time I try to turn around and run gracefully, I would be recognized! From now on, you can only eat two bowls¡­ no¡­ one bowl of rice per meal! Do you hear me!¡± The man who had always been submissive reluctantly lowered his head and said yes. Li Tianyou rolled his eyes and whispered even more, ¡°Look which niece of mine is it? The one who is very fierce or the one who likes to look at the sky with both eyes like her father?¡± Ren Yaoqi wept and laughed as she watched the black-faced man take another serious look at her before returning, ¡°Master, it¡¯s ¡®the one who likes to look at the sky with both eyes.''¡± Ren Yaoqi: ¡°¡­.¡± Li Tianyou turned around with a sigh of relief and was startled when he saw Ren Yaoqi standing behind him and glared at his attendant: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me that she was standing right behind!¡± Seeing that it was still raining, Ren Yaoqi did not bother with him and only asked, ¡°Has Uncle seen my Third Sister?¡± Although she could hear from the conversation between the two that it was unlikely that Li Tianyou had seen Ren Yaohua. Sure enough, Li Tianyou shook his head, and the water on his bucket hat flung onto Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face: ¡°I didn¡¯t see her, and even if I did, I fled.¡± Ren Yaoqi wiped the water droplets off her face helplessly: ¡°Then what about Dong Sheng beside you? Did you only take Dong Sheng and Xia Sheng out today?¡± Li Tianyou was busy rolling up his long sleeves and said casually, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dong Sheng went to help me distract¡­ I mean, Dong Sheng went to work. That boy is nimble, but he¡¯s a dumb one. He hasn¡¯t come back after all this time, so I¡¯m caught up by the rain! Let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll teach him a lesson when he comes back!¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face turned pale when she heard his words, speechless and unable to speak. If Dong Sheng disappeared this time, would Ren Yaohua, who went to look for him but did not return, also disappear? Li Tianyou also noticed that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face was not right, and asked suspiciously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked up, glanced at Xia Sheng behind Li Tianyou, thought for a moment, and said, ¡°My sister said she saw Dong Sheng, so she chased after him, but she hasn¡¯t come back after walking for more than an hour.¡± Li Tianyou was taken aback: ¡°What? Little Yaksha[3] went after Dong Sheng? She, she, she, she won¡¯t be caught by those people, right?¡± The last sentence was asking Xia Sheng beside him. Ren Yaoqi, however, seized upon his words and asked sharply, ¡°What kind of people are you talking about? Why do they want to arrest my sister?¡± Li Tianyou sniffed and pulled the torn hat off his head, unable to say anything. Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Uncle if you don¡¯t tell me, in case something happens to my sister, how will you tell my mother!¡± Li Tianyou¡¯s face twitched and his teeth ached a little. After thinking about it, he gave Xia Sheng a sidelong glance, ¡°You say it.¡± When Xia Sheng was about to speak, Li Tianyou was busy adding, ¡°Pick the important ones and don¡¯t say anything that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Xia Sheng was silent for a while before he said, ¡°Master was originally¡­.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Li Tianyou shouted, stopping Xia Sheng¡¯s words and glaring at him, ¡°This master said, pick the important things to say!¡± Xia Sheng¡¯s face was still expressionless, but in his heart, he was growling, ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet!¡± ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll say it. Who knows if things gonna be distorted by your words!¡± Li Tianyou gave Xia Sheng a somewhat disgusted glance and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°I originally had an important matter with someone, so I sent both Dong Sheng and Xia Sheng away. The person I had an important matter with had offended some people before, and then¡­ then at the critical moment they barged in, so I ran away through the back door. Didn¡¯t want that group of people to come after this master instead!¡± Speaking of this Li Tianyou had some indignation on his face, ¡°They chased after this master and luckily Dong Sheng didn¡¯t listen to me and go far away. He changed into my clothes to lure the people away. Then Xia Sheng found me. After that, we came back together to find Dong Sheng. Little Yaksha must have seen Dong Sheng, who had run away in my guise, so she went after him.¡± As she listened, Ren Yaoqi looked a bit odd and could not help but look at Li Tianyou for a few moments before suddenly asking, ¡°Uncle, what kind of clothes were you wearing before?¡± Li Tianyou thought for a moment: ¡°A white coat with a large white crane embroidered in red, which was quite powerful and dominant. This is the first time I¡¯ve worn this garment. Tsk ¨C I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get a lot of chatter from Yi Hong when I get back.¡± Li Tianyou was a bit depressed. But Ren Yaoqi was getting more and more speechless, she felt like she knew something. While they were talking, the rain had stopped. Ren Yaoqi instructed the two maids who had come behind her, ¡°Go to Baiyun Nunnery, one of you spy inside and one of you looks around there.¡± Before she had finished speaking, Li Tianyou jumped up, ¡°You, you, you, you, how do you know about Baiyun¡­that nonsense?¡± Ren Yaoqi ordered the old maid to leave before turning her head to look at Li Tianyou, ¡°I guessed.¡± ¡°Then, then, then, then, what else did you guess?¡± Li Tianyou said undauntedly. Before Ren Yaoqi could say anything, Xiang Qin, who had been standing behind her, suddenly exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand and looking at Li Tianyou with wide eyes, ¡°So the pr-, pro-, prostitute is?¡± Li Tianyou was stunned and puzzled, ¡°What are you talking about? What prostitute?¡± Xiang Qin looked at Ren Yaoqi, then lowered her head and closed her mouth tightly, refusing to speak anymore, but the corners of her eyes couldn¡¯t help but sneak a glance at Li Tianyou. However, as if he knew something, Xia Qing came over and whispered a few words in Li Tianyou¡¯s ear. Li Tianyou¡¯s face instantly turned red and then shouted strangely, ¡°Which bastard is slandering this master behind his back? To hell with their grandfather¡¯s face! This master is just stealing incense and jade!¡± Xiang Qin and the two maids who had lost their faces also turned red as they listened. Ren Yaoqi shook her head and changed the subject, ¡°The rain has stopped, and in a little while my Eldest Aunt will order us to depart back, so it¡¯s important to find Third Sister first. Otherwise, it will be troublesome.¡± Li Tianyou hung his head and said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go and look for her.¡± They turned back towards the Bailong Temple. They had not gone far when they saw some maids hurrying out. They ran over with a few steps and bowed, ¡°Fifth Miss, we have finally found you. Just now, Eldest Madam asked this slave to come to you. The maid in your room said you had come out, so the Eldest Madam sent her servants out to look for you. Why is Third Miss not with you?¡± As she spoke, she glanced at Li Tianyou in surprise, and secretly judged his identity. Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Third Sister was looking for a place to take shelter from the rain, and I had already sent someone to look for her. When I came out I happened to meet my uncle who came over to look for me.¡± The woman breathed a sigh of relief and busily bowed to Li Tianyou, called him Old Master, and then said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Since Fifth Miss had met Old Master, then Madam can rest assured. The Eldest Madam asked her servants to go and find the Fifth Young Lady because she wanted to tell you that because of the rain before, there is a flash flood on the mountain road. Several carriages turned over in the ravine, and just now someone was sent to find the monks in the temple to help rescue the carts. The Eldest Madam said that we should delay our return, so as not to encounter anything in such a hurry to go back.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask more sisters to make the trip, and will personally apologize to Eldest Aunt when I get back.¡± The maid then went back to repeat her orders. Now that they were not in a hurry to go back, there was plenty of time. Ren Yaohua had disappeared, and she would rather find her herself than alert the Eldest Madam to have someone from the Ren Family help. She didn¡¯t trust the Ren Family. In case something happened to Ren Yaohua, she could still try to keep it under wraps. If they let the Ren Family know, there was no telling what the consequences there would be. Ren Yaoqi and Li Tianyou were planning to split up to look, but they didn¡¯t go far when she heard Li Tianyou shouting from behind: ¡°Yaoqi, Yaoqi, come here quickly. Dong Sheng and the others are back!¡± Ren Yaoqi hurriedly turned her head and walked over quickly. Sure enough, she saw Ren Yaohua soaking wet all over. Behind Ren Yaohua was a medium-sized man with a fair complexion but an ordinary face. He should be the martial artist named Dong Sheng. Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua, who did not say a word, and asked with a frown, ¡°Where did you go, Third Sister? Where are the maidservants by your side?¡± She remembered how many people Ren Yaohua was with when she went out. Now only she and Dong Sheng came back. Ren Yaohua turned her head to look at Dong Sheng with a very unfriendly expression when she heard the words, and snorted coldly: ¡°You asked him what good things he did!¡± Li Tianyou secretly asked Dong Sheng: ¡°What did you do?¡± But he found that Dong Sheng was standing there with a dead face. He opened his mouth when he heard the words, but finally swallowed them without saying anything. Both Li Tianyou and Xia Sheng were a little surprised. Dong Sheng and Xia Sheng had opposite temperaments. Xia Sheng didn¡¯t like to talk or laugh, he just asked and answered, but Dong Sheng had a lively temperament, he smiled a little when he saw people talking. . [1] It means that there are a lot of people who willing to congratulate you when you are succeeded, but when you are in hardship hardly anyone would help you. [2] Bao Zheng (°üÕü; B¨¡o Zh¨§ng; 5 March 999 ¨C 3 July 1062), commonly known as Bao Gong (°ü¹«; B¨¡o G¨­ng; ¡®Lord Bao¡¯), was a Chinese politician during the reign of Emperor Renzong in China¡¯s Song Dynasty. During his twenty-five years in civil service, Bao was known for his honesty and uprightness. Bao Zheng today is honored as the cultural symbol of justice in Chinese society. In mainstream Chinese mythology, he is often portrayed wearing a judge¡¯s zhanjiao futou hat and a crescent moon on his forehead, and black skin. Dari [3] Yaksha. Source: Baidu . I snorted so hard when Li Tianyou called Ren Yaohua Yaksha lol. Rude of him, but that is very funny. CH 66 Chapter 66: Trouble As soon as Ren Yaoqi saw their appearance, she knew that something must have happened earlier, so she spoke out, ¡°Uncle where did you stay? Is it close to here?¡± Li Tianyou looked around, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be far. I can also see this hill from where I am resting.¡± He pointed to the rainy and foggy distant mountain road in front of him. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes followed Li Tianyou¡¯s hand and could only sigh. She wondered whether to remind him that this does not prove the two places are close. Luckily, Xia Sheng spoke out, ¡°It¡¯s about two-quarters of an hour¡¯s walk away.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at herself and then at the embarrassed Ren Yaohua, and said to Xiang Qin and Sang Shen behind her, ¡°Go back and find clean clothes and shoes for me and my third sister.¡± The two maids answered and went away. Ren Yaohua then said to Xia Sheng, ¡°I remember seeing a donkey cart for hire not far ahead. The road is muddy and not easy to walk on.¡± Xia Sheng looked at Li Tianyou. Li Tianyou waved his hand and let Xia Sheng go. Seeing that only herself, Li Tianyou, Ren Yaohua, and Dong Sheng were left, Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua and Li Tianyou carefully. She saw that Ren Yaohua¡¯s bright red dress was soaked through from head to toe, turning it into an extremely deep red colour. Especially the pair of lotus green embroidered shoes, which were covered in mud and dried straw, could no longer be seen in their original colour. Her whole body could be described as in a wretched state. A few locks of her hair fell to her forehead, and her face was a little pale, but her lips were red and dark. It was not clear whether it was from the cold or anger. This was the first time she had seen Ren Yaohua look like this in front of people. But it made her a little more vulnerable and approachable if one ignored the cold expression on her face that could freeze people to death. Dong Sheng¡¯s appearance was not much better than Ren Yaohua¡¯s. The colour of his clothes was so dark that it was impossible to tell whether they were wet or originally dark brown. His half-new rough shoes were covered in mud and dry grass, just like Ren Yaohua¡¯s. His face, in particular, did not look angry like Ren Yaohua¡¯s, but more like one of fear and anxiety. Ren Yaoqi was a little worried. When Ren Yaohua had gone out, she had taken a few maids and maids with her. Now all the servants, including Wu Jing, had disappeared. Only the two of them had returned in a mess, who-knew what happened to the others. But looking at their current appearance, this was not the place to talk. Ren Yaoqi could only put a straw coat and a hat on Ren Yaohua which had taken off earlier to cover up the mess she was in. Not long after, Xia Sheng returned with a rented donkey cart. Li Tianyou stroked his chin and looked around the donkey cart for a long time, then asked Ren Yaoqi curiously, ¡°Have you ever ridden in this thing? Can it pull such a big cart? It doesn¡¯t look like it has much strength.¡± He said and stretched out his palm. He patted the donkey¡¯s head, earning an unpleasant look from the donkey driver. Although there were more horses in northern Yan than in the south because of the horse farms, the common people still preferred to use donkey carts because the amount of forage needed to feed a donkey was much less than the amount of forage needed to feed a horse. And donkeys are extremely hardy. They were not as prone to illness as horses and people could still eat their meat when they died of old age. Therefore, most of the common people in the Great Zhou Dynasty who had enough rations at home would raise donkeys. Especially in Jiangnan, where horses were scarce, donkeys were more common. But there were no donkey carts for the great families to travel with. The reason was that donkey carriages were not ostentatious enough. Li Tianyou asked this question because he had never been in a donkey cart. Even as a young boy in the capital city, where horses were scarce, he had only eaten donkey meat. But all in all, it was a commendable thing that Li Tianyou could tell the difference between a horse and a donkey and not mistaking it for a cow or a dragon or anything else. Ren Yaoqi told Xia Sheng to wait here for the maids Xiangqin and Sangshen to come and then took them back by hiring a carriage. She herself got into the donkey cart with Ren Yaohua, and then Li Tianyou also entered. Dong Sheng sat with the coachman on the outside of the donkey cart. It didn¡¯t take long for the donkey cart to stop in front of a small compound. The courtyards leased out by the temple all looked very simple, and some of them were made of yellow bricks. The courtyard where Li Tianyou stayed was of green bricks and black tiles. He found it the second they see it. The courtyard was cleaned up, it was obvious that someone was responsible for repairing and cleaning it during the week. Like renting fields and employing tenant farmers, house leasing had always been an important source of income for monasteries. ¡°How long have you been staying at Beilong Temple, Uncle?¡± Ren Yaoqi followed him into the courtyard as he did so. ¡°I came yesterday, someone asked me to come over for a chicken fight. The chicken was stolen in the middle of the night. The good thing is that I only came here casually and brought an ordinary one with me, so if I lost it, I lost it. I planned to leave today, but I ran into ¡­¡­ ahem, well, an acquaintance.¡± Li Tianyou touched his nose and looked to his right and left. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t ask any more questions. When they entered the house and sat down, Ren Yaoqi looked at Dong Sheng, who had not been looking well, and asked directly, ¡°Where are the servants who serve my Third Sister?¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s eyes pierced Dong Sheng¡¯s face like a sharp blade, but she pursed her lips and did not say a word, obviously, she was too angry. Dong Sheng glanced at Ren Yao period and lowered his head and whispered, ¡°They were all knocked unconscious by me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just knock me unconscious too and throw me into the cave?¡± Ren Yaohua sneered, and gave a fierce glance at Li Tianyou who was sitting on the side watching the fun. Li Tianyou immediately said with a bitter face, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to do that. Besides, Dong Sheng is always good and obedient, so maybe someone close to you has done something too much to make him angry! Isn¡¯t that right, Dong Sheng?¡± Li Tianyou winked quietly at Dong Sheng. But Dong Sheng shook his head and said honestly, ¡°It was this subordinate who was reckless.¡± Ren Yaohua snorted coldly, ¡°This kind of deadbeat person, what kind of subordinate he could have? The master has no rules, so the subordinates have no rules either!¡± Li Tianyou didn¡¯t like to hear these words. He put his hand on Dong Sheng¡¯s shoulder and gave Ren Yaohua a sidelong glance, ¡°He belongs to the master. If this master says he¡¯s a subordinate, he¡¯s a subordinate, if this master says he¡¯s this master¡¯s older brother, he¡¯s this master¡¯s older brother! You¡¯re not surnamed Li, what¡¯s it to you?¡± Dong Sheng was startled and said, ¡°Master, this subordinate wouldn¡¯t dare to be ¡­¡­¡± Li Tianyou pushed his head heavily with his palm, ¡°Oh that¡¯s right, this master should say that you are this master¡¯s younger brother. You don¡¯t have enough guts to be this master¡¯s older brother.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at the duo of master and servant making a scene there and could not bear it any longer: ¡°Are you going to get my maids back or not? If anything happens to them, you can¡¯t get away with it!¡± Only then did Li Tianyou remember, coughed softly, and asked Dong Sheng in a low voice, ¡°Where did you hide them? Why don¡¯t you give them back? Good men don¡¯t fight with women.¡± Dong Sheng bowed his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s in a cave, I knocked them out to save time, they should be waking up soon now.¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned, ¡°It¡¯s better to send someone to take a look. In case they don¡¯t see Third Sister when they wake up and report to the Eldest Madam, it would be troublesome.¡± Dong Sheng nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been negligent, I¡¯ll go and get them now.¡± At that moment, someone else came in, and when Ren Yaoqi heard Xiang Qin¡¯s voice, she said to Dong Sheng, ¡°Does Xia Sheng know about the cave? If he does, tell him to take my two maids with him. Lest they see you and get into another argument.¡± She actually had a lot of things she wanted to ask Dongsheng. At that moment Xia Sheng happened to walk in with two maids carrying a bundle. Ren Yaoqi told Dong Sheng to go and explain to them. She herself took Ren Yaohua with her and went to change her wet clothes and shoes. They would always have a few clothes on hand when they traveled, just in case. Generally speaking, for emergencies, these clothes were mostly of similar colours and patterns. This way, if the clothes got dirty, they could be changed without unnecessary embarrassment. For example, if a girl of 11 or 12 years of age suddenly had her first period. It would also be better to avoid any embarrassment, so as not to become a joke. The emerald-colored dress Ren Yaoqi had changed into was very similar to the one she was wearing before, and the embroidered shoes on her feet were of the same style and colour, although the flowers were a little different. Ren Yaohua had also changed into a dress in the colour of maroon. When the two of them came out, Xia Sheng had already gone to help Ren Yaohua find her people. Only then did Ren Yaoqi ask Dong Sheng what had happened to him since he came out of Baiyun. He shook his head and said in a muffled voice, ¡°I was just running all the way, and then I found Third Miss¡¯s people following me. I thought they were the ones who chased after me, so I knocked them out first.¡± Ren Yaohua, however, laughed coldly from the sidelines, ¡°Others I can understand, but don¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t recognize my maid Wu Jing. Who did you learn the rules from, to talk nonsense in front of your master? Or has no one taught you the rules at all!¡± Wu Jing had been with Ren Yaohua for some years and had followed her to her grandfather¡¯s house in Yunyang City several times. Dong Sheng should have recognized her. Even Li Tianyou sneaked a glance at Dong Sheng in disbelief. But he was wise enough not to speak and stir things up, instead staring earnestly at an ordinary white porcelain tea bowl in his hand as if he was looking at an antique. It was clear that he did not want to enter the conversation. After hearing Ren Yaohua¡¯s rebuttal, Dong Sheng lowered his head and looked as if he had admitted his mistake, but he refused to speak up again to explain what had happened before. Ren Yaohua became more and more convinced that Li Tianyou was deliberately taking revenge on her, after all, she had mentioned many times that she wanted to throw out the opera troupe from her grandfather¡¯s family. Ren Yaoqi, however, had other ideas; she knew that Dong Sheng had not finished his words. But there were only the four of them here, no outsiders, so why did he refuse to say anything? Did he only want to speak to Li Tianyou alone afterward, or was he not going to speak to anyone? If it was the latter, then this matter must be a big deal. When she thought of her previous life, it was likely that Dong Sheng had disappeared because of this incident, Ren Yaoqi was a little worried. She thought back carefully on the events she had encountered today, trying to connect the dots. But after thinking about it, something seemed to be missing. Finally, she could only look at Dong Sheng and said seriously, ¡°I have something to tell you, come with me.¡± After saying this, Ren Yaoqi stood up and pointed to the room next to her. Li Tianyou thought that Ren Yaoqi wanted to teach Dong Sheng a lesson, so he struggled for a while, patted him on the shoulder, and comforted him in a low voice: ¡°Fortunately, she is not the very fierce one, just bear with it and it will pass.¡± Although it was a whisper, it was obvious that Master Li didn¡¯t have the concept of a so-called whisper. So Ren Yaoqi still heard it, and could only pretend not to. Over there, however, Ren Yaohua glared fiercely over. Dong Sheng still dared not go against his master¡¯s wishes and followed Ren Yaoqi to the next room. Ren Yaoqi walked slowly into the house, not looking for a place to sit down, she went to the window and pushed open a window. A fragrance of grass mixed with moist earth came into the house. The air, which previously had been stale, immediately became fresh and vibrant. It made people¡¯s spirits less tense. After thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi opened the door and said, ¡°I know you must have encountered something big this time, and it¡¯s not a good thing. I think you don¡¯t want to talk to us because you don¡¯t want to involve us in it. Am I right?¡± Dong Sheng looked at Ren Yaoqi with surprise, ¡°Young Miss, are you¡­¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi turned her head and interrupted him in a warm voice, ¡°I understand your loyalty to my uncle. You even have a little more tolerance for us because of that. But have you ever thought that if something bad really happened to you yet you¡¯ve already been in contact with Third Sister, Uncle, and me, would you really not have implicated us? If you had left immediately then, you might have been able to do so without bringing back the trouble. But you sent my sister back. And met us. Your good intentions might have brought bad results ¡­¡­¡± When Dong Sheng smiled, his face looked a little paler, and his bloodless lips trembled along with him. Ren Yaoqi saw that he had loosened up a bit. Continue to ramble: ¡°Anyway, things have come to this, even if you tell others that we are not involved, others will not believe it. Instead of that, you should tell me the truth. Let¡¯s find a way to settle the matter.¡± Unexpectedly, Dongsheng shook his head with a wry smile when he heard the words, with some deep helplessness in his expression, ¡°It¡¯s no use, I¡¯m in big trouble. You are right, Young Miss, I should have left without saying a word.¡± Ren Yaoqi listened quietly and shook her head, ¡°Did you knock those servants unconscious because of what they saw? And you sent my Third Sister back because you were afraid that she would run into danger without anyone around her? Dong Sheng smiled embarrassedly, ¡°I don¡¯t think they saw it, I was just taking precautions.¡± Ren Yaocheng looked at him and did not say anything. Dong Sheng looked at Ren Yaoqi¡¯s calm face and thought about what she had said before, which was justified. Somehow he managed to take out a letter from his sleeve: ¡°I took a shortcut up the mountain to distract those who were chasing the master. Unexpectedly, there is a person lying on the mountain road. I walked over and saw that the man was dead. There is a letter like this on the ground next to him. I picked it up and looked at it. There was no signature on it and that is how I knew something went wrong.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°When I was just about to put the letter back, I heard someone coming. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I put the letter away and went to check on it. It was the Third Miss who had come with some people. I was afraid that they would see the man on the ground, so I secretly led them elsewhere. After finally getting far away from the place, I was about to show myself, but the Third Miss suddenly realized that I had just led them in a circle to cover for the others. So she ordered the maids to go back the way they came. That is why I looked for an opportunity to lure Third Miss away, and then knocked those maids out and hid them.¡± ¡°Then I tried to send Third Miss back. I didn¡¯t want Third Miss to be angry, but she thought I hid something from her, so she ¡­¡­ The letter I had placed in my lapel was accidentally pulled out by Third Miss and fell to the ground. I was startled and tried to take the letter back, but Third Miss got ahead of me and tore the seal off the letter.¡± Speaking of this, Dong Sheng swallowed and pursed his lips: ¡°I can only say that I wrote that letter to a girl I liked, and Third Miss returned it to me. I saw that the letter had been unsealed, so I opened it and read it once. It is a shock. There was no mark on the envelope, but inside the letter was¡­ can not be seen in the light¡­¡± When the letter was snatched away by Ren Yaohua, he realized why Xia Sheng and the others always said that his martial arts skills were too weak. He was different from Xia Sheng and the others who come from dead soldiers or guards. He was originally just an ordinary servant, learning martial arts was just a matter of circumstance, just in case, so as not to hold back his masters at critical moments. It was because of this day. Although his martial arts skills were very average, his running and jumping skills were first class that even Xia Sheng could not outrun him. ¡°Oh?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned and pondered. If she could, she felt that she should not ask any further, but now this matter might not be that simple anymore. Covering one¡¯s ears was not a good idea, and no matter what, Ren Yaohua had already been implicated. After a long silence, Dong Sheng suddenly whispered, ¡°That was a secret report written by the imperial court to the governor Zhao Ming.¡± Dong Sheng still said it. He also had no choice. If he hadn¡¯t met Li Tianyou just now, he wouldn¡¯t have said anything. But he had already involved his master, and couldn¡¯t think of a way to solve it. There is no way to know if anyone was following him secretly. This was a matter he did not know who to speak to. Of the three masters present, the other two were not suitable. After all, he was only a servant, there was no way he could do too much. Ren Yaoqi did not rush to ask what was said in the court¡¯s letter to Governor Zhao. She thought about it, and after a moment of silence, she suddenly looked at Dong Sheng: ¡°Is there something else you haven¡¯t told me? If that was all that had happened. There wouldn¡¯t have been such a long delay.¡± Dong Sheng lowered his head at her words, his face a little embarrassed. Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly, but the gaze she gave him was somewhat indifferent: ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, the reason you delayed so long before sending my sister back is that you were thinking about killing her to silence her? Lest she drags my mother and grandfather¡¯s family down with her.¡± This was what she had thought of when she heard Dong Sheng say that the letter was a secret imperial report. She would not doubt how loyal this group of people were to the Prince Xian Royal Family. Dong Sheng¡¯s face was as white as paper. Suddenly his legs went limp and he fell to his knees in front of Ren Yaoqi. He did not argue, and there was nothing to argue. He had indeed struggled in his heart for a long time. If he killed Ren Yaohua and then left, he would not implicate Prince Xian¡¯s lineage. So he took Ren Yaohua around in circles for a long time, debating where to kill, but he could not make up his mind. After all, Ren Yaohua was Prince Xian¡¯s granddaughter. She was considered his half-master. As long as he could remember, he had been taught to be loyal to the Prince Xian Mansion and not hesitate to die for his master. There was no way he could do the deed of regicide. Eventually, somehow, he led her not far from the temple gate of the Bailong Temple when then they met Li Tianyou and Ren Yaoqi who were looking for Ren Yaohua. The only thing that went through his mind at the time was that he was going to harm his master with his soft-heartedness. If that was the case he don¡¯t deserve even a hundred deaths. Even now, if he were given another chance, he would not hesitate to kill Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaoqi looked at his complexion. She sighed softly, ¡°Get up, you are not wrong. You are a subordinate of the Li Family, not the Ren Family, so naturally you have to put the interests of the Li Family member first, and no one can accuse you as far as that is concerned.¡± Dong Sheng stood up with an ashen face, but never dared to look up. Although he knew he had done nothing wrong, he had no way of facing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s clear, clear gaze. ¡°Did you return to the place where you found the letter afterward?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Dong Sheng nodded. ¡°And then the person disappeared?¡± Dong Sheng looked up in shock and said nervously, ¡°Young Miss, how do you know?¡± Ren Yaoqi sighed, ¡°If he were still there, you wouldn¡¯t be so worried and scared.¡± The fact that that person was no longer there meant that someone had appeared after Dong Sheng, which meant that perhaps someone had been watching them from the shadows. It also meant that Dong Sheng was in danger of being exposed. Otherwise, it would have been much less trouble for him to go and bury the man and destroy the body. ¡°I saw earlier that there were no signs of a fight around where he fell, so he must have been wounded elsewhere earlier and was chased to that spot. After I had taken the letter and left, someone found him and took the man away. So my previous movements may have fallen into the eyes of others. I had heard Qiu Sheng and the others mention that the court always did not ask for reasons, only the results. That letter is extremely confidential, and anyone who has come into contact with it¡­ I¡¯m afraid will¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi also felt anxious and couldn¡¯t help but think, did Dong Sheng disappear in the last life because he secretly left of afraid hurting her uncle and the others, or was he silenced and killed? CH 67 Chapter 67: The Secret Letter Ren Yaoqi looked out of the window in deep silence. The air was still moist after the rain, and out of nowhere, a swallow flew out, skimming low over the courtyard and suddenly dropping to the ground with a few tiny cries. Li Tianyou walked out of nowhere with his hands behind his back to the place where the swallow had fallen. He knelt, then poked the poor little bird that kept hopping but could not fly with his right hand. He tilt his head to look around for something, and when he saw the eaves of the house, he grabbed the swallow into his hands. ¡°Dong Sheng, is there a ladder in this yard? A stupid bird has fallen out of its nest.¡± Li Tianyou¡¯s pleasant voice rang out in the courtyard. Dong Sheng apologized to Ren Yaoqi, hurriedly ran out to Li Tianyou, and whispered back. Li Tianyou then handed the little one that kept fluttering in his hand to Dong Sheng and waved his hand, ¡°Then you can put it back.¡± Dong Sheng bowed his head and took it carefully, running back again. Ren Yaoqi then saw Li Tianyou standing in the middle of the courtyard with his hands behind his back, excitedly giving instructions. After a while, Dong Sheng came back. He hold a rough cloth handkerchief that he had just wiped his hands on. Outside, under the eaves of the house, the sounds of Ren Yaohua and Li Tianyou tussling over something rang out again, very lively. ¡°What kind of person is that who intercepted the secret letter from the court?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked in a soft voice. Baiyun Temple was located in the middle of Baihe Town and Yunyang City, right near the official road that connects north and south. Dong Sheng stood next to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand again and said in a low voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t see the fight, so I can¡¯t judge. But the letter was about the court¡¯s order to cut the Yanbei Army¡¯s pay.¡± Ren Yaoqi was shocked at the words. It was related to the Yanbei Royal Family? Although the Yanbei Army was nominally the army of the Great Zhou Dynasty, in reality, they were the direct line of the Prince Yanbei or the ¡°Xiao Family Army¡±. Ren Yaoqi had once heard Teacher Pei mentioned that most of the taxes in Yanbei had to be paid to the court, but the court only paid a very small portion of the Yanbei army¡¯s salary every year. In fact, the majority of the salary was borne by the Yanbei Royal Family itself. She remembered that in her previous life, there had been a mutiny in the Yanbei Army. At that time, some soldiers in the lower ranks of the Yanbei Army were dissatisfied with the court¡¯s cut in pay, so they banded together and robbed the shops of rich families in the city, causing a riot. In the end, someone submitted a petition to impeach the Yanbei Army for being too large. Too many young monks were in the temple which caused the turmoil, and people demanded the Yanbei Army to be reduced. Shortly afterward, a small border dispute broke out in Ningxia caused by small-scale party clans over a horse farm with rich grazing resources. At the request of Wu Xiaohe, the General Officer of Ningxia, Yanbei Palace sent the Yanbei Army to help pacify the turmoil. For several years afterward, that part of the Yanbei army was stationed in Ningxia, and the court¡¯s plan to reduce the Yanbei army was not implemented. However, Wu Xiaohe was the son-in-law of the previous Prince Yanbei and brother-in-law of the current Prince Yanbei, Xiao Yan. A lot of people believe that the entry of the Yanbei Army into Ningxia was actually a strategy made by Prince Yanbei to preserve the Yanbei Army and divert the attention of the court. Unfortunately, three years later, the General Military Officer of Ningxia, Wu Xiaohe, died so the court sent in Zeng Yu. It was a move made by the Yanbei Prince¡¯s Mansion. The court also thought that Zeng Yu was just a nepotism between his family, the Marquis of Xichang, and Empress Dowager¡¯s maiden family, the Yan Family, to get the post. People only focused on Lu Dexin, the supervisor who took office with Zeng Yu. In the end, Zeng Yu¡¯s performance was far beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. Most of Wu Xiaohe¡¯s army was incorporated by him, and the Yanbei Palace was caught off guard. It was the rise of Zeng Yu. But it was the beginning of the Ren Family¡¯s disaster. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes dropped slightly at this thought. Ever since she woke up, she had been thinking about how to change the ending of her last life. But the temple was too far away from her. If she had followed the original path, Zeng Yu would still have been sent to Yanbei as a pawn in the court¡¯s confrontation with the Yanbei Royal Family, and with Zeng Yu¡¯s ability, the Ren Family would still want to bend to him. When she thought of this, she would always have nightmares. In this life, even if she did not want to avenge her last life, what could she do if her enemies still came to her? She was a woman in a boudoir. All she could do was pray. How it will end is hard to say. In her previous life, she could not remember exactly when the court had planned to reduce the Yanbei Army. It was probably almost two years ago. The secret letter that Dong Sheng had mentioned was most likely the precursor to this matter. What could be done to stop Zeng Yu from succeeding as the Ningxia General Military Officer, or how could Zeng Yu become the Ningxia General Military Officer in name only? Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart was pounding. ¡°Young Miss?¡± Dong Sheng saw that Ren Yaoqi was not looking well and called out softly. Ren Yaoqi took a deep breath and calmed her heartbeat. She reminded herself not to rush and to take her time. She didn¡¯t believe that she lived a new life just to repeat the mistakes of the previous one. There is always a way. ¡°Young Miss, the person who intercepted the secret report from the court was most likely sent by the Yanbei Royal Family. The secret report mentions that the person who received the letter was told to provoke the bottom-ranking generals of the Yanbei Army to cause trouble when the court ordered a cut in military pay. I heard that the Second Young Master of the Yanbei Royal Family is recovering from illness in a nearby villa, do you think he could have sent them¡­¡± Dong Sheng whispered. Ren Yaoqi raised her head and frowned when she heard the words, ¡°You mean Xiao Jingxi, the Second Young Master of the Yanbei Royal Family? He¡¯s near the Bailong Temple?¡± Dong Sheng nodded his head. Ren Yaoqi, however, suddenly recalled the man she had met earlier in front of the Longwang Hall at the Bailong Temple. She and Xiang Qin had mistaken him for the nun¡¯s lover that the women were looking for. But afterward, Ren Yaoqi was a bit suspicious of his identity. Judging from his poise and bearing, he did not look like someone who would be a male prostitute. Especially when he gave her the string of goldstone wood beads, her mind became more and more doubtful. She had seen a lot of good things so she was sure that string of beads was definitely considered a rare treasure. But he gave it to her casually, simply to repay her for a not-so-great favor she had done. Then Li Tianyou appeared, and Li Tianyou admitted that he was the love interest of the nun who was being chased, so who was that man? Why would he want to avoid those women? He was also wearing white clothes. Was he mistaken for Li Tianyou by those who were chasing Dong Sheng? And what was he doing near Bailong Temple? And why was his sleeve torn? Thinking of the legendary appearance of the Second Young Master of the Yanbei Royal Family, Ren Yaoqi could not help but suspect that he was Xiao Jingxi. But was he the one who sent someone to intercept the court¡¯s messenger? Thinking this, for some reason, Ren Yaoqi shook her head with her intuition: ¡°I heard that the Second Young Master of the Yanbei Royal Family is extremely intelligent and amazingly talented. Even if he wanted to intercept the court¡¯s secret report he would not use such extreme means to wind up his career. For such an important matter, the messenger sent by the court to Yanbei to deliver the message should be more than just this. The letter would still end up in the hands of the person to whom it should be sent, while the Yanbei Royal Family is the one who has alerted the snake.¡± If Ren Yaoqi could think of something, she did not believe that Xiao Jingxi, who had been praised by Teacher Pei, would not think of it. Dong Sheng thought about it and was also out of ideas, ¡°Then who could it be?¡± ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t the Second Young Master Xiao, I didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t someone from the Yanbei Royal Family.¡± Ren Yaoqi was not very sure, all this was just her guess. The information she had was too little, and she had no way to judge. Besides, if the person she met was Xiao Jingxi, the timing of his appearance was too coincidental. Over here, Ren Yaoqi and Dong Sheng were speculating about the identity of the man who had intercepted and killed the imperial messenger and finally collected the corpse. On the other side, someone was also trying to trace the whereabouts of the secret letter. The young man had changed into a blue robe with wide sleeves and was now standing by the window, listening to the man in black who was on one knee. His dark ink eyes quietly looking out of the window as the continuous rain gradually became smaller and thinner, seemed to be covered with a fog that was hard to see. The rain dripped down intermittently between the cracks of the roof tiles into a pair of old granite fish tanks with lotus patterns under the eaves, overflowing it with water. The young man¡¯s low, dark voice rang out soothingly in the room. His voice was not loud but it managed to drown out the sound of the water dripping outside: ¡°Send the body to Xiao Jingyue and ask him what to do with it, I¡¯m only here to recuperate from my illness at Bailong Temple.¡± The kneeling subordinate froze and carefully glanced up at his master and asked tentatively, ¡°What if the Third Young Master denies that he is the one who sent it?¡± The young man tilted his head at his words and gave his subordinate a smiling look, saying with some surprise, ¡°Can he still deny it?¡± The subordinate immediately bowed his head, ¡°I understand. It¡¯s just that the letter that the Third Young Master wanted to intercept is still in the hands of others, should I send someone to¡­¡± The young man withdrew his gaze that had fallen out of the window, seeming to think about it, and asked in a light voice, ¡°Are you sure that person is from the Li Family?¡± ¡°I am sure, that man is the attendant beside the former Prince Xian¡¯s son, Li Tianyou, and there was a woman with him at that time, a young lady from the Ren Family from Baihe Town.¡± ¡°The Ren Family?¡± The young man¡¯s tone was still soothing and calm, but there was a somewhat thoughtful look between his brows, but in an instant, he smiled lightly and nodded, ¡°Understood, you go.¡± The black-clothed subordinate was stunned, did his master not want to care about it anymore? But with the Third Young Master¡¯s character and methods, many people may be implicated and lose their lives, even the Heir of the Li Family may¡­ CH 68 Chapter 68: Setting up a Plan ¡°How much do you know about the Yanbei Royal Family?¡± While looking at the sky outside the window, Ren Yaoqi asked Dong Sheng. In her previous life, she hadn¡¯t known much about the Yanbei Royal Family, and in this life, she hadn¡¯t deliberately inquired about it, so what she knew was only what everyone knew. But Dong Sheng was trained as Li Tianyou¡¯s personal servant, and his master was Zheng Guoliang, a formidable servant who serves her maternal grandfather as the steward of the Li Family. She always used to think that there was something peculiar about the way Steward Zheng spoke, but then she realized that Steward Zheng should have been a eunuch who came from the palace. Li Tianyou¡¯s servants did not need to know much about social interactions, but he must know how to help his master to avoid harm. So Dong Sheng should know a lot about the various families in Yunyang City. ¡°The late wife of the previous Prince Yanbei was the second daughter of the late Emperor. She was born to the Zhang Guipin[1] and was given the title of Princess Changde by the late Emperor at the age of 15. However, the previous Prince Yanbei had been betrothed to Yun Yao, the eldest daughter of the Yun Family. Before he was given in marriage, Prince Yanbei¡¯s grandfather, the fourth Prince Yanbei Xiao Qishan was still alive and had asked for an order to present his case to the late Emperor.¡± ¡°The late emperor considered again and again how to block the public¡¯s mouth and appease Xiao Qishan. He then allowed Xiao Yan to marry Yun Yao, the daughter of the Yun Family, as a Ceshi[2] at the same time as the princess entered the family. He then promised that if Yun Yao had a son, she would be given the position of Cefei[3] after Xiao Yan succeeded to the throne of Yanbei. ¡° ¡°But Princess Changde had only one daughter, Xiao Wei, since she entered the Xiao Family and nothing more, while Old Madam Yun gave birth to the previous Prince Yanbei¡¯s eldest son, Xiao Yan[4]. After that, the princess took a Guiqie[5] from a side branch of the Su Family for the previous Prince Yanbei. The Second Master Xiao Heng was born to this Su Guiqie, who was in poor health and passed away shortly after Xiao Heng was born. Xiao Heng then was raised at Princess Changde¡¯s knee since he was young.¡± As expected, Dong Sheng knew the twists and turns of these aristocratic families very clearly, and he explained them in detail like a treasure trove. ¡°The fourth Prince Yanbei, Xiao Qishan, lived until he was about sixty years old, so the previous Prince Yanbei was already thirty-five when he succeeded to the throne. At that time, there had been a bit of a fuss in the Yanbei Royal Family over the chosen heir.¡± ¡°Princess Changde wanted to appoint her own adopted concubine son, Xiao Heng. The previous Prince Yanbei, on the other hand, preferred his eldest son Xiao Yan. I heard that Princess Changde even sent a secret letter to the capital to ask the late Emperor to make decisions for her without telling the previous Prince Yanbei.¡± ¡°At that time, the late Crown Prince had died, the late Emperor was ill, and the two princes, Kang and Rong, were fighting for the crown. The letter that the princess sent to the capital quietly sank like a stone. On the other hand, the previous prince Yanbei used the reason that Xiao Qishan had left a legacy to ask for an order for his eldest son to be crowned. At that time, Prince Kang and Prince Rong, who were in charge of the country, were in a close battle, and no one wanted to offend the Yanbei Palace at that time. Therefore Xiao Yan became the chosen heir. After two more years, the late emperor suddenly recovered from his illness. Prince Kang and Prince Rong then were executed for disobedience. Soon afterward the previous Prince Yanbei died, so Xiao Yan succeeded him as Prince Yanbei. He also asked for the title of his first son, Xiao Jingkang, as his heir.¡± ¡°Because of the ¡®rebellion of the two princes¡¯ between Prince Kang and Prince Rong, the late emperor did not have the energy to take care of the affairs of Yanbei at first after he recovered from his illness, so Xiao Yan¡¯s succession to the throne and the request for his eldest son¡¯s title went smoothly. Only the late emperor requested that the heir of Prince Yanbei be enrolled in the State Scholarship School in the capital, essentially making him a hostage. So the heir of Prince Yanbei grew up in the capital and was betrothed from an early age by order of the late emperor to Zhao Ying¡¯e, daughter of Princess Chang¡¯an. I heard that this heir was an excellent writer and painter, but he was wasted in riding and archery.¡± Ren Yaoqi listened in silence, some of the things Dong Sheng said she knew and some she did not. She could imagine the deep waters of the Yanbei Royal Family, but now that she had heard such a detailed account from Dong Sheng, it was still a bit alarming. ¡°The current Prince Yanbei Xiao Yan¡¯s main wife is the niece of his birth mother, Old Madam Yun. That niece is Yun Chuxue, the first daughter of Yun Sheng, the current head of the Yun Family. The Princess Consort herself has given birth to two sons and a daughter, namely Xiao Jingkang, the heir in the capital, Second Young Master Xiao Jingxi, and County Princess Xiao Jinglin. The brother of Prince Yanbei, Xiao Heng, married someone from the Su Family and had Third Young Master Xiao Jingyue and Second Young Lady Xiao Jingyuan. There are also several concubine-born sons and daughters. Princess Changde¡¯s only daughter, Xiao Wei, married Wu Xiaohe, the current General Military Officer of Ningxia, and had a daughter.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart stirred, ¡°What is the relationship between Xiao Yan, the current Prince Yanbei, and his brother Xiao Heng?¡± Dong Sheng thought for a moment and said truthfully, ¡°From an outsider¡¯s point of view, they have a harmonious brothership. But¡­ if you look at the relationship between their respective relatives, the Yun and Su families, you can understand that things are not as simple as they appear. The Yun Family and the Su Family have been shaking hands and talking like a family since Xiao Qishan became Prince Yanbei, but in fact, the two families are still in constant dispute behind the scenes. The Su Family holds several large horse farms in the northwest, and all the horses for the cavalry of the Yanbei Army come from the Su Family¡¯s horse farms in the northwest. The Yun Family is an old family, and their background is not comparable to the Su Family, but it is better than the Su Family in terms of management. These two years the two families are competing for several large salt farms near Qingzhou, causing Prince Yanbei a lot of headaches.¡± The Northwest Horse Farm¡­The General Military Officer of Ningxia¡­ Dangxiang Tribe who were competing with the Great Zhou for the horse farm¡­ The Yun Family and the Xiao Family, and the conflict between Old Princess Consort and Prince Yanbei¡­ Ren Yaoqi felt that there was a faint thread linking what she knew in her previous life with what Dong Sheng said just now, and a ray of dawn lit up in front of her eyes¡­ In the previous life, as soon as the imperial court ordered the reduction of the Yanbei Army, there was a dispute over Dangxiang Tribe¡¯s horse farms in the northwest. Then the Yanbei Army was divided and part of it went under the command of Wu Xiaohe, the General Military Officer of Ningxia, to help him fight the Dangxiang Tribe. She had originally thought that this was a two-pronged strategy by Prince Yanbei to preserve his strength. But now it seems that Wu Xiaohe was the son-in-law of the Old Princess Consort, Princess Changde, so could he really be on the same side as Prince Yanbei? Was Prince Yanbei willing to share his army with his brother-in-law? Afraid not. More likely he was forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. Although later, because of the intervention of the Second Young Master of Prince Yanbe Xiao Jingxi, most of the Yanbei Army was reorganized and their vitality was not damaged. Still, it was a loss after all. Zeng Yu¡¯s ability to quickly secure his position as the Ningxia General Military Officer was also related to his success in turning over a group of middle and lower-ranking generals of the Yanbei Army who were already on the fence before Xiao Jingxi was incorporated back into the Yanbei Army. Those few people ended up becoming his capital for promotion. So if she could find a way to prevent the Yanbei Royal Army from entering Ningxia, she would have cut off a shortcut to Zeng Yu¡¯s promotion. It was undeniable that Ren Yaoqi hated the Zeng Family, Zeng Yu, and Zeng Kui. Even though those things had not yet happened in this life, she still felt an uncontrollable hatred when she thought of the Zeng Family, a hatred that was so deep in her bones that it had been incorporated into her flesh and blood. At that moment, a few more people came in from outside the courtyard with Xia Sheng and Xiang Qin. They were Sang Shen and other Ren Yaohua¡¯s maids. Wu Jing and the others were in a terrible state of distress. Two of the maids had tear stains all over their faces, still sobbing when entered the courtyard, so it was clear that they had suffered a lot. When they saw Ren Yaohua standing under the eaves, they all flocked over in a flurry and complained aggressively, one after the other. The small courtyard immediately became noisy. It was Wu Jing who could not stand it anymore and reprimanded them. Ren Yaoqi only heard Ren Yaohua¡¯s cold voice ringing out in the courtyard, ¡°I will give you an explanation myself!¡± Li Tianyou, who had been watching from the side, rolled his eyes and took Xia Sheng into the house with his hands behind his back. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s quiet voice rang through the room word by word, ¡°There is a way out, but you need to take a risk. Perhaps everyone will have to take a risk, are you willing to do it?¡± Dong Sheng froze. With some hesitation, he asked, ¡°Who does Young Miss mean by everyone? Do Master have to take risks too?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Dong Sheng with undisturbed interest, ¡°Do you think that uncle is not implicated now? Instead of waiting for disaster to strike, why not strike back?¡± The situation of Prince Xian, Li Qian¡¯s family in Yanbei was already very awkward. Li Qian¡¯s birth mother, Wan Guifei, was a favourite concubine of the late emperor. She is a commoner¡¯s daughter brought back from outside the palace in his early years. She gave birth to Li Qian within six months of entering the palace. So although the late emperor acknowledged Li Qian¡¯s status as an imperial son, his birth became a stain on him after his death. There were rumours in the capital that before entering the palace, Wan Guifei was actually a singer-songwriter who had already been married to someone else. Although she was later blessed by the late emperor, she was not carrying the emperor¡¯s seed. It was only through her skill that the late emperor recognized her cheap son and named him Prince Xian. The late emperor was dead. There was no way to confirm this rumor, but when discussing the establishment of a new emperor, most of the courtiers would still choose to support the son of Yan Fei[6], who was just a baby at the time. In desperation, Wan Guifei made the first move. Taking out the last imperial edict, she took the lead in demoting her own son, Prince Xian, to a commoner, and exiled him to Yanbei where the Yan Family could not intervene, so that his children and grandchildren could not enter the capital city forever. Prince Xian¡¯s family arrived in Yanbei on the same day Wan Guifei committed suicide by drinking dove poison. In fact, over the years, Prince Xian¡¯s family had taken refuge in the Yanbei Royal Family. Otherwise, he could not have lived in peace until today. He was a nuisance, but an alive one. When Teacher Pei spoke to Ren Yaoqi about this secret story of the palace, he exclaimed that the Wan Guifei was indeed an impressive character. She was not only beautiful, talented, and versatile, but also able to bend and stretch, resolute and ruthless, and she could afford to lose. It was a pity that she was so unlucky. Ren Yaoqi had never met her great-grandmother, but when she was in the capital she had seen some of the portraits of Wan Guifei and the poems that the late king had written in her honour, which had been secretly circulated among the talented scholars. Teacher Pei laughed and said that he had asked Lu Dexin for her because, at first sight, he thought she looked like the woman in a painting he had in his collection. She thought he was joking, but later she saw the painting and realized that Teacher Pei was talking about her great-grandmother, Wan Guifei. And it was only then that she understood why Teacher Pei had only spoken to Lu Dexin a few times before Lu Dexin gave her away. Lu Dexin was the overseer sent by the court to Ningxia. While the Imperial Family of the Great Zhou Dynasty had always preferred to use close servants as overseers, Lu Dexin was, in fact, a eunuch whose entire glory and favour came from his master at the top. His master, Empress Dowager Yan, was a deadly rival to Wan Guifei, so Ren Yaoqi¡¯s resemblance to Wan Guifei would have caused her trouble. At that time she was actually a million times grateful for her face. Many eunuchs could be a little paranoid when it comes to men and women because of their physical disabilities. Despite their incompetence in sex, they still liked to take wives and keep concubines. Ren Yaoqi hated to think back to the unpleasant time when she had fallen into the hands of Lu Dexin. Dong Sheng was subdued by Ren Yaoqi¡¯s bemused voice that seemed to see through the world. Those of them who followed Prince Xian understood the situation of the Xian lineage in Yanbei as if they were walking on thin ice. Not only did they have to worry about whether the Yan Family in the capital would suddenly send someone to assassinate them, but they also had to worry about whether the Yanbei Royal Family would one day hand them over to the Yan Family for disposal or even dispose of them silently instead of the Yan Family. As long as Empress Dowager Yan and her son were still on the throne, as long as the Yan Family still held the reins of the court, there would never be a time when his masters could truly be at ease. ¡°Please advise what shall this subordinate do, Young Miss.¡± Dong Sheng gritted his teeth and asked respectfully. ¡­¡­ When Ren Yaohua sent someone in to let Ren Yaoqi out, Ren Yaoqi had already explained everything clearly to Dong Sheng. Dong Sheng stood there frozen for half a second without moving, his face as white as paper, causing the maid who walked in to be startled as well, thinking how Fifth Miss had just given Dong Sheng a hard lecture. Ren Yaoqi gave a light sigh and said before walking out, ¡°Think carefully, you can also discuss with Xia Sheng and the others, if something went wrong send someone to send me a letter.¡± Ren Yaohua saw Ren Yaoqi coming out and frowned, ¡°What took you so long? It¡¯s getting late and people have returned, let¡¯s go back.¡± Ren Yaoqi had explained what she should, so she nodded and answered in the affirmative. Ren Yaohua did not move immediately. Instead, she looked behind Ren Yaoqi as if she wanted to wait for Dong Sheng to come out. Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡°I have already taught him a lesson, he will never dare to do it again. I also have given him something to do. Why don¡¯t we just let it go this time?¡± Ren Yaohua was a bit dissatisfied, ¡°What do you need him to do? Is there no one else in our Ren Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but softly plead, ¡°Third Sister, how about just treating it as a favor I owe you? When I just taught him a lesson, I already said that I would intercede with you for him.¡± At that moment, Dong Sheng came out from the inner room. His face was still unpleasant, and when Ren Yaohua caught a glimpse of him, she was convinced that Ren Yaoqi had already lectured him. Ren Yaoqi hurriedly said, ¡°Besides, we can¡¯t overstep our grandparents and uncle to punish their subordinates. After all, our surname is Ren, so if others knew about it, they might say something. As for those maidservants around you today, each of them will be rewarded with one tael of silver for their shock.¡± She said, ¡°Now that we are still following our Eldest Aunt outside, we can¡¯t cause any trouble. There are plenty of opportunities to teach him a lesson later, there is no need to rush.¡± Only then did Ren Yaohua let out a light hum and turned to leave. Ren Yaoqi glanced at Dong Sheng and slowly followed Ren Yaohua out the door. . About all of these concubine titles, I¡¯ve tried to do some research about the meaning of all of them and their ranks within hierarchy with no avail. If anyone know more please comment below [1] Guipin (¹óæÉ), a title of the Concubine of an Emperor, its ranking is below Gu¨¬f¨¥i (¹óåú) which is the title of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s great-grandmother. [2] C¨¨sh¨¬ (²àÊÒ), a Concubine title, its rank is not too high. [3] C¨¨f¨¥i (²àåú), a Concubine title with higher rank than Ceshi. [4] Yes, weirdly enough he has the same exact name as his father, I checked. [5] Gu¨¬qi¨¨ (¹óæª), another Concubine title, I don¡¯t know how high its rank within hierarchy. [6] F¨¥i (åú), literal meaning is a Consort . This the first instance among countless other instances of me questioning myself for trying to translate a gigantic historical novel albeit having miniscule knowledge about Chinese language and culture. I¡¯m sorry for this lousy attempt, Sir Author :¡±( Also as usual, the newest info about family backstory is already updated in ¡®Table of Contents¡®, for anyone who wants to understand who related to who. CH 69 Chapter 69: Mutual Exchange Li Tianyou stood at the door with his hands behind his back and smiled as he watched them leave, shouted under his breath, ¡°Come and play again next time.¡± Turning around, he whined towards Xia Sheng who was standing behind him, ¡°That Yaohua girl is getting fiercer and fiercer!¡± When Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua came out, the Ren Family¡¯s carriage was already waiting outside. After Xia Sheng found Ren Yaohua¡¯s maidservants, several of them followed him, and several others were sent back to call for a carriage. Although right now it was still not too late, the sky was already dark. Ren Yaoqi looked up at the sky and noticed that there were dark clouds churning in the sky not far away as if there was another heavy rain coming down. After returning to the Bailong Temple by carriage, the two sisters went to see the Eldest Madam Wang. Wang didn¡¯t say anything when she saw them coming back. She only asked them politely about their grandparents¡¯ family, to which Ren Yaoqi replied appropriately. Wang said, ¡°I was just going to send someone to pick you up, but it¡¯s getting late, and it looks like there¡¯s still a heavy rain coming down. The servants I sent out said that a lot of water had accumulated on the lower road in front of us, so it would be bad if there was another downpour on the way¡­¡± As Wang was saying this, everyone heard a sudden muffled thunder outside that seemed to have shaken the ground. Then they heard someone running outside shouting that it was raining. Wang looked back at Young Madam Zhao helplessly, ¡°Some things are really supposed to stay unspoken.¡± Zhao shook her head with a bitter smile. She walked over to the window, pushing it open, and sure enough it was raining heavily again outside, interspersed with lightning and thunder. ¡°Mother, you were right, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to go back today.¡± The Eldest Madam nodded, ¡°Have someone go and tell the monks that we will stay in their guest house today.¡± The Bailong Temple had some guest houses for women who go up to the mountain, separated from the monks¡¯ residences. The temple could take care of them and there would be no safety concerns. It was so secure that the Eldest Madam did not feel embarrassed about stayed overnight. After Zhao had made the arrangements, the Eldest Madam asked for Ren Yaoyu, Ren Yijun, Qiu Yun, and the others to come over. They had come over in the middle of the rain. She saw when Ren Yaoyu came in, she went over to Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang and whispered something in a familiar way, with Ren Yaoyin behind her. Yun Wenfang swept his eyes over Ren Yaoqi as soon as he came in, looked somewhat dissatisfied, and said as he approached, ¡°I asked someone to look for you several times this afternoon, but you were nowhere to be found. Originally, I wanted to take you guys for a stroll down the mountain.¡± Looking at Ren Yaoyu¡¯s stared eyes from the side, Ren Yaoqi nodded politely, ¡°Third Sister and I met my uncle. So we went over to pay our respects.¡± Ren Yaoyu skimmed her lips and laughed, ¡°That uncle of yours, is he the one who is the grandson of a Prince? I heard he sings opera? When will he sing for us?¡± Li Tianyou did know how to sing, but only for his own entertainment. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s words were a bit contemptuous. Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoyu with a smirk, ¡°Are you worthy of it?¡± Ren Yaoyu¡¯s face sank. She was about to retort with sarcasm, when the Eldest Mistress who was sitting at the top of the table, saw this and said, ¡°What are you doing? Not following rules! Whoever messes around will be grounded after going back!¡± Ren Yaoyin pulled Ren Yaoyu and said in a small voice, ¡°Eighth Sister shouldn¡¯t talk about Third Sister and Fifth Sister¡¯s elders like that.¡± Ren Yaoqi had been a little distracted. She had no mind to pay attention to these bickerings. She was worried about Dongsheng¡¯s affairs, and she didn¡¯t know if he had gone or not. When the rain had subsided a little, the Eldest Madam took the younger members of the Ren Family and moved to the guest courtyard prepared by the Bailong Temple. The courtyard in the first entry was somewhat similar to the one Li Tianyou had lived in before, but this one was on a hill and the other was on down the mountain. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua took the first room in the west wing, while Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaoyin took the second room in the west wing. Qiu Yun, Yun Wenfang, Ren Yijun, Ren Yijian, and Ren Yihong lived in the east wing. The Eldest Madam and the Eldest Young Lady took the main room. Xiao Jingxi sat quietly at the bedtable playing chess[1]. The noise of the rain outside did not disturb him in the slightest. His calm, soft face was relaxed and focused. Suddenly Tong He, the boy who had been keeping watch outside, came in. But he did not speak immediately. He only stood in front of the couch with his head bowed and his hands tied. ¡°What is it?¡± Xiao Jingxi did not look up, but was casually playing with a black piece in his hand. The ink jade chess piece flowed with a warm lustre between his slender fingers, a small movement that could attract the full attention of others. Tong He lowered his head and whispered, ¡°My lord, Li Tianyou¡¯s attendant, Dong Sheng, asks to see you, saying that he has come to visit you on behalf of his master.¡± Tong He¡¯s voice was very soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing something, but he spoke his words clearly. Xiao Jingxi¡¯s hand paused, and then it slowly landed on the chessboard. His face was unchanged as he said in a light voice: ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Without surprise or hesitation, Tong He bowed his head and answered yes, then turned and went out. After Tong He left, Xiao Jingxi looked at the chessboard with a somewhat thoughtful gaze. The rain was still falling rapidly outside, and a flash of lightning exploded in the sky, making it as bright as day for a moment. Reflected by this light, Xiao Jingxi¡¯s complexion was as peaceful and comfortable as ever, as motionless as a mountain. After a long time, Tong He gently pushed the door again and walked in. ¡°My lord.¡± Xiao Jingxi raised his eyes: ¡°What is it?¡± Tong He replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already told him that you don¡¯t want to see guests, but the man didn¡¯t say anything. He just stood in front of our courtyard and didn¡¯t move. I asked someone to persuade him several times, but he did not say anything and did not leave. Some people who passed by our courtyard pointed at him. There were even people who recognized him as Li Tianyou¡¯s subordinate. I¡¯m afraid ¡­¡­¡± He was afraid that although Li Tianyou was the abolished Prince Xian¡¯s grandson, his surname was still Li after all. If someone insisted on labeling their young master as defying the Royal Family, it would be suffocating. Xiao Jingxi did not say anything when he heard the words. He was still bowing his head to play his chess game as if he had not heard it. Tong He stood there a little uneasy, he didn¡¯t dare to leave until his master asked him to go out. After an unknown period of time, Xiao Jingxi put the chess pieces in his hand into the chess jar and said in a faint voice, ¡°Let him in.¡± Tong He let out a sigh of relief and bowed and retreated. Dongsheng was brought up fully wet. When he stood in front of Xiao Jingxi, he kept dripping water on the ground, soaking the moss-covered floor in the middle of the room and causing Tong He to glance at his feet several times. Dong Sheng bowed to Xiao Jingxi without saying a word, his manners were so considerate and meticulous that no one could fault him. Xiao Jingxi calmly and comfortably let him salute, smiled, and nodded: ¡°Say hello to your master for me too.¡± With that, he picked up the teacup with blue flower pattern and gestured to Tong He to send the guest away. Tong He looked at Dong Sheng, waiting for him to leave. However, Dong Sheng took a letter out of his lapel and placed it on Xiao Jingxi¡¯s bed table. Xiao Jingxi was a little surprised. He looked at the letter in front of him, which had been hidden in his clothes and did not get wet, the smile on his face faded. For some reason, Dongsheng felt that the room was suffocated for a moment, and even his breathing became a little difficult. ¡°What does your master mean by this?¡± Xiao Jingxi suddenly chuckled and asked leisurely. Dong Sheng licked his somewhat dry and cracked lips, ¡°I have come to ask for Second Young Master Xiao¡¯s help.¡± Xiao Jingxi stopped looking at the letterhead and stared at Dong Sheng with a smile on his face, but his smile was very indifferent, and he said slowly in a soft tone, ¡°Is this your attitude towards asking for help? Don¡¯t you care whether others are willing or not?¡± Dong Sheng don¡¯t understand, his mind was blank but decided to still bite the bullet and said stiffly, ¡°My master said, sometimes he obviously doesn¡¯t want to help, but people have to come forward themselves so those who are thin-skinned will help out. He said it might even make good karma, let the person you helped know the favor, and save your life at a critical moment.¡± Xiao Jingxi was stunned. Not knowing what had occurred to him, but suddenly he smiled, shook his head, and said in a warm voice: ¡°Who is your master? Is it Li or Ren?¡± Seeing that he guessed right, Dongsheng was a little surprised, ashamed, but also relieved that Xiao Jingxi was willing to talk to him: ¡°There are people surnamed Li and there are people surnamed Ren.¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled, ¡°Did your master say what would happen if that person didn¡¯t know how to repay you for your kindness?¡± Dong Sheng could not control the hand that wanted to wipe the sweat from the corner of his forehead and shook his head honestly against the pressure: ¡°My master did not say, he only said, ¡®Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you¡¯. You can¡¯t just allow the state officials to set fire and not allow common people to light the lamp.¡± Xiao Jingxi was silent for a moment and reached out to take the open letter in his hands, ¡°What does this letter say?¡± Dong Sheng swallowed for a moment and lowered his head to recite the contents of the letter without any hesitation. Xiao Jingxi glanced at him, threw the letter back on the kang table and said in a faint voice, ¡°You go back first.¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s words did not give any promise to Dong Sheng, making him somewhat unsure of himself, and he could not help but say, ¡°Second Prince Xiao, this matter has nothing to do with my master, he does not know the contents of this letter, he knows nothing. If there is something wrong, this young one is willing to bear it all.¡± Xiao Jingxi inclined his head, said gently and indifferently, ¡°Oh? How will you do that?¡± . [1] I translated it as chess, but it is more like Chinese Go, here is the picture for imaginery purposes CH 70 Chapter 70: Persuasion Dong Sheng opened his mouth and paused before saying in a low voice, ¡°The imperial court planned to cut the Yanbei Army¡¯s military pay, then send people to cause riots within the Yanbei Army and arouse public anger. It is a good opportunity to achieve the goal of reducing the combat effectiveness of the Yanbei Army. The Yanbei Army has always been a heart problem of the court. The Yan Family believes that after more than ten years of management, the situation in the court has now stabilised and the time is ripe to weaken the Xiao Family.¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled, stroked the rim of his blue and white tea bowl carelessly, ¡°If I remember correctly, your master¡¯s surname is Li, right?¡± Dong Sheng nodded without changed his face: ¡°Your Excellency is right, my master¡¯s surname is Li, but it is not Yan. Moreover, my master wants to live. If the Yanbei Army were to lose to the Yan Family¡¯s court, my master would be the first to suffer. That is why I want the Yanbei Army to be strong more than anyone else.¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s mouth held a smile of uncertain meaning, and his voice was low and beautiful: ¡°Which one of your masters made you say this again?¡± Dong Sheng bowed his head and did not say anything. Xiao Jingxi didn¡¯t care, smiling and saying in a warm voice: ¡°Since the ancient times, when a ruler wanted his subjects to die, they had to die. Otherwise, your master would not have gone to Yanbei back then. If the court wanted to disarm, Yanbei would have had no choice but to follow the ruler¡¯s wishes.¡± Xiao Jingxi naturally did not believe a word of this, so he said in a deep voice, ¡°But a general is not subject to military orders. Does Yanbei want to repeat the same catastrophe that happened decades ago? I am not talented, but I also know that although the Khitans have been driven out of Yanbei by the Yanbei Army for decades, they are still eyeing to make a comeback, while the northwestern border is plagued by the Dangxiang Tribe. Without the Yanbei Army, what would happen to the people of Yanbei? Linger under the iron cavalry of the Khitans like they were in those days, live not as good as pigs and dogs? What would happen if the Yanbei Army did not hold its ground? The Yanbei Army cannot be defeated and must not retreat.¡± Only then did Xiao Jingxi bet his eyes on Dong Sheng, looked at him seriously for a few moments, and then suddenly laughed, ¡°What is your solution to the court¡¯s disarmament order against Yanbei?¡± At his words, Dong Sheng glanced at Tong He, the servant standing beside Xiao Jingxi. Without waiting for Xiao Jingxi¡¯s order, Tong He bowed his head and retreated out, closing the door behind him. Xiao Jingxi looked at Dong Sheng with a gentle gaze and smiled as he waited for him to say more. Dong Sheng said, ¡°My lord likes to listen to opera, so this young one will sing a few lines. I remember that there was a part of the play that was sung, ¡®repairing the plank road in the open, crossing Chencang in the dark[1]¡° Xiao Jingxi sat at the top, his deep eyes flickering slightly, didn¡¯t speak. ¡°I know that Wu Xiaohe, the current Ningxia General Military Officer, is the Prince Yanbei¡¯s brother-in-law. Back then, the previous Prince Yanbei asked the county princess to tie the knot with the Wu Family, perhaps with the intention of letting the two families of Xiao and Wu keep each other at critical moments. Therefore, if the court were to order disarmament one day, the most likely thing the Yanbei Royal Family would do is to find a way to transfer part of the Yanbei Army to Ningxia, so as to distract the court¡¯s attention and preserve the strength of the Yanbei Army.¡± The surprise in Xiao Jingxi¡¯s eyes flickered away as he heard the words. This was a move made by the late Prince Yanbei when he was still alive, and although he did not like it, his father had approved of it. But how had the man in front of him guessed this? When Prince Xian was sent to Yanbei, all the people around him had been checked by the Yanbei Royal Family. Therefore, Xiao Jingxi knew that the opera troupe raised by Prince Xian was in fact a hidden dragon and a crouching tiger[2]. However, since there was no conflict of interest between Prince Xian and the Yanbei Royal Family, those people would not be able to make any big waves. That is why the Yanbei Royal Family turned a blind eye to them. At that time, his grandfather thought that it might not be useless for them to keep Prince Xian in Yanbei in the future. Despite this, both Prince Xian and his son were calm and idle. Even if this idleness was only an appearance, he did not think they could guess the previous Prince Yanbei¡¯s arrangement. Outside, the rain grew more and more intense, but inside, it was quiet and dull. Dong Sheng¡¯s voice also gradually became steadier and more confident: ¡°But I don¡¯t think this is a good solution. Only what you hold in your own hands is your own, changing hands means changing surnames. To put it bluntly, even though Wu Xiaohe is the son-in-law of the Yanbei Royal Family, his surname is not Xiao. No matter how good the friendship between the Xiao Family and the Wu Family is in the end, they cannot argue with the word ¡®profit¡¯. After a long time, who can tell? Even if the Wu Family and the Xiao Family were to move forward and backward together, the Wu Family has always looked up to the Xiao Family, but what if the time comes when the Wu Family can¡¯t help itself? Military positions in our dynasty can be hereditary, like Wu Xiaohe inherited the post of general military officer from his father, Wu Houchun. However, there are unpredictable circumstances in the sky, and people have their own fortunes. A hereditary position does not mean that it will always be secure. Instead of placing our hopes on our allies, we should hold the power in our own hands.¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s eyes were inexplicable with a touch of deeper meaning, but the corners of his mouth still wore a light smile, not speaking or taking a position. When Dong Sheng said this, he looked at Xiao Jingxi¡¯s expression secretly, but he couldn¡¯t see anything, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a little uneasy again. At that moment a gust of wind blew in through the open window, bringing with it a moist vapour, Xiao Jingxi frowned and coughed softly. Dong Sheng noticed that even when the young man in front of him was coughing, he had a leisurely and elegant demeanour that was not normally found in common people. Only then did he remember that the Second Young Master of the Xiao Family had always been in poor health, and when he had last left the capital there is a rumour that he had been so ill that he was about to die. Although his health had improved since his return a year ago, he still needed to recuperate from time to time. There was an inexpressible aura in Xiao Jingxi¡¯s body, an aura that could attract people¡¯s attention and make them ignore his weaknesses and see only his beauty. At this moment, Dong Sheng looked at him and realized that Xiao Jingxi¡¯s appearance was really outstanding, but he was not as ¡°excellent¡± as the world claimed. It was just that his every gesture, his eyes, and the tone of his voice were so impressive. The unique rhythm that belongs to Xiao Jingxi exudes was the reason why people couldn¡¯t take their eyes off him. Dong Sheng stared blankly for a while before coming back to his senses, and couldn¡¯t help but avert his eyes in some embarrassment, cursing himself for being bewildered. Although Xiao Jingxi was outstanding, it was of the manly kind of outstanding, and he was certain that he did not have any eccentricities, so Dong Sheng was a little depressed about the fact that he was looking at a man in a daze. When Xiao Jingxi coughed for a while, the boy named Tong He who was waiting outside asked urgently through the door, ¡°Sir, do you want me to come in and serve you?¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s coughing gradually subsided, and he put away his handkerchief and said in a light voice, ¡°No need.¡± There was no sound from outside. Dong Sheng saw that the window was still open, so he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Shall I close the window for you? The rain is blowing in.¡± Xiao Jingxi looked out of the window with a calm and peaceful expression, his gaze as quiet as deep flowing water, he smiled and shook his head: ¡°No need, it¡¯s more uncomfortable to be stuffy.¡± Dong Sheng then retreated back to stand again. Xiao Jingxi turned his eyes to him again and said gently, ¡°Sorry, you go on.¡± Dong Sheng thought for a moment, then continued, ¡°So I think that the Yanbei Army can only be most powerful and effective if it stays in Yanbei. To divide and conquer is an extremely risky move.¡± Xiao Jingxi looked down and Dong Sheng smiled quietly and said, ¡°Perhaps you are right, but I still say that the ruler¡¯s orders cannot be disobeyed.¡± Dong Sheng thought for a moment and said bluntly, ¡°Does Your Excellency mean that Yanbei has no intention of confronting the imperial court head on for the time being?¡± This statement was extremely straightforward, exposing Xiao Jingxi¡¯s high-sounding reason completely. However, Xiao Jingxi was not angry, just smiled without saying anything. Dong Sheng also smiled and said, ¡°This is the purpose of my visit to see you today. Although we want to ask you to protect us, we will not accept your favor in vain. The same as having to pay for food.¡± Xiao Jingxi laughed softly, his voice still low and dark: ¡°Say something, if you can convince me, I will keep you and your master safe and sound.¡± His tone was friendly and casual, like a joke, but it gave people a sense of certainty and reassurance. Dong Sheng couldn¡¯t help being overjoyed. He had naturally heard of Xiao Jingxi, who would never go back on his word, was very much a gentleman of his word. He had been talking for so long, only to hear such a promise from him. So Dong Sheng said without hesitation, ¡°Your Excellency is right, the court wants to disarm, Yanbei should not fight hard against it. Otherwise it would stand in opposition to those scholarly people in the world who spend their days talking about propriety, righteousness and integrity. Although the scholars will not be able to rebel for three years, they will not be able to resist the rebellion when they are all together. So Yanbei should go with the flow.¡± Without waiting for Xiao Jingxi to ask, Dong Sheng said consciously, ¡°Who do you think is the richest person in our Yanbei today, my lord?¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled slightly. Dong Sheng laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any of the Su Family, Ren Family, Lin Family, Yun Family¡­ and so on, but¡­¡± Dong Sheng said and pointed to the land beneath his feet and then to the sky. ¡°Rather, it is this place of Buddhist purity. The people often say that of the ten parts of the world¡¯s wealth, Buddha takes up seven.¡± Xiao Jingxi inclined his head slightly in thought and smiled faintly, clearly he did not object to this statement either. ¡°There are about eight hundred temples of all sizes in the whole of Yanbei, take this Beilong Temple for example, the fields recorded under its name, the land donated by the incense-bearers and believers, plus the barren land reclaimed and not reported can support at least two to three thousand people every year, this does not include other income. And there are about twenty or so monasteries of the same size as the Beilong Temple throughout Yanbei.¡± . [1] The idiom of ¡°repairing the plank road in the open, crossing Chencang in the dark¡± refers to confusing the opponent with a certain action on the surface, but taking another action to achieve the goal in the dark. It also refers to carrying out certain activities in secret. [2] The idiom of ¡°hidden dragon and crouching tiger¡± means hidden talents that have not been discovered, or talents that are hidden from view. . CH 71 Chapter 71: Change of Ownership Buddhism was inherited from Tianzhu, but the monks of the Central Plains did not live the begging life that was popular among the monks of Tianzhu. Most people in the Great Zhou believed in Buddhism, and since the previous dynasty, the court had supported Buddhist monasteries by building them, providing for them, and granting them land and privileges. Over the years, the monasteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty became very wealthy. Almost every large temple had a group of tenant farmers who worked the land for the temple. In addition to renting out land, courtyards and Buddhist scriptures, the temples would also lend money to the public and collect interest. This way, the Buddha and the people competed with the imperial court for profits. It was no wonder that the folk saying ¡°of the ten parts of the world¡¯s wealth, the Buddha takes seven parts.¡± Dong Sheng was originally trained as his master¡¯s personal servant, and such people are very clever and eloquent. As he said this, the inexplicable nervousness he originally felt standing in front of Xiao Jingxi subsided a lot, and his diction became more and more sensitive: ¡°¡­I think that the Yanbei Royal Family might as well take the lead in overhauling the army before the court¡¯s disarmament order is officially issued so that some of the men ¡®unload the armor and return to the field¡¯. Anyway, we have so many temples in Yanbei, and we are not afraid that we will not be able to support these generals who only can pick up arms and fight.¡± Xiao Jingxi looked at him somewhat playfully and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that the Buddha will condemn you?¡± Dong Sheng smiled and said with a straight face, ¡°We are all followers under the Buddha¡¯s seat, and the old man will not favour one over the other!¡± Xiao Jingxi could not help but laugh lightly. Dong Sheng looked at him with some nervousness in his gaze, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao, do you think it is feasible?¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s eyes were slightly averted as his long, white fingers tapped on the chessboard in front of him, and Dong Sheng¡¯s heart went into a tizzy. I saw Xiao Jingxi suddenly smile lightly: ¡°Although it is a bit whimsical¡­ but it is not completely impracticable to carefully deploy it.¡± Dong Sheng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You came up with this on your own?¡± Xiao Jingxi asked carelessly. Dong Sheng glanced at Xiao Jingxi and bowed his head, ¡°I thought of it.¡± He could not implicate Young Miss in this. Xiao Jingxi tilted his head slightly. His playful eyes swept over him, with his soft smile as warm as the winter sun and seemingly with some imperceptible meaning, he said slowly, ¡°In that case, I am afraid you will not be able to return to serve your master.¡± Dong Sheng¡¯s face paled at his words, and after glancing at Xiao Jingxi, he said with some uncertainty, ¡°What does Second Young Master Xiao mean?¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled and said blandly, ¡°Since you have guts to come and offer me advice, you will naturally be my subordinate from now on. Isn¡¯t this the truth that loyal subjects do not serve two masters?¡± Dong Sheng was silent for a moment, then resolutely bowed his head and knelt on one knee in front of Xiao Jingxi, saying respectfully, ¡°I, Dong Sheng, have met my master.¡± He had been determined to die, but now this was the best possible outcome. At least his master would not be implicated by him again, and he had not lost his life. It was only when he thought of his master, Li Tianyou, whom he had served for so many years, that his heart was feeling a little pain. Xiao Jingxi was surprised at his decisiveness for a moment, then smiled faintly. He said softly, ¡°Go back and say goodbye to your master, and come over tomorrow to welcome you for becoming my subordinate.¡± Dong Sheng obediently answered yes and respectfully retreated. Outside the window was a thunderstorm, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass. Dong Sheng walked into the rain without hesitation, seemingly oblivious to the raindrops hitting his head and face. His not-so-sturdy back was firm and determined, and he soon disappeared from sight. ¡°Someone come.¡± Xiao Jingxi said in a faint voice. His voice was not loud and was easily drowned out by the sound of the rain outside, but in just a moment, the servant Tong He pushed the door open and came in: ¡°What are your orders, my lord?¡± Xiao Jingxi picked up the letter that Dong Sheng had placed on the pit table earlier. Without even looking at it, he handed it to Tong He, who quickly bowed and took it. ¡°Give it to Tong De and let him take care of it.¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s casual voice rang out in the room. ¡°Yes.¡± Tong He answered. Seeing that Xiao Jingxi had no other orders, he retreated again. Xiao Jingxi turned his head and quietly looked out of the window, his dark jade-like eyes were filled with emotions that no one else could understand. After coming out of Xiao Jingxi¡¯s west courtyard, Dong Sheng did not go back immediately, but went to the Bailong Temple first. At that time, Ren Yaoqi had just finished his dinner. He was sitting in the west wing with Ren Yaohua, drinking tea in silence. When she heard the old servant who had been sent by Eldest Madam to guard the door say that the uncle had sent someone to look for the Fifth Miss, Ren Yaoqi immediately thought that there might be news from Dong Sheng. She put down her tea bowl. She instructed the servant who had come in to inform her, ¡°Lead him to the south room in front, I will be there in a few moments.¡± Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi and said, ¡°What did you ask him to do for you? Don¡¯t you have anyone around you?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, I just want him to find some trinkets for me, he¡¯s outside and the people at home may not be able to buy what I want. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± So Ren Yaohua left her alone. Ren Yaoqi took the two maids along the corridor and went to the south room, where some maids were still on duty. When they saw Ren Yaoqi enter, they got up, bowed, and retreated. Dongsheng was drenched all over, but he didn¡¯t care. Ren Yaoqi was almost splashed by the water from his sleeve when he came up to salute. After sending Pingguo and Sang Shen to stand guard at the door, Ren Yaoqi asked Dong Sheng to follow her to the inner room to talk. As she was out and about, she had fewer people with her, so she didn¡¯t have so many complicated rules. ¡°Have you seen Xiao Jingxi?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at his wretched appearance and asked straightforwardly. Dong Sheng nodded in silence, ¡°This subordinate had said what you ordered, and he has promised to help us cover up this matter.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart finally fell to the ground, and his face could not help but take on some joy: ¡°He thinks it¡¯s feasible?¡± When Ren Yaoqi told Dong Sheng about her idea, she was not sure if the plan would work. She was just taking a gamble. Dong Sheng nodded, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao said that it is not impossible to plan carefully.¡± When Ren Yaoqi let go of the boulder in her heart, she also noticed something wrong with Dong Sheng¡¯s expression, she said sharply, ¡°Is something went wrong?¡± Dong Sheng shook his head and said with a gloomy expression, ¡°Nothing is not going well, but¡­ I can no longer serve beside the master in the future. The Second Young Master Xiao wants me to follow him from now on.¡± Ren Yaoqi was stunned at his words and said somewhat strangely, ¡°You want to be Xiao Jingxi¡¯s subordinate?¡± Dong Sheng continued to nod, ¡°He seems to mean that. He asked me who came up with that scheme. When I answered that I came up with it myself as we had agreed before, he said that I could no longer serve beside my master in the future.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought about it and sighed softly, ¡°That¡¯s still better than losing your life. Uncle¡¯s side¡­¡± Dong Sheng pursed her lips, ¡°This matter was originally caused by myself, now that it has been resolved, I don¡¯t want to put Master to the trouble. Fifth Miss, can this matter not be mentioned to the masters? Let them think that I am dead. I was only a servant at the master¡¯s side. I only know how to serve people, my kung fu is poor. Without me there is nothing will change around Master.¡± Ren Yaoqi was silent at his words. In his last life, Dong Sheng had left without a word, and in this life he had gone to Xiao Jingxi¡¯s side, then who-knows what kind of situation he had been in in his last life. She knew that most of these people in her maternal grandfather¡¯s family had not actually signed the deed of sale, so they were free to stay or go, but they would not easily turn their backs easily ¡°Are you going back to say goodbye to them?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Dong Sheng nodded, ¡°I still have to go and kowtow to my master. I can¡¯t serve by his side in the future, I have to¡­ always say something.¡± Saying this, Dong Sheng this big old man, suddenly choked up. He was also a little embarrassed and covered his face with his own wet sleeve, and it took him a while to recover. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know what to say, as it would be better to serve the Second Young Master of Yanbei than to follow Li Tianyou. But Dong Sheng¡¯s group was different; many of them had lived for the Royal Family from birth. It was just that Ren Yaoqi could not understand why Xiao Jingxi had to have Dong Sheng by his side. He could not possibly be unaware of the extent of these people¡¯s loyalty to Prince Xian. Dong Sheng rubbed his face with both hands, ¡°Take care of yourself, Young Miss, this subordinate will take his leave.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded. Originally she wanted him to tell her whenever there was any progress from Xiao Jingxi¡¯s side regarding the temple¡¯s hidden army. But thinking that Dong Sheng would be Xiao Jingxi¡¯s man from now on, and that the most taboo thing for a master was for people below him to be disloyal to him, she did not say anything. If Xiao Jingxi really took her advice, she could always find out about the movement. After all, that method was just a cover-up, it was not really possible to hide it from everyone. Dong Sheng retreated. Ren Yaoqi also came out of the south room, just in time to meet Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, who were walking past under the eaves. When Dong Sheng came out, he met them face to face and with a quick salute he rushed off into the rain again and walked away. Qiu Yun looked at Dong Sheng¡¯s back and smiled, ¡°Where did this servant come from?¡± Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°My uncle wanted me to pass on a message to my mother, so he asked someone close to him to come and deliver it. Where are Cousin and Young Master Yun going this time?¡± Qiu Yun glanced at Yun Wenfang and smiled back, ¡°I heard that the Second Young Master of the Xiao Family is recuperating around here, so Zishu was about to take me to visit. Oh, and Third Cousin is going too, so we are really waiting for him here.¡± As he was saying this, he saw Ren Yijun coming this way from under the veranda of the east wing, followed by a young man with a thick cloak who was running after him and persuading him. Most people would like to get to know someone like Xiao Jingxi, even Ren Yijun was no exception. ¡°However he rarely sees outsiders, so don¡¯t get your hopes up too much. I haven¡¯t even seen him more than a few times.¡± Yun Wenfang said lazily. CH 72 Chapter 72: The Journey to Return After seeing those three go out, Ren Yaoqi also turned around and went back to her room. On the way, she could not help but think back to the appearance of the young man she had seen before this day. Because of what happened to Dong Sheng, she could probably be sure that he was the Second Young Master of the Xiao Family. There was no way to find out anything else for the time being, but based on his looks and temperament alone, he was indeed an extremely outstanding character. She wondered if Xiao Jingxi would succeed in carrying out her plan. If things went the way she hoped they would, she wondered would Zeng Yu still be sent by the court to Yanbei. With this in mind, Ren Yaoqi entered her and Ren Yaohua¡¯s house. She was about to hear what Xiang Qin and Wu Jing whispered about not far from the doorway. But when they saw Ren Yaoqi enter, they hurriedly bowed. Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s all the commotion about? Where is Third Sister?¡± Xiang Qin now was familiar with Ren Yaoqi. She felt that this young miss was a good-talking and good-tempered master, so she was no longer afraid of her: ¡°Third Miss didn¡¯t like the stuffiness of the house, so she went to go to Eldest Young Madam for doing embroidery, leaving the two servant girls to clean up the bed. Third Miss dislikes that the quilts prepared in the mansion smell of camphor, and asked the servants to exchange the quilts for the one on our carriage.¡± After speaking, she leaned over and said in a low voice: ¡°The slaves are gossiping about that white-clothed man. Fifth Miss, I heard that the man was arrested this afternoon.¡± The man that Xiang Qin was referring to was the nun¡¯s lover, but Li Tianyou should still be staying in the courtyard down the hill. The other maid¡¯s face turned red and she gave Xiang Qin a twist on the soft flesh of her waist: ¡°How can you say this to Fifth Miss? You¡¯re not afraid to stain Miss¡¯s ears! If Matron Zhou finds out, she will have your skin uncovered!¡± Xiang Qin cried out in shock and immediately hid behind Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Fifth Miss has asked me, I can¡¯t lie either! Besides, there is no one else here, so how would Matron Zhou know? If she knew about it, you would have told on her!¡± Wu Jing was about to lecture her, but Ren Yaoqi laughed and said, ¡°Forget it, Xiang Qin is just messing around, so don¡¯t be so mean to her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re protecting her, Fifth Miss!¡± Wu Jing stomped her foot. She glared at Xiang Qin and ran away. Xiang Qin made a face at her back, and when she saw Ren Yaoqi looking over, she was hurriedly smiling curtly again. Ren Yaoqi saw her playfulness and couldn¡¯t help but smile too. ¡°Who was the person who was caught?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked after thinking about it. After all, it was related to Li Tianyou. Seeing her question, Xiangqin said, ¡°I heard it was a tenant farmer who emptied dung for Baiyun Temple every day. He lives at the bottom of the hill. A relative of the nun¡¯s late husband had him tied up. But I heard from an old lady who had seen the scene from the courtyard next door, that the girl was a rare beauty, but the tenant farmer was already in his forties and had an ugly face. Although she was a monk, she was very spirited. She scolded her husband¡¯s relatives and drove them out with a stick. The relatives then stayed in a small courtyard next to Baiyun Temple and refused to leave. They said that if Baiyun Temple did not give them an explanation, they would report the matter to the officials tomorrow. It¡¯s only because it¡¯s raining that they¡¯ve stopped for the time being, but tomorrow there¡¯s bound to be another fuss.¡± Ren Yaoqi was relieved to hear that Li Tianyou was not involved, thinking about the words and actions of the women who were looking for someone at the temple before, that the tenant farmer must have been temporarily arrested to convict the nun. Secretly she thought that she must let Li Tianyou leave here before leaving tomorrow, lest he dragged into other people¡¯s property disputes in a daze. People die for their money, birds die for their food. There are some people like that in this world. For those yellow and white things (means gold and silver), any dirty and wicked things will be done. This night Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua slept on the same bed. For the first half of the night, Ren Yaoqi felt Ren Yaohua who was sleeping on the outside of the bed was tossing and turning. She was also a little uncomfortable sleeping with someone else. But she lay there with so many things on her mind that she ignored this uncomfortableness. So in the end she fell asleep in a daze. When she got up the next day, Ren Yaoqi saw that Ren Yaohua¡¯s eyes were a little green underneath. After breakfast. When the two of them went out, Ren Yaoqi saw her yawning and asked with a smile, ¡°Third Sister didn¡¯t sleep well last night?¡± Ren Yaohua turned her head and looked at her as if she was still in good spirits, glaring at her in a somewhat depressed manner, ¡°You slept so well, snored all night, how could I sleep!¡± Ren Yaoqi was stunned, she didn¡¯t remember that she had the habit of snoring, wasn¡¯t this a slander? She was about to retort when she heard someone behind her say, ¡°Who has been snoring all night?¡± When both of them turned around, they saw Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaoyin walking out from next door, looking at them with interest. Ren Yaohua paused and pursed her lips, pointing at Xiang Qin beside her and saying in a light voice, ¡°I¡¯m talking about this maid. It¡¯s fine on weekdays, but she loves to snore when she changes places.¡± Xiang Qin glanced at her master and silently looked down at her feet. No wonder when Matron Zhou had taught them the rules when she had first entered the house, she had said that all masters had no faults or flaws, and if they did, it would be their maids¡¯. Once again, Xiang Qin felt that the job of a maid was really not a good one. Wu Jing looked at Xiang Qin with smirk. The rain had stopped this morning, after washing the sky and making it particularly clear. With some morning light, it looked as like the sky and the earth had changed and become spiritually pure. The sisters had gone to the Eldest Madam¡¯s place to hear about the arrangements for their return today. But then they saw a servant rushing over to report something to Eldest Madam. Ren Yaoyu was a little curious when she saw her in a hurry, so she raised her voice and stopped her: ¡°You, come here.¡± Ren Yaoyin recognized that she was a second-ranking woman in her mother¡¯s courtyard, so she said kindly to Ren Yaoyu, ¡°There must be something urgent to report, why are you stopping her? Let her go.¡± Ren Yaoyu brushed her lips, ¡°What urgent matters can there be when you¡¯re out and about? It¡¯s just today¡¯s itinerary, I¡¯ll ask first so I know what to expect.¡± She ignored Ren Yaoyin and asked the old lady to tell her what was going on. The servant stammered: ¡°It¡¯s because those things about white-clothed man happened, so things were a little noisy. This servant was afraid that it would delay the trip back to the mansion today, so she came here to ask the Eldest Madam.¡± Ren Yaoyu became more and more curious: ¡°What exactly is it?¡± It was Ren Yaoyin who suddenly interrupted Ren Yaoyu¡¯s pursuit of the root of the matter and said to her with a cold face, ¡°Then why are you still dawdling here? That woman was so pleased that she hurried away. Ren Yaoyu was dissatisfied: ¡°I haven¡¯t asked clearly yet! You¡­do you know what it is?¡± Ren Yaoyu asked suspiciously. The embarrassment on Ren Yaoyin¡¯s face flickered away, and she soon righted herself and said, ¡°Eighth Sister, since she is there to report to the elders, perhaps there are some things that are not for us to hear. Why do you need to make things difficult for her?¡± Ren Yaoyu hummed lightly, but left Ren Yaoyin behind and hurried towards the main room, muttering, ¡°The more I am kept in the dark, the more I have to go and hear what is going on.¡± ¡°Eighth Sister!¡± Ren Yaoyin frowned and followed. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua both glanced at each other and followed suit. When they reached the door they happened to hear Eldest Madam¡¯s somewhat unpleasant voice: ¡°How could such filthy things appear in this pure Buddhist place? It¡¯s simply¡­¡± When she heard the maid at the door report that several young ladies had arrived, the Eldest Madam¡¯s voice stopped abruptly and only said to Matron Cao behind her, ¡°Go and ask the monk of Yuanjing in the temple, they can be regarded as the master of Bailong Temple. Let them send someone to deal with it, and we will leave after the commotion outside has stopped. Instruct the people in the yard not to go out to find out the news. If you find those who like to get involved in the fun, they will all be sold out.¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but frown, what had happened at the Bailong Temple? Li Tianyou wouldn¡¯t be involved in this, would he? Although Eldest Madam did not want the Ren Family to get involved in such matters, she could not stop the curiosity of the maids and ladies. So when Ren Yaoqi came out from the Eldest Madam¡¯s place, she heard from Xiang Qin about what had happened. It turns out that some relatives of the nun¡¯s late husband were staying in a courtyard not far from Baiyun Temple and refused to leave, so this morning a woman from the nun¡¯s late husband¡¯s family and the tenant farmer who was said to be the nun¡¯s lover were both found naked and sleeping together in a woodpile outside. Now that woman was crying and looking for death, the family was in a mess, and they didn¡¯t have the heart to trouble that nun anymore. However, some people said that the aunt was so ruthless that she could even do such unethical things. Ren Yaoqi sent a maid to see if Li Tianyou had left the place where he had stayed, and she came back to say that her uncle and his tenures had just left. Ren Yaoqi was relieved. It was almost noon before the Ren Family left the Bailong Temple. Sitting in the carriage, Ren Yaoqi listened to Ren Yijun asking about Qiu Yun¡¯s visit to the second son of Xiao yesterday. It was probably because they pay their respects in the middle of the rain yesterday, but Xiao Jingxi had actually met them. He even played a game of chess with Ren Yijun. Xiao Jingxi was a very gentle man, but his chess style was extremely sharp and he defeated Ren Yijun with ease. Ren Yijun had a very good impression of Xiao Jingxi because of this. CH 73 Chapter 73: Repeating the Same Mistake? It had been clear skies for several days since returning from the Bailong Temple. Today after invoking the morning greeting, Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren left their sons and daughters-in-law behind and sent all the grandchildren out. Ren Yaohua had originally spent her breakfast in the Old Madam¡¯s courtyard, so now she went back to the Ziwei courtyard with Ren Yaoqi. ¡°I wonder what grandparents want to discuss with father, uncles, and others today?¡± Ren Yaohua asked casually on the way back. Ren Yaoqi tilted her head and thought, ¡°What did they discuss last time when everyone left behind?¡± Ren Yaohua said, ¡°At the end of last year, Granduncle wrote a letter saying that four more coal warehouses will be opened around the capital.¡± ¡°Has there been any more big business for the family recently?¡± Ren Yaohua thought for a moment, ¡°The other day Grandmother mentioned to Eldest Aunt that the Han Family had won some good salt wells and wanted to partner with the Ren Family.¡± ¡°The Han Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned when she heard about the Han Family, she always felt that the Han Family was strange. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Han Family?¡± Ren Yaohua raised her eyebrows and looked at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect the Han Family to want to open a salt farm. I heard that although doing this is a lucrative business, not everyone can make it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the Han Family wanted to partner with us, the Ren Family.¡± Ren Yaohua said unconcernedly. Ren Yaoqi was, however, wondering if this had happened in her last life. But don¡¯t know if she couldn¡¯t remember, or if she simply didn¡¯t care about it before, she actually had no recollection of it. In the end, she gave up. The two sisters waited for Ren Shimin and Madam Li to return for breakfast, but it was more than half an hour before they returned. Ren Yaoqi noticed that although Ren Shimin did not say anything, Madam Li¡¯s face was filled with faint joy, and sometimes she would suddenly frown for a while, not knowing what she was thinking. When the family had finished their breakfast, Ren Yaoqi asked casually, ¡°What important things did grandfather and grandmother say today?¡± Ren Shimin finished gargling slowly and said carelessly, ¡°It¡¯s about the Ren Family and the Han Family opening a salt well together.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at Li and said with a smile, ¡°Is it only about this? Then why are all the aunts and uncles staying behind?¡± When Li saw that Ren Yaoqi was asking questions, she said, ¡°Why are you asking so many questions? You should learn how to do needlework and learn how to manage the household and accounts from Matron Zhou. Especially Yaohua, your sewing work is sloppy, and you need to learn more about managing accounts. From tomorrow onwards, you will spend half an hour with Matron Zhou after each morning meal.¡± Hearing Li¡¯s sudden mention of this, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart suddenly stirred, could it be that Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren had mentioned Ren Yaohua¡¯s marriage today? When Ren Shimin was about to go out, Li pulled Ren Yaohua aside and whispered something. Ren Yaoqi said something to Li and hurriedly followed Ren Shimin out. After walking a few steps, Ren Shimin noticed that Ren Yaoqi was following her and turned around and said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at your mother¡¯s place listening to her teachings? Why are you following me out?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and took a few quick steps to Ren Shimin¡¯s right: ¡°I¡¯ve come to see Father out.¡± Ren Shimin laughed at his words and gave Ren Yaoqi a sidelong glance, ¡°What is it? Tell me, Father is in a hurry to go out.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment. She whispered, ¡°Did Grandparents mention anything else today besides the salt well?¡± ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± Ren Shimin raised an eyebrow. Ren Yaoqi smiled ingratiatingly, ¡°Father, tell me? Otherwise, I¡¯ve been thinking about it all day, and I won¡¯t be in the mood to do anything.¡± Ren Shimin glanced at her and turned back to walking on his own. Ren Yaoqi moved closer. She whispered more and more, ¡°Father, did Grandparents mention Third Sister¡¯s marriage?¡± Ren Shimin suddenly choked on his saliva and coughed lightly, and Ren Yaoqi went up to pat her back. ¡°Yaoyao, why do you dare to ask anything? Is it your business to ask these things?¡± Ren Shimin glared at Ren Yaoyao and scolded her. Ren Yaoyao said in a small voice, ¡°I just thought of it suddenly when I saw Mother mentioning that she wanted to let Third Sister learn how to manage the house, so I asked about it. Father, did Grandparents mention this or not?¡± Ren Shimin was a bit helpless, seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s attitude that he would follow him to the end if he didn¡¯t answer. He could only say vaguely, ¡°Yes, there was a mention of this.¡± ¡°Which one is he?¡± Ren Yaoqi was busy asking. Ren Shimin frowned, a little displeased: ¡°Yaoyao! Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t ask.¡± Ren Yaoqi bowed her head, but she still followed Ren Shimin¡¯s lead. She saw that she was about to leave the second door. Ren Shimin let out a soft sigh, ¡°Han Family¡± His voice was not loud, but the two words he spat out made Ren Yao freeze on the spot. The Han Family? The Han Family again? Could it be that in this life, there was still no way to escape the ending of the last life? Ren Shimin saw that Ren Yaoyao¡¯s steps had stopped, but she stood there with a dumbfounded look on her face. So she also stopped and said with a frown, ¡°What is wrong with you today?¡± Ren Yaoqi pursed her lips and suddenly said, ¡°Third Sister cannot be betrothed to Han Yunqian!¡± Ren Shimin froze for a moment, then his frown tightened as he sized up Ren Yaoyaoqi for a moment, suddenly seeming to think of something. He sighed lightly and said with a stern face, ¡°You come with me to the study.¡± With that Ren Shimin turned around and headed for the study in the west courtyard. Ren Yaoqi followed him to the study in silence. Only when they reached the study, with only father and daughter left, did Ren Shimin ask Ren Yaoyao, with a serious face, ¡°Yaoyao, are you asking so many questions today that you shouldn¡¯t be asking, for Han Yunqian?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked up at her words and looked at Ren Shimin¡¯s expression as if he had misunderstood something. But Ren Yaoqi had no way to explain to Ren Shimin, could she say that Han Yunqian and Ren Yaohua¡¯s engagement would be called off before the wedding date? No one would believe her if she said something that hadn¡¯t happened yet. And the Han Family and Han Yunqian were considered an excellent marriage, no matter which way they looked at it. So Ren Yaoqi pursed her lips and did not speak. Ren Shimin thought she had acquiesced, and could not help but sigh heavily again: ¡°Yaoyao, you are still young¡­ although the Han Family has proposed to tie the knot with our Ren Family, and your grandparents and eldest uncle are happy to see it happen, but according to their age, they prefer Yaohua and Yaoyin. ¡° When Ren Yaoqi heard this, had the choice not yet been finalized? It was just a matter of choosing between Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin? Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin were also the candidates that the Old Madam wanted to marry into the Qiu Family, but now with the addition of the Han Family, it was most likely that one would be married to the Han Family and the other would be Qiu¡¯s fianc¨¦e. When Ren Shimin saw that her daughter¡¯s face was not good, she could only advise with a twisted face: ¡°Although Han Yunqian looks good in all aspects, don¡¯t you despise his bad chess skills? And¡­ and you have won him twice in a row. Any man would feel unhappy!¡± Ren Yaoqi was still racking her brains on the side, but she couldn¡¯t cry laughing when she heard Ren Shimin¡¯s words so magically. ¡°Father! I don¡¯t mean that!¡± Ren Shimin gave his daughter a look, somewhat unconvinced. Who doesn¡¯t have youthful moments? Back then, he had also thought about finding a beautiful woman who could be the model of his painting at all times. Back then, Old Madam Ren had wanted to tie the knot with her aunt¡¯s Fang Family and asked for Fang Yahui, the first daughter of the Fang Family. He had seen her a few times and thought that her side face was fine for the painting, but her somewhat broad nose was not good enough for painting from the front. At that time, he was a bit worried, thinking that he could not just paint the side of her face for her whole life in the future. That was one of the things that bothered him the most when he was young. Ren Shimin felt that he should have been in a similar mood back then as his youngest daughter is now. However, the Third Master Ren had forgotten. Later, the marriage between the Ren Family and the Fang Family fell through. When Old Master Ren asked for the daughter of the newly deported Prince Xian, he did not feel much about the solution to the problem of Fang Yahui¡¯s nose that had plagued him for years. Li¡¯s features were so striking that it was hard to pick out any flaws and was definitely good material for painting. But at that time Ren Shimin was no longer interested in portrait painting, but in landscape painting, which he has continued to enjoy ever since. So in fact his old man¡¯s so-called youthful feelings back then were different from his daughter¡¯s. Looking at Ren Shimin¡¯s inexplicably sentimental face, Ren Yaoqi interrupted: ¡°Father, isn¡¯t it said that the quality of chess is like the quality of a person? Han Yunqian¡¯s character is not good like his chess moves! We¡¯d better not marry him!¡± Ren Shimin came back to his senses and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s your grandparents¡¯ wish, I can¡¯t make the decision.¡± Although the adult masters of the Ren Family were called upon to attend all of the family¡¯s major events, the final decision was not made by them, but by Old Master Ren. This was also the case with the marriage of their children. Ren Yaoqi also had known of this. In the last life, the most important thing about the marriage between the Ren Family and the Han Family wasn¡¯t Ren Shimin¡¯s approval, but that the Ren Family was interested in tying up with the Han Family. Ren Shimin was just coincidentally approved of him. If he had chosen an ordinary scholar for his children, the Ren Family would never have agreed. Ren Yaoqi sighed. Ren Shimin had persuaded his daughter in his own way then went out. Ren Yaoqi came out of the west courtyard with only one thought in mind, how to stop Ren Yaohua and Han Yunqian¡¯s engagement. . Ren Shimin doesn¡¯t understand what love is and considered her future wife¡¯s most important value is her ability to be his model makes so much sense when you see how he is treating his wives now. It is painful but also on brand of him, it is so funny CH 74 Chapter 74: Marriage Ren Yaoqi returned to the main room with a heavy heart. Li was still sitting on Ren Yaohua¡¯s bed, while Matron Zhou stood to the side to report matters. Probably because Li had explained to her to teach Ren Yaohua household matters, so today she reported more in detail. ¡°¡­The maids¡¯ summer clothes are now being made, using the needlework team in the mansion, while the masters¡¯ clothes have been handed over to Tan Ji¡¯s tailor shop in Yunyang City. Originally the Fifth Madam was in charge of these matters. But recently she has been unwell and is not in a position to take charge of things, so the Eldest Madam has left the seasonal change of the family¡¯s clothes to the Eldest Young Madam. It happened that the mansion purchased a batch of summer clothes in the autumn of the year before last. The material was excellent, but the masters might not like the colors, so they were used to make summer clothes for the maids.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law is a capable person and this will save the house a lot of money, right?¡± Ren Yaohua listened and turned her head to Li. But Matron Zhou said, ¡°Eldest Young Madam is extremely capable, but¡­ she is still young and has less experience¡­¡± Ren Yaohua listened to Matron Zhou as if she had something to say, and looked at her with some confusion, waiting for her to say more. Matron Zhou whispered: ¡°Eldest Young Madam has done this. The older maidservants in the mansion have nothing to say, but young maids used to follow their masters in selecting new seasonal materials for their clothes. The materials were not as good as the ones our mansion used. However, the colours and flowers were all in fashion back then, so they were still happy to wear them. Eldest Young Madam was well-intentioned, but in the end, she might not have been able to get a good deal. That¡¯s the way people are. They take advantage of what they deserve, but if they feel they¡¯ve suffered a little, they blame it on the person concerned.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t she know that Eldest Aunt has been in charge of the household for so many years? Why didn¡¯t she give a word of advice to Sister-in-law and instead let her do this?¡± Ren Yaohua was somewhat puzzled. Matron Zhou glanced at Li at her words, if it were normal times she wouldn¡¯t have said anything else, but now Ren Yaohua was not young and it would be too late if she didn¡¯t teach some things later. This was why Li had asked her to tell Ren Yaohua about these household chores. So she sighed and said, ¡°No matter how good this mother-in-law is, she is not her biological mother after all.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Matron Zhou continued, ¡°Eldest Madam doesn¡¯t necessarily think less of Eldest Young Madam, but she also has her own considerations. It has always been the case that the firstborn son inherits the family business, and this Ren Family will eventually put the Eldest Young Master in charge. But now Eldest Master and Eldest Madam are still in their prime, Eldest Young Madam will have to live under Eldest Madam for many years to come. If the Eldest Young Madam is allowed to run the household smoothly at first, the elders may value the granddaughter-in-law, who is a generation removed, more than the daughter-in-law. When the mother-in-law is in charge later, she will have less authority over her daughter-in-law.¡± Seeing that Ren Yaohua was a bit stunned, Matron Zhou spoke with some seriousness: ¡°That¡¯s why at the beginning, the mother-in-law always has to give the daughter-in-law a few downsides. Think about it, Eldest Young Madam does not do well this time, everyone from the Old Madam down to the maids and ladies will have something to say about her. When Eldest Madam steps in to protect and clean up her mess, what do you think will Eldest Young Madam¡¯s do in the future?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned: ¡°In the future, Elder Sister-in-law will have more respect for Eldest Madam and dare not easily go against her advice?¡± Matron Zhou nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Eldest Madam only needs Eldest Young Madam to be obedient to herself as her mother-in-law. She does not need her to go beyond her mother-in-law to gain face in front of the Old Madam. If that is the case, she will naturally protect Eldest Young Madam and not let her suffer a great loss.¡± Ren Yaohua could not help but be silent for a moment as she listened, sighing, ¡°There are so many twists and turns within this mansion.¡± Li covered her mouth with a smile and exchanged a glance with Matron Zhou, gently patting Ren Yaohua¡¯s hand: ¡°You should follow Matron Zhou slowly and learn something every day. When you get to¡­ you will almost be ready to be a master.¡± Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t care about Li¡¯s peculiarities today, but after hearing this sentence, she saw the expression on her face. Suddenly she realized something and could not help but blush slightly. She opened her mouth long enough to ask, but in the end, she was too embarrassed to do so. Ren Yaoqi stood quietly watching for a while. Li looked up and saw her, waving at her, ¡°What are you doing standing there? Come over here too.¡± Ren Yaoqi obediently walked over and sat with Ren Yaohua, listening to Matron Zhou as she continued to talk about household matters. Afterwards, Li and Matron Zhou went out to deal with the affairs in the courtyard. Then Ren Yaohua asked Ren Yaoqi, ¡°When you went out earlier, did Father mention anything?¡± Ren Yaoqi saw Ren Yaohua¡¯s forced natural face and knew that she must have guessed something, so she nodded: ¡°Yes.¡± Ren Yaohua bowed her head in silence for half a second, but still couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Which family is it?¡± Although the words were not straightforward, Ren Yaoqi still heard and understood what she was asking about. ¡°The Han Family. The elders have not yet decided on a candidate, though.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua¡¯s expression and said. Ren Yaohua was stunned again. Ren Yaoqi also stopped speaking, and there was silence between the two sisters. After a long time, Ren Yaohua finally came back to her senses. Then she noticed that Ren Yaoqi looked a little strange, and could not help but think a little. After another two days, the Han Family came to the door again, this time with Master Han, Madam Han, and the Han siblings. Master Han and Old Master Ren went to the outer courtyard, while Han Yunqian was called by Eldest Young Master to have tea. The Ren Family knew the meaning of the Han Family¡¯s visit and were all the more enthusiastic about it. Old Madam sent someone over to ask Li and Ren Yaohua to go to the Ronghua courtyard, and Li hastily sent Ren Yaohua back to freshen up. Ren Yaohua looked at her body: ¡°I can meet the guests in these clothes.¡± ¡°This green looks uninspiring, you should wear red. The last dress in silver and red with silver threads and flowers was very good, go back and change it. The clothes are heavily coloured, so the gold hairpins on your head should be replaced with a pair of beaded tassels.¡± Li gave a detailed explanation, but in the end she was still not sure, so she said to Matron Zhou, ¡°You should go and keep an eye on her.¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi, turned, and went out with Matron Zhou. Li also called for the maids in the house to tidy up for her. Ren Yaoqi saw Li combing her hair and walked over to her to pick out her hairpin. Li stroked her head and explained, ¡°I will go to your grandmother¡¯s place with your sister, so stay in the courtyard and do your needlework properly.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and handed the pair of and dignified hairpins in her hands, decorated in gold lace[1], longevity peach[2], grasshopper, and winter cherry, to Xi¡¯er who was combing Li¡¯s hair. Not long afterward, Ren Yaohua returned. She wore a silver-red and silver-threaded double-breasted jacket, a silver moonlight skirt, a lively double bun[3] decorated with beads and a tasseled hairpin with pearls on her head. She looked pretty and lovable. Li looked her over, nodded, and led her to the Ronghua courtyard. Ren Yaoqi watched them leave and then left the courtyard herself a few moments later. She was still a bit uneasy and wanted to go to the Ronghua courtyard to have a look. When she reached the corridor next to the garden, she saw a person standing on the rockery in the garden with an inadvertent glance. Ren Yaoqi stopped in her tracks and after a pause, she walked slowly towards the garden. In the season of early spring, the garden of the Ren Family gradually became full of vitality. The green spreads appeared all over the yard, some grass even grew occasionally in the rockery made of Taihu Lake stones[4]. The servants who were tidying up the yard originally wanted to pull out the weeds, but they were stopped by Ren Shimin. He said that it would be better to let them grow a bit more wild. No one dared to comment on the Third Master¡¯s taste, so some of the grass indeed grew wildly. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s steps were soft all the way. She came out casually, followed by only two personal maids, Ping Guo, and Sang Shen. The two maids didn¡¯t dare to say anything, they just followed behind Ren Yaoqi in silence, walking with their heads down. The man standing at the rockery was very alert, and he noticed Ren Yaoqi before she was approaching and turned his head. He had a handsome face and quiet, deep eyes, with a quiet composure rarely seen in teenagers. Han Yunqian looked at her quietly. Ren Yaoqi wore a goose yellow plain jacket, and the long skirt of the same plain color on her lower body exposed the true purple embroidered skirt. The pale golden sunlight in early spring evenly sprinkled on her body, soft and warm, making the young girl¡¯s fair skin seemingly fragile. ¡°Young Master Han.¡± Ren Yaoqi stopped five paces away from him and bent her knees in a curtsy. Han Yunqian withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes to return the salute, and called her Third Miss. ¡°Why is Young Master Han here alone?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked around and saw that apart from Han Yunqian, there was only a young servant not far away who saw her and ran over to curtsy. ¡°Brother Yiyan asked me to wait for him here, he just had something to do and went away for a while.¡± Han Yunqian returned gently and reasonably. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes crossed over his shoulder to look at the rockery he had been staring at earlier. She heard that because the Feng Shui layout of this house was very good, basically no major changes have been made to the house since the Ren Family moved in. The Taihu Stone Rockery was probably more than a few years old. The jagged and oddly shaped stones had been piled up to look like various birds and animals, but Ren Yaoqi felt that an eagle-like stone at the top right of the rockery seemed to have one wing broken, and a one-winged eagle standing there always felt a bit strange. ¡°The Feng Shui here is extremely good, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Han Yunqian also turned his head and looked at the false mountain with a smile, ¡°Brother Yiyan said that this false mountain is right on top of one of the five elements and eight trigrams of the formation, whoever designs this must be an expert.¡± Because the two of them had walked through the lantern formation last time, Han Yunqian knew that Ren Yaoqi understand this. . [1] Gold Lace [2] Longevity peach [3] Double-bun hair [4] Taihu Stone Rockery CH 75 Chapter 75: Finality ¡°If the land is good, the seedlings will flourish, and if the house is lucky, the people will prosper. When my great-grandfather was alive, he believed in these Feng Shui techniques.¡± Ren Yaoqi returned in a light voice. ¡°Oh? Does Fifth Miss also believe in these?¡± Han Yunqian smiled faintly and turned his head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Young Master Han believe in it?¡± Han Yunqian was silent for a moment, seemingly in thought. Ren Yaoqi looked at his back from behind. Han Yunqian¡¯s body was like a slender bamboo, his back straight, and when he was not speaking there was a silent and heavy aura about him. Half a second later, he slowly said, ¡°My grandfather didn¡¯t believe in this. I remember a few years ago when the ancestral house in Jizhou was to be renovated, the uncles in the clan all said they wanted to find a Feng Shui master to take a look so as to prosper the descendants, but my grandfather refused.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really believe in that either.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly, ¡°This house is not the ancestral home of the Ren Family, it was bought by my great-grandfather from a wealthy family at the time. If the Feng Shui was really good, wouldn¡¯t they have been able to sit at home without any problems? Why did they have to move their family south?¡± Han Yunqian looked at Ren Yaoqi. Because the back light, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t see his expression. After a moment he smiled and nodded in agreement, ¡°What Fifth Miss said makes sense.¡± ¡°I heard that the Han Family has settled in Jizhou for generations?¡± Ren Yaocheng asked casually. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s written in the Han Family tree.¡± Han Yunqian said gently. ¡°I have never been to Jizhou, so I don¡¯t know how far the people of Jizhou differ from us Yanzhou people in their habits. But I have seen that you and You are not very different from us Yanzhou people. Do you have anyone in your family who was born in Yanzhou?¡± Han Yunqian smiled as he looked down and thought, ¡°No. But my grandfather¡¯s family is from Yanzhou. My grandfather¡¯s ancestral family seems to be from around Yanzhou, but after decades, I can¡¯t find any relatives from Yanzhou. They probably moved south too. I heard that when the Yanbei was in turmoil, nine out of ten houses in Yanzhou were empty.¡± Ren Yaoqi was thinking, Han Yunqian¡¯s answer really didn¡¯t have any flaws. Even his grandfather¡¯s occasional accidental accent from Yanzhou could be explained. ¡°Is Fifth Miss here for a stroll through the garden?¡± Han Yunqian asked with a smile as he looked at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi said casually, ¡°I was passing by the corridor and saw someone in the garden, and from the looks of his back he looked like my second cousin from the East Mansion. I originally wanted to come and say hello, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be you.¡± Ren Yilin, the concubine son of the Second Master of the Eastern House, was about the same height as Han Yunqian. Judging from the back, there were really some similarities between them. Han Yunqian lost his smile and looked at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, it was Yunqian who was abrupt, so please forgive me.¡± Suddenly the sound of several people¡¯s footsteps seemed to be coming from behind. Ren Yaoqi turned around, and she saw Ren Yiyan and Ren Yihong coming this way. Behind them were Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoting and Han You. ¡°Fifth Sister, when did you come? I was just about to ask someone to call you to come over with my Eighth Sister.¡± Ren Yiyan saw Ren Yaoqi and Han Yunqian, stunned for a moment then smiled. Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoting, and Han You also saw Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoting¡¯s gaze stopped on Ren Yaoqi and Han Yunqian for a long time before he suddenly said with a bit of a smile, ¡°Fifth Sister is out for a stroll through the garden? What a coincidence.¡± Ren Yaohua said lightly to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell a maid to told you to wait in the pavilion in front?¡± The implication of these words was that she had asked someone to call Ren Yaoqi to come. Ren Yaoting glanced at Ren Yaohua suspiciously, and then at Ren Yaoqi who had an upright face, her face looked better. Han Yunqian smiled and said, ¡°It was me who heard someone coming and thought it was Brother Yiyan, so I came over to say hello, but I didn¡¯t expect to run into Fifth Miss. It¡¯s my fault for being rude.¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi and slightly turned her head away, not knowing what she was thinking. Ren Yaoqi walked over to them. Smiling, she asked Ren Yaoting, ¡°When did Seventh Sister come over?¡± ¡°I heard that Sister You¡¯er was here, and my mother had gone to Jizhou because of Second Brother¡¯s wedding, so I came over to take a look too.¡± Ren Yaoting turned her head and smiled at Han You. ¡°Second Aunt has gone to Jizhou?¡± Ren Yaoqi was slightly surprised. ¡°Yes. She left early this morning and will probably not be back for a couple of days.¡± Ren Yaoting said casually. Ren Yaoting said that the Second Madam had gone to Jizhou for the marriage of her concubine son, Ren Yilin, but Ren Yaocheng knew that the Second Madam had actually gone to withdraw from the marriage. The Second Madam, Su, was a perfectly good mother in the eyes of outsiders. She ruled her family well, was gentle and modest, and was not jealous. The concubines of the Second Master of the East Mansion were all well-behaved with very few troubles. The two concubine sons, Ren Yilin and Ren Yixin, had great respect for their main mother. So it was not surprising that she would campaign for the marriage of her concubine son. But Ren Yaoqi was wondering if the girl from Liu Juren¡¯s[1] family in this life would still kill herself because the marriage cancellation. ¡°Now that spring is in full bloom, how about going to sit in that pavilion?¡± Ren Yiyan suggested. ¡°Sister Ting said she would play the zither for us, so it would be a good idea to go to the pavilion.¡± Han You said happily. Ren Yaoting pursed her lips and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m here to make a fool of myself, why are you shouting so loudly that everyone knows?¡± Han You winked, ¡°You¡¯ll hear it all later anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll send someone back to fetch the zither.¡± Ren Yiyan laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the maid back to marry it.¡± Ren Yaoting hurriedly said. She had come prepared. Several people walked together and sat down in the pavilion. Ren Yaoqi noticed that Ren Yaoyin, who was supposed to come, had not come. So she asked a question. Ren Yiyan said, ¡°Fourth Sister has caught a cold and her voice is a bit hoarse, so she said she would apologize to Young Master Han and Miss Han next time.¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s zither was indeed quickly fetched. She burned incense to purify her hands, sat down in the courtyard, and played the zither with her plain hands. In all fairness, Ren Yaoting¡¯s zither playing was quite good. It was no wonder she dared to make a fool of herself. Everyone was sitting or standing, listening quietly. Han Yunqian was originally standing facing the lotus pond. when suddenly there was a ¡°clang, clang, clang¡± sound. Han Yunqian frowned and looked back, but he met the affectionate eyes of Ren Yaoting who was playing the zither. Han You suddenly laughed, and when she saw everyone looking at her, she said with some embarrassment, ¡°I told Sister Ting that my brother has a very good ear, and that he can hear the slightest mistake in the sound of the zither. Sister Ting didn¡¯t believe me, so she gave it a try just now. You see, I was right, right? If you play well, he won¡¯t notice, but if you make a mistake, he will frown at you.¡± The audience, who were well versed in music, recalled that just now Ren Yaoting had really played a wrong note. Although it was not obvious, but Han Yunqian had really noticed it immediately. But this was a reminder of the phrase: ¡°There is a mistake in the song, Mr. Zhou will take care of it.¡± Legend has it that this Mr. Zhou is as proficient in rhythm as Han Yunqian. Even when he was drunk, he would immediately notice when someone who played the zither was wrong, look towards the person, and give them a slight smile. There have been many women who have been in love with him who have deliberately played the wrong notes just to attract the attention of Mr. Zhou. Was this a blatant hint from Ren Yaoting that she was interested in Han Yunqian? Han You was so simple-minded that she hadn¡¯t thought about it, but when she saw the strange looks on everyone¡¯s faces, she thought about it carefully and realized. It was Ren Yiyan who smiled gently and relieved Han You: ¡°So you have this problem too, brother Han? My third brother is also fond of music. Someday when he listens to the zither, I will certainly try it out too. If he doesn¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll laugh at him for being pretentious.¡± Ren Yiyan, the eldest brother, was usually very much an elder brother, and was also popular among his sisters and brothers, so everyone laughed facetiously. Han Yunqian did not seem to notice anything. He smiled lightly, gentle and courteous, but his eyes were waveless. As he was saying this, a maid ran over and said to Ren Yaoqi after saluting, ¡°Fifth Miss, the Third Master says he wants you to go to the Nuan Pavilion.¡± The Nuan pavilion that the maid said was the place where Han Yunqian had last played with Ren Shimin and Ren Yijun. It was in the northwest corner of the garden, not too far from the Huxin Pavilion. ¡°When did Third Uncle come back?¡± Ren Yiyan asked in surprise. The maid said, ¡°The Third Master has just come to the Nuan Pavilion, and when he heard that several young masters and ladies were here, he asked this servant l to come and invite the Fifth Miss over.¡± Ren Yaoqi got up, apologized to everyone, and followed the maid to the Northwest Pavilion. As soon as she entered, she saw Ren Shimin standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back. When he saw her enter, he turned his head and said, ¡°Come and play a few games of chess with Father.¡± Ren Yaoqi followed Ren Shimin and sat down in front of the chessboard before she raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Father asked me to come here just to play chess?¡± Ren Shimin glanced at Ren Yaoqi and suddenly sighed, saying helplessly, ¡°I have just returned from the outer courtyard, and your grandfather is talking with Han Yunqian¡¯s father about the marriage between the two families.¡± Ren Yaoqi was startled, how could it be so soon? When Ren Shimin saw Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head: ¡°I heard that the two families negotiated the salt well matter very smoothly, both the Ren Family and the Han Family have invested a lot, so¡­¡± So continue a marriage to strengthen the relationship between the two families? Ren Yaoqi frowned. Perhaps she was biased against the Han Family, why did she think it was the Han Family that desperately needed a marriage to gain the trust of the Ren Family? ¡°Your grandfather just called me over, and from what he said, the person the two families have settled on should be your sister Yaohua.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face became increasingly ugly. This engagement had come so quickly that she hadn¡¯t had time to think of a way to stop it. She had thought that without the stirring of Ren Shimin and Ren Yijun in this life, it would be a while before the Han and Ren families could tie the knot even if they wanted to. After all, it was only today that the Han Family came to the door for the first time for this matter. Was this what called fate? ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s decision can¡¯t be changed. I asked if the other Ren daughters would be okay. He said he had all the arrangements, and then sent me out.¡± All the arrangements? Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but sneer. If they really had to listen to his arrangements, none of them would end up well. ¡°Things have come to this, so you should stay away from Han Yunqian in the future.¡± Ren Shimin suddenly said seriously. . [1] Juren (¾ÙÈË) Juren refers to the person who is recommended. In the Han Dynasty, there was no examination method for selecting scholars. The imperial court ordered the prefects and state guards to recommend talents, because the candidates were called ¡®juren¡¯. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, there was a Jinshi department, and those who had a tribute examination for their subjects were commonly called Juren. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, those who took the provincial and mid-level examinations were called Juren, also known as the General Assembly and Dachunyuan. Winning Juren is called ¡®fajie¡¯ and ¡®fafa¡¯. It is customary for Juren to be commonly called ¡®Master¡¯, and elegantly known as Xiaolian. From ¡®The Analects of Confucius ¨C Wei Ling Gong¡¯. CH 76 Chapter 76: Abnormality is the Sign of a Demon Ren Shimin had always thought that Ren Yaoqi treat Han Yunqian differently compared to others. What he thought was actually not wrong, but he was just thinking in the wrong direction. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°Father, the reason I am so concerned about the Han Family is just because I think the Han Family is acting a little strange.¡± ¡°Strange? How is the Han family strange?¡± Ren Shimin said in confusion. Ren Yaoqi explained to Ren Shimin, ¡°In Han Yunqian¡¯s grand-grandfather¡¯s generation, the Han Family was just a landlord with a little bit of money. It was not until Han Yunqian¡¯s grandfather came along and convinced the head of the Han Family to use the Family¡¯s accumulated assets to make a few deals that the Han Family gradually began to gain a foothold in Jizhou. It stands to reason that Jizhou is also one of the most prosperous cities in Yanbei, and the Han Family was born and raised there. There is no need to move from Jizhou, which has just gained a firm foothold among the rich and powerful families, to our Baihe Town in Yanzhou. The Han Family is not big, but their rules are stricter than anyone else¡¯s. It is not easy for a Han woman to even go out, but the way Han Yunqian and Miss Han talk is not like someone with shallow knowledge. The Han Family makes me feel uneasy.¡± Ren Shimin frowned and thought about it, but shook his head and laughed: ¡°Why do you think about such unfounded things all day? Perhaps the Han Family moved because of some unforeseen reason, and the strict discipline of the family is just because the elders are too caring for their children and grandchildren. It¡¯s not like the Han Family came out of nowhere, they know their roots. We have no grudge against the Han Family, so why would they be scheming against us? And even if they wanted to do so, with your grandfather around are you still afraid that the Ren Family will suffer?¡± Ren Shimin¡¯s words were very straightforward, and he knew his father¡¯s shrewd nature very well. Even Ren Shimin didn¡¯t believe her, so who else in the Ren Family would believe the ¡°wild guesses¡± of a young girl in her early teens? Even if she hadn¡¯t had the experience of her past life, she wouldn¡¯t have believed anyone who came to her and told her that the Han Family was full of evil and unscrupulous people. Over the years, Han had kept a low profile. The people from the Han Family were all humble and well-mannered, and they were well brought up. She could not tell anyone about her past life. If the Ren Family heard about it, their first thought would be to either burn her as a ¡°demon¡± or send her to the Tower of Madness[1], Ren Yaoqi thought sarcastically. Knowing that there was no point in saying anything more, Ren Yaoqi stopped trying to argue. She sat down and played a game of chess with Ren Shimin, then excused herself and left the room. Ren Shimin also urged her, ¡°Since you hate that Han Yunqian, stay away from him and don¡¯t go looking for trouble. Just think about the fact that he lost to you twice in a row, he has almost lost his face and his reputation.¡± Ren Yaoqi: ¡°¡­¡­¡± After coming out of the Nuan Pavilion, she saw only Ren Yaohua was left in the courtyard. She was standing by the fence towards the lotus pond, holding a small blush red bottomed blue flowered eight immortals bowl[2] in her hand feeding the fish. The spring breeze blew on her face. Her hair was slightly raised, her skirt was flowing, and the outline of her perfect side face was very beautiful and exquisite, a pleasing beauty to the eyes. The next moment, however, Ren Yaoqi saw Ren Yaohua casually raise her hand, and pour the bowl of fish food into the lotus pond. Then she was looking at a certain place in the lotus pond, fuming in anger. The maid beside her, Xiang Qin, jumped to her feet, ¡°Ah, Miss. How can you feed the fish like that? I¡¯m afraid all the fish in the pond will die if you do this.¡± Ren Yaoqi slowly walked over and stood next to her, slightly poking her head out to look at the fish fighting for food in the water. Ren Yaohua turned her head to look at her. She turned back again, still staring into the lotus pond without saying a word. The two of them stood in the pavilion for a long time without words. The two maids, Wu Jing and Xiang Qin, quietly nudged towards the maidservants in the pavilion. They told them all to retreat and keep watch from afar. ¡°Are you of the same mind as Fourth Sister?¡± Ren Yaohua suddenly spoke up and asked. Ren Yaoqi leaned sideways to lean on the railing and looked at Ren Yaohua carefully. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t look at her, just pursed her lips and listened to the pool surface, as if the headless words just now didn¡¯t come from her. ¡°What if I am?¡± Ren Yaoqi laughed at the coincidence of Ren Yaohua and Ren Shimin¡¯s thoughts, but then she came up with this sentence. But Ren Yaohua seemed to be shocked by her: ¡°You¡­¡± glared at Ren Yaoqi for half a second, wanting to scold her, but in the end, she didn¡¯t. Finally, she frowned and said, ¡°Put away all the thoughts you shouldn¡¯t have. You can¡¯t just do what you want. You are a girl, how can you¡­¡± ¡°Sister, if I say that I have obstructed you in the future for your own good, do you believe me?¡± Ren Yaoqi faintly interrupted her and said. This is the first time she called Ren Yaohua sister. Ren Yaohua froze for half a second, then glanced over her head and coldly snorted, ¡°I just hope you know what you are doing. My affairs are for elders to decide, there is no need for you to worry about me yet!¡± After saying this, she turned around and walked away without looking back. Ren Yaoqi sighed lightly and did not turn back, still looking down at the school of fish in the pool that had gradually calmed down. After an unknown period of time, footsteps were coming this way again. Ren Yaoqi tilted her head and saw Han Yunqian, who was walking slowly. ¡°Why is Fifth Miss here alone? Where is Brother Yiyan and the others?¡± Han Yunqian smiled faintly at Ren Yaoqi and asked politely. ¡°They weren¡¯t here when I returned. Wasn¡¯t Young Master Han with Brother and the others?¡± Ren Yaochen asked with a smile. Han Yunqian walked over and stood next to Ren Yaoqi, joining her in the direction of the pond and smiling gently, ¡°No, I am¡­¡± Just then, a bright laugh came from the path across the pond from the pavilion: ¡°Older Brother Ren is over-complimenting. I see that Yiyan is very good, not only is he stable and courteous, he also talks well.¡± Hearing the voice was unfamiliar, Ren Yaoqi turned her head to look over and saw Old Master Ren and a man in his fifties walking side by side. Although the man was not young, he was still hale and hearty, with a straight back, broad forehead, decent face, and a somewhat red face. He had a cheerful and easy-going look, and could easily win the favour of others. Ren Yaoqi was thinking about who this person was, but Han Yunqian, who was standing beside her, changed his face slightly and walked away from Ren Yaoqi without a trace. Although his face quickly returned to its normal mildness and his movements were not obvious, Ren Yaoqi still noticed it. Her heart was slightly surprised. ¡°It¡¯s my grandfather.¡± Han Yunqian nodded towards Ren Yaoqi and said this, before turning to welcome him out. The steps were calm and unhurried, as always. This was Han Dongshan, the Old Master Han? Ren Yaochen was increasingly surprised. Han Dongshan was not surnamed Han, Han was the surname of his wife¡¯s clan. His own surname was not cared for by anyone, and Han Dongshan himself had not mentioned it before anyone. Based on her guesses and what she had heard from the maid who had gone to the Han Family to collect the painting, Ren Yaoqi had always thought that Han Dongshan was an old man with beady eyes and a serious expression. But he was so open and cheerful. Although she was surprised, Ren Yaoqi went out immediately. Old Master Ren and Old Master Han, who were laughing and joking over there, also saw them. ¡°Qian¡¯er, why are you still here?¡± When they got closer, Old Master Han said with a smile. His gaze paused for a moment on Ren Yaoqi, with the kind of generosity that an elder has for his juniors, not to be disliked. Ren Yaoqi went forward to salute Old Master Ren and Han Dongshan. Old Master Ren nodded. When he saw Old Master Han sizing up Ren Yaoqi, he casually mentioned, ¡°This is my third child¡¯s youngest daughter.¡± Hearing this, Old Master Han looked Ren Yaoqi up and down again for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said to her kindly, ¡°Is your name Yaohua?¡± As soon as she heard this, Ren Yaoqi knew that Han Dongshan had misunderstood Old Master Ren¡¯s words and misidentified her as Ren Yaohua. and Old Master Ren promptly corrected himself, ¡°Yaohua is the eldest daughter of the third child, and this is my fifth granddaughter in line.¡± Old Master Han was still smiling, but he glanced towards Han Yunqian. Although he quickly turned his eyes away, he still let Ren Yaoqi, who had been paying attention to him, spot it. Ren Yaoqi could not say what Han Dongshan¡¯s glance meant, but she felt that it had a deep meaning. Han Yunqian bowed his head and stood behind Han Dongshan. Han Dongshan smiled and said to Old Master Ren, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted me to help you look at the Feng Shui of the garden? Shall we continue?¡± Old Master Ren stroked his beard and agreed. Ren Yaoqi smiled and asked the kind-faced Han Dongshan, ¡°Does Old Master Han know how to read Feng Shui?¡± Old Master Ren said, ¡°When he was young, Old Master Han was coincidentally instructed by a master of metaphysics.¡± When Ren Yaoqi heard this, she raised her eyebrows and glanced at Han Yunqian. Not long ago, Han Yunqian had told her that his grandfather didn¡¯t believe in the art of Feng Shui, but now how could he be a Feng Shui master? Han Yunqian still kept his head slightly bowed, his face unchanged, as if he didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°We¡¯re going to take a look over at the rockery, so go back to your courtyard first.¡± Old Master Han explained to Ren Yaoqi. In front of outsiders, Old Master Ren was still very kind to his grandchildren. Ren Yaoqi curtsied and said understood. She stopped walking. She watched quietly as the three walked away, her eyes downcast in thought for a moment, then turned around and headed for the Ziwei Courtyard. In the main room of the Ziwei Courtyard, Li was sitting on the bed talking to Matron Zhou, and she didn¡¯t know what she had talked about, but she was in a very good mood. Ren Yaohua had not returned, probably go to the Ronghua Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi smiled and walked over, bowed, and sat down next to Li, ¡°Mother, I have something to discuss with you.¡± Li looked at Ren Yaoqi with some surprise: ¡°What is it?¡± Matron Zhou had already got up, sent the few little maids who were waiting at the sides, and arranged for Xi¡¯er and Que¡¯er to stand guard at the door. . [1] (·èÈËËþ), I honestly don¡¯t know if this is a reference for something, because I find nothing with namesearch. If anyone know what it means, please comment below. [2] Blue Eight Immortal Bowl CH 77 Chapter 77: Succor Seeing that Matron Zhou was also about to go out, Ren Yaoqi hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Matron, please stay too.¡± Matron Zhou replied and stood at the side of the end of the bed with her hands tied. Only then did Ren Yaoqi say to Li, ¡°Mother, I just saw Grandfather and Old Master Han in the courtyard.¡± Li sniffed and looked at Matron Zhou, sitting up slightly straighter: ¡°Yunqian¡¯s grandfather is here too?¡± Presumably, Mrs. Li is really satisfied with Han Yunqian, even her way of calling him had changed at this moment. ¡°This shows that the Han Family also attaches great importance to this matter,¡± Li said joyfully to Matron Zhou. ¡°The Han Family only has one son which is Young Master Han, so naturally they attach importance to it.¡± Matron Zhou also smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Ren Yaoqi looked at their expressions and continued, ¡°Just now Father said that Grandfather has already settled on the Third Sister.¡± Li glared at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°How can you pry into such matters? What are you worrying about at such a young age!¡± She didn¡¯t seem too much surprised by Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words, so she must have already heard something from the Old Madam¡¯s lips. However, the joy on her face was undisguised. Han Yunqian was good-looking, modest, intelligent, well-educated, and the only son of the Han Family. Anyone looking for marriage would say yes. Li was not wrong to be a mother who had her daughter¡¯s best interests at heart. Even Ren Yaoqi could not find anything wrong with this marriage if she did not know the end. ¡°Mother, I heard that a maid serves to Sister You was quietly inquiring about Third Sister¡¯s temperament.¡± Ren Yaoqi bowed her head and said. Li was stunned and frowned slightly, ¡°What have they been prying about?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, ¡°Her temperament, how she handles herself, and why she was sent to the village the year before last.¡± ¡°Who did she ask? What did they say?¡± Li said, a little nervously. ¡°It was to one of the little maids by my side, Mother. don¡¯t worry, she didn¡¯t speak nonsense.¡± Ren Yaoqi said comfortingly. Li couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± She was also worried that her daughter¡¯s bad temper would be fueled by someone telling the Han Family about her. ¡°Mother, Sister You¡¯er doesn¡¯t look like someone who pokes around, and she wouldn¡¯t ask about this. It must be the Old Madam or the Madam of the Han Family who sent that maid to pry.¡± Matron Zhou nodded her head in agreement, ¡°That is certainly true.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked to Li at the side, ¡°Mother. The Han Family is looking for a good daughter, and the Ren Family is looking for a good family for their daughter. The Han Family have come to probe our Ren Family at this juncture, shouldn¡¯t we send someone to probe the Han Family as well?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Li frowned at Matron Zhou. Ren Yaoqi added, ¡°Mother, I heard that this lineage is very important to the Han Family. There is only one son in the Han Family, Han Yunqian, and his wife will have to carry a lot of the burden in the future. According to Third Sister¡¯s nature, do you think she would have been able to cope if she hadn¡¯t been prepared? Will she be able to handle it?¡± This time Matron Zhou also nodded: ¡°Fifth Miss has a point. This trivial matter in their family makes it the easiest to be exploited. It would be good for Third Miss to prepare early so that she will not be belittled later.¡± Li said hesitantly, ¡°But the Han Family is extremely strict, so how can we send someone over to inquire and have the Han Family find out?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°Mother, how long has it been since the Han Family moved to Baihe Town? Even if you send someone to the Han Family to ask about the situation, what can you find out? It will be just like our maids who are always picking out the good things to say to the Han Family. But it¡¯s not like that in Jizhou. The Han Family has lived in Jizhou for so many years, their relatives, friends, and neighbors all know each other by heart. It would be good if we could send someone to Jizhou to ask around.¡± ¡°To Jizhou?¡± Li looked at Ren Yaoqi and then at Matron Zhou, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too cautious? I think the Han Family has a simple population. Everyone from top to bottom is harmonious, so there shouldn¡¯t be anything to pry into.¡± Ren Yaoqi said disapprovingly, ¡°Mother, is the Han Family simple? That¡¯s because you only see the Han Family in Baihe Town, how much do you know about the Han Family?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Li said. Ren Yaoqi continued again, ¡°Just because we don¡¯t know, doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no problem. For example, their family is obviously of great importance in the Han clan, but how much do you know about why they left Jizhou and moved to Yanzhou? The Han Family is so strict with women, so the person in charge must be a serious person, but the Old Master I saw today seemed like a person with a bright and cheerful nature. He was also very affectionate. So who is the real head of the Han Family now? Or is Old Master Han¡¯s true nature different from what he appears to be? If that¡¯s the case, won¡¯t it be difficult for Third Sister to walk in the future if we don¡¯t find out more so that we can make preparations early?¡± Li was asked a series of questions by Ren Yaoqi. Li couldn¡¯t help but blush a little. She hadn¡¯t thought about these things at all. Thinking about how she wouldn¡¯t have been able to sit here all these years without Matron Zhou looking after her, Li felt that she had indeed considered too little. ¡°But who are we going to send to Jizhou?¡± Li sighed in relief and thought for a moment. ¡°Should we discuss it with the Old Master, or ask Old Master and Old Madam to send someone to go there?¡± ¡°I just checked on Father¡¯s side, he shouldn¡¯t have a problem with it. As for the grandparents¡¯ side¡­ I think we should send someone ourselves. We won¡¯t bother the two elders for now. Otherwise, if the Ren Family does find out that there is something wrong with the Han Family, we won¡¯t know anything about it.¡± As long as it was helpful to the Ren Family, even if the Han Family was unbearable, the Ren Family would still let Ren Yaohua marry. Li was silent for a moment and didn¡¯t refute anymore, only saying, ¡°Then who would be better to send?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and winked, ¡°Mother, has it been a long time since you wrote to Grandmother?¡± Li was stunned, then her eyes lit up, ¡°Right, we can ask Mother for help. The Li Family has never had any dealings with the Han Family, so even if the Han Family finds out later, they can still shrug it off.¡± Matron Zhou smiled and said, ¡°Then why don¡¯t Madam go and write a letter now? This slave can have it sent to Yunyang City as soon as possible. It is better to do this sooner rather than later.¡± Li nodded and was about to get up, but Ren Yaoqi hurriedly pressed her down, ¡°I will go and prepare the pen and ink, Mother, I will write it for you.¡± Seeing her like this, Li couldn¡¯t help but laugh: ¡°Go on then.¡± Ren Yaoqi then went out to summon the maid. Li looked at her back and said with a satisfied smile, ¡°I am relieved that the two sisters are like this.¡± Matron Zhou also smiled, ¡°After all, they are sisters by birth, what do you need to worry about, Madam? In previous years, it was just that the two young ladies were young and had screwy natures.¡± Not long afterwards, Ren Yaoqi came in with a maid carrying a pen, ink, paper, and ink stone. Ren Yaoqi sat down at the table, picked up a pen and filled it with ink, and asked Li with a smile, ¡°Mother, tell me what I should write.¡± Li told her mother about her request for help in investigating the Han Family, and Ren Yaoqi sat down at the table and wrote steadily. Only in addition to what Li said, she added some words of her own to the top. After all, the focus of Li¡¯s investigation was different from hers. When she had finished writing, Ren Yaoqi read it over herself and asked Li to take a look at it to see if there was anything else she needed to add. Li nodded straight after reading it, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Ren Yaoqi then blew the ink dry, sealed it, and handed it to Matron Zhou: ¡°Matron, have someone send it to Grandfather¡¯s house.¡± Matron Zhou did not dare to delay, so she answered and went to borrow the letter. Ren Yaoqi suddenly felt like she had let go of a big stone in her heart and was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. What she wanted to find out most was the details of Han Dongshan. The Han Family had been landlords in Jizhou for generations, and their wealth was limited to that. The emergence of Han Dongshan was a change for the Han Family. After the grandparents of the Han Family returned from the Ren Family, there was also a conversation between the two people. In the Han Family¡¯s study, Han Dongshan sat behind his desk and expressionlessly surveyed his grandson standing in front of him. He slowly spins a pair of white jade orbs the size of a toddler¡¯s fist in his hands. Han Yunqian bowed his head slightly as if looking at the square inch in front of him, but also looking at nothing at all. Although his head was bowed and his posture was respectful, his back was straight. ¡°The Ren Family has agreed to tie the knot with us.¡± Han Dongshan said indifferently, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, looking completely mocking. Han Yunqian acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard, and as if this matter had nothing to do with him, he didn¡¯t even raise his eyes. ¡°Is that Miss Ren the one who took the painting back from you last time?¡± Han Dongshan said unexpectedly. ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡± Han Yunqian answered in a low voice. The two jade balls in Han Dongshan¡¯s hands turned a little faster, as he was pondering, ¡°The Ren Family¡¯s intention is for you to be betrothed to Third Miss Ren. But I see that you and the Fifth Young Lady seem to be more compatible. Now that the marriage is not yet finalized, how about I ask for your hand in marriage to the Fifth Miss of the Ren Family?¡± Han Yunqian¡¯s complexion changed. He immediately raised his head, then met Han Dongshan¡¯s cold eyes with a hint of light. Han Yunqian secretly took a deep breath to calm himself down. He heard his calm voice slowly say, ¡°The result will be the same for whoever is decided, so why make the extra effort to upset Ren Family at this time.¡± Han Dongshan looked at Han Yunqian for a long time. Then he leaned back and rested his head in the heathered chair behind him, his tone was softer, again looking like a reasonable elder: ¡°It¡¯s good that you know what¡¯s in your heart.¡± Han Yunqian bowed, ¡°This grandson will retire first.¡± ¡°Hmm. Call your father in, I have something to explain to him.¡± Han Dongshan said in a light voice. Han Yunqian answered and retreated. The spring afternoon sun was less lazy than it had been in winter, working diligently to glaze everything with an even layer of golden silk. Han Yunqian walked out from the corridor slowly to the courtyard full of sunshine, making him look warm and amiable. In the eyes of the servants who came and went, the young master was still gentle and calm, aloof and exalted. But all that echoed in Han Yunqian¡¯s mind now was his grandfather¡¯s earlier words, ¡°How about I just ask for you to marry the Fifth Miss of the Ren Family?¡± He didn¡¯t feel any joy, delight, cheerfulness, or other emotions, he just inexplicably sweated down the back of his clothes. CH 78 Chapter 78: The Person Who Jump Out The Ren Family and the Han Family now were like a loving husband and a favoured concubine. The two sides have already reached a tacit agreement, and if nothing goes wrong, they will soon exchange tokens to settle the marriage. The first person to jump out of his seat was Ren Yaoting of the East Mansion. On the second day of the Han Family¡¯s visit, the Old Madam of the East Mansion, Liao, came over. At that time, the junior members of the West Mansion were just about to leave after paying their respects to Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren in the Ronghua Courtyard. Then the concierge came to report that Liao had brought Seventh Miss with her. The Ren Family has not been separated, the East and West Mansions of the Ren Family are still considered one. Although there was a long wall of flowers separating the East and West Mansion, there was a cavernous door in the wall. But Liao never passed through the middle of the wall. She had to go through the main gate and send the concierge to report to her. When Liao and Qiu were young, they did not see eye to eye, and there were countless rounds of open and closed arguments. When the last head of the Ren Family, Baoming, was still alive, he paid the most attention to the orderly conduct of the young and the old. No matter how the two sisters-in-law fought, it was always Liao¡¯s fault if it went to the elders, and Liao was therefore very upset with her father-in-law. At the time of Ren Baoming¡¯s death, there was a legacy that the first and second houses would not be separated. Liao had promised to do so before his death, but as soon as her father-in-law¡¯s death was over, she found a reason to have a big fight with Qiu. Then she took her son and moved to the West Garden, which was separated by a flower wall. Although she did not say anything about splitting up the family, the two houses had been living separately for so many years, except for a monthly sum of money allocated by the eldest house to the Eastern Mansion to maintain the livelihood of each person in the Eastern Mansion. Liao also insisted that anyone from the East Mansion who came to the West Mansion must go through the main gate and was not allowed to pass through the flower wall between the two houses. The Second Old Master of Ren Family was away from Yanbei for many years and wrote to her several times to no avail. On the West Mansion side, Old Master Ren saw that she could only make such a fuss, so he let her go. The mansion is large and was originally divided into the East and West Mansions, so there was no need to change the courtyard again. On the contrary, the separation of Liao and Qiu made the Ren Family much more peaceful. The younger members of the Ren Family saw Liao coming over. They bowed to her and greeted her. Qiu had a polite smile on her face, ¡°Why do you have time to come over today?¡± Although Liao was from Yanbei, she was not tall and was a bit fat, looking a bit rich. Hearing Qiu¡¯s words, Liao¡¯s face also squeezed out some smiles, then greeted Old Master Ren first and called him Brother-in-law. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? Eldest Daughter-in-law, add two more sets of bowls and chopsticks over here.¡± Qiu explained to her daughter-in-law. Seeing that Liao didn¡¯t refuse either, she then turned to Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin. ¡°You will each go back to your courtyard and have your meals there today.¡± Liao¡¯s eyes swept over Ren Yaohua and nodded, ¡°I came here today because I have something to discuss with my brother and sister-in-law, so it is good for them to leave first. Ting¡¯er, you should also go out first.¡± Ren Yaoting had been quietly following behind Liao. She looked over as Ren Yaohua passed her by, the coldness in her eyes made one¡¯s heart palpitate. Hearing Liao¡¯s words she answered a low yes and followed the group out together. ¡°Third Sister, I have something to say to you.¡± Ren Yaoting called out to Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua had sensed Ren Yaoting¡¯s hostility before, and she vaguely understood why in her heart. However, she was not a good-natured person. Therefore, when she heard Ren Yaoting¡¯s words, she felt annoyed and coldly replied, ¡°I have to go back to have my meal first, let¡¯s talk about it when I¡¯m free.¡± After saying that, she left without looking back. Ren Yaoting stared closely at her back. Her lower lip turned white as she bit herself. As soon as the idle people had left, Liao sat down and spoke, ¡°I remember that Brother-in-law once righteously accused me of saying that the Ren Family was not divided?¡± ¡°What does Sister-in-law mean by that?¡± Old Master Ren said with a frown of surprise, somewhat confused as to how Liao could bring up the same old issue again. Liao smiled faintly, ¡°Since there is no family separation, why don¡¯t we in East Mansion know about such a big event that the Han Family and the Ren Family are going to get married? I heard that the Ren Family is going to join hands with the Han Family to set up a salt farm, is it true? Is it possible that when something good happens, it¡¯s just your West Mansion¡¯s business?¡± Old Master Ren shook his head helplessly at his words, ¡°I have written to inform my second brother about the salt farm, and he agrees. Since the first and second houses are not separated, no matter how the Ren Family benefits, it is a common benefit for both houses. Sister-in-law¡¯s remarks are a bit unreasonable. As for the marriage between the two families, they each have their own plans. It has not yet been finalized.¡± Liao was not happy to hear this, ¡°I¡¯m being unreasonable? Well, if that¡¯s the case, we also have girls of the right age in the East Mansion. Since you insist on the East and West families, then it doesn¡¯t make any difference whether you marry a girl from the East or the West, let our East Mansion girl marry.¡± As she said that, Liao glanced at Qiu: ¡°Back then, your Eldest Granddaughter got a good marriage to the Gu Family, and after that, your Second Granddaughter also married into the Yan Family in the capital. But the Eldest Grandson of the East Mansion was married to a family of rags, and that girl had a hard life. I would have been kept in the dark if she hadn¡¯t had one incident after another before our family was tied. I don¡¯t need you to give me any explanation for this, but the Han Family¡¯s marriage to the West Mansion must be given to us.¡± Qiu had endured this for a long time, but when she heard this, she was so angry that her liver ached. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°When we tied the knot with the Gu Family, were there any girls of the right age in the East Mansion? Is the Second Young Master of the Gu Family have to wait for seven or eight years before getting married? As for the Yan Family¡¯s marriage, wasn¡¯t it the Second Brother who sent a letter back begging me to give Yaoqin to someone as a bride? In the past few years, Second Brother and Shixu have had a smooth life in the capital, isn¡¯t it because of the help of the Yan Family? The marriage of Yilin was decided after we had consulted Second Brother and you, why didn¡¯t you stand up against it? Before the Liu Family had an accident, who could have predicted that the Liu girl would have such a destiny? Sister-in-law, you have to have a degree when you say the wrong things. ¡° Liao bristled at her words. She was unwilling to resign to being rendered speechless by Qiu¡¯s refutation but unable to think of anything to say in rebuttal for the moment. Old Master Ren was well aware of the nature of these two and knew that he could not let them argue any further, otherwise, it would be endless, so he stepped forward to round things off, ¡°Alright, one of you should say one less sentence.¡± He said, ¡°The marriage between the Han Family and the Ren Family was first proposed by the Han Family, and Old Master Han and the Madam of the Han Family had their eyes on Yaohua from the very beginning. Only Yaohua and Yaoyin are the most suitable age for the Young Master of the Han Family. As for Yaoting¡¯s marriage, I will take it to heart and will not be too hard on her when the time comes. They are both girls of the Ren Family, so I will not favour one over the other.¡± Liao came here today because last night she heard some maids in her granddaughter¡¯s courtyard discussing the marriages of the young masters and young ladies of the two houses. They said that all the good marriages were taken by the West Mansion and that the West Mansion might even get to eat the meat of the East Mansion. She also said how the Han Family was so rich and how the Young Master of the Han Family was so outstanding, and that there was obviously a suitable girl from the East Mansion, but the West Mansion had not even asked about the marriage. Liao couldn¡¯t sleep after hearing this. She was not a very shrewd and powerful person, but she had been in trouble with Qiu all her life. Everything else was fine, but she could not see Qiu¡¯s complacency and could not bear the fact that Qiu had taken advantage of her. After the death of the previous head of the Ren Family, she knew that Qiu, the Eldest Daughter-in-law, was in charge of the Ren Family¡¯s backyard. So she tried her best to draw a clear line with the Eldest Family, just because she did not want to look at Qiu¡¯s face. When she heard Elder Master Ren¡¯s words, Liao laughed coldly, ¡°Who can be sure of what will happen in the future? I am not so easily fooled.¡± Seeing that she would not take it lying down, Old Master Ren could only say good-naturedly, ¡°Then what does sister-in-law want? We can¡¯t just talk about the Han Family¡¯s marriage. The Han Family¡¯s preferred candidate is indeed the Third Girl.¡± When Liao heard this, she looked at Qiu, who had turned her head away. After thinking about it, she was moved and said with a smile, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to marry the Han Family either. I know that the Yun Family has a young master in the Ren Family. The Yun Family may have the intention of tying the knot with the Ren Family, and the Yun Family¡¯s Old Madam and Sister-in-law are cousins¡­ If it¡¯s true that you don¡¯t have selfish intentions as Brother-in-law said, then why don¡¯t you think of a way to facilitate the marriage between the East Mansion and the Yun Family?¡± Qiu couldn¡¯t help but sneer when he heard the words, this calculation was well done. She was about to speak when Old Master Ren gave her a wink. She gritted her teeth before turning her head away as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything. Old Master Ren said gently to Liao: ¡°I will consider this matter carefully. If the Yun Family really has this intention by then, then it will be the same whether the girl from the East Mansion marries off or the girl from the West Mansion.¡± Liao, however, looked at Qiu who was obviously furious, and laughed, ¡°Is this true, Brother-in-law?¡± Old Master Ren¡¯s face fell, ¡°Have I ever said anything in vain?¡± Liao smiled, ¡°Naturally, you have not. Then how about Brother-in-law giving me an accurate word today, if the Han Family¡¯s marriage cannot be given to our Mansion, then if the Ren Family wants to negotiate a marriage with the Yun Family in the future, only girls from our Mansion can marry there, how about that?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just being unreasonable?¡± Qiu said angrily. But Old Master Ren waved his hand, ¡°Then this matter is settled.¡± Qiu was so angry that her heart felt so stifled, she almost passed out. But Liao laughed and stopped stirring things up, got up quickly, ¡°In that case, I will not disturb your meal.¡± After Liao¡¯s departure, Qiu, who was still shaking with anger, immediately calmed down and relaxed. Master Ren glanced at her with some surprise. Qiu ordered the maids to heat the food, and said, ¡°I know her best, she doesn¡¯t want me to be pleased with her. If she can¡¯t make me angry, she won¡¯t leave.¡± Qiu had some disdain in her heart. Liao¡¯s kind of mind couldn¡¯t even control her own daughter-in-law, she deserved to only be used as a weapon. She had never given Liao any thought at all. As for the Yun Family¡¯s marriage, there was no word on it yet, and even if there was a word on it later, she can say she had not agreed to what Old Master Ren had promised. CH 79 Chapter 79: News of the Inquiry When Liao came out, Ren Yaoting was still standing quietly under the porch, dazed. Turning her head, she saw Liao¡¯s face full of complacency. Ren Yaoting¡¯s eyes lit up, and she went forward to help Liao: ¡°Grandmother, how is it? Did Granduncle agreed?¡± Seeing that it was her only first granddaughter, the smile on Liao¡¯s face grew bigger and bigger, and she patted Ren Yaoting¡¯s hand that was holding her, ¡°Naturally, he agreed.¡± Ren Yaoting was so ecstatic that she became somewhat incoherent, ¡°Then Third Sister and Young Master Han¡¯s marriage¡­ won¡¯t work out?¡± Liao looked at Ren Yaoting a little strangely at her words, ¡°How did you learn that I was here to talk about this matter?¡± Ren Yaoting stammered, ¡°When I saw that you were in a bad mood this morning, I asked the people in your courtyard.¡± Liao didn¡¯t think it was a bother, instead, she was happy that her granddaughter cared about her. ¡°Then Third Sister, she¡­¡±, Ren Yaoting wanted to know the exact news. Liao said unconcernedly, ¡°The marriage between the two families is not a child¡¯s play, how can they say that it will not work? I don¡¯t think it will take long for the Han Family to ask the matchmaker to come.¡± Ren Yaoting was struck by lightning at her words, ¡°What did you say? Young Master Han is still engaged to Third Sister?¡± Liao gave Ren Yaoting a strange look, ¡°What are you doing so loudly?¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s face turned pale, and she followed Liao¡¯s heartlessly. A few days later, Ren Yaoqi had just come out of the study in the west courtyard when her maid, Sang Shen, reported to her, ¡°Miss, your grandfather¡¯s family is here, and Madam is inviting someone to talk in the main room.¡± Ren Yaoqi turned around and went to the main room, asking, ¡°When did they arrive? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even a quarter of an hour since I came in. You were in the study at the time, and Master did not allow servants to enter or leave the study at will, so this servant did not dare to go in.¡± Sang Shen replied as she followed Ren Yaoqi¡¯s footsteps. Ren Yaoqi did not say anything more and went straight to the main room. Li¡¯s two maids, Xi¡¯er and Que¡¯er, were guarding the door, and there were no other maidservants around. Ren Yaoqi knew at a glance that it was Matron Zhou who had ordered no one else to come near. When Xi¡¯er and Que¡¯er saw Ren Yaoqi approaching, they looked at each other. Xi¡¯er was about to go in and report, but Ren Yaoqi had already waved her hand and lifted the curtain to go in. Xi¡¯er and Que¡¯er looked at each other again but finally stood still with their hands tied. When Ren Yaoqi entered, there was no one in the bright room, but there was a faint sound of voices talking from the east wing on her right. She went under the curtain and heard a female voice inside saying: ¡°¡­Xia Sheng also found out that the Old Madam of the Han Family was originally a capable one too. Because Han Jianping only had one daughter, and his wife died young, she was the one who took charge of all the big and small matters in the family. However, after marrying Han Dongshan, she rarely went out, and only spent her days in the inner house teaching her children¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi stood there and listened for a moment. She did not go in, but turned around and came out again. Gesturing for Xi¡¯er to follow her to the side, Ren Yaoqi asked, ¡°Is that Miss Yi Hong who is here? She didn¡¯t come alone, did she?¡± Xi¡¯er was a little surprised that Ren Yaoqi had come out so quickly. And it looked like she hadn¡¯t gone in yet, but she still whispered back extremely quickly, ¡°The one who came was Miss Yi Hong, and with her was that martial artist called Xia Sheng. But he¡¯s a man and cannot enter the inner courtyard, so Matron Zhou arranged for someone to lead him to tea in the outer courtyard.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°They are still talking inside, so I won¡¯t go in.¡± With that, she turned around and left. When she reached the gate of Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi beckoned a servant to come, ¡°Go to the outer courtyard and bring the man called Xia Sheng from my grandfather¡¯s house to the Yiran Pavilion outside the second gate.¡± Technically, the Yiran Pavilion was not located in the inner courtyard. However, it was in extremely close vicinity to the second gate. It was where the maidservants met people from the outer courtyard. Because the pavilion had an excellent view and there were people walking around, there is no fear of any shady business. If the masters wanted to go out, they would wait in the pavilion for a while if the sedan or carriage had not yet arrived, so Ren Yaoqi¡¯s visit there would not be considered inappropriate. Ren Yaoqi went back to her room and changed into her going-out clothes. Then she took two maids and two servants to the second door. Xia Sheng was already being led to wait at the Yiran Pavilion. When he saw that it was Ren Yaoqi coming out, Xia Sheng was still a little surprised. He thought it was Matron Zhou who had called him. ¡°Miss.¡± Xia Sheng bowed low. Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°Was it you who went to Jizhou this time?¡± Xia Sheng arched his hand and returned, ¡°Back to Miss, it was indeed this young one.¡± ¡°I have a few questions I would like to ask you, and I am afraid that what Yi Hong relayed is not as clear as yours.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Xia Sheng and said with a smile. ¡°Please ask, Miss.¡± ¡°The former patriarch of the Han Family, Ren Jianping, only had one daughter, and Han Dongshan could not take over the position of patriarch, so who is the current patriarch?¡± ¡°The current patriarch of the Han Family is Han Jianxin, a distant cousin of Han Jianping. He is nearly twenty years younger than Han Jianping and is about the same age as Han Dongshan. Because he is the senior, Han Dongshan elected him to be the patriarch. Although Han Jianxin was the patriarch, he relied heavily on Han Dongshan and would discuss all the major and minor matters of the clan with him before making decisions. In previous years, it was Han Dongshan who proposed the establishment of the clan school and was responsible for the costs of the school, so Han Dongshan¡¯s prestige in the clan was even higher than Han Jianxin¡¯s.¡± ¡°Oh? Then the clan didn¡¯t say anything bad about him?¡± Ren Yaoqi raised his eyebrows slightly and said. Xia Sheng thought for a moment, but said, ¡°That¡¯s not true. In reality, Han Jianping has one or two cousins who are a little closer, and their attitude towards Han Dongshan is not as bad as those who are a little further away. I heard that Han Jianping had planned to succeed his youngest son in the family business, but for some unknown reason, Han Jianping gave up the idea. Not only he handed over all the family¡¯s properties to his son-in-law Han Dongshan to take care of, but he also raised Han Dongshan¡¯s prestige in the clan.¡± ¡°Later when Han Jianping died, Han Jianmin originally planned to join hands with several clan brothers to expel Han Dongshan, but Han Dongshan preemptively punished him. After a few years, Han Jianmin passed away, and no one from the Han Family took the lead in stirring up trouble. After all, Han Dongshan still took care of those clansmen of the Han Family. When I went to Jizhou this time, the people of the Han clan were almost overwhelmingly saying good things about Han Dongshan, and a few of the nearer branches did not dare to say anything bad about Han Dongshan. But Han Jianmin¡¯s youngest son, Han Zuwang, seemed to be very unhappy with Han Dongshan and said a lot of bad things. I have also checked what he said, and most of them are slanderous words.¡± Xia Sheng was a bit dismissive when he said this, and he had some intention of looking down on Han Zuwang. However, Ren Yaoqi could not help but think about it. It was none of her business what Han Zuwang¡¯s character was like, she only wanted to stir up the marriage between the Han and Ren families. ¡°What is the situation of this Han Zuwang¡¯s family?¡± Because Han Zuwang was one of the few people in the Han Family who was willing to say anything bad about Han Dongshan, Xia Sheng thoroughly checked into this man¡¯s affairs and answered when asked, ¡°Han Zuwang¡¯s father, Han Jianmin, had three sons. After the three brothers split up, he took his family with him and refused to leave the ancestral home that the elder had been given, relying on his two older brothers for help from time to time. When he was drunk, he would always say that everything that Han Dongshan had now should have been his and that an outsider was not entitled to the Han Family¡¯s assets. He should be displeased with Han Dongshan for this reason as well.¡± ¡°Oh? Han Dongshan just let him talk nonsense like that?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Han Dongshan was so capable and could put the Han clan at ease, how come he couldn¡¯t put a single Han Zuowang at ease? Xia Sheng shook his head, ¡°Han Zuwang wholeheartedly believed that Han Dongshan¡¯s property belonged to him, and he gained face to go out. It can be said that he will not accept the soft and the hard persuasion, making his two brothers have a big headache with him. This man is a thorn in the side. He once said that his father had died because of his opposition to Han Dongshan, and that if anything happened to him someday, it would be Han Dongshan who had done it. So no one would dare to touch him.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and became interested in this man, who did not seem to be completely brainless. ¡°In the last letter, apart from mentioning for you to check these relatives of the Han Family, you were also asked to check the details of Han Dongshan, did you find out anything?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked again. She was very satisfied with Xia Sheng¡¯s answer before. She had been in contact with Xia Sheng for some time in her previous life, so she knew a little about his methods. She knew that although he looked rough, he was a very meticulous person. So she specifically asked Xia Sheng to go to Jizhou in the last letter. ¡°I asked an old man who used to work for the Han Family, and Han Dongshan did flee from the south. In the 32nd year of the Qinglong reign, there was a drought in the south, followed by a locust plague, which killed many people by starvation. Many fled to Yanbei, which was relatively less affected. It was at this time that Han Dongshan fled to Jizhou with a group of people. Once when Han Jianping went out, he met a few victims who were about to starve to death and came out to rob money. He was rescued by Han Dongshan, and then brought back to the Han Family by Han Jianping. According to Han Dongshan, his family had all died and he had some distant relatives from his mother¡¯s side in Yanbei, so he came to join them. But after a long time and the invasion of the Khitans, he could no longer find his distant relatives, so he stayed with the Han Family. After that, he won the admiration of Han Jianping and recruited him into the family.¡± ¡°Apart from that, nothing else can be found out?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned, ¡°He truly never mention his previous family?¡± She didn¡¯t believe that Han Dongshan had popped out of a stone, nor did she believe that he hadn¡¯t left any flaws after all these years. CH 80 Chapter 80: Plan B Xia Sheng thought for a moment and shook his head, ¡°In Jizhou, we can only find out about Han Dongshan after the 32nd year of Qinglong. There is no way to find out what kind of person he was before he came to Jizhou. It could be that he had never mentioned it to anyone.¡± Seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s disappointed face, Xia Sheng added, ¡°But perhaps we can find out something in Jiangnan. Han Dongshan was already sixteen when he came to Yanbei, he must have had contact with people before he was sixteen, so if we find those people we can find out.¡± Xia Sheng said it was simple, but Ren Yaoqi knew it wasn¡¯t. Han Dongshan must have made preparations since he didn¡¯t want others to know where he came from. Not to mention that it had been so many years since then, and there had been a calamity during which he had left, so how simple would it be to contact those who had previously known Han Dongshan? The most important thing is that the marriage between the Han and Ren families is already imminent and she has no time to spare. Maybe just find another way? Ren Yaoqi thought so, and her face took on a pensive look. When Xia Sheng saw that Ren Yaoqi was silent, he hesitated for a moment and took the initiative to say, ¡°I am willing to go to Jiangnan to investigate this Han Dongshan.¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but stare, looking up at Xia Sheng: ¡°A trip to Jiangnan and back will take at least a month.¡± Xia Sheng was not a member of her Ren Family and did not have the responsibility of running around for the Ren Family. ¡°I have brought up two new apprentices. Because our school requires them to have a lot of experience before graduating, I had planned to leave Yanbei for a while. I thought maybe I could use this time to investigate Han Dongshan¡¯s matter, and also consider it as a task set for the two apprentices. And¡­ I also feel that this Han Dongshan is not simple, after all, ordinary people would not be so concerned about their past, so it would be more reassuring to check.¡± If that were the case, then it would be better. Ren Yaoqi nodded and smiled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be grateful to you.¡± ¡°Miss is too kind, but I don¡¯t understand why Miss is so wary of this Han Dongshan. I suspect his origin because I felt that he was too mysterious during my investigation this time, but why does Fifth Miss suspect him?¡± Xia Sheng asked with some confusion. ¡°I just get a strange feeling about the Han family. They appear to have emerged out of nowhere, and it feels like they have a purposeful desire to approach the Ren Family. So it¡¯s better to check it out somehow.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said. Xia Sheng nodded, so he stopped asking. Ren Yaoqi, however, said half-jokingly, ¡°You still want to bring up disciples? If you are free in the future, can you bring me a few maids who know martial arts?¡± Xia Sheng was stunned and rubbed his head somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I, I haven¡¯t brought up any female apprentices yet¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but laugh: ¡°I just want to have one or two maids around who know martial arts so that I can feel more at ease when I go out in the future. If it¡¯s really difficult then so be it.¡± When Xia Sheng saw that Ren Yaoqi was serious, he thought about it seriously. He nodded and said, ¡°Then I will go back and ask Master. If he allows me, I will bring two for Young Miss. But learning martial arts is not something that can be achieved overnight. We need to start training at a young age to be successful, and it will take at least three or four years to achieve if we are well-qualified. Is Young Miss can wait? Seeing that he answered, Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to get it now.¡± She could still wait for three or four years. In her last life, the Ren Family had accidents one after another five years later. Maybe they would somehow be needed. ¡°I don¡¯t need them to know those fancy martial arts. I want you to teach them practical things, Xia Sheng. Since you have promised me, teach them real skills. At least make sure that if I am ever taken captive, they are capable of rescuing me.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Xia Sheng and said with a straight face. She had seen Xia Sheng¡¯s true prowess, she was not afraid that he would not be able to teach good disciples. Although Ren Yaoqi¡¯s assumption made Xia Sheng feel a little strange, he still said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Miss. If anyone wants to learn from me, they won¡¯t be able to graduate without having some proficiency.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that Xia Sheng was a rigid and serious person. She said nothing more. At this time, a woman came out from the second door. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, and her features were only clean. Although her demeanor was very dignified, she was not memorable at first glance. Ren Yaoqi could no longer remember this face, but she remembered that she had once seen her in costume when she was singing. She was so charming. The allure of that smile made Ren Yaoqi unconsciously compare others with her when she saw any Dan actress[1] for many years later, and then she would always feel that something was missing in them. ¡°Young Miss.¡± She was a little surprised to see Ren Yaoqi and Xia Sheng, then quickly reacted and came forward to salute. Ren Yaoqi returned the half salute and smiled, calling out ¡°Aunt Yi Hong¡±. Yi Hong was a little surprised and could not help but take a closer look at Ren Yaoqi. She had heard Li say before that Ren Yaoqi had grown up and changed a lot. Now she saw that the young girl in front of her had a calm affectionate smile and clear peaceful eyes. She was indeed a little different from the proud young miss she used to know. The reason why Ren Yaoqi called her aunt was that Yi Hong¡¯s status was somewhat special. Her uncle Li Tianyou had never married, and Yi Hong was his housekeeper, taking care of his daily life and managing the affairs of his house. In a normal family, Yi Hong would have been no more than a servant of some standing. But Ren Yaoqi knew that these people, who were loyal to the Xian Family, were different. Li had once asked her and Ren Yaohua to call Yi Hong an aunt, but they had always disobeyed her and refused to do so. ¡°Why is Young Miss here?¡± Yi Hong asked with some confusion as she glanced at Xia Sheng. Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°I wanted to ask Xia Sheng something, so I asked someone to bring him here. Has Aunt Yi Hong finished talking to Mother?¡± Yi Hong smiled and nodded, ¡°This servant has finished reporting and is going back to Yunyang City.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that she had something to do, she did not ask her to stay. She only ordered a maid to have the Li Family¡¯s carriage driven to the second gate, so that they would not have to walk a little further. While waiting for the carriage, Ren Yaoqi spoke to Yi Hong again. In a short while, the carriage came over. Yi Hong saluted Ren Yaoqi and got into the carriage. Xia Sheng also bowed and followed. Ren Yaoqi beckoned Ping Guo to come over and whispered, ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you some banknotes for safekeeping earlier? Did you bring them with you?¡± She had given Ping Guo a hundred taels of banknotes and some silver coins to carry, in case she needed them. Ping Guo also whispered back, ¡°This servant has it with her.¡± ¡°You go and give the one hundred taels of banknotes to the man called Xia Sheng who was just talking to me, saying that I gave him the money for his entourage and to buy maids. If it is not enough, tell him to come back to me.¡± Ping Guo didn¡¯t ask anything and went off in response. Ren Yaoqi nodded, she was most pleased with Ping Guo among her several new maids. Ping Guo usually said very little and was not very clever, but she was obedient. Once she had gone on an errand on her orders and met Ren Yaoyu on the way. Ren Yaoyu had asked Ping Guo to go to her courtyard to get something for her, and Ping Guo had not refused on the spot. After Ren Yaoyu left, she gave Ren Yaoyu¡¯s orders to others and continued going to do the unimportant thing she entrusted to her. The other maid named Sang Shen was also nice and more attentive. Soon Ping Guo returned. ¡°Miss, he won¡¯t take it.¡± Ping Guo said with a frown. Ren Yaoqi was about to say something when Ping Guo added, ¡°So I forced it on him.¡± Ren Yaoqi turned her head to look at the carriage that was about to pull out. Xia Sheng was sitting in the carriage staring at Ping Guo¡¯s back with a depressed look on his face. Ren Yaoqi could not help but laugh out loud. When she returned to the Ziwei Courtyard, Li called Ren Yaoqi and said to her with a happy face, ¡°Just now Yi Hong came over and told me about the Han Family in detail, I will have Matron Zhou tell Hua¡¯er later on. Li didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with the Han Family, she was still looking forward to the marriage between the Han and Ren families. Ren Yaoqi could not say anything either. She could only make other plans. That night, Ren Yaoqi lay on the bed with her eyes closed and thought about it for half the night. She didn¡¯t fall asleep until the third watch. The next day, someone from the concierge came to report that Zhu Ruomei had arrived. His mother¡¯s condition had improved so much that the doctor said that after another month or so, she would no longer need to see her doctor every day and only need acupuncture once a month. Zhu Ruomei thought that he can left the mine last time because Third Master Ren had been particularly kind, but he had indeed signed a contract of sale to the Ren Family and had left the mine only to facilitate his mother¡¯s medical treatment. Now that his mother¡¯s condition had stabilized, he naturally had to come back and continue working for the Ren Family. He did not take it to heart that the Ren Family had already given him the deed of sale. There was a kind of people in this world who had their own code of conduct and were not bound by external causes. When Ren Yaoqi heard the report from Xiang Qin who came over, she thought about it and decided to go and see him. As Mrs. Yuan always went to Xiang Qin every time she came in, Zhu Ruomei¡¯s visit was also through Xiang Qin, who passed on the message. Just as before, Ren Yaoqi asked to bring Zhu Ruomei to the Yiran Pavilion outside the second gate. She also has time to ask someone to tell Third Master Ren. Zhu Ruomei was dressed in a short indigo brown cloth and looked thinner than the last time Ren Yaoqi had seen him, but his body was still strong and his eyes were very bright. ¡°This humble servant has met Fifth Miss.¡± Zhu Ruomei bowed to Ren Yaoqi from afar. Ren Yaoqi smiled and let him rise: ¡°I heard that your mother¡¯s illness has gradually recovered, is it true? Do you need any herbs? If you can¡¯t buy anything outside, you can ask Sister Yuan to tell me, and I will help you think of something.¡± Zhu Ruomei was very grateful: ¡°Thank you for your concern, I don¡¯t need any herbs. I came here to ask you and the Third Master that my mother will be well by next month, the doctor said that a check-up monthly is enough and that I can go back to work in the mines.¡± He said in a respectful and sincere tone. . [1] (µ©½Ç) Dan is the general name for female roles in Chinese opera, often referring to leading roles. They may be played by male or female actors. In the early years of Peking opera, all dan roles were played by men, but this practice is no longer common in any Chinese opera genre. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_role CH 81 Chapter 81: Muddy Waters ¡°Since you have to go to Yunyang City every month for a follow-up consultation, wouldn¡¯t it be inconvenient for you to return to the mine again?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Zhu Ruomei scratched his head, then suddenly realized that the action was a bit indecent, and immediately put his hand down again, ¡°I can plead with the steward of the mine, and I will do more work on weekdays ¡­¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi shook his head: ¡°You should concentrate on serving your mother, your sister is only ten years old. Although she is capable, I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to take care of your mother. My father has already instructed the steward to return the deed of sale to you, so it is not difficult for you to find a better job in Yunyang. Why don¡¯t you take your mother and sister to stay in Yunyang City, so that the medical consultations can go more smoothly?¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that people who sold themselves in the coal mine were either foreigners who had fled or people whose families were very poor and in need of money. Zhu Ruomei was working in the Ren Family¡¯s coal kiln because he was desperate for money to treat his mother¡¯s illness. A young man of Zhu Ruomei¡¯s stature would be given a lump sum of 20 to 30 taels of silver as a buyout for his labor. Given the choice, few people would have been willing to work in the mines. There had been a few cases of labor desertion in the Ren Family¡¯s mines in the past, which had left the masters of the Ren Family in a state of distress. Zhu Ruomei was silent for a moment before looking up and saying, ¡°Then I will pay back the thirty taels of silver that the Ren Family gave me in the first place.¡± Ren Yaoqi tilted her head and thought, ¡°How about this? I want someone to help me with an important matter, and I can¡¯t leave it to someone else. If you feel sorry for me, how about you help me with this matter, and consider it as a return of the thirty taels of silver?¡± Zhu Ruomei immediately said, ¡°Fifth Miss, if you have something to do, just let me know, I can¡¯t ask you for silver.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked disappointed, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I can¡¯t ask you to do something for me, I¡¯d better find someone else. It¡¯s just that this matter is a bit urgent, and I don¡¯t know if I can find someone suitable and reliable.¡± After thinking for a moment, Zhu Ruomei compromised and said, ¡°Then please give me your orders. I will undoubtedly help you to get the job done. I will also keep my mouth shut.¡± When Ren Yaoqi saw that he had agreed, she could not help but smile faintly. At the time she and Zhu Ruomei were in the pavilion, Ping Guo, Sang Shen, and her other maids were standing outside the pavilion. Although servants were passing by from time to time, they didn¡¯t dare to look around when they saw their master resting there, so they hurriedly bowed and passed by. Ren Yao and Zhu Ruomei were still talking. If their voices were lowered, they could not be heard from the outside. Ren Yao gave a detailed explanation to Zhu Ruomei. Afraid that he would not be able to remember, she repeated the names of several important people, places, and events. ¡°Have you memorize it?¡± Ren Yaocheng asked uneasily. Zhu Ruomei frowned slightly and recited what Ren Yaoqi said twice in his heart before nodding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fifth Miss. I¡¯ve remembered everything clearly. The places you mentioned are detailed and the people are all named, so it¡¯s not hard to find them. I will disguise myself to ensure that even my mother will not recognize me.¡± He was perplexed by Ren Yaoqi¡¯s request. However, he understood that there were many things in a large family that could not be revealed to outsiders, so he couldn¡¯t ask too many questions. He merely thought that he must help Ren Yaoqi by doing the job properly. When Ren Yaoqi was certain that he had memorized it, she was relieved. If this Zhu Ruomei was truly the same Zhu Ruomei she had heard of in her previous life, then he must have some real skills. Otherwise, Xiao Jingxi, who was known to be ¡°a man of infinite wisdom¡±, would not have given him his back door. She just didn¡¯t know if Zhu Ruomei will still have the same future as he did in his last life after she interfered so much in this one. A lot of things are about destiny. If she interferes and leaves him with nothing to do for the rest of his life, that would be a real pity. With this in mind, Ren Yaoqi nodded with a smile and said, ¡°In that case, you can go back first. It will probably take a day or two to do this. Can you make arrangements with your mother?¡± ¡°I will rush back to Yunyang City to explain to my family. Please don¡¯t worry, Fifth Miss.¡± ¡°If there is something I can help with at home, let Mrs. Yuan come and speak to me.¡± Ren Yaoqi instructed. Zhu Ruomei thanked again solemnly. Then she excused herself and left the house. Ren Yaoqi sat alone in the Yiran Pavilion for a while, seeming to be in a daze. The maids outside the pavilion wanted to come in but dared not. Until Ren Yaoqi gently stroked her skirt and stood up, saying gently, ¡°The wind is rising, go back.¡± Later that afternoon, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were both in Li¡¯s house listening to Matron Zhou¡¯s lecture on the ways of the family, while Li sat on the kang next to her making soft boots for Ren Shimin. Xi¡¯er suddenly came running in from outside. Matron Zhou frowned and scolded with a stern face, ¡°What are you doing in such a hurry? Where have you learned the rules?¡± Xi¡¯er said, ¡°This slave just heard the concierge¡¯s mother-in-law talk about the Han Family. She said the Han Family started to quarrel.¡± When Li heard about the Han Family, she immediately looked up and asked in surprise, ¡°What? The Han Family? What is the Han Family quarreling about?¡± Matron Zhou knew that Li was very happy with the Han Family¡¯s marriage and did not care to lecture the maid on the rules, so she also looked at Xi¡¯er and waited for her to say the rest. ¡°A dozen or twenty people came from Jizhou at noon today and went straight to the Han Family¡¯s house. It¡¯s been a year since the Han Family moved to our town, but they¡¯ve always kept a low profile and haven¡¯t had any guests, so everyone was a bit surprised. Those people were still making noise along the way, so some people with intentions followed to watch the fun.¡± ¡°The 20 or so people were invited into the Han residence by the Han Family¡¯s steward. Then they told the public that those people were relatives from Jizhou. Not long after they entered, there were noises and commotion inside. Later, even the Old Master Han and Young Master Han who were out were called back in a hurry.¡± As Li did not let the two sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, go out, they sat there and listened. Hearing this, Ren Yaohua frowned and asked, ¡°Since they are from the old family in Jizhou and were invited in by the Han Family¡¯s steward, they must be telling the truth. Why did the Han Family have such a quarrel with relatives from their hometown?¡± Xi¡¯er said, ¡°Some people said that from what those people from Jizhou said, it seemed that Master Han had secretly sold some of the Han Family¡¯s assets but the Han Family had been kept in the dark. Now that they know about it, they¡¯ve come to make trouble.¡± Li put the half-finished sole in her hand into the embroidery basket and said with some surprise, ¡°How can this be?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t the members of the Han Family know how much property there is in the Han Family? Why only after being sold that they came forward and complained?¡± Matron Zhou also felt a little strange. ¡°It seems to say that many years ago there was a woman in the Han Family who had married a sea merchant in her early years. But then she returned to the Han Family because her husband and son had both died in a shipwreck. It is said that the aunt had saved a lot of valuable treasures, and since she had no children, after her death she gave her possessions to the family members who had taken care of her. But those things were considered the public property of the Han Family. It was not long before the Khitans invaded Yanbei and all those valuable treasures were seized by them, so no one from the Han Family had ever seen those treasures. Only some old people in the Han Family occasionally tell the juniors how this aunt was rich back then, and had many good things. Formidable people only listened to it as a story and didn¡¯t take them seriously.¡± Matron Zhou shook her head and laughed: ¡°Clearly this can not be taken seriously. I once heard of a ragtag family bragging that their ancestors used to pave their roads with gold bricks, and that even the toilet they used to pay respects was made of pure gold, but unfortunately, the Khitans took it all away. No one believed this story, but the younger members of the family loved to hear it, and in the end, the rumors became more and more sinister.¡± Xi¡¯er shook her head, ¡°The Han Family originally heard it as a joke and didn¡¯t take it seriously. But a few days ago someone in the Han Family learned that a treasure that was originally only found in legends had been secretly sold by Master Han to a foreigner not long ago. Only then did the Han clan make a scene, saying that the legend was true. Only the aunt¡¯s treasure had not been taken away by the Khitans but had been hidden for personal use by the Han Family patriarch. Then eventually the previous patriarch, Han Jianping, passed them on to his daughter and son-in-law.¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at each other, and Li said, ¡°This, this is unlikely, right?¡± ¡°Oh, they were talking on the road that it was no wonder that Old Master Han had accumulated such a large Family fortune in just a few decades. They originally thought it was because of Old Master Han¡¯s capability to work hard, but now it seems that it should be due to the light of the old ancestors of the Han Family. They¡¯ve come this time to ask Old Master Han for a statement.¡± Xi¡¯er lowered her voice a little and said. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ren Yaohua was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned her head to ask Ren Yaoqi, who was sitting by the side listening with rapt attention without expressing her opinion. Ren Yaoqi returned Ren Yaohua¡¯s smile and shook his head, ¡°After all these years, whether or not that¡¯s the case can¡¯t be said. After all, no one has honestly seen that aunt¡¯s belongings ¡­¡­ well, except perhaps a few?¡± Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly upon hearing this, ¡°You believe that too?¡± Of course, Ren Yaoqi did not believe it, it would be strange if she did. However, she still returned, ¡°Whether I believe it or not, it doesn¡¯t matter at all. What matters is that some people in the Han Family believe it.¡± Perhaps those certain people didn¡¯t all believe it, it was just that believing it would give them a lot of benefits, so they all believed it without fail. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t know if Grandparents were believe it or not.¡± Ren Yaoqi added with a tilt of her head. ¡°What could Grandparents¡¯ belief or disbelief have to do with those in the Han Family?¡± Ren Yaohua was puzzled. CH 82 Chapter 82: Chaotic Situation Ren Yaoqi sighed and patiently guided, ¡°The others may not be relevant, but if this matter is true, then why would the Han Family risk selling unseen treasures at the time? Was there something they had to do in their haste to leave Jizhou and come to our Baihe Town?¡± After thinking about it, Ren Yaohua suddenly understood and said in surprise, ¡°Because the Han Family urgently needs money? But isn¡¯t the Han Family very rich? They are also about to open a salt farm in partnership with our Ren Family, and I heard that to open a salt farm it takes a lot of silver just to get open up relations of the upper and lower levels. Could it be that¡­ they just pretended to be capable to cheat on us?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook his head, not easily concluding: ¡°This I do not know, after all, the Han Family is usually a recluse.¡± Li was listening to the conversation between the two sisters and could not help but say, ¡°I hope this matter passes quickly, if it drags on for too long I am afraid¡­¡± After hearing this, Ren Yaoqi knew that Li still had illusions about the marriage to the Han Family. She said seriously, ¡°Mother, I hope this matter will drag on for as long as possible. It is also a good opportunity to see the Han Family¡¯s character clearly through this matter. If they are truly the kind of people the Han Clan says they are, do you think this marriage can still go on? Such profit-oriented, despicable, and shameless people should be shunned!¡± Her words were a little heavy, and Li and Ren Yaohua both looked at her with some surprise. Li was hurriedly explaining, ¡°I just think that if this matter is a misunderstanding, it would be a pity to delay it¡­¡± ¡°True gold is not afraid of fire. If they have a clear conscience, there will always be a day when they are proven innocent.¡± Ren Yaoqi said slowly and comfortingly. It¡¯s just that she couldn¡¯t help but sneer in her heart. Maybe other things can be explained clearly, but money matter, it depends on whether people are willing to believe it. When it comes to profit, people will only believe what is good for them, this is human nature. Let¡¯s see! She didn¡¯t believe that the marriage would go smoothly, given the shrewd nature of the Old Master of the Ren Family. The Ren Family had already sent someone outside to quietly monitor the Han Family¡¯s movements. Although the Han Family now was not as chaotic as before because of the return of Old Master Han and Han Yunqian, everyone had been called by Old Master Han to sit in the Flower Hall. The atmosphere was very stiff. Before Old Master Han returned, the young and strong men from the Han Clan had been inspired to the fervor and were about to barge into the inner courtyard to search the Han Family¡¯s courtyard. Then Old Master Han came in and saw each of them with a stick in their hands confronting the Han Family servants while arguing. Some folks still had a stick in their hands and didn¡¯t know where to place it, so they put it on their feet. Old Master Han¡¯s eyes swept over the faces of the men, and stopped on the man of about forty who was sitting with his legs crossed on the pearwood cross-chair at the front on his left. >> Pearwood cross-chair He laughed a little. His smile was still bright and friendly: ¡°Why don¡¯t you send messages first when you come to my house? If I know beforehand I could be at home to receive guests. I happened to be out of the house today on business, and was surprised when I came back.¡± The man in his forties pulled at the corners of his mouth and was not convinced: ¡°Han Dongshan, don¡¯t bullshit with us. We¡¯re not here to be guests. We¡¯re here to settle an account.¡± Han Dongshan did not move like a mountain: ¡°Oh? What do you have to settle with me, Brother Zuowang?¡± Han Zuwang stood up violently and pointed at Han Dongshan, ¡°You still want to deny it now? Hurry up and hand over the ancestral property of our Han Family!¡± He looked Han Dongshan up and down for a few moments, the disdain in his eyes very obvious. ¡°It¡¯s enough that you¡¯re an old man who relied on your wife to make a fortune, but now you¡¯re still hogging your wife¡¯s family¡¯s property. I¡¯m ashamed of you! We had some respect for you, but now it seems that your skills are only based on the ancestral heritage of our Han Family. Who can¡¯t make money when they have capital to build on? These days, those who have money get richer and those who don¡¯t have money get poorer. The whole Han Family has been screwed over by you, and after you¡¯ve thrown a few leftover bones, we still have to be grateful to you!¡± With these words, the people who came with him did not turn away. They had just let in and secretly tried not to gawk at Han Family. But some of them had seen many good things. Two rows of sixteen pearwood cross-chairs of the same color in the Flower Hall are not something any ordinary people can afford. Not to mention those large and small decorations in the Flower Hall. When they thought that these were the Han Family¡¯s assets they all were supposed to have a share, they felt pain in their hearts. If anyone else had heard such words, they would have been so angry that their faces would have turned red. But Han Dongshan¡¯s face remained unchanged. He asked calmly, ¡°Honestly I don¡¯t know what assets the Han Family has. After my father-in-law died, I gave all the original Han Family assets as an offering farm to the clan. I even paid the ancestral house with that money. I genuinely don¡¯t understand, where did Brother Zuwang hear this from?¡± >> Offering farm Han Zuwang couldn¡¯t help but give a ¡®bah¡¯, ¡°Isn¡¯t the current patriarch of the Han Family just a dog in front of you? If you tell him to go west, will he go east? Besides, that small amount of land is only a fraction of our Han Family¡¯s assets, and you are only bringing it out to silence us. As for where we heard it from¡­¡± Han Zuwang brushed aside his mouth and sneered, ¡°The last time you sold our grandaunt¡¯s pair of blood jade bracelets that are said to be ancient treasures, you accidentally leaked the news, and let another treasure-loving person find it. He said he was willing to pay three times the price for the naga pearl necklace you have. Do you know how much three times the price is? That¡¯s three thousand taels of gold!¡± >> Blood-jade bracelet >> Naga pearl necklace Han Zuwang¡¯s eyes were red with anxiety. Even with Han Dongshan¡¯s shrewdness, he couldn¡¯t help but shout at this, ¡°Ridiculous!¡± He frowned and glanced around at the crowd, ¡°You believe such nonsense? There is no such thing as a blood jade bracelet or a naga pearl necklace!¡± But the crowd all looked at him without saying anything. Their eyes had indifference, jealousy, fierceness¡­ everything, except trust. Han Dongshan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and pull the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint of mockery. Soon he collected his look again and said with a straight face, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen those things you are talking about. Since you say someone has bought some blood jade bracelet from me, then bring the person here and confront me!¡± Han Zuwang snorted, ¡°The man later found out that I was tricking him. I didn¡¯t have the thing he wanted. He was afraid of ruining his master¡¯s affairs, so he ran away overnight. Where can I find someone for you? Is it possible? Or is there someone who wants to deceive us on purpose? What good does it do for them to deceive us? You, on the other hand, moved to Yanzhou for no reason at all, so that you could sell your treasures without us noticing. People are not as good as heaven is, someone came here for fame, but they found the wrong place! I happened to be near your family¡¯s ancestral home that day, but that man mistook me for you! Otherwise, we would have been kept in the dark still!¡± Han Dongshan frowned slightly and looked down in contemplation. Han Yunqian glanced at the crowd and said, ¡°Grandfather, all the uncles are tired after a long morning¡¯s journey. It¡¯s already noon. It¡¯s not too late to discuss it after lunch.¡± He said with a faint smile, jokingly, ¡°The monk can run away, but the temple won¡¯t run with him.¡± >> The monk can run away, but the temple won¡¯t run with him Han Dongshan nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it over dinner then.¡± All the members of the Han Family also had empty stomachs, so they had no comment on what they said. Han Yunqian was right, they were already here, so there was no fear that Han Dongshan would run away. Han Yunqian instructed the steward to invite everyone to the dining room for the banquet. When everyone had gone out and only the grandparent and grandson were left in the Flower Hall, Han Dongshan¡¯s face was already gloomy. ¡°In your opinion, who is behind this?¡± Han Yunqian thought for a moment, ¡°The one with the most reason to do so would be Han Zuwang, who has always regarded you as his rival. This time, he is also the one most likely to benefit from inciting all the clansmen.¡± Han Dongshan nodded and smiled coldly, ¡°If this is really his work, I have underestimated him, he is more capable than his father!¡± The sarcasm on his face increased as he thought of something, ¡°The Han Family¡¯s patrimony? How dare these fools believe that the Han Family has left any family property! If I hadn¡¯t raised these losers all these years, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to get a full meal! Now that they¡¯ve grown strong, they¡¯ve come to bite me back.¡± Han Yunqian bowed his head and said nothing. Han Dongshan glanced at him and said in a light voice: ¡°See, Qian¡¯er. This is what Grandfather usually tells you about human nature! For the sake of money, people in this world will feed their conscience to the dogs! A good person is only for others to see, don¡¯t take it seriously, or one day you will regret it so much that your intestines will turn green.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡± Han Yunqian bowed his head and replied in a low voice without refuting. Han Dongshan, however, raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Han Yunqian shook his head and smiled, ¡°No, I just feel that there are some things about this matter that don¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Then send someone to investigate! Find out who is the person that Han Zuwang said, even if you have to dig three feet underground to find him! Once we find him, the trouble will be solved!¡± Han Dongshan said in a deep voice. ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡± Han Yunqian answered again. ¡°Go and stabilize those people first. Although none of them are capable of accomplishing anything, the gathering of the rabble together is enough of a headache.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the inner courtyard to check on Grandmother and Mother, they must have been shocked just now.¡± Han Yunqian said in a low voice. Han Dongshan nodded and let Han Yunqian go. At this moment in the Ren Family, Old Master Ren and Eldest Master Ren were just about finished listening to the news they had inquired about, and the father and son were discussing matters in the study. CH 83 Chapter 83: Sabotage ¡°Father, what¡¯s going on in the Han Family?¡± Ren Shizhong asked after he had sent the prying men out. Ren Yonghe sat on the Taishi chair in the study and pondered for a moment, ¡°The Han clan suspects that Han Dongshan has made a fortune using their clan assets, so now they are making such a fuss because they want a piece of the pie.¡± >> Taishi chair Ren Shizhong¡¯s face was tinged with worry: ¡°Originally I thought the Han Family¡¯s situation was simple, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be like this¡­¡± Ren Yonghe waved his hand lightly and interrupted: ¡°Whether the water of the Han Family is deep or shallow has nothing to do with us. The only thing I think about is whether the saltworks can go on. If the Han Family had sold their belongings at some point in time, then they are not as rich as they appear to us. Han Dongshan has repeatedly revealed the strength of the Han Family in front of us, I originally thought it was because he wanted to give us a piece of mind, but now that I think about it, I think it was a bit too deliberate.¡± Ren Shizhong could not help but frown: ¡°Father, are you saying that the Han Family is trying to trick us?¡± Instead of answering, Ren Yonghe asked, ¡°What was the result of the last time I asked you to send someone to check on the salt farm? Is the information credible?¡± Ren Shizhong nodded: ¡°It is roughly the same as what the Han Family said, it does not look like a fraud.¡± Ren Yonghe thought for a moment and smiled slightly, ¡°Since it is clear that you were asked to investigate, it is natural that there is no mistake on the surface.¡± ¡°No wonder I always feel that the Han Family seems to be somewhat deliberately close to our Ren Family, this is quite different from their usual style of acting.¡± Ren Shizhong could not help but ponder. ¡°It¡¯s hard to conclude this matter, let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± Ren Yonghe said in a light voice. ¡°Then the matter of the marriage between the Ren Family and the Han Family¡­ should also be delayed until the situation becomes clearer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural. I¡¯m afraid the Han Family will be too busy to take care of their child¡¯s marriage for the time being, so it won¡¯t be too late for them to come back to the Ren Family to ask for marriage after they have taken care of their family affairs.¡± Ren Yonghe said lightly. ¡°Yes, this son understands.¡± Ren Shizhong answered respectfully. ¡°By the way, where is Yiyan? Didn¡¯t I ask you to take him with you?¡± Ren Yonghe remembered that his Eldest Grandson had not appeared in front of him all morning today and could not help but frown. Ren Shizhong said, ¡°Yiyan caught a wind chill the day before yesterday, so I let him rest for a few days.¡± Ren Yonghe snorted coldly at his words, ¡°Why did I hear that he fought with you because two miners died in a coal mine collapse a few days ago?¡± Ren Shizhong paused and bowed his head, ¡°Yiyan is just a little less experienced. That day was the first time he went with me to deal with mine matters, and he was a bit uncomfortable.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to defend him.¡± Ren Yonghe interrupted, ¡°Do I still not know my own grandson? He was raised in the inner house since he was a child, and he was pampered by you in every possible way. Now he is indulging in the pleasures of the bedroom between a young couple and has developed a womanly nature. How can such a person achieve great things in the future? How can I trust you with the Ren Family business after I am 100 years old?¡± Ren Shizhong saw that his father had not been shy about mentioning his son¡¯s obsession with the pleasures of the boudoir, could not help but feel very embarrassed. ¡°This son will discipline him properly in the future.¡± ¡°Well, go down.¡± And the Han Family had a real headache this time. After the group had their lunch, they still hadn¡¯t found a solution to the problem. The Han clan wanted Han Dongshan to spit out the embezzled clan property, and since Han Dongshan had never seen those legendary things at all, there was naturally no way to make the Han clan get what they wanted. In the end, the Han clan agreed. Some of them stayed at the Han residence, while the rest went back to Jizhou. The Han Family began to look for the man who had come to buy the necklace of the naga pearl, as Han Zuwang had said. The two sides began to fight a protracted war. Ziwei Courtyard has been paying attention to the affairs of the Han Family. Matron Zhou also sent out a servant to spy on the Han Family. Although there was no way to know the details of the matter, the development of the matter was still very interesting to Ren Yaoqi. One thing that worried Ren Yaoqi was that Zhu Ruomei had not yet contacted her. Originally, she had explained to him that no matter whether the matter was successful or not, Zhu Ruomei would come to the Ren Family and notify Mrs. Yuan to tell her as soon as he returned to Yunyang City. However, there has been no news from Zhu Ruomei. She was worried that he had gone astray and had not done what she had asked him to do. But today, the Han clan has already made a scene. This means that Zhu Ruomei has successfully used that unfounded legend of the Han Family to stir up the conflict between Han Dongshan and the Han clan, just as she said. But why had Zhu Ruomei not passed the message over to her? After leaving the main room in the evening, Ren Yaoqi was about to ask someone to summon Xiang Qin over to ask her. But the maid from the west courtyard came to say that Ren Shimin had asked her to go to the study room in the west courtyard. Ren Shimin had many quirks. Not only did he have a cleanliness problem, but he also liked to sleep alone. Sometimes he would stay in the west courtyard at night when he got lost in his study, reading, and painting. He had a wife and a concubine. But in his eyes, they were not as pleasant as the books and paintings that he loved. He just stayed in the main room of the Ziwei Courtyard for seven or eight days a month. Not to mention Concubine Fang¡¯s courtyard, it was not bad if he could go there once a month. But Third Master Ren¡¯s capriciousness was well known throughout the Ren Family. Even Old Madam Ren could do nothing about him. When Concubine Fang first joined the Ren Family, she used all sorts of tactics to win favour. It had some effect at first because, after all, Ren Shimin was a normal man. But as time went on, nothing worked, and when Concubine Fang had a child and was able to gain a foothold in the Ren Family, she stopped thinking about it. After all, she was not afraid to compete with women for a favor, but she had no chance of winning against Ren Shimin¡¯s hobby. When Ren Yaoqi entered the study, Ren Shimin was sitting in the inner room reading a book. His hair was spread out making him look feeble. Maybe he was seeing something interesting, but he didn¡¯t realize that Ren Yaoqi walked up to him. Ren Yaoqi turned her head to look at the candlestick on the table. Suddenly has bad intentions, she knocked and moved to block out the candlelight. The sudden darkening of the light caused Ren Shimin to blink, and only after a moment did he look up in realization of something. ¡°What is Father looking at so intensely?¡± Ignoring Ren Shimin¡¯s angry expression, Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile on her face. Seeing that it was Ren Yaomin who had arrived, Ren Shimin¡¯s face looked a little better while chiding, ¡°Why did you come in without telling me?¡± Ren Yaoqi said innocently, ¡°I did call out to you, but you didn¡¯t even hear me.¡± Ren Shimin helplessly put the book aside, ¡°Fine. Stand away, you¡¯re blocking the light.¡± He also muttered, ¡°You should be six or seven parts full of the evening meal, don¡¯t be so fat that your father won¡¯t recognize you.¡± Ren Yaoqi: ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What does Father want from me at this time?¡± Ren Yaocheng decided not to bother with him and found herself a small stool next to him and sat down. Ren Shimin smiled and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Your grandfather called me in the evening, saying that he wanted to put aside the matter of your third sister for the time being and wait until later.¡± Ren Yaoqi was delighted: ¡°The marriage is not going to work?¡± Ren Shimin looked at Ren Yaoqi who was beaming with joy. Previously he didn¡¯t want to say anything, but felt entangled again, so with a serious face he advised, ¡°Your grandfather just said to put it down for the time being. He may bring it up again after the matter of the Han Family is over.¡± Ren Yaoqi gave Ren Shimin a big smirk, she didn¡¯t take his words seriously. She had already come this far. If she would still let Ren Yaohua and Han Yunqian still tie the knot, she might as well die again. Ren Shimin didn¡¯t know what his daughter was thinking, and was still babbling, ¡°¡­Han Yunqian has no good point¡­ other than a little good-looking, a little knowledgeable, a little clever and stable.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at the book Ren Shimin put on the couch, saw that it was ¡®Ancient Mirror¡¯, and said, ¡°Father. ¡®The head is red and the forehead is white, the body is blue and yellow. It has no scales nor saliva, but the body looks like a snake with dragon horns, a sturgeon-like sharp mouth, shining, moving. It lies in muddy water, so it can¡¯t go far away.¡® What is it talking about?¡± >> Ancient Mirror Ren Shimin froze, picking up the book he had put aside earlier and looking through it carefully. Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly and stood up, ¡°Father, I will go out first. Don¡¯t read too long at night, it will hurt your eyes. If you hurt your eyes, you will have to bend over on the table when you paint in the future, which is not very elegant.¡± Ren Shimin nodded as he flipped through the book, ¡°I know, I¡¯ll sleep later.¡± Ren Yaoqi then turned around and went out. She instructed the maid to go in and light another candle, then told her to cut the candle into small pieces in the future to remind Ren Shimin not to read too long at night. The next day, Ren Yaoting from the East Mansion came. She had heard some news but was not sure yet, so she came to the West Mansion. It was a rare occasion that she came to Ziwei Courtyard. The visitor was a guest, so the two sisters, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi, accompanied her together to talk in the second west room of the main house. Initially, she held back from asking Ren Yaohua about her marriage and instead talked about Ren Yilin¡¯s withdrawal from the marriage. The last time the Second Madam of the East Mansion, Su, went to Jizhou was to help Ren Yilin withdraw his marriage. ¡°¡­ My mother promised the Liu Family a lot of favors, only then the Old Madam of the Liu Family promised to return Second Brother¡¯s eight-characters letter to my mother.¡± >> Eight-characters letter ¡°What about that young lady from the Liu Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi rarely asked a lot. Ren Yaoting shook her head, ¡°Not clear, I heard it from one of the maids who serve my mother. They only met the Old Madam of the Liu Family, Miss Liu did not come out to meet the guests.¡± She turned to Ren Yaohua and said, ¡°It seems that things are not going well this year. Firstly my Second Brother¡¯s marriage has failed, and I heard that you, Third Sister ¡­¡­¡± Ren Yaohua knew what she wanted to say as soon as she heard this beginning, and without giving any face at all she immediately stood up and said coldly, ¡°I just remembered something I have yet to do. Fifth Sister, you should entertain Seventh Sister well.¡± After saying that, she left without waiting for Ren Yaoting¡¯s reaction. Ren Yaoting¡¯s face flushed red then whiten, she could not stand up. Ren Yaoqi smiled and poured a cup of tea for Ren Yaoting, ¡°Seventh Sister, don¡¯t mind. Third Sister come as soon as she goes.¡± . Ren Shimin is a bad husband but he is also so damn relatable lol CH 84 Chapter 84: Recruiting People Ren Yaoting was considered to have a rather arrogant nature among the sisters of the Ren Family. If she hadn¡¯t been desperate to know how Ren Yaohua and Han Yunqian¡¯s marriage had gone, she wouldn¡¯t have rushed up to Ren Yaohua to speak to her like this. ¡°Fifth Sister, look at Third Sister, she¡¯s gone too far! I haven¡¯t even said anything and she¡¯s giving me grief like this!¡± Ren Yaoting endured it in the end, and instead of leaving in a huff, she complained to Ren Yaoqi about her suffering. ¡°No wonder you used to hate her so much, and Eight Sister doesn¡¯t like her either.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and waited for Ren Yaoting to say her intention after she had paved the way. ¡°I also wanted to ask a question before because I was concerned about her. I heard yesterday that something had happened to the Han Family and that the marriage between our Ren Family and the Han Family was going to be impossible.¡± Ren Yaoting said and looked at Ren Yaoqi, asking tentatively, ¡°Has Fifth Sister heard about it?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned slightly at her words, ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡± ¡°What? Is it not?¡± Ren Yaoqi hesitated for a moment before she whispered, ¡°I only heard that Grandfather wanted to wait until the Han Family¡¯s affairs had subsided before discussing it, and did not say that he would not tie the knot with the Han Family. The Han Family and the Ren Family are both prestigious families, and the matter of tying the knot involves every aspect and is not a child¡¯s play, so how can they say they won¡¯t do it in the end?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Second Brother still broke off his engagement with Miss Liu? Besides, Third Sister and Young Master Han have not formally discussed their marriage yet.¡± Ren Yaoting argued. Ren Yaoqi laughed and shook his head, ¡°What kind of analogy is that? Why did you think that the Ren Family would break off their engagement with the Liu Family?¡± The Ren Family wanted to contact the Liu Family about the marriage because the Liu Family was no longer of use and the marriage was no longer beneficial to the Ren Family. Although Ren Yaoting was not as thorough as Ren Yaoqi, she had heard Concubine Yuan¡¯s tears in front of her mother, so she understood it in her heart. It was said that the marriage between the Ren Family and the Han Family was because the two families were planning to run a salt farm together. Then if the Ren Family and the Han Family had plans to cooperate, it was very likely that Ren Yaohua and Han Yunqian¡¯s marriage would be discussed again. As Ren Yaoting thought this, his face became somewhat defeated. ¡°Last time I heard Grandmother and Eldest Aunt were talking about it, they said that your maternal grandfather, the Su Family, was trying to buy a salt farm in Xining?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked casually. Ren Yaoting also heard her mother talk about this matter with the servants around her, so she nodded, ¡°I heard that the original owner of the salt farm, the Sun Family, had committed something, so they wanted to sell the salt farm. But the Yun Family also wants to buy the Sun Family¡¯s salt farm. My Eldest Uncle has negotiated with them several times to no avail.¡± Ren Yaoqi said thoughtfully, ¡°I believe I heard the Han Family¡¯s salt well is also near Xining, is this true? If our Ren Family truly refuses to collaborate with the Han Family this time, I am concerned we may anger them. I know you have an excellent friendship with the Han Family¡¯s Miss, therefore I¡¯m wondering whether it will affect your interactions with her.¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s heart stirred at her words. She had just been thinking that it would be better if the Han Family and the Ren Family failed to cooperate so that Ren Yaohua and Han Yunqian¡¯s marriage would also fail. But she had forgotten that she was also a member of the Ren Family. If the Ren Family and the Han Family fell out, not only would Ren Yaohua¡¯s marriage fall through, even she would have had no chance to marry into the Han Family. Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, then suddenly tilted her head and smiled like a joke: ¡°Actually, the Han Family wouldn¡¯t know how long they will be in trouble this time. Without the Ren Family¡¯s participation, it is still a question of whether the salt farm in their hands can be completed. In that case, they might as well sell it to someone else. Let¡¯s say they sell it to the¡­ Su Family? If the Han Family does not want to sell, they can partner with the Su Family.¡± Ren Yaoting was slightly taken aback when she heard the words, she pondered for a long time. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it was a good idea. If the Han Family and the Ren Family were to join forces, she would not be able to take advantage of the situation. But if she could find a way to bridge the gap between the Han Family and the Su Family, she would not only help the Han Family to survive this crisis but also impress the Han Family. Although the Su Family¡¯s current Old Madam was not her biological grandmother, her maternal grandfather, Eldest Uncle, and Eldest Aunt love her very much. It could be said that a partnership between the Han and Su families would be more beneficial to her than a partnership between the Han and Ren families. When she thought of this, Ren Yaoting felt that all the dark clouds that had been hanging over her eyes all this time had disappeared. ¡°Fifth Sister is right! We and the Han Family would be bound to see each other frequently, isn¡¯t it not good if our relationship turned cold? I¡¯ll go and talk to my mother right now.¡± said Ren Yaoting who couldn¡¯t stay sit and already got up. Ren Yaocheng seemed startled and said, ¡°Seventh Sister, I was just joking. This is an important matter for the elders. It¡¯s not our place to interfere, so don¡¯t take it seriously. If Second Aunt and other sisters find out that I am talking nonsense here, they will certainly blame me.¡± Ren Yaoting laughed, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone that you said it.¡± She was trying to sell the Han Family a good deal. It would be best if Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t want to take responsibility. Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and said with some curiosity, ¡°Is Seventh Sister going to talk to Second Aunt? How are you going to convince Second Aunt of such an important matter? Sometimes when I want to discuss something with my mother, she always dislikes my young age. She thinks I¡¯m not sensible and doesn¡¯t want to believe me.¡± Ren Yaoting sat down again to contemplate after hearing her comments. ¡°What if I told her that the Han Family and the Ren Family couldn¡¯t fall out over this point, but Granduncle are naturally cautious, so if the Su Family intervenes, everyone will be happy?¡± Ren Yaoting mused. Ren Yaoqi shook her head and guided her in a thin voice, ¡°You are asking the Su Family to intervene, then why are you letting the Han Family and the Ren Family get the benefit? The partnership between the Han Family and the Ren Family is a matter of mutual profit. For the Han Family, the Su Family has more connections than the Ren Family and has a background with the Yanbei Royal Family, so the salt farm will be run more smoothly. For the Su Family¡­Isn¡¯t the Su Family competing for the Sun Family¡¯s salt farm in Xining? The salt well of the Han Family is also near Xining. If this salt well can be opened, it will be more convenient and confident for the Su Family to buy the salt farm of the Sun Family. Perhaps the Yanbei Royal Family will stand more on the side of the Su Family after consideration.¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s eyes lit up at that, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea! If my mother does not agree, I will go and speak to my Eldest Uncle. You are so clever, Fifth Sister!¡± Ren Yaoting smiled and winked, ¡°How can I be clever? I wouldn¡¯t dare to get involved in such an important matter. Clearly, it is your idea, so don¡¯t blame me for being scolded by Grandparents when the time comes.¡± Ren Yaoting understood and winked, ¡°Fifth Sister is right, I thought of it myself, it has nothing to do with you.¡± Saying this, she felt that her relationship with Ren Yaoqi had also become closer. But she was thinking about this matter, afraid that the Ren Family would change their mind immediately, so she stood up and smiled again, ¡°Fifth Sister, I have to go back first, thank you so much for today.¡± Ren Yaoqi got up to see her off, ¡°What did you say, Seventh Sister? Third Sister is straightforward, so please don¡¯t take it personally.¡± Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t care about Ren Yaohua¡¯s cold words at this time, so she said very generously that it was alright and left in a hurry. Ren Yaoqi watched her hurried back disappear into the courtyard and smiled faintly. No matter how much Ren Yaoting was loved by the Su Family, the Su Family would not disregard the family¡¯s interests for her sake. So to pull the Su Family into the game, one could only lure them in with benefits. Now that the Su Family was competing with the Yun Family for the fat piece of meat that was the Xining Salt Farm, the Han Family¡¯s salt well became very eye-catching, and it was not just the Ren family that will be tempted. However, based on the past style of the Su Family, they would not act as cautiously as the Ren Family. Because with the strength of the Su Family, they would not be afraid of the Han Family¡¯s tricks behind their backs. She just hoped that Ren Yaoting, who had gone to deliver the message, would be more competitive and not mess things up. Only when Ren Yaoqi returned to the house and sat down did Ren Yaohua return. ¡°What did you tell her that she was so happy when she left?¡± Ren Yaohua sat down straight across from Ren Yaoqi and frowned. Ren Yaoqi looked innocent: ¡°She was talking to me about the Han Family and the Ren Family, and halfway through she suddenly thought of something, then left in a hurry.¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s brow furrowed even more as she looked at Ren Yaoqi with some suspicion, ¡°Are you really don¡¯t know what it was about?¡± Ren Yaoqi sighed lightly, ¡°Third Sister, why do you care so much about her? As long as she doesn¡¯t think of doing anything against you and doesn¡¯t secretly scheme against you, that¡¯s fine.¡± Ren Yaohua pursed her lips, ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s not scheming against me?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have time to set you up now, and you shouldn¡¯t mess with her in the future. We¡¯re not the same people, she¡¯ll do her thing, we¡¯ll do ours, and our business won¡¯t intersect.¡± Ren Yaoqi said this in a very soft tone, but the meaning of the words was extremely cold. Ren Yaohua was silent for a moment, but in the end, she did not ask any more questions. After Ren Yaoting returned to the East House, she went straight to her mother¡¯s main room. Su, the Second Madam of the Eastern Mansion, was listening to her matron¡¯s report on the affairs of the backyard. ¡°¡­Last month His Lordship rested in Concubine Lan¡¯s room for fifteen days, in Concubine Xia¡¯s room for eight days, in Concubine Yuan¡¯s room for five days, and in the main room for two days. Madam, to Concubine Lan, do you want¡­¡± Su was sitting behind the table reading the account book and listened in a somewhat inattentive manner, and finally only said indifferently without raising her head, ¡°No need. The children in the house have all grown up, and Old Madam had complained a few days ago that the house was too cold and not as lively as the West Mansion. It¡¯s time for her to have one or two more grandchildren.¡± Seeing Su¡¯s words so painfully clear, the matron felt a little uncomfortable: ¡°Madam, you are still young. This servant asked a midwife, she said you can still have children. Why do we have to use those foxy women?¡± Su smiled and looked up from her account book, revealing a very ordinary face. Her eyes were small, the bridge of her nose was not straight, and her lips were slightly thick. Fortunately, her fair skin added some color to her. ¡°Concubine Xia¡¯s medicine should be stopped too.¡± Su ignored the matron¡¯s words and instead explained to her, ¡°We have served Master for so many years, and have worked hard without merit. It¡¯s up to their luck who gets pregnant first.¡± Su¡¯s voice was extremely light, the look on her face was calm and serene, her outstanding temperament very much at odds with her ordinary appearance. CH 85 Chapter 85: The Pursuer Had Arrived The matron sniffed and tried to persuade her again, but Su had already lowered her head to read the account book again. Looking at Su¡¯s unconcerned look, the matron felt heart just sank. Su had been married to the Ren Family for more than ten years, but she only had one daughter, and it was not at all Su¡¯s fault. During the first few years when Su and the Second Master, Ren Shiyuan, got married, the Second Master was obsessed with Buddhism, pure-minded and ascetic. Su had never been pregnant because he seldom entered her room. One day, the Second Master suddenly wanted to become a monk and convert to Buddhism. He wasn¡¯t just talking about it. When he saw his mother desperately trying to stop him from going out, he used scissors to cut his hair, causing the whole house to fly wild. Compared to his mother-in-law, Liao, who was in a state of panic, Su, the wife of the Second Master, was much more calm. Unexpectedly she found a pair of twin sisters who are both excellent in art. One of the unique skills of the sisters is that they can sing Buddhist scriptures with popular tunes in the world. So that night the sisters were sent to exchange Buddhist teachings with the Second Master Ren. After three days had passed, Second Master Ren stopped yelling about becoming a monk. Su raised the Yuan twin sisters as concubines and had them chant sutras with Second Master Ren every day. It was not long before the Eldest Concubine Yuan became pregnant and gave birth to the Eldest Grandson of the Eastern Mansion, Ren Yilin. The Younger Concubine Yuan also gave birth two years later to the second son of Second Master Ren, Ren Yixin. Originally, the Old Madam, Liao, had some strong opinions about Su. She said that her daughter-in-law could not hold on to her husband¡¯s heart, made him feel that the world was unlovable, and wanted to become a monk. However, after a few years, Su was generous and respectful to Liao as her mother-in-law, and she was always submissive in front of the Second Master, so Liao could not find anything wrong with her and gradually became closer to her. After a few more years, Little Concubine Yuan died of illness. When she died, the Second Master left the house again. This time Su raised a concubine named Xia to the family. Although she was not as versatile as Concubine Yuan, she was soft and graceful and spoke like a soft yellow warbler. The Second Master Ren then stayed in the world again. A while ago, Second Master Ren began to be disinterested in everything. When he came to Su, he opened and closed his mouth with Buddhist doctrine. This time Su did not wait for him to say that he wanted to become a monk before she brought him a beautiful 16-year-old concubine into the house. The matron thought of this and was very unhappy for Su. Su was intelligent and capable, not to mention being the madam of an ordinary merchant family, she could have been the wife of a nobleman. It was a pity that she was too ordinary in appearance and could not capture the heart of the Second Master. When she first married into the Ren Family, Second Master Ren did not come to her courtyard. Later on, he had never been without a beautiful concubine, so it was even more difficult for him to come. If it wasn¡¯t for the Old Madam¡¯s pity for Su, she would have been knocked around by Ren Shiyuan from time to time. Ren Shiyuan wouldn¡¯t even do his responsibility to show his face in the main courtyard twice a month. At this time, another maid reported that Miss had come over. Only then did Su raise her head again. Ren Yaoting came in and saw Su looking at the books and complained, ¡°Mother, you stay in the house every day to look at the books, but you let those who don¡¯t know their status go around. I just saw that Concubine Lan has gone out with Father again, saying that she is going to a banquet of some kind. She is just a concubine of no importance. What right does she have to follow her master in and out?¡± Su frowned and scolded, ¡°Is that something you should say?¡± Ren Yaoting glanced at Su and swallowed back the rest of her words. When Su saw that her daughter was silent, she relaxed her expression and said with a smile, ¡°I was just about to ask someone to call you over, but I heard that you had gone to the West Mansion again?¡± What Ren Yaoting had wanted to say did not come out immediately, instead, she walked over to Su¡¯s side and sat down. Following her words, she said, ¡°This daughter has gone to speak to her sisters in the West Mansion. Is there something Mother wants to see me about?¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow your Eldest Cousin is getting married, we are going to Yunyang City tomorrow,¡± Su said gently. Only then did Ren Yaoting remember this matter. Recently she had been so wound up about Han Yunqian and Ren Yaohua¡¯s marriage that she had almost forgotten about it. Su Yunyu, the eldest son of the Su Family, was the firstborn son of Su¡¯s elder brother, Su Keqin, the Eldest Master of the Su Family. He had always been very fond of her as a cousin. Ren Yaoting felt a little guilty about forgetting about her cousin¡¯s marriage, so she poked fun, ¡°The future Eldest Cousin¡¯s wife is from the capital so I haven¡¯t met her yet. I don¡¯t know what kind of person she is.¡± Su was in a very happy mood when she talked about her nephew¡¯s marriage, so she replied with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t met her either, but I heard from your aunt that she has a very good temperament. You will know when you meet her the day after tomorrow.¡± But Ren Yaoting¡¯s heart was moved. Since she was leaving for Yunyang City tomorrow. Then what she had originally planned to say to Su might as well be said to her uncle directly. Although Su was her mother, Ren Yaoting knew that Su was not a person to be fooled. Not as easy to talk to as her Eldest Uncle. Moreover, since the matter she was talking about was beneficial to the Su Family, it would have a better chance of success if she spoke to her uncle directly. With this in mind, Ren Yaoting swallowed the words she had wanted to say for the time being and only asked Su about her future Eldest Cousin-in-law, Zeng. It was on this day that Ren Yaoqi remembered that the Su Family¡¯s Eldest Young Master would soon be marrying the Zeng Family¡¯s daughter. Not only was Su going to Yunyang City, but even the Eldest and Fifth Master of the Ren Family were going to Yunyang City to oversee the ceremony. Qiu Yun had already gone back from Yunyang Academy and should be present by then. Yun Wenfang was always missing, and although the Second Young Master of the Su Family made an invitation last time, it is not known whether he will go or not. The Zeng Family is also going to make an appearance¡­ That night Ren Yaoqi was unable to sleep for a long time again. The next day, Ren Yaoqi wanted to find someone to find out if there were any unusual movements in the various temples to determine how Xiao Jingxi had carried out that matter. Although she knew that the matter would not be carried out so quickly, Ren Yaoqi could not help but felt a little anxious. The reason for this was that this matter must be arranged before Zeng Yu comes to Yanbei. Originally it would be best to let Zhu Ruomei inquire about this matter, but she had never heard from him again. Ren Yaoqi could not help but feel a little worried. In the afternoon, Ren Yaoqi was about to ask someone to call Mrs. Yuan into the house to ask some questions when Xiangqin ran over and said that Mrs. Yuan had come and brought a little girl about ten years old into the house. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know why, but her heart sank. From what Xiangqin had said, she had a vague suspicion that this little girl might be Zhu Ruomei¡¯s sister, Zhu Ruoju. But why would Zhu Ruoju come to the Ren Family to look for her? Could it be that something had happened to Zhu Ruomei? ¡°Go and tell Matron Zhou, then bring the person in.¡± Ren Yaoqi calmed her mind and explained to Xiangqin. Not long afterwards, Xiangqin led Mrs. Yuan and the little girl of about ten years old in and brought them to the south room where the maids and ladies rested. When Ren Yaoqi went over, Mrs. Yuan pulled the little girl to salute her and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, this is the Zhu Family¡¯s daughter, Ruoju.¡± CH 86 Chapter 86: Caught in a Net Ren Yaoqi looked towards Zhu Ruoju, who was getting up from her bow. The young girl in front of her had thick eyebrows and big eyes. Although she was far from the slender beauty that was popular nowadays, she still looked comfortable. Her eyes in particular looked very lively, so she must have been a cheerful person. But today, those dynamic eyes looked a bit anxious and worried. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was accompanied by several maidservants, Zhu Ruoju did not speak up immediately. Only when Ren Yaoqi had dismissed all the maidservants around her did Zhu Ruju say urgently, ¡°Fifth Miss, do you know where my brother is?¡± When Ren Yaoqi heard this, her heart also went cold. ¡°How long has it been since your brother went back?¡± Zhu Ruju¡¯s face went white as she murmured, ¡°Do you not know his whereabouts either, Fifth Miss? That day after he returned from Baihe Town, he explained to me and my mother that he had something to do and needed to go away for a few days. Originally the promise is that he would return in three days at the latest, but I don¡¯t expect it¡¯s already the sixth day and he¡¯s still missing.¡± Sure enough, he hasn¡¯t come back since that trip to Jizhou? But where did he go? ¡°Fifth Miss, do you know what he has gone to do? We were afraid that Mrs. Zhu would worry, so we only said that Ruomei had taken a short job and would not be able to return until some time later. But paper can¡¯t wrap up fire, if Ruomei never returns, this¡­¡± Mrs. Yuan was also full of sad clouds. Ren Yaoqi sighed lightly and said to Mrs. Yuan and Zhu Ruju: ¡°Zhu Ruomei has gone on an errand for me, so he should be back in two or three days. I will send someone to look for him, and I will definitely give you an explanation.¡± Mrs. Yuan said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let my family, Dayong, go and look for him? He has known Ruomei for many years and is very familiar with him. If Ruomei encountered something difficult on the road, there might be some mark left behind.¡± Ren Yaoqi was thinking about who to send to look for him, but when she mentioned Yuan Dayong, Ren Yaoqi recalled his face in mind and nodded, ¡°It would be better if that¡¯s the case, so ask Yuan Dayong to come into the house and I will give him tell him.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let my family¡¯s head go and call him in.¡± Mrs. Yuan bowed and hurriedly went away. When Ren Yaoqi saw Zhu Ruoju standing there in a daze, she walked over and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I originally thought that he had finished his work and gone back to Yunyang City, but in the past few days, he hadn¡¯t delivered any news. Before I thought that something was wrong and was about to send someone to Yunyang City to ask about it.¡± Although Zhu Ruoju looked dark, she shook her head and said clearly, ¡°My brother always says that a drop of water needs to be repaid with a spring. Fifth Miss, your kindness saved my mother¡¯s life. If we were to do something for you, we would have no complaints even if we had to risk our lives.¡± Hearing these words, Ren Yaoqi felt even more guilty. As she did not know when Yuan Dayong would arrive, Ren Yaoqi invited Zhu Ruoju to sit with her and ordered the maid to serve some tea. Both of them were worried about Zhu Ruomei¡¯s whereabouts, so they chatted a little absent-mindedly. Another report came in to say that Mrs. Yuan had brought Yuan Dayong and was waiting at the Yiran Pavilion, so Ren Yaoqi immediately got up and went outside with Zhu Ruoju following her. When they arrived at the Yiran Pavilion outside the second gate, Mrs. Yuan and Yuan Dayong had indeed arrived. Ren Yaoqi sent all the maidservants far away and said to Yuan Dayong, ¡°Zhu Ruomei has gone to Jizhou this time to help me with a personal matter. You go in the direction of Jizhou to find out where he is.¡± ¡°Fifth Miss, may I ask if there is any danger in this matter¡­?¡± Yuan Dayong hesitated for a moment and asked tentatively, ¡°Oh, I am not being greedy for life and death by asking you this, Zhu Ruomei and I are brothers in arms, he had disappeared and I am bound to go and find him. It¡¯s just that if this matter is dangerous, I will be a little more careful to take precautions.¡± Mrs. Yuan and Zhu Ruogu also looked over nervously. It seemed that they both thought that Zhu Ruomei had gone on some dangerous errand. Even so, the members of the Yuan Family are still willing to help find Zhu Ruomei, which is admirable. Ren Yaoqi thought about it and shook his head: ¡°Although what I asked him to do is a bit secretive and needs to be kept hidden, it is not dangerous. Looking at the situation, he should have completed what I entrusted him with.¡± Yuan Dayong nodded thoughtfully, ¡°I understand, then I will be more subtle on the journey to find him.¡± Ren Yaoqi shook his head, ¡°Finding him is the most important thing. You can handle it on your time. If you encounter any difficulties, don¡¯t be brave. Come back and tell me immediately, and I will find a way.¡± Yuan Dayong glanced at Ren Yaoqi at his words and bowed even more respectfully, ¡°Yes, Fifth Miss, I understand. I wonder if Fifth Miss has any other orders.¡± Ren Yaoqi spoke to him again about some clues before letting him go out of the house to look for someone. ¡°Fifth Miss, I will also go back to Yunyang City first. My mother is still staying there, and I don¡¯t feel comfortable with her being alone.¡± Zhu Ruoju came up and said. Ren Yaoqi nodded and said in a warm voice, ¡°Take good care of your mother, and I will keep an eye on your brother¡¯s affairs. When there is news, I will have someone go and tell you.¡± Zhu Ruoju said thank you and left with Mrs. Yuan. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s original joy of successfully scheming the Han Family was gone. She was worried about Zhu Ruomei, but she really couldn¡¯t figure out where he went. He had done what she had given him to do, and the Han Family hadn¡¯t caught anyone so far. Baihe Town was at least a day and a night¡¯s journey away from Jizhou, news would not come quickly, so nothing was said for the rest of the day. On the third day, Yuan Dayong finally returned, and Ren Yaoqi headed out as soon as she heard the news. As soon as she heard the news, she went outside. When Ren Yaoqi was about to reach the Yiran Pavilion, she saw Yuan Dayong walking back and forth in the pavilion with his head bowed and his arms in his hands, seemingly agitated. Ren Yaoqi walked over to him and sent the maids outside the pavilion as usual. Yuan Dayong hurriedly came forward to salute. ¡°Any news yet?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked succinctly. Yuan Dayong shook his head in frustration, but after thinking about it, he nodded again, looking torn and embarrassed. Ren Yaoqi frowned: ¡°What does this mean?¡± Yuan Dayong said, ¡°I followed Fifth Miss¡¯s directions and went in pursuit of Zhu Ruomei, but I couldn¡¯t find him. It wasn¡¯t until I reached in Jizhou, near the Han Family village you described, that I met someone else who, like me, was hunting for Zhu Ruomei. Others may not recognise Zhu Ruomei since his look has changed a lot in the image in their hands. But because I¡¯d known him for a long time and had seen him in disguise, I knew right away that the guy they were looking for was Zhu Ruomei. I discovered that they belonged to the Han Family and that the person they were looking for was a robber who had stolen from their community.¡± Ren Yaoqi was not surprised to hear this. The Han Family must be trying to find the person who started this dispute, otherwise, Han Dongshan would not be able to wash his hands in the Yellow River. It was also clear that Zhu Ruomei had not fallen into the hands of the Han Family. ¡°Then I think something was srong, so I didn¡¯t ask any more questions, but went back to the house to listen Fifth Miss¡¯ orders.¡± Yuan Dayong said, ¡°But, for some reason, when I was about to enter town, I noticed someone looked to be trailing behind me. I was so startled that I purposefully took that individual through the town¡¯s narrow streets and alleyways, and managed to get rid of him.¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned. Could it be that the person Yuan Dayong said following him was from the Han Family? Is it because Yuan Dayong had asked about Zhu Ruomei before, so he was noticed? Then Yuan Dayong continued, ¡°But after I got rid of those people and intended to enter the Ren Family, someone just threw this out at my feet from who-knows-where.¡± With that, Yuan Dayong took out from his sleeve an ordinary brown hairband used by men to tie their hair, with a three-inch wide note tied to it. The brown hair tie looked somewhat similar to the short brown fabric that Zhu Ruomei had been wearing the last time he had come. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face turned ugly. The person who would do this was certainly not Zhu Ruomei herself. It seems that Yuan Dayong may have been followed by someone, and Zhu Ruomei¡¯s disappearance may have something to do with this person. But is this person someone from the Han Family? ¡°What was written on the note?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked in a very calm voice. The matter has come to this point, only soldiers were capable to stop it. As long as Zhu Ruomei was still alive, then there was still room for everything. Yuan Dayong carefully untied the hair rope, while saying, ¡°I was shocked just now and was afraid that someone was watching, so I picked it up and ran away without opening it.¡± As he said this, Yuan Dayong had already opened the slip of paper and glanced at it in passing before handing it to Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Huh? It¡¯s a poem?¡± Ren Yaoqi reached out and took it. Sure enough, the note had a poem written on it in neat regular script, ¡°Caught in a net.¡± Ren Yaoqi unconsciously read it out softly. CH 87 Chapter 87: Answers to the Riddle ¡°Separation by death must finally be choked down, but separation in life is a long anguish. Chiang-nan is a pestilential land; no word from you there in exile. You have been in my dreams, old friend, as if knowing how much I miss you. Caught in a net, how is it you still have wings? I fear you are no longer mortal; the distance to here is enormous. When your spirit came, the maples were green; when it went, the passes were black. The setting moon spills light on the rafters; for a moment I think it¡¯s your face. The waters are deep, the waves wide; don¡¯t let the river gods take you. ¡° Yuan Dayong, who had read some books, recited the poem softly, thinking solemnly. >> The Poem >> River Gods Then his face changed, ¡°¡®Separation by death must finally be choked down, but separation in life is a long anguish.¡¯ Does it mean that Ruomei has met with an untimely death?¡± Ren Yaoqi was also pondering over the poem, but when she heard Yuan Dayong¡¯s speculation she shook his head and mused, ¡°That person has gone to such great lengths to follow you so far, it should not be just to tell you that the person you are looking for has died.¡± ¡°Then what is the meaning of this verse?¡± Yuan Dayong was puzzled, ¡°This individual is also odd; why can¡¯t he simply say things directly instead of playing hide and seek?¡± Ren Yaoqi heard this, but her heart fluttered, ¡°¡®Caught in a net¡® Is he trying to make me solve a riddle?¡± ¡°A riddle?¡± Yuan Dayong had a strange expression on his face. He thought that if that individual spent so much time and effort to make them guess riddles, then that person must have a lot of spare time. ¡°Then what is the answer to this riddle?¡± Although in his heart Yuan Dayong was irritated, he was also desperate and could not conceive what it could mean. Ren Yaoqi inclined her head in contempation, then suddenly she was taken aback, looked up, and said, ¡°White dragon in fish suit?¡± >> White dragon in fish suit ¡°White dragon in fish suit? Is Fifth Miss talking about the riddle?¡± Yuan Dayong frowned and pondered for a moment, ¡°¡®Caught in a net¡¯¡­ ¡®White dragon in fish suit¡®¡­ I guess it makes sense, but what is this trying to explain? ¡° Ren Yaoqi shook her head and said softly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean to explain anything, It just tells us the name of a place.¡± ¡°Name of a place?¡± Yuan Dayong was also stunned. He pondered carefully for a long time, then suddenly his eyes lit up and said, ¡°White Dragon¡­ Bailong¡­ Bailong Temple? The answer is the Bailong Temple?¡± >> Bailong The Bailong Temple is built on Bailong Mountain. It is said that the origin of the name of this place is related to the story of the white dragon in a fish suit. The phrase ¡®Caught in a net¡¯ implies that the white dragon had turned into fish. It means that there was a good chance it was the Bailong Temple they were referred to. Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°If Zhu Ruomei is really in someone else¡¯s hands, then the most likely reason they came to us was to tell us the location.¡± Yuan Dayong couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly at her words, ¡°Then this person is really¡­ What if we can¡¯t guess it? Isn¡¯t it a waste of his painstaking efforts?¡± Yuan Dayong felt that this person was a bit odd. Ren Yaoqi is not very sure, this is just her guess. ¡°Then¡­ Should I go to the Bailong Temple to find out what¡¯s going on?¡± Yuan Dayong asked. Ren Yaoqi nodded: ¡°You should be careful and better bring some people along.¡± However, Ren Yaoqi felt that from the way this person behaves, they didn¡¯t seem to have malicious intentions. Yuan Dayong replied and retreated. As soon as Ren Yaoqi returned to Ziwei Courtyard, Xi¡¯er ran over from the main room. ¡°Fifth Miss, Madam has asked you to go to the main room.¡± Xi¡¯er bowed and said respectfully. Ren Yaoqi did not go back to her west wing but followed Xi¡¯er straight to the main room in the back. Li was talking with Matron Zhou in the east wing when Ren Yaoqi lifted the curtain and entered, asking with a smile, ¡°Mother. What do you want from me?¡± Li waved her hand and let Ren Yaoqi sit down beside her before she asked with a slight frown, ¡°Qi¡¯er. I heard that you often go out of the second door to meet people recently?¡± When Ren Yaoqi came, she had thought that Li might ask her about this, and it was true that she had been going out more often recently. Ren Yaoqi then briefly told Li about the Zhu Family. Li nodded and said, ¡°I know you are kind-hearted and it is good for you to make good friends. Matron Zhou also mentioned to me about the Zhu Family sending things in before, and I didn¡¯t stop them. But after all, they are people from outside and it is not good for you, an unmarried woman, to go out to meet guests all the time. If they come again in the future, you can ask someone to bring them in to say something, and for the men, you can just send a servant to meet them.¡± Ren Yaoqi was about to say something else, but she saw Li frowning and looking at her worriedly. She couldn¡¯t say anything else, so she nodded her head and agreed. At that moment, Ren Yaohua also lifted the curtain and came in. When Li saw that both sisters had come, she smiled and said, ¡°I called you here today because of the matter of the housekeeping maids. Matron Zhou has already chosen a housekeeper for each of you two sisters. They will be in the house in a few minutes.¡± Matron Zhou also smiled and said, ¡°Third Miss and Fifth Miss will see them first today. If they don¡¯t like them, Matron Zhou will go and choose another one. The housekeepers must want you to be happy with them, and later when you leave the house, they will have to follow you.¡± This means choosing a matron. Li said trustingly, ¡°Matron Zhou has been choosing for so long, these two must be good.¡± But Ren Yaoqi remembered one thing: in her last life she had not asked Li to choose a housekeeper for her. But she had heard that Ren Yaohua¡¯s housekeeper, Matron Xu, was a capable person. Later when Ren Yaohua was getting married, did not know what tricks this Matron Xu had used to make her daughter take the place of a senior maid who originally serves Ren Yaohua. She then became Ren Yaohua¡¯s dowry maid to marry the Zeng Family. When Ren Yaohua killed Zeng Kui, all the dowry maids around her suffered together with her, but only Matron Xu¡¯s daughter was unharmed since she was the one who tattle them to Zeng Yu. She had heard of many people who sold their masters for glory, but this one was the most chilling to her. Que¡¯er lifted the curtain and came in to report that Matron Xu and Matron Gao had arrived and were waiting outside. Li nodded and told Que¡¯er to bring them in to talk. Ren Yaoqi sat on the bed and waited in silence. After a while, Que¡¯er brought in two women who were probably in their thirties. The one at the front is neatly dressed, with her hair pulled back meticulously. Her expression is somewhat serious but her features are very pretty, so at first glance, she looks somewhat similar to Matron Zhou. The one at the back was more plainly dressed, with a slightly rounded face and an appropriately conciliatory smile on her lips, looked very good-tempered. Both women came forward and bowed to Li and the two young ladies. Matron Zhou pointed to the serious-faced one and said, ¡°This is Matron Xu, the one picked out for the Third Miss.¡± She also pointed to the round-faced one and introduced her, ¡°This is Matron Gao, for the Fifth Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi sized up the two, and Ren Yaohua glanced at Matron Xu, who had chosen for her. She then nodded to Li, indicating that she had no opinion, and that she had always trusted Matron Zhou. Li then looked at Ren Yaoqi, waiting for her to make a statement. But Ren Yaoqi suddenly looked at Ren Yaohua and said with a smile, ¡°Third Sister, can we change the housekeeper maid? I think Matron Xu looks familiar.¡± Li glared at Ren Yaoqi and said curiously, ¡°You¡¯ve been naughty again!¡± Matron Zhou also looked a little embarrassed. Matron Xu had been specially chosen for Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua would leave the boudoir a few years earlier than Ren Yaoqi, and she needed someone who could support her in her in-laws¡¯ house. Ren Yaoqi made a face and tugged at Ren Yaohua¡¯s sleeve, pestering, ¡°Third Sister, let¡¯s change, let¡¯s change, let¡¯s change¡­¡± Ren Yaohua frowned at Ren Yaoqi and looked at the two nannies, then pulled Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand away and said with some impatience, ¡°Then let¡¯s change. Just think carefully, if you want to return it after a whim, I won¡¯t talk to you!¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡°Thank you, Third Sister.¡± Li and Matron Zhou looked at each other with helpless faces. But in the end, Li was happy that the two sisters were now getting along well, no longer looking like enemies as they had done in the past. As a mother, she could not be more pleased. Matron Zhou didn¡¯t want the two sisters to fall out over this matter, so she didn¡¯t say anything either. Matron Gao was also carefully selected. Even if she had any shortcomings, she would be able to do well after teaching her for a while. The housekeeping maids for Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were already prepared, they were only switched over. Matron Xu and Matron Gao both had troubled faces and bowed to their new masters. Li said gently to them, ¡°You will each live in the small side rooms in the east and west wings. Today is your first day in the house, go down and clean up first, get familiar with the house, and then take up your official duties tomorrow.¡± The two maids thanked Li again and rose to retire. Ren Yaoqi looked at Matron Xu¡¯s back quietly, the look in her eyes was imperceptible. Although Li had arranged for the two housekeeping maids to be on duty the next day, Matron Xu came to serve Ren Yaoqi in the evening. When she reappeared, Matron Xu had already changed into the spring clothes issued by the Ren Family. Her hair was still pulled back in a meticulous round bun, decorated with only a silver hairpin. She looked very competent and calm. Ren Yaoqi asked Xueli to call all the eight maids in her house so that they could get to know Matron Xu. In the evening, when she went to bed, Matron Xu personally waited on Ren Yaoqi to wash up. She had to admit that Matron Zhou¡¯s eyes were really good. Matron Xu¡¯s words, actions, and behavior were just right, and no one could find a single fault. ¡°Who else is in Matron Xu¡¯s family?¡± As Matron Xu bent down to cover Ren Yaoqi with a blanket, Ren Yaoqi asked casually with her eyes closed. Matron Xu said respectfully but gently, ¡°This matron¡¯s husband is no longer with us. There is only one boy at home, he is fourteen years old and is now learning from the vice manager of the coal storehouse that the Ren Family owns in Yunyang City.¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but open her eyes, ¡°You only have one son?¡± Matron Xu nodded, ¡°This servant only has one son.¡± Ren Yaoqi did not make another sound. Matron Xu waited at the head of the bed for a long time. When she saw that Ren Yaoqi had stopped talking, she thought she had fallen asleep, so she helped her put down the curtain, picked up the candlestick on the small table, and walked out gently. The room darkened inch by inch, and Ren Yaoqi slowly closed her eyes. . I¡¯m very sorry for the cluncky translation and explanation ;_; Hopefully everyone can understand based on the words used in the poems and the story behind each of them. But nonetheless, isn¡¯t it such a lovely poem? CH 88 Chapter 88: Is There An End to It? The next morning, Ren Yaoqi was reading in her study in the west courtyard when Ren Yaohua¡¯s maid, Xiangqin, asked to see her. As Ren Shimin¡¯s study forbade maids to enter at will, Ren Yaoqi went out to see her. ¡°Fifth Miss, that little accountant named Yuan came to see you just now, but Madam sent Matron Zhou to see him. Seeing that he had only come to bring you shoes from Little Miss Zhu, she took the things for you and dismissed him.¡± Xiangqin came closer and whispered in Ren Yaosi¡¯s ear. Ren Yaoqi was startled and asked, ¡°Where is he? Has he left already? How long has he been gone?¡± She nodded and shook her head, ¡°This servant just went out on an errand and met him in the outer courtyard when returned. He recognized me and thought I was your maid, so he stopped me and asked me to come and tell you. I told him to send a woman in if he had something to report. Madam doesn¡¯t like if a man from outer courtyard keeps asking to see a lady from the inner courtyard. He then went and get his mother to come in and answer you.¡± Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Xiangqin, ¡°Good maid, thank you so much.¡± Xiangqin grinned, revealing two dimples, ¡°This servant will go back first, in case later Third Miss is looking for this servant.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and let her go. After thinking about it, she immediately called her maid, Pingguo, over and instructed her, ¡°Go stand guard near the second gate. If you see Mrs. Yuan coming, bring her to me.¡± Pingguo answered and went away. Ren Yaoqi was thinking about the news from Yuan Dayong¡¯s side, so she tidied up her study and went back to her west wing. In the inner room, Matron Xu was cleaning the boxes with Xueli and Sangshen. When Ren Yaoqi entered, she heard Matron Xu say, ¡°The Fifth Miss¡¯ clothes are rarely in the color red or purple.¡± Sangshen said, ¡°Third Miss likes to wear red, but our Miss rarely wears it. It¡¯s okay, our Miss looks good in anything.¡± Matron Xu said, ¡°The Fifth Miss has a clear complexion, so she looks good in everything.¡± Matron Xu was new and it was only natural for her to want to know her master¡¯s preferences, so Ren Yaoqi only paused for a moment before entering the room. Matron Xu and the two maids were busy curtsying and bowing. Ren Yaoqi nodded and instructed: ¡°I still have some things in the east courtyard storehouse, so if Matron Xu has time, she should take care of them as well. If Matron Xu has time, she can sort it out as well, so that when the house is changed in the future, there will only be little things left to do. The list is with Matron Zhou, so just tell her when the time comes.¡± Sister Xu said, ¡°Is Miss coming back to rest? Should this servant wait until later to count the things in the house? The servant would like to go to Madam Zhou to ask for the list.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and agreed, ¡°That¡¯s fine, go ahead.¡± Matron Xu then took Xueli and Sangshen, bowed, and withdrew. Before she went out, she also gently instructed the two little maids to stay outside and wait on her. Ren Yaoqi casually took a book of travel notes and sat leaning under the south window, flipping through it while waiting for Pingguo to bring Mrs. Yuan in. She waited for a long time before Pingguo finally came back. ¡°Miss, this servant has brought Mrs. Yuan. She is waiting outside, do you want to see her now?¡± Ren Yaoqi slowly sat up straight: ¡°Let her in, you go outside and keep watch. If anyone comes, remember to inform me earlier, no matter who it is.¡± Pingguo nodded solemnly, ¡°This servant knows, don¡¯t worry about it, Miss.¡± Soon Pingguo brought Mrs. Yuan in, and gingerly retreated. Mrs. Yuan bowed and wiped the sweat from the corner of her forehead. It must be because she had just rushed a little. ¡°Fifth Miss, I¡¯ve kept you waiting.¡± Ren Yaoqi said with an apology, ¡°I am the one who has bothered you.¡± Mrs. Yuan smiled, ¡°This servant knows that it is you who are kind-hearted, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t bother with these things.¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head and said nothing more, only asking directly, ¡°Has Yuan Dayong found Zhu Ruomei at Baiyun Temple?¡± Mrs. Yuan gave a soft sigh and shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but frown, could it be that she had guessed wrong? Did the poem not imply the Bailong Temple? Mrs. Yuan continued, ¡°Dayong said he had searched inside and outside the Bailong Temple and didn¡¯t find anything wrong. But when he was about to leave, someone threw a note at his feet.¡± Said Mrs. Yuan, taking out from her sleeve pocket an object similar to the one Yuan Dayong had shown her last time, a rolled note tied up by a black and brown hairband. Mrs. Yuan was afraid that that thing was not clean. She took the initiative to help Ren Yaoqi unwrap and unfold it then put it on the kang table in front of Ren Yaoqi. It was indeed the same handwriting as last time, still written in neat regular script. Only this time there was only one word on this piece of paper: ¡°ßØ (xi¨¡o).¡± It meant querulous. >> Querulous Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but laugh bitterly, this person was not finished! How could he be addicted to guessing riddles? Seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s helpless expression, Mrs Yuan couldn¡¯t help but look the word up and down, while curiously saying, ¡°Dayong opened the note when he found it and read it first, but he didn¡¯t know what the word ¡®querulous¡® meant. He could only bring it back for Fifth Miss to see. Dayong said that your last guess of ¡®white dragon in a fish suit¡® should be right and that you might be able to guess it this time too.¡± Yes, it is indeed not difficult for her to guess the answer, but it is a bit difficult for her to do what the man said. Ren Yaoqi was silent for a moment and sighed, ¡°I know. Mrs. Yuan, go back first. I will send you a message later.¡± When Mrs. Yuan saw Ren Yaoqi say this, she didn¡¯t know whether she had guessed or not. But she couldn¡¯t ask, so she could only get up and salute, ¡°Then I will go out first. If you have any orders, please send someone to the outer courtyard to tell my family.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, served tea, and asked Mrs. Yuan to retire. It was only when Mrs. Yuan reached the door that Ren Yaoqi heard the sound of Pingguo talking outside: ¡°What are you doing? Miss has said she doesn¡¯t want anyone to serve.¡± ¡°Matron had taught you that tea should be served when guests arrive. I¡¯m just going in to serve tea and I¡¯ll be out in a minute, what are you yelling about?¡± It was Qingmei¡¯s voice. Mrs. Yuan stood at the doorway neither going out nor coming in. Ren Yaoqi frowned slightly. At this time, another voice lowered its voice and scolded, ¡°What are you yelling about here? What if you disturb Miss?¡± It was Matron Xu who had returned. Ren Yaoqi waved her hand at Mrs. Yuan, indicating that she did not need to care. Only then Mrs. Yuan pulled the door open with a creak. All the talking outside stopped at once. Mrs. Yuan greeted them and left. Not long after, Matron Xu came in with Pingguo and Qingmei. When she saw Ren Yaoqi sitting on the bed reading a book, Matron Xu quickly apologized, ¡°Fifth Miss, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s because of this servant¡¯s lax discipline that I¡¯ve disturbed Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi raised her head and swept Qingmei away with a faint glance, ¡°Do what you need to do.¡± ¡°Miss, this servant is only here to serve tea¡­¡± Qingmei heard the displeasure in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s tone and bit her lip to defend herself. But when she looked up and met Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes, she was so frightened that she immediately lowered her head again, not daring to say anything. Matron Xu was also startled by the flash of sharpness in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes and lowered her head, standing with her hands down. She had thought that Ren Yaoqi was a spoilt child who was a bit capricious when she made a joke and switched her with Matron Gao in the main room. However, after a day of serving at Ren Yaoqi¡¯s side, she found that this Fifth Miss did not have the slightest bit of coquettish habits. She was very gentle and courteous in her treatment of others, and apart from Qingmei, the maid sent by her aunt, all the other maids said that Ren Yaoqi was a good master with a nice temper and easy to serve. But that look in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes¡­ although it wasn¡¯t vicious and didn¡¯t reveal any emotion, it made her, an adult woman who had experienced a lot, a little scared. Matron Xu couldn¡¯t help but secretly remind herself that she must act more steadily and rigorously in the future. After Pingguo and Qingmei had withdrawn, Matron Xu poured a cup of tea for Ren Yaoqi and placed it on the small table in front of her. ¡°Did Matron has something to say?¡± Ren Yaoqi flipped through the pages of a book without looking up and said casually. Matron Xu thought for a moment, ¡°Miss, isn¡¯t this Qingmei maid not suitable to stay by your side anymore?¡± Ren Yaoqi heard this and gave Matron Xu a look with a raised eyebrow and a gentle smile in her eyes, ¡°What does Matron Xu mean?¡± Matron Xu didn¡¯t know why, but she felt a little suffocated. She collected herself before saying: ¡°This servant has only been at Ziwei Courtyard for a day, so she shouldn¡¯t have said this. However, since Matron Xu is already Miss¡¯s housekeeper, it is her duty to teach the maids around her. I see that this Qingmei does not seem to have her heart set on the Ziwei Courtyard. If we keep her, I¡¯m afraid that one day something will happen.¡± In just one day, she had figured out the details of the maids¡­ This Matron Xu was not a mediocre person. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Then what should we do according to Matron¡¯s opinion?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile, ¡°It was my concubine-mother gave me both Qingmei and Xueli when she took over the Ziwei Courtyard. There were numerous additional maidservants besides them. But I wasn¡¯t happy with a handful of them, so Matron Zhou expelled them. However, it would be unfair to discard all of them, so I retained two. Xueli is a consistent and proper worker, and while Qingmei is unpredictable, she has not made any major blunders.¡± Matron Xu thought for a moment, ¡°Xueli looks good to me, so if you want to keep her, it¡¯s not a bad idea, but I¡¯m afraid Qingmei is not the right person.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°Since the house has been handed over to you, then just do as you see fit. Just don¡¯t make an ugly scene.¡± ¡°Yes, this servant understands.¡± Matron Xu replied in a low voice. Ren Yaoqi then lowered her head and went back to her book. Matron Xu quietly retreated. As soon as Matron Xu left, Ren Yaoqi put down the book in her hands, her eyes full of contemplation. The word ¡®ßØ (xi¨¡o)¡¯ or ¡®querulous¡® just now was a puzzle. If that word was combined with word ¡®one¡®, which is ¡®Ò» (y¨©)¡¯, it became ¡°Ïþ (xi¨£o)¡± means ¡®to know¡®. So the answer to the riddle was ¡®one look and you¡¯ll understand¡®. . ¡­yeah I took a looott of liberty translating this CH 89 Chapter 89: Going to the Appointment Is this asking her for a meeting at the Bailong Temple? Ren Yaoqi could not help but smile bitterly, this person was really¡­ She already had a few guesses about this person¡¯s identity. If it was really him, should she be flattered and grateful that this person was willing to make such an ingenious invitation? To go or not to go? Ren Yaoqi slowly leaned back on the pillow above the bed and closed her eyes in contemplation. Whether it was the current Han Family or the future Zeng Family, it would be extremely difficult for her to shake them up with her own power. All she could think of so far was just a check and balance. But if she was not careful, she would still repeat the mistakes of her previous life. With a soft sigh, Ren Yaoqi opened her eyes again. The next day, Ren Yaoqi said to Li when she went to the main room to pay respects, ¡°Mother, I want to go to the Bailong Temple to burn incense again.¡± Li was a little surprised: ¡°Didn¡¯t you go there once before?¡± Ren Yaoqi said with some concern, ¡°The last time I made a wish, I wished for peace and prosperity for myself and my family. But two nights in a row, this daughter dreamed there are ants crawling all over my body and woke up with this nightmare every time. I asked several maids and they all said that this was not an auspicious omen and that it would be best to worship the Buddha sincerely to ward off calamities.¡± Li was startled at her words, ¡°Twice in a row?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded. Matron Zhou also frowned, ¡°I have heard that if a merchant dreams of ants, the business will prosper. But for Fifth Miss, a woman in a boudoir, to dream of being badly surrounded by ants is not a good omen.¡± Li was convinced by Matron Zhou¡¯s words, ¡°Then what is the best thing to do?¡± Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°I heard that the abbot of the Bailong Temple is very effective in resolving bad omens, so this daughter wants to go to the Temple again.¡± Matron Zhou thought about it and said to Li, ¡°In the presence of Buddha, all ghosts and monsters will be destroyed. Madam has not been to the temple for a long time, so why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to go there with her?¡± Li nodded her head and agreed: ¡°In that case, I will go and ask Mother for permission. If we can make it in time, let¡¯s go today.¡± Ren Yaoqi felt a little guilty looking at Li¡¯s worried look, Seeing that Li was going to the Ronghua Courtyard to ask for permission from the Old Madam, Ren Yaoqi also followed her. In Ronghua Courtyard, the Eldest Madam was taking the Eldest Young Madam to the Old Madam to answer her questions. The Eldest Young Madam Zhao stood behind Eldest Madam with an uneasy face, listening to the Eldest Madam excusing her in front of the Old Madam. ¡°¡­This is also because I didn¡¯t teach her properly, and in addition, there were some maids underneath who were too oily and bullied her when they saw she was young and inexperienced. I am glad that I found it in time and nothing serious happened. Please give her another chance, Old Madam.¡± Ren Yaoqi and Li came in and saw that this side was talking. So they bowed wordlessly and then stepped back with their hands tied. The Eldest Madam smiled at them and nodded, but the Old Madam merely glanced over at them. Then she spoke to the Eldest Madam again with some displeasure: ¡°Go and find out which maids are so bold! If they don¡¯t work, they will be kicked out! Our Ren Family can¡¯t tolerate slaves who deceive their superiors and inferiors!¡± The Eldest Madam said, ¡°Yes, Mother, this daughter-in-law understands.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at this pair of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. She remembered that she had heard from the maids below that the Eldest Young Madam had offended several stewards and maids in the house because of the last incident with the spring clothes, so the few things Zhao tried to do in the past few days had not gone well. The last time Matron Zhou taught Ren Yaohua about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relations, she said that the Eldest Madam knew full well that the Eldest Young Madam would do that matter badly. Instead of stopping her in time, she had allowed her mistakes to continue in order to take this opportunity to hold her daughter-in-law. Now that the Eldest Madam had stood up for Zhao before things got out of hand and the Old Madam got angry, Zhao looked like she was really grateful to the Eldest Madam. Matron Zhou had been right. But when Ren Yaoqi saw her today, she could not help but admire the Eldest Madam for her skills. Those who dared to disobey the Eldest Young Madam were definitely not the Eldest Madam¡¯s people, but most likely the Fifth Madam Lin¡¯s people. The Eldest Madam had not only won the hearts of her daughters-in-law, but she had also taken the opportunity to clean up Lin¡¯s people. Although the Eldest Madam has always been in charge of the house these years, the Fifth Madam Lin relied on the old lady¡¯s favor and often fought for the right of the Eldest Madam to be in charge of the house. The Eldest Madam has always given in to Lin and has allowed her to take charge of some of the important expenses of the house according to the Old Madam¡¯s wishes. But one mountain does not allow two tigers. Just because the Eldest Madam is outwardly magnanimous does not mean that she does not have any complaints in her heart. Now that Lin has fallen out of favor with the Old Madam, when will the Eldest Madam take action if not now? Looking at the Eldest Madam standing under the Old Madam in a very respectful posture and gently replying, Ren Yaoqi could not help but smile. This Eldest Aunt had not been in charge of the family for all these years for nothing. Only when the Eldest Madam had finished her reply that did the Old Madam come to ask Li and Ren Yaoqi, who had been standing to the side, ¡°What do you want?¡± Li went forward and told her that she wanted to take Ren Yaoqi to Baiyun Temple. The Old Madam gave Ren Yaoqi a look: ¡°It¡¯s just a child having a nightmare, why should you make such a fuss about it? Didn¡¯t she go to Baiyun Temple a while ago? Your Eldest Sister-in-law and the others are probably too busy today. If you really want to go, just put it off for a couple of days.¡± Li opened her mouth but before she could say anything, Zhao hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just preparing the carriage and the attendants, it won¡¯t be too busy.¡± Zhao had just suffered a defeat at the hands of her subordinates, so she did not want to offend the people of the third branch over this trivial matter. The Eldest Madam also spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s not too late to go today. It¡¯s just that it will take some time to arrange the carriage and the staff, so I¡¯m afraid that Third Sister-in-law will have to wait for some time.¡± The Old Madam looked at the Eldest Madam and the Eldest Young Madam, and snorted, ¡°All right, you all have to be good people, and I¡¯m the only unreasonable bad person!¡± The Eldest Madam smiled and said, ¡°What are you talking about, Mother? You are worried that Daughter-in-law will be too busy, and you are afraid that Third Sister will be wronged. If you are an unreasonable bad person then there is no reasonable person in this world. Third Sister, don¡¯t you think so?¡± The Eldest Madam winked at Li. Li quickly said, ¡°Yes, Mother. This daughter-in-law knows you mean well.¡± Only then did the Old Madam look better, ¡°If you must go today, then go.¡± Li and Ren Yaoqi bowed their heads and thanked her. Li thanked the Eldest Madam and Zhao when they withdrew with her. The Eldest Madam smiled and said, ¡°We are all family, Third Sister is welcome. It¡¯s just that today there are a lot of things left to do. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to go out until later.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯ll just wait,¡± Li said politely. When Ren Yaoqi and Li returned to Ziwei Courtyard, a servant came to report that the Eldest Madam was fixing up some tricky and oily servants, and that many of the maidservants would be sold out by the Eldest Madam. It was a good thing that the people of Ziwei Courtyard did not get involved in the Ren Family¡¯s domestic affairs, so Li¡¯s people were not affected. It is only natural to think about who will be the ones to suffer this time. The people of the house knew a little more about the Eldest Madam¡¯s methods. It was not until almost noon that the Eldest Madam had time to send someone over to tell Li that the carriage and entourage were ready for the trip. ¡°The Eldest Madam said that it was late so the Third Madam should stay at the temple for the night and return to the house tomorrow. She would be the one to go and speak to the Old Madam.¡± Li was busy thanking the Eldest Madam again, had Matron Zhou send Matron Gui out, and rewarded her with a thick red amplop. When Matron Gui returned, she reported it to the Eldest Madam, who nodded and ordered, ¡°Let Daughter-in-law make the arrangements. You should go and watch those people, and don¡¯t let them cause trouble before they leave our mansion.¡± Matron Gui answered yes and said with a smile on her face, ¡°These years the Fifth Madam likes to interfere in everything, this time her people have all been sent away by the Madam. When she ¡®heals¡¯ and comes out she will have no power to make any more waves.¡± Then Matron Gui frowned again, ¡°But she has always been a favorite of the Old Madam. If the time comes that she comes to her senses and sues you in front of the Old Madam, then¡­¡± Upon hearing this, the Eldest Madam took a sip of her tea without changing her expression, and said in a low voice, ¡°I have never done anything against the wishes of elders in all these years since I married into the Ren Family, and it is no different this time.¡± Matron Gui thought carefully about the Eldest Madam¡¯s words. Could it be that the Eldest Madam¡¯s expulsion of the Fifth Madam¡¯s people was also in line with the Old Mistress¡¯ wishes? In Ziwei Courtyard, Li took Ren Yaoqi out for a ride. Ren Yaohua was not interested in going to the Bailong Temple, as she had not encountered any good things at the temple the last time. Li did not force her to go with her, but only explained to her in detail, and then let her stay. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s purpose for going to the Bailong Temple this time was not a simple one, so she did not bring too many people. As Matron Zhou wanted to go with Li, Ren Yaoqi proposed that the new Matron Xu stay behind and let her look after the courtyard. Li and Matron Zhou did not have any objections, so Matron Xu did not go with Ren Yaoqi this time. Before traveling, Ren Yaoqi asked Pingguo to go to the outer courtyard and told Shopkeeper Yuan about her request regarding the Bailong Temple, asking him to pass it on to Yuan Dayong. After Yuan Dayong learned about it, he also followed the Ren Family¡¯s chariots and went together to the Bailong Temple. The carriage of the Ren Family entered the gate of the Bailong Temple after an hour or so. When they got down from the carriage, Ren Yaoqi once again saw the not-unfamiliar scenery of Bailong Temple. There were still many pilgrims like usual. Ren Yaoqi was wondering how she was going to contact the man when she had already arrived. Although she felt that her guesses were already right, what if she was wrong? Was Zhu Ruomei really here? ¡°Go and donate some incense money for me and ask the abbot if he is free today. I would like to take Qi¡¯er to pay respect.¡± Madam Li whispered to Matron Zhou. CH 90 Chapter 90: I Invite You to a Tea Matron Zhou answered then went away, and Li took Ren Yaoqi to offer incense. Kneeling in front of the statue of Buddha, which was more than ten feet high in the Daxiong Hall, Li¡¯s hands were appropriate and her eyes were closed as she prayed devoutly. Li prayed for the health of her family, the safety of her two children, a smooth life, and that the Buddha would help Ren Yaoqi to get rid of evil spirits so that she would not be haunted by nightmares. When she saw Li get up to offer incense, she followed her lead and followed her example. After both mother and daughter had finished burning incense, Matron Zhou returned. ¡°Madam, Master Jingchen is talking about Buddhism with a distinguished guest, so I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to wait a little longer.¡± Matron Zhou came over and whispered, ¡°The guest monk has arranged a courtyard for us to rest in, would you like to see if you would like to go over and rest now?¡± The Bailong Temple received many guests daily, and having one or two distinguished guests was normal. Monks are both out of and in the world, and are not exempt from it. After sitting in the carriage for more than an hour, Li was also a bit tired, so she nodded and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°The abbot is not available for the time being, so let¡¯s go and rest for a while.¡± Naturally, Ren Yaoqi had no problem with this. The courtyard prepared by the Bailong Temple for Li¡¯s rest this time happened to be the same one that had been used the last time Ren Yaoqi and the others had come. However, Li and Ren Yaoqi had only sat down for a couple of sips of tea when Master Jingchen sent a young monk to say that he was free. Matron Zhou asked the monk, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that the abbot was receiving a distinguished guest?¡± The young monk chanted a Buddhist hymn and replied, ¡°That gentleman has come to play chess with our abbot. Hearing that the abbot had someone to see, that gentleman has already excused himself.¡± Matron Zhou looked at Li, who nodded, so Matron Zhou smiled and said, ¡°Then please trouble this young master to go back to Master Jingchen, our Madam will go there right away.¡± The young monk returned the Buddhist salute and retreated. Li then took Ren Yaoqi to the abbot¡¯s place of hospitality. Abbot Jingchen was an old monk in his sixties, a little thin, but with kind eyes. When Ren Yaoqi followed Li into the meditation room, she found a kang table by the window with a chessboard on top of it, on which the black and white pieces were fighting indiscriminately. The white pieces were of the finest clamshell stone ¡®snow grade¡¯, white and round like jade, with exquisite patterns. The pieces have always been distinguished by their white color. So this pair of chess pieces is very rare. >> ¡®Snow Grade¡¯ white chess pieces ¡°Is the little benefactor also good at playing chess?¡± The old monk was not young, but his eyes were extremely keen. Seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes resting on the kang table under the south window, he asked in a kind tone. Ren Yaoqi turned her head back and met the old monk¡¯s calm and tolerant gaze. Smilingly, she returned, ¡°It¡¯s just a little knowledge, I¡¯m not good at it.¡± The old monk laughed and invited Li and Ren Yaoqi to sit down. Li told the old monk about Ren Yaoqi¡¯s nightmare. She asked him if he had any ideas on how to deal with it. Grandmaster Jingchen looked at Ren Yaoqi for a few moments and asked gently, ¡°Let me take the pulse of the little benefactor.¡± Li was stunned, ¡°Does Grandmaster mean that she had nightmares because she is sick?¡± Abbot Jingchen shook his head and said calmly, ¡°Dreams are born from the heart, this old man just wants to make sure.¡± Ren Yaoqi obediently reached over and let him take her pulse. Jingchen closed his eyes and took his pulse for a while, then asked, ¡°How long has this nightmare been going on, Little Benefactor? Have you had any symptoms of cold sweats, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping recently?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ren Yaoqi said truthfully. Jingchen took another serious look at Ren Yaochen¡¯s face and nodded: ¡°Then it is not physical discomfort. I¡¯ll prescribe a prescription for you to suppress your fright later. You can eat it or not,¡± said the old monk with a soft sigh. ¡°Life is just a few decades, don¡¯t worry about everything, it will hurt your heart.¡± ¡°So she is alright?¡± Li did not notice the old monk¡¯s sigh and asked uneasily, ¡°Do you need to do any ceremony to remove the obscene qi?¡± Grandmaster Jingchen shook his head and said with a smile, ¡°If you are unsure, just recite the Vajra Sutra once a day before you go to bed.¡± As Grandmaster Jingchen had a good reputation, Li was somewhat reassured. The old monk then spoke to Li about the Buddhist scriptures. Knowing that Ren Yaoqi was not interested in these, Li told her to go and rest first. Ren Yaoqi was looking for a chance to go and do her own business, so she was happy to go out. Not long after she reached the Great Hall, the central axis of the Bailong Temple, Ren Yaoqi suddenly noticed Yuan Dayong dashing flashed in front of her eyes. After a moment¡¯s thought, Ren Yaoqi took a step outside. ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you going back to rest? Where are you going?¡± The maid behind her asked carefully. As Ren Yaoqi walked slowly, she said casually, ¡°I¡¯m going to the fortune bell at the single-hole bridge outside, I heard that if I can hit it, I will have good luck.¡± The maid thought that Ren Yaoqi was just having fun and wanted to ring the bell, so they didn¡¯t say anything else. When Ren Yaoqi approached the bridge, she found that there were many people around the bridge. They were clapping and cheering, making the atmosphere very lively. Within a distance of five or six feet, Ren Yaoqi heard the sound of a bell ringing continuously. ¡°Huh? Who is that so powerful?¡± Sangshen whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve never hit that bell before.¡± Another maid was not impressed, ¡°This is a temple bell, not a street juggler! Whose children are so naughty?¡± Ren Yaoqi stopped and listened for a while, but shook her head in disbelief. This person not only has good eyesight but also has a good grasp of strength. He doesn¡¯t look like a naughty child from any family, he might be a martial artist. ¡°Miss, should we still go over there?¡± The granny asked for instructions. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s go next time.¡± She didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble and wasn¡¯t that curious. She was about to go around the other way when she saw a young monk leading an old monk coming this way. The young monk was walking and talking to the old monk, who was about fifty years old and had a very relaxed and calm demeanor. As he got closer, Ren Yaoqi heard the young monk say, ¡°¡­She has been knocking for half an hour. The pilgrims have all gathered there to watch the fun, even the priests coming in from outside are blocked from entering. Can you go to see if you can persuade her? If you can¡¯t, you¡¯ll have to ask the Second Young Master Xiao to come out¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious, don¡¯t be anxious, the County Princess is not an unreasonable person, if you talk to her properly, she will listen.¡± The old monk said without changing his face. Ren Yaoqi, however, was moved in his heart. County Princess? The only person who could be called a County Princess in the whole of Yanbei was the daughter of Prince Yanbei. The monk also mentioned the Second Young Master of the Xiao Family, could it be that the person ringing the bell was Xiao Jinglin, the County Princess from Prince Yanbei¡¯s residence? She had heard that this County Princess did not love red makeup but loved military attire. For most of the year, she was not at the Yanbei Royal Residence. Instead, she followed Prince Yanbei¡¯s generals to guard the Jiajing Pass. In her previous life, she had never met her, but she had heard that the court had wanted to marry her to the youngest son of Duke Zheng, but she had simply refused. The reason for Xiao Jinglin¡¯s refusal was enough to put the men of the whole Great Zhou to shame. She said that the northern frontier was not yet settled, so how could there be a home? She also said that her husband had to fight her before he could marry her. The man didn¡¯t need to win against her, as long as he could get up and out of bed within a month after the fight, he would be considered qualified. A man who blew in the wind was no different from waste in her eyes. Then someone told the story that Xiao Jinglin had defeated the top ten black knights of Prince Yanbei singlehandedly. As a result, Duke Zheng¡¯s wife ran to the Empress Dowager in tears and begged her for mercy and to spare her youngest son¡¯s life. Other noble families with sons of the right age also hastened to settle their engagement matters, and those who already did so were getting married. They are afraid that they will have to be paired with Prince Yanbei¡¯s County Princess. In the end, the marriage was not settled. At that time, Ren Yaoqi found it very amusing. Now Xiao Jinglin was not much older than her, was she? It looked like her martial arts skills were already good. The heir who was becoming a hostage in the capital, only loved literature and calligraphy. Although the Second Young Master is knowledgeable, he is in poor health. Only this County Princess still had some of the prestige of the Xiao Family¡¯s ancestors. With this in mind, Ren Yaoqi changed her mind and headed for the single-hole bridge. When the maids heard that it was the County Princess, they were also a bit curious and followed without saying a word. The two monks had passed, and the young monk asked everyone watching to leave. Only then did Ren Yaoqi see clearly that a tall young girl was standing by the railing. The young girl was 13 or 14 years old. She was not the kind of girl who dressed as a man, as Ren Yaoqi had guessed. She wore a very ordinary lake-green dress and had a double bun on her head. Her features were very delicate. It was only Ren Yaoqi who noticed that her standing posture was more straight than that of an ordinary woman The old monk recited a Buddhist hymn and went up to speak to her. Xiao Jinglin listened quietly and then said nothing. She only nodded her head and came down. It just happened that she was going to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s side. Only when she got closer that Ren Yaoqi realized that Xiao Jinglin¡¯s eyebrows were a pair of well-shaped sword eyebrows, a little darker than an ordinary woman¡¯s eyebrows. It was only because her features were very soft, so her eyebrows did not make her look a rude, but instead gave her a special aura not found in ordinary women. Noticing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gaze, Xiao Jinglin looked this way, her gaze lingering on Ren Yaoqi for a moment before she lifted her steps and walked over. ¡°Which family are you from?¡± Xiao Jinglin asked with an expressionless face, her tone was by no means cordial, though no malice could be heard either. ¡°The Ren Family of Baihe Town, Ren Yaoqi.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled back. Xiao Jinglin seemed to incline her head in thought and nodded. Then under everyone¡¯s surprised gaze, she took Ren Yaoyao period¡¯s hand: ¡°Come with me, I¡¯d like to invite you to a cup of tea.¡± With that, she pulled Ren Yaoqi and walked away. The maidservants behind Ren Yaoqi froze for a moment and hurriedly followed. Because they thought of Xiao Jinglin¡¯s status and saw that Ren Yaoqi did not struggle, they did not dare to say anything. Xiao Jinglin¡¯s steps were not too big, but Ren Yaoqi had some difficulty keeping up with her. CH 91 Chapter 91: The Fox Who Becomes a Spirit ¡°Princess, can you walk more slowly?¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but said helplessly, tugging her hand, and could only follow in her pace. Xiao Jinglin paused, turned her head to look at Ren Yaoqi, and slowed down a little. Both of them were silent on the way. Xiao Jinglin pulled Ren Yaoqi in the direction of the Bailong Temple¡¯s guest courtyard. When they were almost at a relatively large separate courtyard, Xiao Jinglin said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Keep one or two people with you. The rest will wait outside, I don¡¯t like waited by too many people.¡± Xiao Jinglin said this in a very justifiable manner. It was no wonder that she had no attendants around her. With her demeanor, no one would recognize her as the County Princess of the Yanbei Royal Family. Ren Yaoqi complied with her wishes and said to the maids who were following her, ¡°Xueli, go and tell Matron Zhou that I am having tea here with the County Princess and that Pingguo is here to serve. The rest of you wait outside.¡± They were obliged. Xiao Jinglin continued to pull Ren Yaoqi forward, and Pingguo hurriedly followed. This courtyard was not just larger than the previous one Ren Yaoqi had resided in. There were also several flowers and plants in here, some of which were flowering, while others simply had a few leaves and could not be seen. A grape trellis was growing in the left corner. Under it was a small table made of tree roots. A tea tray was placed on the table, with a purple clay teapot and several small teacups on top of it. Xiao Jinglin dragged Ren Yaoqi straight inside. However, when she reached the main room, she did not stop, but went around to the small gate on the left and went to the backyard. When she came out of the gate, Ren Yaoqi found that her view was immediately broadened. There was no room in the backyard, but rather a place that looked like a garden, except that the ¡®garden¡¯ seemed to be untended. It only had some wildflowers and weeds that could not be named, and none of them were precious flowers and plants. ¡°Baa¡ª¡± a strange cry made Ren Yaoqi turned her head in astonishment. There was a round table and stool made of rough stones on the right side of the back garden, and a little goat was eating grass next to the stool. And on that stone bench was a young man in white sitting facing them. That young man looked down at the goat grazing, seemed to be very focused. Spring sunlight softly hit half of his face, highlighting his contoured so beautifully that one could not bear to disturb him and spoil his peaceful moment. When he heard the commotion, he turned his head and looked over. There was no surprise in his eyes when he saw that it was Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin. He only looked at them and smiled slightly, the sudden smile that made Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart jump slightly. Xiao Jinglin let go of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand and went over to the young man himself. When she saw the little goat gently hit its head against a stone bench to the side seemingly wrestling with it, Xiao Jinglin bent down and grabbed the goat¡¯s horn in her hand, yanked it outwards, and pulled it away. ¡°Baa-¡± The goat ran to the side. It turned its head and yelled. ¡°This is caught for you to eat, don¡¯t feed it too much.¡± Xiao Jinglin clapped her hands and lifted her robe to sit down, only it was a pity that she was wearing a skirt and this action could not be done. Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jinglin¡¯s words and actions, which seemed a little different from before. She walked over and curtsied at the teenager gazing at her, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao.¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled and nodded, gently pointing to the stool opposite his own, ¡°Fifth Miss Ren. Please have a seat.¡± Ren Yaoqi bowed her head in thanks and sat down. At this time a young boy dressed as a servant brought over a tea tray and gently placed the tea in front of the individual without saying a word. Then he quietly retreated again. Xiao Jingxi¡¯s right thumb gently rubbed the tealight in his hand, and with a light smile on the corner of his mouth, he quietly stared at Ren Yaoqi. Noticing that he didn¡¯t say anything, Ren Yaoqi also didn¡¯t and appeared indifferent to his stare. She just dropping her head and taking a drink of tea, but only barely dipping it with her lips. The tea jar in her hand was a black glaze with a white peony pattern, which looked very plain and elegant, but Ren Yaoqi knew that most of these tea sets were ancient items from the previous dynasty, worth a thousand of gold. The courtyard looked simple and unadorned, the two people in front of her were dressed simply and in a leisurely manner, but the set of teacups that they casually took out for their guests was expensive and luxurious. As if she couldn¡¯t stand the silent atmosphere here, Xiao Jinglin patted her skirt and stood up. She frowned, stared at Xiao Jingxi and Ren Yaoqi with her beautiful thick sword eyebrows raised, and said in a light voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the front yard for a walk.¡± Xiao Jingxi shifted his gaze to her but did not argue. Xiao Jinglin took a few steps then suddenly stopped, turning her head to stare at Pingguo who was standing behind Ren Yaoqi like a wooden stake, ¡°You come with me too.¡± Pingguo glanced at her and then looked down at her toes, not moving. Xiao Jinglin frowned and looked at Ren Yaoqi again. ¡°Go down,¡± Ren Yaoqi instructed. Only then did Pingguo lower her head and follow Xiao Jinglin. In a flash, only Xiao Jingxi and Ren Yaoqi were left in the backyard, not even one of the waiters was left. This was actually inappropriate, but no one would stand up and accuse them. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious¡­¡± Xiao Jingxi was the first to break the silence. His voice was deep and hoarse, neither rush nor slow, and his special rhythm could attract others¡¯ attention effortlessly. Ren Yaoqi put the tea down and met his gaze. Her crystal-clear eyes were as transparent as a shallow stream in the bright spring light. Xiao Jingxi paused, the smile at the corners of his mouth slightly deepened, ¡°What else does Miss Ren have to offer besides being good at lantern formations, playing chess, and guessing riddles¡­?¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s mention of lantern formations made Ren Yaoqi suddenly think of the carriage she saw that night of the Lantern Festival and the man in black whose face she didn¡¯t see clearly. She couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look at Xiao Jingxi. The two men were about the same size, the man wore more so he didn¡¯t look as thin as Xiao Jingxi, but if Xiao Jingxi had put on a thick cloak¡­ the two men looked somewhat alike and somewhat unlike each other. But Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t ask the question ¡°Have we met before?¡± It was just a passing encounter, not a friendship. ¡°How is Zhu Ruomei?¡± So Ren Yaoqi asked directly. Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi and smiled faintly, but did not say anything. Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and spoke again, ¡°I can also write calligraphy and paint, both taught by my father.¡± Xiao Jingxi laughed lightly and said in a low voice, ¡°He is fine, but he has suffered some injuries and his right leg has a broken tibia.¡± This is still very good? Ren Yaoqi could not help but be speechless. However, she finally breathed a sigh of relief when she got the exact news from Zhu Ruomei. ¡°Thank you, Second Young Master Xiao, for saving him.¡± Ren Yaoqi thanked him sincerely. Xiao Jingxi did not deny it, but asked, ¡°What did you send him to Jizhou for?¡± Ren Yaoqi was speechless at his words. Xiao Jingxi¡¯s smiling eyes were fixed on Ren Yaoqi, waiting patiently and without impatience. ¡°Sorry, this is my family matter,¡± said Ren Yaoqi, bowed her head. Xiao Jingxi thought for a moment and said in a deep voice, ¡°How about this, let¡¯s play chess. If you win I will not ask and Zhu Ruomei will go with you. If you lose, you have to tell me why, and Zhu Ruomei will be my person from now on, life or death is none of your business.¡± His voice was still unhurried, gentle, and leisurely. But the words that came out made Ren Yaoqi dumbfounded. However, although the curve of Xiao Jingxi¡¯s mouth was elegant and perfect, the words did not sound like a joke. Ren Yaoqi was slightly angry, but the smile on her face was even gentler: ¡°Second Young Master Xiao, you¡¯re imposing yourself a bit, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled and asked in return, ¡°How is this an imposition? I saved Zhu Ruomei, otherwise, he would have fallen off the cliff and died. As for the family matters you mentioned¡­¡± Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi with a smirk. Ren Yaocheng was speechless again. No one threatened her since she opened her eyes once again. But this person was Xiao Jingxi. Other people always described him as astonishingly talented and clever. But now Ren Yaoqi felt that this person must be a thousand-year-old fox cultivated into a spirit. Xiao Jingxi seemed to know that Ren Yaoqi had already responded, smiled, and said, ¡°Bring me my chess.¡± His voice was not loud, but the boy who had brought the tea heard him and came out with a chessboard not long afterwards. Walking behind him was a man of medium build who was dressed similarly to him, Ren Yaoqi raised her head and opened her eyes, couldn¡¯t help being slightly stunned. The one who came behind the boy with two chess pots in his hands was Dongsheng. Both Dongsheng and the boy gently placed the items in their hands on the stone table without looking at each other, and then quietly retreated again. But before he left, he could not help but raise his eyes and glance at Ren Yaoqi. Xiao Jingxi noticed Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gaze and said with some playfulness, ¡°It seems my servant Tongxi has some connections with Miss Ren.¡± Tongxi? Did he change Dongsheng¡¯s name? Ren Yaoqi took some white chess pieces and examined them for a moment, finding that they were the same as the clamshell stone ¡°snow grade¡± she had seen at the Abbot¡¯s place. ¡°That is a great honor for me.¡± Ren Yaoqi said indifferently. Xiao Jingxi did not think it was an offense and smiled slightly, ¡°Then how about letting you play black?¡± He said with the indulgence of a child. Ren Yaoqi smiled back at him, ¡°No, let¡¯s take a blind guess.¡± She wouldn¡¯t dare to take advantage of him, Zhu Ruomei was a lesson from the past. Xiao Jingxi was indifferent, smiling lightly as he gestured for Ren Yaoqi to begin. Ren Yaoqi casually grabbed a few more white pieces and glanced at Xiao Jingxi. ¡°Even.¡± He slowly lowered his head and took a sip of tea, saying without looking. Ren Yaoqi opened her hand and counted, ¡°It¡¯s an odd number.¡± She took black. In her last life, Ren Yaoqi had played countless games with Sir Pei and had also studied with him some of the games recorded in chess books, so her chess skills had been honed over time. That is why Han Yunqian was no match for her. After only a few moves, however, Ren Yaoqi felt that Xiao Jingxi was different from any opponent she had ever encountered before. Every time he landed a move, he gave Ren Yaoqi a sense of power, not aggressive, but unavoidable all the same. CH 92 Chapter 92: A Trickster Ren Yaoqi was holding a black tile in her hand, and she was pondering with her head tilting to the side. Xiao Jingxi was very patient and didn¡¯t rush. When it was Ren Yaoqi¡¯s turn to play, he seemed quietly drank his tea. The little goat that Xiao Jinglin had previously chased to one side had somehow come back and used its head to rest lightly against the edge of the stone table. The two chess players merely gave it a sidelong look and then let it go. Xiao Jingxi¡¯s style of chess was generally stable, but he was always making good moves at key moments. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s style of chess was somewhat similar to his, but she had developed it through practice, while Xiao Jingxi was gifted. Now, although it seemed like they were evenly matched, Ren Yaoqi was afraid that if Xiao Jingxi went off the rails again, she would lose. ¡°One game to determine the winner?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked after the black piece in her hand had fallen. Xiao Jingxi was extremely quick in his moves, and his white piece landed on the board before Ren Yaogui¡¯s black piece had even been put down. ¡°What does Fifth Miss Ren think?¡± Xiao Jingxi asked gently with a smile on his face. Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°It is better to play quickly, if I am go out for too long, my mother will worry.¡± ¡°One game then,¡± Xiao Jingxi said very amenable. Ren Yaoqi glanced at him, and the black piece in her hand suddenly turned and went down to another place. Xiao Jingxi raised his eyebrows and gave Ren Yaoqi a look, and the white piece in his hand fell. Ren Yaoqi seemed like a different person and began to attack cities and loot pools regardless of the consequences, only attacking but not defending. Generally speaking, a person¡¯s chess style is generally fixed, which is why ithere is a saying that one can generally tell a person¡¯s temperament by his or her chess style. In order to see the future three moves in every move made, one needs to know the opponent¡¯s general style to make an accurate judgment. But this time Ren Yaoqi¡¯s game was so different from her character that it had the awe-inspiring power of a great general in a desperate army clash at the front line. Xiao Jingxi couldn¡¯t help being extremely surprised. He had never met such an opponent in chess, and Ren Yaoqi¡¯s performance was beyond his expectation. She seemed to be striking in the east and the west, without any rules. But in fact, she was secretly forming a net. Xiao Jingxi stared at the chessboard and unconsciously have a little more interest in his eyes, and his strokes become sharper. However, because of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s unorthodox play, Xiao Jingxi was not as quick as before. On the contrary, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s tempo suddenly increased, and every time she played, it was as if she didn¡¯t think twice. If she had met another opponent, it would have disrupted her opponent¡¯s pace long ago. But Xiao Jingxi remained unhurried, and Ren Yaoqi¡¯s sudden outburst of strength only gave Xiao Jingxi the urge to fight her in a bloodthirsty match. Time passed in this way, during which Pingguo quietly came back once and quietly retreated when she saw Ren Yaoqi playing chess with Xiao Jingxi. The two of them were locked in a difficult battle. Suddenly Xiao Jingxi paused, frowned, and stared at the chess game in front of him, contemplating. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t move as she lowered her head to drink her tea. A few moments later, Xiao Jingxi dropped the white piece in his hand and gazed at Ren Yaoqi with a smile on his face, ¡°Miss Ren is definitely something, is she actually the drunkard who has no intention to drink ?¡± >> the drunkard who has no intention to drink Ren Yaoqi sighed lightly, he had indeed discovered her. But she had set up this game so well that even if Xiao Jingxi had found out now, it would already be too late. A moment later, Ren Yaoqi picked up a chess piece in her hand. She smiled and asked, ¡°Is there any need to continue?¡± Xiao Jingxi stared at Ren Yaoqi with a smile in his eyes, ¡°You have never wanted to win and yet making such an aggressive stance.¡± He looked down at the chessboard and nodded, ¡°The layout of this ¡®ko fight¡® tactic is really subtle, I have never seen such a position before. I can¡¯t think of a way to resolve it for a moment, so it is a draw.¡± >> Ko fight Seeing Xiao Jingxi admit that it was a draw, Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief. It was a game of chess. She was no match for Xiao Jingxi, so she could only play tricks. ¡°I have also just seen it once in a tattered chess book, but today I am trying to use it,¡± Ren Yaoqi laughed. ¡°But before we already determined that one game would determine the winner, so what should we do now?¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s demeanor was so excellent that he was not angry at being schemed by Ren Yaoqi, and still asking with a smile. Ren Yaoqi did not want to tell Xiao Jingxi whether he win or lose; Zhu Ruomei was not one of her people and she could not decide whether he would stay or go. The Han Family matter was a thorn in her side, and she didn¡¯t want to say anything until the truth came out, because no one would believe her if she did. Ren Yaoqi was about to speak when Xiao Jinglin returned, carrying an unpainted wooden tray with a lotus petals patterned longquan celadon bowl. When she got closer, Ren Yaoqi smelled a strong medicinal fragrance. >> a longquan celadon bowl with lotus petals patern Xiao Jinglin rested the tray directly onto the chessboard that had not yet been put away, ¡°It¡¯s time to drink the medicine.¡± Xiao Jingxi looked at the bowl of medicine and said helplessly, ¡°Why are you the one who sent it?¡± ¡°Because you won¡¯t drink it if others send it to you.¡± Xiao Jinglin directly picked up the medicine bowl and handed it to Xiao Jingxi¡¯s lips, speaking truthfully. Xiao Jingxi tilted his head to avoid it, and Xiao Jinglin frowned, ¡°Why are you still as difficult to serve as when you were a child, you¡¯re still squirming to take a medicine! One gulp and it will go down!¡± Xiao Jingxi huffed, looked at Ren Yaoqi who was holding back a smile and turning her head away. Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t care, it¡¯s not a question of whether to drink medicine or not, but a question of whether to be rude or not. Knowing Xiao Jinglin¡¯s stubborn nature, Xiao Jingxi took the bowl of medicine and slowly drank it all. Xiao Jinglin took the empty bowl and put it back on the tray, before she turned around as if she remembered something. She took a small paper packet from somewhere and put it on the table. ¡°Pine nut candies.¡± After saying that, she didn¡¯t even look at Xiao Jingxi¡¯s face and went straight away. Xiao Jingxi looked at the packet of candies in front of him and was speechless for a while. When he looked up and saw the curvature of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s mouth, Xiao Jingxi could not help but shake his head and laugh. Then he untied the packet of candy graciously and handed it to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Don¡¯t be offended, Jinglin was sent to Jiajing Pass when she was very young and has not returned for many years.¡± In Xiao Jinglin¡¯s eyes, Xiao Jingxi was still the same as he had been many years ago, while she, the younger sister, had become the older sister instead. The siblings had not come together for many years, and it was because Xiao Jinglin wanted to get on good terms with Xiao Jingxi that she had come to Bailong Temple from Yunyang City. It just that she had been in the army for many years and rarely came into contact with women apart from a few close attendants around her, so she lacked the delicacy of the average woman. Ren Yaoqi did not say anything as she pinched a small piece of pine nut candy and put it into her mouth, chewing it slowly. Xiao Jingxi put the pine nut candy in front of Ren Yaoqi and did not eat it himself. It was just that after being interrupted by Xiao Jinglin, Ren Yaoqi suddenly felt that Xiao Jingxi was a friendly person. Of course, Xiao Jingxi had always acted approachable, gentle, and tolerant. However, Ren Yaoqi still felt that Xiao Jingxi was somewhat like a flower in a mirror and a moon in water. He was so beautiful that one could not help but admire him, but he always seemed ethereal and far from reality. A breeze blew and a faint fragrance of medicine wafted over. No wonder the last time she met him, he had a medicinal scent on him too. But Xiao Jingxi had a charm that could make others ignore the fact that he was not in good health during the process of getting in touch with him, and only be overwhelmed by his demeanor. Ren Yaoqi was also close to forgetting that Xiao Jingxi was sick. It was because the aura of the one in control was too strong in him. At this time, there was another noise coming towards the backyard. Ren Yaoqi raised her eyes and saw a tall man coming this way, one step at a time. Ren Yaoqi blinked and saw clearly, but she couldn¡¯t help but stare. It was Zhu Ruomei¡­ The man was unable to walk normally because he had broken the tibia in one of his feet. His hands were rested on a tripod connected to copper basins, which were used in place of crutches. He was probably in a hurry to get out. His hair was only tied on sloppily with a rope that he pulled from who-knows-where, his face was sweaty, but he was ¡®walking¡¯ extremely fast. Xiao Jingxi also followed Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gaze. After a glance, he turned back and said with a faint smile, ¡°You don¡¯t want your leg anymore?¡± It sounded like a joking remark, but it was one that no one dared to answer. Behind Zhu Ruomei were two of Xiao Jingxi¡¯s servants, who seemed to be trying to pull him back, but he always avoided them by some unknown means. He was clearly injured, but his body was very agile and did not look clumsy at all. Zhu Ruomei soon ¡®jumped over¡¯ and Ren Yaoqi found that his head, face, and neck were covered in sweat, and even his lapel was wet, so he must have been suffering badly. ¡°What are you doing out here if you¡¯re not taking care of your injuries?¡± Ren Yaoqi immediately frowned and gently scolded. Although Zhu Ruomei was in a cold sweat from the pain, he still showed his teeth and smiled, even though it looked a bit grim, ¡°Just a broken bone, it¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯ve made Miss worry.¡± Ren Yaoqi throw a sidelong look at Xiao Jingxi who was pretending to be ignorant and just looking down to pick up the chess pieces, so she said with a soft sigh, ¡°You should get well first, and I will send someone to report to your family that you are safe.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Fifth Miss.¡± Zhu Ruomei said, ¡°I¡¯ve caused Miss trouble.¡± Zhu Ruomei apologized sincerely. He had just heard the boy called Tongxi say that the Fifth Miss of the Ren Family had come over and he knew that Miss Ren must have come because of his business, so he hurried over, fearing that he would make things difficult for her in front of the Second Young Master Xiao. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, but it was the Yuan Family that spent a lot of effort to find you.¡± The two of them exchanged pleasantries for a while. When Ren Yaoqi saw that Zhu Ruomei¡¯s face was a little white, she said to him in a gentle voice, ¡°I will go back later, you should go back and rest.¡± Zhu Ruomei nodded in agreement, but he did not leave. He hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, it was Second Young Master Xiao who saved me this time. He wants me to stay by his side for ten years and work for him. I¡­¡± So Xiao Jingxi had already spoken to Zhu Ruomei? Zhu Ruomei didn¡¯t seem to be reluctant either. Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jingxi and smiled at Zhu Ruomei, ¡°I have said before that you and my Ren Family no longer owe each other anything. Since you are appreciated by the Second Young Master Xiao, you can work for him when you are well.¡± CH 93 Chapter 93: Astonishing News With Xiao Jingxi¡¯s background and reputation, it was naturally a matter of joy to be taken up by him. Although Zhu Ruomei had been forced to work as a miner for the Ren Family, he still wanted to make a career out of it, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to the Yuan Family all these years to train in martial arts and beg Steward Yuan to teach him to read and write. Now that the opportunity was in front of him and he owed his life to Xiao Jingxi, it was not too much to work for him for ten years. But Ren Yaoqi and the Third Master Ren were also kind to him. Although he did not know the reason for what Ren Yaoqi had asked him to do this time, he could guess that Ren Yaoqi might have some grudge against the Han Family. He was privy to the Han Family¡¯s activities and understood that both Old Master Han and Han Yunqian were not ordinary people. If Ren Yaoqi truly orchestrated the Han Family¡¯s upheaval, and the Han Family was aware of it, it would be painful for her in the future. If he stays by her side, although he can¡¯t be of great help, he can still help with some small errands like this one. Ren Yaoqi naturally saw the struggle on Zhu Ruomei¡¯s face. Although she had not had much contact with him, Ren Yaoqi knew that Zhu Ruomei was a righteous person who knew what was right and wrong. When she first decided to help him, it was not because she wanted to take him under her wing to order him around. After all, in her position, Zhu Ruomei would have been a steward of one of her dowry shops in the future, but in her previous life, Zhu Ruomei was a fierce general under the Second Young Master of Yanbei. What she thought was that one day, if Zhu Ruomei had the same fortune as in her previous life, he would be able to help her out at a critical moment for the sake of her kindness. Now Zhu Ruomei is willing to work for Xiao Jingxi, so what reason does she have to stop him? ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I suggested previously that you should move to Yunyang City to find work and care for your mother and sister.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and gave Xiao Jingxi a glance, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao has a discerning eye for talent, and based on his good reputation for treating people well, he will certainly make good arrangements for your family so that you can have no worries. This will put my mind at ease.¡± Xiao Jingxi was stunned, looked at Ren Yaoqi with a half-smile, but nodded in kind, ¡°What Fifth Miss Ren said is reasonable.¡± ¡°You should go back and rest. I should go too,¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at the sky and said to Zhu Ruomei. Zhu Ruomei didn¡¯t know what to say. He hesitated for half a second, knowing that there were things he couldn¡¯t say in front of Xiao Jingxi, so he struggled and bowed before being helped back by one of Xiao Jingxi¡¯s servants. Xiao Jingxi suddenly turned his eyes to look at Dongsheng, who also wanted to follow him down, with a somewhat meaningful look. Dongsheng lowered his head and dared not to raise it. It was he who was worried about Ren Yaoqi. That¡¯s why he went to remind Zhu Ruomei, seemingly unintentionally, that Ren Yaoqi was coming. He was already Xiao Jingxi¡¯s attendant, but he still missed his old master in his heart. He knew that this was a taboo for his masters, so he felt guilty to meet Xiao Jingxi¡¯s insightful eyes. Fortunately, Xiao Jingxi merely stared at him and raised his hand to let him go down. Dongsheng turned around and found his back shirt was wet. When Dongsheng went down. Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and said sincerely to Xiao Jingxi, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao, if a person is indifferent to the safety of his old master after he follows you, do you dare to use such a person?¡± With the expression on Dongsheng¡¯s face just now, and Zhu Ruomei¡¯s sudden appearance, she naturally guessed the reason. Xiao Jingxi smiled faintly, ¡°Then tell me, Fifth Miss Ren. If one day his new master turns against his old master, whose camp should he be on to be considered loyal?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and also smiled, ¡°People indeed generally don¡¯t dare to use other people¡¯s subordinates. Only you, Second Prince Xiao, can have this kind of courage. So I guess you must be confident that there won¡¯t be any kind of problem in the future, am I right?¡± Xiao Jingxi pondered over Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. He gave Ren Yaoqi an inscrutable look, ¡°Is Fifth Miss Ren wanted to dig a hole for me to jump?¡± The hidden meaning in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words was that since Xiao Jingxi had already used people from Prince Xian, he had no intention to tear faces with Prince Xian and became an enemy of him in the future. Otherwise, what he did was the same as slap himself in the face. She was taking the opportunity to ask him to make a stand. Xiao Jingxi did not take this bait. Smiling, he changed the subject, ¡°Then it¡¯s a draw?¡± Ren Yaoqi accepted the stand down and did not dwell on it, nodding her head and smiling, ¡°Please forgive me, Young Master Xiao. You are too good at chess and if I did not cheat I would not have won.¡± She frankly admitted that she was not as good at chess as Xiao Jingxi and didn¡¯t want to lose, basically admitting defeat. ¡°As my third brother used to say, chess is often like a battlefield. If you can not lose you have to think of ways not to lose. That¡¯s why pawns don¡¯t tire of deception.¡± Ren Yaoqi said jokingly. Xiao Jingxi could not help but smile at her words, ¡°Your third brother once played a game against me, his chess skill is¡­ ahem, not bad.¡± Ren Yaoqi suppressed a smile and remained silent. Although Ren Yijun loved to play chess and could win more than lose against ordinary people, against a master like Xiao Jingxi, it was a miserable game. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, my mother should be coming out soon, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Ren Yaoqi said as she observed the sky again. Xiao Jingxi didn¡¯t stay either and smiled as he rose to see her off. Ren Yaoqi turned to leave, but she heard Xiao Jingxi say, ¡°Are there any grievances between the Han Family and you?¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s footsteps lurched, but she did not turn around to return. According to Zhu Ruomei¡¯s nature, even if he had defected to Xiao Jingxi, it was unlikely that he would tell the truth about the Han Family. Therefore, Xiao Jingxi¡¯s statement was probably just a guess on his part. Combined with Zhu Ruomei¡¯s movements, and the recent events of the Han Family in Jizhou, he came to that conclusion. ¡°Sort of.¡± After a moment of silence, Ren Yaoqi still turned around and replied. Xiao Jingxi was a little surprised by her frank admission and frowned after thinking about it, ¡°What kind of grudge does the Han Family have against the Ren Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart was moved when she heard the words. She looked at Xiao Jingxi, shook her head, and sighed: ¡°There are some things I don¡¯t want to say too much, the Han Family and the Ren Family have no grievances, but the Old Master of the Han Family just¡­¡± Xiao Jingxi thought for a moment, ¡°You asked Prince Xian¡¯s men to go to Jiangnan just to check Han Dongshan¡¯s details?¡± Xiao Jingxi even knew about this? Although it was true that the Yanbei Royal Family did not care about the Xian Family, given the sensitive status of the Xian Family, it was impossible for the Yanbei Royal Family to totally ignore the Xian Family. Now that he had spoken up, Ren Yaoqi nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I was the one who asked Xiasheng to check on Han Dongshan.¡± Now she understood that just because she didn¡¯t say anything didn¡¯t mean that Xiao Jingxi would not be able to check and guess. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Xiao Jingxi nodded with a sudden understanding, then he smiled slightly again, blinked, and said softly, ¡°The reason why I asked about this matter is that the Yanbei Royal Family wants to use the Han Family.¡± Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi was shocked and stared at Xiao Jingxi, repeating, ¡°The Yanbei Royal Family wants to use the Han Family?¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled lightly and did not say anything. Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered that this year the Han Family undertook to print the Yanbei Imperial Calendar. Because of the misprint of the Imperial Calendar the year before, Yanbei¡¯s bookstore did not dare to print it, but a little-known Han Family dared to do so. If Xiao Jingxi¡¯s words were correct, the Han Family had long been associated with the Yanbei Royal Family, and they were highly appreciated by their master. No wonder the Han Family had made a name for themselves in a short period, it was because of the backing of the Yanbei Royal Family. If that was the case, how could she still fight against the Han Family? The position of the Yanbei Royal Family in Yanbei was like that of the Li Royal Family in Jiangnan. Noticing that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face was not right, Xiao Jingxi sighed lightly and said after some thought, ¡°Since we are tied today, you can naturally not tell me this, so I will pretend that I don¡¯t know anything about this matter.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jingxi and said, ¡°Was it Han Dongshan who requested the Yanbei Royal Family to look into who plotted against the Han Family?¡± Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi and said nothing. But Ren Yaoqi understood. The Yanbei Royal Family was the master of the Ren Family, and since the lackeys had suffered a secret loss and couldn¡¯t find out for themselves, they begged to go to their master. That was why Xiao Jingxi had asked her to come here. Xiao Jingxi did not do it out of boredom or deliberate trickery. ¡°Fifth Miss Ren, take care of yourself.¡± Xiao Jingxi smiled as he kindly mentioned. This time he had inadvertently saved Zhu Ruomei and happened to know that someone from the Yanbei Royal Family was investigating this matter, which was why he had inadvertently intervened. Ren Yaoqi was silent for a moment, but said keenly, ¡°Just now Second Young Master Xiao said that the Han Family was the one the Yanbei Royal Family wanted to use, but the Han Family is not Young Master¡¯s people, right?¡± Xiao Jingxi raised his eyebrows, ¡°What difference does it make? I am also a member of the Yanbei Royal Family.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡°I would feel more relaxed thinking like that.¡± Saying that, Ren Yaoqi curtsied towards Xiao Jingxi and bowed, ¡°I was rude today, thank you, Second Young Master Xiao.¡± With that Ren Yaoqi turned around and walked away. She did not beg Xiao Jingxi to give up the Han Family. Xiao Jingxi was right. He was also a member of the Yanbei Royal Family, so naturally he had the interests of the Yanbei Royal Family at heart. She had only met him twice and did not have much of a friendship with him, so why should she ask him to do something that went against the family¡¯s interest decisions for her petty grudges? It was imposing. But the reason why the Yanbei Royal Family uses the Han Family was because the Han Family has value and can be used for the Yanbei Royal Family. If this matter can be investigated, it is not impossible to bring down the Han Family. The fact that the Han Family was used by the Yanbei Royal Family was only known from Xiao Jingxi today, and she didn¡¯t even know about it in her previous life. This shows that the Han Family is likely to be the hidden pawn of the Yanbei Royal Family. What the Han Family was tasked to do is secret, so Xiao Jingxi would not reveal it to her. She kept reminding herself to be calm and not to let this news mess her up. But today Xiao Jingxi was willing to cover up for her, which meant that the Han Family and the Yanbei Royal Family¡¯s interests were not too deeply entangled, and that the Yanbei Royal Family only wanted ¡°to use the Han Family¡±. When she thought of this, she couldn¡¯t help but be grateful to Xiao Jingxi. The little bit of discontent she had towards him before also vanished. If not for Xiao Jingxi¡¯s advice, she might not have known how she would have been defeated in the future. CH 94 Chapter 94: Return to Home Xiao Jingxi watched as Ren Yaoqi slowly stepped out of the courtyard. His beautiful black eyes still contained a light smile, but a hint of contemplation quietly emerged. He turned around, slowly walked back to the stone bench, and sat down. His two long fingers twirled the round chess pieces that had been retrieved from the chess jar then replaying the previous game one by one step, his movements focused and leisurely. In the quiet courtyard, only one person and one goat remained, forming a silent landscape. At some point, a man in a grey shirt stood silently behind Xiao Jingxi with his hands hanging down, didn¡¯t saying a word. Xiao Jingxi did not turn around and waited until the pieces on the chessboard had been arranged before he spoke, his low, soft voice sounded like ancient music, ¡°Han¡¯s affairs are their family¡¯s business, do not not interfere.¡± The man in the grey shirt instinctively obliged, and only when he had finished did he said, ¡°Han Dongshan went to beg Chief Steward Gu who serves the Prince, so Chief Steward Gu sent someone to investigate.¡± Xiao Jingxi tilted his head slightly at his words and furrowed his good-looking eyebrows, ¡°Why has the royal residence been so idle lately?¡± The man in grey bowed his head, not daring to answer. Xiao Jingxi looked towards the chessboard, his fingers moving lightly to change the game on the board as he languidly said, ¡°Go and speak to Chief Steward Gu, if they can¡¯t even handle their household affairs, what else can the Yanbei Royal Family expect from them?¡± Although his tone was soft, the words he spoke were extremely heavy. ¡°Yes, my lord, this subordinate understands.¡± The man in grey hurriedly bowed his head in response. Xiao Jingxi continued to fiddle with the game of chess, sometimes retreating and re-moving, landing his pieces without a sound. The only thing heard was the sound of the wind blowing the grass. Just when the man in grey thought that Xiao Jingxi had nothing more to say, he heard him talked again, ¡°Go check on Han Dongshan.¡± Although the man in grey was a little surprised at why his master was suddenly concerned about the Han Family, he still bowed his head and immediately answered the order. ¡°How is the army doing now?¡± Xiao Jingxi left the matter of the Han Family behind and asked about something else. ¡°In reply to your Excellency, Madam Wu has returned to the house with Miss Wu. Accompanying them were Wu Xiao and Zhou He, an old strategist beside her. In the past few days Zhou He has begged to see the Prince three times, and the Prince has seen him twice.¡± The Madam Wu he spoke of was the wife of Wu Xiaohe, the current Ningxia General Military Officer. Her maiden name was Xiao Wei. She was a County Princess of the Yanbei Royal Family and Xiao Jingxi¡¯s aunt. Xiao Jingxi didn¡¯t move his eyebrows even a bit when he heard that report, ¡°I¡¯m asking about the affairs of the army, not the affairs of the royal family.¡± The man in grey was stunned and lowered his head: ¡°Since the news of the court¡¯s disarmament was publicized last time, there have been several disturbances in the Yanbei Army due to the provocation of a few people with ulterior motives. I have followed your instructions to stay put for the time being, and have secretly taken note of those who stirred up trouble. Today, I heard a report from someone. They are planning to gather more people to cause trouble soon. They are also planning to loot several large shops in Yunyang City, take their wealth, and hide in the mountains as king.¡± Xiao Jingxi did not say anything when he heard this, his deep gaze was unfathomable as he stared at the chessboard. It was unclear whether he was thinking about the chess path or the matter reported by his subordinate. Half a second later, he picked up the pieces on the chessboard, which were gradually being divided into winners and losers, and put them back into the chess jar one by one: ¡°Go and ask Tonghe to prepare the carriage. Go back to Yunyang City today.¡± ¡°Then the Bailong Temple side¡­.¡± Xiao Jingxi said indifferently, ¡°Tongde will stay.¡± His words had only just fallen. From nowhere, another man with an ordinary face and a medium build walked out and bowed respectfully to Xiao Jingxi. ¡°You are given one month to settle the matter between the Bailong Temple and the major monasteries.¡± Xiao Jingxi glanced at Tongde who had just walked out, and instructed him with a soft voice. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Tongde bowed his head and answered. Xiao Jingxi got up and walked out, his slender figure quickly disappearing at the cave door. When Ren Yaoqi came out, she did not see Xiao Jinglin. Her maid Pingguo was squatting under the eaves in front of the wing room. When she saw Ren Yaoqi come out she frantically ran over and followed behind Ren Yaoqi. No one else on the way as the pair of master and servant left the courtyard. At the entrance to the courtyard. Li¡¯s maid, Xi¡¯er, was calling two maids aside for questioning. Seeing Ren Yaoqi had arrived, she greeted her, ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± Xi¡¯er looked at Ren Yaoqi with worry and asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The Princess only invited me to have a cup of tea.¡± Ren Yaoqi warmly reassured Xi¡¯er, ¡°Why have you come over?¡± ¡°Madam heard that you were dragged away by the County Princess of the Yanbei Royal Family and was feeling anxious. So she sent this servant over to keep an eye on you, Miss.¡± Xi¡¯er said and asked with some curiosity, ¡°Fifth Miss, how did you recognized by the County Princess?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head as she walked, ¡°This is also the first time I¡¯ve seen the County Princess today, I didn¡¯t know her before.¡± ¡°Then why did she invite you to tea for no reason?¡± There was no skepticism in Xi¡¯er¡¯s eyes. She was just very curious and puzzled. She heard that the Princess of Yanbei Royal Family had an eccentric nature, and she would not go back to the Mansion all year round. Obviously a girl, but she had patrolled the border with several generals of Prince Yanbei and was stronger than a man. This County Princess was a notable character. In the eyes of ordinary people, she and the legendary women sung in the opera and written in the books were no different. Such a woman was suddenly dragging a young lady for tea, even though the two of them have not met before, was incomprehensible. ¡°The County Princess only said she wanted someone to accompany her for tea. As for why it was me, I don¡¯t know.¡± Ren Yaoqi explained patiently. Not only did the maids wonder about Xiao Jinglin dragging Ren Yaoqi for tea, but when they returned to the courtyard where they were resting, Li, who had been waiting for a long time and was coming out to order someone, was also looked very puzzled. Ren Yaoqi said it again according to the answer just now, but Madam Li still couldn¡¯t understand after thinking about it for a long time. Matron Zhou reassured Li, ¡°Since the Princess does not mean any harm, there is no need for you to worry, Madam. It is a good thing that the County Princess likes our Fifth Miss. Although she doesn¡¯t often return to Prince Yanbei¡¯s residence, she is extremely well-liked by Prince Yanbei.¡± Li nodded, ¡°You are right. Although this County Princess is a bit eccentric, she has not been heard of doing anything evil.¡± Ren Yaoqi did not know that Xiao Jingxi had returned to Yunyang City shortly after she left, but she and Li set off early the next morning to return to Baihe Town. As the carriage descended the mountain path, the wind blew open the curtain and Ren Yaoqi glanced out casually to see two nuns in light grey Taoist robes chatting as they came up the mountain path. Ren Yaoqi could not help but take a longer look at the older nun, who was fair-skinned and charming, with a bit of unintentional charm in her eyes as she talked and laughed with the other. Ren Yaoqi was wondering about the identity of this nun, but that nun turned her head slightly as if feeling something, and peered at this side. Seeing that it was a carriage used by the female relatives of a wealthy family, she shifted her gaze again and continued to joke with the younger woman. As Ren Yaoqi sat in the carriage, she could still hear her clear, unapologetic laughter. The young nun who was traveling with the older nun saw that passersby were looking at them and reminded her companion to keep her voice down. But the nun with the hair was oblivious and continued to laugh loudly. Matron Zhou glanced out and said with a frown, ¡°How does this woman look like a monk?¡± But Ren Yaoqi remembered what she had heard about a nun from the nearby Baiyun Temple when she had last been here, and this nun with hair must be the one surnamed Liang. She seemed to have a reckless nature. But after what happened last time, she still managed to stay in this Buddhist purity place to hide in peace and quiet, and from what can be seen from her face, she didn¡¯t feel affected at all. This woman should not be a simple person. The carriage brushed past the two nuns, and Ren Yaoqi slowly withdrew her eyes. After descending from the mountain and turning into the official road from the path around the mountain, they had not gone far when they saw several carriages coming from the direction of Yunyang City. The style of the carriages looked very similar to the one that Ren Yaoqi and Li were riding. ¡°Madam, the Second Madam¡¯s carriage is behind us and is coming from the direction of Yunyang City,¡± someone outside reported. ¡°Second Sister-in-law said earlier that she had gone back to Yunyang City to attend her nephew¡¯s wedding banquet, so she should be coming from her mother¡¯s home. Tell the front to stop first and wait for Second Sister-in-law¡¯s carriage to go first.¡± Li instructed softly. So Li¡¯s carriage and her party stopped slowly, and the carriage behind them soon caught up and stopped next to Li¡¯s carriage. The Second Madam, Su, lifted the curtain to reveal a plain and gentle face. Li also lifted the curtain and smiled as she called out, ¡°Second Sister-in-law.¡± Su nodded gently, ¡°Just now, when I saw the carriage of the Ren Family in front of me, I thought it was one of the masters of the house who had come to burn incense at the Bailong Temple. Ren Yaoqi greeted her Second Aunt. ¡°Huh? Fifth Sister is here too?¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s voice rang out in Su¡¯s carriage, followed by the sight of Ren Yaoting¡¯s face appearing by the curtain as well. Su frowned and scolded her daughter gently, ¡°Ting¡¯er, don¡¯t you greet Third Aunt first when you see her? You have no rules.¡± Ren Yaoting called out, ¡°Third Aunt,¡± but her eyes glanced at Li¡¯s carriage. Li smiled and spoke for Ren Yaoting, ¡°They haven¡¯t seen each other for a few days, so it¡¯s only right that they get closer.¡± ¡°Mother, I want to sit with my Fifth Sister. Last time I spoke to my Fifth Sister about my Sister-in-law, she said that most of the women in the capital are spoilt and don¡¯t speak well. But my Eldest Cousin¡¯s wife is not, so this daughter wants to go and talk to her about Eldest Cousin¡¯s wife.¡± Ren Yaoting begged. Su didn¡¯t stop her when she heard the words, nodding her head and saying gently, ¡°Ask your Fifth Sister what she wants. If she is willing, you sisters can go and sit in the carriage at the back.¡± CH 95 Chapter 95: Delighted Ren Yaoqi heard Ren Yaoting¡¯s words in the carriage and thought to herself that Ren Yaoting should wanted to talk about the salt farm. Li also wanted Ren Yaoqi to be close to the sisters of the Ren Family, so she said to her, ¡°Go and sit with your Seventh Sister in the same carriage.¡± Ren Yaoqi complied and got out of the carriage. Ren Yaoting had been waiting outside for a long time, and when she saw Ren Yaoqi get off, she came over and took Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand, smiling very affectionately, ¡°Fifth Sister, this carriage ride has been very tedious. Fortunately I met you, so we can sit together and have a good talk.¡± Originally, for the convenience of traveling in Yunyang City, Ren Yaoting had a separate carriage. But she liked to sit with Su, so her own carriage was empty. Ren Yaoqi followed Ren Yaoting onto her carriage. As soon as she got into the carriage, Ren Yaoting sent the maids to sit outside, leaving only herself and Ren Yaoqi in the carriage. ¡°Seventh Sister, I¡¯ve heard the maids talking privately about the Su Family¡¯s wedding ceremony, it sounds very lively.¡± Ren Yaoqi said with a smile. Ren Yaoting smiled haughtily at her words, ¡°My Eldest Cousin is the Su Family¡¯s Eldest Grandson, so naturally his wedding is a bit more lively than the average family¡¯s. But¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi was a little curious and asked after her, ¡°But what?¡± Ren Yaoting glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Initially she would not have said this to Ren Yaoqi, but now that she looked at Ren Yaoqi and found her more agreeable, she whispered, ¡°But the dowry of my Eldest Cousin¡¯s wife is quite shabby. Although it looks like there are thirty-two sets, I heard from my mother¡¯s matron that only the top layer of the dowry box contains some slightly valuable things, the bottom layer is full of things that were not worth anything. The few clothes that were of some note were still fashions of last year in the capital. Therefore, my Second Aunt and Third Aunt¡¯s servants in their courtyard have been talking a lot about it.¡± Ren Yaoting brushed her lips. The Su Family¡¯s Eldest Master, Su Keqin, and Ren Yaoting¡¯s mother, Su Yi, were born from Elder Su¡¯s original main wife, while the Second Master, Su Kejian, and the Third Master, Su Keji, were born out of second wife. Ren Yaoting knew that in her previous life, Zeng had caused a lot of trouble when she married into the Su Family. At that time, Zeng Yu was only a sixth-ranked military official with the title Zhongxian. His niece had no father or mother and was raised in his mansion since childhood. Everyone guessed that it was the stepmother, Old Madam Su, who planned such a marriage for the first wife¡¯s son, and for the Young Master of the Su Family to be matched like that because he was tricked by others. When Zeng Yu rose to prominence in Yanbei later, only then did everyone realize that it was Old Master Su¡¯s unique wisdom. Ren Yaoqi could not help but sneer. With that kind of discerning eye, the Su Family should have had an affair with the Zeng Family long ago. Regardless of whether this Zeng Family has a family background or not, her dowry is just a cover-up to make people relax their vigilance towards the Zeng Family. ¡°¡­But my Eldest Cousin¡¯s wife is extremely nice, she is pretty, and knows how to read and write.¡± She said, ¡°This is a gift from her to me, I heard that she embroidered the pattern on it herself. See how well the embroidery is done?¡± Ren Yaoqi took it and looked at it. The pink purse was embroidered with two young girls kicking shuttlecock. The picture was vivid and alive. Ren Yaoqi handed the purse back and nodded with a smile, ¡°Well, the embroidery is very good.¡± Ren Yaoting pursed her lips and smiled. It looked like she liked the purse and was very pleased with her Eldest Cousin-in-law. In fact, according to Ren Yaoting¡¯s high and proud nature, she would have looked down on Zeng, who had a thin dowry. But after only a few days together, she had taken a liking to Zeng, so it was clear that this Zeng was a remarkable woman. ¡°Well. I will talk to you slowly later about the matter of my Eldest Cousin¡¯s wife. But I called you over actually to tell you about that thing we talked about last time.¡± Ren Yaoting lowered her voice and said. Ren Yaoqi pretended to be puzzled, ¡°Which one thing is Seventh Sister talking about?¡± ¡°The Han Family¡¯s salt farm¡­,¡± Ren Yaoting reminded in a small voice. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s this matter. Seventh Sister, did you really go to mention it with the elders?¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes widened. Ren Yaoting covered her mouth and laughed, ¡°You still think I said it for fun?¡± ¡°So how did it turn out?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Ren Yaoting sat closer to Ren Yaoqi: ¡°I was originally going to mention it to my mother, but I was afraid that my mother would see what was going on. Since my mother was going to take me to Yunyang City for my Eldest Cousin¡¯s wedding, I thought it would be better to speak to my grandfather¡¯s family directly. So I found a chance to ask my Eldest Cousin to tell my uncle, but I didn¡¯t expect to be caught by my grandaunt. My grandaunt asked me a lot of questions and asked me where I had heard what I said. I told her that I had thought of some of it myself and that I had overheard some of the stewards gossiping when I went to the West Mansion. I didn¡¯t want my grandaunt to tell my grandfather and uncle about it directly.¡± Here Ren Yaoting stopped and looked at Ren Yaoqi and smiled, ¡°Guess what the result was?¡± ¡°Your grandfather and Uncle think this matter is feasible?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Ren Yaoting shook her head. With a lofty look she continued, ¡°How can this matter be that simple? But my maternal grandfather has already asked my granduncle to order someone to go to Xining, saying that he needs to find out the truth before making any plans.¡± When the Ren Family decided to cooperate with the Han Family, they also sent someone to Xining to check out the situation on the ground. Therefore, Ren Yaoqi was not surprised. Since the Su Family was willing to send someone to probe for information, it meant that the Su Family was interested in this matter. Ren Yaoqi thought that the salt field that the Han Family was talking about was just an empty shelf to lure the Ren Family into the bait, because otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to get a good salt well with the current strength of the Han Family. But then she thought that if the Ren Family¡¯s prudence was groundless, Old Master Ren would not have failed to find out about it. Now that she knew that the Han Family was involved with the Yanbei Royal Family, then this matter of the salt well should be true. She just didn¡¯t know what connection the salt well in the Han Family¡¯s hands has to the Yanbei Royal Family¡¯s intent to use the Han Family. It might not be a bad idea to test it out with the Su Family. ¡°What are you thinking about? Are you listening to me or not!¡± Ren Yaoting saw that Ren Yaoqi seemed to be thinking about something and could not help but rage. Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaoting and smiled slightly, ¡°Well, I¡¯m listening. I was just thinking that it should take some time to get from Yunyang City to Xining to spy out the news.¡± Only then did Ren Yaoting turn her anger into joy, ¡°Of course. But my maternal grandfather¡¯s family has always had someone guarding Xining, so it should be quite convenient, right?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°That would be much more convenient.¡± The two of them talked all the way, and Ren Yaoqi found that Ren Yaoting was particularly talkative today. Probably she was happy that she was one step closer to her goal. Normally Ren Yaoting only talked to people she liked, and she had never paid much attention to her in the past. Most of the time, Ren Yaoqi just listened, nodding or mumbling occasionally. Time passed more quickly when someone was talking, and soon the Ren Family¡¯s carriage entered Baihe Town. The carriage from the East Mansion had to enter a different gate to the carriage from the West Mansion, so the carriage stopped when it reached the end of the street. A maid sent from Li¡¯s side said through the carriage curtain, ¡°Fifth Miss, we have arrived at the entrance of the residence, the madam has asked you to come down.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew everything she wanted to know from Ren Yaoting, so she readily excused herself. Ren Yaoting blinked and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when there¡¯s news over there.¡± The joy of success naturally had to be shared with someone, and Ren Yaoting felt that so far this was the most appropriate thing to say to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°Good, then I will first wish Seventh Sister all the success she wishes for.¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s face flushed, and only when she thought that Ren Yaoqi was probably just casually saying that the words did not mean what she had in mind did her heart calm down. By this time, Ren Yaoting had already gotten out of the car. There, one of the senior maid who served Ren Yaoting was called over by Su¡¯s matron. In front of Su, the matron asked Ren Yaoting¡¯s maid, ¡°What did Miss say to the Fifth Miss of the Western Mansion?¡± The maid thought for a moment and said truthfully, ¡°At first, she was talking about Young Master Su¡¯s marriage and the Su Family¡¯s Eldest Young Madam. Later, Miss lowered her voice, so this servant couldn¡¯t hear clearly.¡± The matron asked a few more questions and sent the maid down. ¡°Madam, do you think that the things Miss said to Master that day had something to do with the Fifth Miss of the West Mansion?¡± The matron asked softly. Su, who was sitting with her eyes closed, slowly opened her eyes, ¡°I just don¡¯t believe Ting¡¯er could have thought of those, as for who told her¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Su¡¯s eyes were as restless as an ancient well: ¡°The Third Branch¡¯s Ren Yaoqi¡­ If she had such a mind, she wouldn¡¯t have been set up by that Concubine before. It is extremely possible to say that Concubine knew about it.¡± ¡°Then do you think it could be that Concubine Fang who has her hand stretched too far?¡± The matron saw that Su didn¡¯t believe it was Ren Yaoqi, so she asked again. This time Su was silent for a little longer, and half a second later she said in a light voice, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. If it was she who told Ting¡¯er about this matter through Ren Yaoqi¡¯s mouth, then her purpose should be to obstruct Ren Yaohua from marrying into the Han Family.¡± Sister sniffed a little disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s just a concubine, what good would it do her?¡± Su smiled faintly, ¡°She may be a concubine, but she¡¯s very good at what she does. Haven¡¯t you seen that even the sister-in-law never provokes her? Someone barefoot is not afraid of those wearing shoes. She dares, but others may not. As for the benefits¡­ if Li¡¯s daughter has a strong in-law, then she will have even less chance of taking over the power of the Third Branch from Li in the future. According to Old Master¡¯s nature, as long as the Ren Family has a marriage contract with the Han Family, he will give Li some face.¡± CH 96 Chapter 96: Visiting the Sick ¡°This time, if it is Concubine Fang who secretly urged our young lady, then she is a little too dismissive to our East Mansion and the Su Family,¡± the Matron frowned. ¡°Perhaps she feels that she is selling the Su Family a favor.¡± Su said in a light voice, ¡°But it¡¯s not her turn to sell this favor, Concubine Fang has crossed the line this time.¡± Su¡¯s voice was as flat as water, no bad emotions could be heard, but the maid who had served her for many years felt that her master displeased. No matter what purpose Concubine Fang had, and no matter what benefits it would bring to the Su Family by doing so, she still decided to use Ren Yaoting. If she could use her once, she could use her a second time. This time it was fine wine and the next time it could be poison. The matron aware of this, and Su understand it even better. Within a few days of Ren Yaoting¡¯s return to the house, she heard that there had been another fight over the Han Family. She heard that the people of the Han Clan were annoyed at Han Dongshan¡¯s delay in giving them an explanation. Then someone had fanned the flames saying that Han Dongshan was deliberately stalling for time so that he could properly dispose of the treasures and find an opportunity to excuse himself. This time the angry Han Clan almost stormed the inner courtyard of the Han house. Madam Han, who was already in poor health, was so shocked that her asthma was triggered. Had Han Yunqian not rushed over in time, afraid that she would not have been saved. This time, the Han Family was also furious and drove out everyone who stayed in the house. At first, they refused to leave, but in the end, Master Han threatened to take back all the land and property that belonged to his family if they continued to make trouble in the Han Family. He would also stop giving the clan money every year. They had no proof of Han Dongshan¡¯s embezzlement of the family¡¯s property, and even the only other witness had disappeared. However, the silver given to the clan by the Han Family was real. This time the people who were on the clan¡¯s dole, or who had children at home studying at the Han Family school, were silenced. In the end, the Patriarch of the Han Family came to act as a mediator and agreed with Han Dongshan. He agreed with Han Dongshan that everyone in the clan would go to Jizhou with him, but that Han Dongshan would have an explanation to be given to the clan within three months. Some felt that the three months were too long and were not satisfied. However, with the Patriarch to mediate, they reluctantly agreed and followed him back to Jizhou that day. When Ren Yaoqi heard about this, she remembered that in her last life, Madam Han had died very young. It seemed to be in the past year or two. She didn¡¯t know exactly when it was. Of those in the Han Family, Madam Han, and Master Han she had not met, and Han Dongshan and Han Yunqian were both not simple. On the contrary, after meeting Mrs. Han and Han You a few times, she found that both of them were gentle, good-natured, and well-educated. Some days later, when she heard that Madam Han had not recovered from her illness, Ren Yaoting came to West Mansion to find Ren Yaoqi and some sisters and went to visit Mrs. Han together. Originally, she thought she wanted to go by herself. But if she went alone, she was afraid that others would gossip about her, so she wanted to ask Ren Yaoqi to go with her. And since she had called Ren Yaoqi, the rest of the Ren Family naturally knew about it too. Old Madam Ren had a mind that ¡®Business cannot be done without righteousness¡¯, so she let several granddaughters to visit Madam Han. Originally, she wanted Eldest Young Madam to lead them, but Eldest Young Madam said she was not feeling well. So it was Eldest Madam who took the juniors out. When she was about to leave, Matron Zhou chased after them and secretly instructed the two sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, ¡°Although you are going to visit the sick, you should do your best to see them from afar. Don¡¯t stay in Madam Han¡¯s house for too long.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Ren Yaohua asked in surprise. Matron Zhou whispered, ¡°You are young, so it is not unusual for you not to understand this. I heard that Madam Han has been coughing up blood a lot these days, so I am afraid that it is a ¡®daughter¡¯s cough¡¯. If you contract this disease, it will be the end of your life. So you must be careful not to touch Madam Han¡¯s things or eat the food in their house.¡± Ren Yaohua laughed at that, ¡°Matron, you are too careful, didn¡¯t you say it was just asthma?¡± But Matron Zhou said seriously, ¡°You don¡¯t know this, Third Miss. There are some families who won¡¯t tell the truth about certain illnesses to avoid dislike from their future in-laws. Just listen to this servant¡¯s advice. Be careful, don¡¯t be careless.¡± Seeing that Matron Zhou was really worried, Ren Yaohua nodded and obliged, ¡°I know. I won¡¯t go near it.¡± Matron Zhou looked at Ren Yaoqi again. Ren Yaoqi also nodded her head to show that she understood. Only then did Matron Zhou let the two sisters go out. Because the Han Family Mansion was also in town, the two families¡¯ distances were not far apart. However, the women of the Ren Family still went out by carriage. When they got on the carriage, Ren Yaohua asked Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Is it because of what Matron Zhou said that Sister-in-law is not going to the Han Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and shook her head, ¡°Sister-in-law is loyal, even if she knew about it, she still would have come because of this. It must be because Eldest Aunt feels sorry for Sister-in-law, so she went in her place.¡± Eldest Young Madam Zhao indeed had a loyal and honest nature, without any fancy. She wouldn¡¯t have avoided it herself and let her mother-in-law go for her. It was just that recently Zhao had been taking medicine every day, and she heard that Zhao wanted to get pregnant soon. The Eldest Madam might not allow her to go because of this. It would be bad if Zhao had a baby at this time, and caught a disease. The Ren Family had sent an invitation before they came, otherwise, even if they were kind enough to visit the sick, people would say that they were unaware of manners. So the Han Family sent someone to wait in front of the Han residence early in the morning. The carriage of the Ren Family was led directly to the second gate. This was the first time Ren Yaoqi came to the Han Family. She had no impression of the Han Family¡¯s mansion anyway and should not have been here in her last life. The Han Family¡¯s house was not as well laid out as the Ren Family¡¯s, and the various buildings in the house were not as opulent as the Ren Family¡¯s. It was generally dignified and simple, but the discerning eye could see some differences in the details. For example, the tall shadow of wall stone at the entrance to the courtyard of Han Dongshan and Old Madam Han was no less impressive than the Lingbi stone which was known as the ¡°Majestic Cang Mountain¡± in the Ren Family¡¯s Ronghua Courtyard. >> Lingbi Stone There was a small garden filled with many precious flowers and plants. However, the Han Family¡¯s background was very subtle. If one were not so discerning, one would only think that the Han Family¡¯s house was rugged and spacious. The female family members of the Ren Family were first led to meet the Martriach of the Han Family, Old Madam Han. They were all taken aback when they saw her. It was not because she was unattractive. On the contrary, the Old Madam, who was about the same age as Old Master Han, had bright eyes, very few wrinkles on her face, and dark hair. She looked like a lady in her forties, even more spirited than her daughter-in-law, Madam Han. The Ren Family were all surprised. This was the first time that the women of the Ren Family, including Eldest Madam, had seen Old Madam Han. Originally, because Old Madam Han often claimed to be sick and did not go out for social engagements, it was only Madam Han who was not in good health, so it was only natural for everyone to assume that Old Madam Han was also old and frail. However, it was not expected that she would have such a face. Seeing the surprise in the crowd¡¯s eyes, Old Madam Han smiled and said, ¡°My legs are not good, and I don¡¯t like to go out much, so my daughter-in-law always goes out for me.¡± It was only then that the crowd realized that although there was nothing wrong with Old Madam Han¡¯s legs on the surface, she did not walk very fast and had her granddaughter, Han You, supporting her at all times. Ren Yaoqi was also secretly observing Old Madam Han. She noticed that there were hardly any wrinkles on her face, but there were some faint lines of laughter around her mouth when she spoke, so she must have been a cheerful woman when she was younger. But now she seemed a bit solemn, despite her kind tone. Ren Yaoqi was silently checking around when a look suddenly shot in her direction. This look was very keen. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but stare and meet Old Madam Han¡¯s eyes. Showing a demure smile, Ren Yaoqi lowered her head somewhat embarrassed, as if she had been caught red-handed peeking at someone else. Old Madam Han withdrew her gaze, invited the Eldest Madam to take her seat, and ordered the maid to serve tea. The younger members of the Ren Family also sat under the Eldest Madam according to their rank. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Ren Yaoting couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Old Madam, is Auntie Han¡¯s illness getting better? We have come to visit her today.¡± As soon as she snapped her words, the Eldest Madam of the Ren Family couldn¡¯t help but frown. The Ren Family had informed the Han Family of their visit early on, but it was a rule to exchange pleasantries with the elders of the house first. However, Ren Yaoting¡¯s snide remark seemed to implied that she, the elder, did not aware which was more important. However, in front of outsiders, the Eldest Madam would not show her displeasure, let alone reprimand Ren Yaoting, her niece, in public. She nodded to Old Madam Han and interjected with a smile, ¡°If it is convenient, we would like to visit Madam Han. Our Old Madam is also very concerned when she hears that Madam Han is ill. Old Madam has always like Madam Han¡¯s knowledge and understanding, and often mentioned it in front of us, her daughters-in-law.¡± . CH 97 Chapter 97: The Han Family¡¯s Secret (1) Not long afterwards, Han You received someone who said that Madam Han was better today and could see her guests. So the Old Madam said to the Eldest Madam of the Ren Family, ¡°In that case, I will accompany you to see her. Like me, she doesn¡¯t like to go out much, and she doesn¡¯t know many people, so she¡¯s very happy that you can come and see her.¡± Wang nodded with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be grateful to you.¡± It was reasonable to say that the Old Madam of the Han Family was an elder, and she should not be the one to accompany guests to her daughter-in-law¡¯s courtyard. She took the initiative to make Wang feel that the Han Family¡¯s Old Madam was a good person to get along with and had no airs. This, coupled with the fact that Old Madam Han was very talkative and very affable with her words, made Wang feel very good about her. At first, she thought that the Han Family¡¯s rules were very strict with their female family members. The Old Madam of the Han Family was only from a gentry family, so she must be an old woman with little knowledge. She didn¡¯t think that the real Old Madam Han would be very surprising. Ren Yaoqi remembered what she heard previously. The Old Madam of the Han Family was the only daughter in her family and lost her mother when she was young, so she was a capable girl who took care of all the affairs in the family. It¡¯s just that after marrying Han Dongshan, she concentrated on staying in the inner house to care for her husband and teach her children, and refused to go out easily. Seeing the appearance of Old Madam Han today, Ren Yaoqi believed that this statement was true. This Old Madam Han is indeed a formidable person. It¡¯s just why she began to restrain her words and deeds after marrying Han Dongshan, and even severely disciplined her daughter-in-law and granddaughter? This Han Family was really mysterious. Ren Yaoqi and several sisters from the Ren Family followed Eldest Madam Ren and Old Madam Han to Madam Han¡¯s courtyard. The inner courtyard of the Han Family was just as conscientious as the outer courtyard, except for some trees and flowers, and there were no superficial opulence could be seen. When they arrived in front of Madam Han¡¯s courtyard, there were no flowers, plants, or trees around. They even saw beside the wall in front of the courtyard gate there were several small tree stumps that had been cut down until no one couldn¡¯t tell what kind of trees they were. Seeing everyone¡¯s eyes stopping at the small stumps, Old Madam Han said, ¡°There were a few peach trees planted there. But because the doctor said that kind of tree might cause asthma, Qian¡¯er took responsible to cut them up. Not just these few trees. The flowers and plants that were originally planted in the yard were also ordered to be pulled out by that child¡± Sure enough, as soon as they walked into Madam Han¡¯s yard, all that could be seen was a bare, square courtyard wall, and nothing else. It was somewhat similar to Old Madam Ren¡¯s yard. Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t like flowers and plants, because those would attract insects and ants in summer. When everyone followed Old Madam Han into the house, Madam Han had already gotten up. However, she was still concerned that she was sick and could not meet people. So the curtain in front of the bed was lowered and Han You was waiting at her bedside. The younger members of the Ren Family went forward to greet her, and Madam Han said with an apology, ¡°I am sorry for my rudeness, I hope you all will not take offense.¡± Eldest Madam Ren laughed and said, ¡°We won¡¯t take offense of that you are a patient. Why are you being so scruples about being rude? It is only proper that you get well.¡± Madam Han sighed softly through the curtain, turned her head to see her daughter¡¯s worried eyes but smiled and said following Eldest Madam Ren¡¯s words, ¡°I am grateful for your kind words.¡± The furniture in Madam Han¡¯s room was all mahogany, and the style was very simple. Upon closer inspection, there are a lot of thoughts behind it. The pieces of furniture are black, look a bit old but polished well. There is not a lot of stuff except for a foot-high coral tree on the antique shelf, which by discerning eyes can be seen as an extraordinary piece. The girls of the Ren Family had taught by their elders when at home, so now they all sat in the outer room in a disciplined manner, very obedient. The Eldest Madam exchange a few words with Madam Han. When she saw that the time was already late, she said, ¡°I see you are tired, so you should rest first, so we will not disturb you.¡± Madam Han also knew that she was ill and couldn¡¯t entertain their guests. She hastily apologized and did not stay long, only telling her daughter to go and treat them well. Old Madam Han also got up and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Flower Hall and have tea. It¡¯s rare to have visitors in our house, so you must have your meal before you leave today.¡± The juniors of the Ren Family saluted and left with the Eldest Madam of the Ren Family. Eldest Madam Ren smiled and said, ¡°There is no need for a meal. We didn¡¯t walk too far to come here. The Ren Family is just a few steps away from the Han residence, so we can come whenever we want. Don¡¯t be so polite to us. Besides, We have to go back and tell our Old Madam about Madam Han¡¯s illness, she is so worried that it is always on her mind. But we wouldn¡¯t mind having a cup of tea from the house.¡± Old Madam Han laughed and did not force her to stay, but said, ¡°Look at this clever mouth of Eldest Madam. If I were to force you to stay, it would seem that I am unreasonable. Then let¡¯s go to the flower room and have some tea.¡± Ren Yaoting finally caught a chance this time to pull Han You aside to have whispered conversation. The two of them could be described as intimate and fell in behind a little to exchange pleasantries. Soon Old Madam Han noticed and turned her head to laugh: ¡°You¡¯er? What are you talking about? Why have you fallen behind the guests?¡± Han You was not afraid of her grandmother, instead rather intimate, ¡°Sister Ting is very concerned about Mother¡¯s condition, so she asked some questions.¡± Old Madam Han glanced at Ren Yaoting, who lowered her head somewhat shyly and said in a small voice, ¡°Auntie is very nice, I hope she gets well soon.¡± Old Madam Han¡¯s weathered eyes had a sense of understanding as she smiled gently and said, ¡°You are the Seventh Miss of the Ren Family, aren¡¯t you? No wonder You¡¯er always mentions you to us, you really are a good child.¡± Ren Yaoting¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, but her face became even more shy. Han You took the opportunity to say, ¡°Grandmother, when I went to the Ren Family the Ren sisters took me around the Ren Family¡¯s garden. Now that they are guests at our house, this granddaughter should show them our garden as well.¡± Old Madam Han shook her head and lost her smile, ¡°The Ren Family¡¯s mansion is well known throughout the whole of Yanbei, how can it be compared with our garden?¡± She was exaggerating when she said that the Ren Family¡¯s house was known in all of Yanbei, but it was one of the most famous in Baihe Town. When the Ren Family heard this, they felt their faces were shining. Ren Yaoting smiled and said, ¡°The Ren Family¡¯s mansion is exquisite, but the Han Family¡¯s mansion is grand. We do want to have a look at it.¡± Ren Yaoting noticed a flicker of hesitation in Old Madam Han¡¯s eyes, but she quickly smiled broadly and said, ¡°Since you want to see it, then go and have a look. It¡¯s just that our family¡¯s garden is indeed boring.¡± Han You was delighted at her words and took Ren Yaoting¡¯s hand and smiled at her. The few young girls in the Ren Family all have a few curiosities about the Han Family too, so they all readily agreed. Eldest Madam Ren gave her daughters and nieces a few words of advice and then followed Old Madam Han to the flower room for tea. However, before she left, Old Madam Han deliberately turned to her granddaughter and said, ¡°You¡¯er, take good care of the guests, don¡¯t let them get lost in the large garden. When you are tired of wandering, come and have tea in the Flower Hall.¡± CH 98 Chapter 98: The Secret of Han Family (2) Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know if it was because she was always wary of the Han Family, but she had a feeling that there was a warning in Old Madam Han¡¯s words. Could it be that the Han Family had some hidden secrets that they didn¡¯t want anyone to see? Ren Yaoqi wondered to herself. Han You was very happy to be the host for the first time and did not care much about what Old Madam Han had said, so she just nodded and answered yes. Old Madam Han turned around and instructed her two maids to stay behind to look after the young misses before she led the Eldest Madam to the flower room. Han You brought them to the small garden in the inner courtyard. On the way, she mentioned some of the fascinating objects in the courtyard, much like the Ren sisters had done to introduce her to the Ren Mansion the last time she visited the Ren Family. But the Han Family was new to Baihe Town after all, so Han You racked her brains and only managed to get a few dry sentences, embarrassing herself first. Indeed, the Han Family¡¯s garden is not as elaborate as the Ren Family¡¯s, but it is a very large place, and there are indeed many exotic flowers and plants in it. The Ren sisters were used to seeing the Ren Family¡¯s garden, therefore they were intrigued by the Han Family¡¯s garden. But when they realized that, aside from the flowers and trees, there were merely rocks, which were considerably less beautiful than the Ren Family, and they lost interest. But since Han You was so excited to introduce the flowers and plants in the garden to them, they could only keep up their spirits. It was Ren Yaoting who really looked interested. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve even planted ¡®Five Young Guards¡¯ in your house?¡± Ren Yaoyin asked in surprise, pointing at a Camilla not far away. Five Young Guards is a precious variety of camellia, also known as ¡®Eighteen Scholars¡¯. >> Eighteen Scholars Han You looked up, pursed his lips, and smiled: ¡°Yes, but it didn¡¯t bloom.¡± Ren Yaoyin walked over and took a closer look at it, shaking her head in regret, ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s alive, but indeed it shouldn¡¯t be able to bloom. It¡¯s extremely cold here, and it¡¯s not suitable for this kind of flower to grow. I raised it once before and let it grow. My mother hired an experienced flower farmer to take care of it for me. So I didn¡¯t think it would survive.¡± Han You laughed and said, ¡°I also said that I can¡¯t keep them alive, but my brother insisted on raising them. My mother likes camellias very much. Once she dreamed of a yard full of ¡®Eighteen Scholars¡¯. My brother asked someone to find some camellias. But in the end, only this one survived, but it didn¡¯t bloom. My brother said that they would bloom next year, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Of course it is possible.¡± Han You¡¯s words had only just fallen, Ren Yaoting already interjected with full conviction. The crowd gave her a somewhat odd look, but Ren Yaoting had bent down to take a closer look at the Camilla flower. Ren Yaoyin coughed lightly and changed the subject, ¡°From this, we can see that Young Master Han is indeed a rare filial son.¡± They walked around the garden for a while. When reached the northwest corner, one of the two maids sent by Old Madam Han came up to Han You and said, ¡°Miss, the ladies of the Ren Family are tired after such a long stroll, why don¡¯t you go inside and sit in the pavilion? I will ask someone to prepare some tea. Wouldn¡¯t it be more comfortable for the masters to sit in the pavilion and enjoy the flowers?¡± The direction the maid pointed was the direction they had come from, and just now they had indeed vaguely seen a small gazebo protruding from the eaves in a flower path. Han You sniffed at the words and looked at the path ahead, looking somewhat hesitantly at Ren Yaoting and the others. The Ren sisters were also a little tired from their walk, but Ren Yaoting wanted to take the Han You for a stroll. Ren Yaoyu casually asked, ¡°What¡¯s up ahead?¡± Everyone looked at a corner of a red wooden door around the corner, it seemed to lead to some small courtyard or house. The maid who had spoken before said first, ¡°It¡¯s an abandoned courtyard in our mansion. I heard that it used to be the library. But then the Old Madam built a new study in the inner courtyard, and it was abandoned. It hasn¡¯t been cleaned for a long time. A few days ago, a woman who took care of the flowers and trees in the garden said that she saw such a rat this big¡­¡± The maid reached out and gestured, and it was as big as a house cat. The highborn young ladies was startled at the words and hurriedly backed up a few steps. Ren Yaoyin did ask suspiciously, ¡°I remember that the Han Family only moved here last year, right? How come the new study room was built so quickly?¡± Han You seemed to be a little displeased. She stealthily glared at the maid and said before the maid could, ¡°Although our family has only moved here recently, my grandfather bought this house a long time ago. He even sent someone to take care of it. So before we moved in, the house had already been renovated.¡± ¡°No wonder that the paint on the veranda before was still very new.¡± Ren Yaoyin nodded in understanding and smiled. When the two maids saw that the ladies did not say they wanted to go on nor did they say they wanted to go to the pavilion, they could not help but exchange glances. The maid who had spoken before was about to say something else, but Ren Yaoyu took a stand and said, ¡°It¡¯s better to go to the pavilion to rest in case we really bump into some big rats.¡± Ren Yaoyin nodded without comment, ¡°It¡¯s good to take a rest. My mother might run and send someone over later to tell us to go back.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at that corner in front of her. Although she had a vague mental feeling that something was wrong, she did not object to avoid drawing attention to herself. Ren Yaoting saw that everyone meant to go to the pavilion to rest, so she could not say anything else. The two maids secretly breathed a sigh of relief and enthusiastically guided them to the pavilion. Before they reached the pavilion, Ren Yaoting suddenly pointed at a distant tree with large white flowers the size of a bowl and exclaimed, ¡°What kind of tree is that? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± Han You looked at the tree where Ren Yaoting pointed and laughed, ¡°That¡¯s a dove tree. Although the flower is big and beautiful, it has no fragrance.¡± >> Dove Tree Seeing that Ren Yaoting couldn¡¯t stop looking over there, Han You thought for a moment and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go with me to have a look over there?¡± Without waiting for the maid to say anything, she said to Ren Yaoyao, ¡°I will take Sister Ting to see the dove tree, if you are tired, go and rest first, we will come over later.¡± The dove tree blossom Ren Yaoting saw was in the northeast, some distance from the place where she had seen the abandoned study pavilion, so the two maids did not stop them. The Ren sisters were not interested in seeing the flowers and did not go along. Han You just brought Ren Yaoting away. One of the two maids sent by Old Madam Han said with a smile, ¡°I remember that there are a few locusts on the trees planted there, so I must go and remind my lady to not stay. Xiao Qin, accompany Ren Family misses to the pavilion to rest, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± The latter sentence was said to another maid. The maid called Qin¡¯er nodded, ¡°Sister Fan¡¯er you go, I¡¯ll greet the young miss.¡± Fan¡¯er went after Han You and Ren Yaoting. Qin¡¯er took the Ren Sisters to the gazebo. She also explained to the little maids to prepare tea and cakes. Not long after, the little maids came over with refections. Although it is just a small sitting, there was a table full of snacks on small plates. Suddenly a cry of alarm seemed to come from the northeast of the garden as if it was from the maid called Fan¡¯er from before. Qin¡¯er, who was leading the maids to lay out the chopsticks for the ladies of the Ren Family startled, and the sisters of the Ren Family also turned their heads to look back in surprise. Qin¡¯er hurriedly laughed, ¡°It must be because Sister Fan¡¯er has locust stuck on her hair again, she is always careless every time she tries to catch it. That¡¯s why she¡¯s so anxious to warn Miss.¡± There were no more strange noises coming from there, so everyone believed Qin¡¯er¡¯s story and laughed and joked a little. It was Qin¡¯er who handed the chopsticks to one of the Han Family maids, ¡°I¡¯ll go and check on Sister Fan¡¯er, otherwise she won¡¯t be able to find a place to fix her hair if it¡¯s messed up, and if other maids see it, there will be more trouble.¡± With that, she bowed and left. Only the Ren Sisters and a few Han maids were left in the pavilion. If the elders of the Han Family had seen them, they would have blamed Han You for being rude. But Han You was good-natured. The Ren sisters had a good impression of her, so no one deliberately picked on her. Ren Yaoqi smiled and asked the little Han maid who was waiting behind her, ¡°Is there a clean room around here? I want to change my clothes.¡± The Han maid nodded: ¡°There is a bathroom in the east of the garden, I will accompany you there.¡± Naturally, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t think about doing small tricks to bypass the Han Family¡¯s sight, it was not rational. They were a guest who was new to the house, and they were surrounded by people from the family. So she nodded and smiled, ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Ren Yaoqi greeted Ren Yaohua¡¯s few people and led her maid, Pingguo, and the Han Family¡¯s young maid out of the pavilion. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± On the way, Ren Yaoqi asked the maid. The little maid was flattered to see Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gentle attitude: ¡°This servant is called Hua¡¯er.¡± ¡°Hua¡¯er? You look so young. How long have you been in the house?¡± Ren Yaoqi continued to chat with the maid. The little maid even stretched out her fingers and counted carefully before saying, ¡°It has been eight months since this servant came to the Han Family.¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t follow the family from Jizhou?¡± ¡°No, this servant was sold in by a broker a few months ago.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and said with some hesitation, ¡°Is it true that there are rats in that small courtyard to the northwest?¡± She didn¡¯t expect the little maid to be dumbfounded at her words. That maid asked in confusion, ¡°Rats? How can there be a rat? Isn¡¯t there just a mute woman sweeping every day?¡± It turned out that this little maid had not heard Fan¡¯er¡¯s words before, she was sent here by the steward only when she was delivering the tea. Ren Yaoqi remained calm, ¡°Oh, maybe I heard it wrong. Who is that mute woman? I haven¡¯t seen it since I came to the garden.¡± The little maid said, ¡°That mute woman is mute. She is the one who looks after the small courtyard.¡± She said, ¡°But it is not impossible for you to say that there are rats, after all, the mute woman is the only one who looks after it, other maids and ladies are not allowed to enter.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart stirred at her words, ¡°Not allowed to enter? You¡¯ve never been inside?¡± The maid shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m just a maid, how dare I go in? Even Sister Qin¡¯er and Sister Fan¡¯er, who served the Old Madam, don¡¯t dare to go in.¡± CH 99 Chapter 99: The Search So this small courtyard hidden deep in the garden was actually the forbidden place of the Han Family? Qin¡¯er and Fan¡¯er whom Hua¡¯er had spoken about were the two maids that had stopped them from coming over earlier and were supposed to be Old Madam Han¡¯s trusted senior maids. If even Old Madam Han¡¯s trusted maids were not allowed to go to that courtyard¡­ Ren Yaoqi was curious about what kind of secrets were hidden in the courtyard. The little maid Hua¡¯er took Ren Yaoqi to a bathroom on the east side of the garden. The bathroom in the garden was not as spacious and exquisite as the one in the courtyard, but it was still neat and smoked with sandalwood incense. When Ren Yaoqi had finished dressing, Hua¡¯er was about to take her back the way they came, but Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°We came this way just now, and I have only wandered half of the garden. It¡¯s a good idea to take a look at the garden as well.¡± The bathroom is on the east side, and the mysterious yard is on the west side at the back. If you stick to the garden wall and go around from the north, you can bypass the courtyard through. Originally, Ren Yaoqi thought that it would need more words to convince Hua¡¯er, but she readily agreed then immediately turned the direction and led Ren Yaoqi towards the north side of the garden. Although the little maid had been taught not to barge into the forbidden places of the Han Family since she entered the house, she did not think that even the road in front of the forbidden place was forbidden to anyone. There were always maidservants who passed by there regularly, and people from the kitchen would go there every day to bring food to the mute woman who looked after the courtyard. The gardens of the big families all looked much the same. Although there were some differences between the gardens in the north and those in the south, Ren Yaoqi who had seen both, felt that there was nothing unusual about them. So all the way there, although she pretended to be surveying the flowers and trees in the courtyard, she was looking at the courtyard in secret. When she was almost at the entrance of that courtyard, Ren Yaoqi with her shard eyes suddenly saw a flash of a figure running past her. Ren Yaoqi was stunned and glanced at her maid, Hua¡¯er, who was oblivious and did not notice the figure¡¯s appearance. But Ren Yaoqi recognized that the person was a woman, and her clothes were very similar to those worn by her Seventh Sister, Ren Yaoting, today. Was that person Ren Yaoting? Hadn¡¯t Ren Yaoting gone with Han You to see the flowers? Why did she appear here alone? The place where that person disappeared just now was exactly the entrance to the mysterious courtyard. And wasn¡¯t that courtyard said to be guarded? How did Ren Yaoting get in? What was the reason for her going in? The gate of the mysterious courtyard was finally fully presented in front of Ren Yaoqi. To be honest, it was just extremely ordinary two red wooden doors, there was nothing special about them. The door was ajar, and Ren Yaoqi could see that the crack in the door was not closed. But everything inside the doors was blocked in by red thick wood gates, so it was impossible to peer in from the outside. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s steps stopped in front of the courtyard gate. Suddenly from the northwest corner, footsteps were coming this way. Ren Yaoqi heard someone saying, ¡°¡­Seventh Miss Ren is playing around with our Miss and asked me to find her. But us two maids haven¡¯t found Seventh Miss¡± Another person said sharply, ¡°Young Master, Old Madam¡¯s maids have instructed this servant to take good care of the Young Miss and to not let them run around. But now Seventh Miss Ren¡­¡± Then they happened to turn out from around the corner and came face to face with the pair of Ran Yaoqi and her maids. It was the maid called Fan¡¯er who was just speaking and then immediately stopped. The one who came with the two maids was Han Yunqian, who had not been present before. Han Yunqian was also stunned to suddenly bump into Ren Yaoqi. Fan¡¯er reacted first, sizing up Ren Yaoqi suspiciously and asking, ¡°Is it Fifth Miss Ren? Why are you here?¡± Ren Yaoqi stepped forward and greeted Han Yunqian. Smiling, she greeted Young Master Han. After saluting, the maid Hua¡¯er went up to Fan¡¯er and whispered a few words, as if explaining the reason for Ren Yaoqi¡¯s presence here. The senior maid who served Old Madam Han was indeed a formidable one, and her eyes flicked around Ren Yaoqi¡¯s body stealthily a few times. Only then did she smile and curtsy to make amends, ¡°It was this servant who neglected the guest, so please forgive me, Fifth Miss.¡± Han Yunqian nodded at Ren Yaoqi, his dark gaze making it impossible for anyone to see its depth. At this time someone else came this way, and not long after appeared in front of them. Turned the one who was arrived was Han You. ¡°Brother, have you found Sister Ting yet? Grandfather is back, if¡­.¡± Han You said hurriedly as soon as he saw Han Yunqian, not even seeing that Ren Yaoqi was also present. Suddenly she realized it and hurriedly stopped. Somewhat embarrassed, she nodded and smiled at Ren Yaoqi, but the anxiety in her eyes was palpable. She was not one to hide her emotions. ¡°My Seventh Sister is missing?¡± Ren Yaoqi seemed to have reacted only now and asked in shock. Han You frantically explained, ¡°Sister Ting and I were playing around earlier. She rushed behind the rockery to hide and let me seek her, but I couldn¡¯t find her anywhere, and she didn¡¯t answer when I called her. I asked Fan¡¯er and other maids to help me look for her, and when Brother came back, we came together to look for her.¡± Han You continued, ¡°Sister Ting was just playing around with me and hid, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head and said somewhat apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s my Seventh Sister who has been naughty and caused you all trouble.¡± ¡°Did Fifth Miss Ren run into Seventh Miss all the way to here?¡± Fan¡¯er asked Ren Yaoqi, but her eyes stopped on the junior maid called Hua¡¯er, who was beside Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and shook her head, ¡°We didn¡¯t meet anyone else.¡± Hua¡¯er felt Fan¡¯er¡¯s line of sight and hurriedly nodded. Han Yunqian thought for a moment, turned his head to stare at the red-painted gate a few steps away, and his eyes froze. Although the two maids, Qin¡¯er and Fan¡¯er, pretended to be calm, their pale faces betrayed their true emotions. Were they afraid? ¡°Go and call that mute woman out and ask her if she¡¯s seen Seventh Miss.¡± When Han Yunqian said this, his face returned to its normal subdued expression. Fan¡¯er bowed her head and replied ¡°Yes¡±, hurriedly walked to the red-painted gate, pushed the hidden gate open a little, and sneaked inside. Then she turned back and closed the gate behind her. Ren Yaoqi looked at the different expressions of the people present and stood still without moving. ¡°Would Fifth Miss like to go to the pavilion to rest first?¡± Han Yunqian said gently to Ren Yaoqi, his tone only concerned, not forced. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°I want to find my Seventh Sister first.¡± Han Yunqian paused for a split second, then nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Brother¡­,¡± Han You called out to Han Yunqian in a small voice, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. CH 100 Chapter 100: Han Dongshan Arrived Han Yunqian stared at Han You. Although he did not speak, his calm and gentle eyes made Han You gradually calm down. Ren Yaoqi pretended not to notice Han You¡¯s strange expression. She only stared at the plain red gate. ¡°I heard that this used to be a study room, is it right?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked casually. ¡°The original owner of the mansion built a small study here. When we moved in we found that the bookshelves inside had grown insects from the damp. So we abandoned the place for fear that the books would get moldy.¡± Han Yunqian nodded and calmly explained. At that moment, the red gate opened with a creak and Fan¡¯er came out from inside, followed by a short, stooped figure. Ren Yaoqi looked at her inquisitively and found out that she was a servant of some kind. That servant looks very old, probably in her sixties. When she saw her masters standing outside, she came over and saluted, a little slow in her movements. ¡°Young master, the mute woman said she was¡­ cleaning the hall earlier, so she didn¡¯t see anyone. This servant also looked around and didn¡¯t find Seventh Miss Ren.¡± Fan¡¯er came up and reported to Han Yunqian. The mute woman should not be deaf. After hearing Fan¡¯er¡¯s words she hurriedly used her hands to gesture a few words. Although the mute woman was standing with her back to Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaoqi nevertheless noticed a few of her movements. In her last life, when she lived in the capital, there was a cook in the Pei Family who was both deaf and mute, although she was a very good cook. Ren Yaoqi had come into contact with her, so she could guess some of the hand gestures. Is the mute woman just mentioned that she was burning incense before? Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but feel a twitch in her heart. She originally thought that there was someone related to the secrets of the Han Family hiding in this courtyard, but because they were afraid that the secrets would be leaked out, they only hired a mute woman who couldn¡¯t speak to serve, and they only delivered meals there every day. But the mute woman didn¡¯t seem to mention anyone, but rather the burning of incense. What kind of place needs incense burning? A Buddhist temple? A shrine? Ren Yaoqi felt that the truth seemed to be getting closer and closer, but she couldn¡¯t make head or tail of it for a while. If the person she had just seen was Ren Yaoting, then Ren Yaoting was still in this courtyard and had avoided Fan¡¯er and the mute woman. Han Yunqian¡¯s attitude towards the mute woman was gentle, and he even gestured with her with a few words. It seemed to be words of comfort to her. At that moment, an unfamiliar servant hurriedly ran out: ¡°Young Master, Miss, Old Master is coming this way.¡± Han You subconsciously shifted her gaze at the courtyard, her face tensed up again. Han Yunqian looked down and said to her, ¡°Let¡¯s go and greet Grandfather.¡± Then he said to the mute woman again, ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to do here, you can go in first.¡± Fan¡¯er said, ¡°Young master, this servant should continue to search for Seventh Miss Ren. This garden is not big, but it is also not small. It would be bad if Miss Ren got lost.¡± Han Yunqian nodded lightly and didn¡¯t say anything. The mute woman bowed and retreated, but Fan¡¯er hurriedly chased after her and whispered something in her ear. When she entered the courtyard, Fan¡¯er did not follow her in. The red wooden gate closed once again, and Ren Yaoqi heard the sound of the door key falling. ¡°Sister Yaoqi. You can come with us.¡± Han You hurriedly said to Ren Yaoqi, she seemed to be afraid of something and didn¡¯t want Ren Yaoqi to stay here. Ren Yaoqi nodded and followed behind Han Yunqian with Han You. Han You was still murmuring, ¡°Where on earth did Sister Ting go? How come I can¡¯t find her?¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced back and found that Fan¡¯er who had said she was going to find Ren Yaoting had not gone far, only wandering around that door. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but worry a little about how Ren Yaoting was going to get out. If she came out through the front door, even if the sound of pulling the gate would not alert the old mute woman, she would still be caught by Fan¡¯er who was blocking the door. Besides, if the mute woman entered the yard, she might would search all over the yard. They had not gone far when they heard some footsteps coming this way in a hurry. In a short while, Han Dongshan appeared at the corner. Ren Yaoqi looked up and was slightly shocked. At this moment, Han Dongshan¡¯s footsteps were in a hurry. There was a grim look between his brows, a far cry from the cheerful and kindly elder Ren Yaoqi had seen in the Ren Family¡¯s garden last time. One could not believe that the same person could have two faces like this. Is this Han Dongshan¡¯s true nature? Is that why Han Yunqian and Han You, who are his grandchildren, are so squeamish about him? Ren Yaoqi subconsciously turned her head away, pretending to look around and survey the scenery. It was not until Han Yunqian and Han You called out to their grandfather that Ren Yaoqi turn her head belatedly. When she shifted her eyes at Han Dongshan once more, his face was still a little tense, but the sudden grim look from before had subsided. ¡°Old Master Han,¡± Ren Yaoqi bowed her head and curtsied. Han Dongshan changed his face quickly, and when he spoke, he was already warm and loving: ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the Ren Family¡¯s daughter?¡± Ren Yaoqi replied in a low voice, ¡°Yes.¡± Han Dongshan¡¯s gaze lingered on Ren Yaoqi for a moment, then looked at Han Yunqian and Han You, a sharp glint in his eyes. Han Yunqian stood with his head bowed in deference, but Han You could not help but shiver. ¡°Accompany Fifth Miss Ren to sit in the pavilion first.¡± Although Han Yunqian did not look at Han You, it was as if he knew how scared she was of her grandfather and gently relieved her. Han You raised his eyes and glanced at Han Dongshan. Probably because he was worried about Ren Yaoqi¡¯s presence, Han Dongshan nodded to let Han You back down. Han You breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time looked at his brother worriedly, a little hesitant. Han Yunqian smiled gently at her, ¡°Go on, entertain the guests well.¡± Only then did Han You bow her head and pull Ren Yaoqi away. As soon as Ren Yaoqi and Han You left, Han Dongshan¡¯s face immediately turned cold again, and without saying a word, he left Han Yunqian behind and continued on his way. Han Yunqian followed with his head bowed. Han Dongshan came straight to the door of that courtyard. Fan¡¯er, who was standing by, saw that it was Han Dongshan who had arrived, ran over to salute. ¡°Did you find anyone?¡± Han Dongshan asked in a light voice. Fan¡¯er shook her head and said, somewhat nervously, ¡°Probably she didn¡¯t go in but went elsewhere. The mute woman has locked the door.¡± Han Dongshan raised his hand and knocked on the red wooden gate, which was opened again not long after. The mute woman stretched her head to take a look, saw Han Yunqian, and hurriedly welcomed them inside. As soon as the door closed, Han Dongshan glanced coldly at Han Yunqian and asked, ¡°Who gave you permission to bring them in?¡± Han Yunqian bowed his head and said, ¡°The guests were coming from the main gate, so we can¡¯t deny them from entering the garden.¡± Han Yunqian glanced at the mute woman, ¡°The mute woman has been guarding this place. She hasn¡¯t seen anyone come in. The room is locked from the outside, so even if accidentally someone snuck in, they wouldn¡¯t be able to enter.¡± The mute woman looked up as if she wanted to gesture at something, but when she met Han Yunqian¡¯s calm and gentle gaze, she lowered her hand again. Han Dongshan¡¯s face finally looked better, but he said coldly, ¡°So she didn¡¯t want her life anymore!¡± His voice was so cold and sinister that people could not help but feel scared. ¡°Go and open the door. Qian¡¯er come in with me!¡± Han Dongshan gestured to the mute woman. The door he said was not the courtyard gate. Rather, it was the hall in the back of this courtyard. The mute woman took out a brass key from her waist and went ahead of the two pair of Han Elder and Grandson to the backyard. When the three disappeared into the front yard, a cautious head suddenly peeked out from behind a pillar base under the eaves of the north room in the front garden. Because the pillar base was visible as soon as one entered the door and its size is not too big, it was ignored by everyone. So when the mute woman was looking for someone in the courtyard, she habitually overlook this place. And who else could she be if not Ren Yaoting? Luckily, she was slender enough to hide, otherwise, she would have been caught. Ren Yaoting also seemed to know that she had gotten into trouble. Her face was pale with anxiety. She glanced in the direction of the courtyard gate. She had heard the sound of the gate earlier, and knew that even if she ran over to the backyard now while people were there inside, she might alert them. She also didn¡¯t know if there was anyone else guarding the door, because she had just heard a woman talking. Now she regretted beyond measure that she tricked Han You into sneaking in because she was curious. Old Master Han¡¯s words just now had made her shiver, although she couldn¡¯t understand why Han Yunqian, such a gentle and refined gentleman, would have such a grumpy grandfather. At this moment, although Ren Yaoting realized that she had caused trouble, she did not think that the trouble she had caused was fatal. She only thought that Han Dongshan was a grumpy person. As for his earlier words, ¡®So she didn¡¯t want her life anymore!¡¯ she did not take seriously as she thought they were just words to vent his temper. She was more worried about making a bad impression on the elders of the Han Family than she was about her own life. On the other side, Ren Yaoqi followed Han You for a while. Han You, however, suddenly stopped and touched her wrist and exclaimed, ¡°Huh? My bracelet is gone?¡± She lifted her sleeve, and sure enough, her right wrist was empty. ¡°What can I do? This bracelet was given to me by my grandmother to ward off evil spirits.¡± Han You was filled with anxiety. The maid beside her was also startled, ¡°Miss. How could your bracelet be missing? If it fell to the ground, it should have made a sound.¡± Han You had an anxious look on her face, ¡°That bracelet was originally a bit bigger and easy to fall off. It should have been accidentally hung off by some branch or leaf when I was at the dove tree flower with Sister Ting earlier. The grass there is thicker, so even if it fell to the ground, the sound wouldn¡¯t be heard.¡± Han You ordered to the maid behind her, ¡°You guys quickly go there and search for me, Eldest Aunt Xiao said that my luck this year was bad, so my grandmother gave me this jade bracelet that she wore before and was consecrated by an eminent monk. If I lose it, I¡¯ll have failed my grandmother.¡± A few maids behind Han You hurriedly obliged and went away. Seeing that the maid named Qin¡¯er who serves Old Madam Han was still standing in the same place, Han You anxiously said, ¡°Sister Qin¡¯er, you go and help me look for it too. They¡¯re all clumsy!¡± Qin¡¯er hesitately asked, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you need someone to wait on you?¡± Saying this, she glanced at Ren Yaoqi. ¡°The pavilion is already in the front, the maids are all there, don¡¯t I still have people waiting for me? Quickly go and help me find it. By the way, see if there are any at the Rockery, I¡¯ve stayed there for a long time when I was looking for Sister Ting.¡± Qin¡¯er looked at the pavilion not far away. She thought that Old Master Han must have gone to that courtyard, and her Miss will not intentionally commit the Old Master¡¯s taboo to go there again. So she nodded her head and answered, ¡°This servant will go to look for it, don¡¯t worry about it Miss, she won¡¯t run to that place.¡± Han You nodded, ¡°Go quickly.¡± Qin¡¯er hurriedly went to the east road branch. As soon as everyone left, Han You pulled Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand with a grave expression, ¡°Sister Yaoqi, come with me.¡± ¡°Sister You?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Han You in surprise. Han You didn¡¯t care if Ren Yaoyi agreed or not, pulling her around and walking back, explaining in a low voice on one side, ¡°I deliberately dismissed them, Sister Ting¡­¡± Her words lulled, turning her head to look at Pingguo behind Ren Yaoyi. She looked at Ren Yaoqi questioningly Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡°No harm, she won¡¯t say anything.¡± Han You then sighed, ¡°You all have people around you that you can trust. But if I do something the people around me will tell my grandparents. Even brother¡­¡± Here, she was shocked and realized that she had slipped up again, and frantically stopped talking. Ren Yaoqi pondered her words in heart. What did Han You mean when she said that she and Han Yunqian had no confidants? Were all the people who serve them only loyal to Old Master Han and Old Madam Han? Han You¡¯s voice got lower and lower, ¡°Sister Yaoqi, listen to me. Sister Ting must have just quietly run to that courtyard. But my grandfather also went there. If she wants to come out now, she definitely won¡¯t be able to. If my grandfather finds out, the consequences will be unimaginable. We must bring her out before she is discovered.¡± Han You¡¯s small face was grim. Ren Yaoqi also whispered to her, ¡°Why would the consequences of being discovered be unimaginable? Isn¡¯t it just an abandoned study?¡± Han You shook his head, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, my grandfather he¡­ he doesn¡¯t allow people to enter that courtyard. Only my grandfather, grandmother, father, and brother can go in. My mother and I aren¡¯t allowed to either. If a trustworthy maid opens the door I can only wait in the first courtyard, and only the mute woman who guards the courtyard can move around. When I first moved here I went in once out of curiosity. Right after that my grandfather came in. I hid behind one of the pillar bases, but my maid, Ling¡¯er, who I brought from Jizhou, was discovered by Grandfather. Later¡­ later my brother came in and quietly took me out, but Ling¡¯er was slapped and sold for breaking grandfather¡¯s taboo.¡± Han You¡¯s eyes were a little gloomy, ¡°Ling¡¯er had served me since she was a child, and she¡¯s the only one who¡¯s only loyal towards me.¡± Is the matter of that courtyard not even known to Han You, a member of the Han Family? Ren Yaoqi felt surprised. ¡°Just now, Sister Ting inquired about that courtyard with me, and I also told her about that. She even said she wanted me to take her in to take a look, but I said I didn¡¯t dare, so she didn¡¯t say anything. But now that I can¡¯t find her all over the garden, I think she must have gone into that courtyard.¡± Ren Yaoqi was puzzled, ¡°Since she can¡¯t get out, how can we go in to look for her? That maid called Fan¡¯er seems to have been guarding the gate. And the gate might closed as well.¡± Han You sniffed but winked, ¡°Just come with me, I have a way to secretly bring someone out.¡± Although Ren Yaoqi was a bit skeptical, her curiosity about the Han Family¡¯s secrets made her continue to follow Han You. Fan¡¯er was indeed still guarding the entrance of the courtyard. Han You said to Ren Yaoyi, ¡°Can you have your maid wait here?¡± Ren Yaoyi thought about it. Nodding her head, she instructed Pingguo, ¡°You wait here, if anyone asks you¡¯ll say you¡¯re here to help Miss Han find the bracelet.¡± Pingguo obliged in a small voice. Han You pulled Ren Yaoqi through into a sideroad in the garden. Only when they come out again did Ren Yaoyi realize that Han You had brought her around evading Fan¡¯er. Finally, they stopped in front of a courtyard wall. Ren Yaoqi carefully surveyed the surroundings and realized that this should be the side wall of that mysterious courtyard. Han You pulled Ren Yaoyi through a narrow tunnel again, looking down at the wall bricks as she walked. Finally, she stopped shortly after, ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± She put down the hand holding Ren Yaoyi¡¯s and squatted down to knock on the wall bricks on her side Ren Yaoqi stood aside and watched curiously, and saw that Han You had found a big green brick. Who knew how she did it, but the big green brick was pushed to move half an inch inside, revealing an iron wire. Han You grabbed the wire and pulled it out hard, then turned around and pulled out another brick. Ren Yaoqi knew that this brick could be moved, so she also squatted down to help Han You. The two of them pulled the brick out together, and Han You went to move another one next to it. After the first brick came out, the next one was much easier. After removing four bricks in a row, Han You pointed to the bottom for Ren Yaoqi to see. It turned out that there was a hole. The soil underneath had been hollowed out, so that it could accommodate a person, just like a dog hole. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Han You explained in a low voice: ¡°The original owner of this mansion has a young son who is very stubborn, so he built this study in the garden and detained people here to read. He didn¡¯t know that his young son is so smart and secretly dug this hole to sneaked out from time to time. I only learned about this secret when I accidentally found a handwritten note left behind by that man. That time I also went in through here. Sister Yaoqi, you watch out for me here, I¡¯ll go in and look at her by myself. It¡¯s better for you not to go in with me, it¡¯ll be inconvenient if there are too many people.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at the ¡®dog hole¡¯ and nodded, ¡°Be careful when you go in, don¡¯t let anyone see you.¡± Han You took off her outer smock and handed it to Ren Yaoyi to hold, so that when she came out she would put her outer smock back on and people wouldn¡¯t realize that her inner clothes were dirty. ¡°There¡¯s a fish tank blocking the way in from here, so I shouldn¡¯t be discovered if I¡¯m careful. My grandfather and the others shouldn¡¯t be in the front yard right now.¡± How did Han You know that Grandfather Han wasn¡¯t in the front yard? Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but think. It must be that Han You actually knew something but just didn¡¯t say it out loud. But from the fact that she was willing to risk being chastised by her grandfather to come to Ren Yaoting, and was willing to explain so much to her, a person she was unfamiliar with, Han You was still a virtuous person. CH 101 Chapter 101: What Ren Yaoting Saw Han You quickly entered the small hole in the wall. To see the usually extremely ladylike person actually crawled not too slowly, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little. The hole was not that big, so the young master must have been a skinny kid because a grown man would be stuck in the hole if he tried to climb out. Ren Yaoqi suddenly realized that she had put too much trust in Han You. If any of the Ren Family sisters had invited her to come here alone, she wouldn¡¯t have accepted the invitation. Why did she believe that Han You didn¡¯t mean her any harm? She raised her eyes and looked around, this place is extremely remote and on someone else¡¯s land, if someone else has any bad intentions, she can¡¯t even ask for help. FEEDBACK Han You did not leave for too long, Ren Yaoqi only waited for a few moments before she heard the sound of a rustling noise coming from the hole in the wall. She didn¡¯t raise her voice to ask questions, instead stood farther away. In a few moments, Han You¡¯s head reappeared. Han You quickly crawled out and turned around to pull the other person out as well. The one who came out after Han You was certainly Ren Yaoting. Both of them were now a little messy. Their sleeves, knees, and hair are dirty, and there is a red mark hanging from Ren Yaoting¡¯s neck. ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡­¡± Ren Yaoting saw Ren Yaoqi as soon as she crawled out and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°Hush¨C¡± Han You frantically pulled her sleeve, and whispered admonishingly, ¡°Sister Ting, lower your voice or someone would hear, we can explain everything later.¡± Han You took the piece of clothing in Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand that she had taken off earlier and put it on nimbly. Sure enough, most of the dirty parts of her body were covered, and only her hair was still a bit messy. ¡°What about me?¡± Ren Yaoting then realized that she was already dirty, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little anxious. If she was to go to people like this, she might as well have just taken the initiative to stand out in front of Older Master Han and admit her mistake! Han You put on her clothes and squatted down again to move the bricks back to plug the hole, and Ren Yaoqi went up to help. After the two of them had combined their efforts to do this, Han You signaled for Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting to follow her. ¡°Go out first. Or go to my courtyard to change into a new one. You should be able to wear my clothes, Sister Ting.¡± Han You also didn¡¯t forget to comfort Ren Yaoting in a small voice. Only then did Ren Yaoting shut her mouth and honestly followed behind Han You. When the three of them had run out and were far away from the courtyard, Han You finally let out a sigh of relief and almost fell to the ground. Ren Yaoqi hurriedly reached out to help her, and Han You returned Ren Yaoqi¡¯s coy smile. She reverted to her usual ladylike appearance. ¡°Finally got out, it was so close!¡± Ren Yaoting, however, complained somewhat unhappily, ¡°But the clothes are all dirty.¡± If he sees her like this, she will die. ¡°Quickly take me to your courtyard to change clothes.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at her, and couldn¡¯t help frowning: ¡°But if people see her like this, I¡¯m afraid there will be trouble.¡± She remembered in front of the pavilion before Han You said that none of her side is her true confidant. With Ren Yaoting looked like this, anyone with a discerning eye can see where she was before. Ren Yaoting frowned, ¡°What trouble? I¡¯ll just say I accidentally soiled my clothes.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that Ren Yaoting probably didn¡¯t realize how much his actions would provoke the Han Family¡¯s resentment. Then she explained directly, ¡°Seventh Sister, do you think everyone else is stupid? You¡¯ve been missing for so long and suddenly appeared in front of people like this. People will guess what you have done. Just now, it was Sister You who risked the danger of being discovered to find you. In case it was known, she would be chastised by her elders. And¡­ it is said that Old Master Han hates it when people ignore his orders and trespass where he has placed a ban! You¡¯ll make the elders of the Han Family unhappy in their hearts.¡± ¡°Then what is to be done?¡± Thinking of how Old Master Han looked earlier, Ren Yaoting was also worried. She didn¡¯t want to be disliked by the elders of the Han Family because of this matter, or else she wouldn¡¯t have condescended to follow someone crawling over the dog hole just now. Han You said, ¡±Otherwise, you can pretend that you fell and sprained your foot. That would explain why you disappeared so quickly. Because your clothes were dirty and it was inconvenient for you to walk, you were too embarrassed to shout and let the maids of the Han Family see your mess. So you sat down and waited for the people from your own house to find you. Then you were found by me and Sister Yaoqi.¡± Ren Yaoting couldn¡¯t refute Han You¡¯s reasoning and could only reluctantly nod, ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t say anything else, covering up this matter come first then leaving the Han Family. In the end, Han You and Ren Yaoyi helped Ren Yaoting, whose feet were injured, out of the garden. Ren Yaoyi¡¯s maid, Pingguo, had been paying attention to the movements in the garden. So when she heard the noise, she immediately ran over and was shocked to see Ren Yaoting¡¯s injured right foot. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong with Seventh Miss?¡± ¡°She sprained her foot a bit. Go and report to Eldest Aunt. I¡¯m going to accompany Seventh Sister back first. She took a few doses of medicine not long ago for a cold, so it¡¯s better to find a her usual doctor to ask for medicine. Also bring over that thin silk cloak of mine.¡± When she left the house, Matron Xu had prepared a cloak for her. She could lend it to Ren Yaoting to cover up the mess on her body, and also prevent her from really going to Han You¡¯s courtyard to change her clothes. Unexpectedly, Eldest Madam Ren over there had already finished drinking tea with Old Madam Han, and she was about to tell Ren Yaoqi and the others to return home. So when Pingguo hurried over to ask for the cloak, Eldest Madam Ren also rushed over, with Old Madam Han behind her. Both of them were shocked to see Ren Yaoting being supported by Ren Yaoqi and Han You. Eldest Madam Ren frantically came up to check on Ren Yaoting, ¡°How did you fall this bad? How is your foot? Is it serious?¡± Whether she liked this niece or not, she was following her out, and if something happens she has no way to explain it to the East Mansion side. Old Madam Han was also sizing up Ren Yaoting. Luckily, well before Ren Yaoqi and Han You had sorted out everything to make the lie about Ren Yaoting¡¯s fall look more real. ¡°Just now the Fifth Sister and Sister You already checked me, there is just some reddened skin but it is not swollen, it should just be twisted to the meridian and not hurt the bone. I don¡¯t dare to walk on my own because I¡¯m scared, so I¡¯m just waiting for Sister You to come over and find me.¡± Ren Yaoting said according to what she thought before. It has to be acknowledged that Ren Yaoting has a great talent for lying, these few words were spoken very smoothly, and no nervousness can be heard. Eldest Madam Ren was still a little uneasy, so she insisted on asking her matron to check on Ren Yaoting, ¡°If the bones are hurt, then it¡¯s not good to move, you need to wait for the doctor to come into the house to look at it again. If there is no major injury we can go to the carriage.¡± Eldest Madam Ren was afraid of taking responsibility. Ren Yaoting agreed, and the Eldest Madam called her matron to come over and take a look at Ren Yaoting. Because there was a concern about Ren Yaoting as she was an unmarried woman, the matron took care to find a place where no one else could see to check on Ren Yaoting. However, because Ren Yaoting was not really hurt, she only pretended to cry out in pain a few times when the matron reached out to press with her hand. The matron¡¯s mind was a little unimpressed, thinking that Seventh Miss was too delicate, but when she went to reply she still said with a full heart, ¡°Madam, Seventh Miss just sprained her meridian and didn¡¯t hurt her bones.¡± Eldest Madam breathed a sigh of relief before saying goodbye to Old Madame Han. Old Madame Han said somewhat apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s because we didn¡¯t treat her well, please forgive us.¡± Fan¡¯er, who had been guarding the door to that courtyard, also ran over when she heard the news, and finally truly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ren Yaoting. Because she had been guarding the door and had not seen anyone else come in or out during the time Old Master Han and Han Yunqian went in, she believed that Ren Yaoting had fallen. When Old Madam Han look at her, Fan¡¯er nodded slightly. As Ren Yaoqi helped Ren Yaoting onto the carriage, Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°Seventh Sister, I¡¯ll ride in the same carriage with you, so I can take care of you halfway.¡± Ren Yaoting had recently become much more favorable towards Ren Yaoqi, so naturally she would not object. Ren Yaoqi asked her maid to go and report to Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua did not say anything. So on the way back, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting traveled in the same car. Ren Yaoting also had something she wanted to say to Ren Yaoqi, so she still sent her maids to sit outside. When only two people were left in the carriage, Ren Yaoting finally didn¡¯t need to pretend to be injured. Relaxing, she leaned back and collapsed into the carriage. ¡°Seventh Sister, when you went into that courtyard before and no one obstructed you, was it because the servant who guarded the courtyard was burning incense in the backyard?¡± Ren Yaoqi gave Ren Yaoting a cup of warm tea and asked in a low voice. Ren Yaoting picked up the cup and took a big sip before asking, ¡°How do you know?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡°I heard that there seems to be some kind of shrine in that yard¡­¡± Ren Yaoting patted her pounding heart, ¡°So you know, if I had known that there is a shrine for the tablets I would not have gone in, it is so eerie and scary! How did you know? Did Sister You tell you? I asked her but she didn¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Ignoring Ren Yaoting¡¯s cranky muttering, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s mind turned sharply. Is it really an ancestral hall? ¡°Isn¡¯t the Han Family¡¯s ancestral hall in Jizhou? How could there be an ancestral hall here?¡± The people of this time revered and respected the ancestral tablets to a great extent. When they moved to a new place and want to bring ancestral tablets, it was necessary to invite monks and Taoist priests to make the house lively, which could be regarded as telling the neighbors around. The bigger the family, the more fanfare it will have. Han Dongshan was a son-in-law and his father-in-law Han Jianping only have a daughter who could not inherit the flame. According to that reason, his tablets should still be in the Han Family¡¯s Ancestral Hall in Jizhou. If his tablet was to be moved they have to wait until his descendant Han Yunqian was in charge of the family and ask the clan. Only after consulting with the elders of the clan that he can be invited to come over. So the tablets carefully enshrined by the Han Family shouldn¡¯t be Han ancestors. ¡°I was just shocked and hadn¡¯t paid attention at the time, but now that I think about it, I think it¡¯s a bit strange.¡± Ren Yaoting inclined her head in thought, ¡°And those rows of tablets don¡¯t seem to belong to the Han Family.¡± ¡°There are several rows?¡± Ren Yaoqi froze slightly, ¡°You mean there¡¯s more than one tablet enshrined there?¡± . Glad that Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t die lmao If anyone have a theory about what Han Family up to, send it on the comment below CH 102 Chapter 102: The Memorial Tablet Ren Yaoting thought back, ¡°When I sneaked into the backyard, I happened to see that the door to the backyard hall was open. I got closer and then found an old servant burning incense. Because I was afraid of being discovered by her, I didn¡¯t dare to come closer, and only vaguely saw two or three rows of tablets enshrined above the incense case.¡± ¡°You say it¡¯s not the Han Family¡¯s tablets? Did you see the words on the tablets clearly?¡± After hearing this, Ren Yaoqi thought that if she could figure out which family¡¯s tablet it was, the mystery surrounding Han Dongshan¡¯s information may be solved. Ren Yaoting frowned as she recalled, ¡°Although there were candles in that hall, it was still a bit dark. When I was about to take a closer look, that woman seemed to have heard something and suddenly turned her head to look over, scaring me so much that I hurriedly hid behind the pillar in the back room. So I only saw a¡­ ¡®Qu¡¯ character¡­ Yes, the surname on the tablet is ¡®Qu¡¯!¡± Then Ren Yaoting asked doubtedly, ¡°Why would the Han Family worship the Qu Family¡¯s tablet? Does the Han Family have any relatives with the surname Qu? Or was the original owner of this mansion surnamed Qu? But this doesn¡¯t make sense, how could the original owner give his ancestor¡¯s tablet to someone else to worship? The Han Family doesn¡¯t have to do this either.¡± ¡°Qu?¡± Ren Yaoqi murmured darkly. Han Dongshan naturally wouldn¡¯t worship the tablets of other people¡¯s families, so it was very likely that Qu was his original surname. As far as she knew, in recent decades there didn¡¯t seem to be any large families with the surname Qu near Yanzhou. Han Dongshan seemed to be fifty years old this year, so if his surname was Qu and he was from Yanbei, then there should have been news of the Qu Family in Yanbei fifty years ago. Or maybe Han Dongshan was just from an average humble family? Ren Yaoting complained on the side, ¡±When do you think this foot injury of mine will ¡®heal¡¯? My mother will definitely ask about it.¡± Ren Yaoqi withdrew her thoughts for the time being, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the injury isn¡¯t serious? It¡¯ll be fine after a few days of rest. As for today¡¯s matter of you breaking into the Han Family¡¯s ancestral hall, don¡¯t say anything to anyone. If the elders knew, they would think that you¡¯re naughty and can¡¯t handle big responsibility.¡± This was a heavy offense. The most essential thing a large family sought for when marrying their heir or another son in the family was to be dignified and steady. Ren Yaoting, despite her young age, was becoming increasingly sensitive to such things. So when she heard it, she understood and nodded, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone else, Fifth Sister. You won¡¯t tell anyone, right?¡± Ren Yaoqi laughed, ¡°If I would tell, why would I remind you?¡± Ren Yaoting was very satisfied, intimately holding onto Ren Yaoqi¡¯s arm, ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re so nice.¡± The Ren Family and the Han Family were not far from each other, and the carriage soon arrived at the Ren Family. Second Madam Ren had received a report from the servant who came back first. Worrying that Ren Yaoting had really hurt herself, she had long ago ordered her trusty servant to welcome her out. Ren Yaoting was escorted back to the East Mansion. Before she left, she did not forget to say to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Fifth Sister, I will be at home for a few days to recuperate from my injuries and can¡¯t leave the house. So visit me in the East Mansion when you have the time.¡± Ren Yaoqi answered with a smile, then went back to the West Mansion with Ren Yaohua and the others. When they arrived at the Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaohua asked with a strange look, ¡°Why have you been getting close to her lately? And how come she sprained her foot in someone else¡¯s mansion?¡± Ren Yaohua knew Ren Yaoting¡¯s mind. With this kind of mind, shouldn¡¯t she strive to behave in other people¡¯s residences and leave a good impression on the elders? Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t understand what Ren Yaoting was doing. Ren Yaoqi laughed, ¡±Although the Seventh Sister is a bit difficult to get along with on a normal day, she is also very easy to coax. It was when the last time she came to our courtyard. Because I comforted her properly, she somehow became close to me.¡± Ren Yaohua looked disbelieved, and squinted at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°How did you comfort her?¡± Ren Yaoqi blinked and said earnestly, ¡°Naturally, it was by saying bad things to her about the people she hates.¡± Ren Yaohua froze, then remembered that the person Ren Yaoting hated the most at that time seemed to be her¡­ Ren Yaohua who figured it out was about to curse, but Ren Yaoqi had already smartly retreated several steps away from her while making a face. ¡°Who told you to be so rude to the guest? I am helping you guys to ease your relationship. And I¡¯ve already told you, so it¡¯s not badmouthing behind your back! It can only be considered a polite and roundabout tactic! You are a good elder sister, don¡¯t lose your temper and scold me!¡± After she said that, Ren Yaoqi very wisely took her people and ran away. Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi¡¯s back as she ran far away, gritting her teeth in anger. The maids behind her saw that Ren Yaohua was angry. For some reason, they didn¡¯t feel as nervous as they used to when they saw the two sisters fighting; instead, they thought it was amusing that the Fifth Miss was always purposefully bullying the Third Miss like this these days, so they all held back their laughter and looked down at their feet. Ren Yaohua was indignant. However, it was not the kind of feeling that when she saw Ren Yaoqi she wanted to slap her twice. She just felt exasperated and sullen with nowhere to express her anger. Ren Yaoqi returned to her room to change her clothing before heading to the main room to find Matron Zhou. She wanted to ask Matron Zhou about the family surnamed Qu in Yanzhou. Although Matron Zhou had accompanied her grandfather¡¯s family from the capital to Yanbei more than ten years ago, the people of the Xian Royal Family must have painstakingly inquired about the state of the various households in Yanbei after arrived. The more difficult their days were, the more careful one needed to be. ¡°The Qu Family?¡± Matron Zhou filtered the big families in Yanbei that she knew in her mind, and she couldn¡¯t seem to recall such a family. Ren Yaoqi reminded her from the side, ¡°It was a big family in Yanzhou about forty to fifty years ago, and later on, it might have encountered some kind of disaster that caused the family to suffer.¡± Matron Zhou thought carefully again and shook her head, ¡±This servant does not remember such a family. However, this servant only know about the current notable families in Yanbei. For the already fallen family, this servant may not be clear. Miss need to know that forty to fifty years ago, the Khitan thieves were rampant in Yanbei. Many of the big families who came to hide in the South were badly punished, and there were not a few who were wiped out by the Khitans. The current aristocratic families like the Yun Family and the Qiu Family were also just moved back after the previous Prince Yanbei drove the Khitans out of Yanbei. For example, the Lei Family that has just moved from Muzhou to Yanzhou that is being discussed for a while. The Lei Family used to be as famous as the Yun Family. They are a famous old family with a longer family history than the Qiu Family. However, the Lei Family has not shown up for decades, and it was only recently that there is a rumor they would move back. Many families who refused to leave back then no longer even have their ancestral graves.¡± Lei Family? After Ren Yaoqi thought carefully, she didn¡¯t seem to have any impression of them. She must have assumed that the old families were not as good as they used to be after so many years of turmoil and migration, which is why she couldn¡¯t recall anything. Ren Yaoqi also put it down. But after thinking about it, she asked again in a low voice, ¡°Matron, then do you know if the Ren Family has ever offended any family or made a grudge against anyone decades ago?¡± Sister Zhou was shocked at her words and looked at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Fifth Miss, why would you suddenly ask about this? Has something happened?¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°I just accidentally heard something about a family surnamed Qu, their descendant seemed to have said a few bad words about our Ren Family, so I was curious to ask.¡± Matron Zhou sniffed but was unimpressed, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about families that are disgruntled with the Ren family, that shouldn¡¯t be too few. The Ren Family is not a charity hall, their fame started from building mining company. Every year, many people die in the Ren Family¡¯s coal mine. If these people¡¯s families have some slight words for the Ren Family, it¡¯s not surprising.¡± Ren Yaoqi believed that the Qu Family¡¯s situation should not be that straightforward. If Han Dongshan held a vendetta against the Ren Family, it had to be a big one that no one knew about. Ren Yaoqi was troubled by the plaques of the Qu Family recounted by Ren Yaoting. Seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s thoughtful face, Sister Zhou knew that she was still thinking about the Qu Family, so she said, ¡°This servant remembers that there is a seventy-year-old old servant in the village who sold herself to Ren¡¯s Family in her early years. There is a rumor that she was born and raised in Baihe Town, and because her family members were killed by the Khitans, she sold herself as a slave. When this servant and Madam lived in the village, this servant often heard her talking about the old things decades ago with some junior maids in the village. If the Qu Family you mentioned, Fifth Miss, really exists, this old servant might know about it.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°How is this servant¡¯s health? Can we invite her into the mansion?¡± ¡°When she was young, she did rough work. Now that she¡¯s older, although she¡¯s only in charge of light errands, but her health is still extremely good. She can still eat five or six big white steamed buns in one meal. If Fifth Miss wants to invite her into the mansion, it should be possible.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and said to Matron Zhou, ¡°Then think of a way to help me invite her in. There are some things I want to ask her.¡± The Ren Family Mansion generally does not keep servants that are too old, and the younger ones may not remember things that happened forty or fifty years ago. Matron Zhou nodded her head and replied, ¡°This servant will send someone to the village tomorrow, the Eldest Madam¡¯s side shouldn¡¯t care about these small things.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Matron.¡± Ren Yaoqi said cheerfully. Zhou was hurriedly saying that she wouldn¡¯t dare. As the two were talking, Li¡¯s senior maid, Xi¡¯er, hurriedly lifted the curtain and came in. Seeing that Sister Zhou and Ren Yaoyi were here, she hurriedly walked over and whispered, ¡°Sister, there¡¯s a commotion outside.¡± Matron Zhou frowned, ¡°Problems just don¡¯t stop coming! What¡¯s going on?¡± Xi¡¯er glanced at Ren Yaoqi and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s the Fifth Master and the Fifth Madam who have made a scene. Just now, a small green sedan chair came from outside the residence, with a woman sitting inside. The servant who was accompanying the sedan chair claimed that she came to find the Fifth Master, and the one sitting in the sedan chair is the Fifth Master¡¯s¡­ outer mistress.¡± CH 103 Chapter 103: Arrived Sister Zhou froze at her words, and Ren Yaoqi was also slightly stunned. How could Fifth Master Ren Shimao have a mistress? Ren Shimao and Lin were childhood sweethearts, and the two had been very close since childhood. After he became an adult, Ren Shimao asked to marry Lin, and both Ren and Lin Families were happy to see it happen. In all these years, not only Ren Shimao didn¡¯t have a concubine around him, but the people who served him during the few months in the capital were all the servants sent to him by the Lin Family, and he didn¡¯t even have a personal maid. The Old Madam Ren had always turned a blind eye to this matter. After all, the young couple were willing to fight and suffer for the other. Ren Shimao himself was not dissatisfied. For her daughter, Ren Shijia¡¯s sake, she wouldn¡¯t embarrass Lin because of this kind of thing. So although Lin¡¯s temperament and disposition were undesirable, it was undeniable that she was the most fortunate one among the several daughters-in-law of the Ren Family. Ren Yaoqi remembered that in her last life, although the couple had some occasional small fights, their relationship was always good, and she had never heard of Ren Shimao having any outside family. Matron Zhou couldn¡¯t ask Xi¡¯er in front of Ren Yaoqi, so she called her to the side to ask a few questions, and then seriously instructed, ¡°Go and call back all the people from our courtyard who are watching the fun. This is a matter of the Fifth Branch, and it will be dealt with by the Fifth Madam and the Old Madam.¡± Lin¡¯s temper was known to everyone in the Ren Family. This time, there would be a commotion for a while. Matron Zhou didn¡¯t want people from Ziwei Courtyard to get involved and be used as a punching bag. Xi¡¯er hurriedly responded and went down. ¡°Fifth Miss, this servant is going to discuss something with the madam.¡± Matron Zhou came over and said to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi nodded her head and got up, ¡°I¡¯ll trouble Matron with the matter of that servant at the village. If it¡¯s not convenient these days, it¡¯s okay to delay for a few days.¡± Matron Zhou agreed and sent Ren Yaoqi out, and hurriedly went to find Li. Ren Yaoqi went back to her room when she saw a few junior maids gathered around talking in a low voice. They should be talking about the Fifth Master¡¯s matter. Seeing Ren Yaoqi come back, a few maids were hurriedly stopping their mouths. People are curious creatures. Even Ren Yaoqi herself was interested to know as to who the so-called outsider who came to their door was, so she was very tolerant of the maids¡¯ behavior, only reminding them, ¡°Matron Zhou ordered not to go out and pry for information, so don¡¯t you dare to break the taboo.¡± The junior maids hurriedly answered and retreated in a disciplined manner. Ren Yaoqi wondered, was the Fifth Madam Lin¡¯s successive bad luck happened because of her fate, or was it designed by someone? As for the person who would scheme against the Fifth Madam¡­ could it be Concubine Fang? If it was Concubine Fang, Ren Yaoqi unconsciously shake her head. That woman really did have great tactics! She had already inquired quite a bit about Ren Shijia¡¯s return to wait for her delivery. The Lin Family¡¯s property dispute and Ren Shijia¡¯s successive miscarriage were the real reasons for Lin¡¯s falling out of favor in front of Old Madam Ren. The first was to use the Lin Family¡¯s contradiction to make Lin out of favor, then provoke the Fifth Master and Lin to have a domestic dispute, and give Lin the most fatal blow. Of course, these were still speculative theories Ren Yaoqi had come up with based on the comparisons made between the events of the two lives. She also hoped that these were not Concubine Fang¡¯s handiwork. After all, there was an uncompromising conflict of interests between Concubine Fang and Li, and to be watched intently by such an enemy was a very scary thing. The Fifth Madam Lin¡¯s place was in an uproar. Lin pointed at Ren Shimao¡¯s nose and cursed him. Ren Shimao let her scold him with his head down and a shameful face. Ren Shimao¡¯s appearance made Lin¡¯s anger grow even more. She jumped up and slapped Ren Shimao twice. When she saw Ren Shimao trying to hide, she reached out to grab his face and neck, with a look of fighting for her life. ¡°Ren Shimao, you heartless man! How did you agree to me back then? It turns out that what you said was all fart!¡± Lin screamed, and the last scream was so hoarse that her voice broke. The maidservants on the side had never seen this kind of fight before, and everyone was scared silly. Normally , if this couple fought, Ren Shimao would come up and gently coaxed with a couple of sentences, Lin would break into tears, and then the two of them were as good as new as if nothing had happened. Even if Lin was angry, she never wanted to take action against Ren Shimao. But Lin¡¯s behavior just now was not like a madam of a big family. Even those shrews outside are not as bold as her, daring to injure her husband¡¯s face. Ren Shimao, who had been beaten, did not say a word. The big commotion here finally attracted the Old Madam Ren. She was helped into the room by the Eldest Madam. The first thing she saw was Lin struggling to get free from being pulled back by the reacting servants. Ren Shimao also had two very obvious five-finger marks on his face and four neat nail marks from half his face to his neck. ¡°What is this!¡± Old Madam Ren was enraged at her son¡¯s wretched appearance. She was angry at Lin for being a shrew and hated her son for being too much of a wimp. Seeing that Old Madam Ren had come, Lin didn¡¯t restrain herself, but instead broke down and cried, ¡°Mother, he raised a concubine outside, and now that bitch has come to my door! What is this if not bullying me? Is the next step to make me honestly give up my position as the main wife so that he can marry that bitch?¡± The Old Madam held back her anger and snorted coldly, ¡°What are you talking about? You are the one that my Ren Family married in a palanquin, who dares to let you take the position? Our Ren Family is not that kind of family without rules!¡± Lin thought that the Old Madam was still on her side, and her heart felt better. Unexpectedly, Old Madam continued, ¡°Other women can only be concubines even if they enter the house! Is she also worthy of the position of the main wife?¡± Lin was stunned when she heard her sentences and even forgot to cry. She raised her head and stared blankly at Old Madam Ren and said, ¡°Mother? What are you talking about? Who wants to come in and be a concubine?¡± The Eldest Madam, who followed behind the Old Madam, looked up and winked at a group of maidservants in the room. The maidservants who had prevented the fight before rushed out. The Eldest Madam helped the Old Madam to sit down on the first seat in the main room, and stood behind her with her head down, her eyes and nose stuck to her chest, not inserting even half a word. ¡°Mother? What did you just say?¡± Lin couldn¡¯t help but ask again, a look of disbelief in her eyes. Old Madam Ren was calm and peaceful at this moment, restoring the image of the loving and kind mother-in-law in Lin¡¯s mind, but the words that came out of her mouth sent a chill down Lin¡¯s spine. ¡°After all, it¡¯s the Ren Family¡¯s domestic affairs, letting outsiders see the joke is a loss of face for our Ren Family. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve just ordered people to carry that woman¡¯s palanquin in first. I was also very angry when this happened. I thought that woman must have been born in some dirty place. So I sent a servant to scold her, thinking of giving her a sum of money to let her go. I just found out that she came from an ordinary family, she was a decent person, and her family background is also clear.¡± Old Madam Ren paused and sighed, ¡°She came to the door this time because she is pregnant with Mao¡¯er¡¯s flesh and blood.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ren Shimao jumped first. Lin¡¯s eyes went black and she almost couldn¡¯t stand up. Ren Shimao subconsciously went forward to help her, and was pushed away by her, but fell to the ground herself because of the excessive force. Ren Shimao saw her face pale and full of despair, and wanted to help her. Lin suddenly cried out in a shrill voice, ¡°Get out! Get the hell out of here! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Old Madam Ren looked at Lin¡¯s spilling her guts and advised in a gentle tone, ¡°I¡¯ve already invited a doctor into the house. If what she said is true, regardless of how wrong your lordship is, our Ren Family can¡¯t afford to have their children and grandchildren live outside. But don¡¯t worry, your aggravation, Mother is aware of it. Even if she gives birth to a child, she will at most be a concubine.¡± ¡°At most a concubine?¡± Lin repeated Old Madam Ren¡¯s words and pointedly said, ¡°What do you mean at most a concubine?¡± Ren Shimao glanced at his wife and was about to say something to Old Madam Ren when Old Madam Ren had already spoken, ¡°Mao¡¯er, come with me, I have a few more words to ask you.¡± Then she instructed Eldest Madam Wang, ¡°Go help your sister get up, and ask someone to wipe her face. Don¡¯t let others see the joke. What can¡¯t be discussed properly? Don¡¯t make the whole world know about it!¡± The Eldest Madam answered in a low voice and went to Lin¡¯s side to advise her. The Old Madam has gone straight to the inner room. Ren Shimao looked at the sobbing Lin, lowered his head, and followed the Old Madam. After the mother and son went to the inner room, the Old Madam scolded him strictly, ¡±What in the world is going on? I don¡¯t believe of what that woman said, Mother knows you do not have a frivolous nature, how could you do such a thing?¡± Ren Shimao stammered, ¡°Previously, I returned to console Huijun after you chastised her in public, only to be scolded by her. I became enraged at the moment and ran out to find companions to drink with. Later, somehow I slept in the guest room of the restaurant¡­ I got too drunk and went to the wrong room, and mistaking her¡­ for Huijun.¡± Old Madam Ren frowned, ¡°Are you sure you went to the wrong room on your own? And not caught in someone¡¯s trap?¡± Ren Shimao thought for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t think so? She was going to Jizhou to visit relatives and temporarily borrowed the inn behind the restaurant. After I woke up, I found that I was in trouble. So for fear of being designed, I ordered someone to check her background. She was coming from Qizhou, and went with her father to her uncle¡¯s house in Jizhou to attend a birthday banquet. She didn¡¯t want her father to fall ill halfway, so she sent someone to Jizhou to ask her uncle to pick them up. Then she and her father waited in the inn. Her family seems just ordinary farmer in Qizhou. I also checked on her uncle¡¯s house, and there is nothing wrong with opening a small southern goods shop.¡± CH 104 Chapter 104: Making a Ruckus ¡°Why didn¡¯t you speak with the family earlier? Now it¡¯s good, those people are coming to the door.¡± Old Madam Ren pointed at Ren Shimao¡¯s head and said with some hatred. Naturally, she wasn¡¯t blaming her son for his drunkenness. But rather she was blaming him for not letting the family intervene earlier to settle this matter and losing the first opportunity. Ren Shimao¡¯s red face had not receded, ¡°She woke up bent on killing herself. I was afraid that she would die, so I promised to make it up to her. Seeing her calm down gradually, I thought she was moved by the money I promised. Unexpectedly, she found scissors and try to do suicide as soon as I left the room. Fortunately, I heard something wrong after I went out, so I turned around in time and stopped it.¡± Old Madam Ren heard her son say so, and sighed, ¡°Such a strong nature.¡± ¡°Later on, her father fainted after knowing about this matter, and his condition got worse and worse. The doctor was invited by me and confirmed that her father¡¯s illness was not feigned. That¡¯s when I believed it was really my fault and not a setup. When her father woke up, I promised to buy them a mansion in Qizhou and give them fifty taels of silver a month. Only then did her father admit the loss and persuade her.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded her head and rightfully said, ¡°Their family is nothing more than an ordinary farming family, such a family may not be able to save fifty taels of silver in their lifetime. You promised to give them fifty taels a month, so they naturally had nothing to say. Your sister-in-law went to meet that woman and learned from her that when you handed them the house deed and the money, you instructed them not to look for the Ren Family. She later became pregnant, and her older brother and sister-in-law at home were terrified of bothering you and prompting you to stop providing money. As a result, they intended to coerce her into quietly giving up the kid. Fortunately she discovered the truth, she seized the family¡¯s money, and fled with the servant you gave her.¡± ¡°How can that be? Her brother and sister-in-law are too deceitful!¡± Ren Shimao exclaimed in a daze. Seeing him say this, Old Madam Ren knew that he didn¡¯t have any ill feelings towards that woman and that give her confidence, ¡°You¡¯re a man, you don¡¯t understand these trivial matters of the family. It¡¯s also because her family members don¡¯t have much insight and are short-sighted. Even if my Ren Family¡¯s descendant is a bastard, it¡¯s impossible to let them raised outside.¡± Ren Shimao sniffed and immediately stuttered, ¡°Mother, you, do you really want to let her in?¡± Old Madam Ren snorted coldly, ¡°Do you want to send her back again to fend for herself?¡± ¡°I¡­ that¡­¡± Ren Shimao was struggling and looked back at the curtain behind her. He whispered, ¡°Can we not let her into the house, but just buy a mansion outside? And send more people to serve her? As you can see, Huijun, she¡­ won¡¯t agree!¡± Old Madam Ren became angry as soon as she heard this, and pointed at her son¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°You all men love to say these kinds of despond words, but let our Ren Family¡¯s face be cut off! Is it possible that you married a tigress? You can¡¯t even keep your own flesh and blood? I know Huijun¡¯s temperament, it¡¯s just a child¡¯s temper. She¡¯ll be reasonable when she calm down!¡± Ren Shimao felt that his mother¡¯s words weren¡¯t quite right, but right now he was in a confused state, and Old Madam Ren was showing an unprecedentedly strong attitude, making him unable to say anything to refute it. Old Madam Ren glanced at her son and slightly slowed down her tone: ¡±No matter what, first wait for the child to be born. In the future, if you really don¡¯t like her, you can send her out again.¡± Ren Shimao then sighed in relief, ¡°In that case, good.¡± ¡°Huijun is angry. For the time being, don¡¯t get tough with her. I¡¯ll have your sister-in-law persuade her, you first come with me to Ronghua Courtyard, and treat the injury on your face.¡± Old Madam Ren heard Lin still crying outside while her son¡¯s facial injury was also not light. It made her became more and more irritated and wanted to send Ren Shimao away first, to avoid him being bullied by Lin again. Ren Shimao was still a bit distressed for his wife. However, he thought that Lin was definitely unwilling to listen to him at this moment, and letting his sister-in-law persuade her might make her feel better, so he nodded and agreed. Old Madam Ren was satisfied and led Ren Shimao out of the house. She didn¡¯t bother with Lin over there. However, after coming out, Ren Shimao remembered that his appearance at this time was a bit wretched, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit hesitant. Fortunately, Old Madam Ren was also worried about her son¡¯s reputation being damaged, so she first sent someone to clear the way. When everyone was gone, only then she brought Ren Shimao to her Ronghua Courtyard. Lin cried until she lost her strength, before realizing that her good husband had already left with her mother-in-law and didn¡¯t even come to see her. So in anger, she smashed everything in the room. The Eldest Madam dutifully persuade her for half a day, but when she saw that Lin still wanted to be unreasonable, she stayed away and let Lin smash the things in the room to pieces. After Lin lost strength and sat down on a chair that hadn¡¯t been overturned, the Eldest Madam then looked across the mess and said gently, ¡°You are tired, just take a good rest. Don¡¯t worry, Mother won¡¯t let you suffer. I¡¯ll come over to see you later.¡± After saying that, not caring if Lin had listened to her or not, the Eldest Madam turned around and indifferently left. ¡°All of you, go help the Fifth Madam in to rest.¡± The Eldest Madam calmly and kindly instructed the maidservants around the Fifth Madam. They all tremblingly obliged and went. Then she instructed to Matron Cao beside her, ¡°Order someone clean up the house. Later, go to the mansion¡¯s warehouse and pick out a better set of decorations for Fifth Madam¡¯s courtyard.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± This afternoon, Ren Yaoqi honestly practiced calligraphy in the study in the west courtyard, not caring about those messy things outside. In the evening, the Old Madam sent someone to say that today¡¯s greeting is exempted. Ren Yaoqi then went to the main room of the Ziwei Courtyard when she heard Ren Yaohua¡¯s maid, Xiangqin, said that the Old Madam had already decided to let that outside mistress enter the house. She didn¡¯t arrange for her to go to the Fifth Branch¡¯s Liuli Courtyard, but to the more remote and quiet Wenya Pavillion, and sent more maids to serve her. Only then did the people in the mansion know that the woman¡¯s surname was Kang, and she was really the Fifth Master¡¯s outside mistress. The reason why the Old Madam let her enter the mansion without saying anything and arranged servants for her was because of that Kang was pregnant with the Fifth Master¡¯s flesh and blood. She heard that the Kang Family was only born into an ordinary peasant family, but it can be regarded as a clean family background. Now that she bore the flesh and blood of the Ren Family, her future was bound to be bright. Some of the restless maids in the mansion were getting red-eyed. Everyone in the mansion knew the Fifth Madam¡¯s temper. They also knew that the Fifth Madam Lin was very favored in front of the Old Madam, and she was very close to the Fifth Master, so even though Ren Shimao was young and good-looking, not many maids dare to have other thoughts. Now, an outsider who appeared out of nowhere came and snatched the fruit. Ren Yaoqi met this Kang on her second day in the house. The Han Family sent someone to send back a thank-you gift to the Ren Family. Han You incidentally let someone bring some novelty fans over to the Ren Sisters, so Ren Yaohua sent Xiangqin back to tell Ren Yaoqi to go over and pick one. Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to come out with the fan, Kang came in with the help of Matron Gui of Old Madam¡¯s Courtyard. This Kang, who caused a lot of trouble in the Fifth Branch, looked about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a fair complexion and a well-behaved appearance. Her look wasn¡¯t amazing, but it could make people feel comfortable. She was wearing a clean and plain moon-white small Ao with a light blue long skirt. Her hair was simply pulled up with only a silver-encased plum-blossom-shaped copper hairpin inserted. It¡¯s just that there are some water stains on the hem of her skirt now, stained with a few slices of soaked tea leaves, so she looked embarrassed. >> Small Ao Matron Gui came up and whispered that when she was ordered to go there, Kang had been kneeling outside the Liuli Courtyard for more than a quarter of an hour. The tea on her body was poured by Eighth Miss, Ren Yaoyu. Only because it was blocked by her servants that it just wet the hem of her skirt. Old Madam Ren sighed and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to go to the Liuli Courtyard to pay respects now?¡± Although the tone was not very kind, it was still gentle. Kang saluted Old Madam Ren in a deferential manner before bowing her head and said, ¡°Since the Old Madam has allowed me to enter the door, it is my duty to greet Madam. Liniang understands her identity. Since she has already taken this path, taking a few beatings when the master is unhappy is nothing.¡± ¡°What? Did she get someone to beat you?¡± Old Madam Ren frowned. Kang shook her head, her eyes still fixed on the floor, and refused to say any more. Because her granddaughter was still present, Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t ask too many questions, and only instructed Matron Gui, ¡°Help her go back to change her clothes, then rest properly in the courtyard. Don¡¯t go over to the Liuli Courtyard for now.¡± Kang didn¡¯t argue any further and obediently obliged. Old Madam Ren asked Matron Gui to take her out. Not long after Kang walked out the door, Ren Yaoqi and the others heard cries of alarm from outside. After that, there was the sound of Matron Gui¡¯s dissuasion and Ren Yaoyu¡¯s curses. ¡°You shameless vixen, you robbed my father, caused my mother to cry all night, and now you¡¯re going to chase me and my brother to go back to my mother¡¯s house. I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± It turned out to be Ren Yaoyu who chased her again and even dared to hit someone in public right in Old Madam Ren¡¯s courtyard. Old Madam Ren¡¯s face instantly turned ugly. This pair of mother and daughter were all grown proud of being favored, so now they took her words to deaf ears. Old Madam Ren stood up and walked out, with maids there to help her lift the curtain. Ren Yaohua was sitting under the south window, and when Old Madam Ren went out, she gently opened the window. Ren Yaoqi, who was sitting next to her, also saw the situation in the courtyard. Ren Yaoyu, now held by Matron Gui, cursed and kicked Kang, and each time she aimed it at her lower belly. ¡°Quickly drag her down! You are so vicious at such a young age, who instigated this!¡± Old Madam Ren was even getting angrier when she went out and saw this situation, pointing at Ren Yaoyu and ordering the maid behind her. The maid in Old Madam Ren¡¯s room hurriedly came forward to hold Ren Yaoyu back, leaving Matron Gui free. Matron Gui stretched out her hand to protect the belly of slightly pale Kang and managed to help her avoid the attack. Ren Yaoyu saw Old Madam Ren come out to help Kang, she was so angry she almost cried, ¡°Grandmother, how could you do this! My mother wants to vent her anger, and you still help her to bully us!¡¯ CH 105 Chapter 105: Decided to Cut One¡¯s Flesh and Feed It To the Eagles Seeing her obstinacy, Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t bother to lecture her, so she waved her hand for the maids to pull Ren Yaoyu out. Kang also went out with the support of Matron Gui. Old Madam Ren returned to the house with a cold face. Only Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaohua, and Ren Yaoyin were in the room, and all three of them had the good sense not to open their mouths and speak. Seeing that Old Madam Ren ordered her most senior maid Jinlian to come in to instruct something, Ren Yaoyin invited Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi to go to talk in the small pavillion where she lived, and Old Madam Ren waved her hand and let them go. >> Small Pavilion Not long after Ren Yaoqi followed Ren Yaoyin, she heard someone hurry in, followed by Ren Shijia¡¯s voice from outside. Ren Shijia was now nine months pregnant and would give birth in less than a month. Because this birth was hard-won, Ren Shijia was very careful on normal days, usually only staying in her yard and not coming out easily. Old Madam Ren felt heartache for this daughter, so Old Madam didn¡¯t ask her to pay respects. Instead, the Old Madam was the one who went to see her every two days. Ren Shijia came here with her big belly right now must be because of Ren Shimao and Lin¡¯s affairs. Ren Shijia and Ren Shimao were the closest in age, and they had been close since childhood. Later, Lin married into the Ren Family, and she married into the Lin Family. The relationship between the three of them became even closer. Seeing that she came here amidst her pregnancy, Old Madam Ren hurriedly asked the maids to help her sit down, and reprimanded, ¡°What are you doing here in such a hurry! Be careful with your baby!¡± Sure enough, Ren Shijia said, ¡°I¡¯m here for the Fifth Brother and the Fifth Sister-in-law. Yesterday, the Fifth Brother was drunk and ran to my place. I sent two servants to send him back, but I didn¡¯t expect to be turned away by Fifth Sister-in-law.¡± Old Madam Ren snorted softly, of course she knew about it. Originally, she thought that after being angry all afternoon and all night, Lin should have already changed mind, but Lin unexpectedly was still so obstinate. In the end, she asked someone to call Ren Shimao to live in the wing of Ronghua Courtyard. ¡°I sent a maid to visit Fifth Sister-in-law. I heard that her eyes were swollen like walnuts from crying all night, and she hasn¡¯t eaten today. I was a little worried, so I went over to check on her just now. Inexplicably, she is directing maidservants all around to pack up her things, saying that she wanted to return to her natal home,¡± Ren Shijia was worried about her Brother and Sister-in-law. Old Madam Ren was indifferent when she heard that, only calmly commented, ¡°If you can go back to live in your natal house, she can naturally go back to her natal house, otherwise won¡¯t it appear that our family is mean to the daughter-in-law? We persuade her but she will not listen, so just let the people of the Lin Family advise her, maybe she will finally understand.¡± ¡°But this matter is still Fifth Brother¡¯s fault after all. If Fifth Sister-in-law goes back just like this, I¡¯m afraid that Lin Family will have a problem with the Ren Family,¡± Ren Shijia was still a Madam of the Lin Family. The Eldest Branch and the Second Branch hadn¡¯t been separated, so no matter what, she would not let the Lin Family and Ren Family fall out now. Old Madam Ren understood her daughter¡¯s worries and comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this matter, I have my arrangements. I already sent someone to deliver a message to the Lin Family early this morning and said that I would let Shimao go over to apologize in a couple of days. However, according to the nature of the Lin Family¡¯s Eldest Old Madam, she will probably send someone over later, and may even meet up with your Fifth Sister-in-law.¡± Ren Shijia froze, ¡°Mother, you¡¯ve already sent someone to the Lin Family? I thought you¡­¡± Ren Shijia thought that Old Madam Ren had a problem with the Lin Family and Lin Clan because of her, so she deliberately disgraced the Lin Clan and the Lin Family. ¡°No matter what, this facade still needs to be done.¡± Old Madam Ren said. She may discreetly annoy the Lin Family. But with so many interests at stake between the Lin and Ren families throughout the years, it was impractical to turn the other cheek now. They still had to give face to the Lin Family. This was something that Old Master Ren had frequently told her. Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaohua, and Ren Yaoyin were sitting peacefully and quietly in the small pavillion. Because it was almost summer and the weather was warming up, to ventilate the house, the heavy cotton curtains used in autumn and winter were removed and replaced with light-colored muslin curtains, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to hear the mother and daughter¡¯s voices from there. Because Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t think to send away the granddaughters inside, they were content to silently listen to the faint sound of the dialogue outside. Ren Shijia asked, ¡°Mother, do you really want to let that Kang in?¡± Old Madam Ren was not pleased and said, ¡°Why do you care about all this? Even if she stays, she¡¯s just a concubine, it is not anyone¡¯s business!¡± Ren Shijia cast a sidelong look at her mother. She didn¡¯t believe that the Old Madam didn¡¯t care about these things when she was young. Didn¡¯t their family have no concubine? Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t know her daughter¡¯s slander, so she changed the topic, ¡°Instead of worrying about other people¡¯s idleness, you should think about your own affairs. What do you think about the candidates I told you about?¡± Ren Shijia knew that Mrs. Ren was asking about her picking up a concubine for Lin Kun, and her face collapsed. These days, because she was about to give birth, Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t mention that matter again to not make her feel bad. But she still said sullenly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you want to help me choose? Mother¡¯s vision has always been good.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded, ¡±That Jinlian girl who serves me is good. She has a good and unobtrusive appearance and a gentle nature. Her mother and father are all decent people, and she has a younger brother who works as a clerk at the coal warehouse in Tongzhou. If you think she can be trusted, transferred her brother from Tongzhou back to Yunyang City as a vice steward under you in a few years. Their family¡¯s future will depend on you. You are equivalent to her natal family, so she will naturally be obedient to you. Then there is a junior maid called Qingliu, who is fourteen years old. Her mother was a second-class maid in my courtyard when she was young, but when she passed away early, her father married another. Her stepmother was a formidable one, so she is closer to her brother and sister-in-law who brought her up.¡± Ren Shijia listened quietly, repeating the same sentence over and over again, ¡°Which one does Mother think is better?¡± Old Madam Ren sighed, ¡°Both are good, but it still depends on whether you give birth to a male or female this time.¡± Ren Shijia touched her abdomen and looked up in disbelief, ¡°What does this have to do with my child?¡± Old Madam Ren glared at her, ¡±How is it not relevant? Do you think that I spent so much effort to pick a concubine for you to deliberately add to your worries? I do it for you and the child in your belly! If you give birth to a girl, then pick Jinlian. She is seventeen this year and will be pregnant as soon as she enters the door, so she can give you and your husband a boy as soon as possible and shut up the mouths of others. If you give birth to a boy, then pick the younger Qingliu. Take her by your side for a few years first, don¡¯t let her get pregnant for the time being. Wait for your child to be older before letting her give birth to a child, so later her child can become your son¡¯s helper in the future!¡± It turns out there were so many twists and turns in choosing a concubine? Ren Shijia couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed, and she also appreciated Old Madam Ren¡¯s good intentions. Only a real mother would plan like this for her daughter. Ren Yaoqi who heard these words in the inner room unconsciously sighed. Because of what Old Madam Ren and Old Master Ren did in her last life, she thought that they only had interests in their hearts and had no feelings for their children and grandchildren. However, after listening to Old Madam Ren¡¯s plans for Ren Shijia today, she realized that Old Madam Ren might not be completely cold-blooded towards her children, and that she would still try to plan for her children without offending the interests of the Ren Family. Outside, Old Madam Ren and Ren Shijia talked for a few more sentences. Suddenly she seemed to remember that there were still three granddaughters in the small pavillion, so she stopped talking and called Matron Gui to come in and lead Ren Yaoqi and the others out. When the three of them came out, Ren Shijia¡¯s face was a little embarrassed, but Old Madam Ren¡¯s face remained unchanged. She instructed Matron Gui to send them out. As soon as her niece left, Ren Shijia complained in a low voice, ¡°Mother, the children are still here, didn¡¯t they hear everything we said?¡± Old Madam Ren, however, didn¡¯t care, ¡±What children? They are not young anymore. The Third Girl and the Fourth Girl will soon be talking about the in-laws, they should learn about these things slowly¡± Suddenly Old Madam Ren glared at Ren Shijia, pointing her forehead, ¡°I am now regretting that I spoiled you back then, won¡¯t let you know this, won¡¯t let you know that. I always thought that you are still young and it¡¯s not good to teach you some things too early, But in the end, you have this kind of temperament! I understand that when I was raising my daughter, I didn¡¯t want her to worry about anything, but after I married my daughter, I had to worry about everything for her! How can I live such long life?¡± It turned out that Old Madam Ren had not really forgotten that there were three granddaughters still in the inner small pavilion. The reason why she didn¡¯t send them out was because she thought that Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua were getting older, and that it was time for them to learn the tricks of the inner house. Some topics were difficult to teach now, but letting children learn by ear was also not an option. Old Madam Ren only remembered when she was older what her mother told her. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t pass it to her only daughter, so she still had to worry about at her age. Ren Shijia initially came to talk to Old Madam Ren about the matter between Ren Shimao and Lin, but unexpectedly Old Madam Ren changed the topic. When the three of them, Ren Yaoqi and her sisters, came out of the Ronghua Courtyard, they heard some maidservants quietly discussing that the Fifth Madam had ordered a carriage to be prepared and was about to take the Eighth Miss back to her natal house. She was not taking her son with her because he had to study in the outer courtyard and Master Ren was more strict with the grandsons. ¡°The Fifth Master is really a good-natured person. He softly begged the Fifth Madam to stay in public, but the Fifth Madam pointed at the Fifth Master¡¯s face and scolded him without showing any sympathy. The Old Madam didn¡¯t say anything, so no one dares to go up and stop Fifth Madam.¡± When the servant who was speaking glanced up and saw several Young Misses come out, she was so terrified that she instantly shut up and stepped aside with her hands tied. Ren Yaohua scolded softly, ¡°Don¡¯t you all have work? Are you so free that you come out and gossip?¡± Numerous maidservants hurriedly apologized and withdrew. After parting with Ren Yaoyin, Ren Yaohua asked, ¡°Did Grandmother really not stopping Fifth Aunt? If she just went back like this, won¡¯t the Lin Family have any objections?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡°What do you think? Didn¡¯t grandmother ask us, the Ren Family, to set an example first? The Ren Family has been so considerate in their plans for the Lin Family¡¯s heir, so how can the Lin Family be so mean as to help their daughter who married out to be unreasonable?¡± This was also why Old Madam Ren brought up the subject of the Ren Family preparing a concubine for Lin Kun in the main room. It was intended to close the Lin Family¡¯s mouth. Now there was nothing for Old Madam Ren to feel sorry about, even if the Lin Family sent someone. Why was her daughter able to tolerate it, but other people¡¯s daughters could not tolerate it? She automatically ignored the fact that Lin had already given birth to a pair of children. Kang was accepted into the Ren Family so easily because she appeared at precisely the right time. Old Madam Ren was enraged with the Lin Family; her daughter had been through so much that she felt compelled to add to the Lin Family¡¯s anguish. If even these were calculated by someone, then the person responsible for Lin¡¯s demise was far too frightening. Ren Yaohua told Ren Yaohua what she had thought of in detail. Ren Yaohua felt incredulous, ¡±Are you saying that it¡¯s very likely that Concubine Fang designed all of this? How is this possible? Have you overestimated her?¡± Overestimated? Ren Yaoqi unconsciously smile bitterly. She didn¡¯t know whether she overestimated Concubine Fang or not. She only knew that in her last life, the Ren Family had all fallen on hard times, but Concubine Fang managed to abandon the broken ship which is Ren Family in time to find a way out for herself and her two children. Based on this point alone, Concubine Fang was an existence not to be underestimated. Ren Yaohua still didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°But she is just a concubine. If she¡¯s really so good how come she only ended up as a concubine?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought that if she wanted not to suffer from Concubine Fang¡¯s hidden scheme in the future, Ren Yaohua needed to realize how terrifying the enemy she despised was. ¡°The weather is nice today, Third Sister. How about we go for a walk in the yard?¡¯ Ren Yaoqi suggested with a smile. Although Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t understand why Ren Yaoqi had such leisure to go for a walk today, she still didn¡¯t refuse and nodded. Ren Yaoqi ordered behind her, ¡°You all go back first, just leave Xiangqin and Pingguo behind. Taking a walk in the yard of your own house with a bunch of people dragging behind spoils the mood.¡± So except for the two maids, the rest of the maidservants were sent away. Ren Yaohua glanced at Pingguo standing side by side with Xiangqin, and asked, ¡°Is this the maid you picked out? Why doesn¡¯t she look very clever?¡± Ren Yaohua picked a maid who was smart and witty, but Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t think that a maid must be perfect to be useful. However, everyone had their own habits, so Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t explain anything, she only told her, ¡°She¡¯s calm and quiet, but she¡¯s not dumb.¡± She herself was satisfied with Pingguo as a maid. It was just Ren Yaohua¡¯s casual observation, so after Ren Yaoqi said so, she also stopped picking on that maid. Xiangqin who was following behind secretly made a face towards Pingguo. Pingguo was so honest, making Xiangqin feel that this maid was as boring as her master said. ¡°Third Sister, you just said that if Concubine Fang was really as powerful as I said, she wouldn¡¯t be a concubine. That¡¯s because you reversed cause and effect.¡± Only when standing in the lotus pond that Ren Yaoqi softly explain. At this time of the year, although there were no lotus flowers in the pond, the lotus leaves were already covering the pond. The warm wind blew, and green waves were rising and falling in front of the eyes. It made people feel refreshed. Ren Yaohua was in a good mood, but after hearing this, she shifted her gaze toward Ren Yaoqi and letting her continue. ¡°Concubine Fang¡¯s situation today is already the best end she could have plotted with her power back then. You should have heard of what happened to the other concubine daughters of Grandaunt.¡± Ren Yaohua thought about it and was unimpressed, ¡°I know that there are a few concubine daughters of Grandaunt who didn¡¯t marry well, but there were those who married into the main family, right? Isn¡¯t it better than being a concubine for our family?¡± Ren Yaoqi lost her smile at her words and blinked, ¡°Third Sister, are you¡­ using a gentleman¡¯s heart for a villain¡¯s belly?¡± >> Using a gentleman¡¯s heart for a villain¡¯s belly Ren Yaohua glared at her, ¡°Stop speaking nonsense!¡± Ren Yaohua shook her head, ¡°There are many kinds of women in this world, there are those like you who feel that status is most important, and there are those like Concubine Fang who feel that getting benefits is the most important thing.¡± Ren Yaohua had no way to refute this sentence. Marrying a poor or unpleasant person as a main wife versus marrying a decent and wealthy person as a concubine, different people have different choices. ¡°The reason Concubine Fang has comfortable life is because she has a dependable brother. I heard that her brother Fang Yacun was just promoted to the sixth rank titled ¡®Zhoutong¡¯ in Chuzhou a while ago, and is very much appreciated by his superiors. He is expected to be promoted again in the next two years.¡± ¡°I also heard that he was promoted, but it is just as a local deputy in the south, what does it have to do to us?¡± Ren Yaoqi knew about the Fang Family¡¯s affairs, some of which she asked Matron Zhou, some of which she remembered from her previous life. ¡°But you forgot the relationship between the Fang Family and the Ren Family. Now that the Ren Family wants to open a coal warehouse in the south, it is necessary to deal with the local government. Although Zhoutong is not a chief official in the state, he has real power. This Fang Yacun is not an incompetent person, I am afraid that in a few years, he will be the one who has the final say in the Fang Family. Grandaunt now is old and her own son is muddled. If you think she is still in charge of the Fang Family right now, just wait for a few more years.¡± After Ren Yaohua heard this, she thought about the relationship carefully, and found that what Ren Yaoqi said was not unreasonable. ¡°Fang Yacun was chosen by Grandaunt in the first place because of Concubine Fang¡¯s choice. If she hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to marry the Ren Family as a concubine, and deliberately let Grandaunt hold her in the palm of her hand, how could Grandaunt be at ease to plan for Fang Yacun? Concubine Fang was also a skilled schemer back then, but due to their status, these siblings can only live on the will of Grandaunt.¡± ¡°It can be said that without Concubine Fang, there would be no Fang Yacun today, and today, Fang Yacun is Concubine Fang¡¯s biggest backer. Presumably, Grandfather and Grandmother also saw clearly the future situation of the Fang Family, so they would be tolerant of Concubine Fang and let her be in the Ren Family. Concubine Fang¡¯s younger brother is likely to be the head of the Fang Family in the future. The coal warehouses of our Ren Family in the south are all related to the Fang Family.¡± Ren Yaoqi also couldn¡¯t figure out why Concubine Fang was able to monopolize a courtyard as a concubine, manage the affairs of the Third Branch instead of Li, and show her face in front of the guests during festivals. It was only later that she figured out that it wasn¡¯t that their grandparents were out of their wits, nor was Concubine Fang likable, but that the interests of the Ren Family and the Fang Family were involved. As long as the Fang Family did not fail and Fang Yacun took over the Fang Family smoothly, then Concubine Fang would not fail in the Ren Family. Ren Yaohua thought about it slowly and gradually figured it out. Her forehead was rarely sweating, but it was now. Then she murmured, ¡°Is that so?¡± Ren Yaoqi sighed, ¡±This reminds me of a story of cutting meat to feed an eagle. A young man struggling to survive in the chaotic world picked up an eagle chick. He barely survives himself, and there are no extra rations to feed the eagle, so every day he cut his own flesh to feed the eagle. Later on, this eagle gradually grew up, and even became a divine eagle. Not only the eagle saved the young man from the tiger¡¯s mouth several times, but also became his surefire weapon when he went into battle.¡± Looking at the distant blue sky, Ren Yaoqi slowly said, ¡°You can get it if you dare to give it up, but how many people in the world can have the courage of this young man to cut his own flesh and feed it to the eagle?¡± ¡°Concubine Fang,¡± Ren Yaohua frowned and spat out a name. After a long silence, Ren Yaohua said, ¡°If she has such a heart, how can be an ordinary concubine from the Third Branch of the Ren Family satisfy her?¡± Ren Yaoqi did not answer. In the last life, Concubine Fang became the de-facto head of the inner courtyard of their Third Branch. Unfortunately, the Ren Family fell into bad luck not long after, and Concubine Fang had no chance to get anything from the Ren Family. But she knows that for an ambitious person, her desires were endless. This desire would drive her to keep fighting and grabbing, and all obstacles in her way would be swept away. Ren Yaoqi originally thought that pulling Lin into the game and letting Lin and Concubine Fang face each other might divert Concubine Fang¡¯s attention. She didn¡¯t expect that Lin would be taken care of so quickly after facing Concubine Fang. This also reflected Concubine Fang¡¯s scheming and mobility from the side. Presumably, Fang Yacun still felt guilty and grateful for this sister, and his help must be greatly indispensable in this. ¡°It was me who thought too simple,¡± Ren Yaohua said softly. ¡°When Fifth Aunt was unlucky, I still gloated about it. Thinking about it now, we can¡¯t just let Fifth Aunt lose like this.¡± Ren Yaoqi pleasantly surprised by such exclamation. Ren Yaohua wasn¡¯t foolish, but she preferred to act on her own preferences and couldn¡¯t afford to endure any losses or frustrations. It was a huge step forward for her to even consider assisting Lin, whom she despised, in putting a stop to Concubine Fang. It wasn¡¯t in vain that Ren Yaoqi summoned her there and spoken so much to her. ¡°Then how do you want to help Fifth Aunt?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Ren Yaohua thought about it and shook her head, ¡°What kind of help did we talk about here? And I¡¯m not really helping her, I¡¯m helping ourselves.¡± Ren Yaoqi was relieved that Ren Yaohua could understand this point, this was also the purpose of her specifically saying this to her today. Ren Yaoqi said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush, Not only for Grandmother and Fifth Aunt, the Lin Family and Ren Family also need a buffer and a period of calm. After all, the interests of both families are still involved.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make it even more complicated?¡± Ren Yaoqi was shaking her head, ¡°Once interests are involved, everything can become complicated or everything can become simple. On the contrary, if it¡¯s just a simple matter of preference, it will be much harder to deal with.¡± Ren Yaohua was a little confused by these words, but she could hear that this meant that it should not be without a solution, and somehow felt relieved. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t explain much, and only said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Fifth Aunt want to go back to her mother¡¯s house? Then let her go back first. According to her nature, staying in the mansion at this time will only give people an opportunity to take advantage of her.¡± CH 106 Chapter 106: See the Expert Once Again The two sisters walked around the lotus pond in the garden twice before slowly stepping back to the Ziwei Courtyard. Today¡¯s dialogue was a great shock to Ren Yaohua. There were many things she hadn¡¯t thought of before, and the fact that Ren Yaoqi was able to think so far and so thoroughly surprised her. Fifth Madam Lin eventually went back to her natal house, and Fifth Master Ren Shimao didn¡¯t stop her. When it was almost evening, Lin Family came in from Yunyang City. The one who came was still the same Matron Rong who served the Lin Family¡¯s Eldest Old Madam. Last time, Matron Rong came for Ren Shijia¡¯s matter, but this time it was for Lin¡¯s sake. When Matron Rong came to Ren¡¯s mansion, the concierge of the Ren Family still knew her, and they were as warm and considerate to her as always. Matron Rong first asked to see Old Madam Ren, but it was Eldest Madam Wang who received her. The Eldest Madam didn¡¯t say that the Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t see any guests, she just led them to the Ronghua Courtyard herself, and said, ¡°Earlier this morning, the Fifth Sister-in-law wanted to go back to her natal house, but the Fifth Brother stopped her from leaving. As a result, he was scolded back in front of the servants, and I heard that she even moved her hands. Originally, when the Old Madam saw the Fifth Brother with injuries on his face yesterday, she just thought it was a small fight between husband and wife. She said that Fifth Brother was the one who was wrong so we do not make a fuss. Our Old Madam has always treated the Fifth Sister-in-law as her own daughter, and make us the rest of her daughters-in-law feeling envious.¡± Matron Rong apologized and said with a smile, ¡°Our Old Martriach and Eldest Old Madam often told us that it is a blessing in several lifetimes for the Eldest Miss to marry into the Ren Family. Every time the Eldest Miss goes back to her natal house, she always talks about how she is in the Ren Family. It¡¯s just that the Eldest Miss is our Old Madam¡¯s only daughter. She has been spoiled since she was a child, so her temper is inevitable. This morning, when the Ren Family sent someone to talk to us about that incident, our Old Madam wanted to apologize toward Old Madam Ren, saying that there must be some misunderstanding. She believes that Master is not that kind of irrational person. So when we saw Eldest Miss running back by herself at noon today, our Old Madam taught her a lesson.¡± The two of them walked and exchanged pleasantries in this manner. When they arrived at the Ronghua Courtyard, they saw Matron Gui, who served the Old Madam, carrying a bowl of medicine and quietly exiting from the main room. ¡°Is this for the Old Madam?¡± Matrob Rong looked at the bowl of black medicinal juice that was mostly drank and was surprised. Matron Gui whispered, ¡°In the morning, the Fifth Madam wanted to go back to her natal home and started fighting with the Fifth Master. It made our Old Madam so anxious that she was about to rush over to persuade her, but unexpectedly she almost fell to the ground.¡± ¡°Had you asked the doctor to look at her? What did the doctor say?¡± said Matron Rong anxiously. The Eldest Madam replied, ¡°I have invited the doctor to come, but the doctor also couldn¡¯t explain anything. He just said that it is probably a combination of old age, anger, and anxiety. The Old Madam herself also said she was fine, but she also asked us to immediately bring her over whenever the Lin Family came.¡± The Eldest Madam then asked Matron Gui, ¡°How is it now? Can Old Madam see the guests?¡± Matron Gui was a little embarrassed, ¡°Old Madam didn¡¯t sleep all night last night. After drinking the medicine just now, this servant saw her felt a little sleepy, so she helped her to sleep.¡± The Eldest Madam frowned and thought for a while, then said to Matron Rong, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in and report the guest¡¯s arrival?¡± Upon hearing this, Matron Rong quickly waved her hands and said, ¡°No, no. It¡¯s better to let the Old Madam rest, she is still sick. Eldest Old Madam sent me here just to ask about the situation, so that she can persuade Eldest Miss.¡± The Eldest Madam said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then let me explain it to you. I also know the whole story of this matter.¡± Matron Rong hurriedly said, ¡°Eldest Madam, you are busy with your affairs, how can we bother you like this.¡± The Eldest Madam said kindly, ¡°What do you mean busy, let¡¯s talk with me in my courtyard.¡± Then she told Matron Gui, ¡°If Old Madam wakes up, please send someone to tell us.¡± So the person sent by the Lin Family didn¡¯t see the Old Madam and only had Eldest Madam to receive her. The Eldest Madam told Matron Rong everything about Kang, including Kang¡¯s family background. It was no different from what the person sent by the Ren Family to the Lin Family said today. The main reason why the Lin Family sent people here was to find out the attitude of the Ren Family. The Eldest Madam also understood this well, which is why the Old Madam sent her to receive the Lin Family. So after going back and forth, Matron Rong understood what the Ren Family meant. The Ren Family wanted to let Kang enter the house. Matron Rong could only sigh in her heart as she thought about her Miss¡¯ temper. Old Madam Ren slept for more than two hours, and only woke up after darkness had fallen. Matron Rong was staying at Ren Family Mansion today, and not long after Old Madam Ren woke up, she went to the Ronghua Courtyard to pay her respect again. This time, Matron Rong met Old Madam Ren smoothly, and Ren Shijia also happened to be in Old Madam Ren¡¯s room. Ren Shijia has been living in her mother¡¯s house for two months. At first, the Lin Family sent people to pick her up a few times. Later when they saw Ren Shijia decided not to go back, the Old Matriarch sent a servant to visit her every few days to send her some herbs and supplements. Matron Rong hurriedly forward to greet Old Madam Ren and Ren Shijia. ¡°I heard that you came in the afternoon, just after I fell asleep. After waking up, I heard about it and was about to get someone to bring you here, but Jia Er happened to have something to tell me.¡± Old Madam Ren sat on the bed and said kindly to Matron Rong. Matron Rong said with concern, ¡°This servant heard that you were ill as soon as she arrived, so she was very anxious. Old Madam, you should take care of your health first. You still have to enjoy the blessing of your children and grandchildren.¡± The Old Madam Ren sighed, ¡°What blessing are there to enjoy, sons and daughters owe their sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters now come to collect debts. I am already satisfied if they all don¡¯t get angry with me.¡± When Matron Rong heard this, she thought that Old Madam Ren might be talking about Lin¡¯s affairs, and was thinking about how to answer the conversation. Then Old Madam Ren pointed at Ren Shijia and said, ¡± At your age, I¡¯m already in charge of the family. I have to take care of everything in the Ren Family¨Cbig or small things. You¡¯ve been with the Lin Family for a very long time, but you haven¡¯t made any progress, so even this little thing must be brought up to me. To be honest, you¡¯re still inadequately experienced to fulfill your responsibilities!¡± Only then did Matron Rong realize that Old Madam Ren was talking about Ren Shijia. She hurriedly helps her to speak, ¡°Old Madam, you have wronged our Sixth Madam. This old servant is fair, who in our Lin Family will not praise her when she sees her? Our Old Martriach regards her as an apple of her eye.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded at her words. ¡°That is true. She was pampered and raised by me in her natal family, and she was raised by her husband¡¯s family as a girl when she married into the Lin Family. No wonder she didn¡¯t make any progress at all! Tomorrow I¡¯ll have to beg your Old Martriach to let you go!¡± Matron Rong¡¯s heart stirred as she heard the words, wondering if Old Madam Ren¡¯s words could be an allusion to something. She couldn¡¯t help but look up at Old Madam Ren, but saw that she was still lecturing Ren Shijia in a low voice, and said under her breath, ¡°Take your pick of those two maids right now; I think they¡¯re both good. I don¡¯t believe it will be too much of a strain for you. Now that I¡¯m still living, you can still rely on me to make judgments, but what will you do after I die? How many times have I told you not to rely on the elders¡¯ favor and to be considerate? You still have to make your own decisions if necessary.¡± Ren Shijia was taught a lesson in front of Matron Rong by Old Madam Ren, who did not save her face. But she merely bowed her head and didn¡¯t say anything, as if embarrassed. After Old Madam Ren scolded Ren Shijia, Matron Rong, who was listening to the surprise, inquired carefully, ¡°Old Madam picked two concubines for Sixth Master?¡± Old Madame Ren said in a faint voice, ¡°You are not an outsider, and I will not speak of two families. Jia¡¯er is picking a concubine for her Master, and since she didn¡¯t have a suitable one by her side, she asks me for my opinion.¡± Matron Rong was taken aback for a while, then stared at Ren Shijia again, feeling bewildered. For so many years, there was no children around Sixth Madam, but she hadn¡¯t even mentioned arranging a concubine for the Sixth Master. How could she think of seeking a concubine for the Sixth Master now that she was pregnant and ready to give birth? Why did she even ask her mother for a concubine? Matron Rong was hesitant to speak. She wanted to ask, but she couldn¡¯t because of her status. ¡±In the past, I thought she was still young and there was no need to be in a rush,¡± said Old Madam Ren. ¡°Now, it is no longer feasible to be unhurried. In this regard, Jia¡¯er has lived up to our expectations. She should prioritize her husband¡¯s family in everything as she is married into his family.¡± The tone of Old Madam Ren suggested some pride. Matron Rong¡¯s heart can¡¯t help but pound when she heard her remarks. Old Madam Ren had been talking about Ren Shijia, but people would instictively think she was hinting toward Lin. Ren Shijia was pregnant, and she was still working on getting her husband a concubine. Lin, on the other hand, made a move against his husband because of his extramarital affair, and then had to return to her natal house in a fit of rage. But wasn¡¯t the reason Ren Shijia went back to her mother¡¯s house in the first place because the Sixth Master was having an affair with her maid behind her back? Why did she change her mind after one trip to her mother¡¯s home? Could it be that the Old Madam was still implying that her daughter¡¯s lack of understanding was due to her mother¡¯s failure to teach her properly? Did Old Madam want her to go back and advise the Eldest Old Madam to teach Miss how to be more generous? Matron Rong really couldn¡¯t figure out what the Old Madam meant, and her heart couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. She had originally imagined that because of the Sixth Madam, Old Madam Ren might be able to change her mind regarding Kang. However, Old Madam Ren¡¯s current attitude is to assist her daughter in finding a concubine for her son-in-law and spreading branches. Wouldn¡¯t it appear oppressive and unfair if the Lin Family continued to protect Lin? Matron Rong¡¯s head was already sweating thinking about it. Matron Rong hadn¡¯t had a chance to ask about Lin¡¯s troubles because Old Madam Ren kept lecturing her daughter, and it wasn¡¯t appropriate to ask now. She, of course, thought Old Madam Ren¡¯s demeanor was unusual, but she couldn¡¯t explain why. She merely thought she should go back and tell the Eldest Old Madam about everything. With her knowledge, she¡¯d be able to figure out what kind of medicine Old Madam Ren was selling on her gourd. >> what kind of medicine that was selling on the gourd When Old Madam Ren yawned and Ren Shijia asked if she was tired, Matron Rong knew she had to leave, even though she hadn¡¯t said anything. Matron Rong shook her head and sighed as she exited from Old Madam Ren¡¯s room. Eldest Old Madam Lin was always worried about her daughter. She originally thought that Eldest Old Madam Lin couldn¡¯t let her go because Miss was too spoiled. Looking at it now, the Eldest Old Madam is right. No matter how good the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is, they are not tied in blood after all. The only people in this world who can really plan for their daughters are their parents, not their parents-in-law. Matron Rong hurriedly said goodbye early the next morning and went back, not even visiting Kang. Originally, she wanted to find out the reason for her sudden appearance, but now she felt that the attitude of the Old Madam of the Ren Family was more important. Matron Rong did not come back for a while after she returned, but every few days the Lin Family would send someone to send some tonic medicine to Ren Shijia or Old Madam Ren. The Old Madam also dispatched a few people to pick up Lin¡¯s back, but Lin continued to refuse. Unexpectedly, the Fifth Master didn¡¯t go to pick Fifth Madam up in Yunyang City since she left. Ren Shimao intended to go there after Lin left, but the Old Madam was sick with rage, so Ren Shimao didn¡¯t. Later, Old Madam Ren reprimanded her son, saying, ¡°If you rush to chase her like this, don¡¯t think about her coming back. Just stay at home, and she¡¯ll return by herself in a month.¡± Ren Shimao was skeptical of his mother¡¯s remarks, but given Lin¡¯s attitude, he didn¡¯t want to lose all his face in his own family and continue to lose it in his in-laws¡¯. When he thinks about it, Ren Shimao harbors some hatred toward Lin. During the period when Lin left the Ren Family to go back to her mother¡¯s home, Kang would take care of Ren Shimao from time to time. Her current status was legitimate in the Ren Family, so this was considered perfectly normal. When the main wife left, would the concubine not be allowed to come up and take care of her husband? Seeing that Lin¡¯s time away from home was getting longer and longer, instead of looking for someone, Ren Shimao became more and more harmonious with Kang. Half a month later, Mrs. Lin came back with her daughter. At that time, Ren Shimao was having a meal with Kang. Originally Kang wanted to stand and serve, but Ren Shimao saw that she was pregnant and felt sorry for her, so he let her sit down as well. When he heard the news that Lin came back, Ren Shimao immediately stood up and was going to run out to pick up Lin when he was stopped by Kang. ¡°Master, if you leave like this, won¡¯t our efforts over the last half-month be in vain? You should remain seated and patiently await Madam¡¯s arrival. Otherwise, if Madam may leave once, she can leave twice and three times in the future. Would you want that?¡± Ren Shimao considered it and concluded that what Kang stated was reasonable; after all, Lin did return on her own as predicted, so Ren Shimao sat down again, ¡°Then I¡¯ll listen to you and wait here for her.¡± Ren Shimao said gratefully. ¡°Liniang, thank you so much this time; if it hadn¡¯t been for you helping me with ideas, she would definitely still refuse to come back,¡± Kang smiled and wiped her belly, ¡°Liniang also wants to see both Master and Madam get along, so that the child and I can have a better life.¡± Ren Shimao looked towards her still flat abdomen and felt a little guilty, ¡°Liniang, although I can¡¯t give you that kind of affection, I will take good care of you and the child. Huijun has been bad-tempered since she was a child, so you should put up with her more in the future. If you really can¡¯t put up with her, then avoid her, but don¡¯t mess with her.¡± Kang looked at Ren Shimao and quietly answered, ¡°Yes¡±. Ren Shimao became increasingly convinced that Kang was reasonable and a rare good woman. Ren Yaoqi had been paying attention to Fifth Branch¡¯s affairs for a while now, and Ren Yaohua also arranged for someone to pay attention to Kang¡¯s every move. In this regard, Ren Yaohua had more people available under her command than Ren Yaoqi, and many of them were trained by Matron Zhou. People in the house were discussing Kang¡¯s rapid development of his relationship with Ren Shimao recently. Everyone who had predicted that Concubine Kang would fall out of favor as soon as she walked through the door were caught off guard. The Fifth Master was upset not because of Concubine Kang, but because the Fifth Madam previously blocked him. Now that the Fifth Madam had left the mansion, the Fifth Master was getting closer to Concubine Kang. Ren Yaoqi told Ren Yaohua to just watch and listen well to these words, do not get involved. As soon as the news of Lin¡¯s carriage came back today, Ren Yaohua came to find Ren Yaoqi, and asked in surprise, ¡°How did you guess that Fifth Aunt would be back in a few days?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you send someone to watch over there? Although the Fifth Aunt returned to her mother¡¯s house, she still kept people in the mansion. Usually, those people just went to Yunyang City quietly every three days. But because of those talks recently, they come and go every day. Fifth Aunt can¡¯t sit still at her natal house.¡± ¡°What is Fifth Uncle want? He has been very indifferent to Fifth Aunt¡¯s affairs outside, and only let Concubine Kang accompany him every day.¡± After all, Ren Yaohua was still just a child, and she couldn¡¯t understand the thoughts between men and women. Ren Yaoqi sympathizes with what happened to Ren Yaohua in her previous life, and recently would always give her some tips and guidance. ¡°This is exactly where Kang¡¯s brilliance lies. You realized that, because she lived in a remote place, and because of the intentional or unintentional actions of the people left behind by the Fifth Aunt, when she first arrived, she couldn¡¯t even order her a maid. Even all her water for washing daily is filled silently by herself. But now, those maids don¡¯t dare to underestimate her anymore, why do you think this is?¡± Ren Yaohua thought for a while: ¡°Is it because of Fifth Uncle¡¯s attitude?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°You and I have lived in this inner courtyard for so many years, what do you not understand about the people who are playing around? For people like Concubine Kang who have no foundation and no backing, others will treat her appropriately as how she was treated. I believe Concubine Kang got Fifth Uncle to get close to her on purpose to make Fifth Aunt jealous. What benefits do you think she can get? ¡°First of all, those servants who don¡¯t know the truth won¡¯t dare to look down on her and show their face anymore, and then Fifth Uncle will think she is considerate and treat her differently?¡± Ren Yaohua analyzed. Ren Yaoqi nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Well, that¡¯s it.¡± Ren Yaohua frowned, ¡°But didn¡¯t she invite Fifth Aunt back like this? If Fifth Aunt and Fifth Uncle reconcile as before, wouldn¡¯t all her efforts be in vain?¡± Ren Yaoqi blinked, ¡°Then should we just wait and see? I bet Fifth Aunt will suffer again, or it will be boring.¡± Not long after, another piece of news came from outside. Fifth Madam Lin was very well-behaved when she first came back. She first went to the Old Madam¡¯s courtyard to pay her respect. The Old Madam did not say anything to her, only sent her back to her courtyard to rest. She didn¡¯t expect that Fifth Madam would see that Kang was really in her courtyard as reported, even wearing her clothes. Ren Shimao was sitting there, talking and laughing with Kang, didn¡¯t even notice her already came to the courtyard and entered the room. Is this worth it? Lin had been chastised by her mother for a long time, and her heart had cooled down considerably, but this time she was quickly lighted up again. She immediately ordered her maidservants to go up and arrest Kang, strip her naked, and throw her out. Someone explained to her that Kang accidentally spilled tea on her body and wet her clothes, so Fifth Master sent someone to bring out Lin¡¯s old clothes that she ordered to give as a reward to her maids. That explanation fell on deaf ears. Surprisingly, when the maidservants were holding Kang to strip her clothes, the Fifth Master, who had never spoken loudly in front of the Fifth Madam, suddenly lost his temper. He went forward and pulled all maidservants who restrained Kang one by one, pointed at the Fifth Madam, and cursed, ¡°Slut!¡± It¡¯s not like the Fifth Master didn¡¯t call Lin a ¡°slut¡± when he was playing husband and wife with the Fifth Madam. But this time it was like he just stabbed a hornet¡¯s nest. Lin was so angry that she threw away her mother¡¯s recent teachings, scuffled with the Fifth Master, and managed to injure his face again. In the end, the Fifth Master took Kang to her courtyard. This was the first time the Fifth Master entered the Kang¡¯s courtyard after the Kang entered the mansion. Ren Yaohua listened to all of this and fell silent. After the maid retreated, she said softly to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°You guessed it right again.¡± Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not that I guessed, but I know Fifth Aunt¡¯s temperament. Fifth Aunt is the most intolerable when it comes to matters related to Fifth Uncle.¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t have a good impression of Lin. If Lin hadn¡¯t fanned the flames and made trouble for Ren Yaohua and Li in the last life, Ren Yaohua might not have fallen to that point. Although Lin was also schemed to confront Ren Yaohua, she was willing to trample on a junior to death, so she was not a good person. But in this matter, Ren Yaoqi still sympathized with Lin. Regardless of Lin¡¯s character, her feelings for Ren Shimao are sincere. CH 107 Chapter 107: Suspicious Shadows ¡°Then what should we do now? Are we going to help her?¡± Ren Yaohua stood up, walked back and forth in the room, and asked Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi was silent for a long time, and finally shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not the time yet.¡± Ren Yaohua was taken aback, staring at Ren Yaoqi, and said, ¡°What¡¯s not the time? Then when is the time?¡± Regarding Ren Yaohua¡¯s tongue-in-cheek question, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t answer and asked instead, ¡°Then how do you want to help, Third Sister?¡± Ren Yaohua was speechless. At this time, even if she didn¡¯t want to admit it, she had to admit that Ren Yaoqi was smarter than her. No wonder their father liked Ren Yaoqi more. Although she knew she wanted to help Lin, she didn¡¯t know how to start. Ren Yaoqi said sternly, ¡°What can we do now? No matter what we do now, we will only get involved in the muddy water of the dispute between wives and concubine in the Fifth Branch, which will not do us any good. Fifth Aunt may not appreciate it either. Don¡¯t forget your own purpose in everything you do, or you will be led by the nose by your opponent.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words unconsciously sounded like a lecture. Ren Yaohua was silent for a moment when she heard that, then finally turned around and left without saying a word. Ren Yaoqi looked at her back and smiled wryly, was she too impatient? Should she give Ren Yaohua more time to grow up? Because of living one more life, her impression of Ren Yaohua in the previous life had been blurred, and now Ren Yaoqi actually treated Ren Yaohua as her own younger sister. But Ren Yaohua had a strong temper since she was a child. Even in front of their mother, Li, she had always been used to calling the shots. Now that the roles between Ren Yaoqi and her had suddenly changed, Ren Yaohua may feel a little uncomfortable. But how much time did she have for Ren Yaohua to adapt slowly? Although Ren Yaohua left without saying a word, she didn¡¯t act on her own. In the evening, Ren Yaoqi meet her again when they say good night to Li. Ren Yaohua no longer appeared like she was wronged. When she came out of Li¡¯s room, Ren Yaoqi said to Ren Yaohua, ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m sorry. Next time, I¡¯ll think things through before speaking. Don¡¯t be angry with me.¡± Ren Yaoqi who had lived a new life was always a little more tolerant towards Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua paused and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. I¡¯ve thought about it, and you think farther than I do, and you have more ways than I do. I¡¯ll just follow whatever you planned from now on. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know if Ren Yaohua¡¯s words meant that she was still angry or had calmed down. They remained silent for a minute, and when she tried to speak again, Ren Yaohua had already turned and walked away. Ren Yaoqi sighed softly and returned to the west chamber. The maidservants in the courtyard had noted that the mood between Third Miss and Fifth Miss had changed recently. Fifth Miss was more careful when talking to Third Miss, and Third Miss¡¯ attitude towards Fifth Miss was much more polite than before. Li was worried a lot about her two daughters, and asked Matron Zhou, ¡°What happened between these two now? They won¡¯t be fighting again, right?¡± Matron Zhou comforted her, ¡°This servant doesn¡¯t think so. Don¡¯t you know Third Miss? How could she put on a pleasant face if she was genuinely upset with Fifth Miss?¡± Li thought about it and felt that it made sense. She surmised that she was feeling this way because Ren Yaohua had become steadier. After a few days like this, the mansion finally got a rare peaceful day. Even in the Fifth Branch, the Fifth Madam, Lin, who had quarrels with Ren Shimao twice after he moved to Kang¡¯s courtyard, seemed to be disheartened and became much quieter nowadays. The last time she left Ren Mansion and went back to her natal family, Lin wanted to hear reports about the affairs of the Ren Family three or four times a day. Now that she returned to Ren Mansion, she ordered not to give her any information regarding Kang. This afternoon, Ren Yaoqi was still practicing calligraphy and reading in the study of the west courtyard, when she heard a few maids outside the study chattering happily. Because Ren Shimin didn¡¯t like maidservants entering the study, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t invite anyone in for questioning. She put down her pen and walked out by herself. ¡°What happened?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked a few maids who were full of excitement. Sangshen hurriedly replied, ¡°Miss, the news came from Nuanxiang Pavillion just now. They said that Madam has started to have a contraction. Old Madam has ordered the midwives to go to the Madam¡¯s courtyard to wait for orders. She and Eldest Madam has already come over. Third Madam is also going there now.¡± Ren Shijia is about to give birth? Ren Yaoqi thought for a while, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a few days early?¡± ¡°They said it is two days early,¡± Xueli stated. ¡°I heard Madam went to see Fifth Madam in the morning, and she came out a little upset,¡± Xueli said, looking around. ¡°Then, about lunchtime, she began to have stomach pains. Her maid checked it and discovered that she would give birth sooner.¡± Lin was involved again? Ren Yaoqi shook her head. Only now that Ren Yaoqi saw a group of people run past outside of the west courtyard. It seemed that her mother was in a hurry to go out. She should have gone to Ren Shijia¡¯s place. Ren Yaoqi still lived in the boudoir and could not enter the delivery room. She couldn¡¯t even enter the courtyard where the delivery room was located. But she was not curious. In her previous life, she had seen people give birth, and it was not pretty. Ren Shijia¡¯s husband came here in the evening. When he came, Ren Shijia had been in pain for almost two hours, and the child hadn¡¯t been born yet. The Third Madam also stayed there and did not come back, so Ren Yaoqi had dinner by herself. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t come back from Old Madam¡¯s courtyard, and Ren Shimin went out to drink and eat with others. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t sleep at first, but when she finally did, she heard the entrance to the courtyard open and someone come in. Ren Yaoqi recognized Li¡¯s voice and realized it was her mother. Putting on her shoes and getting off the bed, Ren Yaoqi quickly put on her overlay blouse and ran out. She come right when Li had almost reached the main room. ¡°Mother, is Aunt okay? Is the child okay?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Li turned around and saw Ren Yaoqi who ran out, a gentle smile on her lips. She nodded, ¡°Well, you get another brother cousin. You can go over to see him tomorrow.¡± Ren Shijia gave birth to a son. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s impression of Ren Shijia as an aunt was quite good, and was happy for her when she heard this. On the second day, Ren Yaoqi was about to go out, but she heard a few maids quietly discussing something. Ren Yaoqi walked over to hear a servant said, ¡°They said it will be Qingliu. When Madam leaves, she will bring Qingliu together to Yunyang City, and the Fifth Madam will arrange for her in the future¡­¡± ¡°So it is Qingliu, after all? That girl¡¯s looks are ordinary, and she¡¯s not very smart, how did the Old Madam and Madam pick her?¡± A maid asked in a slightly sour tone. Another maid glared at her and said, ¡°This is a concubine for the son-in-law, not for the son! Of course, the requirements to choose is very different.¡± Somehow, everyone in the Ren household was aware that Ren Shijia was planning to find a concubine for her husband. The speculation has been rampant in recent days, with bets on who would win in the end, ¡°She is a lucky one, I didn¡¯t think she actually won.¡± Someone sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that this is for choosing a concubine for the daughter¡¯s husband, not the son?¡± said the maid who spoke earlier. ¡°How many benefits may she receive? That Jinlian who serves Old Madam is useful, however she herself hoped she wouldn¡¯t be picked. She was overjoyed to learn that it will be Qingliu!¡± Ren Yaoqi turned around and walked away as if she didn¡¯t hear this. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua went over to see the baby together. Ren Shijia¡¯s delivery went smoothly this time with no risk, therefore there was nothing wrong with her body except exhaustion. Old Madam Ren was finally relieved. Because Ren Shijia just started the confinement period and couldn¡¯t safely go out with her baby, she rightfully stay at her mother¡¯s home for another month. >> Confinement Period This time, Auntie¡¯s husband, Lin Kun, also stayed behind. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua took a path that was usually deserted because it was closer to Ren Shijia¡¯s yard. When they walked to a narrow path behind the bamboo grove in Ren Shijia¡¯s yard, they weren¡¯t expecting to see two people hiding aside and chatting. Hearing that someone was approaching from here, the two split off in a panic, with one running east and the other disappearing in the bamboo forest in the blink of an eye. ¡°Who is there!¡± Matron Xu behind Ren Yaoqi had sharp eyes and was the first to call out. Everyone looked up in time to see two figures, one wearing yellow and another wearing green. ¡°Miss, this servant will bring a few people to take a look. These two people are talking here secretly. If they run away when they hear someone coming, they must be discussing something bad.¡± CH 108 Chapter 108: Is it her? Ren Yaoqi had also seen that silhouette in the forest, but because they were at a distance and covered by bamboo shadows, she couldn¡¯t see them very clearly. Matron Xu asked permission to chase after them, and Ren Yaoqi let her go with a nod. Ren Yaohua ordered her maid Wujing to follow her. ¡°Who could it be just now?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned and muttered to herself. She like to frown, so there were always two lines on her brows despite her young age. It made her beautiful face always look a little serious. Ren Yaoqi moved slowly towards the bamboo forest side, Ren Yaohua pondered about it and followed her. Spring is coming to an end, and many new bamboos that have broken through the ground have grown green leaves. There are still many small round holes in the wet and soft ground, which were left when the maidservants came over to dig bamboo shoots a while ago. They did not dig up the bamboo shoots out of greed. Because this miniature bamboo forest is primarily for ambiance, the density of the bamboo must be precise and cannot be allowed to grow uncontrolled. The soil of this small bamboo forest is very soft. Stepping on it will leave shallow footprints in the soil. Ren Yaoqi looked down and surveyed the two lines of newly left footprints, pondering. ¡°This must be left behind by those two people before,¡± said Ren Yaohua. There are two kinds of footprints left, big and small. Both of them were in the style of the round pointed toe of the embroidered shoes commonly used by women, so they should not be left behind by men. Since it wasn¡¯t a man and woman secretly meeting to meet each other, then why would they run away when they saw them coming over? ¡°Let¡¯s go to Auntie¡¯s courtyard first, we can¡¯t speculate anything here,¡± said Ren Yaoqi, shaking her head. ¡°Miss, there is only Auntie¡¯s courtyard in this neighborhood. Maybe those two merely ran away to Auntie¡¯s courtyard. We¡¯ll just keep an eye out to see who is acting suspiciously,¡± Xiangqin leaned closer and whispered. What Xiangqin said was also very likely. Ren Yaohua nodded and led the way to hurry toward Ren Shijia¡¯s courtyard. A few maids were standing in the courtyard chatting and laughing quietly. When they saw Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua enter, they hurriedly came forward to salute. Ren Yaohua¡¯s eyes swept over them and realized that they were the subordinates Ren Shijia had brought back from the Lin Family, ¡°Did anyone walk in just now?¡± Ren Yaohua asked after looking at their shoes one by one and found that they were all clean and dry with no traces of mud. Several maidservants looked at each other somewhat strangely upon hearing this, a slightly older one said, ¡°Back to Third Miss, this servant didn¡¯t see anyone come in. There were only a few of us in the courtyard just now.¡± Ren Yaohua was a little disappointed. ¡°Third Miss and Fifth Miss, is everything alright?¡± that servant asked tentatively. Ren Yaoqi laughed, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just now we saw someone walking ahead of us and coming over, so we asked which sister arrived first.¡± That servant frantically said, ¡°Earlier today, the only one who came was just Eldest Young Madam and Forth Miss together. Then they have already gone back after seeing Master.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ve probably mistaken. Is Auntie still resting? Can she meet the guests now?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. The servant smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the wife is still resting. This servant will lead two young misses to see the Master. He¡¯s looking very energetic.¡± Ren Shijia had only given birth to her baby in the early hours of this morning, so it was normal that she was still resting at this moment. The two sisters didn¡¯t bother Ren Shijia but followed the servant to see the baby. The baby was given to a nursemaid who had been prepared before, he did not live with Ren Shijia. When Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua went over, a nursemaid, four common maids, and four rough servants were all guarding the room. The baby was still asleep and hadn¡¯t opened his eyes, his palm-sized face was wrinkled and still pink. Just like a little monkey, when he stared at he didn¡¯t move, when he poked he still did not moving. Everyone in the house spoke softly, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were also very careful not to wake the child up. This was the time when someone from outside suddenly came. Ren Yaoqi turned her head just in time to see a young man of medium build with a square jaw. She and Ren Yaohua saw who the visitor was and frantically went up to greet him, calling out, ¡°Uncle.¡± It turned out to be Lin Kun, Ren Shijia¡¯s husband, who had arrived. Lin Kun smiled and nodded, glancing towards the child, then softly quietly said, ¡°Children are always sleepy when he is just born. After a while, he will be able to play with you.¡± He sounded like he was afraid that Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua would dislike the child for being uninteresting. At this time, the child¡¯s little face was wrinkled into a ball and cried in a thin voice. It seemed that he had woken up. When Lin Kun heard this, he took a big step toward the child and bent down to gently hold the child in his arms. The world generally cherished a grandson more than a son, but the nursemaid and maids around the house were not surprised by Lin Kun¡¯s actions. Lin Kun¡¯s posture of holding the child, although not skilled, is very proper. He must have been instructed by the nursemaid. He lowered his head and looked at the child in his arms with a smile, his expression turned softer. The child seemed to recognize his father¡¯s breath, and after a few delicate cries, he stopped crying. He did not open his eyes, so it was unclear whether he was awake or not. Lin Kun carried the child to the two sisters and explained patiently with a smile: ¡±After birth, he only opened his eyes once, then refused to do it again after. He looks better with his eyes wide open, if he is awake I can show you. ¡° Although Lin Kun¡¯s words were teasing his son¡¯s ugly appearance after birth, his words carried the joy of being a father. Because his tone is gentle and he doesn¡¯t have the airs of an elder, Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but remarked, ¡°I heard from Matron Zhou that babies are not very good-looking when they are born, and when they cry they like cats. But after waiting a few days, their face will look better.¡± Lin Kun¡¯s mouth curved slightly when he heard this, and he nodded, ¡°Third Miss is right, then I won¡¯t dislike him for the time being.¡± Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing, and couldn¡¯t help feeling more fond of this uncle whom she seldom met. A servant happily ran in, saluted, and said: ¡°Master, Madam has woke up. She immediately searches for the Young Master. This servant will carry the Young Master over and let Madam see him.¡± It turned out that Ren Shijia woke up. Upon hearing this, Lin Kun asked with a smile, ¡°Has she eaten yet? The old matron said that it is best to let her drink a bowl of medicinal porridge soon after waking up.¡± The servant shook her head: ¡°Miss said she wants to see the young master first.¡± Lin Kun handed the child in his hand to the nursemaid behind him and shook his head somewhat helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look at her, and you can carry the child over after she drinks the porridge.¡± That latter sentence was addressed to the nursemaid. That nursemaid should be the person sent by Old Madam Ren to take care of Ren Shijia. Seeing that Lin Kun was not forgetting to care for his wife at this moment, her heart rejoiced and didn¡¯t go against Lin Kun¡¯s intention. Instead, she agreed and said, ¡°Master is right.¡± Before Lin Kun left, he warmly asked Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, ¡°Your aunt is not allowed to see the wind for the time being, so the house is not very ventilated, I¡¯m afraid that you will be uncomfortable. There¡¯s no need to see her today, I¡¯ll tell her about your arrival.¡± Although they were words of rejection, they made people listen and feel thoughtful. Ren Shijia woke up at this moment because her heart was attached to her son who was just born, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were uninterested in disturbing her at this moment, so they nodded their heads in response. Lin Kun went out again with the nursemaid. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua stayed for a while, then got up to say goodbye. When they walked to the door, they saw that the nursemaid who had followed Lin Kun out before had come back again, now carrying the child over to show Ren Shijia. When the two sisters came out, Ren Yaohua said, ¡°Uncle is very nice.¡± It was rare for Ren Yaohua to be so blunt and use good words to evaluate a person. Ren Yaohua, however, smiled and was noncommittal. A person¡¯s temperament might not have more than one side, she had only met Lin Kun a few times and was not in a good position to judge this person. After the two of them left the courtyard, they found that Matron Xu and Wujing, who had gone after the two suspicious people before, were already waiting outside the courtyard. ¡°How is it? Did you find anyone?¡± Ren Yaohua walked over and said softly. Matron Xu sighed and shook her head, ¡°We searched all around and did not find the figures of those two people from before.¡± Ren Yaoqi had already expected this result, and was not disappointed when she heard this, nodding her head, she said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just two lazy and skittish people, since we couldn¡¯t find them then let¡¯s forget about it.¡± She said so, but after returning to the main room of Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi called Pingguo over, ¡°Find out anything?¡± Pingguo came forward and said in a low voice: ¡°This servant took the sizes of the two pairs of feet and went to Matron Liu, who serves Eldest Young Madam. She knew the sizes of the summer clothes that were made for the people in the inner courtyard. The size of the smaller pair of feet was the same as many of the maids have in the house, so there is nothing to find there. The other one this servant found out that it is worn by larger feet, and there is a slight difference between the right and left shoe.¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi in surprise, ¡°When did you send her to check this? How can two pairs of footprints be used to find someone?¡± Ren Yaohua laughed, ¡°When I was looking at the footprints, I roughly measured them with my own feet, and found that the size was a bit on the large side, and the two feet seemed to be different in length. That is why I secretly instructed her to go and ask Matron. You were walking in front and didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi and turned her head to ask Apple, ¡°So who is it?¡± Pingguo saw Ren Yaoqi nodding her head signaling her to speak, so she softly said, ¡°There are twenty or so servants with big feet in the mansion. Most of them are from the outer courtyard or the rough work servants. But there are only six who have large feet in the inner courtyard, and there are three who are about the same size as those feet. The only one whose left and right foot sizes are different is the cook in Nuanxiang Courtyard who is known as Servant Wen. Afterward, this servant went to Madam¡¯s courtyard again and found out that Servant Wen didn¡¯t go back until we all left, and she is wearing a green coat today.¡± ¡°Someone from Auntie¡¯s courtyard?¡± Ren Yaohua frowned. Ren Yaoqi remembered Servant Wen who made medicinal food that she saw in Ren Shijia¡¯s Courtyard at that time. A native of Jiangnan, Old Madam Fang had helped Ren Shijia find her. Ren Yaoqi had previously suspected that the timing of this Servant Wen finding out that Ren Shijia¡¯s previous miscarriage was fishy and too coincidental, and that it was the Fang Family who had recommended her to Ren Shijia. Now it seemed that this cook really have some relationship with Concubine Fang. CH 109 Chapter 109: As It Turned Out Ren Yaoqi told the maid to go down, and Ren Yaohua called Wujing to tell her to pay attention to that Servant Wen¡¯s movements. When everyone had gone back, Ren Yaoqi told Ren Yaohua about some of her speculations. ¡°What exactly do they want to do?¡± Ren Yaohua asked coldly. Ren Yaohua thought about it and shook her head, ¡°We can only wait and see.¡± Based on these superficial clues, she could only guess that there is something wrong with that cook surnamed Wen. Most likely Concubine Fang had Fang Family arrange for that servant to come over in order to set up Lin. Now that Lin was already powerless, Ren Yaoqi really couldn¡¯t guess for what purpose Concubine Fang will have that cook around. But now at least she has some clues, it¡¯s better than being in the dark. The two sisters were still speculating about Servant Wen, but what they didn¡¯t expect was that after two days they heard that Servant Wen had requested Ren Shijia to return to Jiangnan. Ren Yaoqi also couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised. Did Concubine Fang work hard to arrange for someone to go to Lin Family just for bringing down Madam Lin? The child is three days old, so today is his bathing ceremony. Because Ren Shijia is getting through a confinement period in her mother¡¯s house, the child¡¯s bathing ceremony was also done there as well. >> Bathing Ceremony Early this morning, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua followed Li to Ren Shijia¡¯s Nuanxiang Pavilion. When Ren Yaoqi went in to see her, Ren Shijia was leaning against the bed, looking spirited while holding her sleeping child in her arms. She was overflowing with joy and happiness, with a gaze that said her child is her everything. Seeing Li bring Ren Yaoyi and Ren Yaohua to see her, she also took the initiative to pass the child to Ren Yaoyi and Ren Yaohua for them to hold. Seeing Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua are all at a loss for words, she was giggling. Li said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let the milkmaids hold it? How would they know how to hold a baby? They will bump him.¡± Ren Shijia, however, bristled and complained to Li, ¡°Don¡¯t let his father hear this. Yesterday, Yu¡¯er came over to see the child and said she wanted to hug him. I was worried that the child would bump into something and didn¡¯t agree, but his father gave her a lecture. He said that a son should be raised roughly. If he was protected by me all the time, he will not be able to do anything when he grows up.¡± Although her tone sounds complaining, everyone present can hear her happiness in it. The relationship between Ren Shijia and her uncle Lin Kun has always been very good. Li looked at her from the side and smiled. Ren Shijia looked at the child in her arms and suddenly sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t expect him to become something great. I just hope he grows up peacefully, marries a wife and has a child, and inherits the flame of the Lin Family¡¯s Second Branch.¡± Seeing her like this, Li knew that she was probably thinking of her previous miscarriage, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh a little as well. Ren Shijia was one of the rare ones in the Ren Family who treated her nicely, so she also had a good feeling about Ren Shijia. She sincerely comforted her and said, ¡±You have been through a lot, but that period finally ends. Don¡¯t worry, the child will grow up to be a happy man.¡± Ren Shijia couldn¡¯t help but smile at Li¡¯s words, looked at her, and said, ¡°A lot of people say that I am lucky. I have enjoyed good fortune after being married to the Lin Family for so many years. Only you, Third Sister-in-law, who feel how much suffering I had¡­ Who understands my difficulties.¡± Although Ren Shijia was smiling, her eyes were red. Li frantically said, ¡°What am I doing, making you sad like this? Woman in confinement period can¡¯t cry.¡± Ren Yaoqi went over to look at the child in her nurse¡¯s arms and saw him biting his thumb and sleeping soundly, his face was much better than yesterday. She deliberately muttered: ¡°Uncle said that cousin will be able to open his eyes and look at us in a few days. This is already the third day, and yet he¡¯s still sleeping so well.¡± Ren Shijia heard it from there and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Your uncle didn¡¯t lie to you. He will open his eyes, he is sleeping because he just ate.¡± Li glared at Ren Yaoqi and lightly scolded, ¡°Naughty.¡± Ren Shijia¡¯s mood is better, said to Li, ¡°It¡¯s not that Yaoqi is naughty. Husband has always had a good temper with children. In the Lin Family, his nephews and nieces relied on their Sixth Uncle for anything, whether for minor or large problems.¡± ¡°Auntie, I heard that your cook who can make Jiangnan-style dim sum is already going back to her hometown?¡± asked Ren Yaoqi next to Ren Shijia Ren Shijia nodded, ¡°She didn¡¯t sign the deed of sale when came over. Just yesterday she said that her mother at home is seriously ill and she has to go back to take care of her. Initially I needed her to make medicinal food for my pregnancy. Now that the child has been born, she asked to leave to fulfill her filial piety, so I can¡¯t stop her.¡± Seeing Ren Yaoqi listening without saying anything, Ren Shijia suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, ¡°Do you like eating Jiangnan¡¯s pastries? In the future, I¡¯ll ask your grandaunt to find another cook for me.¡± Ren Shijia always thought that Ren Yaoqi was interested in Jiangnan¡¯s pastries. During the past few months at Ren¡¯s house, she would always let her small kitchen make some pastries and send them to various houses and courtyards. Ren Shijia would also take the initiative to send someone to ask Ren Yaoqi what kind of snacks she would like to eat. Ren Yaoqi smiled bashfully, ¡±Her pastries are delicious. Didn¡¯t Auntie say she would stay here before? Why did she suddenly propose to leave?¡± When Li heard this, she gave Ren Yaoqi a strange look. Ren Yaoqi acted as if she liked the dim sum that Ren Shijia sent over, but she knew her daughter. Ren Yaoqi doesn¡¯t like to eat too sweet pastries, but Jiangnan¡¯s pastries are all on the sweet side. However she didn¡¯t expose Ren Yaoqi on the spot, instead just sat on the side drinking her tea. ¡°Yes. I asked her before, and she said she was willing to stay in Yanbei. But suddenly yesterday she came over and said she wanted to leave for Jiangnan.¡± Ren Shijia also sighed with some regret. She was very satisfied with this cook. Both her medicinal meals and her snacks were well made, and she was also a capable person. With such a person who knows some medicine by her side, she will not be afraid that others will secretly play tricks on her and the child when she returns to the Lin Family. However, Ren Yaoqi was wondering, was the reason for Wen¡¯s sudden departure was related to the last time they bumped into her? Ren Shijia said that she initially hadn¡¯t intended to leave so soon. Was her departure because of Concubine Fang, or someone else? What Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t know was that at this time, Servant Wen, whom she had secretly inquired about was meeting Lin Kun. Lin Kun looked at the woman who came in with a tray and secretly frowned: ¡°What are you doing?¡± Servant Wen put the pastel-colored Fushou lidded bowl in the tea tray in front of Lin Kun, smiled, and said, ¡°This servant was ordered by Madam to send the lotus seed soup to Master, please enjoy it.¡± >> Fushou lidded bowl Lin Kun did not even look at the so-called lotus seed soup, only nodded coldly: ¡°Put it down and go out.¡± Servant Wen¡¯s face also sank, ¡°Sixth Master Lin, how did you promise my master in the first place? You abandoned us after helping you until this point?¡± Lin Kun said in a faint voice: ¡°This Master Lin doesn¡¯t remember to who or what he had promised, he doesn¡¯t understand what you are talking about. Who is your master? If I remember correctly, you are just a cook who was recommended to us by the Fang Family.¡± Servant Wen smiled, ¡°Since Sixth Master Lin doesn¡¯t remember, this servant will kindly remind you. Back then, when the Lin Family¡¯s Eldest Branch saw that both your grandfather and father had been killed, they coveted your second branch¡¯s family property. They deliberately told your mother the bad news at so suddenly, causing your mother to die while delivering you. You, on the other hand, were adopted by someone from the Eldest Branch, and turned you from the Second Branch¡¯s Eldest Master into the Sixth Master of the Lin Family¡¯s Eldest Branch. ¡°At first you were sickly since you were young. The people of the Lin Family¡¯s Eldest Branch thought that you wouldn¡¯t live to adulthood, so they didn¡¯t want your life to be hard as well. But not only did you grow up to adulthood peacefully, but you also purposely married the grandniece of Old Matriarch Lin from her natal family. These years, the people of the Eldest Branch constantly drugged Sixth Madam to give her frequent miscarriages. They wanted you and Madam to stop thinking about the separation of the family and adopt children from Eldest Branch. ¡°When I first arrived at the Lin Family, I told you about this matter, but you scold me and told me that I am crazy. So the only thing I could do is directly told Sixth Madam about this. ¡°My master initially thought that you really were so grateful to the people of the Eldest Branch that you even forgot about your biological father and mother, but only later did I realize that it wasn¡¯t a matter of gratuitousness. You were just waiting for a better time, and that time was the Ren Family¡¯s meddling.¡± Servant Wen glanced at Lin Kun, ¡°Perhaps you were aware of the reason for the Sixth Madam¡¯s miscarriage from the beginning, but deliberately held back. The reason for this is to try to secure the Ren Family as your backing. The Eldest Branch of the Lin Family and the Ren Family would be in conflict so that the Ren Family can blatantly stand on your side. Sixth Master Lin, what a good scheme, what a decisive tactic!¡± Lin Kun looked at Servant Wen expressionlessly, his eyes were deep. Servant Wen didn¡¯t know why she felt a little flustered, but she still bit the bullet and continued without any change expression, ¡°Sixth Master Lin, do you think that Old Master Ren will willingly help you? No matter how much Old Madam Ren loves her daughter, Sixth Madam, but she is just a daughter who is already married to the Lin Family. Old Master Ren said that he is willing to help you, but he just wants to benefit from the separation of the Lin Family. Back then, the Ren Family and the Lin Family agreed that this marriage between you and Sixth Madam is nothing more than a scheme between the two families. Are you willing to transfer the things that belonged to you from Eldest Branch Lin¡¯s hands to the Ren Family?¡± After Sister Wen finished speaking, she carefully observed Lin Kun¡¯s expression. After finishing her speech, Servant Wen carefully observed Lin Kun¡¯s expression. Lin Kun, to her surprise, remained calm and did not get upset or concerned after being exposed by her. Servant Wen was a little uncertain of Lin Kun. Could it be that her master¡¯s findings and hypothesis are wrong? Lin Kun looked at Servant Wen for a moment. Without changing his expression, he slowly walked to the chair, sat down, and continued to sort out the account books on the table. Then softly, he said: ¡±Your master¡¯s story is well made up. But I¡¯m not interested, so you¡¯d better leave now.¡± Servant Wen gritted her teeth, unhappy with Lin Kun¡¯s gentle firm refusal, ¡°Sixth Master Lin, aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll spread the word about this?¡± Lin Kun¡¯s hand paused, then he began to lower his head and busy himself again without raising his head, ¡°Be my guest.¡± ¡°Sixth Master Lin, you have to know that now this servant listening to you to leave Sixth Madam is not because this servant and Master are afraid of you, but rather because we want to show the sincerity of our side. Instead of letting the Ren Family plot against you, you might as well cooperate with my master. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just take what you want at the right time than grovel to the Ren Family?¡± said Servant Wen unwillingly. Only then did Lin Kun raise his head to look at Servant Wen, but he asked with some curiosity, ¡°In fact, I would like to know, why is your master jumping up and down so much? How did he learn about my Lin Family¡¯s affairs?¡± Servant Wen frowned, ¡°Sixth Master Lin, don¡¯t treat other people¡¯s good intentions as a donkey¡¯s liver and lungs!¡± >> donkey¡¯s liver and lungs Lin Kun smiled faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me whether it¡¯s good intentions or the donkey¡¯s liver and lung. I don¡¯t want an outsider who appears out of nowhere to intervene in the affairs of my Lin Family. As for you, at first, you agreed to leave soon, so I turned a blind eye to let you stay in the Lin Family and followed Madam to the Ren Family. But I don¡¯t expect your master to go back on what he said and want you to stay in the Lin Family so that you can be her helper in the future. Your master has overestimated my patience!¡± Seeing that Servant Wen still wanted to say something, Lin Kun hold up his hand and interrupted, ¡°This time, your master and I do not owe each other anything, and I believe that we will not be involved in the future. I heard that you have already told Madam that you are going to leave. So in a couple of days when our Lin Family ready a ship to the capital city, sail in that ship.¡± Servant Wen was infuriated that Lin Kun accept neither the carrot nor the stick, so she couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Thank you, Sixth Master Lin, for taking the trouble!¡± Lin Kun waved his hand, signaling for Servant Wen to leave. She turned around with a cold face and walked away. Although Lin Kun was nominally her master, she had previously thought that she held Lin Kun¡¯s secrets and did not take him seriously. Before, Lin Kun¡¯s attitude was ambiguous. Although he did not agree, he did not reject her either. But she didn¡¯t expect him to outright dismiss her after the child was born. He did not take her threats seriously at all, even threatened her in turn, saying that if she did not leave on her own, he would find a way to make her leave. No matter what considerations Lin Kun had previously made in not tearing his face off with Servant Wen and the people behind her, he was actually not afraid of them. The handle that Wen said was just their speculation, while her relationship with the Fang Family was well documented. If it was really to be made public, Lin Kun would not be the one to suffer. After Servant Wen left, Lin Kun put down the account book in his hand, stretched out his right hand, and gently pinched the center of his eyebrows, looking somewhat absent-minded. Although he was not afraid of Servant Wen¡¯s threats, the words she had just said still reminded him of his own discoveries over the years. He had later checked, his grandfather and father¡¯s deaths were indeed accidents. And it was also true that his mother gave birth prematurely because she couldn¡¯t bear the sudden news of his father¡¯s death, and in the end didn¡¯t survive due to excessive blood loss. He was suspecting the reason behind his mother¡¯s death, but it had been many years, he checked for so long, and yet there was no conclusive evidence that it was deliberate murder made by Eldest Branch. As for his wife Ren Shijia, Lin Kun¡¯s feelings were complicated. It was only after his wife had miscarried several times that he began to suspect the hand of the Eldest Branch Lin, but he didn¡¯t know whether he would have used Ren Shijia to win the support of the Ren Family if he had known about this matter from the very beginning. At least Wen was right about one thing: Lin Kun married Ren Shijia because he was desperate and could only take advantage of the Ren Family, which is related by marriage to the Old Matriarch Lin. After Servant Wen came out of Lin Kun¡¯s place, her face was very ugly. Although Concubine Fang wouldn¡¯t blame her, she promised to give her a sum of money to go back to Jiangning. What can she do now after she goes back? Madam Fang has brought a lot of confidantes from her natal family, and she will never trust them wholeheartedly. It is also because she has seen this that she volunteers to come to Yanbei to help the Fang Family¡¯s Grandniece. As she turned out of the path at a quick pace, Servant Wen almost bumped into a group of people. Luckily, one of the little girls walking in front of her reacted very quickly and jumped out of the way. Servant Wen was not in a good mood and was about to confront them. But after seeing the person behind the maid, her face stiffened. Then she quickly revealed a smiling face, bent her knees, and called, ¡°Fifth Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled at Servant Wen¡¯s swift changing of the face and glanced at the path she had turned out of, ¡°Where is Servant Wen coming from?¡± Servant Wen thought that the person in front of her was just a young girl, so she felt calmer, and replied, ¡°Madam ordered this servant to send some desserts to Sixth Master Lin who is reading the account books in the study at this time every day.¡± Ren Yaoqi withdrew her gaze and nodded, ¡°I heard that Servant Wen is returning to her hometown, is it true? Your desserts are delicious and I like them very much, so I¡¯m afraid that there won¡¯t be a chance for me to eat them again in the future.¡± Servant Wen was a woman with a lively and cheerful nature in front of people, and smiled at her words, ¡°What does Fifth Miss like to eat? This servant will go back and make some. This servant will only leave the Ren Family in a couple of days, so there is still time to make some snacks.¡± Ren Yaoqi was very happy to hear this, ¡°Then I will inconvenience you, I¡¯m afraid if Auntie finds out she will laugh at me for being greedy.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Fifth Miss? Our Sixth Madam loves young ladies the most, if she knows that you love eating snacks from her courtyard she will be so happy.¡± Right now Servant Wen looked like a gentle and loyal servant, with no trace of the cold face she had before. Ren Yaoqi then casually said the names of the two snacks. After remembering them, Servant Wen respectfully retreated. After walking out from the corridor, Ren Yaoqi glanced back and saw that Servant Wen had already left through another road branch. Looking at the path she walked out from before, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but ponder. What was the connection between Concubine Fang and Lin Kun? And what was the reason for Servant Wen¡¯s ugly face before? Was it possible that her leaving the Ren Family was not of her own volition? According to Concubine Fang¡¯s nature, even if she was just a pawn, she wouldn¡¯t be discarded before she played a big role. This wasn¡¯t Concubine Fang¡¯s style. Ren Yaoqi felt that there must be something wrong with this. All of the mysteries fogging around it made her feel uncomfortable. Knowing the enemy and knowing yourself is the only way to fight a hundred battles without danger. What method should she use to figure out this matter? Walking in the garden, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but rapidly turned her brain. That day passed very quickly. The next morning Ren Yaoqi was in Li¡¯s room with Ren Yaohua listening to Matron Zhou teaching them about household matters, when a person that Ren Yaoqi did not expect suddenly visited. Ren Yaohua is surprised when she hears the concierge rushing over, panting, saying that the County Princess of the Yanbei Royal Family is here, and she is looking for her. Looking at Li, as Ren Yaohua and Sister Zhou all looked towards her in confusion, Ren Yaoqi retracted her surprised expression and laughed, ¡°Last time when the County Princess said she wanted to come to Baihe Town to play, I only thought she was joking. I didn¡¯t expect that she would really come today.¡± Li thought for a moment and smiled, ¡°It seems that this County Princess is a good friend for you. She is a guest, quickly go meet her.¡± Xiao Jinglin did so, naturally startling everyone up and down the Ren Family. The Old Madam reacted first, and hurriedly took the Eldest Madam out of the Ronghua Courtyard to greet her personally. It is not surprising that the Old Madam was so serious. Although Xiao Jinglin was only a county princess, but with the status of the Xiao Family in Yanbei, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s status was actually equivalent to that of a princess from the palace. All the women in Yanbei wanted to befriend her. It is unfortunate that Xiao Jinglin was not in the residence all year round, and basically did not participate in the various gatherings of the famous ladies. That is why when she took the initiative to come to the Ren Family, every woman of the Ren Family could not help but be surprised and a little flattered. So at the time Ren Yaoqi learned the news, Xiao Jinglin had already been respectfully invited to the Ronghua Courtyard by the servants of the Ren Family. When Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua went over there, they saw Xiao Jinglin sitting quietly at the head of the table, and Old Madam Ren was sitting at the lower place. The Eldest Madam from Eldest Branch, the Eldest Young Madam, and the Fourth Miss Ren Yaoyin all stood behind Old Madam Ren. Even the Fifth Madam Lin who was in a cold war with Ren Shimao and looked at no one in the eye, brought Ren Yaoyu over. She was the only one who was talking to Xiao Jinglin familiarly. Although Xiao Jinglin just nodded briefly, it did not dispel her enthusiasm. Seeing Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua came in, the Fifth Madam said to Xiao Jinglin, ¡°County Princess, our family¡¯s Yaoqi is here.¡± Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua went up to bow to Xiao Jinglin. the Old Madam frowned and looked behind them, ¡°Where is your mother? Why didn¡¯t she come over to see the County Princess?¡± Even she had gone out to welcome Xiao Jinglin, so for the Third Madam Li to not even show her face, it was really a bit unseemly. Ren Yaoqi knew of her mother. Although the title Xian Royal Family was no longer there, she did not have the consciousness of groveling to the daughter of a vassal king. Li didn¡¯t mean to put on airs, but her pride was cultivated since childhood and integrated into her bones. So she didn¡¯t intend not to attend, but she didn¡¯t realise she had to. Ren Yaoqi also did not remind Li, she knew that some things would touch a certain string in her mother¡¯s heart and make her sad. CH 110 Chapter 110: Harmonious ¡°Matron Gui, go and ask the Third Madam to come here.¡± Old Madam Ren instructed Matron Gui. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly, but Xiao Jinglin, who was sitting at the head, said, ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯ve already met the Third Madam last time. Today I¡¯m here to find Ren Yaoqi.¡± Only then did Old Madam Ren stop, smiling, and asked Xiao Jinglin, ¡°Did the Princess meet Qi¡¯er at Bailong Temple?¡± Xiao Jinglin glanced at Ren Yaoyi and nodded. ¡°No wonder you both hit it off so well,¡± Old Madam Ren nodded with a smile. Xiao Jinglin put down the tea bowl in her hand and got up, ¡°I want to invite Ren Yaoqi to go out for a trip. This is the first time I¡¯ve come to Baihe Town and I want her to take me out for a stroll.¡± Xiao Jinglin said that she wanted to go out for a stroll and said it in a very normal way as if it was a very common thing for her. In fact, although Yanbei does not expect to follow the level of strict etiquette in Jiangnan, if it was not during some major festivals to enjoy with the people, the ladies of the aristocratic families rarely went out to hang out. They have to pay attention to their status after all. People still believed that only by being raised in a deep boudoir can a gentle and courteous lady be cultivated, and no lady is trained in the market. No matter how open the folk customs are, it will not change this mindset. However, Old Madam Ren agreed without even thinking about it, and even said with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t we let Yaohua and Yaoyin also accompany the County Princess, so there will be a lot of people to contribute to the liveliness.¡± Fifth Madam Lin hurriedly pushed her own daughter forward and said, ¡°Yes, yes, there¡¯s also our Yu¡¯er, go together as well.¡± Xiao Jinglin glanced at the other several misses of the Ren Family and refused in a faint voice, ¡°No need, I don¡¯t like too many Ren misses, just Ren Yaoqi is fine.¡± The Ren Family being able to get involved with the Yanbei Royal Family was something they couldn¡¯t wait for. Old Madam Ren couldn¡¯t wait for Xiao Jinglin to get along with her granddaughters, which would help the girls of the Ren Family to increase their social status. Therefore, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s refusal made Old Madam Ren a little disappointed, but she couldn¡¯t force it, so she could only tell Ren Yaoqi to take good care of the princess and do her best as the host. Although Xiao Jinglin invited Ren Yaoqi, she herself did not have the right to decide. Even if she didn¡¯t want to go, she would still be forced to go by the Ren Family. Having been a member of the Ren Family for two lifetimes, Ren Yaoqi understood this point very well. Fortunately, she was not a stubborn person and just smiled at this. Ren Yaoqi could see the different expressions of the members of the Ren Family. She bowed her head and obediently followed Xiao Jinglin out of the Ronghua Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi don¡¯t know if it was just her illusion, Xiao Jinglin seemed to let out a long breath after she came out. Although Xiao Jinglin¡¯s expression remained unchanged, Ren Yaoqi, who was standing very close to her, still felt it. Was she unaccustomed to dealing with the madams? Ren Yaoqi remembered that Xiao Jinglin lived in the border city for many years and rarely returned to Yanbei Royal Residence ¡°Why did County Princess come to Baihe Town today?¡± Ren Yaoyi tried to break the silence. Frankly, she and Xiao Jing Lin were not even acquaintances, both of them had not spoken ten sentences together in total. Xiao Jinglin also was not familiar with her, so when they were alone at this moment, the atmosphere was naturally stiff. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Jinglin¡¯s reply was very short, clearly not too keen on communicating with Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi then stopped asking her. The two of them walked along in silence like the first time they met, only this time Ren Yaoqi wasn¡¯t being pulled along by Xiao Jinglin. But strangely enough, this kind of silence seemed to suit Xiao Jinglin a bit more, and the atmosphere was no longer so uncomfortable. Ren Yaoqi took a sidelong look at Xiao Jinglin, a rare glance with some curiosity, she suddenly had a feeling. Compared to life in the wealthy mansion with all the flowers and servants, this young girl seemed to be more suited to live independently. The Ren Family said that they would prepare a carriage for the two of them, but it was rejected by Xiao Jinglin who also came by carriage today. Xiao Jinglin still didn¡¯t bring any maidservants, but Ren Yaoqi wasn¡¯t used to not having anyone around her and brought two maidservants with her. After leaving the second gate and arriving in front of Xiao Jinglin¡¯s carriage, Ren Yaoqi realized that the person who drove the carriage for Xiao Jinglin today was actually Dongsheng. Ren Yaoqi understood after a slight surprise. Since she did not have any friendship with Xiao Jinglin, then Xiao Jinglin should be entrusted by Xiao Jingxi to find her. However, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t see him in the carriage, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s carriage ended up being just herself and Ren Yaoqi. The maids that Ren Yaoqi brought out ended up riding another carriage send out by Ren Family. Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t mind the trouble. The carriage finally drove out of the town, not far from Baihe Town, to Xishan. Because there are quite a few coal mines and kilns in Xishan, there are also some large and small porcelain kiln workshops nearby. The mountain road near Xishan has been flattened by the vehicles that come and go to move the goods to make the road more spacious. The carriage traveled all the way as if it were not climbing up the mountain. However, because of the neighbouring coal kiln coal mine, every road, without exception, is black, as is the soil three feet underneath, as a result of the coal trucks that have travelled here over the years. Currently there was a long fleet of coal trucks, and a clear bell could be heard between them. Xiao Jinglin was lifting the carriage curtain to look out, and when she saw this caravan, she let out a yelp, ¡°Camels?¡± Ren Yaoqi turned her head to look and recognized the Ren Family¡¯s logo in the caravan. The Ren Family¡¯s steward brought a few miners to drive dozens of dromedary camels clanking along. ¡°Well, most of the roads here are mountain roads. Before the coal mines were built, there were many lime kilns nearby. Camel carriages were utilized because horse-drawn carriages were inadequate on hilly routes. Later, when the coal kiln was built, camels were also used to transport coals. This mountain path has gotten significantly smoother over the years to accommodate more carriages. As a result, the Ren Family¡¯s present coal kiln is equipped with both horse and camel carts. Because camels can carry far more weight than horses and are less costly, coal kilns continue to favour camels to transport coal.¡± Xiao Jinglin nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve ridden a camel, but it¡¯s the kind with two humps.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°A camel even saved my life.¡± Xiao Jinglin suddenly said such a sentence unprompted, so Ren Yaoqi was a little surprised. Is Xiao Jinglin talking about what happened when she was at the border? But Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t continue, and just quietly watched the group of camels pass by them, kicking up a cloud of dust. Ren Yaoqi blinked. There was some sand stinging her eyes, so she took a handkerchief to try wiping it off, then simply closed her eyes and waited for the caravan to pass. Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t pull up the curtain and she couldn¡¯t say anything. Xia Jinglan just realized Ren Yaoqi¡¯s discomfort. She put down the curtain, keeping the dust flying everywhere outside the carriage Only then did Ren Yaoyi open her eyes and smiled somewhat apologetically. Xiao Jinglin watched Ren Yaoyi put away the handkerchief in her hand before she said, ¡°You can¡¯t stand even this bit of dust?¡± She didn¡¯t mean to be contemptuous, but rather curious. Ren Yaoyi glanced at Xiao Jinglin and said, half-truthfully, ¡°County Princess isn¡¯t afraid because County Princess¡¯ eyelashes are thicker than mine.¡± Xiao Jinglin was stunned, but then laughed a little, ¡°This argument is quite fresh.¡± Her smile came and went quickly, only surfacing slightly on her face, and disappeared again before Ren Yaoqi could see it clearly. ¡°I¡¯ll let Xiao Jingxi try that.¡± Xiao Jinglin popped up again. Ren Yaoqi remembered carefully about Xiao Jingxi¡¯s eyelashes, they seemed to be thick as well, so she couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud as well, ¡°Then, County Princess, don¡¯t tell Second Young Master Xiao that you asked him to try it because of what I just said.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Jing Lin casually asked. Why? Ren Yaoqi was speechless. Of course it was because she was afraid that he would find her to settle the score. After such a dialogue, the two of them finally got to know each other better, and the atmosphere eased a lot. ¡°Where is the camel that county princess used to have? Have you brought it back and raised it?¡± Ren Yaoyi tried to find a topic that Xiao Jinglin liked. Xiao Jinglin did not expect to hear this, with an odd face she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring it back, I¡¯ve already eaten it.¡± Ren Yaoyi: ¡°¡­¡­ ¡° Seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s expression, Xiao Jinglin thought for a moment, then explained, ¡°Soldiers usually are very fond of their war horses, because on the battlefield the war horse is their own pair of legs and sometimes or a comrade-in-arms. However, when food is scarce, the horses will still be killed. On the battlefield, ¡®killing the enemy¡¯ and ¡®saving yourself¡¯ are the first things to be learnt.¡± CH 111 Chapter 111: Xiao Jinglin Although she talked about matters of life and death, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s tone was still light, ¡±My first warhorse was one that I raised myself from a young age, named Snow Eagle, and it was also eaten. A warhorse that is considered a comrade in arms is still like this, let alone a camel. A camel can keep a fine party of two dozen men fighting for four or five days. Four or five days is enough to last until reinforcements are arrived.¡± As Ren Yaoqi listened to Xiao Jinglin¡¯s words, she immediately curious about her encounters over the years. Xiao Jinglin was just two or three years older than her, but when she chatted about these things, she looked calm and vicissitudes, very incongruous with her young and beautiful face. Xiao Jinglin noticed Ren Yaoyi sizing her up seriously, she instantly stopped talking, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you probably don¡¯t like to hear what I said.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°How could that be? No one has ever spoken to me about things on the battlefield, I find it very novel.¡± Xiao Jinglin, however, shook her head seriously, ¡°Few people managed to return from war, things on the battlefield have never been anything but cruel.¡± Seeing that Xiao Jinglin¡¯s delicate cheerful face became a bit heavy, Ren Yaoqi smiled and changed the topic, ¡°Has County Princess learned martial arts? Last time at the Bailong Temple you threw money to the blessed bell quite accurately. Every time I went to the temple to offer incense when I was young, my mother would also let me throw a few coins, but I never hit it.¡± Xiao Jinglin nodded at his words, ¡°Well, I started learning riding, archery, and close combat martial arts from Uncle Yuchi at the age of three.¡± ¡°Three years old?¡± Ren Yaoqi was slightly stunned, that was the age when you just learned how to run and jump, right? ¡°Is it hard?¡± ¡°Hard?¡± Xiao Jing Lin had some surprise in her eyes, as if she had never thought about this. She subconsciously stretched out her right hand to look down at her palm. Ren Yaoqi also lowered her head to look at her palm. She found that her right hand, which was supposed to be slender and soft, had joints that were more distinct than the average woman¡¯s, and there were thick calluses on the palm and in the middle of the fingers, indicating that Xiao Jinglin¡¯s hand was clearly rougher than the common woman¡¯s. Xiao Jinglin slowly clenched her palms together. She raised her head again, her gaze was calm, but she shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not hard.¡± Ren Yaoqi suddenly did not know how to take this sentence. The carriage was quiet for a few more moments, until Xiao Jinglin took the initiative to speak, ¡°What about you, what did you do as a child?¡± Ren Yaoqi was silent for a while before she said, ¡°Writing, drawing, and reading books everyday.¡± She was silent not because it was not a good answer, but because she was somewhat unable to remember what she did when she was a child, but it shouldn¡¯t be anything more than these things. Xiao Jinglin sniffed thoughtfully, ¡°Why is it the same as Xiao Jingxi? No wonder you guys can converse together.¡± Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Well, there¡¯s also doing embroidery and quarreling with my sister,¡± Ren Yaoqi added with a smile. Xiao Jinglin froze and frowned in thought, ¡°He definitely doesn¡¯t know how to do embroidery or quarreling,¡± Xiao Jinglin shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t get along with your sister?¡± Xiao Jinglin asked. This question made Ren Yaoqi think for a moment, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m jealous that she¡¯s more favoured than me in front of my mother.¡± Xiao Jinglin nodded rightfully, ¡°I see. Xiao Jingxi is more favoured than me by the elders, but I won¡¯t beat him up just because of that.¡± Ren Yaoqi: ¡°¡­¡­¡± At this time, Dongsheng, who was driving outside, yelled, and the carriage stopped steadily. Xiao Jinglin lifted the curtain and took a look outside, while Ren Yaoqi cast his eyes outside the carriage. This is still outside the city, the carriage is driving on the mountain road, and there are gently rolling hills on both sides. But there is no village and no shop around this place. Ren Yaoqi thought that she hadn¡¯t asked them where they were going, so she was about to ask, but Xiao Jinglin said in a low voice, ¡°Did the carriage behind still follow us?¡± Dongsheng¡¯s voice sounded through the curtain: ¡°Return to the princess, they all have been thrown off.¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but be astonished: ¡°Someone is following us?¡± Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t speak, Ren Yaoqi suddenly seemed to think of something: ¡°Is it from the Ren Family?¡± Just now when they were going out, they met Old Master Ren. Old Master Ren must have rushed back deliberately when she heard that the princess was coming, but Xiao Jinglin rejected his idea of letting someone from the Ren Family be a guide. Is Old Master Ren really still sending someone to trailing them? Xiao Jinglin nodded: ¡°Well, they have tracked us since we left the house, but they didn¡¯t very stealthy. It must be because they are worried about your safety, so they let people follow far behind.¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t take it seriously. The whole Ren Family must be thinking about how to climb to Yanbei Royal Family through Xiao Jinglin, they don¡¯t have the time to worry about her safety. But of course, she would not say such words to Xiao Jinglin. On the contrary, Xiao Jinglin explained slightly apologetically: ¡°I don¡¯t like people following, so I ordered the servants early on to find a way to get rid of anyone behind us.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and said with a smile, ¡°I forgot to ask, where are we going?¡± Xiao Jinglin looked even more puzzled than Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Didn¡¯t I already said it? Let¡¯s go strolling in the street.¡± At this moment, the carriage moved again, and Ren Yaoqi noticed that the carriage started to turn around. Could it be that they ran so far out of the city just to get rid of the blatant stalking of the people sent by the Ren Family? Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to order the servants to go down and tell those people not to follow? Ren Yaoqi felt that she still couldn¡¯t keep up with Xiao Jinglin¡¯s train of thought. So the carriage started back to the city again. Ren Yaoqi took a closer look at the scenery outside the carriage, and found that they were not on the same road when they left the city. Obviously, Dongsheng was also very familiar with the terrain of Baihe Town. It was almost noon at this time, and many merchants who took the official road and passed through Baihe Town began to pour into the town. Although Baihe Town is called a town, it is much larger than an ordinary small town, and the main road is full of shops.Of course, it was the various restaurants and guest houses that occupied the most shops. Xiao Jinglin¡¯s carriage was passing by the ¡°Phoenix Tower¡± mentioned by Old Master Ren before. She took a look and then looked away, obviously not interested in that place. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s find a place to eat.¡± Xiao Jinglin said to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi nodded. In her previous life, she also had contact with the market after leaving the Ren Family. But when she was in the Ren Family, except when she went to offer incense and eat vegetarian dishes in the temple, she had never eaten outside. There are quite a few restaurants in Baihe Town, but most of them are for merchant travelers, and few of them are high-end. ¡°Phoenix Tower¡± is considered to be a better restaurant in Baihe Town. The carriage slowly drove through an alley and left the main street of the town. Ren Yaoqi found that the surrounding scenery became familiar because she had been there several times. This is an alley near Guangong Temple. Xiao Jinglin said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°It¡¯s a narrower walk further in, so take one or two maids with you, and let the rest of them wait in that teahouse.¡± The teahouse that Xiao Jinglin mentioned was on the right side of the carriage, and it looked quite decent. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t object, and asked Dongsheng to go to the back and call Pingguo over, then asked the rest of them to follow Sangshen to wait in the teahouse. After a while, Pingguo was brought into the carriage, and the carriage continued on its way. Eventually, the carriage finally stopped. Xiao Jinglin got out of the carriage first. Apple got off the carriage before Ren Yaoqi then turned around to help. Ren Yaoqi found that they had entered a relatively narrow alley, which was very long and deep, they could barely drive a carriage in. It was because Dongsheng¡¯s superb skills that allowed them to enter smoothly. As soon as Ren Yaoqi got off the carriage, she smelled a strong aroma of braised meat. It turned out that in front of the carriage was a store that sell stewed donkey meat. That store didn¡¯t look very big, and it didn¡¯t even have an official plaque. It only used a bamboo pole to prop up a cloth curtain, and it was written neatly and without any distinctive features. ¡°Braised donkey meat¡± three words. After Xiao Jinglin got off the carriage, she went straight into this store. But when she entered the door, she remembered that Ren Yaoqi was still behind, turned around, then came out again, this time beckoning to Ren Yaoqi: ¡°Come in, we have arrived.¡± Because it was not time to eat, and the store was not very conspicuous, there were no people around. Seeing Ren Yaoqi approaching, Xiao Jinglin turned back and walked her own way, but at a slower pace. Upon entering Ren Yaoqi found out that although this small shop is not big, it is very tidy and clean. There are only four wooden tables in front of the shop, and some unnamed wildflowers in earthen pots are placed on the tables, which added a few points of interest. The curtain in the inner room was lifted, and an old woman in her forties pop out. Seeing Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi coming in, she hurriedly came forward to greet her with a smile. Xiao Jinglin said to her, ¡°Put the table in the backyard.¡± The woman hurriedly responded, turned her head, and called inward. A twenty-year-old woman with a married hair bun appeared with a seven-eight-year-old boy. The old woman told her to set a table in the backyard. The boy saw Xiao Jinglin and his eyes lit up, then immediately ran over: ¡°General, you¡¯re here. I have picked fresh mushrooms when I went flower picking with my sister-in-law in the morning, my mother will cook them for your soup later.¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jinglin in surprise, Xiao Jinglin knew them? The old woman came over and patted his head, reprimanded in a low voice: ¡°Why don¡¯t you go set the table with your sister-in-law? Don¡¯t scare the guests.¡± The boy then saw Ren Yaoyi behind Xiao Jinglin, he didn¡¯t recognize her, so grinned at Ren Yaoyi. Xiao Jinglin said to him, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, I¡¯m not a general.¡± The boy, however, stubbornly said, ¡°You will be! When you become a great general, I will follow you into battle just like my father!¡± The old woman felt her face sank, grabbed the boy¡¯s ear and pulled him to the side: ¡°Mo Xiaoliang, have you finished practising your calligraphy today? Is it possible that you want to learn your father¡¯s big titles without knowing a single one?¡± Mo Xiaoliang bared his teeth and wanted to cry out in pain, but when he saw Xiao Jinglin here, he held back and only muttered in a low voice: ¡°What¡¯s the use of recognising words? Didn¡¯t we ask the fortune teller at the entrance of the alley to write our signboard? Why do you need me to read words? We don¡¯t need ten or eight signboards in our shop.¡± CH 112 Chapter 112: Rivalry The old woman¡¯s face turned green with anger at his remark. Xiao Jinglin suddenly said, ¡°I don¡¯t accept those who can¡¯t recognize words.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Little Mo Xiaoliang forgot to struggle when he heard her and was stunned on the spot. However, the child was also smart, his eyes turned, and said cheerfully, ¡°Then if I can read and write, you will accept me?¡± Xiao Jinglin thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°Hmm.¡± Mo Xiaoliang immediately broke away from her mother¡¯s hand, and happily ran away, while yelling, ¡°Write, write¡± The old woman looked at her son¡¯s silhouette disappeared in the blink of an eye, her face was full of worry. Then she glanced at Xiao Jinglin, wanting to say something. However, without waiting for her to speak, Xiao Jinglin nodded to the old woman in a faint voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The old woman let out a sigh of relief. Xiao Jinglin turned her head to Ren Yaoqi again and said, ¡°You go in first and wait for me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but frown, this place was in a remote location and she had only brought Pingguo with her. Although she wasn¡¯t timid, she didn¡¯t want to stay here alone either. ¡°I¡¯ll just buy something nearby, I¡¯ll be back soon. Tongxi will stay.¡± Seemingly knowing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s worry, Xiao Jinglin came close to her and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, there are people guarding the surrounding area, they won¡¯t let random people in.¡± Only then did Ren Yaoqi let her worry go, although she was a bit surprised that Xiao Jinglin had to go by herself to buy something. Moreover, she thought that Xiao Jinglin¡¯s dislike of bringing people along to follow her meant that she really didn¡¯t bring anyone along, surprisingly there is still someone else in the shadows. Xiao Jinglin explained a few more things to the old woman and turned around to go out. The old woman took Ren Yaoqi to the backyard. Only then did Ren Yaoqi realize that although the front of this shop was small, the courtyard inside was more than three times bigger. It was just an ordinary backyard planted with some flowers and grasses. Ren Yaoqi found that there was also open ground by the corners of the walls, full of some medicine herbs such as ginseng and Alishan thistle. ¡°Does someone in Matron¡¯s family know about medicine?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. The old woman hastily said, ¡°My husband¡¯s family name is Mo. Miss, please call me Mrs. Mo. My daughter-in-law¡¯s grandfather originally owned a pharmacy, so she recognizes some herbs. On normal days she would also pick herbs and grow them to sell.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Did Miss know about medicinal herbs?¡± Mrs. Mo asked with a smile as she led Ren Yaoqi toward the table set up in the northeast direction of the courtyard. ¡°I only know a few common ones, can¡¯t be considered to have knowledge about them.¡± The young woman who was setting up the dishes looked up at Ren Yaoqi with some curiosity in her gaze. Ren Yaoqi looked at her dress and age and guessed that she should be Mrs. Mo¡¯s daughter-in-law. Mrs. Mo instructed the young woman, ¡°Huoxiang, go and watch Xiao Liang write for me. We are not open for business today and there are no other customers, I can manage on my own.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Huoxiang set up the dishes, lowered her head, and went down. ¡°Sit down, Miss, I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to see if the meal is ready.¡± Mrs. Mo smiled. Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°We bother you.¡± Mrs. Mo also went back. Ren Yaoqi took a look at the small courtyard and got up to look at a potted flower beside crude clay potted plants. A zhulan flower was cultivated in it, and it was growing very well. Zhulan is a type of plant that also can be used as medicine. Ren Yaoqi took a closer look and found that most of the flowers and plants in this yard can be used as medicine. In potted plants alone, she saw tall chloranthus, pinellia, rindou flower, phoenix tail grass, horse chestnut, siler root, wild ginger, shiny-leaf prickly ash, Szechuan lovage, and green dragon. Sensing someone entering the backyard, Ren Yaoqi turned around and found that it was Dongsheng who had entered. Dongsheng stopped at a distance of about four or five steps away from Ren Yaoqi, and bowed, ¡°I have seen Fifth Miss Ren.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at him with a smile. Dongsheng¡¯s appearance had not changed, but he was in good spirits, his eyes were still clear and flexible. ¡°Why are you by the princess¡¯ side?¡± Dongsheng bowed his head and said respectfully, ¡°Second Young Master is also in Baihe Town, this young one is ordered to drive for the Princess.¡± Sure enough, Xiao Jingxi also came. Ren Yaoqi looked at Dongsheng and pondered, ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡± Dongsheng nodded and said, ¡°Young Miss, there is movement at Bailong Temple.¡± Ren Yaoqi was taken aback for a moment, but then she was overjoyed, and hurriedly asked, ¡°Are you talking about the Xiao Family¡¯s Army?¡± Dongsheng nodded, ¡°There was another conflict in the Army the night before, and people died. I heard that the papers requesting Yanbei to reduce the army are already filled with the emperor¡¯s files. In a few days, there should be an imperial decree coming from the capital. Yanbei Royal Family will rush before the imperial decree is issued, breaking up several troops into pieces, and they will be scattered as farm laborers in some big temples in Yanbei. When officials come from the capital, even if they see something wrong, there is nothing they can do.¡± Ren Yaoqi immediately rejoice. If the Xiao Family¡¯s Army did not enter Ningxia, even if Zeng Yu came here in the future, he would not have had the strength of his previous life. His road to promotion will not be so smooth. Ren Yaoqi also had to admire Xiao Jingxi¡¯s ability to act. This matter is easy for her when she thinks about it, but it is very difficult to actually implement it. But Xiao Jingxi managed to do it in such a short time. Seeing the joy on Ren Yaoqi¡¯s face, Dongsheng couldn¡¯t help but asked, ¡°What good will this affair do to the Xian Royal Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi replied, ¡°I only know that if the power of the imperial court penetrates Yanbei, it will not be a good thing for Xian Royal Family.¡± Dongsheng thought for a while, then nodded in agreement, ¡°Miss is right.¡± Seeing that he still thinks about the Xian Royal Family at times, Ren Yaoqi lightly sighs, ¡°Tongxi, will your master blame you for telling me this?¡± Seeing her call his current name, Dongsheng understood Ren Yaoqi¡¯s meaning, thought for a while, then shook his head and said, ¡°Probably not. I feel that the Second Young Master seems to have guessed something. Yesterday when Tongde went to report this matter to him, he did not let this young one retreat, and today he specially ordered this young one to follow the county princess to the Ren family¡­ this young one felt that he already knew¡­¡± Did he know that she was the one who proposed this method? ¡°Young Miss, don¡¯t worry about this young one. This young one knows how to be careful,¡± Dongsheng reassure Ren Yaoqi. ¡°Second Young Master treats this little one well. Since this young one has already followed him, he will naturally work hard for him with all his heart. It¡¯s just that the Xian Royal Family¡­ Xian Royal Family is like this young home, and this young one will not forget his origins.¡± If Dongsheng is like this while Xian Royal Family and Yanbei Royal Family were living in peace and harmony, then naturally it will be fine. If there is a conflict of interest that day, afraid that Dongsheng will¡­ However, in the last life, Xian Royal Family and Yanbei Royal Family did not interfere with each other. They even turned a blind eye when Li Tianyou sneaked into the capital to find her. There should be no unexpected disputes in this life. ¡°By the way, have you ever heard of a family surnamed Qu? It should be a prominent family in Yanzhou decades ago. Later, for some reason, the family fell into decline, and most of the family members died.¡± Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered about the Han family¡¯s affairs and hurriedly asked. Since so many people died in the Qu Family, something big must have happened. If so, Dongsheng might know. Although they are not from Yanbei, they also know a lot of things that Yanbei citizens don¡¯t know. Dongsheng thought about it carefully after hearing the words, but still shook his head, ¡°Miss, are you sure the Qu Family is a big family? Why doesn¡¯t this young one have any impression? It stands to reason that this young one should know of Yanbei¡¯s famous family even from decades ago .¡± Regarding this point, Dongsheng is still very confident. In terms of martial arts, perhaps even Yihong and the others are better than him. But when it comes to human relations and family rules, he is the most proficient. He memorized all genealogies of Yanbei¡¯s famous families, big and small. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed, even Dongsheng couldn¡¯t remember anything about Qu Family? ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not a famous family.¡± Ren Yaoqi was not sure. ¡°Perhaps it was because of the rampage of the Khitans a few decades ago. Some families disappeared completely after suffering disasters, and they were not recorded. But I really can¡¯t remember for a while, why don¡¯t I go back and think about it? I remember that Second Young Master¡¯s study seems to have some local journals that record the history of Yanzhou, I¡¯ll go back and look through them to see if I can find anything.¡± Seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s disappointment, Dongsheng couldn¡¯t help but comfort her. Ren Yaoqi nodded. Generally, these kinds of local chronicles will record some big and small things in the local area. If the Qu Family really belongs to Yanbei, some clues should be found. At this time, someone entered the backyard again. Ren Yaoqi turned her eyes and couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback, it was Xiao Jingxi who walked in. Seeing Ren Yaoqi and Dongsheng talking, Xiao Jingxi was neither surprised nor unhappy. He slowly came forward, glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and smiled, ¡°Fifth Miss Ren.¡± ¡°Second Young Master Xiao.¡± Ren Yaoqi hurriedly bowed her knees and saluted. Mrs. Mo came up, put the tea on the table respectfully, hurriedly bowed, and left. Xiao Jingxi walked up to a pot of rindou flowers. He then gently held up a young leaf that had just sprouted with the index finger of his right hand and bent over to look closely. Ren Yaoqi stood in front of a pot of zhulan flowers not far from him, silently watching his movements. ¡°The Su Family has sent an invitation to the Han Family to join them and a few other families in preparing for the Dragon Boat Races outside Yunyang City at the Dragon Boat Festival next month.¡± Xiao Jingxi turned his head to look at Ren Yaoqi with a light smile. It made Ren Yaoqi froze slightly, her brain spun fast. Every year there will be dragon boat races held in Yunyang City during the Dragon Boat Festival, but the ones who prepared for this race were several leading families in Yanzhou. It could be said that this was a symbol of a clan¡¯s family strength. The Ren Family competed for this qualification last year, but they still failed to win it in the end. The Su Family is the organizer of the first dragon boat race and can be regarded as the sponsor of the event. The Su Family¡¯s invitation is very important. Regardless of the real strength of the Han Family, the Han Family is too shallow and low-key. It is reasonable to say that this kind of thing should not come to the Han family. Is the purpose of the Su Family to do so not only for sharing wine? The coal mine of the Han Family¡­ This is the reason that Ren Yaoqi thought of. Had the Su Family decided to make a move? ¡°Does Fifth Miss Ren know the reason?¡± Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi and asked with a smile. Ren Yaoqi stared Xiao Jingxi, she felt that Xiao Jingxi¡¯s smile meant something else. . Because there was too many medicine plants referenced to put them in the middle of the chapter, here is the explanation of them all: [1] Alishan Thistle (ɽ¼») Cirsium arisanense is an endemic flowering plant of Taiwan within the family Asteraceae. Its common name in Chinese, the Alishan thistle (Chinese: °¢ÀïɽËE), as well as its species name, refer to the Alishan Range. C. arisanense grows at an elevation of 2,300 meters, near mountain summits. Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_arisanense [2] Zhulan Flower (ÖéÀ¼) The latin name is Stephanandra chinensis. Stephanandra chinensis is distributed in Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi and other provinces of China. Stephanandra chinensis is bitter in taste and slightly cold in nature, and it returns to the lung and liver meridian. According to the records of ¡®Hunan Medicine Chronicle¡¯, it ¡®cures blood metrorrhagia and irregular menstruation¡¯, and it has the effects of detoxification and throat, hemostasis and menstruation regulation. Its green leaves are luxuriant, beautiful and unique, suitable for greening and beautifying cultivation in parks and courtyards in cool areas. Its stem bark fiber can also be used for papermaking. Source: https://baike.google.com/item/%E9%87%8E%E7%8F%A0%E5%85%B0/4575309 [3] Tall Chlorantus (Óã×ÓÀ¼) Latin name is Chloranthus elatior. Chloranthus elatior is produced in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Guangxi in China, and is also distributed in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. Chloranthus elatior is pungent in taste, slightly bitter, and warm in nature. It has the effects of expelling wind and cold, dredging channels and activating collaterals, and stopping bleeding. Indications for anemofrigid cold, headache, rheumatic arthralgia, numbness of limbs, injury and fracture. Source: [4] Pinellia (°ëÏÄ) Latin name is Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Ten. ex Breitenb. Pinellia is a widely distributed species. It is distributed in all provinces and regions of China except Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Tibet. Pinellia pinellia is recorded in Chinese herbal books of all dynasties. It first appeared in ¡®Book of Rites Yueling¡¯. It is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. Smelting pinellia has the effects of drying dampness and resolving phlegm, reducing adverse flow and relieving vomiting, dispelling lumps and resolving stagnation. However, the whole plant of Pinellia pinellia is poisonous to humans, especially the tubers, which can cause numbness of the mouth and tongue in mild poisoning, and death in severe poisoning. Source: [5] Rindou Flower (Áúµ¨²Ý) Latin name is Gentiana scabra, also known as the Japanese gentian or the Rind¨­ Flower. It is a species of flowering plant in the Gentian family (Gentianaceae), found in much of East Asia. The flowers bloom in mid-summer, autumn and are blue or dark blue in color. Gentiana scabra roots are used as a bitter tonic in traditional Chinese medicine where it is said to promote digestive secretions and treats a range of illnesses associated with the liver. It is also used in traditional Tibetan medicine. Source: [6] Phoenix Tail Grass (·ïβ). Latin name is Pteris multifida Poir. It grows in neutral purple soil or limestone crevices below 800 meters above sea level. It is produced in Tianquan, Ya¡¯an, Emeishan and other places, distributed in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and other regions of China, and there are also branches in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Japan abroad. The whole herb can be used as medicine, which has the effects of clearing heat and dampness, detoxifying and stopping wind, cooling blood and stopping bleeding. Source: [7] Horse Chestnut (ÆßÒ¶) Latin name is Aesculus chinensis, the Chinese horse chestnut (Chinese:ÆßÒ¶Ê÷ qi ye shu). It is a tree species in the genus Aesculus found in eastern Asia. The seed contains triterpenoid saponins and flavonoids, such as aescuflavoside and aescuflavoside A, which are glycosides of quercetin. [8] Siler Root (·À·ç) Fangfeng, Chinese medicine name. Alias copper rue, back to the clouds, back to the grass, hundred branches, hundred species. It is the name of a kind of herb, perennial herb, its like cool climate, cold-resistant, drought-resistant, mainly produced in Hebei, Heilongjiang, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia and other places. The roots of Fangfeng can be used raw. Taste pungent, sweet, slightly warm nature. It has the efficacy of dispelling wind and relieving epidemics, winning dampness and relieving pain, and antispasmodic. [9] Wild Ginger (ϸÐÁ) Asarum, the name of traditional Chinese medicine. Also known as: Hua Asarum, Xiaoxin, Shaoxin, Pontcao Asarum, etc., it belongs to the order Aristolochia, a perennial herb of the family Aristolochiaceae; It has the effects of expelling wind, dispelling cold, running water, and resuscitating. Commonly used for wind-cold headache, nasal sinusitis, toothache, phlegm retention and cough, rheumatic arthralgia, etc. Asarum can dispel wind-cold externally and dispel yin-cold internally, and has better pain-relieving and antitussive effects at the same time. Source: [10] Shiny-leaf prickly ash (Á½ÃæÕë) Latin name is Zanthoxylum nitidum, commonly known as shiny-leaf prickly-ash, tez-mui (in Assamese) or liang mian zhen (in China). Zanxthoxylum nitidum is used as an insecticide and a piscicide. In India and Nepal, the fruits are used as a condiment. However, the roots, leaves and fruit are poisonous, with as little as 40g of leaves considered to be a lethal dose. Zanthoxylum nitidum is one several species of Zanthoxylum that are used in traditional medicine in various parts of the world. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanthoxylum_nitidum [11] Szechuan lovage (´¨Üº) Latin name is Ligusticum striatum (syn. L. wallichii). It is a flowering plant native to India, Kashmir, and Nepa. in the carrot family best known for its use in traditional Chinese medicine where it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. It is known by the common name Szechuan lovage. It contains the phytoprogestogens 3,8-dihydrodiligustilide and riligustilide. It is used in China, with portions of other plants and herbs (such as monkshood and Rosa banksiae) to make a liniment to treat a painful swelling of the joints. It also can be used to treat ischemic strokes, improve brain microcirculation and inhibit thrombus formation and platelet aggregation. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligusticum_striatum [12] Green Dragon (ÄÏÐÇ) Pinellia pedatisecta, commonly known as green dragon or fan-leaf Chinese green dragon, is a tuberous herbaceous perennial that is native to shady woodland areas, forested slopes and valleys in northern and western China. This kind of tuber is used for medicine and has a long history in Chinese medicine. Tiger palm is mainly used to treat dysentery, cold leak sores, and malignant sores. The smell is bitter, pungent and poisonous. Source: CH 113 The warm wind blew the flowers and grasses in the courtyard, gently swaying, bees and butterflies fluttered among the branches and leaves, and the breath of summer came out into this small courtyard. When Ren Yaoqi heard Xiao Jingxi¡¯s sentence, her heart slightly paused, but soon she spoke, ¡±The Han Family had discussed with the Ren Family to jointly organize a salt farm, but after that, due to a variety of reasons, it did not come to fruition. I heard that the Su Family and the Yun Family are also competing for the salt farms in Xining. When the Su Family has shown closeness to the Han Family this time, could it be because of the several salt wells in the hands of the Han Family?¡± Xiao Jingxi walked slowly to Ren Yaoqi, looking at her thoughtfully, and suddenly sighed, ¡°Fifth Miss Ren, do you know where the salt wells in the hands of the Han Family came from?¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart stirred at the words, frowning, ¡°Could it be from Yanbei Royal Family?¡± Xiao Jingxi observed Ren Yaoqi without saying a word. Ren Yaoqi lowered her eyes, her fingers stroked from between the branches and leaves of the zhulan flowers by her side, her heart quivered. After learning about the relationship between the Han Family and Yanbei Royal Family, she also guessed that the salt farm in the hands of the Han Family was somewhat related to Yanbei Royal Family. But now that Xiao Jingxi deliberately mentioned this matter to her, could it be that the salt wells in the hands of the Han Family had some other purpose? When she designed to involve the Su Family, in addition to wanting to stir up the marriage between the Han Family and the Ren Family, she also wanted to borrow the Su Family¡¯s involvement to explore the road to understand the usefulness of the Han Family to the Yanbei Royal Family and think of countermeasures. ¡°I confessed to the Second Young Master that last time I have doubts about the Han Family, so I was not optimistic about the cooperation between the Han Family and the Ren Family.¡± Ren Yaoqi abruptly raised her head and spoke frankly to Xiao Jingxi. Xiao Jingxi¡¯s line of sight turned away, from Ren Yaoyi¡¯s slender fingers that were whi as jade reflected amongst the fresh leaves of the branches to meet her clear eyes. ¡°So Fifth Miss Ren schemed the Su family?¡± The admiration in Xiao Jingxi¡¯s gaze was not concealed. Ren Yaoqi suddenly smiled, ¡°If I say that this matter is just due to coincidence and that I didn¡¯t do anything, is Second Young Master willing to believe me?¡± Xiao Jingxi laughed lightly, then seriously shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly and did not say anything. Xiao Jingxi, however, sighed, ¡°Fifth Miss Ren has a good heart and good means. But have you ever thought that what you did might have disturbed the Yanbei Royal Family¡¯s plans?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned in disbelief, ¡°What plans of Yanbei Royal Family has? Is it related to the Su Family¡¯s meddling in the Han Family¡¯s salt wells?¡± Xiao Jingxi pondered for a moment, ¡°Initially, the Su Family and the Yun Family were both determined to win the salt fields in Xining. By allowing the Su Family to cooperate with the Han family at this point, aren¡¯t you indirectly helping the Su Family and allowing the Yun Family to get out of the game early?¡± Xiao Jingxi mentioned the Yun Family¡­ Ren Yaoqi¡¯s mind continued to turn over. She was also aware of the grudges regarding the Yun Family and the Su Family. She thought that making the Yun Family, which represented the veteran lineage, and the Su Family, which represented the prestigious nouveau riche, not get along was a means for the Yanbei Royal Family to check and balance the forces of both sides. The two old royal consorts of the Yanbei Royal Family just happened to make the conflicts between the Su Family and the Yun Family irreconcilable. And the Han Family, which was hidden in the shadows by the Yanbei Royal Family¡­ Suddenly, Ren Yaoqi had an idea and could not help but be slightly alarmed. Could it be that the Yanbei Royal Family is already dissatisfied with the result of mutual containment between the Yun Family and the Su Family, so it wants to break this situation, and the Han Family is the pawn secretly cultivated by the Yanbei Royal Family to break the check and balance relationship between the two families? Thinking of this, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help breaking out in a cold sweat. If this is the case, the Han Family is a great pawn to the Yanbei Royal Family. But why did the Yanbei Royal Family suddenly want to break the checks and balances that the previous Prince Yanbei deliberately arranged to stabilize the situation in Yanbei? Ren Yaoqi¡¯s thoughts drifted a little further. She thought of the situation in Yanbei after in her last life, the Young Master of the Su Family married Zeng Yu¡¯s niece, then the attitude of the Su Family to the Zeng Family and the Yanbei Royal Family began to be ambiguous. Has Yanbei Royal Family already noticed the changes in the Su Family? Although Ren Yaoqi thought so, she was only guessing, and she was not sure that her guess was correct. So she said to Xiao Jingxi, ¡°Second Young Master said before that the cooperation between the Su Family and the Han Family at ¡®this time¡¯ would cause the Yun Family to be eliminated ¡®in advance¡¯, disrupting the balance between the Yun Family and the Su Family, and even disturbing ¡®the plans¡¯ of Yanbei Royal Family¡­ Could it be that the timing of the cooperation between the Su Family and the Han Family is wrong? If it is later, the Yanbei Royal Family will not be afraid of breaking the balance between the Yun Family and the Su Family?¡± Could it be that the Yanbei Royal Family is not ready yet? Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t say this sentence explicitly, it was just an implicit hint. Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi with astonishment and almost choked. How did Ren Yaoqi draw this conclusion from his few words? It felt unbelievable. The girl in front of him was wearing a light purple short jacket, and her goose-yellow long skirt reached the upper of her feet, making her look slim and graceful. Although she is still young, her facial features have already shown the beginning of a beautiful form. The most peculiar thing is that she has a unique temperament, which makes people want to explore more. Ren Yaoqi may not be the most beautiful woman Xiao Jingxi has ever met, or may not be the smartest, but she is the most unique one. Xiao Jingxi had never paid so much attention to any woman. Seeing Xiao Jingxi stared at her profoundly without speaking, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help feeling a little uneasy. Did she talk too much? If she really breaks through the secrets of the Yanbei Royal Family, she will be in trouble. Could it be that because the last time Xiao Jingxi helped her, she formed an inexplicable trust in this young man? It¡¯s not like her. Xiao Jingxi coughed lightly and turned slightly sideways. Ren Yaoqi did not notice that the teenager who she felt had unfathomable deep eyes had some faint flushing on his face. However, Xiao Jingxi has always had a mystifying attitude like an ethereal being, and his thoughts will never be revealed. So when others see his flush, they will only think it is from the sun and never think otherwise. ¡°What do you plan to do next?¡± Xiao Jingxi asked in a calm tone, after he regained his demeanor that Second Young Master Xiao should have. He didn¡¯t look like an embarrassed teenager at all. Ren Yaoqi, however, felt that Xiao Jingxi¡¯s question was somewhat inexplicable, what could she plan to do? Because she couldn¡¯t figure out Xiao Jingxi¡¯s mind, she could only say tentatively, ¡°I¡¯m just a woman in a boudoir, what I can do is limited. What happens in the future can only be left to heaven¡¯s will.¡± After a pause, she suddenly curtsied to Xiao Jingxi and said earnestly, ¡°Many thanks to Second Young Master Xiao for taking care of me.¡± Xiao Jingxi glanced at her and faintly said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, I did not help you with anything.¡± He did not reveal too much, it was Ren Yaoqi who guessed it on her own. For this, even he had to concede. Ren Yaoyi smiled and shook her head, ¡°With your position, I¡¯m already grateful that we can speak to one another to discuss things. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s human nature to seek profit and avoid harm, there are some things that I have to do even if I don¡¯t want to. If I have accidentally offended you, please do not take it personally.¡± Xiao Jingxi was silent for a moment, but he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have to ask about matters that have nothing to do with the interests of the Yanbei Royal Family. But the Han Family¡­ the Han Family is still useful to the Yanbei Royal Family. If you want to move against them, I¡¯m afraid It is difficult.¡± Ren Yaoqi could not help but frown at his words. Was Xiao Jingxi reminding her that if she were to repeatedly design the Han Family in the shadows, she would eventually disturb the Yanbei Royal Family and thus cause trouble? ¡°I have no intention of going against anyone. If the Han Family is not targeting anyone from the Ren family, I would be happy to be amicable and be friendly neighbors.¡± Ren Yaoqi said with a straight face, ¡°But if the Han Family has bad intentions, am I going to sit back and wait for death?¡± These words were said somewhat sharply, causing Xiao Jingxi to be silent as well. Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and added, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao, is the Han Family really irreplaceable for the Yanbei Royal Family?¡± Xiao Jingxi thought for a moment and replied imploringly, ¡°For now, the Han Family is the one most suitable.¡± So, they are not irreplaceable? Ren Yaoqi¡¯s mind turned slightly. Then what if someone could replace the Han Family? Xiao Jingxi seemed to have guessed her thoughts and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Does Fifth Miss Ren want your Ren Family to replace the Han Family?¡± Ren Yaoqi sniffed but shook her head without hesitation, ¡°No, the Ren Family is not suitable.¡± Xiao Jingxi was surprised again when he heard this. If the Ren Family could replace the Han Family, it would be a good thing for the Ren Family. Even though he was just speaking casually, Ren Yaoqi rejected it without a second thought. Ren Yaoqi laughed bitterly in her heart. Letting the Ren Family climb up to the Yanbei Royal Family, Ren Family¡¯s power holder is naturally a thousand times more willing. But what kind of person is in charge of the Ren Family, she was more than clear in her heart. Therefore, she was not willing to see the Ren Family involved in this tug-of-war, because the result might be that they, the Ren Family¡¯s pawns, would suffer. As the two were talking, they suddenly heard a twittering voice at the door, ¡°General let me get it for you, let me take that¡± The two turned around surprised, and they saw Xiao Jinglin walking in, holding a long object wrapped up in grey cloth in her hand. The boy called Mo Xiaoliang whom they had seen before was bouncing around her, trying to reach out to take the object in Xiao Jinglin¡¯s hand, looked a bit afraid. Xiao Jinglin was a bit annoyed by her fly-like harassment and frowned at him, ¡°Why should I give this to you?¡± Mo Xiaoliang said rightfully, ¡°How can a general carry her own things? Of course her subordinates have to take it! I¡¯ll be one of your subordinates from now on, so naturally I¡¯ll carry it for you!¡± Xiao Jinglin glanced at his small stature and said quietly, ¡°You¡¯re not even half as tall as my weapon! This weapon will be dragged by you and then broken!¡± Mo Xiaoliang was struck by a great blow at her directness and froze on the spot¡­ Does she think he¡¯s short? He¡¯s short? Short? ¡°Uwaah¡­ Miss, Miss, what can I eat to grow taller?¡± Mo Xiaoliang cried and ran away. With her ears finally cleared, Xiao Jinglin calmly walked towards Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi, without half a hint of guilt for hurting someone¡¯s young heart. Ren Yaoqi looked at the long object in her hand and curiously said, ¡°Is this your lance?¡± Seeing her curiously observing the wrapped weapon in her, Xiao Jinglin hesitated for a moment, but still graciously took Ren Yaoyi¡¯s hand and passed the weapon to let her look. To Xiao Jinglin, her weapon was not something she would normally give to others, so this was considered a friendly gesture on her part. Before the weapon could reach Ren Yaoqi, a hand reached out from the side and took it. Xiao Jinglin turned her head to look at Xiao Jingxi and frowned. Xiao Jingxi shook his head and returned the gun to Xiao Jinglin, softly lecturing, ¡°She can¡¯t hold your lance. If you forcefully hand it to her, her wrist will be injured.¡± Xiao Jinglin took it back, looked at Ren Yaoyi, and understood, ¡°Sorry.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at her extended hand and pulled it back, blinking towards Xiao Jinglin, ¡°I should be sorry, I should do everything according to my ability, I am just really curious about your lance.¡± Xiao Jinglin thought for a moment and unwrapped the grey cloth she used to wrap the weapon to reveal the head of the spear to Ren Yaoqi. She added, ¡°Just take a look, don¡¯t touch it with your hands. The head has just been polished so it¡¯s very sharp.¡± The silver-colored head of the spear is a bit blinding under the sunlight. Ren Yaoyi nodded, not reaching out to touch it, and looked at Xiao Jinglin¡¯s handle for a few moments, ¡°So this is what lance is, I¡¯ve only seen it in the illustration in the book.¡± ¡°What book?¡± Xiao Jingxi watched the two of them talking and interjected with a smile. ¡°Legend of Chivalrous Heroes.¡± Ren Yaoqi subconsciously replied. All three present were slightly stunned. Xiao Jingxi couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly and turned his head away. No matter how thick Ren Yaoqi¡¯s skin was, she was still blushing a little at this moment. This kind of book is not for women to read, most of the characters depicted in the book are born in the streets and have vulgar temper, so this kind of book is considered to be a forbidden book in the boudoir. Ren Yaoqi was following Sir Pei in her previous life, and because Sir Pei was a person who didn¡¯t stick to the smallest norms, he read everything, so Ren Yaoqi also did the same. Over time, she almost forgot these rules. Seeing Ren Yaoqi embarrassed while Xiao Jingxi was laughing on the side, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s heroism of protecting the weak came out again. So she comforted Ren Yaoyi softly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I used to find my brother peeking at the ¡®Give You the Golden Hairpin¡¯. ¡° Xiao Jingxi: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ren Yaoyi: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi turned her head to Xiao Jingxi. Although Xiao Jingxi still had an indifferent expression and a perfect smile, Ren Yaoqi still found some unnatural flushing at the base of his ears. For the first time, Ren Yaoqi wondered if she had been deceived by Xiao Jingxi¡¯s appearance. Is the half-immortal aura on this young man actually just a facade? Fortunately, at this time, one of Xiao Jingxi¡¯s subordinates walked in. Seeing Xiao Jingxi and the others chatting here, he hurriedly walked over and whispered something in his ear. Xiao Jingxi nodded his head indifferently and waved his hand for him to go back, then said to Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin, ¡°I still have things to do, I have to go first.¡± Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t say anything, and only let out a ¡°hmm¡±. Xiao Jingxi nodded toward Ren Yaoyi again before turning around and walking away. Xiao Jinglin suddenly remembered something and turned to Xiao Jingxi¡¯s back, ¡°The time for you to drink the medicine is coming, don¡¯t forget again.¡± Xiao Jingxi¡¯s steps lurched. He then turned around and obliged before lifting the curtain to go out. Ren Yaoqi felt that he sounded helpless. Somehow it made her laugh. Seeing Ren Yaoqi snickering, Xiao Jinglin turned her head to look at her, puzzled. Ren Yaoqi lightly coughed, ¡°Those who don¡¯t know would think that you are the elder sister and he is the younger brother.¡± Unexpectedly, Xiao Jinglin nodded, ¡°He has been delicate since childhood, afraid of bitter medicine, easy to catch a cold or flu, but also doesn¡¯t like feeling stuffy and refused to close the window.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled. Xiao Jinglin¡¯s view of Xiao Jingxi and other people¡¯s view of Xiao Jingxi does not seem to be the same. Afterward, Mrs. Mo and her daughter-in-law served the meal, which included the shop¡¯s signature dish of marinated donkey meat, fresh mushroom soup, and a few home-cooked small dishes. The appearances were very simple, but Xiao Jinglin ate very earnestly. Her eating style was gentle, but quick, and she consumes a lot. Although watching people eat is somewhat impolite, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but watch Xiao Jinglin, and for some reason, she also filled half a bowl of rice more than usual. In the end, there were almost no dishes left on the table. After putting down her bowl, Xiao Jinglin met Ren Yaoqi¡¯s smiling gaze without feeling embarrassed or distressed. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, should I send you back to the house?¡± Xiao Jinglin asked Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi nodded. When the two of them came out, they happened to hear Mrs. Mo lecturing her son, ¡°Your sister-in-law is only able to grow flowers and plants well, where would she know a method to make people grow taller faster? Do you want her to water and give you fertilizer daily? Just go play on the side!¡± She turned her head right in time to see Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi coming out, Mrs. Mo hastily left her son behind and greeted them. When Mo Xiaoliang saw Xiao Jinglin, although he still blushed with shame, he leaned over eagerly and stood three steps away from them, watching pitifully. His eyes were still aiming at the spear in Xiao Jinglin¡¯s hand from time to time. Xiao Jinglin turned a blind eye until she was about to go out the door before she paused her steps and waved at him. Mo Xiaoliang¡¯s eyes lit up. He ran up to him, ¡°General, what are your orders?¡± Xiao Jinglin sized him up and said, ¡°Be good at reading and studying, in the future I will test you. If you can¡¯t satisfy me, I won¡¯t accept you.¡± The mournful aura that had previously shrouded Mo Xiaoliang¡¯s body immediately disappeared without a trace. He became full of energy, turned upside down on the spot, and hurriedly ran to show off in front of his mother, ¡°Mother, Mother, the general said that she wants me to be good at reading and studying, and that she¡¯ll accept me as a little general later! Mother, did you hear that?¡± Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin exited the modest shop, still hearing the children¡¯s cheers and shouts. Ren Yaoqi was about to speak, but she spotted a tall figure standing by the carriage, talking to Dongsheng who was sitting on the carriage¡¯s yoke. That person turned his head and saw Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi come out, then hurriedly walked over to salute: ¡°County Princess, Fifth Miss Ren.¡± It turned out to be Zhu Ruomei. Ren Yaoqi checked his leg and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Zhu Ruomei stomped her feet on the spot when she heard the words and grinned: ¡°Thank you Fifth Miss for remembering, this little one¡¯s injury is fine.¡± Zhu Ruomei¡¯s body is sturdy. His recovery ability is also stronger than the average person, if other people need to recuperate a few months for some injuries, he will be able to get well in a month or two. Xiao Jinglin should know the connection between them because she walked towards the carriage first. CH 114 Chapter 114: Interrogation ¡°Did you come with Second Young Master Xiao here?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. Zhu Ruomei shook his head, ¡°After I recovered from my injuries a few days ago, Second Young Master let me go back to Yunyang City to see my mother. Second Young Master said that eventually he would give me something to do, and while nothing happened he let me leave to deal with my own affairs. I came to Baihe Town to see Uncle Yuan and the others, and I also wanted to ask if there was anything Fifth Miss needed me to help with.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to serve Second Young Master Xiao?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked when she heard him say that. Zhu Ruomei grinned, shook his head, and said, ¡°I heed to Young Master¡¯s instruction and stay in Baihe Town for a while.¡± Seeing that Ren Yaoyi was stunned, Zhu Ruomei then lowered his voice a bit more and whispered, ¡°I should be allowed to stay in Bailong Temple, but the specifics of what I have to do have not yet been explained by Young Master.¡± Bailong Temple? Ren Yaoqi pondered slightly, combining what she had heard from Dongsheng before, she guessed that Xiao Jingxi¡¯s letting Zhu Ruomei stay at the Bailong Temple should have something to do with the matter of the temple¡¯s hidden soldiers. Zhu Ruomei had a talent of a general in his previous life, so this would be considered a good thing for him. ¡°Although Second Young Master Xiao did not ask you to follow him to Yanbei Royal Family, he must have had his intentions in arranging this.¡± Ren Yaoqi was worried that Zhu Ruomei thought that Xiao Jingxi did not value him before making this arrangement and advised in a low voice. ¡°Fifth Miss don¡¯t worry, I understand.¡± Zhu Ruomei nodded his head. After a pause, he added: ¡°In the future, if there is anything that the Fifth Miss needs help, send someone from the Yuan family to go and speak with me. As long as it is something that I, Zhu Ruomei, can do, I will never refuse.¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but laugh and jokingly said, ¡°I don¡¯t have the guts to steal Second Young Master Xiao¡¯s subordinates.¡± Zhu Ruomei smiled embarrassedly at her words, then was serious and said, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao said that as long as I do well what he told me to do, he won¡¯t give me too many restrictions. So you can rest assured, Fifth Miss.¡± Ren Yaoqi unconsciously raise an eyebrow when she heard this, is Xiao Jingxi that generous? But if that was the case, naturally it couldn¡¯t be better. What she lacked the most right now was manpower outside. While the manpower in the inner courtyard could still be trained by herself, it was hard to find trustworthy ones for selecting manpower in the outer courtyard. So she smiled and said, ¡°If it is your intention, then whenever there is something that needs your help, I will have someone go find you.¡± Zhu Ruomei grinned again, and Ren Yaoqi realized that this tall and sturdy-looking man was actually a cheerful person. This time has just passed noon and usually, it should be a mealtime. And yet there was nothing in this small alley except Xiao Jinglin¡¯s carriage blocking the middle of the alley and their own shadows. When they came in before, they could still see a few salesmen carrying loads and passers-by in a hurry, but now it was completely deserted. ¡°Is this alley originally this isolated? Isn¡¯t Mrs. Mo doing business here?¡± Ren Yaoqi only noticed this problem and naturally asked. When Zhu Ruomei heard her, he looked around and murmured, ¡±Before Second Young Master departed earlier, he explained a few words to Tongde. Tongde then disappeared for a little while, and soon after that, this alleyway was cleared. Although Fifth Miss could not see anyone else, there are quite a few Yanbei Royal Family¡¯s people guarding the alley in the shadows. I¡¯m sure Tongde also had people guard the entrance to the alley outside and didn¡¯t let any idle people in.¡± Ren Yaoqi was instinctively taken aback when she heard his explanation. Did Xiao Jingxi order someone to clear the venue when he left? Was he afraid that people would break in and disturb Xiao Jinglin? But with Xiao Jinglin¡¯s nature, she should not care about these things. When they came in earlier, although Xiao Jinglin also said that there were guards in the shadows, she didn¡¯t stop others from entering the alley. As Ren Yaoyi was speculating wildly, Zhu Ruomei said, ¡±Fifth Miss, it¡¯s sunny here, why don¡¯t you get in the carriage first? I will stay at Yuan Dayong¡¯s house for a few days, if you have something to do, send someone to find me at Yuan¡¯s house.¡± Ren Yaoqi remembered that Xiao Jinglin had already boarded the carriage to wait for her, and it wasn¡¯t good to make people wait for her for too long. So she nodded her head and walked towards the carriage. Zhu Ruomei watched her get on the carriage and waited for them to drive away from the alley before he turned to leave. After Ren Yaoqi entered the carriage, Xiao Jinglin nodded and ordered Dongsheng outside to drive the carriage away, not asking what Ren Yaoqi said to Zhu Ruomei. The carriage drove away from the alley. Ren Yaoqi deliberately paid attention to the entrance of the alley and saw that there were indeed two people dressed as guards standing. The carriage stopped in the street ahead, and Ren Yaoqi ordered Pingguo to get off and call the maidservants who stayed in the teahouse back, and they went back to Ren Mansion together. ¡°Do County Princess and Mrs. Mo¡¯s family are acquainted with each other?¡± Ren Yaoqi casually chatted with Xiao Jinglin. Xiao Jinglin nodded, ¡°Mo Kai was originally a veteran soldier stationed at Jiajing Pass. A few years ago when he was leading a patrol out of the city, he encountered a small group of cavalry of the Khitans. The two sides then fought. When Mo Kai realized that the group had covered a scout to let him escape, he chased after them, but he didn¡¯t expect to meet another team of Khitans cavalry. Outnumbered, Mo Kai was afraid that the scout might have harmful information about our army, so he jumped off the horse and rolled down the cliff with him.¡± Mo Kai should be Mrs. Mo¡¯s husband, Mo Xiaoliang¡¯s father. Ren Yaoqi was silent for a moment after hearing this, ¡°Then does Mo Xiaoliang have an older brother?¡± Xiao Jing Lin nodded faintly, ¡°Well, Mo Kai¡¯s eldest son Mo Xiaolong is a very good scout soldier despite his young age. However, the winter before last, he was lost during a mission.¡± As a scout, being missing means he has already died somewhere. It was a normal thing in the military to can¡¯t find the body of a scout. After being missing for so long, it was impossible for Mo Xiaolong to still be alive. No wonder¡­ Although Xiao Jinglin¡¯s tone was light, when Ren Yaoqi heard it she felt sorrow. The two did not speak again anymore along the way. The carriage quickly arrived at the Ren Mansion¡¯s entrance. Xiao Jinglin lifted the curtain, glanced at the Ren family¡¯s gate, and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°I won¡¯t go in.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that Xiao Jinglin might not be too used to the life of the inner courtyard and didn¡¯t like chatting and joking with those ladies in the boudoir, so she nodded her head and smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll go back first then. By the way, when will County Princess leave Baihe Town?¡± Xiao Jinglin thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m following Xiao Jingxi this time and won¡¯t stay long. I should return to Yunyang City tomorrow at the latest.¡± ¡°If County Princess still needs someone to accompany her on the trip, send someone to find me,¡± said Ren Yaoqi and winked. Xiao Jinglin curled the corners of her mouth when she heard her, nodded slightly. Ren Yaoqi got off the carriage and entered the Ren Mansion. Before she reached the second gate, a servant hurriedly ran out from inside, walked to Ren Yaoqi, and smiled, ¡°Fifth Miss you¡¯re back? Old Master and Old Madam are waiting for you in Ronghua Courtyard. They ordered this servant to come and call you over as soon as she sees you enter the mansion.¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit surprised when she heard this, nodded her head, and followed that servant to Ronghua Courtyard to see Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren. Normally at this time, Old Madam Ren should have finished her lunch and was about to take a nap. But today she was talking beside Old Master Ren sitting on the South Kang. Seeing Ren Yaoqi come in, Old Master Ren first smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Girl is back? Have you had dinner yet?¡± >> South Kang Old Madam Ren also looked at Ren Yaoqi and smiled, the dimples on her face made her look extraordinarily amiable, ¡°There is still hot hibiscus soup in the kitchen.¡± Ren Yaoqi went forward and saluted, ¡°Thank you, Grandfather and Grandmother, for remembering, this granddaughter has already had her meal.¡± Old Madam Ren then beckoned to her, pointing to the seat beside herself, ¡°Come, sit over here to talk.¡± Ren Yaoqi stared at the ¡®throne¡¯ beside Old Madam Ren. She thought for a moment, lowered her head, and went forward, but then sat down on the small brocade stool next to her. Sheepishly she said, ¡°Granddaughter should sit here, it¡¯s a better place to listen to the teachings of Grandfather and Grandmother.¡± Old Master Ren stroked his beard and laughed. Old Madam Ren scolded, ¡°You child,¡± thought she was shy, but didn¡¯t force her anymore. ¡°Where did you go with County Princess today?¡± Old Master Ren finally began to ask. ¡°First, we went around the outside of the city, and found that there is nothing interesting, so we returned. Because County Princess dislikes crowded places, we casually found a small shop to have lunch. And then came back after that.¡± Ren Yaoqi said honestly. ¡°Oh? Outside the city? Does it happen to be near our Ren Family¡¯s coal kiln?¡± Old Master Ren said thoughtfully. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart turned darkly, what was Old Master Ren¡¯s intention? Did he think that Xiao Jinglin came to the Ren Family with impure motives and that the Yanbei Royal Family was interested in the Ren Family¡¯s coal mine? She explained without a beat, ¡°Initially this granddaughter has not paid attention, but as Grandfather said so this granddaughter just remembered, we also met the Ren Family¡¯s camel caravan for coal transport on the road. I think it should be near the coal kiln.¡± Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren looked at each other, both of them had a deep thought in their eyes. ¡°Then what did County Princess talk with you? Did she mention anything about our Ren Family?¡± Old Madam Ren asked. Ren Yaoqi made a gesture to think, ¡°She didn¡¯t say much about Ren Family¡¯s matters, but we chatted for a while about the horses and camels that carry coal.¡± Old Master Ren frowned and mused, ¡°Horses and camels?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded. ¡°Is there anything else? I heard that County Princess asked you to dismiss all the people around you, only leaving a maid to serve you?¡± The Old Madam asked again. ¡°The County Princess said that she didn¡¯t like having people around her, so she asked me to send everyone away. The County Princess told me about some things she encountered outside the border and asked me how I passed the time in my boudoir. Other¡­ than that, I don¡¯t know what Grandmother is talking about?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked in puzzlement. ¡°Did County Princess come to Baihe Town alone?¡± Old Madam Ren asked. ¡°It seems that she came with Second Young Master Xiao, but he had something to do, so the County Princess came to meet me.¡± Old Madam Ren¡¯s smile grew more amiable, ¡°Then how long will they stay in Baihe Town? Since you are familiar with County Princess, then our Ren Family should do our best to host a good banquet. It would be even better if we could also invite Second Young Master Xiao.¡± Old Master Ren also nodded with a big smile, ¡°Your grandmother is right, can you place another invitation for County Princess?¡± CH 115 Chapter 115: Beat the Bush to Scare the Snake >> beat the bush to scare the snake Looking at the kind and affable expressions on Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren¡¯s faces, Ren Yaoqi slightly lowered her eyes. This was the second time in her two lifetimes combined that she was looked at by her grandparents with this kind of importance. In her last life, when the Ren Family was about to give her to Eunuch Lu, they also had a long talk with her. What they said was nothing more than asking her to put the interests of the family first, serve that high-ranked eunuch well, and find ways to make profits for the Ren Family. At that time, her first reaction was nausea and disgust, she didn¡¯t understand how anyone could be shameless to that extent. Having lived a new life, Ren Yaoqi no longer had that kind of cynicism when she faced such a face again. Her heart was extremely calm. It had always been the Ren Family¡¯s style to find ways to exploit the situation. Back then, the Ren Family married her mother for her father also because they wanted to have a ¡®rare commodity¡¯. Because before Prince Xian¡¯s mother, Noble Consort Wan, killed herself, Noble Consort Wan¡¯s power could not be underestimated. When Prince Xian first came to Yanbei, the current Emperor and Yan Family¡¯s position was not stable, and King Xian may still have the opportunity to rise again. What the Ren Family did not expect was the determination and decisiveness of Noble Consort Wan. She had tried every means to send Prince Xian to Yanbei because she wanted him to live in peace, not to retreat to seek future affairs. The later it got, the more secure the current Emperor¡¯s position became with the support of the Yan Family. Prince Xian¡¯s situation was also more and more precarious, and Li, the chess piece who married into the Ren family became more and more hot. Sometimes Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help feeling grateful that Prince Xian¡¯s family in Yanbei where the Empress Dowager Yan in Beijing couldn¡¯t reach. Otherwise, as long as there is something happened with Prince Xian, Li will be sacrificed by the Ren Family. The reason why Li was able to survive even after being abandoned must also be because of the Ren Family¡¯s instinctive fear of the surname ¡®Li¡¯. If the court wants to trouble Prince Xian, they would certainly show their merits to the imperial court by killing Li. But the court has not moved the knife to the head of Prince Xian for the time being, so if they take action now there might be tribulation later. Therefore, even though Li had suffered in the Ren Family all these years, she did not lose her life. Ren Yaoqi slightly lowered her eyes, her voice still respectful and obedient, ¡±The County Princess said that Second Young Master Xiao is here for business, and they will be returning to Yunyang City tomorrow. Today the County Princess has other places to go, so she must be not free. The Second Young Master Xiao¡­ This granddaughter doesn¡¯t even know how to invite him.¡± Old Madam Ren frowned subconsciously after that explanation, and her tone was a little admonishing, ¡°Why don¡¯t you hold the County Princess today? If you can keep her in our house for one night, everything will be easy to handle. It¡¯s rare for the County Princess to show closeness to you, and you won¡¯t take advantage of this opportunity?¡± In response to this kind of inexplicable accusation, Ren Yaoqi only lowered her head more and more, a little uneasy, ¡°The County Princess said she didn¡¯t want to enter the mansion, so this granddaughter can¡¯t force her to come.¡± Old Madam Ren still wanted to say something, but Old Master Ren smiled to smooth things over for Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Alright, if she didn¡¯t invite County Princess and Second Young Master Xiao this time, it doesn¡¯t mean that she won¡¯t have a chance next time. I see that Fifth Girl is smart, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have won the princess¡¯s favor, so don¡¯t be too harsh on her.¡± Old Madam Ren couldn¡¯t say anything else. Old Master Ren said amiably, ¡°Fifth Girl, you must remember, next time if you have the opportunity to invite people from Yanbei Royal Family in, then you must find a way to do so. You must know that if our Ren Family can have contact with Yanbei Royal Family, it will be a good opportunity for us. Only when the Ren Family is well, can you descendants who live under the protection of the Ren Family be better.¡± Ren Yaoqi answered with a soft, ¡°Yes.¡± Old Master Ren was very satisfied with Ren Yaoqi¡¯s obedience, so he explained to Old Madam Ren, ¡°I see that Fifth Girl is a good child, but she is a little timid. You should put more effort into her in the future and cultivate her well. I think this child must have a good future in the future!¡± Old Madam Ren glanced at Old Master Ren. Could that Old Master Ren blame her for being too negligent towards this granddaughter, causing her to develop such a cowardly nature? ¡°Yes, this wife knows.¡± Old Madam Ren was still very respectful in front of Old Master Ren. ¡°You¡¯re also tired, go back and rest first.¡± Old Master Ren lovingly ordered Ren Yaoyi. Ren Yaoqi obediently got up, bowed normally, and was about to retreat, when Old Master Ren added: ¡°If the County Princess goes back, you should remember to send her a letter to greet her every now and then, so as not to let the County Princess forget about you.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡± Ren Yaoqi had a well-behaved and docile demeanor from the beginning to the end. Only when Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren had nothing else to explain, did Ren Yaoqi gently retreated. After lifting the curtain out, Ren Yaoqi subconsciously took a deep breath, held her breath for a moment, and slowly exhaled. There was no greenery in the Ronghua Courtyard, there was no breath of spring and summer, which makes people feel suffocated even standing on the lawn. Despite her disdain for this place, her steps were slow and steady. After Ren Yaoqi came out, Old Madam Ren asked Old Master Ren, ¡°Do you think that this time the County Princess came to our Ren Family only to look for the Fifth Girl?¡± Old Madam Ren had sought out Li and the other persons who served them at Bailong Temple that day to enquire after Ren Yaoqi left today. They all stated that it was the first time County Princess saw Ren Yaoqi and instantly close to her, pulled her over to drink tea. However, no matter how quickly they connected, they can¡¯t be that close after just meeting and drinking tea once. Old Madam Ren was still a little suspicious about the County Princess¡¯ visit to Ren Yaoyi. Initially, Old Master Ren was still contemplating, but in response to Old Madam Ren¡¯s words, he said, ¡±Although it¡¯s a bit strange, I don¡¯t see anything wrong about it for the time being. Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing for people from Yanbei Royal Mansion to get close to our Ren Family. Many people already know about the County Princess¡¯s visit to our mansion today, and there are quite a few people who came to inquire about it.¡± The County Princess of Yanbei Royal Family came to Baihe Town and the first thing she did is visiting their Ren Mansion. This is something that makes Ren Family very proud. ¡°You can¡¯t belittle Fifth Girl like before. Being favored by someone noble shows that she is a lucky person. You may not know what will happen to her in the future.¡± Old Master Ren told Old Madam Ren again. Old Madam Ren was somewhat unimpressed: ¡°What can be happening? Even if the Fifth Girl can win the favor of the County Princess, is it possible that we can get her married into the Yanbei Royal Family?¡± Old Madam Ren just casually said this, but Old Master Ren fell silent, stroking his beard. Old Madam Ren has been married to him for many years, and seeing him like this, she knew that Old Master Ren must have some calculations in her heart, so she couldn¡¯t help but probed, ¡°Master, do you really have such an idea? But how can the marriage to the Yanbei Royal Family be so easy?¡± Old Master Ren stroked his beard while pondering and said, ¡°It¡¯s true that it¡¯s difficult to get married, but it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no chance at all.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Old Madam Ren also became interested, straightening up to listen. Old Master Ren said, ¡°You should know Second Young Master Xiao, right?¡± Old Madam Ren nodded, ¡°Second Young Master Xiao, Xiao Jingxi, of course I know.¡± ¡°This Second Young Master Xiao has been in poor health since he was a child, and he almost passed away a few years ago. Although he traveled far away this time and there is a rumor that his condition has improved a lot after returning, this is still an affliction brought from the mother¡¯s womb. Can it really be cured? The medicine can control it for a while but not for a lifetime, and one day his body will collapse,¡± Old Master Ren said with certainty. Old Madam Ren ruminated over Old Master Ren¡¯s words in her mind. As expected of a couple of many years, she suddenly looked at Old Master Ren in surprise, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Old Master Ren explained calmly, ¡°We in Yanbei have had the custom of ¡®Chongxi¡¯ since ancient times. For those men who are terminally ill but have not yet married, when the oil is almost exhausted and the lamp is dry, the family will choose a woman with a lower family background to bring into the mansion as Chongxi bride. Although the etiquette will be simpler, as long as the status is not too low, it is generally still the status of the first wife married by a proper matchmaker.¡± >> Chongxi Old Madam Ren just guessed a little bit, but now that the Old Master Ren said it so clearly, how could she not understand it? ¡°You mean to wait until the Yanbei Royal Family wants to hold Chongxi for the Second Young Master Xiao, then our Ren Family¡­¡± Old Master Ren rubbed his beard without saying a word. Old Madam Ren frowned in thought, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then who do you think is suitable? Who knows how long this Second Young Master Xiao can last, but there are still several daughters of this family who still need to be matched.¡± Old Master Ren said stoically, ¡°The marriage of the Third and Fourth Girls can be settled first. We still need to wait and see for marriage with the Han Family, but the marriage with the Qiu Family can be fixed.¡± Old Madam Ren was a little hesitant, ¡°I originally thought that Hua¡¯er could go to the Han Family, and Yin¡¯er to Yun¡¯er. But now that the Han Family¡¯s marriage is not going to work out, we can¡¯t just pass over Hua¡¯er and talk about Ying¡¯er¡¯s marriage first, can we? Or should we marry Hua¡¯er to the Qiu Family?¡± Old Master Ren, however, cast a side gaze at Old Madam Ren, ¡°I know that you and Hua¡¯er have always been close, and you¡¯ve been a bit more partial to her than other granddaughters. However, this marriage matter cannot be based on preference, the most important thing is to see who is more suitable.¡± Old Madam Ren sniffed a little sardonically and defended, ¡°Isn¡¯t it also because I¡¯m considering their rankings?¡± Old Master Ren ignored Old Madam Ren¡¯s defense, and bluntly said, ¡°I think Ying¡¯er is more suitable. Although Qiu Yun is ranked third in his generation, he is the eldest son of the legitimate wife of the Qiu Family. In the future, the position of Qiu Family head will definitely fall on him. His wife must be calm and steady, and be able to take on a big role. Hua¡¯er isn¡¯t bad, but her ability to cultivate her temper is not as good as Yin¡¯er¡¯s. Besides, Yin¡¯er is the daughter of the Eldest Branch. When our Ren Family is headed by the Eldest Branch in the future, marrying Yin¡¯er to the Qiu Family will bring the Ren Family closer to them.¡± Old Madam Ren realized that Old Master Ren had already made up his mind, so she couldn¡¯t say anything else. Ren Yaoyin was also someone raised by her side, even if she was more partial to Ren Yaohua, this heart would not be too biased. ¡°The about Yanbei Royal Family matter?¡± Everything has already been decided by Old Master Ren, so Old Madam Ren will no longer pester him on this matter. Old Master Ren said: ¡°Isn¡¯t the Fifth Girl a good friend of the County Princess? There might be a chance that she can show her face in front of the people of the Yanbei Royal Family in the future.¡± Apart from Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, the girls who currently waiting to be married in the West Mansion were Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaoyu, and Ren Yaoying. Old Master Ren had already decided Ren Yaoyin for the Qiu Family. Ren Yaohua, not to mention Old Madam Ren couldn¡¯t bear her becoming Chongxi bride, but she was a few years older, so she couldn¡¯t afford to wait. Ren Yaoying was a concubine daughter, they were afraid Yanbei Royal Family will look down upon them for offering a daughter with too low a position, so she won¡¯t get into consideration. And Ren Yaoyu is a granddaughter of the Lin Family. The Lin Family¡¯s Old Matriarch and Old Madam were protective of their offspring, so there was no need for the Ren Family to openly offend the Lin family over this matter. Among all of them, the only one suitable is Ren Yaoqi. Old Madam Ren contemplate it and understood. She had never cared about Ren Yaoqi this granddaughter of hers, so she didn¡¯t find anything wrong with Old Master Ren¡¯s decision to send her to the Yanbei Royal Family for Chongxi. Marriage matters were naturally subject to the arrangements of the elders. ¡°But even if it¡¯s a Chongxi, the Yanbei Royal Family is still the Yanbei Royal Family, and there are still a lot of people rushing to send their daughter off. If their attribute isn¡¯t on par, the Yanbei Royal Family won¡¯t look at it either. So you have to pay attention to the Fifth Girl, no matter how much you don¡¯t like her, she¡¯ll carry the Ren Family¡¯s face when she gets out of the house.¡± This is the third time today that Old Master Ren reminded Old Madam Ren not to take Ren Yaoqi lightly. Old Madam Ren knew that Old Master Ren was concerned about this matter, so she immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when am I become the kind of person who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s important? I will teach Fifth Girl well in the future.¡± Only then was Old Master Ren satisfied. On the next day, Ren Yaoqi noticed that Old Madam Ren¡¯s attitude towards herself drastically changed. Originally, only Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua were the two granddaughters who were lucky enough to eat breakfast with the Old Madam every day, but from this morning onwards, the Old Madam also invited Ren Yaoqi. After the meal, Old Madam Ren kept her three granddaughters around to talk with her, and her attitude towards Ren Yaoqi became astonishingly amiable. Such an obvious change was not only felt by Ren Yaoqi but also by everyone in the Ren Family. The entire Ren Family naturally tried to guess the reason for the 180 degrees change in Old Madam Ren¡¯s stance. Although Ren Yaoqi guessed that it should have something to do with the fact that Xiao Jinglin came to find her, she still hadn¡¯t guessed that Old Master Ren was planning to marry her to Xiao Jingxi as Chongxi bride. She stayed with Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin until it was almost time for lunch before returning to Ziwei Courtyard. Although Ren Yaohua had some doubts about Ren Yaoyin¡¯s sudden favor, she didn¡¯t say anything. On the contrary, Li was overjoyed to see that her two daughters had won the hearts of the elders of the family. She specially called Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua over to be advised. She explained that Ren Yaoqi should listen to her grandmother¡¯s words and not be disobedient, and also explained that Ren Yaohua should take good care of her sister and advise her not to get on the Old Madam¡¯s nerves. In front of Li, Ren Yaoqi obediently responded, and Ren Yaohua also nodded in agreement. Li looked at her two daughters and was very pleased. In the afternoon, Ren Yaoqi went to visit Ren Shijia again and met Mrs. Wen who came to say goodbye to Ren Shijia. It turned out that Mrs. Wen had to rush to Yunyang City tomorrow morning. Someone from the Lin family was going to Jiangning, and she would be traveling with them. This was arranged for her by Lin Kun. Mrs. Wen¡¯s performance was still excellent in front of Ren Shijia. Firstly, she expressed her reluctance to let go of Ren Shijia, her old patron, and then thanked Ren Shijia profusely after she gave her some rewards. Ren Yaoqi was secretly observing from the side. She detected that there was some unwillingness in Mrs. Wen¡¯s eyes. She did not want to return to Jiangning. Ren Yaoqi affirmed this thought at once. Ren Yaoqi was still a little curious about the involvement between Lin Kun and Concubine Fang, she wanted to know what kind of medicine these two were selling in their gourds. But if Mrs. Wen just returned to Jiangning like this, their relationship might be broken. After coming out of Ren Shijia¡¯s courtyard, Ren Yaoqi thought about it all the way, and decided to ask Zhu Ruomei who happened to be still in Baihe Town to do her a favor. So as soon as she returned to Ziwei Courtyard, she called Pingguo to her side and instructed her in detail. She told her to go out of the second gate to look for someone from Yuan Family, so they could arrange for her to meet Zhu Ruomei. Yesterday after coming back from outside, Old Madam Ren specially called Pingguo over to ask some questions, because the two times when Ren Yaoqi saw Xiao Jinglin, she only left Pingguo to wait on her. Ren Yaoqi mull it over and decided to let Pingguo go to see the Old Madam Ren. She was a little worried at first, but in the end, Pingguo¡¯s performance made Ren Yaoqi very satisfied. No matter how much Matron Gui who served Old Madam Ren used both soft and hard methods to inquire, in front of Old Madam Ren, Pingguo always insisted that Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin were just drinking tea and chatting, talking about insignificant things. Xiao Jingxi was not mentioned at all. She looked honest and responsible. Even when Old Madam Ren asked a few questions in person, she couldn¡¯t find anything, so she sent her out. As expected, Ren Yaoqi did not misunderstand Pingguo, she was a person who can handle big responsibilities. Although she may not be too clever, there is no doubt that she was loyal. Therefore, Ren Yaoqi left the matter of contacting Zhu Ruomei to Pingguo today. Pingguo went for nearly two hours and came straight to see Ren Yaoqi after she returned. ¡°What did he say?¡± Ren Yaoqi sat on the bed and embroidered flowers. Her skills were mediocre, but they weren¡¯t so bad that she couldn¡¯t hold her own. All the flowers were drawn by herself, much more chic and interesting than the ones bought from outside. Pingguo came forward and reported in a low voice, ¡°This servant had explained your orders word for word to him. He said there is no problem, he will definitely take care of this matter. He will tell you the results tomorrow.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded at her explanation, but her heart was not without lament. She did not have much contact with Zhu Ruomei, and the matter of helping him truly was easy for her. However, Zhu Ruomei was someone who really cherish friendship. The two things she explained to Zhu Ruomei to do sounds a bit puzzling, even bizarre. If he were an ordinary person, he will certainly be suspicious after listening to her as a half-grown child to command this kind of thing. But Zhu Ruomei agreed both times, and didn¡¯t play it perfunctory just because she was young. Ren Yaoqi asked a few more questions and then let Pingguo go down to rest, and waited for Zhu Ruomei¡¯s response the next day with peace of mind. In the afternoon of the next day, Mrs. Yuan came with the news. Ren Yaoqi knew that the matter she told Zhu Ruomei to do must have been settled. However, since the last time Li instructed Ren Yaoqi not to go out to meet people casually, Ren Yaoqi had not personally met anyone from the outer courtyard. Although she actually wanted to personally ask Zhu Ruomei about this matter, she didn¡¯t want Li to worry about her because of this kind of thing. So in the end, Ren Yaoqi gave Pingguo a few instructions and sent her to the outer courtyard to meet Mrs. Yuan. Mrs. Yuan then secretly took Pingguo to meet Zhu Ruomei. It was only after another half an hour or so that Pingguo came back to Ziwei Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi sent all the maidservants out, ¡°Did you ask everything I told you before?¡± Pingguo nodded, not waiting for Ren Yaoyi to ask questions and started to report, ¡°He said he stood outside the city with his face masked according to your explanation. He waited until the donkey cart that Mrs. Wen rode on went through a remote place outside the city, shot her unconscious with a slingshot, then entered the carriage. Mrs. Wen originally thought that he was a robber, so she handed him fifty taels of silver and even take the gold hairpin on her head out to him. But he pretended to be indifferent to the money and only wanted to kill people. After stunned for a moment, Mrs. Wen suddenly seemed to understand something, and began to curse.¡± Ren Yaoqi asked with great interest, ¡°Who did she curse? What words did she curse?¡± This was the purpose of her having Zhu Ruomei purposely commit the act of intercepting Sister Wen, wanting her to think that someone was secretly trying to silence her. Although Ren Yaoqi was still not too clear about the involvement between Mrs. Wen, Lin Kun, and Concubine Fang, but since she left somewhat unwillingly, she must have had a conflict with someone or was coerced by someone. It was a bit risky for Ren Yaoqi to do this, but beating the bush to scare the snake is also a good thing when there was no new information. ¡°Mrs. Wen¡¯s first sentence was to question if Sixth Master Lin sent him to silence her!¡± Pingguo replied as she touched the fine beads of sweat on her forehead because she rushed back too quickly. CH 116 Chapter 116: Inside Story Lin Sixth Master Lin Kun? Sure enough, it¡¯s him¡­ Ren Yaoqi wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that name. ¡°Seeing Mrs. Zhu take out the tied rope in silence, she scolded, ¡®Don¡¯t think that if you kill me, no one will know what he has done! Sixth Master Lin was definitely aware that the Lin Family had caused the Sixth Madam to miscarry multiple times, but he feigned not to. It¡¯s all to push the Ren Family and the Eldest Branch Lin against one another, so that the Ren Family would side with him when he splits up with the Lin family! Cuih! He is not a man! Isn¡¯t he attempting to warn my master by having you murder me now?''¡± Hearing such a sentence, Ren Yaoqi stunned with bewildered expression. Lin Kun knew that Ren Shijia¡¯s successive miscarriages were the work of the Eldest Branch Lin? How could this be possible? Ren Yaoqi subconsciously didn¡¯t want to believe it, because if it was true, it would be too cruel to Ren Shijia. Moreover, when she went to Ren Shijia¡¯s courtyard these few times, she saw that Lin Kun was very loving towards his newborn child, and this kind of love didn¡¯t seem to be fake. So even though she felt that Lin Kun was a complicated person and hiding a lot of things, it was hard for her to believe that Lin Kun would treat the lives of his own wife and children as if they were grass. Although Ren Yaoqi was very surprised, she still suppressed her emotions and continued to ask, ¡°Who is the master that Mrs. Wen spoke of?¡± Ren Yaoqi already had a guess at this time, but she still wanted to confirm it. Pingguo immediately continued, ¡°Mr. Zhu then sneered and said, ¡®You¡¯d better shut up and die, how can your master take care of our Sixth Master? After you die, remember to open your eyes to see if he dares to say anything!¡¯ ¡°Mrs. Wen screamed, ¡®Don¡¯t come over! My master would! My master is a sixth-ranked court official with an unlimited future! Sixth Master Lin didn¡¯t worth shit compared to him! If you dare to kill me, my master will not let you go!¡¯ ¡°Zhu Ruomei was unmoved, ¡®I¡¯m just following orders, what¡¯s it to me if you die? I¡¯ll take your money and leave.¡¯ ¡°Mrs. Wen had an idea and immediately said, ¡®Don¡¯t be fooled, Mister! The reason why Sixth Master Lin wanted to kill me was because I knew that he was setting up his own in-laws and wife in order to take over the family fortune. I just told you about this matter, do you think he will really spare you? As soon as you go back, I¡¯m afraid that you won¡¯t be able to get the money and you¡¯ll be silenced!¡¯ ¡°Zhu Ruomei froze and snorted, ¡®What does this old me know? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to go out and talk nonsense!¡¯ ¡°Seeing that Zhu Ruomei was about to pounce, Mrs. Wen was anxious and added, ¡®I didn¡¯t lie to you, Mister! My master sent me to help my madam. After my madam knew about the matter with Lin Family, she wanted to cooperate with Sixth Master Lin and get what she needed, so she helped him. I didn¡¯t expect Sixth Master Lin to be so cruel, how he is on the surface is different from how he truly is, even kicked away my madam after achieving his goal. Not only he can¡¯t bear the previous debt he owe, but also want to use this method to scare my master to stop him meddling in the affairs of the Lin Family. Think about it, how can a cautious person like him rest assured that someone like you may know his secrets? He will not be at ease until the Lin family¡¯s property is in his hand. ¡®¡± ¡°Zhu Ruomei had astounded and stopped, so Mrs. Wen secretly looked around for an opportunity to escape, while continuing to use her three-fork tongue and racking her brains to distract Zhu Ruomei¡¯s attention, ¡®The Lin Eldest Branch had designed to kill Sixth Master Lin¡¯s mother, and caused him to be nearly 30 years old and still childless. Mister, tell me, is this feud not shared? Over the years, he has been careful to stay low in front of the Lin Family and in the family of his in-law, in order to one day reclaim the family property and hold his mother¡¯s revenge! Such a person¡¯s mind cannot be described as not deep! But if the matter of him using Sixth Madam Lin to win the help of her family is leaked, not only will her family will dislike him, even the members of the Lin Family will be wary of him. It will make his success more difficult. So he will definitely not allow this matter to be leaked. If you really kill me, my end today is your end tomorrow!¡¯ ¡°She had to admit, this Mrs. Wen was really capable. Zhu Ruomei couldn¡¯t help but listen to her non-stop chatter, which was full of sensational and confidential things. Although it was mostly pretense, this woman¡¯s tongue was really powerful. ¡°Mrs. Wen found that if she wanted to jump off the donkey cart, she would have to get out of Zhu Ruomei¡¯s side, which was very difficult. There was a cart window behind her, but it was not able to accommodate a person of her size. ¡°As she spoke, her whole body was in a cold sweat, almost incontinent. ¡°Mrs. Wen was so scared she did not pay attention to why a killer would listen to her talking so much nonsense, and his tool for killing was just a thick long rope. ¡°¡®What would I gain if I let you go?¡¯ Zhu Ruomei fiddled with the rope in his hand and stared fiercely at Mrs. Wen, not allowing her much room to think. ¡°Mrs. Wen was startled and scared by his fierce gaze, so she didn¡¯t try to think about what was wrong anymore. However, the words of the person in front of him imply that the matter is not unnegotiable. Mrs. Wen¡¯s words blurted out without thinking, ¡®Naturally, there are benefits! If you don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll give you all my possessions. I know Mister may look down on this small amount of money, but don¡¯t be impatient. As long as you come forward to testify against Sixth Master Lin when my master needs it, my master will not treat you badly! You should know that my master is a government official, and the Sixth Master Lin is just a puppet figure who doesn¡¯t hold power in the Lin Family, how could he possibly defeat my master?¡¯ ¡°¡®Who can say what will happen in the future? Let¡¯s talk about the present! Your master is not in Yanbei right now, is he? Water from afar cannot put out a nearby fire, can I still go to Jiangnan to ask him for silver? Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡¯ >> water from afar cannot put out a nearby fire ¡°The ferocious light in Zhu Ruomei¡¯s eyes was as frightening as a hungry wolf, and Mrs. Wen became more and more convinced that this person was an outlaw. ¡°¡®How¡­ about you let me go back and I¡¯ll ask my madam for some silver?¡¯ ¡°Zhu Ruomei looked disdainful, ¡®Your so-called Madam is just a concubine, right? What can she do? If you want me to turn against Sixth Master Lin, you should at least give me someone I can rely on! Otherwise, if Sixth Master Lin wants to make trouble for me, I won¡¯t have anywhere to complain, will I?¡¯ ¡°Mrs. Wen didn¡¯t have time to think it over and immediately said, ¡®Then Mister, please wait a little longer, it won¡¯t be too long now! My master¡¯s wife will come to Yanbei in a while. At that time, if you want to have backing, she can be in charge. Wouldn¡¯t it be a shame for someone as capable as you to become a robber? If you join my master, you can at least have good support!¡± ¡°Oh? What is her business in Yanbei?¡± Zhu Ruomei couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°But his question brought back the vigilance that Mrs. Wen had lost, and she immediately looked suspicious. ¡°Zhu Ruomei cried out inwardly, immediately threw the rope in her hand, and said impatiently, ¡®Forget it, why do I listen to so much nonsense from you, bitch? It¡¯s all nonsense, who knows which one is true! I¡¯ll just kill you and go back to Sixth Master Lin¡¯s place to get my orders!¡¯ ¡°Seeing Zhu Ruomei¡¯s rope wrapped around her neck in the blink of an eye, Mrs. Wen screamed, ¡®I didn¡¯t say a single lie! Why don¡¯t you save my life and wait and see? See if she will come to Yanbei! My madam wrote a letter back to Jiangning a few days ago, asking my master to send his wife to attend the full moon banquet of Sixth Master Lin¡¯s son. In addition to filling my madam¡¯s face, it was also because my madam wants to find a good marriage for her daughter. With the importance that my master places on my madam as his sister, he will definitely have his wife make this trip!¡¯ >> full moon banquet ¡°Zhu Ruomei¡¯s rope was still slowly tightened around her neck, and her neck would snap with just a little bit of force. Mrs. Wen kept coughing while tears, snot flew out of her eyes and nose as she said, ¡®Cough, cough¡­ my master may be sent to Yanbei to serve as an official in the future. Not only you, but you have family and friends in Yanbei, right? If you offend my master, you will be in great trouble!''¡± Ren Yaoqi listened to Pingguo¡¯s colorful account of the scene and couldn¡¯t help but frown when she heard this, ¡°Fang Yacun¡¯s wife is coming to attend the child¡¯s full moon banquet? Fang Yacun is planning to come to Yanbei?¡± Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered back to her last life. That time, Ren Shijia didn¡¯t give birth to her child in the Ren Family, and Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t take her to the full moon banquet. That is why she really didn¡¯t have any memory of whether or not Fang Yacun¡¯s wife had traveled to Yunyang City to attend the full moon banquet. However, she vaguely remembered that it seemed that from then on, Concubine Fang had more and more prestige in front of Old Madam Ren. In the end, even the affairs of their Ziwei Courtyard were finally handed over to her. Her reason was that Mrs. Li is in poor health and still needed to raise her two daughters seriously. She didn¡¯t know it at the time, but now that she thinks about it, Old Madam Ren will not treat some irrelevant people well for no reason. It must be that the Ren Family had got some benefits from Fang Yacun, or was promised to get some benefits, so she changed her attitude toward Concubine Fang. Fang Yacun also seemed to be promoted to Yanbei later. Although it was not in a state a bit far from Yanzhou, Concubine Fang could straighten her back even more because she now has a member from her natal family as her support. Not everything that Mrs. Wen said is true, but at least part of it is. However, these are not good news for Ren Yaoqi. CH 117 Chapter 117: Demure There are certain conflicts that cannot be resolved. For example, for Concubine Fang to rise to the top, she had to make Li lose her voice in the Ren Family. So Ren Yaoqi would need to confront Concubine Fang one day for the sake of her mother, Ren Yaohua, and her own interests. This was also why she was so concerned about Concubine Fang. Pingguo was still whispering to Ren Yaoqi about Mrs. Wen. Ren Yaoqi had instructed Zhu Ruomei to let Mrs. Wen go after she get the information she wanted. When Zhu Ruomei was hesitating, Mrs. Wen who had her eyes and hearing in all directions, heard the sound of horses neighing and yelling outside. There was a group of people coming this way, and judging from the noises, quite a few of them. Taking advantage of Zhu Ruomei¡¯s dazed state, Mrs. Wen used all her strength to jump to the side of the carriage. Zhu Ruomei reacted immediately with fierce eyes and wanted to stop her. Mrs. Wen screamed for help loudly as she rolled outside. Mrs. Wen managed to alarmed the oncoming team as expected. Zhu Ruomei caught up with Mrs. Wen who fell to the ground and originally wanted to continue the murder, but the group in front of them was a group of merchants passing through Baihe Town. Leading them were a few sturdy bodyguards. They had already heard the sound and galloped over at this point. Zhu Ruomei hesitated for a moment, and finally abandoned Mrs. Wen and turned to flee. Mrs. Wen was eventually saved. Several bodyguards chased him to catch the assailant, unfortunately they searched all around and returned in vain. Initially, Mrs. Wen was going to go to Lin Family in Yunyang City. But now she was scared out of her wits to go to the Lin Family¡¯s territory, and because Lin Kun is still in Baihe Town, she did not dare to go back either, for fear of running into another murder trial. It happened that the caravan that rescued her was going to the capital and would pass through Jiangning, so Mrs. Wen gave the leader ten taels of silver and followed the caravan back to Jiangning. As for reporting to the official, she dared not. After all, if this matter gets serious, her master would be implicated, so she lied to others that the previous man was a robber who came to steal money. Concubine Fang wouldn¡¯t receive any news until Mrs. Wen had left Baihe Town for a long time. At that time, she couldn¡¯t find anything to check anymore. The East Mansion¡¯s Ren Yaoting has finally recovered from his injuries and has begun to come over to the West Mansion from time to time to talk to Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi did not treat her coldly, and every time she came, she would stop what she was doing to receive her. Today Ren Yaoting come to the West House again. She invited Ren Yaoqi to visit Ren Shijia¡¯s newborn son Lin Cen, who is less than a month old. Lin Cen is the name Old Master Ren chose for his grandson. Although Old Master Ren said that it is only a nickname, after Lin Kun discussed it with his wife, he decided on the name Lin Cen. The Old Master did not say anything, but he asked the Old Madam to prepare a pair of golden qilin longevity locks for their grandson. >> golden qilin >> longevity lock Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting were walking and talking at the same time. Sometimes Ren Yaoting came to Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ear to whisper a few words, looking very close. Although Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t say much, it made Ren Yaoting feel that she was listening very intently. After visiting Ren Shijia and Lin Cen, the two of them came out of the Nuanxiang Pavilion and took another path to go to the Ronghua Courtyard. When they walked to the vicinity of the Fifth Branch¡¯s Liuli Courtyard, Ren Yaoting saw a lot of colorful butterflies on the grass around them. Turned out that there was a big camphor tree as thick as two people hugging by the side of the road, alongside some potato vines, which were the butterflies¡¯ favorite place to live. >> potato vines Ren Yaoting said on a whim, ¡°Fifth Sister, do you want to play catch butterflies?¡± Ren Yaoqi was not young in her heart, so she naturally had no interest in the kind of games that children like. But she can¡¯t spoil Ren Yaoting¡¯s eagerness, so she nodded and ordered her maids, Sangshen and Xueli, to go back and get a few fluttering nets. She also instructed Pingguo to go and ask Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoyin, and the other girls if they want to come over to play with each other. The maids answered and went away, then Ren Yaoting pulled Ren Yaoyin to sit and chat in the nearby corridor. Not long after, Sangshen and Xueli came over with a few butterfly nets. Ren Yaoting picked one and held it in her hand, looking excited. The two of them were about to return to the banyan tree, right when Pingguo came back, but there is no Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoyin, or others. ¡°Have you asked at Eighth Sister¡¯s place?¡± Ren Yaoqi herself took a catching net in her hand to match the occasion, while casually asking a question. Apple sniffed and looked hesitant to speak, then glanced towards the way she came. Ren Yaoqi was feeling a little strange, but from not far away there were voices getting closer and closer, sounded like people were arguing. ¡°Shameless¡­ vixen¡­ get out¡± Although Ren Yaoqi only heard a few words and phrases clearly, she recognized the identity of the person who was speaking. it was the Ren Eighth Miss Ren Yaoyu that she had just asked about. It was obvious that Ren Yaoyu was reprimanding someone. Ren Yaoqi also heard a low soft female voice, but that person¡¯s voice was too small to hear clearly. Ren Yaoqi frowned and was thinking about whether to avoid it or not, when Ren Yaoting who was about to go and catch the butterflies also heard the commotion, ¡±Huh? Isn¡¯t that Eighth Sister¡¯s voice? Who is she talking to?¡± Ren Yaoqi was about to say something, but Ren Yaoting pulled Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand with some curiosity in her eyes, ¡°Go, let¡¯s go over and take a look!¡± With that, he pulled Ren Yaoqi away without another word. She had guessed what was happening over there and was almost staggered by Ren Yaoting pulling her. However, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t need to walk more than a few steps, those two people had already walked out in front of her. It was Ren Yaoyu and the new concubine of the Fifth Branch, Kang. There is a talking that Kang has now been officially recognized by the Ren family, and in a few days, Fifth Master Ren will also set up a banquet for Kang to go through the formality. ¡°Don¡¯t even dream of entering my family¡¯s door! My mother won¡¯t allow it!¡± Ren Yaoyu roared like a small beast. Kang seemed to have glanced over, but there is no telling if she had spotted Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaoting or not. She continued in a very soft tone, ¡°Eighth Miss, I¡¯m just a concubine who can¡¯t stand on the stage. Even if you don¡¯t mention it, I still understand my own status. Why do you need to reprimand this concubine every day? Eighth Miss, if you don¡¯t like this servant, this servant will try to appear in front of your eyes as little as possible, but this servant still hopes that in the future, Eighth Miss will like the child in this servant¡¯s womb.¡± When she mentioned the child, for some reason it made Ren Yaoyu more and more furious: ¡±I don¡¯t want to like your child! He¡¯s nothing! He¡¯s just a bastard!¡± Kang seemed to freeze at her words, then said in a trembling voice, ¡°Eighth Miss, how can you say that? You¡­¡± ¡°I want to say it! Bastard! Bastard! Bastard! He shouldn¡¯t exist in this world!¡± Ren Yaoyu spoke without thinking. Where she learned these words from, no one knows. Any large family wouldn¡¯t teach their daughters to say such words. This Ren Yaoyu is still really¡­ Ren Yaoqi suddenly had an urge to stroke her forehead. Sure enough, Kang couldn¡¯t bear it and began to cry, and her maidservants hurriedly came forward to console her. Ren Yaoyu saw this but she hummed proudly instead, evade her, and walked out. When Ren Yaoyu came out and saw Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting, she was taken aback for a moment as if she didn¡¯t expect them to be there, then she nodded indifferently and left. The only one left was Concubine Kang who was still crying. The maidservants around Concubine Kang who were busy persuading Concubine Kang also noticed Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting. Concubine Kang raised her head and looked at them. She managed to stop her tears, took out a handkerchief, and wiped her face. Then she curtsied to their way and led her people back. After watching the whole show, Ren Yaoting smiled at Ren Yaoqi when everyone was gone, ¡°Eighth Sister has a worse temper than me. If I talk to my concubine-mother like that, my mother will be the first to stand up and scold me. Forget it, let¡¯s just go and catch the butterflies.¡± Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting, who was still in high spirits, went to chase butterflies. But Ren Yaoting¡¯s spirits came and went quickly, or perhaps her physical strength couldn¡¯t keep up, because within a short while she was out of breath and said that she didn¡¯t want to play anymore. Ren Yaoqi ordered the maid to release the butterflies that Ren Yaoting had caught. Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t object to it, she was just catching them for fun, not because she wanted the butterflies. After they went to Ronghua Courtyard to pay respect, Ren Yaoting returned to her East Mansion. She promised to come over again in two days to do embroidery together with Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoyi sent Ren Yaoting away and also resigned from Ronghua Courtyard. On the way back to Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi noticed her maid Pingguo several times wanted to talk about something but stopped herself. She didn¡¯t say anything until they returned to Ziwei Courtyard and ordered the others to retreat, to ask Pingguo directly. Just don¡¯t know why, Pingguo was still a bit hesitant. Ren Yaoqi encouraged her, ¡°If you have anything to say, just say it, it¡¯s fine.¡± Only then did Pingguo talk, ¡°Miss, this servant feels that there is something strange about Concubine Kang.¡± These words made Ren Yaoqi¡¯s heart flutter, ¡°Oh? How strange?¡± Pingguo thought for a moment and whispered, ¡°Didn¡¯t we just come across the Eighth Miss chastising Concubine Kang earlier?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and Pingguo continued, ¡°When this servant came back after invited the Third and Fourth Misses, she happened to see the Eighth Miss and Concubine Kang. At that time, in order to hurry, this servant took a shortcut and thus they did not see this servant. This servant saw that when Eighth Miss encountered Concubine Kang, she didn¡¯t look good, but she didn¡¯t want to talk to her. Then Concubine Kang said something and suddenly Eighth Miss became angry, pointed, and cursed at Concubine Kang. This servant stood in the dark and watched for a while. This servant found that although Concubine Kang didn¡¯t talk much, every sentence she said made Eighth Miss angrier and angrier. This servant was afraid of being discovered, so she quietly left, then Concubine Kang and the Eighth Miss also came over.¡± CH 118 Chapter 118: Planning Ahead Ren Yaoqi listened to Pingguo¡¯s words and pondered for a moment, ¡°Are you saying that Concubine Kang is deliberately trying to make Eighth Sister angry?¡± ¡°This¡­ servant is also not good at judging¡­ This servant just feels that if Concubine Kang did not say anything, today¡¯s conflict might have been avoided,¡± said Pingguo while bowing her head. Ren Yaoqi nodded. She leaned half-sideways on the kang bed without saying anything; no one knew what she was thinking. It was Pingguo who broke the silence, murmured somewhat doubtfully, ¡°Miss, why do you think is she doing this? She is still pregnant, what if she really angers Eighth Miss and Eighth Miss moves her hand? Concubine Kang is only accompanied by two maids at most, and no one dares to come forward to persuade her.¡± Ren Yaoqi blinked at her words, looked at Pingguo, and smiled. But right when she was about to say something, there was a gentle knock on the door outside. After Ren Yaoqi gave her permission, Pingguo quickly walked out to open the door, and came back not long after, ¡°Miss, it is Third Miss¡¯ maid Xiangqin, Third Miss asked if you¡¯re free now, she¡¯s waiting for you in the main room.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded and slowly got up off the bed, ¡°Go to the main room.¡± Pingguo hurriedly came forward and squatted down to help Ren Yaoqi put on his shoes. When Ren Yaoqi went to the main room, she saw Ren Yaohua sitting alone on the east side of the room drinking tea. Ren Yaohua raised her eyes the second Ren Yaoqi came in, ¡°You looked for me before, is something happened?¡± Ren Yaohua was asking about the matter when Ren Yaoqi asked Pingguo to invite her to catch the butterflies earlier. Ren Yaoqi shook her head and sat down beside Ren Yaohua, ¡°Nothing much, it¡¯s just that Seventh Sister suddenly wanted to catch butterflies for fun, so I asked you and Fourth Sister if you wanted to come along.¡± Ren Yaohua cast a sidelong glance at Ren Yaoqi and hummed lightly, ¡°You want me to go and listen to you guys badmouthing me?¡± She was referencing to what Ren Yaoqi said in jest last time. Ren Yaoqi laughed without saying anything, and ordered Xiangqin who was waiting at the side to bring the tea over. Ren Yaohua stare at her and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like her, if you do this kind of thing again you don¡¯t need to call me.¡± After she refused before, she realized that probably Ren Yaoqi was using that excuse to tell her something important, so when she saw Ren Yaoqi come back, she asked her. Ren Yaoqi denied it helplessly, then talked to her about the conflict between Concubine Kang and Ren Yaoyu. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t want to listen to it, but she wasn¡¯t surprised at all, ¡°Eighth Sister was fine when she first came back from Lin¡¯s house, but gradually she couldn¡¯t hide her temper. Now every time she sees Concubine Kang, she doesn¡¯t feel comfortable without scolding her a few words.¡± When Ren Yaoyu was at her grandparents¡¯ house, she should have been warned by someone not to get into conflict with Concubine Kang. Ren Yaoyu tried her best to restrain herself at first, but ultimately she couldn¡¯t bear it. Ren Yaoqi also told Ren Yaohua what Pingguo had seen. Ren Yaohua frowned upon hearing this: ¡°If so, what exactly does Aunt Kang want to do?¡± Xiangqin came in, followed by a little girl carrying a carved red lacquer garden tray, on the tray were two small lidded bowls. ¡°Fifth Miss, Madam has called for someone to prepare almond milk for you and Third Miss. How about this servant serve your tea later?¡± Xiangqin smiled and brought out the lidded bowl from the tray and gently placed it on the table between Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua uncovered the bowl and the rich fragrant almond scent immediately overflowed out. She couldn¡¯t help but lean over slightly to smell it, then smiled and arched her eyebrows, ¡°Hmm, I like almond milk the most.¡± Xiangqin covered her mouth and chuckled. Ren Yaohua gave Ren Yaoqi an irritated look and slowly uncovered the lid of the bowl in front of her. After the little maid with the tray retreated again, Ren Yaoqi picked up the warm almond dew and took a small sip, her eyebrows smoothed, ¡°It looks like Concubine Kang trying to provoke Eighth Sister on purpose.¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s hand paused, then put down the bowl she just drank from, ¡°Why is she doing that?¡± As Pingguo said before, Concubine Kang was still pregnant and her fetus was less than three months old. She didn¡¯t need to provoke the impulsive Ren Yaoyu at this time. Ren Yaoqi also put down the bowl in her hand. Perhaps she was really thirsty, because she drank most of the almond milk in her bowl. ¡°For the time being, I¡¯m not sure exactly what she wants to achieve, but it should be to get rid of Eighth Sister.¡± Ren Yaoqi said casually. Ren Yaoqi had some guesses in her heart. For example, Concubine Kang didn¡¯t care that much about the child in her stomach. But this idea was a bit unbelievable. When Concubine Kang just came in, she still doubted if Concubine Kang was really pregnant because the timing was too coincidental. It was only later that she learned that the Old Madam had called a few midwives she knew to visit Kang shortly after she entered the Ren family. The results showed that Kang was really pregnant, and the timing could also roughly coincide with the time she met Ren Shimao. Since Concubine Kang¡¯s pregnancy was real, how could she not care about her child? If it was just to help Concubine Fang, the price Kang paid was too big, what benefits did Concubine Fang give her? Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t figure out these points yet, so she didn¡¯t explain them to Ren Yaohua. But she could feel that Concubine Kang wanted to attack the impulsive Ren Yaoyu. Ren Yaoqi slowly drank all the almond milk in her bowl, but Ren Yaohua frowned deeply thinking about it, the worry and seriousness in her eyes on her young face made her look much more mature than her peers. Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua, shook her head, sighed softly, then deliberately interrupted, ¡°Third Sister, are you drinking that?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and pointed at Ren Yaohua¡¯s bowl of untouched almond milk with a look of interest. Xiangqin covered her mouth and snickered as she watched from the side. Ren Yaohua turned back to look at Ren Yaoqi. Just a glance and she managed to guess what Ren Yaoqi meant. So she glared, and under Ren Yaoqi¡¯s disappointed gaze, she picked up her own bowl and took two sips. The smooth and sweet taste filled her mouth, which made her feel much better. Ren Yaoqi deliberately showed disappointment, and complained in a low voice, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to drink it, so I wanted to help you drink.¡± Ren Yaohua cast a side look toward Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Thanks for your kind words! Don¡¯t bother!¡± After Ren Yaohua drank her almond milk, Xiangqin packed up their bowls and quietly retreated. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Ren Yaohua asked after contemplating. It seemed like she had forgotten the unpleasantness between the two of them. Ren Yaoqi considered it this time before answering, ¡°We can¡¯t confront Concubine Fang right now.¡± Before Ren Yaohua opened her mouth, Ren Yaoqi hurriedly continued, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of her. I heard that the wife of Concubine Fang¡¯s younger brother will come to Yanbei to participate in Brother Cen¡¯s Full Moon Banquet, and I¡¯m afraid there will be other things that catch us by surprise at that time. For now, it¡¯s better to keep the enemy in the open and us in the dark.¡± ¡°The Fang Family is sending Fang Yacun¡¯s wife?¡± asked Ren Yaohua, stunned. Ren Yaoqi nodded and mused, ¡°Although Fang Yacun¡¯s official position is not high, he is adept at exploiting the situation and doing things steadily, so he is highly valued by his superiors. You also know the situation of the Fang Family. Now Fang Yacun is probably the one who supports the face of the Fang Family¡­ Although Old Madam Fang is Grandmother¡¯s sister, according to Grandfather¡¯s temperament, he will never quarrel with Fang Yacun. So our real troubles are yet to come.¡± Ren Yaohua listened quietly and did not refute Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words, even though a line creased in her eyebrows. Ren Yaoqi observed Ren Yaohua¡¯s expression and she knew that her sister must be feeling aggrieved, so she added, ¡°But¡­ just because we don¡¯t make a move ourselves doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯ll just watch the enemy¡¯s ploys succeed.¡± Ren Yaohua immediately raised her head. Although she didn¡¯t ask questions hastily, she looked like she wanted to listen to the following. Ren Yaoqi beckoned toward Ren Yaohua, who hesitated for a moment before coming over. The two sisters whispered across the kang table. Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help being taken aback after hearing this, and with a frown she reconsider it to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Will this work?¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t make any promises. She only smiled and said, ¡°Whether it will work or not, we¡¯ll know when we try it. No plan is absolutely guaranteed will work. Moreover, what I just said to you is only based on my speculation.¡± Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t get angry when she heard this. Instead, after a moment of contemplation, she said, ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s no guarantee that you¡¯ll succeed in anything, so let¡¯s do our best and listen to God¡¯s will. If it¡¯s not possible, the worst thing that can happen is to face her head-on. I¡¯m not afraid of her anyway, I don¡¯t care what Fang Family, Yuan Family, or whatever family is standing behind her!¡± Although Ren Yaohua¡¯s words were still a little murderous, there was a faint sense of comfort. Ren Yaoqi could not help but smile. After a few more days, the Second Madam of the East Mansion, Su, brought Ren Yaoting. The Dragon Boat Festival is less than 10 days away. The Su Family had finally sent the invitation to the West Mansion.. Every year at the Dragon Boat Festival, Yunyang City would prepare for a dragon boat race, and the Su Family was the initiator and organizer of this event. Therefore, the Su Family will send invitations to big families in Yunyang City and surrounding towns when the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching. Invitations outside of Yunyang City normally would be sent down at the beginning of May. But because of Su, the Ren Family was able to get them in April. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua happened to be at the Ronghua Courtyard when Su came. Since the visit of the County Princess to the Ren Family last time, Ren Yaoqi was often called over by Old Madam Ren to talk, and her frequency of entering and exiting the Ronghua Courtyard had increased. Ren Yaoqi always had a humble and easygoing demeanor. However, unlike Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, Ren Yaoqi rarely spoke in front of Old Madam Ren and was not very good at flattering her. Whatever the question was, she just responded with a single sentence, which seemed a bit dull and cowardly. Therefore, although Old Madam Ren would remember to bring her up for anything, and her attitude was also a lot more amiable, it was still different compared to her attitude toward Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin who grew up beside her. Therefore, her sudden ¡°favour¡± didn¡¯t make the Eldest Madam and the Fifth Madam take it seriously, and Ren Yaoyin¡¯s attitude towards her was as friendly as ever, which saved her a lot of worry. CH 119 Chapter 119: Revelation At the end of April, Yanbei is slightly cooler in the morning and evening. The rudiments of summer are gradually taking shape in the daytime, but it is not so hot that it is unbearable. This time the sun had already risen, and it was warm outside. Su and Ren Yaoting came in. Ren Yaoting¡¯s face was a little red, and there seemed to be a little sweat on his forehead, but Su looked refreshed, with a gentle smile on his ordinary face as always, not impetuous nor frivolous. Seeing Ren Yaoting take a few sips from the tea bowl, Old Madam Ren smiled, ¡°Ting¡¯er is still so afraid of the heat, summer is not here yet.¡± Ren Yaoting put down the tea bowl in her hand, ¡°I won¡¯t go out at all when summer arrives, and I¡¯ll set up two or three ice kettles in my room.¡± After saying that, she stuck out her tongue. Old Madam Ren laughed, ¡°That¡¯s like your father, when your father was little he didn¡¯t like to go out once summer arrived.¡± Ren Yaoting spent very little time with her father, her feelings for her father were far less than her feelings for her mother. When she heard this, she just smiled and didn¡¯t ask any further questions. Old Madam Ren had already talked to Su about the dragon boat race at the Dragon Boat Festival. Ren Yaoting whispered to Ren Yaoqi who was sitting closest to her, ¡°Will you also go with us to Yunyang City to watch the dragon boat race this year?¡± The Ren Family received invitations to the dragon boat race every year, so naturally, they had to go. Every year in the past, when Old Madam Ren went to Yunyang City, she would bring two or three granddaughters with her. Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin had already been there a few times, but Ren Yaoqi, the unpopular granddaughter, had never had a part in it. Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly and whispered back, ¡°When the time comes, I¡¯ll listen to the elders¡¯ arrangement.¡± Ren Yaoting directly asked Old Madam Ren, ¡°Grandaunt, which sisters are you going to take to watch the dragon boat race this year?¡± Su glanced at the several juniors present and gently chastised her daughter, ¡°It¡¯s still early, your grandaunt will naturally have her own plan when the time comes.¡± Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t seem to mind much, look around at the three granddaughters present, and said with a smile, ¡°These few years Hua¡¯er and Yin¡¯er are the ones who followed me, and I got used to taking them by my side, so I will take them with me this year.¡± Finally, Old Madam Ren¡¯s line of sight landed on Ren Yaoqi again, slowly saying, ¡°Qi¡¯er hasn¡¯t been there in the past few years, so this year Qi¡¯er will follow along.¡± She did not mention Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaoying. Ren Yaoqi was stunned at her decision, then said with flattered, ¡°Many thanks, Grandmother.¡± Old Madam Ren talked about other things with Mrs. Su. Ren Yaoting felt that it was because of her merit that Ren Yaoqi was able to go, and secretly winked at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi returned her a proper grateful smile as she wished. On the other side, Old Madam Ren was asking Su about the Han Family¡¯s participation in hosting this year¡¯s dragon boat race. Su gave a plain answer and did not mention that the Su Family wanted to open a coal kiln together with the Han Family. Ren Yaoqi whispered to Ren Yaoting and Ren Yaoyin while paying attention to the conversation between Old Madam Ren and Su. Until someone outside reported that the Eight Miss Ren Yaoyu had come. Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t stop chatting when she heard that, but only gently waved her hand towards the outside. Not long after, Ren Yaoyu came in and greet Old Madam Ren. Old Madam Ren and Su just finished talking. Her attitude towards Ren Yaoyu was indifferent, she just nodded and asked her to go talk with a few sisters, and then ignored her. In the past, when the Fifth Madam, Lin, was still in favor, Old Madam Ren did not particularly like Ren Yaoyu this granddaughter of hers. After the last ¡®swearing¡¯ incident, Old Madam Ren¡¯s dislike for Ren Yaoyu increased, and after what happened to Ren Shijia, the status of mother and daughter Lin fell even further. Ren Yaoyu was also taciturn in front of Old Madam Ren, far less domineering and lively than when she was outside. Seeing Ren Yaoshi and Ren Yaoting both whispering, Ren Yaoyu casually interrupted and asked, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Ren Yaoting was in a good mood and said without hesitation, ¡°I was talking to Fifth Sister that when we go to Yunyang City during the Dragon Boat Festival, I¡¯ll take her to my grandparent¡¯s house to see a set of shadow puppet theatre that my cousin¡¯s wife brought from the capital.¡± Ren Yaoyu immediately be interested, ¡°Is shadow puppetry popular in the capital nowadays? Your cousin¡¯s wife even brought this? I also want to see it, take me along too, Seventh Sister.¡± Ren Yaoting perfunctorily replied to Ren Yaoyu, ¡°If you also go to Yunyang City for Dragon Boat Festival, we can talk about it.¡± Ren Yaoyu frowned at her, somewhat puzzled, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll go, I already made plans with my cousins when I came back last time.¡± Ren Yaoting cast a sidelong look at Old Madam Ren and said to Ren Yaoting, ¡°This is up to the elders, you can ask Grandaunt first. This year, Third Sister, Fourth Sister, and Fifth Sister will all go, plus a few brothers¡­ The pergola of the Ren Family is only so big.¡± Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t intend anything else by saying this; it was simply that Old Madam Ren hadn¡¯t indicated that Ren Yaoyu would be brought along this year, so it was a rare moment of kindness of her to remind others of this. But obviously Ren Yaoyu didn¡¯t think so. She immediately became unhappy, her voice no longer deliberately lowered, ¡°What do you mean by that, Seventh Sister? My mother and I have always gone before, how come we can¡¯t squeeze in this year just because there¡¯s one more person on pergola!¡± Ren Yaoting was not a good-tempered person. The reason why she replied to Ren Yaoyu¡¯s question today was that she was still in a good mood. So seeing Ren Yaoyu being ungrateful, she also got angry and her face turned cold, ¡°What are you angry at me for? Grandaunt didn¡¯t say that she wants to take you there this year, I¡¯m just reminding you.¡± On the other side of the room, Old Madam Ren and Su looked over when they heard a conflict started. Old Madam Ren frowned at Ren Yaoyu. Su saw that it was her daughter who had a conflict with Ren Yaoyu, and gently reprimanded her, ¡°Ting¡¯er, how can you be so unruly, making a racket in the elders¡¯ house?¡± Ren Yaoting twitched her lips but didn¡¯t reply. On the contrary, it was Ren Yaoyu who asked Old Madam Ren with grievances, ¡°Grandmother, she said that you won¡¯t take me to see this year¡¯s dragon boat race.¡± Every year in the past, regardless of whether Ren Yaoyu was favored or not, because of Lin and the Lin Family, Old Madam Ren never treated her harshly, and would always bring her along to banquets. The treatment towards her was no different from that of Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin. So she thought it was inconceivable that Old Madam Ren would take Ren Yaoqi instead of her. Old Madam Ren said in a soft voice, ¡°I took you every year in the past, but this year you will stay at home with your mother. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t go once.¡± Once Ren Yaoyu heard this, her aggrieved tears immediately came down, ¡°Grandmother.¡± Old Madam Ren was unmoved and continued to talk to Su. Ren Yaoyu met Ren Yaoting¡¯s disdainful gaze. How could she bear this kind of anger? She stood up from the chair, and pushed Ren Yaoting hard with her hand. Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t expect her to strike. After being pushed, she slammed into the corner of the left side of the coffee table, hitting the tea bowl on the coffee table with loud clattering sounds, and couldn¡¯t help but let out a single ¡°ouch¡±. Ren Yaoyu, who was sitting beside Ren Yaoting, frantically supported her. Ren Yaoyu didn¡¯t wait for Old Madam Ren to get angry, she turned around and ran out. Old Madam Ren froze, after realizing it, her face turned white with anger, pointing and cursing at Ren Yaoyu¡¯s back, ¡±You little devil! Who did you learn this shrewish behavior from?¡± Su hurriedly came down to check if her daughter was injured. It was a good thing Ren Yaoting was sitting, because Ren Yaoyu didn¡¯t push her too hard. There are minor bruises but nothing serious, Su immediately felt relieved. Old Madam Ren did not care about Ren Yaoyu. She was nervously asking Su about Ren Yaoting¡¯s condition. Instead, Su comforted Old Madam Ren, ¡°It was nothing, how much strength can a child have? Don¡¯t blame Yaoyu.¡± After making sure Ren Yaoting was fine, she felt eased, but her face was still unsightly, ¡°Outrageous! Each and every one of them doesn¡¯t have me in their sights anymore!¡± Su was busy persuading Old Madam Ren not to be angry. Ren Yaoqi comforted Ren Yaoting while thoughtfully looking at the direction Ren Yaoyu disappeared. She had always felt that Ren Yaoyu¡¯s recent behavior was a bit strange, and Ren Yaoyu¡¯s anger today at the Ronghua Courtyard made this strange feeling in her heart worsen. Because Ren Yaoyu was not favored by Old Madam Ren, she had always been a little afraid of Old Madam Ren. She was very obedient when she comes to here and would never dare to speak loudly, no matter how domineering she was outside. Ren Yaoyu would never do this kind of public seizure in the Ronghua Courtyard, but Ren Yaoqi had seen it happened twice. Each time, it was because she didn¡¯t control her temper and had a fit in front of Old Madam Ren. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s temper seemed to be getting worse and worse, especially after Concubine Kang entered the house. Initially, Ren Yaoqi thought that Ren Yaoyu had been provoked by Concubine Kang¡¯s affair and her mother¡¯s falling out of favor, but today she had a vague feeling that there was something weird going on. She had read in the Pharmacopoeia that some medical plants can cause mania. The specific manifestation is that the temper is irritable, can¡¯t bear the slightest bit of aggravation, and can¡¯t stop attacking regardless of the consequences. Although Ren Yaoyu¡¯s behavior was not too serious, it was very different from her previous temperament. Ren Yaoyu remembered that when she woke up after she came back, Concubine Fang had secretly changed her medicine to make her illness drag on and not heal quickly. This meant that Concubine Fang herself or someone around her knew about pharmacology. And with Ren Yaoqi¡¯s understanding of Concubine Fang, to avenge the last time Ren Yaoying was bullied by mother and daughter Lin, she might not be incapable of doing such things. Ren Yaoying hadn¡¯t gone out for half a year because of what happened when she fell into the dung heap. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s end would definitely not be better than Ren Yaoying¡¯s. Thinking of this, Ren Yaoqi could not help but feel a little cold in her heart. This was the reason for Concubine Kang¡¯s intentional and provocative behavior whenever she saw Ren Yaoyu. No matter what reason Concubine Kang and Concubine Fang allied, there must be a tacit understanding between them. However, these were all just her guesses and inferences. If her guess is correct, Ren Yaoyu¡¯s day of ¡°causing a catastrophe¡± is approaching. Those mania drugs will make people crazy if they are used for a long time, and it will create traces for someone to follow. Concubine Fang will not take this kind of risk, so she will not really make Ren Yaoyu crazy. . CH 120 Chapter 120: An Argument Su didn¡¯t linger long at the West Mansion. A steward from East Mansion came looking for her, so she bid her farewell and went back. Ren Yaoting, on the other hand, didn¡¯t want to leave so quickly, and Old Madam Ren invited her to eat together, so she stayed. No matter how proud Ren Yaoting¡¯s nature was, teenage girls like to be lively, so Ren Yaoting loved to come to the West Mansion. The four sisters chatted together in the Ronghua Courtyard. Ren Yaohua still ignored Ren Yaoting however. Usually, it was Ren Yaoting and Ren Yaoqi talking, with Ren Yaoyin occasionally interjecting a few sentences, or Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua would speak a few sentences. There was no awkwardness. Ren Yaoting remembered the last time she came to the West Mansion to catch butterflies, and her heart was a little tickled, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go and play catch butterflies?¡± Ren Yaoyin laughed at her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of the heat? Look at you, you¡¯re like a red-faced Guan Gong after just a few steps. Are you not afraid of getting sunburnt when it¡¯s so sunny outside?¡± >> Guan Gong Ren Yaoting¡¯s attitude towards Ren Yaoyin was quite good, so she replied with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like to go to my family¡¯s garden. The place where the Fifth Sister and I caught butterflies last time was in the shade.¡± Ren Yaoyin shook her head, ¡°Regretfully I have to decline. I had promised yesterday to help Sister-in-law trace some flower patterns and give them to her today. Why don¡¯t you guys go and play first, and I will find you guys later?¡± Among the sisters in the Ren family, Ren Yaoyin was the most quiet and decorous. Everyone knew that. Ren Yaoting pursed her lips and said, ¡°Fourth Sister is lying again, by the time you find us, we have stopped playing.¡± Ren Yaoyin didn¡¯t argue. She covered her mouth and smiled instead, as if admitting that it was just an excuse. This in turn made it impossible for people to get annoyed, even the proud-natured Ren Yaoting only glared at her. Ren Forth Miss, Ren Yaoyin was like this. She didn¡¯t close with any of her sisters, but from Ren Yaohua to Ren Yaoting to Ren Yaoyu, no one ever bothered by her. The Ren Family sisters had each of their undercurrents, but no one could catch Ren Yaoyin¡¯s handle. Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t invite Ren Yaohua either, she only pulled Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand, ¡°If Fourth Sister won¡¯t go, why don¡¯t Fifth Sister accompany me?¡± Ren Yaoyin gazed at Ren Yaoqi with a smile. She was not surprised that Ren Yaoting and Ren Yaoqi suddenly became intimate, as if it was normal for sisters to be close to each other. Ren Yaoqi nodded and agreed, glancing at Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua turned her head and talked to Ren Yaoyin, ¡°I want to embroider a headband for Grandmother, can you help me choose the suitable pattern?¡± >> headband In truth, albeit Ren Yaoqi¡¯s embroidery was only average, she was the most skilled in pattern design. Ren Yaoyin was aware that Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t want to go to the small garden with Ren Yaoting to catch butterflies, so Ren Yaohua asked her for design advice. However, she didn¡¯t expose Ren Yaohua¡¯s excuse. She merely smiled and abided. Ren Yaoting pulled Ren Yaohua out of the door. As soon as she left the Ronghua Courtyard, Ren Yaoting started to express her dissatisfaction towards Ren Yaoyu to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°I didn¡¯t bother with her because my mother was there, or else I would have asked Grandaunt to teach her a good lesson!¡± Ren Yaoting was not from the West Mansion, so when she came to visit, Old Madam Ren was always kinder to her than her own granddaughter, which is human nature. In addition, she was the only daughter in the East Mansion, so Ren Yaoting¡¯s temperament was more proud and reserved than Ren Yaohua¡¯s. Ren Yaoqi listened to her complaints, then offered a word or two of appeasing at the right time. She didn¡¯t exactly say that Ren Yaoyu was wrong, but Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t care. When Ren Yaoqi came out, she sent her maid back to get the net, and the two of them went to the small garden near the Liuli Courtyard again. There stood a big camphor tree as thick as two people and some potato vines. The land under this greenery was the favorite habitat of butterflies. The sisters of the Ren Family loved to come here when they played with butterflies in the summer. Ren Yaoting was not in a hurry to go to the butterfly. Instead, she pulled Ren Yaoqi to talk on the veranda. Ren Yaoting and Ren Yaoqi chatted about the Dragon Boat Festival in Yunyang City. Ren Yaoting told Ren Yaoqi that she had sent a message to Han You, and asked her if she would go. Han You didn¡¯t give a clear answer, so Ren Yaoting urged Ren Yaoqi to send a message to Han You as well. They all know the situation in the Han Family, so Ren Yaoting thought that if more people invited Han You, maybe the Han family would be willing to let her go. This is the actual purpose of Ren Yaoting asking Ren Yaoqi to come out here today to catch butterflies. With Han You there, her chances of getting in touch with Han Yunqian will be much greater. Ren Yaoqi was about to reply to her, but she heard someone talking in the garden. Ren Yaoting was a little displeased at being interrupted, looked over with a frown, and then was a little surprised: ¡°Huh? Why did we meet them again?¡± Ren Yaoqi also looked over along Ren Yaoting¡¯s gaze. Unclear whether it was a coincidence or not, the two people in the garden who were at a standstill were none other than Ren Yaoyu and Concubine Kang. Just like the last time Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting met them, the atmosphere between the two is still tense. Ren Yaoting paused for a while and curled her lips. Then she pulled Ren Yaoqi and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s take a look. Seventh Sister is getting more and more outrageous.¡± Ren Yaoqi was dragged for two steps before suddenly she yelped and stopped. Then she rubbed her eyes with the hand that wasn¡¯t held by Ren Yaoting. Her left eye blinked rapidly, looked very uncomfortable. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ren Yaoting paused her walking and turned to look at Ren Yaoqi suspiciously. Ren Yaoqi took out a handkerchief to rub her eyes while saying in frustration, ¡°It seems like the wind blew some small bugs to my eyes, it¡¯s painful.¡± Ren Yaoting checked her eyes. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s left eye was still blinking non-stop, seemingly trying to blink out the thing that caused her eyes to feel uncomfortable. Her left eye was also a bit redder than her right eye. The maids behind her frantically surrounded her. Pingguo advised, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you go and sit on the porch for a while, and this servant will help you blow it out?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded with red eyes and said to Ren Yaoting, ¡°My eyes are hurting, go sit over there first.¡± However, because of Ren Yaoting¡¯s hatred toward Ren Yaoyu, she wanted to go and watch the dispute between Ren Yaoyu and Concubine Kang. She intended to tattle Ren Yaoyu in front of Old Madam Ren later. ¡°Then how about you go and sit for a while, and I¡¯ll go over there to take a look?¡± Ren Yaoting said. Ren Yaoqi waved her hand without saying anything, and let her two maids help her turn back to the porch and sit down. Ren Yaoting took her maid, Fen Hua and Fu Liu, to the garden. After Pingguo helped Ren Yaoqi to rest, she meticulously blew air into Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes. Ren Yaoqi stared at Ren Yaoting¡¯s back silently, her eyes hiding deep thoughts. Because Ren Yaohua had already sent someone to secretly keep an eye on Concubine Kang, now Ren Yaoqi knew that Concubine Kang would come to Liuli Courtyard at this time every morning. Old Madam Ren had told Concubine Kang not to come to greet the Fifth Madam Lin to avoid any more trouble. But now, Concubine Kang¡¯s purpose for coming to Liuli Courtyard was very grand. She came to be a lobbyist for the Fifth Master. The Fifth Master hadn¡¯t returned to the Liuli Courtyard in the past few days and was still in a cold war with the Fifth Madam. People talked that Kang had persuaded the Fifth Master several times to no avail, so her heart was very uneasy and she would come to the Liuli Courtyard every day. Apart from reporting to the Madam about the Fifth Master¡¯s daily life, she also begged the Fifth Madam not to vent her anger on the innocent Fifth Master. Fifth Madam should blame her instead. In short, in the eyes of the entire Ren Family, this new Concubine Kang was very kind and reasonable. When Ren Yaoqi heard this, she merely smiled. Ren Yaoqi came along with Ren Yaoting this time because she knew that Kang would go through this way. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s situation in the Ronghua Courtyard still stayed in her mind. However, she didn¡¯t come here to involve herself in this dispute, so when she heard that Concubine Kang really met Ren Yaoyu again, she didn¡¯t rush to get involved. Ren Yaoqi sat in the corridor for a while. Her left eye gradually got better and was no longer red, but she didn¡¯t have the mood to go over to watch the fun, so she only sat in the same place and quietly listened to the faint sound of the argument coming from over there. After some period of time, suddenly a scream followed by a cry of alarm was heard. CH 121 Chapter 121: Going Berserk Stillness engulfed the usual peaceful small garden. There was nothing but rustling grass and the faint chipping of summer insects to be heard. This miserable scream and exclamation of surprise seemed to violently cut through this early summer¡¯s quiet scene, making people¡¯s hearts skip a beat. Ren Yaoqi instantly stood up. Although she couldn¡¯t see the situation in the garden from here, she could clearly identify that the shrill scream before was from Concubine Kang, and the cry of alarm after that was Ren Yaoting¡¯s. Ren Yaoqi followed the sound and quickly walked towards the garden. The hallway where Ren Yaoqi was seated is not far from the source of the sound, but there was a circle of boxwood and shrubs between willow trees that obstructed people¡¯s vision. Ren Yaoqi walked around the shrubs and willows. Even though she was mentally prepared, the scenario in front of her still took her by surprise. Concubine Kang was clutching her stomach and fell on the cobblestone-paved path in the inner garden, moaning in pain with a pale face. Today she was wearing a turquoise dress made of Lu silk without any decoration other than a three-inch-wide white skirt bordered at the hem of the skirt. Red and black blood was continuously flowing out along the side of the white skirt, quickly filling the gap between the cobblestones under her body, and two long and thin blood paths had spread to the grass on the side. Concubine Kang¡¯s two maids were very young. That scene made their legs weaken, they knelt beside Concubine Kang and cried. Ren Yaoting who let out a shriek seemed to be frightened, burying her face in the arms of the senior maid behind her, shivering and weeping. Ren Yaoyu¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t look any better than Concubine Kang¡¯s who just fell in a pool of blood. She stood two steps away from Concubine Kang with blank stares. When Ren Yaoqi appeared, she came back to her senses, then looked down. There was Concubine Kang¡¯s blood flowed to the soles of her delicate pink embroidered shoes Fear suddenly flashed in Ren Yaoyu¡¯s eyes. She staggered back two steps, before turning around and running, almost knocking Ren Yaoqi over. Fortunately, Pingguo¡¯s quick eyes and hands held Ren Yaoqi up in time. Ren Yaoqi guessed that there would be something happening, but she did not expect it to be this serious. Even if she had guessed that Concubine Kang might use the child in her stomach to cause trouble, how could she have thought that Concubine Kang would gamble with her own life? Judging from the amount of blood that was still flowing out, Ren Yaoqi did not doubt that Concubine Kang would be walking through the gate of the underworld. The situation became completely out of control. Ren Yaoqi quickly calmed down, and without caring about Ren Yaoyu who ran away, she hurriedly instructed the maids behind her to notify Old Madam Ren and the Eldest Madam. Then Ren Yaoqi quickly walked to Concubine Kang¡¯s side. After thorough inspection, Ren Yaoqi chose not to relocate her. Ren Yaoqi simply took advantage of the moment of kneeling down to call her name, vaguely pulled the two maids around, and forced them to shift their holding position. Ren Yaoqi had studied several medical texts and pharmacopoeia, but it was strictly only theoretical. She had never been in a position like this before and had no idea how to cope with it. After some consideration, she directed her maid to the Liuli Courtyard, which was a little closer, to seek assistance. Whether Lin was willing to send someone over or not, she could only do this much. Fortunately, there were still individuals coming from the Liuli Courtyard; an old matron and two maids. They arrived a little sooner than Old and Eldest Madam Ren¡¯s maidservants. That old matron¡¯s face changed when she saw Concubine Kang¡¯s situation, then moved forward to check on Concubine Kang¡¯s condition. From her demeanor and what she ordered the two maids, Ren Yaoqi judged that this matron knew how to assist with childbirth, so she stepped aside to avoid any additional problems. It wasn¡¯t long before the Eldest Madam came in a hurry. She was running, her forehead was already sweating. Together with Eldest Madam, there was also Matron Gui beside her. It was unclear if they met halfway or went here together. In the end, Concubine Kang was ordered by Eldest Madam to be carried to the nearest Liuli Courtyard. Eldest Madam didn¡¯t have the time to ask Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting. They hurriedly followed behind Concubine Kang who had fainted and went to Liuli Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi walked to Ren Yaoting¡¯s side and gently patted her shoulder, ¡±Seventh sister? How about I accompany you to Grandmother¡¯s place to rest first?¡± Ren Yaoting came to her senses. When she heard Ren Yaoqi¡¯s voice, she grasped Ren Yaoqi¡¯s arm with an aghast expression, her face was pale and her lips quivering, ¡°Fifth Sister, you did not see how scary Eighth Sister was just now! She screamed ¡®I can not let what is in your belly be born and hurt my mother¡¯ and slammed her head down towards Concubine Kang. Then¡­ then Concubine Kang fell to the ground, bleeding¡­¡± Ren Yaoting seemed to recall the shocking color of the blood that had filled her eyes earlier, her voice a little unsteady. She was only a teenager and had never seen such bloodshed. It was terrifying for her. Ren Yaoqi held Ren Yaoting¡¯s hand but didn¡¯t know how to comfort her. An idea was flashing inside her mind when she knew what Ren Yaoyu and Kang did. When she heard that Ren Yaoting wanted to go there, after contemplating it, she decided to let Ren Yaoting go alone. Ren Yaoqi admitted that she had no feelings for most of the Ren Family, but now Ren Yaoting was just a little girl. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t say how guilty she felt for allowing her to see such a spectacle, but the discomfort in her heart remained. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting went back to Old Madam Ren¡¯s Ronghua Courtyard. Old Madam Ren listened to a matron¡¯s report with her face sinking like water. It sounded like she was reporting about Concubine Kang¡¯s condition. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting had returned, Old Madam Ren beckoned for them to come over. ¡°I heard that you two were in the garden just now, is it right?¡± Old Madam Ren asked with a frown. Ren Yaoqi bowed her head and responded, ¡°Back to Grandmother, we originally wanted to go to the camphor tree outside the garden to catch the butterflies.¡± Old Madam Ren nodded and said with a cold face, ¡°Then tell us what you saw.¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at Old Madam Ren with some embarrassment when she heard the words, and stammered, ¡°Grandmother, at that time I was sitting on the porch. When I heard a noise and ran over, Concubine Kang had already collapsed on the ground¡± Old Madam Ren glanced at Ren Yaoqi and then frowned at Ren Yaoting. Ren Yaoting¡¯s emotions had already stabilized quite a bit. She took a deep breath before slowly telling what she saw. When Ren Yaoting walked over, Ren Yaoyu and Auntie Kang had already argued, or rather Ren Yaoyu had started to scold Aunt Kang with all kinds of bad words, and her expression became more and more agitated. Seeing Concubine Kang slightly frowning and touching her belly with an uncomfortable look, Ren Yaoting asked with concern, and also persuaded Ren Yaoyu, ¡±Concubine Kang seems a little uncomfortable. If you continue to scold her, how can you explain to your father if she hurts the child in her stomach? You should let her go back and rest.¡± In Ren Yaoting¡¯s words, she only played the role of a kind persuader in the middle. Ren Yaoqi knew that Ren Yaoting had actually wanted to watch the fun, but she did not comment on that retelling. Whether or not Ren Yaoting had made a few timely provocations at that time to make Ren Yaoyu get into trouble, she was not sure. But looking at Ren Yaoting¡¯s flickering eyes, and the sputtering tone when he talked about certain details, Ren Yaoqi knew her guess was right. As Old Madam Ren listened to what Ren Yaoting did, her face could already be described as icy cold to the bone. Even Ren Yaoqi, who was never pleased by Old Madam Ren, had never seen Old Madam Ren show this kind of expression. Ren Yaoqi knew that Ren Yaoyu had completely disgusted Old Madam Ren. For a person who dared to hurt a pregnant woman, anyone would think that this person was too cruel. After a short while, the Eldest Madam returned. ¡°How is the situation? Can the child be saved?¡± Old Madam Ren frowned. Eldest Madam Ren let out a soft sigh and shook her head, ¡°The fall was too heavy, the child is gone. The doctor has already seen her. Concubine Kang has lost a lot of blood. Fortunately, she is in good health. Otherwise¡­ the doctor said that in this situation, it is very likely that in one body two lives will be gone.¡± Her tone was full of sorrow. Although Old Madam Ren expected that the child might not be able to be saved, her face still looked a little bad when she heard the Eldest Madam¡¯s report, ¡°A sin!¡± Eldest Madam Ren followed suit and shook her head. Old Madam Ren¡¯s gaze turned cold, ¡°Where is that bastard! Go and have someone tie her up for me!¡± Eldest Madam Ren glanced at Old Madam Ren¡¯s eyes and tried to plead for Ren Yaoyu, ¡°Old Madam, Yaoyu must not have done it on purpose. Just now when I went to the Liuli Courtyard, Yaoyu was hiding in her room and crying. No matter how hard Fifth Brother-in-law knocked on the door, she didn¡¯t want to open it. She also regrets it.¡± Old Madam Ren was unmoved, ¡°This is a human life! It¡¯s not some cat or dog! You go and tie that person up for me! Evil creature! She is an evil creature!¡± The Eldest Madam eventually went off with a sigh. Before Ren Yaoyu could arrive, someone came from the East Mansion. It turned out that Ren Yaoting¡¯s maid had just gone back to report the news to Su, and she sent her matron over to bring Ren Yaoting back. Old Madam Ren realized that Ren Yaoting¡¯s was also frightened by today¡¯s situation, so she softened her expression and let that grandniece follow the matron sent by Su back to East Mansion. Ren Yaoting also couldn¡¯t wait to get out of here. Without saying a word, she went back with Su¡¯s matron. After considering it a bit, Ren Yaoqi said to the Old Madam, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m going to send Seventh Sister off.¡± Where did Old Madam Ren have the time to care about Ren Yaoqi at this time? She waved her hand and let her go. Ren Yaoqi bowed, turned around, and went down. She saw Ren Yaoting being supported by Su¡¯s matron in the front and quickly walked a few steps to catch up on her. Then she stepped forward and took Ren Yaoting¡¯s other arm, comforted her in a low voice, ¡°It was unfortunate that we encountered this kind of thing. After going back, take a good rest, Seventh Sister. Don¡¯t have any wild thoughts.¡± CH 122 Chapter 122: Adding Fuel to the Fire Ren Yaoting¡¯s face was still a bit pale, and she was being carefully supported by the matron to walk out. When she saw Ren Yaoqi coming, she reluctantly smiled, ¡°I¡¯m terrified, Fifth Sister. I¡¯ve never seen so much blood in my life.¡± Ren Yaoqi tugged on Ren Yaoting¡¯s sleeve and whispered in her ear, ¡°Seventh Sister, did you really see Eighth Sister push Concubine Kang?¡± Initially, Ren Yaoting was a little puzzled when he heard this. Then she thought more and her face turned a little ugly, shook off Ren Yaoqi¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°What does Fifth Sister mean? Are you suspecting that I was talking nonsense to deliberately frame Eighth Sister?¡± Ren Yaoyu fought with her in Ronghua Courtyard, then after that she witnessed Ren Yaoyu pushing Concubine Kang down. She went to the garden earlier was also for watching the fight. Naturally, she thought that Ren Yaoqi asking this question was because she suspected her. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Ren Yaoqi was not annoyed, she only smiled and explained, ¡±Seventh Sister, that is not what I mean. It was just when we were in the garden today, apart from you, the only people there were Concubine Kang¡¯s two maids. Grandmother just sent someone to bring Eighth Sister¡­ I¡¯m afraid that they will still need you to come back to West Mansion.¡± Ren Yaoting was taken aback when she heard her explanation, then frowned. Other than Concubine Fang, Ren Yaoyu, Ren Yaoting, and a few maids, there was no one else present at today¡¯s incident. Old Madam Ren would want to investigate Ren Yaoyu¡¯s crime. But after causing such a big disaster, according to her nature, there is no way Ren Yaoyu would admit it so readily. On the other side, Ren Yaoting just insisted in front of Old Madam Ren that Concubine Kang was pushed by Ren Yaoyu until she fell and caused her miscarriage. It was inevitable the West Mansion would call Ren Yaoting to testify after hearing Ren Yaoyu¡¯s argument. But she just had a feud with Ren Yaoyu. Ren Yaoyu can insist that she just talked nonsense to slander her. This thought made Ren Yaoting immediately feel irritated. Not to mention Ren Yaoyu¡¯s crazy nature, Fifth Madam Ren, Lin, was a demanding and pretentious person. Ren Yaoting felt that her future will not be so peaceful. Now she regretted that her curiosity today got her involved in this muddy water. Ren Yaoting stared at Ren Yaoqi with a gloomy expression and said, ¡°At first I wanted to bring you along, but you suddenly became blinded. You are so fortunate, Fifth Sister, unlike the unlucky me.¡± Ren Yaoting instinctively looked at Ren Yaoqi with suspicion. In her perspective, it was simply too coincidental. Ren Yaoqi returned her gaze and smiled unabashedly, ¡°I also regretted that I didn¡¯t pull Seventh Sister back at that time, but no one can foretell this type of thing ahead of time.¡± Ren Yaoting thought more about it. Ren Yaoqi was right, she was not a prophet. How could Ren Yaoqi know something would happen beforehand and deliberately avoid it? In the end, it was because of her own bad luck that she stumbled upon such a bloody incident today. ¡°Whatever. I did see Eighth Sister push Concubine Kang to the ground, and then Concubine Kang started to bleed.¡± Although Ren Yaoting was a little apprehensive of Ren Yaoyu¡¯s madness today, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of Ren Yaoyu, and she simply didn¡¯t have a position to cover up anything for Ren Yaoyu. She was telling the truth. Ren Yaoyu sighed softly hearing her and didn¡¯t say anything else. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The matron sent by Su kept her head down and carefully supported Ren Yaoting. However, without saying anything she listened to the conversation between Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaoting intensely. Only when Ren Yaoqi stopped and said to Ren Yaoting, ¡°Go back and have a good rest, I won¡¯t see you off,¡± then she raised her eyes and glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t realize it, and watched them leave. Ren Yaoting¡¯s back disappeared at the gate of Ronghua Courtyard, then Ren Yaoqi also walked slowly towards the garden. Before she could walk out of the corridor, she saw Matron Gui bringing Ren Yaoyu over, followed by Fifth Madam Lin who looked uneasy and yet still pretending to be calm. Ren Yaoqi approached and heard Lin¡¯s explanation to Ren Yaoyu, ¡°You must tell the Old Madam that you just gently pulled her out so that she wouldn¡¯t get in your way. It was she herself who didn¡¯t stand still and fell. Don¡¯t admit to something you haven¡¯t done!¡± Lin¡¯s voice was not lowered, but instead deliberately increased in pitch, as if this can convince others or herself. Ren Yaoyu kept her head down and didn¡¯t say anything. It was unknown what she was thinking. Matron Gui and several maidservants were all just looking at the road under their feet without showing any expression. Several people raised their eyes when they heard footsteps. Seeing that it was Ren Yaoqi coming over, Matron Gui curtsied and bowed solemnly. Lin¡¯s words paused, but then she ignored Ren Yaoqi and kept warning Ren Yaoyu. Ren Yaoyu seemed to be a bit distracted at the moment. She was not even raising her head to look at someone who was coming from the opposite side. They passed by each other. Ren Yaoqi had no plan to go back to Ronghua Courtyard to listen to the news, so she went back to Ziwei Courtyard on her own. When Ren Yaoyu and Lin arrived at Old Madam Ren¡¯s chamber, Lin proceeded to assist her daughter in complaining before Old Madam Ren had a chance to condemn. Looking at Lin¡¯s mouth that kept flapping, there was an imperceptible disgust flashed in Old Madam Ren¡¯s eyes. Old Madam Ren coldly spoke before Lin finished talking, ¡°Did I ask you to come along? Stand aside!¡± Lin¡¯s voice lurched. In the past, she would have had red eyes and felt aggrieved, but these days she had gradually gotten used to Old Madam Ren¡¯s blunt words. If it wasn¡¯t for her daughter today, she would not get in there and take this humiliation. ¡°I¡¯m not senile yet! Even if she doesn¡¯t admit the truth, someone saw it at the time! How does she want to deny it?¡± Old Madam Ren looked at Ren Yaoyu, her voice sharpened. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Lin endured it and said, ¡°That depends on who you ask. I just asked the maids around Yu¡¯er after I heard about the matter. They all said that Concubine Kang deliberately blocked Yu¡¯er¡¯s way. Yu¡¯er originally just wanted to push her away. Either she didn¡¯t hold firm or¡­ Anyway, she accidentally fell. As for the maids around Kang, who knows if they have been instructed by someone to wrong my daughter!¡± Seeing that she was still going to argue her case, Old Madam Ren coldly grunted, ¡°At that time, Yaoting was also present and saw clearly that it was indeed this sinner who bumped into her!¡± Lin didn¡¯t have the same constraints she had when facing Old Madam Ren, and said righteously, ¡°How can you believe Ren Yaoting¡¯s words! She just fought with Yu¡¯er, it¡¯s not impossible for her to deliberately talk nonsense to wrongly accuse someone.¡± So what Ren Yaoting thought before was not wrong, the whole Ren Family knew what kind of person Lin was. CH 123 Chapter 123: The Tendency of Smart People It was regrettable that Lin didn¡¯t know that when people look at you favorably, anything you do is worthy of forgiveness. On the contrary, when people look at you poorly, your defense will only make them more and more disgusted. In addition, Old Madam Ren had already decided that her granddaughter, Ren Yaoyu had a wicked heart and was sinister and vicious, so Lin¡¯s defense of her daughter could only have the opposite effect. Old Madam Ren couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and became furious. She ordered that Ren Yaoyu to be tied down and punished in the Ancestral Hall in accordance with family rules. >> family rules (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Any family with a deep family history has family rules, and if there are family rules, there will inevitably be disciplinary stick. Although the Ren Family¡¯s history was not very extensive, they had made a great pretense of something that had never been there since the previous head of the family, Baoming, was still alive. The disciplinary stick of the Ren Family is the same as the punishment stick of other big families in Yanbei. It is an ironwood stick as thick as an adult¡¯s wrist, flat and round, about four feet long, and shiny even without paint. This stick was enshrined in the ancestral hall for years and years along with the ancestral tablets, and in general its used more for deterrence than its actual purpose. Its existence made the children of all families terrified when they hear about it, and had already surpassed the horrific significance of an ordinary wooden stick to a child. >> disciplinary stick So when Ren Yaoyu heard that the legendary disciplinary stick was to be used, she was so scared that her legs went limp on the spot. When she saw her grandmother¡¯s stern attitude, she even thought that she was going to lose her life. Lin¡¯s fear of the disciplinary stick was of course different from her daughter¡¯s, but she also knew the seriousness of the usage of the stick. After all, ever since the former head of the family set the family law, that one wooden stick had actually never been used, and she didn¡¯t want her daughter to be the first one in the Ren family to ever try it. So the Ronghua Courtyard started to cause trouble again. Lin Fifth Master Ren Shimao got the news and begged Eldest Master Ren to go and invite Old Master Ren back. People are prejudiced creatures. It is a lie to say that Ren Shimao didn¡¯t feel sad about Concubine Kang¡¯s miscarriage. But no matter how much Ren Shimao promised Concubine Kang that he would treat her and the child in her womb with tenderness and affection, when it came to a critical moment, those closer and further in the heart were still immediately distinguishable. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Compared to the unborn child in Concubine Kang¡¯s womb, Fifth Master Ren was more worried about his eldest daughter. Even though everyone said that Ren Yaoyu was the culprit who caused Concubine Kang¡¯s miscarriage, Ren Shimao was not willing to speculate on his and Lin¡¯s beloved daughter with malicious intent, and he unconditionally believed Lin¡¯s words. Ren Yaoyu had hit Concubine Kang by mistake. As for Old Master Ren, after knowing about this matter, he thought about it and went back to the inner courtyard. Recently Old Madam Ren had been very dissatisfied with the Lin Family because of Ren Shijia, thus taking her anger out on Lin. Old Master Ren kept turning a blind eye to it for some unknown reason. But the attitude of the Ren Family, which he himself represented, towards the Lin Family, had not changed in any way. Recently, the various aristocratic families in Yanbei looked calm and peaceful. However, many people feel that this calmness is like a river frozen in winter. The surface may have no waves and no ripples, but under the ice layer, there are deep currents and turbulent currents. When the spring is warm and the flowers bloom, the flood season will come as soon as the ice layer breaks. In this period of unpredictable situations, Old Master Ren didn¡¯t want to really get into a fight with the Lin Family. However, Old Master Ren had never asked about the affairs of the inner courtyard. It is not good to overrule the decision that Old Madam Ren had made and embarrassed her. So after returning to the inner courtyard, he went straight to the study of Ronghua Courtyard. No matter how much Ren Shimao begged him, he didn¡¯t show up. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) When Old Madam Ren received the news that Old Master Ren was back, Ren Shijia was sending her matron to intercede for Ren Yaoyu and Lin. She was still in confinement and it was inconvenient to go out, but she still showed her concern for mother and daughter Lin. Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t want to respond to her daughter¡¯s plea at first. However, after learning that the Old Master Ren was back, she considered it for a while before changing her decision, ordering people to just temporarily lock Ren Yaoyu in the ancestral hall without any visit. She would decide the punishment after today¡¯s matter was clarified. Lin¡¯s feet were restricted momentarily in her Liuli Courtyard. She was implicated because there is a possibility that the calamity Ren Yaoyu had made was based on her order. Nonetheless, the mother and daughter Lin would be relieved for a while. The two words ¡®disciplinary stick¡¯ were rarely heard, which made it even more frightening. On the surface, Old Madam Ren had sold her daughter a favor. Lin became grateful to Ren Shijia, her sister-in-law. However, in reality, it was a tacit agreement between Old Madam Ren and Old Master Ren. She knew that Old Master Ren wouldn¡¯t come back for no reason, and since he was invited back by his son, even though he didn¡¯t come to the main house to interfere in the matter, it was a hint of what he meant. It must be said that Old Madam Ren was actually a smart person. She immediately abandoned her own likes and dislikes and firmly followed Old Master Ren¡¯s will, and so that other people could not easily detect what it means, plus she also gave her daughter a big face. However, Fifth Master Ren¡¯s decision at a vital juncture caused Lin¡¯s previously hostile attitude to soften. When Fifth Master Ren insisted on sending her back to the Ziwei Courtyard, Lin didn¡¯t refuse as firmly as she had in the past. Later on, some of the maids of the Liuli Courtyard softly chatting about Fifth Master Ren accompanied the Fifth Madam to the main room where she was grounded, and was not kicked out by her. There were even some people who heard the Fifth Madam crying in the house as well as Fifth Master Ren¡¯s careful comforting voice. This foot restraint punishment unexpectedly restrained the feet of both the husband and wife, but one was forced and the other was voluntary. Currently Concubine Kang was still lying in the west wing of the Liuli Courtyard, almost losing half her life. But now both the Fifth Master and the Fifth Madam had selectively ignored this matter. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) No one knows what kind of mood Concubine Kang is holding at this time, lying in the pearwood frame bed at the west wing of the Liuli Courtyard. She had calculated everything, but ultimately she did not have the ability to calculate the man¡¯s heart. At the East Mansion side, Ren Yaoting went to her mother¡¯s place first the second she went back. Her eyes reddened as soon as she saw Su, and she stepped forward to hug Su with no intention to let go. She was really frightened today and only managed to look calm down because she wanted to save face. After seeing her mother, she felt even more aggrieved. Strictly speaking, Su was a cold person. Her nature prevented her from being a caring mother. However, Su still loved her only daughter from the bottom of her heart. So seeing Ren Yaoting like this made Su distressed. She did not immediately ask her daughter what happened. She just patiently hugged Ren Yaoting for a long time, asked someone to serve the calming tea that she had prepared before, and personally fed Ren Yaoting to drink. In the end, she coaxed Ren Yaoting to rest on the soft couch in her main room. After comforting her daughter, Su instructed her personal matron, Yang, to bring the two senior maids who were serving by Ren Yaoting¡¯s side to go to the next room. Su listened quietly as the two maids discussed the happenings of the day. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and she had a chilly, harsh expression on her face. Her appearance was very ordinary, but this expression gave her a unique charm, which was different from ordinary boudoir ladies. It¡¯s just that Su¡¯s expression is rarely shown in front of outsiders, so it can be seen that everyone present is her confidant. ¡°Kang will pass by that garden at that time every day?¡± Su¡¯s tone was flat, and his face had returned to the usual calmness. Matron Yang bowed her head and said, ¡°This servant has inquired about it, and it is indeed so. Not only that, but Eighth Miss also often came back from strolling around the garden at that hour, so the two of them have bumped into each other there several times, and quarrels become a common occurrence. Usually, Eight Miss was in a bad mood and deliberately humiliated Aunt Kang.¡± Su thought for a moment, then cast her eyes towards the two maids who stood aside with their hands tied, and said in a soft voice, ¡°Ting¡¯er also knows that Ren Yaoyu often appears in the garden at that time?¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The two maids glanced at each other, the slightly older one stepped forward and said carefully, ¡°Miss did not know at first. When she went to the garden outside Liuli Courtyard with Fifth Miss to catch butterflies, she just happened to see Kang and Eighth Miss arguing and kept it in her mind. Miss asked around and found out that it is not the first time Kang and Eighth Miss had a quarrel. However, this servant saw that Miss just asked a few questions casually out of curiosity, and didn¡¯t mention it anymore afterward.¡± Su¡¯s eyebrows were slightly raised, ¡°Ting¡¯er was angry with Ren Yaoyu in the Ronghua Courtyard today, so did she choose that time to go to the Liuli Courtyard to catch butterflies on purpose?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± the maid raised her eyes at Su¡¯s question and hesitantly said, ¡°This servant saw that Miss was indeed a little happy when she heard the sound of the quarrel between the Eighth Miss and Concubine Kang coming from the garden.¡± In fact, the words that Ren Yaoting said in front of Ren Yaoyu and Concubine Kang at that time were intended to pour fuel to the fire and add excitement. But she didn¡¯t say anything about it in front of Old Madam Ren. She only said that she was just trying to quell the fight. Ren Yaoting had rarely suffered in the Ren Family, so when she was upset with the things Ren Yaoyu had done to her today, she realized that if the conflict between Ren Yaoyu and Concubine Kang became a big deal, Ren Yaoyu would be punished. It is not that Ren Yaoting had malicious intent. She just made some childish calculations to watch Ren Yaoyu being chastised by the elders. She didn¡¯t expect Ren Yaoyu would dare to do anything to Concubine Kang. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Ren Yaoting was terrified it was her fault for what had happened. Su asked this question for this reason. It¡¯s difficult for the maids to speak directly, but they hinted at it when they explained the situation to Su. Su understood her daughter, which is why she asked the maids rather than Ren Yaoting directly. This will help her make a correct judgment. After a long period of silence, Su said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m afraid this matter is not that simple.¡± Smart individuals are tend to think a lot. . There are a lot of smart woman in Ren Family, they could scheme and trip people with their plots, but for some reason neither of them could get their husband¡¯s heart. Yes, I talked about the same fate shared between Concubine Fang, Concubine Kang, and Second Madam Su. Humans are interesting creatures huh CH 124 Chapter 124: Infuriated Matron Yang frowned after hearing Su¡¯s remark, ¡°Is Madam saying that our Miss has been tricked by someone?¡± Su didn¡¯t answer, her face was impassive. Matron Yang pondered, remembered what Ren Yaoqi said when she sent Ren Yaoting out earlier, and unconsciously said, ¡°As Madam said, this matter indeed contains too much of a coincidence. It was strange that our Miss happened to witness Eighth Miss pushing Concubine Kang. If our Miss wasn¡¯t present at that time, it would be only Eight Miss and Concubine Kang in the garden. Now it was difficult to determine who is actually guilty. Coupled with Eight Miss¡¯ entitled nature, I¡¯m afraid that Concubine Kang won¡¯t get justice even when she is in the right.¡± ¡°In the right?¡± After listening to Matron Yang¡¯s words, Su looked amused. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Matron Yang instantly froze. Su was about to say something when a little voice from behind the wall stopped her. After listening to it for a moment, Su immediately rose up and walked to the next room. Matron Yang and the two maids also hurriedly followed. In that room, Ren Yaoting was still sleeping on the soft couch. However, it was obvious that she was not sleeping soundly. Her eyes were still closed, but her eyeballs were turning uneasily under the eyelids, her eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings, and her mouth was constantly talking in her sleep. Su immediately went forward and held Ren Yaoting¡¯s hand that was tightly tugging on the thin quilt due to her restlessness, her tone was very soft as she called her daughter in a low voice, ¡±Ting¡¯er? Did you have a nightmare? Don¡¯t be afraid¡­ don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ren Yaoting seemed to hear Su¡¯s call and opened her eyes in an instant. She was stunned for a moment, but then her eyes were focused on Su and immediately jumped into her arms, sobbing heavily, ¡°Mother, there is so much blood! Eighth Sister pushed me, and then I bled a lot like Concubine Kang. Mother, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Su¡¯s eyebrows frowned as she heard this, but her tone was still gentle, she gently patted Ren Yaoting¡¯s back, ¡°Good girl, don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s just a dream, it¡¯ll be fine when you wake up.¡± Ren Yaoting flopped down in Su¡¯s arms and refused to move. Su didn¡¯t say anything, just gently hugged her and coaxed her in a small voice. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t go, sit here with me, I¡¯m scared.¡± Ren Yaoting recalled her horrifying nightmare just now. She begged while pulling Su¡¯s sleeve. Su nodded and stroked her hair, ¡°Mother won¡¯t go, Mother will stay here with you.¡± Only after a while did Ren Yaoting calm and lay down, but her hand was still pulling on Su¡¯s sleeve and not letting go. Su knew that her daughter was frightened. She let Ren Yaoting tug and wrinkle her sleeve. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Ren Yaoting¡¯s breathing gradually stabilized after some time, but it was unknown if she was truly asleep. Su gently held her hand and didn¡¯t move. Only after she was sure that Ren Yaoting had really fallen asleep, did Su beckon toward one of Ren Yaoting¡¯s senior maids and withdrew her hand, allowing the maid to continue to hold Ren Yaoting¡¯s hand, so that her daughter could sleep more peacefully. Only after doing this, did Su bring Matron Yang to silently go to the small corner and then talk again. ¡°Madam, this time Miss was truly frightened.¡± Matron Yang lowered her voice, worried. Su did not make a sound, but the ¡®thud-thud-thud¡¯ sound of her fingers lightly tapping on the kang table was disturbing. Matron Yang cast a cautious gaze toward Su. Su appeared relaxed and helpless, but she could tell from her years of experience serving her Madam that Su was truly enraged at the time. So she simply stood there and sensibly didn¡¯t say anything. After a long time, Su¡¯s fingers finally stopped tapping on the kang table. A few of the servants in the room unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Have someone go check on Concubine Kang.¡± Su suddenly opened her mouth, her tone was very calm. Matron Yang subconsciously obliged immediately, then after some thought, she asked, ¡°Madam, do you think there is something wrong with this Concubine Kang? Before she entered the West Mansion, the Old Madam of the West Mansion must have ordered someone to check her details, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to enter the Ren Family. Now that she has been allowed in, I think that side has not found any traces.¡± Su replied coldly, ¡°Her identity is not a problem, go and check the people close to her before she entered the Ren Family, in addition,¡± Su paused, then ordered, ¡°Go and check if she has any contact with Jiangning.¡± ¡°Jiangning?¡± Matron Yang pondered for a moment, and suddenly remembered, Concubine Fang was from Jiangning, ¡°Madam, are you suspecting that Concubine Kang has a connection to Concubine Fang?¡± The corners of Su¡¯s mouth tugged slightly, but her smile did not reach the bottom of her eyes, ¡°This technique is very familiar, and one cannot help but suspect that it is from the same handiwork.¡± Matron Yang was convinced by Su¡¯s words, and immediately became angrier, ¡°If this is really related to her, then Concubine Fang has gone too far in bullying people! She even used three parties to use our Miss twice. In her eyes, our East Mansion is so easy to bully!¡± Su looked indifferent, ¡°I¡¯ve never meddled in the affairs of the West Mansion over the years. I didn¡¯t make a sound the last time she used Ting¡¯er, so I guess that made her think that I would turn a blind eye to some harmless exploits.¡± Matron Yang scowled, ¡°How can using our Miss be harmless? And to scare our Miss like this!¡± ¡°I think it must be because she¡¯s been living too smoothly all these years.¡± Su lowered her head and gently stroked the silver silk threads on her skirt. ¡°This servant has also heard that Concubine Fang¡¯s full brother has been promoted to an official position again. Although the official position is not big, the Ren Family¡¯s business in Jiangnan can rely on him for a bit. I heard that the Old Madam and other Madams of West Mansion all will get a share. She¡¯s used to making trouble in the West Mansion, does she think she can do the same in our East Mansion?¡± Matron Yang sneered, ¡°Who does she think she is? Cuih!¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Compared to Matron Yang¡¯s anger, Su¡¯s face was much more calm. ¡°I¡¯ve always appreciated smart people, it¡¯s just¡­ that she shouldn¡¯t have laid hands on Ting¡¯er. Now it seems that if I don¡¯t remind her right now, there¡¯s no guarantee that she won¡¯t use my daughter even more smoothly.¡± When Matron Yang saw Su say this, she knew that Su was truly angered by Concubine Kang. Su hated this kind of woman who likes to step on others to climb up, ¡°Madam is right, there are some people who like to get ahead of themselves, didn¡¯t even realize they have fished over the line.¡± Su didn¡¯t reply to Matron Yang¡¯s words, but a ray of deep thought inadvertently flashed in her slightly lowered eyes. She knew very well what Concubine Fang wanted. It is not hard to guess the reason behind the constant bad luck of Fifth Madam Lin. For her East Mansion to be left alone, there must be a temporary balance of power between the various branches of the West Mansion. It made her wonder if she should intervene in the fall of Madam Lin. After Ren Yaoqi went back to Ziwei Courtyard from Ronghua Courtyard, she immediately went to the main room to find Matron Zhou. ¡°Help me check if Eighth Sister has drunk any soup or medicine recently, if so it would be great to get the dregs of the medicine.¡± Ren Yaoqi ordered Matron Zhou in a low voice. Ren Yaoqi could see Ren Yaoyu¡¯s strange behavior. If Ren Yaoyu is really under some kind of drug like she expected, judging from Ren Yaoyu¡¯s temperament and the properties of the drug, it must have been consumed more than once. Moreover, it had to be taken gradually and orderly so other people won¡¯t notice. Matron Zhou looked surprised, but she immediately complied and went to arrange the staff without any question. It began to rain hard outside as Ren Yaoqi emerged from the main room. There had been no warning of impending rain, but when it rains, it pours. Standing on the steps, Ren Yaoqi felt the bean-like raindrops wet her skirt and embroidered shoes. The good thing is that summer rain comes and goes quickly. It is much more pleasant than the cold and humid winter rain. The servants downstairs were talking that the rain had come just in time today. The blood stains left by Aunt Kang¡¯s miscarriage in the small garden looked spotless after being washed away, saving a lot of effort to clean. Concubine Kang was still lying motionless with her eyes closed on the bed in the Liuli Courtyard, it was unknown whether she was actually sleeping or not. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Because it was a miscarriage, after helping Concubine Kang to stop the bleeding, the doctor¡¯s order was to serve her according to the standard of a woman¡¯s confinement. The windows of the wing room where Concubine Kang lived were all locked. The sound of heavy rain outside and the damp smell outside the window made it even more stifling. Even though Concubine Kang¡¯s forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, she still hasn¡¯t opened her eyes. The whispers of the little maids guarding the door outside trickle in. They talked about the Fifth Master accompanying the Fifth Madam to stay in the main room and never coming out. Fifth Master came to Concubine Kang and checked on her at first, said a few words of relief, and then went to the outer courtyard to look for the Old Master and the Eldest Master. The people in Liuli Courtyard saw that the Fifth Master had not stepped here for a long time and got along very well with Concubine Kang, so they thought that the Fifth Madam, Lin, had fallen out of favor, and Concubine Kang had captured the heart of the Fifth Master. Such a fuss today made people see clearly the true intentions of the Fifth Master. This was Liuli Courtyard, and the maids sent to guard the door were also from Liuli Courtyard. Not only did they not lower their voices when they talk about this news, it seemed as if they wanted the person in the room to hear them. Concubine Kang was sleeping soundly, there was no change in her breathing at all. But the mattress under her was scratched and messed up. This burst of rain really came and went quickly. By the evening it had inexplicably stopped, and the air became much fresher. On the next day, Matron Zhou who was sent to check on Ren Yaoyu¡¯s medication, arrived with news. CH 125 Chapter 125: A Trusted Aide In the afternoon when Ren Yaoqi had just taken a nap, Matron Zhou personally came to the west wing where Ren Yaoqi lived. ¡°The Eighth Miss has indeed been taking medication for some time. The Fifth Madam felt that Eighth Miss is a bit fat, so she had asked her sister-in-law for a prescription for Eighth Miss when she went back to her natal family, and Eighth Miss had been eating it for a while. Because the Eighth Miss is easily embarrassed, she never let any of their servants talk about it.¡± Among the several sisters of the Ren Family, Ren Yaoyu was the most round and shortest. It made the Fifth Madam, who liked to compare herself with others, very dissatisfied. She was afraid that Ren Yaoyu¡¯s appearance wouldn¡¯t change as she grown older. Elders liked to choose a daughter-in-law who looked rich for their children and grandchildren, because it was a sign of women who are good for birthing children. But Fifth Madam Lin scoffed at this standard. She knew that what the elders liked might not be what a husband liked. So even though Ren Yaoyu was still young, she had started to think about Ren Yaoyu¡¯s figure. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) When Ren Yaoqi heard this, she raised her brows. Lin had covertly obtained some prescription for Ren Yaoyu in her previous life, suggesting that taking it would make a lady thinner. Although Ren Yaoyu looked to have shed a lot of weight in the end, Ren Yaoqi was aware that this type of medication was typically cold in nature, and that taking more of it was harmful to women. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t think it was weird that Ren Yaoyu was using medication. The prescription came from the Lin family, and nothing occurred to Ren Yaoyu after that in the previous life, therefore someone must be tampering with it and adding something that shouldn¡¯t be included. ¡°Did you find the dregs of the medicine?¡± Ren Yaoyu asked in contemplation. Matron Zhou shook her head with regret on her face, ¡°Yesterday when Eighth Miss was punished to go to the ancestral hall, she hadn¡¯t consumed any medicine. The dregs of it have already been poured out yesterday and cannot be retrieved.¡± Ren Yaoqi only wanted to verify her theories, so when she heard Matron Zhou say this, although she was a bit regretful that there was no evidence left, she wasn¡¯t too disappointed. Seeing that Matron Zhou seemed to be blaming herself for not completing the task, Ren Yaoqi was about to say a few words to comfort her, when there was a sudden noise outside. ¡°Who is there?¡± Ren Yaoqi frowned. Without saying a word, Matron Zhou quickly stepped forward to pick up the curtain. Ren Yaoqi had just got up from her nap earlier. When she saw Matron Zhou coming, she directly dismissed the people waiting for her and let Matron Zhou in. The two of them were now talking alone in the living room on the right wing. Ren Yaoqi sat on the kang by the window. She lowered her eyes, her thoughts deeply hidden. She didn¡¯t follow Matron Zhou to check who it was. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Matron Zhou¡¯s voice was somewhat surprised and seemed to be relieved, then turned her head to look at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s¡­¡± Without waiting for Matron Zhou to finish her sentence, the person outside had already appeared by the curtain, holding a red lacquered tea tray in her hand. With her head lowered, she stood in an orderly manner, looking very respectful and calm, but the hands on the edge of the tea tray were tense. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Matron Zhou stopped talking the second she came in. Ren Yaoqi was still sitting on the kang, didn¡¯t move, and didn¡¯t speak. Only a pair of crystal clear eyes stared intensely at the person coming. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes were very pretty. If she smiled they would curve into a crescent moon, soft and beautiful. It made people lower their guard. At this moment, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t smile, nor did her expression change. She just looked indifferent, like what in front of her was only a normal scene. The atmosphere in the room instantly choked. ¡°Matron Xu?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly and gently called. Only then did Matron Xu bow her head and step forward. She silently placed the tea tray in her hands onto the table, then knelt in front of Ren Yaoqi, bowing her head, and saying, ¡°This servant deserved to die.¡± ¡°Die?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked at the person who respectfully knelt in front of him. There was a bit of teasing in her smile, ¡°Our Ren Family is not such an unreasonable family, is it? Letting people die casually? Are you trying to scare me, Matron Xu?¡± Matron Xu didn¡¯t expect the always gentle and well-spoken Ren Yaoqi to suddenly grab onto such a common phrase from her, and she couldn¡¯t help being stunned. The phrase ¡®this servant deserves to die¡¯ was what subordinates usually used when they did something wrong and begged for forgiveness from their masters, but no one really wanted to die. Otherwise, one should say, ¡®Master, spare my life.¡¯ Although Matron Xu was a little anxious she quickly calmed down, ¡°This servant is here to bring almond milk, this servant didn¡¯t mean anything more.¡± Ren Yaoqi stared at her. Patiently listening to her explanation, but did not let her get up. Matron Xu seemed to feel that what she said was like an excuse, so she sighed in frustration, and then continued, ¡°This servant made a mistake, this servant is asking for Miss¡¯ punishment.¡± Ren Yaoqi kept her eyes on Matron Xu and didn¡¯t answer immediately, as if she really wanted to punish her. On the contrary, it was Matron Zhou who looked at Ren Yaoqi and then at Matron Xu, and couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth, ¡°Miss, it was this servant who instructed Matron Xu to bring the almond milk that Madam had prepared for you. This also can be seen as this servants¡¯ negligence.¡± These days Matron Zhou was also secretly observing Matron Xu. After all, Matron Xu and Matron Gao were the ones she had chosen to give to the two sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua. If their performance was not good, she could replace them early. However, after observing them over the past few days, Matron Zhou was very satisfied with both Matron Xu and Matron Gao. Matron Gao was warm-hearted and generous, complementing Ren Yaohua¡¯s stern and arrogant nature, and the two were surprisingly harmonious. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s housekeeper, Matron Xu, was calm and rigorous, a steady person suitable for big responsibilities. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Li and Zhou originally wanted to choose an assistant and a helper for the two sisters, but Zhou felt that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s attitude towards Matron Xu was a bit puzzling. Although she had left everything in her room to Matron Xu, and Matron Xu had done a good job, Matron Zhou still felt that she didn¡¯t trust Matron Xu, and even rejected Matron Xu. Matron Zhou had always wanted to ask Ren Yaoqi what was on her mind but had never found the opportunity to do so. In her opinion, Matron Xu was a rare good aide. If Ren Yaoqi could accept Matron Xu, Matron Xu would be very helpful in the future. She felt that Matron Xu could be trusted. Ren Yaoqi had also been paying attention to Matron Xu for a while. It must be said that this Matron Xu was indeed a capable person. If it was not for Ren Yaoqi¡¯s experience in her last life, she would try her best to win over a talent like Matron Xu. Ren Yaoqi had never found anything wrong with Matron Xu. She had secretly asked Yuan Dayong to check on Matron Xu and learned that she really only has an only son and her background is clean. The daughter who appeared out of nowhere in her previous life seemed to have never existed at all. On the contrary, Matron Xu had always been diligent and conscientious in doing things. With the maids in the house, she was strict when she should be strict, and tolerant when she should be tolerant. The last time she reminded Ren Yaoqi that the maid Qingmei sent by Aunt Fang could not stay with her, Ren Yaoqi left her to deal with it. Not long after, she found a good excuse to transfer Qingmei out of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s room, without involving Ren Yaoqi at all. Qingmei even felt that she had a better future after leaving Ziwei Courtyard. When she left, she was very grateful to Matron Xu and even Ren Yaoqi. For the maid named Xueli, because Ren Yaoqi said she could be used, Matron Xu didn¡¯t mention it to Ren Yaoqi anymore and treated Xueli no differently than the rest of the maids. It was no wonder that even Matron Zhou was impressed with Matron Xu, and was thinking of pleading for her at this moment. Ren Yaoqi had a strange feeling, it seemed that this Matron Xu was still fine now. After considering it, Ren Yaoqi slightly bent down and personally helped Matron Xu, her tone was very gentle, ¡°Get up, I was joking before.¡± Matron Xu breathed a sigh of relief and said a thank you before getting up from the ground. Ren Yaoqi did not ask when Matron Xu came and how much she had heard, seemingly forgetting that she had just been discussing some secret matter with Matron Zhou. She just picked up the bowl of slightly cool almond milk and drank it in small sips. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) On the other side, Matron Xu saw that Matron Zhou gave her a wink and signaled her to leave, so she bowed and walked out without saying a word. As soon as Matron Xu left, Matron Zhou said, ¡±Miss, both this servant and Madam think that this Matron Xu is a good person who can be used. You can try her out again, and if you don¡¯t see any problems, you can order her to do anything later on. From the last incident with the maid Qingmei, we can see that she is a tactful person. With her assisting you, it will be a lot easier for you to do things in the future.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that Matron Zhou was genuinely looking out for her, so she didn¡¯t refute her, instead nodded and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just not used to her yet. I will use her after a while, don¡¯t worry about me, Matron.¡± Matron Zhou is now more at ease with Ren Yaoqi than she is with Ren Yaohua. Hearing her agreement, she put the matter aside and never mentioned it again, and then talked to Ren Yaoqi with Ren Yaoyu. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Afterward, from the main room Li sent Xi¡¯er to bring Matron Zhou, then Ren Yaoqi let Matron Zhou go back after exchanging a few more words. Ren Yaoqi had not decided on the matter of Matron Xu. She was going to wait until after she get all the other things out of the way. According to the trajectory of the previous life, even if this Madam Xu has malicious intentions, it would still be in a few years anyway. When she was in the Ren Family, it was impossible to pick up Matron Xu¡¯s faults. Or else with Matron Zhou¡¯s power, it would be impossible for her to follow Ren Yaohua to the Zeng family. But Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t expect that by the time she woke up from a nap on the next day, Matron Xu took the initiative to find her with a bag in her arms. It was half-dried medicinal dregs that were wrapped up in a piece of indigo blue cloth and spread out on the kang table, emitting an unpleasant medicinal odour. After she saw what it was, Ren Yaoqi gently dropped her gaze to conceal the erratic in her eyes. CH 126 Chapter 126: Xian Royal Family Entered the Stage When Li married into the Ren family, there was only Matron Zhou by her side. Although there was no shortage of people around Prince Xian, under the circumstances where soldiers were held at their necks, the only person who was suitable to follow Li to the Ren Family was Matron Zhou who had originally served Princess Consort Xian. Nowadays, the people serving Li¡¯s mother were not their original maidservants. At least that none of the long-time subordinates of the Xian Royal Residence who could follow them to Yanbei were incompetent, and Matron Zhou was considered to be a one-person over ten character. Li didn¡¯t have dowry maids, but look at the maidservants Matron Zhou had trained for Li over the years; she had the ability to build something from nothing. This is also why Li would trust the person chosen by Matron Zhou so much. Even Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t doubt Matron Zhou¡¯s ability to pick people. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The Matron Xu standing in front of Ren Yaoqi with her head bowed and her hands tied, was the person that Matron Zhou held in high esteem. Today, Ren Yaoqi learned more about her methods. Ren Yaoqi slowly stretched out her hand, pulled out a gold lace hairpin in the shape of a ¡®butterfly love flower¡¯ from her bun, and gently fiddled with the medicinal residues on the kang table, until she found the medicinal material she expected, only then her hand stopped. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Ren Yaoqi looked towards Matron Xu and asked with a smile. Matron Xu did not raise her head, ¡°The mansion will arrange for this kind of filth to be cleaned out every day.¡± Ren Yaoqi was stunned, and took another look at Matron Xu, ¡°You retrieved it from the dumping grounds?¡± Matron Xu hurriedly explained, ¡°This servant had already taken a bath and changed her clothes when she came.¡± After thinking about it, she continued, ¡°The filth that goes out from our mansion usually will be set aside, and they will be sorted out one by one before processed.¡± Baihe Town had a special place to deal with this daily trash. The things that were shipped out from the homes of large families like the Ren Family, even if they had been discarded, would be picked through with a focus to see if there was anything that could be exchanged for money. After all, for the poor people, the things that came out of the teeth of the rich were all infinite good things, so many people relied on rummaging through these for a living. She herself had never been to that kind of place. But Ren Yaoqi could imagine how much effort it took Matron Xu to find these dregs of medicine out of so much trash from the Ren Family. Ren Yaoqi looked at Matron Xu, who had already cleaned and tidied herself up, and was speechless for a long time. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Seeing Ren Yaoqi did not say anything, Matron Xu pondered and said cautiously, ¡±Miss, this servant¡­ Actually, this servant had accidentally overheard what you and Matron Zhou talked about yesterday. Although in the end you were generous and did not pursue this servant¡¯s fault, this servant is still anxious.¡± Matron Xu glanced at Ren Yaoqi and saw that Ren Yaoqi just stared at her without speaking. She was even more anxious about this seemingly gentle and good-natured little miss, paused for a moment, and continued, ¡°This servant heard that you wanted to find the dregs of medicine used by the Eighth Miss, so she went to find it on her own. Please don¡¯t blame this servant for making a fuss.¡± When Ren Yaoqi was talking to Matron Zhou yesterday, she wasn¡¯t sure how much Matron Xu had heard. It would be reasonable for Matron Xu to pretend that she was discovered by Matron Zhou as soon as she came in, or else she would be suspected of eavesdropping and displeased her master. So this was a risky move made by Matron Xu. Matron Xu was a little apprehensive right now. She was not stupid, so how could she not know that if she was not careful, she would offend her master? So she was betting. Matron Xu had been in the mansion for a while. She felt that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s temperament was very gentle and was very easy to serve. But it would be a big mistake to think that this little master was foolish. On the contrary, after careful observation, Matron Xu concluded that Ren Yaoqi was a thoughtful person, which can be seen from the obedient attitude of Matron Zhou, the housekeeper in charge of Ziwei Courtyard. However, she also sensed that although Ren Yaoqi¡¯s attitude towards her was very good on the surface, would left all the matters in the house to her, and never commented when she dealt with the maids and the affairs in the house, but she always felt that Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t really trust her. Matron Zhou had tested her several times before she entered the mansion. She knew it well and still cooperated seriously, because she sensed that Matron Zhou and Third Madam were looking for a confidant for the young misses. Although the first half of her life had not been too satisfactory due to various reasons, Matron Xu was a smart and somewhat ambitious person. Being able to enter the Ren Family Mansion to assist Miss and follow her to her husband¡¯s family in the future was a rare opportunity, and Matron Xu wanted to grasp this opportunity which might be the only one in this life. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Matron Xu¡¯s hard work and intellect ultimately distinguished her from the mass of contenders. She was initially in charge of serving the Third Miss, but the Fifth Miss later asked her. To be honest, Matron Xu was initially more enthusiastic about Ren Yaohua than Ren Yaoqi, therefore it would be wrong to state that she was not disappointed when the masters were swapped. However, she swiftly concealed her disappointment. She recognized that there were certain things she couldn¡¯t control, but she could still fight for how she would travel the road in the future. Now that she was faced with the ambiguous attitude of the young miss, Matron Xu felt that it was worthwhile for her to take a risk. She could see that with the current situation of the Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi also needed a capable and trusted matron. She did not choose to play dumb and directly prove her ability to her master. Although Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t say anything, the change in Matron Xu¡¯s expression was caught in her eyes, including the determination to fight hard and the longing for recognition in her eyes. Ren Yaoqi could already tell. The Matron Xu standing in front of her right now was just an ordinary matron with ambition, who only wanted to show herself in front of her master and hoped to be reused. She wasn¡¯t someone sent over by any power, at least not yet. As for whether or not Matron Xu would be bribed in the future, or whether she will defect in battle, it is still hard to say. After all, in many cases, something like ambition will not only become the driving force for people to work hard, but also the fuse that leads people to detours. During this period of brief silence, the minds of both master and servant turned several times. Just as the anxiety in Matron Xu¡¯s heart gradually became greater than her certainty, Ren Yaoqi finally spoke. ¡°For Matron to do this trip, I bother you.¡± Hearing Ren Yaoqi speak for some reason made Matron Xu feel relieved, so she hurriedly said, ¡°Sharing my master¡¯s worries, this is what this servant should do.¡± After glancing at Ren Yaoqi, Matron Xu asked tentatively, ¡°Miss, what is the next step? If there is anything you need this servant for, please just ask.¡± Ren Yaoqi used the golden hairpin in her hand to pick up the corners of the coarse cloth on the kang table. Covering up those medicinal dregs, ¡°There is no need to do anything for the time being, take these things out and dispose them.¡± Matron Xu hastily came forward and put the bag of dregs back. Ren Yaoqi watched Matron Xu¡¯s movements and suddenly spoke out, ¡°Matron Xu, I¡¯ll fine you for three months, do you have any objections?¡± Matron Xu was stunned at first. When she came back to her senses, her face was filled with undisguised joy, ¡°This servant has no opinion, this servant thanks you, Miss.¡± Yesterday, she heard the talk between her master and Matron Zhou. Although she didn¡¯t deliberately eavesdrop, somehow she decided not to leave immediately, and even calmly found the things her master asked for. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) From yesterday until now, Ren Yaoqi hadn¡¯t made any move. Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t get angry at all, but it made her even more uneasy. This shows that Ren Yaoqi did not treat her as one of her people. Such a lighthearted attitude was a kind of defense. Now after she did all of this, Ren Yaoqi not only didn¡¯t reward her but even punished her. This not only didn¡¯t make her feel troubled, but made her feel that the master might value her in the future. Because only disposable people need to be appeased, while usable people need to be knocked down at the right time. So Matron Xu was relieved. When Matron Xu retreated with eased expression, Ren Yaoqi leaned on the kang table with her hands on her chin and thought for a while, and finally smiled. ¡°The Lin Family is here, this time it¡¯s the Old Madam of the Lin family who is personally come over. Old Madam Ren has asked Madam and Misses to go over and meet her.¡± Li sent Xi¡¯er over to tell Ren Yaoqi. The Old Madam of the Lin Family was the Fifth Madam¡¯s mother. The reason she came to the Ren Family this time must be for Ren Yaoyu¡¯s matter. Ren Yaoqi changed into a dress for meeting guests and went to Ronghua Courtyard with Li and Ren Yaohua. This was not the first time that Ren Yaoqi met Eldest Old Madam Lin. The Lin Family and the Ren Family had a close relationship. There were always exchanges during Chinese New Year and festivals, and when there were weddings or funerals in any of the families, they would also go to each other¡¯s homes. Eldest Old Madam Lin and Old Madam Ren were from the same generation. However, Old Madam Lin was much younger than Old Madam Ren. Her appearance was five points similar to Madam Lin¡¯s, except that she was more rounded. Ren Yaoyu looked more like her, so it was no wonder that Old Madam Lin had always loved her granddaughter Ren Yaoyu very much. When Ren Yaoqi arrived, Eldest Madam and Ren Yaoyin were already arrived. Seeing Li bring the two sisters, Old Madam Lin stopped talking and looked at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua and said teasingly, ¡°Oh, the appearance of these two sisters does not change each year. The Third Madam is blessed.¡± Old Madam Lin was now the madam of the Lin Family, but she was more friendly and humble than Old Madam Ren. She always smiled whenever she met someone, and she looked friendly to everyone. She was very popular in the circle of madams in Yunyang City. Li brought Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua up to greet her. Old Madam Lin pulled the two sisters one by one, and when the two sisters got up, she still held their hands and didn¡¯t let go, looking very fond, ¡°I always say that the girls from the Ren Family are such darlings, unlike those monkeys in our Lin Family, naughty children who act like boys.¡± Everyone loves to be complimented. Old Madam Ren¡¯s complexion looked a bit better, and Li said a few words of humility. Old Madam Lin asked the two sisters a lot of things before letting them go and sit down. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Ren Yaoqi listened to Old Madam Lin and Old Madam Ren talked about the family affairs, from the marriage between the Li Family and the Zhang Family to the price of old ginseng from Guandong had increased by twenty percent after the beginning of spring. Her words were witty, her voice was crisp, an ordinary thing from her mouth always came out more interesting, and even Old Madam Ren could not help but listen to it. All in all, Old Madam Lin was a very talkative person. However, her conversations were all about some recent interesting events in Yunyang City, and she did not mention her daughter or granddaughter for a long time. It seemed as if she really came just to visit the Ren Family this time. After three cups of tea, the atmosphere in the house was cordial, and Old Madam Ren was also smiling, only then did Old Madam Lin mention the purpose of today¡¯s visit. ¡°I know my daughter¡¯s temperament, it is lucky for her to marry into the Ren Family. If she married into another family¡­ Ah! Mother-in-law, I¡¯m sorry for you for all these years!¡± The moment she opened her mouth was to admit her own faults. Old Madam Ren softened her tone, and she had to speak for Lin, ¡°I watch Fifth Daughter-in-law grow up, and I treat her like my own daughter. She is just a straightforward person, but I don¡¯t believe that she has bad intentions¡± Mrs. Lin sighed and was grateful when she heard that, ¡°In-law, I¡¯ve made things difficult for you.¡± Old Madam Lin was really a master at regulating the atmosphere of a conversation, and both sides continued to be harmonious. She was able to make Old Madam Ren allow her to see Lin and Ren Yaoyu without having to ask. But Old Madam Lin smiled and said, ¡±Forget about Huijun. It¡¯s better to ignore her so she can learn a lesson, and I think the punishment from her mother-in-law is still light. I¡¯ll take a look at Yu¡¯er, then go back and chat with Old Madam.¡± Old Madam Lin had received the news and rushed over, so she naturally also knew that the Fifth Master was guarding the Fifth Madam¡¯s place. She was a smart person, of course she wouldn¡¯t disturb the reconciliation between the young couple right now. It was her granddaughter that she was really uneasy about. She wanted to visit and ask her questions. Old Madam Ren nodded. She explained to Eldest Madam Ren, ¡°Accompany the in-laws over to take a look at Yu¡¯er.¡± Old Madam Lin hurriedly said, ¡°The Eldest Madam is busy, how can I ask her to accompany me.¡± She looked at the Ren Family¡¯s daughters and said with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you send the girls to go with me? Just by looking at them, I like them. Don¡¯t be reluctant to part with them.¡± Old Madam Ren laughed and glanced at her granddaughters, ¡°Then how about let Hua¡¯er and Qi¡¯er keep you company?¡± Old Madam Lin rejoiced, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± So Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua went out with Old Madam Lin. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Today was another sunny day, the sunlight was perfectly gentle. Ren Yaohua led several people towards the shade. The Ren Family was not as old as the Yun Family or the Qiu Family, its roots were still shallow. So the Ren Family¡¯s large ancestral hall was located in the northwest of the Ren Mansion. Ren Yaoqi was not unfamiliar with this place. After she and Ren Yijun made a big fuss about the ancestral hall in her last life, that scene appeared in her dreams from time to time. Ren Yaoqi thought that it might be because her hatred for the Ren Family was too deep and she had nowhere to vent it out, so the moment she smashed the tablet was the most wanton and happiest time she had been in the Ren family for so many years. Old Madam Lin pulled the two sisters along the way to talk. She acted very kindly, and although she chatted a lot, she could make people unable to hate her. When the two courtyards that sat north to south appeared in everyone¡¯s line of sight, Old Madam Lin suddenly smiled and said, ¡°By the way, you sisters will also go to Yunyang City this year to watch the dragon boats, right?¡± Ren Yaohua nodded, ¡°Hmm. We¡¯ll follow Grandmother.¡± Old Madam Lin, however, smiled and said, ¡°I heard yesterday that your maternal grandfather¡¯s family also received an invitation, directly sent to the Mansion of Imperial Prince Li.¡± Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi were froze. Xian Royal Family was a very special existence in Yanbei. Their status was more honorable than any lineage, but they would always be ignored on various social occasions in Yunyang City. Most of the time, they won¡¯t even be remembered. Prince Xian had been in Yanbei for over ten years, but he had never participated in the dragon boat race in Yunyang City. This year however, the Yanbei Royal Family sent an invitation to him. It was no wonder that the two sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, would start speculating. Old Madam Lin moved to another topic after telling this news. Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth and ask, ¡°How come the Yanbei Royal Family sent invitations to my grandparent¡¯s family? Wasn¡¯t there none every year in the past?¡± Old Madam Lin smiled at her questions. She was not blaming Ren Yaohua for interrupting her, and replied good-naturedly, ¡°I heard that Princess Consort Yanbei happened to meet your grandmother when she was out a few days ago, and the two chatted for a while. At that time, the County Princess was also there, so she casually asked if your grandmother would go to see this year¡¯s dragon boat race. The Yanbei Royal Family then sent the invitation after they both left.¡± Old Madam Lin stared at Ren Yaoqi with a meaningful smile, and continued, ¡°Although the County Princess rarely returns to Yunyang City, she is Princess Consort¡¯s only daughter after all, it¡¯s only natural that she will be spoiled a little.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Every move of the Yanbei Royal Family has always been the focus of the public¡¯s attention, so everyone in Yunyang City knew about the matter of the County Princess had come to Baihe Town to pick up the Fifth Miss of the Ren Family. Old Madam Lin also thought that it was because Ren Yaoqi was close to the County Princess, that the County Princess intentionally asked that when she met Princess Consort Xian. Since the County Princess had already mentioned it, Yanbei Royal Family could only send the invitation over. Ren Yaohua was happy, she felt that it was a good thing for her maternal ancestor¡¯s family to be able to integrate into the circle of families in Yunyang City. Ren Yaoqi, on the other hand, was thinking a little more. She was wondering if the reason for Prince Xian Residence obtaining the invitation to the dragon boat race was just due to a careless statement from the County Princess. The face of someone who always seemed to carry an immortal aura for some reason manifested in front of her. From his appearance to his figure, someone so perfect without any flaws. Mount Tai couldn¡¯t pressure him, the threat of the swords couldn¡¯t change him. Any word in this world that denotes goodness could be used on him. But such a person was always less popular, he was more suitable to be enshrined on the altar. In her heart, Ren Yaoqi was spitting him. This person¡¯s mind was too difficult to guess. Ren Yaoqi wasn¡¯t sure if this matter had anything to do with him, and what his purpose could be. Different from Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoqi did not want to see the Xian Royal Family being pulled out to be implicated by all parties in this kind of situation where the situation was unclear. Compared to integrating into the circle of families in Yanbei, Ren Yaoqi would rather have the Xian Royal Family settled down and be deliberately forgotten by everyone. If the Xian Royal Family jumped up and down in Yanbei and got too close to the aristocratic families, some people in the court would not be able to sleep. The foundation of the Ren Family¡¯s ancestral hall was much higher than other courtyards, and there were more than a dozen long steps to enter the door. The ancestral hall is divided into front and rear courtyards. The front yard is not much different from ordinary yards, and both men and women can enter. The backyard is only open during New Year¡¯s Eve, and only the men of the Ren Family are eligible to enter. The place where Ren Yaoyu locked to contemplate was the west wing of the front yard, where the small Buddha Hall was located. They went up the steps, and the maids stepped forward and gently pushed the closed door open. The vast green stone courtyard appeared in front of everyone. This ancestral hall was not originally present in the old mansion. It was built by the former head of the Ren Family, Baoming, after the Ren Family moved in, and was much newer than the rest of the Ren Family¡¯s buildings. The site selection was also very particular. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The front courtyard faced north with the main building held by five pillars. The hanging-mountain-style roof is closed at this time. The whole courtyard was cold and gentle, and at first glance there was no one in close vicinity. Ren Yaoqi heard a sigh from Old Madam Lin and turned her head to see the slightly red eyes. ¡°Eighth Sister is over here in the west wing, does the Old Madam want us to accompany her in?¡± Ren Yaohua asked as she pointed to the west wing. Old Madam Lin came to look for Ren Yaoyu must have some words to say in private. Ren Yaohua had a good impression of Old Madam Lin, so she sold her a favor and didn¡¯t go along to stir up trouble. Old Madam Lin hastily said, ¡°I should go in by myself. But you sisters¡­¡± Ren Yaohua smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll go sit in the east wing for a while. Call us when you finished, Old Madam.¡± Old Madam Lin thanked the two of them and went to the west wing. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua headed to the east wing. The several servants who served at the ancestral hall greeted them from the corner room on the side of the west wing. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t need them to serve and sent them away, only letting them open the door to the east wing. The front yard of the ancestral hall was rarely visited on weekdays. The east wing was a hall with nothing more than tables and chairs inside. Ren Yaoqi stood at the door and seemed to smell the damp and decaying smell inside, which she didn¡¯t like. ¡°Let¡¯s wait outside.¡± Ren Yaoqi said to Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t care, they could still sit on the porch. So the two of them sat under the veranda and waited for Old Madam Lin to come out. The two sisters had nothing to do and chatted aimlessly. Ren Yaohua asked Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Were you mentioned this year¡¯s dragon boat race to the County Princess?¡± Ren Yaohua asked about the invitation card received by Xian Royal Residence. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but ponder. Ren Yaoqi also had no clue about this matter for the time being, and did not say anything more about it. They could hear Ren Yaoyu¡¯s crying sound from the west wing. There was a large courtyard between the east and west wings, but her sobbing could still be heard clearly, heart-piercing. The two sisters glanced towards the west wing and were speechless. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Old Madam Lin stayed in the west wing for about half an hour before coming out. Ren Yaoqi saw her eyes were redder than when she entered. Her face was calm, but she still couldn¡¯t hide the worry in it. Compared to the grandmother Old Madam Ren, Old Madam Lin¡¯s feelings towards Ren Yaoyu as her granddaughter were a lot deeper. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t ask any more questions, they just led Old Madam Lin out. On the way back, it was obvious that Old Madam Lin was quieter. After returning to Ronghua Courtyard, Old Madam Lin asked Old Madam Ren to go to Liuli Courtyard. However, Old Madam Lin did not go to visit her daughter, Lin, she wanted to see Concubine Kang. Old Madam Ren also agreed, and this time she accompanied Old Madam Lin herself. After all, it was inappropriate for Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua to go to Concubine Kang¡¯s place. CH 127 Chapter 127: Those Who Should Come and Those Who Should Not Have Come Ren Yaoqi sought an opening and called Ren Yaohua aside to whisper, ¡°Send someone to keep an eye on the East Mansion side, and report back immediately if there are any movements in there.¡± Both of them were still in the east living room of the main building of the Ronghua Courtyard. Old Madam Ren was listening to the senior maid Jinlian¡¯s report on the gift list brought by Old Madam Lin today in the parlor next door, and personally explained what to return later. Their voice came through the decorative carved mottled bamboo curtains. Initially, Ren Yaoyin was also there embroidering shoes with a small embroidery basket in the east living room, but she just got up and went to the small pavilion where she lived to get silk threads. Ren Yaoqi¡¯s voice was very small, so close to Ren Yaohua¡¯s ear. When Ren Yaohua heard this, she cautiously glanced towards the mottled bamboo curtain. She was not used to it, but in order to be afraid of people hearing it, she still learnt some of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s style and came close enough to bite Ren Yaoqi¡¯s ear, ¡°What¡¯s going on in the East Mansion? What are they doing to do?¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to speak, the sound of light footsteps came from inside. Ren Yaoyin had come out of the small pavilion, and the two sisters sat down as if nothing had happened. Sure enough, Ren Yaoyin came to the east living room, holding a lock of golden silk thread in her hand. Old Madam Ren told the sisters to stay in the main building while Old Madam Lin have a meal at Ronghua Courtyard at noon, and let the sisters also accompany her. It was not a good time for an explanation. Ren Yaohua lowered her head and thought for a while, put down the teacup in her hand, slowly got up, and instructed her personal maid Wujing, ¡°Let¡¯s go to change clothes.¡± Ren Yaoyin arrived and smiled gently at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, then sat back on the kang to busy herself with her embroidery work, didn¡¯t notice anything strange. Ren Yaohua took the maid out. Ren Yaoqi was still sitting at the same place drinking tea. She sometimes went over to ask Ren Yaoyin about her needlework. Ren Yaoyin answered her patiently one by one, and even stopped to take out the unused scraps from the embroidery basket to show her the complicated stitching. Ren Yaoyin was ready to give the sisters any guidance they needed, whatever it might be. She would always answer you seriously, not perfunctorily, without concealing anything. It was undeniable that among the several sisters of the Ren family, Ren Yaoyin was the one with the best behavior. It wasn¡¯t long before Ren Yaohua came back. Ren Yaoyin shifted her gaze up at her, and Ren Yaohua stealthy nodded. Although she didn¡¯t ask what Ren Yaoqi was going to do, Ren Yaohua still went out and arranged for someone to keep an eye on the East Mansion. When it was almost time for lunch, Old Madam Ren sent someone to the Liuli Courtyard to invite Old Madam Lin over. The Eldest Madam did not come. It was the Eldest Young Madam Zhao who accompanied Old Madam Lin, while the Eldest Madam personally went to keep an eye on the kitchen. The sisters went out of the east living room, and after that, the Eldest Young Madam Zhao called Ren Yaoyin and gave her instructions. It just so happened that Ren Yaohua¡¯s personal maid, Xiangqin, came in at this moment and quietly stood beside her master. Seeing that Old Madam Ren and Old Madam Lin were talking aside and had no time to pay attention to them, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi went back to the east wing. Xiangqin immediately whispered after making sure that there were no more outsiders watching, ¡°Miss, there are a few servants from the East Mansion who came to visit here today, and one has been chatting at the concierge. Other than that, there is no other movement.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The East Mansion and the West House were still one family, and many of the servants on both sides were relatives, so it was normal for having contacts with each other. Although the Old Madam of the East Mansion didn¡¯t like it when people from both sides had to interact, the Second Madam, Su, wasn¡¯t too strict about this. Ren Yaoqi nodded and explained, ¡°It¡¯s enough for those few people to stare from a distance for the time being, and don¡¯t let anyone find out.¡± Ren Yaoqi and Xiangqin both spoke in extremely soft voices, and Ren Yaohua also deliberately lowered her voice and said, ¡°What will the East Mansion do?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, ¡°I hope that she will do something. Otherwise, all my efforts will be wasted.¡± Ren Yaoqi precisely wanted to pull the East Mansion under the water. According to her understanding of Su, Su should be suspicious of Concubine Fang. The last time she used Ren Yaoting to pull the Su family down, Ren Yaoqi deliberately didn¡¯t pick herself too clean. Relying on Su¡¯s shrewdness, she would definitely associate Ren Yaoting¡¯s perversity with the contact between the two of them. Ren Yaoqi was not afraid of Su thinking too much. She was afraid of not wanting to think too much. But she wasn¡¯t sure if Su would want to enter this mess, she wasn¡¯t a prophet after all. ¡°Then what should we do next, Fifth Miss? Should we just keep an eye on it?¡± Xiangqin didn¡¯t really understand. Ren Yaoqi considered for a moment and instructed, ¡°Just observe it first. If the people from the East Mansion have any contact with Old Madam Lin, find a way to get someone to bump into them. It can be anyone, but take off your own people first.¡± Xiangqin nodded her head quickly, ¡°This servant understands, this servant will explain them to those two people.¡± Ren Yaoqi whispered a few more words and sent her down. Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t quite understand this arrangement of Ren Yaoqi¡¯s, but this wasn¡¯t the time to talk, so she didn¡¯t ask any more questions. Afterwards, Eldest Young Madam Zhao brought Ren Yaoyin over to ask Old Madam Ren if it was time to set up the meal, and after receiving Old Madam Ren¡¯s order, Zhao brought Ren Yaoyin to command the maids to set up the table. The reason Zhao called Ren Yaoyin away before presumably was to teach her some housework. Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua were not too different in age, and it was also the time for her to set up marriage. Eldest Madam usually has too many things to take care of, therefore it was Zhao, this sister-in-law who was bound to teach her more. As a result, the relationship between Ren Yaoyin and Zhao was very good. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Zhao and Ren Yaoyin were in the same generation as Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua. Given how busy they were, it wouldn¡¯t be a good look if Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t also go to help, even if there wasn¡¯t much else to do now. Zhao¡¯s nature was simple and honest. There would inevitably be bias toward her sister-in-law, but when she saw Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaohua also coming over, she was also willing to teach them. The Ren Family entertained First Mistress Lin thoroughly, and arranged eight cold dishes, sixteen hot dishes, plus eight porridge, and snacks to be served. Old Madam Lin didn¡¯t show any strange expressions. Although everyone in notable families was strict about not conversing during dining, the host and guests can enjoy themselves after a meal. After finishing the meal, they sat down for a while and drank tea, then Old Madam Lin bid farewell. After coming out of Liuli Courtyard, Old Madam Lin didn¡¯t mention her daughter and granddaughter to Old Madam Ren again, and she seemed to be very relieved to leave everything to Old Madam Ren. Old Madam Ren stayed with Old Madam Lin for a time then getting up to see her out personally, ordered Matron Gui to have the presents prepared by the Ren Family for the Lin Family carried to the Lin Family¡¯s carriage. The two Old Madams walking in the front held hands with each other, and the atmosphere was harmonious and courteous. Old Madam Ren sent Old Madam Lin until the second gate before turning back to Ronghua Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua did not go back with Old Madam Ren, who had the habit of taking a nap. The two sisters went straight back to Ziwei Courtyard. The Third Madam, Li, had met then sent back by Old Madam Ren, who refused to allow her to attend the guest. Li had long accustomed to it. Seeing the two sisters come back, she asked them if they were full. Although there were a lot of dishes at the banquet, it was common to not eat enough. Ren Yaoqi was not hungry, she ate when she should eat, drank when she should drink. She casually instructed her maid to bring a lot of dishes, and her amount of eating was the same as usual. She ate a lot, but her etiquette was still pristine, so no one said anything to her. Xiangqin also came back soon after that. Ren Yaohua made some excuses, and the two of them took the maid to the east living room where they usually talked and drank tea together. Xiangqin was also prudent. She immediately reported, ¡°When the Old Madam Lin was still in the mansion, the people from the East Mansion did not come up. However, when the Lin Family¡¯s carriage drove out, the East Mansion¡¯s servant who was chattering in the concierge also took the opportunity to leave the mansion. The servant we sent to observe was also clever, and immediately managed to instruct the two gatekeepers to run errands, while others quietly went out from the side door to take a look. They happened to see that servant was allowed to get into Old Madam Lin¡¯s carriage at the entrance of the alley.¡± Ren Yaoqi felt relieved after hearing this and said to Xiangqin, ¡°Very well, each person will be rewarded one tael of silver.¡± Xiangqin¡¯s eyes twinkled as she joked, ¡°That¡¯s several taels of silver! Is it from the Fifth Miss¡¯s account, or from our Third Miss¡¯s account?¡± Ren Yaoqi glanced at Ren Yaohua, and said magnanimously, ¡°Of course it was the responsibility of whoever sent the person.¡± Xiang Qin choked. Ren Yaohua sent the stink-eye to Ren Yaoqi. She softly snorted, but didn¡¯t argue. Xiangqin stuck out her tongue and went down. ¡°What is your idea?¡± Ren Yaohua finally got the chance to ask. Ren Yaoqi stopped joking, and whispered a few words to Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly when she heard it, ¡°Can Second Aunt find a way to bring down Concubine Kang?¡± Ren Yaoqi stretched out a finger and shook it, ¡°Second Aunt is not trying to bring down Concubine Kang. She just wants to give Concubine Fang a warning. Who wins or loses between Concubine Kang and Fifth Aunt has nothing to do with her. You see that this Concubine Kang is a tricky and calculating woman, right? But no one in the Ren Family has taken her to heart.¡± Ren Yaohua thought for a moment, ¡°Is it because of the way Fifth Uncle treated her?¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but smile at her words, ¡°Then what do you think of father¡¯s attitude towards Concubine Fang?¡± Ren Yaohua was stunned. Their father, Third Master Ren, didn¡¯t care much about Concubine Fang, and he didn¡¯t spend a lot of night in Concubine Fang¡¯s courtyard. But everyone in the Ren Family knew that Concubine Fang was not a simple character, and no one dared to underestimate her. ¡°This is the Ren Family. How your position in the Ren Family depends on the family behind you.¡± Ren Yaoqi¡¯s voice was extremely light, ¡°Concubine Kang¡¯s background doomed her to be no more than a pawn that can be discarded at any time, no matter how deep-minded and intelligent she is.¡± ¡°No wonder Old Madam Lin felt a lot more relieved after meeting Concubine Kang.¡± Ren Yaohua seemed to realize something. ¡°Old Madam Lin is a smart person, so she didn¡¯t take Kang¡¯s matter to heart. Instead she was more worried about whether her own daughter and granddaughter had suffered. The only effect of Kang¡¯s appearance is just to strike a blow at the Fifth Madam.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The authorities were confused, the onlookers were clear. Only the Fifth Madam would be messed up by someone like Concubine Kang. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been keeping me from meddling in the affairs of the Fifth Branch in the beginning,¡± Ren Yaohua cited one example and murmured, ¡°Because you know that Concubine Kang can¡¯t set off too much of a storm, and that even if the Fifth Madam and Ren Yaoyu fall out of favor, the real reason can¡¯t be Concubine Kang?¡± Ren Yaoqi did not deny her words. ¡°Second Aunt also knows this, so her meddling is just a painless warning to Concubine Fang without any real intention to make an enemy of Concubine Fang, is it right?¡± Although Ren Yaohua¡¯s nature was impulsive, she was a smart person, so she gradually thought far ahead. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then Second Aunt¡¯s meddling won¡¯t be of much help to us. It¡¯s even very possible that Concubine Fang showed favor to her because she was concerned about the Second Aunt, and the two worked together.¡± Concubine Fang had always been a smart person, she wouldn¡¯t meet force by force, and she didn¡¯t mind lowering her stature for things that were beneficial to herself. Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua with an appreciative smile. ¡°That¡¯s true at first,¡± She didn¡¯t expect Ren Yaohua to improve so fast. Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t help frowning, showing a little puzzled look, ¡°At first?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°So what we have to do is let Second Aunt get involved deeper.¡± Ren Yaohua froze, ¡°Second Aunt would?¡± Su was a shrewd person, naturally she wouldn¡¯t deliberately feud with the Fang Family, but¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t there still Old Madam Lin?¡± Ren Yaoqi winked at Ren Yaohua, showing a bit of mischief. ¡°Is it that easy for Second Aunt to pull out in time? Since she has intervened, then don¡¯t think about being clean alone.¡± This was Ren Yaoqi¡¯s calculation. The strife between Concubine Kang and the Fifth Madam was just a family matter of the Fifth Branch, it had nothing to do with her, she didn¡¯t care at all who took the limelight and who suffered. She had only been waiting for another opportunity, an opportunity to pull Su down. The Lin Family and the Ren Family were due to the relationship because of Ren Shijia¡¯s marriage. It was hard to say how the future would be, so the Fifth Madam, Lin, could only take a passive role and was beaten by Concubine Fang. That is why Concubine Fang¡¯s life was too idle. She needed a real opponent. ¡°But you also said that Old Madam Lin is a smart person, would she dips her toe into this muddy water?¡± asked Ren Yaohua, uneasy. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Ren Yaoqi smiled, ¡±Old Madam Lin is indeed intelligent, but she is also a mother. Concubine Kang is not considered a problem to her, but she knows what Concubine Kang¡¯s existence means to her daughter. If there is a chance, Old Madam Lin wouldn¡¯t mind helping her daughter to remove this eyesore.¡± Ren Yaohua was speechless. After a long time, she unconsciously let out a sigh, then stared at Ren Yaoqi with a complicated expression, ¡°Your calculations are really precise, and you have even taken people¡¯s hearts into account.¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s tone was filled with rare admiration, but Ren Yaoqi did not feel joyful or complacent after hearing it. In her heart, she understood that the reason why she was able to calculate everything so clearly was because she didn¡¯t treat these people as her family. Because of the experience in her last life, it was hard for Ren Yaoqi to feel good about the Ren Family. From the moment she and Ren Yaohua were pushed out by them to be sacrificed, she had seen and understood many things. And after the Ren Family¡¯s downfall, the Lin Family, The Qiu Family, the Fang Family, and other in-laws¡¯ families who usually had close contact with the Ren Family also hid as far away as possible. Not to mention helping, it was not uncommon for them to take advantage of the fire and embezzle the partnership business. After a few more days, Concubine Kang seemed to be a lot better. She offered to go back to her small courtyard, and Old Madam Ren let her move back and assigned a few more maids to take care of her. The Fifth Master Ren Shimao seemed to have really contemplated things behind closed doors with the Fifth Madam. Since entering the room, he hadn¡¯t shown his face again. He ate, drank, and discharged in the room. He just sent people to visit his daughter every day, or called his son in to test his homework. Old Madam Ren was a little dissatisfied with this, and sent people to call Ren Shimao several times. However, Ren Shimao seemed determined and refused to come out. He did not act coquettishly and went to Old Madam Ren to intercede for his wife and daughter. On the contrary, he was very satisfied with the current situation. Old Madam Ren tried to control him a few times, but in the end, she had no choice but to let him go. On this morning, Ren Yaoqi was with Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin in Ronghua Courtyard learning needlework from one of the senior matrons of Old Madame Ren. A gatekeeper servant entered to report that someone from outside was looking for Concubine Kang, and the person who came was her sister-in-law. Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t care, thinking that it was Concubine Kang¡¯s family who came to visit after they learnt of her miscarriage. Since Concubine Kang¡¯s miscarriage, Old Madam Ren had arranged for someone to take care of her. But since the Fifth Master Ren didn¡¯t pay any attention to her, she also couldn¡¯t pay too much attention to a concubine, lest people think that she was intentionally stirring up the relationship between her son and her daughter-in-law. So when someone came to look for Concubine Kang, Old Madam Ren only ordered a lower servant to entertain them. Concubine Kang was only a concubine after all, her natal family was not considered a serious relative, this ancestor was already given her a lot of face to regard her this much. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were sitting opposite each other under the south window, and Ren Yaoyin was asking the senior matron how to do needlework in a low voice. After hearing the report from the visitor, Ren Yaohua¡¯s eyelids twitched subconsciously, and she looked up at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi was raising her small embroidery hoop against the south window to take closer look, her slightly furrowed brows seemed to be agonizing over what colors to fill in the small lotus pod next to the water duck above, and did not pay attention to Ren Yaohua¡¯s gaze. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Ren Yaohua also just glanced at her, and continued with her work as if nothing had happened. Not long after, someone came in again to report. This time, the person who came was not the gatekeeper, but the servant from the Ronghua Courtyard that the Old Madam had sent out earlier. Old Madame Ren saw her hurriedly running back. Knowing that things might not be simple, she frowned and asked, ¡±Why did you come back? Didn¡¯t I ask you to lead the guest to see Concubine Kang?¡± That servant hurriedly said, ¡°This servant originally wanted to lead people to see Concubine Kang, but this servant didn¡¯t expect Concubine Kang¡¯s sister in law to say¡­ that she wanted to see you¡± Old Madam Ren sniffed with some displeasure: ¡°No need, I don¡¯t want to see a guest right now.¡± Old Madam Ren did not intend to see a concubine¡¯s relatives, it is a loss of status. The servant looked anxious, looked up at Old Madam Ren then hesitantly said, ¡°Concubine Kang¡¯s sister-in-law didn¡¯t come alone, she¡­. brought a family surnamed Liu, said she had something to tell you.¡± Only soon after, another gatekeeper entered the courtyard outside, seen by Ren Yaoqi who was sitting under the south window. She heard the visitor say, ¡°Quickly help me go in to report, there¡¯s a commotion outside.¡± Old Madam Ren¡¯s ears were sharp and she heard the conversation outside. She shouted, ¡°Who is outside? Come in and report!¡± The visitor was the servant who guarded the second gate, and after hearing Old Madam Ren¡¯s order, she hurriedly came in. ¡°What¡¯s going on, why is it so noisy outside, don¡¯t you know the rules?¡± The Old Madam sat at the top, not angry, but authoritative. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) The gatekeeper wiped a handful of cold sweat on her forehead, ¡°Forgive me, Old Madam. Those people outside insisted on coming to see you. Without your order this servant didn¡¯t dare to bring people here, but they didn¡¯t listen to persuasion and intended to break in, and we couldn¡¯t stop them.¡± ¡°What?¡± Old Madam Ren stunned. On the contrary, the servant who came in earlier also looked surprised, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the situation fine before? Why did they suddenly make trouble?¡± It turned out that the few people brought in by Mrs. Kang didn¡¯t say a word when they were outside the mansion, it was not that they didn¡¯t speak. After entering the mansion, the servant just said that she would take them to Concubine Kang¡¯s place, but Mrs. Kang said that she wanted to come to see the Old Madam. The servant saw something was wrong, frantically ran to report to the Ronghua Courtyard. She didn¡¯t want to leave them too long outside for fear they would make a scene. Old Madam Ren said coldly, ¡°How many people?¡± The gatekeeper replied, ¡°Together with Mrs. Kang, there are three women and four men. Those men can¡¯t enter the inner courtyard and have arranged to be served tea in the outer courtyard, and only three women have entered the second gate. The Eldest Madam has already rushed over after hearing about it.¡± When she heard Eldest Madam had already gone over to take care of it, Old Madam Ren¡¯s face looked a little better. ¡°Why is that Mrs. Kang came with the Liu Family?¡± Old Madam Ren was no slouch and quickly discovered that something was amiss. The servant she sent out to receive them said, ¡°Mrs. Kang only said that she was a relative from Concubine Kang¡¯s natal family.¡± Old Madam Ren thought for a moment. She ordered, ¡°Go and invite that Mrs. Kang over to talk, and the rest of what¡¯s-her-name Liu Family will go to the outer courtyard for tea.¡± The servant obliged. Before she went out, she was called by the Old Madam again, ¡°Find a small garden in the outer courtyard that is more remote, and get someone outside to keep an eye on them, don¡¯t let them wander.¡± The servants all retired. Old Madam Ren lowered her eyes and pondered for a while, turning her gaze to see Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, these three sisters are still sitting on the side. Old Madam Ren hesitated for a while but still said to them, ¡°Grandmother wants to see the guests, you guys go to the inner room for now, and the rest of you will retreat first.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t let her granddaughters go out, instead she dismissed all servants, leaving only Matron Gui and a few personal maids. Ren Yaoqi followed her two sisters and retreated to the inner room. During this period of time, Old Madam Ren¡¯s education for her granddaughters was obviously different from the past. When the granddaughters came to say hello in the morning, she would give them a meal, and then let them stay in the Ronghua Courtyard in the morning. Usually she would find a matron with excellent embroidery skills to teach them dressmaking and embroidery. On normal days, when she discussed things with the Eldest Madam and dealt with household chores, she would also let them stay next to her and listen, for the most part didn¡¯t avoid them. Sometimes she would also ask for their opinions. Although it wouldn¡¯t necessarily be used, it was also considered a participation from them. It was obvious that there was something strange coming from the Kang Family today, but Old Madam Ren only let the three sisters into the inner room, and did not send them away. Not long after Ren Yaoqi and the others sat down in the east inner room, they heard someone outside reporting that Mrs. Kang had come. After a burst of small and broken voices, a young woman¡¯s voice rang out from the next door, ¡°This common woman, Kang, greets the Old Madam. Wish the Old Madam is safe and healthy.¡± CH 128 Chapter 128: There was no such thing as too melodramatic, only very melodramatic The young woman¡¯s voice was not as soft as Concubine Kang¡¯s, instead she had the kind of street women¡¯s sharpness and shrewdness. Old Madam Ren did not reply immediately. The outer room was quiet for a while, only after a while did she hear Old Madam Ren faintly say, ¡°I can¡¯t afford it.¡± Mrs. Kang immediately laughed, ¡°Of course Old Madam can afford it, Old Madam is an ancestor, there is nothing that you didn¡¯t deserve.¡± This Mrs. Kang should have strong temper, but she was still a little cautious in front of Old Madam Ren. Old Madam Ren was deliberately face her with indifferent expression, and it made her anxious whenever she spoke. This was the effect that Old Madam Ren wanted. She immediately interrupted Mrs. Kang in a low voice and said, ¡°I still have guests coming here later, if you have nothing to say, you can leave first. Matron Gui, tell the kitchen to prepare a table of noodles later, and let the people from Kang Family eat before leaving.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Old Madam Ren was sending off her guests. It was hard for Mrs. Kang to be able to come in, how could she be willing to leave? So she immediately smiled and said, ¡°Old Ancestor, this little woman has something to report to you.¡± ¡°What matters do you have?¡± ¡°This¡­ Can you let the people around you retire first?¡± Mrs. Kang looked hesitant. Old Madam Ren paused, ¡°There¡¯s no need, go ahead.¡± The maidservants who stayed with Old Madam Ren were all her confidants. When Mrs. Kang heard that Old Madam Ren said this, she no longer forced herself, and immediately asked, ¡°Is my sister-in-law okay?¡± Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t say anything, and Matron Gui, who was waiting on the side, said, ¡°Our Old Madam is treating Concubine Kang well, so if you¡¯re worried, just go over and take a look.¡± Mrs. Kang hurriedly said, ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not anxious. I know what kind of family is the Ren Family, how could they treat my sister-in-law harshly.¡± ¡°In that case, why did you come, Mrs. Kang?¡± It was still Matron Gui who asked instead of Old Madam Ren. Mrs. Kang laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve come to fetch my sister-in-law back to her mother¡¯s home.¡± The moment these words came out, the outer room was silent. Even the hands of Ren Yaoqi and the others as they threaded the needles in the inner room paused slightly. ¡°Concubine Kang¡¯s body is still weak. It¡¯s not convenient for her to go back to visit her family at this moment. And she is still a concubine of our Ren Family. If she wants to go back, she should get permission from our Old Madam and the main wife, the Fifth Madam, otherwise wouldn¡¯t she be messing up the rules?¡± Matron Gui explained. Matron Gui thought that the Kang Family thought that their own daughter had been wronged by the Ren Family, so they came up with such an act in order to stand up for their own daughter. But Kang was only a concubine. Even if she had a miscarriage, it had nothing to do with the Kang Family. Matron Gui was reminding Mrs. Kang to recognize Concubine Kang¡¯s identity. Old Madam Ren also thought the same thing. Unexpectedly, Mrs. Kang said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, what I mean is¡­ Since my sister-in-law has no children, it is shameful for her to stay at Ren Family. I¡¯m here to pick her up.¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Old Madam Ren lost her temper and chided, ¡°What kind of family do you think our Ren Family is? An opera garden? Come whenever you want, leave whenever you want?¡± Matron Gui hurriedly came forward to calm Old Madam Ren, serving tea and water. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) Mrs. Kang was just an ordinary woman from the marketplace, seeing that Old Madam Ren was angry, she was still a bit scared, smiled forcibly, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Old Madam. I¡¯m actually doing this for the good of your Ren Family.¡± Old Madam Ren let out a cold snort. Mrs. Kang stammered, ¡±Originally, it was a blessing that our little sister was able to enter Ren Family, and our whole family was happy for her. But¡­ But people from my mother-in-law¡¯s family suddenly came here yesterday. My mother-in-law is no longer here. Her maiden name was Liu, and she was also from Jizhou, the next county over. Because it is not too far away, we communicate frequently with her family. But when they told us their intentions yesterday, we were shocked.¡± When Mrs. Kang reached this point, someone from outside hurriedly came and interrupted her. Old Madam Ren had listened to Mrs. Kang¡¯s nonsense talk for a long time and already felt impatient. When she heard the people outside come running again, she asked coldly, ¡°What is it!¡± This time the one who came in was still a servant. ¡°Old Madam. Those Liu Family people outside are making trouble again, saying that if we, the Ren Family and the Kang Family, don¡¯t give them an explanation. They.. are going to report to the authorities!¡± As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the room was shocked. Old Madam Ren laughed back in anger, ¡°An explanation? What explanation does our Ren Family owe them? We don¡¯t have any connection to them, and yet they dare to turn up their noses in front of our faces! Go, kick them all out!¡± The servant was about to oblige the order, but Mrs. Kang hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Old Ancestor, please calm down, you can¡¯t drive them out! If they really go to the authorities, this¡­ your Ren Family will have no face.¡± Although Old Madam Ren was still angry, she was not an impulsive person. She felt that there might be something fishy about the matter after hearing Mrs. Kang say this. In the end, she endured her anger and drove that servant out first. ¡°Speak up, what¡¯s actually going on!¡± Old Madam Ren managed to calm down after chiding her. Mrs. Kang replied, ¡°I just wanted to tell you that the Liu Family came yesterday to ask for someone from us.¡± ¡°Who do you mean?¡± Old Madam Ren asked with a low voice. ¡°It is¡­ they came to ask for my sister-in-law and¡­ and the child in her belly,¡± Mrs. Kang stuttered. No matter how shrewd Old Madam Ren is, she still couldn¡¯t help but be stunned speechless. Ren Yaoqi was sitting in the middle and saw Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua beside her frowning in unison. She felt faint and dumbfounded, lowered her head and fidgeted with her embroidery basket, didn¡¯t know how to react. Outside, Mrs. Kang¡¯s words came in disjointed through the mottled bamboo curtain. ¡°The Liu family is our family¡¯s natal family, and they are considered a wealthy family in Jizhou. When my mother-in-law was still alive, she once arranged a baby marriage for my sister-in-law, with the only son of the maternal uncle from the Liu Family. After the death of my mother-in-law and Old Madam Liu, the maternal uncle¡¯s wife disliked that my sister-in-law did not have any dowry, so she had someone come to our house and steal the token of betrothal. The betrothal was made without any paperwork, just a verbal agreement, plus a pair of betrothal jade pendants. Because the jade pendant was lost, the Liu Family backtracked and refused to recognize the marriage, so the marriage could not be concluded.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) This kind of dislike of the poor, love of the rich, and withdrawal from marriage was considered normal, and there was nothing surprising about it. However, the Ren Family had not found out that Concubine Kang had been betrothed when they checked on her before. Seemingly aware of Old Madam Ren¡¯s suspicions, Mrs. Kang explained, ¡°This matter has already happened two or three years ago, and because we were afraid that my sister-in-law¡¯s reputation would be tarnished if people knew about it, my father-in-law strictly forbade us to publicize this matter. So apart from a few in-law families, outsiders don¡¯t know that my sister-in-law was once betrothed to the son of the Liu Family.¡± ¡°Since it was a falling out, how come your two families still communicate with each other?¡± Matron Gui asked out loud. ¡°My father-in-law has a soft and gentle nature, plus the maternal uncle from Liu Family said that his wife hid that matter from him, so he personally came to our door several times afterward to make amends, and my father-in-law put up with it for the sake of my late mother-in-law.¡± Mrs. Kang said it nicely, but everyone here understands that this kind of thing can¡¯t be tolerated. It must be that the uncle of the Liu Family gave a lot of compensation when he came to make amends, so the Kang Family was willing to let go without making a scene on their door. ¡°This marriage had been retracted, our sister-in-law and the Young Master of the Liu Family will have their own marriage, and won¡¯t have any connection with each other anymore. Or so that we thought. Unexpectedly the Young Master of the Liu Family was out riding a horse with his friends a while ago, and accidentally fell off the horse. This fall broke his pair of legs, and he became a fool.¡± Mrs. Kang paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°The head of our family went to visit once after hearing about it, and when he came back, he said¡­ that Young Master Liu not only broke his leg, but he might not be able to have a baby in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Uncle Liu gave birth to three daughters, and there is only one son, Young Master Liu, so he always treated dearly as the apple in his eyes. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happened.¡± Mrs. Kang sighed heavily, ¡°Although we feel pity, this is also fate, isn¡¯t it? So we didn¡¯t think much about it. Until yesterday, the Liu Family came to our house and said that they wanted to take my sister-in-law in.¡± There was another silence in the room, and the three girls in the inner room unconsciously hold their breath, looking at each other in embarrassment. ¡°The Liu family said that when the Young Master Liu came to our house to celebrate my father-in-law¡¯s birthday, he and my sister-in-law¡­uh¡­ got very close, and then¡­¡± Mrs. Kang throw caution to the wind and blurted out, ¡°They said that the baby in my sister-in-law¡¯s womb is the seed of the Liu Family.¡± As soon as her words fell, the sound of porcelain being thrown to the ground resounded next door, and Mrs. Kang shrieked in horror. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Old Madam Ren gasped. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link) After hearing this, Old Madam Ren felt embarrassed. She was the one who decided to bring Concubine Kang in. If what Mrs. Kang said is true, she would not have any face to speak of. Old Madam Ren had presided over the Ren Family for many years and had an imposing aura, it made Mrs. Kang feel intimidated. However, she still summoned up the courage to continue, ¡°I also think this matter is a bit ridiculous, but the Liu Family has insisted that the child is their young master¡¯s. They even found Young Master Liu¡¯s personal servant to testify that my sister-in-law and Young Master Liu had met in private a few times. I was afraid that the Liu Family would make a scene, so I told the Liu Family that my sister-in-law had a miscarriage and the baby was not saved. However, the Liu Family did not listen, and even took out the betrothal token that they had stolen, saying that if we did not hand over the person, they would have to go to the authorities. My father-in-law was already in poor health, and now fallen unconscious, so I had no choice but to bring people here. Old Ancestor, what do you think should be done about this?¡± Mrs. Kang was actually kicking the ball to the Ren Family. Old Madam Ren was really angry and sneered, ¡°You¡¯re asking me what to do? I would rather ask you! At first, it was Kang herself who came to the door, saying that she was pregnant with our Ren Family¡¯s seed, and now an inexplicable Liu Family has appeared. Why weren¡¯t you this lenient when you received that compensation? Don¡¯t you want to go to the officials and sue? Go ahead! I¡¯d like to see whose family is at fault in the end!¡± CH 129 Chapter 129: The Provocateur Old Madam Ren¡¯s words was meant to threatened. In any case, this matter was not the fault of the Ren Family. If it went to the yamen, the one who will suffer would be Concubine Kang and the Kang Family. She didn¡¯t expect that Mrs. Kang would give an embarrassed smile and reply with direct words, despite her tone still being courteous and modest, ¡°Old Ancestor is right. My sister-in-law was spoiled by my mother-in-law since childhood. She can get food and drink without doing any work. I have no respect for elders in my natal family, and I, a sister-in-law, don¡¯t want to argue with her. But I still didn¡¯t expect her to do such a shameless thing, and humiliate the whole Kang Family! She is my sister-in-law, but I don¡¯t have any face to protect her. When this matter is over, even if you are generous enough not to pursue her fault, our Kang Family will take her back to clean up the house and give you an explanation. ¡° She paused for a while, then continued, ¡°As for reporting to the authorities¡­ according to this common woman¡¯s opinion, let¡¯s forget it. It is not that we are afraid to report to the authorities. Our Kang family has no intention of letting that little bitch go anyway, after she dies every problem will be solved. In our small family, although the story of climbing the wall and stealing men is disgusting, it¡¯s nothing more than being poked in the back and scolded for a while. It¡¯s just a piece of flesh after all, and how she lives is up to what she deserves. On the contrary, you big families¡­ can¡¯t just ignore this scandal, am I right? Mrs. Kang¡¯s eloquence stunned everyone in the room. Old Madam Ren narrowed her eyes slightly at Mrs. Kang and said in a low voice, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Mrs. Kang smiled at her, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be angry, Old Ancestor. I was born into a small family in the streets, I can¡¯t read many words, let alone the rules of your big family. So this little woman has always been straightforward, which may not be very pleasant. Please forgive me.¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link thank you) As she said this, Mrs. Kang raised her head and glanced at Old Madam Ren, whose face was as heavy as water, stern and majestic. Then she shifted her gaze toward the remaining teacup lid left at the Old Madam Ren¡¯s hand, ¡°I really don¡¯t have any other meaning, I simply thought your Ren Family would not want to make a big deal out of this incident. So when I was on the way, I attempted to persuade the members of the Liu family to return. I was concerned about everyone¡¯s reputation. However you want this matter to be handled, our Kang Family will oblige you.¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but smirk when she heard them from the inner room. This Mrs. Kang really could talk. If not because of the status gap between both sides, Mrs. Kang wouldn¡¯t be so afraid of Old Madam Ren and acted more carelessly. ¡°What kind of people have come from the Liu family? Who is in charge?¡± Old Madam Ren lifted her eyes. After all, she had been in charge of the family for many years, Old Madam Ren wouldn¡¯t be pinned down by a few words from Mrs. Kang. Despite her anger, she remained composed. ¡°The ones coming with me today are the Liu Family¡¯s high-ranked steward and the matron of Young Master Liu. There are also a few errand boys with them,¡± Mrs. Kang replied. Old Madam Ren laughed coldly, ¡°Are you treating our Ren family like a vegetable market? What kind of cats and dogs dare to come here and make trouble?¡± People who came from Liu Family were all subordinates, none of them were the masters who could take charge. Mrs. Kang hurriedly explained with a smile, ¡°Initially, Madam Liu sent her brother over, a young man in his twenties. I was afraid that he would be young and impulsive. So I persuaded him to stay in a restaurant in the town for the time being. If the old ancestor wants to see him, I will send someone to find him.¡± Old Madam Ren couldn¡¯t help but glance at Mrs. Kang, then pointed to the guest seat on the side and said in a faint voice, ¡°Sit down.¡± Mrs. Kang joyfully sat down. ¡°As you said, the child is gone, what else does this Liu Family want?¡± Mrs. Kang said that the son of the Young Master of the Liu Family was the only seed of the Liu Family, but previously she didn¡¯t think much of Concubine Kang¡¯s pregnancy. That is why she refused to allow Concubine Kang to marry. She was in a rush right now to demand Concubine Kang¡¯s return since the Liu Family¡¯s only son was unable to produce children, and she remembered Concubine Kang¡¯s bastard child. Although Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t believe all of Mrs. Kang¡¯s words, she naturally would doubt the origin of the child in Concubine Kang¡¯s womb. In the beginning, Concubine Kang was allowed to enter the mansion not only because she was pregnant, but also because Old Madam Ren wanted to find someone to disgust Fifth Madam. This Concubine Kang came just in time. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to enter their Ren Family so easily. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Mrs. Kang said with heartfelt, ¡°The Liu Family heard that the child was gone. At first, they thought our family deceived them. Later, after believing it, they said they wanted to seek justice from the Ren Family. The uncle from the Liu Family said that the child in the sister-in-law¡¯s belly was probably the only incense bearer of their Liu Family, but what can we do if he was already gone.¡± Mrs. Kang glanced at Old Madam Ren, ¡°This common woman saw that they are unwilling and wanted to come to avenge. So I tried to persuade the uncle of the Liu Family to stop.¡± Old Madam Ren sneered. She presumed that the Liu Family might be taking this opportunity to blackmail. The name of the Liu Family is unknown. Although Mrs. Kang said that they were a wealthy family in Jizhou, Old Madam Ren was very clear about what kind of big families there are in Yanbei. In her eyes, the Liu family was just a shabby household. But Mrs. Kang had a point. They couldn¡¯t make a big deal out of this or otherwise Ren Family¡¯s reputation would be lost. Her son, Fifth Master Ren Shimao, would not have the face to go out and meet people in the future. Old Madam Ren was secretly thinking about the countermeasures, but there was a commotion outside. ¡°Old Madam, Concubine Kang is asking for an audience,¡± Through the curtain, the maid guarding the door of the room reported. (please read this on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Mrs. Kang stared at the floor tile, subconsciously the corner of her mouth twitched slightly with some disdain. Old Madam Ren was really tired of hearing Concubine Kang¡¯s name nowadays. But after considering it, she still ordered to let her in. Concubine Kang was escorted in, a white linen belt over her forehead, her petite face was white and bloodless, evoking sympathy. She came from a small family and her appearance was not very beautiful, but in all fairness, she was still quite attractive. As soon as Concubine Kang came in, her eyes first swept over Mrs. Kang, with the hatred in her eyes that quickly flickered away. Then she broke away from her maid¡¯s support and staggered over to kneel in front of Old Madam Ren, directly close to the tea bowl that Old Madam Ren had dropped before, not caring whether there were any shattered bits of porcelain beneath her knees. Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t even look at Concubine Kang. Concubine Kang bit her lip and kowtowed to the Old Madam. Mrs. Kang watched coldly from the side, and now she showed a mocking smile, ¡°You still dare to come. If I were you, I would have torn my trouser belt and used it to hang on the beam by now. You have lost all face of the Kang Family.¡± Concubine Kang finished her salute and stared at Mrs. Kang with fear and hatred, ¡°Sister-in-law, why are you still unwilling to let me go? When I was at home you were always thinking of selling me for favors. Now that I have left the Kang family, why are you still targeting me at every turn?¡± Mrs. Kang couldn¡¯t help but ¡°bah¡± when she heard her, pointed at Concubine Kang angrily, and scolded, ¡°You little whore with a mouth full of lies and nonsense, you were a troublemaker when you were at home. Am I targeting you? I don¡¯t have that kind of time! You¡¯ve been misbehaving yourself. First, you seduced the Young Master of the Liu Family in an attempt to climb the ladder, and then when you saw that he had fallen and turned fool, you turned around and set your sights on the Fifth Master of the Ren Family. Now that the Liu Family has come to the door, do you still want to argue?¡± (please read this on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Concubine Kang¡¯s face went even whiter, looking like a transparent crystal person now. Tears filled her eyelashes as she turned her head to look at Old Madam Ren, ¡°Old Madam, don¡¯t believe her. She slandered me, I didn¡¯t do that.¡± Aunt Kang said scornfully, ¡°I slandered you? Was I the one who sought the Liu Family? Was I the one who paid the servant of Young Master Liu? Are you and Young Master Liu really innocent? Do you dare to swear on the Kang Family¡¯s ancestral tomb?¡± Aunt Kang looked light-headed, her knees were shaking, but she looked at Old Madam Ren: ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I¡­¡± Old Madam Ren observed the concubine and her sister-in-law with cold eyes, didn¡¯t move a muscle. Concubine Kang closed her eyes and shifted her gaze at Mrs. Kang with tears streaming down her face, ¡°Where is my father? I want to see Father, he will believe me and give me justice. Where is my elder brother? Why didn¡¯t my brother come?¡± Mrs. Kang sneered, ¡°Father has already been angered to the point where he only has half of his life is left, and he is still unconscious. As for your brother¡­ he¡¯s a big man, he can¡¯t afford to lose face!¡± Concubine Kang stared at Sister-in-law Kang in a daze and then turned her head to Old Madam Ren, despair and resignation in her eyes. After a long time, she sucked in her breath and knelt down. Then after straightening her body, she looked at Old Madam Ren with red eyes, and swore, ¡°Old Madam, this servant is wrongly accused.¡± As she said that, she somehow suddenly gained strength, stood up quickly, and slammed herself into the pillar next to the Bogu shelf. The three sisters who were sitting in the east inner room did not dare to make a sound. Before they realized what was going on, suddenly there was a loud ¡°bang¡± from the pillar next to them. A glazed qilin ornament and a blue-white porcelain vase on the shelf fell to the ground. The maid who served Ren Yaoyin yelled, ¡°Ah¨C¡°. But Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaohua, and Ren Yaoyin didn¡¯t make a sound. Ren Yaohua reacted quickly, grabbed Ren Yaoqi¡¯s sleeve and pulled her up, and took a few steps back. Ren Yaoyin stood up by herself and also dodged back. At the same time, Old Madam Ren¡¯s angry voice heard from next room, ¡°Go, check on her, and invite a doctor to come into the mansion!¡± CH 130 Chapter 130: She Has Lost This Round This farce came to a temporary end after Concubine Kang slammed into the pillar. There was chaos in the parlor next room. Matron Gui commanded the maidservants in the room to come and clean up the mess. From the movement outside and the suppressed heavy breathing of the maids, it could be inferred that Concubine Kang¡¯s collision was serious. But when she saw this tragic situation, instead of showing some sympathy, Mrs. Kang muttered angrily, ¡°Here comes this trick again, does she think no one¡¯s ever seen an opera troupe act before? What a disgrace!¡± Old Madame Ren had Concubine Kang carried out, and sent Mrs. Kang away, arranging for her to go to the outer courtyard. (please read on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Old Madam Ren¡¯s senior maid, Shanhu, came into the east inner room and said that the Old Madam asked the three sisters to go out. When the three sisters came, Old Madame Ren was sitting diagonally on the Luohan bed with her eyes closed. The house had almost finished cleaning up, the pieces of the broken ornaments and vases had already been swept out, leaving only a few vacant places on the Bogu Shelf. The floor was clean, but there was still some undried wet stain that could be seen. A junior maid was wiping the pillar vigorously with shaking hands. The water in a copper basin at her feet was red, and everyone else was busy with their own things, turning a blind eye. Old Madam Ren lifted her eyes. She indifferently addressed the three sisters, ¡°Today, go back to your own courtyard first.¡± They didn¡¯t say anything, quietly bowed, and retreated. They did not feel anything initially. But once they came out, the warm wind of the early summer blew slowly, reminding Ren Yaoqi of the sickening smell of blood in the main building earlier. She instinctively frowned. None of the three sisters spoke. They walked their own path with eyes downcast, each thinking about their own preoccupations or wondering about what just happened. (please read on sleepyautumn.link thank you) After leaving the Ronghua Courtyard, Ren Yaoyin bid farewell to Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi, then walked in separate directions. Ren Yaohua let out a breath and said in a daze, ¡±I just saw a few drops of blood splattered on the bamboo curtain. To be able to splash that far, Concubine Kang must have slammed herself pretty hard that time. I don¡¯t know if she can be saved.¡± Ren Yaohua was still young and had not experienced much. She had never seen things like life and death. Ren Yaoqi comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, her life can yet be saved.¡± Compared to Ren Yaohua¡¯s rattled emotions, Ren Yaoqi was much calmer. It¡¯s not that she had no sympathy, but that she knew people like Concubine Kang too well. She also had experienced too much life and death. Whether she likes it or not, her heart was much colder than others. Ren Yaohua was silent for a moment, ¡°Is it the Lin Family who arranged Kang Family to come today?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought about it, ¡°They definitely have a hand on it. As for whether the truth of the matter is really as the Liu Family and the Kang Family said, it is not important anymore.¡± Ren Yaohua¡¯s brows furrowed in habit, ¡°What do you mean?¡± The two of them had already walked to the corridor outside the garden. Ren Yaoqi stopped in her tracks, turned around, and walked to the edge of the corridor, facing the garden full of colorful greenery, ¡°Because of the situation, Concubine Kang was able to enter the family. In addition to her good timing, our Ren Family is always different from those real notable families. If this happened to a family like the Yun Family, Concubine Kang would not be able to get through the door even if she knelt down and died at the gate.¡± (please read on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaoqi lived in the capital for many years in her last life. Compared to a place like the capital city, Yanbei¡¯s etiquette rules were still more or less influenced by the nomadic people around. Only a truly established family like the Yun Family has its own set of rules. Take the matter of Concubine Kang as an example. Her status standing and Fifth Master Ren¡¯s were considered to be not compatible. Strictly speaking, she was not even qualified to enter the house as a concubine. The aristocratic family pays great attention to blood, and Concubine Kang got pregnant outside. The lineage wasn¡¯t clear. ¡°So today when the Kang Family and the Liu Family made such a mess, Concubine Kang will be finished regardless of whether she was wronged or not?¡± Ren Yaohua finally figured it out. Ren Yaoqi nodded. No matter how smart Concubine Kang was, she still had a poor family background, and she grew up in Yanbei, so she didn¡¯t know the rules of the notable family at all. Concubine Fang was from the south. Although the background of the Fang Family was considered deep, it was still not in the ranks of the aristocratic family. It was even more impossible for her concubine-mother to teach Concubine Fang these. The Ren Family had been focusing more and more on the image of the family over the years to try to get closer to the aristocratic family. According to the nature of the Old Master Ren and the Old Madam Ren, it was not possible to let such a woman with a bad reputation like Concubine Kang enter their family. Old Madam Ren ignored this when she let Concubine Kang in, and now someone had come to wake her up. ¡°The reason why Concubine Kang and Concubine Fang lost to Old Madam Lin and Su in this round was not that they weren¡¯t smart, alert enough, or ruthless enough. They lost because of their background.¡± Ren Yaoqi concluded blandly. It didn¡¯t matter who the child in Concubine Kang¡¯s womb belonged to. If Concubine Kang really had a secret relationship with the Young Master Liu as Mrs. Kang and the Liu Family said, then the way she schemed of using Ren Yaoyu to kill the fetus in her womb had now instead become proof of her sinister intention. The child was already gone, no one would know for sure now. (please read on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t need to see what Old Madam Ren would do next to understand what would happen to Concubine Kang. She was more than familiar with the way Ren Family dealt with problems. ¡°They really¡­ kill without blood.¡± It was impossible for Ren Yaohua to not be shocked. She never knew that a trumped-up charge from what might be just a rumor could destroy another person like Concubine Kang. From what Concubine Kang had done these days in the Ren family, it could be seen that this woman was definitely not a simple person. Not to mention anything else, just from the fact that she dared to plot against the child in her womb, and proved her innocence in such a tragic way today, one could see what kind of person this woman is. But now, Old Madam Lin may only need to buy off that so-called Young Master Liu¡¯s personal servant, say a few plausible slanderous words, and this powerful woman now was discarded. In the war between women in the inner house, there might be no smoke of gunpowder, but there is blood at every turn. This was the first time Ren Yaohua had truly realized this. Looking at Ren Yaohua¡¯s stunned appearance, Ren Yaoqi let her figure things out on her own without saying anything. Some things can only be understood after experiencing them. She hoped that Ren Yaohua could grow up, mature, and understand the rules of survival in the inner courtyard. This afternoon, the sun was still shining brightly, but somehow rain started to fall from the clear sky. It poured and stopped, dawdled, continued trickling for one or two hours. On a sunny day, such rains would not have lasted long. Not long after the rain stopped and before the sky darkened, Ren Yaoqi got news from Ren Yaohua. Old Madam Ren let Mrs. Kang bring the Master of the Liu Family into the mansion. They were received by the Old Master himself. No one knew what they were talking about, but after discussing for less than an hour, Master Liu led the Liu Family away without any additional words. With the current status of the Ren Family in Yanbei, it would not take much effort to deal with a small rich family like the Liu Family. (please read on sleepyautumn.link thank you) The next thing is to deal with Concubine Kang¡¯s matter. Old Madam Ren vetoed Mrs. Kang brought Concubine Kang to be dealt with, and sent her away by giving two hundred taels of silver. This money wasn¡¯t easy to get. When Mrs. Kang left, she pressed her handprint on a piece of paper with writing on it, but it was unclear what condition she promised to the Ren Family. As for Concubine Kang, she was still recuperating in her own small yard in the Ren Family as if nothing had happened. Old Madam Ren also didn¡¯t talk about her handling method. The impression given to outsiders was that the Liu Family and the Kang Family were just poor relatives who came to visit today, and after getting some benefits, they left without a sound. The Ren Family dealt with this matter decisively and quietly. Afterward, Ren Yaohua also discussed with Ren Yaoqi about Mrs. Kang. According to common sense, a family like the Kang Family would definitely want their daughter to come to the Ren Family as a concubine. Ren Yaohua couldn¡¯t figure out why Mrs. Kang insisted on helping outsiders destroy Concubine Kang. It would bring no benefit to her. In the end, it was Xiangqin who said disdainfully, ¡±Isn¡¯t Mrs. Kang not getting along with Concubine Kang? Even if Concubine Kang is no longer liked, what does it have to do with her? It would be good if she didn¡¯t take the opportunity to sweep Concubine Kang out of the house. The conflict between daughters and sisters-in-law is also a messy account. It¡¯s easy to say ¡®all things prosper in a harmonious family¡¯, but how many people can really do it? Most people aren¡¯t scheming to the death for that little money.¡± Although Xiangqin was later coldly reprimanded by Matron Zhou who suddenly came in and heard her, everyone knew that her words were harsh, but not unreasonable. (please read on sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t mention Concubine Kang again. She also understood that although the Ren Family didn¡¯t make any move now, it didn¡¯t mean that Old Madam Ren would let go of Concubine Kang¡¯s ¡®shame¡¯. It was only a matter of time before Concubine Kang was disposed of by the Ren Family. Concubine Kang¡¯s ¡®valiant and fearless¡¯ conduct could not change her fate. But was Concubine Kang a simple person? Would she sit obediently and wait to die? Ren Yaoqi said to Ren Yaohua, ¡°Watch, the fun is yet to come.¡± Ren Yaoqi continued to draw people¡¯s attention to Concubine Kang. After Concubine Kang woke up, she sent her maid to secretly go to Concubine Fang¡¯s courtyard in the night. Although she was anxious, she also had scruples and dared not go to someone blatantly. Concubine Fang had also had a rough few days, she knew she had been schemed. As for the person who calculate against her, with Concubine Fang¡¯s intelligence, she naturally guessed that it was Old Madam Lin, who had been here only a few days before. However, she was a careful person, so she dispatched someone to investigate what happened when Old Madam Lin entered the residence. She later learned through a gatekeeper that when the Old Madam Lin left the compound, someone from the East Mansion boarded the Old Madam Lin¡¯s carriage. CH 131 Chapter 131: It Isn¡¯t Right to Eavesdrop As smart as Concubine Fang was, she was still perplexed at this moment. She had never felt that the things she had done over the years could be hidden from certain smart people in the Ren family, and everyone was fine with each other, so she didn¡¯t know why the East Mansion would intervene so much now. When the Ren Family had this kind of family scandal, the one who was the most angry was Old Master Ren. After the Kang Family and the Liu Family were put in their place, Old Master Ren scolded Old Madam Ren severely. He was only taking into account Old Madam Ren¡¯s face in front of the younger generation, and lectured her behind closed doors. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) Since she married into the Ren family, Old Madam Ren had been in harmony with Old Master Ren, and they were quite amicable in front of strangers. They had coordinated for decades and rarely got upset with each other. Occasionally Old Madam Ren would make a small fuss, and Old Master Ren turned a blind eye to it, except this time the problem was getting so big it became a disgrace. Old Madam Ren also understood that she had done something wrong, so she didn¡¯t argue after being scolded. Although she still felt resentment, after a few days, she still released Ren Yaoyu according to the instructions of Old Master Ren and relieved Fifth Madam Lin from being grounded. Ren Yaoyu was only a teenage girl, and this incident was a great blow to her. In just a few days, she lost a circle of weight, and when she was released, she was wilted without the spirit of a young girl of her age. On the other hand, Fifth Madam Lin¡¯s face was flushed, and looked a dozen years younger when she came out. This incident was a blessing in disguise because the Fifth Master finally regained the acceptance of the Fifth Madam. Now both of them acted like a newlywed couple, sticking together all day long, and even their daughter Ren Yaoyu also had to step aside. As for the insignificant Concubine Kang and her banishment, it had long been forgotten by the two of them. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) If anyone stands in front of Fifth Master Ren Shimao now, points at him and asks, ¡°What about the vow you made to Concubine Kang back then? What about taking care of you?¡± The Fifth Master will definitely give you an eye roll and back to be lovey-dovey again. The first day of May is the birthday of Old Madam Liao of the East Mansion. Liao¡¯s 50th birthday was in the year before last. At that time, Su made a massive arrangement. The Second Old Master and the Fourth Master of East Mansion who were far away in the capital all went back to Baihe Town. Liao¡¯s fiftieth birthday was passed with grand. It was just a normal birthday this year. The Second Old Master and the Fourth Old Master did not come back because of their busy schedule. However, they had sent birthday gifts half a month in advance. Those gifts were naturally delivered in two large carts, filled with many things from clothing to food. Initially, Su would also want to invite a dozen or so tables for Old Madam Liao this year, then called an opera troupe to make it festive. Unexpectedly, when Liao visited a nun to ask for alms, the nun gave her advice to not be extravagant this year or it will shorten her life. So in the end, Su only invited the people of the West Mansion and made it a family party. Outsiders were not invited. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) The East Mansion and the West Mansion were only separated by a half wall, so there was no need to bring out the carriages. Although Liao didn¡¯t like to interact with people from the West Mansion, their family had not separated, so it was still necessary to put up this front of affection. Ren Yaoqi and other juniors followed Old Madam Ren to the East Mansion. Concubine Fang was a special presence in the Ren Family. As in previous years, Old Madame Ren also allowed her to come with. In addition to respectfully following other aunts behind Li, Ren Yaoqi also saw Ren Yaoying who hadn¡¯t appeared in front of everyone for a long time. Ever since Ren Yaoying lost face in front of everyone a year ago, she had not been seen for more than half a year. When Ren Yaoqi saw her again this time, Ren Yaoying felt different than before. When she came to greet Li, Ren Yaoying kept her eyes down, her voice was much lower than before, and she looked much quieter. Apart from growing a little taller, her face was still as fair and delicate as before. If it was in the past, her deadly rival Ren Yaoyu would definitely have ridiculed her. But lately, Ren Yaoyu had been very unlucky. Wherever she went, she was listless, and looked far worse than Ren Yaoying. In addition to the fact that Old Madam Ren¡¯s temper had not been very good in the past few days, no one dared to stir up trouble at this time, so Ren Yaoying¡¯s reappearance did not cause much commotion. The elders were playing leaf cards in the flower hall of the East Mansion, while Ren Yaoying and several sisters of the Ren family were drinking tea and chatting in the side hall. Today was a rare occasion that the sisters of the Ren Family gathered together again, but the scene wasn¡¯t very lively. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaoyu and Ren Yaoying were sitting far away from each other, and neither of them paid any attention to each other or said anything. Ren Yaohua had a cool temper and rarely spoke. So only Ren Yaoting, Ren Yaoyin, and Ren Yaoqi who were occasionally chatting. Ren Yaoting was the first who couldn¡¯t stand it, and said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Fifth Sister, do you want to come with me to change clothes?¡± She secretly winked at Ren Yaoqi while doing so. Ren Yaoqi nodded, and the two walked out of the side hall hand in hand. When passing by the flower hall, Ren Yaoqi took a look inside. The two Old Madams of the Ren Family, the Eldest Madam, and the Second Madam gathered together to play leaf cards. Concubine Fang moved a small stool to sit behind the Old Madam Ren and give her advice. The Eldest Young Madam sat behind the Eldest Madam to observe. The Fifth Madam, Lin, was not in the flower hall, and only the Third Madam sat drinking tea by herself. Ren Yaoqi was used to this kind of situation. Her mother had never really integrated into the life circle of the Ren Family all these years after she married. After Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting finished changing their dress, they came out and saw that Ren Yaoying had also come. Ren Yaoying saw that the two of them acted a little strange, so she nodded and walked away quickly. Waiting for Ren Yaoying¡¯s figure to enter the bathroom, Ren Yaoting puffed out and laughed, came to Ren Yaoyi¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°I guess the Ninth Sister is uncomfortable when she hears the word ¡°changing clothes¡±, she didn¡¯t come with us before, but had to sneak around by herself. ¡° (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaoqi just smiled and changed the subject. Then she noticed that Ren Yaoying was followed by not only her own maids but also Concubine Fang¡¯s personal maid, Jinju. What happened last time still had lingering traces for Ren Yaoying. When the two of them were about to reach the corridor next to the flower hall, Ren Yaoqi stopped Ren Yaoting, ¡°It¡¯s a bit stuffy inside, let¡¯s sit here for a while.¡± East Mansion arranged the banquet to be held on the east and west sides of the large hall and spilled into a medium-length section of the corridor, but they didn¡¯t use the side halls. In front of them laid a square courtyard, and the back was surrounded by dense green shrubs. Without burning the heating floor, the hall would be cold in winter, but it was very nice in summer. Ren Yaoting smiled and said, ¡°I also do not like to be stared at if we go in. But it is too early to leave the banquet now. Just sit here for a while.¡± Ren Yaoting then sat down on the green-painted fence in the corridor first, and Ren Yaoqi sat beside her. The environment here was quiet and occasionally the chirping of birds and insects could be heard, it was more elegant than the large hall in the West Mansion. The two of them were chatting. Ren Yaoting asked Ren Yaoqi about Concubine Kang¡¯s miscarriage. She stayed honestly in the East Mansion for a while and didn¡¯t go to the West Mansion, Su has been a bit strict with her lately because she has had nightmares for several days since she last came back from the West Mansion. In the end, an old nun gave her a bowl of talisman water before she got better. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) She was still scared but her curiosity got the better of her. Now that she met Ren Yaoqi, she started to ask around. She even sent her maids away with a guilty conscience. Ren Yaoqi was talking about unimportant things, then slyly suddenly changed the topic, ¡°This year the mansion is not as lively as it was the year before last. I remember when Grandaunt¡¯s 50th birthday last time, there were guests from Yunyang City who came early in the morning. The hall here couldn¡¯t accommodate all of them, and even the Rongjin Hall in the West Mansion needed to be opened.¡± Ren Yaoting bristled, ¡°My mother initially wanted to invite the Dexin Troupe from Yunyang City to sing a grand opera. She had scheduled it a month earlier. However, a few days ago, an old nun came. After talking nonsensically, my grandmother agreed that she wouldn¡¯t invite guests or opera singers this year.¡± ¡°But I heard from the servants below that quite a few people came to the mansion in the last few days to send gifts.¡± Ren Yaoting explained disapprovingly, ¡°Except for the two carts of presents sent by the Fourth Uncle in the capital, it is just the filial piety of the stewards from all over the place.¡± After thinking about it, Ren Yaoting continued, ¡°The Su Family and the Lin Family in Yunyang City also sent their stewards.¡± Ren Yaoting had also learned some household management from Su¡¯s side for a while, so she also knew a bit about these courtesies. ¡°This time, the birthday gift sent by the Lin Family is even thicker than the year before,¡± Ren Yaoting said casually. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaoqi smiled at her and asked, ¡°You even remember that? Do you still remember what gifts each family sent the year before last?¡± Ren Yaoting glared at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°You don¡¯t know, my mother just gave me all the gift lists from the mansion in the past few years. She said that she wanted me to learn how to reciprocate gifts. I remember that the last time the Lin Family sent a big red coral statue, but this time the gift is a white jade statue of Guanyin. When I went to my mother¡¯s main room, I happened to meet the lady who brought the gifts from the Lin Family. She gave me a purse containing two golden pearls the size of a longan, saying that it was Old Madam Lin¡¯s gift to me to suppress my shock.¡± Ren Yaoting nudged Ren Yaoqi with her elbow, and winked, ¡°No wonder Fifth Aunt and Eighth Sister usually never think much of you, this Lin Family is so generous when they make a move, which shows that the family has a solid foundation.¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a while and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Lin Family close to our family? Do you have a problem with them being generous to you?¡± Ren Yaoting smiled smugly, ¡°I naturally have no opinion, I am flattered, okay? The pearls were put away by my mother, saying that they would be used for me as a headdress. But I have never seen the Lin Family be so generous before, and I have never seen such fine pearls from Fifth Aunt and Eighth Sister.¡± ¡°Then could it be because the Lin Family and your maternal grandfather¡¯s family are getting closer?¡± Ren Yaoyi asked suspiciously. Ren Yaoting inclined her head to think, somewhat uncertain, ¡°My mother did not explain it to me, but the last time I was in Yunyang City I followed my Eldest Aunt to the Lin Family as a guest, my Eldest Aunt has indeed become closer to several Madams of the Lin Family.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and seemed to understand something, ¡°No wonder Old Madam Lin mentioned Eldest Madam Su and Third Madam Lin when she went to our West Mansion last time. It seems that the two have a good relationship in private.¡± Ren Yaoting didn¡¯t care about this matter and didn¡¯t take it to heart after hearing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s words. Third Madam Lin or Second Madam Lin didn¡¯t make much of a difference in her mind, she didn¡¯t connect anything by their conversation, so her attention quickly shifted elsewhere. Ren Yaoqi saw out of the corner of her eye that someone not far away turned around and retreated from the path. Not long after, Ren Yaoying came out from the path with a few maidservants. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) Several people walked past Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting. Ren Yaoqi glanced at the skirt of Aunt Fang¡¯s maid Jinju and shifted her gaze. When she was talking to Ren Yaoting before, Ren Yaoqi had realized early that someone was standing behind a bush and eavesdropping, but she didn¡¯t make a sound. Presumably that person saw that Ren Yaoting dismissed everyone around her from a distance and thought that they were talking about something private. Ren Yaoqi had deliberately mentioned the Lin Family¡¯s Third Madam just now. The famous families in Yanbei intermarried with each other, and the more deeply rooted the Ren Family was over the generations, the more complicated the relationship became, and each family could always have something to do with each other. The fact that Concubine Fang¡¯s sister-in-law would be coming to Yanbei made Ren Yaoqi finally remembered something. Fang Yacun was going to Yanbei to be an official. His wife¡¯s visit to Yanbei this time was not just to attend the full moon banquet of Ren Shijia¡¯s son, she was here to give her husband a head start. As the seat of the Yanbei Royal Family, Yunyang City was essentially the hub of all parties in Yanbei, so it was natural to open up the joints first. Fang Yacun wanted to fight for the official position in Yanbei, and the vacancy in Yanzhou was the best. However, Ren Yaoqi remembered that Fang Yacun failed to stay in Yanzhou in her previous life, but a relative of the Su Family and Fang Yacun were the same group of local officials sent to Yanbei by the imperial court to stay in Yanzhou. (please read in sleepyautumn.link thank you) Ren Yaoqi had already inquired about it before. That person was the Eldest Madam Su¡¯s natal brother, also came from the family of a Jinshi, and wanted to use the Su Family¡¯s connection to enter Yanbei as a small magistrate. The husband of Third Madam Lin was a powerful official in charge of dispatching officials in Yanbei and equivalent to an official of the imperial court¡¯s Ministry of Appointments. Although the court has the right to transfer officials to Yanbei, how these officials are ultimately arranged was still up to the Yanbei Royal Family. The maid who had eavesdropped on the two men¡¯s conversation, Jinju, had indeed relayed what she had heard to Concubine Fang as soon as she returned to the house. ¡°Third Madam Lin?¡± Concubine Fang slowly lowered her eyes and thought carefully. The pair of jasper butterfly earrings swaying in her ears cast light dark shadows under the lamp. She always liked to wear these small tassel earrings, making her look like a Jiangnan woman with a rare kind of gentleness. After a while, Concubine Fang frowned slightly, and raised her head in astonishment, ¡°I see.¡± CH 132 Chapter 132: The Old Servant Who Came From the Village ¡°Concubine, what is wrong with Third Old Madam Lin?¡± Jinju asked curiously. Concubine Fang came back to her senses and smiled softly at her as if to appease her, ¡°Nothing, I just remembered something.¡± There was one thing that was good about Concubine Fang, she never lost her temper with the people who served her. She was always kind and considerate, a woman as gentle as water, so the maidservants around Concubine Fang were very devoted to her. ¡°Serve pen and ink, I have a letter to write.¡± Aunt Fang sat for a while, then finally got up and walked to the study. (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) Jinju advised, ¡°Concubine, it¡¯s already very late, be careful with your eyes.¡± Concubine Fang shook her head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Concubine Fang was aware that her brother was going to be promoted soon. She also hoped that Fang Yacun could come to Yanbei so that her position in the Ren Family would be more stable in the future. Fang Yacun mentioned a few things about the officialdom to her in a letter. Her sister-in-law came to Yanbei after she inquired about the residences and preferences of various officials in advance. This time, several rich prefectures and counties in Yanbei had five or six vacancies, but there were more than five or six people competing for these seats. Fang Yacun had mentioned to her in the last letter that an in-law of the Su Family also wanted to come to Yanbei. Concubine Fang was smart and astute. There must be a reason why the Second Madam Su helped Old Madam Lin this time. Now it seems that the biggest and most probable reason was that Su wanted to connect with Third Madam for her natal sister-in-law. Concubine Fang was glad that she had learned of this matter now, when there was still room for things to be turned around. She needed to tell her brother about the Su Family¡¯s intentions as soon as possible so that he could make preparations earlier. Things were finally moving in the direction that Ren Yaoqi had hoped for. This was still just the beginning, and as long as nothing changed, everything will be easy to handle. The Ren Family decided to depart for Yunyang City on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival. It was just over an hour¡¯s journey, not too far. Ren Shijia would return to Yunyang City with the Ren Family, as she had just finished her confinement month. She couldn¡¯t stay for long or people would assume that she was hiding in her natal family. The time she went back would be right to catch up to the full moon banquet the Lin Family had prepared for her son Xiao Cen. So Old Madam Ren would also stay with the Lin Family for a few days. (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) This time, Old Master Ren would stay at home while Old Madam Ren took their granchildren there. Old Madam Ren initially planned to not bring Fifth Madam and Ren Yaoyu, but she changed her mind somehow. As for the Third Madam Li, Old Madam Ren had always refused to take her out. ¡°Grandmother said that Concubine Fang and Ren Yaoying will also go,¡± Ren Yaohua told Ren Yaoqi when she just finished greeting Li in the evening. ¡°Because that Madam Fang is coming?¡± Ren Yaoqi raised her eyebrows slightly, but did not looking surprised. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Ren Yaohua was not in a good mood, her face was cold. When they were about to part, Ren Yaoqi heard her hidden grudge, ¡°Who exactly is the concubine in this Third Branch, and who is the proper wife! Is this the so-called rule of our Ren Family? It¡¯s really ridiculous!¡± Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t expect any answer when she said this. She walked away right after with a tense body. Ren Yaoqi stood in the courtyard and watched as her figure gradually disappeared into the dark shadows of the corridor, her dark red dress swayed behind under the light of the lantern in her maid¡¯s hand. After a while, it also disappeared at the corner ahead. The next day is the Dragon Boat Festival, and everyone in the Ren Family was preparing for the trip. Although Li did not go, she was also busy packing things for the two sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua. Their daughter was fighting for Li but Li was already used to it. She did not mind the fact that she was left at home, instead looking in a good mood. Ren Yaohua had been sullen and unhappy for the past few days. It seemed that even the smallest thing could provoke her and caused her to blow up. Ren Yaoqi was worried that she would lose control of her temper, so Ren Yaoqi finally pulled her aside and persuaded her with a smile, ¡°Third Sister, what are you sulking about? You¡¯ve been angry for a few days now, it¡¯s time to stop. As long as Mother is happy, isn¡¯t that all right?¡± Ren Yaohua was furious when she heard this, ¡°What as long as Mother is happy! I don¡¯t believe she is really happy! I even went to beg Grandmother yesterday, but she changed the topic just as I opened my mouth.¡± Although Ren Yaohua had a violent expression, her voice was aggravated. Ren Yaoqi knew her temper. Ren Yaoqi was not angry when Ren Yaohua lashed out, instead she smiled and said, ¡°I do think that Mother¡¯s smile doesn¡¯t look forced, because¡­ isn¡¯t Father not going this time either?¡± Ren Yaohua froze, her furious look turned into a daze. ¡°So I think it¡¯s good for Mother not to go this time. You know Father¡¯s nature, once he starts painting he can totally forget to eat. Even if Mother goes with us to Yunyang City, she will still miss Father.¡± As she spoke, Ren Yaoqi winked at Ren Yaohua with a teasing look, ¡°Third Sister, you are so old and still can¡¯t leave Mother, don¡¯t you feel ashamed?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not¡­¡± Ren Yaohua subconsciously tried to defend herself, but when she saw Ren Yaoqi¡¯s smirk, she realized that she was being teased by her sister. ¡°You¡¯re full of nonsense!¡± Ren Yaohua whisked her sleeve and put on the posture of an elder sister. After thinking about it, she asked uncertainly, ¡°Is Father really not going?¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve asked. Or else you can go ask Mother?¡± Seeing Ren Yaohua¡¯s face finally looking better, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips and smile. (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) Whether she went to Yunyang City or not was actually not that important to Li. Even if Li went, would she be able to show off her status as the main wife while Concubine Fang was in there? Even if Li was aggrieved, she still had to endure for the sake of Ren Shimin. So while Ren Yaohua was furious over this matter, Ren Yaoqi secretly asked Yuan Dayong to help her buy an old painting from the previous dynasty from a poor scholar. Ren Yaoqi knew the source of every beloved painting in Ren Shimin¡¯s hands in the previous life. Originally, this painting was to be bought back by Ren Shimin¡¯s steward this autumn as a tribute to him. Ren Yaoqi bought this painting back in advance. Ren Shimin had a habit, every time he gets a good painting, he will spend half a month carefully pondering it, and then copy it himself. Sure enough, when Ren Shimin saw the painting, he couldn¡¯t move his feet, and the dragon boat race at the Dragon Boat Festival was all clouds in his mind. He will not neglect his own heart for the sake of passing clouds. So the Third Master waved his hand, decided to stay at home and not go to Yunyang City. Li became happy, and Concubine Fang now depressed. If Concubine Fang and Ren Shimin go together to Yunyang City to watch dragon boat races, while the main wife, Li, was left at home, the outsiders would naturally make some guesses about the status of the Third Madam and the concubine of the Ren family. Then Li would inevitably be looked down upon. Concubine Fang, on the other hand, would be treated as a main wife, and it was easier for her to travel around Yunyang City. Now that Ren Shimin was not going, Concubine Fang wouldn¡¯t be able to act so easily anymore. In the afternoon, Old Madam Ren sent someone to find Ren Shimin, and wanted him to go to Yunyang City with her. After all, this was an annual event. Reputable families in Yanzhou would go there, and the men could also build social connections between gambling and drinking. But who was the Third Master, he wouldn¡¯t go if he said he couldn¡¯t, and not even a bull could pull him. No one could force him to do what he didn¡¯t want. When the time came, he lay down in the main room and pretended to be sick. Old Madam Ren was furious, but there was nothing she could do about him. Li cooperated and served in front of the Third Master¡¯s bed. When he was thirsty she brought water, when he was hungry she served food, basically went all out. (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) Now even Ren Yaohua was also happy, her face that had been smelly for several days finally cleared up, and her mouth was curved while she watched the maids pack up their things. Ren Yaoqi was also in the room observing, although it was Matron Xu who actually was instructing the maids, and she was bending over the bed reading. It was at this moment when Matron Zhou came over. Seeing Matron Zhou entered the room, Ren Yaoqi thought that something happened to Ren Shimin and Li in the main room, so she immediately put down the book in her hand and sat up straight. Matron Zhou moved forward and bowed, but said in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Miss, Servant Luo is here.¡± Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t react after she heard that name, ¡°Servant Luo?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the old servant from the village that Miss wanted to meet a while ago,¡± Matron Zhou explained softly. Ren Yaoqi immediately remembered. She had asked Matron Zhou about the Qu Family when Matron Zhou said that there was an old servant living in the village who knew a lot about what was going on in Baihe Town. That servant should have arrived a long time ago, but she was bitten by a wild dog outside the village a while ago, so her departure was delayed. Ren Yaoqi also temporarily put this matter aside because of the chaotic situation in the Ren Family. ¡°Where is she?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. ¡°Right now, the whole house is busy. I asked a junior maid to take her to eat and rest. After all, she is already old, so I am making sure she is alright. Do you want to see her now?¡± Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, ¡°Let her rest first, and bring her to see me later.¡± ¡°This servant originally told the people in the village to wait for her to recover from her injuries before bringing her here. This servant thought it would take a few more days. Unexpectedly, she arrived right before everyone left for Yunyang City. This is due to this servant¡¯s poor arrangement,¡± Matron Zhou pleaded guilty. Ren Yaoqi waved her hand and comforted, ¡°It is okay, I just want to ask her something. It doesn¡¯t matter if she comes early or late.¡± Matron Zhou went down to make arrangements, and Ren Yaoqi asked her to bring Servant Luo over after dinner. Mrs. Luo was in her seventies and had been working in the village. Her hair was gray, her complexion was tan, and her face was full of wrinkles. She walked with a limp, but she seemed to be in good spirits. (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) The one supporting her was an eight or nine-year-old girl. She was pretty but her complexion was too dark. She had braids combed into a double bun, wearing a red coarse cloth shirt, and her eyes were lively. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gaze stayed on the little girl, Matron Zhou hurriedly explained, ¡°This is the granddaughter of Mrs. Luo. They depend on each other for life. Mrs. Luo was worried about leaving her in the village, so she brought her here together.¡± Although it was a little strange that Mrs. Luo was so old and yet her granddaughter was still so young, Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She nodded with a smile, exempted Mrs. Luo¡¯s salute, and asked Sangshen to go and fetch a stool for Mrs. Luo to sit on. Mrs. Luo strongly objected, carefully sitting down on the half of the stool, not daring to speak first. The little girl who followed was very curious about the things in the room.But seeing that her grandmother was reserved and did not dare to be presumptuous, she stood obediently behind Mrs. Luo. Ren Yaoqi said gently to that little girl, ¡°You can follow this Sister Sangsan to have some snacks, okay?¡± The little girl glanced out of the corner of her eye and swallowed saliva at the decorated red octagonal snack box filled with all kinds of fruits, ear-shaped sweets, fried chop rice cakes, honey fried dough twist, candied lotus seeds, sunflower seeds, and other pastries. But then he peeked at her grandmother and didn¡¯t move. Mrs. Luo gently patted her hand, ¡°Listen to the master, go.¡± Sangshen picked up the decorated red octagonal snack box and waved towards the little girl, leading her outside. Mrs. Luo watched her granddaughter leave step by step. Shaking her head, she said to Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t blame her, that child grew up in the countryside and has never seen the world.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly, ¡°She looks good to me. Her body is also strong. Does she usually go to work with you?¡± Mrs. Luo¡¯s face wrinkled deeply when she smiled, ¡°This child has a good heart. She wanted to help me with my work when she just learned how to walk. She would follow me and help me whenever I did anything. I never have children. It is a blessing for me to pick up such treasure after getting this old.¡± Ren Yaoqi was taken aback, it turned out that the little girl was not Mrs. Luo¡¯s biological granddaughter. Mrs. Luo seems to know what she was thinking, and explained, ¡°I picked up this child years ago in the field. At that time, she was only six or seven months old.¡± Matron Zhou was a bit surprised, ¡°So she¡¯s only seven years old? I thought she was nine years old.¡± That girl was physically strong and tall, and she looked clever. She has the same stature of an eight years old child. ¡°That¡¯s not true. She has a lot of appetite! Fortunately, she can work, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be able to support her.¡± Mrs. Luo shook her head and smiled. (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) Ren Yaoqi observed Mrs. Luo from the side. This woman was very old, and her appearance was no different from that of ordinary peasant women who worked in the fields all year round. But Ren Yaoqi felt that her words and actions were not as vulgar as those peasant women outside. Even her adopted granddaughter was well-behaved. ¡°Has Mrs. Luo lived in our village all this time? Where is your family?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. Mrs. Luo squinted her eyes and thought for a while before she said, ¡°This servant is from the suburbs of Baihe Town. This servant¡¯s parents died of starvation during the calamity year, so this servant has been working in the village since young. But the village originally wasn¡¯t owned by the Ren Family.¡± ¡°Oh? Which family did that village originally belong to?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked. A lot of farms owned by Ren Family were bought when the former patriarch Baoming was still alive, along with this Ren Family Mansion. ¡°Before it was sold to the Ren Family, that village belonged to a family named Tang,¡± answered Mrs. Luo. Ren Yaoqi remembered that this house was also bought from a family named Tang. It may be that when this family sold their ancestral house, they also sold the farm under their name to the Ren Family. This was a pretty regular occurrence. Realizing that Ren Yaoqi was enquiring Mrs. Luo, Matron Zhou contemplated a bit, then ordered all the maidservants to go out, but she herself stayed in the room to guard. ¡°I wonder if Mrs. Luo remembers a family surnamed Qu? It should have been a wealthy family in Baihe Town a few decades ago, and then for some unknown reason the family fell apart.¡± Ren Yaoqi stared at Mrs. Luo and asked softly. Mrs. Luo again squinted her eyes in thought, this seemed to be her usual expression when she was thinking, ¡°This servant has not heard of such a rich family.¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°There really wasn¡¯t? Can you please think about it more carefully?¡± Mrs. Luo really tried to remember again, then shaking her head, ¡°There was not. Miss, are you sure that they are from our Baihe Town? Could it be that they came from another place?¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed and nodded, ¡°Maybe I remembered it wrong.¡± After considering it, she asked again, ¡°In my grandfather¡¯s generation, did the Ren Family ever get into discord with any family?¡± Mrs. Luo glanced at Ren Yaoqi when she heard that question, and smiled apologetically, ¡°Miss, what are you talking about? The Ren Family has always been harmonious and friendly with their neighbors.¡± Matron Zhou stood beside Ren Yaoqi and interrupted in a cold voice, ¡°Mrs. Luo, our Fifth Miss didn¡¯t invite you all the way here to listen to your nonsense. Answer whatever you are asked, and if you answer well, Miss will reward you with a silver and send you and your granddaughter back properly.¡± Mrs. Luo paused, looked at Matron Zhou and then at Ren Yaoqi, who just smiled indifferently without speaking. She thought for a long time before slowly replying, ¡°A family that we aren¡¯t harmonious with¡­ is not unheard of. When the Ren Family bought a few hills in Xishan to build a coal mine, a nearby mountain owner sued Ren Family to the County Magistrate for digging a coal mine under his mountain. Not long after, Ren Family spent a lot of money to pay that owner and buy his mountain along. The two families then reconciled. There was also a year when a coal mine collapsed and buried a lot of people. One of the victims¡¯ son took the lead in making trouble, and was finally arrested by the authorities. He managed to run away during the escort, but before leaving, he proclaimed that he would be at odds with the Ren Family. But no one showed up after so many years. Probably he had turned into a pile of soil.¡± Ren Yaoqi quietly listened, making a mental judgment. Mrs. Luo went on to talk about a few more families, all of which had large and small quarrels with the Ren Family decades ago. In the end, Mrs. Luo couldn¡¯t think of anything even after racking her brain, and looked at Ren Yaoqi blearily with a helpless smile, ¡°Miss, that¡¯s all that this servant can remember.¡± Ren Yaoqi gazed out the window. It was already past the time to light the lanterns. The lanterns were lit in the yard outside, and candles inside the house started to shone through. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today, go back and rest first.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and served tea, signaling Matron Zhou to bring Mrs. Luo out. Matron Zhou sent Mrs. Luo out to a maid, who took her to the outer courtyard to rest. Then Matron Zhou turned around and came back. ¡°Miss, will this servant be kept in the mansion?¡± (this chapter is translated with real time and effort, please read it directly in sleepyautumn.link, thank you) Ren Yaoqi was leaning back on the kang to consider things, then raised her head, ¡°Well, for the time being, let her stay in the mansion. Wait for me to come back from Yunyang City before making any plans.¡± Ren Yaoqi felt that there were still some things she could still ask to Mrs. Luo, but she had to leave for Yunyang City early tomorrow morning and didn¡¯t have the time to interrogate in detail today. ¡°Then this servant will first arrange for her grandchildren to stay in the outer courtyard. Miss, take an early rest today, we have to leave tomorrow when the dawn comes.¡± Matron Zhou instructed and retired, ordering the maids to come in and serve Ren Yaoqi wash up. . Footnotes of the food that came up: [1] Decorated Red Snack Box [2] Ear-shaped sweets (ÌǶú¶ä) [3] Fried chop rice cakes (¶¹Ãæ¸â) [4] Honey fried dough twist (ÃÛÂ黨) [5] Candied lotus seeds (ÌÇÁ«×Ó) [6] Sunflower seeds (¿û»¨×Ó) CH 133 Chapter 133: Met by Chance Early the next morning, before dawn, the Ren Family¡¯s subordinates began to quietly get busy. The maidservants had to move the things they needed for the trip to the carriage first, while their masters would get up later. Ren Yaoqi woke up earlier. She washed up, changed her clothes, and sat in her room for a while until there was movement in the main room before going to greet her parents. Today, Old Madam Ren excused everyone¡¯s greetings, so Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua could have breakfast with Li. When someone came from outside to tell Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua it was time to go out, Li gave a few pieces of advice to the two sisters and asked Matron Zhou to give them each a heavy purse. ¡°If it¡¯s convenient, remember to go to your grandfather¡¯s house to visit your grandfather and grandmother,¡± Li gave her final words. (don¡¯t forget to read it directly on sleepyautumn.link ! >.< ) Ren Yaohua didn¡¯t say anything, but Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, ¡°Alright. I heard that Grandmother will also go to watch the dragon boat race, so we may meet them there. Does Mother have anything she wants me to tell to Grandmother? Or anything to pass on?¡± Li thought for a while, but still shook her head, ¡°Talk to your grandma well, she always asks about you in her letters.¡± Ren Yaoqi obliged and then went out with Ren Yaohua. When she turned her head while walking to the courtyard entrance, she could still see Li standing under the porch watching them. There were more than twenty carriages traveling today, causing a long line in front of the second gate. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were arranged in the same carriage. If they were in the past, neither of them would want to. Now that the relationship between the two sisters was much better and they were biological sisters, they would often be arranged in the same carriage when traveling together. Both of them were led out of the second door by the steward. Their carriage was arranged in the middle like the carriages of the other ladies of the Ren Family. The two sisters came out relatively early. Except for the Fifth Master and the Fifth Madam who came sooner with Ren Yaoyu, and now squeezed into a carriage and chatted happily, no one else came yet. Only servants in twos and threes were standing by the carriage waiting for their masters to get in. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were about to wait inside the carriage. Unknown to them, a little girl suddenly popped out. ¡°Fifth Miss¡­¡± Ren Yaoqi turned her head in surprise and realized that it was actually Mrs. Luo¡¯s granddaughter. (don¡¯t forget to read it directly on sleepyautumn.link ! >.< ) Ren Yaohua also looked over and immediately frowned, ¡°Where are you going, little maid? Who is your supervisor?¡± The little girl had changed into a summer shirt of a third-class maid in the mansion today. Ren Yaohua also realized that this girl looked new, so she thought that this girl was a new little maid who didn¡¯t know the rules of the mansion. The little girl looked at Ren Yaohua and then at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi said to Ren Yaohua, ¡±She came from the village yesterday. Get on the carriage first, I¡¯ll come later.¡± Ren Yaohua suspiciously glanced at that little girl before turning around and walking away. Only then did Ren Yaoqi gently speak to that girl, ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t Matron Zhou arrange for you and your grandmother to stay in the outer courtyard?¡± Seeing the fierce Ren Yaohua leave, the little girl became more courageous. She said crisply, ¡°Grandmother said that there is still some work to be done on the farm, and wanted to ask Fifth Miss when we can leave. But the people in the inner courtyard will not let us in, and will not tell us anything. I just saw you come out from afar. So I ran over.¡± Ren Yaoqi then realized that although the little girl¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t very good, her voice was very nice, so she couldn¡¯t help but smile and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The little girl blinked her bright eyes and smiled at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Shui¡¯ai, my name is Shui¡¯ai. It¡¯s a kind of wild vegetable. Grandmother said that wild vegetables are the best, when you¡¯re hungry, you can eat them and they grow again in the spring.¡± >> Shui¡¯ai At these words, two senior maids behind Ren Yaoqi burst out laughing. Ren Yaoqi also laughed, but when she looked up, she saw Mrs. Luo running from afar. She looked like she wanted to come over, but after seeing the situation, she didn¡¯t dare to. She just stood in the distance and stared at Shui¡¯ai worriedly. Ren Yaoqi pointed behind Shui¡¯ai, ¡±Your grandmother is looking for you. Go over and help her. Walk slowly, you are not allowed to run in the mansion, or else the sister who teaches you the rules will catch you and beat your palms.¡± Shui¡¯ai winked mischievously at Ren Yaoqi, ¡°They can¡¯t catch me.¡± Although she said so, she still lowered her head and followed the way the maids in the mansion walked, turned around, and left. That step was so well done that even Ren Yaoyi couldn¡¯t pick any mistakes. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After considering it, she ordered a few things to her maids. Then she walked towards Mrs. Luo with Pingguo and Sangshen. (don¡¯t forget to read it directly on sleepyautumn.link ! >.< ) When Mrs. Luo saw Ren Yaoqi come over, she frantically pulled Shui¡¯ai to salute. She explained anxiously, ¡±Miss forgive me, miss forgive me. Shui¡¯ai doesn¡¯t know the rules, and has offended you.¡± Seeing her trembling appearance, Ren Yaoqi hurriedly asked Pingguo to help her up, then smiled, ¡°It is okay, children are always lively. I¡¯m going to Yunyang City for a few days, so stay in the mansion first. Send someone to find Matron Zhou if you want to do something. I¡¯ll give you instructions later. About the farm, I will assign someone to take care of it.¡± ¡°Are there gonna be snacks every day?¡± Perhaps seeing Ren Yaoqi¡¯s gentle temper, Shui¡¯ai was not afraid of her, so she suddenly interjected and asked in a small voice. Before Ren Yaoyi could say anything, Mrs. Luo immediately glowered and lectured in a stern tone, ¡°What happened to the rules you were taught before? Who gave you permission to be so ungrateful?¡± Shui¡¯ai seemed to be startled by her grandmother¡¯s expression and lowered her head, not daring to speak. Ren Yaoqi was about to say something when a person walked in the corridor leading to the gate. The man was dressed in a sky-blue-colored Lu silk robe. It was just ordinary clothes, but he wore it with an elegant and dignified air that set him apart from others. Ren Yaoqi was about to tell the pair of grandmother and granddaughter Luo to go back to the residence arranged for them first, but she shifted her gaze and saw Mrs. Luo staring blankly at the visitor with a surprised look on her face. Ren Yaoqi immediately frowned and took a look at the visitor again. He also sensed the line of sight from this side. His footsteps stopped momentarily, before decided to walk out from the corridor until he reached three or four paces in front of Ren Yaoqi, then calmly bowed and saluted, ¡°Fifth Miss Ren.¡± Ren Yaoqi curtsied back, ¡°Young Master Han.¡± The visitor was none other than Han Yunqian. (don¡¯t forget to read it directly on sleepyautumn.link ! >.< ) Han Yunqian straightened up. His line of sight swept over grandmother and granddaughter Luo¡¯s faces, then turned away again, as if he didn¡¯t notice them. Mrs. Luo also had put away the astonishment on her face and stood at the side with her waist bent and her head lowered. ¡°Is Young Master Han not going to Yunyang City today?¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled and asked like nothing had happened. ¡°My grandfather asked Yunqian to come over and ask the Ren Family when they will depart and how many carriages and horses they have. We are taking precautions to avoid getting stuck at the city gates.¡± There were several other families traveling from Baihe Town besides the Han and Ren Families. Each of them had quite a few carriages, so it wasn¡¯t unheard of that the city gate would be blocked or they couldn¡¯t get past the narrow passage leading to the outside of the city. Preferably they would address it to each other beforehand in order to avoid it. Ren Yaoqi nodded and hurriedly said, ¡°My Eldest Aunt is the one who arranged all of our trips, she is over there by the reception hall. Go quickly so as not to delay your traveling.¡± Han Yunqian nodded slightly, bowed to Ren Yaoqi again, before he turned around and left. ¡°That young master¡­ his surname is Han?¡± Mrs. Luo, who had been standing aside with her hands dropped, suddenly asked. Ren Yaoqi stared at her, and explained calmly, ¡°Yes. The Han family had moved here from Jizhou the year before last. Do you know about Young Master Han?¡± Mrs. Luo was taken aback, then quickly shook her head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t know, this servant doesn¡¯t know. This servant just feels¡­ that he seems familiar.¡± Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly, ¡°Oh? Where did you meet him?¡± ¡°This servant has not come out from the village for so long. This Young Master Han is so young, it is impossible for this servant to have seen him. Maybe my old eyes are blurred and misunderstood,¡± Mrs. Luo shook her head again. ¡°That may be because he looks similar to one of his elders. Perhaps the one you¡¯ve met is his elders,¡± Ren Yaoqi reminded. (don¡¯t forget to read it directly on sleepyautumn.link ! >.< ) Mrs. Luo thought for a while and sighed, ¡°This servant is already old and can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°There is no rush, you can remember it slowly these few days,¡± Ren Yaoqi said meaningfully, peeking behind her back, and saw that Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaoyu had also arrived. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯ll leave first. Please feel at ease and stay in the mansion. If you need anything else, go find Matron Zhou.¡± Ren Yaoqi nodded, and turned to leave without waiting for Mrs. Luo to say anything. Ren Yaoqi was now certain that this Mrs. Luo knew something about the Han Family, but for some unknown reason, she was unwilling to speak. Since she had found the right person, Ren Yaoqi was in no hurry. She could always think of a way to make Mrs. Luo talk. Mrs. Luo watched Ren Yaoqi¡¯s figure gradually walk away and shook her head. A bitter smile spread from the corner of her mouth, making her wrinkled face look even more vicissitudes. ¡°Grandmother?¡± Shui¡¯ai timidly tugged on Mrs. Luo¡¯s sleeve, calling her in a small voice. Mrs. Luo came back to her senses. Her rough palm touched her granddaughter¡¯s head, and said lovingly, ¡°Haven¡¯t I explained to you many times? Be good when you enter the mansion, don¡¯t talk nonsense, and don¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Shui¡¯ai saw her grandmother regaining her usual compassion, and asked in puzzlement, ¡°Grandmother, this Fifth Miss looks very nice, why would you rather let a dog bite and injure yourself than come into the mansion?¡± (don¡¯t forget to read it directly on sleepyautumn.link ! >.< ) Mrs. Luo was so frightened that she covered her granddaughter¡¯s mouth, looked around and saw that they were the only ones there, then breathed a sigh of relief. She lowered her voice and scolded, ¡°I told you to be careful with what you say, why don¡¯t you listen to me? Are you going to wait until we both die before you regret it?¡± Shui¡¯ai was aggrieved by the scolding, but she still lowered her head and admitted her mistake, ¡°Grandma, I was wrong, and I will never dare to do it again. Don¡¯t get so angry, it will hurt your body.¡± Mrs. Luo gazed at the surrounding scene, her eyes were old and mournful, and she murmured, ¡°What should come will always come.¡± CH 134 Chapter 134: Special Treatment The Dragon Boat Race in Yunyang City was an annual event in Yanzhou, and every year, notable families all around Yanzhou would gather here for the Dragon Boat Festival. When the Ren Family¡¯s carriage came out of Baihe Town, there were already quite a few traveling carriages on the official road. However, there were still a handful of families like the Ren Family who dispatched more than 20 carriages. It was already sishi in the morning when they arrived at Yunyang City. Although the sky was already bright, it was not too warm to be unbearable. >> sishi (please read in sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Ren Family¡¯s carriages used breathable gauze curtains because the weather was getting hotter. Since the beginning of entering the city gate, Ren Yaoqi¡¯s eyes kept looking outside. She could see the hidden pedestrians and carriages, and hear the various noises from the market. This was the prosperity of Yunyang City as the number one city in Yanbei. When the Khitans invaded the south, the Ruler of the Khitan thought of moving their capital south to Yunyang City. Unfortunately, he was kicked out of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun by Xiao Qishan, the fourth Prince Yanbei. The capital of Yunyang City became the dying wish of the Ruler of Khitan. Ren Yaoqi was unfamiliar with Yunyang City. In her last life, she had only been here a few times with her mother when she was still young, but rarely she had the chance to travel after she grew up. Like her mother Li, she was a neglected existence in the Ren family. In the last life she wanted to escape to her ancestral home outside Yunyang City to seek refuge, but was stopped halfway before entering the city. The Ren Family¡¯s carriage slowly passed through the most spacious main road in Yunyang City and entered the inner city. ¡°Where is the carriage going?¡± Ren Yaoqi asked Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaohua gave Ren Yaoqi a strange look, and then it occurred to her that this was the first time Ren Yaoqi had come to watch a dragon boat race. ¡°The dragon boat needs to be launched first, the official race won¡¯t start until the afternoon. We are going to the Ren Family¡¯s private residence in Yunyang City, and we will be staying there for the next few days.¡± Ren Yaoqi knew that the Ren Family had a mansion in Yunyang City, she had also been there before. The carriage in front of her stopped. Ren Yaohua lifted the curtain and checked, ¡°Aunt is going back to the Lin Family, she will not travel on the same road as us.¡± Sure enough, a few carriages left the group after. Ren Family¡¯s carriage moved again. After less than a quarter of an hour, it finally stopped in front of a red Manzi Gate. This is the main entrance of the side mansion. The gate was not very big, but Ren Yaoqi remembers that this mansion was actually a spacious four-entry mansion. Before the trip, they had already arranged their personal residence. As soon as Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua got off the carriage, they were led by the matron to the west wing of the third entry. The two sisters would stay together in the first room on the north side of the west wing. The room was very spacious and fully furnished. Some of them were furniture that was used every day by Ren Yaoqi and have been arranged before they came in. Ren Yaohua was quite familiar with this room. She must have stayed in this room every time she went to Yunyang City. Old Madam Ren would live in the north room of the third entry, so the west wing of the third entry was the place with better conditions. After they settled down, Fifth Master came over to ask Old Madam Ren for instructions. Then he took the Fifth Madam Lin and their pair of children to his in-law¡¯s house. People from the Fifth Branch seldom lived in the side mansion when they come to Yunyang City, most of the time they would live in the Lin Family Mansion. Even though Old Madam Ren was dissatisfied with her youngest son, she didn¡¯t want to cause any resentment at this moment and embarrass the Ren Family in front of others, so she waved her hand and let them go. As a result, there was no proper daughter-in-law who served Old Madam Ren, other than Concubine Fang. (please read in sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Concubine Fang had changed her clothes and planned to serve the Old Madam. Unexpectedly, Ren Yaohua had already dragged Ren Yaoqi to meet Old Madam Ren. She didn¡¯t give Concubine Fang a chance to intervene and serve. Old Madam Ren was surrounded by several granddaughters and the Eldest Granddaughter-in-law, plus a room full of maidservants, so there was really no need for Concubine Fang to do anything. In the end, Old Madam Ren looked at Concubine Fang then shifted her gaze to Ren Yaohua, and ordered Concubine Fang to go back. Old Madam Ren was a very shrewd person. She didn¡¯t mind giving Concubine Fang a little more face behind the closed door of Ren Family¡¯s inner courtyard. It didn¡¯t even matter if Concubine Fang¡¯s limelight overwhelms the main wife Li. But when she went outside, where the aristocratic families gathered together, she was really ashamed to treat a concubine as a proper daughter-in-law. This person wasn¡¯t worth losing her or the Ren Family¡¯s reputation. So it¡¯s not that Old Madam Ren didn¡¯t understand the difference between a concubine and the main wife, she just acted according to the occasion. Old Madam Ren sent an order to arrange the noon meal in the side mansion a bit earlier. When the time came Ren Family¡¯s ladies only needed to enter the carriage, while managing the trip was tasked to the men and stewards of the family. Ren Yaoqi sat quietly and listened to her sisters and happily chatted about the interesting events at last year¡¯s Dragon Boat Festival around Old Madam Ren. The atmosphere was happy and harmonious, then a servant hurried in and reported, ¡±Old Madam, the carriage of the Yanbei Royal Family has arrived.¡± Old Madam Ren, who was leaning back on the kang and resting, immediately opened her eyes and sat up straight when she heard this, ¡°Which one of them came?¡± The servant, however, glanced at Ren Yaoqi who was sitting on the side, and replied, ¡°Just a carriage and a maid. She said that it was sent by the County Princess to pick up Fifth Miss.¡± The room instantly fell silent, and the gazes of the people in the room all went to Ren Yaoqi. Old Madam Ren also stared at Ren Yaoqi. After contemplating, she spoke to Ren Yaoqi with a loving smile on her face, ¡°Since the County Princess came to pick you up, you should go.¡± Ren Yaoqi did not expect Xiao Jinglin to invite her so quickly and was also a bit surprised. After listening to Old Madam Ren¡¯s words, she softly obliged, ¡°Yes,¡± and then got up and retreated. (please read in sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) The carriage of the Yanbei Royal Family stopped at the entrance. It was painted black with a green hood and looked very ordinary. Only when Ren Yaoqi walked into the carriage that she found under the eaves of the carriage, there was Yanbei Royal Family¡¯s logo, an eagle with spread wings. Ren Yaoqi subconsciously glanced toward where the coach driver was sitting, and couldn¡¯t help but felt disappointed. This time the coach driver wasn¡¯t Dongsheng but a middle-aged woman in her forties. The maid beside the carriage welcomed Ren Yaoqi and helped her onto the carriage. Ren Yaoqi only brought Pingguo with her. She reasoned that the County Princess didn¡¯t like too many people following them, it was not good if others were there and bother her. Since the County Princess wasn¡¯t here, Ren Yaoqi let Pingguo get on the carriage as well. Xiao Jinglin¡¯s maid, Hongying, was a girl who didn¡¯t like to talk, answered any inquiries succinctly. Ren Yaoqi wasn¡¯t a talkative person either and stopped asking after a couple of questions. She was really Xiao Jinglin¡¯s personal maid. Her temperaments were the same as her master¡¯s. The carriage traveled for nearly half an hour and finally stopped at the edge of a pier in Yunyang City. The Liyang River ran through Yunyang, so there were a few piers in Yunyang City. However, the wharf in Yunyang City was not used for civil or commercial purposes. The river mouth into the city was guarded by the army, so most of the time there were no boats in the Liyang River in the city. There were only women squatting on the stone steps of the wharf in twos and threes, washing vegetables and laundry, and laughing and cursing like in the market. Today¡¯s dragon boat race was not held outside the city gates and not in this section of the river within the city. Hongying jumped off the carriage first, then turned around to help Ren Yaoqi. When Ren Yaoqi got off the carriage, she saw a small boat docked by the river. Ren Yaoqi had seen this kind of boat when she was in the capital city. The rich young masters liked to sit inside to drink and listen to music. However, it was rare to see it in Yanbei. As Ren Yaoqi was standing on the shore and sizing up the boat, the front door of the boat suddenly opened, and then Xiao Jinglin walked out from inside. Xiao Jinglin seemed calm when her eyes found Ren Yaoqi, but she asked, ¡°Are you afraid of water?¡± Ren Yaoyi shook her head and walked down the stone steps along the shore. There were a few rotten vegetable leaves on the stone steps near the water surface and even some filthy fish scales. When walked down, she could smell the fishy smell of water, the stinkiness was not worth mentioning. (please read in sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Xiao Jinglin reached out and pulled Ren Yaoqi onto the boat. Although the boat was not big, its body was very stable, didn¡¯t shake even when Ren Yaoqi stepped on it. There was only a maid who was similarly dressed as Hongying in the boat and no one else. Ren Yaoqi looked around curiously. Inside the boat was quite spacious. It came with daily utensils. Other than that, there was nothing special. Although Xiao Jinglin¡¯s face was cold, she kept holding Ren Yaoqi and leading her to sit on the cushion before letting go, fearing that she would not be able to walk steadily on the boat. ¡°The Second Brother asked Eldest Brother to buy this pleasure boat in the capital. He bought three boats in total. This was only launched for the first time yesterday. When I heard that you came, I thought that you might not have sat on this before, so I had someone pick you up and bring you here.¡± Xiao Jinglin stared at Ren Yaoyi and explained weakly. Ren Yaoyi was looking around and smiled at Xiao Jinglin, ¡°Thank you, County Princess, I really haven¡¯t entered this kind of boat before.¡± Xiao Jinglin observed Ren Yaoqi a few more times, then smiled back, ¡°It was fortunate that you didn¡¯t get dizzy when you came up. Yesterday, Mother Consort vomited as soon as she got in. It scared my grandmother so much they didn¡¯t want to enter the boat. Then the Second Brother took this boat and gave it to me.¡± There was a rare mischievousness in her words. >> Mother Consort There were few rivers in the north, so Yanbei people were not as good at water as people from the south, and most people were not used to boats. Although Ren Yaoqi had never been on a pleasure boat, she had been on a ship before. >> Pleasure Boats (please read in sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) The pleasure boat sailed slowly through the river in the inner city, and many people on the river bank stopped to look at it. It was rare to see a pleasure boat in Yanbei, let alone one that dared to sail in the inner city. Ren Yaoqi was in Xiao Jinglin¡¯s favor today and people kept pointing at her for the whole journey. Xiao Jinglin didn¡¯t change her face. She didn¡¯t care about the movement outside the boat. Ren Yaoqi was also able to sit still. She was in a backlight position where people outside can hardly see her face clearly, so she hardly felt any pressure. When the boat was approaching a large stone bridge across the river, there was a banging sound and something hit the boat. Both of them originally did not care about it, but unexpectedly there were two more banging sounds followed after. Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but look at Xiao Jinglin. Is someone smashed the boat? CH 135 Chapter 135: A Fight on the River Xiao Jinglin glanced at the maid who was kneeling on the side to boil water and make tea. Hongying immediately stood up and walked out of the pavilion. Xiao Jinglin sat and didn¡¯t move, Ren Yaoqi also followed suit. Not long after, Hongying came back and was about to report, but then a woman¡¯s voice was heard from outside, ¡°Xiao Jinglin, don¡¯t you know that you aren¡¯t allowed to sail a boat in the city river? Or are you relying on your status to knowingly violate the law?¡± That voice sounded young and should be about the same age as Xiao Jinglin. But her tone carried undisguised mockery and displeasure. It was obvious that the girl outside knew Xiao Jinglin, but Ren Yaoqi was wondering who in Yanbei dared to speak to the County Princess of the Yanbei Royal Family like this. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Xiao Jinglin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She didn¡¯t seem to have any plans to step forward, only ordered Hongying in a low voice, ¡°Instruct the boatwoman to leave the city through the north gate.¡± Hongying turned around and went out again without any hesitation. Ren Yaoqi could hear her talking to the boatwoman at the stern from inside the pleasure boat. Another maid made the tea and poured it for each of Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi. The neglected woman standing on the bridge was furious, and her voice became louder, ¡°Xiao Jinglin, you heard me! Come out quickly! Are the two waterway gates in the city merely for you to mess around with? You have completely lost the face of the Yanbei Palace! Xiao Jingyue, stop her boat quickly!¡± Xiao Jingyue? The Third Young Master Xiao? ¡°Cousin, there is something you have to know. That pleasure boat was specifically ordered by the Second Brother through the Eldest Brother in the capital. Don¡¯t look down at it by its size, the price of that pleasure boat is enough to buy a large mansion. It¡¯s not that this Third Brother didn¡¯t want to stop it, but this Third Brother has no guts to stop it and can¡¯t afford to pay for it if it breaks,¡± a slow relaxed voice of a man was heard, but it was only adding fuel to the fire. ¡°What are you good for, then? Go and stop the boat for me. If the boat breaks down, put it on me!¡± that woman arrogantly ordered. Then a few obedient voices sounded, it should be her maid who in turn ordered her subordinates. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Ren Yaoqi now could already guess who this girl was. The previous Princess Consort Yanbei, who was born as a Royal Princess, had only given birth to one daughter, Xiao Wei. Xiao Wei then was married to Wu Xiaohe, the General Military Officer of Ningxia, but also only gave birth to one daughter. The person outside who dared to challenge Xiao Jinglin should be Xiao Wei¡¯s daughter, cousin to Yanbei Royal Family. This Miss Wu didn¡¯t sound like an easy person to handle. Ren Yaoqi was pondering the complicated relationship of this family, but suddenly she felt something knock the wall of the boat and caused the whole boat to shake. Unexpectedly the people outside really dare to take action. She was unprepared for a moment, and bumped into the short table. The tea bowl on the low table was shaken by the impact, and the hot tea that had just been brewed was about to spill onto Ren Yaoqi. Xiao Jinglin, who was sitting next to him, quickly pulled Ren Yaoqi over. That tea flowed down the edge of the table to the carpet in the boat, soaking a piece of it. It was still steaming. ¡°Miss, did you get burned?¡± Pingguo asked, worriedly. She was standing on the opposite side of the room before and had just nearly fallen to the ground, then immediately rushed over. Xiao Jinglin also looked at her with concern. Ren Yaoqi shook her head, ¡°County Princess pulled me away in time, so I wasn¡¯t scalded.¡± Outside, a sound of something falling into the water was heard, followed by a cry of surprise. ¡°County Princess, they are using a bamboo pole to knock our boatwoman overboard.¡± Hongying peeked outside and reported. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) The people on the bridge had found bamboo poles from somewhere. After knocking the boatwoman into the water and preventing her from getting on the boat, they also used the bamboo poles to push the outer wall of the boat in one direction. The pleasure boat which was about to move through the bridge hole, suddenly turned sideways. The situation on the bridge now could be seen clearly after the boat changed direction. A tall and slender woman in a purple dress stood on the edge of the bridge railing with the corners of her mouth slightly raised. She looked at this side, as if she was very satisfied with the embarrassment of the people on board. Standing beside her was a handsome young man. Rubbing his chin and watching lazily, he looked like he was watching a good show and didn¡¯t interfere. There were also three or four servants behind them, each clutching a ten-foot bamboo pole and straining their effort to steer the pleasure boat in a different way. Common people stood a bit further away, unintentionally witnessing the fun. However, no one dared to make a sound after seeing what happened. The boat spinning on the river made Ren Yaoqi¡¯s head shake and she felt dizzy. Xiao Jinglin finally stood up, ¡°You guys watch Miss Ren here.¡± With that, she walked out of the room. ¡°County Princess, be careful not to fall into the river,¡± Ren Yaoqi went to pull Xiao Jinglin but failed to do so. Xiao Jinglin nodded and in turn, comforted Ren Yaoqi, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can swim.¡± Ren Yaoqi felt exasperated. What does this have to do with the ability to swim? She was a County Princess, how could she fall into the water? Would she have to swim to the shore in front of everyone? Xiao Jinglin had already left the cabin. Ren Yaoqi realized that even when the boat was unstable, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s steps were still steady and not affected. Ren Yaoqi then remembered that Xiao Jinglin was different from ordinary women like them, Xiao Jinglin knew martial arts. She immediately felt relieved. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Ren Yaoqi didn¡¯t care whether the people outside could see her or not, she hurriedly sat by the window and looked at Xiao Jinglin who got out of the cabin. Xiao Jinglin grabbed a bamboo pole in front of her and fiercely pulled it to her chest. It wasn¡¯t clear how hard she exerted herself, but the big-waisted servant at the end of the bamboo pole was flying away from the bridge, and with a plop sound, fell into the water. A few other servants were a bit scared and wanted to retreat. That girl in purple had a cold expression, took the bamboo pole in the hand of a woman who was close to her, and then waved it towards this side. She didn¡¯t attack the boat like those servants, instead came straight to Xiao Jinglin. Xiao Jinglin raised her hand and swung her pole back. The girl in purple turned her wrist to avoid it, and then attacked it immediately. Both of them, one stood on the bridge and one stood on the boat, started fighting. Ren Yaoqi watched them for a long time. Unexpectedly, the girl in the purple dress also had some martial arts skills, and because she stood on a high place and took advantage of the geographical advantage, for the time being, it didn¡¯t seem that she would be lost. Ren Yaoqi had a headache. What is happening? ¡°Why are you doing this, Cousin?¡± Xiao Jinglin finally spoke, but she still sounded indifferent. This was the first sentence she said to the people on the bridge. The woman on the bridge snorted coldly, ¡°Since you call me cousin, I¡¯ll teach you so you don¡¯t keep acting unbridled and abusing the authority of the Yanbei Royal Family, disgracing yourself everywhere!¡± Ren Yaoqi thought that according to Xiao Jinglin¡¯s temperament, she would keep silent again, but unexpectedly Xiao Jinglin replied albeit indifferently, ¡°What does it have to do with you if I am disgracing the Yanbei Royal Family? Do you want to change your surname to Xiao?¡± Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She felt that she still didn¡¯t know Xiao Jinglin well enough¡­ ¡°You!¡± The girl in the purple dress was so angry at Xiao Jinglin that her face became distorted. Next to her was someone who let out a ¡°Pfft¡­¡± and laughed out loud. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) The purple-clothed girl¡¯s face turned cold and she immediately turned her head, but she was struck on the arm by Xiao Jinglin. With that sound, Ren Yaoqi instinctively flinched. The purple-clothed girl¡¯s face turned pale from the pain but didn¡¯t turn to glower at Xiao Jinglin. Ren Yaoqi looked towards the bridge and was also stunned. At some point, there were three more people standing on the bridge. Among them, the slender young man with sword eyebrows and starry eyes leaning on the bridge railing with his mouth slanted was Yun Wenfang. Yun Wenfang stayed for a while in Ren Family Mansion, but he never showed up again, probably busy with something. Since Qiu Yun returned to the academy, it was not appropriate for him to keep hanging out in the rear courtyard of the Ren Family Mansion, so it was even harder to catch his shadow. She didn¡¯t realize that he had already gone back to Yunyang City. Yun Wenfang also saw Ren Yaoqi by the window at that time. His eyes started to lit up, he stood up straight, and blinked in her direction. ¡°County Princess, Miss Wu.¡± A young man dressed as a scholar who came with Yun Wenfang made a bow, his voice was as clear and sweet as spring water. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) When he lifted himself up, Ren Yaoqi couldn¡¯t help but secretly praise his face. This young man¡¯s appearance was outstanding, among the men Ren Yaoqi has met, except for Xiao Jingxi who was basically demi-immortal and not considered human, this man¡¯s appearance was undoubtedly the best. He carried a strong scholarly aura. Unlike Yun Wenfang¡¯s aggressive and domineering temperament, he made people feel a cleansing spring breeze. Every common woman will blush to face such a man. So the girl in purple quietly put down the bamboo pole in her hand, lowered her head and covered her arm that was hit by Xiao Jinglin just now, and called out, ¡°Young Master Yun.¡± Her face looked reddened. The aggressive girl who was waving the bamboo pole just now immediately changed into a virtuous young lady from a prestigious family who had just been bullied. Her face-changing skills were amazing. Yun Wenfang observed the young man dressed as a scholar, his signature smile still hanging on the corner of his mouth, wearing a teasing look. (please read on sleepyautumn.link, thank you >.< ) Ren Yaoqi realized that the ¡®Young Master Yun¡¯ was not referred to Yun Wenfang, but this young man who looked like a scholar. Yun Wenfang¡¯s older brother, Yun Wenting. In her last life, Ren Yaoqi had seen Yun Wenting. But it was a long time ago and she couldn¡¯t remember his appearance. She only vaguely remembered that he was very good-looking. Her fourth sister Ren Yaoyin was given to Yun Wenting as a concubine at that time. As for who Yun Wenting¡¯s wife was, Ren Yaoyi didn¡¯t remember. CH 136 Chapter 136: Each Had Their Own Ideas Xiao Jinglin glanced at the three men who appeared suddenly and greeted them with a nod. She didn¡¯t hide the bamboo pole in her hand to destroy the evidence as Miss Wu did. Instead, she stretched it out into the river and fished up the beaten boatwoman. The fight was finished, but it was still an awkward situation. The only sounds heard were the paddling water and the boatwoman gasping for air. Xiao Jingyue, who had been standing on the bridge to watch the fun, swept his eyes over the faces of the two sons of the Yun Family. Then his eyes rested on the face of another young man who looked unfamiliar, the corner of his mouth raised, ¡°Why are you here? Who is this?¡± The crowd also cast their eyes on the newcomer. His face was clear, his demeanor carried the kind of elegance and idleness that was usually seen in noble gentlemen, and although the clothes on his body were not gorgeous, the fabric quality was good. He should be a young master of a notable family. However, most of the young masters of the famous families in Yunyang City and even the entire Yanbei were acquainted with each other, but no one had ever seen this young master who just appeared with the Yun Family brothers before. (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) When that young man saw the crowd looking at him, a bright smile appeared on his face, a pair of dimples slightly visible on his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m Lei Zhen, I came from Jiangnan not long ago.¡± ¡°Lei?¡± Xiao Jingyue sized up Lei Zhen and stroked his chin in deep thought. Yun Wenfang snorted and cast a sidelong look at Xiao Jingyue, ¡°He is Lei Ting¡¯s younger brother. Third Young Master Xiao should recognize his brother as well.¡± Xiao Jingyue suddenly realized and nodded his head, ¡°That is why he looks somewhat familiar, so you are a son of the Lei family.¡± The young man grinned when he saw everyone talking about him, and bowed to them. ¡°Lei Family, one of the old families in Yanbei that moved south back then?¡± Miss Wu finally found a chance to interject. She curiously seized up Lei Zhen a few times, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that the Lei Family encountered the Khitan Army when they moved south and their entire clan was killed by the Khitans? How did another Lei Family pop up?¡± Lei Zhen didn¡¯t mind her speaking so directly and explained in a good-tempered manner, ¡°My great-grandfather fell ill on the way south, so he didn¡¯t go with the Lei Family. Instead, he traveled two days later than everyone else. By the time he caught up, the members of the Lei Family had already¡­¡± Despite the passage of time, the young man¡¯s eyes still held a bit of gloom. After all, it was the blood and sorrow of his own family. Yun Wenting reached out and patted his shoulder. Lei Zhen nodded and returned his smile to indicate that he was fine. Back then, the Lei Family was one of the largest and oldest families in Yanbei. Countless sages and high court officials had come out of the Lei clan, and even the Yun Family, which now was known as the number one family in Yanbei, was unable to compete with it. (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) Ren Yaoqi was also pondering about the Lei Family, wondering why she didn¡¯t seem to have any impression of this Lei Family in her last life. She initially assumed it was a family that had fallen out of favor, thus she had not heard of it. But from what she saw today, the two Lei brothers were able to mingle with these people. They didn¡¯t appear to have fallen from grace. Over there, Yun Wenting was standing on the bridge talking to Xiao Jinglin. ¡°Will the County Princess go to watch the dragon boat races this afternoon?¡± Xiao Jinglin sent the boatwoman into the cabin to change her clothes and nodded faintly as an answer. Yun Wenting seemed to have gotten used to her cold attitude so he didn¡¯t take it personally. He said warmly, ¡±We have a big boat, so we can follow the dragon boats and watch it then. Jingxi will also come, does County Princess want to get on the boat together?¡± (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) Before Xiao Jinglin could say anything, Miss Wu, who had been at the side and had not left, fiercely glared at Xiao Jingyue and winked at him. Xiao Jingyue was taken aback for a moment, then glanced at Yun Wenting and Xiao Jinglin, and suddenly understood. ¡°Ehem, Eldest Young Master Yun, you can¡¯t treat one person favorably than another, right? Did you just invite my second brother and ignore those of us who don¡¯t matter?¡± Yun Wenting, who was waiting for Xiao Jinglin¡¯s answer, was stunned when he heard that remark. He could be considered a cousin to Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin. But Xiao Jingyue was a lot closer to the Su Family, while their entanglement usually was just on the surface. That is why he didn¡¯t invite Xiao Jingyue as well. But a young master of a prestigious family like Yun Wenting normally would not embarrass others in public. So he quickly smiled and nodded at Xiao Jingyue, ¡°If Third Young Master Xiao is willing to show his face, it will be my pleasure.¡± After he said this, Yun Wenting turned toward Miss Wu again and politely said, ¡°If Miss Wu has the time, please come along as well.¡± Xiao Jingyue winked at Miss Wu. Contrary to what anyone expected, Miss Wu reserved herself. She lowered her head and tugged at the pressed skirt on her hemline, replied softly, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and ask my grandmother.¡± Yun Wenting nodded, then looked at Xiao Jinglin again. Xiao Jinglin answered, indifferent, ¡°I will go with Ren Yaoqi on this pleasure boat. There will be too many people on your boat.¡± Everyone turned their eyes to the pleasure boat again. Ren Yaoqi had already sat in, so the people outside could only see a vague silhouette of a peaceful, quiet, girl. (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) Ren Yaoqi had thought about leaving the cabin, but at the end she didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t that she was impolite. She was not Xiao Jinglin, and now since she was on a pleasure boat and didn¡¯t know most of the people on board, it was not a good time to meet new people. Moreover, if she stood at the front of the boat, didn¡¯t stand still, and fell into the river, she would have to bear the consequences. Yun Wenting stared at Xiao Jinglin. He looked like he wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, he gave up, and only warmly said, ¡°Be safe, County Princess. Follow our boat as long as possible, so we can take care of you.¡± Xiao Jinglin glanced at the young woman on the bridge, ¡°This boat is very stable. Unless someone deliberately messes with it, nothing will happen. I will take good precautions.¡± At this time, the boatwoman had already changed into dry clothes and came out, but her hair was still damp, so she covered it up with a tight headscarf. Xiao Jinglin commanded her, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The boatwoman obliged and went to the stern to steer the boat. Xiao Jinglin nodded at the bridge, turned around, and was about to return to the cabin. (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) Yun Wenting was about to speak, but Yun Wenfang, who was leaning on the bridge railing, was the first to open his mouth, ¡°County Princess, my grandmother has also prepared something for you for the Thousand Gold Banquet in a few days. When will you visit the mansion to take a look?¡± Yun Wenting stared at Yun Wenfang with astonishment, probably because Yun Wenfang took the initiative to talk to Xiao Jinglin. Xiao Jinglin had a cold demeanor, and with Yun Wenfang¡¯s arrogance, they constantly disregarded each other, even though there was no hate between them. Yun Wenfang remained silent and merely looked at Xiao Jinglin. Xiao Jinglin¡¯s footsteps lurched, turning her head at Yun Wenfang also with surprise. After considering it for a while, she nodded and replied, ¡°After a few days, when I have time, I will go.¡± Yun Wenfang raised his eyebrows and smiled, and glanced at the cabin, ¡°County Princess might as well bring Miss Ren along. I was taken care of by the Ren Family when I was in Baihe Town, and the Third Master Ren taught me how to play chess, so my mother also would like to meet the Young Miss of the Ren Family.¡± Xiao Jinglin nodded, ¡°I will ask her what she wants.¡± With that, she entered the cabin. Yun Wenfang¡¯s eyes stayed on the pleasure boat all the time. No one disturbed it this time, and the pleasure boat passed the bridge hole smoothly and gradually sailed away. (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) Turning back to Yun Wenting¡¯s probing gaze, Yun Wenfang¡¯s expression did not change. He looked towards Miss Wu and Xiao Jingyue who hadn¡¯t left yet, smiled wryly, ¡°Are you two here to enjoy the scenery?¡± Miss Wu who just stared at Yun Wenting, blushed uncontrollably, lowered her head, and whispered, ¡°We, We are leaving too.¡± If no one hadn¡¯t seen the shrewish appearance of her beating Xiao Jinglin with a bamboo pole, they would probably think that this was a gentle and shy young lady of a prestigious family. Yun Wenfang side-eyed Yun Wenting. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he leaned against the stone bridge railing with arms crossed. Yun Wenting shook his head helplessly, stepped forward to bow, and said their goodbye, ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll take our leave first.¡± The two parties bid farewell to each other, one heading east and the other to the west. Miss Wu couldn¡¯t help but look back a few times as she descended the bridge. Unfortunately, that person had already gotten on his horse and went far. (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) Xiao Jingyue observed her from the side. He smiled slightly, before sighing, and said, ¡°People outside say that our sickly second brother is a rare character, but in my opinion, he can¡¯t compare to the Eldest Young Master Yun. In terms of appearance and knowledge, Yun Wenting is far above anyone in Yanbei.¡± Miss Wu thought highly of this and smiled broadly, just as if she was the one who was being complimented. Xiao Jingyue, however, sighed again and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s a pity.¡± Miss Wu froze, ¡°Pity what?¡± Xiao Jingyue came to Miss Wu¡¯s ear and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I heard that the Yun Family wanted Yun Wenting to marry Xiao Jinglin, and neither the Prince nor the Princess Consort objected. Think about it, Xiao Jinglin¡¯s temperament beside Eldest Young Master Yun¡­ Tsk. I don¡¯t think it is a good match.¡± Miss Wu¡¯s face sank, ¡°They didn¡¯t match in the first place! Xiao Jinglin isn¡¯t worthy of him!¡± Xiao Jingyue smiled and continued, ¡°Alright, they didn¡¯t match. I think that the only person in Yanbei who is worthy of Eldest Young Master Yun is you, cousin.¡± Miss Wu¡¯s face, although still furious, immediately reddened. She lowered her head shyly, ¡°You, what nonsense are you talking about?¡± Xiao Jingyue swore in a serious manner, ¡°If there is even a bit of falsehood in my words, I will be struck by lightning.¡± Miss Wu was a little dazed, but after a long time, she sighed, ¡°But, there is no room for us to make decisions about our own marriage.¡± Xiao Jingyue was unimpressed, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that. Don¡¯t worry, Cousin. I will always be on your side.¡± (this translation provided by sleepyautumn.link, and no other) The two brothers of the Yun family over there were also chatting. Yun Wenfang glanced at his brother with a smile on his face. Yun Wenting, who was stared at for a long time, finally sighed and turned his head, ¡°Second Brother, why are you looking at me?¡± ¡°This face of yours had caused trouble for yourself, but now it has also caused trouble for others. A lot of people have provoked, and yet you can¡¯t do anything about it. I feel sorry for you,¡± Yun Wenfang replied leisurely.