Looking at the benevolent and amiable expressions on Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren's faces, Ren Yaoqi slightly lowered her gaze.
This was only the second time in her two lifetimes combined that she had been regarded with such importance by her grandparents. In her previous life, when the Ren Family intended to send her to Supervisor Lu, they had also held a lengthy conversation with her.
They spoke of nothing more than urging her to prioritize the family's interests, serve that powerful eunuch well, and find ways to benefit the Ren Family.
At the time, her first reaction was disgust and nausea. She couldn't understand how anyone could be so shameless.
Having lived a second life, Ren Yaoqi no longer felt that kind of cynical anger when facing such hypocrisy. Her heart was extremely calm.
Scheming and maneuvering had always been the Ren Family's consistent style. Back then, when the Ren Family arranged for her father to marry her mother, it was merely because they wanted to "hoard a rare commodity."
Before Prince Xian's mother, Consort Wan, took her own life, her influence was not to be underestimated. When Prince Xian first arrived in Yanbei, the current emperor and the Yan family's hold on the throne was not yet secure, and Prince Xian still had a chance to make a comeback.
However, what the Ren Family did not anticipate was Consort Wan's decisiveness and resolve. They did not expect that her efforts to send Prince Xian to Yanbei were genuinely intended to let him live peacefully, rather than a strategic retreat to plan for the future.
As time went on, with the support of the Yan family, the current emperor's rule grew increasingly stable. Prince Xian's situation became more precarious, and Madam Li, who had married into the Ren Family, became an increasingly troublesome pawn.
Ren Yaoqi sometimes felt grateful that Prince Xian's family was in Yanbei, beyond the reach of Empress Dowager Yan's faction in the capital. Otherwise, if Prince Xian showed even the slightest sign of trouble, Madam Li would undoubtedly have become a sacrificial pawn for the Ren Family.
The reason Madam Li managed to survive even after being discarded was likely due to the Ren Family's instinctive fear of the surname "Li."
If the court were to move against Prince Xian, killing Madam Li could be presented as a gesture of loyalty to the court. However, since the court had not yet targeted Prince Xian, taking action against her might invite trouble. Thus, although Madam Li had lived a stifling life in the Ren Family over the years, she had not lost her life.
Ren Yaoqi slightly lowered her gaze, her voice still respectful and obedient: "The Commandery Princess said that Second Young Master Xiao came on business and will return to Yunyang City tomorrow. She will also go back with him. Today, the Commandery Princess has other places to visit and is not free. As for Second Young Master Xiao... your granddaughter does not know how to invite him."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Ren instinctively frowned, her tone tinged with reproach: "Why didn't you keep the Commandery Princess here today? If you could have had her stay overnight in our residence, everything would have been easy. The Commandery Princess rarely shows you such favor, and you couldn't even seize the opportunity properly?"
Faced with such unreasonable blame, Ren Yaoqi only lowered her head further, appearing uneasy: "The Commandery Princess said she did not wish to enter the residence. Your granddaughter could not force her to come."
Old Madam Ren was about to say more, but Old Master Ren smiled and smoothed things over for Ren Yaoqi: "Alright, not being able to invite the Commandery Princess and Young Master Xiao this time doesn't mean there won't be another chance. I see that Fifth Girl is clever—otherwise, she wouldn't be the only one to have caught the Commandery Princess's eye. Don't be too harsh on her."
Old Madam Ren then found it difficult to say anything more.Old Master Ren said kindly, "Fifth girl, you must remember, if there is a chance next time to invite the Prince of Yanbei's appointment in, then you must find a way to do so. You must understand, if our Ren Family can establish connections with the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, it would be a rare and precious opportunity for us. Only when the Ren Family prospers can you descendants, who rely on the Ren Family for survival, thrive as well."
Ren Yaoqi softly responded, "Yes."
Old Master Ren was very satisfied with Ren Yaoqi's obedience and thus instructed Old Madam Ren, "I see that Fifth girl is excellent, just a bit timid. You should spend more effort on her in the future and nurture her well. I believe this child will surely have a bright future ahead!"
Old Madam Ren glanced at Old Master Ren, wondering if he was blaming her for neglecting this granddaughter too much in daily life, which led to her developing such a timid temperament.
"Yes, I understand," Old Madam Ren replied respectfully in front of Old Master Ren.
"You must be tired, go back and rest first," Old Master Ren said affectionately to Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi took the opportunity to stand up, performed a proper bow, and was about to withdraw when Old Master Ren added, "If the Commandery Princess returns, remember to write to her regularly to send greetings, so she doesn't forget you."
"Yes, Grandfather," Ren Yaoqi remained obedient and well-behaved throughout.
Seeing that Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren had no further instructions, Ren Yaoqi quietly withdrew.
As soon as she lifted the curtain and stepped out, Ren Yaoqi instinctively took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and then slowly exhaled.
The courtyard of Glory and Splendor Courtyard had no greenery, showing no trace of spring or summer, making one feel stifled just standing there. Although she disliked this place intensely, her steps remained slow and steady.
After Ren Yaoqi left, Old Madam Ren asked Old Master Ren, "Do you think the Commandery Princess really came to our Ren Family just to see Fifth girl this time?"
Old Madam Ren had specifically summoned Madam Li and the servants who accompanied them to White Dragon Temple that day for questioning after Ren Yaoqi left. They all said that as soon as the Commandery Princess saw Ren Yaoqi, she acted as if they were very compatible and took her for tea.
However, no matter how compatible, it was unlikely that they would become close after just one meeting and one tea session.
Old Madam Ren still had doubts about the Commandery Princess coming to see Ren Yaoqi.
Old Master Ren, who had been deep in thought, replied upon hearing Old Madam Ren's words, "Although it is somewhat peculiar, nothing inappropriate can be seen for now. In any case, it is a good thing for the Yanbei Prince's Mansion to be friendly with our Ren Family. Many people already know about the Commandery Princess's visit to our mansion today, and there have been quite a few inquiries."
The Commandery Princess of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion came to White Crane Town and went nowhere else but first visited their Ren Mansion. This was a matter of great face for the Ren Family.
"You must not look down on Fifth girl as you did before. Gaining the favor of nobility shows she is blessed, and who knows what opportunities she may have in the future," Old Master Ren reminded Old Madam Ren once again.
Old Madam Ren, however, was somewhat dismissive. "What opportunities? Even if Fifth girl can win the Commandery Princess's favor, could we possibly have her marry into the Yanbei Prince's Mansion?"Old Madam Ren had only said it offhand, but Old Master Ren stroked his beard and fell into thoughtful silence.
Having been married to him for many years, Old Madam Ren recognized this expression and knew he must have something in mind. She couldn’t help but probe, “Old Master, do you really have such an idea? But how could a marriage alliance with the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion be so easily arranged?”
Old Master Ren stroked his beard and mused, “Originally, it would indeed be difficult, but it’s not entirely without opportunity.”
“Oh?” Old Madam Ren grew somewhat interested and straightened up to listen.
Old Master Ren said, “You should know of Second Young Master Xiao, right?”
Old Madam Ren nodded. “Second Young Master Xiao of the Xiao Family, Xiao Jingxi—of course I know him.”
“This Second Young Master Xiao has been frail since childhood. A few years ago, he nearly passed away. Although he went on a long journey this time and I’ve heard his condition improved significantly upon his return, can an illness carried from the womb truly be cured? Medicine can control it for a time, but not forever. One day, his body will inevitably fail,” Old Master Ren stated with certainty.
Old Madam Ren pondered his words in her heart. As a couple of many years, she suddenly had a flash of insight and looked at Old Master Ren in surprise. “You mean…”
Old Master Ren said calmly, “In Yanbei, we have long had the custom of ‘auspicious marriage.’ When a man is critically ill and still unmarried, as he nears the end of his life, his family will select a woman from a slightly lower social standing to marry into the household for auspicious purposes. Although the ceremonies may be simplified, as long as her status isn’t too low, she is generally still formally married as the principal wife.”
Old Madam Ren had only guessed a little before, but now that Old Master Ren had spoken so plainly, how could she not understand?
“You mean, when the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion seeks an auspicious marriage for Second Young Master Xiao, our Ren Family…”
Old Master Ren stroked his beard without speaking.
Old Madam Ren frowned and thought for a moment. “If that’s the case, who do you think is suitable? Who knows how long this Second Young Master Xiao can hold on, but the young ladies of the Ren Family are of marriageable age.”
Old Master Ren said steadily, “The marriages of the third and fourth girls can be arranged first. The marriage alliance with the Han Family still needs to be observed, but the one with the Qiu Family can be settled.”
Old Madam Ren hesitated. “I originally thought Hua could be betrothed to the Han Family, and Yin could be promised to Yun. But now that the Han Family marriage isn’t happening, how can we arrange Yin’s marriage before her elder sister Hua’s? Should we marry Hua to the Qiu Family instead?”
Old Master Ren glanced at Old Madam Ren. “I know you’ve always gotten along well with Hua and favored her more than the other granddaughters. But in matters of marriage, we cannot act on personal preference. The most important thing is to see who is more suitable.”
Old Madam Ren felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this and defended herself, “Isn’t this also considering their order of seniority?”Old Master Ren paid no heed to Old Madam Ren's defense and said straightforwardly, "I think Yaoyin is more suitable. Although Qiu Yun ranks third among his generation, he is the legitimate eldest son of the Qiu Family's main branch. In the future, the position of clan head will undoubtedly fall to him. His wife must have a steady temperament and be capable of shouldering great responsibilities. Yaohua is not bad either, but her ability to cultivate inner composure is far inferior to Yaoyin's. Moreover, Yaoyin is the daughter of the main branch, and our Ren Family will also be led by the main branch in the future. Marrying Yaoyin into the Qiu Family will bring our two families even closer."
Upon hearing Old Master Ren's words, Old Madam Ren knew he had already made up his mind, so she refrained from saying anything more. Ren Yaoyin had also been raised by her side, and even though she favored Ren Yaohua more, her bias would not be too extreme.
"What about the Yanbei Prince's Mansion..." Since Old Master Ren had already decided, Old Madam Ren did not dwell on the matter further.
Old Master Ren said, "Isn't the fifth girl on good terms with the Commandery Princess? Perhaps there will be an opportunity for her to gain favor in front of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion in the future."
Among the unmarried girls in the western residence, aside from Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, there were Ren Yaoqi, Ren Yaoyu, and Ren Yaoying.
Old Master Ren had already decided to betroth Ren Yaoyin to the Qiu Family. As for Ren Yaohua, not only was Old Madam Ren reluctant to part with her, but she was also a few years older and might not be able to wait. Ren Yaoying was born of a concubine, and her low status might make her unsuitable in the eyes of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, so she was not considered. Ren Yaoyu was the granddaughter of the Lin Family's head, and the Lin Family's Old Madam and First Madam were protective of their own. The Ren Family had no reason to openly offend the Lin Family over this matter. That left only Ren Yaoqi as the most suitable choice.
After some thought, Old Madam Ren understood. She had never paid much attention to her granddaughter Ren Yaoqi, so she saw nothing inappropriate in Old Master Ren's decision to send her to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion as a "bride of fortune." Matters of marriage were naturally to be arranged by the elders.
"However, even as a bride of fortune, the Yanbei Prince's Mansion is still the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. Many are eager to send their daughters there. If she is not presentable, the Yanbei Prince's Mansion will not take her. So, you must pay attention to the fifth girl. No matter how much you dislike her, once she marries, she will be a lady of our Ren Family."
This was the third time Old Master Ren had reminded Old Madam Ren not to underestimate Ren Yaoqi that day. Knowing that Old Master Ren was truly serious about this matter, Old Madam Ren could not help but say, "Don't worry, I am not one to be careless. I will take good care of the fifth girl from now on."
Only then was Old Master Ren satisfied.
By the next day, Ren Yaoqi clearly noticed the change in Old Madam Ren's attitude toward her.
Originally, only Ren Yaoyin and Ren Yaohua were fortunate enough to be invited to stay for breakfast with Old Madam Ren each day. Starting that morning, Old Madam Ren also kept Ren Yaoqi.
After the meal, Old Madam Ren kept all three granddaughters by her side to chat, and her attitude toward Ren Yaoqi became unprecedentedly amiable.
Such a noticeable change was not only felt by Ren Yaoqi but also by everyone in the Ren Family. The entire household could not help but speculate about the reason for Old Madam Ren's complete change of heart.Although Ren Yaoqi guessed it was likely related to Xiao Jinglin's visit to see her, she had not yet realized Old Master Ren's intention to marry her off to Xiao Jingxi for a "joyous wedding" to dispel misfortune.
She stayed with Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin until nearly lunchtime before returning to Purple Magnolia Courtyard.
Though Ren Yaohua also harbored some doubts about Ren Yaoqi's sudden favor, she did not voice them. Meanwhile, Madam Li was overjoyed to see both her daughters gaining the affection of the family elders. She specifically called Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua over to give them instructions. She told Ren Yaoqi to obey her grandmother and not defy her, and advised Ren Yaohua to take good care of her younger sister, reminding her not to incur Old Madam Ren's displeasure.
In Madam Li's presence, Ren Yaoqi obediently agreed, and Ren Yaohua nodded in acknowledgment. Looking at her two daughters, Madam Li felt deeply gratified.
In the afternoon, Ren Yaoqi went to visit Ren Shijia and happened to encounter Sister-in-law Wen, who had come to bid Ren Shijia farewell.
It turned out Sister-in-law Wen was leaving early the next morning for Yunyang City. Someone from the Lin Family was heading to Jiangning the following day, and Sister-in-law Wen would travel with them—an arrangement made by Lin Kun.
In front of Ren Shijia, Sister-in-law Wen played her part convincingly. First, she expressed her reluctance to part with Ren Shijia, her longtime patron. After Ren Shijia gave her some rewards, she thanked her profusely.
Ren Yaoqi observed discreetly from the side, sensing a trace of unwillingness in Sister-in-law Wen's eyes.
She doesn't want to return to Jiangning. Ren Yaoqi became even more certain of this thought.
Ren Yaoqi remained curious about the connection between Lin Kun and Concubine Fang. She wanted to know what scheme the two were plotting.
But if Sister-in-law Wen were to return to Jiangning just like that, this lead would likely be severed.
After leaving Ren Shijia's courtyard, Ren Yaoqi pondered the matter all the way back and decided to ask Zhu Ruomei, who happened to still be in White Crane Town, for a favor.
Upon returning to Purple Magnolia Courtyard, she immediately summoned Pingguo to her side and gave her detailed instructions. She told Pingguo to go out through the Inner Gate to find someone from the Yuan family and arrange for Pingguo to meet Zhu Ruomei.
After returning from outside yesterday, Old Madam Ren had specifically called Pingguo over for questioning, as Ren Yaoqi had only kept Pingguo by her side during both meetings with Xiao Jinglin.
Ren Yaoqi had considered the matter and allowed Pingguo to see Old Madam Ren. Initially, she had been somewhat worried, but in the end, Pingguo's performance left Ren Yaoqi thoroughly satisfied.
No matter what tactics Granny Gui, by Old Madam Ren's side, employed—alternating between soft and hard approaches, probing indirectly—even in Old Madam Ren's presence, Pingguo steadfastly insisted that Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin had merely drunk tea, chatted, and discussed trivial, amusing matters. She did not even mention Xiao Jingxi's name.
With her honest and dutiful appearance, Old Madam Ren personally asked a few questions but, seeing she could extract nothing further, finally dismissed her.
Pingguo truly did not disappoint Ren Yaoqi's judgment—she was someone capable of handling important matters. Though perhaps not particularly clever, her loyalty was beyond doubt.
Thus, today Ren Yaoqi also entrusted the task of contacting Zhu Ruomei to Pingguo.
Pingguo was gone for nearly two hours. Upon her return, she came directly to see Ren Yaoqi."How did he respond?" Ren Yaoqi sat on the heated kang, embroidering stitch by stitch. Though her skill was average, it was still presentable. Moreover, her embroidery patterns were all drawn by herself, carrying far more uniqueness and charm than those bought from outside.
Pingguo stepped forward and reported in a low voice, "I relayed your words to him exactly as you said. He assured me there would be no problem and promised to handle this matter for you. He said he would have an answer for you by tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi nodded, though she couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.
Her interactions with Zhu Ruomei had been few, and the help she offered him was nothing more than a small favor. Yet, Zhu Ruomei was truly a man of loyalty and integrity.
The two tasks she had entrusted to him sounded somewhat baffling and even eerie. If it were anyone else, hearing such instructions from a half-grown child would surely raise suspicion. But Zhu Ruomei had agreed both times without hesitation, never dismissing her requests lightly because of her young age.
After asking a few more questions, Ren Yaoqi dismissed Pingguo to rest, patiently awaiting Zhu Ruomei’s response the following day.
By the afternoon of the next day, news arrived from Sister-in-law Yuan. Ren Yaoqi knew it must be about the task she had entrusted to Zhu Ruomei.
However, since Madam Li had instructed Ren Yaoqi not to casually go out to meet people, she had not personally met with anyone from the outer courtyard. Though she very much wanted to personally inquire about Zhu Ruomei’s progress, she did not want Madam Li to worry about her over such matters.
In the end, Ren Yaoqi gave Pingguo a few instructions and sent her to the outer courtyard to meet Sister-in-law Yuan.
Sister-in-law Yuan secretly took Pingguo to see Zhu Ruomei.
After another half an hour or so, Pingguo returned to Purple Magnolia Courtyard.
Ren Yaoqi dismissed all the maids and older servants. "Did you ask everything I told you to?"
Pingguo nodded and began her report without waiting for Ren Yaoqi to question her further. "He said he followed your instructions, masked himself, and waited outside the city. When Sister-in-law Wen’s donkey cart reached a secluded spot outside the city, he used a slingshot to knock the driver unconscious and climbed onto the cart. Sister-in-law Wen initially thought he was a robber after money, so she handed over the fifty taels of silver she had and the gold hairpins from her hair. He pretended to disdain the money and acted as though he only wanted to kill her. After a moment of stunned silence, Sister-in-law Wen suddenly seemed to understand something and began cursing loudly."
Ren Yaoqi asked with interest, "Who did she curse? What did she say?"
This was precisely the purpose of having Zhu Ruomei stage an attack on Sister-in-law Wen—to make her believe someone was secretly trying to silence her.
Although Ren Yaoqi was not entirely clear about the connections between Sister-in-law Wen, Lin Kun, and Concubine Fang, since Sister-in-law Yuan had left with some reluctance, it was certain that there were conflicts or that she had been coerced by someone.
Though Ren Yaoqi’s approach was somewhat risky, given the lack of information, it was still a good way to stir things up and see what would surface.
"Sister-in-law Wen’s first words were to demand whether he had been sent by Sixth Master Lin to silence her!" Pingguo wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead, a result of rushing back too quickly, as she answered.
Thank you to Fox Beibei77 for the two pink tickets～
Thanks to Zhiyan Zhiyu, Changfeng Duxing, Aquazl, Grace108, and Gangye for the pink tickets～Also, thank you to book friend 110114081248254, Snow Dance-Changchun, Crispy Fried Fish Fillet, and the beautiful peace talisman in the fire~^^
Also, thank you (to be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian () to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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