After finishing breakfast at the Lin Family, Ren Yaoqi went out. Today she was going to Treasure Vase Alley to visit her maternal grandparents' family.
The matter of the Lei Family had already become public by this time. As Ren Yaoqi's carriage traveled halfway, she could hear even ordinary peddlers and laborers discussing the incident outside.
She was not surprised by the decision made by the head of the Lei Family, as they currently had no other choice.
If the issue of Madam Lei's identity was not resolved promptly at this time, the Lei Family's troubles would only grow larger in the future.
"Miss, Treasure Vase Alley is just ahead. The Old Madam has sent Aunt Yihong to wait at the entrance of the alley," Xiangqin lowered the carriage curtain and turned to report to Ren Yaoqi.
When Prince Xian came to Yanbei from the capital, because Yanbei was a place even the imperial court could not oversee, and due to the arrangements made by Consort Wan before her death, the court was unable to send officials to supervise. Under such circumstances, Empress Dowager Yan naturally would not arrange accommodations for Prince Xian, so when Prince Xian's family first arrived in Yanbei, they had to stay in a dilapidated, abandoned temple for some time.
Fortunately, Eunuch Zheng, who had served by Consort Wan's side, later brought people to find them, bringing along the silver that Consort Wan had prepared in advance. Additionally, the betrothal gifts given by the Ren Family for marrying Prince Xian's daughter were substantial. To ensure Madam Li could marry with dignity, the Princess Consort purchased a five-courtyard mansion in Treasure Vase Alley.
Although it was a five-courtyard mansion, Treasure Vase Alley was not a gathering place for prominent families or wealthy merchants. The surrounding residents were mostly ordinary households with slightly more substantial means. Moreover, the mansion was an old, long-neglected property that had not been renovated for years, so the price was not high.
Ren Yaoqi lifted the curtain to observe. The alley the carriage entered was not particularly wide, but it could still accommodate two or three carriages side by side. On both sides of the alley were mostly closed Manzi-style and Ruyi-style gates, none of which were particularly large. Some doorways still had hitching posts or stone lions placed outside.
Ren Yaoqi began to understand why Prince Xian's family had chosen this location for their residence. There were many followers accompanying Prince Xian, all of whom needed places to stay, so the mansion had to be large. However, given Prince Xian's circumstances, the residence could not be too ostentatious.
Guixi Lane, which included Treasure Vase Alley, was a network of interconnected alleys. The lanes appeared orderly but were actually quite intricate and complex, making it convenient to escape in case of an emergency.
As Ren Yaoqi traveled along, she noticed the alley was very quiet. Many courtyards had pomegranate, peach, or gardenia trees planted against the walls, their branches extending beyond the enclosures. Unlike the noisy and disorderly large alleys where people lived in mixed communities, this place exuded a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
Although the residents here were mostly ordinary families, because it was near Yanbei's largest academy, Yunyang Academy, most of the inhabitants were either family members of teachers at the academy, relatives of students, or merchants operating painting and calligraphy shops or stationery stores in the vicinity.
The carriage stopped in front of a Jinzhu-style gate with a front eave. This gate was clearly more imposing and grander than the ones she had seen earlier, if one overlooked the stone lion missing half an ear and the peeling red lacquer on the door.Generally, carriages would enter and exit through side gates or corner gates, but the side alleys on both sides of this residence were very narrow, making it inconvenient for carriages to pass through. Therefore, Ren Yaoqi had no choice but to alight from the main gate and have someone drive the carriage to the back gate to enter the courtyard. As for herself, there was no reason for her to use the back gate.
The mottled red lacquered door was half-open, and Yihong had long been waiting respectfully at the foot of the steps.
As soon as Ren Yaoqi stepped down from the carriage, Yihong came forward and curtsied in greeting.
"Aunt Yihong," Ren Yaoqi returned a half-curtsy with a smile and addressed her.
"Knowing that the young miss would be visiting today, the mistress has been waiting. Please follow me, young miss," Yihong personally assisted Ren Yaoqi through the door.
Just past the screen wall was a large courtyard. Ren Yaoqi deliberately glanced around and noticed the yard was clean and empty, with not a single person in sight.
"It seems unusually... quiet today?" Ren Yaoqi remarked in surprise.
She remembered that the Xianwang Residence's opera troupe usually practiced their basics here, with some vocalizing, others practicing horse stances, and some wielding large swords—always a lively and bustling scene.
Yihong smiled. "Knowing you were coming today, the mistress had them move to the backyard."
Ren Yaoqi recalled the last time Madam Li brought her and Ren Yaohua back to their maternal home. As soon as they entered, they were met with a lively courtyard scene, and a tasseled horsewhip happened to fly straight toward Ren Yaohua's face. Fortunately, Yihong reacted quickly and caught it. Though it was a false alarm, Ren Yaohua flew into a rage, causing a huge scene at their maternal grandfather's home, insisting that their maternal grandfather sell off the entire courtyard of "opera performers." In the end, they parted on bad terms.
After that, Ren Yaohua refused to set foot in the house no matter what. This time, when coming to Yunyang City, Ren Yaoqi had originally planned to come with Ren Yaohua, but Ren Yaohua kept finding excuses to avoid it. In the end, Ren Yaoqi came alone.
After passing through the moon gate, although the courtyard still appeared somewhat old and worn, it was tidy. Here and there, clumps of green grass sprouted from the cracks in the bluestone slabs, not appearing messy but instead adding a lively vitality.
In this residence of the Xianwang Residence, there were no artificial rockeries, exotic stones, or carved beams and painted rafters, nor were there any gardens—only ordinary rooms. However, each courtyard was planted with some flowers and plants, none of them rare varieties, just common Yanbei plants like banana trees, crabapple, pomegranate, and even clusters of morning glories growing wildly.
Princess Consort Rong Shi and Prince Xian lived in the main room of the third courtyard. When Ren Yaoqi arrived, Princess Consort Rong Shi was in the courtyard, holding a small pair of scissors and trimming a withered jasmine plant.
"You've come," Rong Shi looked up with a gentle smile and handed the scissors to Chuchu behind her.
Ren Yaoqi stepped forward to greet Rong Shi. "Are my maternal grandfather and uncle not at home?"
Rong Shi took Ren Yaoqi's hand and led her toward the main room. "Never mind them, they'll be back by lunchtime," Rong Shi said with a smile.
Although Ren Yaoqi hadn't visited her maternal home often, she knew well the temperament of her maternal grandfather and uncle. At this moment, they were likely either drinking tea and listening to tunes somewhere or outside playing with crickets with others.
The main room where Rong Shi lived was sparsely furnished. The only valuable items were the pearwood canopy bed, the Eight Immortals table, and four armchairs, all of which were old. A pair of half-height vases holding flowers looked delicate but were merely from ordinary folk kilns.
Rong Shi led Ren Yaoqi to sit on the kang, and Chuchu brought tea.
"Where is Yihong?" Rong Shi asked Chuchu.Ren Yaoqi took the tea and smelled the scent of Zhuyeqing. Hearing Rong Shi ask about Yihong, she replied, "When I came, Aunt prepared some things for me, so I asked Aunt Yihong to tidy them up in the backyard."
Because Ren Yaoqi had saved Lin Cen, Ren Shijia had grown even closer to her. When Ren Yaoqi went out today, Ren Shijia instructed the maids to prepare a carriage full of gifts—all high-quality supplements like ginseng, bird's nest, and deer antler, along with some fabrics and easily stored ingredients. She said that since Ren Yaoqi was visiting her maternal grandfather on behalf of her mother, she couldn’t be too casual. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t refuse and eventually accepted.
Upon hearing this, Rong Shi was somewhat surprised but still smiled and said, "When you return, thank her for me."
Ren Yaoqi agreed, and Rong Shi turned to Chuchu, saying, "Then go to Xia Sheng and bring those two children over."
Hearing that Xia Sheng had helped find the two young maids, Ren Yaoqi grew interested and asked Rong Shi, "Grandmother, what do you think of them? I haven’t seen them yet."
Rong Shi said gently, "I called them over and asked them some questions. They have decent appearances and are clever. Since you want them as maids, knowing some martial arts isn’t enough, so I’ve asked Yihong to teach them the rules of a noble household every day. They’re still young, and with proper training over the years, they’ll be of great use in the future."
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi finally felt reassured.
Not long after, Chuchu led in two little girls, about six or seven years old. They were likely in the middle of practicing martial arts with Xia Sheng, as they wore dull gray shirts and trousers, with their sleeves and pant legs tied up with straps.
Both their faces were sweaty and flushed, and they looked sturdier than girls their age. Xia Sheng said they were born into a performing arts family, so they must have trained before.
When they entered, they seemed timid. After bowing, they knelt on the ground, not daring to move or raise their heads.
"Hmm? Lift your heads," Ren Yaoqi said, somewhat surprised as she looked at their faces.
The two little girls didn’t dare disobey and slowly raised their heads, revealing identical faces.
"Are they twin sisters?" Ren Yaoqi asked in surprise.
Rong Shi told them to stand up and speak. "That’s right. Because they are twin sisters and have lived together since childhood, they are very close. Not only can they imitate each other perfectly, but they also share a deep understanding. This is why Xia Sheng favored them." Otherwise, given their background, Dongsheng wouldn’t have chosen them.
Although Ren Yaoqi already knew about the abilities of Xia Sheng and the others, seeing the twin sisters today still delighted her.
"What are your names?" Ren Yaoqi asked kindly.
The girl on the right spoke first, "We don’t have names, miss. We were always called Daya and Erya. We beg you to give us names."
They were indeed clever girls.
Although loyalty was Ren Yaoqi’s priority when choosing maids, intelligence wasn’t a bad thing either.
Rong Shi smiled and said, "You can name them."
The two little girls finally raised their heads slightly. Though they didn’t dare look directly at Ren Yaoqi, their bright eyes were full of hope and even excitement.
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and asked, "Which of you is the older sister and which is the younger?"This time, the little maid on the left replied, "We don’t know who is older or younger either. We were sold by our parents before we could even remember anything. When the master who first took us in was raising us, he often mixed us up, so we have no idea who is the elder sister and who is the younger sister."
"Then you shall be called Leshan," Ren Yaoqi said, pointing to the one on the left, then to the one on the right, "and you shall be Leshui."
The newly named sisters happily knelt down again to express their gratitude.
Rong Shi teased with a smile, "The wise find joy in water, the benevolent find joy in mountains. These names are far too grand—they hardly sound like names for maids."
Ren Yaoqi rested her chin on her hand, beaming brightly. "Names are meant to be used by people. As long as they like them, that’s all that matters."
Ren Yaoqi asked the sisters a few more questions and found them not only clever but also steady and composed, which pleased her even more.
As they were talking, Ren Yaoqi noticed Xiangqin standing at the door, giving her a meaningful look.
Ren Yaoqi said to Rong Shi, "Grandmother, may I take a stroll in the courtyard?"
It was unclear whether Rong Shi had noticed the exchange between mistress and maid, but she smiled kindly and said, "Go ahead if you wish. Let Chuchu accompany you."
Ren Yaoqi glanced at the two young girls and replied with a smile, "I’ll take them with me instead. I won’t be long, and you shouldn’t be left unattended."
Yihong was her uncle Li Tianyou’s concubine, and Chuchu was the only one who attended to Rong Shi closely on a daily basis. The other young maids bought later only served outside and were not allowed near. Prince Xian and Rong Shi only kept their old, trusted servants close.
After leaving Rong Shi’s room, Xiangqin curiously glanced at the two young maids. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi hadn’t dismissed them, she continued, "Miss, Pingguo has brought someone. They came through the back gate and are waiting in the backyard."
Ren Yaoqi nodded and, without a word, led her maids toward the backyard.
In truth, Ren Yaoqi had other matters to attend to today. For instance, after leaving the house, she had sent Pingguo away to find Zhu Ruomei.
Although Zhu Ruomei spent most of his time at White Dragon Temple, he worked for Xiao Jingxi and had recently bought a small house in Yunyang City, where he moved his mother and younger sister. Ren Yaoqi had previously learned his address from Dongsheng and knew he happened to be in Yunyang City these past few days, so she had sent Pingguo to invite him for a meeting.
It would have been inconvenient to meet Zhu Ruomei at the Lin Family’s residence, but here in Prince Xian’s territory, it was much easier.
The two young maids followed closely behind. Xiangqin glanced back and whispered, "Miss, who are they?"
Ren Yaoqi replied, "They are maids I asked my grandmother to find for me. They’ll stay here for now."
Xiangqin didn’t understand why the Fifth Young Miss needed to find maids through her maternal grandmother’s family and why she wasn’t taking them back to the Ren Family. However, as a maid herself, she knew it wasn’t her place to ask too many questions, so she wisely refrained from pressing further.
While Ren Yaoqi enjoyed some peace, Leshan and Leshui were not so fortunate. Xiangqin, taking advantage of her status as a favored senior maid, began to assert her authority over the two young maids.
"You’re taking steps that are too wide. If Nanny Zhou sees you, she’ll whip your calves!"
"Tsk, I told you to take smaller steps, not to walk slowly. If you can’t even walk properly, Nanny Zhou will definitely be displeased.""How can you be so clumsy? From now on, you must learn the rules properly, otherwise Nanny Zhou will never allow you to follow Fifth Miss! Being a maid by the young lady's side isn't something just anyone can do!"
...
Thus, even before Leshan and Leshui began following Ren Yaoqi, they understood one thing: the maids serving the young lady were quite imposing, and there was a certain Nanny Zhou who was terribly frightening. If they made even the slightest mistake, they would not be permitted to stay with the young lady.
Xiangqin had successfully flaunted her authority before the newcomers, while letting Nanny Zhou bear the brunt of the harsh reputation.
By the time Ren Yaoqi arrived at the rear courtyard, Pingguo had already led Zhu Ruomei to sit in the west wing for tea. Although only Pingguo and Zhu Ruomei were in the west wing with its doors wide open when Ren Yaoqi approached, in the courtyard, Chunsheng was sweeping the grounds with two lively, monkey-like children while occasionally tumbling about.
Ren Yaoqi was aware of the unique nature of the Xianwang Residence, so she could only bring him to the rear courtyard. If Zhu Ruomei wished to proceed further inside, it would not be allowed. Although Chunsheng was sweeping in the courtyard, he kept a watchful eye on the movements in the west wing.
Only when he saw Ren Yaoqi approaching did Chunsheng lead the two children to bow respectfully from a distance, then stand farther away, though they remained within the rear courtyard.
Someone was practicing opera, singing a segment from "The Sorrow of Life and Death"—the voice could be heard, but the singer remained unseen. The lilting, drawn-out vocals, accompanied by the continuous sounds of the erhu and yaogin, created an ethereal, almost unreal sense of liveliness.
Zhu Ruomei, tapping his fingers on the tea table, had been listening intently. Looking up and seeing Ren Yaoqi enter, he hurriedly rose to bow.
Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded, gesturing for Zhu Ruomei not to stand on ceremony, then took her seat in the host's chair.
Leshan and Leshui instinctively remained outside the door, standing guard on either side like door gods. Xiangqin thought for a moment and did not follow inside either—after all, she was Third Miss's maid, not Fifth Miss's.
Ren Yaoqi knew that speaking at her maternal grandfather's home was the safest; there was no need to worry about anyone eavesdropping with ill intentions. The people raised in the Xianwang Residence were not there for nothing. Even those she had brought from the Lin Family, aside from her personal attendants, had been led away by Yihong to who-knows-where for tea and snacks.
"This singing is no less impressive than the lead performer of the Dexin Troupe," Zhu Ruomei couldn't help but praise. He had been completely absorbed in the performance. His mother enjoyed listening to opera, so Zhu Ruomei had developed a fondness for it as well.
"My maternal grandfather is extremely fond of these arts, so he keeps an opera troupe," Ren Yaoqi explained. This was something well-known throughout Yanbei.
The opera troupe of the Xianwang Residence was even more famous than Prince Xian himself. However, this troupe performed exclusively within the residence, and others were not fortunate enough to hear them.
Zhu Ruomei was aware of this as well, so upon hearing this, he merely offered a few compliments and did not inquire further.
"Did Fifth Miss summon me today for a particular matter?" Zhu Ruomei asked.
Ren Yaoqi nodded. "There is something I need your help with."
Zhu Ruomei promptly replied, "Please feel free to give your orders, Miss."
After a moment of thought, Ren Yaoqi said, "I would like you to help me find two people—an elderly woman around seventy years old and a little girl of about eight or nine. They went missing a few days ago after leaving the Ren Family residence in White Crane Town."
"Missing?" Zhu Ruomei was taken aback."It is indeed a disappearance. I have already had people search all over White Crane Town. They originally just wanted to go out for a stroll, but they never returned after leaving." Seeing Zhu Ruomei about to ask, Ren Yaoqi took the initiative to explain, "That old woman came to inquire about Han Yunshan's background. She must know something, so I need you to investigate whether their disappearance is related to the Han Family. If it wasn’t the Han Family’s doing, then they must have hidden themselves out of fear."
Zhu Ruomei knew that Ren Yaoqi had some grievances with the Han Family, and he had handled the previous Han Family matter, so he wasn’t too surprised upon hearing this. He simply nodded and said, "I will go find someone immediately. Fifth Miss, please rest assured. As long as they are still in Yan Prefecture, I will definitely find them."
Zhu Ruomei spoke with great confidence, and Ren Yaoqi’s heart stirred at his words.
In the past, Zhu Ruomei would never have had such confidence. Now, he dared to make such a bold promise, likely because the temple matter had gone smoothly, and Zhu Ruomei might have gained control over the military forces in the temples of Yan Prefecture or parts of it.
Although she knew the person before her was no ordinary man, she was still somewhat surprised that he had managed to earn Xiao Jingxi’s trust and establish himself in such a short time.
Surprised, but also pleased. Because this meant she would have more convenience in the future.
In truth, Ren Yaoqi had previously considered bringing Zhu Ruomei’s mother and sister under her care. However, upon further reflection, she realized that no matter how good her intentions were, it would seem petty in the eyes of a straightforward man like Zhu Ruomei, who valued loyalty and settling scores. Moreover, if Zhu Ruomei’s family were by her side, the trust of his true master toward him might be affected.
Thus, Yaoqi ultimately adhered to the gentleman’s agreement.
"If Fifth Miss has no other instructions, I will go search for them now. Otherwise, once the city becomes lively, leaving will be troublesome." Zhu Ruomei bid farewell briskly.
Ren Yaoqi nodded and also stood up, casually asking, "What’s happening in the city?"
Zhu Ruomei sighed, "I suppose Fifth Miss already knows that Madam Lei of the Lei Family has passed away. The coffin was barely laid to rest before it was time for the funeral, but early this morning, a section of the mountain road near Qiongji Mountain collapsed. Now, all sorts of rumors are spreading outside. I just heard that the Liu Family, Madam Lei’s maternal relatives, are on their way. Upon hearing this, they are rushing desperately toward Yunyang City. I’m afraid there will be some commotion when they arrive."
Ren Yaoqi also knew what the commotion outside was about. Upon hearing that the mountain road was blocked, she sneered inwardly—the Han Family had indeed made their move.
After having Pingguo see Zhu Ruomei out, Ren Yaoqi returned to Rong Shi with her maid.
She heard news about the Lei Family again just before noon, around lunchtime.
Rong Shi had instructed the kitchen to prepare many dishes, all of Ren Yaoqi’s favorites, though it was unclear where Rong Shi had learned of them. However, her Maternal Grandfather and uncle had not yet returned. Rong Shi calmly suggested that she and her granddaughter eat first and leave a portion for them, but Ren Yaoqi insisted on waiting a little longer.
At that moment, Yihong entered and whispered something to Rong Shi. Hearing her mention the Lei Family, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but speak up, "What happened with the Lei Family again?"
Yihong glanced at Rong Shi, who nodded, so she raised her voice slightly, "The Liu Family has entered the city and is now heading toward the Lei Family."At this moment, the Liu family had just arrived at the Lei residence. After alighting from the carriage, they headed straight for the mourning hall.
Leading the group was an elderly woman about the same age as Madam Lei. She was panting as she walked, her face pale as if suffering from travel sickness. When she entered, she was practically carried in by two sturdy daughters-in-law, each holding one of her arms.
As soon as Old Madam Liu stepped inside, she seemed to jolt awake. Before even steadying herself, she began wailing, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath, making others worry whether she would be able to draw another breath after the next one.
"Sixth Sister—my poor, unfortunate Sixth Sister—you died so tragically—"
The nephews and grandnephews behind her also started crying along, and for a while, the Lei family ancestral hall became quite a lively scene.
Upon hearing the news, Lei Ting and Lei Zhen immediately rushed over.
Old Madam Liu looked up and saw them, crying even more bitterly: "Sixth Sister—what a sin you’ve committed—look at the beasts you’ve raised—"
Lei Zhen couldn't help but frown and shout to stop them, "Shut up! Who are you people? What nonsense are you spouting!"
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