Ren Yaoqi was standing there with a strange expression, wondering if she should retreat to the main room first, when Li Qian turned and saw her.
Ren Yaoqi gave a light cough and stepped forward to greet him.
Seeing her, Li Qian’s expression softened slightly. Standing with his hands behind his back, he asked her a few questions, exuding the gentle and refined demeanor of an approachable elder.
Just as he was asking about her mother’s health, Chuchu emerged from the main room. She approached and bowed, saying, “Master, the mistress asks you to come inside.”
Ren Yaoqi noticed her maternal grandfather’s eyelid twitch rapidly. After a brief pause, he replied calmly, “What does Rong Shi want with me? I have an appointment for a game of chess this afternoon and was just about to leave. If it’s not urgent, it can wait until I return.”
Chuchu stood with her head bowed, obedient and silent.
At that moment, the curtain was lifted again, and Rong Shi stepped out. She stood at the doorway, glanced at the group, and smiled gently. Her soft gaze first settled on Ren Yaoqi. “Qi’er, go rest in the side room for a while. I’ve already instructed Chuchu to change the bedding.”
Ren Yaoqi had been preoccupied and hadn’t slept well the previous night. After the carriage ride today, she had appeared somewhat weary while speaking with Rong Shi earlier, which was why Rong Shi suggested she rest.
Ren Yaoqi acknowledged the instruction and was about to withdraw when Rong Shi shifted her gaze to Li Qian, her smile still gentle. “I heard you were planning to go out this afternoon?”
Li Qian glanced at Rong Shi, then looked up at the sky, pondering for a moment. “I had intended to, but it looks like it might rain soon. Never mind, I won’t go today. I’ll go back and rest instead.”
With that, he led the way toward the main room. As he passed Rong Shi, he said calmly, “Rong Shi, you come inside too.”
Rong Shi bowed obediently in response and followed Li Qian into the main room with her head lowered.
Watching their retreating figures, Ren Yaoqi glanced up at the clear, cloudless sky, twitched the corner of her mouth, and quickly left the main room—a place of potential trouble.
“Miss, Xia Sheng has returned,” Yihong reported as she emerged from the side gate, seeing Ren Yaoqi standing under the eaves.
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and said to Chuchu, who was accompanying her to the side room, “I’ll go to the backyard first.”
Chuchu kept her eyes lowered and said nothing more, simply acknowledging and withdrawing.
Ren Yaoqi went to the backyard again, this time to meet Xia Sheng. Earlier, after hearing that someone from the Liu Family had arrived, she had borrowed Xia Sheng from Rong Shi and sent him to the Lei Family to gather information. Now that Xia Sheng was back, it meant the situation there had escalated, and Ren Yaoqi wanted to know the outcome.
Xia Sheng stood in the backyard courtyard. Seeing Ren Yaoqi approach, he hurried up the steps and bowed from a few paces away, then recounted what had just happened at the Lei Family.
Listening, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile, feeling a temporary sense of relief.
“Xiangqin, take those nannies from the Lin Family back and tell my aunt that my maternal grandmother wants me to stay here a couple more days,” Ren Yaoqi instructed, turning to Xiangqin.
With the situation at the Lei Family still unfolding, it would be difficult for Ren Yaoqi to keep a close eye on developments if she returned to the Lin Family. It was better to stay a few more days in Treasure Vase Alley to observe. If any unexpected situations arose, she could respond promptly.
It was only natural for her to stay a few extra days with her maternal grandparents, given how rarely she visited Yunyang City. Ren Shijia was very fond of her now and wouldn’t refuse such a small request.
Xiangqin promptly acknowledged the order and withdrew.Ren Yaoqi instructed Xia Sheng further, "Continue to have someone keep an eye on things over there. Report back to me as soon as there is any news."
Xia Sheng said nothing more, lowering his head in acknowledgment before remembering something. "Young Miss, I saw Dongsheng at the Lei Family earlier."
Ren Yaoqi nodded without further comment. Dongsheng had likely gone there on Xiao Jingxi's orders.
Seeing that she had no other instructions, Xia Sheng withdrew.
Ren Yaoqi returned to the front courtyard and went to the side room that Rong Shi had prepared for her.
Rong Shi was quite lenient with her, turning a blind eye to her use of Xia Sheng and others without questioning it.
Xiangqin returned in the afternoon. As expected, Ren Shijia had said nothing, only telling her to inform them when she was ready to return so that they could arrange for a carriage and escort.
News from Xia Sheng did not arrive until evening. With the disturbance caused by the Liu Family, Madam Lei's funeral indeed could not proceed that day. The Liu Family had filed a complaint at the Yan Prefecture government office, and the head of the Lei Family was summoned to the yamen. Afterward, the Lei Family and Madam Lei's coffin were placed under official supervision.
Ren Yaoqi was not worried about the Han Family attempting any tricks at this point. As long as the Yanbei Prince's Mansion did not intervene, the Han Family lacked both the courage and the means to extend their influence into the Yan Prefecture government office. Moreover, Xiao Jingxi had already promised to send someone to keep watch.
Although Xiao Jingxi claimed he would not intervene, his actions clearly favored her. Ren Yaoqi sensed this but could not fathom his motives. Since the situation was advantageous to her, she remained composed.
Regardless of whether Xiao Jingxi had any hidden agenda, Ren Yaoqi was grateful to him.
During dinner that evening, Ren Yaoqi once again dined with Li Qian and Rong Shi. However, her uncle Li Tianyou did not return for the meal.
When Ren Yaoqi mentioned staying a few more days, both Rong Shi and Li Qian welcomed the idea.
However, after dinner, while Ren Yaoqi was accompanying Rong Shi for tea and conversation, Rong Shi asked her, "Qi'er, are the things you're doing related to the Han Family?"
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment before slowly shaking her head. "I... only wish for my family's safety."
Rong Shi looked at her for a while, sighed, and reached out to stroke her head, saying nothing more.
Ren Yaoqi looked up at her with a smile, took her hand as it moved away from her head, and said earnestly, "Grandmother, don't worry. Qi'er knows her limits. I also understand the difficulties of the Xianwang Residence and would never act recklessly."
In using the people from the Xianwang Residence, Ren Yaoqi always adhered to their boundaries, never risking her maternal family's safety for the sake of the Ren Family's affairs. This was also why Rong Shi never questioned her use of the Xianwang Residence's resources.
Rong Shi looked at her with a complex expression. "You, child..." Her expression grew somber. "I know you and your mother have suffered all these years. I know you're a sensible and good child. If there's anything you find difficult to handle yourself, just instruct Xia Sheng. I can't do much more for you and your mother."
"Grandmother, I understand. My mother understands too," Ren Yaoqi said, her bright eyes fixed on Rong Shi as she smiled.Perhaps in her previous life, she had resented her maternal grandfather's family when she was young, but now she would not. As for her mother, who had been a Commandery Princess but ended up married into a merchant family and was bullied to such an extent, she had never harbored any resentment toward her maiden family. The surname Li had always been her pride.
Rong Shi stared blankly at Ren Yaoqi for a moment, then suddenly her eyes reddened.
At that moment, Li Qian entered and, seeing the expressions of the grandmother and granddaughter, paused in surprise, standing still without moving.
Rong Shi composed herself and patted Ren Yaoqi's hand. "Go to sleep now."
Ren Yaoqi stood up to take her leave. When she reached Li Qian's side, she also bowed to him. Li Qian nodded, glancing repeatedly toward Rong Shi.
As Ren Yaoqi left, she saw Li Qian walking over to Rong Shi.
After stepping out of the room, Ren Yaoqi passed by the window and noticed that the shadow cast on the window paper from the southern window had become two figures. Rong Shi and Li Qian were sitting on the kang, with Li Qian gently holding Rong Shi in his arms, clumsily patting her back.
Ren Yaoqi could still hear his soft murmurs. He was likely whispering words of comfort. Though she couldn't make out what he was saying, Ren Yaoqi knew that her maternal grandfather's voice must be as gentle as it always was when her grandmother spoke to him.
For some reason, Ren Yaoqi felt her heart fill with a faint warmth—perhaps even a trace of envy she herself hadn't noticed.
The night passed quickly, and Ren Yaoqi slept surprisingly soundly, without any dreams.
The next day, news came from the Lei Family again. The authorities had opened the coffin to examine the body in order to verify the cause of Madam Lei's death.
By the afternoon, the results were out. Madam Lei had died suddenly due to a heart condition.
A doctor who had previously taken her pulse came forward to testify. It turned out that Madam Lei had long been aware of her frequent palpitations, but to avoid worrying her grandchildren, she had asked the doctor to conceal her condition. It was not recorded in her medical records, so even the Lei brothers had not known that their grandmother was in poor health.
As for the claims that Madam Lei had been murdered or had taken her own life, they were pure nonsense.
Upon hearing this news, Ren Yaoqi finally breathed a genuine sigh of relief. She couldn't help but smile slightly—this Lei Ting was indeed efficient.
When the results came out, the Liu Family initially refused to believe them, but with the facts laid bare before them, making a fuss was useless. If they caused too much trouble, the authorities would have them bound and beaten.
Fortunately, the Lei Family chose not to hold grudges against lesser individuals. Instead of retaliating against the Liu Family, they pleaded for leniency on their behalf out of respect for Madam Lei.
However, the Liu Family showed no gratitude. On their way back, a middle-aged woman suddenly shouted that Madam Lei was an imposter, not a member of their Liu Family, and that the two Lei brothers were bastards.
This time, no one believed them. After all, they had submitted the lawsuit as Madam Lei's maternal relatives, verified their identities, and signed the documents. Now that they had lost the case, they were turning their backs on their own claims. The people of Yunyang City expressed disdain for such behavior.
Enough was enough. In a fit of anger, Lei Ting decided to sever all ties with the Liu Family and ordered them sent back to Jiangnan, forbidding them from ever entering the Lei Family's gates again.
In the Han Family's villa in Yunyang City, Han Yunshan flew into a rage and smashed up his study.Han Xianren dared to speak only after Han Dongshan had finished smashing things, offering comfort: "Father, don't be angry. There will be other opportunities."
Upon hearing this, Han Dongshan's fury flared even higher: "The old woman of the Han Family is already dead. If we don't stir things up this time, how can we cause a commotion once she's buried and turned to dust! Are we supposed to point at a pile of dirt and claim it's fake?"
"Then should we bring the Liu family back?" Han Xianren asked cautiously.
"Hmph, do you think Lei Ting is dead?" Han Dongshan narrowed his eyes, speaking viciously, "Lei Ting—I underestimated him. To think I fell into his trap!"
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