Reborn of the Rightful

After Ren Yaoqi came out of Shou'an Hall, Hongying, who had been waiting outside, came forward to meet her.

Upon hearing that the Commandery Princess had been kept behind alone by the Old Princess Consort, Hongying led Ren Yaoqi toward Jiuyang Hall, wondering if she should inform the Princess Consort so she could come fetch the Commandery Princess back.

Hongying wasn’t worried that the Commandery Princess would suffer any major disadvantage. Although Xiao Jinglin was usually cold and didn’t like to talk much, she wasn’t one to let herself be taken advantage of. What Hongying feared was that her mistress might eventually lose patience and refuse to endure it any longer, causing the Princess Consort to suffer instead. If pushed too far, her mistress could simply retreat to Jiajing Pass without a second thought, but the Princess Consort had to remain in the prince’s mansion.

When they had entered Shou’an Hall earlier, Ren Yaoqi hadn’t noticed it, but after coming out, she realized that Shou’an Hall resembled a southern-style courtyard, with many decorative flowers and plants inside, and what seemed to be rockeries and unusual stones behind the hall.

Once outside Shou’an Hall, the buildings in sight were more solemn and grand, with thick, towering trees everywhere. Often, when she looked up, she couldn’t see the sky, only the lush, dense foliage.

Suddenly, a figure slowly approached from under the green shade ahead. The dappled shadows cast by the trees fell upon him, almost engulfing his form in darkness and making his features indistinct. Yet, his every gesture and movement effortlessly drew the eyes of others, making it impossible to ignore him.

In this world, some people were born to shine.

Ren Yaoqi recognized the newcomer almost as soon as she saw him. As they drew closer, his refined and handsome appearance finally became clear.

Ren Yaoqi lowered her gaze and curtsied. “Young Master Xiao.”

Xiao Jingxi stopped and looked at Ren Yaoqi for a moment before nodding with a smile. “Is Jinglin still in Shou’an Hall?”

“The Old Princess Consort and Lady Wu seemed to have some questions for the Commandery Princess, so I came out first.”

Xiao Jingxi wasn’t surprised and said with a smile, “Oh? Were they asking about Yanbei military affairs?”

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi instinctively glanced around. Xiao Jingxi had come alone, and she only had Pingguo and Hongying with her. No wonder he was asking so directly.

After a moment’s thought, Ren Yaoqi replied, “Miss Wu mentioned the Tangut invasion. As this is a matter of national importance, it was inappropriate for me to stay, so Lady Wu asked me to leave.”

Xiao Jingxi seemed thoughtful, then casually remarked, “There have been a few minor battles on the western border recently.”

He paused here and looked at Ren Yaoqi with a smile. “My aunt has likely returned to borrow troops. In your opinion, should Yanbei Prince’s Mansion agree?”

Ren Yaoqi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. You’ve already hidden most of the troops away, so clearly you’re unwilling to lend them. Why pretend to be so humble and ask for advice now?

“Second Young Master Xiao, you jest. I am merely a sheltered and ignorant young woman with little knowledge of such matters,” Ren Yaoqi replied calmly, her expression unchanged.

Xiao Jingxi gave her a faintly amused glance but didn’t press her further.

“I’ll go bring Jinglin back,” Xiao Jingxi said, taking a small step to the side to let Ren Yaoqi pass first.

Ren Yaoqi curtsied again but paused as they passed each other. Turning her head slightly, she said softly, “Young Master Xiao, I heard that during this Tangut invasion of Ningxia, many horse farms suffered losses. I wonder how the Su family’s horse farms fared?”

Xiao Jingxi’s eyes flickered with surprise for a moment before he slowly smiled, looking at Ren Yaoqi. “The Su family is fine.”Ren Yaoqi nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said softly and slowly, yet with certainty, "I heard that Madam Wu is on quite good terms with the First Madam of the Su Family."

Xiao Jingxi did not speak, but his gaze at Ren Yaoqi held a deeper meaning.

Ren Yaoqi met his eyes for a moment. His dark, bright eyes seemed to possess a certain magic, as if they could draw one in.

Ren Yaoqi was the first to look away. She nodded and walked off directly.

Xiao Jingxi watched her retreating figure, the expression in his eyes unclear. Suddenly, he shook his head with a light laugh and murmured softly, "How could there be someone like this in the world..."

The last few words were extremely faint, dissipating between his lips.

Ren Yaoqi walked some distance away, only pausing to let out a breath once she was out of Xiao Jingxi's sight. Without looking back, she continued on her way.

She had just hinted to Xiao Jingxi that the Wu Family was colluding with the Su Family, and that this Tangut invasion might be related to the Su Family.

Ren Yaoqi knew she was taking a risk by doing this. Matters like these were not something a woman like her should comment on. But she had to rely on Xiao Jingxi's influence to suppress Zeng Pu, who might later be stationed in Ningxia and collude with the Su Family.

Not long after Ren Yaoqi returned to the Jiuyang Hall, Xiao Jinglin came back. She did not say much about Xiao Wei keeping her behind, and during her guqin practice, she was as focused as usual.

Recently, the Princess Consort had Xiao Jinglin learning some household management matters from the stewardesses by her side. When Ren Yaoqi left the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, it was still early. She declined Xiao Jinglin's offer to see her out, which was made to avoid her own duties.

After leaving the Jiuyang Hall, Ren Yaoqi happened to run into a group of people.

Wu Yiyu hurried out from another path with several maids and matrons, apparently also heading toward the outer halls. Seeing her, Ren Yaoqi stopped to let her pass first.

As Wu Yiyu walked past her, she paused briefly, casting a somewhat condescending glance at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly and stood aside with her head lowered.

Wu Yiyu snorted coldly and then walked off with her head held high, as if she had urgent matters and no time to trouble Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi paid no mind to her attitude and deliberately slowed her pace, waiting until Wu Yiyu had gone some distance before following her out.

When she reached the carriage area, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but pause.

She saw Wu Yiyu not far ahead, and standing with her were the two Yun brothers, Yun Wenting and Yun Wenfang.

It had been some time since Ren Yaoqi last saw Yun Wenfang. A while ago, Yun Wenfang had sent her something, but before it could reach her, it was intercepted by the vigilant Xiangqin, who strictly guarded against such things. Xiangqin, known as the top maid among the young ladies, always remembered the purpose her own mistress had sent her to serve the Fifth Young Lady and was very diligent in her duties. Ren Yaoqi cooperated by pretending she knew nothing about it, and she never inquired about what had been sent.

After a moment's thought, Ren Yaoqi decided to pretend she hadn't seen anyone and made to board her carriage. However, Yun Wenfang had already noticed her and called out before she could step up, "Fifth Young Lady Ren, please wait."

Ren Yaoqi sighed, suddenly missing her maid Xiangqin. Xiangqin had gone to the Ren Family Villa to take care of Ren Yaohua.

As he spoke, Yun Wenfang walked over. Trained in martial arts, his steps were swift, making it impossible for Ren Yaoqi to pretend she hadn't heard.In the end, she could only release the maid's hand and curtsey, saying, "Greetings, Young Master Yun."

Yun Wenfang looked her over a few times, his lips curling into a smile, though his tone carried a hint of coldness. "If I hadn't called out to you, would you have pretended not to see me?"

Ren Yaoqi lowered her head and replied, "You exaggerate, Young Master Yun."

Yun Wenfang slowly took two steps forward, now standing just a step away from Ren Yaoqi. She instinctively wanted to retreat, but upon seeing her movement, Yun Wenfang sneered, "Try stepping back!"

Ren Yaoqi weighed the situation, considering Yun Wenfang's temperament, and ultimately forced herself not to retreat. Instead, she turned her body sideways, no longer facing him directly, and presented her profile to avoid giving others the impression of intimacy.

Yun Wenfang glanced at her sideways and snorted lightly. "Why didn’t you accept the painting I sent you?"

Only then did Ren Yaoqi realize that what Yun Wenfang had sent her last time was a painting.

"That was an authentic work by Wu Qinghong, which I went to great lengths to have someone find. Don’t you like his paintings?" Yun Wenfang’s tone grew increasingly heated as he spoke.

When had Young Master Yun ever deliberately lowered himself to please someone? Ren Yaoqi was the first.

This was something Young Master Yun was not accustomed to and had previously disdained. However, during a recent outing with his elder brother for drinks, he overheard a few older youths at the neighboring table saying that women needed to be coaxed. One should cater to their preferences and send them gifts.

But Young Master Yun was still young and only half-understood such matters. He didn’t realize that the women those older youths were referring to were either their own concubines or women from pleasure quarters.

That night, after returning to the mansion, Young Master Yun spent the entire night thinking about what to send to please Ren Yaoqi. Naturally, he disdained sending vulgar items like gold, silver, or jewelry. Finally, he recalled that during his stay at the Yun Family, he had heard from the servants that Third Master Ren and Fifth Miss Ren had been asking people to search everywhere for paintings by the late-dynasty painter Wu Qinghong.

The next day, Young Master Yun asked his elder brother to help find a painting. In the end, relying on his father and brother’s influence, he managed to buy one from an uncle after much pleading.

But he never expected that when he eagerly sent someone to deliver the painting to her, the messenger didn’t even get to see Ren Yaoqi and was instead mocked and ridiculed by her maid.

Yun Wenfang was furious, feeling that Ren Yaoqi was utterly ungrateful. After all, he had his pride. Having been snubbed, he stopped sending her gifts, thinking that Ren Yaoqi might reflect on her actions and come to apologize.

Unfortunately, while his ideals were lofty, reality was harsh. He didn’t see Ren Yaoqi again but heard that she was visiting the Yanbei Prince's Mansion every day. This made Yun Wenfang restless.

Ren Yaoqi noticed the unpredictable emotions flickering in Yun Wenfang’s gaze as he stared at her and realized that this young master was in a foul mood. She felt a headache coming on.

Just as she was about to say something, Yun Wenting and Wu Yiyu approached from the other side.

Seizing the opportunity to greet them, Ren Yaoqi subtly shifted a step to the side.

Yun Wenting smiled politely and nodded. Wu Yiyu, in contrast to her usual domineering and unruly demeanor, stood beside Yun Wenting with an air of gentleness and modesty, her cheeks flushed with shyness.

However, upon seeing Ren Yaoqi and Yun Wenfang, Wu Yiyu still found the time to thoughtfully glance back and forth between them a few times, though she refrained from speaking.Just as Ren Yaoqi was thinking of how to extricate herself, Pingguo stepped forward and said expressionlessly with her head lowered, "Miss, the young mistress has urgent matters to discuss with you."

Ren Yaoqi quickly seized the opportunity, saying, "There are urgent matters at home, so I must return now." As she spoke, she curtsied again and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, Yun Wenfang shifted his steps, blocking Ren Yaoqi's path. He said nothing, merely staring at her coldly.

Ren Yaoqi frowned, feeling somewhat angry herself. She took a deep breath and was about to speak when a voice tinged with laughter sounded from behind: "I heard Zirui and Zishu had arrived. The Princess Consort waited for a long time without seeing them, so she sent me out to check. So you’re all here."

Ren Yaoqi turned and saw Xiao Jingxi standing not far behind them.

When she looked over, his gaze paused briefly on her before shifting away. He smiled at Yun Wenting and said, "The Princess Consort and Jinglin are waiting in the Jiuyang Hall."

Yun Wenting stepped forward to greet Xiao Jingxi, smiling as he replied, "We were just about to go in. It was our fault for keeping Aunt waiting."

Xiao Jingxi exchanged a few pleasantries with Yun Wenting and invited him into the inner hall. Noticing Yun Wenfang standing motionless in front of Ren Yaoqi, Xiao Jingxi turned his head and smiled slightly. "Zishu?"

Yun Wenfang looked at Xiao Jingxi and was about to speak when Yun Wenting interrupted him: "Zishu, didn’t you just say you missed the pastries from the Princess Consort’s small kitchen?" His gaze held a hint of warning and severity.

Yun Wenfang pursed his lips, glanced at Ren Yaoqi once more, clenched his fists, and finally stepped aside to follow Yun Wenting.

As Wu Yiyu walked past Ren Yaoqi, she glanced at her several times, her eyes filled with suspicion and scrutiny. Ren Yaoqi remained composed, smiling politely and nodding in acknowledgment.

Only after the group had left did Ren Yaoqi take her maid’s hand and board the carriage. Once the carriage curtain fell, the smile on her face gradually faded, revealing a trace of weariness between her brows.

Ren Yaohua recuperated in the villa for a few days, and the injury on her foot healed almost completely. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Shijia had visited her once before. On this day, when Ren Yaoqi took advantage of her free time to visit the villa alone, Ren Yaohua was already able to walk on her own.

Seeing that Ren Yaohua’s gait was no different from before, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. "I was worried about what would happen if you weren’t better by the time of the Thousand Gold Banquet."

Ren Yaoqi herself had no particular thoughts about the Thousand Gold Banquet, but she hoped Ren Yaohua could attend smoothly. Ren Yaohua had reached the age for marriage, and Ren Yaoqi wished for her to escape the fate of her previous life and find a suitable match.

"Wujing pulled me when I fell, so the injury wasn’t serious. Isn’t the Thousand Gold Banquet still four or five days away?" Ren Yaohua said indifferently, motioning for Ren Yaoqi to come inside and sit.

"Have you prepared your clothes and jewelry for the occasion?" Taking advantage of the fine weather and Ren Yaohua’s good spirits, Ren Yaoqi chatted with her about everyday matters.

Ren Yaohua shook her head. "Grandmother is having someone rush to make them. She said she’ll send the clothes and accessories for us sisters in a few days."

Ren Yaoqi had worried unnecessarily. The Ren Family attached great importance to their daughters’ participation in the Thousand Gold Banquet. As soon as Old Madam Ren returned, she began arranging outfits for her granddaughters.At that moment, a young maid entered the room and reported, "Miss, Fifth Miss, Ninth Miss has sent someone to ask if you would like to go out with her."

Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua in confusion.

Ren Yaohua sneered and said to Ren Yaoqi, "She was never this enthusiastic before. It’s only now that I’ve injured my foot that she’s inviting me out." Turning to the maid, she added, "No time, not going!"

Just as the maid was about to withdraw, Ren Yaohua’s eyes flickered, and she changed her mind. "Wait, the weather is nice today. Since Ninth Sister has sincerely invited us, Fifth Sister and I will give her the courtesy."

Though the maid didn’t understand why Third Miss had suddenly changed her mind, intimidated by her usual authority, she immediately responded as soon as Ren Yaohua finished speaking and hurried out to reply.

Ren Yaoqi asked in surprise, "Third Sister, are you really going out with them?"

Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi. "Yes, why not? Wouldn’t it be a waste not to appreciate her kindness?"

Ren Yaoqi sighed helplessly. "Third Sister, your foot has only just healed. It’s better to rest a bit longer. Why bother competing with her over such a trivial matter?"

Ren Yaohua glared at Ren Yaoqi. "Who’s competing? I’ve been cooped up in the villa for so many days—can’t I go out for a walk? Once we return to White Crane Town, it’ll be hard to go out again."

Ren Yaoqi had originally intended to persuade her further, but after hearing this, the words died on her lips. After all, Ren Yaohua was still a teenager. No matter how composed and strong-willed she usually was, she was at an age where she loved to have fun. In her previous life, she had been framed and lost favor in the Ren Family, confined to the courtyard for years with few opportunities to go out.

So Ren Yaoqi stopped trying to dissuade her.

Ren Yaohua changed into a silver-red short jacket embroidered with golden butterflies among flowers, paired with a silver-gray skirt. Ren Yaohua had a bright and beautiful appearance with fair skin, and any shade of red looked exceptionally good on her. As soon as she put on this outfit, it was dazzling and captivating.

Ren Yaoqi sincerely praised, "This outfit suits you perfectly." Then, unable to resist teasing, she added, "No wonder you insisted on going out. It’s so beautiful—it would be a waste not to wear it out and compare with others."

Ren Yaohua walked over with a cold expression, then, catching Ren Yaoqi off guard, gave her a hard knock on the head before walking straight past her and out the door.

Ren Yaoqi covered her head, stunned, and it took a while for her to realize she had been hit again.

Ren Yaohua turned around at the doorway and scolded, "What are you standing there for? Let’s go!"

Ren Yaoqi snapped back to her senses and said angrily, "Third Sister, why did you hit me again? I’m going to tell Mother!"

Ren Yaohua gave Ren Yaoqi a disdainful look. "Look at how petty you are." Then, without waiting for Ren Yaoqi, she strode off with her head held high.

Xiangqin and Wujing looked back at Ren Yaoqi, covering their mouths and laughing.

When Ren Yaoying saw Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi come out, regardless of what she was thinking, she greeted them with a smile.

"Third Sister’s foot is finally better. Now I can rest easy."

Ren Yaohua glanced at her and curled her lips slightly. "Thank you for your concern. Aren’t we going out? Let’s go."

Madam Fang was already seated in the carriage, while Fang Shuzhou waited beside it, accompanied by a servant holding a horse, seemingly preparing to ride. When he saw the Ren sisters approaching, he stepped forward to greet them.Since Ren Yaohua was coming on short notice, no carriage had been prepared for her beforehand, and arranging one now would make Ren Yaoying’s invitation seem insincere. Fortunately, Madam Fang’s carriage was spacious, so Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua boarded Madam Fang’s carriage together with Ren Yaoying.

Seeing the two board, Madam Fang exchanged a few pleasantries with them. Ren Yaoqi, however, observed her expression and noticed that Madam Fang seemed somewhat distracted.

It appeared that this trip to Yanbei had not gone as smoothly as Madam Fang had hoped. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Ren Yaoqi’s guess was not wrong—Madam Fang had indeed been facing difficulties lately.

Since the last incident, Third Madam Lin had refused to see her, and gifts sent to her were returned with the excuse that she could not accept them without merit, as it might cause misunderstandings. Naturally, she had also lost any connection with Chief Secretary Yuan.

As for the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion, she had once been introduced to the Princess Consort of Yanbei by a close friend. At the time, the Princess Consort had spoken a few words to her and asked her several questions, and Madam Fang could tell that the Princess Consort had a favorable impression of her.

However, since then, she had not had another opportunity to meet the Princess Consort. She had asked her friend to sound out the Princess Consort’s intentions, but nothing came of it. Recently, there had been news from the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion that the Princess Consort might be willing to receive her, but after waiting for most of the day, she still did not get to see her.

As for the other influential families in Yanbei, they were usually warm and welcoming when she visited, willing to maintain ties with the Fang family from Jiangnan. However, building connections was not something that could be done overnight. If her husband ultimately did not come to Yanbei, these relationships would gradually fade.

With the date of her return drawing closer, her husband had sent several letters, but she still had made little progress. Even someone as composed as Madam Fang couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Meanwhile, Ren Yaoying was speaking softly to Ren Yaoqi: “Fifth Sister, you’ve been in Yunyang City for some time now, haven’t you? Have you ever visited the Sun-Moon Springs?”

Ren Yaoqi shook her head. “I’ve heard of them but haven’t had the chance to go. I’ve heard that people in Yunyang City like to retreat to the nearby estates in winter to escape the cold. It’s a pity we came at the wrong time.”

The Sun-Moon Springs were hot springs located outside Yunyang City. Many families had built villas around them, channeling the spring water into their homes. The area remained relatively warm even in winter.

Ren Yaoying smiled. “We’re actually heading to the Sun-Moon Springs today. Madam Zhou has a dowry estate nearby, so she specifically invited Auntie. In fact, it’s not just a good place to visit in winter—it’s also quite enjoyable in summer.”

Madam Zhou was a close friend of Madam Liu. Her husband served as a clerk in the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. Although he was only a minor official without rank, he held some prestige because he occasionally had access to the Prince’s study.

Land near the Sun-Moon Springs was extremely valuable. Madam Zhou’s dowry estate was not large and was already somewhat distant from the springs, but it was still a rare token of respect from her family.

The carriage stopped in front of the estate, where an elderly servant was already waiting at the gate. Seeing Madam Liu and the Ren sisters alight, she came forward to greet them and led them inside.