Thus, Ren Yaoqi understood that no matter how cunning the maid Chuner's calculations were, she ultimately could not escape Ren Yaohua's grasp. For those who dared to overstep their bounds, Ren Yaohua was never one to show mercy. Presumably, after Ren Yaohua returned and learned of Chuner's role in aiding and abetting wrongdoing, she had the maid taken away.
Ren Yaoqi guessed correctly. After Ren Yaohua finished playing the flute and returned, Xiangqin came to lodge a complaint. Upon hearing it, Ren Yaohua was furious.
However, just as Ren Yaoying had anticipated, no matter how willful Ren Yaohua usually was, she dared not make a scene at this moment and could only glare at her across the table.
What Ren Yaoying did not expect was that Ren Yaohua only held back until after she took the stage.
Because the vermilion color mixed from the cinnabar prepared by the Yun Family was not the shade Ren Yaoying was accustomed to, she sent Chuner to fetch the cinnabar she had prepared in advance. Unexpectedly, Chuner never returned.
Ren Yaohua instructed Xiangqin to have two matrons wait along Chuner's return route. They knocked Chuner unconscious, carried her away without stopping, and sent her directly back to White Crane Town by carriage to be handed over to Nanny Zhou. To the Yun Family, they merely claimed the maid had suffered heatstroke.
Ren Yaohua ordered Nanny Zhou to give Chuner thirty strokes with the rod before selling her off.
The reason for sending her back to White Crane Town for punishment instead of to the Ren Family's villa in Yunyang City was that Old Madam Ren and Concubine Fang's sister-in-law were currently at the villa. Ren Yaohua feared Old Madam Ren might stop her from punishing Chuner out of consideration for Concubine Fang and the Fang family's reputation.
Ren Yaohua believed that if such behavior by Chuner was not promptly punished, others would eagerly follow suit. Thus, she resolved the matter swiftly and decisively to serve as a warning to others.
With Chuner sent away, Ren Yaohua had Xiangqin deliver the cinnabar to Ren Yaoying. Ren Yaoying’s expression turned grim upon seeing Xiangqin, but there was nothing she could do except focus on her painting.
Xiangqin took the opportunity to memorize the painting Ren Yaoying was working on, returning to describe it in detail to Ren Yaohua. Thus, Ren Yaohua fully understood why Ren Yaoying had sent Ren Yaoqi away.
After Ren Yaoqi had previously corrected Ren Yaoying's painting, the overall composition and layout of that piece had improved significantly—far beyond what Ren Yaoying could have achieved on her own.
Apart from painting, calligraphy was the only other skill Ren Yaoying could boast of. Unfortunately, with Jiang Yuan Niang and Su Fangfei present today, even if she wrote flawlessly, she would not stand out. In the end, she had no choice but to paint the same piece Ren Yaoqi had corrected for her.
After hearing Ren Yaohua's account, Ren Yaoqi understood everything clearly.
Ren Yaohua whispered to Ren Yaoqi, "Once she comes down, you go up. Paint carefully—you’ll definitely do better than that little wretch!"
Ren Yaoqi shook her head. "I won’t be painting today."
Ren Yaohua frowned. "Why? Are you afraid of losing to her?"
Ren Yaoqi chuckled. "She only resorts to underhanded tricks." Ren Yaoqi had never intended to compete with Ren Yaoying.
"Then why—"
Ren Yaoqi quickly interrupted Ren Yaohua. "I’ve already agreed with the Commandery Princess—I’ll play the qin while she performs a sword dance."
Upon hearing that Ren Yaoqi would take the stage with the Commandery Princess, Ren Yaohua found it difficult to object. Although she believed Ren Yaoqi was better at painting than playing the qin, she truly did not want to see Ren Yaoying get her way.Ren Yaoqi could tell what Ren Yaohua was thinking just by looking at her expression and quietly reassured her, "If you're worried that Ren Yaoying might stand out this time, you can rest assured—she likely won't be able to."
Ren Yaohua didn't seem convinced. "With her original painting, she wouldn't stand out, but after your revisions, it's hard to say. Didn't Father even say you improved it well?"
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment. "Are you sure she painted exactly as I revised it? Not a single stroke different?"
Ren Yaohua glanced at Xiangqin, who was staring wide-eyed at their conversation. "This girl may not have many other strengths, but her eyesight is quite sharp."
Not many other strengths... not many other strengths...
Xiangqin pouted and hung her head.
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but laugh at Xiangqin's expression before turning back to Ren Yaohua. "Then that settles it. No matter how well she paints today, it won't matter."
Ren Yaohua still looked skeptical, but Ren Yaoqi didn't elaborate further.
Just then, Ren Yaoying completed her painting, and First Madam Yun had it presented.
The painting first reached Old Princess Consort, who, as usual, gave it only a cursory glance before passing it on. Then it came into Princess Consort's hands.
Ren Yaoying watched Princess Consort's expression nervously. In her youth, Princess Consort had been a talented woman herself; whenever she saw something she liked, she would offer praise or a few words of guidance. The other ladies, out of respect for Princess Consort, would also speak favorably and give higher evaluations.
Princess Consort first glanced at the painting, seemingly finding it somewhat interesting, then had it brought closer for a longer look.
Ren Yaoying's eyes lit up, her heart pounding.
She had been waiting for an opportunity to stand out, and this Thousand Gold Banquet was undoubtedly the perfect moment. As long as she could earn a good reputation at the banquet, no one would remember her past embarrassments; instead, they would recall her brilliance at the Thousand Gold Banquet.
The incident at last year's ice-skating competition had been a lingering nightmare for her over the past year.
That was why she had gone to such great lengths this time—for a daughter of a concubine, such opportunities might come only once in a lifetime, and she had to seize it.
But just then, Princess Consort suddenly frowned as she looked at the painting.
After a moment of contemplation, Princess Consort quietly instructed her maid, Qiluo, then said nothing further as Qiluo took the painting to the other ladies, including Ouyang Shi, without giving Ren Yaoying another glance.
Ren Yaoying felt bewildered and lost. She had clearly seen Princess Consort's appreciation for her painting earlier—why had she said nothing? Previously, Princess Consort had always commented on outstanding calligraphy or paintings.
Ren Yaoying turned her attention to the ladies passing her painting around. Like Princess Consort, they only glanced at it before setting it aside. Lady Xu smiled when she saw the painting but also said nothing.
Soon after, Qiluo collected Ren Yaoying's painting, and it was not circulated among the young ladies.
"We've been sitting for quite a while. Let's take a break and continue after half an incense stick's time," Princess Consort said with a smile, rising to let her maids and attendants assist her in freshening up.
Ren Yaoying's painting attracted no further attention, and everyone simply assumed it was rather ordinary.
Ren Yaoying stood in place for a long time, unmoving, her head lowered as if lost in thought.Ren Yaoyin glanced thoughtfully at Ren Yaoying, then looked at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua.
Ren Yaoyu sneered from the side, "I thought she was so capable, but she’s just someone else’s foil!" With that, she pulled Ren Yaoyin along to change clothes.
After they left, Ren Yaohua asked Ren Yaoqi in surprise, "What’s going on?" She felt that a painting praised by their father must be quite good.
Ren Yaoqi replied, "Do you remember when I helped her revise the painting and added a pair of bamboo?"
Ren Yaohua had been present at the time and recalled the details: "Yes, it was a pair of bamboo bent under heavy snow. Father even said your addition was excellent and full of artistic conception."
Ren Yaoqi shook her head, "Adding that pair of bamboo at the time served as a finishing touch, so it was naturally very good. But today, it’s not."
Ren Yaoqi didn’t keep her in suspense and explained quietly, "A pair of bamboo can symbolize a woman remarrying."
Ren Yaohua was taken aback, then remembered the rumors she had heard about Ouyang Shi, the wife of Headmaster Xu.
Just then, someone stopped in front of them.
Ren Yaoqi looked up and saw Ren Yaoying had returned, her face pale as she stared at them silently and intently.
"What exactly is going on?"
Ren Yaoqi felt somewhat helpless as she looked at Ren Yaoying.
When she had helped Ren Yaoying revise the painting, she truly hadn’t anticipated today’s situation. If Ren Yaoying had given even the slightest hint before stepping forward that she intended to present that painting, instead of scheming to send her away, Ren Yaoqi might have reminded her. Not for Ren Yaoying’s sake, but to avoid embarrassing Lady Xu.
Now, it could only be said that Ren Yaoying had brought this misfortune upon herself.
Because the old Prince had issued a gag order regarding the matter between Ouyang Shi and Xu Wanli, even if some in Yanbei knew the inside story, no one dared to speak openly about it. The noble families of Yanbei had always been tight-lipped about Ouyang Shi remarrying her brother-in-law.
Women familiar with social etiquette knew what to avoid with certain people. For example, one should not give items with a paired bamboo pattern to a remarried woman, as it would be seen as mockery.
That was why the Princess Consort frowned upon seeing Ren Yaoying’s painting, and the other ladies pretended not to notice.
Ren Yaohua sneered, "How dare you ask us what’s going on? Don’t you know what you did yourself? How would we know what’s going on!"
Ren Yaoying bit her lip, her eyes reddening, and walked away.
Seeing that Ren Yaoying hadn’t gained any advantage, Ren Yaohua felt somewhat relieved and didn’t dwell on her attitude. She remarked idly, "She brought this upon herself with her own scheming, and now she has the nerve to question others. How absurd."
Ren Yaoqi no longer concerned herself with Ren Yaoying’s affairs, as Hongying came looking for her.
Ren Yaoqi said to Ren Yaohua, "I’ll go ahead now. Third Sister, don’t argue with her later."
Ren Yaohua replied impatiently, "If I didn’t know how to consider the occasion, do you think she’d still be sitting here unharmed? Hurry up and go!"
Ren Yaoqi smiled at this and said no more, taking Pingguo with her to find Xiao Jinglin.
The Princess Consort was speaking with Xiao Jinglin nearby. When she saw Ren Yaoqi approaching, she smiled and waved her over.
"Lin’er says she wants to perform a sword dance while you play the qin? I didn’t even know she could dance with a sword?"Second update delivered~ Don't complain about the slow pace~｀（∩_∩）′
Feeling a bit sleepy now, so I haven't proofread for typos. Please bear with it for now.
Lastly, to those who still have pink votes left this month, remember to show some support and give me a little motivation.
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