"The intention precedes the brush, and the painting fully conveys the intent." Ren Shimin stepped closer, lowering his head to carefully examine the painting that Ren Yaoqi had refined, his face lighting up with pleasant surprise as he praised, "Yaoyao, your progress over the past six months is truly unbelievable."
Six months? She had been painting far longer than that...
Ren Yaoqi sighed inwardly but merely pursed her lips into a faint smile.
"Fifth Sister paints so well," Ren Yihong said, looking at Ren Yaoqi with a hint of shyness.
Ren Yihong was Ren Shimin's only son.
Concubine Fang held high expectations for this son and never allowed him to involve himself in the affairs of the inner courtyard. In Ren Yaoqi's memory, this half-brother was timid by nature and had a fairly good relationship with her.
He was currently studying classics and history alongside several other cousins from the Ren Family under an elderly scholar hired by the household. His academic performance was decent, and he enjoyed painting, though he lacked natural talent.
Ren Yaoqi recalled that in her previous life, after Ren Shimin's death, Ren Yihong had been sent by Concubine Fang to study with the Fang family's children. As for whether he had achieved the success Concubine Fang had hoped for, she did not know, as she had never heard Ren Yihong's name mentioned in the capital during her lifetime.
Ren Yaoqi offered him a polite smile.
At that moment, the front courtyard steward came to report that the gifts of gratitude for the Han Family had been prepared, and Fifth Master was asking if Third Master had time to accompany him to the Han Family.
Ren Yaoqi tugged at Ren Shimin's sleeve, expressing her dissatisfaction, "Father, you haven't told us about the painting gathering yet. Besides Elder Chen and the Prince of Yanbei's heir, which other renowned masters attended? What painting styles do they belong to?"
Seeing the curious expressions on the children's faces, Ren Shimin thought for a moment and said to the steward, "The Han Family has only just returned today. Too many visitors might cause them inconvenience. Let Fifth Brother go alone today. I will pay them a visit another day."
The steward acknowledged and withdrew.
Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief.
Ren Shimin spent the rest of the afternoon in the study, discussing the events of the painting gathering with the children.
After dinner, the Ren Family members went to Glory and Splendor Courtyard to pay their evening respects to Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren. Ren Yaoyu officially moved into Glory and Splendor Courtyard.
To console Ren Yaohua, Old Madam Ren rewarded her with a pair of pearl hairpins and spoke to her with particular kindness.
Madam Lin appeared together with Fifth Master. It was unclear how Fifth Master had pleaded on her behalf, but Old Madam Ren did not punish her to reflect in the ancestral hall. The couple stood side by side, exchanging frequent glances.
Finally, Fifth Master shamelessly pleaded for his daughter's sake, and Old Madam Ren reluctantly agreed to release Ren Yaoyu from the ancestral hall, confining her to her own room instead.
After returning from Glory and Splendor Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi had the box of fabrics and jewelry that Ren Shimin had brought for her sorted into several portions, sending them to Ren Yaoyin, Ren Yaoying, and Ren Yaoting from the second branch. Then, she took the portion intended for Ren Yaohua to the east wing opposite.
Upon seeing the clothes and jewelry Ren Yaoqi brought, Ren Yaohua said expressionlessly, "Father bought these for you. Why bring them to me?"
Ren Yaoqi smiled and replied, "Fourth Sister, Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister, and Ninth Sister all received their shares. Naturally, Third Sister should not be left out. Father said these were for us sisters. How could I keep them all to myself?"
Hearing this, Ren Yaohua's expression softened slightly.
Ren Yaoqi instructed Xier to hand over the items she had brought to Ren Yaohua's senior maid, Wujing, for safekeeping.A servant woman came in to speak with Ren Yaohua. Ren Yaoqi noticed that ink, brushes, and rice paper were spread out on the desk inside, so she walked over and glanced casually. She discovered it was a half-finished snowscape painting.
The ink on the painting was still wet, clearly indicating that Ren Yaohua had been painting before she entered.
Ren Yaohua's painting was quite ordinary, with some signs of corrections and revisions, but it was evident she had put effort into it. Painting and calligraphy were not Ren Yaohua's strengths, and Ren Yaoqi knew she disliked such things the most.
Ren Yaoqi had always thought that someone as proud as Ren Yaohua wouldn't care about her father's opinion of her. In daily life, her attitude toward Ren Shimin was indifferent; she rarely even spoke in his presence.
At that moment, Ren Yaohua walked over, glanced at Ren Yaoqi, then snatched the half-finished snowscape painting from the table, crumpled it into a ball, and casually tossed it onto the floor.
Ren Yaoqi was taken aback. Ren Yaohua said coldly, "I was just painting idly, but it's ruined. It's getting late, you should go back."
Ren Yaoqi nodded without further questions. "Then I'll take my leave." After taking two steps, she paused and added, "Third Sister, perhaps you could try gongbi painting. And if you're unsure about the composition, you could sketch it out first with charcoal."
Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi for a long moment. Only when Ren Yaoqi reached the doorway did she say softly, "Thank you for your concern."
The next day, after paying her respects at Glory and Splendor Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi was speaking with Madam Li in her main room when a servant woman from the outer courtyard came in to report that Third Master had asked Third Madam to send the canister of Yunwu tea he brought back from the capital to the front courtyard.
"Has a guest arrived?" Ren Shimin treasured his collection of tea leaves and usually only served them to his closest friends, which was why Ren Yaoqi asked.
"It's someone from the Han Family," the stewardess replied.
Ren Yaoqi's expression changed slightly. "The Han Family is here?"
"Yes, Madam Han has brought Young Master Han and Young Miss Han," the stewardess replied with a smile, not noticing Ren Yaoqi's expression. "Fifth Master said he wants Young Master Han to taste the fine tea he recently brought back."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't remember whether the Han Family had visited in her previous life. Before the Han Family broke off the engagement, she hadn't paid any attention to them at all.
But must this life follow the same path as the last?
At this thought, Ren Yaoqi abruptly stood up.
"Qi'er?" Madam Li called out in surprise.
Ren Yaoqi snapped back to reality and realized everyone was looking at her. She took a deep breath to steady herself and smiled. "Yesterday, I heard Father praising the Han Family's family traditions. I'm very curious about what Young Miss Han is like. Mother, I'll go to Grandmother's courtyard to see her."
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