This outing marked Madam Li's first step into the circle of wives from Yunyang Academy. Although Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua's moods were affected by seeing Zeng Kui, overall, the trip to White Dragon Temple was fruitful.
However, upon returning home, the steward immediately reported to Madam Li about Ren Yaoying's matter.
Upon hearing that Ren Yaoying had been picked up by the Zhou family's carriage not long after they left, Madam Li was both surprised and frowned in concern.
Nanny Zhou had accompanied Madam Li on this outing, so upon returning and learning that the steward had allowed Ren Yaoying to leave on her own, she scolded, "With the master and mistress both away, who gave Ninth Miss permission to go out freely? What if something happened?"
The steward, who had grown increasingly uneasy upon reflection, broke into a cold sweat and said, "But the people sent by the Zhou family said they had already dispatched someone to White Dragon Temple to seek Madam's permission."
Nanny Zhou said coldly, "Oh? So you received Madam's order allowing Ninth Miss to board the Zhou family's carriage?"
"No..."
"Then tell me, who is your master? The Zhou family?"
"I..."
"Enough. First, send someone to the Zhou family to bring Ninth Miss back. If she is safe and sound, you may return to receive your punishment. If anything has happened to her, you need not return."
The steward immediately withdrew.
Ren Yaohua frowned and said, "Mother, you spoil her too much. In her eyes, we are all ill-intentioned people anyway. Why bother being so considerate and giving her face? Do you think she'll appreciate it?"
Madam Li sighed, "She's just a child. How can I hold a grudge against her? Forget it. Since she has acted so improperly this time, I will order her to be confined to her quarters upon her return, and she won't be allowed to go out freely in the future."
Ren Yaohua complained, "Grandmother clearly knows Concubine Fang is at odds with you, yet she still allowed her to come along. If you discipline her, she'll resent you for being too harsh on a concubine-born daughter. If you don't, she always causes trouble. Since she broke the rules herself this time, Mother, you should keep her confined indefinitely to prevent her from causing trouble for you."
When it came to her half-sister Ren Yaoying, Ren Yaohua never minded playing the villain. If she were Madam Li, she would leave Ren Yaoying no freedom at all, keeping her confined to see what mischief she could still stir up.
An hour later, Ren Yaoying was finally brought back by the people the steward had sent.
Fortunately, she had indeed gone to the Zhou family this time and hadn't wandered off elsewhere.
Ren Yaoying glanced at Madam Li, then at Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi, before stepping forward to bow. After that, she stood silently without a word.
Madam Li spoke in a relatively gentle tone, "Yaoying, don't you know the rule that you must seek permission from the elders in the family before going out?"
Ren Yaoying lowered her head and said, "Mother, you weren't at home, and Father had gone to the academy. The people from the Zhou family said they had already sent someone to White Dragon Temple to seek your permission, so I went."
Madam Li frowned, "But I didn't see anyone from the Zhou family."
Nanny Zhou said, "Ninth Miss, even if the Zhou family sent someone to seek Madam's permission, you should have waited for Madam to send someone back to tell you that you could leave before going out. Has no one taught you these rules before?"
Ren Yaoying bit her lip.
Madam Li sighed, "Go back and copy the Classic of Filial Piety twenty times. Also, from now on, you may not leave the house on your own without permission from me or your father."Ren Yaoying couldn't help but ask, "What if the Zhou family sends someone to fetch me again? Would you allow me to go out then, Mother?"
As she spoke, Ren Yaoying instinctively touched her chest. Inside her collar was a jadeite magnolia pendant—not her own possession, but something Zhou Wen had secretly slipped into her hand earlier that day. Zhou Wen had said he would have Zhou Rong come again to take her to the Zhou family.
She hadn't agreed to it at the time, but if Madam Li forbade her from going to the Zhou family in the future, she would feel quite unwilling.
Zhou Wen liked her—she knew that well.
Zhou Wen was not bad-looking, had some talent, and went out of his way to please her. Ren Yaoying was somewhat moved. Yet she thought, if only Zhou Wen's family background were a little better!
She had gradually learned about the Zhou family's situation. Their wealth was only considered average in Yunyang City, far from matching the Ren Family's. Although Zhou Wen's father worked in the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, he was merely a minor clerk with no real authority, and there wasn't much room for future promotion.
From what Zhou Rong implied, Madam Zhou had brought a fairly substantial dowry when she married, but most of it would accompany Zhou Rong when she married. Even the small estate at the hot spring villa was to be given to Zhou Rong. Apart from Zhou Wen himself, there was little else to gain from the Zhou family. This was the conclusion Ren Yaoying had drawn from Zhou Rong's words.
Earlier that day, Zhou Wen had tentatively told her that his mother was already looking for a suitable wife for him, but he himself wanted to wait until after taking the provincial examination next August before considering marriage. After saying this, he had given her the jadeite magnolia.
Ren Yaoying hadn't outright refused at the time.
She thought that if Zhou Wen could achieve good results in the provincial examination and then smoothly pass the Yanbei metropolitan examination, his future might be promising. After all, Zhou Wen spoke of these matters with confidence, and she had discreetly inquired with Zhou Rong—Zhou Wen was indeed well-liked by the teachers at Yunyang Academy.
Ren Yaoying was still young, and marriage arrangements were not yet a concern for her, so she felt there was no need to reject Zhou Wen so early. Setting aside factors like family background, Ren Yaoying held considerable fondness for a young man like Zhou Wen, who was eloquent and handsome.
Ren Yaohua interjected coldly from the side, "Don't you understand? Because you went out today without the elders' permission, you are now confined to your quarters! You cannot go anywhere except your own room!"
Ren Yaoying looked at Madam Li in disbelief. "Mother, you're confining me?"
Madam Li said, "You may go out once you have learned proper conduct."
With reddened eyes, Ren Yaoying cried out indignantly, "Mother, just because I'm a concubine-born daughter, you can treat me so poorly? Third Sister and Fifth Sister get large rooms and can go out with you, while I, a concubine-born daughter, have to live in servants' quarters—and now I'm not even allowed to leave? If you truly despise me so much, just send me back to White Crane Town! At least with Grandmother and my birth mother there, I'll have enough to eat!"
"Enough!" Ren Yaoying's words grew increasingly excessive, and even Madam Li could no longer bear it, frowning as she sharply cut her off."Ren Yaoying, has anyone here been starving you? Could it be that the meals sent to your room ended up feeding the dogs? If you've done wrong, then you've done wrong—just accept your punishment obediently. If you keep being unreasonable and barking nonsense in front of my mother, I'll have someone teach you proper manners properly, so you won’t embarrass us with the etiquette your concubine-mother taught you! Someone! Take her back and keep her under watch. If she dares to take even one step out of her room, break her legs!" Ren Yaohua sneered coldly.
Ren Yaoying retorted angrily, "You wouldn’t dare!"
Ren Yaohua smiled, looking at her with a sinister tone, "You can try and see if I dare! Breaking someone’s legs isn’t something I’m doing for the first time—you and that concubine-mother of yours know that all too well, don’t you? Weren’t you the ones who made a big fuss about it back then?"
"You..."
At that moment, a man’s voice suddenly sounded at the door: "What’s going on? All this noise is disgraceful!"
Everyone turned to see Ren Shimin walking in with a stern face.
"Is this how you’ve raised them? Shouting and making a scene like this?" Ren Shimin said to Madam Li.
Madam Li lowered her head and admitted her fault.
Ren Yaoying immediately burst into tears: "Father, you must stand up for me!"
Ren Shimin grew irritated at her wailing. He glanced at those present and then pointed at Ren Yaoqi, who hadn’t spoken: "Tell me what happened."
Ren Yaoqi explained how Ren Yaoying had left the house that day without seeking Madam Li’s permission.
Ren Shimin asked Madam Li, "I thought you were going to White Dragon Temple today?"
Ren Yaohua said, "Ninth Sister said she wasn’t feeling well, so she didn’t go. Mother even called a doctor for her. But as soon as we left, Ninth Sister’s illness miraculously vanished, and she got into the Zhou family’s carriage."
Ren Shimin looked at Ren Yaoying: "You faked being sick?"
Ren Yaoying sobbed between words: "I... I know Mother and Sister don’t like me, and I didn’t want to go and be a nuisance, I..."
"I asked if you faked being sick!" Ren Shimin said impatiently.
Ren Yaoying only cried and said nothing more.
Ren Shimin glanced at her, then turned to Madam Li: "Find a matron to teach her proper manners properly. Until she learns them, she is not to step out of her room."
Madam Li lowered her head in agreement. Ren Yaoying cried even louder, her voice filled with unmistakable grievance.
Ren Shimin looked at Ren Yaoying and said, "I know you were raised by your concubine-mother, and in your conduct, you may have picked up some of her ways. I dislike that very much, so you must change. Otherwise, you can go back to White Crane Town, but don’t ever tell anyone you’re my daughter, Ren Shimin."
Ren Yaoying was terrified by Ren Shimin’s last words and even forgot to cry.
Did Father mean he was cutting ties with her?
Ren Yaohua signaled to Xier with her eyes. Understanding, Xier stepped forward to escort Ren Yaoying out. Seeing Ren Yaoying unresponsive, Xier had to help her out together with Que’er.
After Ren Yaoying left, Ren Shimin turned to Ren Yaohua, frowning: "I could hear your voice from outside. You need to learn proper manners too!"
Ren Yaohua, pleased that Ren Shimin had reprimanded Ren Yaoying, wasn’t angered by his scolding. Instead, she obediently agreed.Seeing her like this, Ren Shimin said nothing more. The main reason Ren Shimin had reprimanded Ren Yaoying was because she had lied, which he greatly disliked. Although Ren Yaohua's temperament did not align with Ren Shimin's preferences, at least she hadn't grown crooked.
In truth, Third Master Ren's expectations for his children were not particularly high.
Both times he had reprimanded Ren Yaoying were due to issues with her character.
From this day on, Ren Yaoying was placed under house confinement. Since it was her father, Ren Shimin, who had personally given the order, no one dared to say a word.
Setting out the bowls, asking for votes... o(∩_∩)o
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