Ren Yaoqi nodded, "Understood, Father."
Not long after, Ren Shimiao sent someone to inform Ren Shimin that he had already apprehended Yu Qingniang through the shopkeeper of Hua Xiangrong.
As for whether to report it to the authorities, Ren Shimiao was still negotiating with Hua Xiangrong.
Earlier, Ren Shimiao and Ren Shimin had discussed whether to involve the authorities. They concluded that it was best not to alert them for now, as the matter also implicated a concubine of the Ren Family. If word got out, it would damage the Ren Family's reputation.
Fifth Master Ren's decision to take action against Concubine Fang was already expected to anger Old Master Ren. If this matter escalated further and brought shame upon the Ren Family, they would face severe consequences.
Naturally, Hua Xiangrong also did not want the matter to escalate, as it would significantly impact their business. Therefore, they cooperated fully in handing over Yu Qingniang. After all, Hua Xiangrong also bore some responsibility in this matter, and they were more than happy to let someone else face and bear the Ren Family's wrath.
However, Yu Qingniang was only an apprentice at Hua Xiangrong and had signed a non-permanent contract with them. If Hua Xiangrong wanted to directly deal with Yu Qingniang, there were many inconveniences. This was precisely the part Ren Shimiao was negotiating with Hua Xiangrong. In the end, it might still require the authorities' involvement, but if both the Ren Family and Hua Xiangrong did not want the matter to become public, the authorities had their own ways of handling it discreetly.
As for Sun Shiyi Niang, Ren Shimiao had also sent someone to her place. However, the person who returned reported that Sun Shiyi Niang had gone out early in the morning to deliver a few custom-made plaques to a wealthy household and had not yet returned. After inquiring at the calligraphy and painting shop, Ren Shimiao sent someone to wait outside that household.
But Ren Shimiao's men waited for a long time without seeing Sun Shiyi Niang emerge.
After some time, Ren Shimiao sent someone to inform Ren Shimin that the young apprentice who had gone with Sun Shiyi Niang had already come out, but Sun Shiyi Niang herself was nowhere to be seen.
The apprentice said the master of the household was very satisfied with the plaques they delivered. The steward had kept them for tea and snacks and even gave them some additional work. However, Sun Shiyi Niang had left earlier, saying she needed to fetch something, but she never returned. Ren Shimiao's men hurriedly searched the calligraphy and painting shop and Sun Shiyi Niang's residence but still could not find her.
Ren Yaoqi listened to these updates but remained calm.
Not long after, Pingguo returned.
Pingguo approached Ren Yaoqi and reported, "As you instructed, I deliberately stirred things up to alert Sun Shiyi Niang, letting her know that Fifth Master had people waiting for her outside. She was very cautious. She sent an apprentice out to check the situation, then secretly slipped into the neighboring household through the side door at the back of the residence and escaped through their back door. Xia Sheng has already followed her."
Ren Yaoqi nodded, "Is everything arranged with Zhu Ruomei?"
"Yes, miss. I have already relayed your instructions to Yuan Dayong." When Pingguo mentioned Yuan Dayong, her expression turned slightly uneasy.Not long after Third Master Ren arrived in Yunyang City, Yuan Dayong also came to the Ren Family's coal depot in Yunyang City, once again serving as the assistant manager. This time, it wasn't due to Third Master Ren's recommendation; Yuan Dayong had come on his own merits. This actually worked in Ren Yaoqi's favor, as she had originally planned to find a way to bring Yuan Dayong to Yunyang City. Unexpectedly, Yuan Dayong himself was quite clever.
With everything arranged as needed, Ren Yaoqi settled down at home to wait for news.
The people Third Master Ren had sent to fetch Concubine Fang had already arrived at the Ren Family. When Concubine Fang heard that Ren Yaoying had suddenly fallen ill, she panicked and, without thinking too much, went to plead with Old Madam Ren to let her visit Ren Yaoying.
In truth, it wasn't surprising that someone as shrewd as Concubine Fang could be deceived.
Concubine Fang had targeted Madam Lin and Ren Yaoyu of the fifth branch, leaving Ren Yaoyu still unconscious. As a deeply suspicious person, when she heard that Ren Yaoying had suddenly fallen ill, her first thought was that Madam Lin was seeking revenge by targeting Ren Yaoying—after all, Madam Lin had done such things before.
Old Madam Ren did not make things difficult for Concubine Fang. Although she had grown much colder toward Concubine Fang since the previous incident, and despite occasionally showing her some consideration under Old Master Ren's direction to avoid offending the Fang family, she still harbored resentment in her heart.
However, Concubine Fang was also a meticulous person. After boarding the carriage Third Master Ren had sent to fetch her and leaving the Ren residence, she sensed something amiss halfway through the journey.
Given Third Master Ren's temperament, if he truly despised her, he wouldn't have specifically sent someone to bring her to Yunyang City unless Ren Yaoying's condition was truly dire. Moreover, Madam Li and Ren Yaohua would never want her to go. Yet, the people sent to fetch her didn't seem particularly anxious.
Even if these people weren't close attendants of Ren Yaoying and weren't fully aware of the situation, if Ren Yaoying's illness was truly serious, wouldn't the news have spread?
Concubine Fang had initially been too distracted by her concern for her daughter to notice anything amiss. But once she sensed something was off, she grew increasingly suspicious. She then had Nanny Yu summon the accompanying maid into the carriage to probe for information.
Although the maid was one of Madam Li's people, she was no match for Concubine Fang's sharp mind. Concubine Fang merely asked her a few questions about Ren Yaoying's illness, and the maid revealed many inconsistencies. Ren Yaoying had been lively and energetic just the day before, and the maid had to strain her mind to fabricate stories to deceive Concubine Fang.
Seeing the maid's evasive eyes, Concubine Fang understood the situation well enough. A sense of foreboding settled in her heart.
The thought that the man she had followed for over a decade had used her daughter to deceive her filled Concubine Fang with rage and hatred.
In her lifetime, she had wronged many people, but she believed she had never wronged Ren Shimin. She had borne him a pair of healthy children. Whenever he visited her courtyard, she complied with him and did her utmost to please him. She had even studied books, practiced calligraphy, and learned painting to cater to his interests.
But ever since her beauty was ruined by that wretched woman, Madam Lin, Ren Shimin hadn't even spoken a word of comfort, let alone stood up for her. In fact, he hadn't appeared before her since that day.
The more Concubine Fang thought about it, the more her heart grew cold.At this moment, the person Concubine Fang hated most in her heart was not Madam Lin, Fifth Master Ren, nor Madam Li and her daughter, but Ren Shimin.
However, no matter how much resentment surged within Concubine Fang at this moment, she showed none of it on her face. In front of the person sent by Madam Li, Concubine Fang presented herself as an anxious mother worried about her daughter's illness.
But after the maidservant got off the carriage and walked some distance, a sudden exclamation from Nanny Yu came from inside the carriage.
"Concubine? Concubine, what's wrong? Don't scare me! Stop the carriage, stop it quickly!"
The driver was startled and immediately pulled the carriage over to the side of the road.
The maidservant who had been following the carriage hurriedly asked, "Nanny Yu, what happened?"
Nanny Yu said anxiously, "The concubine, the concubine suddenly fainted!"
The maidservant was also alarmed and lifted the curtain to look. Indeed, she saw Concubine Fang lying unconscious in Nanny Yu's arms with her eyes closed. However, since Concubine Fang was wearing a veil, the maidservant couldn't clearly see her complexion.
"Oh, how could the concubine faint when she was perfectly fine just now?" She looked around anxiously and said, "And of all places, she fainted halfway there. What should we do?"
The carriage had already covered half the distance from the Ren Family and was nearing White Dragon Temple. Their carriage was now stopped on a small path not far from the foot of White Dragon Mountain.
Holding Concubine Fang, Nanny Yu wiped her tears and said, "The concubine was worried about Ninth Miss's illness and fainted after crying. Isn't White Dragon Temple nearby? I heard there are monks skilled in medicine in the temple. Why don't we go up the mountain first and ask the monks in the temple to save the concubine?"
Hearing this, the maidservant hesitated.
Nanny Yu scolded angrily, "Our concubine is in such a state, and you're still hesitating? Even if Third Madam were here, she wouldn't stand by and watch our concubine fall so ill! Hurry up!"
The maidservant was also afraid that something might happen to Concubine Fang. After thinking it over, she had no choice but to agree.
Finally, the carriage turned a corner and headed toward White Dragon Temple.
When the carriage arrived at the temple gate, Nanny Yu instructed the maidservant, "It wouldn't be proper for our concubine to be seen in this state. Why don't you go into the temple first to inquire whether the skilled monk is there? If he is, please ask him to come out."
Unable to argue with Nanny Yu, the maidservant hurried off to find someone to examine Concubine Fang.
Not long after the maidservant left, Concubine Fang slowly regained consciousness.
Nanny Yu was overjoyed and said that the concubine, now awake, wanted to ask the temple monks for a small courtyard nearby to rest, which would also make it convenient for the skilled monk to examine Concubine Fang.
The others who remained behind were not in a position to make decisions. Seeing that Concubine Fang wanted to find a place to rest, they couldn't object and could only help make arrangements.
After they asked the temple monks for a small courtyard and settled Nanny Yu there, Nanny Yu directed them to send messages, fetch medicine, and sent them off on separate tasks.
Once everyone was busy with their own tasks, Concubine Fang shed her earlier sickly appearance, stood up, and said, "Jinjú, stay here to deal with them. Nanny Yu, come with me through the back door first."
Nanny Yu asked, "But Concubine, where are we going?"
Concubine Fang said calmly, "Where else can a concubine like me go? Naturally, back to the Ren Family!"
Though disheartened by Ren Shimin, Concubine Fang knew she had nowhere else to go for the time being. In the Ren Family, she could still rely on Old Master Ren's ambitions to protect herself.Although Old Master Ren was out today, Old Madam Ren was present.
Without Old Master Ren's instruction, Old Madam Ren would not allow anything to happen to Concubine Fang.
Concubine Fang had already guessed that Third Master Ren might be targeting her due to matters concerning the fifth branch. Once she returned, she would naturally find ways to remedy the situation. It would not be so easy for Ren Shimiao and Madam Lin to use this opportunity to bring her down.
Concubine Fang sneered inwardly.
Hearing that Concubine Fang intended to return to the Ren Family, Nanny Yu also breathed a sigh of relief. She arranged for Jinjú to stay behind and then hurriedly escorted Concubine Fang out through the back door.
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