Xiao Jingxi wore no hood, and fine snowflakes dusted his dark hair, creating a fleeting illusion of youthful beauty crowned with white—a sight that only intensified his striking handsomeness, making it almost too dazzling to behold.
“Why are you here?” Ren Yaoqi finally found her voice after a long pause. She couldn’t help but glance at Hongying, who stood expressionless behind Xiao Jingxi, head bowed, her demeanor colder than usual, which struck Ren Yaoqi as odd.
“Can’t I come?” Xiao Jingxi countered with a faint smile. Whether it was Ren Yaoqi’s imagination or not, his words carried a hint of grievance.
“I thought it was Jinglin…”
Xiao Jingxi chuckled softly and also glanced at “Hongying.” “This is Nan Xing, not Hongying.”
Ren Yaoqi was taken aback and studied “Hongying” more closely. “Is she Hongying’s sister? They look so alike.” No wonder she had felt that Hongying seemed more reticent and aloof today. In terms of appearance, the two were nearly identical, which explained why she had mistaken them.
Nan Xing stepped forward and bowed again. “This servant is Nan Xing, greeting Third Miss Ren.” This time, Nan Xing’s expression shifted subtly, her features softening noticeably, and even a faint smile graced her lips.
Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned, for this version of Nan Xing was almost indistinguishable from the usual Hongying. Had Nan Xing maintained this demeanor from the start, Ren Yaoqi would have noticed no difference at all.
“Do you see it now?” Xiao Jingxi blinked slowly, feigning innocence.
Realization dawned on Ren Yaoqi, and she gritted her teeth inwardly. Xiao Jingxi’s implication was clear: he hadn’t deliberately instructed Nan Xing to impersonate Hongying to lure Ren Yaoqi here. Even though Nan Xing could mimic Hongying flawlessly, it was Ren Yaoqi’s own oversight that had led to the mistake.
Upon reflection, Nan Xing had never claimed to be Hongying; when inviting her, she had simply said her master requested her presence, not that the Commandery Princess had summoned her. Ren Yaoqi felt a pang of annoyance. The wine she had drunk must have clouded her judgment, causing her to overlook these details. Still, it was only because Hongying was Xiao Jinglin’s attendant that she had let her guard down.
Yet, seeing Xiao Jingxi’s expression now, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation.
Noticing Ren Yaoqi’s glare, Xiao Jingxi knew she was upset. Fearing she might turn and leave, he subtly stepped closer, lowering his voice. “It’s getting cold standing here. Shall we take a walk in the plum grove?”
Though Ren Yaoqi had come to understand Xiao Jingxi well enough to suspect he might be playing on her sympathy, the sight of the snowflakes dusting his hair made her nod in agreement.
Xiao Jingxi’s face lit up with a smile, and in that instant, even the enchanting sight of “pink blossoms budding amidst the silver snow” in the grove paled in comparison to the radiance he exuded.
Ren Yaoqi lowered her head in silent thought. She was beginning to grasp what Xiao Jinglin meant by “a beauty that brings calamity.”
Side by side, they walked into the plum grove, with Nan Xing and two maidservants following at a discreet distance.
After a while, Ren Yaoqi noticed the grove was unusually quiet, devoid of anyone else besides their party. Clearly, Xiao Jingxi had made arrangements beforehand.
She turned to speak but found Xiao Jingxi’s gaze fixed on her face. Even when she met his eyes, he didn’t look away. Her heart raced, and she felt the lingering effects of the wine warming her cheeks even more."What about you getting wet?" Ren Yaoqi turned her head to ask.
Xiao Jingxi had likely waited for her for a while earlier, which was why snowflakes had settled all over his hair. In front of the maids, Ren Yaoqi hadn’t felt it appropriate to ask, but she was somewhat worried he might catch a chill.
Xiao Jingxi’s voice carried a hint of amusement. "It’s fine." Then, in a motion she couldn’t quite follow, the snowflakes on his head all scattered and fell away in an instant, leaving his jet-black hair completely dry without the slightest trace of dampness.
Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned. As she looked at Xiao Jingxi’s calm and composed demeanor, she suddenly thought of something and couldn’t help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at?" Xiao Jingxi turned to ask.
Ren Yaoqi shook her head, suppressing her smile.
She remembered how, in her last letter, she had teased Xiao Jingxi, saying his handwriting seemed softer and less forceful compared to Xiao Jinglin’s. Had Xiao Jingxi just subtly shown off to prove he wasn’t as "delicate" as he appeared on the surface? But Ren Yaoqi knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to say this to his face—she still had to leave him some dignity.
However, seeing the teasing smile on Ren Yaoqi’s face, Xiao Jingxi seemed to understand. Though his expression remained as composed as ever, the tips of his ears flushed slightly red.
"Why did you come?" Ren Yaoqi asked again when he fell silent.
Just then, they rounded a corner. Nan Xing and the others hadn’t caught up yet. Xiao Jingxi stopped walking and opened his palm in front of Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi was surprised. Looking down, she saw a single red bean resting in Xiao Jingxi’s hand. Meeting his gentle, smiling gaze, her own face flushed slightly. She reached out to take the red bean back, but as soon as her hand extended, Xiao Jingxi grasped it firmly.
Ren Yaoqi tried to pull her hand back but couldn’t free it. She glared at him, both embarrassed and annoyed. "You…"
Nan Xing, about to follow around the corner, twitched her ears and glanced at the other two maids before stopping in her tracks.
Sangshen looked at Nan Xing and instinctively halted as well. Pingguo, however, continued forward until Nan Xing grabbed her arm. Pingguo looked at Nan Xing in confusion, but Nan Xing only stared back without a word. The two stood there, wide-eyed and bewildered.
"Once something is given, how can it be taken back?" Xiao Jingxi whispered, using his sleeve to conceal their hands as he held Ren Yaoqi’s firmly in his own.
The warmth from his palm spread through half of Ren Yaoqi’s arm, making it burn hotter than the hand holding her small warming stove. Just as she was about to pull away, Xiao Jingxi released her hand.
Ren Yaoqi lowered her head and withdrew her hand, clutching her warming stove tightly with both hands.
"I read the letter, so I came," Xiao Jingxi said softly.
Ren Yaoqi: "…"
Afraid she might become flustered and angry, Xiao Jingxi curved his lips slightly and continued walking forward. Ren Yaoqi followed.
The two walked slowly through the plum grove in silence, the only sound the crunching of their boots on the snow. Yet, within their hearts, they felt a profound sense of peace and tranquility.
After walking for some time, Ren Yaoqi glanced at the path and whispered, "Let’s head back." She was worried they had been out too long and someone might come looking for them. Though she knew Xiao Jingxi must have posted guards nearby, it still wasn’t wise to stay out for too long.Although Xiao Jingxi wished to continue walking with her like this forever, never reaching an end, he also understood what was on Ren Yaoqi’s mind. He nodded with a smile and replied, “Alright.”
The two took another path back.
“The matters in the south are likely almost settled,” Xiao Jingxi suddenly remarked.
Ren Yaoqi was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Xiao Jingxi was referring to the Ren Family’s southern businesses.
“They acted quite swiftly,” Ren Yaoqi remarked without any particular emotion.
The Ren Family’s businesses in Jiangnan accounted for nearly half of their entire wealth, yet they had been completely swallowed up within just a few months. No wonder Ren Yaoqi had heard that Old Master Ren had recently been pushing himself despite his illness, refusing to listen to anyone’s advice.
“Was it the Han Family who made the move?” Ren Yaoqi asked, recalling Han Yunqian’s words from their last encounter.
Xiao Jingxi nodded. “Yes.” After a pause, he added, “It was handled through the Han Family.”
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile at this, teasing, “You’ve become quite adept at making profit without any investment.”
Though mocked, Xiao Jingxi wasn’t bothered. He glanced at Ren Yaoqi with a smile. “You allowed me to do this.”
Ren Yaoqi shot him a sidelong glance but didn’t argue further. When it came to thick skin, she was no match for him.
“The Ren Family is likely to face some turmoil next,” Xiao Jingxi said thoughtfully, wanting to reassure Ren Yaoqi even though he knew she wasn’t afraid. “But don’t worry. Your father will receive an official appointment from Yunyang Academy, making it much harder for the Ren Family to control your branch.”
Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned by this news.
While many taught at Yunyang Academy, not all held official appointments. An official appointment meant holding a government position under the jurisdiction of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion, receiving a salary from the mansion rather than the academy’s stipend. This marked the difference between a commoner and an official.
If Third Master Ren received an official appointment from the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion, it would indeed become much harder for the Ren Family to control the third branch as they had before.
In this era, clans exercised absolute control over their members, with clan laws often holding more sway than imperial laws, especially in Jiangnan, where the words of a clan elder carried more weight than those of local officials.
However, in Yanbei, due to historical reasons, clan control over members was relatively weaker, particularly in Yan Prefecture, where the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion held authority. No family dared to challenge the mansion or its decrees.
Decades earlier, when Yanbei had just broken free from Liao control, several prominent families, relying on their deep-rooted influence, attempted to place clan laws above imperial laws. The old Prince, Xiao Qishan, wiped out entire families without a word, and since then, no “troublemakers” had emerged among Yanbei’s great clans.
If Third Master Ren became an official, his relationship with the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion would be that of a subject to his ruler. Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety could not coexist perfectly. It would be impossible for the Ren Family to control Third Master Ren over the authority of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. Conversely, Third Master Ren would gain a degree of freedom in handling family affairs.
However, receiving an official appointment from the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion was no simple matter. Such appointments came with a seventh-rank government position, and the number of such positions was strictly limited.Generally, one must have at least ten years of teaching experience and some academic achievements. Third Master Ren is still young and has not been at Yunyang Academy for long. There are many more senior than him, so it would likely be difficult for him to gain widespread respect.
The chapter written last night was not posted due to certain reasons. Apologies for that.
There will be an update tonight.
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