The Lei Family's move completely disrupted the plans of Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren. With Old Master Ren still bedridden, he naturally couldn't devise a countermeasure, which left Old Madam Ren frantic with anxiety.
Old Madam Ren was unwilling to accept this, but the reason given by the Lei Family was also quite solid. The Lei Family's ancestral rule stated that members of the family could only take concubines if they had no sons by the age of forty. This was a family precept that even Lei Ting, as the head of the family, could not defy. Old Madam Ren certainly couldn't argue with the ancestors of the Lei Family. If she had discreetly prepared a few maids for Lei Ting, it might have been manageable, but she had openly wanted both granddaughters to marry into the Lei Family simultaneously.
The most anxious about this outcome was Ren Yaoying. She had already broken with Ren Yaohua, and there was no possibility of reconciliation. If she failed to marry this time, her stepmother would no longer treat her kindly, and Ren Yaohua's methods...
Ren Yaoying began having nightmares night after night again.
In her desperation, Ren Yaoying even considered striking first—having substantial contact with Lei Ting before Ren Yaohua's wedding to force him to accept her into the family. However, she had no opportunity to see Lei Ting, and even if she had some underhanded tricks, she couldn't use them.
The Lei Family was quite considerate. Although they had rejected the Ren Family's proposal for a concubine, they did so privately and did not publicize the matter. Unfortunately, secrets are hard to keep, and since the Ren Family had not deliberately concealed the news, rumors about the Lei Family's rejection soon spread like wildfire.
At first, some people criticized the Lei Family for disrespecting their in-laws and deliberately humiliating them. However, as time passed, the rumors Zhou Rong had deliberately spread earlier began to take effect, and more people started mocking Ren Yaoying.
When the Ren Family found out, they were both ashamed and furious. Outside, Ren Yaoying was being portrayed in an increasingly negative light, especially with Zhou Rong's gloating and fanning the flames. Most people in Yunyang City believed that Ren Yaoying had taken a fancy to her brother-in-law and wanted to become a concubine in the Lei Family, only to be ruthlessly rejected, turning her into a laughingstock.
When Ren Yaoying learned of this, she nearly fainted from anger. She went to Old Madam Ren, crying and making a scene, begging her to stand up for her. But Old Madam Ren no longer had the time to deal with her. Seeing that Ren Yaoying's entry into the Lei Family was now impossible, she shifted her focus to the maids who would accompany Ren Yaohua as dowry and tried her best to win over Ren Yaohua.
However, Ren Yaohua was no longer someone Old Madam Ren could placate with a few sweet words. After some reflection, Ren Yaohua had clearly realized who truly cared for her with sincerity.
In mid-July, Third Master Ren suddenly received a transfer order from the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. The Yanbei Prince's Mansion had appointed Lord Sheng Shi Hong to oversee the compilation of a series of books titled Yanshan River Atlas, documenting the geography, customs, and notable traditions of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanbei. Participants included several civil officials from the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, some renowned scholars and literati from Yanbei, and a few teachers from Yunyang Academy.
Third Master Ren was also on the list of selected participants. Although he was not yet old, his achievements in painting had earned the admiration of many. Especially in the past year or two, perhaps due to a broader state of mind, his artistic realm had reached a new level.The geographical and cultural compendium to be compiled under the direction of Lord Sheng would involve aspects of painting, and the dean of Yunyang Academy recommended Ren Shimin to Lord Sheng.
The Yanshan River Atlas was an official document, and those involved in its compilation naturally held official positions. Although Ren Shimin was only temporarily seconded, he still secured a seventh-rank post.
Upon receiving the news, Ren Yaoqi understood the meaning of the opportunity Xiao Jingxi had mentioned earlier.
By participating in the compilation of the Yanshan River Atlas, Ren Shimin obtained an official position. Although it was merely a nominal sinecure in daily affairs, it fundamentally changed his status. Moreover, this move further enhanced his prestige. Coupled with the merits he had earned from participating in the literary contest in the capital, his path at Yunyang Academy would now be smooth.
What Ren Yaoqi cared about was that with Ren Shimin holding an official position, the third branch of the Ren Family would find it much easier to conduct their affairs.
As for Yun Wenfang, there had been no news of him since he left the Ren Family last time. Ren Yaoqi had initially worried he might resort to some foolish move and had someone keep an eye on the situation in Yunyang City. Later, she learned that Yun Wenfang had left the city on business.
Xiao Jinglin, however, wrote to Ren Yaoqi asking about Yun Wenfang, leading Ren Yaoqi to suspect that Yun Wenfang’s sudden departure might be related to the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion.
It must be said that Ren Yaoqi understood a certain someone quite well. How could Yun Wenfang’s visit to the Ren Family escape Xiao Jingxi’s notice? However, given Xiao Jingxi’s character, he naturally would not imitate Yun Wenfang by appearing before Ren Yaoqi to assert his presence—that was not Second Young Master Xiao’s style.
Meanwhile, Yun Wenfang was quite frustrated. He had returned to Yunyang City intending to confront the Yun Family about his marriage. Second Young Master Yun had indeed matured over the years. The Yun Family and the families attached to them controlled numerous businesses, with a significant portion of their profits coming from salt wells and salt trading.
Yun Wenfang had spent three years at the border, and he was not merely focused on charging into battle. Especially in the last year, he had quietly maneuvered behind the scenes. With no shortage of personnel at his disposal and being a legitimate master of the Yun Family, he gradually gained control over the salt wells originally acquired from the Su Family.
This became his bargaining chip in negotiations with the Yun Family. Yun Wenfang did not intend to force the Yun elders into submission with a few salt wells. Instead, he wanted the Yun Family to recognize his capabilities and no longer dare to arbitrarily arrange his marriage.
It must be said that Second Young Master Yun’s approach was correct. Unfortunately, before he could find the right moment to confront the Yun Family, he received news that the salt wells under his control had encountered problems. Although Yun Wenfang cared little about the salt wells themselves, this was a critical moment, and he could not afford to ignore the issue. Thus, without hesitation, he left Yunyang City.
Ren Yaoqi only knew that Yun Wenfang had left, but as no one informed her of the specific details and she did not make any special inquiries, she remained unaware of the circumstances.
Ren Yaohua’s wedding date was set for the twenty-ninth day of the eighth month. About a month before Ren Yaohua’s wedding, Third Master Ren sent someone to fetch Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua back to Yunyang City.Old Madam Ren was unwilling to let Ren Yaohua return to Yunyang City. Hoping to seize the final opportunity to mend their relationship, she used the excuse that the wedding date was approaching and it was inappropriate to travel, thus rejecting Third Master Ren's request to take Ren Yaohua back.
However, within a few days, the matchmaker sent by the Lei Family arrived again. It turned out that the Lei Family had strict customs—before the wedding, they had specifically consulted a fortune-teller to determine the auspicious time and the route for fetching the bride. The results indicated that the location of the Ren Family's ancestral home was directly opposite the Lei Family's residence in an inauspicious alignment. If Ren Yaohua were to board the bridal sedan from the ancestral home, it would bring bad luck and even affect the fortunes of both families in the future.
It was normal for prominent families to have many rules, but the Lei Family's repeated actions to trouble Old Madam Ren lately had left her somewhat displeased. However, the Ren Family dared not offend the Lei Family, especially since Old Master Ren was bedridden and unable to manage affairs. Master Ren the Elder, who was currently in charge, advised Old Madam Ren not to fuss over such formalities. Ren Yaohua's biological father, Third Master Ren, directly sent someone to fetch Ren Yaohua back to Yunyang City to prepare for the wedding.
In the end, Old Madam Ren had no choice but to compromise. Suppressing her displeasure, she allowed Third Master Ren to take Ren Yaohua away. Third Master Ren had already received an appointment from the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and was now able to establish his own household. Therefore, no one could find fault with Ren Yaohua marrying from Yunyang City.
Although Old Madam Ren agreed to let Third Master Ren take Ren Yaohua away, she also sent the maids prepared as dowry attendants to Yunyang City. Additionally, Old Madam Ren assigned one of her trusted nannies to Ren Yaohua—the same Maidong's wife whom she had previously sent to monitor Ren Yaoqi. Old Madam Ren retrieved the maids' indentures from Ren Yaoying and handed them over to Maidong's wife.
Ren Yaohua merely observed Old Madam Ren's actions coldly without expressing any opinion. When the people were given to her, she kowtowed in thanks, then left without looking back.
After returning to the Ren Family, Maidong's wife and the eight dowry maids were properly settled by Nanny Zhou. No one stopped Maidong's wife from sending letters to White Crane Town, and everyone coexisted peacefully. Even the issue of the maids' indentures, which Maidong's wife had previously worried about, went unmentioned. This greatly relieved her, and she couldn't help but feel delighted about her future prospects.
One day, while Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were doing embroidery work in Madam Li's room, they suddenly received a letter from the Lei Family—written by Lei Pan'er herself.
Some time ago, Lei Pan'er had suddenly stopped writing to the Ren Family. Ren Yaoqi wrote to ask her the reason, and Lei Pan'er later replied, explaining that her family had hired a tutor for her, and her aunt supervised her studies daily, leaving her little time to write letters. Since then, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua had occasionally received letters from her. In her letters, Lei Pan'er remained as mischievous and lively as ever, though her correspondence dwindled again after Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua returned to White Crane Town.
Today's letter, however, was an invitation for Ren Yaohua to meet.
Previously, Lei Pan'er had often invited Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua to accompany her for conversation and play, so this letter was nothing out of the ordinary. However, with Ren Yaohua's wedding date approaching, it was not ideal for her to go out.After considering for a while, Ren Yaohua decided to decline the invitation. Meanwhile, Ren Yaoqi held the letter thoughtfully.
“I’ll go meet Pan’er instead,” Ren Yaoqi said with a smile, stopping Ren Yaohua from writing a reply.
Ren Yaohua frowned at this. “It’s better not to go today. I find it strange that Pan’er would invite me out at this time. Yet the handwriting on the letter is undoubtedly hers. I’ll send someone to the Lei Family to inquire first.”
Ren Yaoqi was well aware of the oddity, which was precisely why she intended to meet Lei Pan’er. Some matters needed to be clarified now, before Ren Yaohua married into the Lei Family, or they would become even more troublesome later.
Seeing Ren Yaoqi still determined to go, Ren Yaohua said, “Then I’ll go with you. It’s better to have company.”
Ren Yaoqi shook her head. “I’ll ask Princess Xiao to accompany me. She’s been quite idle lately.”
Hearing that Ren Yaoqi would bring Xiao Jinglin along, Ren Yaohua felt reassured. Even though she had never seen Princess Xiao in action, she knew her martial skills were undoubtedly exceptional. Moreover, in Yanbei, no one would dare lay a hand on the Princess of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion.
Thus, Ren Yaohua sent someone to fetch Xiao Jinglin.
Xiao Jinglin arrived quickly. During Ren Yaoqi’s stay in White Crane Town, Princess Xiao had been rather bored. Now that Ren Yaoqi had invited her out, she was more than happy to join.
Xiao Jinglin arrived on horseback with Hongying, but upon reaching the Ren Family, she left her horse behind and boarded the Ren Family’s carriage with Ren Yaoqi.
Noticing the chestnut-red horse Xiao Jinglin had ridden today, Ren Yaoqi teased, “Is its name Little Red?”
Before Xiao Jinglin could respond, Hongying burst into laughter.
Xiao Jinglin glanced at her mount and replied calmly, “I just picked it randomly from the Prince’s Mansion stables. I don’t know its name.”
Hongying chimed in, “Princess, isn’t this Liangshan Steed named ‘Red Dragon’?”
Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jinglin with a smile, but Xiao Jinglin pretended not to hear and pulled Ren Yaoqi into the carriage.
Once inside, Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jinglin and said with a grin, “I suddenly remembered something.”
Xiao Jinglin felt a bit uneasy under Ren Yaoqi’s amused gaze. “What is it?”
Resting her chin on her right hand, Ren Yaoqi blinked slowly. “Years ago, when we first met, we were riding in a carriage together. You told me your first warhorse was one you raised from a foal, and its name was Snow Eagle.”
Xiao Jinglin: “…”
“Wasn’t it called Little White?” Ren Yaoqi asked playfully.
Xiao Jinglin replied awkwardly, “Little White was its nickname. Snow Eagle was the name my master gave it.”
This part was true, though she had mentioned it back then mainly to divert Ren Yaoqi’s attention from the less elegant names she had come up with. Though reluctant to admit it, she had to concede that the names Xiao Jingxi had suggested were far more pleasing.
Ren Yaoqi was merely teasing her and didn’t dwell on the matter, letting the conversation pass with a few more lighthearted remarks.
The location Lei Pan’er had specified in the letter was a teahouse where they often met.
When the carriage arrived, Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin entered through the rear courtyard and went directly upstairs to a private room on the second floor.When the two of them pushed the door open and entered, they saw Lei Pan'er sitting upright at the round table in the hall, swinging her little legs while nibbling on a piece of taro cake. A young woman dressed in a lotus-green beizi sat beside her, watching her with a warm smile, holding a handkerchief ready to wipe her mouth at any moment.
Lei Pan'er looked up and saw Ren Yaoqi, her eyes lighting up. She quickly stuffed the taro cake into her mouth and tried to slide down to rush into Ren Yaoqi's arms. However, before she could leave her chair, the woman beside her gently held her small body back.
"Little ancestor, sit still! Look at your hands covered in cake crumbs."
Hearing this, Lei Pan'er felt too embarrassed to rush over. Instead, she stood up and bowed to Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin.
The woman beside her, upon hearing that one of the visitors was a Commandery Princess, looked surprised and also bowed respectfully to Xiao Jinglin.
"Why didn't Sister Yaohua come?" Lei Pan'er leaned out to peek, pouting at Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi patted Lei Pan'er's head and smiled. "Your Sister Yaohua is being kept at home by her mother to practice embroidery. What? Are you not happy to see me?" She playfully tapped Lei Pan'er's little nose.
Lei Pan'er's nose tickled, and she giggled, trying to dodge. Finally, she simply buried her face in Ren Yaoqi's chest. "Pan'er wanted to see both of you."
The woman beside her gently scolded, "Pan'er, sit properly. Don't disturb Miss Ren."
Ren Yaoqi, however, took the opportunity to hold Lei Pan'er in her arms and smiled at the woman. "It's all right. Pan'er is used to playing with us. If she were too proper, I wouldn't be used to it. But may I ask who you are...?"
Under normal circumstances, if this woman was not a servant of the Ren Family, Lei Pan'er should have introduced her. However, Lei Pan'er was still too young to understand such formalities, so no one had mentioned the woman's identity.
"I am Pan'er's aunt."
Although Ren Yaoqi had already guessed her identity, she pretended to have just learned it. She glanced around and noticed only two young maids standing nearby, so she asked, "Where is Pan'er's wet nurse? I don't see her."
Madam Xiao Qiao frowned almost imperceptibly. "She's getting old. She returned to her hometown to retire a while ago."
Ren Yaoqi looked surprised, but Lei Pan'er, speaking without thinking, said, "Auntie found out that the wet nurse was secretly pocketing Pan'er's monthly allowance, so she sent her to live at the manor."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
In her opinion, although Lei Pan'er's wet nurse had a tendency to take small advantages, she had always taken good care of Lei Pan'er. Since Lei Pan'er was still young, it didn't seem appropriate to dismiss her wet nurse so abruptly.
Madam Xiao Qiao, however, seemed to guess what Ren Yaoqi was thinking and shook her head. "The Lei Family entrusted Pan'er's affairs to her because they trusted her, but she used that trust to benefit herself. If she could betray her conscience for a little money today, she could betray her master for money in the future. I simply couldn't trust such a person to stay by Pan'er's side."
Madam Xiao Qiao gently patted Lei Pan'er's head, her gaze soft and affectionate. Lei Pan'er didn't seem to mind her either and even smiled back at her.
Ren Yaoqi then changed the subject and asked Lei Pan'er with a smile, "Little one, did you have something to tell us today?"Lei Pan'er grinned and nodded, then had the little maid waiting nearby bring over several scrolls of paper, spreading them out on the table for Ren Yaoqi to see: "Sister Yaoqi, look at the paintings and calligraphy Pan'er made."
Ren Yaoqi lowered her head to look, then asked with some surprise, "Did you paint all of these?"
When Ren Yaoqi had seen Lei Pan'er's calligraphy before, she noticed significant improvement, with far fewer circles drawn on it. However, she hadn't expected Lei Pan'er's painting skills to have improved as well, even though the subjects were just simple flowers and plants.
Lei Pan'er nodded proudly, but in the next moment, she put on a pitiful expression: "Pan'er practiced for so long, my hand almost swelled up."
Madam Xiao Qiao said, "Only through enduring hardship can one rise above others. Can Pan'er not even bear this little bit of suffering?"
Lei Pan'er lowered her head somewhat sheepishly.
Ren Yaoqi hadn't forgotten her purpose for coming here today. While playfully engaging Lei Pan'er in conversation, she subtly observed Madam Xiao Qiao. Madam Xiao Qiao was quite beautiful in appearance, though her attire was slightly old-fashioned. Apart from a silver hairpin used to secure her hair, she wore no other jewelry, making her appear older than her actual age.
Her gaze never left Lei Pan'er, clearly showing she was very attentive and concerned about her. Beyond that, nothing else seemed amiss.
However, Ren Yaoqi still harbored doubts about Madam Xiao Qiao's background, wondering why the Lei Family could trust her with Lei Pan'er.
It was Xiao Jinglin, who had remained silent until now, who took advantage of Madam Xiao Qiao lowering her head to speak with Lei Pan'er to whisper in Ren Yaoqi's ear: "The Lei Family has people secretly watching. Right now, there are three keeping an eye on the happenings in this room, and they're all experts."
Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi felt relieved.
Just at that moment, as Madam Xiao Qiao was giving Lei Pan'er water to drink, Lei Pan'er exerted too much force with her hand, spilling water and wetting Madam Xiao Qiao's clothes.
Madam Xiao Qiao had to go change out of her wet clothes first, instructing Lei Pan'er to be obedient and not mischievous before leaving.
Lei Pan'er obediently agreed.
Only after Madam Xiao Qiao had left did Lei Pan'er stick out her tongue cutely at Ren Yaoqi and whisper, "Auntie controls me everywhere."
Ren Yaoqi also deliberately whispered to her, "Then do you like your auntie?"
Lei Pan'er hesitated for a moment but nodded, then earnestly said to Ren Yaoqi, "I heard Auntie looks like my mother."
Ren Yaoqi patted Lei Pan'er's head.
Lei Pan'er snuggled into Ren Yaoqi's embrace, then suddenly whispered again, "Sister Yaoqi, I think Auntie doesn't like you and Sister Yaohua."
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi's heart stirred: "Oh? Why does Pan'er think that?"
Lei Pan'er blinked and thought for a moment: "Auntie doesn't like me writing letters to you, doesn't like me coming to see you. But today, for some reason, when I mentioned Sister Yaohua, she agreed to let me write a letter inviting Sister Yaohua to meet."
Just then, Lei Pan'er heard footsteps outside. She quickly pulled a pouch from her waist and handed it to Ren Yaoqi, whispering hurriedly, "Sister Yaoqi, please help Pan'er give this money to Pan'er's wet nurse. Tell her that compared to silver, Pan'er still likes her more."
Ren Yaoqi tucked the pouch into her sleeve: "If you miss your wet nurse, why don't you plead for her?"
Lei Pan'er shook her head.At this moment, Madam Xiao Qiao returned, so Lei Pan'er said nothing more.
My hands are tired, but my heart is even more exhausted... 〒_〒
Taking a break feels more tiring than not taking one...
The author has been completely worn out...
Resting tomorrow morning, updating in the evening.
Hmm, I wonder how my Do Min-joon is doing now...
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