The fifth day of the fifth lunar month was the Dragon Boat Festival, and this year's festival was livelier than in previous years.
Due to the passing of the heir, all of Yanbei had been subdued for a year, with even the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month feeling somewhat dim and sparse. However, the festivities of the Dragon Boat Festival were largely unaffected. Since ancient times, the Dragon Boat Festival had originated from tribal sacrificial rites; dragon boat races, hanging calamus, and bathing in mugwort leaf water were all meant to ward off evil and avoid disaster. The Yanbei Prince's Mansion had also issued an order allowing a few more dragon boats to compete in this year's race, making the scene even more lively.
Dragon boats needed to be launched in advance, so the dragon boat race in Yunyang City would only begin in the afternoon.
In the morning, Ren Yaohua sent someone over with zongzi—filled with five nuts, candied dates, red beans, and even the meat-filled ones favored by people from the south—packed into a full basket. Madam Li kept some for herself and had Nanny Zhou distribute the rest among the servants, saying they were a gift from the eldest young lady.
The servant from the Lei Family who delivered the zongzi mentioned that the Lei Family would still have a dragon boat participating this year. However, Ren Yaohua, being pregnant, could not attend. Only Lei Ting and Lei Zhen would take Pan'er along.
Xiao Jinglin had seemed quite busy lately and had sent a letter to Ren Yaoqi before the Dragon Boat Festival, saying she likely wouldn't be able to watch the dragon boat race with Ren Yaoqi this year. Although Ren Yaoqi felt somewhat disappointed, she guessed that Xiao Jinglin's busyness might be related to matters concerning the Liao people. Having spent many years at Jiajing Pass and engaged in numerous confrontations with the Liao people, Xiao Jinglin understood border affairs far better than most.
Thus, even though this year's dragon boat race was livelier than in previous years, Ren Yaoqi found it considerably less interesting due to Ren Yaohua and Xiao Jinglin's absence.
In the afternoon, Ren Yaoqi and Madam Li took a carriage to the outskirts of the city. This year's dragon boat race was still held on the Liyang River section outside the city. When Ren Yaoqi and Madam Li arrived, they could see over twenty dragon boats on the river from the riverbank. Among them, one was notably larger than the others, its dragon head and body painted with gold lacquer, appearing magnificent and eye-catching even from a distance.
As Ren Yaoqi and Madam Li stepped out of their carriage by the riverbank, they saw groups of maids and elderly women from various households gathered here and there, pointing and whispering about the dragon boat in the center of the river.
Madam Li couldn't help but glance at it a few times, exclaiming in surprise, "That dragon boat is truly impressive, outshining all the others. I wonder which family it belongs to?" It was no wonder Madam Li asked this. The dragon boat flying the banner of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion was right next to this golden dragon. The Yanbei Prince's Mansion's dragon boat head was already quite old; although it was maintained every year, it appeared somewhat dull compared to this golden dragon gleaming in the sunlight.
Ren Yaoqi took a look and smiled, saying, "I heard the imperial court also has a boat participating in the dragon boat race this year."
Madam Li nodded in understanding. "So that's it!"
At that moment, someone nearby happened to say, "I wonder whose boat will take first place this year."
"Is there any doubt? Naturally, it will be the Yanbei Prince's Mansion's boat!" someone asserted confidently.
"In previous years, perhaps, but this year, isn't there also the imperial court's..."
Madam Li and Ren Yaoqi didn't listen further, as Lady Xu's maid spotted them and came over to greet them.
Madam Li led Ren Yaoqi to follow Lady Xu's maid to the Xu family's pavilion. Although Lady Xu had not yet arrived, several ladies acquainted with Madam Li were already seated inside.Madam Li sat down next to Lady Liu and Lady Chen, exchanging pleasantries with them.
After greeting them, Ren Yaoqi also joined Liu Menghan and Chen Zhiyi in conversation. While listening to Liu Menghan speak, Ren Yaoqi kept an eye on Madam Li's situation. By now, Madam Li had grown quite accustomed to socializing with these ladies, especially when facing those she was familiar with—her smile had become much more relaxed and cheerful.
People from the other families arrived one after another, and carriages lined up along the riverbank like a long dragon. Warm greetings could be heard everywhere. Drumbeats echoed from the center of the river, and some people ran out of the pavilions to look, but only a few scattered dragon boats were warming up. Only the Azure Dragon of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and the Golden Dragon of the imperial court remained motionless in the middle of the river, creating a somewhat confrontational atmosphere.
As Ren Yaoqi listened to Chen Zhiyi and Liu Menghan quietly discussing which family's dragon boat would win this year, a maid from Lady Xu, Ouyang Shi, approached.
"Young Lady Ren, Madam has sent me to invite you over."
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but glance around. "Has the teacher arrived already?"
Although Lady Xu had sent servants from the Xu family to serve tea in the pavilions, neither she nor Xu Wanli had arrived yet.
The maid pointed to the river behind her and said, "Madam is on the boat."
Ren Yaoqi followed the maid's gesture and saw several private boats already moored along the riverbank, prepared for watching the upcoming race. However, after the incident during the dragon boat race years ago that resulted in casualties, the womenfolk had become too afraid to board the boats and instead gathered in the pavilions along the shore. As a result, there were far fewer pleasure boats on the river.
Ren Yaoqi glanced over, but the boats all looked quite similar, and she couldn't tell which one belonged to the Xu family.
Thinking Ren Yaoqi might be afraid to board, the maid quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, Young Lady Ren. The boat is very stable, and we won't be following the racing boats."
Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded. "Let me inform my mother first."
Ren Yaoqi went to say a word to Madam Li before taking her four maids—Leshan, Leshui, Pingguo, and Sangshen—and following the Xu family maid out.
No one among the ladies and young misses present thought much of Lady Xu inviting only Ren Yaoqi onto the boat. Not only was Ren Yaoqi Lady Xu's last disciple, but her current status also ensured no one would question it.
Only when Ren Yaoqi followed the maid to the riverbank did she see the Xu family's boat—a medium-sized pleasure boat that could accommodate seven or eight people, unremarkable compared to others.
As Ren Yaoqi boarded the boat, she faintly heard voices and laughter coming from inside. Though she couldn't make out what was being said, one of the voices made her pause momentarily.
"Young Lady Ren?" The maid leading the way noticed Ren Yaoqi's sudden stop and called out to her.
Ren Yaoqi smiled at the maid and asked softly, "Are there other guests on board?"
Just then, Nanny Gao, who served Lady Xu, leaned out from the cabin. Seeing Ren Yaoqi about to board, she hurried over to assist her personally.
Ren Yaoqi didn't ask further and boarded the pleasure boat with Nanny Gao's help.
The boat was very stable, almost imperceptibly still, but stepping from solid ground onto the boat still caused Ren Yaoqi to sway slightly.Ren Yaoqi entered the cabin and immediately spotted Xu Wanli and Lady Xu seated at a square table in the center of the pleasure boat. Across from Xu Wanli, with his back turned toward Ren Yaoqi’s direction, was a man dressed in a blue robe. As Ren Yaoqi stepped inside, the man was speaking in his characteristic languid tone: “…After leaving Yanbei, I plan to continue traveling northward. This journey will likely take at least three to five years…”
Noticing Lady Xu glance past him, the man realized someone had entered and paused his words, turning to look.
Ren Yaoqi also got a clear view of the man’s face. It was one she had once known intimately.
Over their ten years together, his appearance had hardly changed—his faint brows and eyes, refined features that made his age hard to guess, and a face always wearing a smile. When he spoke, his pace was unhurried, and his voice alone could make one feel as if bathed in a gentle spring breeze.
Upon seeing her, the man seemed momentarily stunned, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.
Since Ren Yaoqi’s gaze lingered on him, she caught that flash of surprise in his eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel curious.
In this lifetime, this should have been their first meeting. Why would he have such an expression upon seeing her? Could there be some connection she wasn’t aware of?
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but recall their first meeting in her previous life.
Back then, Lu Dexin had taken her to the capital. When they reached a courier station in Xiangzhou, she had tried to escape under cover of night, unable to bear the humiliation, but was caught before she could even leave the station. While being taken to see Lu Dexin, she collided with a man in the courtyard of the station. At the time, she was terrified, worried about what new ways Lu Dexin would devise to torment her upon her return, so she naturally paid no attention to the appearance of a stranger. It was only later that she learned the man she had bumped into was Pei Zhiyan.
Not long after arriving in the capital, Lu Dexin transferred her to Pei Zhiyan.
When she was sent to the Pei residence, Pei Zhiyan merely observed her for a moment before instructing someone to take her away without saying a word.
Thinking she had been given to Pei Zhiyan as a concubine or plaything, she remained uneasy for many days. However, after that, Pei Zhiyan never summoned her again. He only had the steward assign a maid to attend to her daily needs, and her meals were confined to her small courtyard.
It wasn’t until nearly a month after arriving at the Pei residence that Pei Zhiyan finally sent for her. But since the meeting took place in his study during broad daylight, she felt somewhat reassured.
When she entered the study, Pei Zhiyan was reclining on a soft couch, reading a book. He didn’t look up when she entered, merely directing her to grind ink for him. Once the ink was ready, he rose and went to the desk to write, continuing for a full hour.
Ren Yaoqi stood at a distance, initially on guard. But as she watched him write with such focus, she was reminded of her father and, without quite knowing why, let her guard down. While Pei Zhiyan was absorbed in his writing, she quietly browsed the books on the shelves, so engrossed that she didn’t notice when he finished and approached her.
The first words Pei Zhiyan spoke to her were: “Do you enjoy reading?” As he spoke, he picked up the book in her hands and glanced at it, then raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. “And you also appreciate calligraphy and painting?”At that time, she was flipping through a notebook of ancient connoisseurs' notes on calligraphy and painting.
Seeing his gentle tone, Ren Yaoqi nodded, somewhat gloomily saying, "My father really liked it." This book was also in her father's study.
I have a chapter saved up, planning to post it at 9:30 tomorrow morning. If there's no extra update around midnight, no need to wait for one~
I hope to always keep at least one chapter in reserve. That way, the update time can be predicted, so everyone won’t have to wait until the flowers wither, and the author won’t be left anxiously waiting... 〒_〒.
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