Ren Yaoqi stepped down from the carriage and saw Pei Zhiyan crouching in the grass by the roadside, doing something she couldn’t quite make out. She couldn’t help but pause in surprise.
"Mr. Pei?" Ren Yaoqi called softly.
Hearing her voice, Pei Zhiyan looked up. He seemed equally surprised to see Ren Yaoqi, then stood up, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and smiled. "Miss Ren, are you here to see your teacher?"
Ren Yaoqi nodded and glanced at the patch of grass where Pei Zhiyan had been crouching.
Noticing her gaze, Pei Zhiyan smiled and pointed into the grass. "I just noticed what looked like an orchid in there. Tell me if I’m mistaken."
Ren Yaoqi walked over and bent down to examine the plant he had indicated. It resembled a jianlan orchid, though it wasn’t in bloom and was nearly hidden among the weeds. She wondered how Pei Zhiyan had even spotted it.
After studying the plant for a while, Ren Yaoqi frowned. "It does look like a jianlan, but this spot is sunny and the soil is dry—hardly ideal for orchids. Yet this one seems to be thriving… It probably isn’t an orchid, is it?"
Pei Zhiyan raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. "If it’s not an orchid, then what is it?"
Ren Yaoqi was about to say she didn’t know, but then she noticed a faint, slender stem growing from the center of the plant. She let out a soft "ah," reached out to touch it, and said with delight, "This isn’t an orchid—it’s a yaojin, a type of lycoris. I once read about it in Herbal Gleanings."
Pei Zhiyan mused, "Herbal Gleanings?"
Hearing his response, Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered that she had first seen Herbal Gleanings in Pei Zhiyan’s study. Since he had read every book in his own collection, he must have known all along that this wasn’t an orchid.
Was he testing her? Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but glance at Pei Zhiyan in surprise.
Pei Zhiyan simply smiled and praised her. "You’re right, it is indeed a yaojin. Miss Ren truly is well-read."
Being praised by her own teacher as "well-read" made Ren Yaoqi blush slightly. After all, she had only read those books under Pei Zhiyan’s guidance, and she hardly felt qualified to accept such praise in his presence.
Seeming to notice her discomfort, Pei Zhiyan smiled and turned to instruct his attendant to dig up the yaojin from the grass.
Seeing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but try to dissuade him. "Teacher, Mr. Xu also enjoys plants and flowers. If he finds out, he might not want you to take this yaojin."
Scholars often had a fondness for plants and flowers, and Pei Zhiyan was no exception. However, he didn’t care for orchids or chrysanthemums. He was too lazy to tend to them himself, yet unwilling to leave the task to others, so no matter how precious the variety, every plant he tried to raise ended up dying. Others might not know this, but Ren Yaoqi understood perfectly well that Pei Zhiyan’s interest in this yaojin wasn’t just because it was rare—it was also because the book said yaojin was easy to care for, needing water only once every ten days or so, unlike orchids, which required meticulous attention.
However, Xu Wanli, also a scholar, shared this fondness for plants and might not agree to let Pei Zhiyan dig up a flower from his garden.
After considering her words for a moment, Pei Zhiyan nodded thoughtfully. "You have a point."Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Pei Zhiyan had given up on digging up the Xu family’s flowers. Unexpectedly, Pei Zhiyan then leisurely smiled and said, “I’ll go find Xu Wanli for a game of chess first. After winning against him, I’ll come back to dig up his flowers. Then he won’t have anything to say.”
Ren Yaoqi: “…”
Sir, do you really think it’s appropriate to always use this trick?
But Pei Zhiyan didn’t hear Ren Yaoqi’s inner complaint. He cheerfully headed toward the Inner Gate, and when he saw Ren Yaoqi standing still, he turned and called out, “Aren’t you going to see your teacher?”
Ren Yaoqi followed him through the Xu family’s Inner Gate.
Pei Zhiyan suddenly remarked, “Miss Ren reminds me of an old acquaintance of mine.”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi’s heart skipped a beat. After a pause, she forced a smile and asked, “I wonder which old acquaintance Mr. Pei is referring to?”
Pei Zhiyan looked at her and smiled gently, saying, “Has anyone ever told you that you look very much like your great-grandmother?”
Ren Yaoqi’s previously tense mood suddenly relaxed. So Pei Zhiyan was talking about Consort Wan. She had thought…
“Mr. Pei has met my great-grandmother?”
Pei Zhiyan tilted his head thoughtfully. “I met her once when I was young.”
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel curious. In her previous life, she had only seen a portrait of Consort Wan at Pei Zhiyan’s place, unaware that Pei Zhiyan had actually interacted with Consort Wan herself. When Pei Zhiyan was in his teens, Consort Wan would have been in her forties. It was hard to imagine what kind of connection could exist between two such people.
However, Pei Zhiyan showed no intention of satisfying Ren Yaoqi’s curiosity and didn’t mention Consort Wan again afterward.
Yet Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but wonder: When they first met on the boat, was Pei Zhiyan’s surprised look upon seeing her due to her resemblance to Consort Wan? And in her previous life, did Pei Zhiyan save her from Eunuch Lu because of Consort Wan?
Lost in thought, Ren Yaoqi remained silent throughout the journey. Pei Zhiyan, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, also didn’t speak. The two walked in silence all the way to the main courtyard of the Xu residence.
Whether they noticed it or not, despite the lack of conversation, the atmosphere between them was far from awkward. Instead, there was an indescribable harmony and tranquility—a closeness and understanding that had settled over long years, the kind shared only between family and close friends.
Before entering the main courtyard, Pei Zhiyan suddenly stopped, glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and smiled. “Though this may sound presumptuous, Miss Ren always gives me a sense of familiarity.” He paused, perhaps fearing misunderstanding, and added with a laugh, “If I had a daughter, I imagine she would be like you.”
After saying this, Pei Zhiyan nodded and went ahead to the study to find Xu Wanli.
Ren Yaoqi stood there watching him leave, then went to see Lady Xu.
Later, Ren Yaoqi learned from Lady Xu that Pei Zhiyan had indeed played a game of chess with Xu Wanli and, after winning, dug up the peony plant outside the Xu family’s Inner Gate.
May passed uneventfully. At the beginning of June, before the Thousand Gold Banquet, Consort Dowager Yun of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion returned.
Consort Dowager Yun was the birth mother of the Prince of Yanbei but rarely stayed at the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. In her early years, she had requested to guard the tomb of the Old Yanbei Prince and lived year-round in a villa not far from the Xiao family cemetery, detached from worldly affairs.Unlike the Old Princess Consort's high-profile style, Consort Dowager Yun disliked ostentation. When she returned, there were only three carriages and a few ordinary-looking mansion guards dressed as attendants. If not for the city gate commander Mu Hu recognizing Consort Dowager Yun's guards, their party would likely have entered the city without attracting any attention.
Upon seeing Consort Dowager Yun's carriage enter the city, Mu Hu immediately sent someone to report to Yanbei Prince's Mansion. By the time Consort Dowager Yun's carriage arrived at the main gate of Yanbei Prince's Mansion, the Princess Consort had already come out to greet her.
Consort Dowager Yun was a year or two older than the Old Princess Consort, in her early fifties. She wore a plain navy blue jacket and skirt without any patterns, her temples already streaked with gray. In her hair were only a pair of white jade hairpins, with no other jewelry adorning her person. Although her face bore the marks left by time, one could still vaguely discern from her features that Consort Dowager Yun must have been a rare beauty in her youth.
Though compared to the Old Princess Consort, Consort Dowager Yun's attire could only be described as shabby—even some high-ranking matrons dressed more luxuriously than her—no one would mistake her for a servant. In this world, some people wear dragon robes yet look nothing like a crown prince, while others, clad in coarse cloth and simple hairpins, possess extraordinary grace. Consort Dowager Yun was such a person.
Consort Dowager Yun stopped the Princess Consort from stepping forward to bow to her, saying calmly, "There's no need for such formalities. Don't let others laugh at us. Let's go inside."
Her expression was cool, her voice light and detached. Toward her daughter-in-law, who was also her niece, she showed no particular warmth, appearing somewhat unapproachable. Yet she did not seem to be deliberately asserting superiority or putting her daughter-in-law in her place.
The Princess Consort seemed well-acquainted with her mother-in-law's temperament and did not insist. As soon as Consort Dowager Yun's hand steadied her, she naturally straightened up and followed Consort Dowager Yun inside. The two spoke very little along the way, with the Princess Consort doing most of the asking and Consort Dowager Yun occasionally replying with a simple "Mm."
The Princess Consort personally escorted Consort Dowager Yun to her Orchid Hall, overseeing the attendants as they helped her change clothes and serving her tea.
"Where is the Prince?" Consort Dowager Yun asked after taking her seat.
"The Prince left after the Dragon Boat Festival."
The Princess Consort did not specify where he had gone, and Consort Dowager Yun did not ask. She merely nodded. "Is Jingxi also not in the mansion?"
The Princess Consort glanced at Consort Dowager Yun. Consort Dowager Yun was not particularly close to either Xiao Jingxi or Xiao Jinglin and rarely inquired about them on her own initiative.
"Jingxi has been recuperating at the villa recently."
Hearing this, Consort Dowager Yun looked at the Princess Consort but said nothing, lowering her head to drink her tea.
The Princess Consort sat with Consort Dowager Yun for a while before someone entered to report that the Yun Family Eldest Miss had arrived.
Consort Dowager Yun nodded. "Let her in."
The Princess Consort's brows furrowed slightly but quickly relaxed. She remained seated without speaking.
Instead, Consort Dowager Yun said to the Princess Consort, "I informed her earlier that I would return today."
The Princess Consort wanted to ask: Even I, your daughter-in-law, did not receive definite news of your return today in advance, yet your grandniece was notified by you? The Princess Consort did not know what Consort Dowager Yun was up to.
In truth, due to Consort Dowager Yun's aloof temperament, the Princess Consort was not particularly close to her. However, since marrying the Prince of Yanbei and becoming the Princess Consort of Yanbei, Consort Dowager Yun had never interfered in the mansion's internal affairs over the years, and there had been no conflicts between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.The Princess Consort knew that Consort Dowager Yun held Yun Qiuchen in special regard. She had previously thought nothing of it, as Yun Qiuchen was both Consort Dowager Yun's grandniece and her own niece. However, she now felt somewhat uneasy.
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