Reborn of the Rightful

(Corrected)

Ren Yaoqi went to find Xiao Jinglin and Silly Girl.

Although Silly Girl loved to play and frolic, and often enjoyed acting cute and coquettish, aside from her masters and those who usually took care of her, she did not like strangers approaching.

Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin played with Silly Girl for a while. When the sky began to darken, they had the young ladies escorted back to their own courtyards. Then they had Silly Girl taken back. Silly Girl was full of energy and having a great time, so she was very reluctant to be sent away.

Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi planned to return to the Moon Embracing Pavilion.

"What did Yan Ningshuang go to talk to you about earlier?" Although Xiao Jinglin had been playing with Silly Girl the whole time, she was always observant and alert, so she had noticed Yan Ningshuang seeking out Xiao Jingxi.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head: "She said she had something important to discuss."

Xiao Jinglin frowned and was about to say something when a scream came from the distance, followed by a tiger's roar.

Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi exchanged a glance.

"Not good, it's Silly Girl! Let's go check!" Xiao Jinglin said as she ran toward the source of the commotion. Ren Yaoqi quickly followed.

Silly Girl had been taken away earlier but hadn't gone far. Xiao Jinglin ran faster than Ren Yaoqi. By the time Ren Yaoqi arrived, panting, she heard Xiao Jinglin shout, "Silly Girl, come here!"

When Ren Yaoqi went over to look, she found the scene somewhat familiar.

Silly Girl had pinned someone to the ground in a hunting posture. At Xiao Jinglin's command, Silly Girl reluctantly moved her paws away and slowly walked over to Xiao Jinglin, rubbing against her leg.

The person pinned by Silly Girl was Yan Ningshuang.

This wasn't the first time Yan Ningshuang had been attacked by Silly Girl. Although she was still in a sorry state this time, she was at least more presentable than yesterday—she could still get up on her own.

Xiao Jinglin looked down at Yan Ningshuang for a moment and said coldly, "Miss Yan, may I ask what you were trying to do to my beloved pet just now?"

The "beloved pet" licked her paw: "Aowu—"

Xiao Jinglin couldn't help but secretly kick said beloved pet.

Yan Ningshuang looked at Silly Girl, then at Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi, biting her lip. "I just wanted to feed her. I meant no harm."

Sure enough, there was an overturned food box on the ground containing some preserved raw meat. Ren Yaoqi remembered that Yan Ningshuang had been carrying this food box when she entered earlier. Had she planned to feed Silly Girl from the start?

Xiao Jinglin frowned and glanced at the overturned food box on the ground, then said bluntly, "Miss Yan, my beloved pet does not eat food from strangers. You are not familiar enough with her to feed her. Also, thank you for holding no grudges, but for your own sake, I think it would be best if you stayed away from my beloved pet in the future. As you can see, she doesn't seem to like you."

However, Yan Ningshuang's gaze toward Silly Girl held a stubbornness that was hard to understand. "I've read books on taming animals. She doesn't dislike me; she's just not familiar with my scent yet. As long as..."Xiao Jinglin impatiently interrupted, "Miss Yan, I don't think you understood my meaning. I know you are well-read and highly talented, but I do not wish for you to approach 'my' beloved pet. The methods you learned from books for taming beasts can be tried on your own pets." Xiao Jinglin emphasized the words "my" heavily.

Yan Ningshuang sensed the rejection in Xiao Jinglin's tone and couldn't help but say, "Commandery Princess, I mean no harm to it. I simply like it very much and want to get closer. Besides... isn't this white tiger owned by Young Master Xiao?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinglin showed a look of sudden realization. She pursed her lips and said expressionlessly, "Your liking for it is your own affair, but it may not like you. Moreover... I think you may have misunderstood something. This white tiger does not belong to my brother. It belongs to Yaoqi and me. My brother only comes over occasionally to have someone bathe it."

Yan Ningshuang naturally did not believe this. She had heard that this white tiger was specially brought back from Dali by Xiao Jingxi. Originally, there had been a pair, but one died along the way. Xiao Jingxi was very fond of this white tiger and had even personally cared for and fed it.

This was what Yan Ningshuang had found out after being attacked by Silly Girl last night, which made it unbearable for her that the tiger belonging to Xiao Jingxi obeyed Ren Yaoqi's commands and even attacked her. Remembering a book on taming wild beasts she had once read, Yan Ningshuang came up with the idea of building a good relationship with Xiao Jingxi's beloved pet. The feed she prepared for the white tiger was carefully formulated, but for some reason, the tiger refused to eat her offering and attacked her again when she approached.

Yan Ningshuang did not understand that Silly Girl had been raised by Xiao Jingxi since childhood and was different from ordinary wild beasts. The book Yan Ningshuang had read was ultimately too general. Moreover, Silly Girl was meticulously fed every day and had become quite picky, never lacking for food. Thus, the meat Yan Ningshuang brought held little appeal, while the scent on her was recognized by the tiger.

Miss Yan was normally a person of average intelligence, but when it came to matters involving Xiao Jingxi, she became somewhat obsessive.

Ren Yaoqi looked at Yan Ningshuang and felt that this Miss Yan's thoughts were truly baffling. She had just been attacked by Silly Girl last night and was so frightened her legs went weak, yet in the blink of an eye, she acted as if nothing had happened and tried to feed Silly Girl...

Even Silly Girl had a better memory than her.

Silly Girl was taken away again. In front of Yan Ningshuang, Xiao Jinglin instructed the caretakers, "From now on, be more alert. Don’t let just anyone approach Silly Girl, and don’t let it eat food given by others. Otherwise, if it hurts someone, will you take the blame for it?"

Silly Girl's attendants were frustrated. How could they have expected Miss Yan to pull such a stunt? They were stunned when she suddenly ran up to feed it.

Then, Xiao Jinglin ordered someone to escort Yan Ningshuang out of the garden. Before leaving, Yan Ningshuang cast a meaningful glance in Ren Yaoqi's direction.

Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi returned to the Moon Embracing Pavilion. Unbeknownst to them, after being sent back, Yan Ningshuang did not stay obediently in her own courtyard. After finishing her evening meal, she went out and secretly sought out the head guard of the inner court, saying she wanted to see Tong Xi, who served by Xiao Jingxi's side.Second Young Master Xiao was not someone just anyone could see, and his attendants were naturally not easy to meet either. However, Miss Yan claimed that Second Young Master Xiao had instructed her to find Tong Xi. Out of a sense of duty, the guard actually went to ask Tong Xi on Yan Ningshuang’s behalf, as Miss Yan was still considered an honored guest, and he feared causing any real trouble.

Xiao Jingxi had only given the instruction that afternoon, and even if it was just a perfunctory remark, Tong Xi couldn’t take it lightly. So, he actually came out to meet Yan Ningshuang.

Thus, Miss Yan finally managed to relay her message to Xiao Jingxi.

Xiao Jingxi finally looked up from his official documents and glanced at Tong Xi. "She says she has a secret letter from the court to Yelü Moqi?"

Tong Xi bowed his head and replied, "Yes, Young Master. She said she saw it in her grandfather’s study before coming here and memorized it."

Xiao Jingxi placed the brush in his hand on the brush rest, propped his chin, and asked with a faint smile, "So, she wants to make a deal with me?"

Tong Xi kept his head lowered. "Yes, Young Master. It seems Miss Yan means exactly that."

"What does she want?" Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow.

Tong Xi paused. "Miss Yan wants to stay in Yanbei. The court officials will set off back to the capital in a few days, and she wants you to find an excuse to let her stay."

After hearing this, Xiao Jingxi fell silent, as if deep in thought.

Tong Xi couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Jingxi but couldn’t discern anything from his expression.

After a long while, Xiao Jingxi asked, "What excuse does Miss Yan want me to use to let her stay?"

Tong Xi thought to himself, what other reason could there be? This woman is making such a fuss because she wants to stay and become your woman, doesn’t she?

But outwardly, Tong Xi replied respectfully, "Miss Yan says she greatly admires you and wishes to stay in Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. She also said she wants to meet you in person, as there are some matters she needs to discuss face-to-face."

Xiao Jingxi didn’t seem surprised by Tong Xi’s answer, but he didn’t give a reply. Instead, he waved his hand, signaling Tong Xi to leave.

Tong Xi couldn’t help but ask, "How should I respond to Miss Yan?"

Xiao Jingxi glanced at him and said, "If just anyone with some trinket in hand demands to enter the Prince’s Mansion, would the salary the court gives my father be enough to support so many people?"

What? Has the court ever given the Prince a salary? That was Tong Xi’s first thought, but when he met Xiao Jingxi’s somewhat teasing gaze, he understood—this was his master’s jest, just teasing him.

So, Tong Xi happily went to reject Yan Ningshuang.

If such a scheming woman really entered the inner courtyard of Yanbei Prince’s Mansion, Miss Ren would have a headache in the future. Privately, Tong Xi didn’t want to see this Miss Yan enter Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. He also found her motives rather baffling. As a dignified young lady from a noble family, why wouldn’t she return home? What did she hope to achieve by staying in Yanbei Prince’s Mansion without any status? Moreover, she was willing to betray her own family for this—it was truly incomprehensible.

Yan Ningshuang was deeply disappointed after being rejected, but she couldn’t even meet Xiao Jingxi in person and could only fret helplessly.

After Tong Xi left, Xiao Jingxi twirled his brush for a moment, then instructed Tong He to summon Tongde. He ordered him, "Keep a close eye on Yan Ningshuang. Send someone to search her and see if she’s carrying any letters." After a pause, he added, "Also, don’t let her get close to Miss Ren in the future."Tongde immediately went to carry out the order and returned that evening to report: "There were no suspicious letters at Miss Yan's place, but there was a bottle of medicine that seemed to contain a potent poison. I took the liberty of replacing it to avoid any trouble."

Xiao Jingxi nodded to indicate he understood and, without saying anything further, dismissed Tongde.

Xiao Jingxi had originally not intended to pay any more attention to Yan Ningshuang, but Yan Ningshuang refused to let go of Second Young Master Xiao.

The next day, when Xiao Jingxi went out, Yan Ningshuang waited for him on the path he had to take. If Xiao Jingxi did not want to see someone, he would not see them even if they stood right in front of him. Yan Ningshuang seemed to be well aware of Xiao Jingxi's habits, so she merely followed him from a distance, maintaining a gap yet clinging like a little tail that could not be shaken off.

Even under the bright daylight, someone as resourceful as Second Young Master Xiao was worn down by Yan Ningshuang's persistence. After some thought, he finally had someone bring Yan Ningshuang before him.

"Miss Yan, what is the meaning of this?"

Yan Ningshuang's gaze never left Xiao Jingxi's face. She pursed her lips and said softly, "Young Master Xiao, I really have that secret letter. I memorized it, and I know it is exactly what you want. If you agree to let me stay, I am willing to write it down from memory right now." After a pause, she looked up at Xiao Jingxi with pleading eyes and said, "Xiao Lang, I have had a photographic memory since childhood, and the Empress Dowager trusts me deeply. I... I am willing to do anything for you."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingxi's brow did not even twitch. He stated bluntly, "You staying in Yanbei is of no use to me."

Yan Ningshuang grew anxious upon hearing this: "Then I am willing to return to the capital first to work for you, and... when the time is right, you can let me come back."

Tong Xi and Tong He, who were accompanying Xiao Jingxi, exchanged a silent glance, their expressions somewhat peculiar. They had never seen such a bold young lady from a noble family. Even in Yanbei, where customs were relatively open, no young woman would say such things directly to a man. The two young attendants could not help but blush on behalf of Miss Yan.

Xiao Jingxi was also somewhat surprised, but he quickly refused: "Miss Yan, I do not need you to do anything." He understood Yan Ningshuang's meaning; he had many people around him who served him in similar ways. However, he was unwilling to use Yan Ningshuang. Partly because he disdained such methods, and partly because emotional women were prone to causing trouble.

"I appreciate your goodwill, but I have no need for it. Please return, Miss Yan," Xiao Jingxi said coldly.

A trace of sorrow appeared on Yan Ningshuang's face: "Xiao Lang, I only want a chance to stay by your side. Why won't you even give me that opportunity?"

Xiao Jingxi did not respond to Yan Ningshuang's inexplicable words. Instead, he nodded politely but coldly and said, "Please do not follow me any further, Miss Yan. My subordinates are rough men and might accidentally harm you." After saying this, Xiao Jingxi turned and walked away.

Yan Ningshuang stared blankly at Xiao Jingxi's retreating figure. When he was completely out of sight, she finally crouched down, covered her face, and began to cry.From the moment Yan Ningshuang first laid eyes on Xiao Jingxi, she fell into an obsession, and from then on, her heart and eyes could hold no one else. Although the number of times she had seen Xiao Jingxi over the years could be counted on one hand, her desire to stay by his side only grew stronger. Apart from Young Master Xiao, Miss Yan could not accept any other man as her husband. In Yan Ningshuang’s eyes, all the men in the world became filthy creatures when compared to Xiao Jingxi.

While Yan Ningshuang was desperately clinging to Xiao Jingxi, the Thousand Gold Banquet continued.

Today was the final day of the Thousand Gold Banquet. Once all the young ladies had finished their competitions, they would return to Yunyang City.

Perhaps because the outcome was already clear, the young ladies from Yanbei’s noble families who had come to participate in the Thousand Gold Banquet showed less enthusiasm, so the banquet concluded that afternoon.

Among the ten selected winners, seven were young ladies sent by the Empress Dowager, and Yan Ningshuang secured a winning position.

On the surface, it seemed like the young ladies from the capital had achieved a great victory, yet none of them were happy. They had not forgotten the purpose for which the Empress Dowager had sent them here. Not only had none of them managed to surpass Ren Yaoqi, but they had all been defeated by her. They had utterly disgraced the Empress Dowager, and they hardly dared imagine the thunderous wrath they would face upon returning to the capital. So, after Lady Xu announced the rankings, several of these young ladies began to weep softly.

Especially Yan Ningshuang, who had been entrusted with high hopes by the Empress Dowager. Her loss to Ren Yaoqi was equivalent to the Empress Dowager losing to Consort Wan. When she heard that she had become a winner of this Thousand Gold Banquet, Yan Ningshuang felt it was a mockery of both herself and the Empress Dowager.

In contrast, the young ladies from Yanbei, who had only secured three winning positions, were all beaming with joy. The scene appeared both bizarre and absurd.

Afterward, the Princess Consort ordered arrangements for the young ladies to leave the hot spring villa and return to Yunyang City.

By the time Ren Yaoqi arrived in Yunyang City with the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion’s carriage, it was almost time for dinner. Ren Yaoqi declined Xiao Jinglin’s invitation to visit the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion and instead returned to her own home.

When Ren Yaoqi went to Madam Li’s room, Madam Li and Nanny Zhou were sitting on the southern kang, chatting and laughing while sewing small garments. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile and ask, “What are you two talking about that’s making you so happy?”

Madam Li and Nanny Zhou were both delighted to see her return. Nanny Zhou teased with a smile, “Our young lady has made quite a splash this time, so of course we’re overjoyed.”

Xier chimed in, “Young lady, come and tell us about how you single-handedly took on the ten great beauties of the capital! We’ve only heard rumors from outside, but they can’t possibly be as exciting as your firsthand account.”

Ren Yaoqi was both amused and exasperated by this. “What do you mean, ‘single-handedly taking on the ten great beauties of the capital’?”

It turned out that Yanbei’s Thousand Gold Banquet had always been a topic of great interest among the people of Yanbei. Although commoners could not attend the banquet, it did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm for following the event. This year’s Thousand Gold Banquet was even more attention-grabbing than any previous edition, so even before the young ladies returned, news of what had happened at the hot spring villa had already spread throughout Yunyang City.

Ren Yaoqi had, in one fell swoop, become famous far and wide.Madam Li said with a smile, "It's all the talk outside, saying you outshone all those young ladies carefully selected by the Empress Dowager. I hear even the storytellers in teahouses are now recounting this tale."

"Young Miss, you've truly brought us great honor!" Que'er chimed in.

Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but blush. The claim that she had single-handedly bested ten others was truly an exaggeration. While she could hold her own in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, the rest of her victories hadn't been won through genuine skill. She hadn't expected the news to spread so quickly, even reaching Madam Li and the others.

Ren Yaoqi felt a headache coming on from their chatter. Noticing Madam Li and Nanny Zhou sewing small garments, she picked one up and asked, "Are these for my sister's child?"

Madam Li looked at Ren Yaoqi with a gentle smile. "Yes, your sister is due in two months. There's still much preparation to be done in advance to avoid any last-minute rush."

Ren Yaohua's expected delivery date was in August, while Ren Yaoqi's wedding was scheduled for September—two major events less than a month apart.

Ren Yaoqi felt the fabric of the garment; it was incredibly soft. She couldn't help but remark, "Will she need so many?" Madam Li and Nanny Zhou had been making these small clothes for several months already, and by now they had filled an entire trunk.

Xier, standing nearby, couldn't hold back a giggle. She winked and said, "It's not just for the Eldest Young Miss, you know."

Ren Yaoqi was taken aback for a moment. Seeing the knowing, half-smiling expressions on the faces of the others in the room, she suddenly understood—Xier meant that the small clothes Madam Li and Nanny Zhou were making weren't solely for Ren Yaohua.

Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but blush again.

Noticing Ren Yaoqi's discomfort, Nanny Zhou put on a stern face and scolded the maids. "All of you, go attend to your own tasks! What are you all doing gathered here?"

Xier and Que'er stuck out their tongues and retreated.

When Ren Yaoqi left the main room, Nanny Zhou accompanied her out and said, "Young Miss, the Ren Family sent someone again yesterday. The Fourth Young Miss also came by."

Ren Yaoqi frowned. "Was there something the matter?"

Nanny Zhou replied, "They said Old Master Ren's health is deteriorating day by day, and it seems he may not last much longer. He's been longing for our master to return. Fortunately, our master is a man of his word. Once he said he wouldn't return to the Ren Family, he truly meant it."

"How is Old Master Ren's health now?" Ren Yaoqi asked.

Nanny Zhou lowered her voice. "This time, it seems truly serious. It's uncertain whether he'll make it through the year."

Ren Yaoqi was startled. "Wasn't he fine before?" She had always kept an eye on the Ren Family's affairs. Old Master Ren's illness wasn't new; although he hadn't shown improvement, he had managed to hold on for some time.

Nanny Zhou shook her head. "I heard someone wanted to buy the Ren Family ancestral residence at a high price. Whether Old Master Ren was unwilling or something else, his condition suddenly took a turn for the worse."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow. Someone wanted to buy the Ren Family ancestral home? Could it be someone from the Han Family?

Nanny Zhou muttered, "It's fortunate we no longer have any ties with the Ren Family. Otherwise, if something were to happen... it could even affect your wedding date." Nanny Zhou meant that if Old Master Ren were to pass away at an inopportune time, Ren Yaoqi would have to observe mourning for him, which would undoubtedly delay her wedding. Over the years, Madam Li's experiences had left Nanny Zhou with no fondness for the Ren Family elders.

"What did Fourth Sister come for?" Ren Yaoqi asked again.Since Ren Yaoyin returned this time, neither she nor Ren Yaohua had any contact with her. Ren Yaohua still held a grudge over past events, and Ren Yaoqi could no longer regard Ren Yaoyin as a sister.

"She came to visit Eighth Miss and also paid a visit to our madam. However, as you had instructed earlier, madam did not keep her as a guest. I also found out that Fourth Miss came to Yunyang City with First Madam, and First Madam is currently looking for a suitable match for her."

Ren Yaoqi nodded, showing little interest in these trivial matters of the Ren Family. Instead, it was the person Nanny Zhou mentioned, who wanted to buy the Ren Family ancestral home at a high price, that caught Ren Yaoqi's attention.

The next day, Ren Yaoqi sent Yuan Dayong to investigate the background of the person who wanted to buy the Ren Family ancestral home.

Last night, I fell asleep with my laptop while writing halfway through... Then, as soon as I opened my eyes, I knew it was bad... I’m going to get scolded... 〒_〒

Wishing everyone a happy May Day holiday～o(∩_∩)o