Ren Yaoying simply could not believe that her father actually wanted her to marry such a person—not only was his family poor, but he was also a child born of a concubine.
To be fair, although Meng Shilin’s appearance was ordinary and his attire rather plain, he carried the calm and scholarly demeanor unique to those who pursued learning, and his manners were both courteous and humble. In terms of talent alone, Meng Shilin was somewhat renowned among the young talents at the academy. If he were an ordinary person, he would never have caught Master Ren’s eye.
Thus, Ren Yaoying had actually misunderstood her father. Although Master Ren did not favor this daughter, he had still sought out what he considered a very suitable match for her within his means. It must be noted that if Meng Shilin had not been born of a concubine, Master Ren might very well have arranged for Ren Yaoqi to marry him instead.
Unfortunately, Ren Yaoying did not understand her father. In her eyes, marrying her off to such a person was a tremendous insult, and she would rather have married into the He family.
When Meng Shilin saw Ren Yaoying, he was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly composed himself and greeted her with a respectful bow.
In fact, Master Ren had once summoned Meng Shilin to ask him a few questions. Meng Shilin was an intelligent man and soon sensed from Master Ren’s inquiries that his teacher might be considering arranging a marriage for him. Knowing his teacher meant well, Meng Shilin answered every question respectfully. Sure enough, the next day, he heard that his teacher had sent someone to his clan.
Meng Shilin’s father and his legal wife were no longer alive, and his concubine mother had no say in his marriage arrangements, which was why Ren Shimin had approached his clan after sounding him out. However, Meng Shilin still did not know which family’s daughter Master Ren had in mind for him.
Today, when Master Ren called him over, Meng Shilin suspected that his teacher might be about to discuss this marriage proposal with him.
When Meng Shilin first encountered Ren Yaoying, he did not think much of it. However, upon inadvertently noticing her scrutinizing gaze and the deep disappointment and reluctance in her eyes, someone as sharp and perceptive as Meng Shilin immediately sensed something.
Could it be that the young lady Master Ren intended for him was this one? Yet, this young lady seemed to look down on him. Meng Shilin shook his head with a bitter smile.
Only after walking a considerable distance away from Ren Yaoying did Meng Shilin ask the gatekeeper leading him to Master Ren, “Who was the young lady we just passed?”
The gatekeeper recalled that the young lady had been addressed as Ninth Miss when she was greeted. Meng Shilin only knew of the Ren Family’s eldest and second daughters, who were already married, and had no idea who Ninth Miss was.
After a moment’s thought, the gatekeeper smiled and replied, “She is our master’s daughter.”
It was then that Meng Shilin remembered that besides his two legitimate daughters, Master Ren also had a daughter born of a concubine, who was Ren Yihong’s younger sister. However, this daughter had always lived in the old residence in White Crane Town, which was why he had never met her. What struck him as odd was that while the two legitimate daughters were referred to as Eldest Miss and Second Miss, this daughter born of a concubine was called Ninth Miss.
Recalling the disdain and contempt in the eyes of Ninth Miss Ren, and thinking back to the Eldest Miss and Second Miss of the household whom he had unintentionally seen before, Meng Shilin shook his head. No wonder people preferred to marry legitimate daughters over those born of concubines—there was indeed a reason for it.Therefore, Ren Yaoying looked down on Meng Shilin, and Meng Shilin, a scholar who valued inner qualities, might not necessarily think highly of Ren Yaoying either.
However, after meeting Ren Shimin, when Ren Shimin straightforwardly expressed his desire to marry his concubine-born daughter to Meng Shilin, despite some hesitation in Meng Shilin’s heart, out of respect for his teacher and the principles of mentorship, he did not outright refuse the teacher who had recognized his talent.
Coincidentally, after meeting Meng Shilin this once, Ren Yaoying learned that this young master Meng had come to see her father, and she became extremely uneasy. After thinking it over for a long while, she gritted her teeth and used a pair of gold hairpins and a pair of jade bracelets to bribe two of Master Ren’s attendants. She then secretly hid under the window of the study to eavesdrop on the conversation between Master Ren and Meng Shilin.
Ren Yaoying did not suspect why she had been released from house arrest not long after Ren Yaoqi returned home, nor why she had coincidentally managed to connect with Master Ren’s attendants, or why there were fewer people accompanying her when she went out. Ren Yaoying thought that Master Ren had been persuaded by her, so he had told Madam Li not to restrict her anymore and allowed her to go out. After all, Ren Yaohua, who disliked her the most, was already married, and Ren Yaoqi was also married. Her stepmother, Madam Li, had no strong opinions of her own and always listened to whatever Master Ren said. To lower Madam Li’s guard, even though she could now go out, she rarely did so.
As for how easily she managed to sneak under the window of her father’s study, Ren Yaoying thought it was because Master Ren disliked having idle people around his study, so there were basically no guards outside.
Without Ren Yaohua in the Ren Family, Ren Yaoying had let her guard down considerably.
Thus, in the end, Ren Yaoying could not resist and once again sought out her father, Ren Shimin.
When Ren Yaoying stopped him again, Ren Shimin was somewhat displeased. This concubine-born daughter’s usual behavior made it hard for him to like her.
“What is it now?” Ren Shimin asked with a frown.
Ren Yaoying glanced up at Ren Shimin and said timidly, “I… I heard that Father has already helped me break off the engagement with the He family?”
Ren Shimin replied calmly, “The He family has agreed to break it off. In a few days, they will return your birth chart. I only lost some money, but it was your sister Yaoqi who did the work. Remember to thank her when you see her.”
Ren Yaoying bit her lip and forced a smile. “Yes, Father, I understand.” She paused for a moment and then added, “Since the engagement with the He family has been broken off, then… then please send me to a nunnery.”
Ren Shimin frowned. “Your mother and I have already chosen another marriage arrangement for you. Do not mention the nunnery again.”
Although Ren Yaoying had already overheard the conversation between Ren Shimin and Meng Shilin, hearing Ren Shimin say it himself still felt like a thunderbolt. She looked at Ren Shimin with a pale face and asked, “Is the husband Father has chosen for me the young master of the Meng family?”
Ren Shimin looked at Ren Yaoying in surprise and nodded. “Has your mother already told you? Yes, it’s him. He is my student, and his character is not bad…”
Before Ren Shimin could finish, Ren Yaoying shook her head at him and said, “Why? Why…”
Ren Shimin was baffled. “Why what?”Ren Yaoying couldn't help but burst into tears: "Does Father really dislike me so much? You'd have me marry such a destitute family? If you don't like this daughter of yours, I'll just return to White Crane Town. Why make a mockery of my future?"
Ren Yaoying did not understand her father, just as Ren Shimin could not comprehend Ren Yaoying.
Ren Shimin believed he had been quite good to this daughter of a concubine. Back when his most beloved youngest daughter was to be married, he hadn't even personally handled the arrangements. Now, for Ren Yaoying's marriage, he not only sent someone to the Meng family to sound them out but also personally summoned his own student to inquire.
Ren Shimin's frown deepened: "What nonsense is this?" He was already somewhat displeased. Ren Shimin couldn't stand women crying and making a scene in public—in his view, it showed a lack of refinement.
Struck and provoked, Ren Yaoying's emotions spiraled out of control. All the grievances and injustices she had endured during her time at the Ren Family's old residence and here came flooding back. Her envy and jealousy toward her two legitimate elder sisters, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, gnawed at her heart like madness, leaving her stifled, oppressed, and utterly miserable.
"I won't marry into the Meng family! I'd rather die than marry into that destitute household!"
Ren Shimin slowly realized what Ren Yaoying was saying, and his expression turned uncharacteristically dark and grim. He spoke word by word: "Say that again!"
Ren Yaoying, red-eyed and heedless, cried out in a tantrum: "I said I won't marry Meng Shilin! He's nothing but a destitute-born nobody—what right does he have to marry me? I'd rather marry into the He family than marry him!"
In Ren Shimin's eyes flashed a look of incredulous shock. He seemed utterly unable to fathom that Ren Yaoying would utter such words—that his own daughter would speak such shameless, disgraceful nonsense?
What did she mean, she'd rather marry into the He family—marry that wretched old man who was even older than her own father—than marry his prized student, Meng Shilin?
Ren Shimin suddenly felt that it wasn't his student Meng Shilin who had been insulted, but himself. No, not just himself—Ren Shimin felt Ren Yaoying's words insulted all scholars under heaven.
Thus, Master Ren, who had never resorted to violence, raised his hand and slapped Ren Yaoying hard across the face.
Master Ren was a scholar, always upholding the principle that a gentleman uses words, not fists. So, even though he was enraged, his slap wasn't particularly heavy—but it was loud.
Ren Shimin felt he had never been so angry before—not even when the Ren Family had expelled him from the clan.
This was the first time in his life he had ever used violence to solve a problem, something he had always considered beneath a gentleman's dignity. But just then, if he hadn't slapped Ren Yaoying, he wouldn't have been able to calm his rage. Ren Shimin finally understood why his own father had once been so infuriated he coughed up blood.
Ren Yaoying covered her face and wept.
Ren Shimin, however, gradually calmed down. Recalling Ren Yaoying's previous statement that she'd rather become a nun than marry into the He family, he pieced together the cause and effect and naturally realized that what Ren Yaoying had said to him back then wasn't her true feelings—she had spoken with ulterior motives.
Ren Shimin despised nothing more than those with crooked hearts and devious minds—and this person happened to be his own daughter.Ren Shimin looked coldly at Ren Yaoying and said in an unusually indifferent tone, "Since that's the case, then you shall marry into the He family. Fortunately, the He family has not yet formally withdrawn from the engagement, and as your father, I have not yet had the chance to ruin this excellent match for you."
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