Hongying's words left both Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin momentarily stunned.
If the Meng family was delivering the dowry today, then tomorrow would be the day Yun Wenfang married the eldest daughter of the Meng family?
Yelü Sage seemed quite interested in these Han customs and had been standing by the window, looking down below, no longer listening to the storyteller.
The Meng family was considered a prominent and influential clan throughout Yanbei, and their daughter's marriage was being celebrated with great fanfare. Although it couldn't compare to the scale of Ren Yaoqi's wedding, it was still a lavish affair. This was evident from the lively sounds drifting in through the window. Many customers who had originally been drinking tea and listening to the storyteller in the teahouse had flocked to the street to watch the excitement.
Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi, however, remained seated. Neither of them was particularly fond of bustling crowds.
It wasn't until the dowry procession had passed and the street gradually returned to its usual order that the onlookers returned to the teahouse. Still, in twos and threes, they chatted about the wedding between the Yun and Meng families.
Yelü Sage also returned, still speaking in her somewhat stiff-sounding Chinese: "Your Han women's weddings are truly lively." Her words carried a hint of wistfulness.
Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin, however, did not continue the topic with her, merely smiling in response.
The storyteller in the teahouse finally stopped recounting the deeds of the Old Yanbei Prince and instead began telling a folk tale about a match made in heaven. Yelü Sage seemed to enjoy it immensely, sipping her tea while listening intently, occasionally smiling.
Having nothing else to do that day, Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin spent the time accompanying this newly arrived Liao princess. As noon approached, Xiao Jinglin sent someone to a nearby restaurant to bring some food over, not wanting to bother moving from the teahouse to the restaurant.
The morning and early afternoon passed leisurely, with nothing particularly eventful happening aside from witnessing the Meng family's dowry procession. Initially, Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin had suspected that Yelü Sage might try to take advantage of being out to do something, but she remained obediently in the teahouse without any unusual movements.
After lunch, the three of them left the teahouse. Yelü Sage was also very interested in the various shops along the street, but seeing that Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin showed no intention of getting out of the carriage, she didn't suggest stopping to browse the shops either. However, when they passed by a blacksmith's shop, Xiao Jinglin had the coachman stop.
"I had a dagger reforged here earlier. Since we're passing by, I'll go down and see how it's coming along." Xiao Jinglin was very passionate about collecting various weapons and enjoyed designing her own weapon blueprints to have them custom-made.
Hearing this, Yelü Sage's eyes lit up. "May I go take a look?"
Xiao Jinglin glanced at her, thought for a moment, then nodded. She then turned to Ren Yaoqi and said, "Why don't you wait for us at Duobao Pavilion not far ahead? You're not interested in weapons, and it's stuffy and hot inside. I'll come find you soon." Xiao Jinglin was concerned that the blacksmith's shop might be full of rough men, especially the blacksmiths who might be working bare-chested, and she was afraid it might startle Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi nodded and smiled. "Alright, I'll wait for you at Duobao Pavilion."
Duobao Pavilion was currently the largest jewelry shop in Yunyang City, well-known for primarily serving delicate female clients. When women from prominent families went out, they couldn't casually browse other shops, but Duobao Pavilion was a place they could visit.Xiao Jinglin and Yelü Sage got off the carriage, while Ren Yaoqi had the carriage move forward a few more steps to Duobao Pavilion, which was not far from the blacksmith's shop.
They had just finished a meal, and at this hour, Duobao Pavilion had little business. Only two or three female customers were browsing jewelry in the outer shop.
Ren Yaoqi’s status was different now. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, the female shopkeeper of Duobao Pavilion personally came out to greet her, respectfully welcoming her into the shop. Inside, there was a tea room reserved for distinguished guests. Ren Yaoqi didn’t need to personally browse the outer shop to make purchases; she only had to mention what she wanted, and the shopkeeper would naturally have items brought into the tea room for her to choose from.
Ren Yaoqi had come here merely to find a place to sit for a while and had no particular purchases in mind. However, since she was already here, she couldn’t very well leave empty-handed, so she asked the shopkeeper to bring out some of the latest fashionable hairpins. Not long ago, during the full-month celebration of Ren Yaohua’s daughter, Ren Yaoqi had heard that Lei Pan'er’s birthday was also approaching. Although she had already prepared several valuable gifts, thinking of how adorable Pan'er looked wearing hairpins, Ren Yaoqi decided to gift her two more beautiful pairs.
The shopkeeper quickly had someone bring in five or six trays, each displaying ten pairs of hairpins. Ren Yaoqi glanced at them and noticed that the pearls used for the hairpins were of excellent quality, and the designs were quite novel. Her interest piqued, she thought it would be nice to pick a few more pairs to take back.
Just as she was carefully selecting the hairpins, she heard voices outside, as if new customers had arrived. The shopkeeper, who was accompanying Ren Yaoqi, quietly instructed the assistant that there was a distinguished guest present today and they should temporarily refrain from serving other customers.
Unexpectedly, the assistant returned after a while and whispered a few words to the shopkeeper. Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper hesitated and glanced at Ren Yaoqi.
Seeing this, Ren Yaoqi smiled and asked, “What is it?”
The shopkeeper replied apologetically, “Young Madam, with you here, we naturally shouldn’t serve other guests. However, the ones outside are the Yun Family’s Second Miss and Third Miss. They said they know you. What do you think…?”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow inwardly but nodded with a smile. “So it’s the Yun Family’s young ladies. Let them in. I’m just here to sit for a while and pick out a few small trinkets. You can carry on with your business as usual; there’s no need to accommodate me.”
The shopkeeper quickly agreed and gave a few instructions to the assistant.
A moment later, the curtain to the tea room was lifted, and Yun Qiuping and Yun Qiufang entered.
Upon seeing Ren Yaoqi, Yun Qiuping bowed respectfully, her demeanor as reserved and wooden as ever. Yun Qiufang also bowed but said with a smile, “So it’s Young Madam. I wondered who had the influence to make Duobao Pavilion refuse business.”
No matter what she said, Yun Qiufang’s words always carried an odd, grating tone.
Ren Yaoqi naturally wouldn’t bother arguing with a young girl. She nodded at them with a slight smile and said, “I didn’t expect to run into the two of you. What a coincidence. Are you here to pick out jewelry?”
Yun Qiuping smiled shyly, while Yun Qiufang pursed her lips and said, “Yes, I heard Duobao Pavilion released a batch of exceptionally fine new pieces yesterday. I’m accompanying Second Sister to pick out some dowry items.”In truth, for a prominent family like the Yun Family, when marrying off a daughter, they would have plenty of valuable treasures tucked away as dowry, with no need to come to the marketplace to purchase anything. These two Yun young ladies were probably just finding an excuse to come out and have fun, right? And they even chose the very day the Meng family was delivering their dowry?
Though she thought this to herself, Ren Yaoqi naturally did not expose them. Instead, she smiled and asked the shopkeeper to bring out some fine jewelry and hair ornaments for the two Yun young ladies to choose from.
Duobao Pavilion’s best items were usually not displayed in the front shop, so the shopkeeper immediately went to fetch them.
Ren Yaoqi then made casual conversation with the two Yun sisters. Yun Qiuping remained as quiet as ever, only answering when asked and never speaking up on her own. Surprisingly, Yun Qiufang also spoke less than usual today, even seeming somewhat absent-minded as she occasionally glanced outside.
Ren Yaoqi quickly noticed this and couldn’t help but frown inwardly.
Just then, the cloth curtain of the tea room was lifted, and someone else walked in. However, as soon as Ren Yaoqi got a clear look at the newcomer, she was taken aback.
"Have you chosen yet?" A familiar male voice rang out. The person entered the tea room, his gaze not lingering on Ren Yaoqi. His handsome face, usually marked by a carefree and frivolous expression, now looked cold and somewhat stiff.
Yun Qiuping lowered her head and whispered, "N-not yet, Second Brother."
The newcomer was none other than the Yun family’s second young master, Yun Wenfang, who had not been seen in public for a long time.
Even the usually bold Yun Qiufang seemed somewhat wary of Yun Wenfang. After glancing at him, she quickly said, "We’ll be done soon, Second Brother. Why don’t you sit down and have a cup of tea?"
Yun Wenfang stood still for a moment, then silently took a seat diagonally across from Ren Yaoqi, finally turning his gaze toward her.
Yun Wenfang did not look well. After years of training, his complexion had been somewhat darker than that of the typical young nobleman, but it had been healthy. Now, after not seeing him for some time, his skin had not lightened, but his lips were pale with a sickly hue and somewhat dry, as if he had been seriously ill.
When Yun Wenfang looked over, Ren Yaoqi also glanced at him. She didn’t know how to describe the look in his eyes at that moment. It seemed unfocused, yet also filled with deep-seated hatred and intense resentment—though it was unclear whom the hatred was directed at or what the resentment was for. When Ren Yaoqi looked more closely, all she saw was a thick haze, vague and indistinct, like flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in water.
For a moment, no one spoke, and the atmosphere fell into silence.
Ren Yaoqi wondered, why hasn’t Xiao Jinglin arrived yet? Maybe she should find an excuse to leave first.
But before Ren Yaoqi could speak, Yun Wenfang spoke up, addressing her directly: "Is Madam Xiao leaving early because you have matters to attend to?" As he said this, Yun Wenfang even managed a faint smile.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at him, sighed inwardly, and replied, "I arranged to meet the Commandery Princess and the Liao princess here. I was just wondering when they would arrive."
"Yelü Sage?" Yun Wenfang called out the Liao princess’s name upon hearing this.
Ren Yaoqi nodded."Stay away from her." Yun Wenfang's words were icy, delivered in his usual imperious, commanding tone. Yet as soon as he finished speaking, he frowned, pursed his lips in silence for a moment, then reluctantly added with a stiff expression, "The old Liao king had sixteen daughters, eight of whom survived. She is the only one who was granted military authority. Her uncle is the current Southern Court Prince."
Ren Yaoqi glanced around. Although they were the only guests here, it was hardly a suitable place for such a conversation.
As if sensing her concern, Yun Wenfang curled his lips slightly. "What if there are ears on the other side of the wall? I'm not afraid of offending the Liao people."
Still as arrogant as ever!
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