This was Ren Yaoqi's first time returning to White Crane Town since her marriage, and many things had changed when she stepped through the gates of the Ren Family.
First Madam Ren personally came out to welcome Ren Yaoqi, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and escorted her and Ren Yaohua to the mourning hall to offer incense for Old Master Ren.
Ren Yaoqi had not originally planned to stay long at the Ren Family, intending only to fulfill the necessary courtesies. However, as they left the mourning hall, First Madam said, "Old Madam Ren is waiting for Third Young Madam and Fifth Young Madam. She has been so heartbroken by Old Master Ren's passing that she has been bedridden these past few days. It was only upon hearing that both of you had returned that she felt somewhat better. Third Young Madam, Old Madam has always cherished you the most. Although there were some unpleasantness before, what lasting grudges could exist between grandmother and granddaughter? Old Madam has been mentioning you constantly."
Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi and pursed her lips, offering no reply.
Seeing this, First Madam also looked at Ren Yaoqi, her attitude affectionate yet tinged with a caution she had not shown before. "Third Young Madam, it's still early. Would you like to go see Old Madam?"
Ren Yaoqi surveyed the onlookers around them and said to Ren Yaohua, "Let's go see Old Madam."
Ren Yaohua nodded. First Madam breathed a sigh of relief, a slight smile appearing on her face. She entrusted the external affairs to Eldest Young Madam and Third Young Madam, then personally led Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua to Old Madam's Glory and Splendor Courtyard.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, a maid hurried inside to announce their arrival to Old Madam. Before they reached the main room, the curtain was lifted, and a slender woman in mourning attire emerged.
At the sight of her, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua were momentarily stunned. The woman had already stepped forward to greet them.
"Third Sister, Fifth Sister, you've returned? Grandmother was just asking about you." Ren Yaoyin's voice and demeanor carried a hint of exhaustion. Her lips were dry, and dark circles shadowed her eyes, as if she had not rested well for a long time.
Ren Yaohua glanced at her before shifting her gaze elsewhere, pretending not to see her.
Ren Yaoyin seemed to have forgotten the past conflicts with them and no longer remembered why she had left Yanbei. Unfortunately, Ren Yaohua had an excellent memory and was someone who held grudges.
Seeing First Madam's anxious and nervous expression, Ren Yaoqi nodded to Ren Yaoyin. "Fourth Miss Ren, it has been a long time."
First Madam's expression softened somewhat, and she said to Ren Yaoyin, "Why are you coming out to greet guests looking like this? Go tidy yourself up."
Ren Yaoyin smiled bitterly. "Grandmother cannot be left unattended. I am of little help with external matters, only capable of serving tea, water, and keeping watch at night. I didn't know Third Sister and Fifth Sister would be visiting today, so I must have made a spectacle of myself."
Ren Yaoqi smiled politely. "Fourth Miss Ren's filial piety is commendable."
Ren Yaoyin spoke a few more words. Ren Yaohua ignored her entirely, while Ren Yaoqi remained courteous yet distant.
Afterward, Ren Yaoyin left first to change her clothes, and First Madam led Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua into the main room.
When Ren Yaoqi saw Old Madam Ren, she almost failed to recognize her. Her entire nose was wrapped in thick gauze, and she lay in bed with her eyes closed. The only features clearly visible were her lower lip and ears.Ren Yaohua looked at Old Madam Ren with a complicated gaze. Unlike Ren Yaoqi, Old Madam Ren had doted on her for over a decade. Though even the deepest affection could not withstand repeated trials, seeing Old Madam Ren so frail, Ren Yaohua found it impossible to remain completely indifferent.
At First Madam's soft call, Old Madam Ren opened her eyes. When she saw Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, her eyes brightened. Clutching First Madam's hand, she struggled to sit up.
Ren Yaoqi said, "Old Madam, please lie down. My sister and I will leave after seeing you."
Tears immediately streamed from Old Madam Ren's eyes, but she insisted on sitting up, reaching out to them. "Third Girl, Fifth Girl, you've finally returned... Your grandfather... sob... He always missed you and your father. At least he got to see your father one last time..." Old Madam Ren wept uncontrollably, her grief over losing her husband in her twilight years impossible not to sympathize with.
Ren Yaohua looked at Old Madam Ren's outstretched hand, then glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Seeing that although Ren Yaoqi was softly comforting Old Madam Ren, she stood some distance away, Ren Yaohua thought for a moment and remained standing at the foot of the bed without moving.
After crying for a while, Old Madam Ren finally took the opportunity to wipe her tears and withdrew her stiffened hand. When her emotions had stabilized somewhat, she looked at Ren Yaohua. "Hua'er, Grandmother hasn't seen you in so long. In my heart, you're still that little girl who stumbled when walking. In the blink of an eye, you're already a mother. I can't deny I'm old anymore. Come closer so Grandmother can see you properly. My eyes aren't good now—I always see double."
Ren Yaohua pressed her lips together and did not move.
Old Madam Ren frowned slightly and glanced discreetly at First Madam Ren. Just as First Madam was about to pull Ren Yaohua forward, they heard Ren Yaoyin speaking loudly to someone outside.
Already in a gloomy mood and finding her two granddaughters difficult to handle, Old Madam Ren said displeasedly, "Yin'er! Is that you outside?"
Ren Yaoyin responded from outside and soon entered. She had washed her face and changed clothes. Though still without makeup, she looked better than before.
As soon as Ren Yaoyin entered, before Old Madam Ren could reprimand her, she quickly said, "Grandmother, Mother, the steward from the outer courtyard came. He said that merchant surnamed Yu sent someone again to buy our residence."
Old Madam Ren angrily replied, "Have them driven out! How outrageous! Do they think the Ren Family has no one left? I think they're not here to buy the residence but deliberately to cause trouble for the Ren Family!"
First Madam Ren also sighed. "With the old master newly passed and the masters so busy they barely touch the ground, this Yu fellow probably seized the chance while we're occupied to make trouble."
Ren Yaoyin frowned. "What should we do now? Father and the others aren't in the front courtyard at the moment."
Old Madam Ren seemed to remember something and hurriedly said, "Where's Third Master? Isn't he home? Have him go deal with it. Don't let them bully our household of elderly, weak, women, and children!"
First Madam Ren looked troubled, then glanced at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua.Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow, glancing at the three people before her, wondering what they were really up to.
She knew her father wasn’t staying at the Ren Family residence. Could Old Madam Ren have thought he was there?
Old Madam Ren said unhappily, “What? Is Third Son not home either?” After a moment’s thought, her eyes dimmed slightly. “Or is it that I can’t even count on him for such a small matter?”
Ren Yaoyin quickly replied, “No, Grandmother, Third Uncle is the most filial of all. It’s just that the Yu Family has sent a female relative this time, and it really wouldn’t be appropriate for Third Uncle to handle it. I heard this lady from the Yu Family is from an official family. Mother and I are afraid…” Ren Yaoyin hesitated, glancing somewhat awkwardly at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua. “How about Third Sister and Fifth Sister accompany my mother to meet them? With your esteemed statuses, the Yu Family surely wouldn’t dare to covet the Ren Family’s property anymore.”
Old Madam Ren immediately looked at Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, her eyes filled with hope.
So, after all this roundabout talk, their goal was to use them to fend off the people coming to buy the house?
Ren Yaohua frowned. “If they’ve come to buy the house, just refuse to sell. Can they force you to sell?”
Old Madam Ren and First Madam Ren exchanged a glance but remained silent. Ren Yaoyin hesitated for a moment before sighing. “There’s no other choice. The Ren Family owes the Yu Family a large sum of silver. It’s said that the property in the East Mansion was used as collateral.”
The East Mansion had previously been occupied by the Ren Family’s second branch. After Second Old Master Ren fell out with Old Master Ren, the second branch moved to Yunyang City. No one knew when the deed to the East Mansion had been mortgaged.
Since the Ren Family’s downfall, they had lost most of their business and were in dire need of funds—large sums of money—so they had borrowed heavily from outside sources.
The Ren Family was no longer what it used to be, and others wouldn’t lend money without guarantees. That’s why some property deeds and mining rights had been mortgaged. However, it was unclear how the Yu Family had obtained the Ren Family’s property deed. They showed up on the third day after Old Master Ren’s passing, on the second day of the Lunar New Year, demanding the property. The Ren Family had never borrowed money from the Yu Family, yet the creditors had inexplicably come knocking.
But the Ren Family absolutely could not hand over the property. Old Master Ren had repeatedly emphasized this, and now Eldest Master Ren, who was in charge, also opposed selling the house.
Coincidentally, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua had returned to pay their respects at Old Master Ren’s funeral, so the Ren Family decided to make the most of their presence.
In the eyes of the world, Ren Shimin’s branch had completely separated from the Ren Family clan and established themselves independently. Although Ren Shimin had returned for Old Master Ren’s funeral, he hadn’t stayed at the Ren Family residence—a fact obvious to anyone with eyes. This indicated that Ren Shimin had no intention of “returning to the ancestral fold.” As the young madam of the Xiao Family and the wife of the Lei Family head, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua naturally had no ties to the Ren Family in White Crane Town. Otherwise, with the status of these two young ladies, no one would dare to come demanding debts or property during the Lunar New Year.
Old Madam Ren also believed that as long as Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua publicly showed their support for the Ren Family, the Yu Family wouldn’t dare to cause trouble again. After all, in Yanbei, no one dared to oppose the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion.
But was Ren Yaoqi someone so easily used?Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and asked, "Can the Ren Family repay the Yu Family's silver now?"
Old Madam Ren’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. "Where would we get that much silver!"
o(∩_∩)o Finally made it by 12 o’clock...
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