Xiangqin, thinking Ren Yaoqi didn't believe her, grew so anxious her face flushed red, even changing her form of address: "It's true, Miss! Some people are too cunning and treacherous—if we aren't careful, what if someone harms you?"
Ren Yaoqi gave her a reassuring smile, then signaled Pingguo to take the paper from the little maid and open it. Xiangqin stood nervously beside Ren Yaoqi, as if ready to step forward and shield her mistress at the slightest sign of trouble.
However, the paper was just ordinary, with a few lines written on it.
Ren Yaoqi had initially glanced at it casually, but as she made out the contents, her expression gradually grew serious. She took the paper from Pingguo, quickly read through it, then furrowed her brows in thoughtful contemplation.
The maids exchanged puzzled glances, with Xiangqin looking particularly worried. She wondered what that shameless woman had written in the letter—hopefully not some kind of trap, otherwise why would her mistress look so grave?
She had been sent by Ren Yaohua precisely to guard against Yan Ningshuang, so naturally, she was on high alert, every hair standing on end. Yet, seeing her second young mistress's expression, she didn't dare ask directly, her heart itching with anxiety like a cat's scratch.
After a moment's thought, Ren Yaoqi tucked the paper away and asked the little maid, "Is the third young mistress still outside?"
The little maid hurriedly replied, "Yes, young mistress."
Ren Yaoqi nodded. "Invite her in."
The little maid immediately obeyed and left.
Xiangqin said urgently, "Miss, didn't the Princess Consort forbid you from receiving guests? Why are you letting her in?"
Ren Yaoqi replied patiently, "It's fine. I just want to ask her a few questions."
As she spoke, the little maid had already led Yan Ningshuang inside. Xiangqin had no choice but to swallow her words of caution—in front of outsiders, she knew to be discreet.
It had been quite some time since Ren Yaoqi last saw Yan Ningshuang, and upon meeting her today, she couldn't help but pause. Undoubtedly, Yan Ningshuang was a standard beauty with no major flaws in appearance, but today, she looked somewhat haggard. Though she had applied an extra layer of powder to her face, the dark circles under her eyes were still visible, as if she hadn't rested well. Moreover, she appeared much thinner than when Ren Yaoqi last saw her, suggesting she hadn't been having a pleasant time lately.
Yan Ningshuang's first words upon seeing Ren Yaoqi were, "Could you dismiss the others? I have something important to discuss with you." As she spoke, her expression was serious, tinged with a certain assured reserve.
Ren Yaoqi lightly tapped her fingers on the low table, studying her without committing to an answer.
Yan Ningshuang had assumed that since Ren Yaoqi had allowed her in, she would be eager to hear the news from her. But seeing Ren Yaoqi's calm and unhurried demeanor, Yan Ningshuang grew uncertain.
She frowned and said urgently, "You must have read the paper I just gave you. Everything written on it is true. The situation is critical now—you'd better hear me out, or the consequences could be disastrous."
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly, appearing unconcerned. "Whether it's true or not, I'll decide after you've finished speaking."Yan Ningshuang glanced around the room, eyeing the five or six maids still present, and said with dissatisfaction, "I told you this matter is of great importance and must not reach a third person's ears! Send them away, and only then can I speak."
Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi considered for a moment before saying, "Pingguo and Leshan will stay. The rest of you may leave."
After giving the order, Ren Yaoqi smiled at Yan Ningshuang. "My mother has instructed that I must not be left unattended. If you still don't feel at ease with this arrangement... then forget it. I’m not particularly interested in hearing it anyway. You can go find someone else."
Yan Ningshuang’s face flushed with anger at these words. She would have preferred to seek out Xiao Jingxi, but she couldn’t even get close to him. She was about to retort with a sarcastic remark, but thinking of her purpose for coming today and the person she held dear in her heart, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to hold back.
While Yan Ningshuang was seething with frustration, Xiangqin was even more displeased. She cast a resentful look at Ren Yaoqi, but when Ren Yaoqi gave no indication of changing her mind, she reluctantly followed the other maids out of the room. As she passed Yan Ningshuang, she couldn’t resist shooting her a fierce glare, her expression so fierce that Miss Yan, who was already suppressing her anger, was startled.
By the time only four people remained in the room, Yan Ningshuang was still somewhat dazed. It wasn’t until Ren Yaoqi spoke calmly that she snapped back to attention. "Actually, for such an important matter, you should tell Third Brother and have him discuss it with the Prince."
Yan Ningshuang temporarily pushed aside the memory of that inexplicable maid and gave Ren Yaoqi a mocking smile. "Tell him? Do you think he would inform the Prince? He’d be more likely to report it to the imperial court!"
Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Yan Ningshuang took a deep breath. "You don’t believe me? I discovered secret letters in his study, revealing his collusion with the imperial court! He has been reporting every detail about Yanbei to them."
Ren Yaoqi was taken aback by this revelation.
Yan Ningshuang continued, "Last year, when I first came to Yanbei, I accidentally saw an important piece of information in my father’s memorial. While the Liao emperor was publicly seeking peace, he secretly sent an envoy to the capital to discuss major matters with the imperial court. Although I don’t know the specifics of their discussions, judging from the memorial, it was definitely aimed at the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. I originally wanted to tell Xiao Lang about this, but..."
Yan Ningshuang paused here, her expression turning somber.
At the time, she had tried to inform Xiao Jingxi so he could take precautions, but he had refused to listen. However, she naturally wouldn’t bring this up in front of Ren Yaoqi, lest she become a laughingstock.
"After returning to the capital, I once encountered an unfamiliar eunuch in the Empress Dowager’s palace. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention, but a few days ago, I saw this same person again in the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion, and he was in contact with Xiao Jingyue. This raised my suspicions, so I took the opportunity to visit Xiao Jingyue’s study. Sure enough, I found his secret memorial to the imperial court."
Yan Ningshuang had long been aware that the second branch of the Xiao Family was closely aligned with the Empress Dowager, but she never imagined that Xiao Jingyue was the largest undercover agent planted by the imperial court within the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. When she saw the contents of the memorial, she was utterly shocked.Logically speaking, Yan Ningshuang was a member of the Yan family and now married to Xiao Jingyue, so both emotionally and rationally, she should stand on the side of the court and Xiao Jingyue. However, the moment Yan Ningshuang saw the secret memorial, her first thought was that she could not let Xiao Jingxi be secretly plotted against by a scoundrel like Xiao Jingyue. At the same time, Yan Ningshuang had her own calculations in mind.
Ren Yaoqi’s gaze toward Yan Ningshuang was also somewhat complicated. Though one grain of rice feeds a hundred kinds of people, this was the first time she had seen someone like Yan Ningshuang, who so clearly favored outsiders over her own.
“What did Xiao Jingyue write in his memorial?” Ren Yaoqi asked calmly.
Yan Ningshuang opened her mouth but paused. She bit her lip and thought for a long time, then, as if having made some kind of resolution, looked up at Ren Yaoqi and said, “If I tell you, this matter is of great importance—it may even concern the survival of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. If I reveal this to you, it would mean completely turning against both my natal Yan family and my husband’s family. Neither the Empress Dowager nor Xiao Jingyue would spare me, and there would be no place for me in this world.” As she spoke, whether genuinely overcome with sorrow or seeking sympathy, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.
“What do you mean, Miss Yan?” Ren Yaoqi no longer addressed her as sister-in-law.
Yan Ningshuang wiped away her tears and looked at Ren Yaoqi. “My demands are few—I only want a place to stay. I am willing to live incognito in the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion, as long as… as long as you promise to let me stay by Xiao Lang’s side. I don’t even care about status.”
Ren Yaoqi looked at Yan Ningshuang without speaking, because she truly did not know what to say to this young woman.
Yan Ningshuang, however, continued to weep on her own. “In the future, I will have no family, no fallback, nothing at all. You need not worry at all that I will threaten your position—even my life will be in your hands.”
OpenNovel