Looking at Yan Ningshuang, who had worked herself into such a state of self-pity that her face was covered in tears, Ren Yaoqi felt utterly helpless.
"What use would your life be to me?"
Yan Ningshuang, however, took Ren Yaoqi's words as mockery. Still, she gritted her teeth and swallowed her pride, saying, "You have a child now, along with his respect and affection. I have nothing—what do you have to fear?"
Ren Yaoqi shook her head and replied calmly, "Please leave, Miss Yan. I will pretend you never came today."
Yan Ningshuang had thought that with such a significant bargaining chip in hand, Ren Yaoqi would at least hesitate, if not agree immediately. She never expected such a straightforward refusal. Stunned at first, her surprise quickly turned to anger. Pointing at Ren Yaoqi, she exclaimed, "Do you have any idea how important this news is to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and to Xiao Lang? How could you refuse without even thinking? Ren Yaoqi, do you even care about Xiao Lang at all? Are you so consumed by your own wealth and status? He has treated you so well, and this is how you repay him?"
Ren Yaoqi found Yan Ningshuang's baseless accusations both laughable and exasperating. She looked at Yan Ningshuang and said calmly, "Miss Yan, do you know why he married me and not you?"
The anger on Yan Ningshuang's face had yet to fade, and Ren Yaoqi's question caught her off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless.
Ren Yaoqi didn't wait for a reply. She smiled faintly and continued, "Because you believe he would bring another woman into his life to solve a problem that should be handled by a man, while I choose to trust him no matter the circumstances."
Yan Ningshuang's face instantly paled at these words.
Ren Yaoqi, ignoring her reaction, went on, "As for you calling me selfish... I wonder how you see yourself? A tragic heroine willing to risk everything for the one she loves? If you were truly so selfless, why didn't you simply tell him what you know or report it to the Prince and Princess Consort, instead of coming to me while I'm pregnant?"
"I—"
Yan Ningshuang tried to speak, but Ren Yaoqi raised a hand to stop her. "Because you know he doesn't want to see you and would never agree to your terms, and the Prince and Princess Consort would be even less likely to accept. So you thought approaching me was the best option? Miss Yan, when you came to negotiate with me, did you ever consider that your Xiao Lang doesn't actually want you at all? Is it your selflessness that drives you to use your bargaining chip to threaten the very person you claim to love? Forgive my bluntness, Miss Yan, but your sincerity is cheap!"
Ren Yaoqi's words were merciless. Yan Ningshuang felt as if she had been slapped in public, her face pale as she took a step back.
Leshan and Pingguo couldn't help but glance at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi had always been gentle and easygoing, rarely showing any temper. This was the first time they had seen her speak with such cutting harshness—each word like a poisoned arrow, sharp and venomous enough to surprise even the two maids.
Just then, someone lifted the curtain and entered from outside.Everyone in the room turned to look, only to see Xiao Jingxi, who had not been in Zhaoning Hall earlier, had returned at some unknown time. It was unclear how much of the conversation he had overheard, but his exceptionally handsome face betrayed no emotion.
Yan Ningshuang, who had been rendered speechless by Ren Yaoqi's cutting remarks earlier, now felt all the complex emotions of disappointment and shame welling up into a wave of grievance upon seeing the person she held dearest in her heart suddenly appear.
"Xiao Lang..." Yan Ningshuang called out sorrowfully, her eyes reddened.
Xiao Jingxi walked past Yan Ningshuang and stopped before Ren Yaoqi.
"Xiao Lang, I..." Yan Ningshuang hurriedly began.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Yan Ningshuang and handed the paper Yan Ningshuang had given her earlier to Xiao Jingxi.
As Xiao Jingxi took the paper from Ren Yaoqi's hand, he gently squeezed her hand, then lowered his head to read the contents.
From the moment Xiao Jingxi entered, Yan Ningshuang's gaze had remained fixed on him, never leaving him for an instant. Yet Xiao Jingxi's expression remained calm throughout. After reading what Yan Ningshuang had written, he still showed no reaction. Instead, he looked up and instructed Leshan, who was standing behind Ren Yaoqi, "Escort Third Young Madam back."
Leshan bowed in acknowledgment and walked over to Yan Ningshuang. "Third Young Madam, please."
Yan Ningshuang stared blankly at Xiao Jingxi. "Xiao Lang..."
Leshan repeated, "Third Young Madam, please."
Yan Ningshuang looked at Xiao Jingxi's indifferent expression, feeling hollow and deeply distressed. Yet, from the moment he entered, Xiao Jingxi had not spared her even a single glance, as if she were nothing more than a speck of dust that had accidentally drifted into Zhaoning Hall, only fit to be swept away by a maid with a duster.
Recalling Ren Yaoqi's earlier words and wondering how much Xiao Jingxi had overheard outside, whether he too thought of her in such a way, Yan Ningshuang felt a surge of shame and indignation so intense it bordered on despair. She even began to harbor a trace of resentment toward Xiao Jingxi for his unattainability.
This time, without waiting for Leshan to urge her again, she turned and rushed out. Leshan quickly followed.
After they left, Pingguo glanced at Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi before quietly slipping out as well.
Only when Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi were alone did Ren Yaoqi ask curiously, "Don't you want to know the contents of the secret letter?"
Xiao Jingxi, however, stared intently at Ren Yaoqi for a long while, until she furrowed her brows. Then, he curved his lips into a slight smile, leaned in, and kissed her lips before replying straightforwardly, "No."
Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow.
Xiao Jingxi looked at her and smiled. "Because I married you."
Ren Yaoqi was taken aback for a moment before recalling what she had said to Yan Ningshuang earlier. It was clear Xiao Jingxi had been there for quite some time.
Ren Yaoqi shot him a glare before adopting a serious expression. "She mentioned earlier that there's more to the reopening of border trade between the court and the Liao people this time. It doesn't seem like she was just speaking carelessly."
Xiao Jingxi leaned in to embrace Ren Yaoqi, resting his chin on the top of her head and placing his hand gently on her abdomen. He replied nonchalantly, "Most of what she wrote on that paper is true. Jinglin left the manor a few days ago precisely to investigate this matter. It seems the court and the Liao people have already reached some kind of agreement..."
Ren Yaoqi frowned. "So, what she wanted to tell you was the content of this agreement?"Xiao Jingxi said indifferently, "Perhaps, but that's not important. We'll find out sooner or later."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but sigh.
Xiao Jingxi gently pinched her cheek and chuckled softly, "Don't sigh so much. What if it affects the child? As you said, I'll take care of these matters."
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi seemed to think of something and glanced at Xiao Jingxi, then said seriously, "From now on, you should appear less in front of me."
Xiao Jingxi was puzzled, "Why?"
Ren Yaoqi replied earnestly, "I've heard that whoever I look at too much now, the child will resemble later. A beauty is a calamity. Whether the child is a boy or a girl, it's better not to look like you, to avoid endless troubles in the future."
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was clearly planning to settle accounts with him, Xiao Jingxi blinked, then lowered his head and nuzzled her cheek gently, pretending to be wronged, "Madam, do you dislike me?""
Ren Yaoqi shamelessly nodded and was about to say, "Yes, I am looking down on you.""
But the cunning Second Young Master Xiao didn't give her the chance. As she opened her mouth to speak, he immediately lowered his head and sealed her lips, swallowing all her words.
"Mmm..."
After Yan Ningshuang rushed out of Zhaoning Hall, Leshan originally intended to escort her back as ordered. However, Xiangqin suddenly appeared out of nowhere and volunteered, "I'll escort Third Young Madam."
Leshan looked at Yan Ningshuang, who had already walked ahead, then at Xiangqin. After a moment's thought, she let Xiangqin go, intentionally or unintentionally forgetting that Xiangqin wasn't actually a maid of Yanbei Prince's Mansion, and that escorting people wasn't her duty. Among maids, seniority mattered, and before Leshan became Ren Yaoqi's maid, she had often been lectured by Xiangqin, so she still held some reverence for this so-called top maid of the two young ladies.
After leaving Zhaoning Hall, Xiangqin jogged to catch up with Yan Ningshuang, who was walking ahead.
Yan Ningshuang had been in a bad mood the whole way, so it wasn't until they had walked quite a distance that she noticed Xiangqin following her.
Seeing that Yan Ningshuang had finally noticed her, Xiangqin flashed a big smile, "Greetings, Third Young Madam. This servant is Xiangqin."
Yan Ningshuang looked at her, somewhat confused.
Xiangqin said familiarly, "My mistress asked me to escort Third Young Madam back."
Yan Ningshuang didn't realize that Xiangqin wasn't a maid of Yanbei Prince's Mansion and remained silent.
Xiangqin smiled and said, "They say Yanbei Prince's Mansion has excellent feng shui, producing nothing but fairy-tale couples. For example, our Prince and Princess Consort, our Young Madam and Second Young Master, and you, Third Madam, and Third Young Master."
Yan Ningshuang couldn't help but frown.
"Marriage is all predestined by heaven. Whether it's a perfect match or a resentful couple, it's all cultivated from past lives. Once tied by the red thread of the Old Man Under the Moon, no one can escape. Those who dare to harbor wicked thoughts will face retribution. When my grandmother was alive, she told me a story. When she was young, there was a promiscuous woman in her village who, relying on her looks, cheated on her husband behind his back. And what happened? She was tied up by the villagers and drowned in a pig cage."
As she listened, Yan Ningshuang suddenly stopped walking, her face turning ugly as she stared at Xiangqin, "You..."Xiangqin gave her an innocent, radiant smile, yet it sent a chilling shiver down one's spine. "Don't rush, the story isn't over yet. They say death extinguishes a life like a lamp, but does it truly end for those who have done wicked deeds? Don't forget, the King of Hell in the underworld still has a ledger to settle. After this woman descends into the underworld... hehe, guess what happens? I bet, aside from climbing mountains of knives and boiling in cauldrons of oil, she'll be sawed in half by the underworld guards, leaving one half for her husband and the other for her lover."
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