Ren Yaoqi was a calm and meticulous person; she did not readily believe in coincidences. Too many coincidences occurring together signaled something suspicious.
For instance, Xiao Jingyue "falling ill," Xiao Jingxi encountering danger and going missing, Xiao Jinglin leaving Yanbei for Wuzhou, Zhao Yingqiu getting married, the Princess Consort attending a banquet at the Yun Family, and her two maids who never left her side suddenly disappearing—all these events happening at once made it impossible for her not to feel wary.
Sangshen quickly brought Tong He and Tong Xi inside, and the two stepped forward to bow respectfully.
Ren Yaoqi nodded and asked, "Has anything unusual happened in the mansion today?"
Tong He and Tong Xi exchanged a glance upon hearing this. Tong He cautiously asked, "What does the young mistress mean?"
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and directly inquired, "For example, has anything happened in the Second Household or with the Great Liao Princess?"
With Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin both absent from the mansion, there were certainly people left behind to "look after" them. Although Tong He and Tong Xi were merely Xiao Jingxi's attendants, they were not ordinary ones; many matters in the mansion passed through their hands.
Tong Xi and Tong He thought for a moment, and it was Tong He who spoke first: "The Second Master left early in the morning, the Third Young Master remains unwell and has not improved, and the Yelü Princess has not left her quarters since morning. I heard she has been practicing calligraphy in her study."
All of this seemed perfectly normal.
Just then, someone outside announced that Consort Dowager Yun had arrived.
The first thing Consort Dowager Yun said upon entering was, "I heard you were unwell? How are you now?"
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Nan Xing, who was following behind Consort Dowager Yun, and smiled as she stood up to bow to her. "It's nothing serious. I was just vomiting quite badly earlier, but I didn’t expect them to disturb you."
Consort Dowager Yun stopped Ren Yaoqi from bowing, sighed in relief, and pointed to the southern kang, inviting Ren Yaoqi to sit with her. Then she said, "With your mother not in the mansion, they had no choice but to come to me. It’s fortunate it’s nothing serious. You’re already over three months along; it should get better in a while. Just bear with it a little longer. Did you call for a physician? If the vomiting is severe, it’s best to have a physician take a look."
This was the first time Consort Dowager Yun had spoken so much to Ren Yaoqi at once, but Ren Yaoqi did not find it bothersome. She personally took the tea brought by a maid and offered it to Consort Dowager Yun, then smiled and said, "Auntie Gong came to check on me just yesterday and said both my health and the baby’s are excellent."
Consort Dowager Yun nodded. "Good, that’s good." She then looked up and noticed Tong He and Tong Xi still standing outside the curtain, which made her frown slightly.
Ren Yaoqi said nothing about it and simply instructed the two, "You may leave now. Also, send people to search around for any stray cats. Those creatures aren’t domesticated and are quite wild. If they disturb any of the masters in the mansion, it won’t be a trivial matter."
Tong He and Tong Xi showed no surprise at these seemingly unrelated words. They bowed respectfully and replied, "Please rest assured, young mistress. We will not allow any stray cats to enter."
Consort Dowager Yun watched their departing figures and frowned. "Are there stray cats in the mansion?"
Ren Yaoqi smiled. "The maids heard a cat meowing today, so I asked them to help search for it."
Consort Dowager Yun nodded. "It’s always better to be cautious."After that, Consort Dowager Yun and Ren Yaoqi began chatting idly, with neither saying much. Consort Dowager Yun was not a talkative person. Although Ren Yaoqi had grown quite familiar with her after spending some time together, her aloof nature remained unchanged. However, since Ren Yaoqi became pregnant, Consort Dowager Yun had become noticeably more amiable toward her.
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was truly in good health, Consort Dowager Yun thought of leaving. Unexpectedly, Ren Yaoqi smiled and pleaded, "Grandmother, it's still early. Why don't I accompany you for a game?"
Consort Dowager Yun glanced at Ren Yaoqi a few times and replied indifferently, "Are you accompanying me, or am I accompanying you? I think you've been cooped up in the courtyard for too long and are itching to play. And now you're even setting your sights on me!"
Despite her words, Consort Dowager Yun did not rise to leave.
Ren Yaoqi remained smiling and did not argue. "Indeed, my hands are itching for a game."
Sangshen, quick-witted, immediately brought out the chessboard.
With a stern expression, Consort Dowager Yun picked up a black piece and said, "Only one game. You're with child and shouldn't overthink things."
Ren Yaoqi promptly agreed.
However, this game was not so easily concluded. Nearly an hour passed, and the black and white pieces remained locked in a stalemate. Consort Dowager Yun frowned and said, "Let's call it a draw. There's no point in continuing." As a member of the Yun Family, Consort Dowager Yun was naturally skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she did not particularly enjoy these pursuits. Today, she had merely endured the game to accompany Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi knew when to stop, so when Consort Dowager Yun said they should end the game, she smiled and agreed.
"Is Mother not back yet?" Ren Yaoqi asked Pingguo while picking up the chess pieces as Consort Dowager Yun sipped tea nearby.
Pingguo replied, "The Princess Consort has not yet returned to the residence."
Consort Dowager Yun frowned. "Don't tell me you want your mother to play another game with you? I never realized you were so clingy before."
Ren Yaoqi, unable to refute this, simply smiled. "I was just noticing how late it's getting."
Consort Dowager Yun glanced at the sky outside. "It's not that late. The auspicious hour has just passed, so the banquet should be in full swing."
Just as they were speaking, someone came in to report that Yelü Sage had arrived.
Consort Dowager Yun looked at Ren Yaoqi in surprise, then said with displeasure, "Why is she here? What business do you have getting involved with an outsider like her?"
Hearing that the Liao princess had come to see her, Ren Yaoqi showed no surprise. Seeing Consort Dowager Yun's displeasure, she smiled and said, "This is actually her first time coming to Zhaoning Hall to look for me. I don't know why she's here either."
Consort Dowager Yun said, "Then send her away. Don't see her!"
Ren Yaoqi, however, asked, "Did the princess come alone or with attendants?"
Pingguo lowered her head and replied, "She only brought a maid."
After a moment's thought, Ren Yaoqi negotiated with Consort Dowager Yun, "She never comes to Zhaoning Hall. If she's here at this hour today, there might truly be something important. Shouldn't we at least see her?"
Although displeased, Consort Dowager Yun was not in her own Lanzhi Hall, so she merely snorted lightly and did not insist further.
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile. This was what she liked most about Consort Dowager Yun—though her temper was far from gentle and her nature quite aloof, she never used her status to pressure others or acted superior due to her age. For someone of her years and standing, few could manage this.Ren Yaoqi said to Pingguo, "Bring the princess in, but have her attendants wait outside."
Pingguo acknowledged and went out, soon leading Yelü Sage inside.
Yelü Sage was still dressed in Han attire, but this time in fiery red. The hem of her skirt was embroidered not only with intricate and elaborate dahlias but also with flame-cloud patterns bearing distinctive ethnic characteristics.
Ren Yaoqi had seen several women who looked exceptionally good in red clothing, such as her elder sister Ren Yaohua, and now this foreign princess before her. However, while Ren Yaohua in red exuded an aura of elegant and refined beauty, Yelü Sage in red gave off a fierce, fiery intensity—so much so that looking at her for too long felt almost blinding.
As soon as Consort Dowager Yun saw Yelü Sage’s attire, her expression turned cold. Without holding back, she rebuked, "Aren’t you supposed to be learning etiquette? Who allowed you to wear red!" That fiery red outfit had similarly stung Consort Dowager Yun’s eyes.
Yelü Sage bowed to Consort Dowager Yun with a Liao-style greeting. When she raised her head, her smile was bright and unaffected, showing neither embarrassment nor anger at Consort Dowager Yun’s words. "Sage did not know Your Highness was here. My apologies." She paused, glanced down at her attire, and added somewhat helplessly, "I love red the most, but it’s a pity that even after being in Yanbei for so long, today is the first time I’ve worn it."
Then, Yelü Sage turned to Ren Yaoqi and asked earnestly, "Do you think I look good in red?"
Ren Yaoqi studied her for a moment before replying with a smile, "You do look good, but it’s against the rules."
Yelü Sage sat down on a chair and sighed at the response. "You Han people have everything good—beautiful places to live, exquisite clothing, delicious food, and handsome men and women. There’s just one thing that’s not good: too many rules. Sometimes I really don’t understand why you create so many rules to constrain yourselves when you could live freely. Isn’t that just asking for trouble?"
Ren Yaoqi thought it over seriously before smiling and saying, "What you say makes some sense. The changing of seasons, the blooming and withering of flowers, the cycle of life and decay in nature—all these things follow their natural course, and there’s nothing more beautiful. But, Princess, is the dahlia in your hair the same one from last year?"
Yelü Sage was taken aback by the question.
Ren Yaoqi sighed softly and continued with a gentle smile, "So, if people don’t set rules to challenge themselves, they will be challenged by fate. For your tribe to live freely, you must constantly migrate to ensure your livestock have abundant water and grass to thrive. But because we have so many rules, our ancestors have been bound to this land for generations, putting down roots and ensuring that as long as the people remain, the roots endure."
Yelü Sage fell silent for a long while before saying, "You mean that following rules is for the sake of longevity?"
Ren Yaoqi smiled without answering.Yelü Sage glanced at Ren Yaoqi and frowned, "That sounds somewhat reasonable. One thing I have to admire about you Han people is that there are too many clever individuals—just a couple of sentences from you have convinced me. I once heard that women here are inferior to men in every way, so they can only be confined at home to bear children for men. But since I arrived here, I’ve realized that isn’t the case. For example, the Commandery Princess, and you—both are surprisingly capable women. And then there’s the Princess Consort of Yanbei, who manages such a large princely estate in perfect order, no less capable than an official governing a county. Yet if this is so, why are you willing to remain behind men?"
Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on her lips, "Is Your Highness speaking out of sympathy for us Han women, or expressing your own discontent? Your Highness is in no way inferior to your brothers, yet why is it not you who became the Liao King? I wonder if Your Highness is content with that?"
The author has arrived~.
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