Xia Sheng thought for a moment and shook his head. "In Jizhou, we can only trace Han Dongshan's activities from after the thirty-second year of Qinglong. What kind of person he was before coming to Jizhou remains unknown. Perhaps he never spoke of it to anyone."
Seeing Ren Yaoqi's disappointed expression, Xia Sheng added, "But perhaps we could find out by going to Jiangnan. Han Dongshan was already sixteen when he came to Yanbei. Before sixteen, he must have interacted with people. As long as we find those individuals, we can inquire."
Xia Sheng made it sound easy, but Ren Yaoqi knew it was far from simple. Since Han Dongshan didn’t want his origins known, he must have taken precautions. Moreover, so many years had passed, and with the intervening years of famine and displacement, how easy would it be to find people who knew Han Dongshan from before?
Most importantly, the marriage alliance between the Han Family and the Ren Family was imminent. She had no time left. Perhaps she had to find another way?
As Ren Yaoqi pondered this, a thoughtful expression crossed her face.
Seeing Ren Yaoqi silent, Xia Sheng hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "I am willing to go to Jiangnan to investigate this Han Dongshan."
Ren Yaoqi was taken aback and looked up at Xia Sheng. "A trip to Jiangnan and back would take at least a month."
Xia Sheng was not a member of the Ren Family and had no obligation to work for them.
"I’ve recently taken on two apprentices. According to the rules of our school, they must undergo training before completing their apprenticeship, so I was already planning to leave Yanbei for a while. I thought perhaps I could use this time to investigate Han Dongshan’s affairs as a task for my apprentices. And... I also feel this Han Dongshan is not ordinary. After all, most people wouldn’t be so secretive about their past. Investigating further would bring peace of mind."
If that were the case, it would be even better.
Ren Yaoqi nodded with a smile. "Then I’ll trouble you with this."
"You flatter me, Miss. But I don’t understand why you are so wary of this Han Dongshan? I suspect his background because during my investigation, I sensed he was overly mysterious. Why do you, Fifth Miss, suspect him?" Xia Sheng asked, somewhat puzzled.
"I just feel there’s something odd about the Han Family. It’s as if they appeared out of nowhere, and they seem to have deliberately approached the Ren Family. So it’s better to investigate thoroughly," Ren Yaoqi replied with a smile.
Xia Sheng nodded and didn’t press further.
Ren Yaoqi then said half-jokingly, "You’re taking on apprentices? If you have time in the future, could you train a few maidservants in martial arts for me?"
Xia Sheng was taken aback and scratched his head sheepishly. "I... I’ve never trained female apprentices before..."
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but laugh. "I was just thinking that having one or two maidservants skilled in martial arts would make me feel more at ease when going out. If it’s too difficult, then forget it."
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was serious, Xia Sheng thought for a moment and nodded. "Then I’ll go back and ask my master. If he permits it, I’ll train two for you, Miss. However, learning martial arts isn’t something that can be achieved overnight. To achieve any proficiency, one must start training from a young age. Even with good aptitude, it takes at least three or four years to achieve modest results. I wonder if Miss can wait that long?"
Seeing his agreement, Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded. "I’m not in a hurry to have them now."She could wait three or four years; in her previous life, the Ren Family had encountered one incident after another five years later. It might indeed come in handy.
"I don't need them to learn those flashy but impractical skills. I want you to teach them practical things. Xia Sheng, since you've already promised me, you must teach them real skills. At the very least, ensure that if one day I am kidnapped, they have the ability to rescue me." Ren Yaoqi looked at Xia Sheng seriously.
She had seen Xia Sheng's true abilities and wasn't worried he couldn't teach good disciples.
Although Ren Yaoqi's assumption struck Xia Sheng as somewhat odd, he still replied earnestly, "Rest assured, Cousin. To graduate from my training, one must possess genuine skills."
Knowing Xia Sheng was a strict and serious person, Ren Yaoqi said nothing more.
At that moment, a woman walked out from the Inner Gate.
She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with features that could only be described as plain. Though her demeanor was dignified, she was not the kind of person who left a lasting impression at first glance.
Ren Yaoqi could no longer recall this face, but she remembered seeing her in stage makeup. Back then, she had been utterly enchanting, with a smile that could topple cities. For many years afterward, whenever Ren Yaoqi saw a dan role perform, she would unconsciously compare them to this woman, always feeling that others lacked something.
"Cousin," the woman said, looking surprised upon seeing Ren Yaoqi and Xia Sheng. She quickly composed herself and stepped forward to bow.
Ren Yaoqi returned a half-bow and greeted her with a smile, "Aunt Yihong."
Yihong was taken aback and couldn't help but scrutinize Ren Yaoqi more closely.
Earlier, she had heard Madam Li say that Ren Yaoqi had grown up and changed a lot. Now, seeing the young girl before her, with her gentle and amiable smile and clear, serene eyes, she indeed seemed different from the proud cousin she had known before.
The reason Ren Yaoqi addressed her as "Aunt" was due to Yihong's unique status.
Her uncle, Li Tianyou, had never married, and Yihong was his companion, attending to his daily needs and managing his household affairs.
In most families, someone of Yihong's status would merely be a servant with a bit of authority. However, Ren Yaoqi knew that those who remained loyal to Prince Xian's family were different.
Madam Li had once asked Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua to address Yihong as "Aunt," but they had only pretended to comply, never actually doing so.
"Why is Cousin here?" Yihong asked, glancing at Xia Sheng with some confusion.
Ren Yaoqi replied, "I wanted to ask Xia Sheng about something, so I had someone bring him here. Have you finished speaking with Mother, Aunt Yihong?"
Yihong nodded with a smile, "This servant has already reported everything and is about to return to Yunyang City."
Knowing Yihong had matters to attend to, Ren Yaoqi didn't press her to stay. Instead, she instructed a maid to have the Li family's carriage brought to the Inner Gate to save them from walking a longer distance.
While waiting for the carriage, Ren Yaoqi chatted with Yihong a little longer.
Soon, the carriage arrived. Yihong bowed to Ren Yaoqi, bid her farewell, and boarded the carriage. Xia Sheng also bowed and followed her.
Ren Yaoqi beckoned Pingguo over and whispered, "Didn't I give you some banknotes to keep? Do you have them with you?" She had given Pingguo one hundred taels in banknotes and some loose silver to carry for emergencies.
Pingguo whispered back, "This servant has them.""Go give the hundred-tael silver note to that man named Xia Sheng who just spoke with me. Tell him it's for travel expenses and buying maidservants. If it's not enough, have him come find me again."
Pingguo asked nothing and immediately went to carry out the order.
Ren Yaoqi nodded. Among the newly arrived maidservants, she was most satisfied with Pingguo.
Although Pingguo usually spoke little and wasn't particularly clever, she was dutiful and obedient. Once, when Pingguo was carrying out a task Ren Yaoqi had assigned, she encountered Ren Yaoyu on the way. Ren Yaoyu ordered Pingguo to go to her courtyard and fetch something for her. Pingguo didn't refuse on the spot, but after Ren Yaoyu left, she handed Ren Yaoyu's request to someone else and continued to handle the less urgent task Ren Yaoqi had given her.
Another maidservant named Sangshen was also good, being quite meticulous.
Soon, Pingguo returned.
"Miss, he refused to take it," Pingguo said with a frown.
Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to speak, Pingguo added, "So I forced it into his hand."
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi turned to look at the carriage about to depart. Xia Sheng was sitting on the carriage shaft, glaring at Pingguo's retreating figure with a sullen expression.
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but laugh.
After returning to Purple Magnolia Courtyard, Madam Li called Ren Yaoqi over and said happily, "Yihong just came and told me all the details about the Han Family. Later, I'll have Nanny Zhou teach Hua'er so she won't suffer any disadvantages in the future."
Madam Li didn't see any issues with the Han Family and still looked forward to the marriage between the Han and Ren families.
Ren Yaoqi couldn't say anything either; she could only make other plans.
That night, Ren Yaoqi lay in bed with her eyes closed, thinking for half the night until she finally fell asleep after the third watch.
The next day, the gatekeeper reported that Zhu Ruomei had come.
Zhu Ruomei had come to express his gratitude. His mother's condition had improved significantly, and the doctor said that in another month or so, she wouldn't need daily consultations—only monthly acupuncture treatments.
Zhu Ruomei remembered that he had left the mine last time due to Third Master Ren's special mercy, but he had indeed signed a deed of sale to the Ren Family. Leaving the mine was only to facilitate his mother's treatment. Now that his mother's condition had stabilized, he naturally had to return to continue working for the Ren Family. He didn't dwell on the fact that the Ren Family had already returned his deed of sale to him.
There is a type of person in this world who has their own code of conduct and is not constrained by external factors.
After hearing Xiangqin's report, Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and decided to meet Zhu Ruomei.
Since Sister-in-law Yuan always sought out Xiangqin whenever she came, Zhu Ruomei also relayed his message through Xiangqin this time.
Ren Yaoqi still had Zhu Ruomei brought to the Yiran Pavilion outside the Inner Gate. Before going out, she also sent someone to inform Third Master Ren.
Zhu Ruomei was dressed in a dark blue coarse cloth short jacket. He looked much thinner than when Ren Yaoqi last saw him, but his body remained robust, and his eyes were bright and spirited.
"This humble one greets Fifth Miss," Zhu Ruomei bowed to Ren Yaoqi from a distance.
Ren Yaoqi smiled and motioned for him to rise. "I heard your mother's illness is gradually improving? Is there any medicine you need? If you can't find it outside, have Sister-in-law Yuan tell me, and I'll try to help you find a way."Zhu Ruomei was deeply grateful upon hearing this: "Thank you for your concern, Fifth Young Miss. We lack nothing in terms of medicinal herbs. I came this time to ask Fifth Young Miss and Third Master—my mother will be fully recovered next month, and from then on, she will only need monthly follow-up visits. I can return to work at the mine." His tone was both respectful and sincere. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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