On the morning of the second day, Ren Yaoqi was reading in the study of the western courtyard when Xiangqin, Ren Yaohua’s maid, came to see her.
Since Ren Shimin’s study prohibited maids from entering casually, Ren Yaoqi went out to meet her.
“Fifth Miss, just now that young accountant surnamed Yuan came to see you, but the madam sent Nanny Zhou to meet him. Seeing that he had only come to deliver shoe pads from Zhu Xiaomei to you, she accepted the items on your behalf and sent him away,” Xiangqin whispered as she approached Ren Yaoqi’s ear.
Ren Yaoqi was startled and quickly asked, “Where is he? Has he already left? How long ago did he leave?”
Xiangqin nodded and then shook her head. “This servant happened to go out on an errand earlier and ran into him in the outer courtyard on my way back. He recognized me and thought I was your maid, so he stopped me and asked me to tell you. I told him that if he had something to report, he should send a woman in instead. As an outer courtyard man, constantly seeking to see an inner courtyard young lady would displease the madam. He then said he would go find his mother to come and report to you.”
Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Xiangqin. “Good girl, thank you.”
Xiangqin grinned, revealing two dimples. “This servant will head back now. Third Miss will be looking for me soon.”
Ren Yaoqi nodded and let her go.
After a moment’s thought, she immediately called her maid Pingguo over and instructed her, “Go keep watch near the Inner Gate. If you see Sister-in-law Yuan coming, bring her to see me.”
Pingguo hurriedly acknowledged and left.
Preoccupied with thoughts of news from Yuan Dayong’s side, Ren Yaoqi tidied up the study and returned to her western wing.
Inside the inner room, Granny Xu was leading Xueli and Sangshen in sorting through trunks and boxes.
As Ren Yaoqi entered, she heard Granny Xu say, “Fifth Miss’s clothes rarely feature bright reds or purples.”
Sangshen replied, “Third Miss likes to wear red, but our young lady seldom wears it. Still, our young lady looks good in anything she wears.”
Granny Xu said, “Fifth Miss has fair and clear skin, so she truly does look good in anything.”
Granny Xu was new and naturally wanted to understand her mistress’s preferences. Ren Yaoqi paused only briefly before entering the room.
Granny Xu and the two maids quickly curtsied in greeting.
Ren Yaoqi nodded and instructed, “I still have some items stored in the eastern courtyard’s storeroom. If you have time, Granny Xu, please sort through those as well. It will give us a better idea when we change the room’s decorations later. The inventory is with Nanny Zhou—just let her know when you need it.”
Granny Xu promptly replied, “Is the young lady planning to rest now? Then perhaps this servant should wait until later to sort through the room’s items? I’ll go ask Nanny Zhou for the inventory now.”
Ren Yaoqi smiled and agreed. “That works well. You may go.”
Granny Xu then curtsied and withdrew with Xueli and Sangshen. Before leaving, she quietly instructed two younger maids to remain in the outer room to attend to Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi casually picked up a travelogue and settled by the southern window to read while waiting for Pingguo to bring Sister-in-law Yuan in.
After a considerable wait, Pingguo finally returned.
“Young lady, I’ve brought Sister-in-law Yuan. She’s waiting outside. Would you like to see her now?”
Ren Yaoqi slowly straightened up. “Bring her in. You go keep watch outside. If anyone comes, no matter who it is, remember to announce them early.”
Pingguo nodded solemnly. “This servant understands. You can rest assured, young lady.”Soon, Pingguo brought Sister-in-law Yuan inside, then quietly withdrew herself.
Sister-in-law Yuan curtsied and wiped the sweat from her temple. She must have hurried over in a rush.
"Fifth Miss, apologies for keeping you waiting."
Ren Yaoqi said apologetically, "It is I who have troubled you."
Sister-in-law Yuan smiled, "This servant knows it is because Fifth Miss is kind-hearted, otherwise you would not involve yourself in such matters."
Ren Yaoqi shook her head and said no more, getting straight to the point: "Did Yuan Dayong find Zhu Ruomei at White Dragon Temple?"
Sister-in-law Yuan sighed softly and shook her head, "No."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but frown. Could she have guessed wrong? Was that line of poetry not hinting at White Dragon Temple?
Sister-in-law Yuan continued, "Dayong said he searched the White Dragon Temple inside and out but found nothing unusual. However, just as he was about to leave, someone threw a slip of paper at his feet."
As she spoke, Sister-in-law Yuan took out from her sleeve something similar to what Yuan Dayong had shown her last time—a rolled-up paper slip tied with a dark brown hair ribbon.
Worried it might be unclean, Sister-in-law Yuan took the initiative to untie and unfold it for Ren Yaoqi, placing it on the kang table before her.
Sure enough, it was the same handwriting as last time, still written in neat regular script. This time, however, there was only one character on the paper: "Xiāo"
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile wryly. Was this person ever going to stop! Had they become addicted to riddles?
Seeing Ren Yaoqi's helpless expression, Sister-in-law Yuan also examined the character up and down, curious. Dayong opened and looked at the slip when he picked it up, but he didn't know what this character 'xiāo' meant, so he could only bring it back for Fifth Miss to see. Dayong said your guess of 'White Dragon Temple' last time was likely correct, and perhaps you can guess this one too."
Indeed, it wasn't difficult for her to guess the answer, but whether to act according to that person's instructions was somewhat troubling.
Ren Yaoqi fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "I understand. Sister-in-law Yuan, you may go back first. I will send you a message later."
Hearing this, Sister-in-law Yuan didn't know whether Ren Yaoqi had figured it out or not, but she couldn't ask. She could only rise and curtsy, "Then this servant will take her leave. If Miss has any instructions, please send someone to the outer courtyard to inform my husband."
Ren Yaoqi nodded and raised her teacup, signaling Sister-in-law Yuan to withdraw.
Just as Sister-in-law Yuan reached the doorway, Ren Yaoqi heard Pingguo's voice outside: "What are you doing? The young miss said she doesn't need anyone attending."
"Haven't you been taught by the matron that tea should be served when guests arrive? I'm just going in to deliver tea and will come right out. What are you shouting about?" This was Qingmei's voice.
Sister-in-law Yuan stood at the doorway, unsure whether to go out or come back in.
Ren Yaoqi frowned slightly.
Then another voice scolded in a hushed tone, "What are you two making a fuss about here? What if you disturb the young miss?" It was Granny Xu returning.
Ren Yaoqi waved her hand at Sister-in-law Yuan, indicating she needn't mind. Sister-in-law Yuan then pulled the door open with a creak.
The voices outside immediately fell silent.
Sister-in-law Yuan greeted them and left.Not long after, Granny Xu came in with Pingguo and Qingmei. Seeing Ren Yaoqi sitting on the kang reading a book, Granny Xu quickly apologized, "Fifth Miss, please forgive me. It is this servant's fault for failing to discipline properly and disturbing you."
Ren Yaoqi looked up and gave Qingmei a faint glance. "Go do what you're supposed to do."
"Miss, this servant only came to serve tea..." Qingmei sensed the displeasure in Ren Yaoqi's tone and bit her lip to defend herself. But when she looked up and met Ren Yaoqi's gaze, she was immediately frightened and lowered her head again, not daring to say another word.
Granny Xu was also startled by the sharp glint that flashed briefly in Ren Yaoqi's eyes just now. She lowered her head and stood respectfully with her hands at her sides.
Last time in the main room, Ren Yaoqi had swapped her with Nanny Gao with just a playful remark. She had thought Ren Yaoqi was a spoiled, somewhat willful child.
But after serving by Ren Yaoqi's side for a day, she found that this Fifth Miss showed not the slightest trace of a spoiled or domineering temperament. She was gentle and courteous in her interactions with others. Among the maids, aside from Qingmei, who had been sent by the concubine, all the others said Ren Yaoqi was a good-natured and easy-to-serve mistress.
Yet that look in Ren Yaoqi's eyes just now... though not fierce, and even lacking much visible emotion, had unsettled her, a grown woman with considerable experience.
Granny Xu couldn't help but remind herself inwardly that she must act more prudently and carefully in the future.
Pingguo and Qingmei both withdrew. Granny Xu poured a cup of tea for Ren Yaoqi and placed it on the small table in front of her.
"Do you have something to say, Granny?" Ren Yaoqi asked casually, turning a page without looking up.
Granny Xu thought for a moment. "Miss, is this maid Qingmei perhaps not suitable to remain by your side?"
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi paused her hand, raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Granny Xu with a gentle smile in her eyes. "What do you mean, Granny Xu?"
For some reason, Granny Xu felt somewhat uneasy. She composed herself before replying, "Although this servant has only been in Purple Magnolia Courtyard for a day and should not speak out of turn, since I am now your head maid, disciplining the maids around you is my duty. It seems to this servant that Qingmei's heart is not truly in Purple Magnolia Courtyard. If she stays, I fear something may go wrong one day."
To have figured out the maids' backgrounds in just one day... this Granny Xu was indeed no ordinary person. Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile inwardly.
"What do you think should be done, Granny?" Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile. "Speaking of which, both Qingmei and Xueli were given to me when the concubine took over Purple Magnolia Courtyard, along with several other maids and older servants. But I wasn't satisfied with the others, so I had Nanny Zhou send them away. However, dismissing them all would have seemed rather unkind, so I kept two. Xueli is steady and knows her place, while Qingmei is lively but hasn't made any major mistakes."
Granny Xu thought for a moment. "Xueli seems fine to this servant as well. If you wish to keep her, that would be good. But Qingmei is likely not suitable."
Ren Yaoqi nodded. "Since I've already entrusted the affairs of this room to you, Granny, you may handle it as you see fit. Just don't make the situation too unpleasant."
"Yes, this servant understands," Granny Xu replied softly.Ren Yaoqi then lowered her head to continue reading.
Granny Xu quietly withdrew.
Once Granny Xu had left, Ren Yaoqi set down the book in her hand, her expression thoughtful.
The character "xiāo" just now was a riddle. Adding "one" to "xiāo" forms "xiǎo", so the answer is "understood at first sight".
(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
OpenNovel