Xueli was someone Concubine Fang had originally arranged to be by her side, but this maid was very clever and knew how to read situations. Ren Yaoqi had once planned to train her and keep her as a personal servant. Later, after Nanny Xu arrived and found an excuse to dismiss another maid called Qingmei, although Nanny Xu didn’t touch Xueli at Ren Yaoqi’s indication, Xueli remained uneasy.

Xueli knew that when Qingmei was dismissed, on the surface, it appeared she had gotten a decent position, but after staying for a while, she made several small mistakes due to her insufficient ability. Seeing no hope of returning to Ziwei Courtyard, Qingmei secretly went to find Jinju, who served on Concubine Fang’s side. For some unknown reason, the two had a small dispute, and not long after, Qingmei was sold off by Nanny Gui for making an error. It was said she was sold to the South.

Xueli understood that Ziwei Courtyard was gradually gaining power, and since she hadn’t sent any information to Concubine Fang’s side for a long time, Concubine Fang had abandoned her as an informant. If she wanted to live well in the future, she could only gain Ren Yaoqi’s trust.

So Xueli became even more careful, worked very diligently in daily tasks, and constantly thought about performing some meritorious service to completely change Third Miss’s impression of her.

The last time Concubine Fang drugged Ren Yaoying and had her confront Concubine Kang, Nanny Xu went outside to find the medicine dregs. What Nanny Xu didn’t know was that Xueli secretly followed her that time. Although she didn’t understand what it meant when Nanny Xu brought back those medicine dregs to show Ren Yaoqi, Xueli still kept it in mind.

At that time, there were only a few masters in the mansion taking medicine. Except for Old Madam’s supplements which were prepared in her own small kitchen, and Third Young Master’s medicine which First Madam had maids brew in her own courtyard, all other medicines in the mansion were brewed in the main kitchen. After carefully considering what happened at that time, Xueli realized those medicine dregs belonged to the Fifth Miss.

Since Xueli had paid attention to this matter, she began constantly watching the movements in the kitchen, until she discovered Sister-in-Law Niu in the kitchen.

Sister-in-Law Niu was related to Nanny Gui from Old Madam’s courtyard—her sister-in-law was Nanny Gui’s eldest daughter-in-law. After Li Shi and her daughter Ren Yaohua moved to the estate, Sister-in-Law Niu was arranged to come to Ziwei Courtyard, but was later driven out along with other people Concubine Fang had planted there through Ren Yaoqi’s schemes.

Originally, Nanny Gui disliked her daughter-in-law’s family for being beneath notice and beyond help, and was unwilling to deal with her in-laws’ affairs. But soon after, Sister-in-Law Niu’s sister-in-law became pregnant. Sister-in-Law Niu served her sister-in-law diligently, and the couple begged her daily to ask Nanny Gui to find her another position.

Unable to refuse, the sister-in-law went to plead with Nanny Gui again. This time, for the sake of her pregnant daughter-in-law, Nanny Gui reluctantly arranged for Sister-in-Law Niu to tend the fire and add firewood in the kitchen. Although it made her dirty and sooty daily, she gained some profit from managing the kitchen’s charcoal.

Xueli didn’t think much when she first saw Sister-in-Law Niu. But after reflecting on it later, she felt something was off. Then she requested to see Ren Yaoqi.

Xueli shared her suspicions and mentioned that when she was serving as Concubine Fang’s informant, she had once seen Nanny Gui secretly meeting with Concubine Fang’s maid Jinju while avoiding others.

Actually, after seeing the medicine dregs Nanny Xu brought back, Ren Yaoqi had also investigated the kitchen and had some speculation about Concubine Fang tampering with Ren Yaoying’s medicine, but she wasn’t certain, and the timing wasn’t right then. Therefore, she hadn’t wanted to expose Concubine Fang at that time.

Now that Xueli had come to her with this account, it gave her an idea for a strategy.

“Xueli, how old are you this year?”

Xueli was startled. Not knowing why Fifth Miss would ask about her age at this moment, she quickly replied, “This servant is fourteen by Chinese reckoning.”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, “Fourteen already? What a pity.”

Xueli was puzzled.

Ren Yaoqi smiled, “I find you clever and useful, and I want to keep you by my side always. But you’re already fourteen this year, so in a few years you probably won’t be able to stay with me.”

Hearing this, Xueli couldn’t help feeling somewhat dejected.

She was two or three years older than Ren Yaoqi, so when Ren Yaoqi married, she definitely couldn’t be chosen as a dowry maid.

According to Yanbei customs, some dowry maids would eventually be prepared as concubines for the young master, but they wouldn’t be allowed to have their coming-of-age ceremony before their mistress became pregnant, so dowry maids were generally younger than their mistress or of similar age.

However, Xueli wasn’t aiming to become a concubine, so after thinking carefully, she knelt and pleaded with Ren Yaoqi, “Fifth Miss, then please arrange a marriage for this servant before you wed, and let this servant serve as your attendant.”

She wasn’t born into the Ren family and had no relatives there. Originally, given her background, she couldn’t have become a headmaid to a young miss. If Ren Yaoqi married and stayed in the Ren family, she certainly wouldn’t have good prospects.

Ren Yaoqi gestured for her to stand and looked at her with a smile, “You won’t regret it?”

Xueli immediately shook her head, “This servant won’t regret it. This servant will serve Miss well from now on with complete loyalty, only asking that Fifth Miss doesn’t abandon this servant.”

Seeing that her expression didn’t seem false, Ren Yaoqi nodded, “Very well, but raising soldiers for a thousand days to use them for one moment—I will have an important task for you to handle in the future, but now I need you to temporarily leave Ziwei Courtyard for a while.”

Hearing this, Xueli asked, “Miss, what matter is it? Can’t it be done now?”

Ren Yaoqi smiled, “Now? Now isn’t the right time!” Sometimes, to maximize the value of a person or object, one must wait for the right opportunity.

“How long must this servant leave you?”

Ren Yaoqi thought, “It should be several more years, but when I leave the Ren family, I’ll take you with me. You can consider this carefully. I won’t force you—if you’re unwilling, then it will be as before, and when I leave the Ren family, I’ll ask Nanny Zhou to arrange another position for you.”

Xueli only thought briefly before nodding in agreement, “Miss, this servant is willing.”

Ren Yaoqi smiled and teased her, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll break my word? Or simply forget about you?”

Xueli said, “Although this servant hasn’t served by your side for long, this servant knows Fifth Miss’s character. If Fifth Miss breaks her word one day, it must be because this servant didn’t do well enough. This servant will work hard to make Fifth Miss remember this servant.”

Ren Yaoqi thought this girl was indeed clever. She wasn’t afraid of using clever people.

Not long after this conversation with Xueli, Xueli was driven out of Ziwei Courtyard to work in the outer courtyard for making a moderate mistake.

Because of Qingmei’s precedent, those in the know didn’t think much of Xueli’s departure, all assuming it was because Third Madam and Fifth Miss were disgusted that Xueli was arranged by Concubine Fang and couldn’t tolerate her. Even Concubine Fang thought so. However, Xueli was much more sensible than Qingmei, so she settled peacefully in the outer courtyard’s administrative office, serving tea and water.

After hearing Ren Yaoqi’s words, both Ren Yaohua and Nanny Zhou were dumbfounded. Ren Yaohua said in amazement, “You’ve been planning this for so long? I thought—”

Ren Yaoqi smiled, “Thought what? Thought I was soft-natured and easily bullied, only capable of meeting soldiers with generals and water with earth?”

Nanny Zhou sighed, “Fifth Miss, you thought most thoroughly. At that time, whether Fang Yacun would come to Yanbei was still unknown. Even if we had leverage against Concubine Fang, Old Madam would probably cover for her. Now Fang Yacun has no hope of coming to Yanbei, and Concubine Fang has actively moved against our Third Miss, disregarding the Ren family’s reputation, plus her harm to Ninth Miss… Even if we’re willing to let the matter rest, we must ask whether Fifth Madam agrees!”

Ren Yaohua joked, “I rather pity Fifth Aunt,”—always being used as a weapon by others.

Hearing this, Nanny Zhou looked at her worriedly, “Third Miss! You still have time to pity others! Don’t you think about what to do with your reputation this time? Even if we deal with Concubine Fang, what about your reputation? The rumors outside are getting worse!”

Nanny Zhou then turned to look at Ren Yaoqi with some hope, “Fifth Miss, do you have any way to help Third Miss?”

Ren Yaoqi glanced at Ren Yaohua and smiled, “Don’t worry, let’s take it slowly. It’s better to solve problems one by one.”

Hearing Ren Yaoqi say this, for some reason, Nanny Zhou’s heart gradually settled.

And Concubine Fang and her daughter indeed didn’t disappoint Ren Yaoqi.

Outside, people were not only spreading rumors about Ren Yaohua being cruel and violent toward her maids, but also that she was rough and domineering toward her sisters.

Not only did she drive away her half-sister’s maid, but even the servants around her half-sister’s mother had to be arranged through her hands. Even when Ren Yaohua was unhappy, she would hit her sisters to vent her anger, which was why even her legitimate sister couldn’t get along with her, and the two often fought over disagreements.

Later, the incident where Ren Yaohua had once pushed her half-brother into the water was also dug up.

Concubine Fang was too eager to see Ren Yaohua’s downfall, so this time she didn’t plan to give Ren Yaohua any chance to recover. She was becoming quite ruthless.

While the drama outside was playing out vibrantly, Fifth Madam Lin Shi was happily watching the excitement with her daughter Ren Yaoyu, feeling that this fire wouldn’t burn her anyway.

Instead, now that Ren Yaoyin had been sent away after her strange incident, and Ren Yaohua was clearly about to fall from favor, wouldn’t it be Ren Yaoyu’s turn to stand out among all the Ren family sisters?

So this time Fifth Madam again took Ren Yaoyu out visiting, incidentally listening to the increasingly interesting rumors outside. But when getting into the carriage, they were stopped by a maid from the outer courtyard.

Fifth Madam felt somewhat displeased.

“Which courtyard are you from? Don’t you know the household rules! Someone come! Throw her out!”

That maid wore the clothes of a second-class maid, looking rather shabby in her dress and appearance, not a capable person serving before masters.

Unexpectedly, the maid immediately pleaded, “Fifth Madam, this servant is Xueli. This servant has an urgent matter to tell you.”