The Prince of Yanbei also returned to the prince’s residence at this time.

The Prince of Yanbei’s return to Yunyang City at this moment was definitely to personally preside over Xiao Jinglin’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Although the selection of guests needed to follow certain procedures, generally, the main guest was chosen in advance.

Regarding the choice of main guest for Princess Xiao’s coming-of-age ceremony, everyone speculated it would either be the wife of Headmaster Xu from Yunyang Academy or Old Madam Yun from the Yun family, with Madam Xu Ouyang Shi being more likely.

A few days ago, Xiao Jinglin had sent word to Ren Yaoqi asking her to serve as the ceremony assistant at her coming-of-age rite. Princess Consort had said nothing against it, letting Ren Yaoqi prepare in advance.

Ren Yaoqi felt that serving as a ceremony assistant at the Princess of Yanbei’s coming-of-age ceremony was somewhat inappropriate for her status.

However, two days before the ceremony, there were rumors that Madam Xu Ouyang Shi had been chosen as the main guest for the Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony, while Miss Yun Qiuchen from the Yun family would serve as ceremony assistant, with no mention of Ren Yaoqi’s name. Ren Yaoqi knew that Xiao Jinglin’s coming-of-age ceremony wasn’t an ordinary young lady’s ceremony and probably had many special requirements, so she found this news quite normal.

However, no further messages came from Xiao Jinglin’s side, which Ren Yaoqi found somewhat strange.

The invitation from the Prince of Yanbei’s residence did arrive. What surprised Ren Yaoqi was that besides herself, the invitation also included her mother Li Shi and sister Ren Yaohua. After receiving this invitation, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel deeply grateful to the Princess Consort of Yanbei. The prince’s residence’s willingness to openly support Li Shi at this time would make Li Shi’s future social interactions in Yunyang City much easier.

The day before the coming-of-age ceremony was the “lodging of guests”—going to invite the divinely chosen main guest. Normally, the “lodging of guests” should involve the host personally going to invite the main guest. But because of the special status of the Prince and Princess Consort of Yanbei, this ceremony should be performed by the prince’s residence ceremonial officials.

However, on the day of “lodging of guests,” Princess Consort of Yanbei personally rode out in the prince’s residence carriage.

Everyone thought that since Princess Consort and Madam Xu Ouyang Shi had a teacher-student relationship, she must personally go to show respect to her teacher. Princess Consort’s carriage indeed headed to Baoping Alley after passing through Zhengyang Street.

But what shocked everyone was that Princess Consort’s carriage didn’t pass through Baoping Alley to Yunyang Academy—her carriage stopped in front of an ordinary private residence in Baoping Alley. Then attendants accompanying the carriage went to knock on that house’s door.

With a “creak,” the residence door opened. An elderly gatekeeper looked outside, and upon seeing so many carriages at the door, he wasn’t frightened. Instead, after asking who the visitors were, he immediately returned to the inner residence to report to his master.

Soon, the residence door opened wide from inside, and a woman in her twenties hurried out, bowing to Princess Consort’s sedan chair and respectfully saying: “Honored guest, please enter. The master is waiting respectfully at the second gate.”

Nanny Xin from Princess Consort’s side gave some instructions, and Princess Consort’s carriage slowly entered through the not-very-spacious main gate. Because the alley was somewhat narrow, even with both doors open, it was inconvenient for the following carriages to enter together, so the attendants and maids Princess Consort had brought dismounted at the gate and followed Princess Consort’s carriage on foot into the residence.

After everyone entered, to avoid blocking the alley and to allow Princess Consort’s carriage to exit later, the carriages at the gate were successively driven through the back gate into the courtyard. Though this residence had a modest front, it was quite spacious inside—the back courtyard could easily accommodate a dozen carriages.

What Princess Consort discussed with the master of this residence was beyond outsiders’ knowledge, but the owner of this residence was known to everyone in Yunyang City—this was the dwelling of the deposed Prince Xian, Li Qian.

The deposed Prince Xian had been in Yanbei for over ten years, but he and the Prince of Yanbei’s residence had always maintained a policy of non-interference. People from Prince Xian’s residence had never visited the Prince of Yanbei’s residence, nor had those in power at the Prince of Yanbei’s residence ever set foot in the deposed prince’s courtyard. This time, however, Princess Consort of Yanbei had come to visit openly. The significance of this inevitably made outsiders speculate.

Princess Consort of Yanbei didn’t stay long at Prince Xian’s residence—only about a quarter of an hour before she came out in her carriage again.

The carriages she had brought also successively emerged from the back gate, slowly following Princess Consort as she departed.

Princess Consort of Yanbei’s visit to Prince Xian’s residence at this time sparked considerable speculation, with various theories abounding. Everyone felt that these people in power never acted without deeper meaning, so Princess Consort’s visit wasn’t simple.

Ren Yaoqi naturally learned of this news quickly and was somewhat surprised, though she guessed it might be related to Xiao Jinglin’s coming-of-age banquet. However, she knew that many eyes were probably watching her maternal grandfather’s family’s every move at this time, so she didn’t send anyone to ask Li Shi for clarification. She would learn what she needed to know soon enough anyway.

On the second day, the actual day of Xiao Jinglin’s coming-of-age ceremony, everyone finally learned why Princess Consort of Yanbei had gone to Baoping Alley—Princess Consort Rong Shi of Prince Xian had been invited to serve as the main guest at Princess Xiao’s coming-of-age banquet.

This result seemed both expected and unexpected. Expected, because what other matter would require Princess Consort to openly visit someone’s home? But regarding Rong Shi serving as the main guest, it seemed beyond everyone’s expectations. Logically, the main guest should not only be of high moral standing but also blessed with good fortune. Though Rong Shi had once been the noble consort of a prince, she was now essentially living in Yanbei as one bearing guilt. Was it appropriate to invite her as the main guest?

Facing everyone’s open and covert doubts, Princess Consort explained quite casually that this was heaven’s will—the person chosen through divination by the prince’s residence astronomers, and even the prince’s residence should follow the mandate of heaven.

Regarding Princess Consort’s explanation, everyone cheerfully expressed understanding on the surface, but few believed it privately. Connecting this to the recent marriage alliance between the Zeng and Wu families in Ningxia, people secretly speculated whether the Prince of Yanbei’s residence was also planning to elevate the deposed Prince Xian to provoke the southern imperial court.

However, regarding whether Prince Xian could truly make a comeback, everyone felt it was quite impossible. Even if the Prince of Yanbei’s residence wanted to elevate Prince Xian’s residence to oppose the court, Prince Xian’s family would just be chess pieces to be summoned and dismissed at will—decorative but without substantial effect.

When Old Master Ren learned this news, though very surprised, after thinking it over he decided to maintain a wait-and-see attitude for now. He also didn’t believe Prince Xian’s residence could suddenly turn their fortunes around—otherwise, what had they been doing all these years?

However, for caution’s sake, he still sent his eldest son Ren Shi to Yunyang City once to ask Ren Shimin about the situation. Unfortunately, Ren Shimin knew nothing, so asking was futile, and Ren Shi could only return empty-handed.

When Ren Yaoqi saw her maternal grandmother Rong Shi at the Prince of Yanbei’s residence, she was no longer so surprised. She thought that perhaps because Rong Shi was to serve as the main guest, she hadn’t been made Xiao Jinglin’s ceremony assistant—otherwise it would be too conspicuous.

However, Ren Yaoqi also thought that since Xiao Jinglin had sent word for her to prepare, it meant that having her serve as the ceremony assistant hadn’t encountered much opposition, at least the Princess Consort hadn’t refused. The change in personnel happened three days ago during the “guest divination,” which happened to be the day the Prince of Yanbei returned to the residence. She wondered if there might be some connection.

When Rong Shi saw Li Shi and her daughters, she smiled and nodded at them. At the time, she was sitting and talking with the Princess Consort of Yanbei, so she beckoned Li Shi over to have her pay respects to the Princess Consort.

Princess Consort supported Li Shi’s hand, letting her sit down to chat together, and said to Ren Yaoqi with familiar warmth: “Your mother and sister can stay here to talk with me. You go see if Jinglin is ready. The ceremony begins in half an hour—if she’s prepared, we need to go to Chengde Hall.”

Chengde Hall was equivalent to the ancestral shrine of the Xiao lineage of the Prince of Yanbei’s residence. It was usually closed, only opened during festivals for ancestor worship or ceremonies. Xiao Jinglin’s coming-of-age ceremony would be held in the eastern chamber of Chengde Hall’s main building.

Ren Yaoqi agreed and turned to leave.

Having visited the Prince of Yanbei’s residence many times, she was quite familiar with it and needed no guide to find Xiao Jinglin on her own.

Xiao Jinglin was almost ready and seemed to be waiting for Ren Yaoqi to find her. Upon seeing her, she dismissed all the people who had been helping her bathe and change clothes, leaving only Hong Ying to serve.

Xiao Jinglin immediately said, “I’m sorry. Originally, my mother had agreed to let you serve as my ceremony assistant, so I thought…”

Ren Yaoqi smiled and took her hand: “It’s fine. This arrangement is also good.”

Seeing that Ren Yaoqi bore no resentment, Xiao Jinglin couldn’t help but sigh in relief, saying: “I hadn’t expected your grandmother would serve as the main guest either, but you’re right—this outcome isn’t bad.”

Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi looked at each other and smiled simultaneously.

Since the Prince of Yanbei had invited Rong Shi to serve as the main guest, this was a statement regarding the private alliance Xiao Jingxi and Prince Xian’s residence had previously formed. This way, at least in the short term, they didn’t need to worry about becoming adversaries.

The two chatted for a while longer, and when the time approached and Princess Consort sent someone to summon them, they went to Chengde Hall.

This was Ren Yaoqi’s first time at Chengde Hall. All buildings in the Prince of Yanbei’s residence were solemn and imposing, but Chengde Hall, as the ancestral shrine, had an even more grave style than other halls.

The Prince and Princess Consort, Rong Shi, and the invited ceremony observers had already arrived at the eastern hall.

Xiao Jinglin, with her hair loose, was guided before the Prince and Princess Consort, while Ren Yaoqi retreated to Li Shi and Ren Yaohua’s side.