As expected, the eldest madam then began asking Li Shi about why the Princess Consort of Yanbei had invited Rong Shi to be the honored guest at the princess’s coming-of-age banquet.

Li Shi didn’t know much about the inside story between Prince Xian’s mansion and the Prince of Yanbei’s mansion. She hadn’t returned to her mother’s family for a long time, and the last time she saw Rong Shi, Rong Shi hadn’t mentioned much to her.

So after the eldest madam questioned her for a long time, she couldn’t get any substantial answers from Li Shi.

Finally, the eldest madam smiled and said, “A few days ago, I heard Old Madam mention that Third Sister-in-law seems not to have returned to her mother’s family for quite some time?”

Li Shi smiled upon hearing this.

The eldest madam continued: “Although Third Sister-in-law, you have married into our Ren family and are now one of us, you still shouldn’t neglect contact with your mother’s family. Otherwise, when outsiders see this, they’ll think our Ren family is unreasonable and doesn’t allow daughters-in-law to visit their parents.”

Li Shi lowered her head: “Elder Sister-in-law is right. Previously, I was inconsiderate.”

Though Li Shi was non-confrontational, she wasn’t stupid. The reason she hadn’t returned to her mother’s family before was that the Ren family didn’t like her going there. In previous years, she would make time to visit Baoping Alley once a year to see her parents, but each time she returned, Old Madam Ren would be unhappy. After this happened several times, she understood and tried not to return to her mother’s family.

Now the eldest madam was saying it was because she was unwilling to return to her mother’s family, rather than admitting the Ren family didn’t like her going back.

However, Li Shi was accustomed to being compliant and didn’t contradict the eldest madam’s words.

The eldest madam was satisfied hearing this. She knew in her heart that the Ren family had neglected Li Shi over the years. But now that Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren saw that Prince Xian’s mansion seemed to have a trend toward restoration, they wanted to rebuild this in-law relationship, with Li Shi as the bridge between both sides.

The eldest madam had just been testing Li Shi’s attitude and, seeing that Li Shi still had that compliant nature and hadn’t become arrogant because her mother’s family had recently gained some prominence, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the task assigned to her by the Ren family elders could probably be completed today.

So the eldest madam spoke even more intimately to Li Shi: “Then, when you have time, bring the two children back to visit. Also, convey greetings from our Old Master and Old Madam to Old Master Li and Madam Li. Old Madam mentioned before that if it weren’t for Old Master’s poor health and her inability to leave, she would also like to maintain closer relations with your family.”

Li Shi agreed and also inquired about Old Master Ren’s condition.

The eldest madam sighed that Old Master Ren’s health was indeed not what it used to be. Although he hadn’t coughed up blood recently, he would often feel tired for no reason. Now, most family affairs had been handed over to Eldest Master Ren and Ren Yiyan.

Li Shi then instructed Nanny Zhou to prepare some high-quality medicinal herbs to give to the eldest madam to take back for Old Master Ren. Though it wasn’t much, it represented the third branch’s good intentions.

Afterward, the eldest madam stayed for lunch.

After lunch, when the eldest madam was about to leave, she pulled Li Shi aside to speak privately, this time avoiding the Ren sisters.

After seeing the eldest madam out, the mother and two daughters returned to the main room, and Ren Yaohua asked: “Mother, what did Elder Aunt just say to you?”

Li Shi sighed upon hearing this and took out a large red brocade pouch from her sleeve: “Elder Sister-in-law said this was something Old Madam asked her to deliver.”

Ren Yaohua took the pouch from Li Shi’s hand and weighed it. The pouch looked quite large but was very light. When Ren Yaohua opened it and took out the contents, she exclaimed, “Oh!”

Sitting beside Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoqi turned to look and saw that what Ren Yaohua had taken from the pouch were banknotes, each worth one thousand taels of silver.

Ren Yaohua counted them and looked up: “Twenty thousand taels? What’s this for?”

Li Shi said, “Old Master said your maternal grandfather’s family has had many social obligations recently and will certainly need money for gift exchanges. So he had Old Madam take out some silver for me to give to your grandfather, to prevent them from being financially strained. He also said if the money isn’t enough, to go find your eldest uncle.”

When Li Shi spoke of these things, there was no joy on her face. The Ren family had been cold to her and her mother’s family for so many years, but now suddenly wanted her to return home and was giving money – she knew perfectly well what this was for.

Ren Yaoqi spoke up: “What else did Elder Aunt say? Does Grandmother have something she wants you to do?”

Li Shi folded the twenty banknotes and put them back in the pouch, sighing softly: “Nothing particular, just wants me to take you girls to visit your maternal grandfather’s family when I have time…”

“And then conveniently inquire about Prince Xian’s mansion and the Prince of Yanbei’s mansion?” Ren Yaoqi smiled faintly.

No one understood Old Master Ren’s calculations better than Ren Yaoqi.

Since the Ren family could use Fang Yacun to curry favor with people in the palace, they could naturally also come back to cozy up to Prince Xian’s mansion. If Prince Xian’s family truly had a possibility of restoration, this in-law connection would naturally allow the Ren family to benefit as well.

Ren Yaoqi glanced at the pouch in Li Shi’s hands, thinking sarcastically that the Ren family’s money wouldn’t be so easy to take.

Ren Yaohua frowned: “So this money… Mother, are you going to send it over there?”

Ren Yaohua didn’t like her maternal grandfather’s family, and regardless of whether they would be restored or not, she wouldn’t like them.

Li Shi thought for a moment and said, “When your father returns, I’ll ask his opinion. If he thinks it’s inappropriate, I won’t send it.”

Li Shi wasn’t clear whether Prince Xian’s mansion had money now. Even if Prince Xian’s mansion had money, they wouldn’t dare spend it openly. This was why Li Shi had been supporting her mother’s family over the years – because even if Prince Xian still had some savings he hadn’t revealed, he had to give the court the impression that they were already at the end of their rope.

But this time, with the Ren family actively giving Li Shi money to support her mother’s family, she was somewhat afraid to take it. There’s no such thing as a free lunch – even a three-year-old child knows this.

Regarding whether to send the money to Prince Xian’s mansion, Ren Yaoqi felt it wasn’t a question of whether the Ren family wanted to send it, but whether Prince Xian’s mansion was willing to accept it.

By now, Ren Yaoqi could see that Prince Xian’s mansion definitely wouldn’t be content to remain in Yanbei for life – there would certainly be major moves in the future. As for in-laws like the Ren family, even if Prince Xian’s mansion didn’t want to acknowledge them anymore, there was nothing reproachable about it. It was simply a case of “you do it first, I’ll do it back.”

So, hearing Li Shi say she would ask Third Master Ren’s opinion, Ren Yaoqi said nothing.

That evening, after Ren Shimin returned, Li Shi told him about the eldest madam’s visit that day. Ren Shimin also didn’t like his wife’s family, and it had nothing to do with whether Prince Xian’s mansion was in power or not – he simply didn’t like his father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law’s character, feeling they were incompatible in principles.

However, Ren Shimin wasn’t concerned about money. Although he had known over the years that Li Shi secretly supported her mother’s family, he never said anything and still let Li Shi manage the household expenses without treating her poorly. It was precisely because of this that Nanny Zhou had no complaints about her son-in-law Ren Shimin.

So, hearing that Old Madam Ren had given Li Shi money to send to her father-in-law, he also didn’t express any opinion, just letting Li Shi decide for herself.

Li Shi thought about it and finally decided to take her two daughters back to her mother’s family.

So the next day, Li Shi had people prepare a carriage and some gifts, then took the Ren sisters back to her mother’s family.

Seeing Li Shi return, both Prince Xian and Rong Shi were very happy. Prince Xian even declined an invitation from others to go fishing, deciding to stay home to see his daughter, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time. Li Tianyou, who had gone out, was also called back.

“Father, Mother…” After Li Shi brought her two daughters to pay their respects, she looked at the Prince Xian couple and called out. Before she could finish speaking, tears flowed first.

Although Li Shi had seen Rong Shi not long ago, she hadn’t returned to her mother’s family for many years and couldn’t control her emotions.

Seeing Li Shi like this, Rong Shi felt some heartache. She pulled her to sit on the kang and scolded: “Coming home is a good thing – why are you crying? Don’t you see the children are watching from the side? Aren’t you embarrassed!” Though she said this, her own eyes also reddened.

Prince Xian sighed and got up to leave.

“Father…” Li Shi was somewhat at a loss, thinking Li Qian was angry with her and leaving.

Li Qian stopped and turned back to smile at Li Shi: “You talk. I’ll go see if we have any dishes you like today.”

Li Shi smiled through her tears: “Father still remembers what your daughter likes to eat?”

“Naturally, I remember. You love eating candied hawthorn. When you were little, I even secretly carried you out to buy some several times, hiding from your mother and the guards. Later, your grandmother found out and punished us by not allowing candied hawthorn for three years. Your brother resented you for a long time because of that.” Li Qian rarely joked like this.

Being teased in front of her daughters, Li Shi felt somewhat embarrassed.

Ren Yaoqi thought that she had never noticed before that Prince Xian’s family also had the ordinary warmth of a common family behind closed doors.

After Li Qian left, Rong Shi took Li Shi onto the kang to talk.

After chatting for a while, Rong Shi asked Li Shi about her purpose for today’s visit.

In front of her mother, Li Shi had nothing to hide and told Rong Shi about the Ren family elders having the eldest madam come find her.

After hearing this, Rong Shi wasn’t surprised but rather smiled: “Your in-laws are quite generous.”

At this moment, Li Qian’s voice sounded at the door: “Return the money to them first.”

Everyone turned toward the door upon hearing this.

They saw Li Qian and Li Tianyou, father and son, each carrying three or four strings of candied hawthorn as they walked in. Li Tianyou’s mouth was stuffed full of hawthorn, and he was looking around for somewhere to spit out the pits.