Ren Yaoqi was not surprised when she heard these words.
Now that Prince Xian’s mansion had hope of restoration, naturally there would be people wanting to form marriage alliances with Prince Xian’s mansion. Although Li Tianyou was not young anymore, he was the only son of Prince Xian and Rong Shi, and had never been married.
Prince Yanbei’s mansion had already expressed its position, not objecting to Prince Xian’s mansion associating with various aristocratic families. So, even marrying an unfavored concubine-born daughter or a branch family daughter to Li Tianyou as a way of observing the situation would be beneficial and harmless.
Ren Yaoqi thought that Rong Shi wanted to discuss with her the candidates for Li Tianyou’s primary wife, so she could go back and tell Li Shi about it, letting Li Shi also consider the matter. She asked, “I wonder which family’s young lady has caught Grandmother’s eye?”
Unexpectedly, Rong Shi shook her head, “Your uncle’s marriage engagement was settled long ago.”
Ren Yaoqi was startled upon hearing this, “But I heard that…” Ren Yaoqi paused.
She knew that Li Tianyou had been betrothed once in his youth, and she also knew that this marriage had been arranged when the late emperor was still alive and Noble Consort Wan still enjoyed supreme favor in the harem. That young lady’s background was naturally extraordinary – she was said to be the legitimate eldest granddaughter of Ji Nan, the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and Chief Minister of the Cabinet, who had served three dynasties.
Unfortunately, shortly after Noble Consort Wan fell from grace, the Ji family, like Rong Shi’s maternal family, was implicated by Noble Consort Wan and Prince Xian, and the entire family was condemned. Li Tianyou’s fiancée, Miss Ji, unwilling to become a government slave and be humiliated, hanged herself.
Seeing Ren Yaoqi’s hesitant expression, Rong Shi understood that she had also heard this story. She nodded and sighed, “Poor Fuyun, that child. If you had met her, you would have liked her too. Everyone who met her liked her. Your mother was very close to her when she was young.”
Seeing Rong Shi’s sadness, Ren Yaoqi quickly spoke to comfort her.
Rong Shi shook her head, “It’s nothing, just thinking it’s somewhat regrettable. The Ji family was just innocently dragged into this. I’m bringing up this matter because I want to say that since we already arranged for a daughter-in-law from the Ji family, we will marry a daughter from the Ji family.”
Ren Yaoqi was somewhat surprised. Could it be that Ji Fuyun hadn’t died back then and was still alive? But looking at Rong Shi’s regretful expression, it didn’t seem like that was the case.
Rong Shi raised her voice and called outside, “Is Yihong outside? Come in for a moment.”
Not long after Rong Shi finished speaking, Yihong lifted the curtain and walked in, bowing her head in salute, “Old Madam, this servant is here.”
Rong Shi beckoned to her with a smile, “There are no outsiders here, so you don’t need to be so formal. Come over.”
Yihong glanced at Ren Yaoqi, then obediently walked to Rong Shi’s side.
Rong Shi took her hand and had her sit on the kang. Yihong no longer refused and sat properly upright.
Rong Shi said to Ren Yaoqi, “For now, you should call her Aunt Ji.”
Ren Yaoqi was startled. She had heard Min Wenqing call Yihong by the surname Ji last time, but she hadn’t expected her to be a daughter of the Ji family, the three-dynasty veterans.
Although somewhat surprised, Ren Yaoqi immediately called out, “Aunt Ji.”
Yihong smiled with pursed lips and nodded at Ren Yaoqi, displaying an especially gentle and dignified temperament.
Rong Shi sighed, “When the Ji family met with disaster, only the legitimate second miss of the Ji family, Ji Fuying, returned to her maternal grandmother’s family and escaped the calamity. Her wet nurse substituted her daughter for her. After Fuying escaped, she learned that we had come to Yanbei. She disguised herself as a little beggar and followed us all the way here. Fortunately, she met Zheng Guoliang and the others who came later. Zheng Guoliang was originally someone from the Noble Consort’s side and naturally recognized Fuying, so the journey was dangerous but safe. However, since we were exiled, Fuying could only disguise herself as an actor to enter. In the end, she even became a maid. Speaking of it, we have ultimately wronged the Ji family.”
Yihong, who was Ji Fuying, quickly said, “Old Madam must not say such things. Her Majesty the Noble Consort originally owed a debt of gratitude to my grandfather. Later, when the Ji family met with disaster, if it weren’t for you and His Highness taking in Fuying, Fuying would probably have become a pile of bones like my elder sister long ago.” Mentioning her family members, Ji Fuying couldn’t help but redden her eyes.
Rong Shi patted her hand and smiled, “Good child, rest assured. We have always remembered the marriage agreement with the Ji family. No matter what happens to Prince Xian’s mansion in the future, you are the daughter-in-law of our Li family.”
Yihong had another identity to outsiders – she was Li Tianyou’s maid. Regardless of whether she and Li Tianyou truly had the reality of husband and wife, she could only be with Li Tianyou.
Now that Prince Xian’s mansion was about to be restored, there were many people coming to arrange marriages for Li Tianyou. However, Rong Shi and Prince Xian always remembered the sacrifices the Ji family had made for Prince Xian’s mansion, so no matter how outstanding and illustrious the other families’ young ladies were, they never relented.
Hearing this, Yihong was already in tears, “Old Madam, Fuying’s current status is only that of an actor, I’m afraid I’m not worthy of the Young Master. Old Madam should find another noble lady from a prestigious family for the Young Master, which would also be beneficial to Prince Xian’s mansion in the future. Fuying is willing to stay by the Young Master’s side in the capacity of a concubine…”
Ren Yaoqi felt that Rong Shi’s clarification of Yihong and Li Tianyou’s marriage at this time served two purposes. On one hand, Prince Xian and Rong Shi were mindful of old feelings and wanted to make compensation because they felt guilty toward the Ji family from back then.
On the other hand, this move by Prince Xian and his wife would let those who followed them, especially those still in hiding, know that Prince Xian remembered in his heart any sacrifice made for Prince Xian’s mansion and dared not forget, which was also playing the emotional card.
If Prince Xian’s mansion made the Ji family’s daughter Li Tianyou’s concubine, it would truly chill the hearts of those in the know.
Just as Rong Shi was about to say something, Li Tianyou lifted the curtain and entered, grinning widely, “Oh, being shy now? All these years, when you’ve been managing this and that for me, how come I didn’t see you being shy? Which concubine dares to lecture me at every turn and even nag about going out for a drink until my ears get callused?”
Upon hearing this, Ji Fuying’s face turned red enough to drip blood, and she couldn’t help but look at Rong Shi apprehensively, afraid that Rong Shi would blame her.
Outside, she naturally wouldn’t dare to lecture Li Tianyou, but when Li Tianyou was being too outrageous, she would still scold him a few words behind closed doors. Honest advice was hard to hear, and she thought Li Tianyou wouldn’t like her because of this, but how come from his words, it seemed he wasn’t opposed to marrying her.
Rong Shi didn’t mind and waved her hand with a smile, “Alright, if you want to settle old scores, go outside to do it. Don’t disturb me and Qi’er’s conversation here – it gives me a headache. And you, no wonder even your niece laughs at you for having no manners, entering without even announcing yourself!”
Li Tianyou pulled Ji Fuying to her feet, smiling cheerfully as he said, “Mother, you didn’t just find out today that your son has no manners. If your son didn’t eavesdrop, how would I know there’s still someone in this world who doesn’t want to marry such a handsome and elegant ideal husband as me?”
Rong Shi shook her head helplessly, watching Li Tianyou and Ji Fuying leave together, then turned back to Ren Yaoqi, “I plan to choose an auspicious day before the end of the year to settle your uncle and Fuying’s matter. Tell your mother about this when you return.”
Ren Yaoqi nodded, “Yes, Grandmother.”
“Also… there’s another matter.” Rong Shi frowned as she spoke.
Ren Yaoqi looked at Rong Shi, waiting for her to continue.
Rong Shi thought for a moment before saying, “Yaohua is already sixteen this year. Hasn’t your mother found a suitable marriage match for her yet?”
Ren Yaoqi shook her head. Li Shi had also been troubled by Ren Yaohua’s marriage recently. It wasn’t that Ren Yaohua lacked suitors, but from Han Yunqian to Qiu Yun to Zeng Kui, none of the marriage arrangements had gone smoothly, and they had even brought considerable disasters.
After the Zeng Kui incident, Li Shi had also found someone to read Ren Yaohua’s fortune. The fortune teller said that Ren Yaohua had an extremely noble fate with the aspect of bringing prosperity to her husband and flourishing to her family. However, because several peach blossoms in her destiny carried inauspicious influences, she shouldn’t marry too early. It would be best to wait until after age seventeen to marry, and her husband should be at least five years older than her and also have a noble fate to break through this inauspicious influence. As long as Ren Yaohua could endure this major peach blossom tribulation in her youth, she would have a life of wealth and honor with many children and grandchildren.
Now Ren Yaohua was already sixteen. Even if she were to marry at seventeen or eighteen, the engagement should be settled first.
After arriving in Yunyang City, Li Shi had also paid attention to the young masters of those families she was close to, but unfortunately they were either already married or of unsuitable age.
Hearing about Li Shi having Ren Yaohua’s fortune told, Rong Shi sighed, “Such things cannot be completely believed, yet cannot be completely disbelieved. If for no other reason than peace of mind, it’s hard on your mother.”
Ren Yaoqi nodded. Although she didn’t believe in these things, the fortune teller had gotten quite a few things right. Weren’t the troubles Ren Yaohua had encountered these past few years exactly rotten peach blossoms?
Li Shi completely believed in these things, so when selecting candidates for Ren Yaohua, she looked for men five years older than Ren Yaohua. But in Yanbei, men who were twenty-one and still unmarried were extremely rare, and even if there were some, Li Shi might not approve of them.
As for Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren’s side, after experiencing the Zeng family incident, they had also become much more cautious about marriage alliances.
Ren Yaoqi had heard that recently, the Second Master in the capital had encountered many problems with his business and frequently wrote letters back asking Old Master Ren for help. Old Master Ren had never truly given up on those properties in Jiangnan and naturally was eager to help others in their time of need. However, his energy was not what it used to be, and he didn’t dare to interfere too openly in Jiangnan affairs. Moreover, Fang Yacun’s official career was not going smoothly, and he could barely protect himself.
So Old Master Ren was very busy now and didn’t have much spare time to worry about Ren Yaohua’s marriage.
Rong Shi said, “But if it can be settled, it’s better to settle it early, lest there be complications from delays…”
Ren Yaoqi was very perceptive and heard worry in Rong Shi’s tone, so she immediately asked, “Grandmother, has something happened?”
Rong Shi frowned, “I’m just somewhat worried. I heard that Empress Dowager Yan likes to recruit young ladies into the palace either as companions for the princesses’ reading and play or to serve by her side. This time, she has again ordered a search among the people for women of outstanding appearance who can read and write to enter the palace as female officials and palace maids. Yaohua offended Eunuch Lu last time. In Yanbei territory, Prince Yanbei’s mansion might be able to protect you all, but if Lu Yu mentions it to the Empress Dowager and finds a way to get Yaohua into the palace…”