Ren Yaoqi felt that at this point, Old Master Ren’s stubborn refusal to sell the Ren family mansion had an important reason beyond just losing face – there was a fortune hidden in that mansion that originally belonged to the Zhai family, and the amount of this wealth was quite astonishing. It was just that the Ren family hadn’t been able to find those things after all these years.
These matters were unknown to Ren Yijun and Ren Yiyan. If one day they learned the whole story and this secret, yet still believed the Ren family mansion could be sold, perhaps the Ren family might have hope.
Ren Yaoqi thought that when the day came for the Ren family to truly have hope, she should perhaps find a way to lend a helping hand, both for public and private reasons. But now was not the time. As the saying goes, without destruction there can be no construction – if the Ren family truly wanted to join the ranks of Yanbei’s prestigious families, they would have to completely clear away all the rotten things from their foundations, and what was owed to the Zhai family should rightfully be repaid.
Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yijun chatted casually for a while. Ren Yijun didn’t say a single word to Ren Yaoqi about having them return to the Ren family. Perhaps Ren Yijun and Qi Shi’s visit to the Lei family today was at the behest of the Ren family elders, but given Ren Yijun’s character, he wouldn’t say the things those elders wanted him to say. Ren Yaoqi had understood this early on.
Not long after the two returned, Ren Yijun and Qi Shi got up to take their leave. Li Shi tried to keep them for a while, but since this was the Lei family after all, it wouldn’t be proper for her to strongly detain guests as the host.
Qi Shi looked at Ren Yaoqi with a smile: “Fifth Sister, please see us off. It won’t be so convenient to meet in the future, and your third brother is always thinking of you.”
Ren Yijun said impatiently: “It’s just a few steps – what’s the need for her to see us off?”
Ren Yaoqi smiled and went forward to take Qi Shi’s arm, saying to Ren Yijun: “I haven’t had a proper chat with sister-in-law yet. I’m going to see her off, not you. Don’t find me bothersome.”
Ren Yijun pursed his lips and said nothing.
The three left together. When they were almost at the second gate, Qi Shi said to Ren Yijun, “I have some private words to say to your sister. Walk ahead a few steps and don’t eavesdrop!”
Hearing this, Ren Yijun was quite displeased and said righteously: “What is there that I can’t hear!”
Qi Shi blinked: “It’s not that you can’t hear it, young master, but these are all girls’ private conversations. Are you sure you want to listen?”
Ren Yijun thought that since Ren Yaoqi was getting married next month, perhaps Qi Shi wanted to give her some advice. After all, Qi Shi was her sister-in-law, and there were some things a sister-in-law should teach her younger sister-in-law. So Ren Yijun walked away somewhat reluctantly, though his displeasure made his steps rather heavy.
Qi Shi smiled and shook her head, whispering to Ren Yaoqi: “Just like a child!”
Ren Yaoqi smiled: “Third brother has been like this since childhood, but fortunately he has a pure heart. Please bear with him, third sister-in-law.”
Qi Shi smiled warmly. Seeing no outsiders around, she whispered: “Was your third brother just talking to you about children?”
Ren Yaoqi was startled, then smiled without speaking.
Qi Shi laughed: “As you said, he has a rare pure heart, so even when he doesn’t say things, I still know. But he’s proud and thin-skinned, so I haven’t found a good opportunity to talk with him about it. Fortunately, he’s close to you and tells you these things – that’s good. I’m just afraid he’ll overthink things.” Qi Shi sighed, “Before, I worried he was taking too much medicine, now I’m troubled that he refuses to take any medicine at all. Whenever I bring him a medicine bowl, he gets angry. I didn’t understand before, but later I figured it out – it’s because he wants children.”
Listening to this, Ren Yaoqi found herself at a loss for words. She couldn’t help much with such matters. Given Ren Yijun’s physical condition, suddenly stopping all medicine wasn’t good either, since he’d been accustomed to it since childhood. But Ren Yaoqi understood better than anyone that Ren Yijun was stubborn – the more you forbade him from doing something, the more he would oppose you.
“But… where there’s a policy above, there are countermeasures below. I secretly add the medicinal ingredients to his daily soup and meals.” Qi Shi winked playfully, “He’s eaten bitter medicine since childhood for so many years that his taste has been affected, so he can’t detect the medicine flavor.”
Ren Yaoqi said in surprise: “Don’t you eat with him? Are you eating meals with added medicinal ingredients every day?”
Qi Shi smacked her lips: “Yes, but I’m used to it now, it’s nothing. Don’t worry, I asked the physician – most of them are warming and nourishing ingredients that strengthen my body too, so there’s no harm. For the special medicines I can’t take, I just add them to specific dishes and say I don’t like them and won’t eat them.”
Though Qi Shi spoke casually, Ren Yaoqi knew the hardship involved.
Qi Shi grinned: “Actually, this way I’m sharing his joys and sorrows, right? When his health improves one day, I’ll tell him about this – I’m his wife through thick and thin! If he tries to divorce me casually, he’ll be struck by lightning!”
Ren Yaoqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Don’t worry, third brother isn’t that kind of person.”
Qi Shi thought for a moment and nodded with a smile: “I know he’s not that kind of person. Though he doesn’t say it, I know he wants children partly for my sake, too. He’s afraid that with my ordinary background and no children to support my position, I’ll be bullied in the Ren family.”
Ren Yaoqi thought Ren Yijun’s concern wasn’t unreasonable. Her mother had suffered so much grievance in the Ren family largely because she had no sons. Even when suppressed by a concubine, she lacked the confidence to fight back. Ren Yijun was well aware of how the Ren family elders behaved.
Qi Shi patted Ren Yaoqi’s shoulder: “I’m telling you this to let you know that when he talks to you, just listen well, but don’t worry too much. The most important thing for you now is preparing for your wedding – don’t be distracted by our affairs. This matter can’t be resolved overnight. I’ll find a way to have a good talk with your third brother.” Qi Shi glanced at Ren Yaoqi, then resumed her smiling expression and whispered, “Honestly, if you do well, you can be my support in the future, and I won’t be afraid of being bullied.”
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help feeling somewhat helpless upon hearing this.
Qi Shi continued: “By the way, grandmother and mother-in-law sent us here today. They came to me, asking me to persuade your third brother to convince you all to return to the Ren family. I thought about it – with your third brother’s stubborn temperament, if I told him this, he’d scold me. So, although I brought him here, I didn’t mention these things to him. Just consider that you’ve heard it, and I’ve completed my task.” Qi Shi sighed with a dejected expression, “Only someone thick-skinned like me can do this thankless job. Your third brother is a fairy who needs daily worship with incense – his grandmother and mother don’t understand him!”
Ren Yaoqi laughed: “It’s enough that you understand him. After all, you’re the one who’ll spend a lifetime with him, not others.”
Qi Shi chuckled and whispered to Ren Yaoqi: “Hey, do you think those who marry fairies home are at most like me?”
Ren Yaoqi: “…”
The more Qi Shi thought about it, the better she felt about her analogy, amusing herself with another bout of laughter.
Hearing the commotion, Ren Yijun turned back, looking at them in bewilderment and saying with some disdain: “What’s so funny? I could hear your laughter at the main gate. Show some restraint when you’re out – don’t embarrass me.”
Qi Shi burst into laughter and winked at Ren Yaoqi, as if saying, “See! This fairy is hard to serve, right?”
Ren Yaoqi also wanted to laugh but held it in, seeing Ren Yijun and Qi Shi out the door.
Ren Yaoqi had never quite been able to see through Qi Shi as a person. If you said she was clever, sometimes her words and actions were too amusing. If you said she was clumsy, her heart was actually like a clear mirror, very perceptive. In the end, Ren Yaoqi stopped trying to figure out Qi Shi – as long as she treated Ren Yijun sincerely and the couple lived in harmony despite their bickering, that was enough.
Not long after seeing Ren Yijun and Qi Shi off, Ren Yaoqi also returned from the Lei family. While Li Shi was staying at the Lei family for a few days due to special circumstances was fine, it wasn’t quite appropriate for Ren Yaoqi, an unmarried woman, to stay too long. Besides, she indeed had many things to attend to.
As soon as Ren Yaoqi returned home, the person who had been sent earlier to deliver pastries to Granny Gong came to request an audience, saying that Granny Gong was very fond of the osmanthus cakes Ren Yaoqi had sent and had immediately ordered the glutinous rice balls to be cooked. Granny Gong had also sent back a prescription through the pastry bearer, saying it was for Ren Yaoqi’s health.
Ren Yaoqi took the prescription and looked it over. It was indeed a good formula, but she didn’t plan to use it for now. Until the matter concerning Granny Gong was clarified, Ren Yaoqi remained very cautious. Even regarding Ren Yaohua, she had instructed her to first show the prescription Granny Gong had given her to several physicians.
Everything else had fallen into proper order. For things she didn’t understand, people from the Yanbei Prince’s mansion came to provide detailed guidance, so Li Shi didn’t need to worry.
However, some servants were privately grumbling that Madam clearly favored the eldest daughter over the second. The eldest miss had already given birth, and the second miss was getting married next month to the Yanbei Prince’s mansion no less, yet Madam only cared about one side and neglected the other.
Unfortunately, these words reached Ren Shimin’s ears, so he sent someone to call Li Shi back, telling her to assign several capable stewards to help Ren Yaohua.
Though Li Shi was still reluctant to leave Ren Yaohua, who had just given birth, she thought about it and returned home, leaving only Nanny Zhou and two of her senior maids at the Lei family.
Before Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jingxi’s wedding, another incident occurred in Yanbei – many court officials were demanding that the Yanbei Prince’s mansion establish an heir.