Both Nanny Zhou and Ren Yaoqi were stunned upon hearing this.

How could Fifth Master Ren Shimao have kept a woman?

Ren Shimao and Lin Shi were childhood sweethearts who had been very close since they were young. After coming of age, when Ren Shimao sought to marry Lin Shi, both the Ren and Lin families were happy to see it happen.

Over these years, not only did Ren Shimao not have a single concubine or chamber maid by his side, but even during those months each year when he was in the capital, the servants attending him were all young men sent by Lin Shi – he didn’t even have a personal maid.

Old Madam Ren had always turned a blind eye to this matter. After all, it was a case of one being willing to hit and the other willing to be beaten. Ren Shimao himself had no complaints, and for the sake of her daughter Ren Shijia, Old Madam Ren wouldn’t make things difficult for Lin Shi over such matters.

So, although Lin Shi’s temper and personality left much to be desired, it couldn’t be denied that among the Ren family daughters-in-law, she was the most fortunate one.

Ren Yaoqi remembered that in her previous life, although this couple occasionally had minor squabbles, their relationship had always been good, and she had never heard of Ren Shimao having any kept woman.

Nanny Zhou couldn’t very well question Xi’er in front of Ren Yaoqi, so she called her aside to ask a few questions, then sternly instructed: “Go call back all the people from our courtyard who are watching the excitement. This is a Fifth Master’s family matter – Fifth Madam and Old Madam will handle it themselves.”

Everyone in the Ren family knew Lin Shi’s temper all too well. This incident would likely cause quite a commotion, and Nanny Zhou didn’t want the people from Ziwei Courtyard to get involved and become scapegoats.

Xi’er hurriedly agreed and left.

“Fifth Miss, this servant needs to go discuss some matters with Madam,” Nanny Zhou came over to tell Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi nodded and stood up: “Please take care of the matter with that nanny from the estate. If it’s not convenient these few days, it can wait a few days.”

Nanny Zhou readily agreed, saw Ren Yaoqi out, then hurried to find Li Shi.

Ren Yaoqi returned to her room and saw several young maids still gathered together, talking in low voices – probably discussing the Fifth Master’s matter. When they saw Ren Yaoqi return, the maids quickly fell silent.

People are naturally curious, and even Ren Yaoqi herself was very curious about who this so-called kept woman who had come to the door was, so she was quite tolerant of the maids’ behavior. She only reminded them: “Nanny Zhou has instructed that no one is to go out and gather information. Don’t violate this prohibition.”

The young maids hurriedly agreed and withdrew respectfully.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help wondering whether Fifth Madam Lin Shi’s series of misfortunes were due to her own bad luck, or whether someone was scheming against her.

As for who might scheme against Fifth Madam… could it be Concubine Fang?

If it were Concubine Fang, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but shake her head. She truly was skilled in her methods!

She had already learned quite a bit about Ren Shijia’s return home for confinement. The property disputes in the Lin family and Ren Shijia’s repeated miscarriages were the real reasons Lin Shi had truly fallen from favor with Old Madam Ren.

First, she used the Lin family’s internal conflicts to make Lin Shi fall from favor, then she stirred up discord between Fifth Master and Lin Shi as husband and wife, dealing Lin Shi the most fatal blow.

Of course, these were still speculative conclusions that Ren Yaoqi had drawn from comparing events from both lifetimes. She also hoped that these weren’t Concubine Fang’s handiwork.

After all, there was an irreconcilable conflict of interests between Concubine Fang and Li Shi. Being watched by such an enemy was a terrifying thing.

At Fifth Madam Lin Shi’s place, chaos had erupted.

Lin Shi pointed at Ren Shimao’s nose and gave him a thorough scolding, while Ren Shimao hung his head with a face full of shame, letting her scold him.

Ren Shimao’s appearance made Lin Shi’s anger flare even more. She rushed forward and slapped Ren Shimao twice across the face. Seeing that Ren Shimao tried to dodge, she reached out to scratch his face and neck, looking ready to fight to the death.

“Ren Shimao, you heartless man! What did you promise me back then? So all those words you said were just hot air!” Lin Shi shouted this sentence, her final roar so forceful it made her voice hoarse and her throat raw.

The maids and servants on the side had never seen such a violent fight before – everyone was scared silly.

Usually, when this couple quarreled, Ren Shimao would come forward with gentle words to coax her, Lin Shi would break into smiles through her tears, and then the two would make up as if nothing had happened.

No matter how angry Lin Shi got, she never dared to lay a hand on Ren Shimao.

Now Lin Shi’s behavior was hardly that of a proper family’s madam – even the shrews outside weren’t as bold as her, daring to strike their husbands in the face.

Yet Ren Shimao, despite being beaten, still said nothing.

The commotion here finally brought Old Madam Ren over. Old Madam Ren Qiu Shi was helped into the room by Great Madam, and the first thing she saw was Lin Shi acting like a shrew while being desperately held back by servants who had finally reacted.

Ren Shimao had two clear handprints on his face, and from half his face to his neck were four neat scratch marks.

“What is the meaning of this?” Old Madam Ren was furious seeing her son’s disheveled state.

She was angry at Lin Shi for being a shrew, but also resented her youngest son for being too spineless.

When Lin Shi saw Old Madam Ren arrive, she didn’t restrain herself at all. Instead, she broke down and cried out in accusation: “Mother, he kept a woman outside for me! Now that shameless woman has even come to our door! What is this if not bullying me? What’s next – will I have to obediently give up my position as principal wife so he can marry that shameless woman?”

Old Madam suppressed her anger and snorted coldly: “What kind of talk is that? You were properly married into our Ren family with eight sedan chairs in a grand ceremony. Who dares ask you to step aside? Our Ren family is not some family without rules!”

Lin Shi thought Old Madam was still on her side and felt somewhat better, but then Old Madam continued: “Even if another woman enters the family, she can only be a concubine! Does she think she’s worthy of the principal’s wife’s position?”

Lin Shi was stunned upon hearing this, even forgetting to cry. She looked up at Old Madam Ren in bewilderment: “Mother? What did you say? Who’s entering the family as a concubine?”

Great Madam, who had been following behind Old Madam with her eyes on her nose and nose on her heart, looked up and signaled to the servants and maids in the room. The servants and maids who had been trying to break up the fight hurried out.

Great Madam helped Old Madam Qiu Shi sit in the main seat of the reception hall, then stood behind her with her head lowered, maintaining her nose-watching posture and not saying a word.

“Mother? What did you just say?” Lin Shi couldn’t help asking again, disbelief in her eyes.

Old Madam Ren now looked peaceful, returning to the image of the kind and gentle mother-in-law in Lin Shi’s mind, but the words coming from her mouth made Lin Shi’s heart turn cold.

“After all, this is Ren family domestic affairs. Having outsiders watch the show would be embarrassing for our Ren family. So I’ve already ordered people to bring that woman’s sedan chair inside. I was very angry about this incident, too. I originally thought that woman must be from some sordid background, and just now I sent servants to scold her and was thinking of giving her some money to make her leave. But after questioning her, I learned that although she’s from an ordinary family, she’s from a respectable household with a clear family background.”

Old Madam Ren paused and sighed: “She came to our door this time because she’s already carrying Mao’er’s child.”

“What?” Ren Shimao was the first to jump up.

Lin Shi’s vision darkened, and she nearly couldn’t stand. Ren Shimao instinctively stepped forward to steady her, but she pushed him away so forcefully that she fell to the ground herself.

Seeing her pale face and despairing expression, Ren Shimao still wanted to help her up.

Lin Shi suddenly screamed: “Get away! Get away from me! Don’t touch me!”

Old Madam Ren watched Lin Shi’s tantrum and advised in a gentle tone: “I’ve already invited a physician to the residence. If what she says is true, regardless of the adults’ mistakes, our Ren family cannot let our descendants wander outside. But don’t worry – I understand your grievances. Even if she bears a child, she can at most be a concubine.”

“At most a concubine?” Lin Shi repeated Old Madam’s words and shrieked: “What do you mean ‘at most a concubine’?”

Ren Shimao looked at his wife and was about to say something to Old Madam Ren when Old Madam had already spoken: “Mao’er, come with me. I have a few more questions for you.”

Then she instructed Great Madam Wang Shi: “Go help your sister-in-law up and have someone clean her face. Don’t let others see this and laugh at us. What matters can’t be discussed properly? Why must everything be made into such a spectacle for all to know?”

Great Madam quietly agreed and went to console Lin Shi. Old Madam had already headed straight to the inner room.

Ren Shimao glanced at his sobbing wife, then lowered his head and followed Old Madam.

After the mother and son entered the inner room, Old Madam frowned and scolded: “What exactly happened? I’m half-skeptical of what that woman said. Mother knows you’re not a frivolous person – how could you do such a thing?”

Ren Shimao stammered: “Last time, after you publicly scolded Huijun, I came back to console her, but she scolded me instead. I got angry at the time and ran out to drink with friends. Later, somehow, I ended up sleeping in a guest room at the wine house… I was too drunk and went to the wrong room, mistaking her for… for Huijun.”

Old Madam Ren frowned: “Are you sure you went to the wrong room yourself? And that you weren’t trapped in someone’s scheme?”

Ren Shimao thought about it: “It shouldn’t be, right? She was going to Jizhou to visit relatives and was temporarily staying at the inn behind the wine house. After I woke up and realized I’d caused trouble, I was afraid of being set up, so I had someone specifically investigate. She’s from Qizhou, traveling with her father to attend her uncle’s birthday celebration in Jizhou. But her father fell ill halfway, so they sent word to Jizhou for her uncle to send people to escort them, while she and her father waited at the inn. Her family is are ordinary farming family from Qizhou. I also investigated her uncle’s family – they run a small general goods shop, nothing improper about them.”