“Why didn’t you tell the family about this earlier? Now look what’s happened – she’s come to our door,” Old Madam Ren said, pointing at Ren Shimao’s head with some frustration at his lack of steel-like resolve.
She naturally wasn’t blaming her son for his drunken misconduct, but rather for not having the family intervene earlier to settle the matter, thus losing the initiative.
The flush on Ren Shimao’s face had never faded: “After she woke up, she was determined to kill herself. I was afraid she would take her life, so I promised to compensate her. Seeing her gradually calm down, I thought she had been moved by the silver I promised. But as soon as I left the room, she found scissors to commit suicide. Fortunately, I heard something wrong after leaving and returned in time to stop her.”
Hearing her son’s account, Old Madam Ren sighed: “She does have a fierce temperament.”
“Later, when her father learned of this incident, he fainted, and his condition worsened. The physician was summoned by me, and he confirmed that her father’s illness wasn’t feigned. Only then did I believe it was truly my fault and not someone’s scheme. When her father awoke, I promised to buy them a house in Qizhou and give them fifty taels of silver monthly. Only then did her father accept this loss and persuade her to calm down.”
Old Madam Ren nodded, taking it for granted: “Their family is just an ordinary farmer. Such households might not save fifty taels of silver in a lifetime. When you promised to give them fifty taels monthly, naturally, they had nothing more to say. Your sister-in-law went to see that woman. According to her, when you gave them the house deed and silver, you told them not to come to the Ren family. Later, when she became pregnant, her brothers and sisters-in-law were afraid of causing trouble and having you change your mind about the silver, so they wanted to force her to secretly abort the child. When she found out, she stole the family’s silver and escaped with the old woman you had assigned to her.”
“Such a thing happened? Her brothers and sisters-in-law went too far!” Ren Shimao said in bewilderment.
Seeing him say this, Old Madam Ren knew he bore no ill will toward that woman, and her heart settled somewhat: “You’re a man and don’t understand these domestic trivialities. Speaking of it, her family members lack insight and are narrow-minded. Even if a descendant of our Ren family is born out of wedlock, we cannot let him wander outside.”
Upon hearing this, Ren Shimao immediately stammered: “Mother, you… You’re saying we should let them enter the family?”
Old Madam Ren snorted coldly: “Do you mean to send them back to fend for themselves?”
“I… then…” Ren Shimao struggled greatly, looking back at the curtain behind him and saying quietly, “Could we not have her enter the residence, but just buy a house outside to keep her? And assign more servants to attend her? You saw how Huijun… she won’t agree!”
Old Madam Ren became angry hearing this and pointed at her son’s nose to scold him: “You’re a man speaking such spineless words – where does that leave our Ren family’s face! Did you marry a tigress? Can’t you even protect your flesh and blood? I know Huijun’s temperament. She’s just throwing a childish tantrum. Once she thinks it through, she’s quite reasonable!”
Ren Shimao felt his mother’s words weren’t quite right, but his mind was in chaos now, and Old Madam Ren was showing an unprecedentedly firm attitude that left him unable to argue back.
Old Madam Ren glanced at her son and softened her tone slightly: “In any case, first wait for the child to be born. If you truly dislike her later, you can send her away then.”
Only then did Ren Shimao breathe a sigh of relief: “That would be good.”
“Huijun is at the height of her anger. Don’t clash with her directly for now. I’ll have your sister-in-law counsel her properly. You come with me to Ronghua Garden first to treat the injuries on your face.”
Hearing Lin Shi still crying and making a scene outside, and seeing her son’s injuries were serious, Old Madam Ren became even more annoyed. She wanted to get Ren Shimao away first to avoid him suffering more at Lin Shi’s hands.
Although Ren Shimao felt sorry for his wife, he thought that Lin Shi certainly wouldn’t want to hear him speak now, and having his sister-in-law counsel her might make her feel better, so he nodded in agreement.
Old Madam Ren was satisfied and brought Ren Shimao out of the room, no longer bothering with Lin Shi.
However, after coming out, Ren Shimao realized his current appearance was quite disheveled and couldn’t help but hesitate. Fortunately, Old Madam Ren was also concerned about her son’s dignity, so she first sent people to clear the way and have idle people avoid them before bringing Ren Shimao back to her own Ronghua Garden.
After Lin Shi had cried herself out of strength, she learned that her good husband had already left with his mother long ago without even glancing at her. In her fury, she smashed everything breakable in the room.
Great Madam conscientiously tried to console her for a long time. Seeing that Lin Shi still wanted to make a scene, she moved far away and let Lin Shi smash the room to pieces.
When Lin Shi finally lost her strength and collapsed onto a chair that hadn’t been overturned yet, Great Madam spoke gently across the debris-strewn floor: “Since you’ve vented your anger, rest well. Don’t worry – with Mother here, you won’t be wronged. I’ll come to see you again later.”
After saying this, regardless of whether Lin Shi had listened, Great Madam turned and left steadily.
“You all help Fifth Madam inside to rest,” Great Madam calmly and kindly instructed Fifth Madam’s maids and servants. After they all nervously agreed and left, she said to her own Nanny Cao: “Have someone clean up the room. Later, you go to the residence’s storehouse and select a good set of furnishings for Fifth Madam’s courtyard.”
“Yes, Madam.”
That afternoon, Ren Yaoqi obediently practiced calligraphy in the study of the west side courtyard, paying no attention to the chaos outside.
By evening, Old Madam’s people came to say the daily greetings were canceled. When Ren Yaoqi went to the main hall of Ziwei Courtyard, she heard from Xiangqin, Ren Yaohua’s maid, that Old Madam had already decided to let that woman who came to the door enter the residence. She wasn’t arranged in Fifth Master’s Liuli Courtyard, but was given separate lodging in the more secluded and quiet Wenya Pavilion, with several maids and servants assigned to serve her.
Only then did the people in the residence learn that the woman’s surname was Kang, and she was indeed the Fifth Master’s former kept woman. The reason Old Madam let her enter the residence without question and arranged servants for her was that Concubine Kang was carrying Fifth Master’s child.
Although Concubine Kang was said to be from an ordinary farming family, she had a clear family background, and now carrying the Ren family’s bloodline, her future was certainly bright. Some restless maids in the residence turned red with envy.
Everyone in the residence knew Fifth Madam’s temper and that Fifth Madam Lin Shi was very favored by Old Madam. She and Fifth Master were as sweet as honey. So, despite Ren Shimao being young and handsome, few maids dared set their sights on him. Now, an outsider from who knows where had picked this peach.
Ren Yaoqi saw Concubine Kang on the second day after she entered the residence.
The Han residence sent people to deliver thank-you gifts to the Ren family. Hanyou had someone bring some fans with novel designs for the Ren family sisters. Ren Yaohua sent Xiangqin back to call Ren Yaoqi over to select one.
Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to leave with her fan, Concubine Kang was escorted in by Nanny Gui from Old Madam’s courtyard.
This Concubine Kang who had thrown Fifth Master’s household into chaos appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old, with fair skin and a clean, well-behaved appearance. She wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but had the kind of looks that made people feel comfortable.
She wore a clean and plain moon-white right-opening jacket, light blue long skirt, with her hair simply pinned up, adorned only with a silver-wrapped plum blossom-shaped copper hairpin. However, there were some water stains on her skirt hem, along with a few soaked tea leaves, giving her a somewhat disheveled appearance.
Nanny Gui came forward and quietly reported that when she went to fetch her on orders, Concubine Kang had already been kneeling outside Liuli Courtyard for over a quarter-hour. The tea water on her was thrown by Eighth Miss Ren Yaoyu, but since the attending servant had blocked most of it, only her skirt hem got wet.
Old Madam Ren sighed: “Didn’t I tell you not to go to Liuli Courtyard to pay respects for now?” Her tone, while not particularly loving, was still relatively gentle.
Concubine Kang properly performed her respects to Old Madam Ren before lowering her head and saying: “Since Old Madam has allowed me to enter the family, paying respects to the principal wife is my duty. This servant understands her position. Having chosen this path, receiving a few scoldings and beatings when the master is displeased is nothing.”
“What? She had someone beat you, too?” Old Madam Ren frowned.
Concubine Kang shook her head and lowered it, refusing to say more.
Since her granddaughter was present, Old Madam Ren didn’t ask further, only instructing Nanny Gui: “Help her back to change clothes and rest properly in her courtyard. Don’t go to Liuli Courtyard for now.”
Concubine Kang didn’t argue further and obediently agreed. Old Madam Ren had Nanny Gui escort her out.
But shortly after Concubine Kang left, Ren Yaoqi and the others heard exclamations from outside, followed by Nanny Gui’s attempts to dissuade someone and Ren Yaoyu’s cursing.
“You shameless vixen! You stole my father and made my mother cry all night, and now she wants to leave my brother and me to return to her natal family. I’ll beat you to death!”
It turned out Ren Yaoyu had somehow chased after them again and dared to beat someone publicly in Old Madam Ren’s courtyard.
Old Madam Ren’s expression immediately soured. Both the older and younger generations were taking advantage of her favor and treating her words as if they went in one ear and out the other.
Old Madam Ren stood up and walked outside. A maid quickly went to lift the curtain for her.
Ren Yaohua had been sitting by the south window earlier. After Old Madam Ren went out, she quietly opened the window a crack.
Sitting beside her, Ren Yaoqi also saw the scene in the courtyard. Ren Yaoyu, being held back by Nanny Gui, was cursing while lifting her leg to kick Concubine Kang, and each kick was aimed at her lower abdomen. “Drag her away immediately! At such a young age, already so vicious – who taught her this!” Old Madam Ren was even more furious seeing this scene and pointed at Ren Yaoyu, instructing the maids behind her.
The maids from Old Madam Ren’s room hurried forward to restrain Ren Yaoyu, freeing up Nanny Gui’s hands.
Nanny Gui pulled Concubine Kang, who was protecting her abdomen with her hands and looked somewhat pale, to safety.
Seeing Old Madam Ren come out and still side with Concubine Kang, Ren Yaoyu cried in anger: “Grandmother, how can you do this! My mother is about to be driven away by her anger, and you’re still helping her bully us!”