The woman turned green with anger upon hearing his words.
However, Xiao Jinglin suddenly spoke up: “I don’t accept those who can’t read.”
“Huh?” Little Mo Xiaoliang forgot to struggle upon hearing this and stood there in a daze.
But children are clever too. His eyes rolled and he said joyfully: “Then if I learn to read, you’ll accept me?”
Xiao Jinglin thought for a moment and nodded: “Yes.”
Mo Xiaoliang immediately broke free from his mother’s grasp and ran off happily, shouting as he went: “Writing time! Writing time!”
The woman watched her son’s figure disappear in the blink of an eye, her face full of worry as she looked at Xiao Jinglin, wanting to speak but hesitating.
However, before she could open her mouth, Xiao Jinglin nodded to the woman and said calmly: “Don’t worry.”
The woman breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Xiao Jinglin then turned to Ren Yaoqi and said, “You go in and wait for me first. I’ll go and come back quickly.”
“Where are you going?” Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but frown. This place was remote, and she had only brought Pingguo with her. Although she wasn’t timid, she also didn’t want to be left here alone.
“I’m just going nearby to buy something. I’ll be back very soon. I’ll have Tongxi stay behind.” As if understanding Ren Yaoqi’s concern, Xiao Jinglin moved closer and whispered, “Don’t be afraid. People are watching around the area. They won’t let any idle people in.”
Only then did Ren Yaoqi feel at ease, though she found it strange that Xiao Jinglin had to go buy something herself. Moreover, she had thought that since Xiao Jinglin didn’t like having people follow her, she truly hadn’t brought anyone. She hadn’t expected there to be people hidden in the shadows.
Xiao Jinglin gave a few more instructions to the woman before turning and leaving.
The woman led Ren Yaoqi to the back courtyard.
Only then did Ren Yaoqi discover that although the front shop was very small, the courtyard inside was more than three times larger. Though it was just an ordinary back courtyard, it had various flowers and plants growing in it. Ren Yaoqi noticed that there was even cultivated land in the corner by the wall, where medicinal herbs like notoginseng and atractylodes were planted.
“Does someone in the shopkeeper’s family understand medicine?” Ren Yaoqi asked.
The woman hurriedly replied: “My husband’s family name is Mo. Please call me Sister-in-law Mo, Miss. My daughter-in-law’s grandfather originally ran a medicine shop, so she recognizes some medicinal herbs. She usually gathers and grows herbs to exchange for some silver.”
“I see.”
“Does Miss recognize medicinal herbs?” Sister-in-law Mo asked with a smile as she led Ren Yaoqi toward the table set up in the northeast corner of the courtyard.
“I only know a few common ones. I can hardly be said to recognize them.”
The young woman who was setting out bowls and chopsticks looked up at Ren Yaoqi with some curiosity in her gaze. From her dress and age, Ren Yaoqi guessed this should be Sister-in-law Mo’s daughter-in-law.
Sister-in-law Mo instructed the young woman: “Huoxiang, go help me watch over Xiaoliang’s writing. We’re not opening for business today and have no other customers, so I can manage by myself.”
“Yes, Mother.” Huoxiang finished setting out the bowls and chopsticks and went down with her head lowered.
“Miss, please sit. I’ll go to the kitchen to see if the meal is ready,” Sister-in-law Mo said with a smile.
Ren Yaoqi nodded: “Please go ahead with your work.”
Sister-in-law Mo also went down, and Ren Yaoqi looked around the small courtyard before getting up to examine a potted plant in a rough ceramic pot nearby. It contained a pearl orchid that was growing very well. Pearl orchid is also a plant that can be used medicinally.
Upon closer inspection, Ren Yaoqi discovered that most of the flowers and plants in this courtyard could be used as medicine. Just among the potted plants, she saw dendrobium, pinellia, gentian, maidenhair fern, paris, saposhnikovia, asarum, zanthoxylum, ligusticum, and arisaema.
Sensing someone entering the back courtyard, Ren Yaoqi turned to look and saw that it was Dongsheng who had come in.
Dongsheng stopped at a distance of about four or five steps from Ren Yaoqi and bowed: “This humble one greets Fifth Miss Ren.”
Ren Yaoqi looked him over with a smile. Dongsheng’s appearance hadn’t changed, though his spirits seemed good, and his eyes remained bright and alert as always.
“How did you come to be at the Princess’s side?”
Dongsheng lowered his head respectfully and said, “Second Young Master is also in White Crane Town. This humble one was ordered to drive the carriage for the Princess.”
So Xiao Jingxi had indeed come.
Ren Yaoqi looked at Dongsheng thoughtfully and said, “Do you have something to tell me?”
Dongsheng nodded and said, “Cousin Miss, there’s been movement at White Dragon Temple.”
Ren Yaoqi was startled, then immediately delighted, and hurriedly asked: “Are you talking about the Xiao family’s army?”
Dongsheng nodded: “There was another conflict in the army the day before yesterday, and people died. I heard that memorials requesting the reduction of Yanbei’s military forces have piled up on His Majesty’s desk. An imperial edict should come down from the capital in a few days. The Prince of Yanbei’s mansion will break up several units into smaller groups before the edict arrives, having them scatter to some of the major temples in Yanbei under the guise of hired farmers. When people from the capital arrive, even if they see through the ruse, there will be nothing they can do about it.”
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel joyful. If the Xiao family army didn’t enter Ningxia, then even if Zeng Pu came in the future, he wouldn’t have the same power as in her previous life. His path to promotion would certainly not be so smooth either.
Ren Yaoqi had to admire Xiao Jingxi’s ability to take action. This matter seemed easy when she thought about it, but implementing it would be fraught with difficulties. Yet Xiao Jingxi had managed it, and in such a short time, too.
Seeing the undisguised joy on Ren Yaoqi’s face, Dongsheng couldn’t help but ask: “Now that this matter is accomplished, what benefit does it bring to Prince Xian’s mansion?”
Ren Yaoqi replied: “I only know that if the court’s influence penetrates Yanbei, it won’t be good for Prince Xian’s mansion.”
Dongsheng thought about it and nodded in agreement: “Miss is right.”
Seeing that he still constantly thought of Prince Xian’s mansion, Ren Yaoqi sighed softly: “Tongxi, won’t your master blame you for telling me these things?”
Seeing that she had called him by his current name, Dongsheng understood Ren Yaoqi’s meaning. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head: “He probably won’t. This humble one feels that the Second Young Master seems to have guessed something. Yesterday, when Tongde went to report this matter to him, he didn’t have me withdraw. Today, he specifically ordered me to accompany the Princess to the Ren family… This humble one feels that he seems to know.”
Know that she was the one who proposed this method?
“Miss needn’t worry for this humble one. I know my limits,” Dongsheng said to Ren Yaoqi. “Second Young Master treats me well. Since I’ve already followed him, I will naturally serve him wholeheartedly. It’s just that Prince Xian’s mansion… Prince Xian’s mansion is like home to me. I won’t forget my origins.”
With Dongsheng being this way, if Prince Xian’s mansion and the Prince of Yanbei’s mansion continued to coexist peacefully, then naturally there would be no problem. But if someday there was a conflict of interest, Dongsheng would probably…
However, in her previous life, Prince Xian’s mansion and the Prince of Yanbei’s mansion had maintained a non-interference policy until the end. Even when Li Tianyou secretly went to the capital to find her, they had turned a blind eye. In this life, there should be no sudden conflicts either.
“By the way, have you ever heard of a family surnamed Qu? They should have been a prominent family in Yanzhou several decades ago, but later fell into decline for some unknown reason, and most of the clan members died.” Ren Yaoqi suddenly remembered the Han family matter and hurriedly asked.
Since the Qu family had so many deaths, something major must have happened. If so, Dongsheng might know about it. Although they weren’t from Yanbei, they knew quite a bit about things that even Yanbei people didn’t know.
Upon hearing this, Dongsheng thought carefully but still shook his head: “Miss, are you certain the Qu family was a major clan? Why do I have no impression of them? Logically speaking, I should know about prominent families in Yanbei, even those from several decades ago.”
Dongsheng was quite confident about this point. In terms of martial arts, perhaps even Yihong and the others were better than him, but when it came to social connections and aristocratic customs, he was the most knowledgeable. He had memorized the genealogies of all the major and minor noble families in Yanbei.
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Even Dongsheng couldn’t remember the Qu family?
“Perhaps they weren’t a prominent family,” Ren Yaoqi said uncertainly.
“Perhaps during that period several decades ago when the Liao people were rampaging, some families suffered disasters and completely disappeared without a trace, never to be recorded again. But I really can’t remember right now. How about I go back and think about it carefully? I remember that the Second Young Master’s study seems to have some local chronicles recording Yanzhou’s history. Let me go back and look through them to see if I can find any clues,” Dongsheng said consolingly, seeing Ren Yaoqi’s disappointment.
Ren Yaoqi nodded. Generally, such local chronicles would record various major and minor events in the area. If the Qu family were truly from Yanbei, they should be able to find some traces.
At this moment, someone else entered the back courtyard. Ren Yaoqi turned to look and was startled to see Xiao Jingxi walking in.
Seeing Ren Yaoqi and Dongsheng talking, Xiao Jingxi showed no surprise or displeasure.
He walked over slowly, glanced at Ren Yaoqi, and smiled faintly at her: “Fifth Miss Ren.”
“Second Young Master Xiao.” Ren Yaoqi hurriedly curtsied.
Sister-in-law Mo brought tea over, respectfully placed the tea on the table, then bowed and withdrew.
Xiao Jingxi walked to a pot of gentian, gently lifting a tender leaf that had recently sprouted with his right index finger as he bent down to examine it closely.
Ren Yaoqi stood in front of a pot of pearl orchid not far from him, silently watching his movements.
“The Su family has sent an invitation to the Han family, inviting them to join with the Su family and several other families in preparing for next month’s Dragon Boat Festival race outside Yunyang City,” Xiao Jingxi turned to look at Ren Yaoqi, his smile gentle.
After a moment of confusion, Ren Yaoqi’s mind raced quickly.
Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, Yunyang City would organize dragon boat races, but the preparation of these races was always handled by several of Yanzhou’s most prominent families. It could be said that this was a symbol of family power. The Ren family had competed for this qualification last year but ultimately failed to secure it.
The Su family was one of the organizers of the premier dragon boat race, essentially the initiator of the event. An invitation from the Su family carried significant weight.
Regardless of the Han family’s true strength, they had shallow roots and kept a low profile. Logically speaking, such matters shouldn’t involve the Han family.
So the Su family’s real intention was not what it appeared to be?
The Han family’s coal mine… this was what Ren Yaoqi thought of as the reason.
Had the Su family decided to make their move?
“Does Fifth Miss Ren know the reason?” Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi and asked with a smile.
Ren Yaoqi looked up at Xiao Jingxi. She always felt that there was something else hidden in Xiao Jingxi’s smile.