Some conflicts cannot be reconciled.

Take Concubine Fang, for example. If she wanted to rise in status, she had to make Li Shi lose her voice in the Ren family.

So, for the sake of her mother, Ren Yaohua, and her interests, Ren Yaoqi would eventually need to confront Concubine Fang.

This was why Ren Yaoqi paid such close attention to Concubine Fang’s affairs.

Pingguo continued to quietly report to Ren Yaoqi about Sister-in-Law Wen’s situation.

Ren Yaoqi had instructed Zhu Ruomei to release Sister-in-Law Wen once he had learned what he needed to know.

So while Zhu Ruomei was hesitating, Sister-in-Law Wen, who had been keeping her eyes and ears open, heard the neighing of horses and shouting outside. A group of riders was approaching, and from the sound of it, there were quite a few of them.

Taking advantage of Zhu Ruomei’s momentary distraction, Sister-in-Law Wen used all her strength to lunge toward the cart curtain. When Zhu Ruomei realized what was happening, his eyes immediately flashed with murderous intent as he moved to stop her. Sister-in-Law Wen rolled outward while crying out desperately for help.

In the end, Sister-in-Law Wen successfully alarmed the approaching group of riders. Zhu Ruomei caught up to Sister-in-Law Wen, who had fallen to the ground, and originally wanted to continue his attack, but unfortunately the group ahead turned out to be a merchant caravan passing through White Crane Town. Leading the way were several fierce-looking escort guards who had already heard the commotion and were galloping over.

Zhu Ruomei hesitated for a moment, then ultimately abandoned Sister-in-Law Wen and fled.

In the end, Sister-in-Law Wen was rescued. Several escort guards even gave chase, trying to catch the attacker, but after searching the entire area, they could only return empty-handed.

Originally, Sister-in-Law Wen was supposed to go to the Lin family in Yunyang City. Now, terrified out of her wits, she didn’t dare go to the Lin family territory. Since Lin Kun was still in White Crane Town, she also didn’t dare rashly return, fearing another encounter with someone sent to silence her. Coincidentally, the merchant caravan that had rescued her was heading to the capital and would pass through Jiangning. So Sister-in-Law Wen gave the leader ten taels of silver and followed the caravan back to Jiangning.

As for reporting to the authorities, she didn’t dare. After all, if this matter became a big issue, it would implicate her master, so she only lied to people, claiming the previous man was a bandit who had come to rob her.

Concubine Fang only received news of this long after Sister-in-Law Wen had left White Crane Town. By then, even if she wanted to investigate, there was nothing to investigate.

Ren Yaoting from the East Residence had finally “recovered” from her “injuries” and began visiting the West Residence from time to time to chat with Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi didn’t treat her coldly either, stopping whatever she was doing to receive her whenever she came.

On this day, Ren Yaoting came to the West Residence again, inviting Ren Yaoqi to visit Ren Shijia’s newborn son Lin Cen, who was less than a month old. Lin Cen was a name chosen by Old Master Ren for his grandson. Although Old Master Ren only said he was giving a childhood name, Lin Kun, after discussing with his wife, he decided to make Lin Cen the official name.

Old Master Ren said nothing about this, but had Old Madam Ren prepare a pair of golden qilin longevity locks for his grandson.

Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting walked and talked together. Ren Yaoting would lean close to Ren Yaoqi’s ear from time to time to whisper, appearing very intimate. Although Ren Yaoqi spoke very little, she made Ren Yaoting feel that she was listening very attentively.

After the two visited Ren Shijia and Lin Cen and left the Warm Fragrance Pavilion, they took another path intending to go to Ronghua Garden.

When they walked near the Fifth Branch’s Glazed Courtyard, Ren Yaoting saw many colorful butterflies on the grass beside the path. It turned out there was a large camphor tree thick enough for two people to embrace, along with some flowering vines that butterflies liked to perch on.

Ren Yaoting had a sudden whim: “Fifth Sister, let’s catch butterflies for fun!”

Ren Yaoqi was already quite mature mentally and naturally had no interest in such childish games, but seeing Ren Yaoting’s eager expression, she didn’t want to dampen her spirits, so she nodded in agreement. She instructed her maids, Sangshen and Xueli, to go back and fetch some butterfly nets, and told Pingguo to ask Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin if they wanted to come play together.

The maids responded and left. Ren Yaoting then pulled Ren Yaoqi to sit and chat in a nearby covered walkway.

Soon, Sangshen and Xueli returned with several butterfly nets. Ren Yaoting picked one up, holding it with an eager expression.

Just as the two were about to return to the area under the banyan tree, Pingguo also returned. However, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin both said they couldn’t come.

“Did you ask Eighth Sister too?” Ren Yaoqi also took a butterfly net to play along, asking casually.

Upon hearing this, Pingguo seemed to hesitate, then glanced back in the direction she had come from.

Ren Yaoqi was wondering what was strange when voices could be heard getting closer from not far away, sounding like people arguing.

“Shameless… vixen… get out…”

Although Ren Yaoqi only caught a few words and phrases, she recognized the speaker’s identity – it was Eighth Miss Ren Yaoyu, whom she had just asked about.

Ren Yaoyu was berating someone. Ren Yaoqi also heard a low, soft female voice, but that person’s voice was too quiet to make out what she was saying.

Ren Yaoqi frowned, wondering whether to avoid the situation, when Ren Yaoting, who had been about to catch butterflies, also heard the commotion: “Eh? Is that Eighth Sister’s voice? Who is she talking to?”

Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to say something, Ren Yaoting grabbed her hand, eyes showing curiosity: “Come on, let’s go see!” Without giving her a choice, she pulled Ren Yaoqi along.

Ren Yaoqi had been speculating about what was happening over there and nearly stumbled when dragged.

However, Ren Yaoqi didn’t need to walk many more steps before two people emerged from ahead.

It was Ren Yaoyu and the Fifth Branch’s newly entered concubine, Concubine Kang. It was said that Concubine Kang had now been officially recognized by the Ren family, and in a few days, Fifth Master Ren would host several tables to give Concubine Kang a proper ceremony.

“Still dreaming of entering my family’s door – don’t even think about it! My mother will never agree!” Ren Yaoyu roared like a small beast.

Concubine Kang seemed to glance in their direction, not knowing whether she had noticed Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting. She spoke in a very gentle tone: “Eighth Miss, this concubine is just a lowly concubine who cannot appear in public. Even without your instruction, this concubine understands her position. Why must you come to scold this concubine every day? Eighth Miss, if you dislike this concubine, this concubine will try to appear less often before you. However, this concubine still hopes that in the future, Eighth Miss can like the child in this concubine’s belly.”

When she mentioned the child, for some reason it made Ren Yaoyu even more furious: “I don’t want to like your child! What is he anyway! Just a bastard!”

Upon hearing this, Concubine Kang seemed to freeze, then said with a trembling voice: “Eighth Miss, how can you say such a thing? You—”

“I insist on saying it! Bastard! Bastard! Bastard! He shouldn’t exist in this world!” Ren Yaoyu spoke without thinking. These words – no one knew where she had learned them. No respectable family would teach their daughters to speak this way.

This Ren Yaoyu was…

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel the urge to cover her face.

Sure enough, Concubine Kang couldn’t bear it and began to cry. The maids and servants attending her hurried forward to console her.

Seeing this, Ren Yaoyu snorted with satisfaction, walked around her, and came out.

When Ren Yaoyu emerged and saw Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting, she was first startled, as if she hadn’t expected them to be there. Then, completely unconcerned, she nodded and walked straight away, leaving behind only the sobbing Concubine Kang.

The servants and maids around Concubine Kang also noticed Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoting and hurriedly consoled Concubine Kang. Concubine Kang looked up toward them, barely stopping her tears. She took out her handkerchief to wipe her face, then curtsied toward them before leading her people back.

After everyone had gone far away and the drama was over, Ren Yaoting smiled at Ren Yaoqi: “Eighth Sister has an even worse temper than I. If I spoke to my family’s concubines like that, my mother would be the first to scold me. Never mind, let’s go catch butterflies.”

Ren Yaoqi went butterfly catching with the still-enthusiastic Ren Yaoting, but Ren Yaoting’s interest came quickly and left just as fast. Perhaps her stamina couldn’t keep up, because soon she was panting and said she didn’t want to play anymore.

Ren Yaoqi instructed her maids to release the few butterflies that Ren Yaoting had caught.

Ren Yaoting didn’t object either. She had only been catching butterflies for fun, not because she wanted to keep them.

After paying respects at Ronghua Garden with Ren Yaoting, Ren Yaoting returned to her East Residence, agreeing to come back in a couple of days to do needlework together with Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi saw off Ren Yaoting and also took her leave from Ronghua Garden.

On the way back to Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaoqi noticed that her maid, Pingguo, seemed to want to say something several times but held back.

She remained calm and composed until she returned to Ziwei Courtyard, dismissed everyone else, and called Pingguo to question her.

For some reason, Pingguo seemed hesitant.

Ren Yaoqi comforted her: “Whatever you want to say, just say it. It’s fine.”

Only then did Pingguo speak: “Miss, this servant finds that Concubine Kang somewhat strange.”

This made Ren Yaoqi’s heart stir: “Oh? Strange in what way?”

Pingguo thought for a moment, then said quietly: “Earlier, didn’t you encounter Eighth Miss scolding Concubine Kang?”

Ren Yaoqi nodded, and Pingguo continued: “After this servant went to invite Third Miss and Fourth Miss and was returning, I happened to see Eighth Miss and Concubine Kang. At the time, to hurry back, this servant took a small path, so they didn’t see me. This servant saw that when Eighth Miss first encountered Concubine Kang, although Eighth Miss’s expression wasn’t pleasant, she still seemed like she didn’t want to pay attention to her. Then, Concubine Kang said something, and Eighth Miss suddenly became furious, pointing at Concubine Kang and scolding her. This servant stood in the shadows watching for a while and discovered that Concubine Kang said very little – only a few sentences – but each sentence made Eighth Miss even angrier. Later, this servant was afraid of being discovered, so I quietly left, and Concubine Kang and Eighth Miss also came in this direction.”