After hearing Pingguo’s words, Ren Yaoqi pondered for a moment: “You’re saying that Concubine Kang was deliberately provoking Eighth Sister?”

“This… this servant cannot judge for certain… this servant just feels that if Concubine Kang had said nothing at all, today’s conflict might have been avoided.” Pingguo lowered her head.

Ren Yaoqi nodded, half-turning to lean sideways against the kang table without speaking, lost in thought.

It was Pingguo who broke the silence, murmuring somewhat puzzledly: “Miss, what do you think her purpose is? She’s still pregnant. What if she angered Eighth Miss, and Eighth Miss resorted to violence? Concubine Kang at most only has two maids with her each time, and none of them dare step forward to intervene—”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi blinked and smiled at Pingguo. Just as she was about to say something, someone gently knocked on the door outside.

Seeing Ren Yaoqi nod, Pingguo quickly went out to open the door, returning shortly to say: “Miss, it’s Sister Xiangqin from Third Miss’s side. Third Miss asks if you’re free now – she’s waiting for you in the main room.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded and slowly rose from the kang: “Let’s go to the main room.” Pingguo hurried forward to crouch down and help Ren Yaoqi put on her shoes.

When Ren Yaoqi reached the main room, Ren Yaohua was sitting alone in the eastern side room, drinking tea.

Seeing Ren Yaoqi enter, Ren Yaohua looked up slightly: “When you were looking for me earlier, was there nothing important?”

Ren Yaohua was asking about the earlier incident when Ren Yaoqi had Pingguo find her to catch butterflies.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head and sat down beside Ren Yaohua: “Nothing important. Seventh Sister just had a sudden whim to catch butterflies for fun, so I asked if you and Fourth Sister wanted to come along.”

Ren Yaohua glanced sideways at Ren Yaoqi and snorted lightly: “You wanted me to come listen to you speak ill of me?”

She was remembering the joke Ren Yaoqi had made last time. Ren Yaoqi just smiled without speaking, deflecting by instructing Xiangqin, who was standing nearby, to bring her tea.

Ren Yaohua glanced at her: “I don’t like her. In the future, you don’t need to call me for such things.”

After refusing earlier, she had wondered if Ren Yaoqi was using that as an excuse to find her for something important. Seeing that Ren Yaoqi had returned, she came to ask.

Ren Yaoqi helplessly agreed, then told her about the conflict between Concubine Kang and Ren Yaoyu.

Unexpectedly, Ren Yaohua didn’t seem surprised at all: “When Eighth Sister first returned from the Lin family, she was still alright, but later that temper of hers gradually showed itself again. Now she can’t feel comfortable without scolding Concubine Kang a few times whenever she sees her.”

When Ren Yaoyu was at her maternal grandmother’s house, she should have received someone’s warning not to have confrontations with Concubine Kang. Ren Yaoyu had initially tried hard to restrain herself, but she was ultimately someone who couldn’t hold back her nature.

Ren Yaoqi also told Ren Yaohua what Pingguo had observed. Upon hearing this, Ren Yaohua’s brow furrowed: “If that’s the case, what exactly does this Concubine Kang want to do?”

Xiangqin entered, followed by a small maid carrying a red lacquered, carved circular tray with two small covered bowls on it.

“Fifth Miss, Madam had someone prepare almond milk for you and Third Miss. Should this servant serve your tea later?” Xiangqin lifted the covered bowls from the tray, gently placing them on the kang table between Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, smiling as she spoke.

Ren Yaoqi lifted the bowl cover, and the rich, pure fragrance of almonds and flowers wafted out. She couldn’t help but lean in slightly to smell it, then smiled with curved brows: “Mm, I love almond milk the most.”

Xiangqin covered her mouth and laughed. Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi with slight disdain and slowly lifted the cover of her bowl.

After the small maid carrying the tray withdrew, Ren Yaoqi picked up the appropriately warm almond milk and took a small sip, her expression relaxing: “Concubine Kang seems to be deliberately trying to provoke Eighth Sister.”

Ren Yaohua’s hand paused, putting the bowl she had brought to her lips back down: “What benefit would this have for her?”

Just as Pingguo had said earlier, Concubine Kang was still pregnant, and the fetus wasn’t even three months old yet. She did not need to provoke the impulsive Ren Yaoyu at this time.

Ren Yaoqi also put down her bowl – perhaps she really was thirsty, as she had drunk most of the almond milk.

“I can’t be certain yet what specific goal she wants to achieve, but she should be planning to target Eighth Sister.” Ren Yaoqi said casually.

Ren Yaoqi still had some suspicions, such as that Concubine Kang might not care that much about the child in her belly.

But this thought was truly bewildering. When Concubine Kang had just arrived, she had suspected whether Concubine Kang was pregnant due to the timing being too coincidental.

Only later did she learn that shortly after Concubine Kang entered the Ren family, Old Madam had called several familiar midwives to examine her. The results showed that Concubine Kang was truly pregnant, and the timing roughly matched when she had encountered Ren Shimao.

Since Concubine Kang’s pregnancy was real, how could she not care about her child? If it were merely to help Concubine Fang, the price Concubine Kang was paying seemed too high. What benefit had Concubine Fang given her?

Because Ren Yaoqi couldn’t figure out these connections, she didn’t discuss them specifically with Ren Yaohua.

But she could sense that Concubine Kang wanted to target the impulsive Ren Yaoyu.

Ren Yaoqi slowly finished the almond milk in her bowl, while Ren Yaohua sat there with deeply furrowed brows, pondering this matter. The worry and gravity in her eyes on her somewhat youthful face made her appear much more mature than other children her age.

Looking at Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaoqi shook her head and sighed inwardly, deliberately interrupting: “Third Sister, aren’t you going to drink yours?”

Ren Yaoqi smiled and pointed at Ren Yaohua’s untouched bowl of almond milk, looking like she still wanted more.

Xiangqin covered her mouth and giggled quietly.

Ren Yaohua came back to her senses and looked at Ren Yaoqi. Seeing her expression, she immediately guessed that she was being greedy. She glared at Ren Yaoqi and, under Ren Yaoqi’s disappointed gaze, picked up her bowl and took two sips. The smooth, sweet flavor filled her mouth, considerably improving her mood.

Ren Yaoqi deliberately showed a disappointed expression, complaining quietly: “I thought you didn’t want to drink it and was going to help you finish it.”

Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi: “Thank you for the kind thought! No need to trouble yourself!”

Ren Yaohua finished her almond milk. Xiangqin collected both bowls and quietly withdrew.

“What do you plan to do?” After thinking it over, Ren Yaohua still asked, seemingly forgetting the unpleasantness between them last time.

This time, Ren Yaoqi also thought before answering: “We can’t confront Concubine Fang’s side directly right now.” Seeing Ren Yaohua about to speak, Ren Yaoqi quickly continued, “It’s not that I’m afraid of her. I’ve learned that Concubine Fang’s brother’s wife will come to Yanbei soon to attend Little Cen’s full moon celebration. By then, there will probably be other things that catch us off guard. So for now, it’s better to maintain this situation where the enemy is in the open and we’re in the shadows.”

“The Fang family will have Fang Yacun’s wife come?” Ren Yaohua was startled and asked.

Ren Yaoqi nodded and said thoughtfully: “Although Fang Yacun’s official position isn’t high, he’s someone good at networking and handles affairs reliably, so he’s highly valued by his superiors. You know the Fang family’s situation – now Fang Yacun probably supports the Fang family’s reputation… Although Old Madam Fang is our grandmother’s biological sister, given Grandfather’s personality, he would never fall out with Fang Yacun. So our real troubles are still ahead.”

Ren Yaohua listened quietly without contradicting Ren Yaoqi’s words, though a small line appeared between her brows.

Seeing Ren Yaohua’s expression, Ren Yaoqi knew she must feel very frustrated inside, so she added: “However… just because we won’t act ourselves doesn’t mean we’ll stand by and watch the enemy’s schemes succeed.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaohua immediately looked up, and though she didn’t urgently ask questions, she wanted to hear more.

Ren Yaoqi beckoned to Ren Yaohua, who hesitated before moving closer.

The two sisters whispered across the kang table. After listening, Ren Yaohua couldn’t help but be stunned. After thinking it over, she frowned and asked Ren Yaoqi: “Would this work?”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t make any guarantees, only smiling: “Whether it works or not, we’ll know by trying. No scheme can guarantee success. Moreover, what I just told you is merely based on my guesses.”

Rather than getting angry, Ren Yaohua thought for a moment before saying: “Mm, you’re right. Nothing can guarantee success in any endeavor – we do our best and leave the rest to fate. If it doesn’t work, we’ll confront them directly. I’m not afraid of her anyway, regardless of what the Fang family, Yuan family, or Bian family stands behind her!” Though Ren Yaohua’s words still carried some fighting spirit at the end, they subtly contained a comforting meaning.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile gently.

A few days later, Second Madam Su from the East Residence came with Ren Yaoting.

With less than ten days until the Dragon Boat Festival, Su Shi came to deliver invitations from the Su family to the West Residence.

Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, Yunyang City prepared dragon boat races, with the Su family as the initiator and organizer of these events.

Therefore, every year as the Dragon Boat Festival approached, the Su family would send invitations to prominent families in Yunyang City and surrounding towns.

Usually, invitations to places outside Yunyang City were sent out in early May, but because of Su Shi’s connection, the Ren family could receive theirs in April.

When Su Shi arrived, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua happened to be at Ronghua Garden.

Since the County Princess’s visit to the Ren family last time, Ren Yaoqi was often called over by Old Madam Ren to talk, and her visits to Ronghua Garden had noticeably increased. Ren Yaoqi always appeared docile and obedient, coming whenever summoned. However, unlike Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, Ren Yaoqi rarely spoke in front of Old Madam Ren and didn’t try to please her. She would only answer when asked, appearing somewhat wooden and timid.

Therefore, although Old Madam Ren would remember to include her in everything and her attitude toward her had become much more amiable, it was still different from her treatment of Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin, who had grown up by her side.

Because of this, her sudden “favor” didn’t concern First Madam or Fifth Madam, and Ren Yaoyin’s attitude toward her remained as friendly as ever, saving her considerable worry.