“This… this wasn’t done by our Yu’er!” Fifth Madam’s eyes widened as she looked up.

Old Madam Ren’s eyes showed obvious disappointment: “Whether she did it or not, she has already admitted it. What are you still defending her for?”

“Grandmother, it wasn’t me!” Ren Yaoyu’s face was covered in tears as she said pitifully.

Old Madam Ren didn’t even look at her and instructed Nanny Gui with a stern face: “Lock Eighth Miss in the ancestral hall. At such a young age to be so disrespectful to elders and have such malicious thoughts – this is intolerable!”

Fifth Madam was so frightened that she immediately knelt and pleaded, “Mother, it’s so cold outside, and there isn’t even a heating stove in the ancestral hall. What if Yu’er gets sick from the cold?”

“I’m having her reflect on her mistakes! Not having her enjoy herself!” Old Madam Ren remained unmoved.

Fifth Madam wiped her tears: “Mother, last time when Yu’er was ill, my grandmother was so worried she couldn’t eat or sleep, and finally personally sent her nanny to check on her before she felt at ease. This daughter-in-law doesn’t mind her suffering physically, but I don’t want the elders to worry.”

Fifth Madam’s grandmother was Old Madam Ren’s aunt, and every time Fifth Madam brought up this grandmother, it would have some effect.

Sure enough, although Old Madam Ren’s expression remained unpleasant, she frowned and said nothing.

Seeing this, Ren Yaohua’s lips curved in a sarcastic, cold smile, and she was about to speak.

Standing beside her, Ren Yaoqi quickly pulled at her clothes from behind.

Ren Yaohua angrily turned her head, and Ren Yaoqi made eye contact with her, signaling her to remain calm.

Originally, Ren Yaohua didn’t want to pay attention to her, but then she heard Eldest Madam suddenly speak gently: “Fifth Sister-in-law, those words are inappropriate. Old Madam Lin’s love for her great-granddaughter is well known to everyone, but our Old Madam has always been extremely loving toward the younger generation. Today’s punishment of Yu’er is merely out of an elder’s earnest hope for the younger generation to succeed, not intentional harassment.”

Old Madam Ren’s expression improved somewhat: “Eldest daughter-in-law still has a clear head.”

Fifth Madam glanced at Eldest Madam. Although Eldest Madam was nominally in charge of the Ren household, with Old Madam’s favor, she also controlled several real powers in the household. Eldest Madam had a good temperament and always yielded to her when possible, usually playing the role of peacemaker in any situation.

But today, for some reason, she hadn’t helped speak for her.

Just as Fifth Madam was pondering this, Eldest Madam had already quickly walked to her side and quietly advised: “Old Madam is currently angry. You should yield for now. If you want to plead for her, you should wait until her anger subsides; otherwise, wouldn’t that be counterproductive?”

Although she spoke quietly, people around could still hear her. She had publicly advised Fifth Madam, seemingly favoring her, while not making Old Madam dislike her behavior.

Fifth Madam knew her words made sense and reluctantly held back, thinking she’d find another way later.

Nanny Gui had the maids help the tearful Ren Yaoyu out.

Because Old Madam Ren was in a bad mood, everyone temporarily withdrew.

When Ren Yaoqi returned to Ziwei Courtyard with her maids, she saw Ren Yaohua standing under the eaves of the east wing, seeming to look in her direction, or perhaps admiring the hanging icicles on the pomegranate tree in front of the door.

Ren Yaoqi paused, then instead of walking toward the corridor connecting to the west wing, she turned toward the east wing.

When she was almost beside Ren Yaohua, Ren Yaohua turned her head and looked at her coldly: “Come in.” She then turned and went into her room.

Ren Yaoqi followed her in. The two senior maids behind her exchanged glances and wanted to follow, but were blocked by Ren Yaohua’s senior maid Xiangqin.

“Did our Third Miss tell you to come in?” Xiangqin looked at them sideways with full authority.

The maids in Ziwei Courtyard all knew how formidable Third Miss was. The two maids shrank their necks and dared not say a word as they stood in the corridor.

Ren Yaohua’s room was furnished similarly to Ren Yaoqi’s, but since Ren Yaoqi rarely came here, it still felt quite unfamiliar.

Ren Yaohua walked straight to her inner room and sat on the kang. She didn’t receive Ren Yaoqi as a guest, but simply observed her with scrutinizing eyes.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t mind her gaze and seated herself on the other side of the kang table.

“Do you have people in the outer courtyard?” Ren Yaoqi knew Ren Yaohua was waiting for her explanation, but instead of addressing that matter directly, she asked an unrelated question first.

Ren Yaohua narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze sharp: “What do you mean?”

“If you don’t want others to implicate you in today’s incident, you’d better quickly send someone to investigate this suddenly appearing Liu An’s wife, and that dog from before.”

Ren Yaohua heard the implications in Ren Yaoqi’s words and frowned: “What does this matter have to do with me?”

“Currently nothing, but it might soon have everything to do with you. Someone wouldn’t want to miss this excellent opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. The birth date and time on that doll were not written by Ren Yaoyu at all.” Ren Yaoqi said unhurriedly in a soft voice.

Ren Yaohua was stunned upon hearing this. Being intelligent, after thinking it over carefully, she felt this matter was indeed somewhat suspicious.

She knew Ren Yaoyu’s personality. Making a cursing doll to disgust her was possible, but having her harm Old Madam – she didn’t have that courage, even though she often privately complained about Old Madam favoring her and Ren Yaoyin.

“Ren Yaoyu wanted to harm me, but someone tampered with the birth date and time and changed it to Grandmother’s?” Ren Yaohua reached this conclusion.

This sister of hers was indeed extremely intelligent. Ren Yaoqi smiled slightly.

“What if someone made Old Madam and Fifth Madam misunderstand that you were the one who made this alteration?”

Ren Yaohua’s pupils contracted as she turned to stare at Ren Yaoqi.

“With Fifth Madam’s temperament, our Ziwei Courtyard probably won’t have good days ahead.” Ren Yaoqi sighed.

Fifth Madam Lin Shi would eat anything except losses.

“Wujing!” Ren Yaohua called loudly for her senior maid.

A girl about Ren Yaohua’s age walked in: “What are Miss’s instructions?”

Ren Yaohua asked: “Have you contacted Ying’er and Zhu’er?”

Ying’er and Zhu’er had originally been two senior maids serving their mother. When Ren Yaohua and Li Shi went to the estate, Concubine Fang had found ways to marry them off to servants in the outer courtyard.

Wujing nodded: “This servant went to find them the day before yesterday. They were very happy to learn that Madam and Miss had returned.”

Ren Yaohua nodded and was about to give instructions when Ren Yaoqi suddenly interrupted: “Are there no other available people besides them?”

Ren Yaohua frowned: “They’ve been in Ziwei Courtyard for many years and are Mother’s trusted confidants.”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t refute this, only said lightly: “Yes, everyone knows they’re from Ziwei Courtyard, so it’s inconvenient to use them casually. Choose someone else instead. Better to be cautious.”

Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi for a while before saying to Wujing, “When you entered the household, didn’t you acknowledge a godmother? I remember you mentioning last time that she works at the tea service in the outer courtyard?”

Wujing quickly nodded: “Yes, Miss. The year before last, when her son was ill, she asked me and Xiangqin to lend her some silver. In the end, it was Nanny Zhou who pleaded with Madam to gather the money.”

“Go find her to inquire about some matters.” Ren Yaohua gave Wujing detailed instructions.

After she finished, Ren Yaoqi added a few more points, finally saying: “I want to know the news before noon. Go now.”

After Wujing noted everything down, she hurried off.

Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua had nothing else to discuss, so they went to Li Shi’s room together.

Seeing the two of them come together, Li Shi and Nanny Zhou were very happy. The two didn’t say much, just chatted casually with Li Shi.

Wujing returned before lunch was served at Ziwei Courtyard. Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua called her to the east side room to question her.

“Miss, that Liu An’s wife was originally responsible for tea service at the outer courtyard’s affairs office. My godmother happens to know her. Fifth Miss guessed correctly – she truly has some connection to our Ziwei Courtyard. And not just her, even the owner of that big wolfdog is related to us!”