Ren Yaoqi was wondering with an odd expression whether she should retreat to the main hall when Li Qian turned around and saw her.

Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly and stepped forward to greet him.

Upon seeing her, Li Qian’s expression softened somewhat. Standing there with his hands behind his back, he asked her a few questions, displaying the demeanor of an amiable and scholarly elder.

Just as he was asking whether her mother was in good health, Chuchu came out from the main hall, walked over, and respectfully said: “Master, the mistress requests your presence inside.”

Ren Yaoqi watched as her grandfather’s eye corner twitched rapidly. After a pause, he asked with a composed expression: “What does Rong Shi want with me? I have an appointment to play chess this afternoon and was just about to go out. If it’s nothing urgent, we can discuss it when I return.”

Chuchu stood with her head lowered in respectful silence, saying nothing.

At that moment, the curtain was lifted again, and Rong Shi emerged. Standing at the doorway, she looked at the several people and smiled gently. Her soft gaze first fell on Ren Yaoqi: “Qi’er, go rest in the side room for a while. I’ve already instructed Chuchu to change the bedding.”

Because Ren Yaoqi had matters on her mind, she hadn’t slept well the previous night. Today, she had also traveled by carriage, and when speaking with Rong Shi earlier, she had appeared somewhat weary, which was why Rong Shi suggested she rest.

Ren Yaoqi responded and was about to withdraw when Rong Shi had already shifted her gaze to Li Qian, her smile remaining gentle: “I heard Master plans to go out this afternoon?”

Li Qian glanced at Rong Shi, then looked up at the sky, pondering: “Originally had that intention, but looking at the sky, it might rain later. Never mind, I won’t go today. I’ll go back and rest instead.”

With that, he led the way toward the main hall. As he reached Rong Shi’s side, he said quietly, “Rong Shi, you come in too.”

Rong Shi obediently bowed in response, lowered her head, and followed Li Qian into the main hall.

Watching their retreating figures, Ren Yaoqi looked up at the crystal-clear blue sky, and her mouth twitched. She quickly left this place of disputes.

“Miss, Xiasheng has returned,” Yihong emerged from the side gate, and seeing Ren Yaoqi standing under the eaves, immediately reported.

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, then said to Chuchu, who was accompanying her to the side room: “I’ll go to the back courtyard first.”

Chuchu kept her eyes lowered and said nothing more, simply acknowledging and withdrawing.

Ren Yaoqi went to the back courtyard again, this time to see Xiasheng. After hearing that the Liu family had arrived, she had borrowed Xiasheng from Rong Shi to send him to the Lei family to gather information. Now that Xiasheng had returned, it meant the situation there had erupted. Ren Yaoqi also wanted to know the outcome.

Xiasheng stood in the back courtyard. Seeing Ren Yaoqi approach, he quickly climbed the steps and bowed from two or three steps away, then recounted what had just occurred at the Lei family.

Listening to this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile, and her heart felt temporarily at ease.

“Xiangqin, take those nannies from the Lin family back and tell my aunt that my maternal grandmother wants me to stay here for a few more days,” Ren Yaoqi turned to instruct Xiangqin.

With the Lei family situation still unfolding, returning to the Lin family would make it difficult for Ren Yaoqi to keep constant watch on developments there. It would be better to stay in Baoping Alley for a few more days to observe. In case of any unexpected situations, she could respond promptly.

It was rare for her to visit Yunyang City, so staying at her maternal grandfather’s house for a few days was only natural. Ren Shijia currently doted on her and wouldn’t refuse such a small request.

Xiangqin quickly acknowledged and withdrew.

Ren Yaoqi then instructed Xiasheng: “Continue having people watch that side. Report back immediately if there’s any news.”

Xiasheng didn’t say much more, bowed his head in acknowledgment, then remembered: “Young Miss, this servant saw Dongsheng at the Lei family earlier.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded without saying much. Dongsheng must have gone there on Xiao Jingxi’s orders.

Seeing she had no other instructions, Xiasheng withdrew.

Ren Yaoqi returned to the front courtyard and went to the side room Rong Shi had prepared for her.

Rong Shi was very tolerant of her. Regarding her use of Xiasheng and others, she didn’t inquire, simply turning a blind eye.

Xiangqin returned in the afternoon. Ren Shijia’s side indeed had no objections, only telling her to send word when she planned to return so they could send people and a carriage to fetch her.

News from Xiasheng’s side came in the evening. With the Liu family causing such a disturbance, Madam Lei indeed couldn’t be buried that day. The Liu family had filed a complaint with the Yanzhou Prefecture Court, and the Lei family head was invited to the courthouse. Subsequently, the Lei family and Madam Lei’s coffin were placed under official supervision.

Ren Yaoqi was no longer afraid of the Han family making any moves now. As long as the Yanbei Prince’s mansion didn’t interfere, the Han family wouldn’t have the courage or ability to extend their claws into Yanzhou Prefecture Court. Moreover, Xiao Jingxi had already promised to send people to watch.

Although Xiao Jingxi claimed he wouldn’t interfere personally, his actions favored her. Ren Yaoqi was aware of this but couldn’t fathom his intentions. Since the situation benefited her, she remained composed.

Regardless of whether Xiao Jingxi had any ulterior motives, Ren Yaoqi was grateful to him.

At dinner, Ren Yaoqi again dined with Li Qian and Rong Shi. However, her uncle Li Tianyou didn’t return for the meal.

Regarding Ren Yaoqi’s request to stay a few more days, both Rong Shi and Li Qian expressed their welcome. However, after dinner, when Ren Yaoqi was accompanying Rong Shi for tea and conversation, Rong Shi asked her: “Qi’er, are these things you’re doing related to the Han family?”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, then slowly shook her head: “I… just want my family to be safe.”

Rong Shi looked at her for a while, then sighed and reached out to stroke her head, saying nothing more.

Ren Yaoqi looked up and smiled at her, grasping the hand she had moved from her head, then said earnestly: “Maternal Grandmother, please don’t worry. Qi’er knows her limits. Qi’er also understands the difficulties of the Xian Prince’s mansion and would never act recklessly.”

When using people from the Xian Prince’s mansion, Ren Yaoqi always remained within the boundaries of what the mansion could tolerate, never putting her maternal grandfather’s family in jeopardy for the Ren family’s affairs. This was also why Rong Shi didn’t question her use of the mansion’s people.

Rong Shi’s expression was somewhat complex as she looked at her: “You child…” Her expression grew somewhat dim, “These years have been hard on you and your mother, and your maternal grandmother knows it all. Your maternal grandmother knows you’re a sensible, good child. If there’s anything inconvenient for you to do yourself, just instruct Xiasheng. Your maternal grandmother can’t do much more for you three.”

“Maternal Grandmother, I understand, and Mother understands too,” Ren Yaoqi said with bright eyes, looking at Rong Shi, smiling.

Perhaps in her previous life, when she was young, she had resented her maternal grandfather’s family, but now she wouldn’t. And her mother, despite falling from the status of a county princess to become a merchant’s wife and being oppressed to this extent, had never harbored resentment against her natal family. The surname Li had always been her pride from beginning to end.

Rong Shi looked at Ren Yaoqi with a somewhat dazed expression, then suddenly her eyes reddened.

At that moment, Li Qian entered and was startled to see the grandmother and granddaughter in this state, standing motionless in place.

Rong Shi composed her expression and patted Ren Yaoqi’s hand: “Go to sleep.”

Ren Yaoqi rose to take her leave. When she reached Li Qian’s side, she also curtsied. Li Qian nodded and glanced toward Rong Shi intermittently.

As Ren Yaoqi left, she saw Li Qian walking toward Rong Shi.

After leaving the room, Ren Yaoqi passed by the window and saw that the shadows cast on the window paper from the south window had become two. Rong Shi and Li Qian were sitting on the kang, with Li Qian gently holding Rong Shi in his arms, somewhat clumsily patting her back.

Ren Yaoqi could also hear his low murmurs. He must have been softly speaking words of comfort. Although she couldn’t make out what he was saying, Ren Yaoqi knew that her grandfather’s voice at this moment must be very gentle, just as it was when her grandmother spoke to him on normal days.

For some reason, Ren Yaoqi felt her heart filled with gentle warmth, perhaps with a trace of envy she hadn’t noticed.

This night passed quickly, and unexpectedly, Ren Yaoqi slept very soundly without dreams.

The next day, more news came from the Lei family. To verify the cause of Madam Lei’s death, the authorities had opened her coffin for examination.

By afternoon, the results were out. Madam Lei had died suddenly because she suffered from heart disease.

A physician who had previously taken Madam Lei’s pulse also came forward to testify. It turned out that Madam Lei had long ago discovered she often suffered from heart palpitations, but to avoid worrying her grandsons, she had asked the physician to conceal her condition and not record it in her medical records. Therefore, even the Lei brothers didn’t know their grandmother’s health was poor.

As for claims that Madam Lei was murdered or committed suicide, these were pure nonsense.

Upon hearing this news, Ren Yaoqi finally breathed a true sigh of relief. She also couldn’t help but smile slightly—this Lei Ting was indeed efficient in handling matters.

With this result, the Liu family people were initially incredulous, but with the facts before them, making a fuss was useless. If they caused too much trouble, the authorities would have them bound and beaten with wooden boards.

Fortunately, the Lei family was magnanimous and didn’t retaliate against the Liu family, even pleading for them in consideration of Madam Lei.

However, the Liu family didn’t know better. On their way back, the middle-aged woman suddenly shouted that Madam Lei was fake, not from their Liu family, and that the two Lei brothers were bastards.

This time, no one believed them anymore. After all, they had filed their complaint as Madam Lei’s maternal relatives and had even signed and verified their identities. Now that they had lost the lawsuit, they were turning their backs on their own words, and the people of Yunyang City all despised such behavior.

This was intolerable. Lei Ting, in his anger, declared he would sever all relations with the Liu family and had the Liu family people sent back to Jiangnan, never to be allowed through the Lei family’s doors again.

In the Han family’s separate residence in Yunyang City, Han Yunshan smashed his study in rage.

Only after Han Yunshan finished smashing things did Han Xianren dare to speak words of comfort: “Father, don’t be angry. There will be other opportunities.”

Upon hearing this, Han Yunshan’s anger flared even more: “The old woman from the Han family is already dead. If we didn’t succeed this time, once she’s buried and turned to dust, how can we cause trouble then? Have people point at a pile of yellow earth and say it’s fake?”

“Should we chase after the Liu family people and bring them back?” Han Xianren asked carefully.

“Hmph, do you think Lei Ting is dead?” Han Dongshan narrowed his eyes and said viciously, “Lei Ting, I underestimated him—to think I fell for his scheme!”