Many famous women in this world have become renowned for their beauty, talent, or various chance circumstances. The “Hairpin Flower Lady” Liu Suyi that Ren Yaoqi mentioned was one of them.
Liu Suyi had originally been an ordinary boudoir woman whose duties were supporting her husband, educating children, and managing the inner courtyard. Her father was Liu Xian, a Ministry of Revenue clerk, and she had married the grandson of an old imperial censor.
One day, the old imperial censor was implicated in an examination fraud case and was dismissed from office with his property confiscated. Liu Suyi suffered punishment along with her husband’s family. Originally, Liu Suyi could have taken her husband to seek support from her natal family, but unfortunately, her birth mother had already passed away, and her father had remarried. As the saying goes, “With a stepmother comes a stepfather”—this phrase was often correct, and Liu Suyi had deep experience of this truth.
In the end, Liu Suyi could only follow her proud scholar husband to rent a dilapidated courtyard in an old alley of the capital, living in poverty. To make matters worse, when it rains it pours—the scholar fell ill after a series of setbacks, and the couple had no money left, not even enough silver to see a doctor.
Watching her husband about to succumb to illness, she wanted to die and be done with it. But unexpectedly, a turning point appeared.
It turned out that Liu Suyi had been practicing calligraphy since age three. Though she had no other talents, she could copy the small, regular script with hairpin flowers of the previous dynasty’s Lady Li so perfectly that it could pass for authentic. Originally this was just a hobby to pass time, but one day her copied writing was seen by the wife of a calligraphy and painting shop owner next door, who thought the piece was a genuine work by Lady Li. Upon learning it was a reproduction, she suggested Liu Suyi put her calligraphy in their shop on consignment to earn some silver to supplement household expenses.
Originally, Liu Suyi would never have agreed—after all, as a woman, having her handwriting circulated outside would inevitably taint her reputation if discovered by those with ulterior motives. But seeing her husband unable even to afford medical treatment, she had no choice but to bow for five pecks of rice and put her writing in the calligraphy shop on consignment.
Unexpectedly, within a few days, someone came to buy it, offering one hundred taels of gold.
The calligraphy sold for a high price, the family’s living conditions improved, and Liu Suyi’s husband’s illness was cured. Coincidentally, not long after, the old imperial censor’s case was overturned, and the confiscated family wealth was returned. The scholar then thought of his wife’s piece of calligraphy still circulating outside and tried to find ways to buy it back.
Whether that piece of calligraphy was eventually recovered is unknown, but Liu Suyi’s reputation as a talented woman spread. It happened that Empress Dowager Yan, who had only recently entered the imperial harem, for unknown reasons, was willing to promote Liu Suyi and even bestowed upon her the title “Hairpin Flower Lady,” so Liu Suyi’s fame spread because of this.
Speaking of it, though Liu Suyi’s natal family couldn’t be considered a particularly illustrious clan, because they produced a talented woman praised by the Empress Dowager, they received attention from the world. As for Fang Yacun’s wife, Madam Liu, if one traced the genealogy carefully, she did have some distant kinship with Liu Suyi, though the blood relation was already too far—at best, they could say their families were one over two hundred years ago.
But Ren Yaoqi deliberately brought up this “Hairpin Flower Lady” at this moment, naturally with her purpose.
The Empress Dowager had been willing to promote this talented woman from the Liu family back then because the Liu family’s main line belonged to the Empress Dowager’s faction—even that old imperial censor had been a sacrifice in the struggle between Noble Consort Wan and Empress Dowager Yan.
Now the relationship between the capital and Yanbei appeared very stable, but was actually in a delicate state of balance. Prince Yanbei’s manor wouldn’t like the emperor’s or Empress Dowager’s people interfering. So Ren Yaoqi deliberately connected Madam Liu with the Liu family of the capital.
Ren Yaoqi wasn’t afraid of Princess Consort Yanbei investigating and exposing her—originally, Madam Liu and the capital’s Liu family only shared a surname. But in these times, when people sought connections, relatives were all claimed through such connections. If Madam Liu’s relationship with the Liu family were too obvious, she wouldn’t dare come to Yanbei. But if people wanted to claim kinship, they could manage it.
This method wasn’t particularly clever, but simple methods weren’t necessarily useless.
Ren Yaoqi smiled: “So the Princess Consort has also heard of this lady? I only learned of her when I heard Madam Fang mention her a few times to my grandmother last time.”
Princess Consort Yanbei smiled thoughtfully and lowered her head to drink tea.
Ren Yaoqi knew when to stop and didn’t mention Madam Fang’s affairs further, instead continuing to discuss Qin playing with Xiao Jinglin.
After sitting for a while longer, Ren Yaoqi rose to take her leave.
Xiao Jinglin arranged with Ren Yaoqi the time to fetch her tomorrow, then informed the Princess Consort and personally saw her out.
Since she had come in Prince Yanbei Manor’s carriage, but Ren Shijia was thoughtful and worried Ren Yaoqi’s return might be inconvenient, after Ren Yaoqi left, she sent the manor’s carriage to follow and wait. So Ren Yaoqi boarded her own family’s carriage.
When the carriage stopped halfway, Ren Yaoqi found it somewhat strange.
She glanced at Pingguo, who was about to lift the curtain to see what was happening, when they heard a calm, gentle voice from outside: “Is Fifth Miss Ren sitting in the carriage?”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi frowned. Pingguo, who had glanced out through the curtain, quickly reported: “Miss, it’s Young Master Han.”
Without Pingguo’s reminder, Ren Yaoqi had already recognized Han Yunqian’s voice.
Han Yunqian stood alone with his horse in the middle of the road, blocking the carriage’s path.
Ren Yaoqi didn’t speak. Xiangqin at her side cleverly replied: “Indeed, this is our miss’s carriage. We apologize, Young Master Han, for blocking your way.”
As the head maid by Ren Yaohua’s side, Xiangqin was never one to be bullied. After saying this, she glanced at Ren Yaoqi and saw her sitting there with a cold expression, showing no intention of speaking. With some confidence, she directly instructed the carriage driver outside: “Why don’t you move the carriage aside to let people pass first? Don’t block Young Master Han’s way.”
The carriage driver was quite innocent—even if her skills were better, the road was only so wide. Moreover, even if she moved aside, if the horse didn’t budge, there was nothing she could do! So she could only look helplessly at the young master who had suddenly appeared to block the road.
Han Yunqian looked at the carriage before him, his gaze dark and calm, his gentle face showing no emotion.
However, the standoff didn’t last long. Han Yunqian tightened the reins in his hands and controlled his horse to make way for half the road.
The carriage began moving slowly again, but Han Yunqian didn’t leave. Instead, he turned his horse around and followed alongside the carriage. This didn’t attract others’ attention, as many carriages were accompanied by male relatives or guards on horseback.
“I have a few words I’d like to say to Fifth Miss.” Han Yunqian’s voice sounded beside the carriage curtain, not loud but clear enough for Ren Yaoqi to hear.
Ren Yaoqi still didn’t respond.
Han Yunqian waited for a moment, and hearing no sound, finally said: “I wonder if Fifth Miss has found that missing old woman from her household?”
Regarding Han Yunqian’s appearance, Ren Yaoqi was prepared, but for some reason, she felt somewhat weary. So her lack of response wasn’t due to deliberately ignoring him out of prejudice to embarrass him, but because she didn’t know what she and Han Yunqian had to discuss.
One side had returned for revenge, the other was inexplicably implicated. Neither could look favorably upon the other—why not simply take different routes when they met, out of sight, out of mind?
“Young Master Han is quite well-informed. Thank you for your concern. I’ve been staying at my aunt’s house in Yunyang City and am not clear about what’s happened at home.” Ren Yaoqi said coolly.
Han Yunqian didn’t get angry upon hearing this: “I came to find you with no other intent, only because I find Fifth Miss’s extraordinary intelligence truly admirable.” After a pause, he continued, “But no matter how clever Fifth Miss may be, you are ultimately just a woman. Many things cannot be taken for granted. Han hopes Fifth Miss will consider carefully before doing anything.”
Ren Yaoqi smiled, her expression remaining calm: “Is Young Master Han warning me of something?”
An almost inaudible sigh escaped from Han Yunqian’s lips, so light it could be ignored: “Han has no such intent.”
Ren Yaoqi closed her eyes and leaned against the carriage wall to rest, refusing to speak further.
Seeing this, Xiangqin shouted outside: “What’s going on? Why so slow? Hurry up and drive faster! We’re sitting in a carriage here—even someone riding a turtle could probably keep up with us.”
Xiangqin had just been speaking casually, but after finishing realized there was a problem with her words and couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. She hadn’t meant to be so harsh as to insult the young master to his face!
The carriage driver outside was frightened by her scolding and had no way to express her grievances. She cracked her whip harder, and the carriage suddenly sped up.
Han Yunqian didn’t follow at increased speed but quietly watched Ren Yaoqi’s carriage disappear in the distance, raising a cloud of dust. He stood in place for a long time before turning his horse around to leave.
As soon as Han Yunqian returned to the Han family’s separate residence in Yunyang City, he was summoned to the study by Old Master Han.
Upon seeing his grandson, Han Dongshan immediately frowned: “What have you been busy with lately? You’re nowhere to be found even after coming to Yunyang City!”
Han Yunqian paused and lowered his head: “Visiting some classmate friends. Does Grandfather have any instructions for grandson?”
Han Dongshan’s scrutinizing gaze didn’t leave Han Yunqian, but Han Yunqian’s expression remained unchanged, maintaining his usual appearance of humbly receiving instruction.
After a long while, Han Dongshan finally looked away: “I heard you’ve been looking for someone recently?”
The people Han Yunqian had sent to find Old Woman Luo were all his trusted subordinates, but somehow, news of his search had reached Han Dongshan. He showed no surprise, only lowered his head and replied: “A friend asked me to help with a favor. It’s just a small matter—Grandfather needn’t worry about it.”
Han Dongshan looked at his grandson for a moment, then said gently: “I won’t interfere with those small matters. But you are also a descendant of my Zhai family. Many things still require more attention—you must distinguish between primary and secondary, important and trivial.”
Han Yunqian quietly acknowledged with a “yes.”
“Recently, everything seems to be going wrong.” Han Dongshan turned to sit back in his chair, reaching up to massage his temples. “It’s as if some force is secretly opposing our Han family from the shadows.”
Han Yunqian was silent for a moment: “Perhaps the Lei family has become alert.”
Han Dongshan thought for a moment and laughed coldly: “Perhaps. This Lei Ting is young, but he does have some ability.”