Ren Yaoying naturally left with Liu Shi, who didn’t treat her poorly. She was planning to take her to visit several more households, letting her show her face and mingle with the young ladies of official families and daughters of prestigious houses in Yunyang City. This was exactly what Concubine Fang and her daughter desperately wanted, so they spared no effort in helping Liu Shi. It could be said that the interests of Concubine Fang and her daughter were tied together with those of Fang Yacun and his wife – they were allies.

Not long after Ren Yaoqi returned to her courtyard, Xiangqin came back.

“How did you return so quickly?” Ren Yaoqi had previously instructed Xiangqin to continue serving Ren Yaohua, but unexpectedly, the girl had returned.

Xiangqin quickly said, “This servant was afraid the young maids might not convey messages. Once I’ve reported back, I’ll return immediately.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded, knowing Xiangqin must have something to say. She dismissed all the maids and servants around her, keeping only Pingguo by her side.

“Miss, Third Miss says her fall was rather suspicious.” Once everyone had left, Xiangqin hurriedly spoke, her face full of indignation.

Ren Yaoqi’s expression remained unreadable: “Oh? Suspicious how?”

Xiangqin poured out everything Wujing had told her like spilling beans from a bag.

It turned out that after Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoying went to stay at the Ren family’s separate residence with Liu Shi, Ren Yaohua kept close watch on Liu Shi’s movements and even arranged people in her and Ren Yaoying’s courtyards.

The night before last, Liu Shi had called Ren Yaoying over very late to talk. Ren Yaohua arranged for someone to gather information, but the person she arranged to eavesdrop was discovered by one of Liu Shi’s nannies. The eavesdropping maid was so frightened she immediately crouched down and ran away.

This naturally alarmed Liu Shi, but she didn’t immediately send people to chase the eavesdropper. As if nothing had happened, she simply gave Ren Yaoying a few instructions before letting her leave, and the night passed without incident.

Ren Yaohua thought that perhaps because Liu Shi was a guest staying at the Ren family’s separate residence, she was too embarrassed to make such a big fuss and offend the Ren family. After all, only Liu Shi and her son, plus Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoying, were staying at the separate residence. If Liu Shi had made a big show of chasing the eavesdropper, wouldn’t that be giving Ren Yaohua face? Liu Shi couldn’t possibly suspect her son or Ren Yaoying, who had been talking with her.

Having figured this out, Ren Yaohua wasn’t anxious anymore. Her nature was fearless – she didn’t mind if things became ugly with Liu Shi, since Liu Shi couldn’t find any evidence anyway.

That night passed without incident, and everyone thought the matter would be dropped.

But unexpectedly, the next morning when Ren Yaohua got up early to have breakfast, she fell at the threshold connecting the covered walkway. There was oil on the steps there, and because the lighting in that corridor threshold was dim, Ren Yaohua hadn’t seen it. Although a maid walking behind her helped steady her, she still sprained her ankle.

Later, when Ren Yaohua had people investigate who had put the oil there, the trail led to the kitchen. That walkway led to the kitchen, and oil had been delivered from outside early that morning. However, the kitchen manager swore up and down that no one from the kitchen had smeared oil there, and the women carrying the oil buckets also refused to admit it was their negligence. In the end, no matter how much they investigated, they couldn’t determine what had happened.

Xiangqin said indignantly: “How could there be such a coincidence? Nowhere else had oil, just on those steps? Who doesn’t know that our Miss always takes that shortcut when going to breakfast! When Miss sent people to investigate them, wouldn’t you know that the servant woman beside Ninth Miss came to complain, saying there had been a thief in Madam Fang’s courtyard last night. She said maybe some servant in the residence wasn’t honest and went to the kitchen to steal oil. She even said she wanted to send people to Baihe Town to ask Old Madam for more capable people to come over, to prevent household unrest.”

Ren Yaoqi could only sigh lightly upon hearing this. Ren Yaohua was still too inexperienced after all.

Xiangqin looked at Ren Yaoqi somewhat aggrievedly: “Fifth Miss, don’t you think they’re being too arrogant! Staying at our Ren family’s place, yet daring to harm our young lady! We can’t just let this slide!”

Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiangqin: “What else then? Can you catch them red-handed?”

Xiangqin pursed her lips and snorted.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head: “Others have caught you red-handed, so they’re not afraid of what trouble you might cause. This matter is ultimately Third Sister’s fault.”

Xiangqin wanted to say something, opening her mouth but not speaking. Who could blame them for being inferior in skill? Xiangqin had already cursed that troublemaking maid eight hundred times in her heart.

“I understand this matter. Go back first. Tell Third Sister to rest and recover properly, and for now, put aside matters concerning Madam Fang and Ninth Sister. Don’t think about causing them trouble either.”

Xiangqin was still unwilling, muttering: “So Third Miss’s suffering was for nothing?”

Ren Yaoqi looked at her with a half-smile: “Why compete over such petty matters? Child’s play! How promising!”

Xiangqin had been feeling somewhat dejected, but hearing these words suddenly came to her senses, her eyes brightening as she asked ingratiatingly: “Could it be that Fifth Miss has a brilliant plan?”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t speak immediately. She gazed thoughtfully, as if weighing something. After a long while, she sighed and turned her eyes, beckoning to Xiangqin.

Xiangqin eagerly approached, leaning close to Ren Yaoqi to hear her brilliant plan. She nodded as she listened, becoming increasingly excited by the end.

“Go then, but this time don’t let anyone catch you red-handed.” Ren Yaoqi waved her hand.

Xiangqin nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, Fifth Miss, rest assured. This time, Sister Wujing and I will personally supervise – there absolutely won’t be any mistakes. If anything goes wrong, Fifth Miss can punish this servant as you see fit.” Xiangqin rubbed her hands together, looking ready for action.

Ren Yaoqi found this both amusing and exasperating, and shooed her away.

Madam Fang Liu Shi was indeed a capable person. Since arriving in Yunyang City, she had hardly been idle. The Fang family had some wealth in Jiangnan, and Liu Shi was very generous in her interactions with various families in Yunyang City. Combined with her skill in conversation and social graces, quite a few families were willing to associate with her.

In the days after returning from the Lin family, Liu Shi took Ren Yaoying and her son around to various places, wanting to help her son and niece make more friends.

Young Master Fang Shuzhou was extremely busy. Whether he was willing or not to attend various tea gatherings with sons and daughters of other families, Madam Fang arranged his schedule to the brim.

On this day, Second Young Master Su Yunchen of the Su family invited many sons of prestigious families to the Su residence for a poetry gathering. Whether these young masters could compose any good poems was uncertain, but the refined reputation that came from attending poetry gatherings was real. So even young masters who couldn’t recognize a single character were passionate about such gatherings. This trend had spread from the capital and was considered quite fashionable.

Moreover, these poetry gatherings often had the presence of young ladies from prestigious families, making the young men in their prime even more enthusiastic. Although men and women weren’t together during the poetry composition, stealing glances through curtains or exchanging poems was still permitted.

Liu Shi managed to obtain an invitation to the Second Young Master Su’s gathering for Fang Shuzhou.

Fang Shuzhou’s studies were passable. Though his poetry wasn’t outstanding, he wasn’t completely hopeless either – certainly better than some dandies who were purely there to mix for reputation.

When it was Fang Shuzhou’s turn, he silently wrote a poem on paper. The themes at such gatherings were xcommon ones – today it might be plum blossoms, tomorrow chrysanthemums, the day after snowflakes, always revolving around romantic themes. Today’s theme was a peony called “Wine-Drunk Yang Guifei.”

So Fang Shuzhou had some prepared material. He had composed many such poems under his teacher’s guidance before, so this came easily to him. As he finished writing, Fang Shuzhou accidentally bumped into the maid grinding ink beside him. The little maid’s hand shook, splashing several drops of ink on him.

The maid was startled and quickly apologized in a low voice. However, everyone present today was there to cultivate refinement, and no one would do something as uncouth as scolding a maid. Though Fang Shuzhou was usually taciturn, he wasn’t completely ignorant of basic gallantry, so after frowning he let it go.

The maid whispered: “Does Young Master want to change clothes?” These young masters, like the young ladies, would keep spare clothing in their carriages when going out, to guard against such accidents.

Fang Shuzhou looked down at the unsightly ink stains on his jade-colored silk shirt, nodded, and instructed his servant to fetch clothes from the carriage. Then he let the maid lead him away.