“Twelve years old,” Ouyang Shi looked at Ren Yaoqi thoughtfully.
“If I closed my eyes and listened to you play the qin, I truly couldn’t tell. Child, you must have spent considerable time practicing diligently in your daily qin studies. While the qin technique can be achieved through constant practice, the qin intent cannot be learned the same way. I feel that your Qin intent is even more moving than your technique.”
The Princess Consort listened from the side and smiled as she said to Ren Yaoqi, “Why don’t you quickly thank Madam Xu? There aren’t many people who can earn such praise from her.”
Ren Yaoqi hurriedly thanked Ouyang Shi.
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi had received praise, Xiao Jinglin didn’t mind her earlier scolding and winked at Ren Yaoqi.
Ouyang Shi seemed to have more to say, but when the words reached her lips, she ultimately picked up the tea bowl in her hands and took a sip.
Ouyang Shi chatted with the Princess Consort for a while longer, staying at the Yanbei Prince’s Manor for half an hour before taking her leave. Seeing some fatigue in her expression, the Yanbei Princess Consort didn’t insist that she stay. However, as soon as Ouyang Shi left the Jiuyang Hall, she was invited over by the Old Princess Consort.
When Nanny Xin returned to report this to the Princess Consort, the Princess Consort thought for a moment and understood that the Old Princess Consort had likely invited Madam Xu over regarding the Thousand Gold Banquet as well. This year, the Yanbei Prince’s Manor had three young ladies participating in the Thousand Gold Banquet: Xiao Jinglin, Xiao Jingyuan, and Wu Yiyu. By rights, Princess Xiao Jinglin should take first place, but the Old Princess Consort probably hoped her great-niece could claim the top honor exclusively.
The Princess Consort had no intention of competing with the Old Princess Consort over this matter. As long as Xiao Jinglin’s performance ranked among the top few, it wouldn’t bring disgrace to the Yanbei Prince’s Manor. Xiao Jinglin herself didn’t care about such empty honors at all.
So the Yanbei Princess Consort let the Old Princess Consort have her way, only instructing Nanny Xin to go to the storeroom to fetch medicinal materials. After Madam Xu finished with the Old Princess Consort, she would have Nanny Xin personally accompany Madam Xu’s carriage to the Xu residence to see her home safely.
Ren Yaoqi was chatting with Xiao Jinglin nearby and happened to overhear Nanny Xin quietly telling the Princess Consort, “Everything has been prepared… notoginseng, seaweed, lingzhi mushroom, kudzu root, musk, bezoar, cinnamon, borneol – the manor has high-quality supplies of all these… It’s just that the amount of toad venom isn’t sufficient. Also, those few ginseng roots you specifically had people collect that are just the right age for medicine preparation – Madam Wu took two to give as gifts. I’ve already had people search for replacements, and we can send them to Madam Xu in a few days.”
The Princess Consort nodded without saying anything more.
From this string of medicine names, Ren Yaoqi detected some clues. These medicinal materials combined reminded her of “Heart Protection Pills,” a medicine used in the palace to treat heart ailments.
The medicinal materials Nanny Xin mentioned weren’t all rare and hard to find, yet the Princess Consort had prepared them so completely. This showed it wasn’t ordinary social courtesy, but that the Xu family truly needed these medicines.
Ren Yaoqi thought of Madam Xu’s complexion and lip color – Madam Xu must have heart problems.
Thinking of this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but recall Madam Pei. Pei Zhiyan’s wife had also died from heart disease. Madam Xu and Madam Pei were sisters – she wondered if they had contracted the same illness. With these thoughts, Ren Yaoqi became contemplative.
Seeing Nanny Xin leave, Ren Yaoqi sat for a while longer before rising to take her leave.
Xiao Jinglin personally escorted Ren Yaoqi out.
Ever since Ren Yaoqi had encountered the Yun family brothers when leaving last time, though Xiao Jinglin hadn’t said anything after learning about it, she had personally seen Ren Yaoqi out every time she visited the manor. Though Princess Xiao appeared cold and aloof in her daily demeanor, keeping others at arm’s length and rarely showing girlish behavior, she was a very considerate person at heart.
Unexpectedly, just as the two emerged from Jiuyang Hall, they ran into Xiao Jingxi head-on.
Xiao Jinglin glanced at her brother and frowned, “When did you arrive?”
Xiao Jingxi didn’t mind her attitude, “I was going to see Mother, but when I heard you playing the qin, I didn’t go in.”
Xiao Jingxi chuckled softly, “The playing was quite good.”
Xiao Jinglin raised an eyebrow, “Whose playing was quite good?”
Xiao Jingxi looked at her, then at Ren Yaoqi, frowning as he thought. Then he said seriously, “Do you want to hear the truth or polite words?”
Xiao Jinglin: “…”
After a long silence, just as Xiao Jinglin was about to retort, Xiao Jingxi suddenly dropped his teasing expression, “I have something to discuss with you.” With this change, Xiao Jingxi’s entire aura shifted, and even Xiao Jinglin had to stop speaking and look at him seriously.
Seeing this, Ren Yaoqi was about to withdraw when, before she could speak, Xiao Jingxi was already saying, “Something happened at the Su family’s horse ranch. A party of Tangut people penetrated deep into Da Zhou territory and attacked the Su family’s ranch. Most of the warhorses were stolen, and the Su family suffered heavy losses.”
Xiao Jinglin was shocked, “The Su family’s ranch isn’t near the border. How could the garrison not receive any news and let the Tangut people in?” Thinking of this, Xiao Jinglin felt something was off. Even if Xiao Jingxi wanted to discuss this matter with her, he wouldn’t wait here to tell her about it.
Xiao Jinglin couldn’t help but look at Xiao Jingxi suspiciously, just in time to see him looking toward Ren Yaoqi.
Though Princess Xiao appeared cold in daily life, it didn’t mean she was stupid – quite the opposite, she was very clever. So almost in a flash, she understood that the person Xiao Jingxi really wanted to discuss things with wasn’t her.
Understanding this, Xiao Jinglin looked at Xiao Jingxi with a meaningful smile. Rarely imitating the way those inner courtyard women she most despised spoke, she delivered a cryptic non sequitur: “If it happens too many times, I’ll be unhappy too.”
Xiao Jingxi seemed not to understand Xiao Jinglin’s words at all.
However, though Second Young Master Xiao’s immortal-like facade was thick, it hadn’t yet reached the level of being truly impervious. Though very subtle, the redness at Second Young Master Xiao’s ears spoke volumes, even as his face maintained its gentle, respectful demeanor.
Xiao Jinglin felt even more contemptuous.
Ren Yaoqi hadn’t noticed the siblings’ wordplay. When she first heard Xiao Jingxi mention the Su family being attacked, she was quite shocked.
Could her judgment be wrong? Did the Su family have no connection with the Tangut people?
But thinking more carefully, she realized something was amiss.
The Tangut tribes weren’t like the Liao people – they were composed of many scattered tribes governing themselves without unified leadership. Since Da Zhou’s founding, though there had been wars with the Tangut people, they were mostly minor skirmishes. The Northwest Army’s deterrent effect on the Tangut tribes was quite significant. Even when the Liao people occupied Yanbei, when the Tangut people took advantage of the chaos to seize large areas of northwestern pastures, they immediately retreated when Xiao Qishan recovered the northern territories in coordination with the Wu family of Ningxia.
Why would the Tangut tribes send small forces deep into Ningxia? Just to attack the Su family’s horse ranch?
After thinking, Ren Yaoqi spoke up, “Young Master Xiao…”
But the moment she looked at Xiao Jingxi, Ren Yaoqi suddenly had an epiphany and lowered her voice, “The Su family’s horse ranch… was it the Tangut people?”
Xiao Jingxi’s dark, bright eyes looked at Ren Yaoqi as he smiled ruefully, “Indeed, nothing can be hidden from you.”
So the attack on the Su family’s horse ranch was truly connected to the Yanbei Prince’s Manor.
However, wasn’t the Yanbei Prince’s Manor moving rather quickly? She had only mentioned to Xiao Jingxi a few days ago the possible connections between the Su family, Wu family, and the Tangut people. Moreover, neither the Lei family nor the Han family could currently compete with the Su family – was this a good time to tear off the mask?
As if understanding Ren Yaoqi’s thoughts, Xiao Jingxi said, “This matter wasn’t done on my orders.”
Since it wasn’t Xiao Jingxi’s doing, then it was the Yanbei Prince? If so, the Yanbei Prince’s Manor might not have been unaware of the Su family’s suspicious activities, wanting to use this opportunity to give the Su family a warning.
Xiao Jinglin interjected, “I’d guess it was Vice General Yang Peng under General Min who did it?”
Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow, “Oh? How did you guess that?”
When it came to military matters, Xiao Jinglin showed no weakness, curling her lips, “Among Father’s generals, aside from Min Wenqing and Xia Baichuan, most are men left by Grandfather. Those old generals wouldn’t lower themselves to do such things. Xia Baichuan was called back by you earlier and is still in Yanzhou, so it couldn’t be him. As for Min Wenqing, this man fancies himself a scholarly general. He won’t even eat roasted lamb leg without having it sliced and plated properly, and he drinks wine in an effeminate, indecisive way.”
Xiao Jingxi laughed, “Then why do you still guess it’s Min Wenqing? Would he do such crude bandit work?”
Xiao Jinglin lazily glanced at Xiao Jingxi with her eyelids, “I wasn’t finished speaking. Don’t look at how Min Wenqing usually acts all proper like a saint – he’s a sesame bun that’s white outside but black inside, completely black through and through! He wants face, but he also wants benefits. So he wouldn’t do this personally, but would send his vice general, Yang Peng, to do it. Oh, and… Min Wenqing once told my master that he wants to be like Jing Ke in this lifetime, dying for those who understand him. Do you know who his confidant is?”
Ren Yaoqi blinked curiously from the side, “Who is it?”
Xiao Jinglin looked at Xiao Jingxi with obvious meaning, her hint extremely obvious.
Xiao Jingxi: “…”
Ren Yaoqi suppressed her laughter, knowing these two were engaging in their sibling-style “verbal sparring” again. To avoid being caught in the crossfire, she wisely chose to remain silent.
“Speaking of Yang Peng, his fate isn’t very good,” Princess Xiao shook her head and continued.
“If you ask people in the Yanbei Army who the most cold-blooded, ruthless, shameless scoundrel is, eight out of ten will tell you it’s Yang Peng. But what wrong has Yang Peng done? His only mistake was serving under Min Wenqing. His general wants to be a refined gentleman, so all the despicable work can only be done by him.”
Xiao Jinglin rarely spoke so much, and it was all disparaging remarks.
Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Has General Min offended you?”
“No,” Xiao Jinglin denied quite directly, glancing at Xiao Jingxi and saying slowly, “But I can’t stand people who are full of bad intentions yet like to pretend to be saints. So I curse them every time I see them.”
The facts proved that Princess Xiao wasn’t a pushover who could be bullied at will. When someone upset her, she would fight back – not only would she fight back, but she would also use pointed criticism to make her displeasure known.