When a monkey leaped down from a rockery not far from the entrance of Qizhen Garden and jumped onto a low tree beside them, someone couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.
A maid behind Ren Yaoyin, who had never seen a monkey before, couldn’t suppress her screaming when she saw the monkey hanging upside down from the tree, trying to grab the silk flower from her mistress’s hair. After receiving a stern look from Ren Yaoyin, her screaming abruptly stopped in her throat.
Yun Qiuchen had been here more than once and hurriedly consoled them: “Don’t be afraid, they won’t hurt anyone.”
Indeed, that monkey bared its teeth and made threatening faces at them, but didn’t attack. A woman emerged from behind the rockery and blew a whistle, causing the escaped monkey to immediately jump down from the tree and run away.
The first-time visitors breathed a sigh of relief while also feeling somewhat excited. Guo Yujiao had also been startled by the suddenly appearing monkey, but now she said to Ren Yaoyin: “Monkeys kept in gardens have been trained for a long time and have lost their wild nature. My fifth uncle also keeps two – my fourth sister says they even bow and ask for food from people, so you needn’t be alarmed.” As if Ren Yaoyin’s maid being frightened meant Ren Yaoyin would be frightened too.
Ren Yaoyin was quite displeased inside but smiled warmly on the surface: “Miss Guo is truly knowledgeable.”
The woman who had blown the whistle to call away the monkey hurried over and bowed to Xiao Jinglin in apology: “County Princess, please forgive me. It was this servant’s negligence that allowed that beast to disturb the County Princess and the young ladies.”
“Have people keep a good watch on the animals in the garden so they don’t hurt anyone,” Xiao Jinglin said.
The woman quickly responded: “County Princess, rest assured. Originally there were tigers and bears and other large creatures in the garden, but following the Princess Consort’s instructions, they were all sent away in advance. What remains are all small animals with gentle temperaments that won’t hurt anyone.”
The Princess Consort, fearing accidents with so many people, would have all dangerous animals in the garden sent away during the Thousand Gold Banquet.
Xiao Jinglin nodded and dismissed her.
Yun Qiufang said disappointedly: “Every time I come, I never get to see the tigers.”
Guo Yujiao said, “I did see one once. It was kept in a cage. There wasn’t anything special to see – it was just like a large cat with stripes.”
Ren Yaoyin smiled: “Miss Guo is indeed well-traveled and knowledgeable. None of us has seen one.”
Hearing this, Guo Yujiao was very pleased and even smiled at Ren Yaoyin.
However, Yun Qiufang became somewhat unhappy: “There isn’t anything special to see. When you all go back, we can ask the Princess Consort to let us enter the garden again, and then we’ll be able to see them.”
Although Guo Yujiao was somewhat competitive and willful, she wasn’t stupid. Hearing Yun Qiufang’s words, she knew the girl was displeased with her somehow. She glanced at Yun Qiuchen and still held back from arguing with Yun Qiufang, though her expression inevitably became somewhat awkward.
Yun Qiuchen hurriedly smoothed things over: “Let’s go see the peacocks. I remember they’re over there.”
Perhaps because the Princess Consort had moved many animals out, there weren’t many animals left in Qizhen Garden. Along the way, they saw sunflower parrots, deer, white foxes, and kangaroos.
When they saw a fat cat in a cage placed in the grass, everyone was somewhat surprised. Guo Yujiao said, “Why would they put a house cat here?”
Ren Yaoqi looked carefully and recognized that it wasn’t a cat. She and Xiao Jinglin exchanged glances, then both very tacitly said nothing. Ren Yaoqi didn’t want to steal this spotlight and make people unhappy. Xiao Jinglin was too impatient to educate people who could quarrel over such trivial matters.
At this moment, a slightly cool female voice appeared behind them: “This isn’t a cat. It’s called a lynx. Although it’s not particularly precious or rare, its fur is very popular.”
Ren Yaoqi turned around to see a beautiful young lady walking toward them. This young lady wore a light blue short jacket embroidered with silver magnolia flowers, with a silver moonlight skirt below. Her hair ornaments were very simple – just a gold hairpin, but the Eastern pearl adorning the hairpin was quite valuable.
Guo Yujiao immediately laughed mockingly: “I wondered who it was – turns out it’s Miss Qiu. Miss Qiu is truly well-traveled and knowledgeable.” These were the same words Ren Yaoyin had used to praise her earlier. She had found them very satisfying at the time, but now couldn’t help using them to mock Qiu Hong.
Qiu Hong acted as if she hadn’t heard, stepping forward to bow to Xiao Jinglin and greeting Yun Qiuchen and the others.
Yun Qiuchen smiled: “You’re finally here – we were just thinking of you.”
Jiang Yuanniang also said, “You said you weren’t feeling well earlier. Are you better now?”
Hearing this, Yun Qiuchen also looked at Qiu Hong with concern. Qiu Hong nodded at Jiang Yuanniang in a friendly manner and explained: “I was just a bit dizzy from being jostled in the carriage for a while. My wet nurse applied some mint balm, and I’m much better now.”
Guo Yujiao said, “Miss Qiu has such a delicate constitution. It’s windy in this garden – won’t you catch a cold if you stay too long?”
Qiu Hong frowned and was about to speak when more people walked over from that direction.
Everyone turned back in surprise – this time it was Wu Yiyu and the two Yun brothers.
Wu Yiyu was walking beside Yun Wenting, happily saying something, while Yun Wenting wore a gentle smile as if listening attentively. Yun Wenfang seemed somewhat distracted, his furrowed brow expressing his inner displeasure.
Yun Wenting was the first to see the group, or rather, he first saw Xiao Jinglin. Though the smile on his face didn’t change much, it reached his eyes, and he quickened his pace toward them.
Wu Yiyu was startled, and when she saw Xiao Jinglin, her expression immediately darkened. With this hesitation, Yun Wenting walked ahead of her. Gritting her teeth, Wu Yiyu hurried to catch up.
Yun Wenfang also saw Ren Yaoqi, but his gaze didn’t linger long. Instead, he looked toward Guo Yujiao and Jiang Yuanniang, who were standing with Yun Qiuchen. His deep, dark eyes stared at them for a moment, making those who saw them feel chilled to the bone.
The first to notice Yun Wenfang’s gaze was Yun Qiuchen. Her heart skipped a beat, wondering if Yun Wenfang knew something, and whether she should help the elders conceal it or give this second brother some hints.
Guo Yujiao and Jiang Yuanniang also noticed Yun Wenfang’s appraising gaze and couldn’t help looking at him.
At this moment, Yun Wenfang suddenly smiled, with both mockery and nonchalance. He was naturally extremely handsome, and this smile made both young ladies’ hearts skip a beat, their cheeks reddening as they averted their gazes.
Yun Wenfang felt even more contemptuous inside. He had come to find someone to verify certain news he’d heard, but since Yun Wenting didn’t know either, he could only seek out Yun Qiuchen. The two brothers had encountered Wu Yiyu at the entrance of Qizhen Garden.
Everyone present exchanged greetings. With the addition of three more people, the visit to Qizhen Garden became even livelier.
When Yun Wenfang walked beside Ren Yaoqi, he paused, then glared at her fiercely. Ren Yaoqi was startled, somewhat puzzled about how she had offended this young master again, but Yun Wenfang had already walked past her to Yun Qiuchen’s side.
Seeing Yun Wenfang’s manner, Yun Qiuchen knew he had something to say to her, so she deliberately slowed her pace, letting the others walk ahead while she and Yun Wenfang fell to the back.
Qizhen Garden kept a pair of peacocks that weren’t caged but free-ranging in a small flower garden. When everyone saw them, they couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Guo Yujiao even muttered quietly: “They’re really ugly.”
Ren Yaoqi almost laughed out loud.
Guo Yujiao wasn’t wrong. It was molting season for peacocks, and these two had already lost most of their plumage. The woman feeding the peacocks somehow made one of them spread its tail – the peacock’s sparse feathers looked like a broken fan. What made it even more amusing was that this peacock had its back to them, so they could see the peacock’s bare…
Ren Yaoqi suppressed her laughter and turned her head away, only to meet Yun Wenfang’s deep gaze. Both Ren Yaoqi and Yun Wenfang were startled, then somehow his expression became even uglier.
Ren Yaoqi silently turned her head back – even the molting peacock looked better than this young master’s expression.
Yun Wenfang was pressing Yun Qiuchen about whether Old Madam Yun was arranging a marriage match for him, with candidates being selected from the Qiu, Guo, and Jiang families. After a moment’s hesitation, Yun Qiuchen confessed. Since her second brother was asking this way, he naturally had channels to know the news. If she continued to deceive him, it would only damage their sibling relationship – not worth it.
Yun Wenfang was extremely angry inside, but couldn’t help staring at Ren Yaoqi in a daze. Just then, Ren Yaoqi turned around with a smile. Yun Wenfang was dazzled by her smile and froze. After coming to his senses, Second Young Master Yun was grinding his teeth in hatred, thinking that while he was anxiously worried about the marriage arrangement, she was laughing happily.
Xiao Jinglin glanced at Yun Wenfang and quietly asked Ren Yaoqi: “What grievance do you have with Yun Wenfang?” She had seen Yun Wenfang trouble Ren Yaoqi more than once. Last time at the Yanbei Prince’s Residence, Yun Wenfang had even dared to block her path.
Ren Yaoqi was quite helpless. Although she understood that Yun Wenfang might have some different feelings toward her, his behavior was very strange – he didn’t seem like an admirer but more like an enemy. Naturally, she couldn’t explain this to Xiao Jinglin.
“I don’t know either. Maybe some people are just naturally incompatible,” Ren Yaoqi sighed. Judging from the outcome of her previous life, Yun Wenfang truly was her mortal enemy.
Xiao Jinglin thought about it and didn’t ask further, but she was thinking that if she had the chance, she would warn Yun Wenfang to prevent Ren Yaoqi from suffering at his hands.
Meanwhile, Ren Yaoyin and Wu Yiyu had struck up a conversation.
Originally, because Ren Yaoqi was close to Xiao Jinglin, Wu Yiyu didn’t think well of Ren Yaoyin either. However, since Ren Yaoyin was friends with Yun Qiuchen, and Wu Yiyu didn’t want to offend the Yun family, she didn’t openly give Ren Yaoyin a cold shoulder.
Wu Yiyu’s gaze had been following Yun Wenting obsessively.
Yun Wenting took a plate of small fruits from a woman and brought it to Xiao Jinglin, smiling as he said something. Xiao Jinglin glanced at Yun Wenting, then at the two peacocks, and shook her head with little interest. However, Guo Yujiao, beside them, became excited. Seeing this, Yun Wenting handed the fruit plate to Guo Yujiao’s maid. Guo Yujiao pulled Jiang Yuanniang over to feed the peacocks, and seeing this, Yun Qiufang also asked the woman for a fruit plate and went with Yun Qiuping.
Yun Wenting instructed the woman to follow and attend to them, but he himself remained beside Xiao Jinglin, looking down at her as he spoke, his smile serious and gentle – a different kind of smile from when he faced others.
Wu Yiyu was somewhat stunned watching this.
Ren Yaoyin suddenly spoke: “Young Master Yun and the County Princess have such a good relationship, no wonder…”
Wu Yiyu snapped back to attention upon hearing the first half and was about to get angry, but when she saw that Ren Yaoyin had said “no wonder” and then stopped speaking, she couldn’t help asking: “No wonder what?”
Ren Yaoyin seemed to just notice Wu Yiyu beside her and smiled apologetically: “Nothing much, just something my fifth sister… that is, Yaoqi, mentioned before, which made me somewhat emotional. I heard that the County Princess and Young Master Yun grew up together, and Young Master Yun even spent some time at the frontier. A few days ago, my fifth sister encountered Eldest Madam Yun going to the Prince’s Residence to see the Princess Consort, and they talked about the County Princess and Young Master Yun’s childhood… Later, when Eldest Madam Yun came out, she seemed quite happy.”
Ren Yaoyin spoke vaguely, but Wu Yiyu’s heart was stirred by enormous waves.
Could Ren Yaoyin have heard some rumors from Ren Yaoqi? She also knew about the Yun family’s desire to form a marriage alliance with the Yanbei Prince’s Residence, but the Prince and Princess Consort had never clearly expressed their stance on the match between Yun Wenting and Xiao Jinglin.
Now that both Yun Wenting and Xiao Jinglin had reached marriageable age, could it be that the Princess Consort had already agreed?
Thinking this, Wu Yiyu couldn’t help looking at Yun Wenting again. He said something that made both Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi laugh, and Yun Wenting’s eyes brightened considerably as he looked at Xiao Jinglin. Wu Yiyu felt a pain in her heart, her nails digging into her flesh. She had never hated with such murderous intensity as now – she wanted to rush over and tear apart Xiao Jinglin’s face, dig out the flesh piece by piece, and see how she could still smile at people.
But she knew she couldn’t do this, at least not in front of Yun Wenting. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths until she felt the pain in her chest subside.
“Are you happy?” Wu Yiyu’s flat voice sounded, seeming to ask Ren Yaoyin yet also like a casual question just to test if she could still make sounds.
Ren Yaoyin smiled and said, “I wouldn’t say happy exactly. It’s just that the County Princess has a very good relationship with my fifth sister – they often come and go together, and my fifth sister is very happy for the County Princess.”
Wu Yiyu glanced at Ren Yaoqi, who was quietly saying something to Xiao Jinglin. Xiao Jinglin’s smile grew even broader, and Yun Wenting also stood to the side watching them smile.
Wu Yiyu said expressionlessly and coldly: “Your fifth sister is laughing so happily – could it be she also has found a good match?”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoyin looked at Wu Yiyu with some surprise, then smiled and said vaguely: “Well… everyone has their own fate. My fifth sister naturally has her own destiny too.”
As she spoke, Ren Yaoyin’s gaze looked toward Yun Wenfang.