Yun Wenfang pushed Jiang Yuanniang beneath Wu Yiyu, and after arranging the two of them properly, he stroked his chin and surveyed his handiwork with satisfaction.

On the rosewood carved canopy bed, Wu Yiyu lay with her robes open, pressing against the exposed fragrant skin of Jiang Yuanniang as they slept sweetly. Beside them lay a maid with torn clothing, bound to the headboard in a pitiful state as if she had been brutally violated.

The scene was indeed alluring, yet Yun Wenfang, the instigator and devil incarnate who had orchestrated it all, showed not the slightest trace of lustful desire as he observed. He stretched lazily and sauntered out of the side chamber with an air of nonchalance.

Jiang Yuanniang’s maids had been waiting outside for a short while. One of them clutched her stomach and apologetically smiled at Wu Yiyu’s maid: “Sister, my stomach is quite painful. Could I perhaps borrow the servants’ privy in this courtyard? I’ll walk carefully and won’t disturb the young ladies.”

Wu Yiyu’s maid frowned: “That won’t do. Our young lady has many rules. You’d better endure it.”

The head maid of Jiang Yuanniang was named Qiuxiang. She had been carefully trained by the Jiang family as part of Jiang Yuanniang’s future dowry. Since Jiang Yuanniang’s appearance was quite ordinary, her dowry maids were deliberately chosen for their good looks to help win over her future husband. This Qiuxiang was not only beautiful but also very clever, making her Jiang Yuanniang’s confidante.

“Aiya, how can I endure this? If I embarrass myself in front of the young ladies, that would be terrible.” Qiuxiang bent over, clutching her stomach as she looked around, then said to another of Jiang Yuanniang’s maids, “You wait here for Miss, I’ll go to that nearby courtyard to relieve myself. I remember that’s where the Tang family’s young ladies are staying, and I know two sisters who serve Third Miss Tang.”

The other maid agreed, and Wu Yiyu’s maid, seeing Qiuxiang’s face flushed red from holding it in, couldn’t help but want to laugh and didn’t stop her.

Qiuxiang immediately clutched her stomach and trotted away. She ran to the front of the Tang family courtyard, looked back to ensure no one was watching her, then straightened up and ran quickly around the front gate.

Qiuxiang didn’t return to the courtyard where the Jiang family was staying to call for help. Instead, she ran toward the Yun family’s quarters.

Qiuxiang reasoned that if something had truly happened, others would certainly be unwilling to offend Wu Yiyu for the sake of an unrelated person. The Jiang family elder who had come this time was the eldest lady from the main branch, but her daughter had fallen seriously ill and was currently staying at their villa in the city, not at the hot spring resort. So the Jiang family had no elder here who could make decisions.

Since the thousand gold banquet was organized by the Yun family, they were considered half-hosts, and the Yun family’s eldest young lady was also on good terms with her miss. If she went to beg Miss Yun to come take a look, it should be possible.

Meanwhile, after Ren Yaoyin had met with Wu Yiyu, afraid that the slap marks on her face would be seen by others, she didn’t return to the peach grove. She had someone inform Ren Yaohua and returned to the Ren family’s courtyard, carefully applying another layer of powder to prevent anyone from detecting anything amiss.

Shortly after she finished these preparations, all the Ren family’s young ladies returned. The eldest lady sent someone to summon them to her room for a talk.

Ren Yaoying was the last to arrive. The eldest lady said with some displeasure: “I heard you left early this morning and did the same this afternoon. I didn’t see you in the courtyard either. Where did you go?”

Ren Yaoying glanced toward Ren Yaohua, bit her lip, and lowered her head with a grieved expression, saying hesitantly: “I… I just went to look for Chun’er. I’m not used to not having her by my side to serve me.”

Ren Yaohua didn’t even lift her eyelids, only saying when the eldest lady looked over: “That lowly maid dared to commit insubordination. To prevent her from causing more trouble and bringing shame to our third branch, I’ve already had her sent back to my mother for punishment.”

The eldest lady had also heard about the dispute between the sisters. Although she disapproved of Ren Yaoying’s actions, she was still somewhat displeased that Ren Yaohua had quietly disposed of the person without even greeting her first.

But Ren Yaohua had said this was a matter for their third branch, and the deed was already done. She didn’t want to waste more words, only saying lightly: “I hope you all understand where you are now. If you disgrace yourselves at this critical juncture, it won’t just be a matter concerning one person or one branch. I will report this matter to Old Madam when I return, so you sisters had better conduct yourselves properly.”

Ren Yaohua lowered her head and agreed, while Ren Yaoying said nothing more, even feeling relieved that the eldest lady didn’t continue questioning where she had gone today.

The eldest lady then asked Ren Yaoyin: “I heard you were unwell? Should we call a physician to examine you?”

Ren Yaoyin shook her head and smiled: “I’m fine, just caught some wind and had a headache. I’m better after lying down for a while.”

Seeing that although Ren Yaoyin’s makeup was somewhat heavy, she indeed didn’t look ill, the eldest lady said nothing more. Ren Yaoyin had always been intelligent and sensible, rarely causing her worry.

“By the way, Mother, after the thousand gold banquet ends tomorrow, will we depart immediately for Baihe Town?” Ren Yaoyin asked.

The eldest lady thought for a moment: “The thousand gold banquet usually ends at noon on the third day. Since both your grandmother and I came to Yunyang City, there’s no one overseeing affairs at home, so we’d better return early.”

Ren Yaoyin frowned: “Fifth Sister and I still have many things at Aunt’s mansion. Should we send people early to pack them up?”

“Tomorrow morning, you two send a couple of maids back to pack. If they can’t finish in time, you two sisters can return a day later, it doesn’t matter. You sisters discuss it between yourselves.”

Ren Yaoyin nodded: “Then let’s have someone invite Fifth Sister over? Let Fifth Sister stay here for dinner today – tomorrow we probably won’t have time to discuss these matters.”

The eldest lady agreed.

When they came out of the eldest lady’s room, Ren Yaoyin said to Ren Yaohua: “Third Sister, since Chun’er isn’t here and I’ve temporarily sent Shuangjiang to serve Ninth Sister, why don’t you send someone to invite Fifth Sister?”

When they entered the resort, each person only brought two maids. After Ren Yaohua sent Chun’er away, Ren Yaoying’s other maid was too frightened to appear before Ren Yaohua and feigned illness, so Ren Yaoyin had assigned one of her maids to serve Ren Yaoying.

Ren Yaohua couldn’t think of any deception in this and instructed Wujing to invite Ren Yaoqi.

When Ren Yaoqi learned that Ren Yaohua had sent someone to invite her to the Ren family’s courtyard, she was somewhat surprised. Outsiders couldn’t easily enter Lanyue Pavilion, so Ren Yaoqi even sent Pingguo out to take a look. Pingguo said the person who came was indeed Wujing from Ren Yaohua’s side. After delivering the message, Wujing returned.

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, then said to Xiao Jinglin, who was sitting nearby, teasing the silly creature: “I previously asked Second Young Master to help me watch certain people. Can I meet with them now?”

Xiao Jinglin was trying to pull her sleeve from the silly creature’s mouth. The creature bit down and wouldn’t let go, eventually hanging from her sleeve. Ren Yaoqi watched as Xiao Jinglin’s sleeve was about to separate from her garment and quickly stepped forward to hold the silly creature, gently scratching its neck. The creature squinted its eyes and released its grip.

Xiao Jinglin patted the silly creature, then stood up, saying: “What’s difficult about that? I’ll take you there.”

The silly creature let out an “ao wu” sound, nuzzling against Ren Yaoqi in her arms and clinging on, refusing to get down. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t carry it and looked helpless.

Xiao Jinglin pinched the soft flesh on its neck and lifted it, tossing it to Hongying, saying with disdain: “Just bring it along when we go out. Don’t let it play with that cat called ‘Snow White’ that Nanny Xin keeps anymore, or in a few days even its mother won’t recognize it’s a tiger.”

The silly creature lay in Hongying’s arms, happily licking its paws.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but want to laugh.

Xiao Jinglin had just left Lanyue Pavilion with Ren Yaoqi when they saw Xiao Jingxi appear in the corridor not far ahead.

Xiao Jinglin and Ren Yaoqi exchanged glances and stopped. When Xiao Jingxi approached, Xiao Jinglin asked: “Why did you come over? We were just about to look for you.”

Xiao Jingxi smiled slightly, then looked at Ren Yaoqi: “There’s news from the people you asked me to watch.”

Ren Yaoqi immediately asked: “Has something happened?”

Xiao Jingxi gestured for them to walk a few steps to a nearby pavilion to talk. The hot spring resort was built in the style of Jiangnan gardens, with many pavilions and waterside pavilions for rest. The pavilion offered an open view and wasn’t susceptible to eavesdropping.

Xiao Jingxi concisely relayed the information his subordinates had reported to Ren Yaoqi.

After listening, Ren Yaoqi looked surprised: “Second Young Master Yun knocked out Miss Wu, placed Miss Jiang and a maid in a side chamber of a courtyard, then left by himself?”

What was Yun Wenfang trying to do?

After Yun Wenfang left, Xiao Jingxi’s subordinates had entered the west chamber to take a look.

However, the orders they received were only to watch Yun Wenfang and Wu Yiyu, and to appear to rescue Fifth Miss Ren if she encountered danger. Other people were not within their scope of responsibility.

So among them, those following Yun Wenfang continued to follow him as he climbed over the courtyard wall and left, while those watching Wu Yiyu found a way to report the situation back to Xiao Jingxi.

After thinking it over, Xiao Jingxi still didn’t describe the specific circumstances of Jiang Yuanniang and Wu Yiyu.

Things having reached this point, it would be better for Ren Yaoqi not to get involved in this matter, especially since it had nothing to do with her anyway.

“Miss Jiang’s maid has already requested Miss Yun to go over. It would be better for you not to go now.”

As a man, Xiao Jingxi couldn’t appropriately intervene in such matters either, so he separately sent people to inform Old Madam Yun and the princess consort.

After receiving the news, the princess consort only sent Nanny Xin to find Old Madam Yun. She didn’t appear, nor did she show any sign of knowing about this matter. The princess consort could already foresee that if she stepped forward to handle this affair, regardless of the outcome, both the old princess consort and Xiao Wei would hold it against her.

Jiang Yuanniang’s maid happened to encounter Yun Qiuchen halfway, so Yun Qiuchen should have arrived first.

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but fall into thought, vaguely forming some speculations in her heart.

Regarding Yun Wenfang’s vile nature, no one had more authority to speak than she did, since she had fallen into his hands in her previous life.