At this moment, Ren Yaoqi spoke up: “Grandmother, I heard this matter has spread so widely that all the maids and women in the manor know about it?”

Old Madam Ren frowned: “It’s all because these two loose-tongued women spread it! I’ve already rewarded them each with a beating and locked them up. After this matter passes, I’ll deal with them properly. I’ve also instructed everyone in the manor not to spread rumors anymore. If anyone is discovered gossiping, they’ll be beaten to death and thrown out!”

Ren Yaohua snorted coldly: “These two women are quite capable, managing to spread such groundless rumors until everyone in the manor knows.” Ren Yaohua was hinting that someone was secretly causing trouble.

But Old Madam Ren said, “I also had people investigate. They encountered the person yesterday afternoon, and it happened that a nanny in Ronghua Garden was celebrating her birthday in the evening with a banquet, inviting them to drink. The two got drunk and couldn’t control their mouths, talking about this matter at the wine table. At that time, maids and women from various branches and courtyards were present, so the matter spread like this.”

What a coincidence! Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua exchanged glances.

Ren Yaohua asked: “Grandmother, what about Meihong’s situation?”

When Old Madam Ren heard Ren Yaohua mention this, her anger flared up again: “What else can be done! Your grandfather has already sent people to find her! Whether or not she came from our manor, we can’t let her stay in Bailu Town. Otherwise, whenever she appears in the future, there will be gossip again. The Ren family can’t afford to lose this face!”

Since the Ren family knew about it, they naturally wouldn’t sit idly by. Sending the person away without distinguishing right from wrong was the safest approach.

But if the Ren family could think of this, wouldn’t Concubine Fang think of it too? What other tricks did she have up her sleeve?

Ren Yaohua was severely scolded by Old Madam Ren and punished with copying scriptures.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t stay in Ronghua Garden. After coming out, she immediately returned to her room and wrote a letter with her left hand, then called Pingguo and instructed: “Go find Yuan Dayong and have him deliver this letter to Zhu Ruomei as quickly as possible.”

After Pingguo took the letter, she carefully tucked it into her sleeve, then turned and ran off without another word.

This wasn’t Pingguo’s first time dealing with the Yuan family. She returned quickly after delivering the letter.

“Miss, Yuan Dayong took the letter and has already left. He said he would deliver it before noon today.”

Ren Yaoqi looked at the sky outside – it was less than two hours until noon. She nodded: “Pay more attention to the Yuan family’s situation. If they need anything, let me know.”

The Yuan family had helped her considerably. It was only natural for her to look after them within her capabilities in return. Previously, through Third Master Ren Shimin’s connections, Ren Yaoqi had already promoted Yuan Dayong from a minor accountant in the coal mine to assistant manager at the Ren family’s coal depot in Bailu Town.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t just bring the person back and consider her favor complete. She also instructed Ren Shimin’s servant to observe Yuan Dayong’s conduct and character in daily life, and finally discovered that Yuan Dayong was quite talented. Because he had previously been just a minor accountant at the coal mine, naturally, some people were dissatisfied when he came to serve as assistant manager at the Bailu Town coal depot. However, in just a few short months, he had established himself and got along well with the stewards and workers at the depot, earning praise from the head manager, who even commended him before First Master Ren.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help feeling pleased.

She might be able to give him opportunities, but the opportunities she could provide were limited. So whether he could get ahead still depended on his abilities. Fortunately, Yuan Dayong hadn’t disappointed her.

Ren Yaoqi originally intended to dismiss Pingguo, but Pingguo seemed to hesitate before saying, “Miss, if the Yuan family needs something, can you help them?”

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi was startled, then smiled and nodded: “Tell me what it is first. If I can help, I naturally will.”

Pingguo said, “The past few times I’ve seen Yuan’s wife, I heard her say she wants to arrange a marriage for Yuan Dayong. Originally, when Yuan Dayong was often at the Western Mountain coal mine, it was difficult to arrange marriages. Now that he’s come to town, Yuan’s wife wants to find him a wife. Today, Yuan’s wife also asked me about the sisters in our courtyard. Miss, could you ask Madam for help?”

Pingguo usually did her work meticulously but didn’t like to talk much. Today was rare for her to say so much.

Ren Yaoqi thought Yuan Dayong was quite good, and the Yuan family was also easy to get along with and kind-hearted. If possible, she wanted to keep Yuan Dayong as a right-hand man. Having her mother arrange a good maid for him wouldn’t be a problem.

But why was Yuan’s wife asking Pingguo about these things?

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and asked Pingguo: “Did Yuan’s wife ask about your age and what family you have?”

Pingguo was stunned, then seemed to realize something. Her face flushed red, and she began stammering: “No, it seems… There was…”

Seeing her like this, Ren Yaoqi found it amusing and deliberately teased her: “Was there or wasn’t there?”

Pingguo lowered her head: “There was, I suppose…”

How could Ren Yaoqi not understand? Yuan’s wife had probably taken a fancy to this silly girl, Pingguo.

It’s just that Pingguo thought Yuan’s wife was asking her about the maids in Ziwei Courtyard, so she came back to ask her to request her mother to arrange a maid for Yuan Dayong.

Pingguo was already so embarrassed that she didn’t dare lift her head. She felt she was truly too stupid! Now thinking back to Yuan’s wife’s expression and tone when talking to her, and the helplessness and disappointment on her face when she introduced the sisters in the courtyard, she understood everything.

She had always thought she was plain-looking, dull, and unlikeable, and that no one except Miss would like her. So she had never thought about herself.

Ren Yaoqi looked at Pingguo’s rare, embarrassed appearance and, seeing that she didn’t seem disgusted or resistant, smiled and said: “Next time you meet Yuan’s wife, tell her that I plan to keep the maids by my side for a few more years. If their family can wait, then they should wait. If they can’t wait, I’ll have my mother arrange someone older for Yuan Dayong.” Her mother also had two maids who had reached the age to be released. They were both good-looking and honest.

Pingguo bit her lip and agreed with a red face. Ren Yaoqi, afraid of truly embarrassing her, smiled and dismissed her.

In the afternoon, news came from Yuan’s wife that Yuan Dayong had delivered the letter to Zhu Ruomei, and after reading it, Zhu Ruomei had him relay the message: “I will not fail in my mission!”

The news was brought by Pingguo again. The little maid, whether by nature or somehow, had returned to her usual serious expression, though her face was slightly unnatural when mentioning Yuan Dayong. Ren Yaoqi knew she had already conveyed her previous words to Yuan’s wife. Pingguo wasn’t coy and hesitant.

Indeed, before withdrawing, Pingguo lowered her head and said, “Miss, Yuan’s wife said their family can wait.”

Pingguo’s face, which had finally calmed down, reddened again. She remembered Yuan’s wife pulling her hand with a delighted smile when saying these words.

In the evening, Ren Yaohua returned after completing her punishment, and Ren Yaoqi went to talk with her.

Ren Yaohua had Xiangqin massage her somewhat sore wrists and said to Ren Yaoqi: “Grandfather came back this afternoon. I heard him tell grandmother that the woman was indeed Meihong from back then. When questioned, she answered everything correctly.”

Ren Yaoqi frowned. She wasn’t surprised, but Concubine Fang was truly capable of finding such a person, or had she been planning this from early on? However, Meihong hadn’t appeared in her previous life, or perhaps this move with Meihong hadn’t been used in her previous life?

If this were truly the case, then she was indeed calculating everything with great care.

“How did she return to Yanbei, and how did she end up in that kind of place?” Ren Yaoqi asked.

Ren Yaohua waved her hand to indicate Xiangqin could stop, then said: “She didn’t say the Ren family sold her to that kind of place. She only said she was previously sold to a family as a maid, later offended that family’s mistress and was driven out, then was sold and resold twice more before returning to Yanbei. However, when she said these things, her words were incoherent, and the timeline was vague. Grandfather said we could only believe two or three parts of it.”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment: “Did grandfather have her redeemed and sent away?” Whether Meihong was acting on someone’s instructions or had been inadvertently sold back, how she explained things to the Ren family wasn’t the point. The mouth grows on the head – one can change their story anytime.

Ren Yaohua nodded: “She was sent away this afternoon.”

Just then, Wujing rushed in with a pale face: “Third Miss, Fifth Miss, things are getting bad. Just now, a woman in our courtyard heard that somehow this matter has also spread outside, and maids from other families have secretly come to our manor to inquire about it. Some are even spreading wild rumors that Meihong was a personal maid who served closely by the Third Miss’s side.”

These were just the open remarks – who knows how they were slandering behind the scenes?

Ren Yaohua’s face also turned ashen: “Do we know who spread it outside?”

Ren Yaoqi said calmly, “Grandmother has already issued strict orders not to spread it outside, so for this news to spread so quickly, there were probably people positioned outside in advance.”

Ren Yaohua said, “It’s good that Meihong has been sent away. Otherwise, if she had been bribed to speak nonsense, it would be even harder to explain.”

But Ren Yaoqi shook her head: “I don’t think it’s necessarily good.”

Ren Yaohua frowned.

Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaohua: “Did grandfather only instruct to send the person away before? Now that things have escalated, what do you think the Ren family will do?”

Ren Yaohua thought about the words she had heard before and grandfather’s tone at the time, then considered the Ren family’s usual way of handling things. Her expression changed: “Meihong probably won’t survive?”

The Ren family held Meihong’s indenture contract. She was of lowly birth, and it would be simple for the Ren family to have Meihong killed. At that time, they would just need to give the authorities some silver to file it, and the officials wouldn’t investigate such matters of masters killing their servants.

Ren Yaoqi smiled and sighed: “What a scheme! She anticipated that the Ren family would take the person away, then, after the person was taken by the Ren family, she made the matter bigger. At this point, even if the Ren family doesn’t kill Meihong to quell the rumors, they won’t let her appear in Bailu Town again.”

“And then what?” Ren Yaohua asked.