Concubine Fang took in every subtle change on Old Master Ren’s face, and her heart relaxed slightly. She knew that as long as Old Master Ren had even a trace of hesitation in his heart, he wouldn’t allow others to dispose of her at will. Her goal for today had been achieved.

Others might not understand clearly, but Concubine Fang could see it. Although inner courtyard matters should all be managed by Old Madam Ren, Old Master Ren’s opinion was what could ultimately play the decisive role.

After pondering in his mind for a while, Old Master Ren said in a calm voice, “I understand. You may go down now.”

But Concubine Fang’s eyes suddenly reddened, and she said timidly, “Old Master, this concubine has always wholeheartedly thought of the Ren family and has never had any other intentions. Please save this concubine’s life, Old Master. This concubine will serve the Ren family like an ox or horse in this lifetime and the next.”

Fortunately, Concubine Fang was clever and knew that Old Master Ren still needed to maintain some dignity in public. Although her expression was sorrowful, she didn’t kneel in public.

Old Master Ren frowned, “I just heard about today’s incident. If Yaoyu’s matter wasn’t done by you, go back and explain properly to the Old Madam. What kind of behavior is this, crying and wailing!”

But Concubine Fang shook her head, “Someone is deliberately plotting to frame this concubine. No matter how much I explain, it’s useless. Moreover, because of Ying’er’s incident last time, this concubine’s heart does harbor some resentment toward Fifth Madam…”

At this moment, several maids and old women came walking from the direction of Ronghua Garden—the same ones who had gone to summon Concubine Fang earlier. It turned out that after they returned and reported to the Old Madam that Concubine Fang wasn’t at Fangfei Courtyard, the Old Madam had ordered them to come out and search everywhere.

The place where Concubine Fang and Old Master Ren were talking wasn’t particularly secluded, so a sharp-eyed old woman spotted Concubine Fang. She was about to run over when she saw that the person standing beside Concubine Fang was Old Master Ren. The steps of those maids and old women couldn’t help but pause as they looked at each other, not knowing whether they should approach or avoid the situation.

Old Master Ren also saw those people from Ronghua Garden. His expression didn’t change at all as he said calmly, “Did the Old Madam send you to invite the concubine to Ronghua Garden?”

The lead old woman hurried forward to respond, “In reply to Old Master, it was the Old Madam who sent us. Just now we went to Fangfei Courtyard, but unexpectedly the concubine wasn’t in the courtyard, so the Old Madam told us to come look again.” From the corner of her eye, she was secretly observing Concubine Fang, whose eyes were slightly red, feeling something strange in her heart.

Old Master Ren nodded, “Take Concubine Fang over then.”

Concubine Fang looked toward Old Master Ren, a trace of pleading in her eyes.

Old Master Ren said, “Go ahead. If you didn’t do it, the Ren family will naturally give you justice.” Even if Old Master Ren wanted to protect Concubine Fang because of the Fang family connection, he wouldn’t do so in full view of everyone—what would that look like?

Concubine Fang understood this point and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. When Lin Shi made a scene, she was someone who didn’t care about anything. Fortunately, judging from Old Master’s meaning, it seemed he would protect her. She had escaped disaster today.

As for whoever was scheming against her behind the scenes… they would just have to wait and see!

Concubine Fang curtsied to Old Master Ren, then lowered her head and submissively followed those maids and old women, not saying a single unnecessary word the entire way.

Ren Yaoqi’s side also received the news.

Nanny Zhou said with a shocked expression, “What did she go to find Old Master for? She… this isn’t proper, is it?”

Ren Yaohua sneered coldly, “Now I understand clearly. In the Ren family, rules don’t mean shit!”

Nanny Zhou looked at Ren Yaohua helplessly, having no time to lecture her. She just sighed, “No wonder we always suffer losses at her hands. This woman is truly not simple!” She already had a bad premonition in her heart that Concubine Fang would very likely escape this time.

Ren Yaoqi had already guessed Concubine Fang’s moves beforehand, so she wasn’t too surprised. She was just thinking about what bargaining chips Fang Yacun had in his hands.

Seeing the displeasure on Ren Yaohua’s face and the unease in Nanny Zhou’s eyes, Ren Yaoqi smiled to comfort them, “What’s there to fear? Even if she convinced Old Master this time, it’ll be difficult for her to escape unscathed.”

Even with Old Master Ren backing her up, Concubine Fang had offended even Old Madam Ren this time. Even if Old Madam Ren ultimately had to comply with Old Master Ren’s wishes, how could she not hold a grudge in her heart? Add to that Lin Shi, who feared nothing more than chaos, and this drama would still be quite a spectacle.

As for the bargaining chips in Fang Yacun’s hands, since Concubine Fang dared to throw them out as bait, they weren’t far from surfacing.

Concubine Fang’s reaction this time also reminded Ren Yaoqi of something—that if you don’t remove the roots when cutting grass, it will grow again with the spring breeze. This chess piece, Fang Yacun, must be completely ruined.

She had ultimately not been ruthless enough before.

As soon as Concubine Fang walked into the main room of Ronghua Garden, Lin Shi tried to break free from Fifth Master Ren and pounce on her, but Fifth Master Ren held her back firmly.

When Lin Shi saw Concubine Fang’s weak and obedient appearance, the hatred in her heart made her voice hoarse and shrill the moment she opened her mouth, “Let go of me! Let me settle accounts with this bitch!” She didn’t hesitate to punch and kick, trying to break free from Fifth Master Ren.

Fifth Master Ren could barely hold her back and could only watch Old Madam Ren’s expression while quietly trying to coax her.

But today’s Lin Shi was like a lit firecracker that Fifth Master Ren couldn’t calm down, no matter what.

“Let go of me! Let go of me!”

Finally, Old Madam Ren’s face darkened, and she spoke, “All of you shut up!”

Lin Shi’s voice did indeed quiet down a bit, but she couldn’t help sobbing as she collapsed weakly into Fifth Master Ren’s arms.

The old woman who had just gone to find Concubine Fang walked up to Old Madam Ren and whispered a few words in her ear. Old Madam Ren frowned and looked at Concubine Fang suspiciously.

Concubine Fang carefully avoided Lin Shi, walked forward to kowtow to Old Madam Ren, then greeted Third Master Ren and Li Shi, and even curtsied from afar to the Fifth Master couple. Her etiquette remained thorough. Then she seemed to want to speak but hesitated, looking at Third Master with tears and timidity in her eyes before standing in the middle of the room without saying anything.

That look Concubine Fang gave was truly full of tender affection and hidden with a thousand meanings. Any man who saw it would inevitably feel pity in his heart. However, Third Master Ren was no ordinary man. Although he would occasionally appreciate Concubine Fang’s beauty with an appreciative eye, he was naturally lacking in sensitivity to perceive certain emotions.

Old Madam Ren began asking about the medicine incident. Concubine Fang shook her head and denied everything, saying only that she had been wronged, which made Lin Shi cry and tremble with anger on the side.

Old Madam Ren then had Nanny Gui, who was still kneeling to one side with a weak expression, repeat what she had said before in front of Concubine Fang.

Although Nanny Gui didn’t know why she was somewhat afraid of Concubine Fang, because of the threats from Fifth Master Ren and Lin Shi, she resignedly and numbly recounted how Concubine Fang had instructed her to drug Ren Yaoyu and make Ren Yaoyu conflict with Concubine Kang.

Concubine Fang looked shocked. “Nanny Gui, I have no grievances with you. Why do you want to harm me?”

But by now, everyone in the room no longer believed Concubine Fang’s words, not even Old Madam Ren.

Fifth Master Ren glanced at Third Master Ren.

Third Master Ren frowned and said, “Fang Shi, with the evidence so clear, how can you still deny it? Properly apologize to Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law. Considering that you have given birth to children for the Ren family over the years, I won’t send you to the authorities. Go back and pack up properly, say goodbye to Yaoyu and Yihong, and tomorrow I’ll have someone escort you back to the Fang family!”

Concubine Fang’s head, which had been lowered, suddenly lifted. She looked at Third Master Ren with some disbelief, “Master, you want to send me away?”

Third Master Ren frowned. Wasn’t his meaning clear enough? Because Fang Shi had given birth to a son and daughter and contributed to the Ren family, he was already protecting her by doing this, which made him feel somewhat sorry toward Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law.

Concubine Fang stared blankly at Third Master Ren, her face slowly showing an expression of despair and sorrow, “Master, what will happen to Hong’er and Yu’er after I leave? I have served you for more than ten years, always obedient in everything. Can’t I receive even a trace of your pity?”

Third Master Ren frowned, “Teaching and guiding children should be the legitimate wife’s responsibility.”

Concubine Fang was speechless.

She understood the expression in Ren Shimin’s eyes. The despair and sorrow on her face became somewhat real. Although she sometimes deceived herself, at this moment she completely awakened. In this man’s eyes, she had always been nothing more than a concubine who could be summoned and dismissed at will.

Even though she had borne him children, even though she had accompanied him reading late into the night, he had never truly cared about her. Even that weak and useless legitimate wife beside him, who couldn’t even bear him a son, carried much more weight than she did. At least he would give her respect and dignity.

Yet the only thing inferior about her, Fang Yaru, in this lifetime was her status. Why should she be trampled underfoot and treated as contemptibly as mud?

When she was in her natal family, there was the vicious legitimate mother and the legitimate sister who was inferior to her in every way, yet still looked down on her. Back then, the husband that legitimate sister Fang Yahui eventually married had fallen for her at first sight, while Fang Yahui had always wanted to marry Ren Shimin, with whom she had feelings since childhood.

Unfortunately, in the end, Ren Shimin married Li Shi, while Fang Yahui naturally took the position of legitimate wife that should have belonged to her, even hypocritically expressing that she could let her marry along as a secondary wife.

With her legitimate mother’s temperament, how could she possibly allow her to serve the same husband as Fang Yahui? This was asking for her life! So she chose to come to the Ren family, both for her brother Fang Yacun and for herself.

After arriving at the Ren family, there was the foolish Fifth Madam Lin Shi, the hypocritically noble legitimate wife Li Shi, and Ren Yaohua who opposed her in everything. These people pressed down on her head one by one, making her feel suffocated even when sleeping and dreaming.

In this lifetime, what she hated most were those who dared to bully her based on their legitimate birth status. She swore to pull them down from above her head one by one and make them fall into the mud!

Concubine Fang slightly lowered her head and closed her eyes, hiding the rolling anger and hatred in her eyes.