Concubine Fang lowered her head like a fool, staring blankly at her shoe tips, as if she hadn’t realized what had happened. Instead, it was Lin Shi, who had slashed Concubine Fang’s face four or five times, who slowly came to her senses. She looked at Concubine Fang, who had become a bloody mess, then at her own blood-stained hands, and suddenly turned deathly pale, threw down the dagger in her hand, and began screaming.
Ren Yaoying, held in Concubine Fang’s arms, felt the sticky liquid sliding down her collar into her neck. Though it was warm, it made her shiver with cold. She opened her mouth, wanting to scream as well, but ultimately her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
The garden was thrown into chaos. Those who hadn’t been scared senseless were all screaming. Ren Yaoyu looked at Concubine Fang and her daughter, then at her mother, who was still screaming incessantly. She gritted her teeth, climbed up, then rushed to Lin Shi, grabbed her mother with her uninjured hand, and ran.
Lin Shi was already terrified. When Ren Yaoyu pulled her to run, she ran. When the mother and daughter had run halfway out of the courtyard, they suddenly heard Concubine Fang let out a shrill, miserable scream. Both mother’s and daughter’s hearts trembled, and they ran even faster.
Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu couldn’t describe what kind of feeling they had when they heard Concubine Fang’s scream at the time. When they recalled it later, it felt like there were vengeful ghosts chasing them from behind.
In Ronghua Garden, Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren were still lecturing their two sons when they heard someone come in to report that something had happened between Concubine Fang and Fifth Madam. Old Madam Ren said quite calmly, “Fifth Daughter-in-law just has that temperament. Once she vents her anger, she’ll be fine.”
This time, it was Concubine Fang who was in the wrong, Old Madam Ren thought. Even if Concubine Fang suffered some small losses at Lin Shi’s hands, it wouldn’t matter. Otherwise, Lin Shi would make a continuous fuss, so she had originally planned to turn a blind eye to it.
Unexpectedly, Shanhu looked as if she was about to faint. “Old, Old Madam, Fifth Madam used a dagger to slash Concubine Fang’s face several times. Concubine Fang has bled all over the ground and has already fainted! Ninth Miss was also frightened into unconsciousness!”
Old Madam Ren suddenly sat up straight, “What did you say!”
Old Master Ren and his two sons were also shocked.
Fifth Master Ren strode forward and urgently asked Shanhu, “Where is Fifth Madam now?”
Shanhu hurriedly said, “The old women said that after Fifth Madam injured Concubine Fang, she was pulled away by Eighth Miss.”
Ren Shimao felt a sense of relief. He glanced at Ren Shimin, not knowing how to feel in his heart. Apologizing wasn’t right, not apologizing was even worse. In the end, he could only sigh, heavily pat Ren Shimin on the shoulder, then without saying anything, turned and left.
Ren Shimin looked at Old Master Ren, then at Old Madam Ren, bowed to take his leave, and departed.
Seeing that the matter had escalated, Old Madam Ren had no time to worry about her two sons. She hurriedly gave a series of instructions to the maids and old women to fetch the Eldest Madam, have her take Concubine Fang and Ren Yaoying back, and control the situation to prevent any bad rumors from spreading. She also arranged for people to invite a physician into the mansion.
Old Master Ren listened to Old Madam Ren’s arrangements from the side, frowning and not knowing what he was thinking.
Ren Yaoqi, who had been having people monitor the situation around Concubine Fang, now also learned what had happened in the courtyard. She couldn’t help but be stunned for a while. Although she could imagine that Lin Shi would go to cause trouble for Concubine Fang, or perhaps slap Concubine Fang hard several times like Ren Yaohua had done to Ren Yaoyin, she hadn’t expected Lin Shi to act in such a brutal manner.
Even Nanny Zhou said, “This… this Fifth Madam is too… Appearance is so important for women, especially for someone like Concubine Fang!”
Concubine Fang was a very beauty-conscious person who understood how to dress herself well. Although she might not match Li Shi in looks, her dress and graceful bearing would make the little maids in the mansion secretly compete to imitate her.
Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi and Nanny Zhou, then said, “Perhaps I’m a person without much sympathy, or naturally cold-hearted, but when I heard this news, I felt quite pleased for a while.” Ren Yaohua had suffered countless hardships at Concubine Fang’s hands, both openly and secretly. She hated Concubine Fang to the bone, so she really couldn’t squeeze out even a bit of sympathy.
At this moment, voices could be heard outside the door.
Ren Yihong’s voice rang out from outside the door, “May I speak with Third Sister and Fifth Sister?”
Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua exchanged glances, then Ren Yaohua frowned and signaled Wujing to open the door.
Ren Yihong was a person who was dull but respectful of propriety. When the door opened, he didn’t enter but bowed to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua from outside, then asked, “Third Sister, Fifth Sister, may I ask if Father mentioned when he would come?”
He had waited in the study for a long time. Originally, if Father hadn’t come, he should have continued waiting obediently, but somehow he felt uneasy in his heart. Just now, he had heard the sounds of maids and old women hurrying past outside, as if something had happened, so after much consideration, he decided to come and ask.
Looking at Ren Yihong, Ren Yaoqi suddenly felt at a loss for words. Although Ren Yihong was born to Concubine Fang, he was different from Ren Yaoying. Concubine Fang had high expectations for Ren Yihong and never let him get involved in inner courtyard affairs, only having him focus on his studies with his teacher, so Ren Yihong was a genuine bookworm.
Although Ren Yaoqi really couldn’t develop any good feelings toward this brother because of Concubine Fang, she also couldn’t bring herself to speak harshly to him. Even Ren Yaohua felt somewhat powerless when facing Ren Yihong, so most of the time she simply ignored him.
Ren Yaohua had always disliked beating around the bush and said directly and coldly, “Just now, someone came in to report that Concubine Fang and Fifth Madam had a conflict, and she was injured by Fifth Madam with a dagger. Father probably won’t be coming over for now. If you want to go back, you can go back first.”
Ren Yihong was stunned, then hurriedly asked, “Is my concubine mother’s injury serious?”
Nanny Zhou said, “Eldest Madam has already sent the concubine back to Fangfei Courtyard and sent for a physician. As for the injury… her life is not in danger.”
Ren Yihong didn’t catch Nanny Zhou’s deliberate understatement and breathed a slight sigh of relief, then said somewhat hesitantly, “Then I, I’ll…”
Ren Yaohua frowned, “If you’re going to leave, then leave. What’s a man being so wishy-washy for!”
Ren Yihong’s face reddened. He bowed, then left.
Nanny Zhou watched Ren Yihong’s retreating figure and shook her head, “What a sin!” Then she said to Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua, “Concubine Fang is a person from our third household. Madam will need to go to Fangfei Courtyard. It’s better if this servant follows along. I’ll take my leave first.”
After Nanny Zhou left, Ren Yaohua stared at Ren Yaoqi and said mockingly, “What? Are you feeling soft-hearted?”
Ren Yaoqi smiled bitterly and shook her head, “Not at all, so I’m also a cold-hearted person.” Although Concubine Fang being slashed on the face was beyond her expectations, she wouldn’t feel any sympathy for Concubine Fang because of it. Instead, she would be even more wary of her.
This time, Concubine Fang had suffered greatly at Lin Shi’s hands. If she could get through this, she would inevitably seek revenge. And their covert actions would certainly attract Concubine Fang’s attention, so none of them would be spared.
Lin Shi was pulled back to Liuli Courtyard by Ren Yaoyu. She had already come to her senses and, despite being the perpetrator, was frightened like a startled bird. As soon as she returned, she had the maids and old women close the courtyard gate and not let anyone in.
Then Lin Shi began packing.
When Fifth Master Ren returned and finally managed to get the door opened, Lin Shi had already packed several large bundles. Ren Shimao was stunned, “What are you doing?”
Lin Shi had been very tense, not even having time to change her clothes. Ren Shimao could still see two drops of blood splattered on her collar.
Ren Shimao’s appearance finally gave Lin Shi some peace. She cried, “Husband, I’ve caused great trouble this time. I… I want to take Yu’er back to my natal family to stay for a while.”
But Ren Shimao was nonchalant, holding Lin Shi’s hand to comfort her, “She’s just a concubine. If she’s ruined, she’s ruined! Even Third Brother didn’t say anything. Besides, this time it was her trying to harm our daughter first, and Father’s unfair handling afterward. If they want to punish you for this, they’ll have to get past me first.”
Although Lin Shi still felt afraid, Ren Shimao’s words still warmed and softened her heart, “Fifth Master… I, I’m so scared. I don’t even know why I did that. I just saw her push Yu’er and hurt Yu’er’s hand… Yu’er? Where is Yu’er?” Lin Shi suddenly became anxious.
Ren Shimao hurriedly said, “Yu’er is in her room. I just checked on her. Her hand was only injured in the tendons, not the bones. With some massage and rest for three to five days, she’ll be fine.”
Lin Shi breathed a sigh of relief, but still said, “Send more people to guard her door. Oh right! And Jian’er! Where is Jian’er? Where is he?”
Lin Shi didn’t know what she was afraid of, but she just felt very uneasy, fearing that Concubine Fang would come to seek revenge. She felt certain that Concubine Fang would retaliate. If she had to do it over again, she would never dare to use a knife on Concubine Fang’s face. Even if she wanted to teach Concubine Fang a lesson, she wouldn’t personally rush forward to act.
Ren Shimao couldn’t quite understand Lin Shi’s fear, perhaps because he didn’t understand Concubine Fang as deeply as Lin Shi did, even though Lin Shi’s fear was only subconscious.
However, Ren Shimao still made great efforts to comfort Lin Shi and promised that he wouldn’t let Old Master Ren punish her. In the end, Lin Shi couldn’t bear to leave her husband and son, so she agreed to stay for now.
After comforting his wife and daughter, Ren Shimao returned to Ronghua Garden. He went to apologize on Lin Shi’s behalf.
Old Master Ren kept a stern face throughout, indicating that it was necessary to send Lin Shi back to her natal family for a while. But Ren Shimao said firmly, “Father, it was clearly that poisonous woman Fang Shi who harmed Yu’er first, and just now in the garden, she nearly caused Yu’er to break her hand. Huijun, as Yu’er’s mother, lost control momentarily and made a mistake—this is understandable! As elders, shouldn’t we protect our children? Are we supposed to favor an unrelated lowly concubine instead? If this gets out, people will laugh their teeth off!”