Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Seeing Ren Yaoqi laugh, both Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiao Jingxi could sense by intuition that Ren Yaoqi had a story, which was why he had comforted her in such a manner just now.

However, he truly couldn’t understand how Ren Yaoqi, who had grown up in Yanbei since childhood, could have any connection with that Eunuch Lu who served beside the Empress Dowager. As far as he knew, Eunuch Lu had never come to Yanbei.

What Xiao Jingxi could think of was that it might be related to the grievances between Empress Dowager Yan and the Prince of Xian. After all, back then, Empress Dowager Yan and Ren Yaoqi’s great-grandmother had been mortal enemies, so it would be quite normal for there to be some grudges between them that outsiders couldn’t fully understand.

“I’ll have someone help you investigate Fang Yacun’s matter,” Xiao Jingxi said to Ren Yaoqi.

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi was very grateful. She had originally wanted to ask Xia Sheng to help her make another trip to Jiangnan, but since Xia Sheng was from the Prince of Xian’s mansion, his identity was sensitive after all, so Ren Yaoqi hadn’t brought it up yet.

But now that Ren Yaoqi learned from Xiao Jingxi that Fang Yacun’s superior had connections with Empress Dowager Yan, she absolutely couldn’t drag her maternal grandfather’s family into this.

It would be much better if Xiao Jingxi took the initiative to investigate.

If Fang Yacun’s reason for coming to Yanbei was related to the imperial court, then it would be good for Xiao Jingxi to learn about it early and make preparations.

To be fair, if Ren Yaoqi had to choose, she would prefer the Xiao family to have the upper hand, because if the court won, the Prince of Xian’s mansion would have no way out.

Although Ren Yaoqi’s mother, Li Shi, had always been proud of her noble status as a direct descendant of the Li imperial clan, Ren Yaoqi considered herself a person of Yanbei. Even though after leaving this place in her previous life, she had never thought of returning to this place of heartbreak.

“Thank you, Young Master Xiao,” Ren Yaoqi felt she had thanked Xiao Jingxi too many times.

Xiao Jingxi joked: “No need to thank me. Who told me to repeatedly poach the people you were using? When you owe too much, you always have to pay it back.”

Xiao Jinglin frowned and interjected: “Xiao Jingxi, are you reminding Yaoqi that she owes you favors and must repay them too? You’re too calculating.”

Xiao Jingxi, whose words had been misinterpreted, felt his eyelid twitch. These weren’t his words. Fortunately, his temperament was steady and his composure excellent, so he wasn’t angered enough to jump up on the spot.

But Ren Yaoqi thought that she indeed owed Xiao Jingxi quite a few favors. How could she repay them?

Knowing that the siblings were joking, Ren Yaoqi also joked: “Jinglin is right. If Young Master Xiao has any use for me, just say so directly. If you’ve also taken a fancy to anyone under my command, feel free to speak up.”

Xiao Jingxi’s gaze swept across Ren Yaoqi’s face, but he only smiled without speaking.

Xiao Jinglin struggled internally over whether she should remind Ren Yaoqi: Xiao Jingxi has taken a fancy to you now, and you can’t just agree when he speaks up about this.

But Princess Xiao struggled for a long time and, for once, rarely refrained from speaking her mind directly. If she said it out loud, Xiao Jingxi would hate her.

Although Princess Xiao always liked to spare no effort in attacking and provoking her brother, she was also a wise person who knew when to retreat. She only lingered around Xiao Jingxi’s bottom line, occasionally scratching at it. But whenever she thought of Xiao Jingxi’s cunning methods, the Princess felt it was better not to cross the line easily.

This day passed unknowingly for the most part.

Xiao Jingxi seemed to want to recuperate at White Cloud Temple for a while longer, though it was unclear whether it was due to poor health or matters concerning the Yanbei army. However, Xiao Jinglin was ordered by the Princess Consort to return to the mansion before sunset.

Since Xiao Jinglin had to return, Ren Yaoqi naturally also had to go back to White Crane Town.

Ren Yaoqi declined Xiao Jinglin’s offer to escort her. It was already getting late, and if Xiao Jinglin escorted her back to White Crane Town and then returned to the Yanbei Prince’s mansion, the sun would have set. Ren Yaoqi was afraid she would be scolded by the Princess Consort.

In the end, Xiao Jinglin could only compromise by having Hong Ying escort her back. As a man, Xiao Jingxi naturally couldn’t escort Ren Yaoqi and cause any gossip. However, he had Tong Xi, whom Ren Yaoqi was familiar with, serve as her coachman, and also sent two guards to accompany the carriage.

Xiao Jinglin glanced at the ordinary-looking carriage and wanted to say something, but ultimately kept her mouth shut.

She could tell this was Xiao Jingxi’s carriage. You had to know that Young Master Xiao’s carriage was never lent to others. Even Sha Niu, who had no choice but to ride in his carriage, would be washed down by Tong He to remove a pitiful layer of fur before getting on, which caused Sha Niu to now run away whenever she saw Xiao Jingxi’s carriage.

Naturally, Ren Yaoqi knew none of this, nor did she recognize that she was riding in Xiao Jingxi’s carriage. The carriages of the Yanbei Prince’s mansion all looked completely similar from the outside, and the subtle differences couldn’t be discerned by Ren Yaoqi, who wasn’t from the Prince’s mansion.

Before getting in the carriage, Ren Yaoqi said goodbye to Xiao Jinglin for a while. Ren Yaoqi instructed Xiao Jinglin to tell her before leaving Yunyang City, and also to remember to write to her if convenient after going to Jiajing Pass.

Xiao Jinglin agreed to everything, instructing Ren Yaoqi to practice swordsmanship for half an hour every day without being lazy, and also told her that if she replied to letters, she should send them to the Yanbei Prince’s mansion for Xiao Jingxi.

Thinking that this parting might last two years, both Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin felt somewhat reluctant.

But no matter how reluctant, when it was time to part, they still had to part. Ren Yaoqi waved her hand and got into the carriage. Xiao Jinglin’s carriage traveled alongside hers for a stretch of road, only separating at the fork between Yunyang City and White Crane Town.

Only after getting into the carriage did Ren Yaoqi notice something was amiss. Compared to Xiao Jinglin’s carriage, while the one she was now sitting in looked very ordinary from the outside, once inside, the difference became apparent.

Compared to this carriage, Xiao Jinglin’s could almost be called shabby.

Ren Yaoqi immediately realized whose carriage this was, because it looked too much like a certain someone’s style.

It wasn’t that this certain someone was flashy or ostentatious—every item in this carriage didn’t appear gorgeous or fancy, but anyone with discerning eyes could tell these weren’t ordinary goods. No wonder Xiao Jinglin always mocked Xiao Jingxi for being too particular.

No wonder Hong Ying refused to get in the carriage and insisted on riding a horse instead. She had thought all of Xiao Jinglin’s maids shared her same preferences.

Sitting on the soft, comfortable cushions made of some unknown material, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“Miss, would you like some tea?” Pingguo, who was fortunate enough to ride in the carriage with Ren Yaoqi, saw her pick up a black, unremarkable teacup from the small table and thought she wanted tea, so she asked quietly.

Ren Yaoqi looked at the cup in her hand and smiled, shaking her head. Drinking tea from an ink jade cup had many particular requirements. Ren Yaoqi was afraid that if Xiao Jingxi knew she had used his cup to drink tea, he might throw away this priceless set of items.

That would be truly sinful.

Seeing a book also placed on the low table, Ren Yaoqi picked it up and casually flipped through it. It was a small album for appreciating famous paintings. Ren Yaoqi flipped through a few pages with interest, thinking to read and pass the time.

But when she accidentally turned to the title page, Ren Yaoqi saw two lines of elegant handwriting and couldn’t help but pause.

It was a line of poetry: “From now on, green temples regard the grass, red sleeves add fragrance, dependents suspect immortals, essays glorify the nation.”

Ren Yaoqi remembered that once, when she met with the Xiao siblings, she had heard Xiao Jinglin quietly recite this line. At that time, she had just finished writing and was talking with Xiao Jingxi when Xiao Jinglin suddenly came out with this line, which would really cause others to misunderstand, so Ren Yaoqi had pretended not to hear anything to avoid embarrassment.

Now seeing this same line in Xiao Jingxi’s book, Ren Yaoqi didn’t know how to react.

Was this a coincidence?

Ren Yaoqi closed the book in her hands and stroked the three characters “Painting Appreciation Album” on the cover.

After being dazed for a while, Ren Yaoqi put down the book in her hands, carefully placing it back in its original position, then sat leaning against the carriage wall with her eyes closed to rest.

Pingguo saw Ren Yaoqi read for a while, then stare blankly for a while, then begin to rest with closed eyes. Though she found it somewhat strange, as a maid who only worked without speaking, Pingguo obediently softened her breathing to avoid disturbing her young lady.

Ren Yaoqi hadn’t expected that this journey would be anything but peaceful.

From White Crane Town to White Cloud Temple, or from White Crane Town to Yunyang City, though she hadn’t traveled this route frequently in both her lives combined, she had still made the trip several times. She had never known there would be any danger on this road.

But when Xia Sheng, who was driving outside, suddenly let out a muffled grunt, and then the carriage suddenly jolted, Ren Yaoqi immediately sensed something was wrong.

Pingguo wasn’t sitting steadily and bumped her head. After reacting, she immediately sat alertly in front of Ren Yaoqi, her eyes fixed on the swaying carriage curtain.

Fighting sounds came from outside. Someone had jumped onto the front shaft of the carriage, forcing it to stop. Hong Ying’s voice rang out from outside: “Miss Ren Fifth, please don’t come out first.”

Ren Yaoqi immediately asked: “What about Tong Xi? Is he injured or…”

Tong Xi’s voice came from outside, gritting his teeth through the pain: “Miss, this servant is fine, just took a hidden arrow and fell off the carriage. Don’t be afraid, please wait in the carriage first.”

Hearing that he was all right, Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief, responded, and said no more to avoid distracting them.

Ren Yaoqi listened carefully. The attackers didn’t seem to be very numerous, and Tong Xi, Hong Ying, and the two guards were able to hold them off. What Ren Yaoqi didn’t know was that although Xiao Jingxi had only sent two guards to escort her, each could fight ten men alone, and Hong Ying was also an expert who yielded to no man. As for Tong Xi, though his martial arts weren’t as good as Xia Sheng and the others when he was at the Prince of Xian’s mansion, he was not weak.

So, although there were six attackers, they were firmly held off.

Ren Yaoqi understood in her heart that these people weren’t coming for her, but rather for Xiao Jingxi. She had encountered them only because she happened to be riding in Xiao Jingxi’s carriage.

Just then, the horses pulling the carriage suddenly started moving for some reason, neighing as they ran forward, and the carriage began moving as well.