She vaguely remembered that in her previous life, when mother and Third Sister returned, she had failed to promptly pay respects to mother due to her worsening illness. However, a few days later, when father returned to the residence, she had worn the clothes and jewelry he brought her from the capital to go out and receive guests.
Third Sister Ren Yaohua became even more displeased with her because of this.
Ren Yaohua hated that she didn’t hold her mother in her heart and was heartless and ungrateful.
She also resented that mother treated elder sister a thousand times better than her, willingly accompanying elder sister to the estate to endure hardship, yet leaving her alone in the residence under a concubine’s care. Even when she was seriously ill, mother never sent anyone to check on her, and even sent away the physician who came to treat her to Third Sister, who had nothing wrong with her at all.
Just when Ren Yaoqi thought she had forgotten, the past gradually became clear again. Looking back at those events now, she naturally saw through the schemes within them.
Someone was scheming in the shadows, constantly instigating conflict between her and Ren Yaohua.
“Fifth Young Miss? If you don’t drink it soon, the medicine will get cold.” Seeing her frown at the medicine bowl, Jinju hurriedly urged with a forced smile.
Ren Yaoqi frowned and took the medicine bowl, bringing it to her lips. Just as Jinju was about to breathe a sigh of relief seeing her willing to drink, Ren Yaoqi moved the bowl away again, her frown deepening: “Why do I feel today’s medicine looks more bitter?”
Jinju’s heart jumped. Her eyes swept over the medicine bowl as she forced a smile: “How could that be? Young Miss, you haven’t even tasted it yet…”
Ren Yaoqi glanced at her from the corner of her eye, saying arrogantly: “This young miss has become a doctor from long illness – I can tell just by smelling that today’s medicine is bitter!”
“This…”
Jinju forcibly suppressed her temper and squeezed out a smile, wanting to continue persuading, when Ren Yaoqi said again: “Go ask Concubine Fang for a plate of preserved plum threads – the kind pickled with mint leaves and honey, with snow sugar sprinkled on top.”
The corner of Jinju’s mouth twitched. So today’s difficulty was because of greed. Her heart relaxed as she rose: “This servant will go immediately.” She turned and left.
Seeing her figure disappear from the inner room, Ren Yaoqi dropped the haughty expression from her face, put on a thick cotton jacket, got out of bed, and carried the medicine bowl behind the screen in the inner room, pouring the medicine into the chamber pot.
Afterwards, she returned to bed and sat properly. After thinking, she dabbed a few remaining drops of medicine juice from the bowl onto the corners of her lips.
Jinju returned quickly. Entering and seeing the empty medicine bowl, she couldn’t help but freeze. Ren Yaoqi was already showing some impatience: “Why did you take so long! Are you trying to kill me with bitterness!”
Jinju hurriedly presented the plate of preserved plum threads in her hand. Ren Yaoqi used the silver pick beside the plate to take a piece into her mouth, then half-closed her eyes in satisfaction: “So sweet—”
But Jinju’s eyes secretly glanced at the medicine bowl, then looked at Ren Yaoqi. Seeing the remaining medicine juice at the corners of her mouth, she was satisfied, and her smile became much more genuine: “These preserved plum threads were made by Concubine using her family’s secret method – you can’t get them anywhere else. This year, there was much rain, and several gardens in the north that grew the finest green plums were flooded, so Concubine only pickled this one jar. The last time, when Ninth Young Miss said she wanted to eat them, Concubine wouldn’t give them, saying she was saving them for Fifth Young Miss. Ninth Young Miss was angry with our Concubine for several days because of this.”
Ren Yaoqi noticed the curtain outside moving slightly and suddenly turned her head to wink at Jinju, smiling: “Thank you for telling me these things. So Ninth Sister is so petty – I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me. But don’t worry, I won’t let her know you spoke ill of her to me.”
Hearing this, Jinju’s face paled. She hadn’t meant to speak ill of Ninth Young Miss behind her back.
“Fifth Young Miss, I…”
Ren Yaoqi interrupted her words, removing a lustrous and translucent white jade bracelet from her wrist and presenting it before Jinju’s eyes: “I never shortchange my people. This is a reward for you.”
Jinju glanced at the bracelet, her heart jumping. The words of protest she was about to speak were forcibly swallowed back.
She looked around, carefully tucked the bracelet into her sleeve, and softly said: “This servant thanks Fifth Young Miss for the reward.”
Ren Yaoqi covered her mouth and yawned: “I’m tired and want to sleep for a while. You may go.”
“Yes, Fifth Young Miss.” After helping Ren Yaoqi lie down, Jinju withdrew.
Ren Yaoqi waited a moment, then called softly: “Who’s outside?”
After some rustling sounds, the two maidservants Qingmei and Xueli lifted the curtain and entered.
“Young Miss, what are your orders?” Qingmei eagerly approached.
Ren Yaoqi said, “Come help me dress and get up.”
Qingmei smiled apologetically: “Young Miss, whatever you need, just give this servant orders – you’d better not get up.” But her eyes glanced at Ren Yaoqi’s wrist.
Ren Yaoqi pretended not to see her gaze and said with a half-smile: “This young miss needs to use the privy – can you substitute for that too?”
Qingmei hurriedly said, “Then, then just put on the small jacket.”
Ren Yaoqi frowned: “Do you want me to catch cold, or do you want me to be improperly dressed when using the privy and lose propriety!”
What propriety was needed for using the privy? Usually it was done this way, too, wasn’t it? Qingmei was embarrassed.
Xueli, at the side, quickly stepped forward: “Young Miss, don’t be angry. This servant will help you dress.” While giving Qingmei meaningful looks to stop her from talking too much.
Xueli helped Ren Yaoqi put on a thick jacket and a pleated skirt.
“Go get my thick lynx fur cloak.” Ren Yaoqi instructed Xueli.
Xueli was startled – this was attire for going out?
“Young Miss? Are you going out?” Qingmei had already asked.
Ren Yaoqi ignored her and only glanced at Xueli.
Being swept by her gaze, Xueli had no choice but to rise: “Yes, this servant will go immediately.” But before turning, she gave Qingmei a meaningful look.
Qingmei smiled and said, “Young Miss, where are you going? Tell this servant so I can make arrangements.”
Seeing Ren Yaoqi ignore her, she rolled her eyes: “This servant will go prepare a hand warmer for you so you don’t catch a cold going out.” She turned to leave.
“Stop.” Ren Yaoqi called lightly. Though only two soft words, they made Qingmei’s steps halt.
“Go find my long chain with two hundred and fifty-six pearls.”
“Yes, Young Miss.” Though Qingmei desperately wanted to go inform Nanny Zhu, she dared not disobey Ren Yaoqi’s words. She hurried to the dressing table and soon found a long chain strung with pink, white, and gold pearls the size of thumbnails.
“Young Miss, shall this servant put it on you?” This chain was too long – if Ren Yaoqi wore it, it would need to wrap around three or four times. Usually, she found it cumbersome and didn’t wear it. She didn’t know why she suddenly thought of it today.
But Ren Yaoqi shook her head: “I find this chain vulgar. Change it for me.”
“Ah?” Qingmei was stunned. “How would Young Miss like it changed?”
Ren Yaoqi pointed to the pearls: “Take it apart and restring it – one pink, one white, one gold, alternating like that.”
Qingmei went to find a needle and thread from the wall cabinet with a bitter face.
By this time, Xueli had found the lynx fur cloak. Seeing Qingmei still hadn’t left the room, she couldn’t help frowning.
Ren Yaoqi had Xueli simply arrange her hair, put on the cloak, and prepare to go out.
“Qingmei stays to string the pearls, Xueli comes with me.”
After exchanging glances with Qingmei, Xueli hesitated for a moment but still stepped forward to lift the curtain for Ren Yaoqi.
This was Ren Yaoqi’s first time going out in two days. As soon as the outer curtain was lifted, cold wind carrying goose-feather-sized snowflakes swirled toward them, ice particles hitting her face painfully.
Even though she was dressed thickly and her body was still warm, her face instantly became cold. Snowflakes stuck to her eyelashes, and when she blinked, they melted into a blur, obscuring her vision.
She hadn’t seen northern wind and snow for many years.
“Young Miss, it’s cold outside. Shall we go back?” Xueli carefully advised.
Ren Yaoqi paid no attention. She pulled down the hood on her head to cover most of her face, then without looking back headed toward the main hall. The further she walked, the faster her steps became, until finally she was running.
“Fifth Young Miss, be careful of the slippery ground—” Xueli chased from behind.
Ziwei Courtyard was not small. The west wing was separated from the main hall by a passage and a large courtyard.
Ren Yaoqi ran along the covered walkway all the way. Coming out of the corridor gate connecting the roofed walkway, she nearly slipped on the thin, half-melted snow under the main hall’s eaves. But when she stood at the main hall’s entrance, she felt somewhat timid about approaching home.
A few rays of light leaked from beneath the indigo door curtain embroidered with golden prosperity patterns. Ren Yaoqi faintly heard people talking inside the main hall.
“Fifth Young Miss.” The maidservant on duty had originally been puzzled seeing a tightly wrapped figure running along the walkway. After recognizing it was Ren Yaoqi by the windproof lantern under the corridor, she was startled, quickly curtsied, and hurried inside to report.
Soon the indigo curtain was lifted from inside, and a beautiful girl wearing a silver-red jacket embroidered with peonies and trimmed with fur, a goose-yellow pleated skirt, with almond eyes and snow-white skin emerged.
She was two years older than Ren Yaoqi and naturally taller than her peers. Standing under the door eaves, looking down at her, her pretty face contained ice. Even the orange lantern light enveloping her couldn’t make her look half a degree warmer.
Ren Yaoqi froze, opening her mouth: “Third—”
But before the words could leave her mouth, the girl suddenly raised her hand and slapped her face hard. The crisp, loud sound of the slap stunned everyone present.
“Ren Yaoqi, you still have the face to come!” A cold voice with some mockery rang beside Ren Yaoqi’s buzzing ears.