The next day, Ren Shimao set out for Yanzhou with Lin Shi and the unconscious Ren Yaoyu.

Li Shi had already cleaned up the Ren family’s retreat house in Yunyang City according to Ren Shimin’s instructions, just waiting for the Fifth Master’s family to return and live there.

Because she was worried about letting Ren Yijian live alone at the retreat house, when Ren Shimao had sent Ren Yijian back, Li Shi had brought him to Baoping Lane instead, having Ren Yijian live together with Ren Yihong in the side courtyard.

When Ren Shimao returned, Ren Shimin and Li Shi took Ren Yijian over, and also brought their children along to see Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu.

Fortunately, the jolting journey hadn’t worsened Ren Yaoyu’s condition. The toxins in her body had been neutralized; she just couldn’t wake up due to excessive depletion. The physician said this situation was somewhat dangerous – if Ren Yaoyu still couldn’t wake up within a year, even if she could eat, drink, and relieve herself, she would still die from physical exhaustion.

When Li Shi brought Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua in to see Ren Yaoyu, she almost couldn’t recognize their appearance.

Ren Yaoyu had originally had some baby fat and was more rounded compared to the other Ren family sisters, but now she seemed to have shrunk like a deflated balloon. Not only had she lost flesh all over her body, but her complexion was waxy yellow, and her hair was dull and lusterless.

Although Lin Shi had recovered quite well by now, her face was covered with scattered blood scabs. At first glance, it was quite frightening. Combined with her thinness, which made her face sunken, where was even half of the Fifth Madam’s former charming and seductive charm? At this moment, Lin Shi was just an ordinary middle-aged woman who looked somewhat ugly at first sight.

What surprised Li Shi and the Ren Yaoqi sisters was that Lin Shi’s attitude toward them was actually very warm, and her tone of speech was very gentle, making Li Shi and the sisters feel both flattered and somewhat incredulous.

If they hadn’t lived under the same roof for over ten years, they would almost suspect that this Lin Shi was an impostor.

Ren Yaoqi carefully observed Lin Shi for a while and found that she had indeed changed considerably. Although her warm and friendly demeanor toward them still seemed somewhat unnatural, one could tell she was sincere in wanting to repair their relationship.

Li Shi was a magnanimous person. When Lin Shi treated her well, she only responded well, completely forgetting how Lin Shi had bullied her in the past when she relied on being favored.

Although Ren Yaoqi was somewhat surprised by Lin Shi’s transformation, she didn’t hate Lin Shi to the bone. If both sides could truly let bygones be bygones, she could accept it. After all, having one more friend was better than having one more enemy.

Ren Yaohua was more reserved about Lin Shi’s attitude. Who knew if Lin Shi would change back later and glare at them again!

However, when faced with Ren Yaohua’s lukewarm attitude, Lin Shi didn’t ignore her but continued to speak gently, which was quite impressive.

Over there, Third Master Ren and Fifth Master Ren, the two brothers, also went aside to talk.

Ren Shimao first bowed deeply to Ren Shimin: “Third Brother, great kindness needs no words of thanks!”

Ren Shimin held his elbow and helped him up: “We’re brothers from the same family. Such words create distance between us. It’s good that we could help you.”

Ren Shimao said gratefully: “This time, thanks to your timely letter, otherwise Huijun and Yu’er would have…” Every time he thought of how his wife and daughter looked when they were dying, Ren Shimao couldn’t find words.

Ren Shimin sighed and asked: “Have you investigated the poisoning matter? Do you know who did it?”

Hearing Ren Shimin mention this, Ren Shimao’s face immediately turned cold: “These days, I’ve only been worried about Huijun and Yu’er’s condition and haven’t had time to investigate thoroughly. But the tampered items were those boxes of Pearl Peach Blossom Powder bought from Huaxiangrong. I’ve already had people strictly guard all those who could have had access to these items. If I find out who poisoned them, I… I will definitely…”

Because of his extreme hatred, Ren Shimao couldn’t find suitable words.

Ren Shimin nodded and patted Ren Shimao’s shoulder understandingly: “If we can find the culprit, naturally, they can’t be lightly forgiven. If you need help with anything, just speak up.”

Hearing this, Ren Shimao sighed: “Adversity reveals true friendship. Third Brother, I thank you.” Ren Shimao thought of how Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren had reacted when he previously sought help from home, and couldn’t help feeling downcast.

The Ren family had indeed sent them medicinal materials and found physicians. Old Madam Ren had sent people wanting to bring him and Ren Yijian back to Yunyang City first for shelter. But because they feared Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu had contracted an epidemic disease, they refused to let them return home, allowing them to die in a foreign land – this still hurt Ren Shimao’s heart.

Rationally, he could understand his parents’ desire for self-preservation, but emotionally, he couldn’t accept it.

Ren Shimin somewhat understood what was in Ren Shimao’s heart, but as he was also someone’s child, he really couldn’t say anything, so he returned to the matter of the poisoning: “Do you have someone in mind that you suspect?”

Ren Shimao was also pulled back from his thoughts, but Ren Shimin’s words made him hesitate.

Ren Shimin frowned: “Or do you already have a suspect?”

Ren Shimao sighed and looked seriously at Ren Shimin: “Third Brother, if there’s anything I do wrong in the future, please forgive your brother once.”

Ren Shimin was somewhat baffled. What could Ren Shimao do to wrong him?

Ren Shimao knew this third brother of his had a very straightforward nature, and speaking in roundabout ways with him would often only bring trouble on himself, so he said frankly: “I do suspect someone, but I have no evidence.”

“Oh? Who?”

Ren Shimin paused, then said: “Fang Shi!”

Hearing this, Ren Shimin was startled, then frowned and thought: “Fang Shi? Hasn’t she always stayed in the Ren family without coming out? If she wanted to poison someone, how could she do it?”

Ren Shimin wasn’t angry that Ren Shimao suspected his concubine. He just objectively felt that even if Concubine Fang had motive, she couldn’t put poison in Lin Shi’s cosmetics. Even Third Master Ren, who knew nothing about inner courtyard affairs, knew that what an inner courtyard woman could do was very limited.

Ren Shimao said, “Huijun bought six boxes of Pearl Peach Blossom Powder from Huaxiangrong cosmetics shop in Yunyang City. I later had people examine those six boxes and found that besides the two boxes Huijun and Yu’er used, the other four boxes were also poisoned. This means the poisoner put the poison in before Huijun and Yu’er used those two boxes. Because the poisoner didn’t know which boxes they would use, they tampered with every box.”

Hearing this, Ren Shimin pondered: “So you mean the poison was administered before you left Baihe Town?”

Ren Shimao nodded: “Huijun said those boxes of cosmetics were bought two days before leaving Baihe Town. She and Yu’er started using them the day after buying them. The physician said that although this type of poison acts violently when it takes effect, it’s a chronic poison that needs to be used continuously for several days before taking effect. The culprit wanted to use this point to mislead us, making us think Huijun and Yu’er fell ill after leaving Baihe Town.”

Ren Shimin said, “What about those boxes of cosmetics? Wouldn’t keeping them become evidence? Although you initially thought they had contracted a disease, what if someone figured out it was poisoning?”

Just like Ren Yaoqi, who had guessed it might be poisoning based on the symptoms described in Ren Shimao’s letter. Ren Shimin thought his daughter was truly remarkable. However, because Ren Yaoqi had told him not to mention her to Ren Shimao, to avoid making the elder feel indebted to her and uncomfortable, Ren Shimin didn’t mention Ren Yaoqi’s contribution.

Ren Shimao nodded: “Third Brother makes a good point, and I thought the same. So I suspect the culprit wanted to find an opportunity to switch those boxes of cosmetics back, but because I stayed by Huijun and Yu’er’s side caring for them after they were poisoned, and there were always people guarding the room, that person hadn’t been able to act until you sent me the letter, and later had no opportunity.”

“Oh? Did you have people search the belongings of those around you afterward? If it’s really as you said, the poisoner should still have six boxes of unpoisoned cosmetics.”

Ren Shimao nodded again: “After receiving your letter, I had all people who could have accessed those boxes of Pearl Peach Blossom Powder closely guarded. Before returning to Yunyang City this time, I specifically had people search everyone’s luggage thoroughly inside and out. The result was that I indeed found six boxes of unpoisoned Pearl Peach Blossom Powder.”

When Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu were both ill, although Ren Shimao knew they had been harmed by someone, he had no leisure to find the poisoner. Later, when Lin Shi recovered and Ren Yaoyu could swallow things, Ren Shimao finally had the mood to find the culprit.