Ren Yaoqi nodded: “I understand, Father.”

Shortly after, Ren Shimao sent someone to tell Ren Shimin that he had already captured Yu Qing’niang through the manager of Flower Dream.

As for whether to report it to the authorities for handling, Ren Shimao was still negotiating with Flower Dream.

Ren Shimao had previously discussed with Ren Shimin whether to alert the authorities, and the result of their discussion was to temporarily not alert the authorities, because this matter also involved a concubine from the Ren family. If it spread, it would have a bad impact on the Ren family’s reputation.

Fifth Master Ren’s decision to move against Concubine Fang could already be foreseen to anger Old Master Ren. If this matter were blown up further to make the Ren family lose all face, they couldn’t bear the consequences either.

Naturally, Flower Dream also didn’t want the matter to blow up, because once it became public, it would have a great impact on Flower Dream’s business. So, regarding handing over Yu Qing’niang, Flower Dream was very cooperative. After all, Flower Dream also bore responsibility in this matter. If someone could face and bear the Ren family’s anger on behalf of Flower Dream, they would be happy to see it happen.

However, Yu Qing’niang was only an apprentice at Flower Dream, and the contract she signed with Flower Dream was not long-term. If Flower Dream wanted to directly dispose of Yu Qing’niang, there were many inconveniences, which were also part of what Ren Shimao was negotiating with Flower Dream. In the end, the authorities might still have to step in, but if both the Ren family and Flower Dream didn’t want to make the matter public, the authorities had their own set of accommodating procedures.

Regarding Lady Sun Eleven, Ren Shimao had also sent people, but those who returned said that Lady Sun Eleven had gone out in the morning to a wealthy household to deliver several custom-made plaques and hadn’t returned yet. After Ren Shimao had people inquire at the calligraphy and painting shop, he sent people to wait at that household’s gate.

But Ren Shimao’s people waited for a long time without seeing Lady Sun Eleven come out.

After quite a while longer, Ren Shimao’s side sent someone to tell Ren Shimin that the young assistant who had gone with Lady Sun Eleven had already come out, but Lady Sun Eleven was nowhere to be seen.

That assistant said the master of the house was very satisfied with the plaques they delivered and had the steward keep them for tea and snacks, and also gave them some work. But Lady Sun Eleven had left earlier, saying she was going back to get something, but had never been seen returning. Ren Shimao’s people hurried to search the calligraphy shop and Lady Sun Eleven’s lodging, but still couldn’t find her.

Hearing all this news, Ren Yaoqi wasn’t anxious at all.

Not long after, Pingguo returned.

Pingguo came before Ren Yaoqi to report: “This servant deliberately alerted the prey as you instructed, letting Lady Sun Eleven know that Fifth Master was having people wait for her outside. She was very alert. She had an assistant come out to observe the situation, then secretly slipped from that mansion’s backside gate into the neighboring house, and ran away from the neighbor’s back door. Xia Sheng has already followed her.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded: “Has Zhu Ruomei’s side also been arranged?”

“Yes, Miss. This servant has already conveyed your instructions to Yuan Dayong.” When mentioning Yuan Dayong, Pingguo’s face showed slight discomfort.

Not long after Third Master Ren came to Yunyang City, Yuan Dayong also came to the Ren family’s coal station in Yunyang City, still serving as deputy manager. This time it wasn’t Third Master Ren who arranged it, but Yuan Dayong came on his merit. This was convenient for Ren Yaoqi. She had originally planned to find a way to get Yuan Dayong to Yunyang City, but unexpectedly, Yuan Dayong himself was quite clever.

With all the necessary arrangements made, Ren Yaoqi settled down to wait for news at home.

The people Third Master Ren sent to fetch Concubine Fang had already arrived at the Ren mansion. When Concubine Fang heard that Ren Yaoying had suddenly fallen ill, she panicked and didn’t have time to think much before asking Old Madam Ren for permission to come see Ren Yaoying.

It wasn’t surprising that such a shrewd person as Concubine Fang would be deceived.

Concubine Fang had acted against Fifth Branch’s Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu, causing Ren Yaoyu to remain unconscious. Being a person of very heavy thoughts, when she heard that Ren Yaoying had suddenly fallen ill, her first thought was that Lin Shi was retaliating against her by targeting Ren Yaoying, since Lin Shi had done such things before.

Old Madam Ren didn’t make things difficult for Concubine Fang, although she had been much colder toward Concubine Fang since the last incident. Even if she didn’t show her a cold face due to the Fang family relationship and occasionally gave her some care at Old Master Ren’s indication, there was still a barrier in her heart.

However, Concubine Fang was also a person of a meticulous mind. After she got into the carriage sent by Third Master Ren and left the Ren mansion, halfway through the journey, she sensed something was wrong.

Given Third Master Ren’s nature, since he truly despised her, unless Ren Yaoying’s condition was really bad, he wouldn’t specially send people to bring her to Yunyang City, and Li Shi and Ren Yaohua wouldn’t want her to come either. But the people who came to fetch her didn’t seem very anxious.

Even if these people weren’t servants who attended Ren Yaoying and weren’t clear about the situation, if Ren Yaoying’s illness was truly serious, wouldn’t the word get out?

Concubine Fang had been careless earlier because her concern for her daughter had clouded her judgment, but once she noticed something was wrong, the more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. So she had Nanny Yu call the accompanying woman into the carriage to probe for information.

Although the accompanying woman was Li Shi’s person, she wasn’t as sharp-minded as Concubine Fang. When Concubine Fang asked her some questions about Ren Yaoying’s condition, she revealed many flaws. After all, Ren Yaoying had been lively and jumping around just the day before, and it took considerable mental effort for that woman to make up stories to fool Concubine Fang.

Looking at the woman whose eyes kept darting about, Concubine Fang understood the general situation in her heart. She had a bad premonition.

Thinking that the one using her daughter to deceive her was the man she had followed for over ten years, Concubine Fang felt both angry and hateful.

In her lifetime, she had wronged many people, but she could honestly say she had never wronged Ren Shimin. She had borne him a pair of healthy children, and whenever he came to her courtyard, she was obedient to him and did her utmost to please him. She had even worked hard to read, practice calligraphy, and learn painting to cater to his preferences.

But ever since her appearance was ruined by that wench Lin Shi, Ren Shimin hadn’t even said a word of comfort to her, let alone stood up for her. He had never appeared before her again since that day.

The more Concubine Fang thought about it, the more her heart grew cold.

At this moment, the person Concubine Fang hated most wasn’t Lin Shi, Fifth Master Ren, or the Li Shi mother and daughter, but Ren Shimin.

However, no matter how towering the resentment in Concubine Fang’s heart at this moment, she showed none of it on her face. In front of the people Li Shi had sent, Concubine Fang presented the image of an anxious mother worried about her daughter’s illness.

But after that woman got off the carriage and they had traveled a bit further, Nanny Yu’s alarmed cry suddenly came from inside the carriage.

“Concubine? Concubine, what’s wrong with you? Don’t frighten this servant! Stop the carriage, quickly stop the carriage!”

The driver was also startled and immediately stopped the carriage by the roadside.

The accompanying woman from before hurried to ask: “Nanny Yu, what happened?”

Nanny Yu said urgently, “Concubine, Concubine suddenly fainted!”

That woman was also frightened and lifted the curtain to look. Indeed, she saw Concubine Fang lying in Nanny Yu’s arms with her eyes tightly closed. But since Concubine Fang was wearing a veil, the woman couldn’t see her complexion.

“Oh my, Concubine was perfectly fine just now, how could she suddenly faint?” She looked around anxiously: “And she had to faint halfway on the road, what should we do?”

The carriage had already traveled half the distance from the Ren mansion and was approaching White Dragon Temple. Their carriage was stopped on a small path not far from the base of White Dragon Mountain.

Nanny Yu held Concubine Fang while wiping tears and said, “Concubine was worried about Ninth Miss’s illness and fainted while crying. Isn’t this close to White Dragon Temple? I heard there are high monks in the temple who know medicine. Why don’t we first go up the mountain and ask the high monks in the temple to save Concubine?”

Upon hearing this, that woman was somewhat hesitant.

Nanny Yu scolded angrily: “Our Concubine is in this condition, and you’re still hesitating there? Even if Third Madam were here, she wouldn’t stand by and watch our Concubine fall so ill! Hurry up!”

That woman was also afraid something would happen to Concubine Fang. After thinking about it, she could only agree.

Finally, the carriage turned and went toward the White Dragon Temple.

When the carriage reached the temple gate, Nanny Yu instructed that woman: “Our Concubine shouldn’t be seen like this. Why don’t you go into the temple first to inquire whether that high monk is there, and if so, ask him to come out?”

The woman couldn’t argue with Nanny Yu and could only hurry to find someone to treat Concubine Fang.

Not long after that woman left, Concubine Fang slowly awakened.

Nanny Yu was delighted and said that since Concubine had awakened, they should ask the temple monks for a nearby small courtyard to rest in, which would also be convenient for the high monk to treat Concubine Fang.

The other people left behind couldn’t make decisions. Seeing Concubine Fang say she wanted to find a place to rest, they couldn’t object and could only help arrange it.

After they asked the temple monks for a small courtyard and settled Nanny Yu in, Nanny Yu directed them to go report news and fetch medicine, sending them all off separately.

After all these people had gone about their business, Concubine Fang swept away her previous sickly appearance and stood up: “Sister Jinju, stay behind to deal with them. Nanny Yu, come with me out the back gate first.”

Nanny Yu said, “But Concubine, where are we going?”

Concubine Fang said lightly, “Where can a concubine like me go? Naturally, back to the Ren mansion!”

Although disappointed in Ren Shimin, Concubine Fang knew she currently had nowhere else to go temporarily. At the Ren mansion, she could still use Old Master Ren’s ambitions for self-protection.

Although Old Master Ren had gone out today, Old Madam Ren was still there.

Without Old Master Ren’s instructions, Old Madam Ren wouldn’t let anything happen to Concubine Fang.

Concubine Fang had already guessed that it was probably because of the Fifth Branch’s matter that Third Master Ren wanted to move against her. After returning, she would naturally find ways to remedy the situation. It wouldn’t be so easy for Ren Shimao and Lin Shi to bring her down using this.

Concubine Fang sneered coldly in her heart.

Hearing that Concubine Fang wanted to return to the Ren mansion, Nanny Yu also breathed a sigh of relief. She arranged for Sister Jinju to stay behind, then hurriedly escorted Concubine Fang out through the back gate.