It was just unclear whether there had always been problems at Baiyun Valley, or if it was because of those five thousand elite Yanbei troops at White Dragon Temple that had attracted court spies.

And whether Nun Liang’s previous connection with Li Tianyou was orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.

However, these questions and the future direction of events were no longer within the control of Ren Yaoqi, a woman confined to the inner quarters. She had already instructed Xia Sheng to report what he had discovered to Prince Xian and Xiao Jingxi, and naturally someone would take over from here.

The news of Concubine Fang’s disappearance at White Dragon Temple and the message that Zhu Ruomei had Yuan Dayong bring about Concubine Fang being captured arrived at Ren Yaoqi’s place one after the other.

After listening to Pingguo’s account, Ren Yaoqi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhu Ruomei had Yuan Dayong tell Ren Yaoqi where Concubine Fang was being held, asking if Ren Yaoqi wanted to go and take a look.

Ren Yaoqi shook her head and said to Pingguo, “It’s not convenient for me to go now. You go tell Yuan Dayong to relay to Zhu Ruomei that he should help me keep watch over her for now.”

Ren Yaoqi had nothing to discuss with Concubine Fang, and she hadn’t yet decided how to deal with her.

Releasing her was naturally impossible. Concubine Fang was now considered to have “fled in fear of punishment,” and as long as she didn’t appear, the charge of poisoning Lin Shi and Ren Yaoyu would be ironclad.

Neither the Ren family nor the Fang family would be able to blame anyone for Concubine Fang’s disappearance, since more than one person knew that Concubine Fang had dismissed everyone herself and fled with Nanny Yu.

Kill her? Ren Yaoqi didn’t want to dirty her own hands for this.

However, Concubine Fang still had some use for now. Before she figured things out, she would keep her locked up for a while.

Third Master Ren and Li Shi were also shocked when they learned that Concubine Fang had escaped, and immediately arranged for people to search for her. When Ren Shimao learned of this, he also sent people out to look. He was afraid that Concubine Fang would flee back to the Ren family to seek protection from Old Madam Ren, so he even sent people on fast horses to Baihe Town. However, the Ren family said that Concubine Fang had not returned there.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t tell them that Concubine Fang was in her hands. Now, Concubine Fang was involved in more than just the matter of two lives. Letting them know would only add unnecessary troubles and make resolving Concubine Fang’s situation more difficult, without solving any problems.

By the second day, Old Madam Ren naturally knew about this matter and sent people to Yunyang City to inquire, but there was still no news of Concubine Fang.

On the second afternoon, Old Master Ren received the news and hurried back. He ordered people to continue searching for Concubine Fang while summoning the brothers Ren Shimin and Ren Shimao back to Yunyang City.

As soon as Ren Shimin and Ren Shimao returned, they were scolded by Old Master Ren.

However, this time, Ren Shimao didn’t obediently stand there and take the scolding. He lowered his head and interrupted Old Master Ren with a wooden tone: “Father, this is the first time I’ve seen you since Huijun and Yu’er were poisoned. Don’t you have anything you want to ask? For instance, how is Huijun’s recovery? Has Yu’er woken up yet? When will she be able to wake up? How did they fall victim to poisoning? Who is the culprit? Have they been caught?”

After Ren Shimao finished speaking, the room fell into an eerie silence.

Old Madam Ren tried to smooth things over: “Didn’t we send people to Yunyang City to see them? We also sent many medicinal materials. Your father arranged all of this.”

Ren Shimao ignored Old Madam Ren. He raised his head and looked persistently at Old Master Ren, as if waiting for an answer from him.

Old Master Ren frowned but still asked, “How are they now?”

Ren Shimao said, “Huijun is mostly recovered. The physician says she needs to rest quietly for a while. Yu’er… Yu’er still hasn’t woken up. The physician says she, says she might not make it through.” Ren Shimao’s voice seemed strained when speaking of his daughter.

Old Master Ren said to Old Madam Ren, “Have a few more physicians go examine Yaoyu. If good physicians can’t be found in Yanbei, then ask someone to look in the capital.”

Ren Shimao wiped his face and said flatly, “Thank you for your concern, Father.”

Old Master Ren glanced at him and continued, “Now you can tell me why you summoned Fang Shi to Yunyang City. Shimin, you speak!”

Old Master Ren looked sternly at Ren Shimin. “Your mother says it was you and Li Shi who sent people to fetch Fang Shi? Saying that Yaoying was ill and asking her to visit?”

Ren Shimao said, “Father, you should ask me instead. I was the one who begged Third Brother to use Third Sister-in-law’s name to trick Fang Shi into coming to Yunyang City. The Third Brother was forced by me and, considering brotherly affection, had no choice but to agree. After Huijun and Yu’er were poisoned, I caught several people, and finally a maid confessed that it was Concubine Fang who bribed an apprentice at Huaxiang Shop to put poison in the cosmetics that Huijun and Yu’er used.”

Then Ren Shimao recounted the entire sequence of events in detail. Finally, he said, “I had Third Brother summon Concubine Fang to Yunyang City originally without any particular plan, just wanting to ask clearly whether this matter was related to her. If it was her doing, I would also hand her over to Father to be dealt with according to family rules!”

At this point, Ren Shimao naturally wouldn’t admit that when he summoned Concubine Fang, he had never intended to let her return.

Ren Shimao gave a sarcastic laugh: “I didn’t expect her to have a guilty conscience. Halfway through the journey, she pretended to faint, saying she needed to rest at White Dragon Temple, then used this opportunity to escape with her nanny.”

Old Master Ren was skeptical. Concubine Fang was just a weak woman – even if she fled in fear of punishment, where could she go?

“You’re concluding that the poison was administered by Fang Shi based solely on that maid’s one-sided testimony?” Old Master Ren said.

Hearing this, Ren Shimao clenched his fists and tried to hold back, but finally couldn’t restrain himself. He said in a low roar, “Having a witness doesn’t count as evidence? Then, in Father’s opinion, what would constitute solid proof? Like last time, when she framed Yu’er for pushing down Concubine Kang? But in the end, wasn’t she still protected by you?”

“Impudent!” Old Master Ren said, displeasedly. “Is this the attitude you use when speaking to your elders?”

Ren Shimao took a breath and said with restraint, “Father, I have always respected you, but this time, can you give me, give your daughter-in-law, give your granddaughter some justice?”

Old Master Ren snorted coldly, “Are you complaining that I’m being unjust?”

“Your son wouldn’t dare!”

Old Master Ren looked at Ren Shimao and rebuked, “I told you before – as descendants of the Ren family, you should prioritize the Ren family’s interests above all! Otherwise, were all these years of the Ren family raising you wasted? Now is not the time to fall out with the Fang family!”

Ren Shimao could no longer hold back. He said angrily, “So your meaning is that even if this time it was Fang Shi who poisoned Huijun and Yu’er, you still want me to swallow this grievance and let her go?”

Old Master Ren slammed the table, making the teacups rattle with a “clatter”: “I’m telling you to consider the bigger picture and not let things escalate to an uncontrollable degree! Wait until Jiangnan is on the right track, then if you want to seek justice, would I be able to stop you!”

Ren Shimao stiffened his neck and said coldly, “Then would I still be a man? I would rather not eat from the Ren family’s bowl than seek justice for my wife and daughter.”

“What do you mean by that?” Old Master Ren’s face turned cold.

Ren Shimin pulled Ren Shimao from the side.

Old Madam Ren also hurriedly said, “Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about!”

Old Master Ren sneered, “Let him speak. I want to see what he thinks he needs to do to be a man!”

Ren Shimao ignored Old Madam Ren’s meaningful looks and said firmly, “What your son means is, this time Fang Shi had better escape far away and not be found by my people, otherwise she won’t escape punishment this time! Father, are you going to cut off our funds again this time? Please do as you wish.”

After saying this, Ren Shimao turned and left.

Old Master Ren was so angry that his chest hurt. He suddenly began coughing violently. Old Madam Ren was about to signal Ren Shimin to go persuade Ren Shimao to come back and apologize to Old Master Ren, but then she saw Old Master Ren cough up blood.

Both Old Madam Ren and Ren Shimin were startled. Old Madam Ren cried out repeatedly for Ren Shimin to fetch a physician.

After coughing for a while, Old Master Ren collapsed weakly onto the daybed, gasping for breath. His complexion looked extremely tired, and his face had lost all color, very much like when he had first emerged from prison.

Old Madam Ren was so frightened that she kept shedding tears.

Finally, a physician came to the manor to examine Old Master Ren. He said that the previous illness hadn’t been completely cured, and today’s emotional distress had caused it to flare up again, which was why he coughed up blood. He prescribed more rest and less exertion.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t yet know about the situation at the Ren family. She had anticipated that her father and Fifth Uncle would certainly be scolded when they returned. But it would just be a scolding. With Concubine Fang nowhere to be found, Old Master Ren couldn’t do much about it.

However, in the afternoon, Zhu Ruomei had Yuan Dayong deliver another message to Ren Yaoqi, saying that Concubine Fang wanted to see someone in authority, claiming she had urgent matters to discuss.

Concubine Fang had originally thought that the people who captured her were Ren Shimao and Lin Shi. But after those people captured her, they just locked her up without anyone coming to question her about anything or taking revenge on her through torture.

When she was brought in, she discovered that the place where she was confined was an ordinary courtyard, but there were many guards. Not to mention a weak woman like her – even a martial artist would find it impossible to escape. Nanny Yu had been taken to another place when they first arrived, and she was confined alone.

She tried to talk to the guards outside, but no matter what she said, the people outside gave no response whatsoever. If she couldn’t still hear footsteps and someone bringing her food, she would almost think there was no one outside.

Concubine Fang finally sensed something was wrong. The people who captured her were not Lin Shi and Fifth Master Ren – they didn’t have this capability.

Concubine Fang pondered that if it wasn’t for personal revenge, then it must be for other reasons. Concubine Fang began to have some idea of what was happening.

So she called out to the outside, saying she wanted to see the person in charge and had important matters to confess.