It had been a long time since Ren Yaoqi had seen Shanü. The little tiger that could once only be held in someone’s arms had now grown into a full-sized adult tiger. However, this big tiger, raised who knows how, had not a trace of the so-called “kingly” majesty about it, but had instead developed the habits of a small cat or dog.
Ren Yaoqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Shanü kept staring at Ren Yaoqi curiously, but due to someone’s intimidating presence, it lay on the ground and dared not move at all except for wagging its tail to express its inner joy. It was evident that even beasts knew how to read the mood.
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi kept examining Shanü, Xiao Jingxi said, “Although it has grown up, it still likes people to stroke its fur. Are you afraid?”
Ren Yaoqi shook her head and indeed reached out to stroke Shanü’s fur. Shanü wagged its tail joyfully, glanced at Xiao Jingxi, then carefully nuzzled Ren Yaoqi with its head. Despite looking like a big foolish creature, it acted coquettishly like a small kitten, making Ren Yaoqi laugh with delight.
Remembering the big fool’s preferences when it was small, Ren Yaoqi squatted down and used her other hand to scratch its neck. Shanü contentedly narrowed its eyes, then got carried away and was about to lick Ren Yaoqi’s hand.
Xiao Jingxi immediately reached out and pressed against its big forehead. Shanü obediently sat back down, though its gaze at Xiao Jingxi looked pitiful no matter how you looked at it. Unfortunately, Xiao Jingxi was completely unmoved.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jingxi, curved the corners of her mouth, and deliberately said, “I’ve heard that animals have the most sensitive sense of smell. When facing something more dangerous than themselves, they will always carefully show submission.”
Xiao Jingxi looked at the innocent-faced big tiger, fell silent for a moment, then said, “I’ve heard that the world as seen through a tiger’s eyes is different from the world as we ordinary people see it, so what we find pleasing to the eye, it finds repulsive.”
Ren Yaoqi suppressed her laughter and said, “Mm, in Young Master Xiao’s eyes, we ordinary people are naturally all repulsive.” Xiao Jingxi was roundaboutly saying she was good-looking – was she ugly?
However, Xiao Jingxi shook his head and said seriously, “I haven’t finished speaking yet. It’s said that white tigers are anomalies among tigers. From birth, they will be driven away by their mothers to live alone. Do you know why this is?”
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment: “Is it because white tigers’ unusual fur color would expose them to natural enemies, making them hard to raise?”
Xiao Jingxi shook his head again and said seriously, “Actually, it’s because white tigers see the world exactly opposite to how other tigers see it, which shows that anomalies are not easy to survive anywhere.”
Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi laughed out loud and joked, “With Young Master Xiao, white can be said to be black, and black can be turned back to white. This is…”
Xiao Jingxi watched her laugh and asked softly, “Really is what?”
Ren Yaoqi smiled without speaking.
Xiao Jingxi also smiled but didn’t pursue the question further.
At this moment, Tongde walked over and reported with lowered head, “Young Master, everything has been arranged.”
Xiao Jingxi nodded and looked toward Ren Yaoqi: “Let’s go.”
Ren Yaoqi patted Shanü’s head and stood up: “To let me see Concubine Fang?”
Xiao Jingxi shook his head and smiled, “If you don’t want to see her, then don’t. I just thought you might want to know what she wants to say.”
Ren Yaoqi was indeed somewhat curious about what Concubine Fang wanted to say, so she said nothing and followed Xiao Jingxi.
“Aooo—”
Seeing that both people were leaving, Shanü got up with a confused expression and looked at them curiously.
Ren Yaoqi turned back to look.
Xiao Jingxi instructed Tongde, “Feed it something first. If it rolls around everywhere in the garden and gets dirty again, have Tonghe bathe it.”
“Aooo…”
Ren Yaoqi looked at Shanü, who didn’t dare follow, smiled and waved at it, then left.
The two walked one after the other on the path. After walking for a while, when they reached the front of an independent courtyard, Xiao Jingxi suddenly stopped and turned around, saying, “Hesitation and indecision will surely bring disorder. You’ve become soft-hearted again this time.”
Ren Yaoqi was startled by this and shook her head, “No, I haven’t.”
Xiao Jingxi smiled, “Oh? If you haven’t become soft-hearted, why did you instruct Zhu Ruomei to just lock her up and leave it at that?”
Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but fall silent.
She naturally knew that if she could take this opportunity to make Concubine Fang disappear forever, there would be no future troubles. But even living a second life, she was still just an ordinary woman, and she still couldn’t manage to end someone’s life with just a few words.
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi didn’t speak, Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help but sigh, then looked at her gently and said, “Being soft-hearted isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and I don’t mean to lecture you. It’s just that if there are things you find inconvenient to do, you might entrust them to me.” Xiao Jingxi paused, “If you trust me, that is.”
Ren Yaoqi looked at Xiao Jingxi. She wanted to say thank you, but when the words reached her lips, she couldn’t say them.
Xiao Jingxi’s gaze was gentle and serious, making Ren Yaoqi feel that a casual “thank you” would be too perfunctory, so she looked at him and said nothing.
Xiao Jingxi turned around again and walked into the courtyard, with Ren Yaoqi following with a lowered head.
This courtyard wasn’t large, and the garden was also small, with only three rooms facing north and no side chambers. Ren Yaoqi saw that there were guards at both the room entrances and various corners. For someone of Concubine Fang’s status, this kind of surveillance could be considered special treatment.
Xiao Jingxi led Ren Yaoqi to the middle room. Ren Yaoqi looked around but didn’t see Concubine Fang.
Xiao Jingxi said nothing and gestured for Ren Yaoqi to sit with him at the Eight Immortals table in the center of the room.
Tonghe soon brought tea and snacks. Ren Yaoqi noticed that among them were several signature pastries from Fuman Restaurant.
At this moment, Ren Yaoqi heard the sound of a door opening next door, followed by Concubine Fang’s voice: “How about it? Is your master willing to see me or not?”
Concubine Fang’s voice was somewhat weary but still calm.
The person who opened the door seemed not to answer, but then more footsteps were heard, and a male voice said unhurriedly, “What exactly do you want to see me about?”
Ren Yaoqi was slightly startled. This voice sounded familiar to her, and she immediately remembered it was the voice of Min Wenqing, whom she had met before.
Concubine Fang didn’t recognize Min Wenqing and seemed to have scrutinized him for a long time before speaking: “Are you their master?”
Min Wenqing laughed, “This world has a master, and I dare not claim to be one.”
Concubine Fang paused and said, “I mean, I want to see the person who can decide to let me leave.”
Min Wenqing seemed to sit down in a chair: “That depends on whether you have the value to continue living.”
Concubine Fang said, “So you can make decisions?” Concubine Fang was very cautious, and this caution seemed to indicate from the side that what she had to say was indeed very important.
Min Wenqing said playfully, “Whether I can make decisions isn’t the point. The point is whether you can walk out of here.” Min Wenqing chuckled, “Do you know where this is? A residence in Wanfu Lane, not far from Zhengyang Main Street. But this might just be your burial place.”
Min Wenqing’s tone wasn’t heavy and even carried a trace of laughter, but no one doubted the truthfulness of his words.
“So this is Wanfu Lane,” Concubine Fang murmured.
Min Wenqing seemed to remember something and added, “I almost forgot – you shouldn’t be unfamiliar with this place. The Guangli Money House you’re familiar with is just two streets away.”
Hearing this, Concubine Fang’s eyes flickered slightly: “No wonder this place sounded familiar. I have indeed been to Guangli Money House once.”
Min Wenqing asked with a smile, “Oh? Only once?”
However, Concubine Fang began playing tai chi.
Ren Yaoqi frowned and leaned over to ask softly, “What did you discover about Guangli Money House?”
Xiao Jingxi paused, then also lowered his voice: “Earlier, someone took that letter to Guangli Money House and repeated what she said to the manager. The money house did give eight hundred and fifty taels of silver, but after the person left, they sent people to follow, and others went to Baiyun Nunnery.”
Ren Yaoqi frowned, “Are all these the court’s hidden agents?”
Xiao Jingxi smiled, “Guangli Money House? No, the owner of Guangli Money House has a good relationship with the Yun family, but that money house manager’s identity is somewhat suspicious.”
Ren Yaoqi thought about it and felt this made sense.
Guangli Money House was one of the largest money houses in Yanbei. For such an enterprise to be under the control of the Yanbei Prince’s mansion would be normal. If she were in charge of the Yanbei Prince’s mansion, she wouldn’t allow an unknown money house to control most of Yanbei’s silver flow.
Xiao Jingxi said, “Not all the people in Baiyun Nunnery are problematic either. If I’m not mistaken, these people only appeared in Yanbei after the court’s military reduction order was issued. Because the time has been short, they haven’t become a significant threat yet. If not for your affair this time, these people might have been overlooked.”
Ren Yaoqi thought Xiao Jingxi’s guess was very likely correct.
Perhaps this time, Fang Yacun came to Yanbei to utilize all these people, but unfortunately, due to her interference, Fang Yacun couldn’t come to Yanbei. So these people became entangled with Concubine Fang instead. She wondered whether Concubine Fang’s use of these people for herself had the approval of Fang Yacun’s superior. If that superior knew that the people he had planted ultimately all fell into the hands of a woman, what expression would he have?
Ren Yaoqi remembered that Aunt Xiao, who had previously aided the tyrant, probably also had problems, so she mentioned this to Xiao Jingxi.
Xiao Jingxi nodded, “I understand. Don’t worry.”
Ren Yaoqi truly felt at ease.
Some people’s casual words were enough to put one’s mind at rest.
If this time they could catch all these budding court forces in one net, it would be preventing problems before they occurred. Although for Xiao Jingxi, these people were just small fry, when lice became numerous, their bites would still hurt.