After quickly resolving Zeng Kui’s matter, Lei Ting returned to find Ren Yaohua.

Lei Ting’s subordinate, Yang Xian, caught up with Lei Ting and asked: “Master, are we just leaving that fellow there to live or die as fate would have it?”

Lei Ting stopped and turned to look at him, saying calmly, “Didn’t you bandage him well? He won’t die for now.”

Yang Xian took out his long dagger and gestured with it, then lifted his clothing hem to wipe the blade clean: “I’ve seen this kind of thing many times. With the right technique, he indeed won’t die, but that was castrating horses – this was castrating a person!”

Lei Ting mounted his horse and said unconcernedly: “It’s fine. I imagine the Zeng family will come looking soon. We shouldn’t stay here long – it’s better to leave quickly.”

Seeing Lei Ting ride away without looking back, Yang Xian glanced back and saw several people from the Yanbei Prince’s household approaching. He greeted them warmly: “This time we owe you, brothers, for lending a hand! When we get back, let’s go drink and eat roasted lamb legs. Let me tell you, I’m excellent at slicing meat! It’s an ancestral skill!”

Looking at the long dagger he was waving and thinking of how a certain someone had just been splattered with blood: “…”

Tongxi’s lower abdomen tightened as he coughed lightly: “We just witnessed it. Time’s getting late, so we’ll skip the meat eating – next time, next time, haha.” Tongxi fled first.

Xiao Hua maintained his serious expression as he nodded at Yang Xian, then left without saying anything, leading his people to follow Tongxi.

Yang Xian scratched his head, then shrugged.

After Lei Ting returned to the farmhouse to find Ren Yaohua, he saw she was sitting on the bed edge without moving, which satisfied him somewhat.

Seeing Lei Ting return so quickly, Ren Yaohua was quite surprised.

Lei Ting said, “The matter is finished. Let’s go.” He didn’t explain to Ren Yaohua what business he had gone out to handle.

Ren Yaohua nodded and silently put on the cloak Lei Ting had given her earlier. Since it was Lei Ting’s cloak, it was very long – when she stood up, it perfectly covered her feet.

Lei Ting walked to Ren Yaohua and crouched down.

Ren Yaohua was startled, then realized Lei Ting intended to carry her out on his back. She couldn’t help but blush and quickly said: “You… you should find me a crutch instead!”

Lei Ting didn’t turn his head as he said, “Can you cross door thresholds with a crutch? Can you step over ditches? Can you get on a carriage?”

Ren Yaohua mumbled without response.

Lei Ting thought for a moment and added: “Or do you think being carried would be more appropriate?”

Ren Yaohua remembered that Lei Ting had carried her all the way here earlier, and now she was being pretentious. So she closed her eyes and climbed onto Lei Ting’s back.

“Put on the hood,” Lei Ting easily stood up with Ren Yaohua on his back, and as they were about to leave, he turned his head to quietly remind her.

Ren Yaohua quickly pulled the cloak’s hood over her head. The hood covered almost half her face – if she kept her head down, no one could see who Lei Ting was carrying on his back, or whether it was male or female.

When Lei Ting had carried her back earlier, Ren Yaohua had been emotionally agitated and hadn’t thought much about it. Now, with her head down and lying against Lei Ting’s back, Ren Yaohua could hear Lei Ting’s slow and powerful heartbeat, feel the firm muscles on his back, and smell the mature masculine scent emanating from him.

Ren Yaohua felt somewhat dizzy and drowsy. She didn’t even notice whether there were others in the courtyard. Lei Ting carefully settled her in the carriage before she lifted her face, which had been completely covered by the hood.

Lei Ting found a soft cushion to place behind her back for support and put the prepared tea within Ren Yaohua’s reach. “I’ll go down now. Will you be alright alone in the carriage?” Lei Ting naturally couldn’t sit in the carriage with Ren Yaohua – he needed to ride his horse outside.

Ren Yaohua nodded.

“I’ll be right outside. If anything happens, just knock on the carriage wall.”

Just as Lei Ting was about to turn and leave the carriage, Ren Yaohua suddenly called out: “Wait. Lei… Brother Lei?”

Ren Yaohua felt that calling Lei Ting “Master Lei” now would seem deliberately distant, so without time to think, she called out “Brother Lei.”

Regarding this new form of address, Lei Ting merely raised an eyebrow and accepted it.

“What is it?”

After calling out, Ren Yaohua felt that suddenly changing how she addressed him was somewhat rash, and she felt a bit annoyed with herself. But she still said, “When I woke up in the carriage earlier, I was alone. My maids… I overheard them saying they wanted to sell my maids to Jizhou. I wonder if they can still be rescued?”

After calming down, Ren Yaohua remembered Xiangqin and the others. Originally, she had planned to have people pursue and bring back Xiangqin and the others after returning to Yunyang City. But later she thought that if the kidnappers hadn’t sold them yet, the Ren family might not be able to trace their whereabouts. However, if they had already been sold, finding them would be much more difficult.

The maids and servants who could accompany her out were either her confidants or people trusted by Li Shi and Nanny Zhou. Especially Xiangqin, who had been by her side for so long. Although she sometimes found the girl noisy and foolish, even managing to flatter her incorrectly, there were years of affection between them. If Xiangqin were sold or harmed, she would feel very distressed.

Thinking that since Lei Ting could rescue her from Wu Yiyu and Zeng Kui’s hands, the Lei family probably had more connections than their ordinary merchant Ren family.

Lei Ting nodded: “I’ll send someone to Jizhou immediately to see if we can get them back.”

When he had pursued from Yunyang City earlier, he had limited manpower, so he hadn’t specifically sent people to rescue Ren Yaohua’s maids and servants. Now that Ren Yaohua was safe, helping her rescue her maids was just a simple matter.

Seeing Lei Ting agree to help find them, Ren Yaohua was overjoyed: “Thank you, Lei… Brother Lei.”

Lei Ting couldn’t help but tease: “Lei… Lei? My new name?”

Ren Yaohua’s face grew even redder, but despite her usual quick wit, she couldn’t find words to retort to Lei Ting.

Before getting off the carriage, Lei Ting said, “Don’t worry, your maids will be fine.”

For Lei Ting, finding a few maids wasn’t difficult.

When their group returned to Yunyang City, it wasn’t completely dark yet, and the city gates were still open. After entering the city, the people from the Yanbei Prince’s household left first. Just as Lei Ting was about to escort Ren Yaohua home, someone came running toward them.

“Is this Master Lei of the Lei family? I’m Yuan Dayong, paying respects to Master Lei.” The newcomer immediately bowed upon seeing Lei Ting.

At the same time, the wall of the carriage Ren Yaohua was riding in was gently knocked from the inside.

Lei Ting dismounted and walked to Ren Yaohua’s carriage, asking quietly: “Is this someone from the Ren family?”

Ren Yaohua’s voice came through the carriage curtain: “Yes, have him come over to report.”

Ren Yaohua knew Yuan Dayong was Yaoqi’s person. Although she had little contact with him, she had seen him once or twice. Seeing Yuan Dayong specifically waiting here, Ren Yaohua guessed that Ren Yaoqi might have sent him.

Lei Ting called Yuan Dayong over.

Yuan Dayong carefully addressed the carriage: “Third Miss? Is it Third Miss?”

“Yes. Who sent you? What’s the matter?” Ren Yaohua asked.

Seeing that it really was Ren Yaohua in the carriage, and hearing her voice was calm, Yuan Dayong was overjoyed: “Third Miss, it’s wonderful that you’re safe! Fifth Miss has been worried about you. Oh, Third Miss, Fifth Miss is waiting for you at the alley entrance not far ahead.”

“Why did she come out so late?” Ren Yaohua frowned.

Lei Ting said, “I’ll escort you there first. Fifth Miss must have been waiting for you for a long time.”

“Mm.”

Lei Ting escorted Ren Yaohua to the alley Yuan Dayong mentioned, and indeed saw a carriage waiting there.

Seeing people approaching, the carriage curtain lifted, and Ren Yaoqi stepped down: “Third Sister?”

Hearing the voice, Ren Yaohua immediately lifted her carriage curtain.

“Be careful of your leg,” Lei Ting reminded with a frown, seeing her hasty movements.

Seeing Ren Yaohua’s awkward posture, Ren Yaoqi approached to examine her leg hidden under the cloak: “Third Sister, I heard your leg was injured? Is it serious?”

In front of her sister, Ren Yaohua resumed her elder sister’s demeanor: “It’s nothing, just a minor injury. It’s already been bandaged.”

Lei Ting listened from the side and shook his head helplessly.

The two sisters looked at each other, and after the initial excitement passed, they didn’t know what to say. Both Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but have tears in their eyes.

Although not believing Ren Yaohua’s claim that it was just a minor injury, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t examine it at this moment. She beckoned a servant woman to carry Ren Yaohua to her carriage.

“I’ve already called for a physician to examine you properly when we get back. However, today we’ll probably have to stay at our maternal grandfather’s house first,” Ren Yaoqi said after Ren Yaohua was on the servant woman’s back.

Ren Yaohua’s back stiffened, but considering Lei Ting’s presence, she pursed her lips and asked: “Why?”

Ren Yaoqi knew that asking Ren Yaohua to go to Prince Xian’s mansion at this time would displease her, but she said: “What else can we do? Go back like this? Where are the people and carriage you brought out?”

“Xiangqin and the others were taken to Jizhou. Brother Lei has already sent people to pursue them,” Ren Yaohua said.

Ren Yaoqi was surprised by how Ren Yaohua addressed Lei Ting and couldn’t help but glance at Lei Ting. However, knowing this wasn’t the time to ask about such things, she temporarily set aside the question of the address and said: “I don’t think they can return before dark. Do you want to return home with a group of people in the middle of the night?”

Ren Yaohua fell silent.

Ren Yaoqi sighed, stepped forward to take Ren Yaohua’s hand, and said softly: “Alright, sister, it’s just for one night. Once Xiangqin and the others return, we’ll go home immediately.”