Early the next morning, Master Ren made another trip to Yunyang City, this time going alone.

Although the guards of Prince Yanbei’s residence prohibited anyone from the Ren mansion from entering or leaving, they turned a blind eye to conversations between those inside and visitors speaking through the main gate. This arrangement was rather unusual, but no one seemed to notice the inconsistency.

When the gatekeeper came to report that Master Ren had come again, Ren Yaoqi was accompanying Third Master Ren in the study, painting. Painting had always been Ren Shimin’s remedy for relieving worries and troubles.

“I won’t see him.” Third Master Ren was quite displeased at being interrupted, responding coldly without turning his head.

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and asked the gatekeeper, “Did Master Ren come alone? Did he say what business he has with Father?”

“Today, Master Ren only brought one attendant. He just said he had important matters to discuss with our master and insisted that the master must come see him.” The gatekeeper dared not enter the study without permission and could only reply carefully through the door. Everyone in the Ren family knew that Third Master Ren might not get angry often, but when he did, his temper was fiercer than anyone’s.

Upon hearing this, Ren Shimin frowned and was about to lose his temper, but Ren Yaoqi stopped him.

“Father, you should still go see Great Uncle. You usually have a decent relationship with Great Uncle, and besides, the decision to expel you from the clan wasn’t something he could make alone. Since he came privately to find you this time, perhaps he does have important business?”

Ren Shimin thought it over and sighed, putting down the brush in his hand. “Then I’ll go see him.”

After Ren Shimin washed his hands and went out, Ren Yaoqi tidied up the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone on the desk before leaving the study. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Nanny Zhou standing outside the study with a worried expression.

“Miss, has Master Ren come again?” Nanny Zhou immediately asked upon seeing Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi nodded. “Father just went out to see Great Uncle.”

Nanny Zhou looked around and, seeing no one else nearby, leaned closer and asked quietly, “Miss, could it be that the Ren family has changed their mind again since Master Ren came to find our master at this time?” Nanny Zhou hoped more than anyone to be rid of the Ren family. As long as Old Madam Ren wasn’t there to interfere, Li Shi would have the final say in Third Master Ren’s household. If this were before, she wouldn’t have dared to think this way, but now that Third Master Ren had an official position and could establish his household, naturally, it was better to stay as far away from those people as possible to avoid future interference.

Regarding Nanny Zhou’s concern, Ren Yaoqi just smiled and said with certainty, “No, they won’t.” The Ren family elders had always only sought profit and avoided harm – how could they change their minds so easily?

“Then why has Master Ren come?” Nanny Zhou frowned.

Ren Yaoqi smiled. “Nanny, who did you just send to follow? Xier or Quer?”

Nanny Zhou looked somewhat embarrassed. “It was a second-class maid from the courtyard. I had her go keep watch, so if anything happened, she could come back and report immediately.”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t mind. “Then we’ll know soon enough.”

Unexpectedly, Ren Shimin returned in less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, and he returned with fury written all over his face. Seeing Nanny Zhou standing in the courtyard, Ren Shimin said to her, “Pass down the order: if anyone from the Ren family of Baihe Town comes again in the future, no matter who it is, drive them away with clubs!” After saying this, he went straight to the study and didn’t come out until evening that day.

Nanny Zhou was stunned for a moment, then immediately bowed her head and respectfully replied, “Yes.”

After Ren Shimin entered the study, Nanny Zhou called over the little maid she had sent earlier to gather information and questioned her in front of Ren Yaoqi.

The little maid said, “Master Ren didn’t speak loudly, so this servant couldn’t hear clearly. Later, our master suddenly lost his temper and said to Master Ren, ‘However incompetent I may be, I’m not shameless enough to divorce my wife to avoid disaster. A dignified seven-foot man who thinks of pushing women and children forward to block calamity when encountering trouble – this is simply outrageous! From now on, you needn’t trouble yourselves with my family’s domestic affairs! I won’t see you out!’ Then our master came back.”

After hearing this, Nanny Zhou was so angry she gritted her teeth. She instructed the maid not to spread gossip and sent her away, then said to Ren Yaoqi, “So Master Ren came to persuade our master to divorce his wife. Fortunately, our master didn’t listen to them.” Only now did Nanny Zhou truly recognize Third Master Ren’s good qualities.

Third Master Ren might be inadequate in many ways, but his character was beyond reproach.

After this day, Master Ren came once more, but Ren Shimin didn’t go out to see him. After that, Ren Shizhong stopped coming, and the Ren family didn’t send anyone else to persuade him. Seeing that Ren Shimin and his family had been confined for six or seven days without Prince Yanbei’s residence showing any intention of releasing them, the attitude from Prince Yanbei’s residence remained mysterious. There were rumors outside that Prince Yanbei’s residence would wait until after Old Princess Consort’s birthday celebration, when the court sent officials, to handle the matter of Prince Xian’s residence. Because of the heir’s death, Old Princess Consort’s birthday celebration could no longer be held, but according to convention, the court would still send people to bestow some rewards.

As the Old Princess Consort’s birthday approached day by day, the Ren family finally gritted their teeth and opened the ancestral hall, formally expelling Ren Shimin from the family. From then on, whether in terms of law or clan rules, Ren Shimin was no longer considered a member of the Ren family of Baihe Town.

Fifth Master Ren and the Ren Shijia couple did come to inquire about the situation and sent them things. Ren Yijun also sent letters to Ren Shimin. Although they couldn’t provide much substantial help, their intentions were sincere.

During this period, something also happened at the Lei family. The Lei family suddenly became haunted.

A night-watch woman passing by the Lei family ancestral hall at night saw a woman in white clothes sitting on the wall of the ancestral hall, smiling at her with a deathly pale face. The woman was frightened unconscious on the spot. Later, on two more occasions, people saw this “female ghost” at the swing in the garden and near the study.

The entire Lei household was in panic. No one dared to come out after nightfall, and those who had to keep night watch would bring along two or three companions for courage.

Later, rumors spread that it was the deceased Qiao Shi who had returned. The two places where she later appeared were where Lei Pan’er usually played and studied reading and writing. People said Qiao Shi was uneasy about leaving her daughter to the new wife and had come to watch over Ren Yaohua.

If it were any other woman hearing such detailed rumors with eyewitnesses, even if she weren’t frightened into taking to her bed, she would be trembling with fear and suspicion. But when Ren Yaohua heard this, her heart was filled only with anger.

Ren Yaohua didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits; she only believed that someone was playing tricks. Moreover, she had done nothing wrong, so even if there were ghosts, she wouldn’t fear them. Regardless of that person’s motives for doing such things, using the deceased to create trouble was simply despicable and shameless.

Lei Ting wanted to investigate this matter personally, but Ren Yaohua stopped him. Inner courtyard matters should be resolved within the inner courtyard. Besides, Lei Ting was very busy every day, and Ren Yaohua couldn’t rely on him to stand up for her in everything. Moreover, Ren Yaohua knew this incident was targeting her. Lei Ting then ordered Steward Liu Gui to follow Ren Yaohua’s instructions.

The next day, Ren Yaohua called all the Lei family servants to the front of the council hall and strictly forbade them from mentioning this matter again. Anyone caught gossiping would be beaten with boards and then expelled. This was the first time Ren Yaohua had treated the Lei family servants with such severity since marrying into the family.

After managing all the household servants, Ren Yaohua herself rarely went out, especially after nightfall – she wouldn’t step out of her courtyard. Originally, when Lei Pan’er went to the study to practice calligraphy or play on the swing in the garden, she would accompany her. Now she had Lei Pan’er move her calligraphy practice to the small study in the main house and didn’t allow Lei Pan’er to play in the garden.

Lei Pan’er was very obedient and didn’t complain about anything, but outsiders who saw this thought Ren Yaohua was guilty and afraid. When Ren Yaohua fell ill a few days later and became even more reclusive, it seemed to confirm their suspicions.

After several days like this, the “female ghost” that hadn’t appeared for some time showed up again in the corridor not far from the main house where Ren Yaohua lived.

However, this time, the “female ghost” was caught red-handed by several guards who had been lying in ambush.

The outer courtyard steward held up a lantern and shone it on the motionless female ghost, only to discover it was just a paper figure. This paper figure had been fitted with a hood and dressed in clothes, with a snow-white face and only the mouth painted bright red with cinnabar. Seen from a distance in the dark of night, it was indeed quite frightening.

Liu Gui brought this paper’s figure to report to Lei Ting and Ren Yaohua.

“No suspicious person was found nearby?” Lei Ting examined the paper figure on the ground for a few moments and asked in a calm voice.

“That person tied the paper figure to a pillar in the corridor and hid himself. When I went looking, the person discovered the scheme had been exposed and fled.”

Ren Yaohua’s gaze remained fixed on the paper figure. She got up and walked over to examine the clothing on the paper figure carefully.

Seeing that Ren Yaohua seemed about to remove the clothes from the paper figure, Liu Gui quickly stopped her. “Madam, don’t touch it – it’s inauspicious.”

Although Ren Yaohua wasn’t afraid, she didn’t reach out to touch it.

“Did you discover something?” Lei Ting also got up and walked over, standing beside Ren Yaohua.

Ren Yaohua paused and said, “This fabric… is cloud brocade.”

Lei Ting glanced at Liu Gui, who took a piece of the sleeve and felt it carefully, nodding. “It is indeed cloud brocade.”

Although cloud brocade looked a little different from ordinary fine cloth available in the market, its price was dozens of times higher. It was generally used by wealthy families for undergarments – comfortable and absorbent, perfectly suited to the “understated luxury” mentality of prominent families.

“Cloud brocade is precious, so it certainly wouldn’t belong to the servants in the mansion. And I remember that none of the masters in our household liked to use this fabric for clothing, so I didn’t have the procurement department acquire any. However…” At this point, Liu Gui glanced at Ren Yaohua. Seeing no reaction from her, he continued, “However, after Madam arrived, I had the procurement department specifically seek out several bolts.”

Previously, when the Lei family had no mistress, Liu Gui had to handle both external and internal affairs.

Ren Yaohua nodded. “I don’t like using it either. I only gave away two bolts to people, and there are still two bolts in the storehouse that haven’t been touched.”