After Pingguo’s marriage, the next maid in Ren Yaoqi’s quarters to take her turn would be Sangshen.

Sangshen had entered the household together with Pingguo, and they were about the same age. Compared to Pingguo’s quiet, taciturn nature, Sangshen’s personality was more cheerful, though she was also cautious – somewhat like Wujing who served beside Ren Yaohua. Whether it was Pingguo or Sangshen, both were people Ren Yaoqi had spent considerable effort training and who had served by her side for many years.

Ren Yaoqi also had arrangements for Sangshen, wanting to keep her by her side to serve as a manager in her quarters, just like Pingguo. So Ren Yaoqi had called Sangshen to her side several times to ask if she had taken a liking to anyone. However, each time, Sangshen would blush and shake her head, saying no. Among the people Ren Yaoqi had brought from the Ren family, there weren’t any suitable candidates, and while there were quite a few eligible young men on the Yanbei Prince’s Manor side, since Ren Yaoqi had only recently married over and wasn’t familiar with the situation, she hadn’t considered them for now. Ren Yaoqi could only set the matter aside temporarily.

On this day, Xiao Jinglin came to find Ren Yaoqi, and the two walked together toward the Princess Consort’s Jiuyang Hall. Halfway there, they encountered a group of manor guards. The Yanbei Prince’s Manor had quite a few guards in both the outer and inner halls. While it was rare to see too many visible guards in the inner quarters where the masters lived, it wasn’t unheard of.

Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin were walking and talking, originally paying no attention, but unexpectedly, one person from that group of guards ran out from the formation and came before Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin to pay respects.

Hearing a somewhat familiar voice, Ren Yaoqi looked over and discovered it was Young General Mu Hu, whom she had encountered a few times before.

As soon as Xiao Jinglin saw him, she rolled her eyes and then looked at him with a stern face without speaking.

Instead, Mu Hu wore a foolishly honest smile as he racked his brains trying to converse with Xiao Jinglin. However, after talking for a long time, he was still stammering without getting to the point. Xiao Jinglin had long grown impatient and said, “Don’t you have any proper business to attend to? I heard that Min Wenqing is short-handed – if you’re so idle you’re going crazy, I’ll send you over there.”

Mu Hu showed some embarrassed fidgeting, then mustered his courage to say: “That’s not it. This subordinate… this subordinate has a favor to ask.”

Hearing this, Xiao Jinglin glanced at Hongying, who was following behind her, and looked at Mu Hu with somewhat inscrutable eyes.

Mu Hu also glanced at Hongying, smiled somewhat embarrassedly, then turned to Ren Yaoqi: “Young Madam, could this subordinate ask a favor of you?”

Ren Yaoqi was somewhat surprised and couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Jinglin. She had thought Mu Hu had come to ask Xiao Jinglin for something – how did it end up being directed at her?

However, Ren Yaoqi had a fairly good impression of Young General Mu Hu, so she smiled and said: “What favor does General Mu seek?”

Mu Hu smiled shyly, and even though he had a dark complexion, everyone could sense his face reddening: “That… this subordinate wants to marry… wants to marry Nanxing. I hope Young Madam can fulfill this wish.”

Ren Yaoqi was stunned.

Hongying, who was behind Xiao Jinglin, widened her eyes in surprise and looked up at Mu Hu. However, Hongying’s eyes only showed surprise – she didn’t know many things and was unaware that Mu Hu had once been infatuated with her.

Before Ren Yaoqi could answer, Xiao Jinglin said, displeasedly: “Nanxing isn’t her maid – why are you asking her if you want to propose marriage? Besides, didn’t Nanxing go on a long journey?”

Mu Hu said awkwardly: “Nanxing returned yesterday – I saw her with my own eyes. Since she belongs to the Young Master, naturally, she’s under Young Madam’s management.” He then smiled shyly and ingratiatingly at Ren Yaoqi.

Xiao Jinglin snorted and silently complained in her heart: Have you got the wrong person again this time?

From Xiao Jinglin’s attitude, Ren Yaoqi knew the situation might not be so simple. She didn’t immediately agree, only smiling and saying: “Marriage is a serious matter that cannot be taken lightly. I still need to discuss this with your Young Master and with Nanxing herself.”

Mu Hu blinked his eyes and asked foolishly: “How long will that take?”

Ren Yaoqi was both amused and exasperated by him. Facing his bright, hopeful eyes, she could only say: “Just these few days.” After thinking, she added: “Nanxing herself must also agree.”

Mu Hu’s expression showed some worry, and he glanced at Hongying again.

Hongying was baffled by his gaze – what did this have to do with her? Why was he looking at her?

However, since Ren Yaoqi had agreed to consider it, Mu Hu still had hope in his heart. Knowing it wasn’t appropriate to delay them here too long, after expressing some very sincere thanks, he ran off.

After arriving at Jiuyang Hall, when Hongying wasn’t nearby serving, Xiao Jinglin told Ren Yaoqi about the matter involving Mu Hu and the Hongying sisters.

After hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but laugh inappropriately.

Laughing aside, when Xiao Jingxi returned, Ren Yaoqi still told him about this matter. Xiao Jingxi said nothing and immediately had someone summon Nanxing. Mu Hu’s eyesight hadn’t been wrong this time – Nanxing had indeed returned.

In front of Ren Yaoqi, Xiao Jingxi explained about Mu Hu’s marriage proposal and let Nanxing decide for herself.

After listening, Nanxing fell silent, looking down at her shoe tips for a long while – it was unclear whether she was thinking or just spacing out.

Just when Ren Yaoqi thought Nanxing might want to refuse, Nanxing raised her head and said one word: “Alright.”

Ren Yaoqi blinked and glanced at Xiao Jingxi.

Xiao Jingxi appeared unsurprised, smiled slightly, then dismissed Nanxing.

Ren Yaoqi said to Xiao Jingxi: “From what Jinglin said before… I thought she would refuse.” Or even if she agreed, it wouldn’t be so readily.

Xiao Jingxi took Ren Yaoqi’s hand and led her to the inner room. After they sat down, he smiled: “Why would she refuse? From beginning to end, Mu Hu has been infatuated with Nanxing, not Hongying.”

Ren Yaoqi was somewhat surprised: “Wasn’t it said that he initially was infatuated with Hongying, then accidentally mistook Nanxing for Hongying?”

Xiao Jingxi shook his head: “Nanxing once disguised herself as Hongying to serve beside Jinglin for a while. Mu Hu mistakenly thought Nanxing was Hongying. Mu Hu never had any contact with Hongying.”

Ren Yaoqi was somewhat speechless. After all this time, it turned out to be such a big misunderstanding, and she couldn’t help but find it amusing.

“I heard Nanxing would fight Mu Hu every time she saw him. I thought…”

Xiao Jingxi suddenly lowered his head and chuckled, seemingly thinking of something.

Ren Yaoqi looked at him with confusion.

Xiao Jingxi smiled as he leaned closer, whispering in Ren Yaoqi’s ear: “I heard that men who fear their wives are the ones who achieve success. I wonder if that’s true?”

Ren Yaoqi’s ear tickled, and she couldn’t help but scrunch her neck, saying irritably: “How would I know!”

Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow, then looked at Ren Yaoqi and began unhurriedly untying his clothing.

Ren Yaoqi was stunned and nervously glanced toward the outer room. She pressed down his hands, her face reddening as she whispered: “What are you doing?”

Xiao Jingxi smiled charmingly, taking the opportunity to pull her into his embrace, teasing: “Didn’t you say you didn’t know? I’ll show you the bruise on my waist and see how you’ll continue to deny it.”

At these words, Ren Yaoqi’s face flushed red. She became restless in Xiao Jingxi’s embrace, wanting to push him away, but Xiao Jingxi held her tightly, making her unable to move and causing Ren Yaoqi great embarrassment.

This morning, Ren Yaoqi had pinched Xiao Jingxi hard on the waist. Early in the morning, while Ren Yaoqi was still in her dreams, she felt a burning sensation on her body and was eventually awakened by breathlessness, only to see Xiao Jingxi having his way with her. At the height of passion, somehow Ren Yaoqi had pinched Xiao Jingxi. Neither had paid attention at first, but later, when getting dressed, as Ren Yaoqi helped Xiao Jingxi with his clothes, she discovered a dark bruise on his waist – clearly from her pinching.

Now that Xiao Jingxi was bringing up this matter in front of Ren Yaoqi, it was tantamount to blatantly discussing their intimate bedroom affairs. Ren Yaoqi was both embarrassed and angry, wishing she could pinch him again.

But as soon as her hand reached his waist, Xiao Jingxi laughed, not stopping her at all. Still holding her in that position, he whispered in her ear: “Mm, adding a few more pieces of evidence that I fear my wife would be good too.”

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t bring herself to pinch him, but she was furious inside, thinking that this was Xiao Jingxi’s true nature! She had misjudged him initially!

The next day, Ren Yaoqi sent someone to tell Mu Hu to properly find a matchmaker to propose. The person Ren Yaoqi sent had barely left when Mu Hu arrived with a matchmaker, his foolishly happy smile becoming an unbearable sight throughout the Yanbei Prince’s Manor.

Although Nanxing wasn’t Ren Yaoqi’s maid, since she was Xiao Jingxi’s subordinate, Ren Yaoqi still arranged her marriage wholeheartedly and prepared a generous dowry for her. They only needed to wait for the auspicious date to be set to complete the marriage of these two.

Ren Yaoqi had been busy with her maids’ affairs recently, so her days passed fulfilling and happily.

However, in this seemingly peaceful October, something occurred that made it impossible for all the people of Yanbei to remain calm.

During this period, the court had been paying close attention to the Yanbei Prince’s Manor establishing an heir. Originally, the question of candidates hadn’t been mentioned, but gradually some people brought up the previous heir’s posthumous son, pushing this child into the spotlight.

Coincidentally, during this time, because the Liao Kingdom had been defeated in the previous war with Yanbei, the Liao King sent two princesses to the Great Zhou for political marriage, using this opportunity to once again propose reopening border trade and mutual commerce between the two sides.

The Great Zhou court received the two Liao princesses with great ceremony. After the marriage princesses entered the capital, the Emperor immediately took one of the princesses into the palace and granted her the title of Noble Consort. The other princess was bestowed by imperial decree on the Yanbei Prince, and both the princess and the Emperor’s edict were sent to Yanbei.

Now the Yanbei Prince couldn’t refuse even if he wanted to – after all, the Emperor had accepted one himself, so if the Yanbei Prince didn’t accept his, it would seem too arrogant.