The atmosphere in the carriage immediately became cheerful.

Though Ren Yaohua didn’t respond, her eyes also took on a hint of amusement, even though her face remained stern.

This was the most harmonious atmosphere the two sisters had shared since Ren Yaohua’s return.

The carriage traveled back to the Ren residence. When Ren Yaoying emerged from the carriage, though she had already changed into a new set of clothes and washed her hair and face, with her entire body wrapped from head to toe in a large cloak, standing in the wind, she still emitted a foul odor.

Though her facial expression couldn’t be seen, her suppressed sobbing could be heard. She had lost tremendous face this time, and since the incident had occurred outside, it would be easy for news to spread. In the future, whenever people mentioned Ninth Miss of the Ren family, they would think of her falling into the cesspit, making her the butt of others’ jokes. This would become a major obstacle in her social interactions.

The Eldest Young Madam took Ren Yaoying to Old Madam’s Ronghua Garden, while Ren Yaoqi and the others were sent back to their courtyards.

Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua first went to Li Shi’s quarters. After paying their respects, Ren Yaohua immediately summoned Xiangqin to the eastern side room for questioning, and Ren Yaoqi also went along.

“Did you find out any news? Who was the person that Sister-in-law investigated earlier?” Ren Yaohua asked.

Xiangqin nodded, “Before Third Miss and Ninth Miss went to the lavatory, Fifth Madam and the others went first. However, the lavatory that Ninth Miss used was being cleaned and incensed at the time, so Fifth Madam and the others didn’t use it.”

The lavatory by the riverbank had been divided into three compartments.

“Could it be the person responsible for cleaning the lavatory who caused the trouble?” Ren Yaohua frowned.

Xiangqin shook her head, “Before Ninth Miss went in, another person had entered. At that time, the woman responsible for cleaning the lavatory stopped her, saying that the place was for the masters and wouldn’t let her in. But she complained that the lavatory for maids was too crude and said there was no available space, so she slipped some money to the few nannies guarding the lavatory. Those nannies then turned a blind eye and let her quickly finish her business and come out. Not long after she left, Ninth Miss arrived.”

“Which courtyard is she from?” Ren Yaohua frowned as she asked. Did their family have such bold maids or women servants?

Xiangqin still shook her head, “She’s not from our residence. She’s one of the two maids who were recently sent to serve Young Master Wen.”

This statement was beyond everyone’s expectations.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but recall the maid who had come to ask her for a prize for Yun Wenfang earlier in the warm pavilion.

“How could it be Young Master Wen’s maid? She has no grievance with Ren Yaoying, so why would she do such a thing?”

Upon hearing this, Xiangqin’s face showed some uncomfortable redness. She looked at Ren Yaohua, then at Ren Yaoqi, seeming somewhat reluctant to speak.

Ren Yaohua glared at her, “If you have something to say, just say it. There are no outsiders here!”

As soon as these words were spoken, not only were the people in the room surprised, but she was stunned. Previously, in Ren Yaohua’s eyes, her biological sister Ren Yaoqi was no different from an outsider. When they discussed anything, they would always avoid Ren Yaoqi, afraid she might overhear.

But today she had blurted out that there were no outsiders here. Ren Yaoqi’s slightly lowered eyes also showed some indescribable complexity.

Xiangqin coughed lightly and pleaded in a small voice, “Miss, please don’t tell Nanny Zhou that I said these things.” Seeing Ren Yaohua glare at her again, Xiangqin quickly continued, “Earlier, someone heard Ninth Miss privately tell people around her that the two maids beside Young Master Wen were too beautiful, and they must be concubines prepared by the Wen family for Young Master Wen. She also said that if she were the mistress, she would drive out such seductive maids early on to prevent future troubles. The maid called Yuzhu learned of this and harbored resentment against Ninth Miss, so she deliberately tampered with the lavatory that Ninth Miss was going to use.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaohua’s face also reddened, and she couldn’t help but spit at Xiangqin, “What nonsense have you been listening to!”

Xiangqin felt somewhat embarrassed and awkwardly mumbled, “I also heard it from outside. Wasn’t it Miss who asked me to tell you?”

Ren Yaohua was at a loss for words.

“Who spread these words that the Ninth Miss supposedly said?” Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow and asked. She didn’t believe Ren Yaoying would let others hear her say such things.

No matter what, Ren Yaoying was still a young girl. Such words were not something she could say aloud. Even if she thought this way in her heart, she wouldn’t likely voice it.

“It was said by another maid beside Young Master Wen, called Jinzhu. She said that she and Yuzhu heard people talking and mentioning Young Master Wen, so they quietly approached to listen, then heard two people discussing those few sentences that Ninth Miss had said. However, they didn’t see who the speakers were, only knowing they were two women servants. Later, the Eldest Young Madam summoned all the women servants around Ninth Miss and had them speak in front of Jinzhu. Jinzhu said the voices of two women servants sounded somewhat like what she had heard before, but since she had never seen those two people’s faces, she couldn’t be certain whether it was actually them.”

“Hmph! If this matter were Fifth Aunt playing tricks, I would have to admire her. After doing something unscrupulous, she can still clear herself completely. No wonder those capable women servants and maids from her dowry were eliminated, otherwise, everyone in this residence would have to look at her face!” Ren Yaohua said sarcastically.

“Third Miss…” Wujing softly called her name, then glanced at Ren Yaoqi, looking somewhat conflicted.

What Ren Yaohua had just mentioned was previously classified as a secret that couldn’t be leaked to “others.”

After thinking about it, Ren Yaoqi understood what Ren Yaohua was referring to. She had heard that when Fifth Madam Lin Shi married into the Ren family, she originally had several capable dowry servants by her side. Later, for unknown reasons, they were all sold away, not one remaining. Strangely, the Lin family showed no dissatisfaction with this matter and didn’t even take the opportunity to send helpers to Lin Shi’s side afterward.

Lin Shi’s mother was someone who doted on her daughter, which could be seen from Lin Shi’s temperament. Even though she didn’t stand up for Lin Shi this matter had hidden circumstances back then.

From Ren Yaohua’s meaning, Lin Shi’s people were deliberately eliminated by someone, and Lin Shi and the Lin family had to swallow this bitter pill in silence.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t know how Ren Yaohua had learned of this matter. In her previous life, she had been unaware, only knowing that the people serving Lin Shi now were mostly house-born servants of the Ren family, with very few brought from her maternal home.

If what Ren Yaohua said was correct, then the person most likely to move against Lin Shi would be Eldest Madam Wang Shi, or even Old Madam Qiu Shi was possible.

This was truly interesting. It turned out that the Ren family and Lin family weren’t as close as they appeared on the surface.

Even though the Lin family’s Old Madam was Old Madam Ren’s biological aunt, Old Madam Ren’s only daughter had married the Lin Old Madam’s grand-nephew.

Ren Yaoqi understood that in her previous life, like their father, she had been someone who didn’t manage affairs, so there were many things others knew that she didn’t.

“Go inquire more about the follow-up to this matter, see how Grandmother plans to handle it,” Ren Yaohua instructed Xiangqin, then frowned, “But Grandfather and Grandmother don’t like people inquiring randomly…”

Ren Yaoqi looked up and smiled, “It’s fine. Just go outside and see what people from other courtyards are like. If they’ve also sent people to inquire, you can go listen in. If they’re staying quiet, you stay quiet too, and just treat it as taking a stroll.”

Xiangqin smiled and agreed that she understood, even linking arms with Wujing, “Then I’ll go with Wujing to ask the kitchen if they’ve prepared any snacks for this afternoon. Both young misses only had some pastries for lunch.”

Xiangqin and Wujing linked arms and left openly. After exiting the courtyard gate, Xiangqin whispered to Wujing, “Hey, don’t you feel that Third Miss and Fifth Miss have a much better relationship now? Previously, Third Miss would never have said such things in front of Fifth Miss. Fifth Miss has also changed a lot. Even when Third Miss is impolite to her, she always greets her with a smile and never gets angry.”

Wujing glared at her, “What? Are you unhappy that the young misses are getting along?”

“How could that be! I was just thinking… they had such a falling out before. When we were at the estate, every time Third Miss heard Fifth Miss’s name, she would grit her teeth. It made Madam and Nanny Zhou not dare mention Fifth Miss in front of her. I thought they would be enemies for life.”

Wujing was silent for a while, then sighed, “Third Miss and Fifth Miss are biological sisters after all, born of the same parents. But in the future, we must never mention those past matters in front of Third Miss again. I feel that things are much more comfortable for us servants now.”

Xiangqin quickly nodded, “You don’t need to tell me that! Nanny Zhou already warned us about this!”

By evening, news came from Ronghua Garden that after Old Madam had summoned the two maids from the Wen family for questioning, she took no action and let the matter pass, only having women servants by her side lecture them and instructing them to serve Second Young Master Yun well.

“What? Grandmother is still letting them stay in the Ren family?” Ren Yaohua asked in astonishment.

Xiangqin nodded, “They said Yuzhu went in for too short a time and was alone, so it wouldn’t be possible for her to tamper with anything.”

Ren Yaohua frowned, “Even so, they should send the person back! That maid doesn’t look like someone who stays out of trouble.”

According to normal handling procedures, if the person who harmed Ren Yaoying couldn’t be found, the Ren family would convict the most suspicious Yuzhu to appease Ren Yaoying.

Now Old Madam Ren had only had people lecture them and let it pass, without sending them back to the Yun family. Then Ren Yaoying’s suffering could only be classified as self-inflicted.

“Could Grandmother be planning with the Yun family…” Ren Yaohua murmured with a lowered head.

Old Madam Ren didn’t want this incident to leave a grudge in Old Madam Yun’s and Madam Yun’s hearts, so the Ren family very likely truly planned to form a marriage alliance with the Yun family. Or rather, the Ren family unilaterally had this intention.

Ren Yaoqi felt no surprise at Old Madam Ren’s decision. For the Ren family’s interests, they could sacrifice several granddaughters’ lifetimes without hesitation. Now it was merely letting a concubine-born granddaughter suffer some grievance.

Concubine Fang looked at her daughter lying on the bed with her entire body covered by the quilt, feeling heartbroken. Since returning, Ren Yaoying had been crying and wanting to bathe, having already bathed four times and vomited twice. If Concubine Fang hadn’t desperately stopped her in the end, Ren Yaoying would probably have scrubbed a layer of skin off her body before giving up.

“Mother, I smell so bad. Will I always smell this way?” Ren Yaoying’s voice came from under the quilt.

Concubine Fang gently patted her and softly comforted, “No, Mother smells that you’re fragrant.”

Ren Yaoying’s sobbing came from under the quilt, “But everyone knows I fell into the cesspit. I… I don’t want to go out and see people anymore…”

Concubine Fang closed her eyes, her clenched fist piercing her palm. When she opened her eyes, there was a flash of sharp coldness, but her tone remained gentle, “Others won’t remember this for long. In a few days, everyone will forget.”

“Mother, I hate them! They made me lose such a great face!” Ren Yaoying suddenly threw off the quilt, her eyes red and swollen from crying, filled with shame and anger.

Concubine Fang touched her head and gently comforted, “Mother knows. Mother won’t let those who harmed you have an easy time.”

Ren Yaoying fell asleep holding Concubine Fang’s hand, with a teardrop still hanging on her eyelashes.

Concubine Fang reached out to wipe it away for her, watched over her for a while, then got up and came out.

“Go call Nanny Yu. I have something to instruct her,” Concubine Fang told her maid.

The maid bowed and withdrew. Concubine Fang went to the adjacent study.

Concubine Fang was literate, and her delicate calligraphy was quite good. All the places Ren Shimin frequented had studies, so Concubine Fang’s courtyard also had a small study.

When Nanny Yu was summoned in, Concubine Fang had already finished writing a letter. After blowing dry the ink stains, she placed them in an envelope.

“You’ll set out tomorrow and return to Jiangning.” Concubine Fang’s maternal home was in Jiangning.

Nanny Yu lowered her head and agreed, showing no dissatisfaction about having to leave the residence in the cold weather.

Lin Shi and her daughter were in good spirits at this moment.

From Old Madam Ren’s handling of Yun Wenfang’s two maids, it could be seen that the Ren family was not without thoughts about marriage with the Yun family.

Lin Shi believed that as long as the Ren family had this intention, with her position in front of Old Madam Ren and her maternal family’s support behind her, securing this marriage for her daughter would be as easy as flipping her palm.

Ren Yaoyu finally felt vindicated. The incident of being schemed against and driven out of Ronghua Garden by Concubine Fang and her daughter had made her furious whenever she thought about it these past days. Today, she had finally vented her anger.

After enduring for so many years, Lin Shi had ultimately forgotten her mother’s repeated instructions not to easily make an enemy of Concubine Fang.