Ren Yaoqi said, “Hearing that Old Master Ren is gravely ill and the Ren family sent someone to invite Father back to the Ren family, Sister and I came back to take a look.”
Ren Shimin nodded. Not knowing what he was thinking of, he sighed, then held the tea bowl Li Shi handed him and became slightly lost in thought.
Seeing Ren Shimin like this, everyone remained silent.
Speaking of it, among those present, neither Li Shi nor Ren Yaohua had any particular feelings for Old Master Ren, let alone Ren Yaoqi. But for Ren Shimin, Old Master Ren was ultimately his father. Now that Old Master Ren was not going to make it through, Ren Shimin’s mood certainly wouldn’t be good.
Ren Yaohua had always been straightforward in speech. Seeing Ren Shimin like this, she still couldn’t help asking: “Father, do you plan to return to the Ren family? I mean, return to the Ren clan.”
Upon hearing this, Ren Shimin frowned and glanced at Ren Yaohua.
Ren Yaoqi quickly said, “Sister, Mother, and I were just discussing this matter. Our meaning is that such important affairs should be decided by Father. We’ll all listen to Father.”
Ren Yaohua frowned and looked at Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi gently shook her head at her, then asked Ren Shimin: “I wonder what Father’s intention is?”
Ren Shimin was silent for a moment, then said: “Words spoken are like water spilled – naturally, there’s no reason to take them back. I have already left the Ren clan and will not return.”
Both Li Shi and Nanny Zhou breathed a sigh of relief.
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment, then said to Ren Shimin: “Father speaks reasonably. However, when you and Mother return to the Ren family this time, the Ren family members will certainly try every means to make you compromise, especially regarding Old Master Ren’s situation, plus with Old Madam Ren… There will certainly be many people trying to persuade Father then. This timing isn’t suitable for a confrontation with the Ren family. Father needs only to give an ambiguous answer. You must not refuse too thoroughly. Everything can wait until after the New Year.”
Ren Yaoqi feared that Ren Shimin’s stubborn temper would flare up and he’d refuse completely from the start, leaving no room for maneuver. This would only make the Ren family try every possible means to force Ren Shimin to comply. At this time of Old Master Ren’s deathbed, it would be very disadvantageous for Ren Shimin, and the Ren family had always been good at seizing and utilizing opportunities.
Ren Shimin looked at Ren Yaoqi, thought for a moment, and still nodded: “Mm, I understand.”
Having instructed both her father and mother, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. No matter what would happen later, they first needed to let Old Master Ren pass away peacefully.
Seeing Ren Shimin’s poor mood, Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaohua didn’t stay long at their maternal home. After talking for a while longer, they left together. Ren Shimin and Li Shi still had to busy themselves with returning to Baihe Town.
When the two sisters came out from their maternal home together, Ren Yaohua seemed somewhat worried: “I always feel this matter will be somewhat troublesome. Speaking of it, the Ren family also raised me for many years. By rights, I shouldn’t be so cold-hearted, but having experienced so many things, I’ve gradually come to understand many things I couldn’t understand before. The Ren family… It’s better not to return if we can avoid it.”
Ren Yaoqi smiled and asked Ren Yaohua, “Does Sister hate the Ren family?”
Ren Yaohua thought seriously, but shook her head: “As I just said, no matter how the Ren family is, they still raised me for many years. I don’t hate them. It’s just… those with different paths cannot work together.”
Ren Yaoqi sighed, then said softly: “I once hated them, hated them deeply.”
Upon hearing this, Ren Yaohua was startled and looked at Ren Yaoqi, not knowing how to respond, because she could hear that the hatred in Ren Yaoqi’s words wasn’t spoken casually – Ren Yaoqi truly hated the Ren family.
But Ren Yaoqi smiled again: “However, I don’t hate them now. As you said, no matter how the Ren family is, they still raised me for so many years. Calculating it, that’s enough to balance merits and faults. Moreover, the surname Ren itself isn’t wrong – what’s wrong are those people surnamed Ren. Even so, I still don’t want to return to the Ren family, don’t want to be a Ren family daughter again.”
Ren Yaohua frowned thoughtfully.
After the two left, they each boarded their carriages, traveled together for a stretch, then returned to their respective homes.
Ren Shimin and Li Shi returned to Baihe Town the next day.
Ren Yaoqi received news of Old Master Ren’s death on New Year’s Eve. Old Master Ren ultimately hadn’t made it through the year.
During this period, although Ren Yaoqi hadn’t returned to Baihe Town, she knew everything that happened there in minute detail, because she had sent her personal head maid Leshui to accompany Li Shi back to the Ren family.
Thus, Ren Yaoqi learned that Old Master Ren had indeed, during his final moments of lucidity before death, brought up old matters and spoken words asking Ren Shimin to return to the Ren family. Ren Shimin had stood by Old Master Ren’s sickbed in silence for a long time, neither refusing nor agreeing.
Not having received a definite answer, Old Master Ren kept his eyes open and refused to breathe his last. Seeing this, Old Madam Ren wanted to lead everyone in kneeling before Ren Shimin, begging him to agree to Old Master Ren’s only request before death.
Ren Shimin was forced to the edge of a cliff. Though unwilling to jump, there seemed no second path before him. Old Madam Ren cried with tears streaming down her aged face, insisting on kneeling before Ren Shimin. The eldest young madam and the third young madam supporting her on either side couldn’t hold her up.
Just as Ren Shimin was about to reluctantly agree, Nanny Zhou, who was standing behind Li Shi, suddenly narrowed her eyes, secretly gritted her teeth, then exchanged a glance with Leshui, who was supporting Li Shi.
Leshui calmly stepped back half a step, using Li Shi’s body to shield most of herself, then flicked her wrist. An emerald gemstone appeared in her palm. She lightly flicked it with her finger. After a soft “pop” sound, Old Madam Ren’s knees suddenly gave way, her feet slipped, and her body couldn’t help but fall forward. The third young madam Qi Shi, who had been holding her tightly, somehow, whether her hands were tired or what, happened to let go at just this moment, while the eldest young madam alone couldn’t hold back Old Madam Ren’s falling body…
Thus, everyone watched helplessly as Old Madam Ren, who had been wailing moments before, fell face-first straight down. Her nose struck right against the bed’s railing – the crisp sound of bone hitting hardwood made everyone present shudder.
There was a moment of silence, until third young madam Qi Shi was first to react, wailing and rushing forward to help Old Madam Ren up. Her shrill voice compared to Old Madam Ren’s earlier cries was truly surpassing the master: “Old Madam! Old Madam! Old Madam, what’s wrong with you! What happened to you! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Don’t leave us, don’t leave us!”
Unfortunately, Old Madam Ren had already fainted from pain by then.
The eldest young madam hurried forward to help. Old Madam Ren’s face below the nose was covered with blood, her nose bridge so red and swollen it was unbearable to look at. The nasal bone was probably already broken.
The eldest madam and others hadn’t expected Old Madam Ren’s fall to be so severe. They swarmed around her – some pressing acupoints, some wiping blood, some calling for physicians. For a moment, it was complete chaos. Ironically, Old Master Ren lying on the bed, who originally had only one breath left, was temporarily completely ignored.
Again, it was the sharp-eyed third young madam who first noticed something wrong. She stared wide-eyed and shrieked: “Old Master! Old Master! Old Master, what’s wrong with you! Oh no, Old Master was scared to death by Old Madam!”
Everyone was shocked at these words and looked toward Old Master Ren on the bed, only to discover that Old Master Ren had somehow already breathed his last, though his eyes were still open – he had truly died with eyes unclosed.
Nanny Zhou coldly watched this farce. When everyone had rushed to Old Master Ren’s bedside and no one was paying attention to her, she curved her lips slightly, then used her sleeve to wipe her eyes and joined Li Shi in shedding tears.
Leshui glanced at Old Madam Ren being carried away by many hands, crying very earnestly and devoutly.
Because of this incident, the Ren family was thrown into chaos. The originally suffocated Ren Shimin finally had no one watching him anymore. He stared blankly at Old Master Ren on the bed, who had already breathed his last and whose eyes were being gently closed by eldest master Ren, and his eyes also reddened.
Eldest Master Ren and eldest madam began handling Old Master Ren’s funeral arrangements, while the eldest young madam and third young madam went down together to help care for Old Madam Ren.
The eldest young madam privately said gratefully to the third young madam, “Thank you so much just now. If you hadn’t held onto me at the end, I would have fallen too, and might be unconscious now.”
The third young madam had also cried until her eyes were red, but facing the eldest young madam, she was still very straightforward: “What’s there to thank me for? I just grabbed randomly. I thought I was grabbing Old Madam. It’s so good that you didn’t fall.”
The eldest young madam gave the third young madam a sincere smile: “I still must thank you.”
Old Madam Ren’s fall meant that Old Master Ren’s deathbed coercion drama ultimately failed. Old Madam Ren, due to excessive blood loss and a fractured nasal bone, also lost her mobility. So Ren Shimin temporarily had peace, and without these two elders relying on age to sell age, the other Ren family members didn’t dare to offend Ren Shimin.
It was just unclear who ultimately caused Old Master Ren’s death, with his eyes unclosed. Because of the third young madam’s final wailing cry, the maids and servants outside truly thought Old Master Ren had been scared to death by Old Madam Ren’s tragic state, which saved Ren Shimin considerable trouble.
Old Master Ren died on New Year’s Eve. According to Yanbei customs, it was inappropriate to hold funerals on New Year’s Day, or else the household holding the funeral would have three years of bad luck. So Old Master Ren’s funeral had to wait until the fourth day of the New Year to begin.
Ren Shimin stayed in Baihe Town temporarily without leaving, wanting to wait until Old Master Ren’s funeral was finished before departing. However, he refused to live in the Ren family mansion, instead finding separate lodging outside. Old Madam Ren was injured in the face this time, her nose swollen very high, completely unable to see people, so she had no time to manage him.
Starting from the fourth day of the New Year, people came to the Ren family to pay their respects.
Although Ren Yaoqi had spent the New Year at Prince Yanbei’s Manor, she ultimately hadn’t passed it very peacefully. On the fourth day of the New Year, she and Ren Yaohua went together to the Ren family in Baihe Town to see Old Master Ren off on his final journey.
Xiao Jingxi and others from Prince Yanbei’s Manor didn’t make an appearance.