Ren Yaoqi was a calm and meticulous person. She didn’t believe much in coincidences – too many coincidences happening together became suspicious.

For instance, Xiao Jingyue being “bedridden with illness,” Xiao Jingxi encountering danger and disappearing, Xiao Jinglin leaving Yanbei for Wuzhou, Zhao Yingqiu’s marriage, Princess Consort attending the banquet at the Yun family, plus her two maids who never left her side suddenly disappearing – all these events happening together made it impossible for her not to be vigilant.

Sangshen quickly brought Tonghe and Tongxi in, and the two stepped forward to respectfully bow.

Ren Yaoqi nodded and asked: “Has there been anything unusual in the residence today?”

Upon hearing this, Tonghe and Tongxi exchanged glances. Tonghe carefully asked: “What does Young Madam mean?”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and asked directly: “For example, has anything happened with the second branch or with the Liao Princess?”

With both Xiao Jingxi and Xiao Jinglin not in the residence, there were definitely people left to “watch over” them. Although Tonghe and Tongxi were just Xiao Jingxi’s personal servants, they weren’t ordinary servants – many matters in the residence went through their hands.

After Tongxi and Tonghe thought for a moment, Tonghe spoke first: “Second Master went out early this morning. The third Young Master has been ill and hasn’t recovered yet. Princess Yelu hasn’t come out since morning, reportedly practicing calligraphy in the study.”

All of this sounded perfectly normal.

Just then, someone outside reported that Princess Dowager Yun had arrived.

The first thing Princess Dowager Yun said upon entering was: “I heard you weren’t feeling well? How are you now?”

Ren Yaoqi glanced at Nanxing following behind Princess Dowager Yun, smiled, and rose to bow: “It’s nothing serious, just that I was vomiting severely earlier. I didn’t expect them to alarm you.”

Princess Dowager Yun stopped Ren Yaoqi from bowing and breathed a sigh of relief. She pointed to the heated platform, having Ren Yaoqi sit with her, then said: “Your mother isn’t in the residence, so they could only come find me. It’s good that nothing serious happened. You’re already over three months along. It will get better in a while – just bear with it a bit longer. Have you consulted a physician? If the vomiting is severe, you should still have a physician take a look.”

This was the first time Princess Dowager Yun had said so much to Ren Yaoqi at once, but Ren Yaoqi didn’t find it bothersome. She received the tea brought by a maid and offered it to Princess Dowager Yun, then smiled: “Nanny Gong just examined me yesterday and said both my health and the child’s are very good.”

Princess Dowager Yun nodded: “Mm, that’s good.” After speaking, she looked up and only then noticed Tonghe and Tongxi still standing outside the curtain, causing her to frown slightly.

Ren Yaoqi said nothing, only instructing the two: “You may go down first, but send people to search everywhere for wild cats. Those creatures aren’t domesticated and are quite wild. If they startled the masters in the residence, it wouldn’t be a trivial matter.”

Upon hearing these seemingly random words, Tonghe and Tongxi showed no surprise at all. They respectfully bowed and replied: “Young Madam, please rest assured. We subordinates won’t let any wild cats get in.”

Princess Dowager Yun watched their departing figures and frowned: “There are wild cats in the residence?”

Ren Yaoqi smiled: “The maids heard cat sounds today, so I had them help look for them.”

Princess Dowager Yun nodded: “It’s never wrong to be careful.”

After that, Princess Dowager Yun and Ren Yaoqi began exchanging idle conversation. Princess Dowager Yun wasn’t good at conversation, and although after a period of interaction, Ren Yaoqi had become quite familiar with her, her aloof nature hadn’t changed. However, since Ren Yaoqi became pregnant, Princess Dowager Yun’s attitude toward her had become much more gentle and pleasant.

Seeing that Ren Yaoqi truly had nothing wrong with her, Princess Dowager Yun wanted to return. Unexpectedly, Ren Yaoqi smiled and entreated: “Grandmother, it’s still early. Why don’t I accompany you for a game?”

Princess Dowager Yun looked at Ren Yaoqi several times and said coolly, “Are you accompanying me in a game of chess, or am I accompanying you? I think you’ve been staying in the courtyard too long, and your hands are itching to play. Now you’re setting your sights on me!”

Though she said this, Princess Dowager Yun didn’t get up.

Ren Yaoqi continued smiling and didn’t refute: “Indeed, my hands are itching.”

Sangshen was clever and immediately went to bring out the chessboard.

Princess Dowager Yun picked up a black stone with a cold expression: “Only one game. You’re pregnant – it’s not suitable to think too much.”

Ren Yaoqi quickly agreed.

However, this game wasn’t easily concluded. Most of an hour had passed, and the black and white stones were still locked in stalemate. Princess Dowager Yun frowned: “Let’s call it a draw. There’s no point continuing.” Born into the Yun family, Princess Dowager Yun naturally excelled at music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she didn’t particularly enjoy these pursuits. Today, she was patiently accompanying Ren Yaoqi in chess out of tolerance.

Ren Yaoqi knew when to quit while ahead, so when Princess Dowager Yun said to stop, she smiled and agreed.

“Hasn’t Mother returned yet?” While Princess Dowager Yun drank tea on the side, Ren Yaoqi collected chess pieces and asked Pingguo.

Pingguo replied: “Princess Consort hasn’t returned to the residence yet.”

Princess Dowager Yun frowned: “Don’t tell me you want your mother to accompany you in another game? I never noticed before that you were so clingy.”

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t refute and only smiled: “I just noticed it’s getting late.”

Princess Dowager Yun looked at the sky outside: “It’s not that late. The auspicious time has just passed – the banquet should be in full swing now.”

Just as they were talking, someone outside reported that Yelu Sage had arrived.

Princess Dowager Yun looked at Ren Yaoqi with surprise, then said with some displeasure: “Why has she come? What are you doing, getting involved with a foreigner?”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t show surprise upon hearing that the Liao Princess had come to see her. Seeing Princess Dowager Yun’s displeasure, she smiled: “This is her first time coming to Zhaoning Hall to see me. I don’t know what she wants either.”

Princess Dowager Yun said, “Then have her go back. Don’t see her!”

However, Ren Yaoqi asked: “Did the Princess come alone or did she bring people?”

Pingguo lowered her head and replied: “She only brought one maid.”

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and discussed with Princess Dowager Yun: “She never comes to Zhaoning Hall, so coming at this time today, she might have something important. Why don’t we see her?”

Though Princess Dowager Yun was displeased, this wasn’t her Lanxi Hall after all, so after listening, she only snorted coldly but didn’t insist further.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but smile. This was what she liked most about Princess Dowager Yun – although her temperament wasn’t particularly good and her nature was quite aloof, she never used her power to pressure others or relied on her seniority to bully people. At her age and with her status, very few people could achieve this.

Ren Yaoqi said to Pingguo: “Bring the Princess in, but have her maid wait outside.”

Pingguo responded and left, soon leading Yelu Sage in.

Yelu Sage was still wearing Han clothing, but in fire red with elaborate dahlia embroidery on the hem along with fire cloud totems characteristic of foreign tribes.

Ren Yaoqi had seen several women who looked wonderful in red clothing, such as her sister Ren Yaohua, and this foreign princess before her. However, when Ren Yaohua wore red, it gave people a sense of gorgeous elegance, while Yelu Sage in red clothing made people feel she was fierce as fire, looking too long would make one’s eyes hurt.

Upon seeing Yelu Sage’s outfit, Princess Dowager Yun’s expression immediately turned cold, and she scolded mercilessly: “Aren’t you supposed to be learning proper behavior? Who permitted you to wear red?” That blazing red hurt Princess Dowager Yun’s eyes just as much.

Yelu Sage lowered her head and gave Princess Dowager Yun a Liao greeting. When she raised her head, her smile was bright and cheerful, showing no embarrassment or anger at Princess Dowager Yun’s words: “Sage didn’t know Princess Dowager was here as well. Please excuse my rudeness.” After a pause, she looked down at her clothing with some helplessness: “I love the color red most of all. Unfortunately, I’ve been in Yanbei for so long, and today is the first time I’ve worn it.”

Speaking thus, Yelu Sage looked toward Ren Yaoqi and asked earnestly: “Do you think I look good in red?”

Ren Yaoqi carefully examined her, then smiled: “You look good, but it’s not proper.”

Yelu Sage sat down in a chair and sighed upon hearing this: “Everything about you Han people is wonderful – where you live is good, the clothes you wear are good, the food you eat is good, and both men and women are good-looking. There’s just one thing that’s not good – you have too many rules. Sometimes I don’t understand why, when you could live freely and unrestrained, you create so many rules to make things difficult for yourselves. Isn’t this asking for trouble?”

Ren Yaoqi thought seriously, then smiled: “What the Princess says has some merit. Spring goes and winter comes, flowers fall and bloom, plants wither and flourish – these natural phenomena follow their course and couldn’t be more beautiful. But Princess, is that dahlia on your head still the same one from last year?”

Upon hearing this, Yelu Sage was stunned.

Ren Yaoqi sighed and smiled: “So, if people don’t establish so many rules to constrain themselves, Heaven will constrain them instead. Your tribes, wanting to live freely and unrestrained, need to constantly migrate to ensure your cattle and sheep have abundant water and grass to survive. We, because we have too many rules, have been bound to this land for generations, taking root where we fall – as long as people remain, the roots remain.”

Yelu Sage was silent for a long time, then said: “You mean following rules is for the sake of longevity?”

Ren Yaoqi only smiled without speaking.

Yelu Sage looked at Ren Yaoqi and frowned: “That sounds somewhat reasonable. There’s one thing I have to admire about you, Han people – there are too many clever people. Look, you’ve convinced me with just a few words. I once heard that women here are inferior to men in every way, so women can only be confined at home to bear children for men, but after coming here, I discovered this isn’t the case at all. For example, the Princess, and you-you’re both surprising women. And Princess Consort of Yanbei – she can manage such a large prince’s residence in perfect order, no worse than an official governing a commandery or county. But if this is so, why are you willing to stay behind men?”

Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow with a half-smile: “Is the Princess speaking up for us Han women, or expressing your unwillingness? The Princess is no inferior to your brothers in any way, yet why wasn’t it the Princess who became the Liao King in the end? Are you willing to accept this, Princess?”