Young ladies from the Liu family of Guidong Ward in Yunyang City?

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi’s heart stirred, and she glanced toward Ren Yaohua beside her.

Though Ren Yaohua didn’t look at Ren Yaoqi, she seemed to know Ren Yaoqi was watching her and gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Ren Yaoqi understood immediately. Today, the Eldest Madam had come to see one of these two as a potential match for Ren Yijun. She just didn’t know which one exactly.

When the two young ladies heard they were from the Ren family, they also looked over curiously, presumably knowing about today’s purpose as well.

However, Ren Yaoqi felt both young ladies were unsuitable. The younger one with some beauty looked at people with brazen, unabashed stares, especially when staring at Yun Wenfang. Despite being only twelve or thirteen years old, her gaze already carried a hint of seductiveness.

The older one was more proper, but her barely passable face wore a cold expression. She only spoke to the Tang family cousin beside her and barely acknowledged their greetings.

With the Eldest Madam’s discerning eye for people, neither of these girls would pass her standards, so today’s arrangement would likely come to nothing again.

As Ren Yaoqi was thinking about Ren Yijun’s situation, Su Yunchen’s next words immediately captured all her attention.

“Next month on the eighth day is my elder brother’s wedding day. You must all come to witness the ceremony.”

Su Yunchen’s elder brother, Su Yunyu, the eldest son of the Su family’s main branch, Ren Yaoqi, remembered him.

His soon-to-be wife was surnamed Zeng, a distant niece of the heir apparent’s consort of Marquis Xichang. Zeng Pu, who would become the military commander of Ningxia in three years, was her uncle.

Even having lived through one lifetime, when hearing about people and matters related to the Zeng family, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but feel chilled to the bone.

The current Zeng Pu should still be in the capital, holding the nominal rank of sixth-grade Loyal Display Captain, living off his family’s hereditary protection. Who could imagine that in just three years, he would gain the favor of the powerful minister Yan Ding through constant scheming, eventually being sent by the court as a major chess piece to counter the Yan Bei Prince’s Manor?

People now couldn’t understand why the Su family would have their legitimate eldest grandson marry a distant relative from a declining noble family with such tenuous connections.

Since the current Su family head’s wife was his second marriage, Eldest Master Su Keqin and Aunt Su Yi, who married into the Ren family, were born to his first wife. So everyone speculated that this Old Madam Su deliberately found such an inappropriate marriage alliance for the grandson left by the first wife.

At this moment, a servant woman ran over and whispered something into the ear of the eldest Liu family daughter. Though the Liu family maintained her cold expression, her face took on a slight blush.

“I understand. My sister and I will go.”

“Cousin Yun, is it that Aunt is calling you and Cousin Zhu over?” the Tang family eldest son asked quietly.

Liu Yun nodded and said to Liu Zhu: “Mother is having the abbot interpret divination signs and wants us to also draw lots. Let’s go now, we shouldn’t keep Mother waiting.”

Liu Zhu withdrew her gaze from Yun Wenfang, responded with a charming smile, and followed behind her sister.

The Liu family sisters curtsied to everyone and left the pavilion.

Seeing the behavior of the Liu sisters, Ren Yaoqi felt somewhat worried about Ren Yijun. She wondered if these two sisters might be the ill-fated stars destined to bring misfortune to Ren Yijun.

After standing there hesitating for a long time, Ren Yaoqi decided to follow and see. If anything happened, she could promptly dissuade Ren Yijun from causing more trouble.

After all, it involved a human life.

“Third Sister, I need to use the facilities,” Ren Yaoqi said quietly to Ren Yaohua.

Ren Yaohua frowned and looked around: “There probably isn’t anywhere suitable nearby. You’d have to go back to the temple.”

“Then I’ll go back first and come find you all later.”

Ren Yaohua nodded without saying anything.

Ren Yaoqi also curtsied to everyone, then left with her maid and servant woman.

After walking only a short distance, Ren Yaoqi felt someone following her. Turning around, she saw Yun Wenfang casually walking in her direction.

Ren Yaoqi stopped and smiled slightly at him: “Master Wen, please go ahead.”

Yun Wenfang ignored her and stopped when he reached her side.

Ren Yaoqi sighed and looked at him directly: “Master Wen, I need to use the facilities.”

Yun Wenfang glanced at her and said “Mm,” but still didn’t move.

Having no choice, Ren Yaoqi had to ignore him and continue forward. Yun Wenfang followed at a leisurely pace. After she sent a servant woman to inquire about Ren Yaoyin’s rest room location, she turned around to find that Yun Wenfang had finally left.

Ren Yaoqi immediately turned around and headed toward where the Eldest Madam and others were drawing divination lots.

Unfortunately, when she arrived, the Eldest Madam’s group had already left. After asking a monk, she learned that the Eldest Madam and Madam Liu had gone to a side hall designated for distinguished pilgrims to rest.

Ren Yaoqi headed toward the side hall the monk had mentioned.

Just as she left the main hall and turned a corner, she saw Ren Yijun’s figure.

However, it seemed Ren Yijun wasn’t alone—the Liu family sisters were standing opposite him.

Ren Yaoqi happened to hear the girl called Liu Zhu sneering, “My elder sister simply looks down on you, so she informed you in advance. Yet you dare call my elder sister an ugly monster? You’re the sickly one, a consumptive ghost! Anyone can see you’re short-lived. Whoever marries you would surely become a living widow!”

Ren Yaoqi’s heart sank, and she quickly looked toward Ren Yijun. Sure enough, Ren Yijun was standing there with a face full of cold fury.

The girl called Liu Zhu, having learned her shrewish behavior from somewhere, continued: “Someone like you should have your family prepare a coffin early and die soon for rebirth! Why do you still come out to harm good families’ daughters?”

“Shut up!”

These words were truly too excessive. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t bear to listen anymore and coldly stopped Liu Zhu, then walked toward Ren Yijun.

“Are you that Ren family miss from the pavilion earlier?” Liu Zhu, interrupted mid-speech, was displeased and looked at Ren Yaoqi disdainfully.

However, Ren Yaoqi didn’t even glance at her, only turned to look at Ren Yijun with gentle reproach: “Third Brother, we’ve been looking for you for a long time. How did you end up here? This temple has all sorts of people mixed, including some unworthy rabble. If you accidentally encounter them, you shouldn’t engage with them.”

Before anyone could react, Ren Yaoqi turned and instructed her servant woman: “Go give those two blocking the way five taels of silver each as a reward. Our Ren family has always been generous in rewarding actors who perform well, and we won’t waste her fine voice.”

“You… you’re calling me… a… an actor?” Liu Zhu realized what had happened and pointed at Ren Yaoqi.

But as soon as she raised her hand, something flew at her and hit it, causing her to cry out in pain immediately.

A copper coin fell to the ground with a “thud” and rolled at her feet.

Ren Yaoqi turned around to see Yun Wenfang had appeared at some point, standing there with a slight smile, looking like he wanted to join the excitement.

“Second Young Master Yun, what do you mean?” Liu Yun, the eldest Liu family daughter who had been standing aside watching her sister make a scene, said with a cold face.

Yun Wenfang raised the corner of his mouth and said lazily, “Seeing you perform so well, I’m rewarding you. Continue your act, and this young master will continue rewarding you.”

Liu Yun’s face flushed bright red, not knowing whether to speak or remain silent.

Finally, Liu Zhu, beside her, burst into tears with a “Wah—” and her voice was indeed quite clear and melodious.

Afraid the two sisters would attract onlookers, and not wanting to make a spectacle of herself, Ren Yaoqi pulled Ren Yijun away.

Only when they could no longer hear the two sisters’ voices did Ren Yaoqi look at the silent Ren Yijun.

Ren Yijun showed no expression. Ren Yaoqi was about to engage him in conversation to dispel his anger when suddenly, without warning, Ren Yijun burst into laughter.

Ren Yaoqi stared dumbfounded at him, laughing so immoderately, completely speechless.

After Ren Yijun finally finished laughing, Ren Yaoqi said helplessly, “Third Brother, please don’t scare people like that.”

Ren Yijun studied her for a moment: “I thought your temper had improved recently, but you’re still so—”

Seeing that Ren Yijun’s mood had improved considerably, Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and followed his lead: “Still so what?”

Ren Yijun knitted his brows in thought, then finally shook his head and said no more.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t press further. The former Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yijun had found each other mutually detestable.

“Third Brother, are you still angry? Do you still want to get back at them?” Ren Yaoqi asked tentatively. As long as Ren Yijun didn’t resort to extreme measures or cause loss of life, she wouldn’t stop him if he wanted to give the Liu sisters a small lesson.

Back then, Ren Yijun had led her in angrily smashing the ancestral hall, and now she was helping him torment young ladies.

Speaking of which, it was Ren Yijun who had taught Ren Yaoqi that sometimes one could appropriately set aside principles and propriety to make oneself feel better.

But Ren Yijun seemed to have lost interest: “Forget it, I already cursed them back.”

After Ren Yaoqi asked, she learned that earlier, the Liu sisters had secretly called Ren Yijun aside to tell him not to fantasize about marrying a Liu family daughter. Ren Yijun had casually replied that he wouldn’t want to marry an ugly monster anyway. Then the argument had started.

As the two were talking, a voice tinged with amusement and disappointment interrupted: “I also brought reward money to watch the excitement. How did it end so quickly?”

Qiu Yun appeared before them together with Yun Wenfang, who hadn’t followed earlier.

Behind them were also Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyu.

They had all come after hearing the news.

Ren Yaoyu said: “I could tell at first glance that Liu family second miss wasn’t good. After asking around, I learned she’s just a concubine-born daughter of unclear origins.”