Earlier, Liu Zhu’s way of looking at Yun Wenfang had extremely displeased Ren Yaoyu. Seeing that they knew Second Young Master Su and seemed somewhat wary of them, as soon as the Liu sisters left, she sent someone to investigate their background.

At this moment, the Eldest Madam sent a servant woman over to summon Ren Yijun.

Judging by the servant woman’s expression, the Eldest Madam must have learned about what had happened earlier.

Ren Yijun pursed his lips and said to Ren Yaoqi: “I’m going to see Mother. This matter started because of me and has nothing to do with you all.”

Ren Yaoqi wasn’t worried about Ren Yijun being scolded by the Eldest Madam. After all, they were mother and son, and no matter what, the Eldest Madam would feel more affection than blame for her son. There was no need for her, an “outsider,” to meddle and muddy the waters.

Moreover, this incident hadn’t escalated like the previous one, and the Eldest Madam should be able to resolve the conflict with the Liu family herself.

So Ren Yaoqi smiled and winked: “Good luck, Third Brother!”

Ren Yijun was both amused and annoyed by her words, glared at her once, then put on an imposing air and walked away with his hands behind his back, head held high.

After Ren Yijun left, Ren Yaoqi realized that Ren Yaohua was acting strangely. She hadn’t reproached her for meddling?

Ren Yaoqi looked toward Ren Yaohua beside her, only to discover that Ren Yaohua’s mind wasn’t here at all. She was frowning slightly with a thoughtful expression.

Just as Ren Yaoqi was about to speak to her, Ren Yaoyu came over and said: “Fifth Sister, didn’t you say earlier that you needed to use the facilities? Are you still going?”

Ren Yaoqi remembered that she had indeed used that as an excuse earlier, so she nodded: “I was delayed by encountering the Liu sisters just now.”

“Perfect, I want to go too. Let’s go together,” Ren Yaoyu said.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t mind, so she asked Ren Yaohua: “Third Sister, would you like to come with us?”

Ren Yaohua shook her head: “You go ahead. I’ll walk around the temple.”

Ren Yaoqi thought she’d talk to Ren Yaohua later when there were fewer people around, so she left with Ren Yaoyu first.

On the way, Ren Yaoyu unusually approached intimately and took Ren Yaoqi’s arm.

Ren Yaoqi looked at her in surprise, then heard her ask mysteriously in a low voice: “Fifth Sister, what do you think of Master Wen?”

Ren Yaoqi secretly raised an eyebrow but said, “Master Wen? Since he’s Cousin’s friend, he should be good, I suppose? I’m not familiar with him. Why are you asking about this, Eighth Sister?”

Ren Yaoyu covered her mouth with a smile, glancing at Ren Yaoqi reproachfully: “Fifth Sister, are you not familiar with him? Don’t try to fool me. After you left just now, he followed you, and yesterday, I heard he went to Ziwei Courtyard to find you, then went with you to Aunt’s Warm Fragrance Pavilion.”

Ren Yaoqi stopped walking, frowning seriously: “Eighth Sister, you shouldn’t spread such groundless rumors in the future. Earlier, Master Wen just happened to also want to find a place to use the facilities. As for yesterday, he went with his Cousin to pay respects to my father and mother, and going to Warm Fragrance Pavilion was just on the way. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Cousin—he was there the whole time.”

Ren Yaoyu studied Ren Yaoqi carefully for a long moment, then finally let go of her arm. Suddenly, she put on a haughty expression, snorted coldly, and said: “Then that’s for the best! If I discover any improper behavior from you, I’ll tell Grandmother. I won’t let you do anything shameless.”

Ren Yaoqi looked at her smug expression and laughed angrily: “Then thank you for the reminder, Eighth Sister.”

Ren Yaoyu snorted again and walked away, leaving Ren Yaoqi behind.

The two didn’t speak another word to each other the entire way.

When they came out of the facilities, Ren Yaoyu had already disappeared. Ren Yaoqi went to look for Ren Yaohua and learned that Yun Wenfang and Qiu Yun had been called away by someone Ren Yijian had sent. Ren Yaoyu had also followed them after coming out. Ren Yaohua had said she wanted to walk around the apricot grove by herself and had left alone.

Thinking about Ren Yaoyu’s earlier words, Ren Yaoqi became even more convinced that Yun Wenfang was a disaster star and should be avoided whenever possible. She didn’t want to get involved in the ridiculous jealousy between young girls.

So she took her servants to look for Ren Yaohua.

However, Ren Yaoqi searched the entire apricot grove behind the mountain but still didn’t see Ren Yaohua.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t worry about it and casually visited several main halls in the temple, bowing to whatever Buddha was enshrined there.

She hadn’t believed in Buddha in her previous life and hadn’t had time to believe in this life either.

Coming out of the Infinite Life Buddha Hall, which enshrined the Infinite Life Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Ren Yaoqi heard servant women from some household talking quietly behind a large ginkgo tree.

“Are you serious! Is what you’re saying all true?”

“If I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning! I heard that when that man came out of the nearby White Cloud Nunnery, his clothes were disheveled, and he was chased all over the mountain by the nuns’ lay relatives. They say he even fled into the White Dragon Temple!”

“How morally corrupt! That nun is truly shameless! If her worldly desires haven’t died, she shouldn’t have become a nun. Now she’s made this pure Buddhist sanctuary impure. Isn’t she afraid that the gods three feet above are watching and will strike her down with lightning!”

“Hey! You don’t know—I heard this Nun Liang was restless even when her husband was still alive, and she’s particularly difficult to deal with. Her husband’s family relatives still don’t have a good word to say about her! After her husband died, she got involved with some nobles and eventually entered the nunnery with her husband’s family wealth. With the temple’s protection, even her husband’s family couldn’t do anything. Now she’s living comfortably! She has money and keeps young men as lovers! Living as carefree as an immortal—why would she worry about gods watching from above?”

“Doesn’t the abbess of White Cloud Nunnery care? Does she just let her act so brazenly before Buddha?”

“Hey! Money can make ghosts push millstones, let alone nuns who are still mortal!”

Although Ren Yaoqi hadn’t intentionally eavesdropped, she still caught the gist of what the two were saying.

The young maids following behind her had flushed faces but were full of curiosity.

The two servant women hiding behind the tree noticed someone approaching and stopped talking.

Ren Yaoqi was about to go to the Dragon King Hall behind when she saw Xiangqin, Ren Yaohua’s head maid, walking while looking around as if searching for someone.

Pingguo, Ren Yaoqi’s maid, had sharp eyes and a good relationship with Xiangqin, so she waved in that direction. Xiangqin saw Ren Yaoqi and quickly walked over.

Ren Yaoqi asked in surprise, “Why are you here alone? Where’s Third Sister?”

Xiangqin glanced at the maids and servant women behind her, then said: “Third Miss is resting with Fourth Miss. She sent me to find Fifth Miss to discuss something minor.”

Though she called it a minor matter, after saying this, she fell silent and only gave Ren Yaoqi meaningful looks.

Ren Yaoqi knew something must be up, so she nodded: “The main halls ahead are quite crowded. I was just about to visit the newly built Dragon King Hall behind. Come with me.”

Xiangqin lowered her head and agreed, then came forward to support Ren Yaoqi’s arm.

The Dragon King Hall was positioned higher up and close to the back mountain, making it quite secluded. Being newly built, not many people came here.

Seeing a small pavilion by the pond beside Dragon King Hall, Ren Yaoqi sent her maids and servant women to offer incense or use the facilities, then walked toward the pavilion with Xiangqin.

After just a few steps, she saw three or four women hurrying in their direction. These women, both old and young, were looking around while walking, breathing heavily as if searching for something.

“Fourth Aunt, could he not be in the temple? We’ve searched everywhere and haven’t found that adulterer,” a younger woman asked the middle-aged woman leading them.

Though the middle-aged woman’s face showed some uncertainty, she shook her head: “My husband saw him running toward the mountain. The only place on this mountain where someone could hide is the White Dragon Temple. It can’t be wrong. Let’s search more carefully. When we find him, we’ll drown that little whore in the pond!”

“Fourth Sister-in-law is right. I’ve never seen such a shameless woman! She’s completely disgraced our Zhang family! If we find the adulterer, let’s see how she can deny it!” another middle-aged woman said with both anger and excitement.

These people glanced at Ren Yaoqi and her servant once, then hurried toward Dragon King Hall.

Xiangqin was bewildered and looked at Ren Yaoqi: “Fifth Miss, what are they doing?”

Remembering what the two servant women behind the ginkgo tree had said earlier, Ren Yaoqi knew they were probably looking for the promiscuous nun’s lover, so she shook her head: “Never mind them. Did Third Sister send you to find me? Is she really with Fourth Sister?”

They had reached the pavilion by the pond. Xiangqin shook her head and was about to speak when suddenly another person emerged from a side path nearby.