CH 57

Chapter 57: Invitation

Lin was so stunned that she forgot to even cry out in pain.

It was the Fifth Master Ren Shimao who reacted and went to Lin’s face and asked anxiously, “Did you burn anywhere?” And turned to the Old Madam and said, “Mother, Huijun also has good intentions, she does not want to see her sister and brother-in-law in a stalemate. How can you splash her with hot tea?”

Old Madam Ren was so angry that she pointed at his nose and cursed, “You are also a white-eyed wolf! I have raised you for so many years for nothing and instead eating me inside out! Get out! Get out!”

Because the Fifth Master was the youngest son of the Old Madam, he was also spoiled when grew up. He had never been pointed at the nose by his mother and scolded with such cruel words. He was immediately frightened and didn’t know how to react.

The other children and grandchildren were also shocked by the Old Madam’s sudden temper and did not know how to react.

Ren Yaoqi stood far behind her parents, secretly looked at the people with different expressions in the room.

Until Ren Shijia stood out and persuaded Old Madam Ren in a low voice: “Mother, Fifth Sister-in-law and Fifth Brother are also doing it for my own good. It’s none of their business.”

Old Madam Ren looked around at the crowd, and finally gave her six months pregnant daughter some face, took a deep breath, and said a little tiredly: “You all go back.”

All of them bowed to the Old Madam. Lin finally came back to her senses and ran out, covered her face.

The Fifth Master wanted to chase after her. But seeing his mother’s cold face, he was afraid that he would make it harder for his wife to do so if he chased her out without regard for propriety. He could only follow the crowd slowly out of the room, and as soon as he came out he grabbed a nanny, asked his wife’s whereabouts, lifted the corner of his robe and ran.

His appearance made the children of the Ren Family laugh. The Eldest Master, Ren Shizhong, coughed lightly and swept a glance at his sons and nephews, silenced them all.

Everyone went back to their own courtyards.

The next day, everyone in the Ren Family knew about the fact that Madam Lin, the Fifth Madam, was offended the Old Madam, although no one knew who spread the word about it.

Even though Yanbei in early spring was still very cold in the morning and evening, there was a breath of spring everywhere. At the corner of the wall, greenery began to sprout on the branches, full of vitality.

Mrs. Yuan went to the mansion again and brought two pairs of spring shoes, said that a young girl from the Zhu Family made them for Ren Yaoqi.

Two more days after that Lantern Festival, Mrs. Yuan came into the house as instructed by Ren Yaoqi. Ren Yaoqi asked her maid to convey that she had asked the Third Master to go inspect the mines and said he was able to let Zhu Ruomei go after a few more days. Mrs. Yuan was surprised.

The next day, the steward of the coal mine returned Zhu Ruomei’s deed of sale to him, and gave him an extra share of the settlement, said it was the grace of the Third Master and the Fifth Miss.

The Zhu Family was so grateful, and Zhu Ruomei took his mother and sister to Yunyang City that day to seek medical help.

During these days, every time Mrs. Yuan came to the Ren Mansion, she would bring some things from the Zhu Family, sometimes some fresh boar meat, fur, and even pickles made by the Zhu Family.

Ren Yaoqi accepted them all, sometimes gave some gifts in return, and asked about Mrs. Zhu’s condition.

Although the materials of the two pairs of embroidered shoes made by Zhu’s little sister were ordinary, a lot of thought had been put into the workmanship. The stitches were very fine. Ren Yaoqi tried them on her feet and found that they fit very well, and they were very comfortable to walk on. When Mrs. Yuan came last time, she asked Xiang Qin for her shoe size.

Instructed the maid Ping Guo to put away the two pairs of shoes and put them on again when the weather got warmer. Ren Yaoqi called the maid Xue Li to help her change. She wanted to visit Ren Shijia’s Nuan Pavilion today.

After she changed my clothes and came out, she heard Ping Guo’s soft weeping and Qing Mei’s reprimand.

Ren Yaoqi called the two of them over.

Qing Mei took the lead and said: “Miss, this new little maid really doesn’t know the rules. You gave her four seasons’ clothes to take care of, but she received the silk and fur clothes together. Just now, this servants took your spring dresses and found that it was covered with fluff.”

“It’s not this servant. That’s how this servant received it when I took over.” Ping Guo sobbed.

“You still dare to quibble!” Qing Mei scolded.

After the Spring Festival, four new maids came to Ren Yaoqi’s room, replaced all the little maids arranged by Concubine Fang. After observing for a while, Ren Yaoqi asked Nanny Zhou to raise the maid named Ping Guo and the other named Sang Shen to the second class.

Now there were only Xue Li and Qing Mei left in Ren Yaoqi’s room who were the two people left behind by Concubine Fang before.

In the face of this change, Xue Li was relatively calm, and only became more respectful and diligent towards Ren Yaoqi. But Qing Mei wass very disturbed, so these days she had been looking for trouble with the new maids, in order to show her ability. The newly promoted second-class maid was often picked on by her because of her simple and honest temperament.

Ren Yaoqi saw it, but she didn’t deliberately interfere. She lacked available people around her, which will be very inconvenient for her to act in the future. As for who can be of great use, she needed to observe before made a decision.

She kept Xue Li because she thought that she was a very good maid and had a flexible mind.

As for Qing Mei, she was left behind to sharpen up the new maids. She also had other arrangements for Qing Mei.

The new maids must be both loyal and useful, and this was something that can only be achieved when she was available. It would be good to have one or the other.

“Xue Li.” Ren Yaoqi called out.

“This servant is here.”

“Nanny Zhou is still looking for a housekeeper for me. Until a housekeeper is found, you will be in charge of the house, including handling disputes between the maids.” Ren Yaoqi waved her hand and said.

Xue Li bowed her head and said yes, then looked at Qing Mei and Ping Guo.

“Before Ping Guo came, who was in charge of Miss’s Four Seasons clothes?” Even though she asked like this, Xue Li’s eyes were fixed on Qing Mei.

Qing Mei gritted her teeth for a while.

Ren Yaoqi’s approach to the two maids sent by Concubine Fang was to suppress one and promote the other. As a result, the two people who were originally on good terms were now at odds.

“Qing Mei?” She saw that Qing Mei didn’t speak, Xue Li called her again.

Glanced at Ren Yaoqi, Qing Mei gritted her teeth and said, “It’s this servant!”

“I remember that the sewing room has not delivered the newly made spring dresses for this year yet. The spring dresses in the trunk should still be from last year. You just handed over the keys to Ping Guo not long ago. I was also present when the trunks were counted, and she hasn’t touched these old garments yet.”

Qing Mei glared at Xue Li and turned her head aside in anger and hatred, her lips mumbled, who knows what she was secretly cursing.

Xue Li continued as if she hadn’t seen it, “Qing Mei has ruined Miss’s clothes and is shirking her responsibility. If she does it again, she will be put at the disposal of Nanny Zhou. Do you agree?”

Qing Mei was naturally not agree. But she was afraid that Xue Li would really put her at the disposal of Nanny Zhou, whose severity was well known in Ziwei courtyard, so she could only grit her teeth and endure it.

Only then did Ren Yaoqi stand up and ask, “Finished?”

Xue Li bowed low and said, “Yes, Miss, it has been dealt with.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded and walked outside, “I’m going to my aunt’s courtyard, you guys get ready, I’ll go to my mother’s place first.”

The maids answered in unison with a yes.

Ren Yaoqi went to Li’s room, but the sisters outside came to report that Young Master Cousin and Young Master Yun had arrived.

Li was very surprised to hear this, the young master was referred to the Old Madam’s grandnephew, Qiu Yun, who never came to the Ziwei courtyard to pay his respects when he came to the Ren Family. But today for some reason he came.

“Let them in.” Madam Li hurriedly said.

Ren Yaoqi frowned secretly, what were these two doing here?

Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang had come to pay their respects.

Look at what Qiu Yun said: “I often come to the Ren Family to bother, but rarely I come to pay respects to my uncle and aunt. Please forgive this nephew for being rude.”

Yun Wenfang spoke politely in front of Li, but when no one was looking, he turned his attention to Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi lowered her head, pretending she did not know anything.

She only heard Qiu Yun said: “The spring is just right, this nephew wants to invite some cousins to go outing in the suburbs and go to the Bailong Temple outside the city to eat vegetarian food. If Third Aunt is free, it would be nice if she could also come along.”

Li was a little surprised, but she smiled and said, “You siblings can just go, but this Third Aunt will not.”

Qiu Yun looked up and said cheerfully, “So Third Aunt is promising Fifth and Third Sister to go?”

Li glanced at Ren Yaoqi and said with a smile, “Since everyone is going, why don’t you and your Third Sister go too?” Li naturally hoped that Sister Ren Yaoqi could be close with Qiu Yun and this young master of the Yun Family. The two of them had no brothers, so it would be good to have Qiu Yun as a cousin to look after them in the future.

But Ren Yaoqi looked at Qiu Yun and said, “My Third Brother, Fourth Sister, Seventh Sister, and Eighth Sister are also going?”

Qiu Yun nodded with a smile, “Of course, I’ve already spoken to them.”

Ren Yaoqi was speechless, Li had already answered for her, what else could she do?

Qiu Yun’s purpose had been achieved, so she politely got up and said goodbye.

Li said to Ren Yaoqi, “Didn’t you say earlier that you were going to see your aunt? Then go out together. Mother won’t be going today.”

So Ren Yaoqi also got up and said goodbye.

After they left Li’s room, Ren Yaoqi smiled and said to Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, “Cousin and Young Master Yun take care, I have to go back to my room to tidy up.”

Yun Wen Fang raised his eyebrows, “Jinyuan and I are also going to pay my respects to Aunt Ren, so why don’t we go together?”

Ren Yaoqi always felt that there was something strange about Yun Wenfang today, but she was well aware of his tendency to not give up until he had achieved his goal, so she could only nod reluctantly and went back to her room to tidy up.