CH 80

Chapter 80: Plan B

Xia Sheng thought for a moment and shook his head, “In Jizhou, we can only find out about Han Dongshan after the 32nd year of Qinglong. There is no way to find out what kind of person he was before he came to Jizhou. It could be that he had never mentioned it to anyone.”

Seeing Ren Yaoqi’s disappointed face, Xia Sheng added, “But perhaps we can find out something in Jiangnan. Han Dongshan was already sixteen when he came to Yanbei, he must have had contact with people before he was sixteen, so if we find those people we can find out.”

Xia Sheng said it was simple, but Ren Yaoqi knew it wasn’t. Han Dongshan must have made preparations since he didn’t want others to know where he came from. Not to mention that it had been so many years since then, and there had been a calamity during which he had left, so how simple would it be to contact those who had previously known Han Dongshan?

The most important thing is that the marriage between the Han and Ren families is already imminent and she has no time to spare. Maybe just find another way?

Ren Yaoqi thought so, and her face took on a pensive look.

When Xia Sheng saw that Ren Yaoqi was silent, he hesitated for a moment and took the initiative to say, “I am willing to go to Jiangnan to investigate this Han Dongshan.”

Ren Yaoqi could not help but stare, looking up at Xia Sheng: “A trip to Jiangnan and back will take at least a month.”

Xia Sheng was not a member of her Ren Family and did not have the responsibility of running around for the Ren Family.

“I have brought up two new apprentices. Because our school requires them to have a lot of experience before graduating, I had planned to leave Yanbei for a while. I thought maybe I could use this time to investigate Han Dongshan’s matter, and also consider it as a task set for the two apprentices. And… I also feel that this Han Dongshan is not simple, after all, ordinary people would not be so concerned about their past, so it would be more reassuring to check.”

If that were the case, then it would be better.

Ren Yaoqi nodded and smiled, “Then I’ll be grateful to you.”

“Miss is too kind, but I don’t understand why Miss is so wary of this Han Dongshan. I suspect his origin because I felt that he was too mysterious during my investigation this time, but why does Fifth Miss suspect him?” Xia Sheng asked with some confusion.

“I just get a strange feeling about the Han family. They appear to have emerged out of nowhere, and it feels like they have a purposeful desire to approach the Ren Family. So it’s better to check it out somehow.” Ren Yaoqi smiled and said.

Xia Sheng nodded, so he stopped asking.

Ren Yaoqi, however, said half-jokingly, “You still want to bring up disciples? If you are free in the future, can you bring me a few maids who know martial arts?”

Xia Sheng was stunned and rubbed his head somewhat embarrassedly, “I, I haven’t brought up any female apprentices yet…”

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but laugh: “I just want to have one or two maids around who know martial arts so that I can feel more at ease when I go out in the future. If it’s really difficult then so be it.”

When Xia Sheng saw that Ren Yaoqi was serious, he thought about it seriously. He nodded and said, “Then I will go back and ask Master. If he allows me, I will bring two for Young Miss. But learning martial arts is not something that can be achieved overnight. We need to start training at a young age to be successful, and it will take at least three or four years to achieve if we are well-qualified. Is Young Miss can wait?

Seeing that he answered, Ren Yaoqi smiled and nodded, “I’m not in a hurry to get it now.”

She could still wait for three or four years. In her last life, the Ren Family had accidents one after another five years later. Maybe they would somehow be needed.

“I don’t need them to know those fancy martial arts. I want you to teach them practical things, Xia Sheng. Since you have promised me, teach them real skills. At least make sure that if I am ever taken captive, they are capable of rescuing me.” Ren Yaoqi looked at Xia Sheng and said with a straight face.

She had seen Xia Sheng’s true prowess, she was not afraid that he would not be able to teach good disciples.

Although Ren Yaoqi’s assumption made Xia Sheng feel a little strange, he still said seriously, “Don’t worry, Young Miss. If anyone wants to learn from me, they won’t be able to graduate without having some proficiency.”

Ren Yaoqi knew that Xia Sheng was a rigid and serious person. She said nothing more.

At this time, a woman came out from the second door.

She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, and her features were only clean. Although her demeanor was very dignified, she was not memorable at first glance.

Ren Yaoqi could no longer remember this face, but she remembered that she had once seen her in costume when she was singing. She was so charming. The allure of that smile made Ren Yaoqi unconsciously compare others with her when she saw any Dan actress[1] for many years later, and then she would always feel that something was missing in them.

“Young Miss.” She was a little surprised to see Ren Yaoqi and Xia Sheng, then quickly reacted and came forward to salute.

Ren Yaoqi returned the half salute and smiled, calling out “Aunt Yi Hong”.

Yi Hong was a little surprised and could not help but take a closer look at Ren Yaoqi.

She had heard Li say before that Ren Yaoqi had grown up and changed a lot. Now she saw that the young girl in front of her had a calm affectionate smile and clear peaceful eyes. She was indeed a little different from the proud young miss she used to know.

The reason why Ren Yaoqi called her aunt was that Yi Hong’s status was somewhat special.

Her uncle Li Tianyou had never married, and Yi Hong was his housekeeper, taking care of his daily life and managing the affairs of his house.

In a normal family, Yi Hong would have been no more than a servant of some standing. But Ren Yaoqi knew that these people, who were loyal to the Xian Family, were different.

Li had once asked her and Ren Yaohua to call Yi Hong an aunt, but they had always disobeyed her and refused to do so.

“Why is Young Miss here?” Yi Hong asked with some confusion as she glanced at Xia Sheng.

Ren Yaoqi said, “I wanted to ask Xia Sheng something, so I asked someone to bring him here. Has Aunt Yi Hong finished talking to Mother?”

Yi Hong smiled and nodded, “This servant has finished reporting and is going back to Yunyang City.”

Ren Yaoqi knew that she had something to do, she did not ask her to stay. She only ordered a maid to have the Li Family’s carriage driven to the second gate, so that they would not have to walk a little further.

While waiting for the carriage, Ren Yaoqi spoke to Yi Hong again.

In a short while, the carriage came over. Yi Hong saluted Ren Yaoqi and got into the carriage. Xia Sheng also bowed and followed.

Ren Yaoqi beckoned Ping Guo to come over and whispered, “Didn’t I give you some banknotes for safekeeping earlier? Did you bring them with you?” She had given Ping Guo a hundred taels of banknotes and some silver coins to carry, in case she needed them.

Ping Guo also whispered back, “This servant has it with her.”

“You go and give the one hundred taels of banknotes to the man called Xia Sheng who was just talking to me, saying that I gave him the money for his entourage and to buy maids. If it is not enough, tell him to come back to me.”

Ping Guo didn’t ask anything and went off in response.

Ren Yaoqi nodded, she was most pleased with Ping Guo among her several new maids.

Ping Guo usually said very little and was not very clever, but she was obedient. Once she had gone on an errand on her orders and met Ren Yaoyu on the way. Ren Yaoyu had asked Ping Guo to go to her courtyard to get something for her, and Ping Guo had not refused on the spot. After Ren Yaoyu left, she gave Ren Yaoyu’s orders to others and continued going to do the unimportant thing she entrusted to her.

The other maid named Sang Shen was also nice and more attentive.

Soon Ping Guo returned.

“Miss, he won’t take it.” Ping Guo said with a frown.

Ren Yaoqi was about to say something when Ping Guo added, “So I forced it on him.”

Ren Yaoqi turned her head to look at the carriage that was about to pull out. Xia Sheng was sitting in the carriage staring at Ping Guo’s back with a depressed look on his face.

Ren Yaoqi could not help but laugh out loud.

When she returned to the Ziwei Courtyard, Li called Ren Yaoqi and said to her with a happy face, “Just now Yi Hong came over and told me about the Han Family in detail, I will have Matron Zhou tell Hua’er later on.

Li didn’t think there was anything wrong with the Han Family, she was still looking forward to the marriage between the Han and Ren families.

Ren Yaoqi could not say anything either. She could only make other plans.

That night, Ren Yaoqi lay on the bed with her eyes closed and thought about it for half the night. She didn’t fall asleep until the third watch.

The next day, someone from the concierge came to report that Zhu Ruomei had arrived.

His mother’s condition had improved so much that the doctor said that after another month or so, she would no longer need to see her doctor every day and only need acupuncture once a month.

Zhu Ruomei thought that he can left the mine last time because Third Master Ren had been particularly kind, but he had indeed signed a contract of sale to the Ren Family and had left the mine only to facilitate his mother’s medical treatment. Now that his mother’s condition had stabilized, he naturally had to come back and continue working for the Ren Family. He did not take it to heart that the Ren Family had already given him the deed of sale.

There was a kind of people in this world who had their own code of conduct and were not bound by external causes.

When Ren Yaoqi heard the report from Xiang Qin who came over, she thought about it and decided to go and see him.

As Mrs. Yuan always went to Xiang Qin every time she came in, Zhu Ruomei’s visit was also through Xiang Qin, who passed on the message.

Just as before, Ren Yaoqi asked to bring Zhu Ruomei to the Yiran Pavilion outside the second gate. She also has time to ask someone to tell Third Master Ren.

Zhu Ruomei was dressed in a short indigo brown cloth and looked thinner than the last time Ren Yaoqi had seen him, but his body was still strong and his eyes were very bright.

“This humble servant has met Fifth Miss.” Zhu Ruomei bowed to Ren Yaoqi from afar.

Ren Yaoqi smiled and let him rise: “I heard that your mother’s illness has gradually recovered, is it true? Do you need any herbs? If you can’t buy anything outside, you can ask Sister Yuan to tell me, and I will help you think of something.”

Zhu Ruomei was very grateful: “Thank you for your concern, I don’t need any herbs. I came here to ask you and the Third Master that my mother will be well by next month, the doctor said that a check-up monthly is enough and that I can go back to work in the mines.” He said in a respectful and sincere tone.

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[1] (旦角) Dan is the general name for female roles in Chinese opera, often referring to leading roles. They may be played by male or female actors. In the early years of Peking opera, all dan roles were played by men, but this practice is no longer common in any Chinese opera genre.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_role