CH 95

Chapter 95: Delighted

Ren Yaoqi heard Ren Yaoting’s words in the carriage and thought to herself that Ren Yaoting should wanted to talk about the salt farm.

Li also wanted Ren Yaoqi to be close to the sisters of the Ren Family, so she said to her, “Go and sit with your Seventh Sister in the same carriage.”

Ren Yaoqi complied and got out of the carriage.

Ren Yaoting had been waiting outside for a long time, and when she saw Ren Yaoqi get off, she came over and took Ren Yaoqi’s hand, smiling very affectionately, “Fifth Sister, this carriage ride has been very tedious. Fortunately I met you, so we can sit together and have a good talk.”

Originally, for the convenience of traveling in Yunyang City, Ren Yaoting had a separate carriage. But she liked to sit with Su, so her own carriage was empty. Ren Yaoqi followed Ren Yaoting onto her carriage.

As soon as she got into the carriage, Ren Yaoting sent the maids to sit outside, leaving only herself and Ren Yaoqi in the carriage.

“Seventh Sister, I’ve heard the maids talking privately about the Su Family’s wedding ceremony, it sounds very lively.” Ren Yaoqi said with a smile.

Ren Yaoting smiled haughtily at her words, “My Eldest Cousin is the Su Family’s Eldest Grandson, so naturally his wedding is a bit more lively than the average family’s. But…”

Ren Yaoqi was a little curious and asked after her, “But what?”

Ren Yaoting glanced at Ren Yaoqi. Initially she would not have said this to Ren Yaoqi, but now that she looked at Ren Yaoqi and found her more agreeable, she whispered, “But the dowry of my Eldest Cousin’s wife is quite shabby. Although it looks like there are thirty-two sets, I heard from my mother’s matron that only the top layer of the dowry box contains some slightly valuable things, the bottom layer is full of things that were not worth anything. The few clothes that were of some note were still fashions of last year in the capital. Therefore, my Second Aunt and Third Aunt’s servants in their courtyard have been talking a lot about it.” Ren Yaoting brushed her lips.

The Su Family’s Eldest Master, Su Keqin, and Ren Yaoting’s mother, Su Yi, were born from Elder Su’s original main wife, while the Second Master, Su Kejian, and the Third Master, Su Keji, were born out of second wife.

Ren Yaoting knew that in her previous life, Zeng had caused a lot of trouble when she married into the Su Family. At that time, Zeng Yu was only a sixth-ranked military official with the title Zhongxian. His niece had no father or mother and was raised in his mansion since childhood.

Everyone guessed that it was the stepmother, Old Madam Su, who planned such a marriage for the first wife’s son, and for the Young Master of the Su Family to be matched like that because he was tricked by others.

When Zeng Yu rose to prominence in Yanbei later, only then did everyone realize that it was Old Master Su’s unique wisdom.

Ren Yaoqi could not help but sneer. With that kind of discerning eye, the Su Family should have had an affair with the Zeng Family long ago.

Regardless of whether this Zeng Family has a family background or not, her dowry is just a cover-up to make people relax their vigilance towards the Zeng Family.

“…But my Eldest Cousin’s wife is extremely nice, she is pretty, and knows how to read and write.” She said, “This is a gift from her to me, I heard that she embroidered the pattern on it herself. See how well the embroidery is done?”

Ren Yaoqi took it and looked at it. The pink purse was embroidered with two young girls kicking shuttlecock. The picture was vivid and alive.

Ren Yaoqi handed the purse back and nodded with a smile, “Well, the embroidery is very good.”

Ren Yaoting pursed her lips and smiled. It looked like she liked the purse and was very pleased with her Eldest Cousin-in-law.

In fact, according to Ren Yaoting’s high and proud nature, she would have looked down on Zeng, who had a thin dowry. But after only a few days together, she had taken a liking to Zeng, so it was clear that this Zeng was a remarkable woman.

“Well. I will talk to you slowly later about the matter of my Eldest Cousin’s wife. But I called you over actually to tell you about that thing we talked about last time.” Ren Yaoting lowered her voice and said.

Ren Yaoqi pretended to be puzzled, “Which one thing is Seventh Sister talking about?”

“The Han Family’s salt farm…,” Ren Yaoting reminded in a small voice.

“Oh, so it’s this matter. Seventh Sister, did you really go to mention it with the elders?” Ren Yaoqi’s eyes widened.

Ren Yaoting covered her mouth and laughed, “You still think I said it for fun?”

“So how did it turn out?” Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile.

Ren Yaoting sat closer to Ren Yaoqi: “I was originally going to mention it to my mother, but I was afraid that my mother would see what was going on. Since my mother was going to take me to Yunyang City for my Eldest Cousin’s wedding, I thought it would be better to speak to my grandfather’s family directly. So I found a chance to ask my Eldest Cousin to tell my uncle, but I didn’t expect to be caught by my grandaunt. My grandaunt asked me a lot of questions and asked me where I had heard what I said. I told her that I had thought of some of it myself and that I had overheard some of the stewards gossiping when I went to the West Mansion. I didn’t want my grandaunt to tell my grandfather and uncle about it directly.”

Here Ren Yaoting stopped and looked at Ren Yaoqi and smiled, “Guess what the result was?”

“Your grandfather and Uncle think this matter is feasible?” Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile.

Ren Yaoting shook her head. With a lofty look she continued, “How can this matter be that simple? But my maternal grandfather has already asked my granduncle to order someone to go to Xining, saying that he needs to find out the truth before making any plans.”

When the Ren Family decided to cooperate with the Han Family, they also sent someone to Xining to check out the situation on the ground. Therefore, Ren Yaoqi was not surprised. Since the Su Family was willing to send someone to probe for information, it meant that the Su Family was interested in this matter.

Ren Yaoqi thought that the salt field that the Han Family was talking about was just an empty shelf to lure the Ren Family into the bait, because otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to get a good salt well with the current strength of the Han Family.

But then she thought that if the Ren Family’s prudence was groundless, Old Master Ren would not have failed to find out about it.

Now that she knew that the Han Family was involved with the Yanbei Royal Family, then this matter of the salt well should be true. She just didn’t know what connection the salt well in the Han Family’s hands has to the Yanbei Royal Family’s intent to use the Han Family.

It might not be a bad idea to test it out with the Su Family.

“What are you thinking about? Are you listening to me or not!” Ren Yaoting saw that Ren Yaoqi seemed to be thinking about something and could not help but rage.

Ren Yaoqi looked at Ren Yaoting and smiled slightly, “Well, I’m listening. I was just thinking that it should take some time to get from Yunyang City to Xining to spy out the news.”

Only then did Ren Yaoting turn her anger into joy, “Of course. But my maternal grandfather’s family has always had someone guarding Xining, so it should be quite convenient, right?”

Ren Yaoqi nodded, “That would be much more convenient.”

The two of them talked all the way, and Ren Yaoqi found that Ren Yaoting was particularly talkative today. Probably she was happy that she was one step closer to her goal. Normally Ren Yaoting only talked to people she liked, and she had never paid much attention to her in the past.

Most of the time, Ren Yaoqi just listened, nodding or mumbling occasionally.

Time passed more quickly when someone was talking, and soon the Ren Family’s carriage entered Baihe Town.

The carriage from the East Mansion had to enter a different gate to the carriage from the West Mansion, so the carriage stopped when it reached the end of the street. A maid sent from Li’s side said through the carriage curtain, “Fifth Miss, we have arrived at the entrance of the residence, the madam has asked you to come down.”

Ren Yaoqi knew everything she wanted to know from Ren Yaoting, so she readily excused herself.

Ren Yaoting blinked and said, “I’ll tell you when there’s news over there.” The joy of success naturally had to be shared with someone, and Ren Yaoting felt that so far this was the most appropriate thing to say to Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi nodded, “Good, then I will first wish Seventh Sister all the success she wishes for.”

Ren Yaoting’s face flushed, and only when she thought that Ren Yaoqi was probably just casually saying that the words did not mean what she had in mind did her heart calm down. By this time, Ren Yaoting had already gotten out of the car.

There, one of the senior maid who served Ren Yaoting was called over by Su’s matron.

In front of Su, the matron asked Ren Yaoting’s maid, “What did Miss say to the Fifth Miss of the Western Mansion?”

The maid thought for a moment and said truthfully, “At first, she was talking about Young Master Su’s marriage and the Su Family’s Eldest Young Madam. Later, Miss lowered her voice, so this servant couldn’t hear clearly.”

The matron asked a few more questions and sent the maid down.

“Madam, do you think that the things Miss said to Master that day had something to do with the Fifth Miss of the West Mansion?” The matron asked softly.

Su, who was sitting with her eyes closed, slowly opened her eyes, “I just don’t believe Ting’er could have thought of those, as for who told her… I’m not sure.”

Su’s eyes were as restless as an ancient well: “The Third Branch’s Ren Yaoqi… If she had such a mind, she wouldn’t have been set up by that Concubine before. It is extremely possible to say that Concubine knew about it.”

“Then do you think it could be that Concubine Fang who has her hand stretched too far?” The matron saw that Su didn’t believe it was Ren Yaoqi, so she asked again.

This time Su was silent for a little longer, and half a second later she said in a light voice, “It’s not impossible. If it was she who told Ting’er about this matter through Ren Yaoqi’s mouth, then her purpose should be to obstruct Ren Yaohua from marrying into the Han Family.”

Sister sniffed a little disdainfully, “It’s just a concubine, what good would it do her?”

Su smiled faintly, “She may be a concubine, but she’s very good at what she does. Haven’t you seen that even the sister-in-law never provokes her? Someone barefoot is not afraid of those wearing shoes. She dares, but others may not. As for the benefits… if Li’s daughter has a strong in-law, then she will have even less chance of taking over the power of the Third Branch from Li in the future. According to Old Master’s nature, as long as the Ren Family has a marriage contract with the Han Family, he will give Li some face.”