Concubine Fang changed her clothes and planned to go to the old lady to serve her, but Ren Yaohua had already dragged Ren Yaoqi to the old lady first. Seeing Concubine Fang coming, she didn't give her a chance to intervene and serve.
Old Madam Ren was surrounded by several granddaughters and the wife of her eldest grandson. She also had a houseful of maids and servants, so Aunt Fang really didn't need to come to her for anything.
Finally, Old Madam Ren looked at Aunt Fang and then at Ren Yaohua, and sent Aunt Fang back.
In reality, Old Madam Ren was quite shrewd. Behind closed doors in the Ren family's inner chambers, she didn't mind giving Concubine Fang a bit of respect. She even let her outshine Li, the principal wife. But out in the open, among the aristocratic families, she felt embarrassed to treat a concubine like a proper wife. She could afford to lose face, but the Ren family couldn't afford to lose this person.
So it wasn't that Old Madam Ren didn't understand the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. She just distinguished between them according to the situation.
Old Madam Ren had instructed that lunch be served early in the courtyard before leaving. The women in the inner chambers only needed to arrive when the time came. The men and stewards of the Ren family would take care of the itinerary.
Ren Yaoqi listened to her sisters gathered around Old Lady Ren and happily recounted the interesting events of last year's Dragon Boat Festival. She still sat quietly and listened.
The atmosphere was harmonious and joyful, but a maid hurried in to report: "Madam, the carriage from the Yanbei Palace has arrived."
Mrs. Ren, who was leaning on the kang with her eyes closed, immediately opened her eyes and sat up straight when she heard this: "Who is coming?"
The old woman glanced at Ren Yaoqi who was sitting beside her and replied, "A carriage and a maid have arrived. They are sent by the princess to pick up the fifth sister."
The room instantly became quiet, and everyone's eyes were on Ren Yaoqi.
Old Madam Ren also looked at Ren Yaoqi, thought for a moment, and said to Ren Yaoqi with a loving smile on her face: "Since the princess is here to pick you up, you should go."
Ren Yaoqi hadn't expected Xiao Jinglin to come to her so soon, and was a little surprised. After hearing what Old Lady Ren said, she murmured "yes" and then stood up and walked out.
The carriage of the Prince of Yanbei's Palace stopped at the door. It was black lacquered with a green tent and looked very ordinary. However, when Ren Yaoqi walked in, he found that there was the logo of the Prince of Yanbei's Palace under the eaves of the carriage, an eagle with spread wings.
Ren Yaoqi subconsciously glanced at the carriage driver's seat and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. The driver was not Dongsheng but a middle-aged woman in her forties. The maid guarding the carriage came over and helped Ren Yaoqi onto the carriage.
When Ren Yaoqi left, he only brought Pingguo with him. The princess didn't like having too many people with her. It was difficult for others to interfere with her. Since the princess didn't come, Ren Yaoqi asked Pingguo to get on the carriage as well.
Xiao Jinglin's maid, Hongying, was a quiet girl, answering every question one by one. Ren Yaoqi wasn't a talkative person either, so after asking a few questions, she stopped. She believed the maid belonged to Xiao Jinglin; the master and servant had very similar personalities.
The carriage traveled for nearly two quarters of an hour and finally stopped at a pier in Yunyang City.
The Liyang River flows through Yunyang, so there are a few docks within the city. However, the docks within Yunyang City are not used for either civilian or commercial purposes. The river mouth entering the city is guarded by the military, so most of the time, there are no boats on the Liyang River within the city. Instead, there are groups of women squatting on the stone steps of the docks, washing vegetables and laundry, laughing and cursing, and the atmosphere is very lively.
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