On the morning of the second day, Ren Yaoqi was reading a book in the study room of the West Campus, and Xiangqin, Ren Yaohua's maid, asked to see him.
Because Ren Shimin's study forbids maids to enter casually, Ren Yaoqi went out to meet her.
"Fifth young lady, just now the little brother in the accountant surnamed Yuan came to see you, but the wife sent Mammy Zhou to see him. Seeing that he was just here to bring you insoles for little sister Zhu, she took things for you. I'm done." Xiangqin approached and whispered in Ren Yaoqi's ear.
Ren Yaoqi was startled and quickly asked, "Where are the others? Have you left? How long have you been gone?"
Xiangqin nodded and shook her head: "My servant just happened to go out to work, and when I came back, I met him in the outer courtyard. He recognized the servant and thought it was your servant, so he stopped the servant and asked the servant to tell you. The servant told you. If he has something to report, he will send a woman in. A man from the outer court always asks to see the lady in the inner court, which will make his wife unhappy. He said he would go to his mother to come in and answer you."
Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Xiang Qin: "Good girl, thank you very much."
Xiangqin grinned, revealing two dimples: "The servant will go back first, and the third lady will find the servant later."
Ren Yaoqi nodded and let her go.
After thinking about it, he immediately called his maid, Apple over, and told her, "You go to guard near the second gate. If you see Sister-in-law Yuan coming, bring her to see me."
Apple hurriedly went.
Just thinking about the news from Yuan Dayong, Ren Yaoqi cleaned up the study and returned to his west wing.
In the inner room, Madam Xu was cleaning out the cage with Sydney and Mulberry.
When Ren Yaoqi went in, he heard Mama Xu say, "The fifth lady's clothes are rarely very popular."
Mulberry said: "Miss San likes to wear red, but our young lady seldom wears red. But our young lady looks good in everything."
Madam Xu said, "The fifth young lady has fair complexion, she really looks good in whatever she wears."
Mother Xu was a newcomer, so it was normal to want to know the master's preferences. Ren Yaoqi only paused for a moment before entering the room.
Madam Xu and the two maids hurriedly bowed their knees to salute.
Ren Yaoqi nodded and instructed: "I still have some things that I put in the warehouse of the East Crossing Courtyard. If Xu Mama is free, I will also take care of them together, and I will also have some clues when I change the furnishings in the room in the future. The booklet is in the Zhou Ma's place, you can just tell her when the time comes."
Madam Xu hurriedly said, "Miss, are you coming back for a rest? The slave should wait until later to count the things in the house? The slave will go to Madam Zhou to ask for a booklet."
Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, "That's fine, you go."
Mammy Xu took Sydney and Mulberry salute and withdrew, and before going out, she softly instructed the two little maids to wait outside.
Ren Yaoqi picked up a travel journal and sat under the south window to read, while waiting for Apple to bring Mrs. Yuan in.
After a long wait, Apple is finally back.
"Miss, the servant brought Sister Yuan, she is waiting outside, do you want to see her now?"
Ren Yaoqi sat up slowly: "Let her come in, you go outside to guard, if someone comes, no matter who it is, remember to report earlier."
Apple nodded solemnly: "The servant knows, you can rest assured, miss."
Soon Apple brought Mrs. Yuan in, and walked out lightly.
Sister-in-law Yuan saluted and wiped the sweat from her forehead. It must have been in a hurry just now.
"Miss Fifth, I've kept you waiting for a long time."
Ren Yaoqi said apologetically, "I'm the one who bothered you."
Sister-in-law Yuan said with a smile: "The slave girl knows that it is Fifth Young Lady that you have a good heart, otherwise she would not care about these things."
Ren Yaoqi shook his head and didn't say anything anymore, he just asked directly, "Did Yuan Dayong go to Baiyun Temple to find Zhu Ruomei?"
Sister-in-law Yuan sighed and shook her head: "No."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help frowning, could it be that she guessed wrong? Doesn't that poem imply the White Dragon Temple
Sister-in-law Yuan continued: "Dayong said that he searched the White Dragon Temple inside and out, and found nothing wrong. But when he was about to leave, someone threw a note into it. at his feet."
Saying that, Sister-in-law Yuan took out from her sleeve pocket something similar to what Yuan Dayong showed her last time, a roll of paper tied with a black-brown hairband.
Sister Yuan was afraid that the thing was not clean, so she took the initiative to help Ren Yaoqi open it and put it on the kang table in front of Ren Yaoqi.
Sure enough, it was the same handwriting as last time, and it was written in neat regular script, but this time there was only one word on the piece of paper: "哓"
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile bitterly, this person has no end! Are you addicted to guessing
Seeing Ren Yaoqi's helpless expression, Mrs. Yuan couldn't help but read the word up and down, and said curiously, "Dayong opened the note and looked at it when he found it, but he didn't know the word '哓' What does it mean, you can only take it back and let the fifth lady see it. Dayong said that the 'white dragon fish suit' you guessed last time should be right, maybe you can guess it this time."
Yes, it is not difficult for her to guess the answer, but it is a little embarrassing to do as the person said.
Ren Yaoqi was silent for a moment, then sighed: "I see, Mrs. Yuan should go back first. I'll send you a message later."
Seeing that Ren Yaoqi said this, Mrs. Yuan didn't know whether she had guessed it or not, but she was not easy to ask, so she could only stand up and salute: "Then the servant will go out first, if the lady has any orders, she will send someone to go. The outer court has a word with the head of my family."
Ren Yaoqi nodded, served tea and asked Mrs. Yuan to retire.
It was only when Mrs. Yuan came to the door, Ren Yaoqi heard Apple's voice outside: "What are you doing? The lady said that no one should be served."
"Hasn't mammy taught you that tea will be served when guests come. I'll just go in to deliver tea, and I'll come out soon. What are you babbling about?" This was Qingmei's voice.
Sister Yuan is not standing at the door to go out, nor to come in.
Ren Yaoqi frowned slightly.
At this time, another voice lowered his voice and scolded: "What are you arguing about here? What should I do if I disturb the young lady?" It was Mother Xu who came back.
Ren Yaoqi waved to Sister-in-law Yuan, indicating that she didn't need to care, and Sister-in-law Yuan opened the door with a creak.
The voices outside suddenly stopped.
Sister-in-law Yuan greeted them and left.
After a while, Madam Xu came in with Apple and Qingmei. Seeing Ren Yaoqi sitting on the kang reading a book, Madam Xu hurriedly pleaded guilty: "The fifth miss is atonement, it is the slaves' lax discipline, which disturbs her. Miss."
Ren Yaoqi raised his head and glanced at Qingmei lightly: "What should I do?"
"Miss, this servant is just here to serve tea..." Qingmei heard the displeasure in Ren Yaoqi's tone, and bit her lip to defend, but when she looked up at the look in Ren Yaoqi's eyes, she was so frightened that she immediately lowered her head again. Go down, don't dare to say anything.
Mother Xu was also taken aback by the passing Limang in Ren Yaoqi's eyes just now, lowered her head, and stood with her hands down.
Last time in the main room, Ren Yaoqi exchanged her with Mammy Gao with a joke. She thought Ren Yaoqi was a somewhat willful child who was spoiled.
But after serving by Ren Yaoqi's side for a day, she found that the fifth young lady did not have the slightest bit of charming habits. He is very gentle and courteous in dealing with people and things. Except for Qingmei, the maid sent by the concubine, all the others say that Ren Yaoqi is a good master who is good-natured and easy to serve.
But the look in Ren Yaoqi's eyes just now... Although it is not vicious, it can even be said that it does not reveal too much emotion, but it makes her, an adult woman who has experienced a lot, a little terrified.
Madam Xu couldn't help but remind herself secretly that she must act more prudently and rigorously in the future.
Both Apple and Qingmei withdrew, and Madam Xu poured a cup of tea for Ren Yaoqi and put it on the small table in front of Ren Yaoqi.
"Mammy has something to say?" Ren Yaoqi said casually, turning over a page without looking up.
Mother Xu thought for a while: "Miss, isn't this childhood sweetheart not suitable for you to stay by your side?"
Ren Yaoqi paused when he heard the words, raised his eyebrows and glanced at Mama Xu, with a gentle smile in his eyes: "What does Mama Xu mean?"
Madam Xu didn't know why, but she felt a little restrained. She calmed down and said, "Although this servant has only come to Ziweiyuan for a day, I shouldn't have said this. But since this servant is already the housekeeper of the young lady, then she should discipline me. The maid next to the young lady is the servant's job. The servant does not seem to be in the Ziwei Courtyard when she sees this green plum? If you keep it, I'm afraid something will happen someday."
After just one day, I found out the details of the maids... This Madam Xu is really not a mediocre person. Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile.
"Then what should Mammy see?" Ren Yaoqi asked with a smile, "Speaking of which, Qingmei and Xue Li were both given to me by my aunt when she took over the Ziweiyuan. Besides them, there are several other maids. I was not satisfied with the use of a few, and I have already let Mammy Zhou send them away. But it would be a bit inhumane to send them all away, so I left two. Speaking of Sydney, it’s safe to do things, and it’s still a duty, Qingmei He was out of temper, but he didn't make any big mistakes."
Mammy Xu thought for a while: "Sydney slaves look good, and it's not bad if the lady wants to stay here. I'm afraid this green plum is inappropriate."
Ren Yaoqi nodded: "Since the matter in this room has been handed over to you, then mama, you can do it, just don't make the scene ugly."
"Yes, the servant knows." Xu Ma replied in a low voice.
Ren Yaoqi lowered his head to read again.
Mother Xu quietly backed out.
As soon as Mama Xu left, Ren Yaoqi put down the book in his hand, and his eyes were full of contemplation.
The word "哓" just now was an anagram, and adding "one" to the word "哓" means "Xiao", so the answer to the riddle is "know at first sight".