Chapter 609: Chapter 609: Taking Her Down a Peg

"You’ve been away for a long time, Miss, but you must have heard some rumors, haven’t you? Our master ordered the city sealed to catch a traitor to the nation. I heard he used to be one of General Peng’s men. He stole military secrets, and now the Master is conducting a massive search for him."

Shen Ningning watched Mo Lingwei out of the corner of her eye. When he heard General Peng’s name, the folding fan in his hand paused for a moment before he closed it without a change in expression.

"One of General Peng’s men? How could that be? I heard everyone who serves the General comes from a long line of loyal officers. They’re all completely devoted."

"Who can say? Miss, you can know a person’s face, but not their heart. You’re a sheltered woman. There are some things our master understands far better than you. Besides, it’s not like General Peng’s own hands are clean."

As the wet nurse finished, a look of contempt crossed her face. But when she turned her head, she saw both people in the carriage staring at her with dark, piercing eyes.

Only then did she realize she had said too much. She quickly forced a smile. "Oh, look, it seems we’re almost there. It must have been a tiring journey for you, Miss, and for the young master. You can get some proper rest once we arrive at the mansion. The Master has been eagerly awaiting your return."

Shen Ningning gave a noncommittal reply and secretly exchanged a look with Mo Lingwei. A thousand thoughts raced through both their minds.

’From the sound of it,’ she thought, ’Governor Ren has most likely framed General Peng with some trumped-up charge and thrown him in prison.’

’So, the city lockdown is about seizing power. The so-called traitor is probably just an excuse cooked up by Governor Ren.’

Shen Ningning felt that she had truly done the right thing by coming here. ’How else would I have found out what’s really going on without investigating it myself?’

「Meanwhile, in the Ren Mansion, several of the Ren family’s young ladies were gathered together, chatting warmly.」

As it turned out, Miss Ren Er was also visiting her family today with her husband. She had married the only son of a wealthy local gentleman, and she had crates of pearls and jewelry sent to the mansion, making Mrs. Ren beam from ear to ear.

Ren San and Ren Si, who were not yet of marriageable age, had their eyes light up at the sight of so much jewelry and clothing.

They stroked the fine silks, their gazes filled with envy.

"Eldest Sister, this must have cost a lot of silver, right?" Ren San asked curiously.

Miss Ren Er smiled. "I suppose so. Your brother-in-law paid for it all, anyway. He’s generous with me, so naturally, he’s good to our family too. Go on, you two, pick whatever you like. If you see something you fancy, take it home."

Ren Si and Ren San both laid eyes on the same handkerchief.

The two started fighting over it. Ren San, not as strong as Ren Si, stomped her foot in frustration. "Eldest Sister, look at her!"

Miss Ren Er glanced over. She had always been closer to Ren San since they were little, but not so much with her slightly younger sister, Ren Si.

This was because Ren Si was the prettiest of all the sisters, and she wasn’t as skilled at fawning over Miss Ren Er as Ren San was.

"That’s enough, Fourth Sister. Just let your third sister have it. Look, aren’t there other silks and satins in this chest? Why squabble endlessly over a single handkerchief."

Ren Si was displeased. She gritted her teeth and said, "But I like *this* handkerchief!"

Unexpectedly, with Miss Ren Er backing her up, Ren San grew bold. She shoved Ren Si aside, snatched the handkerchief, and immediately hid behind Miss Ren Er.

Ren Si couldn’t reach her and ground her teeth in frustration. "You! You’re such a cheat."

"How am I cheating? Didn’t you hear what Eldest Sister said? She told you to let me have it."

As Ren San spoke, she caressed the stolen handkerchief. It felt as smooth as real silk, and its color was a brilliant sapphire blue. She absolutely loved it.

"Third Sister, you have excellent taste," Miss Ren Er said with a smile. "Do you know where the material for this handkerchief comes from? It’s from the Capital City. It was made from leftover satin used for a Princess’s gown in the palace."

Hearing this, Ren San’s eyes lit up even more. She pressed the handkerchief to her cheek, draped it over her head, and couldn’t get enough of playing with it.

She added, "Doesn’t that make me just like a Princess? Eldest Sister, you’re so good to me!"

Watching this display of sisterly affection from the side, Ren Si gritted her teeth in anger. She clenched her fists and sneered sarcastically, "What ’Eldest Sister’? Third Sister, you’d better not misspeak. The *real* eldest sister will be back soon! Our sister here is the second-born. If you get it wrong, we’ll all have to move up in rank."

Miss Ren Er’s expression changed. Ren San had already raised her voice to scold her. "Fourth Sister, how dare you speak like that? That person... is she worthy of being called our eldest sister? We’re the ones born from the same mother! How dare you side with an outsider? Be careful, or I’ll tell Mother and see how she punishes you."

Ren Si wasn’t scared at all. She snorted coldly. "Mother punish me? Mother can’t bear to punish me! She says I’m pretty, and she dotes on me whenever I cry. Not like you, Third Sister. Haven’t your palms been slapped quite a few times? Even if you have that handkerchief, it’s useless. It was made from a Princess’s leftover scraps. You can treasure it, but I couldn’t care less!"

Ren Si turned and walked away.

Furious, Ren San started to chase after her to curse her out.

Miss Ren Er immediately pulled Ren San back, her eyes cold. "Forget it. Let her go. I’ve long known that this Fourth Sister of ours could never be tamed. She’s an ungrateful wretch in this family!"

"Eldest Sister, she’s infuriating! Who talks like that? You’re not usually home, so you don’t see how Father and Mother spoil her. Look how spoiled she’s become."

Miss Ren Er pursed her lips. She was annoyed but couldn’t let it show on her face. Her husband had accompanied her home today, so she had to maintain the appearance of a generous and virtuous wife. How could she be seen bickering with her own sister?

So she did her best to smile. "Never mind. She doesn’t know what’s good for her. Let’s not stoop to her level. Since she doesn’t want any of these things, you can have them all."

Getting so many fine things, Ren San grinned until her eyes were just slits.

"Eldest Sister, you’re the best to me. In that case, I won’t be polite. I’ll take them all."

As she ordered the maids to carry the items to her room, she said, "I don’t care what Fourth Sister thinks. I’m definitely on your side. Even when that Ren Liuyue comes back, I won’t call her Eldest Sister."

Miss Ren Er smiled slightly. "Why bother with her? I hear she’s had a rather hard time."

"A hard time is an understatement!" Ren San looked around and lowered her voice. "I heard Mother say that she had smallpox as a child. She barely survived, but it left her with lots of scars on her face and body. I heard that’s why it was so hard to arrange a match for her, and she ended up marrying some poor, destitute teacher."

Miss Ren Er pursed her lips. "Is that so? How pitiful."

However, there wasn’t a trace of pity in her tone. In fact, both sisters were eagerly waiting to see a spectacle made of Ren Liuyue.

Miss Ren Er was truly full of resentment for Ren Liuyue. Although she was half a year older, she still had to call Ren Liuyue her elder sister because of the order in which their mothers had married into the family.

「Just then, the voices of maids drifted in from the courtyard—」

"The Eldest Miss and the Young Master are back! Go tell the Master, quickly!"

Miss Ren Er stood up at once. "Sister Yue is back. Shall we go have a look?"

Ren San was still admiring the treasures in the chests. She shook her head. "I’m not interested. I’m afraid her pockmarked face will scare me."

Miss Ren Er stood up. "Well, I’m going."

Ren San had always been her shadow, knowing she could always get something out of it. So, no matter how reluctant she was, she could only stand up and say, "Eldest Sister, I’ll go with you. I was just thinking I’d like to take her down a peg!"

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