Ren Shuquan, however, had no attention to spare for any of that.
Right now, his grandmother was standing at the forefront, and with Qi Zhen also there confronting Lai Chenglong, there was no need for him.
What was really gnawing at him was Qi Yuan, who had run off into the rear courtyard.
Ah, that little girl was truly beautiful.
Not the lifeless sort of beauty common to ordinary noble ladies.
Rather, she possessed a beauty full of vitality and spirit.
Her eyes seemed as though they could speak.
His eyes darted around. Quietly taking a few steps backward, he suddenly turned and jogged toward the rear courtyard as well.
His grandmother would stop Lai Chenglong anyway.
White Lotus Sect? What did that have to do with him?
As if he cared whether anyone was connected to the White Lotus Sect.
It was none of his business.
Qi Yuan stopped beneath a cluster of red plum trees.
The plum blossoms in the Ren residence were flourishing beyond belief.
Even the Imperial Temple, famous for its ten miles of red plum blossoms, was insignificant by comparison.
Clusters upon clusters of crimson flowers competed to bloom, their fragrance intoxicating, their color so vivid it seemed ready to drip blood.
Standing among them, Qi Yuan lowered her eyes slightly.
To Ren Shuquan, however, the scene looked exactly like a painting of a beauty beneath blooming plum trees. He felt as though even the places where he had been beaten no longer hurt.
Jogging over to her, he said between breaths, “Miss Qi! Our estate is huge. You shouldn’t wander around alone. If you get lost, that’ll be troublesome.”
Biting her lip, Qi Yuan looked troubled. “But I can’t find Ah Huang.”
Ah Huang?
That dog, then.
Ren Shuquan glanced around and asked, “Did you see which way it went?”
Qi Yuan pointed toward a sloping path in the distance.
“I think it ran up there.”
Ren Shuquan’s expression immediately changed.
“How did it end up going up there?”
Qi Yuan looked curious.
“What’s up there?”
The path leading uphill was lined with flowering crabapple trees. Though they had yet to bloom, one could easily imagine how breathtakingly beautiful the place would be when spring arrived.
Half-hidden among the trees stood a two-story pavilion, elegant and secluded.
The Ren family had risen to prominence only recently. For them to possess a place like this, and the wealth to maintain it, was practically a miracle.
Scratching his head, Ren Shuquan replied, “Well, it’s not exactly anything special. It’s just… that’s where my eldest uncle lives. We’re normally not allowed up there.”
Within the family, Ren Ming’s word was law.
Not only the younger generation, but even the Old Madam obeyed him completely.
He was the pillar of the entire family.
If he said nobody could go somewhere, then nobody dared.
Even his wife, the First Madam, lived separately in the main courtyard at the back.
Qi Yuan immediately looked as though she was about to cry. “Then what should I do? If I can’t find Ah Huang, who knows where it’ll run off to?”
Ren Shuquan had always been soft-hearted toward tears and helplessness, especially when they came from a beauty.
Immediately patting his chest, he reassured her, “Don’t worry, Miss Qi! It’s fine. I’ll take you up there to look for it. Once we find it, we’ll come right back down! We won’t disturb my uncle. He’s not home anyway.”
Qi Yuan’s eyes widened. “Thank you, Young Master Ren!”
Ren Shuquan instantly felt rather proud of himself. “Just follow me!”
Then he repeatedly warned her, “Don’t get separated from me. My uncle’s guards are up there. They’re very formidable. They don’t recognize strangers. If they hurt you, that’d be bad.”
Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow inwardly.
Then she softly answered, “Alright.”
When they reached the halfway point up the hill, several tall, powerfully built men suddenly stepped out and glared at Qi Yuan.
One barked angrily, “Who are you? Don’t you know this area is restricted? Outsiders aren’t allowed up here!”
Ren Shuquan immediately shouted, “It’s me! I brought her! She’s the eldest daughter of Yongping Marquis Manor. She’s a guest in our residence. Her dog ran up the hill, so I’m bringing her up to look for it!”
Looking for a dog?
The guards exchanged glances.
Qi Yuan keenly noticed the killing intent in their eyes.
Every single one of these men had undoubtedly taken lives before.
The murderous aura around them was far too heavy.
Standing behind Ren Shuquan, she considered whether she should simply kill them outright or wait a little longer.
Fortunately, in the end, they stepped aside.
“Hurry up and find it. Once you’ve found it, leave immediately.”
Ren Shuquan breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, “My uncle hates people going near his place. Let’s hurry.”
Qi Yuan hummed in agreement.
Upon entering Songtao Residence, where Ren Ming lived, Qi Yuan narrowed her eyes.
Flowers were everywhere.
An overwhelming variety dazzled the eye.
Most importantly, the season was wrong.
The imperial palace could cultivate so many out-of-season flowers because its gardeners spared no effort.
Ordinary households might manage a few.
But never to this extent.
Even the Qi family could only grow seven or eight varieties in their greenhouse.
Yet Ren Ming’s collection was so extensive that it could rival the imperial palace itself.
Seeing her staring blankly, Ren Shuquan became rather pleased.
“Never seen anything like this before, have you? My uncle was practically born with a gift for growing flowers. Anything that passes through his hands grows exceptionally well.”
Was that so?
Qi Yuan blew a dog whistle.
Ordinary people couldn’t hear such a whistle.
So Ren Shuquan continued rambling on about Ren Zhong. “This whole thing must be a setup against my second uncle! My second uncle isn’t that kind of person!”
He chattered on and on.
Then suddenly Ah Huang sprang over the rear wall and leaped onto a flower rack loaded with potted plants.
Ren Shuquan cried out in alarm, “Get down from there! What are you doing?!”
Those were his uncle’s prized Eighteen Scholars camellias!
If anything happened to them, his uncle would kill someone!
But Ah Huang paid him no attention.
Crash!
A flowerpot smashed to the ground.
Ren Shuquan immediately grabbed a stick. “You d*mned dog! I’m going to beat you to death today!”
Even a beauty’s dog couldn’t be forgiven for this!
When his uncle came back, he’d be the one beaten to death otherwise!
Ah Huang darted around energetically, weaving through the flower racks.
Before long, flowers and pots were being knocked over everywhere.
Qi Yuan pretended to go help.
Meanwhile, Ah Huang began digging furiously into the soil.
In moments, dirt was flying everywhere, spraying Ren Shuquan from head to toe.
Spitting out a mouthful of dirt, Ren Shuquan was just about to start cursing when he suddenly saw a skeletal hand, nothing but bones, emerging from the soil directly in front of him.
Instantly, his soul nearly left his body.
Letting out a terrified scream, he fell backward onto the ground.
Ah Huang remained completely unfazed and dug even more enthusiastically.
Qi Yuan narrowed her eyes.
So that was the secret.
The flowers bloomed so beautifully and flourished so luxuriantly because they were being fed a very unusual fertilizer.
Her expression darkened bit by bit.
Murderous intent had already appeared on her face.
Meanwhile, Ren Shuquan scrambled backward while shouting, “Help! Somebody help!”
After shouting several times, he suddenly slapped himself across the face.
His uncle never allowed anyone up here.
He never permitted anyone to touch anything in this place.
His uncle definitely knew about these things.
How could he have shouted it out loud?!
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