After Lin Jue obtained the painting, he would certainly find a way to get the map.

In her previous life, they’d sought out Master Qian.

That’s why in her previous life, the painting had Master Qian’s seal “Spring Water Hall” on it, allowing Yu Tang in this life to see through the Li family’s scheme.

Now, because of her interference, Master Qian had fled far away to the capital. The Li family might not be able to find him.

Even if they could find him, it would take time and effort.

So who would the Li family find in this life to dismantle this painting?

Or rather, how long would they hold it and study it privately?

Yu Tang tried her best to put herself in the Li family’s position, attempting to deduce what the Li family would do next. But regardless of what the Li family did, what she was more anxious to know now was whether there were others behind the Li family. If so, who were they?

After all, maritime trade wasn’t so easily done.

Ordinary people just invested money for shares—this earned the least profit. The real money, the lion’s share, went to the fleet owners. But organizing a fleet wasn’t simple. Besides needing ships, skilled sailors, experienced captains, you also needed your own docks, your own warehouses, registration with the Maritime Trade Bureau… Everything else could be managed—money could solve it. But two things were most difficult: first, registration with the Maritime Trade Bureau, which required government connections; second, having experienced captains. The former required generations of officials; the latter required an established family’s foundation.

Generations of officials could ensure that no matter who controlled the Maritime Trade Bureau, the fleet could obtain registration and pass without obstruction. Only an established family’s foundation could cultivate or possess an experienced captain.

The Li family was neither from generations of officials nor had an established family’s foundation. Obtaining a maritime map, they could only seek partners. Any partner willing to work with them had to be a prominent family that met the above two requirements.

In her previous life, the Li and Lin families had joined forces to do business in Fujian.

The partner they found was most likely a prominent family from Fujian.

At this moment, Yu Tang only hated that her own origins were ordinary and her horizons not broad enough to deduce which family the Li family had partnered with in her previous life.

She thought and thought without any leads, so she could only ask Manager Tong: “In Fujian, are there such families?”

Though Manager Tong was experienced and knowledgeable, when it came to surveying the entire court and all prominent families, he didn’t have that capability or insight.

He smiled: “For this kind of matter, in all of Lin’an, even all of Hangzhou, I’m afraid there are few who could answer you. Best to ask the two masters of the Pei family!”

“Second Master Pei and Third Master Pei?” Yu Tang vaguely already had an answer in her heart, but was somewhat unwilling to give up. Holding onto a slim hope, she’d still sought out Manager Tong first.

Manager Tong smiled: “Besides the two masters, does Miss Yu have other candidates? The Gu and Shen families would certainly know too, but Miss Yu has no connection with them. This kind of thing isn’t something you can learn by grabbing just anyone. Naturally the two Pei masters are the first choice.”

Yu Tang smiled bitterly.

She’d only seen Second Master Pei from afar a few times at Old Master Pei’s funeral. If he stood before her now, she probably wouldn’t recognize him. As for Third Master Pei, she very much wanted to seek him out, but he might not be willing to see her!

Yu Tang suddenly found herself in a dilemma.

Manager Tong offered her advice: “How about having your father ask Instructor Shen at the county school? Perhaps he knows.”

Yu Tang’s eyes brightened, but she also feared that inquiring everywhere—before obtaining information, her intentions would become known to everyone.

“Let me think about it more.” She said, taking leave of Manager Tong. Just as she was about to go home, Young Manager Tong brushed past her, calling out to Manager Tong: “Third Master has returned, just arrived at the dock. Do you want to go greet him!”

“Must go, must go.” Manager Tong said hurriedly.

What perfect timing.

After brief consideration, Yu Tang also followed Manager Tong toward the dock: “I’ll also go greet Third Master Pei. Imperial Physician Yang just left a few days ago.”

Perhaps having received instructions from the Pei family, Imperial Physician Yang had been more attentive than usual in his consultations and had changed Chen Shi’s prescription. After taking it, Chen Shi said she felt noticeably better.

Just for this reason, Yu Tang felt she should proactively go thank Pei Yan.

Manager Tong led Yu Tang to the dock with a beaming smile.

The dock was still bustling. Everyone who saw Third Master Pei gave him greetings from afar, yet he remained expressionless, extremely aloof.

Yu Tang pursed her lips and walked over with Manager Tong.

Pei Yan looked up and saw Yu Tang.

Her jet-black hair was piled high on her head in a topknot, wearing somewhat worn brown servant’s clothes, yet this made her skin appear even more smooth, delicate, and fair, her face even more beautiful. The loose clothing made her already graceful curves look like undulating mountain ranges, even more obvious—it couldn’t disguise her female disguise at all. Yet she swaggered about openly, completely unafraid of being discovered.

Why was she out wandering in this outfit again?

How could Yu Wen not keep better watch?

Pei Yan frowned. Before Yu Tang could approach, his face had already darkened. By the time Yu Tang drew near, he said with displeasure: “Miss Yu, why are you here? Do you have some matter requiring Manager Tong’s help?”

The first time he’d met Yu Tang, she’d been sweet-talking Manager Tong.

This young lady never visited without purpose.

She certainly hadn’t come to find Manager Tong for no reason.

Hearing this, Yu Tang’s heart leaped with joy.

She feared Pei Yan wouldn’t acknowledge her. As long as he acknowledged her, she’d always find a way to get Pei Yan to help with this favor.

“Third Master Pei,” she enthusiastically stepped forward and curtsied to Pei Yan, saying, “Imperial Physician Yang came to examine my mother and even changed her prescription. Our family hasn’t properly thanked you yet!”

Thanks weren’t necessary.

As long as she didn’t use their family’s banner to do things that damaged the Pei family’s reputation.

If it were someone else, Pei Yan would have warned them without mercy. But since he’d previously misunderstood Yu Tang, he felt he should forgive her a few times as his apology.

Therefore, though displeased inside, he still said nothing and instead scrutinized Yu Tang carefully.

Only then did Pei Yan discover that Yu Tang’s eyes were very beautiful. Not only dark and bright, but also limpid, as if they could speak.

Like now—though her face wore a smile and she looked enthusiastic, her eyes revealed a hint of cunning, reminding him of the fox spirits in storybooks who schemed against people. Though he’d never actually seen what fox spirits were like, he felt that if fox spirits existed, they should look exactly like Yu Tang at this moment.

The problem was, even knowing Yu Tang was scheming against him like a fox spirit, he’d already decided to forgive her a few times. He couldn’t just change course immediately after making that decision to deal with Yu Tang, could he?

Pei Yan imperceptibly took a small step back, saying: “Miss Yu, what do you want to do?”

He appeared no different from usual, yet Yu Tang inexplicably caught his momentary hesitation and concession.

Yu Tang didn’t know why Pei Yan had such a change, but she keenly sensed that since last time when Pei Yan helped mediate for her family, this time seeing her again, his attitude toward her was noticeably milder.

Could it be because he knew he’d previously misunderstood her?

Speculation aside, Yu Tang had no intention of opposing her sudden good fortune.

She decided to immediately seize this opportunity and find a way to extract useful information from Pei Yan.

“Third Master Pei, you’re truly amazing!” Perhaps because Pei Yan had been too aloof before, or perhaps because Pei Yan’s status in Lin’an City was too high, Yu Tang couldn’t equate him with Li Jun, Shen Fang and others. She felt no burden flattering Pei Yan—after all, he’d seen her at her worst, so what was there to pretend? “With your discerning eye, you knew at a glance I had something to ask you.”

Seeing her so direct, Pei Yan actually relaxed, feeling rather comfortable inside.

What he feared most was people beating around the bush with him over small matters—he didn’t know if they thought him too stupid or wanted to appear clever before him. They’d make him spend effort guessing over trivial matters, yet he’d see through them at a glance anyway.

“Speak!” Pei Yan said.

Yu Tang was overjoyed.

She hadn’t expected Pei Yan to be so straightforward.

Perhaps she’d used the wrong approach before.

Yu Tang thought this, but her words didn’t delay at all: “Could I speak with you privately for a moment?”

Pei Yan looked at the busy dock and also felt this wasn’t a place for conversation. But he only walked a few steps to the side, standing under an old banyan tree, saying: “Just speak directly about whatever matter you have!”

An attitude that her matter wasn’t important enough for him to find another location.

So arrogant!

Yu Tang couldn’t help grumbling internally, but when under someone’s eaves, one must bow one’s head.

Not only did she need his help, but besides him, there was no better candidate to ask.

“It’s like this.” Yu Tang didn’t dare complain. She feared that if she complained, even this opportunity would vanish. She hurried forward, her voice neither high nor low, her distance neither far nor near, saying: “Old Master Wu wants to invite my father to do maritime trade. Last time I visited your home, I saw those painted glass screen doors in your flower hall—they were truly beautiful…”

She observed Pei Yan’s expression.

Pei Yan listened casually, without any hint of showing off.

So it seemed Old Master Pei was the one who found those painted glass screen doors beautiful.

Yu Tang said no more, moving past this topic to continue: “I thought you might be very familiar with merchants who sell imported goods, so I wanted to ask you something. In Fujian, which official families have their own fleets? I want to see whose fleet is most capable, to determine whether our family should join Old Master Wu in this business.”

She spoke complete nonsense, yet Pei Yan didn’t doubt it.

Yu Wen was unreliable—this impression formed when Pei Yan learned that after Yu Wen was cheated, he still needed his daughter to help recover the silver from selling the painting. As for investing in maritime trade, though uncommon in Lin’an City, in Hangzhou many young ladies liked to invest in fleets to earn pocket money for rouge and powder. That this eldest Miss Yu, who was restless by nature, knew of this matter and had such ideas seemed perfectly natural.

As for whether this was her own idea or whether she was using Old Master Wu or Yu Wen’s name as cover—he’d already decided to make amends to her anyway. As long as the benefits ended up in her hands, these small details he had neither the energy nor interest to know.

“Why don’t you invest in a Ningbo fleet? Ningbo fleets mostly trade in porcelain and silk. Fujian and Guangzhou fleets mostly trade in porcelain and spices. Silk and porcelain are easier to handle than spices.” Pei Yan casually said, then told her what she wanted to know: “In Fujian, the largest fleet belongs to the Fu’an Peng family. They permanently hold a position with the Maritime Trade Bureau, and their sailors are all veterans of twenty or thirty years. So far, they only had an incident five years ago, but that time all fleets that set sail at the same time had incidents—not just the Peng family alone. If you want to invest in a Fujian fleet, the Peng family is the first choice.”