Like Yu Wen, Yu Yuan listened with trepidation, and that slight suspicion in his heart completely vanished. Yu Tang, however, let out a long sigh of relief.

In her previous life, she had been someone who had seen the world. The more one saw, the more one understood one’s own insignificance, the better one could examine oneself and know what could and couldn’t be done.

An auction like this—even if she were reborn again, she wouldn’t dare undertake it.

However, judging from Pei Yan’s tone, the news had leaked during the trial voyage. She wondered if the Peng family would make a move upon hearing it!

When Pei Yan finished his instructions and asked Yu Wen “if there were any other questions,” and Yu Wen could only shake his head, Yu Tang couldn’t help but say, “What about the Peng family?”

Hearing this, Pei Yan said, “I was just about to discuss this matter with you.”

In his view, they could completely let the Peng family come bid. After all, upon entry they’d have to pay a deposit, and whether or not they won the auction in the end, the deposit wouldn’t be refunded.

They could do it this way!

The three Yu family members looked at each other in dismay.

“Moreover, some matters aren’t as simple as you think,” Pei Yan continued. “If someone truly opens up a new shipping route, the risks faced and the manpower and resources required would be enormous. To reduce risk, among these families coming to participate in the auction, some will certainly want to join forces to form a fleet together. Those with this capability and this idea—counting them up, there are only those few families. Even if we hide it from the Peng family now, once these people obtain the navigation chart, I dare not guarantee that none of them will join forces with the Peng family. So I think we might as well openly invite the Peng family over and profit from them first. As for the grievances between your families—a gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years. You might as well wait for a future opportunity.”

Yu Wen and Yu Yuan both looked toward Yu Tang, their expressions suggesting they’d let her make the decision.

Yu Tang felt Pei Yan’s words made great sense.

Rather than letting other families profit from the Peng family, their family might as well fleece them first.

She nodded and said sincerely to Pei Yan, “Then we’ll trouble Third Master.”

Pei Yan nodded, feeling that Yu Tang could be flexible or firm as needed, and was conducting matters with increasing method.

He couldn’t help but say, “I heard your family recently wants to buy sea buckthorn trees? Why didn’t you come ask me?”

Yu Tang was stunned.

Asking Pei Yan would certainly be much more convenient, but these matters held no particular benefit for the Pei family. She felt embarrassed to take advantage of the Pei family and keep bothering Pei Yan.

“My brother and I want to plant fruit trees in our family’s mountain forest to make preserved fruits,” she answered Pei Yan honestly. “Sea buckthorn trees are just one type. We don’t even know if it will work, so we didn’t dare disturb you.”

“Sea buckthorn trees are indeed somewhat unsuitable,” Pei Yan said. “The cost is too high—unnecessary.”

Yu Wen became anxious upon hearing this.

He had already asked Mr. Shen to help obtain saplings. If these trees were unsuitable, wouldn’t this implicate Shen Yanyan in owing someone a favor too?

“These are just the siblings amusing themselves,” he hurriedly explained. “I never imagined they’d be unsuitable.”

He was wondering whether he should go look at the few sea buckthorn trees at the Pei residence.

Who knew Pei Yan would smile and say, “Having ideas is always good.” Then he asked Yu Tang where their family’s mountain forest was located.

Yu Yuan told him the location.

Pei Yan thought for a moment and said, “Go find Steward Hu and have him go with you to take a look. His father used to be my grandmother’s dowry servant. My grandmother’s family grew fruit trees, so among the stewards, he probably understands it best. See if he can be of help.”

This was Pei Yan’s goodwill, and the Yu family thanked him repeatedly.

From childhood, Pei Yan had been the center of attention. After growing up, his path had been smooth, and in his scholarly pursuits he had been invincible. He had encountered countless instances of people thanking him like this. He was managing the Yu family’s affairs somewhat excessively, but Miss Yu was a young lady—helping with a small matter was harmless. He calmly accepted the Yu family’s gratitude and pulled the topic back to the auction: “To avoid trouble, it’s best if your family doesn’t show themselves. When the time comes, just have Old Master Yu and Young Master Yu attend, stand in the corridor, and listen to each family’s final transaction price. Afterward, I’ll have Pei Man deliver the auction silver to your home.”

This was to prevent someone from targeting the Yu family—those who failed to win the map might scheme against them—while also preventing the Yu family from being suspicious and worrying that the Pei family would swallow the auction silver.

Yu Wen’s forehead was immediately covered in sweat as he said, “Third Master need not arrange it this way. Our family is small and humble, and we don’t understand these things. I think the auction matter should be entirely presided over by you. Our family won’t send anyone. As for the silver, deposit it in the Pei family’s silver house—we’ll withdraw it when needed.”

If previously he had still planned to do this business in partnership with others, now after hearing Pei Yan introduce those buyers’ identities, he truly didn’t dare participate. If not for fear of Pei Yan becoming suspicious, he would have very much wanted to say—give their family a few hundred taels of silver and they’d sell this map to the Pei family outright.

Seeing Yu Wen’s sincerity and knowing he truly understood the stakes involved, Pei Yan no longer insisted. He agreed to Yu Wen’s proposal to deposit the auction silver in the Pei family’s silver house, and they discussed how to quietly withdraw the silver from the Pei family’s establishment.

Yu Tang was somewhat distracted.

Since Pei Yan felt their family’s mountain forest wasn’t suitable for planting sea buckthorn, why had he planted it in their family’s forest in her previous life? What discrepancy had occurred to make this life different from the previous one?

She felt she needed to find an opportunity to ask.

Over there, Pei Yan finished speaking and served tea to see off his guests.

Yu Wen and the others rose to take their leave, but came face to face with Pei Man, who was hurrying toward them.

After exchanging greetings, before Yu Wen could speak, Pei Man said, “Old Master Yu, the head of the Song family from Suzhou has arrived and is waiting in the flower hall. I won’t see you out.”

Hangzhou and Suzhou were close to each other, and people in Lin’an had all heard of the premier families in Suzhou. The Song family of Suzhou, like the Tao family of Guangzhou that Pei Yan had just mentioned, was a prestigious household where sons both studied and engaged in commerce. In Suzhou, they were a family so powerful that when they stamped their feet, even the city walls trembled.

The Yu family was somewhat curious about what brought the Song family, but this was the Pei family’s private matter—improper to ask. No matter how much they wanted to know, they could only keep it to themselves.

After parting from Pei Man, Yu Tang said, “Should we take this opportunity to find Steward Hu?”

First, they were fairly familiar with Steward Hu, so it would be easy to talk with each other. Second, the Pei family’s main gate wasn’t easy to enter—if they could get in once, they might as well finish everything that needed doing.

Yu Wen had the same thought.

The three asked the young servant escorting them out to find Hu Xing.

Seeing they were invited by Pei Yan, the young servant didn’t ask many questions and accompanied them to Hu Xing’s location.

Only then did Yu Tang learn that the Pei family’s stewards all conducted business in a courtyard on the eastern side of the estate, less than a bowshot from the main gate. Moreover, depending on whether they were chief stewards or regular stewards, they were assigned varying numbers of young servants and rooms of different sizes.

Yu Yuan watched with hidden amazement, saying in a low voice to Yu Tang, “No wonder everyone says the Pei family is the wealthiest in the region. I thought they just hadn’t seen the great households in Hangzhou. Turns out I’m the one with limited experience and narrow vision.”

Yu Tang, however, was thinking that no wonder the Li family was so intent on replacing the Pei family—anyone who saw the Pei family’s magnificent scene of servants like clouds would feel yearning!

Hu Xing wasn’t in his quarters. The young servant attending him courteously and thoughtfully served them tea and refreshments. Before long, Hu Xing, having received the news, hurried over. Upon entering, he immediately apologized to Yu Wen: “The Old Madam instructed me to handle some matters. I never expected Old Master Yu to visit—my apologies, my apologies.”

Yu Wen exchanged pleasantries with him. Yu Yuan and Yu Tang rose to greet him properly. After everyone sat down again, Yu Wen explained their purpose.

Upon hearing it was Pei Yan’s intention, Hu Xing couldn’t even sit still. He immediately said, “Allow me to change clothes—I’ll go with you right now to take a look.”

His enthusiasm was somewhat surprising.

Yu Wen hurriedly said, “We’re in no rush. You can help us look whenever you have time.”

Those saplings reportedly wouldn’t arrive until mid-April.

These past days, Hu Xing had been trying to find ways to distinguish himself before Pei Yan, wishing Pei Yan would assign him tasks so he could constantly request Pei Yan’s instructions. How could he listen to Yu Wen?

He said, “Our Third Master’s orders must be obeyed without delay. How could we stewards dare neglect what he says?”

Yu Wen had no choice but to arrange with Hu Xing to visit the Yu family’s old estate’s mountain forest early the next morning.

Having received confirmation, Hu Xing happily saw the three Yu family members out.

But they hadn’t yet left the courtyard when a young servant, sweating profusely, came looking: “Have you seen the old master and young master of the Yu family? Third Master asks Old Master Yu to wait!”

As he spoke, he spotted Yu Wen beside Hu Xing. So happy he nearly cried, he jogged forward to bow to Yu Wen: “Old Master Yu, please follow me to the flower hall to sit briefly. Third Master says he has matters to discuss with you.”

The three Yu family members looked at each other, then followed the young servant with Hu Xing’s company, winding through twists and turns to an unfamiliar flower hall.

The young servant attentively served tea, saying, “Third Master asks you to wait here first. When he finishes his business there, Brother A’Ming will come fetch you. Please sit for a while.”

Yu Tang silently clicked her tongue.

A’Ming was called “Brother” by people in the estate—clearly serving at Pei Yan’s side was quite prestigious.

Yu Wen smiled and agreed, sitting down.

Hu Xing volunteered to keep the Yu family company in conversation.

Yu Tang, bored, began admiring the surrounding scenery.

With this look, she noticed something peculiar.

Though spring had arrived and it was the season when willows sprouted and peaches and plums bloomed profusely, beside the Pei family’s flower hall the trees were verdant, grass and plants luxuriant. Looking around, one saw deep green, lush green, rich green—quite pleasing to the eye—yet not a hint of any other color.

Did their family’s peach and plum trees not bloom?

Or were there no peach and plum trees planted beside this flower hall?

Even if they hadn’t planted peach and plum trees, surely there should be some wildflowers?

Yu Tang searched for a long while and truly found none.

She clicked her tongue again.

They waited about half an hour before A’Ming came jogging over.

“Old Master Yu, Young Master Yu, Miss Yu—apologies for the long wait!” he said breathlessly. “Our Third Master is seeing off guests and will come right over.”

Weren’t they supposed to go over there?

The three Yu family members again exchanged glances.

But before Yu Wen could say anything, Pei Yan strode over.

Yu Wen led Yu Yuan and Yu Tang forward to greet him.

Pei Yan bowed to Yu Wen and said to Hu Xing, “You may all leave. I have some matters to discuss privately with Old Master Yu.”