Pei Yan had never seen Yu Tang like this before.

Her spirits low, like a flower that had been battered by wind and rain, wilted and drooping.

Looking at her, Pei Yan felt somewhat uncomfortable inside.

He still preferred seeing her radiant and spirited appearance, especially when she gossiped about others—her eyes shining brightly, her cheeks flushed like peach blossoms, even her eyes flowing with joy. Bright and dazzling, like a ray of winter sunshine, making people feel happy just looking at her.

Perhaps this was why, when he saw the festival gift list, he had moved the Yu family’s name to another account book. He had even wondered, upon hearing about the Li family’s troubles, whether Miss Yu would run to his place to gloat like she did last time.

Of course, he knew thinking this way wasn’t right.

But Miss Yu was just a young girl, still raised in the inner chambers, perhaps having only read the “Classic of Filial Piety”—she needn’t be held to the same standards as those scholarly students.

Who would have thought that news of the Li family’s troubles had quietly spread, yet Miss Yu’s side still showed no movement at all.

He had even had A’Ming check whether the Yu family’s Mid-Autumn Festival gifts had been sent, thinking perhaps Miss Yu would come gossip with him when delivering festival gifts to their family. Unexpectedly, their family’s gifts had arranged the Yu family in the first batch and had long been delivered, yet the Yu family’s return gifts hadn’t been sent back even today.

Pei Yan thought perhaps every family had different etiquette—many families preferred to send gifts just before the festival to show sincerity.

So he had temporarily put this matter to the back of his mind.

Until today when he went to visit Shen Shanyan and, upon leaving the county school, happened to see Wei Xiaochuan—he suddenly became interested and made a special trip to the Yu family, only then learning that such a major incident had occurred at the Yu family.

Who would still have the mind to send festival gifts!

No wonder he hadn’t yet received the Yu family’s return gifts.

Thinking about this, Pei Yan felt both annoyed and amused. Annoyed that even at this critical juncture Yu Tang was still speaking up for that person called Jiang Chao. Amused that she stood here with her head lowered, without half her usual spirit—this was probably the first time in her life she had lowered her head like this, wasn’t it?

“Alright, I’ll go inquire about this matter.” He said, “The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up soon. You just happily accompany your family for the festival. As for Ningbo Prefecture, our family also has some small business there. When the time comes, I’ll have someone make inquiries to see if the Wang family has anything left. We’ll have them compensate your family first.”

The Pei family had business in Ningbo too?

Yu Tang looked up at Pei Yan and blinked.

How did their family have business everywhere?

Where didn’t their family have business?

But Pei Yan thought to himself—high risk meant high returns. Moreover, the Wu family’s investment was Old Master Wu’s own willing choice. The Yu family didn’t need to worry about him at all. But he understood people like Old Master Yu—they would rather suffer losses themselves than let others be damaged. Add to that the silver from auctioning the maps was windfall money that didn’t hurt to spend, so they were even more generous.

But he didn’t think about how the family had no foundation to begin with, and still wanted to keep the daughter at home for a matrilocal marriage. Without saving more silver, how could they possibly attract a decent son-in-law?

Yu Wen wasn’t reliable either.

Pei Yan let out a long breath, feeling somewhat worried for the girl before him. If she were delayed by her father and brothers at home, what a pity that would be.

Yu Tang had only wanted to explain things to Pei Yan so he would forgive their family for not promptly returning gifts to the Pei family. She never expected this matter would get dragged back to Pei Yan again.

She quickly said: “This isn’t a good thing—you shouldn’t get involved. Since Old Master Jiang promised that any recovered silver would be returned to our family first, he will certainly return it to our family. Let’s wait and see.”

She trusted this Jiang Chao that much?

Pei Yan was noncommittal.

If Jiang Chao could return some silver to the Yu family, that would naturally be best. If it was just to placate the Yu family, letting Miss Yu buy a lesson would also work.

He said: “If that’s the case, then I’ll head back first. When Old Master Yu returns, if I have time I’ll come visit him again.”

Yu Tang could sense Pei Yan’s goodwill.

Although most of the time his words didn’t sound pleasant, his intentions were good.

She naturally thanked him repeatedly and saw Pei Yan into his sedan chair. Only after the sedan was carried out of the back alley and disappeared from view did she return home. But as soon as she got home, she hurried over to Chen Pozi: “Have we finished preparing the festival gifts for the Pei family? Did Father say when to send them over?”

When Chen Shi’s health wasn’t good, these household matters were customarily handed to Chen Pozi.

Chen Pozi was cutting ginseng slices, preparing to stew an old hen for Chen Shi to nourish her body. Hearing this, she smiled and placed the cut ginseng slices into the small celadon bowl beside her before smiling and saying: “The master said that Chengxin paper is too precious—no return gift could match the Pei family’s festival gift, so it’s better to just send some ordinary things like mooncakes and fabric. This time was too rushed. Even if we put thought into it, we couldn’t think of what to send back in return for a while. We can only wait until the Spring Festival to properly prepare festival gifts.”

That’s right—her mother was still ill.

Yu Tang nodded repeatedly, watching as her father put four boxes of various mooncakes and two bolts of kesi silk fabric into gift boxes and had Yu Yuan deliver them to the Pei mansion.

Kesi silk wasn’t rare, but it was worth its weight in gold. Although this gift looked ordinary, it still showed sincerity.

Chen Shi rested for several days. Since she wasn’t someone who valued money heavily, she was soon able to get out of bed and began managing Mid-Autumn Festival matters.

Yu Wen discussed with Chen Shi whether to invite Old Master Wu to spend the festival at their home this year, saying: “Usually I see him bold and forthright, liking to make friends and help neighbors. I thought that aside from having read fewer books, he was still pretty decent. I didn’t expect he truly treats money like dirt. After doing business together this time, I discovered there’s someone beside me worth befriending. I really had underestimated him before.”

Chen Shi smiled with pursed lips and said: “That’s why they say distance tests a horse’s strength, time reveals a person’s heart!”

As the two were talking, Old Master Wu came to find Yu Wen with sighs all over his face: “Good thing you suggested sending some Mid-Autumn Festival gifts to the Jiang family. Guess what? When our chief steward went to deliver the festival gifts, he happened to encounter several ruffians from Suzhou Prefecture who, seeing Old Master Jiang wasn’t home, were taking advantage of the fact that only a widowed mother was at home, making trouble at the Jiang residence!”

Yu Wen angrily said upon hearing this: “How can there be such people? If they have matters to discuss, they should go find Old Master Jiang. What kind of behavior is it to run and bully a widowed old lady when her son isn’t home? What happened afterward? Did they report to the authorities or call the Jiang family’s relatives and friends to help?”

Old Master Wu sighed: “Reporting to the authorities was useless. According to what our chief steward said when he returned, those ruffians were sent by the magistrate’s concubine’s maternal family brothers. I figure the magistrate’s concubine was probably involved too. Fortunately, the Jiang family’s paternal aunt had married nearby. When our chief steward was in a difficult position, the Jiang family’s paternal aunt rushed over and took Old Madam Jiang to her own home.”

Yu Wen couldn’t help feeling deeply moved by this and said: “Precisely at times like these, we can’t pressure Old Master Jiang to repay the money.”

Old Master Wu nodded.

After the two talked for a while, Yu Wen invited Old Master Wu’s family to come spend the Mid-Autumn Festival, pointing at the crabs being raised at home and saying: “This year we’ll have a crab feast.”

Old Master Wu was extremely fond of eating crabs. He immediately agreed happily and said: “Don’t worry about tea and wine—I’ll bring them when I come. Fifty-year-old Daughter’s Red wine, buried when my great-aunt was born.”

Yu Wen was so delighted his eyes narrowed into slits. Returning to his room, he discussed with Chen Shi: “I’m thinking about the silver our family invested—let’s just forget about it. They’re orphans and widows. We don’t lack this bit of silver, and everyone has it hard.”

Chen Shi said: “Our family’s affairs are yours to decide.” She added curiously: “Why didn’t you discuss this with Old Master Wu when he was here just now?”

Yu Wen said: “Our family’s silver is our family’s business. Old Master Wu’s silver is Old Master Wu’s business. If I had said this to Old Master Wu just now, no matter what he thought inside, he could only go along and agree. Wouldn’t that put him in a difficult position? That’s not how friends should act.”

Chen Shi praised him repeatedly.

Yu Tang’s feelings were complicated when she learned of this, but joy still prevailed.

She found time to return to the old residence and went up the mountain to check on the saplings. Seeing they were growing well, she rewarded Wang Si and the forest watcher each one tael of silver for the Mid-Autumn Festival and brought back half a cart of peanuts.

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chen Shi urged Yu Tang to get up early. The two of them prepared together for the evening’s Mid-Autumn banquet when a man with a young servant came to the Yu family’s door requesting to see Yu Wen.

He was only twenty-three or twenty-four years old, tall in stature, wearing a very presentable date-red auspicious cloud pattern five-bat roundel straight robe. His face was fair, his features handsome and upright, his bearing straight—only his eyes were filled with red veins, looking extremely weary.

He personally came forward and knocked on the door, introducing himself as Jiang Chao from Suzhou Prefecture.

The one who opened the door was A’Tiao. Even though no one had specifically told him, he had heard more or less about the family’s troubles. Hearing this, his expression changed greatly. Rudely leaving the person outside the door, he ran into the courtyard, running while shouting loudly: “Master, Master, Old Master Jiang from Suzhou Prefecture has come.”

Yu Wen was discussing with Chen Shi what utensils to use for the Mid-Autumn banquet later. Hearing this, his expression froze, taking quite a while to realize who had come.

Yu Tang, who heard the commotion, ran out first and said: “Old Master Jiang? The Old Master Jiang who does business with Father?”

A’Tiao nodded somewhat excitedly and said: “He said his surname is Jiang.”

Yu Wen quickly said: “Invite him in quickly! Quickly!” He then instructed Shuang Tao: “Go tell Old Master Wu next door that Old Master Jiang from Suzhou Prefecture has arrived.”

Shuang Tao went at once.

Yu Wen personally went to welcome Jiang Chao inside.

Yu Tang and Chen Shi hid behind the screen by the hall to peek.

As soon as Jiang Chao entered, he bowed deeply to Yu Wen, his eyes red as he said: “After I returned, I heard from my mother—if it weren’t for you and Old Master Wu, my mother would have suffered humiliation. Great kindness needs no words of thanks. Please accept my bow.”

Having said this, he was about to perform the grand ceremony for Yu Wen, but Yu Wen grabbed him and quickly said: “You don’t need to be so polite. Anyone who encountered such a situation would extend a helping hand. Moreover, it was the Wu family’s chief steward who rescued her—it has nothing to do with me.”

Jiang Chao shook his head, as if he had a thousand words but didn’t know how to express them.

Yu Wen considerately skipped over this topic and asked with concern: “Did Old Madam suffer any fright? How is she now? Why did you suddenly come to Lin’an?”

Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival after all!