The feeling of being home was very, very different from being away. Though the food at the Pei manor was much better than at the Yu household, when Yu Tang ate at the Pei family, no matter what, even if she was alone, she would still feel somewhat constrained. But in her own home, even when dining with Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt, observing the rule of “no speech while eating or sleeping,” she still felt at ease and happy. Similarly with sleeping—even the Pei family’s villa used filled lacquer beds, and at the Pei manor she slept in a black lacquer mother-of-pearl canopy bed, yet she would still toss and turn every night for the time it took two incense sticks to burn before falling asleep. Lying on her own four-poster carved bed hung with half-new fine gauze curtains, smelling the soft scent of sun-dried bedding, she closed her eyes and fell asleep immediately, and this sleep lasted until the afternoon of the next day.
When Yu Tang opened her eyes, she happened to hear Shuang Tao talking with Chen Pozi: “…Those persimmon cakes were truly delicious, not bitter at all, sweet and tender. It was the first time I’d eaten such delicious persimmon cakes. Liuxu said all that white frost was from sun-drying, and they were rushed over from Fujian. Miss also loves eating them. This time when Miss returned from the Pei manor, the Pei household sent our family two small baskets of persimmon cakes. Speaking of which, the Pei household’s maids are really quite capable. Like Liuxu, who was assigned to serve in our quarters—I heard in the Pei family she was only second-rank, not particularly outstanding, yet she’s incredibly meticulous and thorough in her work. Just regarding sending the persimmon cakes, I heard it was she who told Nanny Chen. When I first went, I thought Miss was making a mountain out of a molehill, but after spending time with Liuxu, I’m quite grateful Miss had me learn proper conduct from her.”
These matters shouldn’t be talked about everywhere, should they?
Exposing one’s own shortcomings!
Yu Tang turned over, and the room produced a slight rustling sound. Shuang Tao immediately stopped talking and said quietly to Chen Pozi, “Miss must be awake. I’ll go check. Just leave these pastries here for now. After I’ve looked in on Miss, I’ll come back to tidy up.”
If it were before, Shuang Tao might not have constantly paid attention to Yu Tang’s movements, and even if she had noticed, she wouldn’t have been so proactive in coming to see if she had any requests.
It seemed that accompanying her to the Pei manor had indeed helped Shuang Tao improve.
Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips and had Shuang Tao attend to her as she rose and washed up.
Madam Chen came over.
When she came, she was holding a carved red lacquer box in her hands. Upon seeing Yu Tang, her expression was somewhat tense: “A’Tang, did you carefully look at the gift list from the Pei family? I’ve been examining and storing the things the Pei family sent over and discovered this box.” As she spoke, she opened the box.
A flash of golden light, so bright it was almost blinding.
“All gold ornaments.” Madam Chen continued worriedly, “Your father and I roughly estimated—it must be at least two or three catties. This, this is far too valuable! How could you accept it?”
Yu Tang was also greatly shocked. She stood up and took the box, examining it carefully: “I truly didn’t know. At the time, the Pei family’s gift list was enclosed in an outer cover, and the steward only gave it to me when I went to bid farewell to Lady Pei before returning home. How could I be so presumptuous as to open the gift list and look at what was written on it in front of the Pei family? Later, being eager to return home, I thought since the items were already received, I could just reciprocate with something comparable later, so I never opened the gift list.”
The box of gold ornaments was a complete set of jewelry. Besides hairpins and hair sticks, there were also temple ornaments, all in pure gold. Never mind the rest—just that pair of temple ornaments, the size of wine cups, made in the style of peony flowers, weighing only one or two taels each in the hand, with petals thin as paper that trembled delicately—the craftsmanship was extremely superb, definitely not something an ordinary goldsmith’s shop could produce.
This wasn’t a matter of how much gold, but rather how much silver it was worth.
No wonder her mother was uneasy.
Her heart was also very uneasy.
“What did Father say?” Such a major matter—her mother couldn’t possibly not have consulted her father. Yu Tang asked.
Madam Chen said helplessly, “What can you expect your father to say? He just says things like ‘there’s a long road ahead,’ but what does our family have to reciprocate the Pei family’s gifts? Anyway, I told your father that in a few days I’m taking you to pay respects to Lady Pei. As for what to send over, let your father rack his brains over it.”
Yu Tang giggled, imagining her father scratching his head, not knowing what to do.
Madam Chen then took the box and said, “I’ll put this away for you. Such fine things should be saved for your dowry.” After speaking, Madam Chen exclaimed “Oh my!” and said, “Look at my memory! Your elder brother sent someone early this morning to ask if you were up yet, saying he had urgent business with you. Once you were up, I was to send someone to tell him—I completely forgot. I’ll send someone to tell your brother right away, and also pass word for your eldest uncle, eldest aunt, and your sister-in-law to all come for dinner. Since you’re rarely home and the New Year is approaching, there’s no need to keep things so separate.”
Yu Tang nodded repeatedly.
She also had matters to ask Eldest Aunt about.
Eldest Aunt’s cousin’s husband’s family seemed to be surnamed Zeng, and she had a mole at the corner of her mouth. But when she asked several people at Ku’an Temple, no one knew of this woman. Moreover, when she mentioned Ku’an Temple yesterday, Eldest Aunt hadn’t mentioned having a cousin at Ku’an Temple.
Could she have remembered incorrectly?
Eldest Aunt’s cousin had said she was divorced by her husband’s family because her son drowned. If she hadn’t yet entered Ku’an Temple, did that mean her son might still be saved?
Yu Tang felt somewhat anxious.
Fortunately, Eldest Aunt arrived relatively early.
Without hesitation, she left Madam Xiang to her mother, having her mother keep her company in conversation, while she pulled Eldest Aunt aside to speak privately, asking about Madam Zeng’s affairs.
Eldest Aunt looked very bewildered and said, “I do have a cousin who married into the Zeng family, but she died in childbirth over ten years ago. She couldn’t possibly have become a nun or gone into seclusion at Ku’an Temple! Could you have remembered incorrectly? Also, I shouldn’t have mentioned my cousin to you. If you hadn’t brought it up, I myself would have no recollection of this matter.”
Yu Tang was completely confused.
She asked, “Then what was the maiden name of your cousin who married into the Zeng family?”
“Surnamed Zhang,” Wang Shi said. “That’s my only cousin.”
Yu Tang said, “Could it be possible that someone from the Zeng family, not wanting people to pay attention to her affairs, simply told me directly that she was your cousin?”
“That’s possible.” Eldest Aunt thought for a moment and said, “If that’s truly the case, then I should still send someone to inquire. Perhaps she really has encountered some trouble. If we can help, it’s better to lend a hand.”
Yu Tang nodded repeatedly. Eldest Aunt asked about her Ku’an Temple affairs: “According to what you say, the Pei family’s womenfolk are preparing to help the people of Ku’an Temple support themselves? I think this is truly a wonderful thing. If there’s anything your mother and I can help with, just speak up directly. You young ladies don’t know—there are so many women who have difficult lives after marriage and are driven out, basically left with no way to survive. If the Ku’an Temple matter can succeed, you’ll have accomplished a great charitable deed, relieving suffering and saving lives!”
“Without the Pei family’s womenfolk, how could I possibly accomplish such a thing?” Yu Tang said modestly to Eldest Aunt, but inwardly she was anxious about that Zeng family woman’s son and urged Eldest Aunt to send someone to check on the Zeng family.
Eldest Aunt called Wang Si inside.
Yu Tang was greatly surprised.
Eldest Aunt smiled and said, “During the time you weren’t home, Wang Si helped with many things. Your eldest uncle is even preparing to take him as an apprentice!”
This way, he would forever be a person of the Yu family.
Yu Tang looked at Wang Si, whose hands and feet had become more nimble, whose eyes revealed some shrewdness—he was incomparable to when he first arrived.
Perhaps keeping him in the Yu family was a good thing.
The Yu family simply lacked people to use.
Yu Tang smiled and greeted him.
He respectfully paid his respects to Yu Tang and departed with his orders.
A bit later, Yu Yuan rushed over.
He came to discuss the lacquerware shop business with Yu Tang: “The several designs Young Master Zhang painted have been extremely popular. In just these few days, we’ve sold almost thirty taels of silver. My thinking is, you should personally visit the Zhang family in the next few days. After all, this business was originally discussed between you and Young Master Zhang’s wife. I think it’s better to entrust this matter to you. If you can persuade Young Master Zhang to paint a few more for us, that would be best.”
What else could Yu Tang do? She could only agree. But she also entrusted Yu Yuan with one matter—to make a suitable carved red lacquer box for Second Miss of the Pei family, which she would send as an engagement gift to Pei family’s Second Miss: “Think about it—when the Pei family and Yang family form their marriage alliance, when they display the dowry, there will certainly be many families coming to observe. If our family’s lacquerware can gain their admiration, it will certainly bring some business to our family’s shop.”
Yu Yuan very much agreed with these views, and he also believed that no matter what kind of opportunity it was, as long as there was an opportunity, one should try it and seize it tightly.
He said, “Leave this matter to me. I’ll make several samples, and then you can choose to ensure we make one that Second Miss of the Pei family will like.” After that, he talked about the fields at the Yu family’s old residence and the sea buckthorn fruit planted on the mountain: “Wang Si is rarely so meticulous—several trees have all survived. Next year they’ll certainly grow even better, and we can continue getting more saplings to plant. Since it involves seedlings, we should ask Second Uncle’s opinion when the time comes.”
The siblings discussed private matters about future plans for a long time, and Yu Bo also returned from the shop.
The two went to the hall together, and the whole family shared a sumptuous reunion dinner.
In the following days, Yu Tang felt she was as busy as a spinning top that couldn’t stop.
She first went to Young Master Zhang’s house to check on young Zhang Qing and tactfully asked whether Young Master Zhang could continue painting a few more designs for their family. Ma Xiuniang declined tactfully with difficulty. Yu Tang had been mentally prepared beforehand, so though somewhat disappointed, she could still accept it. Afterward, she returned to the old home to look at those sea buckthorn trees. Indeed, as her eldest cousin had said, they were growing very well—both Wang Si and the forest keeper had put in effort. Yu Tang rewarded the forest keeper with one tael of silver. As for Wang Si’s reward, she gave it after he returned from Wang Shi’s cousin’s husband’s family. Of course, compared to the forest keeper, Yu Tang rewarded him with an extra tael of silver.
He held the silver and thanked her repeatedly, then spoke of the matter of finding the person: “The eldest aunt’s natal family’s cousin has a sister-in-law who is about the same age as the cousin. She married into the same village, separated only by a grove of trees. Just as you said, she has a mole at the corner of her mouth. However, after marrying into her husband’s family, she consecutively gave birth to five daughters and has no son. She’s still living with her husband’s family now. I don’t know if she’s the person you’re inquiring about.”