Miss Gu?!

Gu Xi!

If the Gu family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family, that was their business—when did the Yang family get dragged into this?!

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

The Second Miss’s face flushed crimson with anger as she ground out through clenched teeth: “What does the Yang family mean by this? Since when do they meddle in our Pei family’s affairs?”

The Yang family had only just discussed a marriage arrangement with the Pei family, and already they were interfering in Pei family matters. Moreover, they were the Second Miss’s future in-laws, so no wonder she was humiliated and enraged.

Yu Tang wanted to say a few words of comfort, but her mind was in complete chaos. Her lips parted and closed, yet she didn’t know what to say.

The other young ladies also came back to their senses at this moment.

The Third Miss immediately put on an apologetic expression and said to Yu Tang in an embarrassed, low voice: “Sister Yu, we won’t see you out. This came so suddenly that the elders in the family certainly won’t have time to attend to other matters for now. Once the family affairs are sorted out, I’ll personally invite Sister Yu to visit our home as a guest.”

Yu Tang wanted to say “it’s all right,” but her throat felt blocked by something. Usually such a quick-witted person, she found herself momentarily unable to make a sound.

Supported by Shuang Tao, she stumbled out of the Pei residence with unsteady steps, got into her sedan chair, and before she knew it, had returned home to Qingzhu Alley.

Chen Shi asked in alarm: “What’s wrong with you? On such a cold day, why is your head covered in sweat? Your face is as white as paper!” After finishing that sentence, she too became panicked and questioned Shuang Tao loudly: “Weren’t you supposed to be visiting Old Madam Pei? How did she come back in this state? Did someone bully A’Tang? Or did Old Madam Pei say something?”

She clenched both hands tightly, as if preparing to fight someone.

Yu Tang jolted back to awareness and quickly took her mother’s arm, saying in a low voice: “It’s nothing, I’m fine. It’s just that earlier at the Pei residence…”

She had heard that the Yang family wanted to arrange a match for Gu Xi, and her heart panicked. She simply lost her composure for a moment.

Yu Tang swallowed with difficulty.

What was wrong with her?

Gu Xi had feelings for Pei Yan—not only had she herself noticed, but even the elders of the Pei family seemed to have detected some signs.

Hadn’t she known this all along?

So why, now that the Gu family had made it explicit, did she feel so terrible?

Yes, terrible.

She despised Gu Xi. Just thinking that one day Gu Xi would stand beside Pei Yan, that one day Pei Yan would show Gu Xi that gentle smile no one else had ever seen—just thinking about it made Yu Tang feel as if her heart were bleeding.

It must be because she regarded Pei Yan as her benefactor and didn’t want a woman like Gu Xi to defile him.

Yes, that must be it.

That’s why she felt so terrible.

Yu Tang took a long, deep breath, and only then did she begin to feel the temperature in her hands and feet, the warm spring atmosphere flowing through the air.

She felt as if she had suddenly awakened from a nightmare.

Strength flooded back into her limbs, and her mind began racing again.

“Mother,” Yu Tang said, trying to keep her tone light, “don’t worry. It’s about the Gu family—do you remember? The Miss Gu who was a guest at the Pei residence with me. Today someone came to arrange a match for her, wanting to make a connection between her and the Pei family’s Third Master. I was a bit shocked.”

But Chen Shi’s scrutinizing gaze still held some suspicion: “Really? The old master is about to complete his mourning period, so preparations for the Third Master’s marriage should indeed begin. What’s so shocking about that? You’d better not be fooling me!”

“No, no.” Yu Tang reassured her again, saying: “I really was just too surprised. I used to think Miss Gu was the same age as me, but suddenly discovered that Miss Gu might become the Third Master’s principal wife… Can you imagine?”

Her explanation convinced Chen Shi, who laughed: “You child, you scared me. This is because our family has few members and you haven’t experienced any inner household matters, so you find it unusual. Like your eldest aunt—she’s several months older than her youngest sister-in-law. The two grew up together and even got married in the same year.”

Yu Tang pouted.

In any case, she felt Gu Xi wasn’t worthy of Pei Yan.

She sent A’Tiao to keep track of news from the Pei family.

Pei Yan’s marriage was a major matter for the Pei family, related to who would become the clan matron. And the Pei family was Lin’an City’s largest clan—even if the Pei family wanted to keep it low-key, there was no way to do so.

The very next day, A’Tiao brought back news that the Gu family was going to form a marriage alliance with the Pei family.

Yu Tang was stunned.

Yesterday, after her mother questioned her like that, she had calmed down somewhat. Back in her room, she had pondered that if the Pei family agreed to a marriage alliance with the Gu family, Old Madam Pei must be very satisfied with Gu Xi. But at the villa, it was clear that Old Madam Pei hadn’t shown Gu Xi any special attention. Madam Shen, who had accompanied Gu Xi, had even offended Old Madam Pei. The so-called marriage alliance should just be the Gu family’s wishful thinking.

But now, hearing A’Tiao say this, she began to doubt her previous speculation.

Perhaps Old Madam Pei was indeed very satisfied with Gu Xi, and precisely because Madam Shen’s words and actions were especially disagreeable to her, she lost her temper and drove Madam Shen away. Otherwise, given Old Madam Pei’s magnanimity, she shouldn’t have reacted so strongly.

Later sending Gu Xi away early was also because they were going to discuss the marriage proposal with the Gu family, and it would be somewhat inappropriate for Gu Xi to continue staying at the Pei residence?

Otherwise, how could the Yang family—having only just arranged a marriage alliance with the Pei family, with the engagement not yet officially announced—dare to meddle in the marriage matter between the Pei and Gu families?

The Yang family wasn’t some impoverished household ignorant of propriety!

The more Yu Tang thought about it, the more it seemed to be the case.

Her heart felt like it was being fried on an iron plate, turning over and over, beyond any describable sensation.

She paced back and forth in her room.

Shuang Tao, who was helping her organize things, watched until her eyes were dizzy and couldn’t help saying: “Miss, what exactly is on your mind? The master and madam dote on you so much—if you go tell them, they’ll surely agree. Why torture yourself? Whatever you want to do, just go do it!”

Yu Tang froze.

Was she worse than Shuang Tao?

What use was being anxious at home like this? Once the marriage between the Pei and Gu families was settled, no matter how improper Gu Xi was, the Pei family would tolerate it for the sake of the bigger picture. At worst, they’d send Gu Xi to a temple for quiet cultivation. But if that happened, Pei Yan’s entire life would be ruined—with an unvirtuous wife and unfilial children, unable to manage even household affairs, how could he handle clan matters?

No, she couldn’t just watch helplessly as Gu Xi married Pei Yan.

She still had to live in Lin’an City for her whole life!

Wouldn’t that be like her previous life all over again, spending a lifetime glaring at Gu Xi?

Suddenly, Yu Tang felt as if a surge of hot blood erupted from the depths of her heart, making her entire body boil with energy.

In her previous life, she had relied on sheer courage alone to escape the Li family, which led to everything that followed. Now, having lived two lives, how could she become so timid and hesitant, not even as brave as that lonely, helpless young girl from her previous life?!

She would act on her decision immediately.

Yu Tang quickly wrote a letter and had A’Tiao deliver it to the Pei residence, instructing him: “You must give this to Third Master Pei. If you can’t see Third Master Pei, you can give it to Chief Steward Pei or A’Ming. Tell them I have an urgent matter to discuss with the Third Master. It’s extremely important, and I request that the Third Master spare some time to see me.”

A’Tiao took the letter and left, returning to tell her: “Third Master Pei has guests all day today. He asks if you can come to the Pei residence early tomorrow morning? If you can’t wait until tomorrow morning, write a note for me to take over. He also told Chief Steward Pei that if I request an audience, I should be taken directly to see him.”

Would tomorrow still be in time?

Yu Tang calculated in her mind, but unconsciously asked aloud: “The Third Master is seeing guests all day today? Do you know what kind of people he’s meeting?”

Could it be related to the marriage matter between Pei Yan and Gu Xi?

A’Tiao shook his head and said: “I only heard that Master Shen came early this morning, and then people from the Gu family in Hangzhou also arrived. The Third Master has been in the study at Geng Garden and hasn’t come out. When I went, it was A’Ming who helped relay the message.”

Master Shen was also at the Pei residence!

The Gu family had also sent people!

Yu Tang’s heart tightened, but then she felt secretly relieved. If she hadn’t made up her mind early, by the time she saw Pei Yan again, it would probably be at his engagement ceremony.

She returned to her room and couldn’t help but hug Shuang Tao, saying: “Thank goodness for you today. When you get married, I’ll definitely reward you with a set of silver hair ornaments.”

Shuang Tao was completely baffled by her behavior, but receiving a set of silver hair ornaments from one’s employer at marriage was an extremely prestigious matter. Her face flushed red as she couldn’t help asking Yu Tang: “Miss, you’re making me completely confused… Why are you rewarding me?”

Yu Tang was taken aback, then burst out laughing: “If you don’t know, then don’t worry about it. Just remember to remind me when you get married that I owe you a set of silver hair ornaments.”

Shuang Tao couldn’t tell whether Yu Tang was joking or truly intended to reward her. Blushing, she put away the summer clothes Chen Shi had newly made for Yu Tang into the wardrobe.

The next morning, Pei Yan met Yu Tang at the pavilion in Geng Garden where he had met her before.

Geng Garden in spring presented yet another beautiful scene. Besides the lush, verdant trees and silver willow branches brushing the water’s surface, there were also brilliant wildflowers of purple and red emerging from the stream banks. Butterflies danced and bees bustled about—the spring atmosphere was abundant, and even the air seemed to have become gentle.

Yu Tang suspected that Pei Yan must have been too busy recently, which allowed these wildflowers to grow so vigorously and freely. Or perhaps the maids and servants were all too busy to pluck these flowers, or maybe even if those maids and servants plucked flowers every day, they still couldn’t keep up?

Pei Yan, meanwhile, looked Yu Tang up and down several times.

Compared to when they were at Ku’an Temple, Yu Tang seemed somewhat haggard. Of course, this haggardness didn’t refer to her appearance—she still had a face like peach blossoms and eyes clear as springs, as eye-catching as a flower bud on a branch. Rather, it referred to her spiritual haggardness, somewhat listless, as if she had suffered some grievance.

But he hadn’t heard of any major incident in her family during this time!

While Pei Yan was thinking this, his voice when he spoke remained calm and emotionless, revealing no likes or dislikes: “What happened? You’re in such a rush to see me—don’t tell me you’ve gotten into trouble again?”

After all, she had once used their Pei family’s name to swindle people outside.

Yu Tang was infuriated.

She shouldn’t have come to warn this person.

Not a single thing he said was pleasant to hear.

The speech she had drafted last night was immediately cast aside as she said: “I heard that the Third Master is going to form a marriage alliance with Miss Gu. Thinking of how the Third Master has looked after our Yu family in the past, I have a few words stuck in my throat that I must say. If they’re unpleasant to hear, I ask that the Third Master, in consideration of my sincere intentions, not take offense.”

Yet another person with something to say about the marriage alliance between the Pei and Gu families.

Pei Yan raised an eyebrow and said: “Then don’t say it!”