When Pei Yan said this, he even glanced at Yu Tang sideways with a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

Yu Tang was instantly stunned.

What did Pei Yan mean by this?

Did he think forming a marriage alliance with the Gu family was a good thing? Or were there reasons behind the marriage alliance between the Pei and Gu families that outsiders shouldn’t know about?

Yu Tang’s heart sank, feeling she might have come at the wrong time.

After all, Pei Yan was far more capable than she was. If even he himself felt it necessary to form a marriage alliance with the Gu family, what right did she have to think she was more correct than Pei Yan and could stop him?

Yu Tang immediately wilted.

Could it be fated that in this life, Gu Xi would marry Pei Yan and become the Pei family’s clan matron?

She murmured: “Have you already made your decision? No matter what I say, you’re determined to form a marriage alliance with the Gu family?”

Pei Yan didn’t respond but instead walked in a circle around Yu Tang.

Then he discovered that Yu Tang was like a blanched vegetable—even more wilted.

This aroused his curiosity, and he said: “Why do you oppose a marriage alliance between the Pei and Gu families?”

Yu Tang looked up, staring at Pei Yan in astonishment.

Pei Yan was looking at her with a stern expression.

She immediately realized that this opportunity might come only once—if she couldn’t seize it, there wouldn’t be another.

“Gu Xi and I don’t get along,” she said immediately. “And it’s not just ordinary incompatibility. This person likes to step on me whenever she gets the chance. I think she’s too fake. I don’t want such a person to become the Pei family’s clan matron. The female members of the Pei family should be like Old Madam—kind and gentle, generous and magnanimous—not someone who’s always staring at her own toes, feeling uncomfortable whenever anyone surpasses her. Moreover, I’ve often heard people say that a good wife brings half one’s fortune. I, I also don’t want such a person to become your wife…”

She hoped he would live a happy, fulfilling life with a virtuous wife and filial children.

Before coming to see Pei Yan, she could have said this sentence without any burden. But having seen Pei Yan and heard his words, she suddenly felt that perhaps she was wrong.

Everyone’s feelings are different. What she liked, Pei Yan might not like. She couldn’t use her own feelings to judge Pei Yan’s preferences or whether Pei Yan was living well.

But Gu Xi definitely wouldn’t do.

She understood Gu Xi too well.

Yu Tang couldn’t help but say loudly: “In any case, I hope you’ll consider this carefully.”

Pei Yan looked at her with interest and said: “So are you opposing this matter because you and she don’t get along? Or because you think she’s unsuitable for me?”

Yu Tang immediately replied: “Both! I think she’s both unsuitable and disagreeable.”

Pei Yan nodded and said: “I understand!” Then he picked up his tea, clearly preparing to see her out.

Yu Tang blinked.

Things ended too suddenly.

Had Pei Yan actually listened to what she said?

She stood up and asked persistently: “What do you mean by this? Did you listen to what I said or not?”

“I’ll consider it carefully,” Pei Yan said seriously. “If the wife I choose doesn’t get along with you people, that would indeed be somewhat troublesome.” As he spoke, he even displayed a look of serious contemplation.

But this expression, in Yu Tang’s eyes, looked like he was mocking her.

Yu Tang’s face burned hot. She said “Then I’ll take my leave” and fled from the pavilion as if escaping.

Pei Yan watched her figure and couldn’t help but laugh. His voice rose from low to high, finally echoing around him in hearty laughter.

Pei Qi emerged from the grove beside the pavilion. He asked in confusion: “Third Master, what, what’s gotten into you?”

Pei Yan’s smile subsided somewhat, but his eyes were like a summer night’s starry river—bright and dazzling with points of light.

“Oh!” he said lightly. “A little rabbit ran into the flower bed, made a complete mess of it, then scared itself away.”

Flower bed?

Where was there a flower bed here?

Could the Third Master be referring to those wildflowers outside the pavilion?

Pei Qi quickly said: “Third Master, A’Ming and the others spent half the morning plucking wildflowers, but there are too many of them—they grow back in the blink of an eye.”

Pei Yan waved his hand casually and said to Pei Qi: “Miss Yu just left and shouldn’t have gone far yet. Hurry and ask Miss Yu to wait in the study for a while—tell her I have something to say to her. I’ll go over after I’ve seen off the Yang family people.”

Not dealing with those wildflowers anymore?

Pei Qi scratched his head, made an affirmative sound, and quickly turned to chase after Yu Tang.

Yu Tang gradually slowed her pace, her mind constantly replaying the conversation she’d just had with Pei Yan. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

She had clearly come to stop Pei Yan. Yesterday she had spent half the day drafting what to say, preparing to tell Pei Yan about some of her interactions with Gu Xi. But when she actually saw Pei Yan, it was like children quarreling—she only knew to say she didn’t like Gu Xi and forgot what she was originally supposed to say!

No wonder Pei Yan didn’t believe her.

If she were him, she wouldn’t believe it either.

Alas! It seemed her good intentions had once again led to bad results.

She didn’t know if there was any way to remedy this.

Or perhaps… she should go back and have a proper talk with Pei Yan?

Pei Yan’s cold face surfaced in Yu Tang’s mind.

No, that wasn’t right.

She stopped in her tracks.

This matter wasn’t her fault—if anyone was to blame, it should be Pei Yan.

Every time she spoke with Pei Yan, he was not only extremely serious, but also spoke very briefly. Often before she had finished speaking, he had already reached a decision, and all her words would get stuck in her throat at once.

This was probably why she always came off worse every time she met with Pei Yan, wasn’t it?

Yu Tang carefully reflected on her behavior, wondering if she should find another opportunity to discuss this matter with Pei Yan.

If Gu Xi truly became Pei Yan’s wife, she wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep peacefully.

It would be even more unbearable than swallowing a fly.

In that case, she’d rather leave Lin’an.

However, was it appropriate for her to turn back now?

Yu Tang was still hesitating.

Behind her came Pei Qi’s voice: “Miss Yu, Miss Yu! Our Third Master asks you to wait for him in the study. He says he still has something to discuss with you!”

Yu Tang recognized this person.

He was someone from Pei Yan’s household.

She couldn’t help but ask him: “Why did the Third Master change his mind again? Did he mention what he wants to discuss with me?”

Could it be to scold her and tell her never to meddle in others’ affairs again?

Yu Tang felt somewhat uneasy.

Pei Qi replied with a smile: “I don’t know either. I’m just following orders.”

Yu Tang thought it over and went with Pei Qi to Pei Yan’s study.

This study was a five-room open hall. Everywhere were paintings and scrolls. On the rocking chair near the southern window lattice lay a half-new plain-colored fine cloth summer quilt, a ginger-yellow kudzu cloth pillow, and in a celadon plum vase was a withered sprig of mugwort.

It was evident this was Pei Yan’s customary study.

It was where he read and wrote, not where he received guests.

Yu Tang was secretly surprised and even more curious about why there was mugwort in the plum vase, and how this mugwort had been preserved until today.

She was about to move closer to look.

Footsteps sounded outside.

Yu Tang turned around to see a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl dressed as a maid in a blue Hangzhou silk vest, carrying a tea tray as she entered.

“Miss Yu!” She greeted Yu Tang with a smile, her bright large eyes and fair oval face displaying such ease and grace that she resembled a young lady raised in a noble household’s inner quarters, making Yu Tang momentarily uncertain of her status.

The girl smiled gently and introduced herself: “This servant is called Qing Yuan. I’m the head maid in the Third Master’s quarters. I don’t know what tea you prefer, so I took the liberty of brewing West Lake Longjing, which everyone likes. Please try it and see if it suits your taste. If not, I’ll change it to tea you prefer.”

Yu Tang wasn’t so particular. She smiled and said: “I’m not picky about tea—anything is fine. Thank you, Miss Qing Yuan.”

“You’re too polite.” Qing Yuan placed the tea on the tea table in the study. Two younger maids, about fifteen or sixteen years old, brought in tea snacks and fruits.

Yu Tang felt these two younger maids looked somewhat familiar, but couldn’t recall where she’d seen them for the moment. She could only nod at the two young maids.

The two young maids shyly curtsied to her and withdrew.

Qing Yuan stayed in the study to chat with her about trivial matters, and then Pei Yan arrived.

“Third Master!” Qing Yuan quickly rose to greet him.

But Pei Yan didn’t even glance at her. He waved his hand, indicating she should withdraw, then got straight to the point: “Why did you run so fast? I hadn’t finished speaking yet.”

Yu Tang stood there, her lips moving but not knowing what to say, feeling she had even less presence than Qing Yuan the maid—just like those two nameless young maids.

A flash of amusement quickly passed through Pei Yan’s eyes before his expression returned to solemnity. He said in a low voice: “I’ve known you for almost two years now. Why are you still so rash and careless? Can’t you be more steady?”

Yu Tang listened with a twitch at the corner of her eye.

Pei Yan had already quickly continued: “After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Li family moved to Hangzhou City. Do you know about this?”

“I know.” Speaking of this matter, Yu Tang had no mind to quibble with Pei Yan anymore. She said: “I’ve been having people watch for any activity from their household. I heard they moved to a place called Xiaohe Alley not far from Xiaohe Imperial Street. I don’t know if it’s true or false.”

Xiaohe Alley was one of the most prosperous alleys in Hangzhou City. Those living there were all either wealthy or noble, so property there was rarely sold to outsiders.

Yu Tang hadn’t yet ascertained whether the Li family was renting or had purchased the house there.

If they were renting, that would be one thing. But if they had purchased it, the Li family might have been preparing to move for quite some time.

On this point, Yu Tang and Pei Yan were thinking along the same lines.

Pei Yan said: “The Li family’s residence was purchased.”

Yu Tang frowned and asked: “Then, is there still no news from the capital?”

“It will probably be around the Dragon Boat Festival.” Pei Yan said with tacit understanding: “During New Year’s, I sent people to deliver New Year gifts. The investigation in Rizhao has also uncovered many things. We’re just waiting for the right time.”

That was good then.

Yu Tang nodded.

Pei Yan then began asking her about New Year matters—what she did on which days, how relatives visited back and forth, how many red envelopes she received, and so on—asking about all sorts of miscellaneous things in no particular order.

Yu Tang grew suspicious.

Pei Yan didn’t seem to have anything important to discuss with her. Rather, it seemed he wanted to keep her here and prevent her from leaving.

Yu Tang looked at Pei Yan’s perfectly serious face, secretly doubting herself.

Pei Yan, however, was suppressing his laughter. The more he suppressed it, the more uncomfortable it became, and the more pleased he felt. Just then, Pei Man arrived.

He reported to Pei Yan: “Old Madam says that the Yang family is the eldest young master’s maternal family. Since the eldest madam and the Yang family’s old master and maternal uncles all think this is a good match, then it’s settled. Miss Gu will be betrothed to the eldest young master. The two families will first exchange tokens, and once the old master completes his mourning period, they’ll proceed with the formal betrothal gifts.”