Yu Tang dared to play mysterious in front of Pei Yan but was too embarrassed to fool Old Madame Pei.

As for what arrangements Zhaoming Temple had for the Buddha Bathing Festival, with so many stewards in the Pei family, she believed that a few days before the Buddha Bathing Festival, someone would naturally tell her the day’s schedule. She didn’t need to be anxious to know right now.

If Old Madame Pei didn’t mention it, she didn’t need to ask either.

Yu Tang smiled and nodded, saying: “Third Miss and Fifth Miss asked me to help the people at Ku’an Temple learn incense-making. I thought that since I proposed this matter, I couldn’t just walk away, right? So I agreed. Later I learned that you had put them in charge of this matter, so I figured I should come tell you. Regarding presenting incense at the Buddha Bathing Festival and safeguarding the incense formula, I also wanted to discuss with you and ask you to check for us whether our thinking is correct.”

In other words, they already had ideas.

Old Madame Pei understood her younger generation quite well.

Second Girl had been busy preparing her dowry these days. Third Girl’s marriage was also beginning discussions about setting an engagement date. Both young ladies’ minds were no longer on this matter. Fourth Girl and Fifth Girl were younger, still rather naive, unable even to manage the people around them, let alone Ku’an Temple affairs.

The one with ideas must be Yu Tang.

Old Madame Pei had previously only felt she was quiet, gentle, generous, and sensible. She hadn’t expected her to be capable of taking on responsibilities. Interested, she leaned toward her, her expression kind as she said gently: “Then tell me, how do you all plan to handle this?”

Yu Tang told Old Madame Pei about borrowing Young Manager Tong and hiring someone to help with incense-making.

Given their situation, hiring an incense-making master could basically solve all problems. Old Madame Pei felt that if she were in their position, she would do the same. But borrowing a steward, and specifically borrowing Young Manager Tong—this made Old Madame Pei’s heart stir involuntarily.

Outsiders looking at the Tong family only saw that the Tong family were old retainers of the Pei family, utterly loyal, and thus had some dignity before their masters. But the Pei family knew that Manager Tong had been left to Old Master Pei by Pei Yan’s grandfather. When Manager Tong was young, he had served Old Master Pei’s writing implements. Though later sent out to become head manager, he had always managed Old Master Pei’s personal silver. After Old Master Pei passed away, Manager Tong was also the first to stand up and support Pei Yan, helping Pei Yan inventory and sort out various external assets. For Pei Yan, Manager Tong was the most trustworthy and respectable person among the household stewards. He was even planning to promote Young Manager Tong, wanting to have Young Manager Tong manage the Pei family’s shops in the capital.

Such a person—he had actually lent him to Miss Yu, letting Young Manager Tong follow the household’s female relatives in their frivolous activities…

Old Madame Pei scrutinized Yu Tang carefully.

Fair face, bright eyes, rosy lips—like a magnolia bud on a branch in March. Though her clothing was ordinary and she still bore some dust from traveling, she remained as beautiful as summer light. Just sitting there quietly, she brightened the entire room.

A true beauty.

But Pei Yan was not someone who could be led by beauty. Otherwise, at his age, there wouldn’t still be no one in his household.

So what had this Miss Yu done to move Pei Yan, making him support them in doing these joke-like charitable deeds?

Old Madame Pei pondered in her heart.

Yu Tang hadn’t thought so deeply. She felt Old Madame Pei’s scrutiny was very normal—which family elder of younger generation’s friends wouldn’t pay attention? If one befriended someone of poor character and was influenced badly, there would be no way to recover from the regret later.

She said calmly: “Old Madame, do you think this approach is feasible?”

Old Madame Pei thought for a moment and said thoughtfully: “Young Manager Tong is indeed very good. However, how did you come to think of borrowing Young Manager Tong? I’m a bit curious.”

Yu Tang felt something strange.

She felt Old Madame Pei was talking a bit too much today, as if explaining to her why she was asking this, but she was the Pei household’s dowager—there was absolutely no need for that!

Yu Tang felt she was overthinking and still smiled calmly: “I went to ask Third Master—among the Pei family’s managers, I’m only familiar with the Tong family managers. I don’t know the others or understand their character, so I asked Third Master to lend me Young Manager Tong.”

Old Madame Pei was startled, then laughed heartily.

Some people just had good luck.

Sometimes, you could scheme all you wanted but couldn’t compare to someone else’s good fortune.

Yu Tang might just be a young lady blessed with such fortune.

Old Madame Pei stopped overthinking and smiled: “This personnel choice is excellent.” Then she couldn’t help teaching her about managing affairs: “In doing things, you must choose the right people. With the right people chosen, everything proceeds with half the effort. If people are poorly chosen, everything will be constrained. When we do things, sometimes we’re actually just choosing people.”

Yu Tang sensed Old Madame Pei’s goodwill and listened respectfully with hands hanging down.

Still a smart person too.

Old Madame Pei was very satisfied and further advised her to have Young Manager Tong help find people to make stick incense and coil incense: “This matter, at the end of the day, is still one thing. Since he’s taking it on, these tasks might as well be given to him to handle. He knows more people than you do. If he finds it difficult, he can also seek help from other stewards. This is much better than your giving it to Hu Xing. Hu Xing has always only moved about in Lin’an city and can’t compare to the Tong family—several uncles and brothers all serving as head managers in various places.”

Yu Tang hurriedly rose to thank her. After chatting idly with Old Madame Pei for a few more sentences, a young maid came to report that First Madam had arrived. Only then did she rise to take her leave.

Old Madame Pei didn’t keep her either, having Nanny Ji see her out.

As she left, she encountered First Madam.

Yu Tang was about to curtsy to First Madam when, to her surprise, First Madam’s face was livid. Without even glancing at her or Nanny Ji, surrounded by a group of maids and matrons, she brushed past them.

Nanny Ji’s face was full of embarrassment as she apologized to Yu Tang: “First Madam has been so busy with the eldest young master’s marriage these days that she’s dizzy from it. Please don’t take it to heart, Miss Yu.”

This was clearly someone in a rage. Yu Tang naturally wouldn’t get angry about it, but she couldn’t help being curious and quietly asked Nanny Ji: “Has First Madam been like this these days?”

Seeing no one around, Nanny Ji gossiped with her in a low voice: “Indeed! Wasn’t she staying at the villa before? When asked to return for New Year’s she wouldn’t come. Later, somehow, after Uncle Yang came, she came down from the mountain. Since then, she’s been quarreling daily with Old Madame and Third Master over the eldest young master’s marriage. If it weren’t almost time for the late master’s memorial day, how could Old Madame still tolerate her!”

Perhaps First Madam was deliberately making a scene precisely because the late master’s memorial day was approaching!

Yu Tang speculated maliciously, also somewhat puzzled about what there was to quarrel about regarding the eldest young master’s marriage.

Nanny Ji glanced at her and smiled: “No wonder Miss Yu doesn’t know. In great households, there is no private property, but you also can’t truly expect that after marrying, buying your wife a hairpin requires waiting for the monthly allowance or asking the family elders. When marrying, they usually bestow some property on the younger generation so they have income for buying cosmetics and writing materials. First Madam is quarreling with Old Madame over precisely this matter! She says that the eldest young master is the family’s eldest grandson. Though he can’t inherit the perpetual estate fields, he can’t be treated like young masters from other branches—just given a few shops and be done with it.” At this point, she looked around alertly again and whispered in Yu Tang’s ear: “Nanny Chen says First Madam has designs on Old Madame’s dowry!”

Yu Tang was greatly shocked.

Nanny Ji, thinking she didn’t believe it, said: “It’s true! Nanny Chen told me.” At this point, she sighed deeply: “When Old Madame married in, her bridal procession stretched ten li, with considerable dowry. Yet Old Master seemed to know he would pass before Old Madame. After Old Master passed, the family learned that Old Master had transferred all property under his name to Old Madame’s name. The three masters didn’t receive a single copper coin.”

“Ah!” Yu Tang’s eyes widened.

Why hadn’t he divided it among his own sons?

Was he afraid that after he passed, his sons wouldn’t be filial to Old Madame? Or did he think all three sons were no good?

But this didn’t make sense either!

Yu Tang frowned.

Nanny Ji sighed: “Not to mention other things, just the silver alone was no less than one hundred thousand taels, and it wasn’t even deposited in the Pei family’s own silver house. After Old Master passed, the head manager of that silver house, afraid Old Madame would withdraw all the deposited money, started circling around Old Madame before Old Master was even buried. Only after receiving Old Madame’s assurance that the money would still be deposited in their silver house did that head manager finally feel at ease. Even then, he stayed at the household for over a month before leaving. Tell me, who could encounter such a mother-in-law and not be tempted!”

“Indeed!” Yu Tang was still thinking about Old Master’s arrangements and said somewhat absentmindedly: “So much money!”

“Exactly!” Nanny Ji shook her head. “But what use is keeping so much silver? I think Old Madame would rather not have this silver than have Old Master pass away.”

Indeed! Who would want to lose their companion in old age, especially when reportedly Old Master and Old Madame had always had excellent relations.

Yu Tang’s mood immediately became somewhat low.

The two were at a loss for words. Just as they were about to part at the main gate, Pei Yan returned.

Seeing his carriage and horses, everyone was extremely surprised. The originally quiet side gate immediately became noisy.

Pei Yan descended from the carriage but walked toward Yu Tang: “What? Leaving already? Did you see Old Madame? What did Old Madame say?” Looking as if he had important matters to discuss.

Pei Qi, who had accompanied the carriage, rolled his eyes and somewhat presumptuously interjected: “Third Master, have you been eating well and sleeping well these past days? Whatever you have to say, better discuss it inside!” As he spoke, his gaze fell on Yu Tang as he politely called out “Miss Yu” and made a gesture of invitation.

But looking at Pei Yan, Yu Tang saw smooth skin, clear and bright eyes, upright and spirited bearing—not a trace of fatigue or weariness.

She sneered inwardly.

This Pei Qi was another shrewd character.

Nanny Ji’s mouth hung open for ages without closing. Seeing Pei Qi about to invite Yu Tang back into the Pei residence, she finally came to her senses and hurried forward to support Yu Tang superficially, saying hastily: “Miss Yu, please come with me.”

Yet even so, she felt very confused in her heart, completely unaware of what had happened.

Hadn’t Third Master gone to repair roads? Why had he returned at this time?

Between men and women, propriety should be observed. Since they were inviting Miss Yu into the residence, why not send Qing Yuan or Yan Qing? When Pei Qi invited Miss Yu, why didn’t Third Master stop him either?

She accompanied Yu Tang toward Geng Garden, stumbling along uncertainly.