Old Madam Pei had sent over Ginseng Spleen-Restoring Pills, used for calming the nerves and settling the mind.

They came in a box.

Even someone who regularly took them wouldn’t know what medicine it was without opening it to smell.

The Second Madam didn’t know, and Chen Shi knew even less.

After Chen Shi accepted the medicine, the Second Madam asked again about Yu Tang’s condition.

“There’s nothing wrong now. She’s better after catching her breath. Besides, you even called a physician for her, and she’s already taken medicine.” Chen Shi was just saying this when Miss Xu and Third Madam Yang arrived.

The two had heard about it during lunch and came over right after finishing their meal.

The maids at their sides were even carrying medicinal ingredients.

Chen Shi was naturally very grateful and hurried to welcome both of them inside.

Seeing Third Madam Yang exchanging pleasantries with the Second Madam and Chen Shi, Miss Xu went to Yu Tang’s room to visit her.

Yu Tang naturally felt too embarrassed to say she’d been frightened, so after hedging a few words, she glossed over the matter.

Miss Xu didn’t think much of it either—heatstroke could be serious or minor, but as long as the person regained consciousness and rested for a few days, they were usually fine.

She smiled and said: “Perfect—now you can stay inside and rest with us. You don’t even need to find an excuse. Whoever wants to show off at the scripture exposition can go out. When it’s over, we’ll all go play in Hangzhou City together.”

Yu Tang laughed: “You’re not in a hurry to go to Huai’an anymore?”

Miss Xu pouted and said: “Thinking about it afterwards, I feel maybe we made too much of a small matter. However, whether we can actually go play in Hangzhou will have to wait for Second Brother Yin’s letter to see what he says. But I want to spend a few more days playing in Hangzhou City.” At this point, her eyes brightened. “How about this—I’ll accompany you to Hangzhou City to see a doctor! Fainting isn’t just from heatstroke, you know. Chest discomfort or headaches can also cause fainting. It’s safer to go have another look in Hangzhou City.”

Yu Tang was about to pinch her nose, saying: “I think we should go to Hangzhou City to have YOU examined! And we should send a letter to Young Master Yin in the capital saying you’re ill. How does that sound?”

That Yin Mingyuan would have to rush to Jiangnan without a care in the world!

With that broken body of his, he’d probably die halfway there!

Miss Xu smiled sheepishly at Yu Tang and said: “Then let’s just stay nicely in our room talking and reading storybooks.”

That’s more like it!

Yu Tang nodded with a smile.

Third Madam Yang sent someone to call for Miss Xu, saying that Yu Tang’s health had just improved a bit and she should rest well—they could visit her again tomorrow.

Yu Tang also wanted to carefully consider whether there were any flaws in what she’d told Pei Yan and whether anything needed fixing, so she didn’t keep Miss Xu either. She had Shuang Tao see her out.

For a time, Yu Tang’s place became lively.

The several old madams from the Pei family, and the Song and Wu families all sent people to visit Yu Tang.

Between the fright and fear, Yu Tang’s energy was somewhat depleted. She left all these social obligations to Chen Shi while she hid in her chamber and had a good sleep.

Meanwhile, Gu Xi kept watching for any movement from Yu Tang’s side.

After Pei Yan followed to the quiet chamber, he didn’t reappear at the dharma hall until nearly noon.

Then the Second Madam returned and told everyone Yu Tang was fine.

Gu Xi suspected Pei Yan had been guarding Yu Tang the entire time she was unconscious.

Otherwise, how could she explain Pei Yan’s absence?

And then there was the donation ceremony before the scripture exposition.

The Pei family had told her beforehand that the women wouldn’t appear. Though she felt somewhat regretful that she couldn’t show off, she could understand the Pei family’s approach—she was just uncomfortable about it for a few days. When her identity was announced at the donation ceremony and she thought about how her surname would be carved on the stone tablet and preserved for a hundred years, she was quite happy. But when she discovered the one presiding over the donation ceremony was Second Master Pei Xuan, and heard people outside the screen discussing where Pei Yan had gone, her heart immediately felt as if she’d swallowed a fly—extremely uncomfortable.

Pei Yan actually wasn’t there!

As the most distinguished family in Lin’an, with Pei Yan serving as the Pei family’s patriarch, there was nothing more important than this, yet he hadn’t attended the scripture exposition’s donation ceremony because of that Yu Tang!

Gu Xi’s rationality felt that no matter how you looked at it, Pei Yan couldn’t possibly value Yu Tang so highly. But her intuition told her that Pei Yan was indeed guarding Yu Tang’s side.

The joy of having her surname carved on the stone tablet vanished without a trace.

Gu Xi’s complexion turned somewhat green.

Why was this happening?

She refused to accept it.

She thought of Yu Tang’s face—graceful and gentle when not smiling, brilliant as flowers when she smiled.

Could it be just because of this?

Was Pei Yan really this shallow?

Wouldn’t Miss Wu have a chance too then?

The more Gu Xi thought about it, the more she felt she couldn’t let this matter rest.

She quietly asked He Xiang: “Any news from the First Madam’s side?”

He Xiang silently shook her head: “No one has gone in or out.”

So she wasn’t planning to interfere in this matter!

Gu Xi was very disappointed.

During lunch, she sat together with Miss Wu and the others, deliberately bringing up Yu Tang: “Should we go see her?”

Sixth Miss Song said dismissively: “Didn’t we already send someone to inquire?”

Did they really need to personally visit Miss Yu? Did Miss Yu have such face?

First Young Madam Peng said nothing, but was also thinking about this matter in her heart. However, she hadn’t sent anyone from her side to visit Yu Tang. Instead, she sent people separately to ask First Master Peng and Peng Eleven. First Master Peng felt it should be handled as ordinary social courtesy. Peng Eleven thought more deeply. He had someone tell First Young Madam Peng: “She was probably frightened by me.” And said, “This young lady isn’t important—what’s important is what attitude the Pei family has toward her. If the Pei family values her, I’ll go apologize to them immediately, and you should personally go visit as well.”

If they didn’t value her enough, then she fainted and that was that.

First Young Madam Peng understood, ate her lunch peacefully, and just waited for news from Peng Eleven.

Pei Yan was somewhat undecided about whether to deal with Peng Eleven now or wait until he sent a carrier pigeon to the capital and received a reply before dealing with him.

Yu Tang said someone in the Peng family had become Jiangxi Provincial Governor, and currently the only one in the Peng family who could be promoted to Jiangxi Provincial Governor was Seventh Master Peng, Peng Yu. The Zhang family were capital people, and the Zhang family had operated there for generations—they were practically local snakes of the capital. If Peng Yu intended to replace Zhang Shao as Jiangxi Provincial Governor, the Zhang family couldn’t possibly have no wind of it. At most they’d been careless, not taken Peng Yu seriously, and capsized in the gutter.

He didn’t yet know how the Zhang family planned to handle this matter, so he had someone release a pigeon to the capital.

If nothing was wrong, it would serve as a reminder; if something was wrong, it could make the Zhang family take it seriously and prevent trouble before it arose.

Pei Yan’s plan was good, but when he saw Peng Eleven again, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable. When Peng Eleven came to ask about Yu Tang’s condition, he said half-truthfully: “It was my oversight—I didn’t expect the young lady to be so timid. I think from now on you’ll have to stick to drinking and having tea with us.”

This was a tactful warning not to go see the women again.

Peng Eleven was secretly somewhat surprised.

This Miss from the Yu family—he’d investigated her thoroughly several times and hadn’t found anything that set her apart from others, yet she’d gained such favor from Pei Yan… He also thought of Yu Tang’s face, lovely whether pouting or angry.

Was it the case of a hero unable to pass the beauty’s gate?

Peng Eleven mocked inwardly, but not only didn’t show it on his face, he even joked self-deprecatingly: “Then I’m in for a treat. Who doesn’t know that Third Master Pei won’t even look at tea that isn’t good or wine that isn’t pure? I’ll benefit from your company and taste some of your Jiangzhe’s fine tea and wine.”

But even with his attitude being this good, Pei Yan still found him unpleasant to look at. The smile didn’t reach his eyes, which made Peng Eleven’s heart jump with alarm. When he returned to his seat, he thought it over and over, deciding to be more cautious. He sent someone with a message to First Young Madam Peng, telling her it would be best if she personally went to visit Yu Tang: “An abundance of courtesy causes no offense!”

First Young Madam Peng trusted Peng Eleven’s judgment greatly. She didn’t invite anyone else but brought Eighth Miss Peng along to Yu Tang’s place.

Gu Xi watched First Young Madam Peng’s retreating figure and sat at the table lost in thought for quite a while. If Miss Wu hadn’t asked whether she wanted to go back to their room to rest for a bit, she probably wouldn’t have snapped out of it.

“Let’s go together then!” Gu Xi said with a smile, unable to help mentioning Yu Tang again in front of Miss Wu: “I wonder how Miss Yu is doing? Did you see? Earlier Old Madam Pei’s maid Zhenzhu gave the Second Madam a box—from the looks of it, it seemed like a box for medicinal ingredients. Could it be that Old Madam Pei sent the Second Madam to deliver medicine to Miss Yu?” Then she joked: “Seeing a physician wasn’t enough—she even needs to personally inquire. No wonder Miss Yu can move about freely in the Pei residence. There isn’t a single person in the Pei household, from top to bottom, who doesn’t like her.”

Though Miss Wu knew what Gu Xi meant, she couldn’t help being on guard.

Marriage was by parental decree and matchmaker’s arrangement.

Old Madam Pei was someone who could influence Pei Yan’s marriage.

Someone who gained Pei Yan’s affection might not necessarily marry him, but someone who gained Old Madam Pei’s favor could easily become Pei Yan’s wife or concubine.

Miss Wu smiled: “How about we also go see Miss Yu? We can consider it giving face to Old Madam Pei!”

This was precisely Gu Xi’s intention.

She needed to find out about Pei Yan’s whereabouts earlier.

The two of them had their maids bring two boxes of pastries and went to Yu Tang’s place.

Yu Tang was sleeping. When they arrived, First Young Madam Peng had just left.

Chen Shi warmly received them.

While Miss Wu was inquiring about the Pei family’s attitude toward Yu Tang, Gu Xi was observing the furnishings in the room.

The plum vase on the long table in the central hall was quite ordinary, holding purple bauhinia flowers from the flower beds here. The tea set used was also the common blue-and-white porcelain seen in the marketplace. Looking again at Chen Shi’s clothing—a sapphire blue plain hangzhou silk outer robe, bright blue cloud-patterned vest, dark red camellia silk flowers, gilt gourd earrings—it was the typical attire of housewives in Lin’an City. However, that face was just like her daughter’s—skin like congealed cream, eyebrows like willow leaves, exceptionally outstanding. Only the mother appeared delicate and pitiful while the daughter was bright and vivacious.

She raised her eyes to look toward Yu Tang’s inner chamber.

Just then, a young lady lifted the curtain and came out.

Chen Shi immediately politely called out “Miss Qing Yuan.”

That young lady appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen, yet she wore a lake-green brocade-patterned outer robe with a blue-green kesi sprout-patterned vest, pearl earrings, and a smooth gold bracelet. Her attire was more luxurious than ordinary gentry family young ladies. Especially with her bright eyes and white teeth, her bearing gentle and generous—she looked like a great family’s young lady raised in the inner chambers.

Both Gu Xi and Miss Wu were startled.

Chen Shi introduced her to them: “This is Miss Qing Yuan from Third Master’s side. When she heard our young lady had fainted, she was sent over to lend a hand.”

Both Gu Xi and Miss Wu’s expressions changed simultaneously.