Pei Yan was an extremely decisive person. Since he had discovered his own inadequacy, he would find someone capable.

Returning to his room, he immediately summoned Shu Qing.

Wang Qibao had already arrived in Hangzhou. Although Pei Yan hadn’t yet decided what to say to Wang Qibao and had decided to leave him waiting for a few days, on the surface everything was handled beautifully. Tong’er, the head steward of the Pei family’s Hangzhou shops, was put in charge and had invited Zhejiang Educational Inspector Deng Xuesong to help entertain Wang Qibao.

When Shu Qing arrived, he assumed Pei Yan wanted to discuss visiting Wang Qibao. So when he heard Pei Yan ask him how young ladies in the inner quarters usually liked to pass their time, he thought Wang Qibao had taken a woman in Hangzhou and enthusiastically told Pei Yan: “Nothing more than listening to stories and playing grass-matching games. You could invite two female storytellers, or hire someone to sing ballads, or find a few people skilled at playing backgammon.”

Pei Yan thought for a moment and said: “In Zhaoming Temple, none of these would be quite appropriate, would they?”

Mainly, he felt that with Old Madam Pei here, if he invited two storytellers or ballad singers without offering them to the Old Madam first, it would certainly be improper. But if he offered them to the Old Madam, Yu Tang would have to accompany her, reading expressions and lacking freedom—not to mention probably having to suppress her own preferences. That would be worse than staying in her room reading books and painting a few pictures in comfort.

Shu Qing was somewhat dumbfounded, feeling he and Pei Yan were talking about different things.

He said: “Who exactly are you arranging entertainment for?”

Pei Yan said: “Miss Yu!” After saying this, he suddenly realized this made Yu Tang seem somewhat presumptuous, so he simply explained: “Didn’t Miss Yu faint? It’s not good to have her go to the dharma hall to hear sermons again, but just leaving her confined to the East Meditation Courtyard like a prisoner would also be quite uncomfortable. I’m thinking I should find something for her to do.”

The corners of Shu Qing’s mouth twitched, unsure what to say.

With all these pressing matters before them, Pei Yan actually had energy to spare worrying about how Miss Yu was faring? With this kind of effort, why not think carefully about what to say when meeting Wang Qibao?

Wang Qibao was no fool like Wei Sanfu—he had served the current Emperor since his days as a prince. Later when there was trouble in the palace, it was he who carried the Emperor on his back to escape from the inner palace to the Eastern Garden. When the Emperor was frightened and trusted no one, he entrusted the tiger tally to Wang Qibao… He had weathered great storms—ordinary people didn’t even register in his eyes.

Shu Qing couldn’t help but ask: “Did Miss Yu complain to you about something?”

“How is that possible?!” Pei Yan immediately refuted, saying: “That person—even when she has problems she says she’s fine. How could she possibly complain to me about these things? It’s just that I…”

Just that he what?

As Pei Yan spoke, he suddenly stopped.

Why exactly was he so concerned about Miss Yu?

Because she was pitiful? She had merely been frightened—there were plenty more pitiful than her. Why hadn’t he pitied others?

Because she was close to him? If Peng Shiyi could frighten Miss Yu, the other female guests were surely also affected. Speaking of closeness, the several nieces he frequently encountered when paying respects to the Old Madam were all closer to him than Miss Yu, weren’t they?

Was it because… she was beautiful?

Miss Yu was indeed an extremely beautiful young lady.

Like a flower.

People all love beauty.

So his particular concern for her was also perfectly natural, wasn’t it?

Pei Yan decided this must be the reason.

Beautiful people have advantages.

Like himself—from his student days straight through to entering government service, he had gained many advantages because of his good looks. To say nothing else, when his mentor had decided not to take any more disciples, upon seeing him and hearing him offer a few flattering remarks, his mentor immediately changed his mind. After testing his learning, he accepted him as his final disciple. Because of this, his second senior brother Jiang Hua had remarked several times—whether sincerely or not—that he had good fortune, that while others ate by their ancestors’ grace, he ate by his parents’ grace.

Pei Yan immediately felt justified.

He said: “Regardless, Miss Yu is a guest, and we must treat her well. I don’t want the Pei family criticized over these small matters.”

Shu Qing couldn’t help but grumble inwardly.

This year’s harvest wasn’t good either—everyone was worried about the autumn crops. Whose eyes would be fixed on these trivial matters!

However, he still understood Pei Yan fairly well.

Extremely concerned with face.

You couldn’t undermine his dignity.

Otherwise, though he might not say anything, he would remember it in his heart.

With such harmless small matters, it was best not to argue with him.

Shu Qing smiled in agreement and brought up Wang Qibao’s affairs: “Will you visit Wang Qibao in Hangzhou after the sermon assembly, or wait until matters here are concluded before going?”

Pei Yan also cast his small confusion aside. He said: “I’m planning to go tomorrow first. Then see what Wang Qibao says. While the heads of the major families are all here, we’ll work out a plan. Moreover, Wei Sanfu is coming—he should arrive at Suoxi Wharf tomorrow afternoon. I don’t want to see this person right now. I can conveniently avoid him.” Then he said to Shu Qing: “I’ll take Pei Man, Pei Qi, and Zhao Zhen to Hangzhou. You stay here to help my second brother maintain control. I think Wei Sanfu is mainly here to scout things out this time and shouldn’t deliberately cause trouble. You just need to keep him stable. Besides, there’s still Gu Chaoyang—I think he’s determined to take a position in the Six Ministries this time, which is why he schemed to come south. The one who least wants trouble is Gu Chaoyang. If necessary, join forces with Gu Chaoyang. He should readily agree.”

Then Shu Qing told him about Wei Sanfu’s background.

Pei Yan let it go in one ear and out the other, his mind returning to Yu Tang again.

He thought inviting a female teacher to help pass the time wasn’t impossible—it just depended on how to arrange it. And there was Old Madam Pei—when he went to pay his respects shortly, he should help say a few words for Miss Yu. Otherwise, with Miss Yu lying in her room all day without going out, the several old madams might think she was being too delicate, collapsing from such a minor illness.

He didn’t want Miss Yu, whom he had helped, to gain a bad reputation.

Pei Yan mentally drafted his words, thinking about which things he could say when he reached the Old Madam, which things he couldn’t say, which things required directness, which things needed circumlocution…

On Yu Tang’s side, Chen Shi was supervising her daughter taking medicine.

Seeing Yu Tang put down the bowl, Chen Shi quickly took it and handed it to Shuang Tao. From a small box in her hand, she took out a silk-spun candy and popped it into her daughter’s mouth. Smiling, she wiped her daughter’s mouth with a handkerchief before asking: “What did Third Master come to tell you?”

Yu Tang had already prepared her answer. Hearing this, she replied unhurriedly: “During the day, I actually didn’t suffer heatstroke—I was frightened.”

Chen Shi was greatly startled, but because her daughter was fine now, though frightened, she wasn’t too worried. Instead, she urged: “What happened? Why did you hide it even from me?”

Yu Tang chuckled and pulled out Peng Shiyi as the scapegoat: “He was too frightening—I was scared by him.”

“You timid thing!” Chen Shi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and lightly tapped Yu Tang’s nose.

Wrinkling her nose, Yu Tang playfully bantered with her mother for a while before saying: “The Old Madam knew as soon as she took my pulse. Third Master was afraid I might harbor worries, so he specially came to check on me.”

“Third Master is so thoughtful!” Chen Shi said emotionally, then brought up Yu Wen: “I haven’t dared to see him yet. Since you’re mostly recovered, tomorrow I’ll go see your father and tell him about this, so he doesn’t hear it from others and worry.”

Yu Tang smiled and nodded repeatedly.

The next day, she and Chen Shi went early in the morning without breakfast to thank Old Madam Pei.

Perhaps because the temple had been so lively these past few days, Old Madam Pei was very happy—she seemed even more spirited than usual.

Seeing Yu Tang arrive, she didn’t hold back and said with a smile: “Are you feeling better? I heard from Xiaguang that Peng Shiyi has been restricted in many places. I guess he’ll understand by today at the latest and take his leave early tomorrow morning. If you feel alright, continue going to the dharma hall to hear sermons as originally planned. If you haven’t fully recovered, rest in your room for a few days. The sermon assembly still has several days—you’ll definitely get to hear them.”

Yu Tang thanked the Old Madam for her kindness and decided to wait until after Peng Shiyi left before going out. She and Chen Shi took their leave, returning to their side room before the Second Madam Pei and the others arrived.

Miss Xu came alone for breakfast, saying: “First Madam Pei went to our place bright and early to visit Third Madam. Third Madam invited her for breakfast. So I came to mooch a meal from you.”

Yu Tang naturally welcomed her.

Miss Xu ate two vegetarian-filled buns by herself and even clamored to take some back: “Let the maids and matrons serving me have a taste too.”

Perhaps these buns weren’t made in large quantities—if she wanted more, someone would need to go to the kitchen early to get them.

And First Madam Pei was at Third Madam Yang’s quarters—she certainly couldn’t appear too “vulgar.”

Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips and had Shuang Tao go to the kitchen to request another portion. She joked: “If anyone spreads rumors that I eat like a cow, it will be entirely your fault.”

Miss Xu paid no mind, chuckling as she turned to speak with Chen Shi: “With me keeping A’Tang company here, and with Zhaoming Temple having rarely invited outside eminent monks to preach, you should go to the dharma hall to hear the sermons. You can also keep the old madams company.”

The several old madams of the Pei family all quite liked the beautiful and straightforward Chen Shi.

Chen Shi wasn’t trying to join the excitement, but Old Madam Pei had shown them kindness. If she could keep Old Madam Pei company, it would also be a way of thanking her on Yu Tang’s behalf—that would be good. Moreover, the Yu family still didn’t know about Yu Tang’s fainting. Yu Wen was a man and couldn’t easily come see their mother and daughter—she still needed to inform Yu Wen.

Yu Tang also felt that keeping her mother confined here with nothing to do would be quite lonely, so she and Miss Xu together encouraged her to go to the dharma hall to hear sermons.

Qing Yuan also said from the side that she would take good care of Yu Tang.

Seeing that everything here was properly arranged and thoroughly appropriate, Chen Shi didn’t insist. After breakfast, she gave Yu Tang lengthy instructions, then took Nanny Chen and headed to the dharma hall first.

Miss Xu immediately became like a monkey leaping free from Buddha’s palm, practically wanting to roll around the room, saying: “Now we can do whatever we want!”

This made Yu Tang and Qing Yuan laugh.

Qing Yuan even teased Miss Xu: “Who could possibly control you anyway?”

Miss Xu smiled gracefully and chatted with Qing Yuan about this and that when A’Ming came running in.

He said to Qing Yuan: “Third Master is calling for you.”