After maneuvering Old Madam Pei, Pei Yan strode away, yet still felt uneasy. He called Qing Yuan over and quietly instructed her, “I hear Fourth Madam Song has been constantly accompanying Mother. When you have time, why not pass word to Fourth Madam Song’s people that I’ve returned and the Old Madam is discussing my marriage with me.”
Those families wanting to form marriage alliances with the Pei family would certainly be anxious, and someone would surely provoke Old Madam Pei’s displeasure.
Qing Yuan understood. Fourth Madam Song soon received the news.
She began visiting Old Madam Pei even more frequently.
Old Madam Pei, looking at her overly solicitous face, couldn’t help shaking her head inwardly.
Before Fourth Madam Song married out, she too had been her parents’ treasured pearl—a pure, innocent maiden. After marrying into the Song family and becoming the clan matriarch, she’d instead become like this.
She couldn’t help saying, “Xiaguang will manage the family business in the future and can no longer be an official. I’m afraid this will disappoint your natal family.”
Fourth Madam Song had been working on Old Madam Pei these past days, finally waiting for her to speak, and with kindly tones at that. She couldn’t help feeling somewhat excited, and her words lost their usual caution: “Look at what you’re saying! Just based on Third Uncle’s abilities, even if he doesn’t become an official, he’s still someone who can make all of Jiangnan tremble with a stomp of his foot. Besides, there’s still Second Uncle and the eldest young master in the family. You just wait to enjoy your blessings.”
Was there no one who valued their Xiaguang as a person!
Pei Yan’s words began fermenting in Old Madam Pei’s heart.
Perhaps Xiaguang was the one who saw most clearly.
Old Madam Pei sighed, recalling Yu Tang’s face—gentle when not smiling, radiant when smiling.
At least it was pleasing to look at and comforting to the heart.
She called her youngest son over: “We’ll send the betrothal gifts after the Mid-Autumn Festival!”
Pei Yan hadn’t expected things to progress so smoothly. Unable to suppress his joy, his eyes and brows showed his smile. He gave Old Madam Pei a deep bow, ingratiatingly saying, “A’Tang and I will certainly be very filial to you in the future.”
This daughter-in-law wasn’t even secured yet, and he was already protective!
Old Madam Pei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She deliberately chided, “So if I didn’t agree to this match, you’d dare be unfilial to me?”
When Pei Yan wanted to please someone, it was impossible for them not to be charmed.
He sat down beside Old Madam Pei with a grin, casually picking up a shoulder massager to massage her shoulders: “Of course I’d still be filial to you even without agreeing to this match! I’d marry whoever you liked—you can be assured of that. But sometimes thinking about it, I feel you’re being partial—eldest brother married someone he liked, second brother also met several prospects before his marriage. Why can’t I make my own decisions when it comes to me? Besides, I’m not like eldest brother with no eye for people, nor like second brother with no opinions of my own. If I chose someone and you felt uneasy about it, how upset I’d be in my heart!”
Not a word about him liking Yu Tang.
Old Madam Pei was led astray by her son all the way, yet felt his words made perfect sense.
From when he was small, she and the old master had let him choose his own serving maids and manservants. If at his marriage he was instead suspected of poor judgment in people, even if the match he fancied was good, if he felt awkward about it, they’d probably become a resentful couple.
It was rare for her son to act spoiled beside her like this. Old Madam Pei was very happy, growing increasingly lenient toward her son, increasingly heartbroken for him, and increasingly felt he had it hard.
She gently patted her son’s hand, smiling, “Mother knows. From now on, you and Miss Yu live well together and give me a chubby grandson soon.”
Speaking of this, she suddenly recalled Pei Tong’s marriage and hastily called Aunt Chen in: “Has a wedding date been set for the eldest young master?”
Since her youngest son’s marriage had prospects, they couldn’t very well let the nephew marry before his uncle, could they?
Aunt Chen couldn’t help looking at Pei Yan with some trepidation: “The First Madam hasn’t yet settled on a specific plan. I hear the dowry list from the Gu family hasn’t been sent over yet.”
Old Madam Pei frowned upon hearing this: “What happened with the Gu family?”
Seeing Pei Yan’s detached attitude, Aunt Chen knew he hadn’t taken Pei Tong’s marriage to heart, so she grew bolder: “The Gu family says that the furniture originally prepared for Miss Gu was partially burned in the fire that year. Since it was all made of the finest huanghuali wood, it’s difficult to replace quickly. Later the Gu family felt sixty-four trunks of dowry would be sufficient and didn’t add more. Now that Miss Gu is marrying our household’s eldest young master, sixty-four trunks definitely won’t do, so they’re rushing to make furniture and don’t know how to write the dowry list.”
Gu Xi had once been betrothed to Li Duan. In the Gu family’s eyes, sixty-four trunks of dowry was sufficient.
Thinking this way, Old Madam Pei felt Yu Tang was better.
At least there weren’t so many vexing matters.
But this matter also reminded her. She dismissed Aunt Chen and quietly told Pei Yan, “I imagine the Yu family also hasn’t prepared that much dowry. For the marriage with the Yu family, we’d best give them advance notice early.”
The Yu family had previously planned to take in a son-in-law. Even if they’d prepared sixty-four trunks of dowry to keep up appearances, they might not truly have that many accompanying gifts.
She couldn’t very well let her nephew’s wife be shown up, could she!
Pei Yan truly hadn’t thought carefully about this matter. He felt as long as Yu Tang could marry him, that was enough. As for the rest, once she became his wife, how could he let her lack for anything?
His mind turned quickly. Hearing Old Madam Pei’s words, he thought about getting Yu Tang some personal silver. He put on a confused expression: “Then what should we do? Should we cover her dowry? But I have no sisters, and you haven’t accumulated any dowry for daughters. Huanghuali wood is hard to find—we’re in a difficult position, aren’t we?”
Old Madam Pei looked at her son and smiled bitterly: “What’s the use of reading so many books? When encountering these inner household matters, every one of you becomes a fool.”
However, fools had their advantages—at least they wouldn’t come up with vexing ideas or do vexing things.
“Just leave this matter to me!” Old Madam Pei said. “You just set the wedding dates for you and Pei Tong. Best if they’re one after the other. If there’s truly not enough time, a few days apart will do. In any case, we’ll hold a lively celebration.”
The Pei family had had some difficult years recently—this could bring them good fortune too.
Pei Yan nodded repeatedly. But after leaving Old Madam Pei’s quarters, he grew anxious.
If his and Pei Tong’s wedding dates weren’t far apart, he really had to concern himself with Yu Tang’s dowry.
He couldn’t let Yu Tang face criticism her whole life, could he?
The more Pei Yan thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.
He felt Hu Xing had talent in this area and summoned him to his study to discuss.
Hearing that Old Madam Pei had relented, Hu Xing immediately felt boundless admiration for Pei Yan.
Look at that—this was someone who accomplished great things. Whatever he wanted, he could obtain. Whether women, family business, or official career.
If before he’d served Pei Yan out of hierarchical obligation, from now on he was thoroughly convinced and willing.
“Why don’t you go sound out the Yu family first?” Involving the future mistress’s dignity, Hu Xing decided it was better for Pei Yan to go himself. “That way we’ll know what the Yu family can’t prepare in time.” He also deflected responsibility: “Women are different from men—at their in-laws’ they compete for their natal family’s prestige, at their natal home they compete for their in-laws’ prestige. The fewer people who know about dowry matters, the better.”
Pei Yan understood.
He just happened to not have seen Yu Tang for several days—this could serve as an excuse to see that dead girl.
She’d actually left him alone at the Yu family’s old residence. When he saw her shortly, he’d see how he’d deal with her.
Pei Yan returned to his room to change clothes and went to the Yu household with A’Ming.
Yu Wen was at home discussing with Old Master Wu how to invest in Jiangchao’s business.
“I hear next month on the seventh the ship can dock at Ningbo port. We can finally hold our heads high and have a proper Dragon Boat Festival.” Old Master Wu sighed emotionally. “Huili, you’re truly blessed! These past two years following you, I’ve made quite a bit of money. Thanks to your regard for me, you’ve invited me to invest in Jiangchao’s shipping business this time. I feel I’ve met a benefactor and am about to get rich.”
Yu Wen laughed heartily: “I should be saying this. If not for Elder Brother Wu, how could I have bought the Li family’s hereditary fields, and how could I have thought to do business with Jiangchao?”
The two men complimented each other for a while, deciding to partner in business again this time. But they needed to visit Pei Yan—first to ask how to invest this share, and second to thank Pei Yan for giving them this opportunity.
Just then they heard Pei Yan had come. Delighted beyond measure, they rushed out to welcome him.
Pei Yan thought that in the future Yu Wen would be his father-in-law, so he didn’t dare put on airs. He courteously performed greetings with Yu Wen and Old Master Wu, then was accompanied by them to the study.
Shuang Tao came to serve tea and set out refreshments, then withdrew.
Yu Wen pulled him into discussing the Suzhou city business.
Forget seeing Yu Tang—Pei Yan hadn’t even gotten to speak with Shuang Tao.
Only then did he realize he’d miscalculated.
To see Yu Tang, he still needed to arrange a private meeting.
Pei Yan grew somewhat restless and wanted to leave. But Yu Wen and Old Master Wu felt the opportunity was rare—not only wouldn’t they let him go, Old Master Wu simply ran all the way home, dug up two jars of the fifty-year-old maiden’s wine buried under the parasol tree in their back courtyard for his daughter’s marriage, and returned to the Yu household carrying the jars.
Not only could he not leave, he was plied with a jar of maiden’s wine by Yu Wen and Old Master Wu, nearly passing out at the Yu household.
Pei Yan was quite depressed. Leaning on the daybed in his family’s water pavilion drinking sobering soup, he asked Hu Xing, “Any movement from the Old Madam?”
His mother had quite a few treasures.
Money couldn’t buy them.
Giving Yu Tang one or two pieces would be enough to give her great face.
But Yu Tang didn’t seem as satisfied with this match as he was. Otherwise, how could she know he was drinking at her home and not find an excuse to come see him, instead allowing him to be plied with wine by Yu Wen?
Pei Yan was somewhat displeased.
Hu Xing had also been quietly monitoring Old Madam Pei. Hearing this, he smiled: “The Old Madam has been organizing her storerooms these past couple of days!”
Pei Yan nodded slightly, not particularly pleased.
Hu Xing’s eyes darted around as he speculated, “You went to the Yu household but didn’t see Miss Yu?”
Pei Yan was displeased.
Hu Xing knew he’d guessed correctly and immediately said, “The Yu household is also a family with proper rules. When you had no plans to form a marriage alliance with the Yu family, it was one thing, but since you’ve decided to ally with the Yu family, the Yu family definitely won’t let Miss Yu see you. Please rest easy—after some days pass and the two families formally exchange betrothal gifts, Miss Yu won’t deliberately avoid you anymore.”
Pei Yan froze on the spot.
He… he seemed to not yet have mentioned the marriage alliance to anyone in the Yu family… The Yu family still didn’t know about this matter…