When Yu Wen walked into Yu Tang’s room, Yu Tang and Shuang Tao were placing some completed silk flowers into paper boxes. Seeing this, Yu Wen couldn’t help but smile, saying, “So you’ve been making these these past few days!” He walked over and picked up a half-finished silk flower to examine it carefully. “Made quite realistically.”
Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips, personally pouring her father a cup of tea, saying, “I heard Master Wu came over. Has he left? Are you looking for me about something?”
When Yu Wen came, he was fuming and had thought it quite simple, but upon seeing his daughter, he suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed, not knowing how to broach the subject.
Seeing this, Yu Tang dismissed Shuang Tao, then personally went to wash a plate of fruit and placed it before her father. She sat beside her father and slowly continued making silk flowers, giving her father time to speak.
After all this fussing, Yu Wen’s heart indeed felt more at ease. He considered his words carefully, saying, “A’Tiao, you’re not young anymore. Regarding your own marriage, do you have any plans?”
Yu Tang’s first reaction was to suspect that Master Wu’s visit this time was to arrange a marriage for her.
Without thinking, she said, “I want to marry someone I like myself.”
In her heart, some unease actually welled up.
This Pei Yan usually seemed quite steady—how could he be so unreliable at such a critical time?
Didn’t he say he would come to the house immediately to propose marriage? Until now there hadn’t been any sign of him.
Though she thought this in her heart, reason told her that Old Master Pei’s mourning period hadn’t yet passed. Perhaps he was preparing to come propose as soon as mourning ended. Waiting until Old Master Pei’s mourning period passed before having a matchmaker come to the door—this was also very normal. She shouldn’t blame him in her heart.
Yet Yu Tang had become anxious. She couldn’t help saying, “Master Wu came to our house—does he want to arrange a marriage for me? What kind of family is it? What did he say? And Mother? Why hasn’t she come over?”
Generally for such matters, even if Father knew first, Mother would be the one to speak with the daughter.
Yu Tang didn’t think too much of it. Her relationship with her father had always been closer than typical fathers and daughters—it was possible for Father to speak about it. It was just that she was currently rather resistant to such matters, so unconsciously she used Chen Shi as an excuse to delay.
She stretched her neck to look toward the doorway.
Yu Wen was startled by the questions, becoming aware of his own impropriety.
He hemmed and hawed for quite a while before finally saying, “Your mother is entertaining guests in the front. I had nothing to do, so I wanted to ask you. I only have you as my one daughter. Of course I hope everything everywhere goes smoothly and satisfyingly for you. Though children’s marriage matters are decided by parents, I also want you yourself to be satisfied and to live well.”
Yu Wen’s words were vague, but Yu Tang immediately realized that there was a divergence between her parents regarding her marriage.
Mother approved, while Father was actually the one who opposed it.
She couldn’t help saying, “Father, what happened? Why is Mother entertaining guests in the front? Is it that you and Mother…”
She said this much, her eyes gleaming as she looked toward her father, earnestness revealing some worry.
Yu Wen’s heart immediately softened, thinking that such a good young lady, whom he had raised in his palm, how could he let her marry into the Pei family to watch the Pei family’s expressions and be ordered around by Pei family people?
His courage immediately doubled. To protect his daughter from being bullied, he said solemnly, “A’Tiao, I’m planning to keep you at home and take in a son-in-law. What do you think?”
Whether to take in a son-in-law or marry out had long been an old refrain in the Yu family, but Yu Wen had never been this definite before.
Yu Tang was anxious and fretful, only wanting to know what had happened.
But Yu Wen had already made up his mind. He waved at Yu Tang, stood up saying, “You just stay well at home. As for outside matters, I’ll make the decisions for you,” and quickly left Yu Tang’s room.
Yu Tang chased after him.
But Yu Wen told her to return to her room: “Your mother and I still have some words to say. You just stay in your room.”
Yu Tang couldn’t insist. After Yu Wen left, she immediately summoned Shuang Tao: “Go find out what happened in the front.”
Shuang Tao had gone to see Wang Si herself, not only understanding Wang Si’s character better but also settling marriage details with him. Her heart was currently joyful, and she had full enthusiasm for whatever she did. Hearing this, she immediately answered with a crisp “Yes” and ran off like a streak.
Yu Tang waited anxiously in her room.
Yu Wen, with an appearance of burning his boats, entered the great hall with a darkened face and discovered Master Wu had already left. Wang Shi and Xiang Shi holding a child had come at some point and, together with Yu Bo and Yu Yuan, were laughingly surrounding Chen Shi discussing Yu Tang’s marriage.
“She’s been plump and fair since childhood, with a pair of eyes like two crystals, round and bright—so clever. I thought, this child is blessed. Sure enough, I guessed right. Our A’Tiao can actually marry Third Master of the Pei family. That’s a Scholar Master! And so handsome—you couldn’t find a second one in all of Lin’an.” Wang Shi sighed there.
Xiang Shi was sincerely happy for Yu Tang and naturally had to speak along with her mother-in-law: “Exactly! When I was in Fuyang before, I’d already heard of the Pei family. Having money is secondary—mainly their family conduct is good! They don’t take concubines or keep outer chambers. Their descendants are motivated, constantly having people pass the scholar examination or provincial examination. Our A’Tiao has truly landed on a phoenix tree.”
“I didn’t expect it either.” Chen Shi smiled. “I was wondering if she had gained the favor of the Old Lady. Last time at Zhaoming Temple, I felt that Old Lady Pei seemed especially fond of our A’Tiao. Even I benefited from it—not only sitting together with Old Lady Pei and them, but when A’Tiao had heatstroke, Old Lady Pei personally inquired and had a close servant woman send ginseng to make medicinal pills. Thinking of it this way, when our A’Tiao marries over, at least her mother-in-law likes her. Life will be easier.”
Yu Wen, hearing this, nearly fell over in anger. He burst in saying, “What part of my daughter Yu Wen is inferior to others? Why should she curry favor with Old Lady Pei? I don’t agree to this marriage alliance…”
Everyone was startled into silence.
Seeing this, Yu Wen felt somewhat better.
Who knew that Yu Bo, who usually showed his younger brother great respect, darkened his face, stepped forward several paces and pushed him aside. As if he hadn’t heard what he’d said at all, he directly said to Chen Shi, “Whether Old Lady Pei likes A’Tiao or not is secondary—what matters is Third Master Pei’s side. He must like A’Tiao. Otherwise Second Master Pei wouldn’t have personally come forward about this matter. I think our side must prepare properly. When the Pei family’s matchmaker comes to the door, we can’t be too shabby.” As he spoke, he looked around several times, then continued, “The visitors won’t go elsewhere, but we can’t be too obvious either. This courtyard and reception hall need dusting, then the flowers and plants in the courtyard also need trimming. If we really don’t know what to do, go outside the city to hire a gardener to come, and add some flowers and trees to the house. Also the flower vases on the long table—they’re too common and ordinary. I remember Second Brother has some treasured ones in his study. Take them all out then and see if any are suitable. If not, go buy some back…”
He gave detailed instructions. Yu Yuan nodded repeatedly, also saying, “Leave this matter to me! Yao San came back a few days ago and invited me to drink together. His business has been getting better and better these past few years. He often delivers goods to some wealthy households in Hangzhou city—he’s well-informed. I’ll have him help give advice.”
Xiang Shi, while bouncing the child, urgently cautioned him, “Giving advice is fine, but don’t mix beans with pockmarks and tell him everything. Third Master Pei hasn’t yet left mourning, and the matchmaker hasn’t come to the door. Don’t let us make it known to everyone when there isn’t even a fraction accomplished. If the Pei family people knew, they’d think our household head isn’t steady and doesn’t look like someone who can accomplish great things. After A’Tiao marries into the Pei family in the future, she’ll be looked down upon.”
Wang Shi felt Xiang Shi’s bouncing technique was too forceful. She stepped forward to take the child from Xiang Shi’s hands, saying, “A’Yuan’s wife is right. If we’re going to tidy the courtyard, we must do it early. This way when the flowers and trees grow up, they’ll look like they belong to the house, avoiding others seeing they’re newly planted and making our family seem to lack foundation.”
Chen Shi nodded repeatedly and even called Chen Pozi over, saying, “Remember everything. If I forget, remember to remind me.”
Chen Pozi originally didn’t know what had happened. When Yu Wen and Master Wu started arguing, everyone in the household learned of this matter. She thought more simply than Chen Shi, feeling that their young lady had simply hit the jackpot. The Yu family would be prosperous from now on. Even they as servants, when they went out in the future, would be envied by everyone. She was even happier than Chen Shi.
Her face smiled like a blooming flower. She repeatedly agreed and even said, “Grand Madam, Madam, then regarding Miss’s side, should we add a few new winter garments? There are only those few famous tailors in Lin’an. If we don’t book now, I fear it will be too late. If I remember correctly, Old Master Pei will finish mourning in mid-September.”
After mourning ended, this marriage alliance would proceed with great fanfare.
Chen Shi said repeatedly, “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten this matter…”
“No need!” Wang Shi nearby interrupted Chen Shi’s words, saying, “A’Tiao’s clothes should be made in Hangzhou city. She’ll have to interact with families like the Song and Qian families in the future. The clothes don’t need to be many, but each piece must be presentable. No matter how good Lin’an’s tailors are, they can’t compare to Hangzhou tailors.”
Yu Bo made the decision: “This matter is settled thus. The clothes matter will be handed to A’Yuan’s wife. She’s young and knows what styles are popular now. As for the silver, we’ll advance it from my shop first and keep an account, so we’ll know later how much was spent.”
“Thank you, Elder Uncle!” Chen Shi didn’t pretend to be wealthy beyond her means, and such matters couldn’t be faked anyway.
She gratefully curtsied to Yu Bo.
No one heeded Yu Wen’s fury.
Yu Wen angrily stepped right onto the armchair in the reception hall, shouting at his elder brother and sister-in-law, “I don’t agree to this marriage alliance! I don’t agree!”
This was just discussing the marriage, yet for the sake of accommodating the Pei family, their household already seemed ready to empty its coffers. If they truly became in-laws with the Pei family, would their household stop living? Would they rack their brains like this every festival and holiday to give A’Tiao face?
Yu Wen shouted, “Where is Brother Wu? What did he go do? Did he go reply to the Pei family?”
As he asked this, he immediately jumped down from the armchair and took off running outside in pursuit.
Their family was a scholarly household—they had to keep their word.
He could oppose this marriage alliance, but he couldn’t let Master Wu go reply to the Pei family’s people and then oppose this marriage alliance afterward.
Going back on one’s word—what kind of family would the Yu household become?