Pei Yan naturally knew.
He not only knew, this tea was even selected with Qing Yuan’s help—the finest pre-Qingming Dragon Well, tribute quality.
It was just that he didn’t like drinking West Lake Dragon Well.
But he also wasn’t someone who wronged himself.
If it were normally, he might have said so directly.
But just now he had seen Yu Tang and promised her he would have restraint. These words couldn’t be said the way he usually would.
He smiled: “Just looking at the tea liquor, one can tell it’s good tea. However, I prefer rock tea. What kind of tea do you like? Rock tea is best in autumn. I have friends in Fujian whose family grows tea. When the time comes, I’ll get some excellent rock tea to send you to try and see if you like it.” He also said: “My second brother’s favorite is Biluochun and Maojian. Every year our family buys some excellent Biluochun and Maojian. I came in a hurry today and couldn’t bring you any. When I return later, I’ll have them send some over for you to try. Tasting tea is like drinking wine—trying each variety is what makes it interesting.”
Yu Tang, leaning against the back wall window frame eavesdropping, broke out in a cold sweat.
This Pei Yan—could he speak properly or not? It was just tea. If he liked drinking it, drink more; if he didn’t like it, drink less. Why did he have to emphasize what tea he liked to drink?
It wasn’t like he was an incoming son-in-law who would live with his father-in-law daily in the future. Some things were better left unsaid clearly.
Yu Tang feared her father would get angry. She stood on tiptoes to peek inside quietly, but forgot that due to the hot weather, a cross-breeze blew through the study. The faint elegant fragrance on her body might not be noticed by others, but for Pei Yan whose nose was particularly sensitive, he immediately detected it.
He shifted his body slightly and indeed saw Yu Tang’s jet-black head.
What was she doing here?
Worried he would offend Yu Wen and cause complications for their marriage?
She really underestimated him.
Pei Yan sneered inwardly, but didn’t know why—his heart wasn’t the least bit opposed, and even felt delighted.
Could it be the saying “you can’t command your own people, but ghosts come running when called”?
Pei Yan questioned his life.
But Yu Wen’s face lit up with joy.
Good tea was hard to come by—sometimes money couldn’t even buy it.
What Pei Yan said made Yu Wen very tempted.
He smiled: “Excellent! Then I’ll wait to taste your good tea.”
Before his words had even finished falling, he fell into deep self-reproach.
He had agreed to call Pei Yan over to give him attitude—how had he been led by the nose by Pei Yan the moment they met?
This wouldn’t do! If this continued, how could he support his daughter?
Yu Wen immediately put on a stern face, coughed lightly with some discomfort, then said: “I called you here this time because I have several matters I want to ask you about.”
Pei Yan sat upright and solemnly said “Please speak.”
Yu Wen then said: “You also know our family has only one daughter. Fearing she’ll suffer grievances, we originally wanted to keep her at home. If you marry our family’s daughter but then let her suffer grievances, our family won’t accept it. I want to ask you, if our family’s daughter doesn’t adapt well in your family, what do you plan to do?”
What could he do? Naturally work hard to adapt!
Pei Yan was a bit confused.
He knew the Yu family valued Yu Tang—otherwise they wouldn’t have let her read and write. After seeing Yu Tang, he had guessed that Yu Wen calling him over should be to have him promise to treat Yu Tang well in the future, and might also make some demands regarding betrothal gifts or dowry—for instance, having the Pei family’s betrothal gifts rewritten into the dowry list after they were sent over, or stipulating that the dowry would follow Yu Tang and even her children couldn’t casually touch it. He hadn’t expected Yu Wen to ask this.
Fortunately, when he had previously considered marriage with Yu Tang, he had carefully thought about this question. Hearing this, he only froze for a few breaths, then sincerely said: “That would depend on Miss Yu’s intentions.”
Whether it was Yu Wen sitting in the study or Yu Tang standing outside it, both were very surprised. Both pricked up their ears to listen, and Yu Wen even pressed further: “How do you mean?”
Pei Yan said: “Even upper teeth sometimes fight with lower teeth. Miss Yu is a clever person. If she retreats at the first sign of trouble, small matters will become big matters. But as long as Miss Yu is willing, I will definitely stand on her side. If she’s in the wrong, that should also be something we two discuss privately—we can’t let outsiders see and laugh at us.”
As for other matters, he didn’t say a single word.
Some things, some people—no matter how well you speak, it’s useless. Only through interaction and experience will you know.
He was willing to learn from Fei Zhiwen, but Yu Tang also had to be like Madam Fei.
Hearing this, Yu Wen’s suspended heart finally completely settled down.
The world valued promises, especially from people like Pei Yan.
As long as he could fulfill his promise, Yu Wen felt Yu Tang’s marriage alliance wouldn’t be too bad.
He couldn’t help saying earnestly: “A’Tiao and you live in different places. At the beginning, she’ll definitely have many things she doesn’t understand. You must patiently teach her. So I’ll say the ugly words up front—if you lose this patience with her, you two need not force yourselves to stay together. No matter how poor the Yu family is, we don’t lack one mouth to feed A’Tiao.”
If it truly came to that day, the child couldn’t possibly be brought back.
At best, they could bring a daughter back to raise for a few years. When it came time to formally arrange marriage and have her marry out, she’d still have to be sent back, and people couldn’t be allowed to know.
Yu Wen sighed deeply.
Pei Yan thought of Yu Tang’s stepmother-like expression before he came, and simply took the initiative to refill Yu Wen’s tea, saying: “Uncle, A’Tiao is no worse than anyone. Even if you don’t believe in yourself, you must believe in my judgment. I won’t misjudge people!”
Yu Wen liked hearing this.
The resentment in Yu Tang’s heart that Pei Yan had stirred up earlier also dissipated with these words.
She smiled and continued eavesdropping.
Yu Wen nodded emotionally.
Pei Yan then took the opportunity to consult Yu Wen about the betrothal: “According to my family’s intention, we’ll first exchange betrothal documents. After the mourning period ends, we’ll formally set the date and complete the marriage before the first of the tenth month. This way, my nephew Pei Tong can also marry before the year’s end. Do you think this works? Or what do you think would be better? I’ll go back and discuss with my second brother and mother, then come up with a plan for your review.”
His attitude was extremely proper and respectful.
Yu Wen felt this was the proper attitude toward a father-in-law. Thinking that previously he and Pei Yan were just fellow townsmen and Pei Yan naturally had a different manner before him, he suddenly felt Pei Yan also had it quite difficult—changing from peer to junior, yet Pei Yan could still lower his head before him. This showed sincerity.
He felt he should also show sincerity, so he said: “This arrangement is quite good. You’re not young anymore, and there are juniors behind you. Marrying early—our family has no objections. It’s just that the wedding date must be carefully selected. I was thinking, should we ask the abbot of Zhaoming Temple to help select a date?”
Pei Yan was very astute, feeling this was just like flattering his teacher Minister Zhang. Once you figured it out, it was simple.
“Then I’ll go to Zhaoming Temple shortly and ask Master Huikong to help select several dates for you to choose from,” he immediately said. “See if there’s anything else that needs attention. I don’t understand these things very well and am counting on you to guide me.”
Yu Wen was a fairly well-known scholar in Lin’an. With his easygoing and generous nature, he had good connections and was often asked to serve as ceremony host. He was very familiar with the customs of weddings and funerals.
Since he had decided to let Pei Yan off the hook, he naturally wouldn’t make excessive demands, saying: “Just these things, no other requirements.”
Pei Yan secretly breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling it was safer to continue consolidating this hard-won good impression. He simply said: “Then when sending the betrothal gifts, are there any other requirements?”
Yu Wen said: “None!”
He wasn’t coveting the Pei family’s betrothal gifts. He planned that no matter how much the Pei family sent in betrothal gifts, he would write it all back into the dowry for his daughter.
Pei Yan thought of when Gu Chang and the Yin family arranged their betrothal, saying: “That’s good. After mourning ends, I’ll personally go to the mountains to hunt a pair of wild geese.”
Naturally wild geese should be sent for a betrothal, but wild geese were hard to find now and might not be obtainable.
That Pei Yan was so thoughtful made Yu Wen even more satisfied. The two chatted about various matters, and the atmosphere was quite good.
Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips, thinking that although this fellow often said shocking things, at critical moments he was quite reliable—someone who could be entrusted.
She didn’t stand there feeding the little insects anymore and went with Shuang Tao to the front hall.
She happened to run into Master Wu returning from meeting with Pei Xuan, sweating profusely from the heat, gulping down tea.
Seeing Yu Tang, his eyes lit up, then narrowed into slits as he smiled, saying joyfully: “Miss, congratulations! When you return to your natal home in the future, remember to visit your Uncle Wu’s house to see your Aunt Wu.”
Previously, for Yu Tang’s marriage, she had worried herself sick, coming every few days to discuss suitable families with Chen Shi.
Yu Tang generously performed a courtesy to Master Wu and expressed thanks.
Master Wu laughed heartily, feeling all his fatigue had vanished. He turned to Chen Shi saying: “Once Second Master Pei has selected an auspicious date, he’ll send someone to collect the young lady’s betrothal document to offer at the temple to see if it’s suitable. If not suitable, they’ll have to think about asking someone to perform a resolution ceremony. During this time you’ll need to prepare the young lady’s dowry. These matters are both trivial and grinding. I’ll have my wife come help too. If anything is lacking, go look in our family’s storeroom. When there’s an opportunity later, just return it to our family.”
Chen Shi repeatedly declined.
But Master Wu said: “The young lady is not young anymore, and Third Master Pei can wait even less. I think once this marriage alliance is settled, the Pei family will come to claim the person very quickly. You also need time to prepare the small things for marrying out. In this matter, don’t be polite with me. When our family lacks something in the future, you must also open your storeroom as readily as I do.”
When all was said and done, he was still concerned the Yu family lacked money.
Chen Shi also wanted to give her daughter a respectable marriage and didn’t refuse stubbornly anymore, instead smiling: “Then I’ll first discuss with our master.”
Master Wu didn’t need to push further. Smiling, he agreed and asked: “Why haven’t I seen Hui Li? He’s not still angry, is he? I don’t have anything else later—I’ll go persuade him.”
Chen Shi’s smile was awkward. She hemmed and hawed, not knowing what to say. It was Wang Shi who was more straightforward: “Our young uncle is talking with Third Master of the Pei family in the study right now!”
“With Third Master Pei?” Master Wu was dumbstruck.
Chen Shi then told Master Wu about Yu Wen calling Pei Yan over to talk.
Master Wu thought of Pei Yan’s cold, indifferent face and his heart pounded. He stood up and headed toward the study: “I’ll go see, and while I’m at it, ask Hui Li for a cup of tea to drink!”