Regardless of how indignant the Pei family members felt, this was a matter between the Yang family and the Yan family. The next day, Miss Yang packed her luggage and returned to the capital.
Yu Tang asked her to help bring some local gifts to Miss Xu. Miss Yang readily agreed. However, Pei Yan felt it wasn’t quite appropriate and said, “In a few days I’ll send someone to deliver congratulatory gifts to Yin Mingyuan. Your things can go with mine. The Yang family’s situation is very complicated, and Miss Xu may not necessarily wish to befriend Miss Yang.”
Since she wasn’t clear about the old grievances between these aristocratic families, it was naturally best to listen to Pei Yan. Pei Yan took her to the flower garden behind the mountain, introducing the various flowering trees in the household while telling her about the Yang family’s affairs: “…in the capital they can only be considered minor officials, so they have no choice but to have their wives and daughters socialize more with those hereditary official families. The Yan family is similar to them, but I’ve heard that the Yan family’s son is quite studious and probably doesn’t want to settle down so early—he wants to seek a better marriage match.”
Put this way, her finding Miss Yang to deliver things to Miss Xu was indeed rather inappropriate.
Pei Yan looked at her with a smiling gaze that seemed profound yet carried a hint of burning intensity, making Yu Tang blush involuntarily. She softly responded with a “yes.”
When Miss Yang learned of this, she couldn’t help feeling regretful. For some unknown reason, when leaving she actually said to Yu Tang, “Actually, I’m quite close with the Third Miss from the Grand Madam’s natal family. Back then, the eldest young master of the Pei family and the Third Miss of the Yang family were as close as honey mixed with oil—we all envied them terribly. Who would have thought that not long after the Third Miss Yang passed away, the eldest young master of the Pei manor became engaged to the Gu family’s young lady. You can see that men…” As she spoke, she even shook her head.
Yu Tang naturally had to defend the Pei family. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “Miss Yang, watch your words! The Third Miss Yang has already passed away. She and the eldest young master of the Pei manor were cousins who grew up together since childhood, so their relationship was certainly close. But the way you’re talking, it sounds as if they had some private affair. Not only is this bad for the eldest young master of the Pei manor’s reputation, it’s also not good for the Third Miss Yang. Since you say the Third Miss Yang had a very good relationship with you before, you especially shouldn’t believe such unreliable gossip.”
Miss Yang’s face turned red with embarrassment, and she quickly got into her carriage and left.
Several of the Pei family young ladies gathered around, asking what Miss Yang had said to her when leaving.
Yu Tang smiled and said, “Nothing much, she just asked about Miss Xu and me.”
The Xu family was also among the top-ranking families in the current dynasty, so it was quite normal for Miss Yang to want to curry favor with Miss Xu. The Pei young ladies didn’t ask further and pulled Yu Tang to ask, “When will you finish organizing those accounts? We want to have a barbecue together during the Dragon Boat Festival, and we want you to join us!”
Yu Tang felt embarrassed.
These past few days she’d only been occupied with playing with Pei Yan, and not only did she still have a large pile of account books left, she’d also left the Pei young ladies behind.
Moreover, she had already made plans with Pei Yan…
What should she do when the time came?
Yu Tang felt a headache coming on.
She decided to throw this matter to Pei Yan.
After all, he had plenty of ideas, and going to Tiaoxitang during the Dragon Boat Festival while abandoning the others was his suggestion in the first place.
Whoever suggested it was responsible for it.
Thinking about this, Yu Tang couldn’t help but smile with her lips pressed together.
Fourth Miss Pei asked curiously, “Sister Yu, what are you smiling about? You’re smiling so sweetly!”
“Nothing, nothing!” Yu Tang inexplicably felt guilty, but still couldn’t bear to let Pei Yan face it alone. She said, “I don’t know when I’ll finish those account books either. We’ll just have to see how things are at the time and make plans then.”
Fourth Miss sighed.
Old Madam Pei had someone bring over several griddle cakes, saying they were made by Ku’an Temple. She had tasted them and found them delicious, so she had someone learn how to make them.
Fifth Miss Pei cheered, “I thought they were delicious that day but didn’t feel comfortable asking for more. Today, thanks to Sister Yu’s good fortune, we get to eat them again.”
Fourth Miss wasn’t to be outdone and ran over to sit together with Fifth Miss.
Third Miss glanced at Yu Tang and for the first time didn’t join Fourth and Fifth Miss in their excitement.
Only Second Miss still looked preoccupied and didn’t pay much attention to the scene around Yu Tang.
She had breakfast with Yu Tang and the others, then went to pay respects to Old Madam Pei.
At Old Madam Pei’s quarters, they encountered Second Madam who had just arrived from Lin’an City.
Fifth Miss threw herself into her mother’s arms with girlish affection.
Second Madam smiled and stroked her daughter’s black hair, greeted Yu Tang, and continued talking with Old Madam Pei: “The Gu family has already sent over the invitation. The wedding date is set for September 26th. They say that after the marriage, it will be good to go to the capital with Minister Gu sooner to take up residence there.”
Old Master Pei would complete his mourning period on the tenth day of the ninth month, so the Pei family’s female relatives would be just in time to attend Gu Chang’s wedding.
Was Gu Chang’s wedding date a coincidence or intentionally arranged?
But at that time, Second Madam and Second Master’s family would also be rushing to the capital. Adding to this, Grand Madam was widowed and Pei Yan’s marriage needed formal betrothal gifts sent—which people would attend Gu Chang’s wedding became a matter requiring Old Madam Pei’s decision.
The several Pei young ladies looked at each other, communicating with their eyes.
Old Madam Pei took the wedding invitation from Second Madam’s hand and looked at it for quite a while before passing it to Nanny Chen, saying, “I’ll discuss this matter with Xiaguang first before making a decision!”
It mainly involved Pei Yan’s wedding as well.
Second Madam listened and imperceptibly glanced at Yu Tang, smiling as she agreed, then went to her own courtyard to change clothes, leaving the young ladies there to keep Old Madam company in conversation.
After the group chattered for a while, Yu Tang, thinking about her account books, got up to take her leave early.
Old Madam Pei didn’t keep her and had the Pei young ladies accompany her in playing leaf cards.
In the afternoon, while the Pei young ladies were accompanying Old Madam Pei listening to the female teacher tell stories, Pei Yan ran to the covered corridor to keep Yu Tang company while she worked on the accounts.
The two inevitably discussed the Dragon Boat Festival matter.
After Pei Yan somewhat unhappily scolded the Pei young ladies for “nonsense” with a stern face, just as Yu Tang had expected, he took on the entire responsibility for the matter, telling Yu Tang not to worry about the Dragon Boat Festival anymore.
Several days passed like this. Yu Tang went through the account books once, and Old Madam Pei called her over for questioning, asking what she had noticed from these account books.
Yu Tang naturally didn’t dare say that the amounts in the account books were different from market prices. She only picked what she could say: “I didn’t discover anything done incorrectly, just that the manor’s New Year festival gifts increase year after year.”
Old Madam Pei nodded repeatedly after hearing this and asked with eyes full of hope, “Are you interested in learning the art of calculation with me?”
What was that?
Yu Tang was somewhat confused.
Old Madam Pei then explained at length.
Yu Tang listened in a daze, but seeing that Old Madam Pei thought she had this talent and looked so enthusiastic and eager, she figured she could treat it as filial piety to Old Madam Pei, keeping the old lady company—the only difference being that Old Madam Pei’s hobby was different from others’.
“I’m just afraid I won’t learn it well!” Yu Tang said modestly.
“It’s fine,” Old Madam Pei said generously. “There’s no rush.”
Seeing how very happy the old lady was, Yu Tang felt her decision was quite correct.
But when Pei Yan learned of this, his expression changed dramatically. In the pavilion where they usually met, he paced back and forth saying, “My mother is obsessed with this. In the past, she was afraid my father would object and didn’t dare openly practice calculations at home. Later, when she discovered my father didn’t care at all, she became bolder and bolder. For a time, she hardly managed household affairs at all. Once, my second brother was personally accompanied by my mother but still fell into the lake because of this—only then did my mother reform her temperament somewhat.”
If she got started on this, he would probably have difficulty seeing Yu Tang even once.
Pei Yan hurriedly said, “My mother will definitely give you a book to read first. When you receive it, you must tell me. I’ll find a way to keep my mother from bothering you.”
“This seems rather improper!” Yu Tang said. “Old Madam is elderly and doesn’t have much else to do. I’ll just treat it as keeping her company.”
Pei Yan didn’t know how to explain it well to Yu Tang and said anxiously, “You must listen to me on this matter. Just remember to tell me when you receive the book she gives you.”
This was a small matter, so Yu Tang readily agreed.
Later, Old Madam Pei really did send her a book called “The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art,” telling her to read it first and ask about anything she didn’t understand.
Yu Tang flipped through it and felt it seemed quite simple.
She told Pei Yan.
Not only was Pei Yan not comforted, he became even more anxious.
He was pondering how to discuss this matter with Old Madam Pei when the Dragon Boat Festival approached. Old Madam Pei wanted to keep Yu Tang at the villa to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival and specially invited Chen Shi up the mountain to discuss the matter with her.
Chen Shi was reluctant to let her daughter spend the Dragon Boat Festival at the Pei family.
Old Madam Pei naturally understood and simply invited the entire Yu family to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival at the villa.
Chen Shi thought that although the two families would soon be joined in marriage, at present the relationship wasn’t proper or justified, so she tactfully declined. However, fearing that Old Madam Pei might become displeased with Yu Tang because of this, Chen Shi invited Old Madam Pei down the mountain: “That day there will be dragon boat races on Tiao Creek. You should come watch the excitement too!”
Old Madam Pei wasn’t interested in such things, but Pei Yan urged from the side, “Go down and return the same day—the young girls rarely get to go out. Just consider it taking them to see the world.”
The elderly lady was tender-hearted toward her juniors. After thinking it over, she agreed.
After leaving Old Madam Pei’s quarters, Chen Shi went to see Yu Tang.
Having not seen each other for nearly half a month, she held Yu Tang’s hands and examined her up and down. Seeing Yu Tang’s rosy complexion looking even more beautiful than when at home, she was all smiles as she asked about Yu Tang’s days at the villa: “What did Old Madam ask you to come do? I saw that the courtyard where you’re staying is right next to Old Madam Pei’s—not only spacious but also quite close to Old Madam. It seems Old Madam values you even more. You mustn’t be mischievous here—you must properly show filial piety to Old Madam.”
Yu Tang felt somewhat embarrassed and told her mother about Old Madam Pei’s purpose in having her come to the villa, adding, “Although everything is fine here, I miss you and Father. For the Dragon Boat Festival, we must celebrate as a family.”
As for Pei Yan, didn’t he have everything under control? She would just not worry about anything.
Chen Shi was delighted and quickly asked what Yu Tang usually did and what Old Madam Pei had said.
Yu Tang answered everything.
The more Chen Shi listened, the happier she became. Holding Yu Tang’s hand, she said emotionally, “That’s good, that’s good. You must study well with Old Madam! Others couldn’t have such an opportunity even if they wanted it!”
She felt somewhat regretful about refusing Old Madam Pei.
Old Madam Pei was wholeheartedly making plans for Yu Tang—perhaps keeping Yu Tang at the Pei family for the Dragon Boat Festival also had special purpose.