Yu Yuan was stunned.

Yu Wen looked at Yu Tang and her mother, who were walking arm in arm and chatting excitedly about something, and said in a low voice: “Come see me first thing tomorrow morning.”

Yu Yuan nodded. The next day, he went to Yu Wen’s house without even eating breakfast.

Yu Wen met with Yu Yuan in his study.

After Yu Tang learned about this, she also followed to the study.

Yu Yuan said helplessly: “Are you afraid I won’t explain things clearly?”

“No!” Yu Tang said. “I have a share in this matter too, so I need to listen.”

Yu Wen only felt a headache coming on and said to Yu Yuan: “Don’t mind her. If she wants to listen, let her listen. Even if we don’t let her listen, with her personality, she’ll eavesdrop anyway.”

Yu Yuan laughed with a snort.

Yu Tang, blushing, sat down beside Yu Yuan pretending nothing was amiss.

Yu Wen smiled and shook his head, saying to Yu Yuan: “You say this Jiang Chao is this good and that good, but have you seen his ship? Do you know who the other partners are? What do these partners do? Have you looked into any of this?”

Yu Yuan couldn’t answer.

Yu Tang, however, breathed a sigh of relief.

She hadn’t expected her father to be so reliable.

But this thought had barely flashed through her mind when she heard her father continue: “I’m not saying I won’t let you all take risks. After all, the silver from auctioning the maps was unexpected wealth—if it’s scattered, it’s scattered. The main thing is, don’t let others trick you and make you their fool.”

Yu Tang felt her footing slip.

Turns out her father was still the same father…

Yu Yuan immediately said as if trying to remedy the situation: “How about I make another trip to Suzhou and thoroughly investigate everything you mentioned?”

Yu Wen thought for a moment and said: “Forget it, I’ll make the trip with you! You’re still too young and have experienced too few things.”

The implication was that they weren’t reliable in handling matters.

Yu Yuan felt relieved upon hearing this.

Yu Tang’s heart, however, tightened again. She asked: “Father, when are we going?”

She had also brought gifts for Ma Xiuniang and had agreed with her mother yesterday to go see Ma Xiuniang later.

Who would have known that Yu Wen would say: “This time we won’t take you along. It’s not convenient for a young lady to travel. If you have time, go to the shop and help your uncle more.”

Yu Tang pouted.

Yu Wen said: “This is also your mother’s idea. She’s afraid that the more you go out, the wilder your heart will become.”

Later when it came time to choose a husband, she’d be too picky and particular, with eyes growing to the top of her head, becoming an old maid who couldn’t get married.

Yu Tang thought about it—men and women were different, so it really wasn’t appropriate for her to investigate Jiang Chao. Letting her father go take a look was fine too. However, from Yu Yuan’s words, she could tell that Jiang Chao had a silver tongue. She needed to warn her father in advance, so he wouldn’t end up like her eldest cousin, so befuddled by him that he couldn’t tell north from south.

“Father,” she reminded her father with a serious expression, “it’s good that you and Elder Brother are making a trip to Suzhou. When all is said and done, hearsay isn’t as good as seeing with your own eyes. I haven’t met Jiang Chao, but from what Elder Brother said, he’s quite formidable. And Elder Brother only met him once before immediately deciding to invest with him. Logically speaking, there are so many wealthy families in Suzhou city—why would Jiang Chao still be looking everywhere for investors? This matter should be very easy for him, shouldn’t it? How could we outsiders pick up such an opportunity?”

Both Yu Yuan and Yu Wen were momentarily distracted.

Yu Tang continued: “Fortunately, Ningbo Prefecture isn’t far from here either. If necessary, you might as well make a trip to Ningbo Prefecture to see what kind of family the Wangs are before coming back—it won’t delay things. Although that silver came from selling the maps and was unexpected wealth, in the end it’s still money. Moreover, we owe it all to Third Master Pei’s help. Whether it becomes the foundation for prosperity or scatters like gold depends entirely on how we use it. Father shouldn’t take it lightly. Remember back then—if we’d had this money, Mother’s illness wouldn’t have been so difficult.”

She could only use this matter to move her father.

In this lifetime, because of her changes, many things in the family had changed. The only thing that could make her father feel troubled was her mother’s illness.

Yu Wen indeed nodded repeatedly and said: “I understand. I’ll go tell your uncle shortly. Stay home these few days and properly serve your aunt on behalf of your elder brother. Don’t make me worry.”

Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips. Remembering something, she said: “I might still need to make a trip back to the old residence to see how those sea buckthorn trees are growing.”

Yu Wen felt quite gratified hearing this and said: “At least you’re putting your heart into it. If you do things halfway, I won’t help you anymore in the future.”

Yu Tang thought of how Yu Wen had asked around everywhere about planting trees for her before. She quickly smiled broadly and refilled a cup of tea, placing it by Yu Wen’s hand, saying sweetly: “I understand! Father, rest assured, I’ll definitely be obedient and properly keep those trees alive.”

Yu Wen made a satisfied “mm” sound and, after giving Yu Tang a few more instructions, went with Yu Yuan to Yu Bo’s house.

Yu Tang wrapped up the little clothes, rattle drums, and other things she’d brought for Ma Xiuniang in a bundle at home and went to Ma Xiuniang’s house.

Ma Xiuniang would give birth in just over a month. With her large belly protruding, her feet were so swollen she couldn’t even wear shoes, which gave Yu Tang quite a fright.

She quickly supported Ma Xiuniang who came to greet her and chided: “Really! You’re in this condition, yet you still come out to greet me? Don’t you have Xique?”

Ma Xiuniang’s maid Xique also said: “Exactly, exactly! Miss Yu, please help me persuade Young Mistress! Tell her to just instruct me if she needs anything and not move around herself.”

Ma Xiuniang had gained a lot of weight—her face was as round as a silver plate. She smiled and said: “It’s not as serious as you all make it sound. However, if I can give birth smoothly this time, I’ll have to thank A-Tang.”

“Me?!” Yu Tang widened her eyes in confusion.

As Ma Xiuniang walked into the room with Yu Tang, she said: “Doesn’t Imperial Physician Yang go to take your mother’s pulse every month? A few days ago when my mother and I went to your house, they said you’d gone to Suzhou Prefecture, but we happened to run into Imperial Physician Yang coming over. When he saw my condition, he took my pulse and said the baby was fine, but I’d eaten a bit too much and gotten fat. He told me to move around more, otherwise giving birth wouldn’t be easy. So I’ve been following Imperial Physician Yang’s advice and moving around more. You all can’t stop me.”

Xique said with a bitter face: “He told you to move more, but he didn’t tell you to do this and do that! We tell you, but you still don’t listen.”

Ma Xiuniang laughed heartily and sat on the daybed with Yu Tang, one on each side. Before Xique could bring over tea and snacks, she was already asking Yu Tang with a smile: “Was Suzhou fun?”

“It was fun!” Yu Tang enthusiastically told Ma Xiuniang about what she’d seen and heard in Suzhou, and in the meantime took out the little things she’d bought for Ma Xiuniang. “I thought they were interesting so I bought them. I don’t know if I bought the right things—neither my sister-in-law nor I have bought these children’s items before, but the shopkeeper said we should buy this size.”

Ma Xiuniang thanked her and handed the bundle to Xique, saying quite enviously: “Your sister-in-law really is excellent. I hope my future sister-in-law can be as good as yours.”

Yu Tang giggled and, remembering how Ma Xiuniang had once told her to pick a younger brother for her, teased: “Why don’t you find a marriage prospect for your younger brother right now and marry her in early? Teach her well, and surely they can be like my elder brother and sister-in-law with good feelings for each other.”

Ma Xiuniang also remembered this matter.

The two had a good laugh together.

Yu Tang stayed at the Zhang household until lamp-lighting time before returning home. After going back, she heard that her father and eldest cousin would be taking a boat to Suzhou early the next morning, so early the next day she went to see Yu Wen and Yu Yuan off. Afterward, following Yu Wen’s words, she went to the shop for two days before greeting the family elders and taking A-Tiao and Shuang Tao back to the old residence together.

Whether it was because the matter of the adopted heir kept Fifth Great-Uncle troubled or because the weather was getting hotter, this time when she returned to the village, Fifth Great-Uncle looked much older. Hearing that Yu Tang wanted to go see the mountain forest, he didn’t accompany her. He just called over a young member of the Yu family to lead the way and called over another distant cousin-in-law to help cook and entertain Yu Tang.

Yu Tang chatted with Fifth Great-Uncle for a while before going up the mountain.

The hired forest watcher lived on the mountain and, having already received word that Yu Tang was coming, had been waiting at the base of the mountain forest early on.

Yu Tang went up the mountain with him.

The trees in this mountain forest really didn’t grow well. At this time of year, other people’s mountain slopes were lush and verdant, blocking out the sky and sun, looking cool just from the sight. Their family’s mountain slope, though also green, was full of miscellaneous small trees—if you wanted to hide from the sun, you still had to look for tree shade. Fortunately, those few sea buckthorn trees were planted at the foot of the mountain, just a few steps’ climb away, so she wouldn’t have to walk in the sun the whole way.

The sea buckhorns transplanted from the Pei family’s back garden were unexpectedly lush. Although they hadn’t bloomed, they had sent out new branches.

The forest watcher took the opportunity to praise himself: “I water these trees every day, look at them once in the morning and once before bed—more carefully than watching over my own children, not daring to be careless at all.”

Yu Tang was generous. Whether what he said was true or false, the fact that the trees were growing well was real.

She rewarded him with a piece of broken silver.

The forest watcher was quite surprised, thanking her repeatedly, and proactively said: “Miss, would you like me to help cut and dry some firewood when autumn comes?”

Yu Tang didn’t come often, and he was afraid that if he waited until her next visit to cut firewood, it would be too late—firewood to be sold in winter needed to be dried during the autumn heat to fetch a good price.

Yu Tang thought that this year’s sea buckhorns certainly weren’t going to produce anything, and this person seemed willing to work—being able to dry some firewood to sell would at least be some income.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you,” she said politely.

The forest watcher felt flattered and increasingly felt she was a good employer. He ingratiatingly said: “We also planted some peanuts over there following your instructions. Would you like to go see them?”

Since she’d come, she definitely wanted to see them.

The two went to the other side of the mountain to look at the peanuts.

The forest watcher walked in front, still chattering: “In a little while we’ll be able to eat summer peanuts. When the time comes, I’ll tell Fifth Great-Uncle and have him find someone to bring some to Lin’an city for you, so you can eat them fresh…”

Yu Tang paid attention to her footing, casually nodding her head, but from the corner of her eye suddenly saw someone passing by on the forest path across from them.

She stopped in her tracks.

Shuang Tao, who was walking behind her, almost bumped into her.

“What’s wrong, Miss!” Shuang Tao said.

Yu Tang pointed at the man hurrying past across from them: “Look carefully—isn’t that person the one we ran into in front of the rouge shop in Suzhou Prefecture?”

Shuang Tao stood on her tiptoes to look carefully again and again, saying: “He does look somewhat similar, but it’s a bit far, and I didn’t pay attention at the rouge shop, so I don’t know if it’s him…”

Yu Tang, however, thought he looked very similar.

She instructed A-Tiao: “You follow him and find out who that person is?”