After that, Yu Tang remained somewhat distracted. But even by the afternoon, A-Tiao still hadn’t returned. Since she had to go back to Lin’an city, she could only instruct Fifth Great-Uncle: “If A-Tiao comes back, tell him we’ve gone home first and have him rest here for a night before returning.” She also reminded the cousin-in-law who came to cook to save food for A-Tiao.

The cousin-in-law mumbled her agreement while wiping her apron, and only then did Yu Tang return to the city.

A-Tiao came back at noon the next day.

He was drenched in sweat. While wiping it away with his sleeve, he reported to Yu Tang: “Young Miss, I’ve investigated clearly. That person is called Gao Qi. He’s from Banqiao Town, and his family runs a general goods shop. He has one younger brother and one younger sister.” Speaking of this, he laughed. “Interestingly, this person actually has some connection with our family. The Third Young Master of the Wei family married his cousin. However, this person doesn’t have a very good reputation. They say that from childhood he followed merchants traveling north and south doing business, and he’s somewhat slick and smooth-talking. The people around don’t really like him much.”

Yu Tang was stunned.

She hadn’t expected that man to actually be Gao Shi’s elder brother.

In her previous life, she had heard that Gao Shi had a very capable elder brother, but for some reason this brother had a falling out with Father Gao. After running off with someone, he rarely came back. Every time Gao Shi mentioned this brother, her eyes would light up, and she would look at Yu Yuan with increasing displeasure, increasingly feeling that Yu Yuan was incapable. Yu Yuan had suffered many blows because of this. Once he even got dead drunk over it and fell into a river—if someone hadn’t discovered him in time, he would have nearly drowned.

Yu Tang felt a bit ashamed, thinking she had been too suspicious.

She said to A-Tiao: “I didn’t expect that the person we encountered was actually the cousin of the Third Young Mistress of the Wei family. I wondered why he looked so familiar! Perhaps the cousins look very similar.”

A-Tiao grinned.

And so this matter passed.

One day when Yu Tang returned from the shop, she saw that some of the grapes in the back courtyard had ripened. She was taking scissors with Shuang Tao and had picked up a bamboo basket to pick grapes when Ma Xiuniang came to the house with her large belly protruding.

Yu Tang was greatly startled and quickly helped Ma Xiuniang to sit down in the hall, having Shuang Tao bring in a bowl of mung bean soup chilled with well water.

Who would have known that before Ma Xiuniang could take the bowl, Chen Shi, who had rushed over upon learning of Ma Xiuniang’s arrival, stopped her: “You two inconsiderate girls! Xiuniang is about to give birth—mung beans are cooling in nature. Is that something she can drink? Shuang Tao, give this bowl of mung bean soup to A-Tang. You go get a bowl of lotus seed soup.”

Shuang Tao was so frightened she shuddered and nearly broke the bowl. She quickly gave the mung bean soup to Yu Tang and ran to the kitchen.

“Auntie!” Ma Xiuniang supported her waist and was about to stand up.

But Chen Shi took two steps as one and walked to Ma Xiuniang’s side, supporting her firmly. She said: “You’re so far along—why are you being so formal with your aunt? Sit down quickly, be careful not to strain your back.” She also instructed Yu Tang, “Go grab some of the dried fruit from my room to serve as tea snacks for your Sister Xiuniang.”

Yu Tang hurried to get the dried fruit and bring it in.

Chen Shi had already sat down with Ma Xiuniang and was asking about the child in a gentle voice: “…Have the little quilts and clothes at home been washed and aired? Have you prepared the honeysuckle water for bathing and the cooling powder for wiping the bottom?”

Ma Xiuniang smiled and answered each question.

Yu Tang placed the tiered box containing dried fruit in front of Ma Xiuniang, and Shuang Tao also brought in the lotus seed soup.

Chen Shi smiled and said: “Quickly eat and drink something to have strength for walking.”

Ma Xiuniang expressed her thanks.

Chen Shi asked about her purpose in coming: “On such a hot day, and with your condition being inconvenient, if you felt bored you could have just sent someone with a message to call A-Tang to keep you company. When you’ve given birth, feel free to bring the child over to play—it would be perfect for tempering A-Tang’s temperament by having her help you with the baby.”

Ma Xiuniang smiled bashfully and said: “Auntie, I heard some good news and couldn’t help rushing over!”

“What good news?” Yu Tang and Chen Shi said in unison.

Ma Xiuniang raised her eyebrows, her face full of excited laughter as she said: “Auntie, A-Tang, I heard that the Gu family and the Li family have broken off their engagement!”

The Gu family and the Li family?

Gu Xi and Li Duan?

Yu Tang and Chen Shi couldn’t hide their complete surprise.

Ma Xiuniang laughed heartily for quite a while before saying: “Auntie and A-Tang didn’t know yet? This matter has already spread, but it seems it hasn’t reached your ears yet. However, the Li family’s luck is pretty good. Although their engagement with the Gu family was broken off, Master Li’s official fortune is flourishing. I heard he’s staying in the capital. Though his rank hasn’t changed, he was appointed Left Vice Minister of the Office of Transmission. Their family is quite proud now—those who originally wanted to laugh at them for having their engagement broken by the Gu family no longer have reason to talk about them. Otherwise you definitely would have gotten word already!”

In her previous life, after Li Yi completed his term in Rizhao, he also stayed in the capital, though for a time no official position was arranged. It wasn’t until Li Duan married Gu Xi that he was appointed Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. After Gu Xi gave birth to her eldest son, he was promoted to Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud, becoming one of the Minor Nine Ministers. During court deliberations he had a voice, and the Li family became a true official household.

In this life, the Li family and Gu family had broken off the engagement, and Li Yi was promoted to Left Vice Minister of the Office of Transmission.

Yu Tang suspected the Gu family had a hand in this.

Otherwise, how could the Li family have agreed so easily to break off the engagement?

She pulled Ma Xiuniang closer and asked: “The Gu family and Li family broke off their engagement—didn’t the Li family say anything?”

Ma Xiuniang pursed her lips disdainfully and said: “What could the Li family say? Should they say their son was rejected by the Gu family, or that there was something wrong with the Gu family’s eldest daughter? Since neither side could be spoken of, they could only grit their teeth and swallow it. Publicly they only say the two people’s birth characters were incompatible. They asked the great master at Zhaoming Temple to interpret divination signs several times but couldn’t resolve it. Just as they were about to marry, Young Master Li would trip while walking one day and have his horse spooked the next—not a single peaceful day. As for Miss Gu, she suddenly developed ringworm that spread from her arms to her face. Later, Sixth Master Gu found an eminent monk in the capital to cast a divination, saying their marriage fate wasn’t aligned. If they forced themselves together, even if they didn’t break the engagement now, there would be tribulations later. When both families heard this, they simply broke off the marriage.”

Speaking of this, Ma Xiuniang sneered a few times and said: “That Madam Li is still gilding her own face, saying that although the marriage didn’t work out, the Li and Gu families still consider each other relatives and will continue their association. Sixth Master Gu and Young Master Li have become sworn brothers—if the Li family has any matters in the future, they can directly go find Sixth Master Gu!”

Chen Shi’s world was within this household compound. In her eyes, the rift between the Yu family and Li family had already been resolved by Pei Yan acting as mediator. Whether the Li family broke off their engagement or got promoted had nothing to do with the Yu family, so she didn’t take it to heart and just smiled without speaking.

But Yu Tang’s heart was itching with curiosity, wanting to know if it was because of her making that fuss that not only did the Gu family break off the engagement, but they also secured a very good position for Li Yi. As an exchange, the Li family had no choice but to yield on the matter of breaking the engagement and had no choice but to keep silent.

Unfortunately, her father wasn’t home.

No—even if her father were home, he wouldn’t discuss these things with her. He might even think she had ruined someone’s marriage and instruct her never to mention this matter again.

The one she could speak freely with… thinking it over… it seemed only Third Master Pei.

So should she go see Pei Yan?

Yu Tang hesitated, but ultimately couldn’t control her schadenfreude. She took two boxes of tea leaves bought in Suzhou city, had someone send word to Pei Yan, saying she wanted to see him.

Pei Yan was cooling off at home. Hearing this, he didn’t think much of it and met Yu Tang at Gengyuan where he lived.

Since she was coming to see Pei Yan, Yu Tang dressed rather formally—a silver-white striped Hangzhou silk jacket, a white silk embroidered skirt, double snail buns, wearing pearl flowers, and even applied some lip rouge bought in Suzhou city. She only left after checking that her appearance was flawless. But the problem was the weather was too hot. First she was stuffy in the sedan chair for a while, then walked all the way following the Pei family servant. By the time she reached the entrance of Gengyuan, she felt like her back was probably soaked with sweat.

Fortunately, Gengyuan was full of arm-thick green trees with canopies like umbrellas blocking out the sky and sun. A small stream flowed gurgling past the stone-paved path, and cool air rushed toward her, immediately refreshing her.

She let out a breath of relief, wondering whether she should quietly find a place to wipe away her sweat before seeing Pei Yan. But when she turned around, she saw Pei Yan wearing a fine white gauze Daoist robe, lying contentedly on a rocking chair in a pavilion by the stream reading a book. On each side stood a bright-eyed, white-toothed little maid fanning him. On the tea table at hand, a crystal plate held colorful melons and fruits. Just looking from afar, one could feel his contentment and leisure.

Truly, comparing oneself to others was maddening!

How could this fellow be so good at enjoying himself?

Yu Tang grumbled internally for a few moments, feeling that ultimately there was still distance between her and Pei Yan. Some words perhaps weren’t appropriate to say to him.

Her interest in conversation immediately diminished by several degrees. Her face inevitably showed some hesitation, and her steps slowed.

A-Ming, who was leading her in, had no way of knowing her thoughts. Seeing this, he couldn’t help but ask with concern in a low voice: “Miss Yu, what’s wrong? Are you tired from walking? We’re almost there. Gengyuan is in the south of the estate—it’s a bit far from the side gate.”

Yu Tang pulled herself together upon hearing this.

Having come all this way, saying she was leaving now would be too inappropriate.

“No,” she said to A-Ming with a smile, “I was just looking around because the scenery here is so nice.”

But A-Ming dismissed this with a wave of his hand, saying: “What’s good about this place? It’s all just trees. Only Third Master likes it. Where our Old Madam lives is truly nice—flowers in clusters, bearing red fruit all year round.”

Perhaps what seemed like distinctive scenery in others’ eyes was nothing special to the Pei family members who had seen so much.

Yu Tang smiled and was about to make small talk with A-Ming when he suddenly stopped, performed a respectful bow, and called out “Third Master.”

She looked in the direction A-Ming was looking.

Pei Yan had somehow stood up from the rocking chair and was leaning on the pavilion railing looking toward them.

“Third Master!” Yu Tang also greeted him.

Pei Yan nodded.

A-Ming led Yu Tang into the pavilion.

Pei Yan leaned against the railing and casually gestured, saying “Sit.”

Yu Tang looked around.

In this pavilion, aside from the rocking chair Pei Yan had been lying on, there was only the tea table beside it. If she was to sit, where should she sit?

She couldn’t very well sit on the rocking chair he had just been lying on, could she?

Yu Tang was troubled, wondering if she should politely say “no need,” when a man appeared from somewhere carrying an armchair and placed it behind her.

Yu Tang’s face reddened. She quickly suppressed those thoughts in her mind and sat down in the armchair with apparent composure.