While Gu Xi was packing her luggage, several young misses from the Pei family clamored to give her a farewell party, seemingly unaware of Lady Pei’s tactful suggestion that she return home early. This made Gu Xi feel much better and saved her face from being too embarrassing. However, when it came to farewell gatherings, she didn’t consider herself thick-skinned enough to pretend she knew nothing and eat and drink with the Pei family’s young misses.
Yu Tang had no intention of putting on an act in front of Gu Xi. Having understood Lady Pei’s meaning, she didn’t even offer polite words.
This made Gu Xi secretly wonder whether Yu Tang knew something.
But regardless, Gu Xi was leaving, yet she still felt unwilling to accept it. She thought she should still bid farewell to Lady Pei privately. If she could probe Lady Pei’s thoughts and understand why Lady Pei was urging her to return home, that would be best. If there was no opportunity for that, just being able to speak a few words alone with Lady Pei would suffice—no matter which family she married into as mistress in the future, it would be impossible to have no dealings with the Pei family. Moreover, during her days at the Pei household, she had gotten along well with several of the Pei young misses, who were not the scheming type and were worth befriending.
At this thought, she couldn’t help but think of Second Miss’s marriage.
The Yang family had once entered her Gu family’s consideration as well, but the only Gu family daughters of similar age to Young Master Yang were several concubine-born misses from the outer household. A marriage alliance was naturally not worth mentioning. Her stepmother had even lamented that all her half-sisters were either too young or too old compared to Young Master Yang, and as the eldest son, he probably wouldn’t want to marry a wife who was too young.
The marriage Third Miss had made was also quite good.
Although they were maternal cousins, Third Miss’s maternal family was also a proper scholarly household, generations of officials, producing a jinshi degree holder every generation or two. In this generation, the highest-ranking official in the family was the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangxi, who was Third Miss’s cousin’s eldest uncle by blood. If Third Miss’s cousin was also studious material, with support from both families, his official career would be assured.
This was the foundation of a wealthy and powerful clan.
It was just that her father was incompetent. If he continued to be instigated by her stepmother to only suppress his several concubine-born uncles, their second branch, even with her elder brother supporting it, probably couldn’t hold out for much longer.
Gu Xi let out a long sigh.
Hexiang walked in with a somewhat panicked expression and whispered in her ear, “Miss, First Madam—the First Madam of the Pei household—sent a maid over. She said she heard you were returning to Hangzhou and sent two pots of cymbidium orchids as a token gift.”
Gu Xi hesitated for a long while.
She didn’t want to wade into the Pei family’s murky waters anymore, but as for First Madam… she somewhat regretted having made a special effort to befriend First Madam. Originally, she had only wanted to show Lady Pei and Pei Yan her social skills, but now she had given First Madam an excuse to approach her.
She clearly knew it was improper, yet First Madam sending someone to deliver orchids made her heart suddenly feel a hidden sense of satisfaction.
If you all think I’ve stayed at your house too long and lack the cultivation and awareness of a guest, then I might as well smash the pot and act like someone who knows nothing.
Besides, the Yang family was not to be trifled with either.
Though they had been somewhat weak in the past, this generation had produced three capital officials and could remain prosperous for at least another twenty years. Why should she push the Yang family away?
Gu Xi smiled and said, “Invite that maid in and reward her with some loose silver. Tell her I’ve accepted the flowers and thank First Madam for her kindness. If First Madam has the opportunity to visit Hangzhou, she must come sit at our house. Our madam is also hospitable. If she visits our house, there’s one thing we can guarantee—she’ll have all the wine she wants to drink.”
Her stepmother had a wine distillery as part of her dowry. Since marrying into the Gu family, she particularly enjoyed using wine from her own distillery to entertain guests, promoting her family’s business. Gu Xi used to find this most annoying, but now she felt her stepmother’s approach wasn’t so bad after all.
Hexiang led First Madam’s junior maid inside.
On Lady Pei’s side, she was having a private conversation with Lady Yi: “I had thought that as a young miss from a prominent family, her conduct and bearing would be understated yet assured. Her mind is indeed assured, but her temperament… So you see, one truly cannot judge a person’s character entirely by their birth. What’s most rare in a woman is knowing when to be shrewd and when to play the fool.”
Lady Yi had once had the temperament of a heroine among women, but after serving the ailing Old Master Yi for the past ten or twenty years, and with advancing age, she had become increasingly gentle and kind-tempered in dealing with people and matters. Hearing this, she smiled and said, “Then why did you drive her away like that? I saw that young lady was deeply ashamed and indignant. I fear she might hold a grudge against our family and create enemies for the younger generation for no reason.”
Lady Pei snorted dismissively and said, “The young ladies raised by our family are not hothouse flowers—only to be looked at but not used. If they can’t even evade such small schemes, how will they get along with their sisters-in-law and aunts who are older and more experienced than them?”
Lady Yi laughed heartily and said, “I think that young lady is actually quite good. Perhaps she lacks proper guidance, but she’s certainly intelligent.”
Lady Pei, whether looking down on the Gu family or on Gu Xi herself, said, “Those who grow up with stepmothers—few turn out well. If one lacks that capability, one should hide one’s inadequacies! Look at that little miss from the Yu family—honest, proper, not trying to be clever. I think that’s quite good. Without the diamond drill, don’t take on the porcelain work!”
“You!” Lady Yi smiled and shook her head. “What matter has upset you that you’re taking it out on someone else’s young lady?” As she spoke, she pointed toward the warm room. “Is it still that matter?”
Lady Pei’s face immediately fell as she said, “What sin did I commit? When he was alive, he wouldn’t listen and insisted on forming a marriage alliance with the Yang family. Now that he’s gone, he’s left me such a huge mess. That old man of ours is the same—when he doesn’t know what to do, he throws this pot to Third Son. What can Third Son do? On one side is his widowed sister-in-law, on the other his orphaned nephew. Whatever he does is wrong! Looking at it, if Eldest Son was unfilial, it’s because he takes after the old man—makes his own mistakes, can’t handle them, and simply washes his hands of it, leaving others to clean up. Only our Third Son is most pitiful. But who told him to take after my temperament—wishing everyone in the family would be well, willing to suffer losses himself…”
Lady Yi couldn’t help but laugh and say, “Are you pitying your Third Son? Or praising yourself?”
Lady Pei thought about it and also laughed aloud.
The gloomy atmosphere in the room was swept away, becoming cheerful.
Lady Pei and Lady Yi needed to discuss Second Miss’s marriage with the Yang family, so Gu Xi ultimately didn’t find an opportunity to bid farewell to Lady Pei privately.
Second Miss’s marriage to the Yang family was quickly settled. As Second Miss was a grand-niece from the third branch, though she hadn’t yet married, she only needed to observe mourning for nine months. The several young misses all continued wearing plain clothing out of respect for the deceased Old Master Pei from the main branch. The Yang family was of the same mind, thinking the two families should first have a small betrothal ceremony, inviting only close relatives to witness, and then after the Pei family’s main branch completed the mourning period, they would formally send the betrothal gifts and bring Second Miss into their home with fanfare and celebration.
Lady Pei felt this was unnecessary—remembering Old Master Pei’s teachings was sufficient. Lady Yi, however, was quite insistent, feeling the Yang family’s suggestion suited her perfectly. She sent someone to inform Second Miss’s parents, and the matter was thus settled.
By this time, Gu Xi had already been escorted back to Hangzhou by people sent by the Pei family. Yu Tang thought she should also return home.
She went to bid farewell to Lady Pei.
Lady Pei didn’t keep her but instead filled two full mule carts with silks and satins, medicinal herbs and dried goods, foods and pastries. The several young misses of the Pei family held her hands with great reluctance: “You must come to our house to pay New Year’s respects to the two Ladies!”
Yu Tang didn’t know if it would be appropriate to enter the manor at that time, but if there was an opportunity, she still wanted to pay New Year’s respects to the two Ladies.
She nodded repeatedly and said many reluctant words to the Pei family’s young misses before finally boarding the Pei family’s sedan chair and returning to the Yu family.
Two mule carts of goods.
As soon as Yu Tang entered Green Bamboo Lane, she was surrounded by neighbors from left and right. One asked where Yu Tang had been, another asked where all the things on the mule carts came from. Yu Tang had no intention of publicizing her relationship with the Pei family and answered vaguely. It was Chen Pozi, who had been watching for Yu Tang’s return, who heard the commotion and ran over to dismiss the surrounding neighbors in a few words. Only then could Yu Tang smoothly enter through the main gate.
Madam Chen embraced Yu Tang, and before she could speak, tears fell first: “My child, let me look at you carefully. You’ve been gone for most of a month, and your mother hasn’t had a single good night’s sleep. Did you fare well at the Pei household? Were the Pei family’s young misses easy to get along with? Did they make things difficult for you?”
But before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Yu Wen, who had been waiting nearby: “What are you saying? Can’t you see that A’Tang’s complexion is much better than when she left home? And she brought back two carts of goods—clearly Lady Pei likes her very much too. Isn’t that right, A’Tang?”
Though his words said so, Yu Wen’s urgent tone and his eyes scanning her up and down betrayed his concern and worry.
Yu Tang answered “yes,” and tears fell along with her mother’s: “Yes, everyone at the Pei household treated me very well. I even went with them to Ku’an Temple. I was doing so well that I almost didn’t want to come back.”
“You child!” Eldest Aunt and Madam Xiang, who had been standing under the eaves watching their family reunion, had somehow walked over. Eldest Aunt said with a smile, gently patting Yu Tang’s shoulder and saying softly, “It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back. Your mother has been talking about you every day since learning the day before yesterday that you were returning. She bought meat and fish and made many pastries you like to eat. Even we benefited and got more than half a basket of food.”
Yu Tang laughed heartily, teardrops still hanging at the corners of her eyes.
Madam Xiang took out her own handkerchief and handed it to her, smiling, “It’s good you’re back. We can all prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner together.”
Yu Tang nodded repeatedly and noticed that Madam Xiang’s belly was protruding high.
“Oh my!” She looked at Madam Xiang with both awe and envy. “Your belly is so big. Have you had the medical woman examine you in advance? Should we arrange for a midwife ahead of time?”
“You!” Eldest Aunt looked at Yu Tang with affection and smiled, “No wonder your mother thinks of you every day—you’re such a thoughtful daughter. You haven’t even steadied yourself yet, but you’re already concerned about your sister-in-law. Eldest Aunt hasn’t loved you in vain.”
Yu Tang lowered her head in embarrassment.
Both Eldest Aunt and her mother were experienced people—how could these matters be for her to ask about?
But the whole family laughed, and even Eldest Uncle, who usually maintained some reserve in front of Yu Tang, didn’t hide the joy in his heart and laughed heartily along with everyone.