Everyone indeed had two faces, but how many people dared show two faces in front of the Old Madam?

Pei Man kept complaining inwardly but couldn’t show it on his face. He continued respectfully responding “yes” and dispatched people to investigate.

Madam Wang felt terribly wronged. Fortunately, Pei Man understood her temperament fairly well and knew she had always been very anxious about the Pei family’s business. Even when encountering maids sweeping floors at the Pei residence, she would be polite and courteous. When convenient, she would even give two red hair ribbons to those young maids. After investigating, the matter passed.

On Pei Yan’s side, however, he still wasn’t at ease. He had someone invite Yu Tang over and asked her why she was seeking pattern designs from the tailor master.

Yu Tang felt embarrassed.

She hadn’t expected that even such a small matter would have Pei Man request Pei Yan’s instructions.

“Isn’t our family’s lacquerware business not doing very well?” She told Pei Yan about the back-and-forth efforts she and Yu Yuan had made.

Pei Yan was very disdainful and said, “Your family just lets you, a young girl, mess around like this?”

Yu Tang didn’t quite like hearing this. She said, “What do you mean ‘a young girl’? I’m not messing around either. Our family’s lacquerware shop was passed down from my grandfather’s time. Although my father and my uncle each received one shop, the shops were never separated—they’ve always been together, managed by my uncle. My father and my uncle want my brother and me to manage the shop together.”

Pei Yan had always reacted quickly to people and situations. Hearing this, he immediately realized that the Yu family was preparing to have Miss Yu take in a son-in-law. But he felt inexplicably worried and couldn’t help saying, “So you also agree with your family’s arrangement?”

Men considered marrying into a wife’s family shameful. Those willing to become live-in sons-in-law usually had this or that deficiency.

Pei Yan furrowed his brow slightly.

Yu Tang didn’t react immediately and said, “What arrangement?”

Pei Yan felt somewhat irritated.

This little girl—how foolish!

Usually quite sharp, but at critical moments she became clueless.

He said with annoyance, “You just agree to your family having you take in a son-in-law? Don’t you still have a cousin? He can shoulder both responsibilities!”

This was the choice of many families.

No need to change surnames, no need to separate from blood relatives—merely supporting one additional uncle. But the uncle’s property should also go to the nephew. When calculated, it was still worthwhile.

Only then did Yu Tang understand he was talking about this matter.

No matter how carefree she was, she couldn’t properly discuss such things with Pei Yan.

Yu Tang’s face reddened as she answered with a very safe response: “Marriage is by parents’ command and matchmaker’s word. Naturally, I’ll follow my parents’ wishes.”

Yet you dare come before me and spout such nonsense!

These words were at the tip of Pei Yan’s tongue. He suddenly felt that saying such things at this moment seemed somewhat inappropriate… Although he didn’t know why he felt it inappropriate, nor why, given his do-as-he-pleased nature, he should endure and swallow these words, he still endured again and again, stiffly turning the topic to the Yu family’s lacquerware shop: “Why do you think so highly of that tailor shop’s patterns? I find them very ordinary.”

As soon as he spoke, Yu Tang let out a long breath of relief. Only then did she realize that while answering Pei Yan’s questions, her nerves had been taut the whole time. As for why, looking at Pei Yan’s burning eyes, she had no time to think more. She instinctively felt as if she had safely escaped from a cliff’s edge, making her instinctively want to quickly move past this section. She said somewhat impatiently, “That’s because you didn’t notice their embroidery work. Their embroidery work is excellent.” As she spoke, she gave examples using Fifth Miss’s embroidered shoes.

Pei Yan still wore a face full of disdain and said, “If I remember correctly, your family shop makes carved red lacquer, right?”

Yu Tang nodded repeatedly: “You remember correctly.”

“Isn’t carved red lacquer known for being gorgeous yet understated?” Pei Yan said dismissively. “The pattern you described—scattered flowers here and there—which items do you plan to use it on? Without even looking, I know such patterns would look good done in mother-of-pearl inlay. Making such patterns with carved red lacquer can neither showcase the complex craftsmanship of carved red lacquer nor highlight its characteristics.”

He spoke as if his family had a generations-old lacquerware shop.

Yu Tang was frustrated and also somewhat unconvinced.

She knew Pei Yan was knowledgeable about many things, but surely he didn’t understand lacquerware too?

Yu Tang said somewhat defiantly, “What are the characteristics of carved red lacquer? Why can’t it leave blank space like paintings? I previously requested several paintings to use as patterns, and they sold very well.”

Pei Yan curled his lip and said, “That’s because those people haven’t seen better-looking carved red lacquer items. Besides, isn’t the characteristic of carved red lacquer that it differs from other lacquerware crafts? Although I’m an outsider, I know that carved red lacquer differs from other lacquerware in that it requires repeatedly applying dozens of layers of red lacquer on the item. After drying, relief patterns are then carved. The edges must be clean and sharp, fine and delicate. Large amounts of blank space require highlighting the pattern’s content—naturally good for human figures. If it’s decorative patterns or floral designs, one must carefully consider the color of the blank space. Do you really plan to have your family’s lacquerware made with black or other colored bases?”

“Of course not!” Yu Tang blurted out, then didn’t know what to say.

The key point of carved red lacquer lay in the “red.” If the base color became another color, it wouldn’t be called carved red lacquer anymore.

Thinking of this, her heart stirred. She said, “Could we use other colors as the base?”

Pei Yan felt mentally exhausted and didn’t particularly want to talk with her. He said lazily, “You could try. Perhaps you could innovate and create a new lacquerware technique.”

Yu Tang truly did develop such thoughts.

Her heart instantly flew away. She wished she could return to her family shop in the blink of an eye to discuss this matter with Yu Yuan.

Pei Yan, however, didn’t want to concern himself with her little schemes and continued: “The craft of carved red lacquer lies in the character ‘carving.’ You should focus your efforts on this aspect. Rather than requesting patterns from those tailor shops, it would be better to have someone redraw floral designs. Pattern designs like human figures place very high demands on carving skills—the facial features must be lifelike. Does your family have such masters?”

They didn’t!

Yu Tang didn’t make a sound.

Pei Yan didn’t need her to make a sound—he could tell just by looking. He simply said, “Go bring over those patterns from your family for me to see.”

Yu Tang stared at him with wide almond eyes, full of astonishment.

Pei Yan suddenly felt her gaze looking at him was too bright, making him feel somewhat dazzled, even producing a slight sense of discomfort. He couldn’t help but cough lightly twice and said, “Hurry up and have someone bring all those patterns over!”

Yu Tang jumped up. The little person in her heart danced with joy, as happy as a little bird.

“Yes, yes.” Afraid he would change his mind, she couldn’t care about propriety anymore. Rushing to the door, she called Shuang Tao over and instructed, “Go quickly to the shop and tell the young master that Third Master is willing to help our family look at the lacquerware patterns. Have him quickly bring the patterns to the manor.”

Shuang Tao was delighted beyond expectation.

If the Pei family was willing to help, the Yu family’s lacquerware shop would surely make a fortune.

If the Yu family did well, people like them could walk out with their heads held high, extremely proud.

“I’ll go right away, I’ll go right away.” She also couldn’t care about etiquette and ran off in a flash.

Yu Tang feared Pei Yan’s enthusiasm would only last three minutes. On one hand, she secretly prayed in her heart that her brother, upon receiving the news, wouldn’t delay even a moment and would rush over at full speed. On the other hand, she felt she needed to keep Pei Yan steady and not let this enthusiasm dissipate. Without thinking much, she turned and returned to the study, immediately speaking eagerly with Pei Yan.

However, she and Pei Yan had nothing in common, whether in learning and cultivation or in perspective and knowledge. Moreover, Pei Yan was a man of few words. After exchanging pleasantries about whether he had eaten or drunk, she didn’t know what else to say.

Yu Tang complained inwardly.

Could it be that without discussing content from the Four Books and Five Classics, there was nothing worth talking about?

She felt depressed but could only continue finding topics, speaking about lacquerware techniques.

Pei Yan coldly watched Yu Tang chattering away there searching for things to say. He should be impatient, should feel disgusted. But looking at her bright eyes, her embarrassment when she couldn’t find topics, her secret delight when she found topics, he felt as if he were watching a comedy. No, it was even more interesting than watching a comedy.

He actually listened to her rambling for more than half an hour, until she said, “What do you think about our family hiring a highly skilled carving master?” At that point, he couldn’t hold back again and rebuked in a low voice: “Your family has operated a lacquerware shop for several generations, hasn’t it? With so many disciples at home, you actually need to hire a highly skilled carving master back—are you slapping the Yu family’s face? Or slapping your uncle’s face? Even if your uncle agrees, your father shouldn’t agree either, right?”

Yu Tang suddenly fell silent.

Indeed, if she really hired a carving master back, her uncle might feel she was criticizing him for not managing the shop well.

Then what should she do?

Give up on carved human figure patterns?

How could that work?

Yu Tang shook her head.

Their family’s lacquerware shop’s poor business before was precisely because the goods were limited. If they also didn’t have human figure patterns, with even fewer choices, wouldn’t business become even worse?

She pondered there.

Pei Yan, however, watched her with great interest.

Shaking her head one moment, smiling helplessly the next, frowning, then lowering her head—her expressions and movements were so rich. Even three-year-old children in the Pei family weren’t as fidgety as her.

He couldn’t help but sigh that fortunately Miss Yu’s appearance was outstanding. No matter how one looked at her, she was pleasing to the eye. If someone else made such gestures, they probably would have long been considered deranged by him.

This could be counted as her good fortune. He was currently avoiding Shen Shanyan, so he might as well while away some time here with her.

Thinking this, Pei Yan said, “Doing business nowadays comes down to two types. One is doing everything—people who go there will never leave empty-handed. The other is doing business to the peak—whenever people think of this item, the first thing they do is go to their shop to look. Only if their shop doesn’t have it will they consider other shops. Your family’s lacquerware shop originally became famous for making carved red lacquer. Seeking breadth and completeness in products—I think there’s absolutely no need for that.”

Was it really like this?

Yu Tang felt somewhat anxious and said, “But if we aim for the peak, wouldn’t that be very difficult?”

Their family had no confidence they could reach such a level.

Pei Yan sneered, “Spending the same effort, the same time, the same energy, yet being inferior to others in everything—your family is quite accomplished.”